Chapter 38: I was wrong, I know I was wrong, Sis!
"That's settled. Once the injuries heal, pay a visit to Swordsmith Village."
After beheading a Lower Rank, his promotion to Hashira was a foregone conclusion; then he could go to Swordsmith Village and have a nichirin blade forged solely for himself.
Well… gauntlets or metal vambraces, blunt weapons, but… Little Purple snapped, and he'd left it on the battlefield.
Heaven knew how furious Tetsugane Iwao would be; to a swordsmith who treated his blades as daughters, hearing that he'd lost his 'little girl' might literally get him skinned alive.
At the thought, Ryuji shuddered.
Fighting Doma again sounded more appealing.
Creak.
The study door opened and Kocho Kanae stepped in carrying a food box, a faint blush on her cheeks.
Only after running outside did she recall that Father had just lain down to rest; better not disturb him.
So she fetched some tea sweets and prepared to brew a pot of tea.
Kocho Kanae set the box down gently, lifting each layer with delicate care.
"Um… would Mr. Ryuji like some tea? I've also prepared some nerikiri…"
She asked softly, violet eyes curving into a spring-breeze smile.
Beautiful beyond words.
Ryuji, sprawled across the desk, blinked, then smiled. "Lovely. I'm rather thirsty; let me taste Young Miss Kochou's tea ceremony skills."
"Actually… you can just call me Kanae…"
Her voice was barely a whisper.
She lifted the tea set, warming the pot, measuring the leaves, pouring the water—
A seamless, silent dance.
Utterly captivating.
"All right, Kanae it is. And you drop the 'Mr.'—Ryuji or Ryuji is fine."
Though her voice had been low, Ryuji's keen senses caught every syllable.
He could even hear her heart racing and shook his head inwardly—nervous?
Understandable; after all, she was only fourteen.
He chuckled. "Relax, I'm not picky. Oh, one more favor…"
"I'll feed you…"
"You'll need to help me sit up and free my hands."
Both spoke at once, their soft voices overlapping.
Before Kanae finished, Ryuji's request made her fingers falter.
And Ryuji, hearing her overly considerate offer, twitched the corner of his mouth.
"I can still move; just… help me sit, that's all."
A brief silence filled the room.
Kocho Kanae blinked, then flushed crimson from neck to ear.
Eyes lowered, she traced the cup's rim, voice melting into the steam: "Ah… yes. I—I'll pour first… then help you up."
Invisible pink bubbles drifted in the air, making every breath feather-light.
Something felt off.
To ease the mood—or from genuine curiosity—Kanae asked softly, "What… exactly are demons?"
While speaking, she carefully supported his shoulders, easing him upright and tucking a pillow behind his back, every movement tender.
Done, she picked a delicate nerikiri and held it to his lips. "Can you tell me? These are things I can't learn."
Ryuji bit into the sweet. "Of course."
He began explaining what demons were.
"Were they once human?"
Kanae's eyes widened in surprise, then shimmered with pity. "How tragic. Can they become human again?"
Ryuji chewed the sweet slowly, swallowed, then shook his head. "It's… difficult."
"Difficult?"
She caught the nuance, blew on the tea, and held it carefully to his lips. "So there is a chance? Careful, it's hot…"
Ryuji frowned; she was truly kind.
But demons deserved no sympathy.
Before she became a Demon Slayer, he had to reshape that mindset.
He spoke gently: "Yes, but fiends aren't pitiable; they must be exterminated."
He sipped the warm tea, expression grave. "Regardless of reasons, our side is humanity.
"Forgiving the perpetrator is unfair to the victims demons have harmed."
He began recounting the demons he had slain—
Akinasa, Kohakugawa Osamu, Kojiro, and Kojiro's father, more monstrous than any demon.
"See? Demons are masters of deceit."
His voice dropped. "To devour humans, they'll say anything."
"Like the Upper Rank who wounded me—always wearing a compassionate smile, yet never seeing humans as equals."
He met Kanae's violet gaze and said slowly: "Kindness is the rarest treasure—never misplace it."
Kocho Kanae fell silent.
At first she had pitied the demons, naively believing that if they could be restored to humanity, coexistence might follow.
Now, hearing Ryuji's calm but crushing words, she realized how childish—and dangerous—her sympathy was.
Demons had to be cut down.
Just as she opened her mouth, a playful, teasing voice rang from the doorway: "Oh? Sis, what are you doing?"
Shinobu Kocho leaned against the frame, hands behind her back, eyes crescents darting between them. "Could this be… love?"
"Eh?"
"Ah…"
Ryuji and Kanae yelped in unison, turning toward the door.
"Shinobu! What nonsense!"
Crimson flooded Kanae's cheeks, ears pink, her earlier composure shattered.
Shinobu's grin widened as she strolled in, tapping her chin. "Not dating? Then why feed Ryuji like Mom feeds Dad?"
She dragged out the words, mischief sparkling. "It's fine—he's handsome; Father will approve.
"Besides, he saved you and Father. We should thank him…"
At that, Kanae set down her cup, smiled at Ryuji, and murmured, "One moment."
She walked to Shinobu. "Come, little sister, we need to talk."
"Uh… Father wants you—I was just the messenger!"
Shinobu knew the look; she'd pushed too far.
She tried to bolt, but Kanae caught her shoulder. "We'll chat on the way."
She glanced back. "Rest well."
The study door shut gently.
"Ow-ow-ow! I was wrong, I know I was wrong, Sis!"
"And what exactly were you wrong about?"
Ryuji listened to the sisters' 'friendly discussion' and laughed softly. "How nice."
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