Ladies and gentlemen, good evening.
"Death is nothing but a release," my friend once muttered to me.
"If death is a release, what is it that you wish to give to them?"
My friend answered me succinctly.
"I will give them eternal suffering and remorse."
Count, I'm done with running away.
I want to know the truth.
Act 22: Counterattack
General... Are you certain that we are doing the right thing?
You must be afraid.
There has never been such a thing as "the truth"!
The truth is something that you yourself create based on your own convictions.
Even if it means setting aside our conscience...
...and turning our weapons on fellow soldiers, sir?
People don't look at their conscience.
What they see is the truth that is standing there before them!
It was the day before he... The day before Franz died.
That day, I walked all the way here after you confessed your plans to me,
...my world turned upside down.
I can still clearly remember how my tears wouldn't stop flowing...
...as I looked out onto the sun-drenched river.
Franz... Franz gave some parting words to me.
He said to never hate anyone.
He said that feelings of love and feelings of hate...
...both start out as caring about someone.
Count, please tell me! Tell me everything!
Congratulations!
A toast to Edmond's last night of bachelorhood!
Is Edmond Dantes in there?!
Madame.
We're here on General Morcerf's orders to collect you.
The General will soon be entering Paris. He will form an interim government,
...and we will see the birth of President Morcerf before the day is out.
Take me with you. Take me to see him.
Why, that's... Fernand Mondego!
The National Assembly is hereby under the control...
...of forces loyal to the Eastern Space Fleet!
Have you lost your mind?! This is an act of high treason!
We don't recognize your authority! We don't!
How dare you?!
Hold your tongues.
You traitor!
The National Assembly is hereby dissolved!
I declare a state of martial law in Paris!
Twenty-five years ago, I was a young man named Edmond Dantes.
Indeed, before that day, I knew nothing of mistrusting others.
I passed the days, praying for the happiness of my father and fiancée.
Edmond Dantes! You are under arrest...
...as a prime suspect in the assassination of the Prince!
Edmond?
Edmond!
Mercedes! This is some sort of misunderstanding!
I'll be fine!
Let go! Edmond!
Edmond!
You've been charged with a crime.
What do you mean?
We received an anonymous tip.
According to the written accusation, you have in your possession...
...a letter that reveals the plot behind the assassination of the Prince.
What in the world are you talking about?
Before your captain died, I believe he entrusted you with a letter.
Yes, the Captain's last request was that...
...I deliver the letter to the intended recipient.
Paris, Rue Coq-Heron, number 13. Monsieur Noirtier...
The letter contained the names of the men involved in the assassination plot.
Villefort's name was also included within.
And I had unwittingly handed the letter over to the very person I shouldn't have.
I see. You were simply carrying out your duties faithfully.
Dantes. Let me take care of this letter.
I expect that they'll be releasing you soon.
Thank you so much, Monsieur Villefort!
How can I ever thank you?
My fiancée must be anxiously waiting for me to return.
By the way, have you spoken of this letter to anyone else?
No, Monsieur. I obeyed the Captain's last request and kept it secret.
No one else knows of this letter.
I see...
Here in Paris, it is believed to this day...
...that the Prince perished in an assassination plot orchestrated by enemies of this world.
But the plot was devised by people from Earth.
Those who had reaped enormous profits from the war wanted it to continue.
But that's...
With the assassination, the worst possible outcome,
prospects for peace became a distant memory.
And just as those men wished, the war spread,
...growing ever more intense in the name of avenging the assassination.
A-And one unlucky man was consigned to oblivion.
Those who had exploited me...
...became prominent figures in the financial and legal worlds.
And the man who had climbed to the very top of the military...
...eventually turned his eyes to the presidency.
That is how it happened.
Please! Call Monsieur Villefort!
What crime do they think I committed?!
I haven't done anything! I'm... I'm innocent!
What I found waiting for me when I was imprisoned within the Chateau d'lf...
...was the very embodiment of endless despair.
It was an automated fortress on the frontier, built to defend against unknown enemies.
I became a component of its control system.
In that place, that neverending Hell, I was not even allowed the choice of death.
Please, kill me!
Please, kill me right now!
I... I don't care about salvation anymore.
Even if my body should disappear,
...I'll find those who took everything away from me,
...those who drove me to ruin,
...and give them the cruelest, most macabre punishment imaginable!
I won't even give them the respite of death! What they'll get is eternal suffering!
My friend...
My friend!
My friend.
Hope... Grief...
Longing... Resignation...
Rage... Terror...
Despair... And then, hope once again.
For thousands of years, I have waited inside this body for the arrival of a man like you.
I... I'm...
I am with you.
And you are with me.
To you, I give my knowledge and power.
And to me, you give your body and your spirit!
Albert... I am the Wheel of Fortune.
Indeed, it is now only my unyielding, merciless resolve which keeps me moving.
Count! Even after everything that's happened, I don't want to let you leave!
I want you to give up on your revenge, Count!
Only one man may give an order to the Count of Monte Cristo,
...and that is the Count of Monte Cristo himself.
Count, are you saying that there is no one left in your heart?
Are you saying that the Count of Monte Cristo that I knew no longer exists?
Count!
Father...
Please, stop this... Father!
The Cabinet and National Assembly have ceded full governing authority to the Space Forces.
Martial law has been declared!
Citizens are asked to surrender all weapons and refrain from venturing outdoors!
I repeat, the Cabinet and National Assembly have ceded...
...full governing authority to the Space Forces.
Martial law has been declared!
My money! My money!
Citizens are asked to surrender all... My money! My money!
Well, well, what have we here?
So, that's what it's come to?
Is this how the world works?
Off with your head! And yours!
Off with your head! I sentence you to death!
Baptistin!
Stand aside! I won't let you stop me!
Take this with you.
What's this?
If anything happens, give us a shout. Just don't turn it off.
Don't tell the Count about this, okay?
Underground fortresses! Weapons depots!
There isn't a single one that I don't know about.
I'm going to give them a taste of my power!
Let's get to it!
Your next target is the Arc de Triomphe!
Spineless cowards.
Mercedes! I've been waiting for you!
Look! Paris is finally kneeling before me!
This can't be what you wanted, Fernand.
The dreams that you told me about were full of hope.
But there IS hope! Listen, this pain is necessary for the good of the country!
Fernand...
You're the First Lady now, Mercedes!
There's nothing to be afraid of now!
Edmond is alive, and he's been right under our noses.
He's what?!
The man who was once your best friend... The man who was once my fiancée...
...has returned to us as the Count of Monte Cristo.
He survived... But why now?
That letter we received... So that's what it was all about...
He's come back?
He's come back to get his revenge on us?
Revenge? What are you talking about?
You and Edmond were best friends. What do you mean, revenge?
Why would Edmond want to get revenge against you?
He and I... were best friends?
I never once thought of that bastard as my friend!
You must have known that!
You're always like this!
Do you have any idea how much that naiveté of yours hurts people?!
That's right. The man who sent that letter that got him arrested was ME!
If I hadn't, he'd have been made the captain of a ship on the interplanetary shipping lanes,
...and I would've spent my entire life as a menial laborer at the Marseilles docks!
I... I had to do it.
Do you understand?! It was you!
Your naiveté cast Edmond into the depths of misery!
I... I can't believe I said such horrible things to you.
I'm sorry... Forgive me!
Mercedes, I love you...
Come with me.
Let's leave Paris together.
I've had it up to here with always being the underdog!
I'm sick of living in that bastard's shadow!
You're staying here!
You're going to stay here by my side!
I'll never forget the time we've spent together.
Thank you.
Goodbye, Fernand.
Mercedes...
Mercedes!
MERCEDES!
Mother!
Mother! Are you all right?! Mother!
Mother!
Why? Why did this have to happen?!
I loved her.
And I loved you more than anything.
Father...
Not yet... I still have him to deal with.
Albert!
Albert?
Albert!
This isn't over yet!
Eat this!
Albert!
You crazy kid...
Where's Mondego?
This ain't good...
Father...
As long as he's still alive, I can't die, either!
Monte Cristo! No, Edmond Dantes!
I'm going to take everything away from you, just as you did to me!
I continue to plead, as if praying.
To my father. To my mother. And most of all, to your name.
Next time on Gankutsuou, act 23...
Act 23 Edmond Dantes
..."Edmond Dantes."
Bide your time, and hold out hope!