"..."
Seeing that her older sister looked a little strange, Shinobu Kocho couldn't help but ask curiously, "What's wrong?"
"That sounds like my contribution is the same as Teiichi's!"
Upon hearing this, Shinobu Kocho's pupils contracted slightly, as if something had touched a chord within her. She involuntarily reached out and gently covered her mouth, her eyes filled with disbelief and astonishment.
"I never expected that guy to be like this! He actually claimed merits fraudulently! Damn it, I'm going to teach him a lesson right now!"
Kanae quickly reached out and grabbed Shinobu Kocho, who had stood up to Teiichi, and began to explain somewhat anxiously.
"What nonsense are you thinking? Teiichi's contribution was greater than mine. I was saved this time entirely because of Teiichi!"
"Oh? I see!" Upon hearing Kanae's words, Shinobu Kocho felt a little embarrassed, and then asked curiously.
"Sister, do you mean he's stronger than you? This time, it was entirely thanks to him that Upper Rank Two was held back?"
Kanae nodded and began to tell Shinobu Kocho what had happened the previous night.
Soon after, Kanae told Shinobu Kocho about her experience from the previous night.
Then, Kanae looked tenderly at Shinobu Kocho, her eyes filled with both affection and worry.
Butterfly Ninja felt a little uncomfortable with Kanae's gaze, and asked doubtfully, "Sister, what's wrong?"
Kanae hesitated for a moment, as if making a difficult decision, before finally speaking slowly:
"Shinobu, I've thought about it for a long time, maybe... you should just leave the Demon Slayer Corps."
These words Shinobu Kocho like a bolt from the blue, causing her to jump out of bed and exclaim, "Why? Did I do something wrong?"
Kanae quickly shook her head, lowered her head, and her voice trembled slightly:
No, Ren, you did nothing wrong.
You've always worked very hard, and I've seen all your progress.
but...
But life with the Demon Slayer Corps is too dangerous...
At this point, Kanae looked up, gazing tenderly at Shinobu Kocho, and continued:
"I can tolerate everyone else, but I have to put up with you..."
I hope you can be as happy as any other girl, and I hope you can live to a ripe old age.
That's enough...
Shinobu Kocho's eyes were slightly red, but she still stubbornly raised her head and looked directly into her sister's eyes.
"Even if I continue to be a member of the Demon Slayer Corps, I can still live to be an old man with white hair!"
Hearing the anger hidden in the butterfly's words, Kanae smiled gently.
"I know that Shinobu is also very talented and works very hard."
However, Upper Rank's strength is truly formidable.
Take Upper Rank Two, for example, whom I encountered last night. He was incredibly strong, extremely strong. I'm not even sure if I could reach Upper Rank Two's strength even if I were given another twenty or thirty years to train.
Even when I faced Upper Rank Two, I felt that desperate sense of powerlessness.
If I endure it, I'm afraid...
Hearing her sister's words, Shinobu Kocho crossed her arms and said, "I'll leave the team if you want, but you can leave with me!"
Kanae shook her head and refused, "I can't, at least not now!"
Hearing her sister's words, Shinobu Kocho snorted.
"Then I won't leave the team! Everyone else is no match for the Upper Rank, so why should I be the only one to leave!"
"Ren, you..."
Looking at the furious Shinobu Kocho in front of her, Kanae was at a loss for how to persuade her.
The two sisters were immediately locked in a tense standoff in the room.
"Thump... thump thump..."
The sudden knock on the door broke the tense and delicate atmosphere in the room, and the stalemate between the two sisters was temporarily relieved by the unexpected sound.
Shinobu Kocho frowned slightly, a hint of barely perceptible annoyance in her voice. "Who is it?"
A gentle yet firm voice came from outside the door. "It's me!"
Even though she recognized who it was, Shinobu Kocho still angrily retorted, "Me? Who am I?"
Seeing this, Kanae chuckled softly, her laughter carrying a hint of helplessness and indulgence.
"Alright, Shinobu, stop teasing Teiichi!" Kanae said, then turned to the door and called softly, " Teiichi, come in!"
Creak--!
As the wooden door slowly opened, Teiichi's figure came into view.
He carried an exquisite food box in his hand, a faint smile on his face.
Looking at the two girls inside, Teiichi said, " Aoi Kanzaki was just about to deliver some food, and I happened to be thinking of coming over, so I picked it up while I was at it!"
Kanae nodded in understanding.
After setting the food on a small table inside the room, the group sat down at the table.
Kanae noticed that Teiichi's table was empty, so she asked, " Teiichi, have you eaten?"
Teiichi slightly, "I've already eaten, you guys can eat!"
Kanae nodded slightly upon hearing this, and Shinobu Kocho began to eat.
While eating, Kanae looked at Teiichi and said, " Teiichi- kun, thank you so much this time!"
Teiichi, "No need to thank me. It's just the duty of Demon Slayer Corps member. Any other Pillar would have done the same. It's just that I happened to be there, so I saved you."
Kanae said with a smile, "It's fortunate that you came, otherwise, if it were any of the other Pillars, they probably would have died with me!"
Teiichi, "No, the other pillars are also very strong."
Kanae smiled and did not argue with Teiichi.
Although the Demon Slayer Corps does not allow members to fight each other, she still has a general understanding of the strength of the other Pillars.
Teiichi looked at Kanae and asked, "How are you feeling now?"
Kanae replied, "My lungs were severely frostbitten, but I'll recover after some rest. Otherwise, there's nothing wrong."
At this point, the image of the boy, covered in blood, standing before him before he fell into a coma flashed before his eyes.
Kanae quickly looked at Teiichi and asked:
"But Teiichi, how is your injury?"
Teiichi smiled and said, "It's alright, none of them are serious injuries. They were treated today, and I'll be fine after a couple of days of rest."
Kanae nodded with a sigh of relief upon hearing this.
If Teiichi were to be seriously injured while saving her, she would feel terrible.
Teiichi changed the subject, saying, "By the way, there's Hashira Meeting in seven days, did you know?"
Kanae nodded upon hearing this. "Shinobu already told me that this Hashira Meeting is probably going to discuss our encounter with the Upper Rank!"
Teiichi nodded slightly and continued speaking...
The meal was finished quickly.
Shinobu Kocho tidied up the dishes and then took them out.
As she left, the atmosphere in the room became subtle, and an inexplicable tension quietly rose.
The two exchanged a glance, both reading a hint of embarrassment and discomfort in each other's eyes.
They used to have so much to talk about when they were alone together, but after what happened last night, they find themselves at a loss for words when they're alone together now.
After a long silence, Kanae broke it by speaking first.
" Teiichi, would you like to come sit on the roof?"