01x13 - Episode 13

[bunniefuu]

Right this way, everyone.

Did Meow really buy off the mayor?

This District Ten
government office is truly

beyond belief.

What a waste.

District Ten has been neglected for years.

Its industries have withered,
and development has stalled.

I've finally realized

that to turn things around,

we need to recruit talent
and bring in fresh blood.

So I've decided

to establish a new internal affairs unit:

DOG,

also called

the Mad Dog Squad.

Mad Dog?

What's the mayor up to?

Where did these people come from?

Did a dog bite the
mayor and drive him mad?

Are we supposed

to bite people?

Sounds fun.

Even if he's been paid off,

this doesn't sound like
something the mayor would say.

How did you take control
of the mayor so easily?

I already took him out with Transmutation.

What you're seeing now

is just a puppet.

Tomorrow,

we can control this body

and announce new policies.

Hey.

Wrong direction again. Turn the other way.

First, we'll bring Archmage
Lei Wan and the others here.

Then

we'll weed out the deadwood
in the government.

District Ten could never
have fallen this far

without plenty of people slacking off.

As the engine that keeps
District Ten running,

the district government must be reformed.

So,

starting today,

all of you

must clock in on time,

submit daily reports,

and turn in your work plan

for the next year by tonight.

Anyone who can't do that

can get out of this office!

The mayor's lost his mind!

What are you waiting for?
Let's get out of here!

He's crazy!

Who'd stay here if the work wasn't easy
and the pay wasn't good?

I'm out!

Not one of them actually
wanted to do any work.

I expected to weed out a lot of people...

But I didn't expect everyone to leave.

How did

these useless fools ever
land government jobs?

Young man,

so you really were controlling
the District Ten Mayor with forbidden magic.

Are you okay?

Of course I'm fine.

Meow,

didn't you say you came here
to buy an official post?

Why did you take the mayor out?

I had a feeling the
mayor would be trouble,

so I came up with a backup plan.

Sure enough, he tried to steal
all the money we brought.

But now there's no one left

in the entire district government.

How can just a few of us

possibly revitalize District Ten?

Don't worry.

There are always idealistic
people out there.

I'll go recruit some on
the streets right now.

Recruit them where?

Isn't pulling people off the
street a little too casual?

I just wanted to ask some
residents about the situation,

but there are barely any normal
people on these streets.

Young man,

I see misfortune written
all over your face.

You won't be needing
your money much longer,

so why not let me spend it?

The infrastructure is a wreck,

and the people are no better.

Even the beggars have no manners.

True,

but we should help whoever we can.

Hey, handsome! Don't waste your money!

You're better off giving it to me.

I'm worse off than he is. Please help me!

I have more than a dozen children to feed!

What are you, running a pig
farm? Who has that many kids?

None of your business!

Get out of the way! That money's mine!

Shut up! It's mine! Mine!

Give it to me! Give it!

Mine!

Hey, where are you going?

Are you messing with us? - Come back!

You shameless little brat!

Looks like money alone

can't fix this place overnight.

It's all my fault.

The economic base determines
the superstructure.

If a place has no real will to improve,

it's the people who ultimately suffer.

District Ten ended up like this

because I neglected it.

I thought my policies

gave it enough attention,

but when it came to execution,

I trusted my subordinates too much

and failed to make sure
they followed through.

All right.

Let's do that.

Go take care of it.

Whenever I looked out over
the whole country from above,

the prosperity I saw

was really just what lay before my eyes.

Places farther away

were ignored because they
lay beyond my sight.

How could I forget something so simple?

I'm such an idiot!

An idiot!

Hey, where are you going?

Come back!

Are you okay, kid?

Oh, it's you.

You're the guy
who caught that high heel with your bare hand.

Thank you so much for helping me that day.

I still don't know your name.

I'm Meow. What about you?

Hi, Meow. I'm Rocky.

By the way, Rocky,

do you know where I can find
someone educated in District Ten?

That's me.

Look. I'm on my way to study.

I meant...

I know.

I was just teasing you, Meow.

My teacher is a real scholar.

That's great.

Could you take me to meet him?

Sure.

I'm an idiot!

Rocky,

how many schools does District Ten have?

None.

What?

Then where are we going?

No one's really been in
charge here since the w*r.

So there hasn't been
much point in studying.

But there are still people like my teacher

with ideals and ambition,

who want to help the children here

believe in themselves again

and teach us what they know.

But without support from
the district government,

they can only stay in their own homes

and teach us in secret.

Could you ask him for me

if they hate me for neglecting them?

Do you blame King Lie for this?

Why would we blame King Lie?

Without him, the w*r
would still be raging.

Without him, mages might
still be oppressing us.

He's so far away

and has so much to handle.

It can't be easy for him.

That's why we have to rely on ourselves,

learn all we can,

and rebuild District Ten!

I was just like that once.

I'll rebuild District Ten
and this whole country!

What's so bad about this place?

It's crude, ignorant people like you

who keep causing everyone trouble.

You...

That's enough, Lie.

Let's go.

He burned down our stall.

Why are we the ones running?

Calm down. We'll talk at home.

Yes, he's right.

You can't just leave.

You still owe a fine for
setting up an ill*gal stall.

I'm sorry.

I'll pay the fine later.

Why should we?

They're the ones at fault!

I said you can't leave.

Uncle!

See that?

That's what happens when you defy a mage.

If the law

won't stand up for the
people, then I will!

You're asking for it!

That speed and strength...
How is this possible?

Back then, I thought the
mages were the problem.

I thought removing them

would make District Ten better.

But I never realized

it doesn't matter who's in power.

What matters are the system
and the checks on power.

District Ten is even worse
now than it was back then.

Now that you understand that,

it's not too late.

What are you doing?

This building is unauthorized.

We're building roads,

so it has to be demolished.

Are you serious?

Who builds roads like this?

Sir!

It's part of the district's
development plan.

Who are you to question it?

What kind of plan

makes you rebuild the
same roads over and over?

Look at these roads.

Day after day,

you dig them up, repave
them, then dig them up again.

You don't care about fixing the roads.

You just want the construction money!

That actually happens?

Now I remember.

I did approve funds
to rebuild District Ten's infrastructure.

All right.

Let's do that.

Go take care of it.

There's also

another major expense that
requires Your Majesty's approval.

Many roads in District Ten

were destroyed during the w*r,

making travel difficult for the people.

The district is requesting
funds to repair them.

Of course they should be repaired.

And don't stop at the roads.

Renovate the entire
streetscape of District Ten.

I thought

that money would rebuild my hometown.

But now it seems

all it did was line
certain people's pockets.

You parasites pocketing the money

the country gave you!

Sir...

I'm fine.

The country gave me money to build roads.

And I'm building them, aren't I?

Who cares whether I do a good job?

You shameless crooks.

Do you care about the people at all?

Do you have any respect for King Lie?

King Lie?

He's far away in the Royal City.

You think he has time to care about you?

I'm right here.

Who are you?

I'm here to help you build roads.

Where did you come from, contractor?

Trying to steal our business?

What...

What just happened?

Boss,

the road was flattened in an instant!

Did you use magic?

How dare you!

You dare use magic under the magic ban?

Aren't you afraid King
Lie will punish you?

Didn't you just say

King Lie was too far away to care?

Wow!

My eyes can't even keep
up with his head tilts!

Done.

What?

The roads they've spent a year working on
were finished just like that?

Well?

Is this what you had in mind
for the road renovation?

Not bad.

By the way,

where did those men go?

On... On the ground...

How did they get flattened?

I got a little carried away

and didn't notice them.

They would've been ex*cuted
for corruption eventually anyway.

They got what they deserved.

Good sir,

I don't know where you came from,

but thank you

for coming to our aid.

Thank you! You're a hero!

It's... It's nothing.

Just a few tilts of the head.

Wait.

I've got another idea

to make District Ten stronger fast.

What is it?

Teach them magic.

We'll arm every scholar in District Ten!