Mizi was gnawing on an apple while watching Nijio Ran cry, and watching her cry somehow made the apple taste even better.
"I mean..."
Nijio Ran suddenly hugged Mizi and burst into tears, the sudden embrace leaving Mizi gasping for air.
"Let go, will you... What kind of weirdos are you people in this estate?"
Nijio Ran released her just in time. Mizi coughed continuously, nearly dying right there.
Inside the dining room.
"Senior Buyou, aren't you going to comfort her?"
Buyou ignored what had just happened and continued eating.
"The young lady has been in this state for a year now. This old man cannot persuade her; she has to figure it out herself."
"Was the "young master" you just mentioned Nijio Ran's older brother?"
"Yes. The young lady has been crying and making a fuss precisely because of this matter. She is fragile at heart, and the successive departures of the master and mistress are what brought her to this point."
"The young master was the young lady's only remaining family, but he vanished during that "botanical center fire incident." We sent many people out, but we couldn't find him. He seemed to have simply evaporated."
Elsewhere.
"My older brother, Hongweilang, was both the head of the Demon Slayer Corps and a Demon Slayer."
Mizi and Nijio Ran sat together, Mizi listening intently as Nijio Ran told stories of the past.
"We grew up together. My brother was wonderful to me and always put my best interests first in everything."
"My father's sudden passing and my mother's serious illness threw all the burdens onto my shoulders—well, Grandpa Buyou is a good man too, and he bore a lot for our family."
"That day, my brother acted in a great hurry, looking fully prepared for battle."
"I knew we were descendants of the Demon Slayers, and wiping out demons was our responsibility."
(Flashback to the past)
"Brother!"
(Hongweilang had already changed into his uniform and strapped on his Nichirin Blade, ready to head out.)
"Brother! You're still injured, why do you still have to go fight? Can't you stop and rest, even for a moment?"
"I'm sorry, little sister. I have a more important mission; I cannot stop right now."
"But you're still carrying wounds."
"It's fine. I'll still return safely this time."
"You're lying! Father said the same thing before, and yet... and yet—"
"When has your brother ever lied to his little sister? Trust me, I will definitely return safely. We pinky-swore."
His pocket phone rang, and Hongweilang answered it.
"Young master, we don't have much time left. We need to hurry and handle the situation there."
"Alright, I understand."
He then hung up the phone and turned to leave.
"Trust your brother, I will definitely return safely."
"After that, my brother never came back."
Mizi comforted the sorrowful and lost Nijio Ran, then stood up and said, "Amane's older brother is missing too. In order to grow stronger to protect others and search for his older brother, he chose to become a Demon Slayer."
"But I don't have that kind of talent. I can't even lift a Nichirin Blade. How am I supposed to get stronger?"
Mizi thought for a moment, then pulled out a medical book and showed it to it Nijio Ran.
"That old codger just said I came here to freeload, so I'm going to get stronger. I'm going to start studying to prove it to him."
She smiled and took Nijio Ran's hand.
"Because you're waiting for an answer—the answer your brother is bringing back. No matter what happens in the future, we should face it head-on."
Nijio Ran was touched by Mizi's words and hugged her again.
"Thank you for the encouragement. By the way, I don't know your name yet?"
"My name is Seyang Mizi. Let go already, your st-strength is really something else."
One year later.
I don't know when I started keeping a diary—probably after I met Mizi. I was no longer filled with the sorrow and anxiety of the past.
Mizi studied every day; it seemed she was genuinely putting in the effort regarding medicine. I also managed all aspects of the company every day, but unlike before, I no longer agonized over a single perspective. My previous indecisiveness had given way to the ability to make sound judgments. Oh, and there is Miss Hideharu.
Although she is rarely here, she is the only Demon Slayer among us who can use a Breathing Style, and she has made huge contributions to slaying demons. She really ought to pay more attention to her own health. Hideharu's daughter is also very cute, though a bit mischievous—still, her cuteness is a fact.
And Grandpa Buyou—although he always wears a deadpan expression and his mood is much the same, I know he is a person I can trust and respect. Then there is his twin brother; although I sometimes mistake one for the other, he is also a trustworthy and respected man who takes off a lot of the company's workload.
As for Amane, when he first arrived, I thought he was a burglar—for that, I really must apologize. Hearing that his older brother also went missing, I suppose I can understand how he felt. At first, he got beaten up pretty badly by Grandpa Buyou, but after a long period of training, Amane's strength has improved remarkably. Grandpa even tried to teach Amane how to smoke, though Amane couldn't get the hang of it.
Every time I see Amane, I find it a bit hard to look him straight in the eye because of some inexplicable feeling I can't quite put into words.
I am no longer my old self. I am Nijio Ran, a new-generation family head who can face the future with her head held high.
"A year has already passed."
Buyou drew his Nichirin Blade, and Amane drew his as well. The two stared at each other.
Buyou charged at Amane. Amane dodged directly, reacted instantly, and brought his blade down. Buyou immediately blocked Amane's strike with his Nichirin Blade.
Buyou shifted the angle of his blade, sliding it down the hilt of Amane's sword in an attempt to shatter it.
Amane kicked Buyou away, seized the advantage, and slashed down with his Nichirin Blade.
Buyou continued to parry with his sword, looking extremely strained.
*(I never expected Amane's strength to have grown this much. It seems the daily routine of making him slash two thousand times is paying off well.)*
Suddenly, using the resilience of his blade, Amane executed a backflip, landed behind Buyou, and held his Nichirin Blade against Buyou's neck.
Then he retracted his blade, but Buyou suddenly slashed at him with his own. Amane instantly drew his Nichirin Blade and knocked Buyou's weapon flying.
Buyou stood up, looked at his disarmed Nichirin Blade, and began walking down the mountain.
"I have nothing left to teach you. Whether you can master a Breathing Style is up to you."
Amane watched Buyou's retreating back, then walked over to a nearby stream to wash his face, looking at the blisters rubbed raw across both of his hands.
He then touched his hair—it certainly had gotten a bit long.
Buyou returned to the estate and saw Nijio Ran working diligently, while Mizi was deep in her books.
"Senior Buyou."
He turned around. It was Hideharu.
"How is Amane's training coming along?"
Buyou leaned against the wall.
"Him? He has already reached a Demon Slayer's physical requirements. If he masters a Breathing Style, he'll be a qualified Demon Slayer Corps member."
"So I'll leave the rest to you."
Hideharu nodded.
"Very well. By the way, there's an important matter: the city has basically recovered its appearance and work order, and the appearance rate of demons is steadily declining."
"On one occasion when I rushed over, I discovered the demons had already been wiped out. Judging by the traces left behind, those demons were eliminated by a Nichirin Blade."
"You're saying there are other Demon Slayers besides you?"
Buyou felt around in his pocket for something, searching as he spoke.
"Yes. Based on my judgment, he is likely a Demon Slayer who can also use a Breathing Style."
Buyou took out a lighter and a cigarette, preparing to light it.
"Not many people can reach that level of physical conditioning these days, and if he can use a Breathing Style as well, he's one in a hundred."
"Putting that aside, after the great battle against Muzan Kibutsuji, Breathing Styles can pretty much be considered lost arts."
"This old man has also been wondering: Muzan Kibutsuji is clearly dead, so why are demons still appearing? Furthermore, they managed to stay completely off the radar for several generations, only to suddenly start popping up again."
Hideharu was equally puzzled as to why demons still existed.
"Senior Buyou, do you remember the "botanical cultivation fire incident"? According to the investigation, the plants being cultivated at that nursery were a near-extinct species of Blue Spider Lily."
"Such flowers are extremely scarce in yield, blooming only briefly during the day and withering by nightfall."
"It was also ever since that incident that the activity of demons has sharply escalated, and I suspect that Muzan Kibutsuji is not dead."
Buyou's eyes widened suddenly, his expression turning gloomy as he lit his cigarette.
"That's impossible! Muzan Kibutsuji is already dead. That is an absolute certainty!"
This shout drew the attention of Nijio Ran and Mizi, and the scene fell quiet.
"This old man is tired. Amane's matter is up to you."
He turned and left, casually striking a match to light a cigarette.