After a long and rather chaotic shopping trip with Ruka and Kyojuro, Kagerou could be seen walking with both arms full, carrying bundles of clothes and small parcels. Kyojuro, determined not to lose to his older brother, clutched a few packages of his own, leaving Ruka empty-handed. That, after all, was the reason Kagerou insisted on coming along.
Walking was fine. But letting Ruka carry things? That, he would never allow.
"…You've been a great help today, Kage-kun," Ruka said warmly.
"Don-"
"Mother! Mother! What about me?! Me?!" Kyojuro burst out, his golden eyes wide with outrage.
Ruka chuckled, patting his head. "Yes, you too, Kyojuro. My boys are the best"
"Hehe~" The boy's grin spread ear to ear, as if he had just won a great victory.
Kagerou shook his head with a faint smile, watching his younger brother bask in such simple joy.
"Kage-kun, Kyojuro," Ruka said at last, "since you've both helped me so much today, why don't I buy you something you want? Anything you're interested in?"
"I want a sweet, Mother!" Kyojuro raised his hand as if shouting in battle.
"Sweets?" Ruka tilted her head, a touch of mischief in her smile. "Mm… I suppose once in a while, it's fine. What about you, Kage-kun?"
Kagerou paused. The question lingered heavier than it should have. He didn't really want anything. Clothes, food, a roof over his head, and time to grow stronger, those were enough. Yet this was Mother's request. To answer 'nothing' would feel ungrateful.
His gray eyes drifted across the street, scanning the rows of stalls until they caught on a small stand tucked away at the roadside. The trader's table was cluttered with strange trinkets, most of them useless junk. But among them, one item drew his gaze.
Long, slender, crafted of polished wood with a delicate iron mouthpiece.
Kagerou found himself staring. For reasons he couldn't explain, he felt it suited him. Smoke was his path, his identity, and somehow, the sight of that pipe made the haze of his own journey seem a little clearer.
Seeing Kagerou's gaze linger, Ruka followed the direction of his eyes. A small roadside stall stood there, cluttered with odd trinkets and strange items. She smiled softly and patted his shoulder.
"Come on, let's go see what's there"
"…Hmm." Kagerou gave a small nod and followed behind her.
"Welcome~!" The merchant's smile brightened as Ruka and her two sons approached. "Come, come! Many fine things here, Ma'am. Most from the West. I don't know the use of every piece, but I assure you, these are no ordinary items"
"Oh?" Ruka tilted her head. "And what exactly do you have here, sir?"
"See for yourself!"
Ruka's gaze moved over the table. Indeed, the items were unusual, many unfamiliar even to her. She glanced at Kagerou, who stood unusually still. His gray eyes hadn't left one particular item.
"Kage-kun," Ruka said gently, "you seem interested. Go on, choose something. Don't hold back"
Kagerou gave a silent nod, handed his bundles to Kyojuro, who immediately staggered under the weight, and stepped forward. His hand reached straight for a long, polished pipe.
The merchant's smile faltered for a moment. Ruka's expression also stiffened. A kiseru. Elegant, yes, but hardly something an eight-year-old should be touching.
"This… Kage-kun, I don-"
"Ma'am!" The merchant quickly cut in, eager.
"Yes?, Ruka raised a brow.
"This is a kiseru, yes, but it is more than just a smoking tool"
"…I know what it is"
"But perhaps you don't know its other uses." His tone turned serious, desperate even. "In my years as a wanderer, traveling not only across Nippon but also to foreign lands, I learned much. In many places, the kiseru is not only for smoking. It is ceremonial, spiritual… sometimes even a weapon. And in certain lands, it is medicinal"
"Medicinal?" This time, Kagerou spoke, his brow raised.
The merchant's eyes lit up. He reached under his stall and placed a small pouch on the table.
"This," he said proudly, "is called emetic weed. (Lobelia inflata, known as Indian Tobacco) In the land called the British Raj, it was used to relax the lungs, clear the throat, and even ease breathing"
# A/N: "British Raj". The term refers to the period of direct British rule in the Indian subcontinent, lasting from 1858 until independence in 1947. During this period, the British Raj encompassed modern-day India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. The setting of this story begins in 1904, when Kagerou was first discovered by Shinjuro. Currently, in 1908, Kagerou is eight years old, and here, Tanjiro has just been born.
Kagerou narrowed his eyes. He didn't fully believe the words, but the man's confidence gave them weight. "Really…?"
"Yes. In fact," the merchant leaned forward, "... If you buy this kiseru, I'll give you the Indian tobacco for free"
"Free?" Ruka asked, suspicious.
He winced under her look. "Ah, please, don't misunderstand! I have my reasons. Actually, I bought too much during my travels, thinking it would sell well here. But… N-"
"No one trusts you," Kagerou cut in flatly.
The merchant scratched the back of his head with a sheepish laugh. "…Yes. That's why I offer it freely first. If it proves useful, you may come back for more. You benefit, I benefit. A fair deal, no?"
Ruka said nothing. She only looked at Kagerou. Demon Slayer or not, she understood one thing deeply: for them, breathing was everything. If this strange herb could help even a little, it might be worth the risk. But the choice wasn't hers, it was Kagerou's.
"Kage-kun," she said softly, "what do you think?"
Kagerou examined the kiseru in his hands, then lifted his eyes to the merchant. The boy's gaze was far too sharp for an eight-year-old, enough to make the man shiver.
"…I'll believe you," Kagerou said at last. "But if anything happens, anything at all, you won't escape. Even if you run to the ends of the earth, I'll find you. And what follows… You cannot imagine. Am I clear?"
The merchant forced a chuckle, though his forehead was damp with sweat.
"O-of course. Crystal clear." He turned to Ruka quickly. "So then, Ma'am, shall we make a deal?"
Ruka sighed lightly, but smiled. "Because my son trusts you, I will too. How much?"
The merchant's relief was obvious as he completed the transaction. Kagerou received the kiseru, and the pouch of Indian tobacco was placed carefully into his hands.
"…Mother, Kage-nii… help…" came a strained voice.
Both turned at once. Kyojuro's face was bright red, his little body trembling under the mountain of parcels.
"Kyojuro!"
Ruka covered her mouth, hiding her laughter as Kagerou rushed to relieve his brother of the weight.
With that, their shopping was done. The trio headed home as the sun dipped low on the horizon, though not before buying sweets for Kyojuro, who was sulking along the way.
The merchant, watching them disappear into the crowd, wiped his brow. His smile faded into something else entirely.
"…That boy," he whispered. "Is he truly only eight years old…?"