Chapter 47: The Caravan

Night had fallen. People were returning home to rest, while nocturnal creatures began crawling out to hunt. And with them, the dangerous demons emerged as well.

Kawanishi, now suppressing his demon appearance, leapt out from the forest and landed on the road.

His vision was excellent; he could faintly see a caravan of more than ten wagons approaching in the distance, hauling goods.

Merchants didn't stop for nightfall—not even in dangerous times. To them, time was money. Profit outweighed risk. Even life itself.

As the caravan drew closer, Kawanishi noticed it was pulled by horses, each wooden cart stacked high with burlap sacks likely filled with cargo.

What surprised him was the presence of four Demon Slayer swordsmen flanking the convoy, eyes scanning their surroundings vigilantly. Still, Kawanishi wasn't too worried. Even Shinobu—one of the Pillars—hadn't recognized his identity.

He walked straight toward the front cart, where a plump, middle-aged man was holding the reins.

"Excuse me, could you tell me how to get to Foot-of-the-Mountain Town? I'm lost and can't find the way home."

The man, Inoshiku, eyed Kawanishi's tattered clothes warily at first. But seeing the nearby swordsmen show no reaction, his suspicion eased.

At the very least, he's not a demon.

And the boy didn't look very old—clothes ragged, clearly down on his luck. That stirred Inoshiku's sympathy.

"Foot-of-the-Mountain? That's right past Ladder Stop Town… I'll be passing through there myself. Once we reach Ladder Stop, you should know the way from there."

"Why don't you ride with us to Ladder Stop? Sound good?"

Kawanishi nodded. He was familiar with Ladder Stop Town—he'd sold charcoal there many times. It brought back memories.

Kawanishi…

It's been so long. I wonder how you're doing now...

This warm-hearted man was making things easy for him.

"Thank you. That helps a lot."

Inoshiku grinned. "Traveling's tough. We've all got to look out for each other."

"Hop on. You're lucky you found us—things get dangerous at night. I've heard from friends that wild beasts have been attacking people along this road."

He had traveled all over the region, though his luck in business hadn't been great. But he knew a thing or two about the world.

He knew demons existed. The government covered it up, of course, but in rural towns and among seasoned travelers, the truth was known.

This road saw plenty of traffic—and occasionally, demons. But recently, there'd been more incidents. That's why Inoshiku had hired Demon Slayer guards.

The Corps needed money, after all. A large portion of its funding came from protecting those who knew the truth.

The government didn't officially acknowledge the Corps' existence, but it relied on them nonetheless—because only they could fight demons.

Kawanishi climbed onto the wagon, acting like any ordinary person, and sat on the highest bundle.

"So, young man," Inoshiku asked, "what brought you out this way? What do you do?"

In this time, people rarely left their home regions unless forced to. For most, their entire world was the village they lived in.

Unless he had no other choice, Inoshiku wouldn't live this grueling life either.

Kawanishi replied, "Nothing special. My family went through a rough time. I left for a while, but now I want to go home. I just forgot the way."

Inoshiku nodded. "Life's tough. But staying alive is the most important thing. Hang in there."

Kawanishi gave a faint smile. "Yeah… staying alive is everything."

But my family… is already gone.

Just then, a child ran up.

"Dad, Little Ash isn't feeling well. He can't even stand."

Little Ash was their dog—brought along to entertain the child.

Inoshiku sighed. "Ah, Yano. There's nothing we can do out here. We've got no vets. We'll just have to see if Little Ash has the will to fight through it."

Kawanishi looked over. "You bring your son on the road?"

Inoshiku picked the child up with a nostalgic look in his eyes.

"He's not my real son. Yano's my godson."

"His father and I were close. When he died, I raised Yano like my own."

"It happened right on this road, actually… that's the day I learned demons were real."

He leaned toward Kawanishi with a conspiratorial whisper. "You know what those guys walking alongside us are?"

Kawanishi looked confused. "No idea. But they look pretty strong."

"They're demon hunters—Demon Slayers. Real strong. Their job is to hunt down demons."

"You've heard of demons, right? The monsters in stories that come out at night and eat people? They're real. I saw it myself. Yano's real father was eaten…"

"But with hunters here, we don't need to be afraid."

A demon…

If only you knew the one sitting beside you is a demon. I wonder what you'd think then?

Still, these Demon Slayers… their skills are questionable.

Their posture was shaky, steps unsteady. Their eyes weren't sharp—clouded with irritation and fatigue.

The quality of this generation's Demon Slayers… troubling.

Uncle, if you're relying on them for protection… that's not gonna cut it.

Even Watakuchi could wipe out ten of these guys without breaking a sweat.

Kawanishi said, "I haven't seen one, but I've heard enough stories. They're probably not all just made up."

"Demons that eat people? Pretty terrifying, just thinking about it."

The convoy moved steadily onward. Kawanishi and Inoshiku chatted more along the way, until a small roadside stand appeared up ahead.

A hunched old man in a worn-out coat sat there, surrounded by baskets of brightly colored fruit.

As they passed, the man croaked out, "Travelers… fancy some fruit?"

Inoshiku hesitated, then his eyes lit up.

"You're still here? I remember you! I passed this way years ago, and you were already here."

He turned to Kawanishi. "Yano's dad even bought some fruit from him—said it was the best he'd ever tasted. Pity what happened that night…"

Looking back at the old man, he said, "Your fruit still looks just as fresh. I didn't buy any last time. Let me get some apples and pears—I've always liked those."

It was winter now. Most fruits shouldn't be this vibrant. Yet this old man's fruit glowed with rich color, and even included some out-of-season varieties.

But despite the pleasing appearance… Kawanishi caught a faint scent of blood.

And the old man himself—his body reeked of chaotic, violent demonic energy.

This old man… no. This old thing is a demon. And you're not even hiding it. I can smell your disgusting, greedy aura from here.

A demon selling fruit? That's a new one.

And yet… the Demon Slayer swordsmen didn't react. They barely spared a glance.

It's almost midnight. And you don't even question why someone's selling fruit out here?

Pathetic.

No, not "pathetic." Kawanishi corrected himself.

You're so weak… it's painful to watch.

(End of Chapter)