"Demons only appear at night."
Kanao Tsuyuri's calm voice was like a bucket of cold water poured over Kochou Shinobu's head.
Kochou Shinobu's pupils contracted. Thinking carefully, Kamihara Tetsuya only came to Butterfly Mansion at night to study; he was nowhere to be seen during the day, and no one had ever seen him in sunlight!
Why had she never noticed this point?
Because of her elder sister Kocho Kanae's recommendation, Kamihara Tetsuya's excellent performance, and his harmless, non-threatening demeanor, Kochou Shinobu subconsciously lowered her guard.
Those involved are often confused, while bystanders see clearly.
Kanao had not had much contact with Kamihara Tetsuya, allowing her to see things more clearly from an outsider's perspective.
Kochou Shinobu unknowingly clenched her fists.
Kamihara Tetsuya did not have the characteristics of a demon, but Blood Demon Arts were bizarre and unpredictable, making it not surprising for a demon to disguise himself as a human.
As for her elder sister's letter of recommendation, it might not be fake.
However, it was also possible that Kamihara Tetsuya killed the person her elder sister recommended, stole the letter, and then disguised himself as that person.
Kanao's fatal question enlightened Kochou Shinobu, as if she had found many loopholes, making every one of Kamihara Tetsuya's actions appear extremely suspicious.
Of course, these were all her conjectures and guesses.
There was no conclusive evidence.
But if it were true, the trouble would be immense.
"Kanao, I will handle this matter; you should pretend you know nothing.", Kochou Shinobu said, a layer of frost seemingly forming on her beautiful small face.
This was an order, and Kanao smiled, "Yes, Sensei."
"Hmph!"
Kochou Shinobu took a deep breath, taking two steps in one, and quickly returned to her room.
The other staff at Butterfly Mansion looked at the hurried Kochou Shinobu in surprise. What happened?
Sitting in her room, Kochou Shinobu lowered her head in contemplation.
The discovery that Kamihara Tetsuya might be a demon disguised as a human weighed on Kochou Shinobu's heart like a great mountain; she had no leisure to attend to other matters.
Ever since her elder sister Kocho Kanae's death, Kochou Shinobu had begun to maintain a smile like her elder sister, but at this moment, the smile on her face was also difficult to maintain.
"Kamihara Tetsuya, you better not be a demon!" Kochou Shinobu almost ground her silver teeth, thinking that if she allowed a demon to join Butterfly Mansion, it would be a tremendous disgrace!
"To Himejima-sama, it has been many days since we parted hastily at my elder sister's funeral..."
After speaking, Kochou Shinobu took out paper and pen, quickly wrote a letter, and stuffed it into the letterbox on the Kasugai Crow's leg.
"Go!"
The Kasugai Crow spread its wings and flew high, disappearing into the night.
...
Life at Butterfly Mansion was very warm, but Kamihara Tetsuya never forgot his identity as a demon.
After leaving Butterfly Mansion, walking on the quiet, deserted path, Kamihara Tetsuya's eyes were blood-red, with two blood-colored tomoe appearing, using his powerful insight to observe his surroundings.
As usual, there was nothing unusual.
Kamihara Tetsuya returned to the inn where he was staying with peace of mind, spending the daytime inside.
Of course, he wasn't idly passing the time.
A demon's physique didn't require much rest, so he simply used this time to familiarize himself with his abilities.
Two-Tomoe Sharingan!
Blood Demon Art: Soul Manipulation!
Lower Moon Kamanue's Blood Demon Art: Whimsical Metamorphosis!
Basic Breathing Technique!
...
Among them, Blood Demon Art: Whimsical Metamorphosis was currently the best way for him to improve his strength.
Soul Manipulation: Manipulator: Kamanue!
Kamihara Tetsuya pulled Kamanue's soul out for extra work, instantly mastering all of Kamanue's Blood Demon Arts.
"Blood Demon Art: Whimsical Metamorphosis!"
Kamihara Tetsuya murmured, his right hand becoming soft, like a sponge, and the next moment, it transformed into a sharp blade, the blade body entirely dark and silvery, as if forged from fine iron, exuding a hint of dangerous cold light.
After this period of familiarization, he had already mastered this Blood Demon Art.
His arm transformed into a long sword, a hammer, or even a shield, with a hardness comparable to steel.
However, this was after all only the Blood Demon Art of the Lower Moon, the weakest of the Twelve Kizuki.
Combining it with his other abilities, Kamihara Tetsuya estimated his strength should be between Lower Moon Four and Lower Moon Three. With things like the Blood Battle for Replacement, demons would desperately climb higher, so the power levels within the Twelve Kizuki were very strict.
"As expected, I still need to learn a Breathing Technique."
Kamihara Tetsuya thought to himself, a Hashira who mastered one Breathing Technique could instantly kill a Lower Moon. If he, as a demon, learned a Breathing Technique, its power would only be stronger.
It should be known that the strongest of the Twelve Kizuki, Upper Moon One Kokushibo, was a Breathing Technique swordsman.
While Kamihara Tetsuya was experimenting with his Blood Demon Art, time flowed, and the sun and moon rotated, night falling.
Kamihara Tetsuya set off for Butterfly Mansion.
His steps were not fast; his mind was contemplating.
Half a month had passed, and the excuse of packing his luggage outside during the day was starting to wear thin.
Kochou Shinobu was probably getting suspicious.
Kamihara Tetsuya made up his mind: at most three days, if he couldn't join the Demon Slayer Corps, he would run away.
Enduring the dog system's punishment was better than being killed by the Demon Slayer Corps.
Whoever wanted to join this rotten Demon Slayer Corps could; he wouldn't serve them anymore!
Passing through several streets, the buildings of Butterfly Mansion came into view, and Kamihara Tetsuya pushed the door open.
"Kamihara-san, good evening!"
"Kamihara-san, good evening!"
...
The staff at Butterfly Mansion smiled and greeted Kamihara Tetsuya, no different from usual, which made Kamihara Tetsuya breathe a sigh of relief.
A blood-colored light flashed in his eyes, and the Sharingan captured all the expressions on the girls' faces.
Micro-expressions don't lie.
These people weren't all Oscar-winning actors, so Kamihara Tetsuya was sure he was still safe.
Kamihara Tetsuya entered the inner house and began his daily routine: checking rooms and examining the patients' conditions.
After all the busy work, it was already late at night, and then he enjoyed a delicious late-night snack with the girls.
Kamihara Tetsuya's method of replenishing energy was different from other demons: ordinary food or devouring souls.
The two methods provided different amounts of energy.
Kamihara Tetsuya specifically calculated that it would take about three to four hundred catties of ordinary food to equal the soul energy of an ordinary person. Indeed, demons still needed to eat people.
When devouring a soul, energy filled every corner of his body, and countless cells cheered and rejoiced. That feeling was like taking drugs; if Kamihara Tetsuya's willpower had been even slightly weaker, he would have long been overwhelmed by this pleasure, turning into a demon, frantically hunting humans, and devouring souls.
"Kamihara-san, we're going back to rest now."
There were no new patients at night. After eating their fill, the girls left one by one, returning to their rooms to rest.
Kamihara Tetsuya tossed the last rice ball into his mouth, stood up, and stretched. He also needed to find something to do; a demon sleeping at night would be laughed to death.
"Tetsuya-san, are you a demon?"
A sudden voice sounded behind Kamihara Tetsuya. His neck stiffly turned, and his pupils reflected a smiling, cute little face: Kochou Shinobu.