Original subtitles

Some important person is coming to meet me? What for?

Although His Majesty already held a banquet for royalty and nobility,

not all those invited were able to attend.

One of those who could not now craves an audience with you, Lady Sariphi.

Really? That's nice.

I'm glad there's someone who wants to meet me.

You cannot afford to take this matter so lightly.

You must play host to this distinguished guest as mistress of the palace.

I propose to make this one of your ordeals on the path to queenship.

And the name of this visitor is...

What?!

D-Duke Galois?! D-Do you mean the Duke Galois?!

You know him?

Of course. We've never met in person,

but he's a legendary general with numerous feats of arms to his name.

In particular, he is undefeated on the sea.

His ruthless tactics there earned him the nickname "Galois the Sea God."

And rumor has it that Duke Galois hates humans with a passion.

If you were to rub him the wrong way,

he would surely make you regret it!

The Sea God and the Second Ordeal

You certainly have a devious mind.

Setting the famously cantankerous Duke Galois against her is quite a stroke.

His Grace requested the audience. I pulled no strings.

But she'll have much to prepare.

Making the human lady host a ball is practically inviting her to blunder.

Did you believe I was honestly trying to gauge the wench's potential?

Her existence will be His Majesty's death someday.

I must eliminate her at any cost before that happens.

And I trust you haven't forgotten

that we swore to defend His Majesty together—

I as his brain, and you as his sword.

Of course not.

Then mind your own business.

I will find His Majesty a fitting consort, and a human is out of the question.

Really?

Are you sure you wouldn't oppose any match he made, Abi?

Tell me, sire,

is Duke Galois really that scary?

I've never met him in person, either.

However,

he has ruthlessly subjugated brigands and enemies of the state.

If something displeases him,

I don't doubt that he would even turn his sword against me, his king.

But whatever Galois says, I won't let him lay a hand on you.

To protect you, I would become a truly terrifying man myself.

Then I'll do my very best, sire.

So you won't have to make scary faces.

H-He's finally here.

That's the dreaded Sea God...

Duke Galois.

We have been expecting Your Grace.

I am Anubis, His Majesty's chancellor.

It is an honor to make the acquaintance of the renowned Duke Gal—

Don't waste my time on pleasantries!

Bring out the king's favorite.

I beg your pardon, sir.

Kindly wait a moment, and she will join us presently.

Who do you think you are?

My Lord Chancellor.

My master presents this gift to His Majesty.

Istanese wine, aged for 300 years.

My, what a splendid vintage.

You there, take charge of it.

O-Of course.

What a fishy stench.

Especially from this fellow.

The Ichthyans are a hideous race, although not quite so unseemly as humans.

Thank you for waiting.

Welcome, Your Grace.

I am Sariphi, and I will serve as your hostess for today.

What?! What's the big idea?!

Pardon?

I'm asking you whose idea of a joke this is!

Look at her! You expect me to believe a human could be queen?!

If this is supposed to be funny, I'm leaving!

Your Grace, please be calm.

At least hear what His Majesty has to say.

You think you can give me orders?

Silence.

I will permit no disturbances in this sacred palace.

It is a pleasure to make Your Majesty's acquaintance.

Galois, Duke of Istan at your service.

There can be no greater honor than to stand in your royal presence.

Or that's what I would say,

but even a king can only get away with so much.

And making me the butt of this bad joke...

There are no jokes here.

Sariphi is my one and only future queen.

With all due respect, lowly human scum doesn't strike me as royal wife material.

You dare?!

Your Grace, Duke Galois.

A human queen would be unprecedented, I know.

I understand your feelings of trepidation.

However,

please witness that we are entirely in earnest

with Your Grace's own eyes.

This building plays host to many rituals and festivities.

Only select guests of royal and noble blood are entertained here.

Please step this way.

I was nervous for a moment there.

CHEAT SHEET

Good thing we planned for Duke Galois's reaction when we wrote the script.

Close one.

And all her hard work seems to be paying off beautifully!

This venerable courtyard boasts a history spanning two millennia.

It has survived the long ages and been loved by many distinguished guests.

BLANK

Um...

She forgot her lines!

I thought so.

You just memorized a bunch of facts to make yourself look smart.

For the scrawny, bungling creatures you are, you humans are wily indeed!

You can't be trusted!

You disgust me! I've seen enough!

Hurry up and skip to dinner.

If only he'd decided to leave, this would all be over.

But no matter.

I can strike as many sparks as necessary.

Now, let us toast to His Grace's valor and this wonderful day.

Why has our hostess, who led the toast, not so much as touched her cup?

Can't you drink the wine I presented?

Our humble apologies, Your Grace.

The Lady Sariphi claims that beast wine disagrees with her.

What?!

Y-You misunderstand.

It's not that Sari won't drink. She can't.

What does that matter? A queen who can't drink a toast is no queen at all.

This is why you can't count on humans for anything!

Your Grace, we are at the table. Please restrain your—

Quiet!

How many times must I tell you to leave me when I'm eating?

Looking at your ugly mug makes everything taste rotten.

You shouldn't talk to him like—

The same goes for you!

Who could eat with a human staring them in the face?!

Get out of here! Now!

Sire...

I beg your pardon, sir. I will excuse myself.

I hope that you will all enjoy this meal at your leisure.

Sari...

I'm so hungry.

Cy? Clops?

Thank you! Just what I needed!

Sire?

Don't tell me this is your food?

Yours was taken away.

Then you haven't eaten anything?

Dining across from a man who insults my queen would spoil any dish.

What's so amusing?

Nothing. It's not funny at all.

Thank you.

And don't worry about me. I've gotten used to things like this.

But—

I can't leave His Grace in a foul temper like this, can I?

I'd better turn things around at the ball tonight.

Right?

Sariphi...

You truly are far stronger than the likes of me.

Come on, sire. Have some, too.

I'm already stuffed.

No, I'll have some of this.

You won't turn anything around with a dirty mouth.

Show him. Show all of them that I was right to choose you.

I will.

Will Lady Sariphi be all right?

Of course she will. You know how much she practiced dancing.

Sari worked hard.

Your Grace,

may I have this dance?

No.

Didn't you hear me?

I said no.

You expect the mighty Galois to dance hand-in-hand with a human?

O-Oh, no!

Then what about Sari's ordeal?

Ordeal? What ordeal?

Chancellor!

You see, sir, if the Lady Sariphi cannot play hostess to an honored guest,

she will be removed from consideration as our future queen.

Anubis!

I beg your pardon, sire.

That said, if you, sir, as the guest of honor, were to withdraw,

this ball would be canceled.

No, that would be no fun.

My servant here will dance with the human in my place.

Watching two ugly freaks join hands should be worth a laugh.

If she doesn't like it, she can always refuse.

I beg your pardon, human miss.

For making you dance with an old dodderer like me.

What?

My fire-scarred skin sheds its scales and reeks of rot.

What a hideous and dreadful sight I must make.

Not at all. Why do you say so?

You grimaced and hesitated when you first took my hand.

That's because you look like you must be in so much pain.

These old wounds don't hurt me.

Really?

I received most of them over a century ago, in the last war.

These hands have slain many foes—many humans.

In revenge, I was burnt at human hands.

Do you hate humans, too, then?

Who can say? War is like that.

The gulf is deep.

And if you, a human, become queen of this realm,

you'll need to grapple with that truth to the end of your days.

Why would you choose such a thorny path?

I just... want to be at His Majesty's side.

A human like me can only live here thanks to him.

The king has two faces: beast and human.

I want him to be able to go on living as he is.

I don't have any power of my own, but I want to help him in any way I can.

Well, then, I suppose you've fallen in love with His Majesty.

Huh? In love with... His Majesty...

Silly me. We old-timers love to meddle in youngsters' business.

It looks like they're talking about something.

They seem to be enjoying themselves.

Tell me, Grandpa.

G-Grandpa?

If you're not in pain, could I squeeze a little harder?

It's harder to dance if we aren't really holding hands.

Here.

Whoa, there!

Here, now. Go easy twirling my old bones around.

Oh, I'm so sorry.

What're you laughing for?!

There's no fun in watching you make friends with a human!

You disgrace to the Ichthyan race!

What's this, wench? Are you trying to shield him?

Move! You're in my way!

I will not.

Lady Sariphi...

Don't give me that.

This is Ichthyan business.

Keep your nose out of it, human!

Now, move!

I will not.

Y-You little idiot.

You'll never be a legitimate queen if you fail this "ordeal" of yours.

I hold your fate in my hands.

Leave it be, miss. You mustn't argue with His Grace.

Don't mind me. I'm used to this.

That's the wisdom of age speaking.

Only a fool loses sight of the big picture to feel like a hero for a moment.

Either way, you're not queen material!

Now, choose. Make the smart choice for your future,

or destroy yourself for that old bag of bones.

Well?

Sari...

Sariphi, I believe in you.

And in the choice you'll make.

Sire,

I'm sorry. It looks like I can't be your queen after all.

I... I don't believe it!

You'd give up power and status just to shield this one old wretch?!

He's right. Let it go.

Remember what you told me?

You want to stand by the king to support him.

So you should—

That's why I'm doing this.

If I became queen like this, I'd still have to leave His Majesty someday.

I want...

to become someone who can stand by his side with her head held high.

Otherwise, I won't be able to share his vision of a future where no one gets hurt.

If a queen is someone who ignores someone being hurt right in front of her,

then I could never be a queen.

Is that your answer?

Yes, it is, Mr. Shark.

Mister—

Who do you think you're talk—

You lash out at people who can't fight back,

and you still call yourself a great warrior?

Sh-Shut yo—

Are you really the Sea God?

I thought as much. This man is...

Stop. You've done enough.

He stopped the duke's sword with one hand?!

Huh?

Has this farce reached its end,

Galois the Sea God, Duke of Istan?

What?

Duke Galois?!

This old man?!

It can't be...

Why did you carry out this plot?

We Ichthyans endured ill treatment under the reigns of our previous kings.

Since Your Majesty's succession, however,

times have begun to change, albeit gradually.

You are a light in the dark to us, sire.

But we came here because we heard talk that you had become deranged,

and that you intended to take a queen unfit for royal dignity.

Then, to test Sariphi, you had your man play the tyrant

and disguised yourself as an old soldier fallen on hard times?

It is as you say, sire.

I came prepared to face any punishment.

But first, permit me to say one thing.

What insolence! Haven't you said enough?!

Speak.

This entire deception was practiced at my sole discretion.

All of my men merely obeyed orders.

Please, sire, take my head alone to sate your anger!

I beseech you!

Hold it right there!

That ain't what we signed up fer, pops!

Ya never said anythin' about takin' all the blame on yerself!

Joz?!

Please, sire! If ya want a head, take mine!

Pops is like a lighthouse ta us.

None of us can get by without him.

I know my head ain't worth much, but I'm willing ta die fer him!

What are you doing?! Remove him!

W-We're trying, but he's too strong!

You really care about Grandpa, don't you?

Then you shouldn't talk about dying.

Tell me, sire, do we really need to punish them?

I mean, I'm not hurt or anything.

A-Ain'tcha mad?! I said a lotta awful stuff ta ya!

But you didn't mean it, did you?

It doesn't bother me. And I had a lot of fun.

No. Deceiving me, the king, and insulting my beloved is a grave offense.

I will not be satisfied until I have imposed a fitting punishment.

Galois, Duke of Istan, and Joz, Supreme Commander of the Istanese Navy,

and all other Ichthyans involved in this affair:

Swear perpetual allegiance to me!

Give your all to defend my realm for my sake!

Thank you for this magnanimous sentence, sire.

Henceforth, we Ichthyans

swear everlasting loyalty and reverence to Your Most August Majesty.

And...

to support the Lady Sariphi, your lawful consort and our future queen.

Next time, I'll teach ya ta swim!

I'm sorry, sire.

I acted selfishly again.

It looks like I can't be your queen after all.

True. If possible, I wish to never hear such words pass your lips again.

I have been prepared since the moment I chose to make you my queen.

Trampling on others to save yourself is not in your nature.

I had faith in your answer.

It is because you give such answers that I wish to make you my queen

and my wife.

His wife...

Sire? Where are we going?

Your chamber is the other way.

This is where we held the ball.

Sariphi.

May I have this dance?

Curse you, human wench!

You've even twisted Duke Galois around your finger!

The time for niceties has passed!

I must remove her from the king's side at any cost!

Next Episode

Recollections of a King and His Chancellor

From my king's side.