"I'm coming!" "Forget about that!" "Mizue!" "You, who are you?" "!" "What are you?" "!" "Suspicious guy." "Suspicious... that is indeed true..." "If we..." "If we don't quickly set up barriers inside it will become dangerous." "Act One" "Hey, medicine seller." "It's the Young Mistress' auspicious day." "You won't be able to sell any medicine." "Uh?" "A medicine seller?" "Ah, a medicine seller?" "It's really a medicine seller." "Hey, Kayo." "How much longer do you want to delay?" "Yes!" "It will be done soon." "Really, don't you know what we are doing today?" "Oh, sorry." "Are you here to deliver something?" "What is it?" "No, no." "I am a medicine..." "Ah, hold on, hold on." "We are not free right now, because..." "Because there's a wedding ceremony, right?" "Yes, yes." "Today is the day that Mao-sama is going to Shiono-sama's residence to get married." "But, that's something that doesn't concern us lowly servants." "They will probably arrive in half an hour or so to receive the bride." "There's too much glare." "Sasaoka." "Yes?" "Close the Shoji." "But Madam, then the wind will be unable to enter." "It's all right." "It's just for a while." "Yes." "Marriage?" "Then I shall offer an extra gift." "Eh?" "A medicine that the bride can use." "Oh my!" "Let me see it!" "Who the heck are you?" "Get out of there this instant!" "This is not a place that people like you can just enter!" "Isn't that so, Kayo?" "Just come in if you want to drink water." "Err..." "Ah..." "I..." "Hurry up." "If you're late, Katsuyama-sama will be angry." "Yo-You..." "You did not need to go so overboard..." "Hurry up and get out, or else I'll enforce some punishment on you." "Damn it." "He's so annoying." "I really hate him." "You are being too harsh." "But he was about to interfere with my affairs yet again." "Anyway, about that..." "Yes, yes, wait a while." "Ah!" "There's a lot!" "This is... And in addition, this is... You are lying!" "You should probably sell it to Mao-sama." "You see," "The groom, Shiono-sama is..." "That bride sure is pitiful." "But that can't be helped." "It's said that they are assuming our debts." "It's going to be time to leave soon." "Father." "Mother." "You must treat the parents of your husband well." "Yes." "Take good care of your health." "Yes." "I see." "Yes, even though my master, Yoshiaki-sama, is a good person, he is not good at managing his money." "It seems that he can't lift his head up in front of Mizue-sama either." "Yoshikani-sama is Yoshikana-sama, an idler." "Why else do you think his younger brother, Yoshiaki-sama, succeeded the family?" "I see." "Ah, I will be punished if Sato-san finds out that I said those things." "Then, as payment, I shall let you see something good." "I'm anticipating it!" "It's just a rat." "Ah, I was frightened!" "Say, there are a lot of rat traps." "There are a lot of them here." "Wouldn't it be better if you kept a cat?" "A cat?" "That's true, but there's someone who hates them..." "Kayo!" "I heard from Yahei that you were still here wasting your time." "Ack, this is bad..." "We were talking about rat poison." "There is no need." "Kayo, go and fetch the water." "Can't you see that the water pot is empty?" "Yes!" "Really..." "I am sorry for disturbing you." "I will leave immediately." "Master, Mao-sama." "They have come to get you." "Grandfather..." "I'm sorry that you have to sacrifice yourself for this family." "Uncle..." "I'm leaving it to you." "Whether the Sakai family will rise or fall is up to you." "What is Sato doing at such a time?" "Mao, it's time to go." "By the way, tell me why you hate cats..." "Th-That i-is..." "Ah, never mind." "What the heck is this?" "!" "Rats?" "Rats are a sign of having many descendants." "That's the life Mao-sama will lead." "Yes, that's right..." "Is it really that wonderful?" "Mao, Mao!" "Yoshiaki-sama!" "Someone, someone come and help!" "Mao-sama!" "Bastard, where did you come from?" "This is not the work of an assassin." "In addition, the enemy is not something you can cut with a sword." "What are you?" "!" "Where did you come from?" "!" "It's Ka-Kayo who..." "I..." "I..." "Suspicious guy." "Suspicious... that is indeed true..." "We cannot leave things as they are." "If we don't quickly set up barriers inside..." "Barrier?" "What kind of joke are you making you bastard!" "Shut up, Odajima." "More importantly, we should get a physician." "Hey, she has stopped breathing." "Instead of getting a physician, we should get a monk." "Isn't that so?" "Yo-shi-ku-ni!" "You, it's all your fault!" "You, the one over there." "What are you doing?" "Please calm down, Mizue-sama!" "Right now, still nothing." "Yoshikuni, Yoshikuni, Yoshikuni, Yoshikuni, it's all your, it's all your fault!" "Still?" "That is for the best." "It's all your fault, all your fault!" "Don't act carelessly." "If you think about escaping like you did before..." "At least let me paste some charms inside." "Charms?" "If we do it now, we will still have time to set up a barrier to contain it." "Shut up, shut up." "You are just using that as an excuse to run away." "How about we tie him up more tightly?" "This guy can use some weird skills." "My arm is going to break." "That is great, you deserve it." "Have you checked through his things?" "He might have been the one who poisoned Mao-sama." "Hey, hey, you said that she was sliced earlier." "Hey, where is this guy's stuff?" "It's over here." "Open it!" "Yes." "What kind of medicine is this?" "There are many, but none are poisonous." "There are many?" "What is this?" "A child's toy." "This is the last piece?" "What is this box for?" "Move aside." "It feels heavy." "Hey, what is that katana for?" "What is a medicine seller doing carrying a katana?" "It's used for killing." "What!" "For use against demons by slicing them." "It is used against demons by slicing them." "Impudent fool!" "Mizue-sama." "You are still spouting that nonsense at a time like this!" "What is this nonsense about demons?" "It's inauspicious!" "What trick is this?" "There isn't any trick." "There is none of that." "Can you unsheathe it?" "It's still impossible now." ""Still" again?" "Unless the Katachi, Makoto, and Kotowari of the demon is known, the demon-slaying sword cannot be unsheathed." "You are an interesting man." "Unfortunately, I'm not an interesting human." "We cannot spare you!" "I'm sending you to the guard house!" "Wait, we cannot do that." "It will be troublesome if the news spreads." "Katsuyama-sama, this is something major that happened in the household." "Mizue-sama, Mizue-sama, Mizue-sama, Mizue-sama, Mizue-sama." "Hey, get the physician." "Yahei." "Yes?" "Invite Tsubouchi-sensei over." "Yes, immediately." "Yahei-san, it's best that you don't step outside." "Shut up, you are saying nonsense." "The barrier is not complete yet." "Listen up, don't talk too much." "Just say that Mizue-sama is not feeling well and invite him over." "Y-Yes." "Get someone to inform the House of Shiono as well." "Master, we can't do that." "Why?" "If they know that Mao-sama has died, what do you think the House of Shiono will do?" "It's still okay if it's from the House of Shiono, but what if the Lord finds out?" "The best thing to do is to say that she is sick." "At least we can buy some time." "Y-Yes." "Pardon my impudence, Katsuyama-dono." "What is it?" "It might get complicated if we hide the truth." "What?" "No matter what we do, we cannot control what people say." "Isn't the situation as bad as it can get?" "We have to do this, don't you understand?" "I cannot agree to it." "I think that we should be open about this and quickly seek help." "If we do this early, even if the House of Shiono..." "I know what you are implying, just say it out loud." "I am just worried for the master." "If Katsuyama-sama thinks that I am implying something, then please say what I'm trying to imply." "I won't fall into your trap." "Er..." "Shall I light the candles?" "Kayo." "Light up Mao-sama's room as well." "Er..." "What?" "Hurry up and go!" "But the corpse..." "And what?" "Don't tell me you don't want to go there." "Hurry up and go!" "Yes..." "I will go with you." "Old master." "Uh?" "I am lighting the room." "Please come in." "Excuse my disturbance." "Odajima-sama." "What is it?" "It is true that demons are behind this?" "What foolish nonsense." "There are no such things as demons." "Don't worry, we will catch the culprit soon." "Yes." "O-Odajima-sama!" "It was nothing, sorry for the interruption." "Hey, did you hear something?" "No, nothing at all." "Wh-What is it Odajima?" "Don't scare us." "Did something happen?" "Nothing at all." "Yahei is still not back?" "Is there a reason why he's taking so long?" "Maybe they have something going on." "We have something major going on here, even if they have something on..." "Even if it's major, you are the one who said we should not mention it, Katsuyama-dono." "Even so, it's way too late." "Odajima, did you see something?" "How do you say this..." "Cats." "There aren't any cats in this house." "That servant was killed." "Yahei, why?" "Wh-Where did he come from?" "It's coming." "Ah!" "You bastard!" "Don't get in my way." "Is there anybody else?" "Where is the last person?" "No, no!" "The old master and Mao-sama are..." "Hey, wait!" "Wa-Wait, damn!" "Who is it?" "It's dangerous to be alone." "It's best to be with everyone else." "What the heck are you doing?" "Seal!" "It's all right now." "That thing can't come in." "That thing?" "I don't know what trick you are trying to pull, but I'm going to expose it!" "Its presence has vanished." "What the heck was that?" "I couldn't really see what it was..." "I've already said that it's a demon." "You will become that thing's food once you leave the barrier." "The barrier cannot be maintained forever." "If this goes on, sooner or later, we will all be like that." "Looks like we have to kill that demon." "However, to satisfy the condition to unsheathe the Taima sword," "We need to know the Katachi, Makoto, and Kotowari of the demon." "First is the Katachi." "Fur?" "This is a Bake Neko." "The Katachi that the demon takes on comes from the hatred and grudge it has against humans." "So, everyone, about the Makoto and the Kotowari..." "Please tell me about them." "Ah, hold on."