"The Katachi (Shape) that the demon takes on comes from the hatred and grudge it has against humans." "So, everyone, about the Makoto (Truth) and the Kotowari (Reasoning)..." "Please tell me about them." "Act Two" "Hey, there's no more Sake." "Someone go and get more Sake for me." "Sato?" "I'll do it immediately!" "Kayo, go and get it." "Hurry up and go to the wine rack." "You know where it is, right?" "I-I don't want to!" "You don't want to?" "!" "Sato-san was the one who was asked to go." "I don't want to leave this place!" "What are you saying?" "Hey, where are you going?" "I need salt." "I'll get the Sake as well on my way back." "Don't go about as you please!" "That thing will come again." "We need to make some preparations before then." "That is not allowed." "Stay still!" "We have yet to fully trust you." "Then how about you accompany me?" "To me, that would be best." "Ah, then I have to say that it's unfortunate, but you have missed a chance to escape." "I am going to open it." "I'm thankful for having a bodyguard." "I am going as well!" "Now, shall we go?" "Are you going to the kitchen?" "I just need to borrow some salt." "You bastard." "Do you plan to use this opportunity to poison us?" "He is not that type of a person." "Why does Odajima-sama say such mean things?" "Errm, I..." "Where is it?" "I'll go and get it." "It's by the stove." "Please wait." "Don't go anywhere." "I won't!" "You'll be fine." "That hurts!" "Who spilled oil over here?" "The oil should have been stored away." "Just clean it up." "I wonder who is responsible for it?" "Huh?" "Hey, you want me to bring this along?" "It's so that I won't have a chance to poison it." "Did you hear that?" "With that large voice of yours, the words will enter my ears even if I don't want them to." "Don't treat me like an idiot!" "Oh no, you noticed?" "Hey, where are you going?" "I told you we need to make some preparations." "We have brought the Sake over." "What is that?" "You don't know what salt is?" "I know it's salt!" "I'm asking you what are you doing that for?" "!" "You better know when to stop that act." "What the hell is this for?" "!" "It's okay to make fun of it, but don't break the line." "Line?" "The line of salt?" "Yes." "It's just some magic." "What's so impressive about it?" "It's okay if you want to think that." "However, breaking the barrier of salt... is strictly prohibited." "Err..." "Is there anything I can help with?" "Thanks." "You are much more dependable compared to the fool over here who runs his mouth off." "Huh?" "Who are you calling a fool?" "!" "Help me hold this." "Kayo-san, please hand me the things inside there one by one." "Okay." "What is that?" "!" "Haven't you ever seen a scale before?" "A scale?" "Hold out a finger." "It's all right, just like that." "It seems that it likes Kayo-san." "Lift your finger up slightly." "Do the same for the next one." "Okay." "What are the scales for?" "Weighing the demon?" "It's distance." "Distance?" "It's to measure the distance between us and the demon." "Don't you know what a scale is for?" "A scale is not used to measure distance, but weight!" "Hey, did you hear me?" "You said you wanted to kill the demon?" "Yes." "Then should you be here acting unconcerned?" "You should find it quickly and kill it!" "If you can't do that, you're just lying." "I have already mentioned earlier..." "Eh?" "In order to kill the demon, we need to know the Makoto and the Kotowari too." "Until those are known, this sword can't be unsheathed." "What gets transformed into a demon is the hatred and grudge against humans." "So, we need everyone to tell the Makoto and the Kotowari." "What is this about Makoto and Kotowari?" "Why must we say it?" "The Makoto is the reason why this incident happened, and the Kotowari is the truth in your heart." "And what is that?" "What happened?" "Why did it happen?" "What started this hatred?" "Until those are known, the sword won't have any power." "Which means it wouldn't be able to kill that demon." "Why did it... happen?" "First, why are there no cats in this house?" "Someone did something to a cat." "What did they do?" "Are you saying that the grudge a cat has has turned into a curse against humans?" "Can a lowly creature be capable of doing such things?" "I don't know, but there's certainly a demon here." "If you're talking about a grudge..." "They would often run into the kitchen and I would splash water at them to chase them off." "But that can't lead to a grudge, right?" "I don't know." "Why would that be?" "It's just a small thing..." "Demons have their own way of thinking." "That is something that we will never understand." "Like the phrase "treating kindness as malice", they might not care about reasoning or explanations." "No way..." "But, there's someone who did something even worse." "Wh-What?" "I know that Sato-san bought a cat before." "Bought a cat?" "I just paid for the cat." "Other than that, I don't know anything." "Then, where is that cat?" "I don't know what happened to that cat." "Yahei was the one in charge of it." "And who did the money belong to?" "If you don't want to say it..." "It is Sasaoka-sama's." "Sasaoka-sama was the one who asked me to buy a cat." "After that, Yahei took it away and I don't know anything else." "That..." "No." "It was killed." "Isn't that so, 20 of them?" "Oh my..." "I imported some imitational goods and, although they are imitations, they are of good quality." "Cat skins are tenacious." "They have fine bones and their fur is thick." "They are the best to test a sword with." "Isn't that so, Sasaoka?" "Yes." "Pardon my impudence, but Yoshikuni-sama, isn't that going too far?" "Sasaoka-dono, why didn't you stop it?" "Giving your opinion is also your responsibility as an aide." "Then should we have killed dogs?" "That is not what I'm talking about!" "If you have anything to say, bring it to the lords above." "Katsuyama-dono, you're just discontented and grumbling." "Discontented and grumbling?" "!" "Katsuyama-dono, you are not serving Yoshikuni-dono, you are serving Yoshiaki-dono." "How are you going to take responsibility for this incident?" "With such a major event occuring in this house, how can you actually treat it as if it's none of your business?" "The person I serve is not you, Katsuyama-dono." "You have finally revealed your intentions, Sasaoka!" "Enough." "Why are you arguing at a time like this?" "But, old master..." "Be silent, Sasaoka." "The two of you, stop this." "I hope you all stop this political bickering and concentrate on what we should do." "Mao, who sacrificed herself to get married in order to save the family, is still here." "I don't want all of you to show her how unsightly you are." "Understand?" "Yes." "What time is it now?" "Who knows..." "It should be around the Ne hour (from 11pm to 1am)." "Don't tell me it will remain like this until morning?" "That's not possible." "What is it?" "There's a sound..." "Shit, could it be that someone came to visit?" "Wait." "What is it?" "It's impossible for someone to come." "How are you so sure?" "There's a barrier around us." "The demon's territory is just outside of that barrier." "It is not possible for humans to cross that and come here." "A demon..." "Shh." "Is it a cat?" "Damn." "Why did this have to happen now?" "We had this opportunity arise..." "Damn it, damn it!" "My love..." "Mizue." "Mizue." "Mizue." "Mizue." "Mizue." "Mizue." "Mao..." "I'm sorry..." "Mao!" "My poor Mao..." "Mi... zu... e... sa... ma..." "Tama...ki, it's Tamaki!" "Mizue?" "Mizue!" "Tamaki?" "It's Tamaki!" "?" "Mizue-sama!" "Don't come near me!" "I'm sorry!" "Don't come near me!" "Don't come near me, I-!" "Shit!" "What the?" "!" "Come in here!" "Come in here quickly!" "Odajima-sama!" "Mi...zue?" "You demon!" "Stop it!" "You Bake Neko!" "Take this!" "Have a taste of this salt!" "Why are you so angry?" "What is your Kotowari?" "What is your Makoto?" "Is that demon the Bake Neko?" "Yes." "Yoshiaki and Katsuyama have died?" "Most likely." "What a pity, but don't hold a grudge." "If you want to bare a grudge, bare a grudge against that Bake Neko." "Sato... san..." "Who is that?" "That was part of the Makoto, and a representation of the Kotowari." "The mistress called her Tamaki earlier." "None of you know anything about that girl?" "What happened?" "The barrier of yet another room has been breached." "It will be here soon." "Y-You can't unsheathe it yet?" "Hurry up and unsheathe it!" "Ask it yourself." "Even if I unsheathe the katana, I might not stand a chance against that demon's power." "What are you saying?" "Didn't you say that it is a Taima sword?" "But the one who wields it is a human." "There is a limit to my abilities." "We can still escape further in." "Amazing..." "What is going on?" "Why is there a wedding dress?" "It's useless, useless, useless, useless." "We cannot escape, no matter what we do." "You knew what was going on?" "It is your fault." "It's because of you males." "You led the demon here!" "The demon is approaching!" "I see, you are the Makoto of the Bake Neko (Monster Cat)!"