"Swoosh~" The sword was in his hand, and Tanjiro's eyes visibly brightened. He couldn't get enough of the sword, looking at it from every angle, his eyes devoid of anything else.
Then Takeo shouted loudly: "I knew it, Nissan... everyone says you're a god. Indeed, only a god can conjure up such a large pile of things, right?"
"Who said that?"
"It was Tanjiro Nissan who said it..." Mao, eyes sparkling, pointed at Tanjiro beside him, accusingly to Roy, "Nissan said that all the ladies at the market say that..."
Only then did Tanjiro reluctantly withdraw his gaze from the Mind Weapon Wooden Blade, scratching the back of his head with embarrassment, "Everyone saw it, it's not me making things up."
Roy reached out to take the teacup handed by his father, Tanjuro, and took a sip, replying ambiguously, "If they say so, then it is."
Takeo and Mao howled with excitement, ready to jump up and circle around Roy, only to have each of their ears pinched by Nezuko, with a fierce glare.
Seems like without their big brother around, Nezuko, their big sister, has not missed the opportunity to "discipline" the two of them.
Roy smiled as he watched the scene, finally closing the Sumeru Mustard Seed and slowly taking out several boxes of medicine from his bosom, carefully arranging them in front of Tanjuro according to the method of consumption.
The young man's long, fiery red hair swayed in the wind, smiling at Tanjuro, "Father, the medicine... this medicine can cure your illness."
As he finished speaking, the wooden corridor instantly fell silent,
Tanjiro and Nezuko trembled... Takeo and Mao stopped fussing, even the youngest, Hua Zi, holding a bamboo pinwheel, lay on the wooden floor covered with a plush carpet, glanced up at him and then at her, obediently staying quiet...
Finally, Tanjuro remained, sitting cross-legged before the low table, head down, looking at these medicines, pupils showing ripples, breathing became noticeably rapid... clearly very unsettled inside!
He still remembered that snowy night,
Right behind the house,
When he handed the Kamado Family's centuries-old flower-shaped earrings to the young man,
The young man vowed to him, "He would definitely find a way to heal him."
Now... he truly did...
The man covered his mouth, trying hard to suppress his cough, then lifted his eyes, staring blankly at the flower-shaped earrings dangling beneath the young man's ear, fluttering with his fiery red long hair... listening to Kie Kamado, his mother, approaching with sushi, fried fish fillets, and miso soup,
Without doubting the efficacy of these medicines, nor questioning Roy's source of these drugs,
A slight smile lifted her lips, softly saying to the young man, "These earrings found the right person."
Suddenly, a sense of unease arose in Roy's heart, vaguely seeing Tsugikuni Yoriichi, who laughed heartily, "Borrowing the words of a senior, father, I am glad to say I did not fail my mission."
Glad to not fail the mission... Tanjuro with his similarly fiery red hair trailing down his back, paused slightly, and then smiled...
At this time, Kie Kamado and grandma arrived, "Time to eat."
Roy and Tanjuro exchanged another smile, directing Tanjiro to cut the prepared cooked foods into a platter, silently observing the young man commanding so deftly, eyes full of comfort,
Soon,
The dishes were ready,
The people were gathered,
Enjoying a lavish meal on this serene midday.
After the meal,
Grandma took Hua Zi for a nap,
Nezuko led Takeo and Mao to handle the gifts Roy brought,
Kie Kamado cleaned up the dishes, taking them to the kitchen to wash,
In an instant,
Roy was left talking to Tanjuro, playing with the little ones until the sun slanted in the west, nighttime arrived,
Then Roy got up, teased Hua Zi for a while, letting her pop hands grasp his face, turned to Tanjuro saying, "Father, good night."
Afterward, with one hand, he picked up Takeo and Mao, leading Tanjiro to the western room, to sleep on that familiar shared bed.
"Tap... Tap...." The young man's tall back walked ahead, slightly smaller framed Tanjiro followed behind, along with two little ones hopping alongside them, under the moonlight casting intertwined shadows caught in Tanjuro's eyes.
The man watched deeply,
Until the door opened, closing them off,
A sense of loneliness floated in the depths of his eyes...
"Squeak~" The door closed, isolating father and son from inside and outside, creating two separate worlds.
Summer night, a mountain breeze arose, carrying the fragrance of earth, dispelling the day's heat,
Roy facing away from the door, could distinctly sense the air outside, belonging to Tanjuro, showing a touch of somber gray... the young man stood silently for a moment, then again moved, taking off shoes and socks, climbing onto the shared bed, unobtrusively laughed and joked with Tanjiro, Takeo, and Mao,
Watching them fall asleep,
The person quietly got out of bed, under the moonlit clarity, gently pushed the door open, gazing towards the main house corridor...
Tanjuro, as always, sat quietly at the corridor, by the low table, brewed a pot of cold tea, silently awaited him,
"Father."
"Come."
Upon hearing, Tanjuro gestured Roy to sit down.
Once again sitting across the low table, not in the cold winter but evidently starting the hot summer.
Father and son looked at each other, feeling like everything has changed, yet nothing has changed, neither said a word first.
After a while, Hua Zi faintly hummed a tune,
No coincidence broke the silence,
Only then did Tanjuro slowly hand Roy a cup of tea, asking, "Still leaving?"
"Yes." With the teacup in hand, Roy rubbed the cup, not drinking, honestly answered.
Facing each other, Tanjuro,
Inside the house,
Both fell into silence...
The oppressive atmosphere was spreading...
Roy took a deep breath, pretending not to notice Kie Kamado eavesdropping inside the house, gently stroking the curse on his hand, profoundly said, "The world for mankind is already peaceful, yet my story is far from over."
"Father, I have things to do, must... do,"
"Please forgive me and esteemed mother!"
"Eiichiro," inside the house, Kie Kamado finally couldn't hold back, lit a lamp stepping out of the darkness,
The woman looked at Roy, then sat next to him, stretching to place a lamp on the low table, gently stroking his cheek, her eyes uncontrollably reddening, voice trembling, "Son, you haven't wronged, no need to apologize to us,"
"Since there are things undone, then go do them, your father and I will wait for you as long as we live."
"Ah..." A long, slow sigh wrapped around the beams, lingering indefinitely... Tanjuro quietly watching, listening, saying nothing, letting Kie Kamado natter to Roy, drinking cup after cup of tea, knowing tonight, lost for a good sleep.
Until mother and son finished talking intimately,
Only then did the man softly say, kindly looking at Roy, "You've heard what your mother said, I won't repeat."
"Eiichiro," Tanjuro straightened his posture, rare solemnity crossing his face looking at the young man, "Unlike your mother, I have just one request for you, live."
"Even if you never return, it's alright, as long as you're... safe and sound!"
Transparent World emerged; this instant Roy faced Tanjuro's bright and quiet gaze, overlapping briefly with Silva's silhouette.
Clearly, these two personalities differ entirely, capabilities differ entirely, experiences differ entirely, understandings differ entirely, even... existing in entirely different worlds, tightly knit, with you in me, me in you, indistinguishable... at a moment, residing in Roy's "swordsmanship" only a sliver of spiritual power of Tsugikuni Yoriichi, couldn't help but faintly sigh in the young man's heart, "Eiichiro, you've got a good father... very good, very good, far better than I ever was... father..."
"Yes, both my fathers are good," Amid the surging tides of Roy's heart, self-reflection said, "Therefore, I must strive with all my might to fulfill my promises to them, and honorably defeat him!"
Tsugikuni Yoriichi: "?!"