Chapter 025
Gyomei Hirumijima didn't stay long at the Demon Slayer Corps headquarters after being brought to it by the Anbu personnel. After meeting Ubuyashiki Kōya and confirming the demon patrol area that he would take over after becoming the Rock Pillar, he had nothing else to do.
Managing the entire Demon Slayer Corps is not an easy task. Just when Gyoumei of Sadomasuma thought that Ubuyashiki Kōya was going to be busy again and it was time for him to leave, he mentioned Kiyoki.
"Xingming has already met Axi, right?"
Under the eaves, Ubuyashiki Yoya knelt on the floor of the corridor and started chatting for the first time.
At the other party's signal, Beiming Island Xingming stood up from his half-kneeling position. "Ah, I just went to the clinic and sent a pair of sisters whose parents were eaten by ghosts. They happened to be received by Ah Xi."
"Aki has used her talents at the infirmary over the past six months to save many of my children (swordsmen) from certain death. She's truly amazing." Ubuyashiki's tone was sincere, and one wouldn't mistake his words for mere praise; rather, he genuinely believed in Kiyoki's prowess. "Now, she's teaching her skills to Arata."
At this point, even Ubuyashiki Takashi, a teenager who had experienced so much and remained calm, couldn't help but take a subtle tone. "...Although, according to the information passed down by A-class player Watanabe, the learning process was a bit rough..."
As soon as he said this, it was obvious that he also knew about Ueno Arata's days of poking ghosts to learn some skills.
Listening to Ubuyashiki Kyouya's words, Beiming Island Xingmei suddenly said, "My lord, I have something I must report to you. Ahita..."
"I know." Before Gyoumei could continue, Ubuyashiki Kyouya spoke up. "Gyoumei is talking about Aki's ability to pull things out at will, right?"
A look of astonishment crossed Beiming Island Xingming's face, but after a moment of shock, he admitted, "Yes, although Ah Xi rarely used that ability when we were still in the temple, but...how could those traps she dug even catch a wild boar?"
The trap was less than half a meter deep, and the bottom was filled with bamboo needles, but it couldn't let a wild boar out.
Only four kids, Youta, Sho, Airi, and Sayo, would believe that clumsy lie.
"I know about this." Ubuyashiki Kazuya repeated what he had just said, "It happened on that day."
What day was that?
Gyomei Hirame quickly understood that that day was the day he accepted his lord's invitation and joined the Demon Slayer Corps.
Thinking about Qingxi's attitude towards Beimeijima Gyomei, who was worried about the old mother whose children were away from home, Ubuyashiki Kyouya couldn't help but chuckle, and began to tell him little by little what Qingxi had told him about her origins while the other party was confused.
He thought that she wouldn't mind him telling Beimingyu Xingming about her origins.
"That's pretty much what's going on with Aki," Ubuyashiki Kōya said. "However, she doesn't seem to want too many people to know about her own affairs. But, hehe... since she loves to eat, I don't think she can hide it for long.
What's more, she has special treatment for children and women, so..."
The words stopped at the point, but it also let Beimingyu Xingming know that even if they didn't say anything, she would reveal the secret herself. But it didn't matter. He mentioned Qingxi's ability this time just to reveal the secret to Ubuyashiki before she accidentally let it out. In this way, if someone used this to attack Qingxi, she would be fine.
Now that the lord told him that he had already known about Qingxi's matter, he felt relieved.
But, as for the world of gourmet food, I don’t know what kind of world it is.
Overhead, a crow flew by. Both knew that their rare casual chat was over. Ubuyashiki Yoya stood up and said, "I won't keep you here at headquarters for dinner today. I think Axi is already waiting for you at the clinic."
"I understand. Then, my lord, I will leave first."
Ubuyashiki Yoya turned and walked towards his office. Suddenly, he remembered that he had not mentioned Qingxi's age to Beimingjima Xingmei. His steps forward paused slightly, but he immediately took another step forward.
Although the child downplayed his own situation at that time, the fatigue in his eyes was difficult to conceal.
Now that she has the chance to start over again, why not put aside everything that happened before and live a good life? Although, in his opinion, the Demon Slayer Corps is not the right place for her.
After leaving the headquarters, Beiming Island Xingming returned to the clinic under the guidance of the waiting Yinbu personnel.
"Mr. Beimingyu, please go to the cafeteria for dinner." Qingxi didn't know that his identity had been told to the two-meter-tall monk in front of him by Ubuyashiki Kakuya, so he took the other's hand and walked towards the cafeteria.
In fact, Gyomei Hirame has very good hearing. He can hear Qingxi's footsteps and keep up with her pace without Qingxi holding her hand. Otherwise, how could he join the Demon Slayer Corps despite being blind, kill fifty demons in just half a year, and then be promoted to a Pillar.
However, Qingxi's impression of Gyoumei on Beiming Island was still that of the young man in the temple who was very easy to talk to, being held hand by Youta, Xiang, and Airi, and who was particularly accommodating to these children. Even when the rain stopped and the mountain road was muddy and difficult to walk on, he could carry her on his back and set a trap for her...
This is probably what the legendary "darkness under the lamp" means.
Guiding Beimingyu Xingming to sit down at the dining table, Qing Xiren went to the kitchen. When she came back again, she was pushing a small wooden cart.
"Bang!"
The bowl, which was a circle larger than two of Qingxi's washbasins, was filled with a huge mountain of white rice.
"Bang! Bang!"
A bowl slightly smaller than the one filled with rice was placed on the table by Kiyoki and Shinobu Kocho, who came to help. One of the two bowls contained vegetable tempura and croquettes, and the other contained yudofu.
"Mr. Beimingyu, there's plenty of rice and vegetables. I made plenty."
Qingxi, who hadn't cooked such a large meal for a long time, put her hands on her hips and looked quite proud.
Although Beimingyu Xingming couldn't see with his eyes, he could tell from the size of the bowl she was holding in her hands that the little girl seemed to have made sufficient preparations for this meal...that is, her preparations might be a little too big.
He has a big appetite, but isn't this bowl a little too big? Are you sure this isn't a washbasin?
The Butterfly Sisters, who had nothing to do for the time being, had the same idea as him. In fact, when they saw the amount of food Qingxi made in the kitchen, they really thought it was for several people, not just for Mr. Beimingyu.
However, watching Beimingyu Xingming quietly pick up his chopsticks and start eating, the two sisters had a big question in their minds. Thinking back to the past two days when they followed Beimingyu on the road during the day and stayed at Ziteng House at night, how much Beimingyu ate? Was Beimingyu's appetite controlled back then? And was his current appetite his true level?
The Butterfly Sisters, who felt they understood the situation, gave the space here to the two people, one big and one small, while they went to look around, especially the ward.
They were born into medical families, so they have a solid foundation and can quickly learn how to take care of patients.
After the two left, Qingxi and Beimingyu Xingming were the only two people left in the cafeteria. Taking care that the other was eating, Qingxi sat aside and briefly talked about the trivialities of her life in the clinic over the past six months.
Beimingyu Xingming had finished his meal until there was only the bottom of his bowl, and he could no longer eat. There were still many dishes left on the side, but he still forced himself to finish them.
Holding his bloated stomach, Beimingyu Xingming hesitated for a moment before saying to the girl who asked if he wanted another helping, "Ah Xi, next time... use a little less and a smaller bowl. Today's portion is a bit too much for me."
I know the little girl is worried about not having enough to eat, but overeating and wasting food are also bad things.
Qingxi blinked, then she quickly apologized, "Sorry, sorry, I thought Mr. Beimingyu would have a big appetite. I will be more careful next time."
"Then this bento," Qingxi put the dishes back on the cart, then came out of the kitchen with a food box and placed it on the table, "Mr. Beimingyu, you can eat it when you're hungry."
He felt like he wasn't hungry all afternoon, and this feeling would continue until he went out for patrol at night. Beiming Island Xingming: "...I understand."
After sitting in the clinic for a while, Beimingyu Xingming finally felt less bloated and was able to stand up. He told the girl the address of the house his lord had given him, and then left the clinic carrying the same oversized lunch box as the one he had had before.
"Hmm, it's the newly promoted Rock Pillar, right?"
On a small road some distance from Tokyo, Rengoku Makijuro, who had just returned, saw the tall figure passing by. He turned around and greeted the other person enthusiastically. "I heard the lord mention you."
Being called, Gyoumei of Beiming Island stopped and Rengoku Makijuro walked up to him: "Let me introduce myself first, I am the Flame Pillar Rengoku Makijuro."
Beiming Island Xingming nodded at him: "Hello."
"The lunch box in your hand?" It's no wonder that he mentioned it, but this lunch box is really big.
"It was given to me by the child I used to live with," said Beiming Island Xingming. "She's helping out at the clinic now. Her name is Qingxi. Please keep an eye on her from now on."
"So it's Aki. If it's her, I have a good relationship with that kid."
When talking about people they both knew, what was originally just Rengoku Makijuro's proactive behavior of building good relationships with colleagues was gradually accepted by the other party at this time.
"In that case..." Gyoumei hesitated for a moment. He held out his hand holding the lunch box and, to Rengoku Makijuro's bewilderment, handed it to him. "If you don't mind, could you help me finish this lunch box?"
Rengoku Makijuro took the packed oversized lunch box with a confused look on his face, "Hmm, it's okay, but isn't this the food that Aki prepared for you?"
Beimingyu Xingming: "...Ah, it seems like she misunderstood my appetite. I already ate too much at lunch, so it would be a waste for me to take this portion."
"Hahahaha." Rengoku Makijuro laughed uncontrollably. "I see. In that case, I'll take this... uh, super-large bento."
Beimingyu Xingming couldn't help but cover his stomach with his hands: "Please feel free to do as you please."
After bidding farewell to Gyoumei Hirame, Rengoku Makijuro returned to the Rengoku house carrying his lunch box.
After finishing his sword training for the day, Rengoku Kyojuro heard his younger brother Senjuro calling "Father" and walked towards the source of the sound while wiping the sweat from his face with a towel hanging around his neck.
"Father, what are you holding in your hand?" Senjuro, who was held in Rengoku Makijuro's arms with one hand, looked curiously at the thing in his other hand.
"This is the lunch box that Aki prepared for the Rock Pillar."
After hearing his father's explanation, Rengoku Chijuro's little head was even more confused. "If it was prepared for Rock Pillar-sama, why is it in your hands, father?"
"Well, it's because the Rock Pillar is too full."
Doubts grew in Rengoku Chijuro's little head.
Rengoku Kyojuro, who happened to overhear the conversation between the two, said: ...?
He put his youngest son on the ground and handed him the large lunch box. "Chijuro, take the lunch box to your mother first. Kyojuro and I will go wash up and come back later to eat together."
Rengoku Chijuro: "I understand."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
