vice

???: Okakkuri-san, Okakkuri-san, please come. *slam*

Natsume: *shivers*

Tanuma: Asami, Shiori-san!? Natsume: (Tanuma and Iwakura-san don't see it…) the Iwakura's family member: Sorry for the interruption, ladies…Oi, oi, what are you doing? Asami: Ah, it's [Okakkuri-san]

Asami: It’s like a lighter version of [Kakkuri-san], or maybe a village version of it. It’s like that fortune-telling game where you trace letters with a pencil instead of a ten-yen coin. We heard from the village ladies that something creepy has been happening around here, so we were worried and came to check on Iwakura-san to see what’s going on, but since it’s something related to occult matters, I thought maybe [Okakuri-san] might be able to figure something out here. Natsume: (Sensei!) Okakkuri-san: Hohoho.

Nyanko-sensei: … Natsume: (It sounds like an owl…) the Iwakura's family member: [Okakuri-san]? Come to think of it, there were some kids who used to do that when we were little. It brings back memories… Asami: The two of us actually tried it once when we were kids. We asked it where a lost fruit bead bracelet was. Tanuma: Heeh… And you found it? Asami: No, not that time. Asami: [Woah, so cool! The pencil moved!!] [Okay…! Where is the bracelet?] ???: [Beautiful] Asami: Beautiful? Shiori: Eh? U-um, could you tell us the location…

???: [I’ll take it] Asami, Shiori: … Shiori: T-This is kind of scary. Let’s wrap this up… Asami: Eh…The pencil moves on its own… Asami: Hurry up… Shiori: …and go home. Tanuma: …Why? Asami: We didn’t find the bracelet, but Okakuri-san said [Hurry up and go home][A heavy rain is coming].

Shiori: We got scared and rushed home, and right after that, a heavy rain really did come. There was even a small landslide in that area. Asami: It didn't answer our question, but it saved us. …That was Okakuri-san. Natsume: … Tanuma: That’s amazing…Even so, if you could summon it, what would you ask?

Shiori: That's… Nyanko-sensei: Find out who swapped the box. Shiori: Eh? Where’s that old man’s voice coming from…? Natsume: Sensei…Sorry, it was me who blurted it out. Shiori, the Iwakura's family member: …. Shiori: …Eh? The box was swapped…? Natsume: Yeah, um… Tanuma: It’s a true. From what we’ve investigated, it seems all four boxes might be fakes. Natsume: Tanuma. Tanuma: We’re still investigating it ourselves… Asami: …

Asami: Let’s give it a try, Shiori. If they’re all fakes, that’s a real problem…! Let’s ask Okakuri-san to figure it out…! [Who swapped the Box?]

Shiori: [I dropped the matching fruit bead bracelet that you made for me…] Asami: [Eh?] Asami: [Really? Don’t worry, I can make you as many bracelets as you want…] Shiori: […] Asami: [Alright, let’s look for it!!]

Shiori: [Sumi-chan, thank you, but let's drop it] Shiori: […Sorry. I was keeping it safe, but I just really wanted to try wearing it…] Asami: [Oh, I know, Shiori! Want to give it a try? Let's ask "it" where the bracelet is] Shiori: […It?] Asami: [It’s become a rumor at school. It’s like a lighter version of Kokkuri-san! Um, if I remember correctly, it’s…] Asami: […----san!]

Natsume: There are streamers over there too. Is it some kind of charm to ward off evil spirits? Or is it just to keep the crows away? Tanuma: Judging from the ones we saw nearby earlier, they looked brand new and made of high-quality fabric. So that must be… Natori: The Matoba clan must be going around putting those up. Natsume, Tanuma: Eh? Natsume: [Matoba-san is actively involved. Probably because something bad is about to happen in this village] Nyanko-sensei: (Natsume, look)

Natsume: [I didn’t notice them at first because of the sound of the streamers fluttering, but…I wonder…is the village buzzing with activity? There’s a different kind of atmosphere than when I arrived...] Tanuma: Natsume, is something wrong? Natori: Natsume.

Natori: I’m going to check out the village for a bit. Tanuma: Then we’ll go too. Natsume: … Natori: Natsume, Tanuma, you go ahead and talk to the Iwakura family first. Natsume: (Natori-san seems to be sensing something too…) Natsume: Okay. Natori: While you’re at it, take this. Natsume: Eh? Natori: It has the time and place written down for a meeting. I will catch up with you as soon as I finish. Natori: Alright, you two, don’t do anything reckless. Sensei, I’ll leave them to you. Nyanko-sensei: What!? Natsume: Tanuma, let's go. Tanuma: U-Uhm.

Nyanko-sensei: (I sense more of those petty, weaklings' presence. It’s like a whirlpool…) the Iwakura's family member: Who was that? That figure I saw in the garden for a moment…I’m sure that was…No…It must have been my imagination, because there’s no way… ???: Sorry for the intrusion.

Woman: …Oh, more guests. I wonder who it could be. Natsume: Um, w-we are… Tanuma: We’re here as the Matoba clan’s representatives. We’re going around the Square House households because we have some questions we’d like to ask. Woman: …Representatives of the Box passing ritual? the Iwakura's family member: Oya? Is something wrong, boys? Come on in. Woman: I’ll make some tea right now. the Iwakura's family member: Ahh, no need. I’ll make it, so go ahead and do your shopping. Boy: Grandpa, I’ll go buy some red bean soup again. Hmm, maybe I’ll become a red bean soup shop owner. the Iwakura's family member: What’s that? Weren’t you saying you want to be a baseball player? Boy: Hehe~ the Iwakura's family member: Sorry. Well then, take your time. Woman: We’ll be right back.

the Iwakura's family member: But…would that family really send kids to run an errand? …No, don't mind. That just shows how professional you guys are. Natsume: Ahh, not at all… the Iwakura's family member: So, what do you want? Natsume: We’d like to see the Iwakura family’s box. the Iwakura's family member: There was a time when we enshrined it like a household shrine…I used to show it to my son, who’s supposed to inherit it someday, but he’s always traveling back and forth between the city and here for work. Now I keep it locked in this storage room, and I hardly ever open it except for special occasions. the Iwakura's family member: So…? Do you have any questions? Tanuma: Excuse me. the Iwakura's family member: O-Oii… Natsume: Tanuma…

Tanuma: This isn't the one either. the Iwakura's family member: Oi, that's dangerous! Kids shouldn't be touching this kind of thing so casually. Tanuma: Sorry, I just couldn't help myself… the Iwakura's family member: Couldn't help yourself!? the Iwakura's family member: …What on earth are they investigating that they sent representatives all the way out here? Natsume: That's… the Iwakura's family member: I know you can’t just blurt it out…But could you be honest with me?

Before leaving, Natori asked Sensei not to let the two go too far. (Sensei: What!?)

Tanuma just suddenly picked up the box and examined it closely, startling Natsume and Iwakura LOL

"Hey, this is dangerous! This isn't something a child can just touch!" "Sorry, I couldn't help myself..." "Couldn't help yourself!?"

LOL

Wow

Cute girls.

The two little girls had called out to Okakure-san to ask where their lost fruit bead bracelet was, but they didn't get an answer. Instead, Okakure-san helped them (telling them it was going to rain soon and they should go home), so they were very grateful to it.

Then Natsume saw that Okakure-san was wearing the fruit bead bracelet on one of its arms, and he was speechless.

Just as the girls were about to answer what they wanted to ask Okakure-san, Nyanko-sensei suddenly interrupted, "Go ask who switched the box." Natsume could only hurriedly pretend it was him who uttered that middle-aged voice LOL

Tanuma stated that they are investigating and cannot rule out the possibility that all four boxes are fake.

+

Although Natsume was willing to involve Tanuma in the investigation, it seemed uncertain how much he would actually involve him. In fact, Natsume had no idea how much he could really tell others.