"This is different, Butterfly."
Hearing these words, Mitsuba shook her head slightly.
"I am the daughter of the Tsugikuni family. Since birth, I have enjoyed the wealth and glory it brought me, so naturally I must give back to it when it needs me..."
"Pah! I'm also the daughter of the Butterfly family, didn't I still run away from home?"
Butterfly completely disagreed with Mitsuba's words.
"Little Mitsuba, every person in this world is free. There is no natural law that dictates we must sacrifice ourselves for someone from birth, and you are no exception.
Even if we take a step back, even if you truly wish to dedicate something to your Tsugikuni family, there are completely other ways to do so, rather than this method that is practically self-destructive."
"But, if I don't stay here, the Tsugikuni family will..."
"So this isn't your problem at all! Why can't that rigid little head of yours understand?"
Grasping Mitsuba's shoulders once again, Butterfly spoke with a tone of frustration:
"Mitsuba, you need to understand clearly. The reason your Tsugikuni family has developed to its current state is primarily because of those two willful brothers of yours!
It's because they completely failed to bear the responsibilities they should have shouldered, casually abandoning the entire family, that they pushed you—who should never have been in this position—into this position.
The current predicament of the Tsugikuni family, why it has fallen to the point where a young woman must serve as the family head—these problems have absolutely nothing to do with you!
In fact! You are still the victim of your two brothers' willful behavior! Do you understand?!"
As Butterfly's words fell, Mitsuba fell into silence.
She lowered her head, frowning, and in this brief silence, her mind once again recalled that night when her mother Juna had died from illness.
Recalled the words Juna had spoken to her before her death.
"But, Mother she..."
"Mother? My mother also hoped I would marry a man I had never met before, but did you see me listen?"
Directly interrupting Mitsuba's unfinished words, Butterfly spread her hands and said carelessly:
"Mitsuba, don't let those rigid family teachings control your mind.
Each of our own destinies should be held in our own hands.
Born as humans, in these fleeting decades, we should do what we truly wish to do, living a happy and valuable life.
Rather than under the constraints of rules and regulations, becoming a sacrifice for others' willful behavior, even hypnotizing ourselves into accepting it willingly.
That is not a human at all, but a doll wrapped in human skin, without a single thought..."
Her tone quite resigned, Butterfly sat back down beside Mitsuba. She turned to look at the silent Mitsuba beside her and said with an incomparably sincere tone:
"But Mitsuba, as a friend, I hope you can become a human, not a doll."
[At least, in this remaining time.]
This final sentence, Butterfly ultimately couldn't bring herself to say aloud, only silently reciting it in her heart.
"Alright, alright, let's not talk about this anymore~"
Seeing that Mitsuba remained silent without response, Butterfly actively changed the topic. She suddenly smiled and asked:
"Speaking of which, I'm quite curious. Are these things your brother told you about—the Demon Slayer Corps, demons, and all that—real or fake?
In all my years of traveling to practice medicine, how come I've never even heard of them?"
"My brother wouldn't deceive me on such matters."
Compliantly following Butterfly's change of topic, Mitsuba explained:
"If he says they exist, then they surely must exist. It's just that ordinary people rarely have the chance to encounter them..."
"So that means those Marks that can make people stronger, and those breathing techniques that can strengthen the body, also exist?"
"They should."
"Oh~"
Nodding thoughtfully, as if suddenly thinking of something, Butterfly immediately showed Mitsuba a rather brilliant smile.
"Oh my oh my~ Then I wonder if our Miss Mitsuba has mastered any of those breathing technique skills, to let her good friend broaden her horizons?"
"Unfortunately, I do not."
Shaking her head immediately, Mitsuba looked at Butterfly in confusion and asked:
"What's wrong, Butterfly? Do you want to learn?"
"Rather than wanting to learn, it's more accurate to say I want to study it..."
Raising her hand to rub her chin, Butterfly explained with a face full of curiosity:
"Mitsuba, think about it. Without any medicinal assistance, simply through some special breathing techniques coordinated with movements, one can dramatically elevate a person's physical capabilities.
This technique that seems to exist only in mythological stories—any normal physician would surely want to get their hands on it to study, right?"
"That does sound true."
"Right, right? Even if we can't perfectly replicate its effects, as long as we can develop a degraded version suitable for the general public that can simply strengthen the body and improve health.
For the vast ordinary common people of this world, this would also be a great boon."
"In that case, when Brother Yoriichi returns next time, I'll ask him to compile a copy for you."
Mitsuba proactively suggested.
To be honest, she didn't have much interest in benefiting all humanity. She was only willing to help because she saw her only friend was so interested in this.
"Huh? Is that okay?"
Butterfly was stunned upon hearing this, instinctively asking:
"Aren't these breathing techniques supposed to be the secret teachings exclusive to that Demon Slayer Corps?"
"Not at all. The breathing techniques were developed by Brother Yoriichi; he merely taught them to the Demon Slayer Corps.
As long as Brother Yoriichi is willing, he can equally teach them to others."
Mitsuba explained.
Speaking of Yoriichi, Mitsuba often couldn't help but suspect whether her second brother was actually the reincarnation of some deity from the heavens?
Born with that special Mark, eyes that could naturally see through human bodies, and that swordsmanship and breathing technique that could be called miraculous...
If this were truly so, then for what purpose did the deities create such a powerful physical body?
Peerless swordsmanship, breathing techniques, the Mark, the Transparent World...
Everything the deities bestowed was so complete, placing Yoriichi at the pinnacle of what humans could achieve from birth.
But the gifts of fate have never been free.
What goal did the deities in the heavens want him to accomplish by bestowing upon Yoriichi these abilities that ordinary people could likely never obtain even after a lifetime of effort?
Could it really be just to slay that legendary Demon King?