Wicked Yokai Prince

Bed Chamber

The shadow without a face led Rin to a slow tour back to the halls and corridors heading to the mystery chamber. Rin lowered her expectation based on how the master treated her - that now, she's not sure whether that's the same guy who saved her. Afterall, she didn't get a look of her rescuer's face at all. Such a waste of vanity too, she thought. The demon was attractive but hot tempered, a brute and merciless.

"The master never had any intention of killing you, you know." Murmured the shadow, keeping a casual stroll ahead.

Rin almost jolted at the voice, she nearly forgot the shadow was with her, it blended with the darkness. It slipped in and out of view and only appeared to her sight when a raw of moonlight struck or a flicker of lantern hit it. She lifted her chin; the shadow must've sensed her emotions leaked.

She remember spirits has the tendency to be sensitive to the vibration of energies.

"He was just trying to scare you into eating. Master would never result into violence unless he has to." His quiet voice slipped out of his translucent body and Rin wondered whether and if it ever had a face.

"He's merciful?" Rin almost laughed. "You're trying to tell he had mercy on me for accidentally falling into shrines?" The thought was ridiculous to her. "He basically kidnapped and held me prison against my will and forced me to eat spirit world food."

The shadow carried on in silence leading her further into the halls. It's no use trying to reason with her at her state. Rin would never understand such laws governed within the spirit realm. Her action may seem menial to her, but it costs a great deal of pain to those who lived in the destroyed shrines.

Rin has expected to be taken to servants' room when the shadow led her to a stair and another floor leading to a higher level. She could've sworn servants always slept at the lowest floor of the manor when she was led to a finer room on the second highest level.

"There's got to be a mistake." She said, her eyes swept through the room taking a long survey of the interior. "I thought I was to be a captive, a prisoner forced to work my way to a debt?"

"No mistake." The shadow spoke again. "The master instructed me even before you saw him to take you to this room. He would like to offer you comfort and finer things."

Rin took another long glance of the interior. It baffled her. Why would a demon want her to be comfortable and have finer things when he had just threatened her life and accused her of crimes?

"He's letting me stay here?"

The shadow made a slow and gentle wave of its hand gesturing her to step in. "You should give master a little more credit. He's not as bad as you think."

She stepped into the chamber; a fine kimono lain in the middle of the room. Her eyes were instantly captured by the soft petals of cherry blossoms intricately woven in fine details into the fabric. It must've taken hours to sew them in. She gasped at the beauty of it. "He wanted me to wear that?"

"Yes, he wanted you to wear that tomorrow morning. It will benefit the whole manor if you wear the kimono for him."

The shadow made a swift turn of its heel that Rin didn't think it can move that fast at all. "Come miss Rin, it's time to get you cleaned."