In the name of Zolzal el Caesar,
I declare the establishment of the Crown Prince's Government!
I am the new ruler of the Empire!
The Empire is in a weakened state right now!
After only a few defeats, the Senate have lost their nerve
and given up on fighting.
And they are about to surrender to the enemy,
and sign away your freedom and dignity!
To save their own hides!
Hell no!
Disband the Senate!
Can we really trust these cowards with the future of the country?
Nay, I say!
Of course not!
We cannot and should not!
That's right!
You are the wise, strong, and noble people of the Empire.
The chosen people who have ruled this continent for over 600 years.
Now is the time for us to come together
and do our utmost!
We will overcome this chaos to make the Empire even greater than before!
Gather under my banner!
And we shall create a new history!
Zolzal! Zolzal! Zolzal! Zolzal!
Speech
Now, Japan...
Let the war begin.
I see.
So Zolzal's coup d'état was successful?
Over.
Yes.
The entire capital is under curfew.
No one's allowed to leave. Over.
Is the vice-minister safe? Over.
The Jade Palace is protected by treaty.
We shouldn't need to worry. Over.
Don't underestimate them.
And try to find out the Emperor's status. Over.
Roger. End transmission.
Episode 19 Dangerous Sisters
Have you found Lelei-dono?
Yes.
She is attempting to acquire the title of Master, it seems.
Master?
Which means she's in Rondel?
Brother!
She is a hero of the empire.
Send her a respectful summons.
Of course.
A word, brother?
What is it?
I'm busy, whether or not I look it.
What gives you the right to imprison the pro-peace senators?
That?
What did you say?
I'm telling you, they were bribed by the Japanese.
Impossible. What proof do you have?
We'll find the proof eventually.
Incontrovertible proof.
What are you planning, Brother?
Nothing.
With the emperor absent,
I'm running things in my own way.
If you insist on interfering...
Will you make a criminal of me, too?
I'm joking.
I need you to lead negotiations with Japan.
You think we can keep negotiating?!
Of course.
But after we've done what we need to do to win
without giving into defeatism.
Then, and only then.
We've come as requested.
These are the new generals.
You know them.
Yes.
Now then,
I've brought you here to discuss the future.
Did you come up with anything?
Our opponent is extremely strong.
We can't win in a head-on battle.
So we'll have to use less ethical methods.
Oh? Less ethical methods?
Yes. We'll gather up the goblins
and have them attack the villages surrounding Alnus.
Wha—
Won't that spur them to invade further?
No need to worry about that.
It'll simply be the work of bandits and criminals.
We also have the option of having our own men dress as the enemy and attack villages.
So they take the blame?
That will ruin their reputation and turn the people against them.
You should be ashamed of yourselves!
Have you forgotten your pride as imperial soldiers?
This is the only way to fight an opponent we can't defeat,
Princess Pina.
Very well.
You may proceed with those plans.
Brother!
We shall prepare immediately.
It was a mistake to let you go.
We can't thank you enough, former commanding officer.
Leave the rest to us and be at ease.
Brother Diabo!
What is this?
Where are you going?
Keep going.
Sir!
Answer me, Brother!
I'm running, of course!
What?
Stay with me and stop Brother Zolzal.
You have a responsibility as a member of the royal family.
I'm going to fulfill that responsibility.
I intend to bring in other countries to stop Zolzal.
You'll invite other countries into the Empire?
There's no other way.
That's dangerous, you fool!
Rethink this, Brother.
If we do that, our land and people will be stolen,
and nothing will remain of the Empire.
If Zolzal's dictatorship continues,
the country is doomed either way.
We have to make that stubborn fool listen to us by force.
Got that? Now get out of the way.
I will not!
Then I'll run you over!
I'm willing to lay down my life for the Empire.
Shut up!
Brother!
You can't survive on nothing but tired clichés,
Pina!
I'll introduce you again.
This is Mimoza,
a mage and great sage.
She's one of the elders of Rondel.
Nice to meet you.
It's been so long, Rory.
You know each other?
I didn't know that...
It would've been around 50 years ago.
We went on a journey together.
Right?
Mimoza, you've gotten so old.
Oh my, that's right.
I'm an old woman now.
Jealous, aren't you?
Anyway, I heard you went beyond the gate.
What was it like?
Hmm... the towns were so clean.
All the shops were bustling and full of goods to sell!
The bookstores, especially, were wonderful!
Lelei?
There were books about every field imaginable,
sold at a price that a common citizen could afford.
Common citizens, reading books?
That's right.
In Japan, publishing is a very common thing.
Citizens can even self-publish books called doujinshi.
Oh my...
Cheap books... That's wonderful.
That's wrong!
That's just... really, really...
Really wrong!
If the magic encyclopedias I spent night after night copying were ever worth less...
What's her problem?
Do you know how much time and effort it takes just to make a single copy?!
Arpeggio copies books on the side.
It can take so much time that I don't get to do my own work!
So she heard us talking about cheap books and panicked.
Her specialty is mineral magic, which isn't cheap to practice.
And with my right hand hurting, I've had to slow down!
If on top of all that, the prices started dropping...
Next month's food bill, next month's rent...
If I miss another payment, they'll evict me.
Don't worry.
The prices aren't going down today or tomorrow.
It'll take a long time.
A long time?
Then don't scare me like that!
Itami-san, she may not look it,
That was so shocking! I nearly had a heart attack!
but since minerals are her specialty.
But really, if I didn't get paid,
I think she can help you in your search for resources.
I'd never take on that annoying job...
That would be wonderful.
Of course, if you're okay with me.
Interested?
You keep glancing over.
Not really.
I'm glad you're here, even if it's only by accident.
I wanted to tell you the answer to your homework.
Homework?
That's right.
I gave her homework before we said goodbye.
"Why are there so many races in this world?"
Is there a reason?
Of course.
It's because of...
And so, the Self Defense Force fought
...the gate.
The creation myths of the elves
Primal Forest
Ancestors
God
begin with a man and woman, the "ancestors,"
being guided by God to the primal forest.
All of the different clans of elves scattered around the continent tell more or less the same story.
Primal Forest
Ancestors
God
Primal Forest
Ancestors
God
If you ask them where the Primal Forest can be found,
"Where is the Primal Forest?"
the elves of the north say, "In the south."
"South"
"Where is the Primal Forest?"
And the elves of the south say, "In the north."
"North"
They all point to a single location.
Primal Forest
And that's Alnus?
Alnus
Indeed.
So all of the elves call Alnus their homeland?
Not just the elves.
Dwarves
Every species calls Alnus its homeland.
Comnouko
Kobolds
Goblins
Orcs
Homeland
You're sure?
I've spent my whole life researching this.
And so what's your answer?
All of the demihumans who live in this world moved here when a gate opened.
Alnus
After a silence spanning centuries, or perhaps over a millennium,
Gate
the gate opens.
And then new visitors come to this world.
Sometimes they fight with those who already live here,
other times they interbreed.
In the end, they become part of this world.
And the gate enters a long period of sleep before it opens again.
This is the history that's been repeated again and again in this world.
Of course, we humans are no exception.
From both our texts and the distribution of ruins we've discovered,
it's clear that we're the newest here.
That explains why the Empire considers Alnus holy ground, right?
That's my girl.
Hooray!
I'm finally free!
You knew all this, Rory?
Not all of it.
It's all the will of the gods.
All we demigods do is
obey the will of the gods and protect this world.
Sometimes we provide guidance to those who are promising,
and sometimes we eliminate those who approach what is forbidden.
That's how we maintain order in the world.
I never learned that.
That's because it's my research.
I can't see Kato taking an interest in history.
See, what did I tell you?
Instead of studying with one Master,
you could learn more by staying here.
If I'd stayed here,
I wouldn't have gotten a chance to become a Master for a long time.
That's... true, maybe, but...
That's right.
What are you going to share with everyone?
Could you tell me?
What's this?
A tool from Japan's civilization.
You wouldn't need books at all if you had this!
What's inside is even more amazing.
You incorporated the knowledge of another world into our system of magic.
That'll be plenty good enough to shut up those nasty old men.
She's way ahead of me. My sister beat me!
I can't take this!
I have no money and my sister's leaving me behind.
I've been researching for years and I'm getting nowhere.
I've got no talent, do I?
Okay, I'm going to marry and become a housewife.
What's Itami-san like?
Itami Youji is a Japanese officer.
He has many additional titles,
such as being a lord of the Kingdom of Erube
and an honorary dark elf chieftain.
Are you okay, Dad?
An elite noble with an elven child...
An elven child?
You can ignore that.
What's his money situation?
He owns a chunk of raw adamantite that my clan gave him.
About this size.
Is he married?
He's single now.
Perfect!
My...
No. He's not single anymore.
Itami completed the Ceremony of Three Nights with me.
When?
Nobody told me this?
What are we talking about?
What's the Ceremony of Three Nights?
If a man and woman sleep in the same room for three nights, they're in a relationship.
It's basically a way of saying, "We're married!"
I don't remember this.
We definitely slept in the same bedroom for three nights.
First at the lodging house,
then Risa's room...
Finally, the inn at Hakone.
That's three times.
The lodge house, Risa's room, the inn.
That's right.
If that's how it works, then I've done it a lot more than three times.
Oh, bigamy?
At the time, you were insane,
and thought he was your father.
So it doesn't count.
Youji...
You didn't do anything with me,
but you'll go after any other woman?
What's the meaning of this?
Arpeggio?
I lose.
She's ahead of me in academics, money, and love.
I've lost all dignity as the elder sister, so there is only one thing I can do.
I mustn't hesitate.
This is necessary for our future relationship as sisters.
Oh my!
Oh my, oh my...
Oh my!
Oh my, oh my, oh my...
Oh my, oh my...
Oh my! Oh my!
Well? You give up?
Oh my...
The 13th battle between the Lelei Sisters will now begin!
Permitted in the name of myself,
Rory Mercury!
The rules are as follows: no lethal blows.
Nothing that would scar the face.
What the hell is going on here?
As long as you obey these rules,
They do love to fight.
you can destroy the house, destroy the city,
It seems like this one's going to be a bit different, though.
or destroy the world!
R-Really...
All right, then!
Go, Lelei!
Begin!
What's that?
Amazing, huh?
Arpeggio can use minerals as catalysts to subvert
laws of physics and interfere with fundamental theories.
I don't know if I understand that,
but I do know that this has gone way beyond a quarrel between sisters.
Fights between mages are always like this.
Oh my...
Maybe that was a little dangerous.
She's fast!
What's that covering them?
Defensive magic.
Mages in Rondel are forced to learn it first thing.
So it's a fight to see who can break the other's defenses first.
Damn genius...
Hey, Rory.
Isn't this getting out of hand?
If we stop them now, there'll be a lingering grudge between them.
Maybe, but...
Shut up and watch.
Taste my special move:
Big Sister's Authority!
Damn it!
What's this?
A tie, perhaps?
Grey Co Aldo...
Can you tell me why a duel officiated by Rory Mercury
has been interrupted?
I suggest we leave this area immediately.
We defeated one assassin, but it's still not safe.
Assassin?
Mommy, where's our house?
We came to Rondel at Pina-sama's order,
to bring Lelei-sama to the capital.
Sorry
But on our way, we learned that assassins had been sent after her.
Any idea who hired them?
It's nothing more than a suspicion,
so I don't wish to share it.
But...
Lelei-dono has been the talk of the town
ever since the Fire Dragon's head was brought to the capital.
It seems that this person wasn't happy about that.
What do you mean, the Fire Dragon's head?
What's that got to do with Lelei?
You don't know?
Your little sister worked with the others here to defeat a Fire Dragon.
You're joking, right?
Even if my sister is cute and a genius,
that can't be...
It can't be...
It's true?!
The dark elves took the Fire Dragon's head and said they were going to tell everyone.
It had quite an effect.
So why is Lelei the only one getting famous?
That's because she's the only human from the empire in the group!
I am part of the Rurudo clan.
I've never been an imperial citizen.
The people don't care.
Instead, the fact that you're one of the rogue peoples
has brought you even more fame.
So basically, this "someone" is jealous of Lelei?
It's good!
It's good, Furuta!
You're really sure about this?
Do you take issue with Lord Zolzal's laws?
Rufurus
No...
It just seems like you could use this to convict anyone you wanted.
That's what his Highness wants.
Understood.
I'll have the senate set things in motion.
It's not going to fail, is it?
Everything's ready.
Leave it to me.
The Pied Piper?
That's right.
He's one of the assassins after her.
The two of us are no match for him.
For someone who killed a Fire Dragon,
that's to be expected.
So we want your help.
I'd protect Lelei, even if you didn't ask me.
That's what I'd expect of the green people.
Let's work together to defeat the assassin.
No.
For now,
we run!
Episode 20 Lover
Next time on Gate: "Lover."