In the Swordsmith Village dining hall that afternoon, enormous monster ribs sizzled with rendered fat, filling the air with their aroma. A drink brewed from some kind of berry shimmered strangely in the cups, alongside baked treats that gave off an enticing sweetness.
"Delicious!" Kyojuro Rengoku's booming voice made the tableware tremble. He forked a huge chunk of rib meat into his mouth and chewed contentedly, his eyes sparkling.
Tengen Uzui couldn't help commenting, "Mr. Rengoku, hasn't your hearing recovered? You don't need to keep shouting that loudly, do you?"
Rengoku paused, then burst into hearty laughter. "Mm! My sincerest apologies! Force of habit, hahaha!" His voice was still booming, but his smile was utterly sincere.
On the other side of the table, Giyu Tomioka seemed to have entered a world of his own. He kept his head down in silence, focused solely on the plate before him. His chopsticks flew, delivering one piece of meat after another and rolls of unfamiliar vegetables into his mouth. He never stopped chewing.
The Sapphire Star approached with a small plate of delicately prepared preserved fruit. Watching Giyu do nothing but eat, she hesitated before speaking softly. "Um, Mr. Giyu, may I ask you a question?"
His cheeks still bulging as he chewed, Giyu looked up blankly at the Sapphire Star, answering her with his eyes:
What is it? I'm concentrating on eating.
The Sapphire Star sighed and asked him directly:
"Why do you so often tell everyone that you're different from them?"
Everyone stopped eating for a moment. None of them had expected the Sapphire Star to ask so bluntly. They had thought she would broach the subject more tactfully.
Giyu's chewing noticeably slowed for a beat. Then he swallowed hard, seemingly unable to understand the point of the question. "No particular