Warm morning sunlight seeped through the gaps in the window frames, illuminating the bed where traces of last night's passion remained intact.
Akira opened his eyes sleepily. On either side of him, two Hokusais were sleeping soundly.
On the left, Oei was fast asleep using Akira's arm as a pillow, and on the right, Hokusai had her leg draped over Akira's chest and was snoring.
Both were completely naked, not wearing a stitch, and their white skin was dotted with kiss marks like petals.
"Mmm... morning already..."
As Akira tried to sit up, he felt something wriggling under the covers. At the same time, a thrilling pleasure rose up his spine from his lower body.
"..."
When he lifted the covers, Shinobu was hiding there.
She had buried her face between Akira's legs and was meticulously caressing his member, which had woken up vigorously in the morning.
"Huep... slurp...♡"
"Shinobu? What are you doing from morning?"
At Akira's question, Shinobu briefly detached her mouth and looked up.
Saliva was hanging like threads from the corner of her mouth, and her eyes were moist with desire.
"Good morning, Master. I'm in the middle of morning service. You were playing with other women all night, right? You should pay some attention to me too?"
She bowed her head again and moved her tongue even more passionately.
"Ugh... wait, Shinobu. We have to eat breakfast."
Akira said as if troubled, but Shinobu didn't stop.
"This is my morning meal. Just one shot... just one shot, and I'll let you go."
Under her persistent and ecstatic technique, Akira could no longer refuse.
In the end, after pouring a thick morning greeting into Shinobu's mouth, he was able to get out of bed.
"Thank you for the meal♡"
Shinobu followed Akira, smacking her lips as if satisfied.
When Akira entered the dining room, a delicious smell and an extreme sight greeted him.
"Welcome, Akira-san! Are you hungry?"
"Master, come here! We made delicious food, meow!"
Mitsuri and Tamamo Cat were standing in front of the table.
The problem was their attire.
Both were completely naked, not wearing a stitch, and had only a white frilly apron on.
Mitsuri's voluptuous breasts were blatantly exposed from the sides of the apron, and Tamamo Cat wagged her tail and wiggled her hips.
For Cat, this was an outfit she often wore, but for Mitsuri, it was the first time.
"Today's shift is ours! We specially prepared with nude aprons!"
Mitsuri, along with Cat, showed off their bodies and attire to Akira.
"This... is too stimulating from morning, isn't it?"
Akira sat at the table with a pleased smile.
On the table, neat Japanese and Western breakfasts were lavishly laid out.
But the main dishes in front of him looked more appetizing.
Shinobu, who followed in, paused for a moment at the sight.
"...Do I have to do that too? To match Akira-san's preferences... I should make a note of it."
She muttered seriously while pondering.
At that moment, Kanae entered the dining room and held her forehead.
"Oh my... Mitsuri-san and Tamamo-san. Everyone is bold from morning. Shinobu, you seem to be getting weirder too."
Kanae sighed, but she seemed to subtly check Akira's reaction.
"It's fine, Kanae. Among ourselves, what does it matter? If it's good to look at and tastes good, that's enough."
Akira laughed heartily as he received the miso soup served by Mitsuri.
The morning at the mansion began lively, mixed with honey-dripping sweetness and secret desires.
Meanwhile, at the same time.
In a forest not far from the Demon Slayer Corps headquarters.
A newly built magnificent mansion shone in the morning sunlight.
Newly appointed Hashira Nagao Kanao, along with Okita Souji and Ushiwakamaru, stood before it.
"Wow...! It's really amazing! Nagao-san, it looks much more splendid than the headquarters mansion."
Okita widened her eyes and admired in respectful language.
It was the Butterfly Mansion, completed with the Demon Slayer Corps' massive financial support.
It was a state-of-the-art comprehensive medical facility, combining Western architecture techniques with Japanese traditional style, unprecedented in Demon Slayer Corps history.
After Kanao became a Hashira, she strongly suggested to Ubuyashiki to build it to increase the survival rate of members, the Demon Slayer Corps' first professional medical facility.
"Yes. Thanks to the master approving the budget. Now, we can use this as a base to save more members."
Pride was evident in Kanao's voice. She opened the mansion's door and introduced the interior.
"Here is the intensive care unit, over there is the operating room. We've also equipped all the dedicated equipment for detoxifying poison and performing surgical operations."
To Kanao, this mansion was not just a building.
It was the first attempt to incorporate her personal belief in valuing life and the efficient system learned from Akira into the Demon Slayer Corps.
She had already mobilized the connections of the trading company to secure a list of capable surgeons and pharmacists active in Ginza and Yokohama.
Now, all that was left was to hire them and establish a systematic medical system.
However, that inflated dream immediately hit the cold wall of reality.
"Nagao Kanao-sama, congratulations on your appointment as Hashira. And the mansion's completion... it's truly splendid."
The highest senior of the Kakushi, wearing a black mask, approached hesitantly.
"Thank you. Now we can save many members here. Ah, and how is the request I made to the master about hiring external medical professionals?"
Kanao asked with eyes full of expectation. However, he sweated coldly as if troubled and shook his head.
"That... I'm sorry, Hashira-sama. It has been denied."
"...What?"
Kanao's smile disappeared in an instant.
"Denied? I reported that surgeons capable of surgery, internal medicine specialists, and pharmacists for prescriptions are essential for professional treatment. There are limits to just the Kakushi members' first aid."
"The master understood that point... but discipline is the problem."
The Kakushi member hesitated and continued.
"The Demon Slayer Corps is not a government-recognized organization. Moreover, the existence of demons is kept thoroughly secret from the public. If we hire external doctors and information leaks, the organization's survival is at risk."
"...So?"
Kanao's voice cooled down sharply.
"So, the instruction is to strictly prohibit the entry of external personnel. Instead, we are to operate with retired members or volunteers from the Kakushi."
Kanao was speechless, dumbfounded.
It was something unimaginable for the Akatsuki Trading Company.
If it were Akira, he would have brought in the best experts by making them sign confidentiality agreements, manipulating memories, or shutting their mouths with money.
Because saving lives is the top priority.
Because human resources are important in any era.
But the Demon Slayer Corps was different. To them, outdated secrecy and discipline were more important than members' lives.
"Are you... in your right mind?"
Although Kanao usually didn't show emotions well, this time she couldn't hold back her anger.
"I'm not looking down on the Kakushi members. But they have never received professional medical education, have they? At best,止血 or bandaging is all they can do. Are you telling me to entrust members with ruptured organs and crushed bones to non-professionals? How is that different from telling them to die?"
"I have no face... but discipline is absolute..."
The Kakushi member also bowed his head as if he had nothing to say.
Okita, who was listening nearby, scratched her head as if troubled.
"Haa... this is really a mess. This secrecy or whatever is the same in any world, isn't it? Is keeping secrets more important than people's lives?"
"Foolish. Preserving and recovering strength is the shortcut to victory."
Ushiwakamaru crossed her arms and criticized coldly.
If injured members are left to die, who would raise their morale after seeing that? It seemed like a foolish move that lowers morale.
"They made a splendid scabbard, only to try to put a rusty sword in it. It's an organization with no efficiency to be found."
Kanao clenched her fist tightly. Her nails dug into her palm.
She had tried to respect Ubuyashiki Kagaya in her own way.
She had tried to find meaning in his kindness of remembering members' names and visiting their graves.
But at this moment, she felt keenly how incompetent and hypocritical that kindness was.
Does he even remember the children who died in the Final Selection in the first place?
No, what meaning is there in just remembering when those who could have lived with proper measures from the start are left to die due to lack of proper handling?
'In the end... they're more afraid of the organization's secrets leaking than members dying. And what children?'
Compared to her foster father Akira's practical attitude, the last thread of favor towards Ubuyashiki snapped with a pop. All that remained was cold contempt and disgust.
"...I understand."
Kanao answered in a dry, emotionless voice.
"If discipline says so, we must follow. Bring the list of Kakushi members and retired slayers immediately. I'll筛选 out those who have handled herbs or have good dexterity."
"Ah, understood! I'll prepare it right away!"
As the commander left as if fleeing, Kanao looked at the empty operating room with a hollow expression.
The shining state-of-the-art operating table, the shadowless lamp. But there were no expert hands to save lives there.
"This splendid mansion... suddenly looks like a giant tomb."
Kanao muttered bitterly.
"Don't be too disheartened, Kanao-san. We're here for you."
Okita carefully patted Kanao's shoulder.
"Still, having good facilities is better than nothing, right? At least it's better than receiving treatment on dirt floors. If there are no doctors... well, we have no choice but to study and teach ourselves."
"...I have to do that. I have to do my best with what I can."
Kanao forced herself to pull herself together.
But her eyes had lost their previous clear light and were沉浊 with deep distrust towards the Demon Slayer Corps organization.
"Fraud. Father taught me that contracts must be read carefully, and I'm only now realizing it."
"Well, as a Hashira, you got as much as you could demand, so they shut their mouths. You should have gotten a firm answer on the external doctor hiring issue on the spot."
"A commander like that deserves to be rebelled against."
The splendidly completed Butterfly Mansion.
Behind its beautiful exterior, the gloomy reality of the Demon Slayer Corps, stifled by rigid discipline, loomed like a shadow.