Gosick Episode 23

Synopsis
The start of Spring, 1925.

A few months after the first flame of rebellion sparked in Sauville, the capital Saubrème has changed dramatically. As the military becomes more visible throughout the city, signs of impending conflict begin to appear outside Sauville. Nonetheless, the king of Sauville has no intentions to join in the war outside, with the help of Jupiter Roget from the Science Academy.

However, the Ministry of the Occult's Albert de Blois decides that he can turn the tides into his favor by exposing Roget's identity as a manipulative Gray Wolf. It turns out that he managed to take the vital clue of Roget's connection to the Memento Box from Victorique, and now, he uses it to place himself in a superior position. Roget, knowing that all the odds are against him, decides to escape.

Meanwhile, Victorique predicts the events going on using an illuminated chessboard.

The sounds of war begin to muffle out the normal bustle of Sauville. War planes whiz in the air and army trucks rush in the once peaceful streets of Sauville; Cordelia witnesses this first-hand, accompanied by the two Roscoes. Victorique's safety remains Cordelia's main priority, and she hopes for an opportunity to save her daughter from the royal palace's dungeons.

Saint Marguerite Academy has also become a lonely place after the migration of a majority of its students. Avril attends what seems to be her last class with Cecile Lafitte as she is also to return to England following the royal decree. She would later see one of the demonstrations of the Monstre Charmant mutineers, and thinks about Victorique.

Grevil soon comes to the Signore residence to ask for assistance from General-Superintendent Signore on behalf of the Ministry, but he is faced with disappointment from both Signore and Jacqueline. Despite this, he performed his duty and leaves promptly afterwards.

Meanwhile, Marquis Albert reports to King Rupert that Sauville has joined Germany in its war efforts (thus making them a member of the Axis Powers). The king is worried about the inevitable outcome of war, but the Marquis reminds him about the bloodshed he himself created by killing Coco Rose.

With this realization, the King falls to the Marquis' influence. Likewise, hundreds of worshippers of the Monstre Charmant gather to act as soldiers for the cause, while the aristocracy expresses their support for the Ministry.

The only missing piece is the Monstre Charmant herself.

However, it seems that Victorique has seen through the Marquis all this time, and the book that the alchemist Leviathan has left has given clues to how his mind worked in the past. Leviathan's manipulation has caused the Marquis to push through his plans, leading up to the Monstre Charmant movement.

Ultimately, this does not change everything, including the Marquis' claim over Victorique's existence.

In Saint Marguerite Academy, Cecile decides to join Sophie; since the school would be eventually closed, the two best friends would be left without a job. As Cecile rides on Sophie's motorcycle, she leaves a vow to the school that she will find her students no matter what happens.

Several more months have passed, and it has been a year since Victorique last saw Kazuya Kujo.

Kazuya, like most of the Japanese male population of his age, is undergoing military training in Northern Japan. He would be left battered and bruised along the way, but he always keeps the ring he received from Victorique close to him.

Likewise for Victorique; she holds the pendant she received from Kazuya very dear and the pendant serves as her strength in spite of the great distance between her and Kazuya.

In one of the days in Winter 1925, Victorique receives a visit from Grevil, and he tells her about Marquis Albert's appointment as Sauville's first-ever prime minister (this also confirms Sauville's current status as a constitutional monarchy. In the ceremony honoring this day, Victorique is invited, but as a mere spectacle. Victorique hesitantly agrees to join the ceremony, and she finds herself dressed in black, the color that reminds her of Kazuya.

On the day of Marquis Albert's appointment, Victorique appears, a sight that lifted the spirits of the occult-driven crowd. However, to the surprise of everyone, especially the Marquis himself, the speech given by Monstre Charmant goes against the one by the Marquis. Revealing her face, the girl in front of them is none other than Cordelia Gallo.

Brian Roscoe takes away Victorique with remorse in his heart while Cordelia initiates a violent and explosive confrontation with the man who took away her chaste. As the other Brian drowns the gathering in flames, Cordelia fights to the death with the Marquis.

The Brian on Victorique's side soon blames Victorique for Cordelia's march into her own demise as the other Brian chose to assist her. As he prepares a dagger to kill the root of Cordelia's suffering, Victorique helplessly holds on to Kazuya's gift for her.

Then, in a split second, the Marquis is killed.

The twins Morella and Carmilla are dead.

The Brian Roscoe on Cordelia's side fails to reach his beloved as she falls.

And Cordelia mutters a prayer for her daughter in her final moments.

In spite of this bloodshed, Victorique's fate is unknown.

Characters
(in order of appearance)
 * Victorique de Blois
 * Rupert de Gilet
 * Jupiter Roget
 * Albert de Blois
 * Cordelia Gallo
 * Brian Roscoe
 * Cecile Bradley
 * Avril Bradley
 * Signore
 * Grévil de Blois
 * Jacqueline de Signore
 * Sophie
 * Kazuya Kujo
 * Morella
 * Carmilla

New Characters
There are no new characters introduced in this episode.

Quotes

 * "Fire, burn! Burn and light up her future!" — Cordelia