Mei
The atmosphere in the hallway shifted the moment she appeared.
Warabihime stood tall, her pale hands resting on her hips, her sharp golden eyes narrowing as they scanned the scene before her. Her presence alone was suffocating, a mix of refined elegance and a predator's cold indifference.
Her gaze landed on me first, her expression unreadable. Then, her eyes flickered down to Yui. The child had gone rigid, her small frame trembling like a cornered animal.
I recognized that fear.
It wasn't the fear of being punished for breaking a cup.
It was the fear of something much worse.
I rose to my feet slowly, keeping my posture respectful but calm.
"My apologies, Warabihime-sama," I said smoothly, inclining my head. "The child accidentally knocked over a glass while running through the hall. I was simply helping her clean up."
For a moment, she said nothing.
The silence stretched, thick with unspoken tension.
Then, she smiled.
A sickly sweet smile, one that didn't reach her eyes.
"How kind of you," she said, voice lilting but laced with something sinister. "But we have servants for that, don't we?"
I forced an apologetic expression. "Of course. I only wished to prevent an inconvenience."
Warabihime stepped forward, her movements graceful yet deliberate. She reached down, her long, manicured fingers brushing lightly against Yui's cheek. The child flinched violently but didn't dare move.
"You should be more careful, Yui-chan," Warabihime cooed, "Clumsy little girls can be such a bother."
Yui's breathing hitched, her eyes wide with barely contained terror.
I could feel my fingers twitch, the unnatural strength in my body begging to strike—
But I suppressed the impulse.
Now wasn't the time.
Instead, I carefully shifted my expression into one of mild concern. "If you'd like, I can escort her to the servants to ensure she doesn't cause further trouble," I offered.
Warabihime hummed, tilting her head slightly.
"That won't be necessary," she said, releasing Yui's chin. The child immediately took a shaky step back. "She knows better than to make another mistake, doesn't she, Yui-chan?"
Yui nodded frantically, her lips pressed into a thin line to keep from making a sound.
Warabihime clapped her hands lightly, as if the conversation had been nothing more than idle chatter. "Then that's settled." She turned her attention back to me. "You're the new girl, aren't you?"
I met her gaze steadily, careful not to show anything but polite deference. "Yes, Warabihime-sama."
She studied me for a long moment, as though searching for something beneath the surface.
Then, she chuckled.
"Interesting."
I didn't react.
"Work hard," she said finally, her smile sharp. "I'll be watching."
With that, she turned and disappeared down the hall, her presence like a lingering shadow even after she was gone.
I waited a beat before looking down at Yui.
The child had tears in her eyes, but she refused to let them fall.
I knelt again, lowering my voice. "Are you hurt?"
She shook her head quickly.
I reached out, gently resting a hand on her shoulder. "You should go back to your room for now. Stay out of sight, alright?"
She hesitated before nodding. Then, without another word, she turned and hurried away, her small frame disappearing down the corridor.
I exhaled slowly, rising back to my feet.
Warabihime…, so she is the demon we are looking for. I like her, she just likes us. But I should contact Alexander-sama and Uzui.
•••
Daki
The moment the new girl and the child disappeared from sight, Daki turned back toward her mirror. Her golden eyes studied her own reflection, but her mind was elsewhere.
She twirled a strand of her long, pale hair between her fingers, deep in thought.
"So… one of Alex's people, huh?"
A slow smirk crept onto her lips.
"Seems like he's already found my place."
She leaned forward, resting her chin on her palm. The way that girl had carried herself, the way she had spoken—there was no doubt in her mind. She wasn't just any ordinary spy. She belonged to him.
Alex.
The man who had stopped Shalltear. The man who had disappeared after toying with death itself. The man who Lady Muzanette was obsessed with.
Daki clicked her tongue, leaning back against her seat.
"I should contact Lady Muzanette and inform her. Seems like my time has come."
A part of her had known this moment would come. She had felt it in her bones, as if her very existence had been waiting for this encounter. But unlike the usual sense of dread that accompanied the possibility of facing a stronger foe…
She wanted to meet him.
No, she couldn't wait to meet him.
Daki crossed one leg over the other, her fingers tapping against the wooden table before her.
"But I still haven't sensed where the Sound Hashira is. Seems like he's better at hiding than I expected."
Her lips curled into a sly grin.
"Since Alex is with them, my chances of winning are slim to zero, and I can't even run. That man could enter Infinity Castle without Lady Muzanette's permission."
That was the part that truly sent shivers down her spine—in a good way.
Alex was a being beyond normal comprehension, someone who had defied even the natural laws demons lived by. He wasn't just an enemy. He was something else entirely.
Someone irresistible.
Daki's fingers stilled, her eyes narrowing at her reflection.
"Why am I thinking like this?"
She had never felt this kind of pull before—not towards any man, not even towards Muzanette herself.
Then, as if the answer had been lying just beneath the surface, realization struck.
"Wait… don't tell me…"
She placed a hand on her abdomen, focusing for a brief moment.
There it was—Muzanette's cells. The same ones that bound her existence to her mistress.
They were reacting to Alex.
A slow, almost dangerous chuckle escaped her lips.
"Don't tell me... Lady Muzanette is actually interested in him romantically?"
Daki's smirk widened.
~~~
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