Ikebukuro Christmas Concerto Episode 2 Part 1

Things start off with Melusine narrating and introducing herself. Ever since she met Licht she devoted herself to serving and supporting him, with her own life at stake if necessary. She still feels this way despite all the time that’s passed, and thinks of herself as his tool.

As such, she set aside her own feelings and gave up any hopes of being loved. She feels that if she could have done that from the start, she might never have been called a devil dragon by the children from her previous world.

She then talks about her power, which she describes as the ability to gather everything that has value, making her much like the treasure hoarding dragons of legends. These ideas are hard to separate, and she says that as compensation for the treasures, she had to pay the dragon’s curse.

She touches her horns sadly as she speaks. That was why she decided to not wish for anything and be a tool. However, a tool is only treated a certain way, and she says that in her foolishness she never realized something so simple.

Narration shifts to a flashback set several hours before the race up in Licht’s office at the Tycoons guild house. Licht for his part is freaking out and getting cold feet about having some of his work being made public, leading him to roll off a sofa.

Melusine tries to get him to calm down and tells him his manuscript has already been sent off. Plus Kuniyoshi was fine with it too, so that should be a vote of confidence if anything is. Licht snaps up and insists he was dumb to agree to do guest work for an art book, especially Kuniyoshi’s.

Licht also thinks that Kuniyoshi is super talented at drawing and that sticking his own work with Kuniyoshi’s would only drag him down. He wonders why Kuniyoshi ever asked him to do this before deciding it doesn’t matter. He tries to leave right that second to stop the presses. Melusine tells him to calm down again, take deep breaths, and gives him some tea.

She tells him that as his assistant, she guarantees he’ll be okay. It’ll be fine because it’s something he made, and that it’s nothing to be ashamed of. This cheers him up and makes him settle down a bit. Melusine then says he’s supposed to be meeting Kuniyoshi at the train station soon.

Licht says he knows and says he’s counting on her to handle the race. Turns out that Melusine had used her power to finagle a lot to get on the same team as you. Licht thinks that if you’re in charge things should be fine and asks Melusine to go as his representative.

Licht then heads down the elevator as Melusine sees him off. Her narration describes him leaving like a little kid, and that he was born talented, not wishing for anything missing. She never could take her eyes off him, but as a tool she feels she may not be able to guide him. She doesn’t feel sad about this since she protects him like so.

Narration pauses for a moment to show her leaving for the race. It picks back up with her saying she still has something on her mind. What sort of tool would be Licht’s ideal?

Title card pops up. This chapter is called A Servant’s Pride. Location subtitle says First Checkpoint, Shibuya, Yoyogi Academy.

After the title card, Andvari commentates about how things are heading to the first checkpoint. Everyone’s second teammate is waiting there, as well as the next set of road blockers. Things have already started with a literal bang, and it’s only going to get crazier.

Camera shifts over to Team Claude. He’s enjoying things and comparing it all to an Olympian ballad. Yule tells him not to get blasted too much by the wind at the speeds they’re at or else he’ll get cold. Andvari says they’re currently in first, what with Yule being the Santa School’s rising star. Yule picks up on this despite not hearing him and says he’s not really happy his worth as a reindeer is rising.

Over at Yoyogi, Snow says this is to be expected as Claude is supposed to become an emperor. He’s about moved to tears about how Claude looks riding on the sleigh. Melusine starts sniping at him saying she thought he’d dissolve into tears, but maybe that would be appropriate for him.

Snow snipes back by suggesting she’s jealous and asks whether Licht is out sick. Melusine says he’s out fighting his own battles, and whatever party Kuniyoshi is taking him to has hundreds of people in attendance. Snow suggests she got ditched in response.

Melusine says she’s just that trusted, and that by being here in this race while Licht is off doing whatever they’ll win twice as much. Snow quotes an idiom about spreading yourself too thin, and Melusine counter quotes whatever the ideological equivalent of pearls before swine is.

Melusine then talks about how fun that night is and asks if the Berserkers are having a game night later, poking fun at his reindeer outfit. Snow replies he’ll do whatever Claude asks and pokes fun back at Melusine’s outfit, implying they’re what’s making her look good. They laugh, and off to the side Ikutoshi is very uncomfortable with the conversation. He hopes his team will get there soon.

Camera shifts over to you now. Tanngrisnir talks about how Yule is up in first place, and Krampus has gone somewhere off the map apparently. You guys are in 8th place, which he says is pretty good for a first time reindeer. He then asks if the sleigh’s weight is making it harder to run. You can either tell him it’s surprisingly light, that you never would have expected being the reindeer, or ask if the ride is smooth.

Going with A, he says it’s clear from looking at you the sleigh’s results are showing. Originally Santa’s sleigh would be light enough to fly in the sky since that’s what people believe. As such, this sleigh is made to reduce its pullers’ fatigue. He calls it Christmas Power. You can repeat it yourself, say you don’t get it but it seems awesome, or ask him why he repeated it despite him doing that semi-regularly this whole time.

Going with B, he says that not everyone can draw it out the same way. He thinks that the ability to run lightly on the ground or to run in the sky is dependent upon the roles held by the puller. Yule is one example, and Tanngrisnir says that if you can pull the sleigh too, you must have something corresponding whether it be reindeer, Santa, or something else.

Tanngrisnir says you’re doing great as a reindeer, jumping nimbly and not being affected by bad footing. He wonders again what ability it is you have. Anyways around this point you pass by a sign signaling that you’re entering Shibuya. Tanngrisnir tells you to turn the corner and head straight, and that Yoyogi should be close by.

Team Claude should be ahead, so you guys have to catch up. As new a teacher as he is, Tanngrisnir feels he can’t let himself fall behind Yule. He gets excited calling this a dead heat with a rival and starts remembering a battle with a boar back in Yggdrasil. You can either agree or say he’s surprisingly passionate. He tries to deny it if you point it out to him. Thor was an easy to trick hot blooded idiot, but Tanngrisnir claims to be calm and collected.

Anyways Tanngrisnir will adjust his glasses while his tail thumps and wags, trying to calm himself. He tells you not to get hurt, especially not in the leg. Then he urges you to go faster. At this point you bring up Claude’s question from earlier and wonder why he asked.

Tanngrisnir doesn’t know, but he says youth is the time when you can worry about things, so maybe it’s the same for Claude. It could be about his future, what he wants to do or what he wants to be. Everyone worries, even those on the path to being Santa. You can wonder about Claude some more, say he might look good in the color scheme, or ask Tanngrisnir if he thinks Claude could be Santa.

Going with A, Tanngrisnir says Claude may have the qualities of a fanatical leader moving forward. He doesn’t know if he has the qualities of a saint yet though. If Claude wants to find his ideal, Tanngrisnir won’t refuse to help him. Ded might speak differently, but Tanngrisnir likes that way of living, moving as you wish, foolishly and forcefully, far and high like lightning.

He also talks a bit more about Thor and calls Jormungand the wall that encircled the world of Yggdrasil, and refers to the legend where Thor fought Jormungand and died after. Having stood by him, Tanngrisnir doesn’t want to deny anyone else who’d live their life the same way.

After a bit more on the subject, Tanngrisnir says you guys can see the school soon. He encourages you forward so you guys can pick up Melusine and add her as a runner. Once inside the school, several other teams come in at the same time. But as you head by the club room area, someone calls out.

You either react in surprise, say you recognize the voice, or say this can’t be good. Tanngrisnir says he senses danger and tells you to stop. Ashigara shows up and uses his CS. You manage to avoid being caught in his ring, but several other sleighs get caught. Ashigara then destroys the sleighs with his open hand strikes.

Andvari comments over the airwaves that those teams are out now. Ashigara laughs at his handiwork and realizes that you’re there. He greets you, and you either comment that he seems well despite normally being down during these times, or cheer over him.

Ashigara says that after he’s done being a race nuisance he’ll be going to a super fancy party, then taunts anyone to come at him. Another redshirt team tries to zip past him since he’s stopped moving. He blames you for this and says he’ll train with you as punishment.

Kyuuma shows up and rebukes Ashigara for letting someone get past him since he was so confident he could handle the front. Ashigara tries to excuse himself by saying he was working alone, which Kyuuma sighs at. You can either heckle Ashigara over this or say Kyuuma looks good in his casual outfit.

Going with B, Kyuuma’s surprised to see you but he’s flattered you’d say so. Ashigara starts putting him in a hold in jealousy. Anyways Ashigara says he was making room for everyone else to show up. Wakan Tanka starts talking about how Ashigara trusts them.

When Wakan reveals himself, he says he’s happy ‘his’ Ashigara is depending on him. Ashigara is weirded out by him but confirms as much. Wakan says he’ll do everything he can for him, and Ashigara says talking to Wakan makes him uncomfortable.

You can either be beside yourself at seeing someone new, wonder if Ashigara and Wakan are Like That, or say he’s cool. Going with B Ashigara denies it saying Wakan is like that with everyone. Anyways Wakan makes his move using his NP, sending a bunch of other Yoyogi students to attack some sleighs.

Gunzou runs out after to do his rugby tackle, smashing another sleigh. Wakan compliments ‘his’ Gunzou saying that tackle was the best. This surprises Gunzou into stopping, and several more teams try to slip past.

Durga shows herself and destroys a sled while talking to Wakan. She’s already asked him not to say anything weird to Gunzou, then tells Gunzou he should be used to it already and shouldn’t freeze over it. Gunzou says he froze over the best tackle complement.

Wakan then compliments ‘his’ Durga saying only she could move so fast. She asks if he’s seriously saying that about the ‘his X’ thing. He is, and he also says he’s hers, as everyone in Yoyogi is on the same team.

Durga sighs saying he’s reminding her of Parvati and asks him to stop saying to anyone outside the football team, especially her. She also says that every time she looks at a Buffalo like him she ends up remembering the buffalo demon Mahisha, which makes her legs act up.

Wakan compliments her again, so she tries again to get him to stop. Another redshirt tries to run past, only to get beaned by Kyuuma. He accidentally went too hard when he was trying to just aim for the sleigh. Kyuuma asks David to hold back if it seems like they’ll hit someone, safety first.

Andvari commentates and slips in a heckle about Kyuuma’s control and points out another sleigh incoming. This one tries to outrun everyone, but Durga easily catches up. The mob thinks she’s a non issue, but she blindfolds him with a headband causing him to crash out.

Ashigara makes an indirect comment about Yule and Claude but says they won’t always be unable to stop anyone else. He calls everyone together to declare the Yoyogi Combination (with one problem). Daisuke happens to have lost his mask and is running late.

Wakan likes the name, and Durga is surprised to be included. You can either comment that you’ve heard about it, (and?)or say Krampus would love it. Going with B, Krampus sneezes and says he feels like he’s missing out on something. Garm says he’s lost and asks Krampus for directions, so Krampus tries to look it up.

Anyways, Durga decides to refocus on Team Claude and grinds her teeth. She’s mad she can’t chase after them. Gunzou tries to get her to calm down saying they took their blind spot at top speed. Wakan wants to recruit them into the football team. Durga briefly goes along with this subject before rounding back at Gunzou in annoyance.

She drops that for now to say there’s still someone she wants to challenge, namely you. You tell her to bring it. Ashigara is pumped up to take you down and then go to the party. Tanngrisnir is fascinated by everyone’s talents and expresses an interest in recruiting Ashigara to his reindeer department. Ashigara protests that he is a bear.

Durga and Gunzou say they’ll show off how they’ve powered up, and Kyuuma says he’ll be going for your sleigh. Scene shifts back to the sports arena as Andvari says battle is about to happen. Ded tells everyone to be careful. And then the episode half ends.