Demon Slayer: I am a Demon

Chapter 116 Don't Deny Yourself, You Are Amazing (3/4)

Su Mu led Kanao by the hand back to the dilapidated house of the Kamado family. As soon as they arrived, they saw a woman wearing a white scarf and a purple and white kimono at the door.

Her hair was styled into a simple bun, adorned with a plain wooden hairpin, and her sideburns fell loosely around her neck.

At that moment, they seemed to notice this side and hurriedly walked over.

"Sir---sir."

Kamado Aoi called out nervously. As she bowed deeply, she glanced behind Su Mu and, not seeing Tanjiro, lowered her eyes with a hint of fear.

"Mrs. Kui Zhi, you're still up so late!"

Su Mu sighed, seemingly sensing the other's worry, and said with a smile, "Tanjiro is behind, he'll be back in a bit."

Hearing this, Kamado Aoi seemed to breathe a slight sigh of relief.

Su Mu chuckled and then led Kanao towards the house.

Kamado Aoi waited until Su Mu passed by before raising her head, standing on tiptoe to look into the distance, and vaguely saw a familiar figure walking this way.

Seeing this, Kamado Aoi was finally relieved and hurriedly followed after him with small, quick steps.

Lifting the heavy straw curtain of the door, the lamp inside was still lit, its flickering light illuminating the room. In the room next to the thatched hut, a small head suddenly shrank back.

Su Mu led Kanao in by the hand and they arrived at the room that Kamado Aoi had cleaned for him that day. The bedding and everything else in the room had already been folded.

He patted Kanao's head: "I'll get you some hot water to wash your feet, then you can rest."

"Um.

""

Kanao nodded, walked to the bedside, took off her shoes and socks, revealing her fair and delicate ankles.

Su Mu spread out the bedding on the bed a little so that Kanao could rest well in a while, then went out to get some hot water for Kanao.

As soon as he stepped out the door, he stopped and looked at the stove radish standing by the door, which was holding a basin of hot water.

"My lord, this was prepared in advance. Is there anything you need?"

Su Mu paused for a moment, then nodded: "I'm really sorry to trouble you, Madam Kuizhi."

With her head bowed, Zao Men Kui Zhi carried hot water into the house and placed it next to a chair.

Su Mu followed closely into the room, then picked up a basin of hot water and went to the bedside to wash Kanao's feet.

Kamado Aoi, who was about to leave, was slightly taken aback when she saw this scene; she was quite surprised.

After a slight hesitation, he stepped forward with small, quick steps: "M--sir, let me do it."

Su Mu was putting a towel in hot water when he heard the words. He looked up and looked at the sunflower branch by the stove.

"I'll do it, sir."

Kamado Aoi bent down, skillfully picked up a towel, then squatted down and began to wash Kanao's feet.

Kanao frowned slightly.

Su Mu hesitated for a moment, then sat down on a chair next to the small table in the room.

When Kanao saw that her uncle had given his tacit approval, her tightly furrowed brows relaxed slightly, and she lowered her eyes to look at Kamado Hime.

The woman knelt down gracefully, gently smoothing the stray strands of hair from her forehead before carefully washing Kanao.

"How's the water temperature? Is it suitable?"

While washing, Kui Zhi asked in a low voice.

Kanao lowered her eyes slightly and glanced at the kitchen radiant with a gentle face in the flickering candlelight. For some reason, the image of the fierce woman whipping her with thorns flashed through her mind again, so she immediately turned her head away.

Is it because the temperature is too high?

Kamado Aoi quickly took Kanao's small feet out of the hot water and tested the water temperature again: "It should be about right."

"Does it feel okay?"

Kanao lowered her eyelashes and remained silent.

After Kamado Aoi left with the basin of water, Kanao raised her head, which had been slightly lowered, and looked at the woman's departing figure with a slightly dazed expression in her beautiful eyes.

"Kanao, what's wrong?"

Su Mu walked over, glanced at the place where Kanao was looking, and looked slightly puzzled.

"It's nothing, Uncle."

Kanao said in a low voice.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

"Then you should get some rest."

He patted Kanao's head and blew out the room light, plunging the room into darkness instantly.

In the darkness, Kanao closed her eyes, but her ears were perked up. She could hear a low voice coming from the next room, a woman asking Tanjiro with concern if he was injured.

Those concerned greetings, the voices filled with worry and anxiety—

This suddenly reminded Kanao of the first time she met Nezuko, when Nezuko was crying her eyes out. She couldn't understand it; Nezuko had only lost one father.

Why cry over this?

Why be sad about this?

The little hand unconsciously tightened; the gentle woman's intense concern and tender treatment of her child were unlike anything she had ever experienced.

Because I am different from Midouzi, I will not cry or be sad.

Because she doesn't have the gentle mother or the good father that the other person has, she doesn't care.

There was no nature from the beginning, so there was no such thing as loss.

only----

Why am I different?

In the darkness, the girl opened her beautiful eyes. Although she didn't look in her uncle's direction, she knew he was right beside her.

"uncle----"

"Um.

""

Su Mu glanced at Kanao.

Am I different from other people?

Why do you say that?

The girl pursed her lips, unsure how to confide in her uncle. Her beautiful eyes lowered slightly: "I just suddenly feel unwell. I feel like I'm not good enough, that's why I'm different from others. Do I not know how to do many things well?"

Seeing Kanao suddenly showing some emotion, Su Mu wasn't sad. Instead, he was happy. The girl who used to be like a puppet, without any emotional fluctuations and locked herself in her own inner world, was starting to take steps outward.

He reached out and stroked the girl's head, saying gently, "Don't say that. Kanao is different from others, but Kanao is different only because Kanao is exceptionally good, exceptionally gentle, and exceptionally worthy of being loved. No matter what harshness she encountered in the past, it was only temporary."

"No matter what others think, at least your uncle will always favor you. If you feel sad or uncomfortable, just tell your uncle. Your uncle will always be your best listener. If you feel tired, please come to your uncle without hesitation, and I will gently hold you in my arms."

"Kanao, don't doubt yourself. You are wonderful, gentle, and worthy of being loved."

"Thank you, Uncle. I understand. Actually, I was just a little envious, envious of that crybaby."

"Hmm, what do you envy about them?"

I'm not envious anymore.

"?"

Su Mu scratched his head, looking at Kanao. Girls' little emotions come and go quickly, just like the unpredictable weather, completely baffling.

"It's nothing, Uncle."

Kanao reached out and wrapped her soft arms around his waist: "Kanao has nothing to envy about others."