Chapter 15 Chapter 15 Chapter 15
“…”
Azhi paused for a moment, and after confirming that she hadn't experienced tinnitus and that there was nothing wrong with her mind, she fell into deep thought: "...Little sister?"
Is this the younger sister she understands?
Azhi swayed slightly in shock, barely managing to steady herself by supporting herself with one hand on the ground, somewhat overwhelmed by the emotional rollercoaster.
This was indeed hard to accept, and Tanjiro Kamado had already prepared himself mentally before saying it. Meeting Aori's incredulous gaze, he nodded firmly.
"It's my younger sister."
Azhi's eyes widened, filled with doubt, and she raised her voice without hesitation: "How could you put my sister in the box? What if she gets suffocated?"
She was at a loss, but at the same time she was telling Tanjiro Kamado about the danger of his actions.
The wooden box was well-made, with each piece cut perfectly. It seemed to be made of some special material, and the whole box looked quite compact. It was also coated with a layer of lacquer, making it a good box for storing things, but not suitable for putting people in.
This is a fact that even A-Zhi can see.
Tanjiro, wake up!
The pretty girl's eyes widened, her delicate brows furrowed, her soft voice became slightly higher due to urgency, and her face was full of disbelief, making her look very serious.
It seemed that she had retained her last shred of rationality, which was why she didn't grab him and shake the water out of his head.
It was the kind of look that made you want to smile. Tanjiro Kamado's lips curled up slightly, but the smile quickly faded.
What should I do? Should I say that Miss Aori is a good person just like Mr. Tomioka and Mr. Sabito?
Behind the anxiety that Ms. Aori showed was a deep concern. When he met those clear eyes, Tanjiro Kamado simply couldn't use false words to deceive her.
He took a deep breath and finally told the whole truth.
"Because I went out to sell charcoal, my family was attacked... and then Nezuko turned into a demon..."
In just a few words, Tanjiro Kamado seemed to return to that winter, when he discovered the bodies of his family members in the cabin and relived that feeling of despair and collapse.
Fortunately, he now has something else supporting him as he moves forward step by step. He then tells her how he met Giyu Tomioka and how he joined the Demon Slayer Corps with Nezuko.
"Nezuko is a demon, but she doesn't eat people."
Despite saying that, Tanjiro Kamado still frowned and closed his eyes tightly when he finished, as if he were about to be judged.
Not everyone can accept Nezuko becoming a demon, and Tanjiro has been able to deeply understand this fact since the Pillar Meeting.
But Tanjiro Kamado knew perfectly well that he couldn't blame anyone else for this situation; it was just human nature.
He was a little afraid to imagine how he would react if Miss Aori showed a look of fear and disgust.
Tanjiro Kamado really didn't want to have any conflict with anyone because of this, not even the slightest one, and he especially didn't want to disappoint the people that Mr. Tomioka cared about.
—There's a lot of information here, and it will take time to digest it.
Azhi's mind was in a mess. She hadn't expected that her words would directly expose the deep wounds buried in the boy's heart. She was so annoyed that she wanted to find a crack in the ground to crawl into and never come out again.
All her other relatives were killed, and only her younger sister survived but became a ghost. Just hearing about it caused Azhi immense pain, and she felt that she would go crazy if such a thing happened to her.
Although the tears that welled up in Tanjiro Kamado's eyes did not fall, Ori still felt an unprecedented sense of guilt, the kind of guilt that would make her curse herself "I deserve to die" every time she thought about it later.
Guilt consumed her entire being, and the "ghost," which should have been the focus, failed to attract her attention at all.
Aori regretted her words. She clasped her hands together and hurriedly apologized, "I'm sorry, Tanjiro, I didn't mean to say that, I'm so sorry..."
The situation seems to have been completely reversed, from Tanjiro apologizing to Ori at the beginning to Ori frantically apologizing to Tanjiro.
000: It feels like watching a performance.
There's a situation where you won't panic as much when others seem more panicked than you. This is called "walking your own path and leaving others with nowhere to walk."
Azhi's current performance perfectly exemplifies this situation.
Tanjiro Kamado was puzzled as to why things were taking such a strange turn. He sat there blankly, blinking his beady eyes, and suddenly realized that his earlier struggles had been pointless.
He repeated the key point with a blank expression, even emphasizing it: "Miss Aori, I mean, Nezuko is a demon now."
"…………"
The boy's lips pressed into a straight line, behaving like a child facing a sealed gift but afraid to open it, fearing disappointment, as he asked with a mixture of anticipation and fear, "Aren't you afraid?"
A-Zhi almost burst into tears. She carefully confirmed that Tanjiro Kamado didn't seem to be hurt by her attitude before her mind started to work again.
—Is Tanjiro's sister, Nezuko, a demon?
Was it the kind of ghost she imagined, the kind with a mouthful of fangs that looked ferocious and wanted to eat people?
My head hurts so much, is my brain growing out?
Ah, no, he already said Nezuko doesn't eat people, and Giyu and Sabito seem to know about it too, so...
—Don't ghosts need to breathe?
How big of a ghost can such a small box hold?
What does a ghost that doesn't eat people look like?
Ah Zhi was having a crazy brainstorming session. When she was confused, she was like a pure and innocent little animal. However, even though she had a lot of questions, she didn't dare to ask them because of her slip of the tongue earlier.
“I’m not afraid.” She patted Tanjiro Kamado on the shoulder, gave up thinking, and answered his question. “It’s a bit strange, but the world is full of wonders.”
Ori accepted Nezuko's fact that she was a demon but didn't eat people well, after all, there were many unbelievable things about her, and she was also associated with a 000.
A ghost that doesn't eat people is a good ghost!
"Moreover, if it's Giyuu and Sabito, then there's no mistake."
Aori has a natural fondness for the young boy in front of her. Strictly speaking, Tanjiro should be Giyu and Sabito's junior brother.
Aori always openly showed her trust in Giyu Tomioka and Sabito in front of others, and she was able to easily give away this kind of precious emotion that was especially valuable at times.
She also placed this trust in Tanjiro Kamado, whom she was meeting for the first time, although it was based on her trust in Giyu Tomioka and Sabito.
—The trial is over, and he has been given a new lease on life.
Tanjiro Kamado bit his lip, placed his hands on his knees, bowed deeply, and tears streamed down his face uncontrollably, dripping onto the floor: "...Thank you so much."
The boy felt a great weight lifted off his shoulders, as if he had just been standing on the edge of a cliff, where even the slightest unfavorable wind could have blown him off.
Suddenly, besides the pain of losing her loved ones, Aori suddenly felt the invisible yet incredibly heavy shackles on Tanjiro Kamado's shoulders.
She was surprisingly sensitive to such emotions.
This boy must have always been filled with unease and confusion, unease about his sister turning into a ghost, and confusion about the uncertain future and how his fate would unfold.
Azhi has experienced this feeling: helplessness, confusion, and fear. This kind of negative emotion, which has seeped into her bones, can never be perfectly hidden. It takes time to slowly dissipate.
Just like when she first came to this world, even with 000's help, A-Zhi still suffered a lot when trying to integrate. The two of them were practically looking in a mirror.
Not far away, Azhi slowly propped herself up, leaning slightly forward, and touched the boy's fluffy bangs as if following her heart. The texture was completely different from her own; it was a little prickly, but not too sharp.
Just like Tanjiro Kamado's outward appearance.
"Don't cry, Tanjiro." Aori was always optimistic, knowing that frowning wouldn't solve anything, so she tried to make a difference with her simple words. "Don't think so much. Nezuko's existence is a huge source of hope."
Azhi had this feeling for no reason.
The girl took out a handkerchief and gently wiped the tears from his cheeks. Her eyes were bright, as if reflecting a sky full of stars: "If you two keep each other company, things will definitely get better in the future."
In her simple mind, even though Nezuko had become a demon, she clearly still retained human reason, so Tanjiro was not alone in facing boundless pain.
Aori wanted to lighten the mood, but unexpectedly said something very sincere: "I, Giyuu, Sabito, we all believe in you."
Perhaps due to their personalities, even if someone believes in them, such as Mr. Tomioka, Mr. Sabito, Zenitsu, and Inosuke, they will only express themselves through actions rather than words, and even when they do speak, it is in a veiled manner.
No one had ever spoken so frankly to Tanjiro Kamado, so confidently about the hope that things would get better. In fact, even Tanjiro himself was uncertain about it.
This is undoubtedly an unprecedented encouragement.
"So warm."
Tanjiro Kamado murmured involuntarily, feeling as if he were floating in a warm wave, his chest throbbing strangely.
The light shone down from above, casting a shadow on the girl's fair profile and slender neck. Her clear black and white eyes gazed at him, her expression gentle, even her hair seemed to be tinged with a warm hue.
Throughout the entire process, Tanjiro Kamado did not detect any fear, apprehension, or suspicion from Ori, not even the slightest hint of it; all he smelled was a soft, faint fragrance.
As he got closer, Tanjiro Kamado finally realized what that faint fragrance he had initially smelled was.
It was the scent of wisteria blossoms, lightly wafting around the girl, gently scattering with the slightest movement.
It's so warm that it makes you want to let go of all your burdens and briefly immerse yourself in this boundless peace.
Aori stroked Tanjiro's hair, feeling a surge of accomplishment: [I'm a qualified senior now; it seems I'm better suited for ideological work.]
000: [You were the one who brought up someone's painful past first, weren't you?]
【Hmph!】Aori secretly rolled her eyes. She thought 000 was awful, but she subconsciously relied on it. 【There's something I find a little strange… I'll have to ask Tanjiro about it when he leaves.】
A note from the author:
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Let me see! Let me see! Let me see!
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