Beside the wooden railing of the Butterfly Mansion Estate's second-floor corridor, Sapphire Star sat on the floor, leaning against a pillar. A sheet of waxed paper lay before her, piled high with Japanese sweets and glutinous rice dumplings.
Her cheeks were stuffed full, and she watched the scene downstairs with shining eyes, beginning her daily dose of drama.
Sweat beaded on Tanjiro's forehead, and his face practically had "I'm sorry" written all over it. He was running for all he was worth, with Mr. Haganezuka behind him, brandishing a gleaming, razor-sharp blade.
Every roar from the craftsman shook the roof tiles: "Tanjiro, you little brat!!! I poured my heart and soul into that blade!!! Do you think slaying demons is like chopping firewood?! Die!!!!"
"Munch, munch..." Sapphire Star watched with relish, picked up another Mame Daifuku, and stuffed it into her mouth. She offered a muffled commentary: "(Chew, chew, chew) Ah, youth. So intense... really works up an appetite..."
The Butterfly Mansion Estate really was something else. Even its Mame Daifuku tasted far better than the ones she had bought in the Entertainment District.
She turned to look beside her. Inosuke was supporting his body on both hands, legs pointed skyward as he trained in a handstand. The Boar Headgear on his head swayed slightly with his breathing.
"Hey, Piggy (chew, chew, chew)... didn't you bash a bunch of chips into your two blades too? (Chew, chew, chew) Look, Tanjiro's about to run himself breathless. How come nobody's trying to kill you?"
Still holding his handstand, Inosuke snorted. "My name is Inosuke!!! Quit making up names for me! Of course they wouldn't dare come near the great me!" His chest visibly puffed out with pride.
"See this incredible aura of mine?! That's why! Ahahahaha!!"
"Whoa, badass! Seriously badass! (Chew, chew, chew)" Sapphire Star played along without a shred of sincerity and took another bite of her sweet.
"All right, sure, your aura's strong. Anyway, once you get a bit stronger-say..." She smacked her lips. "Once you become a Hashira, I'll teach you something good."
"Huh? What good thing?" Inosuke stared at Sapphire Star in confusion.
"Mm-hmm. An exclusive secret technique: Demon Mode! (Chew, chew, chew)" Sapphire Star said mysteriously.
"You happen to use dual blades, so this move's perfect for a dual-blade berserker! Though... you dual-blade users just can't compare to us Long Sword users..."
"Bullshit!!!" Inosuke exploded with rage and sprang up, landing firmly on his feet.
"Dual blades are invincible! And another thing! That Demon Mode or whatever-I'm not turning into some filthy demon!!"
"You don't turn into a demon!" Sapphire Star waved her hands frantically, nearly spraying crumbs everywhere.
"You can think of it as... a special way of using your body? For a short time, it pushes your strength, speed, and reflexes to terrifying heights! But..." Her expression grew a little more serious.
"The price is pretty steep. If an ordinary person, or someone whose body isn't tough enough, uses it, they'll be impotent for life. Since you're still single, that wouldn't be great..."
"Ha!" Inosuke planted both hands on his hips, and even his Boar Headgear seemed a little more imposing. "I'm no ordinary person! The strongest! The great Inosuke is the strongest!! My kidneys and all that are the strongest too!"
Sapphire Star simply kept stuffing sweets into her mouth. "Hope you don't chicken out when the time comes, kid~"
"Hmph! Whoever chickens out is a puppy!" Inosuke huffily turned his head away, but the slight twitching of his boar ears betrayed his newly stirred curiosity.
He thought again of those absurdly powerful figures. Becoming a Hashira... didn't sound too bad, did it?
Would I be the Beast Hashira? The Boar Hashira? The Fang Hashira?...
Just then, a voice so gentle it made his scalp prickle sounded behind him. "Oh my? Slacking off and chatting during training time, and making such a racket too, Inosuke?"
Every boar bristle on Inosuke stood on end. He turned stiffly and saw Shinobu Kocho's pretty face, her smile curved to perfection. Yet the shadow beneath that smile looked dangerous from every angle.
"Aaaaah, bug woman! I'm going to train right now!" Inosuke let out a shriek worthy of a boar caught in a trap, slammed open the sliding door, and shot away even faster than Tanjiro fleeing Haganezuka.
Sapphire Star stuffed the last sweet into her mouth and said indistinctly to Shinobu Kocho, "Perfect timing, Miss Shinobu (chew, chew)... want me to help you eat that pig's share too? Wasting food is bad..."
Shinobu Kocho kept smiling. A suspicious purple glint seemed to flash at her cuff. "Sapphire Star, are the sweets... good? Would you like me to make you a special serving to help your digestion?"
Sapphire Star's throat worked through a difficult swallow. "...No, no, no. This was plenty filling! Thanks for the offer!"
Downstairs, Tanjiro's screams and Haganezuka's angry roars continued to rise in alternation.
As evening approached, the training grounds finally quieted after a noisy day.
Tonight, however, the Butterfly Mansion dining hall was louder than ever. A wild, rich aroma of meat filled the air.
In the middle of the dining hall, the long serving table was bearing an enormous load.
A king-sized glutton tuna longer than an adult had been roasted to a glossy golden brown. Its thick bones stood out clearly, and it gave off a mingled scent of the sea and charcoal.
Beside it sat a small mountain of enormous steaks, seared crisp outside and tender within. Each was the size of a washbasin, and their rich juices gleamed temptingly in the lamplight.
Huge mushrooms and brightly colored seasonal vegetables had simply been skewered and grilled, releasing their natural, delicate sweetness.
Thick meat broth bubbled in several large pots, with appetizing chunks of bone-in meat rolling through it.
At the kitchen entrance, Sapphire Star's soot-smudged face was filled with pride.
"Come on, come on! Don't be shy! Eat your fill!" Sapphire Star waved grandly, her voice booming.
"Try our hunters' secret Purr-fect Platter Plus, Youth Edition! All the energy you could want!"
The three boys and the Butterfly Mansion residents were already staring openmouthed at this unimaginable feast.
Their usual staples of white rice and pickled radish seemed like distant memories before these formidable mountains of meat.
Tanjiro took a deep breath, and the rich meaty fragrance rushed straight to his head. His eyes shone brilliantly. "I... I'm digging in!" He picked up a large piece of crisp roasted fish skin and tender white flesh and stuffed it into his mouth.
An intense burst of savory flavor and firm texture exploded across his tongue. Warmth slid down his throat, as though nourishing all four limbs. "Mmm... so good! This flavor... it's full of strength!"
Zenitsu could no longer spare time for talking. He usually complained about Inosuke's crude table manners, but now he looked like a starving soul reborn. He speared a steak bigger than his face and buried his head in it, gnawing furiously. His cheeks bulged, and happy tears mingled with sweat. "Mmm, mmm... delicious... gulp... this meat... it's not fair... I feel... I feel like I could eat another ten bowls of rice!..."
Inosuke was the most extreme of all. Faced with this forest of meat, his wild soul boiled over!
"Awooooo!!!" He let out a strange howl, abandoned his chopsticks, and dug in with his hands.
He grabbed a large, succulent rack of ribs in one hand and a skewer of enormous grilled mushrooms in the other, attacking from both sides and devouring everything like a whirlwind.
Grease shone on his chin. "I've never eaten anything this satisfying! Power! The power's surging up!!" His muscles felt hot, filled with explosive strength unlike anything he had ever experienced.
Shinobu Kocho held a small bowl and sipped her broth elegantly, though her gaze rested on these unusual ingredients with a hint of scientific interest.
"Wow! This broth... the flavor has so many layers!"
"This meat... how can it be so tender and so satisfyingly chewy? The piece looks so huge!"
"The juices in the meat taste even richer than the broth!"
The Butterfly Mansion residents had fallen completely under the food's spell too. Forgetting all etiquette, they ate with gusto, their faces flushed with happiness and wonder.
Everyone gradually abandoned their initial caution and tucked in heartily, satisfied exclamations mingling with the sounds of chewing.
One by one, plates emptied and bellies grew round.
"Urp..." Tanjiro rubbed his noticeably swollen belly and leaned against the wall with a satisfied, silly smile. His limbs felt wonderfully warm, but he could barely lift them.
Sapphire Star smiled at the well-fed Tanjiro and asked:
"Tanjiro, before dinner, I heard Aoi and the others say you're heading off on another long trip?"
Tanjiro looked at the cloth-wrapped Nichirin Blade beside him, his expression turning serious. "Yes, I'm going to the Swordsmith Village." He scratched his head sheepishly.
"Mr. Haganezuka is really furious this time... I want to visit the village myself, ask the other swordsmiths about swords, and properly apologize!"
"The Swordsmith Village! Nice, nice!" Sapphire Star's eyes lit up. She slapped Tanjiro's shoulder hard enough to nearly knock the breath out of him.
"Taking responsibility! Nothing shows sincerity like apologizing in person! You've got this, kid!"
Tanjiro coughed twice from the slap, then smiled brightly. "Yes! I will! Thank you for the encouragement! I'll be careful on the way!"
Inosuke came over, his Boar Headgear nearly poking Tanjiro. "Oh! The smiths! Remember to bring back some of those dirt buns! Apparently they've got a really solid kind over there..."
Zenitsu gave Inosuke a feeble kick. "All you think about is food... Tanjiro's going there on serious business!"
Tanjiro laughed at their antics. "Okay, okay. I'll do my best!"
In the dining hall, Zenitsu and Inosuke started bickering again over what exactly "dirt buns" were. At some point, Shinobu Kocho appeared in the doorway, wearing her trademark dangerous smile.
"Everyone seems so full of energy! Bouncing around right after eating so much-you certainly have wonderful stamina. How about... getting a little exercise by washing all the dishes in the kitchen together?"
The three boys looked at the mountain of enormous bowls, plates, dishes, and chopsticks, and instantly fell silent...
The dining hall, so lively just moments before, was left with only the clinking of dishes and a few resigned sighs~
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