18th-Century France, Brittany
I heard the executioner ran.
He got scared of executing a priest.
Then, what do we do?
Cancel the execution?
That isn't going to happen.
Someone else will do it, right?
You do it.
Why me?
Please, honey...
Do it in his place.
So that this child can be proud.
I want to see it, too.
It's the one thing I can look forward to.
Please let me do it!
I'll do it!
Blood, blood, blood.
It wants blood!
Offer the blood to the guillotine!
Blood to quench the guillotine's thirst.
Yes, this is the story of her birth.
Marguerite Breuil was born beneath the guillotine.
And...
Look, Marie?
It's Mommy and Daddy.
Let them hear your voice.
Blood, blood, blood.
It wants blood.
Offer the blood to the guillotine!
Blood to quench the guillotine's thirst.
What it wants is blood, blood, blood.
Blood, blood, blood.
It wants blood.
Offer the blood to the guillotine.
She was never a normal person.
And she became an object of terror.
Everyone knew the awful story of her birth.
Blood to quench the guillotine's thirst—
And she was utterly, unendingly ostracized.
You!
Say something—
In every respect,
it was as if she were something alien, born into this world.
Blood, blood, blood.
It wants blood.
Offer the blood to the guillotine!
Blood to quench the guillotine's thirst.
To me, the sight seemed more beautiful than anything.
I knew that it was a miracle.
I fell in love with you.
I want to kneel to you,
oh, flower...
I offer this to you.
I praise you.
At the end of everything, save me.
I swore that I would put my whole spirit
into creating a goddess in this world.
Reunion
A dream?
That was her life.
A ghost?
No, perhaps she isn't even dead.
Her soul was so strong that she's still present?
And that's why I was able to do that?
What's going on in there?!
Stay out!
Are you okay?
Wh-Wh-What the hell are you doing?!
Now, let's hear your excuse, kid.
Tell me what happened, and tell me now.
All I can say is that I don't know.
B-But I can't help it...
I know! The lock!
I forgot to lock up. That's why.
You're saying a naked, blonde girl just happened to walk into your room?
How else... could I... explain this?
But I guess you're right, actually.
I can't imagine you picking up a cute girl like this...
And right now, you're supposed to be dating Sakurai-san.
And then, there's what you did to me yesterday.
Oh, crap! You're scum!
No, no... Trust him, Kasumi!
If I don't trust him, who will?
How did this happen so suddenly?
Did I do it, somehow?
Or is it because I learned formation?
Was I able to give form to her soul?
You're having fun, huh?
Sneaking some eye contact?
No, um...
We can't just leave her here, can we?
That's true.
I guess we have to do something about the way she's dressed...
I'll get some clothes. Wait a sec.
Um, well...
You're her, right?
And I called you... I guess?
I see, I see. I understand.
Oh, no...
This is wonderful!
You are...
scum!
Now, let's find out who Marie-chan is!
Well, it's a day off, so I don't mind...
But you don't need to come, do you?
I do.
I can't leave it to you.
You probably want to leave her with police, and let them handle it, don't you?
I don't like it when people are heartless like that!
I'm sure she has her reasons,
so let's be a little nicer.
That's important, right?
When you're dealing with foreigners, that's how you should behave!
You need to remember to act so that they will love Japan.
That's what it means to be a global citizen!
We live in the twenty-first century.
We need to take a broader view of the world!
Maybe a man like you wouldn't understand?
I understand that you're probably a bad influence.
Shut up!
Anyway, we're spending today helping her.
Right?
That doesn't happen when I'm with her?
How come I'm able to touch her at all?
Hey, Ren!
We're going!
Right.
I can't eat another bite.
Sorry. I kept you waiting.
And I caused a lot of trouble for you today.
I see...
You had fun, maybe?
I guess I did, too.
Actually, I haven't had fun like this for a while.
Thanks.
You're strange, aren't you, Marie?
But do you understand that being with me means that, from now on...
It's okay.
That was the promise.
That's what Cagliostro told me.
I'll stay with you, Ren.
Hey, is this Cagliostro guy—
Hi.
Looks like you're busy, but could we talk for a second?
Sorry to interrupt.
Who are you?
Honjou Eri.
Shirou is calling you.
Will you come with me?
As you can see, all proceeds as planned.
Please continue to leave matters in my care.
Farewell.
Oh, what did you say?
Don't tell me, Lord Heydrich... You...
This way.
Follow me.
Welcome to our Bottomless Pit.
Ever since Shirou had his fight with you, he's been here.
Hey, it's been a while.
Well, I'm sure there's a lot you want to say,
but first, let's dispense with pleasantries, "best friend."
Glad you're doing well.
Glad you seem to be as stupid as ever.
Harsh!
You're still pissed off about that?
You're out of the hospital, right?
And it didn't leave any permanent damage.
Let's forget the past and relax.
I know we aren't here to show off our new girlfriends,
but she's cute.
Where did you find her?
Don't you know?
Thinking back, a lot of strange things have happened.
You were always watching us, weren't you?
Not always.
But for the past few days or so.
I know what you've been up to.
And I've been backing you up.
When Kasu-dummy was covered in blood and you carried her home,
it's lucky you didn't run into anyone, huh?
That was pretty rough.
All he ever does is give orders.
I'm the one who does the work.
Why?
Don't tell me it's out of friendship.
You're so cynical, Ren!
But I'm glad you're catching on.
Now, we fought, right?
But we never settled things.
And so, I have an idea as to how to do that.
Weren't we going to forget the past?
This is something different.
It wouldn't feel right to leave it undone.
Basically...
Let us play a part in the mess you're in.
Whoever survives will be the winner of the fight.
Are you stupid?
This is a waste of time.
If that's what you wanted, we're done.
Well, wait.
Just so you know,
we've been dealing with this matter longer than you have.
Ever since he fled from the hospital, he's been somewhat involved with that group.
For me, personally, it's been ten years...
No, actually, since my grandpa's generation.
It's the same with those murders.
We've fought them, too.
Got our asses kicked, though.
But we're alive.
What we're trying to say, Ren-kun,
is that we can be useful.
There are many things you don't know about, aren't there?
For instance, details about the Longinus Dreizehn Orden.
They're super-wanted fugitives, you know?
Killing a single one
would earn you the money to play around for seven lives.
This is about money?
Stop joking around!
This isn't a fight between delinquents!
The money was merely an example.
We won't say that isn't part of it,
but we know they're dangerous.
And they're here, in this city.
Isn't that awful?
We, who live here, need to politely ask them to leave.
In other words, I believe we feel the same way.
I can get involved...
But you can't.
We'll die, that's all.
That's right!
I can't help you commit suicide!
I see...
You're different because you have a trump card.
You can fight because of her.
That's the difference between you and us, right?
I don't know the details,
but I've got the basic idea.
In exchange for our intel,
any interest in sharing information about that?
Of course not.
You know my personality.
Naturally.
And you, also...
know my personality.
Shirou,
I came here tonight to thank you.
I'm grateful for your aid with Kasumi.
You helped me a lot.
And that is why I can't let you die.
Kasumi would be sad.
And so would I.
Sorry.
That must have bored you.
No, it was fun for me.
But you look sad.
Because you fought that man?
Why?
He and I have always been what you might call partners in crime.
We both had to keep our own secrets,
but he tried to break the arrangement.
That's why I couldn't forgive him.
But honestly...
I think I was the one who most wanted my secret revealed.
Everything he does seems like what I really wanted to do.
It's scary, and it angers me.
It upsets me, but I can't ignore it.
What just happened is the same.
You could say it's like standing on the roof of a building.
If you fall, you know you'll die,
but you can't help yourself.
That's how it goes when I'm with him. I end up hating myself.
But you're friends?
Yeah, I don't know why.
Maybe I want to be like him.
Maybe I want to destroy myself like that.
Hilarious, right?
I sound suicidal.
I want to have my own will.
Especially at a time like this.
So, Marie,
I don't want you to be with me because someone told you to.
I want our relationship to be one in which
we can both proudly say, "This is who I am."
Yeah.
I hope so. I want it to be.
Marie...
Hello, Fujii-kun.
The Priest of the Grail wishes to see you.
I suppose I'll ask if you'd like to simply come with me.
If you want to resist—
Stupid.
Get the hell out of here.
Not bad!
I'm impressed!
You killed Spinne, didn't you?
I'll give you credit for that.
This might not be a bad war, after all.
Bey, I think you understand, but...
Shut up! You want to say this isn't the place, right?
But that's how it goes.
A passing hot guy appears.
Golden Beast
Illustration: Yunagi