Tokyo: The Manga Begins with the Funeral of Frilian

Shiori Shirakawa stood beside the door, her hand gripping the doorknob firmly.

Her eyes moved slowly. The first thing that caught her eye was the backpack on Hoshino Rin's back.

His gaze then swept over the bedding rolled up in the side pocket.

Then his gaze fell on the sketchbook tied to the top pocket.

"Can't."

She began to speak.

Hoshino Rin blinked a few times through her eyes outside her mask, revealing a hint of confusion.

"Why is that? I've calculated it carefully. The sofa in the living room is 1.8 meters long, and I'm 1.58 meters tall. Sleeping on it is no problem at all. Besides, I don't snore when I sleep, and I don't sleepwalk. All I need is a charging socket and..."

"The key issue isn't the sofa."

Shiori Shirakawa interrupted her and continued.

"The real reason is that you are a full-time employee, and full-time employees are not allowed to sleep in the living room."

Hoshino Rin tilted her head slightly.

"But actually, I haven't officially started working yet."

"From the moment you stand at the door with your bedding roll on your back, you're considered an employee."

Shiori Shirakawa turned and walked towards the second bedroom, saying as she did so.

"Come in."

Rin Hoshino was carrying a hiking backpack that looked bigger than herself.

She resembled a snail carrying a huge shell on her back.

They slowly moved towards the entrance hall.

She stood in the very center of the living room, her gaze fixed intently on Shiori Shirakawa.

Then Shiori Shirakawa pushed open the door to the second bedroom.

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The second bedroom contained several cardboard boxes and an empty bed frame.

There is also an east-facing window through which you can see the small park below.

"This room was originally reserved for me."

Shiori Shirakawa rolled up her sleeves and began moving the cardboard boxes out, talking as she did so.

"However, Kamiya-kun and I will be fine staying in the master bedroom, so you can stay here."

Hoshino Rin stood at the doorway and watched Shirakawa Shiori move the boxes over and over again.

"Senior," she called softly.

"Um?"

Shiori Shirakawa responded.

"You just said that you and your master are living in the master bedroom, which means that your relationship has progressed to..."

"Hoshino."

Shiori Shirakawa called her name.

"exist."

Hoshino Rin immediately responded.

"Put that thing off your back, then go to the kitchen and get a rag. This room needs to be wiped down before anyone can live in it."

"Yes, senior."

Hoshino Rin put down her backpack, then took a rag from the kitchen and returned.

She seemed rather awkward while wiping the windowsill.

The way she held the rag made her even more nervous than when she held the dip pen.

Shiori Shirakawa glanced at her, then reached out and took the rag from her hand.

He then began to apply the ointment himself.

"Haven't you ever done housework?"

"I've spent all my time studying demon anatomy."

Hoshino Rin answered honestly, and then continued.

"Instant noodle bowls are left to sit for three days before being washed, and clothes are left to sit for a week before being washed in the coin-operated washing machine. The curtains in the room are never opened because sunlight would affect the color temperature judgment of the halftone paper."

Shiori Shirakawa took a rag and placed it into the bucket.

Then he rubbed the rag.

"Starting today, the first rule of your employee handbook is: air out your blankets at least once a week."

"But ultraviolet rays will..."

"Article Two."

Shiori Shirakawa straightened up and looked at her as she spoke.

"At least one meal a day must be eaten at a table. This meal cannot be instant noodles or convenience store rice balls; it must be a proper meal."

Hoshino Rin remained silent for two seconds.

"Senior, in my understanding, these requirements fall under the responsibilities of a 'mother,' not the responsibilities of a 'boss'."

Article 3.

Shiori Shirakawa wrung out the rag, hung it on the edge of the bucket, and then turned to look directly at Rin Hoshino.

"From now on, you are not allowed to call me 'Master's Wife,' but 'Senior.'"

"But your relationship with Master is clearly..."

"Call me senior."

"...Okay, senior."

Shiori Shirakawa took a spare set of bedding from her wardrobe.

Then the spare bedding was laid on top of the bed frame.

She started making the bed, her movements were incredibly swift.

I tucked the corners of the blanket in neatly, then patted the pillow to make it fluffy and soft.

Hoshino Rin stood to the side, her gaze fixed on the bed that had already been made.

"Sir, the way you made the bed is the same as the standard for hotel room service."

"When I worked at the ward office, I often had to set up a reception room for visitors."

"So civil servants also need to learn how to make beds?"

"It wasn't something I specifically learned; I developed it through practice."

Shiori Shirakawa straightened up, dusted off her hands, and said, "Alright, that's enough for today. What would you like to eat tonight?"

"Anything is fine. Three days ago I ate Ichiran Ramen, two days ago I ate a triangular rice ball from a convenience store, and yesterday I ate..."

"Hamburger steak".

"……May I."

"Yes, but there's one condition."

Shiori Shirakawa walked up to her, looked at her mask, and said, "You should take off your mask when you eat."

Hoshino Rin involuntarily raised her hand.

Touch the edge of the mask.

"But my spiritual pressure..."

"Your spiritual pressure was completely depleted when you knelt down to become my disciple last time."

Shiori Shirakawa spoke calmly as she continued.

"Besides, Kamiya-kun and I have already seen what you look like without your mask, so there's no need for you to wear it anymore."

Hoshino Rin's hand remained resting next to the mask.

She hesitated there for about five seconds.

Then she took off her mask.

"Is this okay?"

Shiori Shirakawa looked at her and nodded.

"So cute."

Hoshino Rin's face turned bright red in an instant.

The redness was even more noticeable and prominent than the mark on the bridge of her nose.

She lowered her head, her eyes fixed on her toes.

"Senior, this is the first time in my nineteen years of life that I've been complimented on my appearance by someone of the same sex."

"Then you'll hear it often in the future."

Shiori Shirakawa walked to the door, glanced back at her, and said.

"By the way, the bathroom is only open until 9 p.m., and you can't mix shampoo and shower gel. Towels should be hung on the rack on the left. These are also employee rules, remember them?"

"I've got it."

Hoshino Rin paused for a moment, then called out, "Senpai."

"Um."

"You really have the aura of a boss lady."

Shiori Shirakawa took a deep breath.

"...Go wipe the table."

"Yes, senior."

.........

At seven o'clock in the evening, three plates of hamburger steaks were placed on the low table.

There was also a bowl of mashed potatoes and a dish of pickled vegetables.

There were also three bowls of steaming miso soup.

Hoshino Rin sat at the table, her eyes fixed on the plate of hamburger steak in front of her.

She held chopsticks in her hand, but didn't pick up any food for a long time.

"What's wrong?"

Shiori Shirakawa asked the question.

"I'm calculating."

Hoshino Rin's expression was very serious as she spoke.

"The gloss of the sauce on this hamburger patty is exactly the same as the one I had last time, which shows that the cooking technique of the senior chef is highly replicable. This is known as 'professional level' in the culinary world."

Are you going to eat or not?

By this time, Kamiya Yuma had already eaten half of his plate.

Hoshino Rin picked up a hamburger patty and put it in her mouth to chew.

The chewing motion paused for about three seconds.

Then she lowered her head.

He finished the entire plate of hamburger steaks at an even faster pace than before.

When she put down her chopsticks, you could see the sauce still clinging to the corner of her mouth.

Shiori Shirakawa took a tissue and handed it over.

Hoshino Rin took a tissue and wiped her mouth, then looked up at Shirakawa Shiori.

"Senior, I have a request."

"What request do you have?"

"In the future, can my assistant's salary be directly deducted from the employee meal allowance?"

"no."

Shiori Shirakawa picked up her miso soup and said, "Salary is salary, and employee meals are employee benefits. These two cannot be mixed up. This is a financial principle."

"But the food you cooked..."

"If you want to eat, then sit down at the table on time every day."

Shiori Shirakawa looked at her and said, "You don't need to use your salary to offset this, and you don't need to study the glossiness of the sauce. You just need to sit here, and you'll have your share."

Hoshino Rin remained silent for a moment.

"……Thanks."

Her voice was soft.

She took off her mask, and her "thank you" lost its usual heavy, distant feel.

It sounded exceptionally clear.

Shiori Shirakawa didn't say anything more, and just ladled out another bowl of soup for her.

Time slips away silently, bit by bit, between the paintbrush and the paper.

"The Burial of Frillian" has firmly secured its position at the top of Jump's rankings.

Kamiya Yuma took on the painting work, while Shirakawa Shiori managed the accounting matters.

Rin Hoshino is responsible for drawing the background and the demon-related content.

As the weekly deadline approaches.

Ryota Onodera would appear at his apartment in Itabashi Honcho right on time.

He went to collect the original manuscript, then left behind a sample copy and new letters from readers.

The world outside the apartment window is collapsing at a rate that people can clearly see.

.........