The Demon Contract: Unseen bargains

The couple kept talking, sharing the story of their son Muzan with a mix of hope and urgency. Their strong emotions filled the air around them and Roxana.

The mother, speaking calmly but clearly scared, talked about how Muzan's entire life has been a fight against the constant threat of death that's been there since he was born. "He was so weak, barely holding on to life," she said, "but every morning he saw was proof of his strong will to live."

"Death seemed to call to him even before he was born, but somehow, he kept slipping away from its grasp, over and over."

"Muzan has struggled so much to stay here with us, every breath he takes is a win in his quiet battle," the mother said, her voice softly reflecting her husband's pain. "But now, we're afraid he's getting weaker, and we're slowly losing him to an enemy we can't see."

The father, looking intently at Roxana, continued the story, his words clearly illustrating their son's perseverance. "Every single day for Muzan was a battle, always under the cloud of his weakness. But he approached each day with bravery much beyond his age, a resolve to hold on to life, even when it seemed to be slipping away from him."

Together, their storytelling, a tapestry of memories and hopes, was laid out before Roxana, showing a picture of human strength and the love of parents.

Yet, Roxana, now far removed from the realm of human suffering and joy, observed their plight with a detached curiosity. Her transformation had not only altered her form but had also distanced her from the very essence of human emotion.

The sorrow that might once have stirred her heart now passed through her like a breeze through the branches of an ancient, immovable tree.

She was an observer, a creature of another realm, for whom the trials of the human condition had become distant echoes of a life she had once known.

Roxana listened, her gaze unflinching, showing no emotion. The name "Muzan" rang familiar in her mind, yet it was hard to pin down, like a shadow that's just beyond touch.

She dug deep into her memory, trying to figure out why the name felt known to her. However, the answer remained just out of reach, like a quiet voice drowned out by the noise of her own changes and the flood of experiences that came after.

The couple, undeterred by Roxana's silence and the alien aura that enveloped her, continued to plead their case. They spoke of Muzan's dreams, his laughter, the light of his spirit dimming with each passing day, imploring her with a fervor that spoke of their unwavering resolve to fight against the inevitable.

Roxana, her attention fixed on the intricate dance of hope and despair that played out before her, considered their request.

When Roxana finally spoke, her voice was full of the power and depth of her supernatural existence. The words that flowed from her were in the harsh, commanding language of demons, but surprisingly, the parents could understand her.

Every word she said was clear to them, even though it sounded intimidating. "I will think about your request for one day," she announced, her voice carrying a kind of authority that seemed to fill the space around them. "If I choose to help your son, you must understand—my help comes with a cost that is much more than any amount of money. I will require a thousand souls in exchange for extending your son's life by 10 years."

The shock of Roxana's request hit the couple hard, taking their breath away for a moment.

Over the next two days, Muzan was set to be examined by yet another highly regarded doctor from a distant place. However, they weren't optimistic. Their faith in conventional treatments had dwindled to the point where Roxana's proposal was their only hope.

The cost was enormous, beyond anything they could have imagined; but compared to the possibility of losing their son, nothing in the normal world seemed too high of a price. With heavy hearts but determined by their desperate situation, they agreed.

As though their agreement had called it into existence, a contract appeared before them—a demon's contract, glowing with a threatening black light that seemed to pulse with the same dark power as the Gate of the Abyss.

Roxana knew that the contract would manifest, but the specific workings of how it came into being were unknown to her. The lambskin scroll, though seemingly insubstantial, bore the weight of a thousand worlds, its very essence a bridge between the human and the demonic.

Written in the eldritch script of the demon language, the contract was nevertheless comprehensible to them, a testament to the power it wielded. It clearly outlined the terms of their agreement leaving no room for any misunderstanding.

"If you're interested, I can add another part to our agreement," Roxana proposed, her expression intense, "I can extend Muzan's life beyond the 10 years... but at a steep price.

Each year, I will treat him directly or indirectly, adding one more year to his life beyond the initial 10. However, for every extra year beyond those granted by my first intervention, he will owe me an additional favor. I will decide what this favor entails, and it will be due annually."

"But don't worry. I'll arrange things so that Muzan won't even be aware of my existence as a demon or that he owes me anything. I'll collect my part of the bargain from him subconsciously."

The parents took a moment, feeling the weight of Roxana's proposal hanging in the air. The possibility of Muzan not just surviving but also flourishing with each passing year shone like a light in their darkness.

But this glimmer of hope was tied to an unpredictable future where Muzan would be at the mercy of this demon, a creature with unknown and perhaps incomprehensible desires.

They fully grasped the cleverness behind Roxana's suggestion. It was a strategic move, guaranteeing her a lasting impact on Muzan's life well beyond a mere rescue. Every additional year he lived would underscore her dominance and remind them of their perpetual debt to her.

Nevertheless, after a brief period of thought, their resolve was firm. The opportunity for Muzan to experience more of life, to witness another daybreak, to draw another breath, was worth more than the potential burden of hidden obligations in the future. 

"Every year he lives is a gift," the father said softly, his wife expressing her agreement with a firm nod. The chance for Muzan to have a long life, something they once feared might never happen, was a risk they were ready to take.

Feeling both the weight and the hope of their decision, they accepted Roxana's conditions. The contract, sensing their agreement, shone with a dark light as the additional clause integrated into its terms.

The conditions were set, but surprisingly, one crucial detail escaped the parents' notice: they were never actually part of the contract. This agreement was solely between Roxana and Muzan, with the parents merely acting as intermediaries.

The contract disappeared, its job done, leaving a tense atmosphere and a silent vow of a future brimming with both hope and ambiguity. Roxana, her agreement with Muzan now binding and their destinies linked, looked towards the horizon, her eyes gleaming with a playful mischief.

"Well then," she pondered aloud, her tone light and inquisitive, "let's see what this alternate world has in store. I'm curious about the adventures that lie ahead and what chaos I can stir up here."