WHILE sitting on his villainous sofa, he stared at the cell phone beside him. He crossed his legs as he thought multiple times if it would be appropriate to learn a thing not from his world.

"You have to do it for Imris, boss."

"Boss?" His eyes darted at Arator sitting comfortably to the opposite seat. After Zaratras taught him about the cell phone, he had been spouting unusual words. Dapat ba siyang mainsulto o hindi?

Tumayo ito habang natatawang lumapit sa kaniya. Kinuha nito ang cell phone sa kaniyang tabi at umupo. Napakalapit nito kaya siya na lang ang umusog. Hindi talaga marunong magbigay ng personal space ang nilalang na ito.

"Sorry, my lord. Ang ganda kasi ng nilalaro ko. Naimpluwensyahan tuloy ako," he said while waving the thing.

"So you can still play without seeing anything, huh?" he mumbled. Arator was really peculiar. He died at twenty yet his capabilities exceeded that of a one-hundred-year-old.

"Yes, my boss lord." He leaned on the sofa. "At kailangan mo rin itong aralin. Dahil sa totoong dimensiyon, sobrang importante nito. Halos lahat ng kakailanganin mong malaman ay dito mo mahahanap. Pati na rin sa mga gugustuhin ni Imris, puwede mo lang hanapin dito ang mga bagay na gusto niya kung sakali mang hindi mo alam."

Hindi siya sumagot. Nanatiling nakatikop ang kaniyang bibig at pinakinggan si Arator.

"Kagaya na lang no'ng hiningi ni Imris kahapon na teddy bear. Nagkamali pala tayo ro'n, boss lord." Nagtipa ito sa phone. Pagkatapos hinarap ito sa kaniya. "Ito pala 'yon. Hindi pala literal na oso."

He didn't move his head and just allowed his eyes to glance at the image. It was a funny-looking bear with bulking feet. It had no claws but just large paws. Like what Imris told him, it looked fluffy.

He snorted.

Mine is still better.

"So what you say, boss lord? Deal or no deal?"

Nilingon niya ito habang nakakunot ang noo. "Stop annoying me with that way of speaking, Arator, or else--"

"I don't want to die twice." Bago pa siya makatapos ay nagsalita na ito habang nakataas ang dalawang kamay. "Magsisimula na ba ako sa tutorial, my lord?"

It took him a while to respond. His subconscious was screaming not to do it for it would be an insult on his part. Why would he, a necromancer, do something for the sake of other people? His only task was to collect souls, nothing more.

But then again, he had taken the responsibility of Imris. He promised himself to take care of her until he finds her real parents. And it seemed that learning to use the small rectangular thing was part of his responsibility.

"Fine."

"Ayon! Bibigay ka rin naman pala, boss lord--" Hindi nito natapos ang sasabihin nang mapansin ang nakamamatay niyang tingin. Tumikhim ito at umupo nang tuwid. "I mean, let's start now, my lord."

Kagaya ng sinabi nito, sinimulan na siyang turuan kung paano gamitin ang cell phone. Kung saang parte ng screen ang puwede niyang pindutin at kung anong tawag sa mga bagay na nakahilira sa screen. Hugis kahon ang mga ito at may iba't ibang kulay. Sa ibaba ay mga letrang bumubuo ng mga salita.

"Ang tawag diyan ay mga app. Ang sa baba ay kung anong name ng app. Kung may gustong panoorin si Imris, pumunta ka lang dito." May pinindot itong app na kulay pula. "Tapos dito mo ititipa sa search bar ang gusto niyang panoorin. Pagkatapos i-click mo ang enter bar ng keyboard. Okay ba, Lord Xibel?"

Tumango lang siya.

Nagpatuloy pa si Arator sa pagtuturo. Tumagal ito ng limang oras. At sa bawat oras na iyon, ilang beses din siyang humingi ng pahinga dahil pakiramdam niya'y sasabog na ang utak niya sa mga kailangan niyang aralin.

How could this be part of raising a child? He couldn't understand. The real dimension was really an odd place.

"Huwag kang mag-aalala, my lord. Basta alam mo ang basics, okay ka na," nakangiting saad ni Arator. Pinaglaruan nito ang cell phone sa kamay bago tumayo. "I-c-charge ko muna ito, boss. Mamamatay na, e."

He just gestured his hand in response.

"Ah, bago ko makalimutan, my lord. Binanggit ni Zaratras na dapat mo ring dalhin sa paaralan si Imris."

"Paaralan? What is that?" matamlay niyang sagot. Sasabog na nga ang utak niya sa mga natutunan tapos may dumagdag na namang panibago. Pagod na siya.

"It's a place where people learn." Arator let out a smile. "In our world, only the nobility gets to have education. I am surprised when I found out that in this dimension, everyone can go to school."

Sinulyapan niya ang masaya nitong mukha. If he could tell, Arator might have remembered the days where he was still alive. When he was still an aristocrat who appealed to the king of Fort Galron many times just to grant his wish of establishing a law that would give education to all human, regardless of their social standing.

But he died without getting the approval he wanted.

He leaned in the sofa and closed his eyes. "Then I'll leave the task to you. Get Imris to school."

"I would love that, my lord. Subalit ang sabi ni Zaratras sa akin ay maraming mga papeles pa ang kailangang asikasuhin. Kaya kahit gustuhin ko man, baka hindi ko rin mapagtagumpayan dahil hindi pa malawak ang aking kaalaman sa mundong ito."

"What should we do then? Do we need to find a human who will do this job?" He pinched the bridge of his nose. It sounded like a real hassle.

"That's what Zaratras said. It's much better if someone from the real dimension does it. It will also be convenient for you, Lord Xibel."

Hindi na siya sumagot pa. Umalis na rin si Arator para i-charge ang phone. Siya naman ay inalis ang pawis na namumuo sa kaniyang noo. Hindi naman siya tumakbo nang ilang milya pero hiningal pa rin siya dahil sa mga tinuro ni Arator sa kaniya. Higit pala itong nakakapagod kaysa makipaglaro kay Imris.

"I need to sleep." Magpapahinga muna siya. Malapit na rin namang maggabi kaya matutulog na lang siya.

Paakyat na siya sa hagdanan nang biglang magbukas ang pinto. Bumungad sa kaniya ang nakangiting mukha ni Imris. Sumunod na pumasok ay si Stone. Nanggaling ang dalawa sa playground na pinuntahan nila kahapon.

Base sa pawisang mukha ng bata, mukhang naging nakakaaliw ang nangyari sa araw nito.

"Papa!" Tumakbo ito palapit sa kaniya.

Binuhat niya ito nang makalapit. "You smell like the sun."

"Init sa labas," sagot nito habang nakangiti pa rin. Tinuro nito si Stone. "Uncle played too! We slide!"

Napakamot naman si Stone sa ulo at nagpakawala ng isang pekeng tawa. "Imris wanted me to play as well, my lord."

"Did you enjoy playing there?" tanong niya kay Imris.

"Super much!" Mabilis itong tumango. Pero kaagad naman itong ngumuso. "But some kids won't play with Imris . . ."

"Why?"

Tinuro nito ang oso na buhat-buhat ni Stone. "They're scared of Elia."

"That's good. They won't try hurting you." She patted her head before putting her down. Nilingon niya si Stone. "Stone, help her wash up. Then have dinner. I'm going to sleep first."

"I will, my lord. Have a good rest."

Tumalikod na siya. Aakyat na sana siya nang hawakan ni Imris ang dulo ng kaniyang sutana.

"What?" He looked down.

Pinagsaklop nito ang dalawang kamay. Tiningnan siya nito na para bang nagpapaawa, kagaya ng ginawa nito kahapon no'ng gusto nitong magkaroon ng laruan.

"Say it quick. I want to sleep now." Tinaas niya ang isang daliri upang maghanda sa kung ano man ang hilingin nito.

"Can I have a mama?"

Namilog ang kaniyang mga mata matapos iyong marinig. Kamuntikan na siyang madulas sa hagdanan kahit hindi pa naman siya umaakyat. Ilang sandali ay mariin siyang napapikit. Lalo siyang napagod sa narinig niya.

"Why would you suddenly want a mom, Imris?" salubong ang mga kilay niyang sabi. He then looked at Stone. "What on earth happened on the playground? Did some worthless woman use a spell on my child?"

"Ah, well, my lord, I don't think people here are capable of using any magic." Hindi makatingin nang diretso si Stone sa kaniya, nagdadalawang-isip sa sasabihin. Nararamdaman na nitong hindi siya matutuwa sa maririnig niya.

"I don't have much patience, Stone. Say it."

He sighed in defeat. "The playground is actually a very lively place, my lord. The kids there play together with their parents. And I think Imris watch those parents who are taking care of their kids, especially the m-mothers. Most of them are mothers. She might have been touched by how they take care of their kids."

"Mother, huh?" he whispered. "A woman again . . ."

The annoyance he had for women buckled up like a whirlwind on his head, forgetting everything what Stone had said. What only remained was that they were women, and women for him were never caring. They were the most disgusting being Xibel had met.

"You will not have a mother, Imris," mahigpit niyang sabi at tumalikod na.

"But, Papa--"

"End of conversation." Hindi na niya ito nilingon at umakyat na sa hagdan patungo sa ikatlong palapag. Panay ang tawag nito sa kaniya subalit namayani sa puso niya ang galit.

Pumasok na siya sa kaniyang kuwarto at natulog. Hindi niya kakayaning may isa na namang babae ang papasok sa buhay niya.

He don't need them. Imris don't need them as well. He would raise her alone and away from those liars. He would not let Imris be like them.

HINDI niya alam kung ilang oras siyang nakatulog. Nagising siya dahil sa paulit-ulit na katok sa pinto.

"Papa!" rinig niya si Imris.

Bumangon siya at sumandal sa headboard ng kama. He snapped his fingers to unlock the door. Kaagad itong tinulak ni Imris pabukas.

Tumakbo kaagad ito papalapit sa kaniya at umakyat ng kama. Tumabi ito at niyakap siya. "Papa, are you mad?"

"At you?"

She nodded.

"Why would I?" Pinatong niya ang kamay sa ulo nito.

"Because I want a mama?"

He sighed. "I'm not mad at you. I just don't like it when you talk about your kind."

"Ha?" Pinilig nito ang ulo, hindi naunawaan ang sinabi niya.

"Women are liars, Imris. Their caring nature is only a facade. When you succumb to that . . ." He touched her forehead with his finger. "You will be eaten alive."

Napuno naman ng takot ang mukha nito. Napahiyaw ito. "Mamas eat kids?!"

He chuckled. "No. I mean that they will cause you harm. They will hurt you, Imris."

Kaagad namang bumagsak ang balikat nito. Lumakas ang boses na naririnig niya sa kaniyang isip dahilan upang maunawaang iniisip ng bata ang dinanas sa orphanage.

"Like what Mama Hester did?"

"Yes, so don't ask for people like them anymore. You don't need them." He slightly pinched his cheek to cheer her up. But Imris remained her head down. She was still thinking about it, making Xibel regretful of what he said.

He shouldn't have said that to a child, but he also couldn't think of any reason not to tell her. It was for her own good. He didn't want Imris to go through the same thing he experienced.

"Hey," tawag niya rito pero hindi ito nakinig.

How should I cheer this silly little human?

Right then, an idea struck him.

He pointed his finger on top of Imris' head and let the dark dust sprinkled her entire body. As he gestured his finger up, Imris float on the air as well.

Napaangat ang tingin nito sa kaniya na may buong pagkamangha. Mabilis na nawala ang lungkot nito sa mukha nang simulan niyang paliparin ang katawan nito sa bawat sulok ng kuwarto.

"I'm flying, Papa!" Imris giggled as she put her arms up. Her hair flowed with the wind as he continued to gesture his finger to every direction.

Unti-unting umaangat ang labi niya habang pinapanood ang naaliw na mukha ni Imris.

Indeed a child's smile is one of the precious things the world could have.  When he was still a saint, it was one of their jobs to keep the smiles of the children. But as he lost his title, that role had been stripped away from him too. He wouldn't have to keep them happy, give them blessings, and let them see wonders.

But . . . for this one child. Just for this child, he wanted to do it again.

Heavens of the earth, allow me to keep her smile.

"Papa, will you play with me tomorrow?" Tinuro nito ang nakasara niyang bintana. Tinutukoy nito ang direksyon ng playground.

"I can't." Nilapag na niya ang bata sa kama. He didn't want to go out. For sure that place would be so crowded, and he wouldn't like the noise.

Sumimangot naman si Imris at pinagkrus ang mga braso. "Papa said no to mama. Now you wouldn't play with Imris."

"I don't like the people. Their annoying and loud just like you." He crossed his arms as well.

"If you not play with me, you'll give me mama!"

Kumunot ang kaniyang noo. "Didn't we just talk about this just now? I thought we're clear? You don't need a mother. They will just hurt you."

"But not all like that." She pouted. "Mama Dina didn't hit me! Mama Lisa too!"

He remained looking at her stubborn face. It looked like she was talking about the other elders in the orphanage.

He then sighed. "It's not something I just can give you just because you asked."

Imris was asking for a human who would represent as her mother. He couldn't just pull anyone. He had to find someone to be his partner and that would be a lifetime hassle.

He hated women. And no one had ever attempted to go near him as well because of his face.

It was just impossible.

"Then play with me." Hinila nito ang kaniyang sleeve. "Papa, please? Let's play! Let's play!"

"If I play with you tomorrow in that playground, will you hush about that mother thing?"

"Yes!" Tumango si Imris. "Imris thought that Papa can be both my papa and mama anyway. I have Uncle Arator and Uncle Stone too!"

"Mabuti naman at naisip mo iyan."

Nagningning ang mga mata nito. "Will you play with Imris now?"

"What else?" He sighed. How could he say no with that face?