Over the following month, Muzan and Shoji settled into a strict daily routine: studying in the morning, having a brief lunch and rest at noon, and heading back just before dusk.
This fixed schedule quickly made them familiar with one another. Muzan found that the human girl possessed a formidable talent for learning, while Shoji felt that the Demon lord before her was an exceptionally capable teacher.
One day, while eating the coarse corn bread she had brought from home, Shoji noticed Muzan leaning silently by the window, gazing motionlessly at the distant sky. Come to think of it... Shoji had never once seen Lord Muzan eat or rest, let alone consume human flesh or regular meals. She had once worried that Muzan might get so hungry he would kill her, but as she grew to understand him better, that notion completely vanished.
Lord Muzan had both saved her and taught her so much. Even if he were to eat her... Shoji would only feel it was entirely right. She was not afraid of death, because her life had already been placed in Muzan's hands a year ago.
From Muzan's perspective, however, it was not that he never ate humans; it was simply that no one noticed.
Over the past year or so, Muzan had conveniently dealt with bandits and outlaws coming from other regions, and incidentally slaughtered a few wolves in human skin within the village. All in all... although he did not eat humans every day, this feeding efficiency was already more than enough for him. As the Demon King, he was naturally not bound by dietary constraints; eating humans was merely a matter of sweeping away pests.
Oh... and as for whether there was any physiological discomfort? Naturally, there had been at first.
When he first started consuming humans, Muzan had felt nauseated, disgusted, and unable to accept it. Gradually, however... he seemed to grow numb, and his body adapted. Now, no matter how twisted the corpse before him looked, he felt as though he were merely gazing at a dish of meat.
***
Today's lesson ran a bit late.
It was already dark. Normally, Shoji should have headed back right as the sun set, but Lord Muzan had told her there would be a reading test tomorrow, so she had stayed a little longer to study further.
"See you tomorrow, Lord Muzan!"
Shoji waved goodbye, lifted her torch, and walked alone toward the village outside the woods.
Watching Shoji's retreating figure vanish into the distance, Muzan gently closed the door. As for why he felt comfortable letting a young woman walk back at night... it was because Muzan sensed no bandits or demons nearby, and thus felt at ease letting her leave.
Yet, Muzan's choice this time was wrong.
The night road was not easy to navigate, and Shoji could only vaguely make out her surroundings by the light of the torch. A cold wind brushed gently against her skin, stirring up a chill.
"Brr... is the weather turning? Why is it so cold?"
Shoji pulled her collar tighter and quickened her pace homeward.
*Tap-tap—tap-tap—*
The sound of wooden sandals striking the grass sounded rather conspicuous in the quiet woods. For some reason, Shoji had a creeping feeling that these woods were a bit strange. Moreover... she felt as though she were being watched by something.
With that thought, Shoji shuddered and held the torch a little closer.
*Whoosh—*
Suddenly, Shoji heard the sound of an object moving behind her.
"?!"
She stopped, whipped her head around, and raised the torch, scanning left and right, but saw nothing in the dark forest.
"A bird, maybe?..."
Shoji muttered to herself and turned back around.
The very next second after turning, however, she caught sight of a human-like figure standing just a few meters ahead:
"Who is it?!"
Startled, she hurriedly aimed the torchlight at the dark, humanoid silhouette...
No, that wasn't right!
Shoji's pupils violently contracted.
That was no human!!
"Nngh...."
It was a humanoid creature with a hunched back and two thick, long arms dragging on the ground. Looking closer, its palms were unmistakably armed with ten non-human talons!
It growled and raised its head—its face covered in bulging veins, baring sharp fangs while drool dripped continuously from its mouth!
"Aaaaahhhhh!"
The moment she saw its appearance, Shoji felt her whole body go numb. Terror crawled up her spine straight to her brain, piercing her nerves!
Was that a demon?! It was a monster!!!
Shoji wanted to run, but her legs felt as though they had been nailed to the ground, completely unable to move.
The demonic creature edged closer and closer to Shoji, the sound of its drool dripping onto the grass sounding exceptionally clear in the silent night. Shoji's torch flickered in the wind, as if it might go out at any moment.
"Don't come near me! Stay back!" Shoji's voice carried a crying tone. She tried desperately to calm herself down, but fear overwhelmed her like a tidal wave.
Just then, a figure suddenly appeared behind the demonic creature. It was Muzan!
He had arrived there at some point, his gaze revealing coldness and disdain. The moment the demonic creature caught sight of Muzan, it seemed to sense some terrifying aura, halting its advance and beginning to back away.
Muzan stepped forward slowly, blocking Shoji's path. He stared coldly at the demonic creature, as though looking at an utterly insignificant ant.
"Scram." Muzan's voice was deep and powerful. Any ordinary evil demon would surely have been frightened out of its wits and fled by now.
Yet... upon hearing those words, the demonic creature did not run away! Instead, upon noticing Muzan's aura, it suddenly let out a roar as a black pattern tore open across its body.
"Roar!!"
The fiend howled and charged straight at Muzan. Seeing this, Muzan was momentarily startled before immediately extending his right hand to unleash his Blood Demon Art:
"Blood Demon Art: Black Blood Brambles!"
*Slash, slash, slash—*
Black thorns burst forth from Muzan's arm, tearing the fiend's body into shreds in the span of a single encounter!
Muzan fiercely hoisted the head of the demonic creature, which was suspended in mid-air. With scarlet, slit-like pupils fixed on its eyes, he spoke in a low, furious voice, every word forced out:
"Lost track of your place, have you?!"
"Roar! Rrroar!!!"
Yet, what answered Muzan was not fearful pleading, but a thoroughly mindless expression and a pair of snapping jaws!
What was going on?!
Muzan widened his eyes slightly as he stared at the mindless fiend before him.
He could feel no control over it; the creature had slipped free of his authority... Had Kokushibo missed one? No, that wasn't it.
Until now, Muzan realized that he was unable to find any sense of familiarity in this thing whatsoever, as if the demon before him was not a demon at all, but an entirely different entity existing in this world!
No wonder Muzan had failed to sense its presence while inside the wooden cabin. Had he not rushed over upon hearing Shoji's screams, even Muzan might not have known such a thing had appeared in these woods!
Watching the monster still desperately trying to bite him, Muzan exerted a fraction of force, crushed its skull, and absorbed its remains entirely into his body.
Behind him, Shoji stood frozen in place. She looked at Muzan's back, her heart filled with gratitude and awe. She had never expected this lord to appear at such a moment, let alone save her life once more.
"Lord Muzan..." Shoji's voice still trembled slightly. She did not know what to say, and simply called out Muzan's name on instinct.
Muzan turned around to look at Shoji, noticing the lingering fear and shock in her eyes.
"It's fine. Let's go back. I'll walk you," he said.
Shoji nodded blankly. After expressing her gratitude, she hurriedly gripped her torch and followed Muzan toward the village. All along the way, her mind raced with questions: What kind of person was this Lord Muzan? He was so powerful—was he the Demon King? If so, why couldn't he control that monster from just now... or was that monster not a demon? Then why was he willing to teach her how to read? And why did he show up whenever she was in danger?
Perhaps these questions had no answers. But Shoji knew that regardless of Muzan's identity or background, he was her savior and her teacher. She would cherish this kindness dearly, study hard, and strive not to fail Lord Muzan's expectations.
Meanwhile, Muzan, walking ahead of Shoji, remained deeply troubled by what had just happened.
Having absorbed the flesh of that "demon," Muzan could feel that its essence was still fundamentally demonic—it feared wisteria, would die if exposed to sunlight, and would perish if its head was severed... yet it seemed to possess almost no intellect.
They were not created by Kibutsuji Muzan; they felt more like... things that had simply materialized out of thin air?
It seemed he would have to spend some time looking into this matter.
【"Kokushibo, come over here in a moment."】
【"Understood, Lord Muzan."】