Chapter 47 "I don't want to tell stories anymore."...
Tanjiro Kamado felt an undeniable gaze from behind, like a knife. Confused, he turned slightly to look and saw Zenitsu Agatsuma looking at him with perfect clarity, as if he wanted to devour him.
Tanjiro: I have a bad feeling.
Fortunately, a heavenly sound saved him.
After Aori withdrew her hand, she turned to look at Zenitsu Agatsuma and Inosuke Hashibira, and blinked tentatively, "You must be Tanjiro's companions. I'm Aori. I've heard him mention you before."
She wasn't being polite. Tanjiro had talked to her about this topic when they were at the Tokitoya. Although they seemed a bit strange now, it didn't stop Ori from naturally developing a liking for them.
Excitement caused the girl's fair face to flush slightly. Beneath her long, curled eyelashes, her bright eyes curved upwards, causing her soft eyelids to lift as well.
Seeing this scene, Giyu Tomioka and Sabito couldn't help but feel warm. All their hard work over the past few days was for Ori to be able to be like this.
Just laugh happily like that, without any worries.
Inosuke Hashibira turned away uninterested. Looking at Aori's thin arms and legs, he knew she was another one who couldn't survive in the mountains.
More interested in the two people called "Pillars" behind her than the girl was the girl herself, and he was eager to have a fight with them.
But Zenitsu Agatsuma felt incredibly happy.
If Zenitsu was just now jealous that Tanjiro was able to meet such a beautiful and cute girl, now he couldn't wait to squeeze through the stove door and Tanjiro came to the girl's side.
Girls who know his true nature won't shake hands with him, and he doesn't have many opportunities to shake hands with girls who don't know his true nature.
“Miss Aori, it’s a pleasure to meet you too—”
His voice was lively and loud, a kind of energy that a boy should have, completely different from Giyu Tomioka and Sabito.
The blond-haired boy twisted his body, trying to pounce, but he had only just stretched out one hand, and before he could even touch the girl's soft, fragrant hand, his collar was lifted up by a strong hand.
He lifted his feet off the ground, turned his head in a daze, and met the black-haired swordsman's face, who was frowning and scrutinizing him closely.
Because once you enter a certain state, it's easy to get carried away and ignore your surroundings, so Zenitsu Agatsuma didn't realize the danger was coming.
Of course, this is mostly because the "Pillar's" ability to conceal his presence is far superior to his.
My wife Zenitsu:! ! !
Aori watched helplessly as Zenitsu thrashed about in the air a few times, speaking very slowly: "...Giyuu?"
Yoshiyuki Tomioka stepped inside, his voice calm: "Don't block the doorway when you speak."
Azhi paused for a moment. She felt that the black-haired swordsman seemed a little unhappy. Unsure, she secretly glanced at him again.
Next, Giyu Tomioka and Sabito took Aori to see the room she would be staying in temporarily. The room was small, but it had all the necessary items, making it very suitable for living alone.
They came directly here, so it's safe to assume that it was all planned in advance.
Azhi was still looking around, and in her daze, she suddenly realized something and said in surprise, "This is the room I stayed in before."
Before she went to the Tokitoya, she lived in this room at the Butterfly Mansion, but she wasn't the only one living there back then.
Here, she integrated into this world and got through the most confusing period of her life.
The reason she recognized it was because Azhi found a rattan chair by the window with three cats carved on the edge of the armrest.
She carved it with a knife on a whim while lying on it sunbathing one of her days.
Yeah, it was carved terribly. I almost cut off my own finger back then and got a lot of scolding.
So it's been so long and it hasn't been moved yet?
Azhi jogged over. There wasn't a speck of dust on the rattan chair. She touched the ugly cat pattern and felt a little nostalgic: "It's still here!"
—They've moved back.
The rabbit silently thought to itself.
Because I had always kept A-Zhi's return in mind and wanted her to be comfortable in the Butterfly Mansion, I started making preparations before anything unexpected happened.
At the time, they thought it was just a simple matter of going to the totenya to pick up the person, but they never expected so many things to happen.
As if by chance, his gaze swept over the girl's deep purple kimono, which looked even more precious under the light.
It wasn't obvious at first glance, but now that she's indoors, bathed in light, the flowers outlined with special silk threads shimmer, creating a dazzling and beautiful effect under the light and shadow.
However, the more beautiful Aori looked in the clothes, the less Sabito could bear to see them on her for even a second longer, and his expression twisted for a moment.
A moment later, the flesh-haired swordsman pinched the tip of his nose to cover up his actions, coughed lightly with a natural expression, and said to A-Zhi, "Go take a bath and rest for a while."
—Throw away this garment that bears the ugliness and filth of evil spirits.
It would be best to throw it into the stove as fuel.
********
Azhi then took an extremely comfortable bath.
The facilities at the Butterfly House were very complete. When she lay in the warm and comfortable pool, she truly felt that all her discomfort had been washed away, and she almost didn't want to leave.
Taking a bath without having to think about anything is so relaxing.
Azhi didn't know what the next steps would be, and she didn't think too much about it. Her delicate mind couldn't hold too much, otherwise it would cause her brain to shut down.
The people at the Butterfly House were very thoughtful; not long after she finished her bath, a little girl came to bring her food.
So she's about to experience the most relaxed period of her life?
Azhi was lost in thought. She casually tidied her hair, and her eyes involuntarily drifted to the wicker chair that looked comfortable no matter which way you looked at it.
This is the scene that Giyu Tomioka saw when he arrived.
The girl leaned lazily against the wicker chair, probably wanting to dry her hair. She slightly raised her chin and let her damp hair fall onto the back of the chair.
Her jet-black hair cascaded down the back of the chair, her fair cheeks and full neck blending together like snow on a mountaintop.
She stretched out her arms and spread her fingers, looking at the starry sky through the gaps between them, her eyes sparkling. The string of coral beads he had given her was encircled on her wrist.
He didn't have much thought when he bought it; it was just a coincidence. By the time he realized it, the well-packaged jewelry box was already in his hand.
But looking back now, Giyu Tomioka feels that his decision back then was so correct, and that the coral beads were so suitable...
Under his watchful eye, the girl shifted to an even more comfortable position. She changed from leaning back to curling up, her legs tucked in, and she sank into the chair, looking just like a lazy cat.
The night breeze was gentle tonight, blowing softly in through the window, casting a silhouette of the lamplight around her.
The hand that was about to knock on the door stopped. Giyu Tomioka stood at the door for a long time. He seemed to hear his heart beating strongly, faster than usual for some reason.
He felt that the surroundings had become very quiet, and even time seemed to have stopped. If he could, he would really wish that time could stand still at this moment.
Realizing his own thought, the black-haired swordsman snapped out of his daze. He frowned in confusion, his usually tightly closed lips becoming even straighter.
He finally knocked on the door and called softly, "A-Zhi."
Aori was too careless; she forgot to close the door. Just now, when Tomioka Giyuu and Sabito left together, they made sure the door was closed, so she opened it again afterward.
Sure enough, as the girl turned to look at him, Giyu Tomioka saw a small tray with food on his right side, which was turned away from Aori.
—The truth has come to light.
After receiving permission, he slowly walked in.
While eating, Azhi was cooling off. She had just finished bathing, and the steam had given her cheeks a vibrant color, making her look delicate and radiant. She sat up straight and looked at the black-haired swordsman, waving her hand at him with great speed.
She was holding a rice ball in her hand, and subconsciously wanted to share it with the black-haired swordsman who had just arrived. However, there was only one rice ball left, and she had just taken a few bites.
Azhi stared blankly at the rice ball for a few seconds before finally coming up with a solution: she broke off the piece she had bitten, leaving about two-thirds of it.
That's what she thought, without considering whether it was appropriate, whether Yoshiyuki Tomioka was hungry, or whether he had already eaten while she was taking a bath.
000 speechless: This idiot.
Sure enough, before the girl could pry it open, Yoshiyuki Tomioka had already walked up to her, his fingertip blocking her elbow, and he stopped Aori from doing so.
Meeting her gaze, Yoshiyuki Tomioka shook his head and said succinctly, "I've already eaten."
Azhi slapped her forehead, realizing she had been making assumptions, and gave an embarrassed laugh.
Because of their close proximity and the superior vantage point, Yoshiyuki Tomioka could clearly see that Aori hadn't dried her hair. Water droplets seeping from her hair slid down, leaving several wet streaks that clung to her slender neck.
As if startled by the sudden gaze, the water droplet, which had been motionless, timidly slid down and eventually disappeared into a more hidden place.
Yoshiyuki Tomioka abruptly looked away, suddenly realizing that it wasn't the right decision for him to talk to Ori; he should have been with Sabito.
Before coming, the flesh-haired swordsman thought that the girl might not want to see him because of what happened on his way back, so he came alone this time.
He took a deep breath, trying to suppress the inexplicable panic in his heart, and looked out the window at the slivers of light streaming through the gaps in the trees not far away.
He had seen this commonplace scene many times before, but this time was quite different from any of the previous ones.
After refusing to eat, the black-haired swordsman stood quietly to the side. Azhi suspected that he had seen something interesting, otherwise why would he be so engrossed?
So she held a rice ball in one hand, propped herself up on the window frame with the other, and craned her neck to look. Her feet were no longer on the rattan chair, but rather neatly placed on the solid wood floor, which made her fair skin stand out even more against the dark floor.
However, there was nothing in sight except a boring expanse of darkness.
Azhi was unwilling to give up. She turned her head to ask, but hesitated the next second.
He was backlit, his entire outline was bright, but his face was shrouded in darkness, and a deep and hidden emotion seemed to be churning in his dark eyes.
“…Yiyong?” Azhi called his name.
She had just come out of the bathroom, her eyes still wet, and there seemed to be no sharp edge in her body or even in the depths of her soul, making her all the more gentle.
When Giyu Tomioka looked over, he had already returned to his usual reserved demeanor, but when his gaze fell on Aori, he still flinched almost imperceptibly.
He then asked quite naturally, "What's wrong?"
Ah Zhi thought to herself that she had indeed misread the image.
She sat back down in the wicker chair, and after thinking for a moment, she figured the black-haired swordsman must have something to say to her so late, so she very considerately asked, "Do you have any plans for tomorrow?"
The girl rested her chin on one hand, causing a bulge to appear on her cheek, making her look incredibly cute.
Tomioka Giyu met her gaze for two seconds, then couldn't resist gently rubbing her still slightly damp head, and said very slowly, "It's because the lord wants to see you tomorrow."
Strictly speaking, he and Sabito didn't ask Aori many questions, nor did they ask them in great detail, because they knew that even if they did ask, Aori would still have to answer them a second time.
Although the little information she revealed was enough to anger them.
He then said, "My lord has some questions for you, is that alright?"
—My lord?
Azhi was stunned for a moment.
Both Tomioka Giyuu's tone and expression clearly showed his respect for his lord.
This forced Aori to take the matter more seriously. All she could think of was that the master wanted to ask about her experience with Kokushibo.
She didn't seem to be refusing; she's accepted it now.
If we remove the things that can't be said, even if she described all the other details, it seems that the one who should be embarrassed is not her, but Kokushibo, because Kokushibo's behavior is the strange one.
Although this might seem like putting all the blame on him, Ah Zhi has made up her mind to help him find a partner who can truly love him, as a way of making amends.
Thinking this, she nodded to Yoshiyuki Tomioka: "Okay."
She spoke naively to 000: "It's just telling a story in front of the lord, isn't it?"
She had met Lord Kagaya once a long time ago. At that time, Kagaya Ubuyashiki was just a young boy a few years older than her. She vaguely remembered that he was a gentle and kind boy who had comforted her.
000 couldn't understand how someone as smart as her could have brought out such a dim-witted girl like A-Zhi. It asked doubtfully, "Are you sure?"
Azhi was utterly bewildered and vehemently condemned 000's occasional tendency to speak in riddles: "What? Explain yourself!"
【…………】
Mistaking the girl's silence for fear, Giyu Tomioka bent down slightly to meet Aori's gaze, "Don't be afraid,"
Perhaps it was because the lord she remembered was too gentle that Azhi felt little nervous. She slowly took a bite of her rice ball and said, "I'm not afraid."
However, the next day, Azhi tragically experienced firsthand what kind of riddle 000 was playing.
It was another sunny day. After breakfast, Aori was taken to the Ubuyashiki residence by Giyu Tomioka and Sabito.
The intricate route made it impossible to tell which way to go. In the courtyard covered with white gravel, Aori saw the other pillars of the Demon Slayer Corps besides the "Water Pillar".
The good news is that Giyuu and Sabito are with her.
The bad news is that she didn't know anyone else besides them.
I originally thought that the four of us—Lord, Yiyong, Sabito, and herself—would be gathered together listening to her tell a story, but the reality was quite different from what I had imagined.
Azhi was completely dumbfounded; she stared blankly around.
There's the towering pillar, the one chanting sutras while holding prayer beads; the pillar with piercing, owl-like eyes; the pillar with face painted with oil paint… and that pillar in the striped clothes, is there a snake coiled around his neck?!
If I'm not mistaken, the white-haired man with three scars on his face was glaring at them menacingly, his expression anything but friendly.
Of course, not all pillars are so scary; women's pillars generally look quite normal.
And those twin boys standing in the corner, less noticeable, who were the last to look over, didn't seem so scary after all.
However, regardless of which pillar it was, they all carried a special aura. To put it bluntly, if Aori saw these people under normal circumstances, she would definitely avoid them.
Her voice trembled noticeably, and Azhi nearly fainted. Every strand of her hair screamed rejection: "I don't want to tell stories anymore."
000: [。] It knew it would turn out this way.
So, under everyone's watchful eyes, the girl slowly changed from walking side by side with the three of them to hiding behind Giyu Tomioka and Sabito, while she was still holding onto one of their haoris with each hand.
Like a little tail trailing behind, it dares not show its head.
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Author's Note: This chapter has some highlights, haha (●—●)
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These past few days I've had a sore throat, my ears hurt, and my nose hurts too; I think I might have hepatitis B. Then my period suddenly started too. It seems like all these disasters happen at once! _(:з」∠)_
Thank you to all the little angels who voted for me or watered my plants with nutrient solution between 2023-05-31 22:33:03 and 2023-06-03 23:18:14!
Thank you to the little angels who watered the nutrient solution: Ayang (66 bottles); Scottish Cat (35 bottles); Wenjiu Qingshiyin (20 bottles); Little Bookworm Qiuqiu (4 bottles); Qiqi Walking on the Road (1 bottle);
Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!
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