"Saya!"

A soft yelp escaped the tan-skinned demon's lips as she sat up with her forehead covered in sweat and a lingering feeling in her heart. Yuriko felt as if she had lived her worst nightmare. Her family mansion butchered, her husband killed and revived into a mindless monster and she herself had turned into one of them, alas, with her consciousness intact to slowly sink into the despair of ever-present hunger to devour human's flesh and soak herself in their blood.

Looking around, she immediately saw her bare body with the thin sheet already slipping, instantly, with a mind-numbing speed, she pulled the sheet back up and finally found herself present in front of a couple.

The youth looked a little familiar, but her mind was still preoccupied with various thoughts that stemmed out of her own confusion and the warm feeling slowly encroaching her nether regions due to the sweet scent from the same youth that looked familiar.

'Shizuka... how do you deal with patients that are extremely confused?'

Shizuka looked at the pink-haired demon with a soft smile while conveying her words into Nik's mind.

'Knock them out until they understand the situation.'

'Oof.'

Nik sighed and converged his [Pheromone Illusion] over to Yuriko to calm her down as her tensed expression visibly eased while her scent started to grow. Meanwhile, Yuriko finally felt a soothing sensation that helped her calm down before she realised that what she lived wasn't a nightmare, but her new reality.

Looking at Nik with her palms clutching onto the sheet, Yuriko took a deep breath before speaking softly.

"There are... many things I am unclear about. But the fact that you saved me is not unclear to me.

Thank you, young warrior."

"Please, call me Nik."

He smiled and then took a moment before replying.

"I suppose... our conversation should start after you are in a proper attire." Nik looked at the set of clothes already prepared for Yuriko should she ever wake up and finally looked at her.

"I will be waiting outside the room... please, do not commit anything stupid due to your fears. We don't have any intention to harm you."

Nik stated softly and extended his hand as Yuriko visibly flinched. Not minding her situation, Nik once again commenced the process of bestowal and the moment Yuriko felt a stream of warm energy filling her up, her eyes widened and she nodded after a moment's hesitation.

Finally, Nik left with Shizuka as Yuriko was left in the room with her own devices. Finally, she sighed and stood up as the thin sheet slid down her body, revealing her tan-skin and perfectly sculpted body with little to no extra flabbiness she used to have. The transformation felt too empowering. Her previously smooth milky skin had transformed into a tanned, healthy tone, and... she touched her own breasts and found them perkier, more elastic than she ever had even at the prime of her life.

'The worst part is... I don't feel sad...'

Something had changed within her. After dying with the demon's hand piercing into her abdomen and ripping her guts out, she had somewhat lost her humanity. Although, the revival process did make her a living being again, the image of her own demonic husband's death brought no more emotions.

It was only her daughter's image within her mind that kept her sane and also the continuous warm sensation in her body which originated from the youth, a type of energy far different than she obtained after drinking her first blood.

***

"So? What do you think we should do with her?"

Saeko had returned with a flushed face, but still asked with a steeled calm. 

"What we should do? Didn't you say that her daughter is alive? We should take her there." Nik shrugged and immediately gained glares from Shizuka and Saeko.

"Even though we are a little less restraint against a demon—"

"Spare me the talk." Nik smiled a wolfish grin and pointed at himself.

"Fighting a demon that threatens your safety is what nature is all about. Killing an unarmed is what society's justice is all about. 

Helping a lady is what my existence is all about."

Before Saeko could speak, Nik pursued, "I did not want to break the hypocrisy of the situation but... if demon massacre the innocents, it is mostly done out of hunger, sometimes, malice. 

But, if you are going to point out that the demons are evil, then that means I, too, am. If humans are the representation of justice, then the myriad rapists, slave traders and corrupt nobles are one, too."

The duo immediately grimaced while remaining speechless. How could they not know the hypocrisy of their existence? But even then, the duo did not like giving a demon such freedom. 

They just weren't able to after what they have gone through.

"I am not saying that..." Nik whispered and took both of their hands into his palms and kissed them softly.

"... the world should be looked with a calm rationale...

I am asking you both a favor—"

"Yea, yea!" Saeko finally cut him and leaned down to peck Nik's forehead as she whispered softly.

"I guess I can make some leeway for you. But it isn't a favor. Nothing I do is a favor to others. 

I do things because I want to do it."

"On that note, Saeko is correct."

Shizuka whispered sourly and finally heaved a sound sigh before turning her heels.

"I need some time alone."

Nik nodded in understanding. Nobody in this world could have a happy past, not after joining the ranks of demon slayers. Saeko looked at Shizuka's receding figure and sighed softly.

"You better make up to sis later."

"You bet, I will."

Nik nodded as the door of the room clicked open, revealing a thinly clothed Yuriko whose eyes immediately widened when she saw Saeko, making her jump at the Raven-haired beauty while clasping her hands.

"You know about my clan, right? Then you must also know of my daughter!

Please, tell me she is safe! Please!"

"Uh, yeah! She is safe, alright. Calm yourself down."

Saeko spoke while easily overpowering the newbie demon and looking at Nik with an impassive expression.

'Aren't you lucky, she is a mother.'

Her snort rang deep into his mind as she was visibly upset by Yuriko's buxom body that had its own slender feel similar to Shizuka's as she turned her heels towards Shizuka's room, wanting to share her own newfound sadness with the Blonde sis.

"Your name is Yuriko... Takagi, right? Please follow me."

Nik smiled and led the visibly relieved lady to the dining room for the guests as multiple dishes were cooked immediately and placed in front of the most recent guest, who only stared at the food for a few moments before looking at Nik, whose appetite had already grown by a lot after training his Hamon.

"I can't eat this." Yuriko stated with a sad expression before eyeing Nik's succulent skin with a glint in her eyes as the warmth around her nether regions flared once again, making her snap out of her reverie.

"I would also like to apologise once again for my inappropriate behaviour." Yuriko whispered as she lowered her head. The taste of Nik's skin still remained etched within her tongue, constantly making her wonder what his blood would taste like.

"I don't mind." Nik smiled back and pulled back the sleeves of his Yukata, revealing his vascular forearm.

"My blood, I don't mind sharing it. But, it comes at a cost. But let's not delve into such topic. I want to know more about Muzan."

A frown finally touched her brows as Nik continued calmly.

"By now, you should already be aware of the fact that you do not have a need for Human's blood to sustain yourself. I can do it without any of that stuff. 

But, the fact remains that even after you were revived... if that is what truly happened, you and that lower moon demon were still under Muzan's delicate control.

Through his blood."

"Then now—"

"It's broken. The control that is. If I have to give a reason then I guess Muzan is able to control each demon through his blood, maybe a telepathic ability, but the moment I infused my own energy into you, that link was ripped apart."

"But I still feel the urge to..." Yuriko shook her head and sighed deeply while Nik nodded in understanding.

"A human can sustain on bread while wishing for meat. The situation is similar, and easily controllable. Even with the urge, you remain sane, that is a fact. 

So, aside from the most basic composition, you are not much different from Human beings."

Nik grinned and ate happily while Yuriko took a moment to digest all the information and theories Nik posed as a soft smile finally touched her lips. Unknowingly, a single teardrop rolled down her cheek, making her lips quiver.

"I... am glad..."

Yuriko whispered and remained silent for the next few minutes until Nik also finished the dishes placed in front of Yuriko.

Beauties and Food should not be wasted! Ever!

"Now, let's go!"

Nik stood up and clapped his hands, attracting Yuriko's attention while stating.

"I need a favor from you, Yuriko... you don't mind me calling you by name, do you?"

Shaking her head, Yuriko stood and exhaled softly.

"No, that is the last thing I would mind about. Of course, you wouldn't mind me calling you just Nik, right?"

Nik's grin was the only answer she needed as Nik looked at her body from head to toe, making Yuriko feel weird for her extraordinary senses finally felt something within Nik's gaze aside from his boundless lust that seemed as natural as the boundless seas in the world.

"Well, I would like to make a trade for your blood."