53. Ban the Final Selection Campaign!
Kotaro approached the twin Ubuyashiki children who had announced the start of the Final Selection. So tiny!
If he had to guess, Kotaro was sure these two children were probably around six years old.
To think they're working at such a young age… Damn! Child labor!
"Yes."
Both of them replied together, completely synchronized. It creeped him out a bit, but now was not the time for other thoughts.
Because…
"Tell Kagaya-san to ban the Final Selection! Damn! You're more like demons than real demons, letting us fend for ourselves in this forest without any food or water! Do you know how tough it is to survive out here?!"
Kotaro started to complain. His loud words startled the children, and Mitsuri came over to stop him from scaring them.
"Kotaro-sama, you're scaring them. And I think it's alright…"
"It's not alright! Don't tell me you don't want to eat?! If so, then you can survive in this forest for another week!"
"No! I want to complain to Kagaya-san about the Final Selection too!"
Mitsuri joined the "Ban the Final Selection Campaign!" It was a miracle that Mitsuri passed the Final Selection. You know, for most of the days, it was Kotaro who carried Mitsuri on his back. Because of hunger, she couldn't even walk properly.
And now that she had passed, all Mitsuri wanted was to fill her rumbling stomach. She couldn't bear staying in this forest for another second.
"Well, we both passed, right?"
"Y-Yes."
Because of Kotaro's constant complaints, the two children seemed a bit afraid, but they belonged to the Ubuyashiki family! They couldn't cry like normal children. They had to stay composed and fulfill their family duties!
"Did anyone else pass?"
"No."
"…"
Kotaro glanced around. This place, the starting point of the Final Selection, had been filled with numerous people before, but now… not a single one was left except him and Mitsuri.
Mitsuri's eyes widened at the revelation, and she too fell silent. It was quite a shock to realize that everyone else had died in just seven days.
But this was the reality. With just some training, you couldn't expect those people to survive against demons. Kotaro clenched his fist slightly, and Mitsuri's eyes grew more determined.
'I will make sure Mitsuri/Kotaro-sama won't die!' x2
And so, only two people passed the Final Selection and became part of the Demon Slayer Corps, given the rank of Mizunoto.
…
Instead of returning to the Rengoku Mansion, Kotaro and Mitsuri stopped at an inn in the nearest village to Mount Fujikasane.
"Ah~ So refreshing!"
After so many days, Kotaro finally released a sigh of relief as he took a bath. Because of the rain, they had gotten dirtier than expected and had stayed like that for seven days.
He got out of the bathroom, drying himself off, and felt a cool breeze over his body. He returned to his room, finding Mitsuri waiting for him in front of the served food.
"Mitsuri, you didn't have to wait for me."
"No! Kotaro-sama, a wife eats after her husband."
Kotaro looked at her with blank eyes. She was constantly trying to stop the saliva from flowing out of her mouth.
"Sigh! That's old-fashioned."
"Old-fashioned?"
"No, it's nothing. But still, Mitsuri, you can eat first if you're hungry."
Realizing Mitsuri didn't understand the term "old-fashioned," Kotaro didn't bother explaining further and instead told her not to wait if she was too hungry.
"No!"
Twitch!
Kotaro sat down and looked at her, resting his chin on his hand.
"Why?"
"Well..."
Mitsuri twirled her fingers in shyness.
"I like to eat with Kotaro-sama."
"You…"
With a helpless smile, Kotaro patted her head and signaled her to start. With a bright smile, she picked up the chopsticks and began eating, filling her stomach.
"It's quite tasty."
"That's right, Kotaro-sama! I found that this place has the best food..."
Mitsuri described the place and the food, and Kotaro nodded at her words with a smile, cherishing the moment of peace.
…
Night.
As much as Kotaro wanted to do some nighttime stuff with Mitsuri, the comfort of the futon just made him melt and…
"Zzzz…"
Both Kotaro and Mitsuri, after seven long days, had the best food and the best sleep of all time.
"I will protest till the end! Ban Final Selection!"
"Kotaro-sama, not here! Someone might… Mhm~"
And the best dreams too.
…
Next Day.
Though Kotaro wanted to stay and wander more, he understood that it was time to return. They had gotten plenty of rest, and if they didn't return soon, Kyojuro and Senjuro might get worried.
Sigh! The inconvenience caused by the absence of phones.
But there was something more concerning at the moment.
'Mitsuri, why is her whole face red?'
Since the morning, he had noticed Mitsuri fidgeting constantly and having a red face, even now. At first, he thought it was her usual shyness, but now it made him a bit concerned.
'Don't tell me… Did she catch some illness from spending seven days in that forest?!'
Now, the desire to protest against the Final Selection rose inside him. But before that, he had to ask if Mitsuri was alright.
"Mitsuri, are you alright?"
"Y-Yes!"
Mitsuri gave her answer in a loud voice, trying to ensure that Kotaro didn't notice her abnormality. She wasn't sick, but indeed was a bit unusual. And the cause of it - the dream she had last night!
'That dream…'
Just thinking of it made her embarrassed! How could she dream that?
In her dream, she and Kotaro-sama were in the forest, doing the private things they did at night. It was so unique and vivid that she couldn't shake it from her mind.
Whenever she looked at Kotaro-sama, she remembered that dream, and that thought perpetuated her memories of the night after their wedding when she gave herself to Kotaro-sama.
That night… It was harder but pleasurable.
And in her dream, they were doing it in the forest, out in the open. Mitsuri shook her head and slapped her cheeks, trying to forget it.
But no matter how she tried…
'Am I a pervert?!'
===
A/N:
Final Selection Over!