While Kanae was rushing back to the Ubuyashiki estate for the meeting, Mitsuba went to visit Kochou Shinobu.
"How is it? Has your foot gotten better these past two days?"
"Mm, much better."
On the apartment sofa, Shinobu leaned gently against the side, allowing Mitsuba to apply medicine to her ankle.
"Pfft…"
In the quiet living room, Shinobu watched with wide, curious eyes as Mitsuba carefully applied the medicinal paste to her injured ankle—and suddenly burst out laughing.
"What is it?"
Mitsuba asked without looking up.
"Nothing, I just suddenly feel that you might be quite suited to become a doctor…"
"A doctor? Why?"
"Because every time you change my bandages, you can apply it so precisely!
You're clearly just a newspaper editor who sits in an office all day, yet your hands are always so accurate. That's talent!
If you were willing to put down your pen and pick up a scalpel, you'd definitely become a super famous renowned doctor!
How about it? Interested in attending Butterfly-sensei's little medical class?
This is a specially tailored exclusive private lesson, meow~ Something other students couldn't beg me for even if they tried~"
Hearing Shinobu's self-promotion, the corners of Mitsuba's mouth curved upward, but she shook her head.
"What talent do I have? My eyes are just slightly better than average, that's all.
Moreover, I'm naturally averse to boredom. I can read newspapers every day, but squatting in an operating room? That won't do…"
As soon as she finished speaking, she suddenly shifted the topic and asked:
"Speaking of which, this apartment of yours doesn't look like you live here alone. Could it be that you live with your older sister?"
Of course, Mitsuba brought up this topic deliberately.
That Shinobu didn't live alone was something she had already noticed when she brought this little butterfly back last time.
The reason she suddenly mentioned it now was actually to lead into the crucial topic that followed…
"Mm, yes. My sister had some matters to attend to recently, so she was temporarily staying in Tokyo for a while.
But these past two days she's been busy with other things, so she went back again. Now only my adopted sister and I are left living here…"
Considering Mitsuba's status as an "ordinary person," Shinobu deliberately concealed information about the Demon Slayer Corps.
After all, although Mitsuba seemed to have quite a good relationship with her sister, demons and such messy things were still rather frightening to ordinary people. It would be bad if she scared Mitsuba…
[So she went back to attend the Hashira Meeting because of the Mount Fujikasane incident.]
"I see."
Instantly understanding everything, Mitsuba first nodded lightly, then deliberately sighed and said:
"That's truly unfortunate. I was thinking of meeting your sister this time, and telling her the answer to that riddle from last time…"
"Riddle?"
Shinobu was full of confusion.
"Mm, I ran into your sister on the street a few days ago and chatted with her. At the time, she asked me a very difficult riddle.
I've been racking my brains over it for several days~ before I finally thought of an answer. I was hoping to hurry over and confirm it with her…"
"What riddle? Quick, tell me and let me hear it!"
"Question!"
Looking at the curious Shinobu, Mitsuba smiled and raised her index finger.
"What is something bad that, if you accidentally obtain it, will not only disfigure your face but also reduce your lifespan to twenty-five years in one breath?"
The answer was: the Demon Slayer Mark.
This was actually the purpose of Mitsuba's visit today.
Previously on Mount Fujikasane, although Mitsuba had told that boy named Tanjiro about the existence of the Mark and how to awaken it, encouraging him to pass it on to other demon hunters—
This "others" did not include Kanae.
The gods were never generous. The power boost brought by the Mark required the demon hunters' lifespan as its price.
Mitsuba didn't care if others died, but she didn't want to see these butterflies come to harm again.
Therefore, she had to find a way to subtly reveal the side effects of the Mark to Kanae, lest this big butterfly do something she would regret…
"Disfigure your face and reduce your lifespan? Does something like this exist in the world? And there's no connection whatsoever between these two things, right?"
"Hmph, who knows~ Figure it out yourself. If you can't, go ask your sister and let her tell you the answer."
After speaking, Mitsuba also stood up from the sofa, preparing to leave.
Objective achieved—it was about time she went back.
Shinobu, who had still been racking her brains, subconsciously asked upon seeing this:
"Huh? You're leaving already, Mitsuba?"
"Of course, my young lady. I haven't sprained my ankle—I have to go to work every day, you know?"
Mitsuba replied matter-of-factly.
This was how modern workers were; as long as they weren't dead, they had to go work for their boss.
"O-Oh, I see. That's true, after all, you do have a job…"
But for some reason, Shinobu suddenly seemed somewhat dejected.
"What's wrong? Is something the matter?"
Mitsuba asked with concern upon seeing this.
"It's nothing really~ I was just thinking, if you weren't busy, we could go shopping together today, buy some clothes or something…"
Twirling her hair around her fingertips, Shinobu spoke rather embarrassedly.
"Kanao has gone to school now, and I'm quite bored staying home alone.
But since you still have to work, then I suppose we should forget it.
After all, compared to going out and playing with a crippled little girl like me, work is definitely more important…"
As she spoke, Shinobu even raised her head slightly, looking at Mitsuba with those pitiful big eyes of hers.
[Wow~ This child really wants to go out and play. For this, she even used the 'tactical retreat to advance' tactic…]
Seeing through Shinobu's little thoughts at a glance, Mitsuba couldn't help but laugh.
"Little butterfly, with your foot injured like this, you're still thinking about going out to play?"
"What does it matter! I still have one good leg!
And, and, taking a step back, isn't Mitsuba here!"
"Me?"
"Last time, wasn't it Mitsuba who carried me back…"
Being watched by Mitsuba's puzzled gaze, Shinobu's cheeks suddenly flushed red. She averted her eyes and spoke rather embarrassedly:
"If I really can't walk anymore, Mitsuba can just carry me back like last time… wouldn't that be fine…"
[Wow~ This child is so pushy. Not only does she want me to accompany her out to play, she actually wants me to carry her on my back like last time again…]
Looking at the shy Shinobu before her, Mitsuba didn't know what to say for a moment.
In over four hundred years, this was the first time she had encountered such a proactive butterfly.