Normally speaking, as a demon who had been hunted by the progenitor for hundreds of years, Tamayo would certainly have set up some disguises and concealment for her hiding place.
But perhaps because it was currently daytime, with the sun high in the sky, all demon abilities would lose their effect.
Therefore, Tanjiro's group entered the small Western-style house before them without any obstruction.
"Welcome. Is there something wrong with your health?"
Upon entering the house, the first thing that greeted their eyes was that beautiful woman sitting behind the counter in the living room, her expression quite haggard.
Her apparent age looked to be in her early twenties, her features beautiful, with threads of sorrow flowing through those dark purple eyes.
[So she's Tamayo?]
Looking at this woman in the living room, Zenitsu blinked, his face full of questions.
Relying on his exceptional super hearing, Zenitsu quickly identified the heartbeat within Tamayo's body that differed from normal humans.
Not only that, he even heard another sound similarly different from normal humans on the second floor of the house.
But strangely, why were these two sounds so... weak?
Yes, weak.
The sound from Tamayo's body—not to mention comparing it to Akaza from that night at the Infinity Castle, but she couldn't even match ordinary Lower Rank demons!
Was she really a demon who had lived for several hundred years?
Sharing Zenitsu's equal surprise was Tanjiro.
Among all the demons Tanjiro had encountered to date, aside from Tsugikuni Mitsuba who had already awakened the Transparent World, he had smelled strong demonic aura and rotten stench on every demon.
Now, he encountered the second one.
There was similarly almost no scent on Tamayo's body; even her demonic aura was extremely thin.
She was indeed an unusual demon.
"Hello, Miss Tamayo."
Taking a deep breath, Tanjiro took the initiative to greet her.
This unusual opening seemed to make Tamayo realize something.
She finally stopped her work of sorting medicinal herbs and looked up at Tanjiro's group before her.
Although the three were not wearing Demon Slayer Corps uniforms at the moment, the Nichirin Blades wrapped in cloth at their waists still confirmed their identities to Tamayo.
"Demon Slayers?"
[Why would they come here?]
Slightly stunned, her expression showing some panic, just as Tamayo was thinking about how to escape, she saw Tanjiro suddenly rush forward and tightly grasp her hands!
"Miss Tamayo, please don't act yet! We've come to request your assistance!"
"My assistance?"
"Yes! To deal with Upper Rank One! We need your help!"
Upper Rank One, Tsugikuni Mitsuba...
Hearing this name from someone else's mouth again after several hundred years, Tamayo couldn't help but feel a moment of distraction.
"How wonderful~ Miss Tamayo, your opportunity has come again~"
Time seemed to freeze as Mitsuba's figure appeared once more.
She stood beside Tamayo, hands behind her back, smiling as she looked at the emotionally agitated Tanjiro before her.
"Look at that special scar on this child's forehead. As a demon who experienced that legendary era, I'm sure you can recognize what it is."
"The Mark~"
Raising her hand, gently touching the Mark on Tanjiro's forehead, Mitsuba smiled:
"Tell me, what kind of unbelievable miracle would it take for Demon Slayers to obtain this thing again, hundreds of years after losing my elder brother?"
"Obviously, the fate of both sides has once again come to a new turning point."
"Miss Tamayo, don't you think this might be an opportunity?"
Turning her head to look at Tamayo, Mitsuba leaned close and whispered in her ear:
"An opportunity to kill me again, to kill Lady Muzan, and to settle the obsession in your heart for hundreds of years—isn't it?"
"I..."
Tamayo slowly lowered her head, her haggard expression turning somewhat pale.
"Miss Tamayo, what are you still waiting for?"
Mitsuba's figure appeared behind Tamayo. She gently leaned on her back, her chin resting on one shoulder, tilting her head as she smilingly gazed at the hesitation-filled expression on her face.
"Think of your suffering all these years, think of the husband and children you've already forgotten, think of that pain when you personally devoured them—c·a·n y·o·u r·e·a·l·l·y l·e·t g·o?"
Extending her finger, gently poking Tamayo's cheek, Mitsuba's voice was like a demon's whisper.
"Anyway, you've already failed twice in the past. Trying once more is nothing, isn't it?"
"At worst, you'll just hide for another few hundred years and wait for the next opportunity, isn't that right?"
"So, what is there worth hesitating over?"
"Ah~ could it be that our obsessive Miss Tamayo, after hundreds of years of torment, has finally wavered in her heart and is no longer willing to continue attacking me?"
"Yes, I almost forgot—the reason you wanted to kill me in the beginning was actually for my own good~"
"Though somewhat self-righteous, it did indeed come from a place of goodwill... I see, I see~ I understand now~"
Clapping her hands lightly, Mitsuba showed an expression of sudden realization. Raising her head to Tamayo's ear, she quietly asked:
"You've actually felt guilty toward me all along in your heart, haven't you?"
"After all, there was essentially no hatred between us. I never did anything to wrong you, and even gave you kind advice when we parted."
"But you, for the obsession in your heart, tried to kill me once and again—especially that time during the early Tokugawa Shogunate, I was really just a tiny bit away from being killed by you~"
"Think of the wisteria poison you used on me then, and think of how those musket shots felt when they hit me—it really hurt so much~"
"Speaking of which, I remember you even apologized to me in your heart back then, didn't you?"
"Really now~ saying sorry in your heart while dealing such vicious blows to me—you're truly hypocritical, Miss Tamayo~"
"So? Are you wavering now, feeling sorry for me?"
"Don't tell me it's because of this guilt buried deep in your heart that you've gone from hating me to loving me?"
"Do you want me to do this?"
Even knowing that what appeared here at this moment was merely a phantom in her mind, Tamayo still couldn't help but ask Mitsuba this question.
She seemed somewhat confused, somewhat at a loss. This long torment seemed to have made her somewhat lose her direction.
"Of course. How could I pass up such a good opportunity to see Miss Tamayo struggling in agony?"
Mitsuba gave an affirmative answer.
Hearing this, Tamayo smiled helplessly.
"This is indeed the answer you would give, Mitsuba."
She took a deep breath, her eyes gradually becoming firm.
"In that case, then, I can try once more."
"Mitsuba, I will once again try to kill you, kill Muzan, and send you, and me, all down to hell together!"
"Seeing you regain your spirits again is truly delightful~"
Hearing Tamayo's firm words, Mitsuba gently released her.
She gazed at her with a smile, then stepped back one step at a time.
"I think I will very much look forward to your efforts this time~"
As her words fell, Mitsuba slowly disappeared before Tamayo's eyes.
...
(Every time I have Mitsuba torment Tamayo, I find it so thrilling. How to put it~ it strangely gives me a feeling like a cat stealing fish?)
(If you ask me, these two, Mitsuba and Tamayo, are also a pair... I didn't say anything, meow~)