I'm home.
Hey, welcome back. Finished with work?
I'm hungry.
Where's Yuru-kun?
Off to find somewhere quiet to practice.
Ken, Right, and Left went with him.
What? You don't think he'll run off and get captured again?
Kotetsu's with them, too.
I'm tracking their location.
I see.
How was the shaman?
A pain to bury since he was so big.
Who killed him? The Kagemoris?
I don't know who killed him or why they did it.
Who asked you to bury him?
The "bandits."
Did they say anything?
Nothing. He was already dead when they got to his shop.
You think it's connected to Yuru?
I'm not sure.
I just hope this doesn't mean trouble for us.
Are these the ingredients I prepared for hotpot last night?
You didn't eat it?
Nah. We figured we'd have it when you got back.
We ate leftovers instead.
You didn't need to wait for me.
Yuru said hotpot's supposed to be eaten together, as a family.
I'm just talking to myself here,
but there were words carved into the shaman's body.
"On the next full moon at the hour of the boar,
come to Fujimurayama warehouse one.
HANA'S
I have your fake sister and a village child."
It was a message for Yuru-kun.
The bandits told me not to tell you or Yuru-kun.
You think whoever wrote that message knows about Yuru-kun's parents?
I don't know. If they had Mine-san and Nagisa-san,
they'd use them as hostages to lure Yuru out.
At the very least...
I don't think his parents are being held by whoever wrote that.
But it's possible they know something.
I can't deny that.
Well, I'm done talking to myself.
I'm washing my hands of this, so the rest is up to you.
This has turned into a real pain in the ass.
What am I going to do?
When's the hour of the boar on the next full moon?
Around 10PM on the fourteenth of this month.
For someone who doesn't want to get involved,
you've sure done your research.
I don't see anywhere we can shoot a bow.
Yeah.
There are people everywhere.
It'd be a disaster if our shots went wide.
Should we have Asa's Daemons swallow us again?
No.
Look, Ken. Those fish are huge.
Let's catch them. - We can't, Yuru-san!
NO! FISHING AND CAPTURING FISH IS PROHIBITED
Look! Fishing isn't allowed here!
We can chase it into the shallows and grab it.
It's not about the method!
I just want to catch something to put in the hot pot for Hana-san.
It doesn't matter what your reasons are!
This guy is weirdly nice for a barbarian.
Why don't people down here hunt food sources that are right in front of them?
Look. Those look easy to catch.
You can't just hunt whatever birds or animals you want.
I think Dera-san mentioned something about hunting licenses.
That's the law in this country.
Nobody down here walks around with bows or machetes.
How do they defend themselves from animals and scoundrels?
We have people called "police officers" to defend the public.
I'm sure you know this, but down here,
you'll get arrested for killing someone whether or not you have a reason.
What?!
What?! Could it be?
Did it seem too obvious?
Did no one teach Yuru-san the basic common-sense rules of living down here?
Nobody normal would ever associate with Higashi Village.
I have to raise Yuru-san right.
That doesn't make sense!
You should be able to defend yourself from someone trying to kill you.
Even self-defense is a crime if you take it too far.
Yuru, there are Daemons nearby.
Are they hostile? - I don't know.
My weapons aren't battle-ready,
so I'd like to avoid unnecessary contact.
We should leave.
Got it.
Good call.
They're following us.
They've noticed us as well.
Who are they? Friends or foes?
They're heading to an isolated area.
Did they notice us?
We finally found them, too.
They're not getting away.
They're definitely coming right for us.
Are they targeting Yuru-san?
Okay.
We'll intercept them here.
If they're enemies, we'll just have to fight without practicing first.
Ken, I might not be able to protect you.
I'll do my best.
Now then.
Who are they?
You're a master and his Daemons, aren't you?
They're dressed in black.
Are they Kagemoris?
I don't detect any bloodlust.
No...
But what if I change my mind and try to kill you?
What do you want?
Choose your words carefully.
Wait, wait.
We mean you no harm.
We'll remove our disguises.
Disguises?
When we don't accompany our master,
they get bullied or taken to a public health center.
So we pretend to be a pet and its owners.
We steal—I mean, we borrow clothes and wigs to pretend to be humans.
This is what we really look like.
That scared me.
They look like Tenaga-Ashinaga.
Or rather... They're aliens.
We're Daemons.
People who can see us always call us aliens for some reason.
It's so rude.
We're plain old Daemons.
Uh, what should we call you?
We are...
You're what?! - An alien language?!
Oh...
That's not pronounceable by humans.
I see. So that's how it is.
They're totally aliens!
We were quietly revered in Noto long ago,
but we were eventually forgotten.
We stopped receiving visitors
and thought we'd wither away,
but then a stray dog fell on us.
And we happened to enter a contract.
What? This dog is your master?
Yes.
So we're in a pickle because we still haven't received individual names.
I can't believe our master is a dog of all things.
Shall I introduce you to someone who can dissolve your contract?
No!
We like our current master!
You must really like them!
You seem like Daemons we can talk to.
We don't know any Daemons we can discuss our situation with.
Would you be willing to be our friends?
Sure.
As long as you don't hurt our master.
Daemon friends?!
Of course not! - Great!
May we ask for your names?
We're Right and Left.
No way! You're Right and Left from Higashi Village?
You're legends!
Can we shake your hands?
I'm so glad to be alive!
Your master is cool, too!
What's going on here?
Um, why don't you put your clothes back on?
You look naked.
Oh, excuse us.
Come to think of it, Tenaga-Ashinaga wore loincloths.
I guess they observed some minimal level of etiquette.
Good news.
Here come more friends. - What?
Right and Left!
I came to the city.
Hey, Oshirasama. What are you doing here?
I thought you were waiting back home.
Oshirasama?! Another legend!
Her preciousness is blinding! - Danji?
Yuru? Oh, thank goodness...
I found you...
Hey, Danji!
What are you doing here?
The village was attacked again.
Again?
The place is a mess.
What's going on?
I'm down here.
There's no need to attack the village anymore.
I can't imagine Asa forced the barrier open again,
which means...
Were you attacked by someone else this time?
I think so.
I only saw him at a distance,
but it was just one man with two swords.
A bunch of the adults were killed.
The village might be done for.
Mom told me to go down the mountain and protect you.
Oshirasama found me after I left the village.
Who told you to do that?
What?
My mom.
I've been worried about you, too. - Wait.
Wait, wait, wait.
Before you say more, I need to confirm something.
Danji, you...
You're a Daemon, aren't you?
You're not human.
What?
How did you know?
You're not casting a shadow.
Right and Left, Kotetsu and Jiro, and all the other Daemons I've met...
None of them cast shadows on the ground.
The objects and people of this world cast shadows,
but Daemons don't, right?
You've been lying to me, too.
It's true. We've got the cutest girls.
Jin-san, Haruo-san.
Good to see you.
How are you, Aoi-chan?
Thanks for the other day, Jin-san.
That stalker stopped showing up.
That's good to hear.
They were so persistent, too.
What did you do to them?
Did you beat him up?
I wouldn't do that.
I just fed him to some fish.
Please, Jin-san. That's not funny.
Anyway...
Oh, right.
That Tadera guy showed up, so we escorted him just like you said.
Come on, man.
What's going on here, Jin-san?
TIDY AND ORDERLY
Why was I escorted to an office instead of a bar with ladies?
We have no alcohol to serve you.
Have some coffee.
We can't offer you alcohol, but we should offer you an apology.
Some of our agents tailed you the other day.
Oh, yeah. The old woman's group and the butterfly.
That was done without the consensus of the main Kagemori clan.
Naturally, Asa-san doesn't know about it either.
It was some grandstanding by a group of individuals.
My apologies.
You're earnest to a fault.
We may violate the law, but we know when we need to earn someone's trust.
Okay. I believe you.
You came today because you have information to share, didn't you?
About that. Some trouble has come up.
And you're going to help me.
My shadow, huh?
I can create one if I want to.
I guess I forgot since I was relieved to see you.
We played together for as long as I can remember.
You really got me.
You fooled me for longer than that Asa in her cell did.
If you're a Daemon, you must have a partner.
My partner is someone you know well.
The fake Asa?
Yeah.
The fake Asa and I are boy and girl Daemons.
I actually look like this.
Together, we're Zashiki-Warashi.
Huh? Grandma, Oshirasama isn't here?
They said they were going to Tokyo.
What? Lucky.
They took a friend with them.
That boy was probably Zashiki-Warashi.
Really? From what house?
Who knows?
They used to live all over the place.
If Zashiki-Warashi left, will that house fall apart?
That's what they say.
But I don't think that's how it works.
I think Zashiki-Warashi get sad
and find it hard to stay when a household falls into chaos.
Their master probably didn't want their partner to be sad.
Either they ended their contract or they left their house with their master.
I don't want to blame Zashiki-Warashi for the fortune or misfortune of a house.
Really, Yuru?
You just noticed he's a Daemon?
"Just"?
Oh, right. You've been watching him from the village entrance.
You knew he was a Daemon and didn't tell me?
You've been lying to me, too?
But you hung out with Danji every day like it was no big deal.
We assumed you knew.
We didn't realize you didn't know Danji was a Daemon.
Sorry.
No, you're... you're right.
Sorry for doubting you.
I see.
So we never saw your other half because she was kept in that cell.
We only knew she was in the village because we sensed her.
Who's your master?
Who used the fake Asa to bind me to the village
and used you to spy on me?
Spy on you? It's not like that.
Oh, right.
You always told me to take you with me when I went into the mountains.
Were you hoping for a chance to kill me so you could claim the power of Seal?!
No!
Did you send the bandits after me, too?!
No!
Who's your master?
Who's giving you orders?!
Is it Granny Yamaha?
No.
My master is the person I call Mom.
Kyoka-san?
Yes. I was told to call her Mom instead of Master.
To act like a human mother and child.
I was ordered to watch over you.
My partner in the cell was told to pretend to be Asa
and protect Granny Yamaha if necessary.
I always asked to go with you to protect you from bandits.
You might not believe me, but it's the truth.
So Kyoka-san was lying to me, too?
There's no one in the village I can trust anymore.
Right and Left, Ken...
Wait here.
I'd like to be alone in the mountains for a while.
If you're attacked while you're alone—
Right, let me be alone for a while.
If that's what you want, Master.
We'll do as you ask, but try not to leave our sight.
NEXT EPISODE PREVIEW
Between bandits, beasts, and treacherous terrain,
there are constant threats to your life in the mountains,
so my focus is always on survival.