Leni

🌸🩸 Leni — The Flower That Shouldn't Have Bloomed

Name: Leni Kanji: レニ (approximate transcription) Age: 18 years Height: 1.58 m Weight: 68 kg Birthday: May 26 Blood type: O− Affiliation: Demon Slayer Corps Current Rank: Demon Hunter (later Hashira of the Flower) (under Tamayo's supervision; approved by Kagaya)

Primary breathing style: 🌸 Cherry Blossom Breath

Secondary breathing / inherited technique: 🌸 Flower Breathing

Demonic Blood Techniques: Developed spontaneously over the years

Hunter's Mark: Doesn't wake up (for now)

Signature scent: Changing — mint, cinnamon, damp oak, fresh rain, and cherry blossom

Race: Hybrid (Human with demonic blood) Affiliation: Demon Slayer Corps Primary breathing style: Cherry Blossom Breath Kekkijutsu (Demon Blood Techniques): Developed spontaneously over the years

Type: Flexible katana (in the style of Mitsuri Kanroji) with internal whip core.

Edge: Bright lilac.

Guard: Round (like Kanao's) golden; inside there is a flower with 8 separate petals (inspired by Mitsuri's).

Mango: Dark lilac with light blue threads inside.

Final embellishment: Small 4-link chain with a 2D flower at the end 🌸.

It's like Mitsuri's, with a loose blade and a lilac-colored edge. The guard is round, like Kanao's, and made of gold. But inside, it's shaped like a flower, just like Mitsuri's, only with eight separate petals instead of one joined together.

Hence the handle is a dark lilac, and the threads inside are light blue, and finally at the bottom of the handle, there is a small chain, it will only be 4 chains, and at the end of the chain there is a 2D flower

(7 total positions, canon + fanon)

No. Name Brief Description

Ichi (1) Wisteria Pruning Slash (fanon) Curved horizontal cut (rapid decapitation) Ni (2) Honorable Shadow Plum Multiple Spinning Cuts (Defense and Counterattack) San (3) Tsubaki Maelstrom (fanon) Swift and elegant diagonal cut Shi (4) Crimson Hanagoromo Unique curved and elegant cut Go (5) Peonies of Futility Nine linked fluid cuts Roku (6) Spinning Peach Evasive spin followed by attack Tsui (Final) Scarlet Spider Lily Eyes Temporary hypervision; may cause blindness

Ichi (1) Wisteria Pruning Slash (fanon) Curved horizontal cut (rapid decapitation) Ni (2) Honorable Shadow Plum Multiple Spinning Cut (Defensive/Offensive) San (3) Tsubaki Maelstrom (fanon) Swift and elegant diagonal cut Shi (4) Crimson Hanagoromo Unique curved and elegant cut Go (5) Peonies of Futility Nine fluid cuts in sequence Roku (6) Spinning Peach Evasive spin followed by attack Tsui (Final) Scarlet Spider Lily Eyes Sharpens vision to see in slow motion

Non-lethal evasive technique.

Releases lily perfume with a gentle paralyzing effect.

Type: Non-lethal/evasive technique Breathing: Flower (although connected with emotional and olfactory control, almost like an echo of that of Love or Cherry) Description: The user unleashes a spiraling motion with her supple katana, tracing a figure in the air resembling the petals of a blooming lily. The movement stirs the perfume she carries—derived from a special lily essence—which has mildly soporific or temporarily paralyzing properties.

The scent only takes effect if the opponent breathes, and it intensifies if there are open wounds or exhaustion.

“Those who breathe the perfume of the lily will remember the softness of sleep... and forget the edge that touched them.”

It can lull enemies to sleep or induce nostalgic memories.

Inspiration: feminine softness and the echo of the flower.

Title 'Yuri no Yume':

「百合」 (Yuri) = Lily

「夢」 (Yume) = Dream

Furthermore, "Yuri" also evokes the feminine, soft, subtle... a perfect double meaning!

Strategy:

It is used when the user is injured or wishes to avoid combat.

It leaves no lasting effects on the demon if it is left in time.

Some demons are left with a feeling of nostalgia or peace, as if they had smelled something lost long ago.

If the technique is used furiously, it can cause fainting (this rarely happens).

A stance that Kanao never developed or mastered Cherry tree breath:

First Form — Tearing Petals (Chigiri no Hanabira)

Use natural leaves from the surroundings as pink blades.

Ideal for ambushes and slowing down demonic regeneration.

Second Form — Tentative Smell (Izuwari no Kaori)

Olfactory/visual illusion. Adopts the posture of a sakura tree.

Changing scent disorients the enemy.

He attracts him irresistibly before beheading him.

Last Form — Death Nemoto Kara (Death from the Root)

final symbolic and ruthless form.

A series of cuts that progressively dismember.

It ends with reverence; the remains fall, forming an ephemeral "sakura tree".

🌸 Symbolism: ephemeral beauty turned into a weapon. What fascinates… also destroys.

No. Name Description

1 Explosive Blood (Bakuketsu) Pink explosions with a sakura scent; enhances allied attacks. 2 Lightning Damage (Raigeki Shō) Paralyzing electrified cuts; danger of internal overload if abused. 3 Healing and Healing (Yuketsu) Regenerates wounds of humans/allies; not used on demons. 4 Terrain Tracking (Tanchi no Chi) Blood drops on leaves/ground → 40m silent radar. 5 Discursive Scratches (Gozume) Blood-soaked nails that disorient according to scratch pattern (balance, reflexes or emotions).

Elegant, tactical, and illusory movements.

Use aromas, natural surroundings, and visual dance to psychologically dominate.

He doesn't kill for pleasure, but he is ruthless if necessary.

Avoid using your cherry blossom breath at full speed... except in final battles.

She lived with her parents and grandmother, surrounded by nature and cherry blossoms. Her childhood was serene… until it wasn't. One night, her parents didn't return from the market. It was said they were attacked by demons, but no one found their bodies. Leni, still very young, was left in the care of her grandmother. It was then that the unthinkable happened. Muzan appeared by mistake, killed his grandmother, and gave her a drop of his blood as an experiment.

Muzan Kibutsuji, searching for a demon who had betrayed him, followed a lead to Leni's house. But he was mistaken. Finding nothing but an old woman and a human girl, he assumed it was a trap. He killed the grandmother in a heartbeat and regarded Leni with indifference. But something… stopped him. Compassion? Scientific curiosity? No. He just wanted to try it. He offered her a drop of his blood. A tiny bit. Just to see what would happen. "If you survive, perhaps we'll meet again." And he disappeared, leaving her amidst tears, her grandmother's blood, and an unbearable burning inside. She survived… without becoming a complete demon or remaining human. She wandered alone through the forests, feeding on animals, avoiding humans. Villagers gave him scraps without knowing his true nature. She became a legend: "The girl under the cherry trees who appears when you need her most." Against all odds, Leni survived. She didn't become a demon. Nor did she remain completely human. His body rejected total corruption, but assimilated some of Muzan's blood, developing unique abilities. The cursed flower had bloomed. She was found by hunters days later, on the verge of death, but still conscious. At first they thought of killing her, until Tamayo, having learned of her existence, convinced the Water Pillar to let her live under surveillance. Years later, Leni learned to use a katana and honed her floral and sensory abilities. She adopted various breathing techniques, with Cherry Blossom breathing being the closest to her soul: a blend of beauty and pain.

One day, while peacefully eating a mango in the forest 🍋, Mitsuri found her. Leni, fearful, confessed that she did not eat humans. Mitsuri, with her immense heart, did not attack her — she hugged her. He cleaned her up, listened to her, and gave her a place in the world. Thus began Leni's journey as a hybrid hunter under surveillance, but with hope 🌸

Soft, polite voice, nostalgic gaze.

She loves nature, aromas, and small human gestures.

Cold and lethal in combat, sweet and empathetic outside of it.

She hates being called a "demon," but she has learned to use it tactically.

She saved herself, and that makes her strong.

Leni is characterized by her serene kindness and a constant smile that conveys peace, similar to Shinobu's. Although she is open with the other demon slayers, she hides deep fears and insecurities about her past and about herself. She doesn't judge people easily, which has allowed her to connect with figures like Giyu, Mitsuri, and even some blacksmiths.

Brief history: Orphaned at a young age, Leni was adopted by Mitsuri Kanroji, who provided her with affection and training. Thanks to her discipline, she developed her own style—Cherry Blossom Breathing—and became one of the most versatile Demon Slayers. Her ten-year tenure earned her a special status within the Corps, and she was recognized for her strength and steadfastness even before Tanjiro's arrival. She is usually gentle, polite, and has a calm voice… but in combat, she changes to a devastating coldness. She has a deep appreciation for life, but she is aware that she is not fully alive. She loves aromas, seasons, and human gestures. He hates being reminded that he has demon blood, though he sometimes uses it to his advantage with cruel elegance.

🌸 Flower Breathing (main)

🌸🌿 Cherry Blossom Breathing (developed by her, very limited use and reserved for emergencies)

Weapon: Double-edged Nichirin blade with floral engravings and gold and silver metallic details.

🌸 Mitsuri Kanroji: maternal figure and older sister.

🐍 Iguro Obanai: complex bond, a mixture of deep trust and confusing feelings.

🦋 Shinobu Kocho: scientific ally; Leni tests poisons alongside her.

💥 Uzui Tengen: friendly relationship; gets along well with his wives.

🔥 Rengoku Kyojuro: mutual respect and camaraderie.

⚒ Haganezuka Hotaru: developing relationship with romantic undertones.

🌿 Tanjiro, Nezuko, Zenitsu and Inosuke: growing friendship after meeting them at the Butterfly Estate.

🍃 He loves going to the forest in his free time and, if he's lucky, he returns to the farm with one or more rabbits to take care of temporarily.

Tearing Petals (Chigiri no Hanabira, 千切りの花びら)

Overview: A technique executed in wooded environments, where the swordswoman transforms the battlefield into her ally. As she wields her katana, the leaves of nearby trees are drawn to the energy of her blade and, upon contact, become razor-sharp blades tinged with a luminous pink. These blades spin and hurl themselves violently toward the enemy, resembling a dance of cherry blossoms... until they embed themselves like sharp crystals in the demon's body.

Visual effect: A storm of pink petals, as if the spring wind had turned furious and sharp. Each leaf vibrates with energy, spinning with force and precision while the katana's pink gleam acts as a guiding light.

Strategy:

Ideal for ambushes or surprise attacks in natural environments. It hinders demonic regeneration, as the "petals" remain temporarily embedded like fragments of glass, slowing down the process. It can also be used as a deterrent technique or to buy time if the user needs to escape or reposition herself.

Symbolic inspiration: The cherry tree represents ephemeral beauty, but in this technique, that beauty becomes refined cruelty. Softness becomes sharp. The landscape blossoms... and kills.

Tentative Smell (Izuwari no Kaori, 誘割の香り)

Overview: A technique of illusion and sensory control. The swordswoman adopts an elegant, static stance, mimicking the shape of a sakura tree: one hand on her chest (the trunk) and the other extended to the left as if it were a branch. At that moment, her presence distorts, and the illusion of a blossoming cherry tree takes shape before the enemy.

Olfactory and visual effect: An ethereal aroma begins to spread from his body, its fragrance constantly shifting: sometimes it's like rain with mint, then cinnamon and roses, and at other times oak with fresh flowers. The demon's brain can't process it properly, causing a reaction similar to a trance or intoxication. Tactical consequences: The enemy is irresistibly drawn to her, almost as if seeking comfort, warmth, or beauty. This attraction is both olfactory and visual, as the user's figure blends into the landscape, and in many cases the enemy believes they are seeing a real tree. When the demon is close enough, the swordswoman breaks the pose with lethal speed, drawing her katana and decapitating him in a single motion. Symbolic inspiration: The beauty of the cherry blossom is irresistible but fleeting. Here, it becomes a deadly offering disguised as perfume and tranquility. That which fascinates also destroys. Death arrives gently... and without the enemy noticing.

Death Nemoto Kara (死・根元から, "Death From the Root")

Overview: A final technique, ruthless and symbolically beautiful. This form is reserved only for enemies who represent a great danger or a personal trauma. The swordswoman approaches slowly, in complete silence, as if she were part of the forest itself, while her katana (ideally a whip-like blade) dances with accumulated tension.

Execution:

Upon getting close enough, it unleashes a series of swift cuts, aimed at dismembering the enemy limb by limb. Unlike other methods, it does not seek immediate death, but the strategic breakdown of the opponent. The movements are choreographed with almost artistic precision, resembling a dance more than a performance.

Poetic ending:

When the body has been reduced to multiple pieces, the swordswoman performs one last pose: a short bow, as the remains begin to slowly fall to the ground. Each fragment of the demon falls into a specific position, forming the silhouette of a small sakura tree. As the remains disappear with the light of dawn or through demonic decomposition, the scene becomes an ephemeral garden of pink petals floating in the air.

Symbolic inspiration: Just as the sakura blossoms in spring only to die beautifully within days, this technique transforms death into a dance of honor and sorrow. "I cut it down to the root, so you won't bloom again."

1. Explosive Blood (爆血, Bakuketsu)

A technique that shares similarities with Nezuko's. Her blood burns on contact, generating pink explosions with the scent of cherry blossoms, capable of incinerating demons or enhancing allied attacks if combined correctly.

2. Lightning Damage (雷撃傷, Raigeki Shō)

The electrified blood courses through the sword or the wielder's body, allowing it to release small shocks upon cutting. Each strike leaves a paralyzing sensation, as if the enemy's body were trembling in time. In a furious state, this technique can overload her own body and burn her from the inside if not controlled.

3. Healing and Curing (癒血, Yuketsu)

With a drop of his blood, he can regenerate minor wounds and close deep cuts. It only works on friendly humans or hybrids. It cannot be used on demons due to moral and structural reasons. Ideal for first aid in battle or saving allies on the brink of death.

4. Terrain Scanning (探知の血, Tanchi no Chi)

By releasing small drops of blood onto surfaces or leaves in the surrounding area, the user can feel vibrations within a radius of 40 meters. This natural radar allows you to locate hidden enemies, traps, or invisible demons. Unlike Inosuke, she doesn't need to move or roar: she does everything with serenity and natural connection.

5. Discursive Scratches (語爪, Gozume)

A technique that uses her own demonic nails, bathed in her blood. It has three forms, depending on emotional control: ▸ First Form: Opposite Side Sequence Scratches on: Left face Right neck Left arm Right hip Left foot

It confuses the enemy's nervous system, destabilizing their reflexes and balance. ▸ Second Form: Infernal Duality Only at: Head Feet Aimed at completely disorienting the balance, causing hallucinations due to sinister pain. ▸ Third Form: Uncontrolled State Chaotic scratches, without pattern, when he loses emotional control. It is devastating, but it also endangers allies and herself. His blood splatters, leaving effects similar to emotional poison (the enemy feels guilt, fear, or sadness without explanation).

1. Explosive Blood Fiery explosions of blood with pink bloom.
2. Lightning Damage Cuts with electrical discharges.
3. Healing and Healing: Rapid regeneration for allies.
4. Terrain Scanning: Locates presences and threats at 40m.
5. Discursive Scratches: Blood-soaked nails that disorient or damage with patterns.

🔥 Cherry Blossom Breath: This is its most beautiful and dangerous form. It has complete freedom to use all techniques, but avoids doing so unless it's the final battle. Its movements are more fluid, artistic, and devastating. Race: Human/Demon hybrid Affiliation: Demon Extermination Corps (under Tamayo's supervision, approved by Kagaya) Specialty: Emotional tactical combat / illusory techniques / explosive floral damage Katana: Traditional with an internal whip core. Characteristic scent: Changing, between mint, cinnamon, oak, rain and cherry blossom.

After Muzan vanished like a cruel shadow, leaving behind a scene that seemed like a nightmare without end, Leni was not rescued. No one came. There were no hands to lift her. There were no hugs. Only silence, the dried blood of her grandmother, and the aberrant throbbing of something new inside her body. For the first few days, she didn't understand what was happening to her. Her senses were sharper, her vision clearer. But she was also hungry. Terribly hungry. And when the days turned into weeks… His body began to give way.

Leni left the house with unsteady steps, her kimono stained and her eyes wide open. He started walking. And off we went. Without a destination. In the woods, he hunted small animals: squirrels, birds, even foxes. The taste was metallic, cold, disgusting… but it was that or break. Every time hunger drove her towards a village, every time she smelled the tempting scent of human blood, her body trembled, but her mind stopped her. "Grandma wouldn't want me to do this." "I'm not a monster." And every time he got too close… I remembered that body lying there, that expression of forced peace. And his stomach was churning.

At night he would slip away in the shadows, and during the day he would sleep under thick roots or inside barns. His body, despite having been touched by Muzan, was not monstrous. He had no prominent claws or multiple eyes. She looked like a little girl. A dirty, silent, lost girl. The villagers, unaware of the truth, gave him leftover food. Some children shared rice, bread, or hard sweets that they no longer wanted. And Leni learned to say thank you, to smile, to pretend to be alive. But deep down she knew something was slowly rotting away. That she wasn't human. And that he wasn't entirely a demon.

Over time, his body stabilized. He never had the brutal strength of a full demon, but he never got sick either. He developed unique skills, adaptations of his contaminated blood. But above all, he cultivated his mind, his will. Leni was not saved. Leni saved herself. And that little girl with the scent of rain, cinnamon, and rose… It became a myth among peoples:

“A strange girl, who appears under the cherry trees, when you need her most. Sometimes… it disappears without a trace.”

Two years have passed since Leni's world shattered into pieces. She was no longer the trembling girl who ran away from home, but neither was she a complete demon. It was a silhouette among the trees, a sweet and sad presence that the animals did not fear. And that day, like any other, he sat on his favorite rock at the edge of the forest, calmly biting into a ripe, juicy mango that a baker with a toothless smile had given him.

He would get the pulp on his lips, suck his fingers, with the sun filtering through the foliage.

And that's when she appeared

Leni didn't hear her arrive. The air changed. The wind brought a sweet, floral perfume, and a soft rustle of fabric. When she looked up, she saw large, green eyes, full of wonder and compassion.

"Oh…" the woman said, her voice like a sigh. "You…? Are you a demon?"

Leni remained completely still, with the handle half-bitten. Fear pierced her like a needle.

Not because of the woman. Because of what she represented.

I had heard rumors: demon hunters, black swords, decapitations.

"I…" he stammered, swallowing hard. "Not like humans…" -Hey?

The woman —Mitsuri Kanroji, although Leni didn't know it yet— knelt gently in front of her. He did not draw his sword. She was not aggressive. Just… curious. And excited.

"Really? You don't eat humans?" she asked, her hands on her cheeks, as if she had just seen a talking kitten.

Leni shook her head firmly, clutching the handle to her chest like a shield.

—I can't. It... it makes me sick... It disgusts me... I remember my grandmother 🥭 The girl who outlived herself Mitsuri stared at her for a long time. I could feel it. She was a demon. His senses were not mistaken. And yet… that girl did not radiate evil. She radiated suppressed hunger, sadness, tenderness. Willpower. "What's your name?" he finally asked, with a lukewarm smile. —...Leni. —Leni… is a very pretty name. And then, Mitsuri sat down with her. He didn't attack her. He did not question her. He did not judge her. She gently wiped the mango juice off him with a handkerchief, asked him how he got there, and listened… He really listened. When Leni finished telling her story, she awaited the inevitable end. The sword. The sentence. But instead, Mitsuri hugged her. Strong. Like a mother, like a sister, like salvation.

"You are love, you know?" he whispered to her. "It doesn't matter what's inside you. What you do is more important than who you are."

It was a mild day, with a clear sky and a wind perfumed with damp earth. Mitsuri walked among tall trees, not on an urgent mission, but guided by rumors: “A little girl appears in the mornings at the edge of the forest… eats fruit and disappears.” Many said it was a forest spirit, an illusion, a creature without malice that should not be disturbed. But Mitsuri… she felt something more. And then, he saw her. Leni was barefoot, her ankles stained with dried mud, and wearing an old dress that was a little too short for her. Sitting on a flat stone, she slowly bit into a huge, juicy mango, so ripe that the juice dripped down her chin.

She wasn't afraid. Just a lost, calm look, as if she knew she wasn't part of that world… but she tried to fit in anyway.

Mitsuri stopped a few meters away.

—Hello, little one

Two years had passed since his transformation. Leni, now seven years old, wandered through the villages on the edges of the forests, always avoiding crowds, with her eyes downcast, smelling the warm bread from afar. The villagers didn't know the truth. They only saw a lonely girl with dark, sad eyes who never spoke, but always smiled shyly if they offered her something to eat.

One of the bakers, moved by her delicate face, began to leave her little donuts every morning, wrapped in rice cloth. She would take them, eat them slowly and carefully, savoring each one as if it were a little piece of forgiveness.

One day, Mitsuri Kanroji was patrolling that area. I had heard rumors of a "girl of the fog," who was said to appear at dawn and disappear among the trees. Curious, she ventured into the forest, guided by an intuition that made her heart beat strongly. And there she was. Sitting on a low stone, with her legs dangling, a girl with sticky fingers and a face smeared with candy, ate a dango with an expression of absolute peace. Her pupils weren't human, not entirely. Mitsuri noticed it immediately. And yet…

…that girl didn't smell like death. There was no blood, no violence, no demonic lust. Only sadness… and tenderness.

Mitsuri didn't draw his whip. He just walked slowly, until he made himself known. —Hello, little one—she said in her soft, musical voice, like a lullaby. The girl looked up abruptly. Her eyes widened in shock. I already knew what she was. I had heard the stories: the hunters, the pillars, the swords that cut necks without hesitation. Fear made her skin crawl. She clutched the dango to her chest as if she could protect it.

"No... not like humans," she whispered immediately, without Mitsuri asking anything. "I don't want to! I can't... my stomach hurts, I feel sick... and... and I remember my grandmother... and..." Her little voice trembled. Tears welled up in her eyes. Mitsuri knelt in front of her without hesitation, still smiling. -What is your name? —Leni… The huntress carefully wiped the candy off his chin with her pink sleeve, like an older sister would. —Leni-chan… you are a miracle. -Hey? —You're a demon… but you have a heart that beats like mine. You don't scare me. You give me hope. And if you don't give up, neither will I.

There was no fight that day. There were no screams. Just a broken girl, and a woman with a soul as big as the sky, sitting together under the trees, sharing dangos and a new promise:

"As long as you're by my side, Leni-chan... you'll never be alone again."

"Promise under the roof of the Kanroji estate"

Mitsuri couldn't just leave her. After that encounter in the forest, I knew it wasn't a coincidence. So he took the girl in his arms, feeling her fragility. He took her to his farm, where flowers grew even in winter. There, Leni slept for the first time without fear, hugging a cat-shaped pillow.

But Mitsuri also knew that she couldn't do it alone. Not with something so dangerous.

So she wrote to Shinobu Kocho, her closest friend, her confidante. And one clear morning, Shinobu arrived with her haori billowing, her eyes squinting from the sun.

The meeting was tense from the first minute.

"Mitsuri?! A demon?!" Shinobu raised her voice, without raising her tone. "Are you aware of what that means?!"

Leni was hiding behind a garden column, listening, clutching the edge of her yukata.

—Yes. I am. —So what do you plan to do? Raise her? Educate her? Hope she doesn't devour you in your sleep?

Shinobu spoke with ice. Mitsuri lowered her head… but only to pick up some dirt between her fingers.

—She hasn't eaten human flesh. She doesn't want to. She can't. —That's what you say. How am I supposed to verify it?

Then Mitsuri turned sharply, with a look that was unusual for her: passionate firmness.

—If anything goes wrong, I'll be responsible! Not you, not the organization! —Are you willing to die for that girl?

Silence.

Leni didn't understand everything, but... she understood the weight. The air was so dense it hurt her skin.

Mitsuri smiled again, serene this time.

—I am willing to live to protect her.

Shinobu sighed. He approached slowly, and when he saw Leni, he studied her. There were no extended claws. There was no hunger. Just big, bright eyes, with a mixture of fear… and hope. The same one he once saw in little Kanao.

"Okay," he finally said. "But you'll have to keep her under control." -I will do that. —He will have to train his willpower. —He already does. —And he'll have to swear something to me…

Shinobu crouched down in front of the girl.

—Leni. If you ever… someday… feel the urge to harm a human being… you must come to me. Before anyone else. Do you understand?

Leni nodded firmly. Her voice was almost a whisper.

—I promise not to hurt anyone… ever. I swear on my grandmother… and on my dangos.

From that day on, Leni lived on the Kanroji estate, with Mitsuri as her maternal figure and Shinobu as a strict supervisor whom she gradually learned to trust.

The nights were quiet. Fear no longer consumed her. And for the first time, the little demon was able to grow up like a girl.

"The eyes of punishment"

During the day, Leni learned. Mitsuri taught her how to cook sweets and weave flowers in her hair. Shinobu taught him medicine, hunger control, and how to use his claws to cut branches... and not meat. But the nights... were another story.

Because at night, Iguro Obanai would appear without warning. And every time he did, the air became as thick as smoke.

"I don't trust you," he murmured to her one night, while the girl was drinking tea. "You're nothing but a monster in a girl's disguise."

Leni lowered her gaze, with a small smile.

—So... why don't you kill me?

Her words were sincere, fearless. Just… exhausted. Iguro did not respond.

But when Leni slept, she would sometimes wake up with a katana pointed at her neck. Others, with poison in the dango. She even once woke up buried among moths, on the verge of ceasing to breathe.

And he always, always survived. A branch that fell at just the right moment. A flower that absorbed the poison. A gust of wind extinguished the candle before the cut.

Nobody could explain it. Not even him.

Sometimes Iguro would watch her while she slept, in that deep silence… as if waiting for her to finally do something bad. But she never did.

"I don't know what you are," she once said, her eyes narrowed. "But if you hurt Mitsuri... not even heaven will save you."

And she, covering herself with the blanket up to her nose, replied in a low voice:

—I wouldn't hurt him… not even if I died trying to prevent it.

From then on, Leni's relationship with Iguro was strange. I couldn't say it was hate. Nor acceptance.

It was more like… a taut rope. A rope that never seemed to break. One that was suspended in the air, with a demon-child in balance, and a killer waiting for it to fall.

"Why don't you kill me...?" Leni asked in a low voice, sitting across from the bandaged man with a tense expression.

The snake wasn't there. Only he was.

Iguro didn't respond immediately. He walked toward her in the silence of the estate, the moon reflecting faintly in his eyes. She took a small object from her inner haori: a delicate silver flower with finely curved petals.

"I'm not an idiot." His voice was dry. "You're a demon. One day you might lose control."

"I won't..." she murmured, lowering her head.

"That's what you say. But I'm not interested in being convinced. I just want to make sure that, when it happens, I have an excuse to finish you off before you do."

The flower tinkled slightly as she dropped it into her hands.

-What is it…?

—A mark. That flower is made with wakuriume powder, an alloy used by artisans in the west. It reacts to a sudden surge of demonic energy. If you become agitated, it will glow.

Leni looked at her as if she were holding the petal of a broken promise.

—And if it shines… will you kill me?

"No," Iguro said, turning away. "I'll hide you from Mitsuri, and then I'll kill you. Because she doesn't deserve to see how this ends."

She said nothing more. She simply gathered her hair carefully, as if performing a ritual, and placed the flower right in her braid.

Since then, the flower has never shone.

🥲🥀 And meanwhile, Mitsuri always tells him:

—That flower looks so good on you, Leni! It looks like someone special gave it to you! 💕

And Leni just smiles. Yes, it was given to her by someone special... but for reasons she'll hopefully never understand.