"Curious?"
Shinobu walked around Haruki with her hands behind her back. Every few paces, she'd lean forward and poke his back with a single finger, tilting her head as if examining some fascinating specimen.
"A demon who helps humans, and one who can resist my poison—both aspects surprise me quite a bit, so naturally, I want to observe you more closely"
Haruki ignored Shinobu's occasional little harassments. It was clear he simply didn't know how to respond to this kind of attention.
"Demons... don't help... humans?"
Shinobu paused, her smile softening into something gentler—still playful, but edged with something deeper. She shook her head slightly.
"No, Haruki. They don't. If demons helped humans, there would be far fewer people who lost family and friends. But alas, there's no 'if' in this world."
She tilted her head, studying him with those large eyes.
"Individuals like you are perhaps incredibly rare. Or perhaps..." She paused, her smile widening just slightly. "Perhaps you're the only one. Haruki is special, you see. Demons don't help people—in their eyes, humans are always just food. Nothing more, nothing less. You, Haruki, are the first I've encountered who can suppress the urge to feed~"
Haruki lowered his head. Special. Rare. The only one. It doesn't mean much to him. He couldn't compare himself to other demons because he had no memory of being anything else.
What he did know was simpler: he had nowhere to go. He'd been wandering without direction while something in his chest told him to find someone. But who? He didn't know their face. He didn't know their name. Following Shinobu seemed logical. She could provide shelter, and perhaps answers about what he was. Then he will see what he can do about the future.
"Okay," he said. "I will... come with you."
"That's great"
Shinobu clapped her hands together and extended her right hand toward him.
"Then, welcome, Haruki, to the Butterfly Mansion. I think you'll find it quite comfortable there."
Haruki looked at her hand, then grasped it gently. Her hand was small, warm. He released it almost immediately.
"Mm."
"You know, Haruki's personality is very similar to someone I know" Shinobu's eyes softened slightly. "Quiet, gentle, doesn't talk much. You two will definitely get along well!"
Haruki didn't reply. He was very tired now; his body felt heavy, as though weights had been attached to his limbs. The battle earlier had consumed too much energy and he was feeling exhausted. Drowsiness surged over him like a tide, making Haruki yawn.
"Oh my. Is Haruki sleepy already?" Shinobu's tone was still light and teasing. "Then we should head back quickly. The Kakushi should be arriving soon, and dawn isn't far off. You'll want to be indoors before the sun rises fully."
As if summoned by her words, several figures emerged from the tree line—members of the Demon Slayer Corps in dark uniforms and distinctive head coverings that obscured most of their faces. These were the Kakushi, Haruki would later learn, the logistics corps who handled the aftermath of battles and other manual works.
They quickly moved toward the unconscious girl, but upon spotting Shinobu, they immediately paused and bowed.
"Lady Shinobu! Thank you for your hard work!"
"You've all worked hard as well," Shinobu replied, her voice warm and appreciative. She gestured toward the girl. "Her hand injury is the most severe—I've applied first aid, but she'll need proper treatment. The rest is mostly shock and exhaustion. She should wake soon."
"Understood, Lady Shinobu!"
The Kakushi set to work immediately, carefully preparing to transport the survivor. Not one of them glanced twice at Haruki. Without any obvious demonic features, and standing calmly beside a Hashira, he was simply assumed to be another member of the Corps, or perhaps a civilian being escorted to safety.
Shinobu turned to face Haruki fully, hands clasped in front of her.
"Then, Haruki, shall we go~?"
"Okay."
Then she took out a black cloth and tied it around Haruki's eyes. Even if Haruki acted differently Shinobu won't take a risk just to satisfy her curiosity.
"Haruki can you follow me through my voice?"
Although Haruki didn't get why he had to be blindfolded he still tried to feel Shinobu's location through his hearing and after trying from different positions he nodded.
Without further preamble, Shinobu launched herself forward, her movements fluid and practiced. She moved through the forest without any trouble, her feet barely seeming to touch the ground as she bounded from shadow to shadow.
Haruki followed, his body moving on instinct despite his exhaustion. He wasn't as graceful—his movements more direct, less refined—but he kept pace without difficulty.
Shinobu glanced back once, twice, her expression flickering with genuine surprise each time she confirmed he was still right behind her, she would increase her speed but Haruki still kept up. She was fast—among the fastest in the Corps. For a demon who had never consumed human, Haruki's abilities were remarkable.
A concerning thought crossed her mind: if he ever did consume humans, he might truly be strong enough to rival the Twelve Kizuki.
. . . . . . . .
Two hours of travel brought them to the edge of a large property.
"We've arrived"
The Butterfly Mansion rose before them, elegant and serene. But as they crossed the property line, steam suddenly began rising from Haruki's body.
"Haruki?!"
Shinobu grabbed his arm and pulled him back. Her hands checked his temperature—his skin felt hot. She could feel a constant cycle of breaking and healing, his flesh tearing and regenerating so fast it created steam.
"Oh, I forgot about the wisteria flowers planted around the mansion perimeter."
How careless of her! It was such an automatic defense, such a normal part of the Butterfly Mansion, that she'd completely forgotten to consider it. Wisteria was poison to demons, after all. The concentration here was enough to severely weaken most demons, to cause them intense pain and drive them away.
Before she could formulate a plan—perhaps to find him shelter elsewhere, outside the wisteria barrier—Haruki pulled gently from her grasp and stepped forward again.
"Haruki, wait—!"
The steam lessened. Then stopped entirely.
Shinobu moved to his side, examining him again. His body was still breaking and healing, but the process had slowed dramatically. He was adapting in real-time.
This confirmed her assessment. Haruki had to be at least at the level of a Lower Moon in raw capability. The only thing keeping him from that level was his refusal to consume human flesh.
She filed this information away for later analysis. Right now, getting him inside and settled was the priority.
"Come on," she said softly, taking of his blindfold. "Let's get you inside."
Most of the mansion's residents were still asleep. Shinobu led Haruki through quiet corridors toward a more isolated section. She stopped before a door and slid it open.
"Haruki, you can stay here. The room faces east, but the morning sun isn't too strong if you keep the curtains drawn. And there are no wisteria flowers near this building."
"Okay. Thank... you."
"Then, good night, Haruki~" Shinobu began closing the door, then paused. "Oh, and Haruki? Welcome home."
The door closed before he could process those words.
"Good... night."
Lying on the bed, Haruki closed his eyes. The bed here was more comfortable than sleeping on a wooden plank. It was also his first time sleeping at night. Previously, he couldn't go out during the day and could only pass the time by sleeping. At night, he would walk around outside or sit under the eaves watching the stars. Now that he had come to a new place, would new things happen?
There was a scent in the air here, faint and floral. Not unpleasant. He would later learn it was wisteria, but for now, it was just... the smell of this new place. This Butterfly Mansion.
His tired body relaxed gradually, the exhaustion he'd been fighting finally winning. Even demons needed rest, it seemed, especially after using so much power. Haruki's breathing slowed, deepened, and he fell into sleep.
Even asleep, he lay perfectly still, only the faint rise and fall of his chest indicating life.
. . . . . . . . . . . . .
Haruki's eyes opened to an unfamiliar ceiling. Where...?
The confusion lasted only a moment before memory returned. Butterfly Mansion. Shinobu. The wisteria flowers. He was safe here, or as safe as a demon could be among demon slayers.
Haruki sat up slowly and felt something slide
down his torso—a blanket. He stared at it, draped across his lap now, and his brow furrowed slightly. He hadn't covered himself. He'd been too tired, had simply collapsed onto the bed and fallen asleep immediately.
Someone had come into his room while he slept. Had covered him. Had been close enough to touch him, and he hadn't noticed at all.
The realization bothered him more than it probably should His body should have alerted him to a presence. Was it because of his exhaustion? Or did his healing drain his awareness too?
Footsteps approached and stopped outside his door.
Click.
The door slid open and the room brightened a little. Shinobu stood silhouetted in the doorway. When she saw he was awake, her face lit up.
"Good morning, Haruki" She crossed to his bedside quickly. "You've slept for quite a while, you know."
Haruki blinked, confused. The light suggested morning. Surely it hadn't been that long.
"You've been asleep for three days." Shinobu's smile turned mischievous. "I was starting to worry you'd sleep forever and never wake up."
Three days? The exhaustion was completely gone now. The weakness from the wisteria had faded to dull ache inside his body.
Perhaps his body had needed that long to recover. Or perhaps it had used the time to finish adapting to the wisteria poison.
"I... made you... worry. I'm... sorry."
Shinobu tilted her head, surprised. Then her smile widened playfully.
"No need to apologize, Haruki. Besides, I was a little bit selfish" She clasped her hands innocently. "I secretly drew some of your blood while you were sleeping. You're not angry, are you?"
"My blood?"
"Mhm! I'm very curious about your recovery ability and how you suppress the urge to feed. Your blood might hold interesting answers"
Haruki was quiet. Shinobu wanted to understand him better. She'd said so from the beginning. This seemed consistent with that goal.
"Okay. You can take... as much as you want. No problem."
"Oh my, really?" Shinobu's eyes widened with delight. "Thank you, Haruki! In that case..."
She produced a syringe roughly the size of her forearm from behind her back.
"Could you please let me draw some more? Fresh samples would be better for testing."
Haruki stared at the massive syringe for a long time then finally nodded.
"Okay," he said quietly.
Shinobu's smile softened. "Don't worry, I'm very good at this. You won't feel a thing"
She was right. The needle pierced his skin but there was no pain. The wound closed almost instantly. Haruki watched with curiosity.
"Perfect" Shinobu examined the blood-filled syringe. "This will be very useful. Thank you again, Haruki."
She stored the syringe carefully, then turned back to him.
"Now then, I'd love to show you around, but it's not convenient for you during the day. And I have missions at night." She paused, becoming more serious. "Also, Haruki, please stay within the mansion grounds. Don't leave the property, or there might be complications. Other demon slayers wouldn't know you're different."
"Understood."
"I've left some books in the drawer there—" she gestured to a small table "—if you get bored. Reading can be a nice way to pass the time. For now, though, I really must go. I have quite a bit of work to do, especially analyzing these samples."
She moved toward the door, then paused and looked back over her shoulder.
"Oh, and Haruki? If you need anything, Aoi or one of the younger girls will be around. Just ask them. They're... well, they don't know what you are yet, so please don't do anything to frighten them, okay?"
"Okay."
"Wonderful! Then, I'll see you later. Goodbye"
The door slid shut behind her, and Haruki was alone again.
He sat on the bed for a few more minutes, processing everything. Three days of sleep. Blood samples. Stay inside. Don't frighten anyone. Each instruction was filed away in his mind.
Eventually, he stood and made his way to the doorway. He slid it open carefully—just enough to look out, not enough to step through into direct sunlight.
The view was beautiful. Gardens stretched before him, bursting with color. Among the flowers, dozens of butterflies danced through the air, their wings catching the light.
"Butterfly Mansion," he murmured.
He walked along the covered corridor, staying in the shadows. His path took him to the far end, where strings of purple flowers cascaded from a wooden fence like a waterfall. Although the pain inside him increased exponentially the closer he got to the flowers, Haruki still got near them. The scent was the same one from when he'd fallen asleep—floral and slightly sweet.
Wisteria.
Haruki sat in the shadows and stared at the flowers. They were beautiful. He wasn't sure why they captivated him so completely, but he couldn't look away.
"Indeed, Haruki is truly special"
Shinobu suddenly appeared again from who-knows-where and sat down beside Haruki. Haruki came back to his senses after hearing her voice.
"Other demons would stay far away from wisteria flowers," she continued gently. "For demons, the smell is supposed to be nauseating. It causes them pain. Yet here you are, sitting so close, staring at it so intently."
"Is that so?" Haruki turned back to the blossoms. "I think... its scent is quite... pleasant. And it's also very beautiful."
Shinobu suddenly leaned closer, her face magnified in Haruki's eyes.
"Say, Haruki" Her voice dropped intimately. "Do you want to know the language of wisteria flowers?"