May I Ask for One Final Thing? (最後にひとつだけお願いしてもよろしいでしょうか)

Terenezza's disappearance and the Palmian scheming...

I fear this bodes ill.

"I look forward to seeing you in a month at Diana Cathedral."

"Diana."

No matter what else happens, I will protect you...

Saint Diana.

MAY I SEND THIS PIG FLYING INTO THE SKY?

I will repeat myself, Dear Brother.

I wish to go on a hot springs tour.

I suspect this is just a pretense to punch someone, Dear Sister.

How cruel.

Do you lack trust in your sister to such a degree?

Trust?

The audacity of you.

I have not forgotten how you lied about your "vow" with Prince Julius.

For one, fleeting moment, I thought that you had found marital bliss...

But we did make a vow.

That is entirely beside the point!

You're not going to try and punch the "saint," are you?

That's right! You try to go on a trip this same time every year!

And the hot springs itinerary you showed me

is almost the same route as the holy land pilgrimage...

Dear Brother.

The saint is beloved by the people and indispensable to the kingdom.

I would never dream of socking such an honored personage.

Very well.

I'll approve your hot springs tour.

But try not to cause any more tro—

You have my thanks.

I shall take my leave at once.

Take care, Leo, Nanaka.

That took you longer than expected.

So Leo thought you wanted to go punch the saint?

My brother is the head of the Crown Investigatory Office.

Surely there's no need to hide the fact

that I'm accompanying you on the holy land pilgrimage, nor the reason why.

No, we definitely need to hide it.

May I ask why?

Because the longer we keep it a secret,

the funnier his reaction will be when he finds out.

May I pulverize you now?

All jokes aside, ever since the Godwin incident,

the neighboring realms have been acting suspiciously.

We've dealt with the corrupt nobles, but the court itself has not yet stabilized.

There's a chance of spies in our midst as well.

Thus, these things must remain confidential, even from Leo.

Do you understand?

Ah, our destination is in sight.

The Wall of Impurity surrounds the Religious Quarter,

from which the holy land pilgrimage will depart.

I knew it was the headquarters for both Palmianism and Dianism,

but it's still quite grandiose.

The Palmian Pope said it was necessary to protect the Religious Quarter

from "the filth of the worldly realm."

But it's more likely there to obscure his corruption.

Palmianism's current head is Pope Sargon, is it not?

Yes. Those who've known him since his days as a corrupt merchant call him...

The Scheming Social Climber.

She wants to clobber him.

What's happened?

Well...

The gate just closed on us.

Excuse me! Why did you close the Holy Gate?

Terribly sorry!

Pope Sargon issued strict orders that none may pass

without approval of His Majesty himself!

That wretched old schemer.

He's trying to prevent the pilgrimage.

His Majesty's currently attending a conference with the other realms of the land.

Surely His Holiness is aware of this.

This sounds like an act of childish spite to me.

I won't tolerate you speaking of our holy father this way!

Cease this slander at once!

I am Jarmov the Ogre, Inquisitor of Palmianism!

Punching that pig would be very satisfying, I'm sure!

Inquisitor, you say?

That's right!

It is our duty to expel heretics who mean harm to Palmianism...

even you, Your Highness, if we must!

This is done with the approval of our supreme goddess, Palmia!

I find it unbelievable that His Majesty could permit such misconduct.

Is it the pope who approved your organization?

Obviously!

We inquisitors are His Holiness's most trusted retainers!

In other words, apostles of our great goddess!

Behold! With this sacred hammer entrusted to me by Goddess Palmia,

I shall deliver punishment unto the heretics!

Have I abided by the terms of our agreement?

MAGIC ITEM FOR RECORDING SPEECH - Well, it's only slightly better than nothing.

MAGIC ITEM FOR RECORDING SPEECH - I leave the rest to you.

Follow your heart.

Let us begin by opening the gate.

Hah! Fool!

There's no battering ram nor spell that could put a scratch on the Holy Gate!

You see—

An earthquake?

With her bare hands?!

Allow me to explain what you may have overlooked.

To open this gate, one must push—

not pull.

We know that!

M-Monster!

What a rude thing to say to a lovely young maiden.

Wait, is she... Scarlet El Vandimion?!

The Bloodstained Lady?!

The Lady of Beatings!

G-Get away! She'll beat us all to death!

You!

Embodiment of evil who entrapped Minister Godwin!

I'm afraid I must borrow this.

Fool!

You can't block this with a flimsy pole—

Here you are.

No sign of injury?

No matter how many times you may tear my wings asunder,

my lofty mission shall never be grounded!

As long as I have these healing powers, I can rise again!

This again?

With righteousness on my side, I will never l—

"If walloped hard enough, even pigs can fly."

It's a saying that means punching can resolve seemingly impossible dilemmas.

Perhaps it will become a common proverb in the future.

I can't imagine anyone using it but you.

Make way!

Th-That's...

The Holy Order of Diana!

Sir Paragas.

I'm so glad you're safe!

I'm terribly sorry we were late to meet you.

We were dealing with scattered riots by what we believe to be worshipers of Palmia.

The unifying power of Dianism created by the holy land pilgrimage

must displease them greatly.

There may be something else they're really after.

What's this?

Captain, I see the gang's all here! What's up?

You bastard! Where have you been?!

Hey, chill out.

Whoa, look at that babe!

Where have you been all my life?!

I thought the order taught their knights better manners than that.

Hey, you Prince Julius?

You fool!

The unmitigated insolence!

I'll beat some sense into that empty head of yours once and for all!

N-No violence, please!

F-Fine, I'll do it right!

Head Knight of the Holy Order, Dios Westwood, at your service.

I look forward to working with you.

Indeed. As do I.

Prince Julius seems to struggle with freewheeling types like him.

It's a true pleasure to meet you.

My name is Scarlet El Vandimion.

I'm head over heels already!

Be my girlfriend, okay?

Say, Scarlet. Do class differences bother you?

Well, let me think.

They do not bother me personally, but I was born to a noble house.

It is my duty to marry a man of a certain station.

Hey, no worries there.

I don't look like much, but I'm the son of elvish royalty!

I like to tell people that my mother's a human, and I'm a half-elf.

Wait, scratch that "tell people" part.

You are quite entertaining.

However...

This is unacceptable.

One must respect the standard social mores.

I must ask that you show my companion some respect.

Oh, is that what this is?

Yes, that's it exactly.

Now that we're clear, I ask that you leave Scarlet alone.

Well, now we're in a pickle.

I hate taking orders, see?

And I'd look pretty lame if I backed down after that...

Dios!

- Show some respect for His Highness! - You fool! Act befitting a knight!