Angel made her way to the Archbishop's underground office with practiced ease. Looking around, she noticed that the high-backed chair previously set in the corner had been replaced with a comfortable armchair, and sat down without hesitation.
Anthony Stevenson, wearing a soft cap and with depth in his eyes, returned to his chair behind the long desk.
Without any visible movement from him, the entire office dimmed. The light from the candles along the walls was confined to tiny patches, like a handful of fireflies, while darkness swallowed the rest of the room, bringing a sense of calm.
In the darkness, Anthony said gently:
"Your Highness, the Goddess has issued a divine revelation. Your presence is required at an upcoming meeting to discuss important matters."
A meeting? Right here?
Angel nodded with only a vague understanding, guessing that all the senior Church members of the Backlund Diocese might be summoned next. Instead, Anthony's eyes turned pitch-black. A deep, shadowy power filled his gaze as he looked at her, dulling her senses and drawing her into a daze.
"Please rest assured. This is a necessary step for the meeting."
The Archbishop's words reached Angel's ears. She had been somewhat wary and ready to break free of the Nightmare power herself, but now relaxed, shifting into a more comfortable position against the armchair.
Then she noticed her hands, feet, and body disappearing bit by bit, as though erased by a rubber. The same happened to Anthony behind the desk.
This... isn't just Nightmare. There's also the power of concealment? Something that can affect an angel like me so easily probably isn't the power of Anthony, a Sequence 3, but some large-scale ritual... As her thoughts turned, the candlelight, furniture, and bookshelves in the office slowly sank into darkness, replaced by a vast