The Butterfly Mansion is the logistical support organization of the Demon Slayer Corps, a medical facility managed by the Kocho Sisters, primarily providing treatment and rehabilitation for injured Demon Slayer swordsmen.
Outside the Butterfly Mansion, Mizuki sat on the veranda, quietly watching the courtyard.
A sound of footsteps came from one side of the veranda.
"Thank you for waiting."
Accompanied by a gentle voice, Kochou Shinobu set down the tea set and sat down beside Mizuki.
"My older sister couldn't return because of an outside mission," Kochou Shinobu explained. "I'm afraid I'll have to be the one to host Miss Mizuki."
"It's alright." Hearing her mention her sister, Mizuki subconsciously looked at her haori.
Noticing her gaze, Kochou Shinobu smiled and explained, "This was a gift from my sister when I became a Pillar."
"It's beautiful."
"Thank you." Kochou Shinobu chuckled lightly, then remembered the tea she had placed down. She picked it up and handed it to Mizuki. "Please, this floral tea has a very nice flavor."
Floral tea?
Don't tell me it's wisteria flower.
Mizuki took the teacup and couldn't help but look at it twice.
Although she had already overcome the sun, the wisteria flower poison was still effective against her.
Of course, the effect wasn't significant; even if it seeped into her body, it would be quickly broken down. Unless the dose was ridiculously large, it would be difficult for it to affect her.
Fortunately, it wasn't. At Kochou Shinobu's prompting, Mizuki lifted the teacup and took a shallow sip.
"It's g—" Before she could finish her polite remark, she heard Kochou Shinobu suddenly speak.
"Miss Mizuki... are you forcing yourself?"
"Hm?" Mizuki turned her head, meeting Kochou Shinobu's complicated expression.
"Miss Mizuki... are you a Demon?"
Mizuki paused for a moment, then her expression suddenly relaxed, and she put down the tea she had only taken a shallow sip from.
She smiled sweetly: "Yes."
Having received an affirmative answer, Kochou Shinobu said nothing more, turning her head back to silently watch the setting sun.
She merely tightened her grip slightly on the cup, revealing her inner turmoil.
After a moment, she finally said, "A Demon who has overcome the sun... that truly is incredible."
"It was a coincidence, I suppose." The afterglow of the sunset reflected in Mizuki's eyes.
She had never had the idea of becoming a Demon because, within a certain range, Muzan possessed the ability to read the minds of Demons.
Back then, if she hadn't been certain that she was free from Muzan's control, she never would have used the spider lily to overcome the sun.
Kochou Shinobu didn't dwell on it, just quietly watching the sunset: "What is Miss Mizuki's relationship with Kibutsuji Muzan?"
Her voice revealed little emotion, remaining as gentle and tranquil as always.
Mizuki didn't overthink it and simply replied, "Enemies."
Any person with correct morals could not tolerate Muzan's actions.
Everything she had witnessed along the way was utterly miserable.
"..."
Although Kochou Shinobu showed no outward change, Mizuki could sense that she had relaxed considerably.
Mizuki only maintained the activation of the Transparent World when dealing with serious matters; she didn't keep it running constantly.
The Transparent World can only see through the human body, not other objects, and she had no interest in looking at a bunch of skeleton people all the time.
Kochou Shinobu's fingers, clutching the cup, loosened slightly, and her tense shoulders also dropped a little.
"My sister is a very gentle person, so gentle that she shows compassion even to Demons." She seemed to be talking to herself, yet also confiding in Mizuki. "She hoped that humans and Demons could coexist peacefully."
Mizuki lowered her eyelids. That couldn't exactly be called a commendable belief.
No... even Kochou Kanae, while showing sympathy for Demons, would firmly cut off their heads, just like Tanjirou.
Only she... was truly hesitant and timid.
Otherwise, she wouldn't have stopped the two of them just because of a sliver of sanity remaining in Yae's father.
Kochou Shinobu spoke softly: "I never quite agreed with my sister's philosophy, and we often argued about it."
"Until two years ago, when Miss Mizuki saved her from a Demon."
"So..." Kochou Shinobu suddenly turned her head. "So I want to try to be like my sister, try to believe..."
Mizuki smiled slightly: "Thank you."
...After the two of them had spoken openly, Kochou Shinobu's heart felt less heavy.
She asked curiously, "Are there other Demons in this world like Miss Mizuki?"
"If you mean overcoming the sun, currently, there shouldn't be."
She quietly added in her heart that Nezuko might be able to, but since she hadn't been exposed to the sun, Mizuki wasn't entirely sure.
"If you mean escaping Muzan's control, I know of three besides myself."
Kochou Shinobu's eyes widened slightly: "Three others?"
"One is the physician I mentioned earlier, named Tamayo, who is my friend."
Kochou Shinobu couldn't help but ask, "A Demon Doctor?"
"Yes."
Kochou Shinobu was very surprised, "That's truly unbelievable."
If she was a Demon Doctor, Kochou Shinobu could understand why Tamayo surpassed her in the field of Demon research.
"Another is named Yushiro, Tamayo's companion."
"The last one is called Nezuko, a lovely younger sister. Perhaps you will see her in a couple of years."
Involving an area unknown to her, Kochou Shinobu was like a curious child, eagerly pressing, "Then how did you all escape Muzan's control?"
Mizuki: "..."
The topic had been so heavy that speaking was difficult before, but now she had opened the floodgates, asking questions like a thousand whys.
She patiently answered Kochou Shinobu's questions, and the surprise on Kochou Shinobu's face hadn't faded even by evening.
After temporarily staying at the Butterfly Mansion for two days, Mizuki bid farewell to Kochou Shinobu and Ubuyashiki.
Before leaving, she handed the information she had compiled about the Upper Ranks to Ubuyashiki.
The intelligence only covered the top three, however.
But Ubuyashiki was extremely happy. They had pitifully little information on the Twelve Demon Moons, even the Lower Ranks, let alone the Upper Ranks.
The last recorded kill of an Upper Rank was over a hundred years ago.
Apart from this, Mizuki temporarily withheld information on things like the Transparent World and the scarlet blade.
These were techniques that couldn't be mastered simply by being told about them.
Upon her departure, Ubuyashiki sent a Kasugai Crow named Snow Sparrow to serve as a liaison.
Yae was temporarily arranged to stay at the Demon Slayer Corps headquarters, visiting her father every day through the iron lock, trying to awaken his sanity.
Before heading to Mount Sagiri to visit Tanjirou, Mizuki went to Asakusa alone, attempting to find Tamayo's whereabouts.
But she searched Asakusa for three days and three nights without finding any trace of Tamayo.
Asakusa already had the look of a modern city, not a small town that could be seen through at a glance. Coupled with the concealment provided by Tamayo and Yushiro's Blood Demon Art, without Tanjirou's kind of luck, they were truly hard to find.
She used the Kasugai Crow to relay a message to Yae, telling her not to give up hope.
As long as he stopped eating humans, Mizuki believed he could be effectively controlled.
Unable to find Tamayo, Mizuki had no choice but to leave Asakusa and head toward Mount Sagiri.
By this time, several months had passed since Mizuki parted ways with Tanjirou and his group.
---------------------------------
If you'd like to read the next 40 chapters in advance, you can support me on Patreon.
I regularly post chapter previews there, so you'll always be up-to-date and won't have to wait too long.
patreon.com/SolyuraMT
And if you enjoy the story, don't forget to give me a Power Stone. Your support really motivates me to continue translating!