01x16 - Scandal

[bunniefuu]

Ladies and gentlemen, good evening.

At long last, the time has come for my friend to bid farewell to things of beauty.

Sincerity. Trust. Friendship.

All those virtues, all those wonderful things that we possess during childhood,

...he has now cast into the darkness of space, bidding them adieu.

Act : Scandal

"Planet Janina invaded by Empire years ago."

"Space Forces hurriedly deployed,"

"...commissioned officer makes secret deal with Empire."

Paris has been shaken to its foundation by this scandal...
...involving lead presidential candidate General Morcerf.

Take me to Space Forces Imperial Headquarters.

I'm Albert de Morcerf.

That's the son of the general!

Were you and your family aware of what your father had done on Janina?
Was the General trying to get at the Pasha of Janina's fortune?

Ow! Hey, watch it! Don't push!

What do you think of your father's shameful acts?

Get out of my way!

The General should apologize to the people of Paris!

Yeah, he's right!
Issue an apology!

We've heard rumors to the effect that your parents are from Marseilles.

I don't know anything about that! Didn't I tell you to stand aside?!
There are rumors going around that your family isn't really of nobility.

Is it safe to assume that they falsified their background?

Don't be rude! I've had about enough of you people insulting my father!

Insulting?! The ones who have been insulted all these years are us! The citizens of Paris!

You're the son of a traitor who colluded with the enemy and sold out the Pasha out of greed!

Viscount Morcerf?!
Where's my father?! Tell me where my father is!

You came in through the front gate? What a foolish thing to do...

Come with me to the back entrance. It's not safe for you here.

My father! Where is he? Let me speak with him!

Unfortunately, he is preoccupied with dealing with everything that has come up,
...so I believe that he might not return here today.

Oh, I see.

In that case, give my father this message. There is something I want to discuss with him.

And also tell my father that I believe in him.

Understood.
Enter.

I have done everything that I can.

However, explaining things to the National Assembly may prove difficult.

Their discussions are already centering around issuing subpoenas for witnesses.
Understood. You can go.

Your son was just here, sir.

As per your orders, I told him that you were not here.

What did he say?
Your son said that he believes in his father.

Albert! Quick, get in!

Eugenie!

Where do you think you're going at a time like this?

Why can't you do as you're told for once?!
No! Let me go!

Let go of me!

Was I talking to myself when I ordered you people again and again...

...not to let my daughter out of the house?!

Call security!
Yes, Monsieur!

At once!

Something terrible has happened to my friend's family, and you're telling me...

...to look the other way?!
You little fool! If you went out there now, those journalists would eat you alive!

They'll write about your relationship with Albert, blending fact and fiction until it becomes a farce,

...and we'll be made into toys for the public's amusement!

Can't you see that?!
I don't care about any of that!

Listen, this matter isn't just about you!

I won't tolerate anything that might lower your value, whatever it might be!
Keep a close eye on her to make sure that she doesn't leave the house!

Are you truly that worried about Viscount Morcerf?

If you like, I will go in your place to inquire after Monsieur Albert's well-being.

But I...
You should stay here.

I can't bear the thought of a wonderful person like you being disgraced by heartless people.

I've been looking everywhere for you, Albert.

We're in the middle of a huge scandal, and you walk right into m*llitary HQ, the belly of the beast.
That was one stupid stunt, you know that?

"A Word of Advice to General Fernand Morcerf. By Robert Beauchamp."
I want you to take me to Beauchamp's place.

Right now!

Hey, sorry I kept you guys waiting.

Albert, what are you...
You bastard! All this time, you were only pretending to be my friend!

"Watch out for scandals," my ass!

You were planning all along to sell out my father to get your big scoop!
Isn't that right?! Right?!

Listen, Albert, I'm going tell you everything that I uncovered in my investigation.

Just the plain truth. No lies.

So before you do anything rash, just hear me out.
Take a look at this.

This is a copy of a title deed that I bought from a black-market merchant in the Empire.

"I cede ownership of Queen Vasiliki of Janina and Princess Haidee..."
"...for the sum of million Francs."

"Seller, Fernand Mondego."

What's this supposed to prove?!

I followed the tracks of this "Mondego" person.

But every last bit of information on him had been erased.
It was almost as if he had never existed.

But Mondego existed, all right.

When he returned to Marseilles,

...he immediately used the money he had received to purchase orders of nobility.
And that's when he changed his name.

Prove it! Show me your proof!

Albert, I was also able to learn through Ministry of the Interior records...

...that Mondego was an old friend of Villefort's.
They were both originally from Marseilles.

And then Villefort purged all information regarding Mondego from all public records.

And that's how the man known as Mondego was erased from existence,

...and the man known as Fernand de Morcerf was born in his place.

What're you two saying?! That my father is the same man as that monster, Mondego?!
Do you two get your kicks by ganging up on somebody and writing about their problems?!

Come off it! Do you seriously think I decided to have some fun by writing a made-up article?!

Do you have any idea what it did to me to write that article?

Do you really think I'm a slimeball who would sell out his friends for a scoop?!
All right, that's enough.

I'm a journalist.

I have a duty to get the truth out to the people, no matter the cost.

Dammit!
Gankutsuou, the immortal man living in the Chateau d'lf...

That mark I saw on the Count's forehead that night in Auteuil...

...was the mark of Gankutsuou, no doubt about it.

Then does that mean that the Count has turned into Gankutsuou?
What's he doing in Paris?

If you keep pushing yourself this hard, you'll ruin your health.

Did you stay up all night again last night?
You sure are a worrywart, Maximilien.

Please eat. It's just country food, but it will help you keep your strength up.

Hey, that looks great...

Thanks.
Go on, take it to him.

No way! I'm too embarrassed!

You were the one who said that you wanted to meet Franz, weren't you?

Then you come in with me, big brother.
And what are you two up to out here?

Big brother!

Um... Uh...

Come on over.
Here! Eat this!

She said you looked like you were in the dumps, so we made these together.

Thanks, you two.

Mark my words! You'll be next!
Disaster will come calling at your house, too!

This feels strange.

For there to be so many family members in the same house, I mean.

Aren't there a great many people living in your own house, Monsieur Franz?
A long time ago, maybe. There were lots of servants, too.

But now, there's just a few servants and my mother.

Oh, I didn't know.

There are a lot of different kinds of aristocrats.
The engagement between Valentine and me was forced on us by Monsieur Villefort...

...just because my family has been known for generations in Paris as staunch royalists.

Unlike Albert's family, mine doesn't have a large fortune,

...so we thought it wouldn't hurt to have some backing once I got into diplomacy.

I'm sorry. I said all those things without knowing the circumstances behind your engagement.

Hey, I'm not so dumb that I need to have you worrying about me.
You'd never guess it by looking at me, but I hit the books pretty hard.

Monsieur Noirtier said it, too.

He said that he wanted you to make Valentine happy in his place.

I will!
Who's this man?


My father. He passed away three years ago.

That's a beautiful ship that he owned.
She was called the Pharaon. She was the star of our fleet.

She's changed hands now, though.

Edmond Dantes?

Oh, Edmond? You know Edmond Dantes?

You know him? You know who he is?!

Yes, he worked as first mate for Morrel and Son.
No go, huh?

With that circus out there, I'll never make it through the front door OR the back door.

This way, this way!

Over here.
This is the one gate in the whole mansion that isn't hooked into the security system.

How do you know all this stuff?

Hey, Peppo!

Get a move on. The paparazzi are coming.
I owe you one.

Goodbye, Albert.

Hey, there's somebody over there!

C'mon, let's go!

Mother! Are you here?!
Mother!

Mother, aren't you home?

Mother!

Albert...
Mother! I'm glad you're okay.

Thank goodness you're safe. Thank goodness...

Mother, l...
Look at how haggard you are. I bet you haven't eaten.

Wait here. I'll have them fix something for you.

Stop it, Mother. Stop pretending that nothing's wrong.
I'm sick of people treating me like some clueless kid!

I don't want to hear any more lies.

Fernand and I aren't true aristocrats.
We were commoners born in a small village outside of Marseilles called Catalonia.

Mother...

Then what is Father's real name?
Your father's real name is Fernand Mondego.

By the time I realized what was happening, it was already too late to turn back.

Once I said that we were aristocrats by birth, I had no choice but to keep playing the part.
And then the truth finally struck home in the middle of your father's campaign speech.

Why?! Why are you saying these things, too, Mother?!

Why don't you have any faith in Father?!

I heard the speech given by the Janinan princess that day with my own two ears.
If I had sensed even for an instant that her words were lies,

...I would have passed judgment over her in Heaven's stead right then and there.

But it was true...
Albert... We each must face the consequences of the things we have done.

We must never be allowed to avert our eyes from the truth.

Haidee wanted this to happen from the very beginning!

Damn it! DAMN IT!
Every year, my father and I would go to place flowers on Edmond Dantes' grave.

Father would always stare out at the sea, and would never tell me much about him.

But as my father lay on his deathbed, he kept calling out his name, tears in his eyes.
"I want to see Edmond! I want to see Edmond!"

"Why wasn't I able to save Edmond?!"

Maximilien, show me Morrel & Son's crew roster.

I haven't seen many of the records that date back to my father's time.

Edmond... Edmond...
This is him!

It's not him... His face is completely different.

Still...

What is it about this person?

The name Edmond was in Monsieur Noirtier's memories.

He said he was sent to a prison in deep space for a crime he didn't commit.

I don't believe it!
Danglars?! He was the ship's purser?

Now I get it... So THAT'S what this is all about...

I have to get back there, and fast. Albert's in danger.
What in the world is the matter?

He's alive!

Edmond Dantes is alive!

Haidee!

Get out here, Haidee!
Show yourself! Haidee!

Long time, no see, little boy.

Not since we met back on Luna, right?

Luigi Vampa?
What are you doing in the Count's home?

"What are you doing," he says...

This boy's still as wooly-headed as ever, isn't he?
Go ahead and explain things to him.

But you said that you'd left the bandit g*ng, Peppo!

I've been keeping an eye on you all this time on the Count's orders, Albert.

I've also been sending detailed reports of your movements to the Count.

Why would the Count do such a thing?

Come on, you must have a vague idea by now.
About why the Count made friends with you on Luna, and then came to Paris.

Shut your mouth! Where's Haidee?!

Hurry up and send out Haidee!

His servants have left the mansion.
Their master is due to arrive on Earth any time now.

"General Morcerf, the Scandal of Janina"...

You're making your move, aren't you, Count?

Albert, please stay safe.
Haidee!

Count, you have to tell me. Where can I find hope?

Where is the truth you spoke of?

Next time on Gankutsuou, the Count of Monte Cristo act ,

Act : The Confession

..."The Confession."

Bide your time, and hold out hope!