Episode 22

* Episode
* Title Card
* End Card

## Episode Guide

**"The Last Lessons"** (最 (さい) 後 (ご) の授 (じゅ) 業 (ぎょう) , *Saigo no Jugyō*?) is the twenty-second episode of the *Shadows House* anime series and the ninth episode of the second season. It aired on September 3, 2022.

## Summary

Maryrose explains that she can control scorches with her soot, disguising her voice by inserting one in her throat, and standing on one to fake her height. Rosemary enters, having recovered, and explains she intentionally gave herself soot sickness to buy time from their invitation. The two of them caused phantom incidents to bring malcontents out but their invitation halted their plans, with Maryrose failing to find an exit out of the Children's Wing, deducing the only way out is through Lord Grandfather's Wing. Emilico is moved to tears when Rosemary apologizes to her, and the senior invites both her and Shaun for a hug, only to reveal scorches hiding in her dress which attack Shaun and Emilico. Maryrose summons a large number of scorches from the floor above, forcing Kate and John to leave their dolls suffering from soot sickness. Outside, Maryrose continues to chase them but Kate manages to trick her into losing her scorches with a false ground made from soot, dropping the scorches into an aqueduct below. Maryrose reveals a bottle of soot, shooting it at Kate which grabs her and nearly drags her into the water. John retaliates with his soot power but Kate realizes too late that Maryrose's soot power is to turn any soot into scorches with her soot. John's soot power is transformed into scorches that fuse into a phantom and resumes the chase.

During the commotion, Edward, Aileen, and Gerald check on a Box of Completion, where the shadow creates a cocoon around their doll for Fusion. After an encounter with Thomas, the former manager of the children, the three identify Maryrose and Kate as malcontents. Edward opens one of the boxes and cuts open the cocoon, revealing a dead living doll and shriveled shadow, the result of a failed Fusion.

## Plot

Throwing off the cloak, Maryrose tosses the peony she was holding and spits out a small scorch which had caused her voice to be hoarse. She had also faked her height by riding on top of a large scorch, revealing that while she has a low soot capacity, she only has to insert a little of her soot into scorches to control them. Kate theorizes that since Maryrose can control things remotely, she had hidden somewhere near the Belle twins to have them break the coffee. Rosemary enters on crutches and explains that she intentionally was given soot sickness to buy time as they both had received an invitation from the Lord Grandfather's Wing. The two reveal the secret of becoming an adult: Fusion, where the shadow takes over the doll's body, killing them. They started the Phantom Incidents to force malcontents to appear but their search for allies was interrupted when they were invited, forcing Maryrose to give Rosemary soot sickness and find an escape route, but only found a cliff at the Children's Wing's entrance, with the only exit being in the Lord Grandfather's Wing. Kate is shocked to see they did so much for each other as Rosemary confesses she doesn't feel regret for what she has done but apologizes to Emilico who cries. She hugs Emilico and asks Shaun to come over before apologizing again as two scorches pop out of her dress and attack the pair. Emilico and Shaun collapse as Maryrose announces they wish to face their invitation on their own terms, and summons a large number of scorches from the second floor.

The scorches combined with Maryrose's experience force Kate and John to run, leaving their dolls suffering soot sickness. The shadows take out several of them with vases of water and run outside, but are surprised to see Maryrose and Rosemary give chase, riding on scorches. Kate and John trick Maryrose into walking on a soot bridge over an aqueduct, destroying her supply of scorches. Maryrose reveals a bottle of soot in reserve, throwing it at Kate, and almost drags her into the water but is saved by John. In retaliation, John uses his soot power, now named John Punch, but Kate realizes that Maryrose's true ability is to turn soot into scorches upon contact with hers. They watch in horror as Maryrose creates more scorches as she exclaims one should hide their power as much as possible. The scorches combine into a phantom which steps over the aqueduct, forcing Kate and John to run again, though John collapses from the energy spent on his John Punch.

Kate wonders about the power gap between them and the adults as the focus shifts to Edward, Aileen, and Gerald on their way to check on a pair going through Fusion. They meet Thomas, the former manager of the Children's Wing, nearly starting a fight, but Edward manages to break it up. Alone again, the three discuss Maryrose, having noticed the suspicious actions on her records, and identify both her and Kate as malcontents. Edward decides to invite Maryrose and have her confess to being a malcontent, paving the way for him and his allies to the third floor. Entering a dark room, Edward checks a Box of Completion, where the shadow creates a cocoon around their doll during Fusion. Opening the box, Edward cuts open the cocoon, revealing a rotting corpse of a living doll and a shriveled shadow, showing the pair to have failed Fusion. Edward mentally declares this to be the fate for Maryrose.

## Characters

1. Emilico (Non-Speaking Role)
2. Kate
3. John
4. Shaun (Non-Speaking Role)
5. Maryrose
6. Rosemary
7. Barbara (Flashback)
8. Susanna (Flashback)
9. Lou (Flashback)
10. Master Robe (Flashback)
11. Eve (Flashback)
12. Evelyn (Flashback)
13. Louise (Flashback)
14. Ben (Flashback)
15. Ricky (Flashback)
16. Barbie (Flashback)
17. Edward
18. Gerald
19. Aileen
20. Thomas (Debut)