✝ Eight ✝

[eminent_lady]

Living here is proving to be even more difficult than I thought. It seems being sweet and pretty only goes so far to keeping demons in line, even ones nearly so drunk they have difficulty standing. I wonder, is this Hell? It seems so much like the Christian Hell in many ways, but in other ways, nothing like I would expect

Comments

[no_freeloaders]

I do not believe this to be Hell, nor do I believe it to be a Netherworld, as I understand the term. Most accurately, it could be described as a world not unlike my own, but with "demons" as the dominant species, rather than humans.

[eminent_lady]

No shit, Sherlock.

Why, thank you for putting it in such a concise manner.

[no_freeloaders]

I've spent some time coming to understand the best ways to redirect the threat of demons using nonviolent methods, if you're interested.

[eminent_lady]

I am most interested.

[no_freeloaders]

While powerful, the typical demon is severely lacking in both intelligence and attention span. Should one approach and try to provoke you, one surprisingly effective defense is to persistently reply to everything they say by talking about boring, dry subjects, such as the weather or the stock market. They should quickly lose interest in you, and go find someone else to harass. If this doesn't deter them, then you have at least engaged them in conversation, at which point you can propose to them some sort of riddle or other mental exercise. If they make even the slightest attempt to solve it, the amount of time it takes for them to either figure it out or give up should be more than enough for you to escape.

[eminent_lady]

Christ, so much for being concise.

Thank you so much for the information♥ I'm sorry, but I don't seem to have caught your name.

[no_freeloaders]

Rinnosuke Morichika. And yourself?

[eminent_lady]

Mariya Shido. It is a pleasure to meet you, Mister Morichika.

[no_freeloaders]

The pleasure is all mine.

[eminent_lady]

If you don't mind me saying so, you strike me as quite educated. If you find out anything else interesting of any importance to this world, would you do me the favor of informing me?

If it's not any trouble, I mean. I would hate to be a bother.

[no_freeloaders]

As it so happens, I'm in the process of compiling a compendium of knowledge, chronicling my own observations regarding the Netherworld. I'll be sure to let you know once I have enough to distribute publically.

[eminent_lady]

Bingo.

Wonderful. I look forward to your findings.