I'm coming!

Let's go!

In my case,it seems that I was born with a sturdy body instead!

So, she cleared a largearea of thorn trees to give us somewhere to land,then she placed her pushcart full of flowers and leavesunderneath it as a cushion.

Is it possible sheplanned this from the start in case she couldn'toperate the crane?

Truly... is there anythingthis doll doesn't think of?

Emilico, you're bleeding!

Ah.

Oh! I must havescratched my face somehow!

Mistress Kate,I hope you can forgive me!

There's a river nearby.

Let's clean itand get you patched up.

It's just a littlecut on your head.

It's not very deep.

Well, I guess it's true.I am a sturdy doll!

But wait... I haven't even askedhow you're doing, Mistress Kate!

Kate is just fine.

Oh, I'm so glad!

Now, we're both safe and sound,and we can still pass the test!

Hmm...

Only ten minutes remaining.

They still have a long road ahead.

The bleeding has stopped.

Great, then let's go!

Huh?

Shouldn't we leave?

Oh, no...

Please don't tell me it's too late... It just can't be…

You've been true to who you are every step of the way.

Patrick's behavior made that very apparent.

That's all Kate needs to be content.

It's over!

Not everything may have gone as planned, but in the end, I have succeeded.

What a moment.

This debut marks a major step for me.

I had that one incident in the hall, and the living dolls proved themselves to be tougher than I thought.

But I did foresee the blossoming of John's power.

Of course, Ricky was nearly flattened in the process, but that, too, ended well.

A bit hasty, perhaps?

Hmm?

After all, the sootglasshas not yet run out.

It would take meover ten minutes to get here from that point,and I know the way!

It is physically impossiblefor them to make it no matter how fast they run!

The writing's on the wall.You kids need but do as I say, beginning with keepingyour mouths shut!

Is that absolutely clear?!

Fine, just as you please.

Hmph!

What's that sound?

"Check the upper level"?

What's Allie talking about?

It's going as planned.

It's going as planned!

Now, come what may, it must all fall perfectly into place.

I have the whole ending planned out!

As for this one? Who can say?

They seem perfectly ordinary, yet the information's flawless.

It's almost as if they know they're being watched.

Don't tell me...

What could I have possibly overlooked?

Ah! Ahh...! Ahh!

Swinging by the riverwas a good idea!

I wonder wherethis water comes from, and where it goes from here.

Well, we're on a hill,so perhaps it connects to a waterway thatsupplies the house.

That would make sense.

Can you believe it?!It's just like you thought!

Yes, but convertingthe pushcart into a boat was the real stroke of genius!

Well done, Emilico.Very impressive!

It's true, you reallynever give up, do you?

No, but even so,this wouldn't have worked without you, Mistress Kate!

Careful, sharp turn ahead.

Ah!

Kate! Did she just...?

She can control soot! Why has she not done so till now?

Did her power just awaken?

No! She was always capable. She was just hiding it.

Damn it! How did I miss that?!

Her clothes!

Look, your clothes didn't even get dirty.

I could tell how anxious you were feeling because you were emitting lots of soot. Despite all that stress, you controlled it so that you wouldn't get dirty.

Don't you understand, Mistress Kate?

You never gave up, so there wasno way that I could, either!

You notice everything. You'realways watching, aren't you?

Wah!

This is dangerous!I think we should get off!

No, stay the course!

Wah!

Emilico,I wonder if you know why I chose to name you that.

It's true that traditionally,living dolls tend to be given names that closelyresemble their master's.

Shadows are typicallyindifferent to the name bestowed upon their living doll.

Ah!

But I wanted you to be your own, unique individual, separate from Kate. So I gave you a unique name.

Emilico, there's so much I wish to tell you once the debut is over.

I want you to know all my secrets.

Ah...!

It's time to jump out!

Mistress Kate has arrived!

Apologies. Kate's not very strong.

I felt so happy being cradled tight in your arms that it was worth a fall!

This way, please.

The others who passed have already filed into the hall.

You two were the last to arrive.

If she already knew she could control the soot before the debut test,why did she hide it?

What are you up to, Kate?

Hmm? Ah!

Why are they all clapping?

Oh! Did it finally happen, then?

Rum.

Ah!

Rum.

Mistress Shirley!

How wonderful it is to hear you say my name!

Um... Forgive me, though, for going ahead and choosing one for myself.

The name Rum meets with your approval, then?

I'm so glad...

I thought we would make it to the exit before the sootglass ran out.

But then, Mistress Shirley started slowing down.

Though we had no hope of making it in time, I continued holding her hand and guiding her back.

The sound of her sweet voice saying my name remained ever-present in my mind.

Happiness was right before me the whole time.

If only I had opened my heart sooner, I would have been able to kiss her good night, just like I always wished I could.

Ah! Now I've finallybecome your face, Mistress Kate!

When livingdolls wear a portrait, they must refrain fromspeaking and express only their master's emotions.

Kate, you are free to minglewith the other shadows, of course.

However, you muststrictly refrain from discussing anything with themregarding your soot powers.

That is between the StarBearers and those in whom such power has awakened.

Understood.

Any questions?

I'm set. One needbut obey the rules.

Hmph! She's infuriating!

Let's go.

Congratulations to Kate, the final candidate to pass.

It appears everyone from the children's wing has gathered for this.

Would you care for a cup?

Thank you.

What is it? It's so dark.

It's a drink served only to shadows with faces, in other words, those who are deemed adults.

Bitter!

Believe it or not, once you get used to it, you won't be able to get enough.

Drink up, and your worries shall vanish.

It's probably a drink called "coffee."

It was mentioned in a book.

But Kate doesn't care for it. She prefers tea.

But it seems like such a waste!

You didn't seem to care for it, either.

Kate, congratulations!

I am Maryrose!

As you may know, our faces are already well acquainted.

It's Rosemary's shadow master!

O most beauteous Kate, our faces are on the same team, so it follows that you and Maryrose shall become quite close.

Should you have questions, I hope that you will allow Maryrose to guide you!

Now please beat your ease, my lady.

She's a lady, too, right?

It's just...she seems so gallant.

Maryrose!Don't spoil the children.

Sarah...

Well, it appears congratulations are in order, Kate. Sarah honestly considered you a failure, but it seems even the lowest-ranked shadow managed to pass.

One gets shivers up the spine with each visit here.

It's not every day a shadow gets to enter Lord Grandfather's wing.

But there will come a day when Sarah shall be summoned here, directly.

Of course, this is but the first level.

It may seem like a lot after entering from the garden, but compared to the floors above, this is nothing.

As the lowest ranked, you're going to have to work hard to move up.

You should try to emulate Louise.

She would be an excellent example.

Louise is at the top.

Introducing: the four pairs that have grown up today.

Please give a hand to the newest members of the children's wing.

Congratulations! Well done!

Four pairs? Oh…

Emilico... you must be sad...

Four of five pairspassed this time, a most impressive feat, indeed.

As for the singleincompetent pair that failed...

They're done!

Oh, what a joyto bask in this glory!

Louise is so beautiful, anyonewould love to be just like her!

How can they beso delighted in the failure of their own kind?

And what happensto the shadows who fail?

How should Patrickeven feel right now...?

Tell me that, Ricky...

No, one must learn on one's own.

Be confident, Patrick!

So it was Rum!But how is she being discarded?

She was doing well!

No! One mustn't questionShadow House's rules.

Right, Shaun?

Let us adjourn to the garden!

It is time to bereceived in audience.

Kate…

Mm?

Now, for an encounteryou shall never forget.

Presenting the noblest of personages.

Lord Grandfather waved to me!

Such a glorious sight!

So he's the root of all this evil.

Ah...!

That dark drink they gave us!

Don't tell me...

Forgive my intrusion.

Now, let us see your faces.

It is an honor, Lord Grandfather.

And as for the results...

Louise passes for facial compatibility and soot volume.

Now John. Soot volume above and beyond, but personality doesn't suit his face.

Whereas, Patrick, while quite compatible with his face, lacks soot volume.

And Shirley, as you saw, my lord, never acquired a personality. A flaw which proved fatal.

I foresaw these outcomes based on their pre-debut information.

The living doll Rum is horribly inadequate as a face.

It's believed that she never even gave her master a kiss good night.

Edward, let us test your knowledge, shall we?

What is a shadow, and what is its purpose?

A shadow is a form of morph, a parasitic fairy skilled in mimicry and imitation.

All of us here took this form at one time.

It was Lord Grandfather who devised the process by which morphs acquire personalities and become shadows.

During stage one, morphs are shown living dolls so that they may recognize and mimic the human form.

Then, in stage two, a personality is acquired through interaction with said doll.

Soot powers awaken in stage three and unification takes place.

The shadow gains a face by taking over the doll's body, creating a perfect being with powers transcending humankind.

But, if a personality is not acquired in stage two, we must infer the morph's life force was too weak to begin with.

Shirley certainly fit that theory.

No wonder she withered on the vine.

But to perish like soot in the wind, that was definitely a first.

It was hilarious, though one can't help but wonder...

Edward! Tell us, did you foresee that part happening?

No... At least, not like that, anyway.

I wished to entertain you all.

And... I... I avoided discarding her.

I figured the debut could do that.

A slight error on my part led to Shirley finally bonding with her doll during the debut, and though she was already doomed to die, her personality began to develop.

So, you see, that's why these unforeseen events have occurred, or so I believe.

Perhaps I went too far in staging a shadow's death as some sort of show.

It is only natural that the failures be culled.

We have need of none but those who will prove useful to the Lord Grandfather.

Though the manner in which the debut was held is a concern, as it did lead the faces to fret over trivial matters.

Faces with ideas of their own may cast doubt upon Shadows House if care isn't taken.

Of course, with that lot, we can just have them drink Grandfather's soot coffee to alter their thinking.

It takes their memory so swiftly.

The loyalty to Grandfather that replaces it is breathtaking.

But what of the small percentage of shadows who may be influenced by the doubts of their faces?

Grandfather's soot has no effect on shadows, after all

Indeed, the greatest risk lies in a shadow being influenced by their own doll's defiance.

But as long as we keep using the coffee to make faces loyal to Lord Grandfather, that will, in turn, influence their shadows, so you really needn't be concerned.

Shirley's living doll, Rum, was given the coffee in order to reset her memory.

She'll soon be repurposed as a veiled doll.

I've kept a close eye on the malcontents, so they don't take root in the children's wi--

You think Ryan would ever worry about such a thing as that?!

No one would dare defy us, you fool!

Please, forgive me...

I'll take more care from now on.

Enough about that.

Now then, Kate, the lowest ranked of all, I found quite amusing.

And her power has awakened--a laudable achievement.

Hmm...

Edward...

By utilizing this debut asa proving ground for the Shadows family'spotential, you hastened a shadow's awakening,and quite a bit more.

From this day forth,we place the children's wing in your care.

Let us see how you do.

Hmm...

But don't you forget!

As judge,you failed but one pair, and they were already goners!

Such meager results will neverget you up to the third floor.

Understood. From now on, I shall redouble my efforts.

It's a shame we won't rise to the third floor just yet.

Bottom line, the debut was not to their satisfaction.

We must be of greater service to Lord Grandfather in the future.

Ryan... That arrogant buffoon had the nerve to interrupt Lord Grandfather.

Why does he even bother to keep such frivolous fools by his side?

I should be the one who is serving.

Not those ne'er-do-wells.

Once I expose them, Lord Grandfather will see the truth.

That bevy of third-floor wastrels are out to destroy him, and he deserves to know!

And that means,I must catch her in the act.

That malcontent...

Kate!

I think I've becomequite efficient at cleaning, at long last. All that's leftto do now is clean the bathroom.

Emilico, not to intrude,but you were close to Rum.

Aren't you shockedby what happened?

I am. That was unfortunate.

But of course, living dollswho are no longer of service to Shadows Housemust be discarded!

That's just the way it works!