……

Meanwhile.

Butterfly House.

"Ahem!"

Inosuke lay unconscious in the courtyard, the boar with a large bag on its head and foaming at the mouth.

"No, it's okay?!"

Tanjiro's eyes were worried, and he quickly squatted down, and after carefully touching his pulse, he looked up left and right at a loss: "What should I do..."

He was just passing by, and as a result, this guy who had heard his father's name called Inosuke had to pester him.

and even attack themselves.

As a last resort, Tanjiro chose to give Inosuke a head hammer.

"Woo~wow!" My wife, Zenyi, also squatted to the side and quietly looked at Tanjiro's unscathed forehead: "Poor guy. ”

- A wide forehead is more than just wide.

Zenitsu quietly hugged his knees, his eyes resting on Tanjiro.

"I'm really sorry."

Looking at Inosuke, who was foaming at the mouth in a coma, Tanjiro sat beside him, put his hands on his knees, and said with guilt on his face.

Side.

Under the eaves.

Tanjuro withdrew his gaze, and he took out the paper figure from his arms.

Rubbing his fingers, he counted the number of paper figures.

Sand...

After the last pleated paper figure was ordered, Tanjuro's expression was stunned.

- One is missing.

……

……

Near the residence of Beimingyu.

"Meow?"

The white cat poked its head out of the door suspiciously, and looked curiously in the direction where the owner was running away.

It withdrew its gaze and sat slowly in place, licking its pink paws.

Then.

Smack.

Cha Cha Maru carried a small leather bag on his back, with an eye drawing paper around his neck, and his body changed from virtual to real, and suddenly appeared in front of the white cat.

The white cat's action of licking its paws suddenly stopped.

The two cats looked at each other.

！

"Meow!!"

The white cat screamed, jumped up in horror, stared ahead, and purred in its throat.

- But by the time it reacted, Cha Cha Maru's figure had disappeared.

Meow! Hell yes!

After glancing left and right with restless eyes, the white cat jumped up to the roof.

Leaving the already invisible Chachamaru squatting in place.

Chachamaru quietly watched the figure of the white cat leaving, and sniffed the smell on the ground in confusion.

Raising his head, his clear yellow eyes looked at Senjuro across the street.

- Strange.

The little cat thought so in its head.

- Obviously I came with the smell.

- But why... It's not that human.

In my mind, Tanjuro's appearance came to mind.

After thinking for a while.

Chachamaru turned his head to look at the house of Sorrowful Island.

It was as if there was a very fragrant smell coming out of the house.

The thoughts in his head were suddenly filled with fragrance, and Chachamaru stood up, stood on tiptoe, and walked into the courtyard one by one.

In the small leather bag, the pink, mixed with cherry blossom petals, swayed slightly in the test tube.

……

on the streets.

"Here we go again!"

"That's amazing... I can't see anything. ”

Neighbors on the street poked their heads out when they heard the noise outside.

Looking at the flexible appearance of Sorrow Mingyu jumping over the roadside box, they looked at each other:

“… Is that guy really blind? ”

Trample! Trample! Trample!

"Nan no Amitabha..."

Sorrowful Mingyu ran in the dark, trampling on the ground of the street with every step, and his sturdy body bulging under the monk's robes, looking extremely shocking.

The wide monk's robe was draped over his back, swaying slightly with the movement of running.

His ears twitched, feeling the flow of air across his body, and he judged everything around him.

Swish!

As he ran, he subconsciously turned his head sideways and paid attention to Shadai, who had just swept by himself.

After noticing the clothes that Sayo was wearing.

- Hidden?

The white eyes were slightly stunned.

- The kid.

At this moment, Shadai was shouting with tears in the corners of his eyes as he pulled the helpless Chijuro.

The transparent vision of Grief Mingyu swept the two of them, and the unwavering mood faintly set off a wave of waves.

The speed of the heartbeat is increasing.

"Nan None."

Feeling the unrest in his heart, Beimingyu frowned slightly, hurriedly clasped his hands together, and did not forget to recite the Buddha's name silently during the run.

After Tanjuro trained thoroughly, he had a correspondence with Sorrowful Mingyu.

- Of course, the letters were read by the crows.

In the first letter sent by Tanjuro to Grief Mingyu, he wrote:

[Don't let your body temperature reach 39 degrees Celsius and your heart beat more than 200 times.] ］

[This turns on a Status named Marbles.] ］

[After opening the transparent world, it is easier to control every inch of the muscles in the body, and the above conditions can also be promoted independently-]

[—but don't.] ］

[Remember, remember.] ］

That's right, Tanjuro's letter to Beimingyu is a reminder not to open the markings.

Opening the markings can achieve an instant qualitative change in physical fitness, but it also has serious consequences.

- All brindle swordsmen will not survive past the age of 25.

Except for a few people.

And Grief Mingyu Xingming, this year is exactly 25 years old.

In the original work, Grief Mingyu did not open the transparent world so early as it is now.

But he was also able to open the markings on his own without any external stimulation.

This is something that Tanjuro is worried about.

If he "accidentally" opened the markings in this situation, then he would die at the dawn of the night when the markings were opened.

……

He was a monk, so he wasn't curious about what Tanjuro was talking about.

I have never felt the condition that I can control my body to reach body temperature 39 on my own, as Tanjuro said.

But just now.

The moment he noticed Shadai.

Trample.

Grief Mingyu turned his head and stopped, the rosary in his hand swaying from the movement.

His white eyes looked at Shadai.

Probably - how the markings opened, he mastered.

In a trance, Sorrowful Mingyu came back to his senses.

Then.

Behind.

"Ahem!!" The old woman supported the ground with a broom, sweating profusely, obviously not lightly tired, she shook her head:

“… No wonder everyone else says you're pretending to be blind..."

The hoarse voice coughed, and whispered helplessly:

"How can you be blind when you are born so strong... This world. ”

After a while, he frowned full of wrinkles, straightened his waist with difficulty, and pointed at Sorrow Mingyu with a scolding grin:

"Stop blowing your broken shakuhachi!"

"It's ugly!" She scolded as she held her waist and replied in the direction of home:

"Your cats meow better than this!"

The old woman walked away, and she didn't forget to turn around and shout at the top of her voice.

Hear the words.

"Ahh It's sad..."

Sorrowful Mingyu lowered his head a little sadly, and two lines of tears crossed his cheeks silently.

Stomp and tread.

"Mr. Grief Mingyu ——!"

Chijurou pulled Sadai, and he waved his hand and ran in small steps in this direction.

But he ran a little, but he couldn't pull Sadai behind him.

"What's wrong?"

Confused, Senjuro looked back.

"Wait!" Sadai's face tightened, she pulled Chijurou in a panic and grabbed her hand, and looked at the sorrowful Mingyu in front of her in a hurry.

That man!

The appearance of being strong and intimidating is completely different from the impression of a tall, thin, gentle and smiling teacher!

and—

Sha Dai's gaze lifted and looked at the huge meteor hammer that flashed a trace of cold under the wide monk's robe of Sorrowful Mingyu.

- What's that?!

Meteor Hammer!?

Sashiro's legs trembled a little, and he desperately pulled his hand out of Senjuro's hand like a cat that didn't want to go home.

Suddenly.

Her flustered gaze caught a glimpse of Sorrowful Mingyu's eyes and forehead.

Huh?

The long scars and white eyes instantly coincide with the teacher in memory.

Although there are no eyes.

But Shadai really felt the emotion called "compassion".

Suddenly.

Thoughts kept running through Shadai's mind.

Then.

Smack.

Sayo was stunned, forgetting to resist for a while, and letting Chijuro pull him forward.

Trample.

Chijurou raised his brows, and he glanced at Sayo worriedly.

The girl she was pulling by herself looked like her brain had shut down.

Then.

Without even being aware of it.

Creak...

A crumpled paper figure slowly struggled out of his arms and floated in mid-air.

Attached to him, Sadai, who was returning to God.

At the moment of contact with the paper figure.

Sayo blinked, as if he had suddenly regained his mind, and looked up.

But—she was already standing in front of Grief Mingyu.

"Excuse me, Mr. Grief Mingyu."

Chijuro was smiling and standing to the side, looking at the two of them, "This hidden team member wanted to have some conversation with you, so I brought her here." ”

"Hmm." Hearing this, Beimingyu nodded slowly, did not speak, dialed the rosary in his hand, bowed his head, and faced Shadai.

He "looked" at the panicked Sadai in front of him.

The emotions in my heart were a little complicated for a while.

There are some things that I have already thought about when I last met with Mt. Tandake.

- Why did Mikaku choose to join the Ghost Slayer Team?

Obviously, he made a deal with the ghost in the first place.

This question has been thinking about since then.

Maybe it's because... Guilty... Expiation... Or... Captive...

- He wasn't sure.

But at this moment, after seeing the child in front of him who was wearing a "hidden" uniform, he was nervous about facing his child.

Sadness and Mingyu's mood gradually calmed down.

After that almost uncontrollable anger, at this moment, he was extremely clear.

He knew the answer in his heart.

The "eyes" softened.

Front.

Sha Dai, who was wearing a black hidden uniform, stood in front of Beimingyu at the age of twelve, looking very short.

"Ahh Yes... Yes..."Shadai's voice trembled, he hesitated for a long time, his eyes were scattered, he turned his head stiffly, and looked at Senjuro on the side as if asking for help:

"Thousand..."

Oops...

The sound can't be made...

Her eyes trembled, and sourness accumulated under her eyes.

Obviously, obviously I have been waiting for this opportunity...!

In a hurry and apprehension, Shadai's eyes were covered with tears.

Just when she thought she must have messed everything up.

Smack.

“… You worked hard. ”

A broad, warm hand gently covered the top of Sashiro's head.

“… Huh? Sayo was stunned for a moment, tears glistening in the corners of her eyes, and she raised her head to look at the top of her head.

It's Sorrowful Mingyu.

His expression was gentle, and his hand gently stroked the top of Sayo's head,

"I'm twelve years old this year." The corners of his pale eyes drooped, and he smiled, and his voice was low and kind:

"Happy birthday, Shadai."

The people who were once adopted by Beimingyu were all orphans.

Everyone doesn't know their birthdays, so let's choose a date for Beimingyu, who is the "father".

And today, it is Shadai's birthday.

The moment he heard [twelve] and his name, Shadai's trembling eyes couldn't hold back any longer.

Teacher, teacher he-

The tip of her nose was extremely sour, the corners of her eyes quickly reddened, she nodded vigorously, and guilt couldn't stop surging into her heart like heavy seawater.

Tears of guilt kept flowing from his eyes:

"Hmmm! Well!! ”

Smack!

Shadai gritted her teeth, she held the tip of her sour nose, lowered her head, put her hand on the hand of Grief Mingyu, and she sobbed loudly:

"—I'm sorry! I'm sorry! ”

Feeling the warmth of the palm, I was four years old, but at this moment, the memory is extremely clear in my heart.

Bean-sized tears dripped down his face, and his throat choked:

"I, we!"

- The paper figure on the back is slightly covered, and the edges are scorched.

Suddenly.

Wow –

Seven illusory figures of different looks and heights gradually appeared around them.

They were all young, dressed in somewhat shabby clothes, and several of them glanced at each other.

And together, he slowly put his hand on Shadai, who was crying profusely.

Shadai raised his head, tears blurred his vision, the opening in his heart was opened, and sorrow continued to pour out:

"We always wanted to apologize for what happened that day!"

"Teacher!"

"Brother, they're not trying to run away..."

"Because the teacher's eyes can't see, I have to protect the teacher, and there are farm tools outside, so I want to use them as weapons..."

She hugged the arm of Sorrow Mingyu tightly, and the guilt kept pouring out:

"People want to go to someone for help..."

"That's why they scattered..."

- Why do I know this...

Sayo explained in a crying voice.

In her trance-like vision, she seemed to see everyone gathered around.

Opening her blurred eyes, stretching out her little hand, and wiping her face full of tears, she sobbed:

"If."

"-If we can usher in tomorrow as usual, we can explain it well."

"Everybody's favorite teacher!"

She took a deep breath, thinking back to everything she had messed up:

"I'm sorry! I was so stupid that I couldn't explain it in the end! ”

"It was the teacher who saved me... It's the ghosts that kill everyone...! ”

"I'm the one who is wrong!"

After saying this, Sadai fell down as if he had exhausted all his strength.

Grief Mingyu squatted down slightly, letting it fall on top of him.

The corners of Sayo's eyes were red from crying, his head was buried deep in his arms, and tears quickly soaked the black uniform.

The hoarse voice of the crying came from underneath him:

"-Thank you..."

After hearing this thank-you voice that has been overdue for eight years.

Sorrowful Mingyu squatted on the ground, looking at Shadai who was crying and falling asleep on his knees, he was slightly stunned.

Smack.

Tears rolled down his cheeks and fell on the top of Sashiro's head:

"Ahh Ahh

Creak...

The rosary in his hand gradually clenched hard.

"I'm the one... I didn't protect you..."

He slowly leaned down and hugged Shadai, who had fallen asleep, and his previously steady voice trembled faintly at this moment.

Faintly, seven young figures appeared around, like koalas on a tree, hugging the body of Grief Mingyu.

Everyone hugged each other and cried.

……

The corners of Grief Mingyu's eyebrows drooped, trembling faintly.

yes -

If tomorrow.

It's business as usual.

He may really become an ordinary monk in the temple.

Children can also grow up smoothly.

Nothing — it's not going to be the way it is.

Creak...

Gripping the handle of the meteor hammer, he gradually climbed the green tendons.

Everything – it's because of.

Sorrow Mingyu raised his head, his white eyes were extremely heavy at the moment.

- Ghost King, no miserable existence.

(End of chapter)