In Demon Slayer With Heavenly Insight

Chapter 38: Something More Important

Ren showed a mysterious smile. "How is it? Are you ready?"

Kanoe nodded nervously, anticipation flickering in her eyes.

She couldn't help but wonder about the result in Ren's hands.

If the coin faced upward, would it change everything?

But if it faced down…

Would her situation remain the same?

Would she still be unable to speak openly with Ren?

Her heart churned in confusion and fear.

Ren hesitated, prolonging the moment as he slowly opened his palm.

The suspense was unbearable. Kanoe's nerves were at their limit, and finally, she couldn't hold back anymore.

"Ren, just open your hand already! Let me see!"

Her words echoed in the quiet night.

Ren smirked, his expression full of meaning. "Kanoe, you just spoke."

"Me? What did I say?" Her voice faltered.

Realization struck her like lightning. "Did I… Did I really say that?"

Ren nodded gently. "Kanoe, you spoke fluently."

She blinked in disbelief, confusion clouding her mind. She quickly glanced at Ren's hand and rushed to pry it open.

But when she opened it, her breath caught.

His palm was empty.

"How… How is this possible?"

Kanoe stood there, stunned. Her eyes darted around—the ground, the sky—and finally settled on Ren, silently pleading for an answer.

She was terrified.

Afraid of what might be happening to her.

Yet in her confusion and fear, the first person she thought of was Ren.

Ren, with his calm, reassuring demeanor, felt like her only anchor.

Gently, he reached out and held her trembling hands.

Pulling her closer, he hugged her lightly, his warmth a silent comfort.

As her trembling began to subside, Ren spoke patiently. "Do you want to know why this is happening?"

Kanoe nodded timidly.

Ren looked at her with kind eyes. "It's not that you can't speak, Kanoe. It's that you've been hiding yourself."

She froze, his words sinking in.

"It's not that you don't know how to make decisions—you've just been seeking someone to rely on, someone to make them for you."

He paused. "But think back, Kanoe. What were you thinking the moment that coin was in the air?"

Her heart skipped a beat.

Lowering her head, she began to recall the moment.

Ren's voice echoed softly. "The moment the coin flew, didn't you already make your decision?"

A jolt of realization surged through her.

In that instant, Kanoe felt a clarity she'd never known before.

She had made a decision.

She could speak.

She could act.

Under the soft glow of the moonlight, her eyes lit up with newfound confidence.

Looking up at Ren, emotions overwhelmed her.

So this was it.

She wasn't broken.

She had just been locking herself away.

"Thank you, Ren," she said quietly, her voice steady.

"I know what I need to do now."

She hugged him tightly, resting her head against his chest.

Ren smiled, patting her back gently.

After a while, Kanoe finally asked the question that had been on her mind. "By the way… Where's the coin?"

Ren chuckled awkwardly. "Oh, that? It probably fell nearby."

He turned around and began searching.

But no matter how hard he looked, it was nowhere to be found.

His confidence faltered as he muttered to himself, "How could this happen? I definitely saw where it landed…"

Panic began to creep in.

Just then, Kanoe's soft voice came from behind him. "Ren, did you lose my coin?"

"Of course not!" Ren replied, trying to sound calm, though his inner turmoil betrayed him.

But despite searching high and low, the coin remained missing.

Before he could spiral into frustration, a gentle pair of arms wrapped around him from behind.

"It's okay," Kanoe said softly, her voice warm.

Ren froze as she tightened her embrace.

"I don't need the coin anymore," she whispered. "I've found something more important."

Her words carried a depth that caught Ren off guard.

"Ren, you told me to follow what I truly want. And now I'm doing just that."

Kanoe clung to him, her grip firm yet comforting.

"Let's go home."

The night grew quiet, save for the steady rhythm of their breathing.

Ren turned around carefully, only to see that Kanoe had already fallen asleep in his arms.

Her long-standing emotional struggles had exhausted her, and with her heart finally at peace, she succumbed to slumber.

Ren smiled affectionately, cradling her in a princess carry.

He marveled at the warmth of her presence as he walked through the tranquil night.

Just as he was about to head back, a glimmer caught his eye.

Under the moonlight, the missing coin rested atop a patch of flowers, shining brilliantly.

---

The Next Morning

Ren groaned as he woke up, his body stiff. Carrying Kanoe home the previous night had been more tiring than he'd anticipated.

After stretching and warming up, he headed downstairs.

"Thank you, Mr. Ren!"

"Thank you, Mr. Ren!"

The three little girls greeted him enthusiastically, their voices overlapping.

Ren chuckled and replied to each one with a smile.

Looking around, he frowned. "Where's Shinobu? Hasn't she come back yet?"

Xiaoqing quickly answered, "Miss Shinobu was summoned by the master early this morning."

"Again?" Ren sighed, shaking his head. "She's really been busy lately."

He glanced around to make sure no one was watching, then snuck down to the basement.

Entering Shinobu's lab, Ren's movements were quick and efficient.

He picked up her diary, flipping through it with a knowing grin.

***