Beast Player Erin, ep. 36-41, spoilers

So, it's time for next post. I hoped for things to speed up a little, and they did. This post will cover six episodes and then next one will about last few episodes.

Episode 36 is one of those relaxed episode that lead main theme further, but with no unexpected twists. Lilan and Eku are now an item, and Eku is staying at Kazalm. Also, Lilan is pregnant, which makes Esal wonder should this be reported to the Queen or not. After consideration with other school stuff, she decides to report it, but to leave Erin outside of this report. Queen is naturally delighted to her this news.

Also, a time for graduation exam is close, so Erin has to find balance between caring for Lilan and Eku and studying. It's important for her to be a valedictorian, because that is a condition if she wants to stay at Kazalm as teacher. Of course, she succeeds, as everybody else passes. So, it time for separation with old friends, who leave to become a beastenarians in their own places.

In next episode we see a new generation of students at Kazalm. This is one of rare anomalies in series: there was no mention generations between Erin's and this. There were few older students, of Tomura's age, but no younger ones (except maybe when Erin starts learning a Kazalm; there was that one scene with beast lords' excrement).

Anyway, new students are here and Erin for the first time has to teach somebody. She has no problems, except with one girl-student: Shiron. Shiron is quite problematic for her, because she is not a bad student, but quite the opposite. She is quite smart and well read, but she thinks everything worthy is written in books. Also, she has personal problems: her father is a famous teacher at capital, and her older brothers took their father's path. Shiron would also do it, but her father didn't approve woman as teachers (or everything else than housewives, apparently). So Shiron came to Kazalm because that's the only place they accept women-students. And she is jealous at Erin because she already a teacher and takes it for granted. She has few conflicts with Erin, but Erin manages to reach to her while Lilan's delivery. After that, Shiron becomes an admirer of Erin. At the end of the episode, there is news that Queen will visit Kazalm. Also, she blesses the baby beast-lord and names it Owl.

Although this episode doesn't make new revelations, except Lilan's baby, it describes their world in more details. Until then, I wasn't aware of gender-issue, especially since only women are rulers of country, there's a women principal, etc... It only shows how things in Holon-part of the country are not so glorious and pure as these citizens like to think.

Next episode starts with making of plans for Queen's visit to Kazalm at capital. Daimaya influences them to go there by land, and get back down the river (it immediately made me suspicious). At Kazalm, they decide to hide Erin during the visit. And at Wajyaku part of country, Grand Duke is bedridden and not happy for Queen being so foolish to go road-tripping during these sensitive times.

Queen arrives to Kazalm and receives a great reception. But, of course that she wants to see beast-lords from close, so she goes seeing Lilan, Eku and Owl. Possible disaster is stopped by Erin, who calms them using her harp. Queen, Daimaya and some guy from Lazal (beast-lords care center at capital) are all shocked for Erin's refusal of mute-whistle.

Queen is later discouraged to visit Erin, but Daimaya made it secretly (before that he with meets Kiriku). There she tries to force himself on Erin, and also to pry her secrets, using stick-and carrot method. Erin refuses him, but is quite shaken. Thankfully, Queen comes to visit beast-lords before leaving and catches him in act. He is reprimanded but there are no consequences for him.

Queen talks with Erin about beast lords and reveals that she doesn't like the mute-whistle, after which she encourages Erin to try to raise more beast-lords with her methods. Erin and Esal are shocked with this, because they realize that Queen is not aware of secret history of her ancestors. Queen then leaves to Sir Kazalm's property (some kind of local feudal lord), and Erin and Esal discuss what they should and can do.

There is a brief contact between Erin and Ial in this episode, but nothing important. This again implies that Daimaya is the bad-guy, but still no proves.

In episode 39, teachers manage to get permission to take students to field trip, although that is just a pretense so they can watch Queen's ship passing by. At Grand Duke's quarter, Ngan comes back from battlefield and takes hold of his sword while watching his sleeping and bedridden father, but then Shunan enters the room. The brothers then go outside to talk about military issues and their Shunan tells him to keep Touda-riders low-profile for a while, while Queen is outside the capital.

While they are traveling the river, just in front Kazalm's teachers and students, Queen's ships are attacked by fearsome Touda-riders. Sezans try to make resistance, but they are in deep problems. Erin realizes what she should do: she goes for Lilan and they fly to attack these Touda (Kiriku tries to stop her, for her own sake, but fails). But Lilan enters berserk and Lilan can't control her. She kills all Touda and their rides, and of course, all this is seen by too many witnesses. Episode ends with two of them, full of dead Touda and people.

Although there are many death's in this episode, violence is quite mild, comparing it to some other shows. But still, Erin's and rest's horror is showed quite feasible.

Episode 40 starts with review of the dead; survivors are just now coming to their senses. Erin leaves Lilan at ship and starts helping to the wounded. Then she is called to the Queen, who is unconscious because of the hit in the head, acquired when ship was rocking because of Touda. Erin does what she can for Daimaya and Queen, then goes to help Ial. Ial refuses her help, telling her first to go to his men, although his wound is poisoned with Touda saliva, which could be fatal for his arm, even for himself.

During that time, she notices that these dead Touda don't have crest on their tail, meaning they don't belong to Grand Duke. This closes the plot with Touda egg-poachers.

Wounded are brought back to castle of Sir Kazalm, where Erin arrives with antidote for Ial, although she can't find him at first, because he is still doing his duties (in this case, being blamed for attack). So she proceeds with helping the rest of his wounded men. When they meet, she cleans his wounds and they have a long talk (with Kiriku eavesdropping behind the door). She reveals him facts about lack of Touda crests and then tells him rest of her story. Although Ial is supposed to be unemotional, it's obvious that he has some feelings for Erin, and he warns her to be careful, before she leaves.

In next episode, 41, Queen has awoken and she invites Erin to meet with her. There, she gives Erin a small present and invites her to come to capital with Lilan, to be her guardian. Daimaya is thrilled with this option, because he saw the potential behind just one beast-lord and what power could that brought to him. When Erin refuses (because of her fears of repeat of events from destroyed kingdom), Queen and Daimaya are offended. But Erin uses Queen's offer to be granted a favor and asks Queen to have a private conversation, with only Ial present. There is a brief interlude where Seimiya refuses gifts from Shunan, because believe them guilty for the attack on Queen.

During conversation, Erin reveals to the Queen her secret history, about Beast Lord Imperatives, etc. Queen is of course in shock, realizing she doesn't descend from God, but from a criminal and runaway. She is aggravated that this truth failed to be passed to her, because of Saigamul's attack on her grandmother and mother. Erin tells her how she won't submit Lilan to human codes, but if they two bring to another catastrophe, she will then take her life before anything happens. Queen admires Erin and withdraws her request, then gives leave to Erin, with promise to meet again in future. Ial then proceeds to inform the Queen about his investigations about persons behind this attack.

Next day, everything looks fine to Erin, but then the bad news arrives: Queen died from bleeding in her head!

These few episodes fastened the plot quite much and from now, I presume dark times will come for Erin's country. Ial is only one with influence who now knows the truth, Erin is in bad postion in Daimaya's eyes, and he had an influence on Seimiya. These last few episodes will be thrilling to watch.