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

It was under the cherry trees in full bloom that I met the ogre for the first time.

He ate the bento I made...

abducted me, and took me to Tenjin-ya, an inn in the hidden realm.

And of all things, he said he'd make me his bride

as payment for my grandfather's debt.

I don't want to marry you!

I'll work off my grandpa's debt!

Hi, Aoi. What are you planning to make today?

Simmered taro, fatty autumn salmon,

daikon radish pickled in vinegar with chrysanthemum petals, and much more.

I'll use this year's shiny new rice, of course.

You seem to be having fun.

Of course I am!

See you later, then, Master.

I opened an eatery, Moonflower, in order to repay my grandpa's debt.

It has become the most important place for me... A place that I feel I belong.

KAKURIYO -BED & BREAKFAST FOR SPIRITS- 2

The food was great again today.

Thank you for your patronage! Please get home safely.

You must be tired, Aoi-sama!

Good work, Ai-chan.

But it seems that we can't quite take a break yet.

Aoi! Feed me something!

We're starving, Aoi-chan.

Okay, okay.

I only have simple stuff left to serve you guys today.

Thank you!

When you're tired, Aoi's food really is the best.

These salmon flakes are great! My spiritual power is rapidly being restored.

I'm glad to hear that.

That form is cute, Ai-chan.

I suppose it was confusing before, when you looked exactly like Aoi.

I was told to come up with an "original" form if I wanted to help out at the restaurant.

You must've tried hard.

I did!

This is so good.

Hey, Aoi. Don't close Moonflower, okay?

Even after marrying Master.

I-I'm not gonna marry him!

Moonflower is a lot more important to me right now, anyway.

That's good, then.

What is it, Kasuga?

Aoi-shan!

There's trouble! There's trouble! There's trouble!

What's wrong, Chibi?

A big, huge thing is coming from the sky!

Hey... Could that be...

Orio-ya's Seiran-maru?!

What?!

Then the dog and the tengu are here?

You're right!

But why...

They came to thank Aoi-san.

Ginji-san!

Aoi-san, since you saved the southern land with the summer ceremony,

they came to thank you for it.

Or rather, they came to pay you compensation.

What?

I'll go meet the ship. See you later.

Honestly, it seems overly dramatic of them

to use the Seiran-maru to bring this "compensation."

Hey! You made the ceremony in the southern land successful.

On top of that, you helped Orio-ya and Tenjin-ya

get closer after being on such bad terms for so long!

I heard that Byakuya-sama billed them a huge amount of money as compensation.

Er... I-Is that right?

They must be right in the middle of delivering it.

Thank you for coming all this way, Lead Manager of Orio-ya.

We welcome you.

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

Well, I didn't want to be indebted to you too long, so...

We've had enough trouble with you guys.

Hey, Hatori.

Yep, yep.

Yes, looks good.

Here's the receipt.

We'll have to make sure that Aoi-kun gets a bonus later.

It'll be her first bonus. I bet she'll be happy.

Knowing her, I have a feeling that she'll spend it all on ingredients, though.

You got that right.

Yeah, I can see her doing that.

It'll probably be at the New Year's Hachiyo Night Meeting that I'll see you next.

I imagine so.

Looks like it'll be rowdy this year.

I also hear that something fishy is going on in Youto.

We've received a report on it, too...

as well as on the rumors that Raiju is involved in it.

Raiju...

Whoa... Raiju is, huh? How terrible...

Agreed. I'll take the possibility seriously.

Okay then! The boring meeting is over!

Let's go see the little missy and have her cook us something tasty.

Hatori. We don't have time for it.

What?

A pile of work is waiting for us. We're going back right away.

What?!

Wow! It really, really is amazing!

A lot of vegetables and a fatty farmed yellowtail!

A huge chunk of Kiseki beef with the right amount of marbling...

Mangos and avocados...

Even the coconut oil that I've been wanting!

I can't stop being excited thinking what I can make with them!

Oh, and half of the Kiseki beef is already being cooked right now.

This smell...

I'm making beef stew.

Whoa! Beef stew!

I've always wanted to make full-fledged one.

It's unfortunate that Ranmaru had to leave without seeing that smile of yours.

I wanted to say thank you to him directly, too.

It couldn't have been helped.

As the Hachiyo of the southern land, he's very busy.

You two grew up together as brothers. You should go to Orio-ya next.

There's nothing standing in the way of your relationship anymore, right?

Aoi-san...

Ahh... I wonder how everyone there is doing.

Hatori-san and Tokihiko-san.

Hideyoshi and Nene.

The cute twin chefs Kai and Mei.

And Nobunaga.

They seem to be doing well.

Oh, I heard that Hideyoshi-san and Nene-san will get engaged.

What?! What's with that sudden development?!

An engagement between the equally trusted young master and assistant hostess

means Orio-ya will be stable for a while.

Tenjin-ya will have to stay sharp to compete, then.

You're currently working on creating Tenjin-ya's new souvenir, right?

Yeah, Dr. Saraku asked me to.

I've decided to make a new bun, so I'm trying various kinds right now.

I can't wait. I'll help, too.

Thanks! See you later!

Aoi!

Terrible news! This is terrible!

Wh-What's wrong?

Kasuga is... Kasuga is...

...quitting Tenjin-ya!

What?

Wh-What're you saying? Kasuga is quitting?

I heard that she'll quit... and get married!

G-Get married?

Why is she getting married so suddenly?

That's not all!

It turned out that she's from a super prestigious family!

P-Prestigious family?

Kasuga is the youngest daughter of Lord Ieyasu Oodanuki,

the Minister of the Right in the Imperial Court!

What?!

Wait, who's that?

He's a higher-up! Even Hachiyo are no match for him!

He's that higher-up?!

Oh, just come with me!

What? Where're we going?!

The master's office!

I heard that Kasuga went there to talk to him about quitting.

Hurry!

Kasuga didn't tell us anything about it last night.

Right! Not even a word about it!

To think that she was the daughter of the Minister of the Right...

If I'd known, I wouldn't have worked her so hard.

You might get punished for it.

Akatsuki!

You guys!

This is serious. Kasuga is...

We know!

That's why we're going to the master's office.

No, wait! You shouldn't interrupt his work!

I'm coming, too!

You can't go in.

But, Ginji-san!

I do understand how you feel, but...

Hm? Hey!