I used to think I’d need fancy manuals, a ton of qi, and probably some stolen talent to become someone worth knowing. Now? Now I know that nobody above gold seems to be able to cook worth a damn, and I’m drowning in reservations because I bothered to figure out how to infuse rice with my qi in a way that lets the flavor through their qi-reinforcement. Worst part? Took me a week. – Chef Pan Kai of the Heavenly Riceball Kitchen

* * *

“Xinya! Wake up!” I called as I carefully dumped the eggs from the skillet into the waiting bowls of rice. They were…fine! Completely and totally fine and not burned at all.

Maybe she won’t notice this time? It was a vain hope and I knew it, but that didn’t stop me from placing the bowl on the table as the little girl stepped sleepily from the bedroom.

“What time is it?” she asked, rubbing her eyes.

“Nearly midday,” I answered.

“Too early.”

“I agree.”

We’d been up all night, sitting on the roof of the Lang residence and studying the stars and the moon above. It was important that Xinya develop a proper understanding of the heavens to become a proper disciple of the Celestial Cycle. Though the stars weren’t as important as the sun and the moon, there was still a relation between the powers. As the stars aligned, it would influence the power of the sun, moon, and void. Even Lightning was supposedly stronger when the celestial bodies were in alignment during eclipses and other extraordinary events. I understood all of this on an intuitive level, having studied it from the surface of the moon for several years during my youth, but we lacked the means to actually travel to the moon for Xinya’s education. Studying its phases and path from below would have to suffice for now.

I set the bowl down before the nine-year-old. She peered at it skeptically and sweat began to collect on my collar. Who knew that children could be such picky eaters?

“There is more ash in this than egg,” she noted with all the emotion of a dead tree.

“We’re out of groceries; I didn’t get a second chance.” I crossed my arms and looked away, my ears growing hot with embarrassment.

Xinya sighed and shook her head. “A second chance wouldn’t have helped you, and you know it.” Her words stabbed into me like a dozen arrows. Then, to add further insult to injury, she stood and began slipping on her boots.

“Wait! I can fix it!” I protested. The withering glare of a tired child was possibly more painful than any sword strike I’d ever taken. Something about that glare reminded me of when Chouko and the Hated One had scolded me for being late to the Celestial Conference (which was for a legitimate reason, as I didn’t yet have Chiho and fixing my hair was always a pain).

Xinya stepped outside and turned left. I had no doubt she was going to see if Hanako had any leftovers from their breakfast. I sighed in defeat before slipping on my own shoes and following.

It’s probably for the best, I thought bitterly. Aya and Chouko always insisted on doing the cooking, and, after Ascending, I had servants for that.

We knocked on Hanako’s door several minutes later, each of the perfect image of lost orphans begging for food at a priest’s doorstep. When Hanako opened the door and saw just how pitiful we both were, she burst into laughter and beckoned us inside.

“How bad was it this time?” she asked Xinya as we sat down.

“He called it an egg, but I didn’t see any egg left,” she answered.

I scoffed in annoyance. “Your words were ‘there’s more ash than egg,’ so there must have been some left!”

“Saying that there are more foxes than hens in an empty henhouse is still true,” she grumbled. I spluttered, trying to think of some clever retort to give to my unruly disciple. In the end, I had nothing.

Hanako placed two bowls of rice topped with distinctly unburned eggs before us. “Dig in!”

“Feeding those two again?” The snide remark came from Madam Tenri as she descended the stairs. She regarded Xinya and I as if we were dirt-covered urchins. “Careful, Hanako. Keep feeding strays and you may find a whole pack of mutts at your door.”

I stood from my seat. How dare she refer to me with such contempt! She may be the mother of my only friend, but that didn’t give her the right to insult me and my disciple so directly.

Before I could give Madam Tenri a piece of my mind, Hanako stood between us. Her face was calm, but the hard fury in her eyes betrayed her true feelings.

“Mother, you know I do much to be a good wife to my Lin, which includes respecting and caring for you and Father. However, do not mistake yourself for the Lady of this house. I am the Administrator’s wife, and this is the Administrator’s residence. I will entertain whatever guests I wish, including the cultivator who has done nothing but help our town.”

Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

Madam Tenri was stunned. “You…I’m your mother-in-law!”

“Yes, you’re my elder,” Hanako began, then she turned to me. “Please, Master Cultivator, please don’t begrudge my elder. She is old, and her judgement is clearly failing her to so blatantly disrespect an honored hero of our town. Please accept my apology on her behalf.”

Old and failing judgement. Right.

“I’ll forgive it this time out of respect for you and your husband, Hanako,” I said coldly. “But your mother should be more careful. There are many cultivators who have wiped out whole clans for less egregious offenses.”

Hanako bowed politely to me, while Madam Tenri stalked off to do whatever it was that mean-spirited witches do in their free time. Without her negative aura hanging over us, we slowly began to relax.

“Mean old bat,” Xinya muttered.

“Have you considered how you’ll deal with her?” I asked. Xinya didn’t answer, so I sighed and rephrased. “Have you considered how to stop tripping on the stairs?” It was only out of respect for the little girl’s pride that I didn’t take more action. It was not the master’s place to fight all the disciple’s battles. Otherwise, they’d never learn…or so I kept telling myself.

“Once I have my core, I’m sure I’ll get less clumsy,” she answered. I rolled my eyes.

“The fishermen say a storm should be coming in the next couple days,” I said. “Just make sure you’re ready for it. It’s hard to say how many more chances we’ll have before winter.”

“Got it.”

“By the way, Tsuyuki,” Hanako said. “Lin is looking for you. Some official business came in last night he could use your help with.”

“Excellent! Xinya, let’s go.”

“Nuh, uh,” she answered. “I’m still eating. Go yourself.”

Ungrateful disciple. I sighed. My masters would have whipped me for talking back like that…not that it would have stopped me. I’m too soft to be a Master.

“Fine,” I finally relented.

“I’ll keep her occupied, don’t worry about a thing,” Hanako assured me. Before I made it to the door, I heard her turn and whisper to Xinya. “I think it’s his void affinity that makes him a bad cook.” Then they giggled, so I rolled my eyes and left.

* * *

“Tenri Lin, my dearest brother, your beloved wife says you seek my pleasant company,” I called as I entered the Administration building. Inside, Zumi was shuffling papers for a pair of women who just blushed and giggled at my greeting. I blushed.

That will only add to the rumors…so much for a fun joke.

It was rare for anyone besides Tenri and his cousin to be in the building. What a stroke of bad luck that two happened to be here when I was in a joking mood.

Tenri poked his head out of his office, a cheerful smile on his face…until he, too, saw the women in the entry. His ears turned red as strawberries, and he removed his glasses, quietly schooling his face.

“Must you say it so poorly? We’re just acquaintances.”

“Yeah, sorry.” I scratched my head before sheepishly entering his office and closing the door behind me. “I had no idea there would be others.”

“Probably just applying for a trade permit,” he said. “Zumi handles all that paperwork for me.”

“So.” I waited for a long moment, but with each second that ticked by, the awkwardness between Tenri and I only increased. “Hanako mentioned you might have a job?”

Tenri looked blankly at me as he tried to remember what he might need my help with, but eventually he remembered and began shuffling through his desk. From under a small pile of loose documents came six letters, all with the same silver and gold lettering of an official letter of the Moon-Soaked Shore.

“They’re all from Pemai,” Tenri provided. “Take a look.” I gingerly picked the top letter off the pile and read it aloud.

“‘To Administrator Tenri Lin of Saikan. This is the fifth letter I’ve sent regarding the dangers to travel on the roads between Pemai and Saikan. The yokai in the area have been agitated, and I am once again requesting your aid in dealing with them.’” I put down the letter. “Shouldn’t we be looking into this? He seems kind of irritated.”

“Keep reading.”

I frowned and continued. “‘I have reason to believe they are targeting cultivators. The branch of the Lunar Hunt stationed in Pemai has been harassed at every turn.’ Wow, I didn’t realize we had such good neighbors.”

“Which is why I haven’t responded,” Tenri agreed. “These started just before last month’s attack and have continued until now. If the yokai are willing to provide an extra line of defense, who am I to argue?”

“We might even want to send them a nice thank you gift.” I stretched and lounged in my chair. “Do you think they’d like a basket of fruit? Or maybe some nice flowers?”

“You tell me, you’re the yokai expert.” Tenri handed me the most recent of the missives. I opened it and skimmed over the frustrated introduction. This one contained additional details.

“‘We’ve determined that the culprits are many, but those we’ve managed to spot are all being rallied by the Wicked Flower Maiden. We do not know why she is so active this late in the year, but it is clear that this shade has become a menace. Rumors have circulated that the town of Saikan is allied with several Iron cultivators who may be able to work with the Lunar Hunt to eliminate her once and for all.’” I stared at the letter for a long moment.

The Flower Maiden was involved. Chouko was here! She was close! If I could find one of her raids, I could ask the yokai how to find her, since she didn’t always return to her shrine in the woods. Maybe I could see her again.

“Sugar glazed starberries would be my first recommendation,” I answered.

“What?”

“For a gift for the Flower Maiden. They were always her favorite.” I frowned and rubbed my chin. “But I guess those are hard to get outside the Pearlescent Valley…what about moon-dusted melon seeds? Or strawberries with qi honey? She likes sweet things.”

“Can shades even eat things?”

I shrugged. “It’s more about the sentimental value of the gift for them, I suppose. Some can eat the qi, others can’t.”

However, there was no doubt in my mind that Chouko was strong enough to consume them. For a shade to survive thousands of years, long enough to become a local legend, she had to be powerful enough to defend herself against the rank-and-file cultivators of the area. She might be on the level of a silver, but that was still enough for her to accept such a gift. It would be no different than an offering for her.

“Administrator Delan is worried about a caravan for one of the wealthier merchants in the east. He’s had several run-ins with the Flower Maiden in the past, and travels in autumn and winter specifically to avoid her,” Tenri explained. “If she’s active, she might go after him while she’s in the area.”

“Then, I say we pay a visit to our good friends in Pemai,” I mused. “Maybe this merchant can be convinced to play the part of bait so we can pay respects to our good neighbors of the land.”