YATAGARASU: The Raven Does Not Choose Its Master
Welcome to Yamauchi, a world inhabited by the Yatagarasu, a race of three-legged ravens who shapeshift into humans. The land is divided into four regions—North, South, East, and West—each ruled by a noble family. Yukiya, the son of a leader in the North, is shocked by a call to attend to the Imperial Prince. Murder, mysteries, and an invasion from an unexpected enemy await in this epic fantasy.
- Season 1
- E1 - A Lady Out of Place
- E2 - The Blockhead Second Son
- E3 - A True Golden Raven
- E4 - An Imperial Council
- E5 - A Purge
- E6 - A Tanabata Invitation
- E7 - Falling
- E8 - The Intruder
- E9 - Lady Raven
- E10 - Assassinating the Prince
- E11 - The Loyal Retainer
- E12 - To Choose a Consort
- E13 - Ravens Shouldn't Wear Kimono
- E14 - The Taboo Elixir
- E15 - The Girl Who Lived
- E16 - Wisteria Arrows
- E17 - King of the Underground
- E18 - The World Outside
- E19 - A Well Run Dry
- E20 - The Golden Raven
Season 1
E1 - A Lady Out of Place
Source: Crunchyroll
Translator:
Editor:
Timer:
QC:
(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.)
[00:33] Yukiya
Yukichi!
[00:37] Yukiya
Yukichi! Yukichi!
[01:06] Yukiya
H-Help me.
[01:08] Yukiya
Please help.
[01:09] Yukiya
Save my brother!
[01:11] Yukiya
I beg you! I don't mind if I die! So please!
[01:33] Yukiya
A golden raven?
[01:41] Nazukihiko
Have no fear. I'll return
both of you to your nests.
[01:46] Nazukihiko
We may meet again someday.
[01:50] Nazukihiko
For now, forget and go to sleep.
SIGN YATAGARASU
SIGN The Raven
Does Not
Choose
Its Master
SIGN Yamauchi
[02:05] Narrator
Yamauchi.
SIGN The yatagarasu race
has long called
this land of
deep mountains home
[02:07] Narrator
The yatagarasu race has long called
this land of deep mountains home.
[02:18] Narrator
Once these strange, three-legged birds
took human form and trod the earth,
[02:26] Narrator
they tilled fields and built towns.
[02:31] Narrator
The lord of the yatagarasu is
called the kin'u: the Golden Raven.
SIGN The lord of the yatagarasu
is called the kin'u:
the Golden Raven
[02:36] Narrator
The kin'u wields supreme
authority in Yamauchi.
[02:40] Narrator
The title is passed from parent
to child, generation to generation.
[02:45] Narrator
The kin'u has long ruled the people well
and has brought plenty to Yamauchi.
[02:53] Narrator
Yet its history has also been replete with
scheming by those who flock to the throne.
[03:01] Narrator
The plots reach their height in
the choice of the crown prince's consort:
SIGN Rite of
Ascension
[03:06] Narrator
the Rite of Ascension.
[03:09] Narrator
Noblewomen contest a single place
at the future kin'u's side.
[03:16] Narrator
They shoulder their families' fates
in the fierce battle about to unfold.
SIGN Wisteria Hall, Cherry Blossom Palace
[03:29] Empress
What do you say to "Asebi"?
[03:32] Asebi
"Asebi"?
[03:34] Empress
As your alias.
[03:38] Empress
A lady who might marry
the Prince, however lowly,
[03:43] Empress
can hardly remain
a nameless second daughter.
[03:46] Empress
Or does my choice of name dissatisfy you?
[03:51] Asebi
P-Perish the thought!
[03:53] Asebi
A name from Your Majesty's own lips
honors me more than I deserve.
[03:58] Ladies-in-Waiting
Goodness.
[04:00] Ladies-in-Waiting
"Asebi," she said.
[04:00] Ladies-in-Waiting
Her Majesty took the joke too far.
[04:03] Ladies-in-Waiting
Does the girl not realize?
[04:04] Empress
Then, let it be so, Lady Asebi.
SIGN Spring Hall
[04:09] Empress
I leave the Spring Hall in your care.
[04:12] Asebi
Y-Yes, ma'am!
[04:14] Takimoto
Congratulations.
[04:17] Takimoto
Today, through the Rite of Ascension,
[04:19] Takimoto
you have formally entered contention
for His Highness's hand.
SIGN First daughter of
the Southern House
Hamayu
[04:24] Takimoto
First daughter of the
Southern House, Lady Hamayu.
SIGN First daughter of
the Western House
Masuho-no-Susuki
[04:27] Takimoto
First daughter of the Western House,
Lady Masuho-no-Susuki.
SIGN Third daughter of
the Northern House
Shiratama
[04:31] Takimoto
Third daughter of the
Northern House, Lady Shiratama.
SIGN Second daughter of
the Eastern House
Asebi
[04:34] Takimoto
And second daughter of
the Eastern House, Lady Asebi.
[04:38] Takimoto
Yet only one among you will be chosen.
[04:42] Takimoto
Here in the Cherry Blossom Palace,
you will spur each other to new heights,
[04:46] Takimoto
so that you may experience
a joyous day in one year's time.
SIGN The Empress
Her Majesty
Omurasaki
[05:04] Haruhito
Still, I can't help feeling lonely
without our guest of honor.
[05:10] Haruhito
I had hoped he would accept
the invitation for once.
[05:14] Genya
Honestly, what is His Highness thinking?
SIGN Lord of the North
Genya
[05:18] Genya
I wish he'd show the people sending him
their dear daughters some courtesy.
SIGN Lord of the East
Haruhito
[05:23] Haruhito
And I believe Lady Shiratama is only 14.
[05:26] Haruhito
You must worry for her.
SIGN Lord of the South
Toru
[05:28] Toru
He can't neglect the Four Houses
and still hope to govern.
[05:33] Toru
I don't doubt he'll realize that soon.
[05:35] Akira
Oh, I'm shaking in my boots!
SIGN Lord of the West
Akira
[05:37] Akira
Whatever are you plotting?
[05:40] Akira
In any case, there will be no hard feelings,
no matter whose daughter he chooses.
[05:48] Fujinami
Sister!
SIGN Princess
Fujinami
[05:53] Asebi
Your Highness!
[05:56] Fujinami
How many years has it been?
I never dreamed I'd get to see you here.
[06:00] Asebi
Forgive me. I didn't even write.
[06:02] Asebi
Seeing you well brings me
the greatest pleasure.
[06:05] Fujinami
Stop being so formal.
There's no need for ceremony between us.
[06:10] Asebi
Very well. Princess Fujinami, then.
[06:14] Fujinami
Still, you really have grown into a beauty.
[06:19] Fujinami
You're sure to catch my brother's...
I mean, His Highness's eye.
[06:24] Asebi
Really? Thank you.
[06:27] Asebi
But I wouldn't go that far.
[06:29] Fujinami
No, I mean it!
[06:31] Fujinami
I hope he chooses you.
[06:35] Fujinami
I mean, then we really would be sisters.
[06:40] Hamayu
You're busy winning over
His Highness's little sister already?
[06:45] Hamayu
Not half bad.
[06:47] Asebi
Um, aren't you the Southern House's—
[06:50] Fujinami
Lady Hamayu, you forget yourself.
[06:52] Hamayu
Do I? I hope you'll forgive me.
[06:59] Hamayu
You, uh, second daughter
of the Eastern House.
[07:03] Asebi
Y-Yes?
[07:05] Hamayu
Are you really happy to
receive a name like Asebi?
[07:11] Asebi
Yes. It's a lovely name.
[07:15] Hamayu
If that doesn't top it all!
[07:17] Fujinami
Hamayu!
[07:18] Asebi
Um, did I say something odd?
[07:21] Ukogi
My lady, allow me to explain—
[07:24] Masuho
You write "asebi" as
"horse intoxicating tree."
[07:32] Masuho
Asebi flowers have poison in them.
[07:37] Masuho
Nibbling on them makes
horses disgracefully drunk.
[07:42] Masuho
The flowers symbolize you.
And the horse...
[07:48] Hamayu
Tell her straight. Don't try to dress it up.
[07:50] Hamayu
The "horse" is the Prince.
[07:53] Asebi
What?
[07:54] Hamayu
"Just like brainless horses
get drunk eating asebi,
[07:58] Hamayu
a man of the Prince's caliber
will lose his wits over you."
[08:03] Hamayu
"So have at it."
[08:05] Hamayu
Basically, the Empress used
your alias to insult the Prince.
[08:12] Hamayu
It's just the sort of thing she would do.
[08:15] Asebi
What? His Highness, a horse? I never—
[08:18] Ukogi
My lady! You mustn't say another word!
[08:23] Asebi
Princess Fujinami...
[08:26] Masuho
What a shame. After hearing
her dear brother so insulted, well...
[08:32] Masuho
You aren't to blame.
Allow me to reintroduce myself.
[08:36] Masuho
I am Masuho-no-Susuki,
first daughter of the Western House.
[08:39] Asebi
Oh, I'm—
[08:41] Masuho
I love beautiful and charming things.
[08:45] Masuho
I think we could be great friends.
[08:48] Asebi
Y-Yes.
[08:50] Masuho
Still, my condolences on attracting
such unpleasant attention.
[08:55] Hamayu
Hah. There's that western "friendliness"!
[08:58] Masuho
Better a people pleaser
than a greedy southern boor.
[09:02] Hamayu
The Southern House is honest.
[09:04] Hamayu
We can't fake smiles that shamelessly.
[09:07] Masuho
How nice for you.
[09:08] Masuho
I suggest welcoming
His Highness with a frown, then.
[09:11] Asebi
U-Um...
[09:12] Hamayu
Yes, I think I will.
[09:13] Shiratama
They don't consider you a threat.
[09:16] Asebi
Lady Shiratama?
[09:18] Shiratama
They don't think either
of us could ever be chosen.
[09:26] Hamayu
That's enough.
Any more will spoil my drinks.
[09:31] Masuho
Well then, if you'll all excuse me.
SIGN Spring Hall, Cherry Blossom Palace
[09:48] Ukogi
I should have explained
the situation more clearly.
SIGN Eastern lady-in-waiting
Ukogi
[09:52] Ukogi
Everyone ascends to the palace
determined to be chosen.
[09:55] Ukogi
Every house leaps at the chance
to make one of its ladies a kin'u's bride.
[10:01] Asebi
I'm exhausted. I can't even tell what...
SIGN m 0 0 l 0 0 b 5 -3 10 -4 14 -4 l 42 51 b 38 51 33 52 27 56 l 0 0
SIGN The Singing Beak of Yamauchi
[10:07] Ukogi
The Singing Beak of Yamauchi.
We'll begin your studies here.
[10:11] Ukogi
Remember, my lady?
I read it to you when you were little.
[10:15] Asebi
Oh, the book that put me to sleep—
[10:18] Ukogi
My lady!
[10:19] Ukogi
We'll start with the absolute basics
and review Yamauchi's origins.
[10:24] Ukogi
Pay close attention.
[10:27] Ukogi
When the Mountain God visited this land,
water gushed from its peaks.
[10:33] Ukogi
Soon, trees, flowers,
and ears of rice hung heavy.
[10:38] Ukogi
The Mountain God named
the bounteous land Yamauchi,
[10:42] Ukogi
and appointed a golden raven
to rule it in his stead.
[10:46] Ukogi
The golden raven apportioned
lands to his four children.
[10:50] Ukogi
To the first, an eastern land
awash with flowers.
[10:53] Ukogi
To the second, a southern land
ripe with fruit.
[10:57] Ukogi
To the third, a western land
thick with rice.
[11:00] Ukogi
To the fourth, a northern land
gushing with springs.
[11:04] Ukogi
Thus began the domains of the Four Houses.
SIGN Royal House
SIGN Royal House
SIGN Northern
House
SIGN Northern
House
SIGN Eastern
House
SIGN Eastern
House
SIGN Southern
House
SIGN Southern
House
SIGN Western
House
SIGN Western
House
[11:07] Ukogi
Meanwhile, the golden raven
gained the name of "kin'u,"
[11:10] Ukogi
and his line would dwell on the
central peak, closest to the Mountain God.
[11:16] Ukogi
In contrast to the Four Houses,
this royal house...
[11:19] Ukogi
My lady! Are you awake?
[11:22] Asebi
O-Of course I am!
[11:24] Asebi
The kin'u serves the Mountain God,
maintaining peace in Yamauchi, right?
[11:29] Ukogi
Exactly.
[11:31] Ukogi
His Highness may be crown prince now,
[11:34] Ukogi
but he will accede as kin'u
before much longer.
[11:37] Ukogi
To become his consort is to
uphold the peace in Yamauchi.
[11:42] Ukogi
Every house that sends
a daughter takes pride in that.
[11:47] Ukogi
Or so they say in public.
[11:49] Asebi
Huh?
[11:50] Ukogi
This is war!
[11:52] Asebi
W-War?
[11:54] Ukogi
Royal authority touches all political
and economic life in Yamauchi.
[11:58] Ukogi
Naturally, the kin'u's consort
receives a share of that power.
[12:02] Asebi
You mean the Empress?
[12:06] Ukogi
Every consort brings vast wealth
and power to the house that sent her.
[12:13] Ukogi
Any children brings them even closer
to royalty as guardians and caretakers,
[12:19] Ukogi
and a male child will
become kin'u himself one day.
[12:23] Asebi
And that house's future will be secure.
[12:25] Ukogi
Precisely.
SIGN Royal House
SIGN Royal House
SIGN Northern
House
SIGN Northern
House
SIGN Eastern
House
SIGN Eastern
House
SIGN Southern
House
SIGN Southern
House
SIGN Western
House
SIGN Western
House
[12:27] Ukogi
So this rite is a proxy war by ladies
on behalf of the Four Houses!
[12:35] Asebi
That explains it. No wonder they don't take
a provincial know-nothing like me seriously.
[12:39] Ukogi
You mustn't lose heart!
[12:41] Lady-in-waiting 1
My lady.
[12:43] Lady-in-waiting 1
Lady Masuho-no-Susuki of the Autumn Hall
has sent you a gift by way of greeting.
[12:51] Asebi
A sappanwood red gown!
[12:53] Asebi
And look at this fine embroidery!
[12:56] Ukogi
Wh-Wh-Why, it's magnificent!
[12:58] Ukogi
Oh, whatever shall we send in return?
[13:00] Masuho
I am hosting a tea party tomorrow.
[13:03] Masuho
Please feel free to attend.
[13:07] Asebi
I've never been to
a friend's tea party before!
[13:10] Asebi
What a wonderful person
Lady Masuho-no-Susuki turned out to be!
[13:30] Empress
I see a "Lady Raven" has slipped
into the palace this time.
[13:36] Empress
We hardly need panic to remove her.
[13:40] Empress
Her presence may nudge things
in the right direction.
SIGN His Reigning Majesty
[13:54] Empress
Let us enjoy her antics to the fullest,
[13:58] Empress
along with His Highness's own performance.
[14:20] Kikuno
Lady Shiratama presents this incense.
SIGN Autumn Hall, Cherry Blossom Palace
[14:25] Cha-no-Hana
The Northern House has
treasured it for generations.
SIGN Northern lady-in-waiting
Cha-no-Hana
[14:28] Cha-no-Hana
Its production and composition remain
the most closely guarded of secrets.
[14:32] Cha-no-hana
We bring it today especially for your—
[14:35] Masuho
It certainly is an uncommon fragrance.
[14:38] Masuho
Perhaps a bit heavy on cloves.
[14:40] Masuho
Well, it reminds me of kurobo,
so I can guess at its composition.
SIGN Western lady-in-waiting
Kikuno
[14:48] Masuho
Shiratama, what do you think of my incense?
[14:51] Shiratama
A bit heavy on musk, perhaps.
[14:54] Shiratama
And it rather reminds me of jasmine.
[14:57] Masuho
I'm impressed you can tell.
[14:59] Kikuno
Lady Masuho-no-Susuki
compounded it herself.
[15:03] Asebi
What are they doing, Ukogi?
[15:05] Ukogi
Identifying the elements
of incense as a game.
[15:07] Ukogi
Oh, I was right to have
a bad feeling about this.
[15:10] Masuho
Lady Asebi, would you tell us
about your fragrance?
[15:14] Asebi
Yes!
[15:16] Asebi
Oh, I'm sorry. I don't really know.
[15:22] Asebi
I do use incense, but...
[15:24] Asebi
What could it be?
[15:25] Asebi
Not musk or anything so costly,
I shouldn't think.
[15:29] Masuho
Surely you jest.
What noble doesn't know their incense?
[15:33] Lady-in-waiting
I can't believe it. Has the Eastern House
fallen on such hard times?
[15:37] Ukogi
Begging your pardon...
[15:38] Ukogi
The Eastern House has ancient
and noble incense traditions of its own,
[15:43] Ukogi
but my lady was a somewhat delicate child
and has little experience with them.
[15:50] Masuho
My, what a pity.
[15:53] Masuho
The doll festival is almost upon us,
so use that to ward off evil influences.
[15:58] Asebi
I actually have them with me.
[16:01] Asebi
My dolls for the festival.
[16:09] Lady-in-waiting
How shabby. Practically peasant dolls.
[16:13] Lady-in-waiting
Leave her be. The provincial set
can't produce anything better.
[16:20] Masuho
Lady Asebi, are you certain...
[16:23] Masuho
you really belong here?
[16:28] Shiratama
Oh dear. I do beg your pardon.
[16:31] Kikuno
My lady's favorite Grey Heron teacup!
[16:34] Masuho
Enough, Kikuno. You're making a scene.
[16:38] Ukogi
My lady!
[16:39] Ukogi
Ow.
[16:39] Ukogi
My lady!
[16:53] Hamayu
Let me guess. Someone's been bullying you?
[16:58] Hamayu
Was it Masuho-no-Susuki or Shiratama?
[17:07] Asebi
I have no right to be here.
[17:12] Asebi
My older sister was supposed to come.
[17:14] Asebi
But she fell ill.
[17:16] Asebi
I took her place at the last minute.
[17:19] Asebi
I felt so happy.
[17:21] Asebi
I've lived in a country villa
for as long as I can remember.
[17:26] Asebi
I had nothing but worrywart
ladies-in-waiting for company.
[17:29] Asebi
I barely ever got to go outside
and play with other children my age.
[17:35] Asebi
But it's no use.
[17:37] Asebi
I stand out like a sore thumb.
[17:39] Hamayu
Will you take your leave, then?
[17:45] Hamayu
Come to think of it, we have one other
out-of-place person this time.
[17:51] Hamayu
Someone they say turned witless
on a long trip abroad.
[17:56] Hamayu
Someone who everyone calls
an unbelievable fool.
[18:02] Hamayu
The Prince.
[18:04] Asebi
His Highness?
[18:05] Hamayu
It's not exactly a secret.
[18:08] Hamayu
You really don't know anything, do you?
[18:12] Hamayu
Then, I guess this will be news to you.
[18:15] Hamayu
The Prince wasn't anyone's first choice
to succeed the current kin'u.
[18:21] Hamayu
He's a second son.
[18:24] Hamayu
His brother who's five years older
should be the heir.
[18:29] Hamayu
The brother was a razor-sharp kid.
They said he'd make a great ruler one day.
[18:36] Hamayu
But for whatever reason,
the royal priests declared the infant prince
[18:42] Hamayu
more worthy to inherit than his brother.
[18:46] Hamayu
Even though the older prince's mother
is the kin'u's wife, the Empress,
[18:50] Hamayu
while his younger brother
was born to a concubine.
[18:55] Hamayu
I hear it caused a panic in the Center.
[18:57] Hamayu
Factions formed and split the court in two.
[19:03] Hamayu
In the end, the older brother lost the
power struggle and had to become a priest.
[19:11] Asebi
So that's why Her Majesty used
my name as a slight to His Highness.
[19:16] Asebi
I feel terrible for the elder prince.
[19:18] Hamayu
Well, officially, they settled everything,
[19:22] Hamayu
but who knows how he really feels?
[19:26] Hamayu
You never know what might
happen during this rite.
[19:31] Asebi
And you, Lady Hamayu?
[19:32] Hamayu
Consider me a spectator.
[19:40] Hamayu
Oh, and there was one other rumor.
[19:43] Hamayu
I hear the foolish prince is a real kin'u.
[19:51] Asebi
"Real"?
SIGN The North
[20:24] Yukimasa
My lord.
[20:26] Genya
Oh, Yukimasa. In good health, I hope?
[20:29] Yukimasa
Yes, sir.
[20:30] Yukimasa
I cannot thank you enough
for inviting me here today.
SIGN Lord of Taruhi Village
in the North
Yukimasa
[20:34] Yukimasa
Have you just returned from the Center?
SIGN Mansion of the Northern House
[20:36] Genya
Yes. The Rite of Ascension
makes life hectic.
[20:41] Genya
By the way, Yukimasa...
[20:43] Yukimasa
Sir?
[20:43] Genya
Did your boys come with you?
[20:46] Yukimasa
O-Of course.
[20:49] Genya
I can't wait to see them.
[20:51] Genya
Yukiya moaned about stomach trouble
and excused himself last year.
[20:56] Genya
He must have done a lot of growing.
[21:00] Yukimasa
Where has that blockhead gone?
SIGN The Lord of Taruhi Village's
second son
Yukiya
[21:04] Yukiya
So, um, you're saying you won't pay,
no matter what?
[21:10] Lackey 1
We told you, you've got it all wrong.
[21:13] Lackey 2
As if we'd ever dine-and-dash
at this peasant kid's place.
[21:17] Child
Liar! I know you took our mochi!
[21:20] Kazumaro
Enough!
[21:21] Kazumaro
You hill ravens owe us court ravens
every hospitality, anyway.
[21:27] Kazumaro
Even if I did eat your mochi,
what's so wrong with that?
[21:30] Yukiya
Excuse me.
[21:33] Yukiya
A lot of people saw you,
so it's an open-and-shut case.
[21:38] Yukiya
Won't you please pay for the mochi?
[21:43] Kazumaro
You hill ravens don't know your place.
[21:46] Lackey 2
Come on.
[21:47] Child
Y-Yukiya!
[21:48] Yukiya
Don't worry. We can talk this out.
[22:01] Yukima
Yukiya, are you okay?
[22:03] Yukichi
Yukiya!
[22:05] Yukiya
Huh?
[22:06] Yukiya
Big brother? Yukichi? What's the matter?
SIGN The Lord of Taruhi Village's
eldest son
Yukima
[22:10] Yukima
You idiot! Why do you
always put yourself in danger?
[22:13] Yukichi
It's not Yukiya's fault!
SIGN The Lord of Taruhi Village's
third son
Yukichi
[22:15] Yukichi
Just 'cause they're court ravens
from the Center,
[22:18] Yukichi
they made fun of us and
threw their weight around.
[22:20] Yukiya
Hey, isn't today...
[22:23] Yukiya
the Northern House's banquet?
[22:25] Yukima
Yeah. But with a face like that...
[22:30] Yukiya
And those court ravens
will be there, too, right?
[22:35] Yukima
Hey, this better not be another of your...
[22:38] Yukiya
Don't be silly, Big Brother.
I'm not planning anything.
[22:42] Yukiya
Well, I'll see you there.
[22:49] Yukima
Yukiya!
[22:54] Yukiya
Ugh. I knew this would hurt.
[24:30] Narrator
The Northern House puts forward
Lady Shiratama as consort.
[24:34] Narrator
After causing a scene at the banquet,
[24:37] Narrator
Yukiya is ordered to wait
on the "foolish" prince.
[24:43] Narrator
Yukiya and the Prince.
[24:45] Narrator
Their strange fate is set in motion.
SIGN The Blockhead
SIGN Second Son
[24:50] Narrator
Next time: "The Blockhead Second Son."
SIGN YATAGARASU:
The Raven
Does Not
Choose
Its Master
SIGN Illustration: Natsuki
E2 - The Blockhead Second Son
Source: Crunchyroll
Translator:
Editor:
Timer:
QC:
(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.)
[00:05] Kazumaro
You hill ravens don't know your place.
SIGN YATAGARASU
SIGN The Raven
Does Not
Choose
Its Master
SIGN Mansion of the Northern House
[01:48] Yukimasa
You little blockhead!
[01:51] Yukiya
I, uh, tripped and fell.
[01:54] Yukimasa
What did you fall on
to do that to your face?!
[01:57] Yukimasa
Why are you always getting into trouble?!
[02:00] Azusa
Dear.
[02:01] Azusa
I'm sure he has a reason.
SIGN Wife of the Lord of Taruhi Village
Azusa
[02:04] Yukimasa
A-Anyway, keep your head down
in front of His Lordship.
[02:07] Yukimasa
Don't make a scene. Is that clear?
[02:10] Yukiya
Sure.
[02:13] Yukimasa
Permit me to congratulate you on
Lady Shiratama's safe entry into the palace.
[02:20] Genya
Yes, this opportunity won't come again.
[02:24] Genya
We must see that Shiratama
marries His Highness at any cost.
SIGN Wife of the Lord of the North
Lady Oryo
[02:29] Oryo
Dear.
[02:30] Genya
Hm? Oh!
[02:36] Genya
Dear me. How could I forget myself
in the presence of royalty?
[02:41] Natsuka
I don't mind.
[02:44] Natsuka
Friendly rivalry among the Four Houses
keeps Yamauchi prosperous and secure.
SIGN Priest of Clear Mirror Temple
Natsuka
[02:49] Natsuka
It must please the Mountain God, as well.
[02:53] Genya
To celebrate Shiratama's
entry into the palace,
[02:56] Genya
the Royal House's eldest son
sped from the Center to join us.
[03:00] Genya
This is Lord Natsuka
of Clear Mirror Temple.
[03:02] Yukimasa
L-Lord Natsuka?!
[03:04] Natsuka
Lord Genya has told me of you.
[03:07] Natsuka
I hear you have three sons that are
all promising scholars and warriors.
[03:11] Yukimasa
Oh, you give them far too much credit.
[03:13] Genya
No need for modesty.
[03:16] Genya
Since we're all here,
let them greet Lord Natsuka.
[03:20] Yukimasa
W-Well, you see...
[03:29] Oryo
Yukiya, why are you crying?
[03:32] Yukiya
I'm sorry. It was all my fault!
[03:35] Genya
Y-Yukiya? What happened to your face?
[03:42] Yukiya
I offended a court raven.
[03:45] Genya
A court raven?
[03:47] Yukiya
Yes, sir.
[03:48] Yukiya
He partook of mochi in
the marketplace this morning.
[03:52] Yukiya
But he forgot to pay,
so I ran after him to present his bill, and...
[03:58] Genya
He beat you?
[04:00] Yukiya
But it was my own fault.
[04:02] Yukiya
I must have been rude,
because he took offense.
[04:05] Lackey 1
He's no hill crow!
He's the village lord's kid!
[04:09] Yukiya
If I wasn't such a blockhead,
[04:11] Yukiya
Lord Kazumaro wouldn't have
skipped out on his bill or beaten me.
[04:15] Yukiya
So I say to him: please don't
do anything else to my family!
[04:19] Yukiya
I'm so sorry!
[04:24] Genya
You imbeciles!
[04:26] Genya
Is that any way to treat
law-abiding subjects?!
[04:32] Kazumichi
You idiot!
SIGN Head of the Kitashijo Family
Kazumichi
[04:33] Kazumichi
What did you think you were doing?!
[04:36] Kazumaro
Please forgive me. But—
[04:38] Kazumichi
No excuses!
[04:40] Kazumichi
You can forget about
attending to the Prince after this!
[04:44] Kazumichi
Do you realize how hard
I worked to arrange that?
[04:47] Kazumaro
Wh-What? No...
[04:53] Genya
How are your bruises, Yukiya?
[04:56] Yukiya
Well, pretty sore, I guess.
[04:59] Oryo
I'm glad they're not worse.
[05:01] Oryo
But we must find someone
to replace Kazumaro at once.
[05:05] Genya
Indeed we must.
[05:07] Genya
But we can't send just anyone
to wait on His Highness.
[05:12] Yukimasa
And all because of my little idiot.
[05:14] Natsuka
You have nothing to be
ashamed of, Sir Yukimasa.
[05:17] Yukimasa
L-Lord Natsuka. F-Forgive me
for that disgraceful spectacle.
[05:21] Natsuka
Oh, I quite enjoyed the show.
[05:25] Natsuka
But young Yukiya must learn to
behave appropriately for the occasion.
[05:30] Yukiya
Am I really that rude?
[05:33] Yukimasa
Shh!
[05:34] Natsuka
So I have a suggestion.
[05:36] Natsuka
Why not send Yukiya to wait on the Prince
and learn manners while he does?
[05:43] Yukiya
Huh?
[05:44] Oryo
What a splendid idea.
[05:46] Genya
Now why didn't I think of that?
[05:49] Genya
Yukiya, start with a year
in His Highness's service.
[05:53] Yukiya
P-Please, not so fast! I didn't mean to—
[05:57] Azusa
What a wonderful offer.
Don't you agree, dear?
[06:00] Yukimasa
Hm? Y-Yes.
[06:04] Yukimasa
You've made your bed. Now lie in it.
[06:06] Yukimasa
And don't even think about giving in
and leaving before your year is up,
[06:11] Yukimasa
or it's Unbending Reed Monastery for you.
[06:13] Yukiya
What?!
[06:14] Yukiya
Please, I can't take—
[06:16] Yukima
He can do a lot when he sets
his mind to it. Please take him.
[06:19] Yukichi
Please!
[06:21] Yukiya
I took it too far!
SIGN Spring Hall, Cherry Blossom Palace
[06:31] Ukogi
My lady, you'll catch a chill.
[06:35] Asebi
Look. When we arrived,
the cherry trees were in full bloom.
[06:40] Ukogi
So they were.
[06:43] Asebi
When will the Prince pay us a visit?
[06:46] Asebi
And what is he even like?
[06:49] Asebi
Rumor says he is "an unbelievable fool."
[06:52] Ukogi
My lady, you must not
put stock in such rumors.
SIGN Lady of the
Spring Hall
[06:57] Ukogi
Only royalty may use the color purple.
[07:07] Asebi
"Many demands on my time keep me
from the Cherry Blossom Palace."
[07:11] Asebi
"Please take care of your health."
[07:16] Ukogi
Empty pleasantries.
[07:19] Ukogi
Well, at least now we know
His Highness has some common courtesy.
[07:27] Asebi
What a lovely scent.
[07:29] Asebi
I hope to meet him soon.
[07:33] Referee
Begin!
[07:38] Girl 2
Yukima!
[07:39] Girls
Go, Yukima!
[07:41] Yukichi
Get him, Big Brother!
[07:43] Yukiya
How did I end up in this mess?
SIGN Lineal grandson of
the Lord of the North
Kiei
[07:46] Kiei
What are you moping about?
[07:50] Kiei
You're a lucky boy.
[07:52] Kiei
Even Central nobles have trouble
landing a place in His Highness's household.
[07:58] Kiei
And the Rite of Ascension only
comes around once every few decades.
[08:03] Kiei
You ought to be dancing for joy.
[08:06] Yukiya
Uh-huh.
[08:10] Referee
One point to red!
[08:13] Yukiya
I just wanted to make him
pay for the mochi, though.
[08:18] Yukiya
And if a noble who thought Taruhi
belonged to him also caught hell for it,
[08:25] Yukiya
I would've been satisfied.
[08:27] Referee
Halt!
[08:29] Yukichi
Nice going, Big Brother!
[08:30] Friends
Go!
[08:30] Kiei
Northern kids sure are a lively bunch.
[08:31] Friends
Get him!
[08:33] Kiei
I know how much your home means to you,
[08:36] Kiei
but what you learn in the Center
will help Taruhi for certain.
[08:43] Referee
One point to white!
[08:45] Kiei
And I'd appreciate it, too.
[08:48] Yukiya
Huh?
[08:49] Kiei
Lady Shiratama may be gorgeous,
[08:51] Kiei
but looks alone won't get her chosen
out of the Cherry Blossom Palace.
[08:55] Kiei
If you serve beside His Highness
and work to better her chances,
[08:59] Kiei
I couldn't ask for better help.
[09:02] Yukiya
I'm just the second son
of a country gentleman.
[09:05] Kiei
Don't be silly, Yukiya.
You're the Northern House's—
[09:08] Yukiya
I'd better get going.
[09:10] Yukiya
Can you really afford
to take it easy, Lord Kiei?
[09:14] Yukiya
I thought you planned to
return before the day is out.
[09:16] Kiei
T-True.
[09:18] Yukiya
Well, I'll take the job.
[09:21] Yukiya
I don't want any part of
Unbending Reed Monastery.
[09:24] Yukiya
I mean, combat drills
every day for three years?
[09:27] Yukiya
A year of palace service
sounds a whole lot better.
[09:34] Yukiya
So don't worry about me.
[09:36] Yukiya
Have a safe trip.
[09:39] Kiei
What a funny kid.
[09:42] Referee
One point to white!
[09:43] Referee
As the first to score two points, white wins!
[09:45] Referee
Bow!
[09:48] Yukima
You're always such
a strong competitor, Ichiryu.
SIGN Of Shimaki Village
in the North
Ichiryu
[09:51] Ichiryu
That doesn't mean much
coming from a Taruhi bumpkin.
[09:55] Ichiryu
That hurt!
[09:56] Girls
Watch what you say about Yukima!
[09:56] Girls
Dummy!
[09:58] Ichiryu
What's their problem?
[10:00] Friend 1
Nice work, Ichiryu.
[10:01] Ichiryu
Hm?
[10:02] Friend 2
Still, Yukima looks cool even when he loses.
[10:05] Friend 2
That's the next lord of Taruhi for you.
[10:07] Ichiryu
Hey! I'm the winner here!
[10:09] Friend 3
The "future lord's" kid brother has a match.
[10:12] Friend 3
Wanna go laugh at him?
[10:16] Yukichi
Hang in there, Yukiya!
[10:18] Yukima
Keep your guard up! Don't lower your arms!
[10:24] Friend 1
He's got no fire in his eyes.
[10:26] Friend 2
Talk about lucky.
[10:27] Friend 2
If a beating from some noble
gets you a palace job, I'll take ten.
[10:32] Ichiryu
No way it's that easy, doofus.
[10:37] Ichiryu
Did you know Yukiya's got a different mother
from the other two Taruhi boys?
[10:44] Ichiryu
And rumor has it
she was a real highborn lady.
[10:48] Ichiryu
So if you ask me,
it's no wonder they picked him.
[10:53] Friend 3
Maybe he planned it?
[10:55] Friend 3
Figured taking a few licks here
would land him a big chance?
[10:59] Ichiryu
How should I know?
[11:02] Ichiryu
Still, he can't be too happy.
[11:05] Ichiryu
All that highborn blood, and he's stuck
as a second son out in the sticks.
[11:10] Ichiryu
He'll have a chance
to make friends in the Center.
[11:12] Ichiryu
He might be hoping to at least swipe
the lordship from his big brother.
[11:18] Friend 1
Yikes! We've got
a succession dispute coming.
[11:29] Friend 1
I'm starving.
[11:30] Friend 1
Let's grab a bite.
[11:43] Yukiya
Sure is nice of you, Ichiryu,
giving me a lesson like this.
[11:49] Yukiya
I'm glad I worked up the nerve to ask you.
[11:51] Ichiryu
I'm not gonna waste
much time on you.
[11:54] Ichiryu
Still, couldn't you just ask
Yukima to train with you?
[11:57] Yukiya
You and my brother
are on different levels.
[12:09] Yukiya
Okay, then.
[12:14] Yukima
Yukiya sure is late.
[12:22] Ichiryu
Talk about a fluke.
[12:24] Ichiryu
Try taking the offensive this time.
[12:27] Yukiya
You want me to attack?
[12:45] Yukiya
You said you'd train me, right, Ichiryu?
[12:48] Yukiya
Come on. Show me the next move already.
[13:00] Yukiya
You've got some nerve,
saying all that during my match.
[13:04] Ichiryu
You heard that?
[13:06] Yukiya
Well, when you're shouting
that loudly, how could I not?
[13:12] Ichiryu
We were just chatting, you know?
[13:15] Ichiryu
Ow!
[13:17] Yukiya
You think I want to "swipe
the lordship" from my brother?
[13:20] Yukiya
Just because my mother
came from a good family?
[13:22] Ichiryu
N-No, we all know that'd never happen.
[13:27] Ichiryu
We were kidding. Kidding.
[13:29] Yukiya
Kidding, huh?
[13:31] Yukiya
It seems pretty silly to me, too.
[13:34] Yukiya
Everything changing just
because of how you were born.
[13:37] Yukiya
But some people really do trade on that.
[13:41] Yukiya
Bloodlines, families,
hill ravens and court ravens...
[13:45] Yukiya
They use all that
as an excuse to live it up,
[13:49] Yukiya
and they don't care if they
split up people's families to do it.
[13:53] (Flashback) Young Yukiya
Help, Mother!
[13:55] (Flashback) Azusa
Please stop! Give Yukiya back to me!
[13:58] (Flashback) Relative
Yukiya is too heavy a burden
for your family. We will raise him.
[14:03] Yukiya
Do you know how much pain people
spouting idle gossip has caused my family?
[14:10] (Flashback) Maid
The mistress sure is a strange one,
doting on a son that's not even hers.
[14:16] Yukiya
Listen up, Ichiryu!
[14:18] Yukiya
I'll never leave for the Center,
and I'll never take my brother's place.
[14:23] Yukiya
I'll spend my whole life as the second
Taruhi brother, propping him up.
[14:26] Yukiya
I'll work under him till
they bury my bones in Taruhi.
[14:31] Yukiya
My family has no succession disputes,
and it never will.
[14:44] Yukima
Stop!
[14:46] Yukima
Haven't you done enough?
Ichiryu didn't mean any harm.
[14:51] Yukiya
Is that an order?
[14:56] Yukima
Yes.
[14:57] Yukima
I'm speaking as the future lord
of Taruhi. Stop, Yukiya.
[15:05] Yukiya
Understood.
[15:19] Yukichi
Big Brother!
[15:21] Yukiya
Hey.
[15:22] Taruhi Boy 1
Aren't you a bit old to get lost?
[15:25] Taruhi Boy 2
Yukiya's hopeless.
[15:27] Yukiya
Ah, sorry, sorry.
[15:40] Yukiya
Are you still awake, Mother?
[15:43] Azusa
Yukiya?
[15:47] Azusa
You came at the perfect time.
[15:51] Azusa
A bit long in the sleeve, do you think?
[15:54] Azusa
But boys grow so fast.
[15:57] Yukiya
I'll only be gone for a year.
[15:59] Yukiya
And you don't need
to sew my clothes yourself.
[16:02] Azusa
What are you talking about?
[16:04] Azusa
I'm happy for you. I always wanted you
to experience the outside world.
[16:11] Azusa
You must have been so bored all this time.
[16:16] Yukiya
I doubt I'll live up to your expectations.
[16:19] Yukiya
The Prince has lots of attendants, anyway.
[16:22] Azusa
True.
[16:23] Yukiya
I might come home sooner than you think.
[16:27] Azusa
I don't mind either way.
[16:29] Yukiya
Huh?
[16:30] Azusa
Your mother is proud of you.
[16:33] Azusa
Take care over there.
[16:36] Azusa
Do your best to serve His Highness.
[16:41] Yukiya
I will.
SIGN Winter Hall, Cherry Blossom Palace
[16:52] Lady-in-Waiting
How beautiful.
[16:55] Lady-in-Waiting
As lovely as the pearls you're
named for, Lady Shiratama.
[16:59] Cha-no-Hana
My lady.
[17:06] Cha-no-Hana
I bring good news.
[17:09] Cha-no-Hana
His Highness's new attendant
will come from Taruhi.
[17:14] Cha-no-Hana
A child of a lady of the Northern House
who passed some time ago.
[17:18] Shiratama
Will he be of any use, I wonder?
[17:21] Shiratama
I hear His Highness can be difficult.
[17:24] Cha-no-Hana
Have no fear. We have agents
gathering intelligence in many quarters.
[17:31] Cha-no-Hana
All is well. Nothing will stand between
Your Ladyship and a royal marriage.
SIGN Autumn Hall, Cherry Blossom Palace
[17:42] Kikuno
Almost complete, I see.
[17:45] Masuho
Stop that, Kikuno.
You'll make me complacent.
[17:49] Masuho
I'm at the most important part.
[17:52] Kikuno
I suppose you have
spent a whole year on it.
[17:55] Masuho
His Highness is no fool.
[17:58] Masuho
Once he sees this,
[18:00] Masuho
he's certain to realize
who cares for him the most.
SIGN Summer Hall, Cherry Blossom Palace
[18:10] Karamushi
Have you considered
drinking in moderation?
[18:14] Karamushi
Don't tell me you've forgotten
your role, Miss Hamayu?
SIGN Southern Lady-in-Waiting
Karamushi
[18:19] Hamayu
You mean "Lady Hamayu."
[18:22] Hamayu
You serve me. Don't forget that.
[18:28] Hamayu
Don't worry. I won't forget.
[18:31] Hamayu
But what can I do when
the Prince won't show himself?
[18:38] Hamayu
What a self-serving man.
SIGN Spring Hall, Cherry Blossom Palace
[18:52] Yukimasa
Kiei is waiting for you in the Center.
[18:55] Yukimasa
He'll be of help to you,
so mind your manners.
[18:59] Yukiya
Yes, yes.
[19:00] Yukimasa
The court isn't like Taruhi.
[19:03] Yukimasa
Don't loiter around in
your feather robe or shift shape.
[19:07] Yukimasa
Especially not in front of nobles.
[19:09] Yukiya
Yes, yes, yes.
[19:11] Yukimasa
Remember, if you get sent home in
under a year, it's the monastery for you.
[19:16] Yukimasa
They'll drill better sense into you there.
[19:19] Yukiya
Ugh.
[19:23] Yukimasa
That's the Central Mountain,
heart of Yamauchi.
SIGN Main Gate, Imperial Court
[19:58] Kiei
What are you doing? This way.
[20:01] Yukiya
Oh, r-right.
SIGN Sunrise Palace
[20:12] Yukiya
This is the Sunrise Palace, right?
[20:15] Kiei
Yeah.
[20:16] Yukiya
Kind of empty, isn't it?
[20:18] Yukiya
There's not even a gatekeeper.
[20:21] Yukiya
Come to think of it, I don't know
the first thing about His Highness.
[20:25] Yukiya
Everyone I ask says they don't either.
[20:35] Sumio
Thank you for your efforts, Sir Kiei.
[20:39] Kiei
And to you, for all you do.
[20:41] Kiei
I brought the new attendant.
[20:44] Yukiya
Yukiya of Taruhi, at your service.
[20:48] Sumio
I am Sumio of the Yamauchi Guard,
His Highness's personal guard.
SIGN Yamauchi Guard
Sumio
[20:54] Sumio
I realize this is sudden,
but may I take charge of Sir Yukiya now?
[20:58] Kiei
Of course.
[20:59] Kiei
Well then, Yukiya, best of luck.
[21:03] Yukiya
Huh?
[21:06] Sumio
Shall we be going, Sir Yukiya?
[21:20] Yukiya
Um... Where is everyone else?
[21:25] Yukiya
The palace seems awfully quiet.
How many people serve here?
[21:31] Sumio
Two.
[21:32] Yukiya
Huh?
[21:33] Sumio
By "two," I mean me and you.
[21:36] Yukiya
W-Wait a minute.
[21:38] Yukiya
What about the other attendants?
[21:40] Yukiya
I heard you had around ten young
noblemen serving here a month ago.
[21:46] Sumio
They all quit or were dismissed.
[21:49] Yukiya
Huh.
[21:49] Sumio
Three hung on until just a few days ago,
[21:54] Sumio
but between chronic illnesses
flaring up and family circumstances...
[22:03] Sumio
His Highness resides here.
[22:07] Sumio
Your Highness.
[22:09] Sumio
I have brought the new attendant.
[22:12] Nazukihiko
Enter.
[22:35] Nazukihiko
So you're finally here.
[22:42] Yukiya
It is an honor to meet Your Highness.
I am Yukiya of Taruhi.
SIGN His Highness
The Crown Prince
[22:48] Nazukihiko
I've been waiting for you, Yukiya of Taruhi.
[24:31] Narrator
Yukiya has left his village
and entered the Prince's service.
[24:36] Narrator
Yet the palace swirls with
dark rumors surrounding the Kin'u.
[24:43] Narrator
In the Cherry Blossom Palace, forbidden
to men, Yukiya learns of the ladies' sorrow.
SIGN A True
SIGN Golden Raven
[24:50] Narrator
Next time: "A True Golden Raven."
SIGN YATAGARASU:
The Raven
Does Not
Choose
Its Master
SIGN Illustration: Natsuki
E3 - A True Golden Raven
Source: Crunchyroll
Translator:
Editor:
Timer:
QC:
(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.)
[00:01] (Flashback) Young Natsuka
A prince said, "When a kin'u
is born, drought follows."
[00:06] (Flashback) Young Natsuka
"When a kin'u is born, floods follow."
[00:09] (Flashback) Young Natsuka
"When a kin'u is born, great strife follows
and many yatagarasu perish."
[00:16] (Flashback) Young Natsuka
How sad.
[00:19] (Flashback) Young Natsuka
Tell me, Grandfather, why does disaster
befall Yamauchi when a kin'u is born?
[00:25] (Flashback) Young Natsuka
Aren't kin'u meant to protect us yatagarasu?
[00:28] (Flashback) Young Natsuka
Why are kin'u born?
[00:31] (Flashback) Young Natsuka
Why is my younger brother one of them?
SIGN YATAGARASU
SIGN The Raven
Does Not
Choose
Its Master
[02:22] Nazukihiko
I know you just arrived,
but I want you to do some things for me.
[02:25] Yukiya
Oh, um, of course.
[02:32] Yukiya
I figured the Crown Prince
would be living in the lap of luxury.
[02:37] Yukiya
This isn't what I pictured.
[02:41] Nazukihiko
This is your first task.
[02:44] Nazukihiko
I want you to water my plants
with water from that well.
[02:46] Nazukihiko
But only the ones in the white pots.
[02:49] Yukiya
Only the white ones?
[02:51] Nazukihiko
Yes. Give the blue ones
water from the falls.
[02:53] Yukiya
Falls?
[02:59] Nazukihiko
I have two of each plant,
one in a white pot and one in a blue.
[03:02] Nazukihiko
Don't give any the wrong water.
[03:04] Nazukihiko
Also...
[03:06] Nazukihiko
This well isn't for drinking from.
[03:08] Nazukihiko
Try the jugs in the annex
if you get thirsty.
[03:12] Yukiya
I understand.
[03:14] Yukiya
In that case, I'll get—
[03:20] Nazukihiko
Sumio and I are going out.
[03:22] Nazukihiko
We'll drop in again in the afternoon,
so have the room clean by then.
[03:27] Yukiya
Right.
[03:28] Nazukihiko
Sort the books and
put them back on their shelves.
[03:31] Nazukihiko
And I want you to collect
a letter addressed to me.
[03:34] Nazukihiko
It should arrive at the
Civil Bureau before noon.
[03:36] Yukiya
The where now?
[03:37] Nazukihiko
I borrowed some of these books
from the library. Return them.
[03:41] Nazukihiko
When you do, give the official
a list of the next batch I want,
[03:45] Nazukihiko
and deliver this to the Ministry of
Ceremonies while he fetches them.
[03:48] Yukiya
Right.
[03:48] Nazukihiko
My afternoon mail should have
arrived by then, so collect that, too.
[03:52] Nazukihiko
Oh, and I could use some more paper.
[03:54] Yukiya
Uh...
[03:55] Nazukihiko
Once back at the Sunrise Palace,
open the letters and sort them by urgency.
[04:00] Nazukihiko
Clean the stable and change the water.
[04:03] Nazukihiko
If the horse trough and the jugs both run dry,
fetch water from the falls at once.
[04:09] Nazukihiko
Any questions?
[04:10] Yukiya
Um... All by myself?
[04:13] Nazukihiko
Do you see anyone else?
[04:17] Sumio
Your Highness, Sir Yukiya
has only just arrived.
[04:21] Nazukihiko
If you can't do it, leave here at once.
We will both be better off that way.
[04:25] Nazukihiko
You needn't hold back.
[04:27] Yukiya
What do you mean?
[04:28] Yukiya
I'll do my best, of course, but—
[04:31] Nazukihiko
Your effort doesn't interest me.
[04:35] Nazukihiko
I care whether you make
yourself useful to me.
[04:38] Nazukihiko
Can you do it or can't you?
[04:42] Yukiya
May I suggest Your Highness
confirms the answer with your own eyes?
[04:51] Nazukihiko
Sumio.
[04:52] Sumio
Of course.
[04:53] Sumio
This sash marks you
as the Prince's attendant.
[04:56] Sumio
Wearing it will grant you entry
to most places at court.
[05:00] Sumio
Stop by the kitchens
if you get hungry. And—
[05:03] Yukiya
I'll be fine.
[05:04] Yukiya
Please, go out as you planned.
[05:07] Yukiya
I have no time to waste.
[05:11] Nazukihiko
All right. I pray you're not a blockhead.
[05:15] Yukiya
So long. Take care.
[05:19] Yukiya
This goes on the shelf.
This goes to the library.
[05:23] Yukiya
Damn it. "Blockhead" irritates me
coming from him.
[05:31] Yukiya
Ow, ow, ow.
[05:34] Yukiya
I don't wanna get it dirty.
[05:41] Yukiya
My feather robe's good enough.
[05:46] Yukiya
White.
[05:47] Yukiya
White. White. White.
[05:50] Yukiya
Man, why couldn't he just
make them all white?
[05:53] Yukiya
Huh?
[05:57] (Flashback) Yukimasa
Don't loiter around in
your feather robe or shift shape.
[06:02] Yukiya
Still, what choice have I got?
[06:13] Yukiya
O-kay.
[06:20] Yukiya
Blue.
[06:21] Yukiya
Blue. Blue. Blue.
[06:27] Yukiya
Welcome home.
[06:28] Nazukihiko
Good work. Where are my letters?
[06:31] Yukiya
I haven't gone to get them yet.
[06:33] Nazukihiko
Still? I thought I told you
to fetch them in the afternoon.
[06:38] Yukiya
If I may, Your—
[06:39] Nazukihiko
Never mind. I'll send Sumio for them.
[06:43] Nazukihiko
Use your head.
[06:46] Nazukihiko
Consider the order you ought
to work in before you act.
[06:49] Yukiya
Your Highness.
[06:50] Yukiya
Your literary tutor
left assignments for you.
[06:53] Yukiya
He urges you to make up for
lost time abroad as soon as possible.
[06:57] Yukiya
It's due tomorrow.
[06:58] Yukiya
Respectfully, shouldn't Your Highness
get to work on it soon?
[07:04] Nazukihiko
Is that something I ought to do?
[07:07] Yukiya
Huh?
[07:12] Yukiya
What's wrong with that guy?!
[07:15] Yukiya
I've been flying around all day
without a bite to eat!
SIGN Imperial Court
[07:25] Guard 1
Boy, do you plan to enter
the court in that getup?
[07:28] Yukiya
Yes, that's right.
[07:30] Guard 1
No, that's wrong.
[07:32] Guard 1
Come back when you're dressed properly.
[07:35] Yukiya
Is there a rule against
entering court in a feather robe?
[07:38] Guard 1
There's no rule, but we can't let
an uncivil servant like you pass.
[07:44] Guard 2
Go on. Back where you came from.
[07:45] Yukiya
Even though I'm His Highness's attendant?
[07:51] Guard 2
We beg your pardon.
[07:56] Yukiya
Ah, this sucks.
SIGN Imperial Library
SIGN Imperial Library
SIGN Imperial Library
SIGN Ministry of Ceremonies
SIGN Civil Bureau
SIGN Imperial Library
[08:17] Yukiya
Is this letter important?
[08:19] Yukiya
What the hell?
SIGN Young
sir,
I can't
wait for
your next
visit
[08:22] Yukiya
Are these all from
the red-light district?
SIGN You're the
only one
I can
depend
on
[08:38] Yukiya
Done!
[08:43] (Flashback) Tutor
See that the Prince gets this done.
[09:04] Yukiya
Welcome back.
[09:05] Yukiya
Wait. Where's Lord Sumio?
[09:08] Yukiya
What happened to Your Highness's kimono?
[09:17] Nazukihiko
How many tasks have you finished?
[09:19] Yukiya
I've completed all of them.
[09:22] Nazukihiko
All of them?
[09:23] Yukiya
But I haven't touched
Your Highness's assignment.
[09:26] Yukiya
Does that displease you?
[09:29] Nazukihiko
That is as it should be.
[09:31] Yukiya
Huh. He doesn't mind.
[09:34] Yukiya
Huh? Hey!
[09:46] Nazukihiko
A kumquat. It should help tide you over.
[09:55] Nazukihiko
Is one not enough?
Don't stand on ceremony.
[09:58] Yukiya
Oh, uh, n-no, thank you.
[10:01] Nazukihiko
I see.
[10:03] Nazukihiko
That will be all for today. Well done.
[10:07] Yukiya
May Your Highness sleep well.
[10:16] Yukiya
So sour.
[10:19] Yukiya
Bitter, too.
SIGN Lineal grandson of
the Lord of the North
Kiei
[10:35] Kiei
You don't say?
Sounds like you have it rough.
[10:38] Yukiya
It's not funny!
[10:40] Yukiya
My muscles ache every day,
and I sweat literal buckets.
[10:44] Yukiya
He's a fiend. An ogre.
[10:45] Kiei
But you set a new record.
No attendant has lasted half a month before.
[10:50] Yukiya
You forgot to mention that.
[10:53] Yukiya
So you knew all along, Lord Kiei.
[10:56] Kiei
Sorry about that.
[11:00] Kiei
By the way, about His Highness...
[11:04] Kiei
He hasn't visited the
Cherry Blossom Palace yet.
[11:06] Kiei
And I keep hearing about trips
to the red-light district.
[11:10] Kiei
Have you heard anything?
Anything at all?
[11:13] Kiei
Like, um, his taste in women?
[11:15] Yukiya
His habits make no sense to me.
[11:18] Yukiya
He pops up when I least expect him,
then disappears for three days.
[11:22] Yukiya
Oh, I think he likes kumquats.
[11:26] Kiei
I guess he really isn't like the rest of us,
being a true kin'u and all.
[11:31] Yukiya
A true...
[11:32] Kiei
Oh, didn't I tell you?
[11:34] Kiei
You see, His Highness is no ordinary kin'u.
[11:37] Kiei
They call him a kin'u among kin'u.
A true Golden Raven.
[11:42] Kiei
The name "kin'u" has two meanings, you see.
[11:44] Kiei
One is the kin'u as a simple ruler.
[11:48] Kiei
Then, there's the Golden Raven, ancestor
of the Royal House, and his second coming.
[11:55] Kiei
We call the latter "true" kin'u.
[11:59] Yukiya
So they're all kin'u,
but some are real and some are fake?
[12:03] Kiei
Basically, yes,
although it's not politic to say so.
[12:07] Kiei
The current Kin'u is a yatagarasu like us.
[12:10] Kiei
So was his predecessor,
hailed as a great ruler.
[12:12] Kiei
But they say true kin'u only look like us.
[12:17] Kiei
They're really something else entirely.
[12:20] Kiei
According to some texts,
[12:22] Kiei
a true kin'u has the power to dispel darkness
and change shape in even the darkest night.
[12:27] Kiei
Grand, beautiful, and compassionate,
[12:31] Kiei
he's born with all the qualities
he needs to rule the yatagarasu.
[12:35] Yukiya
Has anyone ever seen one?
[12:37] Kiei
Uh, well, decades go by
between chances, so...
[12:42] Yukiya
And the Royal House
has an older son, right?
[12:45] Yukiya
At Clear Mirror Temple, I—
[12:46] Kiei
Lord Natsuka.
[12:48] Kiei
Under normal circumstances,
he would have been heir to the throne.
[12:51] Kiei
But once the Prince was born
and recognized as a true kin'u,
[12:55] Kiei
Lord Natsuka's fortunes took a turn.
[12:57] Kiei
Even so, court ravens who hated
to lose his wisdom organized in secret.
[13:02] Kiei
The faction were like embers,
smoldering this whole time.
[13:05] Kiei
But the Prince's poor reputation
has started fanning it back aflame.
[13:11] Yukiya
Hey, a lucky tea stalk.
[13:13] Kiei
Were you listening?
[13:15] Yukiya
It's basically a bunch of nobles
fighting over power, right?
[13:18] Yukiya
All that about who's
a true kin'u and who's wise?
[13:21] Yukiya
That's just a front, or maybe an excuse.
[13:24] Yukiya
But, well, I guess it goes deeper than that.
[13:28] Yukiya
I mean, His Highness is obviously just
a selfish yatagarasu like the rest of us.
[13:34] Kiei
Shh! Not so loud.
[13:37] Kiei
Rumor has it Lord Natsuka's mother,
the Empress, is plotting something.
[13:42] Kiei
And there's a saying that
true kin'u have troubled reigns.
[13:45] Kiei
Of course, I hope it comes to nothing.
[13:51] Rokon
He's a stubborn kid.
[13:54] Rokon
I see why you took a shine
to him, Lord Natsuka.
[13:57] Rokon
How do you plan to use him?
[14:03] Empress
If only he had never
returned from abroad.
[14:06] Empress
Shoin, I trust you understand?
[14:09] Shoin
Yes, Majesty. I shall prepare
for an Imperial Council.
SIGN Secretary to
His Imperial Majesty
Shoin
SIGN Wisteria Hall, Cherry Blossom Palace
[14:17] Fujinami
The irises look even lovelier
after yesterday's rain.
[14:21] Masuho
Magnificent. They could be a painting.
[14:24] Asebi
They really could.
[14:26] Asebi
But how can a month have passed already?
It seems like no time at all.
[14:30] Shiratama
By the way, where is Lady Hamayu?
[14:33] Fujinami
She sent word that she has a headache.
[14:36] Fujinami
A hangover, no doubt.
[14:37] Masuho
Pay her no mind.
[14:40] Masuho
It is His Highness that I miss.
I sent him another invitation today.
[14:44] Asebi
Um... Have you met
His Highness, Lady Masuho-no-Susuki?
[14:49] Masuho
We are cousins.
[14:50] Masuho
He even came to live with the
Western House, though only for a short time.
[14:55] Masuho
How elegant and kind he was back then.
[15:00] Yukiya
Hear that, Your Highness?
[15:02] Nazukihiko
Yes, I hear it.
[15:04] Yukiya
You're elegant and kind.
Everyone likes you.
[15:08] Yukiya
So why are we sneaking around
and spying like this?
[15:13] Nazukihiko
Keep your voice down, Yukiya.
[15:15] Yukiya
And the itching! Black feather robes attract
so many mosquitoes. How can you stand it?
[15:20] Nazukihiko
I am a kin'u.
[15:22] Yukiya
You say that,
but aren't they biting you, too?
[15:24] Nazukihiko
An assassin after my life
lurks in the Cherry Blossom Palace.
[15:28] Nazukihiko
I received a warning letter
just before the rite began.
[15:31] Yukiya
Who sent it?
[15:32] Nazukihiko
Who knows?
[15:33] Yukiya
Don't you?
[15:34] Nazukihiko
But it didn't strike me as a prank.
[15:36] Nazukihiko
And I must choose a consort regardless.
[15:39] Yukiya
So that's why we're spying, huh?
[15:41] Nazukihiko
Yes. People show their true selves
when they let their guard down.
[15:46] Nazukihiko
From the left, those are the Eastern,
Western, and Northern ladies.
[15:49] Nazukihiko
The East has a long reputation
for scheming, the West for frivolity,
[15:53] Nazukihiko
and the North for obstinacy.
All well deserved, it appears.
[15:59] Yukiya
I don't see it at all.
[16:01] Nazukihiko
The Southern lady is absent, but oh well.
[16:04] Nazukihiko
Can you see the women wearing
feather robes under their kimono?
[16:07] Yukiya
Oh, yes.
[16:09] Nazukihiko
They are warrior women
who guard Cherry Blossom Palace.
[16:12] Nazukihiko
The best, it is said,
can decapitate a horse in a single blow.
[16:16] Nazukihiko
They are called—
[16:18] Takimoto
Who goes there?
[16:19] Yukiya
Your Highness, we'd better run.
[16:21] Nazukihiko
Too late for that.
The Wisteria Guard noticed us.
[16:23] Yukiya
The Wisteria what?
[16:24] Nazukihiko
Forgive me.
[16:34] Yukiya
Now I get it.
[16:35] Yukiya
His Highness only brought me along
to take the fall if things went wrong!
[16:41] Takimoto
Don't let him escape!
[16:42] Takimoto
Get their ladyships inside!
[16:44] Fujinami
Everyone keep calm!
[16:49] Ukogi
This way, my lady.
[16:53] Ukogi
My lady!
[17:01] Yukiya
It... It hurts. I can't breathe.
[17:04] Hamayu
Leave it at that.
[17:07] Takimoto
Lady Hamayu.
[17:08] Hamayu
I came to see what all the fuss
was about, but he's just a chick.
[17:11] Takimoto
Chick or not, he is trespassing.
[17:13] Hamayu
But he'll die if you keep that up.
[17:16] Hamayu
Do you want to make a mess
of the consort selection?
[17:20] Takimoto
Release him.
[17:26] Yukiya
I thought I was a goner.
[17:29] Takimoto
Have you no shame?! How dare you change
shape before these noble personages!
[17:34] Yukiya
I... I'm so sorry.
[17:36] Takimoto
Who are you? Where did you come from? Speak!
[17:39] Asebi
Stop.
[17:41] Asebi
Stop this! Enough violence!
[17:45] Ukogi
My lady!
[17:47] Masuho
She has lost her head.
[17:49] Masuho
Today has been a bit much, even for me.
[17:52] Hamayu
Really? How delicate can one be?
[17:55] Masuho
I don't want to hear that
from a barbarian like you.
[17:58] Hamayu
I was talking about Asebi.
Don't make everything about you.
[18:03] Masuho
Excuse me?
[18:04] Masuho
Who do you think you are?
You never turn a hair at anything.
[18:09] Masuho
Does watching us pine
for His Highness amuse you?
[18:14] Hamayu
What are you implying?
[18:15] Masuho
I'm calling you a nuisance.
[18:17] Masuho
This palace is a place for women
worthy of the Prince to refine themselves.
[18:22] Masuho
Those who aim low, like you,
have no place here.
[18:26] Fujinami
That's enough, both of you!
[18:36] Fujinami
If only my brother would come.
[18:42] Wisteria Guard
Lady Takimoto, look there!
[18:48] Takimoto
That sash...
[18:54] Sumio
You sure had a bad day.
[18:56] Sumio
I was waiting to fly to your rescue
if worst came to worst.
[19:01] Sumio
Don't be too hard on His Highness.
[19:03] Yukiya
Don't you feel bad for them?
[19:06] Yukiya
The ladies.
[19:08] Yukiya
They're stuck in that little world,
just waiting for His Highness.
[19:13] Sumio
His Highness doesn't avoid the
Cherry Blossom Palace solely due to danger.
[19:18] Sumio
He's keeping the ladies
out of needless strife.
[19:21] Yukiya
"Needless strife"?
[19:23] Sumio
That's the kind of place
the Cherry Blossom Palace is.
[19:32] Ukogi
My lady, a messenger
from Princess Fujinami.
[19:36] Ukogi
May I show her in?
[19:42] Samomo
A token of consolation
from Her Highness.
[19:49] Asebi
It's so cold.
[19:50] Samomo
Perfect for cooling your eyes
before you eat.
[19:54] Samomo
I do it sometimes myself.
[19:57] Samomo
It does wonders for facial swelling.
[19:59] Samomo
And it warms the fruit just enough.
[20:04] Samomo
Lady Ukogi told me that you've never
seen anyone shift shape before.
[20:10] Asebi
I haven't.
[20:11] Samomo
It must have been quite a fright.
[20:12] Samomo
Nobles who spend almost
all of their lives in human shape
[20:16] Samomo
must have few occasions
to see such things.
[20:19] Asebi
I must be a bit muddled.
[20:23] Asebi
Bird-shaped yatagarasu
are called horses, aren't they?
[20:27] Samomo
Yes. They're yatagarasu, just like we are.
[20:30] Samomo
The only difference is that horses can't
return to human shape when they please.
[20:37] Asebi
Is that so?
[20:38] Samomo
Has Your Ladyship ever seen a horse
with a rope tied around its leg?
[20:43] Asebi
Yes, I think so. On the sky cart
I rode coming here.
[20:48] Asebi
The magnificent ropes looked
beautiful tied in those coils.
[20:53] Samomo
I suppose they do.
But those ropes aren't decorative.
[20:57] Samomo
They signify labor contracts.
[21:00] Samomo
Those who now work as horses
lost the means to live in human shape,
[21:05] Samomo
due to poverty
or various other circumstances.
[21:08] Samomo
Their employer binds their third leg
for the duration of the contract.
[21:13] Samomo
Special knots make it impossible
for the horses to release themselves.
[21:18] Asebi
But why their legs?
[21:20] Samomo
The power to shift shape
resides in the third leg.
[21:24] Samomo
Binding it leaves yatagarasu
unable to return to human shape.
[21:28] Asebi
How awful!
[21:29] Samomo
Horses only do manual labor,
like pulling carts and tilling fields.
[21:35] Samomo
At some point, "horse" became an insulting
term for the yatagarasu that do such work.
[21:41] Asebi
I'm so ashamed. I had no idea.
[21:45] Asebi
I wonder why Ukogi never told me.
[21:48] Samomo
I think I can understand
Lady Ukogi's feelings.
[21:52] Samomo
You're so kind that I'm sure she only
wanted to teach you beautiful things.
[21:58] Samomo
I used to shift shape often
when I was little.
[22:02] Samomo
So I was glad when you
stepped in to protect that boy.
[22:07] Asebi
You're Princess Fujinami's...
SIGN Imperial Lady-in-Waiting
Samomo
[22:11] Samomo
Samomo is my name.
[22:14] Asebi
Samomo, if you don't mind,
would you come visit me again?
[22:19] Samomo
It would be my pleasure.
[22:23] Yukiya
I just got back.
[22:26] Yukiya
Wh-What's—
[22:27] Nazukihiko
They waited until I was out
to call an Imperial Council.
[22:30] Yukiya
An Imperial Council?
[22:32] Nazukihiko
The forces that would
disinherit me are pulling the strings.
[22:36] Nazukihiko
We're going to the Purple Hall at once.
SIGN Purple Hall
[24:30] Narrator
Two brothers:
the elder able, the younger foolish.
[24:35] Narrator
Their clash for the kin'u's throne
strains the court to breaking point.
[24:42] Narrator
The Prince still refuses
to meet the ladies.
[24:46] Narrator
What is his true intention?
SIGN An Imperial
SIGN Council
[24:50] Narrator
Next time: "An Imperial Council."
SIGN YATAGARASU:
The Raven
Does Not
Choose
Its Master
SIGN Illustration: Natsuki
E4 - An Imperial Council
Source: Crunchyroll
Translator:
Editor:
Timer:
QC:
(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.)
[00:02] Nazukihiko
An Imperial Council is the most
powerful gathering in Yamauchi,
[00:06] Nazukihiko
limited to royalty and
select members of the Four Houses.
[00:10] Nazukihiko
Only the Kin'u can convene one.
[00:13] Nazukihiko
Meaning someone has
put His Majesty up to this...
SIGN Purple Hall
[00:17] Nazukihiko
...in an attempt to disinherit me.
[00:21] Genya
So in short, the selection of
the crown prince 10 years ago was flawed?
[00:27] Genya
Is that what you're getting at, Shoin?
[00:31] Shoin
Just so.
[00:32] Genya
And you hope to prove that now,
with His Highness absent?
[00:38] Shoin
The former kin'u and the priests
named His Highness heir to the throne.
[00:44] Shoin
But immediately afterward, His Highness
left Yamauchi on the pretext of study.
[00:49] Shoin
Thus, neither the Four Houses nor
even His Majesty, the present kin'u,
[00:55] Shoin
ever ratified the decision.
[01:01] Akira
Nonsense!
[01:02] Akira
His Highness is a true kin'u.
What more does he need?
[01:06] Toru
Some say the birth of a kin'u
heralds troubled times.
[01:11] Akira
Watch your tongue, Lord of the South!
[01:13] Haruhito
Now, now.
[01:14] Haruhito
I have heard that old saying,
[01:17] Haruhito
but such disagreements
may portend worse to come.
[01:23] Shoin
Then, perhaps we should
revisit the choice of heir.
[01:27] Akira
So that's your game.
[01:29] Akira
I wonder whose interests it serves.
[01:32] Shoin
Still your beak!
[01:34] Shoin
As Imperial secretary,
my words are His Majesty's.
[01:39] Rokon
Why, Your Highness.
[01:42] Rokon
You seem to have arrived a bit late.
[01:46] Nazukihiko
Rokon.
[01:47] Nazukihiko
Were you ordered to stop me?
[01:50] Rokon
Surely you jest?
SIGN Natsuka's bodyguard
Rokon
[01:52] Rokon
Lord Natsuka would never
command such a thing.
[01:55] Rokon
Not that he would need to. This door
has already been locked from the inside.
[02:07] Nazukihiko
Open.
[02:09] Shoin
Now, let us vote on—
[02:18] Shoin
What is this?
SIGN YATAGARASU
SIGN The Raven
Does Not
Choose
Its Master
[04:14] Empress
The prince has not yet visited
the Cherry Blossom Palace?
[04:17] Shoin
Indeed.
[04:18] Empress
I see he has keen instincts.
[04:21] Empress
But no fool can serve as kin'u.
[04:25] Empress
Do you not agree?
[04:28] Shoin
Yes, Majesty.
[04:28] Empress
I mean to recall Natsuka to worldly life
and ensconce him as crown prince.
[04:34] Empress
To that end, we must disinherit
the Prince at any cost.
[04:40] Empress
For the Southern House.
[04:50] Yukiya
What was that about just now?
[04:53] Yukiya
This is creeping me out.
[04:56] Yukiya
There's Lord Natsuka.
[04:58] Yukiya
And behind the screen...
[05:00] Yukiya
Is that the current Kin'u?
[05:04] Nazukihiko
Scheming behind my back.
[05:07] Nazukihiko
Shoin, everyone knows
who lurks behind you.
[05:12] Nazukihiko
That saves me some trouble.
[05:19] Nazukihiko
Your Majesty, you must realize
after what just happened.
[05:23] Nazukihiko
Two kin'u bring disaster to Yamauchi.
[05:27] Nazukihiko
You were a stopgap, so to speak.
[05:29] Nazukihiko
Now I have returned,
and you have served your purpose.
[05:34] Nazukihiko
Vacate that seat.
[05:47] Emperor
How...
[05:48] Emperor
How dare you?!
[05:50] Emperor
How dare you speak
to your own father like...
[05:53] Emperor
What do you know of me?!
[05:56] Emperor
Well?
[05:58] Emperor
What do you—
[06:03] Nazukihiko
Enough.
[06:07] Nazukihiko
I appreciate your service.
[06:15] Nazukihiko
See him out.
[06:17] Page
Your Majesty!
[06:23] Nazukihiko
Well, that's one problem solved.
[06:27] Nazukihiko
Next is—
[06:28] Natsuka
Don't you think...
[06:29] Natsuka
that was needlessly cruel of you?
[06:33] Nazukihiko
Brother.
[06:34] Natsuka
His Majesty has, after all,
governed Yamauchi for 20 long years.
[06:40] Natsuka
Surely you could have dealt
with him more peaceably?
[06:44] Nazukihiko
Really, Brother, you think of everything.
[06:48] Nazukihiko
Doesn't it frustrate you,
watching your foolish little brother?
[06:53] Nazukihiko
You must be imagining
what you'd do as crown prince.
[06:56] Natsuka
Perish the thought.
[06:58] Natsuka
I came here only out of concern for Yamauchi
as a member of the Royal House.
[07:05] Natsuka
If Your Highness will bring peace
and harmony as a true Golden Raven,
[07:12] Natsuka
then the likes of me
could never take your place.
[07:17] Nazukihiko
Will you swear it, then?
[07:20] Nazukihiko
Here and now, will you kneel,
bow your head, and pledge fealty to me?
[07:27] Crowd
What?
[07:29] Crowd
Lord Natsuka...
[07:30] Yukiya
What's going on now*?
[07:33] Yukiya
Aw, man. I want to go home to Taruhi.
[07:36] Atsufusa
Please wait.
[07:39] Nazukihiko
Ah, Atsufusa of the Minami-omiya family.
[07:42] Nazukihiko
What is it?
SIGN Natsuka's aide
Atsufusa
[07:43] Atsufusa
With all due respect, Lord Natsuka
could never practice duplicity.
[07:48] Atsufusa
He thinks always of Yamauchi.
[07:51] Atsufusa
And for Your Highness, he feels only—
[07:52] Natsuka
Enough, Atsufusa.
[08:06] Natsuka
I hereby pledge my life in service
to his beloved Majesty, the true Kin'u.
[08:17] Nazukihiko
That will do.
[08:24] Shoin
Please wait!
[08:25] Shoin
I do not believe anyone can claim
the Four Houses have given their assent yet!
[08:30] Akira
I've been telling you all along.
[08:32] Akira
He's a true kin'u. What more does he need?
[08:37] Haruhito
I see nothing particularly objectionable.
[08:42] Toru
Lord Natsuka pledged his fealty.
Why should the Southern House protest?
[08:49] Toru
Let His Highness ascend
to the throne without qualms.
[08:53] Genya
I wish to raise one question.
[08:56] Nazukihiko
Lord Genya of the North. What is it?
[08:59] Genya
A consort customarily
joins in enthronement.
[09:03] Genya
But though Your Highness
visits the pleasure quarter,
[09:07] Genya
you avoid the Cherry Blossom Palace.
[09:10] Genya
Do you truly intend to take a wife?
[09:13] Genya
My assent depends on your answer.
[09:17] Nazukihiko
Of course.
[09:18] Nazukihiko
I will ascend to the throne
in one year's time.
[09:21] Nazukihiko
I swear I will take a lady
to be my wife before then.
[09:31] Nazukihiko
We're leaving, Yukiya.
[09:43] Atsufusa
Lord Natsuka!
[09:46] Natsuka
One year.
[09:47] Natsuka
Until then, no matter what...
SIGN Central Pleasure Quarter
[09:54] Yukiya
Uh...
[09:56] Yukiya
Excuse me, but...
[10:00] Yukiya
What do you think you're doing?
[10:03] Nazukihiko
Hm?
[10:04] Nazukihiko
Just what it looks like:
hiring every courtesan here.
[10:06] Nazukihiko
This party is in your honor.
Drink as much as you like.
[10:11] Courtesan 1
Don't act so nervous.
[10:13] Courtesan 1
We're all here to welcome you.
[10:15] Courtesan 2
That's right.
[10:16] Courtesan 2
The Young Master's paying for
everything today, so let's drink up.
[10:20] Yukiya
I haven't come of age yet.
[10:24] Nazukihiko
I hear northern warriors dip their
newborns in sake instead of bathwater.
[10:29] Courtesan 1
Come, young sir.
[10:31] Courtesan 2
Let's have some fun.
[10:32] Yukiya
I... I need to use the lavatory.
[10:35] Courtesans
Oh, he's adorable!
[10:39] Townsman 1
Looks like a busy night
at the Watchful Moon.
[10:42] Townsman 1
That "Young Master" again?
[10:44] Townsman 2
He rented out the whole place.
Wish I had that kind of money.
[10:59] Nazukihiko
The lavatory is that way.
[11:02] Yukiya
Listen—
[11:06] Nazukihiko
Have four today.
[11:11] Yukiya
Your Highness—
[11:11] Nazukihiko
Call me "Young Master" here.
[11:14] Yukiya
Young Master, I can't believe you.
[11:18] Nazukihiko
Really?
[11:19] Yukiya
Just think about it.
[11:21] Yukiya
You have assassins after you,
[11:23] Yukiya
but here you are, living it up in this
rowdy place without so much as a guard.
[11:27] Yukiya
And that council, too.
[11:29] Yukiya
What did you do there,
except make enemies?
[11:39] Nazukihiko
Are you worried for me?
[11:45] Yukiya
Were you listening?
[11:48] Yukiya
Oh, fine. Suit yourself.
[11:59] Yukiya
The red light district looks like
a different place in the morning, huh?
[12:19] Yukiya
Young Master, um...
[12:32] Ruffian 1
Hand over that sword.
[12:36] Nazukihiko
What do you want? Money?
[12:40] Ruffian 2
Quit yapping and do what we say!
[12:43] Yukiya
Y-Young Mas—
[12:44] Nazukihiko
Very well. We'll obey.
[12:55] Yukiya
Lord Sumio?!
[12:57] Sumio
Get back!
[13:05] Ruffian 4
Die!
[13:14] Ruffian 2
We're out of luck. Retreat!
[13:21] Sumio
What are you after?
[13:23] Sumio
Tell me!
[13:25] Sumio
Or else you'll lose more than an arm or two!
[13:29] Ruffian 1
I... I was just following orders.
[13:32] Sumio
Whose? Speak!
[13:34] Bandit 1
I-It was...
[13:39] Sumio
Damn.
[13:48] Sumio
Poison.
[13:49] Sumio
They must have planned
to silence him from the start.
[13:53] Sumio
By now, the others must also be...
[13:56] Nazukihiko
I see.
[13:58] Nazukihiko
Whoever arranged this takes no chances.
[14:01] Sumio
If kidnapping had been their goal, such
fast-acting poison wouldn't have been used.
[14:05] Sumio
They wanted only one thing.
[14:07] Nazukihiko
My life?
[14:13] Nazukihiko
Yukiya?
[14:26] Yukiya
Your Highness.
[14:28] Nazukihiko
Feeling a little better now?
[14:30] Yukiya
I beg your pardon. I disgraced myself—
[14:36] Nazukihiko
Don't push yourself.
[14:38] Yukiya
Right.
[14:47] Yukiya
You know who attacked you,
don't you, Your Highness?
[14:55] Nazukihiko
Have you heard that Natsuka has backers?
[15:01] (Flashback) Kiei
Even so, court ravens who hated
to lose his wisdom organized in secret.
[15:06] (Flashback) Kiei
Rumor has it Lord Natsuka's mother,
the Empress, is plotting something.
[15:13] Yukiya
Yes.
[15:14] Nazukihiko
The faction has its roots in the
Southern House, the Empress's birth family.
[15:19] Nazukihiko
But you must have realized
when you saw the council.
[15:21] Nazukihiko
No one wants to take my side.
[15:26] Nazukihiko
Most court ravens would find it
more convenient if I died.
[15:32] Yukiya
That can't be.
[15:34] Nazukihiko
I have faced attempts
on my life since childhood.
[15:38] Nazukihiko
They claimed other victims.
My mother, for one.
[15:42] Yukiya
What?
[15:43] Nazukihiko
Like those ladies you saw
in the Cherry Blossom Palace,
[15:48] Nazukihiko
my mother came as a lady of the
Western House, her heart full of hopes.
[15:53] Nazukihiko
She didn't become consort,
but she was admitted as a concubine.
[15:57] Nazukihiko
After giving birth to
my sister, Fujinami, and myself,
[16:00] Nazukihiko
she became a casualty
of political scheming.
[16:05] Nazukihiko
To escape the assassins, I went to live
with my mother's family, the Western House.
[16:10] Nazukihiko
But they only used me.
I had no allies there.
[16:15] Yukiya
So you went abroad?
[16:17] Nazukihiko
Yes.
[16:18] Nazukihiko
The person who wrote to warn me
against the Cherry Blossom Palace
[16:22] Nazukihiko
must know of my history and sympathize.
[16:26] Nazukihiko
At this age, I've finally returned to
Yamauchi with the means to fight back.
[16:33] Nazukihiko
But it would be no exaggeration to call
999 out of 1000 court ravens my enemies.
[16:41] Nazukihiko
So tell me, Yukiya...
[16:46] Nazukihiko
Will you be that one in 1000?
[16:50] Yukiya
Huh?
[16:52] Nazukihiko
Become my aide.
[16:55] Yukiya
Your aide?
[16:58] Yukiya
What?!
[16:59] Yukiya
You mean an aide aide?
[17:02] Yukiya
Your future confidant,
on the fast track to success?
[17:05] Nazukihiko
Indeed.
[17:06] Nazukihiko
When I become kin'u,
I want you to be my right-hand man.
[17:11] Yukiya
Wait, slow down.
[17:13] Yukiya
Why would you want that?
[17:14] Yukiya
I'm just the blockhead second son
of a lord from the backwaters.
[17:18] Yukiya
Central nobles must have sons
who can think rings around me.
[17:23] Nazukihiko
Only you completed every task
I assigned you in the allotted time.
[17:28] Yukiya
Well, sure, but people in
the Center don't shift shape much,
[17:32] Yukiya
so I bet they borrowed horses
to fetch the water.
[17:35] Nazukihiko
You left the flowers you watered alone,
even when they withered.
[17:40] Yukiya
I mean, I figured you were comparing
water from the well and the falls.
[17:46] Nazukihiko
You didn't do my poetry assignments, either.
[17:48] Yukiya
I didn't think you needed me to.
[17:51] Nazukihiko
Correct on all counts.
[17:53] Nazukihiko
But the others panicked when the
flowers died or lost sleep writing verses.
[18:00] Nazukihiko
Some even hired people
to work for them in secret.
[18:04] Yukiya
Your Highness is no saint,
either, if you ask me.
[18:08] Nazukihiko
You are no blockhead.
[18:10] Nazukihiko
I assume you had your reasons for
that fuss at the Northern House, too.
[18:15] Yukiya
How else could I keep Taruhi
safe from tyrannical nobles?
[18:21] Yukiya
You're not a fool like
everyone says, either, are you?
[18:26] Nazukihiko
I don't care how others choose to see me.
[18:32] Yukiya
Anyway, I respectfully decline.
[18:35] Yukiya
Although I'm honored by the offer.
[18:38] Nazukihiko
Is that so?
[18:40] Nazukihiko
Won't you go to Unbending Reed Monastery
if I send you home in under a year?
[18:46] Yukiya
Huh?
[18:47] Yukiya
What, so you're threatening me now?
[18:50] Nazukihiko
Not threatening. Just reflecting.
[18:54] Yukiya
Now, hang on!
[18:55] Yukiya
How do you even know that?
You weren't at the Northern House's party!
[18:59] Nazukihiko
Well, I am a true kin'u.
[19:03] Yukiya
That doesn't explain anything.
[19:05] Nazukihiko
Yukiya, I plan to finish things
in under a year.
[19:10] Nazukihiko
I shall take a bride from the Cherry
Blossom Palace and ascend to the throne.
[19:15] Nazukihiko
But I cannot marry before
I capture those who want me dead.
[19:21] Nazukihiko
Right now, I need allies
I can trust without question.
[19:28] Nazukihiko
I am so inept, I do not blame
anyone for calling me a fool.
[19:34] Nazukihiko
But you know, Yukiya...
[19:36] Nazukihiko
I still consider myself
a good judge of people.
[19:40] Nazukihiko
You will never betray me.
[19:46] Nazukihiko
Why? Because I doubt my enemies
can offer you anything you would value
[19:52] Nazukihiko
more than the trust I place in you.
[20:09] Yukiya
Very well. I'll become your aide.
[20:13] Nazukihiko
Really? You accept, then?
[20:16] Yukiya
But like we agreed at first,
I'll take my leave after one year.
[20:21] Yukiya
I care about my family
and my home in Taruhi.
[20:26] Nazukihiko
All right. I do not mind.
At least for now.
[20:29] Sumio
Your Highness, I have returned.
[20:32] Nazukihiko
Sumio, Yukiya just agreed.
[20:35] Nazukihiko
He says he'll become my aide.
[20:37] Sumio
What? Really?
[20:39] Sumio
That's great!
[20:42] Yukiya
U-Um...
[20:45] Sumio
Oh, you see, we've known
each other since we were kids.
[20:49] Sumio
But it wouldn't look right if we got
too chummy in public, you know?
[20:54] Yukiya
Lord Sumio...
[20:56] Sumio
Just "Sumio" is fine.
[20:58] Sumio
Sorry I startled you.
[20:59] Sumio
But from now on, you're one of us.
[21:03] Sumio
Try not to get too uptight.
[21:06] Yukiya
Uh-huh.
[21:07] Sumio
Anyway, I'm glad that worked out.
[21:10] Sumio
I thought we were
cutting it close this time.
[21:13] Nazukihiko
Yes. The risks we ran paid off.
[21:20] Yukiya
Um, excuse me.
[21:22] Nazukihiko
Yes?
[21:23] Yukiya
Did you just say something
about "running risks"?
[21:29] Nazukihiko
You heard me right.
[21:31] Yukiya
So you did that on purpose,
knowing they'd attack you?
[21:36] Nazukihiko
Yes.
[21:37] Yukiya
"Yes"?!
[21:38] Nazukihiko
I didn't think I could convince you
unless you understood my situation.
[21:44] Nazukihiko
I stirred up trouble at the council,
so I expected them to make a move soon.
[21:49] Yukiya
You "expected"...
[21:51] Yukiya
Then, that whole hullabaloo was...
[21:54] Nazukihiko
Bait to draw out the traitors, of course.
[21:58] Nazukihiko
Quite effective, wouldn't you say?
[22:00] Yukiya
What are you, stupid?!
[22:03] Yukiya
What do you take your enemies for?
[22:06] Yukiya
"Bait to draw out the traitors"?
One of these days, you'll die for real!
[22:09] Sumio
Now, now. He didn't mean any harm.
[22:12] Yukiya
Huh? What difference does that make?
[22:15] Yukiya
He's the crown prince. There's no way
he should be taking a risk like that.
[22:20] Sumio
Don't worry. I know what you mean.
[22:23] Sumio
But he can't get things done any other way.
[22:27] Sumio
You'll understand sooner or later.
[22:32] Nazukihiko
And there you have it.
[22:33] Yukiya
You don't get to say that.
[22:36] Nazukihiko
Yukiya, you're worth 100 men to me.
[22:40] Nazukihiko
I'm counting on you.
[22:43] Yukiya
Jeez. Just for a year, okay? I mean it.
[22:55] Nazukihiko
Forgive me.
[22:56] Yukiya
You monster!
[24:31] Narrator
Having accepted the post of aide*
for only a single year,
[24:36] Narrator
Yukiya unwittingly infiltrates the Ravine
and witnesses a dreadful conference.
[24:45] Narrator
Who orchestrated
the assault on the Prince?
[24:49] Narrator
Next time: "A Purge."
SIGN A Purge
SIGN YATAGARASU:
The Raven
Does Not
Choose
Its Master
SIGN Illustration: Natsuki
E5 - A Purge
Source: Crunchyroll
Translator:
Editor:
Timer:
QC:
(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.)
[00:02] Dealer
All fine? No objections?
[00:05] Dealer
In they go.
[00:10] Assistant 1
There! The dice are cast!
[00:12] Gambler 4
Even!
[00:13] Gambler 2
Even!
[00:14] Gambler 3
Even!
[00:16] Assistant 1
No bets on odd? None at all?
[00:23] Nazukihiko
Odd.
[00:26] Assistant 1
All bets accounted for.
[00:30] Yukiya
Come on, odd! Odd!
[00:34] Assistant 1
Four and two. Even.
[00:40] Assistant 1
You've lost 50 ryo in all.
[00:42] Yukiya
What are we gonna do now, young master?!
[00:44] Yukiya
You already gave them your kimono
and sword! You've got nothing left!
[00:49] Assistant 2
Indeed, young master. How will you pay?
[00:52] Assistant 1
We can hook you up with
a lucrative job, if you like.
[01:00] Nazukihiko
No, you need not bother.
[01:04] Nazukihiko
I will leave him as collateral.
[01:11] Yukiya
You monster!
SIGN YATAGARASU
SIGN The Raven
Does Not
Choose
Its Master
SIGN The Ravine
[02:56] Man 1
Yukiya.
[02:57] Man 1
Clean the gambling hall
once you finish up here.
[03:00] Yukiya
Right.
[03:00] Man 1
And when you're done cleaning—
[03:02] Yukiya
I know, I know.
Dry the bedding from the brothel, right?
[03:06] Man 1
If you know, pick up the pace.
[03:09] Courtesan 1
Hang in there, Yuki!
[03:10] Yukiya
I will!
[03:15] Courtesan 2
What a good worker.
[03:17] Courtesan 2
The men say he's too good
to leave as collateral.
[03:24] Courtesan 3
But he's been here a month and a half now.
[03:26] Courtesan 3
Don't you think his young master
must have abandoned him?
[03:37] Nazukihiko
Working hard, I see.
[03:42] Nazukihiko
I finally got my funds in order.
I know I've kept you waiting.
[03:48] Yukiya
Y-Young master.
[03:51] Yukiya
Young master!
[04:02] Yukiya
D-Damn it.
[04:14] Yukiya
Your Highness, where are we going?
[04:19] Yukiya
We've been climbing for a while now.
[04:23] Yukiya
I can't take much more—
[04:25] Nazukihiko
We're here.
[04:41] Sumio
Hey there.
[04:42] Brothel Owner
Welcome back, sirs.
[04:46] Yukiya
Where are we?
[04:48] Sumio
In the basement of the Watchful Moon.
[04:50] Sumio
We asked the owner
to leave it unlocked for us.
[04:52] Yukiya
So this is the red-light district?
[04:55] Yukiya
The passage runs all the way here
from the gambling den in the Ravine?
[04:58] Nazukihiko
Such tunnels run through the
Central Mountain like an anthill.
[05:04] Nazukihiko
Most have outlets behind bushes in the wild
or under temples and houses of—
[05:10] Yukiya
Oh, right. So they're secret escape routes
for court ravens who sneak out at night.
[05:19] Sumio
Rumor has it a ton of guys have
gotten lost and died underground.
[05:24] Sumio
Be careful if you use them.
[05:28] Nazukihiko
Oh, and Yukiya...
I've learned my lesson.
[05:32] Nazukihiko
I placed a terrible burden on you.
[05:35] Yukiya
Oh, it wasn't that bad.
[05:36] Nazukihiko
I'd like to recompense you today.
[05:39] Nazukihiko
Master, I'm booking the whole house tonight.
[05:42] Brothel Owner
Certainly, sir.
[05:44] Nazukihiko
Gather all of your prettiest girls—
[05:46] Yukiya
I really wish you wouldn't!
[05:55] Yukiya
It happened just the other day.
[05:57] Yukiya
Some guests at a brothel in the Ravine
looked like they didn't belong.
[06:03] Yukiya
Coming through!
[06:08] Courtesan
The nerve of some people!
[06:10] Courtesan
They ask for me by name,
then don't even let me pour their drinks.
[06:26] (Flashback) Nazukihiko
Have you heard that Natsuka has backers?
[06:32] Yukiya
Oh, I get it. This is...
[06:35] Yukiya
a meeting of Natsuka's backers.
[07:01] Court Raven 1
If I may, Sir Rokon...
[07:08] Court Raven 1
Would you at least tell us
the purpose of this gathering?
[07:13] Court Raven 1
What do you mean by, "Let anyone
who cares to explain himself come forward"?
[07:18] Court Raven 2
Does Lord Natsuka know of today's meeting?
[07:23] Rokon
I haven't informed Lord Natsuka.
It isn't worth his time.
[07:28] Rokon
I called you all here for just one reason:
to uproot the rot for all to see.
[07:37] Rokon
Isn't that right, Kazumichi?
[07:42] Yukiya
Kazumichi?
[07:44] (Flashback) Kazumichi
You can forget about
attending to the Prince after this!
[07:47] (Flashback) Kazumichi
Do you realize how hard
I worked to arrange that?
[07:52] Yukiya
Kazumaro's father backs Natsuka?
[07:55] Yukiya
Why would a northern court raven do that?
[07:58] Yukiya
I heard the Southern House
was behind his faction.
[08:02] Kazumichi
Wh-Whatever do you mean, Sir Rokon?
[08:05] Rokon
A month and a half ago, you plotted
to have ruffians assassinate the Prince.
[08:13] Rokon
And your scheme failed miserably.
[08:16] Rokon
Even giving you the benefit of the doubt
and assuming you acted for Lord Natsuka,
[08:22] Rokon
you still committed
a fatal blunder you can't fix.
[08:27] Kazumichi
Wh-What? I know nothing of this matter.
[08:30] Kazumichi
Why, this is the first I've even heard
of an attack on His Highness.
[08:34] Kazumichi
Now, if you'll excuse me.
[08:42] Rokon
Don't think you can fool me, Kazumichi.
[08:45] Rokon
I have proof.
[08:47] Rokon
You dosed the brigands with poison.
[08:51] Rokon
It was in the drinks you bought them
"for courage" before the attack.
[08:56] Rokon
However, one ruffian
couldn't hold his liquor.
[09:00] Rokon
He refused the offer of a drink.
[09:03] Rokon
But seeing his comrades all
fall around him broke his nerve.
[09:07] Rokon
Seeking sanctuary, he ran to a temple.
Clear Mirror Temple, if you can believe it.
[09:13] Rokon
What if he had run to a temple
in the Prince's pocket?
[09:20] Rokon
He'd be living proof leading back to you,
and even Lord Natsuka would face blame.
[09:26] Rokon
How would you have taken
responsibility if that had happened?
[09:29] Kazumichi
I... I would have... I would have...
[09:32] Rokon
How many times did I tell you?
[09:35] Rokon
"Whatever you do, no rash moves."
[09:37] Rokon
"And if you do make one, do it right."
[09:51] Atsufusa
What are you doing?
[09:54] Atsufusa
Sir Kazumichi, are you all right?
[09:59] Yukiya
I know that court raven.
Isn't he Lord Natsuka's aide?
[10:06] Rokon
Atsufusa. I didn't see you here,
so I assumed you had something to hide.
[10:13] Atsufusa
You must be mad.
[10:16] Atsufusa
If the Northern House learns of this,
they'll turn on us altogether.
[10:20] Rokon
Fool. That's why I'm doing this in secret.
[10:24] Atsufusa
Do you, a bodyguard, have that authority?
We must defer to His Lordship.
[10:42] Natsuka
Explain all this fuss, Rokon.
[10:45] Rokon
Why, Lord Natsuka.
[10:47] Rokon
I was merely asking the man behind
the blunder we discussed to explain himself.
[10:52] Rokon
You needn't concern yourself.
[10:55] Atsufusa
Sir Rokon is invoking your illustrious
name to commit brutalities.
[11:00] Atsufusa
All your efforts to win over the
Northern House may come to naught.
[11:07] Atsufusa
No, worse than that—
[11:09] Rokon
Lord Natsuka, you must know
that I have given my all for you.
[11:19] Rokon
Won't you please trust me?
[11:26] Natsuka
Very well.
[11:39] Rokon
Kazumichi, something's been puzzling me.
[11:43] Rokon
Would a coward like you
really take such a big risk?
[11:48] Rokon
Are you sure no one put you up to it?
[11:51] Kazumichi
No. No!
[11:53] Rokon
Out with it, Kazumichi.
[11:56] Kazumichi
I just thought,
with the Prince out of the way,
[11:59] Kazumichi
Lord Natsuka would become our next kin'u.
[12:02] Kazumichi
I simply wished to help.
[12:05] Rokon
You've been using Lord Natsuka's
name to borrow money.
[12:11] Rokon
And not only have you not paid it back,
you've been extorting hill ravens, I hear.
[12:18] Atsufusa
Sir Kazumichi would never...
[12:22] Rokon
Did you think I wouldn't find out?
[12:25] Rokon
I've also heard you started
panicking recently
[12:27] Rokon
because your son lost you favor
with the Northern House.
[12:32] Rokon
Did you think Lord Natsuka would pay off
your debts if you killed the Prince?
[12:38] Rokon
And that he'd forgive all your other crimes?
[12:45] Kazumichi
Lord Natsuka!
[12:46] Kazumichi
Have mercy! I beg you, spare me!
[12:52] Kazumichi
Please spare me! Sir Atsufusa! Sir Atsufusa!
[12:57] Rokon
Watch closely, all of you.
[13:00] Rokon
See what happens to those
who defy Lord Natsuka's will.
[13:33] Atsufusa
How gruesome.
[13:34] Natsuka
Atsufusa.
[13:36] Natsuka
Rokon stepped forward to dirty his hands.
[13:40] Natsuka
This matter would not have
resolved itself otherwise.
[13:48] Sumio
I see.
[13:50] Sumio
So a rogue court raven did it.
[13:54] Sumio
They'll blame Kazumichi's death
on robbers or cutthroats,
[13:59] Sumio
and I doubt that ruffian is still alive.
[14:02] Sumio
Any more digging seems
like a waste of time.
[14:05] Yukiya
Um...
[14:07] Yukiya
I'm not sure I really follow, but where does
Lord Natsuka stand in his own faction?
[14:13] Yukiya
I mean...
[14:14] Nazukihiko
Natsuka issues no orders himself.
[14:17] Nazukihiko
The others champion him and
do what they imagine he wants.
[14:22] Nazukihiko
That's how his faction operates,
making it hard to get a clear picture.
[14:26] Yukiya
So that's how it works.
[14:28] Sumio
Anything else to report?
[14:30] Yukiya
Well, I was thinking someone
must have masterminded the attack.
[14:35] Sumio
A mastermind?
[14:36] Yukiya
Like Rokon said,
[14:38] Yukiya
Kazumichi didn't seem clever enough
to poison his henchmen ahead of time.
[14:44] Yukiya
I thought maybe Lord Natsuka had
ordered it, but going by what you just said...
[14:49] Sumio
Well, you don't have much evidence.
[14:52] Yukiya
I guess not.
[14:54] Sumio
And Kazumichi didn't name names,
even when being threatened by Rokon?
[14:58] Yukiya
Right.
[15:02] Yukiya
What about the Empress?
[15:04] Sumio
Very likely, but we can't prove it.
[15:08] Sumio
If only Kazumichi were still alive.
[15:18] Yukiya
Well then, good night.
[15:23] Nazukihiko
You may not need me to tell you this,
[15:26] Nazukihiko
but if you feel the least bit of guilt
for Kazumichi's rash acts, it is misplaced.
[15:35] Nazukihiko
He would have done much
the same sooner or later.
[15:39] Nazukihiko
You need not let it bother you.
[15:44] Yukiya
Right.
[15:45] Nazukihiko
Oh, and you impressed the Ravine-dwellers.
[15:49] Nazukihiko
"The boy can work," they said.
"Take your money back. Just let us keep him."
[15:55] Nazukihiko
I refused, of course.
[15:57] Yukiya
Um, Your Highness?
[15:58] Nazukihiko
Yes?
[15:59] Yukiya
Do you mean to say
you'd already paid them?
[16:01] Nazukihiko
Yes. They'll do anything for me,
so long as I pay.
[16:05] Yukiya
I knew it.
[16:07] Nazukihiko
Hm?
[16:08] Yukiya
You knew all along, didn't you?
About Natsuka's backers meeting there.
[16:13] Yukiya
That's why you abandoned me
in the Ravine like that.
[16:17] Nazukihiko
Didn't I tell you that was why?
[16:19] Yukiya
Not one word!
[16:21] Yukiya
I thought you'd sold me off for real!
[16:25] Yukiya
I slaved from dawn to dusk!
[16:27] Yukiya
Why do you always keep me in the dark?
[16:29] Yukiya
Why don't you ever tell me
the plan ahead of time?
[16:33] Nazukihiko
Sorry about that.
[16:40] Yukiya
Do you think you can
buy me off with these?!
SIGN Cherry Blossom Palace
[16:44] Novice Lady-in-Waiting
Do you think His Highness
will finally visit this time?
SIGN Autumn Hall
[16:48] Lady-in-Waiting 1
Of course he will.
[16:50] Lady-in-Waiting 1
Tanabata is one of the
most crucial steps in the rite.
[16:53] Lady-in-Waiting 2
The ladies vying for the Crown
Prince's hand have spent a year
[16:58] Lady-in-Waiting 2
sewing kimono that match
their own to give to him.
[17:01] Lady-in-Waiting 2
They hang their gifts outside their halls.
[17:03] Lady-in-Waiting 2
If His Highness wears one, it is said
to bode well for the lady who sewed it.
[17:10] Novice Lady-in-Waiting
So Tanabata cannot go forward without him?
[17:13] Lady-in-Waiting 3
Of course, professionals
do the actual sewing.
[17:17] Lady-in-Waiting 3
The ladies only add the last stitch, if that.
[17:20] Lady-in-Waiting 3
Only our lady would
actually do it all herself.
[17:24] Kikuno
You there.
[17:25] Kikuno
Stop twittering and get to work.
[17:29] Ladies-in-Waiting
Yes, ma'am.
[17:35] Masuho
Kikuno.
[17:36] Kikuno
Y-Yes, my lady?
[17:37] Masuho
Has His Highness written?
[17:41] Kikuno
No, not yet.
[17:43] Masuho
I see.
[17:46] Kikuno
His Highness must be busy.
I am sure none of the other ladies have—
[17:50] Masuho
Ow.
[17:51] Kikuno
Are you hurt?
[17:53] Masuho
You always overreact, Kikuno.
[17:56] Masuho
Now, go. You're distracting me.
[18:00] Kikuno
His Highness will surely come on Tanabata.
[18:02] Kikuno
I know His Lordship wrote to the Prince,
strongly requesting his presence.
SIGN Spring Hall
[18:21] Asebi
All done.
[18:22] Ukogi
And well done.
[18:23] Ukogi
His Highness will be delighted.
[18:26] Asebi
But I only added one stitch.
[18:29] Asebi
Is there not more I can do?
I could help decorate.
[18:33] Ukogi
I appreciate the offer, my lady, but no.
[18:35] Ukogi
Please relax and play your koto.
[18:41] Spring Hall Lady-in-Waiting
My lady.
[18:43] Spring Hall Lady-in-Waiting
A royal lady-in-waiting wishes to see you.
[18:46] Asebi
Royal?
[18:50] Asebi
Samomo!
[18:51] Asebi
I am so glad to see you.
[18:55] Samomo
Forgive me. I know you must be
busy preparing for Tanabata.
[19:00] Asebi
Hardly. In fact, I was bored.
[19:02] Asebi
I feel like no one expects much of me.
[19:05] Samomo
Surely you jest.
[19:07] Asebi
No, I mean it.
[19:09] Asebi
But I cannot blame them.
[19:12] Asebi
Coming to the palace has highlighted
how little knowledge and skill I have.
[19:17] Asebi
I have no right to be here.
[19:20] Samomo
I disagree.
[19:22] Samomo
You are beautiful and kind, Lady Asebi.
[19:25] Samomo
You would make a wonderful consort.
[19:29] Asebi
Samomo...
[19:31] Samomo
Please take heart.
[19:33] Samomo
I have brought a gift
from Princess Fujinami.
[19:40] Asebi
My! A nagon koto, and a magnificent one.
[19:45] Samomo
I believe its name is Drifting Cloud.
[19:47] Asebi
Drifting Cloud?
[19:49] Asebi
Princess Fujinami wants me to have it?
[19:51] Samomo
She says she spoke of you to a
certain person, who granted permission.
[19:57] Asebi
Who might that be?
[19:59] Samomo
Someone of high birth. She said no more.
[20:04] Asebi
Cherry blossoms and mist.
[20:27] Ukogi
Drifting Cloud?
[20:37] Asebi
When was it?
[21:01] Asebi
The boy wore purple.
[21:06] Asebi
Of course! Why didn't I realize?
[21:09] Asebi
Only the most noble members of
the Royal House may dress in purple.
[21:13] Asebi
Then, that boy must have been... the Prince?
[21:24] Asebi
I came to the palace
so I could see my first love again.
[21:38] Yukiya
What are you frowning for?
[21:41] Nazukihiko
I just received a threat.
[21:43] Yukiya
Y-You got a what?!
[21:50] Yukiya
So, basically, "I shall overlook
Your Highness's sloth thus far."
[21:56] Yukiya
"But whatever happens, no matter how grave,
[21:59] Yukiya
you absolutely must visit the
Cherry Blossom Palace on Tanabata!"
[22:04] Yukiya
Hey, isn't this...
[22:05] Nazukihiko
Yes. From the Lord of the West.
[22:08] Yukiya
Jeez, don't scare me like that.
[22:11] Nazukihiko
That man has no doubt
that I will wed his daughter,
[22:16] Nazukihiko
so he wants to make me
visit her and seal the deal.
[22:21] Yukiya
"S-Seal the deal"?
[22:24] Nazukihiko
By wearing her kimono, of course.
[22:27] Yukiya
S-Still, Tanabata, huh?
[22:30] Yukiya
You really can't sit this one out, can you?
[22:35] Yukiya
Your Highness?
[22:36] Nazukihiko
I don't want to go.
[22:46] Sumio
Atsufusa?
[22:48] Atsufusa
I beg of you!
[22:50] Atsufusa
Let me speak with His Highness!
[22:52] Atsufusa
I realize the impertinence
of my request, but please!
[24:31] Narrator
Natsuka's aide, Atsufusa.
[24:34] Narrator
This unexpected visitor
asks a favor of the Prince.
[24:39] Narrator
On Tanabata in the Cherry Blossom Palace,
[24:42] Narrator
the tune Asebi plucks on her koto
makes waves in women's hearts.
[24:50] Narrator
Next time: "A Tanabata Invitation."
SIGN A Tanabata
SIGN Invitation
SIGN YATAGARASU:
The Raven
Does Not
Choose
Its Master
SIGN Illustration: Natsuki
E6 - A Tanabata Invitation
Source: Crunchyroll
Translator:
Editor:
Timer:
QC:
(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.)
SIGN Wisteria Hall, Cherry Blossom Palace
[00:12] Fujinami
Samomo.
[00:13] Samomo
Oh, is Your Highness awake?
[00:16] Fujinami
How was Lady Asebi?
[00:19] Samomo
She was delighted.
[00:22] Samomo
She even played the koto for me.
[00:25] Fujinami
Did she?
[00:27] Fujinami
I wish I could have heard.
[00:31] Samomo
Please, don't strain yourself.
[00:33] Samomo
The weight of your responsibilities
must be taking its toll.
[00:41] Fujinami
Listen, Samomo.
I've never had anyone but myself.
[00:46] Fujinami
My brother treats me kindly,
but we can rarely see each other.
[00:51] Fujinami
In my loneliness,
I lashed out at those around me.
[00:56] Fujinami
I don't think I was a very nice child.
[01:00] Fujinami
Yet Lady Asebi cared for me
like a younger sister.
[01:14] Fujinami
I even took to calling her "Sister" myself.
[01:25] Samomo
And in truth, you wish
to become real sisters?
[01:31] Samomo
I understand.
[01:33] Samomo
Your loyal Samomo will aid Lady Asebi
in marrying the Prince in any way I can.
[01:37] Samomo
So please, set your mind at ease and rest.
SIGN YATAGARASU
SIGN The Raven
Does Not
Choose
Its Master
[03:14] Nazukihiko
You say you will help
put me on the throne?
[03:17] Atsufusa
Yes, Your Highness.
[03:19] Nazukihiko
But you...
[03:20] Atsufusa
I support Lord Natsuka,
whose faction opposes you.
[03:24] Atsufusa
I doubt I could deceive Your Highness,
so allow me to be frank.
[03:29] Atsufusa
I will safeguard you from the schemes
of Lord Natsuka's backers.
[03:34] Atsufusa
In exchange, I wish you to shelter
Lord Natsuka when you ascend to the throne.
[03:42] Atsufusa
Our faction began honestly enough
[03:45] Atsufusa
as a simple gathering of court ravens
drawn to Lord Natsuka's character.
[03:49] Atsufusa
But before we knew it,
our ranks were infiltrated by extremists,
[03:53] Atsufusa
bent on making Lord Natsuka the kin'u
to further their own political ends.
[03:58] Atsufusa
And now, they gain strength
under Rokon's leadership.
[04:02] Atsufusa
What they practice is not loyalty.
[04:05] Atsufusa
If they are not stopped, Lord Natsuka
will be branded a rebel for Rokon's misdeeds.
[04:10] Nazukihiko
And you have no issue with my accession?
[04:14] Atsufusa
Lord Natsuka promoted me,
a minor noble without a patron.
[04:20] Atsufusa
He wishes for nothing more
than peace in Yamauchi.
[04:24] Atsufusa
And I value nothing more than his life.
[04:30] Nazukihiko
I understand, but I would like to see
your work before I make up my mind.
[04:36] Atsufusa
As Your Highness wishes.
[04:38] Nazukihiko
I see. Then, I realize this is sudden,
but I would like you to do something for me.
[04:47] Yukiya; Sumio
What?
[04:50] Natsuka
I hope Your Majesty
will forgive my long absence.
[04:53] Natsuka
It delights me to find our Empress so well.
[04:56] Empress
Spare me the formalities.
It is good to see you, my son.
[05:02] Natsuka
Ma'am.
[05:04] Empress
The ladies-in-waiting expect to finally
catch a glimpse of the Prince on Tanabata.
[05:10] Empress
Their bustling puts me out of sorts.
[05:13] Natsuka
That is unfortunate.
Is that the reason for the karon incense?
[05:18] Empress
It does offer some relief.
[05:21] Empress
But enough of that.
[05:23] Empress
What will you do on Tanabata?
[05:25] Natsuka
Lord Toru has invited me to
celebrate it at his southern palace.
[05:30] Empress
I put in a word for you.
[05:33] Empress
I expect Toru's daughter will attend.
[05:36] Empress
You may become acquainted
even with a screen between you.
[05:39] Natsuka
I have devoted myself to the Mountain God.
[05:42] Empress
How dull.
[05:44] Empress
Still, those of the Southern House
hide their thoughts even from family.
[05:49] Empress
In that sense, you may be
more "Southern" than any of us.
[06:00] Yukiya
Sheesh. What is His Highness thinking?
[06:04] Atsufusa
Can't you see the fun in it?
[06:07] Atsufusa
Still, His Highness gave me
quite a role to play.
[06:10] Atsufusa
I must succeed if I am to win his trust.
[06:13] Yukiya
Please take care, Sir Atsufusa.
[06:17] Yukiya
If Sir Rokon were ever to find out...
[06:19] Atsufusa
I appreciate your concern,
aide to our future kin'u.
[06:25] Atsufusa
I dreamed of securing that position
for myself until not long ago,
[06:30] Atsufusa
but I think I will let you have the honor.
[06:39] Sumio
Stay on your guard.
[06:41] Sumio
Atsufusa comes from the
Southern House, just like the Empress.
[06:45] Sumio
Still, he has real backbone.
Think he'd join us if Nazukihiko asked him?
[06:57] Yukiya
White.
[06:59] Yukiya
White. White. White.
SIGN Spring Hall, Cherry Blossom Palace
[07:13] Asebi
What lovely weather.
Tonight should be perfect for stargazing.
[07:18] Ukogi
Hold still, my lady.
You must dress with special care today.
[07:22] Ukogi
You will be coming face-to-face
with the Prince at last.
[07:25] Asebi
Y-You're right. Now I feel a little nervous.
[07:29] Samomo
You look gorgeous, Lady Asebi.
[07:31] Asebi
Thank you, Samomo.
[07:32] Ukogi
What news of the other houses, Miss Samomo?
[07:35] Samomo
Well, they all look lovely, but the Western
House seems especially magnificent.
[07:42] Samomo
They have set out kimonos and ornaments
in the reds that Lady Masuho-no-Susuki favors.
[07:47] Ukogi
How I envy them.
[07:49] Ukogi
It would hardly hurt the Lord of the East
to loosen his purse strings a little.
[07:55] Asebi
Don't just complain.
[07:57] Asebi
Look, we still have a kimono
we haven't hung up yet.
[07:59] Ukogi
Ah! Stay still, my lady!
[08:01] Ukogi
Please try to keep calm.
[08:04] Asebi
I'm hopeless, aren't I?
[08:07] Samomo
Let us go peek at the stargazing party.
It will surely cheer you up.
[08:49] Masuho
How do you do, Lady Asebi?
[08:52] Asebi
L-Lady Masuho-no-Susuki! I beg your pardon.
[08:55] Asebi
Your kimono looks so lovely that I, well...
[08:58] Masuho
Thank you. I spent a year making it.
[09:02] Masuho
I sewed every stitch of my kimono
as well as His Highness's myself.
[09:07] Asebi
You sewed them?
Not your ladies-in-waiting?
[09:11] Masuho
Of course.
[09:13] Masuho
How could I let another woman
make my gift to the man I love?
[09:21] Masuho
Oh, don't worry. You look charming, too.
[09:29] Fujinami
Lady Asebi.
[09:31] Asebi
Princess Fujinami.
[09:34] Fujinami
Oh, good. I see you're all here.
[09:38] Fujinami
We still have time
before His Highness arrives.
[09:41] Fujinami
Would you play your koto
for us, here and now?
[09:45] Asebi
What? But Princess Fujinami, um...
[09:48] Ukogi
My lady.
[09:49] Ukogi
If you desire your koto,
it is ready for you.
[09:52] Asebi
Ukogi, when did you...
[09:54] Fujinami
Please, Lady Asebi.
[10:01] Asebi
But I...
[10:03] Hamayu
What's this? Running away again?
[10:06] Hamayu
You are a lady of the
Eastern house, remember.
[10:09] Hamayu
Don't you want to
shut them up for a change?
[11:49] Hamayu
They say thoughtless words only
disgrace the speaker. Now you know why.
[11:56] Hamayu
Well, consider it a lesson learned.
[11:59] Masuho
I do not recall asking your opinion.
[12:05] Fujinami
What a wonderful performance.
[12:08] Fujinami
You simply must play for my brother, too.
[12:11] Asebi
Oh, but I...
[12:13] Samomo
Lady Hamayu.
[12:16] Samomo
Thank you for encouraging Lady Asebi.
[12:20] Hamayu
Don't mention it. I was merely bored.
[12:25] Cha-no-Hana
Thank you for delighting our ears.
The East is justly famed for its musicians.
[12:31] Asebi
Th-Thank you.
[12:33] Cha-no-Hana
Still, what a large koto.
[12:35] Asebi
Only the Eastern House uses them.
[12:37] Cha-no-Hana
Oh, yes, I am well aware.
[12:40] Cha-no-Hana
I even recall seeing those cherry
blossoms and mist before, long ago.
[12:44] Fujinami
Cha-no-Hana. I received the proper
permissions before giving it to her.
[12:48] Cha-no-Hana
If you will pardon me, Princess Fujinami,
you have a duty to remain neutral.
[12:52] Cha-no-Hana
Would it be proper for you
to show a single lady favor?
[12:57] Cha-no-Hana
She wins your trust with an innocent face.
A veritable Lady Raven.
[13:03] Asebi
Who is "Lady Raven"?
[13:04] Cha-no-Hana
You don't know?
[13:06] Cha-no-Hana
Her tale is of a lowly raven
disguised as a beautiful lady
[13:09] Cha-no-Hana
who steals into the palace, seduces
the crown prince, and pays with her life.
[13:15] Ukogi
My lady, pay her no heed.
[13:17] Cha-no-Hana
If you care for your lady,
I suggest you teach her.
[13:22] Cha-no-Hana
Lest she repeat her mother's performance
in Cherry Blossom Palace.
[13:26] Asebi
My mother's?
[13:28] Asebi
What do you mean by that?
[13:31] Cha-no-Hana
Far be it from me to say. My lips are seal—
[13:36] Cha-no-Hana
What is the meaning of this?
[13:37] Ukogi
Shut your sly old beak!
[13:39] Cha-no-Hana
What? I could say the same to you!
[13:43] Takimoto
Calm yourselves, both of you.
[13:45] Ukogi
No. I cannot remain silent
when my lady's honor is concerned!
[13:49] Cha-no-Hana
Indeed. We need no assistance.
[13:52] Ukogi
What gave you the right to address her
at all? You, a lady-in-waiting...
[13:57] Asebi
Why did Cha-no-Hana recognize that koto?
[14:00] Asebi
And what did she mean about
"Lady Raven" and my mother?
[14:04] Asebi
Ukogi won't tell me anything,
and I can't ask anyone else.
[14:10] Asebi
Tell me, Samomo, what should I do?
[14:13] Samomo
Lady Asebi...
[14:14] Fujinami
Lady Asebi!
[14:17] Fujinami
Forgive me. I should never
have placed you in that position.
[14:21] Asebi
Princess Fujinami.
[14:23] Fujinami
Cherry Blossom Palace is always like this.
[14:26] Fujinami
Everyone undermines each other and
twists inconvenient truths to get ahead.
[14:32] Fujinami
That's why I want you to marry
my dear brother and join me at court.
[14:45] Asebi
I understand.
[14:46] Fujinami
Oh, Sister! Thank goodness.
[14:49] Asebi
Though I doubt I have what it takes.
[14:52] Fujinami
Not at all. I promise
I'll help you in any way I can.
[14:57] Asebi
Truly?
[14:59] Asebi
Then, would you leave Samomo
with me for a little while?
[15:05] Fujinami
What?
[15:06] Fujinami
Why Samomo?
[15:10] Fujinami
Can't you tell me?
[15:14] Asebi
Forgive me. I asked for too much.
[15:17] Asebi
Please forget it.
[15:21] Fujinami
Very well. If you'll find her useful.
[15:25] Asebi
Princess Fujinami! Thank you so much!
[15:46] Yukiya
Still no sign.
[15:48] Yukiya
The Tanabata ceremony is about to start.
[15:51] Yukiya
I guess Atsufusa couldn't pull it off.
[15:55] Sumio
We need to leave for
Cherry Blossom Palace soon.
[15:57] Nazukihiko
Do we? Let's set out, then.
[16:01] Nazukihiko
Yukiya, mind the palace.
[16:04] Yukiya
Why?
[16:05] Yukiya
I know how to use a sword, too.
[16:08] Nazukihiko
I can defend myself.
[16:11] Nazukihiko
And my enemies won't choose
today to make their move.
[16:15] Yukiya
But—
[16:16] Nazukihiko
A down payment.
[16:28] Yukiya
That guy seriously never listens.
[16:32] Yukiya
Well, I guess this is the
most peace I could hope for.
[16:59] Yukiya
Please, Kuro!
Our master needs this right now!
[17:11] Sumio
Hey, it's Yukiya!
[17:14] Yukiya
Message from the Southern House!
[17:16] Yukiya
They want you to attend!
[17:17] Nazukihiko
Well done.
[17:19] Nazukihiko
Kuro!
[17:31] Yukiya
Damn that stupid raven.
[17:37] Yukiya
Aw, man. And the job I get stuck with is...
[17:42] Yukiya
Please forgive me!
[17:44] Takimoto
You again?
[17:45] Yukiya
His Highness has urgent business and
cannot come to Cherry Blossom Palace.
[17:51] Yukiya
He sends his sincere apologies.
[17:54] Karamushi
Tanabata without the Crown Prince?
This is unheard of.
[17:59] Cha-no-Hana
Do not insult us! Did you imagine
a mere apology would suffice?
[18:03] Ukogi
With all due respect,
is His Highness not neglecting our ladies?
[18:07] Yukiya
No, he would not dream of it.
[18:09] Kikuno
Then, why does he not send
so much as a letter?
[18:14] Yukiya
What?
[18:15] Kikuno
Letters.
[18:16] Kikuno
Both my lady and the others await
some message from His Highness.
[18:22] Yukiya
That's strange.
[18:24] Yukiya
I know His Highness has sent
apologies to every lady here.
[18:29] Cha-no-Hana
In writing?
[18:30] Yukiya
Yes. To express his regrets that
he hasn't been able to visit them.
[18:35] Yukiya
Have they really not arrived?
[18:38] Kikuno
Then, the letters vanished?
[18:41] Masuho
What is the meaning of this?
[18:44] Yukiya
Um, may I take my leave now?
[18:47] Cha-no-Hana
Confound you, boy!
[18:49] Cha-no-Hana
We would not be in this dilemma
if you did your job properly!
[18:53] Yukiya
F-Forgive me!
[19:01] Fujinami
In any case, His Highness will
not be able to join us for Tanabata.
[19:06] Fujinami
Look into the disappearing letters.
[19:08] Takimoto
Yes, Highness.
SIGN Southern Palace
[19:19] Toru
Still, what can His Highness be thinking?
[19:23] Natsuka
Is something the matter?
[19:25] Toru
He requested a meeting with me.
[19:28] Toru
I have no business with him,
so I made my excuses and refused.
[19:32] Natsuka
Oh?
[19:33] Toru
But he persisted, so I sent a messenger
earlier, inviting him to come today.
[19:40] Natsuka
How could he? He must be in
Cherry Blossom Palace by now.
[19:44] Toru
Yes.
[19:45] Toru
But at least I can say
I granted his request.
[19:50] Toru
I did the minimum that duty requires of me.
[19:52] Natsuka
I see. Cleverly managed.
[19:56] Natsuka
But what would you have done if,
by chance, he ran into me here?
[20:02] Toru
Oh, I didn't plan that far ahead.
[20:06] Toru
Atsufusa gave me the idea.
[20:08] Toru
He's quite the strategist,
if I may praise my own nephew.
[20:11] Toru
Does he make himself useful
to you, Lord Natsuka?
[20:14] Natsuka
Yes, quite.
[20:17] Voice
Please wait!
SIGN Autumn Hall, Cherry Blossom Palace
[20:32] Lady-in-waiting 2
I hear His Highness
went to the Southern House.
[20:35] Lady-in-waiting 3
What a disgrace for the West.
What does this mean for marriage prospects?
[20:39] Kikuno
You over there.
[20:45] Asebi
I suppose you could see this spot
from outside, couldn't you?
SIGN Spring Hall
[20:48] Lady-in-waiting
Yes, my lady.
[20:49] Asebi
Let me see. Do I just pass
this pole through the sleeves?
[20:53] Lady-in-waiting
No, my lady. You must...
[20:55] Ukogi
My lady.
[20:56] Ukogi
What are you doing?
[20:57] Asebi
What? I thought I would hang this kimono.
[21:01] Asebi
What are you doing, Ukogi?
[21:03] Ukogi
Lady Masuho-no-Susuki
presented this to you!
[21:07] Ukogi
How could you think of displaying
a gift from a lady of another house?
[21:12] Asebi
What? But...
SIGN Summer Hall
[21:25] Hamayu
Shiratama?
[21:27] Shiratama
I am surprised you could tell.
[21:29] Hamayu
Who else has such elegant footsteps?
[21:33] Hamayu
So what do you want?
[21:36] Shiratama
Would you strike a deal with me?
[21:39] Hamayu
A deal?
[21:40] Shiratama
I would like you and the Southern House
to give up on marrying the Prince.
[21:45] Shiratama
In exchange, when I become consort,
[21:49] Shiratama
I promise the Northern House
will show the South considerable favor.
[21:54] Hamayu
Out of the question.
[21:56] Hamayu
Come back when you can promise
a formal alliance in writing.
[22:01] Shiratama
Then, what if I said
I would reveal your secret?
[22:10] Shiratama
I know all about your past and
what brings you to Cherry Blossom Palace.
[22:22] Nazukihiko
Pardon my late arrival.
[22:24] Nazukihiko
Thank you for your invitation, Lord Toru.
[22:26] Toru
You honor me. I never dreamed you would
actually grace us with your presence.
[22:31] Toru
I will have a place
prepared for you at once.
[22:34] Natsuka
Allow me to excuse myself.
[22:36] Nazukihiko
That will not be necessary.
[22:38] Nazukihiko
This is a perfect opportunity.
[22:40] Nazukihiko
I have been hoping to have
a heart-to-heart with you, too, brother.
[22:45] Nazukihiko
On matters we cannot discuss at court.
SIGN Central Castle Town
[24:30] Narrator
Shiratama makes her move.
[24:33] Narrator
Hamayu harbors secrets.
[24:36] Narrator
Fear rattles Asebi and Masuho-no-Susuki.
[24:40] Narrator
In the Prince's absence, discord resounds
all around Cherry Blossom Palace.
[24:46] Narrator
And tragedy ensues.
SIGN Falling
[24:50] Narrator
Next time: "Falling."
SIGN YATAGARASU:
The Raven
Does Not
Choose
Its Master
SIGN Illustration: Natsuki
E7 - Falling
Source: Crunchyroll
Translator:
Editor:
Timer:
QC:
(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.)
SIGN Summer Hall, Cherry Blossom Palace
[00:03] Shiratama
Southern merchants, Western artisans,
Eastern musicians, and Northern warriors.
[00:10] Shiratama
We call the Four Houses equal,
[00:12] Shiratama
yet the North has always resigned
itself to fourth place.
[00:17] Shiratama
Warriors make for poor politicians.
[00:20] Shiratama
The other houses look down on us
as hardheaded boors and ruffians.
[00:25] Shiratama
In the long history of this rite,
we have never married into royalty.
[00:29] Hamayu
You really shouldn't put
yourself down like that.
[00:33] Shiratama
The Northern House dreams
of an imperial marriage.
[00:35] Shiratama
As long as we can attain that honor,
we need nothing else.
[00:40] Shiratama
So if the South were to retire
from the competition,
[00:44] Shiratama
we would cede every other advantage
to you as compensation.
[00:48] Hamayu
If you can get the Prince to marry you.
[00:52] Shiratama
Naturally.
[00:53] Shiratama
But I may request a little more aid
from the South to ensure that I do.
[01:00] Shiratama
In Cherry Blossom Palace,
each lady speaks for her house.
[01:04] Shiratama
Just this once, you will
need to take me at my word.
[01:10] Shiratama
So what will it be?
[01:11] Shiratama
Work with me and benefit your house?
[01:14] Shiratama
Or lose everything and leave the palace
when your secret is exposed?
[01:25] Hamayu
Hah. As if I have a choice.
[01:28] Shiratama
I am delighted you understand.
[01:30] Hamayu
What will you do about the other houses?
[01:32] Shiratama
The naive Westerners will be child's play.
[01:37] Hamayu
But the Eastern House is sly.
[01:40] Hamayu
Who knows what they're really thinking,
sending an innocent like Asebi.
[01:45] Shiratama
Oh, but why worry about that
when I can simply crush Asebi herself?
[01:51] Shiratama
Do not fret. I know I will succeed.
SIGN YATAGARASU
SIGN The Raven
Does Not
Choose
Its Master
SIGN Southern Palace
[03:37] Yukiya
So this is the Southern House's palace?
[03:44] Crowd
Ugh. Why here?
[03:46] Crowd
I wasn't told of this.
[03:49] Yukiya
That must be it.
[03:53] Yukiya
Ow.
[03:56] Rokon
Well, look who it is. The Prince's aide.
[03:59] Yukiya
Sir Rokon.
[04:06] Rokon
They cleared out the guests.
You can't get in.
[04:09] Yukiya
Right. Thank you for telling me. Bye.
[04:13] Yukiya
D-Do you need something?
[04:15] Rokon
You seem familiar.
[04:17] Rokon
Was it you who spied on
our meeting in the Ravine?
[04:23] Rokon
Oh well.
[04:24] Rokon
Mind if I ask you a few questions?
[04:51] Toru
Something wrong?
[04:52] Nazukihiko
I just cannot see the resemblance.
[04:55] Nazukihiko
To Hamayu, I mean.
[04:57] Nazukihiko
Is the "first daughter of the South"
who entered the palace your daughter?
[05:02] Toru
I do not take your meaning.
[05:04] Nazukihiko
It is a simple question.
[05:07] Toru
As you guessed, I adopted Hamayu.
[05:10] Toru
I sent an orphan I raised
to take part in the Rite of Ascension.
[05:15] Toru
But I promise you, she truly is
a direct descendant of my house.
[05:21] Nazukihiko
Her pedigree does not concern me.
[05:23] Nazukihiko
But I believe you have a daughter of age.
[05:27] Nazukihiko
What was her name again?
[05:29] Toru
Nadeshiko.
[05:30] Nazukihiko
Yes, Nadeshiko.
[05:32] Nazukihiko
Surely she would have been
the natural choice to take part in the rite?
[05:36] Nazukihiko
Is there a reason she was not sent?
[05:41] Toru
I am afraid my daughter lacks charm.
[05:44] Toru
Hardly a fitting consort for—
[05:45] Nazukihiko
Spare me the excuses.
[05:49] Nazukihiko
Tell me why you do not want
to wed her to me.
[05:52] Nazukihiko
And was that your decision?
[05:55] Nazukihiko
Or was it... someone else's?
[06:01] Natsuka
Why not leave it at that?
[06:04] Nazukihiko
Brother.
[06:05] Natsuka
She would hardly be the
first girl adopted for the rite.
[06:11] Natsuka
No doubt Lord Toru acted to safeguard
the Southern House and its domain.
[06:17] Nazukihiko
Meaning he thinks that
I cannot defend either?
[06:21] Toru
No, I would never presume to—
[06:23] Natsuka
Your Highness should
learn a little humility.
[06:26] Natsuka
I pledged fealty to you because I believe
you will fulfill your duties as kin'u.
[06:34] Natsuka
Yet at times, your high-handed
manner grows intolerable.
[06:38] Natsuka
It will cost you the Four Houses' trust,
[06:41] Natsuka
which may, in turn, invite chaos to Yamauchi.
[06:47] Natsuka
If that should come to pass,
I will have no choice but to do my own duty.
[06:54] Natsuka
The Royal House has no greater calling
than maintaining the peace in Yamauchi.
[07:04] Natsuka
Forgive my impertinence.
[07:07] Natsuka
I merely followed Your Highness
in speaking frankly.
[07:10] Nazukihiko
Of course, Brother.
I welcome your honest opinion.
[07:14] Natsuka
You honor me.
[07:17] Nazukihiko
It is time I took my leave.
[07:37] Atsufusa
I beg your pardon for my foolish council.
[07:41] Atsufusa
I never dreamed the Prince
would actually attend.
[07:43] Toru
Neither did I. He scared me stiff.
[07:47] Toru
Lord Natsuka managed
to smooth things over.
[07:50] Toru
Still, for a fool,
he picks up on strange things.
[07:54] Toru
The attack in the pleasure quarter doesn't
seem to have left much of an impression.
[07:58] Natsuka
That concerns me as well.
[08:01] Natsuka
My brother never learns from his mistakes.
[08:04] Natsuka
Naturally, I support his accession.
[08:08] Natsuka
But unless he mends his ways,
[08:12] Natsuka
my backers may resort to further violence
without my knowledge.
[08:24] Toru
How fearsome.
[08:26] Toru
Do you plan to seize everything
without lifting a finger yourself?
[08:30] Atsufusa
With all due respect, Lord Natsuka
of all people would never—
[08:34] Toru
Merely a jest, Atsufusa.
Do not take it seriously.
[08:37] Atsufusa
Even in jest, some things should not—
[08:39] Natsuka
Atsufusa.
[08:41] Toru
Well, I suppose I did get carried away.
[08:45] Toru
I beg your pardon.
[08:47] Natsuka
There is no need.
[08:53] Yukiya
What do you want, anyway?
[08:56] Rokon
You've got a warrior's look. I like that.
[09:00] Rokon
A little dainty for my tastes, though.
Where in the North are you from?
[09:04] Yukiya
Taruhi.
[09:05] Rokon
Taruhi? Where the lord married
a daughter of the Northern House?
[09:09] Yukiya
I have a different mother
than my brothers.
[09:11] Rokon
I see.
[09:13] Rokon
So, Yukiya, how'd you like to work for me?
[09:17] Yukiya
Huh?
[09:18] Rokon
You've already caught
Lord Natsuka's eye, remember? Join us.
[09:22] Yukiya
I serve His Highness.
[09:25] Rokon
Hm? So you've put your faith in the Prince?
[09:29] Yukiya
I wouldn't go that far.
[09:31] Rokon
What else would you call it?
[09:34] Rokon
You could easily have died
by my hand in the Ravine.
[09:38] Rokon
Why do you still follow the master
who threw you into that mess?
[09:43] Yukiya
Anyway, I'm not going to
become anyone's lackey.
[09:47] Yukiya
I'm working as His Highness's
aide now, but only for a year.
[09:51] Yukiya
Then I go back to Taruhi.
[09:53] Yukiya
I don't care about the Prince or the Center.
[09:58] Yukiya
I want to keep my family
and my home safe. That's all I want.
[10:03] Nazukihiko
Yukiya.
[10:05] Yukiya
Y-Your Highness.
[10:08] Rokon
Is the secret council over?
I'd better get back, then.
[10:14] Rokon
Oh, and if you're looking
for Sumio, he flew away.
[10:18] Rokon
The moment he saw me, he took off
like his tail feathers were on fire.
[10:25] Yukiya
Your Highness, um...
[10:29] Yukiya
It was in the heat of the moment, and I, uh...
[10:32] Sumio
Is that bastard finally gone?
[10:35] Sumio
Sorry. Were you looking for me?
[10:38] Nazukihiko
Rokon said you had turned
tail and fled in fear of him.
[10:42] Sumio
What? Don't make me laugh!
I just want nothing to do with him.
[10:46] Sumio
Not only is he crazy, he's loud, he can't
take a hint, and he grins all the time.
[11:13] Yukiya
If we just flew home,
we'd be back in no time.
[11:16] Sumio
Sure, but we can't see in the dark.
[11:21] Yukiya
The ladies waiting for Your Highness
must be feeling so let down.
[11:26] Nazukihiko
Undoubtedly. I regret disappointing them.
[11:29] Yukiya
Huh?
[11:30] Nazukihiko
What is it?
[11:30] Yukiya
I just, uh, wasn't expecting that answer.
[11:33] Nazukihiko
I do not despise Cherry
Blossom Palace nor Tanabata.
[11:39] Nazukihiko
Yukiya, I do not avoid Cherry Blossom
Palace simply because I fear assassins.
[11:46] Nazukihiko
I stay away because I can easily picture
how my visits would affect the ladies.
[11:53] Nazukihiko
They all bear the weight of their houses'
expectations, though not all equally.
[12:02] Nazukihiko
If I meet the eyes of one,
it will give her hope.
[12:05] Nazukihiko
If I speak to one,
she will think herself chosen.
[12:10] Nazukihiko
And even those fortunate enough
to become my consort or concubine
[12:14] Nazukihiko
will spend the rest of their lives
fearing assassination.
[12:20] Nazukihiko
You could say I bring them only harm.
[12:24] Nazukihiko
But to become kin'u, I must take a consort.
[12:29] Nazukihiko
So I will sow as little misfortune
as I can. Isn't that the kindest way?
[12:34] Yukiya
Your Highness...
[12:37] Yukiya
I guess it can't be easy, having the ladies
resent you because they don't know.
[12:44] Nazukihiko
That doesn't matter.
[12:50] Yukiya
You leave yourself wide open.
[12:55] Yukiya
You worry about other people, but you
just keep taking risks, like you did today.
[13:01] Yukiya
Get serious about protecting yourself
or you'll die one of these days.
[13:05] Nazukihiko
I'll be fine. I am a kin'u.
[13:08] Yukiya
That doesn't prove anything!
[13:11] Nazukihiko
All right. I'll bear it in mind.
[13:14] Nazukihiko
But I don't think I am quite as
defenseless as you imagine I am.
[13:18] Nazukihiko
I am capable with a sword,
and I do have friends.
[13:22] Yukiya
Apart from Sumio and me?
[13:24] Nazukihiko
Yes.
[13:25] Yukiya
Allies you can trust?
[13:27] Nazukihiko
Of course. I trust them with my life.
[13:29] Yukiya
Who do you mean?
[13:31] Sumio
You want to know? It's our biggest secret.
[13:34] Yukiya
Uh...
[13:37] Yukiya
I think I'll pass.
[13:38] Sumio
Huh?
[13:39] Yukiya
I mean, I won't be able to leave
after a year if you tell me.
[13:43] Yukiya
And I'm going home to Taruhi
next spring, no matter what.
[13:47] Yukiya
So don't tell me. Not ever.
[13:49] Sumio
Fine. You win.
SIGN Spring Hall, Cherry Blossom Palace
[13:57] Samomo
I have returned.
[14:00] Asebi
Thank you for going, Samomo.
[14:03] Asebi
How did it go? Did you get an answer?
[14:08] Asebi
Thank you!
[14:10] Asebi
You must be tired. Take it easy today.
[14:31] Asebi
Lady Shiratama?
[14:33] Shiratama
Who wrote that letter?
[14:34] Asebi
What?
[14:36] Shiratama
Did the Prince send you that, by any chance?
[14:39] Asebi
No, this is—
[14:41] Shiratama
How shameless.
[14:42] Shiratama
I know you have been scheming
with that royal lady-in-waiting, Samomo.
[14:47] Shiratama
You must be our letter thief.
[14:49] Asebi
What? I am not, Lady Shiratama.
[14:52] Shiratama
Then, show that to me.
[14:56] Asebi
S-Stop!
[14:59] Asebi
I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to...
[15:01] Shiratama
That look.
[15:04] Shiratama
That "I've never had an impure thought" look
of yours disgusts me so much, I could retch!
[15:18] Asebi
Someone...
[15:21] Asebi
Anyone...
[15:27] Masuho
Calm yourself.
[15:29] Masuho
The pool is shallow here. Try to stand.
[15:32] Asebi
Lady Masuho-no-Susuki...
[15:35] Masuho
What do you think you are doing?
[15:37] Shiratama
Whatever do you mean?
[15:39] Shiratama
Lady Asebi merely tripped and fell.
[15:42] Masuho
Don't play innocent.
I shall report this to Princess Fujinami.
[15:46] Shiratama
Oh? Then, so will I.
[15:49] Shiratama
Her Highness should know that the Western
and Eastern Houses colluded to vilify me.
[15:55] Masuho
What are you talking about?
[15:58] Masuho
Do you think Her Highness
would believe such nonsense?
[16:01] Masuho
And the Royal House can
hardly dismiss us out of hand.
[16:06] Shiratama
Ignorance is bliss. Do you not realize
the political situation has changed?
[16:11] Shiratama
The North has soldiers
and the South has wealth.
[16:14] Shiratama
Now that they have joined forces, anyone
can see which side the Royal House will take.
[16:21] Masuho
The Northern and
Southern Houses? Impossible.
[16:24] Shiratama
The Southern House has already promised
to cede the Prince's hand to me.
[16:29] Shiratama
If you doubt me, ask Lady Hamayu.
[16:33] Shiratama
Though I suggest you behave yourselves,
unless you wish to endanger your own houses.
[16:41] Masuho
Don't be absurd.
[16:43] Masuho
His Highness would never
choose a coward like you.
[16:47] Shiratama
Then, I will simply ensure that
the rest of you have no place here.
[16:53] Shiratama
He will marry me
when he has no other choice.
[16:56] Asebi
How horrible!
[16:59] Shiratama
You are both here out of love for the Prince.
[17:03] Shiratama
But I am not.
[17:05] Shiratama
I could not care less how he feels.
[17:10] Shiratama
The North dreams of an imperial marriage.
[17:13] Shiratama
I am here to secure one,
and for no other reason.
[17:23] Masuho
Do you not feel lonely, living like that?
[17:31] Shiratama
No. I have discarded all such sentiments.
[17:37] Shiratama
Consider yourselves warned.
[17:41] Shiratama
If you should marry
the Prince in spite of me,
[17:49] Shiratama
I swear I will ruin you.
[17:52] Shiratama
Then I will thrust this
into my throat and die myself.
[17:58] Shiratama
Bear it in mind.
[18:21] Kikuno
My lady?
[18:22] Kikuno
What are you doing there?
[18:24] Masuho
Kikuno, you fool!
Why were you not here sooner?
[18:26] Kikuno
What?
SIGN Autumn Hall, Cherry Blossom Palace
[18:34] Masuho
Who could have imagined that
Shiratama would have such ideas?
[18:38] Masuho
I never so much as suspected her.
[18:41] Masuho
I believed that my sincere love
and devotion would reach the Prince.
[18:46] Masuho
That was how I saw the Rite of Ascension.
[18:51] Masuho
You wrote to your house's main residence?
[18:53] Asebi
Yes.
[18:55] Asebi
I had Samomo deliver my letter in person.
[18:57] Masuho
That breaks the rules.
[18:59] Asebi
I know.
[19:01] Asebi
But I just had to learn about my mother,
[19:05] Asebi
so I asked a manservant I know well
to tell me anything he could.
[19:10] Masuho
And did you learn about her?
[19:14] Asebi
Nothing yet.
[19:18] Masuho
I am told this story
comes from my late aunt,
[19:23] Masuho
but when the current
Kin'u chose his consort,
[19:25] Masuho
the Eastern House sent a master
of the koto to the palace.
[19:30] Masuho
I believe she went by Ukigumo.
[19:33] Asebi
Wait, "Drifting Cloud"?
[19:35] Masuho
She seemed pure,
untainted by worldly affairs.
[19:40] Masuho
She and the Kin'u soon fell in love.
[19:43] Masuho
His Majesty visited her the most,
and people said their marriage was assured.
[19:49] Masuho
However...
[19:51] Masuho
They fell prey to Lady Yuzemi's plots.
[19:55] Asebi
Who is that?
[20:01] Kikuno
Our current Empress.
[20:03] Asebi
What?
[20:05] Kikuno
As a result, Her Majesty
conceived Lord Natsuka.
[20:09] Kikuno
The rite ended before spring,
[20:12] Kikuno
and I hear Lady Ukigumo
returned to her home in tears.
[20:16] Asebi
Then, Lady Ukigumo was...
[20:20] Masuho
Your mother. She must be.
[20:22] Masuho
The koto bearing her name
might even have belonged to her.
[20:26] Kikuno
Her Majesty is the real "Lady Raven."
[20:30] Kikuno
How Ukogi must have resented her.
[20:33] Asebi
I had no idea.
[20:35] Masuho
Asebi, you must not tell Princess Fujinami
or anyone else what happened today.
[20:39] Asebi
Huh?
[20:40] Masuho
We will play into her hands
if we make a scene.
[20:43] Masuho
If the North and South
really have joined forces,
[20:47] Masuho
we will be crushed.
[20:49] Masuho
In fact, the damage may not stop there.
[20:58] Masuho
Are you all right now?
[20:59] Asebi
Yes. I feel refreshed somehow.
[21:02] Asebi
I must send Samomo back to
Princess Fujinami when I get back.
[21:07] Asebi
Thank you so much for everything.
[21:11] Masuho
Asebi, I have been so haughty all this time,
never thinking of your feelings.
[21:17] Masuho
I know I must have hurt you.
[21:21] Masuho
I am truly sorry.
[21:23] Asebi
You do not need to be,
Lady Masuho-no-Susuki.
[21:58] Yukiya
Excuse me. What's all this?
[22:00] Nazukihiko
I got my results from some pots,
so I thought I'd have the plants replaced.
[22:06] Nazukihiko
This is Kazumi the gardener.
SIGN Gardener
Kazumi
[22:08] Nazukihiko
He serves the Royal House
but he sometimes brings me news.
[22:12] Nazukihiko
One of my few friends
on the outside, you might say.
[22:15] Kazumi
You must be Yukiya.
It is a pleasure to meet you.
[22:18] Yukiya
Nice to meet you, Kazumi.
[22:22] Nazukihiko
I don't see Sumio.
[22:24] Yukiya
The Yamauchi Guard
called him away out of the blue.
[22:27] Nazukihiko
A summons?
[22:29] Nazukihiko
I see.
[22:30] Nazukihiko
Kazumi, continue without me.
SIGN Stage, Cherry Blossom Palace
[24:30] Narrator
Samomo's death causes a commotion
in Cherry Blossom Palace.
[24:35] Narrator
Shiratama turns her ire
on the weeping Asebi once more.
[24:41] Narrator
On a moonless night,
a shadow steals into the world of women.
[24:50] Narrator
Next time: "The Intruder."
SIGN The Intruder
SIGN YATAGARASU:
The Raven
Does Not
Choose
Its Master
SIGN Illustration: Natsuki
E8 - The Intruder
Source: Crunchyroll
Translator:
Editor:
Timer:
QC:
(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.)
SIGN Clear Mirror Temple
[00:17] Rokon
Someone's been acting strange lately.
[00:21] Rokon
I mean Atsufusa.
You must have noticed, Lord Natsuka.
[00:25] Rokon
It seems he's been in
contact with the Prince,
[00:28] Rokon
but who knows what he's plotting?
[00:31] Rokon
Whatever it is, it's always
better to nip trouble in the bud.
[00:42] Rokon
Oh, and there has been a death
in Cherry Blossom Palace.
[00:46] Natsuka
A death?
[00:47] Rokon
An imperial lady-in-waiting, I hear.
[00:55] Rokon
I await your orders.
SIGN YATAGARASU
SIGN The Raven
Does Not
Choose
Its Master
[02:35] Yukiya
How did this happen?
[02:37] Sumio
She fell sometime between midnight
last night and dawn this morning.
[02:42] Sumio
But a few days ago, she said she had a family
emergency and spent two nights away.
[02:48] Sumio
When I asked her family, however,
it turned out she didn't go home.
[02:54] Yukiya
What does it mean?
[02:56] Sumio
It happens sometimes.
[02:58] Sumio
Cherry Blossom Palace imposes
strict limits on outside contact.
[03:02] Sumio
When a lady-in-waiting wants to go out,
visiting home makes the best excuse,
[03:07] Sumio
even if they really want to meet a man
or do something they can't admit to.
[03:12] Yukiya
What they can't admit to?
[03:14] Nazukihiko
We can rule out suicide.
[03:16] Nazukihiko
Look how her feathers have scattered.
[03:18] Nazukihiko
She must have tried
to shift shape mid-fall.
[03:23] Nazukihiko
At the very least, she wasn't ready to jump.
[03:28] Yukiya
This is giving me the creeps.
[03:32] Yukiya
What the heck is going on
in Cherry Blossom Palace?
SIGN Wisteria Hall, Cherry Blossom Palace
[03:40] Sumio
We have identified the deceased
as Samomo, an imperial lady-in-waiting.
[03:46] Ukogi
Are you quite certain? Couldn't it be
someone who merely looks like her?
[03:51] Sumio
We had her younger brother identify
the body. There can be no doubt.
[03:58] Sumio
By order of His Highness, the Yamauchi
Guard will continue to investigate.
[04:04] Sumio
We sincerely hope for your cooperation.
[04:12] Asebi
Wait!
[04:14] Asebi
Please wait!
[04:16] Asebi
Is what you just said true?
[04:17] Ukogi
My lady, restrain yourself!
[04:18] Sumio
And you are?
[04:20] Ukogi
You there! You stand before
the mistress of the Spring Hall!
[04:25] Sumio
I beg your pardon.
[04:27] Asebi
How did this happen?
[04:29] Asebi
Did she lose her footing
while running an errand?
[04:34] Sumio
We are currently investigating the cause.
[04:37] Asebi
I chatted with Samomo just the other day.
[04:42] Asebi
She was so cheerful and kind to everyone.
[04:47] Asebi
I can't believe it!
[04:49] Asebi
Why Samomo?
[04:50] Sumio
This incident grieves His Highness as well.
[04:55] Sumio
He has commanded us to uncover the truth.
[04:59] Sumio
I swear to report the truth
if I possibly can. Please be patient.
[05:13] Fujinami
Sister...
[05:15] Fujinami
I never dreamed this would happen.
[05:21] Fujinami
Samomo is dead.
[05:23] Asebi
Princess Fujinami!
Please get a hold of yourself!
[05:25] Fujinami
Why? Why?
[05:29] Fujinami
Oh, if only I'd known, I would never
have made her my lady-in-waiting!
[05:34] Asebi
Please don't say that. I know it would've
saddened Samomo to hear you.
[05:40] Asebi
Don't worry. The Yamauchi Guard
will bring the truth to light.
[05:45] Fujinami
There must be some explanation.
[05:51] Cha-no-Hana
Surely either Samomo jumped
or someone pushed her.
[05:56] Kikuno
I suppose we should assume
one or the other,
[05:59] Kikuno
given that His Highness's
personal guardsman is involved.
[06:03] Shiratama
If Samomo was murdered,
[06:07] Shiratama
then surely you, Lady Asebi,
are the most likely culprit.
[06:12] Asebi
What?
[06:14] Shiratama
I suppose you had Samomo
arrange your little tricks,
[06:18] Shiratama
then disposed of her
when she became inconvenient.
[06:22] Asebi
What? How could you say that?
[06:24] Fujinami
Shiratama, I will take any insult
aimed at Lady Asebi as an insult at myself!
[06:30] Shiratama
Taking in the Princess like that
only makes it more plausible.
[06:34] Shiratama
You really are just as vicious
as your mother was, I see.
[06:39] Shiratama
And after my Cha-no-Hana warned you
not to follow in her footsteps.
[06:44] Masuho
That's quite enough, Shiratama.
[06:46] Masuho
We came here to refine ourselves
through competition.
[06:50] Masuho
Taking advantage of others' misfortune
to torment Asebi is simply disgraceful.
[06:54] Shiratama
My, how odd.
[06:56] Shiratama
You've scorned Lady Asebi
as a country bumpkin all this time.
[07:03] Shiratama
When did you become such good friends?
[07:05] Shiratama
Well, I suppose the Western House
is famously fickle. Or...
[07:11] Shiratama
Did you two desperate ladies
bond over your shared misfortune?
[07:15] Masuho
Shiratama, you dare—
[07:16] Hamayu
Enough, Shiratama.
[07:19] Hamayu
Samomo is dead. You could
at least pretend to mourn.
[07:26] Takimoto
We of the Wisteria Guard are also
investigating what befell Samomo.
[07:32] Takimoto
Please refrain from communicating
directly with the Yamauchi Guard,
[07:36] Takimoto
even if you receive questions in writing.
[07:39] Takimoto
As before, we ask that you only correspond
with the outside world via Wisteria Hall.
[08:11] Nazukihiko
See to Kazumi while I'm out.
[08:15] Yukiya
Yes, sir.
[08:16] Yukiya
I assume I only need to guide him?
[08:19] Yukiya
To the spot Your Highness pushed me off
when we spied on the ladies, I mean.
[08:24] Nazukihiko
I wouldn't call that "spying."
It was reconnaissance.
[08:28] Yukiya
Yeah, yeah. Sure it was.
[08:30] Yukiya
But I still don't quite trust that guy.
[08:36] Nazukihiko
Kazumi is a good man.
[08:39] Yukiya
But what's he doing here? I swear I've seen
him working for the Northern House.
[08:44] Nazukihiko
Of course you have.
[08:46] Nazukihiko
He's a Northern spy, but he started out
gardening at their main house.
[08:50] Yukiya
Oh, no wonder.
[08:52] Nazukihiko
He did such good work
that I invited him to join us,
[08:58] Nazukihiko
on the condition that I grant his wish.
[09:04] Yukiya
Have a safe trip!
[09:10] Yukiya
He makes this stuff sound like no big deal.
[09:12] Kazumi
Sir Yukiya.
[09:15] Kazumi
I'm ready whenever you are.
[09:17] Yukiya
R-Right. Let's get going, then.
[09:25] Kazumi
This would be hard going
if we didn't know the way.
[09:30] Yukiya
Cherry Blossom Palace stands on
a steep cliff to keep out intruders.
[09:35] Yukiya
You could fly to it, but the Wisteria
Guard constantly patrols the skies.
[09:39] Kazumi
I see.
[09:41] Kazumi
Oh, keyflower orchids.
[09:45] Kazumi
They're blooming awfully late.
[09:47] Yukiya
Why do you want to see
Cherry Blossom Palace, Kazumi?
[09:51] Yukiya
Forgive me for prying.
[09:53] Yukiya
I thought maybe you knew someone there.
[09:57] Kazumi
I'm not sure I can claim I know her.
[10:00] Yukiya
I thought so. One of the
Northern ladies-in-waiting?
[10:04] Yukiya
Oh, don't tell me if you don't want to.
[10:06] Kazumi
Well, something like that.
[10:10] Kazumi
I'm hoping to see her, just for a moment.
[10:12] Yukiya
Oh, so that's what this is about.
[10:15] Yukiya
Still, the Prince sure plays dirty, using
your romantic troubles to win you over.
[10:36] Kazumi
Shiratama!
[10:37] Yukiya
Wait, Shiratama?
[10:39] Yukiya
Hold it, Kazumi!
[10:50] Yukiya
You mean you came to see...
SIGN Winter Hall, Cherry Blossom Palace
[11:29] Elderly Lady-in-waiting
Thank you so much for coming all this way.
[11:31] Elderly Lady-in-waiting
When you return to the Center, please tell
His Highness we appreciate his concern.
[11:38] Nazukihiko
Certainly. I promise to inform His Highness.
[11:43] Maidservant 1
Who's that handsome fellow?
[11:45] Manservant 2
A messenger from the Center.
Said he knows her ladyship.
[11:49] Maidservant 2
Her ladyship? From the main house?
[11:51] Maidservant 2
But she has those hideous
pockmarks all over her face.
[11:53] Manservant 1
How would he know
with a screen between them?
[11:57] Manservant 1
Hey, Kasuke!
[11:59] Manservant 1
I told you to carry this stuff!
[12:00] Kasuke
R-Right.
[12:01] Manservant 1
Get a move on!
SIGN Southern Palace
[12:06] Toru
The Prince vanished?
[12:08] Atsufusa
I haven't seen him at all lately.
[12:12] Toru
He's probably holed up with
his favorite courtesan. Let him be.
[12:18] Atsufusa
Lord Toru, you mustn't
underestimate the Prince.
[12:23] Atsufusa
After Tanabata, there can be no doubt
he harbors grave suspicions of the South.
[12:29] Atsufusa
I worry.
[12:33] Atsufusa
Could he be guiding events indirectly
while he's out of our sight?
[12:38] Toru
You think a fool could
outwit the Southern House?
[12:42] Atsufusa
Perhaps.
[12:46] Toru
Don't presume.
[12:47] Toru
Atsufusa.
[12:49] Toru
By all rights, your lowly birth
shouldn't even entitle you to speak to me.
[12:54] Atsufusa
I was merely thinking
of the Southern House's—
[12:56] Toru
I'm telling you to know your place.
[13:07] Nazukihiko
You have my sincere gratitude
for granting me this audience.
[13:14] Nazukihiko
How have you fared since last we spoke?
[13:17] Nazukihiko
I'm told an illness scarred
your face early this year.
[13:24] Nazukihiko
Withdrawing from the Rite of Ascension
on such short notice must have pained you.
[13:29] Nazukihiko
His Highness still thinks
of you with concern.
[13:43] Lady-in-waiting
M-My lady.
[13:45] Futaba
Clear the room.
[13:46] Lady-in-waiting
But...
[13:54] Futaba
I never had any pockmarks.
[13:57] Futaba
I meant to take this secret to my grave,
[14:01] Futaba
but I wish His Highness to know the truth.
[14:06] Futaba
To know the real reason
I withdrew from the rite.
[15:15] Masuho
Kikuno?
[15:19] Masuho
Who's there?!
[15:21] Kikuno
I-Intruder!
[15:23] Kikuno
Intruder!
[15:25] Shout
Intruder!
[15:36] Takimoto
We will see to this at once.
[15:38] Takimoto
Your Highness need not trouble herself.
[15:43] Fujinami
Takimoto.
[15:45] Lady-in-waiting
What's going on?
[15:46] Wisteria Guard
Please turn back. It's not safe.
[15:48] Wisteria Guards
Where is he?
[15:49] Wisteria Guards
He's not here!
[15:50] Wisteria Guards
Find him before dawn breaks!
[16:00] Wisteria Guards
Dawn's here!
[16:03] Wisteria Guards
There he is! I found him!
[16:05] Takimoto
Don't let him escape! Use arrows!
[16:07] Wisteria Guards
Fire!
[16:11] Wisteria Guards
Don't let him escape!
[16:12] Wisteria Guards
Surround him!
[16:12] Wisteria Guards
Hold him down!
[16:13] Wisteria Guard 3
Take him alive!
[16:15] Wisteria Guard 3
Bring rope! Rope!
[16:16] Takimoto
Move! Stand aside!
[16:20] Wisteria Guard 3
Huh?
[16:49] Hamayu
Are you hurt, Shiratama?
[16:57] Shiratama
It can't be. Not that filthy corpse.
[17:01] Shiratama
Not that...
[17:02] Hamayu
Shiratama, are you...
[17:05] Cha-no-Hana
My lady!
[17:06] Cha-no-Hana
What happened to you?
[17:09] Cha-no-Hana
Takimoto! What is all this commotion?
[17:13] Takimoto
We had an intruder.
[17:15] Cha-no-Hana
An intruder?
[17:18] Takimoto
I had no choice but to take his head.
[17:23] Takimoto
Lady Shiratama had the misfortune
of witnessing the act.
[17:27] Cha-no-Hana
What?
[17:28] Cha-no-Hana
First, Samomo, and now, an intruder.
What has palace security come to?
[17:33] Shiratama
You coward.
[17:34] Cha-no-Hana
What?
[17:37] Shiratama
You never came. I knew you wouldn't.
[17:41] Cha-no-Hana
My lady?
[17:43] Cha-no-Hana
In any case, let us return to Winter Hall.
[17:43] Lady-in-waiting
What happened?
[17:44] Lady-in-waiting
Look at all that blood!
[17:45] Shiratama
I'm telling you, it's not true!
[17:49] Shiratama
What an awful smell.
[17:50] Shiratama
What shall I do?
His Highness will find me repulsive.
[17:54] Shiratama
Cha-no-Hana, bring incense.
I must scent my kimono.
[17:56] Cha-no-Hana
Lady Shiratama.
[18:06] Ukogi
Takimoto, would you kindly
explain what happened here?
[18:11] Takimoto
A scoundrel slipped into the Autumn Hall.
[18:13] Lady-in-waiting
Autumn Hall?
[18:15] Takimoto
Fortunately, he was soon discovered
and took to his wings.
[18:19] Kikuno
He didn't lay a finger
on Lady Masuho-no-Susuki.
[18:22] Ukogi
And who was this ruffian?
[18:24] Takimoto
A member of a robber band, I presume.
[18:27] Takimoto
As a matter of fact, items that
belong in Cherry Blossom Palace
[18:31] Takimoto
have been appearing on the market
for a little while now.
[18:35] Takimoto
We believe the late Samomo
had ties to this man.
[18:41] Lady-in-waiting
Samomo?
[18:43] Takimoto
I had planned to tell you all
this formally at a later date,
[18:48] Takimoto
but we discovered this on Samomo's body.
[18:52] Takimoto
This comb is clearly
far beyond her station.
[18:56] Ukogi
You mean to tell us
Samomo was engaged in theft?
[18:59] Takimoto
Indeed I do.
[19:01] Takimoto
The man received the goods
she took and sold them.
[19:06] Takimoto
But they fell out, and he killed her.
[19:08] Takimoto
So this time, he tried to
infiltrate the palace himself.
[19:13] Takimoto
That must be the truth
of this affair, more or less.
[19:16] Lady-in-waiting 2
I thought it would be something like that.
[19:19] Lady-in-waiting 3
They did say Samomo was a hill raven.
[19:22] Lady-in-waiting 3
Breeding always shows through in the end.
[19:25] Asebi
Samomo wasn't like that.
[19:28] Asebi
You should all know
what a nice girl she was.
[19:32] Takimoto
In that case, Lady Asebi, how do you
explain Samomo having this comb?
[19:39] Asebi
I don't...
[19:43] Hamayu
Try using your heads, dimwits.
[19:48] Masuho
Hamayu.
[19:55] Asebi
Lady Hamayu!
[19:59] Asebi
Lady Hamayu! Lady Hamayu!
[20:02] Asebi
Where are you going?
[20:10] Cha-no-Hana
What's all this racket?
[20:12] Lady-in-waiting 4
Cha-no-Hana, ma'am!
It's the lady of Summer Hall!
[20:16] Cha-no-Hana
Lady Hamayu. And Lady Asebi, too.
[20:20] Cha-no-Hana
To what do we owe the honor?
[20:23] Hamayu
We want to see your mistress. Show us in.
[20:25] Cha-no-Hana
I respectfully decline.
My lady is indisposed.
[20:30] Hamayu
I can guess what state she's in.
[20:34] Cha-no-Hana
You mustn't!
[20:37] Hamayu
Clear out the ladies-in-waiting.
Yourself included.
[21:01] Hamayu
Hey.
[21:02] Hamayu
I see it hit you hard, Shiratama.
[21:06] Shiratama
My, Lady Hamayu. When did you get here?
[21:10] Shiratama
Do forgive me for neglecting you.
[21:13] Shiratama
Did you wish to see me about something?
[21:20] Hamayu
You must be at your breaking point.
[21:29] Hamayu
Why not excuse yourself
and go home to the North?
[21:33] Shiratama
I can't do that.
[21:36] Shiratama
I must make an imperial marriage.
[21:39] Shiratama
Perhaps you should
take your leave instead.
[21:46] Hamayu
Yeah, maybe I should.
[21:49] Hamayu
But you'll snap if you keep on like this.
[21:55] Shiratama
I already have.
[22:00] Hamayu
You knew that intruder.
[22:03] Hamayu
And pretty well, too. Am I wrong?
[22:11] Hamayu
You should never have come here.
[22:14] Hamayu
You should never have
taken part in the rite.
[22:18] Hamayu
Not if you were in love with another man.
[22:24] Shiratama
You say such amusing things.
Me? Carrying on an affair?
[22:38] Shiratama
I hate to disappoint you.
[22:39] Shiratama
There was nothing between
Kazumi and me! Nothing!
[22:43] Shiratama
How could you think I'd ever be so foolish?
[22:46] Shiratama
I was born solely to marry a prince!
[22:51] Shiratama
My heart doesn't belong to me!
[24:31] Narrator
Sweet yet cruel memories
wear away Shiratama's mind.
[24:37] Narrator
A lowly raven has entered the palace
in the guise of a dazzling lady.
[24:43] Narrator
A false noblewoman
starts telling the truth.
[24:50] Narrator
Next time: "Lady Raven."
SIGN Lady
SIGN Raven
SIGN YATAGARASU:
The Raven
Does Not
Choose
Its Master
SIGN Illustration: Natsuki
E9 - Lady Raven
Source: Crunchyroll
Translator:
Editor:
Timer:
QC:
(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.)
SIGN YATAGARASU
SIGN The Raven
Does Not
Choose
Its Master
[01:59] Hamayu
Shiratama.
[02:01] Hamayu
You should never have come here.
[02:07] Hamayu
Not if you were in love with another man.
SIGN 10 Years Ago
Mansion of the Northern House
[02:36] Shiratama
How do you do, Grandfather, Grandmother?
[02:40] Oryo
Thank you for coming such a long way.
[02:43] Genya
What a sweet child.
And clever, too, Mutsu-no-Hana.
[02:48] Mutsu-no-Hana
You're too kind.
SIGN Shiratama's mother
Mutsu-no-Hana
[02:52] Genya
Shiratama, this will be
your home from now on.
[02:56] Genya
You'll be a daughter to Oryo and myself.
[03:07] Oryo
Study hard now.
[03:10] Oryo
As third daughter of the North,
[03:13] Oryo
you'll ascend to the palace
and marry the kin'u.
[03:16] Genya
Now, now. Shiratama's only four.
[03:22] Shiratama
Father. Mother. I'll do my very best.
[03:28] Genya
Oh! Well said! Well said!
[03:58] Shiratama
You must be the one who leaves me
flowers every morning.
[04:12] Shiratama
Would you tell me the name?
[04:16] Kazumi
K-Kazumi.
[04:20] Shiratama
Kazumi. It has a nice, sweet fragrance.
[04:22] Kazumi
Oh, uh... The flowers
are called wintersweet.
[04:27] Kazumi
I'm sorry it's only a small cutting.
[04:29] Shiratama
No, this is enough.
[04:33] Shiratama
So you're Kazumi.
[04:35] Shiratama
It's nice to meet you.
[04:40] Kazumi
I happened to find it
while I was out picking herbs.
[04:44] Kazumi
I stumbled into a clearing
in a deep mountain valley
[04:48] Kazumi
full of blooming flowers that birds and
the wind and such had carried there.
[04:55] Kazumi
The morning light turns
the whole field a brilliant gold.
[05:00] Kazumi
Words don't do it justice.
[05:11] Shiratama
I'd like to see your garden.
[05:15] Shiratama
But I can't. I could never go that far away.
[05:19] Kazumi
I'll bring it to you someday. I promise.
[05:27] Cha-no-Hana
In Cherry Blossom Palace,
you must always be mindful
[05:31] Cha-no-Hana
to comport yourself
like a true Northern lady.
[05:34] Cha-no-Hana
Ascending to the palace means...
[05:38] Cha-no-Hana
You must not meet with gardeners.
[05:43] Cha-no-Hana
The moment you were chosen for the rite,
you became the Prince's woman.
[05:48] Shiratama
I know that. But Kazumi is—
[05:50] Cha-no-Hana
The Northern House dreams
of an imperial marriage.
[05:53] Cha-no-Hana
You no longer belong to yourself alone.
[06:17] Kazumi
Shiratama. Run away with me.
[06:23] Kazumi
We won't have much,
but I'll make you happy. I promise.
[06:32] Shiratama
Thank you.
[06:34] Shiratama
But fleeing with you
could never make me happy.
[06:41] Kazumi
I knew you'd say that.
[06:44] Kazumi
Even so, my feelings won't change.
[06:48] Kazumi
I'd give my life for your smile.
[06:52] Kazumi
No matter what happens.
[07:09] Cha-no-Hana
My lady. A letter from
an agent in imperial service.
[07:17] Cha-no-Hana
Every house has skeletons in their closets.
Just look at the South.
SIGN Kazumi
[07:26] Shiratama
Kazumi?
[07:34] Hamayu
A deal?
[07:36] Shiratama
I want you and the Southern House
to give up on marrying the Prince.
[07:39] Shiratama
Or lose everything and leave the palace
when your secret is exposed.
[07:49] Shiratama
If you should marry
the Prince in spite of me,
[07:52] Shiratama
I swear I will ruin you.
[08:25] Kazumi
Did my letters prove useful to you?
[08:30] Shiratama
Kazumi? What are you doing here?
[08:37] Kazumi
Shiratama.
[08:38] Shiratama
Don't come near me!
[08:39] Shiratama
I've done so many awful things.
[08:43] Shiratama
Things I can't even tell you.
[08:46] Shiratama
The...
[08:49] Shiratama
The Shiratama you loved is gone!
[08:56] Kazumi
My feelings won't change.
[08:59] Kazumi
You still mean everything to me.
[09:07] Shiratama
I'm the Prince's woman.
[09:10] Kazumi
Come to the stable by the stage
at the next new moon. I'll be waiting.
[09:25] Shiratama
I won't go.
[09:28] Kazumi
I'll wait as long as it takes.
[09:31] Kazumi
Until you come.
[09:49] Shiratama
Yes, of course...
[09:51] Shiratama
That wasn't Kazumi.
[09:54] Shiratama
Kazumi always watches over me.
[09:59] Shiratama
He said his feelings would never change.
[10:02] Shiratama
Even now, he must still be...
[10:07] Hamayu
Shiratama...
[10:09] Shiratama
Don't touch me!
[10:21] Shiratama
I'll become consort.
[10:25] Shiratama
You gave me your word.
[10:28] Shiratama
You'll withdraw and make way for me.
[10:33] Shiratama
Now that the North and the South stand united,
neither the East nor the West can threaten us.
[10:39] Shiratama
Isn't that right, Lady Hamayu?
[10:44] Hamayu
Shiratama, the Southern House won't budge.
[10:48] Hamayu
I didn't promise a thing.
[10:51] Hamayu
I haven't told the South anything, either.
[10:55] Asebi
Then, when she said the North
and the South had joined forces...
[10:59] Hamayu
I don't know what you heard,
[11:02] Hamayu
but the South would never content
itself with another house's scraps.
[11:09] Shiratama
You'd betray me, Hamayu?
[11:13] Hamayu
Anyone who gets fooled here
only has herself to blame.
[11:16] Hamayu
You did plenty of bluffing yourself.
[11:18] Hamayu
You have no right to blame me.
[11:37] Toru
Do you require an opponent, Sister?
[11:42] Empress
Toru.
[11:50] Empress
You must have business
of your own to see to.
[11:53] Toru
I came at your call.
[11:59] Toru
What's this about an uproar
in Cherry Blossom Palace?
[12:02] Empress
An intruder, I hear.
[12:04] Toru
Oh?
[12:05] Empress
Before that, a lady-in-waiting
fell to her death.
[12:08] Empress
What are those fools in the
Wisteria Guard playing at?
[12:13] Empress
The Prince shows no inclination to visit.
[12:17] Empress
The stage is set,
yet Lady Raven still awaits her cue.
[12:32] Shiratama
You guessed wrong on one count.
[12:35] Shiratama
I told you I knew your secret.
[12:39] Shiratama
That was no bluff.
[12:43] Shiratama
This woman is no court raven.
[12:46] Shiratama
She's a hill raven.
[12:48] Shiratama
Maybe even a horse.
[12:52] Masuho
Impossible. Hill ravens and horses are
forbidden from taking part in the rite.
[12:56] Shiratama
But what if she came from highborn stock?
[13:00] Shiratama
In the upheaval ten years ago, a nobleman
and his wife committed a grave crime,
[13:07] Shiratama
and received a sentence of decapitation.
[13:11] Shiratama
And that couple had a daughter.
[13:17] Shiratama
Yes, this woman, Hamayu...
[13:21] Shiratama
is the child of criminals.
[13:24] Asebi
Lady Hamayu was born to criminals?
[13:27] Masuho
Shiratama, baseless slander won't—
[13:29] Hamayu
If you know that much,
I might as well come clean.
[13:32] Hamayu
I'll finish the story myself.
[13:35] Hamayu
But where should I start?
[13:38] Hamayu
I assume you've heard about
the Prince and Fujinami's mother?
[13:43] Masuho
Lady Izayoi. She was my aunt.
[13:46] Hamayu
Oh, so she was.
[13:48] Hamayu
Well, the one who killed Lady Izayoi
was my father, the then Lord of the South.
[13:56] Masuho
Pardon?
[13:59] Hamayu
My parents murdered the Prince
and Fujinami's mother.
[14:06] Hamayu
My uncle, who is now Lord Toru,
put a swift end to the affair.
[14:13] Hamayu
He seized them before the Royal House
could act and beheaded them the same day.
[14:21] Hamayu
As their daughter, I was stripped of
my rank and sentenced to disarticulation.
[14:28] Asebi
Disarticulation?
[14:30] Hamayu
Cutting off my third leg
so that I could never revert to human form,
[14:34] Hamayu
then working me as a horse till I die.
[14:39] Hamayu
Though in the end, they let me off
because I was still a child.
[14:44] Hamayu
I lived as a hill raven after that,
practically crawling around in the dirt.
[14:53] Empress
The Rite of Ascension is like a play.
[14:58] Empress
Actors burdened with roles cross the box
called Cherry Blossom Palace.
[15:05] Empress
But none of them realize it.
[15:08] Empress
They do not know they are in a box,
nor that they are merely game pieces.
[15:13] Empress
How I pity those women.
[15:17] Toru
That may not hold true for all of them.
[15:21] Toru
You know how tenacious women can be.
[15:25] Toru
Some may only pretend to be pieces,
waiting for their chance to escape the box.
[15:33] Hamayu
My luck changed eight years ago.
[15:36] Hamayu
I met my uncle again.
He'd become head of our house.
[15:41] Hamayu
I more than half expected him
to kill me, but I made him an offer.
[15:47] Hamayu
If he would restore my status,
I'd do anything the Southern House wanted.
[15:54] Hamayu
And so, I reemerged as a lady of the South,
in exchange for accepting a crucial mission.
[16:02] Asebi
What mission?
[16:06] Hamayu
Assassinating the Prince.
[16:09] Shiratama
N-No.
[16:12] Hamayu
I guess you didn't discover that part.
[16:14] Hamayu
Well, the Prince probably did,
[16:18] Hamayu
considering how much
he avoids this place.
[16:21] Hamayu
My other role was as a substitute.
[16:24] Hamayu
If the Prince dies,
Lord Natsuka will return as crown prince.
[16:29] Hamayu
The South wanted to save
their prized daughter for that day.
[16:35] Hamayu
Between the Empress, Lord Natsuka,
and any child his bride bears him,
[16:40] Hamayu
the Southern House would dominate
three generations of kin'u.
[16:45] Hamayu
That's long enough to get
an iron grip on power.
[16:49] Hamayu
The Southern House will have
Yamauchi under their thumb.
[16:53] Masuho
That's the Southern House's true scheme?
[17:00] Hamayu
Whoops. I went and told you the whole plot.
[17:03] Hamayu
Still, I can't believe the Southern House.
[17:06] Hamayu
They want to make me kill the son
of the woman my parents murdered.
[17:13] Masuho
If you know all that, then why...
[17:17] Hamayu
There you have it, Shiratama.
[17:20] Hamayu
I acted all haughty and told you to leave,
but I'm the one who needs to go.
[17:26] Hamayu
Sorry.
[17:31] Masuho
Where will you go?
[17:36] Hamayu
I'll run, of course.
[17:38] Hamayu
I failed my mission and talked too much.
[17:43] Hamayu
If they catch me this time,
I'm dead for sure.
[17:46] Hamayu
Tell Takimoto to search my chambers later.
[17:50] Hamayu
She'll find what I swiped while you were
busy sipping tea and ogling flowers.
[17:56] Shiratama
You don't mean...
[17:57] Hamayu
Listen up, all of you.
[17:59] Hamayu
I'll tell you one last thing.
[18:02] Hamayu
Cherry Blossom Palace
isn't the whole world,
[18:05] Hamayu
and being with the man you love
isn't the only way a woman can be happy.
[18:10] Hamayu
Don't get that mixed up and
miss your own shot at happiness.
[18:15] Hamayu
See you around.
[18:17] Masuho
Hamayu!
[18:31] Shoin
I bring a report.
[18:35] Empress
Hmph. So a piece has escaped the box.
[18:39] Empress
Shoin.
[18:40] Shoin
Majesty.
[18:41] Empress
Summon that man.
[18:43] Shoin
At once.
[18:58] Yukiya
I finally caught up with you!
[19:00] Yukiya
You've got to hear this
right away, Young Master!
[19:02] Nazukihiko
Not "Young Master."
[19:04] Nazukihiko
I'm Sumimaru, a manservant from the Center.
[19:07] Yukiya
Oh, of course, Sumimaru, sir.
[19:09] Yukiya
But we've got bigger problems right now!
Cherry Blossom Palace is a mess!
[19:13] Yukiya
Intruders, escapees, and—
[19:15] Nazukihiko
Calm down and explain.
[19:16] Yukiya
Before that...
[19:18] Yukiya
Do you mind if I eat something?
[19:22] Yukiya
I guess nothing's ever simple
in Cherry Blossom Palace.
[19:31] Yukiya
Sumio went to ask
about all these incidents,
[19:35] Yukiya
but the intruder in the Autumn Hall
died in bird form, so he's hard to identify.
[19:42] Yukiya
And we still don't know who the comb
on the dead lady-in-waiting belonged to.
[19:48] Yukiya
Takimoto won't say much,
and neither will anyone else.
[19:54] Yukiya
Sumio was at his wit's end.
[20:01] Yukiya
Oh, but we did find out one thing.
[20:03] Yukiya
Lady Hamayu was plotting
to kill His Highness.
[20:07] (Flashback) Nazukihiko
An assassin after my life
lurks in the Cherry Blossom Palace.
[20:11] (Flashback) Nazukihiko
I received a warning letter
just before the rite began.
[20:14] (Flashback) Yukiya
Who sent it?
[20:15] (Flashback) Nazukihiko
Who knows?
[20:16] Yukiya
All His Highness's letters to the ladies
turned up in the Summer Hall.
[20:21] Yukiya
She must have hoped
to discover where he'd be.
[20:28] Yukiya
Well, anyway, that's one
less thing to worry about.
[20:34] Yukiya
That was delicious.
[20:36] Nazukihiko
So, are you convinced?
[20:40] Yukiya
Well...
[20:42] Yukiya
I'm honestly not sure.
[20:45] Yukiya
She confessed, but something
still doesn't sit right.
[20:49] Yukiya
Lady Hamayu did save me one time.
[20:52] Yukiya
And who sent that warning letter, anyway?
[20:57] Yukiya
Still, we're at our limit.
[20:59] Yukiya
We can't handle what's happening
in Cherry Blossom Palace on our own.
[21:03] Nazukihiko
There must be clues, however minor.
[21:07] Nazukihiko
Think.
[21:08] Nazukihiko
Dredge up all your memories
and put your wits to work.
[21:15] Yukiya
Something tells me Lady Hamayu
is still hiding something.
[21:19] Yukiya
And why would she confess?
[21:21] Yukiya
She must've known it would get her killed.
[21:25] Yukiya
Lady Hamayu's not the assassin!
[21:27] Yukiya
Maybe she's after something else.
[21:30] Yukiya
But then, why would she...
[21:34] Nazukihiko
You picked a decent starting point.
[21:37] Nazukihiko
Also, you shouldn't take
what Takimoto says at face value.
[21:41] Nazukihiko
She's an imperial lady-in-waiting.
[21:43] Nazukihiko
Her only concerns are protecting the Royal
House and ensuring the rite goes smoothly.
[21:50] Nazukihiko
She has tried to bar the
Yamauchi Guard at every point.
[21:53] Nazukihiko
She could easily have fabricated
her reports to suit her own ends.
[21:59] Yukiya
Ugh! Cherry Blossom Palace is just—
[22:04] Nazukihiko
We're returning to the Center.
[22:06] Yukiya
Did something click for you?
[22:09] Nazukihiko
I'm going to find out.
[22:15] Nazukihiko
Yukiya!
[22:20] Nazukihiko
I'll need you to work even harder
than before. We're going to be busy.
[22:29] Yukiya
Yes, sir!
[22:43] Hill Raven Child
That's the place.
[22:57] Sumio
It's still breathing.
[24:30] Narrator
Hamayu revealed herself and vanished,
but the schemes have not stopped.
[24:38] Narrator
On a stormy night, danger befalls
the prince in a house redolent of blood.
[24:46] Narrator
How will Yukiya respond?
[24:50] Narrator
Next time: "Assassinating the Prince."
SIGN Assassinating
SIGN the Prince
SIGN YATAGARASU:
The Raven
Does Not
Choose
Its Master
SIGN Illustration: Natsuki
E10 - Assassinating the Prince
Source: Crunchyroll
Translator:
Editor:
Timer:
QC:
(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.)
SIGN Autumn Hall, Cherry Blossom Palace
[00:06] Lady-in-waiting 1
I hear Lady Hamayu was
stripped of her rank and banished.
[00:10] Lady-in-waiting 2
Who can say if she's still among the living?
[00:13] Lady-in-waiting 3
Her parents were villains.
[00:15] Lady-in-waiting 3
I'm certain she had a hand
in the Samomo affair.
[00:24] Masuho
Stop backbiting when
you can only speculate.
[00:27] Masuho
Hamayu's parents are no reflection on her.
[00:34] Masuho
I believe in Hamayu.
[00:56] Ukogi
It feels as though the fire has gone out
of Cherry Blossom Palace lately.
[01:00] Ukogi
Although perhaps we should
celebrate having one less contender.
[01:07] Asebi
And Princess Fujinami
hardly shows herself.
SIGN YATAGARASU
SIGN The Raven
Does Not
Choose
Its Master
SIGN Clear Mirror Temple
[03:11] Natsuka
You wish me to dismiss Rokon?
[03:13] Atsufusa
Yes, my lord.
[03:15] Natsuka
Why? He seems the ideal bodyguard.
[03:18] Atsufusa
That man cares nothing for
your goal of peace in Yamauchi.
[03:24] Atsufusa
Setting you up as kin'u and
basking in glory as your champion
[03:29] Atsufusa
is the only thing on his mind.
[03:31] Atsufusa
All I do, I do for you, my lord.
[03:34] Atsufusa
Please consider my advice!
[03:36] Atsufusa
Have faith in me and heed my words alone!
[04:23] Atsufusa
Rokon.
[04:25] Rokon
Why are you so surprised?
[04:27] Rokon
You must know why I'm here.
[04:30] Rokon
If you have any excuses, I'll listen.
[04:32] Atsufusa
I... I've done nothing wrong!
[04:35] Atsufusa
Only I truly care for Lord Natsuka!
[04:38] Rokon
Is that all you have to say?
[05:23] Nazukihiko
Atsufusa's been stabbed?
[05:25] Sumio
He was found collapsed
in the red-light district, I'm told.
[05:28] Yukiya
And how is he?
[05:30] Sumio
Alive. At least for now.
[05:33] Sumio
They say he's asking to see you.
[05:35] Nazukihiko
Me?
[05:36] Sumio
He's being treated at the Watchful Moon.
[05:39] Sumio
He claims to have news
for Your Highness's ears only.
[05:42] Yukiya
In person?
[05:44] Sumio
In truth, I don't like it. You were attacked
in the red-light district once before.
[05:49] Sumio
It wouldn't surprise me
if someone else had the same idea.
[05:53] Sumio
I am curious about Atsufusa, but...
[06:00] Sumio
Were you even listening to me?
[06:02] Yukiya
Allow me to accompany you.
SIGN The Watchful Moon
[06:10] Brothel Owner
Someone sliced from his shoulder
clean to his opposite side.
[06:15] Brothel Owner
I have cleared the premises.
[06:18] Brothel Owner
I assure you my staff's lips are sealed.
[06:27] Nazukihiko
Wait here, Yukiya.
[06:29] Yukiya
Yes, sir.
[06:34] Sumio
Hold this.
[06:53] Sumio
He's lost a lot of blood.
[06:56] Atsufusa
Your Highness?
[06:58] Nazukihiko
You seem badly injured.
[07:00] Atsufusa
I suppose this is it for me.
[07:04] Atsufusa
Lord Natsuka will no longer lend me his ear.
[07:11] Atsufusa
No, it is worse. He shuns me.
[07:16] Atsufusa
Your Highness, please heed my request.
[07:19] Nazukihiko
Speak.
[07:21] Atsufusa
Would you keep Lord Natsuka
safe after I am gone?
[07:27] Atsufusa
If you will agree to that,
[07:31] Atsufusa
I will tell you the name... of your true foe.
[07:44] Nazukihiko
My "true foe"?
[07:45] Atsufusa
I have proof. Your Highness could
take them all in one fell swoop.
[07:51] Nazukihiko
Have no fear. I will aid my brother
whether you ask me to or not.
[07:55] Atsufusa
Oh, thank you.
[08:00] Atsufusa
The foe who threatens Your Highness is...
[08:06] Nazukihiko
Atsufusa?
[08:18] Nazukihiko
Sumio!
[08:20] Nazukihiko
This scent...
[08:22] Nazukihiko
Karon incense?
[08:38] Atsufusa
So it finally took effect.
[08:41] Atsufusa
You must have some resistance.
[08:48] Atsufusa
Tch. Damn that Rokon.
[08:51] Yamauchi Guard 1
Lord Atsufusa.
[08:53] Yamauchi Guard 1
Our preparations are complete.
[08:55] Atsufusa
Good. Begin at once.
[08:57] Yamauchi Guard 1; 2
Yes, sir.
[08:59] Atsufusa
Handle him with care.
[09:01] Atsufusa
Remember, the Prince is about to
pass away in an "unfortunate accident."
[09:06] Yamauchi Guard 1
Understood.
[09:11] Atsufusa
Wait.
[09:12] Atsufusa
What of the child?
[09:15] Yamauchi Guard 1
What child?
[09:16] Atsufusa
His aide should be here.
[09:18] Atsufusa
Where is the child?
[09:20] Atsufusa
He can't have gone far!
[09:23] Atsufusa
Find him!
[09:26] Yamauchi Guard 1
There he is!
[09:27] Atsufusa
Don't let him escape!
[09:29] Atsufusa
Drag him back here whatever it takes!
[10:17] Yamauchi Guard 2
That's as far as you go!
[10:21] Yamauchi Guard 2
Drop the sword and come here.
[10:22] Yamauchi Guard 1
We'll talk to Lord Atsufusa for you.
[10:25] Yamauchi Guard 1
We don't want to kill a kid. Got it?
[10:39] Yamauchi Guard 2
That little brat!
[10:41] Yamauchi Guard 1
Alert the others.
[10:43] Yamauchi Guard 1
We'll circle ahead and cut him off.
[10:45] Yamauchi Guard 2
Yes, sir!
[10:51] Atsufusa
What's taking them so long?
[11:00] Yukiya
What now? What's my best move?
[11:03] Yukiya
Time's running out. I've got to act fast
or they'll kill the Prince and Sumio.
[11:08] Yukiya
I need help. I've got to find someone.
[11:12] (Flashback) Yukiya
Oh, right. So they're secret escape routes
for court ravens who sneak out at night.
[11:19] Yukiya
First, I'll find a way out.
[11:21] Yukiya
This tunnel connects to temples and court
ravens' mansions. I'll ask for help there.
[11:34] Yukiya
But what if whoever I find backs Natsuka?
[11:38] Yukiya
Does the Prince even have
any allies apart from us?
[11:43] (Flashback) Yukiya
Allies you can trust?
[11:45] (Flashback) Nazukihiko
Of course. I trust them with my life.
[11:48] (Flashback) Yukiya
Who do you mean?
[11:49] (Flashback) Sumio
You want to know? It's our biggest secret.
[11:54] Yukiya
Who is it? Who would
the Prince trust with his life?
[11:58] Yukiya
Damn. If only I'd asked him back then.
[12:07] Yukiya
Ow.
[12:21] Yukiya
I can't figure it out.
Who's on our side and who isn't?
[12:26] Yukiya
Who should I put my trust in?
[12:29] Yukiya
I'm out of options.
[12:32] (Flashback) Nazukihiko
Think.
[12:34] (Flashback) Nazukihiko
Dredge up all your memories
and put your wits to work.
[12:47] Yukiya
Huh?
[13:09] Yukiya
It's all or nothing now.
[13:17] Atsufusa
You lost him?
[13:19] Yamauchi Guard 1
Our humble apologies. We couldn't
call for reinforcements in this storm.
[13:23] Yamauchi Guard 1
Tomorrow, I promise—
[13:24] Atsufusa
If he escapes today,
we will never have another chance!
[13:27] Yamauchi Guard 1
Y-Yes, sir.
[13:30] Atsufusa
Well, no matter. I'll make mincemeat
of the child when I find him.
[13:36] Atsufusa
Do it!
[13:46] Atsufusa
What? He can move already?
[13:53] Yamauchi Guard 3
Lord Atsufusa, what is all this?
[13:55] Atsufusa
Perfect timing.
[13:57] Atsufusa
Finish him off! I won't fuss
about injuries anymore!
[14:01] Nazukihiko
So you tricked me, Atsufusa.
[14:04] Atsufusa
Your Highness has only yourself to blame.
[14:07] Atsufusa
I had planned to send you to the
next world with your body intact.
[14:12] Nazukihiko
Wait, Atsufusa!
[14:27] Nazukihiko
Why would you do this?
[14:30] Nazukihiko
Do you honestly believe that killing the
true Kin'u will serve the good of Yamauchi?
[15:23] Nazukihiko
You...
[15:40] Yukiya
Your Highness!
[15:44] Yukiya
You're alive!
[15:52] Sumio
Hey.
[15:53] Yukiya
S-Sumio!
[15:56] Nazukihiko
Don't worry. We'll heal in time.
[15:59] Natsuka
Are you safe, Nazukihiko?
[16:01] Nazukihiko
Yes. Forgive me for worrying you...
[16:04] Nazukihiko
Brother.
[16:07] Natsuka
Thank goodness.
[16:09] Natsuka
Thank goodness!
[16:15] Rokon
Sure enough, he roped the Yamauchi Guard
into a plot to assassinate the Prince.
SIGN Clear Mirror Temple
[16:21] Natsuka
So your intelligence proved correct.
[16:23] Rokon
Atsufusa won't talk,
but the small fry have loose tongues.
[16:27] Rokon
They planned to set a fire when
Your Highness visited the pleasure quarter
[16:31] Rokon
to make it look like
you'd suffocated on the smoke.
[16:35] Rokon
No trouble identifying the body, and people
would've said, "The fool did himself in."
[16:41] Rokon
They really thought it through.
[16:43] Sumio
Hey. We nearly died because you got sloppy.
[16:48] Rokon
True enough. I made Atsufusa desperate
and endangered Your Highness.
[16:54] Rokon
My sincere apologies.
[16:56] Nazukihiko
No, if you hadn't come
to the rescue when you did,
[16:59] Nazukihiko
I would be dead now.
[17:13] Rokon
If you want to thank anyone, thank your aide.
[17:16] Rokon
The look on his face when
he burst into Clear Mirror Temple...
[17:19] (Flashback) Yukiya
Please save the Prince!
[17:25] Natsuka
I bear the blame.
[17:27] Natsuka
Rokon had been warning me
about Atsufusa for some time.
[17:30] Rokon
Long story short,
I failed to win your trust.
[17:35] Natsuka
Hence why I bear the blame.
[17:38] Yukiya
Excuse me.
[17:41] Yukiya
Could you let me in on the secret already?
[17:45] Nazukihiko
No one understands me better
nor supports me more than my brother does.
[17:52] Nazukihiko
When I was helpless, he sent me out of
Yamauchi, beyond the reach of my enemies.
[17:58] Nazukihiko
On my return, he gathered
my enemies who claimed to back him,
[18:03] Nazukihiko
and he monitored and purges them for me.
[18:06] Nazukihiko
My brother has guarded me all this time.
[18:10] Yukiya
Hasn't Lord Natsuka ever thought
of becoming kin'u himself?
[18:16] Natsuka
I am of the Royal House.
Our line exists to defend the Golden Raven.
[18:21] Natsuka
But our dignity has fallen like a stone.
[18:25] Natsuka
The Empress favors only her birth family,
[18:28] Natsuka
and His Majesty cares
neither for her nor for government.
[18:32] Natsuka
If nothing is done, the balance of
the Four Houses will collapse into war.
[18:37] Natsuka
It is no coincidence that my brother
was born a true kin'u in these times.
[18:44] Natsuka
He has a purpose.
[18:52] Rokon
Still, I'm impressed you figured it out.
[18:55] Yukiya
Huh?
[18:56] Rokon
That the Prince and Lord Natsuka
had a secret alliance.
[19:01] Sumio
I wondered about that, too.
[19:03] Sumio
We never told you, so what gave it away?
[19:06] Yukiya
I never would have realized if things
hadn't gotten desperate, but...
[19:12] (Flashback) Nazukihiko
Is that so?
[19:13] (Flashback) Nazukihiko
Won't you go to Unbending Reed Monastery
if I send you home in under a year?
[19:20] (Flashback) Yukiya
Huh?
[19:20] (Flashback) Yukiya
How do you even know that?
You weren't at the Northern House's party!
[19:25] Natsuka
Why did that tip you off?
[19:27] Natsuka
Lord Kiei and I both attended that party.
[19:32] Natsuka
It hardly seems strange
that word of it would reach Nazukihiko.
[19:36] Yukiya
The North is a land of warriors.
[19:39] Yukiya
Kids there dream of learning
military arts at Unbending Reed Monastery.
[19:44] Yukiya
A local lord's son trying to worm
his way out of it is a huge disgrace.
[19:50] Yukiya
I doubt Lord Kiei would go shouting about it.
[19:53] Yukiya
And as your question just showed,
[19:57] Yukiya
it doesn't mean much to
anyone outside of the North.
[20:02] Yukiya
So if you share trifling details like that,
what does that make you to each other?
[20:06] Yukiya
Sparks fly when you meet at court,
[20:09] Yukiya
but I thought maybe you brothers
weren't really on such bad terms.
[20:13] Sumio
I see.
[20:15] Yukiya
Either way, I had no choice
but to gamble and risk it all in that moment.
[20:24] Natsuka
Splendid, Yukiya.
[20:26] Natsuka
I have never met a child with
such a mix of wits and courage.
[20:30] Natsuka
I hope you will support my brother
for a long time to come.
[20:34] Yukiya
No, I go back to Taruhi when my year is—
[20:37] Sumio
Why stop at a year?
[20:40] Sumio
Having you at his side
takes a weight off my mind, too.
[20:44] Natsuka
Stay in the Center from now on.
[20:46] Natsuka
When my brother becomes kin'u,
you will be his closest adviser.
[20:50] Yukiya
Huh? What are you talking about?
[20:53] Yukiya
Even if I joined the court,
doing odd jobs is the best I could hope for.
[20:57] Yukiya
How could I advise the Kin'u?
[20:59] Natsuka
What makes you think so?
[21:01] Yukiya
You have to ask?
[21:03] Yukiya
I'm just the second son
of a backcountry lord, so—
[21:08] Natsuka
Relax. We all know the truth.
[21:11] Nazukihiko
Brother!
[21:12] Natsuka
Your mother was Lord
Genya's second daughter.
[21:15] Natsuka
That makes the Lord of
the North your grandfather.
[21:19] Natsuka
Who could find fault
with such a lofty pedigree?
[21:29] (Flashback) Brat 1
What's your problem, nuisance?!
[21:32] (Flashback) Yukima
Stop!
[21:34] (Flashback) Yukima
Idiot! Do you want to make
more trouble for Mother?
[21:37] (Flashback) Yukiya
But, Brother, they—
[21:39] (Flashback) Brats
Everyone's saying it!
[21:40] (Flashback) Brats
The second son brings nothing but trouble!
We'd be better off without him!
[21:44] (Flashback) Yukima
Don't let them get to you, Yukiya.
[21:57] Yukiya
So you knew.
[21:59] Natsuka
What?
[22:01] Rokon
Of course. You think we don't check where
the Crown Prince's attendants come from?
[22:09] Yukiya
I get it now.
[22:11] Yukiya
You didn't want me.
[22:16] Yukiya
You wanted Northern House blood.
[22:47] Nazukihiko
Yukiya.
[24:30] Narrator
Yukiya cannot escape the
Northern House's blood in his veins.
[24:36] Narrator
In his rage and sorrow,
Rokon brings him to see a man.
[24:43] Narrator
Whom does the excuse of loyalty serve?
[24:50] Narrator
Next time: "The Loyal Retainer."
SIGN The Loyal
SIGN Retainer
SIGN YATAGARASU:
The Raven
Does Not
Choose
Its Master
SIGN Illustration: Natsuki
E11 - The Loyal Retainer
Source: Crunchyroll
Translator:
Editor:
Timer:
QC:
(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.)
SIGN 12 years ago, Taruhi Village
[00:02] Relative 1
Think carefully, Yukimasa.
[00:05] Relative 1
Raise the boy in Taruhi, and he'll never
be more than a local lord's second son.
[00:10] Relative 1
He may even come to resent you for
not letting him go when you had the chance.
[00:19] Relative 2
You needn't worry yourself, either, Azusa.
[00:22] Relative 2
It's not as if you gave birth to the boy.
[00:41] Yukimasa
I leave Yukiya...
[00:43] Yukimasa
in your care.
[00:47] Relative 1
Have no fear. We'll raise him
into a fine man in the Center.
[01:01] Yukiya
Help, Mother!
[01:02] Relative 2
There now.
[01:04] Yukiya
Mother!
[01:13] Relative 2
What's come over you, Azusa?
[01:14] Azusa
Please leave. I will raise Yukiya.
[01:17] Yukimasa
A-Azusa.
[01:19] Relative 1
Don't be foolish. You'll cause
a succession dispute. Do you realize that?
[01:30] Azusa
Please leave.
SIGN YATAGARASU
SIGN The Raven
Does Not
Choose
Its Master
[03:25] Rokon
They both stormed out.
[03:27] Rokon
What got Yukiya so riled?
[03:31] Natsuka
I put my foot in it.
[03:33] Natsuka
I got too worked up.
[03:35] Natsuka
Nazukihiko warned me Yukiya's
parentage was a touchy subject.
[03:41] Rokon
Now that you mention it, he did say
his brothers have a different mother.
[03:46] Natsuka
A lady of the North birthed Yukiya,
[03:49] Natsuka
but his brothers' mother
is the woman who raised him,
[03:53] Natsuka
meaning Yukiya comes from
a superior line to the eldest son.
[03:59] Rokon
I see. That'd draw a fuss, all right.
[04:02] Rokon
Still, it's not exactly unheard of.
[04:05] Sumio
I hope they can patch things up,
but Nazukihiko is honest to a fault.
[04:11] Rokon
Couldn't you handle it?
[04:13] Sumio
Huh? I mean, you saw him.
[04:16] Sumio
Anyone can see I'm not the man for—
[04:18] Rokon
What's that? Scared of a little boy?
And here I was, hoping for some fun.
[04:24] Sumio
O-Of course I'm not scared of—
[04:30] Sumio
No interest, huh?
[04:38] Yukiya
Why didn't you tell me?
[04:41] Yukiya
You knew all along, didn't you?
That the Lord of the North is my grandfather.
[04:47] Nazukihiko
It seemed impolitic to mention it.
[04:50] Yukiya
"Impolitic"?
[04:51] Nazukihiko
When we first met, you introduced
yourself as "Yukiya of Taruhi."
[04:57] Nazukihiko
If you'd said, "Yukiya of the North,"
I would have responded differently.
[05:02] Yukiya
In other words, you were planning to use me?
[05:06] Nazukihiko
I won't deny it.
[05:07] Yukiya
What did you want me for?
[05:11] Nazukihiko
As a bridge to the Northern House.
[05:13] Nazukihiko
We needed allies. They were the safest
and most trustworthy of the Four Houses.
[05:21] Yukiya
When did you set your sights on me?
[05:23] Nazukihiko
A little over a year ago.
Around the time I returned to Yamauchi.
[05:29] Yukiya
A year?
[05:34] Yukiya
You mean Lord Natsuka already knew
about me before that banquet?
[05:39] Yukiya
Or maybe he came to size me up?
[05:43] Nazukihiko
Yes. Rumors did refer to you
as a blockhead, after all.
[05:46] Nazukihiko
My brother decided to see
whether you'd be of any use to us.
[05:51] Nazukihiko
And you surpassed his expectations,
so he had you summoned to the Center at—
[05:56] Yukiya
So you planned to recruit me all along,
even if nothing had happened with Kazumaro.
[06:01] Nazukihiko
That's right.
[06:02] Yukiya
You knew how much I'd hate
leaving Taruhi, didn't you?
[06:08] Yukiya
And yet, you still brought me here.
[06:12] Yukiya
For your own reasons. Just because
I'm the Lord of the North's grandson.
[06:18] Nazukihiko
That's right.
[06:25] (Flashback) Yukiya
Why, you—
[06:28] (Flashback) Brat 1
That does it!
[06:35] (Flashback) Yukima
Stop!
[06:36] (Flashback) Yukima
Idiot! Do you want to make
more trouble for Mother?
[06:38] (Flashback) Yukiya
But, Brother, they—
[06:41] (Flashback) Brat 1
What's your problem, nuisance?!
[06:43] (Flashback) Brat 2
Everyone's saying it!
[06:45] (Flashback) Brat 2
The second son brings nothing but trouble!
We'd be better off without him!
[06:49] (Flashback) Yukima
Don't let them get to you.
[06:54] (Flashback) Yukimasa
First, they wanted me to give Yukiya up,
[06:56] (Flashback) Yukimasa
and now, they want me
to make him my heir.
[06:59] (Flashback) Azusa
Your heir is Yukima, your eldest son!
Why would they force the issue?
[07:08] (Flashback) Yukiya
It's still not too late.
We'll put Yukiya up for adoption.
[07:12] (Flashback) Azusa
Dear...
[07:13] (Flashback) Yukimasa
He'll drag the whole clan into
a succession dispute someday.
[07:17] (Flashback) Yukimasa
In fact, it's already started.
[07:23] (Flashback) Azusa
Why do you let those people
push you around?
[07:26] (Flashback) Azusa
That boy isn't some seed of disaster.
[07:30] (Flashback) Azusa
So why don't you put your faith in Yukiya?
[07:33] (Flashback) Yukimasa
I know he's not. But I need to
protect more than just our family.
[07:43] Yukiya
Do you have any idea how much pain
people like you have caused my family?
[07:55] (Flashback) Maidservant
Young Master! Try to be careful!
[07:59] (Flashback) Yukiya
Sorry. My bad.
SIGN Sincerity
SIGN Yukima
SIGN Ambition
SIGN Yukichi
SIGN Food
SIGN Yukiya
[08:11] (Flashback) Ichiryu
He might be hoping to at least swipe
the lordship from his big brother.
[08:16] (Flashback) Friend 1
Yikes! We've got
a succession dispute coming.
[08:21] (Flashback) Maidservant
Blockhead second son.
[08:22] (Flashback) Manservant
Blockhead second son.
[08:24] (Flashback) Brats
Blockhead second son.
[08:28] (Flashback) Nazukihiko
Your effort doesn't interest me.
[08:33] (Flashback) Nazukihiko
I care whether you make
yourself useful to me.
[08:37] (Flashback) Nazukihiko
I am so inept, I do not blame
anyone for calling me a fool.
[08:42] (Flashback) Nazukihiko
But you know, Yukiya...
[08:44] (Flashback) Nazukihiko
I still consider myself
a good judge of people.
[08:48] (Flashback) Nazukihiko
You will never betray me.
[08:52] (Flashback) Nazukihiko
Why? Because I doubt my enemies
can offer you anything you would value
[08:59] (Flashback) Nazukihiko
more than the trust I place in you.
[09:04] Yukiya
What was all that, then?
[09:07] Yukiya
You made me sound special.
[09:11] Yukiya
But really, you would have taken anyone.
[09:14] Yukiya
You didn't need me,
just the Northern House's blood—
[09:20] Rokon
Pity yourself if you like,
[09:24] Rokon
but griping that people
won't play along is just lashing out.
[09:28] Yukiya
That's not what I'm—
[09:30] Rokon
Try to cool off.
[09:33] Rokon
I'm not here to cover for him,
but the Prince has a point.
[09:39] Rokon
Deny it or dislike it all you want,
[09:43] Rokon
but you do have the Northern
House's blood in your veins.
[09:48] Yukiya
I know that!
[09:50] Yukiya
But I don't have thick enough skin
to shrug off being used for it.
[09:55] Yukiya
You get handed all the dirty jobs,
and people hate you for it.
[10:00] Yukiya
Don't you get fed up with Lord Natsuka
taking advantage of you?
[10:08] Rokon
Me? I'm just glad I'm worth using.
[10:15] Rokon
You don't get it?
[10:18] Rokon
Fine.
[10:19] Yukiya
What's the big idea? Put me down!
[10:20] Rokon
Your Highness, there's someone
I want him to meet. Do you mind?
[10:22] Yukiya
Hey, stop it.
[10:24] Rokon
It won't take long.
[10:25] Yukiya
Aw, come on. Mind your own business.
[10:27] Nazukihiko
I leave him in your hands.
[10:29] Yukiya
Let go already! Let go!
[10:53] Yukiya
Huh?
[11:09] Atsufusa
Oh? I wondered who it was.
[11:15] Atsufusa
I'm in this state because of you.
[11:19] Atsufusa
I wanted Lord Natsuka to become kin'u,
no matter the cost, but—
[11:25] Yukiya
Are you hurt?
[11:27] Atsufusa
You needn't worry. It's nothing serious.
[11:31] Atsufusa
More importantly, I take it
you have business with me?
[11:40] Yukiya
You never meant to make
the Prince kin'u, did you?
[11:46] Atsufusa
I acted entirely on my own initiative.
[11:50] Atsufusa
Lord Natsuka played no part in it.
[11:53] Yukiya
You don't need to cover for him anymore.
[11:56] Yukiya
He's been secretly in league
with the Prince this whole time.
[12:06] Yukiya
You thought Lord Natsuka wanted
the throne, didn't you, Lord Atsufusa?
[12:13] Yukiya
Lord Natsuka used you.
[12:16] Yukiya
He used your loyalty to make it look
like he and the Prince were enemies.
[12:22] Yukiya
And in the end, you—
[12:28] Yukiya
Why are you laughing?
[12:30] Yukiya
You have every right to be angry.
The lord you put your faith in betrayed you!
[12:34] Atsufusa
As I already told you,
Lord Natsuka played no part in it.
[12:40] Atsufusa
You see, I decided to make him my lord.
[12:48] Atsufusa
Lord Natsuka is a modest soul.
[12:51] Atsufusa
No one would make a better kin'u,
yet he never presses his claim.
[12:58] Atsufusa
It frustrated me to no end.
[13:02] Atsufusa
So I opted to act on his behalf,
as his most loyal retainer.
[13:17] Atsufusa
I've known of my lord's collusion
with the Prince for some time.
[13:24] Atsufusa
How could I fail to notice when even
the likes of Rokon had caught on?
[13:30] Atsufusa
I failed, but Her Majesty
will surely kill the Prince one day.
[13:36] Atsufusa
And although Lord Natsuka
erred in defying his mother,
[13:41] Atsufusa
she will most graciously forgive him
and set him on the kin'u's throne.
[13:47] Atsufusa
Yatagarasu throughout Yamauchi will
welcome their dignified new sovereign.
[13:53] Atsufusa
I can practically hear them cheering.
[13:56] Atsufusa
At his side will stand Lady Nadeshiko,
an heir clutched to her bosom.
[14:01] Atsufusa
And...
[14:02] Atsufusa
Ah, I was never to leave
Lord Natsuka's side.
[14:12] Atsufusa
That dream shall never be now,
but he will remember me fondly one day.
[14:19] Atsufusa
He will remember that a truly loyal
retainer once gave his life for him.
[14:26] Atsufusa
A retainer named Atsufusa.
[14:30] Yukiya
You are no "loyal retainer."
[14:32] Yukiya
You're just dreaming.
Dreaming of what you want.
[14:39] Yukiya
Rokon! Rokon! Rokon!
[14:41] Atsufusa
The time will come when you understand.
[14:45] Atsufusa
You cannot avoid it if you live at court.
[15:05] Nazukihiko
Atsufusa was born into
a minor noble family.
[15:08] Nazukihiko
He desired advancement,
but soon hit a wall.
[15:12] Nazukihiko
His pedigree was dismissed at court,
[15:15] Nazukihiko
and he learned that no effort
he made would bear fruit.
[15:21] Nazukihiko
So he clung to a sliver of hope: the first
daughter of the South—his cousin—Nadeshiko.
[15:30] Nazukihiko
If she became the kin'u's consort,
he would gain a tie to the Royal House.
[15:37] Nazukihiko
But the Southern House
didn't send Nadeshiko to the rite,
[15:40] Nazukihiko
and her replacement, Hamayu,
fled without assassinating me.
[15:46] Yukiya
His only option was to kill you himself.
[15:59] Nazukihiko
The Empress probably put him up to it.
[16:03] Nazukihiko
She has a frighteningly
keen nose for such things.
[16:08] Nazukihiko
She imprinted an idealized tale
on Atsufusa's weakest points.
[16:13] Nazukihiko
Maybe on Kazumichi, who had me
waylaid in the pleasure district, as well.
[16:18] Yukiya
In the end, Atsufusa
would have taken anyone.
[16:21] Yukiya
He didn't need Lord Natsuka, just a lord
who would make his dream come true.
[16:26] Nazukihiko
Rokon tells me Atsufusa started out earnest
and concerned for his family. An ordinary youth.
[16:36] Yukiya
What's wrong with this court?
[16:41] Nazukihiko
Atsufusa's just the tip of the iceberg.
[16:44] Nazukihiko
Maintaining a grip on
your sanity is no easy feat here.
[16:47] Nazukihiko
That's where we are.
[16:50] Nazukihiko
I realize you detest places like this.
[16:54] Nazukihiko
And that I have yet to win your trust.
[17:00] Nazukihiko
Even so, Yukiya...
[17:03] Nazukihiko
I need you.
[17:07] Nazukihiko
I will soon be kin'u in name as well as fact.
[17:12] Nazukihiko
I want you to stay here and aid me.
[17:15] Nazukihiko
Of your own free will this time.
[17:31] Yukiya
Like I promised, I'll serve
as your aide until spring.
[17:36] Yukiya
So would you wait for an answer until then?
[17:42] Nazukihiko
Very well.
[18:15] Haruhito
A year has passed
since the Rite of Ascension.
[18:18] Akira
Time flies swift as an arrow.
[18:21] Akira
That day, we four held a party
for the Prince, and he stood us up.
[18:29] Genya
Today, the Southern House
does us the same discourtesy.
[18:33] Haruhito
Well, Lord Toru must
feel loath to show himself.
[18:36] Haruhito
After the fuss he caused, I mean.
[18:39] Genya
But the Royal House
hasn't done much better.
[18:41] Genya
How could they accept the South's
excuses and let them go unpunished?
[18:46] Akira
The Southern House's prosperity
is built on blood, money, and wiles.
[18:53] Akira
Brother blithely ensnares
brother in that family.
[18:57] Akira
We shouldn't act surprised now.
[19:00] Haruhito
Bold words. Perhaps you've
drunk a bit too much?
[19:04] Akira
Speaking of bold, black-hearted schemes
are the East's favorite trick.
[19:09] Akira
What do you hope to gain by
sending off that naive young lady?
[19:14] Haruhito
Goodness. I wouldn't dream of it.
[19:18] Genya
Lord Akira, you've said enough.
[19:20] Akira
Why, forgive me. I can't get
enough of this Northern sake.
[19:24] Akira
Well, you've made your share of moves
behind the scenes, too, Lord Genya,
[19:28] Akira
but the Western House
will triumph in the end.
[19:33] Akira
Consider this an early
celebration on my part.
[19:36] Akira
Try to enjoy yourselves
before your drinks turn bitter.
[19:42] Genya
What?
[19:43] Haruhito
Now, now.
SIGN Blossom-Viewing Stage, Cherry Blossom Palace
[20:26] Asebi
Lady Masuho-no-Susuki.
[20:29] Masuho
Asebi.
[20:36] Asebi
It seems like ages since
we've had such a magnificent party.
[20:40] Masuho
True. I've felt positively
stifled since then.
[21:09] Asebi
What's that?
[22:10] Masuho
Your Highness, how I've waited for you.
[22:14] Nazukihiko
Yes.
[22:29] Yukiya
Ladies and ladies-in-waiting,
[22:33] Yukiya
you have all shown great patience!
[22:35] Yukiya
His Highness the Prince
will now choose his consort!
[22:40] Asebi
What?
[24:30] Narrator
At the height of spring,
[24:33] Narrator
the Prince alights before the
three ladies of Cherry Blossom Palace.
[24:38] Narrator
Amid the cherry trees in full bloom,
he at last begins choosing his consort,
[24:46] Narrator
leaving truths shrouded in darkness.
SIGN To Choose
SIGN a Consort
[24:50] Narrator
Next time: "To Choose a Consort."
SIGN YATAGARASU:
The Raven
Does Not
Choose
Its Master
SIGN Illustration: Natsuki
E12 - To Choose a Consort
Source: Crunchyroll
Translator:
Editor:
Timer:
QC:
(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.)
[00:02] Takimoto
Please wait, Your Highness!
[00:04] Takimoto
What is the meaning of this?
[00:06] Takimoto
First, you decline to show yourself for
a year, and now, without notice, you...
[00:11] Nazukihiko
As promised, I have come
to choose my consort.
[00:14] Nazukihiko
I require no one's permission.
[00:16] Takimoto
This is so sudden.
We are not ready to receive you.
[00:19] Nazukihiko
I don't mind in the least.
[00:20] Takimoto
This will not do.
[00:22] Takimoto
I have a duty to protect their ladyships!
Even at Your Highness's command, I cannot—
[00:27] Nazukihiko
Takimoto.
[00:28] Nazukihiko
You need only attend to my sister.
[00:31] Nazukihiko
I will arrange matters today.
[00:37] Yukiya
You really made her mad.
[00:39] Nazukihiko
Let her fume.
[00:41] Nazukihiko
More importantly, Yukiya...
[00:42] Yukiya
Not to worry. Everything is as it should be.
[00:46] Yukiya
So would you fill me in already?
[00:50] Yukiya
What are you trying
to get out of this choice?
[00:56] Nazukihiko
I wonder.
[00:58] Nazukihiko
Heaven knows how this will go.
[01:07] Cha-no-Hana
He wishes to make his choice here,
without blinds or screens?
[01:13] Ukogi
My lady?
SIGN YATAGARASU
SIGN The Raven
Does Not
Choose
Its Master
[03:10] Yukiya
Ladies of three houses and
Your Highness, Princess Fujinami,
[03:14] Yukiya
thank you for your patience.
[03:28] Yukiya
First, the third daughter
of the North, Lady Shiratama.
[03:34] Nazukihiko
Lady Shiratama.
You have been patient this past year.
[03:38] Nazukihiko
As the youngest lady in the rite,
you must have found it difficult.
[03:42] Cha-no-Hana
Why, of course she has.
[03:49] Shiratama
I have a duty to make
an imperial marriage.
[03:53] Shiratama
I must repay my obligation
to the parents who raised me,
[03:57] Shiratama
To my ladies-in-waiting,
and to the people of the North.
[04:02] Shiratama
My own feelings have
no place in the matter.
[04:09] Nazukihiko
I see. How admirable.
[04:12] Nazukihiko
But what will you do if I do not marry you?
[04:15] Nazukihiko
How will you repay your obligations then?
[04:24] Nazukihiko
Lady Shiratama, have you ever
once tried to make your own choice?
[04:29] Nazukihiko
Ever made your desire
to do something plain?
[04:35] Nazukihiko
Bound by your birth and
making an excuse of your bonds,
[04:39] Nazukihiko
you have lived only as you are told,
[04:42] Nazukihiko
lamenting your misfortune all the while.
[04:45] Nazukihiko
I might generously call it "self-sacrifice,"
but it boils down to laziness.
[04:50] Nazukihiko
You cannot possibly answer my question
when you have no thoughts of your own.
[04:57] Yukiya
You didn't have to put it like that.
[04:59] Nazukihiko
Now, what will you do with the child?
[05:12] Cha-no-Hana
What child?
[05:15] Masuho
He cannot mean Shiratama is...
[05:24] Cha-no-Hana
My lady!
[05:25] Cha-no-Hana
Did you meet with Kazumi
in Cherry Blossom Palace?
[05:29] Shiratama
What?
[05:31] Cha-no-Hana
You did meet with him, didn't you?
[05:38] Shiratama
Kazumi?
[05:41] Cha-no-Hana
Your Highness, please have mercy!
[05:43] Cha-no-Hana
Lady Shiratama meant no harm!
[05:45] Cha-no-Hana
Any blame should fall
squarely on my shoulders!
[05:49] Cha-no-Hana
I beg you, let me see to it!
[05:52] Cha-no-Hana
I will instruct my lady well and
deliver her as a perfect, untouched bride!
[06:00] Nazukihiko
Well, Shiratama?
[06:03] Nazukihiko
Depending on your answer,
I am prepared to make you my consort.
[06:12] Ukogi
T-Truly?!
[06:14] Kikuno
Marry her?!
[06:16] Cha-no-Hana
My lady, tell him you will!
[06:19] Cha-no-Hana
My lady!
[06:28] Shiratama
Kazumi...
[06:34] Cha-no-Hana
My lady!
[06:35] Shiratama
Don't come near me!
[06:38] Shiratama
No one will touch this child.
[06:41] Shiratama
I will keep it safe.
[06:43] Shiratama
You expect me to marry the Prince?
[06:46] Shiratama
I will never...
[06:50] Shiratama
I will never lose Kazumi again!
[06:56] Nazukihiko
I see you have finally chosen for yourself.
[06:59] Shiratama
What?
[07:04] Kazumi
Shiratama!
[07:15] Shiratama
Ka...
[07:17] Shiratama
Kazumi!
[07:24] Shiratama
Kazumi. Is it really you?
[07:28] Kazumi
Yes. Yes, it's me.
[07:33] Kikuno
What is going on here?
[07:35] Kikuno
Was Kazumi not the scoundrel
that Takimoto beheaded?
[07:38] Ukogi
I saw it with my own eyes.
[07:42] Yukiya
That was someone else entirely.
[07:44] Ukogi
Someone else?
[07:45] Yukiya
Kazumi did sneak into Cherry Blossom Palace
that night to see Lady Shiratama.
[07:51] Yukiya
But the intruder in the Autumn Hall
led to heightened security.
[08:05] Kazumi
When morning came, I managed to
change shape and escape the palace, but...
[08:16] Kazumi
Shiratama, forgive me.
I know I worried you.
[08:21] Shiratama
Kazumi, don't leave me again.
[08:25] Shiratama
I want to be by your side,
and be with you always.
[08:36] Cha-no-Hana
This...
[08:38] Cha-no-Hana
This cannot be.
[08:41] Nazukihiko
I have spoken with a hill raven couple.
[08:44] Nazukihiko
They lead a meager life, without
a house to sleep in, let alone finery.
[08:50] Nazukihiko
So when winter comes,
they nestle on tree branches in raven shape.
[08:58] Nazukihiko
"It gets cold," they told me with
a laugh, but they do not mind that.
[09:05] Asebi
Lady Shiratama looks so happy.
[09:10] Ukogi
That took years off my life.
[09:13] Yukiya
Still, Your Highness went
out on a limb that time.
[09:16] Nazukihiko
How so?
[09:17] Yukiya
That bluff about Lady Shiratama's child.
[09:21] Nazukihiko
Oh, that. The odds weren't so bad.
[09:25] Nazukihiko
Shiratama was agitated,
[09:27] Nazukihiko
and Cha-no-Hana pressured her,
as I expected she would.
[09:32] Nazukihiko
I doubt those two have done anything
that might lead to pregnancy.
[09:36] Nazukihiko
Still, I suppose Shiratama chose
the story she wanted to believe.
[09:46] Ukogi
But in that case, who was that brute
of a raven Takimoto beheaded?
[09:55] Yukiya
Next, the first daughter of the West,
Lady Masuho-no-Susuki!
[10:03] Nazukihiko
Your father sheltered me in childhood.
[10:07] Nazukihiko
I see that you approach this rite
with a strong sense of duty.
[10:12] Masuho
I merely wish to aid Your Highness.
[10:17] Masuho
Yet I never imagined...
[10:21] Masuho
that we four who began the rite
would be but three a year later.
[10:35] Masuho
As such, I hope you will
answer a question I have.
[10:38] Nazukihiko
Ask it.
[10:40] Masuho
It concerns Hamayu.
[10:43] Masuho
I cannot bring myself to believe that
she truly sought to take Your Highness's life.
[10:50] Masuho
Surely you have realized the same?
[10:53] Nazukihiko
And what if I have?
[10:55] Masuho
Restore Hamayu's honor.
[10:57] Masuho
She may truly have been an assassin,
[11:02] Masuho
but by refusing to act, she worked
to defend Your Highness instead.
[11:09] Nazukihiko
I see.
[11:11] Nazukihiko
But why, Lady Masuho,
do you ask for this now?
[11:15] Masuho
Because I feel I ought to.
[11:17] Masuho
My pride will not allow me
to look the other way.
[11:21] Masuho
If I did, then even if you
chose me as your consort—
[11:25] Nazukihiko
Do not bother. How can I restore her honor
when she has said nothing in her defense?
[11:30] Nazukihiko
And I have no interest in your "pride."
[11:41] Masuho
Why did you go an entire year
without visiting us?
[11:45] Nazukihiko
Because I had no need to.
[11:47] Masuho
"Need"?
[11:49] Masuho
I do not take your meaning. How can
you choose a lady without meeting her?
[11:55] Masuho
We came to Cherry Blossom Palace
to become women worthy of you.
[12:00] Masuho
Each day, we refine ourselves and vie for—
[12:03] Nazukihiko
Nonsense.
[12:06] Nazukihiko
Are refinement and rivalry
worth touting with such passion?
[12:11] Masuho
I merely wish to convey our feelings.
Each day seemed like a thousand years to...
[12:18] Nazukihiko
Allow me to enlighten you.
[12:20] Nazukihiko
Cherry Blossom Palace does not
exist for you to play house in.
[12:25] Nazukihiko
It exists for me to choose a woman.
[12:28] Nazukihiko
And I am looking for
only one quality in a bride.
[12:32] Nazukihiko
Patience.
[12:33] Nazukihiko
Nothing else matters.
[12:55] Masuho
So you were testing us.
[12:56] Nazukihiko
You are welcome to think that.
[12:58] Masuho
Do not be absurd!
[13:01] Masuho
Do you know how grueling it is
to simply wait with no end in sight?
[13:05] Masuho
You can survey Cherry Blossom
Palace from on high,
[13:08] Masuho
but Shiratama fretted herself into illness.
[13:12] Masuho
Hamayu might have
even avoided expulsion.
[13:17] Nazukihiko
Do you mean to say I should have
visited when I had no wish to?
[13:21] Masuho
No. I am merely speaking of feelings.
[13:24] Nazukihiko
You would do, you know.
[13:28] Nazukihiko
You have a sense of duty,
and you can act when you need to.
[13:33] Nazukihiko
Your personality leaves something to be desired,
but even so, you would make a fine empress.
[13:42] Nazukihiko
Masuho-no-Susuki,
first daughter of the West,
[13:46] Nazukihiko
I do not find you particularly special,
and I do not love you, either.
[13:52] Nazukihiko
That will not change if I marry you,
[13:55] Nazukihiko
nor will I favor the Western House
due to your family ties.
[14:01] Nazukihiko
I will take any number of
concubines if the need arises.
[14:05] Nazukihiko
Given the right circumstances,
I may even abandon you.
[14:09] Nazukihiko
But I will not allow you to complain or
to become intimate with any other man.
[14:16] Nazukihiko
You must stifle yourself
and live only for me.
[14:20] Nazukihiko
If you are prepared to accept all of that,
I will make you my wife.
[14:27] Nazukihiko
Masuho-no-Susuki, make your choice.
[14:42] Kikuno
My lady.
[14:45] Masuho
Kikuno, give me your dagger.
[14:50] Kikuno
M-My lady!
[14:52] Asebi
Lady Masuho-no-Susuki!
[15:10] Masuho
Your Highness, though I appreciate
your proposal, permit me to decline.
[15:16] Masuho
Even if you were to command me,
[15:19] Masuho
I have just dedicated myself to the
Mountain God, and thus could not comply.
[15:26] Nazukihiko
You leave nothing to chance.
You did not need to go that far.
[15:33] Masuho
I find I am more stubborn
and simpleminded than I thought.
[15:39] Masuho
But that is the price I pay
for living with pride.
[15:45] Masuho
I could not become the woman you desired,
but if anything, I feel refreshed.
[15:51] Masuho
Your Highness has my gratitude.
[15:55] Nazukihiko
I am glad I could be of service.
[16:03] Kikuno
Oh, whatever shall I do?
[16:05] Kikuno
I must fix your hair, then return to
the Autumn Hall for fresh clothes—
[16:08] Masuho
Calm down, Kikuno.
[16:10] Masuho
His Highness is watching,
and he has yet to make his choice.
[16:21] Yukiya
Now, finally...
[16:40] Nazukihiko
Lady Asebi.
[16:42] Nazukihiko
I have desired to speak to you for a long time.
[16:45] Asebi
I feel the same way.
[16:49] Asebi
I doubt you remember, but when
we were small children, you and I...
[16:56] Nazukihiko
I remember.
[16:58] Nazukihiko
You looked like a cherry blossom sprite.
[17:01] Nazukihiko
You still do.
[17:19] Nazukihiko
The court is nothing but a history of blood.
[17:25] Nazukihiko
Becoming my consort means
always living within its confines.
[17:31] Nazukihiko
Can you endure that?
[17:35] Nazukihiko
Two lives were lost in
Cherry Blossom Palace this past year.
[17:41] Nazukihiko
Do you still wish to become my wife here?
[17:47] Asebi
I am sure you will think less of me for it,
[17:50] Asebi
but I wish to marry Your Highness,
no matter the cost.
[17:57] Nazukihiko
"No matter the cost"?
[18:19] Nazukihiko
Shortly before Samomo passed away...
[18:22] Nazukihiko
you used her as a messenger to
exchange letters with someone, correct?
[18:27] Asebi
Yes.
[18:29] Nazukihiko
With whom?
[18:30] Asebi
An Eastern manservant. Kasuke is his name.
[18:35] Ukogi
My lady! When did you do such a thing?!
[18:37] Asebi
Can you blame me, Ukogi?
You refused to tell me anything.
[18:41] Asebi
I wanted to learn about my mother.
[18:45] Asebi
But Kasuke wrote that he couldn't
put something so important in writing.
[18:50] Asebi
So I said, "Why not talk, then?"
[18:55] Nazukihiko
You invited him to Cherry Blossom Palace.
[18:59] Asebi
Yes.
[19:03] Masuho
You invited... Tell me you are joking.
[19:09] Nazukihiko
A lady in Cherry Blossom Palace corresponding
with a man, then arranging a tryst.
[19:15] Nazukihiko
Even you must realize what a serious
breach of protocol that constitutes.
[19:22] Asebi
I'm so sorry. He is only a manservant,
so I thought it wouldn't matter.
[19:27] Nazukihiko
A manservant is still a man.
[19:29] Asebi
A man?
[19:31] Asebi
But he's a hill raven.
[19:35] Asebi
It was nothing so grand as a tryst.
[19:38] Asebi
And anyway, Kasuke never came.
He broke his promise.
[19:43] Nazukihiko
No, Kasuke was a man of his word.
[19:47] Nazukihiko
He came to Cherry Blossom
Palace at your call,
[19:50] Nazukihiko
but he would be killed before he saw you.
[19:52] Nazukihiko
On a moonless night.
[20:01] (Flashback) Masuho
Who's there?!
[20:01] (Flashback) Kikuno
Intruder!
[20:05] (Flashback) Wisteria Guards
There he is! I found him!
[20:11] Masuho
He was the intruder?
[20:17] Asebi
Truly?
[20:19] Nazukihiko
And that was not the first time
you had summoned Kasuke, was it?
[20:25] (Flashback) Futaba
Even now, I cannot get
that night out of my mind.
[20:30] ---
First Lady of
the Eastern House
Futaba
[20:31] (Flashback) Futaba
My house held a New Year's party.
[20:35] (Flashback) Futaba
I dismissed all my attendants
and remained alone in this room.
[20:39] (Flashback) Futaba
That was always my way.
I am not fond of lively occasions.
[20:49] (Flashback) Futaba
I thought one of my ladies had returned.
[21:02] (Flashback) Futaba
That voice... That stinking breath...
They still cling to me.
[21:08] (Flashback) Futaba
Again and again, he whispered in my ear,
[21:13] (Flashback) Futaba
"I'm so glad. You finally called for me...
[21:17] (Flashback) Futaba
Second Lady."
[21:29] Yukiya
"Second Lady"?
[21:35] Nazukihiko
By all rights, Lady Futaba, the first
daughter of the East, should be here now.
[21:41] Nazukihiko
But unable to reveal what had befallen her,
she pleaded pockmarks and declined.
[21:47] Nazukihiko
The second daughter of the East
was chosen in her place.
[21:50] Nazukihiko
You, Asebi.
[21:59] Ukogi
Y-Your Highness does not know her.
[22:02] Ukogi
My lady could never maliciously
entrap someone. It is not in her nature.
[22:07] Ukogi
I beg your pardon, but I am told Lady Futaba
has always been difficult and inclined to brood.
[22:14] Ukogi
Who can say if she told you the truth?
[22:16] Ukogi
And that intruder died in raven shape,
making him impossible to identify.
[22:22] Ukogi
Nothing proves he was Kasuke,
[22:24] Ukogi
and we cannot question Samomo,
who carried the letters.
[22:29] Ukogi
Surely this is all supposition!
[22:31] Ukogi
How can you claim that
my lady orchestrated it all?!
[22:41] Nazukihiko
Very well.
[22:44] Nazukihiko
In that case, let me tell you...
SIGN Kasuke
[22:47] Nazukihiko
what your beloved lady has been up
to while your eyes were turned.
[24:30] Narrator
Of the prospective consorts,
only Asebi remains.
[24:35] Narrator
What do her clear, beautiful eyes behold?
[24:42] Narrator
After unraveling every mystery,
what verdict will the Prince deliver?
[24:49] Narrator
Next time: "Ravens Shouldn't Wear Kimono."
SIGN Ravens Shouldn't
SIGN Wear Kimono
SIGN YATAGARASU:
The Raven
Does Not
Choose
Its Master
SIGN Illustration: Natsuki
E13 - Ravens Shouldn't Wear Kimono
Source: Crunchyroll
Translator:
Editor:
Timer:
QC:
(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.)
SIGN YATAGARASU
SIGN The Raven
Does Not
Choose
Its Master
[01:47] Nazukihiko
Very well.
[01:49] Nazukihiko
In that case, let me tell you...
SIGN Kasuke
[01:52] Nazukihiko
what your beloved lady has been up
to while your eyes were turned.
[01:58] Masuho
A letter?
SIGN Kasuke
[02:02] Elderly Lady-in-waiting
When you return to the Center, please tell
His Highness we appreciate his concern.
[02:08] Nazukihiko
Certainly. I promise to inform His Highness.
[02:21] Nazukihiko
Shall I assist you?
[02:23] Kasuke
Huh?
[02:25] Nazukihiko
Then, you and the Second Lady
must be quite close, Kasuke.
[02:30] Kasuke
I wouldn't dare!
[02:30] Kasuke
Servant of
the Eastern House
Kasuke
[02:33] Kasuke
But her ladyship has a good heart.
[02:37] Kasuke
She even has kind words for hill
ravens with no family, like me.
[02:43] Kasuke
I would do anything for her.
[02:48] Nazukihiko
The next time I called on the Eastern
House, Kasuke had gone missing.
[02:53] Nazukihiko
Most assumed he had grown dissatisfied
with his treatment and fled.
[02:58] Nazukihiko
And just before that, an
intruder caused a stir here.
[03:01] Nazukihiko
I saved this letter from the
fire in the nick of time.
[03:05] Ukogi
Wh-What does it say?
[03:28] Yukiya
"I'd like you to come see me
without a word to anyone."
[03:32] Asebi
I'll await you on the first
moonless night after Tanabata.
[03:39] Asebi
Come to the red kimono and—
[03:43] Shiratama
A red kimono hangs outside the
Autumn Hall, not the Spring Hall!
[03:47] Yukiya
Huh?
[03:49] Masuho
Asebi, you meant to
send that man to me?!
[03:54] Asebi
You misunderstand, Lady Masuho!
[03:56] Asebi
I tried to put out a red kimono!
Right in front of my room!
[04:00] Asebi
But...
[04:01] Ukogi
I... I bear the blame!
[04:04] Ukogi
I took the kimono down, never
dreaming what it was for.
[04:10] Ukogi
My lady never meant to cause distress.
[04:13] Nazukihiko
She should have had no difficulty
foreseeing you would stop her.
[04:17] Ukogi
That is but more speculation!
[04:20] Nazukihiko
I see ladies-in-waiting
are loyal to a fault.
[04:24] Nazukihiko
I hear that Kasuke could not read.
[04:27] Asebi
What? Is such a thing possible?
[04:31] Nazukihiko
It's hardly unusual, especially
among poor, rural hill ravens.
[04:37] Nazukihiko
Samomo read your letter aloud to Kasuke
and wrote out his reply for him.
[04:45] Nazukihiko
You didn't realize? I thought as much.
[04:50] Asebi
Thank you for going, Samomo.
[04:53] Asebi
How did it go? Did you get an answer?
[04:57] Asebi
Thank you!
[04:58] Asebi
You must be tired. Take it easy today.
[05:15] Asebi
Samomo doesn't seem like herself.
[05:18] Asebi
I think she found out that I
summoned a manservant here.
[05:22] Asebi
Samomo won't tell anyone, will she?
[05:25] Asebi
Will I need to leave the palace
if this becomes public knowledge?
[05:34] Asebi
Whatever shall I do,
[05:38] Asebi
Princess Fujinami?!
[05:44] Nazukihiko
Do I have that
approximately right, Fujinami?
[05:47] Takimoto
Her Highness is in ill health.
[05:51] Takimoto
Even Your Highness has no right to...
[05:56] Nazukihiko
Now, let's read one more letter.
[05:59] Asebi
That's... the letter I wrote to you!
[06:03] Asebi
Receiving my first
letter from Your Highness
[06:06] Asebi
made me so happy that I
wrote back right away.
[06:08] Nazukihiko
Yes. And I wrote identical
letters to all four ladies.
[06:15] Nazukihiko
But for some reason, I only
received this single reply.
SIGN His Highness
the Prince
[06:24] Kikuno
Only the Spring Hall received
His Highness's letter?
[06:27] Kikuno
Ukogi, is that true?!
[06:30] Ukogi
W-Well...
[06:31] Asebi
Wait! Don't blame Ukogi.
[06:34] Asebi
I felt so giddy that I didn't
think things through.
[06:38] Cha-no-Hana
You have some nerve,
feigning innocence.
[06:41] Cha-no-Hana
Don't tell me you and Hamayu
stole those letters together?
[06:46] Yukiya
I don't think Lady Hamayu
was the letter thief.
[06:50] Cha-no-Hana
What do you mean? Hamayu
admitted to the theft herself!
[06:56] Masuho
I believe in Hamayu's innocence as well.
[07:00] Masuho
The letters were kept under strict watch.
[07:02] Masuho
Messages to Cherry Blossom Palace
are stopped at Wisteria Hall,
[07:07] Masuho
from which each house's
ladies-in-waiting retrieve them.
[07:11] Masuho
The system allows no opportunity
to take another house's letters.
[07:14] Masuho
That goes for all of us, not only Hamayu.
[07:18] Cha-no-Hana
But the letters were in fact—
[07:21] Shiratama
You said all correspondence is stored
in Wisteria Hall, didn't you?
[07:26] Shiratama
Then, even if we couldn't
take it, perhaps...
[07:36] Fujinami
B-Brother, I...
[07:41] Fujinami
Forgive me, Brother!
[07:45] Fujinami
I've been a fool.
[07:47] Fujinami
I merely wished for Lady Asebi
to become your consort.
[07:52] Nazukihiko
Hiding my letters is a trivial matter.
[07:55] Nazukihiko
At least compared to your
other crime, Fujinami.
[08:12] Fujinami
I understand.
[08:14] Fujinami
I'll speak with Samomo. She won't breathe
a word of your manservant to anyone.
[08:19] Asebi
But I can't help feeling uneasy.
[08:22] Asebi
Samomo loves to chat. What
if her tongue slips?
[08:25] Fujinami
Surely you worry too much.
[08:28] Fujinami
Samomo knows her duty, and she has
a good head on her shoulders.
[08:38] Asebi
That's true. No doubt you're right.
[08:43] Fujinami
Sister, umm...
[08:45] Asebi
Forgive me for intruding on
you at such a busy time.
[08:59] Fujinami
You've served me well all this time.
[09:01] Fujinami
You may have this. Now, leave
Cherry Blossom Palace at once.
[09:06] Samomo
Is it Lady Asebi?
[09:08] Samomo
She isn't the person Your
Highness imagines her to be.
[09:12] Samomo
Her ladyship—
[09:13] Fujinami
Enough.
[09:14] Fujinami
I told you to go. Now, go.
[09:15] Samomo
She's trying to ensnare her
rivals by underhanded—
[09:18] Fujinami
I don't want to hear another word from you!
[09:20] Samomo
Please! Please hear me out!
[09:28] Fujinami
Dawn has broken.
[09:30] Fujinami
Fly away this instant.
[09:32] Fujinami
A hill raven like you must know how!
[09:34] Samomo
Be care—
[10:06] Takimoto
Worry not.
[10:08] Takimoto
I, Takimoto, shall ensure
Your Highness's safety.
[10:15] Fujinami
I didn't know.
[10:17] Fujinami
I thought hill ravens could
fly whenever they want.
[10:20] Fujinami
How could I know her kimono
would get in the way?
[10:24] Fujinami
I only wanted her to leave.
[10:27] Fujinami
Lady Asebi was troubled.
[10:30] Fujinami
I didn't want to lose
Lady Asebi's affection!
[10:36] Nazukihiko
You share her guilt, Takimoto.
[10:39] Nazukihiko
You beheaded Kasuke while he merely
ran in panic, branded him a thief,
[10:44] Nazukihiko
and then twisted the truth to claim he
killed Samomo after falling out with her.
[10:49] Nazukihiko
All to shield your mistress.
[10:52] Yukiya
Samomo's corpse was half human
and half in raven shape.
[10:59] Yukiya
She struggled frantically to
fly until the bitter end.
[11:07] Fujinami
S-Samomo!
[11:15] Fujinami
I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!
[11:23] Asebi
Oh, poor Princess Fujinami.
[11:27] Nazukihiko
You pity her?
[11:30] Nazukihiko
You must have realized she harbored
special feelings for you,
[11:35] Nazukihiko
that she'd hidden my letters to
the other ladies for your sake.
[11:38] Asebi
I did, and it pained me.
[11:42] Asebi
I felt so guilty toward Lady Shiratama
and Lady Masuho-no-Susuki.
[11:46] Asebi
But Princess Fujinami acted
out of affection for me.
[11:52] Asebi
I couldn't possibly fault her for it.
[11:55] Nazukihiko
And what about Samomo?
[11:57] Nazukihiko
Did you never stop to think
what Fujinami would do
[12:02] Nazukihiko
if you mentioned leaving the
palace and begged her for help?
[12:06] Asebi
You don't mean...
[12:08] Asebi
the Princess misunderstood me?!
[12:14] Asebi
Oh, how awful!
[12:17] Asebi
I failed to make myself clear,
[12:20] Asebi
but I never dreamed she would
do anything so frightful!
[12:26] Asebi
I bear all the blame.
[12:29] Asebi
If only I hadn't presumed on
Princess Fujinami's affection.
[12:33] Asebi
Please forgive me, Princess Fujinami.
[12:39] Asebi
Samono and Kasuke should
never have had to die.
[12:44] Asebi
What a tragic twist of fate.
[13:14] Nazukihiko
I can't prove your malice.
[13:21] Asebi
Your Highness, for so long,
I've felt drawn to—
[13:26] Nazukihiko
But I'm sorry to say I loathe you.
[13:37] Fujinami
Sister...
[13:47] Fujinami
Brother...!
[14:26] Nazukihiko
I've kept you waiting, Sumi.
[14:28] Yukiya
"Sumi"?
[14:30] Nazukihiko
Hey. Face facts already.
[14:32] Nazukihiko
Did you forget your old name?
[14:34] Nazukihiko
Or did falling off a cliff on your
rump knock it out of your head?
[14:39] Hamayu
You... pasty-faced wimp!
[14:42] Shiratama
L-Lady Hamayu?!
[14:46] Masuho
Honestly! You had me worried sick!
[14:58] Hamayu
So, when did you
figure out I was Sumi?
[15:02] Nazukihiko
When I sounded out the Southern House.
[15:05] Nazukihiko
It turned out my old partner-in-crime
had entered the palace as a lady.
[15:09] Nazukihiko
I assume you sent me that warning.
[15:12] Nazukihiko
Not many people would
take my side, after all.
[15:17] Hamayu
I guess nothing gets past you.
[15:23] Nazukihiko
I got a letter from Masuho-no-Susuki.
[15:26] Nazukihiko
She wrote that she was harboring you,
[15:29] Nazukihiko
and that you'd confessed to stealing
letters you never touched.
[15:33] Hamayu
Why, that—
[15:34] Nazukihiko
You didn't shield Fujinami.
[15:37] Nazukihiko
You tried to protect her
kin in the Western House.
[15:41] Nazukihiko
A stain on their reputation would get
in the way of my marrying Masuho.
[15:45] Hamayu
You're too clever by half.
[15:48] Hamayu
I put my money
on Masuho-no-Susuki.
[15:51] Hamayu
If anyone has what it takes
to be your consort, she does.
[15:55] Nazukihiko
Well, you have a point.
[15:58] Hamayu
Then, why did you goad her into
giving you the cold shoulder?
[16:02] Nazukihiko
You could tell?
[16:03] Hamayu
Ask for Masuho-no-Susuki's hand again.
[16:06] Nazukihiko
Masuho just took holy vows.
[16:07] Hamayu
It's not too late. I'll talk to her.
[16:10] Hamayu
Of the Four Houses, only the West
can protect you going forward.
[16:14] Hamayu
You know that, right?
[16:18] Hamayu
This isn't funny!
[16:20] Hamayu
Your life is on the line!
[16:23] Nazukihiko
Thank you, Sumi.
[16:32] Nazukihiko
I want to change the status quo.
[16:35] Nazukihiko
The Empress and the Kin'u have warped
imperial relations with the Four Houses.
[16:39] Nazukihiko
I want to set them right.
[16:42] Nazukihiko
To do that, the Royal House
must have neutrality.
[16:45] Nazukihiko
For my consort, I need a
woman who can do her duty
[16:49] Nazukihiko
but who won't tip the power
balance of the Four Houses.
[16:53] Hamayu
I see where you're coming from,
[16:55] Hamayu
but where will you find a woman like—
[16:59] Nazukihiko
Hamayu.
[17:01] Nazukihiko
I do not find you particularly special,
and I do not love you, either.
[17:07] Nazukihiko
That will not change if I marry you.
[17:11] Nazukihiko
I will take any number of
concubines if the need arises.
[17:14] Nazukihiko
Given the right circumstances,
I may even abandon you.
[17:19] Nazukihiko
But I will not allow you to complain or
to become intimate with any other man.
[17:26] Nazukihiko
You must stifle yourself
and live only for me.
[17:30] Nazukihiko
If you are prepared to accept all of that,
would you consent to become my wife?
[17:38] Hamayu
So, that's how it is.
[17:41] Nazukihiko
You belong to none of the Four Houses.
[17:43] Nazukihiko
I couldn't ask for a more perfect consort.
[17:47] Hamayu
You don't mind making enemies
of all four houses?
[17:50] Nazukihiko
I'm counting on it.
[17:52] Hamayu
Your mother was murdered by—
[17:54] Nazukihiko
I know, but it doesn't matter.
[18:06] Hamayu
I have one condition.
[18:09] Hamayu
Let me tend to you on your deathbed.
[18:14] Nazukihiko
Very well. You have my word.
[18:25] Nazukihiko
What was that for? I thought you'd
fallen head over heels for me.
[18:31] Hamayu
I suggest you study up on women's feelings.
[18:39] Sumi
Ow.
[18:41] Sumi
Damn it. I slipped.
[18:47] Nazukihiko
Let's go,
[18:48] Nazukihiko
Sumi.
[19:26] ---
Castle Town Center
[19:29] Girl
See you later.
[19:53] Sumio
So, you're going back
to Taruhi after all?
[19:55] Yukiya
Sorry, but I guess the Center
just doesn't suit me.
[19:59] Sumio
And you're letting him go, Nazukihiko?
[20:01] Yukiya
I'm grateful to Your Highness.
[20:03] Yukiya
You saw me for myself, not
my birth or breeding.
[20:08] Yukiya
No one's ever done that before.
[20:10] Nazukihiko
I don't deserve your thanks,
but I appreciate them.
[20:32] Sumio
Well, take care.
[20:34] Yukiya
I will. You too, Sumio.
[20:37] Nazukihiko
We'll meet again someday.
[20:39] Yukiya
Er, I don't plan on coming back.
[20:42] Nazukihiko
My kin'u instinct tells me.
[20:44] Yukiya
That again?
[20:49] Yukiya
I might as well ask you
while I have the chance.
[20:52] Yukiya
Why are you so
obsessed with the throne?
[20:55] Yukiya
I've been with you for a year now,
watching court power struggles.
[21:02] Yukiya
They were a total farce.
[21:06] Yukiya
The court wants Lord Natsuka
to succeed, right?
[21:10] Yukiya
So, why not just let him?
[21:12] Yukiya
You could get involved in
government through Lord Natsuka.
[21:16] Yukiya
Why risk your life just
to become kin'u yourself?
[21:20] Sumio
You've got it wrong, Yukiya. He—
[21:22] Nazukihiko
Sumio.
[21:23] Yukiya
I'm saying this because
I don't want to let you die!
[21:34] Yukiya
Please give up on the throne.
[21:39] Yukiya
I'll stay here if you do.
[21:42] Yukiya
If you become just another
court raven, not a golden one,
[21:46] Yukiya
I'll serve you.
[21:53] Nazukihiko
If you take being the kin'u from
me, I'll have nothing left.
[22:01] Yukiya
Then get yourself killed without me.
[22:04] Yukiya
And out of my sight, if you please.
[22:21] Sumio
Nazukihiko, do you see something?
[24:30] Narrator
Having finished his service as
aide, Yukiya lingers in Taruhi
[24:35] Narrator
when a raven lands before him.
[24:39] Narrator
New encounters bring new enemies.
[24:43] Narrator
Yukiya has yet to learn of the
threat creeping toward Yamauchi.
SIGN The
Taboo
Elixir
[24:50] Narrator
Next time: "The Taboo Elixir"
SIGN YATAGARASU:
The Raven
Does Not
Choose
Its Master
SIGN Illustration: Natsuki
E14 - The Taboo Elixir
Source: Crunchyroll
Translator:
Editor:
Timer:
QC:
(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.)
[01:49] Boy
Shh! Don't cry!
SIGN YATAGARASU
SIGN The Raven
Does Not
Choose
Its Master
SIGN The North
SIGN Physician
SIGN Physician
SIGN The Lord's manor, Taruhi
[04:29] Azusa
Yukiya. Yukiya!
[04:33] Azusa
Rise and shine.
[04:39] Azusa
Yukiya.
[04:42] Yukiya
Mother.
[04:45] Yukiya
Good morning.
[04:47] Azusa
Good morning.
[04:48] Azusa
For the second time today.
[04:52] Yukiya
What do you mean?
[04:55] Azusa
Yukima and Yukichi went out
right after breakfast.
SIGN Wife of the Lord of Taruhi
Azusa
[05:02] Azusa
They looked like they had
somewhere they had to be.
[05:07] Yukiya
Plum picking!
[05:09] Yukiya
Of course! Today's the plum harvest!
[05:11] Yukiya
Ah! How could I fall back asleep?
[05:15] Yukiya
Aw, man.
[05:24] Azusa
Are you feeling all right?
[05:27] Yukiya
I-I'm fine, mother.
[05:30] Yukiya
Never been healthier.
[05:32] Yukiya
Anyway, see you later.
SIGN The Lord of Taruhi's
third son
Yukichi
[06:07] Yukichi
Yukiya!
SIGN The Lord of Taruhi's
eldest son
Yukima
[06:10] Yukima
Don't go telling us you're sorry.
[06:12] Yukima
You're late! The harvest is already over!
[06:18] Villager 1
He never changes.
[06:20] Villager 1
It's been two whole months
since he got back from the Center.
[06:23] Villager 2
Leave him be. I like that
the middle brother's so easygoing.
[06:29] Yukiya
Aw, man. I really messed up.
[06:32] Yukiya
Guess I might as well land.
[06:40] Yukiya
Huh? Is that guy hurt or something?
[06:56] Yukiya
Whoa!
[07:02] Yukima
What are they doing?
[07:20] Yukima
Yukiya!
[07:22] Yukiya
Ow.
[07:24] Yukima
Are you all right?
[07:25] Yukiya
Something's wrong with that guy.
[07:27] Yukima
Huh?
[07:28] Yukiya
He tried to grab me and
slam me into the ground.
[07:33] Yukiya
He didn't even care that he might also die.
[07:37] Yukiya
Brother.
[07:39] Yukima
Everyone! Into the sheds!
[07:45] Yukima
Hurry!
[07:51] Old Man
Ow, that smarts.
[07:53] Yukiya
Gramps!
[08:07] Yukiya
Huh?
[08:14] Yukiya
Now's our chance.
[08:15] Old Man
R-Right.
[08:34] Yukiya
Wow.
[08:41] Yukiya
Thank you so much, Mr. uh...
[08:44] Nazukihiko
You're not hurt, are you?
[08:45] Yukiya
Huh?
[08:47] Yukiya
Huh? What?!
[08:55] Yukimasa
Come. Have a drink.
SIGN The Lord of Taruhi
in the North
Yukimasa
[09:05] Yukimasa
Well, I'll be. You really
know how to put it away.
[09:10] Nazukihiko
They say fate works in strange ways.
[09:13] Nazukihiko
Still, I never imagined I'd run into you here.
What a coincidence, Sir Yukiya.
[09:19] Yukiya
Sure. Whatever you say.
[09:21] Yukimasa
Yukiya, at least try to act friendly.
[09:24] Yukimasa
I beg your pardon, Sir Sumimaru.
[09:27] Yukimasa
My second son isn't good for much.
[09:29] Yukimasa
No doubt he caused you no end
of trouble in the Center.
[09:33] Nazukihiko
Not at all. Your son was a great help
to His Highness and myself.
[09:38] Yukimasa
Oh, there's no need for flattery.
[09:42] Yukimasa
He admitted he was so useless
the Prince couldn't wait to send him packing.
[09:54] Azusa
Please, eat your fill.
[09:59] Azusa
These young sweetfish are freshly caught.
[10:02] Azusa
Come now. Start serving.
[10:04] Maidservants
Yes, my lady.
[10:11] Guard
Do me a favor and stay put.
[10:16] Yukimasa
A taboo elixir?
[10:19] Nazukihiko
Those who take it supposedly
feel utterly fulfilled.
[10:23] Nazukihiko
They brim with confidence,
as if they had ascended to godhood.
[10:29] Nazukihiko
But after repeated doses,
they lose their minds...
[10:31] Yukichi
And end up like that guy today?
[10:33] Nazukihiko
Indeed.
[10:35] Yukimasa
How could such a drug...
[10:37] Yukimasa
But wait...
[10:43] Yukimasa
A little while back, I got a report
of someone at the Taruhi inn
[10:48] Yukimasa
peddling some strange medicine
they claim had caught on in the Center.
[10:53] Yukimasa
I took my men to investigate,
[10:58] Yukimasa
but we couldn't find any solid proof.
[11:01] Nazukihiko
The drug definitely exists.
[11:05] Nazukihiko
But we know far too little about it.
[11:08] Nazukihiko
What is it made of? Who is spreading it?
How? And for how long?
[11:13] Yukimasa
So you have come to investigate?
[11:15] Nazukihiko
Yes. On direct orders from His Highness.
[11:19] Yukimasa
Truly? Then, allow us to
assist you in any way we can.
[11:25] Yukimasa
This matter concerns
the peace of the North as well.
[11:28] Nazukihiko
Thank you.
[11:29] Nazukihiko
In that case...
[11:32] Nazukihiko
May I borrow Sir Yukiya?
[11:35] Yukiya
Huh?
[11:36] Yukimasa
Y-Yukiya? But a blockhead like him won't—
[11:40] Yukiya
I respectfully decline!
[11:45] Yukiya
I can't trust myself with
such a weighty responsibility.
[11:49] Yukiya
Only today, I slept in, even though
I promised to help with the harvest.
[11:54] Yukiya
I'll help in any way I can, but I don't
believe I'd make a fitting companion.
[12:00] Yukiya
Please take my eldest brother,
Yukima, instead.
[12:08] Yukima
No, I beg you to take Yukiya.
[12:11] Yukiya
What?
[12:12] Yukima
I have faith that my brother
will not disappoint you.
[12:15] Yukima
He works well when he puts his mind to it.
[12:16] Yukiya
What are you talking about?
[12:18] Yukiya
I just got in everyone's way in the Center!
[12:21] Yukima
But you won't tell us anything
about your duties there.
[12:26] Yukima
Only that they couldn't
wait to be rid of you.
[12:29] Yukiya
Brother!
[12:33] Yukima
Sir Sumimaru spent a year with you
and is still asking for your help.
[12:39] Yukima
What clearer proof could there be?
[12:43] Azusa
Boys, don't forget we have a guest present.
[12:49] Yukimasa
I'm sorry you had to see that.
[12:51] Nazukihiko
Don't be.
[12:53] Yukimasa
I suppose you might find it easier
to work with a familiar face.
[12:57] Yukimasa
Set Yukiya to do any odd jobs
you may have for him.
SIGN Sugou, Taruhi
SIGN Koume
[13:19] Koume
What did you just say?
[13:22] Jihei
Let's bring an end to this.
[13:25] Jihei
We can live out in the countryside.
[13:28] Jihei
We'll get away from the Center and
run a little shop where no one knows us.
[13:35] Koume
You've said that before.
[13:37] Jihei
I mean it this time.
SIGN Jihei
[13:41] Jihei
I'll turn over a new leaf.
[13:57] Jihei
Where are you going?
[14:00] Koume
The outhouse.
[14:30] Yukiya
Your "kin'u instinct"
was right on the money.
[14:34] Yukiya
Or did you know this would happen all along...
[14:38] Yukiya
Your Highness?
[14:44] Nazukihiko
You must be confused.
[14:46] Nazukihiko
His Highness is in the Center,
doing his duty with aplomb.
[14:50] Nazukihiko
For the moment, I am merely
his attendant, Sumimaru.
[14:57] Nazukihiko
And I haven't come to bring you back.
[15:00] Nazukihiko
People will hesitate to answer an outsider
if there are local accomplices.
[15:07] Nazukihiko
I would be glad to have you along,
[15:09] Nazukihiko
but I won't force you if you refuse.
[15:14] Nazukihiko
I learned of the elixir ten days ago.
[15:18] Nazukihiko
According to a petition
from the pleasure quarter,
[15:20] Nazukihiko
a courtesan was flailing wildly in
raven shape, unable to change back.
[15:26] Nazukihiko
An investigation revealed
similar cases throughout the Center.
[15:32] Nazukihiko
Then I heard of a man peddling
suspicious medicine in Taruhi.
[15:40] Nazukihiko
This is hardly the first drug
used to bring pleasure.
[15:45] Nazukihiko
The people of the Ravine
control all the others,
[15:48] Nazukihiko
but not even they know
where this one comes from.
[16:03] Nazukihiko
A mere few doses destroy both a person's
reason and power to take human shape.
[16:08] Nazukihiko
The Center's physicians have devoted
themselves to finding a cure,
[16:12] Nazukihiko
but they have yet to discover
any way to reverse the effects.
[16:18] Nazukihiko
If we stand idly by while
it spreads through Yamauchi...
[16:23] Yukiya
Taruhi and the very existence
of the yatagarasu will be in danger?
[16:41] Yukimasa
What happened?
[16:44] Guard
He suddenly went berserk.
[16:50] Yukima
Did that medicine cause this, too?
[16:55] Courtesan
Can I have more?
[16:58] Dandy
I don't know. It's awfully rare.
[17:01] Courtesan
Have a heart.
[17:03] Courtesan
Tell me, what do you call it?
[17:06] Nazukihiko
I'm told that in some quarters,
the drug goes by the name...
SIGN Sagecap
SIGN Sagecap
[17:13] Nazukihiko
"Sagecap."
[17:16] Yukiya
Sagecap.
[17:35] Shopkeeper
Sorry. We're out of stock.
[17:55] Yukimasa
I sent my men out ahead of you.
[17:58] Yukimasa
I am certain you will find them useful.
[18:02] Nazukihiko
I am much obliged.
[18:04] Yukima
Please don't hesitate to
put my brother to work.
[18:08] Yukima
Yukiya, you have an important job.
We're counting on you.
[18:11] Yukiya
Yes, brother.
[18:17] Yukiya
I'll see you soon.
[18:52] Nazukihiko
You're lucky to have
brothers like them, Yukiya.
[18:57] Yukiya
Your Highness doesn't play fair.
[18:59] Nazukihiko
How so?
[19:00] Yukiya
You said you wouldn't force me if I refused,
[19:03] Yukiya
but you must have known
I couldn't ignore a threat to Taruhi.
[19:09] Nazukihiko
Oh, that's what you mean.
[19:11] Nazukihiko
Well, work hard for this place
that means so much to you.
SIGN Sunrise Palace
[19:36] Sumio
Blue.
[19:39] Sumio
Blue.
[19:41] Sumio
Blue. Blue.
[19:45] Sumio
You'd better come back soon, Nazukihiko.
SIGN Tamari, Taruhi
[20:04] Merchant 1
Ah, I've had it.
[20:08] Merchant 1
Damn it all.
[20:12] Merchant 2
What's wrong?
[20:14] Merchant 1
A customer stood me up.
[20:17] Merchant 1
I was supposed to meet
someone from Sugou here.
[20:21] Merchant 1
I've been waiting since yesterday.
[20:29] Yukiya
No leads here, either.
[20:31] Nazukihiko
I wouldn't say that.
[20:33] Nazukihiko
We got a description
of our suspected dealer.
[20:37] Yukiya
"A thin man of about 40 years of age"?
[20:41] Yukiya
Do you have any idea
how many of those there are?
SIGN Sugou
SIGN Mukawa
SIGN Hirai
SIGN Taruhi
SIGN Shiozawa
SIGN Inemura
SIGN Tamari
SIGN Sugou
SIGN Mukawa
SIGN Taruhi
SIGN Shiozawa
SIGN Inemura
SIGN Tamari
SIGN Sugou
SIGN Mukawa
SIGN Taruhi
SIGN Shiozawa
SIGN Inemura
SIGN Tamari
SIGN Nakasato
SIGN Sugou
SIGN Mukawa
SIGN Taruhi
SIGN Shiozawa
SIGN Inemura
SIGN Tamari
SIGN Nakasato
SIGN Sugou
SIGN Mukawa
SIGN Taruhi
SIGN Shiozawa
SIGN Inemura
SIGN Tamari
SIGN m 0 0 l 100 0 100 100 0 100
SIGN Nakasato
[20:49] Yukiya
Let me see. The next town is...
[20:52] Merchant 1
Gh-Ghost-fire?
[20:55] Merchant 1
You mean those lights up in the hills
that lead people astray?
[20:59] Merchant 3
Yeah. I saw lights flickering
on the brow of the hill at Sugou.
[21:07] Merchant 2
Yup, that's ghost-fire all right.
I hear it's been showing up a lot lately.
[21:13] Merchant 1
Stop, both of you!
[21:15] Merchant 1
I'm trying to get answers, and you just—
[21:17] Nazukihiko
Let me buy you a drink.
[21:20] Nazukihiko
In exchange, would you mind
telling me the whole story?
[21:24] Merchants
Huh?
[21:32] Yukiya
So wait, how did we get stuck
delivering this stuff to Sugou?
[21:36] Nazukihiko
I got in too deep to back out.
[21:38] Yukiya
What good will looking
into ghost-fire do us?
[21:41] Nazukihiko
I don't know, but it's another anomaly
in Taruhi at around the same time.
[21:45] Nazukihiko
There must be some connection.
[21:47] Yukiya
Your "kin'u instinct" again?
[21:50] Nazukihiko
Exactly.
[22:06] Yukiya
Maybe everyone's out in the fields?
[22:10] Yukiya
I know this smell.
[22:14] Nazukihiko
Be ready to fly at a moment's notice.
[24:31] Narrator
A grotesque horror reveals itself.
[24:36] Narrator
The reek of death
clings to the small village.
[24:42] Narrator
A lone girl escaped the slaughter,
[24:45] Narrator
but is she friend or foe?
SIGN The Girl
SIGN Who Lived
[24:50] Narrator
Next time: "The Girl Who Lived."
SIGN YATAGARASU:
The Raven
Does Not
Choose
Its Master
SIGN Illustration: Natsuki
E15 - The Girl Who Lived
Source: Crunchyroll
Translator:
Editor:
Timer:
QC:
(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.)
[00:35] Yukiya
Your Highness!
[00:35] Nazukihiko
Stay back!
[00:50] Yukiya
A monkey?
[00:53] Nazukihiko
Don't let your guard down.
[01:17] Yukiya
Your Highness...
[01:20] Yukiya
What happened here?
SIGN YATAGARASU
SIGN The Raven
Does Not
Choose
Its Master
[03:26] Yukiya
Your Highness!
[03:29] Yukiya
This one's alive!
[03:31] Yukiya
I think he's hurt.
[03:33] Yukiya
He needs treatment before...
[03:35] Nazukihiko
Yukiya!
[03:36] Yukiya
Huh?
[03:40] Yukiya
L-Let go!
[03:57] Nazukihiko
Unbelievable. You still
have room in your belly?
[04:02] Nazukihiko
Then, eat.
[04:04] Nazukihiko
But you'll pay for this meal with your life.
[04:07] Yukiya
Oh, come on!
[04:30] Yukiya
How did a monkey turn into a person?
[04:35] Nazukihiko
They can take human shape,
but they may not understand our speech.
[04:41] Nazukihiko
I warned him the meal
would cost him his life,
[04:44] Nazukihiko
but he didn't even hesitate.
[04:47] Yukiya
Wh-What if he really had eaten me?
[04:50] Nazukihiko
I saved you in time, didn't I?
[04:57] Nazukihiko
We'll check the other houses.
[05:22] Yukiya
Did they really get the whole village?
[06:01] Nazukihiko
Yukiya.
[06:01] Yukiya
Huh?
[06:09] Yukiya
Sh-She might be a monkey, too.
[06:11] Nazukihiko
No, she's a yatagarasu.
[06:14] Nazukihiko
I have no power to harm her.
[06:19] Yukiya
Come again?
[06:53] Yukima
Father went out to search the countryside.
He won't be back until tomorrow.
[06:58] Yukima
Where's Sir Sumimaru?
[06:59] Yukiya
He just took his leave.
[07:01] Yukiya
To bring help from the Center, he said.
[07:03] Yukima
We could certainly use some.
[07:05] Yukichi
Hey, is this girl okay?
[07:08] Yukichi
She's been asleep this whole time.
[07:11] Yukima
The physician said
we shouldn't start worrying yet.
[07:16] Yukima
So no one else survived, huh?
[07:19] Yukima
Poor girl.
[07:22] Yukiya
I wonder.
[07:25] Yukiya
The whole village was slaughtered,
but she doesn't have a scratch on her.
[07:30] Yukima
Maybe she got lucky.
[07:32] Yukiya
"Lucky"?
[07:35] Yukiya
You wouldn't talk about luck
if you'd seen that place.
[07:40] Yukiya
Sorry.
[07:41] Yukima
No, you're right.
[07:45] Yukima
We still can't prove she's not a monkey.
[07:49] Yukima
You've had a rough day.
[07:51] Yukima
I'll stay awake tonight. You get some rest.
[08:38] Sumio
That sounds like...
SIGN The Court
[08:45] Gatekeeper 1
A post bell?
[08:57] Nazukihiko
Urgent tidings!
[08:58] Nazukihiko
Disaster has struck Taruhi in the North!
[09:00] Nazukihiko
Open the gates!
[09:06] Sumio
I sent word to the Four Houses.
[09:08] Sumio
I told them to assemble in Purple Hall.
In their nightgowns if they have to.
[09:13] Nazukihiko
Much appreciated.
[09:14] Sumio
I'm sure they'll grumble about it, though.
[09:17] Sumio
So...
[09:18] Sumio
What's in this thing? It's heavy as hell.
[09:22] Nazukihiko
Smelling salts. They'll wake
our drowsy ministers right up.
[09:34] Nazukihiko
Will you still speak of "tall tales"
after seeing this?
[09:41] Nazukihiko
This mouth... These very fangs
devoured a whole village of yatagarasu.
[09:50] Akira
I... I can't believe it.
SIGN Lord of the West
Akira
[09:52] Akira
Monkeys that feed on yatagarasu?
[09:55] Akira
Where in Yamauchi did
such creatures come from?
[09:58] Toru
We can see the monkeys exist,
whether you believe in them or not.
SIGN Lord of the South
Toru
[10:04] Toru
Whatever happens,
they must not reach the Center.
SIGN Lord of the East
Haruhito
[10:07] Toru
I suggest we bar the road to Taruhi at once.
[10:10] Genya
Our enemies are monkeys.
SIGN Lord of the North
Genya
[10:12] Genya
What would blocking
our roads do to stop them?
[10:16] Nazukihiko
These monkeys can take
human shape, just like yatagarasu.
[10:24] Haruhito
Then, could they already be among us?
[10:27] Nazukihiko
Lord Genya.
[10:28] Genya
Your Highness.
[10:29] Nazukihiko
Prepare to dispatch troops at once.
[10:32] Nazukihiko
I wish you to join Taruhi's lord
in scouring the countryside.
[10:38] Nazukihiko
The monkeys have the advantage in
close combat. Have bows and spears ready.
[10:42] Genya
As you wish.
[10:43] Nazukihiko
Strengthen the guard on all checkpoints.
[10:45] Nazukihiko
Investigate anyone who seems
even remotely suspect.
[10:48] Nazukihiko
Inspect isolated villages for
disturbances like what befell Sugou
[10:53] Nazukihiko
in every domain and without delay!
[10:56] Akira; Toru; Genya Haruhito
Yes, Your Highness.
[10:57] Nazukihiko
Assume that these monkeys may come
to eat your wives and children tomorrow.
[11:03] Nazukihiko
This is no Northern crisis.
[11:07] Nazukihiko
It threatens the whole of Yamauchi.
[11:13] Crowd
Don't push.
[11:15] Crowd
Hurry up.
SIGN Taruhi Checkpoint
[11:21] Crowd
Wait your turn.
[11:25] Official
Okay, next!
[11:26] Merchant
Here, sir.
[11:27] Traveler 1
I hear they're ten shaku tall
and swallow grown men whole.
[11:32] Traveler 2
Word is they've got a hundred fangs.
[11:34] Traveler 3
First, it's that big, mad raven, and now this.
[11:37] Traveler 3
I'm too scared to stay in this town.
[11:45] Koume
How many times do I have to tell you?
I don't know anything.
[11:50] Koume
Why am I even tied up in a cell, anyway?
[11:54] Koume
What are you accusing me of?
[11:57] Guard 1
Enough chatter.
[11:58] Guard 1
Just answer our questions.
[12:02] Guard 2
What were you doing, sleeping in that chest?
[12:05] Koume
I told you...
[12:06] Yukima
Koume, isn't it?
[12:09] Yukima
We wouldn't restrain you
if we didn't have to.
[12:14] Yukima
We'll release you as soon as we can prove
you're a yatagarasu and you mean no harm.
[12:21] Koume
Huh?
[12:22] Koume
What do you mean "prove I'm a yatagarasu"?
[12:26] Koume
What else could I be?
[12:28] Koume
And who would I "mean harm" to?
[12:31] Yukima
Are you from Sugou?
[12:34] Koume
I'm from the Center.
[12:36] Koume
I'd never been to Sugou before.
[12:38] Yukima
What brought you there from the Center?
[12:40] Koume
Business.
[12:42] Koume
My dad and I brought sake.
[12:45] Koume
They threw a big party
as soon as we got there.
[12:49] Yukima
Your father was with you?
[12:53] Koume
Yes.
[12:55] Yukima
And your mother?
[12:56] Koume
Haven't got one.
[12:58] Koume
It's always been just my dad and me,
two traveling merchants.
[13:04] Koume
Hey, has my dad caused
some kind of trouble again?
[13:08] Koume
So you know, I have nothing—
[13:10] Guard 2
Where is your father now?
[13:12] Koume
I told you, I got drunk and fell asleep!
[13:16] Koume
Ask one of the villagers where to find him.
[13:19] Yukiya
The villagers of Sugou
are no longer with us.
[13:23] Koume
What?
[13:25] Koume
They died?
[13:27] Yukiya
Yes.
[13:28] Yukiya
Vicious monkeys attacked them.
[13:31] Koume
Monkeys? Don't you mean bears or something?
[13:35] Yukiya
Monkeys.
[13:36] Yukiya
We're still searching for survivors
while we comb the countryside,
[13:40] Yukiya
but you're probably the only one
who left that village alive.
[13:48] Koume
W-Wait.
[13:50] Koume
Is... Is my dad all right?
[13:53] Yukima
Right now, we only know that he's missing.
[13:57] Koume
No.
[13:59] Koume
Why?
[14:01] Koume
How did this happen?
[14:02] Yukiya
I can't understand it, either.
[14:04] Yukiya
Why were you spared
when everyone else died?
[14:10] Koume
I haven't got a clue.
[14:14] Koume
How would I know that?
[14:33] Guard 1
That girl's got some rotten luck.
[14:37] Guard 1
She and her father picked
a hell of a time to visit Sugou.
[14:41] Guard 2
I bet her father hid her in that chest,
hoping it would save her.
[14:46] Guard 1
That was probably the last thing he did.
[14:49] Yukima
Will she be released?
[14:52] Guard 1
She was able to take raven shape,
so I don't see why not.
[14:57] Guard 1
But with no family left, how will
she support herself back in the Center?
[15:05] Azusa
Excuse me.
[15:08] Azusa
In that case...
[15:13] Azusa
We've decided to take Koume in
until we find her father.
[15:18] Azusa
She may not be here long,
but be kind to her.
[15:22] Koume
I'll help with anything I can.
[15:25] Koume
I hope you'll all put up with me.
[15:56] Azusa
What's gotten into you, Yukiya?
[15:59] Azusa
How is she supposed to settle in
with you watching her like a hawk?
[16:04] Yukiya
I can't help questioning
your judgment, Mother.
[16:09] Azusa
Really? Why?
[16:13] Yukiya
How can you be sure
she's telling the truth?
[16:16] Yukiya
The villagers who could
confirm her story are all dead.
[16:20] Yukiya
Everyone pities her as a girl
on her own with a missing father,
[16:25] Yukiya
but I get the feeling
she's hiding something.
[16:28] Yukiya
How could you let a yatagarasu
we know so little about into the house?
[16:33] Azusa
Even if she has her secrets,
[16:35] Azusa
I can't abandon a child to fend for herself.
[16:39] Yukiya
A child?
[16:40] Azusa
Yes, a child. Just like you.
[16:46] Azusa
All right. How about this?
[16:48] Azusa
You look after that girl.
[16:51] Yukiya
Excuse me?
[16:53] Azusa
Who better? You're almost the same age.
[16:58] Azusa
It will give her someone to talk to.
[17:00] Yukiya
Mother!
[17:04] Azusa
It will do more good than
glaring at her from afar and fretting.
SIGN Clear Mirror Temple
[17:22] Rokon
Have you learned anything, Lord Natsuka?
SIGN Clear Mirror Temple's
Natsuka
[17:26] Natsuka
No. This is the strangest incident
in Yamauchi's history.
[17:30] Natsuka
I have never heard of any creature
but us taking human shape.
[17:35] Rokon
So long story short, we Yatagarasu
aren't as unique as we thought, huh?
SIGN Natsuka's bodyguard
Rokon
[17:42] Rokon
Not that I'd know much about it.
[18:04] Yukimasa
As we feared, no one from Sugou survived.
[18:08] Yukimasa
They ate all the women
and children on the spot.
[18:12] Yukimasa
The men, though, they rounded up and
shredded, tossing the chunks into big pots...
[18:20] Yukimasa
and pouring salt over them.
[18:23] Yukichi
Salt? What for?
[18:26] Yukima
Food preservation.
[18:29] Yukima
They salted the leftover meat
to save it for later.
[18:35] Azusa
And the merchant visiting Sugou?
[18:39] Yukimasa
We couldn't tell the bodies apart.
[18:45] Yukima
But how did it happen?
[18:46] Yukima
No matter how vicious these monkeys were,
how did not a single adult escape?
[18:52] Yukimasa
We found the remains of a village party.
[18:56] Yukimasa
Maybe the food was laced with
some drug that slowed them down.
[19:03] Yukiya
They're intelligent.
[19:08] Yukiya
Normal animals don't drug
people's food or salt meat to last longer.
[19:18] Yukiya
They didn't do this just to fill their
bellies. They have another goal.
[19:24] Yukiya
They smile at the sight of frightened prey.
Prey they toy with as they kill.
[19:30] Yukiya
They're hunting yatagarasu for sport.
[19:56] Shabby Man
I heard something
I thought you'd want to know.
[20:02] Shabby Man
It wasn't easy getting this news.
[20:07] Shabby Man
I can't give it up for less than—
[20:14] Shabby Man
It's about S-Sagecap!
[20:36] Yukiya
Here.
[20:39] Koume
Thank you.
[20:47] Koume
Do you need anything else?
[20:50] Yukiya
I'm sorry about the other day.
[20:54] Yukiya
I shouldn't have asked that
when you'd been through so much.
[20:58] Koume
It's fine.
[20:59] Koume
I can't blame you for suspecting me,
under the circumstances.
[21:09] Koume
Hey, what are you glaring at me for?
[21:11] Yukiya
Huh?
[21:13] Koume
There. That look.
[21:15] Koume
You'd think I was your archenemy
the way you keep eyeing me all day long.
[21:20] Koume
Did I do something to offend you?
[21:23] Yukiya
No, it's nothing like that.
[21:28] Yukiya
Sorry if I bothered you.
[21:30] Yukiya
I didn't want to leave you alone
after all you've been through.
[21:36] Yukiya
But that was no excuse to be rude.
[21:39] Yukiya
I, well, wasn't sure how
to talk to a girl my own age.
[21:49] Koume
Oh, really?
[21:51] Koume
You know, her ladyship asked me...
[21:54] Koume
if I'd like to stay and
work here permanently.
[21:57] Yukiya
Huh?
[21:58] Koume
Only if they don't find my dad, obviously.
[22:04] Koume
But I didn't give her a clear answer.
[22:08] Koume
I mean, I thought you
hated having me around.
[22:18] Koume
That's a load off my mind.
[22:21] Koume
I might be living under your roof
for a long time to come.
[22:25] Koume
So again, I hope you'll put up with me.
[22:30] Koume
Okay, Yukiya?
[22:35] Yukiya
Likewise.
[22:50] Tobi
You sly bastard.
SIGN Tobi
[22:53] Tobi
Wherever you hide, I swear I'll find you.
[24:30] Narrator
At long last, Yukiya returns to the Center,
[24:33] Narrator
but he doesn't have long for reunions
as he hurries to the Prince's side.
[24:42] Narrator
In a forest flickering with ghost-fire,
a boy witnesses a mysterious power.
SIGN Wisteria
SIGN Arrows
[24:50] Narrator
Next time: "Wisteria Arrows."
SIGN YATAGARASU:
The Raven
Does Not
Choose
Its Master
SIGN Illustration: Natsuki
E16 - Wisteria Arrows
Source: Crunchyroll
Translator:
Editor:
Timer:
QC:
(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.)
SIGN YATAGARASU
SIGN The Raven
Does Not
Choose
Its Master
[02:08] Koume
Wow!
[02:09] Koume
I've never flown this high before!
[02:12] Yukiya
Don't lean over like that. It's not safe.
[02:15] Koume
I hear you used to serve the Prince.
[02:18] Yukiya
What about it?
[02:20] Koume
Tell me about the palace.
[02:22] Koume
I've always admired court ravens.
[02:26] Koume
Are you going to stop by
to say hello? If you are—
[02:30] Yukiya
I'm going nowhere near the palace.
[02:33] Yukiya
We'll pick up some spare clothes from
your house, then head straight home.
[02:37] Koume
You're no fun.
SIGN Lower Town Harbor, the Center
[02:52] Yukiya
That's outrageous!
[02:54] Inn Staff
It's the standard rate here.
Go someplace else if you don't like it.
[02:57] Yukiya
Aw, come on. Can't you
cut me some kind of deal?
[03:02] Yukiya
I only need to leave him for an hour.
[03:04] Inn Staff
I said no, and I mean no.
[03:05] Yukiya
Please?
[03:11] Yukiya
Fine. Here.
[03:12] Inn Staff
Come again.
[03:17] Yukiya
And they wonder why
I can't stand the Center.
[03:20] Yukiya
Sorry to keep you waiting...
[03:31] Yukiya
Seriously?
[04:09] Yukiya
Koume.
[04:12] Yukiya
Are you okay?
[04:14] Koume
I had this feeling that
my dad had come back.
[04:21] Koume
I feel so stupid.
[04:28] Koume
We've been water peddlers for generations.
[04:31] Yukiya
You sold water?
[04:34] Koume
Not just any water.
[04:36] Koume
Some springs on the Central Mountain
have special attributes.
[04:42] Koume
That well is one of them.
[04:45] Koume
The water from it can cure illnesses
and make crops grow.
[04:49] Koume
It's sold as medicine out
in the countryside.
[04:54] Koume
And it doesn't cost anything to make,
[04:57] Koume
so, well, we made out like bandits.
[05:02] Koume
Until one day, out of
the blue, the well ran dry.
[05:08] Yukiya
Shh!
[05:09] Koume
Huh?
[05:19] Yukiya
Who are you?
[05:20] Man 1
Back off, brat.
We've got business with the girl.
[05:24] Koume
Bill collectors?
Sorry, but we've got nothing left.
[05:28] Koume
So get out.
[05:30] Man 2
Sorry if we startled you.
[05:32] Man 2
We're Jihei's buddies.
[05:35] Man 2
He asked us to come get you.
[05:39] Koume
You know my dad?
[05:40] Man 2
Yup.
[05:42] Koume
Why didn't he come himself?
[05:45] Man 2
Oh, you know. Things happen.
Do I need to remind you what his job is?
[05:55] Man 2
Come on. We'll take you to him.
[05:58] Yukiya
Are you really friends of Koume's father?
[06:02] Yukiya
I have a duty to keep her safe.
[06:05] Yukiya
I can't leave her with people I can't trust.
[06:08] Man 2
"Duty"?
[06:11] Man 1
Don't make this harder
than it has to be, kid.
[06:14] Koume
Okay, fine. But at least
let me put my sandals on.
[06:17] Man 1
Make it quick!
[06:18] Koume
I know!
[06:19] Yukiya
Wait!
[06:21] Yukiya
Give her back!
[06:24] Man 1
You little punk!
[06:29] Man 1
Take that!
[06:35] Man 2
You little...
[06:36] Koume
Yukiya!
[06:38] Yukiya
Hurry!
[06:44] Man 1
I'll teach you to waste our time, brat.
[06:48] Man 1
Now, what are we gonna do with you?
[06:52] Koume
That boy waits on His Highness the Prince!
[06:55] Man 1
Did you say the Prince?
[06:59] Koume
And he's a proper court raven himself.
[07:02] Koume
Leave a scratch on him,
and you'll all pay for it big time.
[07:08] Man 2
Is that true?
[07:10] Yukiya
It's true that I served the Prince.
[07:16] Man 2
Let him go.
[07:20] Koume
Yukiya!
[07:21] Man 2
Boy, take this message to the Prince:
[07:24] Man 2
"Tobi of the Underground
will be in touch soon."
[07:28] Man 2
"When he finds you, you'd better have
a good excuse for breaking our agreement."
[07:34] Yukiya
What "agreement"?
[07:39] Koume
I can't take it anymore.
[07:42] Koume
My dad must have made another mess.
[07:45] Yukiya
What kind of "mess"?
[07:48] Koume
I don't know!
[07:50] Koume
I've had it with him! He always
leaves me to clean up after him.
[07:55] Koume
I hope that good-for-nothing
never comes back!
[07:59] Koume
This was my chance to
make a fresh start in Taruhi.
[08:05] Yukiya
What a way to talk.
[08:08] Yukiya
Aren't you worried about your father?
[08:13] Yukiya
Do you think about anyone but yourself?
[08:16] Yukiya
What about the monkeys?
Who knows when they'll be back?
[08:20] Yukiya
All of Taruhi is in danger.
[08:22] Yukiya
But just listen to you.
[08:26] Koume
Who are you to judge?
[08:28] Koume
You're just a spoiled little rich boy!
[08:31] Yukiya
What would you know about me?
[08:34] Koume
My dad's been sponging off me since forever!
[08:38] Koume
He clung to his dried-up well until
my mom gave up on him and left us!
[08:44] Koume
So I worked.
[08:46] Koume
A kid can't bring in much money,
[08:50] Koume
but I still stuck it out
from dawn until dusk.
[08:54] Koume
And he wasted what little I'd earned
on gambling and get-rich-quick schemes.
[09:01] Koume
"Sorry. I know I'll hit it big next time."
[09:06] Koume
I want out of this hell.
[09:09] Koume
Can you blame me for feeling that way?
[09:12] Koume
You could never understand! You grew up
with both parents and a loving family!
SIGN Sunrise Palace
[09:37] Sumio
Hey, Yukiya. Long time no see.
[09:41] Yukiya
Sumio! It's good to see you again.
[09:45] Yukiya
Listen, I...
[09:49] Sumio
First things first. Come in.
[09:55] Sumio
I've already heard.
[09:58] Sumio
Is the girl safe?
[09:59] Yukiya
Yes. I left her with the Yamauchi Guard.
[10:04] Yukiya
I'm sorry to trouble you.
[10:07] Sumio
Don't mention it.
[10:08] Sumio
You'd better start by
reporting to Nazukihiko.
[10:12] Sumio
Your Highness.
[10:15] Sumio
I've brought Yukiya.
[10:24] Yukiya
Forgive me for interrupting
the business of state.
[10:27] Yukiya
I bring news Your Highness
will wish to hear.
[10:31] Yukiya
A blunder on my part caused...
[10:39] Hamayu
What stunt did you pull this time?
[10:42] Yukiya
L-Lady Hamayu?
[10:47] Hamayu
I step in to handle official duties
for a bit during the daytime.
SIGN The Prince's Wife
Hamayu
[10:51] Hamayu
Think of me as a body double.
[10:54] Yukiya
A body double?
[10:56] Yukiya
Then, where's His Highness?
[10:59] Hamayu
Did you really think he would stay put
in the palace with this crisis going on?
[11:03] Yukiya
You have a point.
[11:05] Hamayu
Anyway, take it easy.
[11:06] Hamayu
Want a snack?
[11:08] Yukiya
Lady Hamayu.
[11:10] Yukiya
Oh, wait! We haven't got time!
[11:17] Hamayu
Tobi of the Underground?
[11:21] Hamayu
Talk about a big shot.
[11:25] Hamayu
If he's involved,
the "agreement" must be...
[11:29] Sumio
The non-aggression pact. I'm sure of it.
[11:34] Yukiya
I'm sorry, but what non-aggression pact?
[11:37] Hamayu
The court and the Ravine
have a secret treaty.
[11:40] Yukiya
A secret treaty?
[11:42] Hamayu
Ever been to the Ravine?
[11:44] Yukiya
For about a month.
As collateral for the Prince's sword.
[11:48] Hamayu
Collateral?
[11:53] Yukiya
I thought I'd never make it out of there.
[11:56] Hamayu
Sounds like you had a hell of a time.
[12:01] Hamayu
But it used to be even worse
a long time ago.
[12:05] Hamayu
It was a real lawless zone.
Nothing but bloody turf wars, day in, day out.
[12:11] Hamayu
Then one day, a man appeared out of the blue
and set up shop in the Underground.
[12:17] Yukiya
Where's that?
[12:19] Hamayu
Down past the Ravine. It's where
wanted men go when they're out of options.
[12:26] Hamayu
This man took charge of them all
in the blink of an eye,
[12:30] Hamayu
then unified the Ravine
from his base in the Underground.
[12:34] Yukiya
How?
[12:35] Hamayu
Search me.
[12:37] Hamayu
He must have been awfully smart
or awfully tough.
[12:43] Hamayu
With reverence, they called him:
[12:49] Hamayu
"King Saku."
[12:51] Yukiya
"King Saku"?
[12:54] Hamayu
He organized the ruffians into
a band that follows its own laws,
[12:59] Hamayu
and made the criminal underworld
its own society with clear borders.
[13:03] Hamayu
Nazukihiko's grandfather sat
on the Kin'u's throne at the time.
[13:09] Sumio
He was known as a wise ruler, wasn't he?
[13:12] Hamayu
Do you mind the smell?
[13:13] Hamayu
My mind works better when I drink.
[13:16] Sumio
No.
[13:17] Hamayu
The Kin'u and King Saku met as equals
and reached an agreement.
[13:23] Hamayu
They would each govern their own territory
and stay out of each other's affairs.
[13:29] Yukiya
Hence the nonaggression pact.
[13:32] Hamayu
It's been 40 or 50 years since then.
[13:36] Hamayu
Tobi replaced King Saku,
but no one broke the pact.
[13:42] Hamayu
You could call it the secret that's
keeping the peace in Yamauchi.
SIGN Yamauchi Guard Post
[13:58] Hamayu
This Jihei character must have done
something to rile up the Ravine.
[14:04] Hamayu
But he went missing, so they've
resorted to kidnapping his daughter.
[14:11] Hamayu
But they hit a snag when
the daughter brought up the Prince.
[14:17] Yukiya
I beg your forgiveness!
[14:22] Yukiya
If only I hadn't brought Koume here.
[14:24] Sumio
You only did what your father told you to do.
[14:28] Yukiya
I was simply careless.
[14:31] Yukiya
I should have been more vigilant.
[14:33] Hamayu
Yukiya, have you been suspicious
of that girl all along?
[14:42] Yukiya
Koume's hiding something.
[14:44] Yukiya
I've felt so from the start.
[14:47] Yukiya
But I have no proof, so I can't rebut
anyone who says I'm overthinking things.
[14:55] Yukiya
Still, she might have known what
using the Prince's name would mean.
[15:03] Hamayu
Yukiya.
[15:05] Hamayu
Would you mind leaving that girl with me?
[15:07] Yukiya
Huh?
[15:12] Yukiya
This is an aide's sash.
[15:14] Hamayu
I want you to go fetch Nazukihiko.
[15:18] Hamayu
That will get you through checkpoints.
[15:20] Yukiya
R-Right.
[15:21] Hamayu
Hold onto it for a while.
[15:23] Hamayu
Unless you want the gatekeepers
to challenge you every time you visit.
[15:29] Sumio
Don't worry about Taruhi.
[15:31] Sumio
I'll fill them in on your situation.
[15:33] Yukiya
What? Excuse me?
[15:35] Hamayu
Well, there you have it.
[15:40] Hamayu
Welcome back, Yukiya.
SIGN Shigure, the North
[16:17] Yukiya
Why does this feel familiar?
[16:34] Yukiya
Ghost-fire?
[16:47] Yukiya
His Highness?
[17:19] Yukiya
Y-Your Highness!
[17:22] Nazukihiko
What are you doing here?
[17:25] Yukiya
Lady Hamayu asked me to fetch you.
[17:29] Yukiya
Anyway, what was that?
[17:34] Nazukihiko
I'm patching tears.
[17:36] Yukiya
T-Tears?
[17:38] Nazukihiko
Tears in the boundary that separates
Yamauchi from the world outside.
[17:43] Yukiya
Outside Yamauchi?
[18:20] Nazukihiko
All done.
[18:24] Yukiya
What did you do?
[18:28] Nazukihiko
I reinforced the boundary,
although it won't hold forever.
[18:32] Nazukihiko
Think of tears as places where
Yamauchi's boundary has weakened.
[18:37] Nazukihiko
No yatagarasu who leaves
through one can ever return.
[18:45] Yukiya
Is this what you do when
you disappear sometimes?
[18:50] Nazukihiko
That's right.
[18:52] Nazukihiko
I thought the monkeys might have
slipped in from the outside world.
[18:57] Nazukihiko
But the boundary was only frayed.
Its defenses hadn't been breached.
[19:04] Nazukihiko
So where did those monkeys come from?
[19:09] Nazukihiko
Tears expose Yamauchi to danger.
[19:13] Nazukihiko
Only I can mend them.
[19:16] Nazukihiko
I'm charged with only one duty:
safeguarding all yatagarasu.
[19:30] Yukiya
As a true kin'u?
SIGN Cherry Blossom Palace
[19:51] Lady-in-waiting
First, let's do something about your kimono.
[19:55] Lady-in-waiting
You need proper clothes for court service.
[19:57] Koume
R-Right.
[20:00] Kikuno
What is Lady Hamayu thinking?
[20:03] Kikuno
Keeping a girl with such a troubled
past at court gives me chills.
[20:08] Masuho
I am sure Hamayu has her reasons.
[20:12] Masuho
And do not blame the girl
for her father's crimes.
[20:16] Masuho
We should show her hospitality.
[20:25] Hamayu
Tobi sent an invitation.
[20:33] Sumio
He must have written it
after Koume mentioned you.
[20:36] Sumio
Those Underground guys always work fast.
[20:41] Sumio
What now, Nazukihiko?
[20:44] Nazukihiko
I'm going, of course.
[20:45] Yukiya
Your Highness!
[20:47] Nazukihiko
We need to focus on our monkey problem.
[20:50] Nazukihiko
This is no time for feuding
with the Underground.
[20:52] Nazukihiko
In fact, I relish this opportunity.
[20:58] Nazukihiko
Only Koume survived the
monkey attack on that village.
[21:03] Nazukihiko
Now the Underground wants her.
I doubt it's a coincidence.
[21:08] Nazukihiko
The Underground holds clues.
[21:10] Hamayu
What makes you so sure?
[21:13] Nazukihiko
My kin'u instinct.
[21:18] Natsuka
Nazukihiko!
[21:31] Natsuka
Would you really go to
the Underground yourself?
[21:34] Nazukihiko
So you overheard, Brother? That saves time.
[21:38] Natsuka
Reconsider.
[21:40] Natsuka
Think about what will happen
if they take you hostage.
[21:43] Natsuka
The court would be bound hand and foot.
[21:47] Sumio
Sorry, but I'm against it, too.
[21:49] Sumio
I'm not confident I can keep
you safe down there.
[21:51] Nazukihiko
I'm going. There's no other way.
[21:54] Natsuka
Nazukihiko!
[21:56] Nazukihiko
It will all work out.
You both worry too much.
[22:11] Nazukihiko
Yes, Rokon?
[22:13] Rokon
To be honest, I don't give a damn
if you end up as sashimi. Still...
[22:20] Natsuka
I refuse to let you go to the Underground.
[22:24] Natsuka
In your place...
[22:27] Natsuka
We'll send Yukiya.
[22:29] Yukiya
Huh?
SIGN The Ravine
SIGN The Underground
[24:30] Narrator
Deep beneath the Ravine,
scoundrels gather.
[24:38] Narrator
Yukiya and Natsuka go to parley with them,
seeking knowledge of the monkeys.
[24:44] Narrator
Then, a strange old man steps forward.
SIGN King of the
SIGN Underground
[24:50] Narrator
Next time: "King of the Underground."
SIGN YATAGARASU:
The Raven
Does Not
Choose
Its Master
SIGN Illustration: Natsuki
E17 - King of the Underground
Source: Crunchyroll
Translator:
Editor:
Timer:
QC:
(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.)
[00:05] Nazukihiko
Rokon?
[00:07] Rokon
To be honest, I don't give a damn
if you end up as sashimi. Still...
[00:12] Nazukihiko
Sumio.
[00:14] Sumio
Sorry, but I'm against it, too.
[00:16] Sumio
I'm not confident I can keep
you safe down there.
[00:19] Natsuka
I refuse to let you go to the Underground.
[00:22] Natsuka
In your place...
[00:24] Natsuka
We'll send Yukiya.
[00:26] Yukiya
Huh?
[00:28] Yukiya
H-Hang on. They asked
to see His Highness, remember?
[00:32] Yukiya
They won't be too happy
if I turn up in his place.
[00:34] Sumio
I agree. Yukiya can't fill
His Highness's shoes—
[00:38] Natsuka
Of course he can't.
[00:40] Natsuka
I will represent Nazukihiko.
[00:43] Natsuka
Yukiya will accompany me.
[00:46] Hamayu
I doubt you can placate the
Underground as easily as you think.
[00:50] Natsuka
The eldest son of the Royal House
should satisfy their self-esteem.
[00:54] Natsuka
And I'll have Yukiya in case of trouble.
[00:59] Natsuka
They are wary of the Northern House
and the soldiers it controls.
[01:10] Nazukihiko
Brother.
[01:14] Yukiya
So that's why you want to
take me to the Underground?
[01:20] Natsuka
Precisely. The Underground
holds clues to the monkeys,
[01:24] Natsuka
but they won't give up that information
simply because we ask nicely.
[01:29] Natsuka
The Lord of the North's grandson will
give us a strong hand. One they can't beat.
[01:38] Natsuka
You want to protect your home, yes?
[01:41] Natsuka
Well, I want to defend Yamauchi.
[01:44] Natsuka
I will do whatever I must to keep it safe,
[01:47] Natsuka
even if it means being branded
a coward or giving up my life.
[01:53] Natsuka
Yukiya, don't you feel the same?
[02:19] Yukiya
I hear and obey.
[02:24] Yukiya
Allow me to accompany
your lordship to the Underground.
SIGN YATAGARASU
SIGN The Raven
Does Not
Choose
Its Master
SIGN Clear Mirror Temple
[04:11] Masuho
Just as I thought.
[04:13] Masuho
My little brother's clothes
fit you perfectly.
[04:15] Yukiya
Thank you. I can't believe a lady of
the West would dress me personally.
SIGN Lady-in-Waiting of
Cherry Blossom Palace
Masuho-no-Susuki
[04:21] Masuho
I renounced that title.
[04:23] Yukiya
Oh, sorry. Slip of the tongue.
[04:25] Kikuno
And no wonder.
[04:27] Kikuno
I couldn't believe my ears
SIGN Western Lady-in-Waiting
Kikuno
[04:30] Kikuno
when Lady Masuho-no-Susuki declared
her intention to wait on Lady Hamayu.
[04:35] Masuho
I merely felt that no one else
would be up to the task.
[04:39] Masuho
There. All done.
[04:41] Kikuno
What shall we do with this?
[04:46] Masuho
You haven't come of age, yet you're
dressed like you're going off to die.
[04:51] Masuho
Doesn't that bother you?
[04:53] Yukiya
Please don't worry. I made up my own mind.
[05:01] Rokon
That's the spirit!
[05:04] Rokon
I was worried you'd start whining about
not wanting to go, in spite of everything.
[05:11] Rokon
Hm?
[05:12] Rokon
You don't have any headgear yet?
[05:17] Rokon
Then, I'll do the honors. Any complaints?
[05:22] Yukiya
No. None whatsoever.
[05:27] Masuho
Kikuno.
[05:29] Kikuno
O-Oh, of course!
Sir Yukiya needs a dress sword.
[05:35] Kikuno
I'll be right back.
[05:37] Rokon
Sure seems like a hassle.
[05:47] Yukiya
Um...
[05:48] Rokon
The monkeys hit the North again.
[05:50] Yukiya
What?
[05:51] Rokon
A solitary house in Sazaki. We were late finding out,
but they probably struck there before Sugou.
[05:57] Rokon
We might have been able to do something
if we'd caught on sooner.
[06:06] Yukiya
Why only the North?
[06:09] Rokon
Today's meeting will probably fail.
SIGN Sunrise Palace
[06:28] Sumio
Your Highness.
[06:29] Sumio
May I open the door?
This business seems urgent.
[06:35] Sumio
Your Highness, are you listening?
[06:41] Sumio
I beg your pardon.
[06:45] Sumio
Nazukihiko.
[06:49] Sumio
Get over it already.
[06:52] Sumio
You know I didn't want to go against you—
[06:55] Hamayu
Oh, be quiet. He's got good reason to sulk.
[06:59] Hamayu
First, he got left behind, and now,
you won't let him out of your sight.
[07:03] Sumio
If I may, His Highness never dreams up
anything good in this mood.
[07:08] Sumio
You can't imagine how many times
I learned that the hard way.
[07:11] Masuho
Why are you dithering?
[07:13] Masuho
You promised to lend Yukiya a sword.
What if you make him late?
[07:19] Sumio
I beg your pardon.
[07:20] Hamayu
Sorry. Feel free to come in.
[07:24] Hamayu
You stay out there.
[07:28] Sumio
Have a heart.
SIGN The Ravine
SIGN The Underground
[09:27] Natsuka
Tobi, I presume?
[09:30] Tobi
We called for the Prince.
[09:37] Natsuka
I am Natsuka of Clear Mirror Temple.
[09:40] Natsuka
I have come here today
on His Highness's behalf.
[09:49] Natsuka
I hate to be abrupt—
[09:50] Tobi
The meeting's off.
[09:56] Yukiya
Lord Natsuka.
[09:58] Natsuka
Wait! Forgive me. I should have said more.
[10:01] Natsuka
I am the eldest son of the Royal House
and brother to His Highness.
[10:05] Natsuka
He sent me despite trying circumstances
because this meeting is most serious to him.
[10:11] Natsuka
I believe there has been
a misunderstanding.
[10:14] Natsuka
We have not breached our agreement
with you, and we do not intend to.
[10:19] Natsuka
You may take issue with us holding the
water-merchant's daughter, but we merely—
[10:24] Tobi
Enough.
[10:26] Tobi
If you don't get it,
I'll spell it out for you.
[10:28] Tobi
Your oh-so-noble birth and upbringing
aren't worth a bronze piece down here.
[10:34] Tobi
Only one thing counts.
[10:37] Tobi
And that's trust.
[10:41] Tobi
The same goes for our agreement.
[10:43] Tobi
Not a word in writing, but it has lasted
for decades, all on the strength of trust.
[10:50] Tobi
Except the Prince stood us up.
[10:54] Tobi
A proxy? "Trying circumstances"?
[10:57] Tobi
I can't believe he takes
our relationship that lightly.
[11:04] Tobi
Our agreement is history.
[11:08] Tobi
Tell that to your sniveling brother.
[11:14] Yukiya
Lord Natsuka.
[11:18] Yukiya
Lord Natsuka.
[11:23] Natsuka
This is Yukiya, grandson of Genya,
Lord of the North!
[11:26] Natsuka
I leave him in your care as a hostage
to demonstrate our sincerity.
[11:34] Tobi
Are you crazy?
[11:35] Natsuka
It pains me to take such steps,
but I can see I have no other choice.
[11:40] Natsuka
What could the Underground desire
more than a Northern hostage?
[11:46] Natsuka
What are you waiting for? Accept him.
[11:49] Underling
That does it.
[11:50] Underling
What the hell do they take us for?
[11:55] Tobi
Throw them out.
[11:56] Natsuka
Huh?
[12:07] Rokon
I suggest we retreat and
let the Prince sort this out later.
[12:11] Natsuka
You fool. How could I?
[12:24] Yukiya
Lord Tobi, I beg you to hear my request.
SIGN Cherry Blossom Palace
[12:32] Lady-in-Waiting
Now, turn the thread around there.
[12:35] Lady-in-Waiting
Yes, just like that.
[12:36] Azusa
Koume.
[12:38] Koume
My lady!
[12:40] Koume
You didn't have to come all this way.
[12:42] Azusa
I heard you'd had an awful time.
Are you all right?
[12:46] Koume
Yes. Yukiya kept me safe.
[12:49] Koume
And everyone here has been so kind to me.
[12:53] Koume
Has Yukiya gone back to Taruhi?
[13:04] Yukiya
I sincerely apologize
for our repeated affronts.
[13:07] Yukiya
Though I accompanied Lord Natsuka
as the Lord of the North's grandson,
[13:12] Yukiya
I am well aware how
meaningless my birth is here.
[13:16] Yukiya
And so, as a humble
supplicant like any other,
[13:20] Yukiya
I hope you will hear me out
for a short while.
[13:24] Natsuka
Yukiya?
[13:28] Yukiya
I call Taruhi in the North my home.
[13:32] Yukiya
No doubt you have heard of the many deaths
the monkeys have recently inflicted on us.
[13:38] Yukiya
Those they devoured were like family to me.
[13:41] Yukiya
And this morning, yet another
monkey attack came to light.
[13:47] Yukiya
So I ask you plainly:
[13:50] Yukiya
Lord Tobi, do you know
anything about these monkeys?
[13:56] Tobi
What?
[13:57] Yukiya
I heard the Underground holds a clue.
[14:00] Tobi
Who told you that?
[14:02] Yukiya
His Highness the Prince.
[14:03] Tobi
The Prince?
[14:04] Yukiya
Yes.
[14:06] Yukiya
Kin'u instinct, he called it.
[14:15] Tobi
"Kin'u instinct," huh?
[14:18] Tobi
It sounds like you believe that
lily-livered prince is a real Golden Raven.
[14:40] Yukiya
He can't be a yatagarasu
like the rest of us.
[14:46] Yukiya
So what is he? I don't know.
[14:50] Yukiya
However...
[14:51] Yukiya
If a "kin'u" is one who brings
salvation to the yatagarasu,
[14:57] Yukiya
then I believe the Prince is a true kin'u.
[15:01] Yukiya
I'll do anything I can for you.
[15:04] Yukiya
So please, tell us about the monkeys!
[15:07] Underling
He's got some nerve!
[15:07] Underling
Get a load of this kid!
[15:07] Underling
Say that again! I dare you!
[15:08] Yukiya
Please! I'd gladly die to keep my home safe.
[15:13] Yukiya
Please, Lord Tobi.
[15:16] Yukiya
I beg of you.
[15:30] Saku
Well, I'll be. What a lad.
[15:32] Saku
I guess a few court ravens
have some fire in 'em yet.
[15:52] Underling
It's King Saku.
[15:55] Underling
King Saku.
[15:57] Yukiya
King Saku?
[15:59] Tobi
Boss.
[16:00] Saku
Sorry to butt in.
I've got a little business to take care of.
SIGN King Saku
[16:04] Saku
But you... Lord Natsuka, was it? For shame.
[16:07] Saku
I'm amazed you can look down on
anyone with the way you act.
[16:11] Natsuka
Wh-What?
[16:14] Rokon
Please forgive him.
[16:15] Rokon
We had no idea you'd be
putting in an appearance.
[16:18] Saku
I almost didn't recognize you
in that uptight getup.
[16:24] Saku
At least teach your boys how to behave.
[16:27] Rokon
I have no excuse.
[16:28] Rokon
If you'll excuse us.
[16:29] Natsuka
Your "boys"?
[16:30] Natsuka
Wait! I can't let that—
[16:32] Natsuka
H-Hey now!
[16:33] Natsuka
Rokon! Unhand me! Release me now!
[16:40] Saku
They didn't break the agreement.
[16:42] Tobi
What?
[16:43] Saku
What happened with the water-peddler's
daughter. We got ahead of ourselves.
[16:48] Saku
I won't claim there's no connection,
but the Prince isn't mixed up in you-know-what.
[16:54] Saku
Guess we dragged you into our mess, boy.
[16:57] Saku
Stand up.
[17:03] Saku
So you want clues about the monkeys?
[17:06] Saku
In that case, I think I can help you.
[17:09] Yukiya
You mean it?
[17:10] Saku
Sure. Nothing simpler.
[17:12] Tobi
Boss, you don't mean...
[17:14] Saku
Lord Tobi. Would you let me sort this out?
[17:20] Saku
Think of it as doing an old man a favor.
[17:34] Saku
Behind that rock, you'll find
a tunnel that goes even deeper.
[17:40] Saku
Sandalwood and cassia. Good stuff.
[17:46] Saku
This incense clock will last four hours.
[17:49] Saku
I'll leave the entrance open that long.
[17:51] Saku
If I remember right, you'll find
what you want about two hours in.
[18:00] Saku
White shards.
[18:02] Saku
Bring one back,
and I'll tell you all I know.
[18:07] Yukiya
White shards?
[18:10] Saku
Ever used a ghost-fire lantern?
[18:12] Saku
Here's the kindling.
[18:14] Saku
One lump for two hours, two for four.
[18:18] Saku
So start turning back
when the first one runs out.
[18:24] Yukiya
And if I need more than four hours?
[18:25] Saku
Find another way out.
[18:28] Saku
Well? Having second thoughts?
[18:32] Yukiya
No. Please begin.
[19:13] Tobi
What a waste.
[19:15] Tobi
No one has ever come out of
this hole alive. Except you, boss.
[19:24] Tobi
Wait all you like,
but I doubt you'll see that kid again.
[19:29] Tobi
I'm not complaining, mind.
[19:32] Tobi
I just got the feeling
you'd taken a liking to the boy.
[19:38] Saku
I treat anyone who asks for help
with real sincerity the same.
[19:43] Saku
That's what the Underground is about.
[19:47] Saku
If he makes it back, great. But if not...
[19:51] Saku
I guess that's all he amounted to.
[20:53] Yukiya
"White... shards."
[21:09] Yukiya
Two hours on the dot. I barely made it.
[21:16] Yukiya
What are kids doing here?
Don't tell me they live here.
[21:30] Yukiya
They're monkeys!
[22:35] Yukiya
Your Highness?
[22:36] Nazukihiko
Go!
[22:56] Yukiya
Your Highness.
[24:31] Narrator
Pursuers close in on the pair
as they wander the labyrinth.
[24:35] Narrator
The white shards hint
at the truth of their world.
[24:41] Narrator
The Prince's words cause
ripples in Yukiya's heart.
SIGN The World
SIGN Outside
[24:50] Narrator
Next time: "The World Outside."
SIGN YATAGARASU:
The Raven
Does Not
Choose
Its Master
SIGN Illustration: Natsuki
E18 - The World Outside
Source: Crunchyroll
Translator:
Editor:
Timer:
QC:
(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.)
[00:32] Nazukihiko
Never mind behind us.
Keep your eyes on the thread.
[00:36] Yukiya
R-Right.
[00:55] Nazukihiko
What's that?
[00:57] Yukiya
This?
[01:00] Yukiya
King Saku told me he'd tell me
all he knows about the monkeys
[01:04] Yukiya
if I brought back a "white shard."
[01:13] Yukiya
Your Highness must have
seen those heaps of bones.
[01:17] Yukiya
They've been eating yatagarasu
long before Sazaki and Sugou.
[01:23] Yukiya
Why didn't we catch on to them before now?
[01:26] Nazukihiko
No, that's not the only explanation.
[01:29] Yukiya
What do you mean?
[01:35] Yukiya
Don't tell me these are monkey bones?
[01:38] Nazukihiko
We'll have to get out of here
if we want to find out.
SIGN YATAGARASU
SIGN The Raven
Does Not
Choose
Its Master
[03:42] Saku
Two hours to go.
[03:45] Tobi
What are you plotting, boss?
[03:52] Yukiya
So I know it's a little late to ask this,
[03:54] Yukiya
but what are you doing here?
[03:59] Yukiya
Actually...
[04:00] Yukiya
Almost none of this makes any sense to me.
[04:04] Nazukihiko
I slipped out of Sunrise Palace.
[04:06] Yukiya
I get that part.
[04:08] Nazukihiko
Anyone could see negotiations would fail.
[04:12] Nazukihiko
I let King Saku know I would
be there, just not on time.
[04:16] Yukiya
Huh?
[04:18] Yukiya
Ow.
[04:19] Nazukihiko
Are you hurt?
[04:20] Yukiya
Your Highness knows King Saku?
[04:24] Nazukihiko
Yes.
[04:26] Nazukihiko
We can't afford a permanent breach
between the court and the Underground.
[04:31] Nazukihiko
No one but the old man could have
kept the situation under control.
[04:38] Yukiya
I see. So that's why
King Saku showed up.
[04:44] Nazukihiko
Once King Saku had smoothed
over my brother's meeting,
[04:47] Nazukihiko
I was supposed to enter this cave
to investigate the monkeys alone.
[04:53] Yukiya
What?
[04:54] Nazukihiko
Still, I didn't expect you to come along.
[04:58] Nazukihiko
I don't know everything
that old man is thinking.
[05:03] Nazukihiko
Don't let you guard down.
[05:13] Yukiya
So we were all dancing to his tune?
[05:18] Yukiya
Wait, what about Sumio?
SIGN Sunrise Palace
[05:29] Hamayu
It's stuffy in here.
Shall I let in some fresh air?
[05:41] Hamayu
Sorry for roping you into this.
[05:44] Kikuno
No, I'm happy to help.
[05:50] Sumio
Is that...
[06:01] Sumio
I've been had!
[06:09] Hamayu
He doesn't have it easy, either.
[06:23] Nazukihiko
Do you hear something?
[06:32] Yukiya
Nothing special.
[06:47] Saku
Well...
[06:50] Saku
Any moment now.
[07:03] Yukiya
Huh? I thought this was a straight path.
[07:06] Yukiya
I didn't pass a place like this.
[07:08] Nazukihiko
Neither did I. I followed your thread.
[07:16] Yukiya
The thread...
[07:19] Yukiya
Your Highness, give me the light.
[07:29] Yukiya
Found it!
[07:30] Nazukihiko
You fool!
[07:32] Nazukihiko
Look at the ground.
[07:37] Yukiya
Sorry.
[07:39] Yukiya
But I found the thread.
[07:42] Yukiya
We can follow it to the exit.
[07:52] Yukiya
Huh? Isn't this...
[07:55] Yukiya
We're back here?
[07:57] Yukiya
Did we take a wrong turn somewhere?
[08:00] Yukiya
Let's try again.
[08:06] Yukiya
How are we back here again?
[08:09] Yukiya
The path was straight.
It didn't fork off anywhere.
[08:13] Nazukihiko
Yukiya, do you remember...
[08:16] Nazukihiko
when I mended a tear in the boundary?
[08:20] Nazukihiko
I think this place is outside it.
[08:25] Yukiya
Outside the boundary?
[08:29] Nazukihiko
I think the boundary that protects Yamauchi
is causing this strange phenomenon.
[08:35] Nazukihiko
It's removing those who would
try to enter from outside.
[08:39] Nazukihiko
We crossed the boundary
without realizing it,
[08:44] Nazukihiko
and now it is hindering our return.
[08:48] Nazukihiko
It perceives us as threats to Yamauchi.
[08:52] Yukiya
Threats? But...
[08:56] Yukiya
We're running out of time.
[09:10] Yukiya
Monkeys?
[09:11] Nazukihiko
They've caught up to us.
[09:13] Nazukihiko
I'll hold off the monkeys.
You think of a way out of here.
[09:17] Yukiya
M-Me?
[09:18] Nazukihiko
If King Saku could do it, so can you.
[09:21] Yukiya
Oh, come on!
[09:24] Nazukihiko
King Saku doesn't act thoughtlessly.
[09:26] Nazukihiko
He must have given you some sort
of clue before you entered the tunnel.
[09:33] Nazukihiko
Think back and figure it out.
[09:40] Nazukihiko
Stand back, Yukiya!
[09:59] Yukiya
What could it be?
What hint did King Saku give me?
[10:03] Yukiya
Think. Think.
[10:04] Yukiya
He gave me the lantern, and then...
[10:06] Yukiya
Damn it! There must be something!
[10:16] Nazukihiko
Yukiya?
[10:18] Yukiya
Your Highness!
[10:36] Yukiya
Your Highness.
[10:38] Nazukihiko
Yukiya. I'm here.
[10:43] Nazukihiko
Did you find the path?
[10:44] Yukiya
Not yet, but I think I know how to.
[10:46] Yukiya
You search, too. For sandalwood and cassia.
[10:51] Nazukihiko
Sandalwood?
[10:52] Yukiya
The smell of it.
[10:53] Yukiya
That's King Saku's hint.
[10:55] Yukiya
The scent of the incense clock
will lead us through the boundary.
[10:59] Nazukihiko
Of course.
[11:07] Nazukihiko
Sandalwood and cassia.
[11:10] Nazukihiko
This way.
[11:13] Nazukihiko
Right here.
[11:26] Nazukihiko
Yukiya?
[11:30] Yukiya
There's the exit!
[11:35] Yukiya
Wait! Wait! Don't close it!
[11:52] Saku
You took your sweet time.
[12:04] Yukiya
Please see for yourself.
[12:08] Saku
Well now. An Adam's apple.
[12:11] Saku
Not bad.
[12:13] Nazukihiko
King Saku.
[12:14] Nazukihiko
Did you know about this?
[12:17] Saku
You noticed?
[12:19] Saku
Well, you were away for
a long time, so I guess you would.
[12:24] Saku
These give off a smell like nothing else.
[12:28] Saku
They don't belong to any animal
that lives in Yamauchi.
[12:32] Saku
Nor to yatagarasu, naturally.
[12:35] Yukiya
Huh?
[12:36] Yukiya
Then, they really are monkey bones?
[12:39] Saku
Not monkeys, either.
[12:42] Nazukihiko
They're human.
[12:43] Yukiya
Huh?
[12:47] Nazukihiko
That's human bone.
[12:51] Yukiya
"Human"?
[12:55] Yukiya
Um, what's a "human"?
[12:59] Yukiya
Some animal from the outside world?
[13:03] Nazukihiko
Yukiya, what is the world outside?
[13:07] Yukiya
Everything outside Yamauchi, right?
[13:10] Nazukihiko
What is the world outside Yamauchi like?
[13:14] Yukiya
What do you mean?
[13:16] Nazukihiko
Yamauchi is a little world
wrapped in a thin boundary.
[13:23] Nazukihiko
We call everything beyond it
"the world outside."
[13:27] Nazukihiko
And that world is ruled by humans.
[13:32] Nazukihiko
They resemble yatagarasu in appearance.
[13:37] Nazukihiko
Or rather, we make ourselves look like them.
[14:32] Sumio
First monkeys, now humans?
[14:35] Sumio
Give me a break.
[14:37] Nazukihiko
It isn't as though humans are
poised to do anything to Yamauchi.
[14:43] Natsuka
Indeed. The monkeys are our immediate foe.
[14:48] Nazukihiko
At present, the humans
are victims, if anything.
[14:52] Nazukihiko
I suspect the monkeys dwell in the gap
between Yamauchi and the world outside,
[14:57] Nazukihiko
and have been feeding on humans from there.
[15:01] Nazukihiko
But recently, a passage to Yamauchi opened,
[15:06] Nazukihiko
and they discovered another
humanlike creature: the yatagarasu.
[15:11] Nazukihiko
They may not even recognize a distinction.
[15:16] Rokon
That explains it. They didn't touch
the horses in Sazaki or Sugou.
[15:21] Hamayu
If only we knew where this passage was.
[15:24] Hamayu
Didn't you learn anything
about that in the Underground?
[15:27] Natsuka
The people down there
don't know everything.
[15:30] Natsuka
All evidence suggests the passage
is somewhere in the North.
[15:34] Yukiya
Oh, but King Saku said—
[15:37] Natsuka
What did he say?
[15:40] Saku
They're probably
coming through the Center.
[15:43] Yukiya
The Center? Not the North?
[15:47] Saku
The North is a distraction.
[15:50] Saku
Someone may have given them tips.
[15:53] Nazukihiko
Would you mind sharing your reasoning?
[15:56] Saku
Remember when a string of
Central girls got kidnapped not long ago?
[16:03] Saku
I think someone used them to broker a deal.
[16:07] Nazukihiko
A deal?
[16:08] Saku
Yeah. Between the monkeys
and the yatagarasu.
[16:13] Saku
As you saw, the monkeys' lair
is full of human bones.
[16:18] Saku
Those are just trash to the monkeys,
[16:21] Saku
but a whole lot of yatagarasu
would be happy to have them.
[16:26] Saku
What I mean is human bones turn a profit.
[16:34] Saku
I don't know who made the offer,
[16:37] Saku
but the girls ended up monkey food,
and the monkeys paid in human bone.
[16:43] Saku
Whoever got those bones
sold them on the sly.
[16:46] Nazukihiko
And that's what got the
Underground concerned?
[16:49] Saku
Right. We tracked the seller down,
but he slipped through our grasp.
[16:56] Saku
But at least, I'm sure the monkeys
are coming through the Center.
[17:02] Saku
You can have this back, boy.
[17:08] Yukiya
Thank you for everything.
[17:11] Nazukihiko
King Saku, I thank you as well.
[17:15] Saku
Talk to Tobi next time. I'm retired.
[17:18] Nazukihiko
But aren't you forgetting one thing?
[17:24] Nazukihiko
The name of the man who sold the bones.
[17:30] Nazukihiko
You promised to tell Yukiya "all you knew"
if he returned with a white shard.
[17:47] Natsuka
Jihei the water seller?
[17:48] Yukiya
Yes. That's what King Saku told us.
[17:52] Yukiya
As I thought, Koume's father was involved.
[17:55] Yukiya
We can explain why the monkeys
appeared in the North.
[17:59] Yukiya
They find hunting in
the Center too dangerous.
[18:02] Yukiya
They'd stand out,
and there are soldiers everywhere.
[18:05] Yukiya
But they're safe in remote villages
like Sugou and Sazaki,
[18:10] Yukiya
and they can get a lot more food there.
[18:12] Natsuka
But it can't be that simple.
[18:14] Natsuka
They'd have to pass through
checkpoints with the salted meat,
[18:19] Natsuka
and they can't even speak.
[18:21] Yukiya
That's why they needed a collaborator.
[18:24] Yukiya
Someone to do the talking for them.
[18:28] Sumio
And that was Jihei?
[18:30] Sumio
It does make sense.
[18:32] Nazukihiko
Actually, King Saku told me one other thing.
[18:37] Nazukihiko
What human bone is used for.
[18:41] Nazukihiko
The Underground forbids
the trafficking of it,
[18:45] Nazukihiko
but some people still secretly
compound it into medicine.
[18:49] Nazukihiko
Small doses of powdered bone
can cause elation.
[18:54] Nazukihiko
Take too much, however,
and it becomes addictive.
[18:59] Nazukihiko
Those who consume it lose their senses
and can never leave raven shape again.
[19:07] Yukiya
Your Highness, do you mean...
[19:10] Nazukihiko
I am told that this rare
and valuable elixir is known...
[19:17] Nazukihiko
as Sagecap.
[19:29] Rokon
That ties everything together.
[19:32] Rokon
The monkeys and the Sagecap
come from the same place.
[19:36] Rokon
For the time being—
[19:37] Natsuka
We must force a confession
by any means necessary.
[19:39] Natsuka
We'll do whatever it takes to
flush out Jihei the water seller.
SIGN Jihei
SIGN His likeness
[19:52] Townsman 1
It says he helped to arrange murders.
[19:54] Townswoman 2
How dreadful. He looks so meek.
[19:58] Townsman 3
I hear he's got a daughter.
[20:00] Townsman 3
They'll make an example of her and
parade her around unless he shows himself.
[20:20] (Flashback) King Saku
We'll take in anyone
who falls through the cracks,
[20:23] (Flashback) King Saku
so at least protect the people under
your wings like your life depends on it.
[20:45] Yukiya
I didn't know a thing.
[20:49] Yukiya
I was so focused on keeping my home safe,
[20:52] Yukiya
I never stopped to think
that someone was protecting us.
[20:57] Nazukihiko
Of course not.
[20:58] Nazukihiko
No ordinary yatagarasu learns of humans
or the world outside in peacetime.
[21:06] Nazukihiko
This situation arose
because I fell short in my duties.
[21:13] Yukiya
Are you a true kin'u?
[21:17] Yukiya
What is a kin'u, exactly?
[21:22] Nazukihiko
The kin'u is both father
and mother to all yatagarasu.
[21:27] Nazukihiko
He must always face his subjects—
his children—with compassion.
[21:33] Nazukihiko
He must defend and guide his people
through any and all hardships.
[21:41] Nazukihiko
So it says in The Roots
of the Great Mountain.
[21:44] Nazukihiko
That's what I was born for.
[21:57] Nazukihiko
The boundary has sheltered Yamauchi.
[22:00] Nazukihiko
In recent years,
that boundary has weakened.
[22:04] Nazukihiko
Ghost-fire, tears,
monkey invaders, and now humans.
[22:11] Yukiya
Your Highness said that yatagarasu
make ourselves look like humans.
[22:17] Yukiya
What did you mean by that?
[22:20] Yukiya
Does it have something to do
with these disturbances?
[22:25] Nazukihiko
Yukiya.
[22:26] Nazukihiko
As we speak, Yamauchi
is on the road to collapse.
[22:31] Nazukihiko
Collapse?
[22:52] Lady-in-Waiting
Koume.
[22:54] Lady-in-Waiting
Try to keep calm and listen to me.
[24:31] Narrator
A father changed beyond recognition.
[24:35] Narrator
Who invited the monkeys in?
[24:39] Narrator
At the bottom of a dried-up well,
[24:42] Narrator
someone awaits a reunion
with the true kin'u.
[24:50] Narrator
Next time: "A Well Run Dry."
SIGN A Well
SIGN Run Dry
SIGN YATAGARASU:
The Raven
Does Not
Choose
Its Master
SIGN Illustration: Natsuki
E19 - A Well Run Dry
Source: Crunchyroll
Translator:
Editor:
Timer:
QC:
(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.)
[00:30] Koume
Dad?
[00:39] Yukiya
It's better you don't look.
[00:41] Koume
Let go of me!
[00:45] Koume
Let go! I said let go of me!
[00:47] Koume
Dad! Dad!
[00:49] Koume
No! Dad!
SIGN YATAGARASU
SIGN The Raven
Does Not
Choose
Its Master
[02:31] Dandy
Me? Sell Sagecap?
[02:33] Dandy
Don't even joke about that.
[02:35] Dandy
I want nothing to do
with a drug that risky.
[02:39] Watchman 1
A courtesan died in Shimobara yesterday.
[02:42] Watchman 2
Stuck her head in a burning oven,
I hear. In raven shape.
[02:47] Watchman 2
Ring any bells?
[02:50] Dandy
Now that you mention it, a woman
did frequent the physician's place there.
[02:55] Dandy
Maybe she's your seller.
[02:58] Watchman 1
What kind of woman?
[02:59] Dandy
Kind of young. An "older sister" type.
[03:03] Dandy
Never got a good look
at her face, though.
[03:07] Dandy
Oh, I know! She had moles.
[03:09] Dandy
Around here, I think.
SIGN Clear Mirror Temple
[03:12] Natsuka
We have identified the body as Jihei's.
[03:15] Natsuka
He was flayed alive
before being strung him up.
[03:19] Natsuka
He reaped what he sowed, but even so...
[03:22] Sumio
The Underground has
always worked that way.
[03:25] Rokon
Basically, they played us for fools.
[03:29] Rokon
They used the court to smoke out Jihei,
[03:32] Rokon
then snatched him when he broke cover.
[03:35] Rokon
King Saku got one over on us.
[03:41] Hamayu
And that letter?
[03:42] Natsuka
It was found tied to the corpse.
[03:44] Natsuka
They want us to take it
from here, I suppose.
[03:48] Natsuka
It's in Jihei's hand.
[03:51] Yukiya
Are you certain Jihei wrote it?
[03:54] Natsuka
Positive. We had his daughter
identify the handwriting.
[03:59] Natsuka
We will never get a chance
to question Jihei now.
[04:02] Natsuka
These are his final words.
[04:05] Jihei
My well ran dry.
[04:08] Jihei
That's how it all started.
[04:16] Jihei
I'd heard whispered rumors about water
drying up on the central mountain,
[04:22] Jihei
but I never imagined it would happen to me.
[04:29] Jihei
Changing trades didn't work out.
[04:32] Jihei
Debt collectors took
the kimono and valuables.
[04:35] Jihei
Then, my wife left us.
[04:38] Jihei
My little girl went out to work.
[04:41] Jihei
I started drinking,
[04:43] Jihei
and gambled my days away.
[04:45] Jihei
When I happened to luck into some money,
[04:47] Jihei
I bought an old well.
[04:50] Jihei
I trusted promises that it still had water.
[04:53] Jihei
I was grasping at straws.
[05:01] (Flashback) Jihei
No luck here, either?
[05:04] (Flashback) Jihei
God, please bring the water back.
[05:15] (Flashback) Great Monkey
You're a yatagarasu?
[05:19] (Flashback) Great Monkey
I'm in here.
[05:22] (Flashback) Great Monkey
Thanks for drink.
[05:25] (Flashback) Jihei
C-Can it be?
[05:27] (Flashback) Jihei
G-God?
[05:31] Sumio
Huh?
[05:33] Yukiya
God? At the bottom of a well?
[05:41] (Flashback) Great Monkey
Well, you can call me what you like.
[05:44] (Flashback) Jihei
W-Will you please bring the water back?
[05:47] (Flashback) Great Monkey
Sorry. I can't do that.
[05:50] (Flashback) Great Monkey
But I'll give you a present
by way of thanks.
[06:01] (Flashback) Great Monkey
Take it to a physician.
[06:04] (Flashback) Jihei
A physician?
[06:05] (Flashback) Great Monkey
If you want more, lower down some sake.
[06:08] (Flashback) Great Monkey
I'll come again when I smell it.
[06:24] Jihei
I didn't learn the name "Sagecap"
until a while later.
SIGN Physician
[06:37] Jihei
I never doubted it was a divine blessing.
[06:46] Jihei
And I kept doing what the voice asked.
[06:55] (Flashback) Jihei
Wh-What did you say?
[06:56] (Flashback) Great Monkey
I smell something delicious
on you. A young woman.
[07:01] (Flashback) Great Monkey
I want to eat her next.
[07:04] (Flashback) Jihei
Y-You can't.
[07:05] (Flashback) Great Monkey
Why not? Is she your wife? Your daughter?
[07:09] (Flashback) Jihei
Please! Anything but that!
[07:14] (Flashback) Great Monkey
You must really care for her.
[07:18] (Flashback) Great Monkey
Another woman will do.
[07:21] (Flashback) Great Monkey
I'll give you heaps more Sagecap.
[07:23] (Flashback) Great Monkey
Why not use it to make that woman
who means so much to you happy?
[07:44] Jihei
It was then that I learned
I hadn't been worshiping a god,
[07:50] Jihei
but a monstrous monkey
that feeds on yatagarasu.
[08:12] Jihei
I didn't want my daughter
to find out what I'd done.
[08:17] Jihei
Anyone but her.
[08:25] Natsuka
"And then, one day..."
[08:29] (Flashback) Great Monkey
I've had a bright idea.
[08:32] (Flashback) Great Monkey
A way to snatch up
a lot of prey all at once.
[08:36] (Flashback) Great Monkey
You won't need to hunt anymore.
[08:38] (Flashback) Great Monkey
From now on, just lead
my friends to the hunting ground.
[09:01] Jihei
I made up my mind to
cut ties with the monster.
[09:05] Jihei
But then, I hear rumors the Underground
was looking for someone selling Sagecap.
[09:12] (Flashback) Koume
Peddling goods to Sugou?
[09:14] (Flashback) Koume
Why do I have to come, too?
[09:15] Jihei
I decided that after Sugou, I'd take
my daughter and leave the Center.
[09:21] Jihei
And I put sleeping powder
in the sake pots...
[09:27] Jihei
so that she'd never find out.
[09:44] Jihei
I thought I'd pulled it off
until those two showed up.
[09:54] (Flashback) Nazukihiko
Don't let your guard down.
[10:15] Jihei
Koume.
[10:16] Jihei
We have to run.
[10:18] Jihei
Wake up, Koume!
[10:28] Natsuka
So when Nazukihiko and Yukiya
landed in Sugou and slew the monkeys,
[10:33] Natsuka
Jihei was left with no choice
but to abandon Koume and flee.
[10:36] Natsuka
Meanwhile, thanks to her drugged sleep,
[10:40] Natsuka
Koume awoke in the Lord of Taruhi's home
with no knowledge of the Sugou massacre.
[10:45] Natsuka
Jihei must have expected death
when he emerged from hiding.
[10:49] Natsuka
Both the Underground and the court suspected
his daughter. He sought to clear her name.
[10:56] Natsuka
It was all Jihei's doing.
[10:58] Natsuka
The thorough chronology,
details only the culprit would know...
[11:03] Natsuka
They all ring true.
[11:05] Natsuka
This letter...
[11:07] Natsuka
is Jihei's confession.
[11:23] Sumio
I might get drunk just smelling that stuff.
[11:26] Sumio
Will that thing really take the bait?
[11:29] Yukiya
Who knows? It's what
Jihei's letter said he did.
[11:33] Yukiya
But should we really be doing this
before the council meets?
[11:38] Yukiya
Won't they have complaints again?
[11:40] Nazukihiko
If I hold a council, the old men will
demand we block up the well at once.
[11:46] Nazukihiko
If we want to identify that voice,
we must act now.
[11:51] Nazukihiko
What did you think of that letter?
[11:54] Yukiya
I have no sympathy for Jihei.
[11:57] Yukiya
Loving his daughter doesn't excuse
sacrificing yatagarasu to monsters.
[12:02] Yukiya
And Koume never mentioned the
two men who went with them to Sugou.
[12:08] Yukiya
I know she wanted
to shield her father, but—
[12:21] Great Monkey
Who's there?
[12:23] Nazukihiko
First, who are you?
[12:26] Great Monkey
Oh, I see. You've found me out.
[12:29] Great Monkey
I liked this well, but that's life.
[12:32] Great Monkey
Are you the one who killed my brethren?
[12:35] Nazukihiko
I killed those who attacked yatagarasu.
[12:39] Great Monkey
Even the children. Poor things.
[12:42] Nazukihiko
You killed yatagarasu children
in the villages you attacked.
[12:47] Nazukihiko
I have a duty to defend my people.
[12:51] Nazukihiko
I can't afford to be gentle with those
who mean the yatagarasu harm.
[12:56] Great Monkey
You wouldn't be their leader, would you?
[13:00] Nazukihiko
I am the true kin'u.
[13:04] Great Monkey
I see. The true kin'u.
[13:08] Great Monkey
How nice to see you again.
[13:10] Great Monkey
Or should I say, nice to meet you?
[13:15] Nazukihiko
What are you getting at?
[13:18] Sumio
Don't play its game.
[13:19] Nazukihiko
I know.
[13:21] Nazukihiko
Where did you come from? Are you a monkey?
[13:24] Nazukihiko
If so, why can only you speak our language?
[13:28] Nazukihiko
Why did you eat yatagarasu?
[13:30] Great Monkey
Don't be in such a rush.
[13:32] Great Monkey
I've lived a long time.
[13:35] Great Monkey
I've known you lot since
you only knew how to caw.
[13:40] Great Monkey
You yatagarasu have survived
by forgetting inconvenient truths.
[13:45] Great Monkey
But now, the bill has come due.
[13:49] Nazukihiko
What do you mean?
[13:51] Great Monkey
I mean Yamauchi will crumble.
[13:55] Great Monkey
Can't you tell?
[13:56] Great Monkey
Put a hand on where your
heart should be and think.
[14:05] Nazukihiko
Wait!
[14:06] Sumio
Nazukihiko, no!
[14:11] Yukiya
Your Highness!
[14:46] Sumio
Nazukihiko!
SIGN Cherry Blossom Palace
[15:09] Lady-in-Waiting
Koume, it's time you got ready.
SIGN Sunrise Palace
[15:23] Yukiya
I know, I know.
[15:26] Yukiya
Huh?
[15:36] Hamayu
About Koume's future...
[15:39] Hamayu
Someone offered to take her in,
even knowing all that's happened.
[15:44] Masuho
She has no family, but we can't
keep her in Cherry Blossom Palace.
[15:49] Masuho
We've been scratching our heads
about that ourselves.
[15:53] Sumio
That offer sounds perfect, then.
[15:56] Sumio
But who's the generous benefactor?
[16:00] Yukiya
Lady Hamayu, you don't mean...
[16:03] Hamayu
Oh, yes, I do.
[16:05] Hamayu
Lady Azusa of Taruhi
called on me yesterday.
[16:09] Hamayu
She asked to fetch Koume back from
Cherry Blossom Palace as soon as she can.
[16:15] Yukiya
What is my mother thinking?
[16:18] Yukiya
Koume's father sold Taruhi to the monkeys.
[16:23] Hamayu
All the more reason not to abandon her,
according to Lady Azusa.
[16:28] Hamayu
She said Koume shouldn't bear
the burden of living as a criminal's child.
[16:37] Yukiya
I'll speak with my mother.
[16:39] Sumio
Yukiya?
SIGN His Highness
the Prince
[16:42] Yukiya
This report from the town watch
arrived this morning.
[16:45] Yukiya
Koume's still hiding something.
[16:47] Yukiya
I'll convince my mother to reconsider.
[16:51] Sumio
Hey!
[16:52] Nazukihiko
Wait.
[16:55] Nazukihiko
I doubt you could hold a decent
conversation in your present state.
[17:00] Yukiya
I'm quite calm.
[17:02] Nazukihiko
Have you ever said that
and actually been calm?
[17:06] Yukiya
If you'll excuse me.
[17:08] Nazukihiko
Don't go. That's an order.
[17:10] Yukiya
Since when did I pledge my loyalty to you?!
SIGN Mansion of the Northern House
[17:29] Yukiya
Koume.
[17:34] Koume
Yukiya?
[17:35] Yukiya
You begged my mother, didn't you?
[17:39] Koume
What?
[17:40] Yukiya
Don't come to Taruhi. I can't trust you.
[17:47] Koume
I can't blame you for being angry.
[17:50] Koume
I wasn't truthful, even though you all
showed me so much sympathy and kindness.
[17:56] Koume
When I heard you went to
the Underground because of me,
[18:00] Koume
I thought my heart would burst.
[18:03] Koume
But Yukiya, I really didn't know.
[18:08] Koume
Not about what happened in Sugou
or what my father did.
[18:12] Koume
I mean, he was so spineless.
[18:17] Koume
I still can't believe it.
[18:20] Yukiya
They say a woman sold Sagecap in Shimobara.
[18:22] Koume
Shimobara?
[18:23] Yukiya
Yes. A town on the road
from the Center to Sugou.
[18:30] Yukiya
She had a huge supply of Sagecap.
[18:33] Yukiya
And although she took care
to hide her face,
[18:37] Yukiya
she had two moles under her right eye.
[18:42] Yukiya
Just like you do.
[18:45] Yukiya
Are you sure you didn't know
what your father was doing?
[18:54] Koume
That wasn't me.
[18:56] Yukiya
Lying won't—
[18:57] Azusa
Is that you, Yukiya?
[19:01] Yukiya
Mother.
[19:03] Koume
My lady.
[19:04] Azusa
What brings you here?
[19:06] Azusa
What were you talking about?
[19:10] Koume
Nothing, my lady.
[19:13] Koume
I think I'd better excuse myself.
[19:15] Yukiya
Wait.
[19:16] Yukiya
I still have...
[19:19] Koume
See you, Yukiya.
[19:25] Yukiya
Mother, she's fooling you.
[19:27] Azusa
How so?
[19:28] Yukiya
She's crafty. A schemer.
[19:31] Yukiya
She spotted your kindness immediately
and tried to take advantage of it.
[19:35] Azusa
What makes you think that?
[19:39] Yukiya
She's laying all the blame on her father,
[19:41] Yukiya
while she gets a nice,
cushy new life for herself.
[19:45] Yukiya
How could she ask to live in Taruhi,
the very place the monkeys attacked?
[19:50] Azusa
I invited Koume to come to Taruhi,
[19:54] Azusa
but she just turned me down.
[19:57] Yukiya
Huh?
[20:02] (Flashback) Koume
I truly appreciate your kindness.
[20:06] (Flashback) Koume
But I realize what my father did.
[20:10] (Flashback) Koume
As his daughter, I can't escape
responsibility just because I didn't know.
[20:15] (Flashback) Azusa
Koume, I don't think—
[20:16] (Flashback) Koume
My father was kind to me,
even if he was a hopeless good-for-nothing.
[20:21] (Flashback) Koume
I probably won't see Yukiya again,
so please give him my best.
[20:28] (Flashback) Koume
Thank you so much.
[20:33] Azusa
Your mother can tell that anger
is clouding your eyes right now.
[20:38] Azusa
Taking revenge on someone is not at all
the same thing as making them atone.
[20:44] Azusa
You mustn't become so bitter that
you lose sight of what's really happening.
[21:17] Yukiya
Has Koume been found, Sumio?
[21:20] Sumio
Someone saw a girl like her
board a basket out of the city.
[21:24] Sumio
Nazukihiko has the Yamauchi Guard
out looking for her.
[21:28] Yukiya
It's all my fault.
[21:29] Sumio
Well, now we know Koume
was selling the stuff,
[21:34] Sumio
just like you suspected.
[21:36] Yukiya
Was she really?
[21:40] Yukiya
The moles aren't really
enough to prove anything.
[21:44] Yukiya
Even if Koume was selling Sagecap,
she didn't need to run.
[21:48] Yukiya
So why has she disappeared?
[21:54] Yukiya
Don't tell me...
[21:57] (Flashback) Koume
See you, Yukiya.
[21:59] Yukiya
She wants me to chase her?
[22:03] Yukiya
Is she counting on me suspecting her, and...
[22:08] Sumio
H-Hey!
[22:18] Nazukihiko
Yukiya?
[22:19] Yukiya
Your Highness, I may have
overlooked something important.
SIGN Shimobara, the North
SIGN m 0 0 l 100 0 100 100 0 100
SIGN Bridge
of
Heaven
Inn
[22:30] Woman
Are you there, Hatsune?
[22:31] Hatsune
Right here!
[22:33] Woman
You have a visitor.
Your little sister, maybe?
[22:36] Hatsune
My sister?
[22:49] Koume
Found you.
[22:56] Koume
It's been a long time...
[22:58] Koume
Mom.
[24:30] Narrator
Yukiya races through
the skies in pursuit of Koume,
[24:36] Narrator
and the fate of the
true kin'u comes to light.
[24:42] Narrator
Once Yukiya learns all,
what path will he choose?
[24:50] Narrator
Next time: "The Golden Raven."
SIGN The Golden
SIGN Raven
SIGN YATAGARASU:
The Raven
Does Not
Choose
Its Master
SIGN Illustration: Natsuki
E20 - The Golden Raven
Source: Crunchyroll
Translator:
Editor:
Timer:
QC:
(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.)
[00:00] Nazukihiko
The mother who abandoned her family?
[00:04] Yukiya
I think Koume pieced it together.
[00:06] Yukiya
But she didn't think I'd take
her story seriously, so...
[00:10] Nazukihiko
She went to settle things herself?
[00:13] Yukiya
My humble apologies.
[00:17] Nazukihiko
We must hurry...
[00:20] Nazukihiko
to where Koume's gone.
SIGN Shimobara, the North
[00:29] Hatsune
What are you doing here?
[00:32] Koume
Is that all you have to say to
your daughter after all this time?
[00:40] Coworker
You have a visitor, Hatsune?
[00:42] Hatsune
Yes, one of my relatives.
[00:44] Hatsune
We'd better step out for a bit.
It seems urgent.
[00:47] Coworker
Sure thing.
[00:59] Koume
Well, I see you're living well.
[01:04] Koume
Is that a man's kimono?
[01:06] Hatsune
So what if it is?
[01:08] Koume
I was just wondering if he knows
you've been seeing your ex-husband.
[01:15] Koume
Dad came here, didn't he?
[01:19] Hatsune
Whatever do you mean?
[01:22] Koume
Dad stopped at this inn before Sugou.
He said he had a good customer here.
[01:28] Koume
At the time, I never dreamed he meant you.
[01:34] Hatsune
Pure coincidence. I haven't seen him.
[01:37] Koume
What did you put him up to?
[01:39] Hatsune
Nothing. I just told you.
[01:42] Koume
I heard a woman with moles like yours
sold Sagecap to a physician in Shimobara.
[01:49] Koume
That made me a suspect.
[01:52] Koume
I kept my mouth shut. For now.
[01:55] Koume
You made that deal with
the monkeys, didn't you?
[02:00] Koume
You got rich off Sagecap but made Dad do all
the work so you could keep your hands clean.
[02:06] Koume
Then you cut him loose
when he got inconvenient.
[02:10] Hatsune
I don't know what you're talking about.
[02:13] Hatsune
Could you leave already?
[02:18] Koume
Don't worry. I won't go and turn you in.
[02:25] Koume
I need to make my own way from now on.
[02:29] Koume
Won't you give me a little
something to get started...
[02:32] Koume
Mom?
[02:39] Hatsune
You really are my daughter.
[02:42] Hatsune
Wait a moment.
[02:45] Koume
Still, I'm impressed.
[02:48] Koume
How'd you ever convince that coward to
kidnap girls and feed them to the monkeys?
[02:55] Hatsune
As if Jihei would've ever found the courage.
[03:01] Hatsune
I just asked him to do a little job.
[03:04] Hatsune
You know, "Won't you take
some shady cargo to Sazaki for me?"
[03:08] Koume
"Some shady cargo"?
[03:13] Koume
You mean Dad didn't know about the monkeys?
[03:17] Hatsune
You think he would've agreed if he had?
[03:20] Hatsune
Sure enough, he came back
from Sazaki as pale as a ghost.
[03:23] Hatsune
"What did you make me do?" and
"I'll never take a job like that again!" and so on.
[03:29] Hatsune
But in the end, he agreed
to go to Sugou, too.
[03:33] Koume
Why? Didn't he say he was
done with that stuff?
[03:36] Hatsune
Well, you see, he sold Sagecap to an amateur
and caught the Underground's attention.
[03:43] Hatsune
If you'd stayed in the Center,
you would've both been dead.
[03:47] Hatsune
He decided to flee to the countryside and
make it look like the monkeys had eaten you.
[03:52] Hatsune
That's why he took the Sugou job.
[03:55] Koume
Let me guess. You planned that part, too.
[03:58] Koume
Dad could never handle Sagecap.
[04:02] Koume
You knew that and set him up
so he'd have no choice but to go to Sugou.
[04:06] Hatsune
Me? Perish the thought.
[04:09] Koume
And to top it off,
you dumped all the blame on him.
[04:12] Koume
You told him to write that
he'd done it all on his own and—
[04:16] Hatsune
Jihei wrote that confession for your sake.
[04:20] Koume
What?
[04:21] Hatsune
"Think of poor Koume with
two murderers for parents," he said.
[04:25] Hatsune
"Let me be the only villain."
[04:28] Hatsune
That letter convinced
the Underground to stop with him.
[04:32] Hatsune
You were all Jihei thought
about to the bitter end.
[04:40] Hatsune
How's this? I think it suits you.
[04:44] Hatsune
Oh, I know. My man will be home soon.
Let's have a nice meal. All three of us.
[04:51] Hatsune
You really do take after me.
Like mother, like daughter.
[04:56] Koume
Don't touch me!
[04:59] Hatsune
Koume?
[05:01] Koume
Dad's the only parent I have!
[05:03] Koume
You...
[05:05] Koume
You're not my mother! You can't be!
[05:18] Hatsune
I can't believe you just waltzed in
here alone. How stupid can you be?
[05:31] Hatsune
I bet you thought no parent would
ever kill her own child. How naive.
[05:37] Hatsune
My father sold me when
I was 13 to pay off his tab.
[05:43] Hatsune
And not just once. Over and over.
[05:48] Hatsune
One winter night,
he got dead drunk outside.
[05:52] Hatsune
It was supposed to snow the next day.
[05:54] Hatsune
So I locked him out.
He was ice cold by morning.
[06:04] Hatsune
I was so happy when Jihei fell for me.
[06:07] Hatsune
I thought I finally had a family.
That Jihei would treasure me.
[06:14] Hatsune
But then, you came along,
[06:16] Hatsune
and I ended up alone again.
[06:20] Koume
Murderer.
[06:22] Hatsune
Yes, I'm a murderer.
[06:29] Hatsune
How did I end up like this?
[06:32] Hatsune
I only wanted to be happy.
[06:46] Yukiya
Koume! Are you all right?
[06:52] Koume
Yukiya?
[06:55] Nazukihiko
I heard the gist of it from Yukiya.
[06:59] Nazukihiko
You must have found it hard to bear alone.
[07:03] Yukiya
I'm so very sorry.
I said so many awful things to you.
[07:07] Koume
I thought you'd come, Yukiya.
[07:10] Koume
Because you suspected me.
[07:14] Koume
When you told me you couldn't trust me,
[07:19] Koume
I realized everyone who'd
really believed in me was gone.
[07:28] Koume
Dad...
[07:47] Nazukihiko
Take your time.
[08:01] Hatsune
Darling!
[08:03] Hatsune
Save me!
[08:05] Hatsune's Man
Hatsune.
[08:09] Nazukihiko
Sagecap?
[08:26] Nazukihiko
Go back inside!
[08:34] Koume
Yukiya!
[08:36] Koume
Help! Yukiya!
[08:41] Yukiya
What does this remind me of?
[08:47] Nazukihiko
Wait, Yukiya!
[08:52] Yukiya
Your Highness!
[09:14] Yukiya
Is he dead?
[09:15] Nazukihiko
No.
[09:16] Nazukihiko
We'll retreat for now.
[09:17] Nazukihiko
Take Koume and—
[09:48] Yukiya
Your Highness!
[09:54] Yukiya
Your Highness!
[10:00] Yukiya
Your Highness! Your Highness!
[10:03] Koume
Yukiya!
[10:29] Yukiya
Your Highness! Your Highness!
[10:31] Sumio
Nazukihiko!
[10:32] Sumio
Can you hear me?
Hey, pull yourself together!
[10:34] Yukiya
Your Highness!
[10:35] Sumio
Say something, Nazukihiko!
[10:36] Yukiya
Your Highness! Your Highness!
[10:37] Sumio
Hey! Open your eyes! Come on!
SIGN Northern House, Main House
[11:48] Sumio
It was my fault. I'm so sorry.
[11:55] Yukiya
Lady Hamayu.
[12:19] Hamayu
Now you've been punished...
[12:22] Hamayu
so don't get any crazy ideas.
[12:25] Hamayu
That's an order.
[12:38] Hatsune
It must have been three or four years ago.
[12:41] Hatsune
The water dried up, starting at
the foot of the central mountain.
[12:45] Hatsune
Eventually, our well failed, too.
[12:49] (Flashback) Great Monkey
I smell something delicious
on you. A young woman.
[12:53] (Flashback) Great Monkey
I want to eat her next.
[12:56] (Flashback) Hatsune's Man
Out of the question.
[12:58] (Flashback) Great Monkey
Why not? Is she your wife? Your daughter?
[13:02] (Flashback) Hatsune's Man
I said no, and that's final!
[13:04] (Flashback) Hatsune
Oh? And why not?
[13:07] (Flashback) Hatsune's Man
H-Hatsune! I told you not to come here.
[13:12] (Flashback) Hatsune
Say...
[13:13] (Flashback) Hatsune
You say you want female flesh,
but do you really care if it's mine?
[13:17] (Flashback) Great Monkey
No, not really.
[13:20] (Flashback) Great Monkey
I'll give you heaps more
Sagecap in exchange.
[13:25] (Flashback) Hatsune
Well? I'm sure we can work something out.
[13:38] Hatsune
Surely you've heard enough?
[13:40] Hatsune
Can you untie me now? These ropes hurt.
[13:44] Natsuka
They cannot begin to compare...
[13:47] Natsuka
to the pain your sacrifices inflicted
on our poor fellow yatagarasu.
[13:52] Hatsune
My "fellow yatagarasu"?
[13:55] Hatsune
I don't recall any of you
lifting a feather to help me,
[13:59] Hatsune
but if we're "fellow yatagarasu,"
would you mind letting me out of here?
[14:08] Natsuka
How dare you...
[14:10] Hatsune
No one came to my rescue.
[14:14] Hatsune
Especially no blowhards who go on about
"our poor fellow yatagarasu."
[14:21] Hatsune
But the monkeys didn't lie,
and they paid up.
[14:26] Hatsune
They helped me to live in the lap of luxury.
[14:31] Hatsune
I still feel gratitude to them.
[14:36] Hatsune
Now, I suppose you're going to kill me.
[14:41] Hatsune
Go ahead.
[14:43] Hatsune
I forgive you.
[14:49] Official
Take her away!
[14:52] Soldier
On your feet!
[14:54] Hatsune
This society isn't going to last
much longer like this anyway.
[14:58] Soldier
Move!
[15:09] Natsuka
I do not understand.
[15:11] Natsuka
I cannot make sense of that woman.
[15:14] Natsuka
No. She is beyond pity.
[15:18] Natsuka
I do not need to understand her.
[15:21] Rokon
I bet her execution won't be pretty.
[15:29] Natsuka
She brought it on herself.
[15:31] Rokon
Yes, Lord Natsuka. You've got that right.
[15:34] Natsuka
Then, wipe that smug look
off your face this instant!
[15:50] Yukiya
It's my fault His Highness was stabbed.
[15:53] Yukiya
I assumed he could kill the big raven
with one blow, like he killed that monkey.
[15:59] Hamayu
No, it's not your fault.
[16:05] Hamayu
What do you think makes a true kin'u?
[16:08] Yukiya
Huh?
[16:11] Hamayu
You see, Yukiya, Nazukihiko...
[16:14] Hamayu
cannot kill yatagarasu.
[16:17] Yukiya
What?
[16:18] Hamayu
The Golden Raven regards
all yatagarasu with love.
[16:23] Hamayu
He could never kill one of us.
Not even one that was trying to take his life.
[16:35] Hamayu
That's just how kin'u are.
[16:39] Hamayu
Some even say a true kin'u has no heart.
[16:43] Yukiya
What do you mean?
[16:45] Hamayu
"No emotion" might be nearer the mark.
[16:48] Hamayu
In fact, Nazukihiko says so himself.
[16:50] Hamayu
"I can't recall feeling joy,
sorrow, or any other emotion."
[16:56] Hamayu
"To a lord who would rule justly,
personal feelings are nothing but a burden."
[17:04] Yukiya
That does sound like him.
[17:07] Hamayu
You've had an especially rough time of it.
[17:11] Hamayu
But you know, I'm convinced Nazukihiko's
lying about having no emotions.
[17:20] Hamayu
It's just that in the face
of his grand duty as kin'u,
[17:25] Hamayu
his own feelings become
as weak as wet paper.
[17:29] Hamayu
They probably dissolve into nothing
before he even notices them.
[17:41] Voice
His Highness, the Prince, has awakened!
[17:56] Natsuka
Thank goodness. Oh, thank goodness.
[17:59] Sumio
Nazukihiko! Do you recognize me?
[18:04] Sumio
Nazukihiko.
[18:12] Yukiya
Oh, God...
[18:37] Yukiya
How is Your Highness's wound?
[18:40] Nazukihiko
It barely gives me pain now.
[18:42] Nazukihiko
You look sickly yourself.
Would you rather wait here?
[18:46] Yukiya
You must be joking.
What if something happened to you?
[18:53] Nazukihiko
There.
[19:08] Yukiya
Ghost-fire?
[19:13] Yukiya
Why is there so much of it?
[19:14] Nazukihiko
It seems the tears have widened
while I was bedridden.
[19:33] Nazukihiko
Ghost-fire is the light humans make.
[19:36] Yukiya
Really?
[19:39] Nazukihiko
Humans can't stand to leave
any darkness unilluminated.
[19:47] Nazukihiko
They move at a tremendous pace.
[19:49] Nazukihiko
Their light is already
closing in on our mountain.
[19:52] Nazukihiko
No...
[19:55] Nazukihiko
It has already engulfed and
destroyed several outlying villages.
[20:00] Nazukihiko
The monkeys will reemerge before long.
[20:05] Nazukihiko
Yamauchi's waters will run dry.
Its people's hearts will grow barren.
[20:11] Nazukihiko
The tears will continue to spread
until the humans eventually find us.
[20:16] Yukiya
Will that be the end of Yamauchi?
Will it all disappear?
[20:21] Nazukihiko
Not even I know what form
our ruin will take,
[20:25] Nazukihiko
but I know it's coming.
[20:27] Yukiya
How can you be so certain?
[20:30] Nazukihiko
Because I was born.
[20:32] Nazukihiko
A true kin'u is always born
with the strength his times demand.
[20:39] Nazukihiko
Healing in times of strife.
Wisdom to survive in times of disaster.
[20:44] Nazukihiko
And I have...
[20:47] Nazukihiko
the power to halt Yamauchi's collapse.
[21:01] Yukiya
What should I do?
[21:04] Nazukihiko
Other than go home to Taruhi
and protect your family?
[21:10] Yukiya
Then, will you guard
Yamauchi all on your own?
[21:14] Yukiya
Stifling your feelings and mending tears
with no one any the wiser?
[21:22] Nazukihiko
I am the leader of all yatagarasu.
[21:25] Nazukihiko
I would give all I have to save even one.
[21:29] Nazukihiko
That is my joy.
[21:45] Nazukihiko
We're leaving.
[21:47] Yukiya
Your Highness.
[21:50] Yukiya
Guarding you means guarding
all of Yamauchi, my home included.
[22:00] Yukiya
That means staying to support you
is the best choice I can make.
[22:06] Nazukihiko
Yukiya.
[22:08] Yukiya
Our true kin'u can do his duty, but he's got
no clue how to take care of himself.
[22:12] Yukiya
I can't risk leaving him.
[22:19] Yukiya
I humbly beseech Your Majesty, the Kin'u.
[22:22] Yukiya
I, Yukiya of Taruhi, hereby pledge
my loyalty to you for as long as I live,
[22:28] Yukiya
till my body withers to nothing
and the last flicker of my spirit fades.
[22:45] Nazukihiko
You will be my right hand one day,
[22:49] Nazukihiko
but I suspect you'll endure
suffering and hardship because of it.
[22:55] Nazukihiko
I may abandon you if I grow desperate,
[22:58] Nazukihiko
and I may not always be the best of lords.
[23:02] Nazukihiko
Will you still have me?
[23:05] Yukiya
Please take me as your lowliest servant.
SIGN Unbending Reed Monastery
[23:56] Student 1
I hear we've got
serious competition this year.
[23:58] Student 2
Oh, you mean that big-shot noble's kid?
[24:01] Student 3
I heard he was the Prince's aide.
[24:03] Student 4
Is that the same guy who got
a perfect score on the test?
[24:06] Ichiryu
This is Unbending Reed Monastery,
[24:08] Ichiryu
built to train Yamauchi Guardsmen
to defend the kin'u, lowborn or not.
SIGN Of Shimaki Village
in the North
Ichiryu
[24:12] Ichiryu
Only strength matters here.
[24:14] Ichiryu
Who cares if he's some noble's kid or aide?
[24:17] Ichiryu
I'll beat him black and blue and
into shape, or my name ain't Ichi—
[24:24] Ichiryu
Y-Yukiya?
[24:26] Yukiya
It's so nice to see you again, Ichiryu.
[24:28] Ichiryu
What are you...
You said you'd never come here!
[24:31] Yukiya
Oh, well, I changed my mind.
[24:34] Yukiya
Joining the Yamauchi Guard
doesn't seem so bad after all.
[24:38] Yukiya
I hope you won't be too hard on me.
SIGN YATAGARASU:
The Raven
Does Not
Choose
Its Master
SIGN Illustration: Natsuki