"Today I went out for a mission again, but I still haven't found the demon with a metal folding fan who killed my sister."
"I go on missions much more often than the other Hashira. I thought I could avenge my sister sooner, but he's hidden too well!"
"Today I saw man-eating demons again. Demons are always like this. They are not only full of lies, but they always look at the flesh on my body."
"Friday, Weather: Cloudy."
"Sister, I miss you so much!"
"Do you know? Sometimes human hearts are more terrifying than demons. Many times I saved them, but they were ungrateful. They even said they wanted to become part of the demons!"
"I was very angry. I wanted to kill them! But I am a member of the Demon Slayer Corps. I cannot do that."
"Wednesday, Weather: Rainy."
"Sister, today I found a demon that can coexist peacefully with humans. I originally thought you were wrong, but now I believe it."
"Her name is Nezuko, and she's as cute as Kanao. I entrusted your dream to her brother."
"But I also met someone even more interesting…"
This page ended here.
Looking at the content, Su Chen realized the time was exactly when he had first arrived. He just didn't know who Shinobu Kocho was writing about.
He continued to turn to the next page.
"But I also met an even more interesting person."
"His name is Su Chen. Sister, do you know? He is three years younger than me, the same age as Muichiro, but his talent is the best I've ever seen!"
"I snatched him during the Master's meeting. Sister, you don't know how popular Su Chen is, all the Hashira wanted him! Luckily, your little sister here was more skilled!"
"However, he seems to have had a big conflict with Shinazugawa-san. He is clamoring for a fight!"
"Monday, Weather: Sunny."
"Sister, you know Su Chen, right? He's now strong enough to tease me!"
"And Kanao seems to like him very much. I originally thought this child wouldn't talk to anyone except you, Sister, but I didn't expect Su Chen to open Kanao's heart."
"Tonight, I went to find Su Chen. He is still training very hard, and his progress is immense!"
"I originally wanted to tease this child, but Su Chen was unexpectedly straightforward. He actually leaned directly toward me!"
"I was scared. Doesn't that child know that besides the girl he likes, he shouldn't get so close to other girls?"
"Sister, I gave him my Breathing Style. If possible, I'd like to adopt Su Chen as my Tsuguko."
"Sister, do you think Su Chen will eventually leave the Butterfly Mansion? I find that I seem to quite like this child."
"Tuesday, Weather: Sunny to Cloudy."
"Sister, I suddenly feel that Su Chen, this child, is a bit of a flirt. He's so young, but he's a little devil."
"Sister, I saw your shadow on him again. Even the way he uses his sword is so similar."
"Wednesday, Weather: Cloudy to Sunny."
"Today I went to see Oyakata-sama, and he praised Su Chen. I was very happy."
"I've always treated Su Chen as a younger brother, so receiving praise from Master is truly a happy thing."
"Tonight I went to find Su Chen again. Sister, do you know! That child, Su Chen, actually created his own Breathing Style!"
"Bee Breathing! What a nice name. Brother Su Chen said it's a variation of Insect Breathing. Haha, I knew my Insect Breathing was very powerful!"
"Sister, I plan to have Xiao Qing send another raven to Oyakata-sama to inform him of this news, so Su Chen can receive better treatment!"
Soon, Su Chen finished reading another page of the diary.
He unconsciously smiled. He didn't expect that this little girl, Shinobu Kocho, saw him this way. Always treating him as a younger brother? This girl probably doesn't know that his actual age was much older than hers.
When Su Chen read that Shinobu hoped he would receive better treatment, his heart felt warm again.
What else was written below?
Su Chen continued to turn to the next page.
"There's a mission again today. I heard that a Lower Moon demon has been found in Autumn Mountain, and it's very powerful."
"Tomioka-san isn't here this time. Oyakata-sama asked me and a few other team members to go check the situation. Sister, wish me luck."
Thud!
Su Chen closed the book, his eyes deep.
A Lower Moon demon?
A bad premonition suddenly arose in Su Chen's heart.
Five days had passed since Shinobu Kocho departed. If it was truly just a Lower Moon demon, with Shinobu's strength, it shouldn't have taken this long.
Could it be… an Upper Moon?
Having lived here for so long, Su Chen had developed feelings for the Butterfly Mansion. Seeing that Shinobu hadn't returned after so long, Su Chen felt a little worried.
"Brother Su Chen, have you not found it yet?" Xiao Qing's voice suddenly came from above.
Immediately after, hurried footsteps sounded above Su Chen's head.
"Brother Su Chen."
Xiao Qing followed the path Su Chen had taken earlier to the basement. She walked through the corridor and then also pushed open Shinobu Kocho's laboratory door.
But Su Chen was not found inside.
Xiao Qing scratched her head in confusion. "Strange, isn't Brother Su Chen here?"
…
Meanwhile, in Kanao's room.
Su Chen had slipped in at some point.
Kanao, who was cleaning the room, saw Su Chen suddenly appear, and her heart skipped a beat. "Su Chen?"
Su Chen smiled. "Kanao, can I borrow your Nichirin Sword for a bit?"
As he spoke, Su Chen's hand rested on Kanao's fingertips.
"I want to practice my sword tonight. I'll return it tomorrow."
Feeling the touch on her fingertips, Kanao's delicate body trembled, and her cheeks immediately turned red like a ripe apple.
"...Y-yes… you can," Kanao stammered.
The Nichirin Sword was handed directly to Su Chen.
After Su Chen took the blade, he found that Kanao had, in turn, grabbed his hand.
Su Chen looked up and saw that the girl's eyes were full of concern. "Be careful… be a little careful."
Su Chen was startled.
It seemed she also knew, but she still lent him the Nichirin Sword.
However, Kanao had to stay behind to guard the Butterfly Mansion, so for safety's sake, Su Chen couldn't take her with him.
Su Chen turned and gave Kanao a hug.
A unique, sweet scent of a young girl wafted into Su Chen's nostrils. Su Chen leaned close to Kanao's ear and said in a voice only she could hear, "Wait for me to come back."
Kanao's eyes widened, and her pair of fair little hands waved frantically.
Kanao stammered even more. "O-okay… okay."
The speech she had just managed to learn was messed up again.
At this moment, she unconsciously thought of the scene where Su Chen had just demonstrated Bee Breathing. She felt as if she was a tiny flower, and Su Chen was the bee collecting nectar.
Sweet as honey.
Kanao's cheeks flushed again.
She wanted to try and touch Su Chen's back, but just then, Su Chen had already let go of her.