Kawanishi gave an awkward smile. "It's nothing. I just… thought of something sad."
"Is that so? Don't dwell on it—what matters most is the present. It's a bit chilly tonight. If you stay in those wet clothes, you'll catch a cold. Come on, let's go."
This girl named Shinobu—her strength was far beyond imagination. And yet… she was so gentle.
"I actually thought about hurting someone this kind…"
Just earlier, Kawanishi had been wondering if he could land a surprise attack on Shinobu, injure her, and then escape.
But the overwhelming gap in strength had made him abandon the idea. Still, even having thought it made him feel a bit ashamed.
Sigh. If he acted strange again now, she'd definitely grow suspicious. He really had no better option than to follow along quietly.
He sighed inwardly and trailed after Shinobu, careful not to draw attention.
"I'll just have to take it one step at a time. Why am I always this unlucky…"
"Once we get to Ishibashi Town, I'll look for a chance to slip away."
Shoulders slumped, Kawanishi followed Shinobu. After a while, they arrived at Ishibashi Town.
The place was silent. Every household had its doors and windows tightly shut, and not a single light was visible inside.
Shinobu explained, "The townspeople have reported sightings of two man-eating demons nearby."
"They've been attacking more frequently lately. People are terrified. No one dares step outside at night—or even light a lamp—for fear of drawing demons in."
A look of hatred crossed Kawanishi's face. "Man-eating demons… all of them deserve to die!"
This town was much larger than the village at the mountain's base, and its people were more informed. At least they were aware of demons.
Not like Kawanishi, who hadn't even believed demons were real until his family was slaughtered.
Shinobu lightly patted his shoulder. "Hey now, don't be so angry. What if there are good demons out there too?"
The words didn't quite match the identity of a demon slayer, but Kawanishi didn't argue—because it didn't feel like she really meant it. There was a strange scent coming from her body.
"Hm? That's weird… is that an emotional scent? It's kind of like what Tanjiro described before."
"Have my senses finally caught up to Tanjiro's?"
"But what exactly is this scent of emotion surrounding Shinobu?"
Kawanishi hadn't smelled anything like it from others. Without something to compare it to, he couldn't be sure.
And Shinobu's gentle expression was highly misleading.
He couldn't tell what she was really feeling—but one thing was clear: she didn't truly sympathize with demons.
After passing three homes, they came to a fourth. Shinobu stepped forward and gave a gentle knock on the door.
A moment later, the door cracked open. Someone peeked out cautiously through the narrow gap.
But when they saw Shinobu, the wariness in their eyes shifted into relief.
The door swung open to reveal a hunched old man holding the hand of a four- or five-year-old boy. He bowed deeply to Shinobu.
"Miss Shinobu! What brings you to our home?"
Shinobu quickly reached out to steady the old man. "Mr. Nagatani, there's no need for that. Please don't be so formal—I don't deserve it."
The old man, still bent over, gently tugged the little boy's hand. "Yoshisuke, kneel down and thank Lady Shinobu. She killed the demon and avenged your parents."
The little boy Yoshisuke had looked lost at first, but at the mention of his parents, tears welled in his eyes.
He knelt on the ground. "Thank you, big sister… thank you… thank you for avenging my parents…"
Shinobu sighed softly at the sight, then lifted Yoshisuke up and turned to Mr. Nagatani. "Mr. Nagatani, I have a friend who doesn't have a place to stay. Could he rest here for the night?"
The old man nodded eagerly. "Of course, of course. I'll go prepare a bed right away."
But Kawanishi stepped forward to stop him. "No need to trouble yourself. I'll get it ready myself in a bit."
He could tell Shinobu was about to leave, so he was already planning to sneak off.
Once she was gone, Kawanishi would make his move—escaping from this gentle, yet terrifying girl.
He liked Shinobu, but she was part of the Demon Slayer Corps—and clearly not just any ordinary member.
If his identity as a demon were exposed, he wasn't about to bet that their brief connection would save him. From what he'd learned through Black Fang's memories, demon slayers spoke only through their Nichirin blades when dealing with demons.
And with Shinobu's strength, he wouldn't even get the chance to run.
Still… when he thought about Nichirin blades, he remembered Masaru—his flame-feathered weapon. Masaru seemed to have the same properties as a Nichirin sword.
He really wanted to find another demon to test whether Masaru could still decapitate them.
After explaining some safety precautions to Mr. Nagatani, Shinobu turned to Kawanishi and said, "I've already killed one demon, but there's likely still another lurking on Mount Aokari."
"Tonight, I'm heading there to hunt it down."
"You should stay here and rest. Once I've dealt with it, I'll come find you tomorrow."
"You want revenge on demons, right? With your physical abilities, joining the Demon Slayer Corps should be easy. There, you'll get the best training on how to kill demons."
"I'll recommend you for the entrance trial. Once you pass… we'll be comrades! Well—technically, I'll be your superior."
Kawanishi: "Superior? What kind of logic is that?"
But Shinobu had already vanished into the wind.
"The demon on Mount Aokari… she must mean Black Fang."
"She's going on a wild goose chase…"
Kawanishi took the clothes Mr. Nagatani handed him, ripped off his ragged old outfit, and put on the fresh ones. They fit pretty well.
Mr. Nagatani stared at him, and suddenly, tears streamed down the old man's face.
Kawanishi was confused. "Mr. Nagatani? What's wrong?"
The old man's voice trembled. "Oh, it's nothing… I'm just old. My eyes aren't so good anymore."
"You just… look so much like Nonaka when you wear those clothes."
After asking, Kawanishi learned that Nonaka was the old man's son—killed along with his wife by a demon while gathering herbs on the mountain days ago.
Kawanishi went quiet. "I think I'll walk around town for a bit. I'm not ready to sleep just yet. You two should go inside and rest."
Mr. Nagatani looked worried. "It's not safe at night. If you run into a demon, it'll be bad. You're so pale and look so weak—if a demon comes, you won't outrun it…"
Kawanishi: "???"
"Mr. Nagatani, I came here with Shinobu. If I can keep up with her, why would I be afraid of demons?"
The old man thought about it and agreed. This young man clearly wasn't ordinary either. He handed Kawanishi a key. "Just come back early. Don't stay out too late."
Kawanishi hesitated for a moment, then accepted the key. "Don't worry. I won't be out long."
But that was a lie.
He was already planning to leave.
This place was no place to stay.
(End of Chapter)