Hana! He hit me!
Cut that out, Tarokichi! You're the big brother, you know.
I-I only hit Jirobei 'cause he stole from me!
No excuses!
Every damn day with this...
Would you knock it off, Hana?! It's too early for this shit!
Sleepyhead Soji!
It's afternoon already.
Who does she think she's talking to?
Episode 4
Come on, Tarokichi. You've gotta hold the bowl while you eat.
Jirobei, this is how you hold chopsticks.
I tell you, those brats might be obnoxious day in and day out,
Dad, sit down and join us already!
but these pickled veggies do just about enough to make up for it.
Damn it all.
That bastard must have been cheating.
Next time, I'll...
Hana! He hit me again!
Hey, Tarokichi! What did I tell you?!
But he—
Would you shut the hell up?!
Do they even realize what it's like getting woken up with shrieking every morning?
How about a little consideration, am I right?
Would it kill you to give me a "Yeah, that's right"?!
Were you talking to me?
I don't even wanna imagine how cramped it'd be with anyone else in here!
Forgive me. I was trying to ensure I did not bother you.
And you thought never saying a word was the way to do that?
My room ain't a prison, pal!
C'mon, man. It's a nice day, y'know?
Don't samurai ever go out for nice meals or whatever?
It is more a matter of not having any money.
What about your cut from the Satsuma kill?
I spent it on this screen.
You mean you didn't just find that garbage on the street?
Damn, man. You can't even shop right, can you?
Honestly...
Okay! We're going out.
I just told you I have no money.
That's why we're going. I'll help you figure out how to earn some cash.
You never can tell when the next bitten gold is gonna show up.
Get a load of this.
You're sitting on a surplus of luck.
You were gonna help him get a job when you don't even have one?
Oh, shut up! I decided to pay my way through life by gambling!
So, how'd it go? Were you right about all that luck?
I'll be honest, first thing I did was try to pawn him off on the doc...
Oh, you've twisted it in a bad way. It's quite a mess, to be honest.
I can take care of it, though.
Ow, ow, ow!
D-Doctor, can't you fix my back without touching it so much?
Ain't there, like, medicine or something?
Drugs aren't magic potions, my friend.
I'll be as gentle as I can.
So relax.
Don't! Stop!
Ow! It...
doesn't hurt?
Hard at work as usual, Dr. Teppa?
Well, if it isn't Tomi-san!
What brings you by today?
I wanted to thank you for looking after my pa when he caught that cold.
There's some fresh mandarins that just came in, too.
Just a little more...
I appreciate you always being so generous!
Well, you're about the only doctor in Nagasaki
who'd accept this kinda payment for medicine.
So how have you been lately?
Anything interesting going on?
Let's see...
Well, you know Sakata, that samurai from the magistrate's office who died?
They said it was a sudden illness, but it turns out...
What is the matter? Answer the doctor's question.
Oh, my! A samurai!
Pardon me!
There is no need for that.
Right now, I am simply an assistant at this clinic.
An assistant?
Correct. Now, what is the matter? Answer the doctor's—
It wasn't really that important!
Oh, I just remembered I have something I need to go and do.
Very well. I will see you out.
No, that's quite all right!
She seemed to be in a rush. I wonder why.
Listen, Kurima-kun...
How dumb are you, Soji?
Did you really think a killer samurai was cut out for being a doctor's assistant?
Aw, shut up! He can read and write, so I figured he'd be of some use!
Kurima-san lived alone, but I doubt he was high-ranking enough
for his stipend from the domain to cover his expenses.
Didn't he have some other line of work before?
Well, y'know, I figured a hard-up samurai had to have some way of making money...
I would wake up and practice with my sword.
And after that?
Depending on the day, I would offer sword instruction at castles or manors.
Then, when I came home, I would practice some more.
Other than that...
I normally went to sleep at dusk so I could be up in time for morning practice.
Swinging his sword around all day long like it's the only thing he knows how to do!
I'm telling you, it's not funny!
Why don't you teach him how to gamble, Soji?
Don't be stupid. You think he'd be in a situation like this if he knew how to bluff?
They'd squeeze him for everything he's worth in a single night.
I guess I could find him some clients.
Huh? You? Clients?
Hey there, sweetheart.
Aw, damn it! You got me imagining it!
Nio!
Get back here!
I don't think so!
What did Kurima-san end up doing, then?
Hup!
Eh?
Catch!
Ow!
Well...
How about selling the boss's housewarming gift, then?
That'd cover you for a while.
A single painted bowl?
How could that be worth so much?
Buddy, that particular bowl could get you a whole stack.
Are Yuen-dono's works really that prized?
Well, it figures that a hick samurai from Satsuma wouldn't know, but...
It's that whole "wabi-sabi" thing.
Usui Yuen the maki-e artist is a big name among the refined crowd.
People from as far away as Kyo and Edo, and even from the other side of the ocean,
have an eye for his stuff.
Is that so?
Did you think he was doing this revenger gig for the pay?
Underestimate Usui-ya at your peril.
No, that was not my intention.
So how about it?
This thing'd probably be better off with someone who appreciates its value.
It is probably too good for me...
So what're you gonna do?
Yuen-dono and Teppa-dono...
Their "odd jobs" are a secret from the wider world, correct?
Huh? Well, of course they are.
Wait, you didn't tell anybody, did you?
No. But I still find myself struggling with the concept of revenge.
Can I truly carry myself the way they do?
Working to serve people with a smile during the day,
while hardening my heart to settle unpaid vendettas at night.
Can someone like me really be like that?
Look, man. Maybe worry about that sorta thing after you've lined up some work.
Merchants of all trades, at your service
And there you have it.
He's probably still kneeling in that room as we speak.
Samurai are so stupid!
He's worried about the fact that he's worrying? Where will it end?
It ain't funny. I busted my hump for his sake and I've got nothing to show for it.
You gotta talk some sense into him, boss.
Yes, well...
It'd probably be easier for him to simply fret until he reaches the point of ambivalence.
Hm? What do you mean by that?
Oh, nothing.
I'm going to visit the Chapel.
Please keep checking on Kurima-san.
Man, I got stuck with one hell of a bad card.
Or maybe he's just a jinx?
The son of God said:
"Drink ye all of it, for this is my blood of the new testament,
which is shed for the many for the remission of sins."
Thy will be done.
Even with the offering of bitten gold,
I cannot think of many revengers who would stride into the lair of the bakufu's servants
with the ferocity that your group in Nagasaki did.
That said, this act of revenge remains unfulfilled.
Judgment must fall upon all sinners equally.
Which is why, today, I will forgive only your sins.
Then there are still others who must meet with revenge?
Where did Sakata's opium come from?
He was not so foolish as to receive it directly from the English.
There was a middleman.
In exchange for providing the opium, he gained influence
by having Sakata undermine his more-established business rivals,
until he was in a position to enter the den of avarice
known as the Nagasaki Trade Union.
His operation is called Azumi-ya.
You hadn't heard about any of this?
And why would you have?
You see, the Pajama Police, that servant of the bakufu,
has a heart devoid of both love and faith.
Only bloodthirsty ambition and self-preservation remain.
He sought to remove the nuisance Sakata proved to be,
without a care for the suffering or cries of the people.
These sinners must be punished.
If the martyrs who died in the name of their faith at Shimabara
had had gold which they could have left their mark upon,
how deep do you suppose their grudges would have been?
Was it not the son of God who said: "Love thy enemy"?
These heathens are akin to beasts. Such love would fall on deaf ears.
It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle,
than for these sinners to awaken to the truth of love.
Thy will be done.
So this Azumi-ya guy went into hiding after Sakata died,
and the only time anyone's seen him since has been at his mistress's place?
That works out great.
Since they've both gotta die, we can kill two birds with one stone.
The mistress is a target for revenge, as well?
The Kao-ya owner's wife was one thing, since she helped him run the shop...
But the daughter of Tenman-do was a perfect example of a sheltered rich girl.
Who do you think got her hooked on drugs?
You mean the mistress...
The girl let her guard down around another woman and bought the stories
about it being foreign-made medicine for relaxation,
and before long, it was already too late.
So the mistress needs to pay the price for destroying someone's life for her own gain.
I've made arrangements with the owner of the art book store across the street.
We'll be able to watch her place day and night, and wait for Azumi-ya to show himself.
Hey, in that case...
Are you volunteering, Soji?
Nah, not me.
This one's perfect for him!
If ya need someone to sit and not make a peep all day,
I'm pretty sure you won't find anyone better for the job in the whole of Nagasaki.
You don't think a scary-faced samurai sitting around all day would draw suspicion?
I bet you just don't want him hanging around at your place.
It ain't like that!
Look, man. You can't keep up this grim samurai act all the damn time.
Go learn how to be a shopkeep.
But don't get too serious about it. Keep it casual, so it looks natural.
You got that?
Understood.
I will fully dedicate myself to being casual.
Is this really gonna work?
Ganso-ya
Soji.
Nio?!
This ain't what you think it is. I just wanna make sure he...
What's got you so wound up?
They still haven't caught whoever killed Sakata-sama.
If you hadn't asked me to come by, I wouldn't have even taken the risk.
Funny how you didn't mention that before we did it.
I'm not exactly in the clear here myself.
Which is why you'd better pay exactly what you owe.
Seriously? Wind chimes are a summer thing.
Hang on!
It could be whoever killed Sakata-sama!
You're such a worrywart.
There's no one out there.
A kite?
Someone!
Anyone!
You've got to help me! It was an arrow, but it was as big as a harpoon! My man was...
I see. That does sound like a miserable end.
But when you weigh it against the crime of ruining people's lives with opium,
it seems like just desserts, wouldn't you say?
What...
Wh-What are you talking about?
I have no idea what you're—
Before the eyes of holy Saint Mary, full of grace,
for your sins and your misdeeds,
repent.
Ganso-ya
How did you enjoy the Mount Unzen hot springs, sir?
It was even better than the rumors said! Feels like I added ten years to my life!
Your recommendations never fail, Usui-dono.
And you were kind enough to watch the shop while I was away.
This seems like a bit much.
Oh, pish posh.
You tidied the shop up good. It's like it's a whole new place.
No need to be modest. You did a good job.
I see.
Was I sufficiently casual?
These are...
Wait, did you do these?
Oh, um, I apologize. I was told to approach this casually, so...
Have you studied Western art, sir?
No, never.
Still, this is quite unique.
Depicting things as they are...
It's not a good fit for ukiyo-e prints, but maybe as a hanging scroll?
Huh. I've never seen a picture like this before.
I bet there are people who'd want it.
What do you say? I'd like to show these to a publisher.
That's... I-I doubt my art is really...
Aw, come on. It sounds like fun.
Episode 4
Next time, Episode 5