Summary: Midoriko approaches Kirinmaru and offers him the opportunity for redemption, believing that even demons can change and find salvation.
Kirinmaru watched from the shadows as the priestess bent over the river, her hands moving over her body as she washed. He could see the curve of her hips and the way her long hair cascaded over her shoulders.
He felt a surge of desire, a thirst for her that he had never experienced.
The demon lord crept closer; his eyes fixed on the priestess. She was so beautiful, so pure and virtuous. He longed to touch her, to feel her warmth and goodness.
He knew that he could never have her, not if he was a demon. Midoriko was pure and untouched by the darkness that consumed him. And yet, he could not tear his eyes away from her, drawn to her like a moth to a flame.
Kirinmaru felt a sudden pain in his chest. He stumbled back, clutching his heart.
Suddenly, the priestess looked up, her eyes locking with his. For a moment, they stood there, staring at each other across the river. Kirinmaru expected her to be angry, to scold him for spying on her. But instead, Midoriko simply looked at him with a gentle expression.
"What are you doing here?" she asked, her voice soft and calm.
The demon tried to speak, but no words came out. He was overwhelmed by the pain, the loneliness, and the longing.
The priestess sighed and walked over to him, her bare feet sinking into the soft earth. She placed her hand on his chest, and he felt a warmth and lightness that he had never experienced before.
"You don't have to be like this," she said, her voice gentle and soothing. "You don't have to be consumed by hatred and anger. You can still choose to be good, to be compassionate. It is never too late to change your path."
The demon lord looked into her eyes. He wanted to be good, he wanted to feel something other than pain and emptiness. He wanted to believe her, to embrace the light and cast aside the darkness. But he knew that it was not that simple, that the hatred and malice within him ran deep.
But then the pain returned, stronger than before. He pushed her away, snarling in anger and frustration.
"I can't be like you," he growled. "I am a demon; I am cursed to suffer for eternity. You can never understand me, you can never save me."
And with that, Kirinmaru disappeared into the darkness, leaving Midoriko alone and heartbroken by the river.
She knew that he was lost, that he was beyond redemption. But she also knew that she would never give up on him and that she would always try to reach out and help him.
With a heart full of sadness and hope, she picked up her cloth and bucket and headed back to her house.