The two bath girls were sleeping soundly; it was unlikely they would wake up anytime soon.
Having extracted enough information from them, letting them sleep for a while was sufficient. There was no need to do anything else—it would be a waste of time and a risk of making a mistake. It truly wasn't necessary.
Next, it was time for the real business.
Horitake pushed open the door of the room and carefully observed the corridor outside.
This was the fifth floor, a rare, high-end luxury area of the establishment. Consequently, there weren't many guests who could afford to enjoy themselves here, and the hallway was completely deserted.
Horitake closed the door, stepped out, and began making his way down the stairs.
From the intelligence he had pried out of the two girls during their drunken stupor, Horitake could tell that the anomaly in this bathhouse wasn't up here. It was...
Walking from the fifth floor down to the first, he found the ground level as bustling as ever, with people coming and going in a constant stream.
But Horitake's target wasn't here.
He looked around, casually stopped a passing bath girl, and asked for directions:
"Where are the kitchen and warehouse areas of your shop?"
The girl who had been stopped looked completely bewildered. She had worked at this establishment for many years, but this was the first time a guest had ever asked her such a question. Her current mood was quite difficult to describe.
However, out of politeness, the girl obediently pointed the way and told him how to get there.
Having learned the route, Horitake smiled, nodded, and let her go.
Looking at the vast environment around him and the intricate web of corridors, Horitake couldn't help but hope he wouldn't get lost.
Recalling the directions given by the girl, Horitake walked slowly in that direction, stopping occasionally to confirm his position and verify his heading. The floor area of this establishment was massive; if one wasn't careful, getting lost was easy.
Along the way, Horitake also had to keep an eye out for those passing by.
If those passing him were guests or bath girls, he didn't need to worry, as no one would bother him. But if a matron passed by, Horitake had to dodge and weave to avoid being spotted.
There was no helping it; the matrons in these kinds of shops were all busybodies. If they caught a guest like Horitake wandering around alone, he might end up being cornered and pestered.
As he walked and paused, Horitake knew he was getting closer to the kitchen and warehouse area.
How was he sure?
It was simple: the number of bath girls and guests was dwindling, while the number of servants was increasing. This clearly indicated that Horitake had left the entertainment zone and was entering the working quarters.
As he walked, Horitake suddenly felt that something was off.
Ever since the last corner of the corridor, there had been a hunchbacked female servant following behind him at a steady, unhurried pace.
Although this person didn't look like they were intentionally tailing him, Horitake had a feeling that their target was him!
He silently reached out with his senses, and his expression became increasingly complicated.
He couldn't take it anymore and stopped.
Horitake moved swiftly, stepping back a few paces and grabbing the servant behind him, pulling her into an empty side corridor out of public view.
Not stopping there, Horitake reached out and snatched off the woman's headscarf. Using the fabric like a towel, he began to rub her face without a word.
The female servant struggled and resisted, but how could her strength compare to Horitake's?
With a few quick wipes, Horitake scrubbed away the dark, grimy camouflage on her face, revealing a fair and beautiful countenance. At the same time, he gave her waist a firm pat. The ugly, hunchbacked posture of the servant was forced upright, turning into a graceful and poised stance.
Taking a closer look—who else could this be but Shinobu Kocho!?
Realizing her disguise had been pierced, Shinobu didn't get angry.
Even dressed in the coarse cloth of a lowly servant, Shinobu maintained her elegant aura. She looked at Horitake with a smile and said:
"Ara, ara. I didn't expect to be seen through by you, Horitake."
Horitake felt a wave of helplessness wash over him. "Sister Shinobu, didn't I tell you not to come inside?"
Shinobu maintained her signature smile. "Is that so? But I didn't disguise myself as a bath girl to get in; I disguised myself as a servant. Who would pay attention to an ordinary laborer? I even went through the trouble of blackening my face and pretending to be a hunchback. It should have been impossible to expose."
"But weren't you exposed? I saw right through you."
"Oh, well, you aren't an ordinary person, Horitake. I only needed to fool everyone else."
Looking at her smiling face, Horitake felt as if he were punching a bale of cotton—completely powerless.
He had strictly forbidden Shinobu from entering the shop precisely because he feared her beauty would attract unwanted attention and cause unnecessary trouble. But who would have thought she would intentionally make herself look "ugly" just to sneak in?
Horitake was nearly frantic. "Sister Shinobu, why did you have to come in? The Demon in this shop isn't powerful; I could have handled it alone without any problem!"
For some reason, these words seemed to spark a hint of dissatisfaction in Shinobu.
She began to poke Horitake's chest repeatedly with her slender, jade-like finger. It actually stung quite a bit.
"Horitake-san, aren't you neglecting my feelings a bit too much? Regardless of the circumstances, I am a member of the Demon Slayer Corps, and I am the Insect Hashira. You run in here to kill a Demon by yourself and leave me outside... what am I supposed to be? Your follower? Your subordinate? Or just a dispensable ornament?"
Horitake could clearly hear the fire in her voice.
He also noticed another detail. Recently, as their relationship had grown closer, she had unconsciously changed how she addressed him—from the more distant "Horitake-san" to just "Horitake."
But just now, she had reverted to "Horitake-san."
This meant she was genuinely upset.
Putting himself in her shoes, Horitake realized he really hadn't handled things correctly. His confidence wavered as he spoke:
"Uh... it seems I really didn't do this the right way. Neglecting your feelings was my mistake, Sister Shinobu. I apologize. Let's work together from here on out."
"That's better..."
Shinobu wrinkled her dainty nose, and a look of satisfaction finally returned to her face.
Horitake couldn't help but chuckle. He reached out and playfully pinched her nose as if coaxing a young girl, half-teasing and half-asking:
"Since your direction of travel is the same as mine, could it be that you've obtained similar intelligence? Are you also planning to investigate the kitchen and warehouse area?"
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