After about ten minutes, Tamayo opened a drawer, rummaged through it, and handed something to Mizuki.
"Here, try this."
Tamayo opened the package, revealing smooth, round candies inside.
"Candy?" Mizuki looked surprised, then realized, "What did you just inject?"
Tamayo smiled mysteriously, "You'll know if you try it."
Mizuki's eyes lit up, already guessing the answer. She picked up a candy, put it in her mouth, and the sweet taste instantly exploded across her palate.
Compared to the feeling in her dreams, this was far more real.
"How did you do this?" In her excitement, Mizuki simply swallowed the candy whole right in front of Tamayo.
Tamayo had just picked up a candy herself, but Mizuki's action made her mouth twitch in astonishment.
"Regarding this, we have to thank Yae. Her father's blood, as you suspected, has a certain resistance to muzan cells."
"After doing a little research using her father's blood, this was an unexpected byproduct."
"Although you can't absorb the nutrients like a normal person, you can still satisfy your craving for taste."
Mizuki wasn't demanding: "Well, as long as it has flavor, that's enough."
God knows what kind of miserable life she's lived all these years.
Worried about getting addicted to blood, she starved herself for two hundred years. Forget eating and drinking well; she simply hadn't eaten or drunk anything at all.
Although it offers no substantial help, the effect is absolutely wonderful.
Mizuki was so moved she was almost crying.
She grabbed a few more candies, as if trying to dispel all the misery of the past years through the sweet taste.
Tamayo smiled, "I knew you would like it."
With her mouth full of candy, Mizuki asked indistinctly, "Right, how is the research going on the Upper Rank blood I gave you earlier?"
Among the Upper Ranks they had defeated previously, aside from the shattered Akaza, Tanjirou had carefully collected the blood from Upper Rank Six.
"The research is still ongoing."
"Has it helped?"
"It's been a huge help." Tamayo smiled, "These Upper Rank Demon Moons are the demons closest to Muzan, and their blood contains more muzan cells."
"We have a chance to find a way to counter Muzan."
Mizuki's eyes brightened, "As long as it's effective."
Tamayo smiled faintly, taking a syringe out of the drawer: "By the way, take this back for Nezuko to use."
"If you don't know how to inject it, ask Miss Shinobu for help."
Mizuki carefully put away the syringe: "I understand."
Tamayo: "I won't see you out. Be safe on the way."
Mizuki rolled her eyes: "What danger could I possibly be in?"
Tamayo merely smiled again, saying nothing more... Leaving Tamayo's laboratory, Mizuki greeted Yushiro and Yae, and then departed.
When she returned to the Butterfly Mansion, Mizuki thought everyone would already be asleep.
Walking slowly past the corner and reaching the corridor in front of the courtyard, silver moonlight spilled down right at the turn. Kochou Shinobu's petite figure was sitting under the veranda, her fingers slightly bent and raised high, and a silver-white butterfly rested on the back of her hand, fluttering its wings.
It must be said that this scene looked incredibly harmonious.
Mizuki was somewhat reluctant to disturb her.
Kochou Shinobu noticed Mizuki's presence, turned her head, and softly said, "Welcome back."
The moment she turned her head, the silver-white butterfly flapped its wings, soared high, and vanished into the horizon against the moonlight.
"Mm, I'm back." Mizuki watched the butterfly fly away, then walked over and sat down beside Kochou Shinobu.
"Why haven't you slept yet?"
Kochou Shinobu raised her head to look at the moon: "Don't you find it comfortable to occasionally enjoy a quiet night like this?"
"...I suppose so." Mizuki followed her gaze toward the moonlight.
The moon was extremely bright, and its silver-white brilliance reflected off the surrounding clouds, making them perfectly clear.
"After hundreds of years, seeing your family again, how does that feel, Mizuki?" Kochou Shinobu suddenly asked, without warning.
"How does it feel?" Mizuki really hadn't expected her to ask this so abruptly.
Kochou Shinobu was a very meticulous person; whether in daily life or emotional communication, she was someone who cared about others.
She certainly wouldn't normally bring up such a heavy topic for Mizuki.
Even when she previously said she wanted to hear her story, she mostly served as a listener. If Mizuki didn't mention something, no matter how much she cared, she wouldn't actively ask.
Even if she did ask about something she considered taboo, she would always add a phrase like, 'If you don't want to talk about it, that's fine.'
But not this time. She waited quietly for Mizuki's answer.
Mizuki looked at the pond in the courtyard reflecting a thin silver sheen, remained silent for a moment, and said with complicated feelings: "I was very happy..."
"I originally thought he was the person I hated the most..."
"Because he was the one who turned me into a demon, and he personally killed Yoriichi."
Mizuki clenched her fingers slightly.
Moreover, in the Entertainment District, Kokushibou nearly killed Tanjirou.
But when she rescued the others and confronted Kokushibou...
What she couldn't deny was that she couldn't bring herself to hate him at all.
On the contrary, seeing her family again after hundreds of years, a fleeting moment of joy even arose in her heart.
But she *should* hate him—for killing Yoriichi, and for all the people he had harmed over the years... It was the clash of these emotions that made Mizuki think, 'I should just grab my sword and cut him down.'
If she picked up her sword, she wouldn't have to think so much.
Even though she had already solidified her stance later, due to the conversation between Tanjirou and Gyuutarou.
Yet, she couldn't deny that she still harbored affection for this older brother of hers, who was disloyal, unjust, and unfilial.
"Isn't that a good thing?" Kochou Shinobu turned her head, revealing a smile. "That just proves that Mizuki is truly human."
"If you completely severed your feelings for a family member just because they committed a grave mistake, wouldn't *that* make you a demon?"
"It is precisely because of these complex emotions that a person remains human."
Just like the mother of a murderer; she wouldn't completely cut off contact with her son just because he was a killer.
It's not because the son is innocent, but because feelings are something that are difficult to discard just because one party makes a huge mistake or follows a different path... Was she trying to comfort her?
Mizuki was momentarily distracted. She hadn't felt like anything was wrong with her recently.
The bystanders see clearly, while those involved are confused.
Mizuki couldn't help but show a slight smile: "...Thank you."
Kochou Shinobu smiled faintly: "I heard about it from Tanjirou and the others. I think your older brother must feel the same way."
"He didn't completely regard you as an enemy just because your positions are different."
Kochou Shinobu only learned about Mizuki's encounter with Kokushibou from the Master; Mizuki had never spoken about the specific details.
She learned about it from Tanjirou and the others.
Especially Uzui Tengen.
What he kept saying was that luckily, that monster asked him several times, 'Where is Mizuki?' Otherwise, even if Mizuki had the ability to heal flesh and bone, he would have been dead for half a day.
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