01x08 - Yakujô wa Kubitachi no Katachi

[bunniefuu]

Sera, you've really improved!

And you used to be
such a cute little thing.

I trained extensively because I wanted
to be a great knight like you!

What a sweet thing to say!

Incredible.

Lady Serafina is strong enough

to stand against the legendary
Princess Wysteresia!

I wouldn't be so sure.
They are only training, after all.

And Lady Wysteresia has always
preferred wielding two swords.

Looks like I won't need to hold
back against you anymore!

Right! Please, fight seriously!

Wow...

Your skill with a blade lives
up to your legend, Resia!

Those eyes of yours do you credit.

You're already used to my strikes?

Still...

You've become a fine knight, Sera.

If you weren't holding back
out of admiration for me,

I bet you'd be stronger than I am.

If you really feel that way,
why resort to blinding me with dirt?

I wouldn't have, if I wanted
to fight like a knight.

But we've got fire-breathing
dragons in these parts.

You start getting all huffy over a bit
of dirt, and you'll be dead in no time!

The willingness to resort
to whatever it takes,

while still maintaining such
refined and vigorous willpower.

Who she is at her core remains unchanged.
She's still direct and brilliant.

Come to think of it...

There was the time she disguised
herself as a village girl

to destroy a bandit hideout...

By intentionally getting kidnapped.

It's her willingness to use

such free-wheeling tactics
unbecoming of a knight...

that gave rise to so many legends...

You're absolutely right, Sister.
I'll try and keep that in mind.

Sorry, Sera. I got some dirt
on your engagement necklace.

Oh, really?

Yeah. Wash it off later, okay?

I thought it didn't come off?

Of course it does.

Why'd you think it wouldn't?

There's no latch...

Did Veo not explain?

If you will it to come off, it does.

How does that work?!

It reacts to willpower.

Try touching it while wishing
strongly for it to come off.

Okay...

Come off!

Then even something
like this is enchanted?

Well, if a weapon's enchantment reacts
to the desire to defend or attack,

is it really that strange that there's
a necklace that reacts to the desire

to come undone?

I see...

The idea is that the necklace would
come off if you didn't want it.

I-I see...

She didn't seem to catch on to what
that implies since it never came off...

There we go.

An engagement necklace...

Wh-Wh-What am I thinking?!

Attach!

Necklace! Attach!

Attach! Attach?!

It won't attach...

B-But why?

The Warrior Princess and the Barbaric King

You can't put the necklace back on?

I've been wishing strongly
for it to do so, but...

It just won't change back.

What do you suppose is going on?

Oh, well to put it back on...

There's a little ritual.

You need to sneak up on the person
who gave it to you, from behind...

Douse them with water,
to cleanse them, and then...

You go like this and whisper "Guess who?"

Right in their ear.

Try saying it.

G-Guess who...?

Sexier!

U-Um...

Guess who?

Not like that!

Put some real femininity in it,
like a mature, older woman!

What does that even mean?

G-Guess...

Guess who?

You're getting there!

You'll wanna include notes
of purity, open mindedness,

and strength that calls to mind

the harshness of the eastern lands!

I'm not sure I follow!

Then when he calls your name,
it'll be a nice little setup.

And all of this childishness will really
let me put the necklace back on?

The more primitive the ritual,
that more it tends to be like that.

Is that really the case?

Wait...

I have to do all this... to Veor?!

You sure do.

What do you think? Can you pull it off?

Um... I think... so?

I'll do it!

Awesome!

That said, you gotta keep the
necklace coming off a secret.

Don't let Veo see you.

That seems like a much bigger challenge...

I'm going to borrow this basin.

Huh? Oh, certainly.

Ma'am, why did you tell her... all that?

None of it is necessary to
put the necklace back on.

I just said it'd be a nice setup!

Not that it'd let her put it back on.

I mean, we're talking about Veo and Sera.

How many years do you think we'd have to
wait if we don't give them a little push?

This comes a little too close to meddling.

I'd just like my grandchild to
see me while I'm still pretty.

You're getting ahead of yourself.

I can't let him see me, and I have
to douse him with this water...

Here goes!

Thanks ever so much.
It was so darn heavy...

A bit of firewood was no trouble at all.

Up.

What is it? Why do you want up?

Wh-What was that?!

Forgive me, Veor!
I'll wholeheartedly apologize later!

It seems the best way to do this would
be in a place with no one else around...

Did it just rain, but only
on Master Thunder Voice?

I couldn't tell you, myself.

Sera wouldn't do that sort
of thing without some reason.

You want to know Master Veor's schedule?

I thought it best to target
my quarry when they're alone.

Quarry...?

You're taking this more
seriously than I thought.

Of course.

It is a knight's duty to see something
through once they've started it.

Is it now?

You nobles really are such a pain.

What Veor's doing today and
where he's going. Anything will do.

Mother, where is Sera?

Stepped out for something.

I see.

Hold it right there!

Are things going well
between you and Sera?

Have a seat.

Listen up. If you care about
a woman, you need to show her.

How do I do that...?

With a gift! As a symbol.

Think of it as an offering
to the woman you love!

I don't suppose you could tell me
what would be a good gift, Mother.

Use your own damn head...

is what I'd normally say, but...

How about something unusual to eat?

And then you make it into
something delicious to eat,

so that it really means something.

That's more mundane than I thought.

I'm going to check on the saplings.

You'll wanna look for something nearby,
but with as few people around as possible!

Someplace you could knock boots
and no one would hear it!

Knock...?! Really, Mother?!

Master Veor went to check on the saplings.

The place where the great
cleansing was performed, then.

There's plenty of cover to shadow
him while staying hidden!

To say nothing of spots
to sneak up behind him!

Just try not to be a nuisance.

Don't worry! I'll apologize later!

That really isn't the point!

Why am I stuck doing this?!

Malcius.

Serafina de Lavillant is taking
to the field of battle.

Huh? Okay.

Something unusual to eat...

Well, the saplings seem to have
taken to the ground well enough.

There's nothing as wondrous as
seeing greenery restored to land

that was once close to death.

Forgive me, Veor!

He reacted to the slight
surge of willpower just now!

Sera...?

What are you doing out here?

Stay back!

Don't come any closer, please!

I can't be seen in the middle
of the ritual! Forgive me!

Ritual...?

This is going to be more
difficult than I thought.

But still!

Perhaps a more offensive
approach will work!

Honestly, Sera... I'm not
sure the hat is helping.

He notices me every single time!

What is he, a wild animal?!

How am I ever going to
sneak up behind him?!

I wonder what's wrong
with Lady Serafina today.

Life can be fine a second time around...

What do I do?

No! I told Resia I would do this,
so I can't just give up!

Actually, this has nothing to do with her!

As a knight, I've begun this undertaking!
It's not unlike taking an oath!

So this ritual will be a success!

Wait... I know.

One of Resia's legends may hold the key!

It had gotten a bit long.

How were the saplings?

No problems there, but...

There's something that's
been bothering me.

What's that?

Sera's been acting rather strange.

It's like she has some business with me...

But when I try to talk
to her, she runs off.

Cersei?

Keep the crock ritual a
secret from Veo, got it?

I wonder if I've done
something to upset her.

I... I don't think that's the case!

Um... Does anything come to mind?

One thing.

The engagement necklace.

I put it on her when she was brought
here, while she was asleep.

I had intended to tell her
what it represented...

but in the end, Mother told her first.

I may have been afraid...
of being rejected.

So I was happy enough that
she was wearing it at all...

Putting the issue aside,
instead of addressing it.

Master Veor...

It could be that she's upset with
my cowardice, in regards to that.

That she finds me pitiful.

I don't think Sera would be disappointed
in you over something like that.

Not when you're trying so hard.

I hope you're right.

Don't worry.

I think I may need to face her again
and tell her how I truly feel.

I'm sorry for suddenly calling on you!

But I need your cooperation!
Are you willing to help?

Wh-Wh-What is this?! And so suddenly!

It's something I can only ask you to do.

But, with this plan,
rooted in the legends of Resia...!

I'm sure it will succeed.

A plan...?

Could it be that Lady Serafina is
finally fed up with these barbarians

and is scheming to escape with me?!

I-If it's something I can do to help!

Really?! Thank you so much!

Let's get started, then.

Lady Serafina?!

Sera?

Where is she going?

W-Wait, please!
I need to talk to you!

Sera!

Sera...

Wh-What the—

I have you now!

Egads!

Damn you, Veor... You had a weapon
like this up your sleeve?!

I should've expected as much from the
man who can fight me to a standstill!

And yet—

I won't be beaten!

Guess who?

Uh... That voice could really
only belong to one person...

What is this? Am I being
tested in some way?

Answer me. What's my name?

Your name is Sera.

Serafina de Lavillant. Is it not?

Sera...

Necklace! Attach!

Wh-Why isn't it working?!

Sera... could you explain what's going on?

Um, well... Resia told
me about the ritual...

Since I took the necklace
off and... well...

So, this is Mother's doing.

It's obviously nonsense.

Mother... could you please refrain
from teasing Sera like this?

I just told her it'd be a nice setup.
Not an untrue word was spoken.

Besides, without a little
extra motivation...

I'm sorry for what she did.

No, I should've remembered that
Sister can be... capricious.

All right, that's enough apologizing,
let's enjoy this grub Cersei made us!

I think Sera's perception of you as a
heroic princess who met a tragic end...

might color her perception.

You might be right.

I really do need to apologize.

I was such a nuisance...
I hope you can forgive me.

No, it was nothing you should
worry about. If anything...

Sera... would you join me for a bit?

For what?

O-Okay.

Wh-What's wrong?

May I see the necklace?

O-Okay.

In order to put this on,
an oath must be recited.

An oath...?

Sera, I would like to once again
give you this engagement necklace.

Is that all right?

S-Sure!

I'm... not... against it.

I feel anxious without it, frankly.

Honestly...

You have no idea how happy
it makes me to hear that.

Thundering maelstrom whose domain is
between the earth and the stormclouds,

divine dragon whose will is law...

Armor of rulers, Orkfiem.

In thy glorious name,
I hereby forge this bond.

I bid you to unite this maiden and I.

And for as long as she
holds me in her heart,

until such a time as my life ends...

let our fates be intertwined.

That is the prayer pact necessary
to put the necklace on.

I hope it conveyed to
you how I honestly feel.

Y-Yes!

I wonder how Veo's doing.

Not that I care...

but what do we do with her?

Lady Serafina...!

I feel kinda bad...

Should I pat her head?

I don't think you should sully
your hands like that, ma'am.

Looks like it went well.