No one knows her name, but there’s a youkai in Gensokyo who’s often spotted reading books. For now, let’s simply refer to her as the Book-Reading Youkai.

In the past, it seems the Book-Reading Youkai often read books beside tracks and pathways, but these days, she reads quietly, tucked away in a corner of Kourindou. Once, when she was reading outside, she was attacked―I mean “reprimanded” by the Hakurei shrine maiden, who confiscated the book she was engrossed in. Wanting to avoid further encounters with the shrine maiden, the Book-Reading Youkai opted to read indoors from then on.

Given how often the Book-Reading Youkai is spotted reading, it’s a safe bet she can read and that she understands the contents of the books she chooses. The book that Reimu confiscated from her was from the outside world and was called “The Future of Non-Von Neumann Architecture.” That alone is enough to get a sense of the Book-Reading Youkai’s intelligence and education level.

All that could be heard inside Kourindou was the faint chirping of the birds outside and the turning of pages at seemingly fixed intervals. The shop owner was in the back, but it’s unclear whether he knew the Book-Reading Youkai was there or not. Seeing how she wasn’t a threat to anyone, even if he did know, it’s possible he was simply letting her be.

It looks like she’s busy reading again today, but next time I see her, I think I’ll try talking to her. Without interrupting her reading, that is. I want to know more about her and the books she reads. If I asked, I’m sure she’d tell me. Oh, but I mustn’t forget to keep an eye out for that shrine maiden.

I do worry about her, though. The Book-Reading Youkai, I mean. She’s always so focused on reading that she can’t tell what’s going on around her. If she’s not careful, she’ll lose another one of her books…