"My, my. We finally found you!"
"...Who are you...?"
Gyutaro lowered his stance, sickle in hand, and spoke warily.
"W-Wait! We’re not here to fight, so relax!"
Then the woman beside her, the one with only a single butterfly ornament, hurriedly made it clear that they had no intention of fighting.
"....."
Escanor only stared silently at the two of them.
"My, my. Did we cause a misunderstanding?"
The woman who seemed to be the older sister scratched her cheek, looking troubled.
"...Gyutaro. Calm down for now."
"...Tch."
At Escanor’s words, Gyutaro sheathed his sickle. The two of them let out relieved sighs.
"Now then... explain who you are."
"What? Who do you think you are, ordering us around..."
"Shinobu. Enough."
When the woman named Shinobu tried to snap back at Escanor, her older sister stopped her.
"My apologies. I am Kochou Kanae, the Flower Hashira of the Demon Slayer Corps. This is my younger sister, Kochou Shinobu."
Kanae introduced both herself and the woman beside her with great politeness.
"Demon Slayer Corps?"
Escanor took interest in the word Hashira. Since it was the very organization they had been looking for, there could hardly have been a better opportunity for him.
"Tch... So you’re from the Demon Slayer Corps? Then what business do people like you have with us?"
Gyutaro still did not let his guard down and barked at them rudely. Shinobu was a little irritated by that, but Kanae answered with a smile.
"Hehe. I actually have something to discuss with that gentleman over there."
"Oh...?"
Escanor thought Kanae was being presumptuous for singling him out like that, so he handed Ume to Gyutaro and stepped in front of Kanae.
"E-Elder sister!"
"....."
"......"
The two of them... no, Escanor looked down at Kanae, while Kanae looked back up at him with a smile.
'...To be able to smile in front of me like that... Am I not an object of fear in this world...?'
At that sight, Escanor even began to wonder if he really was not frightening.
"...Are you not afraid of me...?"
"My, no? To say I’m afraid of such a splendid man! Well... I would be a little intimidated if you kept glaring at me like that, though..."
Kanae answered Escanor with the same bright smile.
"As a pillar supporting the Demon Slayer Corps, I can’t back down just because I’m scared."
".....I see."
At her words, Escanor withdrew his killing intent and looked at her with calm eyes.
"So what is your business?"
"Ah! I almost forgot!"
"Elder sister..."
Kanae reacted as though the question had just reminded her, and Shinobu stared at her in disbelief.
"Um... may I ask your name...?"
"This is Escanor. Remember it."
"Yes! Escanor! Would you perhaps join the Demon Slayer Corps?"
Kanae smiled as she made her offer.
"...Hahahahaha!!"
"..!"
When Escanor suddenly burst out laughing, Shinobu reached for the sword at her waist, but Kanae stopped her.
"To dare make a ‘proposal’ to me! What a bold woman!"
"Ugh... What...? So loud..."
The noise woke Ume, who had been asleep.
"But it’s not bad! However, you will not be the ones making the proposal. I shall be the one giving you an order."
As he said that, Escanor brought his face close to Kanae’s.
"W-What?! Escanor?!"
"Hey! What are you doing to my sister!"
Ume and Shinobu shouted at the sight, but Escanor ignored them completely and said,
"Lead me and those two to the Demon Slayer Corps."
At those words, Kanae smiled and said,
"My, my! Then we didn’t need to come pick you up after all! Come along, then. The place where the master lives is quite far from here!"
Kanae said that and started walking.
"Ah! I’m coming too, elder sister!"
Seeing that, Escanor picked up Ume and tried to follow after them.
"All right, let’s be off!"
"...Hmph!"
"Hm...?"
For some reason, Ume was pouting.
"Ume... what’s wrong now...?"
"I don’t know! Escanor is a dummy!!"
"Hoho... To think I’d be called a dummy by a child..."
Meanwhile, Kanae...
"...Haaah~."
"E-Elder sister?!"
'I-I was scared... What was that? He suddenly leaned his face in and startled me!'
She was trying to calm her heart after Escanor’s behavior.
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