The sun warmed gently, and a light breeze stirred the fallen leaves across the park. Daniel and Asia walked side by side as they talked.
"So, you were raised in a church?"
"Yes. Unfortunately, I never met my parents, but God welcomed me into His home," the blonde girl replied, clutching her rosary.
Daniel felt uneasy at the sight of the crucifix. Is this because I'm a demon? he wondered.
"And you? What's life like in this city?"
Daniel paused before answering. He didn't have much to say—most of his memories only brought nostalgia and sadness. Since arriving in this world, nearly everything he had done involved devils, ending with him becoming one. Hardly the best topic of conversation with a nun, especially one so devout.
Before he could come up with something, the cry of a child reached their ears. Both turned toward the sound.
Just a few meters away, a boy no older than nine sat on the ground, clutching his knee and crying.
Asia didn't hesitate; she rushed to his side.
Daniel followed.
"Are you alright? Children shouldn't cry over such a small wound," she said, gently patting his head.
The boy looked at her, confused—it was obvious he didn't understand her words. Daniel leaned closer, taking up his role as translator.
"She says you shouldn't cry so much, though in kinder words."
The boy glanced at him warily, then clung tighter to the young woman, who seemed far more trustworthy.
Asia kept stroking his hair, then placed her hand over the wound. A green orb of light suddenly glowed, and in seconds, the wound was gone.
"There, all better. The pain should be gone now."
The boy blinked in surprise at his healed knee, then stood up. Daniel, beside him, was just as astonished. Was that the healing ability of RPG clerics? Could everyone in the church do that? Or was Asia special?
Instinctively, his hand went to his shoulder, still sore from earlier. If only he had that power, he wouldn't have to suffer stabbings or keep waking up naked again and again. But how could he obtain it? The logical solution would be to take Asia with him. The real problem was convincing her—how could he, when the church was the enemy of devils? Daniel shook his head, forcing himself to calm down. Since when have I become this greedy?
Unaware of his inner struggle, Asia said goodbye to the boy, who smiled brightly at her.
"Thanks, onee-chan!" he shouted before running to his mother.
After Daniel translated, he hesitated, then asked:
"So… does everyone in the church have healing powers?"
Asia turned to him with a smile.
"This gift of healing is a wonderful blessing God gave me."
Daniel noticed that, though she was still smiling, there was a hint of sadness in her expression. He suspected there must be a painful story behind it. Maybe they don't treat her very well, he thought.
Greed tickled his heart again. Maybe it wasn't impossible. He just had to figure out what this sweet girl desired. After all, even human companies recruited talent from rivals—offering enough was usually enough. And as a devil… wasn't it his duty to tempt humans?
---
By midday, the sun was blazing and the air was growing suffocating.
Asia wiped the sweat from her forehead as she glanced at the melancholy young man who had offered to help her. They had walked several blocks, turned down countless streets, and asked plenty of people, but the gray-haired boy seemed to have a peculiar talent for… getting lost.
Daniel tried to justify himself, blaming his recent arrival in the city, while Asia laughed at the irony. Of all people, the one who had offered to guide her turned out to be another foreigner, just like her.
"Hehe, don't worry, I'm not in much of a hurry," she said with a smile.
Daniel scratched his head in embarrassment before replying:
"It's getting late. Let's grab something to eat, and then buy a phone. I swear, with GPS I can take you anywhere."
Asia nodded. Even though they were lost, she was quite happy—she had managed to make a friend. Being expelled from the church had been difficult, leaving her feeling down, but wandering the city with Daniel felt almost like a stroll, and it cheered her up.
To buy the phone, they headed toward the shopping district. This time, Daniel actually seemed to know his way, so they didn't get lost again. They grabbed a meal at a small restaurant and stopped by a few shops.
Asia couldn't help but notice how Daniel tensed every time a car passed by. He would even stop for a few seconds, frozen.
"Are you feeling sick? Are you tired?" she asked.
The young man forced a smile.
"I just don't like cars."
Asia suspected it was more than just a preference. Daniel seemed genuinely afraid.
A metallic screech cut through her thoughts. Before she could react, she felt Daniel's hand grasp hers.
Not far away, a group of people had gathered, shouting about calling an ambulance and the police. A car had crashed into the guardrail.
Asia noticed Daniel's hands trembling—he was clearly terrified. She squeezed his hand firmly, trying to calm him.
"It's okay, it's okay. Nothing happened. Want to take a break?" she said, pointing toward a nearby café.
---
Inside the café, they sat down and ordered something. All the while, Asia didn't let go of his hand.
Daniel felt pathetic. Freezing up like that in front of such a sweet girl embarrassed him. But he couldn't do anything about it: the sound of the car had brought back images of the bus, of everything spinning, of being trapped.
Becoming a devil hadn't helped; it might have even made it worse, since instinctively his wings tried to burst out and wrap around him.
"Are you feeling a bit better? Do you want to talk about it?" the girl asked, clearly concerned.
Daniel sighed. Should he talk? He'd never told anyone about his accident—maybe because no one had ever asked, and because just remembering it made him feel worse.
Unexpectedly, with Asia he felt the urge to open up and tell her everything. Maybe she has a talent for therapy? Or is it a nun's gift? No, the ones who hear confessions are priests…
Letting his mind wander, he began to speak. Aside from the system and his reincarnation in this world, he told her everything.
When she learned he'd become a demon, Asia was shocked, but her attitude toward him didn't change. On the contrary, she focused on understanding him and offering comfort. According to her, all beings were children of God and deserved His love.
Daniel wasn't sure that way of thinking was right—even as a demon. But he accepted Asia's comfort.
Talking about his problems and fears did seem to help. Daniel even reconsidered the idea of seeing a psychologist.
"Don't worry. I know you're a kind boy. It doesn't matter if you're a devil; I think we can… no, we're already friends," the beautiful blonde said.
Looking at the kind and pure girl in front of him, Daniel felt increasingly certain. He had to bring her with him. Not only could she heal—she was also a surprisingly talented therapist.