Azrael gently placed me down on the sand, and I just stood there watching as the ocean waves moved and crashed violently against the shore. If Liora were here, she would be running around screaming excitedly, but then my eyes narrowed.

"You can bring her back." Remembering the words from earlier, a tiny spark of hope flickered inside me.

"Cat, can Liora be brought back... reborn?" I asked, and immediately the beach went quiet, turning black and white.

I watched Azrael freeze in place and slowly tore my gaze away from him.

"What do you have in mind, Raven?" Orange asked, and I snapped my gaze toward her.

"The spell... trading my lifespan to bring Liora back. Can that happen?" I asked, and Orange’s lips parted slightly.

"Of course. But that would burn your very foundation. The fact you aren’t that powerful and are barely F-rank means I don’t think you would achieve much. Even if you kill yourself and use up your lifespan, I’m afraid she still wouldn’t be brought back," she said, and I sighed softly.

I sucked in my bottom lip, but then an idea suddenly popped into my head.

"Can someone powerful enough do it?" I asked, and she hummed thoughtfully for a second. "Someone apart from me," I added quickly, and her lips curled upward slightly.

"Of course, just—"

"No need to call me Host anymore. Call me Raven," I added.

She didn’t smile or nod in understanding, but her eyes brightened faintly.

"Good luck," she said before disappearing.

My heart finally felt calmer now. Everything slowly returned to normal colors again, and Azrael sat down beside me.

"You seem a lot better," he said, and I turned my head toward him.

"I do?" I asked before chuckling softly.

"Azrael... do you believe the dead can resurrect?" I asked, and his lips parted slightly.

"Yes."

My eyes widened instantly and I snapped my head toward him. "Stop messing with me," I said, and he chuckled softly.

"Raven, if you believe the dead can rise, then I believe it too," he said, and my lips parted to say something, but no words came out.

I could only sigh softly and suck on my bottom lip. "I adore you so much," I whispered.

I felt his body stiffen instantly at my words, and he slowly turned to gaze at me.

"Adore? Didn’t you hate me a month ago?" he spat, and I rolled my eyes dramatically.

"Because you were the only one who was hard to break. You gave me a challenge. Of course I hated it at first, but I remembered not everyone has their own healing time... just like me..." I said before pausing, remembering Danny and Rosy.

They had hurt me, but somehow being here had healed me.

"I adore how cold and observant you can be. The fact you are always suspicious makes me think a lot. I haven’t thought like that in years," I said softly, and he sucked on his bottom lip while looking away.

"Stop with your lies," he said, and I rolled my eyes again.

"Lies?" I repeated before sighing softly.

"Liora was a good person," he muttered before laying back against the sand, staring up at the dark sky.

"Do you think she became a star?" he asked, and I paused before laughter escaped my lips.

"A star?" I repeated in disbelief.

"Hmm."

"Stop it. Really, how can a grown man like you say she became a star? Those were just lies grandparents tell children," I said and clicked my tongue softly.

My grandparents used to be the only people who truly cared for me until they died. I missed them. I wished I were back in the modern world. At least then, I would still be able to place flowers on their graves again.

"I chose to believe it," he said, and I turned to stare at him quietly.

Thinking about all this, I suddenly realized I wanted to know everything about him.

How had he become a demon? Was he born that way... or turned into one?

My lips parted slightly, but before I could ask—"Don’t ask that question. I’m not answering it," he muttered with his eyes closed, clearly refusing to hear another word from me.

I smiled softly and laid down on the sand beside him.

"Do you want to know about my childhood?" I asked, yet his brows furrowed slightly. I could tell his ears had already perked up from interest.

"When I was little, I always wanted my parents’ attention, so I got straight A’s just to be noticed, and I enrolled in extracurricular activities at school."

Azrael instantly snapped his head toward me.

"Extracurricular activities? A’s, school? What are those?" he asked quickly. It was the first time I had ever seen something sparkle in his eyes with genuine curiosity, and I chuckled softly.

"You really want to know?" I asked, and he nodded again immediately.

I smiled mischievously before leaning closer. Then, just like that, I gently pecked his lips. He froze completely at my actions but never said a word. His golden eyes only stared deeply into mine.

"With time, I’ll tell you," I whispered, and he gritted his teeth before pushing me away roughly.

I laughed and laid back down on the sand. "My grandparents were the only ones who cared about me," I trailed off softly.

Really, I was basically telling my own story now.

I had no memories of the original villainess, and the novel never stated why she became a villain in the first place.

I sighed softly and licked my bottom lip. "I would run to their house anytime I got injured... or even fake being injured just to stay longer with them. They loved me and always spoiled me with little things. Even when my parents slandered me, cursed me out, or called me insignificant compared to my sister, my grandparents always did everything they could to close those wounds." I sighed and closed my eyes tightly.

"I wanted to yell at my parents. I wanted to ask them why they could never love me even though I was also their daughter," I mumbled softly before sniffing gently. I quickly wiped my eyes, but then I suddenly felt Azrael’s thumb brush against my cheek.

"I didn’t know you had such a sad home," he said quietly, but I couldn’t help but laugh softly.

I was sure the villainess had suffered even worse.

"Do you suddenly pity me?" I asked, and he laughed softly.

"Not even a bit. Just because you had a terrible life doesn’t mean you should pass that pain onto others. Two wrongs never make a right. But id I feel a bit bad for you" he said, and I couldn’t help but stare at him in surprise. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

Was this really Azrael?

"Are you sure you’re yourself?" I asked, and he laughed again before rolling his eyes and laying back down on the sand.

"I’ll visit her grave today," I whispered, and Azrael smiled softly, he stood up, dusted the sand off himself, and stretched out his hand toward me.

I grabbed it and he pulled me up easily.

We walked slowly while talking softly to each other until we moved deeper into the woods, leaving the beach behind.

Suddenly, I paused in my steps as I spotted the two tombs lying quietly in front of me.

A painful smile spread across my lips. "Liora..." I called softly, and a tear slipped from my eyes. It landed against the tomb as I collapsed to my knees.

"Why did you burn yourself out?" I asked, crying bitterly again.

Azrael quietly stepped away to give me space.

I placed my hands against her tomb... then against her eagle beastman’s tomb too. "I miss you guys," I whispered softly, shutting my eyes tightly.

"Where are you guys?" I asked shakily. "I want to see you. I want to hear your voices again. I want you guys alive again..." I mumbled.

Liora had been happy even though she was weak and constantly belittled. Still, she had her eagle beastman. He cared about her every second of the day. When she cried, he stayed. When she laughed, he stayed. He loved her to that extent, and I knew Liora loved and cared for him the same way.

I didn’t realize another tear had fallen onto the grave until suddenly, a soft, frail light glowed around the tombs. Tiny flowers slowly began sprouting from the soil, blooming gently beneath my trembling hands, but my tears only fell hardrr.

"You were the only true friend I had... I can’t let you go!" I yelled, wailing my eyes out bitterly when suddenly—

Ding!

Ding!

My eyes snapped open as a hologram slowly faded into view.

[Hidden task completed

Task: Grieve over someone

Reward: Resurrection Tears + rank level up + Mind Control for 48 hours]

Staring at the hologram, I couldn’t help but bite down on my bottom lip. My eyes flashed with confusion.

What was happening? I didn’t even realize the wind had started blowing wildly behind me.

"Is she coming back to life?" I mumbled softly.

Then suddenly..."Raven."

I paused instantly. Was I hearing things now? Liora was already dead, so what was happening?

"I must be hearing things. Why do I hear Liora’s voice?" I laughed weakly to myself, but then...

I felt a warm hand gently rest against my shoulder. I froze instantly. Why did it feel so familiar...?

"Raven..." the voice called again, and slowly, turned around.

"A..."