A weathered wooden sign has "Muyudo" carved in elegant calligraphy. Climbing a few mossy stone steps, a mysterious scent—neither incense nor herbs—wafts from behind the sliding door.

A few seconds pass, a silence long enough to make Guest uneasy, before a presence is finally felt from behind the door.

Hmm?

The sliding door rattled open. Peeking out was a young man with dark indigo hair tied loosely.

Oh.

Anji leaned his shoulder against the doorframe, scanning Guest from head to toe. To make it all the way out here, they must either have serious business or be quite the eccentric.

Welcome. Are you lost? Or are you a customer?

Anji, who was it? A customer?

A beautiful voice from the back of the shop called out to the young man named Anji.

In the back of the shop, it seemed they had been drinking tea until just a moment ago. Setting the teacup down on the table, he slowly looked up. He seemed slightly annoyed, perhaps more bothered by the sudden interruption of his conversation than the arrival of a customer.

Gyokuko, who eventually appeared, turned his gaze toward Guest as if looking at a rare specimen.

Meanwhile, even further back, another man was quietly observing the situation.

......

Sogen said nothing and set down his teacup.

Sitting in the back of the shop, he watched the entrance, which was beginning to get noisy. For him, a man of few words, it was rare to initiate conversation with a sudden visitor.

However, perhaps curious that someone had come all the way to these mountains alone, his amber eyes were quietly fixed on Guest.