IT'S BEEN A WHILE,
DUKE KIEL.
I CAME BECAUSE I HAVE SOMETHING TO ASK YOU.
WHAT COULD YOU POSSIBLY ASK A FALLEN MAN?
I'M CONSIDERING PLACING THE DUCHY UNDER THE JOINT GOVERNANCE OF MARCHIONESS RUTHERFORD AND DUKE WHEATON.
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
IT IS NOT OF CONCERN TO ME, SO DO AS YOU PLEASE.
EVERYONE KNOWS HOW MUCH YOU CHERISHED YOUR LANDS.
FROM TAX REFORMS TO WELFARE, YOU PUT IN SO MUCH EFFORT...
SO WHY CLAIM YOU DON'T CARE?
ARE YOU MOCKING ME?
NOT AT ALL.
THE DOCTRINE HERE TEACHES "NON-SELF."
IT MEANS TO NEITHER BIND NOR BE BOUND,
TO EMPTY ONESELF OF ALL THINGS.
I'VE DECIDED TO FOLLOW THAT DOCTRINE.
LETTING GO WAS DIFFICULT AT FIRST... BUT ONCE I DID, IT WASN'T SO BAD.
LOOKING BACK AT WHAT I ERASED, I ALMOST WONDER WHY I LIVED THE WAY I DID.
THOUGH I HAD SO MUCH TO PROTECT, I WAS TOO BUSY INDULGING MY OWN GREED.
RAISING MY BANNER AGAINST YOU WAS PART OF THAT.
I LIVED A LIFE OF CONSTANT CONQUEST, AND BEFORE I KNEW IT, I WAS COVETING THE THRONE ITSELF.
DO YOU REGRET IT?
I'M SORRY,
BUT I DO NOT REGRET IT.
IT WAS A TIDAL WAVE...
SOMETHING THAT WAS BOUND TO HAPPEN.
THE THRONE WAS EMPTY, AND THERE WAS NO HEIR. AT THE TIME, I HELD BOTH POWER AND AUTHORITY IN MY HANDS.
EVEN IF I COULD TURN BACK TIME, I WOULD MAKE THE SAME CHOICE.
NEVERTHELESS, I DO OWE YOU AN APOLOGY. I UNDERESTIMATED YOU.
I THOUGHT THE COMMANDER HAD CHOSEN TO SEAT A PUPPET AND INCREASE HIS POWER.
I UNDERSTAND... I WOULD HAVE THOUGHT THE SAME.
YOU SEE?
BUT THE COMMANDER HAD NO NEED FOR SUCH TRICKS.
A COUP WOULD HAVE SUFFICED.
FOR SOMEONE LIKE HIM TO BRING YOU FORWARD AS QUEEN...
...MEANS THAT YOU ARE TRULY FORMIDABLE.
YOUR TACTICS ARE BOLD...
REGARDLESS OF WHETHER OR NOT YOU'RE FIT TO BE A QUEEN, YOU ARE CERTAINLY NO ORDINARY WOMAN.
THAT'S... A COMPLIMENT, RIGHT?
THOUGH I MAY HAVE NOTHING LEFT, I AM NOT SO LOW AS TO SNEER AT A LADY.
I'M BEING SINCERE.
KIEL, I NEED YOU.
ACKNOWLEDGE ME AS YOUR SOVEREIGN AND COME BACK.
HOW VERY DIRECT.
BUT YOU ALREADY KNEW THIS WAS COMING, DIDN'T YOU?
SURELY YOU'RE AWARE THAT I SPARED YOUR LIFE TO MAKE YOU THIS OFFER.
LOOK FOR SOMEONE ELSE.
PERHAPS IT'S BECAUSE I'VE ENJOYED ENOUGH IN THIS LIFE, BUT I FIND I LIKE WHERE I AM NOW.
DON'T MAKE ME BE PETTY.
AREN'T YOU CURIOUS ABOUT HOW YOUR SON IS DOING?
HE'S REFUSING FOOD IN PRISON, INSISTING ON PAYING FOR HIS FATHER'S SINS.
I HEAR HE'S ALWAYS BEEN FRAIL... IT MAKES ME WONDER HOW LONG HE'LL LAST.
HOW...?
HOW CAN YOU ONCE AGAIN USE MY SON AS A HOSTAGE?!
THAT DAY, HAD YOU WON FAIRLY, I WOULD HAVE PRAISED YOU WHOLEHEARTEDLY,
BUT YOU DIDN'T. YOU HAD ALREADY SECURED VICTORY, YET STILL, YOU USED MY SON.
THAT IS WHY I CANNOT ACCEPT YOU!
YOU STILL...
...SEE THE WORLD ONLY THROUGH YOUR OWN LENS.
THE SOLDIERS YOU SOUGHT TO KILL ARE ALSO SONS AND FATHERS.
I MERELY CHOSE THE MOST EFFICIENT METHOD TO PRESERVE THEIR LIVES.
WHO, THEN, HAS THE RIGHT TO CALL ME UNJUST?
YOU CLAIM TO HAVE EMPTIED YOURSELF, BUT IT APPEARS YOU STILL HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO.
YOU NEED TO CLEAR YOUR HEAD A BIT MORE.
HALT
THE NEXT TIME WE MEET, I EXPECT YOU TO SHOW PROPER COURTESY BEFITTING A DEFEATED MAN.
THAT IS, IF YOU STILL HAVE ANYTHING LEFT TO PROTECT.
Episode 20
CENTRAL COMMAND
TRAP TESTING MATERIALS
ARCY'S TEA SET
TODAY, I'VE PREPARED A SOFT, FRAGRANT, HIGH-GRADE BLACK TEA WITH A HINT OF BERGAMOT.
HER MAJESTY WILL LOVE IT, HEHE.
AGH!!!
THE MOUSE! CATCH IT!
THE SOFT, FRAGRANT, HIGH-GRADE BLACK TEA WITH BERGAMOT
AAH! IT'S HOT!!!
HEY! WATCH WHERE YOU'RE G-- AAAH! A MOUSE!!!
CLATTER
NOOO! THE SNACKS FOR HER MAJESTY!!!
AAH! IT'S IN MY SKIRT!
CATCH IT! CATCH THE MOUSE!
STAY STILL! NO, IT'S RUNNING AWAY AGAIN!!!
SHOULD I... TAKE A BATH?
OR NOT?
I SHOULD, BUT I'M TOO LAZY.
SELF-CONSCIOUS
I WAS JUST ABOUT TO CLEAN ALL THIS UP.
I'LL CALL A SERVANT. YOU DON'T NEED TO DO IT YOURSELF.
MORE IMPORTANTLY, YOUR MAJESTY, I BELIEVE IT MAY BE TIME FOR YOU TO RETURN TO THE PALACE.
OH, I'M JUST FINE HERE... DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT.
IT ISN'T YOU WHO'S UNCOMFORTABLE, ARCY. THE SOLDIERS HAVE BEEN COMPLAINING.
THE PALACE PREPARATIONS WERE COMPLETED SOME TIME AGO, SO WE'D APPRECIATE IT IF YOU COULD RETURN.
The visitor consults the fallen Duke Kiel about handing the dukedom over to Marquis Rutherford and Duke Wheaton; Kiel says he has embraced the teaching of selflessness, that he has no regrets but apologizes for looking down on them. When he rejects the offer to return, tension escalates over his son, who is on hunger strike in prison. Afterwards, a mouse panic at central command spills Arcy's tea service, and returning to the palace is discussed.
