Kaigaku wrapped up a few more pleasantries with the swordsman, citing a wave of nausea as his reason to head back to his ward. But before he turned to leave, he slipped in one more remark—something that sounded, on the surface, perfectly innocuous.
"I'd advise you to drop any thoughts of pursuing her."
"Why?"
Kaigaku stopped. Turned back.
"...Don't tell anyone I said this." The swordsman stepped closer, lowering his voice. "Every time the Flower Hashira-sama comes back from a mission, she goes straight to Inori-san's room—stays the night. They spend whole days together. The rest of us have been wondering for a while now if the Flower Hashira-sama and Inori-san might be... more than friends. Lovers, if you follow."
"Don't spread that around, though. I'm just saving you the trouble."
He was only thinking like a normal person. As far as he was concerned: if this man knew Inori-san already had someone—and that someone happened to be an untouchable Hashira—he'd give up quietly. That would make the whole transaction worthless, the coins already spent.
"I see." Kaigaku smoothed his face into something resigned, philosophical. "I suppose I should give up then."
"Probably for the best. Though—a woman as perfect as the Flower Hashira ending up with some man would drive everyone here out of their minds with envy. This way is honestly easier for everyone to handle."
The swordsman laughed, as though picturing something pleasant.
"Thanks, friend. Don't worry—I won't breathe a word."
"Goodbye, Zenitsu's senior. Head home and look after him properly—don't let him cause more trouble."
"Of course."
Kaigaku waved, smiled, gave a last cheerful goodbye, and turned to leave.
The instant he was out of the swordsman's line of sight, the smile dropped. Something cold and predatory took its place.
This conversation had yielded far more than he'd hoped.
He'd been wondering why a Hashira would shelter a demon and go this far to develop sunlight-resistance medicine for her. Now it all made perfect sense—seamless, no loose ends. Heh. Who would have thought a Hashira would turn out to be a pervert who craved other women—pining after a female demon of all things.
Better yet: this meant he might be able to bring down the Flower Hashira along with the demon. Harboring a demon in the Corps was a serious crime. Developing that kind of relationship with one was something else entirely.
You didn't see that coming, did you, Inori. You damaged my hand—and now I won't just take your life in return. I'll drag the one you care about down with you. At best, Kanae gets expelled from the Corps. At worst...
He let the thought stretch out in his skull with a slow, savored pleasure.
...at worst, she might just drive a blade into her own stomach.
He wanted to see that proud face crumple—see her expression when the person she loved slit herself open because of her. Ha. Ha ha ha. There was no greater satisfaction in this world.
But executing the plan required one more step. He hadn't passed the Final Selection yet—wasn't technically even a full swordsman. His word alone carried no weight. Blurting this out now would only get him silenced.
But the Demon Slayer Corps Headquarters was nearby. If he went there and laid out the situation for the Master—that the Butterfly Mansion was hiding a demon—even if the Master doubted him, other Hashira would certainly be dispatched to verify. And that would give Kaigaku his opening. With the swordsman he'd bribed produced at the right moment, the full truth would come out.
Witness and evidence, with Hashira at his back. No matter how capable Inori was, she wouldn't dare move recklessly under those conditions.
Heh heh heh. He really was a genius.
...
...
After Inori put Kaigaku in his place, he settled down considerably—no more picking fights, considerably gentler with Zenitsu. Whether the change would extend past the Butterfly Mansion, or whether he'd genuinely had some kind of revelation, nobody could say.
Inori didn't know much about Kaigaku. She hadn't read the manga—only the snippets from the anime, faceless silhouette memories in Zenitsu's past, not enough to build a character from. Honestly, she'd been reluctant to use the Feather Blade. Too easy to give herself away. But watching him raise his hand against Kanao wasn't something she could sit through.
That child was remarkable. She'd only just started climbing out from under the shadow of her past—Inori couldn't stand the idea of letting her be hurt again, even a little.
Even after she left here, she would keep watching over Kanao Tsuyuri.
Must be the appeal of the silent type. She had always had more patience for the still, watchful ones than for girls who filled every room with noise—there was something about them like a cloth doll, something that made you want to put yourself between them and the world.
At first light the next morning, Kaigaku and Zenitsu prepared to leave the Butterfly Mansion and head back to Mount Momoyama. As a somewhat special patient, Inori and the others walked him to the gate. Kanao showed up uninvited.
"Inori-san, Shinobu-nee, thank you so much for everything these past days!"
The blond boy bowed deep.
"Make sure you train hard when you get back," Shinobu said, with the gravity of someone born wearing a uniform. "If I hear you've been slacking off again, I will personally make the trip to Kuwajima-sensei's and discipline you myself."
"Hehe, don't worry! I'm going to work twice as hard—I've already decided. I want to pass the Final Selection alongside Kanao and become an official swordsman of the Corps!"
He thumped his chest, completely convinced.
—Weren't they the same cohort to begin with? Whatever. This was actually excellent motivational fuel. Wasn't this exactly how every novel worked? The universally-dismissed loser turns out to be close with the acknowledged prodigy—and then, spurred on by her belief in him, he grinds himself into shape and stuns everyone at the final exam.
"Do your best," Inori said.
There was nothing more to add. She'd already said everything she'd needed to.
"Right! And—I'm really sorry about Kaigaku. I had no idea he'd do something like that. I'll tell Jii-chan when I get back and make sure he gets properly lectured."
Inori hadn't been able to keep it from Zenitsu—she'd told him the whole story after Kaigaku's injury. She hadn't told Shinobu. Given Shinobu's current temperament, knowing someone had tried to hurt Kanao was a fuse Inori had decided not to light.
"Remember this, Zenitsu." She added it almost as an afterthought. "Some people can't be helped. If he keeps coming after you once you're back—you don't have to keep taking it."
"Huh?"
—He couldn't even come close to beating his senior in a fight. Not getting beaten up was the best he could hope for right now.
"That's all. Go on—I'm looking forward to the day you pass the Final Selection, Zenitsu~"
"Yeah! Goodbye! Shinobu-nee, Inori-nee, and—Kanao! I'm heading out!"
Kanao hadn't said a single word to him the whole time. Zenitsu felt the small sting of that. Inori had told him she wasn't mute—just quiet by nature.
He turned. One foot over the threshold.
"Goodbye."
The voice reached him from behind. So faint it could have been nothing—soft as dandelion seeds dissolving into air, uncatchable, impossible to hold onto. It could have been something he'd imagined.
He spun around. Kanao was standing exactly where she'd been, expression unchanged.
But Zenitsu knew. That voice was hers.
...Did that mean she'd accepted him?
"Kanao—I'm going to pass the Final Selection right alongside you. Don't fall behind on me, okay?"
He waved, laughed, said his last goodbye. His silhouette vanished through the gate.
With him finally gone, Inori let out a quiet breath—and fell straight back into the thought she'd been circling.
These kids were all moving forward. She couldn't just stay here and grow old at the Butterfly Mansion.
Or she really would end up a glorified housekeeper.
If she stayed here indefinitely, she'd never find the secret of the Nameless Monster.
But—how was she supposed to explain any of that to Kanae? She hadn't brought it up once since arriving here. She knew what Kanae was hoping for: that Inori would stay, become part of this family.
Or she could just... tell her the truth about who she was.