I want to shine on you, and always like that dazzling sun.
I will defend you from all the darkness.
This is the truth from my heart.
If only our hearts could connect, I could get you to believe me.
Even if you can't see it now, don't lose it.
Your kindness won't be in vain.
You'll be carried aloft by the wind to somewhere that isn't here.
You'll cross the sea and cross time, and I know you'll blossom one day.
Whatever the day, I'll be there for you.
I hope I can watch over you like the sun for all time.
This is the truth from my heart.
Moribito Guardian of the Spirit This is the truth from my heart.
Since coming here, I have been given the opportunity...
...to enjoy housework for the first time in my life.
Look.
Have they not come to resemble what people refer to as "mothers' hands"?
I see that you have no intention of speaking a harsh word to me.
It was because of my incompetence that Prince Chagum...
Did you come here so that you could repent your sins?
To this day, I still believe that Chagum is alive.
I expect that I appear as a foolish mother in your eyes.
But I simply cannot believe that...
...that person would die without completing her promised task.
By "that person," you are referring to the female bodyguard?
I saw in her eyes an indomitable strength of will and magical power.
Shuga, if you wish to repay what you see as an obligation toward me...
...will you go and verify with your own eyes whether Chagum still lives?
If you do that, I will be able to live here in contentment.
I once believed that a strength similar to hers dwelled in your own eyes.
Or was I mistaken in that belief?
Episode 9 Shuga Thirsts
Grandpa! I need some rice pounded!
Huh? Who are you?
Whose kid are you?
What's your problem? Can't you talk?
Who are you kids?
No, who are you?
Is the old man out?
I need him to pound some rice for me.
Ah, I see. So our water mill had some customers.
Fine, come on in.
Right.
First, we shall establish a new steel office which will oversee...
...the production and distribution of iron.
Only those goods that have met this office's strict standards...
...will be allowed to carry the palace crest.
Trade with other countries will also be conducted through this office.
Part of the profits will, of course, be disbursed to the craftsmen.
In doing this, I believe we will be able to maintain the highest level of quality...
...and at the same time keep the craftsmen's morale high.
Very well, I am convinced.
You have considered every detail.
I will present your plan at the next council meeting.
You have no objections, I take it?
None, Sire.
Thank you, Majesty.
Incidentally, Father...
I understand that Chagum's personal effects are being collected?
Yes.
Gakai informs me that you hope to fully lift the water demon's curse...
...by burning all of these items in the strictest secrecy.
To my knowledge, however...
...it is proving ever more difficult to ensure that the entire court holds their silence.
If it is agreeable to Your Majesty...
...perhaps I might be entrusted to carry out this duty solely on my own?
As you wish. I have no objections.
Do as you see fit.
He has grown to be an exemplary prince.
After Prince Chagum's death, he seemed rather melancholy.
Yes.
He appears to be his old self again.
I am certain that is due in no small part to the efforts of his tutor-governor.
Thank you for your generous words, Sire.
It looks like the sign of the great drought will remain for quite some time.
Yes. According to a rumor that I accidentally overheard recently...
When you were relieved as tutor-governor...
...did you also forget what time our evening duties are set to begin?
Thanks to you, our workload is now heavier.
You're setting a bad example for the apprentices!
In spite of your zeal for your work...
...you seem to be overlooking what is truly important.
What do you mean by that?
Is that supposed to be an insult?
And what if it is?
Who does he think he is?
It's not like he knows any more than we do...
How can they be so optimistic?
They are so singlemindedly focused on purification...
...that they have forgotten Prince Chagum's sacrifice.
Stop dawdling. Let's go.
Master Gakai?
What are you doing in my quarters?
What's that you two have in...
Those are...
We are going to lift the water demon's curse!
What? But we are star readers! That makes us no better than magic weavers!
Our orders are to bring all of...
...Prince Chagum's belongings to Crown Prince Sagum.
To Crown Prince Sagum?
Deliver them to Ichinomiya Palace tomorrow morning.
Yes, sir.
Wait a moment! Doing that will accomplish nothing!
Are you trying to comfort yourself by looking at the late prince's belongings?
You should be ashamed! Hand them over!
You mustn't!
Why, you...
Please, you must listen to me!
I've had enough of you! Give me that!
Master, let go of me!
I'm so sorry...
Are you injured?
Leave us.
Uh...
Leave us!
I am sorely disappointed in you.
There will be repercussions for this.
Apparently, the master star reader has ordered him placed under house arrest.
That is to be expected.
However, Master Shuga does not appear to be the least bit penitent.
I am told that he has voluntarily relinquished his private quarters...
...and has instead taken up residence in the star reader apprentices' dormitory.
I presume you have heard what happened.
Just go about your normal routine.
Master Shuga. Crown Prince Sagum requests your presence.
The crown prince?
Moribito Guardian of the Spirit
I hear detailed accounts of Your Highness' deeds in every corner of the court.
They are nothing compared to what I am hearing about you.
Here in Ichinomiya Palace, not a day goes by in which your name is not spoken.
But it is hard to believe that these rumors could possibly be about you.
With all due respect, Highness, the matter regarding the late prince's belongings...
It does not strike me as something that you would do.
Not a day goes by in which smoke does not rise...
...from the gardens behind Ichinomiya Palace.
I respected you from the bottom of my heart as a man...
...who was a caring older brother first, and was the first prince second.
However, it seems that I was wrong about you.
Look.
It happened just inside the forest there.
Chagum had such a keen memory for facts regarding animals.
That day, his sharp eye spotted a bird in flight that he had read about in a book.
We remembered the book saying that this rare bird preyed upon flying frogs...
So we both threw aloft every rock that we could find.
Perhaps it was unable to bear the weight of the stones...
It may have been an innocent prank, but it was a foolish act all the same.
It was Chagum who suggested that we bring it to the palace...
...and nurse it back to health.
The bird was discovered by Father.
He scolded Chagum harshly, saying that the bird's feathers were bad for my asthma.
Surely you remember what you did then.
I remember it as if it were yesterday.
Undaunted by him, you said the following...
Your Majesty is being overprotective.
On the contrary, perhaps by showing concern for small, wounded lives...
...and by caring for the animals and plants of the outside world...
...not only will a sound mind and body be nurtured...
...but perhaps those qualities vital in leaders of men will also be cultivated.
Apparently, the mikado was quite taken aback by what you said.
But I am told that it was this incident that caused the master star reader...
...to make you the second tutor-governor.
It is no wonder.
Such was the magnetism and conviction that you had back then.
As you did just now when you offered me such frank and sincere criticism.
No one suspects me.
The courteous crown prince has the complete trust of the court.
Then you did this so that you could protect his belongings?
Here.
I shall leave them in your care, Highness.
I no longer have need of them.
I see.
You know, I was always jealous of Chagum.
How I wish I could have seen Chagum as mikado...
...and you serving at his side as master star reader.
Highness...
What I ought to be doing right now...
...is not gazing into the heavens lamenting the death of the prince.
But rather uncovering why the sign of the great drought...
...has not disappeared in spite of the prince's noble sacrifice!
Go on and join those other children.
It's the perfect chance for you to make some friends, right?
I have no real desire to play with children...
Oh, just get out there.
Excuse me, what are you doing?
You're kidding, right?
We're racing to see whose leaf boat is the fastest.
Leaf boats?
You want to race, too?
You do know how to make a boat, right? Try making one yourself.
Oh, he's made some friends already?
Well, I can't say for sure yet.
Come on, you don't know how to make a leaf boat?
Uh-oh. Do you think you should have taught him how to fight first?
Who do you think has the harder job?
A woman raising a boy on her own...
...or a man raising a girl on his own?
Are you talking about Jiguro?
Let me think...
Yes, it's definitely harder for a man to raise a girl.
The thought of being handed a girl the same age as him sends chills up my spine.
The difference is that boys will grow up by themselves even if you leave them alone.
Well, by the time I met you, you were pretty much a boy anyway.
I suppose I should start making dinner.
Really? Are you sure?
You said it yourself, didn't you? He'll do just fine on his own.
Look, brother! A flying frog!
What? Where?
See? Over there!
Actually, its official name is the Nayoro Flying Frog.
Come on, everybody!
Four!
Five!
Six!
Don't!
You mustn't do that!
The frogs are jumping to try to catch their food!
It is wrong to interfere just to play some childish game!
What is it with you?
Come on, this isn't fun anymore. Let's go.
Each location's soil samples contain the normal amount of water...
Are they biting?
What?
Oh, yes.
That is quite a catch you have there.
And look, nothing but big fish!
Yes, thank you for saying so.
What about the number? Has the number of fish declined?
No, it's no different than the usual.
Um... Is there something wrong with the fish?
What about the vegetable and fruit crops?
Has the harvest been good?
Yes, it looks like everyone's been having a bumper crop.
Thank goodness...
The sign of the great drought is fading.
This means that the prince's death was not in vain, I suppose.
This one is pretty impressive.
This one is huge, too!
You there, what is it that you are doing?
I spotted these rare grasses, and I couldn't help myself.
You can make an effective medicine for stomachaches with the roots of this plant.
Those are fine tools that you have there.
Are they all yours?
Yes.
Would you mind if I took a look at them?
Ah, these graduations let you measure things...
Would you mind...
What were you measuring with this stuff?
Is there some reason why you need to investigate the river?
No, I was investigating something that will happen in the future.
To determine whether or not there will be a change in the amount of water.
The amount of water?
Take a look.
Is there something important about that plant?
No, not the plant. Look. It's a mantis egg.
A mantis?
This one's just an empty husk now, but the height at which a mantis lays its eggs...
...can give you a rough idea of how much water there will be the following year.
For instance, it's said that when eggs are laid close to the ground like this one...
...there will be hardly any snow that winter.
Is that true?
Well, that was the case this year, remember?
It's just an oral tradition among the Yakoo, but I think it's accurate.
The Yakoo?
Right.
The truth is, I was worried that there might be a shortage of water soon.
Assuming that what you say is correct...
...the fish in this river are large and fat...
...and the fruit and vegetable crops are abundant.
If that's the case...
...does that not contradict what you just said?
Well, maybe not.
Animals gorge on food to fatten up before they hibernate for the winter, right?
Yes...
Maybe what we're seeing is something like that.
Maybe all the animals, and even the plants...
...are preparing themselves to survive a set of conditions that will be on us soon.
If you look at it that way, everything fits.
This is what you are saying, then?
That within a year, there is a possibility that this land will be visited by a drought?
What is it?
Well, judging from your appearance, I think you're from the court.
So why are you out here investigating something like that?
Hey!
Sir! Will you be needing the boat or not?
I shall be right there.
Well, I should be taking my leave now.
What about you? What is your trade?
I'm an herbologist.
If the sign of the great drought has not disappeared...
...then perhaps Prince Chagum is still alive somewhere, as the second queen said.
It would seem that I must begin my investigations again from square one.
As I sat huddled and alone, holding back the tears on those nights...
When it felt like I was about to succumb to my doubts...
...there you were, at my side before I knew it.
It was none other than you who was there for me.
I keep wishing, "I want to be strong." I stumble and hurt myself again.
But because I have you to believe in, I can get back to my feet.
I simply want to tell my dear one, "Thank you."
At the top of my lungs, again and again.
I call out to my precious loved one.
Is my voice reaching you?
In this world that always changes, human warmth never does.
I'm certain I sensed the presence of the one that I hold dear.
Worried about Chagum's decidedly un-"common" demeanor...
...Balsa decides to take drastic measures.
Next time, "Soil and Heroes."
Will the dice that Balsa rolls come up good luck or bad?