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Chapter 1: The Beast of the Rose Manor

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There was once a hardworking and kind-hearted toy maker named Kiyoshi Teppei who took in two orphaned young boys as his sons. He raised them to be good and taught them how to make toys. All their toys were so good that they were often the favorites of all kids, both rich and poor. And soon, their small toy shop grew large, and his fame rose throughout the neighboring cities and its nearby villages.

Kagami Taiga was Mr. Kiyoshi's first adopted son. Everyone in their small city presumed that he came from the foreign parts. He was found as a child passed out on the shores at the western outskirts of their city near the docks. No one wanted to take custody of the child who spoke differently, so Mr. Kiyoshi volunteered to take him in. Mr. Kiyoshi was only 16 back then, and he was far from ready to be raising a child who looked no older than five summers. It took time for Taiga to warm up to Mr. Kiyoshi, and it took him even a longer time to learn the local speech; often times he would mix his speech with his mother tongue - especially when he was caught unawares - and more often than not, he'd end his sentences in a slightly awkward manner.

Taiga was only seven and Mr. Kiyoshi had just recently opened his first shop when Kuroko Tetsuya entered their lives. It was an early morning during one of the heavy snowstorms in late January when a young traveling wizard knocked on their door. Underneath the wizard's mantle was the small, skinny, and shivering form of the four-year-old Kuroko Tetsuya.

"Take this kid for me, will ya?" asked the wizard. His speech surprised Mr. Kiyoshi who supposed that wizards were all stern and stuck-up. The merchant was under the impression that all wizards were always angry. The young wizard, however, looked more like he belonged with their younger folk hunting in the woods rather than with the old men dealing with dubious hocus-pocus.

"I found the kid half-starved to death in the forest to the north," continued the wizard. "The funny thing was, the wolves completely ignored him! But that probably saved him, lucky fella. Anyway, I'm heading back since I left my grumpy partner there. See to it that the li'l shrimp survives, okay?" Then the stranger tossed a single gold coin to Mr. Kiyoshi and gave a lighthearted wave, and left before Mr. Kiyoshi could even offer him breakfast or invite him to stay until the blizzard died down. They never saw their mysterious wizard again.

Kuroko Tetsuya turned out to be one of the few survivors of the avalanche that happened in a neighboring village up in the north. It was said that the entire village was wiped out. Mr. Kiyoshi took pity on him and adopted him as his second son. He also thought that having a younger brother would make Taiga happier and more responsible.

While Taiga was loud and energetic, Tetsuya was more subdued and had taken a great liking to books. He was always well-mannered and polite with his speech, and was slow to anger unlike his brother. But his stature was a lot weaker than most of his age that Taiga had to learn to do the more labor-intensive chores by himself. Taiga and Mr. Kiyoshi often worried about their youngest family member who used to collapse because he was over-exerting his weak body, and because of his very weak presence, he would not be found until late in the afternoon or evening. That was why they took in Tetsuya#2, or Nigou in their native tongue, a Siberian Husky pup whose eyes were of the same shade as Tetsuya's own. Nigou became Tetsuya's constant companion.

Despite his weaker body, Kuroko Tetsuya was well-loved by their folk: by the adults for his sweet demeanor, and especially by the young ones for the toys he would teach them how to make. He couldn't make the best toys, but he often spent his free time in the orphanage teaching children how to fold paper into toys - from boats, to planes, and to various animals and flowers. His specialty was making roses out of paper; nobody in the city could match him when it came to paper folding - especially roses.

Together, Mr. Kiyoshi and his adopted sons led a very comfortable life. Over the years, his shop had grown large. He also received a large number of shipment from neighboring cities, which made him hire former doll makers like Hyūga Junpei and his wife Riko, childhood friends like Shun Izuki, and many others including tinkers, shoemakers, and even dressmakers. Mr. Kiyoshi was so well-off that some of the local folk secretly envied him. But since he was generous with his good fortune, most would look upon him and his well-behaved sons with great admiration.

Mr. Kiyoshi's sons also became the talk of the town. The both of them grew to be very handsome, kind-hearted, and well-mannered, that most of the lasses would swoon over them whenever they see them. Some of the more prominent families in the city would even offer their daughters' hands in marriage. But Mr. Kiyoshi would always politely turn them down, telling them that that decision was not his to make. Others would even ask for Mr. Kiyoshi himself to marry their daughters! Mr. Kiyoshi was still single – with dashing good looks, a very fine personality, and most of all, a great deal amount of money. He was actually one of the most eligible bachelors in the city. It was no surprise that he got more marriage requests for himself than for both of his sons combined - though a good deal of them were from the more ambitious folk. Yet he did not accept any of it, saying that he was happy with his current life. It actually became a dilemma for his sons who didn't want to marry unless their father was with a good wife who could take good care of him. And so, the three of them remained happily unmarried. There was no rush since his sons were still young, and although Mr. Kiyoshi was already in his middle twenties, he always had the money to back him up.

Everyone had an impression that Mr. Kiyoshi's good fortune was going to last a lifetime. But one day, a new business rival named Hanamiya Makoto opened up a larger shop, and everything went downhill for Mr. Kiyoshi. His business had gone bad, and he was forced to move to a smaller shop. Then, during one of his business trips, he met an accident that permanently injured his knee – though his friends swore that it was Hanamiya's henchmen who were behind it. Their shop became smaller and smaller, until only Mr. Hyūga and Mr. Izuki remained.

Mr. Kiyoshi's sons also took in to frugal living. Taiga worked part time in the docks whenever he was free, and likewise Tetsuya found a job as a busboy at the local inn. But despite that, they still had a hard time paying their debts and Mr. Kiyoshi's medical treatment. It was only with the help of the townsfolk that Mr. Kiyoshi and his sons didn't end being so hard up. Because Mr. Kiyoshi and his sons were generous and well-loved, all the local folk helped them through their own little ways. And life was no longer as harsh as it first seemed to be.

...

One day, one of Mr. Kiyoshi's few remaining regular customers from a neighboring city to the north made a large order. Taiga, Tetsuya, Mr. Kiyoshi, and even Izuki stayed up late for a few nights to accomplish the order. Finally, the day of the delivery came. It was a fine autumn morning and a very fine day for traveling. They packed up Snowmane, their old trusty horse that was named after her snowy white mane. And then, Mr. Kiyoshi hoisted up his own travel pack, and turned to his worried sons to say his farewells.

"Teppei... san, I don't think you should go alone," said Taiga, still struggling with honorifics despite having lived with Mr. Kiyoshi for more than a decade. "I'll go with you. Or better yet, I could just do the delivery myself. You don't have to go, especially with your knee acting up and all."

Mr. Kiyoshi patted his son's head. Even if his son had grown almost as tall as him, he still sees him as the same Taiga who used to wet his bed during his first few nights with him.

"It's alright, Taiga," said Mr. Kiyoshi. "You have to take care of the shop while I'm gone. Koganei Shinji is an old friend of mine, and we could do with a bit of catching up. I'll be fine."

"Should I come with you instead, Teppei-san?" offered Tetsuya.

Mr. Kiyoshi lifted his other hand and ruffled his younger son's messy hair. "It's alright, Tetsuya. You still have your work at the inn and also the children from the orphanage to look after. I'll be fine, so stay here and help your brother."

"Then, please bring Nigou with you," said Tetsuya. " I'll feel more reassured if he's with you."

Mr. Kiyoshi nodded and gave his son a smile. "Alright, I'll bring him along," he said. Then Mr. Kiyoshi paused in thought for a while. "I haven't bought you anything for the past year. After these goods are delivered, I'll have some money to spare. What do you boys want?"

"You don't need to–" but Taiga was interrupted when Mr. Kiyoshi vigorously ruffled his hair.

"No need to be shy, Taiga. Let this old man spoil you a bit," insisted Mr. Kiyoshi.

"I-if you insist," stammered Taiga, "I want a new pair of shoes. I always feel bad for Mitobe...san. His shop isn't that big, and he's got a lot of siblings to feed, but he still insists on giving me a free pair. Running around the docks usually wears out my shoes quicker, and I don't want to always impose on Mitobe...san."

Mr. Kiyoshi laughed good-heartedly. "That's better. Alright then, a pair of sturdy shoes for Taiga. How about you, Tetsuya?"

Now, Tetsuya knew that they still have a lot of debts to pay. He didn't want to impose on his foster father, but he also didn't want to upset him either. So he settled with a simple request: "A rose. I heard that they grow a lot of them in the north. I just want a single rose from your homeward journey."

"You have always been fond of roses, haven't you?" asked Mr. Kiyoshi.

"Yes. They remind me of my parents and my former home," answered Tetsuya.

That made Mr. Kiyoshi smile. "Alright. I'll bring you the most beautiful rose I can find," he said to his son.

And so Mr. Kiyoshi departed with old Snowmane who carried the load, an enthusiastic Nigou who barked along the way, and with well-wishes from both his sons who continued to watch him until he was out of sight.

...

The business transaction went smoothly. Mr. Koganei even invited Mr. Kiyoshi to stay for a while. They were so caught up reminiscing about the past that Mr. Kiyoshi stayed for a couple of nights, stayed a while more, and stayed longer than he had planned for. And so at last, after six days, Mr. Kiyoshi decided that it was finally time to go home. He bid his old friend a fond farewell, and then he was off to the road that would lead him home – with Nigou happily running along his side, and Snowmane who trotted off gaily since she no longer had to carry a heavy burden; in its place were several snacks, bundles of dried spices, some salt as part of Mr. Koganei's payment, a pair of new shoes for Taiga, and a sapling of the reddest rose that he could find for Tetsuya.

Mr. Kiyoshi was half-a-day into his two-day homeward journey when he stumbled upon an old shortcut he used to go through when he was younger – that was before the avalanche that destroyed Tetsuya's village also wiped out the old northern road through the forest. A bout of nostalgia came to him, and the sudden want to go home quicker casted away all his remaining reluctance. Against his better judgment, he went to the old shortcut through the old northern forest.

Everything was smooth sailing at first, and Mr. Kiyoshi recognized most of the signs in the old forest. But as he went deeper and deeper into the forest, the path grew narrower, and the woods thicker. The air also seemed to grow stuffier and colder. Mr. Kiyoshi mentally chastised himself for even considering the old road. He decided to turn back when he saw that a thick fog was rapidly forming.

Then, he heard the wolves howling from the direction where he came from.

Going back was no longer an option. The fog had also grown thick enough that he couldn't see the trees about twenty feet from where he stood. Snowmane was starting to get spooked out, and he tried to calm her down with his trembling fingers with little success. He was starting to get frightened. Nigou seemed to be the only one who wasn't at edge.

"Nigou, can you lead the way?" he asked. The dog answered with a lighthearted bark and proceeded to sniff the ground. Mr. Kiyoshi followed the dog while tugging at Snowmane's reigns.

The wolves howled again, but it was already fainter and more distant. Mr. Kiyoshi was very relieved. However, tiny droplets of water started to trickle down from the gaps of the trees, until it fell in a steady downpour. Mr. Kiyoshi quickly scrambled for his rain gear from his pack: a waxed woolen cloak that he had invested on for his travels. Then he took Taiga's shoes and hid it under his cloak; he didn't want it to be ruined before it was even used.

They trod carefully on the damp earth, sometimes quicker, and sometimes slower, depending on Nigou's pace and the steepness of the terrain. Snowmane was being particularly difficult to steer; she was still frightened about the wolves even when they could no longer hear them. But Mr. Kiyoshi was a patient man, and he gently coaxed and tried to comfort the frightened beast.

Then, the dark sky suddenly lit up, and was followed by a loud crack of thunder. Snowmane reared up, and Mr. Kiyoshi fell on his right side. He chocked back a silent scream as his right knee suddenly flared up in pain. Then, his vision blacked out.

When Mr. Kiyoshi came to his senses, he found that the rain was still pouring hard. Nigou was whimpering and licking his face, and Snowmane was gently nudging his prone form in an apologetic manner. He tried to stand up, but found that his injured knee couldn't bear his weight. So he used a long dead branch as a makeshift crutch, and they treaded even slower and with more caution than before.

It wasn't long before Nigou started barking excitedly. They followed him as quick as they can, and the dog led them to a pair of large and slightly rusted iron gates. Mr. Kiyoshi tried to peer inside the gates, but the rain was too heavy and he couldn't make out a thing. Nonetheless, if there was a shelter there to pass the storm, then Mr. Kiyoshi would be very grateful.

"Hello!" Mr. Kiyoshi called out and knocked on the iron gates. "Is anyone there?"

No answer came from within the gates.

"I am a mere traveling merchant and I wish to seek shelter from the rain," continued Mr. Kiyoshi. "I would be very grateful if you'll allow me a short reprieve from my travels under your roof."

The gates creaked and slowly opened. Mr. Kiyoshi took it as an invitation, and guided his horse and his dog inside. The front yard was filled with overgrown weeds and dead bushes, and the place looked utterly deserted.

Then, Mr. Kiyoshi saw a light flickering to his right. He followed the light and found a lantern attached in front of a dilapidated stable. Ramshackle or not, Mr. Kiyoshi was grateful for any kind of shelter. He led his horse and his dog inside, and tied his horse at one of the many stalls. There was still plenty of straw around the room, and Mr. Kiyoshi was surprised to discover that the straw was fresh and dry. There were also three buckets of cold clear water and a couple of fresh carrots lying around the corner. He took two of the carrots and fed it to the starving Snowmane, and placed one of the buckets near the horse. Then he took off his water-resistant cloak and laid it on the straw to dry.

Then his stomach grumbled. He realized that he hadn't eaten yet since his last stop on the road, and that was before midday. With how loudly his stomach was rumbling, he guessed that it must be past dinner time already.

"Want some carrot stew, Nigou?" he asked. The dog answered with a happy yip and wagged his tail with enthusiasm. Mr. Kiyoshi chuckled. "Alright. Let's see if we can make a fire. It won't be safe here, so maybe we should do it outside."

So Mr. Kiyoshi and Nigou went up, and opened the door outside. The downpour was hard, and the wind was too strong.

"I guess we'll have to settle with raw carrots and dried meat for dinner," Mr. Kiyoshi sighed. He was about to close the door when he saw another flickering light from a distance. This time, it was waving at him.

"It must be the owner of this place," Mr. Kiyoshi thought. And he thought that it would only be polite to greet their kindly host. So he took back his waxed cloak and wrapped it around himself, and went out. Nigou promptly followed after his master.

It was hard to maneuver around the weeds because of the heavy rain, and also because Mr. Kiyoshi still couldn't walk well with his injured knee. But the light that was waving at them from a distance was too appealing to ignore. So they followed the light that seemed to grow nearer at times, then shrink farther at other times, as if it was leading them somewhere.

Then the light stopped waving.

They approached the light, and soon they found themselves in front of the steps of a large old manor built with stone and wood. Large vines crept along its walls, and some of the glass windows that could be seen were either cracked or shattered. Glass was a very expensive commodity, and it gave Mr. Kiyoshi an impression that the owners of that house must have been really rich. He wanted to turn away and head back to the shabby yet more comfortable stable, but the sight of the wet lantern that was hung on the right side of the large mahogany door made it impossible for him to do so; his host was kind enough to take the trouble of inviting him there, and he would appear very rude if he would turn back now without saying a word.

Having gathered his resolve, Mr. Kiyoshi walked up to the doors and placed a hand on the knocker; it was made of pure gold with a rose insignia on it. He had heard tales about the mansion of roses when he was young – about its splendour and about the fairest rose princess that lived inside – but he thought that it was merely a fairy tale; the rumors had died down before he became a teen.

Was this the same Rose Mansion that was described in the tales? If so, what happened to the place? And what of the lady the stories spoke of? Those where the thoughts running inside Mr. Kiyoshi's mind as he knocked on the door.

The door opened.

The air was cool and heavy inside. It was also very dark, except for several candles that lit the left side of the hallway.

"Pardon my intrusion, but is anyone home?" asked Mr. Kiyosi politely.

The candle at the end of the hallway flickered. Then, a new candle was lit farther than the last candle. Mr. Kiyoshi thought that he could see a tall dark figure, but it quickly vanished before he could clearly see it.

Then, another candle was lit; this time it was at a bend to his left. Mr. Kiyoshi realized that the candles were trying to lead him somewhere. He patted Nigou on his head and nudged it forward to lead the way, and slowly they followed the trail of lit candles.

There were a lot of debris lying about – shards of broken vases and statues, rusted iron shields and spears, broken chairs and stools, and other small broken pieces he couldn't distinguish. It was also very dusty and filled with cobwebs that it made him sneeze a couple of times. Mr. Kiyoshi didn't like how every time he sneezed, it would echo all throughout the hallway, and the dead silence that followed would fill him with trepidation. But the light farthest ahead would only flicker and wave at him to follow.

They passed an arch, and then another, until Mr. Kiyoshi found himself inside a large and wide room. The end of the candle trail stopped at the center of the room. Mr. Kiyoshi approached it, and saw that it was placed on top of a long wooden table. Around the candle were lidded bowls and plates, and he could smell food in them. His stomach grumbled again, and now he became very hungry. But he noticed that the table was only set for one. He didn't think that his host would lead him here just to watch him or her eat – that would be a terrible ordeal and a cruel joke. So he thought that the supper might be for him.

"Is this supper for me?" he asked to no one in particular. There was a flicker of light somewhere further in, and Mr. Kiyoshi took it as an affirmation.

"I admit, I am very hungry. It is very kind of you to prepare this for me. I will gladly accept it," he said in a polite manner.

He pulled one of the chairs and sat down as comfortably as he could without jostling his injured knee. Then he took out the lids and savored the appetizing smell of food. There was bread that was molded into an incomprehensible shape, a formless lump of cheese, strips of dried, indistinguishable jerky – it tasted more gamy than their usual cattle or fowl meat – and bland potato soup with chunks of the same unidentifiable meat. But despite its lack of presentation, Mr. Kiyoshi found that the dishes were pretty good – either that, or he was just very hungry. So he ate it with gusto, fed some of the jerky to Nigou, and left not a single drop of soup in his platter. Then he drank the fruity wine, and leaned back fully sated. It was, perhaps, the best meal he had in ages. It wasn't as good as Taiga's cooking, or as fancy as the ones he was served under Mr. Koganei's care, but after the whole ordeal he had been through since that afternoon, those peaceful times felt like it happened decades ago.

"I thank you graciously for the meal," said Mr. Kiyoshi out loud. "You are very kindly hosts."

There was no answer. Then, Mr. Kiyoshi cleared his throat and said, "I think I'll be retiring for the night. All the excitement earlier took its toll on me. If there's nothing more you require of me, then I shall excuse myself and–"

But he was interrupted when a candle flickered on... and then another. But it wasn't in the direction where he came from; it led deeper inside the mansion. Nevertheless, he took it as a sign that the master – or mistress – of the manor wanted him to follow the lights. So he stood up, and slowly trailed after the flickering lights, with Nigou following slightly behind him.

It was just as he had guessed: the lights led him deeper into the mansion. They went through several arcs and hallways, but it was always too dim to clearly see anything. Sometimes, he could hear the heavy downpour of the rain hitting against the windows, but it was too dark to make out anything outside.

Then Mr. Kiyoshi felt that they were climbing up the stairs. It was a very trying ordeal for his injured knee, and Nigou had to guide him with more care. But at the very last step, when he thought that there was still another, Mr. Kiyoshi lost his balance and almost came tumbling down the steps if it were not for an arm that caught him and supported him upright. Mr. Kiyoshi was suddenly very alarmed.

An arm caught his fall. It was a very hairy arm; Mr. Kiyoshi was almost convinced that it was fur.

When Mr. Kiyoshi found his balance again, the arm that caught him quickly withdrew. Mr. Kiyoshi turned to look at his savior, but found none. "Some things are better left in the dark," he told himself. So he just thanked his mysterious savior and went on to follow the lights.

The lights led him to a cold, large, and dark room. There was a single lit candle at the bedside table. The bed was very large; it was a four poster canopy bed adorned with rich red, white, and gold silken curtains embroidered with white silver roses. Its sheets were pink and embellished with red and golden roses. It was a bed fit for a princess.

Mr. Kiyoshi hesitated for a while inside the doorway. Then the door was suddenly shut behind him. He tried the door, and was relieved to find that it was not locked. The last thing he wanted was to be locked inside a princess-y room like a damsel in distress. He was sure that he would make the most ridiculous princess.

Turning those thoughts aside, he peered out into the hallway and saw that it was pitch black; all the candles that led him to that room were already extinguished. Since he had no other choice, he turned back to the room and settled himself on the bed. Nigou was already making himself comfortable on the rug at the foot at the bed. He eyed distastefully at the embroidered pink feathered pillows for a moment, and steeling his pride, he finally tucked himself to sleep.

"I suppose beggars can't be choosers," he said to himself before he fell asleep.

…

The next morning greeted Mr. Kiyoshi with a fine weather. Despite his bed being too fanciful for his tastes, Mr. Kiyoshi had to admit that it was the most comfortable bed that he had slept on his entire twenty and eight years of life.

An ample amount of sunlight was filtered through the glass windows, revealing the entirety of the room that was veiled in darkness the night before. It was just as Mr. Kiyoshi had guessed: the room he had slept in was a room fit for a princess. The walls were high, about thrice his height, and there were various paintings of angels and roses on the upper part of the walls. Opposite of the bed was a fireplace with a stone marble mantelpiece carved with roses. Adjacent to the bed was the door, a large and fancy dresser, and a very large redwood wardrobe beside it. And right beside the glass windows that led to the balcony was a small round wooden table with two small wooden chairs. There was a chess board on top of the table, and what seemed to be an unfinished game. Mr. Kiyoshi dared not to touch it.

Then his stomach grumbled. The position of the sun told him that it was already around the third hour in the morning, and the priests would be ringing the bells in the monastery for the second prayer of that day. Mr. Kiyoshi had overslept, which was something he had not done for several years ever since his recovery after he first injured his knee.

He gathered his wits, and went out to the hall. It was already well-lit by the morning sun. The halls of the upper floor were clean of debris, but the floor was thick with dust and looked unused for months – or perhaps even years. He could even trace back his and Nigou's footsteps from the night before.

And that was when he saw it: a set of larger and non-human imprints near his shoe prints from last night. And it wasn't only a single pair; there were at least two or three of them. He suddenly didn't want to meet his hosts, no matter how kind they have been.

As he passed through the hall and down the staircase, he espied the courtyard. The trees were overgrown, the bushes and the plants were withered, and weeds were all over the place. But what caught his eye was the single rose bush at the center of it all: it had the most beautiful roses growing from its withering branches.

He was suddenly reminded of his promise to his second son. "I'll bring you the most beautiful rose I can find," he had said. And those roses that were blooming in the middle of the courtyard were indeed the most beautiful he had seen; it was a hundred times more beautiful than his tiny sapling.

"No," he held himself back. "Not now."

He tucked the image of the roses at the back of his mind and went to the dining hall where he had dined last night. And there he found breakfast already waiting for him. He politely said his thanks, and ate.

It was, perhaps, because he already had a good night's food and rest that he found the meal lacking. He noticed the lack of use of salt and spices - though he could forgo the lack of salt since it was a very precious commodity that they rarely use except for curing meat in preparation for winter. However, he had passed by some wild sages and thyme along their way, and perhaps some more that Taiga could name, and he found it odd that they used no spice even when it was readily available. But beggars can't be choosers, as he often said to himself since arriving in that mansion. So he fed Nigou and finished his meal quickly, thanked his host, and turned to leave.

However, when he was at the entrance, the image of the beautiful roses at the courtyard surfaced on his mind. It whispered to him. It taunted him, especially about his promise.

"The most beautiful rose," he heard it whisper.

He walked as if in a trance, and when he snapped back, he found himself in the courtyard in front of the rose bush.

"Take it," it whispered.

Mr. Kiyoshi hesitated.

"Remember your promise," it whispered again.

Then Mr. Kiyoshi remembered how dejected the young Tetsuya had been when he learned that his hometown was destroyed. He also remembered how Tetsuya's face lit up the first time he bought him a rose. "They smell like home," said the young Tetsuya back then.

"The most beautiful rose," the voice whispered again." Take it."

"There are three roses here," Mr. Kiyoshi said to himself. "It should be okay if I take just one..." With Tetsuya in mind, Mr. Kiyoshi plucked the largest and the most beautiful of them all.

Then a loud angry howl resounded throughout the mansion.

Nigou tensed and growled at the direction of the entrance. Two dark figures wrapped in deep red cloaks emerged from the hallway. In a flurry of movements that ended before Mr. Kiyoshi could comprehend what was happening, they already had him surrounded.

A second anguished howl came, and this time it was very near.

Not a moment later, a third large figure came barreling from the entrance, and straight into Mr. Kiyoshi's prone form. They both tumbled and fell. A moment of blackness veiled Mr. Kiyoshi's eyes as he screamed in pain when his right knee was once again jostled.

Then his vision cleared up...

and he came face to face with a furious beast.

Story Notes:

Most of these are googled in various sources. They may, or may not be, accurate.

Age of Marriage – During the middle ages, men are already eligible to get married around the age of 14, and women around the age of 12 (though that varies per location).

Paper Folding – I don't think paper toys actually existed in Medieval Europe. But since I'm borrowing a little bit of Japanese culture, including naming convention and their manner of speech, I also included the art of paper folding.

Pillows – In the middle ages, pillows were considered unmanly. They were only for girls, pregnant women, and the sick and/or old. They were also considered as luxury items.

Liturgy of Hours – Following the liturgy of hours, the third hour in the morning is around 8-9 am of the present day. The span of an hour varies depending on the season, in which case the story happens in autumn. The hour span during autumn is close to the present hour.