Summary[]
Outside the Temple of Wind, people are whispering about Ran—that he is an AA now, his magic exam score must have been incredible, and could he be involved with Asha's trial? Nearby, Ran and Leez sit on a bench near a waterway. He tells her about the investigation of Asha and the 29 homicides as well as three additional unsolved cases. Leez looks down in horror as Ran tells her that all 32 victims had the real name Kubera.
At the Kalibloom Fighters Guild, as Teo does her paperwork, Siera wonders where Claude went. Siera looked all around the city, and there is no record of him leaving the city through any of the checkpoints. Teo theorizes that he snuck out of the city, as he often did from Rindhallow. She then finds a note left by Claude in which he suggests that Teo put herself on the DNR list and do some serious research on Visnu magic and how it works. He also wrote to tell Siera that he left for a part-time job, and dinner is on him once he gets paid. Siera slams his fist into the wall in anger, prompting Teo to ask him to please take out his frustrations at his temple.
Sunset is falling over Aeroplateau. Behind some large picture windows, Ran asks Claude how he was able to find a transport ship to get to the city. Claude tells him that he had boarded Asha's transport to give her a gift, but fell asleep. He then goes on to rave about the city when a nearby magician named Erin Florussi asks if he only came for sightseeing. Her friend, Natasha Ross, tells Claude that it would be better for him to attend the conference than laze about in Kalibloom. Erin notes that he has not changed a bit since college. Claude then turns to Saha and asks if he could use any help, since he is busy with the conference agenda as well as Asha's trial. Saha declines his offer, saying that Ran's assistance is all he needs until after the trial. Claude then clarifies that he meant after the trial; if a death sentence is handed out, does he have an executioner ready? He adds that if nobody else is willing, it would be nice to have someone available. Saha ignores him.
Leez visits Asha, who sits in her cell drinking coffee. Leez desperately asks her if she was framed, because the charges are ridiculous. Asha could not be a murderer since she saved her from death and protected her ever since. She then asks Asha to tell her side of the story, and she will help get her out. After a silent pause, Asha asks her if she thinks it was a coincidence that she came to her village at that particular moment. What business could she possibly have in a nowhere village? She was there to find someone with the name of a god. The superior sura was also there to find someone with the name of a god. If she had found her first, only one person would have died. If the sura had found her first, the entire village would die. If only Leez had died sooner, her village could have been saved. Asha then tells her to make up her own reasons for why she brought her here instead of killing her. If she sees her as good or bad, it does not matter, because everything that results from her decision as well as the associated guilt will be hers alone to bear. We see a brief image of Leez in the future, walking away under a red sky.
Leez steps outside into a hallway, then crumbles to the ground crying as Asha's words echo in her head.
Currygom's comment[]
(No comment.)
Afterword[]
Currygom's afterword for this episode (posted March 16, 2015):
- (thumbnail - Asha's cell): This is a larger version of the Prison of Silence (recall Ep.2-97).[1] Even with A++ treatment, if you are under suspicion of magical murder, you must comply with this order.
- (Leez and Ran): Normally they would amicably and cheerfully talk about Leez's outfit. But now...
- (Teo and Siera): Some of you have been asking if Teo will make any more appearances... She will appear more often later.
- (Natasha): She has already appeared three times.[2][3][4] It might be difficult to recognize her without all that eyeliner and makeup.
- The Leez costume event is currently ongoing. Some of you have asked me when Volume 6 will come out, but as I always say, when the printed volume is released, I will tell you about it on the blog beforehand. (The link to the costume event is now dead.)
.png "2-129 Leez and Ran (blog).png (136 KB)")
Notes[]
- Siera makes a word pun in Korean when he says that he is going to kill Claude, but it does not translate well into English.
- Claude's comment "This is ... worth killing for!" is a common Korean expression of exaggeration.
- According to an older entry in Currygom's blog, the spell hoti yama is typically used to execute prisoners who are given the death sentence. Claude is proficient with that spell, so it is not surprising that he offers Saha his services as an executioner.