E8 - A Book, an Affair, and a Mermaid

Source: Crunchyroll
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(Please feel free to edit the speaker names if incomplete or inaccurate. Names are handled on a best-effort basis depending on the info on the source file. Dialogue is left as is.)
[00:03] Adashino
    Sumireko-san, do you have a moment?
[00:06] Sumireko
    Hm?
[00:06] Adashino
    We have a customer looking for
    this title. Do you recognize it?
SIGN    Farting: the Complete
[00:10] Sumireko
    Farting: the Complete Collection?
[00:13] Sumireko
    It should be over there on
    the culture and folktales shelf.
[00:16] Adashino
    Huh? It's an actual book?
[00:19] Adashino
    Is this the one?
[00:21] customer A
    Yes, it is!
[00:22] customer A
    This is the one! I'm so glad!
[00:25] Adashino
    Thank you.
[00:27] Adashino
    You really saved me.
[00:29] Sumireko
    You can thank me with a can of coffee.
[00:31] Adashino
    Working in a bookstore makes me realize
[00:33] Adashino
    how many books are out there
    that I've never heard of.
[00:38] Sumireko
    And there are more being published every day.
[00:41] Sumireko
    I just can't get enough.
[00:42] Adashino
    But, Sumireko-san,
[00:45] Adashino
    you know pretty much every
    book in this store, don't you?
[00:48] Adashino
    It's creepy.
[00:49] Sumireko
    You don't get to diss me!
[00:52] Sumireko
    That's one more can of coffee.
[00:54] Adashino
    What?
[00:56] Sumireko
    I can't help being obsessive about books.
[00:59] Sumireko
    There are some I've been looking for forever.
[01:01] Sumireko
    In my search, I end up remembering others.
[01:03] Adashino
    "Forever"? How long have you
    been unable to find them?
[01:08] Sumireko
    A really long time.
[01:10] Sumireko
    I read them so many times,
    but I can't remember the titles.
[01:15] Sumireko
    The only lead I have is this feeling
    that they were really absorbing.
[01:19] Sumireko
    Looking for them is one reason
    I work in a bookstore.
[01:23] Adashino
    Isn't it just that your memory's lacking?
[01:26] Sumireko
    Silence, boy!
[01:27] Sumireko
    That's three cans of coffee now!
[01:34] Adashino
    Welcome.
[01:36] (Flashback) Adashino
    To stay alive and return home...
[01:39] (Flashback) Adashino
    That's our goal as siblings.
[01:42] Sumireko; internal
    I see.
[01:44] Sumireko; internal
    One day, you'll be gone, too.
SIGN    Mysterious Disappearances
SIGN    Mysterious Disappearances
SIGN    A Book, an Affair, and a Mermaid
SIGN    A Book, an Affair, and a Mermaid
[03:19] Sumireko
    I got three cans of coffee out of him.
[03:34] Sumireko; narration
    When I was a child,
[03:36] Sumireko; narration
    I had severe trouble talking to others.
[03:39] Sumireko; narration
    It wasn't that I had nothing I wanted to say—
[03:42] Sumireko; narration
    rather, the opposite.
[03:44] Sumireko; narration
    Extreme heat melted the words into goo.
[03:46] Sumireko; narration
    They'd blend together in my head
    so that I couldn't get them out,
[03:49] Sumireko; narration
    and I'd have no idea what to do.
[03:51] friend A
    Tell me why!
[03:52] Sumireko; narration
    That particular day, something trivial had
    turned into a fight with my friends again.
[03:52] friend B
    Come on!
[03:56] Sumireko; narration
    I wasn't able to defend myself or apologize.
[03:59] Sumireko; narration
    All I could do was stay sullenly silent.
[04:01] friend A
    Why aren't you saying anything?
[04:03] friend B
    Come on! Say something!
[04:03] Sumireko; narration
    That made my friends angrier,
[04:06] Sumireko; narration
    and things only worsened from there.
[04:11] (Flashback) friend A
    Wait, Sumireko-chan!
[04:13] (Flashback) friend B
    Stop right there!
[04:14] (Flashback) friend A
    Wait!
[04:35] (Flashback) friend A
    Sumireko-chan!
[04:36] (Flashback) friend B
    Where did you go?
SIGN    Gyokushin-dou Bookstore
[05:20] (Flashback) Honhime
    Close the door.
[05:24] (Flashback) Honhime
    Sunlight is a book's worst enemy, young lady.
[05:28] (Flashback) little Sumireko
    I-I'm so sorry!
[05:33] (Flashback) Honhime
    Browse at your leisure.
[05:59] (Flashback) Honhime
    What are you looking at?
[06:02] (Flashback) Honhime
    Reading a good book can
    make one cry, can't it?
[06:06] (Flashback) little Sumireko
    Even a grown-up?
[06:09] (Flashback) Shoskihime
    Now, look here. Adults cry
    when they need to cry, too.
[06:12] (Flashback) little Sumireko
    Like when reading a book?
[06:14] (Flashback) Honhime
    That's right.
[06:15] (Flashback) Honhime
    If you're interested,
    why don't you give it a read?
[06:22] (Flashback) little Sumireko
    You don't mind?
[06:24] (Flashback) Honhime
    As it happens, I've just finished it.
[06:28] (Flashback) Honhime
    There's a space in the back for people to
    read before they buy. Use it as you wish.
[06:32] (Flashback) Honhime
    There won't likely be any
    other customers, anyway.
[06:55] (Flashback) little Sumireko
    Books are so boring, though.
[07:12] little Sumireko; internal
    "Right now, I have three
    envelopes in front of me.
[07:17] little Sumireko; interal
    However, I am only allowed
    to open and read one of them.
[07:24] little Sumireko; internal
    Which envelope holds the
    message that person wrote?
[07:28] little Sumireko; internal
    All of the envelopes are exactly the same,
[07:31] little Sumireko; internal
    but on the outside of one,
    I can see an ever-so-faint stain.
[07:35] little Sumireko; internal
    I pick that one up and open it without
    giving myself the chance to waver.
[07:41] little Sumireko; internal
    I pull out the sheet of paper inside,
    and the instant I lay eyes on its message,
[07:45] little Sumireko; internal
    the world around me changes completely."
[07:50] (Flashback) Honhime
    It's sunset. You should go home.
    Your family will be worried.
[07:54] (Flashback) little Sumireko
    But...
[07:55] (Flashback) Honhime
    You can continue tomorrow.
[07:58] (Flashback) little Sumireko
    But...
[08:02] (Flashback) Honhime
    All right, then, I'll lend you
    this book. However...
[08:06] (Flashback) Honhime
    You must be certain to come back
    and return it tomorrow.
[08:09] (Flashback) little Sumireko
    I will!
SIGN    Gyokushin-dou Bookstore
[08:23] (Flashback) little Sumireko
    Here.
[08:24] (Flashback) Honhime
    You brought it back. Thank you.
[08:30] (Flashback) Honhime
    Why don't you pick a book
    from over there to read next?
[08:41] little Sumireko
    "The coffee had long since gone cold.
[08:44] little Sumireko
    'Say, do you love your wife?' asked Julia.
[08:48] little Sumireko
    Behind me, the door opened and another
    customer came in, but I paid it no heed.
[08:54] little Sumireko
    Helplessly, I answered without thinking.
[08:56] little Sumireko
    'Of course I don't love her.'
[08:58] little Sumireko
    In that moment, Julia looked
    behind me and smiled, just a little.
[09:02] little Sumireko
    When I turned around,
    I realized that it was all over.
[09:06] little Sumireko
    The person standing there was my wife.
[09:08] little Sumireko
    And from behind the frozen mask
    of her expression, she said,
[09:12] little Sumireko
    'I hope you'll be very happy.'"
[09:15] (Flashback) little Sumireko
    Say...
[09:16] (Flashback) Honhime
    Hm?
[09:17] (Flashback) little Sumireko
    What's an "affair"?
[09:19] (Flashback) Honhime
    An affair? Well, let's see...
[09:24] (Flashback) Honhime
    It's something that everyone does, but it's
    the absolute worst thing to get caught doing.
[09:30] (Flashback) little Sumireko
    Really?
[09:31] (Flashback) little Sumireko
    So it's like underlining all the
    dirty words in the dictionary?
[09:36] (Flashback) Honhime
    There's nothing wrong with doing that,
    but is it something you do?
[09:40] (Flashback) Honhime
    My heart is filled with worry.
[09:43] (Flashback) little Sumireko
    The boys in class do it.
[09:45] (Flashback) Honhime
    My, they're incorrigible.
[09:48] little Sumireko
    "The man spoke with a sneer.
[09:51] little Sumireko
    'Magic? You still believe
    in magic at your age?'
[09:56] little Sumireko
    Sally bit her lip in frustration.
[09:58] little Sumireko
    It was as though he'd read
    her mind once again.
[10:03] little Sumireko
    An urge to kill him welled up inside her.
[10:06] little Sumireko
    'It isn't ghosts who curse people,'
    said the medium.
[10:11] little Sumireko
    'Before she took her own life,
    she said something to you, didn't she?'
[10:16] little Sumireko
    'She told you the name of a flower.'
[10:18] little Sumireko
    The medium's narrowed eyes opened wide.
[10:21] little Sumireko
    'That is what a curse is.'"
[10:34] (Flashback) little Sumireko
    What kind of book is this?
[10:36] (Flashback) Honhime
    You have a good eye.
[10:38] (Flashback) Honhime
    That's the type of mystery that
    would knock a sumo wrestler dead.
[10:42] (Flashback) little Sumireko
    That sounds like fun!
[10:47] (Flashback) Honhime
    You seem like you'll be all right now.
[10:55] (Flashback) Honhime
    I think I'll ask after all, just the once.
[10:59] (Flashback) Honhime
    Did something happen to you?
[11:02] (Flashback) Sumireko
    Huh?
[11:03] (Flashback) Honhime
    Well, the first time you came
    in here, you were crying.
[11:08] (Flashback) Honhime
    You don't have to tell me
    if you don't want to.
[11:10] (Flashback) Honhime
    It's not like me to ask, anyway.
[11:18] (Flashback) little Sumireko
    I-I-I...
[11:20] Sumireko; narration
    My difficulty in speaking to others,
[11:23] Sumireko; narration
    and how it caused fights
    between me and my friends...
[11:26] Sumireko; narration
    I remember that explaining just those
    two things took an agonizingly long time.
[11:34] Sumireko; narration
    But she didn't try to hurry me.
    She waited patiently for me to finish.
[11:45] (Flashback) Honhime
    Do you want to get better
    at speaking to people?
[11:47] (Flashback) little Sumireko
    Yes.
[11:49] (Flashback) Honhime
    Did you know?
[11:50] (Flashback) Honhime
    Everyone has a dictionary inside their head.
[11:54] (Flashback) Honhime
    It's called your inner dictionary.
[11:57] (Flashback) Honhime
    We unconsciously search through it
    for words when we speak.
[12:01] (Flashback) Honhime
    It seems you're not very good
    at pulling out that dictionary.
[12:11] (Flashback) Honhime
    Try writing a passage.
[12:18] (Flashback) Honhime
    You don't have to physically write it.
[12:20] (Flashback) Honhime
    First, ready some manuscript
    paper in your head.
[12:25] (Flashback) Honhime
    Write down all the words you
    know and give them form.
[12:30] (Flashback) Honhime
    You're going to take the dictionary
    in your head apart.
[12:33] (Flashback) Honhime
    You already have all the words you need.
[12:36] (Flashback) Honhime
    Next, rearrange the words
    on the manuscript paper,
[12:39] (Flashback) Honhime
    and turn them into writing.
[12:40] (Flashback) Honhime
    Then try reading the
    manuscript you've created.
[12:46] (Flashback) little Sumireko
    Do you think I can do it?
[12:47] (Flashback) Honhime
    I know you can.
[12:50] (Flashback) Honhime
    Practice makes perfect, though.
[12:53] (Flashback) Honhime
    I'm certain that you will write
    a vast number of passages.
[12:58] (Flashback) Honhime
    Your everyday life is in itself
    a full-length novel.
[13:03] (Flashback) Honhime
    One day, when you write a novel,
    I hope you'll let me read it.
[13:09] (Flashback) Honhime
    I've already read nearly
    all the books, after all.
SIGN    Gyokushin-dou Bookstore
[13:12] (Flashback) little Sumireko
    I will!
SIGN    This kanji...
    ...is here
[13:17] (Flashback) little Sumireko
    Hey, watch this!
[13:20] Sumireko; narration
    Her advice worked immediately.
[13:23] Sumireko; narration
    I was soon able to speak with my friends.
[13:30] Sumireko; narration
    I headed to the bookstore to thank her
    for helping me make up with them,
[13:38] Sumireko; narration
    but I was never able to find
    the path there again.
[13:46] Sumireko; narration
    Now, that path...
    was right in front of my eyes.
[14:00] Sumireko
    Crap...
[14:05] Sumireko
    "I regret that with each
    new day, you grow older."
[14:18] child Sumireko
    Piece of cake.
SIGN    Gyokushin-dou Bookstore
[14:45] Sumireko
    And so, the truth of the store where
    I read those books remains yet unknown.
[14:50] Sumireko
    That's how the story ends.
[14:52] Adashino
    I see. Well, that solves one
    of the mysteries about you.
[14:57] Sumireko
    About me? Details needed.
[15:00] Adashino
    I've always felt that the way you speak
    is unusual. There's a certain stiffness.
[15:05] Sumireko
    Oh. It naturally turned out that
    way due to how I write as I speak.
[15:10] Sumireko
    I've taken a liking to this
    way of speaking, though.
[15:14] Sumireko
    It sort of sounds like her, in a way.
[15:16] Adashino
    Really?
[15:17] Sumireko
    That's kind of an understated reaction.
[15:20] Adashino
    More importantly, do you remember
    the name of that bookstore?
[15:24] Sumireko
    The name?
[15:26] Sumireko
    For some reason, only vaguely.
[15:29] Sumireko
    I'm pretty certain it was
    something like Gyokushin-dou.
[15:33] Adashino
    Gyokushin-dou?
[15:35] Sumireko
    What is it?
[15:36] Adashino
    A mysterious woman who loves books...
[15:39] Adashino
    Did she invite you in, thinking you
    two were birds of a feather?
[15:43] Sumireko
    Hey.
[15:44] manager
    Ogawa-san!
[15:45] Sumireko
    Yes, sir?
[15:46] manager
    We don't have many customers right now,
    so could you help me bring in the delivery?
[15:50] Sumireko
    Yes, of course.
[15:51] manager
    Sorry to ask, but thanks.
[15:57] Sumireko
    So, about our conversation earlier...
[15:59] Adashino
    Yes, regarding the mysterious woman.
[16:02] Adashino
    This story dates back to the time
    of the fifth shogun, Tsunayoshi.
[16:06] Adashino
    There once was a beautiful
    woman of noble birth.
[16:09] Adashino
    It's said that she was such an avid reader,
    she twice reread the more than five thousand
[16:13] Adashino
    scrolls of Buddhist scripture.
[16:15] Adashino
    After the lady's death,
    in accordance with her will,
[16:17] Adashino
    her books were donated to the temple.
[16:19] Adashino
    A storehouse for them was built next to her
    grave so that anyone could borrow them.
[16:24] Adashino
    It's said that if you put your ear
    to the lady's grave in Yotsuya,
[16:27] Adashino
    you could hear a voice reading books.
[16:31] Adashino
    According to one theory, her posthumous
    Buddhist name was Gyokushin-in.
SIGN    m 0 0 l 100 0 100 100 0 100
SIGN    Gyokushin-in
[16:34] Sumireko
    What?
[16:36] Adashino
    Because she loved reading so much,
    she was given the nickname...
[16:39] [SONG] text
       Honhime   
    (The Lady of Books)
[16:39] Adashino
    Honhime.
[16:41] Sumireko
    "Honhime"?
[16:42] Adashino
    There was one rule for borrowing
    books from the lady's library.
[16:46] Adashino
    "When returning a book,
    you must add one more."
[16:50] Adashino
    Those who didn't follow it
    met with ill fortune.
[16:53] Adashino
    She must have really
    wanted to read new books.
[16:55] Sumireko
    Huh? But I never added any myself.
[17:00] (Flashback) Honhime
    One day, when you write a novel,
    I hope you'll let me read it.
[17:05] Sumireko
    I see. There are some very
    patient readers out there.
[17:09] Adashino
    Huh?
[17:14] Sumireko
    The next time I see her, I'll have
    to present her with a new book...
[17:18] Sumireko
    signed by the author Ogawa Sumireko.
[17:27] Yorumun
    Can you hear me?
[17:28] Yorumun
    To all you small fry out there, this is
    the mermaid VTuber, Himeuo Yorumun!
[17:35] Adashino
    For you.
[17:36] Sumireko
    Oh, how very considerate.
[17:44] Sumireko
    Any leads on new cursed objects?
[17:46] Adashino
    It's difficult.
[17:48] Adashino
    There isn't necessarily a cursed object
    associated with every Curiosity.
[17:52] Sumireko
    Is that how it works?
[17:55] Adashino
    That's how it works.
[17:56] Sumireko
    Then wouldn't it be faster to seek out
    a physical Curiosity from the start?
[18:01] Sumireko
    Like a tsukumogami or something.
[18:03] Adashino
    A tsukumogami, huh?
    Finding one of those at all is difficult.
[18:08] Sumireko
    Is it?
[18:09] Adashino
    I can't exactly go snooping through people's
    personal items without permission, can I?
[18:13] Adashino
    Sumireko-san, will you show me
    all of your personal items?
[18:16] Sumireko
    Get out of here and never come back.
[18:18] Adashino
    Right?
[18:19] Adashino
    And before that, I have to wonder
    if tsukumogami even exist in this era.
[18:24] Sumireko
    What? This coming from you of all people?
[18:26] Adashino
    These days, everything is
    made to be thrown away.
[18:30] Adashino
    If anything, digital data is treated
    with more care than physical items.
[18:35] Sumireko
    I see. It is hard to imagine a more difficult
    environment for the creation of tsukumogami.
[18:43] Nodoka
    Say, Occhan!
[18:45] Nodoka
    Have you been studying for finals?
[18:47] Oto
    Not at all.
[18:48] Nodoka
    You're kidding!
    But you always get good grades!
[18:52] Oto
    I really haven't studied, though.
    What about you, Nodoka?
[18:55] Nodoka
    I've got a home tutor assigned
    to me. I really hate it.
[19:02] Nodoka
    But you know what? There's something
    I do in secret that's a lot of fun.
[19:07] Oto
    What is it?
[19:08] Nodoka
    Collecting cute underwear.
[19:11] Oto
    Really?
[19:12] Nodoka
    Yup. See?
[19:15] Oto
    You shouldn't do that, Nodoka. It's unseemly.
[19:18] Oto
    You'll end up like that
    slovenly apartment wife.
[19:21] Nodoka
    Ahpartmentwaif? Who's that?
[19:24] Oto
    It's Wakazukuri-senpai's real name.
[19:26] Nodoka
    It is?
[19:28] Nodoka
    You know, I always thought
    her name sounded a bit odd!
[19:33] Nodoka
    So it's a stage name, right?
[19:36] Nodoka
    Well, how about that! So her real
    name is Ahpartmentwaif-senpai!
[19:40] Oto
    Y-Yes.
[19:42] Nodoka
    Hey, how about we get everyone together
    to study at my place before finals?
[19:47] Oto
    You don't mind me coming over?
[19:48] Nodoka
    Of course not! I'm all alone on
    Saturdays, so I get super bored.
[19:52] Oto
    Sure. Sounds like fun.
[19:53] Nodoka
    Bye, Occhan!
[19:56] Oto
    Bye-bye!
SIGN    Takamagahara Hospital
[20:21] Oto
    Hello.
[20:23] Shizuku
    I've been waiting for you, Adashino Oto.
[20:28] Oto
    Welcome home, masters.
[20:31] Oto
    My name is Otohime.
[20:32] customer A
    Where are you from?
[20:35] Oto
    I have wandered into this land
    from a certain small country.
[20:39] Oto
    But I believe that one day,
    I will be able to return home.
[20:42] customers A; B
    So cute!
[20:45] Oto
    Today, I drew all my favorite animals.
[20:49] customers A; B
    So cute!
[20:51] Oto
    You're much too kind, masters.
[21:05] Nodoka
    This is no fun!
[21:09] Nodoka
    The school and Dad are way too mean!
SIGN    m 0 0 l 100 0 100 100 0 100
SIGN                     To Students and Parents
    
    Creating social media accounts or accounts
    on video sites for the purpose of hosting
    livestreams or uploading videos is prohibited.
    
    Livestreams and/or videos can only be watched
    with a parent or guardian's permission,
    subject to a daily viewing limit at their discretion.
[21:12] Nodoka
    I just want everyone
    to see me sing and dance!
[21:22] Nodoka
    Oh, no!
[21:29] Yorumun
    Can you hear me?
[21:30] Yorumun
    To all you small fry out there, this is
    the mermaid VTuber, Himeuo Yorumun!
[21:38] Yorumun
    Thanks for waiting, everyone!
    How was your day today?
[23:13] Shizuku
    Good work!
[23:14] Oto
    Well, I'll be going now.
[23:16] Shizuku
    Wait.
[23:18] Shizuku
    Thanks for helping out
    so many times this month.
[23:22] Shizuku
    Here. As thanks.
[23:25] Oto
    Thank you.
[23:28] Oto
    What is it?
[23:30] Shizuku
    Once you get home, take a look inside.
SIGN    Dreams, Dance, and a Tsukumogami
[23:35] Sumireko
    Next time: "Dreams, Dance,
    and a Tsukumogami."