He barely managed to keep his composure and avoid embarrassing Tetsu no Sosuke.
"All right, get back to work. You'll get used to them in time. I'm going to see Kanae."
Tetsu no Sosuke sent Shinjiro on his way, then led the brothers farther in. Yuichiro couldn't help asking, "Teacher, who exactly are you? Are you rich?"
"This is a Demon Slayer Corps property. I'm one of the Nine Pillars, responsible for guarding this region. This is my home, and it also serves as my office."
Tetsu no Sosuke explained casually, "Shinjiro belongs to the Hidden, a special division of the Demon Slayer Corps. He's support staff, not my retainer. In fact, I don't have any retainers. So when people are polite to you, don't get full of yourselves and think you're above them. Respect goes both ways. If they respect you, you should respect them too. Understand?"
Yuichiro and Muichiro nodded at once.
The boys had grown up in the mountains and were straightforward by nature. Tetsu no Sosuke wasn't worried about that.
So he left it at that.
For Muichiro and Yuichiro, though, the place was an eye-opener.
They had never imagined a mansion like this. They passed through courtyard after courtyard before reaching one at the very back.
Big Hammer rushed in first, and Tetsu no Sosuke followed with the brothers.
In the courtyard, fresh shoots on the branches carried the tender green of early spring. Beneath a tree, a woman looked up at them, quiet delight in her eyes.
Joy flashed in Tetsu no Sosuke's eyes. Even the air he breathed seemed sweeter.
"I'm home."
He spoke softly. Kanae turned at once, unable to hide the delight in her eyes.
"Sosuke." She instinctively ran toward him. Tetsu no Sosuke started and became a blur of wind.