A Cinderella Demon Tale: Sukuna and Cinderella

Chapter 4: A Demon's Curiosity Deepens

Author's Note: Ahhhh!!! Thank you for all of the kind comments!!! I'll be uploading more chapters today!!

After a few days, Sukuna's curiosity got the better of him, and he decided to visit the noble mansion once more. Disguised as a butler, he ventured into the human realm once again, pondering the changes that might have occurred during his absence.

"What has happened in the human realm in the time I've been gone?" he wondered to himself. "Who is the king, and what importance does this noble lineage have towards the kingdom?" He was genuinely intrigued by the shifting sands of human affairs.

As he roamed the ornate halls of the vast mansion, Sukuna didn't anticipate being summoned to the room of Anastasia, the elder stepsister. He could have crushed this mere human for speaking to him with such authority; after all, what is an ant to a god? But an unusual sense of amusement held him back, and he decided to play along and see where this event would lead.

Anastasia, with her notorious hot temper, was in her usual tirade, screaming at the maids and demanding the presence of the butler. Sukuna, being the butler dragged in, calmly entered the room. Anastasia's gaze landed on him, and she demanded, "Who are you?"

With an unaffected demeanor, Sukuna responded, "I'm the newly hired butler at your service."

Anastasia, her patience razor-thin, yelled at him, "Then pick up on things faster! Mother told me that there was supposed to be a designer, the best in the kingdom, to make our dresses, but I have yet had any fittings! The ball is but a few weeks away, and the dress has to be made NOW!"

Sukuna clenched his teeth, his patience tested. He took a deep breath and offered a bow, saying, "I'm sorry, Madam. I wasn't aware. I'll be sure to alert the seamstress shortly."

Anastasia, in a fit of rage, threw her tea at him, declaring, "Don't talk to me with that tone; you're just a servant."

Sukuna, despite being drenched in tea, couldn't help but laugh inwardly at the irony of how her words paralleled his. "Our situations are indeed different," he thought to himself, "Her narcissism is nothing but laughable, with no power to actually back it up."

He contemplated whether to take both daughters' souls, but ultimately decided to continue through the corridor, not bothering to alert anyone about the dresses. As he made his way through the richly decorated halls of the mansion, Sukuna couldn't help but marvel at the opulence that surrounded him. Intricate tapestries adorned the walls, their vivid colors depicting scenes of grandeur and conquest. Priceless vases, adorned with intricate patterns and shimmering gold, lined the corridors, each one a testament to the family's extravagant taste.

Sukuna's crimson eyes scanned the art pieces that graced the walls. Paintings of breathtaking landscapes and portraits of noble ancestors stared down at him. One particular painting caught his attention—a serene meadow bathed in the warm hues of twilight, a stark contrast to the dark corners of the demon realm he called home.

Yet, despite the ostentatious displays of wealth, Sukuna couldn't help but shake his head in mild disgust. "This is why they have no money," he mused, his disdain for the family's insatiable greed growing with each passing moment.

As he ventured deeper into the mansion, away from the gilded grandeur of the main corridors, he saw Cinderella. She struggled to carry two filled buckets, her hands trembling under their weight. The young woman, with her tired eyes and worn attire, was a stark contrast to the extravagant surroundings.

Upon noticing Sukuna's presence, Cinderella's surprise caused her to drop one of the buckets, the clang of metal against the stone floor echoing through the corridor. "Oomph–" she gasped, quickly covering her mouth, her eyes welling with embarrassment.

Sukuna, watching from a distance, couldn't help but think, "How pathetic to be scared just like this." He held back his instinct to intervene and waited to see how she would react.

Before he could utter a word, Cinderella beat him to it, her gaze falling upon the tea stains that marred his uniform. "Your shirt! It's covered in tea!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with genuine concern.

Intrigued by her willingness to help, Sukuna didn't hesitate to begin removing his clothes, leaving him clad only in his undergarments. Cinderella, embarrassed by his boldness, averted her gaze. Sukuna, unfazed, watched her in silence as she took his uniform and began scrubbing it on a washing board.

Small talk filled the air as Cinderella worked diligently, her voice a soothing backdrop to the otherwise tense atmosphere. "I'm sorry if I'm bothering you with my mumbling," she said, her hands expertly maneuvering the fabric. "I tend to talk a lot when working."

Sukuna grunted in response, signaling that he didn't mind her chatter. He was surprised that she, a noble daughter, was willing to wash a butler's uniform with such urgency and carefulness.

Unable to contain his curiosity any longer, he finally asked the question that had been weighing on his mind. "Why do you do this labor? Is this not the job of a servant?"

Cinderella paused her scrubbing for a moment, her eyes lowering before she resumed her task. "Is this not the duty of a daughter of the house? This house was left by my beloved father. Of course, I need to take care of it."

Sukuna contemplated her response, noting the marked difference between Cinderella and her stepsisters, who seemed uninterested in sharing the household burdens. He considered delving further into the matter but decided against it for the time being.

"You're a pushover, and it's pathetic to watch," Sukuna remarked, his words characteristically harsh.

Cinderella's expression darkened for a moment, but to Sukuna's surprise, she let out a soft, almost melancholic laugh. "I'm sorry about that," she replied, her voice tinged with resignation.

Sukuna couldn't quite grasp the emotions he felt in response to her laughter, so he chose not to dwell on it. Instead, he decided it was time to leave, but Cinderella called out to him, reminding him of his uniform.

"Wait! Your uniform!" she exclaimed.

Without turning back, Sukuna gave his last response, "Burn it," as he walked away, leaving Cinderella behind, a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions swirling within him. This encounter with Cinderella continued to defy his expectations, leaving him with more questions than answers, as he contemplated the complex nature of the human heart.