13 Club 3

Reserved for Easy Going Scans. Do not use without my permission.

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Long ago, there was a merchant who was very devoted to his family.
On New Year's Eve, an aristocrat stopped by his house. "I'm lost. Please let me stay a night."
Seeing the visitor with beautiful kimono and fine possessions, he opened the doors without any suspicion.
(Omission)
The daughter's heart was moved by the aristocrat, and she invited him to her bedroom.
That night, a voice can be heard from inside the bedroom, saying "it hurts, it hurts!"
Her parents thought it was simply the pain from her first time.
The next day, as they called out to their daughter, there was no response.
As they slided open the door, they saw that she has been eaten, except her head and an arm.
Although they were very sad for their loss, soon after, their fortunes recovered, and they became the richest merchant in the area.
---Soga Suietsu
Story 3: Investigation (Act 1)

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Nothing

Page 3
Box: Middle East/Republic of Cipher
Box: Federation News Agency
SFX: *Type*
*Type*
SFX: *Type*
SFX: *Type*
Man: ...Phew...

Page 4
Box: Federation News Agency reporter/Haji Motohiko
Man: Bad news, Haji!!!
Man: Unit Dark Water was ambushed,
Man: And the Japanese have been captured!!

Page 5
Haji: ---Is it Chigira!?
SFX: *Crack*
Man: Move, move!!
Man: Move aside for the News Agency!!
Crowd: ...This is terrible...

Page 6
Hurry and let them down!!
Over there, move!!

Page 7
Man: The vehicle they were riding was suddenly hit.
And after the car flipped over, they were attacked...
Haji: ...
Man: Oi! This guy's still breathing!!
Man: Call a doctor!!
Box: Mercenary Group Dark Water/Chigira Hatsumi

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Haji: Chigira!! Oi, Chigira!!
Haji: Are you alright!? Hatsumi!!
Chigira: ...Ha...Haji, is it?
Haji: ! Hatsumi...!!
Haji: Hang on! Don't you want to go back to Japan!?
Doctor: ...!
Quiet...

Page 9
Doctor: ...
Doctor: You know him...correct?
Haji: !
Doctor: These are...his last words.
Doctor: "---Please,"
"Protect...my sister..."

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---Chigira Hatsumi was my only Japanese friend in the Middle East.
I was sent here three years ago as part of my job, but Chigira came here on his own.
As a member of Dark Water, an American mercenary organization that sends troops to areas of dispute---

Page 11
Box: While covering the Dark Water group, frankly, I became friends with him because he was a fellow Japanese.
Box: However,
Chigira never mentioned why he decided to leave Japan for his current life.
Box: I gathered from here and there that his family is rich.
And that he didn't get along very well with his family members---

Page 12
Box: And right as he was planning to go back to Japan and have a discussion with them,
That incident happened.
Box: In the end, he returned to his home town in the form of a piece of bone.
Box: Delivered by my hands---
Box: xx Prefecture, Mushin/Station
Haji: Excuse me.
Haji: When is the next train to Udou?

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Man: In about 30 minutes. If you miss that one, there won't be another until midnight.
Unlike before, there are only four trains running per day.
Haji: Thank you very much.
Sign: Waiting room
Box: xx Prefecture, Udou--- A small city vulgarly referred to as the Bear Field.
Box: That is the place Chigira was born.

Page 14
SFX: *Sit*
Kudou: Are you on a trip?
Haji: !
Haji(thought): ...What, there was already someone here...
Haji: No, a friend passed away, so I'm delivering his remains to the family...
Haji: ...Excuse me, but you are?
Kudan: "Kudan".

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Kudan: ---My nickname is "Kudan".
Kudan: I manage a site that collects strange stories...
Kudan: I came here to gather stories.
Haji: Ah...now that you mention it, this place is a treasure vault for tales and myths, huh.
Kudan: Yes, you really are knowledgeable...
Kudan: Haha, you must work in a news agency.
May I have a cigarette?
Haji: Go ahead.

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Kudan: ---Bear Field has a mountain range, and it's also close to the sea.
That's why this area has always been full of religions involving nature dieties since ancient times.
Kudan: By worshipping the Mountain God and Ocean God, people prayed for abundant blessings.
However, those gods were forgotten as Buddhism and Shinto religion spread.
Kudan: Now they are no more than beings mentioned in tales and legends.

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Kudan: For example, this book, written in the Edo period, collected all the tales from this area.
Kudan: In here, there is a story where on New Year's Eve, after allowing a stranger to stay in his house, a poor merchant became rich.
Kudan: It's thought to be a variation of Toshigami folklore...but--- TN: Toshigami is the diety of year in the Shinto belief.
Haji: ...But?
Kudan: Usually, those gods request...offerings in exchange for wealth or blessings.
Kudan: And often they are sake or food...

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Kudan: In this case,
Kudan: It would be humans.
Haji: ...
Haji: ...Humans...huh.
Kudan: Well, it's not unheard of.
The theme of human sacrifices is used in forklores all over the world.
Kudan: Like Kushinada-hime, who exterminated the Orochi in Izumo mythology, or Andromeda from Greek mythology...
Man: Hey you! The train is here!! You don't want to miss it!!

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Haji: Well...I have to board the train soon...
Kudan: It's already time to go? That's too bad.
Haji: Ah, I haven't introduced myself.
My name is Haji.
Haji: Kudan-san, thank you very much for the interesting conversation...
TN: He's handing over his business card.
Kudan: ---Have a safe trip.

Page 20
Box: Udou station
Box: Udou was a city that flourished in fishery and was a popular place for commercial transactions from the mid-Edo period to the beginning of the Shouwa period.
After the war, they say the population decreased by about ten thousand.
Haji(thought): I guess I can't expect any cars...

Page 21
Haji: Excuse me---
Haji: I'm looking for directions...
Man: Oh, a traveler are you?
Man: It's rare for anyone to come to a place like this.
Man: Are you by any chance a researcher?
Haji: No, I'm looking for someone...
Haji: Around this area...
Haji: Chigira's residence---
Man: ...!

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Man: Are you...related to him somehow...?
Haji: ?
...Yes. I'm a friend of Hatsumi-kun...
Man: ...
Man: ...Chigira's house is about 20 minutes walk away.
Just walk straight down the road.
Haji: Got it.
Man: ...Did something happen to Hatsumi-san...?
Haji: !
Haji: ...Yes.
Haji: A week ago...there was an incident.
Man: ---I see.

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Protect...my sister...
From what, exactly...?

Page 24
Box: Chigira residence, front gate
Haji: ...It's here...
Haji: I knew they were rich...
But to this extent...

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Haji: !
Haji(thought): So is she Hatsumi's sister...?

Page 26
Haji(thought): She's kind of oblivious. Dose she not notice me?
Haji: Um---
Box: Chigira second daughter/Natsumi
Natsumi: ...You are?

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Haji: Ah, I'm sorry, the door was open, so...
Servent: What's wrong, Natsumi-sama?
Servent: Oh, who is this?
Haji: Sorry for the late introduction. My name is Haji.
I'm Hatsumi's friend that contacted you the other day...
Natsumi: !!
Natsumi: Brother's...!?
Servent: Ha...Harumi-sama! Fuyumi-sama!! TN: Their names all have a season associated with them. Natsu is summer, Haru is spring, Fuyu is winter.
Servent: He's here!! Hatsumi-sama's---

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Box: Chigiru third daughter/Fuyumi
Haji(thought): Wheelchair...?
Is she also Hatsumi's sister...?
Fuyumi: ...
Woman: ...Fumie, do not make such a ruckus...

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You will worsen mother's condition.

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Fumie: I...I'm sorry, Harumi-sama.
Haji: ...
Harumi: ...Haji-san...right?
Haji: !!
Harumi: Thank you...for taking care of my idiotic brother all this time.
Harumi: In his stead,
I thank you for your kindness.

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Harumi: I...am the one in charge in this house.
Harumi: My name is Chigira Harumi.
Box: Chigira eldest daughter/Harumi
Harumi: Please make yourself comfortable---

Page 32
That is how I---
Met Chigira Hatsumi's three sisters.