"Cough cough…" The sound of coughing from inside the house interrupted their conversation.
Hearing the commotion inside, Kochou Shinobu bowed slightly to Mizuki, then quickly got up and went into the room with the medicine, fulfilling her duty as a doctor.
"Are you awake?"
"Where is this?"
"The apothecary's house across the street. You've been asleep for half a day, little girl."
"It seems you're very tired. I heard hunters stay in the mountains for many days to hunt."
"But that kind of physical state will only harm yourself."
"Alright, come and drink this. It will cheer you up."
The girl, Yae, held out the medicine, and an indescribable smell wafted into Mizuki's nose.
"Excuse me… what's in this?"
Kochou Shinobu said with a smile, "Don't ask so many questions, just drink it."
Mizuki retracted her gaze. She was also an apothecary, but compared to Tamayo, this person was much more cunning.
Woof woof~
Suddenly, a low growl came from a hunting dog beside her.
Mizuki turned her head and saw Yae's hunting dog, Taro, baring its fangs and growling at Tomioka Giyu.
Giyuu showed no expression, but instead of retreating, he reached out his hand.
That was a precursor to an attack. Mizuki had intended to warn him.
But it was just an ordinary hunting dog… Woof!
Taro bit Giyuu's hand and wouldn't let go, no matter how much he tried to shake it off… This guy, he's a bit of a natural airhead.
Are all powerful people weird?
Yae cried out in a panic, "Taro, stop it!"
After a commotion, Kochou Shinobu said seriously, "I deeply regret what happened to your mother. If it's convenient, I have some questions I'd like to ask."
"Ask me?"
Kochou Shinobu put her index fingers on both sides of her face, "The one who attacked Miss Yae might be a demon."
"Kochou, that's my mission, I should explain it."
"No, how can you say that when Miss Mizuki brought you back from the police station?"
"Alright, Mr. Tomioka, please step aside."
Listening to their conversation, Mizuki sat in the corridor, looking up at the sunlight.
The warm winter sun was something she didn't mind.
From the information in the mission and the girl's words, the attack had happened many days ago.
If it was an evil demon… without a doubt, even if it were kept as emergency food, it would have been eaten by now.
Moreover… the girl was lying.
Mastering the Transparent World had this drawback; others' ill intentions had nowhere to hide.
Perhaps… perhaps she herself had already seen that man-eating demon.
The girl, who had heard Kochou Shinobu's words, spoke softly, "The Demon Slayer Corps… will kill all demons?"
Mizuki glanced sideways.
"Don't make it sound like executioners. We only kill evil demons." Kochou Shinobu closed her eyes slightly, then opened them, her expression serene, "If I encounter a demon that chooses to starve rather than eat humans, I am willing to look after her with a compassionate heart until the very end."
As she said the latter half of the sentence, she somehow suddenly turned her gaze to Mizuki.
Is Miss Mizuki… a demon?
Directly facing the sun, and with a faint scent of wisteria flower on her, Mizuki accepted both of these things that demons hated the most.
But for some reason, she just had that feeling.
Mizuki didn't mind Kochou Shinobu's gaze and largely agreed with her words.
Over hundreds of years, the number of demons who had overcome the desire to eat humans could be counted on one hand, and among them, Tamayo was one who had truly reformed.
Counting her, there were only three demons who had never eaten humans.
It's better not to gamble on such a small probability and not to have unnecessary emotions.
"I am a hunter; I'll get my revenge myself." Yae, who didn't agree with Kochou Shinobu's philosophy, slung her gun over her back and, with Taro, intended to leave.
"Wait a moment, you need to sleep a little longer."
Kochou Shinobu's persuasion had no effect.
At this moment, Tomioka Giyu, who had been silent, came before Yae.
"It's best not to go out at night."
"There are no demons here, can't a hunter go hunt bears?"
"If you want revenge, why go into the mountains alone? Are you hiding something?"
Mizuki raised an eyebrow slightly. Although he was a natural airhead, he was quite perceptive when it came to such matters.
Should I say, as expected of a Hashira?
"You're so annoying! Enough, get out of the way!" The girl, whose lie had been exposed, said angrily.
"At least, I've never seen a human recover." Giyuu, however, maintained his calm expression.
Yae's angry expression froze, and she left with her hunting dog.
Indeed… Mizuki stood up and fastened her Nichirin Blade to her waist.
Inside the house, Kochou Shinobu changed into her Demon Slayer Corps uniform and looked at her with a smile.
"I'll be relieved if Miss Mizuki comes along too."
Mizuki remained silent.
Two Hashira, besides the Upper Ranks, are there any other demons worth fighting?
What a joke.
Even thinking this, Mizuki still honestly followed along.
It wouldn't hurt to make a good impression on these people. At least when they found out her identity, it might earn her a few extra points.
Lest she be surrounded and annihilated before even fighting Muzan.
After all, a demon who has overcome the sun, no matter how you look at it, has greater potential than Muzan.
The three did not exchange many words and followed Yae closely.
Well-trained swordsmen naturally had no less stamina than hunters, and the three quickly caught up with Yae.
At this moment, Yae was definitely not in a good state. She was severely pressed to the ground by an evil demon, seemingly about to meet her end.
Giyuu's speed suddenly increased, and he overtook the other two in an instant.
"Yae…"
Following the wind, a weathered, restrained voice entered Mizuki's ears.
She almost subconsciously accelerated, catching up to Giyuu in an instant, and parried his Nichirin Blade with her own.
So fast!
Kochou Shinobu's pupils suddenly constricted.
She admitted that her strength was not much among the Hashira, and she couldn't even cut off a demon's head due to her weakness, but in terms of dash speed (dash speed), she was definitely among the best.
Yet she still hadn't clearly seen Mizuki's movements just now.
Giyuu, however, had no reaction; he simply looked over calmly.
As if asking why.
Mizuki was a little embarrassed. Without time to explain, she slammed the elderly demon to the ground, binding his hands, and no matter how he twisted, he couldn't break free.
So much strength.
Kochou Shinobu looked in surprise at Mizuki, who was single-handedly subduing the demon.
As a woman… no, as a human, could she really suppress a demon so easily with strength?
It wasn't that such people didn't exist, but they were so rare. Was Miss Mizuki just one of them?
Giyuu stood firm and asked calmly, "What are you doing?"
Looking at Yae, who was slumped on the ground, Mizuki said silently, "He just… for a moment, seemed to regain consciousness."
Although it was hard to believe, Mizuki hadn't encountered it once in hundreds of years.
But this demon had indeed called Yae's name just now.
She couldn't have misheard.
Hearing Mizuki's words, Yae quickly climbed up from the ground and affirmed, "Yes… Father just called my name!"
Kochou Shinobu ignored her and looked at Mizuki, "Miss Mizuki, you should know that demons cannot recover."
Mizuki didn't hesitate: "No, it's possible."
Kochou Shinobu's eyes widened slightly. She had thought Mizuki would be unable to refute, or would remain silent.
She had never expected her to agree with something that was impossible.
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