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E7 - Thus Saith the Elder

Source: Crunchyroll
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(Please feel free to edit the speaker names if incomplete or inaccurate. Names are handled on a best-effort basis depending on the info on the source file. Dialogue is left as is.)
[00:10] ---
    The magic in this world is divided
[00:12] ---
    into the six elements of fire, water,
    earth, wind, light, and darkness.
[00:21] ---
    Fire, water, earth, and wind each
    have their own magic attacks,
[00:27] ---
    while light is basically used
    for healing magic.
[00:32] ---
    Darkness alone is unique--
    in that strictly speaking,
[00:34] ---
    it isn't magic that manipulates darkness.
[00:37] ---
    Any specialized magic that doesn't
    fall under the previous five elements
[00:40] ---
    are included under
    the umbrella term of "darkness."
[00:44] ---
    As can be seen by watching
    Liscia and Aisha training,
[00:48] ---
    one can impart one's applicable magic
    into their weapons or attacks.
[00:54] ---
    There are a few who can create more
    powerful magic phenomena than others,
[00:58] ---
    known as mages. When a mage
    is assigned to the armed forces,
[01:02] ---
    the branch they are sent to
    will depend on their element.
[01:06] ---
    Fire elementals go to the army,
[01:07] ---
    wind elementals go to the air force,
[01:09] ---
    and water elementals go to the navy.
[01:12] ---
    Earth elementals end up in the
    Forbidden Army, which reports to the king.
[01:18] ---
    Moreover, light elementals--
    which serve as medics--
[01:22] ---
    are assigned equally to each branch.
[01:25] ---
    Luckily for us, the earth-elemental mages
    were assigned to me,
[01:28] ---
    and currently, I have the majority
    of the Forbidden Army
[01:31] ---
    employed in some
    civil engineering projects.
[01:34] ---
    Incidentally, my "Living Poltergeists"
[01:37] ---
    are treated as part of the "other"
    category--which makes them dark magic.
[01:42] ---
    It was in this world that I decided
    to take in a little adventure.
[02:00] ---
    "Never mind, face forward,"
[02:05] ---
    my heart just cried until it was hoarse
[02:11] ---
    When you lose something,
    is that the end of it?

[02:16] ---
    Is there no putting things back
    the way they were?

[02:22] ---
    Just as a line of clouds
    moves off somewhere

[02:28] ---
    when you take your eyes
    off of them for a moment,

[02:33] ---
    so does everything else
[02:38] ---
    I never thought there was a version of me
[02:45] ---
    that the world would have a need for
[02:50] ---
    But when I believed in what I believe,
[02:56] ---
    I found myself as I truly am
[03:02] ---
    Hello, yes, the first step
    I take after nodding

[03:08] ---
    Hello, yes, is toward
    the yet-unseen horizon

[03:20] ---
    Um...
[03:22] ---
    "Thus Saith the Elder"
    Are you the adventurer who
    is temporarily joining our party?
[03:27] ---
    Hey, could that actually be...?
[03:29] ---
    Yes, the adventurer who wears a mascot
    costume that we've heard about lately.
[03:33] ---
    His appearance may be funny, but
    apparently, he has considerable skill.
[03:36] ---
    Are you sure we'll be all right
    with this guy in our party?
[03:39] ---
    Well, today's quest is to explore
    the passageways beneath Parnam,
[03:44] ---
    which is a beginners-level quest.
[03:46] ---
    Where's the harm?
    He seems charming enough.
[03:49] ---
    Hmph, so what if he is?
[03:51] ---
    Ahem!
[03:52] ---
    In any event, I look forward
    to working with you today.
[04:14] ---
    He moves a lot better than you'd suspect.
[04:15] ---
    Nothing to worry about, was there?
[04:22] ---
    This quest is no challenge at all.
[04:25] ---
    We're only walking around
    these underground passageways,
[04:28] ---
    looking for impassable routes and
    seeing what creatures live down here.
[04:31] ---
    We still have to keep on our toes, though.
[04:34] ---
    Stop, everyone!
[04:35] ---
    --What is it?
    --There's something ahead.
[04:38] ---
    And it's pretty huge!
[04:45] ---
    A salamander!
[04:46] ---
    No way! I've never
    seen one this big before!
[04:52] ---
    Wait!
[04:53] ---
    Salamander fluids are strongly acidic.
[04:55] ---
    Attacking with close-combat
    weapons is dangerous!
[04:57] ---
    Then I'll use my attack magic!
[05:00] ---
    Your magic is fire-based, right?
[05:02] ---
    It won't work against a salamander!
[05:05] ---
    Which means that we...
[05:10] ---
    ...have no choice but to run!
[05:25] ---
    Yow!
[05:26] ---
    Please be careful!
[05:27] ---
    It will do serious damage if its
    secretions get splashed on you!
[05:31] ---
    Sure, but...!
[05:35] ---
    Master Mascot!
[05:36] ---
    Cover your eyes!
[05:41] ---
    What are you doing?!
[06:10] ---
    Whew... W-We should be safe
    all the way out here...
[06:16] ---
    Right.
[06:17] ---
    But is Master Mascot all right?
[06:21] ---
    It looked like he took a major splash
    of that thing's saliva.
[06:24] ---
    Honestly, how could you trip like that?
[06:28] ---
    What would have happened
    if I hadn't come to rescue you?
[06:32] ---
    No, you don't have to
    apologize so profusely.
[06:36] ---
    Besides, well, I did
    get saved by you, as well.
[06:44] ---
    Wh-What? Are you saying that you're glad
[06:47] ---
    that I didn't get burned by that acid,
    leaving my skin scarred?
[06:53] ---
    I'm an adventurer.
    I'm used to picking up scars.
[06:59] ---
    It looks like she's managed to establish
    a conversation with him.
[07:03] ---
    Even though Master Mascot
    hasn't said a word.
[07:06] ---
    How does Yuno know what he's thinking?
[07:10] ---
    Hmm... Could it be the power of love?
[07:15] ---
    No way.
[07:26] ---
    Whew...
[07:27] ---
    It's a good thing I added acid resistance
    to his surfaces, just in case.
[07:31] ---
    Souma!
[07:33] ---
    What are you up to in here?
[07:36] ---
    He...
[07:37] ---
    ...looks a little bigger than the
    last time I saw him, doesn't he?
[07:40] ---
    I commissioned a craftsman down
    in the castle town to make him.
[07:43] ---
    And he moves around
    with the same kind of magic?
[07:46] ---
    Of course.
[07:47] ---
    Ah! Don't tell me the "mascot adventurer"
    they've been buzzing about
[07:50] ---
    down in the castle town lately is--
[07:52] ---
    Yeah, that's probably him.
[07:57] ---
    Joining in with an adventurer party
    to explore the underground passages?
[08:01] ---
    But why would you do that?
[08:03] ---
    Hmm? I had something I was thinking about.
[08:06] ---
    I wanted to actually see what
    the underground passages were like.
[08:10] ---
    I can't guess as to what you're planning,
    but did you turn anything up?
[08:15] ---
    Well, in a sense.
[08:17] ---
    Also, the adventure was pretty fun, too.
[08:20] ---
    "Nine-Headed Dragon Archipelago Union
    An oceanic state. Each island is led by
    its own chief, who determines
    their maritime territory."
[08:23] ---
    "Poncho Panacotta: Timid, with no
    self-confidence. Full of life
    when cooking, he loves
    to eat and entertain others."
[08:26] ---
    "Several days later, morning"
[08:35] ---
    You all look so good now.
[08:38] ---
    Your eyes are hollow,
    showing no signs of life,
[08:40] ---
    and your faces look like the spirits
    of the dead haunting their graves.
[08:44] ---
    I know that these many days, you have
    eschewed your bedrooms to work,
[08:48] ---
    battled the numbers
    from morning till night,
[08:50] ---
    and shook off your families' pleas
    to stop coming to the castle.
[08:54] ---
    You are all in very deed my treasures!
[08:57] ---
    Take pride! For all of the mental strain
    you've gone through,
[09:01] ---
    you have been saving this country!
[09:05] ---
    It is thanks to your work that,
    for the time being,
[09:07] ---
    we have secured the capital that we need.
[09:10] ---
    We can now move forward in earnest
    with Project Venetinova.
[09:17] ---
    Venetinova?
[09:19] ---
    Yeah. That's the name of a new city
    we're going to build here.
[09:22] ---
    If it's on the coast,
    does that mean you're making a port?
[09:25] ---
    Yes. I'm planning to make it
    the biggest bay city in the country.
[09:29] ---
    But we already have Lagoon City in
    the Walter Duchy as our primary port.
[09:36] ---
    Souma, you don't mean...!
[09:38] ---
    Huh? Oh, no, no! I'm not getting ready
    to start any trouble with Duchess Walter!
[09:43] ---
    Then what is the intended reason
    for building a new port?
[09:47] ---
    While we build a new city here,
    we start constructing roads.
[09:51] ---
    If we maintain a transportation network
    from the port to the other cities,
[09:55] ---
    we can control both maritime
    and overland shipping,
[09:57] ---
    making distribution of goods
    much smoother.
[10:01] ---
    Once the project is complete,
[10:02] ---
    Venetinova will become
    the heart of the nation.
[10:05] ---
    And the roads that stretch out
    around it will be its blood vessels.
[10:09] ---
    The kingdom's heart and blood vessels...
[10:12] ---
    Is smoothing out distribution
    really that big a deal?
[10:15] ---
    Yeah, it's big!
[10:17] ---
    Liscia, do you know how the prices
    of things are determined?
[10:21] ---
    Things that everyone wants
    become more expensive,
[10:24] ---
    and things that are left over become
    cheaper. I know that much, at least.
[10:28] ---
    Right. Prices are determined
    in relation to supply and demand.
[10:32] ---
    If there's an absolute shortage of
    something, that's out of our hands,
[10:35] ---
    but if distribution is done smoothly,
[10:37] ---
    then if there's a shortage of some
    material somewhere in the country,
[10:40] ---
    it can be brought over from someplace
    where there's a surplus.
[10:42] ---
    "Quantity"
    "Price"
    it can be brought over from someplace
    where there's a surplus.
[10:43] ---
    "Quantity"
    "Price"
    Once the commodity excess
    and deficiency are resolved,
[10:43] ---
    "High"
    "Low"
    Once the commodity excess
    and deficiency are resolved,
[10:46] ---
    and a balance between supply
    and demand is achieved,
[10:48] ---
    "Supplying is easier"
    
    the high prices will gradually decrease.
[10:50] ---
    "Supplying is easier"
    "Prices fall"
    the high prices will gradually decrease.
[10:51] ---
    We'll be leveling prices
    throughout the kingdom.
[10:54] ---
    I do indeed think that lower prices
    are a good thing, but...
[10:59] ---
    Liscia, what do you think is the most
    in-demand item in the country--
[11:04] ---
    the thing that people are seeking
    more than anything right now?
[11:07] ---
    Huh?
[11:08] ---
    Oh, food!
[11:10] ---
    That's correct.
[11:12] ---
    One fundamental reason
    for the food shortage
[11:14] ---
    is that the domestic production
    of food crops is too low.
[11:18] ---
    So as a result, supply shortages are
    driving prices up, spurring things on.
[11:24] ---
    No matter how much food costs,
    you can't just stop eating,
[11:28] ---
    so food costs put the squeeze
    on household budgets,
[11:30] ---
    leaving less money
    to spend on other things.
[11:32] ---
    That is causing the nation's
    economy to stagnate.
[11:36] ---
    The crop conversion away
    from cotton is proceeding,
[11:39] ---
    but that won't produce results right away.
[11:41] ---
    Right now, out of all our options,
    this is the largest,
[11:45] ---
    most effective measure we can take
    to control skyrocketing food prices.
[11:48] ---
    So we must do whatever it takes to
    secure the budget to make this happen.
[11:56] ---
    Once this project is completed,
    our reforms will take a huge step forward.
[12:01] ---
    This is also thanks to you
    cutting out wasteful spending,
[12:04] ---
    and managing to raise
    enough funding for it!
[12:07] ---
    On behalf of the people, I thank you!
[12:09] ---
    Your names may not go down in history...
[12:13] ---
    However, you have made
    a far greater contribution here
[12:17] ---
    than being a hero out on the battlefield!
[12:20] ---
    That is something that I, Souma Kazuya,
    will remember for the rest of my life.
[12:27] ---
    You men are truly our nameless heroes!
[12:31] ---
    You really have done a fine job.
[12:33] ---
    As such, you will have a reward.
    Starting tomorrow,
[12:36] ---
    you may take the next five days off!
[12:40] ---
    Ordinarily, I would at least
    present you with medals,
[12:44] ---
    but spending funds for that
    would be upsetting our priorities,
[12:47] ---
    after the work you did raising
    those funds. I truly am sorry.
[12:50] ---
    Instead, you may each take one bottle
    of wine from the castle's wine cellar.
[12:55] ---
    You can toast yourselves, sell it
    for cash, or whatever you please!
[13:04] ---
    What was that in there earlier?
    I understand that you're happy,
[13:07] ---
    but weren't you a little too worked up?
[13:09] ---
    I've been working
    since nearly the break of dawn,
[13:11] ---
    and got a bit carried away
    from lack of sleep.
[13:13] ---
    But Souma, you have those, you know...
[13:16] ---
    ...Living Poltergeists,
[13:18] ---
    that you can alternately let your
    consciousness rest with, right?
[13:22] ---
    Oh, uh, mm-hmm, I do.
[13:25] ---
    But we were on the cusp of getting
    the budget we needed for this project,
[13:31] ---
    so I had each consciousness
    running full strength.
[13:33] ---
    Huh. I understand you're working hard,
    but don't worry me like that.
[13:39] ---
    There's no one who can take your place.
[13:41] ---
    If that happens, you could always
    summon another hero, couldn't you?
[13:46] ---
    Let me get a little sleep. Once I wake up,
[13:49] ---
    let's go together and see the planned
    construction site for Venetinova.
[13:54] ---
    Ludwin and his men should
    already be there starting their work.
[14:00] ---
    I'll need to go check on that...
[14:03] ---
    All right. Good night--
[14:09] ---
    He's already out. Must have been
    pretty tired, all right.
[14:17] ---
    You just said we could always
    summon another hero,
[14:22] ---
    but they wouldn't be you. I'd rather...
[14:27] ---
    ...have you, Souma.
[14:38] ---
    This is closer to Parnam
    than I was expecting.
[14:40] ---
    Not even enough time to get hungry.
[14:45] ---
    It's near the kingdom's center,
[14:47] ---
    and geographically,
    it's an ideal place to build a port.
[14:50] ---
    Why has such a well-suited location
    such as this gone unused?
[14:54] ---
    Your Majesty!
[14:56] ---
    Welcome, and thank you for coming.
[14:58] ---
    You, too, Princess.
[15:00] ---
    Welcome to the future site of Venetinova.
[15:03] ---
    Ahem!
[15:05] ---
    You, too, Aisha. Thank you
    for escorting His Majesty.
[15:11] ---
    Ludwin, getting right to it, can I have
    a progress update on construction?
[15:15] ---
    We've already finished marking off
    the territory. Construction...
[15:19] ---
    ...was proceeding according to schedule...
[15:21] ---
    What happened?
    Did you run into any trouble?
[15:23] ---
    Oh, well... Let's not discuss it out here.
    I'll explain inside the tent.
[15:28] ---
    There are people who are opposed
    to the construction?
[15:31] ---
    Yes, sire. They live in a village
    a little farther inland from here.
[15:36] ---
    They're led by an older gentleman
    named Urup,
[15:38] ---
    and insist that we must not
    build a town on this land.
[15:41] ---
    Why are they so opposed?
[15:43] ---
    It's because this land is
    the territory of the Kaijin,
[15:47] ---
    and if we erect buildings on it,
    we will incur its wrath.
[15:50] ---
    "Kaijin"?
[15:51] ---
    According to the old gentleman,
    it is the god of the sea.
[15:55] ---
    Kaijin, the god of the sea...
[15:58] ---
    Does this world have sea gods, too?
[16:02] ---
    Well, there may be those
    who believe in them,
[16:06] ---
    but I doubt that there actually are any.
[16:09] ---
    I have never seen one myself, either.
[16:12] ---
    It's likely some form of superstition,
[16:15] ---
    but whenever houses are built
    on the sea god's sacred land,
[16:18] ---
    an enormous monster appears out
    of the sea and swallows them whole.
[16:23] ---
    A giant monster comes out of the ocean
    and swallows the houses up...
[16:29] ---
    Ludwin, I'd like to hear
    what this old man has to say.
[16:32] ---
    Huh?
[16:33] ---
    Where should I go to see him?
[16:34] ---
    Th-The village is not that far away.
    I can show you there now.
[16:42] ---
    Oh, it's you again!
[16:45] ---
    I've already told you over
    and over about the Kaijin!
[16:47] ---
    I'm telling you,
    building a town down there is--
[16:50] ---
    Old-timer, forgive me, but would you mind
    telling me more about this "Kaijin"?
[16:56] ---
    And who might you be?
[16:58] ---
    Acting King of Elfrieden, Souma Kazuya.
[17:01] ---
    Hmm?
[17:03] ---
    Y-Your Majesty!
[17:07] ---
    So, Urup, about this "Kaijin"...
[17:10] ---
    Oh, Your Majesty,
    please reconsider building a town there.
[17:16] ---
    That land has always
    belonged to the Kaijin.
[17:20] ---
    Which is why whenever we land-dwellers
    build any houses on it,
[17:24] ---
    it becomes angry and destroys them!
[17:29] ---
    That's why no one from this village--
[17:31] ---
    to say nothing of the next one over,
    or the next one after that--
[17:35] ---
    dares to live down there!
[17:42] ---
    Urup, if you know exactly how far
    the Kaijin's sacred land reaches,
[17:46] ---
    would you mind telling me?
[17:52] ---
    The sea god's sacred land, you say?
[17:55] ---
    Don't tell me Your Majesty
    believes that this "Kaijin" is real.
[17:59] ---
    No, there's no such thing.
[18:03] ---
    But since there was folklore that
    has been handed down about it,
[18:06] ---
    I do believe that there is a moral
    included in the legend
[18:09] ---
    that they wished to convey
    to future generations.
[18:11] ---
    And that is what the wrath
    of the sea god is?
[18:14] ---
    Yeah. The moral of the story is: "Don't
    build houses in this specific place."
[18:20] ---
    If you ignore the warning,
[18:22] ---
    an unbelievably large monster
    will appear from the sea
[18:25] ---
    and swallow up the houses you've built.
[18:28] ---
    I think that the wrath of
    the sea god is really a tsunami.
[18:32] ---
    But sire, I have never heard any tales
    of that area being struck by a tsunami.
[18:37] ---
    That's probably because the interval
    between tsunamis is very long.
[18:41] ---
    A hundred years, two hundred... we may
    even be talking in terms of millennia.
[18:47] ---
    Millennia?
[18:48] ---
    Before coming back to the castle,
[18:50] ---
    I went around to the other villages
    surrounding the construction site
[18:53] ---
    and asked them about
    the folklore passed down to them.
[18:56] ---
    From them, I got a rough estimate as to
    the coverage a tsunami would have.
[18:59] ---
    And that would be the slashed area
    you marked on this map, right?
[19:03] ---
    That overlaps the construction area
    for Venetinova quite a bit.
[19:07] ---
    Yeah, almost impressively so.
[19:09] ---
    Then, Your Majesty, are you cancelling
    construction of Venetinova?
[19:18] ---
    The construction project
    is moving forward.
[19:21] ---
    However, we're going to change
    the planned construction site.
[19:24] ---
    Change it? At this point?
[19:27] ---
    This V-shaped topography
    is suited to being a harbor,
[19:31] ---
    but when a tsunami happens,
    there's a terrible risk of harm.
[19:35] ---
    I'm thinking of moving the planned
    construction site over here.
[19:38] ---
    Th-That area did actually
    come up as one candidate.
[19:43] ---
    But sire, planning for a tsunami that may
    or may not come in a thousand years...
[19:48] ---
    Do we really have to be so--?
[19:49] ---
    Nothing says that such a
    one-in-a-millennium tsunami
[19:51] ---
    still won't strike us anytime soon.
[19:55] ---
    As long as we have the chance,
[19:57] ---
    I'd like to make Venetinova a city
    that can withstand a disaster.
[20:00] ---
    "To provide is to prevent,"
    is that what you are saying?
[20:04] ---
    All of the elders that I asked
[20:06] ---
    said that as a harbinger of the sea god's
    wrath, the ground shook with anger.
[20:11] ---
    So, an earthquake?
[20:13] ---
    That's right.
[20:14] ---
    When a large undersea quake happens,
[20:16] ---
    the fault movement causes the sea floor
    to rise up and sink down,
[20:20] ---
    resulting in the sea's surface...
[20:24] ---
    Well, never mind the reasons.
[20:26] ---
    Just remember that if the ground
    starts shaking, even a little bit,
[20:29] ---
    there's a risk that a tsunami
    might be on its way.
[20:33] ---
    Very well.
[20:34] ---
    Just to be safe, it's best
    to consider it possible
[20:38] ---
    that a tsunami could hit
    the country's shoreline at any point.
[20:41] ---
    So if there's an earthquake,
[20:43] ---
    people need to get away from
    the coast as quickly as possible.
[20:45] ---
    If possible, they should take shelter
    on higher ground.
[20:48] ---
    We need to spread this information around
[20:50] ---
    to all the people living near the coast.
[20:53] ---
    As you wish. In that case,
    it would be worth it to consider
[20:56] ---
    where to take shelter
    and preparing routes to get there,
[21:00] ---
    in case there is an earthquake.
[21:02] ---
    Please do. Now, as far as
    specific construction planning...
[21:06] ---
    First thing we need to do
    is bank this whole area of land
[21:09] ---
    to elevate our proposed construction site.
[21:11] ---
    That... is going to take
    an awful lot of time.
[21:15] ---
    I'll have the Forbidden Army's
    earth-magic mages make it a priority.
[21:19] ---
    It will affect the construction
    schedules elsewhere,
[21:21] ---
    but I suppose that cannot be avoided.
[21:23] ---
    If we place the residential
    and commercial districts
[21:25] ---
    somewhere a bit inland
    from the seaboard...
[21:28] ---
    Best to do the same for any consulates
    and other important facilities.
[21:32] ---
    That leaves the question of what
    to do around the port facilities.
[21:36] ---
    --His Majesty seems
    unusually fired up about this.
    --How does a seaside park sound?
[21:38] ---
    --His Majesty seems
    unusually fired up about this.
    --Indeed. Then, even if
    a tsunami does come along,
[21:39] ---
    --He worked like crazy to get
    the budget to do this project.
    --Indeed. Then, even if
    a tsunami does come along,
[21:41] ---
    --He worked like crazy to get
    the budget to do this project.
    --it would keep any casualties
    to a minimum.
[21:44] ---
    It's only natural that he'd be fired up.
[21:46] ---
    His Majesty really does care
    a great deal about the kingdom.
[21:50] ---
    Yes, he does. He really does.
[21:53] ---
    Listen, Aisha...
[21:54] ---
    Yes, what is it?
[21:56] ---
    Do you happen to like Souma?
[21:59] ---
    Yes!
[22:00] ---
    I have great respect for him!
[22:02] ---
    Aisha, let's be sure to support Souma,
    so he can keep on smiling.
[22:08] ---
    Yes, of course!
[22:18] ---
    The wind blowing by rushes
    through the world,

[22:22] ---
    connecting us when otherwise
    we never would have met

[22:26] ---
    Unfurling wings that no one else can see,
[22:31] ---
    I take flight in search of a miracle
    that no one else can find

[22:43] ---
    Seeking the courage to keep on choosing
[22:48] ---
    the outcome of an ever-meandering morrow,
[22:52] ---
    I never want to fear change
[22:56] ---
    or doubt the blueness of the sky
[23:01] ---
    More than any dreams I once had
[23:03] ---
    and beyond any future I've imagined,
[23:05] ---
    I want to keep on drifting along
[23:09] ---
    within this transcendentally beautiful
    moment I'm spending with you

[23:13] ---
    If I can make that come true...
[23:17] ---
    I shoot up through the blue
    to the sky where we connect

[23:22] ---
    Grasp my destiny and reel it in
[23:25] ---
    And through our joined hands,
[23:30] ---
    you feel my helpless wish for eternity
[23:35] ---
    Even if this is only an illusion
[23:37] ---
    taking place within someone's dream,
[23:39] ---
    I'll still take this blowing wind
[23:41] ---
    and hold on tight as I take flight