Valentine Festival! Episode 2 Part 2

Things pick up as Surtr continues leading the dance, saying there’s still more to come. Harlot however is tired and says she’s terrible with dancing and healthy stuff, breaking away from the crowd to flop face up on the lawn.

She complains about Ryouta and Kenta being pushy, then takes a breather as she watches. Kenta waves to her, and Harlot waves back without thinking about it, laughing about how things just fall out of her head even though she’s tired.

Harlot talks to herself about things she shouldn’t forget, then looks at the hand Kenta grabbed earlier when asking her to join. She remembers the warmth as she lets the wind cover up her words.

Surtr prompts everyone to high kick, even if it hurts. You can either really get into things, sneak away, or stare at Surtr. Going with C, Surtr interprets this as being observant and concentrating hard, which means you’re the best one to pick up his exercise routine. He tells you to study it hard.

The dance continues and narration says you can feel Surtr’s soul. He’s enjoying himself heating it up with everyone. Surtr then narrates that he’ll burn all of himself together with his beloved humans.

Surtr says the song is about to end, so he tells everyone to copy his pose. He signals, then picks a pose to show off his muscles. After it’s over, Ryouta starts talking about how fun that was. Surtr agrees and says that could have burned down the world tree, then notices Kenta running over to Harlot.

Kenta asks Harlot about her thoughts on his dancing. She tells him it was great and gives him some tea. Arc walks over and greets Surtr and Harlot as her parents. Azathoth is riding human chariot style on a bunch of Nyarlathoteps, saying how big the cake is and telling Nyarlathotep not to drop him. To whit, the cake he’s bringing along is even bigger than that first cake Surtr brought over.

Nyarlathotep for his part is enjoying doing this for Azathoth. You can either address Arc, Azathoth, or express shock over the cake. Harlot just comments that the thing is finally here. Surtr urges people to dig in to the cake he baked and the other two decorated.

When Surtr tries to offer him some, Behemoth tries to refuse saying he won’t be able to taste it. He’s also worried about ballooning up again. Behemoth says it’ll hurt when he finds that out, and that it’ll hurt even though he knows.

Ziz stays quiet, and Surtr starts talking to Behemoth kindly. He says that he shouldn’t say that, and that nothing in the world is a waste. Behemoth tries to protest, but Surtr continues by saying that, even if nothing remains afterwards they’ll have found meaning in it.

Surtr encourages him to try it again, and Behemoth does so cautiously. Somehow, Behemoth does taste something this time. It’s only a little bit but he says he feels something. He describes the cream and the cake sponge and the chocolate chips. He also asks about something he smells as the game compares him to a kid eating something sweet for the first time, eyes sparkling.

Surtr tells him it’s caramel. He admits it may have been burned, but he’s happy to hear Behemoth say that. Ryouta compliments the cake and says it’s amazing that Surtr can make it. Surtr says he learned in the handmade sweets corner and burned a lot of attempts, but he got something to work in the end.

Ziz says it is a DIY thing and wonders whether she should try it too. Behemoth says she originally was a cake baker, and that since she bakes sometimes he doesn’t think she needs to. Surtr says there are also professionals using the setup too and not just amateurs like him. He brings up someone in particular that he describes as a silver wolf with great cooking skills who was at a nearby table at the time.

Harlot starts talking to you and talking about how the cake and how Behemoth liked it. You thank her and ask why that is. She declines to answer, but she also says it’s not like she has it so clear cut anyway. But if you want to know she suggests you go check things out around the event and try everything you can.

Harlot also tries to talk to you about something else, and when you ask about it she says it was fun and thanks you for inviting her.

Harlot and Surtr then start talking to each other. Surtr comments on what a nice day it is for a break. Harlot says the wind feels nice blowing against sweat and agrees to share some of his feelings. Surtr tries to invite her to join with exercising every day, but she puts her foot down against that.

Arc walks over with Azathoth at this point, telling the others the cake was a big hit. Azathoth agrees, and Harlot sighs over how much cream is on him, telling him to clean up. She tells Arc the same thing since she has a bunch around her mouth.

Surtr watches the three of them smiling together, then starts talking like he’s remembering something as his flames burst up. But his train of thought goes turns to more depressing thoughts as he looks at a small butterfly shaped folding knife in his hands.

You ask him about it, and Surtr comments that you never met him “this time.” He says it’s a lament about another of his children who isn’t here, which he says is the same as(/for?) Harlot. It’s something only he remembers and refers to it as a sacrifice of a sweet paradise.

But it’s because of that that “this paradise” was created and that it came to this possibility. He comments on how things there may have been a big change coming from a butterfly flapping its wings.

You try to ask him to explain, though Surtr talks about how you can’t have a paradise without excluding someone. That in turn makes the desire to live there even stronger. Those who are satisfied cannot stop moving, but if you want to go past that...

Surtr doesn’t explain himself any more clearly, commenting that “it’s because of that.” And as a consequence, “this Tokyo continually repeats.” Also because of that, “the world tree could not change.” His thoughts say the dark flames gave a sacrifice and that his role was not allowed to end.

Surtr looks up at the sky as he thinks about “the next one,” and a tear runs down his neck. You ask why he’s crying and hug him. Surtr says you might not understand anything yet, but he asks you to listen to his nonsense.

Surtr holds you gently and rubs your back as though you’re a baby. Then he starts talking about how he might not remember the joy of this day one day. After all his helmet (which he says was cut from a perfect world pillar) only carries grief. He can’t even pass on anything he understands from that joy to you and apologizes for it.

He then says that if you don’t want to lose anything, the world might end up putting together all the roads of sadness in front of you. There may be a time when you’ll remember everything, and you’ll face your real trials. That may be the day you’ll carry the weight of the world.

Maybe one day you’ll turn your back on paradise. When that happens, he hopes the memories of this time will support you. He holds you a bit tighter, then asks if you feel the heat of his blood. He also asks if you feel that the joy felt was really here, and that he loves you. Surtr hopes that you never forget, then changes this to hoping you’ll always remember this.

Some time later, Surtr says he and the others are going to a game competition or something, which he seems confused about. But anyways he says they’ll be excusing themselves here. Azathoth is a seeded player, so they’re going to cheer for him. Harlot says she might come back later after that since she needs to buy more tea and snacks. Ryouta says he’ll come along in that case.

Harlot thanks him but turns him down, saying she should pick things out for Hakumen and the others herself. Ziz wonders if they’ll meet here again, then says they’ll probably meet in the Shinjuku teachers’ lounge if she goes there. Harlot agrees before she processes what Ziz said, then expresses surprise that she’s a teacher.

Kengo asks what the gang is gonna do now. Shirou comments that even if they don’t find stuff that works for Behemoth, they can’t find any commonalities. Ziz suggests looking for new things for Behemoth thing and trying out Japanese sweets this time.

Behemoth agrees saying Ziz only makes western sweets so he’d like to try something different. Ryouta suggests checking out Ebisu-ya and the Seven Colored Manju then. Ziz and Kenta agree, and the episode ends there.