Light...
It's the Empress...
Her silhouette looks somehow like my mother's...
Huh?
Under the Light
Oh, yeah. This is...
Hey!
Niche, hold it right there!
For goodness sake, everyday it's the same thing!
Fool!
You think you can elude this wheel-chaired leopardess?!
Now then, Niche...
Brush your teeth!
Don't wanna!
Brush your teeth!
Good morn-
Niche!
Brush your teeth!
Put on some underwear!
You've got to brush your teeth!
Honestly, Niche... You'll only wear the underwear Lag gave you?
Then what about when they're in the wash?
You saw Niche just now, right?
Niche. Here, rinse.
She only listens to you, Lag.
What am I going to do with her?
Thank you, Sylvette.
I don't have the savings or a guarantor to rent my own apartment...
Thank you for taking us into your home.
Well, the Bee-Hive is not far from this house, Cassiopeia Lamp.
And the room rent you'll pay me will really help me out.
That's the only reason...
No one is using my brother's room, after all.
To think I'm sleeping in Gauche's room...
It's all kind of surreal.
But I'll take you up on your offer, Sylvette.
Until the day I find Gauche, and bring him back here.
Thank you, Lag.
But promise me one thing.
Promise?
Promise me that while you live in this house, no matter what may happen...
Promise me you'll come back.
I promise.
It's ready!
Okay, Lag, Niche...
Eat up before your first day of work.
This is my brother's favorite dish...
My original, specially made soup!
Wow, it looks delicious!
Let's eat!
I wonder how it tastes?
Report: It tastes like the disgusting soup in my memories, sir!
Delicious!
Perfect!
Lag, I've got plenty if you want seconds.
A visitor?
Who could it be this early?
Let me go see who it is!
I'll go! I will!
Sure, okay...
Niche, eat your soup.
I wonder if Gauche's mysterious sense of taste is Sylvette's fault?
Good morning, Lag Seeing...
Ari-
Sub-master!
My dream...
Is the same as Gauche Suede's...
It is to become the greatest of the Letter Bees... Head Bee!
How does he know so much?
Aria-san!
It's good to see you again, Sylvette.
Yes...
It's been a while.
Before you start work, I have something I'd like to discuss with you.
Come with me, if you would.
S-Sure!
Put these on.
Right!
Thanks for waiting.
I'm sorry, the hats are one size fits all...
I'll get one tailored for you the next time.
It's okay. I like it this way.
Lag...
Be careful, okay?
Thank you.
Gauche's Nocturne...
And I packed you lunch!
Lunch? You don't mean...
Make haste, Lag Seeing.
R-Right!
Let's go, Niche.
I'm off, Sylvette.
What are these tears for?
Sylvette?
Niche, Steak...
Do your best to help Lag.
Go, Lag Seeing, and then come back!
I'll come back.
Where are we headed?
You'll know when we arrive, Lag Seeing.
Right.
It seems you were once a letter delivered by Gauche Suede, yes?
How did you know?
I looked it up in the delivery records after Connor Culh's report.
So that's why you aspired to become a Bee.
Yes!
Actually, I know you, Sub-master.
During that journey, Gauche shot me with a shindan.
That's how I learned about you, Aria-san.
So it goes that deep...
We're here. This is it.
Amazing! I've never seen the artificial sun's light this close before!
This is the Hill of Prayer.
Hill of Prayer?
The place in Yuusari Central where you can feel closest to the light of the artificial sun.
As you are aware, Amberground is a country founded upon the Empress.
The Empress both rules over the country, and at the same time is whom we worship.
She is the high priestess, as well.
This hill is a holy place where one prays to the Empress underneath the light.
It is a famous spot throughout Yuusari.
Why did you take me here?
Gauche has loved this hill since we were very little.
Gauche did?
Gauche and I would come here right after we woke up to pray for our safety that day.
That is, until...
...that day.
Twelve years ago, on the 311th day.
On the day know as "The Day of Flicker," Gauche was on this hill as usual...
And lost a precious part of his heart...
Gauche lost a part of his heart?
Aria-san, what is The Day of Flicker?
Where's Gauche?
He went to pray for his mother and for a safe birth...
Something isn't right with his mother! Call for him, immediately!
Right!
What could have happened so suddenly?
Oh, no! We have to at least save the baby!
Boil some water!
Aria, hurry!
Right!
What's this?
Ow!
What?
Alone in a sea of stars...
I felt as if I were abandoned.
The artificial sun had gone out, and in an instant, the world was engulfed in darkness.
The horror of having lost the light was such that I even forgot to breathe.
And then...
A government airship fell?
It fell near the town!
What in the world?
Is Gauche safe?
Gauche!
Gauche, thank goodness!
Light...
The light...
Just now... It flickered...
So many times...
Gauche!
Come with me! Hurry back to your house!
Your mother is in trouble!
My... mother?
What a pity... She never even saw her child's face.
And everything seemed to be going so well.
A girl?
How do you do, Sylvette?
Sylvette, you say?
That's her name.
You...
You intend to give her the same name as your mother's?
Mother?
Gauche, don't you understand?
Your mother, Sylvette Suede, is dead!
Sylvette is my newborn baby sister!
I wonder why her legs are...
It's okay, I'm here for you, Sylvette.
We're family, you and I.
I'll make sure that you're happy...
I'll bring you happiness, Sylvette!
So Gauche watched the flicker of the artificial sun and lost all memories of his mother?
For something like that...
What in the world happened on this Day of Flicker?
The government announced that it was conducting an examination and adjustment of the artificial sun on that day.
An examination?
It was a government examination airship that crashed.
However it was reported that the ship's crash was an accident unrelated to the artificial sun.
Is that true?
That's what the government says.
Did the flicker of the artificial sun have some kind of effect?
I don't know the answer to that question.
But one thing is true:
On that day, Gauche forgot about the mother he held so dear.
And in order to fill that gap in his heart...
He began to pour everything he had into bringing happiness to his little sister.
Because of that, he...
Aria-san...
The capital is full of things we can't see from here.
Let me give you some advice, Lag.
If you get too close to the light, the shadows will grow into a deep darkness.
That's what it means to aim for Head Bee.
Ari-
Hey!
Connor!
Lag, Sub-master!
What's the matter, Connor?
Zazie ran into a ton of Gaichuu while on a delivery...
He said he's having a tough time and requests backup.
Zazie?
Aria-san!
Get to it, Lag Seeing.
Right!
Let's go, Niche, Steak!
Huh, where'd they go?
Niche, Steak, wake up!
Thank you, Aria!
Aria?
You told me about Gauche because you were worried about me, right?
I don't know how you feel about Gauche now, Aria...
But you're the same Aria you were back then!
That same Aria that's always been on Gauche's side...
I understand...
You're the same Aria that Gauche was in love with!
Thank goodness...
Hurry and get going!
Scramble dash, now!
Right!
Oh yeah, Aria...
I mean, Sub-master!
Actually, it's the same for me.
I was also born on the Day of Flicker, twelve years ago on the 311th day.
I don't know what might lay ahead for me, but in order to meet Gauche, I must travel the same road he did.
At the end of that road, I'll surely find him...
And my mother, too!
Blue Thorn!
Man... Their gaps are huge and they're weak, but...
Just how many of these buggers are there?
Wasiolka... Didn't you go to get help?
What power!
A Frederick Nocturne?
That's incredibly rare!
Who could...
Lag?
I just shot one, but my vision's all cloudy...
You put too big a fragment of your heart into a single shot.
Try regulating your power a little, sheesh!
If you blast out such a powerful shindan, your memories might even fly away and never come back.
My memories might?
Can you help, or are you gonna take a nap up there, rookie?
I can help!
Then get your butt down here.
These guys are perfect targets for your first job.
We'll take 'em on together.
We'll clean them up starting from the one on the left.
Okay, Zazie.
Their weak point are all those holes in their head.
While I draw them to me down below, you shoot then from above!
Let's go, Wasiolka!
Mother, Gauche, our roads are connected...
...and as a Letter Bee, I start today...
Let's go! Niche, Steak!
Congrats on your first day!
Show me what you got!
...down that road!!
Shindan, loaded!
I'll squeeze out all the courage of my heart and walk...
Resound! Red Needle!
...down the road of light!
Lag!
Let's eat!
Sure!
Wow, it looks delicious.
Preparing such delicious looking soup ahead of time... I guess you have your uses after all.
This was in Lag's canteen.
Huh?
Wait...
What?
I'm starving. Hurry and eat, Lag.
Okay...
Well then...
Let's dig in!
This is disgusting!
Next: Letter of Lies