Blank. That's all she felt at first. Soon, her consciousness started to grow. She started to look around after opening her eyes. She was in a unfamiliar room. She sat up startled on her bed.
Where is she? How many hours has passed? Wait, she was with Douma. Then it was all blank. Where is he then? She tried to look around. Only a bed and few small table scattered around room. That's all.
No windows and one single door. She stood on her feet and walked upto door. She tried to open up door, nothing. Door was locked. What's going on? She doesn't even have her katana.
How will she defend herself? She started banging on door with her fist. Still, no one came. She started look out to find something, so she could break the door. Nothing.
She decided to take matters on her own hand. She started kicking and banging her own shoulders to door. After few attempts she did manage to break the door.
She walked out only to find another huge room. Again no windows and two doors. Only darkness. She wanted to break another door. But, Douma came out of another one.
They both were visibly shocked to see each other. "How did you came out? You broke the door?" He asked. "Shut up. You answer me first. What are we doing here? We both were in my room last time." She demanded.
He didn't answered and looked away. He still had his close eyed smile. He walked upto a round table and sat on one of the chair. Her eyes followed him confused. 'What's going on? Why is he ignoring me?'
"Douma? Will you care to explain? Where are we?" She didn't find any answer and saw hesitation in his eyes. She marched upto table and slammed her hands on table causing table to rattle.
He sighed unaffected by her outrage on poor table. "Sit down please." She complied to receive any explanation from him. "Care enough explain what's going on?" She asked growing impatient.
"I have something tell you first. Since i have met you, you know something weird is happening to me?" She raised her brows signaling him to go ahead. "I have been craving less and less human meat. I don't want to eat humans now as i used to before."
She shrugged. "What that has to do with me? Even though, it's very wierd. A demon of twelve kizuki not craving human flesh is very wierd indeed. So, if you haven't consume human as much, you must be grown weaker. Right?"
"Actually, opposite. I have been feeling more strong. Something about my physique and demon art is actually grown to more powerful. I think, it has to do everything with you." He stated.
She grown more confused. A demon going stronger despite lack of human consumption? Very unheard of. She is finding it hard to believe such statements. And what does it have to do with her?
"What do you mean? Are you accusing me of playing some strategies on you? But, let me clarify i don't have any idea. Whatever you are talking is out of my mind to process." Even though she didn't have to but she still clarified herself.
"Did you remember the instance of one of our date nights, while training in your mansion you had injured your hand?" She nodded confirming the incident. "And i licked it?" She frowned at unnecessary detailing. "What are you getting to?"
"Well, Reader chan i think you are a demon." Reader's mouth fell open at his blunt baseless statement. More shocked at his serious tone that he is using. What happened to his 'never taking anything serious' attitude?
'Is he in his right mind? I think, he hit his head too hard. Despite being demon and regenerating body part still it affected his brain beyond repair. Otherwise, there is no other explanation for his statement.'
"What the heck? Are you out of your mind? I can walk in sun, i don't eat human, i function normally like a average human. I have been human since birth." She laid all the fact that deny the false accusation he was throwing at her.
"Last night, you defeated and killed Upper moon 5. Right?" She was taken a back by sudden changes topic. Why is he jumping from one point to another? Still, the topic is too ear catching that she can't help but nod to comfirm.
Do they know this already? It's barely been a day.... she suppose. She doesn't really know how much time had passed since she was knocked out. This demons are way ahead in advantages compared to them.
"Last night, after your fight we rest Upper moons were called in for meeting. There i got to know about your victory. I am really happy for you, Reader chan." Genuineness in his voice filled her heart with warmness. She gave him little grin.
"Thanks, i guess." She answered shyly. She composed herself not letting her shyness take away the main point of their conversation. She still doesn't know where are they. "Go on." She demanded.
"During the meeting, 'HE' mentioned that he saw you bleed because Gyokko dono slashed your arm with his claws. But, it regenerated in an instance." Reader was confused.
"HE? Who? And how did he witness anything? How does he know me? Did he took my name? Was he there also? I didn't sensed anyone around though." She asked bombarding him with every question arising in her mind.
"Easy! Easy! Don't over stress yourself, as long as i am here. You don't need to worry about anything. I will protect you with my life, i swear." She stopped her overthinker mind after listening to his claim.
Her ears going red to his subtle protective words. Is he flirting? Seems genuine though. Why he choose his word so damn right everytime? How can you even be angry at this piece of perfection?
'I need to focus.' She shooked away her thoughts. "Right, if you say so. Now, tell me everything." She hurriedly asked as her curiosity kicked in once again. She is really eager to know what's going on.
"He. Muzan sama. That's whom i am talking about. He wasn't present at the battle field. Still, he knows everything. Every details. You see, after demons die there every last moment memories go back to muzan sama. He studies them to gather information."
"This time, he realised the Upper moon 5 was defeated by a single hashira. But, what cought his attention was your injury disappeared in an instance. No living being can do that except the demon species."
"But, i don't remember such incidents." She counter him. "Well, maybe it's because you were more focused on Upper moon and slicing his head. Anyways, the more important thing is that, he only knows your face and fact that you are hashira who uses ice breathing. But, he doesn't know anything more than that."
"How do i believe this at all?" She questioned still not believing in such foolishness. How come she can accept it that easily that she is demon? She knows that she is human since birth. She doesn't have any problems walking in sun.
"Hence,..." He took her hand in his hand. His expression not readable at all. She was confused but, trusted him enough. Before, she reacted her hand had a long slice. Not deep enough to be risky. But, deep enough to bleed heavily.
Maybe, she shouldn't have trusted him that much. Her pain was delayed by her utter shock. What's hurting more her literal injury or the fact that it occurred because of Douma? But to her surprise, her injury was totally gone.
Only blood which was spilled outside was remaining everything was gone. What? Her eyes going wider every second. Is she dreaming? It's a nightmare for sure. No, this can't be possible.
Douma was chuckling. "I was right after all. You are indeed a demon. But, it is really miraculous that you can walk in sun and eat human food. You are so normal that you never realised you are a demon." His 'never taking anything serious' attitude finally came back.
"Doesn't make any sense. I am hundred percent sure i was human since birth. I was injured and fell sick since my childhood. Never did it recovered like this. It's something knew. No... No... No... this can't be possible."
"Now, Reader chan. Don't worry about that we have a lot of time discuss that. We have something more important to talk about." He tried to calm her turmoil growing inside her. She also wanted to take break from such disastrous news.
"Actually, i discovered one more thing. During our meeting upon hearing that ice hashira is the reason for death of Gyokko dono and muzan sama wanted to held you captive to experiment on you, I started having my own little panic attack."
"I was so worried about you that i was literally again and again was jumping to possible conclusions and fate we both can meet. Even though i was not letting anything show on my face, but demon king doesn't need to look at faces when he can just read mind of demon he created."
"I tried to shook of thoughts that were making me worried about you. But, i was failing miserably. I was more worried that my chain of thoughts will be reason of your death, if muzan sama will read my thoughts."
"But, he couldn't figure out my emotional outburst i was having in my mind. It was confusing me. Hence, i made a decision to mutter his curse name. Nothing happened."
Reader's mind was not working with the amount of information and level of assumptions from Douma's side were very interesting. She felt her life go upside down.
"What curse name?" She didn't had any idead about curse name. "He always put curse on every demon he creates. This particular curse activate when you take his last name 'kibutsuji'."
She asked in confusion. "What happens when you do? And you just did take his last name." Douma chuckled. "You die." He said it with very charming smile like he didn't just dropped a bomb.
She grew more confused. What is going on? Will she be getting more and more confused every time? The amount of time she has been caught off guard with this information is really concerning her.
"And you are sitting fine in front of me. So, what does it mean?" He smiled more. "It means that you are no longer in control of him." She felt relieved for some reason. Some good news atleast.
"But, why would you take his curse name? What if it didn't work? Does he knows about that?" She asked concerned at the fact Douma literally turned suicidal at that moment.
"I wanted to confirm my doubts. He doesn't know yet. I was really curious. I wanted to confirm it. My theory are almost every time right." He proudly announced. She deadpanned at him.
"Douma, remember i had a wish from the challenge we had?" He nodded. "I want you to prioritize your life and don't make such stupidty again." She tried to do reasoning with him knowing really well how he doesn't comply to things with straighthead.
"But, it's your wish. Why are you wasting it on me while you can ask other things? You should make advantage out of it." He asked in confusion. Any person can use such opportunity for their advantages, right?
"Who said it doesn't contain my benefit? I want you to be my side. I don't want to leave my precious demon friend. How will you live with me when you die?" She beamed at him.
He was taken a back. Does she really like him that much. So cute, isn't it? His heart fluttered at her words. So genuine and full of emotions. Even someone like him can feel it. A genuine smile broke on his lips.
He nodded happily. She sighed after admiring his frame a little. "We are getting out of topic. What more bomb you have to throw?" She asked feeling more information will come at her.
"I think your blood that i licked off is the reason of my connection severing from muzan sama. Now, you are my master." He laid more assumptions in front of her. She looked more confused now.
"You think i am your master? It means i am demon queen? Why do you think that?....wait, does it mean you don't have anything do to with muzan now?" He beamed at her.
"You are so sharp, Reader chan. Yes, he doesn't have any effect on me now. In my theory, you are a demon who is capable of turning human into demons who will be directly under your control. You can also turn already turned demon to your side. So, in that sense you are a demon queen. Like, muzan sama is demon king."
Reader thought about it for a minute. "Well, it just your theory. How do we test if it's real or not?" She asked. "Why don't you try to focus and read my mind? I am already under your control." She wasn't sure how to do that.
She tried to concentrate her mind to force into his brain. For a few attempts, it turned out to be useless. She pouted at her failed attempts. She calmed her mind and prepared for a final attempt, while Douma was admiring her cute figure trying to focus.
Soon, she heard Douma's voice in her mind. 'How cute!! I am loving how focused she is. This makes her more breathtaking. Hmmm.' He cooed in his mind while his head was in his hands.
She didn't expected her first time roaming in someone's brain will result this. But, she should have. It's Douma after all. She can't deny this guy is piece of perfection. She surely adores him a lot.
She blushed. Her hands clasping her face in order to calm herself. Her ears turned red. "Did you succeed, Reader chan? Did you heard my thoughts." She didn't wanted to admit and let him know what she heard.
She shook her head in a no. After calming herself, she simply said that she believed in his theory a little and will find out other things together. Still, main question remains. Where are they?