prof | Let's Play Umineko, Episode 2 Scene 9: The Devil's Proof

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Gohda Toshiro

The servant employed as the family chef. He hasn't served this family long, but through his earlier jobs and previous experience, he has cultivated a talent for entertaining guests. Because of this, he is highly regarded as a servant.

Gohda was hired by Krauss and his wife, so he is more trusted than those servants who ave served the family longer and who are suspected of being Kinzo's spies.

Kinzo is his usual cheerful self!

Krauss eventually gives up, and Genji enters with his meal.

The food comes as an excuse for Nanjo to take a break from their final chess game. He's been thinking so hard that he's starting to slip.

Nanjo reminds Kinzo that there is a goal in chess beyond simple victory.

Kinzo's expression softens, and he lets out a rare laugh. Those words came from Kinzo himself, long ago.

He almost convinced Kinzo to come down at least to have some coffee and discuss Kasparov's middle game, but no. The game is afoot.

Nanjo departs. Their chess game will have to be finished in the Golden Land.

This study is Kinzo's final weapon. With this room and all its barriers, the witch can't possibly get in.

He will survive to the end of Beatrice's game without fail.

Elsewhere, another master is served another meal.

Shannon doesn't know where to begin. She has so much to ask.

Beatrice knows what Shannon is worried about, and confronts her directly. She created Shannon's love on a whim, and is just as willing to destroy it.

Shannon thanks her regardless.

Beatrice refuses to accept this claim, even though it was her own work.

If Shannon was a human, wouldn't she be overcome with grief? She just learned that she's going to be destroyed on the night of her engagement. But she's not - she appears to have accepted her fate.

Shannon isn't going to go along with the game.

Shannon understands the witch now. She bullies and torments everyone around her for her own entertainment.

So, she knows how to fight back: By accepting whatever fate is granted to her without complaint. She refuses to entertain Beatrice.

Beatrice quickly recovers from a brief moment of hatred. Very well. Shannon will die, and so will George.

Shannon excuses herself. She has no more business with Beatrice.

One thing failed, at least: Beatrice is entertained. Nobody has defied her so directly in a thousand years.

Downstairs, dinner has begun!

It is, of course, delicious.

If the mysterious guest were to present herself, this would be the proper time. However, no place has been set for her.

The siblings start to wonder whether or not Krauss really is the one behind this.

Natsuhi overhears and confuses the statement, thinking it's about Kinzo. Her reaction suggests strongly to Kyrie that Krauss and Natsuhi don't know about Beatrice.

The chess pieces rearrange themselves on the board.

Gohda smoothly answers that the 19th person is eating alone in the VIP room. Judging by reactions alone, it doesn't seem like anyone here invited them.

He even names the guest!

The witch has come home. Krauss says he doesn't know who this is, or what everyone is talking about. Natsuhi calls for Genji at once.

While Gohda fetches Genji, it comes to light that Rosa has seen the guest. The more she thinks or talks about the meeting, the less Rosa is sure about what actually happened out there.

How did she get here? There was nobody extra hiding on the boat.

Then again, it's another Devil's Proof - you can't prove that there wasn't a second boat.

There is a 19th person in the mansion. Nobody admits to inviting her. However she got here, three family members have seen her already.

The reigning theory is that Kinzo invited her here. It's that, or she's here for the inheritance.

Rosa sends the kids back to the guest house while they wait for Genji.

Kyrie envies Battler for being free to leave. She would if she could.

The cousins leave.

Everyone wants to ask something, but everyone wants to ask the same thing.

Who is in the VIP room right now?

October 4th, 1986, 10:00 PM
26 hours remain

The cousins eat cake in the guest house, away from the interrogation scene.

In the end, all they can think about is Beatrice.

It's been common in the family around Maria to treat Beatrice like Santa Claus. Mysteriously leave some candy or something around, then attribute it to the witch she believes in. Protecting a child's dream, that's all it is.

However, now it seems like it's real.

Just like the second boat, Beatrice's existence is a Devil's Proof. There's no way to prove that a 19th person doesn't exist.

As long as he's here, Nanjo admits it. Kinzo had a mistress named Beatrice. However, she is now dead, and to his knowledge, they never had a child.

That child is, of course, another Devil's Proof.

Just because that child's non-existence can't be proven doesn't mean that the 19th person in the mansion is her.

Also, her position is extremely dangerous. If anything suspicious happens now, she'll be the first suspect. If Beatrice was here to commit a crime, she would have come in secret.

In case it wasn't obvious by now, magic isn't real.

We have an objection!

Maria is pleased that Battler has accepted Beatrice's existence, but it's not enough. He still doesn't accept her powers.

Battler says that witches don't exist. Maria calls this another Devil's Proof.

The other side of the Devil's Proof is that the witch's existence can be proven, and easily. All she has to do is show herself, and do something impossible.

It's a game of chess between Battler and the witch. If Battler gets checkmated, he'll believe.

However, this isn't a normal chess match.

It's a game where Battler doesn't know the rules, or how the enemy pieces can move.

That's the first premise needed for chessboard thinking, and it's not there.

Elsewhere, George and Shannon talk about the day's events.

Shannon isn't sure if she's met Beatrice or not. Such things are nebulous in the world of the servants.

The ring comes out again.

Does furniture have the right to marry?

Is Shannon furniture at all?

This isn't an engagement ring any more. It's a wedding ring. They'll worry about the family later.

They will grow old together, and raise a family together. That future will surely come.

No waiting until the next morning this time. Shannon immediately puts on the ring.

That is her answer. Both to George and to Beatrice.

Kanon is furious. She had a chance to guarantee her ticket to the Golden Land, and she threw it away. From here on, everyone in the house has the same chances. Thirteen among them will become sacrifices.

Shannon's eternity is already over. In that single moment, she experienced an eternity of happiness.

Kanon is the one with regrets now. More than anything, he wants to become human.

Why?

Kanon was captivated by Jessica that night. Because he was furniture, he had to reject her.

He was afraid that if their love couldn't be eternal, it might be better to not have it at all.