From his description, a remote, exceptionally poor place slowly took shape in everyone's minds.
"Though life in the village was hard for everyone, we always helped each other."
"I remember one winter when Father injured his leg and couldn't go hunting. Our family lost its source of food, and it was only through the villagers' support that we managed to get through those difficult days."
Sayo added from the side that she, Tatsumi, and Ieyasu had been the three most gifted young people in the village.
In recent years, natural disasters had left the village with almost no harvests, and everyone had been living in extreme hardship.
To change the village's difficult situation, the three of them had traveled a long way to the Imperial Capital with the travel money the villagers had scraped together for them.
"What an enviable village."
"We've never heard about Yorii's hometown. Could you tell us about it?"
Compared to the two of them, Sayo felt that she had been much luckier. At the very least, she had never lacked so much materially while growing up.
Precisely because of that, what she wanted more was something spiritual.
After listening to Sayo finish, Sayo turned her gaze toward Yorii Tsugikuni.
She was quite interested in Yorii Tsugikuni's origins. More accurately, it was not just his background—she was curious about many things concerning him.
"My hometown was also a chaotic place, in a sense."
"Still, I was fortunate enough to have some very good friends. They allowed me to feel warmth in that despairing world."
Yorii Tsugikuni had been quietly eating the rice in his bowl. Hearing Sayo's question, he stopped and slowly began to reminisce. In truth, there were some things from the past he did not wish to bring up on his own.
His memories were filled with far too many regrets.
"Y-You really are someone with a story, Yorii."
"But since you've come to the Imperial Capital, start anew properly. I hope... you can find friends here who make you feel warm too."
Sayo had been drinking the whole time. Having drunk quite a bit, her face was now flushed red.
In fact, it had been a long time since she had drunk this much. Most of the time, she wandered the streets with her partner, Koro.
Without a family, she was unwilling to return to that cold home of hers, and she rarely spoke to others about her inner feelings.
"I hope so."
"But Sayo, it seems you've had too much to drink. Are you all right?"
Yorii Tsugikuni nodded slightly. Suddenly reborn and brought into this unfamiliar world...
Even now, Yorii Tsugikuni had not clearly figured out what he wanted to do.
He did not have a definite goal at the moment.
Even joining the Security Force had merely been a temporary decision, made because he truly did not know where else to go.
Seeing Sayo clutching her forehead, looking as though she had drunk too much, Yorii Tsugikuni asked with concern.
"I... I'm fine. I can still keep drinking... Thud!"
Hearing Yorii Tsugikuni's question, Sayo slightly raised her head.
But before she could finish, she collapsed onto the table and fell asleep.
"Sayo... Sayo..."
"Master, Sayo seems to have passed out drunk."
Seeing Sayo collapse on the table, Sayo hurried to her side and gently shook her for quite a while, but she could not wake her up.
Not knowing what to do, Sayo could only turn her gaze toward Yorii Tsugikuni.
"I'll take her home. I happened to pass by her house yesterday."
"You two go back first. I'll return soon."
Yorii Tsugikuni put Sayo on his back, then took hold of Koro beside him.
After giving Sayo and Ieyasu a brief instruction, he began walking toward Sayo's home.
On the street.
Because it was a full moon, even though it was already late at night, silver moonlight blanketed the streets.
Yorii Tsugikuni was not walking quickly, but his steps were steady.
On his back, Sayo slept soundly.
Honestly...
She clearly can't hold her liquor, yet she drank so much.
As he walked slowly along the street, Yorii Tsugikuni shook his head.
Although Sayo had spoken little that evening, he could sense that she had something on her mind.
From the very beginning, she had kept drinking.
"Woof, woof..."
Koro led the way ahead. He had always felt somewhat wary of Yorii Tsugikuni.
Although he did not like being around Yorii Tsugikuni, he was exceptionally obedient in front of him.
Upon reaching the door, Koro broke free from Yorii Tsugikuni's hold and ran to a stone beside the courtyard. He quickly dug up a key.
Holding the key in his mouth, Koro came before Yorii Tsugikuni.
"Thank you. What a clever little fellow."
"Put it back afterward."
Yorii Tsugikuni took the key from Koro's mouth and opened the door, then placed the key back in Koro's mouth.
A Drunken Girl Gained an Extra Egg
"What superb drawing skills."
"These must be Sayo's parents."
After lighting the room, Yorii Tsugikuni was drawn to a painting hanging on the wall.
It was a black-and-white drawing.
Inside were a woman, a man wearing a Security Force uniform, and between them was Sayo, clearly much younger than she was now.
All three people in the drawing wore happy smiles.
Looking at the painting hanging on the wall, Yorii Tsugikuni could not help but fall into a daze.
He thought of his wife and the child he had once had. If they had not been killed by demons, he surely could have had such a happy family as well.
No matter what, one day I will find you.
You destroyed other people's families. You will pay the price.
Remembering the past, Yorii Tsugikuni clenched his fists. Muzan Kibutsuji, the root of the pain brought upon the entire world, was an obsession he could not cast aside.
Even now, even after being reborn, he would never forgive that man.
"I'll kill you all!"
"Father, Mother, I'll avenge you."
Sayo seemed to be having a nightmare. She suddenly cried out loudly and nearly slipped off Yorii Tsugikuni's back.
Pulling himself from his thoughts, Yorii Tsugikuni carried Sayo into her bedroom and tucked her in.
"Sleep well."
"Everything will get better."
Looking at Sayo's tightly furrowed brow, Yorii Tsugikuni gently placed his palm on her forehead.
He softly smoothed out the crease between her brows before standing up to leave.
When he reached the living room and saw how messy the house was, Yorii Tsugikuni stopped again.
After thinking for a moment, he began tidying Sayo's home.
Clothes, shoes, all kinds of weapons, books, toys.
It took about an hour, and only once everything in sight had become neat and orderly did Yorii Tsugikuni nod in satisfaction.
He gently pulled the door shut.
Yorii Tsugikuni left Sayo's house.
"Woof, woof..."
Koro was crouched by the door. When he saw Yorii Tsugikuni come out, he somehow found a bone and placed it in front of him.
"For me?"
"But I don't think I like bones very much."
Looking at the bone before him, Yorii Tsugikuni was stunned for a moment.
He picked it up and smiled faintly before returning it to Koro.
But as soon as he placed it before Koro, Koro pushed it back to him again.
"All right, I'll accept it."
"I'll leave Sayo in your care from now on."
Looking at the bone before him, Yorii Tsugikuni ultimately accepted it.
He could feel a pure kindness from Koro.
Clack, clack...
Lying in her bed, Sayo was awakened by a burst of mechanical grinding sounds.
The instant she opened her eyes, a wave of dizziness hit her so hard that she nearly cried out.
It was a symptom that only came after drinking too much.
"Koro, what happened?"
"I don't remember anything."
Sitting up from bed, Sayo looked at Koro pacing around her room.
She began trying to recall the details of yesterday.
After thinking for a long while, she realized that everything after she had started drinking heavily was a blank.
She had no idea how she had even returned home.
"Oh no, it's already late."
"I said I'd practice swordsmanship with Yorii yesterday."
Seeing that it was already bright outside, Sayo sprang out of bed and rushed out of her bedroom.
She did not want Yorii Tsugikuni to think she was lazy.
As she hurried outside, Sayo put on her shoes and armor. But the moment she entered the living room, she came to a complete stop.
Looking at her clean, orderly living room, with even the floor gleaming slightly, she froze for several seconds.
Was I robbed?
A supernatural incident?
One thought after another crowded into her mind, only to be ruled out one by one.
In the end, a fair face with fiery red markings appeared in Sayo's mind.
Before you continue