New Clothes

Daikokuten quickly withdrew. They hurried along the path Osakabehime had opened toward the 100th floor, where there was still much for them to do.

Aoko and the other two did not hesitate as they pushed open the doors to the Crane Chamber.

Before them lay an array of colorful threads and an old-fashioned loom.

A tall, beautiful, fair-skinned woman was busily working at the loom.

As a native-born Japanese person, Aoko had grown up hearing the story of The Crane's Return.

Thinking of the Crane Lady Daikokuten had mentioned, the 90th floor being called the Crane Chamber, and the threads and loom before her, she reached a conclusion: the beauty before them was the heroine of The Crane's Return.

When the loom stopped, the beautiful woman finally stood up.

"My deepest apologies. The guests have already arrived, yet I was still busy at work. Please, come in. You may call me Klein, or simply Crane," the beauty introduced herself.

Aoko said, "Miss Klein, are you the Crane Lady from the fairy tale The Crane's Return?"

Klein said, "Oh my! That story is still being passed around? How embarrassing!"

That was practically an admission that she was the Crane Lady from the story, indirectly confirming that The Crane's Return was true.

Aoko said, "Miss Klein really is that Crane Lady. It's such a pleasure to meet you. I've always had a question—could you please clear it up for me?"

Klein said, "What is it? As long as I know the answer, I will certainly tell you."

Aoko said, "It's like this. There are three versions of your story. In the first, you were saved by an elderly couple and became their daughter. In the second, you were saved by a young man named Roku and became his wife."

"But in the