When someone who's always been by your side suddenly turns into a demon, it's only natural to feel afraid or estranged. You might even wonder if they've been possessed entirely.
Rowen was well aware of this and had mentally prepared himself for it.
He wouldn't be surprised or offended if people started keeping their distance.
That said... he had to admit, seeing that soft little girl he'd practically raised flinch from him—even just a little—stung. Just a little! Really!
Still, Nezuko's final reaction warmed his heart.
Her innocence nearly shook his resolve to leave. But at the same time, it convinced him even more that he had to go.
Because he didn't know how many of those monsters there were—but it definitely wasn't just one.
"Why the hell would a thing like that be drawn to my scent...?"
As he climbed over the mountain ridges, Rowen couldn't help muttering to himself.
And then there was Mrs. Kie Kamado's attitude. Maybe her fear was just lingering shock... but still, leaving might really be for the best.
She was a mother, after all. Even if Nezuko wasn't afraid, she'd have to worry about her other children.
Still, setting off alone, beaten and bloodied, did feel a bit too tragic. Even he couldn't help thinking he looked pitiful.
Especially when he tried to brace himself against a tree—
"Tch—! What the hell?! This arm's broken too?!"
The second his hand touched the trunk—before he even leaned into it—pain shot through his body, stealing his breath. His eyes watered from the sheer intensity.
In that moment, even the ache of loneliness after his farewell was pushed aside by the blinding pain and mounting frustration.
Why could he only regenerate when his demon powers were active?
He was honestly a little jealous of that monster who could get his head split open and recover instantly.
And so, in the bitter cold of the night, Rowen spent a wretched, lonely evening in the mountains.
By midday the next day—
He stood at the edge of a small town, staring back at the distant mountain range, motionless for a long while.
There was no real reason to return. He doubted even Nezuko would still welcome him once she grew up.
But somehow... he felt like he'd come back someday.
Because... he still hadn't found what the Demon Panel called a favorable future. Maybe he was too early. Maybe, after some time, he could come back and check again.
And—
"I kinda want to see what she's like when she grows up..."
After whispering those words, he finally pulled his gaze away.
Closing his eyes, he turned on his heel and walked forward—once more activating his ability and glimpsing a future scene.
It was blurry, but the path was there.
Without hesitation, he chose the route that might help him claw his way out of poverty faster and—
After a string of trials and mishaps (including sneaking onto a rickety old train), he finally reached his destination on the third day.
...
On the outskirts of Tokyo Prefecture, a lush field of tall grass swayed gently in the wind.
A bandaged teenage boy crouched quietly in the grass, eyes fixed intently on a small girl not far away. She looked like she was daydreaming… or just completely blank.
It looked a little suspicious, sure—but Rowen wasn't some creep. He wasn't into little girls or anything gross like that. He was just... here because he sensed an opportunity.
In other words, if the police stopped him, he could confidently say he was simply "following the guidance of fate."
Approaching openly and striking up a conversation with a random little girl seemed even sketchier, so hiding here was the safer option—so long as no one found him, there'd be no problem!
...Though to be fair, he still wasn't totally sure what exactly the "opportunity" was. Kinda like when he stumbled upon the Kamado family.
All he knew was that something promising was here. Even if his ability was incomplete, he had to follow its guidance.
He was still puzzling over the blank-faced girl not far off. Was Hell trying to hand him this kid? Was he supposed to snatch her?
His relationships with children did seem to go better... Maybe Hell had decided little girls suited him more than married women?
Was Hell seriously treating demons like degenerates?
Just as he was internally ranting, the bushes beside him rustled.
"Huh...?" He turned his head sharply—just in time to see a pale hand push aside the leaves.
A girl with short, dark-purple hair suddenly appeared in his line of sight. She stared at him expressionlessly, eyes like polished amethyst—cool, sharp, and brimming with suspicion.
"What exactly are you doing here, hiding in the bushes and staring at a little girl?" Her voice was clear but ice-cold.
"Uh..." His heart skipped a beat. Yep, this was officially a trust crisis. But hey—at least she wasn't a cop. He forced a smile and said, "Big brother here's not suspicious at all! Just a hunter, passing by!"
"'Big brother'? You don't look much older than me. And honestly, you've got sketchy written all over you."
She was probably around fourteen, petite with a youthful face that still carried traces of childhood.
But she gave off an air of deadly seriousness.
Leaning back slightly, she stared at him like he was scum and spoke without the slightest politeness.
Shinobu Kocho.
"Come on, look at me—do I really give off even the slightest suspicious vibe?"
"Every inch of you."
"...E-Every inch?! Seriously?"
"—Speak! Why are you staring at Kanao?!"
"Huh? That kid's name is Kanao?"
"EXPLAIN!" the girl snapped, leaping to her feet. She unsheathed the blade at her waist and pressed it right up against his neck.
The cold metal made him freeze.
He figured even with one busted arm, he could take her down without going full demon... but still, he lifted his good hand and gestured lightly. "Little lady, let's not get stabby, okay? I can explain—there's a very deep reason behind all this..."
"Talk!"
"Alright, alright..." He tried to think of a reasonable way to frame it. "Let's say I'm good at fortune-telling, and I foresaw that something important—something beneficial to me—would happen here... would you believe that?"
"Something beneficial to you?" Shinobu narrowed her eyes.
He nodded rapidly. "Yes, exactly!"
"—So you're a child trafficker? You think our kids are goods to be sold for profit?!"
"—What?! No! I'd never do something like that!" The accusation made Rowen clutch his chest in outrage. "Believe me! I'm a good person! The pure-hearted, totally harmless kind!"
"Squatting in the bushes, ogling little girls with that kind of look in your eyes... and you call that 'pure-hearted'?"
"You've got it all wrong! That was a gaze full of love!"
"My little sister doesn't need your love."
"Caring for children is human nature!"
"Don't use human nature to justify your twisted desires!—Now come quietly to the police station!"
...
Crouched in the grass, Rowen genuinely hadn't meant any harm. But he had to admit... the optics weren't great.
And Shinobu's glare? Sharper than her blade. He was genuinely sweating now—especially with a sword pressed to his throat.
As proof of his innocence, he helplessly raised his heavily bandaged left arm. "Look, have you ever seen a kidnapper with a broken arm? How's that even supposed to work?!"
"Haah...? Sounds like you got caught and someone broke it during the rescue."
Shinobu tilted her head and looked down at him with absolute disgust.
Her glare was colder than ice.
Why? Why did seeking a better future mean getting treated like some sketchy pervert, cornered in a bush, and glared at like garbage by a teenage girl?