Episode 24

Mask of Falsehood (偽りの仮面) is the fourth episode of the second season, and the twenty-fourth episode of The Eminence in Shadow anime adaptation.

Synopsis

 * -|English=The Mitsugoshi Company is doing great, all thanks to Gamma! However, the biggest crisis imaginable rears its ugly head.
 * -|Japanese=急拡大するミツゴシ商会がライバルの大商会連合に目をつけられる. その独占的なやり方に懸念を抱く謎の男ジョン・スミスはユキメとともに商業戦争を仕掛けていく.

Summary
A high-value Mitsugoshi cargo carriage, laden with precious goods, is ambushed by a formidable gang of bandits. These criminals have forcibly extracted the female Mitsugoshi employees from the carriages and are in the process of pillaging the cargo, which includes valuable commodities such as tea leaves, cocoa, coffee, and other products estimated to be worth a staggering one hundred million zeni. As the bandits go about their criminal endeavors, one of them confides in the terrified women about their sinister motives. He asserts that the Mitsugoshi company's exceptional profitability and rapid expansion pose a grave concern for his boss. The anxious young woman cautiously inquires about the identity of this employer. The bandit reveals the name "Garter," the president of the Major Corporate Alliance (MCA) and a figure of high standing in society. The young woman voices her skepticism, noting that Garter is well-known for his devout adherence to the Divine Teachings and his significant contributions to the Church. It seems inconceivable that such a man would employ bandits to disrupt honest business activities. In response, the bandit cautions her about the hidden facets of every individual's character. In a calm, the woman asserts that there is no point in reiterating what they already know. In a remarkable turn of events, they suddenly find themselves encircled by an assembly of women dressed entirely in black. It's the Shadow Garden. With the removal of their disguises, the women reveal their true identities as fellow Shadow Garden members, with no trace of dread left in their faces anymore. The bandits, taken aback and overmatched, have no chance as they succumb to a merciless one-sided onslaught. Following this swift and decisive encounter, one of the Shadow Garden women named Nu reports to Alpha that their assault has considerably diminished the strength of the MCA.

Skel and Po proudly parade their recently acquired designer outfits from Comme Ça du Mitsugoshi to Cid during their lunch, proclaiming it to be their latest ploy to charm the ladies. Cid notes that anything design related from mitsugoshi is probably from Eta, which increases the number of girls who made bank off Shadow's knowledge. As Skel continues to flaunt his new attire, the Comme Ça du Mitsugoshi logo unexpectedly peels off from his shirt, revealing the emblem of the store where they had made their purchase. Skel is disheartened by the realization that he's sporting a knock-off, but he attempts to console himself by suggesting that they can simply reattach the logo, as if it were a minor issue. Cid, meanwhile, has a revelation regarding the clothing he's wearing, which was prepared by Alpha and her team. He realizes that the attire he's seen people wearing, which he had assumed to be commonplace in the new world, is, in fact, a product of Mitsugoshi. He understands that this revelation is the result of the knowledge he shared with the girls to expand their market share. With a disapproving expression, he remarks on the unfairness of taking business from others, causing discontent among those who've been affected. He departs, declaring his intention to reclaim everything that rightfully belongs to him, leaving Po and Skel confused by his cryptic statement.

In his dorm room, Cid outfits himself in a sleek black suit, securing his hair in a tidy short ponytail. He completes his transformation with a magician's mask, unveiling his latest persona, the super elite secret agent known as John Smith. Fully prepared, he proceeds to rendezvous with Yukime in an unoccupied train compartment. Upon meeting, Yukime expresses her satisfaction at having Shadow on their side, but Cid promptly disowns the name, declaring his intention to go by John Smith henceforth. He asserts that his collaboration with Yukime is primarily motivated by the prospect of a profitable partnership. During their meeting, Yukime provides John with an update on recent developments in the market. She reveals that Garter has convened a meeting of the Major Corporate Alliance to discuss fortifying their strategies against Mitsugoshi. Emphasizing the ongoing conflict between Mitsugoshi and the MCA, she underscores their intent to seize everything. Yukime implores John to take action on their behalf, cautioning him about the formidable Gettan, the Sword Devil, who has assumed control over the MCA. She underscores his ruthlessness, noting that he stops at nothing to achieve his objectives. To demonstrate her commitment, Yukime discreetly reveals a deep scar on her back while mentioning her plans to handle Gettan herself. As the train comes to a halt, John takes his leave, vowing to obliterate the existing order and rebuild it from the ground up.

The following day, MCA-affiliated merchants in the capital held a massive sale on all their products. Skel, Po, and Cid eagerly attended to take advantage of the bargains. During their shopping, Cid couldn't help but notice that Mitsugoshi had pushed the envelope too far, making enemies of local traders and jeopardizing their own future. He remarked that their competitors would likely bring Mitsugoshi down, and when that happened, he would use the capital he had acquired to establish a new corporation, offering managerial positions to Alpha and girls. As they proceeded to pay for their purchases, Cid noticed that the banknote Po handed over was different from the usual currency. Po explained that it was the new MCA-issued banknote, and the sales event was designed to celebrate its release. Intrigued, Cid requested a closer look. Upon inspection, he discerned significant disparities between Mitsugoshi's banknote and the MCA's. The Mitsugoshi banknote uses multicolor printing and has a carefully placed watermark, while the MCA's version had simpler, cruder printing and a less detailed design. Cid recollected sharing details with the girls about an MHK documentary on banks and credit creation, which seemed to have inspired them to establish their own bank. In a sudden recollection, Cid shared a childhood memory with the two friends. He recounted how, as a child, he had aspired to make copies of a one thousand yen bill using a copy machine at a local store. However, he abandoned this dream after a cashier scolded him. Skel and Po were puzzled by the story, and Po asked Cid to return his money. Cid, refusing the request, swiftly takes off with it.

In his John Smith persona, Cid met up with Yukime once again to share his findings. He explained that the banknotes were essentially worth nothing more than paper, as long as the banks held the gold reserves. Their sole advantage was the convenience they offered over carrying gold coins. He handed Yukime the two banknotes and asked her to spot the differences between them. As she examined the notes, she soon realized that it would be easier to create counterfeit versions of the MCA banknotes. John proposed that they capitalize on this opportunity and profit from it. However, Yukime promptly shot down the idea, explaining that since these banknotes were only in circulation within the capital, it would be relatively simple to trace the source of any fake ones. John, disheartened, approached Yukime with a more menacing tone, pressing her to confirm if this was what she thinks. Yukime pondered the situation for a brief moment, and then she put forward a plan. She suggested that they intentionally let the fake notes be discovered. Once rumors of counterfeit bills circulating in the public domain spread, it would create a [https://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/credit-crisis.asp#:~:text=A%20credit%20crisis%20is%20caused,cascading%20effects%20throughout%20the%20economy. credit crisis], leading to the devaluation of the banknotes. However, if they cashed out their holdings before the crisis took hold, they would be safe. Yukime nervously smiled as she presented this strategy to John. Once again, John posed the question menacingly, inquiring if this was indeed what she thinks. Yukime, sweat running down her face, confirmed her stance, saying yes. With Yukime's affirmation, John disembarked from the train with a gloomy expression.

Afterward, Cid headed out for his evening meal and encountered Delta. During their interaction, Delta picked up on the distinct scent of a fox that clung to Cid. Curious, she inquired about it, and Cid explained that he had been engaged in hunting foxes, causing the scent. With that, Delta swiftly proposed that Cid join her in hunting bandits. However, Cid politely declined her offer, advising her to attend to the tasks Alpha had assigned her first. Delta gazed at Cid with big, pleading eyes, which he noted reminded him of his pet dog John from his previous life. Ultimately, he conceded, promising to join her in the hunt once she had fulfilled her duties to Alpha.

Garter provides Gettan with a comprehensive briefing on the MCA's most recent activities within the lavish confines of Gettan's adorned office. He conveys the surprising discovery that Mitsugoshi's private soldiers possess more formidable strength than they had initially estimated. In response to this development, Gettan suggests deploying the Clovers, an elite assassination squad handpicked by him, to address the situation.

Shadow and Delta rendezvous later for their bandit hunting mission. Delta takes a merciless approach, swiftly dispatching the bandits, while Shadow searches through their treasure. He can't help but grumble about how Delta leaves no bandits for him to deal with. However, the situation takes an unexpected turn when a muscular man intervenes, urging Delta to cease her actions. To Shadow's astonishment, she complies. The man identifies himself as Zabra, claiming to be Delta's brother, a fact that Delta confirms by detecting their father's scent on him. Zabra goes on to explain that he now serves under the great wolf, Gettan. But before he can say more, Delta abruptly stabs him in the chest, leaving him lifeless. Shocked, Shadow questions whether it's acceptable to have killed her own brother. Delta callously responds, stating that weaklings only bring disgrace to the family. She proceeds to share that their father, the clan's chief, has over a thousand offspring, making the loss of one inconsequential. Shadow, in an attempt to change the topic, suggests that he should visit the therianthrope lands sometime. Delta becomes enthusiastic and tells Shadow that if he can defeat her father, he could become the clan's chief. She promises him a hundred women and a hundred offspring, but Cid declines her offer.

Garter provides a report to Gettan, informing him that the fourth leaf, Zabra, has been defeated. He further notes that in recent months, their firepower has been significantly diminished, leaving them with almost nothing. Garter, in his pragmatic approach, advises a temporary retreat to reevaluate their situation. However, Gettan dismisses this suggestion and asserts that Garter should simply adhere to his orders. Gettan proposes an alternative strategy, emphasizing that they should intensify their offensive against Mitsugoshi and aim to acquire all of their closely guarded trade secrets. Gettan dismisses Garter, then proceeds to stare out the window with his scarred eyes hidden behind his glasses.