prof | Let's Play Umineko, Episode 2 Scene 8: The Interest

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Beatrice?

The mysterious visitor and the 19th person who appeared on the day of the family conference. She uses the same name as the Golden Witch who gave the gold to Kinzo.

Her reasons for coming to the island are unknown.

She was ushered into the VIP room, which no one had been allowed to use in the past.

Back on Rokkenjima! Things are quiet.

Kyrie's asking the others about that strange woman she saw in the mansion. The one with a suspicious similarity to the woman in the portrait.

Rudolf, Eva and Hideyoshi hadn't seen a thing, but Hideyoshi suggests she should ask Genji about it.

She seems knowledgeable about the Ushiromiya family. She couldn't just be a stranger.

The immediate concern is that she'll try to make some kind of play for the inheritance.

She could be working with Kinzo or Krauss. Whatever her game, this greatly complicates the conference.

BGM: Mind

Kyrie's thinking is this: If this interloper had absolute proof that she was the heir, then she would be able to show up any time and get the inheritance. However, she showed up at the last possible minute - the final Ushiromiya conference before Kinzo's death.

So, if she's after the money, her claim on it has to be shaky enough that she's pressuring the family with a time limit to turn the tables in her favor.

The fact that she's using a surprise attack means that she can't beat them in a frontal attack.

So, that's a little breathing space, at least.

The plan is to refuse to accept her position, no matter what she claims it might be. She couldn't have anything here on Rokkenjima that could be called absolute proof.

Something Eva said sticks in Kyrie's mind:

No matter what is shown to us on Rokkenjima, it can't be accepted as truth.

Absolute truth is the realm of the real world. Rokkenjima is cut off from that world, so it's also cut off from the truth.

The limitation of chessboard thinking is that you need to be able to anticipate what your opponent is thinking.

Beatrice isn't such an opponent. Her values and goals are beyond understanding.

But they're not the only ones talking about Beatrice.

Maria doesn't just claim that the woman was the Golden Witch. If she can be believed, then she's met and talked to Beatrice every year.

She isn't sure how long it's been. As long as she can remember.

Every year, Beatrice taught Maria a little more about magic. Eager to talk about it, Maria opens her notebook to show what she learned.

See? All sorts of nonsense scribbles.

Rosa can tell from the clarity of the drawings that they aren't the work of a child. Someone other than Maria drew these for her to study.

And the one who taught her those symbols is also the one who is now staying in the mansion's VIP room.

It's absurd. Nobody other than the family and the servants has ever been seen on this island.

...Right?

Rosa was afraid of Beatrice when she was young. That fear is crawling back now.

She's not a witch, right? The Beatrice in the mansion is just a human.

Fear and curiosity battle inside Rosa's head. Does she open the letter now? Will it be some ridiculous claim about the inheritance?

She nearly goes for it, before being brought back to reality by Maria tugging on her sleeve.

Well, there goes that plan. Maria hasn't opened her letter, of course.

Maria seems to be in communication with the witch. Rosa wants to talk to her, but who knows if she'll be able to or not - the witch is fickle.

October 4th, 6:00 PM
30 hours remain

Jessica and George are wondering where Maria's been all this time. After Battler passed out, they went back to the guest house.

The three of them reminisce about Battler as he was in the past. Six years ago. They were all such good friends.

The topic moves to Jessica and Kanon. Jessica quickly changes the topic to George and Shannon.

While flirting, George starts to talk about the sort of life he'd like to build. Two kids, grandkids, a life at ease with the woman he loves.

There are problems, of course. George doesn't care about them.

He will be with her, regardless of what it takes.

Before Jessica can get any more bitter, the phone rings, calling Shannon to get back to work. Dinner's soon, after all.

Tensions are high in the kitchen.

This has been a long-running issue. Gohda wishes to serve the master's meal to him directly, rather than ferrying it off through Genji. Of course, Kinzo would refuse to see him.

And tonight, there are two people who want to dine in their rooms.

Gohda cannot be permitted to greet the honored guest directly. After all, he lacks the One-Winged Eagle.

Gohda chases Kumasawa out to set the table.

Genji will bring food to Kinzo, and Shannon will bring food to Beatrice.

Gohda didn't react well to Shannon apparently out-ranking him.

Shannon still doesn't know about the terrible fate that the witch has in store for her, does she?

So, as her adoptive brother, he warns her.

Shannon knows what it means.

Kanon blames Shannon for the impending disaster. If only she hadn't known love, they both would have been able to be happy for this day.

But now, they have regrets.

Kanon brings an ultimatum from the witch.

If Shannon rejects the engagement ring he's going to receive tonight, then she won't be chosen as one of the sacrifices.

One way or another, the chances of Shannon and Kanon being together in the Golden Land are remote.

Their only chance to be with George and Jessica is to survive Kinzo's game, and reach the Golden Land.

And that's why Kanon urges Shannon to reject George's ring.

However, inevitably, she refuses. Her heart won't allow her to do anything but accept the ring.

An anguished Kanon quickly retreats as Genji interrupts them.

Shannon is to treat Beatrice as a second master when delivering her dinner.

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