CHAPTER 24 — A Jealous Episode
Walking slowly through the newly-built city, Razan took in the sprawling landscape, which looked as if it had leapt straight out of an isekai anime. Towering structures intertwined with enormous trees, streets lined with lanterns and flowering plants, and the gentle hum of the city coming to life all made the scene feel surreal. The sunlight reflected off windows, glinting against the polished surfaces of the buildings, casting small rainbows on the nearby walkways. Razan finally spoke:
"Yeah… the work was worth it."
He lowered himself onto a wooden bench in the central park, one of the city's first constructed leisure areas, and leaned back, gazing up at the massive tree canopies that stretched above him. After a long pause, he added:
"But I never want to work this hard again in my life. The amount of energy I spent building this place isn't human… Well, then again, I'm no longer human."
Charlie, floating a few feet above the ground with a light breeze ruffling her hair, watched him with a mixture of amusement and admiration. She tilted her head, observing his relaxed posture, and said:
"Well, you did an excellent job here. You should be proud."
Razan let out a soft, almost tired smile.
"The only thing I feel is the urge to redeem myself, go to heaven, and become a lazy bum, doing nothing all day," he said, half-joking.
Charlie laughed lightly, her eyes sparkling in the sunlight.
"I think wanting redemption just because you don't want to work isn't a very good reason," she replied, floating down to land beside him.
Razan sat up, leaning on one elbow, and turned to her, his gaze calm and casual.
"And what better reason would there be? It's true that laziness is a sin, but if even crazy Adam is up there, my laziness is the smallest of all problems in paradise."
Charlie chuckled, shaking her head in disbelief.
"With that reason… there's no arguing," she admitted.
Razan pushed himself off the bench, stretching his arms above his head, the morning sun warming his face.
"Well, I have to go and take care of the people for the city. And you, Princess, what are you going to do?"
"Well, it's about time I go as well. I have several plans to take care of before opening my hotel," Charlie said, gesturing toward the distant skyline where the outline of her establishment could be seen through the misty morning haze.
Razan extended a fist toward her, a playful smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.
"Then, good luck with your hotel, little princess. But don't forget to visit your friend here."
Charlie bumped her fist with his in a light, cheerful touch.
"Good luck with your city too. And don't worry, I'll visit more often," she replied with a confident smile before waving goodbye and into the sky, her wings catching the as she left a faint trail behind her.
Razan watched her departure, a small sense of satisfaction settling in his chest. He stretched his body one last time before opening a shimmering portal.
"Well, now let's go home and pass all the tasks to Loona… my laziness-filled self has already done enough for a decade," he muttered, stepping through the portal with ease.
On the Other Side
Loona was already waiting, pacing slightly in the spacious control room of their home. Jon, Carla, and Robert, freshly transported through Razan's portal, stood at attention.
"So you're telling me that Razan sent you away after he started building the city?" Loona asked, her voice a mix of disbelief and exasperation.
Carla, standing with her usual calm composure, nodded.
"Yes, Miss. That's exactly what happened," she said politely, though there was a hint of amusement in her tone.
Jon added, trying to clarify:
"And it was just him and the Princess left."
Loona's brows furrowed slightly as she processed the information.
"I see…" she said, then paused, suddenly realizing something. "Wait… which Princess?"
Jon's eyes widened slightly—he realized he might have said too much. But it was too late to take it back.
"Well, Miss… the boss ended up meeting Princess Charlie," he admitted.
Loona blinked in surprise.
"Just meeting?" she asked, her voice rising slightly in doubt.
Carla quickly jumped in to save Jon from any further slip-ups.
"Miss, they only became friends after talking," she said firmly.
"Friends…?" Loona repeated, her mind racing. She remembered Razan once saying it wouldn't be bad if she had friends. At the time, she had shrugged it off, but now… knowing that he and Charlie had become friends stirred a strange, inexplicable feeling in her chest.
Carla, mature and observant, understood immediately what Loona was experiencing. She placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder.
"Miss, you don't need to worry about Charlie. At most, she can only be a good friend."
Loona looked confused. Why was Carla explaining this to her? She had never had a mother to guide her through these subtle emotional complexities.
Carla continued patiently:
"Well, Miss… to be more than friends, people need to have compatibility, similar worldviews, and at least partially aligned ideals. Even though the boss can talk to the Princess and even become friends, it's impossible for it to go beyond that. Their personalities are completely incompatible.
From what I've observed of his personality since arriving here… he is caring, lazy, decisive, and would give everything to protect someone he loves. He avoids troublesome situations whenever possible.
As for the Princess… everyone in Hell knows her. She is dreamy, idealistic, believes everyone can change and be saved, and views the world as a wonderful place.
In other words… they have absolutely no foundation to date."
Loona listened carefully and nodded, slowly understanding Carla's reasoning. Indeed… with Razan's personality, if anyone tried to harm Charlie, his first instinct would be to retaliate immediately. Charlie, on the other hand, would likely think "violence isn't the answer" and trust that the aggressor "can change."
They came from completely different worlds—as Razan himself would often say.
The conversation was abruptly interrupted as Razan emerged from the portal. Loona's eyes immediately lit up. Without a second thought, she ran forward and threw herself into his arms.
Razan, initially surprised, hugged her back, assuming she was simply happy to see him.
Loona caught his familiar scent, confirming there was no trace of any other woman—only her own essence lingering nearby. Satisfied, she quickly pulled away.
Razan, slightly puzzled by the quick hug and even quicker retreat, raised an eyebrow.
Carla, standing a few feet back, allowed herself a small, knowing smile. She understood perfectly what Loona had done.
Loona then exclaimed, her voice filled with exasperation:
"Jon told me that you decided to build a city in the end, you idiot! Do you have any idea how much work we'll have from now on?!"
Razan's lips curved into a gentle smile.
"You're the boss. The work is yours," he replied calmly.
Loona, ignoring his words, leapt onto him playfully and started biting him on the shoulder, a mischievous sparkle in her eyes.
Carla, observing from the side, thought to herself:
"Miss… you have no competition. In your relationship with him, there's no room for anyone else. You really were worrying for nothing…"
She exhaled slowly, a smile spreading across her face like an older sister watching two children play, knowing that in this small, chaotic moment, everything was exactly as it should be.