I don't want to be an elf!

Three breaths later, Rengoku Kyojuro, clad in a flame-patterned haori, appeared before the two with a gust of wind.

"Kotori?"

Seeing his younger sister in such a place, Kyojuro Rengoku's face showed a hint of confusion.

Just as he was about to ask why she was there, his gaze fell on the pale-faced young man next to her, who looked as if he had been caught doing something wrong.

Thus, the issue of exporting suddenly changed.

"Who is this?"

Chapter Nine: The Three Betrothal Gifts and Six Ceremonies Must Not Be Missed!

Yushiro is feeling very flustered.

Originally, he thought his task was just to protect Lady Tamayo and be a bystander when serious matters were discussed.

Unexpectedly, the deal was finalized, but he suddenly became the main character.

Seeing the imposing man emerge from the woods, his breathing quickened.

Flame Pillar, Rengoku Kyojuro.

Although he had only been a demon for a short time, just over twenty years, and had little combat experience, he had still heard a lot about the Demon Slayer Corps from various sources.

Thanks to his Blood Demon Art, which allows him to manipulate his vision, he even had the privilege of witnessing a Lower Moon from the Twelve Demon Moons battle against a Pillar-level member.

That was a level he could never reach in his entire life.

After that, he became extra cautious, never venturing out if he could stay hidden in the base, and doing his best to persuade Lady Tamayo to stay in the base.

The outside world is too dangerous.

For these two weak ghosts, being noticed even slightly could lead to their demise.

Not only from the Demon Slayer Corps, but also from other demons.

That is why Yushiro was reluctant to allow Tamayo and Kotori Itsuka to have too close a relationship.

However, to his surprise, he found himself confronting a Pillar-level member.

This is a powerful human who can easily kill a Lower Moon demon and even put up a fight against an Upper Moon demon.

If he were to actually clash with such a powerful opponent, Yushiro felt he might not even be able to withstand a single blow.

"Who is this?"

Upon hearing this question, Yushiro clenched his fists, his knuckles turned white, and cold sweat instantly soaked his clothes.

Under Rengoku Kyojuro's gaze, he didn't even dare to look up and meet his eyes, stiffly lowering his head.

Inside the barrier, Tamayo's heart was in her throat.

Tanjiro Kamado also felt the tense atmosphere in the air, and even his breathing became barely audible.

"Brother, what are you doing here?"

Kotori Itsuka blinked, her face full of surprise, as if she hadn't expected her brother to be here either: "Didn't you say that the ghost-hunting work would be very busy tonight?"

Upon hearing that Rengoku Kyojuro had come here to search for demons, Yushiro's already pale face became even more bloodless.

He could only hope that the other person didn't have a freakish sense of smell like Tanjiro Kamado, or a similar ability, so that they could detect his identity as a demon.

Fortunately, Kyojuro Rengoku does indeed lack the ability to distinguish demons.

Those who slay demons usually identify them by their appearance, so if a demon looks exactly like a human, it is difficult for them to spot it.

However, even without realizing Yushiro's true identity, Rengoku Kyojuro's gaze remained fixed on him.

"Yes, I was indeed searching for traces of ghosts. I just sensed a strange aura here, so I wanted to come and take a look."

Kyojuro Rengoku answered her question, then asked the same question again: "Could you introduce me to this gentleman?"

"He..."

Kotori Itsuka patted him on the shoulder and said with a grin, "He's my pen pal, Yushiro. I told my brother about him before, remember?"

“I remember you said you came to Asakusa to meet your pen pal.”

Rengoku Kyojuro nodded slightly, as if he believed Kotori Itsuka's words.

However, the gaze directed at Yushiro did not soften; instead, it became more scrutinizing.

"So this young man is your... pen pal?"

Seeing Yushiro's guilty conscience practically written all over his face, Rengoku Kyojuro narrowed his eyes.

If they are really just pen pals, why would they panic like this just because someone else's brother appears?

Although he didn't think his sister would lie to him.

But this guy... there's something wrong with him no matter how you look at it.

Not only did he look like he'd been caught doing something wrong, but he also invited an innocent young girl to this grove late at night...

However, judging from his fair skin and elegant attire, he must be the young master of some family.

"Could it be... that he's one of Kotori's suitors?"

Suddenly, a realization flashed in Rengoku Kyojuro's eyes.

He understood everything.

Although he devoted all his time to slaying demons and had little interest in romance, he was not entirely ignorant of such matters.

Under such bright moonlight, in such a tranquil forest, this young man must be looking for an opportunity to confess his feelings, right?

However, things didn't go as planned. He became pen pals with Kotori Itsuka through letters, and then found an opportunity to invite her to Asakusa, where he had specially prepared a place to confess his feelings, but he ruined the whole thing halfway through.

And it was all ruined by the brother of the person she loved.

No wonder they panicked.

After understanding the situation, Kyojuro Rengoku's gaze softened slightly.

"I see. It seems I've disturbed you."

Kyojuro Rengoku walked up to Yushiro and grabbed his shoulders with both hands: "Lift your head up, boy, be more confident."

Kid my foot!

Yushiro couldn't help but mutter to himself.

He just looks young; he's actually old enough to be Kyojuro Rengoku's father!

However, faced with the demands of the Pillar-level members, he dared not disobey and could only stiffly raise his head.

"I don't object to young people dating, but large families have their own rules."

Looking into Yushiro's eyes, Rengoku Kyojuro said earnestly, "If you really like Kotori, then the proper betrothal and wedding ceremony cannot be omitted. Although there are some special circumstances in our family, and Father probably won't be involved, as the eldest brother, I will personally go to your family and negotiate with them before we officially begin our relationship."

"Ah...ah?"

Yushiro's expression shifted from tense to confused, completely unprepared for the other person's opening line: "Love? Dating? You might have misunderstood something..."

Seeing that the boy in front of him was pretending to be stupid, Rengoku Kyojuro frowned slightly.

In this day and age, inviting an innocent woman to a private meeting is already a topic that will cause gossip if it gets out.

Now, he generously gave the other party a chance, but the other party pretended not to know what he was talking about.

Considering the boy's various actions, Rengoku Kyojuro's gaze towards him held a hint of hostility.

"If the reason you lured Kotori out without a formal visit is simply because you didn't take her seriously and were just playing around with her."

A hint of coldness appeared on Rengoku Kyojuro's perpetually sunny face, and he tightened his grip on Yushiro's shoulders slightly.

"Then I suggest you give up as soon as possible and stop tarnishing Kotori's innocence."

Chapter Ten: Yushiro: I Have No Interest in Ugly Women

"Brother! What are you saying?!"

Kotori Itsuka's pretty face flushed red, like a ripe apple, as she punched Kyojuro Rengoku on the back and shoulder with her harmless fists: "Yushiro isn't my suitor! We're really just pen pals! Don't be so mean to him!"

"I've only known you for less than five minutes! We're not even pen pals!"

Yushiro felt so wronged that he wanted to shout it out.

But in this situation, he can't explain anything; the more he explains, the more confused he becomes.

Therefore, Yushiro could only nod frantically, echoing Kotori Itsuka's words.

At this moment, he finally understood why this woman, despite being a ghost, was able to perfectly conceal her identity and keep it a secret from her family.

This guy's acting is amazing!

Looking at Kotori Itsuka beside him, who looked shy and blushed like a real girl who would blush at the mere mention of love and romance, Yushiro gritted his teeth in resentment.

Afterwards, Kotori Itsuka explained for a long time and came up with many temporary settings, which finally dispelled Kyojuro Rengoku's doubts.

In Rengoku Kyojuro's eyes, Yushiro's character has become that of the eldest son of a family that has been researching medicine for generations.

His family also had connections with some members of the Demon Slayer Corps, so they knew about the existence of demons. Yushiro himself met Kotori Itsuka when he came to Tokyo on business. After talking for a while, the two found that they got along very well and became pen pals after parting ways.

The reason for inviting Kotori Itsuka to the forest at night was to let her see a flower that only blooms at night.

"Sorry, I got carried away."

After realizing that he had misunderstood the boy in front of him, Rengoku Kyojuro said seriously, "This is the first time I have seen Kotori spending the night with a boy her age. I was so sorry that I misunderstood and thought you were Kotori's suitor."

"Hmph, fine, I'll let it go."

After exchanging words, Yushiro gained a better understanding of the Flame Pillar's character, and his awe of him lessened considerably.

Without realizing it, he reverted to his usual cold tone, letting out a soft snort to express his dissatisfaction.

After all, the person he loved most, Lady Tamayo, to whom he had sworn to serve for the rest of his life, was within the barrier not far away.

Although they all knew it was just an act, being recognized as Kotori Itsuka's suitor in front of Lord Tamayo really made him very unhappy.

"Don't worry that I'll lay a hand on your sister. I won't today, and I never will, because I already have someone I like."

Yushiro flicked his sleeve and said with displeasure, "Compared to that sir, your sister is an ugly woman with no appeal whatsoever. I have no interest in her whatsoever."