"Miss Yuko… what did you just say?"
A trace of confusion flickered across Tamayo's usually lifeless eyes. She even began to doubt whether she had misheard.
Yuko knew how unbelievable it sounded and repeated herself,
"I've already found a way to overcome sunlight."
This time, it was crystal clear.
Tamayo's dull eyes slowly brightened. At first, the notion of impossibility rose in her mind—but she quickly caught the key detail in Yuko's words.
A way…
Which meant Yuko herself hadn't changed inherently.
The reason Muzan despised his own kind yet continued to create more demons was precisely to find one that could conquer sunlight.
Every demon awakened a different Blood Demon Art—one of them might someday possess the ability to withstand the sun.
Since it was a method, then it must be—
Tamayo hesitated.
"Miss Yuko… are you referring to the blue spider lily?"
As Muzan's former close attendant and physician, it was no surprise she knew of the blue spider lily—after all, Muzan had turned her into a demon precisely to research a way to conquer sunlight.
Yuko didn't keep her in suspense.
"Yes. I've already consumed the blue spider lily."
Tamayo's breath caught in her chest. Her eyes flickered.
So it truly was the blue spider lily.
Muzan hadn't been wrong after all. The blue spider lily really could allow demons to overcome sunlight.
"The reason I was able to retain my consciousness after becoming a demon is most likely because I had eaten it before."
So that was the truth.
Tamayo's pupils contracted.
After becoming a demon, the loss and distortion of one's will was something no ordinary human resolve could resist.
No matter how steadfast one's heart, no matter how deeply one had loved their family in life—after becoming a demon, they would be nothing more than food.
On this point, Tamayo had the greatest authority to speak.
After all, she—who had loved her husband and child so deeply—had personally devoured them with her own hands.
That warped force that twisted human will was something utterly impossible to resist.
...
After hearing Yuko's explanation, Tamayo's expression turned grave.
"Miss Yuko, you must never let other demons discover that you have already conquered sunlight."
Otherwise, Muzan would go mad.
All demons would go mad.
They would hunt Yuko relentlessly—until Muzan obtained her.
And if that happened, Muzan would become truly invincible.
Yuko chuckled lightly.
"Of course."
Until the Taisho Nine Pillars had fully matured, she would absolutely never expose this fact.
"As for the blue spider lily," Yuko continued, "I think Miss Tamayo may need it. I can provide it to you."
What Yuko meant was that she was willing to let Tamayo consume the blue spider lily as well—so she too could overcome sunlight.
Tamayo hesitated at her words, then slowly shook her head.
Yuko looked at her in confusion.
Tamayo explained,
"Muzan has been hunting me relentlessly. I don't possess the overwhelming strength that you do, Miss Yuko. If he were to find me… then Muzan would truly become invincible."
Yuko froze slightly. She hadn't considered that possibility.
Still, Miss Tamayo had always hidden herself quite well—she should be fine, right?
But this was indeed a real risk, so Yuko didn't press the matter further.
"Then what about research purposes?" Yuko asked.
Tamayo shook her head again.
"No. It would be best if you didn't even tell me its growing location or traits."
"Just knowing that it exists is already more than enough for me."
She would never allow Muzan even the slightest chance of learning anything about the spider lily.
Yuko nodded softly.
"I understand."
They sat quietly for a while before Yuko asked again,
"Where is Miss Tamayo staying now?"
Tamayo sighed lightly.
"I have no fixed residence."
Just like her.
Yuko rubbed her temples slightly.
"I was thinking there might be a way for us to stay in contact."
Tamayo asked,
"Then does Miss Yuko have a fixed place to live?"
"No."
"..."
That really was…
In ancient times, information traveled slowly. Without a reliable means of contact, parting was often permanent.
However…
She didn't really have anything else to do at the moment.
Yuko looked at Tamayo and asked hesitantly,
"I wonder if Miss Tamayo would mind having a traveling companion?"
Tamayo paused, then smiled.
"On the contrary—being able to travel with Miss Yuko would be my honor."
When two people who were kind at heart and shared the same goal walked side by side, there would be no difficulty at all.
Tamayo glanced up at the sky.
"Dawn will be breaking soon. Please wait for me a moment, Miss Yu—"
"Just call me Yuko."
Tamayo smiled warmly.
"Then Yuko should call me by my name as well."
"…All right."
What Tamayo meant by "wait" was simply gathering corpses to use as stored food.
It was the transition between winter and spring—if preserved properly, the meat wouldn't spoil easily.
Yuko didn't find Tamayo's actions improper. In modern society, it might be considered desecration of a corpse.
But in this era, the lives of common people weren't even treated as lives—let alone their remains.
Exposed white bones in the wilderness were nothing unusual.
Yuko helped Tamayo search through the damaged houses for usable containers, then collected several well-preserved bodies.
Once Tamayo had gathered enough food, she asked,
"Yuko, can you eat human food?"
Although demons did not die, they still suffered from physical exhaustion—especially when using Blood Demon Arts.
Once a demon's stamina was depleted, the only way to recover was by consuming humans. Ordinary human food could not replenish it.
While it wasn't to the point of being completely inedible—unlike ghouls—it still gradually dulled the sense of taste.
More importantly, it simply couldn't provide proper energy.
So Tamayo wondered whether Yuko had also overcome this limitation.
Yuko shook her head.
"When my brother was still alive, I would occasionally consume his blood."
"After his death, I haven't eaten in a very long time."
Tamayo's eyes widened in shock.
"Don't you feel hungry?"
Yuko smiled wryly.
"Of course I do. But it's still something I can endure."
Tamayo had suspected that Yuko might not have been feeding at all—but she hadn't expected it to be true.
What kind of willpower did it take to endure that?
This wasn't the same as simple hunger in ordinary people. Even Tamayo—who had already broken free from Muzan's control—could not survive without relying on blood.
Even the addictiveness of drugs paled in comparison.
Tamayo stared at Yuko deeply for a moment, then suddenly smiled.
"I just had an idea."
Yuko blinked in confusion.
"What is it?"
"I want to open a clinic," Tamayo said slowly.
"That way, I might be able to obtain small amounts of blood from patients."
"Not enough to be fully satisfied—but at least enough to survive."
Yuko smiled.
"That's a wonderful idea."
That was exactly how Tamayo lived in the Taisho era.
She healed people—and took blood in the process.
That was how she and Yushiro sustained themselves.
Their eyes met, and Tamayo smiled as well.
---
Currently at chapter 270 for advance chapters
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