"How are you doing? You seem to have eaten quite a lot of humans. You have gotten a lot stronger compared to before. That's good," Muzan spoke out as he sat on the chest in the room where Daki resides in the brothel.
"Yes!" and [name] watched from the side as Daki quickly got onto her knees with her head down.
"But don't let your guard down. If things are going too well, you can get easily tripped up," he spoke out and noticed how [name] was fidgeting a little at the side.
"I will keep that in mind,"
"There are some skilled people among the Demon Slayers. Like the Hashiras, who will sense that there's a demon here right away. But over here, anyone who lacks the power of a Hashira pretty much can't tell the difference, because we look like humans. They can, however, discern that there are things they don't understand, like blood types and disease strains," Muzan added on as Daki raised her head up to look at him.
"Daki," he called out as he stood up.
"Yes! Yes, Muzan-sama!"
"I have high hopes for you," he spoke out as he soon reached out and cupped Daki's face in his hands, gently holding it.
"You're more beautiful than anyone else. Strong enough to have buried seven Hashiras. You will become much, much stronger. Much, much crueler. You're a special demon," he spoke out, and [name]'s eyes widened at what he had just said. Pressing her lips into a fine thin line then, she turned to look at the other side.
A burning sensation within her cold heart was felt.
"[name], let's go," Muzan spoke out and was baffled at the way [name] had acted. He noticed she didn't wrap her arms around his arm like how she used to, and he could only frown slightly at her behavior.
"Is something the matter? Are you displeased with something?" he asked the moment they were transported back to his room in the Infinity Fortress. He watched as [name] shook her head in response, and watched as she plopped herself onto the bed instead, ignoring him.
"Was it something I said to Daki that made you upset?" he asked once more as he sat on the bed after removing his hat and tie, unbuttoning his shirt in the process. He noticed [name]'s back was facing him instead, and he somehow, could feel the slight ache in his heart.
"Nothing is wrong, Muzan-sama," she mumbled out, in a tone that Muzan had never heard from her before. He then hummed in response, pressing his lips into a fine thin line instead, as he continued to unbutton his shirt to change out of it.
He then watched as [name] soon got out of bed instead and walked over to the exit of the room. He noticed how she was acting and was about to reach out to her, only to have her turning to look at him, with a smile on her face.
He was taken aback.
Her smile, he knew that emotion that she was hiding behind that smile.
Hurt. Upset.
"Muzan-sama, I'll be going out on a night patrol at the Red Light District. I've been too stagnant here, I might end up losing my position as Upper Moon Zero," she spoke out and soon she left the room, causing Muzan's red plump eyes to widen.
"Why would you lose your position?" he wondered to himself and noticed how the scent of floral that was left in the room, lingered. He could feel his heart racing then as [name]'s scent invaded his senses. He could feel it aching as well as he looked around.
Realizing he was alone in the room.
"I can't believe I'm going to do this," he muttered to himself as he soon changed his outfit.
[name] ended up in an alleyway, that somehow felt a little too familiar to her. She soon walked out of the alley, disguising herself as she had the power to hide away her demon-like eyes and nails. She had a soft smile on her face as her clothes were proper for her to be walking around the Red Light District.
Her supposed home from before.
She wasn't surprised at how bustling it was at night, given how she had worked at a brothel before and had the experience. She walked around, easily evading the grabby hands of desperate men, and soon she bumped her head.
"Ow..." she whispered out and her now dark blue ocean eyes widened as she looked up at the tall man before her. A blush crept on her face as she looked into his pair of fuchsia-colored eyes that were now right before her, given how he had to[ bend down to her height.
"Are you alright?" he asked, and [name] nodded her head then.
"Be careful, doll. I'm not sure if you're working here or just passing by, just be careful," he spoke out and soon placed a hand on [name]'s head and patted it gently. He then proceeded to walk away, and [name] noticed then, a boy who was disguised as a girl.
As soon as the man and boy were far from her, [name] turned and looked, only to smile mentally then as she realized who they were. She soon reached up and scratched the side of her cheek a little and soon turned to look towards the front.
[name] then noticed from the corner of her eyes, Daki, who was dressed as an oiran. She watched as Daki's eyes laid upon her and a smile appeared on her face as she ran from where she was, in such a manner that one wouldn't approve of an oiran. But the moment she stood before [name], the anger that [name] felt earlier on, disappeared.
"[name], you came to patrol?" she asked in a soft voice and [name] nodded her head.
"I've been too stagnant at home, that if I continue to remain there, I might end up losing," she spoke out and Daki tilts her head a little in response, trying to understand what [name] had meant.
"Come, then you should have some fun!" Daki spoke out with a smile and [name] could only nod as Daki soon pulled her along. Her head turns as she realized they were being watched, and soon she waved at the man who had told her to be careful earlier on.
"Uzui-san, is something wrong?" Zenitsu asked.
"Not at all. She's just very beautiful,"
"You have three wives, stop being greedy,"
"Uh... This is heavy..." [name] mumbled out and Daki could only giggle softly then as she tried to adjust the headgear on [name]'s hair, just as the Upper Moon Zero was busy absorbing some of the mistresses from the brothel that Daki resided in.
"Is this too heavy for you? If it is, maybe we can just go with something simpler," Daki spoke out and [name] nodded her head then as she rubbed the back of her neck as she was starting to get sore.
"Uhhhh, the last time I worked at a brothel, I got thrown to my death for retaliating," [name] spoke out and Daki was rather surprised that [name] remembered most of her human emotions.
"But then again, working at a brothel is fun too. I must admit," [name] spoke out and her eyes widened when Daki tightened the belt around her back. [name] then mentally groan, remembering how troublesome wearing such outfits had been.
"Oof... Daki... I can't breathe..." she whispered out and Daki quickly apologized as she loosens the belt a little and [name] heaved a sigh of relief as she could breathe once again.
-
[name] smiled in response as she stood before the man who had told her to be careful earlier on, none other than the Sound Hashira of the Demon Slayer Corps, Uzui Tengen. He was rather surprised to see [name] there, which he believed she was just passing by, standing right next to the oiran who was Daki in disguise.
[name]'s dark blue ocean eyes started to sparkle a little under the night sky, and Tengen was rather intrigued by her beauty. He soon reached a hand out and placed it against the side of her cheek, which she tilts her head and leaned into his touch.
"And how old are you, m'lady?" he asked, and [name] had to secretly hold onto Daki's hand to prevent her from lashing out. She watched as his hand went from her cheek, towards her hand and gently raised it up.
"She's 24," Daki spoke out, and Tengen's eyes widened.
"And here I thought you were a rather young lady, probably in your teens," he spoke out with a charming smile, and [name] could only force herself to smile once more. Somehow, the words that Tengen spoke, were words that would make any girl fall him.
But coming from him, [name] felt irritated and displeased.
"Is it because I'm rather small in size?" she asked, with her eyes closed as she continued to smile. Daki then noticed, the usually reserved and humble Upper Moon Zero, was getting a little irritated with a human being. Tengen then chuckled as he lets go of [name]'s hand and sent a wink towards her direction.
"It's a compliment, doll. You look young for your age," and Daki's eyes widened when she could see from [name]'s neck that a vein was popping out. The nerve of this Sound Hashira had, to be flirting with her and trying his luck.
"How should I address you, sir?" [name] asked in a polite tone, wanting to know more about this Hashira before she sends in her report for Daki. She then watched as his fuchsia-colored eyes widened and [name] soon held a hand up.
"Uzui Tengen, or maybe you can call me, husband," he said with a smirk and [name] could only fake giggle then as she hide part of her face. A technique she had learned during her days of working at the brothel.
"You're splendidly beautiful, want me to buy you off from here?" he asked, and [name] could only shake her head a little as she soon hugged Daki from the side with a wide smile on her face.
"We are a package. So, no," she said with a smile and Tengen could only let out a sigh then. [name] then watched as Tengen tried to sell the boy who was portrayed as a girl, and she could only remain silent then.
"Ara? You seem to be perfect in playing the shamisen. You're rather overwhelming. You seem to have good hearing since you can play whatever you hear once whether you're on the shamisen or on the koto," [name] spoke out with a smile as she bends down and looked at Zenitsu in the eyes.
"You're kind of cute," she said with a smile and soon placed a hand on his head and gently ruffled it. She then noticed that he was wearing thick makeup and could only frown then as she bends down more and whispered into his ears.
"Is it suffocating? The makeup on you. It seems too thick," she whispered out and soon stood up straight once more as she waved goodbye to Tengen who was off on his merry way. [name] then watched as Zenitsu was soon escorted towards his room instead.
"I'm returning," she whispered out to Daki who nodded her head as they soon went their separate ways. [name] then hummed to herself as she exits the brothel and noticed how Tengen was lurking about still as if he was trying to find something.
She then quickly managed to escape him, given how she was able to hide both her scent along with the sound of her demon self. She was that powerful, that not even Muzan knew about her capabilities just yet.
[name] soon walked through the alleyway and her eyes widened. She had inhaled a heavy dosage of opium, and somehow, her mind started to clog up. She shakes her head a little, with her vision blurring slightly.
"How can I get affected?" she thought to herself as she realized she couldn't walk properly anymore. She soon placed a hand against the wall, or so she had thought. Only to realize she had stumbled upon a group of drunken men.
She then shook her head and waved her hand, as if dismissing them and apologizing, she quickly made her way deeper into the alleyway, and eventually, she had no choice but to lean against the wall. Her head started to pound badly, it was as if she was getting tortured by Muzan via the cells that lived within her body.
"Hey, hey! What a lucky night we have. We have got a beautiful one here!" and [name] tried to use her Blood Demon Art, but she couldn't concentrate at all, rendering her unable to generate any flower vines as she soon slid onto the ground, with her arms being tugged by the drunken men.
"Let go..." she whispered out, her mind getting much hazier.
"Let's have some enjoyable time together, let's go," and [name] used her strength to pull her arms out, only to have her face getting slapped. It stung, it was rather surprising for her to feel a deep sense of anger within her body.
She remembered those times she was slapped.
"Don't be a bitch. You're working in this district because you have definitely been sold by your family! You're useless, they didn't want you at all! So come with us and give us what we want!" a man yelled out and [name] could only feel her head being grabbed then, and another slap was felt.
She could feel her hair being pulled harshly. A feeling she hated ever since she was sold to the brothel. The stinging pain that was against her cheek reminded her so much. The day she was stabbed in the eye for retaliating, for declining a customer.
The deep gash on her thigh, she remembered the pain so clearly.
"Muzan-sama..." she whispered out and the drunken men chuckled.
"Who are you calling? Nobody's name is that! What are you? Some sort of slave?" they chuckled out and [name]'s vision started to blur even more as she continued to smell the heavy scent of opium coming from them.
Her eyes slowly closed as she heard the sound of blood splattering. She could see his back view. She could see him attacking, but eventually, her demon senses dulled as she got knocked out from the heavy dosage of opium.
Kibutsuji Muzan was vivid. He mercilessly killed those disgusting humans off for touching [name]. He had been keeping an eye on her the moment she made contact with the Sound Hashira. He had been watching her through Daki's eyes as well.
He watched with hatred boiling within his demon soul as [name] was disguised as a proper oiran like how Daki had disguised herself as well. He watched as [name]'s arms were grabbed and that she was tugged in every way possible, and he had to control his anger.
He watched her trying to return home, only to be affected by opium, hence rendering her this weak. He waited for her to call out to him as he watched the drunken men throwing random slaps against her beautiful face, pulling her hair as well.
He could only clench his fist as he watched one of the drunken men trying to plant a kiss on her pink-tinted lips that he constantly thought about whenever they were sleeping side by side and he would wake up earlier than her.
The moment she called out his name, he snapped.
"Disgusting pieces of humans. Don't fucking touch what's mine," he muttered out and soon turned and noticed how [name]'s body was slumped against the wall of the alleyway. He then easily picked her up in his arms and soon, was teleported back into the Infinity Fortress.
He ended up in his room with [name] in his arms. He gently placed her down onto the bed, and brushed away the bangs from her face, revealing her perfect fair skin. He gently caressed her face then and soon his nose scrunched up a little at the heavy scent of opium that lingered on her body.
Unsure of what to do, he was just about to get up and think of a solution, only to notice [name] was shifting in the bed. He watched as her eyes slowly opened and she soon sat up, placing a hand against her head as she tried to soothe the headache.
"Opium is such a drag to my system," she whispered out, only to realize she was back in the Infinity Fortress. Her eyes widened as she realized Muzan was looking at her, and she quickly got off the bed.
Muzan was about to call out to her, only to watch as she rushed to change her clothes, and probably have a shower as well.
He watched as she soon came out and he got up, making his way towards where she was. Fear running through her veins and she quickly turned to avoid him as she got out of his way, only for him to grab hold of her wrist tightly instead.
"I said it before, you're a special demon who deserves the Upper Moon Zero. Why did you say you are afraid of losing your position?" he asked and noticed how her shoulders had tensed up. He then let out a frustrated sigh, and he noticed her body trembled then.
"Look at me," he commanded, and [name] slowly turned to look.
"Tell me. Or do I have to take over your body and force you to speak your mind?" he asked, and noticed how [name] had brought up her fingers and fiddled with it slightly.
"I... Well... You said Daki was more beautiful than anyone else. And that you had high hopes for her," she whispered out and Kibutsuji Muzan's eyes widened at what [name] had just said.
"So... You were jealous the entire time?" he asked, and [name] slowly nodded. He then let out a frustrated sigh as he sat back down on the bed and placed a hand against his head.
"So that's what I've been feeling as well," he muttered out and [name] looked confused then. He soon reached out and pulled her towards him, and wrapped his arms around her waist tightly.
"We're going out," he mumbled out.
"Out?"
"I'm bringing you out,"