Kanae stared at the scene before her, momentarily at a loss. No matter how she looked at it, everything about this was far too bizarre.
Fortunately, Hiru noticed her. He leaped down from the rubble and walked straight toward her.
"Why are you here? Weren't you supposed to be handling another investigation?"
"Makomo and I put it on hold because we were worried about you…" Kanae glanced at the severed head in his hands and took a quiet step back. "What is this…?"
"Well, I didn't bring any weapons, so this was my only option." Hiru shrugged and carried Doma's head into the shadows. "I also provoked Muzan a little. I'm planning to use him as bait to draw Muzan here."
"Hey, hey, is that a cute little lady? Let me see too~ Even if I can't eat her right now, just looking at her is such a treat~"
"You're really demanding."
Hiru turned Doma's head in another direction.
"You lost. Don't start making requests."
"You really are adorable~ I so want to eat you~" Doma stared at Kanae, the same unchanging smile on his face. "Too bad I can't move at all right now~"
Only then did Kanae look properly at Doma and notice the characters carved into his eyes.
"Upper Moon… One?!"
"That's right, I'm Upper Moon One~"
Doma narrowed his eyes.
"I'm actually very strong, you know? But I can't help it. My Blood Demon Art is completely countered by this guy~
Let me tell you, he's really too much. He says he likes me, yet treats me like this. It's unbelievably unfair—"
"That kind of lie won't fool me. Hiru said he hates demons. How could he possibly like you?"
"Oh my?" Doma put on a look of exaggerated shock. "You two didn't know he's a demon? He's a Primordial Demon, just like our lord!"
"It seems Hiru was right about one thing," Kanae said, her expression complicated as she looked at Doma.
"Demons really are good at deceiving people…"
"Right?"
Hiru replied calmly.
"So maybe it's time you gave up on that wish of yours to live peacefully with demons."
"But I still believe there are demons who can uphold moral boundaries," Kanae shook her head slightly.
"Humans and demons can definitely reach a balance."
"How pitiful…"
Doma's eyes filled with tears.
"To cling to such a ridiculous wish. You really are pitiful… What's even more pitiful is that your wish has already come true, yet you don't even realize it. What a wretched girl."
"Hey, stop crying, you idiot," Hiru said, looking down.
"Your tears are getting on my hands. It's wet and disgusting."
"It's just too pitiful. Don't you think this child is pitiful?"
Doma lifted his gaze.
"To have such a powerful Demon King right beside her, yet trust you completely without the slightest suspicion. It's truly pitiful. Just thinking about it makes me want to cry."
"Looks like the first step is for demons and humans to be honest with each other…"
Kanae rested her chin in her hands and sighed.
"Since you're fine, Hiru, I'll head back down the mountain. Many people were affected by the Blood Demon Art. I need to help Makomo look after them."
"Yeah. I won't go back to the Wisteria House yet. I'll wait here and see if Muzan comes tonight."
"Be careful. I'll have the Kakushi bring your squad uniform and weapons up later."
"Thanks. I appreciate it."
"Poor child~" Doma watched Kanae leave, his face full of pity. "She's been completely deceived, hasn't she? So pitiful~"
"Yeah…" Hiru sighed. "Being trusted like that almost makes me feel guilty."
"Oh my. Then why not just tell them?" Doma raised his eyes. "Wouldn't it be easier to say it outright?"
"Someone still has to believe it…" Hiru sighed. "When I fought Akaza last time, I should've exposed myself then. I completely missed the chance… I can be weak sometimes too."
"More importantly, could you pull that finger out of my head?" Doma kept smiling. "It really hurts, you know~"
"No," Hiru said, lowering his head.
"If I stop supplying blood, Muzan will get access to your memories. That would be trouble for me…
And if circumstances allowed, I'd actually like to turn you into a mascot and keep you with me."
"Spare me~ Having the blood of two Demon Kings fighting inside my brain is excruciating~"
"What are you afraid of? You don't have emotions, do you?"
"That's mean~ I may not have emotions, but I still have sensation. It hurts~ You say you like me, yet you treat me so roughly. You're such a hateful man~"
"You look pretty happy while saying that."
"Because you don't like it when I cry, right~ See? I'm thoughtful, aren't I? But really, can't you take your finger out?"
Hiru found a clean rock and sat down.
"No. So, how about it? Can you tell me anything about Muzan?"
"No way~ I'd die~" Doma glanced in the direction Kanae had gone and laughed softly. "But humans really are easy to fool~ That's why I've eaten so many over the past hundred years~"
"True enough… Hey, how many people have you eaten?"
"Hmm… In the last twenty years or so, maybe only seven or eight hundred? I remember every single person I've eaten, you know? Impressive, right?"
"What does it feel like to eat people?" Hiru turned Doma's head back toward him. "Doesn't it feel strange when you're eating them? They're all human, after all."
"You really haven't eaten anyone? That's so strange~ You must get hungry, right?"
Doma looked at Hiru.
"But when I eat them, I don't really feel anything. It's less like eating and more like saving them, you know?
After I merge with them, I carry them forward and let them live forever. That's rescuing them from suffering~"
"So that's how you see it…"
Hiru looked at the head in his hand.
"Your way of thinking has never changed. No wonder you're almost the same as you were when you were human."
"Huh? I never met you when I was human, did I? How do you know all that?"
"I just read it. Your parents were awful in every sense…"
Hiru lowered his eyes.
"Your father cheated. When your mother found out, she killed him in front of their young child and then took her own life…
It's a good thing you were born without emotions. Otherwise, who knows what kind of monster might have emerged."
"That's awful. You're reading my memories and saying such cruel things~ Hey, how much longer will it take to finish? My brain feels like it's being twisted into knots. It really hurts~"
"If no one interrupts… about a week."
Hiru paused.
"Do you have any last wishes? Since you're so pitiful, I might consider granting one."
"Then I want to eat that girl from earlier~ She looked delicious~" Doma narrowed his eyes. "And she has that kind of wish. A child this pitiful deserves my salvation, of course~"
"…You should just go die."
"How rude~"