The Veil

Chapter # 36

His eyes glowed beneath his locks of raven hair, his lips were stretched in a smile that didn't match the glint behind his blood-red irises.
(Name) cautiously took a step back, she didn't like the emotions wafting off of the man at all.

"No need to be scared, (nickname)." He spoke, his voice smug.

"I'm not scared of you."

"If you are not scared of me, that's just plain stupid on your behalf." His hands were tied behind his back and his chin held up high, looking down at her.

"Okay... Look I didn't mean to disturb you at all, I'm just looking for someone in the prison realm. If you'll be kind enough to point the direction where I can find that person." She explained, hoping that this man might help her in her journey. Even though she didn't trust him, he knew everything about her so he must know where Satoru was being held.

"I know who you are looking for."

"Of course, you do." She said, her voice parched of any emotion.

"It's your husband, Satoru Gojo. The one who inherited six eyes." His eyes were fixated on the book he was holding.

"Right, so tell me where he is. You said you owned this place right? You must know where he is imprisoned."

"Yes, I do know."

"So, mind telling me?"

He turned to face her, "everything comes with a price, (Name)."

"A price? I'm sorry but I have nothing of value on me right now."

He made a sound of approval, "exactly."

"So, you are not gonna tell me where he is?"

"As I said, pay the price. A tic for tat, a soul for a soul." He smiled, "I'm guessing you don't walk around with soul baggage on you."

(Name) assessed the weight behind his words, he was asking for a soul but not any soul, he was asking for her soul.
"So that's it?"

"Yes," he answered, "but you see, I've taken a quite liking to you, so it'll be a shame if I don't offer a discount."

She looked curious so he continued, "the discount is that I will not take your soul as long as you stay here for the next three days."

(Name) smelled treachery, he had an alternative motive behind his offer.
"You expect me to believe that?"

"I do." He said, "at the third day, you'll find your husband by your side."

(Name) narrowed her eyes, looking at him, "well, if you don't like this discount offer, we can go with the original offer." 

"Even if I do accept your offer, how are we gonna keep track of time here, the concept of time is none existent here in the prison realm."

"You don't need to fret over that detail, darling, I'll take care of that." He said, his voice dripping with sweetness that might be sweeter than anything Satoru liked, "I assume you accept my offer."

(Name) tapped her chin, "alright, but I expect you to keep your word."

"I'm a demon of my word, (Name)."

She was lounging on a pile of paper with a book in her hand, the library offered every single publication and manuscript known to mankind.
She considered doing some research on the subject of very powerful curses known to mankind and their vessels.
She was expecting to find some information on Sukuna. But most of the scripts on him were either exaggerated to the point where it was impossible to separate the truth from lies. Or written as a fairytale to scare children at night into sleeping early.

"I see, you want to learn more about Ryomen Sukuna."

"I assume you already know why?" She answered.

"They only wrote about his life after becoming a curse." The man set down beside her, "they make him out to be a bloodthirsty and human-eating scoundrel, who does everything for his carnal pleasure."

"That's exactly what he is."

"Oh no," he spoke, "the story runs deeper than that. Does anyone know what life he lived before being doomed to becoming an anomaly, who isn't human but not a curse either."

"But does it matter?" Her voice was stern, "the horrors he inflicted on innocents by any means cannot have repentance just because he might have had a shitty life before."

He laughed, "of course, it doesn't. Not everything is black and white as much as your righteous mind believes it to be the only explanation for the evil in your world."

"You think I don't know that? Just because you live here and read about humans to pass the time because you don't have anything else to do, doesn't mean you should be preaching to someone who has had first-hand experience with the evil in my world has to offer."

"Eh? but I have experience with your world."

"Then tell me, Chisima, why do people hurt the ones they claim to love, why do we as humans are so obsessed with fame and fortune?"

"Love is a fleeting emotion, dear, today you are in love with someone and the next you are not. While, in the puny human brain, fame and fortune is internal." He was looking ahead, His eyes held a faraway emotion in them, "just as your husband might claim to love you today, he might fall for someone new tomorrow."

(Name) immediately answered, "he wouldn't do that."

"How are you so sure? I know everything about everyone. He doesn't have a charming record in relationships."

"I know that because..."

"Because?" He smiled mischievously at her, "because he said he loved you?"

She fell silent, "don't tell me... He never even told you he loved you, did he?"
She didn't have an answer for that, she couldn't remember him ever telling her he loved her.

"You know, (Name), you are so foolish. Risking your life for a man who doesn't love you, how come you've become so desperate for something that wasn't even there to begin with?" He stood beside her, looking down at her small frame. The clouds of uncertainties were looming over her, he smirked, "you know what, (Name), I offer you a free way out of this realm, without a price. But you'll be alone. Or you can always stay here without any worry of the mortal world."
He walked away, he made sure to look back at her, "deep down, even you know the love you deserve isn't by the side of the six eyes."

Author's note:
Oh no, (Name) questioning her loyalty to Satoru? Or questioning his loyalty to her?

For anyone wondering, Chisima's name is derived from two Japanese words that are translated to 'knowledge' and 'demon'. So basically, he is said to be a demon who is a knowledge hoarder.

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Bye~