Episode 45: Bird in a Cage
Summary:
Kiriku recalls his first meeting with Damiya. He explained how his adoptive parents used him and Tahya as a means of citizenship in the Queen’s quarter. He cursed them for murdering his sister, who lived so purely; furthermore, he vowed to exterminate all Wajyaku. Kiriku asked Damiya whether the world belongs to those who live purely. Damiya said it does, and offered him a role in his cause. He also thinks back to when he received the poison from him. In thinking through all of this, he has been watching Erin down below, and it’s apparent she still stirs the doubt within him.
A silent scene between Damiya and Seimiya is then shown, where he apparently proposes to her. Back in the shed, Erin thinks back to Damiya’s words about the Grand Duke becoming King. At the palace, Kyle informs Ial of Damiya’s proposal and how Seimiya accepted. Ial is surprised by the news, and even more when Kyle informs him that they, the Sezans, have been replaced by a new team. Ial asks him about the investigation, and Kyle details his findings: he verifies Erin’s claim of a Touda’s crest, and that an army of Touda had been created in secret. The evidence all leads to one person. Though he does not directly say it, Damiya is allegedly the culprit.
In Seimiya’s room, her attendants woo over her dress and are excited to see her in it. Nami looks over and notices Seimiya’s silence, prompting her to ask whether she’s feeling well. Seimiya tells her she’s fine, and says how she must go to the Forest of Cleansing in two days and remain focused to avoid the gods’ punishment. Nami reassures her that the gods will protect her, and Seimiya agrees.
In Damiya’s room, Kiriku inquires about Erin’s decision to his order, and is updated on how one beast-lord will fly to demonstrate their power. He wonders if this is enough, and Damiya says that the Grand Duke’s men are not used to seeing a beast-lord with a human on its back; plus, they will see their Touda die by Lilan’s fangs. Doubt will fill the Grand Duke’s ranks, and he will learn first-hand that they have power equivalent to that of a god. Kiriku closes his eyes in contemplation, and Damiya goes on to say how he’ll wed Seimiya once Shunan returns to his quarter in defeat. He will then forge a beast-lord army in secret. Kiriku doesn’t think Erin will agree to it, but Damiya reassures him, stating that Erin is a wise and kind girl. He mentions how there is one more person in the way, and that all threats should be eliminated.
Kiriku thinks back to when he and Tahya first met their foster parents and received a bird in a cage. Things quickly changed for the worst, though, and the scene shifts to Tahya’s abuse and death. After poisoning them in retaliation, Kiriku encourages the dying bird to fly for Tahya’s sake, but is unsuccessful. Back in the present, as he prepares to carry out Damiya’s order, Kiriku continues to think about Erin. Yet, he puts on the familiar mask and tells himself that he will become the poison to eliminate all impurities.
Ial is summoned to Damiya’s room, where he is treated to some wine. Damiya informs Ial of his proposal and how Seimiya accepted. The wedding will be held after the mourning period is over. Ial congratulates him, and Damiya gives thanks. The two then toast to the future of their kingdom. Damiya claims he didn’t propose for his own needs, but rather it was to strengthen their bloodline for Ryoza. He says that the Queen should rule in her pure state while the Grand Duke’s soldiers dirty their hands, per their destiny. He claims that to protect these ideals, the current “impurities” must be corrected. Ial asks if that’s why he’s using Erin, and Damiya dodges the question. He instead calls her a strange girl, having a unique ability yet refusing to show it off. When inquired about what Erin told the late Queen, Ial says he has nothing to share; he says that if he’s interested, then he should ask Erin. Annoyed, Damiya says he’s asking him, but Ial poses an interesting question: if he spoke, would he reconsider building a beast-lord army? Damiya says no, and hence Ial doesn’t see what difference his words would make. A disappointed Damiya thinks he’s correct, but says Ial is nothing more than a layer of shielding. He claims that only people like himself can influence a country, and those with true power never step outside.
Ial suddenly realizes the wine was poisoned. Damiya says that though no one notices, everything moves by his command. Seimiya, Shunan, and even the late Queen are tools to him. Ial realizes he was indeed the perpetrator of the Touda attack. Damiya says that a new era will soon begin, and that old tools should be rid of, which includes the talking shields. Ial immediately knows that the Sezans are in danger. Elsewhere, Kyle fights against a group of masked men. Ial rushes out of the room, and Damiya receives the antidote from a hidden Kiriku. Damiya was worried that the poison wasn’t affecting Ial, but reasons that it’s because he’s a Sezan. He tells Kiriku to finish the job.
The scene shifts to a weakened Ial rushing to Kyle’s aid. As he’s about to be overtaken, Ial saves him and says he’ll attract the pursuers, allowing him to escape. He is faced against two adversaries, and manages to take one of down. The other survivor is Kiriku, and Ial realizes he is a teacher from Kazalm. He brings up Erin and his betrayal, and wonders if he dragged her into this. Ial argues that she was only living purely and to the best of her ability with the beast-lords. Kiriku thinks again to his sister in comparison to Erin, and states he only wanted to see how far she could go. Ial says he’s the one that prevented her from continuing up, trapping her in a cage that Damiya prepared. His words shatter Kiriku’s motivation, and he mutters his sister’s name. Ial realizes he, too, must be Damiya’s tool. Thinking back to what he’s done and experienced, Kiriku is unable to hold his tears and kneels to the ground. Ial watches him silently and walks away. The shattered mask lies nearby, while its owner continues to weep regretfully.
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My Thoughts:
Damiya proposing to Seimiya? That’s ridiculous. I’m surprised her attendants were looking forward to it, considering he is her uncle. I guess it’s alright since he’s a descendant of a god -_-;. Seimiya should be more worried about being “defiled” with Damiya than with Shunan. The story would really end tragically if Erin and all the good guys died, and Shunan was forced to witness Seimiya and Damiya’s wedding. That probably won’t happen though.
Ial and Kyle finally figured out the mastermind of things, which turned out to be Damiya. Unfortunately, Ial fell for his trap while Kyle almost died. I had thought Ial faked drinking the wine since it felt obvious that it was poisoned, but I overestimated him. I was worried he was going to drop dead once the background changed to a weird color, but fortunately he’s still alive at the end of the episode. It’s impressive (and somewhat coincidental) that Ial managed to hit on all the points and words to mentally take down Kiriku.
Speaking of Kiriku, with all his doubts leading up to that point, I’m surprised he acted so… surprised. I think it was more of him hearing what he thought said by someone else that broke him. When a person doubts himself, sometimes he keeps on trucking just because he thinks he’s overanalyzing something; but when he hears those same arguments by someone else, then that defense is broken and he can become easily demotivated. Seeing him kneel and shed tears like that just supports the idea that he’s been forcing himself to justify his actions. I wonder what he’ll do now.
Fortunately, it looks like Kyle may have successfully escaped to get help. Next episode, it appears Ial and Erin get some more development together, though Damiya could spoil the mood. I’m hoping he’s able to tell her what’s going on before he dies, if that should happen. Look forward to Erin x Ial, next time, on Kemono no Souja Erin: “Their Bond!”
Tags: anime, drama, fantasy, Kemono no Souja Erin
