Using a lie to put Nezuko at ease was the first option. Telling Nezuko the truth directly was the second option.
But Horitake had come up with a third choice—one that happened to align perfectly with the system's newly issued task. The timing of the system mission couldn't have been more spot-on.
Because he had been so absorbed in thinking about the task the system just gave him, Horitake had been a little dazed the whole time.
Nezuko, who had been anxiously staring at her brother with eyes full of worry, finally grew impatient. She walked over, grabbed his arm, and shook it gently, snapping him out of his trance.
Horitake came back to himself and looked at the worried Nezuko standing right in front of him.
He placed both hands on her shoulders and spoke to her seriously:
"Nezuko, don't panic first—just listen to me. Your brother Tanjiro has gone to handle something extremely important. But anything truly important always carries a certain degree of danger. That's unavoidable. I know you're really worried about Tanjiro, and your heart must be racing with anxiety. But there's no helping it—this is something Tanjiro has to do, something he has to get through. If you're still uneasy about your brother, I can take you to find Tanjiro."
At first Nezuko's pretty brows were still furrowed in clear distress, but when she heard the last sentence, her eyes lit up. She immediately nodded vigorously, clearly indicating that she wanted Horitake to take her to Tanjiro.
Urokodaki-sensei, standing to the side, couldn't help but interject with a reminder:
"Horitake, are you really going to take Nezuko to find Tanjiro? All the way to Fujikasane Mountain? Nezuko has only just woken up—her condition isn't fully confirmed yet. Isn't it a bit reckless to take her out like this?"
Holding Nezuko's hand, Horitake smiled at Urokodaki-sensei and replied:
"It's fine, Sensei. Don't you trust my judgment? Nezuko may have only just woken up, but there's absolutely nothing wrong with her body. She can come with me without any issue."
Urokodaki-sensei thought it over. After all, both of the previous examinations of Nezuko had been done by Horitake. If that was the case, then this kid's conclusion was indeed trustworthy. If he said Nezuko was fine, then she was definitely fine.
Just as that thought crossed his mind, Horitake scratched the back of his head and brought up a slightly troubled issue:
"Taking Nezuko to find Tanjiro is of course completely safe. But I'll definitely have to travel day and night. At night it's no problem—I can carry her just fine. The real trouble is during the daytime… how am I supposed to travel then?"
This was exactly the kind of problem Urokodaki-sensei had a solution for.
His eyes brightened. He quickly stood up and went to fetch something.
"Horitake, wait a moment. I have just the thing to solve that problem."
Soon enough, Urokodaki-sensei returned with a wooden box that had two shoulder straps attached.
The moment Horitake saw the box, he immediately understood. So this was it! Wasn't this supposed to be Tanjiro's equipment?
Sure enough, Urokodaki-sensei explained:
"In the future, Tanjiro will have to travel all over the place on demon-slaying missions, and he'll need to bring Nezuko along with him. At night it's fine, but during the day it would be inconvenient for Tanjiro to carry her around. That's why I made this. It was originally prepared for Tanjiro. You can use it to keep Nezuko by your side for now. Once you find Tanjiro, just hand both Nezuko and the box over to him—that'll be enough."
Looking at the piece of equipment, Horitake was genuinely delighted:
"This box looks really well-made! I didn't know you had such craftsmanship, Sensei."
Urokodaki-sensei continued his explanation:
"The material is cloud-patterned cedar—light yet extremely sturdy. The surface is coated with rock lacquer, which not only extends its durability but also completely blocks out sunlight."
Horitake casually took the box and gave it a light heft in his hands.
"Hm, it really is light and solid. This box is absolutely perfect for Nezuko to hide in."
With that, he set the box down on the tatami mat, opened its little door, gestured toward it, and explained to Nezuko:
"Nezuko, if you stay inside here during the day, you won't be exposed to any sunlight at all. I can carry you on my back while we travel to find your brother Tanjiro. How does that sound?"
Nezuko's face lit up with joy. She nodded enthusiastically and let out several excited little vocalizations to show how happy she was.
"Come on, Nezuko. Shrink down a bit, crawl inside, and see how it feels."
Hearing Horitake's words, Nezuko obediently shrank herself.
She shifted from her teenage form to her childlike form—one of her special abilities.
Very quickly, Nezuko's height decreased. Her appearance and stature grew smaller, and the clothes on her body hung loosely around her now-tiny frame.
Dragging the oversized fabric behind her, the shrunken Nezuko climbed into the box, found a comfortable position, leaned back casually, and settled in. It actually looked pretty cozy.
From the outside, she fit inside the box perfectly.
Looking at Nezuko curled up within, Horitake said:
"Nezuko, it's daytime right now. I'm going to close the door and carry you outside to test it. We'll see if any sunlight leaks in. If you feel even the slightest discomfort, you have to tell me right away, okay?"
The petite Nezuko inside the box nodded to show she understood.
Horitake closed the door of the box, slung the two straps over his shoulders like a backpack, and secured the entire thing on his back.
Honestly… the sensation of carrying Nezuko like this made Horitake feel a little thrilled.
In the original story, from beginning to end, it was always Tanjiro who carried Nezuko. Almost no one else ever had that privilege.
Yet now, the very first time this box was used to carry Nezuko… it was him!
Why did he suddenly feel like he'd won at something?
Carrying that strange sense of excitement, Horitake hoisted the box—and with it, Nezuko—onto his back.
The weight was honestly negligible. Overall, it felt quite light. It sat comfortably on his back with no awkward pressure anywhere.
He slipped on his shoes, stepped out through the entrance, pushed open the door, and walked into the sunlit area outside.
Horitake immediately asked the girl in the box on his back:
"Nezuko, is there any light leaking in? Do you feel uncomfortable anywhere?"
From inside the box came several of Nezuko's characteristic vocalizations.
Though they were just sounds, Horitake could clearly read the meaning behind her tone.
She was saying: No problem.
He nodded, then spoke to her again over his shoulder:
"Alright, I'm going to walk a few steps. Nezuko, let me know if anything feels off."
With that, Horitake began strolling back and forth casually in the sunlight, box on his back.
But he didn't stop at walking. Next came a light jog, then a full run, then big leaps, and finally he even practiced rapid leaps from tree to tree.
The purpose was simple: to simulate all the different situations Tanjiro might face in the future while carrying Nezuko, so she could get used to it first and experience everything ahead of time.
After trying out every possible scenario, Horitake landed back in front of Urokodaki-sensei's small house and asked Nezuko in the box once more.
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