Gosick Episode 05

Synopsis
Kazuya follows Victorique through the many staircases throughout the library tower. As they continue their descent, Victorique asks Kazuya about what to find inside a library. Kazuya answers the obvious - books - and Victorique responds by telling him that Avril might have visited the library to hide a book inside the vast library collection.

Kazuya soon discovers that the book might have been lost in the vast library complex's contents, but Victorique has an idea. Using information about the story of "13th Step to Heaven", she proceeds to the area of the library where books on religion are found. Then, using a flight of stairs designed for accessing higher shelves, she counts thirteen steps and picks up a book - the same book Kazuya found on Avril's hands.

"La fée dorée de la haute tour". "The Golden Fairy of the High Tower".

The book turns out to be a foreign folk tale about a high tower built in the middle of a forest. Inside the tower is a knowledgeable fairy that gives advice to troubled people. However, the fairy demands the person's soul to be eaten as payment.

Kazuya notices the golden fairy in the illustration looks similar to Victorique as the "Golden Fairy of the Library" reads on. Then, Victorique finds a postcard slipped between the pages, a postcard addressed to Avril Bradley. Kazuya then notices that the sender is a certain Sir Bradley, which is in fact Avril's grandfather, and Victorique points out that the postcard might not be sent, despite having a stamp.

With that, Victorique takes the postcard and asks Kazuya to leave, as he already has the book on his hands, much to Kazuya's disappointment.

As Kazuya walks back to school, he finds Inspector Grevil deep in thought. Grevil tells him that his job is not yet over, as he handles yet another case... this time it involves a certain "Phantom Thief Kuiaran", a notorious thief all across Europe. Although Kuiaran has been rumored to have ceased stealing for seven to eight years, another robber takes his name and uses this to make a name for himself. And he is rumored to attack soon.

After Grevil leaves, Kazuya stumbles upon an abandoned storehouse. As he curiously attempts to enter the warehouse, a sharp blow on the head renders him unconscious.

When Kazuya awakes, he finds Avril tending to him. According to her, he was discovered by the gardener unconscious on the warehouse. As Avril continues to talk, Kazuya notices that the book is nowhere to be found, and he suspects that Avril might be the one responsible for the attack against him.

However, he keeps his suspicious to himself for the meantime.

Avril soon opens the topic about the story of the Golden Fairy in the Library, and there, Kazuya tells her that it is Victorique who sparked the urban tale of the Golden Fairy in the Library. However, she is not the type that steals souls.

Kazuya heads back to the warehouse to look for the book, however, he is not able to find it. Soon, he is accompanied by Cecile, who found him there by chance. She almost fainted after retelling the news about the mummy's identity, and there, Kazuya finds that the book in her hands is the one he was looking for.

According to Cecile, she found it at the warehouse. This clears Kazuya's suspicions on Avril's involvement in the case.

Then, the sound of knocked wood emerges from the abandoned warehouse. Cecile is frightened, knowing that there is no one inside the warehouse, but Kazuya bravely peers inside. However, no amount of courage could keep Kazuya and Cecile from hearing the moans of a girl from inside.

Meanwhile, Avril reaches the topmost floor of the library, with aims to know more about the Golden Fairy of the Library. However, aside from books sprawled across the floor and a ceramic pipe, there is no one present. Her investigation is then interrupted when Kazuya appears.

As Avril leaves, Kazuya takes his time to look for Victorique. After a few moments of shouting around, Victorique finally emerges. After Kazuya bribes Victorique with sweets, Victorique finally tells Kazuya an important development: that Avril is the second-generation Phantom Thief Kuiaran.

Victorique explains that the first Kuiaran is actually Maxim, and he probably uses his stay in Sauville to store his treasures elsewhere; the things he stole probably included the book about the Golden Fairy. "Coincidentally", Avril is also looking for the same book.

With that, Victorique settles down and continues on eating her snack. Kazuya, however, wants to know about the voice he heard inside the warehouse. Victorique wants to know if the girl's voice said something to him, and upon answering "Yes" and "Help", she urges him to go back to the warehouse...

...because the real Avril Bradley is imprisoned there.

That afternoon, Kazuya and Grevil rescue the real Avril under the floor of the warehouse, and after untying her, Avril begins to tell them what happened to her.

According to her, the impersonator joins Avril in her train ride to Sauville, and at the abandoned warehouse, she was tied up after a short fight, resulting in the impostor's injury on the right hand. Also, she warns Kazuya of the impostor's motives, as she wants Avril's grandfather's legacy, which is at the school.

With that, Kazuya runs off to warn Victorique.

Meanwhile, the impostor Avril returns to look for the Golden Fairy of the Library to no avail. Then, before she manages to discover Victorique's whereabouts, Kazuya confronts her. Kuiaran exposes her true identity and asks him where the postcard is located. She then tells him that the stamp placed in the postcard - called as "Penny Black" - is of great value, and it is one of her targets.

Kuiaran then declares that the Golden Fairy of the Library is merely a story, and Kazuya is just a lonely exchange student desperately looking for company. Then, Kuiaran holds on to Kazuya by the neck and demands for Penny Black's location, expecting Kazuya to talk about the fairy as an answer. Kazuya still points out that Victorique exists, and in spite of the pain of being pushed down the stairs by Kuiaran, he remains determined that Victorique exists.

Then, Victorique emerges from the topmost floor and drops a stack of books on Kuiaran's head, causing her to lose her balance and roll down the flight of stairs. As Victorique leaves, Kazuya shows a smile of relief.

That night, Kazuya visits Avril on the infirmary, where he sees an Avril with a different attitude, not the elegant Avril he saw in Kuiaran. Avril then admits that she sees a black-haired prince in Kazuya, much to the boy's embarrassment. Kazuya then hands over the postcard to Avril; she tearfully reads the letter and smiles at the boy who protected her grandfather's letter.

Soon, Kazuya takes the time to tell Avril one thing she likes the most: ghost stories.

Later, Victorique explains to Kazuya how she determined Avril's location. She responds that Kuiaran the Second loves to make up ghost stories to cover her trail, including the one used to conceal the real Avril's location. Also, the "Reaper that Comes in Spring" story refers actually to Maxim, the first Kuiaran. The story probably stemmed from his tendency of bringing misfortune every time he comes, particularly Millie Marl's death.

Victorique also reveals that she has hidden herself inside a cabinet all along, well, except for the time when they first met. Kazuya wants to know why, but Victorique's blushed face never answered.

As he sits beside Victorique, he realizes, that the story may hold ground, but he is determined that he will be that soul that will never leave Victorique.

Adapted from
This episode, along with the previous, is adapted from the first volume of the Light Novels, which is then adapted into the first chapter of the manga.

Characters
(In order of appearance)
 * Victorique de Blois
 * Kazuya Kujō
 * Grévil de Blois
 * Avril Bradley
 * Cécile Lafitte

New Characters

 * Kuiaran the Second

Trivia

 * There are continuity issues that arose from the adaptation of the prequel volume of the Light Novels (the first GosickS novel), particularly how Victorique and Kazuya met for the first time. Also, Kazuya's doubts of Victorique's existence should not have been possible if the events on GosickS are considered.

Referbacks

 * Various events from the previous episode have been mentioned on this episode, including the tale of the "13th Step to Heaven" mentioned by Kuiaran the Second.

Cultural References

 * Kazuya gives Victorique Japanese treats called karinto.

Unanswered Questions

 * How did Kuiaran the Second became what she is currently? Did she acquire the name with consent from the original Kuiaran or did she use the name to share the fame of the original?
 * Why didn't Victorique hide when Kazuya first came to the library?