The Eminence in Shadow (2022) s01e11 Episode Script

1
I'm not picky about a lot of things.
Most things, I really just don't care about.
But even so, I do have preferences.
Even if it's not really important to me,
I like what I like, and I don't like what I don't like.
I classify those things as insignificant things I like
and insignificant things I don't like.
One of the insignificant things that I like
That would be hot springs.
All of this, I'll risk it now
I just stretch out my hand until reaches my ideals
The choices that extend before my eyes
The gears of good and evil go on
Toward just one conclusion
Everything is a Choice of chance
And a signal to the next step
To the edge of possibility
I gaze at that destination
Only one, I don't need anything else
I only want to fix my gaze, to the one
I will never yield this belief and determination
I'll keep them hidden in my heart
Highest, highest, I'm going on
Go to the shadows that are truer than truth
Highest, highest, I'll carry on
Right or wrong, if you desire, maintain your aloofness
#11 The Goddess's Trial
I guess you're all healed now.
Yup, all better.
Really?
I cut you up pretty badly when I lost my temper.
I'm glad you survived.
Is that how killing machines give compliments?
Did you say something?
Nope, not a word.
So what brings you to Lindwurm?
I'm a special guest for the Goddess's Trial.
And you?
A friend invited me,
said there was a really fun event going on.
I think the event is probably this Goddess's Trial thing,
but what exactly do people do there?
You came all the way here and you don't even know?
The Goddess's Trial is an annual event
held on the one day of the year
when the door to the Sanctuary is opened.
It's a fighting ritual.
Fighting
Ancient warriors awaken and
come out of the Sanctuary
to compete against challengers.
So basically you're saying they're fighting ghosts?
Is that what Alpha was talking about?
If you were hoping to participate, you're too late.
You have to apply in advance.
The ancient warriors only answer
the call of challengers they deem worthy.
Hundreds of hopefuls try their luck every year,
but only about ten actually get to battle.
Although, a few years ago,
the Wandering Swordsman Venom made waves
by summoning the hero Olivier.
Did he beat him?
Apparently not.
But it's not like I was there to see it, so I don't know.
I couldn't even say if the warrior he summoned
was actually the real Olivier.
In case you were wondering, I won't be fighting.
I have more important things to do.
They haven't made this information public yet,
but the archbishop at the cathedral here
has been murdered.
There always were unsavory rumors
going around about him.
I was supposed to be here to audit him
Oh, but I can't say any more to an outsider.
If you want to know more,
you'll have to join the Crimson Knights.
No, thanks.
Join after you graduate.
No, thanks.
I'll fill out an application for you.
Don't!
You're stubborn.
I had assumed you would ogle me
like you were trying to eat me with your eyes.
But I see I was wrong.
I make it a point not to look at people much
while at a hot spring.
It keeps us all more comfortable while bathing.
In that spirit,
might I ask you to stop glancing over at my Excalibur?
You call that "Excalibur"?
I think the word you're looking for is "worm."
You mustn't judge a book by its cover.
You may come to find out
that what you thought was a worm
was merely still contained in its sheath.
What do you mean?
When a holy sword is removed from its sheath
its sparkling blade is set free.
And it sets off on a quest for the Garden of Chaos.
Long ago, to drive off of the demon Diablos,
the Goddess Beatrix bestowed her powers
upon the hero Olivier.
Olivier fought valiantly against the demon,
eventually severing his left arm,
which is said to be sealed away in this very Sanctuary.
And to this day, the ancient warriors
who fought at Olivier's side in this crusade
await you on the other side of the Sanctuary door.
You all know what it is that they are hoping for.
They seek those who will carry on their just legacy,
I don't like it.
They seek those who will carry on their just legacy,
those who will wield their swords in the next holy war.
Acting Archbishop Jack Nelson
those who will wield their swords in the next holy war.
Under the Divine Teachings of the Goddess Beatrix
Freaking baldy
Under the Divine Teachings of the Goddess Beatrix
You might want to mourn at least a little!
Under the Divine Teachings of the Goddess Beatrix
You're canceling the audit?
How can you do that?
How can I not?
The royal family sent you here to investigate
His Grace the Archbishop,
but as you can see, he has met with grave misfortune.
We in the Church must find the vile fiend
who committed this heinous act
and apprehend them without delay.
And if we are to ensure that the Goddess's Trial
is carried out successfully,
then I have no time to indulge your hobbies-
Oh, excuse me.
In any case,
I ask that you please leave Church matters
to the Church, as you always have.
I will personally compose a letter
to His Majesty the King.
So you, Princess Alexia,
may just sit back and enjoy the Godess's Trial.
I need to get back to the Royal Capital and convince
my father to give his authorization again
so the Crimson Knights can do the audit.
Do you have any idea how many days
it will take just for the trip?
Obviously, all of the important evidence
will be disposed of while I'm gone!
I could do the audit anyway,
but I don't want to sour relations between
the royal family and the Divine Teachings.
And Mr. Baldy is right here in front of me
screaming prime suspect!
I just don't like it!
Miss Natsume!
I love your work!
Speaking of things not to like
Thank you so much for your support!
Natsume Kafka
She's supposedly a popular new author.
But that perfectly polished demeanor
That dignity that could hardly come
from a rookie writer
I'm not buying it.
Everybody knows the more somebody
is like that on the outside,
the more corrupt they are on the inside.
Long live Princess Alexia!
Hello, everyone!
Let's give the fighters all our support, okay?!
I don't like it.
Alexia Midgar
This woman is not worthy of
"The Chronicles of Lord Shadow: Complete Edition."
Taking advantage of her position
as princess and classmate
to get close to Lord Shadow, the pest!
As if she weren't sadly lacking in talent, beauty,
and love for Lord Shadow.
As if she weren't inferior in every way.
The role she's taken
is vastly better suited to a charming, silver-haired,
blue-eyed elf with a beauty mark on her cheek!
Everybody knows that it's exactly women like her
who are the most corrupt on the inside.
Of course Lord Shadow would never be attracted
to a woman of such shoddy charact-
Pr-Princess Alexia, my foot
Oh my, is something the matter?
My foot is
Oh my!
Is something the matter?
You little
The time has come!
O Divine Beatrix, hear our prayer!
Allow the warriors gathered here to undergo your trial!
And now, let the Goddess's Trial begin!
Our first contender is a challenger from
the Oriana Kingdom, Toppe Batterius!
Did you know?
If an ancient warrior appears,
he won't be able to leave that dome of light
until one of them is down for the count.
Last year, somebody died.
Died?
Why would you pay hundreds of thousands of zeni
to potentially get yourself killed?
Because!
If you manage to beat an ancient warrior,
you get a commemorative medal!
With one of those babies,
you can go to any knight order
in any nation in the world,
and they'll hire you for sure!
Wow, that is something to write home about!
I see.
Thank you for your perfect example of
background character exposition.
But never mind that,
I don't suppose I'll get to do anything
eminence-in-shadowy during this event.
O ancient warrior!
Hear my call and answer my summons!
Now, from the Midgar Knight Order,
we have Neks Tinline!
I mean, it's such a big event,
it'd be a shame to just
accept my background character status
and do nothing.
I wanna, you know, make a dashing entrance,
show off my eminent powers,
and have them all go,
"Who is that mysterious man?!"
Next, from the Laugus Vigilante Corps,
Stihl-Aint Hapnin!
If only they would accept walk-in entries
I mean, I could say rules be damned and
jump into the competition anyway,
but I would kind of prefer to save
a juicy appearance like that
for a more important, more appropriate scene.
And is each fighter only allowed
one battle in this tournament?
As Eminence in Shadow, what I really want to do
is disguise myself as a weakling nobody
and win my way through under the radar.
Oh well, guess I'll just accept my role as
background character this time.
Come to think of it, I haven't seen Alpha.
I hope this will be over soon.
After all that, it looks like someone named Annerose
is the only one who managed to
summon an ancient warrior.
Next! A student from the Midgar Academy
for Dark Knights, Cid Kagenou!
Next is a guy named Cid Kagenou?
That is such a background character name.
Cid Kagenou
Well, well, a student of the Dark Knight academy.
He must be quite the skilled fighter.
Once we've traversed the thorny path,
our happy future awaits!
I can hardly believe it!
A student attempting the Goddess's Trial?!
What a commendable young person!
Yeah! You can bet he's one of the most
popular kids in the whole school!
We're not gonna want to miss this!
Option One: Resign myself and fight in the Trial.
But if a really powerful ancient warrior pops out,
everyone will find out that I have eminent powers.
They seem to match everyone's level
pretty accurately, after all.
Option Two: Run away.
That's a hard pass.
They already know that I'm a student
at the Dark Knight academy.
If the administrators find out I incurred the wrath
of the Divine Teachings, I could be expelled.
What would my sister say?
Option Three
Cid Kagenou!
Can we take this to mean you withdraw?
He isn't coming out.
Well, we do have two or three each year
who get cold feet.
What is that light?
Hmm, we didn't plan for a show.
Look!
What is that?!
It can't be
Shadow?!
Option Three: Confuse the matter.
By my calculations, no matter how intense the fighting,
confusion ensues when a bomb goes off!
My name is Shadow.
He who lurks in the shadows,
and hunts the shadows.
Shadow
Why on earth would he
Where's Cid?
Shadow
the filthy rat that's been skittering around at our feet.
You have overestimated your power,
and you will rue that foolishness.
Ancient memories lie slumbering within the Sanctuary.
This night, we shall set them free!
How?! I didn't activate it!
An ancient warrior is answering his call.
This has turned into a pretty big deal.
It can't be! That's impossible!
Aurora, the Witch of Calamity
Miss Natsume, who is Aurora?
Aurora, the Witch of Calamity
She once rained chaos and destruction
down on our world.
I've never heard of her.
How do you know about her?
It comes from being an author.
That being said,
through the ages, they have called Aurora
the Witch of Calamity.
But as to what chaos she caused or
destruction she wrought,
there are no records left that describe it.
Dear Archbishop?
If you would be so kind, please tell me
more about the Witch of Calamity?
Of course, I'd be glad to.
Yes, indeed, it is only to be expected that
Your Highnesses wouldn't have heard of her.
In fact, I am quite surprised that
Miss Natsume recognizes her.
After all, even in the Church,
the name Aurora is known only to a very select few.
Still, this Shadow person is rather unfortunate.
I can hardly believe anyone would summon Aurora.
She was known as the most powerful witch
in all of history.
A lowly bandit such as him will be
utterly helpless against her.
I'm not so sure.
If the Goddess's Trial summoned this Aurora woman
as an appropriate opponent for Shadow,
that means that Shadow's powers have reached the
same level as one who destroyed the world.
I doubt this will be over quickly.
She feels the same way I do.
A battle is a conversation.
The shifting of a sword's point
The movement of one's gaze
The placement of the feet
All of them reflect your opponent's will.
We read those cues to give each other better responses,
back and forth, again and again.
This is the real essence of battle.
Well, it appears that my prediction was right.
That's an ancient battle technique!
He's more persistent than I expected,
but I think it's clear that he's outmatched.
But not a single one of her spears has hit him.
Isn't that right, Princess Alexia?
Yes, you're right.
That woman is strong.
No ordinary Dark Knight could
manage against her attacks.
But Shadow is still only watching.
I am loving this, my violet-eyed opponent.
Actually, let me call you Violet,
with my deepest affections.
I haven't been able to have a decent
conversation like this in a very long time.
Which is why, dear Violet,
I'm so happy I get to speak with you.
That's also how I know.
It's too bad.
I wish I could have fought you at full strength.
He won.
Yes, he did.
Impossible!
You mean she lost?
But it was Aurora who was on the offensive!
What?!
The Sanctuary answered his call.
Shadow
So it's true, you're
People say there is no night with no dawn
But I would think it's better without a dawn
The scars we want to hide
All the memories we want to forget
The sun shines light on all of them
Looking for falling stars
I would wander
Until the moment I met you
Those stars that twinkle in the sky
Lead to a path of hope, I'll go to the end of it
I can go forward with no more uncertainty
I'll chase after the prayers that traverse the dark night
Because even if I can't reach you yet
I still want to tell you
Thank you