"Please have some~" A porcelain bowl was placed in front of Yoizumi, still steaming. It indeed had the aroma of tea, but… a trace of confusion flashed in Yoizumi's blue eyes. He had never seen tea of this color before. Shinobu smiled, resting her chin on her hand, and asked in a soft voice, "Aren't you going to drink it?"
Hesitantly, he picked up the porcelain bowl and glanced at Shinobu. Had he done something to displease her again when he wasn't paying attention?
Even the cup had turned into a bowl.
He sighed inwardly and swallowed. Shinobu wouldn't harm him, anyway. He just had to endure it. Closing his eyes, he drank it. The expected bitterness didn't appear; instead, it was sweet.
He stared at the porcelain bowl in a daze. It wasn't bad… On the contrary, Yoizumi found the taste very good.
Receiving a satisfactory reaction, Shinobu, in a good mood, poured herself a bowl and took a sip. Indeed, she still wasn't quite used to it~
For her, it was a bit too sweet.
"What is this?" Yoizumi asked.
"It's a drink I encountered during a previous mission, called milk tea. I thought you might like it, Yoizumi, so I wanted you to try it," Shinobu said, gently setting down the porcelain bowl. Ordinary tea leaves were still more suitable for her.
Like?
The hand holding the porcelain cup paused slightly, causing the liquid in the bowl to ripple.
What was 'like'?
Drinking the warm milk tea again, the rich taste of tea combined with the smooth sweetness of milk was a perfect match, making his body feel warm all over.
So sweet, not unpleasant.
He wanted to drink it often.
Then… was this 'like'?
Yoizumi thought, perhaps. So he drank everything in the porcelain cup, nodded slowly, and said softly to Shinobu's beautiful purple eyes.
"I like it."
If he liked it, he liked it. Why was he looking at her so seriously?
She picked up the porcelain bowl with both hands, drinking the milk tea in small sips as if to escape.
But in her heart, she couldn't stop thinking.
Making it for him occasionally wouldn't be a problem… "We're almost at the Butterfly Mansion, Yoizumi-nii, Nezuko!" After finishing their mission, Tanjirou's steps were light on the way back to the Butterfly Mansion. Recent missions had all been completed smoothly.
He hoped it could continue like this.
"Please let go of me and this child!"
The Butterfly Mansion was a bit noisy now. From a distance, they could hear Kanzaki Aoi's voice. Tanjirou immediately wondered if something had happened.
He quickly sped up, rushing into the Butterfly Mansion indignantly and scolding loudly, "What are you doing to a girl! You bastard… guy?"
?
Tanjirou was stunned by the scene before him.
It was Uzui Tengen, whom he had met once at the Pillar Meeting. Now he was surrounded by the girls of the Butterfly Mansion.
"Mister Tanjirou! Help us, he's a kidnapper!" Seeing Kiyo's tearful, dot-like eyes, Tanjirou rushed forward without a second thought, ready to give the kidnapper, Uzui Tengen, a headbutt.
In the blink of an eye, Uzui Tengen disappeared from Tanjirou's sight. His attack missed, and he fell to the ground.
Uzui Tengen half-crouched on a high point of the Butterfly Mansion's main gate, holding Saho and Kanzaki Aoi in each hand. He pointed down at Tanjirou, looking at him disdainfully.
"Who do you think I am? Such a flamboyant me! How could I possibly be attacked by you?"
"I don't care who you are! You kidnapper!" Tanjirou shouted. Kiyo and Sumi also yelled, "Pervert! Pervert!"
Kanao silently raised her arm in agreement.
"I am a Pillar! Your superior! Show some respect!"
"I don't recognize you as a Pillar!" Tanjirou puffed out his cheeks and turned his face away.
"Hmph, what a head! I don't need your recognition!"
He adjusted his forehead protector, which was inlaid with pink gems, in exasperation, too lazy to argue with these brats. "Listen, I need female Demon Slayers for a mission! They aren't Kochou's Tsuguko, so she doesn't need to agree!"
"Saho isn't a Demon Slayer, she's not even wearing a uniform!" Kiyo said angrily.
Uzui Tengen glanced at her and indeed threw her out casually. "Then I don't need her."
Catching Xiao Saho, Tanjirou's eyes nearly popped out in anger. "Is that something a human would do?!"
"She's wearing a uniform, so I'm taking her."
Just as Tanjirou was about to speak, Yoizumi spoke from the wooden box.
"Put Miss Aoi down, and I can go with you."
"We can too!"
Agatsuma Zenitsu and Inosuke appeared in unison.
"Quick… quick, give Miss Aoi back!"
"I don't know what's happening, but I can go with you!"
Uzui Tengen, who had his back turned, stopped and turned around.
That demon?
Although he couldn't fully trust him yet, he was still a Pillar. His three wives had already exceeded the regular contact deadline without sending him a reply, so something must have happened. Having an extra Pillar would make things a lot easier, especially since an Upper Rank Demon might be there!
He casually threw Kanzaki Aoi down as well. Tanjirou frantically caught her. "Is that something a human would do?!"
"Alright, fine."
Uzui Tengen landed on the ground, pointing a thumb at himself. "But you all have to listen to me!"
"Um, where exactly are we going?"
Tanjirou asked, looking up. Up close, this Sound Pillar was truly tall.
He curled his lips, his dark pink eyes looking askance at the three.
"The most flamboyant place, full of beauty and desire."
"The dwelling of demons."
"The Red-light district."
A place he had never heard of, Tanjirou thought. Zenitsu, however, was so excited that he completely ignored the phrase "dwelling of demons."
The Red-light district! Was it the Red-light district he was thinking of?!
He was actually going to a place like that!
Just thinking about it made Zenitsu's face flush and his heart pound uncontrollably. He clutched his rapidly beating heart. A place with so many beautiful older sisters~
"Zenitsu?"
Tanjirou saw his strange behavior. Was he feeling unwell? His face suddenly turned so red.
"I'm fine!"
He raised a hand to wipe away the suspicious liquid from the corner of his mouth, then patted his cheeks. Nezuko-chan was still here!
He couldn't be like this!
"No time for you to play around!"
"Hurry up and follow!"
Uzui Tengen finished speaking and disappeared from their sight with a "whoosh." Waving away the dust flying everywhere, they realized he was already hundreds of meters away.
"So fast!"
"Hurry and catch up!"
"Stay safe, have a good journey!" x 4
The few people left behind shouted to the three who were running off.
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