"H-hello," a shaky voice called out to her mirror.
I smiled back wearing her reflection.
She trembled, tightening the grip on her skirt.
Her face tensed. Then—
"I have my wish!" she barked.
My smile widened.
"Do enlighten me Belle," I purred, eyes raking over her body.
She wriggled uncomfortably at my gaze, pressing her lips into a line.
"I—uh err…" she sputtered, cheeks flushing.
It took seconds before I finished my deduction.
A girl in her early twenties—average at best. She sported medium brown hair and a pair of doe eyes, leaning on the side of cute. Not unfortunate-looking.
My job would be too easy.
"I…I'm in love with Jackson Arnolds!" she shouted suddenly.
"…P-Please use my body to seduce him into a relationship. O-of course I mean only temporarily—I can take it back once you know...he's in love with me..." she tapered off, embarrassed.
I let loose a cackle at my brilliantly red client.
It was finally time to play this absurdly easy game of seduction. A century's worth of a vacation was coming to an end.
"Love or lust dear customer?" I queried, "One costs more than the other."
The girl's eyes visibly widened with the unexpected terms, but her voice didn't waver.
"Love."
"Well well, darling, that's going to cost your soul," I said, voice playfully cruel.
"You can have it," she said resolutely.
Amused by the quickness of her reply, my lips curled into a smirk.
"…Is he a friend, a first love, or a famous figure of some sort?" I asked, curious.
The girl's eyes drifted to the side awkwardly at the question—loosing some of the confidence that had possessed her just before.
"...well he's like a celebrity? He's a streamer," she said hesitantly, eyes glued to the ground.
"A what?"
"You know! Like he makes videos online and has like a huge following and stuff," she attempted to explain.
Utterly confused, I racked my brain for any of the millennia's worth of knowledge that could tell me what that word meant.
"A following...you mean a cult of some sort," I pose confidently, tilting my head.
The girl shook her head and sighed, "You wouldn't understand, please just look through my memories once we've made our deal."
I huffed, frustrated. There were few things I felt I couldn't understand, but…I acknowledged many decades have passed. I'm not against learning how things have changed.
Still—she should be punished, I thought, fighting a grin.
"…You know, fame might cost your soul a trip to the darkest circle of hell," I said, lips twitching up.
Her eyes widened, "Is that like…really bad—what happens ther—"
"Not even I know," I interrupted, taking on a serious tone.
Silence took hold as she contemplated my words, brows furrowing in concentration.
"…Ok, I'll still," she looked away, shaking her head.
Then—her eyes shot to mine.
I nearly flinched.
"I'll still make this wish," she breathed, not an ounce of regret in her face.
I shivered in excitement, eyes shining. I wonder what kind of man inspired that expression.
Finally, I ask, "I suppose we have a deal then sweet host?"
The girl's face hardened and she nodded her head.
I clapped my hands, "Beautiful! I'll let you enjoy my hard work in a heartbeat," My lips curled into a devilish smile, "…look forward to it."
With the deal done, I reached out from the mirror and entered the body of my new host.