After completing his mission, Yoizumi did not return to the Butterfly Mansion, but instead headed to the Demon Slayer Corps headquarters.
"Kagaya-sama, Snow Pillar-sama requests an audience," Amane Ubuyashiki said softly, lightly knocking on the door.
Kagaya Ubuyashiki gently stroked the soft feathers of his Kasugai Crow. While Yoizumi was burying the bodies, the Kasugai Crow had returned first and told him what had happened.
Yoizumi must be here because of this matter.
Kagaya Ubuyashiki roughly guessed the purpose of Yoizumi's visit.
"Please send Yoizumi in."
"Understood."
Amane respectfully replied from outside the door.
Before long, Yoizumi arrived at Kagaya Ubuyashiki's room.
"You've come, Yoizumi," Kagaya Ubuyashiki smiled gently. The orange-yellow candlelight illuminated his face, and the deep purple, crisscrossing, grotesque scars didn't seem strange at all.
Kagaya raised his hand, gesturing for Yoizumi to sit opposite him. Yoizumi knelt on the soft cushion, placed his nichirin blade down, and looked at Ubuyashiki.
"There's something I'd like to ask for your help with."
"It's about Kaigaku, isn't it?" Kagaya Ubuyashiki spoke slowly.
Yoizumi was momentarily stunned, not expecting the other party to have guessed so quickly. Yoizumi nodded.
"Kaigaku, as Zenitsu's senior disciple, has become a demon. Zenitsu will be implicated, and by extension, their trainer."
Yoizumi didn't know much about Zenitsu's trainer.
But when Zenitsu was being trained by him, he would sometimes cry with a long face, constantly muttering:
"Grandpa! I can't do it!"
"Grandpa, I want to go back to Peach Mountain..."
Other times, he would shout:
"I'm definitely going to make Grandpa proud!"
Yoizumi was confused at the time, until he learned from Tanjirou that Zenitsu was an orphan, and the 'Grandpa' he spoke of was his trainer.
Tanjirou said:
"Zenitsu really loves his Grandpa."
As Kaigaku's trainer, with Kaigaku having turned into a demon and harmed his comrades, according to the rules of the Demon Slayer Corps, the trainer would likely commit suicide.
"I understand, Yoizumi. Mr. Kuwajima Jigoro is old."
"He made outstanding contributions to the Demon Slayer Corps in the past, and I also don't wish for this matter to affect his peaceful later years."
"Thank you," Yoizumi said in a low voice to Ubuyashiki, feeling relieved.
"Yoizumi cares a lot about Zenitsu, doesn't he?" Kagaya Ubuyashiki said with a smile.
"...Because he is Tanjirou's important friend."
If anything happened to Zenitsu, Tanjirou would be sad.
"And..."
Yoizumi recalled what Kaigaku had said.
"As a demon yourself, shouldn't you be the one who understands me the most?"
Kaigaku's questioning echoed in Yoizumi's mind.
"If I also ate humans, even if I was extremely unwilling, Tanjirou would have to kill me, and I don't want that to happen."
"However, before that, Kochou would probably kill me first."
Yoizumi lowered his gaze, staring at his hands. It was truly good that he could suppress the urge to eat humans.
"Why would Yoizumi think that?"
"Kochou wouldn't like me if I ate humans," Yoizumi said seriously.
Moreover, he couldn't forgive himself for taking away other people's families.
"But, it's a fact that Yoizumi hasn't eaten humans. You are like this now, and you will be in the future."
"You are the Snow Pillar of the Demon Slayer Corps, please stand tall."
Yoizumi looked up and met Kagaya Ubuyashiki's gentle gaze. He always had such a charm, a power that made people feel at ease unconsciously.
"Thank you, I'll be going now."
Yoizumi picked up his nichirin blade and stood up to leave, but Kagaya Ubuyashiki suddenly called out to him.
"Kochou really likes Yoizumi."
"Lately, she's always been waiting for Yoizumi to arrive."
Yoizumi's blue eyes were momentarily stunned, then quickly blinked several times, and his departing footsteps quickened.
"Understood."
"Upper Rank One, huh..."
Kagaya Ubuyashiki sighed softly, picked up the hot tea beside him, and took a sip. After Yoizumi had completely left the room, he exchanged glances with Amane, who had entered, and said in a low voice:
"Amane, please bring me paper and a brush."
"Yes."
...He arrived at Shinobu's room window using Blood Demon Art: Instant Shadow, and unexpectedly ran into Shinobu who was getting some fresh air.
She must have just finished washing up, with her hair loose and still damp at the ends. Her Demon Slayer Corps uniform had been changed to a light purple sleeping robe.
Yoizumi immediately poked his head out. Shinobu, startled by Yoizumi's sudden appearance, angrily raised her hand and flicked Yoizumi's forehead.
"You scared me!"
"Sorry," Yoizumi covered his forehead. He hadn't expected to scare Shinobu.
"Why didn't you knock on the door, but came to the window instead?" Shinobu poked her long-unseen lover, clearly annoyed. It had been two weeks, and he only just remembered she existed. Really.
"Last time I disturbed Shinobu's sleep, so I wanted to quietly see you," Yoizumi answered honestly.
"Idiot... why are your clothes dirty?" Shinobu noticed the dirt on Yoizumi's cuff.
"I accidentally brushed against something during a mission," Yoizumi explained, raising his arm to look.
"Come in, I'll help you clean it."
"No need, I'll just ask a question and leave," Yoizumi shook his head, looking at Shinobu.
A question?
Shinobu looked at Yoizumi, puzzled, waiting for his question.
"Does Shinobu like me?"
Under the moonlight, those clear sapphire eyes stared intently at Shinobu. He was seeking an answer that was already known.
Eh?
Why ask this so suddenly?
The hand gripping the windowsill suddenly tightened. Why would Yoizumi ask such a question?
Shinobu's eyes trembled slightly, flustered by Yoizumi's question, but she still forced down her inner shyness and replied:
"I do..."
Hearing the desired answer, Yoizumi's smile visibly appeared on his usually indifferent face. He nodded and said without hesitation:
"I like Shinobu too."
He looked up at the night sky, then bid Shinobu farewell and prepared to leave, moving so quickly that Shinobu, still immersed in Yoizumi's answer, almost didn't react.
Tiptoeing, she grabbed the back of Yoizumi's collar, stopping his departure.
Are you kidding? They hadn't seen each other for two weeks, and now after saying such things, he wanted to leave!
Shinobu naturally wouldn't agree.
"You're not allowed to leave!"
Pulled back by Shinobu, Yoizumi's head tilted. He rubbed his neck.
It seems... Shinobu really likes to pull his collar.
Entering the room, Yoizumi reached out and caught the clothes Shinobu threw to him.
"Go take a bath."
Yoizumi didn't have time to wonder why there were clothes that fit him, as he was pushed into the bathroom by Shinobu.
These clothes were, of course, prepared for a certain oblivious person.
She had thought he would come to spend more time with her.
But she ended up waiting for two weeks!
Leaning against the bathroom door, Shinobu lowered her head and said softly:
"So stupid."
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