By the time the streets and houses of Roxche were covered with a blanket of snow,
Treize's letter arrived in the mail.
Mama! I have news for you, news!
What's the matter, Lillia?
You're so lively this early in the morning.
It's from Treize!
He's inviting us to Ixtova for the winter break!
For someone who goes to Ixtova every year, you seem really excited this time.
W-What is it.
You see, Treize said he'll be talking about himself this coming vacation.
We're talking about Treize, Mr. Secretive himself!
Can you believe it, Mama?
I'm going to take this opportunity to make him spell out his weaknesses, I swear!
Last summer, I found out he couldn't swim and I thought I'd finally discovered his weakness,
then he wrote and boasted that he could finally swim a couple of kilometers.
I need to find another thing he can't do, or else I won't win against him!
Mama, can you go to Ixtova with me?
Yes, I can file a proper vacation leave for the winter break.
It's all set then!
Prepare yourself, Treize!
Treize, fight hard.
The girl you fell in love with is just as dense as her father.
Did you say something?
No, nothing.
I have to go write a reply!
Thanks for the letter.
Spending New Year's eve in Ixtova sounds wonderful.
Mama and I will definitely come and visit at the end of the year.
P.S. I'm looking forward to that important thing you want to tell me.
Lillia.
I'll tell Lillia everything.
Why don't they hurry up and come up with a direct flight from the capital to Ixtova?
If there was one,
we wouldn't have to keep changing planes and spend a long time on a bus.
If you sleep now, we'll be in Ixtova in the morning.
I know that, but...
Treize-kun must be waiting eagerly for us right now.
It's him we're talking about, so he's probably taking his time and relaxing at home.
You think so?
He's probably making his special delicious homemade dishes and waiting for us, you know?
No, no, he's nothing like that.
Do you understand, Your Highness?
What is essential is the endgame.
Princess Merielle is currently on vacation at the Bezel royal palace,
so there will be no worries about being interrupted.
This time, His Highness should make sure his message gets through to Miss Lillianne loud and clear!
Ever since His Highness was a boy, he always had the tendency to not take that final step when he should.
Honestly, he has always...
I get it already, so would you please stop while I'm cooking?!
In short, all I have to do is—
Note: He makes a pun on two different meanings of "tsume": 詰め meaning "endgame" and 爪 meaning "nails."
—clinch the endgame, right?
That is exactly what we mean!
Easy for you to say.
Which reminds me, on last summer's trip, Miss Lillianne...
Ah! She said she'd come to think of His Highness differently.
Lillia said she thinks of me differently now?!
Yes, that is so!
T-Then, what did Lillia say?
What did she say again?
Something like, "he's a better guy than I initially thought"?
Eh?
Wasn't it something like, "I hated a lot of things about him but it turns out he also has his good points"?
Never mind!
I'll concentrate on cooking now, so you two go and get some rest.
Tomorrow's New Year's eve, and you have lots of preparing to do for it.
Of course not!
In the name of the Royal Security Service, we cannot allow that to happen!
What does that have to do with anything?
No matter what happens, please do not lose faith, Your Highness!
That is the most important thing, Your Highness!
If it were that easy, I wouldn't go through all this trouble.
Major?
I thought you'd be on leave today, Sir.
Ax. There was something I wanted to look up.
Something you wanted to look up, Sir?
Yes.
"The mysterious Snowman of the central mountain range has been discovered! This is its footprint."
What do you think?
To be perfectly honest, the Major's range of interests surprises me.
It looks like something's up.
The truth is, something strange turned up in the investigative files.
"Something strange"?
This bank's anonymous account has a record of intermittent purchases made over a year.
The same item has been bought each time.
Film for motion pictures.
Yes.
The latest type of color film.
It's quite expensive.
And in large quantities, too.
But, why would this anonymous person purchase so much film on the sly?
Exactly, Sir.
It's not like one will be prosecuted for doing so,
nor should one go as far as making an anonymous account for it.
A film unit?
Film is a very suitable item for espionage.
There seems to be a need to look into this one.
Yes, Sir.
Huh?
Are we there already?
Unfortunately, we're not.
So why did we stop?
Looks like we're snowed in.
There's no way a bus can go through that!
What'll we do?
The driver seems to be calling for help now.
Everyone...
Because of the avalanche, we have no choice but to stop here for a while...
Oh, no.
Give me a break!
I knew it.
What now, Ixtova country?
Excuse me.
If we're at this point, from where will help be coming?
From Kunst.
But... as for when it'll arrive...
All right.
W-Wait, Mama, where are you going?
Off to shovel snow, of course!
There's no use waiting here, right?
Everyone, please listen!
Apologies for bringing this up while you're all upset.
Those of you in a hurry, and those of you who are confident about your physical strength, please come with me.
If we all work together, we can clear the road of snow in no time!
She's got a point.
Let's do it!
Yeah.
Count me in!
I'll help too.
I won't let Mama get all the glory!
I'm exhausted.
Just a little more!
If I knew this would happen...
I would've just slept in.
Really.
After dinner, we'll go to the New Year's eve festival...
Where should I talk to Lillia...
Out there? Or at the cottage?
I'm losing my nerve!
This looks like heavy snowfall.
They must be rich tourists.
A direct flight really is necessary.
If there was one, Lillia and the others could come as soon as they please.
They're here!
Ms. Allison, Lillia, it's great to see you again.
Welcome to Ixtova!
It's been a while, Treize.
Bed... Where's the bed?
I want to sleep on a bed soon...
O-Okay.
I'm sorry about this... A lot has happened to us on the way here...
Next up, a report on the case at hand.
The film unit belongs to Lowry Productions, a production company which has been filming documentaries.
It's headed by a young woman named Elicia Lowry,
and the employees are mostly production staff.
Did you find out where they've been filming?
Ixtova, Sir.
Ixtova?
Yes. I don't think there's anything fishy about that, but...
Did you encounter something suspicious?
I'm not sure whether this should be brought up or not...
Continue.
Truth is, while going through the papers, we encountered this scribbling.
"Eighteen years is a long time."
"But the nineteenth year will not come."
"We have come to a decision,"
"to carry out what needs to be done."
This is...
It reads like a revenge manifesto of some sort.
Revenge for eighteen years ago.
They sure bade their time.
Major.
Eighteen years ago was about the time the Mural was discovered.
Apologies, everyone, but I'm going back to work.
This will be for Ixtova's sake, Sir?
Yes.
All right! Everyone!
Let's go with the Major and hurry to the snow country!
Yes!
I didn't say I'd be bringing everyone along with me.
But you were just about to say it, weren't you, Sir?
There seems to be no need to do so now.
I'll go arrange our flight.
Please do.
She's sleeping so soundly.
Do you think she'll be awake before the new year comes?
Which reminds me, where are Mister Benedict and Fi?
Today, they're hosting the customary year-end party in a place away from the royal palace.
Ah, that's right.
Every year they invite only one group of guests and entertain them until morning.
Yes.
What sort of people are they having over this time?
I heard it's a film unit specializing in movies.
They've been filming Ixtovan scenery through the seasons,
and I think they're wrapping up shooting soon.
That's wonderful!
I'd love to see it when it's done.
My parents are looking forward to it as well.
At any rate, the group has been filming in various places for over a year now.
Hey.
How about sneaking into that party with Lillia?
Eh...
But you invited her here so you could talk to her, no matter what.
Isn't that right?
That is true.
But I'll have to decline that option.
I'd like to bring the subject up when we're alone together.
I see.
Whatever happens, the one who has the final word is you.
I guess so.
So it is.
Well!
It's probably time for me to go.
Eh, you're stepping out?
The third wheel will be getting out of the way.
Have a great time together, okay?
Ms. Allison, please be careful.
Thanks.
Take care of Lillia for me.
Good luck!
"Whatever happens, the one who has the final word is you."
I must do it. Before the year ends, I'll definitely—
Where's Mama?
She went to see the New Year's eve festival.
Treize! I'm hungry! Feed me something!
Yes, Mam, right away.
The time has arrived, Young Mistress.
Call me "leader."
P-Pardon my insolence, leader.
Eh... Ah—Hah!
Sir Benedict, Queen Francesca.
Our guests have arrived.
Well Fi, shall we go now?
Let's go, darling.
If only the prince learned a little something from these two.
Everyone, sorry to keep you waiting.
Presenting the ruler of Ixtova, Queen Francesca!
Leader.
Smile.
We meet at last!
I am Francesca.
Welcome, Miss Lowry!
It is an honor to meet you, Your Highness.
I am Elicia Lowry, the head of Lowry Productions.
I've seen samples of your footage.
You've done such a lovely job of filming Ixtova as it is.
We look forward to seeing the final product.
It is an honor to receive such words of praise.
Please enjoy yourself tonight.
Yummy!
Treize, you've gotten better at cooking!
Thanks.
Lillia?
Thank you for all your hard work thus far.
Please wear these.
It only happens once a year, so let's enjoy ourselves a lot!
Ten minutes to go.
Miss Lowry?
It's almost the new year, isn't it?
Yes.
Oh, what a beautiful antique watch!
Thank you very much.
It's a memento of my father.
Please, don't worry about it.
My father died when I was young.
Did he?
With my father's fortune, I was able to live an easy life.
Even doing this, making movies partly as a hobby...
I think this all became possible because of my father.
Um, pardon me for intruding on your conversation.
Leader, preparations for filming have been completed.
Three minutes to the new year!
I wonder if the prince is doing all right?
I'm so full.
I can't think anymore.
Lillia, it'll be the new year in a minute.
Ah, I see.
In Ixtova, when the new year comes we throw confetti...
Then...
W-We embrace each other to celebrate.
Eh, really?
Sounds wonderful!
D-Doesn't it?
I want to do that confetti thing, too!
You want that.
Hey Treize, where do you keep the confetti?
Huh!
Sorry... I forgot.
Geez.
Next year, I'll be sure to remember.
Thirty seconds left!
Fifteen seconds!
Ten!
Nine!
Eight!
Seven!
Six!
Five!
Four!
Three!
Two!
One!
Wow, it's so pretty!
It's wonderful, so wonderful!
Yeah.
Happy New Year!
Lillia.
I hope we'll be on good terms this year, as well.
Yes, so do I!
Um, Lillia...
Aren't you forgetting something?
Hm?
What am I forgetting?
Nobody move!
While Treize and I were relaxedly welcoming the new year,
in a place away from the royal palace, something dreadful had started.
That was...
The Queen is in a pinch?!
Is there something we can use to save them?
Right! Let's use this car of mine!
Will it be okay if we use this?
Probably.
Treize!
Anyway Moth—
I mean, the Queen's Rescue Operation starts now!
Did you just say "mother"?
Hahahahaha...