Early on the morning of the Final Selection, Kanzaki Kumo arrived at Mount Fujikasane.
Since he had not been particularly busy lately, and had keen eyesight and great speed, Kagaya had assigned him to serve as one of the examiners for this Final Selection.
That meant he needed to reach Mount Fujikasane before the participants so he could observe their general locations, making the subsequent assessment easier.
However, someone had arrived even earlier than Kanzaki Kumo.
"Hinaki, Nichika, it's been a while."
The chief examiners for this selection, Hinaki Ubuyashiki and Nichika Ubuyashiki, had arrived at the gathering platform early.
The curse marks on Kagaya Ubuyashiki's forehead had already become difficult to conceal. To keep those somewhat hideous marks from affecting his image as the head of the Demon Slayer Corps, it was no longer appropriate for him to appear publicly on such occasions. Thus, the role of chief examiner had fallen to the twin sisters, who had only recently turned six.
"Mr. Kanzaki, it's been a while."
Hinaki and Nichika bowed slightly in greeting to Kanzaki Kumo, their movements and tones perfectly in unison, though their words seemed somewhat lifeless.
"There's no need to be so formal, is there?"
Watching the twins, whose every movement seemed cast from the same mold, Kanzaki Kumo shook his head somewhat helplessly. He truly disliked such excessive etiquette, especially since he and Kagaya were on quite good terms personally.
In fact, since the Butterfly Mansion was not far from the Ubuyashiki Estate, he occasionally dropped by for a visit. While they remained polite then, they were nothing like this lifeless version of themselves.
The sisters did not answer Kanzaki Kumo's words, merely maintaining their polite smiles.
From a very young age, they had been taught to mind their image at all times in