The moment Yushiro entered the room, his sharp eyes scanned everyone, then stopped on the face of a child he had never seen before.
(Why does this child carry the same aura as that person? he thought, unsettled.)
Before he could figure it out, a firm voice cut through the silence.
"Yushiro!"
Tamayo's usual calm expression was gone, replaced with a serious, almost scolding look.
Realizing his rudeness, Yushiro lowered his head quickly. "Forgive me." He placed the tea set on the table and knelt down, though his eyes couldn't help but flick back to the strange child.
The room slowly filled with quiet conversation. The topics weren't deep, but no one sat in complete silence either.
Time passed, and the sky outside grew darker. Eventually, it was time to leave.
Yushiro led everyone back toward the living room. The cat was taken out, but in the end, only Tamayo, Yoriichi, and the child remained.
Tamayo originally wanted only the child to stay, but Yoriichi already knew his true identity. There was no point hiding anymore.
In truth, the child feared Yoriichi—he knew the man wouldn't let him out of his sight.
Once everyone else had gone, the child changed back into his real form and sat properly at the low table. Yoriichi sat opposite, with Tamayo at the side.
"Are you working on medicine here?" Yoriichi asked calmly. With his Transparent World, he had already seen the hidden rooms filled with research and strange medicines.
The man gave a small, wry smile. "That ability of yours really is too much. Nothing escapes you."
He leaned back a little, speaking lightly. "If I said the medicine was to turn demons back into humans… would you believe it?"
Yoriichi's expression flickered for the briefest moment. His voice was quiet.
"Can demons… truly become human again?"
The man shrugged. "I don't know. But it's worth trying." He shifted his posture, resting his cheek on one hand, looking casual.
Yoriichi studied him closely. The man before him was the source of bloodshed, cruelty, and despair across generations. Yet now… he was speaking of salvation. The contradictions twisted through Yoriichi's heart.
(His heartbeat hasn't changed. His breathing is steady. He's serious about this. Then… maybe my brother could also become human again!)
Hope stirred inside him, though his face remained as still as stone.
The discussion shifted to medicine. Tamayo revealed something that made both of them pause.
"Sir," she said softly, "I found a clue in an old herbal book owned by a noble family. It mentioned the Blue Spider Lily."
The man's eyes widened, pupils narrowing. But before he could ask, Tamayo continued.
"The book was ancient. Most of the pages about the flower were torn away. Only a few fragments remain…" She lowered her head, guilt in her voice.
His excitement fell instantly, his expression darkening. Yoriichi noticed but said nothing.
After a pause, the man forced his mood back under control. "Forget it. I wasn't expecting much anyway. What matters now is the medicine."
Tamayo gave a firm nod. Then, almost hesitantly, she added, "The book did leave one phrase intact. Just seven words…" She closed her eyes briefly, then whispered:
"Flower of the Sun."
The words hung heavy in the room.
Later, Yoriichi left first. Tamayo and the man followed behind. Once they stepped outside, Tamayo glanced around to be sure no one was watching. From her sleeve, she quietly slipped out a small vial of fine white powder. She handed it to him wordlessly.
He accepted it, studied it briefly, then tucked it into his haori.
After that, he shifted back into the form of a child, padded over to the wooden box, and—without hesitation—slipped inside in one smooth motion.
Everyone nearby was stunned by how naturally he did it. Everyone except Tamayo. She covered her mouth with her sleeve, a faint smile in her eyes.
(Even now, Lord Muzan still has a strange cuteness about him, she thought.)
Yoriichi placed a hand on the wooden box. His expression didn't change, but his red eyes softened, filled with an emotion he rarely allowed to surface.
"Master Yoriichi is smiling again," Tanjiro murmured. His nose had picked up the subtle shift in Yoriichi's feelings.
Deep in his own heart, Yoriichi made a silent vow.
"I will watch you… for the rest of my life. Until I die once more."
His words were quiet, but firm. Inside the box, the child heard nothing.
"Ga-ga-ga! Nan'nan-dō! Ga! The new mission is at Nan'nan-dō! Ga-ga!"
The crow's shrill cry rang out above them.
Everyone had just stepped out from the hidden alley, only to find the Kasugai crow circling nervously overhead.
It had been waiting for Tanjiro, but something about the illusion around the alley made it too scared to enter. The smell of Tanjiro was enough to confirm his presence, so it had hovered outside until now.
The moment it saw Tanjiro emerge, the crow flapped its wings wildly and flew off.
The real reason for its unease was clear: Yushiro, who followed silently behind the group. His sharp malice was enough to unsettle even a trained Kasugai crow.
Just as the police left the area, Yushiro held the small cat Chachamaru in his arms. Both the demon and the cat were staring forward, their gazes unreadable.
Once Yoriichi had gone ahead, Yushiro muttered under his breath, "That child's scent… it feels like—"
"Stop. Don't think about it."
Chachamaru turned her head toward him, mismatched eyes glowing with authority. Her voice was quiet but commanding.
Yushiro shut his mouth immediately. Without another word, he carried the cat back to Tamayo's hidden mansion.
Inside the wooden box.
I leaned against the wall of the box and muttered, "Nan'nan-dō, huh? That's where Yahaba and Susamaru should've appeared… but they didn't. Guess things are changing."
Outside.
The group stopped before a large, looming house.
"It should be here," Yoriichi said softly, but his attention wasn't on the building itself.
"What is it, Master Yoriichi?" Tanjiro asked, tilting his head.
"Brother, can you see what's going on?" Muichiro asked calmly.
Ichiro shook his head. "…I can't."
"Kill demons! Kill demons! I'll smash them all to pieces!" Inosuke shouted, already fully awake. He stomped after the group like a wild boar ready for battle.
But the real scene before them was… unexpected.
There were three people.
The first was a boy with wild yellow hair shaped like horns, wearing a Demon Slayer uniform and a haori covered with triangular patterns. A sparrow sat on his head, pecking frantically like it was trying to wake him up.
The other two were ordinary children—siblings. The older brother, in blue, stood protectively in front of his younger sister, who wore pink.
But right now, that "older brother" was being clung to by the yellow-haired swordsman. Zenitsu Agatsuma was sobbing, clutching the boy's back like a terrified cat grabbing its owner.
"N-no! Don't go in! You'll die! You'll definitely die!!" Zenitsu's voice cracked with panic.
Inside the wooden box.
(That voice… it's so familiar… wait… Zenitsu!)
My annoyance at being woken instantly vanished. A thrill of excitement ran through me.
(Two swords in one season! Zenitsu's here—this is gonna be good!)
I pushed the lid of the box open just enough to poke my head out, my eyes shining.
Yoriichi stiffened slightly and turned toward me. "You're awake?" His voice was calm, gentle.
Before I could answer, Zenitsu's piercing scream cut through the air.
"AAAAHHHHH!! Y-y-y-y-you!! A GHOST! A GHOST IS COMING OUT OF THE BOX!! GHOST-GHOST-GHOST!!!"
He scrambled backward, tripping over himself, and ran on all fours like a panicked animal before slamming headfirst into a tree. With a dull thud, his eyes rolled back, and he fainted.
"…"
"…"
Everyone went silent.
Except me.
I kept staring at Zenitsu, my blood-red pupils practically glowing with excitement.
Yoriichi glanced at me, his thoughts unreadable. (He seems… happy? Because of that boy?)
Looking back at Zenitsu's unconscious form, Yoriichi saw nothing unusual besides the bright yellow hair.
I quickly realized I was acting out of character. Embarrassed, I ducked back inside the box, and when I peeked out again, my face was calm.
The others had no choice but to wait for Zenitsu to wake before talking.
When Zenitsu finally came to, he sat huddled on the ground, still shaking.
"S-so… you guys are… traveling with a demon…" His voice quivered, but at least he wasn't screaming anymore.
Zenitsu glanced up at the group. "…There are so many of you."
Tanjiro nodded kindly. "At first there were only two of us. Then four. Then we met the others along the way."
Zenitsu swallowed nervously. "Then… does that mean… your mission is here too?"
Tanjiro looked toward the crow and nodded. "Yes. The crow said this was the place. But you…"
It became clear that this mission had originally been Tanjiro's. But since his crow had been too afraid to deliver the message inside the illusion, the task had fallen to Zenitsu instead.
By Yoriichi's arrangement, Tanjiro, Zenitsu, and Inosuke entered the house together to carry out the mission.
The others remained outside, guarding the siblings. As for me, I slipped back into the box. (Why stay awake? To watch another bloodbath? No thanks.)
Inside the box, I pressed my temples. My head throbbed. (…It's not that I want to sleep. I just… can't help it.)
Later, the three boys emerged—injured. They carried the unconscious brother, the elder of the two children.
The Tokito twins' leave had ended, so they returned to headquarters to report.
The rest buried the dead with quiet prayers. Everyone was solemn, except Inosuke, who smashed his head against the trees in frustration, leaving cracks in the bark.
"DAMN IT! DAMN IT! I GOT HURT!! HOW COULD I GET HURT?! DAMN ITTTTT!!"
He roared, remembering the fight. He could've finished the demon, but the sound of a drum had twisted the space. A door appeared before him, and in that moment of distraction, the fat demon had landed a heavy punch.
Before long, the crows arrived to guide them all back down the mountain.
The siblings who survived were escorted to the Wisteria House, a family protected by the Corps.
And just like that, the group was together again. (Though now, they had gained both another companion… and another demon.)