The Ice Demon wondered if he wasn't dealing with Veldora disguised as Muzan, after observing the Demon King's enthusiasm while flipping through dubious articles in his mind.
'Should I hide my memories related to hentai and that stuff? No, that would be suspicious at this point.'
Doma could only hope that Muzan would quickly tire of this novelty.
After the departure of the demon ancestor, all the demons had wasted no time returning to their territories.
Doma decided to linger a bit, wanting to remind Akaza of his future fate as his subordinate.
"Akaza, you can now call me Doma-sama~"
Doma emphasized Akaza's name without honorifics, stressing the "sama" in his own, before flashing a smile.
Upper Moon 3 clenched his teeth but chose to leave, ignoring the provocation.
He had already experienced conversations with Doma and preferred to avoid unnecessary humiliation. After all, he was better with his fists than with words.
"Oh… you're leaving me already? I thought you'd want to celebrate my victory with Kokushibo-sama over a cup of tea," Doma said, stepping into Akaza's path. "Isn't it interesting? A gathering among comrades~"
Noticing that the word "comrades" made a vein bulge on Akaza's temple, the Ice Demon decided to memorize this detail, much to the latter's misfortune.
"Move, or else…" A dangerous aura emanated from Upper Moon 3.
The tension rose, but Doma didn't flinch at Akaza's behavior.
He knew his actions would violate the rules set by Muzan, an act that wouldn't please a certain someone nearby.
"Akaza…"
Like Doma before him, Kokushibo called Upper Moon 3 directly by his name, imposing a raw and clear hierarchy.
He walked slowly toward them, his hand never leaving his katana.
"Doma is now your superior," he continued, positioning himself just behind Doma.
A gesture to clearly show his support for the new Upper Moon 2.
"If your superior invites you to a gathering, can you arbitrarily refuse? Can you threaten him?" Kokushibo's words were clear: Doma had invited Akaza, and the latter couldn't refuse without a valid reason beyond his own desires.
"…I have important training," Akaza muttered, offering a flimsy excuse, ready to leave with Nakime's help.
"I see… training is indeed important, but…" Kokushibo's slow, imposing voice stopped him in his tracks.
The strongest demon after Muzan paused before continuing:
"It's not a reason to undermine the prestige of an Upper Moon," he said, looking at the duo. This time, he wasn't addressing only Akaza but also Doma.
Kokushibo was drawing a clear line against the pranks or abuses of power Doma planned to perpetrate in the Infinity Castle after his newfound authority.
Upper Moon 1 was already aware of Nakime's fate over the past ten years but turned a blind eye to Doma's actions.
He had noticed the subtle change in the biwa demon's somber music and found it pleasant to hear.
That's why Kokushibo tolerated him, but Akaza was different.
He was a demon with great potential, and Kokushibo didn't want Doma to interfere with his training.
It could be positive, as it was for Nakime, but there was always a risk.
Kokushibo didn't want to jeopardize Muzan's interests with such a risky gamble.
"Okay, okay, I'm not forcing anyone to have tea with Kokushibo-sama and me."
Kokushibo looked at Doma as if he were staring at a madman.
'Since when did I agree to this idea? And is he still talking about my tea?'
Upper Moon 1 narrowed his six eyes at the Ice Demon but ultimately decided to follow Doma to this "gathering."
After all, his training wasn't going anywhere.
—bam
The sounds of the biwa echoed as Akaza left with other Upper and Lower Moons.
Only Kokushibo, Doma, and Nakime remained.
"Hey! You're still here, Nakime-chan? I knew you'd want to share more of your musical time with me after my promotion. Especially since it's nicer to have tea with music," Doma said, nodding as if he were starting to understand Nakime's intentions.
The biwa demon wanted to retort, but Doma grabbed her pale hands and dragged her toward Kokushibo's quarters.
'Have my quarters become a party venue?'Kokushibo thought.
Unfortunately, Kokushibo was a man of decorum and principle. Once Doma was in his quarters, he simply couldn't kick him out.
That would be rude.
…
"Damn, i-it's already dawn?"
After his victory over Yuri, he had decided to celebrate at Kokushibo's.
Unfortunately, the demon didn't eat ordinary human food.
Doma really wanted a barbecue, but the idea of grilling human flesh… was too bold.
So, he settled for music and karaoke with Nakime, who was clearly reluctant.
Fortunately, she complied under Doma's insistence and Kokushibo's curiosity.
Upper Moon 1 was intrigued to hear Nakime's voice in a song.
"Well, I'll just go check on Kikyo-chan."
Now, his priority was to check on Kikyo's health.
The two had spent years together, and the priestess's condition had stirred a certain fleeting unease in him.
He had started to realize the importance of this woman to him and didn't want to lose her.
Yet, she remained human… their lives were short.
'Luckily, my vector power can last longer under the sun. I'll be able to spend more time with them all,'he thought, picturing Kaguya and Kikyo with Mori.
At first, he could only withstand the sun for a few seconds, but in a few months, he had reached five minutes.
Now, Doma could stay under the sun for up to thirty minutes, thanks to the regular use of his vector power over ten years.
He could push further, but the Ice Demon preferred to avoid risks, especially since he was greatly weakened in that state due to the concentration required.
After all, he wasn't a monster like Accelerator from Toaru no Index.
Back when Accelerator hadn't suffered a head injury, he could keep his power active 24/7 without issue.
After his injury, it took the computational power of thousands of clones to use his ability at a level close to his peak.
A true monster.
But Doma planned to reach that level of control over his vector power, thanks to his longevity and the Blood Demon Art: Paradise of Vanity.
'For now, it's already hard to use it and move at the same time without disrupting my control over the senses of things.'
Using vector power on a part of the body during combat was fundamentally different from applying it to the entire body to repel sunlight particles.
The scale of control required was immense.
"Huh? The door's open…" he said as he entered the patient's room.
Kikyo was there, but she wasn't alone. Yuruzu was by her side but quickly stood to greet Doma before leaving.
She seemed agitated.
Doma narrowed his eyes at the scene but chose to ignore Kaguya's schemes.
He had already noticed that Mori and she had been increasing their influence since his official retreat from power.
But after all… they would all die sooner or later, and Doma knew he would be the sole survivor.
Even Yoriichi hadn't managed to defeat time as a human.
As a character in a manhwa once said: the strongest is the last one standing.
Mori and his mother's political games didn't interest him, as he led a chill life with them.
'Anyway, Taiga will just give the kid a spanking if he keeps it up. Of course, I'll do the same with Kaguya~'he thought, satisfied with his solution.
Doma took a seat next to Kikyo. "Are you already healed? Normally, you should be, since I dealt with the root of the problem," he said in an honest tone.
Yet, Kikyo simply stared at the ceiling, paying no attention to Doma.
The silence lingered for a moment before the young woman finally spoke: "D… Doma, do you hate me?" she said, looking at him.
The priestess's action seemed ordinary, but Doma noticed two things at that moment: a letter hidden by Kikyo and her eyes filled with doubt and uncertainty toward herself and Doma.
It didn't take a genius to understand that Kaguya planned to eliminate her only true rival for Doma.
"Haha, me? Hate you, Kikyo-chan…" Doma said, calling her name affectionately, but the abyss in his eyes remained active.
There was no salvation possible for him.
Emotional surges were never permanent, and they would never allow him to have a normal relationship with a woman.
That's why Doma had kept Kaguya and distanced Kikyo. One wanted a child, and Doma couldn't maintain his position as cult leader.
He also wanted a successor, and a lineage like Kokushibo's was the best option.
Thus, their goals were somewhat aligned.
But Kikyo was different from a project like Mori or a symbiotic relationship like Kaguya's.
"A… then why?" Tears began to stream down her face as she fixed her gaze on Doma's multicolored eyes.
The priestess's soft, pale hands clenched into small fists before she threw herself into Doma's arms.
'It's cold… b-but it's nice,'she thought, holding him as if she didn't want him to disappear.
"I… I just can't love you."
Doma's words were like a sword, piercing the priestess, but she chose to hold on to him.
Doma quickly realized that expressing himself verbally would be foolish in this situation.
So, he grasped the priestess's small shoulders and did something he hadn't thought he'd do with Kikyo.
"W-What are you doing, Doma-sama?!" the priestess's voice was muffled.
Doma kissed Kikyo and used Paradise of Vanity to let her know everything about him, except for the Earth and Muzan.
For Kikyo, Doma was and would remain a cursed man.
It wasn't a lie, but it wasn't the whole truth. Still, it was enough.
Yet, things didn't go as Doma had planned or speculated.
Kikyo wasn't afraid of the dark abyss in his mind, his rationality, or the weight of a possible eternity on Doma's shoulders.
The woman pitied him. She cupped Doma's face like a chalice as he tried to pull away and kissed him of her own accord.
Afterward, she locked eyes with his multicolored gaze, displaying a smile Doma had never seen before.
Kikyo's expression wasn't seductive or enchanting, but it held a charm unknown to Doma.
A certain innocence, despite her status as a mature woman.
"Immortality? Insensitivity? … I-I don't care. I've loved and will always love all of Doma-sama… If the cult's doctrine is true, then I'll be reincarnated, and I'll remain yours for eternity."
Doma didn't know it yet, but tears were streaming down his multicolored eyes.
The man was gone.
There was only the demon seeking permanent emotions, but at that moment…
Jay had completely overwhelmed the abyss in Doma's heart, and he was able to love Kikyo.
The experience was brief, but it represented something Kaguya had never achieved.
Doma loved.
Something unknown even to Jay until now.