"Brother Joan?"

Joan groaned and raised her heavy eyelids, to see a young fellow monk looking down at her with a concerned face. He had placed his palm on her forehead.

"Brother Cedric?!" She wanted to move but realised that she had no strength to do so. "W... What happened? Why are you here?"

"You hadn't come out of your room until noon, so I decided to check on you. You've overslept, huh?"

"Eh? You? Check on me?"

Joan widened her eyes in a stupor - since when did Cedric care about her? As she knew, all of these monks secretly despised her due to her coldness and disinterest in their companionship.

"Well, it did appear a bit strange... I see you've even caught a fever..." Cedric chuckled and shook his head. "Damn, you should think a bit more about your health than those books sometimes. I know we've all devoted ourselves to the High Forces, but sacrificing our health and well-being to them isn't really recommended."

"Ugh, you don't understand me, Brother Cedric. I've undergone a lot, and I'm in pursuit of my happiness."

"What is that happiness you so greatly crave, anyway?"

"Even if I told you, you wouldn't understand."

"Try me."

Cedric winked, in the mood of having fun. Joan chuckled, and inquired:

"Have you ever heard about Tsukishiro, the unearthly warrior of perfection?"

"Nah, no clue." Cedric shrugged. "Perfection doesn't exist, Brother Joan, you know it. It is just a notion made up by fools who wish to obtain something greater than they can. I think all of your toils will be vain at this point if what you're searching for is truly perfection."

"I've seen him once!" Joan clenched her fists. "He does exist! He told me to find him. That is why I chose this spiritual path of mine. I desire to meet him again. That day, when his shawl embraced me, I felt at complete peace, like never before... I truly felt perfect."

"Are you sure it wasn't an illusion?"

"Ugh, of course, it was not! I_"

She couldn't finish her words - she started coughing.

"Whoops, okay, calm down. You're burning up. I'll go get some medicine for you. Don't get up and sneak out in libraries now, got that?"

"Yeah, yeah, just go already!"

Cedric laughed and went out, closing the door behind him. Once she saw him leave, Joan sighed in relief and looked up at the ceiling.

"Fell ill now, huh? Damn it all..."

She looked aside, at a window. There was a raven sitting on the window-sill. She frowned:

"What are you staring at?"

The raven cawed. It shape-shifted into a tall ominous man with long black hair and brown eyes. Joan, as a talented spiritual healer, easily noticed the abhorring dark aura that surrounded him, so shudders ran down her spine:

"W... Who are you?"

The man approached her and took a seat on her bed.

"I am sorry."

"Eh?"

"I am Incubus."

"Huh?!" Joan now leaned against the wall in fright.

"I am sorry for making you suffer... I felt too humiliated that you, a simple human, could so easily defeat demons, and decided to punish you, but in the end, all I got was more pain and anguish."

"Oh, I... I didn't want to hurt your feelings back there. I just said what I  thought. I am sorry if I've offended you in any way."

"Apologizing to a demon? That's something new from you humans..."

"But you're not really a demon, are you? You're an offspring of an angel and a human, just like our saviour was." Joan beamed.

"Ugh, I am a demon!" Incubus grew annoyed, "I've managed to defeat every demon in hell and made them submit to me, yet they secretly despise me for being so different! I seek for their acceptance and recognition, which no normal demon would do, but instead seems a trait of weakling humans! You were right - I so despise myself for having such split natures, that I always go crazy! I want to torment to let others share my pain, yet all I get is more pain in the heart since I always regret tormenting others. Yet, while I do it, I'm beyond happy like a true demon! Every time such bloody instincts kick in, my damn father beats me with his scythe to purify me from the blight, but that blight returns, yet it feels so painful each time he strikes me! I am so scared of his punishments, yet there is nothing I can do to resist my demonic desires! I am both internally and externally tortured! I miss my mom!"

He began sobbing. Joan watched him astonished - Crown Prince of the Underworld he called himself, was known for having vanquished all demons, yet still shed tears, just like humans, for his conflicted thoughts and desires.

"Sorry... You're no one to me, yet here I am, crying my heart out to you." He wiped his tears off. "It is just that, you reminded me of my mom_"

Warmth embraced him. He looked down at her - she was hugging him.

"W... What are you doing?!"

"Feels soothing, doesn't it?" Joan returned him a question with a kind smile.

"Um, I guess..." He sighed. "Mom used to hug me too. It does feel calm."

"I am sending you my light energy right now. I bet your mother too was doing the same whilst she was still beside you. Lilith had a large light energy reserve before the blight took over her since she was the only human who hadn't tasted the Apple of Knowledge and hadn't forsaken her soul. Your father, on the other hand, does not wield much light energy save for his core, the same case as you. Hence, he cannot share his light energy with you but only purify you with his scythe. Either way, your light energy often needs to recharge so that you won't go completely demonic and will continue serving the High Forces and your father. So, since you feel frightened of your father's brutal methods (no matter that it's for a good cause, I can never fully acknowledge beating one's kids as a kind deed), you can visit me whenever you like, and I'll share my light energy with you. You see - I am a powerful healer, so I have a large light energy reserve I can share."

"Huh?" Incubus was stupefied, "You'd really do that for me, a demon?"

"I've told you, you're not completely a demon. And then, I realise you and I are much alike. I too lost my mother at an early age, and my father abandoned me in an orphanage. There, they always beat us whenever we misbehaved, saying it was to ultimately turn us into 'good, sophisticated people'. Yet, all their beating sowed inside us was more hatred and pain. But then, one day, he came, and hugged me, showing me the true peace... That was the happiest moment in my life." A grateful tear streamed down her cheek. "I feel the same is for you - it is always better to show love than literally beat a sense into someone. I tried sending my light energy to other demons, too, and purified all of them. So, I guess, it works on you as well."

Incubus stared at her dumbfounded. He smiled and embraced her back:

"You truly are kind and caring like my mother. Not many humans are like you. Please, tell me anything I can help you with, to repay you for this immense kindness."

"There isn't really anything..." Joan modestly shook her hands, but then halted: "Wait, there actually is one thing... Can you tell me where I can find Tsukishiro, the angel of Perfection?"

"An angel of Perfection, you say?" Incubus put a hand to his chin. "Never heard of such... You know what - I might not be the expert on angels. I shall go back and ask my father. He, as one of the two eldest archangels, knows it all. He'll definitely tell us more."

"Ah, thank you so much!" Joan's eyes shone with happiness and excitement.

"You're welcome. That's the least I can do after what you've done for me. Farewell, for now, Joan. We shall meet again."

The young man smiled, turned back into a raven, and flew out.

At that minute, the door opened and Cedric walked in with some medicine. Seeing Joan sat up on the bed, he frowned:

"Ugh, I told you to lie still, Brother Joan!"

"But you'd still make me sit up to drink the medicine."

"Yeah, yeah, you always find excuses... Now drink this and lie down."

Joan chuckled at Cedric's grumpiness. She followed his orders and, after taking the medicine, lay down.

"Cedric..." she murmured before the young man would leave.

"Huh?" The monk looked back at her.

"Thanks."

Cedric blinked at first, but then smiled:

"Don't mention it, Sister."

Joan gasped - what?!