Being stared at by all six members of the Kanroji family, their eyes brimming with fervent expectation, Horitake felt an immense pressure weighing down on him.
This wasn't the kind of pressure born from a hostile father-in-law or a critical mother-in-law looking for flaws. On the contrary, it was because Horitake had never encountered a family quite like this before.
As he looked into their eager, sparkling eyes, he couldn't help but complain inwardly:
Just how badly does this family want to marry off their eldest daughter?!
Is Mitsuri really that hard to get off the market?
If no one else wants her, I certainly do!
Of course, facing her parents and her younger siblings, Horitake couldn't just blurt that out. It would be incredibly disrespectful.
Under the weight of this awkward silence, Horitake decided to let his gifts lead the way. He placed the exquisitely wrapped boxes on the table and politely slid them toward Mitsuri's parents.
"These are some gifts Mitsuri and I picked out together for you, sir and ma'am. I hope you'll like them."
Across from him, the elder Kanrojis beamed. They accepted the boxes with practiced grace, though their excitement was visible.
"Oh, young man, you're far too kind," the mother said politely. "Spending so much on us... you really shouldn't have."
Horitake maintained the etiquette. "Not at all. It's just a few boxes of sweets—a small token of my appreciation. I'm just glad you don't find them too meager."
At some point, Mitsuri's two youngest siblings had mischievously crawled up behind their parents, peering curiously at the gift boxes.
The youngest sister poked at one of the boxes, a question mark practically floating above her head. "They look kinda ordinary, don't they?"
However, her brother, a sturdy and plucky little fellow, was clearly more observant. He examined the packaging for a moment before declaring with absolute certainty:
"No way, they aren't ordinary at all! These are high-end confections. The packaging is just designed to be low-key. Wow, our future brother-in-law is really generous!"
The children weren't shouting, but in the quiet living room, their conversation reached everyone's ears.
A flicker of awkwardness passed through the group.
Horitake continued his internal monologue: In a sense, Mitsuri and I haven't even finalized things yet, and you're already calling me 'brother-in-law'? Isn't that a bit fast? You're 'selling' your sister off quicker than a clearance sale!
As the head of the household, Mitsuri's father cleared his throat twice, putting on a front of dignified wisdom to break the tension.
"Ahem. Well, young man... if I'm not mistaken, you are the 'Horitake' that Mitsuri often speaks of?"
Horitake immediately straightened his posture, looking perfectly serious. "Yes, sir. That is me."
"It really is you," the father remarked. "Every time Mitsuri comes home lately, she tells us all about you. Our whole family has been looking forward to meeting you for a long time!"
"Uh... you flatter me, sir. I've also been looking forward to meeting you, ma'am, and the children. It's just that work has been quite hectic lately, so I haven't had the opportunity until now."
These words were, of course, a complete fabrication. Horitake hadn't forgotten how desperately he had tried to dodge this meeting.
The parents, however, didn't sense the irony. They simply thought he was a well-spoken, polite young man, and their estimation of him rose another notch.
The father had barely finished his sentence before the mother leaned in, unable to contain her curiosity.
"By the way, young man, you're also in the Demon Slayer Corps, right?"
Horitake nodded. "Yes. Like Mitsuri, I am a member of the Corps."
"Then... I imagine your work must be very dangerous."
"It has its moments, but my strength is sufficient to handle most threats."
"I see..." And then, she asked the question she had been dying to ask. "Our Mitsuri is a 'Love Hashira' within the Corps. I wonder, young man, what position do you hold?"
The moment she asked, Horitake knew exactly what was happening. This was the "Mother-in-law's Test."
If his rank was too low, it would undoubtedly lower his standing in her eyes. Fortunately, his status in the Corps was anything but low.
With a confident, gentle smile, Horitake replied, "My title is the 'Heaven Hashira.' As for my position... well, I'm technically half a rank below our Leader, but half a rank above Mitsuri's position as a Love Hashira. It's a respectable post."
This was the moment where "a daughter's heart turns outward." Mitsuri seized the chance to brag about her boyfriend to her parents.
"Even though his rank is technically below the Master's, Horitake-kun's achievements and contributions over the years have been incredible! In the Corps, his status is practically equal to the Master's now!"
The Kanroji parents weren't entirely familiar with the inner workings of the Demon Slayer Corps, but hearing their daughter speak with such pride, they nodded in unison, looking suitably impressed by things they didn't quite understand.
Then, the mother asked the next crucial question with a hint of caution:
"If Mitsuri is a Hashira, her monthly salary is quite generous. Since you're the 'Heaven Hashira' and outrank her, I assume your salary must be quite substantial as well?"
On this point, Horitake was entirely confident. "You can rest assured on that front, sir, ma'am. My income is indeed quite high. It's more than enough to provide for Mitsuri."
"Oh... then I can put my heart at ease."
The mother looked truly relieved, as if a great weight had been lifted. She stopped her questioning there.
In truth, she was being quite reasonable. If this were the modern era, a mother-in-law would be asking about his house, his car, his savings, and his family background. The fact that she was satisfied with just his job title and salary proved that her standards for Mitsuri's suitor were actually quite humble.
With the mother satisfied, it was the father's turn.
He maintained his "enigmatic" posture, sitting stiffly and keeping his face stern and silent, as if trying to use the quiet to assert his authority.
But Horitake could see right through him. The old man wasn't actually imposing; he was "faking" depth to bolster his own courage because he felt he had no leverage.
Seeing this, Horitake almost laughed out loud, but he managed to keep a straight face.
What did the parents look like right now?
They looked exactly like merchants who had a massive backlog of goods sitting in their warehouse. They couldn't bring themselves to throw the goods away, but every day the items sat there, they were losing money.
Now that someone had finally come along to negotiate a deal, they were desperate to sell and clear the stock.
But at the same time, they were trying to act aloof and reserved, terrified that if they acted too eager, the buyer would spot their weakness and drive the price down.
Therefore, the father could only use silence to build up his "bargaining power," all for the sake of selling the "goods" in his hands for the best possible price!
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