The eternal torment of inescapable past

While Shin slept, Tetsu slept, too. She didn't dream; instead, her consciousness was pulled away by a bigger force. No matter how she clung to both of her bodies—demonic and human—her efforts were useless.

Tetsu opened her eyes in the Court of Words.

It was almost empty today—all the lesser demons gathered for summoned humans were gone, and half of the thrones were vacant.

Tetsu barely remembered the demons that were left—she barely remembered a lot of things now. But she could never forget the ugly face of the demon on the most opulent throne.

The king without a title, wearing a crown of his own horns, the longest of which was still stained with Tetsu's blood.

He grinned at her mockingly.

"We meet again, my trophy. Did you miss me?"

Tetsu clenched her fists, and her carapace rippled and grew rows upon rows of sharp spikes. Her only comfort was the feeling of her savior's soul next to her own.

These demons couldn't harm her anymore. For Tetsu, this was nothing more than a dream, even if things said and seen in it were real.

"I'm not your trophy anymore, so don't call me that!" she hissed, not holding back. "I will tear you into pieces so tiny, I won't have to chew them when I eat you! And then, I will make paintings out of guts of your worshipers, until—"

"Enough of that!" another demon lord snapped. "We didn't come to listen to deranged ranting."

Tetsu snarled at him, too.

"That's right," the horn-crowned demon said. "My trophy, I am still above you, and will always be—and so I can call you whatever I want. Now sit and listen, if you want what's good for you AND your Contractor."

It was only the mention of her savior that made Tetsu pause. She bit her tongue until it bled to keep silent.

"I've seen summoned humans flee, fight and cower in fear so far—but yours have been especially vicious. He killed even one of his own tribe!" The horn-crowned demon chuckled. "The betrayal, the twinge of guilt—it was such a delight to see. We need more of this!"

"More! More! Let them destroy each other!" other demon lords echoed. Their eyes shone with the same sadistic glee.

It would've been easy to join them if Tetsu wasn't so angry.

Finally, demons calmed down, and the horn-crowned demon spoke again.

"Yes… the world got so much livelier since all those people were summoned. I don't know if it's because of them or because of the ascension of a new god, but why won't we find out, trophy? There's another summoned human not far from yours. Kill him, and you will get a reward. I have plenty of trinkets that I can share for the occasion."

"I don't need your charity!" Tetsu spat.

"Then maybe your human does. Just tell him what I said. Your target can be found around the Shinkushio Art Gallery."

When Tetsu felt the hold of the Court on her consciousness slipping, she went back to her body with relief.

***

Shin woke up in the morning with that twinge of hope again. A hope that his recent adventures were just a dream, which shattered as soon as he opened his eyes.

Tetsu was sitting on his nightstand, with her knees drawn to her chest, strangely quiet. She didn't move, even when Shin rubbed his eyes and sat up. He remembered moving from the couch to his bedroom, but…

Why was Tetsu here? It took effort for Contracted demons to move out of the body of their host—even more of it if they wanted to move far. So far, Tetsu was clearly too weak to be outside for long.

Although now that Shin looked, he could see the second Verse of her name etched on her suit or armor.

"Tetsu, why are you sitting there?" he finally asked.

A pause.

"Bad dream."

Shin opened his mouth, then closed it. He wasn't even sure if Tetsu was lying. Demons could dream; he didn't sense a direct lie from her through their connection, either.

She was definitely hiding something, but that could be anything.

Worse, Shin felt unsettled by Tetsu's mood. She was always so energetic, whether in excitement or anger. Sullenness didn't suit her at all. It raised some forgotten protective instinct in Shin.

Against his better judgment, Shin reached out towards her knee, but caught his hand mid-way.

"Nightmares can get easier to bear if you share them with someone… or write them down, at least."

He spoke from experience.

"I don't want to burden you with this, boss," Tetsu mumbled. "I'm already too weak."

Shin sighed. He did what he could, and he wasn't going to push. "Well, I'm always nearby and can always listen," he said, standing up from bed.

He was on his way to the bathroom when he heard Tetsu call out.

"Boss! I… still have to say something."

Shin paused and turned towards her. Tetsu's mouth was pinched tight.

"I've got a message from the Court of Words… There's another summoned human in the Shinkushio Art Gallery, and they will reward you with an item if you kill it."

Shin sucked a sharp breath. So the demon lords have contacted him—through Tetsu? Must have been in her dreams, then. No wonder she was feeling so down. The demon who captured her must have been there all the while.

Suddenly for himself, Shin felt angry on Tetsu's behalf. Didn't she suffer enough?

But he shouldn't be caring so much. He only knew her for a day. She was only a tool for his survival, for the reducing of his own suffering.

Shin pushed this internal conflict down and down, away from himself and Tetsu.

"Thank you for telling me," he said. "Shinkushio Art Gallery… That's a familiar name. I have to think about all this."

Tetsu smiled slightly at him and jumped off her seat. Shin watched her approach, expecting her to return to his body, but she paused with her hand on his shoulder.

"I will be stronger next time," she promised. "As long as you need my help, I will be there. And thank you for being here for me, too."

She phased inside Shin's body, but her smile stayed on her face. He could feel it.

"I need you, Tetsu. I do."

The demoness smile widened.