Chapter 113: The three girls met for the first time
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After receiving the sunshade hat, Tamayo's playful side emerged, and she spent the entire day enjoying herself. She even took a walk in the streets at noon, when the sun was at its peak.
As the sun set and dusk faded into night, Aoki asked, "Are you ready?"
Tamayo nodded and glanced at Yushiro, who stood beside her. "Yushiro, I'll be leaving the house in your care."
Yushiro reluctantly nodded in agreement.
Aoki took hold of Tamayo's arm, and in the blink of an eye, they vanished from the room.
Tamayo felt a flash of light before her eyes, and then she found herself standing in a large courtyard instead of the familiar room. She quickly composed herself and asked, "Where are we?"
Before Aoki could respond, Ubuyashiki Amane approached them.
"Mr. Aomura, is this Miss Tamayo?" she inquired.
"Yes," Aoki confirmed. "Miss Tamayo, this is Mrs. Amane, the wife of the Ubuyashiki family head, the leader of the Demon Slayer Corps."
"Thank you for coming, Miss Tamayo."
"Mrs. Amane, it's my pleasure," Tamayo responded.
After exchanging pleasantries, the three of them proceeded inside.
During the walk, Mrs. Amane explained, "We were too exhausted yesterday, and the family head, Kagaya, was more severely injured and is bedridden. We couldn't greet you earlier. Please forgive us, Miss Tamayo."
"Please don't worry about it, Mrs. Amane," Tamayo reassured her, all the while taking in her surroundings.
The courtyard was different from what she had imagined. There were no layers of guards, nor were there any pillars of the Demon Slayer Corps in sight. On the surface, it appeared like an ordinary wealthy family's courtyard.
Led by Ubuyashiki Amane, they arrived at a room. As soon as they entered, a pungent smell of herbs filled the air.
Ubuyashiki Kagaya lay in the center of the room, with two children dressed as girls tending to him—one of whom was actually a boy. The sons of the Ubuyashiki family were often raised as daughters due to the family's weakened constitution.
"Is that Mr. Aomura and Miss Tamayo?" Ubuyashiki Kagaya asked from his bed. Though he appeared frail, his voice remained calm, and his smile was gentle.
Tamayo silently admired him. Leading the Demon Slayer Corps and battling demons for thousands of years, the Ubuyashiki family was indeed remarkable.
When her gaze fell upon Ubuyashiki Kagaya's face, she was startled by what she saw—a strange and even terrifying disease.
Aoki spoke up, "Thank you for seeing us, head of the Ubuyashiki family."
"Mr. Aomura, there's no need to thank me. You're trying to save me," Ubuyashiki Kagaya replied, then turned his head slightly towards Tamayo. "Thank you, Miss Tamayo, for coming."
"Head of the Ubuyashiki family, you don't need to be polite. I deeply respect your family's thousand-year struggle against Muzan Kibutsuji," Tamayo replied.
After a few polite exchanges, Tamayo began to examine Ubuyashiki Kagaya.
Once she finished, she and Aoki left the room and moved to another one.
"How is he?" Aoki asked.
Tamayo's expression was serious. "It's grim. If it continues like this, the head of the Ubuyashiki family might not last even five years."
"Five years..." Ubuyashiki Amane lowered her eyes.
Ubuyashiki Kagaya was 19 years old, which meant he would only be 24 in five years. But this was the fate of the Ubuyashiki family. Since the appearance of Muzan Kibutsuji, no member of the Ubuyashiki clan had lived past 30.
Aoki knew that what Miss Tamayo said was true. In reality, it was even harsher—Ubuyashiki Kagaya would be near death in about three years.
"Can it be delayed?" Aoki asked.
Tamayo nodded. "It's possible, but only if the condition doesn't worsen further."
"Once Muzan Kibutsuji is defeated, the curse on the Ubuyashiki family should be lifted. But whether the condition will worsen…" Aoki trailed off, uncertain.
"That would be enough," Tamayo said, her tone easing. "If the curse is lifted, under ideal conditions, the head of the Ubuyashiki family could live beyond 40 years."
"Forty years?" Aoki looked at Mrs. Amane.
Tears were already streaming down Ubuyashiki Amane's face.
After leaving some medicine and arranging a follow-up visit in two days, Aoki took Miss Tamayo back.
At the Butterfly Mansion, Kanae and Shinobu sat opposite each other.
"Sister, what kind of person do you think Miss Tamayo is?" Shinobu asked.
Kanae thought for a moment before replying, "She must be a kind and knowledgeable woman to be friends with Mr. Aomura."
Shinobu speculated, "The poison she created is terrifying. I think she might be more of a serious and cold person."
Kanae gently scolded, "Stop guessing. You'll find out when they arrive."
As soon as she finished speaking, a spatial fluctuation filled the room, and two figures appeared out of thin air.
The man on the left was instantly recognizable to them. Kanae and Shinobu immediately shifted their attention to the woman beside Mr. Aomura.
She appeared to be around 20 years old, dressed in a solemn kimono with her hair tied up. Her face was exquisite and flawless, her eyes calm yet carrying a hint of world-weariness. Her intellectual and elegant demeanor made it difficult to look away.
"What a beautiful woman" they both thought, captivated by her appearance and the contradictory aura of youth and experience she exuded.
At the same time, Tamayo was also observing the two girls in front of her.
They looked alike, clearly sisters. One was tall and graceful, gentle as water, while the other was petite and serious, with completely different temperaments.
"This is Kocho Kanae, a pillar of the Demon Slayer Corps. And this is her sister, Kocho Shinobu, who is a master of poisons. They come from a long line of medics and are highly skilled," Aoki introduced them.
Kanae smiled warmly. "Miss Tamayo, I've heard of your name for a long time. The poison you created is remarkable."
"The design of your poison is also very intricate," Tamayo replied, secretly impressed.
She could sense no hostility from these two. If anything, this was likely thanks to Mr. Aoki. However, she also sensed that the younger sister, Shinobu, was slightly wary of her, while Kanae, the Demon Slayer Corps pillar, was openly friendly. Her gentle smile made Tamayo want to be close to her.
"This is a girl who is gentle to her core," Tamayo thought.
Kanae continued, "Miss Tamayo, regarding the use of two specific medicinal ingredients in your poison…"
Tamayo responded, "That idea came from an old medical book I read from abroad, combined with my understanding of Muzan Kibutsuji's blood…"
The two quickly became engrossed in their discussion, and Shinobu soon joined in.
The three of them grew more excited as they talked, their conversation becoming increasingly technical.
Aoki watched for a moment before quietly leaving the room. Seeing the three of them so absorbed, a smile spread across his face.
He had been concerned that they might not get along, but it turned out they were so enthusiastic in their conversation that they left him completely out of it.
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