KNY Fanfic: Priceless Smile

Chapter 36: Disguise

Today's the day Kagaya told Kazumi to escort someone. But this time, she looked much more different. She's under a disguise, she dyed her hair with black tying it in a man bun instead of her usual high ponytail, and she put on an eye patch covering her right eye, she also didn't wear her haori since she thought someone might recognize her and call her out. She's just now wearing her demon slayer uniform and also, there are no clothes wrapped around her calves so her hakama pants were loose.

Ever since that day she received the butterfly hairclip, she hasn't received any gifts. But she knew, that won't be the last one.

As she get closer to the gates of the village where Taro led her to, she saw a tall, masculine man, with a short blue hair. The man noticed her, Kazumi walked closer to him.

"Hello there! You must be the slayer sent for Minamoto-sama!" He greeted.
"I'm Tamura Sunako, you can just call me Suna for short!"

Kazumi held his hand reaching out for a shake as she smile and introduced herself. As Sunako looked at her small figure with his dark-brown eyes.

"I'm Takahara Ryuugi, the demon slayer sent here."

She changed her name to complete her disguise with a male one. She also changed her voice a bit but it's still a calm one. Sunako seemed please as he lead her to the place where his master stays. As they got closer, they saw another man, who also has a katana like Sunako, sitting outside an inn.

"Suna-san! You're finally back!" He said standing straight up.

He looked at the other person beside Sunako.

"Ah, Arata! This is the demon slayer sent here to help us! He's Takahara Ryuugi!" Sunako said looking at the other person beside him.

"Well then, I'm Toshino Arata! Nice to meet you Takahara-kun!"

He has a long dark-brown hair tied in a low ponytail and has blue colored eyes. Both him and Sunako are wearing the same blue yukata and black hakama pants.

The two shaked their hands while smiling at each other.

"Please just call me Taka or Ryu for short."

"Alright then! We'll call Taka-kun!" Sunako replied showing a thumbs up.

All three of them soon went in and was met by two people sitting inside a room.

"I'm glad you're back Suna-san. Me and the young master has been waiting for your return. It's really nice to meet you young slayer, I'm Arakagi Jiro!"

The one who just greeted them has a black shoulder-length hair and light brown eyes. He's wearing a green colored kimono with a light-blue haori and the same black hakama pants, he's also holding a fan.

"Same for me Arakagi-san and Minamoto-sama, I'm Takahara Ryuugi. Please just call me Taka or Ryu for short." Ryuugi greeted back slightly bowing his head down.

"Minamoto Ayato." The so called 'Minamoto-sama' introduced himself with a monotone voice.

He has a short, slicked back blonde hair, black eyes, and somehow a bit masculine. He's wearing a dark-purple kimono with a light-purple colored haori and navy blue hakama pants. He's holding a pipe puffing out smoke before looking at the slayer in front of him.

"If you're here then let's go." He said standing up from his position.

Jiro just sighed before standing up and following his young master out. As they got out. The men rode on their own horses. Sunako looked down at Ryuugi.

"Taka-kun! You can ride with me!" Sunako reached out his hand and Kazumi accepted the offer.

As they got out of the village, Ayato stayed silent still puffing out smoke.

"Taka-kun, may I ask?" Jiro looked at him.

He nodded his head in response.

"How old are you? You're a slayer but you looked so young!"

"I'm.... sixteen Arakagi-san." Ryuugi answered before turning his head away from Jiro.

"Eh?! That young?!" Arata's eyes widened.
"Young master here is just nineteen!"

"Well, I know someone who's younger than me but he's already a Pillar."

"Really? What's a Pillar?" Sunako asked.

"Suna-san, a Pillar is the highest ranked slayer amongst all the other slayers. But, not all slayers can obtain that position." Ryuugi answered.

"Then, they must be really strong." Jiro said with his right hand under his chin.

"Yes! There are currently nine Pillars now!"

"Woah! Aren't they amazing Minamoto-sama?!" Jiro looked at the back of Ayato who's currently leading the way.

Ayato just nodded as he kept puffing out smoke.

'He acts just like Giyu-san.'
Ryuugi thought.

Jiro and Arata kept on asking questions after questions, if not for Sunako who told them to shut up. Jiro's about to ask again but was met by Sunako's glare that made him shut up.

'Suna-san's glare is scary!'
Jiro thought as he shiver a little.

As they travel further more, they stopped by a river bank for the horses to rest for a while. Ayato sat down under a tree shade and finally opened his sling bag and took out a book.

"Is reading Minamoto-sama's hobby?" Ryuugi asked Jiro.

"Yes! And also painting! But he doesn't show it to anyone but to the three of us." Jiro answered.

"I see. He seems to be really private about his own works." Ryuugi commented as he look at the river in front of them.

Ayato stayed silent for the whole time while the others chatted. He didn't even bat an eye to them until he stood up.

"Let's go, we still have a long way to go." He said walking towards his horse.

The four of them just followed him and continued their travel again. Until the sun slowly set down and the night falls, they're still travelling.

"I think we should stop by at a nearby village, demons would be out there for sure." Ryuugi said.

The three looked at their master for the answer.

"There's a village ahead of us, we'll stop there." Ayato said looking ahead without looking at them.

'Guess he's even colder than Giyu-san. Nope.... he definitely is.'
Ryuugi thought.

They soon arrived at the said village and stopped at an inn. Ryuugi soon pulled out an incense bag.

"Minamoto-sama, please keep this with you." Ryuugi handed him the incense bag.

"What's that?" Ayato asked looking at the incense bag.

"This is an incense bag with wisteria in it. Demons hate the scent of it and, wisteria is a deadly poison for them.... this will protect you aginst the demons."

"Just give it to Jiro."

"You're a marechi. You have a blood that demons wanted most, devouring a single marechi for them is like devouring fifty or a hundred humans." Ryuugi explained making the three fear for their young master's life.

"Please accept it Minamoto-sama." Jiro pleaded.

Ayato stayed silent. He slowly grabbed the small bag on Ryuugi's hand and stared at it for a second.

'If it wasn't because of me, she might still be alive now.'
He thought and slowly put it in his kimono.

He turned his back silently from them and went in his room. Ryuugi could feel the intense sadness and grief from Ayato that made him tilt his head to the side.