01x03 - Hero's Duty

[bunniefuu]

What happened?

sh*t! She's dead!

What do we do?

She was supposed to lead us
to the 13 Regalia!

We don't have a choice!

We'll go down there!

If Vroko finds out she's dead,
there'll be trouble for sure!

sh*t!

Well, at least I'm alive...

I can't feel anything below my neck.

What happened to my body?

My bones shattered
and got stuck in something?

There's so much blood...

Even if I'm alive, what can I do?

If I don't do something,
those bandits will be here soon...

Move! Move!

What? My blood...

You've shed too much blood, fool.

Clevatess!

CLEVATESS

Episode 3
Hero's Duty

Why... do you look like a puppy?

My form is decided
by the amount of dark ichor.

This dark ichor is what's keeping you alive.

If it's all lost, you'll die for real.

Of course, as long
as you're worth keeping alive,

I'll force it back
into your body if I have to.

And if I do that, anything that wasn't

completely lost will be
restored as it was before.

So why aren't you doing that?

Have you finally given up on me?

I wanted to ask you a question,
while I had the chance.

Ask me... a question?

I found the perfect wet nurse
for Luna while we were separated.

Her name is Nell. She's with the bandits.

Even from the perspective of a dark beast
like myself, she's not being treated well.

So I thought she'd happily agree
to my offer to hire her, but...

She refused without
even considering it. Why?

It's probably because you're
a sl*ve and a child...

Is that all?

People like these bandits
never let anyone leave.

They'll follow you forever and k*ll you.

So she probably doesn't
think she can escape...

I see. Then what should I do?

The most certain way is
to crush the bandits.

If you do that, no one will follow her.

If you wanted to... it would be easy, right?

No. I can't let anyone know
that I've left Luna Mountain.

I don't want anyone attacking
while I'm absent or asking why I'm here.

Especially if I'm raising Luna.

So... you do it.

Slaughter these bandits
who call themselves "Ravens".

No one will question
a hero smashing a group of bandits.

No, no, no. That's not how it works!

What do you think heroes are?

Just do it.

Before Luna gets hungry again.

Not again...!

Hey! What's that?

The pain each time
a bone connects is incredible...

Please don't do this to me!

Th-This can't be happening!

Eww...

Damn it! I don't care what's going on!

She's alive, at least!

We just need to take her alive and
make her tell us where the 13 Regalia are!

Be careful, guys!
She may be a woman, but she's also a hero!

Cut off her arms and legs if you have to!

Don't let her go this time!

I knew it! She's weak!

I don't know if I should feel bad
for myself or for them.

I've got her left hand!

Myself, I suppose.

There was never any reason
to feel bad for them.

This eyepatch is filthy.

Well, whatever. I'll do it.

All I have to do
is k*ll these bandits, right?

And there we go.

We'll find Nell and try
to get her to reconsider.

Don't worry, Luna.

Alicia may not look it, but she's
the first human to put a scratch on my horn.

You're finally back!

Where have you been, Nell!?

Big Sis Carme...

It shouldn't take that long
to satisfy two of them.

Um, I was feeding the baby...

Fine, then.

You're so clumsy that I thought they'd
hit you so hard you passed out again.

Sheesh...

I always tell you to do your thing
before they hurt you.

Now, the kitchen still needs cleaning.

Get to it.

Okay!

You're in a good mood,
considering you came back with a black eye.

Did something good happen?

You came from outside here, right?

So what if I did?

I've been with the Ravens since I was born.

So I was wondering what
the outside world was like...

I don't know what to tell you.

Most of the women here, not just me,
lost their homes on the outside,

or did something bad and ended up here.

I don't have any good
memories of the outside.

I see.

Why are you asking me this now?

Well, um...

Don't tell me you're thinking of leaving.

No, of course not...

But I was just wondering what
the outside world would be like...

if I was ever able to go.

They asked me to go with them.

Who did?!

O-One of the sl*ves...

A sl*ve?

Don't be stupid!

Listen, the men here think it's fine to take women!

When they no longer need you,
they'll just throw you away!

This is rock bottom!

Once you're no longer of use
as a woman, you're dead!

That's why we women have to stick together!

But an idiot like you got asked
to leave before me?

You got asked to leave without me,
and you've got a big smile on your face?

You think I'll allow that?

Hmph.

Can't they eat dinner without making a mess?

I don't know what you're talking about,

but it's not right for friends
to hurt each other.

Master Vroko...

It's rare for you to come here yourself...

Oh, I heard we got something
special today, so I came to see.

Oh, that, yes.

Hey, Nell! Where's the baby that came today?

Um, probably in the barn...

I see, I see.

Well, we'll fatten it up a bit first.

Hey, you.

Yes?

Come help me with something.

Master, um...

Hmm?

Damn it! She's the only
one of us who can give milk!

How are we supposed to
fatten up the babies now?

Do they think every woman can give milk?

What? You want milk?

Not now...

Actually, you can no longer have any.

There's no one left who can feed you.

No one?

Yeah. She messed up.

She wished for something she couldn't have.

It's her own fault.

What does that mean?

What does that mean?

Tell me everything.

I've been here my whole life
and never knew this place existed.

I see...

This used to be an arcanacite mine.

There are all kinds of little tunnels.

Did you know that all these
lamps we never pay any mind to

are a mix of a certain bug's oils
and melted arcanacite?

Arcanacite can be used for a
multitude of things besides making swords.

Lately they give it a fancy name: "magic".

I spent years researching it
before I joined the Ravens.

We'll make a left here.

Bones?

Rat bones, I'm sure.

There are just so many rats down here...

Oh, I should tell you what
I was researching...

Um, Master Vroko...

The lights went out...

It's too dark to see anything...

Um...

Oh, sorry.
The lamp must have a problem.

Just one second, I'll turn it on.

My field of research
was mixing arcanacite powder

with all kinds of drugs and
using it to command dark beasts.

The Ravens will always punish traitors.

That tiny longing for the outside
inside of you is a betrayal of the Ravens.

So you're being ex*cuted.

You'll be Betty's dinner tonight!

Go ahead and eat her, Betty.

If only I'd taken his hand...

If only I'd taken it...

Maybe I'd have grabbed something
different than what I have now.

I'm sorry.

I'll never be able to fill your belly again.

Don't cry, Luna.

To eat and be eaten is the way of the world.

That goes for animals and humans,

and dark beasts as well, of course.

If they're hungry, they must eat or die.

That's the way of the world.

Who is this kid?

So it's no one's fault that Nell was eaten.

Except ours, for not making it in time.

But what is this I see before me?

Why is a proud troll of the west
being kept by this tiny human man?

This is not the way of the world.

Did they give you booze, kid?

Something's not right, if you can
stand so calmly in front of Betty.

Well, whatever.

I hate to lose a Hidenean baby, but oh well.

You can eat them, Betty.

What's wrong, Betty?

Chew them up already!

What's wrong, Betty?!

Hey!

So scared you spat her up?

She's still breathing, barely.

I neutralized the stomach acid.

Stay by her side and give her peace
until her last moment.

Only you, a baby, can do that.

What's wrong?

It's just a kid and a baby!

Where'd the baby and the woman go?

What kind of trick did you use?

Magic?

You're another magic user, aren't you?

Magic? What is "magic"?

You're playing dumb, huh?

Magic is a young field, still, yes.

But don't just think of me
as some old bandit geezer!

My generation was the one
to invent the foundations of magic!

Just watch...

I'll give you a lecture
on the basics of magic.

This is a powder made
from arcanacite, several herbs,

and the crushed larvae
of a parasitic long-legged fly.

These larvae have the effect of
destroying the host's ability to think

and allowing me to control them.

It took time to perfect, of course.

And the only thing it can
completely control is a female troll.

But someday, I'll control all dark beasts!

This is my magic!

Magic is the term we use
for a new technology that allows us

to use arcanacite to master
any natural phenomenon!

This smell...

Do it, Betty! Crush him!

In this form, I can feel the hits directly...

Damn you, Alicia. Why didn't you
tell me anything about magic?

She's a monster!

That's what will happen
if you hit something harder than a sword.

Hard grip, soft wrists.

You want all your joints loose.

Okay!

How can I get even stronger?

Hm...

Don't hesitate.

Hesitate?

Don't hesitate to hurt your enemy.

Don't hesitate to use your techniques.

Don't hesitate to feel pain.

Hesitation stiffens the body.

And that stiffness dulls
and slows your swing.

Once all that stiffness is gone,
you'll be much stronger.

Really?

What's most important
is to trust your blade.

Trust its strength.

That's eight...

How is she so strong?

Is she really human?

If we can't beat her with technique...

We'll beat her with strength!

Got her!

These swords are too brittle to use...

That must've broken two or three bones!

What's her body made of?

Damn it!

I need a better sword...

She ran!

Grab her!

There's 50 of them.

I can't fight them all without rest.

Even if I am immortal,
my stamina's fading fast.

If anything...

The dark ichor healing my wounds
seems to be draining it faster.

What will happen if I get too tired
to run and they catch me?

They can do anything to me and I won't die.

There's no telling what
horrible things they'll do.

I'll have to finish this fast...

I need that legendary sword...

She went for the diving board!

Is she going to jump in?

She can't be that stupid!

That lake is filled with the dark beasts
that k*lled the legendary hero!

Nobody's come out of it alive for 300 years!

Just like I thought, they're waiting
for somebody to fall in.

They've learned over the years...

She's trying to escape up the scaffold!

She ran up!

Whatever you're doing won't save you!

Our men are above you, too!

You're surrounded!

It's feeding time...
water dark beasts... Arvensis.

Eat up.

She destroyed the scaffolding!

She's crazy!

Anybody who falls in will be eaten!

S-Save me...!

The woman!

Where is the woman?!

I have one advantage
the legendary hero didn't.

Even if I suffocate, I won't die.

I expelled all the air
from my lungs before I jumped.

Now I just have to endure the pain...

until I get to the bottom of the lake,
where the legendary blade sleeps...

Next Time

Episode 4
Magical Talent