Gentle sunlight pierced through the morning mist and streamed through the window into the room. Amid the chirping of birds, Hinaki Ubuyashiki slowly opened her eyes.
"Maybe… I should sleep a little longer…"
The girl hugged the soft blanket, her body wriggling beneath the covers as she let out an adorable murmur. In the sunlight, her long white hair spilled across the pillow, glowing faintly, making her look like a fairy who had descended into the mortal world.
"Miss Hinaki really doesn't want to get up."
In the past, Hinaki Ubuyashiki would never have allowed herself such a lazy moment.
Every day, she used to wake up early to handle many matters concerning the Ubuyashiki family — sorting intelligence from various branches of the Demon Slayer Corps, arranging compensation for fallen swordsmen, investigating reports of demon activity, and even analyzing the strength of newly appeared demons so that appropriately skilled teams could be dispatched to eliminate them.
But with the death of Muzan Kibutsuji, many of those responsibilities were no longer necessary. Hunting demons was no longer the Demon Slayer Corps' primary concern.
Now, she no longer needed to wake up so early to assist her mother and younger brother with countless affairs.
For her, the only thing left was to obediently wait until the right time… and then get married.
She was to marry the strongest swordsman in the Demon Slayer Corps.
In recent days, she had already learned that Soma was a demon. She had been shocked and found it hard to believe. She had never imagined that the man she was going to marry — the man she had long admired and liked — would turn out to be a demon.
Even so, after the initial discomfort, she had gradually come to accept this reality. She had accepted the fact that she would be marrying a demon.
To be honest, even now, Hinaki Ubuyashiki still found it difficult to believe that Soma was truly a demon.
But she knew it must be true, even if she didn't want to accept it.
"Soma is different from those other demons."
Hinaki gently bit her lip and murmured softly. The warm sunlight fell on her long eyelashes, and only then did she realize how late it had become.
Although she still didn't really want to get up, she had to become a good wife and a proper lady in the future. It wouldn't do to be this lazy even before getting married.
Besides, if Soma found out she was being so lazy, would he…
At that thought, the girl pouted and muttered that she still wanted to sleep a little longer, but she stopped wriggling under the blanket. Slowly, she pushed the covers aside, got out of bed, and began carefully grooming and dressing herself.
Once she was ready, she stood in front of the large window in her room.
Having inherited her mother Amane Ubuyashiki's excellent genes, the girl in the mirror possessed the same rare, beautiful white hair as her mother.
She had a delicate, oval face and a straight, elegant nose.
Her only flaw — if it could even be called one — was that she was rather slender. Her body looked thin and light.
Looking at her beautiful reflection, Hinaki Ubuyashiki couldn't help but reveal a shy smile.
"It's time to go see Mother."
After tidying everything up, Hinaki walked out of her room with light steps and soon arrived at a spacious living room.
Several maids were already moving about busily inside. Hinaki Ubuyashiki sat down in her usual seat out of habit.
For some reason, she felt that the atmosphere today was a little strange.
Still, she didn't think too much about it. She ate a simple breakfast brought by one of the maids and then began handling documents at the desk in the living room.
By now, there weren't as many matters for the Ubuyashiki family to deal with as before. Most of what remained was arranging proper placements for the Demon Slayer swordsmen.
As demons were gradually being wiped out, the world no longer needed swordsmen who hunted demons. This was difficult for many of them to accept, since most knew nothing else but demon slaying.
These matters now required the Ubuyashiki family's assistance.
After finishing another document, Hinaki heard movement outside and unconsciously straightened her back.
A mature, graceful woman entered the room together with a young boy.
It was her mother, Amane Ubuyashiki, and her younger brother, Kiriya Ubuyashiki. Both of them looked somewhat different from usual, which made Hinaki feel puzzled. She didn't know what had happened.
Logically speaking, with Muzan Kibutsuji's death, everything should have been moving in a better direction. There shouldn't have been many things left to worry about.
The curse that had plagued the Ubuyashiki family for centuries had been lifted. Her older brother, who should have been affected by the curse as time passed, had not met the same fate as their late father. In fact, her younger brother's health had been improving steadily.
Everything was heading toward a brighter future.
And all of this was thanks to Soma.
If not for Soma, how could Muzan Kibutsuji have been slain? If not for Soma, how could the curse that had haunted the Ubuyashiki family for centuries have been broken?
Although Soma was a demon, he was different from the others.
While she was thinking this, Amane Ubuyashiki and Kiriya Ubuyashiki had already taken their seats. Both of them looked somewhat sorrowful, yet there was also a faint sense of relief in their expressions.
From time to time, her mother and brother would glance at her with hesitant looks.
This made Hinaki feel very strange — and even a little nervous.
Could it be that my marriage is being moved forward? Is that why they look like this?
The girl couldn't help but wonder. Perhaps they were sad because they didn't want her to leave, yet they also felt happy for her because she was marrying the strongest swordsman.
"Mother, did something happen?"
Finally, Hinaki couldn't hold back any longer and asked.
Amane Ubuyashiki looked at her daughter with a complicated expression. She could tell that her daughter's feelings toward Soma were not ordinary.
This wasn't surprising.
In truth, Soma was an outstanding man. It was only natural for girls to like him. It would have been much better… if he weren't a demon.
What was truly difficult was the fact that he was a demon.
A demon who might be even more dangerous than Muzan Kibutsuji.
Of course, deep in her heart, Amane believed that Soma would never become like Muzan. She was even willing to vouch for him. In recent days, some swordsmen within the Demon Slayer Corps who hated demons had been secretly banding together to express their unease, and she and her son had stepped in to suppress those voices.
But the existence of a demon even more terrifying than Muzan Kibutsuji was still something that made people uneasy.
Now, that unease had finally disappeared. Yet there was also a trace of sadness and loss. After all, this demon had done so many things for them.
Aside from being a demon, he was truly someone worthy of respect.
When she first received the news, Amane had found it extremely sudden and hard to believe. She had even sent Gyomei Himejima, Kyojuro Rengoku, and Sanemi Shinazugawa to verify it, and they had all returned with the same information.
Thinking of the news she had received, Amane looked at her daughter, who was staring at her intently, and sensed her emotions. She let out a soft sigh.
"It's about Soma."
Upon hearing that it concerned Soma, Hinaki felt a little shy. She thought her mother was about to discuss her engagement with him.
At the thought of marrying Soma soon, the girl unconsciously lowered her head, her long eyelashes trembling slightly.
"Soma… is dead."
Amane Ubuyashiki looked at her daughter and finally spoke the words.