46 The Real Upper Moon?

"Kanata-sama here's your tea," The woman in front of Kanae offered her a cup of tea after refilling it.

She was a young beautiful woman about the same age as Kanae with soft features and black hair tied date-Hyogo Nihongami style that was used by Oirans.

"Ah, Thanks Koinatsu-san," Kanae took the tea cup from her as Koinatsu sat down close to her.

"There is no need to be so polite, then shall we continue our talk from before?" Koinatsu spoke softly.

"Oh, about the flower arrangement," Kanae and Koinatsu were talking about the flowers that were arranged in some vase placed on one side of the room.

"I really like the combination of Hydrangeas, irises, peonies, and bamboo leaves, it really matches the season," Kanae said while looking at the vase, the tea was also great.

"I am glad you liked it Kanata-sama, if I had some time I would've arranged some to suit to your taste," Koinatsu said as Kanae was suddenly brought in by the owner, the client she was supposed to see today did not come or more like he couldn't.

"No, I don't really mind, They are very beautiful and calming, Also did something happen to the client you were supposed to be seeing?" Kanae asked and Koinatsu nodded.

"I was supposed to see a high-ranking official today, but his health deteriorated due to untreated syphilis," Koinatsu continued as she shook her head "I heard he even used his power to search for the prostitutes he had slept with and he killed the ones who had any signs of it."

"Isn't that too cruel? Didn't the houses the women were from say anything," Kanae was shocked, was this how people were supposed to be treated?

"You are too kind Kanata-sama, In this place, our lives are turned into pieces of metal the moment we are brought here, Most of the women in Yoshiwara don't even make it till their thirties and die a lonely death in kirimise (Cheap brothels)," Koinatsu shook her head as Kanae was silent "The only grave they have is the giant hole in the Asakusa temple where their corpses are turned into ashes."

Kanae didn't know what to say, she could feel how sad Koinatsu was when she talked about this. Though the main reason for her sadness was something else…

"Ah, I am sorry, I brought the atmosphere down," Koinatsu realized the blunder she had made and apologized for it.

"Don't worry about it," Kanae waved her hand, she could understand where Koinatsu was coming from.

"I don't know why but with Kanata-sama I feel at ease somehow, that is why I ended up speaking so much," Koinatsu sighed, she was supposed to be an oiran that entertains her clients with her skills and keep the atmosphere good so they can relax and unwind.

But she ended up making the atmosphere dark due to her blabbering.

It was mostly because Kanae had the kind of atmosphere that could make people relax around her, even if she is currently dressed up like a man it wasn't hidden.

"It's alright, I don't really mind what you said, It is the truth after all," Kanae shook her head as Koinatsu sighed trying to gather her composure back.

But just as Koinatsu was about to speak a sound came crashing in through the windows.

BOOOOM*

It wasn't that loud since the source seemed a bit far away, but it definitely a sound that would attract one's attention.

"What was that?" Koinatsu was startled but as she looked over at Kanae.

'That was the signal,' Kanae was already on her feet as she recognized the sound, Yuu had encountered the Demon, seeing that she had to leave Kanae looked at Koinatsu and spoke.

"Koinatsu-san, I nee-" but she was stopped mid-sentence as Koinatsu shook her head.

"You don't need to tell me about it, I could feel like Kanata-sama wanted to go somewhere for a while now," Koinatsu looked at Kanae with her clear bronze eyes and smiled "Please do not mind me, and be where you need to be."

"Thank you," Kanae ran towards the window and was about to jump out but turned around and looked at Koinatsu.

"Koinatsu-san," She looked at Kanae who continued "It may not be worth much coming from me, but if you keep going forward, I know for sure that one day you'll find someone who will see you as a person rather than a bag of coins, so don't lose hope."

Kanae jumped out of the window after saying that and ran in the direction from where the sound came.

'…She is a very kind person,' Koinatsu thought looking at Kanae back as a big commotion broke out in Yoshiwara after that sound was heard.

The door to Koinatsu's room was opened in a hurry and one of her Kamuro (Apprentice/Attendant) came in sweating bullets.

"What happened?" Koinatsu asked trying to calm down the young girl.

"Koinatsu-san something really big happened!!" The girl was so flustered that she didn't even notice Kanae who was supposed to be in this room was missing.

'What happened?' Koinatsu wondered as she could hear the shouts of people from the alleys beyond her room's windows.

She didn't know what it was but she felt like she knew it had something to do with Kanae.

'Please be safe,' Koinatsu prayed in her heart with a bamboo leaf in her hand, she wanted to give it to kanae but she had already left quickly.

(A/N: Bamboo leaves are associated with Good luck and prosperity, that is the she wanted to give one to Kanae before she headed out to do something that seemed important,)

***

"Tachibana-sama, are you alright?" Kanae who had gotten her katana and taken off the clothes she was wearing before came to find Yuu standing in the middle of the road in her demon slayer uniform, she was ready for joining the battle.

"I am fine aside from some pain in my ears," Yuu turned around and spoke in his usual tone.

'Is that?' Kanae was wide eyes looking at the body in front of Yuu, and the head which wasn't that far away from the body was glaring at Yuu.

"What do you mean your ears are hurt? Don't get too cocky just because you got the best of me once!!" Daki shouted and Yuu covered his ears. He really didn't like her voice and that was pissing her off even more.

"Tachibana-sama did you defeat the Upper Moon on your own?" Kanae was shaken as she saw the marking on Daki's eyes, if it was true then it would be unbelievable.

But that wasn't what Kanae was thinking.

'The demon was really here, Tachibana-sama didn't lie!!' Kanae was happy to know that now Yuu won't be looked down upon in the corps, even by the pillars.

"That isn't the upper moon," But Kanae was confused when she heard, she looked again and she still saw the number written there.

She really believed Daki was the upper moon, but it wasn't because of the number rather she believed in the person who cut off Daki's head.

"I am," Daki shouted.

"She isn't," Yuu said and Kanae nodded.

"So she isn't," Kanae believed Yuu even though she was confused.

"I told you I am, I am awesome upper rank, I killed seven pillars, don't you underestimate me," Daki cried out at the top of her lungs as Kanae was stunned for a second.

'Wait ...the numbers don't add up,' Kanae's eyes widened as she looked at Daki.

"No you're not an upper rank," Yuu said as Daki became more furious by the second, and then she screamed at the top of her lungs.

"Onii-chan!!!!!!" As Daki's head screamed as something appeared from her back.

Kanae's body tensed up as she felt insects crawling on her skin.

The body twisted in a weird way coming out and in a blink of an eye, half a body of a skinny man could be seen standing above Daki's headless body.

'I have to slay that demon,' Kanae's eyes caught the numbers written on this skinny man's eyes.

'Upper Moon Six' Unlike Daki, he was the real deal.

Kanae drew her katana and dashed forward at her top speed, her swing curved and twisted as it found its way to the Demon's neck.

SWOOSH*

Kanae's blade passed through the air as she looked back and Daki was taken away from her place and was…

"You can't even reattach your head yourself? What am I going to do with you," A lanky and emaciated figure covered in blemished, grayish skin. He was squatting in front of Daki helping her by placing her severed head back on her neck.

"Gyutaro that bastard cut off my head and even called me ugly, I want him dead, Kill him," Daki immediately went off pointing at Yuu as her brother who was Gyutaro stood up and looked at Yuu with his red eyes.

"You can't do that, My sister only has her face going for her and you even deny that?" Gyutaro shook his head, He was about to say more but Kanae attacked once again aiming at his neck.

Gyutaro looked at her through the black hair cascading down on his red eyes, a long and serrated blade came out from both his hands as he got ready to attack.

One of Gyutaro's sickles met Kanae's katana as his second was headed for her head. Seeing this Kanae quickly tried to block the attack.

Everything happened in a moment as they passed by each other with a spurt of blood.

...

Yo, how's life?