"Not here, but it's not something I'm unfamiliar with," Hime admitted, pulling her hand back as the kitten tried biting again. She let her fingers dangle where it could bat at them but not get its teeth around them. "If anything, it's been easier here. Three whole days and not one serious attempt on my life."

She gave a silvery laugh, soft and short. For this place that was hell, in some ways it was a respite for the princess.

"They certainly are, in a variety of ways. Just what sort of monsters did you fight back home, Kagura?" she asked, her tone idly curious. The youma of Teresa's world, the Akuma of Allen's, did this girl too fight demons that hid behind human smiles?