01x15 - Bird Feather and Mysterious Ore

[bunniefuu]

ORIGINAL STORY BY ISUNA HASEKURA

{\an8}-A chronicler?
-Yeah. Does this town have one?

{\an8}You mean those people
who get paid by nobles and the church

{\an8}to write diaries about the town?

They're recording history,
not writing diaries.

It's the same thing.

All they do is sit in a chair and write
all day, and they want money for that.

I don't like it at all.

-So, are there none?
-I believe there was one.

But apparently this person
ran away from some abbey

after being accused of heresy.

I just want to ask them a few things.

I want to know more about
folktales and legends from the north.

What a strange thing to be interested in.

I don't want to visit them
out of the blue.

Do you know anyone
who can act as a middleman?

-You'd prefer someone from Rowen, right?
-Yeah.

There's a merchant named Gi Batos
who's an old-timer at the guild.

He's one brave guy.

He does business with people nobody
in this town wants to be involved with.

So I'm pretty sure he's well-acquainted
with that chronicler too.

-I'll tell him about you.
-That'll be great.

Also, I'm planning on going to Nyohhira.

So can you ask customers from the north
about the roads and the land?

That's no problem at all.

-I'll ask them for you.
-I owe you one.

I know better than to
expect a return for something this small.

Then can I ask for one more favor?

Huh? What now?

I'm looking for some good bread.

Will you tell me
where you deliver your wheat?

Something smells amazing...

How are you feeling?

I'm hungry.

I thought you'd say that,
so I splurged and bought wheat bread.

You're not going to eat?

I'm fine. I tasted some beforehand.

Oh yeah?

-Hey...
-Huh?

We can go to the festival now, right?

Sorry, but not yet.

Will you please stop doing that,
even if it's just for fun?

This act works on you, just as I thought.

-I'll keep that in mind.
-Come on...

Hey, can't I go to town on my own?

Even if I say "no,"
you're going to go anyways.

Well yeah, but...

Oh, that's right.

I don't have any
small change right now but...

Don't splurge on anything crazy.

What's wrong?

I just thought,
maybe it's not worth going by myself.

What is it that you have to do?

If you can take me with you,
I'll give this back.

Oh, well...

The thing is,
I'm going to meet some people.

If it's not a good idea for us
to be together, I will keep my distance.

So will you take me with you?

I'm really sorry,

but I might have to go
somewhere else afterward.

I'll probably have to make you wait
the entire time.

Everything should be settled by tomorrow.

So can you bear with it
and be on your own today?

Well, I guess I don't want to
get in your way.

All right, I'll walk around on my own.

-Sorry about that.
-Oh, by the way.

If I come back with someone else,
will you leave this room for me?

Now that I got to see
that cute face you just made,

I'll be able to manage
on my own for today.

Come on...

Well, for now, nothing else beats
being in your arms.

-So don't worry.
-Okay...

The town was worshipping a pagan wolf god...

And this town, Yoitsu,
was apparently destroyed

by a monstrous bear.

Who knows if it's even true.

Oh, you'll know once you see him.

He's a huge guy who looks like
a flattened coffin.

Mr. Lawrence?

Thank you for the inn.

No worries.

I heard you ordered a lot of fish.
Thank you very much.

My companion, who's very picky about food,
was praising you

for having a good eye for fish.

I'm so happy to hear that!

I promise to find more things
that you can enjoy.

By the way,
do you have any plans after this?

I want to meet Mr. Batos
and ask him a few things.

-I see.
-Is something wrong?

Yes... Well, I was hoping to
show you around town.

-Show me around?
-Yes.

It must be God's will that we met here.

And I'm sure talking to
a traveling merchant

will help broaden my knowledge.

That reminds me, my companion, Holo,

was making a fuss about
wanting to see around town this morning.

Even if you can't come,
I can still show Ms. Holo around!

Oh, I don't want to make you do that.

To tell you the truth, I'm already
done with work and out of things to do.

When I'm alone, I end up spending
all my earnings on drinks anyway.

So I'd love to take her sightseeing!

Really? But the thing is,
she's not the type to stay put

when I tell her to stay at the inn.
So I don't know if she'll still be there.

I needed to talk to that inn
about purchasing anyway.

So I'll visit them,
and if she's there, I'll ask her.

-Thank you.
-No problem.

Next time, let me show you around too.

Are you Mr. Kraft Lawrence?

-You are...
-I'm Gi Batos.

I heard that you are
searching for a chronicler

because you wanted to hear
folktales from the north.

Yes, that's right.

That's a very interesting thing
to be curious about.

Do you plan to use it
for business or something?

No, that's not the case.

It's just for fun.

I see.

You have good taste, for a young person.

I just recently became interested
in things like folktales.

After decades of going around
the same places for business,

one day, I thought...

The world that I know is very small.

But even within that small world,

people have come and gone for centuries.

And of course, I do not know
what happened during that time.

That's why, even if they're just stories,
I wanted to learn about

the world that I wasn't able to see

and events from long, long ago

that God has mischievously hidden from us.

I kind of understand that feeling.

When I was young,

I was only thinking about
how to make a profit.

If I had the maturity
to think that way back then,

my life may have ended up
very differently.

I envy you for having such interests
this early in life.

I'm just doing it for fun.

Um, the people living here...

Yes, this area is where people who are
running from the church live.

Alchemists...

Yes.

"They may not be criminals in this town,

but in places like Ruvinheigen,
they'd be hanged instantly."

That's what everyone thinks.

But the people here are all very nice.

Is this sulfur?

Oh, do you deal with healing stones too?

No, I just know about them.

Well, knowledge is a merchant's weapon.

You're too kind.

There are a lot of birds, huh?

Not all poisonous air has a bad smell.

If the birds die all of a sudden,
you'd better watch out.

Mr. Batos, is doing business
with alchemists profitable?

It seems like
it comes with a lot of risks.

Aside from the obvious
gold, silver, and copper,

they even buy things like
iron, lead, tin, mercury,

sulfur, and phosphorus.

Iron and lead, huh?

That's more normal than I thought.

People tend to think alchemists
are like sorcerers,

but they're really not that different
from goldsmiths.

Although, it's true that some of them
do study sorcery as well.

Okay...

But I've only heard about
those people through rumors.

I see...

You don't have to be so nervous.
They're very nice.

Okay.

Hello.

Oh, it's you, Mr. Batos?

Good to see you again.
I'm glad you seem to be doing well.

I should be saying that to you.

I can't believe you're okay
after wandering the mountains of Hyoram.

God must really take a liking to you.

Oh, what a handsome man.

But by the look on your face,
you must think I'm a witch.

No, not at all!

He is a traveling merchant...

My name is Kraft Lawrence.

I came to see Mr. Dian Rubens today.

Is he home?

Oh, you didn't tell him, Mr. Batos?

-I'm Dian Rubens.
-Huh?

It sounds like a man's name, doesn't it?

Please call me Diana.

First of all, please forgive me
for visiting so suddenly.

No, don't worry about it.

-Actually, Ms. Rubens...
-It's Diana.

P... Pardon me.

Actually, Ms. Diana,

I wanted to ask you about
folktales from the northern region.

-The north?
-Yes.

I assumed you were here
to discuss business.

Don't be silly.

You would've kicked us out
if we were here for business.

But I don't know
if I have the information you want.

I wanted to ask you about

folktales regarding a town called Yoitsu.

Oh, Yoitsu?

The town that was said to be destroyed by

the moon-hunting bear.

The moon-hunting bear...

I believe it's pronounced
"Irawa Weir Muheddhunde."

They're pretty old,

but I have a few stories
regarding that bear.

More than the bear,

I want to know about the town Yoitsu.

-About the town?
-Yes.

Due to certain reasons,
I'm trying to locate where Yoitsu is.

Locate where, huh?

Where...

-Where...
-Do you know?

I remember now.

By the headwaters of the Roam River,
even more north than Ploania,

there is a town called Lenos.

Isn't that the town famous
for lumber and fur?

If you know about that,
that'll save us some time.

There's a folktale that's told there.

"Long, long, ago,

a lone wolf appeared in the village.

It said its name was "Holou of Yoitsu"

and its body was so large,
we had to crane our necks to see it.

At first, we thought it came
to punish the village.

But Holou revealed to us
that it had come from the forest

deep inside the eastern mountains
and was on its way to the south.

It liked to drink and would sometimes
take the form of a girl

and dance with other girls in the village.

She appeared beautiful and young,

but possessed a tail
which was not that of a human.

After frolicking for some time,
she blessed the village's harvest

and headed down south.

From that year on,
every harvest was bountiful,

and we named the wolf,
'Wheat-tailed Holou.'"

Was that useful?

Ah, yes!

I can narrow things down to
the mountains east of Lenos now.

That's a helpful clue.

I'm glad.

I will return this favor
as soon as possible...

As you can see,

even if I have to run from the church,

I can't stop loving folktales
from pagan lands.

Folktales that are true to legend

and have not been twisted by the church.

As someone who travels as a merchant,

I'm sure you know a good story or two.

All right.

Well then,
let me share a very special story.

There was a certain land known for wheat.

There, they worshipped a wolf
who blessed them with bountiful harvests.

It's been a long time since

I last talked so passionately about
legendary dragons and cities of gold.

It took me back

to when I dreamed of traveling
as a knight with nothing but my sword.

-Thank you for today.
-My pleasure.

Whenever I visit her on my own,

everyone starts gossiping.
So you gave me an excuse to visit.

Plus, I was able to listen to
interesting stories.

-Please ask me along again.
-Yes, of course!

Oh, Mr. Lawrence! Long time no see.

It's been a while.

Hey, lover boy!

-Drink up.
-Thanks.

I know I asked you
to get information this morning...

Hey! You're pouring too much.

Jeez...

So, what about that?

I've changed my destination.
You know the town, Lenos, right?

Oh, what? I'd already gathered
some info about the Nyohhira area.

Sorry about that.
My situation changed a bit.

Really? So the rumor about you
having a fall-out are true.

-About you and your companion
-Excuse me?

I know all about it, lover boy!

Everybody knows that
you're staying at a fancy inn

with an extremely beautiful nun.

I must say, you have no fear of God!

Our relationship isn't the kind
that would serve as entertainment.

But what do you mean by "falling-out"?

A little earlier,

I heard through the grapevine
that your companion

and a young one from our guild
were walking together.

Oh, you mean Amati... Mr. Amati?

Oh, you've already given up hope, huh?

Unfortunately, it's not what you think.

I had things to do all day today

and I couldn't hang out with her.

And Mr. Amati had time on his hands
and offered to show her around town.

That's all.

Are you not satisfied?

I'm warning you, as someone who was
a traveling merchant like you.

Don't underestimate Amati.

Do you know how much fish
he handles at that young age?

I know. I saw with my own eyes.

But there's nothing to worry about.

My companion isn't that fickle.

You must have a lot of confidence!

If I heard that Adele was walking
together with Amati,

I would give up right then and there.

What about me and Mr. Amati?

My love for you knows no bounds!

The flames of jealousy
would burn my flesh from inside!

That's what I said.

Go and burn all you want.

Then I'll use your flames to bake a pie.

-A delicious one for Mr. Amati.
-A... Adele.

I'm sorry. Let me help you close up shop.

I'm stuffed...

What's with that scarf?

Hey...

Help me up, will you?

How much did you binge?

You made him buy you
something this expensive?

Good night...

Hey, what else did he buy you?

This is...

What a high-quality fur pelt!

Although, it doesn't beat my tail.

Now that you received
such an expensive gift,

we have to give something in return.

Jeez...

I thought I could get you in a good mood
for free, but now I'm in debt.

Did he ask you about our relationship?

I'd like to know why
you want to know about that.

We have to keep our stories consistent,
or he'll become suspicious.

Very well...

I told him that I am

a traveling nun and you saved me from

bad guys who were trying to sell me off.

But although you saved me,

I ended up falling deep into debt.

I can't possibly pay it all off,

so I am currently returning it by praying
to God for your safety on the road.

That is my pitiful predicament.

Sniff, sniff...
That's what I said, in a sad tone.

That makes it sound like I'm the bad guy.

-So, what's this?
-Oh, that?

A fortune-teller was using that.

Apparently,
it's a die that can foretell your future.

Isn't the shape impressive?

How they made it like that is beyond me!

It'll no doubt sell for a high price.

You fool.

-You seriously think this will sell?
-Excuse me?

This is a natural mineral called pyrite.

They're already shaped like that
when they're mined.

-There's no way.
-I'm not lying. You can tell, can't you?

They're usually only sold as souvenirs

or used by swindlers to replicate gold.

Nobody else was buying it, were they?

-A lot of people were.
-Huh? Seriously?

The fortune-teller said that anybody could
foretell the future with this die.

They apparently also heal sicknesses
and ward off evil spirits.

Everybody wanted one.

You believed that rubbish?

The fortune-teller was quite skilled.

It was enough to even impress me!

Amati won the bid on this one.

Bid? It was that popular?

Everyone was getting fired up about it.

It was my first time seeing people bid,
but it was quite something.

They used the festival's excitement
to their advantage, huh?

What a smart business idea.

I'm sorry to bother you
early in the morning!

I have a message from my... master...

And what is the message?

Oh, right! Actually...

Mr. Lawrence!

Next time, "The Night of the Festival
and the Wheels That Fell Off."