01x19 - Morality Is Something You Find When You're Lost

[bunniefuu]

This is the leader
of the Heretic Liberation Front...

Jolenta.

I'm glad you're all safe.

I know I should ask who that girl is.

But first, where's the book?

About that...

Due to my shortcomings,
she got away with burning it.

However, she says
she memorized the book's contents.

It's true!

I'm Draka. Pleased to meet you.

Oh?

Well then, Draka.

Come with me.

ORB: ON THE MOVEMENTS OF THE EARTH

EPISODE 19
WANDERING IS HOW YOU FIND WHAT'S RIGHT

Hey there!

What a nuisance.

He passed out just from that?

- Hey, Asch!
- Huh?

May we speak?

Perfect timing.
I wanted to speak with you too,

Bishop Damian.

You ordered burnings
at the stake again, didn't you?

And t*rture like this!

What about it?

I serve directly under the Holy Father.

I don't need authorization
from a bishop like you.

Yes, that's true.

But you've clearly gone too far.

You're supposed to
gently guide them toward recantation.

I've tried all of that.

But it was no use.

Besides, have you forgotten history?


taught them the error of their ways,

the heretics responded by throwing stones.

Around that same time,
they even k*lled an envoy of the Emperor.

The minute you go soft on them,
that's how they act.

It's you who should read more history.

That was only 200 years ago.

Go back further, to 500 years ago,

and you'll find that the Archbishop

once defended accused witches from a mob.

And 400 years ago,

a sorcerer once rose to become Emperor.

The Church of old treated those accused
of heresy or sorcery with moderation.

I don't get it.

Why are you so timid?

At this very moment, the Reformation
and the heretical groups who followed them

are attacking the Church orthodoxy.

Our followers are all frightened.

If we don't act now to defend the faith,

how can we call ourselves clergy?

I too...

When I was younger,

I too felt the same sense of urgency.

But having lived longer,
I've seen many things,

and I've realized something.

These methods cannot be changing
the world for the better.

As you say,

the Church orthodoxy
has grown remarkably weaker.

But what good will conflict do?

Rather than k*lling others,

it's better to die defending the Church.

There can be no salvation
built on terror and t*rture.

Love those with different beliefs!

Submerge him.

Are you finished?

If so, it's my turn.

Just the other day,
an inquisition chamber was attacked.

A total of ten men perished,
including guards and an inquisitor.

Their tactics indicate
it was the Heretic Liberation Front.

But something else caught our attention.

They stole a book that we had confiscated.

A book? What book?

Something about "heliocentrism."

We confiscated the book
nearly one year ago.

I'm told it was found
in an abandoned church.

The book seems fairly old,

but there was no indication
of who wrote it or when.

Our only hint was the final passage
and an accompanying address.

It said, "Give ten percent to Potocki."

But when we looked into it,

the man named Potocki had died long ago.

Only a citizen with no relation
lives at the address now.

It's quite a mystery.

Potocki is a man who was arrested
for researching heliocentrism.

What?

Years later,

heliocentrism also led to the death
of his pupil and his adopted son.

That was 35 years ago. It was my case.

But why, after all these years?

Who could have written it?

Uh, what?

Was it those two young men
from the village?

No, they died 25 years ago too.

If I may, what I wanted to ask about

was finding someone well-versed
in cosmology for the investigation.

Do you know of anyone?

Cosmology, eh?

At a bar on the edge of town,

you'll find a certain former inquisitor.

Um, excuse me.

Bishop Damian sent me.

Are you Nowak?

Who are you?

Oh, uh, my name is Asch.

I'm an inquisitor.

- Will you...
- Huh?

Will you buy me a drink?

No, uh...

This is about work. I'm not here to drink.

Um, sir?

Who are you?

I'm Asch, an inquisitor.

I'd like to ask for your help
with a recent incident.

Huh? An inquisitor?

You?

Yes.

You're really an inquisitor?

That makes you my junior.

You're a novice, aren't you?

In that case,
I'll let you in on something.

You know the bishop Damian, right?

He was once my subordinate.

And since he owes me for back then,

he employs me personally now.

In other words, I've reached the point

where I earn money without working.

Do you get it?

I don't have to work.

So I won't be discussing a job with you.

Run along now.

I've got no use for someone
who won't buy me a drink.

It was Damian who sent me.

Oh, yeah? Well, you can leave.

Everyone has a past.

He is another man whose life
was ruined by heliocentrism.

It's about the heliocentrism case
you worked on 35 years ago.

What?

You're an expert in cosmology, right?

Recently, a book was stolen
from our inquisition chamber.

The book is likely related
to the case you worked on.

That's impossible.

And yet, it's true.

Leave.

- But--
- Just go!

E-Excuse me, then.

It can't be.

All is said and done.

I brought it to an end long ago.

It dares to reemerge
after all these years?

When my...

When my daughter is still dead?!

Your enemy is a resilient one.

So what?

What was that about?
He was just an old drunk!

Wait.

Huh? Oh, uh, hello.

Have you narrowed the list of suspects?

Uh, y-yes.

We believe it was the work
of the Heretic Liberation Front.

Allow me to join the investigation.

I'll need information
on the Heretic Liberation Front.

Have you identified their leader?

Yes.

There's conflicting information,
but we believe it's a woman.

How tragic.

She surely could have lived a safer life.

- Has anyone seen her face?
- A few men have.

According to their statements,
she's missing a tooth.

Awfully careless.

However, we don't know where they fled

or what their goal is.

Why would an organization
that frees heretics go after a book?

When you reach a dead end,
rethink your assumptions.

Huh?

Let's assume liberating heretics
is not their goal,

but a means to an end.

What if their true goal

is to overthrow the Church orthodoxy?

The book would be an effective tool.

Books can be an efficient way
to change people's way of thinking.

Far more so than traveling to preach.

But how would they reproduce it?

Asch.

An inquisitor should be well aware
of the latest technology.

New technology
is always used for evil first.

In this case, a new printing method
for mass-producing books

called movable type may be involved.

In other words,
if we combine all of my hypotheses,

it's likely that they're planning
to publish that book.

If you agree,

then immediately begin questioning
printers and typeface craftsmen.

They may also make their own machine

to avoid leaving a trail.

Ask about people or places
that recently purchased a winepress

or large amounts of lead.

Uh, right!

Oh, and uh...
I'm grateful for your cooperation.

Huh?

I don't know the details,

but I heard you have a complicated past.

To be honest, I underestimated you.

But now that you've risen
to help us defeat these heretics,

I feel reassured.

They're merely being manipulated.

In a way, they're victims.

The true enemy is not them.

Huh?

This is my mission.

It's my fate.

As long as I have life left in me,

I'll follow them as far as it takes.

Until the root of all evil...

Until I erase heliocentrism
once and for all!

Don't move.

You don't have my trust.

Why did you burn the book?

I wanted to know where the book led.

Burning it was the only way
they'd take me.

What is that book to you?

I had the feeling
it could make me a lot of money.

Not only that, but you people
also have your hands on a printing press.

I couldn't pass up this chance.

How about this?

In exchange for telling you the contents,
I want 20% of the profits.

Will you consider it?

I'll bet people call you brazen.

Is money that important?

Yes.

Oh?

Then I'll tell you
something important too.

The book you burned

was likely written
by an old friend of mine.

Which means that for me,

it was quite significant.

When I learned of its existence,

I even broke out in a fever from surprise.

That's why I don't want you
to treat it as a mere moneymaker.

It's worth more than that.

Come.

At this hour, you can still see the stars.

Do you know your planets?

Um, sort of.

Do you see Saturn there?

Yes.

Each planet circles at a different speed.

When do you think was the last time

Saturn was at these coordinates?

Beats me.

Thirty years ago.

I was nine years old
the last time it was in that spot.

My passion was geometry.

Five years later,

at age 14, I encountered heliocentrism.

Six years later,

at age 20,
I k*lled someone for the first time.

And now,

at age 39, I've met you,

and Saturn has completed its circuit.

Saturn is the slowest
of the planets we can see.

The reason is likely that
it's the farthest from the sun.

A planet's speed differs with distance.

The universe is governed
by a single order,

proceeding accurately and logically.

The heliocentric theory that you read

gives you a peek at God's greatness.

Is that so?

And... what of it?

Forgive me,
but what are you trying to say?

You can't tell?

I'm desperately trying

to share how it inspires me.

Yes, but why are you sharing it with me?

You're the only person I know of

who has read that book.

You're one of the few
who share my knowledge of heliocentrism.

It's simply because, for whatever reason,

you and I have crossed paths.

I wanted you to hear about
what it's worth to me.

Rather than the money it can make.

You're awfully high-minded.

May I ask a question then?

You seem to belittle making money,

but what about your own actions?

You k*ll people, free heretics,
and disrupt social order.

Is that something to be proud of?

No.

But I have no second thoughts.

I'm simply reclaiming

the freedom and life
the Church stole from me.

And with it, my father... and friends.

Authorities who suppress
individual freedom should be overthrown.

But aren't you doing the same?

The cessation of thought
that occurs with authority

is not limited to religion.

Doesn't it occur among scholars too?

No.

Or so I'd like to say,
but maybe you're right.

I've k*lled many times now.

When truth is your shield,
violence can definitely accelerate.

Perhaps I have blind faith
in the authority of heliocentrism.

Those who serve me
may have ceased thinking too.

Even sadder,

that may be inevitable.

In other words,

logical thinking requires
a set of assumptions.

It's a fundamental limit of human reason.

Whenever we think,
assumptions of some kind occur,

and those eventually become authority.

Perhaps none of us
can escape that framework.

The passion that runs
beneath those conditions

travels a trajectory that can be reckless.

It can produce beautiful accomplishments

or grotesque tragedies.

How do you know
you're not producing tragedy?

Because I believe
freedom lies at my destination.

How do you define freedom?

The ability to ask that.

Perhaps I've said too much.

Let's head back.

- Captain.
- Yes?

Will we be printing here?

No, we merely came here
to retrieve the typefaces.

The printing press is at our next stop.

We've diffused the risks.

Then our next stop
is the final destination

on our most important mission.

Yes.

And where is that?

Our next destination is...

About your request.

I can't give you 20% of the profits

because I don't plan
to make a profit from this book.

However, I can lend you
our printing press.

It's up to you
to find something new to sell.

Not a bad deal, I'd say.

Well?

Yes. Please allow me to accept.

Sure.

Now then, tell me about the book.

For the first time in ages,
I want to reunite with my old friend.

Right.

That is all.

I was right.

Reading and writing are miracles.

Oh, I forgot to ask.

Why do you want money so badly?

That's because

it's my conviction.

Then it is important.

But sometimes,

you meet something
that makes you forget your convictions.

You should value those feelings too.

Otherwise...

Otherwise?

You'll end up like me.

Conviction can become a curse.

It's both my source of strength
and my limitation.

But if we forget our convictions,
we can only wander.

Keep wandering.

Surely, wandering is how
you find what's right.