It is adjusted from the actual show.

"I'm not your bride," she said firmly.

I say in frustration, "You're still saying that??"

"Why do you want to marry me so much in the first place?" She asks.

Thinking of how this began and wanting to give her a hint without actually telling her, I cup her face gently and make her look at me. "When we eat human girls with strong spiritual power, they taste quite delicious."

"Eat...?" She stutters.

I continue, " You taste delicious. Hence you're dear to me. You're dear to me. Hence I cannot eat you. You're so provoking, which makes me want to eat you more, but I cannot eat you. They say that this dilemma becomes a pleasure of the finest quality."

"What??" She splutters.

"On top of that, you are Shiro's granddaughter. He is famous among the ayakashi. In fact, that alone makes you valuable."

"What does that mean?" She asks.

I reply," you'll know soon enough. Now, just give up and be my bride instead."

"How much?" She asks, still determined not to marry me.

"Huh?" I ask, not following her.

"My grandfather's debt."

"It's about 100,000,000 yen."

"Huh?!" She gasps. "I'll pay it back. I will work it off! I will work it off in lue of marrying you!"

"That's obviously not possible," I say.

"We won't know until I try. It looks like your employees are opposed to my marrying you too. So, I will try working first. We should think it over before making the final decision."

"I see, I see..."I answer, "So you're trying to negotiate with me? You arrogant brat!"
Feeling frustrated that niceness still wasn't winning her over. "Then you can find a job here at Tenjin-ya. But if you are going to work, you'll be just an employee, not my bride. You'll no longer be able to stay in a guest room or receive my protection. It means you can't complain if someone eats you."

Trying to make her realise that is a mistake to turn me down. I knew it would be challenging to court her but not this difficult.

It surprised and hurt me again when she snapped unreasonably, "You've finally shown your true colours, you ogre!"

"You're the one who wished for it." I pointed out as I walked away disappointed with the whole thing.

She was shown to her room for the night. I saw Ginji take some food to her, so I wasn't worried. She was in good hands.

The next day I watched her try to get a job with my staff. However, she was rejected at every turn because all felt she had done a serious crime for turning me down. They are such loyal staff and friends! Ginji figured something out though, using the old restaurant that had never been successful since the new Inn had been built. He boasted to me about how delicious her cooking was. I felt envious of it. Unfortunately, I was concerned about the upcoming ceremony that Ginji had to attend.

The next day the tengu started tearing up the inn because they were sick of the chef's fine food.

The hostesses with be immediately began to scold her for being rude in my presence.

"You are an eyesore, Aoi Tsubaki," I say " You're nothing but a troublesome human with a large debt to Tenjin-ya. I can't have you sticking your nose in our disputes just to satisfy your curiosity."

"I I just got worried because I heard a loud noise!" She protested

"Leave this place now. Or I will eat you. I could offer you to the tengu, too." I say rather coldly, though it really was for her own protection, and I was upset at her turning me down. I turn and walk away. The young hostess snickered in contempt at her leaving her flabbergasted and upset. I glanced back and saw her run off in tears. I felt a little ashamed.

Later I find out that she saved and fed Masuma the head Tengu after he had fallen off his airship. She began to stay at the old restaurant and fix it up.
Unfortunately, I had to confront her about it with everyone present.

"Aoi," I say, " You served food to the tengu elder, didn't you?"

"Ah... yes." She replied.

"Aoi," called the tengu master and ran up to her like a spring chicken smiling his pleasure "thanks for your help last night."

"What?! Said the raccoon girl.

"M Matsuba-Sama!" She stuttered

" I am glad to see you again. Last night, I fell off the Kuukaku-maru."

"Kuukaku-maru?" She said, looking confused.

"That's one of the Tenjin-ya's excursion airships. After yesterday's commotion, as a token of apology for our behaviour, the master innkeeper arranged a banquet. " said one of the guests.

"An excursion airship..." She says.

"I had a little too much to drink," says Masuba. "On top of that, I grew tipsier due to the sway of the ship. So, I carelessly fell out of it.
Aoi, you admirably took care of me when you found me on the ground and let me have your delicious food. I have come to like you. So Aoi," he pulls out a tengu fan, " I want you to have this."

"What? A leaf?" Aoi said.

"What?!" Say all the women enviously.

"What? What's the deal?" She asked, even I was shocked. It must have shown as she said, "even the master, too? Is this thing valuable?"

"This is the fan treasured by the tengu that I mentioned last night," Matsuba-Sama says. "By right, it belongs to Shiro."

"I see...but are you sure?" Aoi asks. "Based on everyone's reaction, it seems like it's extremely valuable. "

"Just take it. It's fine." And hands it to her.

Everyone gasps at this. Aoi stood there looking confused.
"More importantly, I hear you're here as collateral for the debt. Poor thing...
Rather than working in a place like this, you should come to Mt. Shumon."
I watched it in horror.

"That's where the tengu live." Said Matsuba-Sama, "We can pay off your debt. If you like, you can marry one of my sons."

She looked surprised.

Ginji spoke out, "Matsuba-Sama." They walked over to him and knelt down " She can't do that, Matsuba-Sama."

"Why not, nine-tailed?" He asked

"Aoi-san is also the fiancée of the Tenjin-ya's master innkeeper. " Ginji said earnestly.

"Ha! You call her his fiancée when you guys drove her away to a shed like that?" Looking at me, I felt my face drain of colour. "Shiro's granddaughter is like my own granddaughter. Aoi, come to My place."

I look away, worried.

"I am sorry I can't," she says to my surprise and Matsuba-Samas.

"Why is that?"Matsuba-Sama asks.

"Shiro Tsubaki is my grandfather. " she smiled, " so I would like to make whatever trouble he caused right myself. Besides, I promised that ogre" looking at me "that I'd work off the debt. I can't just go and break that promise...though he probably prefers the debt to be repaid right away. I am sorry. I can't accept this fan, either." Trying to hand it back.

"No, at least take that one." Matsuba-Sama says, "If you are to take on Shiro's debt, this is yours, too, since I promised to give this to him. The promise was passed on to you."

"Promise...? Then I'll gratefully accept it." She said

"Good."

"I wonder what this is used for..."Aoi pondered, "Ah! It might look cool if I lay it down under dishes."

Everyone looks stunned at her statement. Matsuba-Sama came over to me. "Ogre God. "

"What is it, Matsuba-Sama?" I answer.

"If Aoi is your fiancée, take better care of her." He said, looking at me earnestly, "I know the history between you and Shiro...but his granddaughter is not to blame. Don't ill-treat her."

Aoi looked at us.

I smile "well... I don't remember ill-treating her."

"You're playing dumb," he says, disgusted." But well, I will forget about yesterday on account of Aoi's delicious food."

"It is sincerely appreciated," I replied, bowing to him.

"We got a little carried away too," he admitted " Aoi, eating your food helps my spirits rise. It gives me energy, too. Open up a small restaurant in that place. I'll be a regular customer."

Ginji enthusiastically agreed. "Exactly! Matsuba-Sama is right! You should open up an eatery in that place, Aoi-san!"

"Wait, ginji-san. You too, Matsuba-Sama."

"Don't be ridiculous! She's a human girl!" Said the young mistress

" I can't accept that," said the front desk manager

She looked crestfallen.
"Wait." Aoi looked hopeful at my word. "I am the one to decide it all. But now isn't the time. Matsuba-Sama, thank you very much for your stay." And we bow to him, " We look forward to your next visit. "

"Okay," he nods back.

I enter the inn after talking some more with Ginji. As I walk up the stairs, Aoi runs up to me.

"Excuse me..." She said, surprising me

I look at her over my shoulder "what is it?"

"I want to open up an eatery in that annex. There may be some people who want my food. I want to repay my grandfather's debt on my own. Please let me!" And bows.

I smile slightly and grab her arm, "come with me," and take her to my airship.

"Wow! It's flying! We're flying!" Aoi says in excitement. I enjoyed watching her reaction, "so this is the hidden realm?"

I say, "It's no easy task for a human to run a restaurant for the ayakashi in the hidden realm. "

"But I want to work! Please let me do it!" She said, determined.

"Okay...give it a try," I say, knowing full well that I couldn't deny her want.

"Thank you!" She replied, smiling.

We continue flying on the airship. I was enjoying standing next to Aoi, watching her reactions.

"How beautiful...!" Aoi exclaims as the sun sets over the ocean. "There's so much nature in the hidden realm. "

"We have nature as well as big cities. "

"It's a big place, huh?"

"Tenjin-ya's located at the northeast end. In other words, the unlucky place, or ogre gate."

"Ogre gate..." Aoi looked at me, puzzled.

"Surrounding the capital are eight lands called the Hachiyo, and the ayakashi who rules each land also has the title of Hachiyo. " I continued slipping back into my teacher role I played when she was a young girl.

"Is Matsuba-Sama one of them by chance?"

"He is one of the Hachiyo, the one who rules Mt Shumon.

"I see"

"You did a good job with Matsuba-Sama Your cooking saved Tenjin-ya, so I wanted to give you a reward."

"A reward?"

"Come on now, Aoi-sama."

"I didn't know you guys were on board," and the girls took Aoi away to dress her in the kimono I had picked out for her. I thought she would look good in it, but I had to wait to see for sure.

I entered the room when I gathered the girls had finished. "Oh...As I thought, you look good in the kimono with red carnellias. I am glad to see that you like it, Aio."

She looked like she was going to run away from me...

She replied, "Y-yes, I do think it's pretty. Thank you "

"Here, put this on too," I say, putting the enchanted camellia bud pin in her hair. "Oh! It looks perfect on you." I stand really close to her and look at her

"Hmm? Doesn't the bud seem swollen?" She asks

I replied, "It's made of rose quartz, so it shifts little by little. It'll eventually turn into a big camellia."

She turns to me in amazement, "It'll bloom?!" She asks, looking at me.

"Yeah, and the flower will fall in the end."

"What? It'll fall? Oh, no... It'll go away?"

I laugh as if I am not quite telling her the truth. The flower will die, but only when she does. However, it is also linked to her love for me. I know that I am a stupid ogre in some things but I do love her and need to figure out what makes her happy. "Pay back the debt before the flower falls off. That's the time limit." Effectively giving her her whole life as it only showed how she felt about me, but I don't want her to know that..."Well, good luck. "

"Ohhh," she muttered in frustration.

"Now, we should be arriving there soon," I say, walking away.

"Arriving where?" Aio asks.

I smile at her but don't answer. I instead wait on the deck of the ship looking at where we are going. Aoi joins me and says, " This is incredible...where are we?"

"This is Youto, the capital of the hidden realm," I answer

"Youto?" Aoi asks

"Yeah. "Youto " means "ayakashi capital. It's the city where the ayakashi king lives. "
"Ahh," she sighs.

We exit the ship, and she sighs again in excitement.

Someone greeted me, " That's the Tenjin-ya master innkeeper! Such a fine ogre as always!"

Aoi looks at me. "You're famous."

"More importantly, Aoi...Make sure you put that mask on, or they'll know you're human, which will put you in danger. "

"I know that." she pouted as she put the mask on. "It seems like they're having a festival, " Aoi commented as we walked through the town. We entered a shop that caught Aoi's eye. She picked up a pink glass bowl and admired it.

I told her, "It's called Youto cut glass."

"Youto cut glass?"

"Yes, using a technique from the apparent world as a base, we created a version unique to the hidden realm. "

"I see..." she sighs" It's pretty."

Seeing an opportunity to make her happy, I offer, " You like that one? I'll buy it for you."

"What? You don't have to!" She exclaimed

"Don't hold back," I say

"No. They say that nothing is scarier than something free, right?" She then looked at me. "What?"

"Then you say that you don't want to be treated to delicious food?" I say as I walk to the restaurant.

"What?" Aoi puzzles.

We sit down to eat

"Wow," Aoi exclaimed. "These innards are delicious!"

"There grilled innards"

"I see... I've never had them like that before. They really are delicious!" Aoi smiles in pleasure "Hey, is innards hot pot your favourite dish?"

"Innards hot pot?" Wondering what she meant. "No, it's close, though."

"It's not?"

"If I had to choose, it would be the blood, entrails, and such of a young human girl." Teasing her

"It was stupid of me to ask the question." She said, looking sad and disappointed.

"Excuse me," said Suzuran.

"Come in, " I say

Suzuran bows and enters.

Suzuran smiles. "It's been a while... Master of Tenjin-ya."

I introduce her to Aoi. "Aoi. This is Suzuran, a popular geisha in the capital. She's the front desk manager of Akatsuki's younger sister.

"What?" She asks in shock, "Y-younger sister? That manager."

"Suzuran. This is Aoi Tsubaki. She is Shiro Tsubaki's granddaughter." I introduce them.

"Wow, Siro-samas?" Suzuran giggled."Then is he in the hidden realm too?" Sounding hopeful.

"Ah, my grandpa is--" started Aoi.

I finished, "Shiro isn't here. Aoi is the only one who came."

"I see... Since I haven't seen him for a long time, I wanted to see him." Suzuran explained and then went on, "Aoi-sama. You seem to resemble Shiro-sama somehow."

Aoi looked surprised, and Suzuran laughed, tilting her head. Aoi smiled in return.

"Now Suzuran." I requested "Let me hear your shamisen. It's been a while. "

"Okay" she agreed and starts playing. Aoi and I enjoyed her playing. Well, I guess she did as Aoi said looking pleased after we left the restaurant "Ahh! Suzuran-sans shamisen was so wonderful! The innards pot was super delicious, too! Oh, thank you for treating me. " she blushed looking away.

"You're welcome." I said feeling pleased that I seem to have done something right.

"Would you like to go have some sweets?"

"I'd love to!" Aoi said smiling at me.

"It's good to be honest." I say and start walking to the next place I had in mind. Aoi refixed her mask to her face and followed me smiling. Aoi stopped suddenly and I missed that she wasn't following me. When I turned to talk to her, she was gone. I worried then as she is likely to be eaten.

I followed my ogre flame to her and overheard the 3 ladies discussing Suzuran's problems with Yahata-yas young master

I say "I see."

Aoi exclaims in relief "Master! Umm..."

The four of us walk together.

Aoi spoke "Snowwoman. Were you planning to return to Tenjin-ya before the master could see you?"

"Shut up! It's none of your business!" She snapped

Aoi agreed "That's true, but..."

We head to the ship hurriedly.

"There she is!" Said 6 men dressed in white with paper notes covering their faces." So, you did come to the harbour as we thought. Tenjin-ya!"

"So, the ittan-momen guys are here." I say

Aoi asks "Ittan-momen aren't fluttering cloths, huh?"

"Every ayakashi has its own human form." Being the teacher again. I turned to Suzuran "Suzuran, go ahead and go on board now."

"Okay " she replied and left to do just that.