𝒮𝒽𝒶𝓉𝓉𝑒𝓇𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝑀𝒾𝓇𝓇𝑜𝓇𝓈// 𝕄𝕦𝕚𝕔𝕙𝕚𝕣𝕠.𝕋

一 (𝕊𝕠𝕔𝕚𝕒𝕝𝕚𝕫𝕚𝕟𝕘? ℕ𝕠𝕥 𝕞𝕪 𝕗𝕠𝕣𝕥𝕖.)

A/n✨: Hello my dears❤️. I'm pretty new to this and I'm not sure if this will be any good but I'm trying😭. The first couple of chapters won't have much Demon Slayer stuff but it's all for the sake of the ✨Plot✨. We all need a traumatic backstory so these first chapters will be MeLaan's life before meeting the corps🥳

What a sheltered life I live. I sigh to myself as I strum my koto routinely. The reverberating sounds of the strings echo melodiously throughout the whole estate.

Saigo MeLaan. That is my name. Part of the Saigo family which is an offshoot of the Tokugawa Shogunate. As an only child, I will inherit the title of head of the House of Saigo once my father dies. Most average people would think I am fortunate and "lucky" to have all this wealth ready to be passed on to my possession but in reality, it is a burden that will only drag me further away from any sort of freedom. Even some of the poor have more freedom than I'll ever have.

With a neutral expression, I sit in the center of the washitsu on a zabuton in a seiza position in front of the Japanese stringed instrument. The lavish tatami room has been carefully decorated in traditional Japanese art with wall scrolls and quotes. The afternoon sun softly filters through the shoji screens almost giving the room a warm and tranquil atmosphere.

Almost. If not for the tight-faced woman in her 50s sitting parallel to me. Her sharp eyes watch my every move, ready to call out any mistakes I make while playing the piece "Sakura Sakura" on my koto. My amber eyes remain glued to the strings in deep concentration. Suzuki Takae is a precise and punctual woman. Her black hair is in a tight Shimada hairstyle and she adorns a forest green kimono, free of creases or imperfections.

  "Again." her voice is haughty and shrill like she has more to say but refrains from doing so, her expression stony. Inwardly sighing I give her a forced but practiced smile staying polite, not wanting to further sour the woman's mood. She's been my tutor since I was 5 and I could tell she wasn't fond of me from the start for some unknown reason.

  "Is there any way I can improve?" I ask in a polite tone, fighting the urge to walk out.

  "Quite so MeLaan-sama. First of all your phrasing is all wrong, you plucked the strings too hard near the end and I believe I heard some wrong notes" Takae lists giving me a disapproving expression I've seen more than enough times to know not to let anyone see it bothered me. "The Koto is an art form and properly performing these pieces proves discipline and grace as expected of a lady..."

Ah. this speech again. I filter out her words and blankly nod every few moments giving the impression that I am listening as I zone out staring at one of the kakejiku. Are oranges called oranges because they are orange, or is orange called orange because oranges are orange? I think to myself idly as I gaze at a painting of an orange tree.

  "...It is an old tradition for ladies of nobility to be a master of the arts and performance..." The woman continues. Like the prostitutes in the Red Light District. I mentally add, flicking my gaze to Takae who is still lecturing me with an uptight demeanor. "A person's hobbies reflect greatly on their character. Having a dignified hobby will indicate to others your status and intelligence. Image is very important when surrounded by high nobility. The way you carry yourself amongst others could ultimately decide the fate of your House for better or for worse. Furthermore-" She pauses seeing my dazed state "MeLaan-sama. You're not paying attention again." she sighs.

  "Huh? Oh uhm, sorry Takae-san" I refocus my attention on her. "I was up last night studying the Sengoku wars" I lie smoothly. The truth is I was up all night reading fantasy books from the West I had gotten from a specialist library last week.