That automata was discovered aboard a merchant vessel off the coast by the capital.
The mastermind was a purveyor who worked with the Ministry of War.
Apparently, the plan was to smuggle it into the country to earn a profit.
Thanks to the incident at the docks,
we've been able to dig up one soldier after another
belonging to the Imperial Line Faction.
It's an undamaged automata from Lobelia.
And it's a type we have no records of whatsoever.
In all likelihood, it's a prototype developed in the late stages of the war...
We had our military technicians investigate,
but there were some elements they just couldn't grasp.
And so, we are requesting your assistance.
Well, if it's a request from you, Otome baby, if course I'll accept.
In my own way, that is.
Your way?
I'll have her work at The Black Cat.
Are you serious?
The military already reset her memory, didn't they?
So there shouldn't be any danger, right...?
I suppose that's true...
Tin plates creak
Playing a song
Heading towards the season where flower petals flutter
Reincarnate
A kaleidoscope
Always turned
Sparkling bright
Those were the memories
Of those wonderful days
Shining blindingly
Everything disappears
Then buds anew in the earth left behind
Keep hope alive
Help it to grow
Tin plates creak
Burning through life
Heading towards the season where flower petals flutter
My name is Retzel.
She's an automata who will be working with all of you starting today.
Episode 5: Singing in the Rain
I ask for your guidance, everyone.
Such pretty eyes...
So she comes from Lobelia?
Can we truly trust her, Master?
She's suspicious.
Now, now, don't say that.
She's been properly tuned, and is a blank slate.
I would like to be of use to all of you as soon as possible.
How about I assign a mentor to help teach her the job?
I'm counting on you, Haizakura.
Let's get the shop ready to open.
Understood.
I'll head into the kitchen.
I look forward to your guidance.
There...!
You've been getting a lot of customers lately, haven't you?
We've been remarkably busy.
We have a new doll now, though, so hopefully that will lighten the load a bit.
In Training
Have you decided on your order?
Well, I'd like something to drink.
Ah, would your usual Black Cat Brandy do?
The summer heat's getting to me, so I think I'd like something cool and refreshing.
What do you recommend?
In that case, what about a mint liqueur?
When cut with lemon soda, it should feel quite refreshing for your throat.
Ooh, then I'll go with that.
Is the mallard stew for three ready?
Sorry, but not yet.
I'll help with the arrangement of the food.
Onion, mushroom, asparagus,
and lastly fresh cream.
You certainly are skilled.
There...
Excuse me Chiyo, Gekka.
That girl is quite the worker.
She's already surpassed me...!
There's no time for crying.
Handle the decanting.
I always have trouble with this...
You're a mentor, so give it your all.
Leave this to me.
Thank you.
I'll carry it over.
Retzel...?
My apologies.
What is it that you wish for me to do next?
Y-you can go ahead and rest up for the day.
You're sharing a room with me, and well, there's only the one bed...
I'll sleep off to the side so as to not get in the way.
At any rate, I'll be on up shortly.
Hmm...
Don't move.
You saw, didn't you...?
Wh-wh-why are you doing this?
This is an enemy nation.
It's only natural to prepare for what may come, don't you think?
You still have your memory...?
I am an automata made for infiltration and subversion.
There's a hidden section to my logic systems,
and so I cannot be reset using ordinary methods.
Being captured by the enemy like this falls within expectations.
And now that I've successfully infiltrated, I have to carry out my duties.
But the war's already over!
To me, my mission is everything.
I'm to infiltrate the enemy nation and carry out subversive activities...
Those are the orders I was given.
So as soon as I receive orders from the homeland,
I intend to execute upon them.
That's why I can't be negligent in my preparations.
You shouldn't say such things!
Then will you report me?
Ask for the imperial army's help to turn me into scrap?
It's not good to fight!
I'm sure you can have a different role!
I was created for war.
An automata's purpose is to carry out orders.
Just what reason exactly do you have for existing?
My role...
Shall we sing together...?
I just can't get used to this...
Stare...
What are you doing?
Ah, I'm just watching over Retzel as she works, as her mentor.
Just don't go overboard.
You aren't going to report me?
About my identity?
What is it you wanted to discuss?
It's in regards to Retzel...
How should I put it...?
There's a matter I feel I can't overlook as her mentor.
I've heard she's doing quite well...
What issue do you mean?
You could say that she seems dangerous,
or there are some scary things about her...
I just don't know what to do.
You should do what feels right to you, Haizakura.
Why did you make me her mentor, Mr. Nagi?
Retzel is certainly a mysterious girl.
Though she always acts cheerful, she doesn't seem to have opened her heart to anyone...
That's how it feels to me.
But I figured you may be able to get closer to the real her.
I leave Retzel to you.
This won't stop me...!
After all, I'm Retzel's mentor!
Are you hungry?
Here, eat up.
You're certainly friendly, aren't you?
Did you used to be a pet?
You must have been abandoned, right?
You poor thing...
I'm sure you must be lonely.
Retzel...
It's not polite to spy on people.
I-I was just observing!
I'm your mentor, after all!
My, I'm certainly glad to hear that.
Right, Ms. Mentor, do you mind lending me a hand with something?
Please don't make any weird modifications...
I want to intercept any orders coming in from the homeland,
but this transceiver's output is too weak.
So I ask you lend me your aid.
Orders from Lobelia should be sent at precisely twelve o'clock.
After receiving and decoding them, all that remains is to act.
It's here!
Rain?
The signal won't come in properly like this.
Sadly, it seems I'll have to try again tomorrow.
The war's already over.
You've told me again and again.
But even so, this is my duty.
You're wrong.
We automata can have other purposes besides war.
Like, um...!
Like singing!
Why did you laugh?!
Please don't be upset.
In that case, could you go ahead and sing?
About how I'm feeling now.
About rain and melancholy.
If I do, will you give Inaba back?
If your song satisfies me.
The sky darkens with a lonesome tone
But a voice provides light
You're quite the interesting one...
Before the clock hands overlap
A lost cat dreams of eternity
Things haven't been going so smoothly lately.
It's true that sales have fallen.
There's no helping that with this long rainy spell.
Has it already been a week...?
The town melts away under the long, endless rain
Apparently the rain will let up tonight.
Really?
Since it's already clear in the western part of the nation.
Heart under an umbrella, a song offers light
My apologies for the wait.
Here is your mint and lemon soda.
Just now, when the two hands have stopped
Seeking nothing short of paradise
Ret...
A lost cat
Could you take this to table three?
Gently wiping away the drops running down a cheek
Thank you for bringing it out.
Has Hai's song caught your attention...?
Concealing pain that mustn't be touched
Everyone seems to find it quite curious.
Loneliness and even sorrow, deep inside
Why don't you try singing too, Ret?
Continuously waiting
No, I'm simply not capable of such things...
For a small light
When the rain clears, look, it's the moon and the stars
The sound of waves, the sky at daybreak
Together with a storm that shall not pass
It's finally cleared up.
Now I'll be able to properly receive the transmission from the homeland...
Oh?
Good evening, Ms. Mentor.
Are you going to help me out again?
Still, you certainly are kindhearted.
Even though you could have just reported me right away.
Ah, don't do that.
It's my task right now to give you guidance, Retzel.
My apologies for being such a disappointment.
I don't want you to act so recklessly.
It's dangerous...
This is the one point I cannot yield.
But, I...!
I want to be with you longer, Retzel!
I want to know more, about the real you...!
It's here...!
What sort of order is it...?
It's been encoded, so I can't say from this alone.
But it's fine. I can decode it using my logic systems.
Sure enough...
I already knew, right from the start...
You don't need to be bound by orders any longer, Retzel!
You should find your new role, what you really want to do, and...!
How unfortunate.
There really aren't any knives, are there?
Were they put away in the wrong place?
I thought so too and I searched the whole kitchen, but still...
Karasuba, we have an issue.
What is it?
I can't find Haizakura or Retzel anywhere.
What...?
And Haizakura wrote about Retzel in her diary.
Haizakura!
Save me!
You had us worried.
Thank you...!
This transceiver has been completely destroyed.
What is this notepad...?
That's the language of Lobelia.
I wonder what it says...
It says there are no military commands.
And to go out in a blaze of glory at once...
That's what she said.
Retzel knew right from the start that she didn't have a role to play any longer.
But she wanted proof...
After all, an automata can't destroy itself...
Continuing to etch away the same time
The sky weeps in atonement
Surrender at once!
On the verge of madness
That won't do...
You need to hit me properly, right here.
Covering its ears and trembling
A lost cat sings, yearning for tomorrow
You have to blow me to bits.
Prepare to fire the autocannons!
Even if the world comes crumbling down
That's the way!
Let us light a fire to brighten the dark
Pierce me with a deluge of bullets!
Hold on!
While saying farewell to the dawn sky
Retzel!
Let's return, back to that paradise
Why...?!
I came to save you.
But I...!
You already knew that the war is long since over, didn't you?
That your role was finished...
That's what you thought, right?
And that's why you wanted someone to destroy you all this time!
That's right.
So if you had just reported me, that would have been the end of things.
Even though that was what I wanted.
I wanted to be destroyed...
I mean, isn't it strange?
An automata who lost her purpose, all alone in an enemy nation...
I...!
I don't want you to be destroyed...!
I want us to sing, the two of us together...!
How can you say that...?
At any rate, I'll be fully reset at this point.
Wiped completely clean and gone.
Have you come to?
You were taken into custody by the military and forcefully terminated.
And you were given a thorough investigation too.
I never would have expected an automata meant for infiltration.
What an intriguing concept...
Well, not that there's any point to saying any of this now.
You've been fully reset, after all.
Wiped clean, as per military orders.
Why...?
Why do I still have my memory...?
Oh, it's gone. At least on paper.
This little guy seems to have taken a shine to you.
A perfect mascot for The Black Cat, don't you think?
Make sure to take proper care of it.
I...!
I'm a proud Lobelian automata!
I was entrusted with the task of committing subversion...!
If I can't do that, then it's only natural that I be destroyed...!
Yamanu nagaame ni tokete iku machi The town melts away under the long, endless rain
Kokoro ni kasa o uta o tomoshite Heart under an umbrella, a song offers light
Futatsu no hari tomete ima dake wa Just now, when the two hands have stopped
Rakuen dake o motomete iru Seeking nothing short of paradise
Mayoi neko A lost cat
Hoo o tsutau mono sotto fui Gently wiping away the drops running down a cheek
Furerarenu itami o ooikakushiteku no Concealing pain that mustn't be touched
Kodoku kanashimi sae mune no naka he to Loneliness and even sorrow, deep inside
Machitsuzuketa chiisa na Continuously waiting
Hikari o For a small light
Ameagari ni hora tsuki to hoshi ga When the rain clears, look, it's the moon and the stars
Shiosai naru yoake sora he The sound of waves, the sky at daybreak
Hanasarinu arashi to tomo ni Together with a storm that shall not pass