Chapter 41 "I will find you again!"...

The mountain path was rugged. Just like when they came, Kokushibo carried Aori down the mountain. Because it wasn't raining, the posture was slightly different; she was being carried horizontally.

Upper Moon once again demonstrated his strength to Aori, who was already used to treating herself as a large human-shaped pendant, mainly because she couldn't refuse.

First of all, her current clothes are not suitable for walking on mountain paths. Secondly, given her useless nature, if she were asked to go down the mountain alone, she would most likely be unable to walk more than a few steps, and those few steps would take her a lot of time and effort.

Along the way, Azhi kept observing the surrounding environment. Shangxian didn't try to hide anything from her and calmly held her in his arms. When they passed through a place full of wildflowers, they even slowed down.

Such a beautiful sight exists in a place that no one ever visits; anyone who sees it would surely be full of praise.

After descending the mountain, Azhi began to see scattered huts in her field of vision. Although there weren't many, they indicated that this was a place where people lived.

Shangxian stopped on a bustling street, probably the most lively one in the area. Even at this hour, many vendors were still operating, and the surroundings were as bright as day.

To be precise, it was a market that lasted from night until dawn. The arrival of A-Zhi and Kokushibo caught it just in time, as there weren't many people strolling around.

Even after her feet touched the ground and she saw the vendors on both sides, A-Zhi still felt a sense of unreality, as if it were all an illusion.

If she remembered correctly, Upper Moon seemed to have warned her very seriously, in a threatening tone, not to think about leaving, and that hadn't been long ago!

Ah Zhi began to panic: [Oh my god, what's wrong with him? Is he planning to sell me?]

Sometimes 000 really wants to figure out how Azhi came to have such a unique thought process, even though it lives in the girl's brain, it still can't understand it.

—I can't understand it at all.

000: [Yes, after all, you've been fattened up, little piglet!]

The tone was unmistakably teasing, but the timing was off. Although she felt somewhat relieved, Azhi was still furious: 【…You're getting more and more awful!】

In Yoshiwara, 000 had mentioned to her that they should go to the market after they came out. Unexpectedly, her words came true and she actually went to the market, but she went with a demon.

Aori looked around with a bit of curiosity, and when her gaze fell on Kokushibo's face, she realized that during the journey just now, Upper Moon had somehow turned into a normal human.

Yes, that's how easily it can change.

Azhi had to tilt her head back to see Upper Moon's face clearly. He had become like a human, with dark hair at his temples outlining his sharp facial features, deep-set eyes, and a cold expression.

The lines on his cheeks and jaw made him particularly eye-catching, but his outstanding height and strong physique made people keep their distance.

No one wants to cause him trouble; wherever he goes, a path automatically opens up for him.

Azhi, who was walking beside him closely, also felt the pressure. She felt like she was taking advantage of his power, even though she didn't mean it at all.

But in reality, to outsiders, their relationship is far less dramatic than Azhi imagines.

The tall samurai accompanying the girl exuded a deep aura. He carefully placed his right hand on the girl's back, watching her every move. His sharp gaze only revealed a hint of tenderness when he looked down at the girl.

Although Azhi was petite, she was not overlooked. Her soft black hair fell to her chest, and she had a rare and beautiful face. Her round eyes were bright and sparkling as she looked around. The girl's unfamiliarity and curiosity about her surroundings were obvious.

There seems to be an invisible rope between them. Kokushibo handed the rope that controlled him to Aori, which is reminiscent of a guardian and the protected.

Looking at their matching outfits, the colors must have been deliberately coordinated, making the relationship between Aori and Kokushibo quite obvious.

A newlywed couple, in the midst of the initial novelty, the husband's possessiveness towards his wife has not yet completely subsided over time.

Moreover, judging from the clothes of Kokushibo and Aori, they don't seem like people who would come to such a place. It's possible that the young wife of a nobleman longs for a lively and bustling market and pesters her usually serious and steady husband to accompany her.

While there was indeed fear of the imposing samurai, among those who kept their distance were also those who were afraid of disturbing the young couple.

In response, A-Zhi said... she was wronged!

Their eyes met unexpectedly.

Kokushibo lowered his gaze, casting a faint shadow on his lower eyelids, and his voice, carried on the night breeze, was incredibly gentle, "Want something to eat?"

It seemed as if she was the only one whose heart was racing due to nervousness.

At that moment, Azhi, who desperately needed something to distract herself, nodded quickly, like a chick pecking at rice, and compromised without even hesitating.

So Kokushibo led Aori to a shop.

The boss probably hadn't seen anyone that tall before, because he opened his mouth wide and stared blankly for several seconds, seemingly forgetting how to use the tools in his hand.

When he raised his arm, A-Zhi saw the tear in his clothes again.

Unlike her, who had changed into a new kimono, Kokushibo did not choose to change his own clothes, perhaps because the clothes he had prepared for himself were burned to ashes in the fire.

He was still wearing the outer garment that had been damaged in the fight with the ghost, although most of the damage was in inconspicuous places and cleverly hidden.

He didn't show any concern, but A-Zhi couldn't ignore it, especially since she had just cried in front of Upper Moon not long ago.

Compared to Kokushibo, who only had minor injuries, it was obvious that his injuries were a hundred times more severe.

Azhi was still crying in front of him, even though she knew she was only crying because she was emotionally overwhelmed.

If there were a crack in the ground, she would want to crawl into it right now and never come out, so that she wouldn't be so embarrassed.

The girl frowned, lost in some unknown sorrow, and seemed unable to make a decision. So, Kokushibo followed his boss's recommendation.

The reason the shop owner looked dazed was because he thought he had encountered robbers. His shop was located on the edge of the street, so he was often at risk of such incidents.

Kokushibo stood at the entrance, almost blocking out the entire store like a mountain. Even standing still, he could inspire fear.

Just as the shop owner, who had already decided to close up shop and was silently cursing his bad luck and resigning himself to paying to avoid further trouble, saw the girl slowly walking out from behind the young swordsman and breathed a sigh of relief.

The stalls sell semi-finished products, and Kokushibo doesn't need much, nor will it take long.

"Your order is ready." The shopkeeper smiled, his brows relaxed, and his kind face radiated unmistakable blessings. "You and your wife are such a perfect match."

This isn't just idle talk; the sight of a tall, imposing samurai traveling with his beautiful, petite wife is truly heartwarming and brings a smile to one's face.

How could he mistake such a devoted samurai for a bandit? He must have been too tired and hadn't rested well today.

A single sentence diverted Azhi's attention and left her frozen in place.

—W-what?

How could this boss talk nonsense and say such shameful things? She and Kokushibo aren't really husband and wife; it's all because of buffs.

Azhi was speechless.

A thousand thoughts raced through her mind, her heart pounded, and though her lips parted, she couldn't utter a word of denial, eventually closing them again.

The girl's cheeks were flushed as if painted with rouge, her pearl-like earlobes were also tinged with red, her smooth neck was slightly tilted, and she avoided looking over.

Kokushibo achieved his goal, and no one would doubt that they were a couple.

His deep pupils swept over the girl, and the corners of his lips curled up slightly without leaving a trace, but then returned to their straight lines the instant A-Zhi looked over as if she had sensed something.

The movement of Shangxian raising his hand stirred up a slight breeze, and the fragrance of incense mixed with the sweet scent of apple candy that lingered around him spread out, lingering in Azhi's nose.

Azhi instinctively took it, and as it touched Shangxian's long, bony fingers, she pulled her fingertips back, hesitated for a moment, and then held the wooden stick in her hand.

—It's apple candy.

Kokushibo handed her one, then carried the rest, which were packed up, in his hand. This store was frequented by many female customers, so the packaging bags were designed to be pink, which was somewhat out of place with Upper Moon's temperament.

They continued walking aimlessly forward.

A strange feeling arose in Aori's heart that Kokushibo was treating her like a child who had been wronged outside. She licked the candy—this was a tool used to comfort her.

So he was still trying to appease her?

If the person in front of her were Giyu Tomioka or Sabito, she might have already started complaining to them about her bad luck, and in the end, she might have been amused by their clumsy attempts at comforting her.

I had a similar experience when I was at Tokitoya, but it wasn't as intense or dangerous as this one.

Ah Zhi was always kind to others and believed that it was better to avoid trouble, so she never argued with anyone. Then she was accused by an unknown customer, and it was said that the matter had reached the landlady.

When Azhi learned about this, she was completely stunned and questioned her existence. She racked her brains for an hour but still couldn't figure out how she had offended someone she didn't know.

In the pleasure quarters, the standard procedure for handling such incidents is to make the prostitute admit her mistake, regardless of whether she is innocent or not, and regardless of whether she has been harassed for no reason.

The purpose is to avoid offending customers and to make business easier in the future.

Because A-Zhi had been behaving very well, the proprietress immediately understood what was going on. Instead of having A-Zhi apologize, she apologized on A-Zhi's behalf.

But the annoying person didn't accept it. Instead, he kept causing trouble for her. Sometimes he would suddenly barge in while she was playing the piano, which would startle the other guests.

Azhi won't remember things that make her sad very clearly. She'll let time blur them out, and it's best to forget them altogether, so as not to feel sad again when she thinks about them.

So at this moment, only one person came to mind: a person with a blurry face but a tall and strong build. In fact, because of her bad impression, Azhi always felt that this person was a repulsive person.

They seem to be the heirs of a very famous martial arts school nearby. They always make a big fuss when they come, and they are highly respected by the locals.

Moreover, I've heard from others that the owner of the dojo seems to have some connections with the government, and generally no one would provoke them.

Unfortunately, he just seemed to dislike A-Zhi.

Azhi couldn't stand it any longer and decided to step in herself. However, when she got to him, she felt like a rabbit with its fate being held by the scruff of its neck.

She was trembling all over and could barely speak. The heir rambled on and on, but she couldn't remember a single word.

This lasted for a long time, during which she remained depressed.

But one day, her life returned to normal, and the people she disliked disappeared from her sight.

Until one day, the rabbit let it slip.

"You didn't know?" The fleshy-haired swordsman was somewhat surprised, but after a moment's thought, he quickly understood the reason. He smiled and said to Aori, "I knew Giyuu wouldn't tell you."

Sabito said that the landlady sent a message to Giyu Tomioka, telling him in detail about Aori's recent experiences and hoping that he could take some measures to resolve the matter.

The black-haired swordsman immediately agreed, though of course, he didn't resort to any horrific means of revenge.

Giyu Tomioka simply didn't wear the Demon Slayer Corps uniform; instead, he challenged the dojo where the successor resided in full view of everyone, acting as an ordinary person.

The result was obvious: the dojo members suffered a crushing defeat, and in the most humiliating way—a defeat that left them with no face to be arrogant anymore.

Azhi had no idea such a thing could happen.

Sabito also said that he and Giyu were very angry because Ori hadn't told them about the trouble she was in.

But Azhi simply forgot.

Sabito and Giyuu didn't come often, and they didn't stay long either. Every time she came, she felt she had so much to tell them and so much good food to share with them, so she naturally forgot all about complaining.

At the time, Aori only thought that Giyu Tomioka was amazing, no wonder he was the target of the mission. Now, looking back, she still thinks he's so cool.

Many times, even though Kokushibo and Aori were very close, he always felt that the distance between them was actually very far, and that was the case now.

Even though A-Zhi was right next to him, and he could easily pull her into his arms, her half-closed eyes and the way she seemed to be thinking about something made Kokushibo feel like she was a phantom.

That was a past he couldn't participate in.

He subtly yet forcefully pulled Azhi away, asking, "How does it taste?"

The girl's gaze sharpened. Before she had even swallowed what was in her mouth, a small puff appeared on her chubby right cheek, like a little squirrel eating. Her eyes blinked. "It's so sweet."

As she ate, she stuck out her tongue and licked her lips, leaving a glistening residue that seemed to exude a delicate fragrance, even sweeter than candied apples.

Kokushibo's gaze lingered for a moment before casually shifting elsewhere.

Azhi hesitated for a moment, then turned the candy over so that the unbitten side was facing out, and handed some over, asking, "Want to try some?"

Ah Zhi knew that he most likely wouldn't try it.

The demons' diet does not include human food, and intelligence indicates that their sense of taste has undergone a drastic change. Apart from human flesh, even the most delicious food tastes strange to them.

As expected, Kokushibo shook his head.

His height required him to lower his eyes noticeably to look at the girl. He paused for a moment, then calmly and restrainedly said, "She is indeed very sweet."

Whether he was referring to the sweetness of the sugar or something else, he clearly hadn't tasted it. This ambiguous remark made Azhi immediately shrink back into her turtle shell.

Her pink and white fingertips involuntarily covered her mouth. Azhi stomped her foot on the spot, no longer wanting to pay attention to Shangxian.

She felt she had been bullied, but couldn't quite put her finger on how. Her voice was trembling with anger: "Why is he acting so strangely today?"

000 thought so too; it was almost dawn, and the ghost was still wandering around outside.

—Are you willing to risk your life for a date?!

Just as Aori thought that Upper Moon would take her away to the next place that resembled a "temporary stop", Kokushibo suddenly stopped.

Azhi didn't notice that Shangxian, with his eyes lowered, was staring at her almost greedily, like a ferocious beast that had been hungry for a long time but had not been satisfied, desperately suppressing himself.

But the next second, Kokushibo suppressed the reluctance that was about to erupt from his heart.

Of course, he didn't want to be separated from the girl for even a moment. It had taken him so long to meet A-Zhi again, but the cruel reality was that Kokushibo needed to go to the Infinity Castle and meet Muzan Kibutsuji in the coming days.

He couldn't possibly take Azhi with him to the Ghost King's headquarters, nor could he let Azhi wait for him alone again.

If there's an ambush in the Infinite City, taking A-Zhi with him would be like walking into a trap. If he doesn't take A-Zhi, she might be attacked by ghosts again.

Kokushibo was not loyal to Muzan Kibutsuji, so he naturally distrusted him greatly. He ruled out both of the above paths, and all the signs pointed to one direction.

Letting Aori leave and allowing her to return to the protection of the Demon Slayer Corps is the best way to ensure her safety at present.

The fact that the Demon Slayer Corps has not been eliminated by Muzan Kibutsuji for so many years is enough to show that they have a method to hide their tracks, and that this method is unknown to Muzan.

Moreover… the Demon Slayer Corps member who came to pick up Aori that day should be a “Pillar”, even though he was very weak.

Kokushibo made a rather disdainful assessment.

"Ori," Upper Moon called out.

This decision, which was incredibly difficult for Kokushibo, was probably a pleasant surprise for the girl. She might be very happy to be able to escape, and she might even forget what happened during this time.

Azhi responded and looked over.

Without giving her any more time to react, Kokushibo suddenly closed the distance, his iron-like arms encircling her in his embrace, his well-defined knuckles controlling her slender shoulders, leaving her no way to escape or retreat.

They were almost breathing together.

From a very early age, Aori knew that she couldn't actually refuse Kokushibo. The reason was simple: her frail body and her easily compromised mind made her resistance seem insincere.

Just like now, she stretched out her hands and pushed against Shangxian's chest, but because of her weak strength, it looked more like she was snuggling against his chest and acting coquettishly.

At this moment, Aori and Kokushibo looked just like any ordinary newlywed couple, with the husband expressing his passion and the wife shyly wanting to escape.

Azhi heard some kind laughter from passersby.

With their eyes locked, Upper Moon slowly leaned down, gently lifting Aori's chin as if to soothe her, then brushed aside her slightly damp forehead hair, and like a brand, lightly touched her forehead with his lips.

They parted at the slightest touch, yet inexplicably felt a lingering tenderness that could drown a person. The bustling surroundings receded like the tide, leaving only the small space where A-Zhi and Kokushibo were.

Suddenly, Azhi's breathing slowed down. She stared at Shangxian, feeling dizzy as if she were lacking oxygen, and couldn't react to the situation for a long time.

However, this time, the other party did not wait for her either.

Upper Moon leaned down and whispered in her ear, his breath hot and his voice low and husky. Whether it was her imagination or not, A-Zhi even felt as if he was biting her ear and talking.

His prominent Adam's apple bobbed up and down, as if making a promise, and his low voice suppressed many unspeakable things. Kokushibo said earnestly, "I will find you again!"

In her daze, Azhi realized that he was saying goodbye.

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Author's note: Pay attention, this author is something else, making Upper Moon One suffer a breakup on May 21st.

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The Demon Slayer Corps arc will begin in the next chapter. Thank you to all the little angels who voted for me or watered my plants between 2023-05-21 01:53:26 and 2023-05-21 20:53:10!

Thank you to the little angels who watered the nutrient solution: 30 bottles for Twelve Autumns; 5 bottles for BG Lovers;

Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!