I entered the forest with the intention of finding my crow of sui generis nature and a teenager with a frame yet to mature. Failing to find them, I held the hand of someone different. His hand was rough, overly colossal, and hot yet I felt as if I was escorting a child through the woodland.

"Skwak-san what were you doing here?" I asked him.

Skwak was wearing his mask again despite my persistence that it was not needed. He would trip on his feet and had a hard time of keeping up with me which was a bit bizarre. Anyone and anything could have caught up with me.

"I did what Lucian said. I followed red hair," he replied.

Red hair?

My eyes widened when I figured out the real identity of Skwak.

"It was obvious really...."

"Squawkey?"

Skwak jolted and he nodded fervently. "Yes, I Skwak."

"You should have told me sooner," I deadpanned.

"Nephew, I believe he did his best on trying to tell you that."

Squawkey's posture slouched and he visibly became saddened.

"Skwak is sorry..."

The corner of my lips curled a bit before I maintained a blank expression and rubbed Squawkey's hand with my thumb.

"I am merely kidding however; what happened to Saint? Do you know where he went?" I asked.

Squawkey nodded intensely and reported the result of his assignment.

"He met a gravid woman..."

I stopped at my feet and questions poured inside my head.

"What would he have to do with that gravid woman?" I asked.

Will I have to deal with another being under the species of Wye Fye again? My ankle was strangely perfectly healed but I was not willing to get shot for the second time. Perhaps I should take the initiative to shoot the arrow first for precautionary countermeasures.

"Skwak sure he is safe...No threat," he assured.

"I will put my faith in you then," I told him.

Once we arrived at the shrine, Kox was waiting for us. "You seemed to have found your third little chick," he commented.

I turned around to study Squawkey's size and found no little on him. "He is two feet taller than me."

Kox chuckled. "I only describe them as chicks because men like him will follow you everywhere."

"Men like him?"

Kox turned around. "You'll figure out what I mean in the future. For now, why don't you built a more stable house for us while we stay here? Crowley's banana-filled muscles are too much for the shrine's floor to handle."

A loud crack resonated from the shrine before three screams together with the chorus of the floor's wail of breaking sounded. Three bodies lied beneath the shrine and I released a sigh to their groans.

"Crowley, will you do the honor to demolish the shrine for us?"

I built a much bigger version of the shrine and Ziru excitedly rushed inside. "It'll be nice to have a mattress to sleep on," Crowley yawned.

Kox ripped one page out of his book and crumpled it before throwing it at one corner of the room. The crumpled paper became a mattress similar to what we had at the boonies.

"Woah! How did you do that?" Ziru asked.

"I stored some beds from our hideout. Don't worry about sleeping on the floor."

Crowley cackled heartily before crushing Kox to his side in joy. "You should store beer in that weird book of yours next time!"

Rui sat by the entrance with a frown on his face and everyone became quiet once Squawkey stepped foot inside.

The hanuman was wary of him, Rui's scowl worsened, and Ziru was trying his best to become friendly, but his fear towards his appearance was becoming a factor for him to not approach.

Although it seemed that Squawkey was not affected by their hostile gaze, I was not fond of how they looked at him.

"Squawkey is my friend. Do not look at my friend like that," I deadpanned.

Crowley cleared his throat and crossed his arms at me. He avoided looking at my gaze and spoke carefully.

"Can we talk in private?"

"What is it about?" I asked.

"Let's take this outside," he urged.

"Alright then, Squawkey, please stay—"

"I would rather him to stay where I can see him," Crowley intervened.

I gently pulled Squawkey outside and the hanuman followed suit. Once we were by the stairs, I waited for Crowley to speak what was bothering him but he merely kept glancing warily towards my new companion.

"What is it?" I asked.

"I would rather not have him listening."

I tilted my head at him and an uncontrollable frown graced my expression. "You don't want him inside yet you don't want him here as well. What is that you want him to do, hang himself by the tree?" I queried.

Crowley rubbed the back of his neck and sighed. "Highness, it is not that I mistrust your judgment towards people but I am also responsible for your safety. I am sure that your brother wouldn't want you to be hurt from...adopting strays."

"My brother had always taught me to help the unfortunate. Caleb was one of those people that my brother took under his care. If my brother wasn't in favor of the act of absorbing people into his faction, the Scums wouldn't be formed in the first place and you, along with Ziru and Kox would not be considered as Scums."

Crowley's expression settled down and he bowed in apology. "Forgive me, I must have sounded preposterous. Perhaps I was still relying on Lucius' judgment of people and failed to acknowledge that His Highness was the next in line for leading us."

I released a sigh. "My abandonment had already costs me my status of being a Prince. I am no more or less than any of you. Please do not consider my position in the past as a standard for leading people."

Crowley grinned. "Do understand me but I see something in you. I have been a soldier in the great war of races and served many leaders. I see the spirit of leadership in your eyes and words."

"Do not flatter me; I have no richness to offer back," I deadpanned causing the hanuman to cackle.

"Yes, you are young indeed. I just hope that no war emerges that would costs you your youth."

Darkness clouded over the skies and I sat by the stairs with Squawkey while waiting for Saint to come home. Squawkey turned into his bird form once he felt the presence of Rui coming closer. The bird soared towards a tree and watched from afar.

"Hey...Mister," Rui called out softly.

I tapped the space beside me without looking back and Rui sat with his body tensed.

"How...are they?" he asked.

"Your family?" I clarified.

Rui scoffed and pretended to be indifferent. "They are not my family. I just owed them a debt."

I hummed monotonously. "You must have inherited Slade's denial personality."

Rui's face became flushed and his hands curled into a tight fist. "Shut up! You don't know anything about them."

I tilted my head at the child in question. "Then why are you asking me about their welfare?"

Rui became increasingly frustrated and embarrassed. "That's because you recently saw them."

"Then that would mean I must know a little thing about them don't you?"

The child groaned and yanked his hair. "Just answer the damn question!"

My lips slightly curled and I ruffled his hair causing him great irritation. "They are doing fine. They have gone through a lot from what I can tell but the twins are doing the best that they can to protect everyone. You do not have to stay with Sin. Just return to your family. They are worried."

Rui rubbed his nose and remained resistant. "They are not my family."

"Then is Sin your family?"

Rui made puking noises and waved his hands in denunciation. "There is no way I'm related to him. I'm only staying with the boss because...he promised to cleanse the world from all the pain and sadness. Once the boss completes his mission then I won't owe anything to them anymore."

"What is it that you have to pay back so badly?" I questioned.

Rui fell silent and he pulled his legs towards his chest. "It's none of your business. Just do what the boss says. You're getting in his way of work. Give him your butthole maybe that will shut him up."

I blinked in confusion and slid my hand towards my lower back. "I don't get what my butthole has anything to do with this."

"The man fancies you in a perverted way," the voice in my head tried to explained. "It's best to keep your guard up nephew. Men like him are predators."

Rui scoffed and stood up. "You're an adult. You should know better than me."

The boy returned to the shrine and I was left with questions. Squawkey screeched and I looked down at the bottom of the stairs and found Saint.

Saint's legs were trembling and he was breathing heavily. My eyes widened when he collapsed but Squawkey was quick to pull on his shirt as he flapped his wings even harder. I gathered Saint into my arms and petted Squawkey.

"Well done."

I listened to Saint's shaky breathing and waited for him to calm down.

"I'm sorry...I did the best that I could...I still couldn't...save them..." Saint whimpered.

"Wakarimashita (Understood), I don't know what is it that you had to do however; if you did the best that you can, then you are not at fault for what your power cannot cover."

Saint encircled his arms around me and buried his face into my chest. "If only I had more power. If only I wasn't born sickly. The both of them could have had a different fate."

The young boy began to sob and he held me tightly. "Why am I serving the same God as them? They damage our Father's good reputation. They do what is wrong even though they were taught on what to believe in. Th-they disgust me!"

I should take a look at what was upsetting Saint so much. Perhaps I can trick Vincenzo on stopping whatever disgrace the village was doing.

"Saint," I called out to him. "You are tired. Let us get you rested," I told him.

Saint pulled away from me and stared desperately. "I mustn't. I must do what I can to—"

"Perhaps God gave you that body because he knew that if he had given you a much stronger one, you would abuse it. Rest and learn to treasure yourself," I deadpanned.

Squawkey stood on top of my head and Saint fell limp in my arms. "I am tired. I am really tired."

"Can you climb the stairs?" I asked.

Saint licked his dry and chapped lips. "I have crawled once. I think I can—"

"I will have no choice but to carry you then," I stopped him.

A tint of red colored his pale cheeks and I knelt on one knee and offered my back. "Please do not kick me. I have witnessed such terrible act to such valiant deed."

"Wh-why would I do that?" Saint stuttered.

"Do not put him in the same category as you nephew. Those poor men..."

"Please my offer will expire tomorrow," I deadpanned.

Saint panicked and hesitantly got on my back. I rose unsteadily at first but due to his light weight, I managed to stabilize.

"Tha-thank you," Saint murmured.

"Thank me once I get you safely to the shrine," I replied.

I felt Saint breathe against my nape and he leaned his head against me. "Once I get stronger, I promise you, I will carry you like this."

"Do not recklessly throw words like that. I happen to abuse opportunities," I warned him.

I heard Saint chuckle whole-heartedly. "If I was born differently perhaps my loyalty would be...elsewhere."

"Having a mindset like that makes me think that your loyalty is wavering," I commented.

"Perhaps..." Saint croaked before coughing out. "Perhaps I dreamt of meeting you differently. Not like this. I know I'm just a speck of dust compared to you and how I wish I can proudly stand by you."

"What is stopping you?" I asked him.

I released a breath of relief when I got the two of us safely through the stairs.

"What's stopping me is...who I am at the moment," he replied.

Before entering the shrine I gave Saint one last piece of advice. "Then think of who you could be."

Saint wasn't able to meet the others because he fell asleep as soon as we entered the shrine. He must have fainted from exhaustion. Crowley took Saint from me and laid him in bed.

"I never thought you do heavy labor," Crowley joked.

"I would have never believed it either," I responded.

Ziru climbed at my back in envy and the hanuman hit him on his head.

"Ow!"

"Warugaki!"

We saved a meal for Saint and ate our share of food. I stared outside of the shrine and noticed a blue feather on our doorstep.

I rose up from the floor carrying a piece of bread and placed the bread on the entrance in exchange for the feather. I hooked the feather to my crown and glanced at the moon.

"Are you watching us again?" I asked. "You are welcome to join us anytime. My name is Lucian," I introduced myself.

"I know..." a soft, gentle, and kind voice of a man whispered which caused me to look around for him. "I know that for a very long time, Lucian."

I looked everywhere yet I still haven't found the man who spoke. When I thought that he wouldn't talk again, I went back inside of the shrine and prepared to sleep. If what he said was true then he had been watching me for some time now. He wouldn't leave in a glimpse. There will be more opportunities in which I can discover who he was.

Once morning came, Saint was gone as well as the bread I left at the entrance. The others were still sleeping except for Kox who was outside.

Squawkey returned back to his throne which was my head once I got off the bed.

"Prince you are awake," Kox greeted.

"Have you seen Saint?" I asked.

"He left to tend to his mission," the boy replied.

"What is his mission exactly?" I questioned him.

Kox smiled—I have never seen him this excited before. "To prevent the resurrection of a fallen God named Garmir..."

"I keep hearing Gods ever since I met Saint and I even once heard it from you and Lucius. What are they?" I questioned.

Kox shut his eyes. "They are superior beings known to create and destroy. They are born just like you and me but of course you wouldn't know any of that because the God of your race is not with you."

I followed Kox and descended the stairs. "Where is he then?"

Kox stopped on his tracks.

"It's too early for you to know. In the meantime, familiarize yourself with the Gods we are currently dealing with—Akros and Garmir."

==================================================================

Bloopers:

Kox: "It's too early for you to know..."

Lucian: "Why is that?"

Kox: "Because this is just the first book..." 

Lucian: "..."

Kox: "..."

Coco: "Why don't you just spoil everything won't you?"