Chapter Text
“I need you to abduct me.”
Standing in the middle of the grand staircase, Kusuo blinked in response, baffled by the woman’s sudden declaration. A long time passed in which they simply regarded each other, the large oak doors swinging on its hinges behind her while the flurry of heavy rain echoed through the halls, interrupting the silence that he had long grown accustomed to.
It had been a while since anyone was able to surprise him. He would allow her that much. But that was all.
'And why shouldn’t I just kill you where you stand?' Kusuo levied her with a cold look, once the theatrics finally wore off.
The woman jolted upon the presence of his voice in her mind, but her astonishment didn’t seem to deter her for long. After all, he was already infamous throughout the lands for his psychic abilities. She looked at him with determination, strengthening her gaze.
“You could do that…” She acknowledged tentatively, “But, I’m assuming that if you really wanted to kill me, then you would’ve just done it.”
Kusuo couldn’t help but purse his lips at that. Well… hm. That was true.
Should he just kill her?
He had never killed anyone before, despite what the rumors might have suggested. But perhaps he should start considering it, if only to prevent strangers inviting themselves into his castle.
She was one of the few visitors he’d had since he took over five years ago, and, if he could help it, the last.
Maybe his supposed villainous reputation was starting to fade. Maybe he was slacking off.
Still, combing through her mind, he couldn’t help but feel slightly curious. Just a bit. It wasn’t like there was anything better to do around here. He could sense that she was shivering—not from the rainfall that she had just walked through to get here, but from his presence.
So what was giving her this unearned boldness towards him, if she was apparently this scared?
Something in his expression must have shifted, because the woman cautiously took off the hood that was obscuring her face. She stood, as if waiting then, to see his reaction.
‘Why isn’t he gasping yet, is he blind ? Or maybe he has a way of being unaffected by my beauty…?’
Kusuo gave a derisive scoff at her thoughts. The only reason she was still breathing, despite her impudence, was because her looks certainly backed up her claims, even upon first glance. With eyes the color of sapphire and long, flowing hair, somehow still elegant and sleek despite the rain—he could tell that she was what people usually considered to be attractive.
'Didn’t you also hear that I can read thoughts?' He projected into her mind, and her expression changed, flushing slightly.
“So you are immune then.”
'Since I’m only seeing your organs right now, I’d say yes.'
The woman bristled upon being told that he could see through her, as was expected, and tightened her grasp on her cloak, like it could do anything.
Kusuo tilted his head, giving a low chuckle. ‘Is that all you have to show me?'
The woman’s cheeks flushed even more at his mocking. Still, there was a certain conviction that lingered in her eyes, which he found curious.
“I’ll simply be honest then.” She said, holding her chin higher and breezing over her initial faux pas. Kusuo lifted a brow. “If I may introduce myself first—my name is Kokomi Teruhashi, from the neighboring kingdom.”
His face scrunched, 'The princess?'
Ah. Suddenly, things made sense. That was a name famous throughout the lands, and it was said that the princess of that kingdom was greatly renowned for her beauty, though few people had the privilege of catching sight of her. Those who did though—it was rumored that they almost always fell in love at first sight.
No wonder she placed such high confidence in her looks. He found that he couldn’t exactly fault her for her narcissism now, though it was annoying. If he did kill her and it was discovered—well, that would be even more annoying. He could handle an army, but that didn’t mean he was obliged to.
It would be too tedious. Too many bodies he would need to dispose of.
'So, to what do I owe the pleasure of being graced by a princess?'
Even in her mind, Kokomi could hear his thinly-veiled sarcasm.
“I’m running away from an impending engagement…”
Kusuo huffed, already halfway bored. 'I don’t care about the politics between kingdoms.'
“To my brother.” Kokomi elaborated, and his brows rose.
Kusuo had to say that he was, once again, baffled—and maybe a bit morbidly curious. Such things rarely happened twice, if at all.
The woman squirmed, eyes flitting down at her feet then. Just from seeing her sudden change in behavior, he could tell that it was something she didn’t like thinking about, or at least didn’t like saying out loud, keeping it in the back of her head. It was perhaps why he couldn’t immediately glean the information from her mind when she entered, as he could only sift through the surface of people’s thoughts.
The human consciousness was often a mess, prone to intermittent and arbitrary wandering, and now—she was silent, mind drifting as it was inclined to do, and he saw glimpses of memories racing through the forefront of her brain. Salacious gazes and touches that lingered too long. Wandering hands and embraces that felt too constricting. Confusion and the feeling of betrayal… and then anger. Anger that stewed and simmered for years, until it finally boiled over.
He was no stranger to the depravity of humans, whether it was expressed openly on the streets or inside what they thought was the safety of their own minds. It was not in his nature to care, and yet… having to stand before her and bear witness to the scenes unfolding in her head felt starkly uncomfortable.
Kusuo frowned. What was this unpleasant feeling stemming from his stomach? … Was it pity? … or a general sickness with humankind?
'So that’s why you chose to run away.'
Kokomi nodded, mouth forming into a line.
'That still doesn’t answer my question, though. What are you doing here?'
A sigh was quietly released as finally, the scenes in her head faded, like watching a flame burn through a photograph. “If I were to simply venture outside, my appearance would have me eventually discovered. And if I were to stay with any other noble family, it could cause a political misunderstanding. My brother might even wage war.”
Hm. So she possessed a face that could launch a thousand ships. Not that such things mattered to him.
'And that’s why you asked me to abduct you.'
“Precisely,” Kokomi said, seemingly encouraged by his inquiries. At least, it appeared that he was a bit curious.
“You’re the most powerful person in the land, so no one would mindlessly act against you, perhaps not even my brother.” She explained, now a little hopeful that she could perhaps persuade him. “The rumors said your capabilities rival that of an army. If I were to say that you abducted me, then it would be the tidiest scenario possible. If you’ll allow it, I’ll only be hiding here for a couple of weeks, until I figure out a way to break off this ridiculous engagement.”
'You seem to be receiving a lot of benefits from me. What do I get in return?'
Kokomi didn’t flinch at his question. She had been prepared for this. It would have been foolish of her to show up in front of him without offering anything.
“If you help me, I can grant whatever you desire. Money, glory, power.” She held her head high again, confident in her negotiation, but Kusuo merely scoffed, giving her another bored expression.
'I have no use for money since I can take whatever I want. Glory is for imbeciles, and you already said I’m the most powerful person on this land. So in short, you have nothing to offer me, do you?'
Kokomi blanched upon the sharpness of his words, cutting through her as if she were just made of paper. Having sated his curiosity, Kusuo turned to make his way up the staircase landing, throwing a sidelong glance over his shoulder.
'Since you have nothing to offer,' His voice proclaimed in her head, 'I don’t care what you do.'
And then she was left with silence.
Kokomi’s fists clenched, her body trembling. No one had ever treated her so callously like this before—as if she didn’t even matter. Perhaps she was foolish after all, to have come all this way and believe that she would be able to bargain with him, when he probably only regarded humans as lowly creatures akin to insects.
That’s right. He was an enigma beyond human comprehension. He was known to be cold, unfeeling, apathetic to the plights of everyone.
Kokomi felt the acute stinging of tears prick at her eyes, but she clenched her jaw. No. She would not give him the satisfaction of crying.
Even if his innumerable powers made him comparable to that of a deity, she was a woman beloved by the gods, despite everything that had happened, despite being born in a world that enforced male inheritance and simply treated women as decorations. This long-held belief made her stubborn and prideful in following her will. She would not be denied here. She refused it.
He didn’t specify if she could stay, Kokomi noted slyly, only that he didn’t care.
'If you don’t care what I do, then I’ll do whatever I want.' She decided, meaning for him to hear her thoughts.
Unbeknownst to her, Kusuo had smirked at the challenge.
'Then let’s see who's better—' He contemplated to himself, 'Me, or the gods who you claim love you so much.'