The sky was dully overcast. At the corner of the backyard, near the washing area, the cold wind blew away the steam rising white into the air.

  Kiyo: "Seriously, why did the proprietress even buy someone like this?"

  Ohana: "With this one, it's not even fun to bully her."

  A low, yet clearly carrying voice cut through the air. The plump woman was Kiyo-neesan. She served as the head of the nakai. (Nakai are female attendants working at traditional Japanese inns.) She was the longest-serving member here. This woman, as if she had become a god herself, towered over a lone girl, casting a heavy shadow with her massive body, standing imposingly like a wrathful Asura. Beside her, folding her arms, stood a small-statured woman, Ohana. Hiding behind Kiyo-neesan’s body, Ohana cast her gaze downward at a slant, wearing a blatant sneer.

  At the end of their gaze— A single girl knelt formally on the ground. Rin, the apprentice nakai, bowed her head slightly but did not move. She could not hear the two voices. But even so, she could painfully sense how sharply, how coldly, how oppressively the air pressed down. The slight movements of mouths at the edge of her vision, the vibration of air she could feel beyond her shoulders, the thin sneers and the disgusted looks as if they were staring at filth— All of it squeezed relentlessly at her heart.

  She wanted to run. But where could she run? She had never been protected by anyone. No room of her own. No place to return to. She knew resisting would only make it worse. Thus, she simply endured. As always.

  The two senior nakai had known this from the very beginning—ever since Rin arrived at this hot spring inn. She wouldn't talk back. She wouldn't cry. She wouldn't snitch. That was it. It was these two who had arbitrarily decided to label her. Their delusion that they were superior had led to this very behavior. And even though she couldn't hear their words, Rin could painfully understand what their heat, their pressure, their piercing glares truly meant.

  As if enduring the voiceless pressure, Rin quietly lowered her gaze to the ground. Her slender hand moved to gently retrieve the brush and paper hidden within her sleeve— At that moment.

  Ohana: "Don't you ignore us!"

  The only means Rin had to communicate her will was snatched away from her hand. Ohana flipped through the sheets Rin had used for writing, sneering mockingly.

  Ohana: "Your handwriting’s as filthy as ever, huh?"

  Ohana: "What's this? You went to the young master's room? Cozying up to a man already, are we, you little minx?"

  With a dry, harsh sound, the paper was torn. Again and again, until the shredded pieces scattered like confetti, fluttering into the wind.

  Ohana: "Just because you're deaf doesn't mean you can be so unfriendly, you know."

  Kiyo: "Can't be helped. Looks like it's not just her ears—her brains are a little broken too."

  Even when her paper was torn apart, Rin showed no reaction. No anger. No denial. No sadness. She simply stared at the two demons with a blank expression. That unwavering calmness, that impassive face—served only to inflame the emotions of the two women.

  This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

  THUD! The next instant, Kiyo-neesan shoved Rin roughly by the shoulder with one hand. The small, delicate body collapsed onto the ground. Mud and fallen leaves clung to the hem of her kimono, the chill soaking into her back.

  Ohana: "Oh dear, your kimono’s gotten filthy. Can’t have you tracking that mess inside. Better clean you up a bit."

  Scooping water from the bucket nearby with a ladle, Ohana slowly poured it over Rin’s head. Not all at once—but slowly, letting the water trickle down like a tiny waterfall. When the ladle emptied, she scooped up water again. Over and over, the little demon, wearing a thin smile, continued pouring water gently but mercilessly from above.

  Before long, Rin's whole body was soaked. Her shoulders trembled faintly. Still, she said nothing. She couldn't say anything. Her means to resist, to beg them to stop, had already been taken from her.

  Clatter. Someone was approaching. Slowly. Little by little, drawing closer.

  The two demons suddenly turned around.

  Sojiro: "…What are you two doing?"

  In that instant, the air shifted. A wolfish glint gleamed in the eyes of the young man who slowly approached from the back entrance, wrapped in a blade-like coldness. His glasses remained perched atop his head, his Western-style clothes unchanged— But only his eyes shone sharply.

  The two nakai froze.

  Kiyo: "…No, young master. This is... well, part of her education…"

  Ohana: "Yes, she made a little mess, and we were just trying to retrain her…"

  Without raising an eyebrow, Sojiro stared them down.

  Sojiro: "Huh… So while I was gone, Tsukinoya decided to invent a new way of educating newbies, huh?"

  Crouching down, he stared quietly into the bucket of water. Time seemed to freeze. Neither nakai could utter a word.

  Rising again, Sojiro picked up the bucket and ladle with both hands and began to walk. He moved forward slowly, deliberately, until he closed the distance to stand right before the two nakai women.

  Sojiro: "Well, for today—I’ll let it slide just this once."

  He dipped the ladle into the bucket, scooping up water, and held it out before their eyes—but not yet pouring it.

  As he spoke, he began slowly dripping water onto the ground with the ladle, mimicking exactly what they had done to Rin before the eyes of the two nakai.

  Sojiro: "But there won't be a next time." His voice was low, yet carried a sharp clarity.

  Sojiro: "If you ever pull something like this again, I'll use my own authority to have you removed from Tsukinoya immediately."

  The two women turned pale, averted their eyes, and bowed deeply, then fled hurriedly out the back entrance.

  Only Rin remained, sitting soaked on the ground. Sojiro sighed heavily and crouched before her.

  Sojiro: "…Hey. You okay? Seriously, why didn’t you fight back?"

  Rin, with only her gaze, looked at Sojiro.

  Her paper torn, her brush broken, she had no way left to convey anything.

  She furrowed her brows slightly, wearing an expression as if desperately searching for words.

  Don't look at me with those eyes—like a rain-soaked puppy begging to be saved. No, with her, it’s less puppy and more owl—blank, unreadable, impossible to tell what she's thinking.

  Without a word, Sojiro reached out and gently grasped her wrist, helping her to her feet.

  Sojiro: "Guess it can't be helped. You need something to dry off with and a change of clothes. Follow me."

  Still holding her hand, he pointed with a finger toward his room. Though she hesitated for a moment, Rin obediently began walking after him. Her hand—was slender, and cold.

  This chapter had a serious development, and some of you may have felt the scenes were heavy.

  Not only in Japan but also overseas, there were once common issues regarding this matter.

  I would like to touch again on Rin’s past in the future, but here, I would like to explain the actual situation in history, not merely as a fictional story.

  Especially in rural areas, disabilities like deafness or the inability to speak were seen as a "shame" or a "stain upon the family," leading to individuals being hidden away by their families or restricted from interacting with the outside world.

  They were rarely given employment opportunities, as it was believed, "If you can't hear, you can't follow instructions," and thus, outside of farm labor or simple manual work, there were almost no jobs available.

  Even working in inns was limited; only backroom duties where they would not face customers were reluctantly permitted, while guest-facing roles were typically denied.

  The Meiji government had almost no welfare system, and there was no law to support people with disabilities.

  Far from public protection, even in official family registers, disabled individuals were sometimes recorded as "Haishitsusha" (useless persons).

  In Europe, amidst the industrialization of society, people with disabilities who could not adapt to the labor market were treated as "burdens to society."

  Charitable organizations and churches operated orphanages and facilities for disabled individuals, but the treatment was extremely poor, and disabled people were not recognized as human beings with rights.

  In America, those with disabilities were seen as having "inferior genetics," and movements for segregation and forced sterilization began.

  Deaf individuals were increasingly excluded from ordinary schools and isolated in specialized institutions such as schools for the deaf.

  In Japan, the legal recognition of "disability as a social environmental issue" has gradually spread.

  However, in reality, barriers to employment, barriers to education, and unconscious discrimination (such as creating distance under the feeling of "pity") still exist.

  Especially in rural areas, old prejudices remain strong.

  In Western countries, through laws such as the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act), discrimination against disabled people is strictly prohibited by law.

  However, at the ground level, "ableism"—unconscious discrimination—remains a significant problem.

  There are still many cases where understanding is lacking, especially toward invisible disabilities like hearing impairments.

  While legal reforms have progressed, internal prejudices and the difficulty of treating people naturally without overcompensating special treatment remain unresolved.

  The realization of practical equality in employment opportunities and social participation is still incomplete.

  Please rest assured that there will be no heavy themes next time—it will be a light-hearted, comedic chapter!

  The next update will be on Friday!

  See you again next time!