Chater 4: That Mistress, Job Offer
"Wait, You're a Chief Assistant of Lord Enma, The King of the Underworld!?"
Laura was flabbergasted.
"Enma Daiou, I've heard a lot about him."
"Sebastian, you know about Lord Enma?"
"Yes Mistress. The Great King Enma, also known as King Yama, the ruler of the Japanese Hell or Jigoku and one of the 10 Underworld Kings. He is usually accompanied by a secretary like Mr. Hoozuki."
"You were right, Michaelis."
"By the way, Hoozuki. What are you doing here? Let me guess, another soul just escaped from Jigoku?"
Sebastian asked Hoozuki with a sarcastic smile, the stern oni just replied
"And what are you going to do? Eat it like you always do?"
"Very funny, Hoozuki-san."
Hoozuki just sighed and answered
"These three men here escaped from Jigoku last week."
I never thought that they were escaped souls. In fact, I've never even heard a soul of sinners escaping from the afterlife.
Laura just stared at her butler and the oni, Hoozuki finished tying those souls up, and soon he was ready to go back to his workplace.
"Hey, Hoozuki."
Sebastian called him all of a sudden.
"What do you want, Michaelis? I don't have time for a chit chat with you."
"I didn't mean to disturb your job or anything, but is it okay Missy and I visit Jigoku?"
Sebastian asked calmly and with a huge smile plastered on his face, both Hoozuki and Laura were flabbergasted.
"Don't say something silly like that, Michaelis! Your mistress is still a living mortal and you want her to visit Jigoku? That is a very ridiculous offer and it's dangerous to bring a human who isn't dead yet to the afterlife world."
The Oni answered with his voice slowly rising up, he knew that Laura is still a living human and it's dangerous for her to go to Jigoku. Both Sebastian and Laura just stared at him, and suddenly she asked Hoozuki something.
"How come you and Sebastian know each other? I mean Sebastian is a demon and you're an oni."
Hoozuki answered.
"Onis are close relative to Western Demons like Mr. Michaelis, though I don't indulge in contracts and eating souls stuff, but I torture souls of sinners in Jigoku."
"I see."
Laura paused for a second, then she said.
"Can I visit Jigoku? I'm pretty curious about your workplace and don't worry about me, I have Sebastian on my side."
This girl…didn't she know that Jigoku is no place for a living human like her. And just because she has a demon butler on her side, it won't guarantee her safety 100%. I never thought that I'm dealing with an extremely stubborn young woman.
Hoozuki just sighed, it seems strange that this human girl insisted on going to Jigoku despite the fact that she was still alive.
"Fine, you two can come with me to Jigoku. But I tell you one thing, especially you, Laura. You stay with your demon butler no matter what or you might get yourself in danger."
"Fear not, Hoozuki-san. I will keep an eye on Missy and she will stay on my side."
The three of them soon headed to Jigoku, Laura still clinging on Sebastian's arm as she was afraid to get lost. A lot of souls of sinners were punished based on their misdeeds when they were alive.
Okay, I think going here was a huge mistake.
Laura thought to herself, soon the three of them arrived at Enma Daiou's palace.
"Ah, Hoozuki-kun, you're back. And you brought guests here."
A figure of a large, bearded man approaches Hoozuki, he was wearing a red colored kimono and a hat. Laura's jaw dropped, she was expecting Enma Daiou to be an eerie looking giant, but instead he's a gentle looking giant.
"I'm back and some idiot forgot that these souls of perverted men escaped to the human world."
Said Hoozuki, angrily.
Enma Daiou cried, "I'm sorry, Hoozuki-kun. I didn't mean to forget to check."
"JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE BUSY, YOU SHOULDN'T BE FORGETFUL LIKE THAT!!!! IDIOT!!!!"
Never thought he would call his own boss an idiot. If I do that, I'll get fired for sure.
"Miss, are you alright, you seem frozen all of a sudden."
"Nope, I'm okay, Sebastian."
A figure of a white nine tailed fox approaches them. The fox has a white long hair, red face markings and heterochromia colored eyes, with blue on the right and yellow on the left. The fox also wore a white kimono with separated sleeves, blue shorts and a sleeveless brown coat with a picture of a fox holding a lantern cherry, black colored hands and fox-like feet.
"Hoozuki-san, I'm done with the papers about Avici Hell and-whoa, who are these two? A human girl and a….umm who are you? I think I knew you as…."
"Sebastian Michaelis, my pleasure."
"Rui, that was rude for barging in like that."
"Ah, sorry…my bad."
Laura asked Hoozuki about Rui.
"Who is this fox boy, Mr. Hoozuki?"
"Laura, this is Rui, they're my brother and my assistant and they're also a nine tailed fox or a kumiho."
"Um ...that kumiho is a non binary?"
"Actually, my pronouns are he/him and they/them."
"Uh yeah, I guess it's normal for some yokais to have more than one pronouns, since they don't have significant gender."
"Anyway, since you two are in Jigoku, why don't we take a tour around? Hoozuki-kun and Rui-chan can take you for a small tour."
Enma Daiou offered both Laura and Sebastian for a tour.
"No thanks, Enma Daiou-sama. I don't think there will be enough time for a tour, also I'm sure that the author will not have enough words and time to write all of it."
Everyone went silent.
"Pardon me, Missy. What are you talking about?"
"Never mind, Sebastian. Sometimes I just say stuff out of the blue."
Enma Daiou replied, "That's a shame, if that's your decision, I appreciate it. Besides, Hoozuki-kun can be a bit of a busybody."
"Actually, I have something important to talk about."
Rui, Enma Daiou and Laura were confused.
"What is it, Hoozuki-san?" Rui asked
"I just noticed that Miss Laura can see supernatural beings like ghosts, demons and even escaped souls of sinners, right?"
"Yes, I can. Mr. Hoozuki." Laura replied politely.
"I have a favor to ask you. You see, there's been a lot of evil spirits rising and some of them are often targeting humans. With their number keep increasing, everyone in Jigoku is having trouble with the increasing number of dead humans. Also, there's been a lot of trouble in the yokai world and….."
"Sorry to interrupt you, Mr. Hoozuki. But, what do you mean there's been a lot of evil spirits roaming free? I don't get it and you could tell me in a short sentences"
"What I mean is that I need your help to be a mediator for both the human world and spirit world, so there would be no more crisis between both yokais, demons and other supernatural beings who won't have a war with human kinds and vice versa, do you understand?"
"I understand now, Mr.Hoozuki." Laura answered.
"So, will you take this job offer?"
Hoozuki asked Laura to know whether she agrees or not.
"Let me negotiate with Sebastian first."
Laura whispered to Sebastian.
"Is it okay for me to take this job? I'm still in college, although I'm nearly in my final semester. But, I'm not sure that I can take this job, since it takes a matter of life and death for both humans and demon kinds like you and Mr.Hoozuki."
"Missy, I can't help you decide but if your heart really wanted to take on this job, I'll support it and help you the best I can. After all this is your wish to be friends with spirits and what kind of butler will I be if I can't help you."
Sebastian whispered back. After some discussion, Laura made up her mind.
"Alright, Mr. Hoozuki. I accept your offer."
"Very well then. I know this job is very dangerous and any mortal humans wouldn't accept it, but you're quite brave for taking this role, pleasure working with you, Miss Laura."
"Thanks, Mr. Hoozuki." Laura replied.
"Just call me Hoozuki, you don't have to be so polite."
"Well,you called me 'Miss Laura', so that's fair."
"Ah, I almost forgot.Since you're now working with Hoozuki-san, you might need this."
Rui handed Laura a smartphone.
"A new smartphone?"
"Yes."
"But mine is still working just fine, Rui-kun."
"This one's for connecting with me or Hoozuki-san or anyone in the spirit realm. Besides, there's social media too, like Onistagram, Kappabook, Yokaitok, and….."
"Rui, you better not trying to promote your account just to gain more followers in Onistagram."
Hoozuki gave the fox a death glare.
"Oh come on, she needs to know that yokais and demons now use social media, like humans do."
"I know that, but you often promote your account whenever you meet someone new."
"I can't help it, I'm an influencer in Jigoku."
"But, you're still a jailer, so don't waste your time gaining followers and don't you dare call me boomer."
"Fine….."
The two brothers kept on quarreling, Enma Daiou whispered to Laura.
"They sometimes like that, but they always manage to end their dispute quickly."
Laura kept quiet, but she was thankful for the new phone.
—--
Laura and Sebastian went back to the human world, the sky was orange and the girl had no idea how long she was chit chatting with the Oni.
"Missy, may I ask you something?"
"What is it, Sebastian?"
"I've been meaning to ask you, why did you name me 'Sebastian'?"
Hearing what her butler just said, Laura stood in silence, her eyes widened.
"Wha-what do you mean? You don't like the name I gave you?"
"No, it's just that….in the past, I was named 'Sebastian' by someone in the past, a young master. When you call me by that name again, I feel like I'm reminiscing about my past with him as I was his butler once."
"What happened to him?"
Sebastian's smile faded.
"You know what happened."
"Let me guess, you ate his soul?"
"That's right."
Laura swallowed her saliva to her throat.
"Look, you should know that if you finish our contract, I might devour your soul and you must be ready for the consequences because once you made a pact with a demon, there's no turning back the time, there's a zero chance that the contract will be broken. Even so, if someone broke their demonic contract, the demon would freely kill and eat the human's soul."
After hearing Sebastian's long explanation, Laura bravely answered.
"I don't mind it though, Sebastian."
Sebastian was surprised.
"I don't care if my soul was eaten by you, I'm not even sure if my soul will satisfy you. But, I'm willing to take that chance. I'm truly consequent with my fate, you eat sous because evil is your nature. Asking you to eat something else is impossible, it's like asking a lion to eat grass. You may be a demon and people will think I'm so damn naive for befriending you, but like I said, it's who you are, an evil, bad soul eating demon who does contracts, but at least you admit your crimes and not blaming it towards others. Plus, the name 'Sebastian' kinda suits you, you're charming and you're pretty much a gentleman even if it was just a mask for you to bond with humans."
Laura answered, Sebastian smiled a little as he kneeled in front of her.
"If that's what you want, Missy. I'll follow you and protect you from any danger till the end of our contract. I'll stay by your side, after all you are my Mistress."
Laura kneeled and patted her butler's head, she stroked his ebony dark hair.
"And as your Mistress, I'll do my best to protect you from danger as well. I may not be your perfect contractor for you nor will my soul satisfy your hunger, but I'll stay by your side as repayment for your duty."
Author's note:
Sorry for the long hiatus, I'm quite busy with jobs and writer's block. I swear I didn't abandon this work.
For your information, these are some social medias that yokais and demons used and their human world's social media counterpart:
Onistagram: Instagram
Kappabook: Facebook
Yokaitok: Tik Tok
Yureitube: Youtube
(I might add more but this is what I came out with)
Fyi, Rui is my oc and he is genderfluid
