They're listening in on this conversation. But I need to tell all Mages out there.
The Mage Academy is on the move!
In Eramu, they're carrying out a large-scale purge for Mages supporting the Lords.
Once they heard of the new emperor's ascension,
the Mage Academy chose to war with the Lords.
They are now an enemy to the Lords. There's no room to negotiate.
The Grancrest must be that great of a threat to the Mage Academy.
When this transmission ends, break your wands!
They're tracking our whereabouts through the Chaos Globe set in our wands.
We should assume that all conversations through them are being monitored.
The darkness within the Mage Academy is deeper than you think.
Actually, that darkness may be the Academy's true essence!
Just now, we received a message sent to all Mages about a disturbance in Eramu.
It seems they're purging every Mage thought to be an ally of the Lords.
Is it because Sir Theo ascended to the throne as emperor?
Yes. Because of that, the birth of the Grancrest has become a certainty.
So, along with the Emperor, the Mage Academy has deemed all the Lords as an enemy.
And what are we going to do?
We have no choice but to fight.
Fight the Mage Academy in Eramu.
This is the plan going forward.
Everyone, please listen.
From hereon, we'll consolidate the Treaty, Union, and Alliance forces, and form the Imperial Army.
Tomorrow afternoon, the Imperial Army will march on Eramu to quell the disturbance.
That said, the Mage Academy will be a formidable opponent.
We can assume it'll be a grueling battle.
If you don't want to be in this battle, you'll be permitted to leave.
Please think it over carefully before we leave.
What will you Mages do?
I have pledged my eternal loyalty to Sir Theo.
I will accompany him wherever he goes.
A Mage's job is first and foremost to serve his Lord. That will not change for me.
I can't very well abandon Sir Selge.
Sir Lassic is a Lord well worth serving.
Above all, he holds my skills in high esteem.
Lady Eudokia may be an uninhibited free spirit,
but she's extremely kind, and as pure-hearted as a girl.
So much that she can even embrace immorality.
I certainly can't betray such a person's trust.
As long as you're a Mage, it's only natural to comply with the Academy.
Sir Faustio.
Now that it's come to this, I have no choice but to void our contract.
Forgive me, but I'll be returning to Eramu.
You served me well for so long.
Goodbye, sir.
We are grateful to those who stayed behind.
I have an important favor to ask of you.
Those wands in your hands...
Please break them.
Break our wands?
If we do that, we can't cast any magic!
Yes, it'll become more difficult.
But these wands
are capable of notifying the Mage Academy of our location through the Chaos Globes.
Also, it seems the Academy can listen in on everything we say through these wands.
If that's the case, then we shouldn't be using them.
I suppose it can't be helped.
Now then...
Let the destruction of our wands serve as proof of our secession from the Mage Academy.
Around one-third of the Union and Alliance Lords are preparing to return home.
Probably 50,000 will remain.
Around one-third of the Mages have returned to Eramu.
We can't avoid a decline in our forces.
That's more than expected, isn't it?
Were the wands completely destroyed?
I had everyone who stayed behind destroy them.
There's no fear of the Mage Academy eavesdropping on us.
We can still wield magic without our wands, but not being able to communicate is painful.
Now that Sir Theo has become emperor, you're the Imperial Army's Mage Leader.
Rather than being in low spirits, you should devise a way to communicate without wands.
Yes.
What's wrong?
I'm finally getting the chance to work with you, Father.
That's true.
Not only that, but as your superior!
That's right.
Siluca?
Are you here?
Aishela!
Hey, why don't you join us?
Come on, Aishela!
Are you still holding a grudge about that time?
Of course! I can never forget that he almost killed you.
It's true, at that incident, I came close to being eliminated.
After all, as a Mage school student, I was a troublemaker and always broke the rules.
Like setting that cat free in the magical beast zoo.
It's rude of you to call me a cat.
But you purr when we pet your neck.
To think that you nearly died for this one.
I couldn't stand seeing Sir Balgyary locked up in a cage like a prisoner.
The principal was the most adamant about eliminating you that day.
And then this guy didn't even veto that decision.
He chose to abide by the rules instead of protecting you.
And you protected me too, right, Aishela?
Before I knew it, you had already taken me somewhere with you.
You're my cute little sister. Of course I'd protect you.
That's what he should've done, too.
But that's all in the past, and as you can see, I'm still alive.
And after the punishment was dropped,
Father held me in his arms and sobbed his heart out.
I was happier about that.
You've always been like that.
When you can't decide on something, you always choose logic over emotion.
And then when everything's over, you start panicking or crying.
What are you feeling right now, anyway?
What are Siluca and I to you, exactly?
Siluca...
pledged to serve the wandering Lord, Sir Theo, and helped him rise to emperor.
You set a fine example for all Mages.
Aishela...
You've been protecting Siluca in my place, when I've wanted to, but couldn't.
Back then, and now, as well.
You're both my precious daughters.
Father!
But I'm not a Meletes anymore.
Okay, I'll draw a proposal for the Imperial Army's reorganization,
so Father, can you please prepare the Lords' official marching orders?
Understood.
And Aishela, I want you to get some rest while you can, before tomorrow's march.
All right.
Good night!
Well, then.
Good night.
Yes, good night.
Who knew that I'd get to spend time with Father and Aishela again?
Siluca.
Wake up.
Siluca?
Are you awake?
Is something wrong?
Siluca.
What's the meaning of this?
It's exactly the way it looks.
I just tried to kill Siluca.
And then I was planning to kill Theo Cornaro.
But why?
This is some kind of new joke, right?
Don't tell me it was the Mage Academy's...
secret agency ordered you to?
That's right.
So you were a spy all this time?
Yes. That's correct.
Siluca, the secret agency has had their eye on you.
I've been reporting every move you've made, and every plot you've hatched.
But...
Priscilla!
Yes?
What is it?
Thank goodness you're safe.
Well, I was never ordered to kill her.
Everyone.
You should come inside.
We don't want to cause a disturbance.
So what's going on?
There's a hidden organization within the secret agency.
It's called Pandora.
Pandora?
I received an order from them.
To murder Theo Cornaro and Siluca Meletes.
And so I carried it out, and failed.
But one thing isn't true.
You failed on purpose.
Isn't that right?
I'm sure there were better ways to do it.
After all, both Siluca and I were asleep.
If you were going to fail on purpose, I think you should've just ignored the order.
I couldn't just disobey them.
Hey, Siluca.
Could you take a look at my left breast?
Huh? Okay.
A magic circle?
Wait, did they cast a geas on you?
That's right.
If I disobey the organization's orders, this magic circle will stop my heart.
What a heinous act.
Sorry, Siluca.
But once I received the order to kill you,
there was no other option.
Why didn't you tell me?
Because if I said anything, this would've activated.
Ah!
And I wouldn't be able to protect you.
Aishela!
C-Curse-breaker spell...
Oh, no!
There's not enough time!
She is not destined to die here.
Priscilla?
The Holy Grail of Farnese?
Priscilla! Priscilla!
What did you do?
What...
did you...
Well, you see, I did what was required of me.
Thank you, Priscilla!
You really are a holy maiden!
Then would you like to join the Order of the Holy Crest?
I'm good, thank you.
I'm grateful that you saved me,
but now that I've lost my Art, I won't be able to save Siluca anymore.
Well, I might be executed for attempting to murder the emperor.
Since you failed on purpose, it's not even an attempt.
In a sense, you risked your life to protect Siluca and me.
I should be thanking you.
And that's what makes you so annoying.
Will you tell us all about it?
You can talk about it now, right?
I suppose so.
I understand the hidden organization, Pandora, ordered the assassination.
And those people were also involved in the Great Hall Tragedy, right?
Of course.
It was our organization that made the Black Witch Jana summon the Demon Lord.
Pandora is made up of back-alley Mages who'd been eliminated, and dropouts like me.
Also collaborators who pledged loyalty, like Jana.
Our goal was to control Chaos.
And not to bring the Ultimate Chaos?
And who would benefit if that happened?
However, it would be troublesome if the Chaos was extinguished.
Because magic can't be cast anymore?
I'm sure that's part of it.
We were told that Pandora was carrying out the Mage Academy's true founding philosophy.
Supervision of the Lords.
Or their management.
Most likely, yes.
I think they've been expunging Lords who came close to becoming emperor.
Why would the Mage Academy not want the Chaos to be extinguished?
I understand the part about the Mage Academy's true founding philosophy.
It's just that...
I don't understand why they ever needed such a philosophy.
I'm still not convinced that it's only because of the loss of their magical abilities.
I think that's a good enough reason.
There are a lot of people living in fear of losing the powers they have.
That vampire king was the same way, wasn't he?
The same goes for Lords and Artists.
That's why Pandora has more collaborators than you'd think.
A message, sir!
Let's hear it.
Pardon me!
A commotion has broken out at each of the three factions' camps.
I'm hearing that several Lords and Artists have been rampaging as if crazed.
We have to make a move.
I'll help, too.
Although I can't do much without my Art.
But I'll do what I can!
I appreciate that.
Sorry to put you through so much trouble.
And also, thank you, for protecting me.
Well, we're family, aren't we?
I would risk my life any time if it's for my adorable little sister.
I don't think even real families would do that.
That's because they're only related by blood, nothing more.
Right. You and I aren't related by blood.
And that's why we have to keep our family ties strong.
Because it's only the two of us.
Aishela, you're forgetting Father.
He's on our side now, so you can see him anytime.
That man...
But he is family, right?
I guess.
I'm going to go get ready.
But I don't want to be his daughter.
What you were worried about came to pass, Lady Marrine.
Not that I wanted to be right.
The Lords who were used, then discarded by the secret agency, I feel so terrible for them.
Is the Grancrest that much of a nuisance to the Mage Academy?
I wonder what kind of power the Grancrest has.
For now, let's set our sights on defeating the Mage Academy.
But we can't consider ourselves fully prepared to invade Eramu.
Still, we have no choice but to do it, and losing isn't an option.
I don't know if the Academy's wrong, or if the Lords are right.
But at the very least, we have the people's support.
Tomorrow morning, let's commence our march on Eramu!
PURGE
EPISODE 22 THE HOLY GRAIL