Kagaya Ubuyashiki sat at his desk, diligently writing, while Amane stood by his side, organizing the completed work.
A Kasugai Crow landed by the table, its voice low.
"Snow Pillar has arrived."
Kagaya stopped writing and looked at his wife, nodding to her. Amane understood, nodded back, and quickly left the room.
Getting up, Kagaya walked to the window and looked out. His pale purple eyes, with their unclear vision, struggled to focus on the bright moon. Hearing footsteps gradually approaching, Kagaya did not turn around, but sighed softly.
"The moon is beautiful tonight, don't you think?"
"Yoizumi."
Yoizumi watched the moonlight fall upon Ubuyashiki's pale face. He took a few steps closer to him, the moonlight illuminating half of his face. His sapphire eyes, reflecting the moonlight, glanced at the crescent moon, and Yoizumi answered honestly.
"I think a full moon looks better."
Kagaya chuckled, a sound barely audible. He looked at Yoizumi and asked softly.
"What happened?"
When the topic turned to serious matters, Yoizumi's expression instantly turned cold.
"The vicinity has been infiltrated by demons. It won't be long before the headquarters is discovered, so you should leave here."
Hearing this, Kagaya Ubuyashiki showed no surprise, for he had long since anticipated it and was already prepared to face Kibutsuji Muzan.
Returning to the table, his emaciated hand gently stroked the head of the Kasugai Crow beside him, touching its soft feathers. Kagaya gestured for Yoizumi to sit down, his voice as gentle as ever, yet revealing a determination that puzzled Yoizumi.
"I, you see, I had long guessed that Kibutsuji Muzan would come knocking."
"Then why not leave here?" Yoizumi frowned, indicating his incomprehension.
"Yoizumi, do you know?" Kagaya Ubuyashiki's pale purple eyes, as if covered by an invisible film, were tinged with a hint of sorrow.
"Every time I watch my children, so young, yet one by one, they sacrifice themselves to evil demons… "
"I blame myself."
His bloodless hand slowly rested on his chest, feeling his heartbeat. Kagaya sighed.
He was already grateful just to be able to move his body. If Yoizumi hadn't appeared, he feared he would have been bedridden and unable to speak.
To live this long, he was fortunate.
"If this burdensome body of mine can serve even a small purpose, I believe I would be content."
Yoizumi listened to Kagaya in silence, staring at the purple scars that covered half of the other's face, yet still vaguely revealing his original appearance. Yoizumi suddenly spoke.
"You're not much older than I am."
Kagaya Ubuyashiki paused for a moment, inevitably revealing a slight smile. As expected of Yoizumi… Yoizumi tried to understand the meaning of Ubuyashiki's words, finally concluding that Kagaya Ubuyashiki intended to use his own death to fuel this war.
Breathing heavily, the air, besides the scent of wisteria that filled every corner, also carried a faint, subtle odor.
It was gunpowder… Yoizumi disliked the smell of gunpowder. In the past, he had only considered it a protective measure for the headquarters. Now, Yoizumi no longer thought so.
The massive roar, accompanied by the stimulating spread of smoke, could destroy all beauty.
Yoizumi truly disliked it.
"Ubuyashiki, all of us need you," Yoizumi said, meeting his gentle eyes, enunciating each word.
"We will win, it will be a resounding victory."
"So…"
Yoizumi rose, and under Kagaya's puzzled gaze, walked to his side, knelt on one knee, and respectfully bowed his head, his clear voice unwavering.
"Master, we need you. Please, live."
"…" Kagaya Ubuyashiki closed his eyes with difficulty, gripping his hands tightly, so much so that his wrists trembled slightly.
Kagaya Ubuyashiki remained silent, and Yoizumi did not rise. Anyway… Yoizumi believed Ubuyashiki's endurance would definitely not surpass his.
After a while, Yoizumi heard Kagaya's sigh, and that excessively frail hand slowly extended towards him.
Just as when they first met, Kagaya Ubuyashiki reached out to Yoizumi, inviting him to join the Demon Slayer Corps… "I only hope this weak body of mine doesn't become a burden."
Yoizumi clasped the hand again. It was very cold…
But it didn't matter.
His hand was also… After discussing some of the visions Yoizumi had seen with Ubuyashiki, Yoizumi left the headquarters.
He had returned much later than originally planned.
As soon as he appeared at the Butterfly Mansion, Nezuko-chan, who had been waiting by the door, called out to him.
Nezuko-chan rushed to Yoizumi's side, scrutinizing him all over. Then she remembered that her brother was a demon, and any wounds would have healed long ago. Only then did she ask with a worried expression.
"Yoizumi-nii, did something happen? You came back so late."
Looking at his sister, Yoizumi gently patted her head and shook his head.
"I'm fine. I'm sorry to have kept you waiting."
Nezuko-chan breathed a sigh of relief, grabbed her brother's arm, and pulled him towards the dining hall, muttering.
"Yoizumi-nii came back late, so the food is a bit cold. I'll go warm it up."
"Nezuko, you all haven't eaten yet?" Yoizumi said, surprised.
Nezuko-chan frowned, turned to look at Yoizumi, her expression perfectly reasonable.
"How could we eat first when Yoizumi-nii wasn't here?"
"We said we'd eat together! Did you forget?"
Yoizumi unconsciously smiled.
"I didn't forget."
The two returned to the dining hall together, where they saw Tanjirou carrying plates towards the kitchen. Seeing his sister and brother, Tanjirou poked his head out and gave a big smile.
"I'll go warm these up. Please wait a moment!"
Tanjirou had smelled Yoizumi the moment he appeared.
Pressed into a seat by his sister, Yoizumi watched Nezuko-chan run off to the kitchen again. In an instant, the mood that had been affected by the events of the night suddenly relaxed.
"So hungry…" Zenitsu and Inosuke, who had been unconscious for a day and a night, finally woke up. Zenitsu clutched his stomach, complaining softly.
Inosuke, with a large bump swelling on his forehead, too big to wear his boar mask, slumped onto the dining table, his voice as faint as a mosquito's buzz.
"Hungry…"
Yoizumi couldn't bear to look.
"Dinner will be ready soon, just hold on a little longer."
Soon, Tanjirou and Nezuko-chan returned with steaming hot dishes.
Everyone gathered around a round table to eat, a lively scene.
"Nezuko-chan! Homemade food!"
"Wow! I'm so happy!!"
From time to time, Zenitsu's high-pitched shouts and Inosuke's grunting sounds could be heard.
Yoizumi lowered his head and bit into the tamagoyaki that his sister had specially added a lot of sugar to. Yoizumi pursed his lips and curved a slight smile.
It tasted exactly like Mother Kie's… His gaze swept over everyone, and Yoizumi's sapphire eyes held a hint of nostalgia.
Now… and before… it's so… lively.
(I originally wanted Muzan to appear, but then I suddenly remembered Master hadn't been saved yet.)
(This should cover everything now…)
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