The following evening.
Soft moonlight streamed through the window and fell on the cozy dining table in the Butterfly Mansion.
"What? Brother Teiichi, you've left the team?"
A mixture of surprise and confusion filled the Butterfly Mansion.
At this moment, the members of the Butterfly Mansion and Teiichi were sitting around the dining table having dinner.
Having no immediate Teiichi, Teiichi decided to stay at the Butterfly Mansion at Kanae's invitation.
The Butterfly Mansion members were very welcoming of Teiichi's arrival.
Well, after excluding Aoi Kanzaki, whom I didn't feel much for, and Kanao, whom I felt even less for.
Shinobu Kocho and Kanon were very happy to welcome Teiichi's arrival.
After discussing Teiichi's departure from the team at the dinner table, Kanon asked Teiichi the question she had just posed in surprise.
"Yes!"
Teiichi nodded calmly, responding to Kanon's question.
Upon hearing Teiichi's admission, the surroundings immediately fell silent, and all eyes were focused on Teiichi.
Shinobu Kocho and Aoi Kanzaki both showed varying degrees of surprise and curiosity, while Kanao remained expressionless.
"Why is this happening? Did something happen?" Kanon asked anxiously.
Seeing that they all looked curious, Teiichi didn't mind. After organizing her thoughts, she told them what had happened.
After listening, Kanon clenched her fists, her face full of indignation.
"They did the right thing! They deserve to die for doing something like that!" Kanon said angrily, then looked at Shinobu Kocho: "Shinobu-neechan, don't you think so?"
Shinobu Kocho nodded. "Indeed, those scum who dare to lock women in their basements for sex deserve to die!"
Seeing that her two older sisters nodded, Aoi Kanzaki also nodded her little head.
Although she was still very young, she did not know what the people had just been talking about was.
"Damn it!" Kanon was still furious. "Brother Teiichi, this can't be left like this! I'll go talk to the Oyakata-sama and I'll definitely help you get back the position of the Wind Hashira!"
Upon Teiichi, Dingyi couldn't help but smile, a smile carrying a hint of warmth and relief.
"No, leaving the team was my own decision, not theirs. They actually wanted me to stay. You can ask Kanae if you don't believe me!"
"Ah?"
Kanon was stunned when she heard this. She had thought that she was forced to leave the team because of Teiichi had done, but she didn't expect that she would be the one to leave the team.
His gaze involuntarily turned to Kanae beside him, hoping to get more answers from this gentle older sister.
" Kanae, is that so?"
"Yes!" Kanae smiled gently and nodded slightly to confirm Teiichi's words.
" Teiichi- nii, then why did you leave the group?" Having received Kanae's confirmation, Kanon had no choice but to turn her gaze back to Teiichi.
Teiichi thinking it over, Dingyi decided to repeat the questions he had raised at the Hashira Meeting to the people present.
Although his reason for leaving the team was that he didn't want this idea to spread within the team, almost everyone present was someone he was closest to in the world right now.
Yes, no problem. Kanae being closest to them is equivalent to me being closest to them.
Even if their final choice is not the same as his, Teiichi doesn't mind, because it means they know more clearly what they want.
Of course, Teiichi would be even happier if he could make the same choice as Teiichi.
The familiar question was raised, and the dilemma shifted from the faces of the Demon Slayer Corps members to those of the Butterfly Mansion members.
This is a difficult choice for any morally sound person.
Because choosing either option means giving up the other.
A struggle appeared on Kanon's face. She gestured with her hands, trying to clear her mind. "How am I supposed to choose? One is watching someone die in front of me, the other is watching many people die behind me. I can't choose!"
Shinobu Kocho nodded, then turned to Kanae and asked, "Sister, what was your choice?"
Upon hearing Shinobu's question, Kanon also looked towards Kanae, hoping to get some advice.
"Me? I chose to save the person in front of me!" Kanae replied.
Upon hearing Kanae's answer, both Kanon and Shinobu Kocho nodded thoughtfully.
Just then, Teiichi spoke up at the opportune moment, "This is why I left the team. It's because my choice was different from the others. I chose to save more people behind the scenes!"
Hearing that the two had made different choices, Shinobu Kocho and Kanon couldn't help but furrow their brows tightly.
Seeing this, Teiichi smiled slightly.
This is the effect he wanted.
They need to think about these kinds of questions themselves to know what their true inner thoughts are.
When considering this kind of question, if you only get a single answer from one person, you will unconsciously lean towards that answer while thinking about it.
Therefore, after Kanae told them about her choice, Teiichi also revealed his own choice.
If both options are considered, it prevents bias from arising during the decision-making process.
He paused, his gentle gaze sweeping over everyone present. "I hope you can think about this question yourselves and find your own answers."
Remember, no matter what choice you make, there is no absolute right or wrong!
It's okay if you can't figure it out right now. As time goes by and you accumulate experience, you will gradually understand your true inner thoughts.
Also, don't ask others about this in the future, or it might lower morale and make everyone think about running away first when they encounter a strong ghost!
Kanon and Shinobu Kocho nodded after hearing this, then continued to ponder, seemingly silently digesting Teiichi's words.
For a while, only the occasional conversation Teiichi and Kanae could be heard at the table.
After an unknown amount of time, Kanon suddenly had a flash of inspiration and raised her head.
The sight of the two people chatting and laughing not far away made her pause, as if she realized something, and her eyes flickered.
night.
Shinobu Kocho's room.
The even breathing sounds were as faint as a whisper, gently drifting through the dimly lit room.
"Snap!"
The wooden door slowly opened, and a dark figure crouched low and tiptoed in.
Then he slowly closed the door.
The slight noise startled Shinobu Kocho had been fast asleep, awake.
Shinobu Kocho instinctively held her breath, stunned by the unprecedented situation.
The shadowy figure continued to move closer to Shinobu Kocho's bed.
Shinobu Kocho quickly adjusted her breathing, calming her heartbeat, and various possibilities flashed through her mind.
ghost?
impossible!
With the presence of the two Pillars, Butterfly Mansion is now almost safer than the Demon Slayer Corps Headquarters; she doesn't believe any demon can get into her room.
Besides, what kind of ghost is so polite as to use the door?
If it's not a ghost, then what is it?
I've never encountered this situation before when I lived in the Butterfly Mansion.
Is there anything different about the Butterfly Mansion today compared to usual?