Becoming The Strongest Angel With A Saintess System

Chapter 16: Love Sisters

This part of the Dominion apparently had a cafeteria. Because of course it did.

"Come on, tiny!" Seraph pretty much dragged Grace through the massive doors. "Time to put some meat on those bones!"

Inside was absolute chaos of the... domestic kind. Grace had no clue whether any of this was normal or not, of course, given that she only knew about cafeterias on a conceptual level (not many of those out there at her farm, after all).

But, the way angels flew everywhere, carrying trays of food that smelled way too good, toward tables perched atop little clouds, eating and gossiping... Grace felt like she was in a dream. More than usual, anyway.

And the lunch ladies? Oh goddess.

"Welcome, sweetie!" One of them cooed, her generous curves barely contained by an apron that read 'Kiss the Cook'. "You must be our new arrival!"

All the serving angels had that same maternal energy that seemed to be standard issue for the Compassion Path, along with blue words over their heads, those levels. Grace found herself being fussed over by no fewer than three of them, each determined to pile more food onto her plate.

"So thin!"

"Growing angels need proper nutrition!"

"Just one more helping, dear!"

By the time they finished, Grace's tray was stacked so high she could barely see over it.

[I'm going to eat myself into a second grave...]

Grace managed to flutter up to an empty cloud platform, only nearly dropping her tray twice. Below her, angels chatted and laughed, sharing food and stories and definitely not paying any attention to the new girl sitting alone and—

"Is that CAKE?" Grace's eyes went wide at one of the many dishes on her tray. "Heaven has cake?"

It did. It had cake that tasted like summer sunshine. And cookies that melted like starlight. And something that might have been a sandwich if sandwiches could make you hear colors.

[Well,] Grace thought as she bit into another heavenly confection, [at least the food's good.]

For a moment, that image of Diana training in the courtyard flashed through her mind.

Grace nearly choked on her celestial pastry.

[Focus on your cake!] Grace told herself firmly. [Stop thinking about the mean, scary warrior angel Who cares about her?]

"Hi! You're the new girl, aren't you!?"

"AH!"

Grace nearly jumped out of her skin as an angel practically materialized beside her, invading her personal space with the enthusiasm of a puppy discovering treats. Short, silky red hair framed a face that practically sparkled with mischief, green eyes dancing as she leaned way too close. Her body was petite, clad in a white dress with lots of open space at her chest. She had Level 18 over her head in pink letters.

"I... um..." Grace tried to scoot back.

"Alia, don't— Ugh."

Another voice, this one rich and smooth like honey, called out before its owner glided over with considerably more grace. Her dark skin contrasted beautifully with short white hair, and she had brown eyes that held both amusement and exasperation as she landed on their cloud. Her outfit, Grace noticed, was not much more modest than the other girl. Like the other girl, she had Level 19 in pink letters over her head.

"Sorry about her," the newcomer sighed, somehow making even that sound elegant. "I'm Zephyr, and this walking mess of an angel is Alia. We're with the Sisters of Love."

[Of course they are,] Grace thought, noting their rather... strategic choices in clothing.

"Nice to- UWAH!"

Grace's greeting cut off in a squeak as Alia suddenly darted forward and licked her ear.

"Mmm," Alia pulled back with a grin that should have come with a warning label. "You taste like fun~"

[What is it with these angels and randomly licking people!?]

"Alia!" Zephyr grabbed her companion by the collar, yanking her back. "Down! Down girl!"

"But Zephyyy!" Alia pouted, somehow managing to look both innocent and absolutely not innocent at all. "She looks so cute sitting here all alone!"

"FINISH YOUR LUNCH!" Zephyr practically commanded.

"Mn... Fine!" Alia replied.

She didn't leave the table, though. She just snapped her fingers and materialized her dish, placing it next to Grace's.

Grace touched her ear, which still tingled from Alia's... greeting.

"Anyway," Zephyr continued as Alia began to pretty much inhale her food, "you are the new girl, right? The one everyone's talking about?"

"That's me," Grace managed, trying very hard to focus on Zephyr's face and not her... exotic outfit. "Grace."

"Grace," Zephyr purred the name, extending her hand. "A pleasure."

The handshake lasted way longer than strictly necessary, Zephyr's thumb brushing Grace's pulse point in a way that made her skin tingle. Her palm was impossibly soft, but there was strength in that grip – the kind that suggested she knew exactly how to use those hands for all sorts of interesting purposes.

[Oh no,] Grace thought as Zephyr smiled. [This one might be even worse!]

"So!" Alia bounced in place, having apparently finished inhaling her lunch. Her movements made certain parts of her bounce in ways that were definitely intentional. "Wanna hear about what we do? Because let me tell you, being a Love Sister is the BEST! We get to travel all over, spreading joy and pleasure and sometimes multiple—"

"Alia," Zephyr's voice held warning, though her eyes sparkled like she was barely containing giggles. "Don't overwhelm her."

"But Zephy!" Alia pouted, somehow making even that look suggestive. "She needs to know! Like that time we helped that knight who was too nervous to confess to the princess, remember? You did that thing with your tongue and suddenly he had all the courage he needed! And then there was that time with the twins—"

"Perhaps we should start with the basics," Zephyr cut in smoothly, though Grace noticed her cheeks darkening slightly. "Before you start telling her about our more... advanced techniques."

"How long have you been angels?" Grace asked quickly, before Alia could finish any of those stories that were making her brain short-circuit.

"Oh, ages!" Alia grinned, leaning forward. "I died fighting a demon dragon! Very heroic. Very sexy. There was fire everywhere and I was like 'you shall not pass' and—"

"She's lying. She tripped and fell off a cliff while trying to impress some pretty boy," Zephyr corrected, rolling her eyes. "You were trying to pick him a flower and forgot cliffs had edges."

"Same thing! He was definitely dragon-level hot!"

That got a giggle out of Grace.

She relaxed a little. Sure, these girls were strange and they absolutely looked at her like they wanted to devour her, but... maybe they could be informative.

After all, there was stuff Grace was curious about.

"And what exactly do Love Sisters... do? Besides, um..." She gestured vaguely at everything, from their strategic clothing choices to the way they both seemed to radiate an aura of 'your virtue is not safe with us.' "You know."

"Besides seducing mortals and sometimes each other?" Zephyr's smile turned wicked, her voice dropping to something that did very unfair things to Grace's insides.

[I was right. This one is so much more dangerous.]

"Well, we raise morale. Sometimes that means helping young lovers find courage. Sometimes it means reminding battle-weary soldiers what they're fighting for." Her eyes gleamed as she leaned closer. "And sometimes..." She stuck the tip of her tongue out between her teeth.

Alia finished for her, though.

"Sometimes we just fuck people until they remember what happiness feels like!" Alia said cheerfully, clapping her hands together.

Grace choked on her celestial pastry.

"What my enthusiastic friend means," Zephyr shot Alia a look that somehow managed to be both exasperated and fond, "is that we help humans reconnect with positive emotions. Through... various methods."

"Very various," Alia waggled her eyebrows, scooting closer until her thigh pressed against Grace's. "Want a demonstration? I promise to be gentle! Well, at first."

"I... um..." Grace's voice came out embarrassingly squeaky as she found herself trapped between two very gorgeous, very forward angels. "Maybe later?"

"Promise?" Alia's grin was absolutely predatory as she leaned in, close enough that Grace could smell her perfume – something sweet and intoxicating that made her head spin.

Before Grace could spontaneously combust, Zephyr grabbed Alia by the collar again.

"Enough, you menace. Let the poor girl eat." She winked at Grace, the gesture somehow even more dangerous than Alia's direct approach. "We have plenty of time to... educate her properly."

Grace had a feeling her angel education was going to be very thorough indeed.