Hakumei! Thanks for waiting!
Hey! Finished helping with the cooking at the food stand, Mikochi?
Somewhat...
That's because your pear jam at the Mujina Store is popular right?
MUJINA STORE
It's really tough, I thought that I'd be peeling pears forever...
One please. It's really tough, I thought that I'd be peeling pears forever...
Sure thing! It's really tough, I thought that I'd be peeling pears forever...
Great work today.
Well, I'm glad you made it in time.
They're right about to decide on this year's songstress.
And the results of the voting have arrived!
The one who has been chosen as the glorious songstress is...
Entry number 14...
Konju!
And, one more person has received this same honor...
What?!
Though she didn't enter the contest...
Mikochi!
Huh?!
These two songstresses will perform a song of celebration at the center market for us tomorrow!
No... wait... What? These two songstresses will perform a song of celebration at the center market for us tomorrow!
Congratulations, Mikochi!
I'm not happy about this!
Aren't you happy since you're a songstress?
I'm not happy!
Episode 3 The Two
Songstresses
How did this happen...
Because everyone thinks your singing is good, Mikochi!
What do they like?
See, you sing a lot whenever you're doing chores or taking your bath, right?
Uh... Yeah, so what?
That's why the paper and peddlers come by without us even requesting them to.
You didn't know?
I didn't.
I've never heard of there ever being TWO songstresses!
I sincerely want this to be a mistake.
I feel the same.
Oh, you're that girl from before.
I'm Konju, the lyrical poet. I'm this year's songstress.
I'm extremely dissatisfied, but I can't do anything about the decision.
Mikochi! Don't get in my w-
Right, it's okay. I'm going to decline, anyways.
What?
Huh? That's such a waste, Mikochi.
I'm fine with that. Singing in front of people is embarrassing.
And since I didn't even enter in the first place...
Hearing that has calmed me down.
Please look forward to tomorrow's performance!
She seemed kind of... angry, huh?
She kinda did, huh?
What is it? Are you telling me to sing too?
No, I won't force you, but...
Hmm...
Alright. Come with me to the Mimosa tree on the outskirts of the town.
We can see it well from there.
What is that?
The tsukumogami.
Note: in Japanese folklore, tsukumogami are tools that have acquired a spirit after 100 years of use
Originally, today's harvest festival was to give praise to the tsukumogami of second-hand goods.
That was completely forgotten in the course of time, and it became simply a harvest festival,
but even now, they gather like this and they come to hear the songstress sing.
I didn't know there was such a meaning behind it.
So that's why Konju was so angry, huh?
That's probably not why.
So, what will you do, Songstress?
If you smile at me from the audience, I won't acknowledge you.
It's impossible not to! I can't make a serious face.
Oh my, what did you come here for?
You're withdrawing, aren't you?
H-hey Konju, are you okay?!
Your face is beet red. It's gotta be a cold.
Can you sing today?
Of course... Just last night...
I stayed in the bath for two hours and practiced vocalizing.
That's dumb.
So that's why, huh?
What?! That's none of your concern!
This is pear jam from the Mujina Store.
It's good for your throat, so eat it until it's time to sing.
Where's the new hand towel?
You won't stop, will you?
Do you want us to stop?
Of course you won't be able to sing in a high voice, though.
Is that okay?
I'll make my selling point this lyre and my seductive alto!
Then that's perfect.
My selling point is being a soprano.
Mikochi, don't get in my way, okay?
That's my line, Konju.
Sorry to keep you waiting, everyone!
This year, I'll introduce you to our TWO extraordinary songstresses!
Konju and Mikochi!
That singing is so pleasant...
Whoa... They're all still so lively...
It looks like the tsukumogami couldn't hold back either.
What do we do about this?
Well, they'll probably go home when they're tired of playing.
We can't catch anything today...
Hey, Hakumei, let's go home already.
Huh? Why?
Recently, there's been a rumor about a fish spirit around here.
It's okay. There's soy sauce here.
Do you plan to eat the spirit?
Episode 4 The Glass Lamp
Doesn't really seem like something I can eat...
Hey!
Mikochi, are you okay?
H-hey... Hey!
Sorry my little one scared you.
Bring that girl along. I'll tend to her at my home.
Have you come to?
Where am I?
This is my laboratory.
I'm Sen. Nice to meet you.
Um, I think I was with my friend...
Yes.
Outside the window?
Oh, Mikochi!
This turtle is amazing! It's just bones, but it's alive!
Stop being so excessive.
George doesn't like a huge fuss.
Right...
What kind of research are you doing?
You'd probably understand it better if you saw it rather than me explaining it to you.
Huh? What's this?
That glass ball is a lamp that reacts to sound, which in a sense acts something like a heart.
Oh?
That's right.
Well then, this mouse here...
Give it back.
What?
First I'll install the sound lamp in the place where the heart goes.
The specially-made teardrop-shaped ceramic is connected to the sound lamp by a cord,
so when it sounds...
Wow, that's awesome!
It's moving...
Hey, it's stopped.
The mouse's heartbeat was too fast, perhaps...
So are George the turtle and that fish both moving like this?
Yes. The target of my research is "life." These are the fruits of my labor.
George is living carefree now.
He moves through the use of a Shishi-odoshi fountain and the evening dew.
And the fish?
Hm... That one is a bit unique.
Well, if you take another look you'll understand.
It's so energetic.
It really is weird.
That isn't it...
There's no cord to transfer the sound.
That's right. He's moving with no cord.
Receiver Rhythm Sound lamp
It's possible to install a cordless receiver in a living creature,
so it's moving through the thing that is picking up the living creature's pulse.
I see. So, where is that receiver?
Uh, w-well...
It was attached to a different fish that was caught in this marsh.
It escaped, didn't it...
Neglecting your work, huh?
I-it was a very energetic fish!
It's thanks to that the one with the bones can also move extremely well!
Hakumei!
I'm really sincerely sorry.
That was a mistake on my part.
It really was! Hakumei can't swim, you know!
Y-you're okay, right?
What is... this?
This is... a receiver.
Huh?
Oh, now that you mention it, the day before yesterday when we ate that fish that we caught here...
I bit into something strange.
Spit it out.
I swallowed it!
Huh?
So it was your pulse, then...
That's why it was so energetic.
I have a delivery!
Whoa, whoa...
Sign or seal, please.
Hakumei. A package from Sen has arrived!
Wow, it's a kawamutsu!
Note: a type of small fish endemic to Japan and Korea
She said it's in apology for the other day.
Hm? Something's stuck to it...
Huh?
Receiver
Let's research together again someday. Best regards.
Episode 5
A Cup of Coffee
Grinding coffee beans seems like such hard work.
We don't have any ground beans stocked up?
It's more delicious if you do it yourself, ya know.
And I roast and mix them myself, so that's even more delicious.
Speaking of, Ma'am, did you change the beans?
I didn't change them, but... Is something different?
Yes, but it's good.
My mill is different.
The one I was always using is broken.
Want me to fix it for you?
Can you do that?
That type of thing is my specialty.
Can you fix this?
Hm. Which part is acting strangely?
The handle. It can't turn all of a sudden.
Okay, I'll give this a try.
It'd really help me out.
Is this mill very important?
Yeah, it is.
Normally, what I drink and what you two drink is just about the only thing I use it for.
Maybe it's old and it's starting to rattle. Or, it's still got the habits of its predecessor.
The ground granules aren't all the same.
It isn't a big difference, but I can't give it to customers.
What? You don't consider us your customers?
Do you remember ever paying me for anything besides alcohol?
Thank you for always treating us.
Yeah.
But, well, this old thing has made some delicious coffee.
Maybe, if I take it all apart, it won't go back to the way it was, so is that okay?
Yeah, sure, sure.
Well then, how about I grind some of the best beans to cheer us all up?
Yeah!
Alright, analysis complete.
It's much cleaner than I thought.
It really is.
The teeth are also still standing. It seems like it'd hurt if I touched them.
Hey, what did your predecessor's coffee taste like?
It was really tasty. It was a gentle flavor.
But the actual person wasn't the least bit gentle at all.
Making it, or roasting it... she didn't teach me one single thing.
Then you learned how to make coffee on your own.
Kind of.
I bought my own mill, and I tried out many different things,
but it all fell far short of the taste of my predecessor's coffee.
But yours is delicious too.
Thanks for that.
It doesn't seem like there are any damaged parts.
Should I try to put it back together? It'll be a nuisance if it doesn't turn now.
Is that so?
That happens sometimes.
There is equipment where even though there's nothing that's gone bad,
it will suddenly stop moving as if it's dead.
So it's wrong to say it's simply just broken?
That's wrong.
There are many things that cannot be fixed for that.
I hate to say it, but all I can do now is give up, drink some alcohol, and go to sleep.
I see!
Then how about I put some sake on to warm? I've got some good yellowtail too.
Sorry, it seems like I demanded that from you...
All that's left is to tighten the screw at the top...
All done for now, but...
It won't turn!
How strange.
Maybe it's the center part. Should I try filing it down?
Oh, no. You don't have to do all that. Thank you.
Mikochi, will you take down the signboard for me?
It's already gotten late, so you should stay over.
Understood. Thank you for that!
Yeah. I'll take that as payment for the warm sake.
Port Lounge KOBONE
Ma'am! Ma'am!
What is it? At a time like this...
This is amazing.
Come here, but keep quiet.
What is it?
It's a tsukumogami.
It's said that the second-hand tools that continue to be loved suddenly turn into them.
Hey, let me use the mill.
No. This is the only thing you've heard me say.
You will find something that will work for you on your own.
Even so, I wanted to use that mill.
Thanks for your hard work.
I see, that's why it wouldn't move.
This thing decided it'd take a rest on its own, huh?
It's just like when my mother gave the shop to me.
Good grief.
From now on, I want it to put itself in my working shoes!
Ma'am, will you make coffee?
That's right. I have to keep the sleepiness at bay too, huh.
Sorry for the wait.
Thanks.
Here you go.
Thanks for this.
How delicious.
"Letter from Mom"
Are you doing well? I'm doing so well I could die. I'm heading further and further north. The town that I arrived in yesterday was nothing but snow.
I drank delicious coffee, even in a place as cold as this. When I asked who their supplier was, they said it was from a southern island even further than Arabi. I'll put a bit in here, so you should find it yourself.
From here, I'll go to the northernmost point on the continent, and there I'll take the first boat I find. I hope I arrive at a warm place next. Though anywhere is okay as long as there's coffee.
Concerning the shop, just do the best you can.
Avoid ruining it, if possible.
From Mom