"Can we join you?" Muichiro's voice was quiet, but everyone heard it. I almost spat out the coffee I'd just taken a sip of, my eyes scanning the scene.
"The opening scene already has two Pillars and a Demon King… is this really still a story about youthful inspiration?"
I glanced at Tanjiro and Yoriichi. Neither objected. Tanjiro probably thought it would be more fun with more people. Yoriichi… he likely didn't care—one more or less didn't matter to him.
The atmosphere at the table became a bit tense.
Tanjiro took small, careful bites of his food. Nezuko removed the bamboo muzzle and happily ate the konpeito on her plate. Yoriichi quietly ate the udon in front of him, saying nothing.
I picked up my book again, quickly finishing my coffee, and popped a piece of watermelon in my mouth while reading.
The two brothers weren't idle. They kept glancing at me, opening their mouths as if to speak, but never did.
I set the book down, finished the last piece of watermelon, looked at them seriously, and said,
"If you have questions, just ask."
"Really?" Muichiro looked skeptical. After all, I was a ghost—the very ghost they had been searching for for years with no trace.
"Yeah," I said simply, though inside I was calculating, "I'll answer what I can, and if I can't, I'll find an excuse."
Tanjiro and Yoriichi immediately noticed our conversation. Except for Nezuko, they stopped eating and stared at us.
"Okay… the first question is…"
"Are you Muzan Kibutsuji?" Both brothers asked firmly, tense, ready to catch every word.
I and Tanjiro both reacted sharply. That was a bombshell question, right out of the gate.
Tanjiro's curiosity instantly shifted to confusion, excitement, and even a bit of anger. "No… the person in front of me—he can't be Muzan! That gentle man… he couldn't possibly be the one who killed my family!"
I quickly masked my surprise, adopting a calm, innocent expression.
"No. Why would you ask that?"
The brothers visibly relaxed, sighing. Deep down, they had already guessed. Muzan Kibutsuji was the Demon King, the source of all chaos—he could never save anyone.
"I… I guess I was being too sensitive," Muichiro admitted, scratching his head. He had asked the question himself, and now felt awkward. He stood and bowed. "Sorry for asking something so stupid."
Tanjiro exhaled, relieved. He smelled no deceit from me, so he knew I was telling the truth. At that moment, he didn't notice the faint red glow in his nasal cavity.
I nodded to accept his apology, motioning for him to sit. Every movement seemed tender and gentle.
After he sat, I added, "Even if I were Muzan, I wouldn't dare get close to Yoriichi Tsugakuni. There's no reason to save him."
The brothers didn't press further. Some things didn't need changing once confirmed.
Then Ichiro spoke, after a long thoughtful pause:
"When we were with the team, we heard about you from Tamayo. The place where Tamayo died as a child was in a town—easy to find. But you… you appeared in a remote, uninhabited area, saved people, healed strangers, even protected them from the cold. How?"
Their reasoning was sharp. The Tokito brothers' homes were far from the town, and yet they had appeared in time to help, risking nothing for no benefit.
I looked at their serious faces, sighing. They asked hard questions. I needed a good excuse. Closing my eyes, I paused, then answered:
"My friend… asked me to help. I can't tell you who, so saving you was partly an agreement, partly my choice. Maybe… I was moved by your genuine hearts."
Ichiro looked a little embarrassed. He had always been protective of Muichiro, and now he realized just how talented his brother truly was. Few demons could hurt him since joining the Corps.
"I see… we misunderstood you. We're sorry," Muichiro and Ichiro said, bowing sincerely. They had judged others by selfish motives.
The rest of the questions were minor.
I finished most of my food, already having eaten two slices of watermelon. Nezuko had her plate of candies, eating them one by one, smiling like a cat. Even as a demon, she seemed to enjoy sweets.
I reached out, stroked her head, and smiled. She didn't react much, but looked content. I tickled her chin lightly, and she hummed happily—a cat-like response.
After a few moments, I withdrew my hand. Nezuko pushed the plate toward me, offering the candy. I took one, tried it, and found it sweet, a little sour. Not that I cared for sweets much.
I waved to Nezuko, signaling I'd had enough. She moved back to the table, still smiling, eating her candy.
Tanjiro watched, not jealous as I expected, but excited. His sister had a friend—even as a demon.
Yoriichi's expression softened. Though he didn't smile, it was clear he was pleased.
We left the restaurant, drawing attention everywhere we went. Crowds stared. If the police hadn't intervened, the street would have been blocked.
"Tamayo should be here, right? Should I find her?" I thought.
"Better not—leading her out here would be dangerous."
As I pondered, something brushed against my leg. A soft meow.
I looked down—a large white cat was scratching at my pants. Squatting, I picked it up. It was fluffy, soft, and familiar. Yoriichi glanced, his rare gentle expression softening further.
"Could it be… Yuanbao?" I whispered. The cat responded instantly, meowing happily.
My voice caught Tanjiro and the Tokito brothers' attention. They stared at the cat, astonished.
I held Yuanbao close, feeling the softness. I hadn't touched a cat since Tanjiro's trial at Fujiyama. Then I noticed a woman in a floral kimono, watching us.
Our eyes met. Her calm expression softened into a smile as she slowly approached.
This… this was amazing. The plot was unfolding perfectly.
Fortunately, the tide turned.
"What?!"
A woman's scream rang out, cutting through the noisy city night. The sound froze everyone—confusion, fear, and panic spread instantly.
"What's happening?" Ichiro asked, his hand slowly reaching for the Nichirin sword hidden behind his haori. Muichiro did the same.
I turned from Tamayo toward the source of the scream. There were too many people to see clearly, so I just pointed vaguely.
"That's where the scream came from."
Everyone looked in that direction. No one knew what they were seeing, but they froze. The people around them did the same.
Suddenly, a panicked voice shouted:
"Th-there's… a monster! Run!"
Like a switch being flipped, chaos erupted. Thousands of people bolted toward the exits. Those who fell were trampled, but quickly got up and ran again. People behind them didn't know what was happening—they just followed the crowd.
In moments, only Tamayo and I were left on the street. The open shop doors were now shut tight, and an empty bus sat in the middle of the road.
"What… is that?" Tanjiro asked, placing Nezuko back in her box. His Nichirin sword was already drawn.
Ahead, five figures stood—three of them frenzied, biting and clawing at the remaining two.
Everyone except Tamayo and me unleashed their breathing techniques, moving with incredible speed. Two red, one green, one cyan-blue.
The red flame blazed like the sun, burning through the darkness.
The green wind blade tore everything in its path like a tornado.
The blue-green haze shimmered like the morning glow, elusive and dazzling.
Yoriichi Tsugikuni reached the front first. His Nichirin sword moved in a graceful, circular dance. It stopped as it struck one of the figures. Seeing the face, he pivoted, using his sword to block the strikes of the three others.
"It's not a demon… it's human."
Yoriichi's words startled the three still mid-attack. Tanjiro remembered—he had smelled a faint hint of demonic stench at the scream, but it wasn't strong enough to confirm they were demons.
Even as humans, they couldn't just do nothing. But since they weren't demons, the four of them sheathed their swords, planning to subdue the attackers with their hands.
In theory, it sounded easy. In practice… the three were like wild beasts—strong, manic, and unpredictable. Their movements were deadly.
"Master Ichiro… I can't handle this." Tanjiro said, eyeing the frenzied man. He had tried already, but the man had broken free instantly. Using his full breathing techniques risked breaking bones.
Muichiro was straightforward. He grabbed one of the attackers, pinned him to a wall, and twisted his wrists behind his back until the man knelt, unable to move.
Tanjiro looked to Yoriichi for guidance. Yoriichi tilted his head thoughtfully and said:
"Do it like me."
"Uh… please don't joke," Tanjiro muttered helplessly, realizing he'd have to figure out another way.
For the Tokito brothers, it was simpler. Two of them held one attacker down. Ichiro pinned the man's throat from below, while Muichiro pressed his legs, keeping him completely restrained.
Tanjiro looked at the last frenzied man, feeling helpless—but then, with a faint look of apology in his eyes, he prepared to use the Iron Head technique, the move only he could perform.
"I'm sorry…" he whispered. He smashed his head into the attacker's. A muffled thump echoed, and blood trickled from his forehead, but the man went down, eyes rolling back, unconscious.
Tanjiro's timing and skill were perfect—the Iron Head was flawless.
I walked over slowly, holding the cat, Tamayo at my side. We approached the subdued attackers. Looking at the three wild ones and the two bitten victims, I said, my voice calm but with a hint of cold amusement:
"You can actually break their limbs, as long as you don't tear them off. I can fix them."
There was a faint smile in my words… and a trace of warning.