"Let's put this aside for now," he said calmly, his voice as gentle as ever, "let us move on to the matter at hand"
The shift was seamless.
As if the moment from before had been quietly set aside… but not forgotten.
Kagerou straightened slightly, the earlier tension still lingering in his shoulders.
Kanae adjusted her posture as well, her composure returning, flawless as ever.
Yet neither of them spoke.
And neither of them looked at the other.
The room fell quiet.
Seeing this, Kagaya's faint smile returned, and he subtly adjusted his posture, just enough to signal the change in atmosphere.
"...Yesterday," he began.
There was no visible change in his expression.
But for those who knew him well… there was a slight fracture in his voice. A quiet, almost imperceptible crack that only surfaced when death was involved.
Kagerou caught it immediately.
His expression hardened.
The hesitation from moments ago vanished, replaced by something sharper, colder.
Focus.
"Yesterday… several of my children were killed"
Silence followed.
Not the gentle silence from before, but something heavier.
Kanae's fingers tightened slightly against her lap.
Just for a moment.
Kagerou's gaze lowered, his jaw setting as the weight of those words settled in.
Kagaya continued.
"Their bodies were discovered in the eastern forest region. Nichirin blades drawn. No signs of retreat." His voice remained calm. "And yet… There were no signs of a proper struggle"
A pause.
"Their final moments suggest confusion... Disorientation"
His gaze shifted slightly between the two of them.
"They were unable to identify their enemy"
That was wrong.
Deeply wrong.
Kagerou's brows drew together.
"…An Upper Rank?" he asked quietly.
Kagaya shook his head.
"We cannot confirm that yet," he replied. "However… the nature of the attack suggests a demon with the ability to interfere with perception"
Kanae's eyes sharpened slightly.
"A Blood Demon Art that distorts the senses…" she murmured.
"Yes," Kagaya said.
Another pause.
Then...
"I will be assigning the two of you to this mission"
The words fell evenly.
Without emphasis.
Without hesitation.
Kagerou didn't react immediately.
Kanae didn't either.
But the tension between them shifted.
Not gone, but redirected.
"Kage-kun. Kocho-san," Kagaya continued, his voice soft, yet carrying unmistakable weight, "this will not be a simple mission"
His gaze rested on them both.
"An enemy that cannot be clearly perceived… is one that turns even certainty into doubt"
A faint breeze stirred the edge of the open shoji.
"And doubt," he added quietly, "is often more dangerous than the blade itself"
Silence lingered.
Because both of them understood what he meant.
Not just about the demon.
But about themselves.
Kagerou exhaled slowly.
"...Understood," he said at last.
Kanae followed a second later.
"Understood, Oyakata-sama"
Their voices were steady.
Professional.
Aligned.
But still, neither of them looked at the other.
Not even once.
Kagaya watched them quietly.
And though his expression did not change... There was a knowing stillness in his gaze.
Because this mission was not only about defeating a demon.
It was about something far more fragile.
Something far more dangerous.
Trust.
---
Kagaya allowed a brief pause before continuing.
"You are to depart as soon as possible and reach your destination before sundown," he said calmly. "I will give you a few hours to prepare everything you need"
His gaze rested gently on both of them.
"This is a mission that exceeds your current rank. However… I believe the two of you are capable of accomplishing it"
A faint smile touched his lips.
"So prove me right"
Silence.
Then...
"You may go and prepare"
"I will not disappoint you, Oyakata-sama," Kanae replied, rising gracefully to her feet. "Please excuse me"
She turned to leave.
One step.
Two-
Then she stopped.
Just slightly.
Without turning back, she spoke.
"...I'll be waiting at that shop"
A small pause.
P
Then she continued on her way, the shoji sliding shut behind her.
*Slide*
Silence returned.
Kagerou remained seated.
Still.
"...Which shop?" he muttered under his breath, genuinely confused.
From across the room...
"Oh?" Kagaya's voice returned, light, almost playful. "What shop could she be referring to, I wonder?"
Kagerou's eye twitched.
Slowly… he turned his head.
"Kagaya…" he said, voice low.
Then, more sharply.
"You bastard!"
Amane brought a sleeve lightly to her lips.
"Rengoku-san," she said gently, though there was unmistakable amusement beneath her composure, "please mind your words. Oyakata-sama is your superior"
"Before that, he's my friend," Kagerou shot back immediately. "And we agreed never to interfere in each other's private lives"
His gaze shifted.
"And you too, Amane-san. This was your idea, wasn't it?"
Amane turned her face away just slightly.
"...I'm not sure what you mean," she replied, her voice perfectly composed, though the faint curve of her lips betrayed her. "Right, Oyakata-sama?"
Kagaya nodded calmly.
"Yes. I have no idea what Kage-kun is talking about"
Kagerou stared at them.
Back and forth.
Slowly.
"...You two are unbelievable"
A breath.
Then he exhaled.
"...Whatever. I don't care anymore"
He pushed himself to his feet.
"I'm leaving"
He stepped toward the door.
Hand reaching-
"I know I've crossed a line"
Kagaya's voice stopped him.
Kagerou didn't turn.
But he didn't move either.
"I understand that what I did may feel intrusive," Kagaya continued quietly. "But I ask you to believe that it was not without reason"
A pause.
"For the Corps… for what lies ahead…" His voice softened further. "... And for you"
Silence.
"I cannot stand by and watch you struggle alone," he added. "Not when I have the ability to help… even in small ways"
The words settled gently.
But deeply.
Kagerou stood there, unmoving, his hand still resting against the door.
For a moment, it seemed as though he might respond immediately.
But he didn't.
He thought.
Then...
"...You really don't know when to stay out of things," he muttered.
Not angry.
Not truly.
Just… tired.
A small breath escaped him.
"...And you also know I was never actually angry at you"
Finally, he slid the door open.
"Next time… at least warn me first"
*Slide*
He stepped out.
And he was gone.
---
A short while later, Kagerou returned to the Rengoku residence.
At a glance, nothing had changed.
The same courtyard. The same morning light. The same steady rhythm of training.
And yet… he wasn't the same.
It showed in the way he walked, more grounded. More decisive. The hesitation that had lingered over the past few days had settled into something quieter… something sharper.
As he stepped into the courtyard, he found Shinjuro standing before the others, instructing them as usual.
Nearby, Kyojuro and Senjuro followed the breathing rhythm, while Obanai remained focused, his posture rigid with concentration.
Kagerou approached quietly, stopping beside his father without interrupting.
Shinjuro spoke first.
"…Another mission?"
He didn't turn.
He didn't need to.
Kagerou exhaled lightly.
"An investigation," he replied. "Several slayers were killed… without even knowing what they were facing. Kagaya suspects a demon that interferes with perception"
A brief pause.
"A troublesome opponent," Shinjuro muttered.
Kagerou glanced at him.
"…Have you ever faced something like that?" Shinjuro shrugged.
"A few times"
"And?"
Shinjuro finally turned his head slightly, just enough for his voice to carry more weight.
"Close your eyes," he said bluntly. "Don't trust what you see. Don't trust what you hear. If something feels wrong, cut it down"
A beat.
"That's all there is to it"
Kagerou frowned faintly.
"…That sounds simple"
"It is," Another pause. "…If you're alone"
That made Kagerou's expression tighten slightly.
"... I'm not"
That got Shinjuro's full attention.
He turned completely this time.
"Oh?" he said. "So Oyakata-sama finally decided not to throw you into the fire by yourself. Don't blame him, maybe he's just worried about sending you alone seeing how you've been lately, so who is it?"
There was a brief silence.
Just long enough to matter.
"…Kanae," Kagerou said.
The name hung in the air.
Shinjuro stared at him.
A second passed.
Then another.
"…Who?"
Kagerou met his gaze, unimpressed.
"…Kanae"
Another pause.
Then Shinjuro let out a quiet, knowing breath through his nose.
"…I see"
That was all he said.
No teasing.
No lecture.
Just understanding.
Kagerou didn't stay.
Without another word, he turned and walked away, already shifting his focus toward preparation.
Because this time… Running wasn't an option.