The Case Study of Vanitas (2021) s01e04 Episode Script
Night of Mocking Masks
"The World Formula Theory."
This theory was first proposed by the great alchemist Paracelsus.
It claims that just beyond the humankind's world
lies a realm wherein the entire mortal
world has been replaced with formulas.
Paracelsus believed that if one could rewrite the world's constitutive formulas,
it would eliminate all sickness and
steer humankind toward happiness.
He immersed himself in his work,
and before long, he did an experiment
that meddled with the World Formula.
But the experiment led to an accident known as the Babel Incident.
Babel visited upon humankind all manner of calamities
and brought unto this world things that had never before existed.
Flowers that glowed with their own light,
minerals with a blue radiance,
and red-eyed humanoids came to be for the very first time.
Each resulted from having its original constitutive formula rewritten after the World Formula was meddled with.
That is why we now have airships equipped with aerodynamic lift generators,
steam locomotives, street lights, and other inventions.
They are all powered by astermite, a mineral created by the rewriting of the constitutive formula for coal.
Vampires came to be when Babel caused the
constitutive formula for humans to be rewritten.
They are an entirely new species.
We are too?
That's right.
But I doubt few if any of humanity's
children know the truth of the matter.
But we must never forget.
Maître, you look like you're having fun.
Yes, I am.
It's quite fun.
And I'm certain it will become ever more fun as time goes by.
And it's all because you came along with me,
my darling kitten—
Mon Chaton.
The Case
Study of
Vanitas
The Case
Study of
Vanitas
You always ponder the simple stuff like emotions and love
I hope one day you'll come to understand them
Torn apart and patched back together so many times leaves you a miserable sight
You don't even know what it means to be alive
You needn't put into words that you want us alone together
I have a feeling we can accept one another, and that's fine for now
I love this world, and I love the light that only you can bring me
Even with my fractured eyes it makes this world
Appear ever so radiant
There's nothing certain in life
But I'm sure you can see me
When the sky and void meet, turn back from dreams of the future
Isn't this carriage far too large?
I told you we're going to a ball.
You're not planning on going dressed like that, are you?
Please remove this collar if you're changing.
I'll go wait with Vanitas.
Domi, are you upset about something?
Was it a bad idea to bring Vanitas along?
I thought he should come along if we were going to learn more about curse-bearers.
But I failed to see things from your standpoint.
Forgive me, Domi.
I'm simply worried.
It was my grandfather's bidding that led
you to join forces with the book's bearer.
But your personal involvement with curse-bearers?
I believe you've convinced yourself that
what happened back then was your fault.
Domi,
you smell so good.
You haven't dropped a hint like that in a long time.
But that won't do.
You must tell me what you want.
Well, Noé?
Do you want to suck my blood?
Yes, I want to suck your blood.
All right.
My blood is all yours,
mon chéri.
What is it?
Are you not feeling well?
No.
Masks Jesters
I can't help recalling what I saw.
A flower for you.
Thank you!
Mother, look, look!
Isn't that wonderful, Catherine?
You're so lucky, Sis!
What do you think you're doing?!
Me?
What about your little dalliance
while I was right outside the door?
Dalliance?
What are you talking about?
Domi is a treasured friend.
Don't say things that may be misconstrued. It only invites trouble for her.
You vampires define friendships in a strange manner.
You speak of that little exchange we had earlier.
That wasn't the first time Noé sucked my blood simply because he had a thirst.
An Archiviste is forced to see a person's memories the first time they suck their blood.
But Noé frowns on prying into another's memories without their consent.
That's why
Where'd Noé go?
It seems you shouldn't have removed his collar.
No matter.
Come on in.
Just so you know,
you may cry and scream, but it will all be in vain.
I didn't expect to find automatons here.
I'd heard that vampires disliked human technology for the most part.
Domi, who is hosting tonight's
They wandered off? What trouble they are!
Uncle has yet to arrive?
There's been no word from him?
None.
I hope nothing bad has happened.
Just in case, please inform
Marquis Machina about my uncle.
I will keep looking for her.
What are you doing here?!
Don't tell me you followed us?!
No! I
Master Lucius, who is this person?
Lucius?
He is
He is a friend of mine!
With me!
Huh?!
There's an important matter we must speak of! Th-This way!
I-I don't understand. Wh-Why now?
Answer me, human.
Why Noé? What are your intentions?
I wonder
I won't stop Noé from working alongside you.
I'll even offer what assistance I can if he so wishes.
But if you're trying to use his power to your advantage
Friends, you say? Don't make me laugh.
Men only pay heed to women like
you when it's convenient for them.
I do not deny that the Vampire of the Blue Moon exists.
If Noé believes it, I'll proceed with the assumption that your power and that of The Book of Vanitas are real.
But I don't understand why you,
a bearer of the blue moon's power,
keep babbling on about saving the vampires of the crimson moon.
It strains credulity.
Vanitas should bear a deep grudge against us.
Can you swear you're not an assassin sent at his bidding?
Does not the very fact that you've assumed the name of Vanitas
prove that you worship the Vampire of the Blue Moon?
Worship?
The Vampire of the Blue Moon?
I see.
You do have a point there.
All the vampires I've come across thus far have only thought in terms of whether The Book of Vanitas was real.
Fools, one and all.
But now I see.
I've been going about this backward.
I should've started by burning my very existence into your brains.
Hear me now, vampires!
My name is Vanitas.
The Vampire of the Blue Moon passed on to me his name and his book.
What is this?
Is this some sort of show?
Yet I'm but a human!
What the devil is he doing?!
First, I shall prove to you right here, right now,
that I number among the Clan of the Blue Moon.
This here
proves my claim.
He bears the mark!
I trust that everyone here knows who it was that made this mark.
You must sense by instinct the sort
of power that was granted unto me.
Slay him!
Tear him limb from limb!
Feast your eyes.
This is The Book of Vanitas.
It has the power to corrupt your true names with ease, plunging you into a despair worse than death.
It is the cursed grimoire.
But I assure you, there is nothing to fear!
Indeed, you are quite fortunate.
For I, Vanitas of the Blue Moon Clan,
shall use The Book of Vanitas not to slaughter you,
but to save you! Do you hear me?
You need only tremble in your humiliation while you are saved by my own hand!
Whether you seek this or not, I will save you vampires!
That very deed will be my ultimate act of vengeance against Vanitas!
I will save the vampires.
Now I see.
That's why you're so
Vanitas.
So there you have it!
If any among you are curse-bearers, do not hesitate to step forward!
I, Vanitas, doctor and vampire specialist, shall save you without fail!
Enough of this!
Just kill him!
Huh?
The Clan of the Blue Moon will save us?!
The Vampire of the Blue Moon is the root cause of curse-bearers!
Kill that human!
Foul creature!
What does he think he's doing?!
I have no idea.
Why cause an uproar here of all places?!
I have no idea.
Oh my, so this is what all the fuss is about.
What brings a mortal man here?
He reeks.
I fear my nose shall fall off from his foul human stench.
Yikes!
Is that my sister, Veronica?!
She said she wasn't coming!
Let us remove that filth without delay.
Where is he?!
The human's gone!
Someone spirited away that human in the wink of an eye.
This just got interesting.
Now, good people! We shall hunt down the mortal.
Just as our forebears did, let us find and slay the filthy beast, for his ilk is the bane of our kind!
Wasn't that Jeanne who just carried off Vanitas?
Huh? Oh, yes it was.
What would possess her to help him?
I told her I wished to see the two of you once more.
Might you forgive my discourtesy the other day, Monsieur Noé?
That day
I was not thinking straight. My temper got the better of me.
My immaturity brings me nothing but shame.
Please, Luca. Noé alone will suffice.
Let's join the search for Vanitas.
Both you and I cannot afford to have Vanitas die here this day.
Okay!
Lucky devils! Those lucky devils!
That sounds like such fun!
Imagine that.
To think the day would come when a woman would sweep me off my feet.
Indeed, this is the most unexpected—
I didn't think we would meet again so soon, Jeanne.
Jeanne?
A song?
What is this cacophony?
Curse-bearers?!
What is this?
Several curse-bearers here all of a sudden?
Could the voice of the curse-bearers be behind this?
This is certainly a pickle.
Sis?!
Catherine?!
Master Lucius!
Thank goodness, you're unharmed.
Master Luca.
You have the urge to suck blood.
Jeanne, are you a curse-bearer?
Who are you fiends?!
Noé!
Please stand back!
I am
Well, no matter either way.
You should suck my blood.
What?
I'm offering you my blood.
Surely you jest.
Who would want the blood of a human such as you?
You wish to save the boy, don't you?
There's no time to be picky.
The sweet scent of blood
What has gotten into you?
My fangs may be the death of you.
Why do this?
I don't know.
At the moment, I guess I don't care what happens.
No, wait. Perhaps I'm wrong.
I'm intrigued.
What would it feel like if you were to suck my blood?
That's right.
When all is said and done, I have fallen for you.
Now then, Jeanne.
N-No, not your blood.
Here you go, Jeanne.
Now I see.
This isn't half bad.
I'll ask you once more.
Who are you fiends?
Charlatan.
That's right.
We are known as Charlatan.
Night of Sneering Masks
Night of Sneering Masks
Night of Sneering Masks
As soon as it all began
I could see how it would end
Like melting ice cream beginning to drip
I release a sigh that echoes ever so far
Ever so gently like ripples on the water
When I lose myself I become you
I'll meet all your desires
I'll cling to you
Lose the veil
'Cause tomorrow
All doubts will be dispelled
Was it you who I've been searching for
Spent my life alone and waited for?
So tenderly and endlessly
You made me whole, you made me whole
I'm sinking beneath all the tears
To a place beyond goodbyes
Torn through time by myself
You made me whole, you made me whole
Was it you who I heard through the door
When I cried and had no place to go?
Torn through time by myself
I know I'm never alone
Since I found your embrace
You made me whole, you made me whole
I lose myself
I lose myself
I know I'm never alone
Friends
Friends
Friends
This theory was first proposed by the great alchemist Paracelsus.
It claims that just beyond the humankind's world
lies a realm wherein the entire mortal
world has been replaced with formulas.
Paracelsus believed that if one could rewrite the world's constitutive formulas,
it would eliminate all sickness and
steer humankind toward happiness.
He immersed himself in his work,
and before long, he did an experiment
that meddled with the World Formula.
But the experiment led to an accident known as the Babel Incident.
Babel visited upon humankind all manner of calamities
and brought unto this world things that had never before existed.
Flowers that glowed with their own light,
minerals with a blue radiance,
and red-eyed humanoids came to be for the very first time.
Each resulted from having its original constitutive formula rewritten after the World Formula was meddled with.
That is why we now have airships equipped with aerodynamic lift generators,
steam locomotives, street lights, and other inventions.
They are all powered by astermite, a mineral created by the rewriting of the constitutive formula for coal.
Vampires came to be when Babel caused the
constitutive formula for humans to be rewritten.
They are an entirely new species.
We are too?
That's right.
But I doubt few if any of humanity's
children know the truth of the matter.
But we must never forget.
Maître, you look like you're having fun.
Yes, I am.
It's quite fun.
And I'm certain it will become ever more fun as time goes by.
And it's all because you came along with me,
my darling kitten—
Mon Chaton.
The Case
Study of
Vanitas
The Case
Study of
Vanitas
You always ponder the simple stuff like emotions and love
I hope one day you'll come to understand them
Torn apart and patched back together so many times leaves you a miserable sight
You don't even know what it means to be alive
You needn't put into words that you want us alone together
I have a feeling we can accept one another, and that's fine for now
I love this world, and I love the light that only you can bring me
Even with my fractured eyes it makes this world
Appear ever so radiant
There's nothing certain in life
But I'm sure you can see me
When the sky and void meet, turn back from dreams of the future
Isn't this carriage far too large?
I told you we're going to a ball.
You're not planning on going dressed like that, are you?
Please remove this collar if you're changing.
I'll go wait with Vanitas.
Domi, are you upset about something?
Was it a bad idea to bring Vanitas along?
I thought he should come along if we were going to learn more about curse-bearers.
But I failed to see things from your standpoint.
Forgive me, Domi.
I'm simply worried.
It was my grandfather's bidding that led
you to join forces with the book's bearer.
But your personal involvement with curse-bearers?
I believe you've convinced yourself that
what happened back then was your fault.
Domi,
you smell so good.
You haven't dropped a hint like that in a long time.
But that won't do.
You must tell me what you want.
Well, Noé?
Do you want to suck my blood?
Yes, I want to suck your blood.
All right.
My blood is all yours,
mon chéri.
What is it?
Are you not feeling well?
No.
Masks Jesters
I can't help recalling what I saw.
A flower for you.
Thank you!
Mother, look, look!
Isn't that wonderful, Catherine?
You're so lucky, Sis!
What do you think you're doing?!
Me?
What about your little dalliance
while I was right outside the door?
Dalliance?
What are you talking about?
Domi is a treasured friend.
Don't say things that may be misconstrued. It only invites trouble for her.
You vampires define friendships in a strange manner.
You speak of that little exchange we had earlier.
That wasn't the first time Noé sucked my blood simply because he had a thirst.
An Archiviste is forced to see a person's memories the first time they suck their blood.
But Noé frowns on prying into another's memories without their consent.
That's why
Where'd Noé go?
It seems you shouldn't have removed his collar.
No matter.
Come on in.
Just so you know,
you may cry and scream, but it will all be in vain.
I didn't expect to find automatons here.
I'd heard that vampires disliked human technology for the most part.
Domi, who is hosting tonight's
They wandered off? What trouble they are!
Uncle has yet to arrive?
There's been no word from him?
None.
I hope nothing bad has happened.
Just in case, please inform
Marquis Machina about my uncle.
I will keep looking for her.
What are you doing here?!
Don't tell me you followed us?!
No! I
Master Lucius, who is this person?
Lucius?
He is
He is a friend of mine!
With me!
Huh?!
There's an important matter we must speak of! Th-This way!
I-I don't understand. Wh-Why now?
Answer me, human.
Why Noé? What are your intentions?
I wonder
I won't stop Noé from working alongside you.
I'll even offer what assistance I can if he so wishes.
But if you're trying to use his power to your advantage
Friends, you say? Don't make me laugh.
Men only pay heed to women like
you when it's convenient for them.
I do not deny that the Vampire of the Blue Moon exists.
If Noé believes it, I'll proceed with the assumption that your power and that of The Book of Vanitas are real.
But I don't understand why you,
a bearer of the blue moon's power,
keep babbling on about saving the vampires of the crimson moon.
It strains credulity.
Vanitas should bear a deep grudge against us.
Can you swear you're not an assassin sent at his bidding?
Does not the very fact that you've assumed the name of Vanitas
prove that you worship the Vampire of the Blue Moon?
Worship?
The Vampire of the Blue Moon?
I see.
You do have a point there.
All the vampires I've come across thus far have only thought in terms of whether The Book of Vanitas was real.
Fools, one and all.
But now I see.
I've been going about this backward.
I should've started by burning my very existence into your brains.
Hear me now, vampires!
My name is Vanitas.
The Vampire of the Blue Moon passed on to me his name and his book.
What is this?
Is this some sort of show?
Yet I'm but a human!
What the devil is he doing?!
First, I shall prove to you right here, right now,
that I number among the Clan of the Blue Moon.
This here
proves my claim.
He bears the mark!
I trust that everyone here knows who it was that made this mark.
You must sense by instinct the sort
of power that was granted unto me.
Slay him!
Tear him limb from limb!
Feast your eyes.
This is The Book of Vanitas.
It has the power to corrupt your true names with ease, plunging you into a despair worse than death.
It is the cursed grimoire.
But I assure you, there is nothing to fear!
Indeed, you are quite fortunate.
For I, Vanitas of the Blue Moon Clan,
shall use The Book of Vanitas not to slaughter you,
but to save you! Do you hear me?
You need only tremble in your humiliation while you are saved by my own hand!
Whether you seek this or not, I will save you vampires!
That very deed will be my ultimate act of vengeance against Vanitas!
I will save the vampires.
Now I see.
That's why you're so
Vanitas.
So there you have it!
If any among you are curse-bearers, do not hesitate to step forward!
I, Vanitas, doctor and vampire specialist, shall save you without fail!
Enough of this!
Just kill him!
Huh?
The Clan of the Blue Moon will save us?!
The Vampire of the Blue Moon is the root cause of curse-bearers!
Kill that human!
Foul creature!
What does he think he's doing?!
I have no idea.
Why cause an uproar here of all places?!
I have no idea.
Oh my, so this is what all the fuss is about.
What brings a mortal man here?
He reeks.
I fear my nose shall fall off from his foul human stench.
Yikes!
Is that my sister, Veronica?!
She said she wasn't coming!
Let us remove that filth without delay.
Where is he?!
The human's gone!
Someone spirited away that human in the wink of an eye.
This just got interesting.
Now, good people! We shall hunt down the mortal.
Just as our forebears did, let us find and slay the filthy beast, for his ilk is the bane of our kind!
Wasn't that Jeanne who just carried off Vanitas?
Huh? Oh, yes it was.
What would possess her to help him?
I told her I wished to see the two of you once more.
Might you forgive my discourtesy the other day, Monsieur Noé?
That day
I was not thinking straight. My temper got the better of me.
My immaturity brings me nothing but shame.
Please, Luca. Noé alone will suffice.
Let's join the search for Vanitas.
Both you and I cannot afford to have Vanitas die here this day.
Okay!
Lucky devils! Those lucky devils!
That sounds like such fun!
Imagine that.
To think the day would come when a woman would sweep me off my feet.
Indeed, this is the most unexpected—
I didn't think we would meet again so soon, Jeanne.
Jeanne?
A song?
What is this cacophony?
Curse-bearers?!
What is this?
Several curse-bearers here all of a sudden?
Could the voice of the curse-bearers be behind this?
This is certainly a pickle.
Sis?!
Catherine?!
Master Lucius!
Thank goodness, you're unharmed.
Master Luca.
You have the urge to suck blood.
Jeanne, are you a curse-bearer?
Who are you fiends?!
Noé!
Please stand back!
I am
Well, no matter either way.
You should suck my blood.
What?
I'm offering you my blood.
Surely you jest.
Who would want the blood of a human such as you?
You wish to save the boy, don't you?
There's no time to be picky.
The sweet scent of blood
What has gotten into you?
My fangs may be the death of you.
Why do this?
I don't know.
At the moment, I guess I don't care what happens.
No, wait. Perhaps I'm wrong.
I'm intrigued.
What would it feel like if you were to suck my blood?
That's right.
When all is said and done, I have fallen for you.
Now then, Jeanne.
N-No, not your blood.
Here you go, Jeanne.
Now I see.
This isn't half bad.
I'll ask you once more.
Who are you fiends?
Charlatan.
That's right.
We are known as Charlatan.
Night of Sneering Masks
Night of Sneering Masks
Night of Sneering Masks
As soon as it all began
I could see how it would end
Like melting ice cream beginning to drip
I release a sigh that echoes ever so far
Ever so gently like ripples on the water
When I lose myself I become you
I'll meet all your desires
I'll cling to you
Lose the veil
'Cause tomorrow
All doubts will be dispelled
Was it you who I've been searching for
Spent my life alone and waited for?
So tenderly and endlessly
You made me whole, you made me whole
I'm sinking beneath all the tears
To a place beyond goodbyes
Torn through time by myself
You made me whole, you made me whole
Was it you who I heard through the door
When I cried and had no place to go?
Torn through time by myself
I know I'm never alone
Since I found your embrace
You made me whole, you made me whole
I lose myself
I lose myself
I know I'm never alone
Friends
Friends
Friends