"A demon… it's a demon!"
Nezuko stumbled backward in sheer terror, her voice trembling as panic overtook her. Of all the horrors she had known, this one was etched most vividly into her memory.
She could still see it—clear as if it were happening before her eyes.
That night, her brother had swung his axe with all his strength, nearly splitting open the creature's skull. And yet, the man before her now had treated it as though it were nothing, calmly pulling the blade free as if brushing away a nuisance. The blood, the grotesque calm, the inhuman indifference—it had all carved itself deep into her mind.
Even now, it crept into her dreams, night after night, leaving her gasping in the dark. Just recalling that moment made her body tremble uncontrollably.
"Nezuko, what are you doing…?"
The restaurant owner, Imai, hurried over, his face dark with irritation. In all his years of running the place, never had a customer been accused of being a demon—especially not in broad daylight. Such nonsense would only offend his patrons and ruin his business.
As he scolded her, he turned toward Soma with an apologetic smile.
"Sir, please excuse the child. She's young and doesn't know any better. Please, don't take it to heart. This meal—it's on me."
Soma paid him no mind.
Instead, he idly swirled the wine in his cup, watching Nezuko with a faint, almost playful amusement, as though her fear were something mildly entertaining.
"Have you ever seen a demon basking in sunlight?" he asked lightly.
Beside him, Kanao sensed the ease in his mood and leaned forward slightly, resting her chin in her hand as she studied Nezuko with quiet curiosity. The girl looked about the same age as her, yet the contrast between them was stark. While Kanao was neatly dressed and carefully groomed, Nezuko appeared disheveled, her once gentle and pretty face now pale with fear.
Is my uncle really that scary? Kanao wondered, blinking in confusion. Why are you so afraid of him?
Nezuko, still on the ground, shrank back further, her gaze darting frantically around the room. The other customers were watching, their expressions filled not with fear, but with confusion at her behavior.
Soma lifted the cup to his lips and drained it in a single motion. Then, looking at her again, he smiled faintly.
"Have you ever seen a demon standing in sunlight?" he repeated. "Why insist that I'm one? Honestly… how dull."
He gave a small shrug, as though the accusation bored him.
"Nezuko! Apologize to the customer this instant!"
Imai snapped sharply, his patience wearing thin. Hiring her had been a mixed blessing—her beauty had drawn in more customers, but it had also invited trouble, attracting unsavory types and unsettling the atmosphere of his establishment.
Nezuko looked around the room again, her fear deepening.
Why…?
Why did no one else see it?
Standing before her was a demon—a real demon—and yet everyone else treated it as though nothing were wrong. Even under the bright light of day, she felt a chilling cold seep into her bones.
Especially when she thought of that night.
Her body trembled as though she might collapse in on herself.
"I—I'm sorry…" she stammered, her voice breaking. "Please… please don't hurt my family. Don't eat them… if you must, then eat me instead…"
"What nonsense are you talking about?" Soma interrupted casually. "Demons? There's no such thing in this world."
Nezuko pressed her lips together tightly, staring at him in silence, her fear only deepening, her eyes refusing to look away.
Beside them, Imai looked ready to erupt again, but before he could speak, Soma waved a hand lightly.
"Have her sit with me for a while and share a drink," he said with a smile. "Bring a few more dishes as well—I'll still pay."
Seeing that the customer was not only unbothered but willing to pay, Imai visibly relaxed, a smile returning to his face. He had been worried the situation might escalate into something troublesome.
"Nezuko, behave yourself and make it up to the customer. Don't cause any more trouble."
With a final stern warning, he turned and left to prepare more food. The man seemed reasonable enough—at least not like the ruffians who frequented the place—so he allowed Nezuko to remain.
"Come, sit."
Soma patted the space beside him.
"Mm…"
A soft, pitiful whimper escaped Nezuko's lips, like that of a frightened animal, stirring an almost instinctive sympathy.
Yet she did not dare disobey.
With trembling movements, she carefully knelt beside him, her posture stiff, as though sitting next to something that could devour her at any moment.
Soma cast her a brief glance. Even trembling in such overwhelming fear, there was still a faint trace of softness in her expression—a fragile, almost endearing innocence that refused to disappear. As expected… she truly was Nezuko, he thought.
"Nezuko," he said with a faint smile, lifting his cup to his lips, "you seem very afraid of me."
"Please... I beg you, don't hurt my family," Her voice was barely more than a whisper, laced with helpless pleading, as though every word cost her what little courage she had left.
For a moment, Soma found himself at a loss between amusement and exasperation. It seemed that night—when he had stepped into her home—had left far too deep an impression on her.
"Why would I hurt your family?" he asked lightly, shrugging as though the idea were absurd.
Then, without warning, he leaned forward, closing the distance between them until his face hovered dangerously close to hers.
"After all," he murmured, his voice soft yet edged with something unsettling, "it was your dear brother who struck first. That axe of his… it hurt quite a bit."
The warmth of his breath brushed against her skin, and beneath the calm darkness of his eyes, a fleeting glimmer of crimson seemed to flicker.
Nezuko froze.
The fear surged so violently through her that her vision nearly went black. Had she not already been kneeling, her legs would have surely given way beneath her.
"I... I'm sorry. I'll... I'll apologize for... for my brother."
She lowered her head, not daring to meet his gaze. Thinking back, it was true—her brother had been the first to raise a weapon.
"Is an apology enough?" Soma let out a low, almost mocking laugh, watching as the color drained from her face.
"That was an axe to the body. It hurt… quite a bit."
Beside him, Kanao's pink-violet eyes narrowed ever so slightly, a faint killing intent surfacing as she looked at Nezuko.
"Th-then… what must I do… for you to forgive him?" Nezuko stammered, her voice trembling. "As long as you… forgive my brother… I… I'll do anything…"
"Oh?" Soma's smile deepened as he leaned in closer, his gaze fixed on her tightly shut eyes. "Anything?"
"Y-yes… anything…" she whispered, her voice quivering. "Even if… even if you eat me… that's fine… as long as you don't hurt my family… or my brother…"
A quiet chuckle escaped him.
"It seems you care deeply for your family," he said, almost thoughtfully. "So much so that you'd offer up your own life without hesitation."
He lifted his cup, studying her as though weighing something unseen.
"Anything at all… is that right?"
"…Anything," she repeated, biting her lip as she forced herself to raise her head.
In her mind, she had already imagined it—the tearing of flesh, the end of her life. Even the thought alone filled her with unbearable fear, yet if it meant protecting her family, then she would endure it.
Still… despite her resolve, sorrow welled up uncontrollably within her chest.
"Then how about this…"
Soma looked at her calmly.
Nezuko's hands clenched tightly in her lap, her entire body tense with unease, like a small animal trapped before a predator, waiting for the moment it would be devoured.
She had already braced herself for a sentence of death.
Instead, Soma set a filled cup of sake before her.
"Drink this," he said lightly. "Consider it your apology. Once you finish it, I'll forgive your brother's… rudeness."
For a moment, she didn't understand.
Then, as his meaning sank in, her head snapped up, her eyes wide with disbelief.
"R-really…? Just… just drink this… and that's enough?"
"Of course."
He smiled at her, as though it were the simplest thing in the world.
"Really?"
Her voice trembled, on the verge of bursting into something like joy.
"Of course," he repeated.
Nezuko stared at him, still unable to fully believe it. Somewhere deep inside, doubt lingered.
A demon… could truly be this easy to reason with?
This one… didn't seem quite as terrifying as she had thought.
...
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