Takeo Kamado returned quickly with the sake, still slightly out of breath. His chest rose and fell as he cast a puzzled glance at his sister, who stood beside the demon with puffed cheeks and an indignant expression. Lowering his head, he held the bottle out with both hands.
"S–sir… here is the sake you asked for."
His voice carried a faint tremor, betraying the haste with which he had run.
"Thank you for the trouble, Takeo."
Soma's tone was gentle—unexpectedly so, making the boy lift his head in surprise. What met his eyes was not the cruelty he had imagined, but a calm, almost warm gaze.
Flustered, Takeo hurriedly reached into his pocket and pulled out a few remaining coins. "S-sir, this… this is the change from the sake."
"Keep it," Soma said with a faint smile. "Consider it your pocket money."
Takeo froze for a moment, staring down at the coins in his hand. Something stirred in his chest, a quiet, long-forgotten warmth. It reminded him of his father—of those small, fleeting moments when he would run errands and be rewarded with a few coins. Back then, even such a simple thing had been enough to fill him with anticipation and joy.
But ever since his father had fallen ill… those moments had all but disappeared.
"Go on, play," Soma added.
Standing to the side, Nezuko had watched the entire exchange unfold, her gaze lingering on the demon. What she had just witnessed clashed completely with everything she had believed about demons.
It left her dazed, uncertain.
Are all demons like this?
If they are, then what is there to be afraid of?
Or is it just this one?
If this demon would always remain this gentle, then perhaps—just perhaps—if she were to follow him in the future, she too might be treated kindly.
A faint blush crept onto her cheeks as she stole a glance at his profile.
Sunlight rested softly against his face, accentuating his striking features. Yes, he was a demon—one who might be domineering, one who might make her suffer—but at the very least…
At the very least, that face was not unpleasant to look at.
Lowering her gaze again, she thought quietly to herself that perhaps, in time, she would grow accustomed to it. Perhaps… she might even learn how to be a proper "demon's bride."
"Uncle." Kanao's soft voice broke the stillness.
"Hm?"
Soma took the sake in hand and turned toward her.
"I want to practice my swordsmanship."
Her beautiful eyes shone with expectation as they drifted toward the Nichirin Sword at his waist. She had been resting for days due to illness, and though she had repeatedly asked to resume her training, she had always been refused. Yet now, she felt well again—strong enough to begin.
Soma studied her, noting the healthy flush returning to her face. After a brief moment of thought, he nodded.
"Very well. But only for a while."
"Mm!"
A bright smile immediately bloomed across Kanao's face.
Without hesitation, Soma unfastened the Nichirin sword at his waist and handed it to her.
The blade, though heavy, seemed almost weightless in her grasp. With a light push off the ground, she moved gracefully into the open space nearby, her figure landing as softly as falling petals.
Moments later, the air was filled with the sharp sound of steel slicing through wind.
Her strikes were swift—each one precise, each one carrying a deadly intent that seemed wholly at odds with her delicate frame. The blade cut through the air with a ferocity that left no room for hesitation, every motion refined, every angle lethal.
The sheer force of it startled Nezuko so much that she instinctively stepped back, her eyes widening with fear as she watched.
She could scarcely believe that such a gentle-looking girl could wield a sword with such ruthless intensity.
Even her brother…
Even Tanjiro might not be able to defeat her.
The thought sent a heavy weight sinking into her chest.
If she were to follow this demon in the future, it wouldn't just be him she would have to endure—she would also have to deal with this sharp-tongued girl at his side.
Just imagining it made her feel overwhelmed, as though an invisible pressure pressed down on her from all sides.
"Nezuko, go inside and bring me a cup."
Soma's voice pulled her abruptly from her spiraling thoughts.
"Ah—o-okay!"
She nodded nodded instinctively, then walked toward the house. But halfway there, realization struck her.
Wait...I haven't even started following him yet, and he's already ordering me around! In the future, I'll probably be bullied every single second.
Her fists clenched slightly.
It was infuriating.
And yet… that was all it amounted to—a quiet flare of indignation before she obediently stepped inside and picked up the cup.
Inside the house, their mother sat quietly, her head slightly bowed, a trace of sorrow lingering across her features. Nearby, Tanjiro had found an axe and was carefully sharpening its blade, the steady rasp of metal against stone filling the silence.
"Nezuko…"
He looked up as he worked.
"Brother…"
Nezuko answered softly, lifting her head for a moment before lowering it again. "I—I'm going to bring him a cup."
The words came hesitantly, and without realizing it, she no longer referred to him as "that demon," but simply as him.
Perhaps it was lingering resentment toward her brother, or perhaps something more complicated, but she said nothing further. Clutching the cup, she turned and left.
Nezuko... is just too worried about me, Tanjiro thought, continuing to sharpen his axe. He assumed her behavior was a reaction to the pain of seeing him choose the dangerous life of a Demon Slayer.
When Nezuko stepped back outside, the demon had moved a stool and was sitting there watching Kanao practice. The sheer violence of the girl's training made Nezuko's heart skip a beat.
This girl was truly terrifying. Her fierce demeanor while training was the complete opposite of the docile way she stood by his side.
"S-sir… I've brought the cup."
Nezuko hurried forward, her steps light but cautious.
"Thanks."
Soma accepted the cup, pouring sake into it with practiced ease. As he drank, his gaze remained fixed on Kanao, his expression calm—almost gentle—as he watched her train.
There were no dishes, no elaborate setting, and yet, in that moment, the sight of Kanao practicing seemed to serve as the perfect accompaniment to his drink.
Nezuko stood off to the side, stealing glances at him.
As she watched him sip his sake, his eyes soft and attentive as they followed Kanao's every movement, something tightened quietly in her chest. Her fingers curled unconsciously into the fabric of her sleeve.
Why is he so gentle with that girl?
Soma finished another cup and reached for the sake jar again, only to grasp at empty air. He paused, glancing to the side in mild confusion.
"I—I'll pour it for you…"
Nezuko lowered her head as she spoke, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Oh."
He nodded, extending the cup toward her without shifting his gaze, his attention still entirely on the girl practicing in the distance.
Nezuko lifted the sake jar and carefully filled his cup.
But even as she did, she realized—he wasn't looking at her at all.
His eyes held only that girl.
For some reason, a faint, unfamiliar bitterness rose within her chest.
Lowering her gaze, she glanced at herself. Her figure was slender, her features delicate—she was no less than that girl, not in any obvious way. If he paid her no attention now, it was only because Kanao had been by his side first.
If, in the future, she were the one standing beside him…
Perhaps things would be different.
What on earth am I thinking?!
The sudden flood of tangled thoughts startled her, leaving her momentarily dazed. It felt as though something within her had quietly shifted into unfamiliar territory.
Almost reflexively, she looked at him again.
The man, sipping his sake beneath the sunlight, carried an indescribable presence. Perhaps it was because she had feared him for so long, but now, imagining him standing at her side—
Strangely enough—
It felt… safe.
...
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