"Shinjuro-dono told me," she replied, giving me a bright smile. "My name is Kanae Kocho~"
Kanae Kocho was dressed in a uniform adorned with a butterfly-patterned haori. As I observed her, a thought crossed my mind: "Is she also a demon slayer, like Rengoku-sama?"
Rengoku-sama had previously enlightened me about the Demon Slayer Corps, an ancient organization committed to protecting humanity from the clutches of demons.
While the organization boasted hundreds of skilled Demon Slayers, their existence remained unrecognized by the government. This lack of official recognition made the concept of demons and the tireless efforts of these slayers on our behalf seem unfathomable. The idea that these brave individuals battled and sacrificed their lives in secret to safeguard humanity was almost too overwhelming for me to comprehend.
"What is Rengoku-sama like?"
Her mouth turned into an 'o' as her head tilted slightly to the side. "He is what we call a 'Hashira' here," she hummed before beaming at me.
"Hashira?"
"They're a group consisting of the most powerful combatants in the organization. Second only to the leader of the organization," She explained.
Second only? The leader of the organization?
Suppressing my inclination to come across as bothersome, I refrained from posing any further inquiries. Yet, much to my surprise, she detected my unspoken curiosity and graced me with a tender smile.
"Please, Azura-chan, feel free to ask me anything," she uttered in a soothing tone, her voice a gentle balm that beckoned me to indulge my lingering inquisitiveness.
"Who is the leader?"
"Master Kagaya Ubuyashiki is the leader of the organization."
'He must be super strong...'
"Are there more...Hashiras?", I asked as I clenched my blanket.
"For now...there are only three Hashiras and a lot of empty slots since-," Kocho-san paused as she noticed me paying attention to her, but quickly smiled, "Don't worry! There are plenty of great demon slayers anyways!"
She then explained to me about the ranks in the demon slayer corps:
Once a Demon Slayer has fully settled into the organization, they are classified as a member of the lowest rank: Mizunoto. They must complete a variety of missions to ultimately climb the ranks and reach the highest Demon Slayer position: Kinoe.
"Aren't you curious about us, Azura-chan~?"
"I...want to be strong," I whispered, feeling a mixture of embarrassment and doubt. I didn't believe I could ever be as powerful as Rengoku-sama or Kocho-san.
Kocho-san playfully pinched my cheeks, causing me to let out a soft whine. It reminded me of the way my older sister used to affectionately pinch my cheeks.
"When I become a Hashira, I could teach you, Azura-chan," Kocho-san offered, her voice filled with warmth and encouragement.
"Ah...Uhm..." I bit my lower lip, unsure of how to respond. I didn't want to offend Kocho-san, but deep down, I longed to be instructed by Rengoku-sama. Kocho-san, however, seemed to notice my hesitation and her smile grew even brighter. She couldn't resist pinching my cheeks once more and calling me cute.
"Are you sure you want Shinjuro-dono to teach you?" Kocho-san asked, reaching for one of the onigiris from the platter and offering it to me.
I carefully took the onigiri from Kocho-san's hands, feeling a mix of curiosity and apprehension. "What's wrong with him?" I asked, eager to understand why Shinjuro-dono was different.
"Nothing is wrong with him Azura-chan! It's just that flame breathing is a difficult technique to master, and Shinjuro-dono is known for being strict with his students. That's why he only teaches his sons," Kocho-san explained, her voice tinged with a hint of admiration.
'His sons? Does that mean he's a father? He certainly appears to be in his forties,' I assumed, pondering the possibilities.
Taking a bite of the onigiri, I savored the warm flavors melting on my lips. The familiar taste brought back memories of moments shared with my older sister.
"Flame breathing?" I inquired, intrigued by the term.
"Ah! If you want to be taught by Shinjuro-dono, he should be the one to explain all those things to you, Azura-chan," Kocho-san responded, her eyes filled with encouragement.
"Oh, I see," I murmured, my mind still processing the wealth of information. It was overwhelming, but I knew I would gradually comprehend it all. For now, I welcomed the distraction, focusing on enjoying the rest of my onigiri. So far, my questions had been answered, leaving me with a sense of assurance.
"Thank you Kocho-san..."
"Call me Nee-san~"
My cheeks grew hot in shyness as she kept on nudging me to call her 'Nee-san'.
'She's teasing me...' I think to myself as I try to ignore her pokes on my shoulder and attempts to get me to call her by that surname.
She brightened, "Then just call me Kanae."
Kocho-san reminds me a lot of my older sister...I sat back in my bed, feeling relaxed and comfortable in our sparkling atmosphere.
"Thank you, Kanae-san."
اوووه! هذه الصورة لا تتبع إرشادات المحتوى الخاصة بنا. لمتابعة النشر، يرجى إزالتها أو تحميل صورة أخرى.
