Companion

"Miss Yuko, are you saying...?" Tamayo's vacant eyes showed a flicker of confusion. She wondered if she had misheard.

Yuko knew this was an incredible thing, so she repeated, "I've already found a way to overcome the sun."

This time, she heard it clearly.

Tamayo's vacant eyes gradually brightened. The first thought that came to her mind was impossibility, but she immediately noticed the details in Yuko's words.

A way...

It proved that she herself hadn't changed.

The reason Muzan disliked his own kind yet continued to create more was to find a demon who could overcome the sun.

Each demon awakened a different Blood Demon Art, and perhaps one of them would be able to overcome the sun.

Since it was a "way"...

Tamayo hesitated, "Miss Yuko, are you referring to the Blue Spider Lily?"

As Muzan's attendant and physician, Muzan had turned her into a demon precisely so she could research a cure for the sun. It wasn't strange that Tamayo knew about the Blue Spider Lily.

Yuko didn't keep her in suspense. "Yes, I've already consumed the Blue Spider Lily."

Tamayo's breath hitched, her eyes flickering slightly.

It really was the Blue Spider Lily!

Muzan wasn't wrong. The Blue Spider Lily could indeed allow a demon to overcome the sun.

"The reason I could retain my consciousness after becoming a demon is very likely because I consumed this before."

So that's how it is.

Tamayo's pupils contracted.

After becoming a demon, the loss of self and the distortion of will were beyond the control of ordinary people.

Even with the strongest will, even for the closest family members from their past lives, after becoming a demon, they were merely food.

She had the most say in this matter.

After all, she, who had loved her husband and children so deeply, had personally eaten them.

That distortion of will was simply irresistible.

After hearing Yuko's words, Tamayo's expression turned grave. "Miss Yuko, please, whatever you do, don't let the demons discover that you've overcome the sun."

Otherwise, Muzan would go insane.

All the demons would go insane.

They would hunt Yuko like mad.

Until Muzan obtained Yuko.

At that point, Muzan would be invincible.

Yuko chuckled lightly. "Of course not."

Before the Pillars of the Taisho era had grown strong enough, she would absolutely not reveal herself.

"Regarding the Blue Spider Lily, I believe Miss Tamayo might need it," Yuko added. "I can provide it for you."

Yuko meant for Tamayo to consume the Blue Spider Lily as well, to help her overcome the sun's weakness.

Tamayo hesitated upon hearing this, then finally shook her head.

Yuko was puzzled.

Tamayo explained, "Muzan has been hunting me constantly. I don't possess the immense power you do, Miss Yuko. If he were to find me, Muzan would truly become invincible."

Yuko was slightly taken aback. She truly hadn't considered that.

But Miss Tamayo had been hiding quite well, so she should be fine, right?

However, this matter did carry risks, so Yuko didn't press further.

"What about for your research?"

Tamayo shook her head. "No, thank you. It would be best if you didn't even tell me its growing location or characteristics."

"Just knowing this much is more than enough for me."

She would not give Muzan any chance to learn even a shred of information about the spider lily.

Yuko nodded slightly. "I understand."

They sat in silence for a while. Yuko then asked, "Where are you living now, Miss Tamayo?"

Tamayo sighed. "I'm constantly on the move."

Just like me.

Yuko felt a headache coming on. "I was hoping we could keep in touch if the opportunity arose."

Tamayo asked, "Do you have a fixed residence, Miss Yuko?"

"Not at all."

"..."

That's truly...

Information transfer in ancient times was inherently slow, and without reliable means of contact, separation often meant forever.

However...

She seemed to have nothing else to do right now.

Yuko looked at Tamayo and hesitantly asked, "I wonder if it would be convenient for you to have company, Miss Tamayo."

Tamayo was momentarily stunned, then smiled, "Of course. Rather, it would be my honor to travel with you, Miss Yuko."

When two people with inherently kind hearts and shared ideals come together, there are no difficulties.

Tamayo glanced at the sky, "It's almost dawn. Please wait for me a moment, Miss Yuko."

"Just call me Yuko."

Tamayo smiled, "Then you can call me by my name too, Yuko."

"Okay."

What Tamayo meant by waiting was actually collecting some corpses for provisions.

It was the cusp of winter and spring, and during these days, as long as they were preserved properly, the meat wouldn't spoil easily.

Yuko didn't find Tamayo's actions improper. Perhaps in modern society, it would be a crime to desecrate a deceased person's body.

But in this era, the lives of ordinary people were not considered lives at all, let alone their bodies.

Bones exposed in the fields was a common sight.

Yuko helped Tamayo find some usable containers from the villagers' damaged houses and collected some intact corpses.

Tamayo gathered the food and asked, "Yuko, can you eat human food?"

Although demons don't die, they do experience fatigue.

Especially when using Blood Demon Art.

When a demon's stamina is depleted, the only way to recover is by consuming humans; human food is ineffective.

While it wasn't as unbearable as for ghouls, it wasn't much better either, and one would gradually lose their sense of taste.

The main issue was the inability to provide the necessary energy replenishment.

So Tamayo wondered if Yuko had also overcome this problem.

Yuko shook her head, "When Older Brother was around, I occasionally drank his blood."

"Since his passing, I haven't eaten in a long time."

Tamayo exclaimed in surprise, "Aren't you hungry, Yuko?"

Yuko gave a helpless smile, "Of course I get hungry, but I can endure it."

Tamayo had previously speculated whether Yuko had been abstaining from food, and now it turned out to be true.

What kind of willpower was required to endure that?

This was entirely different from a normal person going hungry. Even she, who had escaped Muzan's control, couldn't survive without blood.

The addiction of drugs was nothing compared to it.

Tamayo looked deeply at Yuko, then suddenly smiled, "I suddenly have an idea."

Yuko asked curiously, "What is it?"

"I want to open a clinic," Tamayo said slowly. "That way, I might be able to obtain a small amount of blood from patients."

"It might not be enough to be full, but it would at least be enough to sustain me."

Yuko smiled slightly, "That's a great idea!"

This was exactly what Tamayo did during the Taisho era.

By treating people, she would seize the opportunity to draw blood from her patients.

She and Yushiro sustained themselves this way.

Their eyes met, and Tamayo smiled as well.