𝗘𝘂𝗽𝗵𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗮

𝟙𝟚 - 𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕀𝕝𝕝𝕟𝕖𝕤𝕤

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After 12 slow days with Lady Tamayo and Yushiro, I was finally ready to depart in search of Tanjiro and Nezuko. I've been unpleasantly bored since they went. For the past three years, Tanjiro has been my primary source of entertainment, and I'd forgotten how boring life would be without him.

Yushiro had to be persuaded to join me in playing card games and betting against each other with whatever we had in our pockets at the time. Even Lady Tamayo has joined more than once...

Let's just say that Yushiro and I both lost badly..

I even found small amounts of entertainment in medical books, all of which have always interested me but I simply haven't had the time to read.

Throughout the time I had spent there, Lady Tamayo has also been investigating my illness and has been working on discovering what it is and how to overcome it.

Overall, my time spent with Tamayo and Yushiro has been enjoyable as well as educational.

Lady Tamayo approached me with a stern expression on her face as I was placing my katana into my sheathe. I looked over to her as she stopped in front of me, "(Y/N)-san, before you leave, I would like to have a word with you about your unfortunate illness." She spoke gently.

I raused a brow at the word 'unfortunate' before reluctantly nodded my head to signal her to continue. "The good news is that, I have discovered the exact condition you have, based on how you explained it to me." I nodded once more.

I furrowed my brows. "...There is bad news, isn't there?" I spoke reluctantly with a small frown.

She sighed and nodded with a frown. "Unfortunately, the disease itself has an extreme likelihood of death.....and due to our lack of technology...you will die from this." I clenched my fists and looked at the ground.

Ah, there it was.

I knew it was coming, but, damn, it hurt.

I swallowed. "Is...is there any way of possibly slowing it down...So I can maybe go on for longer?" I clenched my teeth.

She shook her head. "Not that I know of." She spoke solemnly. "I'm very sorry, but there is nothing I can do." I shut my eyes and tighten my fists as she spoke every word.

'What will Tanjiro think? I'll be leaving him, Just like everyone else.' I gritted my teeth and pursed my lips. 'I can't leave him alone. Not after everything we've been through together.' I brought my bandaged, clenched hand to my chest and gripped my garments. 'Damn it'. I felt Tamayo wrap her gentle arms around me like a blanket.

She began to gently stroke my hair as I began to tremble. She started to soothe me, as a mother would with a child, gently stroking small circles on my back and trailing her fingers through my hair. 'I'm so sorry, Tanjiro-kun' I dug my head into Tamayo's shoulder. "It's okay.." She soothed.