Kakuriyo -Bed & Breakfast for Spirits- (かくりよの宿飯)

Under the full bloom of the cherry blossoms

was where I first laid eyes on the ogre.

I offered my bento, which he considered carefully

before stealing me away to Tenjin-ya,

an inn of the hidden realm.

It was there he told me of the great debt

my grandfather owed him and how he'd take me

as his bride in pay.

I'm not yours to claim.

If you need to be paid, then I'll work the debt off.

So, Aoi, what are you cooking up today?

Tasty simmered taro with fatty seasonal salmon,

pickled daikon flecked with chrysanthemum.

And that's just to start.

Obviously, I'll be using this year's shiny new rice.

You sound enthused.

I am.

Well, see you later, Master.

In order to pay off my grandpa's sizeable debt,

I opened a modest little eatery, Moonflower.

It's come to mean so much to me,

a place I feel I truly belong.

KAKURIYO - BED & BREAKFAST FOR SPIRITS- 2

The food was great as always.

I appreciate your patronage.

Travel safe.

You must be pretty tired, huh, Mistress Aoi?

You worked hard, too, Ai.

But rest will have to wait.

- We're not done yet. -

Oh.

Help, Aoi.

I'm wasting away here.

Please, Aoi, if we don't get something to eat soon,

we'll starve!

Oh, all right.

But I'm afraid you're gonna have

to make do with what's left.

Thank you for the food.

Nothing picks you up after a long day like a meal at Aoi's.

And these salmon flakes taste out of this realm!

My spiritual power is rushing back.

I'm glad to hear it!

By the way, Ai, I'm loving the cute new form.

Yeah, in hindsight, it was a bit disorienting

seeing you look exactly like Aoi.

I was told to pick a fresh look,

something new, an original form that customers

would find distinct.

You picked a great one.

Thanks.

It's so good.

Uh-- hey, Aoi?

No matter what, you can't close this place down.

All right?

Even after you and Master get married.

Wha-- we're not going to get married, though!

Moonflower is my one and only priority.

If you say so.

Hmm.

Huh?

You seem down. Why?

Aoi, something's wrong!

Come quick before it's too late!

What is it, Chibi?

Some big, huge mysterious thing in the sky

is flying straight towards us!

Huh?

Wait, is that what I think?

Orio-ya's Seiran-maru?

Then that would mean the dog and the tengu are here,

wouldn't it?

Yep, that's right.

What do you suppose they want?

They've come to give their thanks to Aoi.

Huh?

Ginji!

The southern land was troubled,

and your ceremony saved them, Aoi.

They're grateful.

And so they've come to pay you compensation.

Huh?

I'll go make contact with the ship.

We'll talk soon.

Isn't it a bit much, using the Seiran-maru

just to ferry some payment?

Seems wasteful.

How can you say that?

The summer ceremony would have failed if it wasn't for you.

And on top of that, you even helped heal the division

between Orio-ya and Tenjin-ya.

That service?

Byakuya billed them for it-- quite a considerable amount

from what I've been told.

Wha?

He billed them for it?

Matter of fact, they're probably

making payment as we speak.

We appreciate you coming all this way.

Lead manager of Orio-ya, be welcome.

You really shouldn't say

things you don't mean, Master Innkeeper of Tenjin-ya.

Hmm.

Let's make this quick.

I'd rather not languish in your debt too long.

We've had more than enough trouble with you lot as it is.

Hatori, please.

Right, right.

Mm.

Looks good.

Your receipt.

Excellent.

We'll have to make sure that Aoi receives a bonus

for bringing us this windfall.

It'll be the first one she's earned.

I'm sure she'll be thrilled.

Thrilled to spend it, no doubt.

That girl values ingredients far more than currency.

You got that right.

Yeah, she'll be at the market in a heartbeat.

When shall we next convene?

The upcoming New Year's Hachiyo Night Meeting?

I believe so.

It's looking like quite the year.

Already, there are murmurs of unusual happenings in Youto.

Reports on the matter have reached us, too,

including the rumors that Raiju was involved in it.

Raiju.

No way.

Raiju is involved?

That doesn't bode well.

I agree.

Best keep an ear to the ground.

All right!

This boring business is done.

Let's go see the little missy and have her cook us up

some tasty grub.

Hatori, we have no time for that.

Huh?

We have a mountain of work to attend to.

We're leaving at once.

Oh, wow!

What an absolutely breathtaking bounty--

gleaming garden vegetables alongside a fatty farmed

yellowtail, a huge chunk of Kiseki beef streaked through

with the perfect amount of marbling, mangoes and avocados!

There's even the coconut oil

I've been dying to get!

Just imagine all the dishes I could make from this.

Heck, we've got half of the Kiseki beef cooking already.

This smell.

That'd be the beef stew.

Oh!

That's beef stew?

I've always wanted to make it,

but never really had a chance.

You have such a lovely smile.

It's a shame Ranmaru left without seeing it.

Makes me sad.

I was really hoping I'd get the chance to thank him.

It couldn't have been helped.

He is the Hachiyo of the southern land after all.

Busy guy.

Maybe.

But weren't the two of you pretty much

brought up as brothers?

You should go visit Orio-ya next.

There's nothing standing in the way of your relationship

anymore, right?

I guess not.

Oh, I wonder how they all are.

Hatori and Tokihiko, Hideyoshi and Nene,

the adorable twin chef duo Kai and Mei,

and sweet Nobunaga.

Same as ever, it would seem, though

I heard that Hideyoshi and Nene are soon to be engaged.

Huh?

Well, that came out of nowhere.

Betrothal between the young master

and assistant hostess bodes well.

Orio-ya will be more stable.

Tenjin-ya will have to stay sharp to compete.

Speaking of which, you're currently working

on the creation of a new souvenir

for the Inn, right?

Yeah. Dr. Saraku asked me to.

I've been trying to devise a brand new kind of bun,

but it's not ready.

I can't wait.

If you need any help with that, just ask.

Thanks.

See ya.

Aoi!

Bad news, simply terrible.

Has something happened?