振り向くと、妖夢さんが僕らの方へ駆け寄っていた。「こんにちは・・・いえ、こんばんわですかね？「」さん。」にこっと微笑む妖夢さん。もう少しでこんばんわだね。妖夢さん。「今日はお休みのはずでしょう？何か里に御用時があったのですか？・・・ん？そのお連れの方は・・・？」妖夢さんは僕の横に居る布都ちゃんを訝しげに見た。ああ、この前言った、我が家に泊めている方だよ。と僕が答えると、「えっ？」と妖夢さんが少し驚いた声を上げて、「・・・居候って、女性の方だったんですね」と驚きがまだ抜けない声で言った。「・・・「」殿。この方は・・・？」と、途切れた僕らの会話の中に布都ちゃんが気まずそうに、入り込んだ。ええと、この人は、魂魄妖夢さん。僕の友人だよ。と紹介すると、「ほほう、「」殿のご友人であるか・・・」と布都ちゃんは妖夢さんを眺め、「我は物部布都という。行き場無くして、困り果てて居る所に「」殿の好意を甘えさせて貰って、居候させて貰っている。」と妖夢さんに自己紹介をした。「・・・物部布都さん・・・ですか。・・・改めて、私からも紹介させて貰いますね。私は魂魄妖夢。「」さんの友人・・・です。白玉楼という場所で庭師をやっています。」と妖夢さんはにこりと布都ちゃんに微笑みかけた。「我は、暫く、「」殿の厄介になると思う。どうか宜しく頼むぞ」と布都ちゃんも微笑返すと妖夢さんも「はい。こちらこそ」と返事を返した。「成る程、里に下りた理由も、布都さんの抱えているものですね」と妖夢さんはからかう様に僕に話しの先を向けた。暫く済むのだから、布都ちゃんの私物入れも必要だしね。と答える僕。「成る程・・・。ふふ、少し羨ましいです。布都さん。」とふふっと妖夢さんは微笑む。「うむ・・・。「」殿には本当に世話になっているぞ」と化粧箱を抱く布都ちゃん。布都ちゃんの名誉の為に言っておくけど、布都ちゃんがねだった訳じゃなくて、僕が買ったのだからね？と誤解ないよう僕は言っておく。「そうですかぁ。「」さんから・・・」と妖夢さんはそうですか、そうですかと俯いて、頷いた。そして、「あの、すいません。実は、まだ用事が残っていまして、そろそろ失礼しなければいけない様です」と用件を思い出したかの様に急に別れを切り出した。僕は従者の仕事は大変だね。と手を振ると、「はい、それでは」と妖夢さんは手を振って、雑踏の中に消えていってわっふるわっふる

I turn around to see Youmu running toward me. "Good day! ...Or rather, good evening!" she said with a smile. "Yeah, it'll be evening in a little bit, Youmu." "I thought you had today off? Did you have some business in town? ...Hmm? Who's that you have with you...?" she inquired with a suspicious look at Futo-chan next to me. "Ah, this is the person staying at my house that I told you about before," I explained. Surprised, she exclaimed, "Eh?" "So... the person who's staying with you is a girl?" she continued, her voice still conveying her shock. "My lord, who would this be?" Futo-chan interjected to our somewhat uneasy and now interrupted conversation. I answered, "Uh, this is Konpaku Youmu, a friend of mine." "Oh ho, so you are a friend of my lord..." she replied, sizing Youmu up. "I am called Mononobe no Futo. With nowhere else to go, I have, with great shame, taken advantage of my lord's good will and have been living in his home," she introduced herself.

"So you're... Mononobe no Futo. Allow me to introduce myself personally. I'm Konpaku Youmu, a friend of this guy. I live in a place called Hakugyokurou, taking care of its garden," Youmu explained with a smile. "I think I shall be staying with my lord for some time. I am honored to meet you," Futo-chan smiled back. "Yes, the same for me," Youmu replied. "I get it," she continued, bringing the subject back to our conversation. "So the reason you came here was for that thing Futo-chan's holding." "She'll be staying a while, so she needs a container for her own things," I explained. "I see... I'm a little jealous, Futo-chan," she giggled. "Hm... my lord is truly too kind to me," Futo-chan added while clutching her vanity case. "I'm just telling you for her sake that she didn't ask for it; I bought it for her, alright?" I told Youmu, hopefully clearing up any misunderstandings. "I see. So you got it from him..." she said, turning her eyes and then her head downward while repeating, "I see... I see...". Then, she broke out with, "Sorry, I just remembered something I have to do. I really need to go," throwing out a farewell. "Being an attendant must be hard work," I said, waving. "Yes... well then," she waved back before disappearing into the bustling crowd... to be continued