Chapter 69: Reversed |
'Could he be a Slayer?' Daki mused on her way to the bath. To her, almost every Demon Slayer was insignificant, save for the Hashira. Usually, she wouldn't even notice such insects, yet there was something peculiar about Tanjiro. Consequently...
'What a day, another catch!' Daki licked her lips hungrily.
Over the decades, she and her brother had killed a total of twenty-two Hashira; seven were her own kills, while her brother had claimed fifteen. Every few years, a Hashira would venture into the Red Light District to investigate, and eventually, each one became their prey.
Just the other day, Daki had caught a meddling rat who refused to talk even under torture, but she was prepared for anything.
Only...
Before the battle, she had to deal with that beautiful thing.
With those thoughts, Daki walked gracefully into the bath. In truth, her body differed so radically from a human's that it didn't require washing at all. For instance, she did not sweat, and her regeneration kept her skin pristine.
After lingering in the bath for appearances, Daki headed back to her room, intending to quickly finish off her delicious meal so he wouldn't distract her or cause unnecessary trouble later.
The Oiran hurried back to her quarters.
"Did the guest wish to take a bath as well?" Daki inquired.
"Um... what guest?" the maid stammered, staring at her in confusion.
"The one I told you to lead to the bedroom!" Daki exclaimed, throwing her hands up in bewilderment.
"But today... there was no guest," the maid replied, looking even more flustered.
"There wasn't?!" The Oiran stood frozen for a moment. Then, with a predatory snarl, she seized the maid by the neck, immediately suspecting her of lying. "Speak! Where did MY guest go?"
"No one came to see you today, I swear..." the girl gasped in terror.
Daki arched her brows in surprise, then scanned the faces of the other servants. She fell into a state of confusion at the sight of the frightened and genuinely bewildered expressions surrounding her.
"Is it possible... that none of you saw that silver-haired client either?" the Upper Rank Six suddenly barked.
The gathered servants exchanged equally puzzled and questioning glances. Judging by their reactions, she truly hadn't received any clients today.
It was one thing for one person to be mistaken, but for all of them at once!
Daki rushed back into the room where she had hosted the guest, only to find it spotless. The drinks, sweets, and snacks she had personally served had vanished without a trace. Even her traditional dance costume hung there, completely untouched.
What on earth was going on!
"Where is the manager?" Daki demanded, a chill running down her spine.
Soon, at her request, the manager arrived.
"What do you mean? You didn't have any clients today. Perhaps you've confused something?" the woman wondered, just as perplexed.
Confused something?
That was impossible...
Her memory couldn't have failed her!
It slowly began to dawn on Daki that aside from her, no one in the Kyogoku House remembered that man—not even the manager!
'Hmph, what could have happened...' she muttered uncertainly.
As far as she knew, the ability to alter memories did exist. However, the catch was that among all demons, only their progenitor was capable of such a feat.
Had Lord Muzan changed the memories of everyone in the Kyogoku House?
But that raised the question: why?
Or was this the work of the Demon Slayers?
With these thoughts, Daki looked out the window.
It was only just beginning to get dark...
No!
It couldn't be!
When she had entered the bath, it had definitely been dark outside!
"What time is it?" Daki's heart hammered against her ribs.
"It is half-past six, twilight is just falling," the nearest maid answered, checking the clock with a puzzled expression.
"And what is the date?" Daki asked, pausing to think.
"Lady Warabihime... it is the fifteenth," the servant replied, nervously covering her mouth with her hand. 'The Oiran is clearly not herself today!'
At that answer, Daki's already pale face turned several shades whiter.
How could it be the fifteenth?
Today was supposed to be the sixteenth!
No matter how surreal the situation seemed, she eventually had to accept the truth: time had reversed by a full day.
It wasn't just the world and the people around her. Even the person she had feasted upon yesterday was still tucked away inside her storage sashes!
Aside from her memories...
Absolutely everything had returned to a day prior!
While altering memories was one thing, turning back time was inconceivable.
Such a feat was beyond even Muzan!
"Brother... Brother!" Daki cried out in fear, racing onto the roof.
At her call, Gyutaro immediately emerged from his slumber.
"Ah, what happened?" he asked with concern, showing no hint of anger at having his sleep interrupted.
"Brother, don't tell me you haven't seen that man either..." Daki was still in a state of panic.
Despite his deep sleep, Gyutaro could see, hear, and feel everything his younger sister did, and could even control her body.
However...
"Huh? What man?" he asked, genuinely confused.
Her brother's answer was the final blow for Daki.
"What's going on?" Gyutaro frowned involuntarily as he saw the lost expression on his sister's face.
But Daki simply stood there in silence.
It was clear that neither the maids, nor the manager, nor even her older brother remembered anything about 'tomorrow'.
Only she retained her memories.
And what had happened was undoubtedly linked to that man.
Who exactly was he?
Throughout her long life, Daki had met many kinds of people, including Daimyo—the most powerful and high-born of mere mortals. She had met the Hashira of the Demon Slayer Corps, even stronger Upper Moons, and even the progenitor of demons, who was over a thousand years old.
Yet even among them, Yeruashi stood apart. And if she thought about it, perhaps his idle chatter held a much deeper meaning...