There's Only One Room Left

The night was black as ink, and the evening breeze carried a slight chill through the mountains.

Behind a secluded grove of wisteria stood an old, stately mansion. Lanterns by the entrance cast a warm yellow glow, the purple wisteria family crests on their paper swaying gently in the night breeze. The sight was especially peaceful.

In the shade of the trees some distance from the gate, Shinobu Kocho gently set down the wooden box on her back.

"Come on out. We're here."

She patted the box gently. There was a trace of barely perceptible fatigue in her voice, but more than that, she sounded relaxed.

"We're still some distance from our destination, so let's rest here for the night."

As the latch came undone, the box door sprang open, and a puff of white smoke emerged.

With a series of crisp cracks as his bones stretched, the short, stubby little figure rapidly shot up, turning back into the tall, upright boy.

"Hah! I'm alive again!"

Kiyohiko stretched his limbs dramatically, greedily breathing in the fresh air.

Although the box was comfortable, its cramped, enclosed space was still too stifling for someone as naturally active as him.

"Listen carefully," Shinobu said in a low voice as she straightened her slightly disheveled haori.

"This is the House with the Wisteria Family Crest, an ordinary household that helps the Demon Slayer Corps without asking for anything in return. When we go inside, you need to put away that flippant attitude of yours, and you absolutely must not reveal that you're a demon. If you frighten the old lady..."

She smiled faintly and rested her fingers lightly on her sword hilt. The meaning behind that smile went without saying.

"I know, I know! You're so naggy, Miss Shinobu." Kiyohiko pursed his lips, straightened his collar, and stood up straight.

"Honestly, you're so kind to everyone else, but this is how you treat me..."

"It seems... you want me to knock you out and drag you inside?"

Kiyohiko: "..."

The two walked up to the gate, and Shinobu gently rapped the door knocker.

Before long, the heavy wooden door creaked open. An old woman stepped out, dressed in a plain kimono, her silver hair immaculately combed.

"Good evening. I'm sorry to intrude. I'm Shinobu Kocho of the Demon Slayer Corps."

Shinobu bowed slightly, her manners impeccable.

The old woman narrowed her eyes and, by the lantern light, made out Shinobu's uniform and the Nichirin Blade at her waist. A relieved smile appeared on her face.

"Oh, a Demon Slayer! Please, come in, come in. You must have had a tiring journey."

The old woman's gentle gaze settled on Shinobu, then shifted to Kiyohiko, who stood rigidly beside her out of nervousness.

She looked at the two young people: the girl was petite and exquisitely beautiful, with a touch of heroic bearing; the boy was tall and handsome, and although his gaze wandered somewhat, he unconsciously remained half a step behind the girl, following beside her.

A knowing smile flickered in the old woman's cloudy eyes. The wrinkles on her face smoothed out as she smiled like a dried chrysanthemum.

"Oh my, oh my... What a perfectly matched couple you are."

The old woman stepped aside and warmly ushered them in, chattering as she did:

"Young people these days are truly remarkable, supporting each other even in such dangerous times. Young man, you must have worried terribly about your young wife on the journey here. It's so late, and she still had to carry such heavy luggage..."

Kiyohiko, who was bending down at the entrance to take off his shoes, froze in that position like a weathered stone statue when he heard her words.

"Huh?! W-w-w... wife?!"

A second later, the statue shattered.

Kiyohiko leaped a great step backward, his face visibly reddening from the base of his neck to the tips of his ears. He waved his hands wildly in the air, as though trying to swat that terrifying word away.

"No, no, no! Granny, you've got it wrong! This is a huge misunderstanding! It's the biggest joke of the century!"

He pointed at Shinobu Kocho and spoke as fast as a machine gun, completely revealing his inner panic.

"Me and her? How could that be possible?! Take a good look, Granny, this woman is a demon! A wicked woman!"

"How could I possibly like a violent woman who bullies me every day?! Our relationship is a pure... uh... persecutor-and-victim relationship! Yes, that's it!"

He finished in one breath, his chest heaving and his eyes darting about. He didn't dare look at Shinobu Kocho's expression.

Heaven knew what he was saying. All he knew was that if he didn't deny it now, Shinobu Kocho might swing her strangely shaped Nichirin Blade at him.

Of course, Kiyohiko's own embarrassment played a part too, probably... about five percent.

Beside him, Shinobu Kocho's reaction wasn't quite as intense, but she too lost her composure, an extremely rare occurrence.

The instant the word "wife" came out, Shinobu Kocho's face, always adorned with a perfect fake smile, froze.

A faint blush quickly crept across her cheeks, and a clear flash of panic passed through her purple eyes. She instinctively opened her mouth to explain, only to be cut off by Kiyohiko's rapid-fire denials.

When she heard Kiyohiko call her a "demon," a "wicked woman," and a "violent woman," a vein at Shinobu's temple twitched merrily twice.

"My... my..."

She took a deep breath and forcibly suppressed the nameless anger in her heart, whether it came from embarrassment or from being so disliked. Then she put her trademark smile back on, the kind that never reached her eyes.

Only this time, no matter how one looked at it, there was something gritted-teeth about that smile, and the blush on her cheeks hadn't completely faded.

"Granny, you really have misunderstood. This loud, dim-witted fellow is merely my... subordinate. A very disobedient, idiotic subordinate who needs to be 'corrected' with medicine at a moment's notice."

She turned and stared hard at Kiyohiko, her eyes saying, Just you wait. You're in for it tonight.

"Hehehe... Is that so? A subordinate, then."

The old woman nodded slowly, her tone showing no sign that she believed her. Instead, her smile grew even wider, taking on an affectionate look that said, I understand, I understand.

She looked at Shinobu Kocho, then at Kiyohiko, who was jumping in protest, and sighed inwardly.

It's wonderful to be young. Especially that loud young man-he says such harsh things about her, but his eyes haven't left the girl.

They're both so awkward.

The old woman seemed to think of something, and her smile grew even wider.

"Since he's a subordinate you're 'so close to,' this old woman won't disturb you while you get to know each other better."

"Your room is ready, but... there's only one fine guest room left, so you two may have to squeeze in together..."

With that, she gave neither of them a chance to object. She turned and hurried inside with absurdly quick little steps, leaving only a lightly spoken sentence echoing down the corridor:

"Dinner will be ready soon. Please wait a little while."

At the entrance, Kiyohiko and Shinobu Kocho stared at each other.