Ulysses: Jeanne d'Arc and the Alchemist Knight (ユリシーズ ジャンヌ・ダルクと錬金の騎士)

Citizens, hear me!

Alas, Harfleur has fallen.

Nonetheless, fear not.

God has blessed France with His divine protection!

The day is nigh whereupon we drive out

the dogs of the English army,

and end this bloody war once and for all.

Who goes there? How dare you just barge in?

Can't you see the store's not open yet?

And when exactly will you be open?

Ah, I might have known it was only you.

I don't have any new grimoires.

I should think you'd tire of asking for them day after day.

Ugh.

Huh? What's that?

Heh! That volume exceeds your reading aptitude.

Put it on my tab.

Ridiculous.

Hmm?

Thank you kindly, Master.

I'm not your master, now leave.

Beast of the Apocalypse, huh?

Our great nation has long been under siege

by our neighbor across the channel.

War with England began in the last century,

the year of my birth, in fact.

You might be surprised to learn that was nearly 80 years ago.

If this conflict persists much longer,

historians of the future wouldn't be remiss

to refer to it as the "Hundred Years' War."

This vicious, enduring conflict between the world's two dominant

Christian nations for rule of the kingdom

has resulted in copious bloodshed

and scorched earth, plunging the populations

on both sides into devastating hardship.

Absent again? Good grief.

That's as far as I'll get on my own.

Montmorency.

Oh.

Richemont.

Can't you knock?

Why should I? You left the door wide open.

You have the lowest marks

in military arts, martial arts, and equestrian arts.

On top of that, your poor attendance

puts you at an even higher risk of failing.

As for this heresy you study--

It's not heresy.

It's called alchemy, all right?

Montmorency, where have--

Huh?

It looks like Richemont got to him first this time.

Never mind. Sorry.

Hmph.

Uh, so, um,

Montmorency's not here then?

He's not. How is that boy so popular?

Ugh.

Transmutation with the Philosopher's Stone.

It's the ultimate, secret divine art.

They say the Stone has the power to grant its owner immortality.

Which means, if we can master alchemy--

As I was saying, if we master alchemy,

we can make sure no one dies in battle again.

Was that a reaction?

I've heard this a hundred times.

So, you're gonna buy up all the grimoires

you can find, then what?

I don't know yet.

I've read tons of them, and it's like they're written in code.

I won't get anywhere unless I convince that old man

to teach me to decipher them.

Nicolas Flamel.

He's an alchemist rumored to have learned

the secret art of Kabbalah.

I don't know what scurrilous rumors you've heard,

but I'm an old bookseller, nothing more.

Ask someone else.

He's not fooling anyone.

You done talking now?

-- Hmm? --Good, come back to reality.

Don't you realize our military has all

but escorted the English army across front lines?

They've taken Harfleur, and they're gaining traction.

As a member of the nobility,

you have a duty to become a knight

and help your people put an end to this war.

I don't want a job that requires me to take lives.

I'd rather save them instead.

You're hopeless.

Oh, yeah. Are you free tonight, by any chance?

So, what am I doing here, exactly?

-- --Huh?!

Hold it!

Charlotte?

Philip?

Wait, fairies?

Yeah. I saw them, plain as day.

Hey, were those--

As you might know,

fairies are seen as the familiars of demons.

They're hunted down by the church.

So what is Nicolas Flamel doing

keeping a bunch of them in his house?

Well, I have a theory.

They must be well-versed in alchemy.

Which brings us here.

If the old man won't teach me alchemy,

then I'll just seek help from the fairies.

Perhaps they can help me get started, at least.

Hey, fairies don't typically bite humans, do they?

Yes, I once heard a story about a fairy

biting a little girl's finger off.

Cut it out, Charlotte.

I also heard about a fairy who entered a girl's body

through her mouth and ate her innards.

Charlotte. Leave her alone.

Hmph.

Be quiet. You'll scare away the fairies.

Montmorency, why are you so much nicer to Philip

than everyone else?

You know, you have a penchant for stirring up trouble.

It happens to the best of us

every once in a while.

Don't worry about it.

It's all right.

Just so you know, he's equally nice to everyone,

but Philip is very sensitive, unlike you.

Why do you think I get so mad?

Watch out! In the trees!

What is it?

Are these guys...

English soldiers.

Huh?

Richemont!

Ha!

Your fight is with me! Leave her--Gah!

--So weak. --Oh! Are you okay?

I'm perfectly fine.

-- --

No!

Huh?

Take this, you English dogs!

You did it. What was that stuff?

Pepper and ash.

You mean it's not even poison?

I don't make anything like that.

For crying out loud.

Just play along.

Turn back now, for your own good!

Do you have any idea who you're dealing with?

He happens to be the foremost pupil

of the infamous Nicolas Flamel.

This young man is known throughout France

as Montmorency, the Alchemist of Black Death.

Now tremble before him!

That's right!

And, for my next trick, I shall turn your men to stone.

Sadly, I don't have the antidote,

which means the effect will be permanent.

I just have to buy time until Richemont

can take that guy out.

Now, Philosopher's Stone,

by your limitless magical power, behold!

This mortal shall become a mighty berserker.

Huh?

Did you plan to die together tonight?

I knew the English had crossed into France,

but they're farther than I thought.

You should be all right now.

It's so different than mock battle.

You should be proud.

You're incredibly strong, Richemont.

Montmorency...

We beat them because of my strategy.

Yes, I know. Excellent work.