"Speaking of which, Mitsuba, have you seen Tamayo in recent years?"
In Osaka Prefecture, in a backstage lounge of a certain venue, Muzan—dressed in a kimono with geisha makeup, originally sitting in a chair looking down at the sheet music in her hands—suddenly spoke up and asked.
"Tamayo? Haven't seen her."
Beside her, Mitsuba—who was writing up post-production plans for the girl band—pushed up her glasses at the bridge of her nose and casually replied.
"The last time she appeared in my field of vision was during the early Tokugawa Shogunate, several hundred years ago."
"Since then, I've never heard any news of her... What's wrong, Lady Muzan? Why ask about this all of a sudden?"
"Nothing, I just suddenly remembered her..."
Muzan replied.
These years of comfortable and leisurely life had caused Muzan to subconsciously forget many things.
Among them was Tamayo, this traitor who had escaped her control.
The former Muzan had hated this rebellious woman who knew so many of her secrets, wishing to eliminate her quickly, eager to find her and kill her.
But looking back now, Muzan only wanted to sigh—
It was merely some wind and frost; everything has passed...
This didn't mean she had given up hunting Tamayo—if she saw her, she would still kill her—but it was no longer as urgent as before.
In fact, Tamayo wasn't the only demon who had escaped her control in this world.
Back when she was severely wounded by that monster-like man, Mitsuba and Kokushibo had also successively broken free from her control.
But unlike Tamayo that traitor, Mitsuba and Kokushibo had always stood by her side.
The trust between them had been tested through life and death; they were followers who never abandoned her even at her lowest point.
Not only could Muzan not find any possibility of them betraying her, but Mitsuba and Kokushibo themselves couldn't find it either.
If, besides herself, there was anything in this world that could be called perfect, Muzan felt it could only be Mitsuba.
It was hard to imagine that a being like Mitsuba could exist in this world—loyal, powerful, with a twisted Blood Demon Art, and multi-talented, capable of shining in whatever position she was placed.
No matter what trouble was encountered, as long as Mitsuba was put there, she could always solve it in the end. Even a job as unrelated as band manager, she could handle single-handedly...
This kind of life where she could just flatten the wrinkles of her brain and lie flat casually—Muzan truly loved it.
So, what was merely a single Tamayo? As long as Mitsuba was here, what did it matter?
"However..."
Suddenly stopping her pen, Mitsuba raised her head and said thoughtfully:
"If nothing unexpected happens, I think in the not-too-distant future, we should be able to see her again..."
"Oh? What do you mean?"
Muzan looked over curiously.
"Because our God has already made big moves. As the only demon He can accept, I think He would never overlook her power no matter what."
"It's these supernatural talk again..."
Hearing this, Muzan shook her head helplessly and sighed.
Mitsuba was perfect in every way, except for this overly superstitious flaw.
Muzan couldn't understand—now that it was clearly a new era, how could this girl still believe in her supernatural theories all day long?
She must have been brainwashed too much by her mother in this aspect when she was young...
"Forget it. In any case, Mitsuba, if you encounter her in the future, remember to eliminate her quickly. Don't give her another chance to escape."
"Yes~"
"Sister Muzan!"
Just as their conversation ended, the lounge door was suddenly pushed open.
Immediately, a group of pretty girls with distinctive clothing styles swarmed in.
"I knew it! Sister Muzan must be hiding in the lounge again!"
"Wow~ Manager is here too?"
Greeting Mitsuba, this group of pretty girls rushed forward, surrounding Muzan and chattering away:
"Sister Muzan, hurry up~ Don't hide here being lazy anymore~"
"The next performance is starting soon. Didn't you say before that you would guide my shamisen playing?"
"Sister Muzan! Yesterday Xiaowei and I composed another piece of music. Hurry up and come help us critique it~"
The pretty girls chattered endlessly around Muzan, and while talking, they actually reached out their hands to forcibly take her away.
Truly annoyed by their offensive behavior, Muzan immediately frowned and shouted:
"Let go! Don't pull and tug!"
To this, the group of pretty girls' reaction was—
"Wow~ It's that look~ Sister Muzan is looking at us with that disdainful look again~"
"Eek~ Sister Muzan is so cold and aloof! Look at me more~"
"Me too! Don't all crowd in front! I can't see!"
"You all..."
In the end, surrounded by this group of chattering pretty girls, Muzan was forced to leave the lounge and began another day of being entangled by a group of beautiful and energetic little fangirls...
"What an enviable life, Lady Muzan."
"..."
"Should be here, right?"
In Tokyo, following the address pointed out by those two passersby, Tanjiro's group arrived before a small Western-style house located somewhere in the city.
There was no nameplate outside the house, only a private clinic sign hanging on the side. It looked very much like some unregulated black clinic... strictly speaking, that was indeed the case.
"Is the demon named Tamayo really hiding inside?"
Behind Tanjiro, Zenitsu carefully sized up the clinic, his expression somewhat fearful.
"Whether it's true or false, we'll know once we go in... By the way, Zenitsu, why are you so scared?"
"B-because this is a demon who has lived for several hundred years!"
Facing the puzzled gazes of Tanjiro and Genya, Zenitsu shouted loudly:
"She's even older than Upper Rank One! She must be a demon with terrifyingly powerful strength!
Maybe with a casual slap she can turn us all into minced meat! Don't you feel afraid of this?!"
"Now that you mention it, that does seem..."
Hearing this, Genya nodded thoughtfully.
"Us coming to visit so suddenly, isn't this a bit too rash? If she doesn't welcome us, I'm afraid..."
"It's fine! I definitely don't think so!"
Facing the two's worries, Tanjiro showed a bright smile on his face.
"Kanae-senpai said that Miss Tamayo similarly hates Muzan and has cooperated with the Demon Slayer Corps in the past."
"Even if she doesn't welcome us, at most she'll just chase us away and won't do anything to us! Let's go!"
Tanjiro led the two, taking large strides into the clinic before them.