Dekin no Mogura: The Earthbound Mole (出禁のモグラ)

By the way, I've got a question for you.

Did your Mama not teach you the incredibly basic lesson

of not pointing sharp objects at people?

That sounds way worse than whatever she taught you about love.

Don't insult Mama, you monster!

I only know what I've been taught!

What kind of logic is that?!

Would you just...

...think for yourself for once?!

Mama...

I wouldn't say we're close now, but there's definitely a deep bond between us.

Mama!

This is the price you pay for all you've done.

Take a good look.

Mama! Mama!

Mama!

Merfolk. Merfolk are terrifying.

Episode 12 "During the Rainy Season"

Koitaro-chan! Koitaro-chan!

Mama...

Call a doctor or therapist or something!

Hurry!

What's going on?

Sir!

Ma'am, Yui-ojosama is safe!

So is the Moris' kid!

What should we do about the festival?

Shut up! That doesn't matter right now!

Yeah, but...

We need instructions.

Yaeko.

Dad.

What's going on?

It seems like an explanation is needed.

Well, uh...

Sorry, Mori-kun. Come with me.

And Mogura-san, we need your gift of the gab.

I've got this.

Excuse me. Is there an underwear shop around here?

We're trying to explain things to the islanders without mentioning the merfolk spirit.

Could you be quiet?

What? You were being treated that badly?

That's why you were depressed? Poor guy.

That must've been hard.

Uh, yes. Actually...

Anyway, that Yui-san, huh?

What an awful thing to do.

I had no idea.

But why didn't you say anything until now?

You could've talked to us.

What's the island going to do now that the president's like that?

We'll just have to figure something out.

Like what?

They're dumping it all on us? How irresponsible.

But according to what we just heard,

Samejima-san's been doing all kinds of things in the shadows.

He did it for us, right?

But remember when Kimura-san suddenly left?

Yeah, and ten years ago, Suzuki-san had an accident.

I've never mentioned this before, but when my husband made a mistake at the factory...

Y'all are acting shocked about Yui-san, but if you ask me,

there's always been something off about her.

What? Really?

The president could be a bit creepy sometimes.

Personally, I never liked that old woman much.

I see. I understand.

The Samejimas are the bad guys.

Defeating the old woman will bring peace to this world.

It was the royal family who made the people that way.

Do we need the local police to look into this?

What about the business?

Hey, Samejima matriarch!

We want an explanation!

An apology, too!

Mama.

Mama. Mama.

Damn the curse of the merfolk.

It's destroying everything.

Hey!

Say something!

Foolish islanders.

That man's a good speaker.

I miscalculated.

All the islanders have sided with him.

I did this to myself.

Everything is a performance, including this world.

Enough!

"We didn't know anything."

"We were made to do it."

That's all true.

But we're all responsible!

If we wash up on that shore, whose fault is it?

If we wash up on this shore, whose fault is it?

Well, we're not waves! We're humans!

What are we abandoning our brains for?

In the end, the Samejimas beat us with their smarts!

How can we act like we're the good guys?

We should be ashamed!

Samejima-san, we cannot forgive you,

but we must also apologize for making you do everything.

And most of all, we must apologize to the children.

Before anything else, we must say this to them—

It's all right.

Let us handle the island and the business.

You should prioritize your own futures and consider what you'll do next.

I think I'll leave the island.

What?

I lived in the countryside before moving here.

I'd like to see the city.

What's Tokyo like? Is rent expensive?

Pretty expensive.

But if you're not picky, you can find cheap places.

I don't know that I trust what Tokyo considers cheap.

If you don't mind questionable properties, I can show you a few places.

They're cheap.

I like visiting real estate offices just to look at layouts and tour properties.

What kind of recommendation is that?

And what kind of obnoxious hobby is that?

Questionable properties?

By the way, can I say something strange?

When I was lying on the rock,

I dreamed that the grumpy red panda game character saved me from a giant monster.

The doll Kirihara-san made for me was carried out to sea with my wallet,

but I think he really did protect me.

In fact, I feel like I can still almost see...

This can't be good. Did I hit my head?

Actually, that's...

Explaining this would be even more annoying.

Merfolk... Merfolk...

The poor Samejima boy.

Merfolk... Merfolk...

He's been cursed by the merfolk.

Grandpa, don't say weird things like that.

Sacchan's had a tough time, too.

Sacchan.

What? Were you two friends or something?

We were, before the war.

In the end, you loved another woman.

Is that true, Grandpa?

I was pretty popular back then.

He just played with us a lot.

Now! Pull!

Sacchan, what are you going to do in the future?

I'm an only child,

and I don't have any brothers, so I'm taking over the family business.

You can't do that.

In any case, we need to find you a good husband.

You're on the attractive side.

You're decent enough bait.

If you're too studious, people will think you're impudent.

No one wants a true idiot, but try to be a bit dumber than the men.

That's most charming.

It's the best way to live.

I'm sorry, Mother.

I'm not a charming woman.

But I'll do everything I can for the island.

That's the third one.

She loses them because she keeps working.

Honestly. If she doesn't produce an heir, she'll never be good for anything.

I'll get them back someday.

Someday, I will.

I failed the challenge I set for myself.

I'm pathetic. That's all there is to say.

The merfolk's face was that of the woman, but there was no trace of her beauty,

as she'd become an unsightly, malevolent spirit.

Mama. Mama.

You look so sad, Mama.

I'll support you, Mama.

The nakama had underwear.

Great.

Sorry we only had weird shirts, Magi-kun.

Fish Cake

No, I'm sorry.

That's a nice shirt.

Thank you for all of your help.

Not at all. Come back soon.

What's going to happen to the island?

We'll manage, though it'll take some time to deal with everything.

Worst case, even if the company goes out of business, we have to figure something out.