Original subtitles

March 20, year 378 in the time of the realm of humanity

Ten more minutes...

Maybe only five...

No. Wake up.

Sugu?

Snap out of it. It's already five-thirty.

You may be a guest, and a lost child of Vecta, but you're still expected to get up on time, okay?

Okay.

The End Mountains

Forty... five!

There's still a lot about this world I don't understand,

and to get to the central city, I'm definitely going to need Eugeo's help.

But to release Eugeo from his Calling...

I guess we're going to have to chop this tree down first?

What was that?

No, it's nothing.

That's it for this morning, so let's have lunch.

Thanks for the meal.

I really wish you could've tasted Alice's pie.

The crust was so flaky, and there was so much filling...

Having it with some fresh milk,

I couldn't think of anything in the world that tasted better.

So Alice's Calling was a baker?

No, it wasn't.

Alice was studying the sacred arts at the church.

She was known as the greatest prodigy ever born in this town,

and she could cast all kinds of spells by the time she was ten.

Really?

Then what about Selka, the girl living in the church now?

She's Alice's little sister.

After Alice was gone, she moved into the church to become a nun and to study the sacred arts.

Come to think of it, there were other kids there besides Selka.

Those kids were taken in after they lost their parents.

Ever since an epidemic broke out in the village three years ago.

And that's not everything.

All these odd things seem to be happening lately.

There's talk that a horde of goblins appeared far south on the main road

and have been attacking and abducting people.

Goblins?

But I think they're just rumors.

Because a Integrity Knight would've subdued them right away.

They have to.

All Alice did was touch the ground in the land of darkness,

and those goblins are much, much worse.

Eugeo...

Still, it's true that after the last 2 or 3 years, there are more graves behind the church.

Isn't there a way to bring someone back to life using the sacred arts?

I don't know.

It's not the same,

but Alice did say that there's a high-level sacred art that can stop life from decreasing.

Stop life from decreasing?

Yeah. She was surprised to see a passage about that spell in one of the church's ancient books.

I mean, apparently only the highest priests in the Axiom Church can use it.

Axiom Church?

The big shots in the central city who wrote the Taboo Index.

In other words, it's not like anyone can use the sacred art that stops life from decreasing.

Of course not.

The sacred arts' source is the sacred power that Solus and Terraria suffuse the air and the land with.

The more elaborate the sacred art, the more sacred power it requires.

There's nobody who can wield such a power, not even in Zakkaria.

I see. If only there was a sacred art that would finally let us chop down this tree.

Well, that would make my life easier.

So we can only keep chipping away with this ax—

Hey, Eugeo.

Does the town have anything tougher than this ax?

There's not. The only thing stronger than this ax would have to be an Integrity Knight's...

Well, it's no substitute for an ax, but...

There's something I want to show you.

Hey, are you all right?

Can I open it?

Y-Yeah. Be careful, though.

If it falls on your foot, you'll have more than just a scratch.

This is...

In the fairy tale, it's known as the Blue Rose Sword.

Fairy tale?

Three hundred years ago, a swordsman named Bercouli traveled to the End Mountains,

and in the lair of the white dragon, a protector of the realm of humanity, he found a single sword.

It's just a silly story.

Or it would be, if certain children hadn't decided to go find out if it was true.

I mentioned it yesterday, remember?

That I went to the End Mountains with Alice six years ago?

That's where I found this sword.

Back then, I couldn't even lift it up.

Really? So that means the fairy tale was true, huh?

Well, there was nothing left of the dragon but bones.

And then after that, Alice entered the Dark Territory...

When Alice was taken away,

I just stood there and watched, unable to do anything.

I tried to save her.

But it was like my arms and legs were frozen.

Oh, sorry. We were talking about the sword, right?

I couldn't stop thinking about it, so the summer before last,

I went to the cave to the north to retrieve it.

I hauled it back little by little, but it was so heavy, it took me three months.

Three months? That's amazing.

Why would you do that?

I was hoping that I'd be able to swing this sword one day.

I can't swing it at all right now, but how about you?

Leave it to me. After all, I'm a swordsman!

So it's too much for even you to handle, huh?

What material is this sword made of?

It's not ordinary steel, is it?

And it's not silver or dragonbone, either.

So I think it might be a Divine Object.

Divine Object?

Something that either took shape with the gods' help, or else was created by the gods themselves.

We call things like that a Divine Object.

I see.

Hey, Eugeo, would you mind checking the Gigas Cedar's life right now?

I have to ask... you're not going to strike it with that sword, are you?

Is there a rule in the Taboo Index that says we can't strike the Gigas Cedar with a sword?

For some reason, I have the feeling that something like this has happened before.

Let's see... It's 232,315.

All right. Remember that, okay?

I told you so!

This isn't good.

I told you, it's impossible for us.

No way...

That much, from just one strike?

You actually cut into it.

See? Take a look at its life again.

O-Okay.

232,314.

Wh-What? It only went down by one?

You cut into it in the wrong spot.

If you'd hit the center of the cut instead of the bark, I bet that would've decreased its life more.

It's true that we may be able to carve into this tree a lot faster with this sword.

But that's only if we're able to master it.

Maybe I can't do it, but what about you, Eugeo?

I already told you, I can't swing it well, either.

I'll give you some swordsmanship tips.

Well, just once, then.

S-So heavy!

Use your body weight more than you would with an ax,

and use your whole body, not just arm strength, for balance.

H-Hey! Are you okay?

Like I said, Kirito, it's impossible.

It seemed like a good idea...

So this durability is what Eugeo refers to as "life"?

"Object Control Authority, 38"? A parameter for controlling objects?

It's higher than my authority.

This is heavenly.

Is there really no way for me to get to the central city?

It's not like Eugeo would ever think of shirking his Calling...

The ultimate law that no one dares to break... the Taboo Index, huh?

What is the Axiom Church, that made the Taboo Index in the first place?

If this is some kind of simulated civilization populated by Artificial Fluctlights,

any rules to inhibit the actions of the AIs would only backfire.

No, hold on.

If I remember correctly,

that girl named Alice violated the Taboo Index by entering the land of darkness.

And of her own volition, too.

An AI that's deviated from the system...

Alice, who are you?

Huh? Is somebody still in there?

O-Oh, sorry! I'll be right out!

N-No, you can take your time.

Anyway, I'm heading back to my room now. Good night.

Selka!

There's something I want to ask you.

So what did you want to ask me?

Right.

Well...

It's about your older sister... actually.

I heard about her from Eugeo. That you had an older sister named Alice.

Eugeo? He told you? About Big Sister Alice?

Yeah, how Alice was studying the sacred arts at this church,

and how she was taken away to the central city by an Integrity Knight six years ago...

He seems really concerned about her.

Eugeo still thinks about Big Sister Alice...

So the reason Eugeo doesn't smile anymore is because of Big Sister Alice, after all.

Eugeo... doesn't smile?

Yes. He always looks gloomy, and doesn't have much to say, does he?

R-Right.

But when my sister was here, he always had a smile on his face.

It was actually harder to catch him when he wasn't smiling.

But now, on his days of rest, whether he stays inside or heads to the forest, he's always alone.

Selka, you like Eugeo, don't you?

You've got the wrong idea! Jeez!

Nobody ever said it out loud, but they were always sighing.

It was like seeing me reminded them of my sister.

And I can't stand it.

Eugeo's been avoiding me all this time.

Even when we do see each other, he always has a tortured look on his face.

It's not my fault that my sister's not here anymore!

I'm sorry for losing control.

N-No, well... I think when you feel like crying, you should cry.

Yes. You're right.

For some reason, I feel a little better now.

It's been such a long time since I cried in front of somebody.

Oh? You're impressive, Selka.

Even at my age, I cry a lot in front of people.

Kirito, have you regained your memories?

N-No, it's not like that!

A-Anyway, you're your own person. You can't be someone else.

Just do whatever you can, and that should be fine.

You're right.

I'd better get back now.

Hey...

Did you hear why the Integrity Knight took my sister away?

Uh, yeah. Why?

I don't know what it was. Nobody will tell me.

So, what was the reason?

Um... because she went through the End Mountains and entered the land of darkness.

I see. The End Mountains...

Tomorrow's a day of rest, but you're to get up like usual.

I'm not coming to wake you up anymore, okay?

I-I'll try my best.

Good morning.

Oh, good morning.

Mr. Kirito, have you seen Selka?

No, I haven't seen her.

Is that so.

I haven't seen her all morning.

She didn't come to morning service, and she's not in her room, either.

This has never happened before.

Is that right?

If you do happen to see Selka, will you let me know?

Yes.

Eugeo!

Hey, Kirito.

Have you seen Selka?

Huh? No, I haven't.

Sister Azalia's been looking for her. She hasn't seen her all morning.

Really?

Can you think of anywhere Selka might've gone?

I haven't spoken to her lately, so...

What about you, do you know anything?

I see. The End Mountains...

That's right. Last night I told Selka about Alice.

That she'd entered the land of darkness, and...

Do you think Selka went to the End Mountains?

This is bad! We have to bring her back right away!

What's wrong, Eugeo?

This has been stepped on.

Its life has decreased slightly.

There's no doubt that somebody came this way a while ago.

So Selka did go to the End Mountains, after all?

Yeah.

This is it, Kirito.

These are the End Mountains?

I was surprised the first time I came here, too.

Just beyond these mountains is the land of darkness?

Let's hurry.

Y-Yeah, right.

System Call.

Generate Luminous Element. Adhere.

Eu-Eugeo... what was that?

A sacred art. A really simple one, though.

So you know the meaning of things like System?

Meaning? There is no meaning. It's just a command.

It's a phrase you use to call on the gods to bestow a miracle.

Meaning it's a type of spell?

Come on, let's go.

Do you really think Selka came into a place like this?

Here's a sign that someone came through here.

There's no doubt about it.

Hey, Eugeo...

What?

If Selka does enter the land of darkness,

would she be immediately taken by an Integrity Knight?

No, the Integrity Knight would probably fly to the village the next morning.

That's what happened six years ago.

Then even in the worst-case scenario, we still have a chance to save Selka.

What do you have in mind, Kirito?

It's simple.

Even if Selka's violated the Taboo Index,

if we get her away from the village before today's over, we might be able to escape the Integrity Knight.

There's no way we could do that.

I have my Calling, for one thing.

I'll take Selka and run away.

Well, this happened because I said too much.

So I'll take responsibility.

Kirito...

Selka!

That way!

Hide.

Are those goblins?

Selka!

H-Hey...

Hey, look! Two more White Ium brats just wandered in!

What now? Want to capture them, too?

Even if we took back male Iums, we could never sell them.

Too much trouble. Kill them here and turn them into meat!

Eugeo!

Eugeo?

Eugeo!

Eugeo!

Eugeo!

Next time: Departure.