In Demon Slayer With Heavenly Insight

Chapter 40: Insufficient Funds?

"Mr. Ren, is that you?"

Kanzaki Aoi's voice echoed from the doorway.

She pushed open the door to the laboratory but found it empty.

A puzzled expression crossed her face. "That's strange. I thought I heard something moving down here."

Just then, footsteps sounded in the corridor behind her.

Ren appeared, casually walking toward Kanzaki Aoi.

"What's wrong? Did something happen?" Ren asked, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

Kanzaki Aoi turned around, startled, and was momentarily stunned.

Huh? Mr. Ren is behind me?

Ren didn't give her time to react. With a smile, he said, "Let's go upstairs. This is a laboratory; the smell of medicine is too strong here."

Kanzaki Aoi nodded, and the two ascended together.

As they walked, Ren asked casually, "Is Shinobu out on a mission again?"

"She's back," Kanzaki Aoi replied after some thought. "She's reporting to the Lord right now."

"Ah, I see," Ren said, nodding. "Then I guess she's often out on her own these days?"

At these words, Kanzaki Aoi's expression turned somber.

"Yes," she said softly. "Ever since Kanae-nee-chan passed, Shinobu-sama hasn't been the same."

She sighed and continued, "One time, it was pouring rain. Shinobu-sama returned from a mission completely drenched. But when she arrived, the Butterfly House was swamped with patients, and no one even noticed she'd come back.

"She didn't complain or ask for help. She just went to her room, tidied herself up quietly, and immediately came back to assist everyone. Seeing her like that... it was heartbreaking."

Kanzaki Aoi's voice quivered with emotion as she spoke.

"Shinobu-sama took me in when I had nowhere to go. If it weren't for her, I'd probably be homeless now," Kanzaki Aoi admitted, lowering her gaze.

Ren offered a gentle smile. "What you're doing now is already helping her."

Kanzaki Aoi bit her lip. "But I'm so useless… I can't even learn the breathing techniques, let alone face demons."

"That doesn't matter," Ren said firmly. "I think saving lives is far more important than killing demons. Without you and everyone at the Butterfly House, the Demon Slayer Corps wouldn't even function. What you do here is just as crucial as fighting on the front lines."

Ren's words struck a chord, resonating deeply with Kanzaki Aoi.

For a moment, she stood there, stunned. Finally, she managed a small, grateful smile.

"Thank you, Mr. Ren. I'll keep that in mind."

Ren winked playfully. "Anytime."

Back on the ground floor, the sight before Ren left him speechless.

The Butterfly House was overcrowded with patients. Every bed reserved for the Demon Slayer Corps was filled, and the scene was chaotic.

Ren frowned. "What's going on?"

Kanzaki Aoi sighed. "There have been more demon attacks recently. It's been hectic, to say the least. But that's not even the worst of it—our supplies are running low, and the Butterfly House's funds are almost gone."

Ren tilted his head, confused. "Isn't the Butterfly House funded by the Demon Slayer Corps? Doesn't the Lord provide support?"

"It's… complicated," Kanzaki Aoi replied hesitantly. "If you want to know, I'll explain."

After handing some medicine to a fellow staff member, she began, "The Butterfly House does receive medicine and resources every month, but funding works differently. It's distributed based on the number of Hashira associated with each branch."

Ren quickly connected the dots. "So, because the Butterfly House currently only has one Hashira, Shinobu, the funds are limited?"

"Exactly," Kanzaki Aoi confirmed. "And to make matters worse, the support staff like us are paid even less than regular corps members. It's tough."

She added, "Shinobu-sama uses most of her salary for experiments and gives the rest to us as wages. But it's still not enough to keep everything running smoothly."

Ren rubbed his forehead in frustration. "Does the Lord even know about this?"

Kanzaki Aoi shook her head. "Shinobu-sama is very independent. She doesn't want to burden the Lord, knowing how much he already has to deal with."

Ren sighed internally. Ubuyashiki might be wealthy, but Shinobu is too proud to ask for help.

Still, Ren knew he couldn't just march up to the Lord and demand funds. That would be… awkward, to say the least.

"I'll figure something out," Ren muttered under his breath.

Unable to help with the Butterfly House's immediate issues, Ren decided to clear his mind.

He grabbed a wooden sword and headed to the courtyard for some practice.

As he walked down the hallway, a graceful figure came into view.

Kanao turned toward him, her soft smile lighting up her face.

"Mr. Ren," she greeted him warmly.

"Hey, what's up?" Ren asked, stopping beside her.

Kanao hesitated, her fingers fidgeting with the hem of her sleeve.

"You're competing with the Wind Hashira tomorrow, right?" she asked nervously.

Ren blinked, calculating the date. "Oh yeah, that's tomorrow. Why?"

Kanao bit her lip, her voice barely above a whisper. "Will you… still stay at the Butterfly House after the competition?"

Ren chuckled. "Of course. Where else would I go? Live on the streets?"

"No, that's not what I meant!" Kanao exclaimed, flustered. "I just… I was worried you might not like it here."

"That depends," Ren said teasingly. "Does Kanao want me to stay?"

Her face turned crimson as she stammered, "O-of course I do!"

Ren laughed, pulling a coin from his pocket.

"Here," he said, holding it out. "I believe this belongs to you."