After finishing what he had to say, Hiru made an excuse about needing to conduct a medical checkup on Ubuyashiki Kagaya, smoothly sending Uzui Tengen away.
Uzui didn't mind at all. He casually hooked an arm around Rengoku Kyojuro and immediately began explaining how to quickly see through a demon's Blood Demon Art.
Kyojuro listened with complete focus.
These were all insights passed down through vast amounts of real combat—after all, Blood Demon Arts came in endless varieties, and no amount of study was ever enough to account for them all.
On this side, it was a rare moment where Uzui, in an unusually good mood and with a hint of showmanship, took the initiative to look after a junior.
Kyojuro, earnest by nature, played along wholeheartedly. One spoke, one listened, and the atmosphere between them was exceptionally harmonious.
Meanwhile, things were far less smooth on Sanemi's side.
"So… even Hiru says there's no solution."
"Yeah. If I kept pressing him, I was afraid he'd actually suggest something like holding Iguro down and forcing him to eat…"
"Haha, that really does sound like Hiru's way of thinking," Kanae said with a gentle smile. "But if you're that worried about Iguro, wouldn't it be better to talk to him yourself? If you, as his close friend, try to persuade him, I'm sure Iguro would listen."
"I've already tried…" Sanemi scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "But every time he forces himself to eat, he ends up throwing it all up afterward. Knowing what he's been through, I just… can't bring myself to keep pushing him."
"Then there really isn't much we can do," Kanae said, resting her cheek on her hand. "No matter how much medicine helps you keep going, it can't replace real food. If Iguro doesn't mind the taste, maybe asking Uzui to make some emergency rations would help."
"Uzui said that stuff can't completely replace meals either…" Sanemi let out a long sigh. "Is there really no way at all…?"
"Don't worry too much," Kanae said with a smile, reaching out to gently ruffle Sanemi's hair.
"If I remember correctly, Yoriichi also had a very small appetite. Why don't we go ask him?"
Sanemi's face instantly flushed bright red. He took two hurried steps back, flustered.
"N-no, there's no need to trouble you! I'll go myself! Thank you!"
As Sanemi quickly ran off, Shinobu—who had been watching the entire exchange—finally puffed out her cheeks and spoke up.
"That guy definitely has feelings for you, Sis. Don't let him fool you."
"How could that be?" Kanae said as she turned around and patted her sister's head. "Sanemi is just worried about his friend."
"Hmph," Shinobu muttered, still sulking, her voice barely audible. "Sis is obviously paying a lot of attention to that bandit-faced guy."
"Oh dear," Kanae teased. "Is our little Shinobu feeling jealous?"
Shinobu turned her head away.
"I'm not."
Kanae leaned closer, her voice tinged with laughter.
"Then is little Shinobu upset because big sister has been too busy with work and hasn't been spending time with you?"
"…"
"Does little Shinobu hate big sister? Hate me?" Kanae followed as Shinobu turned her face away again. "Oh my, forgive big sister, okay? Hmm? My little Shinobu is the best, isn't she?"
"…I never said I was blaming you."
"Oh my, that's such a relief~" Kanae hooked her arm through her sister's. "I thought you were angry because I told Giyu how much you care about him."
"I don't!" Shinobu's ears turned red in an instant. "That idiot— I mean, that man. I just feel sorry for him, that's all! Really!"
"Hehe, don't say it like that. Giyu was actually very happy when he found out," Kanae said with a smile. "He even said he hoped to go on missions with you."
"…Hmph." Shinobu turned her head aside and muttered quietly, "I don't care."
"I care."
The sudden male voice made Shinobu jump. She turned around to see Tomioka, who had appeared behind them at some point, his head slightly lowered as he looked at her with earnest seriousness.
"I'll be with you."
Shinobu's face instantly turned crimson. She spun around sharply, turning her back to Tomioka Giyu.
[This person—does he even know what he's saying?!]
Kanae couldn't help laughing at the sight.
"In that case, I'll leave this mission to Giyu and have him lead Shinobu. You know how it is—what happened before threw my entire area into chaos. Makomo and I are still handling the aftermath, so I really don't have the time or energy…"
Hearing this, Shinobu—who had been facing away and frantically fanning her face to cool down—finally let out a quiet sigh of relief.
[So that's what he meant… It was about the mission. Honestly, he's terrible with words.]
"Alright," Tomioka said, nodding to Kanae. "I'll protect her."
"Mhm, I trust you, Giyu," Kanae said with a smile. "After all, you're the third person in the team to grasp 'Aura,' aren't you? I didn't even notice you just now."
"I haven't mastered it," Tomioka replied, his expression still blank. "I can't use it in battle."
"That's still impressive," Kanae said, patting his shoulder. "Giyu is a very talented child. Sabito, Makomo, and I all believe that."
Tomioka lowered his head slightly. "…I'm not the same as you."
"Yes, yes," Kanae said with a gentle smile, ruffling his hair. "I know Giyu is an especially gifted child."
"Gifted?"
Shinobu scoffed.
"You live like a mute."
Tomioka immediately turned to look at her. "I'm not mute."
"You're worse than a mute!"
Shinobu snapped, hands on her hips, her cheeks still flushed pink.
"Do you think those are things you can just say? Do you have any self-awareness at all?"
Tomioka tilted his head. He felt this question touched on a blind spot in his understanding.
Seeing the perfectly calm, gentle smile on his face only made Shinobu angrier.
"What do you mean by that?! I'm a Hashira too! I'm strong as well!"
After thinking for a moment, Giyu spoke. "But you can't cut off a demon's head."
Shinobu: …
Seeing her hand move to her sword hilt, Tomioka immediately reached out and pressed it down, his thoughts racing.
"But I can."
"…You really should just die!"
Kanae watched the two as one chased and the other fled, smiling once more. "Such energy."
"Hey, seriously," Sabito said helplessly as he walked over. "I was only gone for a moment to ask Yoriichi and Himejima a few questions… What did Giyu say this time?"
"Haha, he said something rather cute," Kanae replied with a laugh, waving her hand. "It's just that little Shinobu hasn't quite learned how to understand it yet."
"Kanae, you're starting to sound more and more like Makomo," Sabito sighed. "Honestly, I'm about ready to give up on teaching Giyu how to speak properly."
"Oh my, even Sabito feels like giving up sometimes?" Makomo said, hands clasped behind her back, smiling. "You used to be such a hot-blooded idiot, you know."
"Even hot-blooded idiots get tired," Sabito said, turning his head aside. "And honestly, I really feel that teaching the people close to him how to understand his words would be faster than trying to teach Giyu how to talk properly… Don't you think so, Makomo?"
"Hmm—" Makomo rested her chin on her hand. "I can't refute that."
"Haha, don't say that. Please keep up the effort," Kanae said brightly. "Giyu can already express himself correctly sometimes now. And just like Yoriichi said, he really is a very talented and genuinely lovable child."
"Well now, hearing it put like that…"
Sabito shook his head with a laugh.
"With Giyu's way of communicating, he wouldn't even make it to a second meeting before both sides completely failed to understand each other."
Makomo looked at Tomioka, who had already been caught by Shinobu—his face utterly blank as he took a few hits before grabbing her and trying to explain himself—and laughed.
"Don't say that. Giyu's strength is still right there."
Sabito followed her gaze and laughed as well.
"Heh. If he didn't have real ability, and if the two of us weren't around while he kept copying Hiru's way of handling things, he'd have been beaten into retirement a long time ago."