Chapter thirteen:

"Is she a princess or secretly a bear?"

Another month had gone by, making it three months and a half in which you had been training under Muichiro. With inmense dedication and effort, you had learned to control your drooling every time you had to wake him up in the morning

—because God knows he looks so cute when he's just waking up—.

Out of the six forms of mist breathing, you had learned how to perform three of them; the first, second and fourth, since it was impossible for you to do the third one without getting dizzy or hitting your head with a tree. Muichiro had mentally face-palmed so many times that week that his blank expression had a hint of disappointment. Luckily, he was flexible enough to let you continue without that one.

Currently, it was your first day off in all the time you'd been there. A day off without being incredibly ill or with the sky begging to fall onto earth.

There was just a big problem that you were tearing your hair out due to the frustration it gave you: you had no idea what to do.

Your only hobby was reading, because that was the sole thing you were allowed to do. However, the mist estate had no library nor books to speak of.

Muichiro was sound asleep. The day before he had returned from a long mission and he was probably tired after that.

You were strongly considering practicing your failed third form despite your muscles aching, when a knock on the wooden door started you.

"Eek!" you cried, taking fast steps backwards until your back hit a wall.

Don't tell me it's a bear knocking on the door again!

Not when Tokito-sama is sleeping!

Readying your training sword, tears pilled on your eyes, legs trembling like a baby deer, you took one step at a time closer to the sound.

There was the possibility of Shinobu being the one behind the door, but you wouldn't take your chances and open the door without protection.

Your hand made contact with the doorknob. Carefully, you turned it, creaking the door open.

"AHHHH!" you screamed with your eyes closed, putting all your strength in your weapon and swinging it down.

Despite your incredible strength, the sword was caught midway through.

Tentatively, you opened an eye. Your muscles relaxed when you saw a single fair-skinned hand halting the sword. In complete shock, you stared at the incredibly beautiful person who had miraculously caught it.

You retrieved your sword quickly, eyes not leaving her face, cheeks turning a bright pink that matched hers.

Long pink to green hair tied into three braids, large eyelashes that made her round light green eyes seem like those of a fairy's, two small moles beneath them, not to mention her curvy body, and the icing on the cake was that sugary smile.

Is she... Is this person a princess?

You kept staring at her in awe. For several minutes.

She didn't speak, observing you as much as you did at her. Her thoughts were between 'Oh my God how can this girl be so lovely?' and 'In what kind of bakery do they serve cupcakes like her?', her cheeks burning harder every second that passed. She then proceeded to think of the fact that you were a girl, around the mist pillar's age, and seemed to be living in the same house as him. She couldn't help but squeal while hearts were dancing all over her.

You squinted your eyes at her when you were done admiring the piece of fine art she was.

No, not just 'a piece of art', she's the entire freaking museum!

But what is a person like this doing here?

You cleared your throat, nervousness climbing onto you as you were about to speak.

"M-my apologies... I, umm, I thought you were a bear"

Scratching the back of your neck, you avoided looking at her. She did the same, fixing on one point of the floor, her half-closed hand covering her lips.

Now that I think about it, she caught my sword! She must have the strength of twenty men if she's able to do that! Or more, maybe? She only used one hand.

Is she some kind of yokai...?

Just in case, discreetly, you took a step back. She noticed though, but found your actions super adorable anyway. Both her hands joined behind her back, she wanted to give a more open approach since she figured you had a shy persona.

"It's okay! I'm Mitsuri Kanroji, and you are?"

You gripped the handle tight behind your back, a little nervous and suspicious of talking to her. Peeking with the corner of your eye, you noticed that she did have the uniform of the Demon Slayer Corps, a revealing version of it, but it was clearly the girl's uniform, forcing your suspicious to die down.

"I-I'm... I'm [Y/N]" you cursed yourself mentally for stuttering. After all, you were opening up to both Shinobu and Muichiro, so you usually didn't stutter as much as you used to, but with strangers like her it was a whole different story.

Mitsuri now had sparkles shining all over her along with the tiny pink hearts, she found your voice so melodious that she just wanted to hug you. Don't blame her, she has a huge soft spot for cute people, and she saw you as one.

"I came to see Muichiro-kun, is he here?"

You gasped.

Please don't tell me she's Tokito-sama's girlfriend! I can't beat that beauty!

Your shoulders dropped, your eyes closed as you tasted the salty flavor of utter defeat. And then, Mitsuri giggled.

"I'm here because he asked me to help him with something"

Your head lifted, too quickly and excited to think your words through.

"D-Does that mean that... that you're not his girlfriend?"

"..."

Mitsuri's smile grew wider. She was several years older than Muichiro, and that would've been obvious for anyone who took a good look at them together, but you weren't thinking logically about anything related to your master.

A master and his dear student... it sounded like such a dramatically beautiful love story inside Mitsuri's head that her heart started beating faster.

"Don't worry, he's all yours if that's what you're asking!" she exclaimed, entering the house and closing the door behind her.