32 Demon Slayer: Floating Comment

The person who understands demons the most is, naturally, a demon themselves.

Walking along the road, Haruto pondered Kagaya Ubuyashiki's words.

Kagaya wasn't the type to speak in riddles. Could it mean...there was something unusual about this Tamayo's origins?

For the past few days, the comments had been rolling intermittently across his vision, hinting that Tamayo might be a key figure.

So Lady Tamayo was connected to the master this early on?
Lady Tamayo is calling you to draw blood!
Of course, the boss knows everything!

Haruto discreetly grimaced. Why were these off-screen viewers just like the swordsmen around him, inexplicably devoted to Kagaya?

What's with the "boss knows everything" nonsense? Go read more books! Seriously, read a book!

A bunch of otakus who only know how to yell "kawaii" at Makomo…

As the crow perched lightly on his shoulder, Haruto reached into the small bamboo container hanging from his waist and pulled out a strip of raw pork, tossing it to the bird.

"Over 400 years," the crow squawked after swallowing the meat.

"Wait, what?"

Haruto froze mid-motion, still holding the bamboo lid.

Was that an answer? To what question?

The boy wracked his brain, glancing at Genya, only to find his face pale.

"You asked Master Ubuyashiki earlier…" Genya stammered. "About Lady Tamayo's age."

Oh, right.

Feeling it would be rude to visit empty-handed, Haruto had inquired about Lady Tamayo's age so he could pick an appropriate gift.

The answer was...

Over 400 years?!

"Sensei, what should we bring as a gift?"

...

Asakusa, Tokyo Prefecture

Centered around Sensoji Temple, the bustling commercial district was alive with activity.

As night fell, lights and shop signs swayed in the gentle breeze, making it hard for Haruto to tell whether he was in early 20th-century Japan or a modern-day reenactment.

"Wow…" Genya gawked. "The city's already developed this much?"

The neatly paved stone roads were filled with pedestrians, and streetcars rolled by occasionally.

Haruto held Genya's hand tightly to keep him from being swept away by the crowd.

Asakusa's vibrancy was enough to impress, but it wasn't exactly cutting-edge. So, rather than marvel at the electric signs or neon lights, Haruto's attention was drawn to the shops displaying their signature dishes.

"Teriyaki chicken skewers!"
"Tempura!"
"Okonomiyaki!"
"Snow crab—oh, no, it's not fresh."

The Demon Slayer Corps wasn't strapped for cash. The Ubuyashiki family's wealth ensured that swordsmen received generous compensation.

Kagaya had assured him Tamayo would contact them upon their arrival in Asakusa.

So, they weren't in a hurry. Instead, they indulged in the local cuisine—mainly Haruto, who seemed to have a bottomless stomach. After two shops, Genya was already stuffed, but Haruto kept going: over thirty skewers, two baskets of tempura, twenty okonomiyaki pancakes, and six bowls of tonkotsu ramen.

Just as Haruto was eyeing a nearby tonkatsu shop, a soft meow came from underfoot.

Genya quickly looked down and lifted his foot, afraid he'd stepped on a tail.

Haruto raised an eyebrow, still chewing on a chicken skewer as his free hand drifted toward the hilt of his sword.

There was a demonic presence nearby.

Looking down, he saw a small calico cat at his feet, its yellow eyes wide and alert. Around its neck hung a talisman with an intricate design.

This cat...was a demon.

It had appeared silently, and if it hadn't meowed, Haruto might not have noticed it at all.

Behind it lay a powerful demon.

"Sensei?" Genya felt Haruto's muscles tense.

It's Chachamaru!

It's carrying Yushiro's Blood Demon Art.

Chachamaru, Yushiro, Tamayo…

More unfamiliar names, more unknown demons.

"Let's see what it wants," Haruto said, relaxing slightly.

The cat didn't want to fight, it wanted to lead.

Chachamaru turned and looked at them as if gesturing for them to follow.

Haruto let out a half-full belch, slung an arm over Genya's shoulder, and wobbled after the feline.

The Second Demon in Asakusa

Chachamaru led them away from the bustling streets to a darker, quieter alley.

There, they encountered a second demon—a pale, sullen boy dressed in Western-style attire, draped in a white haori.

He radiated gloom. From the moment he saw Haruto, his violet eyes narrowed into slits, his brows knitted tightly as he muttered complaints:

"What a giant idiot. Why's he so tall? His proportions are ridiculous—he looks stupid!"

Compared to the 160 cm boy, Haruto, who had grown past 175 cm, was indeed a "giant."

"White hair? Weird. I have no idea why Lady Tamayo wants to meet this ugly guy…"

As the boy's insults escalated from height to appearance, Genya couldn't hold back anymore.

"Hey! Watch your mouth!"

"Huh?" Haruto blinked at his student in surprise.

The spiky-haired youth, with his scarred face and fiery temper, looked more like a delinquent than the gloomy boy.

"Ugly? Sensei is the most handsome swordsman in the Demon Slayer Corps!" Genya argued, fists clenched. "The best-looking ones are all at Sagiri Mountain! Sabito has scars, Giyu's expressionless, so Sensei's the coolest!"

"Even Miss Misaka, Miss Ikawa, and Miss Maeda from headquarters—and the Butterfly sisters—have asked me about Haruto-sensei!"

Even the crow flapped its wings in agreement.

Wait, what? Since when?

Haruto's misty blue eyes widened.

He knew Misaka from the Fujiwara Inn, but who were Ikawa and Maeda? And how were the Butterfly sisters involved?

Am I really that popular? Why didn't anyone tell me sooner? Do you know how many times Master Gotokawa has nagged me about marriage every year?!

The gloomy boy ground his teeth audibly, his green hair falling over his furrowed brow.

"See?! That's why it's so annoying!"

He shoved Genya's rooster-like hair down forcefully.

"Why does Lady Tamayo want to meet you? Why did she send me away to fetch you? What makes you worthy of her time?!"

Haruto pulled Genya away, brushing off the boy's grip. "Enough! It's for work!

"Do you…like Lady Tamayo? Because you're acting like a total stalker!"

The boy froze, then recoiled with a flush spreading across his cheeks.

Oh? A tsundere?

Haruto's lips curled into a mischievous grin.

Well, well—he loved teasing tsunderes.