"I have come to succeed to the throne, Oyakata-sama."
I heighten the immersion by fiddling with my scabbard and staring at him intently.
It is only natural to counter a joke with a joke, is it not?
I always give my best when I face someone, even if they are a critically ill patient.
It seems my joke—if you can call it that—was a success.
Lady Ubuyashiki looks as though she is about to faint from my reaction.
As for Anji and Sakata outside the door...
"Good grief... What kind of disrespectful prank is that to play on the Master, who might not see tomorrow?"
"..."
Both of them covered their faces and let out a deep sigh.
Hey, he's the one who started it.
Look at that face. That look of satisfaction from having delivered a masterfully timed joke.
I'm telling you, Oyakata-sama is low-key enjoying this.
You say I can't see it because of the bandages? I can see it through the Transparent World, human.
....Perhaps I should stop the joking here.
Lady Ubuyashiki looks like she might pass away from the shock before her husband does.
I scratched my head and knelt down beside him.
"Hiek!"
Lady Ubuyashiki recoils in pure terror as I sit down.
"It was a joke, My Lady. Right, Oyakata-sama?"
I looked at the Master with a smile.
"..."
Oyakata-sama stares at me intently with a blank expression, saying nothing.
.....This man.
Say something, man! If you react like that, what does that make me?
If it ends like this, I'm the only crazy one here.
Look to your side. Your wife looks like she's going to the afterlife before you due to respiratory distress.
He probably thinks I can't see him because of the bandages over his eyes, but...
"Even if you keep that poker face, I can see everything through the Transparent World, Oyakata-sama."
At my words, the Master slowly turns his head to the side.
"Tsk."
He clicked his tongue! You just clicked your tongue!
@@@
This man, Ubuyashiki, definitely has a screw loose somewhere.
It was the same back then.
Every bit of combat power is crucial, yet he readily permitted a duel between Hashira—the greatest strength of the Corps.
He readily accepted the request to allow outsiders into the Swordsmith Village, the most vital location.
Even now, in a state where he could die any day, he's thinking, 'It would be fun to prank him like this, lol.'
This man... is he really sick...?
Looking at his internal body through the Transparent World, he is certainly a patient... and a terminal one at that, so broken it wouldn't be strange if he died tomorrow.
And yet, to have that level of eccentricity.
It's beyond eccentricity; it's a realm of madness.
Is it necessary to have this much 'crazy' to stand as the leader of the Demon Slayer Corps, whose job is to slaughter demons...?
'Is that... the leader of those Demon Slayer fools... Ubuyashiki? What a hideous sight.'
'True... thanks to one certain moron... his innocent descendants are the ones being punished...'
'Kokushibo, it feels like you're saying that specifically for me to hear.'
'I am glad to see your ears aren't as idiotic as the rest of you...'
'...'
I pushed those internal voices to the back of my mind.
"What is it you wished to say that required us to meet face-to-face? You are not in the best of health."
"Did you... say... you were leaving... the Corps...?"
"It does no good to have a Demon inside the Demon Slayer Corps... and besides, wasn't I officially treated as having died in battle against Muzan? Now that the funeral is over, I intend to leave the Corps. I want to search for the fragments of Muzan who fled. So, I'm basically throwing in my resignation."
With the support of his wife, Ubuyashiki barely managed to sit up, meeting my eyes before speaking again.
"However... if you... leave our... supervision... and consume humans... or go berserk... what then...?"
.....Right, that's a point.
Of course... I have no intention of eating humans or anything... but from the perspective of the Demon Slayer Corps, that would be a valid concern.
A tarantula in a cage is less scary than a tarantula that was right in front of you a second ago and suddenly disappeared.
Yet, it's not like they can attach a Hashira to me as a supervisor.
A Hashira is the ultimate strength of the Corps. You can't waste such a person just to monitor a single Demon, can you?
Furthermore, not to toot my own horn, but I'm a Demon who went toe-to-toe with Muzan. It would take at least two people to monitor me properly.
Assigning Yoriichi as a guard would solve it, but Uta just gave birth to Asahi, and she needs him by her side. Using a power like Yoriichi for Demon monitoring would be overkill anyway.
From Oyakata-sama's perspective, it might be better for me to stay where I can be seen...
Oyakata-sama soon smiled and spoke once more.
"I jest..., if you wish... you may... operate... far from... the Demon Slayer Corps...."
Is that alright?
"Is it because of the prophecy?"
When I asked tentatively, Oyakata-sama shook his head.
"No.... it is simply my belief.... Even without prophecy or evidence.... I am certain... you will remain... on the side... of humanity...."
He placed his hand on top of mine as he spoke.
"Know this... no matter what form... no matter the era.... or what world... you stand in.... the fact remains... that you are one of the Hashira... a member known as the Moon Hashira. And if you ever wish to return.... please do. I, the Hashira... your twin Yoriichi.... his wife Uta, and Uzui.... we will all... be waiting... for you...."
Oyakata-sama....
"And contact me often.... hearing of your stories... from Mikazuki... has become my joy lately.... Especially... when I heard... how Muzan... was beaten so... it was quite... gratifying...."
.....
Damn it, give me back my emotional moment.
After that, I spoke with Oyakata-sama for a while longer—a final conversation that wasn't quite a 'final' one.
I intend to drop by the Corps occasionally even while operating at a distance, but I never know when Oyakata-sama might pass away.
Since Muzan can read the thoughts of Demons, I suggested that it might be best to hide Oyakata-sama's location even from the interior of the Corps, excluding a select few.
He said that since he is merely a pawn, his own life isn't a concern... but since he is the figurehead and spiritual pillar of the Corps, I managed to convince him by arguing that his death would directly affect morale. He reluctantly agreed.
Considerable time had passed, so it was time to leave.
"Are you leaving...?"
"Yes. I feel bad taking more of Lord Anji's and Lord Sakata's time, and you need to rest, Oyakata-sama."
I nodded to him, turned around, and gripped the door handle.
"Then, until we meet again..."
Hearing the Master's words, spoken with such effort, the door handle felt a bit heavier.
Next time...
"Thank you for everything over these three years, Oyakata-sama."
I plan to visit the Corps once in a while, so there might be a 'next time.'
By then, his body will likely be in even worse condition, but I might be able to see his face a few more times.
Still, I felt that if I left through this door without saying anything about the debt I owed him over these three years, I might never be able to convey it.
This is just practice.
Someday soon, when you are standing at the boundary of life and death.
At that time, I will truly say it again.
For now, I am simply practicing bidding you farewell.
Well, I can't cover for the Final Selection and its flaws... but the fact that you fought for the sake of people was the truth.
"I will come again."
Upon hearing my greeting, Oyakata-sama smiled faintly.
@@@
After seeing off Anji and Sakata, I arrived home.
I guess I don't need to say goodbye to the Hashira or Boss Banda, right?
Anyway, Lady Shutara said she was sending over some new uniform or something.
Just then.
'Hmph, I am cutting the connection. I have a bad premonition that if I stay linked, I'll witness something I shouldn't as soon as you open that door.'
'Is that... a woman's intuition...?'
'Shut your mouth.'
As I was about to open the door to the house, my internal connection with Muzan was suddenly cut off.
'Well... if that one... is cutting it off immediately... it must mean something.... Then....'
The Kokushibo side was cut off too.
What's with these guys all of a sudden...?
I opened the door with a perplexed expression.
"I'm home."
"Welcome back, Brother."
Yoriichi greeted me with his usual expressionless face.
Was Muzan trying to avoid Yoriichi?
That doesn't seem right... this Muzan has never been attacked by Yoriichi, has he?
"Where is Uta?"
"She just fell asleep after putting Asahi to bed. Also.... you have guests."
"Guests?"
"They are.... Lady Amano and Uzui."
Guests? Amano and Uzui? Are they here to say a final goodbye?
But Yoriichi's expression was... how should I put it... like he was suffering through something. To any normal observer, it was his standard blank face... but looking at Yoriichi through the Transparent World, he looked like he was hiding something.
Questioning his expression, I followed Yoriichi's guidance and entered my inner room.
"You've arrived?"
"You are flamboyantly late."
In the inner room, just as Yoriichi said, Amano and Uzui were sitting there.
But what is the matter at this late hour...?
"Then, please, have your talk."
Before my confusion could end, the door closed with a click.
....Click?
Was the sound of a door closing always like that...?
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