When Igarashi woke, the first thing he saw was the familiar ceiling of the Butterfly Mansion.
He had already been lying there for several days, yet he still hadn't quite gotten used to it.
White, clean, and carrying a faint medicinal scent.
"Awake?"
"As expected of the Mist Pillar. You're the best of this batch of newcomers."
Xia Xi's voice came from beside him.
The Dawn Hashira sat by the bed, looking through documents from Sendai delivered by a Kasugai Crow.
He still had that same irreverent, joking tone.
Igarashi tried to speak, but all that came from his throat was a hoarse cough.
"Here, drink your medicine first."
Hearing this, Kanae, who stood nearby holding the medicine, hurried forward.
The girl said somewhat stiffly, "Mist Pillar, sir, this is today's medicine. It will relieve pain and inflammation."
Xia Xi said, "Mostly, antibiotics are hard to get, so we'll have to make do with these traditional remedies for now."
Igarashi looked at the girl, then at Xia Xi.
Then he took the bowl and slowly drank the medicine.
"Doesn't it taste bitter, drinking it like that?"
"I'm used to drinking coffee. I stopped noticing long ago."
Igarashi answered casually, then looked at Xia Xi again. "You, on the other hand, have really made yourself at home at the Butterfly Mansion."
He ordered the person in charge of the Butterfly Mansion around so naturally.
And he didn't think there was anything wrong with it at all.
This was the first time Igarashi had ever seen a guest so utterly unconcerned with courtesy or etiquette.
Oh, it's my junior brother.
Never mind, then.
"Treat Miss Kocho well. Don't let her kindness go to waste."
"Mr. Igarashi..."
Kanae, who was tidying the equipment nearby, immediately flushed red.
The instruments in her hands shook