With a heart suspended between grim determination and sheer trepidation, Horitake knocked on the door of the Kanroji residence.
The door opened almost instantly. Standing there was a young girl, a "little loli" who bore a striking resemblance to Mitsuri.
Horitake immediately realized this must be one of Mitsuri's younger sisters. Forcing his stiff facial muscles into what he hoped was a warm, friendly smile, he waved slightly. "He… Hello there, little one."
Before he could say another word, the girl's eyes darted to the woman standing beside him.
Specifically, she saw Mitsuri clinging tightly to Horitake's arm. The look of pure bliss on Mitsuri's face made the nature of their relationship painfully obvious.
The little girl's eyes widened until they were like crystal orbs, and her mouth fell open into a perfect 'O' shape.
Horitake opened his mouth to introduce himself, but the girl's reaction bypassed every social convention he had expected.
Ignoring both Horitake and Mitsuri, she spun around and bolted back into the house. As she ran, she screamed at the top of her lungs, her voice echoing through the halls:
"Otousan! Okaasan! Big sis kidnapped a man and brought him home!"
Horitake turned to stone.
Beside him, Mitsuri didn't seem bothered at all; she simply continued to giggle, hugging his arm even tighter.
At that moment, Horitake's brain felt like it had been stirred into a thick slurry.
What did that little girl just say? "Big sis kidnapped a man and brought him home"?!
The phrasing, the chaotic energy, the family dynamic—why did this feel so hauntingly familiar?
Still frozen in his petrified state, Horitake's mind flashed back to his previous life. He felt like he had seen this exact plot point before, perhaps in a certain anime called KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World!
No way… No way. Am I really caught in the middle of such a cliché, ridiculous situation?
Breaking out of his stupor, Horitake looked at Mitsuri with a face full of profound doubt.
Mitsuri gave him a bashful, slightly sheepish smile. "Horitake-kun, it's exactly what you're thinking. My parents and my family… their biggest dream in life is to see me get married. Since this is the first real sign of hope they've seen in a long time, my sister is being a little… well, informal."
Does a family like this really exist in this world?
A family so desperate to marry off their daughter that they treat it like a captured prize?
Horitake's expression became utterly unreadable—a living embodiment of the "Confused Nick Young" meme.
However, upon further reflection, it wasn't entirely impossible.
What was Mitsuri's original goal for joining the Demon Slayer Corps? It was to find a husband—someone strong enough to protect her and kind enough to accept her for who she was.
While she had achieved that goal, who was to say that her initial motivation wasn't born from the deepest desires of her family?
Because of her unique hair color and her monstrous appetite, Mitsuri's situation was incredibly specific. She had suffered through countless failed matchmaking attempts in the past, where potential suitors rejected her cruelly.
That was likely the root of her family's anxiety.
In this era, the pressure for a woman to marry was immense. But how could a "special" girl like Mitsuri find a match? After so many failures, no one in their local circles had been willing to accept her.
This wasn't just a blow to Mitsuri's confidence; it must have been a source of constant worry for her parents as well.
Thinking of it from that perspective, their frantic reaction to her finally bringing someone home became… understandable.
If that's the case…
Horitake felt the heavy weight in his chest lighten considerably.
The dread that had been gnawing at him for days vanished. He realized that this visit might be surprisingly smooth—or, at the very least, unexpectedly bizarre. Either way, his mood improved. As his heart settled, the rigid tension in his shoulders dissipated, replaced by a softer, more relaxed aura.
The two of them waited at the threshold, as it felt inappropriate to barge in just yet.
Following the sister's shrill announcement, Horitake heard the unmistakable sound of a stampede.
It wasn't just one person running. It wasn't two or three. It was the synchronized thundering of at least five or six people charging toward the front door!
Sure enough, a middle-aged woman and a middle-aged man appeared, followed by four little "tag-alongs." The entire family crowded into the entryway with such frantic energy that the scene became a blur of limbs and excited faces.
And, true to form, the things they were shouting were hilariously consistent:
"What?! Mitsuri kidnapped a man?! Is it true?!" That was the mother, her face lit up with pure, unadulterated joy.
"What?! Mitsuri kidnapped a man?! Finally, the day has come!" That was the father, looking as though a decade of stress had just been lifted from his shoulders.
"What?! Big sis kidnapped a man?! What kind of guy would actually want her?!" That was Mitsuri's younger brother, his face a mask of existential skepticism.
"What?! Big sis kidnapped a man?! She actually sold herself off?!" That was another sister, looking like she had just witnessed a miracle.
Watching the Kanroji family in their natural habitat, Horitake's lip twitched. He truly didn't have the vocabulary to describe his current state of mind.
Beside him, Mitsuri's face began to darken. Several "anger veins" (the classic cross-shaped symbols) popped up on her forehead. She felt that her family was utterly humiliating her in front of her boyfriend.
Finally, she reached her limit. She shook her small fists at them, her voice rising in a flustered shout:
"Papa! Mama! Everyone! What on earth are you all saying?! You're being so rude! I have feelings too, you know! Don't I get any dignity?!"
Among the chaotic huddle at the door, the father—as the head of the household—was the first to regain his senses. He began to mutter to himself in a panicked hurry:
"Right, right, right… we can't be this rude! Mitsuri finally managed to snag a man and bring him home. If we act like this, we'll scare the poor lad away! If that happens, she really will never get married!"
With that realization, the man began to clumsily shove his wife and children back, forcing them into a semblance of an orderly line.
After a moment of frantic shuffling and re-sorting, the six members of the Kanroji family (excluding Mitsuri) stood neatly in the genkan hallway. With a sudden, jarring shift into formality, they bowed in unison to Horitake.
Though his lip was still twitching, Horitake maintained his manners and returned the bow with equal gravity.
Once the formal greetings were exchanged, Mitsuri's mother stepped forward, subtly elbowing her husband into the background. She beamed at Horitake, radiating a level of warmth that could melt a glacier.
"Please, young man, come in! Come in at once! I must entertain you properly!"
A mother-in-law this enthusiastic is definitely a good sign, Horitake thought.
With a different kind of nervous energy, he stepped into the Kanroji home, with Mitsuri glued to his side.
The family led him into the living room, where the mother immediately set out tea and an assortment of refreshments.
And so, the scene was set. Everyone sat formally on the tatami mats.
Horitake sat in the guest's position, with a beaming Mitsuri right next to him. Her parents sat directly across the low square table, while her four siblings flanked the sides.
No one spoke. They simply sat there, staring at Horitake with an intensity that felt like a physical weight.
-------------------------------
I've already uploaded 40 chapters of this story on Patreon!
If you enjoy it, come check out the latest chapters in advance.
Here's the link:
[pat*eon*com/DaoistRoeoNQ]
Thank you so much for your support!!!
"And If you're enjoying it, drop a Power Stone for me!"