Chapter 174: A Girl Like a Flower (Part 2)
Akira led Kanae through the dense, rustling woods toward a secluded valley nestled just beyond the grounds of the Butterfly Mansion.
Because the ancient trees crowding the valley's perimeter were exceptionally lush, their thick roots and tangled underbrush completely obscured any natural paths up or down the mountain. Even though it rested only a stone's throw from her home, Kanae—despite her frequent patrols and herb-gathering excursions—had never once stumbled upon it.
Truthfully, even Akira had only found this hidden sanctuary by sheer, dumb luck.
Though he would fiercely deny it to his dying breath, his grand 'discovery' had been the result of sheer arrogance. He had ignored the solid ground in favor of showing off his aerial mobility, leaping carelessly through the high canopy—only to misjudge a branch and plummet into the dirt below with a heavy, undignified thud. The soil in the valley had been embarrassingly soft; soft enough, in fact, to leave a perfect, Akira-shaped crater in the earth. Whenever the memory surfaced, he could only mentally curse his own clumsiness.
Embarrassing origins aside, the valley was a hidden gem. Despite being ringed by towering timber, the canopy broke perfectly overhead, allowing brilliant shafts of sunlight to bathe the basin. The terrain was stable, completely sheltered from the risk of landslides. With a few strategically dug drainage ditches, there was zero threat of flooding during the heavy monsoon rains. Combined with that famously soft, nutrient-rich soil, it was an absolute paradise for gardening.
After brushing the dirt off his uniform on that fateful day, an ambitious idea had taken root in Akira's mind.
It had cost him a staggering amount of time, physical labor, and a rather painful sum of his accumulated wealth, but he had finally brought the vision he conceptualized a month ago to life. Before them lay a sprawling, carefully crafted flowerbed designed to stay in perpetual bloom, no matter the season.
The planting area cleverly used the natural curves of the drainage ditches and smooth stone pathways to outline the massive silhouette of a blooming peach blossom. Within the five distinct 'petal' zones, the flower species were kept uniform, yet they were planted with varying densities. This created a dynamic, rippling sense of depth, giving the vibrant colors within each petal subtle, shifting gradients. Whenever a gentle breeze swept through the valley, the blossoms trembled, casting captivating ripples of light and shadow across the earth.
Just a month prior, this sanctuary had been the exclusive domain of tulips and crocuses, their elegant, cup-shaped blossoms clustering together in a vibrant display. Interspersed among them had been blue-purple grape hyacinths, scattered like fallen stars, swaying gracefully beneath the gentle warmth of the spring sun.
Now, as the heavy heat of midsummer claimed the mountain, the Rudbeckia had boldly taken center stage. Their brilliant yellow petals blanketed the entire garden like a sea of spun gold. The tall stalks, reaching nearly to a man's waist, supported thick clouds of golden mist. They perfectly concealed the wilting stems of the faded spring tulips, while still leaving just enough breathing room for the dormant bulbs to soak in the ambient sunlight, quietly gathering strength for their triumphant return next year.
Along the outer edges of the garden, white plantain lilies stretched their broad, dew-kissed leaves. Their elegant, snow-white blossoms bordered the golden landscape like crushed jade, injecting a splash of cool, refreshing poetry into the sweltering summer scenery and keeping the brilliant yellow from becoming too harsh on the eyes.
Looking closer, delicate specks of purple-red danced within that golden ocean—the Echinacea, blooming in quiet defiance. Their unique, sweet fragrance drifted through the air like invisible silk threads, drawing countless wild butterflies down from the canopy to flutter among the clusters.
As Akira and Kanae came to a halt at the edge of the stone path, they watched the butterflies weaving through the floral shadows, their delicate wings flashing in the sunlight.
According to Akira's careful blueprints, once the oppressive summer heat finally broke, the crisp autumn winds would sweep in and dye this sanctuary in entirely new shades.
The asters would awaken on schedule, their dense, blue-purple petals weaving a dreamlike carpet across the dirt, transforming the valley into a hazy watercolor painting that would endure from the first autumn breeze straight through to the early frosts. The Showy Stonecrop would gradually shift its hues as the temperature dropped, bleeding from a vibrant emerald green into a deep, rich crimson, holding its ground until the first heavy snow forced it to withdraw its splendor.
Meanwhile, the silvergrass would stand tall against the biting winds. Though its grayish-white color was unassuming, it would sway like a curtain woven from pure moonlight, standing as a quiet guardian over the frozen tranquility of winter.
Even in the dead of winter, when the rest of the mountain withered and slept, this valley would refuse to surrender its vitality. Hellebores would push through the ice, their colorful petals defying the frost, while ornamental kales would spread their thick, layered leaves, splashing vibrant rouge across the endless white snow.
Then, when the gentle spring breeze finally melted the frost, the crocuses and tulips would rise from the earth once more, their vibrant colors announcing the rebirth of the world and passing the baton of the seasons in an endless, beautiful cycle.
As the four seasons rotated, this hidden valley would never lose its color. Though the initial terraforming and planting had been an exhausting, back-breaking endeavor, the ecosystem was now self-sustaining. It would only require a bit of light pruning and basic care to maintain its stunning beauty for years to come.
Akira and Kanae strolled slowly, side by side, down the winding stone path. It was just wide enough for their shoulders to brush with every step.
Kanae's striking, pale-violet eyes were wide with absolute wonder. She stopped every few paces, leaning down to inhale the rich fragrance of the blooms, gently brushing her fingertips over the soft petals. She actively searched beneath the golden canopy of the Rudbeckia, her eyes lighting up whenever she spotted the dormant stems of the spring flowers sleeping beneath the soil.
Wearing her signature butterfly haori, her graceful, sweeping movements made her look exactly like a giant, beautiful butterfly dancing through a sea of gold. Akira, following closely at her side, naturally fell into the rhythm of her steps, inadvertently becoming her partner in the dance.
The thought crossed his mind as he watched a pair of real swallowtails flutter past them. But just as quickly, he dismissed it.
Watching Kanae's bright, stunning smile bloom under the summer sun, Akira realized she wasn't a butterfly at all. She was simply the most unique, irreplaceable flower in the entire valley.
It was in this quiet, sun-drenched moment that Akira finally understood the old poetry. He finally knew what it truly meant for a woman's smile to be as beautiful as a flower.
It wasn't that he lacked experience with beautiful women. The girls in his life were all stunning in their own right, and their smiles were entirely unique to them.
Makomo's smile always carried a pristine, refreshing purity, like a crystal-clear spring bubbling down a quiet mountain.
Shinobu's smile was sharp and playfully dangerous, like a clever kitten that enjoyed causing a little mischief but knew exactly when to bare its claws.
Mitsuri's smile was blindingly brilliant, radiating the pure, unrestrained joy of a carefree child who loved the world unconditionally.
Kanao, on the other hand, usually maintained a polite, distant little curve of the lips—but whenever she was alone with Akira, her smile would melt into something deeply genuine, carrying an undisguised, heavy attachment she reserved only for him.
And Kanae? In the past, Akira would have simply said her smile radiated a deep, maternal gentleness that soaked straight down to her bones—a warmth she couldn't hide even when she was teasing him.
But looking at her now, framed by the golden summer blooms, a better description surfaced in his mind. Kanae's smile was like a delicate blossom naturally unfolding its petals, bathing in the gentle breeze and the warm, golden sun.
While Akira was thoroughly lost in his daze, Kanae suddenly turned on her heel. She caught his intense gaze, her lips curving into a teasing arc. "Akira-kun, if you keep staring at me so hungrily, I might just get shy, you know."
"Really? I highly doubt that," Akira shot back, snapping out of his reverie. He crossed his arms, raising an eyebrow at her perfectly composed, entirely un-flushed face.
They had lived together, fought together, and shared a bed for over three years. The sheer volume of intimate, skin-to-skin contact they had shared was completely incalculable. A simple lingering stare wasn't going to break her composure anytime soon.
Sharing a warm chuckle with her, Akira smoothly shifted the topic. "So? What's the final verdict on your gift? Do you like it?"
"I love it," Kanae answered instantly, her voice soft but fiercely sincere. She tapped her chin thoughtfully. "And you should know, that is an honest verdict from a very picky critic."
She turned in a slow circle, her haori fluttering around her knees as she scanned the perimeter of the valley. "However... I do feel like something is missing."
She had felt a slight imbalance since the moment they stepped off the mountain trail. Looking closely at the layout, she noticed that the massive, peach-blossom-shaped flowerbed wasn't perfectly centered in the valley. It was offset to the right, leaving a large, conspicuously empty patch of flat, reinforced earth on the left side. It looked far too deliberate to be a mistake.
Akira followed her gaze to the empty plot. A soft, determined light entered his eyes. "That space? I left that open on purpose. It's where I'm going to build our house."
Kanae blinked, her breath catching slightly. "A house?"
"Yeah." Akira stepped closer, his voice dropping into a low, comforting rumble. "Once Muzan is finally dead and buried. We'll build a small, beautiful house right there. We can live here, wake up to this sea of flowers every morning, and it'll make it much easier for you to tend to the garden yourself."
He reached out, gently tucking a stray lock of dark hair behind her ear. "Or, at the very least, it'll be a perfect getaway. A place we can escape to when we just want some time alone, in our own little world."
"Yes...!" Kanae breathed out, her violet eyes suddenly sparkling with unshed moisture. The sheer weight of that promise—a peaceful future, a home, a life beyond the endless bloodshed of the Demon Slayer Corps—painted a vivid, beautiful dream in her mind.
Taking a slow, shaky breath to steady her racing heart, she pulled her gaze away from the empty plot of earth and focused entirely on the man standing before her.
"Well then, Akira-kun," Kanae murmured, her voice dropping to a husky, intimate whisper. "I believe it's time to fulfill the other half of my gift."
Without waiting for his reply, Kanae gently tilted her head back. Her thick eyelashes fluttered shut, her lips parting slightly as she waited in the sun-drenched silence.
She looked exactly like a beautiful flower, quietly waiting to be plucked.
Akira's eyes darkened with raw affection. He didn't hesitate for a single second. Closing the distance between them, he wrapped his strong arms around her slender waist, pulling her flush against his chest. Lowering his head, he captured her lips, thoroughly tasting the sweet, intoxicating flavor of his most precious flower.
[Inorin's Note:
Enjoying the story? Dropping a quick review, comment, or Power Stone means the world to me!
Want to read ahead on our official home, or unlock 50 advanced chapters (plus an Ad-Free experience) to feed your addiction? Help keep this shameless translator alive here:
(P.S. Replace the [.] with a regular dot . to use the links!)
🌐 Official Website: elysianreads[.]com
✨ Patreon (50 Advanced Chapters & Ad-Free): patreon[.]com/InorinTL
☕ Ko-fi (Support / Sponsor): ko-fi[.]com/InorinTL
Thank you so much for reading and keeping this project alive!]