A few seconds earlier.
In the living quarters of the shrine.
On the wooden floor, three bodies with clothes draped over them lay still: two together, one separated in the corner.
Suddenly, the smallest body beside the female one began to shake violently.
The cloth slipped off her face and limbs shortly after.
A single glance was enough to see that the tiny hairs on her arms and legs stood straight up.
Goosebumps covered her skin.
The shaking lasted a full ten seconds before her torso sat up abruptly.
Her long hair fell next to her face, blocking it.
Her closed eyes opened gradually.
The heartbeat that had once stopped began to thump loudly, pumping blood to every part of her body.
Warmth slowly returned to her entire being, yet a cold aura naturally emanated from her.
She looked around in silence before standing up carefully. Her feet wavered as she adjusted her center of gravity.
Her gaze landed on the female body beside her before completely ignoring it.
Sensing living signatures nearby as if her head had grown an antenna, her body began moving, pace slow yet steady.
"Tan…jiro." Her lips parted as a broken name came out of her mouth. "I… I did it."
Not even five steps in before she clutched her head. Unknown memories of ten years rushed into her mind.
A slight discomfort was all she felt, and heart-warming, playful memories resting inside the brain integrated into her very being.
'I am you, and you're me now.' In that instant, she perceived a lingering resistance disappearing. Her body and soul were now perfectly in sync.
As she moved, her eyes hidden behind bangs located two people ahead.
Unlike other living beings, her existence had no presence whatsoever. She was like a tree or stone at the moment.
Even though she was close by, those two people did not realize it.
A powerful emotion burst out of her heart instantly, rampaging through her mind.
She tried to speak but no words came out. She stayed quiet and stared.
Only at this point did the purple-eyed girl ahead, Shinobu, notice her standing beside the tree with her face completely hidden.
'…'
Seeing such a scene, her pupils shrank out of pure fear.
A shrill cry left her mouth as she bounced back, her face terrified.
"Gh-Ghost…! KYAAAAAH—!!" She shrieked loudly.
The girl's mouth parted open. "Huh?"
The boy who was Tanjiro turned his head toward her, his face calm but eyes enthralled.
She saw as his body vanished and appeared before her in an instant.
'Whoa, that scared me… Seeing his speed as a living person's body is a whole other experience, mm…' she thought.
Tanjiro crouched to her level and showed a concerned look, which caused her to smile slightly.
"I did it." Showing a peace sign, she said with a smile.
He shook his head with a warm smile, his hand ruffling her hair.
"Any discomfort or something?" he asked.
The little girl, who was Kanae, touched her chin and answered quickly. "A bit tired, I guess?"
'It's not even a possession. She literally incarnated herself into this body… Is this one of her powers?' He nodded gently, fixing her hair.
The moment he did, her lovely face revealed itself.
Her skin was pale and her cheeks had less baby fat.
Her eyes were yellow with unique multiple red-colored rings within them.
Moreover, a mole under her left eye further accentuated her otherworldly appearance.
'… I didn't think of it earlier, but her eyes are beautiful… Must have missed it.' he realized.
Seeing that Shinobu was approaching, he nodded at little Kanae with an understanding face and asked worriedly. "Can you tell me your name?"
Noticing how easily he fixed his tone and expression, Kanae was left speechless.
'He sure is experienced in this…' she clicked her tongue mentally.
Looking at the tense Shinobu coming closer, her eyes softened. A few tears naturally came out. "Nayuta… Amagami Nayuta."
It was her name now — the name given to her by her passed, caring mother.
Tanjiro patted her head fondly and then looked at the dumbfounded Shinobu before speaking with a wry face. "It looks like she's back…" Though inside, he didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
Nayuta herself had no idea how to proceed, so she chose to stay quiet.
She was just that bad of an actor.
She wasn't Kanae anymore. She was Nayuta, a shrine maiden now.
She must remain as such.
"... Miracle…" mumbled a gobsmacked Shinobu, her eyes wide.
Never in her seven years as a Demon Slayer had she stumbled upon such an absurd case.
She returned from death?
Wasn't she literally choked to death for quite some time?
How was she back now? Huuuh?
She watched as Tanjiro lifted the girl into his arms and arrived next to her.
The nasty fingerprint marks around Nayuta's neck were still visible.
'What the hell is happening today…' Completely freaked out, she cursed in her mind.
Tanjiro and Nayuta observed her reaction, exchanging weird looks.
However, Shinobu took a few deep breaths and stabilized her mind. She spoke calmly, which surprised them both. "So be it. Hah, why don't we finish the burial process before deciding what to do next? She also needs to meet her mother for the last time…"
Although she was shocked, returning to life in her case wasn't impossible.
Her neck was not broken, and she hadn't suffered major injuries either.
The chances were slim, but the outcome was right before her.
The once-dead girl was breathing and alive again.
Was it providence? To her, it didn't matter.
The reality was that she had resurrected, and they must take care of the child in her mother's absence.
Tanjiro nodded. He set Nayuta down next to Shinobu. "You take care of her. I'm bringing the body."
Saying so, he left.
Shinobu looked at the girl in silence — the girl who was staring back with those unique circular eyes — and placed her hand gently on her head. "Don't be scared. We'll take care of everything. Okay~?"
Instead of what she expected, Nayuta didn't cry. She hugged Shinobu tightly.
She was close to Shinobu's height, 144 cm to be exact.
Feeling her warmth yet a faint chill from her body, Shinobu could only hug her back.
'Poor girl, she went through a lot. I must comfort her…'
As for Nayuta, her mind was filled with bliss as she let herself be spoiled by her sister.
'I'm back, hehe…'
Shortly after~
Tanjiro placed the mother's body in the grave. Before they could fill the hole with dirt, he removed the hairpin from the dead woman's hair and handed it to Nayuta.
"Keep it safe."
The little girl clutched it tightly in her hand. A single tear slipped naturally from her eye as emotion welled up inside her.
Shinobu showed a gentle look and placed her hands on Nayuta's shoulders, consoling her quietly.
'Her memories influencing, hm…' Tanjiro could perceive that her emotions were genuine. She was grieving as a daughter who had lost her mother.
'Hah… Memories make us who we are. It was the same for me.' He sighed inwardly before starting to fill the grave.
In a minute or so, he was done giving the woman a resting place. He also filled the other hole since it was no longer needed.
After praying silently for a good minute beside the grave, they changed location.
"She's coming with us," Tanjiro said.
Quiet Nayuta glanced at Shinobu pleadingly, forcing her to avert her eyes.
"Hai, hai. I know that much!" Shinobu nodded.
Hearing that, Nayuta caught Shinobu's hand tightly and refused to let go.
Shinobu showed a warm smile in response. 'We can't just let her stay here all alone. Though this girl is quite mature for her age, calming down and accepting everything so quickly. At her age, I was such a loud-mouthed and sensitive girl… what a difference. Is it because she was trained as a miko since childhood?'
Afterward, Tanjiro instructed them to stay in the shrine for a few minutes while he went to bury the man somewhere else.
Shinobu accepted without a second thought.
He was far stronger and more energetic than her after all.
A few minutes passed.
Shinobu and Nayuta spent some time alone together, conversing normally.
During this time, Shinobu found herself talking nonstop for some reason. She spoke even more than necessary, which she found strange.
Talking to Nayuta seemed to be healing her heart…
'Just what is this feeling…' She couldn't understand it.
Once Tanjiro returned, they prayed in the shrine for a long time before leaving.
Shinobu had packed some of Nayuta's clothes, while Tanjiro carried the girl on his back, giving her a piggyback ride. Her small hands wrapped around his neck affectionately.
"Hehe, I'm excited for my home return~" she whispered into his ear.
Hearing her words, he smiled unknowingly. 'She's someone else's body now, and so am I. Heh…'
~~<>~~
You know who's she, right?