Hatenkou Yuugi Episode 9 – “When you cannot save anyone…”

Wow, it took me a while before I got to this entry due to the spring anime season preview. It is the latter part of a two episode arc on the past of Heat and Alzeid. A man of yesteryear, Solesta, came to find Heat and Alzeid for a job. The assignment is to protect Vincent, an illegitimate son of a noble from any harm. Vincent’s family is currently suffering from a bloody family dispute and is hiding in the small town until peace has resumed. However, what is Solesta plotting? Why does he want Alzeid to join his group for this mission?

What other trials will Rahzel face too with her ban of magic?

Episode summary

Rahzel says that Solesta can leave his sarcastic thanks aside, as she asks for Solesta’s plan. Solesta explains that Vincent is the child from a king and his maid. Usually, Vincent will be discarded but a plague causes all his children to die, meaning he is the heir apparent. The ring is given to the maid as proof of his heritage. Solesta adds that they are not idiots who will mishandle their charges, while Rahzel wonders about how someone almost allows his ward to be kidnapped. Alzeid berates them for arguing, warning Solesta that he is dealing with a kid and telling Rahzel that she can use magic when it is dangerous. The promise can be forsaken. Rahzel insists to follow it through.

A long time ago, her father left her in a forest to go back home. She is only given a knife and is told that she cannot use any magic or she will be strangled. However, while she cries and tries to find her way, she also notices her father hiding around the trees to see if she is all right. That makes her feel better. Rahzel adds that even though Alzeid is not as sweet as her father, he will always save her since she is his partner. That irks Solesta but he says that he is the true partner. Rahzel adds that he is a former partner as Solesta leaves in anger. Solesta eventually tells Heat that he will make Alzeid remember about the past to get him to their side.

At night, some are trying to kidnap Vincent by using fire as a ruse, but Solesta and Heat easily finds out and says they are not the only people who are going to kidnap Vincent. Alzeid shoots two kidnappers but they stood up after being shot. Rahzel is able to repel the two, only for Heat to knock her out while Solesta gets Vincent. A flashback of Vincent fighting against a senior shows him using his threads to control his opponent and defeat him easily after catching a view of Alzeid. Back to the present, Alzeid sees the threads controlling the bodies and he wonders if it is a set up.

Vincent wakes up and realizes Rahzel is missing. He tries to get out, only to find the room locked. Heat tries to pacify Rahzel, but Rahzel complains about the awkward position she is tied with a handcuff. Rahzel asks why they want to kidnap him, but Solesta says she cannot do anything even if they tell her. Solesta wonders what attraction Rahzel holds to Alzeid, since she is not pretty or sexy. Rahzel says that for partners, there is no need to be sexy and asks if Solesta is sexually deprieved to only think about sexual attraction. Solesta slaps Rahzel and walks off. Rahzel says that Alzeid is the type of person that cares a lot for Heat and Solesta. He has a lot of emotional baggage before they met, and should not be jealous of her.

Heat says that she is a kind person but likes how Rahzel speaks so sweetly. Rahzel asks if Heat choose Solesta over her, but Heat tells her not to ask questions in such a misleading way. He also asks Rahzel to wait patiently for Alzeid to rescue her. Alzeid finds Solesta with the trail of the thread. Rahzel also gets the handcuff off by breaking her wrist. Solesta challenges Alzeid, telling Alzeid that he will not use magic. Rahzel tries to find Vincent, only to see Vincent captured by Heat and his lackeys.

Vincent screams that he wants to rescue Rahzel, but Heat says that Rahzel is in trouble herself. Rahzel jumps down and Heat catches her, only for Rahzel to point a knife at Heat. Heat momentarily forgets that Rahzel is his “enemy”. Vincent wrangles free but Rahzel says the real trouble is now since she does not think that she can beat Heat by magic or otherwise. Solesta, on the other hand, is thinking about how it will feel like to fight someone who has bet his life on Solesta’s battle with another opponent. Alzeid questions whether such a thing even occurs. Heat says that it is amazing how Rahzel does anything to escape, as Rahzel says she does not like to depend on anyone.

Rahzel explains the logic of the word, “人” (man), which means the left stroke is lazy by depending on the right stroke to hold it up. The common logic is that both are mutually supporting each other. Rahzel explains that the lengths are different, and if she is too short, she will just catch up. Heat asks whether Rahzel will not ask for mercy, and Rahzel says she will die happily while smiling. Heat kisses Rahzel’s hand and decides to return to Rahzel. Heat also easily repels the other accomplices with a strength that even Rahzel is surprised. It is also clear that Solesta misses the life of a soldier. When peace arrives, he felt lost and he loses his compatriot particularly Alzeid. That is why he is using Vincent for a revolution, along with Alzeid.

Alzeid says that Solesta is crazy, and adds that he has no interest in war. He does not feel anything when he kills or saves, and is about to kill Solesta when Rahzel stops him. Rahzel says Alzeid should compliment her for not using magic. Solesta cannot understand why Alzeid can forget, and feels that Rahzel has replaced him. As Solesta attacks Rahzel, Alzeid immediately uses his magic. Solesta then thinks that the thing he wants is already in his hands, but he realizes a little late as he is killed by Alzeid’s magic. Rahzel is crying in the cold rain and she feels helpless that she cannot do anything. She always think that she can do something, but she cannot even say thank you or sorry. Just then, her father comes to fetch her.

Thoughts

I think that it is the first time in the journey that Rahzel really feels completely helpless to do anything at all. She is perhaps way too optimistic, trying to save Solesta when he is already on the way of no return. I am not sure if I understand the situation completely, but it feels to me that he does not really care about Vincent, but he simply wants companionship. Despite all the work that he has done, he only believes that he has one friend. That “friend” is Alzeid, but Alzeid no longer remembers that painful past.

To put it more clearly, he does not want to remember. I am sure that if Alzeid and Solesta are to meet on more friendly terms, they can be back as friends but Solesta is clearly way too self centered and selfish to accept anything. Solesta probably knows that Alzeid will choose Rahzel over him, simply because the intentions of the two are so distinctly different. It is really a huge contrast to see the pure Rahzel in her thoughts compared to the selfish and greedy Solesta.

Somehow, the last words of Solesta perplexed me. Did he really have the thing that he always wanted, which is companionship? He probably did. Maybe it is not from Alzeid, but his obsession with the mysterious Alzeid has blinded his ability to understand and interpret what he really wants. He simply misses the time where he shares his happy times with his partners. That time has long past, and he is simply looking to the past when Heat and Alzeid are looking toward the present and the future. It is yet another painful lesson that you can learn lessons from the past, but you cannot live in it.

This week’s dress for Rahzel is downright pretty. I personally think that it’s her best dress for now, and everything about it looks sexy since she does have some womanly curves. Heh heh, I think I am the only one who watches this for mini Rahzel fanservice. It’s always great to have such subtle fanservice by our spunky heroine.

Sadly, after next week, it will be perhaps the last time that I will be blogging this series. The end of the season is next episode, and Rahzel is finally on her way home with her father. I hope you enjoy the reviews up to now because I know I enjoyed the ride too.