The Harvest Festival is over, just like that.
There's still next year.
So Dad, what did you want to talk to us about?
Yeah. First, take a look at this.
It's the meteor shower data collected until now.
The meteor shower this year is indeed unusual.
But, there have been strange events ever since the last event, seven years ago.
As expected, you managed to notice it.
The unusual change has already been observed seven years ago.
Also, it seems like Altowirz realized that.
My Maitresse?
She also found the cause of this change.
That's...
The "Waterwheel of Heavens" mentioned in this letter.
It's an ancient Artifact able to circulate the Ale of this world.
My Maitresse went there.
So then, where is this "Waterwheel"?
Unfortunately, we're still searching for it.
We have requested the assistance of the Knights Templar.
Yes, the orders have already been sent to Rangubasu.
All of you at Clan Oasis will continue investigating.
We'll contact you immediately once we find something.
Yes, I understand.
My... Speaking of which, where's Minette-chan today?
About that, she's....
Now now little girl, watch your step. It's dangerous.
Yes, I'll be careful!
There she is!
Miriam!
An unusual omen
Is that true?
Yeah, it's troublesome.
Nick, thanks.
Hey, that was fast.
Done with your Dad's business?
Yeah, I'll update you with the specifics.
What a relief.
Nothing happened today.
Yeah, it's exactly as Agnes said.
That fellow didn't plan on staging a surprise attack within the city.
Aberdeen, is it?
He seems to be Agnes' senior.
He even said scary things like getting the little girl's core.
I wonder what his motives are...
Papa!
Good afternoon, Leicester-san.
Hello, the both of you.
Well then Leicester, I'll make a move first.
See you later, girls.
Nick, bye bye!
Miriam-san, how's your health coming along?
Yes, it's doing fine lately.
That's great, I'm relieved.
Thank you for playing with Minette recently.
It's nothing. I really enjoy being with Minette.
I see.
What are you two talking about today?
It's about Miriam's cat.
She wants to give some sort of present to the cat.
Yeah, since there is such a variety of things in Ert'Aria,
I had thought I would be able to find some good things while walking around...
A present for a cat?
I think that when it comes to cats, it has to be a bell.
A bell?
I see, it's not a bad idea.
In that case, instead of a normal bell, how about a bell that uses a Crystal?
A Crystal?
Yeah, Ale that reacts with the atmosphere to make a sound.
I think it's a gift very representative of Ert'Aria.
Wow, fantastic!
But, will it be very expensive?
It won't.
Using a cheap small Crystal as material will do.
You can even save the handcraft fee by making it at my house's workshop.
That's a brilliant idea.
Right, Miriam?
Y-Yeah... If it's fine with you...
Of course it is.
Alright!
I'll go to the market for the materials and then return to my workshop.
Thank you.
I'm sure that it will be elated.
I want to see your cat too.
Well... That's...
Monte, I'm counting on you!
Search start. Locating documents related to the ancient Artifact.
Additonal keyword: Waterwheel of Heavens.
Command accepted; locating documents related to "Waterwheel of Heavens."
Search completed. No documents relating to "Waterwheel of Heavens" can be found.
It's indeed not easy to find.
We sure bought quite a lot.
Yeah, basically all that's needed is here. What's left is...
This is Salsa and Ritos' Clan, right?
Yeah, Tortilla Co. has some of the most unique Crystals and supplements, unavailable on the market.
Exactly.
Good afternoon, Ritos.
Good afternoon, darling.
Do you want me today?
Or do you want me?
Or do you desire me?
"Want me"?!
Actually, I'm here today to get your advice about a Crystal, Ritos.
Here you go, this one.
You're just as always, ignoring me without interest.
Understood.
They are used to it?
Ritos is always like this.
Good afternoon, Minette-san.
And who might this be?
Nice to meet you, I'm Miriam.
How courteous.
I have some delicious stuff, want to come in?
W-Well...
Dad always says "When a stranger tells you there's delicious stuff and wants you to follow, you mustn't go."
Yes. Good girl, Minette.
You've been raised well.
Well then... I've a funny sister you could play with, want to come in?
Yes!
Is that fine?
So then, I'll go and get the Crystal while you guys rest at the lobby.
Sure, sorry to bother.
Hi, Salsa.
Good afternoon!
Oh, it's Leicester, Minette and...
I am Miriam.
I'm really glad all of you came on your own.
What would you like to drink? You want something right?
Sorry for the wait!
That's fast.
Golem!
I was just thinking about taking a break.
This is a specially spiked tea with sleep medicine by Nee-san.
I did not! Stop sprouting nonsense!
You didn't spike it?
If you did, you can do things like this~ and that~ to Leicester while he's asleep.
Does it feel good here.
That place is...
Salsa, it's weird if you remain silent at this point.
No Leicester, I was thinking only a little about it, only a little...
You seem to have thought about it from that expression.
Leicester-san, the Crystal that you wanted.
Thanks, you're reliable as expected.
It's nothing.
Do look for us if you have problems next time.
You can still visit even if you don't need anything.
I apologize for not being able to properly tend to all of you.
But you really have a funny sister to play with.
You told her something like that?
Well it's the truth, isn't it?
It's indeed better than being described as a boring sister.
They are very funny people.
Yeah.
Agnes, didn't we look here before?
That's true.
But there could be something we missed.
This is... really nostalgic.
We took this photograph to commemorate the completion of Minette.
Woah, that was when Aberdeen started to have that indifferent look on his face.
Sure is.
Aber-nii! Avril!
What's wrong with you two?
I need Minette's core, that's about it.
What exactly is going on with Aberdeen and Avril?
Nothing will change even if we are puzzled about it.
They must have some circumstances of their own.
Aber-nii isn't the type who would say such things on a whim.
Same goes for Avril...
Agnes...
Besides, what we need to do now is to find leads to the Waterwheel of Heavens.
I see, that's right.
I am sure my Maitresse is there.
Wait for me, I'll catch up with you right away.
I'm sorry about the mess.
No, I'm really excited to be seeing unknown things.
Papa is able to do anything, but just doesn't clean up his room.
I see, he's just like my brother.
I can't even find any excuses.
You can sit here.
Will you be standing, Papa?
Well, since it's rather crammed.
Then I'll sit together with Papa.
You both get along really well.
A calamity will strike Ert'Aria again.
Goddess, please bestow me with power to protect my beloved people in Ert'Aria.
Speaking of which, where this is place?!
I'm back.
Welcome back, Milady.
How's the situation?
I looked through the entire library of books in the Verritti house,
and still couldn't find any documents related to the Waterwheel of Heavens.
I see.
Tomorrow, I'm thinking of going to other places to search.
My... They're quite enjoying themselves?
Yeah, Miriam-san came over to play.
Oh, Minette-chan's friend.
They sound really happy.
Minette-san and Miriam-san are very close.
That child is friendly with anyone, but she's particularly close to Miriam-san.
She also said that she has a sort of comfortable feeling when she's with Miriam-san.
I wonder why?
Their personalities are completely different.
What is it?
No, the way you talk about Minette-san...
It's just like you're talking about your real daughter or sister.
Oh dear... It's not just Minette-chan.
Leicester, Annie-chan, Chel-san, Nick and also you, Nina.
You're all my most precious family.
Yes.
Yes, it's completed.
What a beautiful ring it has.
It's an impressionable and refreshing tone.
We made too many of them.
These are for everyone at Oasis.
Here, Miriam. These two are your cat and brother's share.
Thank you very much.
I'm sure both of them will be very happy.
Miriam?
Miriam-san!
Miriam-san.
Miriam! Miriam!
What's wrong? Miriam!
Papa, that comfortable feeling I get from her is gone.
The commotion just now, did something happen?
Carina, Nina, Miriam is...
Nina, contact the hospital immediately.
Yes!
No need for that!
Garnet?
Looks like something troublesome has occurred.
That's why, let's take her to the hospital right away.
I told you already, there's no need to.
It's useless.
Useless... Why?
Don't panic, it's not as if she can't be saved.
About this...
I'm back!
Right on time. It's better for her to take a look.
Hey, no one is around.
Agnes!
What?
It's urgent, hurry! Follow me!
H-Hey...
Miriam.
Say, what's going on?
I'm not sure.
We were all celebrating the completion of the bells,
and suddenly, Miriam collapsed.
Leicester, have you realized yet?
So that child is also one...
Yes.
Agnes, how's Miriam doing?
For now she's fine, Nina-san is looking after her.
But everyone, listen to what I have to say.
Will Miriam be alright?
That's right, let's talk about that first.
The Miriam now... The condition of her core is extremely unstable.
The core?
You see... Miriam is an automaton just like Minette.
She's an automaton?
Leicester, you knew about it, didn't you?
Somehow... I felt she was different from normal children.
Agnes, do you know Miriam-san?
Yeah, I met her long ago.
But, the Miriam I knew was probably a human.
In other words, a human turned into an automaton?
How... How could this happen?
This can be done, according to Aber-nii.
Aber-nii, that guy?
Yes, Aber-nii and Miriam are blood-related siblings.
They are from the Roland family, who are successors of the lost automaton technology.
They are indeed.
Our technology was passed onto the human society via such methods.
Initially, Miriam couldn't live long due to an illness.
I see. So they relied on our dragon's superb technology?
To use the body of an automaton to be free from the illness.
Then, why did she suddenly collapse now?
I've said this before, automata require large amounts of Ale to be activated.
Due to the unusual meteor showers in this world, the flow of Ale has lost its balance.
To maintain the normal functioning of automata under such situations,
a unique core that's able to control huge amounts of Ale is needed.
A unique... core.
Correct. Minette's core, the Anima Pearl.
So that's the reason why Aberdeen was targeting Minette.
No other alternatives? An object similar to the Anima Pearl, that could be used?
If it was so easy to find, Aber-nii would have long found it.
I see.
Those two didn't attack because they were searching for alternatives.
I guess so.
Garnet!
What will happen to Miriam?
If this erratic behavior of Ale persists...
That child's core will eventually stop functioning.
Don't look at me like that!
I was just stating the facts.
I hate this!
I hate this, I don't want this to happen.
Minette.
Miriam is my best friend.
I love her!
She's an important person!
Minette-chan.
I don't want it, I don't want this.
Papa...
What is it, at such a time?
I'm sorry.
I really can't sleep because of Miriam's situation.
So...
Why don't we have a chat for a while?
Yeah.
Papa, what will happen to Miriam?
Right now, Agnes and Nina-san are looking after her.
Don't worry.
But, if this goes on...
Minette.
Everybody shares the same feeling of wanting to save Miriam-san.
Carina-san, Agnes and Nina-san; they feel the same.
Chelsea-san and Nick will also help.
We may not know what's the best thing to do at the moment...
But as long as everyone works together, we may be able to do something.
Papa...
Sure!
What happened?
That shriek just now... Was it Nina-san?
It came over from where Miriam is.
Next Episode
Doing the things you want to do.
That's a wonderful thing, isn't it?
I really love her.
What is Minette-chan going to do?
Minette's Choice