Golem and Somali seek refuge at a charming sapper’s lodge built into a tree. Since it’s not harvest season, it’s vacant, so Golem leaves some cash to pay for accommodations and food they use. It’s an opportunity for Golem to cook something from scratch for his daughter, and he picks a tasty-looking souffle. After a few instances of pretty intense drama it’s nice to get back to the show’s cozy slice-of-life roots.
There’s precious little to threaten lil’ Somali this week, as the additional visitors to the lodge turn out to be their old friends Shizuno and Yabashira, who are on their way to the Bygone City. However, after a bite of souffle (ironicaly, considering how soft it is), Somali notices one of her lower teeth is loose, and is afraid to tell anyone lest she get in trouble.
Coincidentally, Shizuno is travelling to the otherwise somewhat rough and unsavory Bygone City to seek out the advice of one Sowak, an itty-bitty dentist. All dentists are of the hydromys (water rodent) clan so they can literally step inside a patient’s mouth to work on their teeth.
Somali grows more and more distressed as Sowak describes the work he does in mouths, and how “teeth don’t grow back”. Later, Golem can not only sense something’s wrong with Somali, but it has to do with her mouth.
Somali panics and runs off—not a good idea in a seedy city full of thugs—and bumps into one of them. He and his two pals try to extort a penalty from Golem, claiming “might makes right” in Bygone.
Fortunately, they’re no match for Golem, while Yabashira strikes the first blow in an effort to “learn local customs”, while Shizuno demonstrates his agility and the power of his kicks. In the fracas, Somali trips and takes a tumble, and her tooth pops right out.
They visit Sowak, who confirms it was only a baby tooth that will be replaced, and Golem accepts a little container for the remaining teeth as a memento, making Somali happy.
An initially threatening-looking innkeeper who heard of the butt-kicking wants Golem and Yabashira to serve as bodyguards during the busy snowy season, offering free lodging at a cabin just outside town as payment.
They accept the offer and settle into their comfy digs. That night, Shizuno mentions to Golem that he knows Somali is a human, and had suspected it since he smelled her blood. That said, Shizuno isn’t the type to suddenly hate Somali or wish her harm. On the contrary, he’s more curious how and why Golem started “playing as her father.”
Golem replies honestly: the day he met Somali, he became more than the guardian of the forest, but an individual—one who existed to protect her. Considering how cool Shizuno is with Somali’s status, Golem could do worse than leaving her with him and Yabashira, in the event he never finds the humans.
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