The Qwaser of Stigmata

The Paper-Mache Empress

Seeing that the circumstances are deteriorating around them, Sasha and Mafuyu desperately rifle through Shin'ichiro's research for clues to help secure the »Tsar's Crowning« along with Tomo's safe return oblivious to the fact that Friedrich seeks to wield Ekaterina in his long-range designs for the icon. Be it Tomo's absence or the experiences of being used as a diary cow, Miyuri has somehow detected a deviant diagnostic with Mafuyu who she encourages to attend Ekaterina's birthday party with Sasha who is shocked to learn that the infirmary nurse Urada Oikawa has extensive data about the war Athos is prosecuting with the Adepts at St. Mihailov's Academy along with a prologue of assisting Yuudai with his research on the »Tsar's Crowning« alongside Shin'ichiro before handing Sasha the key to Yuudai's research. While Sasha ultimately finds it no trouble at all to defeat Elizabeth in the crazed artificial beast incarnation, Friedrich still accomplishes his objective of delivering the distraught Ekaterina an urgent exhortation to catalyze the advent of the »Tsar's Crowning« icon; considering the destruction of Anastasia and Hana's friendship overtures being subsequently repulsed that evening along with her abrupt departure, it is not out of the question to say Ekaterina is giving it some thought.