“I won.”

          “But I got 16! That’s one more than the majority!”

          “…There were 47 in the forest.”

          “Yes.”

          “…What’s half of 46?”

          “…12?”

          “23”

          “…Oh…” She looked at me with suspicion, “Do you know how to cook?”

          “Yes.”

          “…that’s what my husband said…” She slumped and her wings hit the ground with a whumph.

          The doctor boy was watching us with confusion, and honestly I was right there with him. How old was she that she didn’t even know basic math? I shrugged at the brat helplessly to show him that I didn’t understand either, but oddly that only made him more confused.

“Just tell me the truth now!” She grabbed my shirt, almost in tears, and not the fake ones. “Has anyone died from eating your food?!”

“Only when I put poison in it…” She was starting to scare me a little…

          “Only when it’s actual poison?” My head rocked as she shook me desperately.

          “Yes! How else could mere food kill angels and demons?!”

          “Thank you, Lord Above! He knows common sense!” While she didn’t actually cry, she sounded really close. What the home kind of cook was that ex-husband of hers?

          “Um, pardon my interruption…” The boy seemed less wary of us now and provided an excellent method of changing the subject.

          “Thank you, I mean, what do you want brat?”

          He gave me an odd look, “…What do you two great ones plan to do with us now?”

          “Reeducation.” She smiled, women and mood swings are scary…

          “…and for us? We are not apart of the bandits by choice…”

          “You came to us! You wanted to be my apprentice! You saved these foul beasts when I tried to kill them! You saved them, and their crimes are you own even if you never dirtied your hands! Don’t try and weasel out of this you sneaky son of a-”

          “Enough.” We spoke at the same time. I felt my mouth twitch as I saw a look in her eye. Backing off, I let her take it.

          “Did this child try and stop them at any point on time?” She spoke to the surprisingly energetic hunched doctor who was brimming with resentment.

          “…No.”

          “Lies.”

          “…he healed them. Their crimes are because he would not let them die.”

          “Murder is a sin, but healing is not. Life is not yours to take, mortal child. Life is a gift that can only be lost by the one it belongs to in a way that they chose.”

          …Was that why she never blamed me? Because her little ones chose to go to battle and wager with their lives? My heart twinged in pain as I looked at her, but I felt no guilt. Words like hers sure knew where to hit.

          The doctors shriveled under her petrifying gaze. The boy had been trying to suppress rage, only turn to look at her in shock. Knowing how humans work, the boy had probably been blaming himself. Words have a habit of worming and embedding themselves into a heart when repeated, and this “doctor” had likely told him this often over the years they’d been together.

          “…Thank you.”

          “Speaking of which, child, what is your name?”

          “…I… don’t really remember.” He bowed his head, but he spoke the truth. I looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

          “Quiet, Blackie.”

          “I didn’t say anything.”

          “You have a very expressive face.”

          “I- what? Since when?!”

          “We will reeducate these poor lost souls that they may learn the value of all life and come to realize the extent of everything they have done. This is the cruelest method I have to deal with humans. Oddly, it doesn’t work on demons as they already understand, and that would be why our races are irreconcilable…but what about you two children? Slow as that one is, he doesn’t have a cruel bone in his body. Do you want to go home?”

          “Yep! My mum must be worried sick! I promised her I’d make it home safe! I was born lucky you see and-”

          “I don’t have a home. I was left at the medical school doors and raised by them for 13 years and I have been traveling with them for 4 now.”

          “Not even two decades…” She sighed, I suddenly felt danger. “Well, what would you like to do then? Will you follow your friend home?”

          “Not doc follow me home?! Will you?! That would be so much fun! I ‘ve always wanted a litt-”

          “NO! Anything but that!”

          “…oh…” He wilted like a snowball thrown into heaven.

          “…Do you have a goal in life?”

          “…I want to be a doctor. A real doctor.”

          “Drop him off at a new medical school, got it.” I tried to steer this away from where I thought it was going.

          “Human medicine is highly advanced and they are making great strides…”

          “Yes, yes they are.”

          “But that’s nothing compared to demon medicine is it? After all, if humans can save themselves from deadly and incurable diseases why would they make deals with demons?”

          “…power and money mostly.”

          “Is it still more advance than human medicine or not?”

          “…Yes.”

          “Great! You’ll be coming with us then!”

          The boy, our new ward, looked at my defeated form and his eyes asked the same question I had.

Do I have a choice?