As the saying goes, having a "cheat" is a temporary thrill, but keeping that cheat active is an eternal delight.
Taking a silent, deep breath, Horitake suppressed the exhilarating rush of his surging power. He maintained a composed exterior, acting as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened while facing the three juniors.
Because Horitake masked it so well, the trio failed to notice the sudden, monumental leap in his strength.
Only Nezuko, standing nearby, sensed the shift.
As a demon, Nezuko was far more perceptive than ordinary humans. she could feel the change radiating from him—it was as if, in a single heartbeat, Horitake had become significantly more formidable.
Sensing this, Nezuko tilted her head to the side, her large eyes fixed on Horitake with an expression of adorable confusion.
Looking at Tanjiro, Zenitsu, and Yae—four juniors in total if one counted Nezuko—Horitake spoke:
"This first excursion of yours can be considered a success. Although Zenitsu's performance left something to be desired, Tanjiro and Yae were exceptionally brave. I believe the three of you will show great promise within the Demon Slayer Corps in the future. I won't waste words with further praise; just work hard and focus on slaying demons from here on out."
He glanced up at the moon, gauging the time.
"It's getting late. We'll rest here by the campfire tonight. Tomorrow morning, we continue our journey, though that is where we must part ways. I need to return to the Demon Slayer headquarters. I've been away from my duties for too long—if I don't head back soon, Shinobu-san is going to lose her patience and commit a murder."
He turned to the others. "Zenitsu, Yae, you two head back to Mount Momo. Once your Nichirin Swords are forged, your official duties will begin. Tanjiro, take Nezuko back to Mount Sagiri. Similarly, once your blade is ready, you'll take Nezuko with you on missions. Remember, Tanjiro: look after Nezuko. Don't let her come to harm."
The four juniors nodded in unison, looking like a row of well-behaved, obedient students.
And so, the five of them huddled around the roadside campfire, settling in for a makeshift night of rest.
When dawn broke and the first rays of the sun peeked over the horizon, Nezuko didn't need a reminder. Before the sun could touch her, she instinctively retreated into her wooden box to avoid the lethal light.
Slowly, the three juniors woke up as well.
Following Horitake's instructions from the night before, the group prepared to split into three different directions. While the parting was inevitable, it was merely a temporary separation to ensure a better reunion later. They all had a feeling that there would be plenty of opportunities to work together in the future.
Because of this shared sentiment, there were no overly sentimental or tearful goodbyes. The five of them exchanged casual waves at a fork in the road and went their separate ways.
The other four were relatively lucky; until their Nichirin Swords were finished, their time was their own. To put it bluntly, they were quite idle.
Horitake, however, could afford to be idle no longer.
As he had joked the night before, if he didn't get back to work immediately, Shinobu-san really might kill him.
Steeling his resolve, Horitake picked up his pace. Moving with incredible speed, it didn't take long for him to reach the Demon Slayer Corps headquarters.
The first thing he did upon arriving was stop by his own house. He tossed his unnecessary travel gear inside and, without wasting a second, hopped over the garden wall directly into the neighboring Butterfly Mansion.
Truth be told, Horitake spent far more time at the Butterfly Mansion than he did in his own home. If he sat down to calculate it, besides freeloading for three meals a day, his daily pharmaceutical research and alchemy were all conducted there.
Compared to the Butterfly Mansion, Horitake's own house felt more like a dormitory—a place he only returned to at night to sleep. At this point, the distinction between which house was truly "home" had become blurred; the two properties had practically merged into one in his mind.
Once inside the Butterfly Mansion, Horitake moved with practiced familiarity. He ran into several of the younger girls along the way and greeted them warmly.
Kanao was the same as always, training silently in her own world. The "Button-Eyed" trio of sisters—Sumi, Kiyo, and Naho—were also hard at work. Despite their young age, they handled a staggering amount of the mansion's chores.
Then there was Aoi, as capable and efficient as ever, acting as the grand steward of the Butterfly Mansion.
While the other girls were easy enough to bypass, Horitake knew he had to be careful with Aoi. He intercepted her as she was carrying a basket of laundry out to dry and whispered urgently, "Aoi, where's Shinobu-san?"
Accustomed to his sudden appearances, Aoi answered matter-of-factly, "At this hour, Lady Shinobu is obviously in the laboratory. She's either refining medicine or developing a new poison. That's her daily routine."
"Right, the lab. I figured as much," Horitake muttered. "But the real question is... how has her mood been lately? Is it safe for me to go see her directly?"
Aoi gave Horitake a long, meaningful look, her tone turning suggestive. "Lady Shinobu's mood... how should I put it? It's like summer weather—unpredictable and prone to sudden storms. I can't say for sure what her current state is. However, as for the cause of these atmospheric shifts... I don't think I need to tell you, Lord Horitake."
Horitake's face twitched with a mix of guilt and awkwardness.
Who else could be the cause of Shinobu's mercurial temper? It was him, of course! He had been gone all this time, leaving her to shoulder the entire workload alone. It would be a miracle if she wasn't upset.
Seeing his expression, Aoi couldn't help but add a bit of reproach. "Honestly, Lord Horitake, you can't blame her for being cranky. You've been away for far too long lately. If you were out on an official mission, that would be one thing. But Lady Shinobu checked—your assigned task was settled about a week ago. That means you've been 'missing' for nearly seven days!"
Horitake felt even more embarrassed. Calculating the time he spent at Mount Momo and Mount Sagiri, it did indeed add up to about a week.
Aoi continued, "If you spent that week doing something productive, Lady Shinobu might let it slide. But if you were out being... irresponsible, she's definitely going to blow up."
At this point, Aoi leaned in closer, her eyes glittering with a hint of gossip. She lowered her voice and asked, "Lord Horitake, what exactly were you doing this past week? You didn't... go out and 'sample other dishes,' did you? If that's the case, tell me now. I'll try my best to help you cover your tracks."
Looking at Aoi's gossipy face, Horitake's embarrassment peaked. He immediately straightened his posture, adopting the air of a righteous gentleman.
"What do you mean 'sample other dishes'? What kind of talk is that?!" he blustered, trying to sound dignified. "Am I the kind of man who looks at the pot while eating from the bowl?! Uh... well, maybe a little. But I definitely wasn't out there fooling around! At most, I was..."
"At most, you were what?" Aoi pressed, her gossip-radar pinging at maximum strength.
"At most... I went with Mitsuri to visit her parents."
"What?!"
Aoi's cry of shock escaped her before she could stop it. She immediately clamped her hands over her mouth, glancing around frantically. After confirming no one else was nearby, she let out a long, shaky breath of disbelief.
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