A special thank you to my patrons:
—Miguel razo, Cain, Shahzaam, Splendid, Jacob Mooe, Varun Madhu, Gonzalo Sumalavia, kevin Williams, Jose Carrillo, Jose Sierra, Salim, Wilver, ManyEB, Александр Радняный.
You can read 30 chapters ahead of everyone on p@treon.
P@TREON - [email protected]/lessaservantofcosmos
(just replace the "@" with "a")
ps: Please support me on P@treon. I can really use your help!
—————————————————————
While Kaito's thoughts wandered, most of the people present had already decided on their future paths.
Even Tanjuro, at Kagaya's invitation, had decided to move out of the mountains. He and his wife would join the Ubuyashiki family's industries to work.
When he first heard the proposal, he had tried to decline. However, upon hearing Kagaya mention that after moving, his several children could all go to school together in the future, he stopped refusing.
Kaito, coming back to his senses at this point, happened to hear their conversation. He suddenly spoke up to remind Tanjuro: "Mr. Kamado, if I am not mistaken, your eldest son is in the same innate, partially opened Marked state as you. Things were too urgent earlier, so I didn't mention it. I'll take care of it for him later."
Tanjuro's face changed, and he quickly bowed to Kaito in thanks: "Then I leave it to you. Thank you so very much."
"There's no need to be so polite," Kaito said with a slight smile. "We can be considered acquainted and share the bond of fighting side-by-side. I cannot simply pretend not to have seen such a thing. Although our contact was brief, I can tell that your children are all good kids."
"They are merely country boys; you flatter them too much," Tanjuro said modestly, though the expression on his face was one of great happiness.
At this moment, Kuwajima suddenly spoke: "Mr. Uchiha, this old man would also like to shamelessly ask for your help."
"Oh? Please, go ahead," Kaito replied, looking at him curiously. "Could it be that you also have someone with an innately opened Mark over there?"
"That's not it," Kuwajima said, his old face blushing slightly. "It's about my useless little disciple. A while ago he ran away from training and climbed a tree… and got struck by lightning."
"Pfft." A stifled laugh sounded at that moment.
Instantly, everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw Kanroji Mitsuri with her head buried low, both hands covering her flushed red face.
Kuwajima continued: "Although it seemed there was no major damage at the time, the boy's hair turned from black to yellow afterward. This old man has always been somewhat worried that there might be some hidden ailment in his body because of it."
"I see," Kaito nodded, indicating his understanding.
In his view, this kind of incident was quite bizarre—an anecdote on the same level as a certain someone present stifling her laughter, whose hair turned the color of sakura mochi from eating too many of them.
He asked, "Then, where is your young disciple now?"
"He's outside," Kuwajima said. "This time, because we were protecting non-combatants, this old man brought the boy along. He's currently together with the Kamado children."
As he said this, he seemed to remember something again, shooting a discreet, guilty glance toward Tanjuro.
Tanjuro, possessing the Transparent World, caught the look and felt somewhat baffled for a moment.
Precisely at that moment, the voice of the Kamado family's eldest son, Tanjirō, shouting came from the courtyard outside.
"Get away! Zenitsu!! Don't pester someone else's sister!!!"
"What's the big deal, Tanjirō? Aren't we good friends?" another youth's somewhat infatuated voice followed immediately.
"Nezuko-chan, marry me!! I'll definitely make sure you eat premium sushi every day!!!"
"..."
Inside the room, the small old man Kuwajima covered his face with his hands.
"Sorry, this old man failed to teach that boy properly."
As for Tanjuro, for a moment he didn't know what expression to make.
"Hahaha." Kaito let out a light laugh, breaking the awkward atmosphere between the two.
"Since the children are all here, let's call both Tanjirō and that boy named Zenitsu in. I'll take care of both at once."
"I'll go get them."
Hearing his words, Kanae, who was sitting near the door, proactively stood up, turned, and walked out of the main entrance.
Soon, she brought both youths into the hall.
The Pillars present watched the two boys with great interest, especially the bold Agatsuma Zenitsu who had just professed his love so openly.
However, the yellow-haired youth Agatsuma Zenitsu now bore no resemblance to his bold self from outside when facing the girl. Noticing everyone's gazes, especially Kuwajima's "fierce" glare, he was now trembling, wishing he could shrink into a ball.
The other boy, Kamado Tanjiro, behaved much better. Aside from flashing a happy smile when he saw his father, he politely greeted and bowed to everyone afterward.
"Tanjirō, come here." Tanjuro waved his eldest son over to his side, then turned to Kaito. "I'll trouble you with this child."
"Huh?" Tanjirō looked at his father, confused.
"Don't mention it."
Kaito also waved his hand. "Tanjirō, come over here."
"Ah? Yes." Although Tanjirō didn't understand why, based on his fondness for his father's savior, he obediently walked over.
Kaito smiled gently, reached out, and patted his shoulder.
"It's fine. You have the same constitution as your father. Although you won't need to slay demons anymore, to ensure you live a long life in the future, I must also apply a... safety measure for you."
Then, with speed faster than lightning, he slapped the back of the boy's neck.
"Huh?"
Tanjirō was first bewildered, then let out a series of pained cries.
"Eeeeeeeeeeh...!!!" On the other side, Zenitsu watched as Tanjirō was inexplicably slapped, then his whole body started to glow, followed by cries of pain, and finally collapsed to the floor, drenched in sweat and utterly limp.
He was thoroughly terrified, darting behind Kuwajima's short frame to shrink completely into a ball.
'Scary scary scary scary...' He chanted internally for a moment, then couldn't help but tug on Kuwajima's sleeve.
"Gr... Grandpa..." he looked at Kuwajima with tear-filled eyes, "Wh...what are they doing to him..."
"Stop the nonsense!" Kuwajima, feeling deeply disappointed by his lack of progress, raised his cane and knocked Zenitsu on the head.
"Go on, it's your turn."
"I DON'T WANT TO!!!" Zenitsu suddenly screamed. "He'll die! Even Tanjirō is in so much pain he almost passed out! If it's me, I'll definitely die!"
"Stop making excuses! It's just a physical examination! And you're different from Tanjirō! You won't die!!!"
In that moment, Kuwajima felt deeply that any face he had in the Demon Slayer Corps had been utterly lost by his disgraceful disciple, and he grew flustered and exasperated.
With precise movements, he pulled a length of rope from his sleeve, tied up Agatsuma Zenitsu, lifted him by the scruff of his neck, and threw him in front of Kaito.
"No! Let me go!!" Zenitsu wriggled desperately on the floor, trying to escape from Kaito's vicinity.
He screamed hysterically: "Grandpa! Don't we not have to kill demons anymore?! I don't need to train either! Even senior brother ran off suddenly after saying the Demon Slayer Corps wouldn't continue! As long as I don't have to kill demons, my body is fine!"
"Don't call me Grandpa!! Call me Master!"
Kuwajima said angrily, raising his cane to knock on Zenitsu's head.
"But you are Grandpa!!!" Zenitsu wailed. "You're the one who picked me up and took me in! And we don't have to kill demons anymore, so... so... even though senior brother ran away suddenly... I... I'll take care of you in your old age, Grandpa!"
"Zenitsu... you boy..." Kuwajima was suddenly moved to tears, his eyes welling up.
"..."
Everyone watched the old man and the youth speechlessly, feeling the scene had become excessively lively for a moment.
*****
T/N: Use this code "SANTA" on my P@treon for 50% discount for your first month.