After unexpectedly running into a series of "familiar faces", Hiiro decides to stay at the hotel to explore the situation in the village. Soon enough, the strange man appears again...
Will you be at the hotel for dinner later, Kentaro?
Sanki:
No... There are guests at the hotel. You should go back now.
???:
Eh? Leaving already? Ah... This kid. Still so cold even after so many days we've been together.
Vice:
It's yukata time!
Navigator:
Oh! So, these are the yukatas Hiiro was talking about!
Tweety:
You all look reawwy beautiful in those yukatas!
Vice:
Thank you! But, Tweety, if you're a member of the Courier Union, what are you doing working on Cloud Mountain?
Tweety:
My parents worked on the continent when I was a wittle hatchling, and our neighbor Gwammy took care of me! I'm not working. Gwammy tweets me like her own gwanddaughter, so I come and help out at the hotel on my breaks!
Haha, I think I can pretty much understand it now!
Vice:
She said, "The old lady treats me like a granddaughter, so of course I should come back and help her with the hotel when I'm on vacation."
???:
I'm back. Welcome to our hotel. Sorry, had to go out just now, so I couldn't greet you.
Tweety:
Gwammy is in chawge of this hotel!
Navigator:
Excuse me, ma'am, are you from the Astra mainland, too?
Granny:
No, I was born and raised here on Cloud Mountain.
Vice:
Do you know who we are?
Granny:
This is the first time we've met.
Navigator:
Great! Looks like you're a local despite your fluent Universese!
Granny:
Haha, you're a funny one.
Vice:
Sorry, this is our first time here. We're not too familiar with this place, so we might have asked too many questions.
Granny:
There's no need to be polite. You're guests of the Cloud Blossom Hotel, so please feel free to ask me anything.
Hiiro:
Well, can we ask you something about the Sakae Dojo?
Granny:
The Sakae Dojo? Just who are you?
Hiiro:
It doesn't matter who I am. I just heard that this place was originally a dojo... and I got a little curious.
Granny:
I'm sorry, dear guest, although I run the hotel... I'm not actually the owner, and I don't know much about that dojo. When I came here, the dojo had already disappeared, leaving only a patch of open land. My dear guest, could I please know your name? I can ask around for you. If anything comes up, I'll let you know.
Hiiro:
Alright. My name is Hiiro.
Granny:
Hiiro... What a wonderful name. Tweety, have you checked in our guests and asked how long they plan to stay?
Tweety:
All checked in for thwee days!
Granny:
Alright. Let's hope our guests can keep a low profile for the next three days...
Hiiro:
I assure you, we will not disturb anyone unrelated to this matter. In addition, please keep quiet about us being here.
Granny:
Of course, we never disclose our guests' information to anyone. Please rest assured. You can also go to Spa Street and ask around there. Maybe you'll find the information you seek.
Navigator:
We walked around the street all day but found nothing...
Vice:
Commander Hiiro, should we go back and rest first before we continue? Otherwise, there might be another situation like this morning...
Hiiro:
Are you worried that if I face another challenge in my current condition, I might lose again?
Vice:
Sorry.
Hiiro:
No, no... There's no need to apologize. You were right to worry. Let's go back and have a good rest today.
Navigator:
That's a "hot spring" for you. It seems to have rejuvenating properties. Isn't the temperature different from what Vice said before? I feel a little dizzy...
???:
Didn't you just arrive at the spring?
{{sd|Navigator|Yeah... I always take really quick baths. Ah, wait! Aren't you the one from before? The one who suddenly started a duel with Hiiro}
???:
You mean the one with pink hair?
Navigator:
What are you doing here? What do you want?
???:
It's called "sparring", not "dueling." Do you really need to be so afraid of me? I don't often come across fellow disciples. It's only natural that we should spar... and didn't that Hiiro also agree to it?
Navigator:
Huh? I guess that... kind of makes sense?
Hiiro:
Vice, don't play with the yukata.
Vice:
You should relax once in a while, Commander Hiiro! Don't be so uptight!
Navigator:
Are those... voices coming from the women's bath? Seems like this place isn't very soundproof...
???:
Not at all...
Navigator:
Then let's talk somewhere else.
Vice:
Speaking of which, Commander Hiiro is just like a cherry blossom.
Tweety:
I agwee! Hiiwo's just as you said!
Hiiro:
Maybe it's because I'm a member of the Sakura Family.
Tweety:
The Sakuwa famiwy? I heard it fwom Gwammy. That's one mysterious and powerful famiwy. But the Sakuwas are... Didn't they disappear a wong time ago?
Hiiro:
Indeed. They vanished a long time ago... The Sakuras' time was brief, but they faced death with unflinching bravery. I was already the last of my line long before I came of age.
Tweety:
I'm sowwy... I didn't mean to bwing up such a sad memowy...
Hiiro:
Don't worry. It's not a particularly sad memory for me. I was raised by my master, so I remember much about the Sakura Family. My master is the closest thing to a family to me... So I'm not very concerned with my birth family. Besides, being able to return to my hometown like this and see the cherry blossoms here is good enough for me.
Navigator:
Sorry, I thought you followed us into the hotel. But come to think of it, you're wearing a yukata... So you must be a guest here.
???:
Yes. But to be precise, I am an investor in this hotel. Here's my business card.
Navigator:
You're one of the hotel's investors? But your business card says you work in Umbraton!?
Taki:
You can just call me Taki. I have a company in Umbraton. You can come and find me if you ever have business there in the future.
Navigator:
I was surprised enough to find out Tweety's from the Courier Union, and now you're from Astra. But now I suddenly feel that meeting people from somewhere familiar it's actually quite comforting. I'm [Navigator]. I'm glad I met you like this, as I'm certain you'll make our investigation here all that much easier.
Taki:
Hmm, that's an interesting idea. I might just hold you to it and ask you to pay up.
Navigator:
Does that include consultations as well?
Taki:
Now, now, that's enough of that. Hiiro and I are both from Sakae Dojo, you know that, right?
Navigator:
I know... Hiiro told us something about the dojo.
Taki:
Hmm, it seems you people are someone I can trust.
*Whoosh*--
Taki:
Hey, did someone just run outside?
Navigator:
Huh? Who?
Taki:
I don't know. I didn't recognize them.
Navigator:
I'll take a look!
Vice:
Huh? You mean someone just...
Navigator:
(Vice and the others seem to be talking about something in the women's baths.)
Hiiro:
Shh! What's the noise outside? Tweety, don't go out there just yet. Let's go...
Navigator:
Vice, are you guys alright in there?
Hiiro:
[Navigator]? You...
Navigator:
I just came in from outside to see if there was anything wrong.
Vice:
Trying to sneak a peek? I never would've expected...
Navigator:
Huh? What's wrong?
Tweety:
Eh-eh-eh? Were you twying to peep?
Navigator:
Peep? No, that's not it at all! I didn't look inside! I just saw a suspicious person running outside, so I came in to see what happened. It's just that this place isn't that soundproof. I accidentally heard...
Vice:
What did you hear?
Navigator:
First, I heard, "Don't play with the yukata." No, I really wasn't eavesdropping!
Vice:
[Navigator]! Tell us the truth!
Navigator:
Wait! Vice! I really didn't peek!
Vice:
So, who was it peeking from outside?
Navigator:
I think... it was a kid?
Vice:
You mean a kid like you!?
Navigator:
No! I think the person who came out of the hotel was actually peeping! I remember seeing a topless boy with long hair... Maybe he was from Spa Street!
Vice:
We don't even have any girls with long hair here... [Navigator], you're not lying to me, are you?
Navigator:
Of course I'm not! Just wait. I'm sure I can recognize him if I see him again. Let's go confront him together!
