After asking this question, Tamayo showed a relieved smile without waiting for Hayashi to answer.
"I'm sorry for being so presumptuous," she said softly.
"But actually, it doesn't matter whether you are him or not. What matters most is eliminating Muzan Kibutsuji!"
Hayashi felt a wave of emotion upon hearing this. As expected, Tamayo, like Ubuyashiki Kagaya, was gentle and intelligent, yet carried a clear and resolute purpose. To her, it did not matter whether he was truly Tsugikuni Yoriichi—so long as Muzan could be destroyed.
Thinking of this, Hayashi no longer worried about his identity. He looked directly into Tamayo's eyes and asked seriously:
"Lady Tamayo, do you know where Tsugikuni Yoriichi is buried?"
Although she had already learned part of Yoriichi's intent from Kagaya's letter, seeing someone before him who looked so much like Yoriichi himself, and then hearing such a question, left Tamayo momentarily dazed.
It felt almost as if the man who had died centuries ago was solemnly asking her, "Do you know where I was laid to rest after death?"
After regaining her composure, Tamayo nodded gravely.
"Yes, I know."
Hayashi exhaled a long breath of relief at her affirmation.
Ever since Kumotori Mountain, after driving off Muzan, Hayashi had been pondering his next steps—beyond traveling to the Swordsmith Village to retrieve the blade left behind by Yoriichi. The conclusion he reached was to locate Yoriichi's grave in advance, in order to prepare a deadly "surprise" for Muzan and Kokushibō.
The original records only described Yoriichi's final moments, but never clearly stated where he was buried. Yuichirō had hoped Kagaya might know, but instead Kagaya entrusted him to Tamayo. In hindsight, it was not surprising—Tamayo would surely know.
In a low, trembling voice, Tamayo said:
"I was there the day Muzan fought Tsugikuni Yoriichi."
"He spared me then, and I swore a pact with him to continue fighting Muzan together."
"Since that day, I have devoted myself to research against Muzan. Whenever I made progress, I contacted him… hoping he would know I never gave up. That was my atonement for the sins I committed."
Hayashi remained silent, fully understanding what she meant.
Centuries ago, when Tamayo had been human, she suffered from a fatal illness. In desperation, wishing to see her child grow up, she accepted Muzan's offer and became a demon. Unable to control her instincts, she killed her husband and children… and countless others after.
Now, her fists trembled as she asked with a strained voice:
"Yoriichi san, do you know of Kokushibō?"
Hayashi nodded. Not only did he know him, he knew Kokushibō's true name—Tsugikuni Michikatsu, the twin brother of Yoriichi.
He also remembered that Yoriichi's expulsion from the Demon Slayer Corps had not only been because he let Tamayo go, but also because Kokushibō murdered the Corps' leader. And when Yoriichi neared the end of his life, he encountered his brother once more. With a single strike, he gravely wounded Kokushibō.
Had Yoriichi been able to swing his blade just once more, he could have ended Kokushibō's existence. But that strike cost Yoriichi his own life.
In the end, Kokushibō cut Tsugikuni Yoriichi in half to vent his rage, even though Yoriichi had already died standing.
It was precisely because of this that Hayashi wanted to find Yoriichi's burial place in advance—to create some "explosive news" for Kokushibō and Muzan Kibutsuji.
After all, with Muzan's notoriously cowardly nature, his first reaction upon hearing rumors of Yoriichi's "return" would be to check the grave himself. Was Yoriichi still lying there, or had he really crawled back from death?
Even though nearly three hundred years had passed and Yoriichi's remains should long since have turned to dust, Muzan would still need to see it with his own eyes to be reassured.
Yet, because of that same cowardice, Muzan would never go to the grave personally. He would only send Kokushibō to investigate.
Hayashi went over the plan again in his mind, then listened as Tamayo continued:
"After a year, our correspondence began to lessen.
But out of concern, I visited him secretly a few times. And then I saw…"
Tamayo's voice faltered. After a pause, she softly said:
"I was far away, and Kokushibō was wounded and distracted, so he did not notice me.
He picked something up from Yoriichi's body and stood there for a long time.
Finally, he seemed unable to bear looking at his brother's corpse any longer, and fled in haste.
After I made sure he was gone, I retrieved Yoriichi's body and built a tomb for him."
At this point, Tamayo lowered her eyes, faint tears shimmering:
"Hundreds of years have passed, and still I have tended that tomb.
Because I thought—if ever my research bore fruit, I would have to tell Yoriichi."
Hayashi fell silent.
In the original chronicles, it was only mentioned that Kokushibō had found the handmade flute he once gave Yoriichi, broken along with his brother's body. Even as a demon, he wept upon seeing it.
But Hayashi had not expected that Kokushibō would avert his gaze, unable to face Yoriichi's corpse, and flee.
Nor had he imagined that Tamayo was the one who had gathered Yoriichi's remains and had cared for his tomb across centuries.
This revelation gave Hayashi a deeper understanding of his "role."
Muzan would likely believe Yoriichi Tsugikuni had risen from his grave to haunt him once more.
Tamayo and Ubuyashiki Kagaya both regarded Hayashi as Yoriichi's "reincarnation."
Thinking of this, Hayashi checked his degree of restoration again.
After slaying two Lower Moons, it had reached 30%.
Now, after speaking with Tamayo, it had risen to 32%.
"So… understanding Yoriichi Tsugikuni also increases my restoration?" Hayashi thought, startled.
His mind flashed back to Mount Kumotori, where he had asked Muzan the three soul-piercing questions.
Had his lack of full immersion in the role been the reason he had only gained 7% despite wounding Muzan?
While pondering, he noticed Tamayo had already written down the address of Yoriichi's grave.
Hayashi glanced at it—and his expression suddenly became very strange…