丨Soar丨 Kimetsu no Yaiba x OC｜

Chapter 34 (rewritten)

Chizuko and Muichiro gaped at the antique streets before them.

The wide, tiled road was lined with glowing red lampposts and busy traditional houses. The duo stumbled aside as an oiran strolled down the way. Her metallic hair accessories clanged with each small step she took forward, her lips were as red as the maple leaves of autumn, her kimono the colours of the rainbow.

"Caw! The mission!" Hachi whisper shouted at them.

"A-Ah, right," Chizuko pulled out the piece of paper stolen from Obanai, "Let's see..."

Do not look at the mirrors

"E-Ehhh!!? Th-That's it!!?" Chizuko frowned, she should have asked Giyu for more information.

Ginko cleared her throat, "Caw! Stupid! IDIOT!"

"Caw! Only idiots call others idiots!" steam came out from Hachi's nostrils.

"Enough of it!" Chizuko shushed Hachi and Ginko, "Someone will hear you!"

"What is that," Muichiro pointed to an alleyway. Chizuko, Hachi and Ginko's gaze followed his finger, Chizuko squinted her eyes, "A-A child?" But wasn't that too small to be a little kid?

Startled, Chizuko gripped Muichiro's arm as the child's head turned one hundred and eighty degrees in a shaky and robotic manner. Both Chizuko and Muichiro regretted having dinner, it is a child's head stuck on a mechanical doll's body.

The doll moved on with a peculiar creaky noise from its wheels, disappearing from their sight.

Eh?

"A-After it!" Chizuko ran.

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Chizuko had lost count of how long they had been walking.

They had passed a forest of scarlet maple trees, scurried across a bamboo groove, went by five or six temples. But still the doll was leading them deeper and deeper into the mountains.

Lost in her thoughts, Chizuko bumped into Muichiro who halted abruptly.

"Welcome to my home," a silky voice echoed in the empty garden, "dear guests, please enjoy some tea."

The gates to the castle-like mansion covered in fog slid open slowly. Chizuko and Muichiro had their hands on the hilts of their swords, only to find three dolls emerging from the hazy lobby. Two had ornate ceramic teacups on their trays, while the other one held a flickering red lantern.

Chizuko's face paled as the dolls with tea approached. Inside the cup for Muichiro was tea, but the one prepared for her was crimson, gooey blood. What is the meaning of this? Chizuko shuddered involuntarily, how do they know of her 'condition'?

Clang! Muichiro severed the two dolls in front of them, shattering the teacups into pieces, "Back off."

"This way, please," the child doll and the lantern doll ignored their smashed comrades, leading the duo into the misty lobby, "the master would like you to take off your shoes by the door."

"W-We are not taking off our shoes," Chizuko answered, "Take us to where your master is." The two dolls paused for a moment before gesturing to the stairs, "The master is upstairs. He does not like guests to damage or dirty his collection, please be extremely careful when walking around with shoes on."

Collection? Chizuko and Muichiro glanced around. The once vacant halls were filled with dolls draped in silk kimonos, and dozens of majestic paintings lined the walls, it was like they were in an art museum.