Whatever one wished for it or not, the sun rose. The hen cried, early birds left their nest, with those as his signs, Selv took a walk. His legs moved as the wind wills, within the town’s perimeter. Each step made a clear sound for no hesitation was there.

The little bumps on the left side of this street and the tailor shop across it, an alley that connected to the industrial district, and people that hanged out there, he knew the paths as if his own.

But, unlike usual, his pace was slow. He peeked behind his shoulder. Nely was walking with her mind above the cloud. From time to time, she touched her own cheeks and traced it.

Make no mistake; she did not do it out of minor concern such as dry skin. It felt warm. Despite had washed it yesterday, the warmth of the flesh blood lingered on her cheeks. The phantom warmth filled her mind.

As for why Nely accompanied Selv on his walk, it went around thirty minutes ago. With corpse behind the storage room, Annatashya went to Selv with an idea in mind.

“Selv, why don’t you take her with you on your daily activity?

“I don’t mind,” Selv replied.

The foolish question of why did not cross his mind. He was not insensitive enough not to miss her intention.

Upon his response, Annatashya nodded few times, a hint of joy on her face.

“I will do the aftercare while you’re gone,” she said, directing her gaze to the storage room.

“Want me to also do that?” he asked.

Annatashya shook her head.

“Leave this to me. I can’t keep relying on your kindness,” she said, rolling the sleeve that did not exist. “Even I have become quite dependable, you know,” she said, showing her bare arm, with a face full of confidence.

“I see,” Selv said, leaking out a small smile. He decided to believe her words.

“A corpse or two is nothing,” she added.

Selv’s trust of her only lasted for few seconds. He rethought about having her do a dirty job.

“But, isn’t it better if you’re the one with her? Unlike you, I don’t understand sign language,” he said.

“Oh my, I know such thing won’t really be a problem for you,” she said, covering her mouth with a hand, and chuckled.

In response, Selv scratched his head. She knew him well. And, as the matter of fact, he had no problem interacting with Nely, yesterday.

With no other excuse to make, he agreed to her idea and took Nely with him. The result was the current situation. Nely’s mind was above the cloud. Once, she tripped over nothing, but her state stayed the same.

Selv felt like letting out a sigh. He should do something about her, fast. But, when he was about to do so,

“Morning, Selv. It has been a while!”

Just like that, someone would call out to him.

“Morning,” he replied, raising his hand as a greeting. He could not remember his name, but it was a familiar face.

“Come visit! My first son was born when you weren’t here.”

“Ah, will do,” he said, promising he will go later, before continuing his walk.

“Selv, care for some a tea? New sweets just arrived last week. You would love it,” said another person.

“When I feel like it,” he replied.

Selv, Selv, Selv, Selv, people called out to him almost every second. His title as the Guardian was known to every citizen. Furthermore, his usual behavior, which was helping people, made people held a certain degree of good impressions and intimacy of him. If he asked, they would do anything as long it’s possible. Not that he often asked something from others.

Selv greeted people while minding Nely. Before he knew it, he arrived in front of a certain building. White wall, white door, a humble garden with few greens, and the tall bell tower that stood beside it. Once the time became older, a song that was also a prayer will come from there. The church signed that Selv had reached the end of this part of the commercial district.

“It might be good to drop by,” he said, looking at the church.

As the time was still young, the morning mass hadn’t started. Selv, who was not a devotee, tended to avoid the mass because of the priest’s preach about believing the unseen God. If he wants to visit, now was the time.

“Nely, we’re going there,” he said. But, it went to an ear and out from the other. Thinking he had no choice, he took her hand.

“!”

Nely startled, pulling back her hand in panic. She looked at Selv with her eyes opens wide, with a slight tremble.

Selv could only close his rejected hand and put it down.

It was then Nely regained herself. She realized what she had done. She tried to say something, but, obviously, no words came out.

“Don’t mind it. It was my mistake,” Selv said, directing his gaze to the church. “Let’s go there.”

Nely moved her head down. Selv took it as a nod, despite knowing it was not. She hung her head down because her guilt would crush her unless she did.

Selv, still pretending not to notice, went ahead and opened the white door.

A red carpet greeted them. Line after line, long chairs lined up with a touch of green at the sides. Up above, a stained glass illuminated the altar, giving a sense of tranquil divinity.

On the altar was a man. Hairs white as a chalk, long face that matched his slender body, he wore simple black clothes that cover his body like a robe, but with golden lines that engraved keyhole symbol on the middle.

“Ooh, the Guardian! I have been expecting you!” he said, opening his hands wide with a dramatic motion. “Praise the God, for today I receive the opportunity to have this meeting.”

“I see you still haven’t kicked the bucket, old man,” Selv said.

Based on his appearance, the man was not old enough to be called old. At most, he was in his late thirty. But, Selv’s words held the truth. He, without a mistake, was an ‘old man’. His appearance did not reflect his real age.

Nely opened her eyes wide and took several steps back from seeing the eccentric priest.

“Ooooh! I can hear it! Hear the voice of God! He called out for your state of affair! You, the chosen one who is blessed by the Goddess!”

Selv put his hand to his head, agonized.

“So, you still haven’t fixed that strange way of talking,” he said, looking at something pitiful. “For god sakes, be aware of your age and graduate from your middle school 2nd-year disease already!”

The priest turned deaf ears on him and analyzed Nely who put on her guard.

“I see. I see. I see!” he nodded several times and jumped from the altar toward her. Selv took the most natural thing to do and blocked his way. The priest stopped two steps in front of him.

Looking up close, the priest was taller than Selv and overshadowed him. Nely, who was behind Selv, trembled in fear. But, it was not because of his height. She locked her eyes at a certain part of his body. To be precise, it was around his head.

Sticking out from his white hair was a pair of horn. It curled, almost making two circles beside his head. It had similarity with goat’s horn, except the smooth surface. Nevertheless, that was not something a human should have.

“Where did you pick that lass from?” the priest asked, without looking away from Nely. She, in response, used Selv’s body as cover as she dodged his gaze.

This was quite rare, Selv thought. Strange as he was, it was unusual for the priest to take such aggressive action to someone he had just met. Selv felt uneasy because who knows what he might do.

At least, as far Selv knows, he is a person with enough rationality. So, he believed it will not end as something irreversible. Although, the only solid prove Selv has was the fact he hadn’t been put behind the bar already.

“For now, take few steps backward. Then we talk,” Selv said, pushing him so he could not get any closer. But, he did not heed Selv’s words. His eyes were glued to Nely.

“Greetings, little lass. This demon’s given name from the God is Pierre. Lass might as well call me rock, like my fellows do,” he said, offering a hand to Nely.

Selv’s trust soon wavered and changed into suspicious. He knew of few reasons that could lead to a person’s sudden changes in behavior. Most of the case, it was either sickness or love.

“Old man…” Selv said with a hint of anxiety. “Don’t tell me you’re aiming for her?”

“Indeed,” he replied

Selv took a defensive stance to protect the one behind him. As both an adult and the Guardian, he could not let an act of pedophile to happen before him. More the reason if the culprit was his acquaintance.

“Turn around, hands on the floor! I will try to lessen your crime, but for now let’s go to a rehabilitation facility,” he said, hand on his sword.

“Rehabilitation facility? Hah!” the Pierre snorted. “You think there’s something wrong with me? Non, non, non,” he stuck out a finger and moved it left and right.

“It is not I who am strange. The world is!”

He turned around, facing the altar with hands spread wide. Bathed in a colorful light of the stained glass, he directed his words to the two behind.

“Industry stained out the great sky with its dirty clouds. Nature lost its resources for numerous gizmo and machines. People forgot the blessing of God. And, no apparent effort was made to solve the most crucial problem,” he said, taking a walk around the altar. He went around it once while keeping eye contact with Selv.

“Tell me. Is the stand-still-world more righteous than me, who serve the God?”

Selv did not answer, but he thought he was correct. The world had changed much compared to in his oldest memories.

The place to see the blue sky decreased together with the increasing industry. Trees, metals, and animals were taken without limit. The blessing of the God, magic, had been lost to humanity.

They could not use it even if were taught. But, magic itself still exists in this world. Humanity might unable to use it, but demon race and other races still could. The reason was unknown.

By now, Selv could only nominate himself as humanity’s candidate to something related to magic. He alone, despite not a master, could use magic even if it was one of low level.

And, the world replied on Selv to solve their most crucial problem, Deaths. That hadn’t changed for a long time.

There was not a lie in Pierre’s words. Yet, Selv answered back with confidence.

“That doesn’t justify your act of pedophilia.”

“What are you talking about?” Pierre knitted his brow and said.

There was a misunderstanding between the two. But, after few exchanges, it was solved easily.

“Hahaha. Why do you think I prefer sick young lass?” Pierre said, hand on his forehead.

He laughed for a while now Selv scratched his head from shame, fidgeting here and there.

“No, when you showed that behavior, of course, someone will take it wrong. Your eyes were basically glued to her.”

“But, pedophilia? Tell me, chosen one, do you lust over infants?”

“Please, spare me already. Of course, I don’t,” Selv said and let out a sigh.

True. Considering their ages, it was not a mistake to make that as an example. Despite their appearances, both have lived far longer than Nely.

Their friends had given birth to their children, raised them to adulthood, and died. Their children followed them and soon died. Only some people like Selv and Pierre, who have the blessing of long life, were left behind.

The passage of time was no longer their concern. Even when buildings rotted and terrain changed, they stay the same.

If he has to say something that hasn’t changed in these long years, it would be the Deaths that keep terrorizing the world.

While Selv felt uncomfortable with the topic, he felt a tug on his clothes. He met eyes with Nely. She had a peculiar look as if confuse of something.

“What is it? There’s something on your mind?” Selv asked.

She made a gesture of point at Pierre and gasped her mouth, indicating something about what he had said. That means she did not ask about why a demon is here. Selv thought back. Was there something strange on their conversation?

He searched his memory and speculated her intention.

Pierre. Speaking.

The way he speaks does have strange points, like the length or high and low of his tone. But, that restricted to daily life. His speaking habit is normal in theatre or such play.

Ah, it must be something about words.

“Is there a word you don’t understand?”

Selv confirmed he was on the right track with her nod. A word that children might not know.

He found himself putting his hand to his chin and pondered. Soon enough, he found the answer and realized another problem.

Nely asked, “What is a pedophilia?”

“Well…”

Troubled, Selv scratched his head. He could not find the proper way to explain it to her, a child. In the first place, it was something someone does not need to know.

Still, she asked about it. Selv needs to think of a way to explain certain people’s peculiar taste. As a proper adult, he also has the obligation to tell her so she has early awareness as neutral as possible.

Now, how should he tell her?

“I shall explain!” Pierre, who had also caught on, said.

“Wait! Don’t say-“

He felt uneasy, horribly. Selv tried to stop him. But, even he could not stop Pierre with their current distance. Pierre was something he could trust. But, that did not change he was a strange person. Who knows what he might say.

Without minding him, Pierre continued.

“Listen, child. Pedophilia is a title for those who lay their hand on the unripe fruits. Ignoring the consensus that it is an upraise thing to do, they seek and wish to taste the sinful, yet alluring delicacy. Ah, God! Please save their pitiful souls.”

“?”

Nely tilted her head from the vague explanation. She did not understand what pedophilia means and became confused.

“Pray! For their places in the afterlife! So that their destination is somewhere nice,” Pierre turned around and knelt, holding his hands together for a pray.

Selv and Nely watched him in amazement. No matter how many times he saw it, the eccentric priest was someone Selv could not get used to.

The behavior without restraint, a way of speaking as if playing around, and the odd sense of adult he showed at the strange timing.

Selv, on the other hand, was almost the exact opposite of him. He behaves while minding the people, changes his way of speaking depending on the partner, and fulfills his duty as a proper adult.

Selv affirmed it again. He is bad against him. Not because of their races, but personality.

To refresh his mind, he let out a cough and changed the topic.

“By the way, I don’t see the children. Where are they?”

The church also functions as a house for children who lost their parent in unfortunate incidents or unable to support them. Attached next to it was the building serves as the orphanage. With a small garden and well at the back, people could live self-sufficiently without trouble. Not to mention the income from the mass.

Selv wondered because most of the times the children do not need to go away from the church, yet they were not present at the moment.

“Those lamps went to get the materials to improve their living quarters,” Pierre said. “They should be back anytime soon.”

He sent a look at the door. Soon enough, several footsteps came closer and the door was opened.

“Father, we brought the things you asked! Ah, there’s a visitor. Did we interrupt?” A child said, bag on her hands. She looks to be the same age as Nely. A ribbon was tied on her hairs and it looked good on her.

Behind her were other children with a similar bag. Younger children carried it together to share the weight while the older did not. There were children who could carry it with ease, but there was also one who forced himself was red on the face.

Seeing the children who had done their task, Pierre welcomed them with open arms.

“Good work for your service, my beloved lamps! After putting it at the entrance, you may eat your share of snack. Don’t forget to clean your hands!”

“We understand, Father,” they replied.

The child with red face let out a sigh of relief because he was at his limit. Then, he noticed Selv and Nely.

“Is she a new kid?” he asked, pointing at Nely.

“?”

Nely tilted her head. She did not get what he implied.

“Really!? Yay! We got another sister,” the younger children said. They put their stuff down and ran toward her. Three children came to Nely and looked at her with their sparkling eyes.

“Sister, will you become your sister?” One asked.

Of course, Nely did not answer. She could not. There, Selv lended her a hand.

“Sorry kids, someone entrusted her to me for a while. So, she won’t be living here with you.”

“Boo, Selv you party pooper,” one child said, puffing her cheeks.

“Hey, hey, what’s your name?” Another child asked.

“She’s Nely,” Selv answered in her stead.

“I didn’t ask you. Why are you the one answering?”

“Well, she has her circumstance,” he replied as ambiguous as possible. But, the things called children have a troublesome level of curiosity. If there was something they do not know they will pursue it, innocently with their naivety.

“…”

Nely made an eye contact with Selv, conveying her intention. She understood they would keep asking for an answer while Selv dodging it. Within their short time, she knew Selv did that out of kindness.

He knew of her wish. Of course, that also meant Selv was aware of the complex she has. But, she did not like how his excessive treatment was.

Nely had lived her years with this kind of situations. A case of children asking about her inability to speak was something she had gotten used to.

So, she stepped forward. With her own effort, she tried to explain her condition with her gestures to the young children. She touched her neck and gasped few times. Then, she shook her head.

Even they would understand her message because her gesture was clear and direct. Their expression shifted to a sad one and their shoulders dropped.

“I’m sorry… For asking,” a child said in a low voice, face looking at the ground.

Nely touched her shoulder so that she would look at her. Her ways of communication mean nothing if the other party did not look at her. It relies on visual cognition.

Once the child looked at her, she shook her head and smiled, as if saying she did not mind it. In exchange for the limitation, her way of communications relies a far more apparent message. It was because her emotions were also conveyed.

Children could perceive that kind of thing more than adults. So, the gloom children soon smiled back. As her way of saying thank you for their understanding, Nely patted her heads.

“Ehehe, it ticklish,” the children said.

While still patting them, Nely looked at Selv and made a smug face as if saying, “How’s that!”

Selv, who looked from the side, also let a smile surfaced. Not only because she handled the situation well, but also because the incident last night was out of her mind. Even if it was only for this moment, that was one step to get her over with it.

Initially, he had planned to use the children to make her busy and play around with them. That way sooner or later her attention would shift to something else. But, looking at the current situation, he thought it was a success by the result.

“What a relief,” he said in a low voice. Not even Nely and the children nearby heard his mutters. Soon, the other children near the entrance joint and surrounded Nely. They got along almost immediately and left the church, dragging Nely along.

The two adults sent them off with a smile.

“I see. So, she’s the reason for your visit,” Pierre said, walking toward Selv.

“Yes. That’s right,” Selv replied.

Pierre, despite the strange behavior, has a sharp mind. He picked up Selv’s intention without any hint from the person. He guessed with only his knowledge about the man called Selv and the new situation.

“Like I want to visit this place if not for some intention in mind,” he said.

“Who knows, you might want to hear the God’s teaching and learn about his greatness. Come and join us on the morning mass again!”

“Spare me from that,” Selv said, dropping his shoulders. If he has to choose, he would never attend the mass ever again. His previous and last one was a bad experience for him. He felt as if he was about to be brainwashed or hypnotized.

After that time, he swore not to attend it again.

“Well, while I’m here. How’s it? Are you doing fine, lately?”

“Marvellous! Twenty four hours a day. Seven times a week. Thirty hundred sixty-five days a year. I’m doing marvelous because of my God,” Pierre said, raising his voice as if in a stage.

“I see. That’s great,” Selv said with a flat tone. That was not what he wanted to hear. He did not worry about him because as far as he remembers, Pierre never got sick. Not even once in their long years of acquaintance. Just like the saying of a fool and a cold.

“So, what about the other thing,” he asked again.

“This last century, the people’s persecution has thinned out and almost disappears. The bad image of other races from the long-lasting war has almost become the thing of the past. In the next generation, I believe your ideal world would complete.”

Unknown to most people, a certain project has been going for hundreds of years. A secret project that involved Selv and Pierre because of their long lifespans and characters. The goal was to erase the interracial wall between races because of the war.

Hatred gives birth to another and it is going to continue without end, making a cycle that continues for generations and, perhaps, until the judgment day. To cut it, Selv proposed this plan to the important people in this town two centuries ago.

It started with accepting immigrant and protecting them from the threats outside, whether it was Deaths or humans. Nevertheless, the beginning was horrible. Discrimination and persecution were the norms.

One look away and a conflict occurred. The situation was like crossing a risky bridge. A mistake and everything would become a disaster. Still, he could not haste things. Time was needed. And, a long time it was.

With the help of people like Pierre, he melted the ice of assumption. Selv also went here and there to help people in need to decrease the amount of dissatisfaction they have. He also mediated and controlled the information so baseless rumor did not damage the thin relation he had created.

Furthermore, by making orphanage, he could grow the new generation so they do not have the same mindset as the previous generations or at least decreases it. Yes, Pierre’s role as a priest was for this. By showing that demon like him was not scary and getting them used to, the interaction between races will increase.

Of course, once they enter society there might be some change of mind. Especially because, at the time, the people around them still displayed hatred and have the stereotypes in their head. Sparks would fly to the minority that supports the opposite race.

His sweat and blood bore fruit and became the current entertainment district, located on the west side of the town. It used to be the symbol of discrimination. Now, most of the citizen would take their feet there at least once a week.

“A world where there’s no wall between races. I had thought it was nothing but a foolish talk. Surely, this is the will of God,” Pierre said.

“No. It’s still too early to use that word. After all, this place is the independent town. Separated from the rest of the world and only receive few people in.”

The independent town, people outside called this place as such. On the paper, it still consisted of the same country as the Capital. But, it was also the only thing that relates this place and there.

Fitted of its name, this place could operate without external help. Its citizen could survive from the crops and farms. The land around here is also rich in nature. Rare minerals can be mined and sold for money.

When there was a food shortage, it could import foods with its saving alone.

Not to mention, the prosperous human resources. Following after Selv, the only fighting force against Deaths, and the genius inventor, Astral Mneruq, also resides on this town. Their services alone could keep the town going for decades.

Though small as a town, it held the power of a country, enormous financial strength, high-end technology, and undying resources. For it is the Independent Town.

“All is same,” Pierre said, looking someplace distant. “What we need is not the end result, but a proof. One that shows such future is not a mere dream.”

He spoke of God. He pursued the bright dream. With endless time and hope, he shall see the epilogue of the dream.

Pierre, the demon race man, made a huge bow to the one who assisted his long yearn dream.

“I bid you my gratitude, thank you. With this, you’re no longer bound by your curse. All left is to watch the ending. Me alone if enough for that role. Go. Do what you must.,” he said, hands toward the door “The grand finale provides no role for you. Either observe from the audience seat or move as you wish behind the curtain.”

“Just say it normally and I will get out for god sake. Why bother with the confusing riddle?” Selv replied, letting out a deep sigh from the incoherent words.

He scratched his head and did just so. The relation of those two was as simple as that. Once, he turned around before he went out.

“Even if the curse was dispelled, just ask if there’s problem. I think these past hundred years made us more than a business partner or stranger.”

Hate to admit it, Selv felt a strange bond. He was one of the few people who accompanied him in his irregular lifespan. Whatever he wishes it or not, such long time would make someone grown attach.

True, Selv was not good with him. But, a bond was not only made out of compatibility. He was mature enough to know and acknowledge it.

“Very well,” perhaps feeling the same, Pierre said. Then, he came close to him and offered a handshake. Without any word to convey, Selv took his hand and received an unexpected force.

“Chosen one, the time is near. Make haste. Time waits for no one. The unmoving clock is slowly moving toward the demise. Make haste. You do not have much time left,” Pierre spoke something that sounds like a prophecy. There was no joking manner on his tone.

This is a serious topic, he concluded.

“What is coming?”

“A tragedy. No, a conclusion.”

“Of what?”

“The story that should have ended long ago.”

Selv could not find anything in his head that would respond with those clues. He might do not know it in the first place or maybe forgot. Whatever the reasons were, the current him could not get the answer by himself.

“Wha-“

The bell rang. It called people for the daily mass. Selv wanted to inquire more, but time did not allow him. He decided to postpone it and went to fetch Nely.

“I pray for you to leave no regret behind.”

He heard such prayer from behind but did not turn back and continued. His feet carried him away. But, inside he thought it was too late. After all, his life was that of regret.