Multiverse: Why does the world show a health bar? !

Muzan Kibutsuji died, and the burden on Li Mo's shoulders vanished. There was little left for him to do in this world now. 

—And then he was dragged off by Shinobu Kocho to do manual labor. 

The Butterfly Mansion, as a medical institution, still had to handle the follow-up treatment of injured survivors. The Demon Slayer Corps no longer existed, but mountains of work remained. The Ubuyashiki family was not the type to "discard the hounds once the rabbits are dead." 

As for being forced into labor, Li Mo believed it was Shinobu's revenge for previously roping her into his own tasks. 

In reality, though, even if Shinobu hadn't summoned him, Li Mo would have volunteered for this "labor" anyway. 

He needed to deactivate the Demon Slayer Marks. 

Li Mo himself could use special methods to sever the mark's negative effects, but these techniques weren't something ordinary people could learn. Thus, he had to manually deactivate everyone else's marks. Before the final battle, nearly all swordsmen on the battlefield—not just the Hashira—had awakened their marks, provided their physical fitness met the (surprisingly low) threshold. 

While activating the marks was straightforward, deactivating them required Li Mo to analyze each case individually. He had devised a universal method for activation during the Hashira's training, but no such shortcut existed for deactivation. By the time he finally developed a general solution, he'd already closed nearly all the marks. 

"Finally… it's done." 

"You've worked hard, Mo-chan." 

"Kanae, how many times must I ask you to change that nickname?" Li Mo said earnestly. 

Alas, he already knew Butterfly Kanae would never adjust her phrasing. How tragic—why must a grown man like him be saddled with such a cutesy term? He wasn't some "adorable boy." 

"Mo-chan, are you planning to visit Rengoku-san?" 

"Yes." 

Kanae blinked, her eyes brimming with curiosity. "I'm so curious… Why did Rengoku's wife invite you to their home?" 

"You mean Ruka-nee? We're close," Li Mo replied. 

"Eh—?" Kanae drew out her syllable, tilting her head with exaggerated suspicion. At first, Li Mo didn't catch on, but then he sighed. "Kanae, what are you implying?" 

"Nothing! Just making reasonable deductions. For instance… what kind of women does Li-san prefer?" 

Li Mo rolled his eyes. "What's wrong with liking the 'older sister' type?" 

He'd already confessed as much during their time in the Red Light District—no secrets remained between them. 

"Hey, Makomo! Did you hear that?" Kanae called out. Suddenly, two heads—Makomo and Shinobu's—dropped upside-down from the window ledge, their black hair cascading like uneven waterfalls. 

Li Mo glanced at them and deadpanned, "Sometimes a change of pace is nice." 

The two girls at the window shot him disdainful looks, while Kanae, the instigator, giggled. Unfazed, Li Mo shrugged and weathered the "storm." 

... 

The current Butterfly Mansion still retained traces of the old one—like the identical herb cabinets in the storage room. 

"Right, this batch of herbs needs drying. Your help is appreciated, Li Mo." 

—Manual labor. 

Typically this meant physical work, but in Li Mo's case, it involved mental and technical effort: using magic to dry herbs. 

The Kocho sisters' medical expertise drew from countless traditions, all requiring prepared ingredients. Some herbs needed drying, and Li Mo's magic could replicate sun-drying, oven-drying, or air-drying effects—though mastering these applications had been a headache. 

*Why am I using magic for productivity instead of research? No—wait, I* am *the productivity…* 

His complaints faded when he glimpsed Shinobu's profile. Motivation renewed, he focused on the task. 

"What are you staring at?" 

"Shinobu, why is the end of your hair purple?" 

He dodged admitting he'd been admiring her, instead pointing to the violet tips. He recalled her hair being black recently. In the original story, her purple hue stemmed from wisteria poison infusion. 

"I dyed it. Is that forbidden?" 

"Why not dye it all? Modern techniques make full dyeing easier," Li Mo pressed. 

"Focus. This batch is about to burn!" 

"Understood, *Manager* Shinobu." 

*Ah, this is the life of a corporate drone…* 

Considering his past life as a soon-to-be salaryman and his current high-schooler status—with most of his time in *Kimetsu* and Teyvat spent wilderness-surviving or holed up in caves—this "office grind" felt oddly refreshing. 

... 

Li Mo completed the task flawlessly. Shinobu stored the dried herbs, tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "Do you think this looks good?" 

She'd finally answered his dye question… but how had she known his preference? 

"Kanae told you?" 

Shinobu ignored him, but he'd already deduced the source. He'd only mentioned liking the style to Kanae. 

"By the way, Lady Tamayo asked when you'll fulfill your promise. What did you agree to do for her?" 

"Send her to hell." 

His blunt reply earned him an ejection from the room. He blamed his phrasing—he should've said "guide her to the afterlife." Now, it was time to find Makomo. 

*Is Tamayo truly resolved to die?* 

Shinobu paused, brushing off her thoughts, then recalled Li Mo studying her profile earlier. 

*…The dye was worth it.* 

A soft smile escaped her. 

... 

Makomo. 

As Urokodaki's recently adopted daughter, she was respected as an elder sister by Sabito and Giyu Tomioka… and as a senior to Li Mo. 

—By actual age, Li Mo was years older. But seniority, like family hierarchy, ignored age. (Weren't toddler "grandparents" common in large clans?) 

Setting titles aside, Makomo was simply a girl. 

At 17-18, she was Kanae's age—yet shorter than Shinobu. 

"Are you thinking something rude?" Makomo said coldly, shuddering as if sensing criticism of her height. *Does he think 'bigger is better'?* 

Her petite frown was adorable, prompting Li Mo to pat her head. She retaliated with a glare, sparking a chase that led them far from the Butterfly Mansion. 

Li Mo needed to leave anyway—he and Makomo were visiting Urokodaki on Mt. Sagiri.