The Neutral Soul--Hozuki x Reader (Hoozuki no Reitetsu)

Chapter 1

Nine Years Later

"I hereby judge you to be sent to Black Cord Hell! May you spend your days thinking back on and repenting for your sins!"

The spirit standing before Enma screamed. He shook off his captors, fleeing in an act of pure adrenaline.

"No!" the soul cried. "I don't want to go! I don't want to!"

His head flew off his shoulders, landing on the floor with a splat. Behind him, a young woman marched forward, picking up his body and displaying it proudly.

"Look, Hozuki-san! I caught him! Do I get a treat?"

Hozuki glanced up from the scroll he was reading. "You do not get a treat, (L/N)-san. You are not a dog. Now please clean up that mess. You've gotten blood everywhere."

She pouted. "Well it's not my fault my weapon is a sword."

She handed the body to the escort demons, and skipped off to find a mop. As she did so, she heard Hozuki and Enma's voices behind her.

"(F/N)-chan has really come into her own, hasn't she?" Enma commented.

"She has," Hozuki agreed, "though I would prefer she not be so incredibly cocky."

She smirked at Hozuki's comment. It was completely true—she was cocky, but what was the point in self-doubt?

When she returned, mop and bucket in hand, she noticed some of the newer additions to the staff speaking with Hozuki: Shiro, Rurio, and Kakisuke.

"(L/N)-san!" Shiro shouted, barreling over with the rest of the Momotaro Crew. "I realized—I only just realized—"

"Calm down, Shiro-chan," (F/N) interrupted, sending a pleading look to Hozuki, who went back to reading his scrolls, "or I'll be forced to make your tail into a good luck charm."

He screamed.

Hozuki sighed. "Shiro-san, she's only joking."

The white dog perked up. "Oh, really?"

(F/N) chuckled nervously. "Anyway, what was it you wanted to talk to me about?"

"Oh, yeah! I just realized you don't have any horns!"

(F/N) put a hand on the top of your head, and looked towards Hozuki, who responded with an "Oh, did I not mention that?"

He put the scroll he was reading down, and walked towards their conversation. Shiro was rattling off a bunch of possibilities of what could have happened to them.

"Was it a witch?" he chirped. "Were they stolen?"

"They weren't stolen, Shiro-chan," (F/N) replied, patting his head. "I never had any. Though, admittedly, with all the people I hang out with, I've started imagining myself with them."

Shiro tilted his head. "Eh? So you're not a demon?"

"She is not," Hozuki confirmed. "In fact, she is one of the damned, under my care for the time being while her sentence is being decided."

"Ehhh?" Shiro exclaimed.

"W—wait a minute!" Kakisuke stammered. "Does that mean...we'll have to torture her?"

"Not you specifically," (F/N) clarified. "I never hurt any animals...just humans."

"The ten kings were split on the decision, so they were given ten extra years to come up with a verdict. In that time, she has been my responsibility. She sleeps down the hall from me, and we work together all day. I discipline her, and report any relevant information directly to the kings. Not that I've learned very much about her except that she eats copious amounts of sweets, and is obsessed with beta fish."

"Beta fish?" Shiro echoed. "Isn't that kinda like your goldfish plant obsession, Hozuki-sama? It sort of sounds like you were made for each other. Like soul mates."

The aura in the room immediately darkened. (F/N) put her hand on the sword tucked in her obi.

"Let's kill him."

The animals screamed. Hozuki calmly raised a hand.

"That's enough, (L/N)-san. You don't want to add animal cruelty to your lineup, too, do you?"

She hesitated, and the animals ran, disappearing into a far-off hallway.

With them gone, she relaxed, lowering her hand and putting on a smile.

"You know," she murmured, partly to herself, partly to her companion. "It's been nine years since that day. Another year, and I'll be the one being tortured."

Hozuki looked as if he was about to say something, but she cut him off.

"It's okay. I've come to terms with it. Thank you for this opportunity, Hozuki-san. I appreciate it."

Then she walked off, a spring in her step, ready to clean the blood off the floor.