Ep. 9: Aoi survives a kidnapping attempt by jealous chefs and prepares for a royal anniversary dinner.
Aoi recalls a childhood Ayakashi who cared for her before rain leaks through her roof, nearly drowning her until Odanna rescues her. She wakes at Tenjin-ya, where the kidnappers are revealed to be jealous assistants of the Chief Chef. Although the Chef offers to resign, Aoi refuses, leading Odanna to sentence him and his assistants to years of labor. The Chef laughs, noting Aoi resembles Shiro. With dinner in four hours, Aoi cooks pork belly instead of beef stew. She later joins Oryo and Kasuga at Moonflower. The royal anniversary succeeds, but Aoi collapses. Odanna suspects Orio-ya orchestrated the kidnapping and a prior assassination attempt due to high-level magic. Aoi remembers the blond Zashiki-warashi who aided the kidnapping resembles the one who granted her prosperity blessing.
Episodes
- Ep. 5 · Aoi Helps Akatsuki Cook Dumplings to Reconcile Suzuran and Honor Shiro
- Ep. 6 · Aoi opens Moonflower, faces an assassin, and investigates a mysterious mask.
- Ep. 7 · Aoi Receives Orders to Profit or Marry While Cooking for a Masked Author
- Ep. 8 · Aoi shops for stew ingredients while suspecting Odanna and Ginji are her childhood Ayakashi.
- Ep. 9 · Aoi survives a kidnapping attempt by jealous chefs and prepares for a royal anniversary dinner.
- Ep. 10 · Rival Inn Manager Arrives at Tenjin-ya After Odanna's Departure
- Ep. 11 · Aoi helps a Shiranui teacher and his former student reconcile after a past incident.
- Ep. 12 · Aoi and Akatsuki rescue missing children from Tenjin-ya's secret basement workshop.
- Ep. 13 · A banquet at the inn where Ginji gains trust and Orio-ya's airship appears