Original subtitles

Ladies and gentlemen,\ngood evening.

Everything lies in ruin.

What was once believed to be solid ground\nhas opened up and swallowed everything.

The young soul wanders aimlessly,\nbetrayed by everything he had believed in.

But what he clutches at\nin the end is...

Act 17: The Confession

Someone taught me the\nmeaning of the word hope.

Count, that someone\nwas you!

Wait for me, Albert!

Mademoiselle.

A letter has arrived\nfor you.

Thank you.

Why aren't you\nsaying anything?

Why aren't you\nanswering me?

My words now fall\non deaf ears.

Is... Is that what you're\ntrying to say?!

There is no such thing as coincidence. I believe that is what I told you.

As I recall, it is the very\nfirst thing I told you.

Everything that happens\ndoes so out of necessity.

What are you trying\nto say?

Tell me, if Haidee were not a living witness\nto your father's true identity,

...what value would there\nbe in keeping her with me?

Tell me, if you were not Mondego's son,

...why would it have been necessary\nfor me to meet you on Luna?

It can't be...

From the very beginning,\nyou were using me?

Yes. I met you under the\npretense of coincidence,

...and took advantage of this so-called "friendship" that you have such faith in.

That is what I am saying.

I even used props\nsuch as that watch.

It can't be...

From the very beginning,\nyou were using me?

You're lying!

You're lying! You're lying!

I can't believe that everything has been\na setup since the very beginning!

I can't!

I mean, haven't you always\nhelped me, Count?

Haven't you always been\nlooking out for me?

I don't believe that all the time\nwe spent together was a lie!

Not one bit!

You poor, foolish boy.

You still wish to remain immersed in those naive delusions of yours?

Is that what you\nare trying to say?

Even if I deliberately brought you with me\non that pleasure cruise that day,

...knowing full well that Haidee was about to\ndisclose the truth at the National Assembly?

I must thank you.

You have been most useful to me\nin the time we have known one another.

You have my gratitude. From the bottom of my heart.

I challenge you!

My, how old-fashioned.

The son of a soldier must act\nin accordance with tradition?

Is that it?

The time will be tomorrow morning\nat five.

In the forest of Boulogne.

Weapons?

Armor and bare steel!

Very well.

Bertuccio. You are my witness.

Did you see the whole challenge\nfrom beginning to end?

Y-Yes, Excellency!

Albert! I accept your challenge.

In that case, we will meet\nat five tomorrow!

It will serve to freeze the memory\nof this day, this hour, in time.

A memory which belongs\nto us alone.

I must go see him.

Count, is there nothing I can do to stop\nthis duel between you and Albert?

You told me\nthat I am free.

That is what allowed me to live to\nthis day without taking my own life.

But if you... If you were\nto perish,

...I would not be able\nto go on living, either.

Gankutsuou...

Wait... Not yet!

It is not yet time!

Franz?

Albert!

Franz...

You've always\nlooked out for me,

...but I'd always plunge ahead with what I was doing, ignoring your advice.

I'm sorry... I'm so sorry, Franz.

I'm back.

Welcome home.

Geez, wipe the snot\nfrom your nose.

Get off my back!

You total idiot! You played\nstraight into his hands!

You've got to call off this duel\nright now!

Cut it out!

You'll act as\nmy second, right?

I don't blame you\nfor being angry.

But this is one thing that I have\nto see through, no matter what!

Listen to me,\nand listen good.

The Count has been planning\nto kill you all along.

Are you saying that you don't care if you end\nup getting killed in the name of his revenge?!

Franz.

That bastard deceived me\nand used dirty tricks to lure me in.

He used the most despicable means\nimaginable to toy with me...

...and turn my life\nupside-down.

And I can't... I can't let him\nget away with it!

Even if the Count used to be\nyour mother's fiancé?

Your father was so in love\nwith your mother...

...that 25 years ago, he framed the Count for a crime he didn't commit...

...and took his fiancée\naway from him by force.

Edmond Dantes?

Mondego's wife is here\nto see you.

Edmond!

No, Count...

You are really Edmond Dantes,\naren't you?

How I've missed you...

These past 25 years, I haven't\nforgotten you for an instant.

I know that you can never\nforgive what I've done.

But... But even if only once, I wish I could\nspeak with you as Edmond!

Edmond... is dead.

This body retains only his\nshape and appearance.

There is no longer anything\nof Edmond himself left within it.

That's not true.

No, that isn't possible!

If that were so, why have I had the feeling ever\nsince the day we met that you are Edmond?

You refuse to be disturbed\nby the coldness of my hand...

You leave me\nno choice, then.

I will show you proof that Edmond,\nthe man you once loved, is now dead.

I will await you at five tomorrow morning\nin the forest of Boulogne.

It's already too late\nfor that, Franz.

It's too late\nto do anything!

Whatever happened between the Count\nand our fathers in the past,

...I don't care about\nany of that anymore!

I can't take back what happened\nbetween the Count and me.

If he hates me that much, he should\njust kill me and be done with it!

Damn it!

He played games with\nmy feelings!

Albert! Don't do it! Don't go!

Come back!

Albert!

Please, come back...

You're still going to go see him,\neven knowing who he is?

Hi!

Franz! You're back!

Welcome home!

Is Albert here?

Uh... No, he was with me\nuntil a while ago.

He said that he had something\nto take care of.

Oh, he did?

Still, I'm glad to see you. I haven't been\nable to reach you since that day.

Sorry for worrying you.

Honestly! I was worried\nsick about you.

You timed your\narrival perfectly, Franz.

Franz, don't you remember? Tomorrow is Albert's birthday!

Yeah, exactly! That's why! That's why I came to see you!

Geez, get your\nact together...

Actually, about that... I wrote a song for Albert!

It's not finished yet,\nthough.

Well?

Yeah, it's nice.

It's romantic. Not like you at all.

What's that supposed to mean?! Don't be rude!

That settles it! Tomorrow, you, Albert and I\nwill have a party at our usual cafe!

But I can't...

Just say that a friend of yours is having\na recital or something, and sneak out.

It'll all work out.

Okay, I get it.

So anyway, do you think you\ncould do me a little favor?

As in?

I wrote a message in\na birthday card for him,

...but I think we're too old for that kind of thing,\nso I feel awkward giving it to him in person.

Idiot, who cares how old you are? You're just giving him a card.

Anyway, give it to Albert\nafter I leave tomorrow.

Please? I'm begging you.

It must be a surprise. Sure, okay.

Okay, I think I'll keep working\non that song for a while.

Don't work too hard. See you tomorrow at 3 PM, then.

At our usual cafe.

Thanks for coming by\nto visit me today.

Excellency.

What is it?

Good luck.

Let's drink to victory\nwith a red!

I'll have the white!

But that guy up there\nis pitch-black!

To victory!

To victory!

Right!

I'm gonna mop the floor with\nthat coward, just you watch!

The Count is no one\nto fear!

The clash of steel shatters\nthe dawn silence.

Sword of righteous anger in hand, I shall cut through all deception and lies!

Next time on Gankutsuou, The Count of Monte Cristo act 18:

Act 18: The Duel

..."The Duel."

Bide your time,\nand hold out hope!