21. THE OLD MOUNTAIN CASTLE
Lydia and her friends are deep, very deep,
on the rocky trails and pine forests of this beautiful and wild country.
They are extremely tired and suffer of hunger and thirst.
I’m exhausted! I’ll stop here!
- Your laziness is incredible! - You are exaggerating!
You realize we’re on the road for several days now?
- If only a car would pass by! - Cador, let's keep going!
- It's obvious that she has aged prematurely... - Poor girl! So soon, what a pity!
What are you saying there about me getting old prematurely?
- Don't take it so hard! - You're beginning to show wrinkles!
Indeed...
We had you!
I'll show you! We'll see if I'm that old!
Are you happy now?
How beautiful!
Hello! You look exhausted. Get in the car!
Thank you, madam, but we'd rather walk.
It's 30 minutes to the village, on foot. By car, we'll do it in three.
It would be stupid to waste 27 minutes!
That's very nice of you, but, since we have seen the castle, we feel strong again!
Do as you wish, if you insist. I have no time to waste!
Let's go, Henry!
Bye!
Let's go too! Come on!
It would be a lot better to be clients in the hotel!
It would be crazy! We have no money.
- Here I am! - It's busy in the kitchen!
Anyway, you are helping me a lot, little girl.
I would like to stay a little more. The castle on the hill it's beautiful!
Indeed, and it's a pity that it will be tampered with.
Tampered? How so?
The Maki-Manet Foundation wants to build an amusement park there, unfortunately.
- An amusement park? That would be great! - But the villagers do not agree at all!
Why?
Because that castle is their universe, their tradition, their homeland.
- Their universe? - Yes.
When they are sad or depressed, the castle helps them cope with misery.
Do you understand? On the way back from a trip, when they see the castle,
they can't help but feel back home again.
I can understand that. But why the villagers allow this?
They have no choice. The Maki-Manet Foundation owns the castle.
- Come quick, madam! - Right away!
Well, see you soon!
- How sad for the villagers! - Do you really think so?
Do you really think it's sad for the villagers?
Obviously! What's so extraordinary about it?
And who are you?
Let me introduce myself. I'm Tonio, the hotel owner's son.
- You are awfully late, Tonio! - Sorry, I couldn't do otherwise.
- And I've brought you a new recruit. - A new recruit?
Yes. You're going to help us save the castle.
For us, the castle is a great playground!
Yeah! It's no ordinary playground. Our parents, even grandparents, have played there!
It's full of secret passages!
That's why we decided to stop the demolition at any cost!
And how will you do that?
An inspector from The Maki-Manet Foundation has come here to evaluate the castle.
It's a red haired, big lady, with glasses, and not very friendly!
There she is!
- It's her? - You know her?
That's Miss Roux, the inspector from the Foundation.
Weird! We've met her on the road today and she was very nice.
She even offered to take us in her car.
- That can't be true! - Yes it is! I assure you!
I don't believe a word! I say we should teach her a lesson!
Yeah!
I suggest you wait one more day before taking action.
- What? - Let me talk to her first, please!
I'm sure she will listen and understand your motives.
It's better to settle these things nicely!
Lydia is searching for trouble again!
Be reasonable! How about The Flower in Seven Colours?
Our Foundation's slogan is "Happiness above all else".
The computer has instructed us to build a high-tech amusement park,
especially for you.
But we like the castle the way it is now!
Because you don't know the attractions of an amusement park. Look here!
Everything is designed to maximize the use of the playing ground and the excitement.
I find this horrible!
Your reaction is unreasonable! Our project is based on a study
in which the desires of thousands of children have been processed by computer.
Your computer does not know how much this castle means for the people!
They love it with all their heart!
Explain this to me. I didn't understand a thing!
Miss Roux, when you first saw the castle up on the hill,
did you feel something special?
No I thought the car will use more gas to get there.
It seems to me you are still a child. Is it wise to travel alone like this?
It could be dangerous.
I know, but I'm on a mission to find the Flower in Seven Colours. Do you understand?
- The Flower in Seven Colours? - I'm a Daughter of the Flowers.
The Queen of the Flower Fairies itself has given me this mission.
Did you say the Queen of the Flower Fairies?
That's right! She lives on the Planet of Flowers!
This is not logical! It's a fairytale!
I assure you it's not a fairytale!
Fairytales do not belong in our world of science, Lydia!
- But I tell you it's the truth! - You make me laugh!
- Shall we surprise the witch and go in? - No. It would only make things worse.
- I believe Lydia, Miss! - Tonio!
- Me too! - How nice of you!
I will never understand you! Meanwhile, I have work to do.
I have to finish my report. You can go now!
We leave because we want to! Let's go, guys!
Just a minute! I wouldn't advise you to occupy the castle.
- Why do you say that? - It would be against the law.
Besides, the computer already has a plan to stop you. It would be useless.
That's something!
- Henry, tape them. - OK.
How irritating! Only if Princess Marlene could help us!
Princess Marlene? Who is that?
It's the ghost from the castle!
A real ghost?
- It's a legend. - She always helps children in trouble.
Like we are now.
She is a good princess!
Why am I so scared? Silly me!
It would be great if a scary ghost would terrify that witch, Miss Roux!
- It would chase her away! - Maybe she would leave the village!
Unfortunately, the ghost would not appear in front of us.
If she doesn't appear by herself, we can make her appear!
We can scare Miss Roux, by pretending to be the ghost!
- You think it would work? - It costs nothing to try, anyway!
You said there are many secret passages in the castle.
Indeed. At least one of them leads in her room, and she doesn't even know!
- This will work, for sure! - She won't know what hit her!
She will be scared to death!
They think I will be frightened by a fake ghost? That's absurd!
Which are your intentions about this girl?
I think that a girl who is convinced she comes from the Planet of Flowers
is a victim of bad education!
Then, the only solution is to make her benefit
from our slogan, "Happiness above all else!" What do you say?
We must re-educate her in the USA, even against her will.
What?! What a nuisance!
What did you say? I can't believe she would do that!
I say Lydia will dress as a ghost and then do like this!
How rude!
If we let her do this stupid thing,
those people will take her to the US, for re-education!
And we will have trouble tracking her!
If this would happen, we would lose all hope to find the Flower!
As usual, Miss Sabrina, your deductions are brilliant!
It's no use if you get angry!
That's horrible! Thank you for warning me, Mr. Boris!
- I knew I can trust you! - You're so kind!
Did you really think I'd buy that?
Aren't you ashamed to say such nonsense?
I assure you this is the truth! Those people have ugly intentions!
You take me for a fool? I don't believe you!
I heard them myself! I overheard their discussion!
- You lie as you breathe! - You are the one who should be re-educated!
- Indeed! - Wait! You are in great danger!
Those people want to take you away!
You idiot! How come no one trusts you?
I feel I'm going crazy!
Probably because I serve you for so long and nobody trusts you.
It's simple!
No more jokes! It's time to devise a strategy!
Yes, boss! How come I have to use the best of my wits
to save Lydia? It makes no sense!
Let's go!
Let's see your plan in action!
It's rock-solid, you'll see!
They will be so frightened, they will start to scream:
"I'm afraid! I'm afraid!" You'll see!
It's not my game to scare little girls, but duty above all else!
- So tell me... - What is it?
What was that?
Help!
Here they come!
A badger!
What a strange creature! Looks like a ragdoll!
Ragdoll or not, I'm allergic to badgers!
What a disgusting woman!
Very clever, Lydia, to dress like a badger!
- Hats off! - Release me! I told you to let me go!
Unbelievable! It’s a real badger!
Give me back my bed sheet!
This is stupid! Do something quickly, Boris!
Yes, but this time you got to help me!
We're trapped. This time it's over, my friends!
It's horrible! We are inside a labyrinth!
What's a labyrinth?
It's an underground labyrinth. We shouldn’t have entered,
because, once we are inside, we cannot escape from it!
- Are you sure? - It extends under the whole village!
Don't worry! I'm sure someone will save us!
That's right! We should pray to Princess Marlene!
OK!
How stupid! Do you really believe in Santa Claus?
Stupid kids! Your silly fairytales won’t help us now!
Oh really? Maybe your computer will, then?
Let's investigate a bit...
Take care! You never know what might happen!
Yes.
To think I'm working my back
and ruin my health there to save that brat!
What's this? A hawthorn branch!
In the language of flowers, hawthorn means hope!
You're right! "Follow the water stream all the way!"
It's Mr. Florent! We're saved! I'm sure of it!
But it will be complicated to explain them about Mr. Florent!
That's true!
I just had a brilliant idea!
Dear Princess Marlene, please come and help us!
Attention! Someone is coming!
I am Princess Marlene.
I came to answer the wish of those who love the old castle
and want to keep it as it is.
There is a water stream flowing through the gutter. Follow it. Did you understand?
- We're saved! - Our prayers have been answered!
That can't be! In the age of technology?!
- Lydia! - We must follow the water stream
and we will escape from this inferno!
- Is this true? - I told you the Princess will save us!
Let's follow the stream!
This way!
How far is it?
Your Princess Marlene was just an illusion!
You know that's not true!
- Light! - Great!
Yes!
We're saved!
Extraordinary!
(?)
You see Princess Marlene was right?
Yes.
- Lydia, shall we show her the castle? - OK.
What a wonderful view! The castle is splendid!
This wonderful panorama charms my heart! Now I understand how you feel!
And what will you do?
I will change my report. The castle will stay as it is, you'll see.
There are many unexplained and illogical things in this world.
So I may never forget that, I will come to live in this wonderful old castle.
If that's so, would you plant these seeds?
I'm sure that, when you come back, these will be wonderful flowers.
Thank you!
What a charming boy!
The seeds that Miss Roux planted became wonderful flowers.
Miss Roux came indeed to live
in the castle where she had spent such an extraordinary night.
In the language of flowers, dahlia signifies "the mystical".