Chapter 268: Starting Again

"So, in the end, did Master Urokodaki say anything to you?"

"No."

"What a pity. Why didn't that old man give you a hard time?"

"Shinobu, you're too cruel."

At the **Butterfly Mansion**, some time had passed since Li Mo and Makomo returned from **Mount Sagiri**. Today, they were back at the Butterfly Mansion, the medical facility that had become a second home.

After some thought, Makomo decided to continue working at the Butterfly Mansion. As a swordsman, she wasn't sure what the future held for her. This era wasn't particularly kind to women.

"Senior sister, can I have a hug?" Li Mo looked at Makomo, seeking comfort from his petite senior sister.

"No."

Makomo coldly refused, causing Li Mo to make a defeated expression. **Kocho Shinobu** was quite pleased with this reaction and smiled faintly.

Senior sister, your cold demeanor only makes your shyness in bed even more striking...

Perhaps Li Mo's gaze was too piercing, as Makomo hesitated for a moment before her face flushed red, and she kicked him.

This time, it wasn't a fake kick—she put some force into it.

As a fox demon, Li Mo's body was far beyond ordinary, so the kick felt like nothing more than a tickle. Yet, he exaggeratedly grabbed his leg and acted as if it hurt.

"Good morning, everyone. It seems I missed something interesting."

"Sister?"

"Kanaho-chan."

**Kocho Kanae** arrived late.

Li Mo immediately scurried over to Kanae and said, "Kanaho, you have to stand up for me. Those two are ganging up on me."

"Is that so? Well, now there are three of us."

Kanae wasn't as tall as Li Mo, but unlike Makomo, she could reach his head. She raised her hand and ruffled his hair into a messy nest.

Then, satisfied, she said, "That's better. Handsome Mo-chan always feels a bit off. By the way, you haven't put your things down yet, have you? Let's go."

"Go? Where?"

"To **Rengoku**'s house."

"?"

When I have a question mark, it's either because I have a problem or because I think you have a problem.

Li Mo began, "Didn't I just get back?"

"Let's go, let's go! Makomo-chan has already agreed. Makomo-chan, could you toss Mo-chan's luggage over? Thanks." Kanae called out to Makomo, who casually threw the luggage over.

—So you had me bring my luggage just so we could leave again right away?

Li Mo looked at Makomo and Shinobu, who were calmly drinking tea, and realized they had known about this all along. He was the only one left in the dark.

At this point, there was no use resisting. He might as well enjoy it.

The trip to the Rengoku household had been planned for a while, and the timing had been set for right after returning to the Butterfly Mansion. The only thing Li Mo hadn't expected was that they would leave again the moment he got back.

As a former **Pillar**... though the title had been abolished, their physical abilities hadn't disappeared.

Even with her Demon Slayer Mark suppressed, Kanae's pace was swift. As for Li Mo... being a demon, no matter how fast Kanae went, he could keep up.

Once they were a good distance from the Butterfly Mansion, on a deserted path, the two began to talk. The conversation gradually took a dangerous turn.

"Mo-chan."

"Yeah?"

"You and Makomo-chan are together now, right?"

"You can tell?"

"Your walking posture is different."

Li Mo said, "I didn't notice any difference. Ugh... suddenly I feel like such a scumbag."

Kanae laughed. "Even if you act pitiful, it won't work. Lift your head and look forward. We've come this far."

Shrugging, Li Mo straightened up and said, "Can't you just go along with it?"

"Sorry, I don't want to."

Traveling was tiring, but as the saying goes, "Men and women working together makes the job easier." The same applied to walking.

They camped in the wilderness at night. For former Demon Slayers, camping outdoors was nothing unusual. With the demons wiped out, the wilderness no longer posed any threat. Especially with a demon like Li Mo around.

Currently, Li Mo only had three tails, so he wasn't considered a major demon. But in this era, there was hardly anything that could threaten him.

When a man and a woman have mutual feelings, certain things are bound to happen.

—The shikigami (spirit servants) were on lookout duty this time.

The next morning.

Kanae sat by the campfire, carefully adjusting her butterfly hairpin. Unlike the wildness of the previous night, the elegant and composed young woman had returned.

"Mo-chan."

"Yeah?"

"I have a question. Between me and Makomo, who do you think is better?"

Ah, a great question. Who's better, a mature woman or a petite one? This was the kind of topic that could spark heated debates online, rivaling the age-old arguments about whether Zongzi should be sweet or savory, or even the political strife between the Donglin Party and the eunuchs in the late Ming Dynasty.

Not the best analogy, perhaps.

But Li Mo knew how to answer this question.

"I don't know," Li Mo said matter-of-factly.

Then, Kanae laughed. "As expected of a 'scumbag'~~~"

Faced with this somewhat derogatory term, Li Mo wasn't bothered. He had already gotten used to hearing it last night.

—Makomo had said the same thing.

The Rengoku household wasn't too far away. For generations, the Rengoku family had served the Demon Slayer Corps. Tracing back to their origins, the Rengoku family had been samurai serving the Ubuyashiki family. And much like the Ubuyashiki family, which had a single lineage due to a curse, the Rengoku family had also become a single-lineage family.

However, unlike the Ubuyashiki family, the Rengoku family's situation was the result of generations of bloodshed in battles against demons. It was a miracle that their bloodline had survived at all.

The two bought some fruit before heading to the Rengoku household. Kanae paid for it, and it was only when it was time to pay that Li Mo realized he hadn't brought any money.

It was mostly habit. In **Teyvat**, he had lived a carefree life, and later at the **Grand Narukami Shrine**, everything was provided. In **Fuyuki City**, he had money, but **Medea** was the one handling it. The money he had scammed from the oil tycoon wasn't hard-earned, so he spent it freely. In his main world, money was always there.

In this world, all his expenses had been covered by the Demon Slayer Corps. But now that the Corps had disbanded... he had no source of income. Kanae, on the other hand, was different. Being a doctor was a lucrative profession.

"Kyojuro?"

"Kanaho-nee? And Li Mo-nii? You're here! Mother will be happy."

Before they even reached the Rengoku household, they ran into **Rengoku Kyojuro** at the market, carrying bags of groceries. It seemed he had been out shopping.

Li Mo patted Kyojuro on the shoulder and exchanged a few words with him. Kyojuro's enthusiastic and loud voice was incredibly infectious.

It was good. Being immersed in the mundane worries of daily life was far better than standing heroically on the battlefield, facing a tragic death.