The future, in Horitake's eyes, was suddenly shrouded in a thick, suffocating gloom.
It was finally happening. He was going to meet Mitsuri's parents and her siblings.
What kind of treatment would he receive at the home of his potential father-in-law and mother-in-law? Horitake didn't need to guess; he could practically see it unfolding.
If Mitsuri were his only partner, he might have felt some semblance of confidence. He would have been able to stand tall and look her parents in the eye with a clear conscience.
But the current reality was… he had three.
How would her parents look at him? How would they treat him? Would they simply skip the pleasantries, grab a meat cleaver, and chase him out of the house?
In his mind, that wasn't just a possibility; it was a likely outcome.
Horitake was a man who practiced empathy—often to his own detriment. He frequently tried to put himself in others' shoes, and this was one of those times.
If I had a beautiful, precious daughter whom I had pampered and protected since the day she was born, only to find out one day that some scoundrel from god-knows-where had seduced her…
Well, children grow up. They fall in love. I could accept her being taken away by a decent man.
But this guy? This guy isn't decent! He doesn't just have my daughter; he has two other women on the side!
And that's not even the most infuriating part. The most galling thing is that this bastard somehow brainwashed my daughter into getting along with the other two!
Dammit…
When he followed that train of thought to its logical conclusion, Horitake felt his own blood boil with vicarious rage.
Sometimes, when he got too deep into this mental roleplay, he'd find himself thinking that if he ever truly encountered a man like himself in the future, he would do whatever it took to end that "wild man's" existence.
Giving him "concrete shoes" and sinking him into Tokyo Bay would be the merciful option. He would make sure the guy suffered an eternity of ruin.
That was Horitake's honest opinion—as a hypothetical father.
The problem, of course, was that he was that very scoundrel.
If even he got this angry just thinking about it, how could his father-in-law and mother-in-law feel any different? They would surely be beyond livid.
Every time this realization hit him, Horitake felt his heart skip a beat. He was genuinely terrified. In his current state of mind, he would rather face Kibutsuji Muzan in a duel to the death than stand before Mitsuri's parents.
It was exactly this fear that had made him so resistant to meeting her family in the past. On several occasions, he had used the excuse of "not enough time" or "being unprepared" to dodge Mitsuri's requests.
But a man can only run for so long.
Some things are inevitable. You can hide from the monk, but you can't hide from the temple. You can avoid the first of the month, but the fifteenth will always come.
The day of reckoning had arrived, and this time, he had no valid excuse to refuse.
Sensing the genuine aura of dread and panic radiating from him—especially the way his muscles had locked up—Mitsuri immediately went on high alert. She clung to his arm with both of hers, effectively anchoring him in place to prevent any sudden escape.
She looked up into his eyes, her expression a mix of suspicion and a playful pout.
"Horitake-kun, you've turned me down so many times before. You absolutely cannot say no this time!"
Horitake's face was a mask of misery. A layer of cold sweat beaded on his forehead, and his voice trembled slightly.
"Mitsuri… it's not that I want to refuse, or that I'm trying to run away. It's just… I lack the moral high ground. My conscience is screaming at me.
"I can face anyone. I could stand before Muzan himself without blinking. But meeting your family, your parents… it's different. I'm honestly afraid they'll hack me into eight pieces.
"If Muzan tried to hack me into pieces, I could fight back. I could run. But if your parents do it? Can I fight them? Can I run? No. I just have to stand there and take it!"
Horitake had rarely ever sounded this pathetic. Seeing him in such a state, Mitsuri couldn't help but roll her eyes with a mixture of affection and exasperation.
"So you do realize you're on shaky ground, Horitake-kun?" she teased. "But whose fault is that? Who was it that decided to gather three of us all at once? You're the one who sowed these seeds!
"This is something you have to face sooner or later. Just look reality in the eye! Like you told me once: 'A true warrior dares to face the bleakness of life, and dares to stare down the dripping blood.' Now is the time to practice what you preach!"
Horitake's complexion turned even more sallow.
"Please, Mitsuri. I'm already feeling incredibly depressed. Don't provoke me. I can't even begin to imagine how I'll face them. Am I just going there to wait for my death sentence, or is there another kind of death waiting for me?"
Noticing that his face had gone past "worried" and straight into "ghastly," Mitsuri softened. She stopped teasing him and instead began to shake his arm gently, bouncing slightly on her heels in a lively, comforting gesture.
"Horitake-kun, are you really that scared? You shouldn't be. You're just scaring yourself!
"Didn't I tell you before? My parents and my family aren't like other people. They're very open-minded about these things. Even if I'm not the only woman in your life, they'll be more understanding than you think!"
To Horitake, these words sounded like nothing more than hollow comfort.
Even in this era, where Japan was much more traditional and conservative, no parent would be happy about their precious daughter becoming a concubine or a co-wife. He could already envision the gauntlet of trials and tribulations awaiting him at the Kanroji household.
However, Horitake had a peculiar trait: when his mood hit rock bottom, it tended to bounce back with extreme force.
And right now, he hit the bottom.
His expression suddenly turned fierce, and he gritted his teeth with newfound resolve.
"Fine. If I go to your house, I'll likely be treated like dirt. But it doesn't matter. My feelings for you are real, Mitsuri! My love isn't fake! No matter what happens, I will marry you—even if I have to resort to… unconventional methods!"
Mitsuri blinked at him, looking dazed. "Wh-What do you mean by 'unconventional'?"
Looking at her, Horitake's gaze became increasingly determined.
"If it comes to it, I'll just kidnap you and we'll elope! We'll go somewhere your parents can't find us, and we'll… well, we'll make it a fait accompli! After a few years, once we have a bunch of kids, we'll go back to your parents' house together!
"By then, they'll have to accept it whether they want to or not! Because the reality will already be set in stone!"
Hearing the sheer desperation and finality in his tone, Mitsuri facepalmed. She felt a profound sense of helplessness and amusement.
She had heard him mention this "option" before, but seeing him so serious about it was something else entirely. She didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
"Horitake-kun… my parents and my family really aren't what you're imagining. That nightmare scenario in your head isn't going to happen. And as for kidnapping me or eloping? That's really not necessary. My parents, they…"
She trailed off, falling into a thoughtful silence.
After a long pause, she shook her head and sighed.
"Forget it. No matter what I say, you'll just think I'm trying to make you feel better. Once you actually meet them, you'll see for yourself. You won't be this nervous or pessimistic anymore."
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