Episode 17: The Price of Resolve

**The Price of Resolve** is the 17th episode of Utawarerumono: Futari no Hakuowlo anime series.

## Plot

**Spoiler warning: *Plot and/or ending details follow. (Skip section)***

Mikazuchi leads the court armies outside the gates and they engage Oshtor and his army. Maroro is informed all is going according to plan. Mikazuchi then calls for retreat and Kiwru informs Oshtor that they are being ambushed as a large number of enemy troops appeared from the eastern forest and have attacked Itak's group. Oshtor tells Kiwru to regroup and help Itak, while the main army continues to push forward. Oshtor joins Itak's group and faces Maroro's army, but feels something is wrong. Mikazuchi returns and they surround Oshtor's group.

Having them where they want and unable to run, Raiko orders the cannon to shoot at them, however the cannon ends up exploding. Raiho survives, but wonders what went wrong. He the sees the gate opens. Maroro wonders if someone destroyed the cannon and opened the gate and Mikazuchi decides to go and check. Oshtor's group is also unaware of why the gate is opened. Anju and Munechika then head towards the gate and Anju announces that she is the rightful leader and tells the court troops to move and make way for her to reach the gate.

Mikazuchi goes to the gate mechanism and sees masked men who are not from Oshtor's group. As he kills few, he tells the rest to leave or he will kill them too. He then sees the mechanism is broken and guesses he shouldn't have wasted but, but close the gate with Akuruka's power. Milouge, who serves Mikazuchi then comes and Mikazuchi tells him to inform Raiko that they have more enemies than just Oshtor. Milouge then back stabs Mikauchi, stating he should be more careful. Mikazuchi wonders if he plans on using his head to join Oshtor, but Milouge states he is serving his master and is getting rid of useless branches. He stabs Mikazuchi again, but Mikazuchi then defeats him.

The court soldiers see Anju and realize she is the real princess and wonder why are they even fighting. Maroro sees her as well and realizes he was the traitor and Oshtor was right. However, he still wants to avenge his friend Haku. His head starts hurting and he hears noises. As he gets more and more confused, a small creature comes out of his ear and disintegrates. Maroro returns to normal and explains he had a weird dream where he was a general and was fighting Oshtor. He asks him to take his head, but to spare his men as they were simply following his orders. Oshtor tells him that his men will be spared and cites words that only Haku would know. Maroro then realizes he is Haku, but before he says anything the princess appears in front of Oshtor. He wonders what is wrong, but Maroro recognizes that she is fake and protects Oshtor with his body as she attempts to stab him, but ends up stabbing Maroro. The fake one runs and Oshtor remains next to Maroro, who asks him to hear his final words. Maroro then states he was weak and asks Oshtor to not hate Raiko. Maroro is fine with his death as he did horrible things that can't be forgiven. With his last breath, Maroro states he is glad that Haku survived.

***Spoilers end here.***

## Characters

*By order of appearances*

* Mikazuchi
* Woshis
* [[shy
* Kiwru
* Oshtor
* Nekone
* Kuon
* Jachdwalt
* Nosuri
* Itak
* Atuy
* Maroro
* Raiko
* Anju
* Munechika
* Ougi