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From Dolce, With Love - Episode 9
⭠ last episode | Episode 9 | next episode ⭢
Noelle: The Doctor was thinking so much about the day death would come knocking at his door, you see.
'I refuse to die simply because my time is up!’
'For I am an intellectual! A standout, a genius, and a beauty for the ages! My death ought to be something fraught with far more passion and drama!'
He exclaimed that, and...!
And that's why, Noelle thought it was fate that one fine day she came across sanguine sap with black dots suspended within it.
Countless tentacles made from sweets started crawling around the lab at every single inflection of her voice.
[ Shatter! ]
The tentacles’ advance broke and tore down the shelves in the laboratory. They shattered the little bottles, crushing them underfoot as they slithered…
Multi-coloured chocolate sprays melted down our surroundings, from the floor, to the walls, to even the lab benches; anything and everything was warped in the wake of the chocolate sloshing around.
Noelle: With the poisoned sap, I'd be able to repay the dear Doctor for everything he'd done for me. He was like a lover, like a god, like a brother, and also like a precious someone who loved me for who I was.
Akira: And so, that's what made you give Dr Dolce that sanguine sap...?
Noelle: Indeed! Don't you think there's nothing more appropriately dramatic than having the one you love so much lay a murderous hand on you?
Even my dear Doctor was so, so delighted!
'That's my Noelle. That's my little princess with an unparalleled genius at her beck and call!' was what he said!
Chloe: W-Well then. I suppose it's all right if it made him happy...?
Shino: How does that make it okay? Right, you're a Western Wizard too, no wonder you think that.
Rustica: Oh, but isn't it just marvellous how one-sided this is? What single-mindedness, and such passion to go with......
I think Dr Dolce must have loved you very much. Everything you did to him was accepted with nothing but happiness and wide-open arms.
At that, Noelle smiled, softly and gently. It reminded me of the expression one would wear when they were filled with warmth from looking back on fond memories with their beloved family.
Noelle: That's all true...... He embarked on his sweetmaking journey all for Noelle's sake. His Deathly Delights were but one of his many creations during that period of time.
He cast aside all of his existing research and started honing his sweetmaking skills all because his Noelle loves sweet treats......
As she reminisced, Noelle held her hands before her chest like prayer with her eyes cast downwards. The golems' onslaught slowed ever so slightly.
Noticing an opportunity, Figaro gracefully cast his arm outward.
Figaro: « possideo »
As he said his spell-word, he lightly closed his hand into a fist. In an instant, all the golems surrounding us burst apart and splattered to pieces.
What remained in the large cauldron behind Noelle, as well as the remnants of the golems scattered around us, continued to wriggle and writhe. But before they could regroup, Figaro seized his chance to press Noelle.
Figaro: Then why did both of you go to the Forest of Dreams? From what we were told earlier, you were in a physically frail state as well.
Noelle: ...... There wasn’t enough poison. Not enough for the Doctor to die from it.
So Noelle used all of her magic to fly him all the way to the Northern Country on her broom.
It's said that the Forest of Dreams in the Northern Country grants sweet dreams to the dying in their final moments. But what ended up happening was that... the poisonous fumes of the forest started getting to Noelle......
Owen: Haha...... You call that trying to personally kill him, you spoiled and cruel brat?
If you truly wanted to grant him his wish, you could have done something — stab him in his heart or anywhere else, and end his suffering.
Noelle: ...... Maybe. Noelle couldn't do it. Noelle was too soft.
In the end, you were the one who delivered the final blow to the Doctor, but...... but that made me realise something.
I wanted to repay my dear Doctor for everything. That is as true as ever. But... it wasn't as simple as that after all. In truth...... I, too, have always, ALWAYS been thinking about Death.
But poisoning the Doctor didn't satisfy the urges in me. Well, of course it wouldn't!
Noelle didn't want to kill the one she loves — she wants to be killed BY the one she loves!
Noelle caught Owen within her gaze. Her eyes glimmered with something akin to honeyed sweetness.
Behind her, and all around the laboratory, the sounds of gurgling, foaming, and violent bubbling started up once again.
Noelle: Thank you, Owen. You taught Noelle all there is to know about this feeling. I love you with all of my heart.
That's why...! That's why Noelle keeps acting out against you! Noelle's been a naughty girl causing you all sorts of trouble, so why won't you just kill her already......!
The Other Wizards (Chloe & Shino & Nero & Rustica): Argh......!
Noelle threw her arms wide open. As if waiting for this cue, the scattered and dismembered golems started piecing themselves together again.
More chocolate boiled over from the cauldron, and new creatures started rising from various bottles of medicine that lay broken on the floor. They joined the reanimated golems, and stood between us and Noelle.
Owen: Nothing will change even if you prepare a mountainous heap of cannon fodder.
Owen: « cur memini »
Owen's spell-word dismembered and ruptured the newly-reborn golems.
But the scattered parts rejoined themselves back together in midair. Their limbs swelled and stretched out towards us yet again.
[ Faust CG ]
Faust: « satilliqunart mullcreed » !
With his magical tool, a mirror, in hand, Faust swiftly dodged the incoming strike. He spoke loudly and clearly.
Faust: Mithra! Do you know how to undo the spell binding these golems?
Mithra: Yes, but this isn't just any spellcraft anymore.
The magic glyph for it has already been heavily modified. All sorts of magecraft and magical foci and strange medicines and whatnot have been incorporated into it...... It's almost unrecognisably changed.
The root of everything is most likely the large cauldron sitting behind that girl. I think it's best to break the whole thing apart to reach the wriggling core that nests within it.
Figaro: So pure brute force saves the day yet again, it seems. I feel sorry for the girl's loss, but let's sort out this mess at once. Faust, support Mithra.
Faust: Understood. While Mithra goes for the core, I'll quell and undo the rest of the foci.
If we can just prevent all the spilled chemicals in this room from reacting with the spell from the glyph…
Noelle: I WON'T LET YOU!
Akira: No, it’s the giant waves of chocolate again…!
Mithra: « arsim »
Noelle: Ah...... (gasp) !?
At the sound of Mithra's spell-word, Noelle's knees gave out, and she fell, crashing down to her knees on the floor.
Her eyes snapped wide open. As if grabbed at by an unseen force, she was restrained, her hands folding themselves behind her back while her head and gaze were forced up towards Mithra.
Mithra: Will you please behave and stay put for a while? I don't think it's a good idea for me to blow up this entire residence.
I have plans to bring sweets back to the manor, and I also planned on making you mine...... Anyway, I have now started off by demonstrating to you the difference in power between us.
Figaro: Good job, Mithra. Now, we'll clean up the rest of the golems that sprouted.
If we break the core, undo the various foci, and dispose of all the newborn golems... that ought to break the entire chain and stop them from spawning endlessly.
Rustica, I trust that Kenja sama is safe in your hands. Everyone else, lend me a hand.
Shino & Chloe: Sure thing!
Nero: Yeah, alright.
Rustica: You can leave it to me. ...... Little lady, I must apologise for what I am about to do — I shall now return all your dolls to the sweets they once were.
I do think the feelings you have for Owen are beautiful and precious, but... I will not stand idly by while you make attempts to turn those I treasure into goop.
The wizards scattered out of the way of incoming golem attacks.
Owen looked particularly relaxed as he rid the lab of golems. He said aloud, in his usual cadence:
Owen: Sweets are best sweet. It's absurd if they become a nuisance.
Noelle: ......... (huff)
Without skipping a beat, Mithra levitated without the aid of a broom. He stifled a yawn as he directed his spell-word straight at the wriggling core within the cauldron.
Mithra: « arsim »
Faust: « satilliqunart mullcreed » !
Faust swooped in, holding up his magical tool after Mithra made his move.
Then, the other wizards followed suit.
Shino: « matzah sudipas »
Nero: « adnodis omnis »
Chloe: « suispisiva voitingoc »
Figaro: « possideo »
The cauldron's contents were rocked by the combined forces of everyone's magic. There was a terrible creaking sound, and then cracks started to emerge on the body of the cauldron.
Then, there was a bright flash of light.
[ No BGM ]
Akira: ...... (gasp) !
Rustica wrapped an arm around me and pulled me close.
I widened my eyes in astonishment at the scene that unfolded.
The bottles littering the room shattered; the golems that emerged looked like they’d been ripped apart by a hail of bullets. Everything disintegrated.
It started to rain within the confines of the strange workshop. The droplets of rain were impossibly sweet and fantastically colourful.
Owen walked through the rain at a languid pace.
Noelle: Owen......
Noelle's voice was filled with joy, as if she were clinging onto Owen as he approached.
But Owen was not looking at her.
He was looking at the flock of little golems that had remained by Noelle's side. They wriggled and squirmed around her in a poor attempt to protect her, trying in vain to merge themselves into a bigger golem.
Owen: « quare moritor »
And then, all that remained were everyday sweets.
Owen looked at Noelle from the corners of his eyes. His gaze was ice-cold.
Owen: You’ve gone gloriously mad.
[ Scene fades. ]
[ Event theme song BGM ]
A stickily sweet mixture rained down upon us and trickled down the walls of the laboratory. It was like sponge cake, chocolate, and cream all at once.
They used to be golems, but what remained of them were now scattered all over Dr Dolce's workshop.
Owen swiped up a bit of lethally poisoned chocolate from the mixing bowl with his finger, and licked at it.
Owen: Ew, it's not sweet at all.
Mithra: I've eaten quite a lot on the way here, but all this moving around sure makes me hungry.
Kenja sama, would you like some too? These are some very fresh cuts of golem tentacles.
Akira: They're so fresh, they're still wriggling around... Thanks, but I'll pass...
Noelle watched them, rather tired and fed up. It seemed like she'd been freed from the grip of Mithra's spell, but she remained slumped on the floor, blinking her pretty eyes.
Her chocolate-coloured eyes then suddenly grew watery. Large tears started rolling down her cheeks.
Noelle: (sniff) (sob) ~~~~
Why! WHY! You're SUPPOSED to want to kill me if I point murderous intent at you! People who annoy you make you want to kill them, that's how it's supposed to go, right!?
You didn't hesitate when it was the Doctor. WHY DIDN'T YOU DO THE SAME FOR NOELLE!?
Owen: Because you're boring.
Noelle: (BAWLING) ~~~!!
Figaro: You really haven’t got a shred of mercy, have you.
In a fit, Noelle continued to rant as she shuddered between choking sobs and a strained voice.
Noelle: I made sweets just for you for a hundred years now, and alI you ever did was rip up my letters and burn them to ash, but I NEVER gave up and kept sending them to yooou......
I planted lots and lots of sanguine trees in the garden in our memory, and each time I found crystallised sap that was poisoned, I'd mix it into the sweets I made.
Noelle just wants you to LOOK at her! Every day, her waking thoughts are consumed by your existence...... and FINALLY Noelle managed to get you to come to her, BUT I DON’T KNOW WHAT I’M SUPPOSED TO DO TO GET YOU TO KILL MEEEEEE~~!!
Her adorable face was ruined by tears and sobbing. The more I looked at her, the more she reminded me of a fangirl that can never reach her idol no matter how much she pined for him.
Alas, her feelings were one-sided. Still, it was true that the love she had burned so brightly and passionately that she would give up her life for it.
Episode 10 ⭢
Noelle: The Doctor was thinking so much about the day death would come knocking at his door, you see.
'I refuse to die simply because my time is up!’
'For I am an intellectual! A standout, a genius, and a beauty for the ages! My death ought to be something fraught with far more passion and drama!'
He exclaimed that, and...!
And that's why, Noelle thought it was fate that one fine day she came across sanguine sap with black dots suspended within it.
Countless tentacles made from sweets started crawling around the lab at every single inflection of her voice.
[ Shatter! ]
The tentacles’ advance broke and tore down the shelves in the laboratory. They shattered the little bottles, crushing them underfoot as they slithered…
Multi-coloured chocolate sprays melted down our surroundings, from the floor, to the walls, to even the lab benches; anything and everything was warped in the wake of the chocolate sloshing around.
Noelle: With the poisoned sap, I'd be able to repay the dear Doctor for everything he'd done for me. He was like a lover, like a god, like a brother, and also like a precious someone who loved me for who I was.
Akira: And so, that's what made you give Dr Dolce that sanguine sap...?
Noelle: Indeed! Don't you think there's nothing more appropriately dramatic than having the one you love so much lay a murderous hand on you?
Even my dear Doctor was so, so delighted!
'That's my Noelle. That's my little princess with an unparalleled genius at her beck and call!' was what he said!
Chloe: W-Well then. I suppose it's all right if it made him happy...?
Shino: How does that make it okay? Right, you're a Western Wizard too, no wonder you think that.
Rustica: Oh, but isn't it just marvellous how one-sided this is? What single-mindedness, and such passion to go with......
I think Dr Dolce must have loved you very much. Everything you did to him was accepted with nothing but happiness and wide-open arms.
At that, Noelle smiled, softly and gently. It reminded me of the expression one would wear when they were filled with warmth from looking back on fond memories with their beloved family.
Noelle: That's all true...... He embarked on his sweetmaking journey all for Noelle's sake. His Deathly Delights were but one of his many creations during that period of time.
He cast aside all of his existing research and started honing his sweetmaking skills all because his Noelle loves sweet treats......
As she reminisced, Noelle held her hands before her chest like prayer with her eyes cast downwards. The golems' onslaught slowed ever so slightly.
Noticing an opportunity, Figaro gracefully cast his arm outward.
Figaro: « possideo »
As he said his spell-word, he lightly closed his hand into a fist. In an instant, all the golems surrounding us burst apart and splattered to pieces.
What remained in the large cauldron behind Noelle, as well as the remnants of the golems scattered around us, continued to wriggle and writhe. But before they could regroup, Figaro seized his chance to press Noelle.
Figaro: Then why did both of you go to the Forest of Dreams? From what we were told earlier, you were in a physically frail state as well.
Noelle: ...... There wasn’t enough poison. Not enough for the Doctor to die from it.
So Noelle used all of her magic to fly him all the way to the Northern Country on her broom.
It's said that the Forest of Dreams in the Northern Country grants sweet dreams to the dying in their final moments. But what ended up happening was that... the poisonous fumes of the forest started getting to Noelle......
Owen: Haha...... You call that trying to personally kill him, you spoiled and cruel brat?
If you truly wanted to grant him his wish, you could have done something — stab him in his heart or anywhere else, and end his suffering.
Noelle: ...... Maybe. Noelle couldn't do it. Noelle was too soft.
In the end, you were the one who delivered the final blow to the Doctor, but...... but that made me realise something.
I wanted to repay my dear Doctor for everything. That is as true as ever. But... it wasn't as simple as that after all. In truth...... I, too, have always, ALWAYS been thinking about Death.
But poisoning the Doctor didn't satisfy the urges in me. Well, of course it wouldn't!
Noelle didn't want to kill the one she loves — she wants to be killed BY the one she loves!
Noelle caught Owen within her gaze. Her eyes glimmered with something akin to honeyed sweetness.
Behind her, and all around the laboratory, the sounds of gurgling, foaming, and violent bubbling started up once again.
Noelle: Thank you, Owen. You taught Noelle all there is to know about this feeling. I love you with all of my heart.
That's why...! That's why Noelle keeps acting out against you! Noelle's been a naughty girl causing you all sorts of trouble, so why won't you just kill her already......!
The Other Wizards (Chloe & Shino & Nero & Rustica): Argh......!
Noelle threw her arms wide open. As if waiting for this cue, the scattered and dismembered golems started piecing themselves together again.
More chocolate boiled over from the cauldron, and new creatures started rising from various bottles of medicine that lay broken on the floor. They joined the reanimated golems, and stood between us and Noelle.
Owen: Nothing will change even if you prepare a mountainous heap of cannon fodder.
Owen: « cur memini »
Owen's spell-word dismembered and ruptured the newly-reborn golems.
But the scattered parts rejoined themselves back together in midair. Their limbs swelled and stretched out towards us yet again.
[ Faust CG ]
Faust: « satilliqunart mullcreed » !
With his magical tool, a mirror, in hand, Faust swiftly dodged the incoming strike. He spoke loudly and clearly.
Faust: Mithra! Do you know how to undo the spell binding these golems?
Mithra: Yes, but this isn't just any spellcraft anymore.
The magic glyph for it has already been heavily modified. All sorts of magecraft and magical foci and strange medicines and whatnot have been incorporated into it...... It's almost unrecognisably changed.
The root of everything is most likely the large cauldron sitting behind that girl. I think it's best to break the whole thing apart to reach the wriggling core that nests within it.
Figaro: So pure brute force saves the day yet again, it seems. I feel sorry for the girl's loss, but let's sort out this mess at once. Faust, support Mithra.
Faust: Understood. While Mithra goes for the core, I'll quell and undo the rest of the foci.
If we can just prevent all the spilled chemicals in this room from reacting with the spell from the glyph…
Noelle: I WON'T LET YOU!
Akira: No, it’s the giant waves of chocolate again…!
Mithra: « arsim »
Noelle: Ah...... (gasp) !?
At the sound of Mithra's spell-word, Noelle's knees gave out, and she fell, crashing down to her knees on the floor.
Her eyes snapped wide open. As if grabbed at by an unseen force, she was restrained, her hands folding themselves behind her back while her head and gaze were forced up towards Mithra.
Mithra: Will you please behave and stay put for a while? I don't think it's a good idea for me to blow up this entire residence.
I have plans to bring sweets back to the manor, and I also planned on making you mine...... Anyway, I have now started off by demonstrating to you the difference in power between us.
Figaro: Good job, Mithra. Now, we'll clean up the rest of the golems that sprouted.
If we break the core, undo the various foci, and dispose of all the newborn golems... that ought to break the entire chain and stop them from spawning endlessly.
Rustica, I trust that Kenja sama is safe in your hands. Everyone else, lend me a hand.
Shino & Chloe: Sure thing!
Nero: Yeah, alright.
Rustica: You can leave it to me. ...... Little lady, I must apologise for what I am about to do — I shall now return all your dolls to the sweets they once were.
I do think the feelings you have for Owen are beautiful and precious, but... I will not stand idly by while you make attempts to turn those I treasure into goop.
The wizards scattered out of the way of incoming golem attacks.
Owen looked particularly relaxed as he rid the lab of golems. He said aloud, in his usual cadence:
Owen: Sweets are best sweet. It's absurd if they become a nuisance.
Noelle: ......... (huff)
Without skipping a beat, Mithra levitated without the aid of a broom. He stifled a yawn as he directed his spell-word straight at the wriggling core within the cauldron.
Mithra: « arsim »
Faust: « satilliqunart mullcreed » !
Faust swooped in, holding up his magical tool after Mithra made his move.
Then, the other wizards followed suit.
Shino: « matzah sudipas »
Nero: « adnodis omnis »
Chloe: « suispisiva voitingoc »
Figaro: « possideo »
The cauldron's contents were rocked by the combined forces of everyone's magic. There was a terrible creaking sound, and then cracks started to emerge on the body of the cauldron.
Then, there was a bright flash of light.
[ No BGM ]
Akira: ...... (gasp) !
Rustica wrapped an arm around me and pulled me close.
I widened my eyes in astonishment at the scene that unfolded.
The bottles littering the room shattered; the golems that emerged looked like they’d been ripped apart by a hail of bullets. Everything disintegrated.
It started to rain within the confines of the strange workshop. The droplets of rain were impossibly sweet and fantastically colourful.
Owen walked through the rain at a languid pace.
Noelle: Owen......
Noelle's voice was filled with joy, as if she were clinging onto Owen as he approached.
But Owen was not looking at her.
He was looking at the flock of little golems that had remained by Noelle's side. They wriggled and squirmed around her in a poor attempt to protect her, trying in vain to merge themselves into a bigger golem.
Owen: « quare moritor »
And then, all that remained were everyday sweets.
Owen looked at Noelle from the corners of his eyes. His gaze was ice-cold.
Owen: You’ve gone gloriously mad.
[ Scene fades. ]
[ Event theme song BGM ]
A stickily sweet mixture rained down upon us and trickled down the walls of the laboratory. It was like sponge cake, chocolate, and cream all at once.
They used to be golems, but what remained of them were now scattered all over Dr Dolce's workshop.
Owen swiped up a bit of lethally poisoned chocolate from the mixing bowl with his finger, and licked at it.
Owen: Ew, it's not sweet at all.
Mithra: I've eaten quite a lot on the way here, but all this moving around sure makes me hungry.
Kenja sama, would you like some too? These are some very fresh cuts of golem tentacles.
Akira: They're so fresh, they're still wriggling around... Thanks, but I'll pass...
Noelle watched them, rather tired and fed up. It seemed like she'd been freed from the grip of Mithra's spell, but she remained slumped on the floor, blinking her pretty eyes.
Her chocolate-coloured eyes then suddenly grew watery. Large tears started rolling down her cheeks.
Noelle: (sniff) (sob) ~~~~
Why! WHY! You're SUPPOSED to want to kill me if I point murderous intent at you! People who annoy you make you want to kill them, that's how it's supposed to go, right!?
You didn't hesitate when it was the Doctor. WHY DIDN'T YOU DO THE SAME FOR NOELLE!?
Owen: Because you're boring.
Noelle: (BAWLING) ~~~!!
Figaro: You really haven’t got a shred of mercy, have you.
In a fit, Noelle continued to rant as she shuddered between choking sobs and a strained voice.
Noelle: I made sweets just for you for a hundred years now, and alI you ever did was rip up my letters and burn them to ash, but I NEVER gave up and kept sending them to yooou......
I planted lots and lots of sanguine trees in the garden in our memory, and each time I found crystallised sap that was poisoned, I'd mix it into the sweets I made.
Noelle just wants you to LOOK at her! Every day, her waking thoughts are consumed by your existence...... and FINALLY Noelle managed to get you to come to her, BUT I DON’T KNOW WHAT I’M SUPPOSED TO DO TO GET YOU TO KILL MEEEEEE~~!!
Her adorable face was ruined by tears and sobbing. The more I looked at her, the more she reminded me of a fangirl that can never reach her idol no matter how much she pined for him.
Alas, her feelings were one-sided. Still, it was true that the love she had burned so brightly and passionately that she would give up her life for it.
Episode 10 ⭢