01x09 - This Is What It Means... To Learn Something, I Think

[bunniefuu]

It seems these eyes
have failed me at last.

But there's still something
I must see before I die.

Your recent treatise impressed me.

Professor! I'm honored.

It's been 20 years
since your arrival here.

Perhaps it's time.

I shall hand over my universe to you.

This is...

This is my archival vault.

Only I can enter.

It's incredible.

Take a look at this.

This is the model of the universe
that I have devised and refined.

Double epicycles. Amazing.

The accuracy is faultless,
and the circular motions are uniform too.

Yes.

In all of human history,

no one but me has achieved
this level of precision.

This is the universe in its proper form.

I have sacrificed all other possibilities,
options, and opportunities,

and devoted my entire life
to refining this model.

I never needed collaborators.

I was certain that God would choose
only one person to reach the truth,

and I swore I wouldn't tell anyone
until it was completed.

Then why tell me?

Because that one person

may be you, not me.

When you do research as long as I have,

many things become clear.

In terms of observations, theories,
calculations, and imagination,

you are now superior to me in every way.

The road to truth is perilously narrow.

But you may be capable
of reaching the end.

I could never...

Perfecting the cosmos is beyond me.

I won't ask you to start right away.

If you're ever interested, just tell me.

Two epicycles...

The universe in its proper form?

Can I really... inherit such a task?

What am I afraid of?

Isn't audacity important?

That's right! I have to be courageous!

I will perfect the Professor's--

What... was that?

My eyes are playing tricks on me.

I must be exhausted.

Don't worry.
It wasn't really the final phase.

Professor, do you have a moment?

It's about the completion of your model.

Oh, have you given it some thought?

Yes. Your ideas are brilliant.

More than that, they will change history.

However,

I don't think I'm up to the task.

I cannot carry the burden
of completing the cosmos.

Is that so?

Find me if you change your mind.

But it'll be too late
when I'm on the verge of finishing!

Professor.

I know my own body.

I don't have long.

I've known it all this time,

but I've never had the courage to ask you.

Five years ago,

when you turned me down,

was it because you doubted my theory?

Absolutely not!
Your theory is magnificent!

I've never seen such an accurate model!

Indeed.

It is beautiful.

It's precise, sublime,

and in accordance
with Aristotle and the Holy Scripture.

I've never once doubted that.

But...

It's never complete!

No matter how much work I put into it!

With my abilities,

there will always be errors
that can't be overlooked.

Even after a lifetime of work,
I could never reach my goal.

No, I wish it was only that.

What terrifies me the most

is that my hypothesis

may be completely wrong,
right down to its basic assumptions.

If that's the case,

what a waste I've made of my life!

No.

That can't be it.

You couldn't complete your model

simply because you lacked
the ability to do so.

But that doesn't mean
your research was wrong!

The life you dedicated to it
was not a mistake!

One day...

One day, tell me when we meet in heaven.

The truth.

Um, is the Professor--

He's gone.

I leave the rest to you.

I'll be in the laboratory.

Huh?

Doing what?

Perfecting the cosmos.

ORB: ON THE MOVEMENTS OF THE EARTH

Since we last met,
I have been generous enough

to consider your ridiculous theory.

And I've decided
to let you view my records.

Really?

However, I have one condition.

You must prove true
what I know to be false.

What exactly do you mean?

Long ago,

I saw something.

No, I mistakenly saw something.

Of course, such an error

no longer concerns me now.

But it's true
that this one-time mistaken sighting

planted the seeds of doubt
in my life's work.

That's why I want to take this opportunity

to make certain that I was wrong.

What are you talking about?

What is it that you saw?

Venus in its final phase.

What?

B-But that's--

Venus in its final phase?
What does that mean?

Earth is the center
of the geocentric model,

so of course Venus
revolves around Earth too.

EARTH, VENUS, SUN

That means Venus

can only be illuminated by the Sun
from certain directions,

and its shape always appears incomplete.

To see Venus in its final phase,

it would have to be illuminated
after circling behind the Sun.

If that's the case,

it would be more natural to think
the planets revolve around the Sun.

And that would mean

the current model which places
the Earth at the center

would be ruled out.

Correct.

But the opposite is also true.

If you can't observe Venus
approaching fullness,

heliocentrism would be ruled out.

If you imbeciles are correct
in your hypothesis,

then today, when Venus is small
and far away, it should appear full.

Tonight, we will settle
the matter once and for all.

But first, I will test your eyesight.

I've drawn a shape as small
as a human pupil on that board.

You must tell me
if it is a square or a circle.

Do that, and I'll accept that your vision
is as good as mine was back then.

I could never see something
that small from so far away.

It's audacious to even try.

Now, can you see
if it's a square or a circle?

- No.
- Huh?

It's neither.

The shape is a half-circle
with the right side missing.

Well... I guess you'll do.

I'm going back to my room.

Call me when Venus appears.

- Excuse me.
- Huh?

If...

If I don't see Venus in its final phase,

that means Earth
is the center of the universe

and the bottom of everything, right?

I'm worried.

Somehow, I still feel

like that is probably true.

Is that because
the world you've experienced

is full of suffering?

Yes.

I know how you feel.

I've never thought
there was salvation on Earth either.

We've been taught that our duty
is to ascend from this corrupt realm

and make it to heaven.

Even so, it has always bothered me.

Our world

holds too much beauty
for such a lowly place.

Ferocious nature,

primitive animals,

and sinful humans...

Even the fruits of tragedy like those

are all beautiful in their own way.

There must be a reason for that.

And it may be that the Earth moves.

If the Earth and the sky are one,

then no matter how corrupt our world is,
it will never be without light.

It's time.

Venus will only be visible
for three hours.

- Badeni.
- Huh?

I have a question.

Even if I say Venus appears full,

couldn't Count Piast refuse to believe it?

Yes.

But even if that happens,

at least I will know the truth.

Are you worried?

Yes, of course.

No matter what the result is,

what I see today will shape the universe.

How could I not feel burdened?

To be honest, I don't understand much

about the things you two say or do.

It's even less clear
how this affects my faith.

Or rather, I was merely
caught up in all of this.

I never had any desire
to change the world.

I only wanted to go to heaven.

I have no idea why I'm here
or doing any of this.

These past few days

have been the most puzzling of my life.

Despite all of that,
what I find hardest to understand...

is the fact that right now,
I want to see Venus in its final phase.

In that case,

there is nothing more we can do for you.

No.

But if you don't mind,

please hope.

See it.

Look full.

I must see it.

It must look full.

See it!

EARTH

It looks full.

How mysterious.

It's the same sky I've always seen,

but now it looks so different.

- I'll bet.
- Huh?

This is what it means...
to learn something, I think.

ORB: ON THE MOVEMENTS OF THE EARTH

Orb.

And so, Count Piast,

since Venus appears full--

Are you okay?

I won't accept it.

It can't be.

It's a lie you've concocted.

You're trying to trick me.

We wouldn't!

No, when I think clearly,

even if Venus really appears full,

that is only proof
that Venus revolves around the Sun.

It's not proof that the Earth moves.

My model is still correct!

Yes. You're right.

You could think of it that way.

But is the universe
born from such thinking

the natural product of God

or the product of human stubbornness?

How would it look to you?

Young imbeciles like yourselves
could never understand!

My history, the history of humankind,

and years of accumulated learning
should never be so easily denied!

Then what if

there was something powerful enough
to instantly deny such learning?

Something greater
than individual needs or will.

Something that acts mercilessly
and without prejudice.

If such a thing existed,

what do you think it would be called?

I would call it...

One day...

One day, tell me when we meet in heaven.

I would call it

truth.

Here is the key to the archival vault.

Everything is stored in there.

Thank you very much.

We accept it.

Excuse me...

How many...

Just how many years of life

do you think this key represents?

Two thousand years.

If all those years
did not lead to an answer,

perhaps the truth never needed us at all.

However, even if we were wrong,

what we have written
will have meaning to history.

I pray for that to be true.

How was it?

Incredible.

I can fully concentrate
on research with these.

For now,

please carry the documents
we need to the village, Oczy.

What?

We can't work here
if we don't belong to this organization.

Oh, right.

As for you, Jolenta...

I'll leave the choice to you,

but I'd prefer it
if your involvement ended here.

I'd like to work alone.

Very well.

Besides, I don't think
I have much else to offer at this point.

Still, you've already been a great help.

I rarely say anything like this,

but I'd like to repay you if I can.

In that case, please perfect
the heliocentric model.

Yes. I promise.

One more thing.

If we happen to be arrested in the future,

pretend you know nothing.

That will be best for you
and for heliocentrism.

I'll be going then.

Oczy, please handle the records.

Uh, right.

Well... Thank you very much.

I'll be going too.

Excuse me!

- Can I ask you one thing?
- Yes?

What does it feel like

to be able to read?

Oh, uh, I know it's obvious to all of you,

but until recently, the only person
I knew who could read

was my mentor in the guild.

Do you promise not to tell anyone
what I am about to say?

Huh? Uh, yes.

As a disciple of the Church,

I know I shouldn't
use these words lightly.

But I can't think
of any other way to express it.

Reading and writing... are like miracles.

Of course, I don't mean they're the same
as the miracles performed by our savior!

Still, reading and writing are amazing.

Using letters, a person
can cross space and time.

I might shed tears
reading the news of 200 years ago

or laugh at rumors from 1,000 years ago.

Isn't that unbelievable?

Our lives are trapped, beyond our control,

in this day and age.

But when I read,

the great figures from the past
engage me in conversation.

At that moment, I can escape the present.

Thoughts put into writing
remain after we are gone,

and they might spur someone
into action far in the future.

What else could you call that

but a miracle?

It's... that great?

Yes. It is.

Finally... I can finally tell you.

The truth.