No matter how much I complained, I couldn't possibly storm Demon Slayer Corps headquarters to find someone.

  Contacting the Rengoku family was even more unthinkable.

  Though his great-grandfather or great-great-grandfather might have known me, by this generation, I held no expectations.

  Casually breaking into Corps headquarters was dangerous for me. The current Demon Slayer Corps had zero awareness of my existence.

  Rashly barging in—this generation's Ubuyashiki might be thought to secretly collude with demons.

  So I could only change tactics. Start throwing money around.

  I hired people to stake out and watch for someone.

  Yoriichi might need to receive professional training at headquarters, but eventually he'd have missions.

  Once he went out, my hired people would deliver a letter, telling him this address.

  To gain his trust, I even gave the messenger Uta's handkerchief, so he'd believe I wasn't a fraud.

  Then, well, I went back. Only an idiot would stake out here all day with nothing better to do.

  Uta's body was very healthy. After her postpartum month, she refused to freeload, insisting on working to offset room and board.

  She named her daughter Koe. A very lovely name.

  After surviving those first days, Koe indeed became beautiful. She had eyes like Uta's—like washed black gemstones.

  I was very interested in this baby who only knew eating, drinking, and sleeping. Constantly running over to look at her, poking her face while she slept.

  When she got fed up and finally burst into loud crying, I'd flee before the hired wet nurse could catch me and scold.

  Uta always smiled. Even when I mischievously made her daughter cry, she had no complaints.

  She was actually a clever girl. Facing the secrets I obviously hid, she never asked much. Just thoughtfully handled daytime chores, never letting me step outside half a step.

  As for the demon that nearly killed her, I could only vaguely say it was a monster that appeared at night and ate people.

  Uta clapped her hands. "I understand. My parents told me about them before. Back then, I thought they were just trying to scare me."

  Uta's family had died long ago, all buried in the mountains.

  Before, even knowing demons existed, she couldn't bear to move away.

  But now with Koe, Uta couldn't bear letting her daughter live unstable days.

  Moreover, Koe's poor health meant she'd be sickly in the future... Living in the mountains, encountering trouble, probably couldn't find a doctor in time.

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  Uta didn't consider long before deciding to move to the city.

  She and Yoriichi lived a nearly self-sufficient life, but the couple valued frugality. They'd saved some money at home.

  Uta wanted to find work in the city before Yoriichi arrived.

  "Yoriichi is very capable. He'll definitely find good work in the city."

  She smiled, describing her husband's merits. In Uta's eyes, except for not liking to talk, Yoriichi had almost no flaws.

  Even his taciturnity seemed adorable to Uta.

  I thought about it but didn't tell her Demon Slayer Corps members earned high wages.

  Yoriichi most likely joined the Corps to avenge Uta.

  If he knew Uta was safe, maybe he wouldn't continue staying in the Corps.

  If they wanted to settle in the city, I could help them out. But Uta politely declined my assistance.

  "I've already received so much kindness from you. How could I be so insatiable?" Uta said. "I can't be that kind of ungrateful, greedy person."

  Since she said so, I couldn't insist. But I often went out. The residence sat empty anyway. She could continue living here peacefully.

  No demon ever dared break into where I lived. Even if I left the door wide open late at night, no demon tried entering to eat people.

  Some Ubuyashiki from several generations ago said this might be some kind of natural enemy suppression. Like forest rabbits smelling a tiger's scent would carefully avoid it.

  But I was still too optimistic. No demons daring to break in didn't mean demon hunters wouldn't either.

  That was a late July night. I'd patrolled the surroundings, killed three or five demons, and returned to the residence to check on Uta and Koe.

  After months of recuperation, Uta looked completely recovered. She lit an oil lamp, making clothes for Koe. Seeing me return, she was especially happy, saying she'd just made new sweets in the kitchen.

  Uta cooked deliciously. Hearing this, my mouth watered. I quickly ran to the kitchen, brought out the sweets, walked to the corridor, and couldn't help picking up a piece to put in my mouth.

  Just one bite—I heard an unusual wind sound. The hair on my back stood up. My pupils involuntarily contracted to a line.

  Something had broken in.

  I'd removed my blade at home. Only a short sword remained at my waist. I drew it.

  Looking at the courtyard—a young man holding a blade coldly watched me, tightly gripping a pitch-black long sword.

  A black blade?

  Demon Slayer Corps?

  Just as I was about to observe his face carefully, he suddenly vanished. Only a soft sound leisurely reached my ears. I already felt the chill behind me.

  I would die. That moment, this thought immediately surfaced in my brain. All the blood in my body seemed to boil, roar, clamoring that I must immediately distance myself from this person behind me.

  But it was too late—

  "Stop! Yoriichi!"

  The blade stopped narrowly. I saw a strand of hair drift lightly to the ground. That chill still pricked my skin.

  But the premonition of death had vanished.

  The young man standing behind me seemed to turn his head toward the other side, seeing Uta walking over holding a lantern.

  "Uta?" He murmured as if talking to himself.

  Uta was very angry. She walked over furiously, slapping the young man's back heavily. The sound was so loud even I flinched.

  "What are you doing?! Not even giving advance notice before rashly visiting, choosing this time to break in!"

  Uta scolded continuously, pulling me behind her. Seeing my severed hair, she grew angrier.

  "Too much! How could you do something so rude to Miss Chihaya? Such beautiful hair, just cut off by you like that! How long will it take to grow back?!"

  "We haven't even had time to repay our debt, yet we've done something offensive to our benefactor first!"

  I saw the peculiar mark on this young man's face. Indeed, this was Yoriichi that Uta had introduced to me.

  How long had he held a blade? Just two or three months? Yet his swordsmanship was so terrifying.

  The Demon Slayer Corps had been passed down so many years. Never had a demon hunter given me such oppressive pressure like him.

  Without question, he was a once-in-a-generation genius.

  But before Uta, the genius showed a hesitant expression. That blade had already been swiftly sheathed.

  Like a child who'd done wrong, he lowered his head, voice very soft. "Uta, are you truly before me?"

  Uta unceremoniously slapped his arm again, saying loudly, "Could I be a ghost? Don't you see my shadow? Apologize quickly!"

  A quarter hour later, we could finally sit down and talk properly.

  He sat on a cushion, bowing his head. "I am Yoriichi."

  ~~~~??~~~~~~~~??~~~~

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