Raven is not comfortable with the situation.

He did not like it a bit. He does not appreciate how the man acted around them. They may be pretending to be humans but they should not be treated as their equal. Raven knew the god of lie would kill the man holding the hand of his goddess if he was here. It was simply inappropriate.

It was not the first time Aia held a human hand. But no matter who or when it occurs, the effect is the same with Raven. He was worried that Aia would mingle with a mortal and be hurt again.

Raven preferred to go back to the past if he could. They seemed happier then.

Whenever the god of lie and the goddess of truth would compete over how many people believed in them, they would scratch their scores into a huge rock. It was just a pastime at first. But Raven did not know that it was the beginning of her plans.

“That was my thirty-sixth win for this year,” the god would say irritatingly.

“I still cannot grasp how you still manage to fool people,” the goddess said as if she lost their game. “Mine is a total of one hundred two. Raven will recount each of our stones to check all marks.”

The god threw the stone on the ground.

“How come they can still see through me?! Are you cheating? Did you tell them anything about my tricks and lies?”

“I only tell them the truth,” Aia said.

Raven knew why she kept winning. The people on the island are more familiar with Aia and her appearance. But the god of lie keeps changing his appearance when approaching someone. He seemed untrustworthy despite acting like a friendly stranger.

“Why are we even having this game?”

“Because you told me you wanted to prove that you can still tell the truth despite being the god of lie. And I wanted to make it up to those I hurt with my words.”

“Aia, there was no need for you to do this. You do not owe anyone an apology.”

Aia did not respond.

A long time ago, Aia told Raven she had a human friend. And that human friend made her realize she was not being honest. She was only being harsh in delivering the truth. It was why Aia helped Raven when he almost died as a chick. It is to rectify her situation by disappearing for a while and observing humans from a distance. Aia must gain their trust before they seek her help again.

Her plans are working perfectly just the way she had imagined it. But things are changing faster than Raven and the goddess anticipated.

A year later, a man went to a temple to find out if he had found a suitable husband for his beloved daughter. The goddess of truth confirmed that he already did. Meanwhile, the god of lie stood next to the goddess. Raven noticed that despite his lack of interest in their game, the god of lie often lingered on where Aia was. The god told the man that his daughter would marry someone unfavorable to the man.

The man gave his thanks to the goddess before he left the temple.

The god of lie scoffed and knew he lost again. The man only believed the words of the goddess of truth. Using his dagger, the god of lie scratches the stone wall near him to mark the point the goddess gained.

“Why would he not believe me? Is it not true that everyone does not favor the old king?” the god asked after marking the wall.

“That is because he favors the old king,” the goddess responded. “He was just discreet about it. And he was aiming to marry off his daughter to him to secure his future.”

“Your truth was horrible.”

“Why? I told him that he did find a suitable husband for her daughter. But if the daughter prefers to be married to someone else was a matter I am unsure of.”

“So there are things you also did not know.”

“I can only know the truth based on what I see in their eyes. You, however, create illusions and make people not see your true identity. You made them feel wary of you.”

“I can still control what I wish them to see,” the god boasted, even if the goddess was right. He can sometimes appear as he is with the goddess. But anyone around them will only see someone they fear or wish to see when they stare at the god of lie.

“You have nothing to complain about. Besides, you had more wins now, did you not?” asked the goddess.

“Seventy-eighth humans, to be exact,” he said proudly, pretending he had gained enough servants to boast to the goddess.

“That is almost half of the population on this island,” the goddess replied.

The god of lie smiled.

“But you still lose to me if we consider the overall count.”

The smile of the god disappeared in an instant.

“You’re really irritating,” he murmured.

Raven observed what he could never say out loud. The god enjoyed every moment with Aia even if he kept on losing to her.

“What then is your prize this time?” asked the god of lie while he move his sleeves and stretched out his hands.

He had already given her enough favors and service as her price. Yet the god could not help but anticipate this moment. Sometimes, Aia could surprise him with her requests.

It could be of a simple kind or a complicated one, like when Aia asks him to start a minor conflict so the man who lives alone on the island would finally meet a possible wife or when she asks him to create illusions at night so children would sleep early. It was to make their guardians not worry too much about their well-being.

Petty requests. But it shows how lies could do its work. For good.

“I want you to cast a spell that would make someone look different,” she said.

“Different how? More beautiful?”

“I meant to look like an ordinary human. Someone who does not attract attention.”

The god was confused, and so was Raven. What good would it be to use that kind of spell? Most immortals could disguise as humans by themselves. Was it for someone else?

“May I ask why?”

“The winner only claims their prize, remember?”

The god of lie scoffed. He thought she had forgotten that part of their rule in their competition. The god of lie would only know the result of his spells or curses after he had given it to the goddess of truth.

“Fine then. I could cast a spell on a cloak. Whoever wears it would look like an ordinary, pitiful, but unnoticeable human. It can even look like the wearer is old or aging. Satisfied?”

The goddess pushed her open palm as if asking to give the cloak that instant.

“You want it now?”

“When do you think I need it?”

The god had no choice but to create an illusion of a cloak and hold it firmly. A white smoke came out from his hand gestures, but it also disappeared instantly. The outfit seemed ordinary, but the goddess seemed fascinated by it.

“Do I only need to wear it?”

“Of course you—wait! You’re the one who will wear it?”

“Again. No questions.”

Aia held the cloak and took it away from the god who made it.

“But I already did give you the prize. Now, do tell. What are you up to now?”

“I am only trying an experiment.”

“An experiment? Only your twin sister does that.”

The goddess of truth smiled.

“That was true. But you knew I could only use this once. Most of your spells casted on an item, once used, will disappear. Do you think it would be so bad if I look like an ordinary human?”

“Terribly,” the god replied while crossing his arms.

Raven sensed that the goddess was hiding something. It was not that she was lying. Yet it astounded Raven that she was keeping secrets from him and the god who was said to be her equal. When she tells the truth, Aia will say it directly. So hearing her say she was about to experiment does not sit well with Raven.

Since when did she need to guess and be unsure of something?

Aia always has her say. And it will be the final answer.

What change?

“Hmp! Someday, they will never listen to you. And I will win this game of ours fair and square. They will worship me instead,” the god said while pouting.

Aia only smiled.

Back then, Raven and Aia never expected the god of lie to predict something that might happen. But was it possible? Did humans prefer believing the lies told by a god?

Raven only knew about the chaos humans were dealing with when few entered the cave where he stayed. He could understand the human language well. But Raven could never understand why humans prefer to make their life harder than it is.