Episode 6

Pretenders (偽る者) is the sixth episode of the The Eminence in Shadow anime adaptation.

Synopsis
While Iris seeks a bright mind to study an artifact, Cid visits a popular store. Meanwhile, in the dark corners of the city, someone commits murders in Shadow Garden's name!

Summary
Skel and Po wonder how things went with Alexia and if Cid got at least a kiss. However, Cid tells them that they broke up and haven't done anything. Disappointed, Skel tells him that he knows a place that sell all kinds of good stuff, including something called chocolate, which they can use to give to girls and win them. As Skel and Po are too excited, Cid accepts, as he is also curious to see what this world calls chocolate.

Iris shows an artifact they found in the hideout of the Cult, however as they can't decipher it, she asks Sherry Barnett, the most brilliant mind in the kingdom, if she can decipher it. Her father, Lutheran, encourages Sherry to do it. Sherry accepts and Iris decides to assign the Crimson Order to keep watch on them. Lutheran hears that's the new knight order that Iris formed and Iris confirms, and that it's a small order, but it made by people she trusts. Alexia also wishes to help and Iris accepts.

Cid, Skel and Po go the to store, but the line is so big that they have to wait 80 minutes for their turns. Po is worried as that means they will head back at dark and he heard there is a killer going around at night. While waiting, a worker from the store asks Cid if he can come with her and answer some survey. As Cid enters the store, he feels its like a department store from his old world, as there are many things that remind him of his world that he haven't seen elsewhere in this world. Cid is eventually taken to a throne room in a house above the store building. Cid then sees Gamma next to the throne and figures it her store. She confirms and states she recreated it from the wisdom Cid shared with them. Cid recalls telling the girls random stuff and notes that Gamma was the smartest among the girls, but also lacks athleticism, in that moment, Gamma ends up falling the stairs. Gamma invites Cid to sit on the throne and as he sits, he feels like a king. He congratulates her and creates something like fireworks as her reward, which excites her as the light reminds her on the light he used to save her. Cid guesses she is making money and Gamma confirms, stating she has several franchises around the cities and that they even use mail orders for remote areas. She shows him she has one million zeni as immediate disposal. Hearing that, Cid is shocked. Gamma guesses Cid game due to the incidents, and the killer who states he is from Shadow Garden. They are investigating him already and promises Cid that they will put an end to his deeds. Cid had no idea, but decides to play along and states he has some idea who it may be as he recalls his incident with Alexia. Gamma introduces Nu, their newest member of the Numbers, and explains that Alpha acknowledged her skill. Cid tells her that he will call her if he needs her. He then tells Gamma that he wants to purchase three chocolate of the cheapest, but Gamma states she will give him chocolate for free from the highest quality. Cid gets happy and while laughing with Gamma, he also steals one coin.

Cid and his friends then rush heading home. Cid guesses that Alexia went crazy and had started killing people. Hearing something, he stops and tells his friends that he needs to poop right away, and tells them to go before they see him shit himself. Skel and Po believe that is very manly and states they won't forget him and will never tell anyone about it. Cid then goes in the backalley where he heard Alexia fighting, but is surprised to see her fighting some men who claim to be from Shadow Garden. They manage to injure her, but Cid shows up as Shadow and kills one of the men and tells the others that they will also pay for impersonating Shadow Garden. The men run and Alexia asks Shadow why is he fighting, but he tells her to stay out of it. Shadow follows the men and kills one of them. Nu then shows up and congratulates Shadow on finding them that fast and requests that he leaves the rest to her and she will get information from the remaining man. Shadow agrees and leaves. Nu then cuts the man's arm disarming him, stating she isn't as forgiving as Shadow. Elsewhere, a man informs a knight that he lost contact to the puppet and the two other men. The knight states its fine as they located the item they need and their priority is retrieving it.

Alexia tells Iris that the killer was impersonating Shadow Garden. Alexia adds that Shadow is fighting the Cult, and Iris hopes that they will learn something more when the artifact gets deciphered. Alexia then asks her who she thinks is the real enemy, Shadow Garden or the Cult. Iris states its both and that she won't allow anyone to wreck havoc in the kingdom.

The next day, on the train for school, rumors spread that Cid had shit his pants. Skel and Po are nervous and asks Cid if he got the chocolate from yesterday. At school, Skel gives chocolate to an upperclasswoman, but the person she is engaged shows up and catches Skel and wants to have a chat with him. Po states he won't follow Skel's footsteps and that he learned all about the girl he plans on giving chocolate. As he approaches her, she recognizes him as her stalker and yells. Cid decides to give his chocolate to the first girl he sees and be over with his background character moment. Sherry then sits next to him and he gives her the chocolate and leaves.

Sherry recognizes Cid from the other day. In her room, she wonders what is the chocolate. Her father then comes in and recognizes its chocolate and explains its been popular lately. Sherry tells him that a boy gave it to her and her father guesses its a present and it must have been love at first sight. He wonders what she will tell him as he must be waiting for an answer. He also tells her that study and research is important, but she also needs to learn on how to interact with others. He starts to caught, but states he has been feeling better lately and is lucky to have such a good daughter. Sherry states she is the lucky one as he adopted her