After moving in with his younger sister, Gyutaro found himself with even more responsibilities.
Ume was different from him. He could survive on spoiled food and dirty water, but if she ate something bad, she would fall ill. Such a fragile little thing.
When she got sick, there were no cries or complaints. She only clutched tightly at the hem of his clothes, waking again and again in unease just to make sure he was still there.
How could she be this clingy?
It was unbelievable. They had the same mother, yet she was an entirely different kind of being. And that dependence stirred something in him for the first time.
Responsibility.
To make sure she could grow up healthy, he began thinking about finding work. Only with a job could he have a steady income. With money, he could buy proper food for her.
But no brothel would take in an ugly brat like him.
"If you want a job, clean yourself up first! Now get lost, you filthy stray dog!"
So, in the deep chill of late autumn, he jumped into the freezing river and scrubbed himself until his entire body turned red. Even so, the dark blotches on his skin remained just as grotesque and terrifying.
Still, under those conditions, someone was finally willing to hire him.
"I can't have someone like you inside the shop. If you really want to work, become a debt collector. As long as you collect what's owed, I'll give you one-thirtieth each time. How much you earn depends on you."
A debt collector…
That sounded good. All he had to do was follow the address and collect what the brothel was owed.
Through that work, he discovered something.
He was good at fighting.
Even as an underdeveloped, scrawny child, he could take down grown men. At first, he was covered in wounds, but over time it became easy. As long as he took a job, he always brought the money back.
Before long, he became a well-known debt collector in the Entertainment District, hired by many brothel owners to collect their debts.
Of course, some clients held grudges, lying in wait along his usual routes in hopes of revenge.
But how could such clumsy ambushes ever catch prey?
Anyone who tried only ended up giving him more to bring home.
Because of those failed revenge attempts, he even managed to save enough to buy a plum blossom hairpin. Small red flowers clustered together. The craftsmanship was crude, but it was the only one he could afford.
That bright smile when she received it, tugging at his arm and asking him to braid her hair—he remembered it clearly.
Even if it didn't suit her at all, nothing mattered more than that smile.
As his reputation grew, the way people looked at him began to change. The disgust remained, but now fear was mixed in.
And little by little, he raised her.
Nothing like him.
A face blessed by the heavens. Even at a young age, brothels were already sending offers.
It filled him with pride.
Look at her.
This is the sister I raised.
My sister.
Compared to her, all of you are nothing but ugly maggots.
His greatest wish was simple. He wanted her to become an oiran, to be chosen by someone who would treat her well, and live a normal life. That way, even if he died early from his illness, there would be no regrets.
But even such a small wish…
Heaven refused to grant him even a shred of mercy.
At thirteen, she stabbed a customer in the eye with a hairpin while serving him.
That customer was a samurai she couldn't afford to offend.
The brothel owner had her seized.
Bound, thrown into a pit set ablaze—
Burned alive.
At the time, Gyutaro had gone far away to collect a debt.
He wasn't there.
And when he returned…
What remained was nothing but a charred mass.
Why? Why?!
Why does this damned heaven give me nothing, yet keeps taking everything away?!
The samurai whose eye she had taken even joined forces with the brothel owner to attack him. Just one eye, and he screams like that, yet he turned my Ume into this?!
Unforgivable. Absolutely unforgivable.
Rage burned through his body, devouring his sanity. The sickle rose, and both of them died.
And still… it wasn't enough.
The gravely wounded girl could not be saved. All that was left was to carry her dying body and wander the streets aimlessly. The wound carved into his back throbbed with every step, but no matter how intense the pain, it could not suppress the grief in his chest.
No one came. No one ever would.
This world had never shown them mercy. Not once.
But why?
Isn't it said that fortune and misfortune come together? Then why couldn't they be mixed? Why was it only suffering?
When he could no longer walk and collapsed onto the freezing winter street… he met that man.
Seven-colored eyes. White oak hair. A half-eaten corpse in hand.
It should have been terrifying.
Yet what filled him was nothing but overwhelming gratitude.
Because of that man… because of the demon blood bestowed upon them… they survived. And there was no regret.
If life was nothing but this, then no matter how many times he was reborn, he would still choose to become a demon. To take away the happiness of others. That disgusting happiness.
He knew he had committed countless sins. It was only natural that the Demon Slayer Corps would come for him. And now, even the Demon King Muzan himself couldn't deal with had appeared.
Death today was inevitable.
But there was one thing… one thing he could not let go.
His vision cleared. Movement returned.
And yet—he understood.
Already dead.
Ahead stretched a darkness that seemed to lead into a bottomless abyss.
"…Ah. Hell, huh? Suits me."
"Onnii-chan, where are we? I don't like it here… let's leave, okay? Think of something, quickly!"
He turned sharply.
Behind him stood Ume.
Unlike his monstrous form, she looked exactly as she had before she died.
"Ume… why are you…"
The words wouldn't come.
Turning away, he walked into the darkness.
Footsteps followed.
"Is the exit over there? Let's go together. After this, we still have to deal with those awful demon slayers…"
"We're already dead. Don't follow me."
She froze.
"…Is it my fault? Is it because I couldn't help that you died, onii-chan?"
"…That has nothing to do with it."
He glanced back at her small figure.
"I'm a demon. You're still human. You shouldn't go where I'm going. This path is mine. Yours is on the other side. Go toward the light."
"I won't!"
Tears streamed down her face.
"I won't be separated from you! Never! I want to stay with you forever! No matter how many times it takes, I'll be your little sister. I will!"
Silence.
No matter how many times… you still want to be my sister?
No matter how many times… my little Ume.
I wish you weren't my sister.
Born somewhere better, you could have become a true oiran. In a normal family, you could have lived peacefully. With wealth, you would have been a refined, beloved young lady—innocent, easily influenced.
And because of a worthless brother like me… this is what you became.
Take from others before they take from you.
If that hadn't been taught… that samurai would never have been stabbed. Maybe the ending would have been different.
No matter what… you deserved better. Better than a brother like me.
With that thought, he turned and walked on.
"Then let's not be siblings anymore. Don't follow me."
Footsteps rushed closer.
A weight landed on his back. Arms wrapped tightly around him as sobs broke against his ear.
"I'm sorry! It's all my fault for being weak and dragging you down! I'm the one who caused us both to die! I'll apologize as many times as it takes!
"So please… please, onii-chan, don't hate me! Don't leave me! Don't leave me all alone… If you abandon me, I'll never forgive you… I want to stay with you forever… This is too much… we promised… you said you'd never leave me… did you forget?"
How could I forget?
That winter was cruel. Heavy snow crushed the house. No customers in the entire district.
No customers meant no debts. No money. No food. No shelter.
She cried in fear of the storm. His stomach twisted from hunger. His limbs froze numb.
None of it mattered. Not compared to the panic of seeing her cry.
There was no answer.
So he held her, wrapping them both in scraps of cloth and straw.
"We're strongest when we're together. Cold, hunger, none of it matters. Let's promise. We'll always stay together. Never separate. See? Now there's nothing to be afraid of."
…Right.
That promise had already been made.
Still crying, he adjusted his grip, carrying her more securely on his back as he kept walking.
"…That little brain of yours really doesn't work, does it? Anyone would know which to choose between heaven and hell."
"I don't care! I don't care! I just want to be with you, onii-chan! Waaaah—!"
No matter how many times… my little Ume.
I wish you didn't have a brother like me.
But still—
No matter how many times… my little Ume.
Believe me.
Your brother will always protect you.