-Take care. -Yeah.
Where am I?
Narumi!
I see you've recovered.
Come. Fou is calling for you.
Am I destined to lose my way?
All I want is to have fun in my life
All I want is to be with those I love
Ready or not Here I come
I don't care anymore
I just don't know anymore
I wish everything would just disappear
There are days when I think like that
But everything is precious to me
And so I fight on
Today was a tough day
I almost gave up hope
But the truth is I don't want to lose anything anymore
I wish everything would just disappear
There are days when I think like that
But everything is precious to me
And so I must fight
#29 What Shirogane did
-Wait a minute... -Shut up.
Narumi.
It's extremely rude of you to not let Lady Francine get dressed.
We will fight you this instant if you are going to insult her.
Damn it. Hurry up.
The people here are the only ones in this world who can still move.
The few children and adults we saved at the ZONAPHA Syndrome Research Institute.
And the doctors and nurses.
I'm glad they found shelter.
Thanks to old man Fou.
The man who said I was the reincarnation of Doll Francine.
We're going to find out if you really are or not.
I am prepared.
Narumi.
-Is that her? -Yeah.
Let me know if she's one of the automata.
I'll shoot her down.
But...
Everyone here knows that you hold the key to ZONAPHA.
If you're not connected to Faceless, Fou will prove it.
But if we find that you're on his side,
when all is done...
I will kill you myself.
Do not worry. He'd be dead before he could touch you.
Bring it on anytime.
Mr. Masaru.
Have I returned here only to be hated by Narumi?
-Shirogane! -Shirogane!
-You're back! -We're so glad!
You two...
-Phew. -How have you been?
I'm so glad to see you all so well.
You made it back in one piece.
You too. How did you get here?
We were brought here from Kuroga thanks to Mr. Fou.
Shirogane, where's Masaru?
He went back for a puppet that befriended us.
He said not to worry, that he'll return.
No...
I understand, but we must believe in him and wait.
You're right.
Welcome back.
Vilma!
Ashihana?
Hurry up.
Yes. I'll see you later.
What is this? I feel somebody glaring at me.
It's her.
I feel a raging anger from her like none other.
To think I must look into your memory on the first time we meet.
-Forgive me. -Of course.
According to Faceless, you're the key to stopping ZONAPHA.
If you can't remember, this is our only choice.
-Forgive us. -I understand.
Thank you. Now, everything is ready.
Would you like to watch?
I don't care about that woman's memory.
Want me to force them out of here?
We are here to protect Lady Francine. You will have to fight us.
Your loyalty is what's putting Éléonore in a bad spot, you know.
It's okay, I have Olympia with me.
I'll be outside then.
Let us begin.
You bore it well for 6 long hours.
It's nothing compared to those suffering with ZONAPHA.
-You should get some rest. -I will.
But I wish there were something I could do to help.
Dinner is ready!
I've brought your dinner.
We don't need anything from an automaton.
But I didn't make it.
Then leave it there and get out!
Stay away from me, you automaton!
I'm not an automaton.
Then what are those puppets that tag behind you?
I am Liang Mingxia.
My father was killed by Pantalone.
My arm, my body... All broken by puppets!
Faceless disrupted the whole world over you.
It's all your fault!
Now get out!
I thought you'd dodge it. You're not that nimble, huh.
Forgive me.
-Are you okay? -Don't touch me.
I'm the one who's going to fight alongside Minghai.
Not you.
Can you hear me? Can you see me?
I can see you all very clearly.
I have an Apollyon there equipped with a camera.
It's me, Faceless.
Do you like my new face? I made a younger clone of myself.
To think we'd meet again, but with me looking so handsome.
I don't get what you're trying to do.
Why did you save me in the Sahara?
Oh, that? Well.
This is my last broadcast to you, so I guess I'll tell you.
I wanted to show off in front of you.
Show off?
Because you look just like him.
My older brother who took Francine away from me.
I decided to make Éléonore mine while you watched on.
So I set out to do just that.
I pretended to die and left the Sahara.
But before I left, I let the puppets know who I was.
That I was their creator.
The puppets that had mistaken me for a shirogane all kneeled before me.
Faceless of the three solutions. The last one is "disclose."
Now then, let me tell you why I've contacted you in this way.
I couldn't make Éléonore mine after all.
So, what does a man who's had his heart broken do?
Some repent.
Some try to forget. Some find a new love.
But not me. Nope.
I got tired of all this crap.
I hate this world now. So I'm going to get rid of it.
Don't touch me!
I just wanted to change your bandages...
-Yeah right. -You make my gut turn just seeing you.
Get out of our sight.
Hey, stop that!
-Saying everything's her fault! -Because it is!
Don't just shove her like that!
-No, it's okay. -Shirogane.
I'm sorry.
Please, let me help you again later.
Thanks.
But why are you doing all this for me?
I wonder why.
But I can relax when I'm with you.
Cuz we're both assassins, eh?
Is the breeze too cool?
You're worrying about me? Thanks.
Of course.
It feels nice.
The others can't go out because of ZONAPHA, but we can thanks to Aqua Vitae.
Hey, take it easy.
My strength has been returning recently.
The children and the adults are all growing healthier, too.
Yeah.
About Éléonore...
I threw a pitcher at her.
I thought she'd dodge it.
But she didn't.
I can't forgive her.
The puppets that killed my father are so loyal to her.
I'll avenge your father.
I won't accept the reincarnation of some automaton.
Yeah.
You're right.
Shirogane?
What's wrong?
I wanted to help the people who are suffering.
But I seem to be torturing them even more.
I think they're just scared.
Scared?
They're the only ones in the world now who can move, but they can't do anything.
This reality weighs heavily on them, and it's scary.
So they're taking it out on you.
I see.
I've felt that way before, too.
Locked up in a small room, scared of the people outside.
What do you do in times like that?
Me? Well...
I sing.
I sing a song, and it helps me forget all my troubles.
I'd forgotten that I was an entertainer.
An entertainer must strive to make the audience happy.
Hey.
Fou's calling for you all.
A few days ago, Faceless sent us a final broadcast.
Take a look.
I've ordered every Apollyon to accelerate the progression of ZONAPHA syndrome.
Everyone on Earth with ZONAPHA will die within the next 2 weeks.
Oh, and tell Éléonore.
That she should've chosen me.
Women shouldn't be held responsible for the actions of broken-hearted men.
Am I right?
The enemy is in a space station 480 km above Earth's surface.
All the military satellites are now also controlled by Faceless.
And even if we do succeed in killing him,
the Apollyon bugs won't stop carrying out his orders.
They'll keep working until all mankind is dead.
We only have one choice left.
To go meet Faceless and get him to tell us how to stop the Apollyons.
That's impossible.
Then I guess mankind will die out.
But there is one way to do it.
And to do it, we need the help of the Nakamachi Circus.
Huh?
Harry was developed to destroy ZONAPHA bugs.
It was modified once to emit waves rather than treat humans one at a time.
ZONAPHA bugs couldn't get any closer to Harry than 8 meters.
And so I thought.
Why not attach Harry to a space shuttle?
We'll take the shuttle to a launch pad and connect it to a rocket.
And send it up to the space station where Faceless is.
I've converted an old steam locomotive to use to transport it.
ZONAPHA bugs can't disrupt such old machinery.
Narumi will ride in it.
-Will you do it? -Sure.
And I want you to protect Narumi and the space shuttle.
Why are you asking a circus to do it?
Yeah, we might be hurt but we can do the job.
No, you can't.
You'd get ZONAPHA before reaching the launch pad.
Isn't that the same for the circus?
They spent a lot of time with Éléonore.
Shirogane's blood is Aqua Vitae, the elixir of life.
It's always around her, in her breath, in her sweat.
So we'd been breathing it in just by being with her.
So where is the launch pad?
10,000 km away on the Trans-Siberian Railway.
The Bodny Cosmodrome on the eastern edge of Russia.
That far?
The closer ones are all under Faceless's control now.
How about it? Will you do it for us?
I'll do it.
It's too dangerous, so please stay here.
Shirogane.
I oppose. Éléonore shouldn't be a part of this.
Same here. I can protect Minghai by myself.
I'm going.
-Me too. -Count me in.
Hey, everybody calm down.
Why don't you all watch Éléonore's memory?
Then you can decide for yourself.
I will leave the room.
Thank you.
Ridiculous. I'm not watching.
We'll watch.
I couldn't care less about your memory. I'm going. That's that.
I will protect you and the shuttle with my life.
Have it your way.
You've said you don't know me ever since we reunited.
But we've met before.
Have you truly forgotten me?
And Mr. Masaru, too?
Remember that joke you said to me?
You're going to be my girl.
Shut up! I would never say that.
Stop acting so humanlike, you automaton remake.
You give me the creeps.
You may detest me from the bottom of your heart.
I do not mind.
Because of what I've felt for you ever since that day.
I am your Shirogane.
Wait.
What is it?
I want to show you something.
What is this place?
The water treatment facility. All our water is sent from here.
So what?
Look inside, but be quiet.
Why is she here?
Is she poisoning it?
She's pouring her blood, an elixir, into the drinking water.
No... I don't believe it.
I tried stopping her.
She may be a shirogane, but too much blood loss could kill her.
But she wouldn't stop.
She does this every day?
Ever since she woke up here.
That day...
She didn't get hit on purpose.
She was too weak to dodge it.
Is it thanks to her that everyone is getting healthier?
She knew.
That Faceless is destroying the world because of her.
That everyone had a right to hate her.
This was the only way she could think of to make amends.
You knew something too. About ZONAPHA and your father.
That it wasn't Éléonore's fault.
My darling child
My beloved child
Just like the leaves
That dance in the wind
Your little bed
Sways to and fro
Heavenly Father
In thy kingdom above
Give one to this child
And one to each of us
Someday, please
Bestow your blessing
Upon us all
A past that can't become a memory plays on repeat
In my mind is a forgotten thing that I still remember
Questions remain unanswered but I must go now
I walk in the dark, making a promise to my footprints
So many similar beings leading similar lives
Was there a reason for me to be born at all?
The world lost all sound but for the ticking of a clock
A missing heart keeps shouting
A meaningless life was shaking
All because of your unique existence
If the reason for the pain is revealed someday
If you find a home for those tears someday
You shall sleep with the whole universe in your arms
I know it still plays in your heart
The melody that brought you here