Master Blacksmith in Demon Slayer

Maybe it was because she was too nervous, the back of her head made a crisp thud against the roof tile.

"Ow..."

Rubbing the back of her head, she looked at Tetsu no Sosuke with a hint of grievance.

Tetsu no Sosuke couldn't help but laugh: "You lay down way too hard! That's a suicide-style lie-down!"

"There's no such thing as a suicide-style lie-down."

As she spoke, she was drawn in by the starry sky, and her body gradually relaxed.

Even though the roof tiles dug into her back and it wasn't exactly comfortable, at this moment, there was an indescribable sense of ease.

"This feels so good."

She gazed at the stars and let out a satisfied sigh.

But after waiting a long time without a response from Tetsu no Sosuke, she turned her head to look and realized he had shifted onto his side at some point, one hand pillowed under his head, quietly watching her.

Her cheeks flushed slightly: "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Because I wanted to see what it is that always makes me tense up without thinking."

Tetsu no Sosuke's voice was a bit low.

"And did you find the answer?"

"Mm... I found it." Tetsu no Sosuke turned back, facing upward, and resumed his original pose with his hands crossed behind his head.

Kochou Kanae was stunned. He really found it?

She didn't quite believe him: "What is it?"

"Mm... it's because you're prettier than the stars."

Kochou Kanae was speechless for a moment. Suppressing the smile at the corners of her mouth, she gently bit her lip: "You're just spouting nonsense..."

With a whoosh, she suddenly stood up from the roof.

Tetsu no Sosuke asked, "What's wrong?"

"Hmph, see for yourself!"

Kochou Kanae shot him a glare: "I'm going back to sleep."

With that, she leaped off the eaves in one bound and was already far away after a few steps.

Tetsu no Sosuke had no choice but to sit up and scratch his head: "But I was telling the truth."

In the early morning, he washed his face with cold water. Before he could even step out the door, his sister-in-law stormed over in a fury.

"Tell me, what did you talk about with my sister last night?"

She stood at the door with her arms crossed, exuding the aura of one man holding the pass against ten thousand.

Tetsu no Sosuke yawned: "We didn't say anything."

"You're lying!"

Shinobu Kocho didn't believe him for a second: "You ambitious swordsmith, watching the stars with my sister on the roof, and you're telling me you said nothing? Did you take the chance... take... do something lawless and heinous?"

"... How do you know about me watching the stars with your sister?"

Tetsu no Sosuke was baffled.

Shinobu Kocho crossed her arms and stared at him with a serious expression.

She wouldn't admit that she had come looking for him last night too.

Of course, it definitely wasn't for something pointless like watching the stars—she came to make him give up his ambitions.

But instead, she saw her sister lying on the roof with him!

Heaven knows how terrifying that shock was for her.

She didn't return to her room until her sister had left, utterly dejected.

She tossed and turned all night, unable to sleep.

The moment she got up this morning, she came straight to confront him.

But the "culprit" clearly had no sense of guilt; instead, he cheerfully reached out a hand to ruffle her hair.

She quickly dodged, glaring at Tetsu no Sosuke.

Tetsu no Sosuke looked at his hand, unbothered, and chuckled: "Adult matters, kids shouldn't meddle."

"... Who are you calling a kid?"

Shinobu Kocho was furious and wanted to argue with Tetsu no Sosuke, but he slipped past her the moment she moved aside from the door.

"I'm in a great mood today, so I'm going to eat well."

Tetsu no Sosuke's irritating voice reached her ears: "Want to join me?"

"No way!!!!"

Shinobu Kocho gritted her teeth!

Author's note:

Chapter 29 has been added~

Chapter 32: The Function of the Heavenly Crafting Hammer

In the end, Shinobu Kocho still came to eat!

There was no need to punish herself for someone else's mistake, so not only would she eat, she would eat fiercely and well!

Thus, at the dinner table, Shinobu Kocho ate with loud, crunching sounds, drawing frequent sidelong glances from everyone.

Kochou Kanae looked at Tetsu no Sosuke with a puzzled expression, unsure why her sister was even more ferocious today than yesterday.