Haruto returned from the Swordsmith Village to Mount Sagiri before winter's first snowfall.
Sakonji Urokodaki sat outside the wooden cabin as always, welcoming him with a calm gaze.
Mr. Urokodaki's children had grown up one after another, then left his side, one by one, to attend to their duties in the Demon Slayer Corps.
The once-lively Mount Sagiri had gradually grown quiet with the passage of time.
Things will be different after the New Year, Haruto thought.
After the New Year, he planned to bring Tanjiro here and settle Kie, Nezuko, and the younger children-Delia, Rokuta, and Shigeru-in town. Takeo seemed quite interested in swordsmanship too. Perhaps he could become a demon-slaying swordsman like his older brother.
With Genya joining them, Mount Sagiri would soon be lively again.
Just as it had been when they were young.
That night, Haruto went out to patrol his territory as usual.
"Oh? It's snowing?"
Amid the cold winds sweeping through the mountain woods, crystalline snowflakes drifted down, soon cloaking Mount Sagiri in silver.
"Hah..."
Haruto breathed a puff of white mist into the night sky. Snow meant the New Year was drawing near.
When the New Year comes, I'll ask Shinobu and Genya to come back to the Swordsmith Village with me.
Who knew how many blabbermouths had been at the Butterfly Mansion that day? Gossip about Haruto and Shinobu had swept through the entire Demon Slayer Corps on the autumn wind.
Even that fellow Ubuyashiki had sent a letter to tease him, though the writing on the paper was rather crooked-Kagaya could barely see anymore.
Unexpectedly, it had been Sabito who brought the news to the Swordsmith Village. After hearing about it, Godogawa had written Haruto more than a dozen letters in a row, each with only one point-bring that girl back