He unconsciously held his breath until a suffocating sensation came over him, and Yoizumi finally gasped heavily, dazed. Kagaya Ubuyashiki gently patted Yoizumi's back, his soothing voice filled with concern.
"Yoizumi, are you alright?"
"Do you want to rest for a bit?"
Slowly shaking his head at Kagaya Ubuyashiki, Yoizumi's gaze fell once more on the doll covered by the white cloth. Walking in front of it, Yoizumi raised his hand, wanting to lift the white cloth, only to realize that even his fingertips were trembling.
Staring at his subtly shaking right hand, Yoizumi used his left hand to grip his wrist, forcing himself to calm down. Even though his body was trembling like this, Yoizumi's lips curved slightly.
As the white cloth was slowly uncovered, the true appearance of the doll emerged before Yoizumi's eyes. Its posture and face were identical to the man from Kibutsuji Muzan's nightmare he had once glimpsed. With just one look, countless cells within Yoizumi surged with unease.
That deep red high ponytail, the red Mark on his right cheek, and the Hanafuda earrings identical to Tanjirou's.
This doll, merely sitting there, instilled a fear so deeply etched into his cells and bone marrow that it already made Yoizumi breathless.
The scene of Kibutsuji Muzan being instantly dismembered replayed continuously in his mind.
Those lines... [What's so interesting?]
...[What do you take life for?]
Yoizumi covered his throbbing forehead with one hand. He thought, even his blood was in fear.
When Kibutsuji Muzan sees the one who once brought him endless nightmares reappear before his eyes, will he choose to self-destruct and flee, as he did before? Or will he be too scared to move?
"Yoizumi?" Kagaya looked at the vertical pupils, characteristic of a demon, that suddenly appeared in Yoizumi's sapphire eyes. It was a symbol of brutality, yet appearing in Yoizumi's eyes, it still brought him peace of mind.
"I'm fine." He closed his burning eyes, then covered the doll with the white cloth again. Looking at it for much longer, he felt his head would hurt even more.
"Yoizumi hasn't had lunch yet, has he? I've prepared it for you."
Yoizumi was about to refuse when he saw Kagaya Ubuyashiki chuckle and say, "I know Yoizumi doesn't need to eat, but would you mind keeping me company?"
"Okay." With such an attitude, Yoizumi really couldn't refuse.
"..." Yoizumi lowered his gaze, staring at the several mochi of various colors on the plate in front of him, then quickly scanned the meals of the others.
Did he seem a bit out of place?
"Yoizumi, just treat this place like Butterfly Mansion."
Kagaya smiled as he spoke to Yoizumi, who was sitting across from him.
The Ubuyashiki family, a total of seven people, were all gathered here.
His gaze fell on Kagaya's five children. They looked so similar... If Yoizumi didn't look closely, he really couldn't tell who was who.
Before the meal, Kagaya had introduced his children to Yoizumi one by one.
Hinaki, Nichika, Kiriya, Kanata, Kuina.
Yoizumi recalled what Mother Kie had said.
[Couples who are deeply in love will gain the recognition of cranes and receive their blessings.]
He couldn't tell that Kagaya Ubuyashiki and Amane Ubuyashiki were so close... Yoizumi thought silently. Beside him, Kagaya Ubuyashiki felt Yoizumi's gaze and tilted his head, puzzled.
Hmm?
"Kagaya-sama." Amane thoughtfully picked out the fish bones from the fish and brought it to him.
He smiled at Amane, "Thank you, Amane."
He casually picked up a white mochi and put it in his mouth. It was red bean paste flavored.
Delicious... He noticed someone was looking at him. Following the gaze, it was Kanata, who was sitting beside him.
She was the youngest of the five children.
Sometimes, when Yoizumi was at headquarters, he would often encounter her delivering messages. Was she wanting this?
He pushed the plate of mochi in front of him towards Kanata. Kanata, who hadn't expected to be discovered, was introverted. She lowered her head, quickly took a mochi, and softly said thank you.
They were all such quiet children... Not at all like the children Yoizumi knew... Stopping at the entrance of the laboratory, staring at the meal on the floor that had long grown cold, Yoizumi sighed softly. As expected, she hadn't eaten... He felt an inexplicable gaze mixed with jealousy. Yoizumi looked over and saw Yushiro hiding in the shadow of the eaves.
?
Why was he looking at himself like that?
But Yoizumi didn't intend to investigate. He needed to go back to Kanzaki Aoi first and ask her to make some food, so Shinobu could eat a hot meal when she came out.
As for the reason for Yushiro's jealousy... His fingers desperately dug into the wall, Yushiro gritting his teeth.
Damn it! If he could also move in the sun, he could stay by Tamayo-sama's side 24 hours a day!
When Yoizumi returned here with the bento box, the tightly closed door suddenly opened.
Shinobu, flustered and in a hurry, almost ran into Yoizumi head-on. He reached out to support Shinobu. Seeing her reddish eye corners, Yoizumi immediately frowned and asked in a low voice what had happened.
Shinobu looked at Yoizumi, her lips pressed together, her eyes brimming with tears, yet she was smiling—a smile of relief. She raised her hand, grabbed Yoizumi's sleeve, and spoke in a hoarse voice.
"Yoizumi, it worked."
"We succeeded."
"Not only the Mark serum, but the human-transformation serum also succeeded..."
Yushiro, on the other side, heard this and immediately couldn't sit still. He carefully moved along the shadow, which was less than 20 centimeters wide, inch by inch, to the laboratory.
"As expected of Tamayo-sama! She's incredible!"
Yushiro hadn't even seen Tamayo yet, but his words of praise had already spilled out.
Seeing this, Yoizumi and Shinobu exchanged a smile. All the words they wanted to say were conveyed to each other through their eyes.
His face was full of joy for Shinobu's success. Yoizumi gently held Shinobu's hand.
"Shinobu, that's amazing."
Yoizumi shook the lunchbox in his left hand and led Shinobu towards the room.
Half of the important matters were resolved; the other half remained unsolved.
Shinobu needed to eat.
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