The top floor of the Akatsuki Trading Company headquarters.
The door to the vast conference room opened, revealing Tokyo's dazzling nightscape spread out like a jewel box.
Guided respectfully by Ubume, Tamayo and Yushiro stepped inside, stiff with tension.
"Welcome, Tamayo-san! And you must be Yushiro-san? We've been waiting for you!"
The first voice they heard was unexpectedly bright and cheerful.
On the leather sofa sat a handsome man with a cold, sharp impression, dressed in a black suit, and beside him was a woman with a lovely face, her hair a unique mix of cherry blossom pink and green, sitting with her arms crossed.
It was Nagao Akira and his wife, Mitsuri.
"I'm Nagao Akira, chairman of the Akatsuki Trading Company. And this is my wife, Mitsuri."
As Akira introduced them politely, Mitsuri smiled broadly and bowed her head.
"Hello! I'm Mitsuri Nagao! I've heard a lot about you from Akira-san, Tamayo-san. You're truly beautiful!"
"...I'm Tamayo. Thank you for inviting me..."
Tamayo was flustered. Unlike the abyssal aura she felt from Akira, Mitsuri radiated a warm, pure energy like the sun.
'This person... is human? No, she feels slightly different from a human... something peculiar.'
But she sensed no hostility at all.
"Now, you must be hungry after your long journey! Let's eat first! Our chef really showed off their skills!"
As Mitsuri gestured with an excited voice, dishes began to be set on the luxurious table.
The main course was a rare steak with vivid red marbling.
The moment they saw the meat, Tamayo and Yushiro's expressions turned cold and stiff.
"Surely... this isn't human flesh, is it?"
Tamayo asked in a trembling voice. Disappointment and contempt flashed in her eyes.
"I haven't harmed a person in hundreds of years. I've only consumed minimal amounts of provided blood. This meal... I decline. If this is a test, it's quite unpleasant."
Yushiro also glared at Akira, clenching his fists tightly.
"You misunderstand."
Akira smiled softly and picked up a knife.
But Mitsuri reacted first.
"Huh? No! This is really delicious beef! Wagyu tenderloin!"
Mitsuri cut a large piece of the steak on her plate and stuffed it into her mouth.
"Mmm~! So tasty! It melts in your mouth! Benienma-chan is a real genius, I tell you!"
Mitsuri chewed the meat with her cheeks puffed out, making a happy expression.
Her demeanor was so pure and appetizing that it couldn't possibly be an act.
"As you can see."
Akira continued with a smile.
"This isn't human. It's premium wagyu. Seeing is believing. Try it yourself. My wife is eating it so well, isn't she?"
"B-but... demons can't consume cooked meat. We can only eat raw meat. Human or animal flesh. Ordinary food just induces nausea..."
"Tamayo-san, just take one bite! Okay? I promise you won't vomit! I guarantee it!"
Mitsuri urged, looking at Tamayo with sparkling eyes.
Her pure goodwill was hard to refuse.
Tamayo hesitated for a moment, then drawn by Mitsuri's happy expression and the savory aroma tickling her nose, she picked up a fork.
Carefully, she put a piece of meat into her mouth.
"...!"
In that moment, Tamayo's eyes widened. There was no revulsion.
Instead, the tender texture, rich juices, and the sauce's flavor enveloping her tongue spread through her mouth.
For hundreds of years as a demon, after centuries of research, she had only been able to drink tea.
The warm taste she felt during meals with her family in her human life had been revived.
"Th-this... how...?"
"It's the work of our company's culinary development lead, Benienma."
Akira explained.
"By analyzing the altered taste cells of demons, we developed a special cooking method that allows them to enjoy ordinary food deliciously. Nutrient absorption is minimal, but at least it can return the joy of eating to demons. For now, it's limited to meat, and it must be undercooked."
Tamayo was speechless. She just put another piece of meat in her mouth and chewed slowly.
It wasn't just the taste of the dish.
It was a flavor that reminded her she wasn't a monster, but a being with dignity.
Tamayo sobbed, clear tears falling one by one, wetting the plate. The sorrow she had endured for centuries, and the aching longing for ordinary life, burst forth.
"Ta-Tamayo-sama...!"
Yushiro was flustered, but then Mitsuri stood up and approached Tamayo.
Mitsuri gently stroked Tamayo's back with a warm hand.
"Don't cry, Tamayo-san... You've had it tough, haven't you? Now you can eat lots of delicious things. Let's eat together with us."
Under Mitsuri's warm comfort, Tamayo finally broke down in tears.
"Thank you... really... thank you..."
Akira silently watched the scene, waiting for her to compose herself.
After the meal, as tea was served, Tamayo faced Akira with a calmer expression.
Beside her, Mitsuri was holding Tamayo's hand tightly.
"Akira-san, and Mitsuri-san. I deeply appreciate your kindness. In all my life... this is the first time I've had such a meal."
"I'm glad you enjoyed it."
"But... I can't fully trust you based on this alone. Show me proof that you truly oppose Muzan."
Tamayo's gaze sharpened again. Akira nodded.
"In the early Meiji era, I was turned into a demon by Muzan."
Akira's voice lowered. The air in the room grew heavy instantly.
"Muzan took everything from me. My beloved family, my ordinary life, my future as a human. Perhaps because it was a small mountain village, Muzan killed everyone. In that situation where my family died, I threw myself in to protect a child from the village I was close with. When I regained consciousness, I was the one who had devoured the child I tried to save."
In Akira's eyes, the same crimson flame of hatred that Tamayo had harbored all her life was burning.
"I couldn't bear that reality and tried to kill myself. I cried out Muzan's name. But for some reason, the curse didn't affect me. A variable occurred."
"That's like..."
A mutation like Nezuko. Remembering Nezuko, whom she had met just before coming here, Tamayo thought that indeed, something was changing in this era.
"So, I clung to life. While harboring revenge against Muzan, I wandered to survive first. To grow stronger, I ate humans. Even so, I insisted on eating only criminals proven to be evil. Of course, this is still picky eating, so the sin of cannibalism is the same. But as a result, I awakened my Blood Demon Art and grew stronger. After that, I gradually built up my power and rose to my current position. With power and influence, I prepared to take revenge on Muzan."
Akira stared at Tamayo again.
"Tamayo-san. Aren't you the same as me? You lost your family to Muzan and lived an eternity of time in regret and pain. Don't you want to end that hell?"
"..."
"Lend me your strength. With your medical skills, my power, and our company's capital combined, we can drag Muzan down to the depths of hell."
Akira extended his hand.
"Yoriichi. Let's turn the ember he left into a raging flame and burn it all away."
Tamayo looked into Akira's eyes, and into Mitsuri's sincere eyes nodding beside him. There was no falsehood there.
"I have one question. How do you know of Yoriichi-sama?"
"I peered into the memories of Muzan's cells. I've eliminated several Upper Moons so far. Upper Moons Six, Five, and Two."
"!?"
"If you don't believe me, I can show you my memories."
The news that he had eliminated three Upper Moons, which had shown no change for over a century, shocked Tamayo. And Akira's voice and face were clearly genuine, without deceit.
"And crucially, I transcended demons using the Blue Spider Lily that Muzan sought."
"What?"
"I have no weakness like a neck, and sunlight is just warm light to me. If it's hard to believe, I'll show you tomorrow morning. Strolling under the sun. And the Blue Spider Lily our company has obtained."
It couldn't be a lie. If it were, it would be easily exposed. For a demon to boldly claim to have overcome the sun, something even Muzan couldn't achieve.
He wouldn't make such a lie for a deal.
"No, I'll believe you."
"You trust too easily. Still, I'll show you various proofs tomorrow morning. I want to join hands with you as an equal collaborator, not as my subordinate."
"Are there conditions? Even if you need my abilities, do you have no other demands?"
"There are. At our Akatsuki Pharmaceuticals, we develop various medicines. We have capable children and talents, but can medicine be made so easily? This is also work to help people, so I'd appreciate your assistance. And if you cooperate, we'll provide all your living expenses. Along with appropriate compensation as well."
These were rather generous conditions, not just demands. For Tamayo, who had lived helping people even as a demon, developing medicine to help more people was a good thing.
Moreover, offering shelter and compensation. Especially an environment where she could enjoy human tastes without eating humans. There was no reason to refuse.
"Very well. Akira-san. I'll stake all my knowledge and abilities on you. If it means killing Muzan... I'll even join hands with the devil."
"Welcome, Tamayo-san."
Mitsuri cheered and hugged Tamayo.
"Yay! That's great! Now we're on the same side, so I'll make sure you get lots of delicious food!"
Tamayo smiled faintly in Mitsuri's embrace. This wasn't just a simple alliance.
It was the beginning of a massive current that would change demon history and bring about Muzan's destruction.
"Then, welcome to you too, Yushiro-kun."
As Akira extended his hand to Yushiro, Yushiro took it gruffly but without refusal.
"If Tamayo-sama has decided, I'll follow. But if you make Tamayo-sama cry, I won't let it slide."
"Haha, don't worry. Would a man in love ever make his beloved cry?"
"!?"
"Despite appearances, I have several wives, you see. For the record, I have no intention of messing with her; rather, I want to cheer you on. I hope it happens soon."
"Sh-shut up!"
A new family and the strongest ally had joined the Akatsuki Trading Company.
"By the way, Akira-san. Ubume-chan caught some demons named Susamaru and Yahaba. What should we do with them?"
"Huh? She went out of her way to catch them? Well, since they're caught, let's put them to use. Make them work for the harm they've done to humans. Especially Yahaba, his Blood Demon Art is special. Something like vector conversion. Susamaru too, she had multiple arms, right? She's decent talent in her own way. As the company grows, we need to increase usable personnel. Before catching Muzan, let's gather more talent."
The assassins brought along with Tamayo. Akira decided to put them to work. After all, they had some ability.
As he did so, he pondered the need to expand his limbs to handle the increasingly large company as chairman.
He thought about recruiting talent from among the demons Muzan had created, before completely capturing Muzan.