Chapter 44: Kanao Tsuyuri
A collection of handwritten papers lay on the table, each bearing a potential surname. As the family gathered around to look, however, the atmosphere grew a little awkward.
Kanae and her father, Sawaki, exchanged a particularly strained look. Their eyes were fixed on the three names Shinobu had proposed, and the proud, self-satisfied expression on her face left them momentarily speechless.
It was an obvious fact that Shinobu took after her father in almost every way—from her looks and personality right down to her talents. She possessed a remarkable aptitude for medicine, her skills already surpassing those of her own mother, Hanako, who had practiced alongside Sawaki for years. This made Shinobu the undisputed second-in-command of all medical affairs at the Butterfly Mansion. And while her personality had a sharp, tsundere edge, she was generally more boisterous and expressive than her older sister.
What Sawaki had never expected, however, was that his youngest daughter would also inherit his one, obvious weakness: his utterly hopeless talent for naming things.
Kanae, on the other hand, was the spitting image of their mother—just as gentle, just as quiet, and just as careful in her thoughts.
While everyone stared blankly at the questionable surnames, the door to the adjoining room finally slid open. Hanako walked in carrying Kanao, her eyes slightly red and swollen.
Upon their arrival, Akira had immediately entrusted Kanao to Hanako for a thorough physical check-up. He hadn't seen it himself, but he was certain the girl's small body would be covered in bruises and scars left by the wretches who had owned her—injuries that Hanako could treat.
His assumption had been correct. Hanako's eyes were red because the sight of the countless injuries covering Kanao's frail little body, combined with the girl's hollow, empty gaze, had filled her heart with such overwhelming pity that she'd nearly been weeping as she applied the salves.
"Thank you for your hard work, Aunt Hanako," Akira said, stepping forward to take Kanao into his own arms.
"This child... her life has been too cruel..." Hanako shook her head, her voice trembling as she gazed at the little girl.
"Yes," Akira agreed, gently stroking Kanao's hair. "But from now on, it's only going to get better. Right?"
As he spoke, a flicker of movement, so faint he almost missed it, touched the girl's face. The corner of her mouth, which had remained utterly still, seemed to twitch in a ghost of an upward curve.
But the expression was so fleeting that even Akira, with his enhanced vision, questioned if he'd imagined it. He could only sigh inwardly. Kanao's past had been far too bitter, leading her to seal away her emotions entirely. It would take long-term care and patient guidance to help her heal, bit by bit.
Without another word, Akira carried Kanao over to the table where eleven slips of paper were laid out. He had originally asked Hanako to contribute a few names as well, but after glancing at the ones written by Kanae and Makomo, she had simply said that they had already covered everything she had in mind.
Akira gently placed Kanao on the floor before the low table. "Kanao, we all thought of these surnames for you. How about you pick one to be your own?"
Kanao stared at Akira for a long moment before lowering her head to look at the characters on the table—symbols she couldn't recognize. A flicker of hesitation crossed her features. She desperately wanted to share a surname with him, but she didn't know how to voice it. Having barely spoken a word since birth, the simple act of opening her mouth felt like an impossible challenge.
Looking at the eleven completely unfamiliar names, she raised her gaze back to Akira. Unfortunately, the emptiness in her eyes was still too deep; even he couldn't fully read the thoughts swirling within her.
"Don't be nervous," Akira encouraged her softly. "This is the first choice you're making for yourself. Just follow your heart."
Everyone present knew that Kanao was illiterate. The monsters who had made her life a living hell would never have bothered to teach her how to read. But in a way, that didn't matter. A choice made like this would be one of pure intuition.
As Akira finished speaking, Kanao lowered her head again. Her small hand hovered over the eleven papers, moving back and forth. But while her eyes seemed to be scanning the names, her attention was secretly fixed on Akira.
She noticed it then. When her hand passed over a certain surname, his eyes would flicker slightly. The reaction was faint, almost imperceptible, but after a few passes, she was certain it wasn't her imagination.
Finally, her small hand came to a rest, her finger pointing at that very name.
'I don't recognize these characters,' she thought, her voice a silent whisper in her own mind. 'I don't know the meaning behind this name, and I don't know who wrote it. But… since you want me to choose it, I will.'
Akira was the first to step forward. A smile touched his lips as he met Kanao's gaze, his tone gentle yet carrying a new, solemn weight.
"Then, from this day forward, your surname will be Tsuyuri. You shall be known as Kanao Tsuyuri."
Although it wasn't the "Kanzaki" she had secretly hoped for, Kanao felt no disappointment. This was the one Akira wanted her to choose. For her, that was more than enough.
"From now on, Kanao Tsuyuri is also a member of the Butterfly Mansion," Akira announced to the room. "Kanae, Shinobu, I'll have to trouble you both to take good care of her. She's a girl, after all, and there are some things that aren't convenient for me to handle."
"Of course, no problem at all."
"Don't worry, Akira-kun!"
This time, Shinobu's response was even faster than Kanae's. Having always been the youngest, she was finally getting the chance to be an older sister, and the prospect clearly thrilled her.
The others saw her eagerness and simply smiled, saying nothing. Instead, the conversation turned to the practical arrangements for Kanao. Although she was already nine years old, she would need a complete education, starting with the very basics of daily life and moving on to reading and writing. They began discussing how to divide the responsibilities, carefully adjusting their own schedules to accommodate her needs.
The discussion lasted right up until dinnertime.
At the table, Kanao sat nestled comfortably in Akira's lap. Her tiny frame didn't hinder his eating in the slightest, and it allowed him to feed her a bite every now and then.
Meanwhile, Kanae and Makomo, seated on either side of him, began a friendly competition to see who could feed Kanao more.
Caught between the three of them, Kanao's little face was soon adorably stuffed with food. Even though her eyes remained devoid of emotion, the sight of her puffed-out cheeks only made her look cuter.
Poor Shinobu, who had just been so excited about becoming an older sister, found herself immediately pushed to the side by her two actual older sisters. Throughout the meal, she let out little huffs of annoyance, pouting at the three "bullies." In her eyes, Akira, who was happily holding Kanao, was just as much a part of the conspiracy. Even if she was too small to comfortably hold Kanao while eating, she would have gladly let the girl eat her fill first. Why couldn't she be the one to hold her?
Mr. and Mrs. Kochou sat opposite them, watching the heartwarming scene with gentle smiles. Though their decision to join the Butterfly Mansion had been born of trepidation and helplessness, it was becoming clear that life here was going to be quite pleasant.
The warm dinner ended amid laughter and cheerful chatter, a comfortable peace settling over the room. Then, Akira set down his bowl, and his calm voice cut through the air.
"Makomo, since your injuries are fully healed, your special training starts tomorrow."
"Eh—?"
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