Alto notices the magic practical exam is not a straightforward test of magic power.
Episode 9 – “The Mage of Heaven’s Will”
Hmm.
Vermeil in Gold changes from a brief amount of slice-of-life antics to bloody suspense and drama. Iolite’s smug chaos makes him a villain you love to hate. It’s rare in 2022 to see no nuance in the chief antagonist. His introductory name-placard called him a “former Platinum Square.” Iolite has already been removed from magic society. He’s not worthy of interest anymore. His Platinum Square colleagues are the curious ones. Why are they willing participants in Iolite’s terrorism? In the last episode, we saw Kohakumiya ask whether another Platinum Square, a religious figure, would help in her demon research. She felt sad to hear of his killing. That scene established possible fractures in the rogue gang of Platinum Squares. I want to see if there’s a payout to that bit of foreshadowing.
Alto is student number 108, and that’s a big deal in Japan. Narratively, any time 108 is mentioned in a story, that’s a cue for the audience to pay attention. In Buddhism, there are 108 earthly desires one must conquer to achieve nirvana. Culturally, Buddhist temples in Japan ring a large bell 108 times on New Year’s Eve to mark the end of the year and commemorate the start of a new one. The number 108 is significant in Hinduism as well. Across most of Asia, 108 is a sacred number meaning perfection and recalling the cycle of life and rebirth. Vermeil in Gold used a religious concept to point to Alto as the beginning and the end of the current magic world.
Heh.
Oh. Just pour mana into that flame inside the crystal ball. It’s easy! Apparently, not for the first dozen students. Lilia figured out part of the trick. Test-takers should direct their mana stream into the fire through a mana-absorbing crystal. Boom! Ugh. Here comes a pompous challenger from a different magic school. He managed just fine. Cheryl is a competent mage too. Ooh, do your best, Marx! Francois, the Beetle, cheers for you! I would like Vermeil in Gold to show us what magic Marx uses and how a Rhinoceros Beetle helps. He barely passed.
Here we go. Oh, right. We need to address the buxom babe standing next to Alto. The Head Proctor already knew about her. And he knows about “them.” Nice. Alto figured out the real secret of the crystal in Vermeil in Gold. He knows the point on the crystal that’s easiest to pour mana through. That’s not the ultimate secret. Vermeil encouraged Alto to make a scene! Take the most challenging route and destroy that crystal ball! Kissing and exchanging mana has more resistance than cheap crystal. Not as enjoyable, either. Aw. Poor Alto. He thought he had failed. And would have to pay for the broken crystal ball. Now Alto has to pass the written exam, and he will get his Bronze Status. The Head Proctor explains to the audience that Alto accomplished a Platinum-level deed.
Breaktime. Vermeil in Gold loves showing Escher-inspired art. There it is! Marx’s secret weapon for the Bronze Exams. No, it was not his familiar waving a flag. And the joke punchline is… a gambling pencil to guess multiple-choice answers. Thanks, Marx. Good luck. Hello, foreshadowing. Only one Platinum Square has ever scored perfect results on each exam level. Gee, I wonder if we’ve seen that guy already. Enough about him. It’s Alto’s turn to become a legend.
Does Alto need demon mana for a written exam? Don’t mind, don’t mind. Vermeil aims to keep him “topped up.” Vermeil in Gold finds plenty of dark corners for quickie smooching sessions. Uh oh. That pompous ass with a pageboy cut will meet an unfortunate end. Before we find out how sad, Vermeil needs more smooches. Ack. There’s Iolite. Ready to throw a chaos grenade into an examination room. The rogue Platinum Square needed the pageboy’s test ticket.
Oh, thank goodness. Jessica and Elena’s showering provide the necessary fanservice for this Vermeil in Gold episode. Alto’s membership in the student council has already paid off. Jessica and Elena’s conversation tells us that demons have become the boogeyman of the current magic world. Elena wants to see a beautiful miracle bloom between Alto and Vermeil. Like, having a child? Because that’s the natural way to make an accepted human-demon hybrid. Not the way that Obsidian did with demonic blood-doping. Or whatever Hakumiya is growing in a vat inside her lab. Elena is a romantic. She believes in love!
Whoops. Vermeil’s smoochy time almost made Alto late for his test. Familiars aren’t allowed inside the examination hall, so how will Vermeil spend her time? Of course. Iolite sits next to Alto. An annual exam that determines children’s futures is the best time to have a private chat about demons.
Vermeil in Gold (Kinsou no Vermeil: Gakeppuchi Majutsushi wa Saikyou no Yakusai to Mahou Sekai wo Tsuki Susumu) streams weekly on Hidive in Japanese audio and English subtitles.
