He was looking at the sky.
Leaning against the veranda of the mansion, the man was silently glaring at the clear winter sky that had cleared up.
"Lord Wind Hashira."
At the sound of his name being called, the man finally pulled his consciousness back to the ground. Standing in the direction of the voice was a youth. It was Rengoku, who had splendidly grown from a boy to a youth over the past three years.
With his usually magnificent eyebrows drooping powerlessly, he pointed at the Wind Hashira's feet.
"It's burning."
The charcoal brazier placed at his feet, with sparks flying. It was taken out not to gain warmth but to grill mochi.
However, because the man was only looking up at the sky, the mochi that wasn't properly cared for was on the grill, bearing a humiliating appearance that could hardly be called food.
Even at the young Rengoku's pointing out, the man muttered, "Is that so," and looked up at the sky again. In the end, young Rengoku had no choice but to try to rescue the mochi with the chopsticks placed nearby.
He barely managed to peel the burst, torn, and burnt mochi off the grill and plopped it onto a plate, but since the man showed no sign of touching it, he decided to eat it gratefully himself. Sitting straight on the veranda, he put his hands together and said, "I'll eat well."
The mochi, making crackling, squelching, crunchy sounds that shouldn't come from mochi, was mostly turned into charcoal when chewed, and the barely remaining parts were hard like senbei, tasting exactly as they looked. Frankly, it was tasteless.
So tasteless! Tasteless! Tasteless! No, really tasteless…! to the point of wanting to eat it expressionlessly, such a hopeless taste.
"The Kasugai Crow?"
Young Rengoku asked. Instead of an answer, a clicking sound of the tongue was heard first, and words followed afterward.
This man's attitude is truly rough. But strangely, young Rengoku didn't dislike or find it uncomfortable. One could say he had gotten used to it.
"Does it look like it has flown here with a face?"
"No, not at all!"
"Then don't ask."
"Umm, sorry!"
Ignoring the unpleasant voice, young Rengoku also looked up at the sky together.
The winter month's sky was blue, without a single cloud, and not even a bird was flying.
The Wind Hashira was waiting for a black shadow to cross this blue sky. Since the day communication with Shabana was suddenly cut off, he had been looking up at the sky like this whenever he had a chance.
Hoping for the Kasugai Crow with a small white pouch containing medicine to fly here.
It was at the end of the year. That Shabana Tsukuru, a collaborator of the Demon Slayer Corps and also the personal physician of Ubuyashiki, had died.
According to the story passed down, the head was missing from the corpse, and even the remaining parts were in such a horrific state that the form was almost unrecognizable. It was undoubtedly the work of a demon.
His work was taken over by his disciple, Kyūtarō. However, not long after Tsukuru's death, Kyūtarō also disappeared along with his younger sister. The reason was unknown.
According to the Silver Hashira who investigated, first Ume was involved in an incident and disappeared, and Kyūtarō's traces were abruptly cut off as if following her. It was unknown whether they were dead or alive.
Shabana had been gifted a special medicine case from the Ubuyashiki family. It was a masterpiece made by carving fragrant wood that only Kasugai Crows could follow the scent of.
Relying on that, Kasugai Crows were making efforts day and night to search for the two, but news of finding them had not been heard yet.
If the bodies weren't confirmed, he wanted to believe there was still hope. But since even after searching this much, there wasn't even a trace, the possibility was slim, and most had already given up.
Although there was a feeling of sorry without their consent, the formulation books that were in Shabana's house were recovered by the Demon Slayer Corps.
It was to prevent them from falling into the hands of demons, but it wasn't that they didn't hesitate at the act no different from theft. However, it was none other than the order of the great elder. Probably, Ubuyashiki's intuition told him to do so.
"I'm sure Kyūtarō and the others are safe!"
"Optimistic fool. On what basis are you saying that?"
"They say those who believe are saved. Isn't it because Lord Wind Hashira believes that you are here?"
"Stupid fool, it's just while grilling mochi, killing two birds with one stone."
"But you were neglecting the important mochi!"
Pointed out, the Wind Hashira pouted his lips. It was a face as if he had chewed and swallowed a hundred bitter insects.
Young Rengoku, as if he had won, puffed out his chest and placed the next piece of mochi on the grill.
"Physician Shabana was good at grilling mochi, wasn't he?"
"…He was also good at grilling dried squid."
At young Rengoku's words, the Wind Hashira answered as if talking to himself.
The Wind Hashira had greatly disliked Shabana Tsukuru. Yes, 'had'.
When did the sincerely exchanged insults change into jokes without hatred?
Before young Rengoku finished his boyhood, for some reason, the Wind Hashira had become someone who exchanged cups of sake with Shabana Tsukuru. The dried squid must have been grilled at that time.
They say hatred reversed from deep affection is tremendous, but is the opposite also the same? To the point of being unbelievable, the Wind Hashira had come to quite like Shabana Tsukuru. To the extent that if someone insulted Shabana, he would be the first to rush in and knock them down.
──When the news came that Kyūtarō had disappeared along with his sister, many, including the Hashira, changed their expressions as if it were their own business and earnestly prayed for their safety.
However, some members, who had been displeased with Tsukuru for not hesitating to deal with the Hashira or the great elder, took this opportunity to slander Shabana.
Saying he couldn't withstand the pressure and ran away, or that the disciple, like the master, was irresponsible.
The Wind Hashira endured even that much. But regarding the fact that Tsukuru's corpse was missing its head—whether that corpse was really his, the inspection was done by the disciple, so wasn't he deceiving us, isn't he still alive and hiding, didn't he sell out the Demon Slayer Corps by dealing with demons, he was a suspicious man from the start—
The moment such baseless rumors were spread, the Wind Hashira's hand went out. His foot went out. He headbutted. He ran amok. Not drawing his sword was the minimum of self-restraint.
Violence between members is strictly prohibited. It's a violation of the great law, other Hashira hurriedly stopped him, but the Wind Hashira was not one to stop at that. Rather, with the attitude that since it's a violation anyway, he would go all the way. It was refreshingly so.
Like stepping on the accelerator to 100 km/h after being warned for driving 60 km/h in a 40 km/h zone, he fairly and without omission knocked down all the members who had slandered Shabana, until he got his money's worth of violating the great law.
If Shabana Tsukuru were alive, he would have surely said this. Don't wield violence like a Viking, and so on.
As punishment for violating the great law, the Wind Hashira received severe discipline, but among the Hashira, there was no one who blamed him. It was natural. If the Wind Hashira hadn't breathed fire, they would have barked in his place.
Just as the Ubuyashiki family was saved, the Demon Slayer Corps also received great grace from Shabana's medical skills. Ointment for wounds, hemostatic agents, painkillers. Development of treatment medicine for members whose bodies were eroded by demon arts. Technical guidance for rescue teams.
And countless others. Thanks to Shabana's unreserved cooperation, many members had their lives saved.
Especially the Hashira who take on dangerous missions, everyone was indebted to him in some form, and young Rengoku and the Wind Hashira were no exception. Such a huge act of ingratitude could not be tolerated. The Wind Hashira's anger was extremely justified.
"No, but the mochi he grilled last year was really delicious."
"He himself said he was still inexperienced."
"Is that true?! After such exquisite grilling?!"
"I heard that among his old acquaintances, there was one who was exceptionally skilled at grilling mochi."
The Wind Hashira picked up chopsticks and flipped the mochi. Moving the mochi to where the fire was weaker, the Wind Hashira opened his mouth.
"That guy said he could see inside the mochi."
Young Rengoku made an expression like a cat thrown into the air. He looked down at the mochi on the grill. A lump with faint burn marks. Seeing inside that? A new kind of riddle? Philosophy?
"The outside is crispy and the inside is soft, he endlessly boasted about the taste of evenly puffed mochi until it was tiresome. Probably because he had alcohol, he became unnecessarily talkative. He seemed to struggle trying to recreate that mochi, but in the end, he lamented that only his mochi-grilling skills improved, and he couldn't see inside at all."
What kind of acquaintance was it who could see inside mochi? But Shabana, who would answer, is no longer here. Burying the question quietly in his heart, young Rengoku looked up at the sky.
──As soon as Shabana's medicine was lost, the great elder's condition rapidly worsened.
As if paying the price for until now, eroded by illness at such a speed, he would never rise from his sickbed again. In such a critical state that it wouldn't be strange if he passed away at any moment.
Nevertheless, the great elder is resisting the call of the underworld solely thanks to his own vitality.
It was the will to not let go of his soul by any means until the safety of Kyūtarō and Ume, whom Tsukuru cherished, was confirmed.
Because the one who most firmly believed and earnestly wished for the survival of the two was none other than him.
The clear sky soon dyed with red evening glow, and soon was engulfed in darkness.
Even as stars appeared and the moon rose, the Kasugai Crow with the white pouch did not fly here.
When night deepens, demons appear. Although no notification had come from the Kasugai Crow today, they had to be prepared for whenever a mission might be given.
Deciding this was the last, young Rengoku was diligently grilling mochi.
Suddenly, the sound of crow wings flapped above his head. A mission? Just a little more and it would be fully cooked— as he raised his head. It was the same for the Wind Hashira sitting next to him.
The two looked up at the sky together. In the starry night sky— they saw a shooting star. A white dot crossing the deep blue sky.
At that moment, who exactly among the two kicked away the brazier in surprise? Forgetting that their hakama hems were getting dirty with ashes, the two chased after the star.
The thrown chopsticks made a dry sound as they bounced off the ground, and mochi fell from the rolling brazier. But the two paid no heed and ran through the night.
Far above their heads, flapping black wings, the white star flew.
Straight towards the Ubuyashiki mansion.
Hopefully, may it be hope.
*
He was grilling mochi.
The time was the Sengoku period. Today was New Year's Day.
Tsugikuni Yoriiichi was grilling mochi.
"Young Moon, that's mochi I grilled to give to my elder brother. Yours will have to wait a bit."
The first mochi of the new year was naturally something he grilled with the thought of offering it to his respected elder brother.
Mochi grilled with all his heart to perfection. When he scolded the boy who was about to take it, the chopsticks reaching out over the grill obediently withdrew.
This boy, Young Moon, due to receiving guidance from his elder as the successor of Moon Breathing, is well-behaved when it comes to matters related to his elder. If this mochi were Myouju's share, he would have mercilessly snatched it away.
By the way, the indispensable elder brother Michikatsu here is not in this place now because he went to fetch warm water. The kitchen isn't far, so he will return before the mochi cools.
"Here, it's hot, so it would be good to be careful."
The second mochi was placed on Young Moon's plate. The white-haired, red-eyed child bowed his head instead of saying thanks and blew on it before taking a bite— and froze with a zzzzreak!!!
This boy, because he has no voice, the onomatopoeia of his actions is more clamorous than others.
What's the matter. Yoriiichi also stiffened without knowing why. It didn't seem like the mochi was stuck in his throat, but he was frozen expressionlessly while biting the mochi that stretched out like chewy.
Yoriiichi is not as familiar with this boy's emotions as his elder brother is. In this mansion, the only one who can translate Young Moon's feelings is Michikatsu. So Yoriiichi couldn't guess at all what he was thinking now.
"…What are you both doing frozen stiff."
Fortunately, the translation manager returned at a good timing. Seeing his successor frozen while stretching mochi, and his younger brother also stiffened while watching it, Michikatsu, holding a tray, made a puzzled face.
But that was only for a moment, he soon returned to his usual expression.
"Is it delicious, Young Moon."
At the question, Young Moon nodded his head up and down. Michikatsu briefly answered, "I see," and came over with the tray and sat down next to him.
The elder seemed to have instantly understood Young Moon's thoughts, but to Yoriiichi, it was still something he couldn't understand an inch. He somehow envied the boy who communicated with his elder without a word.
"Don't eat too hastily. If it gets stuck in your throat, it's a big deal."
"…Elder brother, what is Young Moon saying?"
"Ah, what should I say."
Michikatsu cut off his words there for a moment, and looked at Young Moon again, who was chewing the mochi umm umm, chewy chewy, chomp chomp. A short silence. Then he added like this.
"…It seems he is surprised that the mochi you grilled is too delicious."
By the way, this is a greatly abbreviated translation.
In Young Moon's head, right now, a lengthy tasting review ranging from the mochi's texture, taste, degree of grilling, to aroma was spreading rararararara, but Michikatsu didn't have the skill to translate all that.
He could vaguely understand Young Moon's emotions, but conveying the detailed content was too difficult.
By the way, the translation just now is the result of appropriate consideration. If translated literally without any consideration—
"Mochi… delicious. Jealous. But I keep wanting to eat it…! Not only the sword but also grilling mochi well, what on earth is God trying to give this guy. Damn it. Is it breathing? Did he grill it with Fire Breathing instead of Sun Breathing? Wait, by this logic, as a Moon Breathing user, I should be able to grill mooncakes amazingly. Mooncakes are relatives of mochi. That means I can also grill mochi well— can't I? Mochi is round, and the full moon is round too. Yeah, possible possible." That is.
After swallowing the mochi, Young Moon drank the warm water handed by Michikatsu and roughly wiped his mouth. And suddenly opened his eyes wide in extreme style.
'I can't be losing!'
"Elder brother, this is…"
"…It seems he wants to try grilling mochi."
Michikatsu translated with the utmost consideration.
Thus Young Moon's mochi-grilling challenge began, but the result was miserable. Watching Yoriiichi grill mochi, it looked surprisingly easy, but when trying it himself, it was harder than thought.
Missing the timing to flip, and taking the mochi off the grill too late, the mochi burned and burst, resulting in a truly unsightly product.
In front of the failure he created, Young Moon trembled. Expressionlessly.
'I can't even grill mochi properly, what a pathetic guy I am…' a lamenting voice seemed to be heard. But this boy cannot speak.
'I wanted to give it to Mr. Michikatsu if it grilled well…'
Yoriiichi does not know Young Moon's heart. But this time, he could understand the fact that he was disheartened by failing to grill mochi.
"Young Moon, let me teach you the knack."
When he quietly suggested, Young Moon, who had been dispirited, raised his head.
Yoriiichi cannot read Young Moon's heart. Therefore, he also didn't realize that this was giving help to the enemy.
If it were mochi grilled by Yoriiichi and Young Moon, Michikatsu would surely choose the latter.
"Look at the mochi well. The moment before it bursts is when it is most well puffed. The important thing for grilling evenly is temperature. …Always pay attention to the temperature difference inside the mochi, and if heat accumulates too much, it will definitely burst, so at that time, move it to where the grill's temperature is lower… Why are you like that, Young Moon. Making a face like a cat thrown into the air."
He understood until the first half, but the latter half. No, what is this saying.
'My eyesight is 2.0, thermal imaging camera not equipped. Are you a terminator!!'
If words came out, he wanted to appeal like that.
'…Could it be that Mr. Yoriiichi can see inside mochi?'
Glancing at his teacher, Michikatsu nodded his head. With a hand on his forehead as if having a headache.
Even mochi, let alone the human body, he sees through, this younger brother. Yoriiichi you guy, using that special sight just for grilling mochi, don't make me laugh.
Tsugikuni Michikatsu, if he could speak, would have said that.
・
・
・
"Today I won't miss, Young Moon──!!"
From New Year's Day, what echoed through the mansion was Myouju's scream of anger piercing the sky. Following that, the noisy sound of a game of tag.
Haha, it seems Myouju picked a fight with Young Moon and got beaten again.
As Flame Hashira Rengoku looked outside the room, just then Young Moon ran past the veranda like a white shooting star. Two beats later, Myouju chased after him with swift steps.
He only hoped that the veranda creaking annoyingly wouldn't break.
Water Hashira checked today's weather. It was full of snow clouds. If it's like this, Young Moon should be able to go outside. Then──
"Half an hour later, Lord Myouju comes out covered in bamboo leaves for one mochi."
"Lord Water Hashira, you really like it too. Then I'll bet one on lasting an hour."
"Hey, isn't there anyone betting on Myouju winning!"
"What about Lord Sound Hashira who says that?"
"By sunset, unable to come out of the bamboo forest, shivering from the cold and apologizing to Young Moon. I bet all the alcohol I have."
The tag game between Young Moon and Myouju, now a specialty of the Demon Slayer Corps.
When did they start betting on how long Myouju could last against Young Moon's bamboo forest attack?
Although the bet was premised on Myouju losing, in fact, he had never won against Young Moon who fled to the bamboo forest even once, so this method wasn't wrong.
Of course, Myouju also knew about this bet. One might think he would get angry at being the subject of the bet, but rather, he burned with motivation, saying, "If I win, I take everything betted!" so it's no different from being acknowledged by the person himself.
By the way, Water Hashira patted such Myouju's shoulder and shook his head with an enlightened smile. The wounds from being beaten until covered in bamboo leaves by Young Moon still remain deeply in Water Hashira's heart.
"…Nobles, gambling from the first day of the new year?"
"Oh my, Lord Michikatsu."
Looking in the direction of the voice that sounded absurd, Michikatsu was standing at the door. It seems he stopped by for a moment while leisurely following Young Moon and Myouju.
When Sound Hashira called him into the room to have a drink, Michikatsu obediently followed.
"So, what did Myouju do this time?"
"He stole the mochi Young Moon was grilling."
When Michikatsu answered while receiving a cup of sake from Sound Hashira, Water Hashira frowned and said, "Ahh..."
"Grudges over food are scary. Young Moon must be quite angry too."
By the way, that mochi was something he grilled with the thought, 'It grilled well, so I should give it to Mr. Michikatsu!'
"How did he get back at him this time? Did he kick his butt again?"
"No."
At Sound Hashira's question, Michikatsu shook his head.
When picked on by Myouju, Young Moon's mainstream was to first kick the butt and see, but after Michikatsu taught that attacking from behind is a cowardly act, he had been refraining from attacking from behind.
‘That is, frontally and fairly… indeed!’ with a convinced face nodding, when corrected, "I didn't say to kick from the front either." was just a few days ago.
Stop, don't aim for that vital point. In various meanings, it becomes irrecoverable. We're both men, hesitate a bit.
"This time, he threw a snowball from the front."
"Hmm? Quite a cute retaliation."
Seeing Myouju's angry momentum, they expected more tremendous revenge, but throwing one snowball is really like a child, isn't it.
At the moment everyone was feeling warm, Michikatsu looked around with a very bitter face and said in a sour voice.
"…But it was a snowball made by Yoriiichi."
"""Ah…"""
Tsugikuni Yoriiichi is a possessor of grip strength comparable to myriad power. It boasts a miraculous compression rate that can make one shaku of rice into one rice ball.
A high-density snowball made with such abnormal grip strength. If careless, it boasts killing power surpassing ice, thrown from the front. Probably hit right in the center of the face. That hurts. It was unanimously nodded.
It wasn't the time to feel warm. The atmosphere froze instantly. Myouju had reason to be angry too.
"…By the way, Michikatsu, what will you bet on?"
Trying to somehow melt the frozen atmosphere, Sound Hashira changed the topic. Michikatsu, while tilting his cup, thought for a moment, then put down the empty cup and answered.
"Soon, Yoriiichi will bring mochi here and serve it to everyone, so before you all finish eating it, Young Moon will return, I guess."
"Quite short… Michikatsu, are you unexpectedly a gambler?"
"Not at all. Where is there a more solid number than this."
After finishing his words, Michikatsu stood up and, saying "Well then," bowed and left the room. And at that instant, he muttered softly.
"If I call, that guy will return quickly."
One beat, two beats, three beats later── Water Hashira and Sound Hashira simultaneously rushed out of the room.
"Lord Michikatsu, wait! Michika… far! Lord Michikatsu is far and fast!! Already to such a place!!"
"Run, catch up quickly! No matter what, we must not send him to the bamboo forest! I bet all the alcohol I have!"
With noisy running, the shouts grew distant, and Flame Hashira, left alone in the room, saw them off with a smile as if enjoying it.
And soon, as if alternating with those who left, Yoriiichi peeked in. In his hand was a large plate with steaming grilled mochi.
"I grilled mochi."
"Thank you, Lord Yoriiichi. Ah, it looks delicious mochi."
"Where are the others?"
"They will return soon."
He took one mochi offered and bit into it. Dipping in soy sauce and wrapping in seaweed is also good, but Yoriiichi's grilled mochi is most delicious eaten plain.
The stretched mochi stuck to his lips, hot and struggling, next to him, Yoriiichi also took one mochi and bit into it with his teeth. Crisp─ the sound of perfectly grilled.
The two ate the mochi without words. It was a gentle time. As if gathering the peace of the world together, such a gentle now, they simply quietly enjoyed it.
Even knowing that soon night would come and this fleeting peace would be broken by demons, because of that, this time was even more precious and beautiful.
After eating the warm mochi, the one who let out a happy sigh was Flame Hashira.
"I want to spend next year like this too."
"Rengoku."
"What is it, Lord Yoriiichi."
"If you talk about next year's things, demons will laugh."
"…Hahaha, indeed that can't be laughed off!"
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