Shinobu Kocho reacted instantly, her hand darting to her katana!
However, Horitake was quicker. With a swift palm strike, he pushed Shinobu's half-drawn blade back into its sheath. He quickly explained, "Shinobu-nee-san, please listen to me!"
Shinobu remained in a ready-to-draw stance, her voice sharp, "What is there to explain?! That Nezuko is a demon?! And you actually like a demon?! Also, what's going on with the former Water Hashira, Urokodaki-senpai? How could he take in a demon?! And Tomioka Giyu—what's his deal?! He encountered this demon last year and didn't kill her?! I have reasonable suspicion that you three are involved in some unknown conspiracy!"
"What unknown conspiracy!" Horitake quickly snatched the katana from Shinobu's hand. "At least listen to me, Shinobu-nee-san, it's not what you think!"
Having no other choice, Horitake began to explain everything from the beginning. And so, in great detail, Horitake recounted the story of Tanjiro and Nezuko to Shinobu Kocho. Of course, he omitted the possibility of Nezuko having consumed the Blue Spider Lily. That matter was far too significant and needed to be kept secret from everyone for the time being.
As Shinobu listened to Horitake's narration, her furrowed brow gradually relaxed. However, a hint of doubt remained. "So that's what happened. In that case, Tanjiro and Nezuko are indeed pitiful siblings. But no matter what, Nezuko is still a demon! Can a demon truly coexist with humans!?"
"Most demons certainly can't, but Nezuko is clearly not an ordinary demon. Remember, when Nezuko first transformed into a demon, she already began to regain some of her humanity. At that time, Tomioka Giyu wanted to slay Nezuko, but Tanjiro stopped him. Tomioka Giyu reluctantly knocked Tanjiro unconscious. Just as he was about to continue his attack on Nezuko, she escaped. Tomioka Giyu initially thought that the demonized Nezuko would devour Tanjiro, but to his utter surprise, Nezuko actually protected the unconscious Tanjiro. This shows that the bond and connection between these siblings are extraordinarily deep. Even after becoming a demon, Nezuko can still suppress her urge to eat humans and protect her brother."
"I see…"
Noticing Shinobu still seemed hesitant, Horitake pressed on, "Not only that. When I was escorting the siblings to Mount Sagiri, in a Buddha hall halfway up the mountain near Mount Sagiri, we encountered a demon that was devouring a human. Tanjiro fought with this demon, and Nezuko, at the time, was attracted by the unfinished human remains. I was standing right beside Nezuko, and I personally saw her being drawn to the human, her saliva dripping. But just then, Tanjiro was in danger. Despite seeing the human remains, Nezuko once again managed to suppress her instincts and turned to save her brother."
This revelation further increased Shinobu's acceptance of Nezuko. "To be able to suppress her bloodthirsty instincts even after seeing human remains… it seems this Nezuko is truly extraordinary."
"Of course she is. As I said before, Nezuko is currently in a deep sleep. She's using this sleep to transform her body. When she wakes up, her body will be able to regain energy just by sleeping, without needing to eat humans anymore."
Shinobu looked at Horitake, her expression questioning, "How do you know such a thing, Horitake-san?"
Horitake proudly pointed to his eyes. "Of course, I saw it with my own eyes. You know how peculiar my eyes are."
Shinobu nodded, accepting his explanation.
"So, Shinobu-nee-san, even though Nezuko is a demon, she truly isn't like other demons. You can think of her as a human. Moreover, Nezuko has never eaten a human, nor has she ever harmed one. She even actively protects her brother and is kind-hearted. I believe there's no need to slay her."
Shinobu rolled her eyes at Horitake and retorted, "Not only do you think she shouldn't be killed? You've even fallen in love with her yourself! No matter what, Nezuko is a demon, and you've fallen in love with a demon! You are a Pillar of the Demon Slayer Corps! Second only to the Master, above everyone else. If word got out that you've fallen in love with a demon, the entire Demon Slayer Corps would be in chaos!"
Horitake clapped his hands together, pleading with Shinobu, "So please, Shinobu-nee-san, you absolutely must not leak this information! It's enough for just the few of us to know."
"That's easy enough to say. But paper can't cover fire. Tanjiro is definitely going to join the Demon Slayer Corps. Once he joins, the fact that his sister is a demon will be impossible to hide. What will you do then? How will you explain it to the Master? How will you account for it to everyone?"
At this, Horitake's expression grew serious. "I will personally explain everything to the Master. Given certain precedents, and my personal guarantee, I believe the Master will agree. As for accounting to everyone… I've decided to vouch for Nezuko with my life, guaranteeing that she will never eat a human! If something truly irreversible happens, I will commit seppuku to atone!"
Seeing Horitake's resolute demeanor, Shinobu, for some reason, grew quite angry. "You're willing to risk your life for this Nezuko?! Neither I nor Kanao seem to be able to make you do something like that, do we!?"
Horitake immediately recognized that Shinobu was jealous and felt unbalanced. He quickly tried to remedy the situation, "Nonsense! The three of you hold equal importance in my heart, and I would willingly risk my life to protect you all."
Shinobu also realized her own emotional imbalance. She took several deep breaths to calm herself down. Then, Shinobu expressed her clear concern, "Are you sure there won't be any problems? Are you sure Nezuko won't cause any problems? If something irreversible truly happens with Nezuko in the future, you…"
Horitake placed his hands on Shinobu's shoulders and spoke to her with utmost seriousness, "There won't be any problems. This is the one thing I wouldn't joke about. I believe in Nezuko, and I ask you, Shinobu-nee-san, to believe in me as well."
Horitake was so earnest, so sincere, that Shinobu found herself unable to resist. She sighed, "Alright, I'll trust you for now, and I'll trust that Nezuko for now. If I get the chance, I want to see this Nezuko with my own eyes. I want to see what kind of child has you so utterly captivated. What kind of child is worth you sacrificing yourself to such an extent."
Horitake smiled, "Nezuko is a very cute and kind child. Shinobu-nee-san, you'll surely like her too when you meet her. I don't think anyone in the world could dislike a child like her."
Shinobu wasn't swayed by Horitake's sweet words. She solemnly raised a finger and told Horitake, "Let me be clear, if she ever truly eats a human in the future, I will not spare her! Even if you disagree, even if you hate me, I will still do it!"
-------------------------------
I've already posted the newest chapters on Patreon!
If you enjoy this story, come check them out and support me there too.
Here's the link: [pat*eon*com/DaoistRoeoNQ]
Thank you so much for your continued support!