He really should stop thinking too much now or it will get ugly.

Azure stayed quiet as his breathing was getting deeper.

Reece who notice that followed on.

"If it is painful for you, you can stop now. I will still keep my promise."

But the bluebird shook its head.

"No, it's alright."

"Is it because I am a fairy, the overseer of the forest?"

Perhaps Azure thinks he has to tell Reece as he is a higher existence than Azure. Usually, that is how it works for all who care about power than position.

But the bluebird shakes his head in denial.

"That's not it. Sir Reece, I feel comfortable around you that I really want to tell you my story."

Comfortable? Reece was confused. Does the atmosphere around him, truly feels comfortable?

Back when he was still alive, everyone he met, except for his family and close servants, finds him difficult to talk to. Which happens to be one of the reasons he dropped out of school.

Now that someone he just met is comfortable with him, Reece has this peculiar feeling.

"It is not because I feel oblige."

Azure's smile was a little sad but Reece decided to play ignorant and answered indifferently.

"Is that so? Okay. Go on."

Nodding its head, Azure continued his story.

"Yes. My Dad has actually found out I was not his son that very day too. I don't know what happened between them when they only left for work but it seems to be the reason why my mother was in a hurry before my dad arrived home. But I did not listen and my father has arrived. He then tried to kill me..."

Azure paused and took a deep breath.

He remembered it again. How his life turned upside down in a single day. And on his birthday which he refuses to celebrate now.

Actually, most animals do not celebrate or even remember their birthdays. It just so happen that most children with good family and influential background do. And Azure was one of them.

Reece did not say anything and waited for Azure to continue. But it seems that he loved both his mother and father dearly that it is paining him to remember the day both his parents died.

'He should have just declined.'

Reece thought but Azure spoke at that moment.

"But my mom killed him first. Because she was scared. She was so scared that my identity will leak out and I will be killed too. That's why... that is why..."

Reece keeps his mouth shut as he observes Azure's reaction.

For the first time, it held genuine emotions. Though he showed genuine emotions because he was remembering the pain of his past.

"Eventually, she was sentenced to death and her head... was hung... it was hung in the middle of the tribe... until it rots."

Although killing was natural for the birds if there is a fight breaking out, but it has to be approved by the tribe's chief. Not everyone could just kill anyone.

However, exterminating a bird with a high position within a tribe would cost someone their head and will be displayed in the center of the tribe as an example and at the same time, to show off the head of a traitor.

As killing one's own kind is also considered as betraying the tribe. Which resulted in Azure's grandparents on his mother's side have all been killed after his mother's death.

Surprisingly, Azure was very tough as he did not shed even a single drop of tear considering how painful must it have been. However, his voice was full of different kinds of emotion: Pain, suffering, despair, and anger.

"Since it has rotted, that is when the time they took the head and throw it... they throw it somewhere."

Azure's hand was both clenched. The blue feathers did not hide his veins that came in view from holding himself not to fall in despair.

"But I tried my best so they could spare my mom... I even claimed I stabbed my dad but my mom... she pushed me away and scolded me so, in the end, I did nothing but watched her head cut off and fall to the ground."

"..."

Silence followed the two.

Reece does not know how to comfort someone nor does he knows what to say that will not provoke Azure's anger or something.

Also, he already knew of Azure's full story but it hits different when it came directly to Azure as he had emotions when telling his story, unlike Daniel that only explains everything in either monotone or sarcastic voice.

"... You suffered a lot."

In the end, he simply voices out his honest opinion. He does not need to comfort Azure anyway as the bluebird itself was not asking for sympathy but is determined to settle everything through revenge.

"I will help you, truly."

For the first time since dying, Reece's voice was combined with genuine emotions. Though Reece probably did not notice it.

Nevertheless, Azure definitely felt the sincerity in Reece. He cannot help but feel a bit happier even after recalling his cruel past.

"Thank you... Thank you so much for listening and granting my selfish request."

"It was nothing."

Reece heaves a sigh as he promised to himself.

'Just this time. Of course, there will be no next time.'

Additionally, Reece will still probably help out even without hearing Azure's story and the reason behind his action since it is part of his job.

The two, Reece and Azure, have stayed still as they enjoy listening to the music that was playing from the tribe members performing. The atmosphere that surrounds Azure and Reece was not awkward anymore, rather, it was warm and comfortable.

As the song and performance ended, so Reece decided to speak once again.

"They all seem to be overjoyed."

Azure nodded his head in acknowledgment.

"Yes. Because a female Stone Bear and is pregnant is truthfully rather limited. Though we first believe it was only a male one but luckily, it was a female."

Reece frowned as he thought of something.

"By the way, how did you know that there is a lost Stone Bear nearby?"

It is questionable.

Because however, you look at it, Azure and the other three birds know exactly the location they are heading to. They do not seem to have come out of their tribe to go hunting whatever prey they see but to hunt on a certain prey, which is the Stone Bear.

"Oh, I don't have any idea how the elders knew of it. It just that they ordered the best hunters to capture it and gave us the possible location. But it was me who located the Stone Bear though..."

Azure paused as he realizes what he just said and widens his eyes.

"Hold on."

"Suspicious, right?"

Reece glance at Azure as he asked.

Nodding its head, Azure's expression has turned severe.

"That is right. I was so focused on deciding an escape route that I did not bother to think about it."

Reece touches his chin.

'I was right.'

He has been suspicious ever since he was informed that a lost bear was in the middle of a forest full of dangerous creatures.

In the first place, how did the bear manage to reach the depths of the forest when she could have already been prey to the others near the entrance?

[I could simply tell you if you want. Of course, there are only a few hints that I could tell and not entirely as I am not in the position to do so. However, I believe it is enough information if they focus more on investigating.]

Although Daniel's offer was tempting, Reece quickly denied his suggestion.

'You don't have to. I was merely informing them as this could be a threat in the future. But I have no plans of getting involved in this matter whatsoever.'

Reece is quite a curious child as he was a fan of detectives and even dreamt of becoming one when he was still young. However, if he discovered more than this, he might not be able to run away even if Hugh Ibrahim has become a stable and decent animal—and be a real hero as Reece needed him to be.

His job comes first before his curiosity.

Anyhow, Azure was a decently intelligent creature.

'Azure was an intelligent creature, and is already fully knowledgeable of what to choose and what to follow.'

That is what Daniel said. Therefore Reece's involvement is unnecessary as Azure alone will be able to figure out everything on his own now that Reece has pointed that something is off.

Reece was positive that Azure will look into this matter as this could also be a potential danger to him who helped kill and capture the bear.

"Why is a female Stone Bear in a forest like this when it is hard for females to survive on their own in the wild?"

Azure was talking to himself but he was staring at Reece.

Reece, in particular, knows what that gaze means.

'It means trouble.'

This is mostly how his servants and sibling look when they mess up and ask for his help.

"Right? Ahem."

Reece coughs and avoided Azure's eyes.

"Hey, you don't hate the mutants anymore right?"

"Yes. The moment I accepted I am one, the hatred was gone and sympathy for my fellow followed."

"I think there is more to it. But anyway, we have to focus on our objective first."

Reece was quick to avoid the topic.

Azure, who was unaware that Reece was not planning on helping, nodded his head.

"You are right."

'Phew.'

It was successful. And with that, Reece was able to temporarily escape from getting himself involved.

"May I know why you decided to choose to do the plan the next week when today seems to be great timing?"