Lucifer’s mind whirled as he gazed at Ryna’s sick brother, lying motionless on the bed, his skin pale and body weak. The boy’s shallow breaths were a stark reminder of the fragility of life—something Lucifer, despite all his power, could not control. He began to understand why Ryna was so driven to dive into dangerous dungeons. Her family’s struggle weighed heavily on her, and now it burdened him too. A deep, sorrowful realization washed over him.


    He had fought against beings from beyond the stars, monstrous invaders from alternate realities, and had massacred them effortlessly—crushing all there is to be, eventually. Gods and similar creatures of immense power like the one that governed hell, known as Hades, reduced to nothing by the acid of his stomach. He had acquired countless titles, from Soldier, to The Spear that pierced the Unbreakable Shield, and then, Angel of Demise. Yet, despite all these feats of mindless destruction, despite wielding raw, supreme power, he felt small at this moment. Strength had always been his ally, but against something as simple as a disease… something as humane as sickness, it was useless. There was no shield, no weapon, no defense. Nothing he could do.


    He clenched his jaw, unable to tear his eyes away from the boy, whose condition seemed to be worsening by the second.


    Kai, noticing Lucifer’s distant gaze, raised an eyebrow, a small, knowing smile tugging at the corners of his lips. …don’t you?” he murmured softly, an inaudible phrase meant more for himself than for Lucifer.


    Lucifer, still deep in thought, turned toward his ally, preparing to ask him to repeat his words. But before he could, Kai was already moving past him, placing a hand gently on the mother’s shoulder. His voice was calm and soothing as he spoke.


    “Ma’am,” Kai said quietly, “if you don’t mind, I’d like to try a healing spell on the boy. If it doesn’t work, it’ll at least make his pain more bearable.”


    The mother didn’t respond with words. Instead, she simply nodded, a quiet hope in her eyes, as if even the smallest bit of relief might be a mercy. She didn’t believe it could save him, but she prayed for something—anything—to ease his suffering.


    Lucifer, lingering in the background, let his mind drift to a familiar calculation: if x=Concept of Survival, then perhaps hope wasn''t entirely out of reach. The weight of helplessness pressing on him began to lift, gradually dissolving into cautious relief.


    Kai stood before the boy, his presence almost serene. He reached out, gently placing a finger on the child’s forehead. The moment his touch made contact, the atmosphere in the room shifted. The air seemed to settle, and within seconds, the boy’s once-pained expression softened, his labored breathing easing into a steadier rhythm.


    The mother stood frozen for a moment, her eyes wide as she watched the boy''s pain fade away almost instantaneously. His breathing, once shallow, had now steadied itself, and the pained expression that had been etched on his face became a peaceful sleep instead. Her gaze darted between Kai and her son, as if she couldn’t quite believe what she was seeing.Stolen novel; please report.


    She took a cautious step forward, reaching out to gently touch her son’s hand, as though confirming that the change was real. The boy’s skin, which had been cold and clammy, now felt warmer and more natural to the touch.


    Her lips parted in a gasp, the disbelief in her voice palpable. “I… I don’t understand. How…? How did you do that?”


    Kai simply gestured towards the medicine, implying to not stop caring for the child, before rising and heading towards the door.


    Lucifer’s gaze snapped to Kai, his face serious. His emotions stirred within him—curiosity, gratitude, perhaps even some measure of awe. But when their eyes met, he exhaled deeply, a soft sigh escaping his lips. His seriousness faded as quickly as it had arrived.


    He didn’t need to ask how or why. The action spoke for itself.


    He would not pester Kai for details about something he had not been obligated to do. It would be poor manners, and more than that, it would diminish the value of the kindness Kai had shown. The boy’s pain had lessened, and for now, that was enough.


    Without another word, Lucifer looked back at the boy, a small, silent acknowledgment passing between him and Kai, who simply offered him a nod in return.


    The room was filled with a quiet calm after the healing spell had taken effect. The mother, Reina, now gently stroked her son''s hair, her heart filled with a mixture of relief and disbelief. Ryna, still curled up in bed, slept peacefully, as if the atmosphere change from Kai’s spell had an effect even on her.


    Lucifer’s focus was still on Kai’s simple gesture of kindness. Using his power to ease the boy’s suffering, stood in stark contrast to the relentless violence of mindless annihilation—the only thing Lucifer was capable of...


    As the duo prepared to leave, Reina broke the silence. “If you two wish, you could stay for the night! It’s not much we can offer, but if you’ve got nowhere to go for the night…” She stopped abruptly, choking of her own, previously, worried breath. One moment later, after an instant recovery from the awkwardness, she continued, “I couldn’t let the ones who helped my son go out in the night like that!”


    Lucifer glanced at Kai, waiting for his reaction—perhaps a decline, but no such response came from his blonde companion. “It’s fine,” Lucifer said as if pleading to his ally. “We don’t occupy a lotta space! We don’t even sleep!”


    Kai raised an eyebrow, but before he could respond, Reina’s eyes widened in alarm. “Oh no! Is it the beds? I know they’re modest, but maybe we could—”


    Kai, deciding to step in before the misunderstanding spiraled, held up a hand. “No, no, it’s nothing like that. It’s more of…” He intruded the conversation without properly thinking of an excuse, thus unable to finish the sentence.


    “A curse!” Luke tuned in, clearly happy to join in the lie. “We were cursed by a beast and lost the ability to sleep. That’s all.”


    Reina’s jaw dropped, her hand flying to her mouth in shock. “Cursed? By a beast? Are you… are you two all right?”


    Lucifer waved off her concerns with a casual grin. “It’s not as bad as it sounds. We’re perfectly fine, I promise. It’s not pain or suffering—it’s just that we lost…” A silence loomed over him as he readied to finish the sentence. A phrase he’d rather not say, yet did so anyway, “…we simply lost… something human. That’s all.” His voice, though lighthearted, carried a note of melancholy buried beneath his nonchalant demeanor. Reina hesitated, unsure whether to press further. She simply nodded in understanding, her brows knitted together in worry.


    As the night wore on, the small apartment grew quieter. Ryna, still asleep from the exhaustion, had skipped on meals. She actually was sleep-talking the entire time about different foods, “One more burger please!”, and “…so this is a parfait?” drooling all along. Her mother tried to wake her earlier to accompany at the dinner table, but unfortunately failed. Eventually, with a faint smile, she gave up, allowing the daughter to skip it this time—a one-time offense she’d overlook.