The old woman gave Chiba Yo a kindly smile when she heard him and said, "Compared to what you do, our efforts are hardly worth mentioning.
"You must have had a hard night... thank goodness you weren't hurt..."
The old woman stepped forward, took Chiba Yo's hand, and gently patted it. He rose with her and supported her with his other hand.
The residents of the Wisteria House knew quite a bit about the Demon Slayer Corps, and this old woman understood the sort of work Chiba Yo and the others did.
Her words filled Chiba Yo with warmth, leaving him at a loss for what to say.
"It's a stroke of luck that we met you, too. It gives us a chance to repay our debt."
As she spoke, the old woman took Chiba Yo by the hand and led him toward the house behind her.
"Really, we only did what we ought to do," Chiba Yo said softly, helping her into the house.
Chiba Yo wasn't wrong. Most people who joined the Demon Slayer Corps had suffered at the hands of demons, and killing demons had been their primary reason for joining.
But as they witnessed the misery of those harmed by demons during their subsequent missions, protecting people became their goal as well.
The old woman smiled at his words.
"Everyone I've met from your organization has said the same thing. That responsibility would weigh heavily on anyone... you children ought to think a little more about yourselves, too."
As the old woman rambled on, Chiba Yo lowered his head and smiled. Almost none of the Demon Slayer Corps members he had met put themselves first. All of them worked hard to wipe out demons and protect humanity.
He had yet to think about himself, either. He