I don't want to be an elf!

The girl had long, bright red hair, tied into two ponytails with pure white hairbands, making her look young and energetic.

Upon seeing this figure, Rengoku Kyojuro couldn't help but smile faintly.

"Kotori, I'm back!"

His voice was deep and resonant, but not rude; instead, it carried a reassuring and generous quality.

In the garden, the girl, who seemed to be daydreaming, snapped out of her reverie and turned to look at the gate.

However, the scene that Rengoku Kyojuro imagined—the girl rushing towards him with delight like a cute kitten—did not happen.

The girl's eyes, however, held confusion and bewilderment, as if she had just woken up from a dream and felt unfamiliar with everything around her.

After a long while, the girl seemed to remember something and stammered tentatively, "Um... Oh, Onii...-chan?"

"Is it because you haven't been home for so long that you don't recognize them?"

Kyojuro Rengoku pondered for a moment, then touched his face and muttered to himself, "Strange, have I changed that much?"

Only then did the confusion in the girl's eyes completely disappear.

It was as if they had finally remembered who the other person was and who they themselves were.

Then, a resolute determination flashed in his eyes, as if he had made up his mind.

Taking a deep breath, the girl's face was quickly filled with joy.

With excitement shining in her eyes, she dropped the flower ball in her hand and ran towards Rengoku Kyojuro.

"It really is my brother! Brother, you're finally back!"

The girl buried her face in her uniform, hugging her waist tightly, as if afraid the other person would leave again: "It's been a year and a half since I last came back, boohoo, I really miss my brother!"

"Well, I'm back."

Rengoku Kyojuro patted her head, his tone unusually gentle: "I'm so sorry to have left my father and younger brother in your care. You've had a hard time these past few days."

The girl's name is Kotori Itsuka.

Although she calls herself "brother," it's easy to tell from her surname that she is not a blood-related sister.

Ten years ago, his father, who was also the previous Flame Pillar, Rengoku Makijuro, had taken in a "stepson".

However, unlike stepsons in the traditional sense, the "stepchildren" in the Demon Slayer Corps refer more to disciples who have received the mantle of succession.

Rengoku Makijuro's stepson is Kotori Itsuka's true father.

However, during a demon-slaying mission, Kotori Itsuka's father lost his life in an accident.

Before his death, he entrusted his five-year-old daughter to Rengoku Makijuro, hoping that his master could take care of Kotori Itsuka as she grew up.

Feeling guilty, Rengoku Makijuro agreed.

Thus, Kotori Itsuka became the daughter of the Rengoku family and also became Kyojuro Rengoku's younger sister.

After finally managing to push the tearful girl away from his arms, Rengoku Kyojuro took a wooden box from a bag on the ground.

Opening the wooden box revealed the candies inside.

"This is a gift I bought as compensation. I hope you like it."

"This is......"

Kotori Itsuka looked slightly surprised when she saw the lollipops in the wooden box.

However, she appeared happy and gladly accepted the wooden box.

"Thank you, brother! This is my favorite thing!"

"This is what you deserve."

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Rengoku Kyojuro looked toward a corner of the mansion and asked, "How have you been while I was away, Juro?"

The Purgatory Family consists of four people.

Rengoku Makijuro as the father, Rengoku Kyojuro as the eldest son, Itsuka Kotori as the second sister, and Rengoku Juro as the second son.

However, unlike Kyojuro Rengoku, who followed in his father's footsteps, his younger brother had no talent for fighting and lived an ordinary life like Kotori Itsuka.

"Hmm, Kotori is doing well. He seems to have made some friends at the private school recently," Kotori Itsuka replied.

"And... what about Father?"

"Uncle..."

Upon hearing this question, Kotori Itsuka's gaze dimmed.

Although there was no answer, for Kyojuro Rengoku, this was already an answer.

The Purgatory family originally consisted of five people.

However, nine years ago, after his mother, Rengoku Ruka, passed away, his father was greatly affected and became very depressed.

Not only did he abandon his duties as the Flame Pillar, he even started drowning his sorrows in alcohol every day, completely turning into a useless person.

He not only abandoned his duties as the head of the Rengoku family and the Flame Pillar of the Demon Slayer Corps, but he also refused to fulfill the promise he made to his stepson before his death.

The heavy responsibility of taking care of the family fell solely on Kotori Itsuka's shoulders.

"You've really worked hard," Kyojuro Rengoku said solemnly again. "Without you, I definitely wouldn't be able to concentrate so much when I'm on a mission."

"I'm happy to be able to share the burden with my brother," Kotori Itsuka said with a smile. "Besides, with the money my brother sends me every month, I don't need to go out to work. Toshiro is also very sensible, so I'm not working hard at all."

Is my father home now?

"Yes, at the usual place."

"Then I'll go and report the recent situation to my father."

Although he knew the other party wouldn't care, Kyojuro Rengoku still insisted on reporting what happened to the Demon Slayer Corps every time he returned.

He firmly believed that his father's setback was only temporary and that he would recover one day.

"elder brother."

Just as Rengoku Kyojuro was about to go find his father, Itsuka Kotori called out to him.

"what's up?"

"Brother, why did you suddenly come back this time? Did something happen?"

"Yes, the lord has convened a trial of the pillars, saying there is an urgent matter that needs to be resolved."

"Judgment of the Pillars..."

Upon hearing Kyojuro Rengoku's words, Kotori Itsuka narrowed her eyes slightly and murmured to herself.

"So, this is where the timeline is."

Chapter Two: Ratatosk Returns

Just a second before stepping through the portal, the girl was still Izayoi Miku.

The moment after she was transported, the girl became Kotori Itsuka.

Without any warning or hesitation, the system threw her into the Purgatory family's mansion.

"At least give me some time to react."

Watching Rengoku Kyojuro's disappearing figure, Itsuka Kotori wore a pained expression: "So many unfamiliar memories crammed into my mind, I almost couldn't react. System, are you deliberately messing with me?"

Before transmigrating, she used a [Identity Fabrication Coupon] item card.

The effect of this prop card is to give the transmigrator a fabricated, yet realistic, life in the world they transmigrate to.

Not only does it allow time travelers to better perform their roles, but it also saves them the trouble of figuring out how to go from being an unregistered resident to a normal one.

In this world, she is the adopted daughter of the Purgatory family.

As she processed the memories in her mind, Kotori Itsuka had gained a general understanding of her background.

A flood of fragmented memories rushed into her mind, which initially made her reaction somewhat sluggish, but that was the extent of the negative effects.

Her personality will not change because of this fabricated life.

For her, these memories are like watching a movie, experiencing more than a decade of life from a first-person perspective.

Some minor details are vague, while only important memories are very clear. This can be considered a way to protect one's personality.

"But lollipops already existed in this era?" Kotori Itsuka looked at the candies in the exquisite wooden box in her hand. "Now the most important accessory for playing Kotori Itsuka is complete."

At first, she never imagined that lollipops already existed in this era.

However, this seems to be to be expected.

The art of making sugar figurines was introduced to Japan from China during the Heian period and has been passed down to this day.

Although these candies are much cruder in appearance compared to modern lollipops, they are better than nothing.

After all, having a lollipop constantly in her mouth is a standard feature of Kotori Itsuka in the original work.

Although it's not a premium brand, it's usable enough.

“Since Brother… Kyojuro Rengoku returned for the trial of the Pillars, then this timeframe should be the period when the main characters fought through the Spider Mountain dungeon and were captured by the Demon Slayer Corps.” Kotori Itsuka muttered to herself, “Anyway, let’s check the mission first.”

Because Rengoku Kyojuro's return was so sudden, Itsuka Kotori, who had just transmigrated, hadn't had time to check the system panel yet.

She brought up the system panel again and looked at the main and side quests she needed to complete in this world.

[Current Role: Kotori Itsuka]

[Current World: Demon Slayer]

[Main Quest Released]

Main Quest: Become the Balrog (Efreet) who burns away the old era

[Side Quest Released]

Side Quest 1: Build Your Own Faction (The higher your reputation with both the Human and Oni factions, the higher your final rating)

Side Quest 2: Defeat five Pillar-level members/Upper Moon Demons (the more you defeat, the higher your final rating)

Side Quest 3: Accelerate the Final Battle (The greater the contribution, the higher the final evaluation)

Kotori Itsuka raised an eyebrow as she looked at the task issued by the system.