As Rokuya looked at Kanae's familiar, gentle face, an ominous premonition actually stirred in his heart.
Kanae's eyes focused. She saw Rokuya.
But those eyes, which should have been filled with gratitude, tenderness, and dependence, were now as still as stagnant water, even holding a trace of the wariness and distance reserved for a stranger.
She set down the plate in her hands, lightly tapped her chin with a finger, and studied Rokuya for a moment. Then, under Shinobu's hopeful gaze, Kanae bowed slightly, offering an impeccably courteous gesture that was cold to the extreme.
"Oh my, sir, are you a traveler who has lost his way?" Kanae smiled, her voice polite and unfamiliar. "In any case, it's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Kanae Kocho, the eldest daughter of the Kocho family. Is there some urgent reason you've suddenly appeared in our home?"
Boom-!!!
Those words struck like a heavy hammer, slamming deep into Shinobu's soul!
"Sister... what kind of joke is this?!" Shinobu's face instantly turned deathly pale. She took a step back in disbelief, her voice turning shrill with extreme fear. "A pleasure to meet him? What do you mean, meet him?! He's Rokuya! The Rokuya who eats with us every day, who protects us, who you even stayed up late sewing clothes for!"
"Shinobu, don't be so rude to our guest." Kanae frowned slightly, a trace of an elder sister's authority entering her tone. "I don't understand what you're talking about. What savior? Our family has always lived peacefully here. We've never encountered any danger, and we don't know this Mr. Takanashi."
With that, Kanae looked at Rokuya again. Though her smile remained gentle, to Rokuya, it was filled with falseness and rejection. "Sir, if anything Shinobu just said offended you, I apologize on her behalf.