Time rewound to a few minutes earlier.
Angel, along with Spotty Dog and the black-and-white maids, passed through the wondrous steel gate and crossed an immense distance in an instant, returning from the Devil Sea to the Pamiji Plateau.
After the gate vanished, Angel did not leave immediately. Instead, he looked at the black-and-white maids.
"You two go back to Heart's Desire first."
The black maid frowned slightly. "Lord Shava?"
Angel stroked the fur atop Spotty Dog's head and said softly, "I still have a few things to say to it. Once we're done, I'll take it back."
The black maid said, "But..."
Before she could finish, the white maid interrupted her. She gently took the black maid's hand and gave her a slight shake of the head, then turned to Angel and bowed respectfully. "We shall obey your command, my lord."
After speaking, the white maid exchanged a glance with the black maid. They seemed to reach an agreement, gave Angel an elegant curtsy, then transformed into black-and-white radiance and fell from the High Sky like comets.
Once the black-and-white maids had left, Angel looked at Spotty Dog.
Spotty Dog's eyes sparkled, and it looked faintly excited as it barked at Angel, "Woof, woof, woof!"
This time, Angel understood what it meant.
"Don't look so excited. I didn't leave you behind alone just to distract those two and run away with you." Angel rapped Spotty Dog's nose irritably.
Spotty Dog lowered its head in grievance and let out a whimper.
Angel did not comfort it. Instead, he took a stone the size of a baby's fist from his bracelet.
At first glance, the stone looked utterly ordinary. But upon closer inspection, one could see silvery streams of light swirling within it.
Spotty Dog seemed to catch the stone's scent.