Tsubaki was gone, but the aura she left behind had not yet dissipated. In the square of the Demon Slayer Village, everyone looked at each other in dismay.
"That priestess... was that really Lady Tsubaki?"
Someone whispered.
"I've heard of her; it is said she is a genius priestess on par with Lady Kikyo."
"On par? How come I feel she is far inferior to Lady Kikyo..."
"Shh! Keep your voice down!"
Kanbe Hikaru stood where he was and strapped the Hiraikotsu back onto his back.
That burly man—who seemed to be the leader of the younger generation of the Demon Slayer Village—walked over, his face showing a hint of awkwardness.
"Lady Kikyo, Kanbe Hikaru... Lord?"
He clearly did not know how to address a demon: "I am truly sorry to have let you both witness such a scene."
"That Lady Tsubaki arrived this morning, saying she wanted to wait for your arrival."
"We couldn't stop her..."
Kikyo waved her hand.
"I do not blame you."
Her gaze landed on the old woman, her red lips parting slightly: "Elder, about the village chief..."
Hearing Kikyo's words, the old woman's expression darkened instantly.
"I understand."
She took the cloth bag containing the ashes from Kikyo's hand and held it to her chest. Her face was full of helplessness, her eyes slightly red, but she sighed as if she had long expected this.
"You do not need to blame yourselves too much; when he left, he told me that he was prepared for the possibility of not returning."
The surrounding Demon Slayers also bowed their heads.
Kanbe Hikaru watched this scene without speaking.
He took the Hiraikotsu off his back and placed it gently in front of the old woman.
"This belongs to him."
"I have returned it."
The old woman looked up, looked at the giant bone boomerang, and then at Kanbe Hikaru.
"You are...?"
Her gaze lingered for a moment on his white hair and pale face, and finally, it fell upon that pair of scarlet, non-human eyes.
"I am a demon, and also Kikyo's Shikigami."
He said: "And I am the 'person' who saw the old village chief off on his final journey."
"Before he died, he asked me to give the Shikon Jewel to Kikyo; the Hiraikotsu was retrieved later."
"There was some delay, my apologies."
The old woman was silent.
She stretched out her withered hand and stroked the surface of the Hiraikotsu.
Her fingers trembled slightly.
"This thing has been passed down for over a hundred years, for seven or eight generations."
She murmured, "The first generation was forged from the bones of over a dozen demons."
"Every generation of Demon Slayers since has added new demon bones to it."
"It grows heavier and stronger."
"Now, the skeletons of over a hundred demons have been fused together."
"It is very difficult for an ordinary person to wield it—"
Kanbe Hikaru did not answer.
This was not a question he was meant to answer.
The burly man beside them gritted his teeth. "Elder, the village chief's grandsons are still young. When they grow up—"
"I know."
The old woman wiped away her tears, regaining her previous stern demeanor.
"Put the Hiraikotsu away for now."
Only grandsons, no granddaughters?
It seems Sango and Kohaku from the original story have not been born yet; the current timeline is indeed still very early.
Kanbe Hikaru thought to himself.
"The two of you should rest in the village tonight."
The old woman's voice interrupted his thoughts.
"There is still that duel in three days; you both need to be well-rested. Regardless, please, Lady Kikyo, you must protect the Shikon Jewel."
Kikyo nodded.
"Thank you."
The old woman waved her hand.
"You brought the Hiraikotsu back, and you even brought back the old man's ashes."
"We will remember this kindness."
She glanced at Kanbe Hikaru.
"Although you are a demon—I can tell you are not the bad kind. Besides, you are Lady Kikyo's shikigami, so no one in our village will give you any trouble."
Kanbe Hikaru raised an eyebrow.
"However—"
The old woman's tone changed.
"That sword you carry."
She pointed to the Muramasa at Kanbe Hikaru's waist. "If possible, please do not unsheathe it. The killing intent is too heavy; it will frighten the children."
Kanbe Hikaru looked down at his sword.
Muramasa.
A sword that had killed at least a hundred demons, and humans as well.
It did indeed have heavy killing intent.
"Very well."
The old woman nodded with satisfaction.
"Follow me."
...
The guest quarters in the Demon Slayer Village were not large, consisting of only one wooden hut and a courtyard.
Considering that Kanbe Hikaru's identity was Lady Kikyo's shikigami and he was not human at all, they had not prepared a second guest room.
Shikigami were companions to human mages, but they were also weapons.
Who would separate a guest from their own weapon?
The old woman said,
"If you need anything, you can tell the person at the door."
With that, she left.
Kanbe Hikaru stood in the courtyard, looking at the wooden hut.
One room.
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