In episode 23 of the second season of Kusuriya no Hitorigoto , released on June 27th, Loulan clarifies his objectives and reveals Suirei's true origin to Shenmei. The anime is nearing its end, and with the end of the war between Shishou and the imperial family, it's likely that the final episode will be reserved for some explanations and a proper conclusion.
After the imperial guard invades Shishou's fortress, Lihaku rescues Maomao and takes her to safety. Shishou, who was in one of the chambers, doesn't hide or flee; he simply accepts his final fate: death. Shishou's last thoughts were of Shenmei, the only woman he ever loved in his life.
Loulan reveals the truth about her family
Jinshi, no longer disguised as a eunuch, seeks out Loulan and Shenmei. The young woman takes advantage of the prince's presence to reveal the truth about her mother and Suirei's origins. The narrative reveals that Shenmei, since her youth, has been an individualistic person who prioritizes power over the interests of her own daughter.
Loulan demonstrates her disagreement with her mother's actions, and episode 23 shows that her goal is to unmask Shenmei and expose the truth about the time when she was a high-ranking concubine in the Inner Palace, since Shenmei went to the palace as a hostage, unaware of this. According to Loulan's account, when the empress banned slavery, the Shi clan, with Shenmei held hostage in the Inner Palace, was forced to cut off the slave trade.
Furthermore, the young woman reveals to Shenmei that Suirei possesses imperial blood. After all, she is the granddaughter of Taihou, one of the palace servants and a victim of the previous emperor. After expelling his own daughter, the emperor asked Shishou to marry her. Shishou agreed to marry the daughter born from the emperor's relationship with Taihou. Thus, Suirei was born. Loulan also explains that her father planned to act as a traitor to the empire to destroy all the wicked members of the Shi Clan in an explosive catastrophe. He acted as a necessary evil.
Loulan has a melancholic and impactful ending
Shenmei attempts to shoot and kill Loulan. However, the girl had modified the gun, and Shenmei herself is hit. After the incident, Loulan goes to the rooftop and concludes her journey in the narrative with a dance in a sad and dramatic scene. The character, who has been present as Shisui's servant since the first episode of the second season, has won the affection of fans of the series. Thus, Loulan's farewell with a final dance is one of the saddest scenes in the anime.
The soundtrack, the falling snow, and Suirei's profound grief at witnessing the tragic end of her beloved sister all contribute to the emotional weight the work aims to convey to the audience. Loulan was a character who played the role of two people with completely different personalities. Although it seemed that, in portraying Shisui, she was assuming her true personality, her end was as Loulan, the traitor to the imperial family.
Along with episode 23, Kusuriya no Hitorigoto released a music video featuring the ending theme song by the Japanese band Omoinotake. The video showcases some of the main scenes from the second season and, through it, the anime seems to say goodbye for now, as the next episode is the season finale. Additionally, it shows some happy moments of Maomao and Shisui together.
Kusuriya no Hitorigoto: What to expect from the next episode?
Now that the conflict between Shenmei and the imperial family has come to an end, it's likely that the final episode of the second season will reveal what actually happened to the children, since Loulan left them in Maomao's care. Furthermore, at the end of episode 23, a man finds a shiny object in a bush, and it's possible that it's the hair ornament that the protagonist gave to Shisui.
On the anime's official profile on the X network , the audience expresses their love for the series and sadness at the approaching end of the second season. Comments also revolve around Shisui, who won over fans throughout the episodes. Some express sadness at the character's departure. However, others still hope she will return as Shisui and abandon her identity as Loulan.
The final episode of the second season, titled The Beginning , will be released next Friday, July 4th, on the Crunchyroll streaming platform, with Portuguese subtitles.
Keep following AnimeNews for more information about Kusuriya no Hitorigoto and everything related to the otaku universe!