Chapter 101: Yu Yu Lingzi the Empress Reappears

One month later…

Zero's residence.

"Hey, hey, hey! Xiang Nai Hui, Xiao Xiao Mili, calm down! This sort of thing requires both parties to be willing — I won't accept any coercion!"

Zero was in the room, slowly forced back to the edge of the bed by Xiang Nai Hui and Xiao Xiao Mili.

With nowhere left to retreat, he fell straight backward onto the bed.

Xiao Xiao Mili and Xiang Nai Hui simultaneously stretched out their "wicked" hands toward Zero, pounced on him, and each hugged one of his sides.

"Ara~ I really want to meet the legendary Yu Yu Lingzi the Empress, so could you grant me this one time? My~ dear~ hus~ band~"

Xiang Nai Hui acted like a little woman, acting coquettishly, her voice soft and tingling, impossible to resist.

"Zero, I really want to see it too, please~ won't you~?"

Xiao Xiao Mili looked at Zero with the same innocent, pure gaze, looking pitifully helpless, making one unable to resist wanting to take a bite.

"N-no way! I'm a man with principles!" Zero firmly resisted, absolutely impossible to agree to the two of them.

Once there's a first time, there will definitely be a second!

Once there's a second, there will definitely be a third, fourth, even a fifth, and so on!

What if the two of them got addicted — the one suffering would be himself!

So he firmly refused.

Left with no choice, Xiao Xiao Mili made a bold move.

She was seen rising and sitting beside Zero.

She untied the ribbon on the hairpin at the back of her braided pigtail.

A head of pink long hair, like a waterfall with a hint of waves, fell straight down.

It made her look even more adorable and charming.

And then she undid the buttons of her clothes…

That deep abyss stared fixedly at Zero, and then Xiao Xiao Mili said: "Zero, if you don't agree, I… I'll… I'll eat you up!"

The moment the words fell, her face was covered in a large patch of sunset-blush red; though very shy, her gaze remained resolute.

Anyway, this sort of thing could be done anytime — even if she did it now, she would absolutely not regret it!

Moreover, it was being given to the man she loved most; Xiao Xiao Mili didn't feel there was anything wrong with it at all.

"N-not… not again…"

Once again being stared at fixedly by that abyss as vast as the primeval wilds, he even felt something threatening to burst forth.

Zero nearly couldn't hold back; a great stream of warm red liquid flowed from his nose, and he fainted.

"Eh eh~ Zero fainted again…" Xiang Nai Hui pinched Zero's little cheek, somewhat helplessly saying: "It's not like you haven't seen it before, why do you faint so easily? Isn't it just a bit too…"

Xiao Xiao Mili beside her was so shy she covered her own face with both hands, not daring to look directly.

She herself hadn't expected that she would actually make such a bold move just now.

Through the gaps between her fingers, she secretly peeked at Xiang Nai Hui, afraid she would laugh at her.

However, Xiang Nai Hui did not laugh at Xiao Xiao Mili.

Instead, she leaned close to Xiao Xiao Mili and whispered a few words in her ear, which made her blush even deeper~

"Eh? Really doing it like that? But, Zero-kun he… already fainted, is it really okay to do this?"

"Ara, it's fine, after all the two of us will sooner or later become his…"

Xiang Nai Hui didn't finish the rest of the sentence, but Xiao Xiao Mili also knew what it meant.

Xiang Nai Hui took out a handkerchief and carefully wiped Zero's nose.

Then she took out the clothes prepared in advance and set them aside.

Xiao Xiao Mili, meanwhile, was like a steam engine, with white steam rising from the top of her head.

In the end, her brain crashed, and she fainted dead away on Zero's other side.

Xiang Nai Hui was somewhat helpless; it seemed there was no way around it, so she proceeded to change Zero's clothes.

This outfit had been meticulously custom-made by someone she commissioned a month ago — she felt it suited Zero very well.

She had previously gone with Xiao Xiao Mili to a clothing shop in Asakusa and looked at several outfits, but hadn't found any that satisfied them.

Just as they were about to give up, they happened to pass by a Western-style clothing shop and saw many novel styles of clothing inside.

Afterwards, they found the shop's manager and commissioned her to custom-make an outfit.

Hence the scene one month later — that is, now.

"Hiss~ why do I feel a bit dizzy?"

Zero awoke from his fainted slumber.

"Speaking of which, why did I faint?"

Regarding the memories before fainting, Zero felt as if there was a blank, unable to recall some of it.

He thought for a long time, but still couldn't understand how he had fainted.

"Forget it, no more thinking, let's go out for a walk…"

Tap~ tap~ tap~

The more he walked, the more something felt off; looking down, he found that his metal knee-high boots had somehow been replaced with women's black high heels.

His clothes had also been changed into a red dre—dress?!

His hands were also wearing a pair of black lace gloves.

Startled, Zero hurriedly ran to the first-floor bathroom to look in the mirror.

He was nearly frightened out of his color.

He saw himself in the mirror wearing a red Lotari lace hat, decorated with several hand-woven roses on top.

And on her body was a wide-sleeved kimono in red, printed with red roses and combined with a Western-style skirt.

The collar was adorned with black lace as a finishing touch.

Combined with Zero's own temperament and looks, this outfit further accentuated Zero's nobility.

"How… how did it end up like this… during my comatose phase… what exactly happened?"

Suddenly, several heads poked out from both sides of the bathroom door, watching him curiously.

Nezuko, Aunt Kui Zhi, Takeo, along with Xiang Nai Hui and Xiao Xiao Mili, as well as Ubuyashiki Ubuyashiki Tianyin's three wives.

"Ara~ Zero, you really do look beautiful like this~"

"Mm-hmm! Zero, I really like how you look too!"

Undeniably, everyone felt that this version of Zero was indeed more charming than a woman.

If not for the gender being right there in plain sight, no one would have known the person before them was a man…

Only then did Zero react—without a doubt, it had to be the work of those two.

Then, he recalled once more the incident of cross-dressing at the Yoshiwara pleasure quarter.

A stretch of "unbearable to look at" memory resurfaced, and once again a certain something from the cross-dressing days awakened within his heart.

"Hmph hmph~ It seems my two lovers need this empress to properly discipline them~ Hee~ hee~ hee~"

The Yu Yu Lingzi Empress of days past seemed to have returned once more.

"Xiang Nai Hui, Xiao Xiao Mili, would you two come here for a moment?" Zero said with a forced smile, doing his best to maintain an extremely benevolent grin.

"No~"

"Dame~"

A woman's sixth sense told them that they had accidentally flipped some strange switch on Zero.

Although they knew he wouldn't hit them, let alone scold them, because he couldn't bear to lay a hand on them.

However, the majestic empress aura radiating from Zero gave them an urge to kneel and worship.

Therefore, seeing the situation turning unfavorable, they immediately turned around and ran out.

Seeing this, Zero also ran out after them.

"You two naughty little girlfriends, today this empress must catch you both and give you a proper disciplining!"

Xiang Nai Hui and Xiao Xiao Mili's lithe figures darted through the woods like butterflies and skylarks weaving through a flower thicket, their cheerful laughter rippling through the trees.

Yet, no matter how fast they were, Zero still caught them.

Zero leaped up in a single bound and caught both of them in his arms.

Holding one in each arm, he landed steadily on the ground.

Smooch! Smooch!

Far from being afraid, Xiang Nai Hui and Xiao Xiao Mili each planted a kiss right on Zero's face.

At this, even if Zero wanted to do anything more, he had lost all his temper.

He could only sigh softly and say: "I really can't do anything about you two… but just this once, the next time you pull something like this, I… I… I won't be so nice to you…"

It's already happened anyway, what else can you do?

Your own girlfriends—spoiled rotten, of course~

Just as the three of them turned around to head back, they discovered Ubuyashiki Kagaya and his wife Ubuyashiki Ubuyashiki Tianyin standing behind them.

The couple watched the three of them with smiles on their faces.

Originally, since the couple had no trivial matters to attend to during this period, they had been wandering around the Demon Slayer Corps.

Enjoying this brief moment of peace, they happened to chance upon the affectionate scene of the three of them.

Zero rubbed his forehead with some helplessness.

This scene feels oddly familiar…

"Sorry, you two must have had a laugh at our expense." Zero said somewhat awkwardly.

"It's fine, Zero. I can tell you love them both very much, and I'm happy for Xiang Nai Hui and Xiao Xiao Mili as well."

Ubuyashiki Ubuyashiki Tianyin's body trembled slightly—she was clearly holding back laughter.

Afterwards, after chatting with Ubuyashiki for a while, Xiang Nai Hui and Xiao Xiao Mili took our Yu Yu Lingzi Empress around the Butterfly Mansion for a stroll.

The Ubuyashiki couple, hand in hand, watched the three of them from behind, and likewise recalled the story of how the two of them had met.

"Tan…ji…ro…kun~"

Zenitsu let out a sickeningly sweet voice, poking his index fingers together, staring at Tanjiro with a kindly smile.

Tanjiro got goosebumps all over from being stared at like that.

He replied somewhat sheepishly:

"Zenitsu, stop looking at me like that. If you really want to see Nezuko, you can just go to Big Brother Zero's estate."

Ever since Nezuko had been restored to human form, she had come by the Butterfly Mansion to thank everyone for their care, and to visit Inosuke and Zenitsu along the way.

During that time, she also went with Tanjiro to visit the Rengoku family, to see Rengoku Shinjuro and the rest of his household.

After that, she also paid a visit to Ubuyashiki Ubuyashiki Tianyin's estate to see him and express her gratitude.

Seeing Nezuko return to human form and looking so adorable, Zenitsu…

…had been pursuing her relentlessly, but Nezuko spent most of her time at Zero's estate, helping her mother with housework and looking after her younger brothers and sisters.

Because of that, he rarely got to see her.

Since Tanjiro's sword hadn't been delivered yet, things had been held up, so Zenitsu started working on Tanjiro from his end.

Tanjiro was either completing the training missions Zero had assigned him, or chatting with Kanao.

Zenitsu could only bide his time and ask him whenever Tanjiro had a spare moment.

And so, taking advantage of this free time, Zenitsu found Tanjiro and pleaded with him to have Nezuko come over and play with him.

"Sorry, Zenitsu. Nezuko may be my sister, but I cannot force her!"

Tanjiro replied firmly.

"No! My Nezuko! Aaaaaah!"

Suddenly, a fragrant breeze swept past.

Zenitsu saw three beautiful girls chatting and laughing as they passed by him.

Looking closely, he realized two of them were Yu Yu Lingzi's girlfriends, and the one in the very middle seemed somewhat familiar; the sound of her heartbeat also sounded familiar.

Only Tanjiro could smell that it was Yu Yu Lingzi.

"S-so beautiful..." Zenitsu's soul seemed about to be snatched away.

He dashed straight to the woman in the middle.

As for the other two, he dared not have any thoughts, fearing a beating.

Immediately, he asked in a gentlemanly manner: "Beautiful lady, do you have a partner? If not, may I date you?"

Yu Yu Lingzi: (ー`? ′(ー)?

What is this urge to punch someone?!

Kanae and Xiao Xiao Mili couldn't hold back their laughter; they hadn't expected Yu Yu Lingzi's charm as a woman to be so great.

This was who knew how many boys to confess to Yu Yu Lingzi.

On the way here, several boys had already run over trying to confess to Yu Yu Lingzi.

But they were all rejected.

As if abandoned by their first love, each one wore a disappointed expression.

Only after hearing that Yu Yu Lingzi was male did they reluctantly accept it a bit.

Though some seemed even more disappointed.

Yu Yu Lingzi stared at Zenitsu and gave a devilish smile.

She extended her index finger, gently lifted Zenitsu's chin, and slowly leaned in.

Seeing Yu Yu Lingzi so close, Zenitsu's heart beat even faster; he thought she was going to kiss him and eagerly anticipated what would happen next.

Hoo~

Yu Yu Lingzi simply blew a breath onto Zenitsu's face, and Zenitsu was immediately bewitched and dazed.

However, what Yu Yu Lingzi said next shattered his hopes.

"Do you even deserve to date someone like me!?"

"Eh?" Zenitsu felt he had heard this sentence somewhere before.

Recalling carefully, he realized, wasn't this exactly what Big Brother Yu Yu Lingzi had said?!

"Big Brother Yu Yu Lingzi?"

"Hehe~ Little Zenitsu, you are still too green~ I have no interest in you~"

Crack...

Crash!

Instantly petrified, Zenitsu's inner world, like glass, shattered into pieces scattered all over the ground.

"W-why... w-why... why... Aaaaaah!!! Why! I don't want this!"

Afterwards, Yu Yu Lingzi walked forward slowly with noble steps.

Leaving Zenitsu alone there, shouting "Unfair!" at the heavens!

Tanjiro stepped forward, patted Zenitsu's shoulder, and comforted him: "Zenitsu, keep going, don't give up."

Zenitsu ignored Tanjiro's comfort, squatted on the ground, and drew circles with his finger.

"Big Sister Yu Yu Lingzi, I want a hug!" The three little ones from the Butterfly Mansion surrounded Yu Yu Lingzi, reaching out their hands, all demanding a hug.

"Okay, okay, okay~" Yu Yu Lingzi didn't mind; she picked up Xiao Qing, lifted her high, and spun around in place a few times.

"Waaah! So comfortable~ I feel like I'm a gust of wind~"

Xiao Qing, lifted high, beamed with a happy smile on her face.

Xiao Cheng and Xiao Saeko were no exception; one by one, Yu Yu Lingzi picked them up and lifted them high.

Seeing this, Kanae and Xiao Xiao Mili felt this was quite nice too.

Kanzaki Aoi looked at the three little ones with envious eyes.

"What's wrong, Aoi? Do you want to be picked up too?" Yu Yu Lingzi asked with a smile.

"N-no... I... I still have things to do, I'm leaving first..." After saying that, she ran out.

Inosuke, who was eating his bento, looked at the departing Aoi with a puzzled expression, unable to understand what had happened.

However, Yu Yu Lingzi found the bento box in Inosuke's hand somewhat familiar.

That seemed to be Kanzaki Aoi's bento box.

"Could it be..." After thinking for a moment, Yu Yu Lingzi seemed to understand something.

"I see... perhaps this is quite nice too~ Inosuke and Kanzaki Aoi, hmm~ also a good match, hehe~"

It seems Inosuke's spring is coming too.

After playing with the three little ones for a while, she bid them farewell; after all, she had promised Kanae and Xiao Xiao Mili today to accompany them both for the whole day.

【Swordsmith Village Arc, Departure】