The door slid open not terribly long after the Inspector had left. Rin looked up to

see Illiesku. The Oni-Kai woman looked back at her then to her book on the table.

"Are you well?" she asked.

"Fine."

Illiesku nodded. "Very well. I desire to go window shopping. You shall come with

me as you no doubt need to purchase food."

"Do I have to?"

"No. You may let A'te Mika go hungry if you wish."

Rin clenched her fists. Her houseguest had a point.

"Come then Rin. We shall be off."

Rin kept her head down as Illiesku, arm hooked in Rin's, pulled her around a well

to do part of Lianzhen. The distant waterfall was nearly inaudible over the din of the

crowds, which somehow made Rin more nervous. It was a surprise when Illiesku

shoved a stick of roasted meat and vegetables into her hand. She merely stared at the

treat. Rin certainly did not have the money to waste on this kind of fare.

"Did you hear me?" Illiesku asked.

"Huh?"

"I said, do you have any magical aptitude that you are aware of?"

"Oh." Rin shook her head. "I don't think so."

"Have you gotten tested?"

"No."

"Hmm. We shall have to do that."

Rin returned her attention back to the food. "Is this for me?"

"No. I thought it would look better if you held it for a while." The Oni-Kai poked

Rin's horn causing her head to be pushed back. "Of course it is for you. You are very

distracted."

"Sorry."

"Do not apologize. That man, Tomokazu. He drained you of information and filled

your head with questions, correct?"

"I guess."

"So ask. Get it over with."

Rin looked from Illiesku to the meat. Nodded and took a bite. It was delicious.

Illiesku ruffled Rin's hair like she was some sort of child.

"You said that making deals with you gives you influence over me?"

"I did." Illiesku grabbed her hand up again and started pulling her down the

street.

Rin looked down at their interlocked fingers. "How much influence?"

Illiesku seemed to consider the question for a moment. "Not where I thought you

would start, but… A small amount per deal. It just makes you view the things I do or say

in a more positive way. As my friend, the amount you are magically inclined to view me

is dwarfed by your actual trust in me."

"Oh."

Rin fell silent.

"The Arcanum must have a monopoly one this stuff." Illiesku mumbled.

"What?"

"The Arcanum. They control the creation and sale of all magical goods in the

city."

"Really?"

"What do you think we are doing here?"

Rin looked around at the upper class shops. She really hadn't noticed her

surroundings. People in finery were staring at her with either pity or disdain.

"Oh. I wasn't paying attention."

"Clearly. Let us find a quiet spot by the river." Illiesku continued dragging Rin

along. "Hurry up and ask your questions. Your distractedness is distracting."

"Ah, ok… The Inspector said that you, that you…"

"Out with it." There was no malice in her voice, just impatience.

"He said you," Rin lowered her voice. "Killed that guy in the alley."

"I did." Illiesku admitted as if it were nothing.

"But, but…"

"He meant me harm. Am I not permitted to defend myself?"

"But…"

"Rin." Illiesku pushed her down onto a large rock by the river. "If you do not eat

that before it is cold, I am taking it back."

Rin looked at the meat and vegetable stick in her hand. She never had one

before and didn't even know what it was called.

"Oh… A'te Illiesku? Are you a demon?"

"Finally," she said with some type of relief. "No. I'm older."

Rin blinked. "Older? So, what are you?"

"I am a primordial being of lust, revenge, and due to circumstances beyond my

control, justice."

Rin nodded along, but it was the "I have no idea what you’re saying" type of nod,

not the understanding type.

"Eat that." Illiesku ordered.

"Yes A'te."

Illiesku stroked her hair as she ate. It was all so surreal. If Illiesku was being

honest, then she was sitting next to a monster. Rin couldn't seem to care though and

that seemed far more concerning. Was it the influence Illiesku said she had over her?

Or was it that the progenitor of her race had been a succubus? Progenitor or not,

Illiesku did just admit to murder. Via self defence though. Rin pondered her own lack of

panic for a while longer once the food was gone. Then she started pondering how long

Illiesku's hand had been on her leg.

"Are you… evil?" Rin's voice was quiet. Of course the primordial demon thing

was evil. They were all evil. Probably.

Illiesku flicked Rin in the forehead.

"Ow!"

"Why must all mortals think in binary terms? Good, evil? Yes, no? Male, female?

What do you think Rin?"

"I… don't know."

"My body is constituted out of the essence of the abyss. So I am detectable as

evil by spells."

"Umm…"

"I do not concern myself with the lives of mortals as a whole, but neither do elves.

Are elves evil?"

"I don't, I don't even know if elves are real."

"Am I walking around kicking puppies and eating babies?"

"Eww."

"Perspective Rin. That is what defines good and evil."

"So, you are good?"

Illiesku frowned.

"I mean, neutral."

The demon that was not really a demon sighed. "Far more complicated than that,

but sure. If you are done, we have other places to be."

"Do we?"

"Yes. I need to find a letter."

Rin chased after Illiesku before she was left behind. She honestly didn't know

what part of town she was in. It was all just too nice.

"Tell me about your sister's contract."

"Uh. Ok."

Along the way to… somewhere. Rin told Illiesku of how her parents and brother

died in, or in the case of her mother at least, was possibly exiled. Mika had sold herself

for enough money to take care of herself and Rin for a while at least. Illiesku prodded

for details. How much Mika made on contract vs what she would make if she wasn't.

How much the original contract was for. And most importantly, how much Rin had left to

save before she could purchase her sister back. Twelve standard silver. Rin could

easily earn that in a month, but after food, rent, and other necessities, she'd only have

between a handful of jade to a silver and a half left. Illiesku went quiet. Rin had

assumed they were nearing their destination, but the continued walking stated

otherwise.

"Mika could earn that in a week or two if she was not under contract."

"How?" asked Rin.

"Same way I do. Faster if she was willing to sleep with someone."

Rin gave the Oni-Kai woman a perplexed look. "At the teahouse?"

"What? No. Do not be foolish. I do not work at the teahouse for money."

That reply didn't help. If anything Rin was even more confused.

"Where else do you work?"

"A tavern, but never mind that. If I supplied the rest of the funds, what could Mika

do for me?"

"You would do that?" Rin practically shouted.

"Quiet. I am considering it. She could supply me with money and I could likely

use her body. A month for payback. A cut after that. Might be worth it." Illiesku looked

down at a hopeful Rin. "Hmm, testing you is more important. We shall do that

tomorrow."

"Testing me for what?"

"Magical aptitude."

"I can't do magic."

"Magical. Aptitude." Illiesku repeated.

"I. I. I don't know what aptitude is."

"Natural ability."

"Oh... Um a’te, where are we?"

The two had been standing next to an unassuming box of a building for a short

while now.

"A mail house. Stay here."

"A mail house? What are…" Rin stopped speaking when Illiesku faded from view.

"Uh? A'te?" There was no response.

Rin wasn't sure how long she had sat next to the building. She was certain it had

been a lot less time than it felt. Illiesku had reappeared with a handful of papers and

they headed home. Rin contemplated the demon sitting at the tiny table rewriting some

letter she had snatched. Here was some demon or primordial creature thing sitting in

her tiny little tenant house apartment as if she were just a normal person. It was so

weird. Like the world was supposed to be burning or something, but wasn’t.

"A'te?"

Illiesku looked up from her work. "Hmm?"

"What are you planning to do?"

"Could you be more specific. I have many plans and many contingencies."

Contingencies? Rin dismissed the unfamiliar word. "What are you going to do

with the city?"

"I am undecided. I need a large contingent of soldiers and magic before I can

invade hell. I am not yet sure what would be most beneficial. Honestly a corporate

structure might be more useful than a takeover of the government, considering Anoria's

unique legal system."

Rin's head spun for a moment. Translation, make a company or seize the palace

so she could attack hell. Rin asked the only logical question. "You want to attack hell?"

"Yes." Illiesku answered simply, not looking up from her writing.

"Why?"

Illiesku's good eye burned into Rin with the white hot furiously of a Smith's forge.

"Revenge."

"Um. What did they do?"

"They bound me."

"Bound you?"

"Long enough to forget my existence."

"How long is that?"

Illiesku returned to her work. "I don't know. Before Mizuyamachi was a kingdom I

think."

Rin couldn’t imagine a time where there wasn't a kingdom of Mizuyamachi. It

must have been a very long time ago. She lay down and watched the fake Oni-Kai

work. Eventually she put down her pen, sealed her ink, and pushed away the table.

"Come here." She pointed to her lap. "Your head."

Rin scooched closer to her and rested her head on Illiesku's legs.

"I want to show you something. Look at my face."

Rin did as told, but flinched away when Illiesku revealed her bad eye.

"Fight the urge to look away. Trust me."

Rin looked. It was haunting. Like every fiber of her being wanted to get up and

run away. When she looked longer however, the feeling eased. Horror became

discomfort. Which itself morphed into familiarity, then into reassurance. Suddenly the

most terrifying part of the demon was the most comforting.

"This is why hell hates me. My curse, and oddly enough, it is the thing mortals

find most disturbing."

"What is it?" Rin asked tiredly as Illiesku ran her fingers through Rin's hair.

"Celestial essence."

"What does that mean?"

"It is the antithesis, ah, it is the opposite of hell. Angels and archons and all that

shit."

"Is it good?"

Illiesku let out a long sigh. "No Rin. It just is."

"Oh."