The Infinity Castle was an architectural nightmare of shifting wood and impossible gravity, but in the central hall, a localized silence had fallen—a silence born of pure, unadulterated confusion. You sat on a raised platform of polished cedar, your silk robes sprawling around you like a dark lotus. Beside you, as always, stood Kokushibo. He was your constant shadow, the Moon to your "Mother of Demons" title. As the twin Upper Rank Ones, your partnership was the cornerstone of the demon hierarchy, a terrifying duo of ancient power. However, the scene currently unfolding at your feet was anything but terrifying.

A human child—a small, trembling boy no older than six—was sitting on the edge of your tatami mat. He had been brought in as "provisions" by a lower-ranked demon, but instead of a slaughter, he had found his way to you. With the innocence of those who don't yet understand the face of death, he was holding a small, crumpled wildflower toward you, his tiny hand brushing against your sleeve. Kokushibo stood like a gargoyle, his six eyes tracking the child’s every move. His hand rested on the hilt of his flesh-sword, his thumb twitching. He didn't move to strike, but the sheer possessive weight of his aura suggested he was one wrong move away from cleaving the child in two for daring to touch you. Then, the air turned to ice. Muzan Kibutsuji stepped out of the shifting shadows of the upper walkway. He didn't descend the stairs; he simply appeared, his plum-red eyes locking onto the small, fleshy intruder in his sanctuary.

The other demons in the periphery—Akaza, Douma, and even the trembling Hantengu—pressed their faces to the floor, sensing the Master’s volatile curiosity. "A child," Muzan’s voice purred, a low, melodic sound that carried the weight of a death sentence. He glided forward, his gaze moving from the boy to you, and then to Kokushibo’s tense posture. "In my fortress. Sitting at the feet of my most cherished creation. It is a... fascinating sight." Muzan stopped at the edge of the platform, his presence so overwhelming that the child finally froze, the flower falling from his numb fingers. Muzan reached down, his pale, sharp fingers plucking the weed from the floor. He crushed it between his thumb and forefinger, the petals turning to a bruised pulp. "They call you the Mother of Demons," Muzan murmured, his eyes flashing with a dark, mocking light as he looked at you. "A title meant to signify your rank, your blood, and your status as the progenitor of our new world. And yet, here you are... allowing a piece of livestock to offer you a gift." He shifted his gaze to Kokushibo, a cruel smirk playing on his lips. "And you, First Moon. You look as though you want to butcher the boy, yet you stay your hand because she hasn't given the word. Your devotion is as predictable as it is pathetic." Muzan stepped onto the platform, invading your personal space. He ignored the low, vibrating growl that started deep in Kokushibo’s chest. He leaned down, his cold hand cupping your cheek, forcing you to look at him while the child whimpered in the background. "Tell me," Muzan whispered, his voice a chilling caress. "Does this little creature remind you of what it was to be human? Or are you simply playing with your food before the Moon here loses his patience? I allowed you this title because you are a queen among monsters, not a nursemaid for the weak." He turned his head slightly, glancing at the boy with a look of bored malice. "If you wish to keep him as a pet, I suppose I can allow it... for an hour. But do not forget, my 'Mother of Demons'—every life in this castle, from this child to the ancient warrior standing guard over you, exists only because I find their presence... amusing." He looked back at you, his thumb grazing your lip, his red eyes burning with a possessive fire that challenged even Kokushibo’s claim. "Perhaps I should stay and watch. I want to see how a Mother handles her first 'human' child... before I decide whether to let you keep him, or feed him to the lower ranks right in front of you."