Muzan: My daughter can't be that weak!

Kokushibo waited patiently for a moment, and seeing that she still couldn't answer, he rephrased the question in a simpler way and asked it again.

However, this well-intentioned simplification only made Yukina more nervous.

She felt that the teacher must think she was too stupid, which was why she explained the problem so simply.

The more anxious I became, the more confused I got. Everything I could remember seemed to be tangled up in my mind, leaving my brain completely blank.

"I'm sorry, teacher..."

Her voice was trembling with tears, and her head was bowed low, not daring to look at Kuroshimo.

"It's because Yukina is too stupid... Yukina clearly understood, but... but..."

She didn't mean to cry, but a mix of grievance, self-blame, and fear of disappointing her teacher made her tears flow uncontrollably, rolling down in large drops and spreading the still-wet ink on the paper in front of her.

Kokushibo's body froze.

...Did you cry?

Six eyes were simultaneously fixed on the drooping, slightly trembling little head and the tears that kept falling onto the paper.

Was I, as a teacher, too strict today?

The lecture was too fast?

Or is the question too difficult?

After a moment of silence, he reached out, took a handkerchief from his pocket, and gently wiped away the tears on Xue Nai's cheeks.

"...No need to apologize."

"...Was it because I...taught it unclearly...or moved too fast?"

Yukina was taken aback by his words, and her crying subsided slightly.

She raised her tear-filled face, shook her head vigorously, and explained through sobs:

"No...the teacher explained it very well, it's Yukina...Yukina is too slow. If it were...if it were another child, they would have understood it immediately...Yukina isn't smart enough..."

You'll understand it in no time...

How could anyone understand it so easily?

He subconsciously denied it in his heart.

There's no way one can master literature and martial arts without rigorous training.

His centuries-long life witnessed countless hours of sweat and perseverance. Talent is certainly important, but it has never been more...

In an instant, a figure appeared uncontrollably before his eyes.

Maybe it is.

Only that person...

But that person is long gone...

No matter how complex the sword techniques or how profound the breathing methods, they are all like transparent water in his eyes, their essence can be seen through at a glance, and he can master them effortlessly.

That feeling of being crushed by absolute talent, of being unable to close the gap no matter how hard you try...

Kokushibo knew this better than anyone else.

The hand holding the handkerchief tightened for a moment.

He is not a person who is good with words.

He felt a strange sense of unease when faced with a crying child.

If it were an unimportant child, he naturally wouldn't care, but this was Muzan-sama's child, and he was her teacher...

I should now help her calm down.

His six eyes refocused on the figure crying because he considered himself stupid.

After a long silence, he slowly spoke:

"Practicing calligraphy..."

Yukina sobbed, looking up with teary eyes in confusion.

"...At first, the pen trembled...and the characters were crooked...this was common."

He paused, seemingly considering his words.

"...If you don't understand today, think about it again tomorrow...If you still don't understand tomorrow, ask again the day after tomorrow..."

"Step by step...step by step, though the footprints are shallow...we will eventually reach our destination..."

"Compared to others..." He recalled those sun-like figures, his tone pausing for a moment before returning to calm, "...it's meaningless."

"You only need to see clearly... the path beneath your feet."

"...Just keep moving forward steadily..."

Yukina stared at him blankly, sniffed, and her little face regained its vitality.

Although I don't fully understand, there must be a reason why the teacher said that.

And... does the teacher mean that everyone will write poorly at first, that everyone will be like this?

"Even someone as amazing as a teacher... would they be like this at the beginning?" she murmured.

Upon hearing this, a flicker of emotion crossed Kokushibo's calm eyes, and he stated it plainly:

"...I...can't be considered good."

"When you first start learning... naturally, it will be the same."

The initial learning was hundreds of years ago, and the details have long been lost to time, but the awkwardness when first encountering unfamiliar things is generally the same.

No sooner had he finished speaking than a small body unexpectedly bumped into his arms.

Yukina practically pounced on him, with a childlike impulse, and tightly wrapped her arms around Kokushibo's waist.

"Teachers are not allowed to say they aren't good!"

Her muffled voice came from his embrace, carrying a hint of domineering.

"The teacher is incredibly amazing! And incredibly kind! The best teacher in the world!"

A barrage of "especially special" and "best of the best" rained down like a summer downpour, straightforward, passionate, and unadorned.

"Thank you, teacher..." Her voice trailed off. "Yukina understands."

Her mind is now clear and bright.

Yes, there are so many people and ghosts in the world.

If you always compare yourself to others, there will always be someone who is better. If you want to feel bad, you will feel bad many times over.

Being able to live well and study well like this now... is already very good.

Even if you ask about things you don't understand, your teacher is so kind that they definitely won't think you're stupid!

Kokushibo's body became somewhat unnatural the moment Yukina bumped into his arms, and his conditioned reflex made him want to push her away.

Immediately following was a string of fervent praises that filled his ears.

This child...

He lowered his eyes, looking at the small black head, but ultimately didn't push it away, and sighed.

Then, a large hand gently landed on the top of Yukina's head.

Yukina felt the stroking above her head, hugged Kokushibo tighter, then slowly let go, took a small step back, and tilted her head up.

"Teacher, so why is it like this here?"

She pointed to a part of the booklet that she didn't understand and asked a little embarrassedly.

Seeing that she had recovered completely, Kokushibo breathed a sigh of relief and pointed out the reason for her question.

Once she had figured out everything she didn't understand, Yukina stood up, faced Kokushibo, and bowed.

"Thank you for your guidance today, teacher! Yukina is going home now!"

Kokushibo nodded slightly.

Xue Nai then walked briskly to the door, placed her small hand on the paper door, and suddenly stopped.

She turned around, her rosy cheeks showing a hint of determination.

"teacher……"

"Yukina will come again tomorrow! She'll make sure today's footprints are firmly set, and then come back with new footprints!"

After saying that, she smiled shyly, then opened the paper door and darted out. Not forgetting to turn back and gently close the door tightly with her two small hands.

Silence returned to the room.

Kokushibo sat alone in the same spot, his posture unchanged.

His gaze fell on the spot where Xue Nai had just been sitting.

I can almost still see that figure, sometimes confused, sometimes enlightened, and finally laughing through my tears.

Footprints... 1.

He slowly closed all six of his eyes.

Darkness and silence enveloped him, his most familiar companions for centuries.

At first, the pen trembles, and crooked characters are common.

Step by step.

It is meaningless to compare yourself with others.

All you need to do is see the path beneath your feet.

The words he had just spoken to Yukina now echoed softly in his own heart.

He taught her to see her own path clearly and move forward steadily.

But what about himself?

Has he seen his path clearly again?