![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Entry tags:
Let's Play Umineko, Episode 3 Scene 12: The Epitaph Revisited
<< | ^^ | >>
The hours pass slowly in the guest house.
The siblings, intent on discussing a certain subject, drive out the children and Nanjo to the second floor.
None of them slept last night. If they want to make it for the next 24 hours, they'll need to sleep in shifts.
More importantly, the epitaph. Rather than sit and stew in their paranoia, why not give it another crack?
Kyrie is reading this for the first time, actually - her unconventional logic might be able to poke a hole in it.
Kyrie's first thought is that there are three sections to the epitaph: The directions to the Key, the ten Twilights, and the four Treasures.
So, let's take it one section at a time.
If this refers to an actual location, it's probably hopeless. The area where Kinzo grew up has changed dramatically over the years.
But Kyrie notices something else.
The first part is split in two:
You who seek the Golden Land, follow its path downstream and seek the key.
If you follow the river downstream, you will find a village.
In the village, look for the shore the two will tell you of.
There sleeps the key to the Golden Land.
It's also likely that the river isn't literal.
Sweetfish are like salmon - they go out into the ocean, then return to where they were born for spawning season. Going out into the world, but always coming back home - just like the Ushiromiya family every year.
This is a bit shaky, since Kinzo never approved of Maria's name. However, there's a connection - Kinzo and Maria share an occult hobby, and Maria said that the epitaph was a witch-summoning ritual.
While it's still not clear what the river is, Kyrie's revising her theory already. Four parts, not three.
1. Go down the river.
2. Find the key.
3. Journey to the Golden Land.
4. Treasures of the witch.
The river might not be a river, so the key might not be a key. It could be a cipher. After all, the key doesn't open a door - it chooses six sacrifices.
Maybe what's sacrificed isn't literal, either - it could be more wordplay. Letters are being sacrificed, not people.
If that's true, then the "key" could be a six-letter word, indicating what to remove.
It gets harder from here, especially since they don't have the key.
Everyone is looking at the epitaph in a new light, but they're still falling short of a solution.
Ultimately, they give up again. Food seems more important at the moment.
The group breaks up, but one person keeps staring at the epitaph.
Eva is still wandering in the epitaph's world. She's determined to solve it, even if everyone else has given up.
She drags in Rosa, who seemed to have picked up on something earlier.
There's a subtle inconsistency of language. The journey starts out heading for the Golden Land (Ougonkyou), but ultimately arrives at the Village of Gold (Ougon no Kyou).
Could it mean something?
Purgatorio
My, my. I don't have a clue what this child is grumbling about.
She is probably dissatisfied that you gave Battler various hints, Madam.
Not really. I'm actually more satisfied now that that worthless Battler has finally reached a level where he can oppose me. Hohoho... Were you a little too friendly with Battler? Maybe it would be better if the old people went away and left everything to the young kids. Pukukuku...
Hey, you're all laughing at me! Ronove, hide yourself for a while! Disappear, disappear!
Certainly. Then, I will rest for a while. Pukukuku...
If you had led him further astray beforehand, things might have been different, but it really was a futile trump card. You stirred him up instead.
Did I get a little too careless after my complete victory last time...? Yes. The last game was a difficult one for Battler, but it seems that this game will be a difficult one for you.
A broken vase will definitely never return to its original form. It would be more constructive to think of the next move, rather than regretfully picking up the pieces. However, now that Battler has been provoked this much, how should I plot against him? Your troubled face is an even better snack than Ronove's cookies. Uuu. You and Battler and even Ronove are making fun of me, even though I'm no naive at all!
If you know a skillful move that will make Battler speechless, and make him accept me... I won't ask you to say it outright, so, um, even if it's just a hint... I can't. I am acting as Battler's ally, so I cannot teach you something that would give you an advantage. Even though your disciple is in trouble... I believe you boasted that you had surpassed your teacher. Please act like an old person and give me just a bit of your cunning wisdom... Please... It's mean if you only help Battleeeeer... My, my. You're still a spoiled child.
Isn't that right? Please, teacheeeer, at least just a hint nooow... ...This is just a hint. Think about what it means by yourself, all right? Yeah, yeah! I'll think about it myself, so please! Please, give me one that'll leave Battler down in the dumps. ...Do you know of Aesop's fable, The North Wind and the Sun? Of course. It's a story about how the north wind and the sun challenge each other to steal the cloak of a traveler, right? That's right. Violent or impatient methods aren't always necessarily the best decisions. You don't have to tell me that. I have already reflected on the fact that I rushed too fast towards victory.
Do you understand the victory conditions of this game? What, other than making Battler surrender? See? At that point, you're already mistaken. Your victory isn't making Battler surrender, it's making Battler accept your existence. What's this? You want me to butter up Battler, asking 'Accept me as a witch, pleeeease?' How foolish! I will not sink so low! That is my hint. Your moves up until now will not work on Battler. A significant tactical conversion will probably be required.
I don't have a clue what you mean by the North Wind and the Sun, but I understand that I'll have to change my objective. I'll introduce a clever scheme that will surprise even you, teacher! Hohoho... I look forward to it. I wonder how Battler will tackle that. I wish you luck, as well.Rokkenjima
Despite the urgings of her past self, Eva's struggling. The riddle is extremely difficult.
The epitaph is a door. On the other side is the Golden Land.
Beloved hometown. All that Kinzo held dear from his past was his youth.
Thinking of the river as a family tree was close. What else could a river be?
Eva needs to verify something. There's a book archive around here.
She might know what the sweetfish river is. A six-letter word.
Snapping out of her stupor, Eva excuses herself briefly.
Eva locks the door. Nobody can know about this.
Eva has figured it out.
The solution to the riddle that has plagued the family for years. The key is in her hands.
All that remains is to open the door.
October 5th, 1986, 10:00 AM
14 hours remain
No longer inside the guest house, Eva has found something. Through an impossible solution, she has found something nobody else knows about.
A tunnel leading deep underneath the mansion. One impossible to find unless you know the solution to the epitaph.
What lies beyond the door takes Eva's breath away.
An extravagant room, filled with every comfort and luxury. If a mysterious witch were to live anywhere, it would be a room like this.
But the real main attraction is in the center of the room.
BGM: Happiness of Marionette - Omake
The gold is real. It was always real.
And it's right here. Eva found it first.
Eva revels in the moment. Her victory is at hand.
Of course, the others may not accept it at first. Still, everything will work itself out from here. The inheritance means nothing, now - what is Kinzo's fortune compared to this?
Virtue and humility are words the have-nots of the world create to comfort themselves. Happiness, a secure future, personal satisfaction... money can buy it all.
Old Eva and Young Eva believed in each other. That was the power that created this miracle.
That is Eva's magic.
<< | ^^ | >>