Demon Slayer: Starting with the Kingdom

Both men were holding wine cups; one of them was dressed in a kimono, bald, and obsequious.

The other man was wearing a suit, with his dark red long hair tied in a high ponytail. Although he was middle-aged, one could still catch a glimpse of his handsome appearance in his youth.

Kanae had seen this man by chance in a newspaper before.

His name is Kokushige Tsugikuni, and he is a highly influential government official in this cabinet, with a high reputation among the public.

Chapter 153 An Ordinary Dance Hall

"I already... um?"

Seemingly noticing Kanae's gaze, Yan Sheng, who was talking to the man beside him, suddenly turned his head to look over.

Narrowing his eyes slightly, his sharp gaze swept over her entire body in an instant, lingering briefly on Kanae's Nichirin Blade hidden in her clothing at her waist. Yan Sheng said in a deep voice:

"Government laws stipulate that it is not allowed to carry a knife in the street at will. Be careful and avoid causing trouble."

In an instant, the intense, almost tangible sense of oppression surged forth, and my back was immediately soaked with sweat.

Faced with Yan Sheng's reminder, Kanae subconsciously lowered her head in agreement, her pupils suddenly contracting.

[Strange... This person... has such a strong aura... Who exactly is he...?]

Hey! Little girl!

At that moment, the two servants at the door finally caught up and came in.

They spotted Kanae standing there, stunned, and immediately went to take her away.

"Go home now. Not just anyone can come here. Only those with invitations are allowed in. We'll see you out..."

"No, please wait a little longer, I..."

Instantly recalling her original purpose, Kanae's gaze swept quickly across the crowd in the ballroom, trying to find the dark figure from before.

Oh no, where is that ghost hiding...?

"I'm sorry, this child is a friend I invited. I guess he was in such a hurry tonight that he forgot to bring the invitation. Please, could you two please be lenient?"

"Ah! Yes! I'm so sorry!"

Just then, another figure suddenly appeared beside Kanae. With a single sentence, she helped Kanae out of the predicament and drove away the two servants.

Before Kanae could get a good look at the man's face, he grabbed her hand and pulled her quickly into the ballroom ahead.

"Young lady, would you mind if I were your date?"

Under the crystal chandelier overhead, melodious music filled the air, and all around were crowds dancing to the music.

Under the dazzling neon lights, Kanae, who had been forcibly dragged to dance, finally saw the face of the person in front of her clearly.

This is a very beautiful woman, who looks to be no more than twenty years old. Her facial features are quite similar to those of the councilor Yen Sheng from earlier.

Are they relatives?

For some reason, the moment Kanae saw this woman, a feeling that she couldn't quite explain welled up inside her.

Like a gentle breeze on the face, or like rain after a long drought, all my thoughts and considerations ultimately boil down to one sentence—

She's so beautiful.

"Relax."

The woman in front of him spoke again, her voice very soft.

"Come on, put your hands on my shoulders, lift your shoulders, and follow my movements slowly..."

Seemingly noticing Kanae's awkward and stiff dance steps, the woman began to intentionally guide her and correct her movements.

The two moved in perfect harmony, and in just half a song, Kanae, guided by the woman in front of her, gradually mastered the duet and successfully blended into the crowd in the ballroom.

"Thank you."

Her body grew lighter and lighter, and she danced along with the music and the woman's movements. Kanae subconsciously spoke up and said this thank you.

"You're welcome. May I ask your name?"

The woman asked in a relaxed tone.

"Kanae the Butterfly..."

"Hmm, it's a very nice name, and it suits you well."

"Thank you... Could you tell me your name?"

"Just call me Mitsuha, that's what my friends call me."

"Three leaves..."

Upon hearing the woman's reply, Kanae paused slightly, and her pace slowed as a result.

"what happened?"

Noticing this change in her, the woman in front of her asked again.

"No, it's nothing..."

Kanae quickly regained her senses, shook her head, and explained:

"It's just that there used to be a 'Mitsuba' at the place where I work, so I vaguely remembered the story of this senior."

I heard that he was a very accomplished senior…

Upon hearing this, the woman in front of him suddenly laughed.

Ah, she smiled...

"Young lady, why have you suddenly come to this place? Are you looking for someone?"

Without continuing the previous topic, the woman suddenly asked.

"Yes, I was following a... bad guy, um, I followed a bad guy in."

Finally remembering her original purpose, Kanae subconsciously turned around and looked at the people in the cabaret again.

She hadn't noticed before, but upon closer inspection, Kanae suddenly realized that there were quite a few people she "knew" in this nightclub!

First, there's the female star singing on stage, Kanae, whom I've seen on movie theater posters more than once.

The famous actor Mi Rong recently starred in a movie called "Gu Huo Niao" and is currently enjoying great popularity.

Not far from the stage, among the couple chatting over drinks, the woman dressed in glamorous clothes, who appeared to be throwing a tantrum, was none other than "Mei-gi," one of the most popular actresses in Japan in recent years.

The man who was constantly comforting Meiji beside her was her brother, the government official "Tsugikuni Taro" who had appeared in the news and newspapers many times with Representative Yan Sheng.

In the rest area opposite, Yen Sheng, the councilor she had met once before, was now sitting and talking with a bespectacled, short-haired man who looked refined.

Kanae had heard her younger sister, Shinobu Kocho, mention this short-haired man before; she heard he was Dr. Komaji, a professor in the Department of Literature at the University of Tokyo.

His real name is Komaji Tsugikuni. He is quite popular among students at the University of Tokyo because of his serious teaching and approachable personality.

Beside these two, there was a woman dressed in a black printed kimono who always smiled and watched them. She looked dignified and elegant. I had often seen her in newspapers related to Representative Yan Sheng.

She appears to be the wife of Representative Yen Sheng, and her name seems to be "Ji Guo A Ming".

In the corner, a ragged old beggar crawled past in the shadows...

Strange, why would a beggar sneak into a place like this?

And who is that strange man who carries a pot and keeps grabbing a guest to try and sell it to them?

Was this place, used by the powerful and wealthy for gatherings, actually a place where anyone could freely come in and sell things?

"Are you catching bad guys?"

Just as Kanae was filled with doubt, the woman in front of her spoke with a smile.

"Little guy, can you tell me which bad guy you're trying to catch?"