Early the next morning.
"Cough..."
With a faint cough, Teiichi slowly opened his eyes and sat up in his warm bedding.
"Is winter coming already...?"
Feeling the temperature, noticeably lower than yesterday, Teiichi pulled his clothes tighter around himself and murmured.
Last night, he had stayed at Rena's grave until perhaps seven or eight before coming down the mountain. He had picked a small restaurant at random along the way, eaten a simple dinner, and then come to the inn where he was now staying.
He had stopped renting a room at his previous inn when he left on his last mission. After all, that inn was near the sea and rather expensive, and Teiichi's money had not come free.
He got up, briefly straightened his clothes, and pushed open the door to leave. The streets were rather quiet in the early morning, with the occasional hurried pedestrian passing him, everyone rushing about to make a living.
Night fell.
Teiichi arrived at the flowing somen shop. Its familiar wooden door slowly swung open as he pushed it, and warm light spilled out from inside, illuminating the path at his feet.
"Welcome!"
A familiar greeting rang out as the door opened.
Manager Yamamoto stood behind the counter with a friendly smile on his face. When he saw the familiar figure, he looked slightly surprised at first, then immediately brightened with delight.
"Oh, Mr. Teiichi, you're here?"
The corners of Teiichi's mouth lifted in a faint smile. He answered softly:
"Yes, just me."
Manager Yamamoto paused, then understood what Teiichi meant. He nodded and called out:
"All right, take any seat you like."
Teiichi nodded, then slowly walked into the shop.
As he walked, he surveyed his surroundings, his gaze sweeping over the neatly arranged tables and chairs and the distinctly Japanese decorations. Everything was still so familiar, giving him an inexplicable sense of comfort.
Everything was so familiar to Teiichi that an inexplicable sense of comfort welled up inside him. Yesterday, he had come here to gather information, and it had still been afternoon, with few customers in the shop, so he had not felt anything particularly special.
Today, however, was different. Although the dinner rush had already passed, customers were still eating at a few scattered tables.
After Teiichi sat down near Manager Yamamoto, his mood gradually settled. Before long, Manager Yamamoto had prepared his utensils and placed them in front of him.
As clear water flowed gently through the bamboo channel and strands of thin somen drifted past him along it, Teiichi began his dinner.
Before long, the other customers left one after another, leaving Teiichi alone. After finishing with the last table, Manager Yamamoto came over to his side.
"What made you think of eating here today, Mr. Teiichi?" Manager Yamamoto asked curiously.
Teiichi smiled and joked:
"Well, I've come here so many times, but I've only eaten here once. Every other time, I was just asking for information, so I felt a little bad!"
Hearing Teiichi say this, Manager Yamamoto grew a little anxious and hurriedly spoke.
Hearing Teiichi say this, Manager Yamamoto hastily waved his hands:
"Please don't think that way. If it's you, Mr. Teiichi, I wouldn't mind even if you came here all the time without ever eating. Today's meal is on me!"
Realizing that Manager Yamamoto might have misunderstood him, Teiichi hurriedly explained:
"No, I was joking. I just thought the food here tasted really good last time, so I came back to eat again. There's no need to treat me. How could I eat without paying?"
Only then did Manager Yamamoto relax, though he still insisted:
"That's good, then. But let me treat you to this meal anyway."
Seeing that Teiichi was about to refuse again, Manager Yamamoto spoke first:
"Consider it my way of thanking you on that girl Rena's behalf! You did take such good care of her, after all."
At the mention of Rena's name, the previously pleasant atmosphere instantly grew somewhat heavy, and both fell silent.
Manager Yamamoto spoke to break the tension:
"By the way, did you find Rena's grave yesterday?"
Teiichi nodded and answered:
"I did, though it was a little late by the time I found it. I stayed there until maybe seven or eight before leaving."
"That late?" Manager Yamamoto sounded a little surprised.
"Yes. I spaced out there for a while, and the time just slipped by."
Teiichi offered Manager Yamamoto a brief explanation.
Manager Yamamoto nodded and advised him:
"It's best not to stay in a place like that so late at night. You're still quite young, aren't you, Mr. Teiichi?"
Teiichi nodded, accepting the shopkeeper's concern, and replied:
"I'm fourteen this year. I'll be fifteen after the New Year."
"Fourteen?"
Manager Yamamoto had thought the boy before him was at least seventeen or eighteen. He had not expected him to be only fourteen, and could not help standing up to look him over.
Noticing Manager Yamamoto's confusion, Teiichi explained:
"Yes, fourteen. Since I practice martial arts, I might look a little bigger and more mature."
Hearing this explanation, Manager Yamamoto nodded, a trace of surprise in his voice:
"I thought you must already be an adult, traveling alone like this. I never imagined you were only a few years older than Rena. Don't your parents keep an eye on you?"
Teiichi fell silent for a moment, then said softly:
"My parents passed away a few years ago."
"Oh? I'm sorry, I..."
Hearing that Teiichi's parents had passed away, Manager Yamamoto was suddenly at a loss. He had assumed that someone traveling alone must at least be from a wealthy family. He had not expected the boy before him to be an orphan.
"It's all right. You don't need to apologize."
Teiichi interrupted Manager Yamamoto's apology.
After a moment's hesitation, Manager Yamamoto slowly asked:
"Then how do you support yourself?"
Hearing the worry in Manager Yamamoto's voice, Teiichi slurped up a mouthful of noodles and took the opportunity to think.
It would not be very appropriate to say he was a member of the Demon Slayer Corps. The Demon Slayer Corps was an illegal organization-well, not exactly illegal, but at least one that had not received public recognition from the authorities.
As he swallowed the noodles, Teiichi turned to Manager Yamamoto with a smile and said:
"Don't worry. I have a master. I can still get by."
Hearing that Teiichi had a master, Manager Yamamoto nodded, feeling a little more reassured.
Although the boy before him already seemed like an adult in both the way he handled things and his build, knowing that he was actually only fourteen still left him somewhat worried.
"When are you planning to leave this time?"
At Manager Yamamoto's question, Teiichi lowered his head and thought for a moment. Feeling the faint sadness lingering in his heart, he slowly said:
"I'll stay here another couple of days, then leave once my mood has settled a little."