At noon that day, Kanzaki Kumo had just finished training when he happened to run into Kanae, who had returned after completing her duties overseeing the exam.
She waved him over.
"Oh my, Kanzaki-kun, I found a girl with the same surname as you."
"Ta-da~"
Kanae stepped aside, revealing the girl following behind her to Kanzaki Kumo.
The girl seemed caught off guard by this sudden turn of events as well and stood there at a loss. The inferiority she felt over her poor performance in the Final Selection made her instinctively lower her head, not daring to look at Kanzaki Kumo.
She had short black hair that barely reached her shoulders, tied into two short pigtails with black hair ties. Her features had a certain spirited quality, while her pale blue eyes held a trace of gentleness.
Only, the air of inferiority and nervousness around her was now so thick it was almost spilling over.
Just as Kanzaki Kumo was wondering how to begin, the girl forced herself to rally and stammered, "N-nice to meet you, Lord Rumble Hashira. I... my name is Aoi Kanzaki..."
On the way to the Butterfly Mansion, Kanae had mentioned to Aoi Kanzaki that the mansion's Rumble Hashira shared her surname. So when Kanae greeted Kanzaki Kumo, Aoi Kanzaki had guessed that this boy, who did not look much older than her, was the Rumble Hashira.
Only those who had truly faced Demons could truly appreciate the strength of a Hashira-level Swordsman. Aoi Kanzaki was extremely nervous even around the gentle Kanae, and now, facing another Hashira she had never met before, she felt even more uneasy.
Even though Kanae had said Kanzaki Kumo was easy to get along with, she still found it difficult to face him calmly.
Especially since, if he learned