The Guardians of Rumors part 1

Chapter 4
Part 1: The Water Vendor with an Owl Sign

Iroha: After we defeated the Summoning Shrine Rumor, I got a clue regarding Nemu-chan's whereabouts from Tsuruno. Nemu-chan's family were regulars at Tsuruno-chan's Chinese restaurant.
Since then, I started going to Tsuruno-chan's Chinese restaurant everyday. But no matter how long I waited, Nemu-chan wouldn't come to the store... And then, at last...today, I became the expert on every type of ramen at the Chinese restaurant Banbanzai...

Tsuruno: Iroha-chan! Your order for today's been decided, hasn't it?
Iroha: Yep! I'd like a Gomoku Ramen, please!

--Sankyou Ward--

Tsuruno: So, how many points would you give today's ramen!? You don't need to hold back, you know!? Also, you've got a friendship discount, so you don't have to worry about paying for this!!
Iroha: Uhhhhh...
Tsuruno: How? How? How is it?
Iroha: ......... Maybe...50 points?
Tsuruno: ......... Just like I thought, it's average---! Kuu, now then, why did you give it that score!?
Iroha: Umm... The base of the broth is too thick, so I don't think it'd make a difference no matter what you put in it...It's gotten a bit easier for me to eat thanks to the juice from the spinach and the other stuff you put in here. But it doesn't exactly feel like I'm eating a different ramen just because you added those things in here...
Tsuruno: From what you're saying, it'd only get 20 points! It used to get way better scores when Grandpa used to make it...
Yachiyo: The critique of your restaurant's food aside, is Hiiragi-san really a regular here?
Tsuruno: Of course they're regulars here--after all, they come here about once a month!
Iroha: Ehh!?
Tsuruno: Ah, I don't know the exact day they'll come though.
Yachiyo: A regular that only comes once a month...
Tsuruno: They show up pretty consistently so in my mind, they're regulars.
Iroha: You're saying I have to wait for 1 month...? Uuugh....
Yachiyo: Tamaki-san?
Iroha: All the calories built up in my body up until now are...
Tsuruno: Oyoyoyo... It's not like there's any other customers around, so you can lay down on the seats if you want.
Iroha: Hauuuuu, I'll do just that...
Yachiyo: Haa... We still haven't learned anything regarding Hiiragi-san or Mifuyu or the thing that came out of Tamaki-san...
Iroha: That thing...?
Yachiyo: The one that came out of you at the Summoning Shrine, remember?
Iroha: Ahhh...

That's right, I still don't know anything about that either...
The thing that came flying out of me along with the taint and defeated the Rumor for us...
When that thing disappeared, it purified my soul gem and I was able to move again.
It's like a dream.
Back then, I'd fallen into a dark and cold place somewhere and thought that I might disappear...

Iroha: I wonder, what was that thing?
Yachiyo: I don't know either... but that's exactly why you shouldn't start relying on it... In fact, I think that it'd be best for you to use grief seeds in order to avoid having it come back again.


Tsuruno's Dad: Heeeey, Tsuruno.
Tsuruno: Yea-h?
Tsuruno's Dad: An order came in so I'll be heading out.
Tsuruno: Oh really? Whose house?
Tsuruno's Dad: The Murakoshis at Mizunori 3rd Street.
Tsuruno: Do you know where that is? Do you want me to go?
Tsuruno's Dad: We don't have customers anyway, so I'll go. Tsuruno, your friends are here, aren't they? If I look it up then I can figure it out so I'll be fine.
Tsuruno: Yaay! Thanks--!
Yachiyo: If you look it up, you can figure it out... hmph, I see. We could do the same with Hiiragi-san's house. If we look it up, we might be able to figure out where they live.
Iroha: Eh?
Yachiyo: Has my assistant Tamaki-san figured it out?
Iroha: Uh, um...
Yachiyo: I'll give you a hint: what Tsuruno's dad just said about looking it up in order to figure it out.
Iroha: Ummmm.... I don't get it...
Yachiyo: If you use this to look it up, you can find out what their address is.  ...The correct answer is a phonebook. Tsuruno, you have one here in the restaurant, don't you?
Tsuruno: Yeah, we've been using it. Here you go.
Yachiyo: Wha...It's soaked in oil...
Tsuruno: Eheheh, it's soaked in the flavor of Banbanzai!
Iroha: It's like a dictionary...
Yachiyo: Oh, is this the first time you've seen one?
Iroha: Yes, at least I think it is. I don't think I have one at my house...
Yachiyo: True. Lately, there might be houses that don't get one. You see, just as you said Tamaki-san, a telephone book is a dictionary of phones. It contains the phone numbers and addresses of stores and people's homes.
Iroha: Ohhh...If that's the case, using this phone dictionary I can also find out where Nemu-chan's house is...
Yachiyo: The only catch is there are houses that either refuse to have their information published or don't have a home phone available so I can't say it's 100% certain that they're in there.
Iroha: Yes, but this is more than enough! I'll try looking them up!


Yachiyo: Now then, let's try looking them up.
Iroha: Okay.
Yachiyo: Once you open it up to the Sankyou Ward pages, then all that's left is to use it like you would a dictionary.
Iroha: Since she's Hiiragi Nemu-chan, I should look up "Hi", right?
Yachiyo: Yes, try opening up to that page.
Iroha: I found it! It's there! It's there, Yachiyo-san!
Yachiyo: Good for you.
Iroha: There's 4 residences in total...!
Yachiyo: Since people are pretty strict about how their personal information is used, I thought there'd be a lot fewer than that but there were more than I expected.
Iroha: Yes, I'm glad that number wasn't 0. The places are scattered all over the place, so it might be a bit difficult to visit but for now, I'll try going to them.
Yachiyo: Yes, understood. I'd like to help too but I have to go to work right after this, so...
Iroha: Work? Not school?
Yachiyo: Didn't I bring this up before? I sometimes work as a model.
Iroha: Fuee...? A model!? .......Ohh!


Mitama: Now though, Momoko has nothing but bad things to say about her. Yachiyo's become weird, she's all about herself now, I don't like people who work as models since they're so proud of themselves.


Iroha: I heard that Momoko-san was complaining like that from Mitama-san...
Yachiyo: I'm not sure if you would call that complaining, jealousy, or a twisted stereotype...
Iroha: Besides, I might've seen you...in a special feature page of a magazine..
Yachiyo: Today I'll be at a photo shoot for the continuation of those pages.
Iroha: Fueee!? Ha, Hawa.... What should I do... What should I do...
Yachiyo: What are you panicking for...?
Iroha: I just realized that I'm fighting together with a pretty amazing person...
Yachiyo: I'm not amazing or anything. I'd appreciate it if you don't worry too much about it, and keep treating me the way you have up until now.
Iroha: O, Okaay...
Yachiyo: Anyway, if all goes well it should end quickly, but I can't keep track of the time so...
Iroha: I, It's okay. I'll try looking by myself.
Tsuruno: I'm sorry too. I have to look after the restaurant today, so...
Iroha: No, don't worry about me. Tsuruno-chan, do your best!
Tsuruno: Yeah, I will! Hey wait a sec, I figured it out!
Iroha: F, Figured what out!?
Tsuruno: I was wondering why Yachiyo wouldn't order anything, even though I said that I'd give her a friendship discount. It really had me puzzled--
Yachiyo: So, what do you think was the reason?
Tsuruno: It's got to be for the sake of maintaining your style!
Yachiyo: Nope, sorry. Please don't misunderstand me for your own convenience. I just don't want to eat the Chinese food here everyday... since it makes my stomach feel heavy...
Tsuruno: Rude!
Yachiyo: Besides, I have the kind of body which can eat as much as it wants to without gaining weight.
Iroha: (If she heard that, Momoko-san would probably get mad...)


Woman: No, we don't have a daughter, but...are you sure don't have the wrong house?
Iroha: Ah, i, is that so... I'm sorry. Thank you very much. ..... This house wasn't the right one either... That makes three misses in a row...(So there's one last residence left...)
(With only one last residence left...the chances that Nemu-chan's in Sankyou Ward seem to be getting smaller...) But Tsuruno-chan said that she was a regular, didn't she...?

[You're given the option between MokyuMokyu (You've just got bad timing) or Mokyu...(She actually might not be a regular)]

q: Mokyu...(She actually might not be a regular)
Iroha: I don't want to think that way, but... Besides, Tsuruno-chan said Hiiragi-san, but...she didn't say it was Nemu-chan...She might've been jumping to conclusions...No, no! Having negative thoughts is not allowed!
Haaa....I feel kind of thirsty...Huh...? What's that over there...Is that a bicycle attached to a mobile shop...?

"Crisp and cold, it's the water of happiness
The water vendor with an owl sign
Is currently offering it to the fatigued for free"

Iroha: The water vendor with an owl sign?
(Wow, it's not everyday you see someone giving out water for free...)

Man: Welcome, young lady. This is our water of happiness, which will quench your dried throat and tired body. Would you like one?
Iroha: Ah, yes, thank you very much.
???: Old man! Give me one too! It's free, right!?
Man: Yes it is, another one coming up.
???: Could you give me some too? I'm so tired from wandering around there.
Man: Ahaha, man, all of a sudden I've got a lot of cute customers here. Got it, just wait a little bit, okay?
Iroha: (There's other customers here. I wonder if this is a local speciality?)
Man: Here you are, young lady.
Iroha: Thank you very much.

Gulpgulpgulp
---!?
Puwaaaaaaaaa--!!
Iroha: (This water is really delicious!)
???: Hey, is this really water? I can drink this stuff like it's juice!
???: Old man, old man! Give me another glass! I can really down this stuff! I wanna drink another another glass!
Man: I'm really happy to hear that, but sorry, only one glass per person per day. You see, other people might want to try it too.
???: Ehhh, what the hell? Cheapskates...
Man: Please don't say something like that.
???: You wanna drink more too, don't you?
Iroha: Eh, me? Y, Yeah, I guess so.
???: Well, if that's the rule here then there's nothing we can do, don't you think?
Iroha: Yeah, that's true. If we're too unreasonable, we'll inconvenience the old man after all.
???: Booo--

Iroha: That water just now was really good... I'll tell Tsuruno-chan and Yachiyo-san about it later. Hyaaafu! W, What...!? Just fell on my face...! ...A piece of paper.
24...? (Did it come flying at me from somewhere...?) ....? I'll throw it in the trash later. Anyway, I need to go to the last house.


Iroha: This is the last residence... (Please let it be Nemu-chan's house...)

Dinng donnnng

Girl: I'm co-ming. Hm? Who are you?
Iroha: Ah, um, I'm Tamaki Iroha. Um, is Nemu-chan living at this house?
Girl: Nemu-chan?
Iroha: Yeah, that's right, Nemu-chan.
Girl: ...No, she isn't.
Iroha: Uuummm, are you sure she's not your sister or something?
Girl: Yeah.
Iroha: Is that... so...I'm sorry, thanks for letting me know.
Girl: Yeah, bye-byeee
Iroha: Good-bye, bye-bye.
.... (They were all wrong...) Now I'll have to start going to the Chinese restaurant everyday again...Tsuruno-chan says that it's a friendship discount but...I guess for my next meal I'll have the apricot tofu... ---!? Another paper fell down on me...


Yachiyo: So it didn't work out?
Iroha: Yes, all 4 of them... With that, all that's left for me to do now is to start going back to Tsuruno-chan's Chinese restaurant.
Yachiyo: At least you still have some kind of method, right? I don't even have any hints on where Mifuyu went.
Iroha: ....
Yachiyo: Besides Mifuyu, lately I've had something weighing on my mind..
Iroha: If you don't mind, I could help you out. I'm your assistant after all.
Yachiyo: What's weighing on my mind is that assistant.
Iroha: Huh, me?
Yachiyo: That's right. Are you okay, coming to Kamihama almost everyday like this? Even though you live so far away...
Iroha: Ah, you don't need to worry. I'll be moving here soon.
Yachiyo: Is that so? If that's the case... ...... Huh? What did you just say?
Iroha: Heh? I'll be moving soon...
Yachiyo: Wait a second, Tamaki-san!
Iroha: Yes!?
Yachiyo: Why didn't you say anything about something this important earlier!?
Iroha: Fueeeee!?
Yachiyo: We're friends, aren't we!?
Iroha: Huh? Wasn't I your assistant...
Yachiyo: It was a slip of my tongue...You're my assistant, aren't you!?
Iroha: Yes!!
Yachiyo: Your everyday schedule and activities might change, after all. You need to tell me about these important things...
Iroha: I, I'm sorry!
Yachiyo: Haaaah... At least if you'll be closer, that will be one less thing I have to worry about.


Yachiyo: That aside, I'm impressed that your parents are allowing you to live by yourself.
Iroha: Actually, it's not me, but it's because of my dad and my mom...
Yachiyo: Oh? What happened?
Iroha: My dad suddenly has to go abroad for work and my mom got all excited, calling it a promotion.

Iroha's Mom: "So you see, Mom is going to go support your dad with everything she's got. When I come back a few years from now, Iroha, you might become the daughter of an executive you know?"
Iroha: "Fueeeee!? Mom, what am I supposed to do!? Are you expecting me to live here alone, in this big of a house..."
Iroha's Mom: "It's okay. The place you're transferring to supposedly has a dorm, so you can make friends and such. Besides, Mom firmly believes that social skills are born within communal life."
Iroha: "Dad..."
Dad: "Iroha, sorry...When your mom gets this way, Dad can't do anything to stop her..."


Iroha: So anyway...
Yachiyo: That was the reason...So, where are you transferring to? A school in Kamihama, right?
Iroha: Yes, Kamihama City's university-affiliated middle school.
Yachiyo: That's the same as mine and Tsuruno's.
Iroha: Eh!? Yay! It's such a relief to hear that there'll be people I know there. All that's left is to do something about a place to stay...
Yachiyo: Do something? What happened to the dorm?
Iroha: Yesterday, they suddenly told me that they don't have any rooms available... Even though my dad and my mom are both leaving next week...
Yachiyo: That's...short notice...
Iroha: That's why I need to find a place to stay by next Sunday...
Yachiyo: --!? Hm, what could this be? This paper...
Iroha: ...Did it just fall from above, just now?
Yachiyo: Yes...
Iroha: Please show it to me! ....22.
Yachiyo: 22...What does that mean...? Tamaki-san, do you know something?
Iroha: The thing is, ever since this evening they keep falling in front of me... Starting with 24...now it's 22...
Yachiyo: Does that mean there was a 23 as well...?
Iroha: Yes...
Yachiyo: Aren't the numbers counting down...?
Iroha: It's starting to look that way...
Yachiyo: ...That's rather ominous. Tamaki-san, you should be careful.
Iroha: Eh?
Yachiyo: You might have gotten involved in something.