𝐂𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐀𝐋 ll セレスティアル

二

(Name) (last name) wasn’t a nobody. 

She was someone. 

A daughter of a mother and father, born in a small house near the river. She wanted to be a musician when she grew up, having seen many of the beautiful men and women performing in the city every time her parents took her there. 

That would have been her life if her parents weren’t dead. 

Her father and mother were both merchants, earning money by selling homemade accessories and goods. Their living depended on that and they made a decent amount of money to raise their child. Of course, if there was light, there was always going to be darkness.

The world would be boring if there wasn’t any tragedy.

On a stormy night, both of (name)’s parents were murdered by a group of rivalry bandits. (Name) barely made it out alive, just merely escaping when her mother pushed her into the river. The cold waters forced her into the depths as her mother’s screams of pain echoed through the night. Never would she think her dreams of being a musician would end up slaughtering demons for her own pleasure. 

“I’m back.”

(Name) stepped into the worn down cottage, leaning her katana on the wall. The katana was the only thing she had precious to her, having found it beside a rotting demon slayer’s body. For many years, she analyzed the human body and how it could perform breaths. After trying it a few times, (name) managed to master her own breathing style. It was funny because she learned how to use it in less than a year, while it took others many years to perfect it.

Life has its favourites. 

The sound of rapid footsteps filled the cottage and in came her grandma and her grandson Hiroto. Grandma was a fairly old woman, whose husband had passed years ago. She had two children, one who travelled to another country and the other who was killed by a demon. Hiroto was the son of one of grandma's daughters, and he clinged on to his grandmother ever since.

(Name) met them by accident when she slayed a demon, grandma being wounded at that time. She treated them and when they realized (name)’s family situation, they offered her to live with them and she’s been here ever since. 

They were her family. 

“Welcome back (name)! We thought you wouldn’t come back in one piece!” grandma sighed in relief, wiping a warm towel on her face.

“Did you encounter any strong demons?” she asked and Hiroto jumped in (name)’s arms. Ever since the boy’s mother passed, he saw (name) as his older sister. (Name) promised to teach him her breath when he was older, but it was a lie. This child wouldn’t survive even if he was a fully trained demon slayer.  

“Yeah.” (Name) replied simply. Her answers were always short and clear. It was better that way. 

“Even if onee-chan met mean demons, she would still defeat them!” Hiroto chimed, “no one can beat onee-chan!”

“Yes Hiroto. We know your onee-chan is very strong.” Grandma chuckled and went to get a plate of food. Every time (name) came home, grandma would prepare her a meal since the girl never ate dinner with them. She would always eat after she came back from her night of entertainment. 

“Itadakimasu.” (Name) mumbled and dug into the sushi and fried vegetables. 

The old woman’s cooking reminded her of her mother’s and it was nostalgic. No matter how hard she tried, (name) could never cook. Grandma teased her that her hands were more fit to protect people than making food. Hiroto drooled at the feast in front of him and (name) gave him some of her share, making grandma twitch with annoyance as her grandson ate plenty beforehand.