Original subtitles

You're falling behind, Lucius!

Sir!

Please, Prince Theodore.

Don't you think you're making use of me in the wrong way?

You said you want to join the knight candidates' training as a man, right?

I'm not sure that's a good idea.

Why should I help you?

You sent me a letter the other day, didn't you?

It said I could rely on your help.

Yes, I wrote that! I wrote that, but...

But why do you need to sneak in to begin with?

You could just have a knight assigned to instruct you.

If I did that, they'd surely try to be considerate of me,

and I want to be trained without any mercy.

Unbelievable. To think you'd willingly choose to go and be treated harshly.

I could never do it.

Hold on.

Your Highness?

Very well! I shall assist my lovely older sister.

I will exert every effort to make your wish come true.

Um, why the sudden change?

Well, it seems entertaining, doesn't it?

I think that even my older brother would never be able to anticipate it.

Who'd ever think, "My wife is going to dress as a man to infiltrate the knights"?

How could I not take the opportunity to surprise my brother like this?

It isn't as though I'm doing this to shock Prince Arnold, you know.

I would love to see the look on my brother's face, whatever it is.

That's enough for today! Dismissed!

Thank you, sir!

This is Galkhein's basic training?

Are you all right, Lucius?

Fritz. Thanks, but I'll be all right after I rest a little.

I'll join you.

Even if I head back to the inn, I'll just be alone.

Inn?

I came here from Ceutena.

Have you heard of it? It's a port town in the north.

That's where ships from Coyolles dock, isn't it?

Yes, it's a great town.

If I didn't look up to that person so much,

I'd never have aimed to be a knight, and I'd probably have lived my whole life in that town.

That person?

Prince Arnold!

The war hero!

Master of the sword!

He's just so amazing, don't you think?

Yes...

I want to become a great knight, just like Prince Arnold.

You there.

You mustn't refer to members of the imperial family in that manner.

You must be careful to call him His Highness, the crown prince.

Y-Yes, sir!

As long as you understand.

Raise your heads.

You're... Count Lawvine!

His Lordship, Count Lawvine?

He's the guardian of the north and a loyal retainer to the Galkhein imperial family.

But three years from now,

Prince Arnold, who will have become emperor,

will declare him a monstrous criminal, and he'll be slaughtered.

H-Has he noticed I'm only dressed as a ma—

Do you like to eat chicken?

Huh?

Y-Yes, I do!

I see. In that case, you should eat more of it.

From what I can see, you have less muscle mass than the average man.

Y-Yes, sir!

Starting tomorrow, I will be joining your instructors.

I look forward to working with you.

What?

Your Lordship, it's nearly time for your audience with His Majesty, the emperor.

Yes, I'll go immediately.

If you'll excuse me.

Thank you, sir!

Thank you, sir!

Elsie, I'm back.

Welcome home.

Prince Arnold.

Good morning.

Were you able to sleep last night?

Yes.

Your Highness?

Tomorrow afternoon at two, come to the western back gate.

Don't let anyone see you.

Should I dye my hair?

No, that isn't necessary.

I see. Then, I will arrive in clothes that will look natural in town.

Um, Lady Rishe?

Yes?

Why were you speaking secretly with Prince Arnold?

The truth is that the prince and I are going into town tomorrow.

What sort of business is taking you there?

I'm certain it must be some sort of official business.

It would be best to wear something that won't stand out.

A brown linen dress and a simple gray robe would—

Lady Rishe!

Please leave it to me.

What?

L-Leave what to you?

I promise I will make you lovelier than anyone else ever could.

What?

Now that we've made it this far, we should be all right.

You can lower your hood.

Don't worry. None of the citizens here know your face.

Th-That's true.

I know exactly what you want to say!

I had guessed that this must be official business...

but being dressed too plainly would stand out, too!

Since it's you, I thought you'd come in a linen dress and plain robe.

Am I really that predictable?

Is this your maid's doing?

Those clothes pose no problems.

Truly?

I must give your maid my highest praise.

Let's go.

What?

Please wait for me!

The marketplace!

It's just a marketplace, the kind you'd find anywhere.

That's not true!

Those are Coquito's famous grapes!

Those are rare saloof bird eggs!

And could those be—

A-A marketplace does, of course, show the current economic conditions,

but it also reflects the public peace of the surrounding areas.

A pocket watch?

Your Highness? Is there something over there?

You want to see the marketplace, don't you?

Thank you!

What do you think? These are fresh berries!

These are a specialty from Coyolles!

They've just come in from Ceutena!

Young lady, I'll give you a discount!

Sorry to keep you waiting!

Wait.

What is that disquieting object?

A fruit from Coyolles.

It looks a little unusual, but it's very nutritious, so it's good for the body.

I said, wait. No matter how I think about it, that appearance is—

It's good for the body.

How do you like it? It's sweeter than it looks, I think.

It tastes like it's nutritious.

My, what a bitter expression!

We should get moving.

If we stay in one place for too long, Oliver's deputies will find us.

He isn't executing official duties today?

The proprietor here doesn't come to the palace.

Thanks to that, it becomes necessary for me to come here.

We've been awaiting your arrival.

To be employed by Your Highness, the crown prince, brings us great joy and—

No need for speeches. Raise your heads.

It's an honor to meet you.

I'm the proprietor of this store, Mihaela Laure Wehrmann.

Pleased to meet you. My name is Rishe Irmgard Weitzner.

How beautiful!

We are humble jewelers.

Lady Rishe, among these stones,

which do you think is a fake?

What?

Rishe.

Try answering her.

I don't know.

What a clear answer.

Being able to answer so honestly is a wonderful—

So, Madam Proprietor,

may I borrow some appraisal tools?

Pardon me?

Each one has a high degree of transparency, and the cuts are very fine.

However...

These stones...

all three of them are imitations, aren't they?

I failed to recognize your skills.

You are the first to request appraisal tools.

That said, they truly are beautiful.

Even knowing that they are imitations,

I'm sure there must be many people who love and care for these stones.

You are...

I find myself admiring you more and more.

What? Oh, but I haven't done anything to warrant it!

Our merchandise in this store is only sold to a select few.

I would very much like to show you our wares.

If you've approved of her, then give her exactly what she wishes.

Yes, we will ready our wares with pleasure.

What? What is going on here?

I thought I was accompanying Your Highness to fulfill your wishes, wasn't I?

The one thing I wish from you...

is for you to allow me to gift you a ring. That's all.

What? A ring?

His Highness, the crown prince,

seeks a ring to give to his bride during the wedding ceremony.

Now, I will prepare a few things and return.

Ring? Bride?

Why? For what purpose?

In Galkhein, a ring shouldn't be necessary.

But more importantly...

How did our sparring match lead you to this conclusion?

If I said, "I'll buy you a ring, so pick what you'd like,"

I can't imagine that you'd quietly make your choice.

You wouldn't accept others buying things to give to you, would you?

The stones they have here are first-class.

I have no intention of letting money be an obstacle.

But, Your Highness, I don't think that I can readily accept such a valuable—

If you have a ring made here,

then my idle wealth, which I have no means of using, will fall to the town.

It will help the economy.

I see. In that case...

I shall make my choice!

With utmost sincerity and with everything I have in me!

The ring will be put on me during the wedding,

so maybe a diamond would be best?

Or, perhaps, to match my eyes... an emerald?

I ask out of solicitude, but may I offer a suggestion?

Yes, please do.

Putting on a favorite piece of jewelry and wearing it proudly...

Just that simple action can fill a girl with courage.

This will become your very own protective amulet.

Pick something you genuinely like.

For example, Lady Rishe, what color do you like?

What color do I like?

Like crystal clear ice from a frozen sea in a cold country...

That sort of color...

Do you have a stone here that is the same color as his eyes?

Wait...

Oh, my! My, my!

No, it isn't like that!

What I just said didn't carry any unusual meaning!

I really have no hidden purpose,

it's only that I've always liked the color of Prince Arnold's eyes,

and thought that it's pretty, that's all!

You've always thought that, have you?

If you'll wait just a moment please.

I have something I'd like to recommend to you.

Madam Proprietor!

Please, forget what just happened here.

Oh, this beautiful sunset is illuminating the palace!

Why the third finger of your left hand?

What?

When they measured your ring size, you indicated that finger, didn't you?

I suppose you say it's a notion I've always had.

Putting a ring on the third finger of the left hand during the wedding

is the custom in the country I was born in.

But, Your Highness, why did you decide to give me a ring at all?

No particular reason. And the fact that it's a ring holds no specific meaning.

But you often work with your hands, don't you?

To have an ornament I gave you on those fingers...

I was certain that it would make me feel good.

That's...

Then, the morning that it's finished...

I'll show you before anyone else.

Good.

Could it be?

Come to think of it, I heard that Count Lawvine had arrived.

Whose guest is he?

I called him here.

He's the best qualified person to instruct the knight candidates.

Your Highness...

who are you waiting for in this place?

That's quite an abrupt question.

Count Lawvine protects a very important location.

I can't imagine that you'd call him here simply to train the recruits.

And what made you think that I'm waiting for someone?

Your Highness frequently checked your pocket watch.

I thought that you were concerned about what time to return to the palace,

but since we arrived here, you haven't once taken out your watch.

Additionally, this is a spot where one can observe people entering the capital.

The other day, a letter arrived from another country.

It said that the sender wouldn't be able to attend the wedding,

so they would come to celebrate in advance.

Before I could send a reply to say that wouldn't be necessary, another letter arrived.

It said that they wanted to celebrate as soon as possible,

so they'd leave without awaiting a reply.

At the marketplace, someone was selling fruit that had just arrived from Coyolles.

The sender of the letter was on that same ship?

Given the information from my scouts and the time it takes a carriage to travel...

Weitzner,

I want to protect this kingdom.

Prince Kyle...

Earlier, Kyle had an audience with His Majesty, my father,

and he was given permission to stay.

As I thought, he must have a particular aim in coming here.

The Prince of Coyolles, His Highness Kyle Morgan Cleverly, is here to see you.

I congratulate you on the occasion of your marriage, Prince Arnold.

I, Kyle Morgan Cleverly, representing my father, King of Coyolles,

hastened here to in hopes of celebrating the event.

You have taken many pains to travel all this way.

For that I offer my heartfelt gratitude.

There is a great difference in strength between this empire and Coyolles.

Coyolles is a country which produces gems, gold, and silver.

They're wealthy, but...

for most of the year, they're virtually cut off by snow.

For food and other necessities of daily life

they must depend upon trade with their neighboring countries.

And five years from now,

they are destroyed in the war that Prince Arnold instigates.

Rishe.

Yes, Prince Arnold?

This is Rishe, who will be my wife.

I'm honored to meet you.

My name is Rishe Irmgard Weitzner.

I am extraordinarily delighted to meet you.

I knew that anyone who would become Prince Arnold's wife must surely be a magnificent lady...

but I never imagined anyone of such a caliber as yourself.

You are a warm, beautiful goddess.

I am undeserving of such words, Prince Kyle.

More important than these empty social pleasantries...

Even the gold which my kingdom is so proud of,

Prince Kyle has far too little color in his face!

is no match for the brilliance emanating from you, Lady Rishe.

Even flowers at the height of their beauty, blooming in profusion,

His skin is already pale to begin with, but he looks nearly blue now!

would feel shamed in your presence.

Did you learn something?

I can't quite grasp it.

Everything he said was innocuous.

He didn't show even a sliver of his true intentions.

What?

Then, earlier, the look you had, like you were about to kill with your gaze...

What was that?

More importantly, Kyle seems to have brought a number of academics from Coyolles.

What?

Your color has improved tremendously, Kyle.

It couldn't be.

If you want to hear what they have to say, too, I'll make arrangements.

I would be happy to!

Actually, I've heard that Prince Kyle is very weak,

and I have a medicine I'd like for him to try!

If the scholars he has with him will permit it,

then there won't be any need to slip the drug into his food!

That was a joke.

It didn't sound like a joke.

First, tomorrow there will be a welcome feast for him, though it will be a bother.

Of course. I will have the preparations made.

I'll have Kyle and Lawvine meet face-to-face there.

Whatever Kyle might be plotting,

that should serve to keep him in check.

Hey, why are you making that expression?

Oh, it's nothing!

If Count Lawvine comes to the party tomorrow evening...

the fact that I'm Lucius will be revealed!