In a dim alley outside Entertainment District, three figures dressed as women stood together in awkward silence.
The "girl" on the far left had long black hair reaching her waist, her plain white kimono accentuating her tall figure. Her features were delicate but expressionless—it was none other than Tomioka Giyu in disguise.
He gripped the hem of his kimono with one hand and absentmindedly tugged at a strand of his hair with the other, his face filled with barely concealed exasperation. Uzui Tengen had slicked his hair smooth with pomade, but Giyu's scalp felt tight, and his movements were annoyingly restricted.
The "girls" beside him looked even more absurd. Kamado Tanjiro's red hair had been forced into a bun, his face caked in thick white powder, rouge smeared unevenly like spilled paint, and a stiff smile drawn at the corners of his mouth.
Tō's pale blue kimono was worn halfway backward, his makeup even worse than Tanjiro's—crooked blush on one cheek and an ink smudge on the other, as if he'd been dunked in a pot of ink.
"Can you two stop fidgeting? You're ruining the makeup!"
Uzui Tengen strode over, now wearing a silk robe of silver and violet. His long hair was loose over his shoulders, a jeweled hairpin glinting at the end—he looked every bit the "charming nobleman."
He reached out and tugged at Giyu's hair, frowning.
"Giyu, why is your hair so stiff? I used three cans of pomade to get it straight, and now you're messing it up again!"
Giyu ignored the complaint and frowned slightly. "Are you sure this will work? Disguising as women to sneak into a brothel—if we get caught…"
"Relax!"
Uzui puffed his chest proudly. "Back when I was a shinobi, I used disguises far crazier than this! The brothel madams only care about beauty and money. With your face, you'll have no problem meeting the oiran right away. As for Tanjiro and Tō… well, they're not exactly beauties, but they'll pass as servants. It'll be perfect for scouting the layout of each house."
From behind a nearby tree, Kocho Kanae stepped out, dressed in simple town clothes and carrying a food box—she was assigned to observe from outside.
Her eyes brightened when she saw Giyu's disguise, and she chuckled. "Giyu, you actually look beautiful in women's clothes. With those delicate features, if you smiled, you'd look just like a princess."
Giyu's ears turned red instantly. He instinctively tried to pull at his hair, only for Uzui to stop him.
When Kanae turned her gaze to Tanjiro and Tō, she couldn't hold back her laughter. Covering her mouth, she said, "And you two… who did your makeup? You look like paint buckets exploded on your faces!"
Tanjiro lowered his head in embarrassment. "It was Tengen-san," he muttered quietly. "He said it would 'add personality'…"
"Alright, enough chatter!"
Uzui cut in, pulling three coin purses from his robe.
"Kocho-san, the outside is yours to handle. Once we're inside, use the Kasugai crow to send messages."
He handed each of them a purse.
"There's enough money in here for the initial bribes. Listen carefully—Giyu, you'll investigate Ogimoto House, Tokito House, and Kyogoku House. These three brothels have the most famous oiran; Daki is most likely hiding in one of them. Tanjiro, you'll work at Ogimoto House as a servant. Tō, you'll do the same at Tokito House. Keep your senses sharp for any demonic aura, especially from oiran who appear only at night."
Giyu nodded, though his thoughts were deeper.
Bringing Tanjiro and Tō wasn't only for the mission—both of them had only fought ordinary demons so far. Their progress was slow. Facing an Upper Moon, though dangerous, would be a chance for them to grow stronger—something essential for their future battles.
"Let's move."
Uzui led the way toward the bright streets of the Entertainment District, Giyu, Tanjiro, and Tō following behind. Their strange group quickly drew stares from passersby—most gazes fixed on Giyu, while others pointed and whispered about Tanjiro and Tō, who wanted nothing more than to disappear into the ground.
When they reached Tokito House, the madam—a middle-aged woman in a crimson kimono with a shrewd smile—hurried over the moment she saw Uzui.
"Good evening, sir. Here for a bit of pleasure? Our oiran, Koinatsu, happens to be available tonight…"
"Not for pleasure."
Uzui jingled the coin purse in his hand and gestured to Giyu behind him.
"My sister here just arrived from the countryside. She's got good manners and a proper look. I was hoping she could find work here. What do you think?"
The madam's eyes immediately brightened as they landed on Giyu.
Though Giyu's face was impassive, his sharp features, fair skin, and tall figure made him stand out. With a little "training," she could tell he'd make a fine attraction.
She reached out to touch his face, but Giyu instinctively dodged. The madam didn't mind and chuckled. "Shy, are we? That's fine. She's a little stiff, but she's beautiful—very beautiful. Alright, fifty ryo. She belongs to Ogimoto House from now on."
Uzui accepted the payment cheerfully and turned, about to push Tanjiro forward when the madam caught sight of Tanjiro's face and—
The madam instantly frowned. "What's with this girl? Her face looks awful, and that makeup—like scribbles from a ghost! We don't take ugly girls at Tokito House!"
Tanjiro's face turned bright red. Uzui Tengen sighed and had no choice but to drag Tanjiro and Tō away toward the next brothel, Ogimoto House.
After half an hour of running back and forth, Uzui finally managed to slip Tanjiro and Tō into Kyogoku House and Ogimoto House under the guise of "cheap servants." One was assigned to cleaning, the other to serving tea—at least they had both successfully entered the Entertainment District.
Meanwhile, Giyu followed the madam into a finely decorated backroom of Tokito House. The room was elegant but carried a heavy, suffocating air.
The madam summoned two attendants and tossed Giyu a pile of instruments and calligraphy scrolls. "From now on, your name is Yukine. Starting today, you'll wake at the 5 a.m to study music, calligraphy, and tea ceremony.
At noon, you'll learn how to smile, how to speak softly, how to please customers. By the hour of you, you'll serve in the front hall.
Girls of Tokito House must not only be beautiful—they must know how to charm. Understand?"
Giyu nodded and picked up a sheet of musical notation, running his fingers across the shamisen strings to test the sound.
To his own surprise, he seemed to have some natural talent; it wasn't perfect, but enough to pass.
However, when the attendants began teaching him how to smile, Giyu froze.
"Miss, when you smile, lift the corners of your lips a little. Your eyes should curve softly—see? Like this."
The attendant gave a sweet example. "Now, your turn."
Giyu stared into the mirror and tried to raise the corners of his mouth. No matter how he tried, the result looked stiff—or worse, like a grimace.
The attendant sighed helplessly. "Miss, do you… not smile often? This won't do at all. Customers love cheerful girls."
Giyu stayed silent.
He had never really thought he couldn't smile—until he joined the Demon Slayer Corps and everyone began teasing him for it.
Kanae once told him his smile looked like he'd just eaten something sour. Sanemi said it looked worse than crying. And Tō had once asked quietly if his sensei was simply unhappy.
Staring at his own stiff reflection now, a thought surfaced in his mind: maybe he really should learn how to smile properly.
Not just for the mission—but so those around him wouldn't always see him as cold and distant.
"I'll try again."
Taking a deep breath, Giyu relaxed his face muscles, recalling how Kanae used to smile. Slowly, he lifted the corners of his lips, squinting his eyes just slightly. It still felt awkward—but it looked a little more natural.
The attendant's eyes lit up. "Yes! That's it! Just a bit more relaxed. Practice that a few times and you'll be perfect!"
Giyu nodded, turning back to the mirror to practice again and again until the muscles in his cheeks began to ache.
Outside, the evening deepened. From the front hall came the sounds of laughter, chatter, and plucked strings.
Giyu stopped and moved to the window, quietly sliding it open a crack.
Down below, the oiran of Tokito House, Koinatsu, was surrounded by patrons, her smile dazzling—but there was no trace of a demonic aura from her.
So, Koinatsu wasn't Daki. He would have to find a way to investigate Ogimoto House and Kyogoku House next, while keeping contact with Tanjiro and Tō to confirm what they'd found.
As night deepened, the lights of the Entertainment District grew ever brighter, glittering with false beauty and hidden danger.
Sitting before the mirror, Giyu continued practicing his smile, though his mind was already planning his next move.
He had to find Daki before she and Gyutaro made their move—and this time, he would make sure Uzui didn't end up injured like before.
In the mirror's reflection, the disguised young man's lips lifted slightly. The smile was still awkward, but there was a faint warmth that hadn't been there before.
The Water Hashira—usually cold and composed on the battlefield—was now awkwardly learning how to show "gentleness," quietly advancing his plan against Upper Moon Six amid the glimmering, perilous streets of the Entertainment District.