Demon Slayer: After raising Shinobu, I died in front of her.

Chapter 109 To Be Happy

"It's getting late, you should go back and rest early too."

Kanae's voice rang out in the quiet courtyard, as calm as a still spring pond.

The emotion in her eyes remained as gentle as ever, as if the scene she had just witnessed under the eaves was merely an illusion she had misread.

But this is precisely what Ling Chuanche fears most.

This was unlike any reaction he had anticipated. There was no questioning, no surprise, not even the slightest ripple of emotion.

This extreme tranquility was like an invisible giant net, completely enveloping him.

He hesitated, then walked heavily to Kanae.

He opened his mouth, his throat tightening, wanting to explain, to confess, to take on the responsibility of a man.

But the words caught in the air, blocked by an invisible oppressive atmosphere.

Just as he was at a loss, Kanae looked at him and smiled gently.

"You've never been good with words, so don't bother trying to say anything. Don't make things difficult for yourself."

She took a deep breath, and her smile became relaxed and clear: "I've always known."

"You...you knew all of this?"

This was the first sentence that Ling Chuanche blurted out.

He stared wide-eyed in astonishment at the gentle young woman before him, his face filled with disbelief.

Kanae sighed dramatically, her tone tinged with helplessness: "Living with you every day, wouldn't I be incredibly stupid if I couldn't even see through your little scheme?"

Ling Chuanche opened his mouth slightly, his eyes becoming extremely complicated.

"What's wrong? Didn't expect that what I said was different from what you thought?"

"……Um."

Kanae reached out and gently tucked a few stray hairs behind her ear.

Her movements were elegant, exuding a composure beyond her years.

“You might find it strange, but I’ve actually rehearsed this scenario countless times in my mind.”

She looked at Ling Chuanche with clear eyes.

All the endings she didn't want to see—such as her angry opposition, the falling out between teacher and student, and leaving in tears—were erased from her mind one by one.

Putting all that aside, this abrupt yet natural ending is the best result she can accept.

In fact, she had already foreseen this day when she noticed that Ling Chuanche's gaze towards Ren was gradually changing.

She couldn't blame Ren for "lacking martial ethics" and breaking the boundary between master and disciple; nor could she blame Ling Chuanche for not being able to control himself and developing feelings for his disciple.

Neither of them is wrong.

She was indeed momentarily taken aback when she saw the two holding hands tightly under the eaves.

But what followed was a sense of calm: "This day has finally come." In order not to hurt them, she even rehearsed countless words and expressions in her mind to deal with them.

"Get some rest, Master," she said softly.

On the other side, Shinobu lay down in bed early, but she was wide awake.

She pricked up her ears like a startled rabbit, anxiously listening for every sound outside.

She breathed a slight sigh of relief when she didn't hear her sister get angry.

But her sister's extreme calmness felt like a boulder pressing on her heart, making her even more uneasy.

Finally, the door was gently pulled open. A soft rustling sound was heard as Kanae took off her outer clothes and lay down next to Shinobu.

Shinobu stood with her back to Kanae, her body as tense as a stone, barely daring to breathe.

"Ren, are you asleep?"

"...No, sister."

"What, are you scared now?" Kanae asked with a hint of teasing in her voice, noticing her sister's tense mood.

Ren silently pursed her lips, her eyes stinging, and whispered, "I'm sorry, sister."

This time, it was Kanae's turn to remain silent.

After a long silence, she finally spoke softly, "You didn't do anything wrong."

"This is already very good. Master needs someone to take care of him, and no one is more suitable than you."

Upon hearing these words, Shinobu's tears instantly turned red.

She turned over and looked at her older sister beside her. Kanae was looking up at the ceiling, and Shinobu could only see her gentle profile.

"Sister, it was my fault..."

Kanae turned her head to look at her, her eyes full of pity: "What's wrong? I already told you you didn't do anything wrong."

She didn't blame Ren. Because let alone her own sister, if Ren hadn't been so sensible when she met Ling Chuanche, she might have been the one holding Ling Chuanche's hand today.

It's just that she matured too early.

When she met Ling Chuanche, she already bore the responsibility of caring for her younger sister. Because she was sensible, she clearly knew what she could and could not do. A disciple cannot develop feelings for his master; this was the bottom line she set for herself. She could take meticulous care of her master, but that was only what a disciple should do. She strictly controlled herself and would never overstep the bounds.

She had always been very sensible, so sensible that she kept that budding affection firmly hidden in her heart. This was something Ling Chuanche had known since the day he brought her back.

But Ren was different. When Ren met Ling Chuanche, she was still an innocent and ignorant child.

"When Master was rescued, I asked you to spend more time with him because I was worried... I didn't know when Master might encounter danger again." Kanae gently reached out and stroked Shinobu's cheek, her voice soft like a sigh.

Ren froze, staring blankly at her sister: "So, sister, you... knew back then?"

Kanae did not answer, but simply smiled slightly.

How could she not know? She just knew the two of them too well.

"Alright, stop overthinking and get some rest."

Kanae tucked the blanket around her sister and closed her eyes.

In this family, she will always be the most sensible and tolerant matriarch.

The things she didn't have the courage to do herself, she could only ask her younger sister to do.

She just needs to continue being his disciple.

......

Kagaya Ubuyashiki sat upright at his desk, his fingertips gently tracing the edge of the letter, unable to suppress the smile on his lips. His smile was so bright that even his eyes, which had lost focus due to illness, seemed to be filled with tiny starlight, making him look like a new father who had just learned of the birth of his eldest son.

"What are you looking at that makes you so happy?" Ubuyashiki Amane approached lightly, carrying a cup of hot tea, and asked softly.

Kagaya Ubuyashiki looked up, his voice brimming with barely concealed excitement: "Amane, Toru, and Shinobu went to see the fireworks."

"It's just to watch fireworks, why are you so happy?" Tianyin gently put down her teacup and looked at her husband with some confusion.

Yaozai shook his head, his smile growing even stronger: "They confessed their feelings, held hands, and even... kissed."

"What?!" Tianyin's mouth dropped open slightly, her face filled with disbelief. "Could someone as reserved and introverted as Lord Che have done something like this?"

“Hehe,” Yaozai chuckled, like a child sharing a secret, “They were spotted by the ‘Hidden’ members I had arranged to buy supplies in town. Now it’s just the two of us who know about this. What do you think, should I go and tease Tetsu?”

Upon hearing this, Tianyin couldn't help but cover her mouth and chuckle.

She understands her husband so well.

To be honest, Yaozai really went to great lengths for his brother, Lingchuan Tetsu.

Because of Tetsu's existence, he became the only leader of the Demon Slayer Corps who worried that his subordinates were "too ruthless in killing demons."

Kagaya witnessed how Tetsuya went from a young swordsman to where he is today.

He had seen Che at his most insane and coldest—at that time, Che was practically an emotionless demon-slaying machine.

He didn't know how to rest, didn't know how to relax, and even his breath smelled strongly of blood.

For the lord, having such a sharp weapon under his command was naturally a good thing; but as a friend and a brother, Kagaya saw it and felt pain in his heart. He had repeatedly ordered, in his capacity as lord, to force Che to rest, but the guy was as stubborn as a rock, preferring to train himself to the point of vomiting blood in the training ground rather than stop.

Later, Shinobu and Kanae appeared.

The two girls were like a gentle spring breeze, or a pebble thrown into stagnant water, finally creating vibrant ripples in the deep, calm pool of life.

Kagaya understood it all too well. He knew the weight that went straight to his bones; he always felt that his hands were stained with blood, unworthy of any warmth, let alone touching those beautiful things.

Therefore, he would rather protect everyone behind him than let himself indulge in a life of pleasure.

"Cheer, you finally took this step." Kagaya murmured to himself, carefully folding the letter and tucking it into his pocket.

He certainly wouldn't tease Iche.

He knew better than anyone how much courage it took for Che to do something like "kissing each other."

"My lord, now that they have had a good outcome, why don't we invite them to our manor for a meal another day?" Tianyin suggested softly.

Yaozai paused for a moment, then smiled and nodded: "Okay. But you'd better tell the kitchen to prepare more sweets. That guy must be feeling sweeter than if he ate honey right now, but he's too embarrassed to show it."

Tianyin chuckled and agreed.

They had long regarded Che as a true family member.

As night deepened, the lights of the Ubuyashiki residence remained warm.

Kagaya leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes, and listened to the rustling of leaves in the wind in the courtyard.

He suddenly felt that his cursed, short life wasn't so unbearable after all.

At least, he can watch as his most cherished brother gradually rediscovers his own happiness and warmth.

"Che, I wish you happiness." He whispered his wish in his heart.

......

The next morning, sunlight streamed into the room through the window.

When Shinobu woke up, she instinctively reached for her side, only to find nothing.

There is no older sister, and Kanao is not here either.

She rubbed her eyes, put on her coat, and went out of the room. She immediately saw the familiar, tall figure under the balcony outside.