The Human And The Satan

4.

The Satan looked at me with flames that made my body burn under his gaze. He looked at me. And he kept looking at me. Like his eyes were trying to print my image in his mind. And for some reason, instead of squirming under his gaze, I stood still, staring right into his eyes.

"What made you think I'll let a human being take bath in my bathroom, Basilia? And that too a woman?" He added the last statement with distaste and I couldn't help the spark of curiosity that ignited inside me.

"Do you like men, Satan?" I asked with genuine curiosity and his eyes flashed dangerously. Suddenly the fire inside his eyes seemed too scary. Like flames from his eyes would burn me from within.

"Leah Summers! You do not disrespect the Sire by calling him by his name. And you certainly don't question his sexuality. That's...... that's a very personal question in our realm." Basilia said, pulling me back harshly and I winced when her nails dug in my skin.

"Since when is calling someone by their name a sign of disrespect, Basilia? And Satan didn't raise his disappointment at me calling him by his name. And I was just curious as to why he didn't want me to use his bathroom when there is only one in the entire realm." I said, and the prosecutor paled at my words directed towards her king.

"Basilia, teach her to be silent. Humans have forgotten silence, it seems. And you," he said, looking at me with distaste. Okay. "Do whatever you want and be out of my restroom and bathroom in twenty minutes."

My eyes widened as I looked at him in disbelief. He was letting a human, that too, a woman, use his personal bathroom? Well, too bad. But then something hit me. Really hard.

"Satan," I called him and he froze. I saw Basilia paling when Satan turned around to look at me. Why was she so scared of him?

"I don't have towels or other essentials as well. Do you have convenience shops in hell? And can I get fifty percent of my salary in advance so that I can buy those stuffs?" I asked him and I saw him sucking in a breath.

"We have markets, Leah Summers! I'll take you there on days you won't be working! As for towel, use your old clothes." Basilia said, making me furrow my eyebrows as my lips curled down in a frown.

"Then what's the meaning of hygiene then, Basilia? Taking bath, so that I wipe my body with the same dirty clothes of mine? Then there's no use of bathing at all." I told her and Satan shook his head, walking over to where his clothes were hung and dear Lord, they were so many!

"Take this and keep it. I can't believe myself, lending my stuff to a woman who didn't even let me sleep! And be quick, you have already wasted a lot of my and others time. Rush now!" He said, making me roll my eyes.

I walked inside his bathroom. Much to my happiness, there was a washroom and a very well maintained bathroom. There were candles on every corner, keeping the bathroom away from darkness.

After locking the doors, I stripped out of my dirty clothes and let them fall on the side. There was a huge bathtub, I didn't use. It was his personal bathtub. So I simply grabbed a bucket and filled it with water. And the water was cold. Finally some cold water in the burning heat on Hell.

I poured the water down on my body, letting my hair get soaked. I grabbed the shampoo placed on the side and poured some of them on my palm before raising it closer to my nose. It smelled like almonds. Did he use almond shampoo? I wouldn't doubt it, considering he was the ruler of Hell.

After scrubbing every inch of my body and washing my hair, I wiped my skin before wrapping the towel around my hair. I grabbed the dress; it was too thin for my liking now. I had no undergarments with me. But then the fabric used in the upper bust area was thick. It looked padded. So when I wore the dress, I felt no discomfort. Ah, finally.

I grabbed my dirty clothes and walked out of his bathroom, he was still in his room, sitting on the chair, working on something. He had papers in his hand. As soon as he saw me walking about, his eyes looked up at me and stayed on my face for longer than a minute, at least. I felt my skin burning under his gaze, for the umpteenth time. Help me, Lord.

"You're in hell, human. The only one who can save you now is me. Not the Lord. Throw your dress in the laundary. It's on the fourth floor and after that report in the courtroom. It's on the sixth floor. You'll meet Basilia there and she'll explain you the work." He said, looking down at his papers and I blinked at his words. Oh. Okay.

"One more question, Satan." I said and he hummed, not even looking up anymore. "Where and when will I be getting food?"

My question made him to stop writing the very second. He closed his eyes as he let out a sigh, shaking his head. What? Won't he be offering me any food?

"For past centuries, Hell only had dead or immortals in its realm. I completely forgot you need food to survive." He said, making me smile slyly at him. My stomach was crying for food.

"Come, we'll stop at kitchen first and then you can move to the courtroom. This is the first time in the history of Hell, a breathing human is making use of my products." He gritted out under his breath but I didn't comment. I followed him as he took turns and stairs for a couple of times before stopping in front of a kitchen.

"Do you know how to cook? The Chef won't be to work for another couple of hours." He said, and I nodded my head, tucking my hair behind as I walked inside his kitchen.

"Will you be eating, Satan?" I asked him and he looked at me unamused.

"I eat flesh. Raw flesh. Will you be offering me your flesh now, human?" His voice held no mockery but irritation. I gulped at his harsh words and I grabbed the knife kept in a vessel.

"Make something fulfilling. Hell usually drains more energy than your earth." He said. Like I didn't notice.

I quickly removed some vegetables and started to dice them as fast as I could. Satan was standing there, looking at me cooking. I was no chef but after living alone for years, cooking was something that wasn't too hard for me.

I immediately sauted them in the pan. On the other stove, I placed rice to cook because he had no bread. And how was I just supposed to eat vegetables?

"What would be my salary then, Satan? And please keep the rent of that room reasonable. Do you know how ridiculously small that room is? And there's no ventilation in it. How do you expect me to breathe there?" I asked him and he rolled his eyes at me.

"Just like how you breathed there last night, human. And you want ventilation when fire is blazing outside your room? Do you wish to cook yourself? I can gladly do the honors then." He said and I licked my lips, turning back to cook breakfast for myself. Rude.

"As for your salary. You're here on the probation period." He said and I looked at him, appalled. The nerve of this man!

"Then how do you expect me to buy essentials for myself? What if I wish to buy something I desire? I need money for that. And you want me to work for you, so I want payment in return. Bonus for overtime as well." I said and he let out a long sigh.

"Eighty gold coins." He said with his clenched jaw and I looked at his shocked. They still traded in coins? Okay.

"And what would be my rent?"

"Twenty gold coins." He said and I turned to glare at him.

"For that matchbox you're going to charge twenty f*****g coins from me?" I asked him and he took a threatening step towards me.

"I'm not a shopkeeper of your moral realm, human, that you can bargain with me for the cost that fits you right! And next time you take that tone with me, I hope you'll be willing to take my hellhounds too." He said and I gulped in fear. Holy s**t!

"Eighty gold coins is your salary. Twenty is the rent with the food you'll eat and shampoo you used of my place. That's pretty much fair, if you ask me. So, you'll be getting a total sixty gold coins for your expenditure. And as for your bonus, I'll decide it after reviewing your work tonight."

"Fair enough. Which fruit do you prefer, Satan?" I asked him and he raised his brows at me.

"I prefer blood."

"Nevermind me." I said with a smile as I started to cut a couple of fruits and tossed them in two bowls before walking with two plates towards him. He looked at me in confusion.

"You're going to eat from two plates now, human? You sure your body will be able to digest it all?" He asked me and I laughed at his words.

"No, no. This plate is for you. This one is mine; and trust me, I can eat this all." Especially when I was hungry since yesterday. I, of course, didn't say it out loud.

"I thought I told you I don't eat food." He said, his tone low and angry.

"And still you have a kitchen in your place." Because this was not a castle but it looked more like a haunted bunglow. "And this kitchen is stocked with food. And you have also employed a chef. I'm pretty sure, you eat food."

"Why would you cook for me? What do you want from me?" He asked me and I chuckled, sitting down on the aisle and he sat a little away from me.

"Freedom, maybe? But I know, you won't let me have that, so I don't have any intention for now. Besides, I ruined your sleep. Unknowingly, of course. And you're punishing me for it. That small room is a punishment itself. Trust me. So, take it as my apology. And you were beside me, how can I eat when you're not eating?"

"Hell is not know for the empathy you possess, human. Creatures here are....... more feral. They'll swallow you if you continue being this...... considerate." He said and I shook my head.

"Basilia was nice."

"Well, everyone is not Basilia." I fell silent at that one sentence he spoke. I quietly ate my food. For once, I felt, I cooked good. Or maybe it was hours of hunger that made me devour the food in seconds.

I was almost done when Satan looked at me. He blinked at my empty plate, especially when his plate was still half filled.

"Report to the courtroom now. And while you're on your duty, tell Basilia to send me your reports at the end of the day." He said and I nodded my head.

I got up with my empty plate and was about to wash it when the Satan stopped me.

"Leave it, human. The helpers would come to their duty in an hour. They'll take care of that."

"They take care of royals, Satan. I am no royal. Besides, how long would it take to wash a couple of vessels and a plate? Not much." I said and he opened his mouth to say something but closed it back, shaking his head.