Bonus Chapter!♥
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The morning mist gradually dispersed, and the Butterfly Mansion welcomed a rare, peaceful start to the day.
Rin had changed out of his usual black uniform, now dressed in a well-tailored dark blue kimono with subtle patterns, layered beneath a black wool Western-style overcoat popular in the Taisho era.
The Kusanagi Sword was carefully wrapped in thick gray cloth, disguised to resemble a long umbrella, which he carried casually at his side.
With the government's sword ban in place, even members of the Demon Slayer Corps couldn't openly carry weapons in towns filled with watchful eyes.
Leaning against a cherry blossom tree in the courtyard, he waited quietly.
Not long after, the paper door slid open with a soft sound.
"Sorry to keep you waiting."
A clear voice followed, carrying the faintest trace of nervousness.
Rin turned his head—and paused.
A flicker of surprise crossed his eyes.
Today, Kocho Shinobu wasn't wearing her usual loose medical coat, nor her signature butterfly-patterned haori.
Instead, she wore an outfit rich in Taisho-era elegance: a light purple kimono with a subtle arrow pattern, paired with a dark purple andon hakama, and delicate black lace-up leather boots.
Her long black hair, usually tied up, was now let down and gathered loosely to one side with a ribbon, adorned with a small pearl hairpin.
Without the sharp composure of the Insect Hashira, she looked like a gentle, refined girl next door.
"What is it? Is there something on my face?"
Under his gaze, Shinobu's cheeks, already faintly flushed, grew warmer. She instinctively lowered her eyes, about to check her appearance.
"No."
Rin stepped forward and, without hesitation, took her left hand, still covered by a lace fingerless glove.
The warmth of his palm made her heart skip a beat. She tried to pull away, but his grip only tightened.
"I just think it's a shame to hide such a beautiful side of you under that uniform all the time."
He gently pulled her toward the gate.
"Let's go. If we're any later, the limited-edition sweets at the wagashi shop will be sold out."
Led forward by him, Shinobu felt the corners of her lips curve upward at his unfiltered praise.
She stopped resisting and let his warm hand envelop hers, following him with light, quick steps.
Dozens of kilometers from the Demon Slayer Corps headquarters lay a bustling town.
Far from the threat of demons, the streets were alive with activity. Western-style trams clanged along bluestone-paved roads, while rows of traditional wooden houses stood alongside red-brick Western buildings.
Vendors called out from both sides of the street, their voices rising and falling, filling the air with the vibrant energy of the era.
A handsome man and a beautiful woman walking hand in hand naturally drew plenty of attention.
Rin stood tall, his features sharp and composed, while Shinobu was gentle and graceful, every step elegant.
Together, they turned heads wherever they passed, earning more than a few lingering glances from nearby vendors.
"That's the shop up ahead."
Shinobu pointed to a store at the corner, its sign simply reading "Sweet Shop," her voice carrying a hint of excitement.
The business was thriving, and a long line had already formed outside.
Rin frowned slightly. He had never liked wasting time standing in queues.
Just as he was about to suggest going somewhere else, Shinobu lightly tugged at the hem of his coat.
"Experiencing ordinary life once in a while isn't so bad."
She looked up at him, her eyes bright with a soft smile.
"When my sister was still here, we used to wait in line for more than half an hour just to buy fresh sakura mochi."
Hearing her mention Kocho Kanae so naturally, without the usual trace of sorrow, Rin quietly suppressed the irritation rising within him.
"Fine. I'll go along with you."
They took their place in the middle of the line.
Rin's tall figure naturally shielded her from the crowd and the cool early autumn breeze.
Just then, a few young men in flashy suits, clearly looking like hooligans, strolled past.
The slick-haired young master leading them suddenly stopped, his gaze locking onto Kochou Shinobu. His eyes filled with a mix of amazement and greed.
He shoved aside the people in front of him and walked straight up to her, removing his top hat with what he clearly thought was a charming gesture.
"My beautiful lady, standing in line at a place like this must be exhausting. I happen to be the son of the town's Chamber of Commerce president and have reserved a private room at the Western restaurant ahead. May I have the honor of inviting you to lunch?"
His tone was arrogant, as if Rin—who was still holding Shinobu's hand—didn't exist. He even reached out, attempting to touch her shoulder.
A flicker of disgust crossed Shinobu's eyes. Instinctively, her hand moved toward her waist, only to pause.
She wasn't a Demon Slayer today; she just wanted to live a normal life, even if only for today.
Just as she was about to cut him down with her words, a tall figure stepped forward, blocking her completely.
Rin shifted the cloth-wrapped sword to his left hand and slipped his right hand into his coat pocket.
He looked down at the young master, who was half a head shorter than him, his dark eyes utterly devoid of emotion.
"Get lost."
"Who do you think you are? How dare you speak to me like that?!"
The slick-haired youth flushed with anger, humiliated in front of the beauty. He waved at the lackeys behind him.
"Throw this shabby brat out of the street!"
The thugs immediately rolled up their sleeves and closed in.
Standing behind Rin, Shinobu felt no fear at all. If anything, she looked at them with a hint of sympathy.
Of all people to provoke, they had chosen someone who treated Upper Rank demons like toys.
Rin didn't even blink.
He simply released a trace of the killing intent he had tempered through countless battles.
The air temperature seemed to plummet instantly.
The thugs rushing forward suddenly found it hard to breathe. In their eyes, behind this black-haired man loomed a figure of pure carnage—mountains of corpses and seas of blood forming a terrifying presence that stared at them coldly.
Thump!
The one in front had his legs give out, collapsing to his knees on the bluestone pavement. His teeth chattered uncontrollably as the smell of urine spread.
"D-demon… monster…"
The others turned and fled in panic, pushing through the crowd and sprinting toward the street corner, abandoning even the Chamber of Commerce heir.
Left alone, the slick-haired young master stood frozen, cold sweat soaking through his expensive shirt.
Facing Rin's calm, pitch-black gaze, his legs trembled and his mind went blank.
"Do I need to repeat myself?" Rin said coldly.
"S-sorry! I'll leave right now!"
The young master scrambled away in panic, not even daring to pick up the top hat he had dropped.
The crowd around the queue instinctively made space for Rin, everyone looking at him with awe.
"See? The line's shorter now."
Rin glanced at Shinobu, his tone already back to its usual lazy drawl.
Shinobu looked at the large empty stretch ahead and let out a soft laugh, her earlier annoyance completely gone.
"You really are ruthless, even when swatting flies."
She stepped closer and slipped her arm around his, a faint dimple appearing at the corner of her lips.
"But… that was pretty cool."
...
Half an hour later,
The two sat by the window on the first floor of the wagashi shop.
Several delicate sweets were laid out on the table: bellflower-shaped nerikiri, warabi mochi dusted with kinako, and two steaming cups of matcha.
Shinobu used a bamboo pick to cut off a small piece of nerikiri and placed it in her mouth, her eyes narrowing in satisfaction.
The sweetness spread gently across her tongue, rich without being overwhelming.
"Try this. It's really good."
She cut another piece and held it out to Rin's lips as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Rin didn't refuse. He opened his mouth, the tip of the bamboo pick brushing lightly against his lips as he took the bite.
"Too sweet," he said flatly.
He wasn't fond of sweets. Compared to these, he preferred something like tomatoes or bonito flakes.
"It's supposed to be sweet."
Shinobu cut another piece of warabi mochi and fed it to him without hesitation.
"We deal with bitter medicine and injuries every day. There should be something sweet in life."
Rin chewed slowly, his gaze resting on her bright, unguarded smile.
Freed from the weight of hatred, she no longer forced herself to imitate her sister's gentleness.
She had found her own happiness.
That change was something he had carved out in this cruel world with his own strength.
In the afternoon, they strolled through the town's shopping street.
Rin bought Shinobu a finely crafted hairpin and picked out several sets of casual clothing at a Western-style boutique. He paid without hesitation, showing no concern for spending the Ubuyashiki family's funds.
By the time the sun began to set, the evening glow painted the entire street in shades of orange and red.
The two walked side by side along the path leading from the town into the deep mountains.
The surroundings were quiet, filled only with the chirping of insects and the soft rustle of leaves in the breeze.
Kocho Shinobu, carrying several neatly wrapped paper bags, gradually slowed her steps.
"Rin."
She stopped and turned to face him.
The glow of the setting sun fell across her features, outlining her figure in a soft golden light.
"Actually… I've never properly thanked you."
She lowered her head, looking at her toes, her voice as gentle as a breeze.
"Thank you for waking me up. Thank you for destroying those poisons. If it weren't for you, I might have stayed trapped in that self-destructive nightmare until the day I died."
She lifted her gaze, his figure reflected in her violet eyes.
"You were the one who showed me… that I could live like this."
Rin listened quietly until she finished.
He stepped forward, took the bags from her hands, then used his free arm to pull her into his embrace.
Resting his chin lightly against her head, he felt the warmth of her body against his chest.
"Already moved?"
His voice was low, carrying a faint trace of his usual bluntness.
"There's still plenty ahead for me to worry about. If you really want to thank me, then just live well. When you're an old lady, you can thank me slowly then."
Shinobu leaned into him, listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat, a faint warmth rising in her eyes.
She closed them, wrapping her arms around his waist as a relieved smile formed at her lips.
"Okay."
Bathed in the fading glow of the sunset, the two stood together, their shadows stretching long and merging into one.
And far beneath the earth, in the depths of darkness, the demons' schemes continued to stir.
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Aww~ warms my heart. I'm sure nothing bad will happen, right?
12 Adv Chaps- Patreon.com/slept01