01x05 - A Meeting with the Iron Tigers

[bunniefuu]

The unchanging course of the stars...

You lied to me, as*h*le!

The doings of mankind...

Look over there! The Solar Knights!

Wait, shithead!

The dust, gathering on the windowsill...

A bard!

The sigh of a man with strange loves...

The shriveled-up body of
a Black Greatrock Worm.

Decorations brought back from
the Valley of Dragons...

The half-eaten food of an adventurer who fled
the Labyrinth and now sobs through his meal...

What the hell were you
thinking, you b*stard?

It's all so beautiful!

He's like a poet.

Has he been like that the whole time?

Yup.

If anything, he's calmer than usual.

A high-quality igniter,
modified to one's tastes and much loved!

I can feel the history it carries.

Thanks.

That thing you've got there
looks good on you, too.

Right? Right?

You look wonderful.

That's right!
It looks impressive, even if you don't!

Curran, that's not a compliment.

Kizuna, how many times do you have to hear
it from all of us before you're satisfied?

There's no such thing as
too many compliments.

They're something both the
giver and receiver can enjoy.

True.

You look great.

Now, let's get to it.

First, Curran.

Zem.

Tiana.

I'd like to entrust you with the
task of keeping our funds safe.

It seems to be protected with magic.

And this is a magic abacus. It can calculate
automatically, which is a great help.

And this is what I'd like
you all to protect.

Two bronze pieces.
Three small bronze pieces.



What about it?

You could buy a snack.

This is all the wealth the
Survivors have right now.

W-Wait.

What does that mean?

Did we overspend a little?

A snack is all you could buy!

So... let's go make some money, guys!

Yeah!

Ningen Fushin: Adventurers Who Don't
Believe in Humanity Will Save the World

"A Meeting with the Iron Tigers."

Tiana,

as of today, you're no longer
a student at this school.

Yes...

But you're still a mage.

Oh, you may have this as a gift.

An igniter?

It's a goodbye gift.

You'd wanted it, right?

Thank you, sir.

I'd ruined the career of somebody I admired.

He'd been caught up in the scandal with me.

I'd taken away the title of Sage
that he'd wanted so badly.

Forever.

But still, he spoke like nothing bothered
him at all, and this is what he said.

"Because nobody needs us, we are free."

But freedom can be quite restrictive.

Huh?

No, nothing.

And we're going to find ourselves
restricted in many ways.

We want to be free, but we
want somebody to need us.

Perhaps humans deserve to be destroyed.

I'm joking.

It's strange, don't you think?

Even after all this, we can still laugh.

Perhaps it's a sign that
the worst is yet to come.

I was never able tell if you're
joking or not, Master.

W-Was it not funny?

It's more like...

It's inappropriate.

I see.

Inappropriate? I suppose you're right.

I suppose you may be right.

You seem to be enjoying this somehow.

Master, you're laughing too much.

I'm sorry.

Just, whenever there's a silence,
I can't help myself...

I say whatever's on my mind.

Um, I'll be going.

Oh, yes.

Was there something I could do for him?

I wondered that, even though I knew
I was overstepping myself.

It was rude, almost impudent.

I'm sorry. This is all my fault.

This is goodbye, isn't it?

Yes, of course it is.

I'll give you one last lesson, then.

To know who you are.

To know what you've learned,
what you can do...

That's a treasure that
nobody can take from you.

Remember that, at all times.

That's not a joke, is it?

I'm sorry.

I couldn't say.

Am I the only who sometimes wonders
when I wake up in the morning

if maybe I'll open my eyes and everything
will be back to how it was,

before all this happened?

If only it were true...

I wonder if I'll wake up
in my bed in the mansion,

surrounded by pillows and fluffy blankets,

and wonder how many wonderful things
I'll learn about Alex today,

or how many times I'll
be of use to my Master.

I was so happy, so blessed,
to be a dreaming maiden like that.

I'm sure everybody else has had
the same thought at least once.

"If only I could go back in time
to when everything was fine..."

We dream of a wish that not even the most
ancient, powerful magic could grant,

again and again, before we wake up...

Your birthday present.

Wow, you remembered!

This is just what I wanted!

I'm glad you like it, Claudine.

But...

More! I want more!

The shriveled-up body of a Black
Greatrock Worm, the half-eaten food...

I want more!

C-Claudine?

Everything that changed since I was sealed
away, everything that hasn't changed...

I want to see it all!

Get a hold of yourself, Claudine!

Was that his telepathy?

Don't send your sleep talk into my brain.

I want to see it all... to know it all...

Is it just me?

Is it just me?

Is it just me?

Good morning.

Morning!

I have no past I want to return to!

The time I'm spending with you now
is the most fun I've ever had!

How innocent...

I can't look!
I can't bear to look at him, Nick!

I wish I was like that.

Yup, that's a Rasetsu Ogre.

I thought we beat him before...

It's not the same one, actually.

They're reborn each time
the Miasma gets thick.

Poor things.

It's fun to chat with everybody.

Telepathy's not for chatting and having fun.

I'm nervous. I've never even
used a Communications Gem.

I can hear you from all the way over here!

You're too far ahead!

My true power isn't telepathy!

Behold the power of my blade!

Idiot! What was the point
of using telepathy, then?!

A brute-force attack won't work on me!

Parallel.

There's more of them!

He did something!

That's not fair.

I can use my telepathy to hear you all!

I can create up to five copies.

I feel tired for some reason.

Of course. I'm using your
stamina and magic to do it.

What?

Haha! Don't worry about it.

Delete!

Well, I feel like I should be more
concerned about part of that.

But I'm honestly amazed.

Your Parallel skill is amazing,

but so is your skill with a sword.

Sword skills were installed in me
during the development stage.

Installed?

I mean that I absorbed the techniques
of a swordsman who used me in the past!

I knew it! That's cheating!

It's not cheating! How rude.

Either way, we're definitely
glad to have you along.

I've got my most powerful technique, too.

I'm not planning on using
Union at all for a while.

Wh-Why?

We can't use something that makes us
collapse from exhaustion afterward.

What? Stingy b*stard.

It's good to have something
we can rely on if we have to.

Yup. We're counting on you.

I'm hungry!

Maybe we should get something to eat.

What about you two?

I'm hungry!

I'll go check on the dragons, then...

I'll go check on the ladies, then.

Hey! Don't use telepathy for chit-chat!

So you did end up coming with us.

Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!

No fair using mental attacks!

I'm in my "fun" phase, and I have
fun no matter what I'm doing.

What if somebody drops a pair
of chopsticks? Is that fun?

It might be!

What are you talking about?

I smell something good!

This is...

I want more!

It stimulates the appetite.

No, wait...

Well, whatever.

Yeah, this is good.

If you're not careful with how you
prepare the fish, it gets all dry.

But they make it just right,
and the sauce is great, too!

They know how to cook!

You've got high expectations.

I am a foodie, after all.

Yeah, you do eat through our food budget.

Survivors Rule #1.

Sorry, sorry.

I'm so happy you remembered!

That's Claudine...

This is just what I wanted!

I'm glad you like it, Claudine.

I'm glad you like it, Claudine.

Actually, I have to go back to my hometown.

My mom's sick and doesn't
have much time left.

What?

But it's so far away.

It's a month by carriage!

I need so much money!

Money! I want money so badly!

Sob! Sob! Sob!

Poor Claudine!

Don't worry. I'll take care of it all.

Hey there.

Nick!

Wh-Who are you?

Poor thing. Your mom moved away, huh?

You told me she lived
three days to the East.

Th-Three days is pretty far!

Oh, and happy birthday.

You know, you're the first person I've met
who has two birthdays in a year!

Wh-Who is this, Claudine?

I-I don't remember inviting you.

Wh-What?

If you sell that thing,
it's an easy fraud charge.

It's an expensive luxury item,
and clearly appraised.

Let's go. Looks like this
weirdo wants to bother us.

So, what's next? You're going to live the
rest of your life with a bounty on your head?

Your mom will be so sad.

Damn it!

Damage it, and you're liable for damages.

Here, this is yours, right?

Was she lying to me?

Hey, Nick.

Your meal's gotten cold.

Oh, sorry.

I'll take another Alley Cat Pudding
Parfait with extra caramel!

Most gathering quests involve plants
which only bloom in the Labyrinths.

Herbs, poisons...

Zem would know more about that than me.

If it's a cave Labyrinth,
they'll ask for ores and jewels.

That's more suited for a dwarf who
grew up in the mountains than us.

Did you get to see your mom, Claudine?

This is a present from Mom.
She said to say hello.

Glad to hear she's doing well.

She's made a full recovery, actually!

Amazing.

I'd love to recruit her for the Survivors.

You weren't very nice to our
Claudine here, yesterday.

"Our"?

Oh, I just told her not to make her mom sad.

So, you're with the Iron Kitties?

The Iron Tigers!

Leon.

Sorry. I'm bad with names.

You were planning on selling the necklace

to get the funds to run from
the Iron Tigers, right?

What?

L-Lies!

He's just mad because I dumped him!

If girls don't like you,
you see every girl as a villain.

And you villains both get along, then?

Why don't we take this outside, as*h*le?

Hey, Nick!

The kitty wants to sunbathe, he says.

This'll do, I suppose.

Yeah. Lots of sunlight.

I'm sorry!

Man, I am so sorry!

Claudine underestimated
what you were capable of.

It's not easy to make money in a party.

I've heard all about you guys, you know.

And I'm glad you put a stop
to Claudine's bullshit.

As for her... you can have her.

She's conned a lot of people,
and made a lot of enemies.

Like you, right?

She made us a lot of money, but I
think our time together's at an end.

And...

The Dragonian lady, the noble girl,
and that naive-looking priest...

You've even got a kid with you lately.

Well?

You making bank?

What are you talking about?

You're robbing them blind, aren't you?

Like us.

Me?

Robbing Curran or Tiana?

Yeah?

I see...

Right?

Man, I can't believe you...

So, yeah, when you finally
decide to blow up the party

and run off with the money,
let us in on it...

Sorry.

I thought you were a
Tigerian when I hit you.

I don't like hurting wimpy little kitties.

You're good.

You aren't, really.

Sh-Shut up!

I want money, too, you know.

Especially if I don't have to work for it.

But what would the money I got
from scamming them be worth?

Even if I made a fortune,
would the ale I got with it taste good?

Have you gotten to the point where
you can get drunk on ale like that?

Wind Cluster!

I made it in time, little kitty.

If you were listening,
you should have helped earlier.

If you think it's okay to
ambush somebody two on one,

you haven't learned your manners.

It's your fault for eating
a surprise attack—

It's whose fault for eating what now?

The only thing worth eating is food.

Sorry. Thanks for coming.

That's enough!

The old lady!

Call me Vilma!

Ow!

You can't dodge that?

Leon, was it?

That goes for you, too.

Oh, and Curran, let the kid go.

So, what now?

Huh? You didn't come to stop us?

If you're going to follow the rules,
I've got no intention of stopping you.

The rules?

Yeah, there's only one way to settle this.

A Mathematics Bare Knuckle Battle!

Mathematics Bare Knuckle?

Next time:
"Mathematics Bare Knuckle"

Next time: "Mathematics Bare Knuckle".