Suyako froze for a moment, covering her mouth. "Ah—sorry, I forgot Miss Yuko…"
Yuko let out a small breath of relief and didn't explain further.
She simply said, "About this matter, just pretend you never heard it. Go about things as you always do. If you see it by chance and want to pick it as a wild vegetable, then take it home and eat it."
"I was able to break free from Muzan's control without losing my humanity. Perhaps it's because of that flower."
Because this place was the ancestral home of the Kamado family, she felt certain.
Otherwise, there was no reason she and Nezuko were both able to break free.
Suyako thought for a moment, then pounded her fist into her palm. "Right! I think I did pick some back then."
In ancient times, even pregnant women often did simple farm work. Picking wild vegetables was hardly difficult.
At this moment, Sumiyoshi spoke uneasily, "But the flower is still here. If the Demon King finds it…"
He hadn't finished before Yuko shook her head, cutting him off. "About that—Brother, you saw what it looked like when it bloomed, didn't you?"
She turned to Yoriichi.
Yoriichi thought for a moment. "It bloomed all of a sudden. There weren't even any buds beforehand."
Yuko nodded slightly. "Mm. The first time I saw it, it was the same."
"And when I didn't pick it, it only stayed in bloom for a few minutes before it suddenly withered."
Everyone was surprised. "A few minutes?"
"So it's impossible for Muzan to discover it."
To be honest, for a final boss, Muzan's intelligence was… worrying.
He could easily tempt high-ranking nobles with immortality and have them search for him.
These people could command hundreds or thousands of subordinates to hunt for it—no difficulty at all.
But instead, he never trusts anyone, insisting on searching by himself.
Yuko continued, "So I think the flower probably only blooms during summer daylight."
"If that's the case, then the Demon King really can't find it."
Yoriichi turned toward her. "Do you need it transplanted to our home? It would be easier for you to take."
Yuko froze for a moment before waving her hand. "Better not. If such an important flower dies after being transplanted, what then?"
Yoriichi nodded slightly.
They stayed at Sumiyoshi's home for several days, but only managed to pick a few more flowers—every one of which ended up in Yuko's stomach.
Though they were still completely useless.
The flower seemed to have even harsher growing conditions than they'd imagined.
Even in summer, it didn't bloom every day.
…
Summer ended. After bidding farewell to the Kamado family, the next time they met would likely be when the Blue Spider Lily bloomed again the following year.
In the days that followed, Yuko continued training in swordsmanship under Yoriichi's guidance.
Gradually, she realized that the gap between her and Yoriichi wasn't in sword forms.
In terms of sword techniques—martial skill—she certainly wasn't on Yoriichi's level.
Even among those who reached the peak of martial arts, the difference between the strong and the weak could be unimaginable.
Just like the saying:
If you do not cultivate, you see me like a frog at the bottom of a well gazing at the moon.
If you cultivate, you see me as a mayfly facing the vast sky.
Yoriichi's talent and strength were unmatched.
But if one only compared the power of sword techniques, then with Blood Demon Art enhancement, Yuko's forms were actually stronger than what a human like Yoriichi could produce.
So the issue was speed and reaction time.
Even the Demon King couldn't react to Yoriichi's speed—she still had a long way to go.
Yuko began focusing on training her dynamic vision and speed.
When one becomes busy, time passes quickly.
By day, she meditated at home.
At night, she trained in the mountains.
And every summer, she and Yoriichi visited the Kamado family.
Each time, they managed to gather a few Blue Spider Lilies.
Even though she had consumed many by now, she still felt no sign of overcoming sunlight.
Every attempt ended with her being burned.
The worst time, her entire body was exposed to the sun.
The horrific burns all over her body—if Yoriichi hadn't acted quickly, she would have melted completely.
Yuko began to wonder if the flower needed to be taken together with some other medicine.
A certain person's silhouette surfaced in her mind.
Tamayo.
But she had no idea where to find Tamayo.
Besides, she was a useless shut-in who only relied on her elder brother.
How was she supposed to survive alone outside?
She couldn't just sneak into people's homes in the middle of the night and drain their blood, right?
And so, the matter was postponed.
…
Another summer arrived.
This year, Yuko was thirty. Yoriichi, thirty-one.
"Sister Yuko, come play~"
Now a little girl, Sumire ran up to Yuko, kissed her cheek affectionately, and tugged on her clothes.
Suyako was cleaning wild vegetables inside the house and scolded gently, "No, no. Miss Yuko is sick. She can't be in the sun."
Yuko smiled and patted her head. "Go play with your little brother."
Children didn't have complicated emotions.
Sumire responded with an "Okay~" and bounced away.
Yuko watched her with gentle eyes.
"Papa~!"
The girl suddenly exclaimed happily just outside the door.
"I'm home."
Sumiyoshi walked out of the forest with a large basket on his back.
After greeting his daughter, he entered the house.
He pulled out Blue Spider Lilies from the basket. "Miss Yuko, I found two."
Sumire watched curiously; she'd heard her father went out to find medicine to cure sister Yuko's illness.
Yuko nodded lightly and glanced at Sumire.
Suyako understood immediately and told her daughter, "Sumire, go call your little brother to help Mommy wash the vegetables, okay?"
"Okay~"
She took the children inside.
Only then did Yuko swallow the flowers.
Sumiyoshi then skillfully picked up several ropes from inside the house and wrapped them around Yuko multiple times.
Yuko smiled. "I'll be in your care."
Sumiyoshi nodded solemnly. "Don't worry, Miss Yuko. If anything goes wrong, I will pull you back immediately."
Yuko nodded softly and stepped outside.
The moment her foot touched sunlight, her body began burning rapidly.
So it still doesn't work…?
Yuko clenched her teeth.
As the Demon, ordinary weapons barely hurt her—but sunlight was different.
Facing the sun directly felt no different from being set on fire and burned alive.
The pain was unbearable.
Sumiyoshi watched carefully.
Seeing her burns worsen, he hurriedly pulled the rope.
The rope suddenly snapped—it had been burnt through.
Sumiyoshi nearly flipped backward.
"Miss Yuko!" he shouted in panic, rushing forward to grab her.
Fortunately, Yuko was only a short distance from the shade.
So painful!
The moment he touched her clothes, Sumiyoshi instinctively drew his hand back.
"Papa."
Sumire had run out after hearing him shout.
"Don't come out! Go back!" Sumiyoshi barked.
Sumire froze.
This is bad…
Just as Sumiyoshi's heart clenched, a hand gently rested on his shoulder.
"Don't worry."
---
Currently at chapter 207 for advance chapters
https:// ko-fi.com/rabi08