"Let's go."
Once Nezuko had eaten her fill, Soma rose to his feet. Though reluctance flickered plainly across her face, she did not dare resist. Instead, she quietly followed behind him, her steps hesitant yet obedient.
After all, how could she defy a demon?
Soma approached the restaurant owner and calmly stated his intention to take Nezuko with him.
"That won't do, sir," the owner replied at once, shaking his head. "We're busy right now—we still need her here."
A worker as diligent and efficient as Nezuko was not easy to come by. Though her beauty occasionally attracted troublesome customers, it was precisely that same beauty that had brought more business into the restaurant. In recent days, her name had begun to circulate throughout the town. Where once the title of "most beautiful" belonged to the daughter of the Ōno family, now anyone who had seen Nezuko would readily claim she surpassed her.
Among the idle townsfolk, discussions had already begun—there was even talk of naming Nezuko the most beautiful girl in the entire town.
Not because her beauty was limited to such a small place, but simply because the scope of comparison had not extended beyond it.
Even those who had traveled to great cities and visited the famed pleasure districts would return and remark, with no small amount of astonishment, that her beauty rivaled that of the highest courtesans.
To Imai, keeping her here meant only one thing: better business.
Hearing her employer's words, Nezuko nodded almost desperately. The last thing she wanted was to leave with a demon to search for her brother. Even if he claimed he would not harm him—how could she trust the words of such a being?
"I see," Soma said lightly, glancing at Imai with a faint smile. "In that case, Nezuko will be quitting."
Nezuko's eyes widened instantly.
This was a job she had struggled to obtain. True, other shopkeepers had shown interest in hiring her, but the way they looked at her had always made her uneasy. She was not naive—she knew better than to walk into trouble. Compared to them, this place, though not without its share of gossip and unwanted attention, had at least been tolerable. The owner, if nothing else, had been fair.
"Th-this…" Imai faltered, turning instinctively to Nezuko as if to seek her opinion.
But with the demon standing right beside her, how could she possibly speak?
"Well… if she's leaving so suddenly, then I won't be paying her for this month," he added.
Nezuko's heart dropped.
That money… it meant everything to her family.
"Then don't pay it," Soma said casually, as if it were of no importance.
Her hands clenched tightly at her sides, her cheeks puffing slightly as her heart seemed to bleed.
That was her money.
Her hard-earned money.
This cruel, heartless demon—
This despicable—
"Let's go."
Soma didn't spare her another glance. Taking Kanao's hand, he walked out of the restaurant without hesitation.
Nezuko dared not remain behind. She hurried after him, glancing back again and again at the owner, as though wanting to say something—but with the demon right there, she had no courage to speak.
Only when they were fully outside, when it became undeniable that half a month of hard work had vanished into nothing, did the weight of it truly sink in.
Her heart ached.
As they walked farther away, she lowered her head, trailing behind him in silence, her steps heavy with resignation.
Soma, however, showed no urgency at all about meeting her brother. Instead, he wandered leisurely through the streets, still holding Kanao's hand, stopping now and then to browse or buy something.
And then—
Without exception—
All those purchases ended up in Nezuko's arms.
Bundles upon bundles.
"Ugh…"
She nearly whimpered, clutching a large roll of fabric as she hurried to keep up with the pair ahead.
After following them for some time, she learned that the girl's name was Kanao—a beautiful name that suited her well. What puzzled Nezuko, however, was the way the girl addressed the demon as "uncle."
Why would a human call a demon that?
The longer she watched them, the more she felt it—how gentle he was with Kanao, how attentive. It reminded her of the way her own brother treated her.
But for Nezuko… things were no longer the same.
Life at home had grown difficult.
Her brother now bore the weight of the entire family, and he no longer had the time or energy to care for her the way he once did. Each day, when he returned, exhaustion clung to him so heavily that he would collapse into sleep almost immediately. There was no room left for gentle concern, no spare moments for quiet affection.
She did not resent him for it.
How could she?
And yet… there was still a faint emptiness that lingered in her heart.
"Here."
The demon emerged from a confectionery shop, pressing a large bundle into her arms.
Startled, Nezuko fumbled to catch it, only to realize it was a bag filled with konpeitō—tiny, sparkling sugar candies that shimmered like a cluster of stars. Her eyes lit up involuntarily at the sight.
Back when her father was still alive, he would bring her a small pouch of these candies each time he returned from selling charcoal in town. But after his passing, their life had taken a sharp and merciless turn. It had been so long since she had tasted such sweetness that she could scarcely remember when it had last been.
And now… such a large bag.
The memory of her father surfaced without warning, warm and bittersweet. If he were still here, surely their lives would be different. Her brother would not have to bear so much alone, her mother would not have to struggle so tirelessly…
The thought tightened in her chest, and tears threatened to spill.
But the demon, of course, paid no mind to her feelings. Still holding Kanao's hand, he wandered toward a nearby street performance with evident interest, as though the world were nothing more than a passing amusement.
Nezuko hurried after him, arms full, clutching her burdens as she struggled to keep up. She watched as the demon and Kanao stood side by side, clapping with childlike delight at the performance, and for some reason, a flicker of irritation flared within her—sharp and unfamiliar.
He had said they would go find her brother.
So why were they strolling through the streets like this?
You're a demon… aren't you? Is this what demons do?
And another thing—
Why was a demon buying so many things?
Her arms ached from the weight, her fingers numb from gripping the bundles, and yet he showed no sign of stopping.
After only a short while, her mind was already brimming with grievances.
"These candied hawthorns look good. Give me a dozen."
The demon casually purchased a bundle of them from a passing vendor—and, as expected, handed them all to her.
By now, Nezuko could barely carry what she already had. And yet this insufferable demon kept piling more into her arms, even things meant for children, as though deliberately testing her limits.
This had to be intentional.
But faced with a demon, how could she possibly protest? Puffing her cheeks in silent frustration, she accepted them anyway. Laden with parcels, she stumbled along behind the pair, her steps unsteady beneath the weight.
Up ahead, the two walked hand in hand, carefree and smiling as they wandered through the bustling streets.
Behind them, burdened with bags upon bags, Nezuko ground her teeth in quiet resentment.
"S-sir…"
At last, as the demon stepped into yet another shop—clearly intending to buy even more—Nezuko could bear it no longer.
"What is it?" Still holding Kanao's hand, Soma turned back, regarding her with mild curiosity.
Caught under his gaze, Nezuko's courage faltered instantly. For a moment, she nearly shrank back—but just as he began to turn away again, she forced herself to speak, her voice trembling and small.
"S-sir… perhaps… perhaps you could put these things down somewhere first?"
"Why would I do that?" he asked, genuinely puzzled.
"You said… you wanted me to take you to find my brother…"
"Yes."
"Then… all of this…"
She could hardly hold any more.
The demon looked at her for a moment, as though the answer should have been obvious.
"Well, it's only proper to bring gifts when visiting someone for the first time."
Soma answered without the slightest concern, as though the matter were entirely trivial.
"Whose house requires so many things?" Nezuko asked softly, her voice tinged with confusion.
"Yours."
As he spoke, he seemed to recall the image of her mother from their previous encounter and casually picked out a set of clothing suitable for an adult woman.
"My… my house?"
For a moment, Nezuko stood there in a daze, her thoughts scattering. It took her several seconds to process what he meant—that everything he had been buying along the way was intended for her family.
An awkward uncertainty settled over her.
How… how did this become about my house?
"Let's go."
After purchasing the clothes, Soma called out to her again, prompting her to lead the way.
Still burdened with armfuls of items, Nezuko followed, but her mood had shifted entirely. What had moments ago felt unbearably heavy now seemed strangely light. Especially when she glanced at the large bag of konpeitō in her hands, she could barely suppress the urge to smile.
If it had been anyone else bringing so many gifts, she would have felt embarrassed, perhaps even uneasy. But this was a demon—a detestable, infuriating demon. The thought of taking advantage of him like this felt oddly satisfying.
Her cheeks puffed slightly, a small sense of triumph bubbling up within her.
Yet almost immediately, confusion crept back in.
Since when did demons bring gifts when visiting someone's home?
What kind of demon did that?
Unable to hold back her curiosity, she stole a glance at him. He seemed unconcerned, chatting idly with Kanao as they walked. After hesitating for a moment, Nezuko finally gathered the courage to ask again, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Sir… why are you buying so many things?"
Soma didn't answer. He merely glanced at her once before motioning for her to continue leading the way.
Nezuko blinked, momentarily stunned.
That look… why did he look at me like that?
The thought lingered for only an instant before something else struck her, and her entire body stiffened.
Wait…
This demon…
This demon…
A sudden realization burst into her mind, so abrupt it nearly made her jump.
He had ulterior motives.
He was that kind of demon.
A shameless, lecherous demon.
Heat rushed to her cheeks in an instant, staining them a deep, flustered red.
What do I do?
What am I supposed to do now?