The first time Gyutaro heard the name "that Takanashi," he was still in the Shinagawa pleasure district.
The Shinagawa pleasure district was one of the better-known pleasure districts of the Edo period. Before his and Ume's battle with the Demon Slayer Corps swordsmen sparked a widespread fire, it had been every bit as prosperous as the Yoshiwara Pleasure District.
If they stayed in one place too long, people would notice that her beauty never aged. To avoid trouble, he and Ume moved every so often, changing her professional name each time.
Warabihime, Miyuki-hime, Yajuhime... whatever the name, it always had "hime" in it.
Ume liked Shinagawa. Mount Fuji was visible from there, the scenery was lovely, and the madam of their brothel wasn't nearly so meddlesome-not like Mitsu, the madam of the Kyogoku House. If she hadn't insisted on exposing Ume's identity, why would his lovely, adorable little sister have killed an old hag she didn't even want to taste...
How stupid...
In short, Shinagawa was nice, and Ume liked it, so Gyutaro was happy too.
When Ume happened to hear from the other courtesans that a very handsome swordsman with a beautiful sword dance had arrived at another brothel, she naturally became interested in meeting him.
If he was an ordinary human, they would catch him and eat him. If he was one of those Demon Slayer Corps vermin, they would catch him, torment him, and then eat him.
He and Ume worked together flawlessly, without equal. That was how they had gone from two siblings who had nearly died on a winter night to members of the Twelve Kizuki, the elite among demons.
Ume found out which inn he was staying at and went there after dark.
He wasn't there.
His room was empty and very tidy.
That