"Let me carry my brother. Your injuries are too heavy—you can't handle this kind of strenuous activity in your state."
As the sun gradually dipped toward the west, Ume watched Izumi Kiyokazu, who was currently carrying Gyutaro on his back. A look of deep worry creased her face. After all, Kiyokazu was a wounded man himself, only slightly better off than her brother. Seeing the beads of sweat rolling down his forehead, Ume couldn't help but try to persuade him.
Kiyokazu shook his head gently. As he walked toward the river, he carefully caught the scent of blood in the air, monitoring for any pursuers.
"It's alright. My body is different from most; I recover very quickly. Once I've had enough to eat, these minor wounds will basically heal themselves. While I was out buying food, I took the chance to scout for a good hiding spot."
"Just past that river ahead, there's a bridge culvert. It's summer, and since it hasn't rained recently, the water level is low. It's the perfect place for us to hide. It might be a bit uncomfortable, but we don't have much of a choice right now. Once the sun comes up tomorrow, we'll head to a nearby village to hide for a while. We'll come back once we've all recovered."
Listening to him, Ume nodded. She wasn't a girl accustomed to luxury; as long as they could stay alive, she wasn't afraid of a little hardship.
"I'll do whatever you say. I... I'll make sure to repay you properly for all of this."
Seeing the slight flush on Ume's face, Kiyokazu smiled.
"Save those words for when everything has turned out the way I hope. Just don't go giving me any more rock-hard rice balls when the time comes."
"T-that goes without saying! I... I haven't even told you my name yet. I'm Ume—just the one name, I don't have a surname. This is my big brother, Gyutaro. Please look after us from now on, Izumi Kiyokazu."
Hearing Ume's self-introduction, which felt almost like a solemn promise, Kiyokazu felt a pang of emotion in his chest.
In the original story, the demon known as Daki was a monster. But in this moment, she was the gentlest and bravest person Kiyokazu had met since coming to this world. In the original timeline, she had died in a fire, clutching her resentment and rage, and in the end, she was willing to follow her brother into hell to atone for their sins.
But from Gyutaro's memories, perhaps they had already experienced the true hell long before they died.
Was the birth of a demon truly the result of Muzan's blood, or was it born from their nearly hopeless lives? When Gyutaro looked at his sister, burned beyond recognition, what had he been thinking deep down?
If Ume hadn't encountered those tragedies, and if Gyutaro hadn't been burdened with those scars... with his diligence, perhaps he really could have given his sister a good life. Perhaps the two of them could have lived a simple, happy, ordinary life...
Thinking of this, Kiyokazu instinctively glanced at Ume beside him.
Currently, Ume's azure eyes shimmered in the deepening twilight. In those eyes reflected the last glimmers of the sinking sun—and Kiyokazu's own face.
"Ume. Gyutaro."
Kiyokazu repeated the two names softly. Then, under Ume's slightly nervous gaze, he spoke gently.
"Those are two very beautiful names. I'll remember them for the rest of my life. Also... please look after me too, in the days to come."
Kiyokazu didn't say anything overly sentimental. He simply said "look after me too," but the weight of those words told Ume everything: he intended for them to be together for a long time.
Hearing this, the corners of Ume's mouth curled up uncontrollably. She didn't quite understand why she was so happy, but the mere thought of living with Kiyokazu from now on filled her with an indescribable sense of security.
Is... is this what it feels like to like someone?
No... it shouldn't be yet!
Ume pressed a hand to her chest, feeling her heart skip a beat. Right now, she felt more gratitude than anything else; she couldn't flippantly decide she "liked" him. That would be irresponsible to herself and to Kiyokazu.
No, no, no! What are you daydreaming about?! The priority right now is helping Brother recover!
Ume bit her tongue slightly. The sharp prick of pain brought her wandering thoughts back to reality. She quickened her pace to keep up with Kiyokazu, carefully reaching out to steady her brother's body on his back, hoping to lighten Kiyokazu's burden even by a fraction.
In the year 1788, even in a major hub like Yoshiwara, many areas were still nothing but muddy tracks, making travel incredibly difficult. Although it was summer and the riverbanks weren't flooded, there were spots where the silt could reach halfway up a person's calf.
Kiyokazu led the way, telling Ume to step exactly where he stepped to ensure she didn't get stuck in the mud.
As the sun vanished beneath the horizon, Kiyokazu and Ume's shadows stretched long across the ground. Their shadows, like thick ink, gradually intertwined—much like their fates.
As for whether their footprints would be discovered, Kiyokazu wasn't worried. The nights here were pitch black, and by the river, footprints would either be covered by weeds or washed away by the water; it was nearly impossible to track them.
The reason he chose this path was to use the mud and flowing water to mask the scent of blood on their bodies. The silt and the current would disperse their scent effectively, and since this area had been underwater just days ago, the thugs were unlikely to search here.
The river flowed past them toward the countryside, carrying away some of the noise and danger of Yoshiwara.
The bridge culvert wasn't particularly small—about two or three square meters. It was a bit damp inside, and the air was thick with the distinct humidity of the river and the sour, earthy smell of silt.
Kiyokazu didn't mind. He gathered some dry grass to lay on the ground before setting Gyutaro down. Although Gyutaro was still unconscious, his body was steadily improving thanks to his use of the breathing technique.
"Ume..."
"Yes?"
Hearing Kiyokazu's sudden call, Ume looked at him with a puzzled expression.
Kiyokazu's expression turned a bit stiff. He pursed his lips and looked away, asking in a low voice:
"Um... do you need to use the bathroom? If you do, it's probably better if we go together..."
At those words, Ume's face instantly turned a violent shade of crimson.
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