Chapter 66 Don't say you're stupid, Kanae
"Don't call yourself stupid, Kanae."
Tatsu lowered his head, their nose tips almost touching.
His blood-red eyes locked onto her.
"The Transparent World is a realm that transcends the limits of human physiology; many people spend their entire lives without even touching its threshold.
Three hours—you've already done well enough.
Your resilience, your focus—I see it all."
As he spoke, Tatsu raised his hand and gently tucked a strand of Kanae's hair, damp with sweat, behind her ear.
His fingertips lingered affectionately on her cheek for a moment, feeling the vivid, human warmth that he found so mesmerizing.
"But..."
Kanae wanted to say something more; she didn't want to disappoint Tatsu, nor did she want to be the weakling who could only be protected.
"No 'buts'."
Tatsu interrupted her softly, his thumb gently stroking Kanae's lips, which were slightly pale from exhaustion.
The soft sensation made Tatsu's eyes darken, and he immediately suppressed the impulse deep within him to taste that sweetness.
It wasn't time yet; he couldn't scare her.
"The path of cultivation requires a balance of tension and relaxation.
A bowstring pulled too tight will snap."
Tatsu's tone became incredibly gentle, as if he were coaxing a child who had been wronged.
"Three hours of extreme focus has pushed your mind and body to the edge of their capacity.
Let's stop here for today, Kanae.
Rest for a while."
Upon hearing the words "rest for a while," the fatigue she had been suppressing surged through her entire body like a tide.
Her originally bright purple eyes gradually clouded with a sleepy haze.
She knew Tatsu was right.
She wasn't the type to stubbornly push herself without regard for her own condition.
As the Flower Hashira, she understood better than anyone how to listen to the needs of her own body.
"Okay."
Kanae nodded obediently.
Her signature gentle smile appeared on her face once more; this time, there was no self-reproach or disappointment, only complete reliance on the man before her.
"I'll listen to you, Tatsu. Let's take a break."
Seeing her finally stop forcing herself, a flash of heartache crossed Tatsu's eyes.
He gently released his hand from around Kanae's waist and helped her over to sit on the wooden veranda at the side of the courtyard.
As soon as Kanae sat down, she let out a soft sigh of relief.
She reached out her hands and gently kneaded her aching calves.
Her Haori slipped slightly with her movements, revealing her delicate shoulders and a patch of snow-white skin.
Tatsu stood beside her, his gaze shifting away unnaturally when it touched that patch of snow-white skin.
He turned his head to look at the path leading to the town outside the courtyard, illuminated by the moonlight, a flicker of contemplation in his eyes.
He could feel that although Kanae had agreed to rest, the frustration deep within her heart from failing to learn the "Transparent World" still lingered.
She was too kind, always shouldering all the responsibility herself.
She was also too strong-willed, always smiling as she bore burdens that she shouldn't have to carry.
"Kanae."
Tatsu spoke again.
"Hmm? What is it, Tatsu?"
Kanae stopped kneading her calves and looked up at him.
From her angle, Tatsu's sharp jawline appeared exceptionally stern in the moonlight, yet the eyes that looked down at her were incredibly, messily tender.
This intense contrast always caused Kanae's heart to skip a beat without her realizing it.
"Just sitting here resting seems a bit too boring."
Tatsu leaned down slightly, placing his hands on the wooden planks on either side of Kanae.
This posture completely enclosed Kanae within his territory.
Tatsu's gaze lingered for a moment on Kanae's red lips, which were slightly parted in surprise, before he looked directly into her purple eyes.
A charming, faint smile curled at the corner of his mouth as he suggested: "How about we go for a walk in town?"
"Go... to town?"
Kanae was stunned.
She clearly hadn't expected Tatsu to make such a suggestion at this time.
It was late at night, and although there were still some shops open in town, for someone who had just gone through three hours of high-intensity special training and was physically exhausted, going for a stroll didn't seem like a conventional way to rest.
Furthermore, Tatsu's identity...
Seeming to see through Kanae's concerns, Tatsu let out a low chuckle.
The sound vibrated in his chest and seemed to vibrate against Kanae's heartstrings as well.
"Work and rest should go hand in hand."
Tatsu leaned down further, and he could even feel Kanae's slightly disordered breathing, caused by nervousness, against his neck.
He deliberately used a nonchalant yet seductive tone as he said: "Although your body is tired, your mind is still in a state of tension, intertwined with excitement and frustration.
Rather than sitting here letting your brain dwell on that elusive 'Transparent World,' it's better to change the environment.
This might actually have unexpected benefits for your training."
Tatsu paused, his eyes becoming incredibly focused and affectionate.
"Besides... the moonlight is beautiful tonight, and I don't want us to just sit here and waste it."
"The moonlight is beautiful tonight..."
Kanae's heart began to beat wildly, out of her control.
Of course, she understood the subtext behind those words.
A flash of panic crossed her purple eyes, but even more so, it was an undeniable shyness and sweetness.
She looked at the man before her.
He was a demon, a being she should be drawing her blade against.
Yet he was here, on such a quiet night, not only patiently guiding her training but also wanting to take her to experience the bustle of the human world, all just to help her relax.
He reserved all his danger and cruelty for others, and only showed his softest side to her without reservation.
How could she refuse such a Tatsu?
And how could she bear to refuse?
Kanae lowered her head, looking at the hands Tatsu had braced on either side of her.
Those hands were pale, cold, and possessed the terrifying strength to tear through steel, yet at this moment, they were only gently carving out a safe haven for her.
She bit her lower lip gently, and her face, usually dignified and gentle, now bloomed with a stunning smile, like a newly opened flower, carrying a touch of girlish shyness and sweetness.
This was the most authentic reaction of a normal girl named "Kanae," stripped of her identity as the "Flower Hashira" of the Demon Slayer Corps, when faced with an invitation from the one she loved.
She lifted her head again, her purple eyes reflecting the starlight, meeting Tatsu's deep gaze without flinching.
She reached out her warm little hand and gently placed it on the back of Tatsu's hand, which was braced on the wooden plank.
"Ara ara..."
Kanae sighed softly.
"Since Tatsu has said so much, if I were to refuse, I would seem too unromantic."
She tilted her head slightly, and a lock of black hair at her temple fell with her movement, brushing against Tatsu's arm.
The smile at the corner of her mouth deepened, and with a voice as beautiful as a nightingale, she gave her answer solemnly and gently:
"Then, I'll listen to you. We... should go for a walk in town."
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