Chapter 229

## Perfect Mother

**Perfect Mother** (完璧な母, *Kanpekina Haha*) is the 229th chapter of the *Golden Kamuy* manga.

## Synopsis

During his journey, Tanigaki saves an elderly woman from a robber and as thanks, she gives him some travel funds and a horse for him to ride on. He thinks about killing Sugimoto and that he is not the kind of cold-blooded person to kill someone with whom he spent time together and wonders if it is possible to kill a person who has survived a shot to the head. Tanigaki believes that even if he did kill Sugimoto, there is no way that Asirpa would listen to Tsurumi but changes his mind as Tsurumi would be able to use any means possible to make her talk.

Tanigaki then thinks that if he were to kill Sugimoto, it would only make Asirpa unhappy and that if he were to bring her back to her grandmother in that state, then she would also be unhappy. He comes to another option that he could pretend to search for Asirpa until the battle for the gold is over, but notes that it coud take decades and that he would be unable to see Inkarmat or their child and wonders if he has no other choices but to keep looking for Asirpa.

At a clinic, Ienaga examines Inkarmat, saying that she is about nine months pregnant and that the baby will come at any time. She praises Inkarmat’s belly shape and says that it reminds her of her mother and that she had admired her when she was also pregnant. However, her mother had fallen down on the stairs and had a miscarriage. Ienaga declares that she wants to help deliver Inkarmat’s baby and Inkarmat gives her her blessing as she had saved her life and Ienaga asks for her placenta afterwards as she had heard it is full of nutrients.

Later at night, Inkarmat hears someone outside of her door and it opens to reveal that Tanigaki has found her and they embrace each other in a hug with Inkarmat saying that she knew he would come for her. Some time earlier, Tanigaki scouts out the hospital in Abashiri, noting that if he asks the faculty there about Inkarmat’s whereabouts, then Tsurumi will find out that he came to the hospital. Tanigaki spots a boy at a nearby store chewing on an ikema root and the boy gives him a message from Inkarmat along with a postcard containing a picture of the Otaru Port.

At the Otaru hospital, Tanigaki reveals that he failed to bring Asirpa back to her grandmother so his only option is to run away and that he wishes to have Inkarmat and their baby with him even if it puts them in danger. Inkarmat states that she had sent him the letter because she wanted him to come to her and that she is prepared for whatever happens. Tanigaki says that they should hurry and get ready as Tsukishima left his guard duties to go take a bath, but he is unaware that Tsukishima has already returned and spotted his horse.

Tanigaki and Inkarmat hear a sound coming from outside of the door, which Tanigaki identifies as belonging to footsteps made with hobnailed military boots and that it came from the second floor. Tanigaki and Inkarmat thinks about what they should do and as the mysterious person stands right outside their door, Tanigaki pulls out a gun, prepared to shoot. The person moves away from the door and Tanigaki slowly opens it only for Tsukishima to kick the door down and sending Tanigaki flying onto the floor.

Tsukishima kicks the gun out of Tanigaki’s hand and picks it up, saying that since Tanigaki is here, it would mean that he is violating Tsurumi’s orders. Inkarmat jumps in between them and questions Tsukishima’s sense of justice, asking him to kill her first. Suddenly, Ienaga jumps onto Tsukishima and injects a fluid into his neck, telling Tanigaki and Inkarmat to run. Grasping onto his neck, Tsukishima quickly turns around and shoots Ienaga twice in her chest before Tanigaki wrestles with him for the gun.

## Character Appearances

* Genjirou Tanigaki
* Cikapasi *(Flashback)*
* Saichi Sugimoto *(Flashback)*
* Huci *(Flashback)*
* Inkarmat
* Kano Ienaga
* Hajime Tsukishima