Horitake's heart swelled with pride. Being idolized felt good—especially by the adorable girls of the Butterfly Mansion. Who wouldn't revel in such admiration? Aoi's face lit up with awe, and even Kanao's typically blank eyes shimmered with genuine surprise. But the doe-eyed trio—Kiyo, Sumi, and Naho—threw him for a loop.
Perched on the veranda, the three tiny sisters sized him up, then huddled together, whispering conspiratorially.
"Is this the legendary Lord Horitake? He doesn't look…" "Doesn't look right, does he?" "Yeah! He doesn't seem like someone who could slay an Upper Moon." "I heard he's a hulking giant, muscles rippling, able to topple trees with a single punch. This guy's not like that!" "Rumor has it his face is so terrifying, demons weep at the sight of him." "He just doesn't look that strong."
Horitake's face darkened, a storm brewing behind his eyes. Shinobu's smile, for once, was genuine, her amusement practically radiating. "Oh my, Horitake-san, it seems you've shattered their expectations," she teased, her voice dripping with delight.
"Don't fan the flames, Sister Shinobu," Horitake muttered, his mood souring. "I need to get to the bottom of this. These rumors are tarnishing my name."
He approached the trio, softening his expression to seem approachable. "Little sisters, where'd you hear those wild stories about me? Tell me, and I swear I won't hunt down whoever started them."
The girls blinked innocently. "Some swordsmen treated here recently said it," they chirped in unison.
Horitake's stomach sank. "One person, or a bunch of them saying different things?"
"Lots of people, all saying different stuff."
Horitake deflated. These weren't isolated whispers but a wildfire of gossip, too widespread to trace or stop. His victory over Yushiro had sparked tall tales, each more absurd than the last. Taming the rumors was a lost cause.
Still, he could show the girls the real him. With a gentle smile, he said, "Those are just rumors, not truth. I'm Horitake, the one who killed Yushiro. No need to doubt me."
The trio tilted their heads, unconvinced. "But, big brother, you don't feel like a powerhouse. Did you really take down an Upper Moon?" "Yeah, you're not lying about your feats, are you?" "You don't look strong—not like the beefy Pillars."
A vein pulsed on Horitake's forehead. Who said strength means muscles? "You've got it wrong. Not all Pillars are hulking brutes. Take Iguro, Muichiro, or Tomioka—they don't scream 'strong,' but they're lethal. Strength isn't just brawn. I'm strong enough to kill an Upper Moon."
The girls blinked, their doe eyes softening as they nodded. "Oh, that makes sense…" "So cool…" "You don't look strong, but you're actually super strong!"
Horitake sagged. Was that a compliment? It felt like a backhanded jab. "Looks weak but is strong"? Too exhausted to argue, he resolved to reshape their views over time.
Turning to Shinobu, he sighed, "Sister Shinobu, where am I sleeping tonight?"
She pointed lazily. "The woodshed over there."
"What!?" Horitake's jaw dropped. "A woodshed? What did I do to deserve this?"
Shinobu's smile sharpened, her eyes glinting. "Horitake-san, haven't you noticed? You've been getting on my nerves since we met. My apologies—I overestimated your self-awareness."
There it was—the classic Shinobu sting. Abandoning hope with her, Horitake turned to Kanao. "Kanao-chan, can you find me a room? I'm staying here tonight."
Kanao blinked, flipped a coin, and checked it—tails. With a polite smile, she stood still, silent as a statue.
Horitake's face darkened again. Tails? Am I cursed today? He considered using Tanjiro's words to break through Kanao's shell but hesitated. He'd already disrupted Tanjiro's story by involving Nezuko; taking Kanao's arc felt too cruel. Let Tanjiro handle her heart.
Desperate, he turned to Aoi, the sanest of the bunch. Setting aside her laundry, Aoi gave a wry smile. "Sorry, Lord Horitake. Kanao-sama has… quirks. A room? Follow me."
"You're a lifesaver, Aoi!" Horitake beamed.
Aoi led him into the mansion to a clean, well-furnished single room meant for recovering Pillars. "This is for injured Pillars, but you can stay here tonight," she said.
"Perfect! Aoi, you're the best."
"No trouble at all. Let me know if you need anything."
"I'm set, thanks."
Horitake settled into the Butterfly Mansion. Despite Shinobu's grumbling about his audacity, the five girls welcomed him warmly. At dinner, they invited him to join them, and Horitake savored the rare honor of dining with six charming girls. The doe-eyed trio bombarded him with questions about slaying Yushiro, and he regaled them with his heroic tale, earning their admiration.
The night passed quietly. Tomorrow, the Pillar meeting loomed.
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