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"Why are the children dressed so oddly, Master?" Kouryuu said.
Master Koumyou watched the miniature superheroes, mythical beings and wizards troop to school. He trotted to the school gate and spoke to the teacher, then beckoned Kouryuu over.
"It's World Book Day," he said. "How exciting! Would you like to join in and dress up as a character from something you've read?"
Kouryuu thought about it. He'd mostly read sutras.
"Like a heroic monk from the past?" he said.
Master Koumyou clapped his hands excitedly, and Kouryuu's tunic was replaced by a saffron robe.
"You look splendid! May my young disciple join the other children?"
"Of course, Sanzo-sama," the teacher beamed. "And will you join us? We'll talk about books and then have cake and lemonade for everyone!"
"Please, Master," Kouryuu said. He wasn't scared of the other children, of course, but they might want to speak to him and he had no experience of talking to laypeople. He'd follow Master Koumyou's wise example.
"Of course!" Master Koumyou said. "Should I wear a costume too?" Before the teacher could demur, he went on, "A friend of mine has been reading a novel to me, it's called Les 120 Journées de Sodome." He was suddenly wearing satin breeches and jacket with a lace cravat. He took Kouryuu's hand and led him inside.
As the adult Genjo-Sanzo discovered much, much later, it was quite a relief that Master Koumyou didn't speak French and so understood absolutely none of what he'd been read.