Nina the Starry Bride (星降る王国のニナ)

This man.

He's going to kill me

for the second time.

But first, I beg.

Bring the criminal forward.

I trust that you understand

deception against the crown is a serious crime.

I know.

Please look at me one last time.

Stop! Thief!

You'll pay!

Nina, over here!

Street rat!

Damn it!

Hey, Saji. Nina. You're back.

Don't push yourself, Colin.

Are you sure you should be sitting up like that?

Hm. I feel just fine.

Now tell me how it went!

We scored big!

That's our Nina!

The three of us truly lived hand-to-mouth,

occasionally stealing valuables from the wealthy to scrape by.

There was a plague five years ago

that claimed a lot of lives.

After losing our families,

we did whatever was necessary to survive.

Saji and Colin had each other at least,

and I completed our little group.

Seems like a lot of good stuff in here.

Whoa, Nina, look at this!

Lapis lazuli, like your eyes.

And the sky before dawn.

Hey, cut it out.

But they're so pretty.

It's a shame to hide them all the time.

Use your head!

The slavers would all be after her if she didn't, Colin!

Hmm.

You don't see eyes like hers every day.

They're so rare,

a lot of rich folk would do anything to own 'em.

I'll make us some food.

We were always hungry and never had any money,

but it was pleasant enough.

Your cooking's the worst, Nina!

Food this bad should be illegal!

-True! -Shut your mouths!

We made it work.

We even shared some fun and laughter.

Silly me.

I thought...

those days would last forever.

His fever isn't going down.

He's not gonna make it.

What are you saying?

We can go to a doctor. It's not over till it's over!

Sure, and where will we get the money for that?

Huh?

It's too late.

Everything really is "written in the stars."

The poor are born under a poor star,

and the rich are born under a rich star.

And that's that.

t's all decided the moment you're born.

No. That isn't true!

Someday, we could change things!

Forget "someday!"

Colin probably won't even live to see the sun rise tomorrow.

You can only talk about "someday"

because you're not family.

You're just an outsider!

I see.

Uh...

Idiot!

I'll figure something out.

Just you wait and see!

Had enough?

Steal again, and it'll be the last thing you do!

Scram, guttersnipe.

Turns out, I'm the idiot.

As his real brother, this is harder on Saji.

No one has eyes like mine.

I really am all alone in the world.

There must be someone out there.

One single person.

I just...

want to be special to someone.

Anyone.

The princess?

She could not have survived that.

This is unfathomable.

What now?

We shall keep this a secret

and find a stand-in, quickly.

Alisha.

Nina. I'm sorry about the other day.

Huh!

Oh, that's okay. It's my fault.

Let's get going.

There's somewhere special that I wanna take you.

Sure. Of course, I'll go.

Huh?

-It's empty. - Listen.

We can't keep living like this.

It's a dead end.

Uh, Saji?

And that's why...

this is the only option.

Sorry, Nina.

He sold me.

They're slavers!

Be gentle with him.

He must remain unblemished.

Right. Forgive me.

Saji.

I don't understand.

What did I do?

Were you that angry?

Or was I just an outsider to you all this time?

My heart.

It hurts so much.

- I'm dying. - Is the boy crying?

Naturally.

He's a child. Scared.

No matter.

Let's check his eyes.

Everything hinges on them.

Show me.

Huh?

There they are.

Deep blue eyes.

Golden eyes.

A beast's eyes.

Still, the boy is filthy. That stench is awful.

-Take off his clothing. -Yes, sir.

Stop! Take your hands off me!

Ow! He's running off. Grab him!

It's useless to fight us.

-Calm down, would you? -Let me go!

Hold still!

We're just changing you out of those filthy clothes!

Please, no!

Stop it!

It's a girl.

But why would she have been masquerading as a boy?

A poor orphan girl with blue eyes?

I imagine it must've been to avoid the slavers.

What shall we do?

This will suit our plans perfectly.

There's no need to disguise a boy.

She can be more than a temporary stopgap.

You. Girl.

Today, you shall die.

And then...

live as a princess.

Slow down!

I need you to wait, miss!

I'm not gonna wait just because you say so!

Quite the commotion.

Prince Azure! Actually, it's her.

Ouch, that hurt.

Huh?!

Can it be?

The filthy boy we brought here?

Hey, you're him!

You're Mister Golden Eyes!

Beneath those lovely clothes,

you're still the same on the inside.

What does that mean? Just who are you?

Kneel, girl.

Hmm.