There was a demon in the village of Northwood. Lusya noticed that before anything else as they neared the small settlement. A powerful demon. Stronger than the one she had fought in the Elzen Valley. It might have been among the strongest demons Lusya had ever encountered.
Of course, she had grown stronger since that encounter. She had achieved her Full Release, and she had found that she was now much more powerful even when she was not using it. The demon she had fought back then would never be able to defeat her if they fought now, as impossible as that was.
This demon, however, might pose a challenge. It might have been able to put up a fight against Mother, even, though Lusya doubted it would stand any chance of winning.
And yet, there was no sign of trouble. Farmers tended their fields. The other villagers milled around. There were not many outside, but that was to be expected given the cold. As far as Lusya could tell, most were inside, sitting by fires she could see glowing in their windows. If they were in danger, they had a bizarre way of showing it. The few humans who were out likewise did not seem distressed in any way.
The demon itself had not moved either. It had stayed in one spot since she had arrived, surrounded by several mortals. There was no indication of a struggle, or of the demon being aware of her presence. It did not move to run or confront her though it was impossible that it had not sensed her. How peculiar.
“What’s the matter?” Ariya asked. She glanced around and lowered her voice. “Is there a demon?”
Lusya nodded. “Yes. There is. Within the village. We will go investigate.”
“We?” Ariya exclaimed, her eyes sparkling.
“You will stay behind me and hide if I tell you to,” Lusya said. “But it is safer for you to come with me than for me to leave you unsupervised.”
That was not universally true, but it was best to assume it was true here until proven otherwise. And they did not know enough about this village to prove otherwise. So far, all they knew was that the populace seemed completely at ease with a high-rank demon among them. That might not have meant anything. In fact, it was probable that they didn’t know. But there were also several possibilities that would put a young human girl in danger.
The villagers may have been demon worshipers or sympathizers. The demon may have subjugated the village. That was not unheard of, even in tranquil ages, though such conquests did not often last long without the backing of a Demon King and a unified army. That idea was perhaps contrary to the villagers’ calm, but, depending on how the demon behaved and how long it had been here, they may have simply acclimated, or they may have been instructed to act normally. There could also have been signs of distress Lusya was missing. She was not the most dept at reading others’ emotions, after all.
Regardless of the details, in any of those cases, how safe Ariya would be around the villagers was likely dependent on the how the demon had instructed them to treat outsiders, and there was no way to know that. It may have wanted outsiders killed or treated nicely and sent on their way none the wiser to what was happening. Being affiliated with the Demon King might help Lusya and Ariya. Or it might make things worse. And Lusya couldn’t very well go advertising that fact without knowing what the circumstances were.
This was all premature, though. She needed to investigate the situation before making any decisions.
She headed for the demon with Ariya in tow. Some of the mortals around the demon had left now, but many were still there. In fact, they clung rather closely to the demon. None of them had faded, however, nor was there any other sign they were hurt or fighting.
There were no screams, no banging or breaking. No smoke or signs of motomancy. Nor any sign of a Demon Blade’s attacks. The village was as peaceful as it could be. Lusya needed to ascertain why that was now. She scooped Ariya up and ran toward the demon. Always happy to be carried, Ariya whooped in excitement rather than protest.
Finally, they arrived at a place where two roads running through the village met. The demon was there, standing in the center of the intersection. He took the form of a young man with dark violet colored hair and golden eyes, and he was surrounded by a teeming mass of children. They were shouting at him, but it was not in fear or pain, only anticipation and perhaps a bit of impatience.
“I’m next!”
“No, I am!”
“No, it’s my turn!”
“All right, all right, there’s enough for everyone,” the demon said with laughter in his voice, holding a paper bag out of their reach. He chuckled and looked at one boy. “Hey, you already got one. Don’t be selfish. Go on, out of line with you.”
The boy groaned and and squirmed his way out of the crowd. It was not a line. There was no semblance of order to it whatsoever.
“Now, let’s see, I believe you were next,” the demon said.
He plucked something out of the bag. It was spherical and wrapped in paper, making it difficult to identify at first. He handed it to another boy, who quickly unwrapped it, giving Lusya less than a second to get of a glimpse of it before he shoved it in his mouth.
It was a type of candy, made from hardened sugar, sometimes mixed with other flavors. This kind of treat tended to be rather expensive, though not prohibitively so.
Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.
Ariya gasped. “Candy! Lusya, can I have some?”
“We do not know if it is safe,” Lusya said.
It might have been poisoned or otherwise tampered with. Hardly out of the realm of possibility with a high-rank demon. That, or he might have been using it to gain the villagers’s trust before striking. In which case the candy would be safe for Ariya, and the matter was not an issue as long as they left before that happened. Lusya had intended to stay the night here, but it would be no great loss.
Of course, it was not impossible that this was as benign as it appeared, but it was unlikely. He would not have been the first demon to figure out a way to live among mortals, but to live in such peace among them was almost unheard of. Those who were able to blend in tended to find ways to vent their violent impulses that were socially acceptable but still earned them a reputation as ruffians. Hardly the type to hand out candy to children, nor the type children would flock to if one did. Most such demons also chose the cities, where they were less liable to stand out. And, of course, their efforts usually only lasted for so long, whether because their chosen way of venting was no longer enough, or because they were discovered.
“I assure you, the only thing wrong with my candy is that it’s a little on the cheap side,” he said. “No need to worry.”
He grinned at her. Though almost indistinguishable from a reltus, his smile revealed that his canines took the form of elongated fangs. They were subtle enough, however, that they were not likely to be noticed unless one was looking for signs that he was a demon.
“I will not simply take your word for it,” she replied.
He shrugged. “Suit yourself. It’s pretty tasty.”
He continued handing it out to the village children. Although they looked numerous swarming around him, there was only around two dozen of them in this tiny village, and it did not take him long to finish his distribution.
Lusya stayed and watched for any sign of duplicity. He was too strong for her to let her guard down and leave only because he did not appear dangerous at first glance. The children cleared out as each received their allotted piece. Ariya watched each one go with wide eyes, her lips drawn into a thin line—puckering and quivering more with every child that left, as if keeping them shut took tremendous effort—perhaps to hold back the bit of drool that dribbled out the one time she opened her mouth. Then, at last, only Lusya, Ariya, and the demon remained in the intersection.
“Can I please have one?” Ariya asked, bouncing on the balls of her feet as she stared up at Lusya. “They look really tasty. Like a sugary rainbow!”
Lusya did not understand the connection between those thoughts, but now was hardly the time to probe the matter.
“I will consider it if the other children are well come evening,” she replied. “If he is still around.”
“I’m not leaving at least until morning,” the demon said as he approached them. He took another candy out of the bag and popped it into his own mouth, crunching loudly on it. “And there are a few left, if either of you want one.”
The fact that he ate one was encouraging, but not definitive proof of its safety. Motomancers and demons did have some resistance to poison, and his sheer size could make a substantial difference depending on what and how much he was using.
“It’s perfectly safe,” he said. “But I can’t blame your caution. Most of our kind haven’t earned such easy trust, unfortunately.”
“No, they have not,” she replied.
“Then I’ll save one for your little friend, until you’re comfortable with her having one,” he said.
Ariya huffed. “I’m not that little.”
The demon chuckled and looked Lusya over. “You’re Romoro and Azure’s daughter, aren’t you? I knew those two would get together. Can’t imagine it lasted long, though.”
Lusya tilted her head slightly. “How do you know that?”
“It’s pretty obvious?” the demon replied, cocking an eyebrow. “You look like your mother with your father’s colors. Sorry about your old man. How’s your mother doing?”
“Well, last I saw her,” Lusya said. “Your condolences are appreciated. How did you know them?”
“We crossed paths a bit over twenty years ago now,” the demon replied.
“You remember my mother’s face merely from crossing paths?”
He chuckled again. “It was a little more complicated than that. Besides, I have a good memory, and twenty years doesn’t feel like long when you’ve lived as long as I have.”
“And how long is that?” she asked.
Strictly speaking, a demon could live forever as long as they were not killed in battle. However, few lived longer than a human could, and even fewer longer than a reltus. Even those who resisted putting themselves in danger with their combative nature would eventually be hunted down.
“I think that’s best saved for another time,” he replied with a grin.
She blinked. “You are quite evasive.”
“You don’t trust me,” he said with a shrug. “Why should I trust you?”
“He has a point,” Ariya said. “Fair is fair.” She beamed at the demon. “But Lusya’s super trustworthy. She’s awesome!”
She was right. If Lusya was suspicious of this demon, then he had every right to be suspicious of her. Of course, that still left them at something of an impasse. Lusya still did not know his intentions. If he became hostile while she and Ariya were in this village, it could prove troublesome. Perhaps leaving this village was the best course of action.
“Smart girl,” the demon said. “You’re name’s Lusya, is it? I’m Beldo.”
“I see,” she replied.
“Look, I would prefer we trust each other,” Beldo said, extending a hand. “Truce?”
She glanced at his hand. “I will not shake that. But I am not opposed to barring hostilities. However, I have no means of ensuring you keep your word.”
“I guess you’ll just have to trust me,” he said. “Tell you what, as a gesture of good will, I’ll pay for your stay at the inn. And your friend can have two candies.”
Ariya gasped. “Let’s do it, Lusya, please?”
“We cannot trust a strange demon so readily,” she said.
“But I want the candy!”
“Do you want the candy badly enough to die?”
Ariya pouted and looked at the ground. “No.”
“How about this, then?” Beldo said. “I will pay for your stay at the inn, and leave town. That way, you’ll have plenty of warning when I’m coming back. If I plan to burn this place to the ground or sneaking back and killing everyone in their sleep, you’ll be ready. And when those kids turn out fine, you’ll know it wasn’t because I slipped them an antidote or something after I got caught. Sound good?”
Lusya cocked her head and blinked twice. “That arrangement is satisfactory, but I am uncertain why you would go to such lengths to earn the trust of someone you have never met before and will likely never see again.”
“That,” he replied, “is another matter for another time. Shall we go to the inn?”
“Wait!” Ariya shouted, waving a hand in the air. “Do I still get the candies?”
He smiled. “As soon as your guardian approves, to make up for the wait, you shall have three candies, Miss…?”
“Ariya,” Lusya said. “And you will not give her more than two. It will disrupt her nutrition.”
Ariya groaned. “But Lusya!”
“My decision is final,” Lusya said. She looked to Beldo. “You seem familiar with this village. Lead the way to the inn. And know that I will not show mercy to one who breaks his word.”