Synopsis: The Medicine Seller and three other men compete for the Lady Ruri’s hand in marriage.

Someone is murdered violently. The murder is depicted as splatters of blood reminiscent of Jackson Pollock’s paintings.

A man then explains that in their art, incense is heard rather than smelled. Their are many pleasures that man can derive from seeing, hearing, eating and drinking but to hear a scent is certainly the most refined of it all. There are many styles surrounding the art of incense but the Fue-no-Kouji School was thought to have perished long ago. The man says that he is surprised that a certain Lady Ruri was is the sole heir and practitioner of that ancient style. The man asked her hand for marriage since he wished to restore the Fue-no-Kouji school to its former greatness but there were three other candidates who were also vying for the Lady Ruri’s hand.

Since their were four suitors, Lady Ruri was put in an uncomfortable position and so she decided to judge them based on a Kumikou Trial. She would decide which suitor to marry based upon a battle of incense, of sorts.

The man who narrated earlier is Ousawa Robou, a member of the imperial court. Along with Nakarai, who owns a commercial fishery, and Muromachi, a samurai from Azuma, they are the Lady Ruri’s suitors. The three men are expecting the fourth suitor, Jissonji, to come but the Medicine Seller comes instead.

They ask the Medicine seller why he has come. He replies that it’s because there might already be a Mononoke there. The three men find it strange that a Medicine Seller would deal with Mononoke.

An old woman interrupts the men and tells them that the contest is almost ready for them. Ousawa says that Jissonji is late. Nakarai says that such tardiness must mean that he does not wish to marry Lady Ruri after all.

The three men and the Medicine Seller meet with Lady Ruri. The three men are surprised that the Medicine Seller did not bow and they wonder why he is there. Ousawa tells the Medicine seller that place is where the Lady Ruri will decide whom to marry among her suitors. The Medicine Seller tells him it does not matter.

Ousawa asks him if he sells ingredients for incense, such as musk, since he is a medicine seller. The Medicine Seller tells him he does. Ousawa says that in the contest, they will not be hearing animal-based scents but rather the fragrant wood of the agar. The goal is to discern the slight difference in each piece. The Medicine Seller says that the wood of the agar is deeply permeated with aromatic resin that it will sink when submerged in water. The three suitor pause to think.

Ousawa then asks Lady Ruri if she would mind if the Medicine seller were to vie for her favor with them since four contestants were scheduled to compete. Lady Ruri agrees.

Lady Ruri then announces that the contest for that night will be Genjikou. Nakarai says that maybe though should make it simpler, like the Taketori-no-Kou. Muromachi doesn’t seem to have an idea what the Genjikou is. Ousawa explains that in it, one must hear five fragrances and try to identify which among them are similar. Nakarai further explains that one is given five blocks to represent the five scents. One puts a bar on top of the blocks (scents) that one thinks to be the same.

Nakarai says that there are fifty-two combinations in total. Each combination represent one of the fifty-two chapters of the Tale of Genji, except the first chapter, Paulownia Pavilion, and the last chapter, Floating Bridge of Dreams. He then demonstrates that if the first block is the same with the last, and the second is the same with the third and the fourth, then it would represent the Wood Pillar. Ousawa says that each combination has a different name and a reason behind it but one doesn’t need to know which corresponds to which in order to play.

Muromachi is confused. Nakarai comments that he can tell Muromachi is a country samurai. The two quarrel but Ousawa tells them that it is the Lady Ruri’s decision. Ousawa says that Genjikou is usually played five times and the most accurate contestant would be the winner and the contest will last throughout the night. Lady Ruri, however, says that the contest will be a single round after which the winner will be decided. If there is a tie, then there will be no winner.

Ladi Ruri prepares the first scent. Ousawa smells it and thinks Lady Ruri has chosen a peaceful scent. It makes him feel like he’s met a new friend, joy filling his heart.

Nakarai smells the fragrance. It is nostalgic for him and reminds him of a sunny day in his home, when his father scolded him for not attending to his studies.

Muromachi smells the scent but nothing comes to mind. The Medicine Seller smells it also.

The second scent is then given and then the third. Nakarai thinks the third is either a Manaka or Manaban. Muromachi thinks the scents are all the same. The fourth scent is given. Muromachi says he knows that smell but horse dung comes to mind.

A cry, coming from outside, is heard. Nakarai thinks it is a Nue’s cry. Ousawa says its just birds.

The last scent is then given. Lady Ruri tells the contestants to decide how they will answer. Ousawa thinks the first and the third are the same and the fourth and the last are similar as well. He thinks it is difficult compared to the Taketori-no-Kou. He then remembers a chapter in the Tale of Genji where the lady was approached by four suitors. He thinks the arrangement of the scents is Tamakazura.

Nakarai thinks about Tamakazura too but Ousawa must know that already so he chooses Endless Summer. Muromachi doesn’t find the game fun, so for him, the arrangement is Writing Practice. As for the Medicine Seller, he thinks the first and the last are the same, Illusion.

Lady Ruri then announces that she will record the answers. She asks the guests to rest. They are led outside by the old woman, Lady Ruri’s servant.

Nakarai sees a monkey-like creature outside. He then says it is a very cold night. The old woman tells him there is a lavatory at the end of the hall. He rushes off. Ousawa and the samurai excuse themselves too.

Ousawa wanders around looking for the Toudaiji. The servant sees him and asks if there is a problem. He says there isn’t.

The Medicine Seller observes his scales. He says the Mononoke is hesitating.

Muromachi is also looking for the Toudaiji. He thinks it must be in the furthest room. A little girl runs giggling at the roof behind him. She then runs in front of the samurai.

Ousawa, Muromachi and Nakarai find the Medicine Seller standing on top of a table. The Medicine Seller says the Mononoke has begun to move. He says he will kill the Mononoke but he needs its Form, Truth and Regret. The scales tip to one direction. The Medicine Seller throws wards at that direction. He says he came too late. They discover the mutilated corpse of Jissonji.

The scales change direction and they find Lady Ruri in the other room. Blood gushes out from her neck as if it was punctured. Nakarai wonders if Jissonji killed Lady Ruri or Lady Ruri killed Jissonji and then herself. Muromachi says someone must have come from outside. Ousawa says that perhaps Jissonji arrived before them and has been dead all that time.

The Medicine Seller asks who else is in the mansion besides them, Lady Ruri and the servant. Muromachi tells him he saw a strange little girl. Nakarai asks him if he is implying a girl could kill two adults. Ousawa remembers the Toudaiji and looks for it. Nakarai and Muromachi look for it too. They search around the room. The Medicine seller looks at them puzzled.

The servant comes in and asks about the Toudaiji fuss. She says it isn’t inside but it is kept in a safe place. She asks if there is something wrong. She says she can’t see well so she can’t tell. The old woman asks if there is something in the next room. Ousawa tells her not to go inside (since it is where they found Jissonji’s corpse). Muromachi says there is something terrible there, something unfit for a lady’s eyes. Nakarai says it’s terribly raunchy. The servant leaves and tells them to be careful.

Muromachi asks Ousawa what they should do. He says one of them should have been able to gain the Toudaiji by becoming Lady Ruri’s husband and inheriting the school. Nakarai says that they never saw the answer. They look around and find a paper containing it. The answer is Broom Tree, none of the scents were the same. No one won in the end.

Nakarai asks the Medicine Seller what’s wrong. The Medicine Seller says he thought it was her but he is mistaken. Muromachi asks him what he is talking about but the Medicine Seller says he was just talking to himself.

The Medicine Seller then ask the three about what they mean by the Toudaiji. He says they can’t possibly mean the temple. Ousawa says that since Lady Ruri is dead, the Toudaiji has no rightful heir. He suggest that they decide who will get it through another Kumikou. Muromachi objects saying that Lady Ruri is dead. Nakarai says only the four of them know that. Ousawa then says that they will decide who the rightful heir will be then have a wedding celebration after. They will then say that Lady Ruri died after that.

The Medicine Seller says he will prepare the scents but in return, the three must tell him about the Toudaiji and why they wanted it more than Lady Ruri herself. The three looked frightened as the Medicine Seller asked.

In Japanese folklore, the Nue is a creature with the head of a monkey, the body of a tanuki, the legs of a tiger and a snake for a tail. It can transform into a black cloud and fly around. The Nue is said to bring misfortune and illness. So far such a creature is not yet shown in the arc except for the monkey-like one that roamed outside.

I love the Medicine Seller’s reaction when the three suitors began to search for the Toudaiji hsyterically in the room. The Medicine Seller is usually calm and collected but his expression then, containing a hint of bewilderment, was just priceless. And oh, I also love the part when he asked that certainly the Toudaiji the three men are looking for isn’t the temple.

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