4 Chapter 4: The Blue Eyed Menace

"Dear, Joy is coming!"

"What does that gossiper want now!?"

"I have told you several times, she knows about the little cheron!"

"What did you call our little Luci?"

"N…Nothing, just hide him!"

Just a few days after Luci arrived in Meera and Emmett's life, they have already lost count of how many times they have tried hiding him from the other villagers. And although there were probably less than 20 of them in their little hamlet, the old couple truly was at the end of their wits — solely because of an existence known as Joy, the woman who knows everything and reveals everything, the local gossiper.

"Meera. Oh, Meera!"

"What do you want, old wench!?" Emmett quickly rushed to the door as fast as his old feet could take him, stepping out and closing the door as quickly as he opened it. But alas, he had completely underestimated the eyes and ears of Joy, as she was able to quickly get a glimpse of Lucifer as Meera removed her from the walls.

She was as old as Meera, and yet her eyes and ears have always stayed in their prime.

"Ah! I knew it!" Joy pointed at Emmett, "You're hiding a baby in there! Everyone, old Emmett and Meera are hiding a baby in their abode!"

"No, you shut it, you mouth breather with large teeth! You—"

"What was that!?" And before Emmett could finish his words, the people of their little hamlet started gathering in front of his house; even those who were busy doing their chores and errands quickly dropped everything they were holding, literally. After all, how could they not, when the only entertainment of their humble settlement is news of themselves?

"Did I just hear that grumpy Emmett has a little babe in their house?"

"Why would they have a pig?"

"A baby, you doofus. A little human child."

"What!? Let me see!"

"Shoo, I shout! Shoo!" Emmett's old trembling hands started waving in the air as even their pregnant resident was curiously trying to peek at his house even with her big belly, "There is nothing to see here but an old couple near their death, shoo!"

"Come on, don't say that. You will end up outliving us because of your nasty personality, old Emmett!"

"Everyone, it's true! I saw a baby!" And as the topic was getting swayed, Joy made sure to once again raise her voice, "Meera was cradling a baby, I saw it!"

"Stop spouting thy bullshittery from your mouth!" Emmett pointed at Joy again; his saliva, flying everywhere, "There are no cute blue-eyed babies in this house!"

"...I did not say anything about the baby having blue eyes," Joy could really look at the other residents as she heard Emmett's words.

"Wait, it's true!? I thought Joy was just making up another story!"

"Where!? Where's the baby!?"

"There is no baby he—"

"That is enough, my love." And before Emmett could dig his hole even deeper, the door behind him opened. And there, everyone's eyes just widened as they saw the baby in Meera's arms.

"They really did it… they kidnapped someone."

"Stupid. Why would they kidnap someone, life is already hard as it is at that age without having an extra mouth to feed… it's probably an unwanted pregnancy."

"Everyone," Meera could really only sigh and step forward before any absurd stories could build up, "This is baby Lucifer. He's… the grandson of my nephew and both his parents died in the war."

"War… with the cherons?" Joy could really only blink a couple of times as she stared at Lucifer, "He's named after the Emperor? I knew it, you're royalty, Meera."

"...No. Stop making up stories," Meera sighed, "Nevertheless, little Luci will be staying with us from now on since I am the only family he has left."

"Can I hold him?" Glitters shone on Joy's old eyes as she stared at Lucifer's bright blue eyes.

"No," Meera quickly moved Lucifer away, "I'm the only one allowed to carry or hold him."

"Wow… his eyes really are blue. Is he—"

"Baby Lucifer, stay!"

All the residents could not help but shut their mouths and widen their eyes as they heard a high-pitched voice whispering in the air… obviously coming from Lucifer. They all then turned to look at each other… before smiles grew on their faces.

"He can already talk!?"

"Such a smart baby! I heard the people from the city could do the same!"

"Ho…hoho!" Emmett's nose rose up as everyone started gathering around Meera and Lucifer, "That's right, our baby boy is the brightest, the brightest! He is—"

"What the fuck are you looking at!?" Lucifer cried out.

"...What are you teaching the baby, Emmett?" Joy and the other residents quickly turned to look at Emmett in disgust, even Meera… and baby Lucifer himself.

"W…

…I did not do anything, I swear!"

And with that, 7 winters passed by in their little hamlet.

"Little birdy, are you not sad being stuck in a world that tries to cage you?"

In a dark room somewhere, a little boy's eyes shone even in the shadows; his long black hair that reached his back, waving with even the slightest breeze that was seeping in from the closed window in front of him. His bright blue eyes, reflecting a red-colored critter with a blue tail.

The animal was also looking at the little boy as it hung from his finger, tilting its little head as it seemingly tried to understand him.

"Do not worry, Little Birdy," the little boy then pushed open the window in front of him, letting the breeze and light to slightly enter the room, 

"I, Lucifer, shall set you free. Go—"

"What the—Who are you!?" And before Lucifer could finish his monologue, a man suddenly barged into the dark room, "Why is a little girl here!?"

"Greetings, slave owner," Lucifer pointed at the furious man, "I have come here to set free of Little Birdy."

"Little… Birdy?" The man squinted his eyes at Lucifer, before noticing the mangled cage beside him and the critter hanging on his finger.

"You are too late, evil man," Lucifer clicked his tongue several times, "I, Lucifer, shall set Little Birdy free from your evil clutches."

And with those words, Lucifer gently pushed the critter out of the window…

…only for the critter to fall straight to the ground and get squished by a horse carriage.

"Hm…" Lucifer could really only squint his eyes as he stared at the aftermath of what he had done.

"N… No! My Angela!"

Lucifer stepped to the side as the man rushed toward the window, almost leaping out of it.

"Look at what you have done, slave owner," Lucifer clicked his tongue several times, "You have caged Little Birdy for too long that it has forgotten how to fly."

"What… what is wrong with you!? She's a turtle!"

"Was a turtle," Lucifer blinked a couple of times as he looked the man in the eyes.

"...What?"

"I apologize," Lucifer clutched his heart and closed his eyes; his voice, quivering, "It was my ignorance that killed her, I am sorry."

"Who… who even are you?" The man could not help but just stare at Lucifer as tears started to trail from his cheeks, "And how did you even get in my house, you—wait…"

And as Lucifer opened his eyes again, the man pointed straight at his face.

"It… It's you! The child from that village that has been causing trouble here…

…the blue-eyed menace!"