Yushiro's grumbling didn't dent Tamayo's goodwill toward Horitake. With a graceful bow, she said, "Thank you again for saving us, sir. May I have your name?"
Horitake replied casually, "I'm Horitake, as you can see, a Kinoe-rank Demon Slayer. But I reckon once word of me taking down Yushiguro reaches headquarters, I'll be a Hashira in no time."
"And rightly so," Tamayo said with a smile. "A swordsman who can defeat Upper Rank Five deserves nothing less."
"Then I'll take your kind words as a good omen, Miss Tamayo."
Thus, the two formally met, chatting warmly.
Yushiro, on the other hand, was fuming. How dare Lady Tamayo be so gentle with this guy?! Unacceptable!
The lovesick fool's jealousy was practically bursting.
After introductions, Tamayo voiced her curiosity. "Horitake, how did you…"
She hesitated, but Yushiro had no such tact, snapping, "Lady Tamayo wants to know how you got here! Barging into our courtyard without permission—isn't that trespassing?!"
Horitake wasn't about to indulge him. With a glance, he unleashed a sliver of his aura, pressing down on Yushiro. "I'm your savior, kid. This is how you treat the guy who saved your hide?"
Yushiro, overwhelmed by the pressure, struggled to speak, sweat beading on his forehead. "You…"
Tamayo scolded, "Yushiro, that's enough! One more word, and I won't forgive you!"
Yushiro clenched his jaw, silent. He looked defiant, but Horitake's aura left him speechless.
Seeing Yushiro cowed before Tamayo, Horitake couldn't resist a jab.
Easing his aura, he smirked. "Bet you're head over heels for your Lady Tamayo, huh? Worried I'll steal her away, so you're giving me attitude? Relax, I've got someone else. I'm not after your precious Lady Tamayo."
The words hit like a critical strike, doubling Yushiro's embarrassment.
His face flushed, and he waved his hands frantically, stammering, "W-What?! Liking Lady Tamayo?! What nonsense are you spouting?!
"I don't like Lady Tamayo!
"No, wait! I do like—
"No, that's not it! I…
"Ugh! Look, I only have respect for Lady Tamayo—nothing improper, got it?!"
Yushiro's desperate insistence was almost convincing.
Horitake shot him a look of disdain, while Tamayo sighed helplessly.
After years together, how could Tamayo not sense Yushiro's hidden feelings? But she had no interest in reciprocating, and Yushiro never dared confess, leaving things at an awkward stalemate.
Now, with Horitake exposing it, Tamayo was unfazed, but Yushiro wanted to crawl into a hole.
That shut him up. Yushiro was down for the count, too mortified to keep sniping at Horitake.
Turning to Tamayo, Horitake explained earnestly, "Here's the deal, Miss Tamayo.
"I apologize for showing up unannounced—it was rude, but the situation was dire, so I had no choice.
"If I'm not mistaken, you're in contact with the Demon Slayer Corps' leader, right?"
Tamayo covered her mouth, shocked. "How did you know?"
"Our leader has a faint ability to glimpse the future. Me? I might be a bit better at it."
Horitake leaned into his usual bluff. "These eyes of mine see things others can't—sometimes even bits of the past and future."
"That's possible?!" Tamayo exclaimed.
"Indeed. I learned of your identity and past through my visions, so there's no need to explain yourself. I know you well, Miss Tamayo.
"This time, I saw a brief glimpse of the future—your life in danger. As a kind demon doctor, you're crucial to defeating Muzan Kibutsuji someday. I couldn't stand by, so I rushed here overnight.
"I arrived this morning. Since it was daylight, meeting you was tricky, so I waited on the third-floor balcony, biding my time.
"Didn't expect to catch Upper Rank Five, Yushiguro.
"You know the rest."
Tamayo listened, stunned. The explanation sounded far-fetched, but in a world with man-eating demons, what was impossible? Horitake's sincerity didn't seem feigned, and he'd done nothing against her—nor did she have anything worth exploiting.
After a moment's thought, she nodded. "I see. Thank you, Horitake, for coming to our aid so swiftly."
"You're too kind," Horitake said gravely. "But we can't linger. Yushiguro's death means Muzan knows everything. He's likely read his memories and pieced it together.
"We're in danger. He might send Upper Ranks after us. This place, your home, isn't safe anymore.
"We need to leave—now."
Tamayo's expression hardened. "You're right. We must evacuate immediately. Fortunately, this isn't my only safehouse. We'll move to another location at once."
Her words revealed her cunning preparedness—three burrows for the clever rabbit.
It made sense. Escaping Muzan's control for centuries, Tamayo was no ordinary demon.
Horitake gave her a thumbs-up. "As expected of you, Miss Tamayo. Always a step ahead."
Nodding, Tamayo showed her decisive side. "Yushiro, pack our essentials. We're leaving now."
Snapping out of his earlier embarrassment, Yushiro asked urgently, "Lady Tamayo! Personal items are easy, but what about our research equipment?"
"There's too much. Take only the critical data."
"But, Lady Tamayo, the equipment's important too!"
"We're out of time. Just the data, Yushiro—hurry!"
"Yes, Lady Tamayo!"
In front of his formidable lady, the lovesick Yushiro had no say.
At Tamayo's command, he scurried off to pack diligently.
Watching Yushiro's earnest hustle, Horitake shook his head.
Yushiro, Yushiro. Don't you know lovesick devotion leads to nothing?
Though, with Tamayo's kindness, maybe not entirely.
Recalling their fate in the original story, Horitake's mood grew heavy.
While Tamayo and Yushiro packed, he leapt onto the roof, scanning the surroundings for any sudden threats.
In less than five minutes, they were ready. Horitake escorted them, slipping away from the estate quietly, unnoticed.
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