Slayers in a Demon's World {Demon Slayer x The Promised Neverland}

026: Betrayal Lurks By

Woo! New chapter! 

I must admit, I was really close to calling quits on this book because I have been so exhausted and drained. I've joined so many different fandom that it's hard to find an interest in Demon Slayer or TPN anymore, but just for you guys, I've written another chapter!

Things are probably really off track compared to my initial plans (that I didn't record down on my notes because I thought I'd have this book done and dusted by the start of this term, but guess what? It's already the holidays-) but that doesn't really matter.

The chapters are going 500 or 700 words shorter to avoid my burnout because today I was pushing myself to reach that 2000 word goal that I couldn't reach...

I guess shorter stories are better. Anyways, I present to you, chapter 26!

It was close to noon when the children were allowed outside to play. Phil ran past Norman and Ray waving a sheet of wet fabric over his head, laughing.

"Did you see Krone this morning?" Ray questioned, his eyes refocusing on Norman after a few minutes of scrubbing the shirts in the foaming water. "Sister was staring really hard at the storage room floor."

"I heard from Emma," Norman mentioned his friend, earning a scowl from Ray. "It's an action that'd be taken when trying to find the targets... so she's resenting and resisting Mama's control."

"Just like we guessed. Sister's moving independently."

"Is it something to be happy about?" Ray tilted his head to the side. "Or should we be concerned. Annoyed."

Norman grinned at the bubbles in the basket with relief. "The footprints won't prove anything since all the older kids have the same sized slippers. I took the extra step to pace around randomly in there to confuse her."

Ray sighed, launching back another pessimistic line about Krone's intentions, not paying attention to Norman when he said something.

"Where's Don?" Emma perked up. "And Obanai?"

"Come to think of it, I haven't seen them for a while..." Gilda said pensively.

The two held woven baskets, approaching the laundry line. "I'm sure Obanai isn't to worry about," the younger girl reassured her friend. "He's kind and all... he'd never betray you guys."

Emma tensed for a moment before sighing. "I'm... not worried about that. He's just a bit... different. I don't know – not bad or anything! Just... mysterious."

"Like all of Y/n's friends? It's no different with them than with him."

Sharp blue eyes examined the duo's moves. "Apparently Gilda is clean."

Ray's eyes immediately flew to Gilda.

"Ray... why do you think spies do their job?" the albino eyes the ground with an obvious betrayed look. I can't blame him... I'd be devastated if someone was willingly letting their siblings die for themselves.

Ray felt his stomach coil, guilt rising in his body. "Isn't it obvious? There's got to be a sort of benefit to the mole from doing it. Like, an opportunity to escape being shipped off and granted an opportunity to grow up and become an adult."

The other boy's eyes sparkled, gazing into Ray's. "Guaranteed safety for one's own life... huh."

~~~~~~

"I see now. This was all meant to train us before the escape..." Don watched along with Mitsuri, Muichiro, Obanai and Gilda.

"Yep," Obanai sighed, leaning against the stone in the small clearing (different to the training one), watching as Shinobu dashed out from one of the entrances to the place, followed closely behind by Phil and the younger children.