"What a load of lies." Doma lay dejectedly over the railing in the Infinity Castle, his white-oak hair drooping listlessly.
A month had passed since his last visit to Akaza. In this month, Doma's desire to build good relationships with his comrades had suffered too many setbacks. Although he didn't feel particularly sad, Doma still felt he should be a little downcast.
"Weren't we all supposed to be comrades? Why is everyone so cold?"
"It's so heartbreaking~" Doma covered his face with his hands, and crystalline tears fell from his lettered, colored eyes.
Nakime sat silently on a high platform in the distance, holding her biwa, ignoring Doma's emotional performance. The experiences of the past month had taught her that some people should not be engaged with. Once you did, big problems would arise... although Doma was the type to cause trouble even if you ignored him.
Nakime lowered her head even further, trying to reduce her presence.
Doma stopped his tears and recalled the events of the past month. Twenty days ago, he went to visit Upper Moon Five, Kikage, and was fiercely chased away.
"Lord Kikage is so fierce. We barely exchanged a few words before we almost started fighting," Doma sighed. "I could only run away."
Ten days ago, he went to find Lord Hantengu, but... "Lord Hantengu is really not easy to get along with." He was always cowering in a corner, trembling. The moment Doma greeted him, he just hugged his head and started whimpering. "It was impossible to communicate, so I had to leave in the end."
Today, Doma had planned to visit Lord Kokushibo, and was met with another setback.
"Miss Nakime~ Does Lord Kokushibo really refuse all visitors?" Doma looked up, showing a pitiful expression to Nakime.
"Unless it is a matter of urgency, Lord Upper Moon One refuses all visitors," Nakime said mechanically, treating herself as an emotionless answering machine.
"Sigh! What a shame."
"If you don't communicate with people, won't that cause problems?" Doma sat down cross-legged, propping his chin on his hand. It feels like I'm dealing with an autistic child... no, an autistic old man.
Although Lord Kokushibo seemed to stay in the Infinity Castle from time to time, Doma had never run into him once. What bad luck.
"Well then, Miss Nakime, please send me to Lord Akaza's place~" Doma said with a beaming smile.
"Lord Upper Moon Three has refused your visit," Nakime said in a monotonous tone.
"Eh—" Doma's eyes widened. "Eh?!" "Why? We got along so well," he said with his mouth agape in disbelief.
"I do not know. You may ask Lord Upper Moon Three yourself," Nakime said.
Doma pursed his lips with a wronged expression, recalling his time with Lord Akaza.
"Lord Akaza gladly accepted the gifts I brought him..." He thought of the pile of gifts he had left in the forest when he departed.
"Although we didn't get to play games together, Lord Akaza very enthusiastically showed me how he usually trains..." Doma recalled the energetic figure of Lord Akaza training in the forest.
"Every time I praised him, his movements would become faster and more powerful out of happiness..." That side of Lord Akaza is so cute~
"Therefore, we are already good friends with a very harmonious relationship!" Doma thought with certainty.
"Then why won't Lord Akaza let me visit him?" Doma lowered his head, his eyes hidden in the shadow of his hair. A moment later, he suddenly looked up with an expression of realization.
"Oh! It must be because he's embarrassed!"
"Oh my, I made a huge mistake!" Doma showed a chagrined expression. "I brought too many gifts on my first visit."
"Someone as shy and reserved as Lord Akaza must have been startled by my enthusiasm."
"Because he didn't know how to deal with me, he retreated into his shell."
"Although it's cute, but..." Doma murmured, "You're so cunning~ Lord Akaza."
However, Lord Akaza, don't think you can just pretend nothing happened! Doma clenched his fist to cheer himself on, then sat there with his head held high, motionless for a long time.
(￣△￣;)
"Oh dear, crap! It seems I have no way to contact Lord Akaza..." Doma covered his lips with his hand, looking as if he had been struck by lightning.
Although with Lord Muzan's permission, they could have telepathic conversations or share vision with demons of a lower rank, but... "Lord Akaza's rank is higher than mine." Doma tilted his head with a disappointed look. "Unless Lord Akaza contacts me first, I can't talk to him."
"What should I do?" Doma pinched his chin in thought. "Miss Nakime, can you tell me where Lord Akaza lives?" He looked up at Nakime.
"Lord Upper Moon Three has requested that this be kept confidential," Nakime said succinctly.
"Ah—" Doma scratched his hair.
Do I have to become Lord Akaza's superior?
Upper Moon One... oh dear, I can't beat him at all~
As for Upper Moon Two...
As Doma pondered, he suddenly saw a familiar figure slowly walking along a distant corridor. "Ah, it's Lady Enyo!" Doma stood up and waved enthusiastically at her. "Good evening, Lady Enyo~"
The slender figure wrapped in tattered white silk didn't even pause, continuing on as if she hadn't heard.
"Oh my, don't be so cold, Lady Enyo." Happy to finally see a comrade, Doma jumped towards her with a smile.
After hopping over layers of wooden platforms, doors, and corridors like a game of hopscotch, Doma stopped beside Enyo and greeted her warmly. "Hello, Lady Enyo. I'm Doma~"
Enyo's red eyes, visible through the silk, showed no emotional fluctuation. She walked past like a ghost, completely ignoring him.
Doma didn't feel defeated or awkward at all and naturally fell in step beside her. "What brings Lady Enyo to the Infinity Castle? Mmm, do you like playing here too?"
Enyo walked forward like a zombie, the interval of each step exactly the same. "Lady Enyo, would you like to play with me? Whether it's chess or dancing, I can accompany you~"
"Get lost!" Enyo turned her head and glared at him, her voice hoarse. Her crimson eyes were full of hatred and deathly silence, like a rotting swamp in a sea of corpses and blood.
"Eh?" Doma stopped in his tracks, watching her walk away in a daze. "I feel like, Lady Enyo..." He tilted his head. "...is like she's already dead."
He then broke into a carefree smile. "Oh my, how could that be? It must be my imagination, haha..." He bounced lightly to the platform closest to Nakime, leaned over it, and waved at her. "Miss Nakime~ Why did Lady Enyo come to the Infinity Castle?"
Nakime resisted the urge to pluck her biwa and send Doma far away, her voice still cool as she said, "Lord Upper Moon Two resides permanently in the Infinity Castle."
"Eh? Why? Is it because she has nowhere else to live?" Doma asked, like a curious child.
"It is Lord Muzan's order," Nakime said. "Because Lord Upper Moon Two's ability is uncontrollable, Lord Muzan does not wish for her to cause trouble outside." Nakime answered preemptively before Doma could ask further. She shouldn't have revealed such information, but right now, Nakime just wanted to get rid of Doma quickly to stop his endless questions.
"I see. But... how can an ability be uncontrollable?" Doma looked up in confusion.
"I do not know," Nakime said.
Doma blinked his eyes thoughtfully, looking down at his right hand. Misty ice crystals appeared between his fingers. Blood Demon Arts were based on one's own flesh and blood. Logically, they shouldn't be uncontrollable. Unless it was a wide-range ability. Like Doma's ice mist. He could choose not to release it, but once it was released, it was difficult to precisely control its spread. But he could still control the amount of ice crystal powder released, and even make it dissipate in an instant.
"So, even a wide-range, or even an instantly devastating Blood Demon Art, shouldn't be uncontrollable."
"Then, unless... she herself is unwilling to control it." Doma quickly analyzed in his mind, a curious expression on his face. "It seems Lady Enyo is also a very interesting person." He cupped his cheeks, smiling without a care in the world.
"Everyone is so interesting, but why are they all so cold?"
"What a shame~" Doma maintained his smile and turned his gaze back to Nakime.
Nakime: ╯﹏╰
"Miss Nakime~ I'd like to have a place to live in the Infinity Castle too," Doma said in a whining tone. "I heard everyone has a residence here." Doma's eyes sparkled as he looked at Nakime.
?▽?
"Of course. What are your requirements?" Nakime secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
"Mmm—any place to live is fine. Although I've always lived in a temple, having a different residence would be great~"
"But please, it must have a big lotus pond!" Doma said, pressing his hands together. "I love lotus flowers the most, but it's hard to see them bloom at night~"
Nakime lowered her head slightly and plucked the biwa a few times. The buildings below moved rapidly. A huge lotus pond quietly emerged, the water reflecting the lights with a cool tone. In the center stood a temple-like building.
"Eh—" Doma looked at the scene below him and blinked. It felt... strangely familiar.
But it was very beautiful!
"It's so pretty!" Doma smiled happily. "Thank you, Miss Nakime~"
He flipped off the high platform and went to inspect his new home in the Infinity Castle with great enthusiasm.
-------
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