"Then you can remove the poison in your body now, right?" Tatsuki asked, referring to the Wisteria poison that had built up inside Shinobu's body.
"Mm, there's no problem anymore." Shinobu nodded.
"Shinobu…" Kanae hugged Shinobu, her heart aching.
She'd already learned from Tatsuki everything Shinobu had done after her own death: wearing a mask of cheer, tempering her body into a living poison—all in pursuit of revenge for Kanae.
"Big Sis, please… enough, I'm not a child anymore." For the first time in ages, Shinobu blushed, sounding a little coquettish.
"Hmm?" Tatsuki lifted his gaze, noticing someone coming over.
"Tamayo?"
Why was she stepping outside? She might get purified if she stayed in the open. Yet he quickly perceived something off in her eyes—they held a longing for death, a desire for release. She wanted to die, to be cleansed.
"That's not happening. Kanae!"
Tatsuki spoke a single sentence. Instantly, Kanae, who shared his thoughts, let go of Shinobu, stepped toward Tamayo, and splayed her fingers with a soft command.
"Subjugate."
"!"
Tamayo found she couldn't move! And now, a voice had appeared in her mind—another presence. She had a new master!
Tatsuki strolled over, scooped her into his arms, and carried her indoors.
"Why…?" Tamayo murmured in confusion. She only wanted to die.
Without speaking, Tatsuki brought her into the room, placing her before Kie and Nezuko. In a disgruntled tone, he said, "What do you mean, wanting to die? My people here are still demons, unable to walk under the sun. You alone can use the Blue Spider Lily to make them an evolving antidote. If you want to die, at least fix them first!"
"…"
Tamayo, lying in his embrace, stared into Tatsuki's eyes for a while before quietly speaking.
"Could it be they're already able to survive under daylight?"
"Huh?"
Tatsuki froze, looking at the other two.
Nezuko and Kie exchanged glances, then nodded together like a pair of rabbits—feeling rather delighted, too. Their future master genuinely cared about them.
"Ah… so I messed up."
Tatsuki realized he'd jumped to conclusions. Possibly Tamayo had already arranged everything for them. Then he noticed the boy who used to follow her around was gone as well.
"…"
He felt a little awkward.
"M-Master, could you let me down now?"
Tamayo's soft words carried a subtle hint of shyness.
Tatsuki hastily set her down, and she tidied the clothes still warm from his body's heat. Clearing his throat, he asked, "Ahem… then what do you plan to do now? I mean, you can carry on if you like?"
Tamayo gave a wry smile. "And how exactly should I do that…?"
Sometimes, people are like that— when they firmly decide to kill themselves but get saved at the last moment, they suddenly don't want to die anymore. It's strange.
"A worthless master has forced himself on me, so maybe I'm not so eager to die after all."
While lying in Tatsuki's arms, Tamayo's thoughts had wandered. Witnessing his serious face when carrying her, her heartstrings had faintly quivered with an unfamiliar sensation—like being genuinely cared for. Maybe she no longer wanted to die.
Tatsuki breathed out in relief. If she still insisted on dying, he wouldn't have stopped her, but he hated seeing one of his own, even subjugated by accident, go to waste.
"All right then. Life is much more interesting than fixating on death. And if it's possible, I'd like to show you all my world one day."
"Your world?" Tamayo wondered.
"Yes, we came from another world to help Shinobu. And before long, we'll be heading back."
"Ah, I see." Tamayo understood. Indeed, how else could humans possess such fantastic powers? She also felt a small stirring of curiosity—maybe she'd like to see her master's world as well?
At the thought of "master," she took in Tatsuki's face. A pang of memory flickered: that wedding day, being turned into a demon by Muzan, how she'd personally killed her own husband. It was a hidden wound in her heart—the painful memory of killing someone with her own hands. If asked about her husband, she only had a single fleeting impression, hardly recalling him at all. If she told Tatsuki, he might sigh at how absurd real life can be.
"Eh? Is Tatsuki-dono leaving soon?"
A bright voice piped up from the doorway—Mitsuri Kanroji.
Tatsuki glanced over. "Mitsuri? Why're you here?"
Fidgeting with both hands clasped together, she took a deep breath and asked, "Were you the one who helped me earlier?"
Straight to the point—this referred to the fight with Daki and Gyutaro. He saw no need to hide it, so he nodded.
"Thank you so much!"
She raced forward, grasping his hand. But that bouncing, snow-white… well, let's say Tatsuki couldn't peel his eyes away, and even his heart gave a little lurch.
"Aah! Sorry!"
Realizing it was rude, Mitsuri immediately withdrew her hand, bowing her head in disappointment. "I'm so sorry. My strength is too great."
She assumed her strength had hurt or frightened him.
"…"
What an adorably clueless girl. Tatsuki hated to see a maiden upset by a misunderstanding, so he quickly clarified: "I was just a bit distracted by how pretty you are. You didn't hurt me in the slightest."
"E-eh?"
Shocked, Mitsuri stared up at him, suspecting he might just be consoling her with a lie. Tatsuki chuckled and offered his right hand again.
"If you don't believe me, try squeezing. Hard as you like?"
"But… but my muscle density is—eight times that of a normal person. I might harm you…"
She looked torn. He promised her with a steady voice, "Don't worry. I'll take the risk."
"O-okay, I'll use just a bit of force."
Mitsuri cautiously took Tatsuki's hand, gradually increasing pressure.
"Huh?!"
He showed no sign of discomfort. She kept applying more force, but still… nothing changed.
"This is real!"
Mitsuri gaped, unable to believe someone stronger than her existed. Gazing closely at his face, she found his features unbelievably handsome, his eyes captivating. A faint pinkish heart sparkled in her pupils.
She blurted out a statement that would shock the world.
"Tatsuki-dono! Could I… marry you?"
"Eh!"
Kie and Nezuko exclaimed first, gaping at Mitsuri. Why was she suddenly proposing marriage?
"Huh? Are you sure you didn't misspeak?"
Tatsuki's brow twitched. He had to confirm.
"Of course not!"
Mitsuri nodded fervently like a pecking chick.
"Ever since I was little, I've had enormous strength. It's so unladylike, and I've always longed for a sweet romance—wanted to get married—but there's no man stronger than me. Everyone's terrified of my power. But you, Tatsuki-dono, are different. You're stronger than I am. I vowed I'd only marry a man whose strength surpassed mine—you're the first one ever!"
Mitsuri's eyes glimmered like she'd just discovered her destined soulmate…
***
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