A Promise ~The Scent of Memory~
The Promise
The Scent of Memory
The scent of irises...
Do you like that flower?
Yes.
Um... w-would you...?
Would you tell me your name?
I...
Romeo!
The Duke is calling for you.
Romeo!
His name is Romeo!
Halt.
Will you be returning alone?
We have come to escort you.
Mistress.
Which House are you from?
How is it possible that you do not know of our mistress?
She is a daughter of the Farnese family, distant relatives to the Montagues.
Here is the House's family crest.
P-Please excuse our impertinence.
You may pass.
Benvolio, did you see her?
Do you know which House she is from?
No...
Romeo.
Where were you?
Forgive me.
Very well. I have prepared a magnificent present for you today.
Your attention please, everyone.
On this night of the Rose Ball...
...the Grand Duke Montague wishes to make an important announcement.
Henceforth, my son Romeo and Hermione, the daughter of the House of Borromeo...
...are to be betrothed.
Father!
Honestly! That gave me a fright.
It's a good thing I borrowed the House crest from William's mother before we came.
And that you would enter Neo Verona Keep of all places!
Why did you go to the Keep?
I wanted to... go and see the Rose Ball.
A ball? Hosted by the Montagues?
Inside the Keep, it was almost like a dream...
A beautiful building, filled with people in elegant dresses.
I wanted to show it to all of you!
And then...
And then, what?
No, it's nothing.
I understand your feelings...
...but it is said that rashness, willfulness and recklessness all lead to ruin.
Doesn't ignorance as well?!
Why can I not wear dresses?
Why must I dress as a boy?
We have told you numerous times, it will all be revealed on your sixteenth-
Stubborn old goat.
What did you say?
Nothing!
My Lord Romeo?
Excuse me. I feel a bit unwell.
Are you all right?
The scent of roses is rather strong in here.
Benvolio!
Please entertain Lady Hermione.
What?
I ask for your pardon. Well, then.
Hey!
Lord Romeo, I pray that you feel well again soon!
Romeo...
Juliet, wake up. Breakfast is ready.
Finally, today is the day!
Your sixteenth birthday.
It seems as though the fog gets thicker every year.
Come, hurry and get dressed.
I had a tough time consoling Emilia yesterday.
I'm tired.
What is it?
N-Nothing.
Something happened at the ball!
No, nothing really!
The Rose Ball... it must have been dazzling to see.
Though, I suppose you can't go to a place like that with hands like these.
One should not ask for too much.
There are people with more difficult circumstances than ours.
Anyway, hurry and get dressed.
The soup will get cold.
I'm going to do the laundry.
All right.
Antonio, where's Conrad?
Grandpa went out!
Okay then.
Well, in exchange, I will have to take your daughter with me instead...
You understand, then?
The money should already be paid back!
You signed this contract, didn't you?
It's written here that the amount of the debt must be doubled when paid back!
When I signed, there was no such...
Let's go.
No!
Please wait!
Let me go!
So he plans to make money by selling women and children, does he?
He's a commoner like us... how can he do something so despicable?
I hear he wishes to curry favor with the Montagues to buy himself a crest.
All beautiful girls, sent straight from Ebisu to me.
TL Note: Ebisu is the god of fishing and commerce.
The nobles will be overjoyed.
Please offer me a good price!
Who the hell are you two?!
If you treasure your life, you'll release these girls this minute!
You surely jest!
That's the last of them.
I'll accompany you in your childish games.
But this will be the last time.
Thanks, Curio.
Take out the contract!
Spare my life!
Everyone's telling tales of a "red wind of justice" sweeping through the town.
If you get too carried away...
...they'll catch you one of these days.
I'm grateful for the food you always send to me.
In times past, hands stretched out from the Keep to help the poor and the diseased.
Neo Verona has truly changed since Montague became the Duke.
Now it is only the nobility who can enjoy profit and wealth.
I have said this before: you change nothing by only confronting petty thugs like him.
But still...
There are other things that you alone can do.
That I alone can do? Like what?
You'll say, "when you're sixteen" again, right?
That's today! Tell me!
You went out but yesterday and now, this uproar as well!
And even Curio went with you!
So you're saying I should have let him go alone?
I do think that Odin's desire to lend his strength to the common people is a wonderful thing.
This is a completely separate issue from that!
I can't believe it...
Cordelia.
What is it?
Here.
It's a cream for dry hands.
I bought it on the way home. Use it.
Odin...
I'm going to go see Willy.
Me too!
Hey! I'm not finished with you yet!
It's a miracle she has lived to see this day.
I have the feeling that...
...that child... something's protecting her.
By what?
By Neo Verona itself.
Tonight, when she learns everything, will she be able to remain as she is now?
Has the signal been sent?
I took care of it.
It's been fourteen years.
How many of them will come?
Hey, Willy.
What kind of story are you writing now?
A comedy.
A girl named Rosalind passes herself off as a boy...
...and then maybe, she becomes a woman again for the sake of the one she loves...
The title is "As You Like It." What do you think?
That's pretty neat.
You be quiet! It's not something children can understand!
But adults don't come to see any of your-
Quiet! You brat...
Do you think love between a noble and a commoner could ever work?
Out of the blue again.
Listen well, Odin.
All the world's a stage...
...and all the men and women merely players.
Within a story, birth has nothing to do with love.
Aren't the roses beautiful?
Indeed.
Your pardon, my Lord Romeo...
Yes?
Are you feeling quite well?
I wonder if the scent of roses is too overwhelming here...
No... I'm fine.
I'm so glad. That eases my mind.
This garden is one of my favorite places.
That is why I wanted to show it to you at least once.
I'm honored.
Is something the matter?
N-No...
It's nothing.
Shall we?
Smells good.
Cordelia!
What is it this time? Don't startle me like that, Juliet-
Those clothes!
You know you're not allowed to leave your room looking like that.
I'm sorry.
What is it?
Do you know of any place where irises bloom?
Irises? Why?
I must know!
Don't tell me why, and I won't tell you where.
Tell me, tell me!
I won't.
But...
He was so kind... he said to me...
"You smell of irises."
Who did?
Well... I don't think I'll ever see him again...
But I want to wear iris blossoms! I have to wear them!
I guess it can't be helped.
I'll tell you the place, but you'd better hurry back!
Thank you, Cordelia!
U-Um...
Lord Romeo.
How did you... know my name?
I...
P-Please tell me your name!
I want to call you by your name.
Juliet.
Juliet...
Juliet. That's a nice name.
No, don't say that...
I must leave now.
Already?
Today is my birthday.
Everyone's gathering to celebrate with me.
Birthday?
Yes.
T-That's...
C-Congratulations.
Thank you!
Um... could we meet here again?
When?
Tomorrow! The same time tomorrow!
Yes. Here.
Well, until then, Juliet.
Yes, Lord Romeo.
Well, then.
I met him again! I met Romeo!
White irises.
Once upon a time, these flowers adorned the Keep in all their glory at this time of year...
Sorry to have kept you waiting.
Don't stare at me like that...
Odin? Why are you dressed up like a girl?
That's not it.
Then... you were a girl?
Why? Why did you act like a boy all this time?
Well, shall we get started?
Be quiet.
Did you all know? Did you?!
Blow them all out.
Congratulations.
Many congratulations.
Thank you.
So why did you dress like a-
Keep quiet!
That was delicious.
Thank you, Cordelia.
You're welcome.
Lady Juliet.
There is a place you must go.
I never noticed at all.
Odin was a girl... but why?
You'll understand soon.
Where are we going?
We're nearly there.
This is... a graveyard?
Shall we continue?
What is this place?
This is the burial place for the Houses of Capulet and Montague as well as their kin.
The House of Capulet...
The House of Capulet once governed Neo Verona.
But fourteen years ago...
...the head of the family, Lord Capulet...
...was murdered by the current Grand Duke Montague.
Lady Juliet, Lord Capulet was your father.
Montague killed not only your father, but your mother and your siblings.
He stole the lives of your entire family.
Lady Juliet, you are the sole survivor of your House.
Who are they?
Your Highness, Juliet Giulietta Arthur Capulet!
Juliet.
In The Next Episode
Love, which flushes the cheek and makes the heart dance, is short-lived...
...and like a blow to the chest, doubt strikes abruptly.
Reality returns everything to nothingness...
...unavoidably, for both the harsh and the precious.
Next time:
Romeo and Juliet, Third Act:
The Dawn of Love.
Cruel Mischief.
Is this truly a love that shall never bear fruit?