Chapter 42: How Do You Have Three Wives?
Kanae had never imagined that having her wounds exposed to another person would be so... overwhelming.
As Natsuya's fingers touched the injury on her shoulder through the gaps in her uniform, her initial embarrassment was replaced by a different sensation—a subtle shiver that climbed up her spine.
His touch was steady and incredibly gentle. He moved like a doctor who had practiced for decades, not a swordsman who spent his days butchering demons. His hands carried a reassuring warmth.
Kanae's ears turned beet-red, and it wasn't from the pain.
The fabric stuck to her wound was carefully snipped away, revealing the jagged cuts and deep purple bruising beneath.
"Please... please don't look," she whispered, her voice softer and more fragile than she intended.
On the battlefield, she could stare down any demon and endure any agony they inflicted. But now, under the boy's clinical, pure-hearted gaze, she felt her heart racing out of control.
He cleaned the grit from her skin, used a medicinal wash that smelled faintly of persimmons, and then began to delicately stitch and wipe the area. The physical pain was sharp, yet it paled in comparison to the heat of his breath as it brushed past her ear when he leaned in.
Blushing and stinging pain spread simultaneously.
Embarrassed, Kanae lowered her head, her watery eyes fixing onto the wooden fox mask hanging from Natsuya's belt.
He pulled a roll of bandages from his pack. The rough texture of the cloth moved against her waist and neck as he wrapped her, as if he were repairing a piece of broken blue-and-silver porcelain.
When his knuckles accidentally grazed her cheek, it felt like an accidental, unfinished embrace. They were so close she could see the downward curve of his eyelashes and hear every beat of his breathing.
He's focusing entirely on my injuries, but his profile looks so... gentle.
Her fingertips trembled slightly, and her face was burning hot. When it came time to set her bones, Natsuya's palm fully enveloped her forearm with precise, decisive force.
"Ow..."
Amidst the soft click of the bone sliding back into place, Kanae let out a sharp breath.
And then, she heard her own heart. It was pounding like a war drum.
She looked away frantically, her eyes darting between the wind-patterned design on his bag and the dark, looming shadows of the forest. Her thoughts were scattered and panicked, like ripples on the surface of a disturbed pond...
"Why are you blushing?"
"Eh?"
The girl looked up in shock. Natsuya was staring at her with a look of genuine concern and confusion.
Is it... is it over already?
"Is it an infection?!" Natsuya asked, alarmed. He immediately opened her Detailed Status Panel to check for debuffs.
Kanae's embarrassment turned into a huff of indignation.
"Thank you! Thank you so much, you... you big dummy!"
She grabbed her discarded haori and covered half her face with it, her voice muffled by the fabric, though her ears remained bright red.
Natsuya: "???"
What's with this girl? Why is she mad all of a sudden?
Uzui Tengen, who had been watching the whole time, let out a loud snort of laughter. This Kokonoe kid... he's a real piece of work.
He gave Kanae a flashy thumbs-up. "Flashy girl! You're going to make an excellent wife someday!"
Natsuya snapped, "Seriously, what is wrong with you?!"
Uzui laughed and threw an arm around Natsuya's shoulder. "I'm just complimenting the Butterfly Maiden! She's flashy and beautiful, just like my three wives!"
The air went silent.
"...Three?" Natsuya turned his head slowly.
"That's right!" Uzui tilted his chin up proudly. "All three are beautiful and powerful. It is the most flashy configuration possible!"
Kanae peeked out from behind her haori, her blush replaced by wide-eyed curiosity.
"They are just as flashy as this young lady here," Uzui added with a grin.
In a way, the Shinobi had regained his confidence. So what if this kid mastered four breathing styles? Does he have three flashy wives? I think not.
The wives are the priority here, you 'flashy' bastard!
"The point isn't Kanae—the point is... you said 'THREE'?" Natsuya pressed. "You're like, eighteen! Where are these wives? How old are they?"
Brother, you're breaking the law. Do you know that?
Oh, right. Era context. In this time period, getting married at sixteen or seventeen is probably normal.
He has three wives.
Am I being too realistic about a game?
Sigh. I need to chill.
But this bastard actually has three young, beautiful wives! Given this game's modeling quality...
"Kanae already has the face of a top-tier movie star," Natsuya muttered, feeling the tears of envy threatening to fall. "I don't know what kind of karma you saved up in your last life to be this lucky."
Uzui laughed triumphantly.
Meanwhile, Kanae pointed at herself, looking dazed. "Eh? Me? A movie star? Like Sadayakko Kawakami?"
"Senior..." she began.
Natsuya interrupted, "Just call me Natsuya. 'Senior'? I've only been in the Corps for a few months."
Kanae: "...Huh?"
After a brief rest, the three Slayers gathered the survivors and began the trek out of the forest. Natsuya helped the injured Kojiro stand. Seeing how quickly the group had bonded, the Kanoe-rank Slayer couldn't help but feel like a third wheel.
"I really envy you powerful seniors..." Kojiro sighed bitterly. "Unlike me. I'm just a lowly Kanoe."
Natsuya patted his shoulder. "Don't be discouraged. I'm a Kanoe, too."
Kojiro went silent. His eyes grew even dimmer.
"Ah... Senior, you certainly have a... unique way with words."
As they walked, the terror gradually faded from the rescued loggers. One man approached them and asked quietly, "We are so grateful you saved us. But... who are you people, exactly?"
Kanae smiled warmly. "We are members of the Demon Slayer Corps. We are swordsmen dedicated to eliminating monsters like the one you saw tonight."
The villagers looked at each other, still looking lost. Most people in this era lived their entire lives in one village. They weren't exactly "well-traveled," and many didn't even know the local folklore.
Kanae opened her mouth to explain further, but Natsuya stepped forward. He reached into his pocket and whipped out a small, deep-blue leather booklet, flashing it in front of the loggers with practiced efficiency.
"Tokyo Special Service Section 9: Demon Suppression Unit. We're on official business."
His tone was flat but carried an undeniable weight of authority.
"Details are classified. Just cooperate and head home."
The villagers might not know folklore, but "Government Agency" was a language they understood perfectly. Even a fake title was enough to intimidate the simple country folk.
They nodded frantically, not daring to ask another word. After whispering among themselves, they began to disperse toward their homes.
Once they were gone, Kanae tugged on Natsuya's sleeve, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.
"What was that ID? Tokyo Section 9? Suppression Unit? I've never heard of those divisions in the Corps."
"And how come I don't have a badge like that?"
Natsuya lowered his voice. "It's my savings passbook from the Central Bank."
He'd specifically asked a Kakushi to set it up for him at the Kyoto branch. All his high-tier quest rewards were stored in there.
Hearing the explanation, Uzui Tengen roared with laughter. "HAHAHA! You are a flashy and hilarious man, Kokonoe!"
"I, Tengen, acknowledge you! Your strength is no less than mine. A man like you is destined to reach the top of the Corps!"
He slapped Natsuya's shoulder with appreciation.
"Become a Hashira with me! When we team up, even the Upper Moons won't stand a chance against our hot-blooded, flashy combo!"
Natsuya: "???"
Is this kid's Chunibyo getting worse?
He looked over at Kanae. She was pressing her lips together, her shoulders shaking as she tried her best not to burst out laughing.
"So!" Uzui shouted, striking a pose. "To celebrate the mission's success and this fateful encounter... tonight, we shall have a grand and flashy banquet!"
Uzui: ╭(●｀∀´●)╯
Natsuya & Kanae: ( ° _ ° )
☆☆☆
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