Part One
The Existence of the Special Room.
“By the way, Mukai, what’s that paper bag you’re holding?”
Saki pointed at the bag placed beside Mukai.
“Oh, this? It’s souvenirs for the Special Room,
a magazine that the Dark Lord is reading,
and a book Genji asked me to get.”
“What the hell? The Dark Lord’s making us do errands
while he’s reading manga?
Can’t he just use a tablet or something?”
Makino peeked into the bag,
pulled out a magazine, and flipped through it.
“He says he doesn’t like it unless it’s on paper.”
“Because he’s kami—a god, huh?”
Tadokoro laughed at his own dad joke.
“…”
“Hey, don’t all look at me like that.
You’re making this old man sad.”
Ignoring Tadokoro, Makino spoke.
“So, Genji’s into… historical novels? Oh, it’s a series.”
“Since he doesn’t have presbyopia anymore,
he says there are tons of books he’s been wanting to read.”
“I see. And this box here… are these sweets?”
“Yeah. The residents of the Special Room asked for them.
They’re from a famous shop—it was a pain to get them.
They really push their luck with their demands.”
“Hey, who’s actually in that Special Room?”
Saki asked curiously.
“You don’t know, Saki-chan?”
“Nope! Me neither!”
Makino raised his hand beside her.
“There are people from the political and financial elite in there.
They’re already dead, but they’re still hanging around.”
Tadokoro lowered his voice as he said this.
“Why though? Aren’t all spirits supposed to be reborn
or incinerated unless they’re exceptions?”
“Yeah, that’s true…
but as the saying goes, ‘Even in the underworld, money talks.’”
Tadokoro made a coin shape with his fingers.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
Saki frowned.
“In short, they died naturally,
but they threw tantrums and refused to move on.”
“Is that even allowed?”
“It’s against the rules,
but the underworld tends to overlook things
when it comes to troublesome spirits.”
“But money—does that mean six coins? The ones for crossing the Sanzu River?”
“Yeah, the six mon are the ferry fee, right?
I paid the old man and woman before I got on the boat myself.”
They were called Datsueba and Keneō, the clothes-snatching demons.
This elderly demon couple ferried souls daily,
serving as the Dark Lord’s attendants,
bringing spirits to the gates of the underworld.
Contrary to how books describe them,
they weren’t particularly frightening—
more like kind-looking… well, demons.
It’s said they strip spirits of their clothes to weigh their sins,
and if you can’t pay, they won’t let you on the boat—
instead, they order you to wade through the shallows.
Saki and Makino exchanged confused looks.
“There’s another kind of payment,” Tadokoro said softly,
“hidden assets—and life.”
“Life? How do you give up life if you’re already dead?”
“It’s the lives of their relatives.”
“!!”
Saki and Makino’s faces froze in silent shock.
Even after offering up the lives of their own kin,
some people still can’t accept death—
they cling to existence with shameful stubbornness.
Humans are said to be born with deep karmic burdens,
and some even drag others with them to memorial services after death.
They can’t go to the next world alone—
that’s how sinful humans are.
Still, since they’re dead,
they can’t really do much in the underworld.
Yet as long as they stay in the Special Room,
they can eat delicious food,
enjoy their hobbies,
and spend their days however they please.
And to some extent,
they can even exert pressure on the living world.
The Special Room is a room, and yet not a room—
a truly special space.
