There is a huge, dark hole in the trunk of George the Oak. The hole connects to the ground, creating a natural fortress for animals.
This oak has been here for 700 years. It has witnessed each of the Parade Ceremonies.
Red squirrels and woodpeckers live in this hole all year round. Now, The Ring is kicking acorns inside. The clattering sound echoes in the huge hole.
“The Ring”: Do you think they are gonna come?
“The Ring”: What if, in the end, no one shows up ...
“The Ring”: He paces in anxiety, kicking the acorns all over the place.
“The Ring”: Maybe nobody cares what's outside the school; maybe everyone's happy with what they've learnt in the school ...
Vertin: At least there will be two ... I guess.
Vertin: Isabella ...When she just got into the school, she was crying all the time and wanted to go home. Maybe she will come ...
Vertin: But this is something no one can guarantee.
Vertin: ... It'd be good enough as long as none of the instructors show up.
“The Ring”: Vertin! Lo ... look outside ...!
Vertin: ...!
...!
Spots of light, just one or two of them, though dim as the fireflies, emerge in the dark.
Followed by many more of those.
Like stars in the night sky, the lights move quietly and slowly, merging into a Milky Way leading here.
“The Ring”: They are here ...! My God, that's ... Oh, and they—Everyone is here ...!
“The Ring”: How, how come there are so many of them!
“The Ring”: Those are familiar faces—the silent ones during the day.
Vertin: They're ...
Vertin: Mesmer Jr., Isabella, "Penny," Matilda ... You are all here.
Vertin: Counting The Ring's classmates in, half of a class has gathered here.
Vertin: They jump into the tree hole one after another; the spacious hole suddenly becomes rather crowded.
All Students: ...
All Students: After everyone has settled down with a place to sit or stand, there are sudden tensions in the air.
All Students: They look at each other. After all, this is a gathering that has been strictly prohibited and will be regarded as unethical and evil.
All Students: There is a long, breathtaking silence. Eventually, someone comes forward with a question.
Mesmer Jr.: Vertin ... You gathered us all here. Are you going to hold out against the principal?
Vertin: What ...?!
Vertin: Absolutely not! I've never thought of that!
Mesmer Jr.: Phew ... That’s a relief.
Student B: I was so nervous. That was a harsh question you asked, Mesmer! But thank goodness ...
Student C: I'll be the first one out of here if it were a rebellion! This peace lover is not up against anyone!
Student C: Laughter from the crowd fills this narrow space.
Isabella: Then what is it you want? We ... we came here in secrecy.
Vertin: I didn't expect so many of you.
Vertin: So many of you in school are just like The Ring and me ...
Vertin: ... want to know more about the things outside ...
“The Ring”: Those rumors ... Have you heard?
“The Ring”: Yet we are prohibited not only to say "that word," but also to speak about anything related to the outside world.
Vertin: Our life is all about training, peace, and mankind. Nothing else.
Vertin: We have different hair colors, speak with different accents, and cast different arcane skills ...
Vertin: But the Student Handbook asks us to forget about all these. It aims at eliminating our differences and ensuring conformity in the school.
“The Ring”: We have found some pamphlets with poems from the outside world printed on them.
“The Ring”: This is something we've never been taught in class ...
Vertin: That poem inspired me with so many things ...
Vertin: We are the chosen ones. We are meant to be the backbone of the primary defense for mankind.
Vertin: But all of you here today ... Must still be curious about who you really are and what is in the world outside ...
Vertin: We cannot leave here, but we can know the truth through another way.
Vertin: Fellow students, before entering the school ... Where did you live? What kind of life did you lead?
Vertin: Did people there cast incantations too? Did they like scone just as we do ...?
Vertin: By piecing together our memories from all over the world, we can "rebuild" the very world outside!
All Students: Wow!
Mesmer Jr.: So that's how you know the world ...!
“The Ring”: This is the safest method we can think of. Given that none of us are leaving the school ...
Student C: I-I tucked some of these pamphlets in my pocket! And the stained glass balls an instructor left to me when he resigned!
Student C: I'd say these are a part of the outside world!
Matilda: Shh, silence! No one speaks before Matilda!
Matilda: My name is Matilda Bouanich! I am the most senior transfer student in the school—in fact, I was too senior to be taken in, if not for that special approval. That is to say, I remember the outside world a lot more than you do ...
Isabella: I-I'm Isabella. I was taken here at four, so I don't remember much of the outside world ...
Isabella: Hmm, I can recall Mother Superior used to like wearing floral dresses in pale blue, and ...
Isabella: We don't have much rain from where I grew up. The cloudless sky stretched out over our head and fell into the horizon ...
Mesmer Jr.: Our family has been psychologists for generations in the arcanum world. "Animal Magnetism" was invented by my grandfather's grandfather's grandfather's ... grandfather.
Mesmer Jr.: But I'm not interested in arcanists. They are all mad people, and we had to treat them after all ... They looked scary.
Mesmer Jr.: Oh and, there was a big football field near my house. Bare spots were on the turf everywhere, and there was also rust on the goals ...
“The Ring”: Slow down, SLOW DOWN! What's football? And goal? I can't follow ...!
“The Ring”: The Ring takes down everything. The paper beneath his pen has been densely packed with words, and the note goes on for pages.
Everyone is trying hard to recall the days before coming to school. They feel warm and even united.
They've never been so united before. They have different pasts, but now face the same fate. These experiences make them who they are.
Isabella: ... This is a beautiful poem.
Isabella: Isabella mutters at the pamphlet.
Isabella: I want to sing it!
Isabella: She suddenly stands up, which startles the group.
“The Ring”: Sing it? How?
Isabella: To the melody of our school song!
Isabella: See, each word is well-matched to the rhythm!
“The Ring”: Nor happiness, nor harmony, nor fame, Nor pride, nor strength, nor skill in arms or arts ... ♪
“The Ring”: ... My, they do go well together!
Isabella: Shepherd those herds whom blindness makes tame ... ♪
Matilda: Their eyes see not one light of Bright Stars ... ♪
Isabella: They all stood up with excitement.
Student C: God, each syllable is joining the notes so well …
Matilda: Is this a sign revealed by destiny? Are we told to, told to ...
Isabella: To sing it at the Parade Ceremony!
Vertin: ...!
Mesmer Jr.: Impossible! We will definitely get caught!
“The Ring”: But in doing so, the Big Head will hear our voices!
“The Ring”: They will come to realize that we ... we have this wish ...
Isabella: They will understand us, won't they, Vertin? After all, it is they who brought us up and who cared for us!
Vertin: ...
Vertin: They may be upset, or blame us ...
Vertin: But, let's give it a try!
Vertin: In the darkness, their hands join in silence.
Vertin: The song ... sounds much better than it was before.
