メモリ||Memory ~Demon Slayer||

十五

First Blade

イントロアーク

水

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優しい指導

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↪I was puzzled.

Urokodaki was . . . different. First, I don't know why I was expecting us to go to Urokodaki's little shack at the base of Mt. Sagiri.

He was a Hashira, and owning that rank meant he had nice things. I always wondered how the Corps functioned without being a movement that wasn't recognized by the government, but Shinjuro had been happy to explain it to me.

Apparently, funds come from all over the place. Factions that believe in demons and/or have witnessed them. Families of larger companies who have been saved by Demon Slayers, regular townsfolk who pitch in. And this went all over Japan. But most of all their money came from wisteria houses. The most public ones not only served Demon Slayers, but served as Inn's and hotels, which drew in even more money.

Which was why we now stood in front of a decent sized estate with deep, dark blue accents and wisteria trees everywhere.

Urokodaki walked inside, gently setting me down and slipped off his own shoes.

"You go wash up. Dinner should be ready."

Tadashi tilted his head taking a deep breath.

"Ramen and dumplings." He announced.

I gasped happily.

"Yes! Let's-"

I froze.

I glanced up at Urokodaki suspiciously when he turned at my silence.

"Is this a test?" I asked. "Are there gonna be traps in the hallways on the way to the dining room?"

I had the feeling Urokodaki was peering at me confusedly.

"Um, no. A washroom is on the right-"

"Wait, wait, wait, so no running?" I demanded. "No enduring reflex training to eat food? No being thrown off of cliffs?"

Urokodaki stared at me for minute before sighing.

"I'm gonna assume that last one was Haruki." He shook his head. "He was always the strange one."

He crouched down in front of me.

"You will be fed, and taken care of without a price." He said. "We will train, yes, but not right this moment. Now, go wash up. A washroom is in-between two blue doors down the third hall. Those will be yours and Tadashi's rooms as well."

He patted my head.

"Assuming you'll give me my bed back."

I blinked as he stood and headed down a different hall and left us to our own devices.

Of course . . . this is the real Sakonji Urokodaki. The man before he became sorrowed with the lost of student after student for many years to come. Before he spent his final years before retirement hunting demons down for Final Selection. Before he became isolated.

"Come on."

Tadashi grabbed my hand and guided me down the halls, following Urokodaki's directions until we came across the said double-doors. He put down his own bag, which had started to fill up with books and things he's collected over the years.