At the end of the winding path, there were a few scattered, tranquil villages where white smoke curled upward, dissipating into the low clouds that were slowly drifting away.
Near one of the houses, wisteria vines grew along a trellis, lending the small dwelling a quiet, distant beauty; one would imagine it belonged to someone with elegant tastes.
Inside the house.
I sat properly, filled with caution, and emptied my money pouch like a miser. I counted the coins one by one, but no matter how many times I did it, the result was always the same. Two years had passed, and not only had it not increased by a single bit, but it had even lost two coins.
It only made an already impoverished household even worse off.
“Sigh.”
I rested my chin on my hands, melancholically gazing at the leisurely white clouds outside; they seemed to have turned golden, grown wings, and flown away happily.
I needed to retract my earlier statement. A zashiki-warashi? Maybe not. A “god of wealth dissipation”? That was a reality.
You simply can’t save money when you’re with someone who has no concept of selfishness; I had learned this lesson from my empty money pouch.
Helping those who are at their most vulnerable is fundamentally like throwing meat buns at dogs. I understood this principle and tried to remain rational, but whenever I faced his clear, pure gaze, I would muddle-headedly make decisions that would make my ancestors roll in their graves.
Just like a foolish ancient emperor who would unconditionally fulfill every unreasonable demand of a breathtaking temptress.
“Sigh!” I sighed heavily again.
Life wasn’t to the point of being unlivable, but as for the great wealth and prosperity I had dreamed of, well, forget it. I became indifferent, no longer as eager as I once was.
After all, it always had to be given away, I thought, gazing into the distance.
Sometimes, I would have a strange thought: perhaps wealth and Yoriichi are mutually exclusive. Thinking about it that way, I felt a sense of relief…
The gate of the courtyard was gently pushed open, and rhythmic, slow footsteps approached. I gathered up the pitiful amount of property remaining on the table, tied the pouch, and habitually tucked it away against my chest for safekeeping.
Looking out the window, I saw him returning with a back basket full of firewood.
As time passed, the youth’s height grew rapidly, like a sturdy young poplar tree. He had become long, slender, and tall—a dashing, beautiful young man. He was no longer the kind of person who could be overlooked just by staying silent.
He stood out in the crowd.
This height was rare in this era and quite awe-inspiring; even Chiwa Tsugihira was half a head shorter than him now.
And he didn’t eat much more than I did…
Looking at him just made me feel depressed, because unlike him, I had only grown by the width of a fingernail.
He happened to pass by in front of me, and the sleeves he had rolled up for work revealed clearer, more defined muscle lines.
My gaze was drawn to them, falling involuntarily.
A thought emerged in my mind: An individual of the opposite sex, an individual of the opposite sex nearing adulthood, moving around my house freely and appearing harmless to humans and animals alike.
I consciously turned my head away, feeling troubled by the thoughts that occasionally popped up: Cute, cute, cute… delicious.
Wait, what the hell was that last part?!
I suppressed the stirrings with my sense of morality, but now, it was becoming increasingly difficult.
Just as I was lost in my thoughts, he set down the back basket and walked toward me, offering me a beautiful, vibrant flower.
“Ah, you brought one today too!” I pushed the thoughts aside, accepted it with surprise, and said with a smile.
He often brought me flowers.
I attributed it to my growing the wisteria vines. I hadn’t explained or stopped the behavior; after all, what girl wouldn’t like being given flowers by a handsome and cute youth?
He nodded.
I touched the soft petals with my fingertips, cherishing them; the flower was stunningly beautiful. After playing with it for a moment, I inserted it into a vase not far away the seventh one.
I rested my chin on my hands, admiring it in a good mood.
The flowers I had picked earlier were in various states of curling and decay. The ones with dull colors bowed their heads, looking wilted.
Yet, they hadn’t completely withered, so I couldn’t bear to discard them.
This brightest flower tilted its head and leaned against the most dejected one, as if to comfort it. My brow smoothed out, and the trouble I had felt just moments ago vanished without a trace.
When I turned my head back, he was still standing there, his eyes blinking, lost in thought.
I thought he might have something to say, so I stared at him quietly.
My mind wandered again. His features had become more defined than before, yet his eyes remained full of sincerity and innocence.
It wasn’t that he didn’t understand anythingmhe was very intelligent it was just that those cold, selfish principles hadn’t touched him at all. His every movement radiated a composed, elegant demeanor that came from within.
I waited a moment, but he didn’t move.
Finally, I couldn’t help but wave my hand in front of his eyes. “Yoriichi?”
He blinked slowly before speaking. “Do you like today’s flower?”
His voice was pleasant, low, like the sound of a piano being played.
“Of course I like it! I like every day’s flower!” I answered cheerfully, my hands resting on the window sill.
He gave a faint smile at my words, then turned around and walked away without a sound.
Was that all he wanted to say? I chased after him. “Hey, hey, wait, I have something to tell you.”
He stopped abruptly, and I nearly collided with his now broad, sturdy back. He turned around, his eyes flashing as if he were expecting something… like a lightbulb suddenly turning on, plated with a layer of halo; his eyes glowed with a scorching red, and even the red markings on his forehead seemed to come alive with brilliance.
It made me, who had wanted to say something, stop and hesitate, unsure of what was going on. He seemed wrong somewhere today.
“That…” I weighed my words carefully and said, “We aren’t going to town tomorrow. The wisteria is blooming, and I want to dig up some seedlings to give to someone. Can you accompany me?”
Ah, the glowing lightbulb extinguished at a rate visible to the naked eye.
He nodded silently, his expression unchanged, but he was clearly dejected!
I racked my brain but couldn’t think of what he had been expecting me to say.
So, proceeding from a practical perspective, I thought about it: for an adolescent boy, spending every day in physical labor and having no entertainment in his life, there was only one thing he could be expecting…
I grasped the meaning and looked at him confidently. “Mm, and we’re having extra food tonight!”
The next morning, when I opened the door, I saw him reading in the morning light.
“Morning.” I greeted him.
He put the book down. “Morning. Breakfast is ready.”
I yawned and patted my face rapidly, wanting to look more spirited. What kind of person looks sleepy all day long?
I sat down next to him.
“You’re really diligent!” I stared at the dense medical records, feeling dizzy, and couldn’t help but exclaim.
Was he aiming to be a divine doctor? Come to think of it, he had always treated illnesses for free. Thanks to him, our reputation in the area was very high; people respected him, and by extension, I was also well cared for, always getting the lowest prices when buying goods.
He was very popular. If he wanted to leave and become a staff member or a physician for a wealthier family, no one would object.
“It’s not enough…”
“Mm?” I tilted my head, feeling a bit confused.
He said, “I still haven’t found the condition you mentioned where heart rate speeds up crazily when getting close to others.”
He… had actually taken it to heart.
Looking at his honest, pure face, I felt an itch in my heart. “Do you know about exposure therapy?”
I edged closer to him. “It means the more someone fears something, the more they have to face it…”
“For this kind of method, perhaps we can get closer, as long as you agree…”
This should work, right? I would pretend to be very pitiful; there was nothing wrong with it, anyway. He was so kind, he would definitely agree.
He raised his hand. Why did he believe everything I said? It made my conscience ache.
What a disgrace! Only someone bewitched by a demon would say such shameful things, seducing someone who knew nothing of desire.
I regretted it. I leaned back and laughed dryly. “Haha, just kidding. Let’s not force it.”
I then stood up as if nothing had happened. “I’m going to eat.”
I, who had scampered away in embarrassment, didn’t know that behind my back, he was looking at his hand that he had raised, and said softly, “But, there was no force…”
In the afternoon, we visited the surrounding neighbors. Since it was a festival of sorts, giving flowers and blessings was reasonable, and we accepted return gifts as well.
It was only when we arrived at Mrs. Tomoda’s house that she said something shocking: “Have you two made things official?”
What made official? What has become official?
Don’t talk nonsense!
When I explained the reason for our visit, she glanced at Tsugikuni Yoriichi vaguely, her expression subtle in a way I couldn’t understand.
While he went to cultivate the soil and plant flowers.
During our usual chat,
“Ahem.” Mrs. Tomoda gave a tactical cough. “I see Yoriichi is already at a good age for marriage. This child is one in a hundred; I have to say, Megumi, you really know how to pick. With such a good temperament, a handsome look, and being diligent and capable, he would absolutely make a good husband and a good man. I wonder whose family is going to get lucky…”
This was a blatant suggestion written all over her face.
By the way, these words sounded familiar. Hadn’t I heard them two years ago? Weren’t they used to describe me?
I took a strategic sip of water.
Looking at my face in the teacup, it wasn’t self-deprecation, but objectively speaking, I didn’t think this face of mine had any charm to attract others.
My hands weren’t delicate or beautiful, my skin was rough, and as for my features, they were merely decent.
But compared to a true beauty, I was far behind.
Only Mrs. Tomoda would praise me like that.
“In any case, he won’t like me.”
“Why are you so certain?” Mrs. Tomoda questioned.
There were too many reasons, and I was too lazy to explain them one by one. I could only remain silent?
“However, looking at his manner, he seems to be a child from a noble family.” She asked tentatively after pondering. “It is said that noble families arrange marriages for their children from a young age. Did you say that because you knew he had a childhood sweetheart he was engaged to?”
“How could that be…” I lifted my cup, saying, when suddenly I stiffened.
Childhood sweetheart. Engaged from a young age.
Clatter. The teacup slipped from my hand.
“It seems, there really is one.” I said in a daze.
I finally remembered why Tsugikuni Yoriichi would join the Demon Slayer Corps!
Wasn’t it because his wife died at the hands of an evil demon, and his family was destroyed? That had to be the reason, right? Why hadn’t I thought of it until now!
“I see… but it’s strange. Why haven’t I heard the child mention it? Given his temperament, he shouldn’t have hidden it…”
I let Mrs. Tomoda’s following words go in one ear and out the other, a buzzing sound filling my brain.
I ended the conversation as soon as I possibly could.
Once I got home with a head full of thoughts, I turned around and asked, “Are you married?”
There was a moment of怔 (dazed) in his expression, then he immediately shook his head. “No.”
Only then did I realize I might have asked a stupid question. If he were married, how could he still be living with me!
That meant…
He didn’t have anyone he liked yet. I felt a silent sense of relief in my heart.
Then where is she? When will she appear?
Following that, I furrowed my brow… Should I tell him? Wouldn’t that turn into a curse?
The root of all problems now was: did he have a candidate he liked and intended to marry?
So, my heart lifted once more, and I asked nervously, “Then, Yoriichi, do you have a childhood sweetheart? Or a fiancée or something? Someone you really want to marry and spend your life with?”
When I asked this, I was eager in a way that ignored the consequences, with all sorts of emotions swelling in my chest it was unclear what they all were.
“No fiancée.”
None?
“That’s truly wonderful!”
He stared at me intently.
Only then did I realize that my words might have been ambiguous.
“Because I was worried…” I whispered, shifting my gaze.
I was just purely worried about his terrible future…
Without me, I still had a chance; he could continue living with me, and whether I could take advantage of the situation—and so on.
Absolutely not!
He said in a slow tone, “I do have the last one.”
“……I have someone I want to marry.”
He even emphasized it!
I was struck by lightning.
Was it the girl who caught smallpox before? Or the girl who owned the clothing store, or that noble girl from town who would come to see him on the pretext of buying things whenever she had the time?
I had noticed it a long time ago!
That’s it, right! That was it! And… she was truly a girl whose looks and style were so playful and cute that no one could harbor even a shred of jealousy toward her.
It made sense.
I suppressed my soreness, lamenting that my fate was just like the withered flower in the vase nearby almost dead, yet still being ground into the dust by a dazzling figure.
Wuwu.