Apparently the Ikemoto family weren't originally from Shogi, though they were one of the village's founding families. Their roots traced back far to the southwest, deep in the steep mountains. They were one of those families with unusual customs, before any member could marry, the bride and groom had to acquire a specific material ,the family heirloom and wear it for a set number of days to be "cleansed" for the official marriage feast.
The heirloom could only be obtained from their homeland, and it was the groom's responsibility to seek it out and claim it.
I could think of several reasons why I wouldn't honor Shuichi's request. First, I was deeply suspicious of him because of the blue spider lily flower. The connection couldn't be pure coincidence, a family appearing out of nowhere with the world's most sought-after item as their crest. And just maybe, that crest was tied to the very heirloom he was talking about.
And finally the idea of using Pacho as bait to draw me into this item-gathering or trade trip felt straight out of a manipulation playbook.
Or perhaps he was part of some larger scheme and wanted to test my strengths and weaknesses, to figure out how best to deal with me when the time came. Either way, I wasn't going to let him have his way so easily.
"Why would you reject the request?" he asked.
"Well, I have to say I'm flattered by your praise, but I'm afraid I don't live up to the high expectations you seem to have. I'm just a trainee in the Demon Slayer Corps. I haven't even completed the necessary procedures to be officially called a Demon Slayer."
"You say that, but your body tells a different story."
"For that, I have to admit I was born naturally strong. Chogi can vouch for it."
I glanced at him, and he nodded eagerly, eyes shining with excitement. Then it hit me—he was still just a child, fifteen at most. What was really going on here?
"Ha! I see where the problem lies. Oh heavens, where are my manners? This is all so sudden, isn't it? Why don't you rest up? We have rooms, food, and drinks. Eat, relax, and feel at home. We can continue when you're stronger."
Mr. Shuichi smiled, but I was certain he was masking his displeasure behind that half-hearted expression.
"Thank you for the concern, Mr. Shuichi, but I've already eaten, and I have a place I've paid for."
"Is that so?"
"Yes, sir. And I wouldn't want the money to go to waste."
"I understand."
"Once again, thank you for everything you've done for Pa—Chogi. I'll take my leave now."
I stood up and headed for the front door. Pacho followed like a shadow. As we left, I kept watching Shuichi from the corner of my eye. I could feel his gaze lingering on me, along with that smile I had already started to hate.
Pacho walked me out, and we headed toward the inn I had paid for. An uncomfortable silence settled between us, heavy and unwanted, like an invisible wall had risen. I remembered times when we had walked in silence before, but back then it had felt natural. This time it felt forced.
I turned slightly to look at him, hoping my long hair would hide my eyes, but our gazes met anyway. He quickly looked away, and I realized it would be stupid to let the silence drag on.
"What is it, Pacho?" I asked, forcing a chuckle.
"Nothing," he stammered.
"Talk to me. Is it about Mr. Shuichi's request?" I slowed my pace so he could walk beside me.
"No… Yes and no."
"Hmm. Which one am I supposed to take?"
"I don't know how to say this, big brother, but you seem different." His eyes drifted to my arm, where I had wrapped cloth around the fugitive mark to hide it.
"You already told me that this morning."
"No, I don't mean it like that." He paused, as if gathering courage. "I've always wanted to be by your side. That was one of the things I wanted most. But things keep pushing you away, and it feels like you're running from me on purpose. First, when you sacrificed yourself at the village—I thought you were dead for good. Then today, when I saw you at the food shop after all these years, I was so happy. I finally thought I could make it happen again, to stay by your side. But then you said you're a Slayer. And even when Father offered you a role so we could be together, you refused so firmly, like you're running from me. Why are you trying to be distant?"
The only thing I could hear in Pacho's voice was something terrifying, something I couldn't find words to answer. Anything I said now would decide how thick that invisible wall between us became. And the awful truth was, he was right. But it wasn't like all my decisions had been made for selfish reasons.
"Every decision I've made that made you think I'm becoming distant—I didn't make any of them for my own gain."
"I know, big brother. But sometimes it wouldn't hurt to let the people around you know why you do the things you do."
There was so much he didn't know, and while that was for the best, it saddened me how people often underestimated the quiet comfort that came with ignorance.
"By the normal laws of the family, I'm supposed to marry Ayumi in the near future because she's the oldest. But there's Akami—she's always so close. I can feel her around me—"
"She loves you," I said. His face reddened, but the seriousness didn't fade.
"Yes, she does. But I'm scared that feeling will only end up hurting her."
"Hmm. So what do you plan to do about it?"
"I don't know. I thought you might have an idea."
"Wait a minute—you're asking me for relationship advice?"
Damn. Pacho really held me in high regard. I'd only had one girlfriend in my entire life, and that had been thanks to some freak stroke of luck, like a butterfly effect or perfect cosmic alignment. And now he was asking me for marriage advice too.
"She's falling into an inevitable pitfall. One she's probably already noticed by now."
That's right, that Akami girl looked sharp. If she was as smart as she appeared, she already knew the marriage between Pacho and Ayumi was a done deal. She had no choice but to bottle up her feelings and hope they faded.
"You either tell her upfront—break her heart for the moment, end all the stalking, and live happily with Ayumi, or you let it happen. Let her fall into the pitfall."
After a brief pause, Pacho nodded quickly. "I understand. I know what I have to do."
"I hope you do. Because this is my inn."
I pointed to the building on our right. It was the cheapest place I could find. To an outsider, it might look luxurious, but to anyone from the village, it was basically a slum. Pacho's face gave him away.
The following day, I knelt on the wooden floor of the Ikemoto family's main veranda, Pacho beside me. We faced Mr. Shuichi and his daughters, Ayumi and Akami. We sat in silence for a while, exchanging deep, measured words.
"So," Mr. Shuichi began, "have you thought about my request?"
"Yeah. Normally, I would have rejected it outright. Even though nothing feels normal these days. But I spent the whole night thinking, and after a lot of deliberation, I've decided I will escort Chogi close to your home village before I go my own way."
"Well, that will suffice."
Mr. Shuichi looked relieved, but if he knew what I really had in mind, he wouldn't be smiling so easily. I planned to use this trip to dig up whatever I could about the Ikemoto family and their connection to Muzan's most prized item. I just hope I could make it in time before The Trials.