Master Blacksmith in Demon Slayer

Otherwise, you'll always be at someone else's mercy.

As for... well, not "as for," she just downed the medicine in a huff, then her whole face twisted from the bitterness.

There it is—a pug face!

Tetsu no Sosuke held back a laugh; he was a bit worried that if he dared to laugh out loud, this girl would fight him to the death even with her still-unhealed wounds.

He put the cup away and ruffled Shinobu Kocho's head.

At this moment, Shinobu Kocho couldn't dodge anymore.

She just glared at Tetsu no Sosuke with murderous eyes. His name wasn't wrong—his face was probably thicker than iron, completely ignoring that look: "Get some good rest."

That matter-of-fact tone was entirely like an adult talking to a child.

That made Shinobu Kocho even angrier!

Too bad her anger had nowhere to go, because Tetsu no Sosuke packed up his things and left.

He only left behind: "In half an hour, I'll come close your window."

"No need!"

The door slid shut, and who knows if Shinobu Kocho even heard.

But Tetsu no Sosuke, stepping out of the room, let out a huge sigh of relief when he saw the person standing across from him.

"You're finally back."

Tetsu no Sosuke looked at Kochou Kanae across from him: "If you hadn't come back, I really would've gone looking for you."

Kochou Kanae's face showed a trace of fatigue. She looked at Tetsu no Sosuke, seeming relieved, then shifted her gaze to the door behind him: "How is she?"

"Recovering well," Tetsu no Sosuke said. "Kiyo Terauchi said the wounds are healing decently; she'll be up and moving in a few days."

After speaking, he walked up to Kochou Kanae, frowning as he studied her face.

"What's wrong?"

She instinctively touched her face: "Is there something dirty on it?"

Tetsu no Sosuke sighed: "Even if you're in a hurry, you need to take care of yourself. The look on your face right now tells me you're the one who needs rest more."

"Let me see her first."

Kochou Kanae said.

Tetsu no Sosuke paused: "She's fine. Go wash your face first; the exhaustion is practically written all over it. If she sees you like this, she'll worry too."

Kochou Kanae nodded and said softly, "Thank you."

"What are you being polite to me for?" Tetsu no Sosuke thought of Shinobu Kocho's words and couldn't help but laugh: "I'm a man with ambition."

Kochou Kanae seemed to catch on too, her face flushing slightly: "Shinobu was just talking nonsense."

"That part wasn't," Tetsu no Sosuke shook his head. "Go wash your face, see her, and once you're at ease, get some good rest."

"Mm."

He accompanied Kanae to wash her face, then they reached Shinobu Kocho's door. Tetsu no Sosuke didn't go in—he felt the atmosphere would get awkward if he did.

So he just sat by the door with his arms crossed, listening.

He could hear Shinobu Kocho's complaints about him—how mean he was, how he patted her head, how he opened and closed her window without asking every day... things like that.

Tetsu no Sosuke listened and laughed, and the chatter inside went on.

It continued until Shinobu Kocho fell asleep from mental exhaustion, and then Kanae came out.

She glanced at Tetsu no Sosuke sitting on the floor, her tired eyes showing a hint of tenderness.

"You've worked hard taking care of her these past few days."

She took his hand and pulled him up from the ground.

Tetsu no Sosuke smiled: "It was the right thing to do. Go get some rest."

"I can't sleep anymore," Kanae shook her head. "Will you take a walk with me?"

Chapter 39: Fragility

The wind had turned cold. The two walked out of the Butterfly Estate, following the path with no real destination, strolling leisurely.

The chill wind jolted Kochou Kanae's drowsy spirit awake. She let out a soft breath: "It wasn't a Twelve Demon Moon."

Tetsu no Sosuke nodded. Earlier, there had been word of a Twelve Demon Moon, which was why Kochou Kanae had gone to investigate.

Now it seemed she'd made a wasted trip.

"Even though it wasn't a Twelve Demon Moon, its Blood Demon Art was troublesome—good at hiding—so it took a lot of time."

Kochou Kanae's voice reached his ears again: "I heard about Shinobu a few days ago. But... at the time, I really couldn't come back."

"I understand," Tetsu no Sosuke said. It wasn't that she didn't care—she just couldn't let it go.

Letting a dangerous demon run loose—how many more lives would be lost because of that?

So all she could do was suppress the anxiety and unease in her heart, force herself to rally, and eliminate the demon.

Judging by how exhausted she looked now, it was easy to imagine how urgently she had rushed back the moment it was all over.

"I actually..."

Kochou Kanae turned to look at Tetsu no Sosuke, the weariness in her eyes heartbreaking: "...am scared."

Scared!

She took a soft breath, as if those two words had taken immense courage to say.

She was a Pillar!

A Pillar of the Demon Slayer Corps—one of the strongest combatants among all its members.

Fear was an emotion that should never have existed within her.

"The moment I think of you getting hurt, I can't help but worry."