Back when I was young, my grandfather said something that stuck with me for a very long time… "There are no innocent people."

Kai turned around, looking at himself from all angles. He strutted forward with confidence, amazed at the quality of everything he put on. The armor felt flexible, yet durable, and it molded perfectly to his body. Aside from that, the clothes were also soft to the touch and pleasing to the eye, even if they were all black.

Whenever he took a step, the boots gave him a sense of stability he never had before, and the cloak fluttered lightly as he marched. It also felt very light on his body, almost as if it wasn't there, but it provided ample protection and hid him well from unwanted eyes.

Lastly, la piece du resistance, the mask, mended perfectly to his face. It hid everything, and Kai could feel the magic flow within the runes, but he wasn't sure what sort of spells he would have.

"Phew," Vlad whistled as Kai stopped in front of him, smilling as he studied the boy's new attire. "You got an eye for fashion at the very least. Though I suppose you can't really go wrong with black and silver.

"Hehe, thanks." Kai chuckled awkwardly, delighted to get any sort of compliments. Nobody has ever complimented my look so far… though I suppose there was nothing to compliment to begin with.

The old man inspected Kai's clothes more throughouly, his trained eye studying the runes and materials they were made of.

"Not bad, kid. I did take you for the stealthy type, but never expected for you to go all out even when grabbing free items." The old man said with a chuckle. "Stealth and size morphing I see, two very common yet useful runes. In fact, now that you're wearing the mask, I can explain the runes I put into it better."

Kai's face flushed red after hearing that, surprised at how easy he was to read. However he listened closely, making sure to remember every little detail.

"So, that mask has no name, not that it needs it but-" He cleared his throat, "I added size morphing, a pretty run of the mill one, but that will ensure that you won't outgrow it. Besides that I also added a self-repair rune and camouflage rune, which will add even further to your stealth. The best thing I added though, since I figured you would get in too much trouble if you were to wear a mask all the time - Disguise runes. I added so many that I forgot how to count."

"Let me explain how it works. You send magic into the mask and picture what you want to look like. Keep in mind that it will only change your face and everything attached to it, including the hair. The first time won't be so easy though-"

However, just as the man said that, Kai's face immediately changed before him, morphing from the mask into the average look of a twelve year old kid with blue eyes. The face was almost perfect, with almost no defect aside from the awkwardness of control that Kai needed to get used to. It looked vastly different from his actual face though, with none of his parents' features present, and even changed the bone formation. Hydeoshi sniffed me out so quick because of that, it was actually scary…

He smiled and pulled his cloak down, revealing long, raven black hair that he then pulled out of his shirt and let cascade down his shoulder.

"Anyway…" The old man cleared his throat, doing his best not to look shocked. "This disguise rune isn't nearly as good as a spell, and it was meant to act as a compliment to it. However for basic purposes, it will do. Ah- And, even though the mask does have anti-detection runes, that does not mean that it will protect you against eye-powers and spells."

Kai nodded, feeling his face. It was as if the mask had disappeared completely, replaced instead by an organic flesh that could mend, bend and most likely get hurt. I can use this to pass as a human now! I don't have to get weird looks when I go anywhere now!

"Alright kid, let's leave this old man alone." Vlad called out to Kai, beckoning him to leave.

"Wait!" The old man hollered before either could take a step. "Do you not want to see what what the collar does?"

Kai slapped his forehead, almost forgetting about it, then pulled the collar out of his spatial ring. He studied it for a moment - a basic black leather collar with a small dogtag tied to it - However both it and the tag glimmered with the power of runes.

Onyx stepped closer, licking his snout and turning his head as he looked at the thing with curiosity. Kai knelt and put it around the Obborik's neck, which then mended to a comfortable size.

"It's a collar meant to help you locate him, in case you get separated. It has self-repair and size morphing runes, and I also added some magic enchantements. As a little gif I made it so it would periodically clean his fur if supplemented with magic. I also added a similar disguise rune set to it, just in case." The old man explained, smiling as his eyes looked at the Obborik as if he knew the truth.

"Old man, you're saying that dog has magic?"

"Haha," He chuckled and gave Kai a knowing look. "I didn't say that. Now put mana in your finger and press it agins the dogtag, it should light up and a conenctioned between you two should form.

Kai did as instructed, and surely enough, a strange feed of information that gave him Onyx's exact position appeared in his mind. "Just think about stopping the information, and it will stop. Once you call upon it, you'll have the… dog's exact coordinates." The boy once again did as instructed, and found it as easy as flipping a switch.

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The old man nodded, turned with both hands behind his back, and walked toward a door in the back of the workshop. "Go now, since you're in such a hurry."

"Thank you!" Kai yelled, waving at the old man with an artificial smile.

"That thing looks so creepy." Vlad commented, "You look like a puppet."

"Haha," Kai scratched the back of his head. "I guess I just need to get more proficient with it."

Vlad nodded and walked Kai toward the entrance, neither of them saying a word. Kai didn't know what to say, and Vlad seemed to be deep in thought as he looked at the stores passing by. Must be thinking about my suggestions.

Eventually they reached the entrance, where the butler, Francois, was still greeting guests. Vlad didn't go out of the building, so they sat in front of the entrance-exit, forced to finally break the silence.

"Thank you sir, for helping me out." Kai said with honestly, giving a low boy, the artificial smile still plastered on his face.

"Aw will you just drop the sir now," Vlad slapped Kai's shoulder and grasped it firmly. "You saved my daughter and even gave me tips on how to improve my business. Originally I wanted for you to think it's fair, but now I really feel like I'm taking advantage of you. Hahaha."

If not sir then what do you want me to call you, father-in-law?! Kai thought sarcastically, however definetely didn't dare voice his words. He doesn't need more fuel added to his imaginary fire.

"I may need to go now, today was more than exhausting." Kai changed subject and turned to leave, giving Vlad one last puppet-like smile before passing through the door. The man shook his head as he watched the boy depart, then walked toward his office, ready to do paperwork. "Good luck, kid. See you later." He muttered under his breath as the door opened by itself, then slammed shut.

Francois raised an eyebrow upon seeing his master chat with a kid dressedin all black, but his eyes widened upon realising that the kid was accompanied by a white dog - the same white dog the other kid waltzed in with. His head followed the duo, doing his best not to let his jaw drop to the floor.

…

Onyx stretched as he left the courtyard, entering back into the city. When he first arrived, he looked like a beggar, when he left, he looked like a beggar with fancy clothes. Despite Vlad's words, he knew that his style of fashion was beyond ridiculous, but he didn't care much for that.

The sun still hung high, despite it feeling like he'd spent an eternity in there, so he decided to walk around. His new clothes looked good on him, at least, and he did end up turning a few heads, but more out of good curiosity rather than bad. My face expression is probably stiff off… I will need to train when I get a room- Oh- I forgot to get a room… I should get to that then, unless I want to under the open sky.

Kai headed toward the inn owned by the Orchis Merchant Organisation, having had a good enough experience there last time around. He knew it wasn't that far from the church, which put a bad taste in his mouth. The simple thought of being close to that building sent shivers down his spine. I hope to never go in there again… He thought, looking in its direction. Something thugged at his heart though, calling him.

Averting his gaze, he lookedat the ground as he walked toward the town's center. He passed several stalls selling cheap merchandise that ordinary people could afford, but Kai paid them no heed, not even to the weird toy makers or sword vendors. Doing his best to remember the way to the inn, he soon found himself at a cross roads going into four direction. To the left, he knew there was an inn, and to the right, the large, majestic church called for him.

For a moment he stood there, dazed and unsure of what to do. Maybe deep inside he wanted to go in there, hoping to talk to the Goddess again, hoping to demand some help. Or maybe he wanted to confront his fears, to confront the truth. Biting his lower lip, he took a step forward, Onyx following suit.

…

Kai found himself in front of the church's main entrance, unlike before where Orphelia had dumped him somewhere to the side then left. He stepped inside, a strange aura engulfing him as he did so. There were plenty of people going back and forth. Poor, rich, evil, kind, all sorts of people went to the church, to repent, to pray, to find their meaning in life. Kai didn't know why he went to the church, despite being unwilling, he still found himself passing Lumiera's statues, the large gates and doors decorated with stained glass.

A deep voice resonated within the church, and a weird feeling washed over Kai as he stepped inside. All the way in the back, in the center of the wall, Lumiera's burning gaze watched over the people who sat down on wooden benches, listening closely to the words of a man whose voice boomed like thunder.

He sat next to the statue, on a wooden pedestal with a tall support. Kai saw those before in his past life, when his aunt forced him to attend sunday school. It was used to hold the bible, though Kai wasn't sure if Lumiera had a book in this world.

Approaching with caution, he took a seat in the back and did the same as the others, he listened. Onyx hid under the bench, his small size allowing him to hide comfortably.

«Lumiera raised us as her children.» The man said, his adam's apple moving with vigor as he shouted. «She's watching over us every day, listening to us and keeping us safe. She is the Light, Brilliance and Wisdom. When we were face with dangers and evils beyond our powers, it was she who sent us a solder to liberate us! The First King!»

«Amen!»

«Amen!»

«Amen!!»

The voices of the followers echoed through the large room, and Kai listened closely with as much attention as a devotee.

«It is her who gave us the World Tree!»

«Amen!!»

«It is her who taught us how to fight against The Opressor!»

«Amen!!»

«Let us pray!»

«Amen.»

«Oh, Lumiera! Mother above all.» The man began, and the followers repeated in unison, creating an harmonious orchestra that sounded like a song.

«Praised be thy name, sacred be your bossom»

«Give us today our daily bread, bless the mana as you blessed us.»

«Just as in Heaven let it be on Earth,»

«Your divine song, let us recite it.»

«Your harmonious glory, let us spread it.»

«Just as you have given us life, give us prosperity.»

«Just as we forgive our debtors, may you forgive us.»

«Amen!!»

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