Random Curiosity

Summary:
Kuuya finds Hakuoro to be a very interesting person with his successes at making undernourished soil rich, at leading a rebellion and defeating the imperial court, and at reigning as the new emperor. Kuuya wants to know how Hakuoro did it, but is disappointed to hear that Hakuoro doesn’t have any special powers. He feels that Hakuoro is surely the same Kunneietai as them, but Hakuoro doesn’t recognize that word. Kuuya explains that they are the same tribe, the Shakukoporu, under the divine protection of the Onvitaikayan. He then realizes that Hakuoro doesn’t know the name of their Onkami, especially when Hakuoro thinks that it’s Witsarunemitea. Kuuya says that that’s the name of the abominable Nugisomukami and tells Hakuoro not to say that name again. Hakuoro is very surprised that Witsarunemitea is the Nugisomukami. Kuuya thinks that Hakuoro should know all this from when the sermon when the shrine was established, but Hakuoro admits to falling asleep because it seemed to be going on forever. Kuuya finds this very amusing and starts laughing. Eventually, Genjimaru tells Kuuya that it’s time to go. To Hakuoro’s surprise, Kuuya wants to continue their conversation next time.
The next day, Hakuoro is sitting beside Eruru in deep though about the Witsarunemitea being the Nugisomukami. Eruru snaps him out of it and asks if it’s ok for him always to be here. Fortunately, Hakuoro has Benaui to depend on for administrative things. Oboro comes in to the room asking about something from Eruru. It seems that thanks to the twins, he got really drunk last night and they all ended up sleeping (naked) on the same bed. Anyway, Oboro has a hangover and so Eruru provides him with some medicine. It tastes horrible, so she adds some honey. This turns the medicine purple and gives it a very strong stench. Oboro’s reluctance to drink it causes Eruru to become self-conscious about her lack of skills. Seeing this, Hakuoro forces Oboro drink it, despite Oboro’s protests that he could die. As Hakuoro walks the streets of the city, he can hear Dorii and Guraa calling out worriedly to Oboro. Hakuoro then gets spotted by Karura, who wants him to keep her company. She starts hitting on him, but gets interrupted by Touka. The Evenkuruga scolds him for being defenseless, reminding him that ambushes could lurk anywhere - right as she looks straight in Karura’s direction.
Back in the throne room, the merchant Chikinaro is paying Hakuoro another visit and he gets Touka furious by calling her Hakuoro’s new concubine. As for his wares, this time Chikinaro has brought a rabbit-like animal which Benaui identifies as a Mikyuumu. Touka immediately takes a liking to it, as do all the other girls. To everyone’s disappointment, Hakuoro doesn’t want to buy it since they’ve already got Mukkuru. Eruru happens to mention that her grandmother once said that the Mikyuumu’s livers are effective medicines against whatever kind of sickness. Hearing this, Oboro wants to buy it for Yuzuha’s sake. Sensing the danger, the Mikyuumu starts emitting a sound wave that causes everyone to cover their ears. It escapes and runs all the way outside to Aruru and Yuzuha who are snacking. Oboro tries to get the two girls to give up the animal, but Aruru refuses because she can understand the Mikyuumu, whose name is Gachatara, and it says that Oboro wants to kill it. Oboro decides to tell Yuzuha about the liver, but Yuzuha doesn’t want to be healed at in that way. She says that she gets a bad feeling from Oboro and she hates it. Hakuoro ends up having no choice but to buy the Mikyuumu since it now recognizes Aruru, the one who named it, as its master.
That night, Oboro is drinking again, though this time with Hakuoro in addition to the twins. In his drunken state, he says that he’ll be with Hakuoro for eternity and he hopes that Hakuoro can keep Yuzuha happy. Hakuoro leaves Oboro in the hands of the twins and goes outside to allow Genjimaru to take him away to Kuuya. Kuuya starts this conversation by asking how many people Hakuoro has in his room, referring to concubines. Hakuoro denies having anyone, making Kuuya ask him about his country’s fate with no heir. Hakuoro claims he’s still single, though Kuuya had heard that he was a lustful emperor with many in his room. Kuuya tells him that he should be embarrassed if there are women he holds dear. He then changes the subject to Hakuoro’s mask, but Hakuoro hasn’t been able to take it off. Kuuya tries himself, but is equally unsuccessful. He had really wanted to see Hakuoro’s face, though Hakuoro points out that Kuuya is also hiding his face.
Kuuya removes his mask revealing a blonde woman underneath, much to Hakuoro’s surprise. Kuuya knows that she’s a girl lacking dignity and knows that she wouldn’t have to wear the mask if she was more mature. Feeling the cool breeze on her face, Kuuya tells a story of how, without the divine protection of Onvitaikayan, the people of the world bore strife and conflict. The strong seek hegemony while those without power become victims. The Shakukoporu didn’t have power, but they did gain the favor of the Onvitaikayan. They became oppressed by everyone else and there was no one to save them. But they hadn’t been completely deserted because they had obtained a power. When Hakuoro asks her why she’s telling him this, she admits that she got absorbed in telling the story. Later that night, after Kuuya and Hakuoro part ways, something large is making tracks through the forest.
If you’re unsure about any vocabulary (and there is a lot this episode), refer to Mastress Alita’s Glossary.

Preview:

I present to you Exhibit A.
Interpret it how you like in the ongoing “Are the twins male or female” debate. Personally I don’t think it really clears up anything, though it’s fun to watch and ponder about it. Maybe it’ll be one of those mysteries that they keep unsolved until the very end of the series.
Lots of cute moments from the girls this week too, like Eruru’s tail wagging when Hakuoro complimented her and Touka’s tsundere moments when Gachatara appeared. Coupled with the twins debacle and this episode turned out to be quite funny.
On a more serious note, Kuuya spends a lot of time this episode talking about gods and religion. It just raised more questions than it answered, such as what it has to do with the overall story. Perhaps it’s related somehow to Hakuoro’s monster form? Speaking of which, what was that rampaging around in the forest at the end there…?
Next week, a Karura-centric story!