Meiji Tokyo Renka (明治東亰恋伽)

Meiji Tokyo Renka

Let's go.

I heard that Mei-chan can hear ghosts talking.

Did you know?

Apparently, that girl can see ghosts.

Whoa, really?

You're Ayazuki Mei-san, right?

Do you wanna come with us?

Mei-chan.

Mei-chan!

What was that about?

Meiji Tokyo Renka

I will be going then, Rintaro-san.

Be sure to look over all of them closely.

Oh?

Who is this young lady?

The Little Squirrel.

Little Squirrel?

She is the fiancée I was telling you about earlier.

She is?!

You cannot be serious, Rintaro-san.

I am.

Of all the selfish—!

Do you have any understanding of your position as the eldest son of the Mori family?

Marrying such a lowly girl as this...!

L-Lowly girl?

Listen to me.

You will choose a suitable partner

from the selection of pictures I brought you, Rintaro-san.

There is no other woman more suited for the Mori family than her, Aunt.

I will not accept this little girl!

Little girl...

I am sorry about that.

It seems that my aunt has heard about me declaring you my fiancée

at the Rokumeikan a few days ago.

Yesterday and today she came to the mansion with matchmaking photos.

Matchmaking photos?

So that's who your unfortunate visitor was yesterday.

Unfortunately, I am expecting a visitor this evening.

Your aunt will probably come again tomorrow from the sounds of it.

Well, about that...

A party will be held next month at the Rokumeikan, and key people

from various circles will be there.

I would like to formally present you as my fiancée there.

Formally present?

Fiancée?

Wha?! Formally present me?!

You can't. That's the grand event nobles and government officials will be at.

You would be making a fool of yourself.

Don't worry. It will be fine.

Flower of Asakusa Rendezvous

Formally present me as his fiancée...

That is how he is protecting you.

Little Squirrel.

Why don't you join me for a bit?

Eh?

U-Umm... Where are we going?

To an enjoyable place.

Eh?

Are you familiar with the flower of Asakusa?

Asakusa? Yes, I am!

I don't know this Asakusa...

Hey now! Don't just stand there spacing out, ya idiot!

S-Sorry!

We should probably hold hands so you don't get lost.

O-Okay...

Picture Postcards

Apparently, they're selling picture postcards.

All these people are here for picture postcards?

I'll take this one.

And this one, and this one.

I'll take them all!

That's so unfair, Higuchi-san. Buying up just Kawakami-san's pictures...

A heart ardently in love is as precious as the divine.

Otojiro-sama!

Now I see. All these people are here because they're after Kawakami Otojiro-kun's actor photos.

Kawakami Otojiro?

You met him at the Rokumeikan, remember?

He is a handsome actor who is extremely popular right now.

At the Rokumeikan?

Kawakami Otojiro...

W-What?

Do you really not remember meeting a handsome man

with scores of women in love with him?

Not really. I met a lot of people for the first time that day.

Ah, well, it just so happens that today he has a performance at the Tokiwa Theater.

We'll go see it later.

We're going to see a play?

Yes, but before we do that...

This ice cream is very popular right now.

I thought you might like it.

Yes! Yes! Yes! I love it!

So sweet!

Cold! Sweet! Cold!

My, you got some on your face.

The perfect amount of sweetness.

Your ice cream is dripping, Little Squirrel.

What a waste!

Enami Photography Studio

Miss, your expression is a bit too stiff.

I-I heard that photographs in this time period were really expensive.

This time period?

U-Umm... How much does this cost?

Ah, well, one photograph is 16 yen.

So cheap!

I mean...

Then, how does that convert into sukiyaki?

Huh?

You could buy 320 bowls of sukiyaki.

T-That much?!

I accidentally took the picture. That will be 16 yen.

You're so cute, Little Squirrel.

Amazing. It's a full house.

Kawakami Otojiro-san really must be popular.

So, what kind of play is this?

It is The Golden Demon by Ozaki Kouyou.

Huh, I feel like I've heard of that before...

It was recently serialized in the newspaper.

Have you read it, Little Squirrel?

No, I don't know what it's about.

It is a love-hate play depicting a tragic relationship between a man and a woman.

So it's not going to have a happy ending, then.

A happy ending? I'm surprised you would use English so casually.

Are you perhaps familiar with foreign plays, Little Squirrel?

No, not at all.

The only foreign plays I know about are...

Uhh... Just Romeo and Juliet, I guess.

Oh, that's impressive.

Isn't that by Shakespeare?

Shakespeare...

A-And I believe he also wrote Hamlet.

"To be or not to be, that is the question."

Shouldn't it be, "To live or not to live, that is the question,"

or something?

So that's how you translated that passage?

I-I didn't exactly translate it.

You replaced "to be" with "to live" and "not to be" with "not to live."

And I believe the passage after that is, "to die, to sleep,"

which means that to die is to sleep, so that is a very natural translation.

In fact, it's quite reasonable.

You are incredible, Little Squirrel!

Uh, sure.

Just how much must you impress me before you're content?

U-Um...