Grendel/Beowulf and the girls had not left their room the whole morning. Now that Hilde stopped hugging me to work on some house chores, there is some time to think. I felt a little uncomfortable with using my angelic magic on them, but it is for the best. Besides, angelic magic was designed to help mortals be happy. I even got a [Matchmaker] title for helping them hook up!
I have almost solid evidence that Grendel is the reincarnation of Lucifer. There is no telling how was his soul washed during the several millennia since the war but all evidence point to this.
First, the grail I was sleeping on was not supposed to break. How preposterous is to think that a divine tool would break from a few acid potions and one misplaced swing of a human weapon? The grail would crumble on its own only when another of the nine great seraphs were near it. Of the people around, there were five normal humans: the three that perished, Helen and Marcy. The only abnormality was Grendel.
Second evidence, he can lift the curse. It is completely absurd to believe any mortal could lift a curse cast by the dying breath of an entity that could destroy a god's soul. The only way to break a curse is to either be the caster, be more powerful than the caster and have the knowledge on how to break curses or fulfill some previous condition set when the curse was cast. It would be nice if Grendel was actually more powerful than Lucifer, he could save the world. But it would also be nice if he could time travel, and both are impossible.
Third evidence, he devoured my divinity and clipped my wings. I was diminished in power and station to a mere cherub because the grail pulled out my divinity, and the troll just eats it? How absurd is the notion that a mortal can survive eating raw divine essence on that scale? I was powerless and scared that they would maim me even further so I agreed to the mutilation of my wings. They would not work anyway, but still, it hurts. It wasn't bad to be able to mingle and receive the love of mortals once again, as they would surely hunt me down as a monster if I came here as I were. Broken wings are of no use, and I can replace them using my aura. Still, it hurts. A lot.
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Fourth, his plan of ditching me as the babysitter of his bride's family while he elopes who-knows-where with just a little frail girl in tow. It would be the perfect getaway and smoke screen. Even if we catch up with him later and Helen is no longer with him, how difficult is to suffer some 'lethal accident'? The girl was almost devoured by bees during the last expedition!
Even so, I don't understand why he would go to the length of leveling me. I attained level 37 of Seraph and level 40 of the magician job. My spells were so powerful that even the weak 'Cupid's Arrow' worked without fail on Grendel.
I know he lusts after Marcy for a long time. What I learned only during our stay at the crystal cave on the way back is that Marcy also likes him. These women talk about everything like I am not there!
It is a win for everyone. Beowulf got the girl, Marcy had her unrequited love fulfilled, I don't get left behind, Helen stays with her dear friend, Hilde and her family get powerful tools to protect themselves with.
I need to keep an eye out for this Grendel guy. As the last surviving Seraph in this world without gods, the only thing I can do is to try and protect what is left of it.
Lucifer's shadow looms over the world once again. I feel it with my very soul. I might have to figure out a stronger deterrence for Grendel. He carries the stench of the First of the Nine.