Demon Slayer: Rise of the Third Brother-Chapter 118: The Flame Hashira’s Daily Dilemma

“Rengoku-san, are you sure it’s all right to keep eating like this?”
Yoriichi stared at the two towering stacks of ramen bowls and pressed down on the Flame Hashira’s hand as he tried to order more. Even through the mask, the seriousness in his tone was unmistakable.
“You’ve already had fourteen bowls.”
“A swordsman’s appetite is far greater than that!” Rengoku Shinjuro patted Yoriichi reassuringly.
“Waiter! Another bowl of miso ramen!”
Hiru looked at his own stack of three bowls, then at Yoriichi’s two. After a brief, suspicious silence, he muttered, “Sometimes it’s really hard to tell who’s actually the problem here…”
“You’re eating too much as well,”  Yoriichi said helplessly, giving Hiru a glance before turning back to Rengoku Shinjuro with clear concern.
“Are you truly all right?”
“I’m fine, I’m fine! I may be getting on in years, but twenty bowls is nothing!”  Rengoku Shinjuro laughed and patted Yoriichi’s back.
“If anything, it’s you two—Yoriichi and Hiru—who eat far too little! My Kyojuro eats more than both of you combined now! You’re still growing, you know! Eating so little won’t do. Eat freely—no need to hold back on my account!”
Yoriichi: …Even when I truly growing, I couldn’t eat that much.
Hiru: I think that Kyojuro is the abnormal one…
“Kyojuro?” Hiru bit down on his spoon. “Your son? How old is he?”
“Thirteen—he’ll be turning fourteen soon. I plan to send him to next year’s Swordsman Exam. When that time comes, I’ll be counting on you to look after him!”
“Please, spare me…” Hiru visibly deflated.
“At this rate, I’m going to hunt demons until I become socially withdrawn.”
“That won’t do! After all, you’re someone personally permitted by Oyakata-sama, hahahaha!” Rengoku Shinjuro laughed heartily, then his expression softened.
“Still, I’m truly glad you two were able to recover from your grief so quickly. If I were in your position, I would have already collapsed and given up on myself.”
Hiru took another spoonful of the red bean mochi soup and said nothing.
After all, the only reason he had been able to recover so quickly was because he had sealed his emotions with Blood Demon Art. Otherwise, he would have been downcast for at least a month or two.
【Blood Demon Arts really are convenient.】
“Speaking of which,” Rengoku continued, “I still need to thank you for what happened with Aoba.”
Hiru looked up.
“Thank me for what?”
“When I retreated two days ago, I found him at the foot of the mountain. His injuries were severe, but the bleeding had been stopped in time, and some other medication had been used to stabilize him—that’s how he survived.”
“I asked the Kakushi about those medicines, but none of them had ever seen anything like them. And the only person who had contact with Aoba was you.”
Rengoku lowered his head.
“I’m truly grateful.”
“No need,” Hiru said, waving it off.  “If he hadn’t held on with sheer willpower long enough to get away from the battlefield, even the best medicine wouldn’t have saved him. He survived because his luck was good.”
As he spoke, Hiru stacked his fourth empty bowl and began studying the menu again.
“Waiter, one more serving of bracken cake. Extra brown sugar, please.”
“Hahaha, it seems Hiru really does have a fondness for sweets.”
Rengoku chuckled, but his expression soon turned serious.
“To be honest, I’d like to make a rather shameless request of you.”
“Hm? What is it?”
“I was wondering whether the medicine you used on Aoba that day could be promoted for use within the Demon Slayer Corps?”
Hiru glanced at the waiter setting down the dessert.
“That would be best avoided. To some extent, they’re all poisons. If the dosage is wrong or the properties conflict, people will die.”
Rengoku froze for a moment.
“Poisons?”
“Yes. The hemostatic powder can only be used externally. If even a tiny amount is ingested, it causes the blood inside the body to gelatinize. Moreover, if it’s stored together with wisteria for more than three days, it reacts and produces a toxic gas that weakens the heart and lungs.”
Hiru took his bracken cake and pierced a piece with a bamboo skewer.
“As for the painkiller, that one’s comparatively mild. It has stimulating effects, clears the head, reduces swelling, and relieves pain, and it can be used long-term—but only by inhalation. Ingesting it or applying it externally will result in immediate death. Its shelf life is only half a month. I usually use it as incense.”
Rengoku’s expression went completely blank.
“…You carry so many poisons on you—aren’t you afraid of mixing them up?”
“It’s fine,” Hiru shrugged, lifting a piece of bracken cake drenched in brown sugar and offering it to Yoriichi.
“I have a special constitution.”
Yoriichi shook his head in refusal. He truly couldn’t eat another bite.
Hiru simply turned his wrist and popped the cake into his own mouth.
“Besides, I don’t use those medicines in everyday life—only when fighting demons. When treating others, there are only a few that are applicable.”
“I see…”
Rengoku slurped down some noodles to steady himself, then looked back at Yoriichi.
“By the way, Yoriichi, are you from a family of physicians?”
Yoriichi shook his head.
“No. Strictly speaking, we’re a samurai family.”
“Then that’s similar to the Rengoku family… But then how did Hiru… ah…”
Rengoku stopped slurping his noodles entirely.
“How did he learn all of this?”
“…Strictly speaking, it was all researched by Hiru himself. Neither my brother nor I have any aptitude in this field.”
“…That’s truly impressive.”
Yoriichi nodded earnestly.
“I’m also amazed by Hiru’s talent.”
…
After returning to the Wisteria House, Rengoku received a letter delivered by a Kasugai Crow.
【To Flame Hashira Rengoku Shinjuro
Thank you for your concern. My health is not seriously affected.
Please do not blame yourself for the Wind Hashira’s severe injuries. This was not your responsibility; rather, it is I who must bear it. Please have the Kakushi re-confirm his physical condition. In the coming days, I will visit him together with former Stone Hashira Mikazuki Reima to oversee his recuperation.
Regarding the matter of the Sun Hashira and the Human Hashira brothers, I have heard some details from the former Water Hashira and the current Stone Hashira. However, without their consent, I cannot disclose more here. As for the matter of the Demon Eater, I ask that it remain confidential for now, to be discussed at the next Hashira Meeting.
I will also coordinate with the other Hashira as soon as possible regarding jurisdictional management. However, I ask that you temporarily continue handling the battlefield investigation. Should an Upper Moon reappear nearby, only a Hashira would be capable of confronting it. Leaving such a task to the Kakushi would be far too irresponsible. I sincerely ask for your agreement.
Additionally, please inform the Sun Hashira and the Human Hashira to remain here until my arrival.
My deepest gratitude.
Ubuyashiki Kagaya】
“Hmm… so they informed Oyakata-sama long ago, did they?”
Rengoku stroked his chin and let out a sigh.
“This life of constant toil really doesn’t give me any room to rest… I just hope Ruka won’t blame me when she receives the Kasugai Crow’s notice.”
He stared at the letter for a while, then stepped outside to inform Yoriichi and Hiru that they would need to remain for the time being.
After returning, he paced around the room twice, visibly restless, before finally sitting down at the desk.
“No, this won’t do. Including this time, I’ve already broken three promises. I need to write Ruka a letter myself and explain…”
“Ruka, respectfully—no, that’s too formal. Change it, change it…
To Ruka—too stiff, that won’t work either…
Dear Ruka—would that be too embarrassing?”
“Honestly… after missing appointments so many times in a row, how am I even supposed to face Ruka?”
Today as well, the Flame Hashira finds himself endlessly torn between duty and family.