Allow me to read this.
"I'm grabbing some food with my sister, so I'll be a bit late."
That's the district mayor's message.
I can't believe this!
Eating with his sister?
We're busy people too, you know!
Oh, shut up, Morino. You were late too, weren't you?
Only a little.
Wait, what are you doing?!
My homework.
Damn it! Look at the people I'm surrounded by!
Our district mayor is a joke!
One of our mayors is a high schooler too!
Oh, and get a load of this:
In my town's mayoral elections next month,
some nine-year-old brat is running!
This isn't normal! Right?!
I told you to shut up!
What?!
The spirits have spoken to me.
That nine-year-old is gonna beat you like a drum.
Like hell I'll lose!
I've been major for years!
Some nine-year-old girl won't take that job away from me!
Age has nothing to do with your love for your town!
Smoking's bad for your skin.
Shouldn't we stop them?
Nah, just let them do their thing.
By the way, Mariabelle...
I recall telling you to dress up as a goth loli.
Did I do it wrong?
Well, whatever.
That should do for tonight.
Understood.
all
qu
ar
tets
will
lead
to
the
la
All quartets will lead to the lalalalalalalala
all
qu
ar
tets
will
lead
to
the
la
All quartets will lead to the lalalalalala
ya
ma
ta
a
e
ta
ne
ko
n
ba
n
wa
Hey, we meet again. Good evening-
i
ya
ko
n
ni
chi
wa
da
tte
I mean, good afternoon
hi
ro
i
yo
u
de
se
ma
i
yo
u
de
It seems so wide and yet it's so narrow
ta
i
ku
tsu
wa
i
ra
na
i
mi
ta
i
da
ne
Looks like like there's no room for boredom
a
mo
n
da
i
wa
i
ze
n
a
tte
Oh, there was this problem once
a
ta
ma
i
ta
i
n
da
ke
re
do
It gave me a real headache,
su
ko
shi
zu
tsu
tte
i
ki
ka
se
te
But I told them, "Take things one step at a time"
ne
ga
i
go
to
ka
na
e
te
i
ki
ma
sho
u
ne
Let's make all our wishes come true, one by one
I
shall
re
mem
ber,
I
wa
nna
do
I shall remember, I wanna do
I
shall
re
mem
ber
I shall remember
hi
ro
i
a
tsu
me
ta
ko
u
ka
i
no
ka
ke
ra
ta
chi
wo
Fragments of regret that I picked up off the ground
yo
ru
ga
a
ke
ru
ma
e
ni
Before the break of dawn
na
n
be
n
mo
ha
tte
na
ra
be
te
tte
I won't quit piecing them together, bit by bit,
ki
bo
u
ni
ka
e
ru
ju
u
byo
u
ke
i
zo
ku
chuu
As I turn them into hope, ten seconds non-stop
After the cherry blossoms fall and scatter,
sa
ku
ra
ga
sa
tte
chi
tta
so
no
a
to
de
na
ni
ga
shi
n
ji
tsu
na
no
ka
na
I wonder what will still be true
wa
ka
ru
ka
ra
fu
ture
me
lo
dy
so
u
i
ma
wa
ka
na
de
te
I'll play the future's melody because I know the answer
a
i
ga
se
ka
i
su
ku
u
da
na
n
te
bo
ku
wa
shi
n
ji
te
na
i
ke
do
ne
I don't believe that love can save the world
i
ma
me
no
ma
e
no
ki
mi
ga
a
shi
ta
wo
i
ki
re
ru
ku
ra
i
ni
wa
But to make sure you'll get through tomorrow and stay the same,
a
ri
e
na
i
fu
jo
u
ri
wo
fu
ki
to
ba
shi
te
yu
ke
I'll blow away all the ridiculous absurdities
wish
me
good
lu
ck.
Wish me good luck
da
i
jo
u
bu
sa
do
ko
ma
de
mo
yu
ku
da
ro
u
It's all right. I'm sure we can go anywhere
All
qu
ar
tets
will
lead
to
the
la
Why is it this damn hot in spring?
Kotoha-chan, you're so energetic!
This feels great!
I'm not gonna lose when it comes to swimming!
That's not fair!
How am I supposed to win against a mermaid?
Oh, right. They're half-mermaid, half-vampire, aren't they?
Don't you grow bigger too, Kana-chan?
Mina's more of a mermaid than a vampire.
I'm the other way around.
That's why only she grows in water.
I see.
So nice... I wanna take a dip too.
What's stopping you?
It's the swimsuit. Wearing one's just too embarrassing.
I should...
go swim a bit too!
You were already wearing one?
I can't believe how hot it is today.
Apparently it's only our area as well.
Cherry blossoms and swimsuits... This is a feast for the eyes.
Is this really fine?
Of course.
A bit of unusual weather now and then doesn't hurt.
You're not going in the pool, Hime-chan?
I'll pass. I prefer wearing this.
Hey, we're starting!
Okay!
Um... Thanks for coming!
As a reward for your hard work at the office, we were planning on just watching the flowers bloom today,
but some summer weather decided to crash our little get-together and turned it into a pool party.
No one's listening.
Everyone brought some food.
You really help us every now and then, after all.
Here, have some!
Alcohol?
It's just water, but just play along.
Thanks.
Now, gulp it down!
But Mina, today that's—
The best ginjo brew sake!
It's a rare grab!
Don't waste it, damn it!
Kids aren't supposed to drink that!
I might be half-mermaid, half-vampire, but I need more than just blood and water!
Juices make life flow.
Drink milk then!
I can't handle alcohol well.
Akina-san!
Pathetic.
You get drunk so easily because your mind is weak.
Listen now, Touka.
Being strong in the mind means, at times like this...
Onii-chan?
Touka, are you listening?
He's so drunk.
Poor chicks...
I'll take mercy on you and eat you!
I've heard that drinking makes some people cry, but eating...
Wait. My brother and Akina-san are knocked out,
which means I'm in charge of the punchlines today?
Usually you're in charge of being on the receiving end.
Aren't you hot in those clothes, Hime?
Just change into a swimsuit!
But I...
All I have is my school swimsuit!
Remembered it!
Shortcut: Swimsuit!
That's the stuff! Keep it up!
Perverted brother...
Changing clothes
That's so much better.
You really do need to dress lightly in the summer.
Fantastic! I approve!
We can even make money with this!
Why are you wearing a cheongsam?
I'll express my joy through song!
Shortcut: Microphone!
Are you really gonna sing?!
I'll sing a song from Germany that I like a lot, a part from Symphony No. 9!
Why put on Chinese clothes for German music?!
You've gotten the hang of it.
I've had plenty of opportunities.
Freude, schöner Götterfunken Tochter aus Elysium,
Wir betreten feuertrunken,
Why are we here again?
Don't leave any trash behind!
Okay!
Ah, Akina.
Sorry, Yuuhi-san. I fell asleep.
Whatever. Take a seat.
Is Yae being good?
Yeah, she helps a lot.
Even though she shouldn't.
It's just like her.
Ever present, but never interfering— just watching over the land.
That's what land gods should be doing.
But what she's doing isn't exactly dignifying.
Says the guy sitting here drinking.
Did you say something?
No.
How much longer is it gonna be
until the Seven Pillars bloom?
Another year. Next spring, I think.
It's so soon.
And it might be even sooner than that.
Yeah... The border between dimensions is blurring of late.
That's the Hiizumi clan head for you.
You're doing just fine if you can see that.
There's someone trying to make them bloom,
and here you are, trying to prevent that.
Well, only the gods know how it'll end.
You've got a little more time.
Do what you can.
Worst case, this whole city can be sacrificed.
I'll lend you Yae, so do your best.
Yeah...
We're going home, Mariabelle.
Thank you. Despite what you say, you're always looking after us.
It's not for you guys.
I've been watching the cherry blossoms in this town for two centuries now.
It'd feel so wrong knowing they wouldn't be around next year.
That's all.
Later!
I'll do my best.
Ninth stance, Cloudsplitter!
Fourteenth stance, Extinguisher!
Fourty-seventh stance, Skycaller!
Ninetieth stance, Siege!
Final stance, Great Fireworks!
I can't help but feel that the last one isn't right.
I do it exactly as Grandmother taught me, so it should work.
The spear passed down for generations as a symbol of the mayor,
the Dragon Lance.
All this is to make sure I can use it well.
Maybe I'll get it if I try with—
I cannot allow that. It's not needed at the moment.
Tch.
The symbol of the mayor, eh?
Listen now, Hime.
There are three things the mayor of this town needs.
Okay.
One, being loved by the people.
Two, being loved by the town.
And three, being loved by the dragon.
Those are the qualities demanded of the mayor.
Being loved by the dragon?
You must keep polishing yourself to achieve that.
I get it, Grandmother!
Does "being loved by the dragon" mean mastering the Dragon Lance?
What's wrong? You're spacing out.
I'm hungry.
It's not time to eat yet.
Listen here.
This training serves to strengthen your mind, not—
A message on an arrow, huh?
Let's see.
Wh-Who even delivers messages that way in this day and age?
Wait...
Lunch's ready!
What's wrong, Ao?
This is weird. The TV isn't working.
The TV's not that old...
Maybe it's the antenna.
I want to watch Uchipi.
Hello.
Hi.
Oh? What's up?
Look what we got this morning.
A message by arrow?
Don't tell me...
Yeah.
Hello!
Wha— Kohime?
She's here!
Long time no see, everyone!
And Onee-sama, it's been too long!
U-Uh, yeah.
I'm glad to see you're doing well!
Th-Thanks.
Well, anyway, it looks like she's running for mayor in the neighboring town.
Really?
That's right.
I'm already nine years old.
The same age Onee-sama became a mayor.
I came to train under you because you're my cousin and you know a lot about being mayor.
Please teach me everything you know, Onee-sama.
O-Okay.
Looks like Hime has it tough too.
Tsun-tsun-dere-tsun-dere-tsun-tsun!
Fruits
Vegetables
Tsun-tsun-dere-tsun-dere-tsun-tsun!
Hey, well if it isn't Kohime-chan.
My, it's been a while.
We got some good apples.
Give these a taste.
Thank you.
But really, you're starting to remind me of your grandmother.
Huh? Y-You think?
Yes, you look just like her.
I look forward to watching you grow.
Do your best, like your grandmother did.
Exactly. Make her proud.
I'll try my best.
We're counting on you.
Onee-sama, look!
What a beautiful bowl.
I want to eat ramen in this.
That's enough, right? Let's go.
Kohime!
No window-shopping!
Scram already!
Old Man Jinroku!
Hey, let her down!
Sure, if you leave right away.
I'll toss salt at you!
What are you doing to such a little girl?
Granny Okiku!
You've really grown.
I'd never stand for some punks breaking my artistic masterpieces!
Artistic? They don't even sell.
Shut up!
Really?
But it's so beautiful...
So you see its appeal?
Of course I do!
I can tell that it was made with a lot of care.
It's simply stunning.
True, it's quite the—
I don't want a rude girl like you anywhere near it!
You failure of a mayor.
Wha...
You're nothing compared to your grandmother.
You're rude and selfish.
Nothing like your predecessor!
D-Don't compare me with Grandmother!
I don't acknowledge you as the mayor, got that?!
All right, that's enough.
Just go eat your lunch in the back.
It's getting cold.
Damn.
Let's go, Onee-sama.
We still have patrolling to do.
The citizens are all waiting for you to pass by.
Uh, right.
Onwards!
To think I have to run against a child for the mayorship...
How is something so ludicrous even thinkable?!
Your re-election should be certain even without doing this.
I can't let there be even a shred of doubt!
Keep quiet, Shinozuka!
Tsun-tsun-dere-tsun-dere-tsun-tsun.
My apologies.
Hey, you have the situation under control, right?
Of course.
You'll have this town as well as yours.
The preparations are complete.
Yes, just leave it to me.
Everything will be settled tonight.
Everyone, words simply cannot describe how grateful I am for this welcome party tonight.
To share this joy with you all, at the mayoral election I'll—
You holding up okay?
Sorry for making a mess of your house.
This is nothing.
What's wrong?
The nostalgia's getting to me.
Great People of the World
When I was her age, I had so many things I wanted to do, just like she does.
Great People of the World
Prince Shoutoku
Great People of the World
Prince Shoutoku
Great People of the World
Prince Shoutoku
Great People of the World
Prince Shoutoku
Great People of the World
Prince Shoutoku
Great People of the World
Prince Shoutoku
Great People of the World
Prince Shoutoku
Great People of the World
Prince Shoutoku
Great People of the World
Prince Shoutoku
Great People of the World
Prince Shoutoku
Great People of the World
Prince Shoutoku
Great People of the World
Prince Shoutoku
Great People of the World
Prince Shoutoku
Great People of the World
Prince Shoutoku
Great People of the World
Prince Shoutoku
Great People of the World
Prince Shoutoku
Great People of the World
Prince Shoutoku
Great People of the World
Prince Shoutoku
Great People of the World
Prince Shoutoku
Great People of the World
Prince Shoutoku
Great People of the World
Prince Shoutoku
Great People of the World
Prince Shoutoku
Great People of the World
Prince Shoutoku
Great People of the World
Prince Shoutoku
Great People of the World
Prince Shoutoku
Great People of the World
Prince Shoutoku
Great People of the World
Prince Shoutoku
Great People of the World
Prince Shoutoku
Great People of the World
Prince Shoutoku
Great People of the World
Prince Shoutoku
Great People of the World
Prince Shoutoku
Great People of the World
Prince Shoutoku
Great People of the World
Prince Shoutoku
Great People of the World
Prince Shoutoku
Great People of the World
Prince Shoutoku
Great People of the World
Prince Shoutoku
Great People of the World
Prince Shoutoku
Great People of the World
Prince Shoutoku
Great People of the World
Prince Shoutoku
Great People of the World
Prince Shoutoku
Great People of the World
Prince Shoutoku
Great People of the World
Prince Shoutoku
Great People of the World
Prince Shoutoku
Great People of the World
Prince Shoutoku
Great People of the World
Prince Shoutoku
Great People of the World
Prince Shoutoku
Great People of the World
Prince Shoutoku
Great People of the World
Prince Shoutoku
Great People of the World
Prince Shoutoku
Great People of the World
Prince Shoutoku
Great People of the World
Prince Shoutoku
Great People of the World
Prince Shoutoku
Great People of the World
Prince Shoutoku
Great People of the World
Prince Shoutoku
Great People of the World
Prince Shoutoku
Great People of the World
Prince Shoutoku
Great People of the World
Prince Shoutoku
Great People of the World
Prince Shoutoku
Great People of the World
Prince Shoutoku
Great People of the World
I've come this far with that reckless attitude,
Prince Shoutoku
Great People of the World
Prince Shoutoku
Great People of the World
Prince Shoutoku
Great People of the World
Prince Shoutoku
Great People of the World
Prince Shoutoku
Great People of the World
Prince Shoutoku
Great People of the World
Prince Shoutoku
Great People of the World
Prince Shoutoku
Great People of the World
Prince Shoutoku
Great People of the World
Prince Shoutoku
Great People of the World
Prince Shoutoku
Great People of the World
Prince Shoutoku
Great People of the World
Prince Shoutoku
Great People of the World
Prince Shoutoku
Great People of the World
Prince Shoutoku
Great People of the World
Prince Shoutoku
Great People of the World
Prince Shoutoku
Great People of the World
Prince Shoutoku
Great People of the World
Prince Shoutoku
Great People of the World
Prince Shoutoku
Great People of the World
Prince Shoutoku
Great People of the World
Prince Shoutoku
Great People of the World
Prince Shoutoku
Great People of the World
but I wonder if I'm doing a proper job as mayor, like Grandmother did.
What, not feeling confident?
Do your best, like your grandmother did.
You failure of a mayor.
I don't know.
I don't know, but I think I'm a little tired.
Don't worry.
I have fun living in this town.
Everyone would say the same.
Hear that?
I see.
No point in getting beat up over this, right?!
Oh, nice recovery.
You expected that, didn't you?
I've always been simple like that.
You sure are.
It's a town with both dæmons and humans, so there's a lot to deal with,
but it's worth the effort!
In one... two years... I'll make it an even better town than it is now!
Yeah!
One year, huh?
Why the long face?
Oh, it's nothing.
What is it?
Tell me!
C-Cut it out!
I'm ticklish there!
Say, Hime.
The truth is...
The Seven Pillars will bloom?!
Wh-What's that mean?
Why now?
What'll happen?
What exactly will happen?!
To begin with, the Seven Pillars didn't originate from this dimension.
In the distant past, the success rate of tuning dæmons was...
extremely low.
In the case of failure, a dæmon would disappear from both dimensions—a true death.
The ones who were burdened by that were my ancestors.
They hypothesized...
that if they could ascertain absolute coordinates, failed tunings would no longer occur.
And two men volunteered themselves.
They were Hiizumi Oushuu, of the head family,
and Hiizumi En'you, of the branch family.
They were the two Dutybound at the time.
With the latter's approval, Oushuu tuned En'you and sent him to the other dimension,
bearing the hopes of the dæmons.
A year later, seven gigantic trees suddenly appeared.
En'you only half-tuned those seven trees to this dimension.
The result of that was the spirit trees that exist in both dimensions—
the Seven Pillars.
They're vessels of salvation that can serve as absolute coordinates for tuning.
But even then, En'you never returned.
With no way of finding out what happened to En'you in the other dimension,
the Hiizumi clan had no choice but to give up on him.
Regardless, thanks to the Seven Pillars, tuning no longer failed,
and dæmons and people gathered near it and created a town.
And that became today's Sakura Newtown.
Enough of the history lesson!
What's going to happen when the Seven Pillars bloom?!
When the Seven Pillars bloom, the two dimensions, this one and the other, will merge.
As a result, the dæmons living in that dimension will flood into this one.
I think there'd be an effect on the dæmons that are already here too.
It's possible that they might lose control, or even die.
Why am I the only one out of the loop?
Why didn't you tell me?
Hime, it's because you're...
not a dæmon.
Th-Then what about Kotoha?
She's not a dæmon either, is she?!
But I'm half-dæmon.
I've been struck once, so I'm half-human, half-dæmon now.
True, I'm different from normal dæmons,
but I think I'll still be affected somehow.
I'm the mayor, aren't I?
Why was something so important kept secret from me?!
I'm doing my best too...
Do you think I'm a failure who just happened to inherit this position too, Akina?!
Do you?!
It'd have been better if I told you sooner,
but if it could be settled with just those of us from the office, I thought that'd be best.
I-I'll go get the door.
Ah, me too.
Coming!
Huh?
he
llo
he
llo
i
to
shi
i
hi
to
ke
i
no
ha
ri
wo
sa
ka
sa
ma
ni
Hello, hello, my beloved. Let's make the clock tick backwards
yu
me
ni
na
i
te
kyo
u
mo
ma
ta
bo
ku
wa
i
ki
ru
Crying in my dreams, I live again today
o
sha
be
ri
ga
su
ki
ku
no
wa
ki
ra
i
You love to talk, hate to listen
ta
be
ru
ko
to
ga
su
ki
tsu
ku
ru
no
wa
ki
ra
i
You love to eat, hate to cook
so
n
na
wa
ga
ma
ga
tsu
u
ji
ru
no
wa
Did you know that I'm the only one in the whole wide world
se
ka
i
de
bo
ku
da
ke
to
shi
tte
i
ta
ka
i
who would put up with that?
ko
no
na
mi
da
wa
da
re
no
mo
no
da
Whose tears are these?
bo
ku
no
ta
me
ka
ki
mi
no
ta
me
ka
Are the tears for me? Or are they for you?
ka
ra
ka
ra
ni
na
tte
so
re
ka
ra
ma
ta
da
re
ka
to
i
ta
i
to
o
mo
e
ru
no
After they've all dried up, we're able to seek another's company
he
llo
he
llo
i
to
shi
i
hi
to
ki
no
u
ma
de
no
yu
me
no
ko
to
Hello, hello, my beloved. About the dream that ended today
ma
ho
u
ga
to
ke
ta
ko
no
se
ka
i
de
bo
ku
wa
ki
mi
wo
sa
ga
shi
ta
yo
I searched for you in a world that'd lost its magic
he
llo
he
llo
i
to
shi
i
hi
to
ki
mi
no
ko
e
wo
ki
ka
se
te
yo
Hello, hello, my beloved. Let me hear the sound of your voice
yu
me
no
na
ka
e
mo
u
i
chi
do
tsu
re
te
yu
ku
yo
I'll take you to the world of dreams once more
Special Wide Area Anti-Dæmon Barrier, activate!
Hime's a dæmon?!
Save this town.
If I don't overdo it now, when will I?
Next time:
Next Time Thorny Path, Part 1
Thorny Path, Part 1.
See you next time.