I ask you, witch Maria...
Did the scale of happiness tip towards your side, and not that of the world?
I understand now.
Everyone, myself included, is a component of this world.
If each person finds their own happiness, then everyone can be happy.
So the scales didn't tip--they just balanced out.
--What kind of reasoning is that?! --But isn't it right?
Are you satisfied with the answer you've given?
Yes.
You persisted in behavior forbidden by our Father in the Heavens.
The natural law of this world must be maintained.
"Maria the Virgin Witch"
"Final Story: Love Conquers All"
Archangel Michael...
Figured as much.
I was hoping I could be with you longer, but...
The god of wind, Nerthus, will protect you, so you should be able to fly alone.
--Maria... --Run...
--Maria! --Are you all right?
--What are you...? --I have to tell you...
There's no need for you to die here after finally getting a boyfriend.
Run to the end of this earth, then get rid of your virginity.
Wh-What?!
Did you come here just to say that?!
Honestly, I didn't want to come here!
But this isn't just your problem anymore!
Meow!
Edwina, Viv, are you both planning to fight Michael?
What are you saying?
--We're here, too. --What?
Don't do this! It makes no difference how many of you there are!
--Let's... --...find out.
--We're here too... --...you know!
Rosmerta of fertility!
With Mercurius, put us on even ground!
--Thank you... --Meow.
We heard about your trial.
If any more humans side with Michael, it'll be a pain for us too.
We have to show everyone a thing or two to make sure we're not looked down on.
--And you know what, Maria? --What?
You act as you please, but you are still a witch just like we are.
Huh?
Witches and ancients, do you seek to bring chaos to the natural law of this world?
Shut up!
Enough already about the "natural law"!
In the first place, what are your thoughts about this world?!
Um... That's kind of a harsh--
If all you do is relay words from the heavens, then you're no different from a tool!
Eek...!
Wait! Stop! Don't fight!
Don't get involved, any of you!
What?! We're all here to fight for you!
Even so, I don't want to have a conflict occurring in front of me!
Right. That's to be expected coming from you.
But it looks like the angel has other ideas.
Michael, wait!
--Edwina! --Oh, whatever already!
Stop with the opposition!
Even if we did, it wouldn't make any difference!
I said not to...
Stop, you two!
Brother Bernard, we should be out there capturing the witches.
Why do you give priority to those scrolls and seek to meet the abbot?
It is because I have seen the light of a new teaching.
With a little more thought, we will bring about a new relation to our heavenly Father.
Relation?
Gilbert, is our duty simply to relay our heavenly Father's teachings?
No. If it were, we'd be no different from tools.
There should be a purpose in our being made the way we are.
And that purpose is to think for ourselves and seek better means.
This is a teaching unlike any before.
Even demons... No.
Even the Archangel isn't needed.
What do you mean by that?
It means that we recognize God through human reason
and that humans can move the world by themselves.
By themselves...?
--Yes! --That's...!
We will cultivate reason using the unreason that God provides.
In that way, we can exist even without the divine protection of God.
Who would have expected a witch to open the door to this path?
Indeed!
I asked a painter to preserve the witch's image.
That witch is...
Viv! Edwina!
Joseph, what are you doing?! Move out of the way!
No!
There... There is no way I can move!
I will not move!
I see. Ezekiel.
Pierce...
...them both.
I can't!
Ezekiel.
Do you go against Heaven's will?
But...
...I've spent time with them...
Looking down from the heavens, I had no idea of the warmth among humans.
They're good people!
Ezekiel...
Why...
Why do you all defend Maria?
Witch Maria.
We will look back upon your deeds.
Huh?
All who have come into contact with the witch Maria...
I ask you all, in the name of Michael.
What is the witch Maria?
She is a demon.
She has cost me great wealth and toyed with me constantly.
She even took my chamberlain, whom I took great care of.
Lord Guillaume...
May God's judgment be upon her...
Maria? She's useful when she's an ally, but when she's an enemy...
She saved my life...
What's this...?
It's Archangel Michael's power.
You're hearing the voices coming from within people's minds.
Seriously?! That's possible?!
And their voices are made so that we can hear them, too.
They can't hear our voices, though.
I see...
Great, there's no way we could have won.
--Viv? --See what I said?
Ah...? To me...?
She's like a plague...
She took everything from me...
My coins, my glory, my left arm...
Even the only...
In any case, I don't want to be involved with her again.
Once we get the coins we're due, we'll head somewhere else.
The witch Maria is a loathsome being.
One who goes against the teachings of God.
She must be made to consign herself to repentance!
I see.
Bernard, what is she to you?
It can't be...
Angel...?
The Archangel visible to man, and speaking with him...?
It can't be... It shouldn't be...!
Bernard!
And you call yourself a monk?!
This shouldn't be happening, Gilbert!
For the sake of the new teaching...
Humans live only on human words alone...
Not even the words of an angel... No!
Not even the voice of God...!
--Saint Michael! --You aren't...
...needed any moreee!
I cannot answer the question, as it is for the church to decide.
I'm not too sure.
She did save the village before...
I don't care what others say, even the people from the church--
I really like Maria!
Artemis, Priapus, and Dovey, too!
The name's Ezekiel...
Maria, you say?
She is my longtime friend... and a good neighbor.
A witch being a good neighbor, you say?
Yes. I have met Maria, and have spent my time with her since long ago.
We laughed, cried, and even bickered with each other,
but we spent more time together as friends.
And yet...
...look at what I have done...
But that made me realize something.
Maria is a part of my life.
She can never be severed from me.
You're there, aren't you, Maria...?
I'm sorry about that time...
Martha!
Young man.
What is Maria to you?
Saint Michael...
A while back, a hermit living in the forest told me of a world with no conflict.
Pax Dei. Peace of God.
There was once a certain one who heard my voice and sought a world without conflict.
Are you one who carries that one's will?
So that hermit was...
In this world where battles have continued since before my birth,
I thought a world without conflict was merely a dream.
Even if such a world could exist,
I questioned why the church of the heavens would not bring such a world about.
If they do not save their warriors, we shall welcome them in joy.
Yes...
I only thought about such, and never moved a single finger at all.
But there is someone here who put such thoughts to action.
Meeting her made me understand what I needed to do.
Hence, I would like to seek such ideals with her, together.
To that end, even if we leave this land, we will--
Huh? Why?
--Hm? --Hah? --Huh?
I'm not going anywhere.
But if you stay here, there's no telling when you may be attacked again.
You're telling me to run?
Not a chance!
No matter what anyone does to me, I'm just going to stop the battles on my own!
Are you seriously saying that now?
Michael could kill you...
Michael, I've got a word for you too!
Whether I have my magic or not, I'm going to stop battles the same as always!
All of them!
And if you're going to kill me for that, go right on ahead!
Why...?
Well, with all the commotion recently, I had time to think about a lot of things,
and I think I know a bit about how you folks feel now.
So...
...let your Father know this...
That I'll forgive him just this once.
--Forgive?! --What blasphemy against our Father in the Heavens!
Such a charming child you are.
You have caught me off guard.
Michael... laughed?
It seems you are becoming part of the natural law of this land.
The church of the heavens will not heed your words.
But if you wish to exist together with our Father,
we will continue to watch over you as before.
And I will stop you as I have done before.
Sure. You just do as you please.
All, heed my words.
The church of the heavens shall accept the witch Maria as a good neighbor.
All, love thy neighbor as thyself and accept her.
With this, the judgment of Maria will come to a close.
Um, in other words...
Are you stupid? You've been forgiven.
Thank goodness!
Ezekiel.
Yes...
You have defended a witch by your own accord.
Yes...
Your guidance, please...
In place of the angel Gabriel, I, Michael, will relay our Father in the Heavens' decision.
Um! Excuse me!
--Hold it. --This is a matter of the church of the heavens.
As one who has shown your own will, you can no longer serve Heaven.
Enter the world of humans.
As a human, ascertain this world.
With that, you are granted mercy from our Father in the Heavens.
You may choose the one who will offer you the harmony you have sought to protect.
Choose your mother-to-be.
Her?
Huh?! She's looking at you!
Me?
Got it?
Wha--?! Wh-What are you saying?!
Right?!
But... there's no other choice.
So that dove is being pushed onto me, and I'm going to lose my powers?!
That's exactly what the church of the heavens wanted to see!
And what of you, Ezekiel?
You have others to choose from, right?!
I... I...
Are you fine with her being born in some unknown place?
But this is playing out too much in their favor!
--Maria... --Please!
But the two of you might...
I give up...
I'm a lot stricter than Michael,
so don't regret your choice after you're born, all right?
Come out healthy, you hear?
I'll be waiting...
Well, let's meet again.
Remember us, you hear?
Thank you, Michael...
Well, we'll be heading on out.
Sorry for staying here for so many days.
You can stay longer, you know?
Are you that scared of Michael?
Well, it's not like we were told we're forgiven...
Oh, come on... Do you know how long it's been since the Maria bit?
If we were to be punished, it would've been done already.
Right?
Time to go now.
Meow.
We'll come by again!
You all be careful out there...
You too!
Having company isn't as bad as I thought...
Oh, no, did they leave?!
You sleep too long...
I'm still getting over my wounds, you know?
Thanks for everything.
I'll be going once I have something to eat.
The guild members said they were going west...
I'm going back home to England.
There should be a lot of work to do there,
so I'll just finish it quickly, pleasure myself with some cute guys,
and then...
...maybe I'll try to bring peace to the world.
Stop that already...
Say, do you think she'll be able to carry her weight from now on?
Who knows?
It'll be all right.
She's not alone, after all.
Oh, that's right!
Are you serious?!
Yes. Thank you very much for all that you have done for me.
I didn't do all I've done for you so that this would happen...
I assume you won't listen to what I say, will you?
Huh?
Once you've set your mind, you never turn back.
What makes you have such a strong will?
It can't be... Me, strong?
You're just like your father.
Thank you very much.
Le Comte said we should visit him from time to time.
Huh? Me too?
--Yes. --Are you sure about that?
Departing to the world of humans, I see...
Yes.
You will leave behind your identity as a witch?
That's not it.
I'm going to live as both.
We just need to discover what we can, one thing at a time.
Discover?
Let's see...
Despite flying in the skies, I never really noticed it,
but this land is vast, right?
Things like that, see?
And one day I'll discover...
So you will join your life with those that pass fleetingly through time?
Yes.
Cernunnos...
Thank you for what you said back then.
Ancient one, what is Maria to you?
I am of the past, and Maria is of the future.
She will eventually become like me, but she still has purpose within this world.
We all come together and build upon each other to create this world.
This chain of life is something that even you, Michael, and the others cannot escape from.
So long as Maria remembers me, I will not disappear.
Please do not make her a thing of the past...
Do you want to come with us?
I'm sure we'll be great friends, too.
I will return to the forest.
Being remembered every so often will suffice.
I see. Then go ahead and use my place.
I'd be happy if you could make use of it.
I will consider your offer.
See you again, Cernunnos.
Yes, again, Maria...
I wonder if the villagers will accept me...
You shouldn't worry yourself.
But you know...
Heeeey!
Maria! Maria!
It's great that you finished your move in time for the festival!
Huh? There's a festival going on today?
Yes, your favorite festival.
Welcome, Joseph.
And welcome home...
...Maria.
Yes, I'm home!
Time has passed since then...
England returned to their land, and war was no more.
She lived with me, Ann, in the village, and we lived happily ever after.
Her name was Maria.
She held the same name as the Blessed Virgin...
...and was also a witch.