When she heard that her father was not dead, but had become a demon, immense grief instantly overwhelmed her, and tears silently streamed down her face.
But unexpectedly, she didn't completely break down or despair; instead, it was as if she had clutched onto a last straw.
She looked at Tanjirou eagerly, her voice choked with sobs: "Dad... can Dad turn back? Is he in a lot of pain?"
At this moment, Cheng Mo, who had been silent, spoke: "It's not impossible for a demon to turn back into a human. We have already gathered some clues."
Kyojuro Rengoku looked at Cheng Mo in surprise, not understanding why he was so certain.
But recalling Mr. Cheng Mo's unfathomable medical skills and knowledge, a trace of conviction and hope welled up in his heart.
He immediately echoed with a booming voice, full of encouraging power: "Mmm! That's right, girl! Don't give up hope. Your father has a strong will. Even in that state, he was still protecting you. That sentiment will never be easily erased! We, the Demon Slayer Corps, will also do everything in our power to find a way to restore your father!"
His fiery, sun-like demeanor and firm words flowed like a warm current into Himura Ruri's cold and panicked heart, giving her a sense of strength.
From Tanjirou's narration, she learned that it was Mr. Kyoujurou who had arrived first, saving her from that monster and protecting her until Mr. Cheng Mo arrived, which was why he was so severely injured.
Looking at Kyojuro Rengoku's thick bandages, still seeping with a little blood, the girl's tears welled up again. This time, however, it was no longer pure fear and sadness, but more gratitude and guilt: "Tha...thank you...Mr. Kyoujurou...I'm sorry, it's all because of me..."
Everyone quietly comforted her for a while longer.
After all, she was still severely injured and, after such emotional turmoil, a strong sense of fatigue washed over her.
After taking the calming and nourishing medicine prepared by the Butterfly Mansion, Himura Ruri fell into a deep sleep again, tear stains still clinging to the corners of her eyes.
Tanjirou gazed at the sleeping girl, not leaving for a long time.
This girl, who had also suffered a devastating catastrophe and lost her loved ones, made him empathize deeply, and his heart was filled with complex emotions.
At this moment, Kochou Shinobu walked over quietly. Seeing that Himura Ruri was asleep and everyone's emotions seemed stable, she gave Cheng Mo a meaningful look.
Cheng Mo understood, and followed her silently to the corridor outside the ward.
Kochou Shinobu's smile faded slightly, and she lowered her voice: "Mr. Cheng Mo, during the treatment, I extracted a blood sample from Miss Ruri according to protocol and conducted a comparative experiment with the blood of ordinary demons we captured."
She paused, and a strange light flashed in her purple eyes: "Preliminary findings show that Miss Ruri's blood... exhibits a certain degree of inhibitory and repellent effect on demon blood."
Cheng Mo's gaze instantly became focused.
"It seems that Himura Senichi's ability to maintain partial sanity and strong obsession was not accidental," Kochou Shinobu continued.
"It is likely related to their family's inherited special bloodline. This bloodline has a natural resistance to the erosion of demon blood."
Cheng Mo nodded slightly, silently committing this extremely important information to memory.
A special anti-demon bloodline... Cheng Mo silently committed this extremely important information to memory.
The value of the Himura father and daughter was far greater than he had initially anticipated.
This might hide crucial clues to fighting Muzan and even deciphering the mysteries of demon blood... A week passed quietly in the tranquil yet busy atmosphere of the Butterfly Mansion.
Under the careful treatment at the Butterfly Mansion, Cheng Mo's specially prepared medicinal meals, and the occasional gentle Chakra he infused to stimulate her vitality, Himura Ruri's recovery speed was astonishing.
She was already able to walk for short periods with assistance.
During this process, she gradually observed everything around her.
The black-haired young man known as "Mr. Cheng Mo," although always expressionless, spoke little, and had a stern demeanor, she could feel the meticulous thoughtfulness in his actions.
The medicine he prescribed was extremely effective, and the rehabilitation exercises he arranged were just right.
Even her small gestures of frowning occasionally due to pain seemed to be noticed by him, and he would subtly adjust the treatment plan.
Moreover, she noticed that everyone in the Butterfly Mansion, from Miss Kochou Shinobu, the Insect Hashira who always smiled yet had a powerful aura, to the busy doctors and Kakushi Squad Members below, held a heartfelt respect for Mr. Cheng Mo.
That respect was not just awe for a strong person, but more like admiration for a knowledgeable mentor.
Even Tanjirou, who was sunny and cheerful and brought her much comfort, had stars in his eyes whenever he spoke of his teacher.
He always used the most adoring tone to say things like "Teacher is super amazing," "Teacher knows everything," and "Teacher looks cold but is actually very kind."
These little things gradually melted Himura Ruri's wariness and sense of unfamiliarity towards Cheng Mo, replaced by a subtle dependence and trust.
Once, when Cheng Mo came to check on her recovery, he casually asked: "Has your family always run a tavern? Or is there some special inheritance from your ancestors?"
Himura Ruri was carefully moving her wrist. Hearing this, she nodded gently, her eyes a little dim: "Yes... Dad said that a long, long time ago, our family produced a very powerful swordsman who used the legendary 'Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū'..."
"But later, that ancestor, having experienced too much, began to detest violence and killing, and decided not to pass down the complete Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū..."
Her voice lowered: "So the family's sword techniques, through generations of transmission, lost a lot, and by my father's generation, only some basic stances and breathing methods remained..."
"Dad was very talented; he could practice very well just by looking at some incomplete diagrams... But, like that ancestor, he didn't like fighting and killing..."
She recalled how, after her mother's death, her father took young her away from potential troubles and came to that secluded yet bustling thoroughfare, opening the small "Senichi Tavern."
Father and daughter relied on each other; although they were poor, their memories were full of warmth.
"After Mom left, he just wanted to raise me safely..." The girl's voice choked up.
Cheng Mo listened quietly, not interrupting, just silently noting down this information.