Jonghyuk carefully sat in the sturdiest part of Mina Shinakawa's "secret garden," while the little girl, slightly on guard, kept a small distance from him, hugging her knees.
Jonghyuk could tell that the girl was troubled because she had gone against her parents' wishes to save him, so he changed the subject and asked, "So.. this cult you told me.. Are all the people in your town followers of that Eternal Paradise Faith?"
Mina paused, first nodding and then quickly shaking her head.
"I'm not one of them."
"Neither is Nana Hana."
As she mentioned Nana Hana, the girl's expression changed, becoming somewhat anxious. She looked up at the tall Jonghyuk and the large box he carried, and asked, "Are you a swordsman from the Demon Slayer Corps?"
Jonghyuk was surprised that a girl of her age would know about the Demon Slayer Corps, but he merely nodded in response. Seeing his reaction, the girl asked with a mix of hope and fear of disappointment, "Then are you… a Hashira?"
Now Jonghyuk really felt the situation was unusual, realizing she even knew about the Hashiras. He asked, "Why do you ask that, how do you know about the Hashiras?"
Mina's expression darkened, and she hugged her knees even tighter.
"Mae-san told me," Mina said in a strange tone, keeping her head down so Jonghyuk couldn't see her expression.
"She said that a Hashira is someone who is very very powerful.. and only a Hashira can resolve the issues here, and only a Hashira can save Nana Hana!"
In Mina's hopeful gaze, Jonghyuk gently shook his head, and the light in the little girl's eyes dimmed completely.
"Yeah, that makes sense, doesn't it? How could we be so lucky as to encounter a Hashira just like that..."
Despite Mina Shinakawa's efforts to hide it, Jonghyuk still heard her sobbing.
Just as Jonghyuk was about to speak, he heard a sinister voice outside.
"Hey, that swordsman must have run far away by now, what a hassle. Why don't we just go back and eat a few people from the town..."
Mina instinctively curled up, her face pale, but another deep voice interrupted the first one:
"Idiot, Douma-sama will turn you into an ice sculpture."
Baddump!
Jonghyuk's hand, resting on the hilt of his sword behind his back, involuntarily tightened. This town was indeed a stronghold of Douma!
The sinister voice, realizing the truth in the other's words and feeling annoyed, let out a weird scream.
Roar!
Mina's face turned even paler.
"We've searched the whole town, there's no scent of humans left, only this area remains. Who was so careless to plant wisteria flowers here!"
Jonghyuk gripped his sword, Masamune, ready to act, but Mina suddenly grabbed his sword-holding hand. She leaned close to Jonghyuk's ear and asked softly,
"Mr. Swordsman, can you promise me something?"
Jonghyuk tilted his head slightly and saw fear and hope on her delicate face.
His hand felt cold as Mina placed a golden bracelet from her right wrist into his hand.
"Mr. Swordsman, please escape stealthily tomorrow during the day, and then find those Hashiras to come and save Nana Hana!"
Mina lowered her voice as much as she could, yet tears continued to flow down her cheeks. She remembered her sister, a black-clad swordswoman who had fought bravely against those monsters.
Thus, she overcame her fear with tremendous resolve, wiped away her tears, and looked steadfastly at Jonghyuk.
Jonghyuk knew in his heart that the Demon Slayer named Mae probably had no idea of the strength of Upper Moon Two, Douma, and even a Hashira would struggle to defeat Douma.
Yet, seeing the little girl's determined eyes, he found himself unable to refuse.
Mina Shinakawa suddenly smiled, her tear-streaked face causing Jonghyuk to pause. The girl agilely flipped down from the tree.
[You have accepted the hidden quest: A Girl's Determination]
[Quest Details: Notify the Demon Slayer Corps to rescue Mina Shinakawa and Nana Hana before Douma devours the divine maiden of the Sect.]
[Quest Reward: Significant increase in mission evaluation, Item: Girl's Bracelet]
Jonghyuk looked down at the golden bracelet, noticing that it was intricately engraved with runes. [Girl's Bracelet (Quest Item, Sealed)]
At that moment, the two demons below the tree had clearly spotted Mina Shinakawa. Jonghyuk's hand rested on his sword, ready to draw and strike at any sign of trouble.
"Hey, aren't you the maiden..."
Mina Shinakawa's face was pale, but the fact that these two demons recognized her meant that her plan could be put into action.
Holding another bracelet in her right hand, she said anxiously, "Nana Hana fainted because she couldn't find this bracelet. Hurry, take me back so I can give it to her!"
The two demons knew the value of the little girl named Nana Hana in Douma's eyes. Also weary of searching for the tall swordsman, they simply grabbed Mina Shinakawa and disappeared in a few flashes.
Jonghyuk wanted to draw his sword several times, but in the end, he just sighed and sat down.
He sat through the night, and by the time the morning sunlight began to brighten, there was no one left under the giant maple tree.
...
Yukaku, also known as the entertainment/red-light district, even in the Taisho era, was bustling and lively with lights and revelry.
Now dressed in new clothes, Jonghyuk transformed into a tall, rakish figure, wearing a white kimono that was loosely opened at the chest, showcasing his muscular build, which had a rugged charm.
Paired with his clean sideburn hair, strong eyebrows, and striking features, many passing geishas gave him sidelong glances.
Jonghyuk's peripheral vision scanned all the passing geishas but did not spot any familiar figures. Thus, he leveraged his newly crafted persona of a wealthy, cold-hearted rake to probe and search from one establishment to another.
Behind Jonghyuk, a servant carrying a narrow wooden box was adept at reading people. This employer, clearly not an easy man to deal with, was lavish with money. Calling himself Hideyoshi, the servant was even more cautious, keenly observing his master's preferences.
He noticed that his master showed little interest in the roadside brothels, where the courtesans were displayed in "showrooms" (spaces where the women sat inside for passing clients to view from outside). His master had not even glanced at any of the courtesans in those showrooms.
"Master, are you perhaps looking for the oiran (high-ranking courtesans)?" Hideyoshi stepped closer to the tall figure of his master and asked quietly.
Jonghyuk paused, his tone indifferent, "Heh~ who knows?"
Hideyoshi's heart leaped with joy, realizing he had guessed his master's intentions, which would make earning money much easier. He replied expertly, "I grew up in the red-light district. It's clear you are a man of high status, Master. Only an oiran would catch your eye, not just any courtesan."
Jonghyuk pulled out a new purse from his pocket and handed it to Hideyoshi, asking, "So? Can you arrange it?"
Hideyoshi was delighted; handling this arrangement would mean a nice cut for him.
Oiran in the red-light district were not simply available to anyone who desired their company; they held a high status and traditionally chose their own clients.
To spend a night with an oiran, one must navigate through three intricate steps: the "initial meeting," "return visit," and "familiarity," which are quite cumbersome. Jonghyuk, in his previous life, had only heard of these processes, so it was fortunate that Hideyoshi could manage them now.
The "initial meeting" requires a thorough vetting process, followed by spending a significant sum to host a banquet to invite the oiran for a meeting.
However, the oiran would only make an appearance and could leave at any time if displeased; The "return visit" is similar to the initial meeting, involving another banquet. If the oiran is satisfied with you this time, she will attend again and sit closer to you; "Familiarity" is the final step, after the previous two, where if the oiran approves of you, she will personally come to greet you, accompanied by a grand procession, known as the "Oiran Dōchū," walking in a slow, measured eight-character step.
However, Jonghyuk's goal was simply to find Douki and did not require such complexities; merely meeting her would suffice.
Hideyoshi, pocketing the purse, asked cheerfully, "Which oiran does the master fancy?"
Jonghyuk, unaware of where Daki currently resided, could only reply with a blush, "I like them beautiful but not too gentle in temperament."
Hideyoshi paused, carefully observing his master and internally sighed, as expected, a man as wealthy and handsome as his master always has some hidden illnesses.