The midday sun bathed the Butterfly Mansion in a warm, golden glow. Kanzaki Akira, having just wrapped up his rigorous morning training regimen, wiped a bead of sweat from his brow. As he walked through the courtyard, he happened to cross paths with Kanae, who was just returning from her duties as a proctor for the Final Selection exams.
Spotting him, her face lit up with a brilliant smile. She waved her hand cheerfully, calling out to stop him in his tracks.
"Ara, Akira-kun! Look who I found! A girl who shares your exact surname!" Stepping aside with a playful, theatrical flourish, she announced, "Ta-da~!"
Kanae's movement revealed a young girl who had been timidly trailing behind her. The girl clearly hadn't anticipated such a sudden and enthusiastic introduction. She froze, standing there awkwardly, her hands fidgeting as she found herself entirely at a loss for what to do. Haunted by her poor performance during the Final Selection, a deep-seated inferiority complex weighed heavily on her shoulders. Instinctively, she ducked her head, lacking the courage to even meet Akira's gaze.
She had short, raven-black hair that barely brushed her shoulders, neatly tied into twin-tails with simple black bands. Her facial features carried a subtle, underlying hint of heroism, while her sky-blue eyes—visible only in fleeting glances—held a gentle softness.
Yet, the evident aura of nervousness and self-doubt radiating from her small frame was so thick it practically overflowed into the courtyard.
Akira observed her quietly, turning over a few gentle greetings in his mind to ease her tension. Before he could speak, the girl forced herself to stand a fraction taller. Her voice trembled as she stammered out a halting introduction.
"F-First meeting... Lord Sound Hashira. I... my name is Kanzaki Aoi..."
During their journey to the estate, Kanae had casually mentioned that the resident Sound Hashira shared her family name. Hearing Kanae's cheerful greeting just now, Aoi easily deduced that the young man standing before her—who honestly didn't look much older than herself—was the famed Sound Hashira.
Only those who had truly faced the terrifying, suffocating presence of demons could fully comprehend the monstrous strength required to become a Hashira-level swordsman. Even when interacting with the endlessly gentle Kanae, Aoi felt a persistent knot of anxiety. Now, standing face-to-face with a second Hashira, her heart hammered a frantic, uneasy rhythm against her ribs.
Kanae had promised her that Akira was incredibly easy to get along with, but Aoi still found it impossible to maintain her composure. The dark, gnawing fear in her chest whispered cruel doubts. If he knew the truth... If this elite warrior knew she was nothing but a coward who couldn't even hold her sword steady in the presence of a demon, what kind of disgusted glare would he give her? She dreaded the thought of his judgment.
Sensing her overwhelming dread, Akira blinked, genuinely perplexed. He turned to Kanae, pointing a finger at himself. "Do I look that scary?"
In truth, Akira possessed naturally striking, handsome features paired with an effortlessly easygoing demeanor. The wounded slayers recovering at the Butterfly Mansion rarely, if ever, showed fear in his presence. Ironically, it was Kochou Shinobu who struck terror into the hearts of the patients. While her medical expertise was undeniably brilliant and her treatments ensured swift recoveries, her tongue was laced with a lethal, smiling poison. Her sharp, merciless teasing was so intimidating that the patients completely overlooked her delicate beauty, opting instead to maintain a highly respectful—and very safe—distance from her at all times.
Kanae covered her mouth, a soft, melodic chuckle escaping her lips. She shook her head, her eyes curving into affectionate crescents. "Not at all. Akira-kun is very handsome."
Stepping closer to the trembling girl, Kanae gently placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Aoi-chan, take a deep breath and relax. Akira-kun is wonderfully easy to get along with, I promise."
"B-But I heard a rumor that Lord Sound Hashira once hung someone up..." Aoi whispered, her voice barely louder than a rustling leaf. She stole a fleeting, fearful upward glance at Akira before immediately dropping her chin back to her chest.
"Pfft~" Kanae couldn't hold back her amusement. A bright laugh bubbled from her throat as she turned, shooting Akira a playful, teasing wink.
Akira cleared his throat with a helpless, dry cough, rubbing the back of his neck. "That... was a specific circumstance," he explained, his tone laced with a dry exasperation. "Those two idiots had the nerve to confess to Kanae right in front of me, acting like they were in some grand competition for her favor. They should consider themselves lucky I didn't tie the rope around their necks and let them play tug-of-war with the roof beams."
With hundreds of swordsmen filling the ranks of the Demon Slayer Corps, it was mathematically inevitable to encounter a few hotheaded fools. Faced with their brazen audacity, Akira had simply taken the liberty of letting them swing from the ceiling of their ward like human pendulums for an entire night to cool their heated blood.
Naturally, the ropes had been securely tied around their waists. That mercy was only granted because the two had been incredibly sincere in their frantic apologies; otherwise, there was no telling exactly which body parts would have been subjected to the knot. Predictably, gossiping slayers who lacked the full context had caught wind of the incident, and Akira's reputation as a ruthless disciplinarian had sprouted from the misunderstanding.
"Eh... Ah?" Aoi blinked blankly, her sky-blue eyes wide with stunned confusion. She looked from Akira's deadpan expression to Kanae, who was nodding sagely to confirm the absolute truth of the story. Realizing her terrifying image of the Sound Hashira was based on a petty romantic rivalry, Aoi's cheeks flushed crimson, and she lowered her head once more, thoroughly embarrassed.
"So, what's her situation?" Akira asked, his tone shifting to a softer, more serious register. "Tell me about it."
While Kanae already knew from Makomo that Akira possessed a mysterious foresight—having 'dreamed' of the events and people of this world—she and Makomo had mutually agreed to keep that deep secret strictly between them. Akira was more than happy with this arrangement; trying to explain the complexities of his reincarnated knowledge to every new face would be an exhausting nightmare.
"Aoi-chan isn't very suited for the frontlines of combat," Kanae explained gently, her gaze softening as she looked at the young girl. "But she is incredibly serious, hardworking, and deeply responsible. I thought it would be wonderful for her to come live at the Butterfly Mansion and help Mother with the daily operations."
"Aunt Hanako has indeed been looking quite tired lately. Having a dedicated helper will be good for her," Akira agreed with a decisive nod. He glanced up at the sky. "It's just about time for lunch anyway. Bring her along to the dining room. It's a perfect chance for everyone to get to know each other."
Seeing that Aoi was still far too restrained and timid to voice any opinions of her own, Akira simply made the executive decision for her. Taking the cue, Kanae smiled and gently took Aoi's hand, leading the bewildered girl into the sprawling estate.
Aoi's mind spun in a dizzying whirlwind. Who am I? Where am I? What is even going on? Did I just get directly hired by the boss?!
Still thoroughly dazed by the rapid turn of events, Aoi found herself pulled through the sliding doors and seated at the large, bustling dining table of the Butterfly Mansion.
As she entered, Makomo and Kochou Shinobu paused their conversation, their eyes landing on Aoi. In perfect, silent synchronization, the two girls looked at the new arrival, then shifted their piercing gazes directly onto Akira. After a few seconds of intense, calculating observation—silently judging if he had brought home yet another girl to dote on—their expressions smoothed out. Returning to normal, they took their respective seats as if nothing had happened.
Akira felt a sudden, inexplicable chill run down his spine. Why do I get the distinct feeling my reputation in this house is taking a very weird turn?
Across the table, Makomo took a delicate sip of her tea, her cyan eyes glinting with hidden amusement. Heh. Someone already has five girls wrapped around his finger, and it's still not enough? And he still expects a perfectly clean reputation?
Aoi sat stiffly, her eyes darting around the room. She looked at the cool, sharp-faced Shinobu sitting directly opposite her. Then, her gaze drifted to Akira, who was comfortably sandwiched between the radiant Kanae and the serene Makomo. To make matters even more domestic, the quiet little Kanao was currently nestled comfortably in Akira's lap, happily accepting his presence. Finally, she looked at the elder Kochou couple seated across from the trio.
For a long moment, Aoi's brain simply short-circuited, entirely unable to process the bizarre, highly intimate family dynamic unfolding before her.
Was the legendary Sound Hashira—the man rumored throughout the Corps to be exceptionally talented but violently ill-tempered and prone to hanging his subordinates from the rafters—actually this kind of person? A man who acted like a doting father and a thoroughly pampered husband?
Despite her utter bewilderment, the atmosphere within the Butterfly Mansion was undeniably warm and inviting. The rich scent of home-cooked food and the gentle hum of domestic life managed to ease the tight knot of nervousness in Aoi's chest.
But that fleeting comfort vanished almost instantly.
Her anxiety spiked once more as Kanae clapped her hands together and began formally introducing every single person at the table to her, one by one.
As the names and titles rolled over her, Aoi mentally tallied the terrifying roster. In short, sitting at this very table were three active Hashira, two elite doctors who single-handedly supported the entire medical infrastructure of the Demon Slayer Corps, the esteemed head housekeeper of the Butterfly Mansion, and one adorable little girl who was clearly the heavily protected favorite of the entire group.
As for herself? Aoi considered herself nothing more than a pathetic, cowardly 'background character.' She felt entirely out of place, convinced she had absolutely no right to be breathing the same air, let alone eating at the same table, as these extraordinary figures.
"Aoi-chan, please, relax," Kanae urged softly, her voice a soothing balm. "We are all going to be living together here in the Butterfly Mansion from now on. You can't stay this nervous forever, right?"
To help ease the girl's tension, Kanae had specifically chosen to sit much closer to Aoi today, rather than taking her usual customary spot beside Shinobu.
Aoi swallowed hard. She peeked up through her dark lashes, taking in the friendly, expectant faces around the table, before her crushing insecurities forced her to lower her head once more.
"Aoi-chan," Akira spoke up, his deep voice cutting through the clatter of dishware. "You don't mind if I call you that, do you?"
"O-Of course not, Lord Sound Hashira," she replied quickly, her voice tight.
Akira sighed softly, a gentle, reassuring sound. "You don't need to call me 'Lord Sound Hashira' either. Just be a bit more casual with me. We're family now. But tell me... may I ask why you habitually keep your head down?"
He leaned forward slightly, resting his chin on his hand as he studied her. "If it's a matter of looks, to be completely honest, you're a very pretty girl. You have nothing to hide." He paused, letting the compliment settle before continuing. "If it's a matter of ability and character... well, although this is our first meeting, Kanae is an excellent judge of character. If she brought you back here and fully intends for you to help Aunt Hanako manage this estate, you must be incredibly capable and trustworthy."
Akira's gaze softened, his perceptive eyes seeming to peer right through her defensive shell. "So, tell me. What is it that makes you instinctively feel so inferior, as if you are somehow beneath everyone else in this room?"
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