Sakurako-san no Ashimoto ni wa Shitai ga Umatteiru

I was born in a city where time has ceased to exist.

For better or worse, the city stubbornly keeps its own rhythm

and despises change.

Here, the stagnant flow of time is called "peace and quiet."

Straight and unyielding, like a femur,

time's flow represses the city and its denizens' hearts.

Great time of year, isn't it?

Yeah.

Morning, Imai.

What's going on?

It's dead, isn't it?

Poor thing.

Let's go, Tatewaki.

Excuse me. Please let me through.

Hey...

Could someone bring newspaper, a plastic bag,

and a cardboard box from the school?

Um, I'll go.

Real death gives people pause.

As it should.

Just a while ago, I would have reacted the same way.

But I've...

I've since met her.

That's why...

Rest in peace, and don't haunt us.

We probably should have taken it to animal services or something...

I'm sorry to ask this of you, Isozaki-sensei.

Well, as a life sciences instructor,

I do teach my students the importance of life every day.

Thank you for your help, too.

Uh, er...

Kougami-san. She's in the class next to ours.

You know each other?

I'm in the tennis club with Imai-kun.

I'm Kougami Yuriko.

Nice to meet you.

I'm Tatewaki Shoutarou.

Come to think of it, I remember hearing somewhere

that beneath the cherry trees...

...dead bodies are buried.

It's a story by Kajii Motojirou.

Beneath the cherry trees...

Asahikawa City, Hokkaido Prefecture.

This is where I live.

Lately, the zoo has grown very popular, drawing quite a few visitors to the city.

Asahikawa City Asahiyama Zoo

But time flows very slowly here.

Or to be more blunt, the city has stagnated.

Still, I do like this city.

Memories of the past dwell here,

quiet and kind.

Kujou

And...

There is someone here who cares greatly about those

who lived in the past.

Yes, here...

Here, beneath

the Kujou family's

cherry tree...

Hi, boy.

I'm glad you came.

...there is a princess

who loves bones.

The First Bone The Princess Who Loves Bones

What?

So you buried the kitten?

That's disappointing.

Isn't that what any normal person would do?

Then I suppose I'm not normal.

Well...

This is Kujou Sakurako-san.

She comes from a prominent, well-established family in the prefecture,

and she lives in that big house with only an old housekeeper.

With impeccable looks

and a sharp wit to match,

she may seem beyond reproach at first glance, but...

In general, Sakurako-san doesn't like people.

Or, you might say, she's just disinterested in interpersonal relationships.

What she does like

are bones.

Apparently, that's been true since she was little.

She harbors a deep longing for bones from all manner of living things,

to the point that she's made it her profession.

Sakurako-san works as an osteologist.

She takes bones from animal carcasses

and reconstructs their skeletons.

In other words, only bodies that have already lost the spark of life

interest Sakurako-san.

You'll damage your hearing.

Lord Diavel's voice is exceptional.

As for our relationship...

That's up for debate.

Of course, we're not in a romantic relationship,

and it's not exactly friendship, either.

On a side note, Sakurako-san has a fiancé, Ariwara-san,

who's on the fast track in his career with the prefectural police.

So Sakurako-san and I are...

Welcome to Mashike

Many Delicious Foods

Oh!

What are you yelping about?

Alaskan shrimp!

That's right, Mashike's known for it!

I see.

We've come all the way to the ocean...

Why do we have to spend it picking up bones of dead animals?!

The sea is blue,

the sky is blue,

and the ocean breeze is most pleasant.

What could you possibly be dissatisfied with?

What am I dissatisfied with?

Everything!

Also, would you please stop calling me "boy"?

Why?

I have a real name, Tatewaki Shoutarou!

I just feel like I'm being treated like a child.

Then I suggest you make a big find and impress me.

If you're lucky, you may even find the bones of a whale.

A whale...

Yes, wouldn't that be grand?

I know! If you do make a big find,

I'll treat you to Alaskan shrimp as a reward.

Really?

Really.

Alaskan shrimp...

Alaskan shrimp, Alaskan shrimp!

Today will be a great shrimp festival.

Alaskan shrimp!

Here, Sakurako-san!

This is a fox's femur.

I don't need this.

I already have one.

Huh?

Bleah!

Boy, this is just a piece of wood.

Are you making fun of me?

It would seem the Alaskan shrimp are still far beyond the horizon.

Ah!

Okay, this time for sure.

Shrimp fest, please!

Huh?

Oh, this is a big find.

But this is...

Yes, a very common species.

Well, hello.

S-Sakurako-san, th-that's...

A human skull, yes.

Look, it is truly beautiful.

It's also remarkably well preserved.

Yeah, but that's not the point...

Wonderful.

Even the sphenoid, or "butterfly," bone is nearly intact!

The butterfly bone?

Boy, all men have one butterfly...

inside their heads.

Huh?

Right here...

Deep inside.

Just as its name implies, the sphenoid bone is shaped like a butterfly.

It is extremely fragile and easily broken,

but beautiful nonetheless.

It'll make a wonderful addition to my collection.

Sakurako-san, you're not saying you want to take that bone home...

It's our best catch today!

You can't!

I mean, that's someone's skull...

It might belong to someone who died at sea!

No, that possibility is slim.

Look here.

It's broken.

Based on the break,

I'd say the damage was inflicted by a club-like object.

You mean, the skull's owner was killed?

Possibly.

Given how powerful the blow was,

it wouldn't surprise me if the strike resulted in a fatal contusion.

The victim was female.

You can tell by the gentle slope of the parietal bone.

Based on the sutures, I'd say... She was in her late twenties.

Did you know, boy?

The skull is one of the most eloquent bones in existence.

If you just ask, it will tell you many things.

As you can see, Asians often have a shallow, horseshoe-shaped palate.

Caucasians have a deeper, V-shaped palate.

In addition...

Yes, I see!

Hmm, well, well...

Ah, is this the police?

Yes, there's a chocolate-brown car parked nearby.

Boy...

Yes?

You called the police?

I did.

Why, you...

You wouldn't want to cause trouble for Gran or Ariwara-san, would you?

Come to think of it, there's one thing I forgot to mention.

When I'm with Sakurako-san...

No!