01x08 - The Assassin Is Enchanted

[bunniefuu]

Akira, what can we do to help?

Nothing.

Think long and hard

about what you all want to do.

He's not going to come with us

unless we can prove ourselves to him.

That'll be tough.

Say, I heard about something at the guild.

Uh there's a festival going on

in a nearby town right now.

A festival?

Yeah. And a beauty pageant is part of it.

But every year, the winner goes missing.

What's that mean?

The rumors say they're being

trafficked on the black market.

Multiple adventurers said the same thing,

so I think we can trust that info.

If we can capture whoever is responsible

It might prove our usefulness to Oda-kun!

If nothing else,

he won't see us as dead weight.

I think it's worth a shot.

Okay, time to do this!

A festival?

Yeah.

In Mali, a town not far from here.

The girls wanted to go, so we figured

we'd invite Princess Amelia.

Will there be food stalls?

A ton of them, in fact.

I'm in!

There'll be a beauty pageant too.

Will you enter with us?

If you win, you get a super grand prize!

I'm in!

Wow.

What a crowd!

The beauty pageant prize has got to be food!

Quite likely given we're in beastfolk land,

which is bountiful in victuals.

I need to hurry up and enter!

She's really getting into the festival.

This is racism, I say!

That's so mean!

Please understand.

Is there a problem?

It's r*cist to ban demons

from the beauty pageant!

Don't you agree with me, man?

Huh? You're a demon?

Sure am.

Th-That's

I'm Latticenail. Call me Latty!

R-Right.

Is she really a demon?

She's not oozing power or anything.

Hey, talk to them for me, will ya?

I wanna take part in the pageant.

We ask aspiring entrants

to provide some kind of identification.

Huh?

Y-You're Princess Amelia of the elves?!

Will that do?

Of course! I'll take your entry!

You're doting on another girl.

I am not.

Whoops, sorry 'bout that.

How come humans, beastfolk,

and elves can all enter, but not demons?!

I'm terribly sorry.

Elves are bigger cheaters if you ask me.

They're all so pretty.

What do you expect me to do about it?

This makes no sense!

Please forgive us

Apologize all you want,

I'm not taking no for an answer!

- Please

- You sure?

I don't have anything against her.

Just you doting on other girls.

But I didn't.

Let her enter. I'll subdue her

if she starts any funny business.

What?

That's my man!

I can allow it if the princess's party

agrees to take responsibility.

We have a deal!

Wait, it's you

Black Cat?

I-It's been a while, Lady Latticenail.

I go by "Night" now.

Ah, made a pact, did you?

Nice to meet you anew, then.

Nice to meet you

You know her?

I guess you are both demons.

Master I'll explain later.

Hey, hey! We've got time

before the pageant begins.

Let's go check out the festival!

Agreed!

You two sure got on the same page quick.

I'm Latty, and I'm entering

the beauty pageant!

So everyone,

vote for me, okay?!

I'm counting on you.

Hold still for a sec.

LATTY

My autograph!

It's in the Hero of Legend's language.

Cool, right?

R-Right.

Okay, gather around, everyone!

The line starts here!

I'm shaking hands and giving autographs!

I think I'll get in line too.

A meet and greet? Just who is that demon?

Lady Latticenail is a little

No, she's very unique.

Demon or not, she doesn't seem nasty to me.

You're pretty unique yourself.

Is that who I think it is?

Yeah, totally!

The Silent Assassin!

Squee! He looked our way!

Huh? Were they talking about me?

You're famous.

Wha?

When you slew those monsters

with your dark magic

and restored peace

to a town engulfed in chaos,

you had many an eye on you.

Yeah, I guess I did go

a little wild for an assassin.

That's what makes you so fascinating, Master.

Eyewitnesses are calling you

the Silent Assassin, and it's only spreading.

But why?

I forgot I had something from

the Adventurer's Guild to give you.

In light of your accomplishment,

you've been promoted

to yellow rank as a special reward.

That's good to have,

since it doubles as identification.

I'm silver rank myself.

Higher than yellow, I take it?

Yep!

Kilika holds gold rank, which only three

other people in the world have.

She was pretty strong.

Akira, we're all yellow rank as well.

Feel free to come to us if you need to know

how to make a living as an adventurer.

Sure.

Amelia! They've got an unusual dish over here!

I wanna try it!

There's a lottery, Asahina!

Use Intuition to bag us the win!

That is not what my skill is for.

Then let's try to win the normal way.

Night, go with Amelia.

Take out anyone who tries to chat her up.

As you wish.

When did they get so friendly?

The trip here took two days. That's plenty

of time to get to know one another.

You think? I still don't know

why you came with us.

You don't seem the type

to care about festivities.

Did you know that I had a little sister?

I heard from Amelia and Night.

My sister's wishes aren't the only reason

I haven't exacted my revenge.

I've simply grown too old.

You don't look it.

Beastfolk age in a way that doesn't show.

I've already lost a lot of my power.

The man who k*lled my sister has strong

mercenaries guarding him at all times.

k*lling him won't be easy.

That's what we're up against

with Gram Cluster.

A royal in Uruk, the biggest nation on

the beastfolk continent, is named Gram.

Why do you think Princess Amelia was targeted

as soon as you entered the country?

You don't mean

Gram sold the demons the intel.

He has the power and influence to check

passenger lists anytime he pleases.

You're certain of this?

I verified it while you were out cold.

Also, you should know that

I was the one who made Lia's staff.

What does that have to do with anything?

The magic crystal in her staff

resonated with one I have.

That's how I knew you were in danger.

I'm grateful you saved our lives,

but why bring that up now?

Because I came along with you guys

to talk about exactly this.

I saved you so you would owe me a favor.

I have a job request

for the assassin Akira Oda.

I understand you can't give me

a response immediately.

So I'll ask as many times as it takes.

Crow.

We should arrange for an inn soon.

Right.

Mention my name

when you get to the pageant venue.

It will get you comfortable seats

to watch the show.

You sure do get around, Crow.

So everyone owes you a favor, huh?

That's how it goes when you've

lived as long as I have.

This year's beauty pageant is heating up!

Next up is contestant number 289,

Yuki Ueno!

Ueno's so cute!

I wish I could get a better look.

Crow's name got us a whole box.

I'm glad we're up here.

Akira's famous now, and he stands out.

Next up is contestant number 290,

Shiori Hosoyama!

Yeah, gotta love Hosoyama-san!

Wait, is this

I knew it!

Master, Lady Amelia is up next.

Next up, what you've all been waiting for!

We have a favorite to win taking the stage!

Contestant number 291,

Amelia Rosequartz!

Beautiful

She's putting on a show like only she could.

Yeah

Don't look now, but we have

our last participant coming up!

Contestant number 292,

Latty!

What is she doing?

It's me, Latty!

Please vote for me, everyone!

I'll ask you again

Is she really a demon?

Indeed. She is, hard as it may be to believe.

We've finished tallying the votes.

The winner of the ladies' segment

of the beauty pageant is

Contestant number 291, Amelia Rosequartz!

And contestant number 292, Latty!

We have our very first tie in history!

I nailed the buildup and special effects!

Even with that, I could only draw

with the elven princess.

No one would've been surprised

if you'd taken it, Latty.

You tied with Amelia.

You should be proud of that.

Hey, what's this?

You taking an interest in me?

Not to brag or anything,

but I am quite the hit with guys.

Nope. I only have eyes for Amelia.

Tch. You two are so in love, it's sickening.

But I'll win next time.

Let's enter next year's pageant too!

I will if Akira says it's okay.

Um, Lady Latticenail

If you draw too much attention,

your father might not be pleased.

Like I care about that!

We had a fight and I ran away

from home, after all.

I had a feeling

What about her dad?

Okay, Night, who is she really?

Lady Latticenail is

the Demon Lord's daughter.

Your orders, Sir Gram?

This won't require your services.

But tell your men to keep an eye on them.

Sir.

I can capture and offer up

what the demons failed to take.

I smell a good deal in the making

LATTICENAIL

DEMON, WATER AND FIRE MAGE

Her stats are insane.

Demon Lord's daughter or not,

I've known she was plenty strong all along.

Akira, you should use your World Eyes

without me having to tell you.

MANA SUPPRESSION

There are people who hide their strength.

I know. But still

Nothing. Never mind.

We've arranged for lodging.

Oh, do we need an additional room?

Nah, I can camp out wherever.

You're one thing, but the other humans'll

probably sleep better without me around.

In that case, see you tomorrow

when we pick up our prizes.

Yep. Catch you later too, man!

Wait, I don't know your name.

Oda Akira.

Okay, Akira it is. I'll remember that, man.

You're still calling me that, huh?

So, why do you have to go

collect your prizes tomorrow?

Well, they didn't have them ready in time.

How do you know that?

I entered the men's segment and won.

I see.

Gotta love how casual he is about it.

Is your prize food too?

If it is, you can have it all.

Okay, great!

Akira, I don't see Night around.

Yeah, I sent him on an errand.

I see.

Let's hit the bath.

Yeah.

That was crazy.

Akira, let's take a bath together.

Not happening.

I can't go in the women's bath.

You can with Conceal Presence.

I absolutely will not.

Shucks.

Akira.

I hope you haven't forgotten

what we talked about.

I haven't. I'll think about it.

What?

Forget the bath.

You're exhausted. You didn't get

enough sleep the past two days.

But I was out for three days before that,

and I've always been a light sleeper.

Forgive me.

I'm willing to use force

to save you from yourself.

Spellcraft: Forced Sleep!

Remind me never to get on your bad side.

What did you and Akira talk about?

I just offered him some work.

I won't let you force him into

something he doesn't want to do.

I hear he couldn't finish off the demon.

You think he didn't want to do that either?

You're free to think what you want.

But don't you dare try

to compromise Akira's way of life.

I have no such intention.

I'm not forcing him to do anything.

The decision is his to make.

Besides

What gives him that last push

into compromising himself

might well be his desire to protect you.

Akira will compromise himself for me?

Where's my man?

Sleeping.

He must really be exhausted.

Even I didn't expect him to sleep so soundly.

Better not to wake him, then.

Yeah. We're just going to pick up our prizes.

The traffickers will probably

be targeting the prize pickup.

It's a good thing Akira didn't come.

We'd miss our chance with him around.

Moreover, who knows

what that demon girl is thinking?

We need to stay wary of her too.

What a weird place to pick up prizes.

This is definitely the location they gave us.

You must be Princess Amelia.

So what if I am?

Sir Gram wants to see you.

You're coming with us.

Gram?

Ah, the kidnapping ringleader and the scumbag

who'd k*ll his own brethren to save his hide?

Did you really think

I would go see him in person?

Then we'll just take you by force!

Gravity!

So? What is Gram planning to do with me?

N-No idea.

We were simply ordered to bring you.

I've lived dozens of times longer than you.

Do you truly believe you can fool me?

F-Fine

I-I'll talk!

Th-The winners so far

Not all of them, but whoever was captured

had their organs harvested and sold.

If rumors spread about it,

Sir Gram made them go away with money.

Every year, it's the same thing.

So you were planning to sell me off?

You don't get to be a royal

without dirtying your hands a little.

Think long and hard on that as you die.

Okay, stop right there!

They may be criminals, but no k*lling them.

They attacked me first.

Combat isn't m*rder.

I think that people, even villains,

have their own stories.

And nobody's allowed to end that for them.

So I won't let you k*ll anyone in front of me.

Is this what Amelia's seeing now?

She put me to sleep with her magic,

so maybe my mind's linked to her mana.

I mean, if you wanna k*ll them so bad,

do it when I'm not looking.

I try to be a hero, but I can't save

people I can't see.

I don't want to see Amelia k*lling anyone.

And thanks to that girl, I didn't have to.

If I stooped to m*rder,

how would Amelia feel when she found out?

EPISODE 8: THE ASSASSIN IS SPELLBOUND

TRANSLATION: SRIRAM GURUNATHAN

TIMING: KRZYSZTOF KUNC

EDITING: RILEY DALTON

QUALITY CHECK: WILLIAM HAGGARD

NEXT EPISODE

EPISODE 9: THE ASSASSIN SEES THE SIGHTS