"...You will become one of the reasons for my death."
Silence. Eliza's expression froze.
The white glow surrounding her slowly faded. Her hair, which had turned completely white, gradually returned to its original black.
Her fingers slipped away from his face. "...What does that mean?"
Jigen didn't answer.
Eliza stared at him, her azure eyes trembling. "H-How...?"
Her voice became smaller.
"How will I become your death...?! Will I kill you in a fight? Will I betray you? Or... is it something else?"
Jigen lowered his gaze.
"I don't know." His voice remained calm, almost unnaturally calm.
"I only know the cause… I don't know the circumstances... or how it will happen.
…I'll only understand it when it happens. By then, it will already be too late."
Eliza's breath caught. Her heart hammered against her chest.
For a moment, the entire world seemed distant. The rain falling around them, the dark forest, the broken trees, even Jigen standing before her. Everything became blurred.
Me...? I'm going to be one of the reasons he dies?
Her hands trembled.
Jigen noticed. "You deserve better…"
Eliza slowly looked at him.
His crimson eyes remained empty.
"You can have anything in this world if you want it. Power, wealth, freedom... anything… There is nothing you can gain from me."
He stood to his full height and turned away.
Eliza watched his back disappear into the rain. Something inside her tightened.
"Wait..."
Jigen stopped.
Her voice was broken. "Please..."
She lowered her head, trying to hide her expression.
"Don't leave me alone... not right now."
Her fingers clenched against the fabric of her gown.
"I... I don't know what I might do tonight."
Silence.
Jigen slowly turned his head. He had never seen Eliza like this, frightened.
Jigen stared at her for several seconds.
"Fine..."
He turned completely toward her. "Come with me…"
Eliza remained still for a moment, as if she hadn't expected him to agree. Her mind was still drowning in his words.
One of the reasons for his death. She couldn't stop thinking about it.
Jigen looked at her quietly. "I shouldn't have told her. She won't kill me now."
His crimson eyes lowered slightly. He stepped closer.
Then, without another word, he bent down and lifted her into his arms.
Eliza's eyes widened. "...Jigen-Sama?"
He held her carefully, one arm beneath her legs and the other supporting her back. She could feel the warmth of his body despite the cold rain.
For several seconds, she simply stared at him. Then her fingers slowly curled into his robe, not tightly, just enough to make sure he was still there.
Jigen looked ahead, expressionless as ever. Eliza quietly rested her head against his chest.
The rain continued to fall around them.
Some moments later.
They finally reached Jigen's place. It wasn't really a place anymore. It was a ruined castle swallowed by darkness, standing alone beneath the night sky. Parts of its walls had collapsed, while the remaining towers disappeared into the clouds.
The moment Eliza entered, the air felt different, cold, almost dead.
Countless books were scattered across the floor, some covered in dust, others stained with old blood. Shelves had fallen over, leaving their contents abandoned across the stone floor.
Eliza slowly looked around.
I've been here before…
Beyond the corridor were several rooms filled with strange machines, metal restraints, blades etc. Mechanical devices whose purposes she couldn't even recognize. Most of them were stained with dried blood.
Eliza's expression became uneasy.
I never understood why he made these machines…? Whom does he torture with them?
She didn't ask.
They continued deeper into the castle. Other rooms contained things that seemed even less understandable. Artificially engineered organisms floated inside glass containers. Strange instruments were arranged beside unfinished experiments. Pages filled with mathematical equations and physics theories covered entire tables.
Nothing was organized. Everything seemed to exist according to Jigen's own incomprehensible logic.
It was less like a home… and more like the remains of someone's mind.
Eventually, they reached a large empty room. Unlike the others, there were almost no objects here, only a few bottles of medicine and scattered pills rested near the wall.
Moonlight entered through a broken window, illuminating Jigen's pale figure. Eliza looked around quietly.
"...Why do you always live like this?"
Jigen stood near the window. "Because I don't know how to live… I don't seek comfort."
Eliza stared at him.
She slowly sat against the cold wall. Jigen looked down at her.
"I never thought someone would stay here even for a moment… What will you do now…?"
Eliza looked up at him. "What will I do...?"
She lowered her eyes. "I don't know..."
Her fingers slowly tightened against her gown.
"I just... don't want to be alone right now." Her voice became quieter.
She hesitated.
"Can you stay closer...? I really need you."
Then, almost embarrassed, she added.
"Besides... you haven't given me enough attention lately."
Jigen said nothing. He simply walked over and sat beside her on the stone floor. Their shoulders were only inches apart.
Silence returned. Eliza looked at him from the corner of her eyes.
Even in this miserable place, Jigen looked unreal.
His pale skin reflected the moonlight like porcelain. His long obsidian hair fell over his shoulders, perfectly framing a face that looked less like a living man's and more like an ancient sculpture brought to life. There was something frightening about that beauty… Something unnatural.
Eliza slowly leaned closer, then stopped. Can I really touch him now…?
She glanced at his face.
Nothing. No rejection, no invitation either.
So she moved carefully. Her shoulder touched his. A small shiver ran through her body. Then, she rested her head against his shoulder.
Jigen didn't move. For a long moment, they remained like that.
Two almost inhuman figures sitting beneath the pale moonlight, the room felt quieter than before.
Eliza closed her eyes. For a few seconds, she almost forgot his words. 'You will become one of the reasons for my death.'
Then Jigen moved. Eliza opened her eyes.
He reached toward the scattered medicines. He picked up several pills without explanation and swallowed them.
Eliza's eyebrows tightened. What did he just take...?
She wanted to ask, but she didn't.
Her mind returned to the earlier scene—
Jigen was barely able to stand, his body ruined, his blood covering her feet. And yet he had still knelt before her. He had washed her feet with his own hands as if they were something sacred. The memory felt almost impossible, painfully beautiful.
Why would someone like him do that...?
Jigen suddenly stood. A thin line of blood escaped the corner of his mouth.
Eliza immediately noticed. "Jigen-Sama...?"
He wiped it away with his thumb. "I'll be back…"
He turned toward the doorway. "Wait here..."
Then, he disappeared into the darkness of the corridor.
Eliza remained against the wall, alone again. Her eyes stayed fixed on the doorway long after he was gone. Her expression slowly became distant.
I was never this desperate in my life… Am I doing this right…?
Then, a thought quietly entered Eliza's mind.
I've read his entire history… I've seen what he has done. But I still don't understand him…. like he understands me completely at just one glance…
Yet even after years of studying him, she couldn't do the same.
"He's the worst person I've ever known…"
A faint glow appeared before her. A book slowly materialized from the darkness. The Divine Book.
It floated silently in front of her, its ancient pages turning by themselves. Eliza stared at it.
"I'm still curious about him..." Her fingers touched the first page.
"This is the last time. After this... I'll stop chasing him."
The book opened. And the world stopped.
The rain outside froze in midair. The falling droplets became tiny crystals beneath the moonlight. The trees ceased moving. Even the distant sounds of the night disappeared. Only Eliza remained, and the book.
She began reading. At first, nothing seemed unusual. Then—
Her eyes widened. "...Wait."
She leaned closer. "I-I can understand it now… Everything..."
She continued. Page after page. The same words she had once read, the same events, the same history. Yet somehow, they were no longer the same.
Her expression slowly changed. "I read this before… Why does it feel completely different now?"
She kept reading. And the more she understood, the quieter she became.
The image of Jigen she had created in her mind began falling apart. Not because he was innocent, he wasn't.
But for the first time… she understood why. She understood everything.
And suddenly, something inside Eliza hurt far more than before.
After a long time, the Divine Book slowly closed.
Tears were already falling. One drop landed on her white gown, then another. The book dissolved into countless particles of light and disappeared.
Eliza pulled her knees toward herself and buried her face against them.
"What am I supposed to do now...?"
Her shoulders trembled.
"I… I should've understood you years ago… If I had known... I wouldn't have come to you like this."
She raised her face toward the window. The moon was still there. The same moon, the same night, the same ruined castle. Yet everything looked different now. The darkness no longer seemed empty. The broken walls no longer looked meaningless. Even the strange machines, the books, the medicines, the countless experiments… They suddenly felt like fragments of a life she had never truly seen.
It was almost like enlightenment.
Eliza slowly wiped her tears. "But now… I won't go back."
A faint smile appeared. "I know what I have to do now."
Then— Footsteps.
Eliza immediately wiped her face with her sleeve.
The door opened, Jigen entered quietly. His tall figure stood against the moonlit corridor before he slowly approached her. His pale face remained expressionless. "...Is something wrong?"
Eliza looked at him, then smiled. "No."
She shook her head. "Everything's fine."
But inside, she thought. "I'm sorry, Jigen-Sama. I've been another weight for you to carry."
Her eyes softened.
But now… It's my turn.
Eliza stood. Her white gown flowed gently around her ankles, while her moon-like earrings shimmered beneath the pale light.
Jigen tilted his head slightly. ...Has she decided to leave?
Before he could ask— Eliza said. "No."
Jigen's eyes narrowed slightly.
She looked directly into his crimson eyes. "I'm not leaving. Do you want me to?"
Jigen's eyes widened almost imperceptibly. Did she just...?
He remained silent. Eliza smiled. "I know you don't want me to leave either."
Jigen didn't answer.
She stepped closer. Now she was standing directly before him, having to tilt her head upward to meet his gaze.
"Jigen-Sama..." Her voice was soft, almost playful. "I was thinking…"
She glanced around the room, then back at him. "Can we clean this place?"
Jigen blinked once. "Clean this place?"
"Yes."
"When did that come to your mind?"
Eliza let out a quiet laugh. "Just look around! How do you even survive here?"
Jigen looked around, he seemed genuinely confused by the question. "...I can survive."
"I know you can." Eliza sighed. "But I can't."
She walked beside him. "So come and help me."
Jigen stared at her for a moment. "...Alright."
And so, they began.
For three days, the ruined castle slowly changed.
Dust disappeared, spiderwebs were removed, broken shelves were repaired, books that had been scattered across the floors for years were carefully returned to their places. The strange machines and experiments were organized, equations were gathered, tools were arranged.
Rooms that had once looked abandoned slowly became recognizable as rooms again. And eventually—
The library changed completely. Thousands upon thousands of books filled enormous shelves. Moonlight passed through the tall windows and fell across endless rows of books, making the entire place seem almost eternal.
It no longer looked like a ruined castle, it looked like a forgotten world of knowledge. A place that could have existed outside ordinary time.
Eliza stood in the center of it, quietly looking around. For the first time, Jigen's home didn't feel entirely dead.
Three days later, they sat beside each other on the floor. Their backs rested against the same wall.
Jigen looked around the newly organized library. Then, he glanced toward Eliza.
"I couldn't have managed this even in a month… Your abilities are useful..."
Eliza smiled. "How flattering."
She tilted her head. "There is nothing you can't do. You simply didn't care enough about the mess to clean it."
Jigen turned toward her. "But I don't understand… Why did you help me this much…? I might never return the favor."
She smiled softly. "You don't have to give me anything."
Then she moved closer. Her arms gently wrapped around his waist, and she rested her head against his chest. Jigen didn't resist.
Eliza closed her eyes. For a moment, she simply listened.
His body is warm… I always thought he would feel cold. His heartbeat is slow, but alive…
Jigen remained completely still. For a while, neither spoke.
Then he reached toward the medicine beside him. Eliza opened her eyes. He swallowed several pills. She watched silently. But this time, she understood.
Jigen's heartbeat suddenly faltered.
His body became tense. A trace of blood rose into his throat. He swallowed it before it could escape.
"Eliza…" His voice remained calm. "...I'll come back."
Her arms tightened around him. "No. Don't pretend that I don't know anymore."
Jigen stopped.
Silence.
He slowly turned his head toward her. "...So you found out. Yet you're still here?"
Eliza didn't answer. She simply held him.
Jigen gently removed her arms. "Alright..."
He closed his eyes. "But don't disturb me for some time…"
A few seconds passed. Then, his body went completely still. He had lost consciousness.
Eliza stared at him. For a moment, she didn't move. Then a quiet, almost relieved smile appeared on her crimson lips.
Eliza looked at his unconscious body, her smile glowing by the moonlight on her crimson lips. She looks at his glowing, angelic, doll-like face.
Eliza slowly adjusted his position. She gently lifted his head and placed it against her chest.
His face rested softly against her, completely defenseless. Her arms wrapped around him. One hand remained against the back of his head while the other slowly stroked his hair.
The moonlight fell across his face. Even unconscious, Jigen looked unreal. Like an ancient doll carved from pale stone and somehow given life.
Eliza stared at him for a long time. Her fingers continued moving gently through his hair.
Her heart began beating faster. Eliza's eyes softened.
"I'm sorry, Jigen-Sama..."
Her voice was barely a whisper.
"I couldn't control myself."
She gently caressed his head. "I'll let you rest before you wake up."
She looked down at his face again. A genuine smile appeared on her lips. "You never take a rest..."
Her fingers slowly moved through his hair.
"So just stay like this. Just for tonight, my boy…"
Long silence.
…
One day later.
Midnight had settled over the world. The sky was impossibly clear, filled with countless stars and distant galaxies that seemed close enough to touch. Their faint light reflected across a long, quiet field, where silver grass moved gently beneath the night breeze. A crystal-clear river flowed through the middle of it.
Eliza sat beside the river, her white gown spreading softly across the grass. Her bare feet were submerged in the cold water, and the moonlight made her skin seem almost luminous.
She turned her head.
Jigen sat beneath an old tree some distance away. He hadn't moved for a long time.
His back rested against the trunk, his long obsidian hair falling over his shoulders while his crimson eyes remained fixed upon the endless sky.
Eliza smiled faintly. "For how long are you going to keep sitting there?"
Jigen looked toward her, his voice remained calm. "I don't have a mission right now... I'm thinking about my next task..."
Eliza let out a quiet laugh. "Idiot."
She stepped out of the river. Her wet feet touched the grass as she walked toward him, leaving tiny drops of water behind.
"You can't work all the time." She stopped in front of him.
"Sometimes… you have to sit down and simply watch the world."
Jigen didn't answer.
Eliza turned away. A little farther across the field, something white moved through the grass. She crouched down and picked up a small, white rabbit.
The rabbit remained surprisingly calm in her arms, its tiny body pressed against her. Eliza smiled and gently tickled it. Then she returned to Jigen.
He looked down at the rabbit. The animal immediately became nervous.
Eliza smiled. She placed it carefully into his hands. "...Don't kill it."
Jigen stared at the trembling creature.
She said. "It might be your first time not killing something."
He looked genuinely curious. "...What am I supposed to do with this…?"
"Nothing." She smiled. "Just watch."
Eliza walked away again.
Soon, she was surrounded by rabbits. She knelt among them, gently touching their heads as they gathered around her. A few birds descended from the trees and settled nearby.
The scene looked almost unreal. Under the moonlight, Eliza didn't look like a demon. She looked like something that belonged to an old fairy tale.
Her black hair flowed behind her like silk, her white gown blending with the silver grass. The animals gathered around her without fear, as if they recognized something ancient within her.
Jigen watched silently. The rabbit remained in his hands. For a moment, something dark stirred inside him. An instinct, a desire to crush the fragile rabbit, to tear it apart.
Blood, death, the familiar thoughts came naturally. His fingers tightened slightly, then stopped. He looked down.
She knows. She knew exactly what he was capable of… And yet she had still placed this creature in his hands.
Jigen slowly calmed himself. "These things aren't cursed… They won't die yet… I have no reason to kill them."
The rabbit slowly stopped trembling. Jigen touched its fur with one finger. Soft, warm, alive.
"...It's alive."
Eliza watched him from afar. A soft smile appeared on her lips. And then, she imagined something else—
A small cottage stood somewhere far beyond the reach of demons, missions, deaths, and hierarchy. A quiet fantasy world that belonged only to them.
Inside the cottage, Eliza stood in a warm kitchen, preparing tea.
A tiny boy suddenly ran toward her and grabbed her dress.
"Mom..."
Eliza looked down. The little boy raised his face. "Please tell dad to play with me."
She smiled. "Oh, sweetie."
She carefully picked up the tray. She leaned down slightly.
"You almost scared me… Don't worry. I'll tell daddy to listen to you."
The little boy smiled.
Together, they entered the main room.
Jigen sat quietly in a chair. A little girl was sitting on his lap. She held up a messy drawing with both tiny hands. "Look, Daddy!"
Jigen stared at the drawing. For once, his crimson eyes looked softer. And then—
he smiled.
Eliza stopped. Her heart almost broke from the sight.
This is the kind of life I've always wanted… A peaceful home. A family. No missions, no demons, no blood…
Just them… I'll make sure it comes true.
…
Now, back to reality.
Hours had passed. The field was quiet again.
Eliza and Jigen sat beside each other beneath the stars. Jigen's head was slightly lowered, his crimson eyes staring at the grass.
Eliza looked at him.
"Jigen-Sama… For how long do we have to live like this?"
Jigen turned toward her.
Eliza looked into his jewel-like eyes. "I don't like this demon world."
Her voice was quiet, but there was frustration beneath it.
"Our reputation is terrible. Especially yours… We hide ourselves as if we're afraid of everyone… We have no privilege. The other Upper Moons look down on us simply because we're ordinary demons and they're ranked."
The wind moved through her hair.
"We're recognized by Muzan and Kokushibo… But other than them, nobody accepts us."
Silence.
Jigen answered simply. "Does it bother you?"
"Yes."
He looked toward the sky. "Fine, then."
Eliza's eyebrows tightened. "That's all you're going to say?"
"That's it…"
She stared at him. Sometimes his simplicity is more frustrating than his cruelty.
After a moment, Jigen looked toward her. "Eliza…"
"Yes?"
"How long are you going to stay here?"
Her expression changed slightly. She looked away. "I... don't know… But I'll probably leave by tomorrow."
Silence.
Then Jigen spoke again. "You're strange."
Eliza glanced toward him.
His expression remained unreadable.
"At first, you wanted to kill me. But after learning that you would become one of the reasons for my death... you couldn't accept it."
Eliza's eyes widened. That fear returned instantly.
She looked away. "...I don't want to talk about it."
Jigen didn't press further. The silence returned.
Then Eliza gathered a little courage. "Jigen-Sama… Do you hate me?"
Her cheeks gained a faint blush. "What do you actually think about me?"
She waited. Jigen considered the question.
"You're more capable than anyone I've ever seen. Your potential… it's even greater than mine."
Her expression softened.
"However..." Jigen paused. "You act childish sometimes. That's why you're still a little girl to me..."
For several seconds, she said nothing.
Eliza stared. Then, she laughed. "Oh my~ Is this what you think of me!? A little girl!? How cute."
Jigen simply watched her.
Eventually, Eliza's laughter faded. She looked away.
"Also... don't misunderstand." Her voice became quieter.
"Forget about what happened a few days ago."
Jigen remained silent.
"I was stressed. I wasn't thinking properly. So... I'm glad you didn't take advantage of me."
The words sounded casual. But deep inside, she didn't want him to forget.
Jigen tapped his chin. "Oh… That makes sense..."
Eliza smiled faintly. Does he really not like me?
Her gaze drifted toward the stars. "Will I ever have a chance with him? We are so similar in many things… yet polar opposites in nature."
She drew her knees closer to herself. "We are like two faces of the same coin. Like Yin and Yang. Even in our childhood, we are too identical… but with completely different cases."
…
The next day.
In a quiet forest, the wind slowly passed through the trees, making the leaves move gently.
Eliza knelt before Jigen and bowed her head.
"I apologize, Jigen-Sama…"
Jigen tilted his head slightly, confused.
Eliza continued, her voice low. "Since you revealed it… I couldn't stop thinking about it."
There was a heavy guilt in her heart.
Jigen looked at her calmly. "I don't mind it... It isn't even your fault."
Eliza's fingers tightened slightly against her gown. "I don't want you to die…"
She lowered her gaze. "Especially not by me…"
Her voice became softer. "I can bear anything, but…"
She couldn't finish her sentence.
Silence.
After a few moments, she slowly lifted her face toward him. Her azure eyes were filled with quiet emotion.
"Thank you for keeping me with you. For giving me shelter… I don't think I can express my gratitude properly."
Jigen looked at her without any expression. "...Is that so…? If you want to stay, you can stay at my place."
Eliza's eyes widened. "R-Really?"
"Yeah… Just don't disturb me when I'm on my missions."
Eliza stared at him for a moment. Then she smiled faintly. "...Thank you."
Neither of them spoke. The forest became quiet again. But suddenly, Jigen stopped. His crimson eyes slowly moved toward the trees.
Something felt wrong… Since we came here… This place isn't right.
Eliza suddenly spoke. "Jigen-Sama…"
Jigen looked at her.
"How much longer will it take… to defeat Muzan?"
Jigen walked past her. His voice became slightly colder. "What are you talking about…?"
"Your plan…" Eliza followed him. "To kill every demon and change this world."
She looked at his back. "What happened to it?"
Her voice became more serious. "Why are you acting so—"
Suddenly— The world changed.
Eliza's eyes widened. The forest disappeared. The trees, the sky, the ground— everything vanished in an instant.
Before she could even understand what happened, she was standing inside the Infinity Castle.
Jigen was beside her. Both of them were still in exactly the same position as before. Eliza looked around in disbelief.
"W-When did this happen…?" She couldn't even feel herself being moved.
Then, she felt a presence.
Her breathing became slightly heavier. Someone was standing before them.
A tall figure. Over 6'4 feet in height. Long, spiky black hair with crimson tips. A dark purple-black kimono. And six eyes… six cold eyes stared down at them.
Kokushibo. The current Demon King.
His presence was completely different from Muzan. There was no unnecessary rage, no arrogance. He simply stood there. Yet his presence alone made the entire atmosphere feel suffocating.
Eliza immediately lowered herself. Jigen did the same. Eliza's thoughts raced. Someone was watching us…?
Her breathing became slightly ragged. I didn't even notice.
She had been too distracted by her own emotions that she hadn't sensed anything.
Kokushibo's six eyes slowly moved toward them.
Then—
Footsteps echoed through the castle.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Someone walked past them.
Eliza slowly lifted her head. Her eyes widened.
A tall figure stood before them. His long grey hair, mixed with red strands, fell down toward his chest. His skin looked almost dead, yet somehow, it was still alive. He wore a dark red tailcoat over a white vest. His eyes were completely red, with golden, cat-like irises staring down at them. His fangs were slightly visible.
Azrakar. The Upper Moon 4 of that time.
Eliza felt a cold sensation run through her body. She had never sensed him, not even slightly.
Jigen's eyes narrowed. "He concealed his presence completely with his special ability… Even Eliza couldn't detect him."
The demon slowly turned toward them. His expression was cold. His voice was even colder.
"Kokushibo-Sama…" He bowed his head.
"...I have seen everything. They were discussing betrayal."
His gaze moved toward Jigen, then toward Eliza.
"Against you… And against Muzan-Sama."
Eliza's fingers trembled. Jigen remained completely still.
The demon's mouth slowly opened, revealing his sharp fangs. "Kill these brats."
Eliza's thoughts raced. ...For how long was he watching us in that forest?
Azrakar slowly walked toward Jigen. His footsteps echoed through the endless halls of the Infinity Castle. He stopped directly behind him. Then—
His hand suddenly grabbed Jigen's long obsidian hair and pulled it backward, forcing his head up.
"What are you even plotting? You lowly demon." His voice was cold.
Jigen didn't answer. Azrakar frowned.
Jigen wasn't even looking at him. His crimson eyes were still fixed on Kokushibo.
And then, Kokushibo spoke. His voice was quiet, yet filled with absolute authority.
"I should have killed you long ago..."
His six eyes remained fixed upon Jigen.
"But Muzan-Sama ordered me not to. Now…"
His hand slowly moved toward his demonic katana.
"It no longer matters..." His voice became colder.
"There is no place for a traitor."
Eliza clenched her teeth. "What were you expecting?"
Her voice trembled, but she didn't lower her head.
"Even your so-called dictator knew that I would never join him."
Her eyes hardened. She stared directly at Kokushibo.
"I will never forgive him. If you want to kill me… Go ahead!"
Kokushibo didn't answer, he simply drew his sword. The sound of the blade leaving its sheath echoed through the castle.
Shing.
Eliza's body became tense. For the first time, she felt genuine fear. But she didn't move. She had already accepted it.
Then—
Slash.
Jigen suddenly moved his hand. The portion of his hair that Azrakar was holding was severed instantly. Azrakar's hand remained suspended in the air.
Jigen stood up. His severed hair began growing back immediately, falling down his back as if nothing had happened.
He walked toward Kokushibo. Azrakar watched him with quiet amusement.
Jigen stopped directly before him. The two stood almost equal in height. Kokushibo's six eyes stared into Jigen's crimson ones.
The atmosphere became unbearably heavy. Then, Jigen slowly lowered himself. He knelt. Even Eliza froze.
Jigen lowered his head.
"I apologize, Lord Kokushibo… I should have stopped her."
Eliza's eyes widened.
"You gave me her responsibility… But I couldn't keep her on a leash…
We aren't planning anything against you… We can't win."
Eliza stared at him. He's lying. There is no way Jigen-Sama would willingly admit defeat like this. But...
Her expression slowly changed.
Is he really trying to save me?
Jigen continued. "Since I accepted responsibility for her… I should be the one to receive punishment, not her. Even Muzan-Sama wouldn't want her death."
Eliza's eyes softened. Something inside Eliza broke. Her eyes became slightly wet. A small, genuine smile appeared on her crimson lips.
He's protecting me… Even now, even before Kokushibo.
Her heart felt strangely warm.
Thank you, Jigen-Sama.
She slowly closed her eyes.
Finally… I don't think I'm alone anymore.
Kokushibo swings his blade—
SHING!
A blade passed through the silence. Then—
Splash.
Warm blood struck her face, her white gown, her hands, her feet.
Eliza's eyes opened. Her smile disappeared, her breathing stopped. She couldn't understand what she was seeing.
Jigen's body was still kneeling before Kokushibo. But—
His head was gone.
Blood poured from his neck. It spilled across the floor like a river.
Some of it ran over Eliza's feet. Some drenched her white gown. Some remained on her face.
Her eyes widened impossibly. Her entire body became frozen. No sound came from her. No scream. Nothing.
Kokushibo slowly lowered his blade. His six eyes remained completely calm.
"I didn't expect this mistake from you, Jigen..."
Eliza stared at the headless body before her. Her mind refused to accept it.