Chapter 7: Please Give Us a Top-Tier Room
Yanagiya Inn.
Tatsu stood in the shadows of the porch, his body instinctively shrinking away from the light.
Even though the sun hadn't truly appeared yet, every cell in his body was screaming an alarm.
The fear etched into his DNA made him appear somewhat agitated.
"Don't be anxious, Tatsu."
Kanae Kocho's voice was like a clear spring in a mountain stream, instantly smoothing over the trace of irritability in Tatsu's heart.
She reached out a slender hand and gently pushed open the wooden lattice door.
*Clatter—*
The light in the inn's first-floor lobby was dim.
The air was filled with a mixture of aged wood, a faint mustiness, and the lingering scent of wine from the previous night.
Behind the counter, a plump middle-aged woman was napping with her head on the table.
Her head bobbed up and down, like a little chick pecking at rice.
Kanae lightened her steps. Instead of waking the landlady directly, she first scanned the surroundings.
After confirming there were no other presences around, she walked up to the counter.
She reached out her fingers and fumbled in her sleeve for a moment.
*Clink, clink, clink, clink, clink.*
Five heavy coins were gently lined up by her on the dark brown wooden counter.
They were five 10-yen coins.
In this era, for just a one-night stay,
this was definitely a huge sum of money, one could even call it an extravagant "expedited fee."
The landlady startled awake and looked up groggily, the creases from her sleeve still imprinted on her face.
She rubbed her sleepy eyes, about to snap at the disturbance to her dreams,
but her gaze was instantly captivated by the five shimmering coins on the counter.
"Oh my... this..."
Most of the landlady's sleepiness vanished in an instant. She hurriedly stood up,
straightening her slightly messy collar while
putting on a professional smile, her eyes darting back and forth between Kanae and Tatsu, who stood in the shadows.
The woman before her wore a Haori as brilliant as a butterfly's wings,
with a sword at her waist. Though she looked delicate, that noble and elegant aura was definitely not that of an ordinary person.
And the man behind her...
Though he was exceptionally handsome, he kept his head down, radiating a coldness that warned others not to approach.
"Landlady, sorry for the intrusion."
Kanae bowed slightly, a gentle smile on her face.
That smile seemed capable of melting winter snow, leaving the landlady momentarily dazed.
"Ah... no intrusion at all, no intrusion!
So early, you two are..."
The landlady rubbed her hands together, her tone respectful.
"Just passing through and looking to rest for a bit."
"Please give us a top-tier room.
One that's quiet, ideally a room away from the light."
Standing behind her, Tatsu's eyebrow twitched slightly.
One room?
He had clearly just said "two top-tier rooms, preferably next to each other."
Did this girl not hear him, or was she trying to save money?
That couldn't be right; seeing how generously she just paid, she wasn't short on cash.
Just as Tatsu was about to speak, he saw Kanae tilt her head slightly.
Though she didn't look at him, the hand hidden behind her back gave a gentle wave, making a very subtle "soothing" gesture.
"Right away! One top-tier room!"
The landlady nimbly swept up the coins, her smile making the wrinkles on her face bloom like flowers.
She was a shrewd woman; this pair—the man handsome, the woman beautiful, both carrying swords and paying generously—must be people of status.
As for why they only wanted one room... heh, young people's business, she understood, she understood it all.
"Please follow me, the 'Ume no Mori' at the very end of the second floor.
That's our best room, absolutely quiet.
There's a large willow tree right outside the window, the light-blocking effect is beyond words!"
The landlady carried a dim oil lamp, swaying her somewhat plump hips as she led the way.
The stairs were a bit steep; in the narrow space, the sound of their breathing was clearly audible.
Following behind Kanae, Tatsu watched the hem of her Haori swaying gently with her steps, and he couldn't help but feel suspicious.
This plot direction... isn't it a bit off?
I'm a demon!
Even though I'm a law-abiding, civilized, and moral demon now, we're still different species!
A lone man and a lone... ahem, a lone man and a lone demon sharing a room, if word gets out, what will happen to Lady Flower Hashira's reputation?
Reaching the second floor, the light became even gloomier.
Along both sides of the long corridor were closed paper doors, and the occasional sound of snoring could be heard from other rooms.
"We're here, this is it."
The landlady stopped in front of a door at the end of the corridor and eagerly pulled it open.
The room was indeed nice—spacious and clean, with a flower arrangement in the corner.
Not only was there no musty smell, but a faint, delicate fragrance permeated the air.
Most importantly, the window was tightly sealed with thick wooden boards, leaving only a few gaps for ventilation.
For Tatsu, who feared sunlight, this was practically the security of a five-star presidential suite.
"Please rest well, you two.
If you need anything, just call for me; I'll be downstairs."
The landlady gave them both a meaningful look, then tactfully withdrew, thoughtfully closing the door behind her.
With a soft *click*, the sound of the latch falling caused the air in the room to instantly stiffen.
Tatsu stood at the door and didn't immediately walk in. Instead, he crossed his arms,
leaning against the doorframe, looking at Kanae with a half-smile as she inspected the room.
"I say, Lady Flower Hashira."
Tatsu's voice carried a hint of playfulness.
"Even though we are 'comrades' now, a lone man and woman sharing a room..."
"Isn't this a bit too exciting?
I recall saying 'two rooms' just now."
Kanae was checking the gaps in the window. Only after confirming no direct sunlight could shine through did she turn around.
She looked at Tatsu's casual and flippant manner,
sighed helplessly, her expression still that gentle, spring-breeze-like warmth.
"Tatsu, now is not the time for jokes."
She walked to the table in the center of the room, unbuckled her Nichirin Sword, and placed it gently on the table.
"You are a demon; sunlight is fatal to you."
Kanae looked up, her pale purple eyes filled with seriousness and sincerity, without a single stray thought.
She was so pure that Tatsu felt his dirty thoughts just now were practically a desecration of her.
"This inn has many people coming and going. If you were to stay in a room alone,
and someone accidentally barged in and opened the curtains during the day,
or if some other accident occurred, I might not be able to save you in time."
At this point, Kanae paused slightly, a trace of apology appearing on her face.
She folded her hands in front of her and lowered her head slightly, like a child who had done something wrong asking for forgiveness.
"Furthermore... although I know you are a good person, Tatsu..."
"Ah, no, a good demon—as a Hashira of the Demon Slayer Corps, I must ensure the safety of this town at all times.
Keeping you under my watch is both to protect you and to give myself peace of mind.
I'm sorry for making the decision on my own without asking for your consent. Has it troubled you?"
Her tone was sincere to the extreme, and that "I'm sorry" was spoken with such heartfelt emotion
that the little schemes in Tatsu's heart vanished instantly.
This is totally cheating!
Tatsu wailed in his heart.
When a gentle older sister reasons with you so seriously and even proactively apologizes, who could possibly withstand that?
It was like playing an RPG and trying to exploit a bug to tease an NPC,
only for the NPC to hit you back with a deeply moving plot point, making you feel like a total jerk.