Sagiri didn’t need to ask her student if he had cut ties with the human—his behavior made the choice clear. His performance in nearly all of his duties excelled. No longer distracted by long outings and daydreams, Shichi carried out…

The months passed by and spring made way for summer, filling the air with the hum of cicadas. Once a week, Kana would make her way up the mountainside to spend an afternoon in the old storehouse. The two would…