Lucifer stood in front of the room, his mind clouded with the weight of the last two days. He had not visited yesterday, as the protection period had ended two days ago. But today, as per his master's command, he was back.
He did not know why he was sent back or why he was instructed to talk to this woman for two whole days. The manner of his speech was not something he would say to a complete stranger, but it was not an unlikely occurrence either.
For two days, he had supported the woman's doubts about her husband abandoning her, strengthening her belief of dumping and hate towards her husband. It was like planting a seed of doubt, now he might be back here to check if had been bloomed.
"You would know what to do when you get there." The quote from the recorder echoed in his mind. It had been an easy task, but he marveled at the precision his master wielded. The conversation had flowed from his lips naturally, without effort.
Lucifer knocked lightly on the door, three short taps, the sound barely breaking the silence of the corridor. Almost immediately, a thud followed by a clash reached his ears.
Someone's depressed, Lucifer thought.
The door swung open abruptly, and there stood a woman, her face was a mess of tears that dried up a long time ago, her hair was a tangled mess. The heavy weight of her despair was clear, and Lucifer could tell the seed had taken root. The doubts were now fully grown.
"Why are you here?" Her voice was small, defeated. She barely seemed able to stand on her own, as if the weight of the world had crushed her spirit.
Lucifer, feeling a momentary tinge of sympathy for her, cleared his throat and responded, "I just came to check up on you, just in case your husband hasn't returned. I booked the room for two more days, you see, and today's the checkout."
"Oh..." Her gaze dropped to the floor, her shoulders sagging as if the little strength she had left was draining away. "I... see."
Lucifer sighed, silently facepalming, though his mask prevented any real expression. This was not going how he had hoped. But he pushed forward, his voice light as he tried to ease the tension. "Wanna go out for a stroll?" he asked, trying to sound as casual as possible.
"To where?" Her voice was tinged with confusion and weariness.
"Let's head to the Church of Shadows. That's where the assassin organization is, right?" He forced a smile, trying to inject some cheer into the situation, but the mask was already smiling. It felt hollow, but he pushed through.
She blinked, but her expression crumpled as the walls of self-defense she had been barely holding together cracked. "Yes? But why... he... he already..." Her voice broke, and the tears that had only just begun to dry flooded back. Her shoulders shook violently as her cry became louder, her words barely distinguishable through her sobs. "He already left me."
Lucifer stood there, watching her collapse, her heart shattered in an instant. She hadn't realized the impact of his manipulation driven by his master, and in that moment, he saw the true power of doubt.
He had never realized how sharp, how utterly lethal doubt could be. It hadn't broken her all at once; it had crept in like a shadow, darkening her love and twisting her thoughts until she saw betrayal where there was none. Now, as he watched her crumble under the weight of what she believed, he saw the true devastation—how easily doubt could transform lies into reality.
The quiet sobs of the woman continued to echo in his ears as Lucifer led her out of the room, her tears still fresh on her face. Despite the emotional outburst, Lucifer knew this was only the beginning. Whatever His master's plan was, it was unfolding perfectly, and the woman was only a piece of the puzzle.
But for now, he would follow through with whatever came to his mind. His absolute trust in his master had been reinforced.
As they stepped into the bustling city streets, the sharp contrast between the woman's fragile state and the liveliness of the shopping district hit Lucifer like a slap in the face. The street was alive with chatter, the air thick with the scent of freshly baked pastries and the distant hum of the market. Merchants shouted their wares, and children dashed through the crowds, their laughter filling the air. It was a world full of life, but for her, it might as well have been a distant memory.
"Come on," Lucifer said softly, trying to break the uncomfortable silence that had settled between them. "A walk in the city will clear your mind."
She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, looking up at him as though she was struggling to grasp the situation. "I... I don't know. I don't feel like doing anything anymore. Everything is... everything is falling apart." Her voice was fragile, her words cracking under the weight of her emotions.
Lucifer turned to face her, his eyes hidden behind the mask, but his tone softer than it had been before. "I get it. You are hurt, but sometimes you need to step outside, breathe in the air, and remember that the world doesn't stop just because we hurt. Trust me, I wouldn't be out here if I didn't think it might help."
She hesitated, then nodded slowly, as if searching for a reason to keep moving forward. They walked in silence through the narrow, cobblestone streets, surrounded by the hustle and bustle of the market. People walked past, their lives going on as normal, while she remained trapped in the suffocating grip of her grief.
"Everything here... it's so normal," she said, her voice tinged with bitterness. "As if nothing's changed. As if... he hasn't left me."
Lucifer didn't respond immediately. He simply watched the people around them, the vendors peddling their goods, the street performers trying to catch a passerby's attention. It was a facade, a carefully constructed layer of normality over the chaos beneath. But for the woman, it was a reminder of how out of place she felt now.
Finally, he spoke, his voice a little distant. "People move on. Even when they don't want to, they do."
She stopped walking, her eyes scanning the lively streets, the life around her feeling almost too loud, too bright. Her shoulders trembled, and she clenched her fists at her sides. "But I can't move on," she whispered. "Not after everything. He... he was my everything. And now... now I'm alone."
Lucifer didn't have an answer for her. He couldn't offer her comfort through words alone, and he he knew. All he could do was let her walk through the motions of this empty stroll, hoping the distraction of the city would somehow ease the pain she felt.
But suddenly, his body moved without much thought, as if he had been possessed by a ghost. A ghost that offered comfort. He hugged her ever so slightly, "It might not mean much to you, but I have been in the same state, and there was no one. I've been through loneliness, but this too shall pass. And good days may come."
Isadora looked up at him silently, she wiped and her tears and hugged him back strongly. All she wanted now was a place of comfort in this world that had left her all alone.
As they walked, Lucifer couldn't help but wonder if she'd ever fully recovered. Maybe she would, maybe she wouldn't. But that wasn't his problem. He had already played his part.
And the seed of doubt had already taken root.