Chapter 9: Danger Approaches

The next day, Hatsune woke up early and changed into a brand new white haori that Shinobu Kocho had sent him the previous night. The back of the haori was embroidered with a few wisteria flowers, and the front had some six-petaled snowflakes.

He didn't know if the wisteria flowers were there originally or if Shinobu Kocho had them added specifically, but either way, he liked the haori very much.

Wisteria flowers were his sister's favorite flower. Wearing them on his back allowed him to think of his sister constantly, and he believed this clothing would bring him good luck.

People say that clothes make the man.

After several days of rest, Hatsune's pale face finally showed a hint of color, and his previously dull spirit had recovered significantly. Now, dressed in a pristine and solemn haori, he looked radiant, almost like a different person—an elegant young nobleman, a beautiful young man.

Hatsune neatly folded the patient clothes he had changed out of and placed them by the pillow, then carefully hung the pendant left to him by his sister around his neck.

Once everything was ready, he walked out of the room.

Shinobu Kocho had asked him to pack, but he had nothing to pack. When he arrived, he had nothing with him; when he left, he had gained a nice piece of clothing.

It was still early, and it seemed that no one else in the Mansion had woken up yet.

Hatsune sat on the steps, continuing his routine from the past few days, staring blankly at the courtyard gate.

Over the past few days, he had grown attached to the Mansion, both to its environment and its people. Although those chatty nurses were quite annoying, now that he was about to leave, he felt a bit reluctant.

Soon, he heard the clear sound of footsteps on the corridor beside him. By now, even without turning around, he knew who it was—Kanao.

Since arriving at the Mansion, Kanao had been a particularly special presence to him. He suspected she had probably counted every strand of hair on his head by now.

Sure enough, Kanao came to his side and continued to play with his white hair. She didn't seem to notice that the person in front of her was somewhat different today.

Hatsune didn't get annoyed with Kanao; he actually found her very cute. It was this silent companionship that helped him get through the initial days.

"Kanao, your name sounds very pleasant. I'm leaving today, so you'll have to find something else to play with in the future." Hatsune turned to look at her.

Kanao seemed to understand, stopping her actions.

Hatsune didn't know what had happened to Kanao, but he always felt like her soul was trapped in a somewhat malfunctioning shell.

Perhaps because he was about to leave, the three girls from the Mansion weren't as noisy as usual. During breakfast, they frequently cast strange glances at Hatsune, making the atmosphere at the table rather odd.

After breakfast, Shinobu Kocho prepared to take Hatsune to the place where the cultivator lived.

As they passed through the courtyard, they noticed Aoi hiding in a corner, secretly watching him. When she was discovered, she quickly hid away.

Since their fight three nights ago, Aoi had been avoiding him for some unknown reason.

Shinobu Kocho also noticed Aoi in the corner but said nothing.

It wasn't until they left the courtyard that Shinobu Kocho spoke, "Aoi's family was killed by demons. To avenge them, she worked hard to become a demon slayer, but during her first mission, she witnessed her teammates' deaths and the power of the demons, causing severe psychological trauma. She's been staying at the Mansion, helping me, and hasn't taken on any demon-hunting tasks since."

Hatsune remained silent. During their fight that night, he had sensed that the woman's mental state was very unstable.

"She longs to be as brave and fearless as you all, facing death head-on, but the strength of a girl is limited. If she can't even cut through a demon's neck, she's only sending herself to her death on the battlefield. Many demon slayers who left the Mansion never returned. She probably had something she wanted to say to you."

Seeing that Hatsune was only focused on walking and not saying a word, Shinobu Kocho pulled him into her embrace, whispering in his ear, "Maybe Aoi has a crush on you."

"Stop talking nonsense."

Hatsune blushed, quickly breaking free from Shinobu Kocho's embrace, thinking to himself that this woman was truly shameless, casually hugging a boy like that.

"Little boy, are you getting shy? I've reserved a room for you. When you're not on a mission, you can stay at the Mansion."

"Okay."

"Okay? Just 'okay'? Don't you know how to say thank you?"

Shinobu Kocho pulled Hatsune into her embrace again, pinching his cheeks.

"And by the way, this haori isn't free. You'll need to pay me back when you earn money."

"I will… pay you back. You stingy woman."

"Calling me stingy? I haven't even asked you for food, lodging, or medical fees yet."

"…"

By noon, they arrived at the foot of a mountain, where a strange rumbling sound could be heard not far away.

"This mountain is called Falling Dragon Mountain. There's a waterfall in the mountain that looks like a dragon descending from the sky, hence the name. Well, I can only take you this far. You'll have to walk the rest of the way yourself."

Shinobu Kocho pointed to a narrow path in front of them. "Follow this path all the way up. Near the top, a cultivator will be waiting for you. Don't underestimate this cultivator; he's Mr. Himejima's master. So, have I kept my word?"

Hatsune had felt a bit disappointed initially, but upon hearing that it was the master of the Rock Pillar, he regained his confidence.

"Got it. You can go back now."

Hatsune didn't look back as he followed the path toward the mountain top.

"The cultivator's name is Seigen Ryoubei! Address him as Mr. Seigen or Mr. Ryoubei. Don't be rude!"

Shinobu Kocho cupped her hands around her mouth, shouting at Hatsune's retreating figure.

It was unclear if he heard her, as Hatsune's figure soon disappeared into the shadows of the trees along the mountain path.

"Ah, what a strange kid. Not even a word of thanks. So not cute."

Shinobu Kocho shook her head and turned to head back.

What she didn't know was that Hatsune was standing in a concealed spot, watching her.

Shinobu Kocho looked like a butterfly dancing in the sunlight. It wasn't until she completely disappeared that Hatsune continued toward the mountain top.

In the depths of the forest, a demon with a blue face and fangs was crouching over a bloody wild boar, tearing into it. Suddenly, it seemed to smell something delicious, turning to look behind it.

It closed its eyes and sniffed the air.

After a moment, it opened its eyes, and a gleam of excitement shone in its yellowish-brown pupils.

A new prey had entered the forest, clearly more appealing than the wild boar on the ground.

The demon let out a hoarse growl, discarded the wild boar, and climbed swiftly up a large tree, heading toward the source of the enticing scent.