Knock, knock, knock—
The door in front of him opened...
"Hello, I'm lost, and I can't find anywhere nearby that sells food. If it's convenient, could I come in and have something to eat? Of course, I'll pay." Kakuzu kept his voice low. It had been a long time since he had spoken so politely to an "ordinary person."
The woman cradled her own head, seemingly unbothered by his earlier disappearance. The head in her hands had regained its gentle expression. "If you don't mind that we don't have anything particularly good to eat, come on in."
Once she agreed, Kakuzu followed her inside without hesitation. His decision to return here had come after careful consideration.
While reviewing his earlier escape routes, he had happened to notice that the creature had apparently never entered an occupied house to search for him.
That might have been because Kakuzu had never hidden in one, but with every other method exhausted and nothing working, he could only take a gamble.
He had chosen this woman because he hadn't been the one to kill her, and because she had shown them "kindness." Compared with the other "people," she seemed to retain some measure of reason.
At least, as long as he didn't anger her, she seemed far safer than that creature.
The woman went into the kitchen. "Have a seat. I'll make you something to eat. It's been a long time since anyone from outside came to visit our village. How did you get in?"
Rather than sitting down as she suggested, Kakuzu discreetly surveyed the objects around him. "Sorry for the intrusion. I actually wandered in by mistake, and now I can't find my way out. Do you happen to know where the exit is?"
Although everything in the house looked fairly normal