Episode 6: The Battle for the Farm
Scene: A hill in the countryside.
Subordinate 1
Ugh...
Subordinate 2
W-Why is a guild of farmhands this strong...
The two subordinates fall.
Rin
Weird, I feel like someone said the same thing to us earlier...
Mahiru
Heh heh. When you run a farm guild like ours, you get caught up in all sorts of things.
Subordinate 1
W-We need to report to Hanzo at once...
Subordinate 2
We have no choice but to retreat for now. Hmph!
Shiori
T-They vanished!?
Lima
What's going on!?
Rin
Ah, now that they've escaped, they'll be able to plan their defenses!! We need to hurry to that auditor!!
Cow
Moo.
Mahiru
... Ah.
Rin
What do we do about the cows...
Mahiru
We can't leave them here. I'm sorry, all of you. I know it'll be tough, but will you come with us?
Cow
Moo.
Mahiru
Ohh, okay, okay. You'll come with us, then. Thanks a bunch. Just bear with us a little longer. After that, you'll be able to rest easy.
Mahiru
Now, then, let's reclaim what was taken from us!
Scene: A road in the countryside.
Lima
Huh? The person walking toward us...
Man
Y-You guys! What did you do!? That auditor is in a rage at the farm!
Mahiru
Limalima, do you know this person?
Lima
Yes. This person was super nice to me at the quarry.
Mahiru
Oh, I see. Thanks for helping Limalima out.
Man
I-I didn't help at all... I'm just a criminal... M-More importantly, if you keep going this way, terrible things will happen to you! I can't even describe it! Just turn back!
Rin
So those two who escaped really reported back. And this is how things turned out. What do we do? Mahi...
Mahiru
You all said it before. You'll follow my misguided quest to the end.
Rin
That's what I figured. All right, then, let's go. Man, I didn't think that my armor was going to come in handy here.
Man
W-Why are you so relaxed about this? Those frightening people are waiting...
Mahiru
We know exactly what we're doing, and we'll be just fine... Because we're all in this together.
Man
... Maybe if I'd had someone with me, I would've been able to do more.
Mahiru
...?
Man
N-Nothing. I'd been afraid to go any farther. But if you say you're going onward, then I won't let myself be stopped either.
Lima
Thanks for worrying. But something bad might happen to you, too, if you're with us. You'd better keep your distance.
Man
R-Right... Be careful...
Scene: The farm at Elizabeth Park.
Subordinates
......
Rin
Well, it's about what I expected.
Hanzo
How relaxed you all look.
Mahiru
Relaxed or not, we're here to pay the money we hadn't been able to pay before.
Auditor
Hmph, don't play dumb. I heard that you stole away my cows by force.
Mahiru
Oh, Sir Auditor. You're here. That's perfect, then. We've come to pay back everything owed by Elizabeth Park in full!
Auditor
Feigning ignorance to the end... However! I'd like to hear you explain the cows following behind you!
Cow
Moo.
Rin
You don't realize what you're saying? We might have taken back the cows in advance of the payment, but you were also off doing as you pleased to Mahi's cows in advance.
Lima
And right now, you're doing all of this to the farm before the payment date.
Shiori
Perhaps you believed that there was no way we could ever come up with this money...
Mahiru
But we have all the money right here.
Auditor
Ahh, money, money. Yes, yes. You certainly worked hard to put together all the money. Good work.
Auditor
So what? If I gave the order, I could erase all of your lives in an instant.
Auditor
If you leave behind the cows and the farm and pull back obediently, I'll spare your lives. The correct choice should be obvious even to you dimwits, yes?
Mahiru
Nope.
Auditor
Wha...!?
Mahiru
What do you mean, spare our lives? To me, my farm, my friends, and my cows are my life!
Mahiru
When you took away our cows, and took away our hot spring, I stayed silent and followed your orders.
Mahiru
When I felt crushed by despair, my friends from Elizabeth Park lifted me back up. And now, I'm done retreating!
Auditor
Grrr...!! I'm finished playing nice with you!!
Auditor
Hanzo, remove them from my sight!! Don't leave a single trace of them!!
Hanzo
Understood. Prepare yourselves.
Subordinates
Hah!!
Rin
I won't let you do that.
Shiori
This is in return for all the horrible things you've done for Mahiru!
Subordinate 3
Hmph. A group of farmhands like you can't do anything!
Lima
And just who was it that let us farmhands take our cows back!?
Hanzo
Hmph. It was a simple mistake that allowed you to reclaim those cows. Do it.
Subordinate 1
Yes!
Mahiru
What!? Don't lay a hand on my cows!
Rin
I won't allow that!
Subordinates
You won't get through!
Rin
Ugh, enough! Don't get in my way!
Lima
Move!
Shiori
Or would you like to become a pincushion?
Subordinate
Ugh...!
Rin
Lima! Shiori!
Lima
Leave this area to us!
Shiori
Go save the cows with Mahiru!
Rin
Thanks! Wait for me, Mahi!
Elsewhere.
Hanzo
Ha ha, did you think that you could protect these cows all by yourself? What a fool!
Subordinate 3
Hah!
Subordinate 4
Take this!
Mahiru
Ugh!
Cow
Moo.
Mahiru
Don't worry about me. I'll protect you guys no matter what!
Hanzo
Let's see how long that strength lasts.
Rin
It'll last right up until we beat you!
Hanzo
...!
Rin
Tch, he avoided it.
Mahiru
Rinrin!
Rin
Sorry for being late! Are the cows okay?
Mahiru
Yes, somehow.
Hanzo
All of this effort to protect livestock. What meaning is there in protecting the lives of animals? All they are is a means to make money.
Mahiru
I've said this over and over. These are my family! And I don't need any more reason to protect my family!!
Cow
MOO!
Hanzo
What!?
Elsewhere.
Subordinate 1 & 2
What!?
Cow
MOOO!
Shiori
The cows are fighting!?
Lima
Thank you, everyone! But don't push it too far!
Subordinate 1 & 2
......
Shiori
Lima, be careful. There are still more enemies.
Lima
This number is no match for us, Shiori!
Shiori
...! You're right, they're nothing!
Subordinate 2
Bastards! Making light of us!!
Elsewhere.
Mahiru
Ha ha, the cows really are family after all.
Rin
They really understand your feelings. ... I'll have to be careful about slacking off in the barn, then.
Hanzo
Hmph, a distraction like that won't work on me.
Hanzo
Our enemy is you and you alone. Underestimating me will be the last thing you do. Ha!
Mahiru
Gaaah!?
Rin
Mahi!?
Hanzo
Hmph, too slow! I'll end this!
Mahi
Ugh...!
Lima & Shiori
I won't allow it!
Lima
Thanks for waiting!
Shiori
Sorry for the delay!
Rin
Y-You really saved us!
Hanzo
You... What of my subordinates...
Lima
They're taking a nice nap over there.
Shiori
It's been a long time since I've taken on defense-related work. Rin, let's stay strong against the last one.
Rin
The last one is the strongest one, though. Ahh, we're not out of trouble yet...
Begin animated cutscene.
Mahiru
It'll be all right, Rinrin. We're all here together. I'm honored to fight with you all.
Mahiru
Our counterattack begins here.
Yuuki
Let's go!
Mahiru
Taste the power of Elizabeth Park!
Hanzo
Hmph. No matter how many of you gather, the outcome will be the same.
Rin
That skill... If that's what he's doing, then...!
Lima
Rin!
Hanzo
Heh heh heh. One wrong step, and it'll all be for naught.
Mahiru
This can't be... Rinrin...
Rin
What's the matter?
Hanzo
W-What!?
Rin
Whew, it sure was hot in there. I ran as fast as I could, and I slipped right out of my armor. Thanks to that, I snuck right up to you.
Hanzo
Let go! You... You can't be any mere farmer!
Mahiru
That's right, we're no mere farmers.
Rin
Because we're all together now. You can't win against us.
Hanzo
What are you saying?
Hanzo
Now, come, girl! I'll cut you apart this time!
Shiori
I see an opening!
Lima
Here we go, Shiori! Haah!
Hanzo
You bastards!
Rin
Heh. You're a dummy. Mahi, now!
Mahiru
This is for all of the people you've hurt!
End of animated cutscene.
Auditor
(W-What... I paid so much to hire Hanzo, only for him to be dispatched so quickly...)
Auditor
(I'll retreat for now, and find some suitable reason to indict Elizabeth Park as criminals...)
Lima
I wonder where you think you're going.
Auditor
E-EEEEK!?
Rin
Looks like you couldn't erase us, huh.
Shiori
I'd been wondering if he had another trick up his sleeve. But from the look of him, it doesn't seem like it.
Royal Knight
That's enough of this chaos!!
Auditor
Ah!! I-I'm saved! All of you! The royal knights are here to arrest you...
Royal Knight
For the crime of using your position as auditor to defraud numerous guilds, you are under arrest!!
Auditor
... Eh? W-What's this!? Are you blind!?
Man
......
Lima
H-Huh? You... Why are you here?
Man
... I'm so sorry!!
Mahiru
What's going on!? Why are you on the ground...
Royal Knight Leader
This person confessed to falsifying the documents of Elizabeth Park while under threat from the auditor.
Lima
Eh? T-That means the debt that Elizabeth Park owed was never...
Man
It never existed at all! It was all just a plot by the auditor, who wanted to take Elizabeth Park's cows!
Man
The auditor said that if I falsified the documents, he would cancel the debt of my guild, so I... I...
Man
I caused all of this... I... I don't know how I can ever make up for it... I'm sorry... I'm truly sorry...
Mahiru
Come, lift your head.
Man
......
Mahiru
You just wanted to protect what was dear to you, too. If I had been in your place, I might even have done the same thing.
Man
I don't believe it! You're not like me -- not a coward like me at all! I was weak...
Mahiru
I'm also weak on my own. I even felt like giving up in the middle of all this. But I had friends who were there for me. That's why I've been able to live on as I have.
Mahiru
It's true that your hands have been stained by misdeeds. That's something you'll have to make up for. But once you've atoned for everything, I'd like to invite you to our farm. We'll have delicious milk and a hot spring waiting for you. How about it?
Man
...!! Thank you! Thank you so much!!
Auditor
EEEEEK! Why are you making this such a feel-good moment!? Hanzo! Hanzo! Do something about this!
Rin
... Huh? He disappeared at some point.
Royal Knight
Who? When we arrived, there was nobody but you all here...
Auditor
... Eh?
Mahiru
Seems like you've been abandoned. How sad...
The others watched the pitiful sight of the auditor being dragged off in chains, into the distance.