Although the middle-aged man found the two strangers suspicious, seeing how unwell Yae looked, he still led them to the pharmacist's home in the town.
After seeing that Yae's fever had eased considerably, the man finally let out a breath of relief, thanked the three of them, and left.
"Come, have some tea, please." The pharmacist, a sweet old lady said.
"Thank you, ma'am," Shinobu Kocho and Giyu Tomioka said in unison.
After the pharmacist handed them the freshly brewed tea, she gently checked Yae's forehead once again.
"Hm, much better. Miss Kocho, your medicine really is something else. As expected of a skilled pharmacist from the capital."
"Please don't flatter me. I'm just doing what I can," Shinobu replied modestly. She then handed two folded papers to the elderly pharmacist. "This is the formula I used. Please keep it. I hope it helps you save others."
"Thank you, dear. You're a kind soul." The old woman tucked the papers away carefully as if they were precious keepsakes.
Nearby, Giyu Tomioka held his teacup in one hand and used the other to gently grip the scruff of Tailu the dog's neck, sipping his tea leisurely.
Noticing Yae stirring, Giyu warned quietly, "She's waking up, Kocho."
Shinobu quickly moved to Yae's side, touching her forehead gently with her own.
"Yes, the fever's broken. Ah—she's awake."
Yae's eyes slowly blinked open, only to find herself face-to-face with a beautiful woman.
"Eh? Wahhhh!" Yae's eyes widened in shock, and she sat up with a start, scooting back from Shinobu.
Unbothered, Shinobu smiled and held out a small cup of steaming medicine.
"There's no need to be so startled—we're both girls here, aren't we? But I'm glad to see you awake."
"Go on, drink this. It'll help restore your strength."
Yae looked at the strange liquid in the cup, suspicion creeping into her voice. "Um… is there anything weird in this?"
"Geez, so many questions," Shinobu said, mock-pouting. "Why would I harm you?"
"Ah… okay…" Yae didn't press the matter further and drank it all in one gulp.
"Cough!" She coughed twice from drinking too fast. "Um, where am I?"
"This is the pharmacist's house across from the town square," Shinobu replied with a gentle smile. "You were asleep for quite some time. You must be exhausted."
"I hear hunters like you spend days in the mountains. But pushing your body like that will only wear you down."
"I'm truly sorry about your mother's passing. If it's alright, may I ask you a few things?"
"Me?" Yae asked, still dazed.
"Yes!" Shinobu lifted two fingers and waved them playfully side to side. Her bright smile was a technique she'd learned from her older sister to put others at ease.
"I'd like to hear about the circumstances of your attack—what you saw, what you felt."
"I suspect the attacker may not have been a bear, but… a demon."
Giyu remained silent, continuing to calmly pet Tailu, who now seemed quite attached to him.
That's right—he had quietly tamed the dog.
As for asking Yae about the incident, Shinobu, being a woman herself, was more likely to gain her trust. Giyu figured that was best. Yae probably wouldn't open up to a stoic stranger like him anyway.
Still, watching Shinobu imitate Kanae's friendly mannerisms so earnestly made something stir in Giyu.
Not ridicule—just amusement.
If I had a camera… I'd record this and show it to Kocho Kanae later, he mused. She'd be delighted.
While Giyu drifted in thought, Yae had already recounted everything to Shinobu—how she'd been attacked by what she believed was a bear.
"I see…" Shinobu nodded, thoughtful. "If it truly were just a bear… then it's not what we're hunting."
"…Is that enough for you?" Yae scratched her head awkwardly. "Then I have a question too. What is a demon? And who exactly are you?"
Shinobu took a sip of tea, then explained patiently:
"Demons are creatures that feed on human flesh and blood. They can look like us, but they have inhuman strength, speed, and regenerative powers."
"Even if their limbs are severed or their torso pierced, they can recover within seconds."
"Their only true weaknesses are sunlight… and a blade forged from special ore, called a Nichirin Sword. Unless you decapitate them with that blade, they won't die."
She paused, glancing at Giyu—who still hadn't stopped petting the dog—and sighed.
"And we, those who wield the skill to slay demons, are the Demon Slayer Corps."
Yae lowered her head slightly, her face unreadable.
"…Does the Demon Slayer Corps kill all demons?"
"Of course," Shinobu said firmly. But then her tone softened.
"But don't mistake us for executioners. We only slay demons that prey on the innocent."
"If I met a demon who had never harmed a human and chose to starve rather than kill, I would take care of them… with compassion, until the end."
She looked gently at Yae, who was still deep in thought.
"…But this time, I don't think that's the case."
"If you'd like, Miss Yae, I can accompany you to hunt that bear."
"No need!" Yae suddenly stood, slung her hunting rifle over her shoulder, and marched toward the door. "I'm a hunter. I'll handle this myself."
"Thanks for everything. Let's go, Tailu!"
As she was about to leave, Shinobu called out quickly, "Wait! Your fever just broke! You need rest—"
Giyu released the now-struggling dog and stepped forward, calmly placing himself in Yae's path.
"It's dangerous to go into the mountains at night," he said. "If you encounter a demon—"
"I told you already, there are no demons!" Yae snapped, brushing past him.
"Get out of my way. I'm going to hunt that bear."
Giyu didn't argue. He simply stepped aside and spoke quietly as she passed.
"Still… I've never seen a human recover that fast."
Yae didn't answer. She walked straight into the snow-covered woods.
"…What now, Tomioka?" Shinobu asked, watching her go. "She's so stubborn. She won't find peace at this rate."
Giyu's voice was cool and steady. "We go after her. Slaying demons is our duty as Hashira."
"Ugh—wait for me! I need to change into my Corps uniform first. This kimono isn't great for mountain hiking…"