Hanayui no Shou 24-2E

The three girls' Tokushima investigation - 2

[Mountain road]

Sum: I wonder if it was okay for us to leave all on our own...

Son: This area's been reclaimed, so it's fine.

Gin: I'm so excited right now!

Sum: I don't even remotely understand why. What's the point of searching for something that doesn't exist?

Gin: You talk big for someone who tagged along.

Sum: That's because... You said you'd go alone otherwise, Gin. Right, Sonocchi?

Son: Umm. I, uh... Think it'd be better if it existed.

Sum: Eeh?

Son: Apparently the legend of Yamata-no-Orochi was created after someone saw a mutant snake with two heads.

Son: A misunderstanding could lead to a great idea for a novel, you know!

Sum: Yamata-no-Orochi? The one that appears in Japanese legends? But this and that are...

Son: I looked up how to run away from the Bubbleman on my phone...

Son: It says you can stop it by throwing a comb or a peach at it!

Gin: Comb? Peach? Why would those?

Sum: Ah! C-Could you mean the old legend about the Yomotsu Hirasaka? T-Then... [1]

Sum: The Yomotsu Shikome, demon hags of Yomi, were based on this Man of Foam you speak of!?

Gin: Whoa... We're getting into territory Gin-san here can't understand. Wait, Man of Foam?

Son: Well, I don't have any proof, but the possibility isn't zero.

Sum: I could see... A legend with my own eyes... Gin, let's go! We'll find the Shikome!

Gin: Shikome! ...Don't really care about that. But if it turns out to be Bubbleman, then we have the same thing in mind!

Sum: First, let's go back to the city and buy a comb and a peach. Is there anything else that works, Sonocchi?

Son: Uh. This is just a guess, but maybe sake would work?

Sum: Of course! Well done, Sonocchi. In many legends monsters fall into traps involving alcohol...

Gin: Then let's buy that too. I wonder how much the Bubbleman drinks?

Sum: That would depend on how big the Man of Foam is. How tall is it?

Gin: I heard it's around 3 metres tall.

Sum: T-That's big... One or two bottles won't cut it...

Son: Then let's just buy a whole lot!

Gin: Alright, looks like everyone's in gear now. Wait for us, Bubbleman!

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Notes:

1 - Referring to the story of Izanagi in the Underworld, where Izanami threw his hairband and comb which transformed to hold back the pursuing demons. Yomotsu Hirasaka was the slope leading to the underworld, Yomi-no-Kuni.