"Tanjiro, Nezuko, hello! I'm Kanroji Mitsuri," Kanroji greeted them enthusiastically.
Yohan remembered that he had promised Nezuko he would come to find her, so he decided to bring both Tanjiro and Nezuko along to the Swordsmith Village. It was also a good opportunity to introduce them to the Demon Slayer Corps in preparation for their future involvement.
Kanae Kocho didn't stop them. While the Swordsmith Village was undeniably crucial to the Demon Slayer Corps, sometimes special treatment was needed for someone like Yohan.
"By the way, Kanae, why are you heading to the Swordsmith Village?"
Yohan suddenly recalled that Kanae had mentioned she was going there too. Could it be related to his system mission?
"Ah, I'm just going for a hot spring bath..." Kanae's voice was weak, almost as if she wasn't entirely convinced by her own explanation.
"A hot spring? Aren't you supposed to be on a mission?"
"Is it really this quiet for the Hashira now?"
"Yohan! The Hashira do have a heavy responsibility, but we also need to rest, okay? Plus, a hot spring bath is very helpful for relieving physical fatigue!" Kanae retorted, clearly defensive.
"And Kanroji, Nezuko, you all should come with me to the hot springs too."
"Hot springs! Yay!" Kanroji happily responded, and Nezuko nodded in agreement from the side.
Yohan watched the two girls switch sides so quickly and shook his head. It seemed no girl could resist the allure of hot springs.
Kanae, noticing Yohan's expression, smirked with a look of satisfaction.
Hmph! Who told you earlier that I was slacking off?
Soon, the five of them arrived at the edge of a forest, where a Demon Slayer Corps member had been waiting for them.
"Lady Kanae, Lord Yohan," the Demon Slayer member greeted them, then pulled out a blindfold prepared in advance.
"Lord, according to the rules..."
The Demon Slayer member seemed a bit flustered, as if worried that his actions might be misunderstood by the two important figures before him.
After all, he was just a regular member, and the Demon Slayer Corps' Flower Hashira and Yohan—who had received special orders from the Ubuyashiki family—were not people to be taken lightly.
However, the Swordsmith Village was of immense importance to the Demon Slayer Corps, as it was the place where all the Nichirin Blades were forged and maintained. This made it a vital location for their operations. As an escort, the Demon Slayer member had to follow the rules.
"Yes, we understand. Please prepare the carriage and blindfolds for us," Kanae replied, clearly experienced with these procedures.
"Sorry, Yohan and Kanroji, I'll explain why this is necessary later."
Yohan wasn't bothered. As someone who had traveled across worlds, he knew exactly why they needed to follow these protocols. Besides, with his immortal body, wearing a blindfold didn't affect his perception of the surroundings in the least.
Kanroji and the others said nothing as they saw Yohan wasn't concerned. They calmly got onto the carriage and put on their blindfolds.
Along the way, everyone could feel the carriage twisting and turning, seemingly changing direction many times. The Demon Slayer member guiding them also seemed to change his voice at intervals.
"Yohan, Kanroji, Nezuko, and Tanjiro."
"Sorry for making you wear blindfolds. It's not that we don't trust you, but the Swordsmith Village is too important to the Demon Slayer Corps. Without the Nichirin Blades made by the swordsmiths, we would only be able to rely on the sun to kill demons."
"Also, the swordsmiths have very peculiar personalities, so Lord Ubuyashiki and the Swordsmith Village have agreed that visitors must wear blindfolds when entering. The members of the Corps and the crows will change positions frequently to guide you along the path."
"So, they are just following the rules. Please don't be upset with them."
Kanae knew she had to clarify this, as leaving it unsaid might cause unnecessary misunderstandings.
"Yes, Kanae-senpai, I understand!" Kanroji readily agreed, understanding the importance of these precautions. After all, she and Yohan had once been forced to rely on the sun to defeat demons.
"Demons, Nichirin Blades, Lord Ubuyashiki, the Demon Slayer Corps..."
"Wait, Kanae-senpai, are you serious?"
Tanjiro, feeling confused, couldn't help but ask. Weren't they just invited out for a trip and a hot spring bath? Why were they suddenly talking about killing demons? Were demons really real?
Nezuko, equally shocked, didn't ask the question aloud but sat quietly, her ears perked as she listened attentively.
"Yohan, why don't you explain?" Kanae suggested, knowing that it was ultimately Yohan's purpose for bringing them here. He might as well be the one to explain.
"Alright."
"Tanjiro, Nezuko, I believe you're both curious about what I really do. Please listen carefully to what I'm about to tell you."
Yohan began explaining the existence of man-eating demons, the reality of killing demons, and his involvement in the Demon Slayer Corps. Most of the details about the Corps itself were provided by Kanae, though.
As they explained, despite everyone wearing blindfolds, Yohan could tell that Tanjiro and Nezuko were wide-eyed in shock, mouths agape as if they could fit an apple in there.
"So, Yohan, you came looking for the flower because it was related to killing demons?" Nezuko quickly deduced.
"Yes, that flower is a very precious medicinal herb, which is why I said you helped me a lot."
Yohan didn't reveal the true purpose of the blue spider lily just yet. After all, knowing too much might not be good for Tanjiro and Nezuko at this stage. They were still far too weak to handle the full truth.
Just as Tanjiro was about to ask another question, the guiding crow shouted loudly.
"Swordsmith Village! Swordsmith Village!"
"We're here! We've arrived!"
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