"I want to ask you to research a medicine for the Mark." When Yoizumi saw Tamayo again, this was the first thing he said to her.
Upon hearing this, Tamayo sighed softly and glanced at Shinobu, who was sitting beside her. To be honest, Shinobu had said the same thing to her just yesterday after their meeting.
It seemed that a new problem had arisen, in addition to the medicine that was not yet complete.
These two really knew how to trouble a demon... Shinobu had told her that swordsmen who awakened the Mark would not live past 25 years old.
She likewise did not want Tanjirou to die like that. He had been of great help during their first meeting, so she would consider this repaying a favor.
"I understand. I'll do my best."
Tamayo lowered her eyes, picked up a porcelain cup, and drank green tea, casually glancing at the cup Yoizumi hadn't touched at all.
It was just as Miss Kochou had said.
"Thank you. This is Tanjirou and Muichiro's blood. I hope it helps you." Yoizumi had specifically sought out the two to draw their blood and bring it. Then, Yoizumi rolled up his sleeve, "I think the blood I drew before should be running low. Do you still need more?"
"Uh..." Tamayo cautiously looked at Shinobu, seemingly asking for her opinion.
Yoizumi also belatedly turned towards Shinobu.
"Is it alright, Shinobu?"
Was she such a terrifying person?
Why were these two demons acting like this?
She gently set down the porcelain cup in her hand, producing a crisp sound that caused the tea in the cup to ripple.
"Why are you looking at me? Since Yoizumi has already decided, I have no objections."
Her fair fingers lightly tapped the tabletop, drawing Yoizumi's gaze. That finger slowly moved from the tabletop to her brow. In her peripheral vision, Shinobu's face held a serious and solemn expression.
"If Yoizumi forces himself, then I will have objections!"
"Do you really see me as such a petty person?"
Knowing that Shinobu was worried about him, as each blood draw took away a large portion of his body, even as a demon he would feel unwell. Yoizumi only felt a warmth in his heart and unconsciously curved his lips.
"Shinobu is the best person."
"Mmm..." She quickly picked up her teacup with both hands and turned her head away as if to escape, looking out the window as if nothing had happened, but her flushed ears still betrayed Shinobu's current mood.
Tamayo, having witnessed everything, couldn't help but chuckle softly.
It seemed she had become... the superfluous one?
She remembered that she and her husband also had such sweet times... Ripples appeared in Tamayo's light purple eyes, her thoughts surged like a tide, bringing back old memories, followed by endless loneliness and sorrow.
She lowered her eyelashes, silently hiding the pain in her eyes... "Are you alright?" Shinobu looked at Yoizumi worriedly. Yoizumi shook his head, indicating he was fine. This amount of blood was nothing compared to what he had given before.
"I won't bother you two. I need to go back and prepare for the training." Some Demon Slayer Corps members would arrive in a few days, and Yoizumi needed to think about how to train them, but it would probably be the same as how he trained Tanjirou and Zenitsu.
Tanjirou said it was very effective, so there should be no problem.
Yoizumi was still not good at teaching.
"Good luck with the training. I can't participate because of my research," Shinobu said with some regret.
"I will train for Shinobu too."
"Is that so~"
Shinobu, who had witnessed Yoizumi training Tanjirou at the Butterfly Mansion, silently cheered for those swordsmen in her heart.
After leaving the room, a white-haired little girl who had been waiting outside the door for a long time bowed to Yoizumi and respectfully said,
"Snow Pillar, Master Kagaya requests your presence."
"Mmm."
Following behind the little girl, Yoizumi saw that she looked exactly like Amane Ubuyashiki. She must be their child.
"Master Kagaya, Snow Pillar has arrived."
"Please come in."
Kagaya Ubuyashiki was alone in the room, holding documents in his hand. Seeing the visitor, he waved his hand, inviting Yoizumi to sit down.
Sitting opposite Ubuyashiki, Yoizumi saw many books stacked on his desk, all showing signs of being read. His face, crisscrossed with purple scars, showed clear fatigue.
"Yoizumi came to see Miss Tamayo today for the Mark, didn't he?"
Kagaya Ubuyashiki said this with certainty.
"Mmm."
"I will try my best to collect records about the Mark. As long as there is a glimmer of hope, I want to seize it." Kagaya Ubuyashiki put down the book in his hand. The several near-annihilations of the Demon Slayer Corps had caused information gaps, resulting in too much lost data.
He could only use the most painstaking method, exploring and searching little by little.
"Also, regarding the Pillar Training, there's something I'd like to ask you to convey to Tanjirou."
To Tanjirou?
Yoizumi felt puzzled.
"Giyuu, he is unwilling to participate in this Pillar Training. Because of his past, he always contemplates negatively by himself."
"Although I really want to talk to him, I think Tanjirou might be a better candidate."
Kagaya Ubuyashiki smiled gently, his kind eyes looking at Yoizumi.
A better... candidate... Yoizumi chuckled softly.
Indeed, regarding this, Yoizumi might be the person who understood it best.
For people of their type, what was most needed was patience.
Recalling the past, the days when he first met Tanjirou, Yoizumi could only describe the Tanjirou of that time as 'too troublesome' now that he thought about it.
If Tanjirou heard that, he would be unhappy, wouldn't he?
"I understand. I will tell him."
"Thank you, Yoizumi."
..."I see." Tanjirou, who understood the whole situation, nodded, but then felt a bit troubled. Mr. Giyuu always emitted an aura of loneliness, yet he wouldn't let others get close.
What should he do?
"If it's Tanjirou, there's no problem," Yoizumi said with a smile.
"Mmm... Yes! Leave it to me!"
Looking at his brother's smiling face, hadn't he himself, step by step, made Yoizumi-nii open up?
When dealing with this type of person, the most important thing was absolute patience.
And Tanjirou had great confidence in his patience!
Mr. Giyuu!
Just you wait!
I will definitely make you feel that you are not alone anymore.
Everyone is your comrade!
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