The black-haired girl turned her gaze toward Tanjiro.
Her eyes, once innocent and naive, now shimmered with clarity and intelligence.
Slowly, she raised her hand and removed the bamboo muzzle covering her mouth.
A crisp voice echoed through the room, instantly invigorating everyone present.
Tanjiro, standing at the front, couldn't hide the joy spreading across his face.
Tears welled up in his eyes as he saw his sister speak again.
"Nezuko... It's been two years... You're finally—finally talking again!"
Rushing forward, Tanjiro embraced the last of his family, pulling her tightly into his arms.
"This is amazing... You're back... You can speak again..."
His voice trembled with emotion, choked with tears.
"I'm sorry, brother... for making you worry."
Nezuko returned the hug, her voice slightly slurred.
After not using her voice for two years, she'd nearly forgotten how to speak properly.
But still, she tried her best to express her feelings with words.
"These two years... you've worked so hard... Big Brother."
Tears touched the corners of Nezuko's eyes as she felt the warmth of her brother's arms.
Gently, she patted his back, comforting him.
"Sorry... for letting you endure so much... all on your own."
"You... remember everything?"
Tanjiro pulled back slightly, looking at her in surprise.
Nezuko nodded softly.
Her memories had returned, but her personality had never changed. She had always been herself—just lost in a daze these past two years.
"I remember everything you did for me."
A hint of guilt appeared on her delicate, beautiful face.
"What happened to Mother and our siblings... I'm sorry for making you bear all that pain alone. It must've been unbearable."
Tanjiro wiped his tears with his sleeve and shook his head.
"None of that matters. What matters is that you're back."
Both siblings were deeply emotional. Even though they had already cried once, the feelings came rushing back uncontrollably.
And both of them were gentle souls—each one trying to comfort the other, sharing the pain they'd endured.
Souta, sitting by the hot pot, watched the reunion with a thoughtful expression.
The hot pot somehow didn't taste as bad anymore.
His eyes, almost able to see through the soul, scanned the teary-eyed girl from head to toe.
Once he confirmed there was no longer any strange energy clinging to her consciousness, he finally relaxed.
At last, the curse of being a demon had been lifted from Nezuko.
She had retained the full strength of a demon, but now lived like a human.
It could be considered a complete evolution of her life form.
If Muzan ever found out, he'd probably go mad with jealousy.
Once the flood of reunion emotions had settled, the siblings stepped inside and joined the others around the pot.
Nezuko stepped forward and bowed respectfully to Urokodaki.
"Thank you, Master Urokodaki, for taking care of me and my brother these past two years."
Urokodaki said nothing, only nodded silently.
He wasn't great at expressing emotions.
Nezuko seemed to understand that and didn't mind the cold response. Her expression remained kind and full of gratitude.
"How do you feel now?" Urokodaki asked in a low voice.
"My mind is clear, and the blood urges are gone," Nezuko replied, clenching her small fist. "But... I still have the demon's power."
As she said that, her gaze turned toward Souta.
Not knowing how to address him, Nezuko lowered her head and said earnestly:
"Thank you for your blessing, Divine One."
"Just call me Souta," he replied casually. "As you can see, I don't really fit the image of a god. Being called that just feels awkward."
"I understand, Divine One."
Nezuko looked up, her face glowing with reverence.
Did she even hear him?
"My brother told me about your request. Don't worry, I'll give you the blood... but... what exactly is 'points'?"
Souta took out his system phone and waved it in front of her.
"Take yours out, check the announcements in the group chat. The system should've transmitted the usage instructions to you."
"Usage instructions..." Nezuko recalled something, her eyes lighting up. "So that's what it meant!"
She fumbled through her kimono, pulled out a phone, and tapped clumsily at the screen. It took a few tries, but she managed to open the announcement page.
Then she was absorbed in reading.
Souta was a bit surprised.
Was literacy this common in the Taisho era?
It seemed Nezuko struggled a bit with the content, so her reading was slow.
Just then, Tanjiro walked over and glanced at her, smiling with joy.
"I had Nezuko try reaching her hand into the sunlight earlier—nothing happened. She's really not afraid of the sun anymore."
Souta looked out at the sunlight beyond the door, a doubt forming in his mind.
Were demons really afraid of the sun?
If they could survive in shadows during the day, was it really the sun they feared?
"What's wrong?" Urokodaki noticed Souta's expression.
"Nothing, I was just wondering about this whole sunlight weakness."
He thought for a moment and asked:
"So... is it actual sunlight demons fear? Or just the conceptual idea of the sun as understood by humans?"
"The conceptual idea...?" Urokodaki frowned. "Isn't the sun just... the sun?"
"...Right. Your scientific understanding hasn't been updated yet," Souta sighed. "You know where moonlight comes from, right?"
"Of course," Tanjiro said. "The moon emits light, doesn't it? Don't tell me you didn't know that, Souta?"
Souta didn't argue. Instead, he muttered:
"You're in the Taisho era, and the fact that the moon doesn't emit light wasn't confirmed until the moon landing... no wonder."
He gave up trying to explain further.
What's the point of chasing an answer they wouldn't understand?
"Could it be... demons fear ultraviolet light?"
A theory sparked in his mind.
In some fantasy worlds, creatures like vampires weren't afraid of light, but specifically UV rays.
Otherwise, why could they move freely at night? What do you think moonlight reflects?
But UV levels at night are low and harmless.
Then again, Souta shook his head.
If hiding in the shadows could protect them, UV theory didn't hold up.
Even during the day, Tanjiro had carried Nezuko in broad daylight as long as she was shaded.
Which meant the danger came from direct sunlight—conceptual sunlight.
Just like Kiss-shot in Monogatari, demons feared the very idea of the sun.
The resemblance was uncanny—these demons were just like the vampires of that world: human-eating and sun-fearing.
But if that were true... why could Nichirin blades hurt them?
If it was just a conceptual fear, how did a physical weapon work?
"Must be some kind of mystical ore involved in the forging," Souta muttered.
"I figured it out!" Nezuko suddenly exclaimed, still holding her phone.
She leaned in excitedly.
"Divine One, I understand what you want—it's..."
But halfway through, her expression fell.
"I can't give you points right now... only my blood..."
"No rush," Souta said. "Once the system gives you tasks and you earn some points, you can pay me back then."
Bzz Bzz— Just as he finished speaking, his phone vibrated.