妖しきものの名 | Ayashiki Mono no Na | CHAPTER 48
Natsume meets a shrine kami whose appearance is that of an old woman and he initially mistakes her for a human. She is looking to return a mirror she borrowed from a strong youkai girl whose name she never learned.
Tropes associated with this episode:
- Double-Meaning Title: Is the title referring to Aokuchinashi whose name is in the Book of Friends, or Reiko the girl Aokuchinashi is looking for whose name she never learned.
- Eyes Always Shut: Aokuchinashi's eyes are always shut.
- The Faceless: While Aokuchinashi is describing and talking about the fearsome youkai she borrowed the mirror from the girl's face is kept hidden until Natsume realizes that Aokuchinashi borrowed the mirror from Reiko.
- House Fey: A small kagejawan youkai takes up residence underneath Natsume's home. Madara tells Natsume it will show itself in the house to foretell coming disaster to the occupants and may sacrifice itself to protect them from said disaster. When a youkai attack which Natsume expected to leave him with grievous injuries instead leaves him with no marks whatsoever he finds it shattered and provides it with a burial in thanks.
- Literally Shattered Lives: The kagejawan turns into a shattered teacup visible to even normal humans after it sacrifices itself to protect Natsume.
- Magic Mirror: The mirror Aokuchinashi borrowed is not magic but she required a mirror to perform a ritual to save a flowering tree by her shrine.
- Mistaken Identity: Natsume Takashi mistakes Aokuchinashi for an old woman until he touches her to help her up, and so did Natsume Reiko in the past, in turn Aokuchinashi thought Reiko was a youkai when she was actually human. Natsume also gets the usual bit of being mistaken for his grandmother by a youkai.
- Shrines and Temples: Aokuchinashi lives in a shrine.
- Tempting Fate: As soon as Madara assures Natsume that the only cause for concern in relation to a kagejawan is if it is seen running inside the house as such an action foretells a coming disaster for those living there the kagejawan is seen running down the hall.
