Kanna:
I was wondering...

Ryuya:
Yes, Kanna?

Kanna:
I need a favor, but I'm a little embarrassed.
It's just... I don't know who to ask... except for you.


-- OP --

Kanna:
Get ready!

Ryuya:
Whoa, what're you doing?!
What the heck are those?

Kanna:
My beanbags, what do you think?
You blind or something?

Ryuya:
Wasn't that some kind of favor you wanted from me?

Kanna:
Well, if you'd stop talking, I'd get to that!
Earlier today I was able to juggle all three!

I can see you don't believe me--but it's true!
I was able to juggle three of these perfectly!

Ryuya:
'Night.

Kanna:
Hey, watch me!

Ryuya:
Go back over by the campfire, I'm on guard duty out here.

Kanna:
Your mistress is offering to show you her very special talent!
It's the duty and obligation of any self-respecting servant to watch and marvel whenever they're asked to!

Ryuya:
You're insane.

Kanna:
Then I have no choice but to order you to watch.

Ryuya:
Aaah, don't do that, don't do that!
You know it really isn't fair for you to abuse the power you have over me just because you can.
There are only so many of these pointless oaths I can take seriously!

Ryuya:
Daah! Quit biting, will ya?

Kanna:
I have to defend myself somehow since you're so mean to me!

Ryuya:
Fine, I'll watch.
But just make it quick so I can get back to my post, okay?

Kanna:
I don't think I appreciate your attitude, mister!

Ryuya:
Okay, okay! Oh boy.
I can't wait to see you juggle again, so please do it right away!

Kanna:
As usual, you're being insincere.
But, that's okay.
You'll change your mind once you see how incredibly skilled I am.
I've finally learned the trick, you see.
Now that I've mastered it, I can see it's not really that difficult.
Now I might even be more skilled at juggling than Uraha is.

Ryuya:
Uh-huh...

Kanna:
At last I understand the importance of practice and that stupid saying: "If at first you don't succeed, blah blah blah...!"
Watch THIS!
You made me nervous, so I'm gonna do it again.

I wasn't lying, you know! I really did have this figured out!

Ryuya:
Nobody said that you were lying about this.
Do it as many times as you need, and I'll still watch.

Kanna:
I'll get it this time.

Ryuya:
Relax your shoulders first.
Even a master wouldn't be able to do it if they're not calm.

Kanna:
That's a good idea.
Okay. Here goes.
You see? You see now?
I'm really doing it this time!

Ryuya:
That was a really impressive run, Lady Kanna.

Kanna:
Don't patronize me.

Ryuya:
Honestly I'm not, Lady Kanna.
I'm just trying to commend you on the hard work you've put in to learn this skill.
I'm truly impressed that you've never decided to give up.

Kanna:
I'm not sure if that's supposed to be meant as a compliment or not.

Ryuya:
It was a compliment. I'm proud of you.
I can see how hard you've worked, Kanna.

Kanna:
Still, I feel like I should be better.

Ryuya:
If you keep practicing the way you have, I'm sure you'll be a master.

Kanna:
Whatever.

Ryuya:
No, it's true.

Kanna:
Will you watch me again?
Once I've practiced some more?

Ryuya:
Yes, if you'd like me to.
We should probably get some rest.
We've got another long walk ahead of us.

Kanna:
Right.



Ryuya:
It's not gonna be easy, crossing over all these mountains.

Uraha:
It might be more difficult in some respects.
But crossing through the mountains will help us immensely by discouraging our pursuers.
I'll go fetch some water for us.

Ryuya:
Is something wrong, Kanna?

Kanna:
Forgive me... I can't...
I can't take any more...
I'm so sorry... No... I can't do it...
No... no more...
Please... no, please... stop...
No more food...

Ryuya:
Hey, you're sleeping the day away! We've got a lot of ground to cover.
C'mon! Don't go back to sleep!
I said wake up, Kanna!

Uraha:
You are being far too gentle with her.
Wake UP!

Kanna:
Hey, what was that for?

Uraha:
It's so nice to see you awake! I trust that you're feeling well.

Kanna:
Does it look like it? My head hurts.
Can't you be nicer when you wake me up next time?

Uraha:
Sure. The next time I wake you, I'll adjust the amount of force I use.

Kanna:
I'm telling you not to pull the pillow out from under me at all!



Kanna:
Oh?
I'm fascinated by those ears of yours.
They're so long!
They must get caught in the branches when you run.
But I guess you must be able to hear things from really far away with ears like that.
Aah!
Oh, that little...
Well, that wasn't called for.
You think that's funny? Get back here, I'm gonna let you have it, you little vermin! Slow down! Come here! Come here!


Ryuya:
Shut up!
Just settle down for a minute!

Kanna:
What have you been looking at all this time?

Ryuya:
It's a map I found at the market earlier.
It was a lucky find.

Kanna:
What are those marks that look like squiggly worms?

Ryuya:
Those are rivers.
Kanna, do you mean to tell me that you can't read?

Kanna:
Well, nobody ever taught me.
How am I supposed to know how to?

Ryuya:
I can't believe Uraha neglected you.

Uraha:
I tried to teach her.
But Lady Kanna told me in no uncertain terms that she would never learn, not from me anyway.

Kanna:
Why don't you tell him the whole story?
Why don't you tell him about all those stupid poetry books?

Uraha:
Surely you cannot fault me for trying to enrich your mind.

Kanna:
It wasn't gonna happen with such bad teaching methods!

Ryuya:
What in the world happened?

Uraha:
I was just teaching her a few poems.
Every young lady should know some.
And I'm sure you know learning anything new could be difficult.
But I'm afraid that this may have been too much.

Kanna:
Memorizing a hundred poems every day would be too much for anybody, you hear me?

Uraha:
I couldn't give you any more time!
There are 4,500 poems in all.

Kanna:
I haven't slept in five days.

Uraha:
Quiet!
And I won't let you sleep again until you've memorized 200 more of them.

Ryuya:
I'm surprised you didn't die.

Kanna:
Me too. I knew learning them would kill me if I didn't do something.
So when her back was turned, I threw all the books in the fire.

Uraha:
And the six precious volumes of our ancient collection cooked our breakfast.

Kanna:
As I recall, breakfast that morning tasted poetically delicious.

Uraha:
Is this the mouth that speaks such petty, small-minded, unenlightened ideas?

Kanna:
Oh let go, Uraha!

Uraha:
A mouth that cannot recite even a single poem is the world's most useless possession!

Kanna:
Stop being overdramatic!

Uraha:
Perhaps I ought to sew it shut forever!

Kanna:
What are you doing?
Get her off of me!

Ryuya:
You're on your own.
I'm not messing with Uraha when she's mad.

Kanna:
You're the world's worst servant!

Uraha:
I am so sorry, Lady Kanna.
I've lost control of my temper.

Ryuya:
It's all right.
Don't worry about it.

Kanna:
Why are you forgiving her for that?

Ryuya:
Because I feel like it.

Kanna:
Aagh, that's it!
Ugh! I'm going over here to practice my juggling!
Being with you people just makes me irritable!

Uraha:
Perhaps I should accompany you? To make sure you're safe?

Kanna:
I don't want you anywhere near me!

(Uraha cries)

Ryuya:
Is there a reason you're hitting me?

Uraha:
'Cause I'm taking my misery out on you!

Kanna:
Aah!

Ryuya:
Kanna! What happened?




-- Eyecatch --

Kanna:
There...

Ryuya:
Oh...

Uraha:
He was a monk, wasn't he, Sir Ryuya?

Ryuya:
Doesn't have any wounds.
Must have just collapsed here.



Kanna:
Sir Ryuya?
Am I interrupting you?

Ryuya:
What is it?
The beanbags again?

Kanna:
No, that's not it.
You look... you look as though you have something weighing heavily on your mind.

Ryuya:
On my mind, huh?

Kanna:
That's right. If something is bothering you, you don't have to keep it inside.
You can talk to me.

Ryuya:
I can, can I?
Hmm... well, there is one thing I wanted to tell you.

Kanna:
Yes, what is it?

Ryuya:
There's some sort of worm on your head right now.

Kanna:
Gaaahhh!!

Ryuya:
I guess you're the kind of person that worms and wild animals just can't get enough of.

Kanna:
How could you just let them crawl all over me?!
I had the sense something might be troubling you, so I came over to see if you're all right!
A mistress was concerned about her servant's well-being, and this is the thanks that I get?!

Ryuya:
I apologize. Sit down and I'll tell you about it.

Kanna:
You're not just gonna tease me again, are you?

Ryuya:
It's not all that interesting.
You sure you really wanna hear?

Kanna:
Well, you can at least start it.

Ryuya:
I have no idea what my parents look like.

Kanna:
Why ever not?

Ryuya:
I think I was abandoned.
Unsui picked me up when I was crying on the side of the road.
He was a traveling monk.
Which sounds nice and all, but in reality, he was just a homeless bum who survived on nothing but handouts.
But he was very good to me.
The two of us traveled to many places together--I saw more in that year than most do in their entire lifetimes.

Kanna:
So he was your foster father, Sir Ryuya?

Ryuya:
I-I wouldn't call him that.
He was very strict.
Unless he was chanting prayers, he didn't bother talking at all.
He never even told me his priesthood name.
And then, when I was about five years old, something dreadful happened--something that would change my life forever.
We were attacked while going over a mountain pass.
Unsui was killed with one swing of a sword.
Seeing the dead monk earlier brought back that memory and that's all.

Kanna:
Then you never knew your mother either, did you?

Ryuya:
Hmm?

Kanna:
Then, it... it hardly seems fair that I'm the only one who's going to find their mother?

Ryuya:
Don't worry about that.
I want for you to find her too, you know.

Unsui was still chanting a prayer, even after being the victim of such senseless malice.
Praying that the killer would be saved and enter the Pure Land.
Even while he was dying, covered in his own blood.
But they didn't kill me.
They told me I wasn't worth soiling their swords.
Then I was alone, on the roadside, once again.
I was alone for a long time after that.
I did anything necessary to survive.
I stole swords and spears, and took part in battles.
I even killed people.
Survival was the only thing on my mind.
Until recently, that is.

Kanna:
Recently? Did something happen?

Ryuya:
I experienced a change of heart, is all.
Anybody can change if they want to and they're given a chance.

Kanna:
I imagine those mountain people feel badly about what they did.

Ryuya:
Huh?

Kanna:
I can't imagine how awful they must've felt when they realized they killed an admirable priest.

Ryuya:
Well, I kinda doubt he was all that admirable a priest, honestly.

Kanna:
What make you say that you doubt it?
I suspect that the only reason they didn't kill you as well was that they heard his final prayer, and were somehow influenced by it.

Ryuya:
Huh?
Perhaps. I suppose it could have been Unsui's piety that saved my life all those years ago.
I only wish I would've considered that sooner.
I very well might've taken a different path.

Kanna:
No, don't wish for that!
If you'd taken a different path, then we never would have met!

Ryuya:
Mmm, that's true.
And I am very glad that I met you, Lady Kanna.

Kanna:
Sir Ryuya... Sir Ryuya, I, well I, uh, I, um...

Ryuya:
What is it?

Kanna:
I'm not exactly sure what to do from this point on so.
So I'm just... I'm just gonna leave it up to you to do whatever you want with me.

Ryuya:
He-Hey!

Kanna:
This is embarrassing. Please hurry up!

Ryuya:
Do you really understand what you're saying?
Wh-Wh-What do you think I'm gonna do now?

Kanna:
Do not treat me like a fool.
I know everything!
Uraha told me exactly what to expect.

Ryuya:
Ah... Uraha, I should have known.

Kanna:
But because, well, you see because to me, you, uh...
I don't know how to say it, but I guess it's sort of like... this is what Uraha told me.
When the time comes that Ryuya tells you about his past, don't miss the opportunity.

Uraha:
The surest way for a woman to know if the man is in love with her, is that he opens up about his past.

Kanna:
That's what she told me.

Ryuya:
That girl talks too much.

Kanna:
Wait until Sir Ryuya finishes his story, and then casually loosen your clothing.
She also said it was really important that I don't completely expose everything.

Ryuya:
Her advice came with acting lessons, too?

Kanna:
I don't understand. Did I do it wrong?
Or, are you one of those warriors who prefers the company of men?

Ryuya:
Whoa, hold it!

Kanna:
Oh, I see. I've heard that there are some men out there who can't get all their stuff to work right.

Ryuya:
Hey, look! I can assure you that's not the problem here!

Kanna:
Did I show too much too soon or something?

Ryuya:
Okay, fine.
I guess I'll have to prove to you that I'm a man, so you'd better prepare yourself.

Kanna:
No, wait. I'm not sure I like the way you're looking at me.

Ryuya:
You're the one who seduced me.
Now be nice and take my venom.

Kanna:
Wh-What are you talking about?
You have venom?

Ryuya:
Yes, of course all men have venom.
We have all sorts of things to give you've never even dreamed about.

Kanna:
Nooo!!

Ryuya:
Just lay back and relax.
I'll teach you everything you need to know.

Kanna:
No, no way! Stop it! Let go!
No! Stop!

Ryuya:
Uraha, I know you're here somewhere, come on out!
Uraha!

Uraha:
As usual, your intuition is flawless.
Lady Kanna, I trust you're not harmed?

Kanna:
I'm not sure why.
But it didn't happen like that you said it would.
Where are you going?
I hope this hasn't caused you to feel angry with me.

Ryuya:
Really, what's there to feel angry about?
Uraha, you were well aware I'd never lay a finger on her, weren't you?

Uraha:
I figured I'd at least give it a try.

Ryuya:
Well, you'll never find a less threatening man than me.

Uraha:
Such a man can be called useless.

Ryuya:
Sorry you missed your peepshow!



Ryuya:
She's sleeping pretty well.

Uraha:
She worked so hard on her juggling all day. I think she wore herself out.

Ryuya:
If I didn't know her so well, I'd say she looks pretty cute sleeping like that.

Uraha:
Listen, Sir Ryuya. We must teach her about men before some filthy scoundrel gets to her.

Ryuya:
Well, I hope you don't expect me to train her.
She's still just a little girl.
I mean the most important part of her day is playing with beanbags, for crying out loud.

Kanna:
... Mother...

Uraha:
Oh, are you awake again, Lady Kanna?

Kanna:
I was having this dream.
I wasn't here.
I was somewhere else really far away.
I was wearing very strange clothes.
And I didn't look anything like myself.
It's like... I was someone else.

Ryuya:
Do you remember what you looked like at all?

Kanna:
That part is kind of hazy.
But, Mother and a lot of kind of people were there.
And I felt really happy to be there with all of them.
I don't think I've ever felt so happy in my life.

Uraha:
Sounds like you had a very pleasant dream then.

Ryuya:
And you're gonna make that dream come true soon enough.
It won't be long before you meet your mother.
And once you do, you'll have more than just dreams to go on.

Kanna:
Yes. You're right.
And if I pray, I'm sure my wish will reach the gods.

Hey! Look! Look! I'm actually doing it this time!
I haven't dropped one yet!
I'm still going!

Ryuya:
It looks like you might still need a little bit more practice.

Uraha:
Yes, but that was wonderfully done, Lady Kanna.
It really was!
If you keep training as hard as you have, you're just going to keep getting better at it.

Kanna:
You think so?
You think I might even get good enough at it to juggle for my mother?

Uraha:
I've no doubt.



Ryuya:
It's time for us to get going.

Kanna:
What's wrong? Don't you wanna come with us?

Oh, is that your mother?
I'm happy for you.
We have to go. But I wish you a long and happy life.