Episode 24: Devoted Heart

**"Devoted Heart -hearts-"** *Transcription:* "Kenshin -hearts-" (Japanese: 献心 -hearts-) is the twenty-forth episode of *Madlax*. It debuted on September 13, 2004 in Japan.

## Synopsis

The episode begins with a flashback wherein Vanessa Rene sees Eleanor Baker on the way home from grocery shopping and gives her a ride in her car. Vanessa thinks it’s unusual that the maid doesn’t go spend time with other friends, instead devoting all her time to the care of Margaret Burton. Vanessa thinks doing nothing but that all the time would be boring. Eleanor says it’s never boring, and, “Ojou-sama is my…” She doesn’t finishes saying what Margaret is to her, it will become clear by the end.

Madlax and Eleanor find a small hut in the jungle. Telling Eleanor to go on ahead if she doesn’t return in three hours, Madlax sets out to clear the surrounding areas of armed men. There seems to be a small army in place nearby, undoubtedly royalists of the King's Army; they have men in trenches, multiple explosives, and even a tank. Nevertheless, wearing her white dress, Madlax takes them on. She’s unfazed by cannon balls nearly hitting her. Even when shot with a machine gun, she keeps fighting like nothing happened. When she takes shelter in a ruinous building and the soldiers shoot bazookas at it, the explosions that would kill a normal human don’t even scratch Madlax. She doesn’t back down even when she sees half a dozen military helicopters approaching.

Eleanor is nearly hit by a sniper, but Naharu saves her by lodging her long knife into the enemy’s back. A well-built soldier comes to report to Friday Monday that two of their units have been wiped out by a single teenage girl. Friday doesn’t give a crap and literally shoots the messenger. Having finished off all the men, Limelda catches up with Madlax, but remains silent as she was since Vanessa's death. Eleanor, meantime, sets off from the hut, armed with a single handgun. She keeps recalling memories of taking care of Margaret: grooming her ears in the traditional Japanese style, making sure she didn’t forget her school-bag, stopping her from falling asleep in the bath-tub, and telling her to close her windows when it’s cold—Eleanor did all that not because it was her job but because it was her wish.

Before long, the faithful maid runs into yet more soldiers. She makes it clear she’s willing to kill in order to find Ojou-sama, but just before shooting one of the men, she is forced to flee as backup arrives. Half a dozen men are shooting at her. One shot grazes her left arm. Eleanor continues to run till she comes to the edge of a cliff. Abruptly, she is shot in the back, and falls over the edge.

It soon becomes clear to Limelda Jorg that she cannot kill Madlax; even hitting her with a perfect killing shot does absolutely nothing. Defeated, Jorg asks for death, but Madlax refuses to give it. She instead entrusts her rival with a task: “Watch over me. I want you to remember my existence. Don’t forget about me. Please, Limelda Jorg. Let me exist inside of you.” With those words, Madlax leaves, and for once, Jord doesn’t seem angry. “That sounded like a love confession,” she mutters. It’s been clear for a long time that Limelda’s been obsessed with Madlax, her one reality in a fake world. She thought fighting and killing her would be the only way to satisfy her need for Madlax, but it seems she is now satisfied with the task of remembering the mercenary’s existence.

Somehow, Eleanor crawled from the forest’s edge to the field of yellow helianthus flowers where Margaret is singing without a care in the world. When approached by her devoted maid, the person who loves her most in all the world, Margaret says, “Who are you?” She’s under some kind of spell from Friday, and can’t remember her dearest companion, even when reminded of her name. Still, Eleanor tries to convince Ojou-sama to return to Nafrece with her. The girls are interrupted by Friday, who Margaret again calls “father.” Eleanor points her gun at Friday when he refuses to “give Ojou-sama back.” In response, Friday orders Margaret to use the magical words from the holy books.

When she hears Ojou-sama say, “Elda Taluta, Sarkus Sark, Ark Arukus,” Eleanor is briefly stunned, and her mind is filled with the voices and words of everyone who made her who she is. The words of awakening make a person’s true self become apparent, and also stir up an impulse from the subconscious. Friday says Eleanor’s repressed impulse may be to hate Margaret, and at first it seems like he’s right. Eleanor points her gun at her mistress. But due to her strong love for Ojou-sama, the maid regains her self-control, and points the gun at Friday. At that moment, Margaret starts to remember Eleanor, saying her name over and over, and approaching her slowly.

The two girls hold out their hands, but before they can touch each other, Eleanor falls backward. Her back is soaked with blood. She looks happy though, because Ojou-sama remembered her. And she says to Margaret: “You are my… family,” just before dying. Eleanor finds herself in the other world, in a field of brilliant and multi-colored flowers, next to Leticia, who is crying. Recognizing Leticia as part of Margaret’s soul, the maid embraces and comforts the little girl. Back in the real world, Margaret seems dumbfounded by Eleanor’s death. Just then, Madlax finally arrives at the scene.

## Preview

Episode 25

*"Humanity is hindered by false hopes of normalcy. Progress is being hampered by fabricated morals. They've lost sight of the Essence. You of all people should know that."* – Friday Monday