"Huh?!"
Kaguya let out a strange sound after hearing Doma's words.
She had anticipated several reactions: hesitation, perhaps even a vow of chastity tied to his faith. She was convinced she could persuade the man of "faith" to share her resolve.
But Doma's response was utterly unexpected.
"Y… you're a eunuch?"
It was a logical assumption given the situation, but Doma immediately denied it, fully aware of how ridiculous the conclusion sounded.
"N… no, haha, I'm not a eunuch," he said, before drawing attention to Doma Jr.
The demon's member seemed ready to take on the young widow, but it was restrained by its owner's rational mind. A shame for it.
After laughing genuinely for a brief moment, Doma locked eyes with Kaguya.
The woman was clearly unsettled by the display of Doma Jr., but she skillfully masked her embarrassment.
"I've never been able to have children," he said with a nonchalant shrug.
Doma had simply taken care to prevent his followers from getting pregnant "at times" by using herbs recommended by an apothecary within the cult.
At present, he wasn't certain he had the ability to make her conceive. He was a demon, and she… a human.
Not to mention, he had heard that the author had declared the demon sterile.
Kokushibo had descendants simply because he had children before his transformation into a demon.
Muichiro was the result of that act.
As for the child Muzan was carrying during his first encounter with Tanjiro? That child was adopted, and their fate remains unknown by the end of the manga.
'Should I try? After all, there's indeed a biological compatibility issue, but demons are adept in these matters.'
Muzan himself could take the form of a woman or a child to blend perfectly into human society.
Doma assumed it might be possible to bridge the genetic gap through adjustments with each attempt.
"O… yes, I understand your doubt, but…" Kaguya clenched her teeth for a moment, then suddenly kissed Doma.
"L… let me try… as long as it takes."
Faced with such sincerity, Doma couldn't refuse the widow.
He flashed a predatory smile, briefly revealing his fangs.
He hadn't eaten a human as he might have liked, but Doma Jr. seemed satisfied.
…
Four months had passed, and Kaguya showed no signs of pregnancy.
Doma had even begun studying genetics, both for her sake and out of sheer curiosity.
After all, he now had eternal youth and needed some way to pass the time beyond training and managing the cult.
The lack of a child didn't stop Kaguya from maintaining complete control over the Hatori family and their business.
Thanks to Doma's mind-related abilities and his capacity to feed properly, his Blood Demon Art: Vanity's Paradise could influence others.
For it to work, two conditions had to be met, which Doma had discovered over the past few months:
1. Doma had to consume a small part of the target (flesh, blood, or otherwise) to use his power on them.
2. The effectiveness depended on the mental strength of both the target and Doma himself.
Naturally, Doma's rational and twisted mind gave him an overwhelming advantage over ordinary people.
As a result, the entire Hatori family fully accepted Kaguya's leadership, despite her status as a woman and former concubine.
Beyond managing the Hatori merchant group, Doma had decided to keep Kikyō by his side.
The expansion project was proceeding as planned, but the young servant remained with him. He had no desire to discuss the matter every time they met, so he relented.
The atmosphere between them had greatly improved as a result.
All of this contributed to the current state of Doma's cult: prosperity.
The number of believers was steadily growing, money was never an issue, and he no longer needed to rely on the shrine maidens for his bed, as he could simply turn to Kaguya.
As for feeding on humans? That was no longer a problem.
The final matter was trickier: Doma didn't want to manipulate his followers into making such a decision.
This led to a long deliberation, but eventually, things were settled.
Now, in the Faith of Eternal Paradise, it was possible to reach paradise more quickly: one simply had to request permission from the cult leader.
After that, the individual had to undergo a month-long evaluation to prove that this world was no longer suitable for them.
The applicant needed to convince their loved ones of their desire to leave and demonstrate their distress through clear examples.
Thus, Doma fed on individuals with suicidal tendencies, but that wasn't all: sinners deemed too corrupt were also included in his diet.
All it took was for Doma to gather enough evidence through his Vanity's Paradise ability for the individual's fate to be sealed.
…
"Doma-sama, the water lilies in the courtyard are blooming beautifully this year."
Kikyō held a few pink-purple lotus flowers, still half-bloomed, in her hands, her voice conveying genuine happiness.
Doma couldn't help but feel a slight "shame," as Kikyō had regained her original personality after being told to stay at the monastery.
She wouldn't be participating in establishing a new branch of the cult in another region.
"Oh… it's already the water lily blooming season?"
His life as a demon had already lasted six months. Doma was seated cross-legged on the altar cushion, as was his habit, smiling as he watched Kikyō arrange the flowers in a vase.
He wore a ceremonial outfit: a black base with golden trim, pale gold-striped pants, and a black cape draped over his shoulders, adding solemnity and mystery. He wasn't comfortable with his iconic manga top, so he opted for this attire.
"Indeed. Will you go admire the flowers outside, Doma-sama?" Kikyō asked with a smile.
"I won't. It's enough for Sister Kikyō to see them for me~," Doma replied in a playful tone.
Yet, he felt no true joy: the sun was forbidden to him due to his demon status.
Normally, he should have been sleeping at this hour, but he stayed active to fulfill his duties as cult leader, making him an unusual demon.
"Ah, alright…" Kikyō seemed troubled by his response and behavior.
"Doma-sama, the participants for the 'Passage' ceremony have been finalized," she quickly changed the subject, her face serious as she respectfully handed over the list of names.
"Leave it here." Doma gave the list a nonchalant glance as Kikyō set it down, then dismissed her.
'It's been a while since I went out with Doma…' she thought innocently.
But her thoughts inevitably returned to the list he had received. She didn't know the exact procedure of the "Passage" ceremony, but she clearly understood its purpose: the death of the believer.
Kikyō didn't like that Doma killed people, but she saw how desperate these individuals were.
The believers had volunteered, and after an evaluation conducted by her and Doma, those with no attachment to this world were selected.
Then… Doma personally led them to Paradise.
To outsiders, this might seem cruel from Kikyō's perspective, but the believers had chosen this path themselves. Doma had merely suggested the idea.
'I truly hope they find happiness in Paradise,'Kikyō prayed in her heart.
"Oh… I almost forgot, there's a rumor that man-eating monsters have been roaming the city at the foot of the mountain recently." Before leaving the room, Kikyō casually mentioned this important piece of information.
The young girl didn't take the stories of monsters prowling at night in search of human flesh seriously.
Yet, one such monster stood right in front of her.
"Hm?" Doma looked up, attentive to the information. He hadn't hunted in the city this month: too many human deaths would draw the attention of the Demon Slayers, which was undesirable.
"Maybe some bandits have infiltrated the city; a believer went missing last night," Kikyō said, concerned.
"Doma-sama, please don't go out at night during this time," she added in a serious tone.
"Oh my, Kikyō's worried about me? That's cute!" Doma replied, his cheek resting on his hand, a fake radiant smile on his lips.
Kikyō tried to maintain a serious posture, befitting a shrine maiden, but her efforts were in vain. She bowed slightly, then quickly left the room.
Once out of sight, Kikyō let out a sigh of relief, her cheeks slightly flushed.
The poor girl harbored feelings for a monster in human form without even realizing it.