The golem is the forest's guardian.
It exists to protect the forest and enable its continued survival.
On its patrols, it observes plants, animals,
and all life that exists there.
It does not interfere in food chains.
It simply oversees nature in its own dispensation.
The forest is a place where life is born and nurtured...
Before, in time, it returns to the earth.
The forest has laws.
I will spend a thousand years in the forest as an enforcer of those laws,
and when my time comes, I will return to the forest.
I never doubted that this was the purpose of my existence...
until that day.
Understood.
A human child?
D... Dad.
It called me "Dad."
Episode 1 Journeying Parent and Child
Hey! Wait!
Stop!
Wait, you!
Get back here, bunny!
Wait!
I appreciate your help.
Hey! Wait!
There you are, Somali.
Dad!
You were told to remain within sight.
There was a butterfly, and it got away from me,
but then I saw a bunny and I wanted to get it—
We must not be separated while traveling.
You must remain within my line of sight.
Not all the time, though!
Bunny!
Dad!
A city!
I see a city!
Come one, come all!
I owe you big for last time!
Think nothing of it.
Why, hello there!
Thank you for all your help...
I wanna go already!
This is a big city, huh, Dad?
It does appear more prosperous than previous cities we have encountered.
Greater prosperity brings greater dangers.
We must exercise caution—
Cat!
Hey, cat!
C'mon!
Somali.
Dad...
I'm hungry.
Food time! Food time!
Here we are!
Today's special.
Rice-stuffed lanternfish!
This dish contains all required nutrients.
Consume it in its entirety.
What is it?
It's really good!
You have some too, Dad!
Unnecessary.
Golems require only oxygen, sunlight, and water to function.
Golems?
Are you a golem, sir?
Correct.
Well, isn't that unusual!
I've never seen one before.
A golem? Well, that's a surprise!
I thought you folks never left your forests.
And there's a kid with you, at that...
What is the little one, anyway?
The minotaur clan.
Oh, I see now!
Look at those cute little horns!
And what brings you fine travelers here?
Searching for humans.
Humans?
We are on a journey in search of humans.
Well, have you seen any humans?
That's quite a question...
They carried them in the market not too long ago, right?
Humans, eh?
They made for good eating, didn't they?
I'd love to have one again!
Refresh my memory.
What happened to all the humans, again?
Ahem.
It was long, long ago.
We and the humans lived in distant lands,
unaware of each other's existence.
It was the arrival of a lone human in one of our villages
that caused our peoples to meet.
Though surprised at first, we gradually came to know each other,
and we began to intermingle.
But the humans called us "Grotesques" and said the strangest things...
"Why do you all look so different?"
"Some of you have many eyes, some have scales like snakes...
How monstrous you are!"
We were left at a loss.
Why were humans so difficult to please?
They judged our appearances,
and despite being physically weak, they were stubborn and quick to anger...
Such sentiment soon spread in waves.
Quarrels broke out between us and the humans.
Soon, a great war broke out.
Weak as they were, the humans were defeated in a flash,
and before we knew it, they were all gone.
And thus, we achieved a peaceful world free of humans.
The story of how it all started, eh?
I remember the old human hunts, searching out pockets of survivors...
Yeah, keeping 'em as pets and eating 'em up.
But they're all gone now, surely.
We're the only ones living here now.
Oh? All finished?
Yes.
Where will you be spending the night?
In the open.
You sure you want to do that?
It's not safe! You've got a kid with you!
I know a nice inn.
Please, get a room in town!
That will not be—
Dad, can we stay in an inn?
Can we?!
Yay, a room!
This bed is so soft!
Staying here was not in the plan,
but we do what we must.
What are you doing?
Exploring!
An inexplicable behavior.
I'm so glad we got a room, Dad!
This is so much fun!
Is it?
You aren't having fun, Dad?
Golems lack emotions.
But if it's not fun—
It would be dangerous to continue our journey in this state.
Can you fix it?
Easily.
Great!
Dad's gonna fix it! Dad's gonna fix it!
Dad's gonna—
What?
Remain quiet and still.
Just a lodger?
You got scared, Dad!
Your delight is inscrutable.
And as I have previously explained, golems lack emotio—
I saw you get all tense!
You can't fool me!
Your statement is erroneous.
I saw you! You got scared!
Our day begins early tomorrow.
Commence sleep at once.
No way! I'm staying up!
Request denied.
Denial denied!
My horn's all better!
You're so cool, Dad!
Exercise caution in your play.
It may break again.
Thanks a lot, Dad!
Your gratitude is unnecessary.
Where are we going today?
To replenish supplies.
We're going shopping?!
That's so cool! Look!
Somali.
Insufficient.
The last city offered me double that price.
I'm afraid these stones are rather common in this area, sir.
This is more than fair.
Unacceptable.
You must offer appropriate compensation.
You're a tough customer,
but I just can't give you much for these stones...
Kitty?
You leave me with no choice.
Sir, please!
That's a very precious gemstone!
An eye? What?!
An amorphous substance comprised primarily of silicate.
My analysis concludes that it is fake.
What makes you say that?
A golem's eye can identify the structural makeup of anything.
The gold contained in these accessories is impure.
It is an alloy of 78% low-grade copper and 2% gold pigment.
Most of the gemstones are glass,
and the remainder are of poor quality.
In conclusion, 80% of the goods in this shop are counterfeit.
Sir.
Surely, from my statements, you can infer my intent.
Fine, take it!
Acceptable.
Now take it and get out!
This was my intention.
Somali. Let us go.
Again?
Hey! Kitty!
Where'd you go, kitty?
D-Dad...
Wh-What was that?!
I'm right here!
Kitty?
You okay, kid?
You're not... a cat...
I figured you'd give up eventually,
but you actually followed me all the way here...
But it'd keep me up at night, knowing I got you lost.
I'm not lost!
I just don't know where I am!
That's what it means to be los—
Purr, purr, purr...
What are you doi—purr, purr...
Drop it and let me pet you, okay?
Absolutely not!
Where'd you come from, anyway?
This is no place for a kid all alone...
Y'know, there's something familiar about how you smell...
I'm not sure how to put it...
But you smell...
utterly...
delicious.
Wh-Who are you?!
Leave this place immediately.
What is the matter?
I'm happy.
Why?
Because I knew you'd come, Dad!
We will return to the inn now.
Okay!
Welcome, sir!
Hey, hey!
I ran into this golem with a kid earlier,
and he was so scary and mean!
You were making some mischief, weren't you?
Was not!
I just thought the kid smelled kinda good, is all...
And when I said that, he just...
W-Were you ogling that small child?
N-No way!
Absolutely disgusting.
I'm tellin' you, it wasn't that!
It is fortunate I was able to arrive in time.
You would have been in danger if it had realized you were human.
It appears children have a tendency to act spontaneously
when presented with things that spark their curiosity.
Dad.
Yes?
How did you know where I was?
Observation of your behavior.
Observation?
You only leave my side when something catches your attention.
I am incapable of understanding emotion.
But I am capable of observation and analysis.
This is my first experience with a human child,
so completing this analysis required some time.
Still, I cannot abide you getting lost everywhere we go.
You are henceforth forbidden from leaving my side without permission.
Not all the time, though!
I am left with no choice.
Take it.
A behavior learned via observation of the city's denizens.
The act of holding hands
effectively inhibits spontaneous independent activity.
Is it okay?
Yes.
Like this?
Only one hand is required.
Then...
Like this?
Yes.
Let us proceed.
Yeah!
Dad! A butterfly!
I see.
This is indeed an effective inhibitor of spontaneous independent activity.
However, it will limit my activity as well as yours.
Seeking a more efficient method may prove necessary.
But...
I like it this way!
Do you?
Yeah!
Episode 2: Edible Herbs and the Oni's Dwelling