Victoria of Many Faces (手札が多めのビクトリア)

Vicky?

There's a favor I want to ask of you.

Is that okay?

Uh-huh.

There's something I really need to do.

So I'll have to go out in the evening for a while.

Okay.

And...

Vicky, tell me.

I'll need you to stay home while I'm away.

I'll be back just as quick as I can.

Believe in me.

But if you don't want to, I'll ask Miss Susan if you can stay with her.

Which would you prefer?

I'll wait for you at home.

Thank you, Nonna.

But I want to eat dinner with you, Vicky.

Very good. I want to have dinner with you too, Nonna.

It's a promise.

VICTORIA OF MANY FACES

PREPARED TO PAY FOR WHAT I'VE DONE

Do you know how to handle a horse?

Of course.

Make sure you give her a break often.

I'll handle her with care.

I'm only going to visit my sick mother, so please don't worry.

Are you Mr. Hector?

And who're you?

My name is Kate.

I heard you'd help me for a fee.

If the price is right for the job.

My lover is a married man.

I want to elope with him,

but his wife waits for him at the end of the day outside of where he works.

So I need to sneak him out in the middle of the day.

Just have him play sick and leave work early.

The thing is, all three of us work at the same place.

And where's that?

At the castle.

The castle, huh?

That'll hike up the price.

Bring him to the outer gate of the royal capital.

Would this be enough?

This will do.

Come back the day after tomorrow.

I'll fill you in on the details then.

Okay.

By the way, who told you about me?

A friend I made recently.

Okay, time for today's main event.

Who the hell are you?

My lover was arrested at the ball the other day.

May I please see him?!

You mean Carl?

Yes!

I'm sorry, but I'll have to pat you down.

That's fine. Go ahead.

Good, now lift up your skirt.

Not surprising for a woman asking to visit a death row inmate.

Hey! Your lover's here to see you.

Carl!

How did this happen?!

I've heard rumors that he'll be executed soon.

Sir, could you please leave us alone for a while?

No, I can't...

He won't be leaving here alive, right?

Then, just to talk... so we can be in private.

Okay, fine.

Only for an hour.

When time's up, I'll come back for you.

Thank you so much!

Who are you?

If you want to be saved, keep your mouth shut.

Wh-What are you doing?

Be quiet.

Good. I've memorized the patrol routes outside.

That's all for today.

H-Hey!

I just needed to confirm something.

Even if you run now, there's no way out.

You'd just get killed by the guards.

I'll be back tomorrow, so pretend like I'm your lover.

Thank you very much.

I'll come again tomorrow.

I'm home!

Welcome home, Vicky!

Thanks for holding down the fort.

I was fine by myself.

Vicky, are you sweating?

Yes.

I ran because I wanted to see you soon.

You didn't have to run, Vicky. I can wait.

You're such a good girl.

And strong too.

A skit?

That's right.

Today, we'll learn language by becoming characters.

The play is The Princess in White and the Blue Lizard.

I know this one!

I read it at Master Bernard's manor!

Do you know it too, Master Clark?

Yes. A man is turned into a lizard by a curse,

so he and the princess work together to defeat the witch, right?

That's right.

It's a famous fairy tale where the lizard

regains his human form and marries the princess in the end.

So, who wants to be the lizard?

Me.

Okay, you'll be the lizard, Master Clark.

Next, who wants to be the princess?

Huh? You don't want to take part, Nonna?

I want the witch.

You be the princess, Vicky.

But the witch gets defeated in the end.

So don't cry, okay?

I won't cry.

I guess that's that.

In which case, I'll play the princess.

I'll say the lines in Ashburian, so reply back to me in Randallish.

Okay!

Your darling sweetheart is here to see you again.

Okay, I'll come get you when time's up.

Thank you.

I'll need you to help me too.

A string saw in your heel?

Considering the visitation time and the frequency of the patrols,

we can only saw one spot a day.

There are five iron bars in all.

To saw them top and bottom will take at least ten days.

How is your little sister?

She's at home.

Due to her mental condition, she can't leave the house.

I'm worried whether she's eating as she should by herself.

Listen, why are you helping a total stranger like me?

I'm doing this for myself, so don't worry about it.

Excuse me. Hello.

How can I help you?

I'll pay for your time and your service,

so could I leave my horse and wagon with you for a few days?

Why do you need to do that?

The thing is, my father is against my little brother's marriage.

So he and his fiancée are planning on leaving the royal capital on foot.

Now that I've found out,

the least I can do is to leave them a horse-drawn cart as a wedding gift.

Must be rough having such a stubborn man for a father.

Okay, you can count on me.

Thank you very much!

Don't mention it.

Who is it?

Quiet, please.

A message from your big brother.

Promise me you won't write down

or speak a word of what I just told you to anyone.

Of course.

By any chance, did Maria and the others ask you to do this, Miss Kate?

Maria?

Maria, Luna, and Eliza.

The women who suffered the same fate I did at the hands of the marquess.

I'm not involved.

More importantly, are you eating okay?

Do you have money?

I... do.

This isn't much, but spend it all on food.

From here on, you'll need stamina to get through what's to come.

Eat, sleep, and exercise. Got it?

Y-Yes...

Mwhahaha! Mi lalala!

MWHAHAHA! YOU LITTLE BRAT!

Perisa, tuffle flami ariam!

PRINCESS, PLEASE GET BACK!

I wanted to see Nonna play the princess, but this has its charm.

Kuff...

UGH...

Nan'a hans ma somhan muhoma!

I'M BACK TO MY HUMAN FORM!

Perisa, cefla tuffle flami marnash?

PRINCESS, WILL YOU PLEASE MARRY ME?

Master Clark, try pulling your tongue back a little with that "tuffle."

Tuffle flami marnash.