Chapter 52 "If someone finds out... they'll be terrified..."
Compared to last time, a significant improvement was that this time they were traveling by train.
Aori thought that only Tomioka Giyuu and Sabito would accompany her, but five more people joined the group when they set off, which showed how much the lord valued it.
There were eight people in total, sitting side by side across the aisle.
Aori and Giyu Tomioka sat together, opposite Sabito and Tanjiro, and across the aisle were Zenitsu Agatsuma, Inosuke Hashibira, and the Tokito brothers.
Aori now knows a bit about Tokito Ichiro and Tokito Muichiro.
Sabito said that the two of them were extremely talented and became Pillars of the Demon Slayer Corps in less than two months. Now, the older brother, Tokito Ichiro, is the "Cloud Pillar," while the younger brother, Tokito Muichiro, is the "Mist Pillar."
At first, Aori didn't really understand what it meant, but later, thinking about how Giyu and Sabito had also gone through many hardships to become Pillars, she couldn't help but feel a deep respect for them.
As for the future of the Demon Slayer Corps, you are enough.
Tokito Ichiro and Tokito Muichiro were sitting diagonally opposite Aori, in a position that could be noticed with just a slight glance.
The boy's mint-green eyes kept glancing this way, perhaps without any intention of hiding them. After a while, it was hard for A-Zhi not to notice.
Azhi first doubted herself.
To make things easier, she's wearing the same team uniform as everyone else today, which was lent to her by Ms. Kanzaki Aoi from the Butterfly Mansion, so there shouldn't be any problems.
She touched her face, feeling a little embarrassed, tugged at the black-haired swordsman's sleeve, and leaned closer: "Is there something on my face?"
I was in such a rush this morning that I didn't even have time to look in the mirror. I wonder if I accidentally got some stains on myself somewhere, and nobody even reminded me.
There is nothing there.
The girl rested her chin on her hand with a worried expression, her innocent charm lingering. Her fair face was flawless and clean; even the most discerning eye could not find a single flaw.
Giyu Tomioka gripped the armrest of his seat, lowered his eyes to look closely, and his deep blue eyes lingered on Aori's face for a moment.
Then he reached out and touched the girl's cheek, the touch as light as a gentle breeze.
This behavior directly led to Azhi's misunderstanding.
"Where?"
Azhi blushed and prepared to take out a handkerchief from her pocket, whispering a question into Tomioka Giyuu's ear.
She walked all the way with her face covered in graffiti, and not only were she seen by the Demon Slayer Corps, but even strangers at the station probably noticed her. It was so embarrassing.
Giyu Tomioka: "…………"
He paused, then shook his head.
Seemingly noticing that the gazes directed at them were bothering them, Aori saw Tokito Ichiro turn to the side and whisper to Tokito Muichiro... She guessed that the more lively one must be her older brother, Tokito Ichiro.
After that, she couldn't detect anything unusual, though it's also possible that the other person was observing her more discreetly.
The journey from Butterfly House to Mount Setsun was not short, and the group would be on the train for a long time, so they prepared delicious bento boxes in advance.
It's clear that they prepared it with care; the lunchbox was packed full, with a variety of contents and a delicious aroma and color that makes your mouth water just looking at it.
Everyone was enjoying their meal, and Aori was also eating as much as she could. Her appetite was considered large among the members of the Tokiya, but compared to the swordsmen of the Demon Slayer Corps, it was clearly not enough.
It felt like she had only taken a few bites and hadn't even finished chewing when someone else had almost finished and was preparing to get another box.
The boy wearing the pig's head mask finally took it off. He was really handsome, and A-Zhi was so shocked by his appearance that she couldn't close her mouth.
Under everyone's watchful eyes, Inosuke Hashibira roared at his bento box, "Ino-tsukush!"
Azhi: "…………"
Under pressure, she couldn't help but move faster, but even so, Azhi couldn't keep up with the crowd that was being sucked in by the storm. Even the seemingly gentle Shi Tou and the others were not slow.
As the rabbit cleared its dishes, it already knew the answer in its heart and asked gently, "Are you still full?"
The girl slowed down, staring at the lunchbox as if facing a formidable enemy, clearly indicating that she couldn't possibly fit it all in.
Just like a kitten's appetite, it's so small that you can't help but want to rub her belly to see if she's actually eaten anything.
Azhi nodded, holding her stomach.
Seeing everyone enjoying their meal so much, she couldn't help but have a bigger appetite. However, after only a couple more bites, she was already stuffed.
Indeed, one should always act within one's capabilities.
Azhi has a good habit. She knew from the beginning that she would never be able to finish a bento box, so she set aside the portion she wanted to eat before even picking up her chopsticks, and left the rest untouched.
So there are probably about two-thirds left.
So, Giyu Tomioka naturally ate the rest of the rice ball, while Sabito devoured the remaining rice and vegetables in Aori's lunchbox.
They seemed to work together seamlessly, with a clear division of labor, as if it were something they had always been used to.
Tanjiro Kamado couldn't help but smile, his red eyes crinkling as he remarked, "Mr. Tomioka, Mr. Sabito, and Ms. Ori have such a good relationship."
He had seen this with his father and mother before. Sometimes his mother would lose her appetite, and his father would take care of finishing the leftovers.
As he laughed, Tanjiro Kamado suddenly realized that there were three of them, and he shouldn't think of them in that way.
But after thinking for a long time, he still couldn't find a more suitable one.
In short, they have a very good relationship.
********
"This is Sheyun Mountain, but it has been uninhabited for a long time."
The old man at the foot of the mountain said this, and looked at Azhi and her group, who were going up the mountain the next morning, with a very puzzled look.
But there was no other way; 000 said the secret was on this mountain, so Azhi had no choice but to convey that message.
According to legend, Sheyun Mountain, which is protected by a mountain god, is actually very large. From a distance, you can see undulating mountains, dense forests that block out the sun, and lush vegetation everywhere.
Once you actually go inside, you'll realize it's not as harmless as it seems. The ground is covered with a thick layer of grayish-green moss, and you can easily slip and fall if you're not careful.
However, it was indeed a scene where no one paid any attention.
Although no one has raised any questions yet, Azhi is under a lot of pressure. She is also afraid that after a difficult journey over mountains and valleys, she will end up with nothing.
Following a piece of information they had gathered, they bypassed many unnecessary troubles until they reached this treacherous cliff.
The few remaining square rubble fragments indicate that there were steps here a hundred years ago, but they are now in a terrible state of disrepair.
The slope was already very steep, and the randomly protruding rocks made it even more difficult to pass through.
However, these were no problem for the Demon Slayer Corps swordsmen; only Ori was upset.
She was sweating a little, which dampened the soft, wispy hairs on her forehead. Her eyes, looking up, were round and bright, and even the fine downy hairs on her cheeks seemed to glow faintly in the dappled light.
Tokito Ichiro and Tokito Muichiro could see it very clearly.
Tokito Muichiro was a little further ahead, with Tokito Yuichiro sandwiched between them. He leaned against the stone wall and softly urged, "Brother!"
Only a few seconds later, Tokito Ichiro moved.
He slowly extended his hand, his expression seemingly casual, yet his actions clearly indicated that he was about to offer help.
"Tokito-kun?" Aori was genuinely puzzled. She didn't dare to call him by his name directly. She paused for a moment before realizing what he meant and hesitantly extended her hand.
The previous incident made her think that the two brothers might have some issues with her, and she planned to avoid them as much as possible in the future so as not to bother them.
It seems that this is not the case now.
In fact, not only Aori, but also Giyu Tomioka was somewhat surprised.
He had already gone up ahead of time and was about to bend down to help the girl when Tokito Ichiro, who had been silent throughout the journey, had already made a move before him.
His surprise stemmed precisely from Tokito Ichiro's behavior.
As the "Cloud Pillar," Tokito Yuichiro is known for his sharp tongue, which many members of the Demon Slayer Corps have experienced, though everyone knows he means no harm.
Muichiro is kinder, but perhaps because they spend a lot of time together, he has gradually become somewhat sarcastic and can occasionally say things that are so hurtful they can kill someone.
Because they hadn't spoken much, Giyu Tomioka might not know much about their personalities, but he did know that none of them seemed like the type to actively help ordinary people.
"Someone as weak as you should just state your location and wait patiently down there," is the kind of thing they would say.
However, they are currently in their rebellious teenage years, so it seems like they can justify anything they do.
Giyu Tomioka paused for a second.
However, the true feelings of Tokito Ichiro and Tokito Muichiro were far more complex than others imagined.
After the meeting ended yesterday, they were returning to their residence one after the other as usual when Tokito Ichiro heard his younger brother quicken his pace to keep up with him.
Before Tokito Muichiro could even speak, the twins' unspoken understanding already told Tokito Yuichiro what he was about to say.
Sure enough, Tokito Muichiro smiled absently and shared excitedly, "Brother, I feel a warm feeling in my heart when I see her."
It's strange, I unconsciously want to get close to her, as if they've met before and should be family.
The truth is that all their relatives had passed away long ago, leaving only the two of them, who were related by blood, to depend on each other for survival.
Looking at the glimmer in his younger brother's eyes, Tokito Ichiro, unusually, did not refute him, but nodded.
The girl's hand in my palm was slightly cool, smooth and delicate to the touch, like the finest jade, every part of it was exquisitely crafted, completely different from their hands.
But Tokito Ichiro had a feeling that this was how it should be, and as if afraid of losing his grip, he silently tightened his grip and bent his arm to pull the person up.
Then, Azhi was lifted into the air again.
She desperately suppressed the urge to kick her legs, and stared blankly at Tokito Ichiro's arms, which looked about the same thickness as hers, hidden under his black uniform.
—Wow, that's really strong!
********
We walked and stopped frequently, which took quite a while, but fortunately, the view gradually opened up.
Ah Zhi, panting, couldn't help but mutter to herself: "This secret was kept so well hidden; no wonder it hasn't been discovered for so many years."
She thought she still wouldn't get a response, because the system hadn't said a word all day!
000, who had just returned from a discussion at the system center, happened to overhear this. It paused for a moment: "If someone finds out... they'll be terrified!"
Azhi instantly became alert: 【！！！】
The next second, her voice trembled, her lips pressed together as if she was about to cry, and she accused, "You finally decided to talk to me!"
000: […………]
A black pot was placed on its back, almost making 000 unable to straighten its back. If people said this, they would think that 000 had done something to her.
What do you mean by "finally deigning" to talk to her?
000 clearly remembered telling Azhi that she was going to leave again, and as usual, warned her not to cause trouble during this time before leaving with peace of mind.
Clearly, its host not only forgot all of this after taking a nap, but also turned around and blamed it.
000: I'm shivering and freezing!
However, to prevent the situation from escalating, 000 chose to calmly reason with them: "Last night, after Giyu Tomioka and Sabito left, didn't I tell you I had to go back to the system center?"
A-Zhi: [...]
She opened her mouth, but choked for a moment.
It seems there was such a thing, but she was so sleepy at the time that she forgot about it.
Realizing she was in the wrong halfway through her outburst made her incredibly guilty. Azhi paused for a moment, then lowered her eyes and said weakly, "I thought you were angry."
She was like a wilted plant.
000 sighs: [Lifeless.]
If it were so easily angered, it would have died of anger long ago.
After a moment of silence, 000 said in a serious tone, "However, I have good news and bad news. Which would you like to hear first?"
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Author's note: My brain: Writing like this feels great!
Hand: I don't want to type.
I've already figured out how to write it in my head, but I just don't want to type. It's so painful. To cure my procrastination, I'm going to devise an extra update plan: for every 1,000 comments or nutrient solution I get, I'll add an extra update, with each extra update being around 2,500 words (that's roughly the number of words I need to finish writing one plot point). Of course, since I'm a relatively inexperienced author, I definitely won't be able to add many extra updates in a day, so I'll have to save up the extra ones.
So, who agrees? Who disagrees? (If you disagree, then disregard what I said _(:з」∠)_ Thank you to all the little angels who voted for me or watered my plants between 2023-06-08 20:49:34 and 2023-06-10 13:17:45!
Thank you to the little angel who watered the nutrient solution: Little Bookworm Chuchu (3 bottles);
Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!
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