When had he lost the sense of comfort he once felt around Kotoha Hashibira?
It was probably from the moment Kotoha Hashibira discovered him eating, the moment she saw him enjoying his meal.
Even now, Doma had always felt that Kotoha Hashibira should have been able to understand his "good deed." She should have understood that he was merely bringing those "foods" to the world of ultimate bliss.
He was only letting the believers merge into his body, allowing them to share eternal life with him.
But in that moment, Doma had seen no understanding in Kotoha Hashibira's eyes. He had only seen terror and fear. He had only seen her teeth chattering, as though all the blood in her body had frozen solid.
"I am only bringing them to the world of ultimate bliss."
Doma wiped the blood from his mouth as he tried to explain himself to Kotoha Hashibira.
But Kotoha Hashibira refused to listen. Clutching her child tightly to her chest, she turned and fled in terror.
Yet how could she possibly escape?
On a mountain peak, Doma caught up to Kotoha Hashibira. Behind her lay a sheer cliffside. There was nowhere left for her to run.
"Come back with me."
That was what Doma said. Although he no longer felt that same sense of comfort around Kotoha Hashibira, he still did not particularly want to eat her.
"Monster, monster…"
Kotoha Hashibira held the child in her arms and backed away in terror until she reached the edge of the cliff. When she turned to look behind her, there was a mountain stream flowing at the bottom of the precipice.
"Come back with me."
Doma spoke to Kotoha Hashibira once again.
This time, Kotoha Hashibira no longer gave him that same feeling of solace. Instead, he felt a faint heaviness in his chest. In that moment, Doma sensed intense fear from her—no different from the believers who had merged with his body and been taken by him to the world of ultimate bliss before their deaths.
And in that moment, Doma knew that Kotoha Hashibira was no longer a special existence.
She was just like the believers of the Eternal Paradise Faith.
No different from them at all.
But Doma was still willing to give Kotoha Hashibira a chance. He was still willing to let her live until the end of her natural life.
Yet Kotoha Hashibira only held the child in her arms, weeping as she said to him, "Inosuke, Mama loves you." Then, crying, she threw the child from the cliff into the stream below.
Throwing a child down from such a high cliff basically meant sending him to his death.
Rather than go back with Doma, she would rather throw away her most important child.
For the first time, he felt somewhat angry.
And so, on that mountain peak, Doma grabbed Kotoha Hashibira and devoured her bite by bite. Since she had once promised to stay by his side for a lifetime but now wanted to run away, she might as well become part of him.
A flood of memories about the woman named Kotoha Hashibira suddenly surged in his mind. Doma looked at the woman before him—Kanae.
Her voice was just as pleasant as Kotoha's had been. However, there was a difference. Kotoha's voice had initially brought him joy because it contained no desires whatsoever. This woman's voice carried a compassionate gentleness.
It seemed this girl wanted to save everything.
She wanted to rescue all things from the sorrowful cycle of suffering.
His taste buds stirred unconsciously. He wanted to eat this woman named Kanae before him. Had she not said she would stay by his side forever, serving him until her life faded away?
Then he would grant her wish. He would merge her into his body. In that way, she would be able to remain by his side forever.
"All right. Then you may stay by my side."
Doma looked at Kanae with a gentle smile on his face. "Sit beside me. Later, I will take you back with me."
As he spoke, Doma raised his hand, looked at the gathered believers, then pointed at Kanae Kocho.
"I have heard the voice of the gods. The gods have told me that this woman before me may be brought into the world of ultimate bliss. There, she will receive the gods' blessing and be forever happy, forever joyful…"
Upon hearing this, the believers' eyes lit up with excitement. The way they looked at Kanae was filled with envy and jealousy. Many old believers who had served in the Eternal Paradise Faith for so long had never been chosen by the Founder or selected by the gods. Yet this newly joined believer had been personally chosen. It was something many could not accept.
But the Founder was the representative of the gods. He represented the gods themselves. Since the Founder had said so, they could only accept the result.
Although Doma had already decided that he would soon enjoy a delicious meal, he was not in any hurry. He still listened to the voices of many believers, then recited some of the doctrines of the Eternal Paradise Faith before finally rising and leaving.
Kanae Kocho followed behind him, her face glowing with the excitement of having been chosen. Yet deep within those gentle eyes was a calmness completely opposite to the excitement on her face.
Doma led Kanae Kocho forward.
Kanae followed him the entire way, her gaze constantly moving across her surroundings as she compared what she saw with the information Soma had gathered while scouting earlier.
Very soon, under Doma's lead, she entered a deep, secluded hall. Everything around them was dark and silent, with only the burning lamplight illuminating the pitch-black interior.
In one area of the hall, where a soft carpet had been laid out, Doma sat down and invited Kanae Kocho to sit beside him.
Looking at the delicate appearance of the young woman before him, as well as smelling the pleasant scent on her, Doma rarely felt somewhat comfortable.
"The scent on you is very fragrant. It smells like cherry blossoms." Doma smiled.
"Before coming here, I specially bathed with cherry blossoms." Kanae Kocho lowered her head slightly, a faint blush appearing on her delicate face. This had been intentional, done to make things easier for Tanjiro's nose.
"I see."
Doma nodded. Looking at the young woman before him, he could sense that she seemed full of nourishment. Although the skin on the outside of her body was soft and tender, the flesh beneath seemed very resilient. She had likely trained often.
"When Kanae was at home, she learned a little of the tea ceremony. Would the Founder like me to brew a cup of tea?" Kanae Kocho spoke softly.
"Certainly."
Doma nodded. After giving a brief order, a believer soon came over and offered tea leaves and hot water.
Kanae Kocho knelt properly. Her slender fingers brushed gently over the purple clay teapot as she poured water, warmed the cups, and added the tea. Every movement was like ripples unfolding in slow motion. When the boiling water flowed into the pot and the fragrance of tea rose in delicate wisps, she lowered her eyes and inhaled softly, the corners of her lips lifting into a faint smile like the early spring breeze.
At that moment, the young woman's manner was focused and reverent.
Watching her bearing, Doma also felt very much at ease, just as he had felt from that woman named Kotoha Hashibira back then.
Only, at that time, Doma had entertained the thought of allowing Kotoha Hashibira to live until the end of her natural life.
But now…
He no longer had that thought.
All he wanted was to enjoy the delicious food before him in a little while.
After drinking a cup of tea brewed by Kanae Kocho and witnessing her skill in the tea ceremony, Doma felt that his appetite had become excellent. He felt he could already enjoy his meal.
"Kanae also learned the thirteen-string koto at home. Would you like me to play a piece for you, sir?"
Kanae Kocho raised her head slightly, her gentle eyes carrying expectation.
Doma hesitated for a moment, but still nodded.
"Very well."
Time passed like this without either of them noticing.
Doma deeply came to understand how multi-talented this woman named Kanae truly was.
Flower arrangement, playing the koto, blending incense, embroidery…
She truly was an outstanding woman.
He even—
For a single instant, he had the thought of letting her live until the end of her natural life.
But the delicious scent of food radiating from her body still made Doma abandon that idea.
And as Kanae Kocho continued displaying her many talents, the dim night gradually receded. A new day, without anyone realizing it, was about to arrive.
...
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