01x09 - Party

[bunniefuu]

In the world Beyond,

By drinking potions, humans are able to attain

the power of Beyonders, and advance
to higher Sequences in a Pathway.

All 22 Pathways begin from Sequence 9,

The lower the sequence number is,

the stronger the Beyonder's power.

High-Sequence Beyonders wield
powers strong enough to rival deities.

This path of evolution is called:

the Path of the Divine.

Acting + Potion:
Become the occupation referred to by the potion's name,
and follow its encompassed rules at all times.

That should be detailed enough.

I'll give it to the captain tomorrow.

I hope Mr. Havre's loss of
control will never happen to us.

Klein.

Don't sh**t.

It's me.

Miss Daly?

It's rather boorish of me
to visit you in this manner,

but I only just received Dunn's letter.

This is an emergency,

and this little thing was the only way I could
zoom back to Tingen to chat to you in secret.

Don't you want to seal
the room with spirituality?

A woman's voice coming from your bedroom...

Of course, I personally don't mind if
your brother and sister get the wrong idea.

You're Miss Daly, all right.

Dunn's letter spoke of
your advancement request.

He also expressed a little doubt,

but more than anything,
he's worried about you.

But I know something he doesn't.

You've decided to use the
acting method, haven't you?

The "acting" method? What's that?

Don't play dumb.
You don't have to hide it from me.

To digest a potion in such a short period of time,
you either used the acting method...

or you're an evil heretic.

In which case, what awaits you
is the judgment of the tribunal.

I reached this understanding
thanks to the Lady's blessings.

I'm glad we could be honest
with each other on this.

It took me almost two years,
but you've only been an Beyonder for two months.

How displeasing.

Madam. The higher ranks know
about the acting method, I presume.

In The Revelation of Evernight,

the history of our Church only
goes back to the Third Epoch.

A few thousand years later and the
lowest-ranking Nighthawks don't know about it.

Their reasons must have been very convincing
to conceal things so deliberately.

I don't know the reasons.

I only dare to broach the subject at all to
others who have also grasped it, like yourself.

The higher ranks make those who stumble on
this knowledge swear on a notary certificate.

That's why I never got a chance
to tell Dunn about it.

So Klein...

I want you to tell Dunn about the acting method
before the Holy Cathedral's people show up.

The Holy Cathedral?

Well, you grasped it within just two months,
making you a weirdo—sorry, a genius.

The Holy Cathedral now holds you in
exceptionally high regard. I'm not surprised.

A representative is on
the overnight train to Tingen.

Klein, we don't have much time.

Don't worry, Miss Daly.

I'll go tell the Captain and
everyone else about it now.

Episode Nine: Party

We are a pitiful bunch

What? You've digest—ahem,
grasped the potion just like that?

You were about to say "digested," weren't you?
You're rather knowledgeable.

Mr. Neil.

What's the matter? Has something happened?

Mr. Neil, it's unbelievable.
Klein's about to advance to Sequence 8.

Seq—

But how's that possible?
I-I-It's only been two months.

Mr. Neil.

To advance, the potion's name is the key.

Just as Miss Daly is a true Spirit Medium,
I've attempted to be a true Seer,

and as such, I've reached
a set of Seer principles.

They're similar to the Mystery Pryer maxim.

"Do as you wish, but do no harm"?

Yes. That's the core of it.

The potion's namesake is
exactly what we must become,

and it also encompasses
the rules we must follow.

Finding inspiration in
the Mystery Pryer maxim?

If only I'd met you 20 years earlier.

Mr. Neil.

Captain!

Captain!

The Goddess's Sword, Reverend Crestet Cesimir?

Nighthawks High-Ranking Deacon
Sleepless Pathway
Sequence 5 Spirit Warlock

Crestet Cesimir
Goddess's Sword

Yes. He's a high-ranking deacon
of the Nighthawks,

and one of the three
authoritative Red Gloves.

The Red Gloves? The legendary elite squad?

Yes. Reverend Cesimir received
the acknowledgment of the Goddess's Sword.

His strength is equal to
a Sequence 4 demigod's.

I've never heard of the reverend personally
assessing a Sequence 8 Beyonder for advancement.

If this were an assessment,
they wouldn't be in the interrogation room.

You took inspiration from the Mystery Pryer
maxim and from Daly's example, yes?

Yes.

Why did you tell your
teammates this information?

W-We're comrades who face danger together.

I saw no reason to hide it from them.

Have you heard any murmurs from an evil god?

No.

Have you been tempted by the Devil?

Do you have any secrets
you cannot share with anyone?

Klein.

Are you all right, Klein?

Don't worry, everyone.

Your teammate has grasped
the potion outstandingly.

His body, heart, and soul hide no dangers.
He passed the assessment perfectly.

He can advance right away
and become a Sequence 8 Beyonder.

So Klein wasn't being punished for sharing
the method for grasping potions?

That only proves that despite being
a Beyonder for less than two months,

his bond with all of you
is stronger than most.

And the restraints?

Ah, yes.

To stop him from taking his own life.

This is the first time I've seen
an advancement in just two months.

So I added a little bit extra.

I thank you for the special treatment, Reverend.

All right. Back to business.

Come. Everyone, place a hand on this Holy Artifact,
and recite after me to establish your oath.

O Evernight Goddess, standing higher than
the cosmos and more eternal than eternity.

I swear to you on my spirituality
and in my real name...

I swear to you on my spirituality
and in my real name...

I...

Klein

Dunn

Neil

Leonard

Frye

Royale

Seeka

Kenley

...will never reveal the details of
the acting method from this day hence.

If I break this pledge, I accept
any punishment you deem fit.

Please witness my oath.

Praise the Lady.

Good.

Now, it's time to brew your Clown potion.



Five drops of Jimsonweed juice.

Seven grams of black-rimmed sunflower powder.



Three drops of poisonous hemlock.

One entire human-faced rose.

And the crystal horn of a mature
Hornacis gray mountain goat.

You certainly are...

a professional Seer.

Hornacis... Flegrea...

I officially congratulate you, Klein Moretti.

You've successfully advanced
to Sequence 8 Clown.

Seer Pathway, Sequence 8 Clown
Evernight Goddess's Nighthawk

Klein Moretti

You must remember
what I am about to tell you.

Be they murmurs or cries, they could be sent to you
by a high-Sequence Beyonder of the same pathway,

its content filled with malice.

If this pathway belongs to some
evil existence, you must be extra careful.

Once you become tainted,
it's extremely easy to lose control.

A high-Sequence Beyonder in the Seer pathway?

The advancement's effects are obvious. My body's
lighter, and I have better agility and strength.

Klein. You've successfully advanced?

How does it feel?

Still getting used to it.

He'll fix his tie...

with his left hand.

I even have powers of precognition?

The Clown potion grants stronger
Beyonder powers than I thought.

Are there other powers?

Uh, did anything change?

It seems skills like Air b*ll*ts
are locked behind Sequence 7 and above.

Is this another new skill I can't see?

That much force with just
a piece of paper? That's amazing.

I should carry a deck of tarot cards.

With practice, I could use my Little Zhou
Flying Dagger. I'd never miss the mark.

Klein advanced to Sequence 8 in two months.

If I work really hard,
I should get there in a year or two.

Advancement, huh?
Youth is a wonderful thing.

Mr. Neil, are you all right?

He's showing signs of illness,
but everything looks normal.

Just now, was that...

Initially, I also looked for inspiration
in the Mystery Pryer maxim.

But alas, I never found the right path.

Mr. Neil.

But that's life. It has its regrets.

Today, young Klein has
brought us good fortune.

We should celebrate
his advancement together.

Yes, we should go for a drink together.

Let's do it tonight. We can go to
the restaurant near my house. My treat!

Huh?

Let me think, what do you all like to eat?

Honey-glazed barbecue,
Fermo coffee from the Paz River Valley,

fried Tussock fish, clear oyster soup,
pan-fried foie gras.

What do you want to drink?

Sweet iced tea.

What's that?

A new item at Smyrin Bakery.

You're an adult and still like sweet stuff?
You have the palate of a child.

At times like this,
you should be drinking beer.

All right, it's settled. I'll go book us a table.

Is that still the same Old Neil?

After work, we'll all gather for dinner.

All right.

Oh, wait.

Whose turn is it to guard the Chanis Gate?

Seeka.

Looks like she'll be missing out, then.

Moses Ascetic Order
Publicly acknowledged as the earliest secret organization. Established in
the Fourth Epoch. They admired and worshipped a non-personified deity:
the Hidden Sage. All things in the universe are numerological, and the
Hidden Sage was the embodiment of Spirit Numerology. Knowledge was
of utmost importance, and the Hidden Sage was knowledge itself. Its members
used asceticism to counter losing control. They swore strict secrecy and abided
to their morals and commandments. Early ascetics were well admired by others,
and maintained good relationships with official organizations. After the Hidden
Sage became a personified evil existence, the Moses Ascetic Order fell from grace
and became an evil organization. They possess the Mystery Pryer pathway,
and have concluded upon the maxim, "Do as you wish, but do no harm."
— Hidden Organizations, Nighthawk Internal Archives

Wow. I've known Old Neil for a long time,
but I had no idea he could play the piano so well.

There's a slight lonely quality to the sound.

Captain, I think we should have
more gatherings in the future.

Yes. We can spend more time with him.

The door's open?

Mr. Neil, it's me, Klein.

Klein?

What are you doing here?

We're here to pick you up, Mr. Neil.
To go to the restaurant.

Oh.

I'm, um...

I'm not ready yet.

You don't need to dress up,
Mr. Neil. Come on out.

No!

Not today!

I'm sorry.

Mr. Neil.

Go. Quickly.

What's... What's the matter?

Old Neil, what's wrong?

You want to give us a surprise?

No, it's not a surprise.

I'm just, um, not feeling well.

Let's dine together tomorrow.

Yes, tomorrow.

You don't feel well? Have you fallen ill?

Good timing, then.
We'll come in and check on you.

Once we know you're fine,
we'll leave immediately.

Liar.

You're lying!

Old Neil.

Are you refusing to believe even me?

Just a quick peek.

I hope we can still make it, Old Neil.

All right. It's as you can see.

I... I made a bit of a mess.

Tomorrow. I'll be fine tomorrow.

Please leave now.

Come out first, Old Neil.

Let us see. Maybe we can help you.

Dunn. You promised.
One quick peek and you leave.

That's right. Just let us take
one quick peek. As long as—

Dunn!

"Do as you wish, but do no harm."

I've always stuck to those words.

Rather than doing something
that might harm others, I've endured.

I just have one small request right now.

Tomorrow! Wait until tomorrow!

I know how you all call me stingy.

But I've never harmed
a single person this whole time.

At most... At most,
I've expensed things I shouldn't have.

I swear.

I swear it to the Lady!

Dunn, Klein, please leave.

Tomorrow, everything will be back to normal.

Old Neil.

You misunderstand.

We've known each other for 15 years.

I know you don't have
any major problems. You're just sick.

I'm worried about you.

I need to see you with my own eyes
before I can stop worrying.

You're not here to arrest me?

No, I'm not. I swear it to the Lady.

Then... All right.

Look. I'm really fine.

See?

Old Neil.

What have you been attempting all this time?

So you've figured it out?

Well, it's not like I can't tell you.

I'm trying to resurrect...

Celeste.

I've already found the method.

I'm on the right path.

I wasn't able to save her 20 years ago.

But now, I have enough
knowledge and experience.

I can finish everything.

It's such a pity...

that I couldn't take inspiration from the
Mystery Pryer maxim and from Daly's example.

I missed my best opportunity.

But I can't let it slip this time!

Dunn, just leave.

How do you intend to resurrect Celeste?

Resurrection...

Alchemical Life.
I will prepare a body that never ages.

Then, I will summon her soul from
the Spirit World, and guide it into her new body.

Isn't that a great idea?

Indeed it is. An excellent idea, Old Neil.

Of course it is.

It's a gift from God!

He kept whispering
its description into my ears.

Kept whispering...

He is...

He is...

the Hidden Sage!

Nightmare.

You want to pull me into a dream?

It's no use, Dunn.

My eyes can see through everything.

Let me leave.

I won't hurt anyone.

I mean it. Let me leave.

I'm begging you.

I'm begging all of you.

Mr. Neil.

This is...

Peaceful hair strands.

Peaceful Hair Strands
Any living creature that touches
Peaceful Hair Strands without protection
will lose all desires and emotions
until the end of their lifetime.

"Silver enshrouds the long night,"

"Gently caressing nightmares,"

"Swaying,"

"Sighing,"

"Until peaceful serenity reigns."

So I've already become a monster?

Let me... Let me leave...

I won't hurt anyone. Truly.

I just want to try out my ritual quietly.

Dunn, do you remember the time I saved you?

Royale, do you remember
how I helped you save your family?

Klein.

Do you remember how I taught you every day?

I'll go deep into the mountains.

I'll never... I'll never show myself again.

I'm begging you.

Dunn, trust me.

I'll leave tonight.

There won't be any trouble.

Please just let me go.

I'm begging you.

Why? Why did this happen?

"Materials required for Alchemical Life:"

"100 ml of spring water
from the Spring of Elves."

"50 grams of Star Crystal."

"Half a pound of pure gold."

"Five grams of phlogiston."

"30 grams of red iron."

"And a large quantity of fresh blood
from living people."

"Can consider drawing my own."

"Do as I wish, but do no harm."

Raphael
Cemetery

"The full-faced crimson moon
shone over the land."

"An exhausted spirit body stops wandering,
and rests peacefully in the nation of the Goddess."

"The land takes away the husk, and the soul
has long become the stars in eternity."

"May the Goddess draw out from the angel chorus
with the silence sweet to gather.

Neil

"Our dear friend and comrade
who fought alongside us."

"May the stars shine bright
in the everlasting night."

"May you return to your original purity."

"The only resting place is tranquility."

We are guardians, but also
a bunch of miserable wretches

constantly fighting
against danger and madness.

If I cannot save her,

then I shall accompany her.