|•| 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙵𝚛𝚊𝚐𝚒𝚕𝚎 𝚂𝚕𝚊𝚢𝚎𝚛 |•| 𝕂𝕟𝕪 𝔽𝕒𝕟𝕗𝕚𝕔𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟

XXIV

    "Hello there. I am the chief of this village, Tecchikawahara Tecchin. Very nice to meet you two.", The village chief introduced.

   "I may be the smallest in this village, but I am the best at my craft. Now bow your heads so low it touches the mat.", Tecchin said as Kiyomi and Tanjiro immediately bumped their heads on the mat. Wolfie just looked at them confusingly.

   "Kamado Tanjiro. Very honored to meet you!", Tanjiro said, his head still on the mat.

   "Ouch- Takahashi Kiyomi! Very honored to meet you too! This is my bestfriend, Wolfie!", Kiyomi said, her head also on the mat with a little bruise on her forehead.

   "What good kids. Now come over here and eat some dough cakes.", Tecchin said as he handed a bowl of dough cakes and a towel for Kiyomi's slightly bruised forehead which she thanked him.

   "Thank you so much!", Tanjiro beamed as he happily munched on the cakes, Kiyomi then followed and gave Wolfie some.

   "Hotaru has gone missing right now. We're doing our best to look for him, so please be patient.", Tacchin said.

   "Hotaru?", Tanjiro said, munching on his cake.

   "Yes, Haganezuka Hotaru.", Tecchin replied.

   "What a cute name!", Tanjiro smiled.

   "I'm the one who gave it to him. But he keeps badmouthing me since he says it's too cute.", Tecchin said, looking irritated.

   "That's pretty sad.", he commented.

   "He's always been like this ever since he was a child. He always throws tantrums right away, then he goes off somewhere. Sorry about that.", Tecchin explained.

   "Actually," Kiyomi spoke, getting everyone's attention. "He went in the forest and trained until he would be super buffed.", Kiyomi explained.

  "He did? How did you know that?", Tecchin said.

   "Um- I saw him a while ago, stomping into the forest and trained like a madman. And it was my fault for breaking the sword. Sorry.", she lied, forgetting that she must keep it a secret.

   "I'm sorry for his behavior. It's actually his fault for making a sword that could break.", Tecchin apologized, getting serious

   "It's okay.", she said, rubbing the back of her neck as she sheepishly smiled.

   "As soon as we find him, we'll seize him and bring him over. So don't worry about anything.", One of Tecchin's assistant said as he swung his arm around.

   "Please don't be so violent...", Tanjiro sweatdropped.

   "I heard your bodies still haven't recovered enough to be sent out into the field. So if Hotaru doesn't forge your swords by then, we'll have someone else to do it.", Tecchin said.

   "The hot spring in our village does wonders for the body. So please, spend some time there.", he added.

  "Thank you so much!", Kiyomi exclaimed.

  Later...

    "The hot spring is at the top of this hill. I will be preparing your meals down here.", Tecchin's assistant said.

   "Okay, thank you very much!", Kiyomi bowed as the assistant left.

   "Ahhhhh! It's Tanjiro-kun and Kiyomi-chan! Tanjiro-kuuun! Kiyomi-chaaan!!", The love pillar ran towards them, crying.

   "Oh! Please be careful! Your breasts are gonna fall o-mph?!", Tanjiro warned but was slapped in the mouth by Kiyomi.

   "That.. Just don't, Tanjiro.", she said, shutting Tanjiro up.