Mitsuri's mother's words were the final straw, sending Mitsuri into a fit of indignation.
She brandished her small fists, waving them through the air with a face flushed with fury.
"Mama! That is way too hurtful! How could you expose your own daughter's flaws like that?! Am I even your child, or did you just pick me up off the street?! Mama! Do you actually want me to get married, or are you trying to sabotage me?!"
Confronted by her eldest daughter's white-hot rage, Mitsuri's mother shrunk back slightly, looking a bit sheepish. She replied in a small, weak voice, "Of course I want you to get married, dear... I just don't want you to be a burden to someone else."
"What do you mean, a 'burden'?! Mama, explain yourself!"
"Mitsuri, your situation is so... unique. Hardly any man would find those traits appealing. This young man here, his circumstances are excellent—he's such an outstanding talent. Why would someone like him take a fancy to you? As your mother, I have to be honest. I can't let this young man suffer or feel cheated. He has to understand exactly what he's getting into before I can give you away! If we just marry you off without making things clear, what if..."
Her mother trailed off, unable to finish the sentence.
Mitsuri's father, looking equally wretched, picked up where his wife left off: "What if this young man regrets it later and wants to return the goods?"
Mitsuri's anger boiled over. Her entire face turned a vivid shade of crimson. "What do you mean 'return the goods'?! Dad! Mom! Can't you two wish for something good for me for once?!"
She was genuinely fuming, launching into a heated accusation against her parents. Her parents looked awkward and embarrassed, yet they felt a moral obligation to lay everything out on the table.
Meanwhile, Mitsuri's younger siblings were huddled together nearby, chirping and whispering amongst themselves as they debated the monumental question of whether their big sister could actually successfully marry out this time.
For a moment, the atmosphere in the living room was a chaotic blend of tension and pure awkwardness.
Horitake sat there, his expression hard to describe. He found himself speechless, simply because he couldn't figure out how to integrate himself into the unique "Kanroji family vibe."
This family was truly... something else.
Forget this era; even in the modern age—even in his past life's highly developed society—Horitake had never heard of such a situation, nor had he ever witnessed a family quite like Mitsuri's.
They were truly one of a kind.
Seeing that the situation was about to spiral into even greater chaos, Horitake had no choice but to raise his hand. He called out loudly to halt the madness and restore some semblance of order:
"Uncle! Auntie! And you kids! Please, quiet down for a moment! Hear me out!"
The Kanroji household fell silent. Every eye turned toward Horitake, waiting to hear what profound wisdom he had to offer.
Horitake spoke with a solemn, sincere gravity.
"Mitsuri and I have been dating for over a year now. Having spent so much time together, it's safe to say we are very familiar with one another. We understand each other deeply. So, Auntie, the three concerns you have... I've known about them for a long time."
He paused, looking at each of them. "To other men, Mitsuri's hair color, her appetite, and her physical strength might seem strange. They might see those as flaws they can't tolerate, things they would avoid like the plague. But to me? It's exactly those things that make Mitsuri real! It's those things that make her adorable! That is the Mitsuri I love!"
"I love the color of her hair. I honestly don't understand why anyone wouldn't love such a captivating cherry-blossom pink. I love how much she eats; I love watching the look of pure joy on her face when she enjoys a meal. Seeing her heart fill with happiness over delicious food makes me feel happy, too. And as for her physical strength? That incredible power gives her the ability to fight and survive. Besides, my own physical strength is even higher than hers—you don't have to worry about me not being able to keep up with her."
"I love Mitsuri exactly as she is. There's nothing more to say. I just love her!"
Horitake's heartfelt and solemn declaration stunned the Kanroji family into silence.
Moved to tears, Mitsuri didn't care that her entire family was watching. She lunged forward and threw her arms around Horitake in a tight embrace.
Mitsuri's parents looked on, deeply moved and immensely relieved. Her younger siblings also breathed a sigh of relief, their faces lighting up with joy.
Clinging to Horitake, her head buried against his chest, Mitsuri looked up with eyes brimming with tears and a gaze full of deep affection.
"Horitake-kun... thank you. Thank you for loving me for who I am."
Horitake held her close, stroking her hair as he spoke in a gentle, comforting tone. "What are you thanking me for? You're the woman I love. Of course I love everything about you. To be honest, I've never understood why those other men couldn't see your worth. Were they all just blind?"
He smiled softly. "Well, I suppose I should be glad they were blind. It's because of their mistake that I was able to find you."
Hearing this, Mitsuri was even more overcome with emotion.
In the midst of this poignant, touching atmosphere, the voice of Mitsuri's youngest brother rang out with an air of unearned authority. The little boy sat there with his arms crossed, looking entirely too serious.
"Maybe it wasn't that the other guys were blind," the boy mused. "Maybe it's just that you, Brother-in-law, are..."
He suddenly realized the look on his sister's face and wisely cut himself off.
That single comment instantly shattered the romantic mood, plunging the room back into a pool of awkwardness.
Horitake stared at the boy with "dead-fish eyes," inwardly lamenting that this entire family was made of eccentrics. He waved his hand dismissively, his tone slightly huffy as he retorted:
"It's not being blind! It's called 'different strokes for different folks'! Who I choose to love is nobody's business but my own!"
Mitsuri's father nodded in deep resonance, giving Horitake a firm thumbs-up. The gesture clearly signaled: You're absolutely right, kid. Well said.
Tucked in Horitake's arms, Mitsuri shot a subtle but terrifying glare at her younger brother. The boy immediately recalled the "reign of terror" he'd experienced under his big sister's strength during his toddler years. He shrank back, tucking his head in, and decided it was best to stay quiet.
Finally, the atmosphere gradually returned to a normal, albeit high-energy, state. Mitsuri's parents were now overflowing with warmth toward their newly minted son-in-law.
Mitsuri's mother was wiping away tears of joy. "This is wonderful... Horitake-kun, I'm so touched that you can be so accepting of Mitsuri. I truly didn't think anyone would actually marry her. I'm just so happy."
Mitsuri's father straightened his posture, addressing Horitake with formal gravity. "Very well, young man. Since you love my eldest daughter so much, then from this day forward, I entrust her to you!"
Horitake was elated. He quickly stood to give his word. "Please rest assured, Uncle, Auntie. I will definitely take care of Mitsuri."
There was no doubt about it—he had officially received the seal of approval from his future father-in-law and mother-in-law.
However, there was still one rather "complicated" problem that needed to be addressed.
Thinking of this, Horitake couldn't help but feel a bit of trepidation. Nevertheless, he chose to be honest. Wearing an expression full of apology, he looked at Mitsuri's parents.
"Um... Uncle, Auntie, I'm sorry. Actually, there is one more thing I need to be honest about. One more thing I need to ask your forgiveness for."
Mitsuri's parents immediately tensed up, their faces filled with renewed panic.
"What is it?!"
"Young man, you're not having second thoughts, are you? You're not going to back out of the marriage, right?!"
Horitake gave a wry, bitter smile. "No, it's not that. I am definitely marrying Mitsuri. It's just... I'm not just marrying Mitsuri. I intend to marry two other girls as well."
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