I'm translating another Demon Slayer fanfic. It's a fresh project, so there are only a few chapters out for now. My usual update schedule applies: 2 chapters/day on Webnovel and 10 chapters/day on Patreon. If you want to check it out, just visit my profile.
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Setting down the guzheng in her arms, Muzan slowly rose from her seat.
"I am the Demon King. I am the existence that the Demon Slayer Corps, that the Ubuyashiki clan, has desperately wished to slay for a thousand years.
All demons are born because of me. This conflict began because of me.
As the source of all these disputes, tell me, Mitsuba—what reason do I have to not stand upon this stage when this opera reaches its finale?"
"So, Lord Muzan, you mean that even knowing there's a trap, you still intend to go personally?"
Mitsuba was somewhat surprised.
Incredible!
Lord Muzan, who had been cautious for hundreds of years, was actually deciding to be brave this time?!
"So what if there's a trap? In this world, apart from that monster-like man, who else could possibly harm me?"
Perhaps because she didn't want to lose face before Mitsuba, Muzan's words were filled with confidence.
"Alright, stop wasting time with these useless words. Mitsuba, go arrange your preparations properly.
As for going to meet Ubuyashiki, leave everything to me."
As her words fell, Muzan walked out the door with confident steps.
"Muzan-neechan!"
The moment she stepped out, a beautiful girl from the band ran toward her in the corridor.
"Tonight's performance is about to start. Muzan-neechan, you... Huh? Muzan-neechan, are you leaving?"
"Yes."
The courtesan Muzan nodded coolly.
"I have some matters. I won't participate in tonight's performance. Probably not in the future ones either. That's all."
"No! Muzan-neechan!"
The moment Muzan turned to leave, the beautiful girl suddenly rushed forward, sliding behind Muzan to her knees, tightly gripping her hand.
"Muzan-neechan! Please don't go! I-I've always liked you so much! Everyone in the band likes you so much!
It was your existence, Muzan-neechan, that gave me the motivation to continue living... Please, if you're not here, I'll—I'll—"
"Let go."
"Please, Muzan-neechan, what must I do to make you stay? Please tell me... As long as it's something I can do, I'm willing to do anything!"
Before Mitsuba's already stunned gaze, the beautiful girl knelt on the ground, hugging Muzan's arm with her head bowed, hoarse and tears streaming down her face.
Truly a heartbreaking scene that would make listeners sad and observers weep.
However, Muzan, standing at the center of it all, maintained her cold expression.
"'Willing to do anything'? Little girl, with what level of resolve did you speak these words?"
"Huh?"
Slowly lowering her head, looking down at the beautiful girl behind her from above, Muzan said coldly:
"You're just a little girl in your teens. Do you have the ability to bear the lives of others?
'Willing to do anything'—these are such heavy words. Don't speak of things you cannot accomplish so casually.
You, little girl, truly only ever think of yourself..."
As her words fell, Muzan slowly withdrew her arm.
"No! Muzan-neechan, I—"
"Of course."
Just as the beautiful girl's heart had fallen into despair, the situation suddenly took an unexpected turn.
Muzan, with her back to her, said lightly:
"I didn't say I was definitely quitting the band. It's just that something came up at home that needs to be dealt with temporarily, so I need to go back for a while..."
"Muzan-neechan..."
Hearing this, the beautiful girl still kneeling on the ground, her eyes regained their light once more.
"That's all there is to it. Tell the others for me that I truly have matters to attend to tonight and can't make it. Let them improvise."
"Yes! Muzan-neechan, you must come back soon! I—and everyone in the band!—will be waiting for you!"
"Yes."
And so, Muzan left—coolly and aloofly~
"..."
"It's so quiet tonight. Can't even see a single wild beast around the headquarters. So different from usual..."
"Ah, maybe they were all scared away by our comrades gathering here..."
"Speaking of which, why did Master Oyakata-sama gather us all here tonight? I didn't hear anything about a meeting..."
"Not sure. Master Oyayaka-sama must have his own considerations. We just need to follow his orders."
Late at night, in the mountains surrounding the Demon Slayer Corps headquarters, Shinazugawa Sanemi and Sabito were patrolling everywhere.
"I have a bad feeling about this..."
Looking up at the bright moon overhead, Sabito subconsciously murmured:
"I feel like... something might happen tonight..."
"Don't overthink it. Everyone is here now. We can handle anything that happens."
Replying without a care, Shinazugawa Sanemi suddenly asked:
"By the way, I heard that during the previous holiday, several Demon Slayers took the chance to desert?"
"Yes, I heard that too. The most notable one should be that former Thunder Hashira's disciple. I think his name was... Kaigaku?
Apparently, he went to Tokyo with his squad and then disappeared alone.
Don't know if he deserted, was killed, or became a demon. Hopefully not the latter, or his master will be in trouble."
Sabito sighed softly.
The Demon Slayer Corps had regulations: if a Demon Slayer with a master-disciple relationship deserted and transformed into a demon, the master must commit seppuku to take responsibility.
Although former Thunder Hashira Kuwajima Jigorō had retired from the front lines for many years, if Kaigaku was confirmed to have transformed into a demon, he would similarly have no path to survival.
"Hmph! A bunch of cowards! I've said it all along! Master Oyakata-sama shouldn't have given that holiday!"
Shinazugawa Sanemi snorted coldly.
"Don't say that. Before a great battle, it's normal to let those with unsteady will leave first... Alright, stop talking nonsense. Patrol properly."
Similar scenes were playing out everywhere around this headquarters.
Tonight, the Demon Slayer Corps' top forces—the powerful Hashira—were all dispersed throughout the surrounding mountains patrolling on Ubuyashiki's orders.
Currently, the entire headquarters' defenses were extremely empty. Without these powerful Hashira-level swordsmen guarding it, any Upper Rank demon could potentially sneak in.
Under the moonlight, inside the mansion located at the deepest part of the headquarters, hidden in the valley, a light cough suddenly sounded.
Night wind blew. On the bed in the inner room, Ubuyashiki Kagaya, already terminally ill, turned his head with difficulty and looked toward his wife sitting quietly beside him—Ubuyashiki Amane.
"Amane, do you know what I am thinking right now?"
His voice was extremely weak—the sign of impending death.
"What is my husband thinking?"
"I am curious about a question... one... that I have never understood since long ago..."
His blurred eyes could no longer see. Ubuyashiki murmured:
"Since childhood, I could never understand... Muzan Kibutsuji and us... were originally of the same clan...
But why... could God bestow a curse upon us... yet not... bestow punishment upon him?
Is it that God cannot do it... or does He feel that all this wrong... actually lies with... our clan?
What do you think, Amane... why do you think this is..."
"I do not know, my husband."
Ubuyashiki Amane looked down at him, her expression still as calm and placid as still water.
"The thoughts of God are beyond the comprehension of mortals."
"Cannot... comprehend..."
Hearing this, Ubuyashiki slightly opened his mouth, as if smiling.
He seemed to want to say something, but ultimately gave up.
"Perhaps so... No matter what the answer is... we also have no path of return left... No, perhaps... there never was one from the very beginning..."
"My husband?"
"Apologies... I seem to have said some strange things... Do not take it to heart..."
Ubuyashiki said nothing more. He simply lay there peacefully, with the sound of his two daughters playing in the courtyard reaching his ears.
Time flowed quietly here, until from the direction of the mansion's main gate, a light sound of footsteps was heard.