27 Chapter 27
The meeting remained ongoing as various agreements were being brought up and revised, despite them agreeing to ally with Ginryu against Muzan.
However, many of the people in the room still held doubts and skepticism about aligning themselves with a non-human like Ginryu.
They were apprehensive, as they didn't even know what kind of creature Ginryu was, which made it obvious they were somewhat afraid.
Moreover, they didn't know Ginryu's weaknesses, making it even harder to build any foundation for trust.
Ginryu could easily sense their apprehension and understood the need to address their concerns.
He pondered if revealing a weakness wouldn't be enough, as they might not trust any weaknesses he shared verbally. He concluded that trust could only be built over time.
'This is the problem with humans,' Ginryu thought, as he scrambled his mind for a weakness to reveal that wouldn't inconvenience him later on but would put the worrisome humans at ease.
However, he quickly realized the futility of this approach and decided to remain silent until they arrived at an agreement.
"Can I have more food? I am still very hungry," Ginryu requested, attempting to ease the tension as he enjoyed the luxury food he was being treated to after spending so much time in the mountains.
Finally, the meeting came to a conclusion when Yasuo vouched that the Ubuyashiki clan would take full responsibility should Ginryu turn out as they feared.
This assurance put an end to all the ongoing arguments and allowed the meeting to finally end.
It was decided that Ginryu would be given a special rank among the demon slayers and his identity would be kept top secret, known only to the Hashira's of each era.
Ginryu, who was listening to all this, simply smiled. He didn't mind the decisions they were making; he had somewhat succeeded in his objective, and that was enough.
He believed that, if things went bad, he was powerful enough to resolve them alone.
"You may all return. The meeting is dismissed," Yasuo said, and soon, everyone left the room, except for Ginryu and Yasuo.
"It seems that you have more to say to me," Ginryu broke the silence.
"Yes, I do," Yasuo replied, removing his veil. Beneath it was a man with a handsome face or at least what it should have been, it now appeared aesthetically unpleasant.
His skin seemed to be decaying, and one of his eyeballs was missing, while the other appeared partially blind.
Ginryu, unfazed by Yasuo's appearance, continued to eat. Yasuo was somewhat surprised, as most people would react in some way upon seeing his disfigurement for the first time.
"What?" Ginryu asked Yasuo, who continued to stare at him without saying anything.
"Nothing," Yasuo replied, revealing a faint smile. "This decay was caused by a curse placed on us by Muzan. I probably don't have long left."
"Why would you reveal this to a total stranger?" Ginryu questioned.
"Do you perhaps remember Lady Hana?" Yasuo asked.
"Hana," Ginryu muttered, flooded with memories of his childhood. He never expected to hear that name again.
"What a nostalgic name," Ginryu remarked, intrigued. "The little girl that just refused to let me be. How do you know her?"
"Ah, don't answer. She was one of the survivors," Ginryu answered his own question, his realization dawning on him.
"I see, you still remember her. Well, she is the main reason as to why the Ubuyashiki clan is taking the risk of backing you," Yasuo explained.
"What do you mean?" Ginryu asked, puzzled. He couldn't fathom how someone like Hana could possibly affect him this far into the future.
"She married into our clan," Yasuo revealed with a smile.
"I see, that explains a lot," Ginryu replied, piecing together the puzzle.
"Yes, her personal records made it clear that you always seemed to be someone she longed for. I guess you meant something special to her," Yasuo said, his voice tinged with a mix of admiration and curiosity.
"Why are you revealing all this to me?" Ginryu interrogated, failing to understand Yasuo's motives for bringing up the past.
"I'm not sure. It's just that..." Yasuo started, pausing briefly as if contemplating something.
"Just what?" Ginryu probed, growing somewhat annoyed at Yasuo's hesitation.
"After reading the records, Lady Hana's affections for you somehow made me feel a personal connection to you. I couldn't help but think that perhaps we could have been friends if we were born in the same era and village," Yasuo admitted, his tone filled with wistfulness.
"From a young age, I've always loved reading, devouring any book I could get my hands on. I didn't have much of a chance to play or have fun, but reading those records made me feel like I was there," Yasuo confided, his voice carrying a complex mix of emotions.
"Ah, sorry for the silly rant. Perhaps it's because of my curse, or maybe it's because I know I'll be dying soon, but I find myself clinging onto these insignificant things," Yasuo said, a deep sadness etched on his face.
"I see. What if I offered you a cure for your curse at the cost of your humanity? Would you accept it?" Ginryu, who had been silently listening, suddenly offered, though he wasn't entirely sure why he made the offer.
Yasuo's eyes widened at the proposition, his initial impulse almost driving him to accept. However, he managed to regain his composure, holding himself back.
He was the leader of the Ubuyashiki clan, and he had responsibilities that he must fulfill as a human.
The fate of the clan, which had been passed down through generations, could be jeopardized by his decision. Additionally, Ginryu's offer was made to him alone, not the entire clan.
"I am sorry, but I will have to refuse. But may I ask you for one favour?" Yasuo requested.
"Of course, ask," Ginryu replied, determined to uphold his morals. He had no intention of forcing anyone into anything.
"Can you make this offer later in the future to the clan leader of that time if Muzan hasn't been vanquished yet, and the clan is on the brink of extinction?" Yasuo proposed, his voice laced with a bit of hesitation.
'What a shrewd and boring man, always thinking only of his clan's future. Be selfish for once,' Ginryu thought, a bit impressed and disappointed by Yasuo's decision.
"I will," Ginryu assured him before he rose from his seat and left the room.
As Ginryu bid farewell and departed from the room, Yasuo was left alone, his body collapsing to the floor as a surge of overwhelming emotions engulfed him.
In that moment, he felt the weight of his decision to let go of a golden opportunity that could have finally lifted his curse and allowed him to experience a life like any other human being.
He longed for normalcy, to live without the constant burden of his curse.
Deep down, Yasuo knew that Ginryu might possess the power to grant his family freedom, but he also feared that the longer he deliberated on such a tempting offer, the more likely he was to succumb to its allure. He was only human.
Amidst his self-reflection, Yasuo couldn't help but question the selfishness of his desires. After all, the offer was extended solely to him, not his entire family.
These internal conflicts left him trapped in a sea of emotions until the sound of approaching footsteps snapped him back to reality.
As the patriarch of the Ubuyashiki clan, he knew he had to quickly gather himself, regain composure, and return to being the leader his family relied upon.
With a deep breath, he rose from the cold floor and put on his veil, his weakness was not to be seen.
