“Coming right up!
Two large bowls of tonkotsu ramen—with eggs!”
The surrounding diners cast curious glances.
After all, in this small shop thick with the smell of sweat and alcohol, it was hard not to notice such an elegant, stunningly beautiful woman suddenly appearing.
As for Rin—everyone gave him a single glance, then looked away.
Apart from his slightly red eyes and pale complexion, he just seemed like an ordinary, shabby kid.
Probably this young lady’s attendant, or… a gigolo?
Rin lowered his head, staring at the wood grain on the table.
His stomach was now rumbling like thunder.
He had no energy to care what others thought.
“Mr.
Rin.”
Rin looked up and met Kanae’s gentle eyes.
She was resting her chin on her hand, watching him with a soft smile.
“You did it.”
Those five simple words made Rin want to cry.
Do you know what I just went through?
That was ten thousand times harder than the last math problem on the college entrance exam!
“Hmm…”
Rin responded weakly, trying to force a smile—but his face was so stiff that even moving it was a struggle.
“Maybe it’s because… the ramen here smells so good that it covered up the scent of human flesh.”
He spouted a random excuse, trying to mask his earlier humiliation.
Kanae blinked but didn’t expose him.
She knew very well: in that situation, the aroma of ordinary food could never suppress a demon’s appetite.
That was a victory of willpower.
A victory of humanity.
“It seems Mr.
Rin is not only strong-willed, but also very humorous.”
Kanae covered her mouth and chuckled.
Soon, two steaming bowls of ramen were served.
The bowls were shockingly large—almost like washbasins.
On the milky white broth floated vibrant green scallions, golden corn kernels, black wood ear mushroom strips, and two perfect soft-boiled eggs.
That rich, savory aroma of bone broth instantly drilled into Rin’s nostrils and shot straight to his crown.
“I’ll dig in!”
Rin pressed his hands together, then grabbed his chopsticks like a starving tiger and shoved a huge mouthful of noodles into his mouth.
Slurp—
The noodles were chewy and bouncy, soaked in the rich broth, dancing wildly across his tongue.
In that instant, Rin felt his taste buds explode.
Delicious!
So delicious!
This is what it feels like to be alive!
This is what civilized creatures should eat!
To hell with human flesh.
To hell with instincts.
Nothing—nothing—beat a hot bowl of tonkotsu ramen.
As the food entered his stomach, Rin could clearly feel a warm current spreading from his gut, flowing rapidly through his limbs and bones.
The emptiness caused by hunger, the maddening bloodthirsty agitation—all of it was being soothed away, bit by bit, by that gentle warmth.
“Boss!
Another bowl!
Extra large!”
Rin slammed the empty bowl onto the table and shouted boldly.
The surrounding diners stared in shock.
This kid looks so scrawny—how can he eat so much?
That was a huge bowl of noodles, and he slurped it all up in less than a minute?
Watching Rin wolf down his food, the astonishment in Kanae’s eyes only grew.
“Sugoi…”
She lightly covered her small mouth.
“Mr.
Rin… can you really fill your stomach just by eating human food?
And even gain energy from it?”
In her understanding, demons could only gain energy by eating humans.
Human food was tasteless as wax to demons—it would even make them vomit.
Yet the Rin before her was not only eating with relish, but after finishing, the red light in his eyes had dimmed significantly.
He looked refreshed.
And the violent aura belonging to a demon had vanished completely.
Everything Rin said was true…
She murmured silently in her heart.
If… if all demons could be like Mr.
Rin… that would be wonderful.
Then no one would have to kill each other anymore.
Humans and demons… perhaps they could truly coexist.
Slurp— Slurp—
Rin didn’t care at all what Kanae was thinking.
His mind was filled with only three words: Eat!
Eat!
Eat!
Second bowl… third bowl… fourth bowl…
The empty bowls on the table stacked up like a small tower.
The owner’s gaze toward Rin had shifted from “This kid can eat” to “Could this kid be a reincarnated hungry ghost?” —and he even began to worry whether the boy would burst from overeating right there in his shop.
Finally, after finishing the fifth large bowl of ramen and drinking every last drop of the broth, Rin let out a long sigh.
He slumped into his chair, utterly spent, and released a breath of pure satisfaction.
Burp—
Rin rubbed his round belly, feeling like he had come back to life.
This is what life is all about!
“Are you full?”
Kanae looked at the stack of empty bowls, her mouth twitching slightly.
This appetite… I’m afraid even Mitsuri would have to admit defeat.
“Full.
So full.”
“Boss, check please!”
Kanae Kocho stood up and pulled an exquisite money pouch from her bosom.
As a Flower Hashira of the Demon Slayer Corps, her salary was quite generous, and since she didn’t have many expenses, paying for a few bowls of ramen was just a drop in the bucket.
The owner named a price.
Kanae paid readily—and even added a little extra as a tip, thanking the owner for making such delicious ramen.
Walking out of the Truly Fragrant diner, the night breeze was cool, brushing against their faces with pleasant comfort.
Rin followed behind Kanae, watching her back, his heart filled with gratitude.
Not just because she had treated him to a meal.
But because, in his most dangerous moment just now, she hadn’t immediately drawn her sword against him.
Instead, she had chosen to trust him.
To guide him.
“Um… thank you, Miss Kanae.”
Rin scratched his head.
“It’s alright.”
Kanae stopped and turned around.
She clasped her hands behind her back, leaning slightly toward Rin with a playful smile on her face.
“We agreed—I’d treat you to ramen.
Since you managed to restrain your instincts, this is your reward.”
She blinked, then extended one finger and wagged it in front of Rin.
“And—if you get hungry later, remember to find me.
After all, treating you to ramen is much easier than chopping off your head, don’t you think?”
Rin was stunned for a moment, then laughed too.
“That’s for sure.
My head is quite hard, you know.
It might chip your blade.”
“Smart aleck.”
At the end of the street, the moon hung high, casting a cascade of silver light.
“Miss Kanae, can we try a different flavor next time?
I want to eat tempura…”
“Eh?
You ate so much, and you’re still not full?”
“That was the main course.
Tempura is dessert!”
“…Mr.
Rin, are you really a demon?
I think you’re a pig.”
“Even if I am a pig—I’m a pig with ideals, morals, culture, and discipline!”