Chapter 273: The Eve

The night wind dragged dry leaves across the flagstones of the courtyard at Marcus’s residence in Asakusa.

The heavy front gate opened with a creak.

A small figure came shooting out from beneath the cherry tree, leaving a faint fragrance in its wake and slamming into Marcus’s chest.

"Mmph!"

Marcus took half a step back from the impact, but held the figure firmly.

The girl in his arms lifted her head, her eyes shining brightly as she rubbed her forehead against his chin.

"Marcus~! Where did you go?!"

Nezuko spoke fluently, throwing her arms around his neck and wrapping her legs around his waist, refusing to get down.

Marcus patted her on the back.

He hadn’t seen her in days.

Nezuko’s gaze drifted over Marcus’s shoulder to fix on what was behind him. A woman holding a biwa, her long black hair covering much of her face.

Nezuko tilted her head.

A stranger — and one that smelled of demon.

She tightened her arms warily, letting out a low growl.

"Don’t get nervous. She’s one of ours."

Marcus set Nezuko down and took her by the hand to head into the courtyard. The lights around the property were beginning to come on, and everyone was coming out of their rooms.

At the front came Hakuji, who had just gotten back from patrolling Yoshiwara. The instant his eyes landed on the woman trailing behind Marcus, he went completely rigid.

The flagstone beneath his feet cracked.

Gyutaro leapt down from the rooftop, dropping the little pebble he’d been toying with in his hand.

Daki, dressed in pink pajamas, stepped out of the doorway yawning.

"What’s all this racket in the middle of the night...?"

Before she could finish, she froze, her fingers trembling faintly.

The courtyard fell into absolute silence.

The three former Upper Ranks had the exact same reaction.

Nakime?!

That woman who always remained deep within Infinity Castle, obeying Muzan’s orders and his alone.

Why was she here?

And meekly following Marcus?

Hakuji’s Adam’s apple bobbed.

Had they captured Muzan’s most absolutely trusted subordinate alive?

That... that meant they’d wiped out Muzan’s lair.

Gyutaro swallowed hard and instinctively shielded his sister. Being able to tear Nakime away from Muzan inside Infinity Castle itself was completely beyond his comprehension.

Ume poked her head out from behind Gyutaro, eyeing Nakime with suspicion.

"Hey! Did you defect too? Are you trying to steal my man as well?!"

Marcus shot her a withering glare and gestured to Nakime.

"Let me introduce Nakime; from now on she’ll be my personal musician. Many of you already know her, and those who don’t have heard her name, so I won’t waste any more words."

Holding her biwa, Nakime inclined her head in greeting.

Toward her former colleagues she showed neither wariness nor enthusiasm.

That was how she was: a tool wholly at her master’s disposal, and tools have no feelings.

"Stop standing there dumbstruck — I’ve got one more surprise for you."

Marcus drew his Nichirin Blade. The blade hummed, and a thin mist began to spread from the edge, gathering in the air until it formed a small figure.

A girl wearing a fox mask landed.

"I almost suffocated in there!"

Makomo pulled off her mask, revealing a mischievous face as she waved to everyone.

"Hi, everyone!"

Off to the side, Tanjiro was stunned.

"M... Makomo-sensei?!"

Urokodaki, leaning on a cane after twisting his foot that morning, stepped out into the hallway.

Though the expression on his face couldn’t be seen beneath the mask, the cane was trembling violently.

"M... Makomo?!"

"Sensei!" Makomo ran and threw herself into his arms. "I’m back!"

Urokodaki stroked her hair.

She was warm...

She had substance.

She had returned...

She’d truly come back!

Tears slid down his mask, welling up beyond his control.

In a corner, Shinobu and Kanao watched the scene.

Shinobu’s usual smile showed a crack at the sight of the materialized spirit blade, her thoughts turning at once to Kanae.

Kanao clutched Shinobu’s sleeve to hold back a sob.

Noticing the chaos of the reunions, Marcus coughed to take back control.

"There’ll be plenty of time to catch up."

He walked over to the stone table. "For the next three days, all breaks are canceled. There are still hundreds of demons in Nakime’s Infinity Castle, and a dozen with Blood Demon Arts. You’ll go in by rotation to clear the place out completely. Think of it as a warm-up for the final battle."

"Final battle?" Ivy tilted her head.

Pearl elbowed her. "Muzan doesn’t have his refuge anymore — he’s bound to act like a cornered animal."

"Ohhh~~~ Pearl, you’re so smart~"

Pearl rolled her eyes at Ivy.

Gyutaro scratched his cheek helplessly. "Back to work again."

Hakuji drew himself up. "Rest easy, my lord; we’ll leave everything spotless."

"Perfect. You two, come here." Calling them over, Marcus tossed two cloth bundles onto the table. "New toys Kagaya sent over, made from Scarlet Crimson Iron Sand and Ore — the same material as the Nichirin blades."

The two of them opened the packages.

For Hakuji there was a pair of mesh gloves; the knuckles on the backs of the hands were covered in sharp spikes.

He tried them on and threw a punch that tore through the air.

"I’m not used to these."

"You’ll have to get used to them," Marcus said. "With these, you’ll be able to kill demons."

Hakuji nodded. Gyutaro picked up the other package.

They were two short scythes, jet black in color.

He gave them an easy spin through the air and let his blood rise up the handles, forming a layer of bloody veining to control them better.

"For these three days, I’ll be staying in Infinity Castle to teach you the Crimson Red Blade and the Transparent World, and to try to get you to awaken the Mark," Marcus announced.

Tamayo approached.

"Can we use them too?"

"If I can, then a vampire’s constitution doesn’t conflict with these abilities. Each of you has a different talent." Marcus wrapped an arm around her waist. "The Crimson Red Blade and the Mark will be tough for you, but the Transparent World is possible. And in Ume’s case, forget the Transparent World, but since she lives in a permanent frenzy, she might just awaken the Mark. It’s worth a shot."

Ume started hopping around in protest, drawing a laugh from Tamayo.

"I’ll do whatever you say."

"Very well." Marcus waved his hand to send them off and looked at Nakime. "I’m counting on your efforts."

She inclined her head.

"Serving you is my honor."

Three days flew by.

Nakime opened the doors of Infinity Castle each day to send the group off to fight. After hours of clamor, she’d pull them back out covered in blood but exhilarated.

The hundreds of demons served as a whetstone, and the castle was left completely clean.

In the middle of the night, on the outskirts and under the gaze of his whole exhausted family, Marcus sat.

Nakime knelt before him, head bowed, holding her instrument.

To say Marcus felt no nervousness would be a lie: the devouring would determine the course of the final battle.

For Nakime it was no easier.

Though she was weary of being reduced to a tool by her Blood Demon Art, that had been her existence for centuries. At the thought of losing it all... her breathing quickened, and she tightened her fingers on the biwa.

Marcus took Nakime’s trembling hands and drew them close to his lips.

"Are you ready?"

Nakime looked at him intently and, for the first time, nodded firmly.

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