Chapter 14 Chapter 14 Chapter 14

As soon as he said it, Tanjiro Kamado realized he had said something stupid. It seemed that not only Giyu Tomioka, but also Mr. Sabito had entrusted him with something about Ori before he left.

Would he really ask such an irresponsible question as, "Are you Mr. Sabito's wife?"

Aori, however, was unaware of Tanjiro Kamado's psychological journey. She stared blankly at the boy in front of her, whose expression had changed drastically since they last met, his question from earlier still lingering in her mind.

An unexpected problem has arisen.

Azhi was stunned for a moment, then burst out laughing: "You misunderstood, Yiyong and I are friends."

According to the established setting, Giyu Tomioka is in the open, visiting her as a swordsman, while Sabito is in the shadows, not directly exposed to everyone, so he always comes by sneaking in through the window when no one is paying attention.

This arrangement is also to allow A-Zhi to better escape from the brothel in the future, since the fact that a prostitute is "redeemed" is an excellent reason that is impossible to find fault with.

Therefore, it doesn't seem to be a problem for Aori to refer to Tomioka Giyu as her "lover".

Azhi frowned, racking her brains for a suitable description without success, her tone tinged with uncertainty: "However, from the perspective of outsiders, Giyu should be considered my... lover?"

A very unfamiliar word came out of Aori's mouth. Tomioka Giyuu was usually taciturn, and Aori found it a little funny whenever she thought about how he would awkwardly pursue girls in the future.

Sabito is probably a bit stronger than Giyu, yeah, maybe.

After all, Ah Zhi had never seen what it was like for them to truly pursue someone, so she had nothing to refer to.

Hearing Aori say "lover" in such a serious tone, Tanjiro Kamado's face, which had just turned red from embarrassment, turned an even deeper shade, almost as if it were about to bleed.

The innocent boy rarely heard such ambiguous topics, especially gossip about Mr. Tomioka.

Tanjiro Kamado: "I'm so sorry."

Azhi casually waved her hand, indicating that she didn't take it to heart. After stepping out of the joking conversation, she suddenly realized something that she had overlooked from beginning to end.

--etc! ! !

The fact that the Demon Slayer Corps came to Yoshiwara on a mission means what? The answer, of course, is that Yoshiwara is haunted by demons.

When Azhi faced the truth, the ease that had been radiating from her face vanished abruptly, and even her breath seemed to freeze.

——There is a ghost in Yoshihara! ! !

She trembled almost imperceptibly, questioning every possible event, and suddenly remembered something that had seemed strange before, which filled her with fear.

Was it really a rat yesterday?

000 stubbornly insists: "...It's a rat."

000 was a little embarrassed. This was the first time it had been caught red-handed. Although it hadn't fully exposed what it was hiding, it wasn't far from being exposed.

Azhi still trusted 000 completely, and she immediately believed her, letting out a slight sigh of relief: "Okay, rats are pretty scary too."

000: I feel a little guilty.

In the end, he still couldn't escape the fate of seeing ghosts!

Aori felt she was really unlucky. She sighed deeply and noticed that none of the sweets in the box had been touched. So she simply pinched one out with her handkerchief and handed it to Tanjiro Kamado.

Mealtimes in the house were fixed, and in order to keep the girls thin, the portions were very small. Sometimes even Aori wasn't full, let alone the swordsmen who had to expend a lot of energy.

With a long time to go before the next meal, Azhi took on the heavy responsibility of feeding the animals.

The girl kept enthusiastically recommending her sweets, and her eager gaze was simply irresistible. Tanjiro Kamado took a piece and put it in his mouth.

Before Tanjiro Kamado could refuse, Aori busied herself pouring tea. She was adept at making what should have been simple and orderly things messy, though it was probably due to her own poor planning.

Cleverly, those who were treated this way could feel the girl's deep respect for them.

"Tanjiro, can you tell me what happened?"

Azhi hesitated for a moment, but still asked, "At this point, it's almost impossible to completely stay out of it."

The sweet taste blossomed on the lips and tongue, and the flavor was indeed as delicious as Miss Aori had praised. Tanjiro Kamado explained the whole story in just a few words.

Therefore, after learning that Yoshiwara was haunted, Aori was shocked once again. This time, she was shocked to discover that there were other intelligence agents lurking in Tokitoya besides her.

Azhi was hit hard; she simply couldn't believe it.

Impossible, absolutely impossible, this is impossible, she never noticed it at all!

Her dark eyes were wide open, brimming with anxiety, and her mouth was involuntarily agape. Her expression was exceptionally clear and vivid under the bright light.

Azhi urged the boy to continue with her gaze.

Tanjiro Kamado wiped away the crumbs of the sweets, sat up straight, and became serious: "I came here because of Suma, the courtesan. Do you know anything about her?"

So it was Suma.

Aori arrived at the Tokitoya before Suma, but she didn't spend much time with Suma because Suma, the courtesan, seemed to be a decisive and efficient person, which intimidated her, as she was essentially a lazy bum.

Unexpectedly, she was actually a member of the Demon Slayer Corps—no, she was the wife of a member of the Demon Slayer Corps.

"It's an unknown area," Azhi muttered. "I'm not quite sure either. Everyone says she 'ran away.' The landlady has looked for her a few times, but there seems to be no news... So something happened."

Because topics like "absconding" are quite sensitive in the red-light district, people deliberately avoid mentioning them, and over time, they are gradually forgotten.

Ah Zhi fidgeted with her fingers, feeling somewhat dejected. She regretted not paying more attention to the news about the other courtesans, which meant she couldn't be of any help now.

Even if she had known beforehand, it might have been useless, and she might have even lost contact with the person she was unaware of. But it was this sense of defeat from being caught off guard that made her feel uneasy.

She lowered her head, pursed her lips, and remained silent. Her shoulders slumped, her eyelashes cast a bluish shadow on her cheeks, and a deep sense of frustration appeared between her brows and eyes. Her pink lips were pressed together until they turned white.

"I can take you to Suma's room and see if there are any clues."

Even as she said this, Ah Zhi was actually quite uncertain herself.

The chances of finding any clues are slim. Since Suma first disappeared, that room has probably been disturbed many times, and it's likely that a new courtesan will move in soon.

"Just tell me the location, Ms. Aori," Tanjiro Kamado shook his head, refusing directly. "I'll go by myself."

He could tell from the beginning that Aori was not good at fighting, or rather, she didn't know how to fight at all, in addition to Mr. Tomioka and Mr. Sabito's prior instructions to him.

Miss Aori is like a beautiful but fragile piece of porcelain. It would be very unwise to involve her in this matter. She should just stay in her room and wait for the ghost to be eliminated.

But given the current situation, staying in the room doesn't seem very safe anymore; the entire Flower Street has become a hunting ground for ghosts.

"Tanjiro, are you alright?"

Azhi remained worried, gazing at the boy with her eyelashes trembling slightly and her dark hair falling from her ears. Her anxiety flowed like a stream between her brows and eyes.

She didn't know how arduous the training that young Tanjiro Kamado had undergone to join the Demon Slayer Corps. In her mind, he was first and foremost a teenager, and only then did he have any other identity.

With so many people already missing, this ghost that has hidden itself so perfectly must be something special.

If only she were a skilled swordsman, then Azhi wouldn't have to hide behind others and be protected, but could step forward to protect others instead. Her slender white fingers twitched unconsciously; Azhi was almost so anxious she started picking at her nails.

"It's alright." Kamado Tanjiro's expression was gentle, and his tone was undeniably firm. "I'll be careful, and Mr. Uzui is nearby."

Sensing Aori's worry, Kamado Tanjiro added.

——Okay.

The boy just briefly explained the situation of the Sound Pillar, Tengen Uzui. Although it was shocking that he had three wives, he is a Pillar and should be very strong. It's always good to have a reliable adult by your side.

Azhi felt a little relieved and didn't insist anymore. She nodded obediently and then sighed almost imperceptibly. If something really happened, she would be a burden if she were there.

Her composed image vanished; it turned out her incompetence had already been seen through.

"Tanjiro, shall we leave our luggage here for now?"

Aori noticed that Tanjiro Kamado always kept a large box next to him while he was working, which must have contained something extremely precious, as he never took it out of his sight.

When the Demon Slayer Corps is on a mission, it is inevitable that they will need to run and jump around, and if that's the case, they will definitely bump into things.

She pointed with her index finger and said earnestly, "I can watch your luggage for you."

To reassure the boy, Azhi patted her chest, leaned forward slightly, and said with unwavering sincerity, "Don't worry, I promise I'll stay in the room every step of the way."

Ah Zhi felt that while she wasn't good at anything else, she could at least watch over a box. Unless the box grew legs and could run away, she was sure she could take good care of it.

Before Tanjiro Kamado returns, Ori will not allow anyone to approach this box.

Tanjiro Kamado paused slightly as he reached for the luggage strap. His face flushed, and he scratched his head sheepishly. A hint of heaviness lurked in his clear voice: "It's not luggage."

The girl tilted her head slightly, her soft hair falling behind her ears, looking completely docile and harmless. She seemed puzzled by his answer but didn't ask; instead, she listened attentively.

Miss Aori's personality is just as gentle as her appearance, and this gentleness makes people unable to help but reveal their innermost thoughts.

Tanjiro Kamado heard himself say again, "It's Nezuko, it's my sister."

A note from the author:

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Let me see! Let me see! Let me see!