Episode 15: False Battle

**"False War -camouflage-"** *Transcription:* "Gisou -camouflage-" (Japanese: 偽争 -camouflage-) is the fifteenth episode of *Madlax*. It debuted on July 12, 2004 in Japan.

## Synopsis

Madlax can’t remember anything that happened when she was so out of it last episode, but she at least understands that she was caught in Enfant’s trap and that Vanessa saved her when she was out of control. Unfortunately, they can no longer use the data on the computer that could have incriminated Enfant and Bookwald Industries. If they try to open it again, they will be affected by Elda Taluta. Furthermore, Enfant may now know out that Vanessa was involved. She will need to be continuously protected by Madlax until Enfant is no longer a threat. As for Vanessa’s goal of exposing the corruption in Bookwald Industries, she will have to start again from scratch.

Carossur Don receives a call from the frustrated Limelda Jorg. She tells him all about her encounter with Madlax, which lets Don know that Madlax overcame the “magic” words Elda Taluta. What’s more, Jorg reports, Madlax had support from Vanessa Rene. Now Enfant will know of her. This angers Don, who had been trying to protect Vanessa as much as possible. As soon as Jorg hangs up, Friday calls, and demands to meet with his subordinate right away. Don seems troubled by this.

At their meeting, Friday confirms that he knows Madlax isn’t working alone and that he’s identified the person supporting her as Vanessa Rene. He seems to suspect that Don might have known, but Friday calls this a trivial matter compared to what he’s actually interested in. That would be the whereabouts of the Secondary.

While she practices shooting, Madlax thinks about everything she’s been telling Vanessa. That she suddenly became aware of herself around age six, in rags in the middle of a war, with no idea who she was. That all she has is one memory of her father walking away, and the word Madlax, which became her name. She also told Vanessa that she was taken in by an orphanage and from there taken in by Three-Speed, or SSS. He was the one who taught Madlax how to be a mercenary. Now Madlax lives apart from Three-Speed, but she still get her clients through him to this day. More than anything, Madlax wants to know about her past.

Thus, Madlax returns to the computer and once again opens the files hacked from Enfant’s computer system. The repeating words Elda Taluta fill up the whole screen, and Madlax bravely looks at them, hoping her memories will be triggered.  At the same time, in Nafrece, Margaret starts gasping, and then passes out. To Madlax, it seems like her consciousness has left her real body, and she finds herself wandering through a city ruined by recent battle. Somewhere, someone is running. Madlax tries to find out who it is and soon comes across the ghostly figure of Leticia, running along and carrying her doll like always. After chasing Leticia a ways, Madlax sees the familiar image of her father with her back to her, walking away. She runs after him, but can’t catch up to him before he disappears.

Sensing a new presence, Madlax turns around and sees Poupee. This time he has brownish-red hair and green eyes like Leticia. Speaking of Leticia, she joins them, asking Madlax’s name. She gives it, and Leticia gives her name in return. The ghostly little girl says that this place is a very normal place, as well as the place where the truth is. Where all truth can be seen. If that’s the case, asks the mercenary, why didn’t Leticia immediately see the truth of Madlax’s name? The ghostly girl replies that Madlax is not real, but fictive. A defect. Then Madlax sees herself falling away into the darkness.

Much to Eleanor’s relief, Margaret regains consciousness. She said she saw a doll: a very important doll. She could be referring to Leticia. It’s still not entirely clear at this point. As for Madlax, she wakes up in Vanessa’s arms, being scolded for acting recklessly.

A little later, Vanessa looks at the computer and finds that the mysterious words are gone, and there are many files of important data. It’s not just proof that Bookwald Industries is working with Enfant. There’s much more. The data reveals that the power balances of both the King's Army and Galza are controlled by Enfant. Moreover, the politics and economics of Gazth-Sonika are controlled by Enfant. “And,” says Vanessa, “Enfant has continued a meaningless civil war for twelve years in their own country.” This means the war is a farce.

## Preview

Episode 16

*"Conflicts. Mistakes. I'm falling further and further from reality, but this is different. Mistakes are the inability to pursue the truth to the end."* – Margaret Burton