Demon Slayers: Swordsman
Chapter 18
Ren woke up early, carefully slipping out of Kanae and Shinobu's embrace without disturbing them. After washing up, he stretched lightly, his body already brimming with energy as if sleep was optional for him.
Without wasting time, he walked toward Mitsuri's room and knocked. When no response came, he opened the door and stepped inside quietly.
Mitsuri was still asleep on her futon, her long pink and green hair spread around her like a soft blanket. Ren sat beside her, watching her peaceful expression before poking her cheek lightly.
"Wakey wakey, princess. We have training to do," he said with a grin.
Mitsuri giggled in her sleep, turning slightly. "Five more minutes…" she mumbled, clearly unwilling to wake up.
Ren leaned closer to her ear, his voice teasing. "You don't want me to carry you to the training ground like this, do you?"
Still no proper response came, so Ren suddenly raised his voice. "Wake upppp!"
"Waaah!" Mitsuri jolted awake in panic, sitting up abruptly as her heart raced.
Ren laughed softly. "Five minutes late. That's five extra laps around the mansion… or no food."
Mitsuri froze, her expression turning serious instantly. "Y-Yes, sir!" she replied, rushing toward the bathroom.
Within minutes, she changed into her training clothes, washed her face, and ran out to join Ren. Together, they began running around the mansion grounds.
"Good," Ren said, matching her pace effortlessly. "Now try to control your breathing. Find a rhythm that suits you."
Mitsuri nodded while running, her breaths uneven. "I-I can't find one…"
Ren glanced at her calmly. "No need to rush. We have all the time in the world. For now, just focus on running."
"Hai!" Mitsuri responded, pushing herself to keep up with him.
As they continued running, Ren casually spoke, "So… you aren't married, right, Mitsuri?"
Mitsuri almost tripped mid-run, her face turning bright red. "N-No!" she stammered.
Ren smiled mischievously. "Good. So I have a chance?"
Mitsuri's mind went blank, her thoughts spiraling instantly. Before she could even process his words, Ren's voice snapped her back.
"Don't stop running."
"Haiii!" she shouted, forcing herself to focus again despite her burning cheeks.
They continued until Mitsuri reached her limit, her legs trembling as they finally stopped. She bent slightly, trying to catch her breath while Ren went to fetch wooden swords.
After a short rest, they began sword practice. Mitsuri struggled to keep up, her movements lacking precision, but she didn't give up.
"It's really hard…" she said, sitting down after training, completely exhausted.
Ren nodded as he sat beside her, gently massaging her sore hands. "For your first day, you did great. Good work."
Mitsuri's face turned red again at his praise, her heart beating faster as she avoided his gaze.
Ren stood up and stretched. "Go wash up. Breakfast will be ready by the time you're back."
Mitsuri's exhaustion vanished instantly as her eyes sparkled. "Yayyyy! I'll be back!" she said, beaming as she ran off toward the baths.