Episode 22: The Sound of the Harp
Summary:
One day, Yuuyan rushes into the classroom and says that Erin is missing. Chaman informs her that she left for town with Tomura. Yuuyan then wildly concludes that they must have eloped.
In Esal’s office, Karisa is concerned about Erin not following the rules of raising a baby beast-lord, but Esal tells her she’s decided to place her bets on Erin. On the road, Erin, Tomura, Nukku and Mokku ride towards the capital, and she reveals their destination to be the capital’s harp shop. She wagers that if they can tune her harp, then she may be able to replicate the desired pitch.
At the capital, Ial has a smith analyze the assassin’s cracked helmet, who reveals that it wasn’t made by “non-Wajyaku.” He passes by a merchant getting detained by Officials– or Holons– from the palace, who accuse him of being a vagabond of the Grand Duke and a Wajyaku. He apparently was distributing fliers about how the Queen has fallen, though he claims those fliers were there from the beginning. As he looks at the flier, Ial recalls some of Hagal’s last words: those who live in the Queen’s quarter and don’t go to war slander those of the Grand Duke’s quarter, labeling them as “Wajyaku,” though they are both citizens of the same country. This wrongness has led to the birth of the Saigamul.
As Ial is walking near the water, he’s attacked by two masked fighters. A battle then ensues, symbolized by a blue dragonfly and two red ones. Ial draws on his training with Hagal and Kyle to fend off the attackers. When he tries to go after one, his wound reopens and he is forced to withdraw.
At the harp shop, Erin approaches Yantoku, the owner, and thanks him for his past assistance. She requests his help in tuning the harp, but he apparently has an order he must drop off; consequently, he won’t be back until tomorrow. Despite their pleas, he can only provide them with his place while he’s gone. Ial, meanwhile, struggles with his wound as he walks around town. At the shop, Erin plays the Bird of Dawn, which draws Ial to their location. Nukku and Mokku go investigate a noise outside. Erin realizes it’s Ial when she takes a look at him.
At the Queen’s palace, Damiya inquires about Seimiya. The Queen tells him she’s been locked up since the incident on her birthday. Damiya excuses himself to see how she is doing. In her room, Seimiya is given flowers from Shunan; Damiya hides in a hallway outside, giving Shunan kudos for getting in his way.
Back at the shop, Erin wonders how she’ll be able to make the correct sound. Meanwhile, Ial dreams of his fight with Hagal. His ex-supervisor talks about the formation of the Sezan, and how the Saigamul burned down the castle in the past; they claimed the Queen was the cause of divide in the country. In the fire, the present Queen lost her mother. The only survivors were Harumiya-sama, the current Queen, and her late grandmother, Shiimiya-sama. The Grand Duke at the time was accused of the crime, but it was he who exposed the true criminal. He also vowed to kill all the Saigamul, though that feat proved much more difficult. Hence, the Sezans were formed. With that, Hagal provided him with one last lesson: if things continue as they are, the country will meet its end. However, Ial told him that he would not believe in those that try to change the world through killing. Ial awakens with tears in his eyes.
Erin greets him with his name. He is surprised she knows it, then realizing his name is engraved on the harp. As his bandages are replaced, Erin is busy trying to tune the harp. Ial asks what she’s trying to do, and she explains the situation: she wants to achieve a sound, even if it means killing its soft tune. Erin also mentions Lilan, which allows Ial to draw its connection to the assassination attempt. Erin asks for his help in tuning the harp. He advises that she must not hesitate on something that may save one’s life. With his guidance, she succeeds in altering its form. As he watches her, Ial notes how she hasn’t changed over these past four years.
Back in Lilan’s shed, Erin returns with the modified harp and begins playing. The scene switches over to Tomura asking Esal-sensei to go with him to the shed. There, the two marvel at how Lilan is now eating with the help of Erin’s harp. She turns to them happily, tears in her eyes. Thus, Erin and Lilan’s future together officially began.
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My Thoughts:
Direct hit for Erin! She succeeded in what she set out to do. Ial was also able to lend some assistance, through words of confidence and expertise, which was cool. This was the highlight of the episode. Beast-lords never befriend humans, huh? Well, Erin did it! I imagine there are good and bad things that come with this, and I’m sure we’ll see them come into play in future episodes.
On the other front, the Saigamul threat continues to loom in the background, working its way closer to Erin’s path. We got the back story of the Sezan and why they were formed: not only do they protect the Queen, but they are also designed to fight against the Saigamul and help eliminate them. Makes sense. It’s also interesting to note how the Saigamul have been around for awhile, evidenced by the previous fire in the palace. Hagal’s analysis of the kingdom’s state and fate was also noteworthy; it falls in line with what Shunan was trying to tell Seimiya in episode 17. I agree that at least one thing is wrong with the status quo: people being eaten by Touda as a means of execution. We also got a peculiar term, too: “Wajyaku,” which is an offensive label given to those in the Grand Duke’s quarters. “Holons” are members of the palace while the townsfolk are hinted at as “non-Wajyaku.” The first time I saw those terms, I got confused, so I wanted to clarify them. Another fact Hagal points out is that those of the capital are ungrateful for the Grand Duke’s members’ services; thus, one gets the Saigamul. Erin will probably play a part in this somehow… we just have to wait for it.
We also caught a glimpse of things in the palace. It sounds boring for Seimiya to just lock herself in her room since the birthday bash. There’s also a sense of detachment from the real world I get from her, and perhaps even the Queen, which could be contributing to the overall problem. Damiya’s reaction when he saw Shunan’s flowers looked suspicious…
Next episode, we get to perhaps see some of the negative consequences of what Erin has accomplished. Looks like the teachers are having an important meeting. Could this mean the end of Erin’s enrollment at Kazalm? Not if the students have something to say about it! See the contemplation, next time, on Kemono no Souja Erin: “Kazalm’s Oath!”
Tags: anime, fantasy, heart-warming, Kemono no Souja Erin
