At the first hint of dawn, Sui packed her things and set out.
Before leaving, she had changed out of her eye-catching, finely made crimson kimono and into a plain, light-colored outfit. The master of the The House with the Wisteria Family Crest had even prepared a hat with a veil to conceal her appearance, along with a wisteria-scented sachet to ward off demons.
The man had warned her that her looks were far too striking. Traveling from here to Mount Momoyama would inevitably lead her into the night—she needed to be careful.
Not just of demons, but of ill-intentioned people as well.
"Nightfall, huh…"
Sui murmured, looking toward the east where the sun was slowly climbing.
It was early spring. The sunlight carried almost no warmth. The few rays that broke through the clouds and fell upon her face felt crisp and cold.
Behind her, the gates of the The House with the Wisteria Family Crest gradually faded from view. Ahead lay a narrow path winding through the forest. Sui placed the hat on her head, the white veil draping down to reveal only her smooth, delicate chin.
Carrying the long sword she had taken from her home, she wandered farther and farther away.
…
Mount Momoyama, Peachwood Town.
By evening, the diners in the inn had gradually dispersed. In the spacious wooden hall, only the uncollected dishes remained, along with the innkeeper and the setting sun streaming in through the doorway.
At that moment, a few coins landed on the counter with a crisp clink.
The guest had arrived at some unknown time—wearing a veiled hat and plain coarse clothing. From the slender figure, it was clear she was a woman. Beyond that, the innkeeper noticed the fine sword in her left hand and decided not to ask further questions.
"Will you be dining or staying the night?"
"Staying."
A voice came from beneath the veil—pleasant, as expected.
"Is this enough?"
The innkeeper glanced at the coins. "More than enough. There's extra."
She had placed two yen on the counter. At that price, she could stay here for a month, not just a night. In all his years, the innkeeper had never encountered such a generous customer—someone who clearly didn't care much about money. Still, he quietly calculated the change.
"This way, please."
He gestured and led her upstairs. Only when he got closer did he realize that, even with the hat, she was a head shorter than him.
"Oh, right—let me ask you something,"
Sui said.
"Of course."
"How long would it take to get from this town to the deeper parts of Mount Momoyama?"
"The deeper parts?"
The innkeeper was startled.
"You're planning to go into the mountains?"
"Mm."
Sui nodded.
She had overestimated her own pace. She'd thought she could at least reach halfway up the mountain by nightfall, but in reality, she had only made it to the town at its base. Tomorrow, climbing deeper into the mountains would take who knows how long. Since this inn had been here for many years, she figured the owner would have a rough idea.
"I strongly advise against going into Mount Momoyama."
To her surprise, the innkeeper immediately objected.
"Why?"
"There are man-eating monsters in the mountain!"
He lowered his voice instinctively.
"There used to be a temple deep inside. During festivals, people would go up to offer prayers—it was a local custom. But three years ago… some of my friends went up with others for a visit and never came back. We sent people to search during the day, and in the temple we only found torn clothing and…"
Sui tilted her head slightly, signaling him to continue.
The innkeeper's voice dropped even lower, as if afraid something might overhear.
"…fingernails. And hair."
"That mysterious, huh?"
Sui's voice was light.
"I've said all I can."
Seeing her unconvinced, the innkeeper said no more. He opened a door, stepped inside, and lit a candle.
Warm orange light filled the room. It had everything—table, chairs, bed. Through the window, one could see clouds burning like fire in the sky. Faintly, Sui could smell the scent of wood lacquer.
"This is your room. If you need anything, just call."
"Thank you."
"It's nothing. Just… it bothers me seeing a young girl like you ignore advice. Even if you don't believe in man-eating monsters, the mountain is full of dense जंगल—wild boars, venomous creatures… it's not safe."
He waved his hand and left, keys jangling.
"Man-eating monsters, huh…"
Closing the door, Sui removed her hat and sat on the wooden chair. A full day of walking had left her body limp—she hadn't noticed it while standing, but the moment she sat down, she felt like she might fall apart.
"Haa…"
She stretched, then began to think.
According to Shinjuro Rengoku 's letter, Mount Momoyama was where one of the highest-ranking swordsmen of the Demon Slayer Corps—the former Thunder Hashira—had retired.
There was a saying: even in old age, a lion was still a lion. It would never allow hyenas to live beside it.
So how could a retired Hashira tolerate man-eating demons hunting near his residence?
Maybe they were just wild wolves or boars, she thought. That explanation made far more sense than demons lurking near a Hashira.
She gently drew her blade. The surface, clear as still water, reflected the last trace of the setting sun before dimming into silence.
Knock, knock, knock—
A sudden knock interrupted her.
"Who is it?"
Sui frowned.
"The innkeeper."
The familiar middle-aged voice came from outside.
"I brought you a bowl of noodles—and your change."
Sui slid her sword back into its sheath and opened the door.
The moment it cracked open, the aroma of soy sauce and scallions rushed in, filling both the room and her senses. It reminded her that she hadn't eaten much along the way.
She looked up—and noticed the innkeeper had frozen.
She had removed her hat, revealing her true appearance.
The faint red at the corner of her eye seemed to deepen under the lamplight, like aged wine. Paired with her unreal beauty, a single glance was enough to make one dizzy—it carried an almost inhuman allure.
For a moment, the innkeeper wondered if this was what the soul-stealing demons of legend looked like.
Otherwise, why would such a beautiful girl come to a remote place like Mount Momoyama?
"Innkeeper?"
Sui spoke, snapping him out of it.
"Oh—ah, sorry! Here's your noodles, and your change."
He handed them over and hurried off, stiff and awkward.
Sui didn't dwell on it.
She was hungry.
She set down the bowl, steam rising.
Knock, knock, knock—
The knocking interrupted her first bite.
Why was the innkeeper back again? Had he forgotten something?
Puzzled, Sui walked over and opened the door.
No one was there.
"...?"
A long, heavy breath suddenly fell against her face.
A fishy stench engulfed her, hot and foul, making her nearly gag.
She looked up.
In the darkness, a pair of twisted, enormous eyes stared back at her.
The thing's jagged teeth clicked as it spoke in a voice that barely resembled human speech—
"Chi-chi-chi—chi—rare blood… rare blood… rare blood—!"