With Tamayo acting as mediator, Yosuke and Yoriichi Tsugikuni finally sat down together in a small izakaya to talk.
But Yoriichi felt distinctly uncomfortable. Never in his life had he sat in peace with a demon—let alone with the Demon King himself. The situation felt deeply unnatural.
Yosuke was just as uneasy. It was obvious Yoriichi was a man of very few words, and Yosuke had no idea how to start a conversation—especially since they had just been fighting moments earlier.
The air grew increasingly awkward. The two simply stared at one another in silence.
"Pfft—"
Tamayo covered her mouth, laughing.
"Honestly, the two of you right now look just like a couple on a blind date, too shy to speak to each other."
Yosuke's face darkened in embarrassment. He rolled his eyes at her.
"What kind of disgusting comparison is that…?"
Then Tamayo noticed something.
"Come to think of it—Yosuke, your earrings are exactly the same as Yoriichi-sama's!"
Yosuke touched the earring on his right ear. After wearing them for over a hundred years without ever removing them, he had long since forgotten their design.
Taking them off carefully, he placed them in his palm. To his surprise, they were indeed identical to Yoriichi's earrings, just as Tamayo had said.
"These were given to me by someone very important in my life."
At that, Yoriichi suddenly spoke.
"May I ask—who was it that gave them to you?"
"Ah… her name was Kaori," Yosuke replied.
Tamayo's curiosity was instantly piqued.
"You've never mentioned this before! Could it be—was she your lover?"
Though she had known Yosuke for a long time, Tamayo had never once heard him speak of his past. To her, it was as though his history were shrouded in mist.
Yosuke shook his head, gazing at the earrings in his hand. Memories surfaced vividly before his eyes—a little girl trailing behind him, calling out "Big Brother Yosuke."
A faint smile curved his lips.
"No… Kaori wasn't my lover. If anything, she was family."
Tamayo blinked in surprise. That warm, gentle smile—she could not recall ever seeing such an expression from Yosuke before. This Kaori must have been truly important to him.
"I see… and what about you, Yoriichi-sama?" Tamayo asked, turning to him.
Yoriichi touched the earrings on his ears.
"As a child, I never spoke a word. My mother believed I could not hear. She prayed to the gods that my ears might be blessed with warmth and sound. She made these earrings as protective charms. I believe the Kaori Yosuke speaks of must be my grandmother."
Tamayo's eyes widened in shock. Never had she expected that Yosuke—the so-called Demon King—and Yoriichi, humanity's strongest warrior, would share such a connection.
Yosuke himself was stunned. Could the world truly weave such coincidences?
Yoriichi continued:
"My family was a samurai clan. According to our records, long ago my grandparents lived in a small village. There were tales of a godlike being who dwelled in darkness yet shone with the warmth of the sun, who helped my grandparents survive famine and disaster.
"Later, as life improved, my grandfather and his descendants moved to the city. On the battlefield, he earned the recognition of his lord, who granted him the surname Tsugikuni. Thus, the Tsugikuni family was born.
"It is said that near the end of her life, my grandmother chose to remain in that small village, to spend her final years with that godlike being in gratitude. The design of these earrings is the Tsugikuni family crest, created to commemorate that deity.
"Our family records list my grandmother's name as Kaori, and my grandfather's as Yuta."
Hearing the names Kaori and Yuta, Yosuke knew without doubt: Yoriichi was indeed Kaori's descendant.
"What a mysterious thing fate is in this world," Yosuke murmured.
Yoriichi dropped to his knees before Yosuke, pressing his forehead to the tatami. His voice was solemn and sincere.
"On behalf of the Tsugikuni family, I thank you for the aid you gave my grandparents. Without you, perhaps the Tsugikuni clan would never have existed."
Startled, Yosuke waved his hands quickly.
"Please, don't bow to me. Kaori helped me just as much in those days. By the way—her grave is on Mount Dewa near Numazu. If you could pay your respects there, I'm sure she would be happy to see such an outstanding descendant."
"I will," Yoriichi said firmly, his expression returning to calm.
At last, they had found a topic to connect them—but as the conversation ended, silence once more filled the air.
Suddenly, there was a knock at the izakaya's door. Tamayo rose from the tatami, slid it open, and saw a cute young girl with short white hair, a string of ornaments adorning the left side.
The girl bowed politely.
"I am Hinaki Ubuyashiki, daughter of the current head of the Ubuyashiki family. By the order of my father, Kagaya Ubuyashiki, I have come to invite Yosuke-sama to our clan estate for a meeting."
Led by Hinaki, they passed through bamboo groves and arrived at a desolate mountain. At its deepest point stood a lone residence.
Entering the mansion, they found it vast—yet eerily devoid of people.
It was Tamayo's first time inside the Ubuyashiki residence. She could not help but remark:
"For the leader of the Demon Slayer Corps, whose family Muzan himself longs to annihilate, to live here without a single guard… what nerve."
Hinaki explained softly:
"Father has always said that every Demon Slayer is precious. To keep them here would be a waste. If Muzan were to discover this place, we would stand no chance of escaping regardless. Better that every ounce of strength be preserved for the battle against Muzan."
Yosuke couldn't help but feel admiration for the head of the Ubuyashiki clan, even before meeting him.