Warm afternoon sunlight shone on the streets of Asakusa. Among the bustling crowd, an ordinary-looking yet somehow elegant couple was walking.
The young man with brown hair wearing a fedora was Akira, and the beautiful woman with long hair walking arm in arm with him was Kanae.
Since Akira was publicly known as Kanroji Mitsuri's husband, today he was enjoying a cozy date with Kanae after slightly altering his appearance.
"It's so nice to walk like this after so long, Master?"
Kanae rubbed her face against Akira's arm with a girlishly excited voice.
Even after becoming a demon, her smile remained warm and lovely.
Kanae, who sometimes called him Master like Kiyohime, expressing affection.
"I like it too. I've been busy every day with business and work. Sometimes, we need leisure like this."
Akira tightly held Kanae's hand.
The two spent a happy time like ordinary lovers, browsing stalls and picking out accessories that suited each other.
Then, the place where their steps halted was in front of a modern restaurant operated directly by the Akatsuki Trading Company.
A long line stretched in front of the store, and the savory smell of grilling meat filled the air.
The signboard had the words "Akatsuki Special Hamburg Steak" written in large letters.
"Oh my, this place is new too? The line is incredible."
"Yeah. It's the business we're most focused on these days."
Akira looked contentedly at the people in line.
"Hamburg steak is originally a high-class dish, but with our company's distribution network and mass production technology, we've significantly lowered the cost. Thanks to that, commoners can enjoy hamburg taste without burden."
He took Kanae into the VIP room that had been reserved in advance.
Soon, a sizzling iron plate with thick hamburg steak and hot, rounded stones were served together.
Perhaps because no one else was coming, Kanae smiled faintly and slightly loosened her kimono, revealing her cleavage.
An overt seduction to anyone's eyes.
Akira didn't refuse and stared directly at her chest, and when Kanae seemed a little embarrassed, he finally chuckled and explained the food.
"This is a special menu only at our store. It's a method where you grill directly on the stone according to your preference, something you won't find in other Western restaurants."
When Akira demonstrated by placing a piece of meat on the stone, with a sizzling sound, a savory meat aroma spread.
"Wow... This is fun. The taste is excellent too."
Kanae's eyes sparkled as she put the meat in her mouth. A happy smile spread across her face from the juices and flavor filling her mouth.
"Moreover, recently we've launched instant hamburg in retort packs for convenient eating at home. Since you just need to heat it in hot water, it's explosively popular among busy housewives and laborers."
Listening to Akira's explanation, Kanae admired it, but at the same time, she wore a bittersweet smile.
"Akira-san, you're truly amazing. Not just in strength, but in business acumen too.... As the company grows day by day, it seems you're getting busier, which makes me a little sad."
"Money is better the more you have, Kanae."
Akira said calmly while tilting his wine glass.
"No matter how strong a power we have, to live in this civilized society, resources are essential. To buy information, command people, and enjoy a comfortable life, money is needed."
He stared into Kanae's eyes.
"Of course, money isn't everything for happiness. But with more money, you gain the power to prevent misfortune and protect happiness. You don't have to experience tragedies like losing loved ones due to poverty or being unable to cure illnesses."
"...I see."
"But don't worry. This company, the business, the money—all are just means for our family's happiness. If they make us unhappy or put us in danger, I'll discard them without hesitation anytime. Because the most important thing to me is all of you."
At Akira's sincere confession, Kanae's heart swelled with emotion.
A man who manipulates Japan's economy, yet at his core, there is only love for family.
"Master... I really, really love you."
Kanae reached her hand across the table and held Akira's hand. Akira's warm touch brought deep peace to her heart.
Meanwhile, unlike Akira enjoying a happy date, Kanao's mind at the Butterfly Mansion was nothing short of hell.
The mansion was bustling with a flood of injured people.
"...The disinfectant is already out?"
Kanao asked while looking at the warehouse management ledger, as if she couldn't believe it.
"Yes, Flower Hashira-sama. This is all we brought."
A Kakushi member showed an empty box with a troubled expression.
"Since most disinfectants are carried mobilely by Kakushi units at the front lines, there's almost no stock here in the rear. Even if we request supplies, it will take days for approval from the headquarters warehouse."
"Sigh..."
Kanao pressed her forehead. Claiming to be a professional medical facility, yet not even having disinfectant. It was to the point where they'd have to wash the wounds of transported patients with plain water.
"For now, we'll have to use water boiled with medicinal herbs as an emergency measure."
At that moment, a Kakushi member who had joined as a volunteer confidently raised his hand.
"Um, Flower Hashira-sama! If there's no disinfectant, wouldn't applying miso work?"
"...What?"
Kanao doubted her ears.
"In our countryside, when cut by a knife or bitten by insects, we applied miso. Then it gets savory, the swelling goes down quickly, and it heals fast..."
"Absolutely not!!"
Kanao yelled out loud. At the usually quiet girl's shout, the surrounding members stopped what they were doing in surprise.
"That's a fermented food! Do you know how many microorganisms and bacteria are swarming inside it? If applied to a wound, germs can enter through blood vessels and cause serious secondary infections! Do you want to kill the patient with sepsis?!"
Sparks flew from Kanao's eyes.
"Moreover, the high salt content in miso irritates wound tissue, causing terrible pain and worsening inflammation. It's the same as rubbing salt on a torn wound! To use such ignorant folk remedies on patients, are you in your right mind?!"
"S-sorry! I didn't know!"
The Kakushi member bowed apologetically under Kanao's intensity. But the problem wasn't just this. Accidents akin to screams erupted from here and there.
Crash~!
A sharp shattering sound came from the operating room side. When Kanao hurriedly ran over, a Kakushi member was looking at broken glass pieces on the floor, not knowing what to do.
"What happened?!"
"Ah, that is... I thought this metal tool would be great for peeling fruit, so while trying to peel an apple... I accidentally touched an expensive medicine bottle..."
What he held in his hand was a surgical scalpel.
"..."
Kanao almost collapsed, grabbing the back of her neck.
"That's... a scalpel for cutting human flesh. A surgical tool that should be sterilized and stored in an aseptic room... and you tried to peel an apple with it?"
"S-sorry! I just thought it was a knife..."
The lack of hygiene awareness was severe.
Another member, saying bandages were insufficient, was trying to wash a bandage used to wipe a patient's pus in water and reuse it on another patient's wound.
"Stop! Immediately! Haven't you heard of cross-infection? If you use that bandage, that patient will have to have his leg amputated!"
Kanao screamed and snatched the contaminated bandage away.
Elsewhere, even patient triage wasn't being done properly.
"Uwaah! It hurts! Save me!"
"Wait a moment! I'll attend to this person first!"
Kakushi members were flustered, clinging to a minor injury patient who was screaming and making a fuss.
In the corner, a critical patient with ruptured internal organs, pale from intra-abdominal hemorrhage, unable to even scream, was left to die.
"Move aside! That one is more urgent! Look at the complexion! They're in shock!"
Kanao pushed the minor injury patient aside and rushed to the critical patient to start emergency treatment.
"Pulse is weak! Secure the airway and bring IV fluids! Quickly!"
"IV, what's that?"
"Ah, really!!"
Kanao directly inserted the needle and found the blood vessel. Her hands became bloodstained.
Even a Kakushi member in his 20s, a bit older, brought a clump of spider webs.
"Flower Hashira-sama, if hemostasis doesn't work, you can attach spider webs. It's a secret technique passed down since ancient times..."
"Throw it away. Immediately. Because of the dust and bacteria on spider webs, you'll get tetanus."
"No, but the wisdom of the elders..."
"Medicine is science! We need verified facts, not wisdom!"
Kanao felt like crying.
Looking at members discussing while facing a patient with compound fractures where bones were protruding.
"Wouldn't it go back in if we just press hard with force?"
She felt dizzy watching them.
These were the people who had joined claiming to have some medical knowledge or good hand skills.
In fact, she couldn't blame them. They were people who had never received proper medical education, who had lost family to demons and joined the Demon Slayer Corps to hunt demons.
They had just entered the support unit because they couldn't fight, and with work alone, they had no time to learn medicine, so it was a natural result.
Among them, Kanao continued her lonely battle.
'There are no people. No knowledge. No system.'
Gorgeous buildings, expensive equipment. But there was absolutely no software to operate them. This huge mansion wasn't a hospital. It was just a slightly cleaner detention camp.
"...Sigh."
After all treatments were done and catching her breath for a moment, Kanao sat down trembling with bloodied hands.
'Father... I was too naive.'
She thought that with just money and facilities, she could save lives. But as long as there is ignorance, outdated customs, and closed-off discipline, this place was like pouring water into a leaky bucket.
"How has such an organization... not been destroyed and endured for hundreds of years?"
It was a miracle, or merely a sandcastle built on the unjust deaths of countless members.
Kanao's head throbbed.