Haruto's impression of Saori was still that stubborn face of hers from eight years ago.
Raising her infant daughter alone, going out to sea to fish before she had even recovered from childbirth, and enduring the neighbors' vicious gossip...
Despite all the hardships in her life, this geisha from Asakusa had stubbornly tried to rebuild her shattered life with her own two hands.
After the mission involving Nure-onna and the Ox Demon, Haruto had sent Saori money through the Kakushi.
In an era like this, simply surviving was difficult enough for ordinary people, let alone a widowed mother with a baby.
Yet Saori had returned even that small sum untouched.
After learning the cause of her husband's death, she had refused to let the rest of her life, or her daughter's entire life, become entangled with demons again.
Haruto had respected her choice and never bothered her again.
He had never imagined that, after years apart, they would meet again like this.
A demon-slaying swordsman and a demon.
How absurd.
But what concerned Haruto more was where Rika, the baby Saori had held in her arms back then, had gone.
Humans who became demons usually killed those closest to them. If that had happened here, was Rika still alive?
Haruto frowned slightly and said in a low voice, "Your husband is dead. Two demons killed him... and now you've become a demon yourself."
The Fisherwoman's smile slowly faded until it vanished completely.
"Nonsense," she retorted coldly.
"My husband went out to sea. He'll be back here soon.
These people tore down my home. Now my husband won't be able to find his way back."
The Fisherwoman grabbed a blood-drenched skeleton beside her and hurled it at Haruto. "So they... deserved to die!"
Haruto flashed aside, dodging the victim's remains.
That