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AS soon as she opened the door to the Shinkuju Bookhouse, Mayoi came flying into her arms.
The girl sobbed wordlessly as Akari stroked her glossy bobbed hair.
Then Akari explained everything that had happened and told her how truly sorry she was.
“I’m so sorry for worrying you. But…would it be all right with you if I made this place my permanent home?”
“You’re my mistress. If you are to be a Narrator, then my home is now yours too.”
Akari hugged the girl tight. Mayoi continued to sniffle and burble, refusing to let go.
Cradling the little spirit in her arms, Akari went to open Kansuke’s Kotogatari. He appeared immediately, with a wry I knew it look on his face.
“So you’ve decided to do the thing, have you, girly? I guess I can stick around and keep Tomohito in line for you, just in case.”
Then Kansuke placed his big hand fondly on top of Akari’s head.
She rolled her eyes. Did he always have to be so flippant? But she was secretly thrilled that he’d promised to stay by her side as well, offering his services to her so casually, as though there was never any doubt that he would.
Trying to hide how moved she was, Akari adopted a sarcastic tone of her own.
“As long as I keep you well paid in booze, right?”
“Throw in snacks, too, and you’ve got yourself a deal. But things aren’t going to be easy going forward, you know.”
Kansuke folded his arms and raised an eyebrow at Akari. Just then, Tomohito pushed his way in between them, his grin as wide as his face.
“That’s right, Mistress Akari! This is the start of Bookhouse Mitsukuri! Hehe, as your contracted Kotogami, I’ll assist you every step of the way! Because I’m your contracted Kotogami! For life!”
“No fair, I want to make a contract with her too!”
Mayoi tossed her black bobbed hair indignantly as Akari gave her an apologetic look.
“I’m sorry, Mayoi. I was told not to even attempt to forge any more contracts until I’ve had much, much more Narrator training.”
Mayoi gasped, her face stricken, as if the world were ending. Flooded with guilt, Akari rushed to comfort her, but Tomohito interrupted, still smiling.
“Indeed! So in all the world, I alone am contracted to Akari! Yes, I alone!”
Tomohito jutted out his jaw at Mayoi and crossed his eyes in an extremely childish and unbecoming manner.
Ever since Akari had revealed her intentions to become a Narrator, he’d been insufferable like this. She was rapidly reaching the end of her patience with him. Snapping her fingers, she barked imperiously.
“Tomohito! Bring my bags.”
“Yes, Mistress!”
He ran to get her bag. Akari snatched it from his hand and pulled a book out from within.
“What! That book…”
Tomohito wheezed wordlessly. It was the gray-colored book Akari had narrated from back in that flaming warehouse.
Oddly, there weren’t any bloodstains on it. There was a strange new design on the cover instead. Akari gently flipped through the pages, then raised her voice.
“The Gremlin Rai!”
Silver strands rose from the pages, manifesting before Akari a young man in his late twenties. His silver locks flowed down his back, and he was sharply dressed in a military-style uniform. Rai opened his deep-purple eyes and fixed them on Akari’s.
“Mistress. I am so glad to meet with you once more.”
“Sorry for not summoning you again until now.”
Rai nodded, his expression unchanging. But he was clearly happy. The perkiness of his furry beast ears and the jaunty swishing of his tail were proof of that.
“Let me introduce you. This is my contracted Kotogami Rai. He’s going to live with us from now on.”
“I forgot all about him! Ugh, why does he have to live here?!”
As Akari introduced Rai to Mayoi and Kansuke, Tomohito seemed to snap out of his stupor and started yelping indignantly.
“Because he’s my Kotogami as well. He won’t respond to anyone’s narration but mine, not anymore. Besides, someone needs to fill in the missing details in his Pseudogatari. He’s my responsibility from now on.”
Once Akari had made up her mind to become a Narrator, Munakata had agreed to release Rai to her care.
He had instructed her to narrate him regularly, since his manifestation was still unstable. That would keep him in existence until his backstory could be pieced together and he could be properly defined.
Akari had had no issue with that. Still, she felt sorry she couldn’t offer more freedom to Rai after all he’d suffered.
“I apologize, Rai, but it looks like you’ll need to hang around with us for a while.”
“Not at all, Mistress. Your words defined my existence. So I shall serve you faithfully. Please use me in any way you see fit.”
Akari blushed as Rai reached out and placed his hands warmly around hers, his purple eyes gazing deep into her soul…
Vibrating with anger, Tomohito clamped his hand down on Rai’s shoulder and yanked him away.
As Rai stumbled back, Tomohito leaned into his face, scowling.
“Stay out of Mistress Akari’s personal space!”
“I wasn’t aware I was in it.”
Akari was bright red as Tomohito hissed his displeasure, and Rai met his eye with a challenging look.
“Actually, you kind of were. And grabbing my hands like that did surprise me a bit, to be honest.”
“So I suppose a kiss is out of the question?”
“Curse you, you dirty beast!”
Tomohito howled indignantly as Rai simply grinned.
Rai had the brash straightforwardness of a Westerner, and Akari had the feeling he was going to be giving her a lot of trouble in an entirely different way than Tomohito. Thinking about the future, Akari sighed with trepidation. Then Kansuke spoke up, his tone amused.
“Girly, who’s this delightful fellow you’ve brought in?”
“If you like him so much, then lend me a hand, would you?”
“Nah, I’d rather not get involved. Mayoi, time to serve the booze!”
Kansuke shrugged with indifference and disappeared into the kitchen.
DemonSlayer, was he? No, he was useless. Akari gnashed her teeth, just as Tomohito piped up again.
“Since you made a contract with him, I suppose there is nothing to be done about it. Anyway, he’s no competition for me. He can stay. But I outrank him. Just so everyone’s clear on that. Are you clear on that, beast? Now, be a good dog and serve Mistress Akari with loyalty.”
“Who are you calling a dog, you dumb demon?”
“You, you mangy cur! Make sure you remember your place! You’re the lowest rung on the ladder and don’t you ever forget it!”
Akari gasped and reached out to poke Tomohito warningly in the chest, but Rai merely nodded and disappeared in a puff of smoke.
The smoke cleared, leaving a handsome silver-furred beast standing there. He was about twice the size of a wolf, with shiny, smooth fur and six strong legs. He looked big enough for Mayoi to ride on his back. Actually, he looked big enough for Akari to ride too.
“Rai? What happened to you?!”
“I am a Gremlin, but I also have elements of the Raiju folktale in me now. Thus, I can assume two forms. This one seems better for conducting lightning. The Raiju influence is why I can now speak your Eastern tongue as well.”
The beast wagged his fluffy tail, gazing up at Akari with his purple eyes.
“As long as this form pleases you, that is, Mistress.”
Pausing before answering, Akari ran her fingers through the beast’s plush fur. It was so soft. Akari was hardly an expert, but she knew fur this thick was unusual.
Also, she was relieved that the beast didn’t seem bothered by his current circumstances, or by Tomohito’s attempts at bullying.
“It would be nice if you could assume this form sometimes and join me for naps…”
“Certainly, Mistress.”
“Mistress Akariii?!”
Rai bowed his head politely. Akari hadn’t really meant to say that thing about the naps, but it just kind of slipped out.
As for Tomohito’s shrieks, well, she just ignored them.
Akari kept on stroking the silky fur. Rai half closed his eyes, as if in bliss. Then Mayoi came sidling up to stand beside Akari.
She looked Rai up and down, muttering under her breath. “Can’t the newbie do anything else?”
“You must be this house’s Silkie spirit. I have not seen one since I left Angland… As for what I can do…I can wield thunder and lightning, and I know much about machines. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, little Silkie.”