What are you doing here, Patrizia?
They said there was an accident during training!
Happens all the time! It's nothing!
Thank goodness...
So you were dismissed because your eyesight grew bad?
It was a dog-eat-dog line of work.
The squad captain probably wanted to get rid of me anyway.
But you didn't have to quit working for the police altogether.
Surely you could still do ordinary police work?
Go back to being a patrolman or a pencil-pusher? I think I'll pass.
It's no big deal. Someone like me has plenty of places to work!
Army airborne division. Navy command unit.
The military police would be great, too!
I'm fine with you being a regular policeman, Marco...
What? You don't like strong men?
I want to see how far I can push myself!
Should I not follow my dreams?
No, it isn't like that.
But I like the gentle Marco.
Don't worry! I'll find new work before you know it!
Amid the difficulty of sticking to that one feeling,
I want to protect you and fulfill my promise to the only one for me
In a world filled with doubt, I still can't find the answer
Even so, I continue forward... Why?
If I can change this dream-like reality with my own two hands,
amid the difficulty of sticking to that one feeling,
I want to protect the only one for me
I swear on my beating heart I will continue to run until I burn away
Amid the eternal love I feel simply by living,
I want to fulfill my promise
"Montecitorio Palace"
Listen.
Ask the president to lay the groundwork for lifetime senatorship.
He's quite popular, after all.
It looks like the reform will pass easily.
I'll make sure it does. This nation is sick.
It needs antibiotics.
Hey, you! Get back!
Are you all right, sir?
Yeah...
Did you get that picture?
Of course.
Put it on the evening news.
In a way that appeals to upstanding citizens.
Have you identified the person responsible?
Just some nameless separatist.
Those F.R.F. Guys really want to tear Italy apart.
Shall we declare this an act of the F.R.F?
Of course.
The F.R.F. Is the most radical and most deserving of public criticism.
Truths are created by people, after all.
What've they been up to lately?
The largest sect, the Milan Group, is clashing behind closed doors.
Take the offensive. Spread some false info.
Arrest any sympathizers hiding in the media.
Understood.
Only I need to know the truth, after all.
Giuse-san!
Could you watch from down here for a little bit?
Sure! I'll be right there!
It's been a month since the incident in Milan.
It looks like Angelica will be fine now.
I don't know. I bet she'll collapse on me again.
Don't talk like that.
She doesn't have long to live, regardless. It's not like before.
The girl I knew was never that good with a gun.
The Angelica I once adored is long gone now.
Hey! What are you doing?!
I'm sorry, Marco-san!
I'm the one to blame! I wasn't concentrating...
Angelica. That's enough for today. You can return to the dorms.
Y-Yes, sir!
Triela...
Please don't touch me!
Please let me be by myself for a while...
What is it, Amadeo?
The princess is feeling down.
Is this what a child prodigy's setback looks like?
To think a cyborg... Princess Triela, at that...
would lose to a flesh-and-blood person...
What kind of monster is this Pinocchio guy?
Must be a 230 cm-tall giant.
Triela!
What are you doing up there?!
Come down! I have something for you!
What might that be?
Quit being so childish.
I am a child.
Here. A new gun. You lost yours in Montalcino, right?
It's a P-232. The same as mine.
Thank you.
Is having your gun taken that much of a shock for you?
You'll have your chance to take it back someday.
I won't lose next time.
Oh, yeah! Hold on to this.
What is it?
Angelica!
- On your way back? - Yes, Priscilla-san.
I'll give you a lift!
You hurt your hand?
Oh! Yeah! It's nothing at all!
Are you holding on tight, Angelica?
Yes, Priscilla-san!
"Priscilla-san," huh?
Eh?
Call me "Priscilla-chan"!
"Rotonda Square"
Welfare work? Weren't you going to rejoin the military police?
The job's in Rome, and it's 50% more pay!
What do you do at the Social Welfare Agency?
Oh, you know, look after kids.
You? That's surprising!
Why's that?
I mean, you wanted to be a strong man, right?
But I think it's the perfect job for you.
Hey, Patrizia! Fancy meeting you here!
Leo! You're so stubborn, too!
I think you know by now, but I'm never going to sit with you.
Oof! Talk about heartless!
I can't believe there's a woman who can say no
to Leonardo Conti, ace reporter.
Come on, now. You don't have a man to fill that seat anyway.
Oh? Is this the fairytale masterpiece I've heard about?
I hear it's selling nicely.
The Prince of the Pasta Kingdom, huh?
Who's the author?
It's a secret.
Hey. I like women who have secrets.
Social Welfare Agency?
What about it?
Say. I know a big secret myself.
Wanna hear?
What is it?
The truth is, the Social Welfare Agency
is a secret government intelligence agency.
Yeah. I know.
"Tiber River, Rome"
My old boyfriend worked at the Social Welfare Agency.
And he told you the agency's secrets?
No, he didn't say anything.
- But I knew. - How so?
He was a gung-ho special forces member.
He would never suddenly switch to charity work!
Why did you break up?
Because it seemed like he was hurting.
But it might've been me, actually.
I was afraid of knowing the truth.
"Orange Park"
Is something troubling you, Miss?
You look taken aback.
Do you not understand Italian?
I understand. Only a little...
Sightseeing? I can help you out if you need anything.
Thanks! I'm okay!
I was amazed at how pretty the city is...
I'm happy you like Italy.
I like the view from here, too.
I'm glad we feel the same way about something.
Are you doing a story on the Social Welfare Agency?
I hear the agency is raising children to be assassins,
under the guise of "social welfare."
That can't be true. I haven't heard anything like that on the news.
The fact that it isn't in the news is more proof than anything.
Almost all of the country's media is controlled by the prime minister.
Meaning it's basically government-run.
He is the "media king" of Italy.
But... the Welfare Agency does do charity work!
I've even visited it before...
I have my own vision of how the country should be.
The public might not care about the truth.
But I want to lift the veil of darkness that covers this country.
Say, Patrizia. Will you help me with my story?
Eh?
I take it you're curious about your ex-boyfriend?
Given that you carry that scrap paper around.
You want to know the truth, don't you?
Spooky, isn't it?
Policemen, officials, politicians...
They all deny it as if they've gotten together to get their story straight.
Is it true about the child assassins?
The editorial department got an anonymous tip.
It was taken in the area. It's not a clear shot, but you can see it.
Do you think Marco is doing dirty work for the government?
Who knows? There are lots of brands of justice, after all.
Say. Do you have a photo of your old boyfriend?
Or contact info for an old boss or something?
Eh?
"Several Days Later" "Rome Magazine House"
Leonardo!
Heya, Editor! You're early today!
There's no smoking in here.
I'm just holding it in my mouth.
There was a call for you. From a police officer.
Hello. This is Conti. Thank you for the other day.
I remembered a rumor I had heard about the Social Welfare Agency.
There's supposedly a secret office outside of Rome.
They say suspicious people come and go there.
Thank you. I think I'll check it out today.
No thanks needed. I hope you find out something.
How was that?
Thank you for your assistance, Lieutenant Colonel.
How's Marco doing? It was a shame he left the police.
My investigation is progressing well.
I think I can organize it into a report after a little more research.
Don't push too hard.
But anything you find out about the government assassins will help.
Are you working on the kidnapping plan?
I look forward to the results.
I don't know. I doubt it'll be enough to stop the bridge's construction.
But it should make for good publicity.
Indeed...
Oh, my companion's here. I'll call later.
Did I interrupt anything?
No, not at all!
Well, let's go!
Deserted, huh?
Freeze!
Leonardo Conti. You're under arrest.
You're Marco-san, right?
You can arrest me even though you quit the force?
How do you know about me?
You screwed up your life.
You made your woman cry, and joined forces with the wrong side.
I what?!
Marco?
Patrizia! Why are you here?!
I know him from work...
What are you doing here?!
Get away from him! He's with the Padania!
Eh?!
Leo?
Sorry, Patrizia. I used you.
It's true?!
Marco-san. I checked your background.
The Central Security Operations Service is quite an elite unit.
Why did you quit?
Not only that, you dumped this adorable woman...
Is that how badly you wanted to do the government's dirty work?!
Shut up!
Things didn't turn out this way because I wanted them to!
I've had enough! I'm going to blow your mouth off!
I know you injured your eye.
You don't want to hit her, do you?!
Angelica!
A government agency that uses kids...
Patrizia...
Don't get any more involved with this...
Why?
Are you doing this dirty work for your dreams?
So you can test your skill?!
Patrizia...
I didn't want things to turn out this way, either. Please believe me.
It sure is hot today!
Yes... Priscilla-chan.
And so we returned closer than before...
You're back in the dorms, right? What do you normally do?
Ordering her to call me in a friendly way...
How will that work out?
I'm reading a picture book.
It's called The Prince of the Pasta Kingdom.
Oh! How is it? Do you like it?
Yes!
If only we could go back to those days...
We're not pros, so it doesn't need to be complex!
Fairytales you still remember as an adult
are simple and have memorable scenes.
Okay! All done!
I'd say she's going to be protecting me!
Only because you're no good!
And so, after getting the platinum fork on the mountain of fire,
the prince safely returned to the kingdom with the princess.
What do you think?
It was great!
A doll without a heart, born from warm hands
I neither smile nor talk
I want you to hear about these feelings someday,
though they can't be put into words
I'll summon all my strength
to know what it means to live