Chapter 214: Eating the Butterfly
In the room, Shinobu lifted herself from Marcus’s chest and looked at him.
"S-Since the first day we met?" Her voice trembled slightly. "You’d already made up your mind?"
"Mhm." Marcus nodded, wearing an expression that seemed entirely justified. "From the very first time I saw you, I knew I’d win you over."
"Bah!" Shinobu laughed mockingly. "Shameless."
"My first impression of you was terrible."
Marcus smiled. "I know. Otherwise, why would you have stabbed me in the ass?"
Shinobu blushed. "I just wanted to anesthetize you..."
Then she muttered, "Besides, you got plenty of payback..."
Suddenly, a thought struck her, and she eyed Marcus with suspicion.
"When you stopped me from injecting more wisteria poison into myself, were you already planning to turn me into a vampire?"
Marcus shook his head gently. "I’d thought about it, but that’s not the only reason I stopped you from taking the poison."
"I didn’t want you to trade your life for a demon’s."
"It’s not worth it."
"I couldn’t even last three minutes against Upper Rank Three, and I ended up like this..." Shinobu lowered her gaze. "What does it matter whether it’s worth it or not?"
"If you look at it that way, this battle can’t be fought at all." Marcus raised an eyebrow. "Aside from Gyōmei with his sheer strength, who else could withstand Douma’s ice?"
He gently took Shinobu’s hand.
"Besides, you have me."
Shinobu looked up and met his captivating gaze.
"Think about what would happen if you became a vampire."
"Your strength would be enough to decapitate a demon effortlessly."
"Your speed would reach a whole new level—so fast that Douma couldn’t keep up with you."
"Your body would regenerate endlessly and withstand his ice."
"Not only would you keep your Breathing Techniques, but you’d gain your own Blood Demon Art."
"When that time comes... do you think Douma would still be invincible to you?"
"I..." Shinobu hesitated.
"I know it’s hard for you to get past that hurdle." Marcus gently stroked her straight hair. "And you’re worried that your transformation would create an irreparable rift between the Corps and me."
"But do a quick calculation."
"A calculation?"
"Yes." Marcus nodded. "Something very simple."
"In your current state, how many demons could you kill?"
Shinobu stayed silent.
"And as a vampire... how many would you take down?"
Shinobu froze.
"And that’s not all." Marcus went on. "If a war between humans and vampires broke out in the future..."
"If you fought as a vampire, throwing yourself to the front lines without fear of death, how many of your comrades could you save?"
Marcus held Shinobu’s disoriented gaze steadily.
"Instead of refusing to grow stronger just to cling to the past... why not make an extra effort for those who are still alive?"
Shinobu had already considered these things before.
"But..."
"What will the Demon Slayer Corps think?" Marcus shook his head. "That’s no longer for you to worry about."
"It’s a calculation you can make, and one Kagaya can make too. And even if some of the Hashira don’t warm to the idea..."
"When they lay the pros and cons out on the table, they’ll have to swallow their objections and accept it—at least until Muzan is dead."
Marcus pointed to himself. "In a couple of days, I’ll go to headquarters in person to speak with Kagaya directly."
"As for your situation, I’ll find a way to convince him—and for any Hashira who object, I’ll give them a guarantee."
"What guarantee?"
"I’ll assure them that from now on I won’t turn any other Hashira on my own initiative."
Marcus winked at her. "Except for you and Mitsuri."
"Mi... Mitsuri?"
Shinobu’s eyes went wide as she watched Marcus put on an innocent face.
She stared at him fixedly for a long while...
Until, all of a sudden, she let out a resigned laugh.
"Trying to win me over in my room while thinking about another woman... you really are an expert at killing the mood."
"I’m being honest! Besides..."
Marcus smiled slyly. "The mood can be fixed in a second if you come a little closer."
"I’m not..."
Shinobu had barely opened her mouth to refuse when she saw a faint pink mist drift from Marcus’s lips.
Without a second thought, she covered her nose.
"Y-You... no cheating! I..."
Before she could finish the sentence, Marcus pulled her into his arms with a single tug.
Once, holding her breath would have been enough for Shinobu, but now it was the last thing she could do.
With her hands busy covering her nose, she had no time to put distance between them.
That masculine... and suffocating scent hit her full-on.
She inhaled deeply, unable to help herself.
"Ah...!"
A brief cry of surprise was muffled against Marcus’s chest.
Shinobu’s body tensed.
Alone in the room...
Dim light...
The atmosphere thick with tension...
Two people who already felt something for each other were now pressed tightly together.
The room fell so silent that all that could be heard was the pounding of their hearts.
Thump, Thump, Thump...
It was impossible to tell whose was whose.
"See..." Marcus’s voice came from above, full of amusement. "Didn’t the mood come right back?"
Shinobu’s small fist struck his chest.
Once.
"Shameless."
Twice.
"Opportunist."
Three times.
...
The blows grew softer and softer, slower and slower.
In the end, her hand came to rest weakly against his chest.
"I knew perfectly well that if you came at midnight..." Her voice was faint, like a murmur. "It was with bad intentions..."
Marcus lowered his gaze.
Shinobu didn’t look up.
She kept her face hidden against his chest, leaving only the curve of her neck and the tips of her ears exposed—both flushed red.
"Shinobu."
She didn’t answer.
He reached out to gently lift her chin, meeting those violet eyes that were growing more and more moist.
Without hesitation, he kissed her passionately.
"Mmh~..!"
In the dimness, the two silhouettes gradually began to intertwine, blending into the pink mist that drifted around them.
"S-Slowly..."
"Easy..."
Until the light went out.
In the darkness, merging into one...
At the same time, in the room next door—separated by nothing more than a thin partition—Kanao woke to the persistent creaking of the wood.
Rubbing her eyes, she sat up, still drowsy.
Following the source of the sound... she listened closely.
"???"
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