✝ Eight ✝

[eminent_lady]

Living here is proving to be even more difficult than I thought. It seems being sweet and pretty only goes so far to keeping demons in line, even ones nearly so drunk they have difficulty standing. I wonder, is this Hell? It seems so much like the Christian Hell in many ways, but in other ways, nothing like I would expect

Comments

[Filtered]

[inferior_lady]

... Alright. I'll be there in a minute.

[Sure enough, a few minutes later, there's a knocking on the door!]

[Filtered]

[eminent_lady]

[He opens the door. Shizu may notice what little had belonged to Matsurika--including Matsurika herself--were now conspicuously absent from Mariya's room.]

Shizu.

[He goes to a table with a chessboard set up on it. He sits on a chair and brushes his dress.]

Sit down. I'm bored.

[Filtered]

[inferior_lady]

[Shizu does notice, but doesn't say anything about it. Best not to bring up what is most likely a sore subject.]

Okay then. I suppose I could play a game or two.

[She smiles and sits. Mariya might notice that the smile seems just a little forced.]

[Filtered]

[eminent_lady]

...

[Of course he notices, but he says nothing. Instead, he moves a pawn, starting the game.]

Always willing to run head-first into defeat. You haven't changed at all, Shizu.

[no_freeloaders]

I do not believe this to be Hell, nor do I believe it to be a Netherworld, as I understand the term. Most accurately, it could be described as a world not unlike my own, but with "demons" as the dominant species, rather than humans.

[eminent_lady]

No shit, Sherlock.

Why, thank you for putting it in such a concise manner.

[no_freeloaders]

I've spent some time coming to understand the best ways to redirect the threat of demons using nonviolent methods, if you're interested.

[eminent_lady]

I am most interested.