As her thoughts gradually wandered, following this angle of thinking, Mitsuba suddenly realized a detail she had never noticed before.
A detail... that made her blood run cold.
If Brother Yoriichi's birth was truly for the purpose of slaying the Demon King, did this mean that regardless of what identity Yoriichi had, what dreams he held, what paths he had once walked upon...
Would the deities ultimately guide him onto the path of "slaying the Demon King"?
Yoriichi was a human born to slay the Demon King, just like the gifts upon his body—this was the path the deities had long arranged for him, and also the destiny he was born with already determined.
So regardless of what dreams Yoriichi had as a human, whether he wished to become an honorable samurai or simply live an ordinary life with his wife and children.
Would he ultimately, under the influence of various factors, choose to join the Demon Slayer Corps and set foot upon that predetermined path of demon slaying?
Realizing this possibility, Mitsuba felt a chill run down her spine.
If Yoriichi's destiny was already determined by the deities.
Did this mean that the deities could actually determine the destiny of anyone else in this world as well?
Her pupils trembling slightly, Mitsuba turned her stiff neck and slowly shifted her gaze to her left arm, covered in silver needles and almost completely immobile.
Then, what was her destiny?
For her, what path had the deities in the heavens arranged?
"Mitsuba... Mitsuba?"
The continuous calls by her ear gradually pulled back Mitsuba's drifting consciousness.
She suddenly raised her head and saw Butterfly waving her hand repeatedly before her eyes, her face full of worry.
"Butterfly?"
"What's wrong? Suddenly turning pale and spacing out—are you feeling unwell somewhere?"
"Sorry, I just suddenly thought of something..."
Gradually coming back to her senses, forcing herself to stop thinking about those mystical matters, a smile reappeared on Mitsuba's face.
"By the way, what were you saying to me just now, Butterfly?"
Carefully observing her best friend's complexion and confirming she was truly fine, Butterfly finally felt relieved. She turned around and began grinding medicine while saying:
"I was saying, if your Brother Yoriichi is truly willing to reveal the secrets of his breathing techniques to me, then please thank him on my behalf.
Also, if there's anything he needs my help with, he can come tell me. As long as it's something this humble physician can do, I will try my best to help.
After all, I don't want to take someone else's things for nothing..."
"Mm, alright."
Mitsuba nodded gently.
However, no matter how she tried to suppress the thoughts from just now, they still seeped out uncontrollably from the depths of her mind like ink, staining her thoughts.
So, what was her destiny?
If this world truly had deities, if the deities could truly arrange everything.
Then why had They arranged such a fate for her?
Why did They wish for her to die so young?
Could it be because her soul came from another world, not a complete person of this world, so the deities in the heavens did not wish for her to continue existing?
Driven by these chaotic thoughts in her mind, Mitsuba almost subconsciously asked Butterfly the question she had been deliberately avoiding all this time.
"Butterfly, can my illness truly be cured?"
The hand grinding medicine suddenly stopped. Butterfly's body stiffened. She slowly turned around and asked with a somewhat rigid smile on her face:
"What's wrong? Why suddenly ask this?"
As she spoke, her gaze drifted somewhat, as if she dared not look directly into Mitsuba's eyes.
But Mitsuba failed to notice this detail.
Because the moment Butterfly turned around, realizing she had asked an "inappropriate question," she also instinctively lowered her head, avoiding eye contact with Butterfly.
"Sorry, I just suddenly thought of it..."
"Really now..."
Letting out a very loud sigh, Butterfly immediately stepped forward and squatted before Mitsuba, speaking with her usual lighthearted tone:
"I told you to have confidence in me! Who am I?
I am the wise and brilliant, well-read in medical texts, self-taught, traveled throughout the nation curing countless difficult and complicated diseases, saved countless lives with a single silver needle, can kick down the gates of heaven above and fish people out of the yellow springs below, known as 'The Divine Physician Butterfly'!"
Finishing this long string of titles in one breath, Butterfly immediately raised her hand and forcefully patted her own chest, raising her head proudly:
"As long as I want to cure it, there's no illness in this world I cannot cure!
So Mitsuba, don't always feel like your condition has worsened lately and think you're beyond help. Treatment always requires a process, and some ups and downs during this process are completely normal!
Not to mention your situation is more severe than ordinary illnesses, so treatment will naturally be more difficult...
But don't worry, with me here, everything will definitely be alright in the end!
Just leave your body to me with confidence. Your job is to make yourself happy every day, understood..."
Looking down at Butterfly before her, who kept chattering on and on while subconsciously raising one hand to scratch at her own hair, Mitsuba's face always carried a faint smile.
She had actually noticed long ago.
Every time her best friend was very nervous or wanted to lie, she would subconsciously raise her hand to scratch at her hair.
Every single time, without exception.
Without a doubt, Butterfly was lying about her condition.
But Mitsuba did not expose this.
Looking at the only friend who truly cared about her, Mitsuba simply smiled and nodded.
"Mm, I believe you."
"..."
Mitsuba saw Yoriichi again one year later.
The same night as last time, the same passing through by chance, the same climbing in quietly through the window.
Of course, also the same as last time—this time too, only Yoriichi came alone.
Michikatsu, whom Yoriichi had promised last time, did not come with him.
"Is Brother Michikatsu not coming?"
In the pitch-black room, sitting by the small stove slowly brewing medicine for herself, Mitsuba asked.
Smelling the medicinal scent that permeated the room and wouldn't dissipate, Yoriichi walked straight to the small stool beside Mitsuba and sat down.
"Sorry, Mitsuba."
He first looked at the medicine brewing on the stove with confusion, then explained with an apologetic face:
"I mentioned this to my brother before, but he has been hesitating, so..."
"Brother Yoriichi need not explain, I understand."
Her gaze always fixed upon the boiling medicinal soup before her, Mitsuba nodded gently.
She actually knew very well that Michikatsu would not return.
Or rather, he felt he had no face to return.
After all, abandoning his wife and child, and tossing the family head responsibilities that should have been his onto his younger sister... from the perspective of an elder brother, this was indeed somewhat inappropriate.
Therefore, from the very beginning, Mitsuba had never expected Michikatsu to return.
But it didn't matter. As long as Yoriichi returned, that was enough.
The favor Butterfly had asked her to help with a year ago, she still remembered clearly in her heart.
"Mitsuba, these medicines of yours..."
"Brother Yoriichi, could you do me a favor?"
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