"Father…" Kagerou called carefully, his voice low as he saw Shinjuro step through the doorway.
But Shinjuro wasn't alone.
Beside him stood a boy, around Kyojuro's age, maybe a little younger. That, however, wasn't what caught Kagerou's attention.
It was the serpent coiled around the boy's neck.
And the wound, his mouth stretched unnaturally from one cheek to the other, like a snake's open maw.
"Oh, Kage. You're home, huh?" Shinjuro's voice carried exhaustion, his shoulders heavy as his gaze met his eldest son's.
"...Welcome back, Father," Kyojuro and Senjuro said together, though neither of them took their eyes off the strange boy beside him. Kagerou didn't either.
Noticing their unease, Shinjuro exhaled softly, then rested a hand on the boy's shoulder.
"His name is Obanai," he said. "I came across him during my mission. He-"
The words caught in his throat. For a moment, the silence between them deepened, broken only by the faint hiss of the snake curling around Obanai's neck.
Finally, Shinjuro turned toward his younger sons.
"Kyojuro, Senjuro," he said quietly, "take Obanai to the bath. Help him clean up"
Then, glancing back at the boy, his tone softened. "Obanai… go with them"
Obanai said nothing. He simply nodded once and followed Kyojuro and Senjuro down the corridor, his bare feet silent against the wooden floor.
When they were gone, Shinjuro's gaze shifted to Kagerou again. His eyes were tired, tired in a way that no battle could explain.
"...Let's talk," he said. "You probably have questions"
Kagerou took a quiet drag from his kiseru, then exhaled. The smoke drifted upward between them like a thin veil.
"Yeah," he murmured. "Let's go"
The two men stepped out into the backyard as the door slid shut behind them.
--------
Kagerou and Shinjuro sat side by side along the engawa. One of Kagerou's hands was tucked into his haori, while the other held his kiseru loosely between his fingers.
He glanced at his father. Beneath the tiredness in Shinjuro's eyes, there was something deeper, a weight pressing down on his shoulders.
Kagerou didn't ask right away. He took a slow puff from his kiseru and waited, letting his father be the one to speak first.
After a long silence, Shinjuro finally began.
"...His family worshiped a demon. Can you believe that?"
Kagerou's hand paused midair. His eyes widened slightly.
"He was the only male in that family, a house full of women. They locked him up like an animal. Raised him not as a son, not even as a human, but as a sacrifice"
Kagerou said nothing. The silence between them felt heavy.
"That demon killed people, robbed them of their wealth, and handed it all to the family. And in return…" Shinjuro's voice faltered. "In return, they bore children and offered those babies to the demon"
Still, Kagerou said nothing.
"I… I wanted to kill them with my own hands," Shinjuro said through clenched teeth. "But when I got there, they were already dead, slaughtered by that snake demon after Obanai escaped"
Kagerou's voice came quietly. "...So you killed the demon, Father?"
"If I could kill it twice, I would." Shinjuro's tone broke for the first time. "I'm angry, Kage. Angry at this world that lets such madness exist... and angry at myself for not being able to stop it. I've killed one demon, or two, or ten, but there are countless more out there. For every person I save, there are dozens dying somewhere else"
He sighed deeply, his voice rough with exhaustion.
"I feel powerless, Kage. That's why I wanted to stop. Maybe if I stopped, I wouldn't feel this... burden anymore"
He paused, looking down at his calloused hands.
"It's our duty, the strong must protect the weak. I used to believe I was strong. I carried that duty proudly. But the more I fight, the more I realize how weak I really am. Strength... isn't just about power. It's about heart, and mind. And I…" he laughed bitterly, "I'm strong on the outside, but weak on the inside, Kage"
"I only realized it now," Shinjuro said quietly. "Realized that I was this weak... I can't keep doing this. If I continue, I'll be ruined, ruined by my own belief-"
"Then stop," Kagerou cut in. "Isn't that what you want? If you think you'll be ruined by continuing, then stop, Father. The rest... leave it to me"
Shinjuro fell silent.
He looked at his son, the strange boy he'd once found during a mission. The boy he hadn't expected would one day become his son... not just a son, but the very pillar holding their family together.
But now he realized, what he had brought home that day wasn't a stranger, nor merely a boy. It was a change.
"I'll carry the responsibility you once bore," Kagerou continued. "It's the son's duty to carry the weight his father once held. So rest, Father. I'm officially a Demon Slayer now. Retire, just like you've always wanted. Stay home. Train Kyojuro and Senjuro. Prepare them. Because this cursed world's burden isn't something one person should carry alone"
Shinjuro didn't respond. He simply kept staring at Kagerou, his chest tightening with something he refused to show. When he felt the sting behind his eyes, he quickly turned his head away, inhaling sharply to steady his breath before turning back.
"... Now, since you mentioned it," Shinjuro finally said, his tone a little rough. "What about the Final Selection? Did you pick your ore correctly?"
"Pick the ore correctly? No." Kagerou blinked, raising an eyebrow. "I left that to Kagaya. I asked him to pick it for me"
"... Oh, I see," Shinjuro muttered, nodding slowly. Then, after a beat, his head whipped sharply toward Kagerou. "YOU WHAT?!"
"Huh? Is there something wrong?" Kagerou asked, completely straight-faced. "Kagaya's been the Corps leader for years, so he'd know which ore is the best among the best, right?"
Shinjuro stared blankly.
"... Right?" Kagerou repeated.
"... Kagerou," Shinjuro said with a long, tired exhale, rubbing his temples. "... Never mind. Just follow me later when I go report about this mission to Oyakata-sama"
"Huh? Why should I? I wanted to-"
"Just follow me!" Shinjuro snapped, turning toward him with an expression that was somewhere between frustration and disbelief. "Picking your ore isn't some casual errand! It's one of the most sacred moments for a Demon Slayer. It's not just choosing metal, it's choosing your partner for life. You have to feel it yourself, not dump it on someone else, especially not on Oyakata-sama!"
Kagerou blinked, startled by the sudden burst of energy. "... So… I shouldn't have asked him?"
Shinjuro groaned, dragging his hand down his face. "... Don't ask anything else. Just follow me, you idiot"
Kagerou sighed, puffing a small cloud from his Kiseru. "... Got it, Father. But you're still going to owe me for the embarrassment later"
Shinjuro gave him a sideways glare. "Embarrassment? You'll be lucky if Haganezuka doesn't chase you with a hammer after hearing this"