บท 58: Chapter 58
I caught Eri as she leaped toward me, pulling her into a tight hug once she was close enough. "Are you alright, Eri?" I asked while quickly looking her over. Apart from a few twigs tangled in her hair and her horn looking a little bigger, she seemed fine.
"Yeah! Tanjiro-niisan and Nezuko-oneesan protected me!" she replied cheerfully.
I hummed in acknowledgment, brushing the twigs from her hair as we approached the group calling my name. I could now clearly see them. Tanjiro, Kotetsu, Tokito Muichiro, Kanroji Mitsuri, and Nezuko. But something made me pause. 'Wait, what?' I looked at Nezuko again, realizing what had changed.
In an instant, I sped toward her, still holding Eri, and gently moved Nezuko into the shade. "Are you okay, Nezuko-chan?" I asked, concern slipping into my voice. To my surprise, she responded, her voice soft and sweet.
"Y-yes." she said.
I blinked, momentarily stunned. "W-what did you just say?"
Eri giggled in my arms, and Nezuko, smiling widely, repeated herself. "Y-yes."
I turned to Tanjiro, whose bright smile mirrored his sister's. "Nezuko conquered the sun." he explained proudly.
I couldn't help but laugh, hoisting both Eri and Nezuko onto my shoulders. "Is that so? Tell me more about what I've missed." The girls giggled from their perches, but I noticed frowns on the others faces as I started walking toward the village. Tanjiro kept pace, speaking while Mitsuri and Muichiro hung back a little.
"The village was attacked by two Upper Rank demons." Tanjiro began, recounting the events that had taken place.
I listened intently, piecing together the events. 'It seems they wanted to get rid of the smiths to stop weapons from being created.' Once Tanjiro finished, he looked at me, his curiosity evident. "What about you, Ryou-sensei? Did you fight demons too?"
I didn't see the point in dodging the question. "I encountered two Upper Ranks. I fought both and managed to kill one, Akaza."
Tanjiro's eyes widened in shock, and Eri tightened her grip on me, her small voice filled with concern. "Are you hurt?"
I turned my head to reassure her. "I'm fine. They barely managed to hurt me." From an outsider's perspective, I looked unscathed. Doma's attacks had left holes, and Akaza's blows had shredded parts of my kimono. But there was no blood, not even on the tattered fabric. 'Did Muramasa absorb it?' I wondered.
Tanjiro nodded, his face full of renewed resolve. "The village chief wants to meet you." he said.
I gave a slight nod and hum as we entered the village, its buildings partially destroyed. Gently, I set Nezuko down, watching her reunite with her brother. "We'll catch up with you all later." I called out as Eri and I headed toward the village chief.
It didn't take long to find him, his yelling at Kotetsu gave him away. When he spotted me, his expression shifted, and he called out. "Murasaki!"
'Not him too.' I thought, but nodded in greeting. "Chief."
The chief turned to Eri with a stern look. "Eri-chan, go with Kotetsu for a bit, okay?"
I frowned slightly but didn't object as Eri glanced at me for reassurance. I nodded in agreement, and she ran off with Kotetsu. As soon as she was out of earshot, the chief whacked me on the ankle with his cane. It didn't hurt, but it definitely surprised me. "What the hell was that for?"
The chief took off his mask, revealing his weathered face. "How long do you plan to ignore her?"
I frowned again, confused. "What are you talking about?"
He gave a knowing look before continuing. "You've spent the past three days with Eri, haven't you? Ever since you got here, you've thrown yourself into learning our craft, and you're not even good at it!" Another whack to my ankle. "How long are you going to let this go on?"
"You might not realize it, but you're hurting her." the chief said more softly this time. "You're not her father, are you?"
I twitched at the question but answered honestly. "No. I took her from a bad place that was hurting her."
He snorted in response. "Seems to me like she's been traded from one bad place to another."
I bristled at his words and opened my mouth to argue, but he raised a hand. "Let me guess, her old home hurt her physically and mentally. But you? You're hurting her mentally. So why did you take her in instead of finding her another place?"
I looked at the ground, feeling like a child being scolded. "I wanted to be the one to give her a better childhood."
The chief's tone softened even more. "Then start acting like it. Be there for her, be the father she needs."
His words made me look up, still frowning. "Father? Shouldn't it be 'brother' instead?"
He burst out laughing. "You really don't get it, do you?" His laughter faded, and he met my gaze. "You don't know, do you? That's hilarious!"
I twitched, growing annoyed. "What's so funny?"
He waved me off. "Nothing you need to worry about. Anyway, we're moving the village soon, in a few days, because of the attack."
I wasn't surprised, it made sense. "And what about Kotetsu? If he can't fix the battle doll before you all leave, what will happen to it?"
The chief grinned. "I told him if it's not fixed, it'll be destroyed and left behind."
"But that's a lie, right?" I asked.
He nodded. "It's just to give him a little extra motivation."
I nodded in understanding. "Don't worry, I won't say anything."
"Good." the chief said, a twinkle in his eye. "Sometimes a little pressure brings out the best in people."
As he laughed again, I couldn't help but think, 'Must be losing it from old age.'
He stopped laughing and turned to me again, his face serious, something I hadn't seen from him before. "If you touch any alcohol before she turns fourteen, I'll castrate you."
I leaned back. "What? Why can't I drink?"
He waved his small fist at me threateningly. "Drinking's not good for you nor Eri, and it's not a proper way to cope."
I sighed, brushing some hair out of my face. "Fine."
He nodded, satisfied, and turned his gaze back to the wrecked village. "It's fine if it's on occasion, like when you're with friends. But nothing more."
I nodded again, thinking it over, before tilting my head toward him. "Why should I listen to you in the first place, chief?"
He snorted. "I'm old, and I can make Eri-chan tell you to stop drinking."
I shrugged. "Fair enough."
'Guess I'll have to find a new fix.'
{Author here. (A)? or (B)?}
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