Chapter 92: The Lost Boy

All that's left in the Light World was the portal stone and the jewels embedded to it.

The scenery that never faded, the eternal horizon, and the glassy surface of an ocean. It's peaceful and boring, but that seemed more than enough for both of them.

"I'm sorry," Haru began apologizing. "I didn't want to be so mean to you."

Ali glanced at him, looking bright for the very first time, hearing what he has to say.

"I was a bit rude, wasn't I?" Haru asked, forcing a sheepish smile.

Ali nodded aggressively, clasping his hands together, and almost whining. "Y-You were!"

Haru patted his head, "Then, will you forgive me?"

Ali immediately nodded. Haru stood up and began walking, as if looking around the empty space of the Light World. "Did you perhaps run out of ideas when you were trying to make this world?" Haru asked as he looked back to Ali with a calm smile.

"Huh?"

"There's no need to pretend. I know exactly who you are. You're the devil, aren't you? Ali..."

Ali stood on his spot with an expression that froze with confusion and wonder towards Haru. "H-How… did you know?"

Haru lifted his hand and put it up overhead him, seeing the marks of dark roots growing inside him.

He showed it to Ali and he knew, of course, about the connection and being the vessel.

"You were supposed to inhabit me, weren't you?" Haru asked, trying to confirm his speculations. "I was supposed to be your vessel because I was the most compatible for the devil's soul. But you seem to end up… in some little boy's body. How did it happen?"

Ali slowly went towards him and grabbed the layer of his shirt. Ali looked up to him with admiration and soon, he began tearing up.

Haru was panicked, "W-What? Why are you crying?!"

"Y-You were supposed to be my vessel."

"That's no reason to cry, c'mon, it's alright. If you were able to move just fine with the boy's body, then maybe he's somehow compatible to you too?"

Ali shook his head and put his hand to his chest, "This body will crumble in a few years. It's because this isn't a compatible vessel for me. I was supposed to inhabit you. I shouldn't have taken this boy's body…"

"Is that… a bad thing?"

"It is! I can't remove my own soul from a body until it deteriorates, so this boy will turn into ashes and will be reduced to nothing. I… I shouldn't have don that! Now, he won't be buried. No one will remember his flesh and his existence."

Haru was still confused, but he knows that Ali, no, the devil was definitely upset by something.

"Calm down," Haru said, and it seemed like it was all that he could say as he helps the boy wipe his tears. "It's alright. Won't he be into ashes even if you didn't take over him?"

"But still… I shouldn't have done that."

"Then, why did you do it?"

Ali stopped sobbing. His tears kept on going, but he was able to look straight directly at Haru's eyes. "Tell me what happened," Haru said.