After hearing the explosion from Orio-ya, Aoi rushes back only to find an angered Matsuba and a beat-up Hatori. Matsuba's anger was triggered by Hatori directly asking him for some of the tengu's secret liquor, one of the items needed for the ceremony.

Aoi needs to find the mermaid scale, so she goes to the ruins of the dragon palace, a place with a strong curse, with the master. Aoi and the master aren't affected by the miasma, but they get separated when she hears a voice calling her name.