Episode 06: The Master of the Inn

## Plot

The scene begins with Haku enjoying himself alone in an open air bath. Surprisingly, on a ledge on the other side of the bath, a woman sat naked, drinking Sake. Due to the shadows and the steam, her features were not seen well. Haku then prepares to leave quietly, however, the woman calls him over for a drink, instead of reprimanding him.

Upon closer observation, the woman has on her a very noticeable choker made of iron, a remnant of a chain which used to be attached to her neck. Her violet hair hangs down her body and her blue eyes shine meaningfully as she observes the relatively calm Haku.

They engage on small talk as they drink sake. And Karulau, the woman mentioned, which apparently is the same Karulau from the first Utawarerumono adaptation asks Haku his name. Karulau reacts to it, though she does not show it to Haku. Haku also mentions that he's currently staying over in the inn. Eventually, she leaves naked, and nonchalantly says that she's going to meet Haku soon. Haku faces up and mumbles that the sake is delicious.

Back in his room, Kuon enters while Haku is reading an invitation from the master of the inn to a banquet at the topmost floor of the inn. Haku says Kuon could come, to which the latter agreed, saying that it would not be fair for him to only enjoy the drinks and the food.

When they reach what seemed to be the top floor, they looked through the balconies and marveled at the view of the capital. Then Kuon noticed a puzzle hung on a wall, and quickly solved it, feeling somewhat familiar about it. Upon solving the puzzle, a mechanism opened a passage through the ceiling and a stairway popped down. Feeling a somewhat ominous premonition, Kuon persuaded Haku to go back, but Haku insisted, saying that there's just this stairway to climb. Haku goes on first.

Upon reaching the top of the stairs, Haku enters into what he thought to be a dark empty room filled with violet steam, coming from a scented pot. As he looks around, Karulau appears from behind him, without him noticing, and smiles a meaningful one.

Kuon eventually reaches the top, and sees Karulau on top of Haku (while Karulau saying that Haku really reminded her of someone she knew, apparently Hakuowlo from the first adaptation), and surprisingly, she awkwardly attempts to leave, only to be stopped by Karulau, calling Kuon by her name.

Eventually, they settle down and it is revealed that Kuon and Karulau seem to be on a mother-to-daughter relationship, though the latter would release an ominous presence whenever Kuon calls her "mother (okaa-sama)" so Kuon quickly calls her "Big Sister (onee-sama)." Haku then insists that the banquet begin, to which Kuon reprimands him. Karulau calls to a maid of the inn, and the maid enters bringing food and tea.

Kuon notices that the said maid is Touka (the same from the first adaptation), and calls her "Touka okaa-sama", which the latter vehemently denies, though it is already obvious.

Settling down again, the two "mothers" ask about Kuon's health and faring, all while being stiff and unnaturally formal. Haku notices this again and asks Kuon if it is common in this country to act like that when meeting relatives not met for a long time. Kuon disagrees, and asks why the two mothers decided to call them over.

Karulau playfully explains that a certain someone (hinting Touka) wanted to see Haku and Kuon and wouldn't shut up about it. Karulau asks Haku to introduce himself again, to which Touka calls him Haku-dono awkwardly, seemingly uncomfortable, since the term of familiarity is close to what she calls Hakuowlo before. Haku insists calling him without honorifics and Touka blushes and overloads as she does.

Haku then insists drinking, to which Karulau complied, having offered a game of drinking. Kuon actively discourages Haku from doing so, but Haku pays her no heed, and grandly loses to Karulau who doesn't seem to be fazed by the amount of alcohol she drank. With Haku passed out, they proceeded with eating.

## Characters

*By order of appearances*

* Haku
* Karulau
* Kuon
* Touka