novelhk Chapter 106 Guarantee
Chapter 106 Guarantee
Sanemi Shinazugawa's words were like a boulder thrown into a calm lake.
All the pillars looked at him with disbelief, their eyes filled with astonishment and complex emotions.
No one expected that he would directly demand the punishment of Giyu Tomioka, who was also a Pillar.
At the center of this storm, Giyu Tomioka remained kneeling calmly, his head slightly lowered, making it impossible to discern what he was thinking.
He offered neither explanation nor anger, as if the person to be punished in Shinazugawa Sanemi's words was not himself, and a serene, detached quality surrounded him.
Just as everyone was lost in thought and had their own ideas, Midouzi suddenly raised her head, and her clear voice broke the deathly silence of the courtyard.
"It all started because of me, and I'm willing to bear all the punishment! But I beg you, my lord, to spare my brother and Mr. Yiyong!"
Her voice was unusually firm, and her eyes were full of determination.
She was willing to pay any price to protect her brother and Giyu Tomioka.
Upon hearing Nezuko's words, Shinazugawa Sanemi slowly turned his head, his icy gaze sweeping across her face like a sharp blade, his tone full of disdain and severity.
"You have no right to speak here! Furthermore, your brother is a demon, and the Demon Slayer Corps' ironclad rule for centuries is to slay all demons—that's already unforgivable! And Tomioka, who sheltered a demon, is even more guilty!"
"It's true my brother became a ghost, but he never hurt anyone or drank human blood!"
Not to be outdone, Mizuko met Shinazugawa Sanemi's gaze head-on.
"Mr. Yiyong originally intended to kill my brother, but I kept begging him, and he finally relented and spared him, which led to this situation! Therefore, I will bear the punishment for both my brother and Mr. Yiyong alone!"
After saying that, she turned to Kagaya Ubuyashiki again, lowered her head deeply, and said in an extremely firm tone.
"My lord, this whole affair started because of me. I will take full responsibility. Please do not punish my brother and Mr. Yiyong!"
As soon as Mi Douzi finished speaking, the courtyard fell silent once again.
A gentle breeze rustled through the greenery in the courtyard, making a soft sound that only amplified the stillness of the moment.
As the pillars looked at this petite yet exceptionally resilient girl, their opinions of her subtly changed.
I originally thought she was just a weak person protected by her brother, but I never expected that she would have such courage and be willing to bear all the blame alone in order to protect the people she cares about.
This pure and intense love and courage moved several of the pillars present.
A hint of approval flashed in Rengoku Kyojuro's eyes.
Love Pillar Mitsuri Kanroji's eyes reddened, and she covered her mouth tightly with both hands, her eyes filled with heartache.
Yanzhu Beiming Yuxingming clasped his hands together, chanting Buddhist mantras softly, his gaze towards Midouzi filled with compassion and admiration.
Even Sanemi Shinazugawa, who had always been hostile towards them, stared blankly at Nezuko kneeling on the ground. The anger and disdain on his face gradually faded, replaced by a complex and bewildered expression. For a moment, he didn't know what to say.
After a long while, Kagaya Ubuyashiki's gentle voice slowly broke the silence.
"I have two letters here. You can make a decision after you have heard them."
After saying this, he took out two neatly folded letters from his pocket and handed them to a handsome young servant beside him.
The young servant respectfully took the letter, unfolded it, and read it aloud in a clear and steady voice.
"This letter is a handwritten letter from the former Mr. Urokodaki Sakonji. Next, I will read out the key parts of it for everyone."
Everyone in the courtyard held their breath, their eyes fixed on the young servant, awaiting the contents of the letter.
Midouzi also raised her head, her eyes filled with anticipation and trepidation.
"My lord, I implore you to allow Nezuko to act alongside Tanjiro, who is a demon."
The young servant's voice echoed clearly in the courtyard.
"Tanjiro, with his strong self-control and unwavering willpower, retained his human reason and conscience even after becoming a demon. During his first mission with Nezuko, he and Nezuko together slew a demon that was threatening the area."
"Even when he was in a state of extreme hunger many times, he never drank human blood or harmed humans. He has maintained this state with me for a year now."
"Although this sounds unbelievable, it is an undeniable fact."
"If Tanjiro ever attacks any human in the future, then Kamado Nezuko, I, Urokodaki Sakonji, and Tomioka Giyu will all commit seppuku to atone for our sins!"
As the young servant's voice faded, the courtyard fell into a deathly silence once more.
Everyone was shocked by the contents of the letter, their faces filled with disbelief.
Mizuko turned her head to look at Giyu Tomioka, who remained calm as still water. Hot tears instantly welled up in her eyes, blurring her vision.
She never imagined that Mr. Urokodaki and Mr. Giyu would risk their lives to vouch for her brother.
This profound trust and affection filled her heart with gratitude, yet she didn't know how to express it.
Tanjiro, inside the wooden box, clearly heard every word in the letter.
He slowly withdrew his hand, which he had raised to push the wooden box away, and clenched it into a fist.
【Mr. Urokodaki, Mr. Giyu...you...】
His heart was filled with mixed feelings, and a thousand words were stuck in his throat, unable to be spoken.
Sanemi Shinazugawa clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles turned white from the force, and he said through gritted teeth.
"What kind of guarantee is seppuku! If you want to die, just die already! Gambling with your life proves absolutely nothing!"
"Shinzogawa is right, my lord!" Rengoku Kyojuro, the Flame Pillar, chimed in, his voice booming like a bell.
"Such a promise is too hasty and too risky! If Tanjiro really harms humans, it will be too late! Those innocent people he harms will never be able to be brought back to life!"
"That's right! That's absolutely true!"
Obanai Iguro, the Serpent Pillar, nodded and said in a cold tone.
"The nature of a demon is greed; no one can guarantee that it can forever suppress its craving for human blood. One mistake, and it's all over!"
Kagaya Ubuyashiki's smile remained gentle as he spoke slowly, his voice calm yet carrying an undeniable power.
"I understand your concerns."
As if encouraged, Shinazugawa Sanemi immediately looked at his lord and said eagerly.
"So, my lord, you want to..."
"However," Kagaya Ubuyashiki interrupted him, his tone still gentle, "we cannot guarantee whether Tanjiro will hurt anyone in the future, nor can we provide absolute proof."
He paused, his gaze slowly sweeping over everyone present, before continuing.
"But similarly, we can't prove that Tanjiro will definitely hurt someone, can we?"
Upon hearing this, Shinazugawa Sanemi clenched his teeth, a look of resentment on his face, but he was unable to refute it for the time being.
"In the past year or so, Tanjiro has never harmed a single human being; this is an established fact."
Kagaya Ubuyashiki's voice remained gentle, yet it possessed a power that penetrated the heart.
"Furthermore, Mr. Urokodaki Sakonji, Mr. Tomioka Giyuu, and Ms. Nezuko are all willing to vouch for him with their lives. To deny this fact and to deprive him of his right to live, even stronger evidence is needed!"
Upon hearing his lord's words, Shinazugawa Sanemi's chest heaved violently, clearly indicating that he was extremely agitated.
He was silent for a moment, then suddenly raised his head, a resolute glint in his eyes.
The next second, his figure darted out like a ghost, so fast that no one could react at all.
Midouzi was startled and instinctively tried to press down on the wooden box in front of her, but it was too late.
Sanemi Shinazugawa gripped the wooden crate's handle like an iron clamp, with such force that he almost crushed it.
Midouzi was thrown off balance by his powerful strength and nearly fell to the ground.
Sanemi Shinazugawa's voice carried a hint of resolve as he gripped the wooden box tightly and turned to look at his lord.
"I'll prove it!"