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Following the address they had been given, Cold Cry led Noe to a small inn. He knocked on the front gate and waited.
A moment later, faint footsteps echoed from within the courtyard.
"W-Who is it?" a trembling voice asked from behind the door.
"We're looking for lodging."
"There... there are no vacant rooms. Please try somewhere else."
The footsteps slowly retreated.
Cold Cry knocked again.
This time, he struck the gate much harder.
The loud banging echoed through the quiet street, startling the neighboring households until lights began going out one after another.
Seeing the strange atmosphere, Noe instinctively moved closer to Cold Cry. From time to time, she glanced nervously toward the dark corners of the street, as though something frightening might emerge at any moment.
"P-Please stop knocking!" the anxious voice pleaded from inside the courtyard.
Cold Cry ignored the request.
A moment later, the gate slowly opened a crack.
A cautious face peeked through.
Using the lanterns hanging beside the entrance, the young man carefully examined the two visitors.
The moment he noticed the Demon Slayer Corps uniforms beneath their haori and the Nichirin Swords hanging at their waists, surprise immediately turned into delight.
"You're from the Demon Slayer Corps! Please, come in quickly."
He hurriedly opened the gate halfway and ushered them inside.
After the two entered, the young man cautiously looked up and down the street before quickly closing the gate again.
"You've finally arrived. I'm terribly sorry about earlier. Ever since those disappearances began, no one in Qingshui Town dares to open their doors at night."
Cold Cry remained silent.
His gaze slowly swept across the courtyard before settling on the two-story building ahead.
The upper floor was completely dark.
Only a single room on the first floor was illuminated.
The man before them was a member of the Kakushi, the support corps that assisted the Demon Slayer Corps by gathering intelligence, transporting injured swordsmen, and handling logistics.
During missions, Kakushi members concealed their identities beneath white uniforms and face coverings, and very few people outside the Corps even knew they existed.
"My name is Fukada," the young man said politely. "May I ask your names?"
Noe returned the greeting with a smile.
"My name is Kanroji Noe. You can simply call me Noe. This is Hyouka Kanenaki."
She glanced toward him.
"Most people call him Cold Cry."
Fukada looked at the taciturn young man beside her.
Cold Cry's calm expression, sharp eyes, and composed demeanor immediately inspired confidence.
A trace of relief appeared on Fukada's face.
"Miss Noe, Mr. Cold Cry, please don't stand outside. Come inside."
He led them onto the veranda before sliding open the door.
A modest but tidy sitting room came into view.
"You probably haven't eaten yet, have you?"
Noe nodded somewhat shyly.
"Please make yourselves comfortable. I'll prepare something for you. We can talk while you eat."
With that, Fukada headed toward the kitchen.
Cold Cry and Noe removed their shoes before entering the room.
As they sat down, Cold Cry casually remarked,
"You should let him prepare more food."
Noe immediately understood what he meant and lowered her head in embarrassment.
Not long afterward, Fukada returned carrying several dishes.
Considering that the two had traveled a great distance and only arrived in Qingshui Town late at night, he had deliberately prepared enough food for four people.
At first, nothing seemed unusual.
Then he watched them eat.
Most of the meal had been intended for the quiet young man.
Unexpectedly, Cold Cry ate slowly and consumed only a single person's portion.
Meanwhile...
Noe quietly finished enough food for the remaining three people.
Judging by her expression, she still wasn't full.
Fukada could only stare in stunned silence.
After the meal, he brought out two plates of Qingshui Town's famous sweets along with some fresh fruit.
Partly because he worried Noe hadn't eaten enough.
Partly because, in his experience, most girls enjoyed sweets.
He also didn't want either of his guests to feel neglected while discussing the mission.
Cold Cry set down his teacup.
"Tell me everything."
Getting straight to the point caught Fukada slightly off guard.
Still, it was better than exchanging unnecessary pleasantries.
He lowered his head and thought for a long moment before speaking.
"It all began about six months ago..."
Over the next half hour, Fukada carefully explained everything.
He described the string of disappearances that had occurred throughout the town over the past six months, the local authorities' investigations, and the Kakushi's own findings.
"Based on everything we've gathered," Fukada concluded, "there's a very high probability that a demon is responsible."
"So every disappearance occurred at night?" Cold Cry asked.
"Yes."
Fukada nodded.
"Although the exact time couldn't be confirmed in every case, every victim disappeared after nightfall."
That alone strongly suggested the involvement of a demon.
"Were there any clues left behind?" Cold Cry continued.
"Bloodstains? Signs of a struggle? Cries for help?"
Fukada slowly shook his head.
"I questioned the victims' families and companions. None of them heard any cries for help."
"We also investigated every scene."
"There wasn't a single bloodstain."
"No signs of a struggle."
"It was as though the victims had simply... vanished."
Cold Cry frowned slightly.
No blood.
No struggle.
No cries.
Demons possessed an instinctive craving for human flesh.
If a demon truly was responsible, why hadn't it left behind any trace of blood?
How could living people simply disappear without a struggle?
He continued thinking.
"Were there any other similarities?"
Fukada frowned as he searched his memory.
Then his eyes suddenly widened.
"Yes!"
"There was one thing."
"Every disappearance occurred at a hot spring inn."
"A hot spring inn?"
"Yes."
"In every single case."
Qingshui Town was famous for its hot springs.
Throughout the town, numerous inns catered to visiting travelers.
"Was there anything unusual about those inns?" Cold Cry asked.
"No."
"They all appeared completely ordinary."
"What about the victims?"
"What were their ages and genders?"
Fukada answered immediately.
"According to our records, most of the victims were young women and children."
"Only two young men have disappeared."
Cold Cry nodded thoughtfully.
Women and children were generally easier prey than healthy adult men.
If a demon were hunting humans, such a pattern would make sense.
After that, he remained silent for quite some time.
He asked no further questions.
Although the young man before him appeared very young, his calm composure and careful reasoning made Fukada increasingly uneasy.
Being questioned by Cold Cry felt strangely similar to being interrogated.
The atmosphere in the room gradually became heavy.
Only the quiet sound of chewing occasionally broke the silence.
During the discussion, Noe had already finished both plates of sweets...
...and all the fruit.
Noticing Fukada staring at her in disbelief, she awkwardly smiled.
"S-Sorry..."
Fukada could only force a smile in return.
These two were certainly an unusual pair.
"Miss Noe..."
"You don't have to be so formal."
Noe smiled.
"Just call me Noe."
"Very well... Noe."
Fukada hesitated.
"My next question may sound a little rude, but the situation in Qingshui Town is extremely serious."
"May I ask..."
"What rank are the two of you?"
"Rank?"
Noe blinked in confusion.
Seeing her reaction, Fukada suddenly felt a bad premonition.
"I mean your rank within the Demon Slayer Corps."
"Oh."
Noe finally understood.
"We're both Kinoe."
"We joined the Demon Slayer Corps about three months ago."
"K-Kinoe?"
Fukada froze.
"And only three months?"
The highest of the ten standard Demon Slayer Corps ranks.
He had expected headquarters to send a Hashira.
At the very least, he had hoped for experienced, high-ranking swordsmen.
Instead, two newly promoted Kinoe-ranked Demon Slayers had arrived after only three months of service.
For a brief moment, disappointment flickered across his face.
Then he looked at Cold Cry once more.
Remembering the calm confidence in the young swordsman's eyes, he couldn't help wondering...
Perhaps headquarters had sent them here for a reason.
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