In the first year of the Showa era, a ryokan called Setsubai lured people into a state of pleasing acquiescence. 

 

“Cassia-sama?”

 

Located on the third floor of the inn, the soothing scent of wood across the long hallway, the ever-glowing candelabra that flickers in blue flames at night –– a hidden passageway lies unopened by the members of the outside world. In there would be a hall full of bookshelves arranged in a maze, and then past that would be a wide forest protected by flora and fauna. Butterflies of every colour of the rainbow dazzled brightly in the inn’s hidden passageway, rhinoceros beetles would latch onto the translucent trees’ trunks, fireflies kept hidden until the lights dimmed enough for them to take over, and of course, to the centre of the endless room was a young woman with her leg over the other gazing at all lifeforms.

 

Both hands were occupied by a tray table filled with food, and an attendant who excused herself inside gently closed the door behind her. Short melon-orange hair secured in braids waved in motion, the attendant slowly and inaudibly calling the latter figure.

 

“Cassia-sama~ it’s time for your tea!”

 

No response.

 

The lady named Cassia bewitched by the sight of two rhinoceros beetles battling each other were given Cassia’s fullest attention. Dressed in a black kimono engraved in cranes and plum blossoms, cerulean eyes took their time to notice the latter’s presence and fluttered gracefully; sharply like those of a fox.

 

“You weren’t planning on skipping meals just to read that book and look at those beetles, were you?” The attendant questioned, puffing her cheeks in disappointment. “You know what’s going to happen if you keep on skipping your meals like this. First, it’ll be painful –– then you lose energy –– then you can’t focus or do any work…then––!”

 

“That’s enough, Kiki,” Cassia finally answered, closing the hardcovers of the book in her hands. She then traced her fingers on the spine of the paperback, the same indifferent expression ever seen on her facial features. “Hm, it seems I have taken quite a liking to this.”

 

“Oh? What’s it called? Is it a novel? A play?”

 

“…It’s a poem.”

 

“Aah, then that’ll be too difficult for someone like me to read,” Kiki pouted, rearranging the dishes on the tray table in front of her boss. “It’s thanks to you that I was able to learn how to read and write; so, I’ve really been in your care. Anyhow, here’s the schedule for the next few days.”

 

Passing on a thin board with a gridded timetable, Cassia lowered her eyes and, without a word, observed the handwriting that would dictate her few days. The rustling of leaves kept their silence tranquil; the endless inn with a side that no mere human knew about brought life to the dead.

 

They were all souls.

 

The butterflies, the trees, the battling rhinoceros beetles –– with nowhere to go, the hidden passageway inaccessible to humans was where they were given a second chance to live. The lives of such were due to their poor and brutal deaths; human souls were located much deeper within the inn whilst the soul of animals was kept in this very forest. While the inn catered to the living public in a bustling population, its main aim was to rehabilitate the dead.

 

Finally, Cassia rose from her distraction and left the paperback on a log. Facing Kiki and walking towards her, every step she took was replaced with a trail of blooming flowers. She then reached for the cup of tea on the tray that Kiki held straight, gracefully bringing it to her lips and gently raising it as she swallowed.

 

Who would’ve thought the guardian of the dead would be able to give life to such beautiful flowers, Kiki silently commentated to herself. She had a habit of making mental monologues to reorganise what came through and out of her mind and the fact that amidst all her supernatural surroundings did she have to act as if she was used to it. Clearing her throat, she began to list out the schedule of her boss. “An important guest will be arriving at 11 am sharp. He’s a businessman from abroad, one who is visiting in order to discuss some important documents with you.”

 

Cassia blankly stared at Kiki. “Did I ever request for his audience? I’m sure I can handle the finances on my own.”

 

“Cassia-sama,” Kiki began, with an ominous, threatening smile on her lips. “How about you read these?”

 

Handing her boss the files within her hands, Cassia simply skimmed through the files and flicked them from page to page. Tables and charts assorted to fit the financial situation were quickly dismissed by the guardian of the dead after seeing large sums of money printed on the bottom right corner of each page.

 

“You’ve been financially supporting the dead for too long,” Kiki explained. “If things keep going this way our services for the living are going to deteriorate.”

 

Cassia yawned, patting her hand on her mouth. “So it seems.”

 

Sighing in disbelief, Kiki raised a hand to the side of her temple and released a heavy sigh until she noticed Cassia leaving the forest of the deceased.

 

“Then I suppose we should start the morning off by greeting the living,” Cassia spoke. Lifting her hand in the air, she snapped her fingers until a gust of wind swallowed the two back into the living realm; the main ryokan where the living customers had enjoyed their stay. With her hands clasped together and bent towards her stomach, she strode across the hallways with Kiki following from behind, her eyes always glancing to her left and right while studying how spotlessly clean the entire ryokan was.

 

This ryokan runs on an equivalent exchange between the dead and the living, Kiki reminded herself mentally. Cassia-sama would allow them to ‘live’ a second time in order to recall a certain memory they’ve deemed most precious to them. Most of the time it takes a week or two, yet lately, the number of wandering souls making their way to the ryokan is increasing exponentially. Is it because of the ryokan’s growing fame?

 

“It isn’t.”

 

The voice was not Kiki’s. Kiki immediately shot up from focusing her geta, realising that she had been speaking her thoughts.

 

Cassia paused her steps, facing Kiki with the same indifferent expression. “The ryokan’s rising fame certainly is a logical possibility, but it isn’t the case. There’s some sort of invisible yet palpable force causing this ­­–– and it’s acting quick.”

 

“You mean…there’s some supernatural source to the number of souls entering rather than being wandering souls?” Kiki continued to question. “I can’t seem to imagine it.”

 

“I suppose it‘s something worth investigating,” Cassia muttered as if the thought of it was a chore. “It isn’t the first time this had happened. Some force would attach itself to the lost, lingering souls and it would guide them to a location with high spiritual power. If it weren’t for our ryokan, it would’ve been the many local shrines across Kyoto.”

 

“I-I see…”

 

“Which leads me to another task for you ­­–– do you like dealing with social interactions?”

 

Kiki blinked, confused at the sudden vague question. “Do you mean…I get to…”

 

“Of course,” Cassia nodded. “You’re going to be handling the meeting with that so-called businessman from overseas.”

 

“Huh!?”

 

Before Kiki was able to retaliate and reach her hand out towards Cassia, the guardian of the dead had already disappeared and only a glowing, fluttering butterfly replaced her faded figure.

 

This was just one of Kiki’s daily difficulties as a mere human working for someone of such a high supernatural calibre  –– and it seemed she had quite a long way to go before being in charge of her boss' paranormal affairs.