Her Highness Ecarlate Juptris St. Piria has arrived!
Welcome.
I am Mainess, the Chief of Protocol who
will be conducting the marital rites.
Until the day of the wedding, I will also be taking care of you.
And where's Jugglaburk?
He rode with us, but we haven't even been introduced.
That is because it is the custom of this house that
the two will meet for the first time on the day of the ceremony,
once all of the eighteen wedding rituals have been completed.
A custom, huh?
Man, that's strict.
Sounds like the mother and sister-in-law will be pretty annoying.
Cut it out already, Kon.
You're so rude.
I just wanted to meet that Jugglaburk person.
There's something I want to ask him.
These will be your quarters during the days of the rituals.
If there is anything you need, please don't hesitate to—
Yes!
I want to go to Olvidia!
That is not a place where humans can go.
I came here because I was told that if I came
to Jugglaburk's territory, I'd be able to go to the
floating city of Olvidia.
That's why I wanted to meet him, to ask about that.
There is a research group studying Olvidia here in the city...
That's it! Yeah!
I'm fine with that.
So where are they?
That's a secret.
What the hell?!
What is this, Area 51?
Can't you just tell me, pretty please?
Rules are rules.
Don't be such a stickler.
It is my duty.
Excuse me.
Man, my last lead is gone!
I thought it was going to be a straight shot there.
Where did I go wrong?!
Just calm down.
Why don't you take a bath?
I won't learn anything new by calming down!
Oh, is it that?
Where the story won't progress until you sleep?
Like, there will be new developments the next day?
The wedding rituals will start tomorrow.
That's it!
Wait, no it isn't.
I'll have to find another way.
That's it, that's it!
Yeah, I'm really sorry.
Yeah, let's sit down for a nice drink next time we meet.
On me, on me.
No problem, no problem. I mean you're doing me a favor.
All right.
Got it.
I know.
Know what?
Where the research center is.
But how?
Well, I've come this far with you, I figured I'd see it through to the end.
That's not what I mean.
How did you find out?
You shouldn't underestimate my network.
You mean ratwork?
You call that to question?!
You know, I just don't care anymore.
So, where is the research center?
Right here.
Here, huh?
What's written up there?
Ixion Research Center.
Ixion?
Ixion.
Ixion?
Wait, what?!
It's like I heard some voice saying "finally" or
"there we go" or "now we're getting to it."
Don't worry about it.
However, it does say that you can't walk in here without permission.
I may not have permission, but I won't be walking.
I am crawling!
Same difference!
Welcome.
How may I help you?
You're acting so normal that you threw me for a loop!
How may I help you?
Uh well, it would take too long to explain,
but maybe you could take me to someone who I could talk to?
What exactly do you wish to speak about?
Um well, I've been asked if I'm a Hyperion.
And if I came from a place called Olvidia, well, actually it's Mitaka...
Anyway, it might be a place above the sky.
And I'd like to know how to go there.
Wh-What?!
I'm not a suspicious person!
What evidence do you have that you are a Hyperion?
Hey, just a minute! What is this, an interrogation?
Don't think I don't know my rights.
You came here because you want to know about Olvidia.
That's right.
Do you know anything about that city in the sky?
I am willing to exchange information with you, but first,
I will see evidence that you are a Hyperion.
This is Alma Gear, right?
Well, I can use it.
Anything else is circumstantial evidence.
I fell from the sky.
That means I'm not from this world.
I'm from a place called Shimorenjaku, Mitaka city, in Tokyo, Japan.
They have a completely different culture and civilization.
I guess there are a few cultural similarities.
What is your name?
Hokaze Kon.
All right, Kon.
Tell me about your world.
What?
A kid?
Who are you?
Yodogawa Alan.
I'm the Lab Chief.
And I'm the president!
Excuse me, can I please talk to someone in charge?
What's this little dude supposed to be?
You've got some nerve, fooling me like that.
What's up with this prank?
I'm telling you, I am the highest authority here.
And I'm telling you that I don't believe you!
Little brat!
Does a Hyperion judge others by their appearance?
This has nothing to do with being a Hyperion!
For people, appearance is like 120%.
What's inside is just as unexplainable as complex compound math.
I see.
I guess that's to be expected from a Hyperion.
As far as Alma power goes, the research is still pending
on the internal systems that control it.
What is Alma, anyway?
It's a fundamental energy found in all substances.
However, very few can actually utilize this energy.
The Hyperion are some of the few that can.
You did your homework, little boy.
I keep telling you, I'm the Lab Chief.
I guess you are dressed kinda like a scientist.
So you're all complicated and deep, huh?
Then, take me to Olvidia.
But Olvidia is not the world that you came from.
Mitaka is not a sky-city and it's not an international city either.
But I really feel like there is a way to get back in Olvidia.
I see.
Please!
You've doing research on Olvidia, right?
You know, it said "Ixion Research Center" outside,
but what's "Ixion", anyway?
I said we would be exchanging information.
First I will inspect your body.
My head tells me that this is for science,
but my body is getting really embarrassed.
Pulse, blood pressure, and body temperature
seems the same as for normal humans.
I mean, I'm nothing special, I know that.
Huh?
Isn't that the girl from before?
Commencing Experiment A-1.
I'm down with cute nurses giving me an examination,
but don't you want to change into white first?
Do you find white uniforms more exciting?
You're a bad boy.
Is this "Nani Kore Chin Hyakkei"?!
Pulse, blood pressure, and body temperature have all risen.
The (potential) Hyperion demonstrates the same response as any ordinary man.
Hey!
You shouldn't be researching stuff like this, kid!
Make it stop!
That was close.
Get in the water, Kon.
Yeah, yeah.
I should warn you.
I don't think you're going to find anything special.
Commencing Experiment A-2.
Not that again.
Can't we do something else?
What kind of fetish is this?
It looks like the (potential) Hyperion sinks, too.
That was close!
All right. The next experiment.
Stop right there!
We're supposed to be exchanging information!
You did your experiments, now give me some information!
Your point is valid.
You can ask me two questions.
All right!
How can I get to Olvidia?
I don't know.
What do you mean, "I don't know"?
What if I got back on that airship I came on and just vroomed over there?
The airship can't fly high or fast enough to get you to Olvidia.
Well, I guess that's it for your two questions.
What?
Did I screw up?
Or is this guy just a prick?!
I simply applied the rules of information exchange.
I answered your questions, so now it's my turn.
I'm going to set up Experiment B-1.
You trying to get one over on me?
Don't think you'll get away with it!
1015, 1016, 1017...
Is something wrong?
I was wondering if this time, Kon will really go back to his world.
Who knows?
I guess we'll have to see.
Make it stop!
The (potential) Hyperion is good at running away.
No more!
Hey! Wait!
R15 Self Regulation
Stop! I'm calling off Experiment C-3.
That was really dangerous...
Let's take a short break.
Then it's my turn to ask some questions!
You get up to four.
First off, what do you know about Olvidia?
Tell me everything.
The (potential) Hyperion is exceedingly cunning.
Make it clever or something.
And stop saying "(potential)" already.
I did it to be as precise as possible, but fine.
It was starting to annoy me, too.
All right. Now tell me.
Based on visual data compiled from the ground,
this is what Olvidia might look like.
Yeah, that's it!
I saw that for a second, too!
Then you were lucky.
There is no regularity to Olvidia's observational data.
We have no idea when and where it's flying.
It's just floating around randomly?
Or is someone... I was just talking to myself!
That wasn't a question!
Roughly 1,000 years ago...
You're going all the way back?
That was just some grumbling. It wasn't a question.
In St. Piria's archival hall, there is one ancient document
of an eyewitness account.
But since then, each place has collected its own
myths, legends, and folklore alluding to the city in the sky.
They all explain it in their own way.
The indigenous people of what is now Jugglaburk's domain
called it "God's Castle" and believed that
the gods who created the world lived there.
The people of the north however, believe that...
What I want to know, though, is what do you, as a scientist,
make of that place?
To float in the air like that, it must utilize some sort of energy.
I speculate that it uses Alma as its power source.
It means they have enough Alma Energy to
move something of that size and an efficient Alma engine.
I can't conclude that they are gods,
but I'm certain that it was built by someone.
What do you mean, "someone"?
For what?
I don't know who.
Nor do I know their objective.
Oh no!
Your four questions are now over.
I still have three!
You asked me tell you my theory regarding Olvidia.
Not what I know, but my theory.
You wormed your way out of this one!
We'll resume the experiments.
I'm so full.
That was ordinary.
I could eat more if this was conveyor belt sushi.
Conveyor belt sushi?
I could educate you, but it will cost you questions.
Let's keep going.
It's done.
Was I average? Better than? Below?
No, don't even tell me.
I'll tell you.
Below average.
Shut up!
I'd like you to tell to me what you see in these images.
The Dance Dance Revolution final match between the
volunteer soldiers fighting in the turf war between Mitaka and Nerima.
And this?
The mixed reaction of the kitchen staff that time when I
specifically went to a ramen place because it was recommended
by a magazine, which turned out to be so terrible that I
rushed into the kitchen demanding to make the ramen myself.
The Hyperion lies.
How do you know I'm lying?
That's not a question, by the way!
It's an objection!
You are so transparent.
You're the one who keeps messing with me in the name of science!
I'm not getting any of the information I want!
You keep asking the wrong questions.
And it looks like it's my turn to ask questions again!
Fine. You get two.
What are the top-secret facts
about Olvidia that you would never want me to know?
That's an interesting question.
I've solved quite a few quests in my day.
An examination of the legends
has revealed the possibility of a mysterious route
between the ground here and Olvidia.
However, the entrance on the ground has yet to be discovered.
Where do you think it is?
That was not a very good question.
They've already searched all the places I thought might be a possibility.
Yet they still can't find it.
I told you in the very beginning
that I don't know how to get to Olvidia.
I see.
So even if you have a treasure trove of information about Olvidia,
you have no idea how to get there.
And that's what you don't want to tell me.
I've taken enough time here...
Can't you work with me more?
I want to know more about the Hyperion.
But there's nothing that I want to know.
Wait!
What the hell are you doing?
Don't go, big brother!
Oh god, is this supposed to be the adorable little brother?!
You're all I have, big brother.
But he's the one clinging to me, so am I
supposed to be the irresistible big brother?
Am I the one being adored here?
You're the only Hyperion test subject we have!
You're under...
...arrest.
What the hell are you doing?!
Lemme go!
The Hyperion have the ability to collect
Alma Energy in their bodies and release it at will.
Yeah? And?
Whether or not there is a specialized organ for this process
cannot be determined by mere hypothesis alone.
To determine this, we will dissect the Hyperion.
Our aim is to find the Alma organ.
Wait! Please wait!
There's no such thing!
But how can we know if we don't test it?
That's what x-rays and MRIs are for!
You can do a non-invasive examination!
A response I'd expect from a Hyperion.
They have technologies that we do not.
Then let's begin.
We'll start with below the neck.
Stop!
No!
Help!
What was that?
I'll go see.
Kon! I'm here to get you out.
This way's bad!
In that case...
This way!
Don't run! Wait!
Even if we find something new, I'll never tell you!
Big brother, I hate you!
Stop, stop, please stop!
Oh, I can't take it anymore!
It's so spicy! It burns!
What's going on?
We've been heavily reprimanded by headquarters.
Reprimanded, I say! Reprimanded.
I'm doing this to reflect and repent on my wrongs.
What about you?
Well, we're under house arrest, which means we're stuck in this outpost.
Which means I won't make my date with Akina-chan
when she gets off of work!
I can't make it to Moena-chan, either!
Damn, it's Anna-chan's birthday, too.
Ah, I'm going to get a nose bleed!
I feel like I'm about to get a nose bleed!
And you?
Since I'm responsible for this situation,
I'm punishing myself by eating extremely spicy food.
God, that's so hot!
You sickos.
I'm not a sicko.
I'm just really doing my best to endure it!
I am most definitely not a sicko!
This is self-criticism.
I enduring it! So spicy!
They're taking this very hard.
Or so it seems.
Erec-sama...
I guess this simply means that for us, Incognito,
action is all that we have.
We have been punished long enough.
We will now take action independently.
We will follow DT and infiltrate Jugglaburk's territory.
Yes, sir!
Hurry up and make them stop that.
Yes, sir.
This is the first morning of the wedding rituals.
The first ritual is a growing love.
The second ritual is an eternal love.
The third ritual is a passionate love.
The fourth...
Will you stand up straight?
You know, I've come to Jugglaburk's domain
and I still don't have a single lead.
What did I even come here for?
You came for the princess's wedding rituals.
Should I go through all my intel again?
Or should I just start over?
And then, the eighteenth and last ritual, Olvidia.
Olvidia?
What's the ritual about Olvidia?
You'll understand, once you reach the eighteenth ritual.
Can't you just tell me now?
No, I cannot. Those are the rules.
Back off, Kon.
You're being rude.
But he's talking about Olvidia,
the place I want to get to more than anything else!
Then why don't you just do your job properly
so I can complete the eighteen rituals?
Huh? Me?
It is custom that the eighteen rituals
are completed with the aid of the servants.
And now we will begin the wedding rituals.
The first ritual is a growing love.
From here it's my turn.
Huh? That's all she has to do?
Afterwards, you just leave it to someone else?
It's a symbol.
Well, since I want to get to the last ritual as quickly as possible,
I guess that's good for me.
I'll take the craftsmanship part.
And the rider?
Kon, that'll be you.
Me?
What?
Help!
Why?!
Because it is tradition.
We're doing eighteen of these things?!
Next Time
Ecarlate's wedding rituals have begun.
Incognito's house arrest has yet to be lifted.
However, we cannot just sit back and watch her get married to Jugglaburk.
We're working on a secret plan to stop that wedding.
After being condemned to the sidelines for a long spell,
Incognito is finally striking back!
Meanwhile, Kon is enduring the hardships of the eighteen rituals.
Why is this necessary? Because it's a ritual.