On the veranda of the Rengoku household, where the sunlight shines warmly even in winter.
"Shōjuro, have you heard about the corpse thieves?"
"Corpse thieves?"
When he asked back, Goto nodded. He was sipping tea without his usual Kakushi hood on. He said he was off duty today.
"I heard there are demons stealing corpses here and there. And it's not just one or two."
"Stealing corpses? Not attacking?"
"Yeah. It seems they only steal the corpses of humans who committed suicide."
"Stealing corpses without eating them on the spot, that's strange."
A grim topic for a late afternoon chat over tea on the veranda. But since the only common topic between us is demons, it can't be helped. If Rei were here, we might have talked about something else.
──After Rei disappeared, Goto started visiting this house frequently. Probably because he's worried about me, having lost Rei. He's been considerate in many ways, bringing snacks whenever he has the chance.
I thought I was acting as usual, but it seems that wasn't the case in others' eyes.
Goto said I've become less talkative, don't smile anymore, and spend more time alone.
But I think that's only natural.
I lost a friend who would have meaningless conversations with me, laugh over trivial things, and simply be by my side. In that sense, I might indeed be different from before since Rei disappeared.
If only I hadn't advised Rei to return to his family that day──such regret endlessly gnaws at my heart. I even have nightmares that his death is my fault.
But no matter how much my heart aches, I must stand firm as a Pillar. I must swallow the loss of my friend and look forward as a member of the Rengoku family.
I felt more grateful than ever for being the eldest son of the Rengoku family and a member of a clan with the mission to hunt demons. Otherwise, I might have abandoned everything and rotted away.
"Rumor has it that those corpse thieves have a leader. So, they steal corpses without eating them to offer to that leader."
"I heard demons don't form groups…… but is it a demon strong enough to command multiple demons?"
"Well. But it seems the higher-ups are viewing it that way."
It's unlikely to be Kibutsuji Muzan, but it could be someone belonging to the Twelve Kizuki.
"But demons that only eat suicides. What could be the reason?"
"Isn't it just a preference? Like demons that only attack women or only eat infants, demons come in all varieties."
What would Rei have said at a time like this?
No, let's stop thinking like that. It's useless.
"So, speaking of which, by analyzing the directions the corpse thieves fled, they were able to roughly estimate the leader's hideout."
As he said that, Goto rudely picked up the castella with his hand and ate it.
The snacks he brings are often castella. Is it because it's his favorite food? Or because Rei liked it?
For reference, my favorite snack is sweet potato yōkan. But it's not in season now, and even if it were, Goto has never brought it before.
"They plan to form a subjugation team for investigation. They say they'll entrust command to a Pillar, so you might get a proposal."
"A demon worthy of a Pillar taking direct action?"
"Since the leader's identity is unknown and it commands multiple demons as subordinates, they seem to want to minimize damage and hunt it down with full preparedness. The Demon Slayer Corps is chronically short on manpower anyway…… and after that meddlesome guy disappeared, the death toll has increased by that much."
Rei, who would worry about people and help comrades even on the battlefield, is no longer here. The lives he barely sustained have now scattered astonishingly fleeting.
Compounded by the appearance of unfamiliar beast-like demons, the Demon Slayer Corps' casualties are immense.
Some even blame the declining situation of the Demon Slayer Corps on Rei for indulging them. That by saving lives that should have been culled on the battlefield, he fostered complacency among the members.
Though a small voice, I heard that slander here and there. At that time, I forgot the great law and unconsciously clenched my fist. It was a truly dangerous moment.
'No, isn't it natural for those saved to die if they become arrogant? It's the fault of that guy who didn't train with the resolve to die, I don't understand at all why the responsibility falls on Urokodaki senior. Are they just trying to slander senior, this bastard!'
If it weren't for that young member who poured out those words with a serious expression, I don't know what would have happened to the fist I was holding.
What was that member's name again? It was definitely Tsuyuri, I think. I heard he's the disciple of a member who injured his leg in a tongue demon incident, and rumors are abuzz about his dazzling performance, fighting hard to make up for his master who can no longer fight.
"By the way, Shōjuro, how's your younger brother these days?"
"Ah…… he was gloomy at first, but he's been regaining his energy lately."
The one most shaken by the news of Rei being kidnapped by a demon and disappearing was my younger brother.
It was a full five years of interaction. We shared countless meals, and he often joined in sword training, so for Shinjuro, Rei was practically a second brother.
Though he once harbored complicated feelings toward Rei, he must have genuinely liked him in his heart.
After hearing that Rei had disappeared, Shinjuro spent a while with a gloomy face, occasionally bursting into tears suddenly. And as if trying to shake off the torment gnawing at his heart, he devoted himself to training. Like an asura.
"Still, it's a relief he's not continuously gloomy."
"Yeah, our Shinjuro is a strong boy. No matter how hard he falls, he can get back up."
It often takes time, and without a trigger, he might not stand up, but it's a virtue not to bring that up. It's much better than crouching down.
It's okay, our younger brother is.
No matter what happens, he will rise again.
Kokushibo noticed the peculiarity of his disciple's blood during training, when the disciple rarely failed to dodge a moon slash.
One of the crescent moons amplified by demon art touched the disciple's arm, and the slash that dug in should have cleanly severed that arm.
"……Could it be."
However, the slash only lightly cut the disciple's skin before disappearing. Kokushibo, with his extraordinary eyesight, could clearly see how the slash vanished and guess.
The crescent moon slash scattered upon touching the disciple's blood.
"I'm sorry, Master. I didn't properly block it."
"No…… it's fine."
Even though it's a demon's body that knows no illness or fatigue, the disciple's condition was quite poor. That must be why he was hit by a blade he would normally have dodged easily. Because he doesn't eat humans.
The disciple suppresses the demon's instinctive hunger with an unyielding will harder than steel. But even that seems close to its limit now.
As if proving Kokushibo's premonition, the disciple's wound recovery was alarmingly slow. The flesh that had just been torn was only a grazing wound, yet blood was still flowing.
"Let's stop here for tonight……."
As he sheathed the sword scattered with eyeballs, the disciple bowed his head as if very ashamed.
・
・
・
"Kōgetsu… your blood, if handled well, could be quite useful."
The words he offered on the way back were by no means to fill the silence. He merely conveyed the fact calmly to make the disciple stronger.
"My blood, you mean?"
"It might be a hasty conclusion, but your blood probably…… has the property of nullifying demon arts."
That ability has no meaning against humans, i.e., the Demon Slayer Corps. But if the opponent is a demon, the weight of its value changes.
"If scattered like mist, it could neutralize most demon arts the opponent uses……."
The disciple has only honed sword skills and hasn't learned anything about demon arts yet. It will take time to handle it freely, but once familiar, he could gain the upper hand in fights against demons.
Though it wouldn't mean much against demons who use demon arts only as辅助 and fight with their original martial arts, like Akaza.
"For example, Upper Rank 2 is a demon specialized in demon arts. He scatters freezing blood to seal the opponent's lungs. Your blood…… would surely be a natural enemy to such a demon."
It's unlikely the disciple will encounter Upper Rank 2. But just in case they cross paths, it's better to tell him the countermeasure in advance. For education's sake.
"And my slashes…… are no exception."
"Really?!"
When talking about Upper Rank 2, the disciple was dismissive with a "Hmm……", but at those words, he showed tremendous curiosity and rushed over. His red eyes sparkled like jewels, a truly simple and easy-to-understand appearance.
"Even so, only if you can handle it properly."
Demon art is a sorcery created with one's own blood. It won't be easy for the disciple, who doesn't eat humans or consume a single drop of blood, to handle it. He seemed to understand that himself, closing his mouth with a regretful look.
As silence settled again, it was the disciple who broke it first.
"……I smell something."
Sniff, sniffing his nose, but Kokushibo's sense of smell detected nothing. Only the biting cold of the mountain and the dry scent of withered vegetation in winter brushed past.
"It smells like blood. I wonder who got hurt."
The disciple's eyes, with narrowed pupils, were directed toward the village. While voicing concern, his steps were staggering as if his mind was elsewhere.
It was no longer that of a swordsman. The footsteps of a demon driven to the extreme of hunger, like a hollow beast.
Lord Kibutsuji Muzan is eagerly awaiting the moment this one eats a human.
I shouldn't stop it. The disciple's illness might subside if he consumes human flesh. He might even learn to handle demon arts. So, it's right to let him go like this.
"───"
But.
Knowing he should send him, Kokushibo's hand naturally reached for the disciple's nape. Pulling him back, the disciple helplessly collapsed to the ground.
Seeing the appearance as if he had forgotten even the minimum balance of a swordsman, his molars ground. And in a voice lower than resentment, scratching the ground, Kokushibo spat out.
"I have no memory of taking a mindless beast as…… my disciple."
Watching the light slowly return to the disciple's eyes, which had been dazedly vacant, an uncontrollable relief washed over his chest.
At that moment, Kokushibo realized with a sigh.
He was afraid of the disciple falling into being a true demon.
That wasn't for the disciple's sake. It was purely for his own emotions.
This disciple will sink into endless sorrow the moment he eats a human. He'll go mad with regret. Forgetting the pride of a swordsman, he'll live losing himself like a beast.
Most demons abandon their memories from when they were human to avoid being crushed by such guilt. So, the disciple might someday forget his human heart.
He might completely erase from his mind everything Kokushibo taught, even the image of his master.
Losing the sword. That was the most unbearable humiliation in the world. A pain he never wanted to taste again.
He didn't want to lose Kōgetsu, the sword he had taught as if reflecting his own soul, in this way.
He couldn't blame the disciple for being weak, unable to cut away everything but the sword. Because he knew better than anyone how fiercely the disciple had strived.
The disciple's pain, gritting his teeth and enduring hunger, and his own pain from once holding the sword with unyielding will, probably aren't so different after all. Everyone has something they can't discard.
"Master, I'm sorry. I think I lost my mind for a moment."
"……Can you stand up?"
The disciple carefully took the offered hand. He cherished the hand that knew nothing but effort, no different from that night in the Sengoku period.
Please, let this hand hold only the sword.
If you're to degenerate into a beast forgetting everything, die holding the sword.
"Thank you, Master."
"……Enough."
Please, never realize the cruel master's true feelings.
Because the emotions reflected in your eyes sometimes feel too dazzling to me.
"So, Mr. Shunjo fell in his sleep and bled from his head. Fortunately, it wasn't serious, but the whole village was in an uproar in the middle of the night."
When I brought it up casually, Teacher Rei murmured, "So that was Mr. Shunjo yesterday," as if understanding.
That thing yesterday, could it have been noisy enough to reach this house?
"The head is an important area. Mr. Shunjo, does he have any strange symptoms?"
"No, he can walk and talk fine. It was just a scrape from falling, and no bump formed."
Even so, the head has many blood vessels, so even a slight injury can cause blood to flow profusely. It wasn't unreasonable for Mr. Shunjo to turn pale at the amount of his own bleeding and fuss, "Nobuya~~ be honest~~ am I going to die now~~!"
Of course, this morning he was absorbed in farm work as if nothing had happened.
"By the way, Teacher. How many points is Ms. Yuriko's medicine today?"
Teacher Rei squinted his eyes and examined the medicine I presented. I'm always tense at this moment.
Lately, I've been consistently maintaining scores in the 80s, but I can't seem to break the 90s wall. I want to jump over the wall soon and, with luck, get a three-digit perfect score.
The time I can learn from Teacher Rei is also running out. It's already been a while since the New Year. In a few weeks, I'll get a job at the village pharmacy.
I've learned almost all the knowledge and techniques, but still, for the last time, I want to finish perfectly enough to get a perfect score from Teacher.
"……Hmm, 95 points."
"Yay!"
"Ah, but."
"Huh, what is it? Was there something wrong?"
"I'll add 5 points. As a reward for your efforts so far. Here, a perfect score."
"Really?!"
As I let out an excited cry unintentionally, Teacher Rei soothed me, rewrapped the medicine in paper, and placed his hand on my head.
The way he stroked, tousling my hair as if ruffling it, was Teacher's unique way of petting, different from my father or mother.
"It was an accelerated course, but you followed along well."
At those words, my chest filled with joy. The fresh feeling like a child praised for an errand made my face flush with embarrassment.
But that smile froze instantly upon hearing Teacher's next words.
"There's nothing more to teach. From now on, don't come here."
Seeing me speechless, Teacher smiled sadly. It wasn't a joking look.
"I'm sorry. My physical condition isn't very good, so meeting people is a bit difficult."
"…Are you unwell? Then…… then I'll make medicine! I'll definitely cure you, Teacher! So……."
I didn't want to hear the sad words of not meeting anymore. Even in the short time left before leaving the village, I wanted to be with Teacher a little more.
But Teacher shook his head with a resigned smile. It was a quiet hint of an illness that can't be cured with medicine.
Of course. If it were an illness curable with medicine, Teacher would have treated himself long ago.
"You mustn't come from tomorrow. Even if you come, I won't let you in, so keep that in mind."
Teacher's face, as he said that, was too pale even considering the indoors where sunlight doesn't reach. It seemed very burdensome for him to even talk with me like this.
Do I have to say goodbye to Teacher today? Will I never meet him again in my lifetime?
……No, there's exactly one way to meet Teacher.
"……I'll find the blue spider lily."
When I first came to ask for teaching, Teacher set that as the tuition fee. He said to bring it whenever, asking me to find a flower that seems to appear only in fairy tales.
"Starting work will be busy, so it won't be easy, but I'll definitely make time to find the blue spider lily. If I can't find it in my generation, I'll ask my children too."
It's a flower I've never seen or heard of. But Teacher said it exists. Then surely, it exists somewhere in this world.
"Someday, I will definitely come to pay the price."
Will you meet me then, Teacher?
When I asked, Teacher frowned slightly for a moment with a troubled expression. He didn't say no.
And he stroked my head again. This time affectionately, as if gently combing through my hair.
That was the last interaction between me and Teacher.
*
The family members who drank my blood become skilled in thread-handling demon art.
'Brother' can build nests, 'Mom' manipulates others with threads, 'Sister' makes cocoons, and another 'Sister', Yukari, was particularly excellent at sewing.
So, mending the family's clothes was always her task, and she was the one who embroidered our clothes.
Thinking about it, since she made hair ornaments for Mayu or 'Mom' herself, she must have had a personality that liked meticulous work from the start.
"Here, finished."
"Wow, Yukari, you're amazing~!"
With Yukari's touch, turning a haori that was too big for Mukago into a kimono was a piece of cake. Watching Mukago, who hugged the kimono handed by Yukari and got excited, I thought that.
That was originally Brother's haori. The color wasn't that bright red either. I didn't hear the detailed circumstances of how it became like that, but I can vaguely guess.
The fabric soaked with Brother's blood gives off the sweet scent unique to his blood.
Honestly, I was quite jealous, but since Mukago would obviously boast "How about that!" the moment she found out, I didn't say anything.
Mukago sticks close to Brother, pushing me aside as the younger sibling. For a newcomer. So, there's hardly a day I don't fight with that child.
"Mukago. I know you're excited, but put it on quickly. It's impolite to wander around in your underwear like that."
Scolding the excited Mukago was 'Mom'. At first, she couldn't shed her childishness, but as the family grew, Mom's actions started to become ingrained. Sometimes her original personality pops out abruptly.
"I'll help you put it on."
"Me too."
"Thank you, 'Mom'! And Yukari too!"
"You guys, Rei is sleeping, so be quiet."
A chilly voice flew toward the three who were laughing boisterously enough to break dishes. Next to Mayu, who was nagging, Brother was crouched on the floor.
Lately, Brother has been sleeping much more than being awake. He falls asleep whenever he can, day or night, and today, too, he fell into a deep sleep just three seconds after Nobuya left.
Moreover, recently, saying he'll make a women's comb himself, his sleep time has decreased even more.
But who is that comb a gift for? That's the biggest topic among the family lately. Maybe another sister will be added──everyone is secretly excited.
It's lonely not being able to play together because Brother hardly wakes up once he falls asleep. But I could see his complexion improving bit by bit, so it seemed worth the sleep.
When he really looked bad, my heart sank, but if he rests a bit more, he'll return to the old Brother.
"Hey, Rui. What do I do next~?"
"Ah, sorry. Next, unravel the thread caught on your pinky, and use your index finger to…… yeah, like that."
Teaching the youngest Shu cat's cradle, I wait for Brother to wake up.
Believing that the usual daily life will return.
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