Episode 34: Ial and Erin
Summary:
An injured beast-lord from Lazal has been brought to Kazalm. However, sometime after its arrival, Kiriku immobilizes and gives it poison. He’s sorry it must die, but it is for a greater cause. The following day, Erin and Tomura arrive to examine the ailing beast-lord, unaware of the poison. However, Erin sniffs a scent from its mouth, which resembles the smell of the poisonous chichi mimic back in Ake. Esal-sensei wonders how it’s inflicted with something exclusive to the Grand Duke’s quarter, but Erin doesn’t know. She informs her of how they got the antidote from the Mist People last time, but Esal-sensei says it won’t as easy since they are in the Queen’s quarter. Erin decides to head to the capital, hopeful that she may be able find a remedy. Kiriku approaches and says it probably has two days left to live. Esal-sensei asks Erin to find the antidote and return by the day after tomorrow; she and the others will try to get the toxin out of its system. Tomura tells her he’ll take care of Lilan.
At the palace, Shunan reports that his father is bed-ridden due to a heart illness. Ial watches from afar and is interrupted by Kyle. He has apparently taken over the case of the stolen Touda eggs. He reports that the eggs are being brought to the Queen’s quarter, which raises more questions; they’ve also linked the masked men to this plot. Kyle wonders if they’re really the Saigamul, since having the Touda eggs wouldn’t be any real benefit. They’re interrupted when a servant comes and reports to Seimiya and the others about how Nami, her attendant, has fallen ill. In the room with Nami, a servant informs Ial she fell ill after eating a snack from a Ryoza citizen. Ial sniffs it and detects a sweet smell, prompting Shunan to examine it; he recognizes the scent belonging to chichi mimic. Shunan reports the past incident about how they found it in one of the crates being sent to the Queen. Ial says the likely culprit is the Saigamul. Shunan assumes Ial thinks it’s something he or his father plotted, but Ial says that those of the Saigamul wouldn’t do something like this that would dishonor the Grand Duke. Thus, he believes someone is trying to make it seem like the Saigamul are responsible. Shunan says it makes no difference since the Queen and Seimiya are in danger. Seimiya asks Shunan to save Nami, but Ial says it would be better if the Sezans did this, since they know the capital better.
Meanwhile, Erin searches for the remedy on her own and is directed to a shop just outside the capital. Back at Kazalm, things look bad for the beast-lord. They think it may not even last until tomorrow morning. The scene shifts again to the capital, where a masked figure watches the Sezan atop a tower. He decides how he can’t let them find the antidote and heads to the same shop Erin is traveling to. He tries to buy all the antidote but is interrupted by Ial. The two face off in a quick duel but the masked man runs off. At the same time, Erin arrives, along with Nukku and Mokku, to witness the end of their fight. When Ial checks on the shop owner she calls out to him, but he pretends not to know her. The antidote is now hard to find because the shop is messy, but Erin is able to locate it from careful observation. Ial asks why she needs it, and Erin explains the situation. Ial concludes Kazalm and the palace’s incidents are related, and that someone fed the beast-lord poison. He tells them it’s dangerous to return as-is. Later that night, the masked man watches as Nukku and Mokku ride away with two figures on the back. He manages to shoot one of the figures, causing Nukku and Mokku to stop. He hops on the back of the wagon and realizes the figures were dummy decoys. An ambush by the Sezan prompts him to commit suicide by poison to avoid interrogation.
Elsewhere, Ial and Erin ride towards Kazalm on their own wagon. She wonders why he is coming with her. He tells her that if a beast-lord, the symbol of the Queen, were to be successfully poisoned and killed, many rumors would spread and the Queen’s authority would be tarnished. Erin wonders what would be the point, and Ial claims it holds enough influence as a crisis for their country. Thus, in order to protect the Queen, like Sezans are meant to, he is escorting her back to save her symbol. Erin then asks why he thinks people use beasts for their own purposes; she states beasts don’t live for humans. He doesn’t directly respond, but assumes beast-lords are important to her. They run into a collapsed bridge, and Erin wonders how they’ll get across. The two men there tell them of a nearby suspension bridge crossable by foot.
As they traverse it, Erin notices a distant bird flying around a distant tree. Ial asks her what’s wrong. She tells him how its nest must be there, but it can’t go back to it. Ial concludes someone must be waiting for them, and is able to dodge and kill the hidden assassin. He then calls Erin by her name, saying everything will be alright now. She is happy he actually remembered. Ial apologizes for pretending, explaining he did it so people wouldn’t associate her with a Sezan, thus putting her at risk. Erin tells him not to worry.
When they arrive at Kazalm, they’re greeted by Nukku, Mokku, Tomura, and Kiriku. Tomura tells her the beast-lord is still alive, and he takes note of Ial, “the Sezan.” Ial tells them to hurry and give the beast-lord the antidote. Erin thanks him before they hurry off. Nukku and Mokku also leave the scene. It is then Ial notices Kiriku, who eventually walks away. He senses he’s seen him before. Back at the palace, Nami is given the antidote and seems to be recovering. Likewise, the beast-lord at Kazalm slowly regains its strength. Everyone celebrates, and Kiriku just watches silently. Though Ial and Erin were able to end this case successfully, Ial knows that the poison eroding the country is silently spreading.
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My Thoughts:
Ial comes to the same conclusion I brought up last time on how it seems someone is pretending to be the Saigamul. This is further reinforced by how they’re bringing the Touda eggs into the Queen’s quarter. If they were really the Saigamul, then they would already have Touda from serving the Grand Duke. Who could possibly be responsible in the Queen’s quarter *sarcasm*? My traitor detector points to Damiya!
Ial also explained the reason why someone would want to poison a beast-lord: to tarnish the Queen’s authority. That still leaves me with questions on why Damiya is doing this, since he seems more loyal to her than the Grand Duke. Is it possible the Kiba under Soyon’s care were poisoned in the same way (if what Nason said last episode wasn’t true)? But I’m not sure if Damiya would have anything to gain from doing that, aside from keeping the Grand Duke’s Touda count low.
I enjoy the short skirmishes this show has. They’re done pretty fluidly and leaves me wanting more. I know fighting isn’t the show’s focal point though.
Ial and Erin get a little bit of development, but not too much. I really doubt any romance will spark between the two (at least, any portrayed in the series), though Erin might feel a sort of attraction towards Ial. I’m surprised they didn’t send more men to try and stop Ial, especially since the Sezans had enough time to gather people. Lucky he had Erin with him, or he would have been toast. With all the superhuman movements Ial does, I also wonder why he just didn’t jump over the broken bridge with Erin ^_^;. Now that Erin has foiled his plan, I wonder if Kiriku plans to poison any more beast-lords.
It looks like the topic of next episode won’t focus on that, though. Looks like Lilan may have a potential mate: a male beast-lord by the name of Eku. Are they going to get down next time? Find out, on the next episode of Kemono no Souja Erin: “New Life!”
Tags: anime, fantasy, heart-warming, Kemono no Souja Erin
