Ginji must have seen her, as he reported that he was made better by her cooking. I can't help but feel jealous and relieved at the same time.

I arrive back at Tenjin-ya and end up in a meeting the minute I get back with Hatori and end up playing Go with him.

"How is Orio-ya?" I ask.

"They are all eagerly working, trying to catch up and surpass Tenjin-ya," Hatori says. "But they've been tense over every matter lately. So, about Ginji..."

Aoi Falls into the room, knocking down the screens and sending the go pieces flying. I spot my Bento box on the floor behind her. Aoi looked mortified.

Hatori seeing the humour in the situation, laughed and said, "I never imagined that you'd charge in dynamically like that, missy!"

"My bride is good at surprising ayakashi. She's an ogre bride, after all."

Aoi collected herself, though clearly embarrassed " I -I just bought a Bento for you, Master! If you laugh so much, I'm not going to give it to you!"

"I didn't laugh. " I say in my defence.

"What? What? Is that a Bento made by his beloved wife?" Hatori asks.

"What?" Aoi says.

"Yeah, it's a Bento made by my beloved wife. " I say.

"What?" Exclaimed Aoi.

Hatori laughs and says, "Well then, I am going back to my room now."

"Ahh.... did I interrupt your game?"

"It was good timing since I was losing. Master, don't forget about what we were discussing earlier."

"Yeah, I know."

"See you, then. You, too, missy." Hatori waves goodbye as he flies out the door with his drink guord.

I rehang the doors. "Now...I ran all the errands you wanted me to without fail." Indicating the box of groceries in the corner.

"Thank you!" Says Aoi.

"I fulfilled my duty perfectly, didn't I? Obtaining dry yeast wasn't easy, but I am excited about getting to eat the bread you'll make with it."

"Ahh...Actually... Ginji-san found something..." Aoi said, "A hidden realm substitute, so I can bake bread anytime..."

I feel so disappointed I don't even get acknowledged. It must have shown on my face as Aoi said, "Ahh! But dry yeast allows me to bake real authentic bread, so this will be best for me to use. Okay?"

"Is that right? Then I'll take that bento."

"Ahh... Here you go."

"Wow..." I say, looking at it."Aoi, your omlett tastes just right. Not too sweet and not too salty. It brings out the egg's flavour very well. I like it quite a bit."

"Thank you. So how was the apparent realm?"

"Pretty much the same. Oh, that's right. I saw Suzuran."

"Wow... Is she doing well?"

"Yes, she is doing well. And she looked happy. Her spider webs completely covered Shiro's grave."

"I see..." chuckled Aoi.

"Ahh...This is delicious. This, indeed, is delicious! Oh, that's right. I heard that you had Shizuna and Tokihiko reconcile."

"What? It wasn't anything big like that. I wanted to do whatever I could do...because I'm already a Tenjin-ya employee."

I replied, "Your food reveals ayakashi's hearts. That's probably why those two were able to become honest about their own feelings." I put the Bento box down, shuffle closer, and touch Aoi's head. "Continue to take good care of everyone at Tenjin-ya...including me, your husband, as well, of course. If it is by you, Aoi, I don't mind being henpecked."

Aoi blushed and retorted," You're talking nonsense again."

I laugh. "When you want something again, go ahead and ask me. I'm looking forward to curry, too. I obtained all the spices you asked me to get. By the way, in the apparent realm, a food called a pancake is popular now."

Tenjin-ya closed for the day the next day. I went up to the Vermilion Springs for the day and sat in the footbath playing go with Hatori, the Tengu. Aoi and Byakuya visited me. Though Aoi surprised me.

"Oh, hello, Byakuya," I said when I heard his voice. "Hm? Aoi came, too?"

Byakuya seemed nervous but said, "I just ran into her by coincidence, so I brought her here."
Aoi smiled and appeared to mutter something under her breath.

Byakuya said, "Orio-ya's front desk manager, Hatori... and the chief bath caretaker, Tokihiko...and the advertising manager, Nobunaga. I really appreciate your staying at Tenjin-ya. However, Hatori, I heard that you came here to avoid your father Matsuba-Sama, who's currently staying at Orio-ya."

"Huh?" Said Aoi.

Byakuya tore further shreds off Hatori. "How pitiful of you to abandon your duty as front desk manager and run away.

It's not like you can keep running forever.

And Tokihiko!"

"Ah, yes?" Jumping guiltily.

"Let me tell you in advance. Shizuna is our precious bath caretaker. You cannot take her back to Orio-ya. No matter what. Got that?"

"I-I'll do no such thing. " he stuttered.

"I've got an idea. Aoi. " I say, "Could you use the kitchen here and cook something?"

"What?"

"Since we are closed today, why don't we have those who are available come-over and have a party?" I suggest.

Aoi smiles. "That sounds fun! We can cook outside, too."

"Yeah," I agree, "we can grill some sweetfish, too."

"Sweetfish!?"

"You can catch them in the river over there," I tell her.

"Wow..."Aoi exclaims, "Then I'll bring some ingredients from Moonflower!"

And so the plan began, Ginji and Aoi got a caravan to bring up food, Tokihiko lit a fire, Hatori caught fish, and everyone helped cook.

"Aoi, what can I do to help?" I ask her.

"Hmm? Let's see...Please go wash this rice." Handing me the rice.

"Okay. I hear that washing rice is one of the husband's duties. " I say as I turn to do it.
"Where'd you hear that?" Aoi asked.

The next minute Akutsuki came running and snatched the rice out of my hands. "No, master!" He yelled.

"Hmm?" I said in surprise.

Akutsuki yelled at Aoi, "Trying to have the master wash rice?! What an absurd woman you are!"

"Huh?" Aoi said.

"Master! I'll do it!" And ran off with my duty given to me by Aoi...

Ginji came then. "Aoi-san, what do you want me to do?"

"Please make the sauce for ginger pork."

"Okay. I'll make it just like you taught me to. " Ginji says.

"You sure are a great help as always. " Aoi praised Ginji...meanwhile, I still feel useless...it makes me sad that I can't help her."Come to think of it, where is Byakuya-san?"

At last, something I can answer "He went to get alcohol."

"Alcohol?" Aoi queries.

"He said we need it because this is a party," I reply.

Ginji pipes up, "Then let's also bring out the alcohol we bought at the foreign delicacy market! To celebrate your drinking debut, Aoi-san!"

Aoi sounded apologetic. "Ah... Actually, I already did it."

Ginji said in surprise, "What?!"

"I drank a kabuso cocktail for an aperitif when I had a Tenjin-ya full-course meal."

"You did?"

We then sat down to eat. Everyone had a drink and shouted, "Cheers!"

Everyone seemed to be having a good time. O-Ryo got drunk again and had a go at Aoi about Ginji. Tokihiko and Shizuna were talking about medicine baths.

I decided to thank Aoi. "Hey, Aoi..."

"Hm? What is it, Master?"

"Thank you," I say.

"What?" She says in surprise.

"You don't have to be so surprised. I'm really glad that we have you at Tenjin-ya. Your food has been helping my employees. Everyone appreciates you...more than you realise."

Aoi looks around at everyone and sees a drunk O-Ryo saying," I want beef sukiyaki today, okay, Aoi?"

Aoi seemed happy and relieved about something.

"Aoi?" I ask her. She blushes and turns away from me. She spots a sad-looking Ginji by himself.

"Say, Ginji-san... Today is such a wonderful day, isn't it?" She asks but does not get a reply.

Nobu barks and the wind blows, nearly knocking Aoi into the water. I catch her and hold her to me. An Orio-ya ship is the cause of it.

"What is that...? Could it be?" Asks Aoi.

"It's Orio-ya's ship," answered Ginji.

Hatori exclaimed, "No way! It's Orio-ya Seiran-maru!"

Tokihiko asks, "Is it here to pick us up?"

I spot Ranmaru and say his name. He is wearing a mask similar to what I wore when I first met Aoi.

Aoi trembled. "No... It can't be...! No... No....!"