Gosick Episode 17

Synopsis
Victorique reveals that she already knows the motives behind her stay in Beelzebub's Skull, and thus, opts to keep herself mum throughout her stay until Kazuya's arrival. According to her, the Marquis figured out that she would be able to lure out Cordelia by taking her to the Beelzebub's Skull; however, Victorique knows that even if she called out to her, Cordelia would not have come either.

Kazuya is surprised at how Victorique thinks of her mother, but Victorique decides to tell him of the only time when she saw her mother. Victorique tells him that her mother Cordelia was able to visit her when she was small, and the only bond she shared with her mother was the pendant she has been keeping close to her... the pendant that she lost while trying to save Kazuya from a tragic fall.

Kazuya realizes that he is the one to blame for the loss of Victorique's pendant, but Victorique tells him that she is glad that he has come to her side.

Soon, Victorique begins to feel hungry, the effect of not accepting anything given to her over the span of a few days, and Kazuya decides to pull out the macaroons and sweets he brought from Saint Marguerite. Kazuya serves as Victorique's attendant, giving what she could not get herself, and also hands over the pipe that she has left behind.

Meanwhile, news of Kazuya's infiltration has reached the convent. However, the priest supervising the convent does not show any worry on his face, especially since their target has already been snared.

The priest and the nun who reported to him soon go to greet Brian Roscoe. Brian apologizes for barging in the Phantasmagoria festival without an invitation, but the priest does not mind. In fact, the priest wants him to witness a genuine miracle unfold later into the show. Brian shows his appreciation for being invited to witness such a sight, then leaves.

It seems that the priest is cautious of Brian's actions, suspecting him moving alongside Cordelia Gallo, and orders the nun at his side to keep tabs on him.

Meanwhile, Victorique and Kazuya walk past an interesting contraption. Victorique thinks that it is a magic lantern, and decides to take a closer look. According to her, its purpose is to project images and photographs. As Kazuya continues to look around, Victorique is seen in deep thinking, as if having an epiphany.

That moment was interrupted when Kazuya sees someone else inside the room. Kazuya discovers that it is Simon Hunt who just closed the doors leading to yet another room.

Simon is a bit surprised to see Kazuya in an unusual place like where he is, and Kazuya feels likewise as well. Simon then decides to be friendly to Victorique, but she did not accept her handshake and even notices the machine oil on his fingernails.

A disgruntled Victorique soon leaves and Kazuya follows closely.

Victorique and Kazuya soon find themselves in the middle of the festivities outside the two huts that host the major events. As Kazuya evade the balloons that whizz past him, Simon Hunt reemerges behind them. He thinks that he can pick up information from someone like Victorique.

As they watch a magic show inside the festival huts, Simon and Victorique soon explain the trickery used behind the "magic" featured in the show. Kazuya just listens and wonders to himself how the two were able to know such details behind the tricks.

As Kazuya follows Simon and Victorique on the other magic shows, he encounters the old man who he also met on the train ride to Beelzebub's Skull. As before, the old man demands to reveal her daughter to Kazuya. Kazuya decides to leave before things become too scandalous.

Kazuya later meets up with Victorique and Simon while another performance is introduced. A priest introduces two elderly women named Morella and Carmilla, who are supposed to possess incredible powers. Their first performance involves tying up the two women inside a cabinet and waiting as the two women magically switch places inside the cabinet.

The priest later proclaims the existence of magical powers in Europe, with the powers of the sisters as a testament to it, and his protests against scientific advancement.

Then, when the priest asks for the audience's opinion, Simon Hunt stands up and opposes the priest's ideas, pointing out that it is a mere trick. Morella and Carmilla decide that the only way to prove their powers is to let a skeptic like Simon experience the magic first-hand. They tie up Morella's hand and Simon's hand and placed a dagger on top of their tied hands. According to the priest, if the trick really has no magic in it, then the dagger would not move and neither will Morella nor Simon.

As the preparations are finished, Victorique warns Kazuya that she suspects something bad will happen.

However, Victorique's warning is too late.

With the flash of lightning hitting the Beelzebub's Skull, the cabinet is opened, revealing a gruesome scene: Simon Hunt slumps to the floor with a dagger piercing his chest, while Morella is shaken and covered with blood.

Rain soon douses the festival and the people discover a yellow mist slowly rising from nowhere. As some of the audience lose their consciousness, Victorique covers her nose, warning Kazuya not to inhale any of the mist surrounding them, since it is made up of a hallucinatory drug.

Kazuya and Victorique join the crowd of people who exited the mist-filled tent, and outside, Kazuya sees a shocking sight: Brian Roscoe inside the Beelzebub's Skull, and takes off towards him. Unbeknownst to Kujo, the image of Brian was just a hallucination, and the real Brian Roscoe is standing behind Victorique, whom he leaves behind.

Kujo follows the road leading to the interior of Beelzebub's Skull, and he finds someone else on his way there: the woman named Cordelia Gallo.

Cordelia speaks of a certain "memento box", and realizes that they have gone to the box's location too late, as it was already gone from its hiding place. She then asks Kazuya to give something to Victorique: a silver ring with a purple gem. Along with the ring was a request to her daughter: "Solve the riddle. Demonstrate your power so that you may live." She then whispers to Kujo something before leaving him behind.

Meanwhile, the priest in the performance earlier reveals that the mist is in fact part of their plan. However, they discover that someone has tinkered with the device that controls the amount of mist released, thus the catastrophic interruption of the show. The nun soon reports that Brian Roscoe is with Victorique, and it is news that the priest is alarmed to hear.

Victorique soon confronts Brian Roscoe in the midst of a tense atmosphere. She tells Brian that she already knew about the "Felling Maria", and that it was Brian Roscoe's doing. However, she is more pressed to ask the reason why he and Cordelia came to the Beelzebub's Skull. Brian soon reveals that he is part of a race... between the Ministry of the Occult and him... in search of a certain object. In reality, however, it is the Science Academy who is gaining the upper hand, since having that object in their hands would launch the Academy into power.

That object they seek is the "memento box".

Before he could spill more information that what is required, Brian leaves behind Victorique. And as the red-haired magician disappears into the crowd, Victorique's chances of knowing about her mother slowly fades.

Kazuya continues on his pursuit of Brian Roscoe, and it takes him to the highest point of the Beelzebub's Skull. Soon, mysterious figures emerge from a distance, and they reveal themselves to be the mysterious twins Morella and Carmilla and none other than Marquis Albert de Blois, who has been in the disguise of the old man who accompanied him on the trip to the Beelzebub's Skull.

The Marquis has pointed out that Kazuya has been responsible for the deaths of many and unexpected turns of events at every corner, and it has caused the wolf cub (Victorique) to improve her intellect faster than he expected. However, he pointed out that Victorique is a mere tool for Sauville — and moreover, in Europe — and asks Kazuya that he should abandon Victorique while there is time to do so.

As the confrontation between Victorique's father and Kazuya continues, a pocket watch triggers the floodgates keeping the waters of Lithuania to flood the Beelzebub's Skull to open, a sight that alarms the twins. However, Marquis Albert did not heed any of this, and listens as Kazuya points out that he does not approve of the Marquis' treatment of Victorique.

Albert decides to let him go, but leaves an important warning: that he holds power that cannot be easily denied, and that the next great wind will take him by surprise.

The tension below begins to mount as attendants of the festival realize that the train has not yet arrived. Meanwhile, Kazuya reaches Victorique and helps her get up after inhaling the hallucinating drug earlier.

Soon, the sound of the train's horn resounds and passengers rush to the train station. Meanwhile, Victorique decides to stay as the Beelzebub's Skull sinks. She feels depressed, not knowing the reason for her existence, and decides that preserving her life is no use.

Kazuya then decides to carry Victorique. He tells of his encounter with Victorique's father and, after realizing that adults are selfish, runs off with the girl in his arms, telling him that living is the most important thing as of that moment and not its purpose. Also, what Kazuya wanted when he headed for the Beelzebub's Skull was to return VIctorique to Saint Marguerite.

Those words made Victorique realize that Kazuya has kept his promise, and that she is no longer a heartless tool like before. She mutters to Kazuya to protect her always, and braces on as Kazuya pursues the train that is set to leave.

They eventually made it to the train and can only watch as the Beelzebub's Skull sinks to the sea.

As the train continues its journey, Kazuya hands over Cordelia's ring to Victorique, as he promised. Victorique is moved from seeing her mother's ring, and listens as Kazuya relays Cordelia's request to her daughter. Then, Kazuya tells Cordelia's message for her daughter: "I love my little daughter, as I always have... Even if you don't cry, I'll come running like this, no matter where you are."

Victorique's tears of longing fall on her face as the train finally bids farewell to Beelzebub's Skull.

Hidden in the shadows, a man smiles before sliding the door close.

Characters
(in order of appearance)
 * Victorique de Blois
 * Kazuya Kujō
 * Cordelia Gallo
 * Brian Roscoe
 * Simon Hunt
 * Albert de Blois

New Characters

 * Carmilla
 * Morella

Trivia

 * The song "Resuscitated Hope" plays in the background on the scene where Kazuya runs to the train with Victorique on his arms.

Continuity

 * Lord of the Flies is mentioned at least twice despite the fact that the year is 1924( 10 years after the incident at Beelzebub's Skul), although the book did not come out until 1954.

Unanswered Questions

 * How did Simon Hunt die inside the "Fell Sister's Cabinet"?
 * Who triggered the device that opened the Beelzebub's Skull's flood gate? (Answer: It is probably Simon Hunt, as he was last seen with machine oil on his fingertips, and the device was on a timer)
 * Who was eavesdropping on Kazuya and Victorique?