For Tanjiro, the half day he spent at the Butterfly Mansion was like a beautiful dream of returning to the human world from a scene of carnage. After washing the blood and grime off his body, changing into a clean, fresh yukata, and applying Shinobu's specially formulated, remarkably effective medicine, most of his pain immediately subsided. He sat in the Butterfly Mansion's spacious dining hall, with a lavish spread of dishes Kanae had cooked herself laid out before him.
"Delicious! This is so good! Lady Kanae's cooking is the best in the world!" Tanjiro shoveled rice into his mouth, swallowing tears along with the grains. During those seven days on Mount Fujikasane, he had survived on nothing but wild fruit and roots. Now, every mouthful of hot food made him feel the reality and beauty of being alive.
Rokuya sat across from him, with more than a dozen stacks of empty bowls piled before him. With his Magic constitution and the berserk power he kept active year-round, Rokuya had an astonishing appetite. As he ate, he watched Tanjiro wolfing down his food out of the corner of his eye, and the corners of his mouth rose involuntarily.
"Slow down. No one's going to take it from you. You'll need a full stomach to have the strength to see the person you want to see." Rokuya lifted his teacup and took a gentle sip, his gaze growing deep. "This year's selection was only the beginning. Tanjiro, the Sun Breathing you've mastered is still very rough, but in those demons' eyes, you're a branding iron too dazzling to bear. The road ahead will be a hundred times more dangerous than Mount Fujikasane."
Tanjiro stopped his chopsticks and looked up, meeting Rokuya's eyes with a resolute gaze. "I'm not afraid, Mr. Rokuya. As