“No need to talk about gratitude,” Hiru said, waving it off as he stood up with a smile. “Just try not to get overly emotional when the ti cos, Rengoku-san.”
“Thank you for going to such trouble,” Ruka said calmly as she lifted her head. “If it’s too difficult, you really don’t have to—”
“Ruka!”
Rengoku suddenly grabbed her hand, pressing his forehead against her shoulder. His face couldn’t be seen, but his posture made it feel as though he were on the verge of breaking down. “Don’t say that. Please… don’t say that.”
“I understand how you’re feeling right now,” Hiru said quietly.
He crouched down again and looked at Ruka.
“When soone precious to you is about to slip away, and you can’t do anything about it—it’s unbearable.
“So even if it’s painful, please endure a little longer, for Rengoku-san’s sake. And because you’re part of the Rengoku family, I will save you no matter what.”
Ruka could feel it clearly—although Hiru was speaking to them, his gaze seed to pass through them, fixed on sothing far away.
Hiru then turned to Rengoku. “And you too, Rengoku-san. Please pull yourself together. There’s no hard evidence, but a patient’s state of mind is important. Rengoku-san’s wife wouldn’t like seeing you this dejected, would she?”
Faced with the stunned couple, Hiru straightened up again. “Alright then. I’ll do my best to persuade my friend to co and treat Rengoku-san’s wife as soon as possible.”
“Is Brother Hiru leaving already?”
Kyojuro, who had been standing quietly by the doorway, looked up at him. “Won’t you stay a little longer? Last ti Brother Yoriichi ca, he sparred with Father for a long ti.”
“Don’t put on the spot,” Hiru said, rubbing Kyojuro’s hair. “If I took my sword out to spar with Rengoku-san, it’d just be embarrassing.”
“But isn’t having strong swordsmanship what it ans to be a Hashira?”
Hiru: ……
Hiru, thoroughly irritated, grabbed Kyojuro’s neatly tied little braid and ssed it up. “You really are an annoying little owl!”
“…Owl?”
Hiru turned and saw Rengoku staring at him in confusion.
He coughed lightly. “Anyway, I’ll be back as soon as possible. Goodbye! No need to see off!”
Watching Hiru vanish in a blink, Ruka couldn’t help but laugh softly.
Rengok looked at her. “What are you laughing at?”
“Nothing,” Ruka said, beckoning to Kyojuro, who stood at the doorway holding Senjuro awkwardly. “I just thought… he really does resemble one. An owl.”
“What’s so funny about that?” Rengoku said, though he smiled as well. “Should I go catch an owl for you?”
“Wouldn’t that be pitiful for the owl family?” Ruka laughed as she tidied Kyojuro’s hair. “Besides, I already have three little owls. How could I possibly ask for more?”
“That’s fine, Ruka.” Rengoku rested his forehead against hers and smiled gently.
“Whatever you wish for is what I should strive to give you.”
Kyojuro, his hair still a ss, looked at his smiling parents and broke into a huge grin himself. He didn’t really understand why everyone was smiling—but seeing his father and mother smile made him happy too.
【Umu! Next ti I see him, I’ll be sure to thank Brother Hiru properly!】
Kyojuro thought to himself.
…
After leaving the Rengoku residence, Hiru first went to the nearest Wisteria House to contact his Kasugai Crow, then imdiately set off toward the Kanto region.
He was going to find Tamayo.
And he knew exactly what it ant to bring Tamayo into a Hashira’s household.
But he couldn’t bring himself to ignore the plea for help from the descendants of Rengoku Tetsushiro.
Perhaps it was gratitude—for Tetsushiro once pulling his brother out of despair. Or for Tetsushiro’s unwavering composure. Or for the fact that, after learning everything, Tetsushiro had been the first to accept Hiru’s existence and stand firmly on his brother’s side.
In any case, Hiru was grateful to Rengoku Tetsushiro.
“Hey, Kitaro.”
“Caw?”
“Helping a friend take care of their kid is such a pain.”
Kasugai Crow: …This guy really says incomprehensible things all day long.
“Why are you going to Kanto again, caw? Weren’t you furious last ti after being sched against, caw?”
“Sched against? Oh, that thing with Chijin and Niko?” Hiru shook his head. “Strictly speaking, that wasn’t really a sche. But this ti’s different—I’m going to invite soone.”
“Caw?”
“Don’t ask. Just guide there properly. After that, you can take a short break.”
“What about your mission, caw?! You don’t seriously expect to go kill demons for you, do you?! Caw!”
“I’ll still kill demons. I just won’t be capturing them for now,” Hiru replied casually. “By the way, how far is it to Tokyo?”
“Caw! Just follow quietly! Asking won’t make us get there faster, caw!”
Two days later, Hiru arrived in the city where Tamayo was staying. Using the excuse of delivering a ssage to the Fla Hashira, he sent Kitaro away.
Since he arrived at night this ti, Hiru made sure to knock properly.
Before long, Yushiro’s slightly irritated face appeared.
“Visiting during soone’s dinner ti—have you never learned manners?”
“That’s human etiquette. What does it have to do with demons?” Hiru walked straight inside. “And you’d better be polite to , kid. Otherwise I’ll cut you with a Bright Red Nichirin Sword.”
“Hmph!”
Once inside, Hiru caught the faint scent of blood in the air and looked toward Tamayo, who was seated at her desk.
“Rare blood? Looks like you got yourself so decent food.”
“It’s blood from a previous patient’s surgery,” Tamayo replied, setting down her pen. “It was indeed very helpful. So, what brings you here, Hiru? Do you need more dicine to conceal your aura?”
“No. Actually, I want to ask you to make a house call—to save soone from the Demon Slayer Corps.”
Tamayo looked surprised. “You tend to go off-track in pharmaceutical research, but your diagnostic ability is hardly inferior to mine. And the Corps’ physicians are no slouches either. Why co to ?”
“There are several reasons,” Hiru said as he found a seat.
“The Demon Slayer Corps has already examined her. It’s an internal condition that requires extensive dication, and the patient is a woman.
“My treatnt thods mostly involve direct application and dicinal steaming. That requires undressing and close observation. I don’t mind, and I have absolutely no interest—romantic or otherwise—in soone that much younger than . But she and her family definitely would mind.
“And I really want to save her. So the only option left was to co to you.”
“I see… What kind of illness is it?”
“Likely a respiratory condition. My preliminary diagnosis is chronic respiratory failure or pneumoconiosis. She fell ill after prolonged exposure to bonfires during winter while pregnant and close to delivery. What do you think—can she be treated?”
“A lung disease…” Tamayo pressed a hand to her forehead. “I beca a demon because of a lung illness myself.”
“Miss Tamayo, please have so tea,” Yushiro said, bringing over a cup and glaring fiercely at Hiru.
“If Miss Tamayo doesn’t want to go, she doesn’t have to! I’ll stay with you no matter what!”
“Thank you, Yushiro.” Tamayo accepted the cup and smiled gently at him. “But I think I should at least go and see her. If I can help, then she won’t have to endure the pain I once did.”
“Miss Tamayo is far too kind!”
“But since you ca to invite so solemnly,” Tamayo said, looking back at Hiru, “the person must be quite special. Otherwise, judging by your usual thods, you would’ve treated them first and then erased their mories. Could you tell who she is?”
“She’s the wife of the Fla Hashira of the Demon Slayer Corps.”
Tamayo: …?
Reviews
All reviews (0)