""Wake up, Kiana!" Tanjiro called, gently nudging his friend as the train came to a stop. "We're back at Headquarters!"
As the train doors opened, they were greeted by the last person Tanjiro wanted to see—Kiana's older brother, Giyuu.
"Where's Kiana?" he grumbled at Tanjiro, as if it was his fault that Kiana was still fast asleep on the train.
Malia appeared, followed by a groggy Kiana, who instantly scowled upon spotting her brother. Tanjiro couldn't help but wonder what exactly had gone wrong between them. He knew they'd argued over her joining the Demon Slayer Corps, but he didn't quite understand her reasons. Why would anyone choose such a dangerous path voluntarily?
When Tanjiro thought back to his reasons, they were clear—to protect Nezuko and to avenge his family. But Kiana… had she really joined to make her brother proud, only to be met with his disapproval? It was a riddle, and no matter how much he thought about it, he couldn't piece her story together.
Kiana's eyes narrowed as she met her brother's gaze, immediately sensing bad news. Giyuu rarely showed up with anything positive. And she was right.
"You two go ahead to the library," Kiana said to Tanjiro and Malia. "I'll catch up after I talk to him."
Giyuu nodded toward Shinobu, who went off to speak with Rengoku. Then, taking Kiana's hand, he led her to a nearby tea house.
Once they were seated, Giyuu began, "Listen, Kia—" but Kiana cut him off.
"It's Kiana," she corrected, her voice firm. "I'm older now, brother. Call me Kiana."
A faint smile tugged at Giyuu's lips. She'd called him 'brother.'
"Alright, Kiana," he continued. "I'm here because I heard from Tamayo. She said you were injured, and she wanted to know why I hadn't taken better care of you. I didn't have an answer."
"No surprise there," Kiana replied dryly
"Why didn't you tell me you were hurt?" Giyuu asked, his voice low but intense. "Back in the East, when that demon attacked…why didn't you say anything?"
Kiana looked away, clenching her fists. "In case you forgot, Tanjiro lost almost everything, and Nezuko is still struggling. My injuries were nothing compared to theirs. Compared to them… my life has been easy."
"Maybe pairing you with them was a mistake," Giyuu muttered. "If you can't speak up when you're in pain, you'll only suffer more, Kiana."
"I'll never burden them with my troubles," Kiana hissed. "I'm not like you. I don't lean on people to make my life easier."
Giyuu flinched at her words. "Kiana… can't we…?"
"No, brother," she replied sharply. "No, we can't."
Afterward, Kiana rejoined Tanjiro and Malia at the library, where she found them surrounded by stacks of ancient scrolls and documents.
"What's with all the papers?" Kiana asked, eyeing the mess. "Weren't you looking for that research?"
"Well, we found a lead," Tanjiro replied, explaining about the librarian's remarkable memory and how they'd managed to recover information that had been lost.
"Alright, let's start decoding!" Kiana said, eagerly grabbing a scroll.
"Wait," Malia said, placing a hand on Kiana's arm. "What did your brother say?"
Kiana frowned, pulling her arm away. "Nothing important. Tamayo tattled on me. Annoying doctor."
"Did you give him attitude again?" Malia asked, leaning against the doorway with a knowing smirk.
"Forget about that!" Kiana huffed. "We have work to do!"
They dove into the ancient scrolls, focusing on any mention of the Blue Spider Lily—a rare flower linked to Muzan's mysterious past. It was said that this elusive flower could unlock secrets of immortality, yet its true nature remained hidden, guarded by ancient knowledge that only a few dared to pursue.
Hours later, Kiana's eyes widened as she read her translation aloud. "I think I've got it!" she called out to Tanjiro and Nezuko. "'The key to Muzan's curse… lies in the Blue Spider Lily.'"
She trailed off, frowning as she continued reading. "No… this can't be right."
"What is it?" Tanjiro and Nezuko asked in unison.
Kiana's voice dropped to a whisper. "It says… the flower is cultivated through unimaginable suffering, growing only in the blood-soaked soil of the innocent. Tamayo hinted at something like this. But this… it's even worse than I thought."
Tanjiro grabbed her notes, scanning the translation, while Nezuko began looking through the remaining pages.
"There has to be another way," Kiana murmured, her voice shaking. "Tamayo told me Muzan used this flower in his pursuit of eternal life, sacrificing countless lives in the process. If one still exists, it might hold the key to ending his curse. We don't have to… harm anyone. Just find it. That's not so wrong… is it?"
"I don't know…" Tanjiro slumped down beside her. "Everything about this feels… unnatural. Seeking out a cursed flower to end suffering? It feels like trying to wash blood with more blood."
Frustrated, Kiana grabbed a scroll and hurled it against the wall. Tanjiro and Nezuko stared at her in shock.
"You can't give up now!" she shouted. "There's an answer out there, and we're going to find it! We have to keep moving forward. If I can do it, so can you!"
She stormed out, leaving them both bewildered and wondering what was really going on in her mind.
Later, Shinobu and Kanao came by to check on them, and Tanjiro made them swear to keep the information about the Blue Spider Lily a secret.
Suddenly, Giyuu entered the room without warning. "Kiana, I heard that you three uncovered something troubling about the Blue Spider Lily."
Kiana tensed, bracing herself for another lecture. "Just leave it alone, Giyuu," she said, her voice tight with frustration.
"Are you certain that these notes reveal the truth you're looking for?" Giyuu asked, directing his question toward Tanjiro.
"Truth…" Tanjiro murmured. "Tamayo mentioned there's something more to Muzan then the flower…that there was a cure out there.' So there must be more to this. You were right, Kiana!"
A small smile flickered across Kiana's face. As long as they didn't give up, she would stand by them, hoping one day they'd uncover the secret to Muzan's curse and finally put an end to his terror.
Giyuu took her aside, pulling her into a nearby room. "Kiana… why did you become a Demon Slayer?"
Kiana looked at him, startled. She was used to evading this question, but this time, she hesitated. Finally, she answered, "I did it because I made a promise. Tanjiro kept his end of the deal… so now I have to keep mine."