Three days had passed since I returned to the inn. I was still deep in conversation with my futon about the meaning of life. Or rather, I simply couldn’t find any reason to get out of bed. Morning? "Good morning"? Did such customs even exist in this country? Well, maybe they existed all over the world. But still—I refused to acknowledge such barbaric traditions. This was my fortress. My kingdom. No one was allowed to lift this futon. Such an act would be an invasion of my sovereign territory! Messenger! The invaders known as "morning sunlight" are attacking our skies! Darken this land at once! Despite my desperate wish, only the chirping of sparrows filled the air.

  How hollow. Reality... how I despise being dragged back to it! ...Still, even the laziest of lives encounters incidents without warning.

  Creak... creak... What the heck was that sound? Morning horror? Isn't that supposed to happen at night? The footsteps were definitely drawing closer. This inn’s floorboards squeaked at even the lightest step—no ninja could sneak past our in-built footstep sensors. Wait. The sound... stopped. Right in front of my room. Thump... Oh no. It’s here. A polite knock echoed softly against the morning silence.

  — Thump, thump.

  Huh? Was that the wind? No way. The wind doesn't knock. At least, I didn't raise the wind that polite. But I refused to open the door. I knew better. The one who opens it first always dies in horror stories. Still only the second chapter, and I’m expected to meet my doom at sunrise? Give me a break. No way I'm letting that death flag fly!

  — Thump... thump, thump.

  Persistent. Salesmen? Missionaries? Who the heck comes door-to-door at a hot spring inn!? Maybe horror industries have fallen on hard times too. Damn it, I should’ve put up a "No Solicitors" sign. Stupid me.

  "...Tch, seriously..."

  Pretending not to be scared, because that’s what men do, I grumbled while placing a trembling hand on the sliding door. It’s not fear, okay? It’s just cold. I'm bad with mornings, that's all. I could make my fortress mobile just by crawling around in it. Still bundled in my futon, I crawled like a slug toward the door.

  — Thump... thump, thump.

  Creak... slide...

  Alright, opening it now— I froze.

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  Kneeling. Silent. A girl in a kimono.

  What the hell. Is this a horror story starting? Did I catch some Sadako curse? Wrong era, maybe?

  "...Hey, just so you know, we don’t run 'Sadako’s Hot Springs' here."

  The girl said nothing. She simply bowed politely.

  Ah... maybe a new maid trainee? But man, she was quiet. Zero friendliness. Testing her, I motioned for her to come in. She stood up smoothly and slipped into the room, making no sound whatsoever. She had... ninja vibes. No, worse—she had absolutely no presence. Definitely not normal. While I retreated into my futon, she produced a sheet of paper and a brush from her sleeve, quickly writing something down and presenting it right in front of my face.

  Rin, First Note: "My name is Rin. I am a trainee maid."

  Rin, Second Note: "I cannot hear. I am also not good at speaking."

  Rin, Third Note: "If you need anything, please write it here."

  ...She's serious. Ridiculously serious. Like she was dispatched from the Ultra-Seriousness Factory. I mean, it's almost mechanical. But that no-nonsense attitude? Honestly... I don’t hate it.

  Rummaging through my bag, I finally pulled out my notebook and fountain pen, hastily scribbling a reply.

  Sojiro's First Reply: "Nice to meet you. Do you need something?"

  Rin, Fourth Note: "The landlady asked me."

  Rin, Fifth Note: "For your execution."

  ......

  Execution!? You mean seppuku!? Just because I overslept!? First meeting and you’re already gonna be my second!?

  Narrator voice: Let me explain. In Japan, when someone commits seppuku to take responsibility, there’s a role called "kaishaku"—an assistant who delivers the final blow to ensure a swift death.

  Wait wait wait—I just didn’t get up this morning, and now I’m supposed to disembowel myself!? And Rin’s supposed to be the one to finish me off!? What kind of demon landlady do we have here!?

  ...Fine. Time for demon extermination. First, I need a dog, a monkey, and a pheasant. But... where the hell am I supposed to get millet dumplings?

  Rin, Sixth Note: "Nursing."

  ...Nursing? Wait, not "releasing," right? You’re not planning to release my soul from my mortal shell, are you? You're scaring me, Rin-chan. Say something!

  She picked up her brush again and wrote—

  Rin, Seventh Note: "I made a mistake in writing."

  Rin, Eighth Note: "I was instructed to take care of the young master."

  I stared blankly.

  O-oh... Yeah... Even my mom wouldn’t order seppuku just because I overslept.

  Trying to pull myself together, I scribbled again.

  Sojiro's Second Reply: "Have you been here long?"

  Rin, Ninth Note: "About a month."

  A month of this deadpan? That’s... impressive. If I went three days without talking, I'd probably forget how to project my voice properly.

  Rin, Tenth Note: "Do you need anything?"

  Uh... what? We just met, and you’re asking if I have any requests? Don’t I get a tutorial first? Going in raw feels unfair.

  Rin, Eleventh Note: "If not, I’ll excuse myself."

  She quietly put away her brush and papers and stood up—but for some reason, she stopped in front of the door. A long silence. She didn’t say anything. She didn’t leave. But she also didn’t turn around.

  ...I hate this kind of tension. I thought I saw her shoulder twitch slightly. Rin-chan? Please, don’t start horror phase two. No sudden alien births or spirit possessions, please.

  Without looking back, she slid the door closed and disappeared.

  ...What was that? Really serious. A little cold. But weirdly natural. Maybe even a little airheaded.

  "...Crap. I should’ve asked for breakfast."

  Thank you very much for reading!

  This time, we saw the debut of Rin, the girl who cannot hear.

  In Chapter 1, I mentioned that the setting of this story is modeled after the region where I actually live.

  In my region, there are many initiatives to support people with hearing impairments.

  For example, local ordinances recognize sign language as an official language, and we have a basic philosophy for building a society where people with hearing disabilities can live together with everyone else.

  Every year, there are also events where students perform using sign language, and members of the Imperial Family have even participated — it's truly a wonderful effort.

  I would be delighted if this story sparks your interest in learning about sign language as well!

  Now, the next chapter won't be as comedic — it will be a slightly sad story.

  But don't worry!

  After the sad chapter, I'll balance it out with a more lighthearted, comedic one to lift everyone's spirits.

  The next update will be on Tuesday! Please look forward to it!