Chaika the Coffin Princess
You're on Gavarni's side now?
On the battlefield, a saboteur does whatever it takes.
I'm not going to complain.
But why did you betray Chaika?
If you abandon your master, you're no longer a saboteur!
You're just an outlaw!
You're not going to argue?
The False Princess
Toru...
This way.
Right.
Other town girls not here?
So it seems.
They may have been moved to another room.
You're a thief, aren't you?
What did you come to steal?
Remains. Father's.
Remains?
Why?
Father, funeral.
A funeral? I see...
So for you, that's the goal.
Please tell me your name.
Chaika Trabant.
Wait here.
When I return, let's talk.
Ah, Layla. We'll be taking off soon.
Where've you been?
Capturing the leader of the intruders.
Really? The leader is the girl?
Can I carve her up later?
As you please.
The troops accompanying Stratus should be on their way here first.
I'm going to try negotiating directly to delay their attack.
I'll leave things here to you.
Count on us.
Captain, don't do anything rash.
I know.
More importantly, be ready in case Vivi and Zita send for you.
Got it.
We're going, then.
We can't get out using levitation magic?
We could float in the air, but getting down from this height...
Those guys...
What are they doing here?
Why did you save him?!
I have an idea.
I never expected to see you guys here.
Are you working with Duke Gavarni?
What? With the Duke?
I bet you're the ones who spread the rumors of the remains, too.
I see...
You infiltrated Soara because you heard rumors that
there were remains here.
Hey... Why don't we trade information?
Zita, what are you saying? He's—
I know.
But since you got in here,
you must have a way out, as well, right?
You want to have the enemy help us escape?
Right now, our duty is to return to our team alive.
That's what Gillette-sama would want.
Escape? What are you talking about?
An allied nations punitive force?
Yes. The attack will begin in the morning.
Our plan was to wait for this fortress to
descend into the town and disembark...
But your plan's out of whack now, huh?
Yes.
If you understand, then tell us how to get out of here!
Well, the circumstances aside, I do owe you for saving me.
I don't mind telling you, but we can't use it now.
We got separated.
I have a suggestion, though.
You guys help me.
What?!
Help you?
I'm looking for Chaika and my other friends.
Once we're all together, we'll get you guys out of here.
Do you even realize the position you're—
Vivi, I don't think there's any other way.
We understand. We'll help you.
So, do you have any idea where your friends are?
Since we fell all the way to the bottom,
there's only one way to go.
Up.
Ricardo-sama, everything is ready.
Give the order.
Okay!
Then, let's go!
To create a new age!
Our target is the capital of the Wiemac Empire: Cadwell!
It's moving?
Hey! Where's it going?!
That's the direction the punitive force is coming from.
Our only choice is to follow it!
Toru...
Here.
The coffin princess, Chaika...
The princess without a nation, Chaika...
And gathering remains
is your only reason for living, correct?
Layla?
You said you wish to give your father a funeral,
but are those truly your feelings toward your father?
Or are you just a creation, and that's what you want to believe?
N-No!
Your joy, your sadness, your anger...
All to gather the remains?
Or were they just added to you later for consistency's sake?
To gather remains... And nothing else? Nothing?
No!
You still don't know why you are alive,
why you were born.
When you find out,
you'll be able to feel despair from the depths of your heart.
But why would they cut the emissary into pieces and send them back?
Do they really want a war with the allied nations?
I don't know.
They must enjoy killing. Just like you.
Isn't it assassins who specialize in killing?
I didn't become an assassin because I wanted to!
Same here.
For me, killing is not a goal. It's a means.
Don't you have anyone you would take a life to protect?
Mind your own business!
What is it, Zita?
Wh-What is that?
This is so exciting!
To be honest, I never thought this day would come.
I agree.
When the war ended, my new magic technique was useless.
If I hadn't met Layla, I'm sure I would have lost sight of where I belonged.
Same goes for me.
During the war, death was part of the daily routine.
Anybody could die at any time.
I was free to kill or carve up as many people as I wanted.
Those days were like a dream...
You and I are the same, Grad.
It was Layla who brought us together and made us realize
that all we had to do was start another war.
This floating fortress is on its way to attack Cadwell, the capital.
That will be the signal to begin the war.
It seems we're going to plunge the world into the warring states era again.
That is the dream of Ricardo-sama and Grad-sama.
I am only supporting them from the shadows.
L-Layla, who are you?
Kidnapped, lie?
Yes, it was a lie.
I'm not one of the girls who were kidnapped.
The girls aren't here.
You condemn me for lying?
You, whose very existence is nothing but lies?
Not lies!
It is a lie.
Your feelings and emotions,
and the idea that you are Emperor Gaz's daughter.
No! No!
You don't want to believe it, do you?
I didn't, either.
But I know.
Because I am Chaika, as well.
The girls who were kidnapped...
How many of them are in here?
Help...
Hey! What happened? Who did this to you?
Hang in there! We're going to help you!
Ricardo Gavarni... killed them all...
I want to... go... home...
Ricardo... I think that's Duke Gavarni's youngest son.
But what is he trying to do?
It's most likely for magic fuel.
All this?
The source of magic is the accumulated memories of living things.
Human corpses are a more than sufficient source.
The denser the memories, the better its quality...
Intense pain, agony, and fear are easily etched deep in our memories...
All the more so in sensitive young girls.
So that's why he took all those girls and did this to them?
No one sane could do that.
He shouldn't need that many magic sources just to power a floating fortress.
He has some other goal.
Ricardo Gavarni and the wizard, Grad Lancia...
It looks like those two are behind all this.
There's another one, a girl.
A girl?
Yeah. She took Chaika.
Her name is Layla.
Is this your first time seeing another Chaika?
F-Fake...
Sorry, but I'm real.
I'm the true Chaika Gaz.
Real one, me!
Yes, as are you.
You're missing some of your memories, aren't you?
The human will can be controlled,
with drugs or magic.
Even memories can be fabricated.
So why do you believe you are the real Chaika?
If your memories of childhood connect you to
who you are now, then why?
I...
"Chaika" is
someone meant to gather Emperor Gaz's remains.
You were only given the title of "princess" to make that possible.
Who do you think gave you that title?
Gave?
Was it God?
Or...
No! No!
Fake! Joke!
Like you, I awakened as "Chaika" one day,
though I have forgotten what caused it to happen.
Violent emotions raged within me,
and I started to walk...
focused solely on the goal of gathering his remains.
In my case, I seemed to have a talent for mixing drugs.
I used aphrodisiacs to make men my allies, one after another.
But then, one day, I learned the truth...
The taboo emperor, Arthur Gaz...
His daughter shall be his successor,
as well as the one to bear the burden of destiny.
Destiny?
The existence of Chaika is merely the beginning.
A destiny surpassing the imagination of all men lies ahead.
You are no more than a tool to set that destiny in motion.
A tool?
Your body and soul exist only to fulfill a purpose.
Your worries, your fears, and your sorrow, as well.
No! That's not true!
I'm not a tool—
That is... the truth?
We are all merely tools to gather his remains...
The Chaikas, as well as those who help us.
The saboteur, in your case.
Toru, not tool!
You are kind...
But that's just another of your qualities as a tool.
You must be the type that acts like a fragile young girl
to win people's sympathy and get them to help you gather the remains.
You're very good.
Some are warlike, others calculating...
And adding in skills like magic, combat, and chemistry
makes it possible to have Chaikas gather remains from various perspectives.
It is logical... Logical and cruel.
When I learned that, I chose to stop being Chaika.
Run!
Why are you guys fighting among yourselves?!
That's what I want to know!
It's just a guess,
but do you think her will is being controlled by magic?
By magic?
It's possible to make people less aware using drugs.
I suspect the other soldiers are being manipulated in the same way.
Drugs...
When I saw you come in here, I felt it was destiny.
I wanted to know how
a Chaika would face the despair of learning the truth.
Aww... I wanted to hear a little more.
A dragoon?
Fredrica! Safe?!
Yep.
Hey, you...
Where are the remains?
Would you hand them over now?
I'm sorry. Those are not for you.
Fredrica!
A dragoon's weakness is its brain, correct?
Why?
Stopped being Chaika...
So why not give up remains?
I use the remains as magic fuel,
until none is left.
All to fulfill the goal of Ricardo-sama and Grad-sama.
That is my revenge on the ones who orchestrated all this.
As I thought, a few have come into the fray with unexpected actions.
I guess there are pros and cons to ensuring diversity...
Um, T-Toru-san...
Pardon me...
Please, just hurry up!
Looks like we can get through here without being seen.
Okay, let's go.
So that's it?
Halt!
I know you are the punitive force against Duke Gavarni!
I am a cavalier of the Wiemac Empire,
Albéric Gillette of the Kliemann Organization.
I bring vital information concerning this punitive mission.
I wish to speak with your commander!
Lower your swords!
I am the cavalier Theobald Setra,
captain of the first vanguard unit of the punitive force.
You said you are Sir Gillette of the Kliemann Organization?
Yes. I bring vital information concerning this punitive—
What business does the Postwar Restoration Agency have here?
Part of restoration is preventing war from arising again.
It is necessary to avoid
militaristic conflict and reach a solution through reasonable means...
Laughable!
This punitive mission has been sanctioned by His Majesty the King.
You have no say in this battle.
But—
Above all, this is merely a subjugation of
a domain lord who is planning a rebellion,
not a war between nations.
Stand aside!
Two of my subordinates
are inside that fortress on a reconnaissance mission.
Please, at least delay your attack until they have escaped!
You ask an entire army to stop its advance,
only to save the lives of a spy or two?
If you continue to impede us,
I will be forced to eliminate you as a traitor to His Majesty the King.
But...
Gillette-sama...
Stand aside,
Cavalier Albéric Gillette!
Wait.
Get back! Run!
Ouch...
Damn! They were keeping a guard dog like that here?
Looks like a manmade creation born of a magic experiment.
Come, that which pierces!
We can't take the ventilation ducts or the stairs?
That leaves...
This is dangerous! Please stop!
I've had training in wall climbing.
You guys wait here.
We can't trust you to—
Why...
We're even now, right?
You're not like a saboteur at all.
We'll take her on.
We can't have you holding back.
Are you stupid? I wouldn't...
Just start climbing!
Leave this to us.
Thanks. Take care of my sister.
Right!
Stand aside! Can you not hear me?!
Sir Setra, you won't delay your attack, no matter what?
You're wasting our time!
What if we lose the opportunity to strike?
You want war that badly?
I...
Wh-What do you think you're doing?
I will have you delay your attack by any means necessary!
Fredrica...
Akari...
Toru...
You're so desperate to gather the remains...
Chaika, even after learning the truth,
can you continue to live so innocently?
Next week, episode 12: "Those Left Behind."
Those Left Behind