Original subtitles

At the ends of the earth, blanketed by miasma,

lay a forbidden kingdom to which no human was allowed entry.

It was home to monstrous vassals who once dominated and devoured mankind.

And over them reigned a king.

The Sacrifice and the Night of the Ritual

Get out.

Move.

Get in.

I have brought her, Your Majesty.

This girl is the latest offering.

The 99th sacrifice.

Raise your head.

Dear me.

Of all the sacrifices the humans have sent, this girl is easily the scrawniest.

Devouring the likes of her will not nourish you, sire.

Perhaps you should simply tear her apart as a display for the nobility,

and demand the next sacrifice be delivered at onc—

Excuse me.

Don't you think you're being a bit rude, Mr. Dog?

D-Dog?

Surely you do not mean me, the great Anubis?!

There's at least enough of me to eat.

Don't be wasteful.

H-How dare you?!

Bleh!

Still your tongue in His Majesty's presence!

But you said—

Be silent!

M-My most humble apologies, sire.

This human knows not her place.

No matter. Leave us, Anubis.

B-But, sire, she—

You dare talk back to your king?

When I tell you to leave, you obey.

P-Please forgive me. By your leave.

What a short-tempered king.

You mustn't snap at people like that, or someday you'll be all alone.

His Majesty is terrifying! Say you're sorry right away!

Away!

And who might you be?

Cy.

And I'm Clops.

We're supposed to keep an eye on you.

Impudent human girl.

Your show of boldness fools no one.

Every sacrifice before you has trembled and wailed in terror in my presence.

If you wish to make your death less agonizing,

prostrate yourself before me, quake, and beg for your life.

Aw, Your Majesty! Your paw pads are so squishy!

You dare?

Even if I escape, I have no home or family waiting for me.

So you'll gobble me up, and that will be that.

I don't mind.

What is your name, human girl?

I'm Sari. Sariphi. And you?

I have no personal name.

If I have a name, it is the blood in my veins which proves my royalty.

The sacrificial ritual is on the next night of revelation, when the miasma clears.

Let us see how long your bravado lasts.

Until that time, I will make an exception and keep you at my side.

Chancellor! Is Chancellor Anubis here?!

What is the meaning of this?!

The sacrificial girl is free and roaming the palace!

Please calm yourselves, my lord speakers.

She is in chains, and thus hardly "free."

Spare us your quibbling!

Does His Majesty mean to keep a human pet?!

Really, these royal whims are intolerable. And the late king was just as bad.

In the great war 100 years ago,

His late Majesty arbitrarily made peace with the humans.

Rebels who refuse to abide by his decree plague our land to this day.

Indeed. And it is to quell such sentiments

that the terms of the truce demand a sacrifice.

It symbolizes that the humans are not our equals.

I am well aware of that, of course.

Just advise His Majesty.

Tell him this is no time for games that might well leave him vulnerable.

Your Majesty.

Who gave you permission to leave my chambers?

Cy, Clops.

What have you been watching her for?

W-We beg Your Majesty's pardon!

Pardon!

Wait, sire, it was my idea to—

Know your place and return to my chambers.

Sire!

But I was bored. Your chambers are so bleak and empty.

I am a king. I lack for nothing.

But don't you think some flowers would brighten things up?

I have no interest in admiring flowers.

Besides, flowers do not grow in the miasma of this land,

which lifts only when the moon shines on the night of revelation.

You're no fun.

Be that as it may,

a human like you will be minced meat the moment you leave this room and my sight.

If you wish to live to see the day of the ritual, do as I say.

Oh, I see.

You were worried about me, weren't you, sire?

Curse your insolence.

I needn't wait for the ritual, you know.

I could tear out your fragile throat on a whim here and now.

Do you still not fear me?

No. I know something much scarier.

Once, when I was reading an old book on an awful, stormy night,

I learned that my name means "sacrifice" in an ancient tongue.

Maria.

Maria, wake up.

What is it, Sari?

Did you have a nightmare?

Go to Mom and Dad.

I knew it. The next sacrifice will be from our village.

Don't worry. Our girl will be safe.

But...

This is why we have a substitute.

We took her in and raised her to prepare for this.

Remember?

I had just discovered I'd been raised as a sacrifice,

but the cold stares of the people who'd been my parents were what really terrified me.

But your eyes are nothing like that, sire.

So you don't scare me at all.

Do you force yourself to act angry?

Sariphi, you are...

a girl to be pitied.

This is Daghtau, an old fortress city, and the closest one to Yoana.

So it saw the fiercest fighting of the last great war.

What is Yoana?

It's what we call the human country.

Even now, 100 years after the war, the scars still run deep.

So the king often comes for inspections like this.

This.

Wow.

Oh, what's that over there?

Ah! That girl is loose again!

Let her do as she pleases.

But, sire...

Ruins?

Go no farther.

Your Majesty?

Cy, Clops, you've done enough. Leave us.

Yes, sire!

Unlike this place, the lower town is a lawless zone.

As the farthest city from the palace, it is hotbed of rebellion.

Even now, its people often cause strife with humans.

Is that why you come to inspect it?

Someone must stop fools from shedding needless blood.

Through fear, the surest and most reliable method of all.

A king should wield his power to that end.

It must be hard to be a king.

Where has His Majesty gone?

Sir, he took the human girl to a hill overlooking the ruins.

I believe they will return soon.

Soon.

Hm? Something smells nice.

Flowers grow here?!

The miasma is particularly thin here.

It is the only place in this land where flowers bloom.

Is that why you brought me here, sire?

I can't have you wandering the palace the next time I take my eyes off you.

Thank you!

Oh, sire, can I pick some flowers to bring back?

They would wilt at once in the palace.

Please!

Suit yourself.

Hmph. Humans defy comprehension.

Why care for something destined to die in—

Here, sire. This is for you.

You look adorable!

You dare mock a king in his own kingdom?!

But, sire...

You're always making faces like this.

Doesn't having pretty things like this to look at

make you feel a little better?

Sire?

A storm approaches.

After a string of such wild nights,

comes the clear night of revelation.

On that night, I will sacrifice you at las—

Lightning!

You don't fear beasts, yet a little thunder frightens you?

I can't help it.

I can't have you wailing over every lightning flash.

This should do something to keep out the noise and light.

Okay.

Oh, you're so fluffy!

How fickle. You were quaking in terror mere moments ago.

You're so warm that I'm not scared anymore.

You know, sire,

you don't have to act tough in front of me.

Because it won't be long

before my final night.

The miasma clouds have lifted.

'Tis the night of revelation. The ritual is upon us at last.

Listen closely. The ritual of sacrifice is a sacred thing.

Watch your tongue and proceed carefully, lest—

So sacrifices get to wear these lovely clothes, Chancellor?!

Naturally! The sacrifice is to become part of His Majesty.

No impurity may—

It's like a wedding dress!

Cy, Clops, how do I look?

You look great, Sari!

Sari!

I told you to listen!

By the way, where's the king?

His Majesty does not show himself to us on the night of the sacrifice.

Why not? Is it a royal tradition?

None of our previous kings behaved thus.

But it is not for us to question His Majesty's wisdom.

Regardless, you are to wait quietly here in the altar chamber.

It's so dark. I can't even tell right from left.

Your Majesty?

It's not the king?!

B-Be silent, sacrifice girl.

Tonight is a golden opportunity to get the king away from his retainers.

I'll take your place and lie in wait for him here.

What are you going to do to the king?!

You have to ask?

A-An indecisive king who panders to humans can't defend us.

Here, on this very night, I'll topple him from his throne!

Y-You're about to die anyway.

I'll put your life to good use!

A-An agent of the king?!

O-Only a traitor would follow that coward!

He's not a coward.

The king tries to stop all the needless bloodshed he can.

He denies himself to keep his people safe.

His Majesty is a great king!

E-Enough claptrap! You can die together!

Wait!

You're the king, aren't you?

You're hurt.

Do not touch me!

I am no king.

Yes, you are.

I can tell.

I am... no king.

Though I was born a beast, half my blood is human.

I can never truly be either.

When the moonlit night of revelation exposes this other form,

I merely hide in darkness and wait for it to pass. I'm a coward.

For all my empty bluster, I can't fool even a single girl.

How could such a pitiful weakling be a king?

You're not weak.

The chancellor told me.

You always perform the ritual alone.

No one's seen you eat any of the sacrifices.

When dawn breaks, the sacrifice is gone, and there's human blood everywhere.

That's how everyone knows you did the ritual.

A weak person...

A weak person couldn't do something like that.

You're the strongest there is, sire.

I'm so glad I got to be your sacrifice.

Sariphi...

Even if you let me go, I have no home to go back to.

I can't go back to those cold stares.

So I want my life to end

with you eating me.

I want to nourish someone strong and kind.

I'm so glad the last eyes to look at me...

Sari...

...were full of warmth.

Sariphi...

Thank you, sire.

Now you belong to me.

S-Sire...

I... I'm not sure I—

Don't make me repeat myself.

Henceforth, I will be taking Sariphi as my queen.

N-Nonsense! You would dilute the royal line with human blood?!

This is unprecedented!

All who object, step forward if you dare!

See? I told you they'd be upset.

Oh, they won't complain. I won't let them.

Sari!

Ri!

Oh, I almost forgot!

I've been trying to come up with a name, sire. Would you like to hear it?

A name?

Yes, a name for you.

Leonhart.

It means "brave-hearted" in the ancient language of my country.

Leonhart...

Yes, I could live with that.

Curse you, human wench!

First you escape sacrifice, and now you inveigle my king!

I shall soon expose your vile true nature!

Despite what he says, I'm sure I can make friends with the chancellor, too.

Next Episode

Carpenter Bees and a Court Banquet

Not a chance.

Chance.