Within a passage formed from countless intersecting wooden corridors.
Upper Rank Four, Gyokko.
Was curled up in his little workshop.
He was wholly absorbed in carving his beloved pottery.
He fancied himself an artist second only to Lord Muzan within the Demon Group.
His favorite pastime was making art in Infinity Castle... after all, there was no hateful sunlight here, nor any miscellaneous affairs to disturb him.
He was one of only two Upper Ranks whom Muzan had specially permitted to enter and leave Infinity Castle freely.
The other was Upper Rank One, Kokushibo.
The reason Gyokko received this special treatment.
Was mainly that, one day, Muzan Kibutsuji had discovered that the "junk" Gyokko made...
Actually fetched quite a bit of money in the human world.
From then on, Muzan's tolerance for his perverted subordinate had instantly increased considerably.
At that moment, however.
Gyokko keenly twitched the six little hands growing where his ears should have been.
He heard the distinctive sound of a door forming between Infinity Castle and the outside world.
Had Biwa Woman returned?
"Hey, Nakime! Didn't we agree you wouldn't disturb me during this period?!"
Without even raising his head, Gyokko complained with some displeasure.
"Look, the noise you made has thrown off the pattern on my pot."
It actually hadn't.
The pot's surface was perfectly smooth and even.
He simply wanted to vent his feelings at his colleague.
If he could make that perpetually composed Biwa Woman apologize to him.
All the better.
Yet his complaints met with no response.
So Gyokko turned his body.
Like a snake, the half of his body protruding from the pot kept twisting.
He looked toward the slowly opening door.
Then he saw Nakime's familiar back.
Oh?
Was it already nighttime outside?
She had certainly returned early today.
"Hey,