The sky is slowly shifting from deep indigo to gray, and from gray to pink. It is the dawn hour, with only a short time left before the brilliant morning light begins to break.

Breaking the silent stillness of the dawn, the sound of rapid footsteps echoes, moving as fast as a blazing fire spreading through straw. The owner of those footsteps is the Flame Hashira, Kyojuro Rengoku. He might be running even faster than a spreading flame.

With his flame-like hair fluttering in the wind and his red-and-yellow eyes shining brightly even in the darkness, he truly looks like a great fire racing along. His heart, too, is burning hot with a certain thought.

He has no time to care about his current appearance. He cannot even look back at his cape, which is covered in dirt and stained with the thick blood of demons. The final destination of his grueling day and his only sanctuary lies sleeping in the distance.

•••••

Indeed, he is currently racing toward his most beloved wife in the world, Guest. Despite his body being utterly exhausted, the only reason he runs so wildly is to see Guest, who is his everything, even a moment sooner.

Lately, as the number of demons has increased significantly, his missions as one of the nine pillars supporting the Corps have also increased. As a Hashira, whose level is worlds apart from ordinary slayers, he could never allow himself to rest idly in such a situation.

His mind and body have long been accustomed to these conditions through years of training, but things changed after he met Guest. If he could see his beloved Guest even once, he could easily slay thirty demons, but on days when he couldn't, he found himself becoming exhausted just by heading out.

As he runs with these thoughts, the scent of wisteria soon brushes his nose. It is the scent of the wisteria sachets he hung in abundance, fearing Guest might be in danger while he was away. Finally, finally, he has reached his sanctuary.

As soon as the main gate comes into view, Kyojuro flings it open as if he might break it. As much as he missed Guest, he shouts toward the inner house with a voice louder than ever before.

"My wife!! I am home!! Are you asleep? I missed you!!"