Artist's commentary
Finished with our walk through the town and about to head back home when I hear a voice calling me from behind.
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