Aoi Tsubaki was spirited away to Kakuriyo in order to pay off her recently deceased grandfather’s massive debt to an ogre. And while Aoi is willing to make good on her grandpa’s IOU, she is not willing to do it in the manner the ogre has is mind—marrying him!

Instead of become the ogre’s bride, Aoi has found herself a job in the massive complex of the Tenjin-ya inn by opening a casual Japanese restaurant. Her food is a hit with the customers who bother visiting, but low sales mean her budget is going to get slashed soon.

In an attempt to drum up more attention for her restaurant, Aoi agrees to make a box meal for a famous author staying at the inn (see volume 4). Her delicious finger food doesn’t just earn her a new fan, it also garners her some information about the yokai who saved her from starvation when she was younger. Now she knows that the mask is a tourist tchotchke from the Southern Lands, and if that still a needle in a haystack, and least she’s narrowed down which haystack she needs to investigate.

Her new author friends also fills her in on her grandpa’s unsavory reputation in Kakuriyo. Aoi was aware that he trashed Tenjin-ya and occasionally ran amok, but apparently there is a whole era of literature where he was the template for the ultimate villain!

Learning hard truths about her beloved grandfather and a continued lack of customers are difficult things to overcome, but Aoi refuses to just mope. She’s determined to do everything she can to make her restaurant a success, and when in doubt, make sweets! Her tasty red bean jelly draws a new customer who leaves Aoi with more than just rave reviews.

Now that Aoi has the blessing of a fortune spirit, her restaurant is bound to succeed and she won’t be forced to marry an ogre against her will. She’s also won over enough yokai allies that her danger of being eaten is pretty low! Aoi’s immediate problems seem to be under control, which means she should have some time and energy to devote to solving the mystery of her masked savior! But in Kakuriyo, you can never tell what will happen next…

Check out Aoi’s adventures and her menu here .