The next day, outside Sendai City, at the House of Wisteria Blossoms.
Although Asuka had been seriously injured this time as well, thanks to the timely treatment from the Kakushi members and the demon power he had taken from Rokuro, his body was recovering remarkably fast.
Wrapped in layers of bandages, he looked miserable at first glance, but in truth, it didn't hinder his movements much.
Sitting at the doorway of his room, he politely greeted a few team members before gazing out toward the distant city of Sendai.
The commotion from last night had never truly settled. Even in this residence outside the city, he could still hear the noise and chaos drifting from within.
He thought of the severely injured Asano Mori, wondering whether he had received treatment.
"Hey! Mr. Asuka!"
Just as he was lost in thought, a familiar voice rang out.
Turning his head, he saw Yuka.
"...It's you. What are you doing here?"
"...This is my home."
Hm?
Seeing his surprise, Yuka quickly explained, "Well, it's actually my uncle's house. He was once helped by the Demon Slayer Corps, so now it serves as something like a recovery facility."
As she spoke, she led Asuka into the other rooms in the courtyard. Just as she had said, there were several other patients inside, their faces gaunt and worn.
"Aside from the Demon Slayer Corps, we also take in laborers who have nowhere else to go and help them recover. It's just a pity the results are minimal..."
"And Asano?" Asuka asked calmly. He hadn't seen any sign of Asano Mori here.
Yuka nodded and continued guiding him deeper inside. In a secluded corner, they found Asano Mori sleeping peacefully.
With the medicine provided by the Demon Slayer Corps, he was resting soundly.
Asuka unconsciously let out a breath of relief, then looked at Yuka.
"This place belongs to the owner of Sanmonjiya too, doesn't it?"
"Huh? You figured it out?"
"Yeah. It feels similar to the bookstore." Asuka replied lightly, practicing the art of polite small talk.
The two chatted casually as they walked back to the courtyard outside the recovery house and sat down along a corridor.
"Has the unrest from last night been settled?"
"...It's settled, but it's strange."
Yuka glanced toward Sendai City in the distance, then lowered her voice.
"Mr. Asuka, you don't know this, but yesterday... those heartless people all died!"
"Died?" Asuka frowned. "How?"
"They said the protesting workers grew more and more out of control and eventually stormed into the dyeing company. And then guess what..."
Recalling the scene, Yuka shuddered.
"Those black-hearted bosses seemed to have inhaled some kind of ointment or something bad. They were all dazed and slumped on the sofas!"
"The workers were already furious. Seeing those guys indulging themselves when everything was falling apart, they completely lost control..."
Yuka hugged her coat tighter and shivered. "Anyway, it ended horribly. Those people were insane. At a time like that..."
Hallucinating? Paralyzed?
Something felt off to Asuka.
He thought of those cold purple eyes.
Could it have been her?
...Hard to say. But if it were me...
Asuka touched the bandages on his body, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.
"If they chose to side with demons, then they're no different from demons. If they live, they'll only continue devouring people. It's better they were killed."
"Ara ara, violence is not allowed."
"Ah! Hashira-sama!"
A gentle breeze swept through the courtyard, and without warning, Shinobu Kocho appeared.
All the Kakushi members, including Yuka, immediately greeted her and bowed respectfully.
Only Asuka turned his head slightly and waved at her with his bandaged arm in greeting.
"It seems you're recovering quite well. I thought you'd be bedridden for weeks."
"Thank you for your concern."
"How are your lungs? Does it hurt when you breathe?"
"No."
"...Mr. Asuka, you shouldn't be so cold. People will dislike you."
"Is that so? I'll keep that in mind."
In truth, Asuka was speaking that way on purpose, merely to confirm the sensation he had felt last night.
He could sense it clearly—her spiritual pressure was surging along with the emotions she was suppressing.
Why put on such a gentle front when she was so furious inside? He couldn't understand.
Letting go of his probing attitude, Asuka bowed again and spoke in as respectful a tone as possible.
"Good day, Hashira-sama. Thank you for your help."
Shinobu tilted her head, slightly puzzled by the sudden change in his attitude, but she didn't dwell on it.
She instructed Yuka to fetch some oral medicine, then circled around Asuka, carefully inspecting him, paying particular attention to the heavily bandaged area on his chest.
Though she was a Hashira, Shinobu was not tall. To make it easier for her to examine him, Asuka bent down slightly, his nose almost brushing against her butterfly hair ornament.
He inhaled faintly, his gaze turning serious.
It smelled similar to Fujiyoshi... the scent of a dye workshop.
Noticing his look, Shinobu raised her eyes toward his chin and smiled lightly. "Ara, what a perceptive young man..."
"Alright. Your wounds are healing quickly. It's quite astonishing. Rest properly for a few more days, and you should be fine."
"Hashira-sama, may I ask you a question?"
"No."
"Did you go to the dyeing company last night?"
"...Mr. Asuka, you shouldn't interrogate a girl like that. People will dislike you."
"I want to know if those people were all killed."
"Hm?"
Shinobu hadn't expected him to say that.
Asuka continued calmly, "The corpses at the shrine... if I'm not mistaken, they were all offerings from the humans backing that demon."
"Evildoers who caused so many deaths are no different from demons. Not a single one should be spared. They should all be killed!"
He had already experienced a round of being treated like livestock—living as a trembling, hopeless 'offering.'
That helplessness and despair, that fear even worse than death itself—he understood it all too well.
So when Yuka spoke of those people's abnormal state, he felt no fear or unease. He only thought their deaths had been too quick.
Looking at his serious eyes, Shinobu answered frankly.
"I didn't kill them, Mr. Asuka."
She took out a shattered test tube from her sleeve. The liquid inside had long since evaporated.
On the wooden stopper was a small seal.
It resembled a blooming lotus with intricate lines, and at its center was a complex Sanskrit symbol.
Last night, when Shinobu had broken into the dyeing company, she had indeed considered subduing them and letting the protesters deliver their own justice.
But in the end, she hadn't acted. She also hadn't expected that Morii, the human trafficker among them, upon seeing her—whether out of sheer terror or desperation—
would attempt to use a highly concentrated sedative hidden in his arms to subdue her.
The crude attack was easily deflected and avoided, and instead, his own companions fell victim.
Upon closer inspection, Shinobu noticed the special seal on it.
It was the emblem of the Eternal Paradise Faith, a small, obscure religion said to recruit young women.
In recent years, rumors had spread that women who joined the faith mysteriously disappeared. The Demon Slayer Corps suspected it might be related to demons and assigned the investigation to Shinobu, though there had been no progress yet.
It seemed this man had long been supplying trafficked victims to the Eternal Paradise Faith. Had the protesters not stormed in so quickly, Shinobu had planned to interrogate him further.
She tucked the broken test tube back into her sleeve and looked at Asuka sincerely.
"Those people were indeed detestable. But as members of the Demon Slayer Corps, we cannot lay hands on ordinary humans. Mr. Asuka, you must remember this. Violence is not allowed."
"...Understood."
"It really isn't allowed. You have to promise me."
She extended her hand and hooked her little finger with his.
To Asuka's surprise, her hand was light and delicate, nothing like that of someone who wielded a Nichirin Blade.
"The swords of the Demon Slayer Corps are meant to slay demons. They must not be used to harm ordinary people. Do you understand?"
"...Yes."
Looking at Shinobu's gentle smile, Asuka reluctantly agreed.
But if he truly encountered someone who deserved to die, he would not hesitate.
After their brief promise, Shinobu prepared to leave the recovery house to patrol Sendai City once more.
"What about the Master's mission?"
Asuka called out to her back. "That demon wasn't killed. He'll just go somewhere else and cause more trouble, won't he?"
Shinobu turned sideways, still smiling.
"Life is full of regrets, Asuka."
"You've already done very well. There's no need to blame yourself. Next time you meet him, just kill him."
"And smile a little more..."
Sunlight poured down, illuminating the vibrant patterns on Shinobu's haori, shimmering brilliantly. For a moment, Asuka felt dazed.
"When a smile becomes a weapon, even death will bloom."
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