Chapter 67

"I was worried, you know."

"I'm sorry."

Facing Toka, who looked like she was about to cry, I immediately apologized, which made me feel even more guilty for what I had done.

It might have been the first time I had slept for more than a whole day, and I was actually quite surprised myself.

"But, I envy Rin-nee for being able to see Sukune-nee sleeping."

"…? What do you mean?"

"Didn't you realize? Sukune-nee never sleeps when there are people around. Rin-nee said that when she was little, it wasn't like that."

Hearing Toka's words, I couldn't help but tilt my head in confusion.

"Didn't you once strangle Ren-nii while you were sleeping?"

"Hmm, I don't remember that."

"Well, if you were sleeping, you wouldn't remember, would you…? Back then, it was just enough to protect herself while sleeping. But eventually, no one except Rin-nee could see Sukune-nee's sleeping face…"

Hmm, it's true that I haven't been defenseless in front of anyone other than Rin for a very long time.

Well, I haven't even been with anyone for a few years now.

By the way, the Ren-nii Toka mentioned is Rin's real brother. His real name is Takauchi Renya.

Even Rin, who is known for her beauty, calls him "extremely handsome."

His influence is so strong that even as a child, crowds would gather around him just by walking down the street, and to avoid trouble, he has spent most of his life in disguise.

Incidentally, "extremely handsome" is not a metaphor; he is basically a person whose only redeeming quality is his appearance.

However, he is very kind. He has a broad and gentle personality, which is probably the best among Rin's siblings.

If he lived a normal life, he would probably get into all sorts of trouble, but the Takauchi family is well-prepared to protect him.

He is currently dedicated to acting and is quite famous, to the point where I often see him on street TVs.

By the way, Ren is the second son. The eldest son, Takauchi Shiran, is called a "superhuman" by Rin, who says he is "all stats maxed out."

He is an incredibly capable person, with a schedule that is terrifyingly tight, down to the second.

I haven't seen either of them in about ten years, and they are both quite a bit older.

"I wonder how Ryon is doing."

"Ryon-nee… I'm not sure either. She's probably traveling somewhere in the world, I think."

Ryon, whose real name is Takauchi Ryuurei, is like a big sister to all three of us, including Rin.

She is the daughter of Rin's father's sister, making her Rin's cousin.

She has a bold and frank personality, and she would suddenly disappear and then return with large sums of money or exotic animals.

I last saw her right before I started living alone. Thanks to meeting Toka and Sakune, whom I didn't expect to see, nostalgic memories have resurfaced.

I want to see her again, but since I'm with Rin now, I'm sure we'll meet eventually.

The Takauchi family, including parents, siblings, and relatives, is a clan that dotes on Rin.

"So, today it's Shuya's side, right?"

"Yes, it's an invitation from the Round Table. I've already sent the message, so I'll guide you to the Clan House."

"Thanks. …Hmm? Toka, are you sure you won't get lost? Are you okay?"

"Y-Yes, I'm fine!"

"I'm starting to feel a bit worried."

I suddenly remembered Toka's poor sense of direction and asked her, but she slightly averted her eyes.

Thus, with a slight sense of unease, we headed towards the Clan House of the Clan "Knights of the Round Table."

☆

"Hmm, so you're Sukuna?"

"Ah, yes."

Facing the young兽人 girl with her arms crossed and a smug look on her face, I was at a loss for how to react.

"I am Arthur, the leader of the Clan 'Knights of the Round Table.' Nice to meet you!"

"I'm Sukuna. So, you're the leader, huh?"

She looks like a complete elementary school student, and she might even be smaller. Despite her small stature, she is apparently the leader of this clan.

I was a bit surprised, but I decided to use polite language as a sign of respect, only to be met with a cross mark in front of her face.

"No need for formalities. You're the same age as Rinne, right? That makes me much younger! Hahaha!"

"Okay, then I'll call you Aru-chan."

"Aru-chan!?"

She seems surprised, but I'm not sure what she's surprised about.

However, if she is much younger, then she might really be a small girl as she looks.

This isn't a game with gory content, so the target age is quite low.

Even if she isn't her actual age, you can freely set your avatar's appearance.

"Well, that's fine. I'll make an exception for you."

"…? Thanks?"

"Cough. But, Sukuna, you really don't have any presence. I can usually sense the aura of a strong person."

"Aura…"

Maybe it's because my equipment is made of cloth. Aria's equipment is a rust-colored kimono, so it looks quite chic.

Or maybe it's because I'm not very tall? I don't really have any issues with being short, but tall people do tend to have a presence.

I'm not happy about being told I have a presence, but being told I don't have one is also confusing.

"Arthur, the strongest of the Round Table, doesn't have any presence either."

"Toka! If you say that, it's over! And use my height properly!"

"No way, it's part of my identity."

Standing next to Arthur, who is probably less than 140 cm, and Toka, who is over 190 cm, the imbalance is overwhelming.

The height difference is quite extreme. Well, there are hardly any men taller than Toka, so she is the one who is out of the norm.

"You two get along well, don't you?"

"Toka is a reliable supporter to have in the party! I used to employ her before coming to Feas."

"She taught me how to read maps."

"Ah, I see?"

I understand what Arthur is saying. I was also helped by Toka during the Armored Gorilla battle.

But what Toka is saying seems a bit out of order… Did she only learn to read maps recently?

"Hehe, I can see right through what you're thinking. Arthur and Toka are 'rear guards,' just like you and Rinne."

"Ah, I see. So, you taught her how to read maps a long time ago."

"Yes. Our meeting goes back about six years…"

"Ah, that's enough."

"What!?! My heartfelt, moving story!?"

"By the way, Arthur is two years younger than me."

"Ah, so you really are quite young."

"You and Toka are quite similar in not listening to stories…"

I think Toka and I were a bit mischievous, and Arthur reacted a bit awkwardly, but Toka seemed happy.

It wasn't that she was annoyed, but more like a resigned atmosphere, so it might be a familiar joke.

I didn't understand why Toka was happy, but since she looked happy, I decided not to dampen her mood.

"Let's stop chatting here. Since you've come to our clan, I'll show you our home."

"By the way, what about the stream?"

"There are streamers among the clan members. There's nothing to hide, so do as you like."

"Okay, then I'll stream."

With Arthur's permission, I started the stream from the menu card and stepped into the Clan Home of the Round Table.

Nana generally uses -chan for both genders. For older people, she often uses -san.

Conversely, being called by just the name, like by Kohaku and Shuuto, is actually quite rare.