The nights of Yoshiwara were a dazzling haze of indulgence.
At the Tokito House, Tanjiro was diligently helping the proprietress carry goods in and out, quickly winning her favor.
At the Ogimoto House, Zenitsu was hiding in a corner, plucking away at a shamisen. He played as he cried, looking genuinely aggrieved…
The miserable, plaintive music made even passing customers feel the urge to toss him a couple of copper coins.
Meanwhile, at an otherwise unremarkable establishment—
a branch shop of Kyogokuya—
a newcomer by the name of Renshi was busy creating a legend.
"Five ants! So this is sake?!
The flavor's a bit light! But it's so refreshing!"
Rengoku Kyojuro sat upright in the center of the crowd, cradling a sake jar bigger than his own head. He tipped it back and took a long, heroic swig.
"Re–Renshi-san…"
Beside him, a somewhat lecherous wealthy merchant stared at the broad-shouldered beauty before him, cold sweat pouring down his face.
"Um… could you be a little gentler? We came to drink and enjoy the girls, not to compete in drinking contests…"
Summoning his courage, the merchant stretched out his greasy hand, trying to touch Rengoku's hand resting on his knee.
Just as his fingertips were about to make contact—
Smack!
Rengoku set the sake jar down.
He didn't dodge. Instead, he grabbed the merchant's wrist in a reverse grip, flashing that sun-bright smile.
"Esteemed guest! If you're going to drink, you must drink with spirit!
Cowering like that is no way for a man to act!"
Crack.
A crisp sound of bones shifting out of place.
"AAAGH!!!"
The merchant let out a pig-slaughter scream.
"My hand! My hand! It's broken! It's definitely broken!"
"Hahaha! How could it be broken?" Rengoku laughed heartily, giving the merchant a forceful pat on the back.
"I just helped you loosen your joints a little! Seems your body is sorely lacking in exercise!
Shall I teach you a set of breathing—ah, no, I mean, fitness exercises?"
The courtesans around them turned pale with fright, but the proprietress's eyes lit up instead.
"Oh my, this guest actually tried to get handsy with our Renshi? He deserves it!"
She waved her fan.
"Renshi is the strongest oiran in our house! She specializes in dealing with unruly men like you!"
Strangely enough, this violent-beauty style ended up hitting certain customers' very specific tastes.
"S-so strong… such a robust woman…
I kind of want her to crush my hand bones too…"
Another customer blushed furiously, staring unblinkingly at the cheerfully laughing Rengoku Kyojuro.
At the same time.
In a luxurious room on the top floor of Kyogokuya, Inosuke sat idly on the tatami, absentmindedly playing with an iron fan in his hands.
Unlike elsewhere, he wasn't eating or drinking recklessly. He knew exactly whose territory this was—and he knew exactly who would be coming in next.
Creeeak—
The door opened.
A thick scent of powder and rouge, mixed with the distinctive blood-tinged stench of an Upper Rank demon, drifted in.
The oiran named Warabihime—Upper Rank Six, Daki—strode in with arrogant steps. Several pink sashes floated behind her like living creatures.
"Inoko."
Daki closed the door. Excitement gleamed in her golden-green slit pupils.
"I've sent everyone away. There's only us here now—or rather… only our own people.
You're amazing! You really became a double agent!
I shouldn't have said those things to you when you were little."
Inosuke lifted his eyelids, looking at the stunningly beautiful yet vaguely airheaded demon woman before him.
He wasn't flustered. Instead, he let out a long sigh—a truly award-worthy sigh.
"So you finally showed up…
I thought you were going to make me wait until dawn."
His voice carried a hint of exhaustion, and a weary detachment that seemed to have seen through the world.
Daki's eyes lit up.
As expected! This brat knew who I was all along!
"You tricked two Hashira into coming here. That's quite a move,"
Daki leaned in closer, her tone full of admiration.
"Even Lord Muzan praised you.
But acting right under the noses of two Hashira must be hard, right?"
"Hard?"
Inosuke sneered softly. He stood up, walked to the window, and turned his back to Daki as he gazed at the bright moon outside.
"Acting is nothing.
Compared to the days I lived in that household… this is practically a vacation."
Daki froze.
"Huh?
That household? You mean… the Paradise Faith?"
"Yes."
Inosuke's voice sank low as he began his performance for the not-so-bright woman.
"You know what kind of person my idiot father is. One moment he's smiling and putting food in your bowl,
the next he might twist someone's head off and kick it around like a ball. He has no heart—no heart at all…"
Inosuke turned around. A perfectly measured hint of vulnerability surfaced in his emerald eyes.
"I grew up watching his mood just to survive.
If not for my mom… that foolish woman who protected me with her life, trembling in fear yet still standing in front of me…"
He clenched his fists, knuckles turning white.
"I would've become fertilizer at the Ice Lotus Pool a long time ago."
"To live, to protect that foolish woman, I had to learn to disguise myself.
Disguise myself as a good child, disguise myself as a human swordsman, even disguise myself as…
this kind of courtesan meant to amuse others."
Those words landed like a heavy hammer, smashing straight into Daki's heart.
A temperamental powerhouse.
A weak one desperately trying to protect a child.
A boy forced to become cruel and cunning just to survive.
In that instant, scenes from hundreds of years ago surfaced in Daki's mind.
That snowy day, when her brother held her tightly in his arms,
and was cut down to the brink of death while avenging her.
It resonated.
A resonance from the depths of the soul!
Daki looked at Inosuke, her eyes reddening.
What she saw was no longer the young master of the Paradise Faith—
but someone just like herself: a kindred soul who had been forced to wear masks and suffer countless wounds in a cruel world just to protect someone dear.
"No wonder…" Daki murmured.
"No wonder you used such bitter tricks, no wonder you could play the Hashira like fools.
So you're a child who grew up in hell."
She suddenly rushed forward and grabbed Inosuke's hand, her gaze burning with the fervor of someone reunited with a long-lost younger brother.
"I get you, Inosuke! I really get this feeling!"
Her voice trembled with excitement.
"Those Hashira, those hypocritical humans—they don't understand our pain at all!
Only our own kind can understand our own kind!"
Inosuke froze for a moment. He'd intended to sell a tragic story to gain her trust, but this reaction… wasn't it a bit much?
"Uh…
So?" he asked cautiously.
"So! This time, big sister will cooperate with you unconditionally!"
Daki thumped her chest boldly, the sashes behind her fluttering excitedly.
"What do you want? Information?
That Sound Hashira's wife—I didn't eat her. She's sealed with my sashes in the underground food storehouse!
If you need her, use her as bait or a hostage—whatever you like!"
As she spoke, she pulled out a handful of money given by customers, even several property deeds, and stuffed them all into Inosuke's arms.
"And this too!
You can't get by in human society without money. Take it—if it's not enough, I'll go get more!"
"As long as we can trample those high-and-mighty Hashira underfoot,
as long as it makes Lord Muzan happy, big sister will listen to everything you say!"
Inosuke looked at the pile of treasure stacked in his arms, then at Daki's face, which clearly said we could totally swear brotherhood in a peach garden right now.
He blinked, then showed a sincere smile.
"Thank you, big sister."
That "big sister" came out smooth, heartfelt, and utterly convincing.
"Ah!"
Daki covered her face and let out a delighted squeal.
"So cute! From now on in Yoshiwara, if anyone dares bully you, just say my name!
I'll make sure they never see the sun rise again!"
"Um…" Inosuke tucked the money away, his eyes flickering.
"Since we're cooperating, don't make a move tonight.
Those two Hashira are very alert right now. I need to drug them a bit first, get them to fully lower their guard."
"Okay! I'll listen to everything you say!" Daki now trusted Inosuke one hundred percent.
"I'll wait for your signal here! If you don't give the signal, even if that Sound Hashira dances on my head, I absolutely won't act!"
"Good girl."
Inosuke patted Daki's head like she was a puppy, then swaggered out of the room.
In the corridor.
Inosuke weighed the money in his robes. He was just about to burst—so shiny, but so ridiculously funny.
"Demons these days… why are they all so easy to fool?
Is this what Muzan teaches them?"
Inside the room, Daki was still basking in emotion.
"What a good child… working so hard just to survive.
If my brother knew, he'd definitely like him.
I shouldn't have been so harsh to him when he was little—such a good child, truly a good child…"
...
"Hey, blonde girl, can you stop playing already?
I'll pay you—just leave."
A customer suddenly snapped, tossing a few copper coins at Zenitsu.
Zenitsu felt even more aggrieved…
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