Horitake remained there, quite content to continue poking Nezuko's soft cheek, one rhythmic press at a time.
It was fortunate that Nezuko was in a deep, transformative slumber. Had she been merely napping, such persistent teasing would have surely caused her to wake with a furrowed brow, greeting Horitake with a glare that was as fierce as it was adorable.
Horitake could perfectly envision it—the sight of an annoyed, sleepy Nezuko huffing in indignation.
However, as her elder brother, Tanjiro could not simply stand by and watch Horitake continue his antics. He stepped over, sitting down on the other side of Nezuko, and frowned as he reached out to stay Horitake's hand.
"Horitake-senpai, please stop bullying Nezuko!"
"Huh? Bullying?" Horitake blinked, looking innocent. "This isn't bullying. At most, it's... well, teasing. Just a bit of light teasing."
"Is there really a difference?" Tanjiro asked flatly.
"A massive one," Horitake lectured with mock gravity. "Bullying is rooted in malice. Teasing is rooted in affection."
"Is that so?"
Tanjiro fixed Horitake with a look of pure skepticism. His expression practically screamed 'I don't believe a word of that,' his eyes going flat and deadpan as he stared his senior down.
Knowing he was being judged by the girl's own brother—and having been told to stop—Horitake knew it would be unwise to continue his blatant "research." He reluctantly withdrew his hand, clearing his throat with an air of newfound professionalism.
"Ahem. Right. Well, I'm actually here to examine Nezuko's physical condition. I need to see exactly when she might be waking up."
This was serious business. When it came to his sister's health, Tanjiro's skepticism instantly vanished, replaced by solemnity.
"Then I'll leave it to you, Horitake-senpai."
Horitake nodded and activated his Spiritual Vision. He focused his intent, peering into the hidden depths of Nezuko's physical form, specifically observing the internal shifts within her body.
But he had forgotten one crucial detail.
The last time Horitake had used his Spiritual Vision on Nezuko, the first thing he saw wasn't the girl herself, but the circle of family members sitting around her—the spirits of the deceased Kamado family.
This time was no different.
As soon as his vision shifted into the spiritual realm, he saw them. Nezuko's parents and her younger siblings were gathered in a protective circle around her.
They were all staring intently at Horitake, as if waiting for a doctor's official diagnosis.
The expressions on the younger siblings were relatively normal—curious and hopeful. However, the expressions on the parents were a different story entirely.
Nezuko's mother was smiling gently, wearing the unmistakable look of a mother-in-law observing a potential suitor for her daughter.
Nezuko's father, however, had his face set in a stern, rigid mask of disapproval. He looked deeply unhappy.
It was only then that Horitake realized what he had just done.
He had been poking Nezuko's face right in front of them.
Crap. The entire sequence of his "teasing" had been witnessed by her family! The siblings might be fine with it, and the mother seemed supportive, but the father was clearly fuming.
I'm doomed! Horitake thought, a cold sweat nearly breaking out. Because of a moment's impulse to be playful, my 'favorability' rating with the father-in-law has plummeted into the abyss!
Horitake froze for a moment, feeling as though he had been dropped into a pool of ice water. He was filled with sudden, profound regret for his lack of restraint.
What could he do now?
The answer was simple: apologize to the family.
But since Tanjiro was sitting right next to him, Horitake couldn't reveal that the spirits were actually there. He had to resort to the same tactic he used years ago. He pressed his palms together and bowed deeply toward the empty space surrounding Nezuko, circling his bow to include everyone.
It was a silent apology, and a greeting of respect.
After the bow, the dark, sour expression on the father's face finally softened, if only by a fraction.
Watching this sudden display of piety, Tanjiro looked utterly confused. "Horitake-senpai... what are you doing?"
Horitake scrambled for a plausible excuse. "Uh... I was just... offering a prayer to the gods and spirits. I'm praying that Nezuko's condition continues to improve and that she wakes up as soon as possible."
"Oh. I see... and now that the prayer is finished, can you start the exam?"
"Yes! Yes, of course! Right away!"
Despite the answer, a seed of doubt remained in Tanjiro's mind. He vaguely remembered that two years ago, when Nezuko first fell into her slumber, Horitake had done the exact same thing—bowing to thin air and giving the exact same reason.
However, Tanjiro wasn't one to pry. He figured that if it didn't hurt his sister, there was no harm in letting Horitake have his eccentricities.
With the "family greeting" out of the way, Horitake maintained his Spiritual Vision and began to analyze Nezuko's state.
His observation quickly bore fruit.
Nezuko's internal restructuring was almost complete; she was in the final stages of the process.
The surge of blue energy within her—vibrant and undulating—had grown significantly stronger. Conversely, the black, malevolent aura of the demonic curse was visibly waning. Its influence was being squeezed into a smaller and smaller corner of her soul, its power being systematically dismantled by the blue light.
It was a classic case of the light waxing as the darkness waned.
There was no doubt in Horitake's mind: that blue power originated from the Blue Spider Lily.
Over the past two years, Nezuko had relied on the traces of the Blue Spider Lily she had accidentally consumed as a child to fundamentally rewrite her biology, gradually completing the impossible transition from demon back toward humanity.
Watching this internal miracle, Horitake felt a wave of awe.
As expected of Nezuko. Truly the heroine of this world, the one favored by destiny itself.
It was one thing to have accidentally eaten the legendary flower as a child, but to have it manifest like this after becoming a demon was a stroke of luck beyond measure.
I'm definitely not jealous of that kind of luck! Horitake told himself firmly. Because eventually, Nezuko will be mine anyway!
After finishing his self-deluded internal monologue, Horitake looked up at Tanjiro—and by extension, the spirits of the family standing behind him.
He delivered his final conclusion:
"The situation is excellent. Just as I predicted two years ago, Nezuko stayed in this deep sleep to reconstruct her body. She's changing her constitution so that she can recover her strength through sleep alone, rather than by consuming humans."
He smiled at the relieved boy. "Now that two years have passed, her self-transformation is nearing its end. I can confidently say that her awakening could happen at any moment. As for the exact second... that's hard to pin down. But it won't be long. A week, maybe two at most."
Hearing this, the spirits of the Kamado family visibly relaxed, their ethereal forms glowing with a sense of peace.
"That's... that's such a relief. Thank goodness," Tanjiro whispered, his heart finally finding some rest. Yet, even in his relief, a small, nagging worry remained.
Tanjiro looked at Horitake, his voice slightly trembling with apprehension. "Horitake-senpai... when she wakes up... she'll be okay, won't she?"
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