"Tch, have you thought about what you'll do from now on? If you see that kid again, he might just cut your head off."
In the empty room, the previously meditating Maito suddenly opened his eyes, scanning the area until his gaze landed on Lee, who was hanging upside down from a corner of the ceiling.
"Hmph!"
After a cold snort filled with oppressive force, Lee descended gracefully from the ceiling, landing nimbly before Maito.
Her gray eyes fixed on Maito as she spoke in the same lazy tone.
"Though you spared his disciple, that butterfly girl is also someone the kid holds dear. I doubt he'll go easy on you."
Hearing this, Maito lifted his eyelids and glared coldly at Lee, enunciating each word sharply.
"None of your business! Stop bothering me!"
Lee chuckled mockingly. "Come on, drop the act. We're not some noble humans. From the very beginning, we've been Demons—just like that hypocrite Kamaro, haven't we?"
Swish! Boom!!
A crimson aura erupted violently from Maito's body, the twisted and terrifying bloodlust even coalescing behind him into a ferocious demonic visage, making him appear like an Asura returned from the underworld.
"Lee! Stop trying to provoke me! You should know—I, or rather we!—share the same goal! This land beneath our feet isn't even our homeland!" Maito's voice was icy as he moved like lightning, seizing Lee by the throat and yanking off his hood, revealing a delicate face beneath and the kanji for "Upper Moon" and "Four" etched in her gray eyes.
"Look at yourself! Don't your eyes bear those disgusting characters too?"
"Cough, cough... That's exactly why... cough... I said we're equally hypocritical! Like that story about betraying a friend?"
Thud!
Lee was slammed hard onto the ground.
Without a backward glance, Maito strode toward the door.
"Only I know about your little schemes. If you don't want them exposed, cover for that girl. And another thing—I don't need your pity! There was no betrayal. My goal has never changed!"
Watching Maito leave, Lee unconsciously touched her neck—it had been crushed moments ago.
Though trivial for an Upper Moon's regenerative abilities, it proved Maito had been genuinely furious.
Pulling her hood back up, Lee's figure soon melted into the darkness, vanishing from the room.
Swish—
When she reappeared, Lee stood alone in a cold, cramped chamber.
The only furnishing was a simple iron-framed bed, upon which lay a petite figure.
Her pale, beautiful face was serene, tinged with a tragic elegance.
Her hands were folded neatly over her stomach, her butterfly-patterned haori pristine and her shoulder-length black hair carefully washed and tied back gently.
The girl lying so peacefully on the bed evoked the image of a sleeping princess from a fairy tale.
Lee approached silently, studying Shinobu's face for a long while before finally sighing softly.
"I'm sorry. Neither Maito nor I had a choice. Some paths, once taken, can never be walked back. But... perhaps it's for the best. At least now you'll always be by that boy's side."
As he spoke, Lee raised her hand.
A deep gash split Shinobu's pale, slender neck.
Lee then bent down toward the wound.
.....
Some time later—
In the dim chamber, swish!
A pair of dazed violet eyes fluttered open.
.....
"Lady Tamayo? How is Lady Tamayo involved?"
In the room, Shinichi stared in shock at Kagaya before him.
The curse's erosion had left Kagaya Ubuyashiki gaunt and frail.
Yet despite this, he remained optimistic, encouraging the Demon Slayer Corps—especially Shinichi.
He had once told Shinichi: "Its all thanks to you, past Ubuyashiki heads at my age were already bedridden. That I can still rise and preside over Hashira Meetings is a blessing."
While Shinichi was stunned, the other Hashira present seemed confused.
None had heard the name "Tamayo" before.
Kagaya Ubuyashiki gave a light cough and patiently explained Tamayo's identity to the assembled Hashiras.
He proactively mentioned that Tamayo had provided significant assistance to the Demon Slayer Corps, with many drugs and toxins used to counter Demons originating from her help.
This was corroborated by the Flower Hashira, Kanae.
However, the usually gentle and considerate Kanae appeared somewhat dispirited during the Hashira Meeting, a reason everyone understood well.
"Miss Tamayo's assistance is one reason," Kagaya continued, "Another is that our contact with her has been severed for several months. The last correspondence was between Miss Tamayo and our member Tanjiro. In her letter, she mentioned discovering something in the blood of Tanjiro's sister, Nezuko."
Shinichi raised his head, his gaze shifting to the recently returned Stone Hashira.
"So, is it about Tanjiro—no, about Nezuko? Has something happened to her?"
Himejima Gyoumei, the Stone Hashira, lowered his clasped hands and straightened his robust chest, speaking in a grave tone.
"Yes. That girl who became a Demon... she has successfully survived in sunlight."
....
"What!? So if that bastard Muzan gets his hands on her, he won't fear sunlight anymore? Unacceptable! I'll eliminate this threat right now!" Shinazugawa Sanemi sprang to his feet, turning to leave the room.
But Shinichi called out to stop him. "Wait, Sanemi. It's not that simple. Merely surviving in sunlight isn't the issue. For example, I can currently bask in sunlight just fine. Even earlier, when I was a Demon, I could survive in sunlight, yet Muzan never targeted me."
"Hmph! Who knows what's up with you freaks!" Sanemi snorted twice but reluctantly sat back down after Kanae tugged at his sleeve.
"Oh! So Shinichi-senpai has been protecting the Demon Slayer Corps as a Demon for a long time? That's so amazing!" Kanroji Mitsuri covered her mouth, her eyes brimming with emotion as she looked at Shinichi.
Beside her, Obanai frowned slightly and subtly shifted his position, blocking Mitsuri's line of sight.
"Master, if that's the case, please allow me to search for Miss Tamayo. I believe that since she discovered the secret in Nezuko's blood, she must have other crucial findings," Shinichi said solemnly to Kagaya Ubuyashiki.
"Very well. I leave it to you, Shinichi. There's one more matter—about Sanemi."
"Me?" Shinazugawa Sanemi blinked in surprise at the mention of his name.
"Yes, Sanemi. Or rather, about the origin of that mark on your face."
"The mark?"