The next day.
Hanayuki Ichika’s second day in the Demon Slayer Corps.
Early morning, Hanayuki Ichika kept sleeping in, refusing to get up for breakfast or do the logistics and housework at the Butterfly Mansion…
Consequently, Kochou Shinobu personally kicked open Hanayuki Ichika’s door with a smile on her face, carrying her nichirin sword.
Anyway, if the door broke, Hanayuki Ichika would be the one to fix it…
However, when she saw Hanayuki Ichika hugging his quilt, drooling and talking in his sleep,
A dark line formed between her brows, veins popped on her forehead, and the smile at the corners of her mouth couldn’t help but twitch.
“Hehehe… Kochou, you smell so good…”
“No, Miss Shinobu, I’m still inexperienced in the ways of the world, I’m not mentally prepared for this kind of thing yet…”
Hearing Hanayuki Ichika grinning and saying such perverted sleep-talk…
Kochou Shinobu almost couldn’t resist stepping on him to wake him up,
But on second thought, wouldn’t that be a reward for him?
So, she let out a helpless sigh and abruptly yanked Hanayuki Ichika’s quilt away.
Then, she saw little Hanayuki Ichika!
“…Ara ara~ Mr. Hanayuki Ippuu, what kind of decent demon sleeps without clothes?”
Kochou smiled, her eyes narrowed, and she gritted her teeth while gripping her nichirin sword, turning around as if she hadn’t seen anything.
“…What kind of decent person sleeps with clothes on? It’s not like you lost out anyway…”
Hanayuki Ichika muttered under his breath while getting dressed at lightning speed.
“Talk back again… and tonight I’ll use my nichirin sword to physically cut it off, then send you to sleep in the doghouse behind the Butterfly Mansion~”
“Sumimasen! (Hanayuki Ichika bowed and chickened out instantly)”
…
After the meal.
Kochou Shinobu received mission intelligence from a Kasugai Crow,
And prepared to set off for Hida Village, located deep in the wild mountains of Takayama City, Gifu Prefecture,
To support Kanroji Mitsuri, who was surrounded by numerous demons because the mission wasn’t going well.
Just then,
Hanayuki Ichika suddenly reached out and gently tugged on the haori of Kochou Shinobu, who was about to teleport away,
And asked a bit sheepishly, “Kochou, Kochou, can you take me with you for a joyride?”
Kochou Shinobu’s mouth twitched slightly, and she turned her head to roll her eyes at Hanayuki Ichika with a smile,
As if saying…
Take a look for yourself and figure it out…
What do you mean by—going for a joyride?
She was going on a very dangerous mission, okay?
The very dangerous kind!
“Dame yo~”
Kochou Shinobu opened her mouth slightly, her voice pleasant to the ear, and refused with a smile.
But Hanayuki Ichika didn’t give up because of this.
Although…
Although he could take advantage of her absence to sleep in using her bed and quilt,
And also steal the snacks and pastries she made,
(Because of what happened before, Kochou Shinobu no longer made those pastries containing Wisteria Toxin, Fearing that a certain gluttonous demon would steal too many and poison himself to death…)
Or he could tell stories to the delicate, soft, and easily-teasable Kanao,
Or even chat with Aoi and the other three girls at the Butterfly Mansion…
Being able to eat and drink for free without rent, and chatting with various loli girls was indeed very pleasant…
But the moment Kochou Shinobu received the mission from the Kasugai Crow,
The system in Hanayuki Ichika’s mind issued a daily mission!
[Assist Kochou Shinobu in completing the mission to support Kanroji Mitsuri. Reward: ]
Increased favorability with Kochou Shinobu and Kanroji Mitsuri.
Further improvement in physique, demon blood, and comprehension of swordsmanship Breathing Styles, with an additional Blood Demon Art: Domain Expansion · Eternal Night Ruins. Read the latest chapters at novelping . com.
Looking at the luxurious mission rewards…
Hanayuki Ichika immediately decided he couldn’t just lie around anymore!
These mission rewards were just too tempting!
“Miss Shinobu, please take me with you, I’m a top-tier support!”
“…Dame yo~”
“I can help you kill demons and protect the people, I have a super strong sense of justice!”
“Dame yo Disobedient children will be disliked”
Looking at Kochou Shinobu, who was smiling but giving no room for negotiation…
Hanayuki Ichika gritted his teeth and chose to go all out again…
Previously it was to stay alive, this time it was for the mission rewards.
Both were out of necessity; even if he was misunderstood as a pervert who liked to call people “Mom,” he didn’t care anymore!
“Mom!”
Hanayuki Ichika hugged Kochou Shinobu tightly: “Team up and take me for a joyride… no, take me to grind some demons, okay?”
Kochou Shinobu: “…Smile (Veins popping ꐦ)”
Actually, it wasn’t that she didn’t want to take Hanayuki Ichika…
But first, Hanayuki Ichika’s status as a demon was special,
And second, he hadn’t passed the Final Selection at Fujikasane Mountain.
Strictly speaking…
He didn’t belong to the combat or support personnel of the Demon Slayer Corps.
“…Sigh, I really can’t do anything with you~ I’ll go ask for the Master’s permission.”
Kochou Shinobu gave a helpless smile and took Hanayuki Ichika to see the Master, Ubuyashiki Kagaya.
…
“Ichi Fu-kun, why are you so insistent on following Shinobu on this mission?”
Ubuyashiki Kagaya asked with a gentle smile, but his eyes were very sharp.
“Because—I want to protect my comrades, I want to save innocent people!”
Hanayuki Ichika clenched his fist and thumped his chest: “For justice—I will dedicate my heart!”
Following his righteous and hot-blooded words,
Ubuyashiki Kagaya and the other Hashira present who held opposing views couldn’t find a single fault…
…
On the way to Hida Village.
The mountain path wound along, with dense forests on both sides.
Kochou Shinobu walked ahead with light steps, with Hanayuki Ichika following closely behind.
The two of them, one in front and one behind, traversed the silent mountain path, with only the sound of footsteps and occasional birdsong breaking the silence.
After walking for a while, Kochou Shinobu suddenly spoke softly, her voice carrying her usual tone of gentleness mixed with a hint of teasing:
“Ara, Ippū-san~”
She turned her head slightly, her purple eyes flickering with mischief in the morning light:
“The words you said in front of the Master just now, although they sounded righteous and hot-blooded… they probably weren’t the whole truth, right?”
Can you tell me the real reason?
Why were you so insistent on joining me for this mission?”
Hanayuki Ichika was silent for a few seconds.
The morning wind blew, lifting his white hair and the corners of Kochou Shinobu’s haori.
Then, he looked up, his gaze meeting Kochou Shinobu’s eyes directly.
His gaze was very clean, without evasion or joking, only a near-transparent earnestness.
“I do want to protect my comrades and save innocent people—that’s sincere.”
He paused, his voice becoming very soft, yet every word was clear:
“But there’s another reason…”
“I just wanted to go on a mission with Miss Shinobu.”
Hanayuki Ichika continued, his tone gentle and firm:
“And, I also want to do everything I can to protect Miss Kochou from getting hurt.”
These words were spoken very calmly, without intentional passion.
Yet they were like a stone thrown into a calm lake, sending ripples through Kochou Shinobu’s heart.
Her purple eyes, which were always narrowed with a gentle smile, widened slightly at this moment.
Her heart skipped a beat without warning.
Thump.
Thump.
Thump.
She could clearly feel the sudden loss of rhythm in her chest, a long-lost, unfamiliar flutter rising from the depths of her heart.
Her heart, which was always as calm as still water, was like a surface hit by a stone, showing a trace of a ripple.
But Kochou Shinobu was Kochou Shinobu after all.
After only a moment of distraction, she narrowed her eyes again, and that familiar, slightly mischievous smile returned to the corners of her mouth, as if that fleeting moment of wavering had never happened:
“Ara ara~”
She shook her head gently, her voice still sweet:
“Mr. Hanayuki Ippuu, right now you’ve only just created the First Form of the Breath of Darkness,”
You’re not even a Mizunoto-rank member yet~ Do you have the confidence to protect me, a Hashira?”
Her tone was teasing, like she was playing with a child who didn’t know how high the heavens were:
“You know, I am a Hashira~”
Hanayuki Ichika didn’t back down at all because of her teasing.
He took a step forward, his gaze still firmly on her, his voice carrying a nearly stubborn gentleness:
“Doing what I say is my Way of the Demon.”
“Even if I’m still weak right now—”
His eyes shone brilliantly in the morning light:
“If anyone wants to hurt you, they’ll have to step over my dead body first.”
These words were spoken very softly.
But the weight behind them made Kochou Shinobu speechless for a moment.
The mountain path fell silent.
Only the rustling of the wind through the trees and the faint sound of a distant stream remained.
Kochou Shinobu stood there quietly, looking at the white-haired youth before her.
He had only entered the Demon Slayer Corps for two days, and he wasn’t even an official member.
But the look in his eyes when he said those words…
It reminded her of another person from a long time ago who had also said they would always protect her…
Sister…
Kochou Shinobu’s eyelashes trembled slightly.
Then, she suddenly turned around, her back to Hanayuki Ichika, and continued walking forward.
“Let’s go, Ippū-san.”
Her voice sounded very calm, even carrying a hint of coldness:
“If we delay any longer, Miss Mitsuri might not be able to hold out~”
She stepped forward, her haori swaying gently behind her, her pace still light and elegant.
As if the conversation just now hadn’t affected her in the slightest.
But—
If Hanayuki Ichika could see her face right now…
He would see that Kochou Shinobu’s eyes, which always held a gentle smile,
Had a few less of their usual sense of distance and were filled with complex emotions…
Even her earlobes were red!!!
Fortunately, she had deliberately turned her head away, so Hanayuki Ichika didn’t see it…