At the east end of the village, a few small houses were surrounded by a fence.
In the yard, two figures, one large and one small, were working together to build a snowman.
The small one was a girl, wearing a floral cotton coat and a purple scarf around her neck... The large one was a woman with a headscarf, trying hard to lift her daughter to place a hood on the snowman's head. From a distance, the snowman resembled Minamino Guangzhi.
"Jing Ji, do you miss Dad?"
"Yes."
The hood was a bit askew, looking rather funny... The little girl giggled, "Mom, look, Dad looks so ugly~"
The woman rolled her eyes at her, then laughed as well, unintentionally glancing outside the yard, she saw...
Roy along with Tanjiro were standing silently outside the fence, and with a slight startle in her expression, she moved her daughter behind her and cautiously asked, "Do you two have any business here?"
The small village under Sagiri yama was already remote and with continuous heavy snow in winter, it was even more deserted. It's not surprising to be wary when suddenly seeing a few strangers standing outside the yard.
Roy was holding a kettle and glanced at Minamino Guangzhi.
The man had tears all over his face, his mouth trembling while being tightly bitten by his upper teeth, staring fixedly at the two figures of different sizes, unable to speak for a long time.
"Nisan..." Tanjiro turned his face away, unable to bear seeing this scene.
He couldn't imagine... if it were him, upon receiving the news of his father Tanjuro's death, what kind of despair he would show.
Yet... wives separated from husbands, children exchanged for food, in this world infested with Evil Ghosts, it's all too common...
"Auntie, how are you? We are Uncle Minamino's friends, passing by to bring some things for him."
Roy was silent for a moment, then stepped forward, placing Minamino Guangzhi's basket on the snow.
The basket was handwoven by Naoko, using vines picked from Sagiri yama, and she recognized it at once, her face relaxing as she opened the fence gate to let Roy and Tanjiro in.
"Naoko, who is here?" Hearing the commotion, an old granny who was washing clothes in the backyard poked her head out from inside the house and asked with a kindly smile.
"Guangzhi's friends, they said they came to deliver things for him."
"Oh~ Then quickly invite the children in for a cup of hot tea, it's so cold out there, or they'll catch a chill...."
"Yes, mother." The woman held the little girl's hand and bowed slightly toward Roy....
Roy gave her a polite nod, leading Tanjiro as they came in, Minamino Guangzhi's basket being dragged into the yard by Tanjiro.
"Mom, who are they?" The little girl shyly peeked out from behind the woman.
Minamino Guangzhi, frozen in place, could no longer hold it in and floated down from the kettle, leaning forward to go and hug her.
A gust of cold wind swept by... Minamino Guangzhi's body passed straight through the little girl's body....
The little girl blinked, her bangs swaying, showing a brief moment of daze... all keenly captured by Roy.
'Her soul is too weak, unable to withstand the impact of a living soul, it's best you don't try to forcibly embrace her....'
Roy conveyed this through Nenryoku using the kettle as a medium to inform Minamino Guangzhi.
With eyes enhanced by "Nen," it was apparent that the "Sense" on the little girl's body briefly showed a "rejection phenomenon" when Minamino Guangzhi's soul overlapped with her body...
Faint strands of error were brewing, mistakenly considering Minamino Guangzhi as the "main soul"....
'So, is "soul" really the true essence of "Nenryoku"?'
Roy recalled Jager's notes, which matched his understanding of the Hunter World, believing that—
"Nenryoku" originates from the "Life Energy" inside the human body. If the energy loses its support, it loses its footing, ultimately dissipating in an explosion or obliteration, such as the "Nen Bullet" released by Emission Nen users, which serves as a good proof.
But Minamino Guangzhi's existence shattered Roy's understanding, making him realize that "Life Energy" might possibly exist in the vast world without requisites, short-term or even long-term.
For instance, in Sagiri yama, where they were about to venture, indeed, many living souls were hidden there.
"It was my mistake... Jing Ji, Daddy was too impatient..." Minamino Guangzhi was frightened, the man in his forties hitting his own face hard, with his soul's Nen thinning considerably, showing signs of dissolution...
"If self-harm can solve problems, then the world wouldn't need complete individuals." Roy cast Minamino Guangzhi a slight glance, squatted down, took out the hobby horse he bought from his basket, and smiled as he beckoned to the little girl: "Jing Ji, is it? Look here, this is a hobby horse bought by your father... He said..."
"You take it to play with first, and when he returns, you can ride it as a big horse..."
"And candy." Tanjiro echoed, taking out some snacks from the basket and spreading them open in his palm.
"Mommy..." The little girl clung to the woman's leg, looking up at her expectantly.
The woman patted her little head dotingly and encouraged her: "Jing Ji, don't be afraid, they are your father's friends, your brothers."
"Brothers...." The little girl released her small hand grasping the woman's clothes, walking forward.
Initially, she was hesitant, then quickened her pace, finally bouncing over to Roy's side, grabbing the hobby horse.
Taking this opportunity, Roy used the hobby horse as a medium, channeling a layer of Nen to the little girl's body.
It was visible to the naked eye...
Those "Senses" that were "pushed" out by Minamino Guangzhi returned to a normal state thanks to Roy's "replenishment."
The evidence of this was ——
The little girl's previously dazed large eyes noticeably became lively again, as she returned to her vivacious and innocent state.
Minamino Guangzhi saw this clearly. As a spiritual entity, his perception was sharper than Roy's, and once he stopped, he "thud" knelt down again at Roy's feet.
This time, he couldn't find the words to express his gratitude, as he had already thanked him many times in the past few days...
Roy paid him no mind, taking Jing Ji's hand along with Tanjiro, following Naoko into the wooden cabin.
Inside the wooden cabin, a stove was burning, resembling the one his father Tanjuro often huddled by; on the stove, a kettle was warming. An old granny, having just finished washing clothes, her red hands folding as she sat beside the stove, saw Roy and Tanjiro, and cheerfully poured them each a cup of hot tea.
Roy and Tanjiro thanked her, took the tea, and sipped it...
Without forgetting the main task,
Immediately handed over the things Minamino Guangzhi had purchased to them.
"This is the cloth Uncle brought back from town, he said it was to make some clothes for Auntie and Grandma..."
"This hobby horse and the snacks are gifts for Miss Jing Ji..."
"And these silver coins, please keep them safe..."
"Child, did Guangzhi say when he'll be back?" Grandma suddenly asked.
The wooden cabin fell into silence...