The young man with the rooster-comb hair trembled as he slowly chewed on the finger he had put in his mouth.
Yushiro knelt on the ground, his head stretched out in front of him, his eyes fixed on him.
"It tastes good, doesn't it? It must taste really good!"
Dare to say it doesn't taste good and I'll tear you to pieces instantly!
Those were Lady Tamayo's fingers!
Genya, however, couldn't answer him.
His reaction was even more intense than the first time he tried it; his eyes, with more white than pupil, instantly turned the demonic black of a Ghoul.
His recently lost fangs reappeared, piercing his lips, and the flowing blood was licked away by his now purplish tongue.
Genya felt his heart pounding as if it would leap out, the impact in his chest making him involuntarily open his mouth wide, saliva streaming down and dripping onto the clothes on his chest.
"Ha... ha..."
Tamayo frowned slightly: "Perhaps he's too young, his physical strength isn't enough, and it's still too difficult for him to digest my flesh and blood."
After a long while, Genya finally recovered, his dark eyes slowly rotating: "I feel a bit better."
Too slow.
Haruto sighed inwardly.
Such a long "skill casting time" would be enough for a Ghoul in battle to tear him to pieces and swallow him whole.
But he didn't dampen Genya's spirits with his words; instead, he asked, "How does it feel compared to last time?"
"It feels amazing!" The child was extremely excited, he felt his thoughts were moving unbelievably fast, and his trembling muscles made him unable to resist scurrying up and down inside the house, like a large black rat.
"Hey! No matter how excited you are, try to rein it in! This isn't an amusement park!"
Yushiro, displeased, suddenly appeared behind Genya and grabbed his collar.
"And this..."
Genya closed his eyes, slowly savoring the information that appeared in his mind. He extended his arm, piercing his arm with sharp Ghoul claws. Instantly, a faint, exotic fragrance wafted from the wound on his arm, filling the entire room.
"This is..." Tamayo was startled, looking at Genya with some surprise.
Blood Demon Art: Bewitching Blood: Demon Incense of Broad Daylight!
This was her Blood Demon Art, which could lower the target's brain function by emitting an exotic fragrance from her blood, tempting them to reveal the secrets they wished to protect.
Although the Demon Incense of Broad Daylight Genya used couldn't compare to hers, it was already quite threatening.
The physique of a Ghoul Eater was indeed special, and this child, not yet ten years old, had even more astonishing talent.
To be able to replicate her technique with just one finger was truly astonishing.
Haruto, caught off guard by the exotic scent, felt a dullness in his head, as if his thoughts were about to become stagnant.
Yushiro felt a secret pleasure seeing the white-haired boy's sluggish expression.
Although not personally released by Lady Tamayo, the Demon Incense of Broad Daylight harms the human body, and humans who inhale too much might become foolish... A clean white towel was placed over Haruto's face, and Tamayo knelt beside him, gently raising Haruto's hand to hold the towel.
Yushiro: Σ(っ °Д°;)っ!!!
"Lady Tamayo! Please let me do it! I will take good care of Mr. Haruto!"
"You absolutely must not intentionally suffocate him, Yushiro."
"Never!"
...After the scent in the room dissipated, Tamayo prescribed some calming and soothing medicine for Haruto, and promised to thoroughly research the tube of blood he left behind.
"Genya's physical condition is not good enough, but this is normal, as he is still young.
As he grows older, his body will develop better and better, and then he will be able to accelerate the transformation of Ghoul flesh and blood."
Tamayo quickly wrote on the paper: "In short, until he can quickly digest flesh and blood, do not let him face Ghouls alone."
"I understand."
Under Yushiro's murderous gaze, Haruto asked, "Can I write to you in the future?"
Tamayo smiled lightly, folded the white paper filled with writing, and handed it to him: "Of course, we are now — research partners."
After leaving Tamayo's residence, hidden by Yushiro's Blood Demon Art, Genya seemed to be in low spirits.
"What's wrong?" Haruto reached out and ruffled his rooster-comb hair, feeling a sigh in his heart as well.
As Kagaya said, Haruto needed a successor to learn and inherit his Breath of the Stars.
The term 'successor' here does not refer to an adopted son, but to an apprentice.
Within the Demon Slayer Corps, there were many master-successor pairs, and some masters even had more than one successor.
They were different from traditional trainers and aspiring swordsmen. Excellent successors followed their masters not just to learn Breathing Techniques, but to aspire to learn everything their master knew, and the most outstanding successor would inherit their master's legacy.
Haruto had originally intended for Genya to inherit the Breath of the Stars; although he had his golden finger by his side and felt he would live to a ripe old age.
However, the Breath of the Stars indeed needed to be passed down. It was a powerful Breathing Technique, and both he and Kagaya hoped that a child could master it.
But Genya, unexpectedly, could not learn a Breathing Technique.
Haruto didn't let his disappointment show on his face; he had learned Sabito's gentle smile — this smile was really effective for comforting children.
"Teacher." Genya quietly tidied his hair again: "What... exactly do Ghouls look like?"
Haruto knew what he was thinking.
Seeing the gentle and beautiful Tamayo and the eccentric Yushiro today made Genya feel that the impression he had just formed of Ghouls had completely collapsed.
The first Ghoul he had ever seen was his mother, and all the pain he experienced was brought to him by his Ghoul-transformed mother.
When he recalled that night, he didn't even know who to hate.
Hate his mother? No, it wasn't like that.
Hate Haruto for not arriving in time? That would be ungrateful.
Hate his brother who ran away from home and was ashamed to see him? That was even less possible.
He could only suppress his grief and hate that unknown individual who had turned his mother into a Ghoul.
In his imagination, powerful Ghouls must be evil, covered in a foul stench and blood, bringing pain to people wherever they walked.
Such individuals were worthy of hatred, giving Genya the conviction to slay Ghouls.
But... but Miss Tamayo was so beautiful, or perhaps it wasn't about beauty, but rather the gentle aura that emanated from her.
She was even a doctor; she was even treating human patients that morning.
Yet she was indeed a very powerful Ghoul, surviving by drinking human blood.
Such contradictions overwhelmed Genya's small mind.
Haruto stood still, pondering for a moment.
Wasn't this also what he was thinking in his own head?
Did Kagaya introduce him to Tamayo merely because his blood was special? No, it shouldn't be like that.
So he gently rubbed Genya's fuzzy head and replied: "Are there no pitiable people among Ghouls? Of course there are.
Even those great Ghouls who eat several people every day might have a pitiable past.
But does being pitiable give them the right to harm innocent people?
Miss Tamayo is a unique existence; her perseverance is greater than anyone I have ever met.
Her hatred for Kibutsuji Muzan might also surpass anyone I have ever met.
Genya, do not let unique individuals overturn your beliefs."
Genya looked up, nodding as if he understood, yet not quite.
Inside the mansion, Tamayo unwrapped the gift Haruto had sent.
They were two scented candles, currently very popular among young ladies in Tokyo Prefecture, shaped like white stone statues. Even unlit, they already emitted faint scents of white camellia and ambergris, looking both trendy and elegant.
Next to the candles was a note, listing the candle's name and its top, middle, and base notes.
dream thief.
Tamayo held the candles, turning them over and over, a smile playing on her lips.
"A unique... person?"
She put down the candles and picked up the syringe filled with Haruto's blood.
"Perhaps he really is... a dream thief."