01x08 - In the Palm of His Hand

[bunniefuu]

Where are our shadow masters?

The rules are simple.

You must exit the garden

before the allotted time expires.

But first, you must save your masters.

Save them? What have you done?

You must be concerned.

It's important to feel that way.

After all, living dolls exist

for the sake of their masters.

Why are you putting us through this?!

Such questions are trivial, immaterial!

Consider carefully what you

should be thinking about

and what you should not be.

You must protect your masters,

for they are nobles.

No harm must come to a living doll's

face while in the labyrinth.

And a shadow's attire must not get dirty.

The sootglass takes about two hours

for the soot to go from bottom to top.

You must bring your master

to the exit before then.

Take this and wait at the entrance

I told each of you to go to.

"In the Palm of His Hand"

Her dress has been sewn to the chair.

"A flower that causes a rash if touched."

Each shadow master has been

restrained in a different manner.

What a pleasant surprise.

I don't even know her name.

We must each go save our own master.

You must wait for Rum to come for you.

Let's go.

Talk about creepy.

You and Rum hardly ever speak,

but she's a different kind of scary.

You're criticizing a master?

N-No! I meant scary in

a reverential sort of way.

Don't put words in my mouth!

And would you take off that sack already?

It protects my face.

I got the idea from your mask.

Oh, I see.

So you're just another one

who only thinks about themself.

You spied Mistress Kate from afar

but didn't stop to help.

Are you done pretending

to be friends with Emilico?

Emilico will save Mistress Kate.

Rum will save her own shadow master.

I will save Mistress Louise.

It's that simple.

Damn her. She's unflappable.

Mistress Kate told me

I was fine just how I am.

And I have no right or

reason to not believe her.

They are all so

How could I not be the

most outstanding doll of all?

No way I'm losing to the likes of them.

Look! There's soot rising into the sky.

Mistress Louise.

The soot's gone?

Where did it go?

And why'd you think

it was Mistress Louise?

All we could see was soot.

I saw the other shadow

masters in the debut hall.

Mistress Kate's soot goes straight up.

Master John's looks like sparks.

Master Patrick's

spreads in all directions.

I couldn't tell with Rum's mistress.

Mistress Louise's soot curls.

They emit soot in a different

manner? I had no idea.

But she did.

She noticed something

about Patrick before I did.

But I don't know why she's gone.

She'd call out to me if she were here.

After all, Mistress Louise loves me.

Maybe she's unable to

speak for some reason.

That must be it! This must also

be a test for the shadow masters.

But what are they being tested for?

That soot we just saw may have

been an accident, but it drew us here.

It indicates that a shadow

master is hidden here.

Considering where we've

looked so far, this won't be hard.

After all, shadow masters

emit soot when anxious.

It seems you're not here,

so I'll go look elsewhere.

No, there is a master here!

That was on purpose.

Mistress Louise can't get

enough of my face and voice.

Enough with all the bragging!

I, too, have my master's--

No.

Simply hearing my voice puts her at ease.

"Make a rope ladder to save her."

Oh, that was positively horrible!

Lou, how lovely your face is!

Let Louise have a good look!

Hmm? Who is this?

Ricky. He helped me get here.

O lovely Mistress Louise, it is my

pleasure to be at your service.

How repulsive!

You followed Louise's lovely face here?

How dare a living doll be attracted to

a shadow's face? You forget your place.

No, you have it all wrong.

Or perhaps it is Patrick who

is fond of Louise. Is that it?

Well, a pity for you, but we think not.

Patrick is but a minor figure.

The answer is no! No, no, no!

Lou

Your work is done here. You may go.

How Louise missed her face!

Let's get a good look at you.

How shocking it was to hear

you say you were not here!

You were relying on Louise's soot

to seek her out, were you not?

Oh, but we must hurry back

to the hall if we are to win!

The fools. They've let their guard down.

If I shove them into one of these pits

This is that dreadful maze

that Master John mentioned.

Let's go!

S-S-Scorches.

Th-There's so many.

That gave me goosebumps.

Now's the time to make a you-know-what!

A what?

I knew right away that I could make one.

With my pushcart,

I can collect whatever I need.

And its handle is perfect

for making a broom!

She didn't choose the pushcart

in order to carry Mistress Kate?!

The bag we received from

Edward gave me another good idea.

To help Mistress Kate

return to her everyday life,

I must start by dressing as I always have!

It's a bit awkward, but

Emilico always has Mistress Kate in mind.

But in my case

All ready, Rum? We're going in!

Take that!

They run if hit from above!

Now let's try sideways!

Nice one, Rum!

Umm

Let's take the left path here,

then right at the next branch.

You have a fabulous memory, Rum!

Something's wrong. We've gone too far.

Huh?

There was no path branching right,

or perhaps we missed it.

Where did we go wrong?

It's all wrong.

This maze is nothing like the map.

The map is probably a lie.

You really think so?

I'll get rid of the scorches!

Rum, see if you can figure out the map!

Emilico is counting on me.

But I don't know if I can do it.

Rummy, what do you think?

There is more to what

Edward said than mere lies.

There must be a hint somewhere.

A hint?

Master John was right about this maze.

It truly is dreadful!

The bridge collapsed after

taking the upper route.

Emilico, look up there.

It's a hut mark, just like on the map!

If that's a hut mark up there,

then our current location is

I figured it out!

It means we are in the lower area

surrounded by walls.

So then this maze doesn't have an exit?

No! "Up" is written

inside of that hut mark!

There must be a way up somewhere!

Let's go find it!

That tunnel over there goes up.

Let's give it a try!

Look!

That's our way out!

There are more scorches.

They never give up.

But I can't use the

broom and hold the cart.

We can do it.

Okay!

Here we go!

Ready, go!

Hang on!

We did it!

Oh, look at that.

There's an opening in the hedge.

That's a shortcut to Mistress Shirley.

I wonder if it's a trap.

I bet Lou did this with her shears!

We're all helping each other

even when we don't know it!

Now you can go see Mistress Shirley!

We've been working

as a team the whole time.

It's sad to part ways here,

but you'll get to see

Mistress Shirley again!

Rum! Are you not feeling well?

Have you been hurt?

Once I save Mistress Kate,

maybe I can come help you.

It's not that.

Rum isn't Mistress Shirley's face.

So then

who's your true shadow master?

No, what I mean is I'm not Rum!

Y-You're not the real Rum?

Mistress Shirley never gave me a name.

We've never even had a conversation.

After Rummy and I

started talking to each other,

that's when Rummy first called me Rum.

Mistress Shirley doesn't love me.

I have no right to even try and save her.

I had no idea.

Furthermore, I only think about myself.

You're always thinking about Kate,

but all I ever thought about was how

much I wanted to make it past the debut.

I wasn't thinking about Mistress Shirley.

Mistress Shirley emits next to no soot,

and her room barely needs cleaning.

There's nothing for me to do.

I want to make it past the debut,

but maybe Mistress Shirley

doesn't feel the same.

I can't see her emotions.

That's right. We can't see them.

And because we can't see them,

I use my imagination.

The members of the

Shadows family have it hard.

Their soot only expresses

their negative emotions.

They can't see themselves.

Perhaps that makes them feel anxious.

Mistress Kate and I don't

always get along so well.

However

we don't want to want to increase

the sadness they already feel.

So I want to liven things up

by having fun whenever possible!

Now I can't stop thinking

about Mistress Shirley.

Let's use our imagination!

Perhaps she's like you

and doesn't like to talk.

And if she doesn't emit much soot,

it might mean she's satisfied with you.

Perhaps she's so obsessed with cleaning

that you never need to clean her room.

Perhaps she's always trying to

make you laugh by making funny faces.

Will I get in trouble

for saying such things?

I want to make it past the debut

with Mistress Shirley!

After the debut,

we can meet again as Mistress Kate

and Mistress Shirley's faces!

And I hope you can be

friends with Mistress Kate!

See you soon!

One of the chains broke?

What's going on?

Another one?

If they all break

That vent is drawing in the soot.

Were the chains designed to

break as the soot accumulates?

If the soot doesn't stop

It's no use. There's no stopping it.

Controlling the soot

doesn't get rid of

these negative feelings.

Emilico.

Mistress Kate!

Emilico?

It is nearly complete.

This seems a bit excessive,

but it is certainly a fine view.

The veiled dolls are out in force.

Edward.

It's not often one sees

a debut on this scale.

Some even end with a

decision made in the debut hall.

Ed, this has your personality

written all over it.

This will be quite an enjoyable

debut for the latest candidates,

assuming any can enjoy it.

Nothing else matters as long

as this goes according to my plan.

As long as I entertain

those on the third floor

and get Lord Grandfather's attention

You will ascend to the third floor?

Yet you already have plenty

of power on the second floor.

Upon arriving at Lord Grandfather's wing,

I found three different floors,

each with its own ranking.

I must rise straight to the top.

Those eminent third-floor figures

don't even send out their faces.

It's time they open a spot for me.

You must not speak lightly of such things.

Don't be frightened, Jer.

I merely wish to avoid

unnecessary concerns.

Let us proceed with caution.

After all, we are the only

three left from our debut.

Should we not pay

attention to the candidates?

Here are the details on all five pairs.

I've already seen this.

On what will you base your decision?

Information on the soot

and refuse from their rooms

and the Star Bearers' reports.

I've decided all of the roles.

His potential may very well blossom.

There are outstanding candidates, too.

I took that into account

in balancing the game.

And this is the one who will fail.

Such limited soot emission

and a meager appetite.

And this one? I'm not sure.

Seeing this again, they seem so ordinary,

yet the information is flawless.

It's as if they know

they're being watched.

Is something the matter, Edward?

No, it's nothing important.

Aren't you looking forward to the drama?

You already know the answer, Allie.

The answer is no.

Nothing must disturb

the plans for my perfect world.

Indeed.

Once again, we simply do

what we always do.

Edward, you take point,

and Allie and I provide support.

Still, you get to be the face interacting

with those kids on the big stage.

I envy you, Ed.

I'd like Lady Aileen and Lord Gerald to

keep the third-floor lords entertained.

Spare me your sarcasm.

What a truly inane message.

Barring the path to this plaza

merely spoils the landscape.

Those dolls I'd taken for dullards--

they keep solving the

clever puzzles I put in their path.

However, Edward has them

all in the palm of his hand!

What a beautiful melody.

Next episode, "A Birdcage and Flowers."