"Do you really intend to go, Master? No matter how potent Tamamo's magecraft is, the midday sun is dangerous."
Kiyohime grumbled with a dissatisfied face while adjusting Akira's attire. Her hands were meticulous, but her mouth was pouting.
"Don't worry, Kiyo. Just avoid direct sunlight. And Tamamo will set up double, triple barriers."
Akira checked his reflection in the mirror. The perfect appearance of a human youth. His pale skin was disguised as if glowing with healthy color, and his red pupils had changed to a deep blackish-brown.
His public identity used in human society.
The young chairman of the rapidly growing Akatsuki Trading Company centered in Tokyo and Kyoto, Nagao Akira.
"Preparation is perfect, Master♡"
Tamamo's gentle voice was heard from the air.
"I've set up a special curtain for our Master. But this is only a temporary measure! Two hours under the sun is the limit, so you must finish quickly and come back before then? I'll be sad if your skin gets hurt."
"Sufficient. Two hours is plenty."
Akira smiled confidently and fastened the cuff buttons of his finest suit.
"Then I'll be back. Prepare to welcome a new family member."
"Hmph, a concubine, not a family member."
Leaving Kiyohime's jealous send-off behind, Akira boarded a sleek car engraved with the Akatsuki Trading Company emblem.
A Ford Model T. A representative vehicle of the modern era and simultaneously the latest model released in 1908, just last year. A Western-produced vehicle with few in Japan.
This car was a symbol flaunting the Akatsuki Trading Company's wealth and purchasing connections.
The Kanroji family mansion located in Tokyo's wealthy district.
This wasn't the main house of the Count Kanroji family, who were nobles, but as a branch family, it was a prestigious house with considerable wealth and honor.
Even without a title, the weight carried by the Kanroji surname remained, making it a high-class household.
But even for them, the visit from Akatsuki Trading Company's chairman, Nagao Akira, was an offer they couldn't refuse.
As the car stopped and Akira got out, Mitsuri's parents received him respectfully.
"Welcome, Chairman Nagao. Thank you for visiting our humble place."
"Thank you for your hospitality, Lord Kanroji. It's an honor to be invited to a family with such a long history."
Akira bowed his head humbly yet with dignity. Y1pKRDY3WUhYeXVKQmZZeTNSUXY4SDJNbTVPQi9ROFFHOWdzQm95NE1NZHhnbEd0MGcxQ01YQlBwK2dWS3lEaQ
A dignified appearance maintaining etiquette fitting of a high-position person. Dignity learned from Kiyohime, a lord's daughter, and Tamamo who lived in the palace.
Nobunaga and Ushiwaka were of higher position than them, but were people far removed from dignity or etiquette, and Benienma also recently arrived, so he learned from the long-time companions before her.
While being guided to the drawing room and drinking tea, of course Akira only pretended to drink. As Mitsuri's father set down his teacup, he cautiously opened his mouth.
"But Chairman Nagao. If it's not rude, I'd like to ask... rumors in society say that you already have women connected to you in Kyoto──"
That moment, Tamamo hiding in Akira's shadow activated her magecraft.
'Oh my, so tactless. Those bad rumors about our Master, I'll wipe them all away~♡'
A subtle scent drifted through the drawing room.
"...Huh? What was I trying to say just now?"
Mitsuri's parents blinked with dazed expressions. Rumors about Akira's relations with women scattered like fog and disappeared from their minds.
"Not at all. My forgetfulness has been severe lately. Hahaha. Mitsuri will be out soon. She's such a shy child..."
No sooner had he finished speaking, the drawing room door cautiously opened.
"Excuse me..."
Along with a voice as if creeping in, a girl entered. Akira's eyes narrowed.
'That girl is Kanroji Mitsuri.'
Though wearing fine clothes, the girl was completely intimidated.
Most noticeable was her hair. Hair dyed black as pitch. But to Akira's oni eyes, he could sense the unique, brilliant cherry-blossom pink hair color hidden beneath.
'Confidence hitting rock bottom. Well, being treated like a beast because of that hair color, monstrous strength, and appetite.'
Mitsuri's self-esteem had crumbled from continued matchmaking failures. So much so that she'd join the Demon Slayer Corps where strong people were, for the reason of finding a husband.
Such a case would be the first and last in Demon Slayer Corps history.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Nagao Akira."
Akira rose from his seat and smiled gently.
"Ah, yes. Ni, nice to meet you. I'm Kanroji Mitsuri..."
Mitsuri answered in a mosquito-like voice, unable to properly look at Akira's face.
An attitude of utterly unable to understand why such a proper, handsome trading company chairman would propose marriage to a woman like her.
"The weather is nice, may I take a short walk in the garden with your daughter?"
At Akira's suggestion, Mitsuri's parents gladly gave them space.
Akira escorted Mitsuri into the lush forest path behind the mansion. Thanks to Tamamo's shadow curtain, he was safe from sunlight, and thanks to the tree shadows, his burden decreased too.
An awkward silence flowed for a while. Mitsuri still walked with head bowed, looking only at her toes. Was it an effort to be as demure as possible?
"Miss Mitsuri."
"Ye, yes...!"
Mitsuri flinched and stopped.
"You needn't be so tense. Do I look like a scary person?"
"Ah, no! Chairman is, truly a wonderful person. So... thinking someone like me doesn't match..."
"Someone like you?"
Akira asked back. Mitsuri hesitated briefly, then gathered courage to ask.
"Um, Chairman, perhaps you haven't heard rumors about me?"
"There were rumors reaching me."
Akira answered honestly. Then a bitter light passed over Mitsuri's face. She hung her head as if resigned.
"Then, you know. I... can't be demure like others... with flashy hair color... and strength so monstrously strong that everyone feels bad..."
Mitsuri's voice changed to a sob. Fear of being rejected again.
Akira took a step closer to her. Then carefully reached out and took a handful of her black-dyed hair.
"Just as the rumors say. I heard Miss Mitsuri's hair color is very special."
"Eh!?"
Mitsuri's body trembled.
"Heard it's a color like sakura mochi, is that right?"
"...Yes. Sorry. Must feel bad..."
Mitsuri bowed her head with a face that seemed about to burst into tears.
"But Miss Mitsuri. Excuse me, was it that color from the beginning?"
"Ah, no... that..."
Mitsuri's face turned explosively red. As if unable to bring herself to speak, she hesitated, then confessed in a very small voice.
"That, because I love sakura mochi so much. Eating 170 pieces a day for 8 months... my hair color changed... uwaa! Like a pig, right? Stupid, right? Sorry!"
Mitsuri finally burst into tears from shame. A gluttonous, strong woman—naturally marriage talks would break down, she thought.
But Akira's reaction was completely unexpected.
"Pfft, hahahaha!"
"...Huh?"
Mitsuri raised her head with tear-wet eyes. Akira was holding his stomach and laughing heartily. Not mockery. A truly enjoyable, pleasant laugh.
"My goodness, eating lots of sakura mochi to become sakura color! What a lovely reason, isn't it?"
"Lo, lovely... you say?"
Mitsuri's eyes widened roundly.
"Isn't that proof of being healthy and born with food fortune? I much prefer a woman who eats bountifully like you over one who picks at rice grains counting them. Your great strength is also a divine blessing."
Akira drew close as if to kiss her black hair.
"From now on, I'll buy you as much sakura mochi as you want, for a lifetime. So don't force yourself to hide it."
"Ah..."
"I came because I wanted to see your real hair color. In this country full of only black hair, you with hair color like cherry blossoms... are like the very incarnation of spring."
Thump, thump, thump.
Mitsuri's heart began beating madly. Her gluttony, strange hair color, monstrous strength. This man was telling her it was all lovely.
"Um, really... am I not, strange?"
"Strange? You are more special and beautiful than any woman I've seen until now, Miss Mitsuri."
KABOOM!
The string of reason in Mitsuri's mind snapped, and fireworks of love exploded. The first time since birth her very existence, as is, was affirmed.
"Yes...! Yes! Sniff! Thank you!"
Finally, overcome with emotion, Mitsuri clung to Akira's embrace and burst into tears.
The two returning from the walk. Mitsuri's face was red and eyes moist, but her expression looked happy as if she'd gained the whole world.
Simultaneously, she seemed nervous just walking with Akira.
Returning to the house.
Akira spoke to Mitsuri's parents with a confident tone.
"Lord Kanroji. I like Miss Mitsuri very much. I want to make her my wife as soon as possible."
"Ooh! Truly, Chairman Nagao!"
Mitsuri's parents couldn't hide their joy. Their precious daughter, whose marriage talks always broke down making her discouraged, finally found her match, and a wealthy man at that.
"I think Miss Mitsuri feels the same as me, but what do you think?"
When Akira asked, Mitsuri shyly nodded.
"Yes. I also, like Akira-san..."
The game was over.
"Then, let's hurry the wedding as much as possible. Two weeks later would be good. The bride price and all preparations will be the responsibility of our Akatsuki Trading Company."
"Two weeks later? Isn't that too fast..."
"It's due to the desire to have the person I love by my side even a day sooner. Will you understand?"
At those words, Mitsuri was nearly fainting, and her mother also nodded with a rapturous expression.
"Oh my, so passionate. Alright, let's do that!"
Inside the returning car. The moment they left the mansion, Akira's human disguise dissolved.
"Phew..."
Akira leaned deeply into the seat as if tired. Tamamo revealed herself from the air. Her fox ears perked up.
"Well done, Master! A perfectly executed job. I struggled not to laugh at the 'hair changed from eating lots of sakura mochi' story."
Tamamo wagged her tail and giggled.
"Has cute aspects. Definitely talent. Eating like that, can only be healthy."
Akira highly evaluated Mitsuri's potential. If she joined the Demon Slayer Corps, she would have been a great threat to Upper Moon oni like in the original.
He had acquired such talent, with the Kanroji prestigious family background as a bonus.
"Tch. My hair is more beautiful, isn't it? Master."
Kiyohime, who had been waiting materialized in the car, retorted sulkily.
"Yes yes. Our Kiyo is the prettiest in the world. Mitsuri is family, and you're my wife, right?"
As Akira skillfully placated Kiyohime, her expression soon softened.
'With this, secured the future Love Pillar.'
A girl in love is blind. Now Kanroji Mitsuri wouldn't be a Demon Slayer Corps swordsman, but Akira's dependable wife protecting him.
"Tamamo. You helped, right? No matter what, it went too easily."
"Fufu, I did use some magecraft on the Kanroji couple. But not on Miss Mitsuri, right?"
The marriage talks concluding this quickly was thanks to Tamamo clouding the Kanroji couple's judgment with magecraft.
"Thanks. Let's treat Mitsuri well when she comes too. Unlike our Butterfly sisters, we'll have to put a suggestion on that child."
He did feel sorry for Mitsuri, but the world is survival of the fittest. Using others for their own benefit. Cold, but this was the human way. A way more human than oni.
Still, he intended to treat her as well as possible. After all, officially, on the surface, his wife would be her.
"You'll love me lots when we return, right?"
"I'm looking forward to it too~? Master."
And, Akira would probably become dried squid today. He became afraid of what awaited after returning.
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