Chapter 838: Watching a Show
Chapter 838: Watching a Show
In the Demon Slayer Corps, at the Sword Pillar's cottage...
Kanao Tsuyuri appeared outside the cottage, and before she could speak, she heard Tanjiro Kamado's voice from within, "Come in."
Kanao politely bowed at the door before cautiously stepping inside. The scene before her caused her to pause momentarily.
She saw Tanjiro sitting in a recliner, reading a book. Behind him, Nezuko Kamado, wearing a fox mask, was giving him a shoulder massage, while Kanroji Mitsuri munched on a snack.
Tanjiro set down his book and turned to Kanao, speaking amiably, "You did well on your task. My intention in sending you to that town was to observe if you would take the initiative to save them, even without explicit orders. Even if you hadn't acted, I would have instructed you to do so eventually."
Tanjiro smiled and waved her over, "Come, have some cake with us."
Ever since Kanao had shut herself off emotionally, she had become completely passive, no longer exhibiting any subjective intentions or thoughts, and consequently, any human emotions. However, through Tanjiro's efforts, she had now completely shed that state of being.
This was evident when she took it upon herself to save Koinatsu without being ordered to, and it pleased Tanjiro greatly. It meant that the loss of emotions was reversible and could be restored through certain actions.
However, the prerequisite for that was his desire to remain human.
"Kanao, come try this, it's delicious!" Kanroji offered, smiling warmly as she ate a sakura mochi.
During her time at the Demon Slayer headquarters, Kanao had learned a great deal from Tanjiro's stories. Out of boredom, she had even taken it upon herself to help the Demon Slayer Corps hunt down evil demons, making her the person who knew the most about this world besides Tanjiro himself.
Kanao remained kneeling, seemingly unresponsive, but Kanroji enthusiastically pulled her over and brought her to the table.
"The child has indeed recovered," commented Nezuko, standing behind Tanjiro and observing Kanao. She, too, knew that Kanao was the little girl she had rescued long ago, only to be taken away by Tanjiro later. Back then, Kanao's eyes were devoid of any life, and she had a numb expression towards the world. Now, although she still seemed a bit dazed, it was more of an endearing daze, unsure of how to react to Kanroji's bubbly demeanor.
Tanjiro chuckled softly, "I named her Kanao... Actually, if it weren't for my interference, this would be the name you would have given her, so I left it as is."
Nezuko approached Kanao gently and placed a hand on her head.
Kanao looked up at Nezuko. Despite the fox mask and the change in hair color, she recognized Nezuko and asked uncertainly, "Nezuko-nee-san?"
On her way to the Demon Slayer headquarters, Kanao had learned of Nezuko's supposed demise, and it saddened her. After all, Nezuko had rescued her from human traffickers during her numb state. Naturally, she remembered this debt of gratitude even after regaining her emotions.
"It's me," Nezuko confirmed, lifting her mask to reveal a gentle smile. "But you must keep it a secret for now."
Kanao was delighted to find that Nezuko was indeed alive and well. Then, she asked curiously, "Why are we hiding it from Shinobu-nee-san?"
Nezuko didn't answer directly but glanced in Tanjiro's direction.
Tanjiro shrugged, "Let's just say it's a test for her. If she remains under your protection all the time, how will she ever grow? Shinobu's strength has increased significantly, and among the Pillars, she's second only to Shinazugawa Sanemi."
"Probably... two years?"
Shinobu, having a good idea of the difficulty of the Demon Slayer Corps' trials as a Pillar, made an educated guess while observing Tanjiro's training in the projection.
"Ah, watch out!"
Mitsuuri Kanroji, startled by the sudden image of a massive tree trunk barreling towards Tanjiro, exclaimed in surprise, only to see him get hit directly in the forehead, unable to dodge in time.
The force of the impact made even her wince, and she dropped the cake she had been eating in surprise.
However, to her astonishment, Tanjiro simply rubbed his forehead and stood up as if nothing had happened after taking such a blow.
"This kid has a hard head! If he becomes a Pillar in the Demon Slayer Corps, they'd better not call him the Head Pillar!"
Mitsuuri couldn't help but joke, lightening the mood.
Hearing Mitsuuri's comment, Feng Ye chuckled and, with a mere thought, split the aqueous screen in two. The second half now displayed a scene of Nezuko sitting idly in a room.
Nezuko sat in the middle of the room, looking adorable as her eyelids slowly closed and she dozed off, eventually falling into a deep sleep on the floor.
"Little Nezuko is so cute."
Mitsuuri blinked in agreement.
She wasn't too concerned about Nezuko, knowing that it would be a simple task for Feng Ye to turn her back into a human. The question was when Nezuko would get that opportunity.
"It seems that if demons go too long without consuming humans, they fall into a frenzy and lose their rationality," Shinobu mused. "I wonder how Tanjiro will handle his sister's condition once that happens."
Having learned about Tanjiro's background from Feng Ye, she was aware that he would undoubtedly become a Pillar in the Demon Slayer Corps and eventually bring his sister, Nezuko, to their world. However, if Nezuko started consuming humans before that, it would complicate matters significantly.
"Nezuko is different from other demons," Feng Ye explained. "She was injected with a substantial amount of Muzan's blood. Typically, a normal human would die if injected with that amount of blood during their first transformation. But due to her unique physique, she was able to withstand it, and because of the excess blood, she doesn't need to feed on humans to sustain her basic bodily functions. She'll probably remain unconscious for a year or two."
Feng Ye briefly summarized Nezuko's current state, then added with a light laugh, "Even if she loses control, I won't let her go on a rampage and eat people. After all, she's too adorable for that."
Hearing Feng Ye's assurance, Shinobu, Kanao, and Mitsuuri all breathed a sigh of relief.
Kanao, who shared a close bond with Nezuko, along with Shinobu, who had a kind heart, and Mitsuuri, who was charmed by Nezuko's cuteness, all hoped to spare Nezuko from further hardship. They didn't want to see her suffer any more than she and Tanjiro already had.
(End of Chapter)
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