"I… I'm sorry." I tried to sound sincere. Luine decided to make us all apologize to each other, after catching us having a grand old brawl.

I couldn't even fault her for it. If I were the adult in charge of things, I might have made the same call out of sheer annoyance.

"Hmph. You should be." Sophicus, the person I nicknamed Soap-boy, scoffed at my apology.

"Sophicus!" Luine shouted his name. "Apologize!"

"No!"

"Haell apologized to you. The whole point of this is to make up."

"Well, I don't mind forgiving her."

"But what about the wrongs you did? Has she forgiven you for that? You also still need to apologize to Granuel."

"Hmph. But Haell just admitted that she was in the wrong, didn't she? And Granuel was provoking us."

My eye twitched in annoyance. "I did err probably, sure. You, on the other hand, pushed Granuel to the ground for no fucking reason!"

"It's just a little bit of roughhousing. With some good lessons taught. Don't be so lame."

"Oh. Well then, everything I did to you was also just roughhousing and tough love. Thank you for telling me, Sophicus. I retract my apology. I did nothing wrong."

"Haell…" Luine touched a hand to my shoulder.

I nearly shrugged her off, but thought better of it at the last second. I gave her an apologetic look, then stalked off.

I had far more pressing matters, than coddling some stupid boy's ego. His parting words fell on deaf ears.

I gathered what remained of Moonwash’s gift, before I made my way towards the older girl with heavy and remorseful steps. My vision already wavered before I even made it towards her.

After what felt like a long and harrowing march, I stood right before Moonwash. She was sitting peacefully on a bench, undisturbed by Luine or Salaire as she was one of the few that weren't roped into the big fight earlier.

"Hey…" I started.

"Hey." She returned the greeting like every other time. I didn’t let it bother me.

"I'm sorry…" I mumbled. It was already a dozen times more sincere than the apology I managed earlier.

Moonwash tilted her head a fraction. "For what?"

"Uhhh…" I fumbled my words, and settled for showing the broken remains of her gift to me. "This?"

"Oh. What about it?"

"I broke it!"

"Yes. You did."

"Exactly! So, you know… I'm sorry about that."

"It's fine. That's what weapons are for." Moonwash smiled. That was exactly my reasoning earlier! It honestly startled me to see her smile, as she always seemed so unaffected by anything. She punched my shoulder very lightly. "Good win."

~~~

“Hey Angerly.” I approached the ogre girl who rallied everyone else to my side earlier. She was currently lying down on the soft and lush grass.

“Oh, hi Haell!!” She smiled wide, turning her head toward me.

I sat down beside her. “Thanks for your help earlier. I might have actually lost otherwise.”

She barked out a laugh, boisterous and proud. “Hah! Maybe! But you could’ve still won!”

I snorted. “Of course.”

“Hell yeah!”

We both laughed, and a companionable silence settled between the two of us.

“Hey, wanna be friends?”

“Can we be friends!!??”

We stared at each other, having spoken at the same time. One person laughed, and then the other followed, until we were both rolling around on the grass in our good humor.

I eventually managed to collect myself enough and wipe the tears off my eyes. “Great. Friends!” Four in total. Enough for a full party of five!

“Yes! We’re friends now!” Angerly got up and scooped me into a hug. I endeavored to return it even if the force was too tight and crushing.

I felt like I’d be losing somehow if I tapped out.

~~~

It was the next day. I was having a really good day. I had lunch with all of my friends, Angerly’s meal was severely extended because she ate more than any of us, and Moonwash was making me a new training sword to replace the one I broke. I’d asked my parents about the enchanted ink, and they agreed. Mom had a lot of the necessary materials in stock. Ritual ink shared a lot of similar ingredients to enchanted ink.

The rest of us were eating dessert, just a massive pile of rainbow-colored cotton candy, while engaging in the good old tradition of debate.

“Fire is the best element, clearly! It’s my favorite! It's the coolest!”

“It’s literally the opposite of cool!” Therick protested. “You should just focus on the sword. You don’t gotta get mana from someone else, or just run out in the middle of battle. Magic is so unreliable!”

“I can just do both! And you literally always lose to me Therick!”

“Ack!” He groaned, as if struck. “Y-you’ve been at it for longer than me! And your dad is like the best swordsman!”

“I’m gonna be a businessman like my dad!” Granuel interjected. “The magic of money is the best!”

“Guys, guys. We’re talking about the best magic element here.”

“No! Swordsss!!!”

“Gold magic! To give me gold!”

“Okay, that might actually exist. Shi…ttake mushrooms, how does the economy...” I trailed off.

I hissed taking a sudden sharp intake of air. My eyes turned towards a glittering presence in the streets, and I found just what I was expecting.

“A shepherd.”

A low growl escaped my throat, I almost turned hostile right then and there. I felt the mental influence, subtle and insidious. From the shining skin that demanded attention, to the… aura or signal or whatever it was that allowed them to passively affect the minds of all that surrounded them.

It wasn’t exactly magic, at least not in the sense of what I’d been practicing. But that same training had allowed me to get a feel for such esoteric capabilities, whether they be the work of a mage, or a naturally occurring phenomenon.

It wasn’t really under their control given how it was likely a passive effect. I could hardly fault them for a natural trait that they couldn’t even turn off. They were just natural-born rulers through and through, and no matter how I felt about it, I had to acknowledge their position. Perhaps someday I could successfully change things, but for now all I could really do was to bow my head in supplic–

FUCK THAT!

I growled louder, the sound raw and beastial. My hands automatically reached for my wands as my temper threatened to boil over. It was only Therick’s voice that stopped me from attacking right there.

“Haell. Haell!”

“WHAT!?” I snapped. I saw the attention of the visitors briefly turn my way, but they had more important things to attend to as Luine and Salaire went to meet with them.

“I… Are you okay?” Therick asked, genuinely concerned.

“You seem… angry,” Granuel added helpfully.

“Never better,” I ground out my answer through clenched teeth.

The conversation out front had reached a fever pitch, voices raised high enough for me to make out. The people accompanying the shepherd turned out to be adventurers, lowering my collective opinion of their group even further, to a point I didn’t think was even possible.

I seethed quietly as I listened to them talk. The adventurers were led by a single human man, and the rest were of varying species. From a crustecar, to a belfegor, and even a kobold. Their party leader took a moment to brag about how his party was the ideal one, with people in their proper places, led by a proper leader.

They had apparently come here to preach before, but were barred from entry by Luine and Salaire. So naturally, the fucking cowards snitched to the nearest shepherd, going on about how this orphanage was keeping the light of the angels away from the children. They wished to “enlighten them while they yet remain untainted by the world.”

“Get them while they’re young, dumb, and impressionable,” I translated in my head.

“Do you have anything to say for yourself?” The shepherd woman that came with them asked Luine. Of course, Salaire couldn’t possibly be in charge. “It seems like you haven’t been upholding your duty to these children. Do we need to… revoke the holy license of your orphanage?”

I could feel the hostility wafting off of Luine as she struggled to maintain a calm facade. The adventurers stepped back, having felt this pressure.

“It is no problem, honored shepherd,” she bowed, her voice surprisingly even, if sharp. “There have just been… incidents before. Adventurers that incited violence among the kids. Therefore I took it upon myself to ensure that they grew up in a more peaceful environment.”

“We are adventures too.” Salaire placed a steadying hand on her wife’s shoulders. “I know just how violent the world out there can be.”

Tressica the shepherd, and Kroy the adventurer, both frowned at how Salaire had inserted herself into the conversation.

“The Party Propers is a renowned adventuring company,” Tressica told Luine. “Surely it must not have been difficult to find out that they are a reputable group of well renown.”

Luine bowed deeper, no matter how humiliated she must've felt. I didn’t have that same kind of patience. “We chose to err on the side of caution, my lady. Many adventurers of well renown have come through our doors, and the way they preached and bragged taught all the wrong lessons to our children.”

“Those are some… very heavy accusations. I expect a full report later.”

“Of course.”

“That being said,” Tressica continued, “a little bit of research should’ve very easily proven and shown that the reputation of Party Propers is true and unembellished. It seems to me like you failed to do your due diligence, and therefore have caused your students an opportunity to learn and grow closer to the Angelic God and His Angels. A grave mistake which puts into question whether you are even fit to be running this facility…”

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Luine scowled. The sheer distaste managed to partially get through her facade. The woman’s arms shifted nigh imperceptibly toward her waist, where I presumed her weapons were hidden.

I too reached for my own. A genuine full-strength fire wand whose focus capacity exceeded what even my brain was capable of, and a dagger that I only knew how to use due to my past life. I had no illusions as to how weak and useless I would be in a fight, but I felt for Luine and Salaire. I have seen just how much love and effort they had put into raising these children, and these people want to just take that all away for no fucking reason!

That’s preposterous, it’s absurd.

So if the two of them decided on violence today, then I’d damn well help them. Even if I were a weak 9 year old who could do nothing against the tyranny of levels.

“There won’t be a problem,” Salaire said, giving Luine’s shoulder a squeeze. “They are free to teach the children about…” she paused. There was a disgusted grimace on her face when she continued, “...the truth.”

“Oh? But what about your prior offenses of barring us entry?” Kroy smugly asked. “It truly seems like they don’t have the best interest of the children at heart. And how I feel for the children…” His eyes flicked towards the shepherd.

“Yes,” Tressica agreed, her face twisting lightly into a very punchable smirk. “I do find it perplexing why they even refused in the first place. Do they harbor doubts perhaps? Are they raising these kids to be heretics?”

“You…” Luine growled, but she took a deep breath and held in whatever outburst. “It is not heresy, I am only looking out for the wellbeing of my children. I had my doubts because of some very negative past experiences, but if an honored shepherd is vouching for this party, then I welcome you all with open arms. And if you still have doubts about my motives, well…” she rested her hands at her waist, almost grabbing the weapons hidden therein. “That would be for you to decide. I will abide by the will and the wisdom of the shepherds.”

Something told me she wouldn’t actually do that. In fact, Luine would most likely do just the exact opposite. I was almost tempted to wish for such a reality to come to pass, if only for the sheer hype that would arise from it. But I knew that was a bad thing. I would just have to create my own hype, once I was strong enough.

“I see,” Tressica said after a long moment of contemplation. “Very well then. But just to ensure nothing like this ever happens again, then I would need to give you some proper Guidance.”

Luine’s eyes hardened. She suddenly backed away when Tressica approached.

“Hmm? What’s wrong, Luine? Do you disagree? With me? A shepherd? A priestess?”

Luine thought of a proper answer, but couldn’t come up with any, so she just kept on backing away while the shepherd slowly, inexorably moved forward. Tressica’s face grew more malicious, while Kroy was enjoying this situation very much. The rest of his party were quiet and still, serene and uncaring of whatever situation was happening in front of them.

Something felt very wrong with this scenario. Well, obviously, it was hellishly fucking wrong. But there was something there, just on the tip of my realization.

“Magic,” Moonwash suddenly spoke, only now looking up from her all-important task of carving wood into a sword shape. “The element… It’s something I feel sometimes from the shepherds. Cognition, emotion, thought and ideas made manifest…”

“Mind Magic!” I finally put the pieces together after the clue Moonwash gave. I pointed a finger at fucking shepherd. “She’s trying to mind rape Luine in broad daylight!!”

That got everyone’s attention. The shepherd in question abruptly turned towards me, her calm facade immediately broken by a few uttered words from myself. I was amazing.

“That is not ‘mind rape.’ It’s proper Guidance for those who err and divert from the proper path.” She began marching toward me, and I could feel the mana in the air around her, lightning-fast and sticky. “It is an ability granted to us by the angels, something that we are meant to use. Therefore it is holy–” Luine and Salaire stepped in between us before she could get any closer, for which I was eternally grateful, but I still scurried further away, just in case.

I knew, of course, that it was borderline impossible to actually brainwash someone without first apprehending them. At worst I might receive spikes of certain emotions or thoughts if Tressica got her claws on me here. But I still did not want my mind to be fucking touched.

“Who is this child?” Tressica asked. “Is this the kind of nonsense you’re teaching the children?”

“She’s not one of ours,” Luine calmly informed her. She had a grave expression of gritted teeth on her face as she periodically swatted aside what appeared to be nothing but air.

There was mind magic there, of course. Unless if Luine was just doing a weird dance. Mana was weird, an uncertain thing, and it could be affected by common physical things to varying degrees. Which meant swatting it like a fly might work. Sometimes. For certain elements. And depending on how powerful the strikes and the striker are.

“She is the granddaughter of…” Salaire glanced at me, and I gave her nod, “Golex. The Hero.”

Tressica’s eyes widened. She stared at me, still furious, but now calculating. “I see. I would like to have a word with her, then.”

“Ask her parents,” Luine succinctly countered. I felt grateful for her keeping this mind-rapist at bay.

“Do I need to? I’m a Lady of the Lathary Household. Surely I can talk to one of my subjects, no?”

Luine hummed thoughtfully. “I don’t think her grandfather would quite appreciate that…”

Tressica looked displeased by that comment. They went back and forth a fair bit more, the topic shifting back to Luine’s alleged heresy and her transgressions toward adventurers as a whole. At some point, instead of her just having made a mistake against the Party Propers, her crimes had become against the entire guild as a whole.

Luine managed to deflect everything however, stating in kinder terms how she wished for her mind to become her own, and that it was already in the service of the angels, but she was allowed discretion for her own expertise. “I appreciate and respect you, but with all due respect, you are not an expert in rearing orphans, nor in the art of battle.” Tressica was furious about those comments, but Luine just kept on bowing and apologizing while doing the exact opposite and refusing all of Tressica’s commands. They reached an impasse, and somehow just… moved on.

I suspected it was because there were only two Level 40+ people in town aside from the Piss Hunters. They could do so much damage if they were given a reason to, and then they could just up and leave. If my grandfather participated, then the whole of Latarus could fall.

~~~

I found myself between Granuel and Moonwash. We were sitting with the other kids, listening to the prattling of adventurer Kroy. The rest of his party offered words of agreement as he continued to preach.

“For the humans among you, we were created to be versatile, suitable for a number of roles. You can be a soldier, a merchant, a leader, a follower, a deacon, an adventurer, all manner of things! We are the lifeblood of this nation, and we act as the arms and legs of our true rulers.”

Kroy asked the human children what they wished to become, and began giving out some career advice. He talked about how to properly conduct yourself for an interview, how to register at the adventure guild, how to approach the church and the shepherds, and more.

It was surprisingly sensible.

Granuel decided to butt in, once the subject of his interest arrived.

“I want business!” he shouted.

Kroy looked perplexedly in our direction, his eyes roaming over Granuel until a subtle disappointed scowl crossed his face.

“Ah, I’m sorry to say this boy, but you can’t be a businessman. I’ll get to the prospects of you ishkawtans later.”

“What? Why can’t I!? I want to!!”

“I’m afraid it’s not that simple. Not all the species are suited for it. We humans and a select few shepherds are the only ones doing it for now, although if a blessed Angel took interest in such matters then I am sure they would do wondrous work.”

“Ehh… but who decides that I can’t! I’ll try and prove you wrong!”

Kroy laughed, as if talking to a particularly stupid child. The gesture ground on my nerves more than this conversation already had. “We already know it’ll go wrong. You can’t try, I’m afraid.”

“No! It’s my dream! I have to try and struggle!”

Tressica heaved a sigh, suddenly inserting herself into the conversation. “Luine, do your orphans really not understand something so basic?”

It was Salaire who answered. “Granuel is not an orph–”

“Yes, yes. Belfegors are not great speakers. I was talking to Luine.”

The rogue scowled at the disrespect shown to her wife. “He’s not from here. Not an orphan.”

Tressica raised her brow, glancing back at me. “Really? Every troublemaker is just conveniently not part of your responsibilities.”

Luine affected a shrug, although it came off more hostile than she intended. Or maybe that was exactly her intention. “It’s true. You can confirm it later if you want.”

“Fine. Kroy, continue.”

The man did as asked. He talked more to the human children, notably ignoring me with a complicated glare. He did try to get some headway with Moonwash, and my friend answered his questions in her typical manner.

“What do you want to do for your future?”

“Make things.”

“What kind of things?”

“Plenty.”

“...Can you specify?”

“Swords, armor, chairs, tables, crowns, shirts, leather, bows, string, dagger, hammer. Magic, add magic to a lot of them, most even. Enchantments. Shield, arrows, fortifications, wall, base, secret base, treehouse. Big ritual. Mask, claw, gauntlet, leggings, pants–”

“Okay, okay! I get it! I’d suggest you narrow it down, maybe pick one of these companies, get an apprenticeship. A friend of mine, a smith, actually just had an opening–”

“No.”

“...No?”

“No.”

Kroy tried for a while longer to get Moonwash to join any of the different organizations he was promoting, but he eventually had to give up, unable to get through to the girl. When asked why, Moonwash elaborated that she wanted to do it all even if he thought it unrealistic, and that while she was willing to learn from another craftsman, she wanted to make her own way in the end instead of being one specific person's apprentice.

I was very impressed by her logic.

Kroy(don’t be so coy) moved onto the fountans and ishkawtans among us. Granuel was still uncharacteristically reserved, clearly deep in thought, because of what happened earlier. I knew the pain of having one’s dreams be rejected, and I would punch both Kroy and Tressica in the face if I knew I could get away with it.

…I’d probably do it even if they didn’t bully Granuel. They just have those kinds of faces. Very punchable.

“I’m sure you already know what you were made for,” Kroy started, “For the fountans, you can already start working now. Your job is so easy and simple, I’m almost envious! Just plug a mana repository into your mana fount, and it’ll charge on its own. Personally, I’d recommend trying to find some work in Sophisticated Founts. They pay really well and you barely have to do any additional chores other than supplying the mana. For those who are interested, I can take you to them later.”

“As for the ishkawtans,” he continued, “we can always use more people on watch. Specially now that the rebellions are moving closer to our territories, refusing to cooperate until the end. Even now, our armies face them in battle, to protect our freedom and way of life, but who knows when those savages might strike here in order to kill and maim those we care about? So for those who are interested, I could take you to the guard or the military later. They have scholarship programs that will train you up so that you can then use those abilities to keep everyone safe!”

He took on questions after that, and there were a surprising number who were interested, especially among the fountans. Most of them shouldn’t really be of working age yet, but a lot of kids would jump at the opportunity of being an ‘adult’, even if the novelty would wear out real fast.

The fountans, at least, almost had a comfortable gig lined up from birth. But that was still no excuse to stifle their potential and keep them away from opportunities that other people were provided and allowed.

“What about business,” Granuel piped up. He had stood up, pulling on the hem of Kroy’s shirt. “I want to do business.”

“Oh. You again. How many times must I say that you can’t?”

“But why can’t I? Give me one of those things… recommendations, that you’re giving to others!”

Kroy sighed. He placed a hand on each of the boy's shoulders. “You can’t do it. It’s literally not allowed. An ishkawtan cannot run a business. If you’ve been listening earlier, then you’d know that only humans, shepherds, and angels can do that.”

“Wha… but my Dad runs one! Business!! Very successful! I wanna do that too!”

“Is your dad an ishkawtan like you?”

“Yes!”

Kroy furrowed his brows. “Then you must’ve been mistaken. An ishkawtan cannot be permitted to run their own business. They’ll mock it up.” His voice turned sharper at the end.

“But Dad does a good job! I’m sure I can–”

“Enough! You can’t do it, and that’s final!”

“But… but…” Granuel’s lips began to quiver. It didn’t take long for him to begin to cry.

He sniffled and whined. I quickly ran towards him, and offered him a hug. I gently stroked the boy’s back as he cried into my shoulders.

“It’s okay. It’s okay. We’ll find a way, okay? You don’t have to give up…” My words were tender but my eyes were set into a hard glare. I glowered at the adventurer who made my little brother cry!

…We’re not siblings. I know that. But it felt like it regardless!

“Ah, well…” Kroy scratched at his head. “You can’t run your own business,” I glared at him harder, “but you can serve as an advisor to someone? I can ask around, maybe some would want an ishkawtan apprentice in that area,”

Granuel only cried harder. Kroy eventually gave up and moved on to the other kids who were more willing to play his game.

I kept my gaze trained on his back as he walked away. The most violent of thoughts crossed my mind, but I knew not to act on them. Not yet. Not yet.

~~~

The sun was starting to set. Kroy had addressed every species present in here, and the topic had somehow circled back to the fountans and ishkawtans. I felt that it was somewhat aimed at Granuel and the things he’d said, which only upset me further, but I could be wrong. The fountans and the ishkawtans were truly popular in the empire, as some sort of divine figure crafted by the angels themselves, almost like the shepherds. Although not nearly as beloved.

The adventurer droned on and on and on, showing the Angelic Scriptures and the illustrations therein.

I suddenly snapped back into focus when I saw a particular image in the book.

It was that of a man, a human. There were five archangels above him with varying makes. From a floating eye with wings, to a sentient crossbow, and even a solid mass of blades, who looked like a hedgehog with swords for spikes.

“As you can see here, the angels showered their gifts upon the first of the ishkawtans and the fountans. You are valued members of the community, with a purpose given to you from the start…”

I didn’t listen to the rest of his ramblings as my eyes continued to be fixated on the book on his hands. Arrayed around the human in the illustration were a bunch of unclear silhouettes, the presumed gifts given to the first ishkawtan and fountan. But the more I look at them, the more I thought… that the vague outlines looked familiar. They were shapes that I’d seen before, and there was a general theme to them. An eye with veins training behind, a dismembered hand, a leg, the mana fount of a fountan.

They were body parts. Just like how a Mutation may be enhanced or altered with the organs of a different creature, the angels used the same method, except they did it all at once.

I had just discovered the method to become a demon.