Before the two of them could leave the Butterfly Mansion, the hidden logistics unit had already arrived, pulling a group of injured individuals.
Kochou Shinobu had no choice but to first settle the patients, many of whom were swordsmen who had become strange due to Blood Demon Arts.
Mizuki even saw two familiar figures among them; The Three Little Ones were all here.
By the time Kochou Shinobu had settled the injured, dawn was already breaking.
Arriving at the Master's residence, Mizuki had not yet seen the other Hashira. Ubuyashiki Kagaya seemed to be specifically waiting for her arrival.
Beside Ubuyashiki Kagaya were two white-haired girls who looked like dolls.
They looked quite pretty, but there was an indescribable eeriness about them, as if they weren't human.
They were his daughters.
Ubuyashiki Kagaya had four daughters and one son.
"Miss Mizuki must have already heard from Shinobu." After they met, Ubuyashiki Kagaya spoke first with a smile, "That child you favor, Kamado Tanjirou..."
"Successfully slew lower rank five of the Twelve Demon Moons in the battle at Mount Natagumo."
Although Mizuki hadn't directly told Ubuyashiki Kagaya about Tanjirou's existence, she had mentioned the matter of the Sun Breathing successor.
And she had also received a letter of recommendation for Master Urokodaki from Ubuyashiki Kagaya, so it wasn't strange for Ubuyashiki Kagaya's abilities to uncover Tanjirou.
The child Mizuki favors?
The newcomer rumored to have slain a Lower Rank, was he Mizuki's Tsuguko?
As for Kochou Shinobu, since she hadn't heard anything about this from Mizuki, she turned her head to look, somewhat concerned.
Mizuki smiled faintly, "Indeed, to be honest, I'm quite surprised too."
She had been thinking about what to call Tanjirou on the way here.
Sun Hashira?
She found it a bit hard to bear.
Yoriichi didn't have such a title back then; thinking about it might be quite fun.
But she could never go back.
Mizuki's heart grew depressed as she smiled to herself.
"Regarding that child's demon sister..." Ubuyashiki Kagaya gently guided the topic, "Urokodaki-san and Giyuu have co-signed a letter of guarantee."
A demon sister?
Kochou Shinobu felt as if this world had become unfamiliar to her. She felt that ever since she met Mizuki, she had been dealing with kind demons.
In the past, she would never have believed there were good demons.
But now, she didn't feel much strangeness; instead, she instinctively felt that any demon connected to Mizuki must also be a good person.
Mizuki wasn't surprised; those two were too kind. "Yes, Nezuko is a special existence. Since becoming a demon, she hasn't harmed any humans, nor has she ever tasted human blood."
Not even human blood?
If the Master wasn't present, Kochou Shinobu would definitely not be able to sit still right now.
Deep down, there was a topic she had always been unwilling to consider.
Had Mizuki... eaten humans?
...Ubuyashiki Kagaya had already learned the specific situation of Nezuko from Urokodaki Sakonji's letter and slowly nodded: "Of course, I trust Miss Mizuki, as well as Urokodaki-san and Giyuu, but the Demon Slayer Corps swordsmen's resentment towards demons has accumulated for a long time."
"Mere verbal explanations will probably not convince them."
"So, I plan to use the semi-annual Hashira Meeting to introduce Miss Mizuki in front of all the Hashira. What do you think?"
Mizuki smiled slightly: "Of course, nothing could be better."
She had been looking forward to it for a long time, the Taisho Nine Hashira... no, Ten Hashira.
Receiving Mizuki's affirmation, Ubuyashiki Kagaya also smiled broadly.
Just then, a voice suddenly came from outside the door.
"Master, Kamado Tanjirou has been brought, and all the Hashira have returned to their posts."
"That child's sister has been temporarily placed in a room where sunlight cannot reach, as per your instructions."
"Understood." Ubuyashiki Kagaya responded, his sightless gaze turning to Mizuki, "Miss Mizuki, please go and look after Nezuko first."
"Then I shall take my leave." Mizuki nodded slightly, not being polite, and got up to leave.
Kochou Shinobu followed her out and asked, "Is that newcomer Mizuki's Tsuguko?"
"No, at most half a cultivator, and besides..." Mizuki walked along the corridor, "Tsuguko? That's a Hashira's term, isn't it?"
"Isn't Mizuki a Hashira?"
Of course, she wasn't a Hashira.
Mizuki looked at her strangely, then realized that Kochou Shinobu was probably asking about her past.
However... "No."
She really wasn't!
In terms of strength, she had certainly reached the Hashira level, but she had fallen just after grasping Snow Breathing, and her two older brothers had directly carried her, chair and all, from the front lines.
She had honestly taken up logistics work; there was no chance for her to become a Hashira.
Kochou Shinobu's lips parted, about to speak, when the two of them, still walking, arrived in the courtyard.
Several gazes simultaneously turned towards them.
"Namu Amida Butsu~"
"Wow, who's that standing with Little Shinobu? Such a beautiful person~ I really want to meet them~"
"Hoh~ Gorgeous patterns, half as good as this great lord's."
"Hmm, very energetic!"
"What's that cloud called again?"
"Who is that woman?"
"..."
"Little Shinobu..."
In the crowd, the young girl who resembled Kochou Shinobu had originally intended to greet Shinobu, but her eyes widened slightly upon seeing the person beside her.
Mizuki had intended to observe everyone for a moment, but seeing Tanjirou tied to the ground with his hands behind his back, she became somewhat silent.
What kind of strange play were these people engaged in?
Kochou Shinobu waved to her sister and turned back, saying, "Mizuki, I'm going to greet my sister first."
"...Mm."
Mizuki hesitated, then walked away towards the distance in front of all the Hashira... Mizuki arrived at a corner room, where the box hiding Nezuko was placed.
The hidden unit member responsible for guarding Nezuko huddled to the side, trembling.
He had no idea what the higher-ups were thinking, to have him guard a demon.
"Miss Mizuki!"
Upon seeing Mizuki enter, the man almost burst into tears.
Finally, he saw his savior.
Mizuki nodded slightly to him.
During her time in the Demon Slayer Corps, although she hadn't had the chance to interact with other Hashira, members of the hidden unit would occasionally transport injured individuals to the Butterfly Mansion.
Over time, they came to know that a few guests had arrived at the Butterfly Mansion.
Sometimes, they would even see her fighting with Lady Kochou, and she would perfectly suppress Lady Kochou every time.
She was a very formidable person.
Mizuki crouched in front of the box and opened it.
The hidden member beside her shivered all over.
The box was opened, revealing Nezuko curled up inside, lightly sleeping.
Yes, very cute.
It seemed she was just temporarily asleep from overexertion; the battle on Spider Mountain must not have been easy.
Just as Mizuki was about to close the box, a shadow suddenly stretched into the doorway.
"Wind Hashira!" the hidden member exclaimed.
Mizuki looked up to see a man covered in scars, with a ferocious appearance, looking like a villain, standing at the doorway.
Sanemi Shinazugawa, with a clear target, walked directly towards Mizuki.
Mizuki looked up at him.
Although he looked a bit too much like a villain, the Taisho Nine Hashira had a reputation, so he was likely someone who looked scary but had a good heart... "Hmm?"
Mizuki let out a soft exclamation, grabbing his wrist and looking up: "What do you want to do?"
Sanemi Shinazugawa, momentarily stunned by Mizuki's peculiar eyes, clearly hadn't expected anyone to dare stop him.
Sanemi Shinazugawa's expression contorted as he said, "The guy in here is a demon, isn't he?"
Mizuki: "..."
He's a villain, isn't he? This guy is a villain, right?
He's clearly a villain!
Whose good guy has such a contorted expression!
Mizuki said faintly, "Yes."
"Then it's settled." Sanemi Shinazugawa grinned ferociously and reached out towards the box.
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