Ji Xing-Tamayo

In this era, demons never lacked food. Even setting aside those who died in war, there were plenty of vicious criminals in these troubled times.

As the wars grew ever more frequent, something Muzan had not expected happened: the demons under him who knew a little medicine took the opportunity to slip in as doctors. Not only could they dispose of corpses in secret, but they were also treated very well.

After all, physicians who could save lives were precious in wartime.

Thanks to her superb medical skills, Tamayo had also made quite a name for herself. Her reputation as a physician spread far and wide, and the only one who could rival her was Yanagisawa Jiyuki.

Jiyuki's medical skills might not have matched Tamayo's, but his Blood Demon Art was healing.

Unfortunately for him, whenever Tamayo arrived somewhere, she would help everyone she could before leaving. She also charged almost nothing for treatment-a true philanthropist.

Although Jiyuki generally did not charge for saving people either, he seemed to do everything "depending on his mood." Whether he saved someone depended on how he felt, and he also seemed very fond of collecting books.

Strangely, everyone knew Jiyuki and Tamayo, but hardly anyone knew Muzan's name.

In fact, many thought Muzan was merely a burden tagging along behind Jiyuki, while others thought he might be Jiyuki's bodyguard.

After all, a physician "too weak to truss a chicken" needed someone to rely on if he wanted to survive in such troubled times.

Who knew how many years had passed? Muzan had grown so bored that he seemed to have read almost every book he could find and could only reread them. Even his own medical skills had reached a respectable level, though with Jiyuki around, he could not be bothered to save people himself.

He felt there was nothing fun left in all of Japan. Over the years, he had experienced every nighttime attraction and scenic view. Unable to appreciate fine food, Muzan had also lost one of life's great pleasures.

All he did each day was read, sleep, and practice the sword techniques he had learned.

Muzan lay in the carriage, bouncing with every jolt, and glanced at Jiyuki, who was resting beside him with his eyes closed.

"Jiyuki, you should give up medicine and go into science."

Jiyuki opened his eyes, looking utterly confused.

Muzan stared at the wooden boards overhead. "Go learn to build ships and compasses. We'll head out to sea. Forget Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba-we're playing One Piece instead."

Jiyuki: "???"

Why can't I understand what you're saying?

Jiyuki's bewildered expression instantly took the fun out of it for Muzan. Nobody understood his references, and amusing himself was not much fun either.

In truth, in an era without powerful firearms or formidable supernatural forces, demons were practically invincible. Apart from being unable to find the Blue Spider Lily or figure out what on earth the Transparent World was, Muzan could do almost anything he wanted.

If he had wanted to create large numbers of demons, bringing all of Japan under his control would have been child's play. That only left Muzan even less motivated. The original scumbag boss had lacked ambition, and he was not much better.

"Fine. Go back to sleep."

At that, Jiyuki hesitantly closed his eyes again.

He had only just closed them when the carriage suddenly stopped, and voices came from outside.

They had run into bandits again...

But it was daytime now, so going outside was inconvenient for Muzan and Jiyuki.

A daimyo had sent men to fetch Jiyuki and ask him to treat his illness. Muzan, bored out of his mind, had told Jiyuki to accept, and the two had boarded the carriage for the exhausting journey.

Soon, the clash of weapons rang out outside, along with shouts and screams. Muzan grew a little uneasy. To be honest, they had encountered quite a few bandit attacks along the way and had already lost several men.

Judging by the noise, things were not going well this time.

It was high noon, and he really did not want to go outside.

But it looked as though the guards could no longer hold out.

He glanced at Jiyuki, who sighed helplessly. He did not want to go outside at noon either. Even beneath an umbrella, the sunlight could scorch his skin painfully.

He took a large black umbrella hanging upright beside him, lifted the curtain, opened the umbrella, and stepped outside.

After a burst of screams, Jiyuki lifted the curtain and looked at Muzan. "Taken care of."

Muzan squinted at the sunlight streaming in, then emerged under the umbrella's protection.

Taking Jiyuki's umbrella in one hand and grabbing his shoulder with the other, he vanished in a flash and appeared in the nearby forest.

Even after Muzan had taken him along on these "teleports" several times, Jiyuki still was not quite used to it. The instantaneous leap through space left his mind dazed and made him a little dizzy.

Muzan dumped him onto the ground. Rubbing his head, Jiyuki unsteadily found his footing. He was just about to ask his boss whether they were still going to see the daimyo when Muzan answered.

"We'll set out tonight. We already agreed, so we might as well go." Maybe I'll find some books I haven't read.

After several more days, the two people—scratch that, demons—finally found the daimyo who had invited Jiyuki to treat him. Muzan stood behind Jiyuki, watching him frown as he asked about the daimyo's symptoms at his bedside.

"My lord, your illness is rather serious."

Muzan could see it now too. The daimyo's illness was considered incurable in this era. In modern terms, it was a lung disease.

At those words, the daimyo's already frail face grew even more anxious.

Jiyuki changed tack. "I can treat it, but I'm afraid everyone else will have to leave. This is a secret method passed down in my family."

The daimyo hesitated. He was uneasy about being alone in a room with Jiyuki.

But many physicians had already declared his illness hopeless. Now that he had found a lifeline, how could he give it up?

Seeing him waver, Jiyuki urged him on. "If that won't do, I'll take my leave."

"Cough, cough, cough!" Frightened, the daimyo broke into a coughing fit. It seemed he could barely stop, as though he were about to cough up his lungs.

Once he finally finished coughing, the daimyo hurried to stop Jiyuki. "All right, all right! Everyone, get out."

After watching the servants leave the room, the daimyo closed his eyes at Jiyuki's instruction.

Keeping up the act, Jiyuki took a candy pellet from the bag he carried and had him swallow it, then treated him directly with his Blood Demon Art.

To the daimyo's amazement, after taking the medicine, he truly felt his suffering rapidly ease. A short while later, with Jiyuki's permission, he opened his eyes in delighted surprise.

Now, apart from a feeling of weakness, he was almost entirely free of discomfort.

Jiyuki took a box of pills made from ordinary restorative herbs out of the cloth bag at his waist, set it on the nearby table, and instructed him with a solemn air, "One pill a day, or your illness will return. Take them on schedule, and you'll be fully recovered in a month."

The daimyo nodded earnestly. "Sir, it's getting late. Dinner has been prepared in the manor."

Jiyuki stood and smoothed his clothes. Muzan also rose from where he had been sitting nearby.

Jiyuki shook his head slightly. "That won't be necessary. Just pay me for the treatment."

But the moment he finished speaking, the door burst open, and a group of men armed with swords and sabers surrounded them.

Looking sleepy, Muzan glanced at the daimyo sitting on the bed, his expression faintly displeased.