1
00:00:02,460 --> 00:00:05,547
ORIGINAL STORY BY NATSU HYUUGA

2
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THIS STORY IS A FICION, AND ALL NAMES OF
FIGURES ND ORGANIZATIONS ARE FICTITIOUS.

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MOREOVER, THE STORY HAS NO RELATION
TO REAL-LIFE INCIDENTS AND EVENTS.

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How do you lower the price of a courtesan?

5
00:01:38,181 --> 00:01:42,268
If you get her pregnant,
she is essentially worthless.

6
00:01:50,276 --> 00:01:52,612
Isn't that the restaurant you're going to?

7
00:01:58,159 --> 00:02:00,703
All right. I'll be off then.

8
00:02:07,502 --> 00:02:08,461
Here?

9
00:02:09,295 --> 00:02:13,258
We're disguised.
It would be pointless if I went in.

10
00:02:14,008 --> 00:02:15,093
Right.

11
00:02:16,010 --> 00:02:17,095
I'll be off then.

12
00:02:24,853 --> 00:02:25,812
I'm fine.

13
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I think I was able to say that
with no emotion.

14
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Enjoy the night.

15
00:03:05,101 --> 00:03:08,771
A dream of my past?
No, it was when I was a baby.

16
00:03:14,068 --> 00:03:16,237
Is it because I talked
about that yesterday

17
00:03:16,321 --> 00:03:17,906
Good morning.

18
00:03:19,741 --> 00:03:21,534
Good morning, Old Man.

19
00:03:23,786 --> 00:03:27,457
-What will you do today?
-I have no plans.

20
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In that case, will you go to
the Verdigris House for me?

21
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Sure.

22
00:03:40,720 --> 00:03:43,640
Hey, Maomao. Shouldn't you be at work?

23
00:03:43,723 --> 00:03:45,767
I got the day off.

24
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You got the day off, but you still
come to the apothecary?

25
00:03:52,482 --> 00:03:55,443
It's on the way.
It's not why I'm here, but…

26
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Wait, Pairin!

27
00:03:57,445 --> 00:04:00,031
We don't need to talk about that anymore!

28
00:04:00,114 --> 00:04:02,325
Oh? Maomao!

29
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Welcome home!

30
00:04:09,540 --> 00:04:11,542
That's too hot, Big Sis Pairin.

31
00:04:11,626 --> 00:04:14,796
I'm cold from all of Granny's scolding!

32
00:04:14,879 --> 00:04:18,549
We're not done talking! Which will it be?

33
00:04:18,633 --> 00:04:19,759
What?

34
00:04:19,842 --> 00:04:23,137
I don't really get it,
but Big Sis Pairin has it hard too.

35
00:04:23,221 --> 00:04:26,724
Just decide! It's your fault
for not leaving this place.

36
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That's why I make these deals for you!

37
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I didn't ask for that!

38
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-You're always so selfish!
-What do you mean, selfish?

39
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What? Maomao is here?

40
00:04:37,944 --> 00:04:39,737
She was here the whole time.

41
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Is she going to the outhouse?

42
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Good morning.

43
00:05:01,926 --> 00:05:04,846
I used to get kicked out
because she hated me back then,

44
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but she doesn't have the energy for that
anymore.

45
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Or, maybe she can't talk.

46
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Her illness is progressing.
Her memory has been ripped to shreds.

47
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Old Man's medicines work well,

48
00:05:26,576 --> 00:05:28,703
but at this point, they're not effective.

49
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Even then,
this is the only treatment we know.

50
00:05:37,628 --> 00:05:40,506
That customer is here again.

51
00:05:42,592 --> 00:05:45,511
He's got a nose for this.

52
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Call for Meimei.

53
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The Verdigris House is now
a prestigious brothel, but

54
00:05:53,186 --> 00:05:54,520
a little over ten years ago,

55
00:05:54,604 --> 00:05:57,398
there was a time when
the name of this brothel was tainted.

56
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This courtesan took on customers
in those few years,

57
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and unfortunately contracted syphilis.

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VERDIGRIS HOUSE

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By the time Old Man visited
the Verdigris House,

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the disease had reached
its incubation period.

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00:06:14,582 --> 00:06:17,919
It could've been treated if he could
inform them of the illness,

62
00:06:18,002 --> 00:06:21,047
but there was no way
the women would believe

63
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a former eunuch

64
00:06:22,131 --> 00:06:24,550
who appeared out of nowhere.

65
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One has to take on clients to eat.

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00:06:29,764 --> 00:06:31,557
That is the law of the brothel.

67
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A few years ago, once
the rashes reappeared again,

68
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the tumor spread like wildfire.

69
00:06:42,985 --> 00:06:46,239
After that, this woman was forced
to live in this outhouse

70
00:06:46,322 --> 00:06:48,616
where she cannot be reached
by the customers.

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A courtesan who can
no longer be of any use.

72
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At least she wasn't thrown out
into the gutter.

73
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The smell is trapped in here.
I'll burn some incense.

74
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-What's wrong?
-Big Sis told me.

75
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That weird glasses man is here.

76
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So you shouldn't come back here.

77
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I see.

78
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As long as I stay here, he won't come.

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A client of the Verdigris House.
A familiar face of many years.

80
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What a

81
00:08:12,575 --> 00:08:13,618
stupid woman…

82
00:08:24,378 --> 00:08:27,798
Good work! That customer left.

83
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Were you with him, Big Sis Meimei?

84
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There's no one else.

85
00:08:33,137 --> 00:08:36,515
I'm glad.
Big Sis seems to be doing well today.

86
00:08:37,934 --> 00:08:40,311
Maomao, you got that offer again?

87
00:08:40,895 --> 00:08:41,896
What?

88
00:08:43,481 --> 00:08:45,525
Big Sis, how do you deal with them?

89
00:08:46,150 --> 00:08:47,151
It's not so bad.

90
00:08:47,235 --> 00:08:50,404
Granny doesn't say anything
as long as he pays well.

91
00:08:50,988 --> 00:08:55,117
Grams wants me to become a courtesan
for that very reason.

92
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If I hadn't been hired by the court,
I might've been sold off by now.

93
00:08:59,288 --> 00:09:02,208
It's a once in a lifetime chance for some.

94
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Don't you know how few courtesans desire

95
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and are desired in return?

96
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Grams would kick away

97
00:09:08,464 --> 00:09:11,384
anything of that sort
with the weight of the silver.

98
00:09:12,677 --> 00:09:15,179
She's saving up for the ferry boarding fee
for heaven.

99
00:09:15,263 --> 00:09:16,555
It can't be helped.

100
00:09:19,767 --> 00:09:23,646
I'm around the age where I have to
start thinking of what's next.

101
00:09:23,729 --> 00:09:25,648
She's not yet 30,

102
00:09:25,731 --> 00:09:28,651
but she's at the retirement age
for courtesans.

103
00:09:29,944 --> 00:09:31,195
You could work independently.

104
00:09:33,239 --> 00:09:35,032
Just a little bit longer…

105
00:09:41,289 --> 00:09:44,500
I want to work here
for a little bit longer.

106
00:09:46,377 --> 00:09:48,754
I don't really understand

107
00:09:48,838 --> 00:09:50,506
Big Sis Meimei's feelings..

108
00:09:51,424 --> 00:09:53,384
I don't want to think about it too deeply,

109
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if it's the thing called love.

110
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I left behind those feelings

111
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inside the body of the woman
who birthed me.

112
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Should I rinse your back?
It's been a while.

113
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-No, it's fine.
-Come on!

114
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It's been a while since
we rinsed each other!

115
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Let her do it.

116
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You probably can't come back
again for a while.

117
00:10:30,588 --> 00:10:32,214
Really?

118
00:10:32,798 --> 00:10:36,218
We're offering you a service. Don't forget
to bring more rich customers!

119
00:10:52,401 --> 00:10:56,781
I didn't think the meeting place
offered these types of services.

120
00:10:57,990 --> 00:11:00,576
I didn't go there to buy such things.

121
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Apothecary, may we talk?

122
00:11:17,301 --> 00:11:18,135
Yes, sir.

123
00:11:18,969 --> 00:11:20,471
Drink this with Suiren.

124
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It's a gift from the eccentric.

125
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The eccentric?

126
00:11:26,727 --> 00:11:29,146
-Thank you.
-Sure.

127
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I'll be going back to work now.

128
00:11:40,991 --> 00:11:42,576
My, my.

129
00:11:45,287 --> 00:11:47,665
We're having a Buddhist meal today.

130
00:11:47,748 --> 00:11:50,626
So don't snack on any meat or fish,
Xiaomao.

131
00:11:53,629 --> 00:11:55,172
Just because we're on a break

132
00:11:55,256 --> 00:11:57,258
doesn't mean you can wander off like that.

133
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Yes.

134
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A Buddhist meal.

135
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Shoot.

136
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I thought I'd be able to get my mind
off of it once I started working.

137
00:12:08,769 --> 00:12:09,979
Also,

138
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you're not allowed to hide strange herbs
inside the closet.

139
00:12:16,318 --> 00:12:17,570
She's really observant.

140
00:12:17,653 --> 00:12:21,157
If there's no place to put them,
you could ask Sir Jinshi

141
00:12:21,240 --> 00:12:23,659
to use one of the leftover rooms.

142
00:12:24,368 --> 00:12:26,620
No. I cannot use an aristocrat's room

143
00:12:26,704 --> 00:12:28,622
as a medicine cabinet.

144
00:12:29,206 --> 00:12:32,084
Xiaomao, you look like you don't care,

145
00:12:32,168 --> 00:12:34,587
but you're actually careful
about boundaries.

146
00:12:34,670 --> 00:12:37,965
I'm born of a very low status.
It's very strange

147
00:12:38,048 --> 00:12:40,926
that I'm in a place like this.

148
00:12:41,510 --> 00:12:42,636
That's true.

149
00:12:43,345 --> 00:12:46,640
But just because someone was
born into a high status

150
00:12:46,724 --> 00:12:49,602
doesn't mean they're
completely different people.

151
00:12:50,603 --> 00:12:52,354
You don't know

152
00:12:52,438 --> 00:12:55,566
what sorts of things life will
throw at you.

153
00:12:55,649 --> 00:12:59,069
Dividing everything by status
is such a waste.

154
00:13:00,446 --> 00:13:01,572
You think so?

155
00:13:01,655 --> 00:13:03,908
Yes.

156
00:13:03,991 --> 00:13:07,912
All right, time to work.
Can you run an errand for me?

157
00:13:09,121 --> 00:13:12,416
Excuse me! I'm here to get some medicine.

158
00:13:12,500 --> 00:13:15,085
All right. Wait here.

159
00:13:21,217 --> 00:13:25,346
It's nothing like the rear palace
medical office run by the quack doctor.

160
00:13:26,096 --> 00:13:29,183
This is close to the military base,
so they treat many injuries.

161
00:13:31,852 --> 00:13:34,855
I love this smell that spreads
a bitter taste in my mouth!

162
00:13:35,564 --> 00:13:38,442
I wonder what's in the cabinets?

163
00:13:38,526 --> 00:13:42,029
I want to raid this whole office…

164
00:13:42,613 --> 00:13:45,282
No, I can't! Stop it!

165
00:13:45,366 --> 00:13:46,534
What are you doing?

166
00:13:50,371 --> 00:13:51,789
She's from back then…

167
00:13:53,999 --> 00:13:55,918
I'm just waiting for my medicine.

168
00:13:57,628 --> 00:13:58,712
Suirei!

169
00:14:00,714 --> 00:14:01,715
You were here?

170
00:14:02,675 --> 00:14:05,010
I'm here to stock up on medications
for the station.

171
00:14:05,094 --> 00:14:06,011
I see.

172
00:14:09,765 --> 00:14:11,433
The station?

173
00:14:12,226 --> 00:14:16,564
Right, we met before
near the military base.

174
00:14:17,731 --> 00:14:21,402
She must've smelled like medicinal herbs
because she works at the military.

175
00:14:25,281 --> 00:14:28,367
Why does she hate me so much?

176
00:14:28,450 --> 00:14:30,536
Do you need anything else?

177
00:14:30,619 --> 00:14:31,996
Not particularly.

178
00:14:34,707 --> 00:14:37,626
She wouldn't need to work
as a court lady in her position…

179
00:14:38,877 --> 00:14:41,922
It's nothing. I'll get your medicine!

180
00:14:48,304 --> 00:14:49,805
What medicine is this?

181
00:14:54,143 --> 00:14:55,561
Lick!

182
00:14:56,979 --> 00:14:58,606
Potato powder?

183
00:14:58,689 --> 00:15:01,066
This is for Sir Jinshi, right?

184
00:15:01,650 --> 00:15:05,571
Now that I think about it, there are
many mysteries surrounding Sir Jinshi.

185
00:15:05,654 --> 00:15:10,075
Like the work he receives regularly,
about two times a month.

186
00:15:11,035 --> 00:15:13,662
He takes a long bath the day before

187
00:15:13,746 --> 00:15:15,581
and burns incense and goes out.

188
00:15:16,206 --> 00:15:17,541
Same with the Buddhist meals.

189
00:15:18,459 --> 00:15:19,877
Like a purification ceremony.

190
00:15:20,502 --> 00:15:22,630
Can eunuchs perform rituals as well?

191
00:15:24,006 --> 00:15:27,051
It wouldn't be strange
if he was of royalty.

192
00:15:27,134 --> 00:15:29,637
But why would someone like that become
a eunuch?

193
00:15:29,720 --> 00:15:33,182
Could it be that Sir Jinshi
was also forced to be a eunuch

194
00:15:33,265 --> 00:15:36,894
by the previous Emperor's Wife?

195
00:15:37,728 --> 00:15:39,313
Like Old Man.

196
00:15:40,814 --> 00:15:44,568
That girl's adoptive father is
a former eunuch and physician.

197
00:15:44,652 --> 00:15:47,279
If she was taught by a former physician,

198
00:15:47,363 --> 00:15:49,531
it makes sense that she is
so knowledgeable.

199
00:15:50,366 --> 00:15:52,868
-But he was a former eunuch?
-Yes.

200
00:15:53,494 --> 00:15:56,997
I can't think of such a skilled physician
who was a eunuch…

201
00:16:03,963 --> 00:16:06,006
Excuse me.

202
00:16:08,801 --> 00:16:11,929
Should we continue our discussion
from last time?

203
00:16:19,978 --> 00:16:24,108
It seems you've done a terrible thing.

204
00:16:24,191 --> 00:16:25,734
That is quite rude!

205
00:16:25,818 --> 00:16:28,028
You're one to talk.

206
00:16:28,612 --> 00:16:31,991
It took more than ten years
to convince that old woman.

207
00:16:32,074 --> 00:16:36,829
So imagine my shock
when someone snatched her away!

208
00:16:38,122 --> 00:16:39,748
So you want your "treat" back?

209
00:16:40,332 --> 00:16:43,502
I'll pay whatever you want.

210
00:16:43,585 --> 00:16:46,714
I don't want to make the same mistake
as last time.

211
00:16:48,215 --> 00:16:49,383
What if I say no?

212
00:16:49,466 --> 00:16:53,429
In that case, I have nothing to say.

213
00:16:53,512 --> 00:16:55,806
There are only a few people

214
00:16:56,515 --> 00:16:59,518
who can go against your word,
with your high position.

215
00:17:00,227 --> 00:17:03,522
I knew it.
He knows what my true identity is.

216
00:17:03,605 --> 00:17:08,485
It all depends on what the girl thinks.

217
00:17:10,946 --> 00:17:12,948
I hate this.

218
00:17:13,449 --> 00:17:15,492
So, that's how it is.

219
00:17:17,244 --> 00:17:18,746
I don't want to accept it.

220
00:17:19,997 --> 00:17:23,917
But Lakan is Maomao's birth father.

221
00:17:31,884 --> 00:17:36,597
Will you tell her
that I'll come to see her soon?

222
00:17:37,723 --> 00:17:38,724
Goodbye.

223
00:17:47,983 --> 00:17:50,277
-Apothecary.
-Yes, sir.

224
00:17:51,195 --> 00:17:54,406
There's an official who wants
to meet with you.

225
00:17:55,157 --> 00:17:56,241
Who is it?

226
00:17:57,117 --> 00:17:59,578
It's the eccentric I've mentioned before.

227
00:17:59,661 --> 00:18:01,205
His name is Lakan.

228
00:18:08,003 --> 00:18:09,630
I'll tell him you can't.

229
00:18:10,380 --> 00:18:12,007
Thank you so much, sir.

230
00:18:12,508 --> 00:18:15,052
I'll be going back to work now.

231
00:18:18,931 --> 00:18:21,058
I've never seen her look like that.

232
00:18:22,518 --> 00:18:25,562
I'd prefer it
if I didn't see that ever again.

233
00:18:26,563 --> 00:18:29,817
So he knows, huh?

234
00:18:46,583 --> 00:18:49,795
This smell…
It's a field of medicinal herbs!

235
00:18:49,878 --> 00:18:52,798
Here, and here, and over there!

236
00:18:54,716 --> 00:18:57,344
You again?

237
00:19:01,223 --> 00:19:04,226
Shoot.
I look way too suspicious this time.

238
00:19:04,893 --> 00:19:07,729
Don't worry. I haven't taken anything yet.

239
00:19:07,813 --> 00:19:09,606
The dirt on your hands.

240
00:19:09,690 --> 00:19:13,110
Is it safe to assume that you were
planning to take these herbs?

241
00:19:17,447 --> 00:19:19,408
You're not in any trouble.

242
00:19:20,617 --> 00:19:22,828
This field doesn't belong to anyone.

243
00:19:22,911 --> 00:19:25,747
But the physicians know of this spot too.

244
00:19:25,831 --> 00:19:27,791
You shouldn't come here much.

245
00:19:28,959 --> 00:19:31,378
Were you assigned to maintain this place?

246
00:19:31,461 --> 00:19:32,462
Not really.

247
00:19:32,963 --> 00:19:36,049
I just grow what I want here.

248
00:19:36,967 --> 00:19:39,511
She's selectively picking out the weeds.

249
00:19:40,554 --> 00:19:43,265
I heard them call her Suirei.

250
00:19:43,932 --> 00:19:45,809
I'm one to talk,

251
00:19:46,310 --> 00:19:49,646
but she doesn't seem to be
the energetic type.

252
00:19:50,480 --> 00:19:52,316
What do you grow here?

253
00:19:57,779 --> 00:19:59,656
Resurrection medicine.

254
00:20:00,782 --> 00:20:02,242
You mean…?

255
00:20:02,326 --> 00:20:04,620
A medicine that could bring
the dead back to life.

256
00:20:05,579 --> 00:20:08,248
If something like that exists,

257
00:20:08,332 --> 00:20:10,375
I want it more than anything!

258
00:20:11,251 --> 00:20:12,628
I'm joking.

259
00:20:13,795 --> 00:20:14,922
Joking…?

260
00:20:15,005 --> 00:20:18,008
I heard you were an apothecary.

261
00:20:18,091 --> 00:20:20,636
Just how skilled are you?

262
00:20:22,221 --> 00:20:23,222
I'm not sure.

263
00:20:28,810 --> 00:20:30,979
In the near future,

264
00:20:31,480 --> 00:20:33,440
I'll plant some morning glories here.

265
00:20:43,158 --> 00:20:44,284
Goodbye.

266
00:22:36,021 --> 00:22:39,983
PREVIEW OF NEXT EPISODE

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00:22:47,657 --> 00:22:50,952
Next episode, "Chance, or Something More?"

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00:22:51,036 --> 00:22:51,953
Subtitle translation by: Yukimi Ohashi
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