The guards at the gate were collecting taxes while checking travelers for anything suspicious.
After paying the entry tax, the trio entered the city.
The wide streets were packed with people, and street vendors lined both sides selling their wares.
Ignoring his companions' curious looks, Tatsumi planned their next move. First priority—find a place to stay.
Crossing a stone road built over a great lake, they reached the main avenue of the Capital. After finding an inn, Tatsumi finally let himself relax.
Aside from the nobles, innkeepers in the Capital were generally reliable—high taxes could be managed by raising prices, but lose your reputation and you're finished.
After dropping off their luggage, they took their valuables and headed out.
As Sayo put it, "We didn't get to buy much in the village—so of course we have to shop properly now that we're in the Capital!"
Ieyasu tagged along too, mostly because it'd be a pain to find him if he got lost in the crowd.
"Damn it, what's so great about those stupid accessories anyway..."
Watching Sayo flit from shop to shop, Ieyasu groaned.
"There's nothing wrong with wanting to look nice... after all, Sayo is the most beautiful girl in our village."
"Hey!! Come on, to the next shop!"
Seeing the beautifully dressed girl, Ieyasu couldn't help but blush a little.
"Y-yeah… that's true…"
Watching Ieyasu act like an innocent boy, Tatsumi chuckled.
After living together for over ten years, the two of them had long regarded each other as siblings.
Tatsumi was well aware of Ieyasu's feelings. Of course, such things required mutual affection—it couldn't be forced.
And so, after spending the entire afternoon wandering around, the three of them headed toward their inn.
While the girl marveled at how amazing the Empire's goods were, Tatsumi's attention was drawn to a wanted poster on a nearby notice board.
"The 'Night Raid' bounty list… 'Akame,' 'Najenda,' 'Brand'…"
The clear portraits stirred memories of his previous life, the faces in his mind gradually overlapping with those on the paper.
"Tatsumi! Tomorrow, let's go shopping again with Ieyasu—"
"Tatsumi?"
Hearing their voices, Tatsumi snapped out of his daze and quickly responded.
"Ah… right, let's go."
---
After two days on the road, a slave trader finally arrived at the Imperial Capital with his cargo.
After paying the heavy taxes and dressing his "goods" in clean clothes, he went straight to the meeting place with the noble he was trading with.
This trip had been to collect stock from an outpost outside the city. He also owned a shop within the Capital.
Now, he just wanted to sell his slaves quickly and enjoy some relaxation in the city.
"Lord Sip, these are this trip's goods…"
Hoping for a good price, the merchant looked eagerly at the noble before him.
"Why are they all kids of different colors… don't you have a black-haired woman?"
The fat noble's question made the merchant's lips twitch. Cursing the man in his heart, he still forced a flattering smile.
"Hehe, Lord Sip… my men were careless and let her escape…"
"Though these are just substitutes, no one understands Lord Sip's tastes better than I do! As a noble, you deserve perfection…"
"I promise to find some top-quality goods next time."
Though displeased, the old noble still nodded. At least this merchant knew how to talk.
"Guards, pay him."
Just as the noble was about to leave, his gaze froze on something.
"Hm…"
Hearing the noble's sudden voice, the guards and the merchant paused. The merchant, reacting fastest, quickly rubbed his hands together and asked with a smile,
"Is there something you desire, Lord Sip?"
"That one… next time, can you get me someone like that…"
"If you can bring me such a girl… I'll pay you two hundred times the usual price."
Following the noble's gaze, the merchant turned and froze.
"That's…!"
Yes—he saw the girl he'd chosen earlier as a substitute!
This noble, Sip, had a particular fetish—he was obsessed with straight black hair.
That was why the merchant had been so fixated on one ordinary girl.
At the last outpost, when his most valuable slave had mutilated herself, he thought this trip would be a total loss.
But now, in the Imperial Capital—he saw them again!
And after a bit of dressing up, that girl looked even more exquisite—easily upper-class quality!
"Ohhh! Don't worry, Lord Sip! I'll give it my all!"
Hearing the offer of two hundred times profit, the merchant's eyes widened, breathing heavily in excitement.
He hadn't expected the noble to be that greedy—but it didn't matter! If he succeeded, he'd be rich for life… maybe even buy a noble title of his own!
After his fantasies, he looked at the noble and said,
"Lord Sip, I'd like to borrow two of your guards…"
"After all, that girl's companions are cunning. I need experienced soldiers to cover possible escape routes."
"As long as you bring me that beauty, I don't care about the rest."
And so, a plot against the three quietly began.
---
Back at the inn, the trio returned to their rooms.
Lying on the soft bed, Tatsumi opened his system to check the latest changes.
[Name: Tatsumi
Age: 13
Race: Human
Abilities: None
Skills: [Imperial Military Swordsmanship LV3], [Cooking LV4], [Trapmaking LV3], [Forging LV3], [Martial Arts LV3], [Minor Poison Resistance LV1]
Travelable Worlds: [Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba] (Original world time flow can be paused)]
When Tatsumi entered the Capital, he noticed the system had unlocked a new world he could travel to.
That meant new potential for growth—and greater self-preservation.
Besides, the breathing techniques in Demon Slayer were perfect for enhancing a weak human's abilities.
But he'd need to recall the details from memory.
Sitting up from bed, he grabbed a notebook and began jotting things down.
"I remember the demons there were pretty strong… I might struggle against an Upper Moon for now, but could I one-shot a Lower Moon…?"