Raiden paused outside the dim corridor on the second floor, listening intently. Zenitsu's earlier cries had vanished, replaced by a tense silence.
"Where is he? Didn't that geisha say Zenitsu went back to his room to rest?" Raiden muttered, closing the door to the empty room behind him.
A shiver ran down his spine. Could Zenitsu have run into Daki already? His heartbeat quickened as he moved swiftly upstairs.
Though he hadn't yet memorized every detail of Daki's movements, Raiden had a rough understanding of Kyogoku House's layout. Demons cannot endure sunlight, so Daki's room had to be on the shadowed side. The first floor was immediately ruled out—too exposed for the Oiran of Kyogoku House. The third floor had only a storage room and a shared room for two geishas, leaving the second floor as the only option.
As Raiden approached a shadowed corridor, he overheard the voices of Zenitsu and Daki.
"Please let go!" Zenitsu shouted.
"Let go?" Daki's amber eyes narrowed, vertical patterns in her pupils flickering like venomous snakes. How dare this yellow-haired boy not only touch her but also defy her? Truly unforgivable.
Her hand snapped, aiming to shake Zenitsu off. The attack came so swiftly that he barely had time to brace himself.
"Clap!"
Zenitsu's eyes flew open in surprise. The blow didn't hit him. A pale, slender hand intercepted Daki's strike.
"Raiden…" Zenitsu called out, a mix of relief and guilt in his voice. He had forgotten his instructions to act cautiously, but the presence of Raiden changed everything.
Raiden held Daki's wrist firmly, pulling Zenitsu behind him. Daki's eyes widened slightly. Though she hadn't used full strength, any casual blow from an Upper Moon Six could obliterate walls. Yet here was someone capable of stopping her strike.
Could it be a demon from the Demon Slayer Corps infiltrating her territory? She scrutinized the fair, delicate hand. Pale red lips, clear autumn-like eyes, and porcelain skin—this person's beauty rivaled any she had seen. A geisha? But how could a geisha resist an attack from Upper Moon Six? A demon? Impossible—she should sense it if that were the case.
Suddenly, an image flashed in her mind. Muzan's transmitted vision overlapped with the figure before her. This was the person Muzan wanted her to eliminate. A man disguised as a woman?
A surge of killing intent erupted from Daki, her gaze now fixed on Raiden. This intruder dared come into her domain at Kyogoku House. Good. Taking his life would surely please Muzan.
Yet now was not the time for open battle. She glimpsed the faint light filtering from the corridor, realizing that rash action would reveal her identity and alert Raiden. With a controlled motion, she withdrew her hand, her murderous aura vanishing.
"Who are you?" she demanded.
"Raiden," he replied calmly, releasing her wrist. Hostility wasn't necessary yet; he still needed to locate Daki's obi.
Her earlier burst of killing intent puzzled him. She hadn't shown such malice toward Zenitsu. Why target him? And it seemed she recognized him instantly. Raiden's first encounter with Daki, yet Muzan had already marked him.
Daki's eyes sharpened further. This boy revealed his name so openly. Was he fearless, or simply unaware of the danger?
"Remember this, you two. Do not enter others' rooms without permission, especially mine," Daki said coldly, waving her long sleeve as a final warning before stepping back.
Raiden's gaze swept across the room, scanning for traces of the obi. No other presence, no abnormal aura—it wasn't here.
"You!" Daki's voice rose as if she were about to scold him.
Before she could continue, hurried footsteps approached. The Boss and two geishas had noticed the commotion.
"Courtesan Warabi, please be merciful! The establishment is about to open, and guests will arrive. I will punish them myself, but please… for my sake, spare them," the Boss begged, kneeling.
Even the highest-ranking geisha shouldn't have the authority to make the Boss bow so humbly. Yet here, only Raiden and Zenitsu seemed unphased; the rest displayed nothing but fear.
Daki's expression softened, replaced by a courteous smile. The tense atmosphere evaporated instantly.
"I was too strict with the new children. Please ensure they are well taken care of, Boss. Too many things have been neglected lately; my apologies."
"Get ready for work. Hurry and clean up," the Boss instructed.
Daki swept into the room, calling out orders.
"Quickly, call people to clean up Courtesan Warabi's room! And you two, explain why you trespassed without permission!"
Raiden merely observed, his white hair catching the faint corridor light, calculating his next move while keeping Daki's suspicions in check.