"Yoizumi, we've arrived."
Upon reaching the Demon Slayer Corps Headquarters, Shinobu set down the wooden box and gently tapped it, signaling.
"Did we come too early? I don't see anyone else," Kyoujurou Rengoku said, looking around the courtyard.
Stepping out of the wooden box, his body slowly grew larger. Shinobu watched as Yoizumi, whom she previously had to look down to see, now became someone she could only look up to.
His loose clothes were gradually stretched taut. Shinobu raised her hand to straighten Yoizumi's clothes, then nodded in satisfaction.
"Eh~ I haven't seen anyone, I thought I was late!" A cheerful voice drifted over. Yoizumi and Shinobu looked in the direction of the sound. A striking cherry-blossom pink hair was woven into three long braids, with grass-green tips.
Kanroji Mitsuri jogged over, gently patting her chest as if relieved.
"Looks like I'm not late. Shinobu, long time no see!"
"Long time no see, Mitsuri."
Seeing her friend, Kanroji Mitsuri was very happy. Noticing the stranger next to Shinobu, she whispered to Shinobu, asking,
"Someone I don't know? Shinobu, who is he? Hmm... he looks a little familiar." Her light green eyes cautiously sized up Yoizumi. He was a very handsome person.
"He's Yoizumi~" Shinobu remembered that at the last Pillar Meeting, Yoizumi had appeared as a child, so it was normal for Kanroji Mitsuri not to recognize him.
"Eh? Looking closely, it really is him!" His hair and eyes were such beautiful colors, she really envied him.
"Yoizumi, this is Kanroji Mitsuri, the Love Pillar," Shinobu introduced.
Yoizumi looked at Kanroji Mitsuri, then after a moment, silently shifted his gaze.
"Understood. Hello."
"?" Shinobu, seeing Yoizumi's reaction, raised her delicate eyebrows, her eyes narrowing slightly. She subtly reached out and pinched Yoizumi's waist.
Yoizumi, who was still thinking about how beautiful the girl's hair was, like cherry blossoms, suddenly felt a sharp pain in his waist. He glanced at Shinobu, who was smiling and talking to Kanroji Mitsuri.
He leaned down slightly and whispered, "Shinobu, why did you pinch me?"
Shinobu discreetly let go, acting as if nothing had happened.
"Yoizumi, I don't understand what you're saying~ Maybe a bug bit you."
A bug?
Yoizumi didn't know why Shinobu would say he was a bug, but he still nodded obediently.
"Oh."
He was bitten by a butterfly.
Yoizumi thought to himself.
Hmph! You stinky Yoizumi!
She had just seen it; Yoizumi had stared for a full eight seconds before turning his head.
Or was it that Yoizumi seemed indifferent but was actually interested in this?
"What? Where's the bug?" Kanroji Mitsuri looked confused. What secrets were they whispering that she couldn't hear?
"It's nothing~ Don't worry about it."
"I see. Hello, Yoizumi."
Facing Kanroji Mitsuri's radiant smile, Yoizumi nodded in response.
He felt that she was the same type of person as Kyoujurou and Tanjirou.
"Kanroji, you're looking good!" Kyoujurou Rengoku walked into the room, greeting her with a smile.
"Kyoujurou-san!"
Seeing how familiar the two were, Shinobu explained their relationship.
Kyoujurou was Kanroji's master, and Kanroji had even served as Kyoujurou Rengoku's Tsuguko. Later, after creating a breathing technique more suited to herself, she successfully became the Love Pillar.
No wonder; their personalities were quite compatible. Both were cheerful people.
Actually, Kanroji Mitsuri had been very worried about Kyoujurou-san. She heard he had been seriously injured, but she was on a mission at the time and couldn't visit him, feeling guilty for a long time.
But now, seeing him in person, he didn't look at all like someone who had been injured; he seemed even more energetic than when she last saw him.
"Kyoujurou-san, were you really injured?"
Her light green eyes scrutinized Kyoujurou Rengoku from head to toe, but she couldn't discern anything amiss.
"Ah, thanks to Yoizumi, I've completely recovered!"
"I see."
Sure enough, the Master's judgment was never wrong; this demon was a good demon!
"Oh? In his normal state, he's quite flashy, isn't he!" Uzui Tengen entered the room and said, looking at Yoizumi.
It seemed like a normal greeting, but Yoizumi still understood that this person didn't trust him.
Or rather, most of the Nine Pillars still didn't approve of a demon joining the Demon Slayer Corps.
After a while, all the Pillars of the Demon Slayer Corps gathered. Their attitudes towards Yoizumi were polarized, basically either ignoring him, or Sanemi Shinazugawa, upon seeing him, let out an extremely loud "Tsk" to express his displeasure.
Sanemi Shinazugawa glared at Yoizumi unhappily. "Why are you here, you bastard!"
"In accordance with the Master's orders, Yoizumi must participate in this meeting." Shinobu led Yoizumi to kneel on a cushion, awaiting Kagaya Ubuyashiki's arrival, and lightly replied to Shinazugawa.
"Hmph!" Hearing that it was the Master's request, he couldn't make trouble anymore, but the mere presence of this demon was enough to make him uncomfortable.
"Kyoujurou, why did you come? Are your injuries alright?" Obanai Iguro, seeing Kyoujurou Rengoku still attending the meeting, was a bit worried he was pushing himself.
"I'm fine. Yoizumi helped me heal," Kyoujurou Rengoku said, kneeling upright on the ground.
That demon?
Obanai Iguro's heterochromatic eyes glanced at him, then quickly retracted.
Several footsteps sounded from the doorway. All the Pillars immediately returned to their respectful positions.
"The Master has arrived." The white-haired girl opened the door. Aside from Shinobu, everyone else was surprised to find that Amane stood behind the Master, and the Master actually walked to them without assistance.
The Master could see?!
This question lingered in their minds.
Kagaya Ubuyashiki smiled gently, his reassuring voice reaching everyone's ears.
"You've arrived, my dear children."
"Master!" x 9
The Nine Pillars bowed their heads and called out. Only Yoizumi looked directly at Kagaya Ubuyashiki. Shinobu, noticing this, nudged Yoizumi with her hand.
Only then did Yoizumi slightly lower his head.
"Master."
Ubuyashiki smiled uncaringly.
After the greetings, Uzui Tengen immediately asked, "Master, can you see?"
"Yes, I asked Yoizumi to help me heal. Although it's still blurry, it's no longer a void."
Feeling many surprised gazes converge on him, Yoizumi remained impassive, not particularly bothered.
They had all heard about the curse. A problem that had plagued them for over a thousand years was actually broken by this demon!
Gently clapping his hands, drawing everyone's attention, Ubuyashiki's soothing voice began.
"I've gathered everyone today because I have some happy news to announce."
"I will appoint Yoizumi as a Pillar."
One sentence stirred up a thousand waves. Yoizumi also widened his eyes slightly in surprise.
Him? A Pillar?
Why didn't he discuss it with him?
----------------------------------
I've already posted 40 new chapters on Patreon!
If you like the story and want to reaad more, please visit my patreon. Every support is very meaningful!
[patreon.com/Kazenova223]
Thank you very much!
"And If you're enjoying it, drop a Power Stone for me!"