Episode 8

## Nightmares and Ominous Shadows

**Nightmares and Ominous Shadows** (悪夢と不穏な影と, *Akumu to Fuon na Kage to*?) is the eighth episode of the *My Happy Marriage* anime series.

## Synopsis

The graveyard of deceased Gift-users, Burial Grounds, is said to have been unsealed. As an unprecedented crisis looms over the country, a Divine Revelation has descended upon the Emperor's second prince, Takaihito. During an audience with Takaihito, Kiyoka, along with Masashi, who is in command of the entire Special Anti-Grotesquerie Unit, and Kazushi, the new head of the Tatsuishi family, is told that a life-threatening battle is about to begin and that something bad is about to happen to Miyo...

## Summary

Kiyoka Kudou discusses the Burial Grounds’s history with Masashi Ookaito. He says this is a place where those who had supernatural abilities are buried. It’s also a location where spirits who turned into Grotesqueries because of negative sentiments are sealed off permanently. He says if the rumors about someone opening the Burial Grounds are true and the Grotesqueries awakened from it, it can lead to the Imperial Capital suffering gravely. General Masashi Ookaito questions who could’ve broken the seal and what was their purpose.

The two meet up with Kazushi Tatsuishi, and the trio visit Prince Takaihito to discuss matters. Kazushi introduces himself to Takaihito as the new head of the Tatsuishi family. He thanks Takaihito for granting him an audience today and apologizes for his father’s actions. Kazushi says the Kudou family will assist him in restoring his family’s honor and trust. Takaihito forgives Kazushi’s family on his father’s behalf and asks Kazushi to live up to his words.

Takaihito shares his Divine Revelation with Masashi, Kazushi, and Kiyoka and promises to let them know if he sees anything else. Takihito brings up Miyo Saimori and says things will get difficult for him soon. However, he has no doubt they’ll be fine. Meanwhile, Hazuki helps Miyo with her “proper lady” training, from helping her smile to walking in a dress.

Kiyoka ponders what Takaihito knows about his and Miyo’s fate. He looks at a pamphlet and recalls the words the investigator told him about Miyo’s mother and the Usuba family. He shares what he knows of the Usuba family’s abilities and wonders if Miyo’s nightmares are linked to someone in said family. Kiyoka leaves the Special Anti-Grotesquerie Unit station early.

Hazuki explains Miyo’s next steps in her training to her. She asks Miyo if she can drop the “Miss” when addressing her because she wants Miyo to feel safe when relying on her and because they’ll become family soon. Hazuki leaves. Miyo ponders what it means to be “family.”

Meanwhile, Kiyoka speaks with the investigator and asks him if he found anything on the Usuba family. The investigator reports he only found rumors in circulation that mention them. He says Sumi Usuba is the only Usuba they know of. Kiyoka asks the investigator to find information about Sumi and report it to him when he does.

After undergoing more sessions with Hazuki’s aid, Hazuki asks Miyo about Kiyoka and why he’s arriving home late recently. Miyo tells Hazuki he’s been busy at work, and she wants to put in a similar effort with her “proper lady” training. An envoy from the Ministry of the Imperial Household arrives at the Special Anti-Grotesquerie Unit station. The envoy introduces himself as Arata Tsuruki to Kiyoka. Arata says the Ministry is racing to retrieve the Grotesqueries since the Burial Ground has been opened. He says the Ministry doesn’t know who is behind it, but he states they found many suspicious men collapsed near the crime scene. Kiyoka asks him why the Ministry is sharing this intel with him. Arata claims 20% of the Grotesqueries have been retrieved, and he believes they’re short-staffed to handle this situation. Arata explains his negotiator position with Kiyoka and admits he researched him prior to their meeting. Kiyoka says he’d be happy to aid the Ministry with their needs. Arata says he’ll serve as Kiyoka’s point of contact for further operations.

Kiyoka, Yoshito Godou, and the others visit the Burial Grounds. They retrieve some of the men at the site. Kazushi and Masashi discuss matters involving one of the men they retrieved while the man is unconscious. Masashi convinced he’s one of the men who was involved in the unsealing. Masashi says the other men they retrieved from the site are out cold and don’t know if they’ll wake up. They inspect all the men who got hit with a curse after coming into contact with a Grotesquerie. Kazushi explains he’s only great at lifting curses from living beings and not dead ones. Masashi asks Kazushi to do his best.

Kiyoka hears something in the forest while Kazushi attempts to remove the man's curse. Kazushi’s taken aback by the curse’s strength and says it’s overwhelming. Kiyoka and his men encounter some Grotesqueries while Miyo has a nightmare about being surrounded by these Grotesqueries. Miyo awakens from the nightmare as Kiyoka battles the Grotesqueries. We cut to Arata and Yoshirou Usuba discussing the Gift's awakening happening soon and how Arata is its sworn protector.

After Kiyoka and his men survive their exchange with the Grotesqueries, we cut to Miyo, Yurie, and Hazuki traveling through town in the morning. Hazuki notices Miyo’s pale and suggests they return home. Miyo collapses, but before she falls to the ground, she believes Kiyoka saves her. However, Miyo’s savior turns out to be Arata as he introduces himself to Miyo.

## Characters in Order of Appearance

* Kiyoka Kudou
* Masashi Ookaito
* Kazushi Tatsuishi
* Takaihito
* Miyo Saimori
* Hazuki Kudou
* Kaya Saimori (flashback)
* Yoshito Godou
* Iwashimizu
* Sumi Saimori (mentioned)
* Arata Tsuruki
* Yurie
* Yoshirou Usuba

## Adaptation Notes

* The opening scene of the desecrated Burial Grounds with the hand of a corpse visible is exclusive to the anime. In the original novel, the place is never shown.
* After looking at the report on the Saimori family he received earlier, Kiyoka heads out to meet Iwashimizu in his car while it is raining. In the novel, he never meets any informant, and only reads an interim report on an investigation into the Usuba family that he had personally commissioned an unnamed private investigator to gather after meeting Arata.
* Arata is seen arriving at the Unit Headquarters by car, while Kiyoka and Yoshito discuss about how unusual it is that the Ministry of the Imperial Household would send someone over. This scene is exclusive to the anime. In the novel, it starts directly with Arata introducing himself to Kiyoka.
* The scene of Kiyoka, Yoshito and a group of officers from his unit doing a field investigation of the Burial Grounds at night is exclusive to the anime. In the novel, Kiyoka never personally goes there until after the duel with Arata that takes place later.
* The scene of Masashi and Kazushi with a corpse of one of the unsealing perpetrators is exclusive to the anime. In the novel, this never happened.
* The scene of Arata and Yoshirou talking about the signs, while Arata touches the trunk of a cherry blossom tree is exclusive to the anime. Also, the cherry blossom tree doesn't exist in the novel.
* Miyo is wearing Western clothing when she goes to the city to practice what she learnt. In the novel, she is wearing a summery kimono with a pretty fringed pink flower pattern over its cool white-and-blue fabric. In the same scene, a boy collides with Miyo while running past her, causing her pouch to fall to the ground. After picking it up, she collapses. In the novel, there are no children around her and she collapses without any specific trigger. Also, the entire situation only happens after Arata already met Kiyoka in an earlier scene, whereas in the novel it happens prior to their meeting.

## References

1. ↑ STORY I Official Anime Website
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1  Novel, Volume 2 Chapter 2
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2  Novel, Volume 2 Chapter 3
4. ↑  Novel, Volume 2 Prologue