Demon Slayer: I am a Demon.

Su Mu picked up the comb and began to clean it slowly. Compared to the messy and tangled hair at the beginning, the girl's hair was now very clean. Although some of the hair was dry and yellow due to malnutrition, most of the hair was still black and smooth.

I feel that if she continues to get enough nutrition, Kanao's hair will definitely become black, shiny, long, and thick in the future.

While tidying up Kanao's hair, Su Mu said to himself, "If you encounter any danger, don't worry about your uncle."

Kanao blinked, somewhat confused.

"If your uncle isn't around anymore, remember to take good care of yourself. Don't always be so absent-minded. No one else will take special care of you. Remember to listen to your inner voice..."

He didn't know whether Kanao understood him or not, he just kept talking silently.

After he put the butterfly hair clip he had bought on Kanao, he realized that Kanao's hand had grabbed the hem of his clothes and was squeezing it tightly.

He stared at her, slightly stunned, then patted Kanao's head: "You're holding on so tightly, you've wrinkled my clothes, let go."

Kanao clearly obeyed his command, releasing his hand almost immediately, but her eyes remained fixed on him as if she would run away or... abandon him at any moment.

Sensing the girl's dependence, Su Mu fell silent for a moment, then reached out and tapped the girl's head with his finger: "Don't always look at me like that, it makes me feel uncomfortable."

Kanao immediately lowered her head.

Su Mu then found a thick coat in the house and draped it over Kanao so that she wouldn't get cold even when traveling at night.

He then put gloves on the girl's small hands, looked her up and down, and finally showed a satisfied expression.

Only then did he begin packing his things, starting with his Nichirin Blade. He first gently wrapped the Nichirin Blade in a cloth, then put on a coat-like garment and wrapped the Nichirin Blade inside the coat, so that it was impossible to tell from the outside that he was carrying a weapon.

However, when the Nichirin Blade was close to his heart, he felt a sudden panic and shortness of breath.

The faint heat emanating from the Nichirin Blade in particular sent a deep sense of unease through him, as if he were about to be plunged into the terror of death.

He closed his eyes slightly, suppressing the discomfort that welled up in his heart, and forced himself to endure the nausea that made him want to vomit.

As a weapon for slaying demons, the Nichirin Blade is clearly not suitable for demons to wield. In fact, keeping the Nichirin Blade by one's side for a long time will weaken the demon itself.

This is probably why no demon possesses the Nichirin Blade.

But for Su Mu, he needed this weapon, not because it was particularly sharp or good, but because it was a weapon capable of slaying evil spirits.

He was wary of the Demon Slayer Corps.

But he was just as wary of ghosts.

After tidying everything up and making sure everything was in order, he prepared to leave. For a ghost like him, this place was no longer safe to stay in; he had to get out of the city as soon as possible.

…………

As they walked out of the inn hand in hand with Kanao, they saw a 'Tongxin' and a man with a wisteria flower mark on his body enter the inn and begin to question them.

I vaguely heard them talking about whether there were any recently checked-in guests and whether there was anything strange or unusual in the surrounding area.

Su Mu was secretly glad that he had come out early. If these people had come looking for him, his unusual behavior would have been easily noticed. After all, he had never appeared at the hotel during the day, which would have been enough to attract attention.

Stepping out, Su Mu didn't head straight for the city gate. Instead, he blended into the crowd like someone strolling around the city at night. He even bought two servings of Japanese fried oysters from a food stall.

Fresh oysters are coated in flour, egg, breadcrumbs, and other seasonings and deep-fried until golden brown. They are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, and served with lemon juice and tartar sauce for an incredibly delicious flavor.

He bought two, one for Kanae and one for himself, and the two of them walked and ate like any other people strolling around town at night.

Of course, the ghost's taste buds made him unable to appreciate the deliciousness of the oysters, and they tasted like chewing wax, but he still pretended that they were very delicious.

And so, they strolled along without attracting much attention, and slowly arrived at the city gate.

…………

At a stall near the city gate, Hiroshi Furukawa sipped his tea while observing the people leaving the city at night. Soon, he noticed a pair of people who looked like father and daughter, eating fried oysters as they walked in his direction.

The man was bending over, head down, gently feeding the girl his fried oysters.

Because he was bent over and looking down, he couldn't see the man's face or eyes clearly, but 'Hiroshi Furukawa' didn't think that such a person could be a demon. Demons wouldn't treat what they see as 'food' so gently, so he naturally ignored it.

The girl, however, did not bend down to let him see the other person's face.

For a moment, a sense of familiarity washed over him, reminding him of the girl he had met in 'Taro Town'.

The girl I met in 'Taro Town' was dirty, listless, and looked very pitiful.

The girl in front of me had delicate eyebrows, fluttering pinkish-purple eyes, and her clothes were clean and tidy, clearly indicating that she was well taken care of.

"Same age, different fates."

Hiroshi Furukawa shook his head slightly. One was a princess who was pampered, while the other was...

Some people feel a sense of melancholy, realizing that while flowers are always similar, people are always different, and the same people can have different fates.

For some reason, I thought of myself. Others my age probably already have found girls they like, have their own families, and are living happily.

But now I'm on the path of demon hunting, a path of slaughter, and I don't know if I'll see the sun rise again tomorrow or the day after.

Chapter 39 The Fragrance of Wisteria

Hiroshi Furukawa picked up his teacup, took a sip, and watched the man and girl leave, feeling inexplicably moved by the differences in people's fates.

If no evil spirit had destroyed his happiness, he would probably have been surrounded by happiness, just like this cared-for girl. His father would work in the fields every day, and his mother would knit clothes. Perhaps they would encounter some difficulties in life, but the family would work together for tomorrow and walk towards happiness together...

A gust of wind blew by, and for some reason, Hiroshi Furukawa's eyes became a little moist.

Suddenly I really want to have a drink, get really drunk, so I won't have so many other desires.

However, when carrying out a ghost-hunting mission, one cannot drink alcohol. Alcohol will numb one's will, make one less clear-headed, and slow down one's knife movements... all of which will become one's death warrant in the process of fighting evil spirits.

A gentle breeze brushed against his face. 'Hiroshi Furukawa' watched the man lead the girl away, then raised his head to look at the full moon in the darkness, his expression hardening.

Perhaps, for me, choosing to leave the Demon Slayer Corps and the path of demon hunting is a good option. Then, I could use the money I've earned from demon hunting missions over the years to find a place where no one knows me, find a girl I might like or might not like, get married, and have the happiness of an ordinary person...

These are just some thoughts...

He had never thought of it.

Ever since his happiness was wantonly destroyed by evil spirits amidst the smell of blood, he could never forget that blood-soaked night, nor the horrific scene of how the evil spirits killed his father and devoured his mother...

For him, happiness was shattered that night, and he could never go back.

He wants to kill all the ghosts in this world, one by one, so that evil spirits will no longer be allowed to wantonly destroy people's happiness.

Silently gripping the hilt of the sword hanging at his waist, 'Hiroshi Furukawa' watched the figures holding hands as they walked towards the city gate, observing their happy backs.

Wasn't that his purpose in joining the Demon Slayer Corps?

Isn't it all about protecting the ordinary yet precious happiness right before our eyes?

Isn't it all about ensuring that this happiness isn't destroyed?

This is why, even knowing they will die on the path of demon slayers, not a single swordsman will be afraid or timid. Isn't this the very meaning of the Demon Slayer Corps' existence?

…………

Su Mu led Kanao by the hand toward the city gate. At this moment, he could clearly feel the gaze on him from behind, which made him tense. He even thought for a moment that his identity had been discovered by the Demon Slayer Corps swordsman, and he was almost ready to pick up Kanao and run away.

but

He forced himself to suppress the urge and continued walking like a passerby.

Until they walked out of the city gate.

Standing outside the city gate, no longer feeling the gaze of the Demon Slayer Corps swordsman, Su Mu finally breathed a long sigh of relief.

It's always better to avoid being discovered and thus avoid a potentially life-threatening bloody battle.

"It's all thanks to Kanao."

Su Mu looked down and saw that the girl was looking up at him. He couldn't help but scratch the tip of Kanao's nose with his finger. It was because of Kanao's presence that people subconsciously ignored her. After all, how could a human and a ghost walk together in harmony?

Kanao looked at her uncle, blinked, and seemed unsure how to help him.

but……

It would be so great if I could help my uncle.

“Our journey ahead is a bit long, I’ll carry you.”

Su Mu smiled, somewhat relaxed at this moment, and squatted down in front of Kanao as he spoke.

Kanao obediently climbed onto her uncle's back, gently wrapping her arms around his neck, her little head resting against his broad and warm back.

Once Kanao was safely on his back, Su Mu stood up, ready to leave.

Because they were still close to the town, and he was worried that running fast would attract the attention of the Demon Slayer Corps, he initially walked at the same pace as an ordinary person. To outsiders, the scene looked as ordinary as a father carrying his daughter home at night.

Carrying Kanao on his back, Su Mu walked at a normal pace while keeping an eye on his surroundings. There were many people leaving the city, and obviously no one was paying attention to him.

This slightly relaxed his vigilance, and all he needed to do now was find out where Kamado Tanjiro lived.

"I hope to find it soon, and then start looking for the blue spider lily."

He thought to himself, and now that Kanao was by his side, even if the Blue Spider Lily bloomed during the day, he could have Kanao pick it for him.

By consuming the blue spider lily, one can overcome the demon's only flaw, becoming unaffected even when bathed in sunlight.

This is something that Muzan Kibutsuji has sought for a thousand years but could not obtain. If Muzan Kibutsuji knew that he had eaten something he had craved for a thousand years, I wonder how he would feel.

Won't I be furious?

Thinking of Muzan Kibutsuji's furious appearance, Su Mu, who had been tormented by the craving for 'flesh and blood' recently, felt a rare sense of joy.

She couldn't help but laugh.

Suddenly, a breeze blew by, its coolness brushing against my cheeks, carrying a faint, sweet floral fragrance that filled my nostrils, and a warmth like the sun shining on my skin.

"vomit……"

Just smelling this odor made Su Mu want to vomit, and he felt indescribably uncomfortable all over.

The fragrance of the flowers, which smelled wonderful, was like a deadly poison to him.

"The fragrance of wisteria blossoms."

Almost instinctively, Su Mu knew what the scent was.

This fragrance is extremely deadly to demons. On Mount Fuji, the Demon Slayer Corps used wisteria trees to trap a group of demons on the mountaintop, thus making it a training ground for newly recruited swordsmen.

Unconsciously, Su Mu looked ahead.

Then you can see two incense sticks stuck in the ground on both sides of the road ahead. The incense is burning and the fragrance of wisteria flowers is coming from it.

Because of the common legends of evil spirits, some places often use incense and candles with the scent of wisteria flowers to ward off evil spirits.