"Could it have been the Flower Hashira who did this?"
Furukawa Hiroshi murmured softly as he examined the traces left at the scene.
"I'd say it must've been the Flower Hashira. After all, ordinary people can't kill those damned demons," one swordsman beside him said with a quiet laugh.
"To kill a demon, you need a specially crafted Nichirin Sword from our Corps. No one outside the Demon Slayer Corps possesses one," another swordsman added.
Everyone felt that this demon-slaying mission was essentially over. There had been one more demon than expected. They had prepared for a fierce battle—yet things had ended far more easily than anticipated.
Although Furukawa Hiroshi also believed the demon was likely slain by the passing Flower Hashira, he hesitated for a moment before placing his fingers to his lips and whistling.
Not long after, a Kasugai Crow flapped down from the sky.
Furukawa Hiroshi took out paper and brush, wrote a letter describing the situation, and placed it inside the small metal tube tied to the crow's leg.
The Kasugai Crow flapped its wings and flew away, carrying the message into the distance.
"We'll wait here for a few more days. I've sent an inquiry to headquarters; we'll wait for the reply." Furukawa Hiroshi said to his companions as he watched the crow disappear.
"Captain, isn't that a bit unnecessary?" one swordsman said with a wry smile.
"The demon's already dead. The mission's finished," another complained.
"Captain, you're just too cautious," a third said helplessly.
Furukawa Hiroshi rested his hand on the hilt of his Nichirin Sword and looked at them.
"When dealing with demons, there's no such thing as being too cautious."
As he spoke, he glanced toward the lively crowd in the distance.
"If we grow careless and let a demon escape, how many people might it devour as food? How many families' happiness would be destroyed? That can never be allowed."
The other swordsmen felt a chill at his words.
Furukawa Hiroshi himself felt he might have gone a bit too far. Deep down, he also believed the demon had likely been cut down by the passing Flower Hashira.
Yet, unbidden, he recalled how a teammate had been killed by a demon a few days earlier, and his Nichirin Sword had gone missing. It still hadn't been recovered. The Kakushi had searched extensively nearby but found nothing.
If that Nichirin Sword had been picked up by a demon… was it not possible that—
But the thought made Furukawa Hiroshi shake his head. He felt he was overthinking.
How could a demon wield a Nichirin Sword?
Nichirin swords contained the essence of sunlight—the very thing demons feared and loathed. Over the years, countless swordsmen had been killed by demons, yet never had a demon taken up a Nichirin Sword.
...
Small Inn, Second Floor.
Soma stood by the window, opening it just a crack. Through the narrow gap, he watched Furukawa Hiroshi and the group of Demon Slayer swordsmen in the distance.
They had investigated the site where he killed the demon for quite some time. There even seemed to be some debate among them, and they had summoned a Kasugai Crow to send a message.
For a moment, his heart tightened—he thought they might have discovered his trail.
However, after sending off the crow, the swordsmen returned and made no attempt to search the surrounding area.
Soma let out a quiet breath of relief.
He had no desire to confront the Demon Slayer swordsmen right now.
Fortunately, it seemed he had narrowly avoided trouble. The Nichirin Sword he used to kill the demon had likely misled them.
He closed the window.
In the darkened room, what met his eyes were a pair of bright, pink-violet eyes shining at him in the night.
Kanao stood quietly at his side the entire time, silently watching him.
"Did today scare you?"
Soma reached out and gently rubbed Kanao's little head.
Kanao tilted her head and blinked, looking slightly puzzled.
"It's good that it didn't."
Seeing her expression, Soma couldn't help but smile. Kanao, whose heart was tightly closed off, was not easily stirred to joy by interesting things in the outside world—nor was she easily frightened by the horrifying sight of a demon's brutal death.
He picked her up, went downstairs from the second floor, and returned to their room.
The room was pitch-black. Soma lit the oil lamp inside, and the darkness was driven away by its warm glow.
He set Kanao down.
Though she had been placed on the floor, she didn't walk away. She stayed obediently by his side.
"Go get some rest."
He patted her head and pointed to the bed nearby.
Kanao obediently walked to the bed and lay down on the soft bedding. However, she turned slightly onto her side, her pink-violet eyes quietly watching him.
"Go to sleep," he said again.
"Mm."
Kanao obediently closed her eyes.
Soma turned back and sat at the table, silently staring at the flickering oil lamp. The wavering flame reflected in his crimson eyes.
"Uncle…" A soft voice came from behind him.
"Mm." Soma turned his head. The girl lay on the bed, still with her eyes closed, her fingers interlaced and resting gently on her lower abdomen.
"Uncle, why did that person say I was your food?"
Her eyes remained closed, but there was a hint of curiosity in her tone.
Soma didn't know how to answer.
It was a question that was destined to be difficult.
"I can tell Uncle is very hungry," Kanao said softly. "If I could be eaten by Uncle as food, I would be very happy."
Soma did not look at her again. Instead, he stared at the oil lamp on the table and said calmly,
"My food will never be you."
His tone was calm—and firm. If one day he truly could not restrain the desire to devour flesh and blood, then there would be no reason for him to continue living.
Unbidden, he thought of the demon he had just slain.
A creature that must constantly feed. A creature that gradually forgets who it once was—until the moment of death, when it suddenly realizes what it has done since becoming a demon.
He could still feel the pain and sorrow that demon experienced when memories of its human past resurfaced in its final instant.
If one cannot remain true to oneself, then life is a fate worse than death.
"I really hope Uncle won't go hungry," Kanao said softly, her voice tinged with a trace of sadness. "Being hungry feels very uncomfortable. I don't want Uncle to feel that way."
Soma turned his head to look at the girl lying on the bed, still obediently keeping her eyes closed. The crimson in his gaze softened slightly.
"It won't be long before I no longer have to endure this hunger."
He smiled gently. Once he found where Tanjiro Kamado lived and located the legendary Blue Spider Lily, he would be able to make up for the flaw of becoming a demon.
"That's... wonderful then," The girl sounded happy, her voice full of longing. "I hope that day comes very soon."