Episode 5

The Magician's Daughter
Episode 6 Episode 05: La traviata
Japanese Name	魔術師の娘
Romanized Name	Majutsu-shi no Musume
Airdate	August 13, 2011
Adapted from	Chapter 4 (light novel 3)
Manga counterpart	N/A

"The Magician's Daughter" is the 5th episode of The Mystic Archives of Dantalian anime and the sixth story shown in the adaptation. It's also known as Episode 05: La traviata.

Five men, including Hugh's acquaintance Armand Jeremiah, went to the Disward estate looking for Phantom Books. Hugh and Dalian decide to find out why the beautiful courtesan Viola Duplessis is requesting the books from her suitors.

Summary

Inside a laboratory of a dark castle, a beautiful woman awakes. An old man treats her like a daughter. He affirms that she has the beauty that will attract all men. Showing a malicious grin, he affirms that he will use her for an experiment.

Dalian is mad because Hugh is organizing the books spread across the floor. He stops to answer the door. Armand is requesting a Phantom Book. They have a conversation as passengers of a carriage while heading to a brothel. Hugh asks Armand not to call him Pilot Officer. Hugh was Armand’s superior in the army. Dalian is interested in Viola, a high-profile courtesan who is demanding Phantom Books from her suitors, being Armand one of them. With a Phantom Book, Armand will have a chance to marry her.

At the brothel, they receive Viola’s address from a hostess. Although the courtesan never gives her address easily, she’s expecting the Black Biblioprincess. They reach a mansion illuminated by the moon. Dalian affirms that Armand can have the book he’s looking for if he can find it in the library at the Disward estate.

The Earl awakes Viola.

Armand requests a Phantom Book.

Armand receives Viola's address.

Armand is almost killed by one of the Earl's creatures.

They find Viola crying while gazing at the moon. Dalian is irritated by the way Armand courts Viola. Impatient, Dalian questions the courtesan. After all, five of her suitors have visited the Disward estate to look for Phantom Books for Viola. The latter knows about the existence of the Dantalian's Bookshelf, although she has no memories before she came to that town three years ago. Viola has only her knowledge. The mansion and all her clothes were given by her patrons. Dalian tries to kick Armand for his excessive admiration for Viola, but Hugh does it first to protect him. Hugh shoots a winged woman that suddenly appears, but all the bullets are avoided. Before leaving the balcony, the magical being affirms that the Earl will be back for Viola the next full moon. Viola collapses on Hugh’s arms. She doesn’t know what the creature meant by that warning, but she feels that the Earl is someone dangerous. Viola’s knowledge tells her that five specific Phantom Books are necessary for her survival. Armand affirms that he will obtain the volume she requested. Dalian manages to kick him this time. Blushing, Viola explains that she can't run away because there is someone she wants to be with. Dalian interrupts Armand with another kick. She ensures that she will be back when the moon is full once again.

The men attracted by Viola are unable to protect her.

Under a red-shaded moon, Viola’s mansion is crowded with armed men wishing to protect her, including Armand, who obtained the Book of the Salamander's Seal last night. Dalian mentions The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter to point out how men are always controlled by a woman’s whims. The other suitors also reveal their Phantom Books. Viola appears to thank everyone for their presence. She cries, saying that they should run away. When her suitors present the five Phantom Books, the Earl is seen levitating next to the ceiling. The men shoot him, but all the bullets disappear in front of him. They collapse on the floor when the old man swings his staff. The latter wants his daughter back. Hugh notices how the blood of the defeated men turned into liquid mercury.

Viola had exceeded the Earl’s expectations in attracting men. Now, he wants to investigate her body to continue his experiment. She’s taken upstairs by the remaining men. The Earl summons five winged women to kill those trying to stop him. The creatures withstand the bullets. Hugh is wounded by one of the monsters. He grabs a rifle before going upstairs with Dalian. As she explains, the Earl doesn’t rely on Phantom Books. He’s a real sorcerer with magical powers enhanced by the full moon. The Earl introduces himself as Melgar, a researcher who seeks release from death. He knows about the existence of the Dantalian's Bookshelf.

The Earl summons his winged monsters.

Hugh tries to ward off the monsters.

Viola reveals herself as a powerful homunculus.

Armand shows the Book of the Salamander’s Seal and his wish to protect Viola. However, Melgar easily burns the book, which was a fake. The other suitors also try to defend Viola against the winged monsters. With no choice, Viola shows an incredible strength and agility to oppose the Earl’s powers. Liquid mercury runs down from a scratch on her arm. The villain exposes Viola as a homunculus born from alchemy, an experiment with the objective of tricking men. His daughter eventually had developed a consciousness and betrayed him. Nonetheless, Viola is still being protected by her suitors. They can't let her being dissected by Melgar. When the magician prepares to release his greatest attack, Dalian gives Hugh the right to open the Dantalian's Bookshelf.

In his child form, Hugh has a brief conversation with the girl in white. She affirms that the books can give her all kinds of experiences and that she doesn't want to leave the place. However, she hides how she started to feel alone after knowing Hugh. He leaves the Dantalian's Bookshelf with five Phantom Books.

Melgar admits defeat against Viola and the five Phantom Book users.

The Earl’s powers cause an explosion, but Viola and her suitors survive thanks to the real Book of the Salamander’s Seal used by Armand. Once holding fake items, now the five men were chosen by the real Phantom Books. The Aggregate of Burning Golden Beads is used to shoot magical bullets and defeat the winged monsters. The Sage's Slate summons a shield to oppose the ice crystals thrown by the Earl. The Divine Encyclopedia of the Yin Kings and The Nāgārjuna’s Manuscript are read to heal the wounded and revive those killed by magic, respectively. Melgar admits defeat, admiring how an immortal homunculus can understand love. Before disappearing into a magical fissure in the air, he mentions his wish to see the Black Biblioprincess again. He maliciously gazes at the golden key held by Hugh.

It was morning when Armand gave back the five Phantom Books to Hugh. Viola thanks her suitors, who kneel before her, waiting for her to choose one of them to marry. However, she already has a lover. Disappointed, Armand and the others see Viola leaving with an unknown man in a carriage. She apologizes, revealing that she had met Baron after asking for the Phantom Books. Blushing, Dalian affirms that a woman can be more capricious than a Phantom Book.

Viola's lover appears.

Dalian blushes.

Light novel-anime main differences

Light novel	Anime
-	Hugh was organizing the books at the Disward estate when Armand arrived.
Hugh, Dalian and Armand have a conversation in the reception room.	Hugh, Dalian and Armand have a conversation in a carriage, heading to a brothel.
-	The conversation with the hostess was cut in the adaptation.
Hugh protects Dalian and pushes Armand away, saving him from the winged woman.	Dalian tries to kick Armand. Hugh kicks him first to save him from the winged woman.
Hugh doesn't shoot the winged woman. After all, it may be impossible to kill the creature with conventional weapons.	The winged woman avoids Hugh's shots.
-	Dalian kicks Armand twice.
Hugh and Dalian suspect that the Phantom Books obtained by Viola's suitors are fake.	-
Only one man is killed by Melgar after trying to shoot the magician.	Several men are killed by Melgar after trying to shoot the magician.
-	Hugh tries to shoot one of the winged women. She manages to wound him. Hugh takes a rifle from the floor.
The chapter has no scene inside the Dantalian's Bookshelf.	A scene shows Hugh inside the Dantalian's Bookshelf.
It's revealed that Hugh and Dalian were testing Armand to check if he deserved the real Book of the Salamander's Seal.	-
Since Armand had his heart broken, Hugh invites him for a drink. Dalian gives Armand a book about a love story, as if to teach him a lesson.	-

Trivia

• Among the weapons brought by Viola's admirers are carbines, pistols, rifles, swords, halberds and even a Gatling gun on wheels. Some of those people are policemen, military officers and knights in armor.
• Armand's tie changes in the last scene.
• In the preview for the next episode, Hugh asks if Dalian likes to be tied. He's comparing Dalian to Flamberge.
• Viola's servant is voiced by Miki Makiguchi. Yūichi Karasuma, Madoka Shiga and Noriaki Morita voice the men protecting Viola.