| dbp:shortsummary
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- 9.46728E9
- As they search for Somali, Haitora tells Golem that he and Uzoi were informed my a strange soothsayer that his tainted blood would be cured by finding "new, clean blood", so Uzoi intends to take Somali's. Elsewhere, Somali manages to escape from Uzoi's grasp, but falls into an underground pond, forcing Uzoi to save her and subsequently apologize and reveal the reason for her actions. Golem and Haitora arrive and Somali forgives Uzoi since she saved her from drowning. That night as Uzoi and Somali sleep, Haitora reveals to Golem that he had a family in a small farm town, but it was attacked by monsters during the war. Running out of food during their escape, he encountered a harpy, which turned out to be Uzoi's mother, and instantly killed her and brought her to his family hideout to eat. Doing so violently turned his family into harpies and killed them, though he was spared and left slightly deformed. Later on, a young Uzoi approached him and became attached to him. In the present, Uzio is revealed to be awake and heard Haitora's story. The next day, while continuing their desert voyage, Uzoi and Somali are swept away during a massive sand twister. The pair are soon located, but are being chased by a monster. Haitora leads it away, intending to give his life for Uzoi's as payment for his past, but is saved by her instead. She then forgives him for living a lie and tells him to live for her sake. (en)
- After considering the failing health of the head librarian, Praline decides to give Golem a map of the library to find their way. However, they are caught by security monsters and branded as intruders. Golem grabs Somali and they manage to escape, arriving in the heart of the library where the aging head librarian resides. Isolde reveals that she wrote The Chronicles of Haraiso due to her ancestor's experiences with humans as a young girl. She explains that as a child, Feodora Nebsolv crash landed due to a storm in a village of humans who were governed by a golem called Haraiso. Feodora quickly grew accustomed to the culture of the village, but her feelings instantly changed when the villagers mob together to kill a peaceful neighboring monster. She is forced to reveal her inhuman nature to save a villager, and is consequently branded as a "Grotesque", the human term for monster, forcing her to leave. Isolde finishes the story and tells of humans residing "at the end of the world". She also reveals that she knows Somali is human, but is proud to have met one who loves their world before she suddenly passes away. (en)
- After days of walking and their supplies starting to run low, Somali and Golem arrive in the desert canyon village of Anthole City. However, their remaining wares don't sell for enough money to restock their supplies, so Golem decides to take up a waitering job at a diner to earn some extra cash. The diner, run by a family of deer-like shurigaras, appears to be nearly abandoned due to the lack of patrons, so Golem fills in for the family's injured mother while Somali befriends their young child named Kikila. During his shift, Golem hears of humans residing on the far side of the neighboring desert, but is still unable to buy the necessary equipment. With his continuous work schedule, Golem spends less and less time with Somali, causing her to feel lonely. Though initially hesitant, Golem allows Somali to run an errand with Kikila across town. Together, Somali and Kikila talk about her journey with Golem, but she's scared that as soon as it's over, Golem will leave her. To appease her worry, Kikila takes Somali to a sacred cave beneath the town to grant a wish. The duo wander around the mysterious cavern and find the field of glowing flowers to grant their wish, but awaken a mushroom-like monster in the process. As it goes in for the attack, the monster is chased off by a scruffy wolf-like beast who turns his attention toward Somali. (en)
- As they wrap up their daily duties for the final time, Golem and Yabashira shop for supplies for their trip while Somali finishes her bracelet. That night, Somali presents Golem with her gift, and is happily surprised when he gifts her a similar bracelet he found in town. They all play in the snow before suddenly Golem sees a hunting party in the distance in search for humans. Yabashira finally learns of Somali's humanity and agrees to distract the party while Golem, Shizuno, and the girl flee into a nearby mine. They find their path blocked by a broken bridge when they are approached by another hunting party, forcing Golem to carry the other two and jump down into the cavern below. They make their way toward the exit when Rosa appears and, under the guise of helping them escape, suddenly locks them in a cage. Rosa tells them how her childhood village was persecuted by a nearby human settlement, forcing her to take revenge on all humans. The hunters approach for the kill, but as Golem attempts to fight, he instantly collapses in a heap and loses an arm, having used up too much life energy. As Somali is taken, Golem suddenly transforms into a monstrous hulking beast, startling everyone. (en)
- Golem targets the hunting party and attacks them, prompting them to run away in fear. As Golem chases them down, Somali blocks Golem's path of destruction, causing him to come to his senses and shut down. He awakens a few days later in a forest meadow and apologizes to everyone for his actions, adding that his injuries to himself will not heal like the other's will. That night, he and Shizuno go for a walk where he tells the oni that his physical capabilities are crippled and his allotted time may be shortened, though the oni still believes something can be done to help. The next day, the group arrives in a town celebrating an annual festival. While the others watch a carnival show, Golem sneaks away, feeling that his time to depart has come. When Somali realizes this, she sprints off to find him, locating him in a nearby forest. As she approaches, Golem reveals to her that she is better off without him, using his recent explosion of rage as an example of why he should be alone. Somali pleas with him to stay, eventually causing the automaton to realize he truly has emotions. With a renewed promise and bond, the father and daughter proclaim their promise to stay together forever. (en)
- A few days later, Somali and Golem depart into the desert toward their next destination and arrive in Winecup Village. There, they meet Uzoi, a harpy, and Haitora, an ailing falcohol, who are also a pair of travelers. Upon hearing their reason for traveling, the feathered duo offer to travel with Golem and Somali, who graciously accept. Unbeknownst to them, however, Uzoi figures out Somali is human, and Haitora is also revealed to be a disguised human who is slowly and violently morphing into a harpy. Looking for a way to cure Haitora's condition, Uzoi schemes to use Somali in some way. The group begins their trek through the desert, stumbling into sandstorms and desert beasts, until they arrive at a luminescent cave to spend the night. When Somali and Uzoi go in search of water, Haitora reveals to Golem that he is human and that they must stop Uzoi, who suddenly pins down Somali and claims that her blood will save Haitora. (en)
- Golem recalls to Shizuno how he met Somali in his forest. While on patrol, he passed by a toppled cart full of dead humans that had been attacked. A forest animal led him away from the wreckage to where he discovered a girl bound in chains beneath a tree, where she suddenly called him "dad". Against his will, the girl began follow him, day and night, rain or shine. Over time, Golem began to grow attached to her, even saving her from drowning when she jumped into a pond to retrieve his recently lost armored shell. Golem decided to leave the forest with the girl to find humans, and subsequently names her "Somali" based on the animal that initially led him to her. In the present, Golem finishes his story and reveals to Shizuno his crippling physical body due to his end nearing. The next day, the group is tasked to bodyguard the town, so Golem and Yabashira head out to work while Shizuno cares for Somali. Over the next few days, Somali thinks of a present to give to Golem while he works, eventually deciding to knit something. One day, an innkeeper named Rosa arrives with food and supplies for the group, and helps Somali with her present. She teaches Somali to make a knitted bracelet for Golem, and hugs the young girl with joy when she starts to get the hang of it. However, that night in town, Rosa encounters the trio gang from before and informs them that she figured out Somali is human. (en)
- En route to their next destination, Golem and Somali take shelter from rain in a large treehouse. The abode is seasonally vacant, but still houses cooking ingredients, so Somali asks Golem to make something for her. After sifting through recipes, Golem makes a souffle which Somali finds delicious. Before she can finish it, or warn Golem of a sudden loose tooth, Shizuno and Yabashira suddenly appear at their door asking for shelter. The next day, the two onis join the group and travel to snowy Bygone City, a savage town, in search of a famous dentist. They find the dentist, a mouse-looking man named Sowak, and he tells Shizuno about the ways of dentistry, but Somali becomes fearful due to her new dental problem. She flees into a trio of ruffians, causing an alley brawl between them and Golem with the two onis. During the scuffle, Solami's tooth comes free, but upon their return to the dentist, he informs her that it was a baby tooth and would be replaced. In need of a place to stay, the group is approached by an innkeeper who offers his place as thanks for getting rid of the gang from before, and also in exchange for being the town bodyguards. As Somali sleeps in her new bed, Shizuno confirms with Golem that Somali is human, and finds out that the automaton traded his forest guardianship to protect her instead. (en)
- While eating breakfast beside a flowing creek, Somali trips and falls while chasing some horned rabbits, injuring her knee in the process. Suddenly, a dwarf oni named Shizuno appears and offers to help bandage Somali's injury and brings the pair to his home. There, they meet Yabashira, another oni and Shizuno's assistant. After feeding Somali, Golem asks Shizuno to teach him the ways of medical herbology, to which Shizuno accepts in exchange for a small piece Golem's armor to study to further his medical research. While Shizuno teaches Golem different medical combinations, Somali has Yabashira give her chores to make up for Golem giving up a piece of himself for her benefit. When Shizuno begins to regret asking for a shard of Golem, he reassures the dwarf oni that his anguish is similar to Somali's when she hurt herself, which he never wants to witness ever again. That night, as Somali sleeps, Golem reveals to the onis that he is travelling with Somali to find her parents, but he only has a little over a year left until he shuts down permanently. The next morning, the pair thank their oni hosts and take their leave back into the forest. (en)
- The wolf-man, named Muthrica, reveals himself to be the guardian of the underground chamber and Kikila's teacher. When they observe Somali's flower, it quickly begins to lose its glow and die due to not receiving enough nutrients from the mystical tsuchiami trees. After convincing Muthrica, the trio explore deeper into the grotto to find a flower to grant Somali's wish. They arrive at the core of the cavern and discover the giant tsuchiami tree surrounded by many flowers. As Somali picks one, they are interrupted by a massive lizard monster who blesses Somali's wish and her strong spirit. The trio make it back to the diner late, but Golem scolds Somali for straying off from the errands, causing her to run to her room. After explaining their ordeal, Muthrica encourages Golem to hear out Somali's side of the story, but before he has a chance to, Somali suddenly becomes feverishly sick and refuses to eat. Golem rushes out and buys medicine, realizing the trauma Somali is feeling may in part be his fault due to neglecting her. As Solami rests, Kokilila, Kikila's father, advises Golem that parenting has its troubles and that it's always a learning process. The next morning, Golem and Somali make up and promise to stay together forever, but Golem has to keep working since he paid his earnings on Somali's medicine. As he opens the diner, Golem is approached by Muthrica, who indicates he knows the truth about the automaton's dwindling lifespan and that his promise to stay with Somali won't be kept. (en)
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