➥ chapter 12: a strange friendship

5K 394 170
                                    

WELCOME, (L/N) (Y/N)

WELCOME, (L/N) (Y/N)

Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.


DOUMA...

Douma...

Woman-eating Douma...

I wonder if I can somehow convince him to let me go or at least not kill me.

Such thoughts to fly through (Y/N)'s mind was only natural as she faced Douma sitting on his throne-like cushion, the demon staring down at her with such heightened intrigue she couldn't help but wonder if she should feel flustered or scared. There was no way that he could've guessed she was a part of the Demon Slayer Corps, and she hoped that such a fact would continue to stay true since she wanted him to believe that she was only a traveler passing by. Then again, the longer she thought about such a notion, the more she realized how easy it would be for her to disappear without a trace.

"I have business in the next town over, as my grandparents traveled ahead of me and are expecting me," she quickly proclaimed to Douma so that no more unnecessary ideas could wind within his brain. "They know I'm traveling across this mountain, so they know to expect me in the next three days."

She smiled—wobbly, at that, however.

"So... you really do only need a place to sleep for the night, hm?" Douma mused with a tilt of his head, the tassels hanging from his crown shifting with the action. "Very well. I can certainly accommodate you if that is all that you truly need."

"I... greatly appreciate that, My Lord," she chuckled, rubbing the back of her neck awkwardly.

"It's Douma," he waved away her formalities both figuratively and literally as he then stood up to approach her, a lighthearted smile on his face that made her wonder what was hidden behind it. "Might I know your name, mysterious traveler? Our Paradise Faith certainly is large, but so rarely do we receive new guests... like this."

"I'm... (L/N)(Y/N)," (Y/N) introduced, albeit a bit warily as she did so.

"Nice to meet you!" Douma chirped with a friendly tone as he laced his hands behind his back and leaned towards her ever so slightly, continuing to stare at her as if she were the most intriguing thing that he had ever seen. "Before I show you to your room, keep me company a bit longer. It would be fun to show someone around in person."

"A-Are you sure?" (Y/N) blinked, so confused from his attitude. "Don't you have... other things to attend to? I don't want to waste your time, or anything."

"Who's wasting whose time?" Douma laughed as he hooked an arm around her shoulder and started to lead her out of the room in a far too comfortable manner than she was used to, noticing the way the people who had taken her in had waited by the doors, and had immediately bowed as soon as they noticed their leader had exited. "I'm so bored listening to my followers prattle on about their problems and their worship of me that a change of pace is very much welcomed!"

𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐀𝐂𝐘Where stories live. Discover now