Laughing Under the Clouds (曇天に笑う)

Sora-nii, Ten-nii isn't here!

Stupid Big Bro, going off on his own again...

Chutaro, let's go!

Aye, sir!

Wait!

We won't let you get away!

No way I'll let you take me there! Not to that prison!

Outta the way!

Don't give me orders.

I make the rules around here.

Big Bro!

Ten-nii! Amazing as usual, sir!

Hey.

Why did you leave without saying anything?

'Cause you guys were sleeping so soundly,

hugging your pillows tight.

We were not! Right, Chutaro?

Huh? Uh...

That pattern...

Those guys are...

It is the 11th year of Meiji. The final years of the Edo period

led to the beginning of Japan's westernization movement.

Because of the rapid westernization,

the towns became lined with western-style buildings,

and people wrapped themselves in resplendent clothing.

In a world where the sword prohibition was put into effect,

and samurai did not exist anymore,

the people were full of life.

It was without a doubt the dawn of modern Japan.

However, in the background,

there were many dissatisfied with the changing Japan,

and the new government couldn't handle all the criminals who rose against it.

Oh, he's awake.

Morning, sir!

I heard you hit an officer while being escorted to prison.

If you do that, all you'll get is a heavier sentence.

Are you two from the much talked-about Kumoh family?

Talked-about?

Are we famous?

Yeah, they say you hide in the shadows of the expert swordsman, Kumoh Tenka,

and can't do anything except ferry criminals across the lake—

The excess baggage of the Kumoh family.

Are those swords of your waist just there for decoration?

Huh? Don't you have any pride?!

You won't be blustering like that much longer.

We're here.

Welcome to your new home.

The largest prison in Japan, Gokumonjo.

Basically, it's a cage made especially for felons.

The government thinks of some pretty harsh things.

No matter how much trouble they have dealing with the escaped prisoners,

to build a prison like this in the middle of Lake Biwa...

But thanks to that, we're able to make a living ferrying people across, sir.

That's true, but you know...

If the government doesn't pay us a little more,

it'll be hard to live on what we make.

P-Please, let me go...

I don't want to be here.

Please! I didn't bring it—!

Don't even think about running.

Do as much as you can to suffer an atone for your crime.

Thanks for making tea for us, Shirasu-san.

Don't sorry about it.

I'm just the Kumoh family freeloader.

I'll make tea for you any time.

But if you think about it, it's our fault.

To let a criminal we were escorting get away...

We're a disgrace to the police force.

Tenka.

Why don't you tell Soramaru a rest a little?

Chutaro's been acting weird.

This morning, when he was leaving for school—

Study hard today.

Aye, sir!

Huh? What's that?

It's nothing, sir!

I'm going now, sir!

Right? Don't you think that's weird?

What do you think, Shirasu?

Hm... Maybe he's love?

Love?!

Neglecting his big brother?

No fair!

Chutaro's at that age, too, you know.

Shirasu, can I punch you?

I'll punch you back on reflex, though. Is that okay?

I want to take this out on someone!

Oh dear.

Big Bro! If you're free, let me practice against you!

I'm going to take Soramaru with me to get in the way—

I mean, watch over Chutaro's puppy love.

What's that?

Don't look!

What are you doing, Big Bro?!

Huh? Don't move around so much.

You're a baby right now.

I'm too big!

Why are we dressed like this anyway?!

It looks like Chutaro is smitten with someone,

so we're going to school to scout it out.

That's why this disguise is for.

Disguise? We stand out way too much!

Oh, the Kumoh brothers.

I heard you caught another criminal?

Oh, yeah.

I'll bring some vegetables by the shrine again, okay?

Thanks for always doing that.

Even though to continues being so cloudy that you can't harvest very much.

Oh, it's nothing.

It's thanks to you boys that we can feel safe.

Yay, Tenka-niichan!

Anyway, let me down!

Oh my, I wonder if my little Sora has to pee.

Sora-niichan?

The Kumoh brothers are always so energetic.

But it's so unfortunate that their parents died of tuberculosis.

Oh, Teacher!

Teacher!

Let's play, ma'am!

So that's the object of Chutaro's puppy love?

It looks less like love and more like he's being spoiled by his mother.

That's right. He doesn't even remember her face...

Big Bro...

Am I not enough for you?!

What?

Ten-nii, why are you here?

Hey, Big Bro!

You too, Sora-nii?

Grit your teeth, Chutaro!

Aye, sir!

Chutaro, you don't have to do it.

Just kidding...

Thank you very much!

Stupid Big Bro!

Nice to meet you.

I'm Kumoh Chutaro's older brother, Tenka.

I'm the second son, Soramaru.

Chutaro talks about you all the time.

Nice to meet you.

I'm his teacher, Botan.

Well, how is Chutaro's schoolwork going?

O-Oh, he's working hard. Right?

Really, Chutaro?

I-I'm working hard, sir!

Big Bro, we're in the way. Let's go home.

No way.

We came all this way, so let's have a look around the school.

What?! Hey, Big Bro! We can't do that!

It's all right.

Please, make yourselves at home.

I'm glad your teacher seems nice.

Why are you embarrassed?

Huh? That raccoon...

Isn't that the one that lives at our shrine...?

It's Gerokichi, sir!

Gerokichi...?

This guy loves our family. Right?

It looks like he doesn't like you, though.

Oh, but for some reason, it looks like Gerokichi like Miss Botan, too.

It was the first time I'd ever seen him get close to anyone other than us.

What do you mean, "I'm working hard, sir"?

He's definitely getting punished.

Huh?

Is something the matter?

Oh, um, I got lost...

May I ask where the restroom is?

Walk out here and make a right at the end of the hall.

Thanks for that.

Gotta pee, gotta pee...

The 14th head of the Kumoh Shrine,

Master Kumoh Tenka.

What's wrong?

You're backing away. You're not stepping in enough, either.

Shut up!

You won't even be able to cut tofu like that.

Then what about this?

I said, that's not enough.

You're a hundred trillion years too early to beat me.

Ten-nii, you're so strong, sir!

You're a genius, sir!

You're a crab-head, sir!

Who're you calling "crab-head"?!

I want you to practice with me, too, sir!

Practice is good, but please don't get hurt.

I'll be fine, sir!

Tenka-san!

What's up?

Please, help!

Did you let another criminal you were escorting get away?

Yes...

What, again?

There was a pretty famous swordsman from among the criminals,

and my sword was stolen, too.

If our senior officer finds out, he'll give us hell!

All right, I'll keep quiet, so show me how much this means to you.

This, you know, this!

Don't blackmail the police!

But we're short on cash, right?

We have to take what we can get.

Amazing as always, Ten-nii, sir!