Illuminate lights.
She's late ~de arimasu.
Necessities arise.
Still, it is strange for tasks to suddenly come up so frequently over the span of a few weeks ~de arimasu.
Welcome home.
Longed for your return.
I'm back.
Your returns have been rather late recently ~de arimasuga.
Miscellaneous activity?
Things came up.
Things? Such as?
Unclear.
Hold on. Why talk for so long by the entrance?
She should put away her bag and take a bath to wash away the dirt and grime from the day.
Isn't dinner soon, too?
Yeah. So later.
That is how it is ~de arimasu.
Thereafter, she would not answer no matter how much I asked.
Add to that, the Flame of-
I mean, the friend I consulted over the phone covered for her, as well.
I see. Even Arasu Tooru-san.
Are you uneasy?
Since that earnest Yukari-san suddenly stopped talking to you, of course you would be.
I've spent time with her over the last six months, and I think I understand her fairly well.
I don't think she's the kind of girl who'd hide details just because it's unfavorable.
True.
So there might be a reason why she is hiding something.
How about you let her be for a while?
If you're that worried, try asking someone who can question her more easily.
Even if it is Madam's idea, having to work through him...
Need compromise.
Why can't I just ask her directly instead of secretly following her?
Mom said to do that, too, didn't she?
It's pointless to strengthen her defenses by making careless contact ~de arimasu.
Make sure you suppress your presence.
Focus.
Yes.
Any changes in her attitude at school?
No, nothing really.
Are you simply not noticing ~de arimashouna?
I can't be sure of that.
Until you told me, I didn't know that Sha-
I didn't know that she was hiding something and wasn't going straight home.
You were watching, right? After we split up at the usual place...
Bye, Shana.
Yeah.
That's proof she's hiding something from me, too.
Logical.
So is Madam's choice of person correct after all ~de arimashouka?
But I don't think you need to worry so much over a small detour.
Yes, you're right.
Setting aside the "smalls" is what comes back to get you at a later time.
Smalls make a difference.
Right. Yes.
If her delinquency is a result of this lifestyle,
then I may have to rethink how we live in this land ~de arimasu.
Rethink how you live?
Y-You're not thinking about making her quit school, are you?
Precisely.
If it's just about protecting the Hougu, then other options are available ~de arimasu.
You're joking...
End of conversation.
We must continue forward now ~de arimasu.
Yes.
What's the matter ~de arimasuka?
Speak now.
Sorry. I lost sight of her.
So it's not that you failed to trace her presence, but she intentionally quashed her presence?
Yes, since it suddenly disappeared.
This is the only place that can do something like that.
A natural deduction ~de arimasuna.
Yes?
Is Margery-san in? There's something we'd like to ask her.
Actually, she's been drinking heavily since noon...
...and told me she'd kill me if I woke her up for anything other than a Tomogara.
Is it something really urgent and important?
It is urgent ~de arimasu.
Immediate meeting.
Carmel-san!
Is there a problem?
Stay out.
Why are you hesitating after coming this far ~de arimasuka?
May I?
Judging from Satou's reaction, it's obvious Margery-san's playing a part in this.
It's impossible for those two, who act like cats-and-dogs, to work together based on what we usually see.
It's proof that they've thoroughly planned this.
It must have been part of her plan that we came here.
Even if we met now, she'd only play the fool or lie to us.
It's like telling them we're looking into the matter.
So there's a better approach.
She isn't anywhere to be found.
That is only natural given how she's even quashing her presence ~de arimasuna.
Unnecessary to mention.
What a relief.
Well, in actuality, it's not good, but...
What I mean is ever since the tuning, there have been no Torches besides me.
In those words of relief, there were no hints of self-preservation, self-pity, hatred for all, or disguised envy.
How can he perceive this the way he does?
Could he be a unique person for whom motivation does not tie to emotion, whether he is in danger or not?
As a result, he reacts slowly to events in daily life where emotion is the strong driving force.
Quick conclusion.
True. There is no meaning in rushing to an answer ~de arimasuna.
Carmel-san.
Can you display the unrestricted spell?
Even if she's killing her presence, she can't hide where the spell is active.
I'm aware ~de arimasu.
Did Margery-san scatter this?
Seems that way ~de arimasuna.
I'll ask her tomorrow at school.
I doubt she's actually doing something bad.
If it's a secret, I think I can at least have her tell me why it's a secret.
No, no, Sakai-kun. You'll have to go home by yourself today.
Shana-chan is coming with us to do some shopping today.
We had made arrangements.
We're sorry.
Um-
So not only Satou, but even Yoshida-san and Ogata-san are working with Shana.
Could it be they're all planning a surprise party for Carmel-san?
Then why won't they tell me?
Maybe they thought I would spill the beans if Carmel-san threatened me?
Well, it's not like the party hypothesis is right, but...
What, you're alone even when you're going home?
It looked like Shana-chan spent the entire day avoiding you.
Yeah. It looks like there's some secret.
Every time I try asking someone, they try to avoid the question.
You haven't heard anything, have you?
Maybe something along the lines of holding a surprise party for someone's birthday?
I wonder...
If I were part of this, do you think I would answer honestly?
I would probably throw you off and tell Shana-chan everything, you know?
I request you explain for what reason they are in a place like this ~de arimasu.
"Reason"? They're just here to shop.
I am gathering all the food and necessary household items ~de arimasu.
Managing goods.
What is it ~de arimasuka?
Nothing. Just thinking that this situation is just like when I first met her.
You want her to return to how she was before; how she was nothing aside from a Flame Haze, right?
Was she like that since she was little?
Of course ~de arimasu.
Strict on herself, taking missions seriously, training daily-
This has nothing to do with what's going on now ~de arimasu.
Unneeded questioning.
By the way, Carmel-san!
Don't you stand out too much with that outfit?
Well, there's nothing wrong with it, but I was wondering if you ever wear anything besides that.
When I requested a garment worn by those who work around nobles, I was told this is the style ~de arimasu.
In actuality, it is very functional, so I've worn it even after we left Tendou-kyu.
When it was just the two... I mean... the four of you living together, was it ever boring?
Like at New Years and Obon.
There were five of us ~de arimasu.
Really?
And!
Silence ~de arimasu.
Be considerate.
Yes.
Is this everything?
Yeah, I think we got everything.
Good luck, Shana-chan.
Yeah. Thank you, both of you.
Was she really only tagging along with those two?
Now begins the tough part.
Yeah. I'll do my best.
I'll catch up later.
Yeah.
Carmel-san.
Silence ~de arimasu.
Repetitive order.
This time we will follow her from above so we can follow visually ~de arimasu.
Why would you go that far?
Why do you go this far?
It's not like you don't trust her.
You know she won't take the duty of Flame Haze lightly.
Yet, why are you so hung up on this?
Regret.
I don't want her to feel the foolish pain of regret from keeping a secret.
Not like how I once did with the Engage Link.
Will she be all right ~de arimashouka?
Has she not felt any pain from hiding even the smallest thing ~de arimashouka?
Carmel-san?
To be honest, she's changed since I first met her.
Having lived here, she's now more...
Right. She's grown.
I think it's because she faced feelings you fear and some that you don't, and found something there.
And even as we speak, too, probably.
Hello, there.
I heard you came to see me while I was asleep?
You mean while you were out cold.
Shut up, stupid Marco!
What is this about ~de arimasuka?
What do you mean "what"?
Um, you're the one who gave her a bookmark or something that quashes her presence, right?
"Her"?
Yeah, we did, since she asked.
I guess it's common practice to spend time after school doing things behind the parents' back now.
No need for aid.
Why is someone like you assisting an act like this ~de arimasuka?
A person like me is in the mood of acting like this.
I don't see why we should be yelled at for giving a bookmark with an unrestricted spell.
Sorry I'm late.
Welcome home.
Hurry, Shana-chan. We don't have much time left.
Yeah.
You trained for a whole week for this day.
You've got to get it all done before Carmel-san comes back.
Or else it won't be a surprise party at all.
Yeah.
By the way, what day is today for Carmel-san?
I don't know.
But Wilhelmina said it's an important day.
Birthday?
Could be.
Well, an important day is all that matters.
What is it, Kazumi?
That's not hard flour.
Carmel-san, we knew she was going to play dumb with us.
We should get proof they're working together so she can't dance around the topic anymore.
I will have you give me a clear explanation later.
With reluctance.
Hello. Something going on?
I'm sorry, Margery-san. We made a little mistake with the groceries.
Could you buy us a little more time?
Just fifteen more minutes please.
Th-That's impossible!
I can't hold off Carmel-san alone!
Even if you can't, you've got to do it.
We've come this far.
Even then-
I knew it. You made me accompany Carmel-san so you can keep track of where she is.
Tanaka was in charge of watching that and reporting to Shana.
In other words, Mom, who made me tag along with Carmel-san, was in on this, too.
Sorry, Yu-chan.
You're all so mean. What are you guys planning?
Fine, I'll explain everything.
It was one cold winter morning when the wind chilled the cheeks.
Because of the wind, all the trees in the city had lost their leaves.
I mean every one of them!
Can you picture that?
It was that cold... Really cold...
Well, actually, it could have been a summer afternoon when the sun shone mercilessly.
It was an especially hot day, so the watermelon was better than usual.
Or perhaps a spring evening.
Or maybe autumn morning.
Or maybe midnight during the rainy season.
That's when Satou said this.
Let's eat something.
So I thought...
Yes! A meal!
So I ate croquet soba and Satou had salmon-rice.
Oga-chan... Oga-chan had omelet-rice.
Then we-
What is the point ~de arimasuka?
Answer now.
Th-That's... Well...
We're back!
Sorry about all of this.
Alastor-san and Ane-san will explain, so please walk back to the Hirai residence.
Alastor will?
To the Hirai residence?
Suspicious.
Ask her for a souvenir please.
Looks like we took a long way for the answer ~de arimasuna.
Hello, Carmel-san.
Yoshida-san. Ogata-san.
What is going on ~de arimasuka?
Please come on in. We'll talk inside.
You, too, Sakai-kun.
Welcome home.
Trying to hide something from you breaks bones, for better or worse.
So we planned to stick Yuji on you when you started getting suspicions, report the status to everyone,
and tell you everything around the right time.
Looks like my part's over.
I'll take the prize we reserved for Keisaku, too.
Shana-chan worked really hard, you know, Carmel-san.
She had Kazumi train her.
I only picked the ingredients and made sure it didn't burn.
Right, Shana-chan?
I'll be taking Tanaka's share.
I'll take Ike-kun's.
I knew Ike was part of this, too.
Time for you to go home, too, Sakai-kun.
Me, too?
This is for your mother.
Carmel-san. Regarding her and school...
What are you talking about ~de arimasuka?
Thank you very much!
Is this pannenkoek ~de arimasuka?
Note: Pannenkoek = Dutch Pancake
Yeah.
Ask reason.
I'd like to know why you made the Mystes and I work on this plot together ~de arimasuga...
...but was it all right to send him home ~de arimasuka?
It's fine.
In fact, it's to his benefit to not tell him.
I thought it wasn't good for you and Yuji to be on bad terms.
In preparation for coming crises, we came to an agreement that there needs to be a minimal level trust amongst the group.
How did Sakai Yuji appear to you?
A unique boy ~de arimasuna.
Then that's enough.
Dig in, Wilhelmina.
How is it?
Delicious ~de arimasu.
Envious of eating.
Say, Wilhelmina. It came up while I was talking with Kazumi, but what day is today?
You said it's an important day.
You remembered ~de arimasuna.
Yeah. After all...
Hey, Wilhelmina!
Are there any other days you want to remember?!
Okay!
Today is the day you came to us ~de arimasu.