[User] Julius was reminded of what Marcus had said to him personally just before they left for the empire. He had been summoned into the captain’s quarters, alone, the day before their departure. There, he had been ordered to keep a close eye on Reinhard and Ferris. Julius was determined to not let his friends out of his sight during this trip, and not only because of Marcus’s orders. That was what had brought on his question just now.

[Assistant] “Blame myself…? Sure, yeah, I do. I mean, just think about who Ferri is.”

[User] Ferris almost worked his lips into a smile as he spoke into the silence. But it was a smile of self-mockery. He was obviously tormented by profoundly painful emotions. As the kingdom’s premier healer and a friend of the deceased prince, the memories must have been difficult.

[Assistant] “Ferris, you must not blame yourself. It wasn’t your fault.”

[User] “…Pretty familiar words, as comfort goes.”

[Assistant] “Sorry. I wish I could say something less trite, but…” Ferris’s touch of irony made Julius rue his own lack of insight. He wanted dearly to say something that would truly speak to Ferris’s heart. But all he had been able to muster were the most tired words of comfort in the world. And the moment didn’t even give him a chance to make another attempt.

[User] “Hmm?” Julius raised an eyebrow as Ferris’s ears twitched. Both of them had noticed the change at the same time. They looked at each other.

[Assistant] “Julius…,” the cat-boy started; Julius nodded affirmatively. He slowly raised his right hand to reveal a light glowing softly in his palm. It was Ire, one of the six greater spirits Julius held a pact with. When they had been guided to their room, Julius had sent out this spirit to keep watch in the Crystal Palace. The spirit and the demi-human blood that coursed in Ferris’s veins had both detected something.

[User] “Looks like something’s afoot in the palace.”

[Assistant] “Sure does. I think things have gotten a little rowdy.”

[User] Bordeaux, sensing the two knights’ reactions, opened his eyes and came out of his meditation. The bald-pated elder looked to their leader.

[Assistant] “Master Miklotov?”

[User] “Mm. They say hearing is the first thing to go with age. What rowdiness do you speak of, may I ask?”

[Assistant] “It sounds sort of…confused? Like everyone is flailing around. And for this to start right when they took Reinhard away. I don’t like this.”

[User] “I agree. I think the imperial troops outside are gone, too.” There should have been soldiers stationed outside the door to ensure the visitors didn’t do anything unwelcome and that nothing was done to them. But Julius no longer sensed the guards standing nearby. The most natural thing was to assume they had gone toward the ruckus.

[Assistant] “…I have a bad feeling about this,” Julius said after a brief pause. “I’ll go see what’s happening. Master Miklotov, Lord Bordeaux, please stay here. Ferris will—Hmm.”

[User] “You could look a little less disappointed!


[User] "Eh, you couldn’t pay me to be all Just leave everything to ol’ Ferri!"

[Assistant] "True enough. But then…"

[User] "It’s all right." Considering what might be happening, it made Julius uneasy to leave Ferris alone as a bodyguard. But his hesitation was forestalled by a word from Bordeaux, who got slowly to his feet.

[Assistant] Bordeaux crossed his arms, still great, sturdy limbs despite his age, and regarded the two young knights from beneath his thick eyebrows. "Go make sure it’s safe outside. I’ll look after Master Miklotov myself."

[User] "I’m rather afraid I’m being treated like luggage… But with Master Bordeaux here, I certainly believe I have nothing to worry about. Both of you, go and have a look."

[Assistant] "But sir…"

[User] "Stop worrying," Bordeaux insisted, the bravery almost palpable about him. "Make sure everything is all right—and quick."

[Assistant] With a salute, as much to that aura of warriorhood as anything else, Julius exchanged a silent look with Ferris, and then they left the room.


[User] Out in the hallway, he discovered that, indeed, the guards were missing. No sooner had he registered this unusual fact than they discovered the source of the noise: people running through the halls of the Crystal Palace. "I knew it. It’s like they’ve lost their heads. Think there’s been an assassination attempt on the emperor or something?"

[Assistant] "Careful anyone should hear you and think you’re being serious. Put away your jokes for the time being."

[User] "Yeah, sure." Notwithstanding Ferris’s tasteless remark, the pair set off at a quick pace to find out what was going on. The idea of an assassination had been nothing but Ferris being glib, but the commotion did have an edge of panic.

[Assistant] "Julius! I smell blood!" Ferris’s face was grim. There was no sign of him joking now, and Julius’s apprehension was growing by the second. At length, they came to the source of the commotion.

[User] "Do whatever you have to! Just get it open! Knock it down!" The soldiers were shouting, confronted with a large and firmly shut door. It must have been barred from the inside; the soldiers slammed a massive ram against it to no discernible effect. Two, then three times they brought the ram to bear. Finally, with an immense crash, the towering iron door flew inward.

[Assistant] "There! We did it! Inside—!" The soldiers working on the door gave a cheer, but suddenly, their voices died in their throats. The others around them did the same. They seemed to be dumbstruck by what they saw before them. Julius and Ferris came up behind.

[User] The two peered beyond the guardsmen into the room and saw… "Impossible…" Julius let out unconsciously. The room beyond was destroyed, the cold floor slick with the blood of several men. Among them was a face Julius recognized as that of Balleroy Temeglyph.


[User] Balleroy, one of the Nine Divine Generals, the most powerful warriors in the entire empire, was collapsed in a pool of blood, motionless.

[Assistant] Standing beside him was another figure, looking down at his victims…


[User] Re:ZeroEx “Reinhard…” The red-haired Sword Saint was the only one in the bloodstained room without a scratch.

[Assistant] “…!” When Julius took in the scene in the room, he knew instantly that this was going to be trouble. Balleroy, one of the military leaders of a country that prized physical prowess above all else, lay bleeding at Reinhard’s feet. Anyone would think the powerful swordsman from another nation had undoubtedly done the deed. Julius would have come to the same conclusion, if the person in question had been anyone but Reinhard. However, Julius believed that man was incapable of doing something so impulsive. Something had to be wrong here.

[User] “Ferris! Tend to Master Balleroy, now!”

[Assistant] “Right!” They would figure things out later; Julius set Ferris to caring for the fallen Balleroy. As astonishing as the scene before them was, there were wounded, and Ferris didn’t hesitate. He bounded through the blood to examine the injuries of the people in the room. Even if the wounds were serious, so long as the people weren’t dead, Ferris could—

[User] “What else do they intend to do to the generals?! Stop him!”

[Assistant] “Don’t move, filth!” The soldiers stopped the cat-boy before he could approach the victims. Snapping out of their horror, they drew their swords and surrounded Julius and Ferris. Several of the guards piled into the room and leveled their blades at Reinhard.

[User] One of the men knelt at Balleroy’s side, shaking his bloodstained shoulders. “General Balleroy, get up! General! Damn! You bastards…!” But there was no response. The imperial soldiers looked more ready than ever to kill their visitors. The room had become a powder keg.

[Assistant] “Julius…!” Ferris said, keenly aware of the gravity of the situation.

[User] But Julius, too, was having trouble knowing what to do next. Throw down his weapon and surrender? But given the murder in the men’s eyes, throwing away his weapon might be a very foolish move. He didn’t want this staring contest to go on forever, but—

[Assistant] “My castle rings with the din of the unwashed. What is going on?”

[User] “Hrgh?” Julius strained to catch the clear but totally unexpected voice. Ferris, whose ears were better than his, stood wide-eyed as if he couldn’t believe what he was hearing. The soldiers did the same. The voice was unmistakable; it could be no one else. It was the emperor, Vincent Volakia, in the flesh.

[Assistant] “…!” There was a great, collective clack of heels as the soldiers opened a path for their ruler. The way had been formed by the automatic loyalty of the men, and the emperor walked leisurely down it. When he saw what was in the room, he arched the eyebrows on his cold, intelligent face. The chamber full of blood—Balleroy and the other soldiers on the ground—and the emissary of Lugunica standing over them…

[User] “…I see.” He nodded as if all this made sense to him, and he fixed Reinhard with a penetrating gaze.

[Assistant] Reinhard straightened and put his hand to his chest.


[User] “By your leave, Your Majesty. Allow me to explain…”

[Assistant] The shouting of a furious soldier cut him off. “Your Majesty! These men are insurgents who didn’t even hesitate to strike down a general in the very halls of the Crystal Palace! This is a declaration of war by the Kingdom of Lugunica against our Volakian Empire!”

[User] “Insurgents, indeed. You’re right—if things are as they appear, then these men must be insane. To perpetrate this act of barbarity under our very nose—if they did it in sound mind, then judgment is already rendered.”

[Assistant] “Emperor Vincent…” Against Julius’s worst imaginings, the emperor exposed the unnaturalness of the situation with an almost bored expression.


[User] “Your Majesty the Emperor!” The harsh bellow came from Reinhard, who flew at Vincent. The Sword Saint grabbed the emperor’s arm and, faster than the eye could see, leaped backward into the room.

[Assistant] “Damn you, get away from the—” The furious demands of the imperial guards were cut short.

[User] “‘O thou sinful rebel! O vessel of wrath so foul that e’en the moon and stars hide their faces from thee! If thou so ardently desire this my life, then let thy sullied steel drink deep of my blood!’”

[Assistant] Julius did not speak, but the next instant, the ruler of Volakia’s gaze fixed upon the young knight.


[User] “…!” Julius ground his teeth as the great burden of an emperor’s expectations suddenly fell on him.

[Assistant] “Reinhard, out the window!”

[User] “…” Reinhard didn’t hesitate at all. While still keeping a grip on Vincent’s left arm, he flung himself backward through the window, shattering it with his back as he went through.

[Assistant] “Alo! Ake!” Julius shouted. A green glow appeared in one of his upturned hands, while a yellow one appeared in the other. In the blink of an eye, the glows intensified, and a surge of mana slammed into the imperial troops.

[User] “Ferris!”

[Assistant] “Huh? Wha—? Wah! Ack, waaaait!” Ferris, who had been far too shocked by the dizzying series of events to move, found Julius grabbing one of his slim arms and dragging him toward the broken window through which Reinhard had escaped.

[User] “Careful not to bite your tongue!”

[Assistant] “Wait, hold on, hold up, hold anything! Ahhh? !” But Julius was not interested in Ferris’s suggestions; he swept the young man into his arms and threw himself at the window.


[User] Miklotov listened to Goz and observed the dozen or more soldiers with him, all of whom were on high alert. Quickly perceiving the difference in fighting strength between them, he cast a glance at the bald giant beside him and ran his fingers through his own, long beard. "Mm. I should say not. I only hope you won’t be too rough on these old bones."

[Assistant] "Of course. Though, you understand that depending on how this situation develops, we can’t promise we’ll always be so merciful. In the event anything should happen to our emperor, we’ll be sending your heads back to your kingdom without your necks beneath them. Best spend your time praying your knights don’t do anything ill-advised." Despite being at the head of a crew of soldiers clearly out for blood, Goz himself was eminently reasonable.

[User] Miklotov, knowing anything he said might simply pour more oil on the flames, indicated his assent with only a nod, then watched as the Divine General turned his great back on them.

[Assistant] With no further words, but with storming footsteps, Goz withdrew, leaving Miklotov and Bordeaux in the care of several men assigned to keep an eye on them.


[User] "If we truly had designs against the empire, then trading the heads of two elders for the emperor himself… Well, one can’t say it’s an unreasonable exchange."

[Assistant] "You’re going to get us in trouble, Master Miklotov."

[User] "Ho-ho-ho. I’m sorry, it rather slipped out." Miklotov was running his fingers thoughtfully through his beard.

[Assistant] He sat beside Miklotov and looked at the soldiers around them. "What do you make of all this, Master Miklotov?"

[User] "Incomprehensible is the word I would choose. Things have taken an unaccountably strange turn—and so quickly."

[Assistant] "Don’t figure the boys we brought along are simply utter fools?"

[User] "If they were, then the fault would lie in the judgment of the captain of the royal guard who chose them, and in ourselves for allowing them to accompany us. I certainly hope that is not the case…but I wouldn’t expect such logic to convince anyone in the empire."

[Assistant] "A general dead and the emperor kidnapped… Hmph, that’s no laughing matter."


[User] “In which case, I believe His Majesty himself may be the key to what is happening here. I don’t know why they took him, but there seems to be many things about this that can only be understood by those present.”

[Assistant] “Guess we’ve got no choice but to trust them, whatever they’re thinking. Never been so frustrated in my life.” Bordeaux let out a sigh. Beside him, Miklotov was silent, lost in thought. It was almost as if he were ignoring Bordeaux, but the giant didn’t say anything about it. The two of them had known each other for a long time now. Bordeaux trusted the sage’s judgment and perception more than that of anyone else in the Kingdom of Lugunica. It was Miklotov’s role to be lost in thought. It was not Bordeaux’s. His job was to see that the greatest sage in Lugunica returned home safely. If the worst should happen, Bordeaux would use his own massive body as Miklotov’s shield.

[User] “Not sure I could buy us a whole lot of time though—not these days…” He touched a hand to his wrinkled, aged face and let a quiet sigh slip out. If he had his wish, the actions and judgment of the young escorts they’d traveled with would help break this deadlock that had set upon them.

[Assistant] “Gotta hope this generation’s knights can pull their weight…”


[User] The runaway knights landed hard in the garden below, bursting through the window of the great chamber. Silently, avoiding any lines of sight, they worked their way out of the garden, vaulting over the towering castle walls with their own strength and the help of some wind magic. Once on the far side of the walls, they kept running, heading not for the bustling town, but aiming to disappear into the forest that grew within the boundaries of the capital. When they were sure there was no one else around, they finally stopped.

[Assistant] “Looks like we’re all in one piece.” He had assigned Alo, the air spirit, to detect any shifts in the atmosphere. Ire, the fire spirit, would watch for sources of heat. With his two sentries in place, the young man was satisfied there was nothing unusual in the immediate vicinity.

[User] “Ugh.” Ferris groaned from his spot cradled in Julius’s arms. "How did this happen?"

[Assistant] “Complaining won’t change anything, Ferris."


[User] "And we can’t expect things to get any less urgent, either. Our friends back at the castle are going to have their hands full while we’re leading this merry chase.”

[Assistant] “Yeah, sure, you’re right, I know. C’mon, let me down already.”

[User] Ferris pursed his lips but stood at last upon the grassy earth.

[Assistant] Reinhard likewise let go of Vincent, whom he had been carrying the way Julius had carried the demi-human. Removing the sword at his hip, he knelt in the most respectful bow he could make. "Emperor Vincent, I offer my heartfelt apologies for my impudence, and for any discomfort I inflicted on you.”

[User] “It matters not; I have deigned it necessary. Indeed, I must, for your actions are quite in line with my own thinking. But I must ask: How is it that there was no breath of wind though we traveled at such speed?”

[Assistant] “Sire, it is because of the wind-free blessing, just like that of a land dragon.”

[User] “It troubles me that a child of man such as yourself should possess that quality. But that is a topic for another hour.” Vincent stopped and turned his dark eyes on Julius. His gaze was as sharp as a sword, and it caused Julius to straighten up. The emperor brushed off his dark garments and said, “You did well to understand my intentions. I commend you.”

[Assistant] “I’m grateful, Your Majesty… However, if The Guillotine of Magrizza had not come up already in the throne room, I doubt I would have made the connection. I’m deeply impressed by Your Majesty’s quick thinking and ability to make use of the reference. Though, we can’t be certain no one else in the room recognized it…”

[User] “Oh, I believe I can. None of the rabble in that room know the value of a single letter. What was most crucial was that I vacated the place with all possible speed.” Vincent’s voice was quiet, completely unfazed; his eyes were half closed.

[Assistant] Taking careful stock of what the ruler of Volakia might’ve been thinking, Julius at last turned his thoughts to the scene in the castle that had started this entire bizarre episode: the awful sight of Reinhard and Balleroy amid a pool of blood. “Reinhard, I want you to tell me about earlier. What in the world happened?”

[User] Ferris put in his two cents as well. “Yeah, Ferri was wondering the same thing! I thought he must have attacked you first, but how did it even start? Spill the beans!”

[Assistant] Reinhard’s eyes drooped, and he picked up his sword, his constant companion, from the ground and returned the weapon to its spot at his hip. “Believe me, I want to tell you everything, but…I’m just as confused. It all happened so suddenly.”

[User] “You mean he came at you so suddenly, you had to react before you knew what you were doing?”

[Assistant] “Ferris, don’t interrupt,”

[User] “Fiiine,” Ferris went quiet.


[User] The purple-haired knight looked Reinhard over from head to toe. "I’m no Ferris, but it doesn’t look to me like you have any wounds. I doubt you were attacked. Not that I think you couldn’t defeat Balleroy without taking a scratch, but…"

[Assistant] "Even I couldn’t take on Master Balleroy and expect to come away untouched. That would be true even if my powers weren’t limited by this collar.” Reinhard let his fingers fall to his neck and brush the Collar of Submission.

[User] “You’re saying that Master Balleroy did not fall by your hand, then.”

[Assistant] “I…don’t know.”

[User] “I’m sorry?” Just as Julius had begun to believe the truth would exonerate the Sword Saint, the young man gave a previously inconceivable answer.

[Assistant] How could he not have known?

[User] “You remember I received that summons. They led me into that big room. I was told to wait there for His Majesty. But…”

[Assistant] “But His Majesty never came.”

[User] Vincent, now the subject of the conversation, winked.

[Assistant] Encouraged by the emperor’s silence. "Master Balleroy was already there. The other soldiers you saw on the floor were in there, too. They’d said something about being His Majesty’s bodyguard, but…”

[User] There was silence from the others.

[Assistant] “One thing I’m sure of: I felt something weigh down heavily on my consciousness for a moment. I feel like I’m missing a second or two of my own life. When that weight disappeared, that was how I found myself.”

[User] “…So you sort of went into a dream for a few seconds, and when you woke up, everyone was dead?” Reinhard had been choosing his words carefully, but Ferris summed up the situation more bluntly.

[Assistant] “Hmmmm,” After his tactless conclusion, the demi-human said as though it was all a lot to swallow. "I’m real sorry, but mew have to agree that sounds totally made-up.”

[User] “You’ll notice I’m not having a lot of luck explaining myself.”

[Assistant] There wasn’t much Reinhard could say to Ferris’s unsparing assessment.

[User] Julius looked equally disturbed, but for a different reason. "I don’t think any of this was accidental. Reinhard, I think you were led into a trap.”

[Assistant] “…Yeah. Framed for the murder of one of the empire’s generals.”

[User] “‘Framed’ is a funny way of putting it,” Vincent broke in. “The inhabitants of the castle are no doubt convinced you did it. Considering that you sacrificed any opportunity to explain yourself when you kidnapped me and ran away.”

[Assistant] “Hold on,” Ferris said, raising an eyebrow. “I hate to say this to someone as important as yourself, sir, but if Reinhard was framed, then wouldn’t it make sense if the culprit was someone from the empire?


[User] "You can’t act like this has nothing to do with you…”

[Assistant] “You suggest I should investigate seriously rather than engage in idle speculation? I believe you were the one who said this man’s testimony is hopelessly flimsy. Who could he convince with a story like that? Allow me to be clear: The people of the empire are no friends of the Sword Saint.”

[User] “Argh…” Ferris’s face stiffened at Vincent’s brusque rebuttal. The ruler of Volakia was right, of course. The only reason Julius and Ferris gave any credence at all to Reinhard’s explanation was because they knew and trusted him personally. Without that, all who were present had to admit that circumstances looked grave for the red-haired man. However…

[Assistant] “…If you’ll forgive my asking, sir, why did you come to that room?”

[User] “Julius?” Reinhard looked quizzically at the other knight, who had bowed his head as he posed a question to the emperor. Julius took note of this look from his peripheral vision, refusing to take his eyes off of Vincent.

[Assistant] “Ferris and I saw Reinhard led out of our guest chambers, ostensibly at your summons. If you had come to the throne room to speak with him, that would make sense. But in that case…”

[User] “You question why I allowed you to carry me off and create such a spectacle?”

[Assistant] “…Yes, Your Majesty. Further, it was you yourself who quoted The Guillotine of Magrizza, implicitly ordering us to take you… I can only imagine you have some deep design the likes of us cannot fathom.”

[User] “Do you imagine, or do you wish and hope? …Well, no matter. You have the right of it, in broad terms. Passing marks for you.” Vincent, one eye closed, snorted softly. The moment he did so, the tension in the grove eased slightly; Ferris found himself letting out a breath he hadn’t known he had been holding. The unseen friction between the knights of Lugunica and the emperor of Volakia vanished. At least, Ferris felt that was so.

[Assistant] "Sword Saint, I suppose that you took me captive in order to cover yourself.”

[User] “As you say, Your Majesty. I’ve never encountered such a pitch of hatred as I felt in that room, and despite the impropriety, I secured your person.”

[Assistant] “‘A pitch of hatred.’ Indeed. I believe it would be most surprising if anyone in the vicinity of that room didn’t want to kill you.”

[User] “As I said—I’ve never encountered the like.” That was a natural explanation of what seemed a reckless action on Reinhard’s part—taking Vincent hostage on the way to kidnapping him. It was as good as announcing that all the soldiers of the empire lined up at the door were nothing before Reinhard.

[Assistant] “An insolent man. You seem to know no fear.” Vincent’s remark could have been taken as embarrassing to the empire, and he dropped it there.

[User] Next, he turned to meet Julius’s golden eyes.


[User] “I chose to go to that place because of the pulse in my Crystal Palace.”

[Assistant] “Pulse, sir?”

[User] “I do not intend to share the details with you. Nor have we the time to do so.”

[Assistant] “The time—” Julius frowned, wondering why the ruler of Volakia would mention the time, or lack thereof. Suddenly, his spirits, which had been patrolling the area, simultaneously sent him a warning. Wind and fire—both presences were approaching in some form.

[User] “There, now put on a good show. Before I turn my back on you.” Vincent said to them with a sadistic smile.

[Assistant] Almost before he finished speaking, Julius looked up and discovered an enemy overhead. A ball of hostility raced toward them from far above the trees.

[User] “Yaaaahhhhhh! !” A faint scream passed above, coming from something revolving at immensely high speed. Spinning on its side, the enemy looked like a silver disc—and it was heading straight for Julius…

[Assistant] “Shi—!” He brought his knight’s sword up in a flash, meeting the disc in midair. Steel met with a metallic sound and sent through the earth a sharp shock wave that Julius could feel in his soles. He felt the vibration shaking all through his arms. He had managed to avoid the ambush at the last moment. Julius swept out forcefully with his still-tingling arms, shoving his enemy backward. His opponent landed on the ground on all fours and stared up at him from a low stance. There was both vigilance and hatred in those eyes.

[User] “Ahhhhh, friggin’ shit! That hurt, ’ey! ’Ey, ’ey, ’ey, ’ey! ’Ey! Damn it all!” The vulgar tirade came from a demi-human small enough to be taken for a child. His entire body was covered in brown fur, some speckled with black. His mouth was full of sharp fangs, and he had a face similar to that of the dog-people—he was a young hyena-man. His eyes flashed with rage, and his entire body seemed to clatter with metallic sounds. It was likely because of the veritable armory of weapons hanging from the belts all over his body. It seemed to be the demi-human’s copious fur that kept the blades of his own weapons from harming him. No, there was another reason: namely that he was immensely skilled in the handling of all the tools he carried. He exuded an almost feral presence—simple, but not to be underestimated. This was the spirit of a monstrously powerful warrior.

[Assistant] “Gah, damn it, that friggin’ hurt… Aw, hey, Your Majesty! Shit! Old Goz was right; you Lugunican shits are no slouches—but damn!”

[User] “A hyena-man covered head to toe in weaponry… Master Groovy Gumlet, I presume.”

[Assistant] “Nghaaa?! Screw you, knowin’ so much about a guy!” He scratched his head and snorted angrily. But he didn’t deny it. That was as good as admitting that he was indeed who Julius thought he was.

[User] “Your Majesty, this man…,”

[Assistant] “…Seems to be known to your friend there,” Vincent replied. “One of the Nine Divine Generals.


[User] He yells and shouts loudly enough to distinguish himself even among the colorful ranks of the Nine. "That’s the emperor, all freakin’ right! Knows how to give a man a compliment!” Groovy exclaimed, smoothing out the fur on his face with both hands, looking closely at his opponents.

[Assistant] “I heard you iced Balleroy, you pricks. Let me tell ya something—he was a good man. Laughed too damn much, and I always thought he was too thin for his own good… But he was a good man.”

[User] “We offer you our heartfelt condolences on his loss,” Julius said. “But we beg you to hear what we have to say as well. Master Balleroy’s death raises a number of unanswered—”

[Assistant] “Don’t try ’n’ talk your way out of this! I ain’t even listening, pissants! Mogro!” he barked, exclaiming a word Julius and the others didn’t recognize. But they soon discovered what it meant.

[User] “Eeeeek? !”

[Assistant] “Ferris? !” Julius spun toward the shout to find Ferris floating in the air. No, not floating, exactly. His foot had been grabbed, and he was hanging upside down. The new assailant seemed to be a brownish-mineral humanoid construct who had appeared from underground. No sooner had Julius registered the impression than he connected the dots in his mind. Volakia was home to a wide variety of demi-humans, including many unusual bloodlines unknown in Lugunica. Among them were a people called the Steelfolk, who had minerals in lieu of flesh-and-blood bodies. One of them ranked among Volakia’s Nine Generals. And their name was…

[User] “Mogro Hagane!”

[Assistant] “You know well. Very well. Frightening.” Clods of earth fell from the massive being, who stood nearly nine feet tall. Their entire body was made of metal, except the joints, which appeared to be green gemstones—or perhaps something similar to magic stones. They looked like a giant stone doll made by something inhuman. But the intimidation radiating from Mogro was no different from what Groovy gave off; it was menacing and powerful.

[User] It came from underground…completely avoiding Ire’s and Alo’s patrols! Underground, one could approach without being detected by the elements of wind or fire. Mogro’s sneaking abilities had caught them completely unawares.

[Assistant] "H-h-help meeee!" Ferris cried, dancing in the air. Mogro looked strong enough to crush the demi-human’s slim form in their hand. Julius and Reinhard would have to get the boy back before that happened.

[User] “Groovy Gumlet and Mogro Hagane.” As Julius tried to concoct a strategy.

[Assistant] “Sending numbers Six and Eight of the Nine Generals is a poor way to retrieve one’s sovereign.”


[User] “I fear the empire’s very finest warriors would have represented overkill against our abilities." Julius replied politely, drawing his sword.

[Assistant] “Reinhard!”

[User] “We can’t let them do as they please." Julius declared as he stepped in with his knight’s blade flashing forward. He was aiming for Mogro’s limb, the arm holding Ferris up.

[Assistant] “’Ey, ’ey, ’ey, ’s wrong with you? Why you assumin’ you can win, jackass?” Groovy wheeled on Julius.


[User] An attack was launched at Julius from the rear with stupendous speed.

[Assistant] Groovy produced two small hatchets from his belts and closed on Julius. He intended to dismember the knight at the neck and hips.


[User] "Sorry, but I can’t let you hurt my friend.” At almost the same instant, Reinhard was covering Julius’s back, catching the blows from both hatchets. One of the Sword Saint’s strikes caught Groovy in the wrist, while he stomped his long legs firmly into the earth in a powerful stance.

[Assistant] “Tsk! Screw you! Your friend? That’s the same thing I called Balleroy, goddamnit!”

[User] Reinhard pursed his lips as Groovy berated him in compensation for the forestalled physical assault. The hyena-man’s rage prevented the Sword Saint from having any opportunity to explain the truth.

[Assistant] Julius unleashed a blow that connected with Mogro’s sturdy arm. The attack landed precisely on the wrist of their right hand—the one still clutching Ferris. But with a sharp sound of impact, his sword simply bounced off. Steelfolk bodies were every bit as hard as they looked. One would probably need a metal cutter to do any harm to Mogro. “Hrgh…”

[User] “Eeeeek? !”

[Assistant] First the clash with Groovy and now his attack on Mogro. Julius’s right arm was still tingling from the two impacts as he drew his sword back—at which point, Mogro’s huge form danced about curiously before launching a powerful front kick. A geyser of earth shot forth as though the ground had exploded, and Ferris’s scream faded away as he was swung around. Hearing it, Julius didn’t fall backward but lunged at Mogro’s center to avoid the attack, slamming his sword into the inner thigh and the back of the creature’s hips—places that would be crippling blows on a human opponent. But all he got for his trouble was another shock and a difficult-to-control rebound. The purple-haired knight moved in as close as he dared in order to get at the inside of Mogro’s legs, and the sword dance between him and the metallic warrior began to appear like a whirlwind. “…!” Julius slammed into his opponent’s vital points one by one, dodging Mogro’s blows with some difficulty as he displayed his swordsmanship. Julius didn’t know much about the Steelfolk, but their overwhelming menace and their strength, which could obviously take his life with even a glancing blow, froze the blood in his veins. He took no pride in going toe to toe with one of the empire’s strongest fighters. He had no chance to revel in his own swordsmanship or admire the power of his enemy. He was spending this moment at his absolute limit…

[User] "You, strong. Me, surprised.” Unlike Julius, who needed every ounce of his concentration and skill just to stay on even footing, Mogro still had the wherewithal to offer a word of praise. Truth be told, the Steelfolk’s fighting style suggested nothing of training or discipline. The general simply swung and struck in a manner that came naturally, as if trying to squash a small animal. Mogro had risen to be one of the Nine Divine Generals simply by virtue of an immense innate strength.


[User] "Surprised. Little more serious.” With that, Mogro brought an upraised arm down at Julius.

[Assistant] The knight dodged it by the skin of his teeth, the ground beside him exploding at the force of the impact. But Julius himself had never been Mogro’s target. The general had sought to tear up the ground itself. “Wha—? !” The instant after his fist landed in the earth, Mogro began to spin their huge body at an incredible speed as they drilled down to the ground. They moved through the soil as readily as one might swim through water—and they were still holding Ferris.

[User] Julius adjusted the grip on his saber and called out, “Reinhard!” He was going to give up his fruitless attacks on Mogro.

[Assistant] Reinhard, still fighting with Groovy, instantly understood what Julius wanted and came flying over. They switched places as Reinhard landed a kick directly on Mogro’s torso.

[User] Having traded opponents, Julius’s blade met Groovy’s hatchets head-on. “Grmf.”

[Assistant] Steelfolk bodies were most at home underground, but Mogro found theirs flying through the air. To think that this human had launched them so effortlessly, despite the fact that the metal creature weighed many hundreds of pounds. It was a feat that painted Reinhard as much more than a swordsman. Reinhard was indeed a knight of utmost ability, but the so-called Dragon Sword he carried was the most powerful blade in Lugunica, a treasure he chose to draw only against the most extraordinary opponents. Thus, Reinhard frequently fought empty-handed. The kick he had just delivered demonstrated he was well justified in doing so.

[User] “He’s got the crazy-red hair, the crazy kick… Even I didn’t expect the Sword Saint to be such a tough mother!”

[Assistant] “Surely, you can think of a better way to put it than that. Such vulgarity doesn’t suit him.”

[User] “I ain’t gonna say it again! I ain’t even listening to you, shithead!” Groovy’s weapons again clashed with Julius’s own. Like Mogro’s whirlwind fighting style, Groovy’s two-handed approach seemed to be more wild instinct than honed technique. Perhaps he had developed and trained his sword fighting in combat, based purely on what worked best for his body—but no, Groovy wasn’t using a sword. What the hyena-man was doing couldn’t even be called sword fighting.

[Assistant] As they slashed at each other, Groovy flung his hatchets through the air, immediately drawing his next weapon. From his belts, he produced a pair of glove-like things that covered his fists. He let fly with one metal-covered fist, and Julius intercepted it with the butt of his sheath.


[User] He drove toward his opponent’s hips, hoping to take advantage of the opening he’d created and constrain Groovy’s movements…

[Assistant] “—Gah!” But an instant later, there was a rush of air, and Julius fell back with a cry of pain. The blow had landed on his stomach, and his knight’s uniform was flecked with blood. He had been hit. But there hadn’t been so much as a flinch to indicate the attack was coming. His eyes widened as he tried to comprehend how he had been struck.

[User] His reaction prompting Groovy to open his mouth wide and laugh. “Gah-ha-ha! Y’ like that? Magic knuckles. The gloves’ve got magic stones in them that can fire spells. They’re just big lumps of mana—and after one hit, they’re nothing but pretty rocks. Still, they’re more than enough to beat the tar out of a shithead!”

[Assistant] “Magic knuckles…” Julius had never heard of such a thing; he was amazed to find them so powerful. Even if they were inert most of the time, such weapons would be more than effective if a single blow could decide a battle. Although the wound to the knight’s side wasn’t deep, it was more than enough to slow him down. It was doubtless it would make a big difference against an opponent as skilled as Groovy. If that was the case… “Oh-ho?”

[User] “Forgive me, but you’re not the only one who’s kept something in reserve.”

[Assistant] Groovy raised an eyebrow at the sudden change Julius exhibited.

[User] The scrapes around his belly wound glowed with a soft, blue light, and the bleeding stopped. Meanwhile, a red light enveloped his sword, and green and yellow ones enclosed around Julius’s body. The four lights came from greater spirits, each with a different element and power.

[Assistant] “So you’re a spirit mage! But so many of ’em… Damn, you must be good!”

[User] “I’m gratified to hear you say that. It seems that’s the first thing I’ve been good at all day; I’m ill-suited as a negotiator.”

[Assistant] “Heh!” Groovy gave an irritable click of his tongue, as if it had been a joke.

[User] Julius, however, hadn’t been kidding. Everything he’d said was true. Qua, the water spirit, closed up his wounds, while the fire spirit, Ire, made his saber burn red-hot. And with the spirits Alo of the air and Ake of the earth upon him, the knight’s physical abilities were improved. It was this combination of techniques that had earned Julius the moniker Spirit Knight.


[Assistant] Booooonngg! Julius, garbed in light, stood confronting Groovy when something huge and long crashed in between them. It was Mogro’s arm, torn off at the elbow. There was an instant when Julius realized it was their left arm, which had been holding Ferris. Then he looked back. “I’m sorry for the wait, Ferris.”

[User] “Oh, th-thank goodness! Oh dear! What took you so long? That thing almost killed me! I was scared out of my wits!” Rescued from Mogro’s hand, Ferris clung to Reinhard’s side, complaining loudly.

[Assistant] “My apologies.”


[User] The Sword Saint merely gave a wan smile.

[Assistant] Julius let out a short breath of relief, seeing that one of Reinhard’s arms, the same one that now supported Ferris, looked as if it had delivered a knifehand strike. The sharpness required for such a blow to take off Mogro’s arm was unimaginable. In all the world, Reinhard might have been the only person who would ever be capable to sever a solid-steel appendage with an empty-handed technique like that.

[User] Reinhard supports Ferris.

[Assistant] "Damn it, Mogro! Butt out when a guy’s fighting, for hell’s sake! Oh, for—They’re beatin’ you into teeny-tiny pieces, damn it all!”

[User] "Wrong, you are being; wrong. I, Groovy, not your minion.”

[Assistant] “I don’t give a shit what you think you are!”

[User] Groovy went over and gave Mogro’s lolling arm a vicious kick.

[Assistant] Mogro grabbed it out of the air and pushed it up against the shoulder it had been cleaved from.


[User] In an instant, the wound was healed. Steelfolk, it was said, could heal any damage done to themselves, so long as their brain and heart remained intact. Combined with the hardiness of their bodies, they nearly seemed invincible. Confronted with all that had happened, the fighters of both the kingdom and empire became more wary of each other. Now that they had really begun to put their cards on the table, the chances of a stalemate seemed ever greater…

[Assistant] “I have had quite enough of these boring displays.” The remark had come from the emperor, who until that moment had kept his distance from the battlefield. The spiraling passion amid those in the forest cooled immediately. Indeed, it had been snuffed by an altogether more commanding presence than soldiers on the field of war. It was impossible to explain logically why it so thoroughly froze conflict. Any of them could have physically overpowered Vincent—one with the sword, another with magic. So why did the ruler of Volakia seem to take hold of their very souls with just a word?

[User] “Groovy, Mogro. What do you think it means to retrieve me?”

[Assistant] “Y-Your Majesty? Well, uh…”

[User] “Does this look to you like an appropriate stage for your childish performances?” The tone of Vincent’s voice was unwavering. Yet everyone present understood that the man had given an ultimatum. Faced with the emperor’s simmering anger, Groovy’s and Mogro’s attitudes changed immediately. Their eagerness for battle, the sense that they had all the time in the world, vanished. In its place was the aura of warriors who no longer had the luxury of messing around. That is to say—the aura of two of the Nine Divine Generals, the strongest fighters in the empire.

[Assistant] “Right, Mogro, no more games. We get damn serious, right from the first shot.”

[User] “Understood. Comprehended. And agreed.” Now that they were on the same page, Groovy and Mogro prepared to launch themselves at their opponents.

[Assistant] Julius stiffened, readying for the change in battle.


[User] "Julius." A voice called from behind, and Julius spared a glance backward.

[Assistant] Reinhard stood with Ferris, now safely on the ground. The Sword Saint’s blue eyes were locked on his fellow knight.

[User] Julius read their intent immediately, and he understood before Reinhard even had to speak. "You don’t mind my leaving this to you?"

[Assistant] "All right by me. If they get the emperor back, we lose. Master Mogro makes that difficult. So…" With that, Reinhard stepped in front of Julius.

[User] Julius didn’t want to take his eyes off the metal creature. But he would have to. "I’ll leave you one of my Sprouts. Use it as a guide to get back to me… I sincerely hope you won’t erase it."

[Assistant] "I wish you would simply say you just don’t like the idea of being separated from me." Reinhard half smiled, and his face in profile showed not the slightest distress at having to take the rearguard.

[User] "Pfah! You want a war with us anyway, Sword Saint. I’m done toyin’. I ain’t ever gonna be able to face my buddies again if we let you pricks just push us around!" His ease appeared to incense Groovy, who clicked his tongue loudly.

[Assistant] "I’m afraid there’s been a grave misunderstanding…but I don’t suppose you’re in any mood to listen."

[User] "Damn right I’m not! So what’s your plan, now that your little negotiations have failed?"

[Assistant] "To knock you down and make you listen to me."

[User] "You’ll die first!" Both the thoroughly enraged Groovy and the preternaturally silent Mogro attacked Reinhard simultaneously.


[Assistant] Julius watched them exchange the first blows, then ran over to the emperor, who was simply standing by. He grabbed his arm. "Forgive my impertinence, Your Majesty! Ferris!"

[User] "Huh? Wh-what? You sure Reinhard’s okay?"

[Assistant] "We have to trust him! The two of us need to get His Majesty out of here!"

[User] Ferris was flustered, but he accepted the brief explanation with a nod and began to work his way deeper into the forest.

[Assistant] Julius followed him at a run, pulling the emperor behind him.

[User] "Hey, jackass! You can’t treat His Majesty like—!"

[Assistant] "Pardon me, but I don’t believe either of us can afford to turn our backs on the enemy." Alone, the Sword Saint held back the howling hyena-man and the relentlessly attacking Steelfolk.


[User] "Reinhard, stay alive!"

[Assistant] They ran through the woods, alert to everything around them. Two of the Nine Divine Generals had chased them down and stalled them for no small amount of time. Julius and the others could assume their little refuge was surrounded by imperial soldiers. So much for fleeing to a deserted area…

[User] "To compel the emperor himself to run is most uncouth. You don’t wish to pick me up and carry me, as the Sword Saint did?"

[Assistant] "It’s possible, sir, but I can’t guarantee it would be as comfortable as it was with him. And if another attack comes, it would be more difficult to protect you.”

[User] "Hmph. I see you are skilled at talking, if not at carrying."

[Assistant] With the rather dissatisfied Vincent in tow, Julius realized they were not going to be able to hide in the traditional sense. As they ran along the wooded path, the purple-haired knight found Vincent keeping up with him and Ferris with a remarkable degree of ease.

[User] "Ferris, you must face forward. I’m sorry, but we can’t slow down any further.”

[Assistant] “I-I’m all right… But what about Reinhard? Is he going to be okay? We’re in the empire’s territory—it’s not going to be easy to find each other again once we’ve split up, is it?"

[User] “I’ve set Ire to accompany him. I doubt we’ll have any trouble linking up. Right now, our concern should be the killers who attacked Master Balleroy and are after His Majesty’s life.” Julius tried to talk Ferris down while also returning them to the subject of what had happened at the Crystal Palace. Their discussion had been interrupted earlier, but continually running would not solve anything by itself. Nor would it be responsible to simply assume that Miklotov and Bordeaux, who were back at the palace, would take care of things. For starters, they had no guarantees that Miklotov and Bordeaux were even still safe.

[Assistant] “With Goz in charge, one doubts anyone would rush to do something rash. Not least because if they were to do anything to your Miklotov and his friend, you just might repay me in kind.”

[User] “…I suppose that’s one less thing on my mind, then,” Julius said. “But there are so many things I still don’t understand. May I ask you something, Your Majesty?”

[Assistant] “It depends on what it is. Or so I would say, but I already suspect what you have in mind.


[User] "It is the ‘pulse’ of the Crystal Palace, no?” Julius was shocked to realize Vincent had seen through him so completely. Naturally, he had been trying to ease the talk in that direction, but the emperor had a tremendous gift for conversation, along with the ability to make it seem as though he had no such gift at all.

[Assistant] “The pulse—mew mentioned it earlier, right? Just what is it?”

[User] “I should think you are aware that the castle is made from a great many magic crystals. And you know also that some of its defenses leverage their power.”

[Assistant] “Yes, we’ve heard tell.” The Crystal Palace was famous for both its offensive and defensive capabilities. Its density of mana and the carefully calculated positions of its many magic crystals were things Julius had confirmed for himself not long before. But he didn’t understand its connection to what Vincent was now saying. “Thus, the Crystal Palace stores tremendous amounts of mana simply by existing. Knowing that, do you need further explanation, spirit user?” The emperor’s tone was almost teasing.

[User] Julius considered the man’s words for a moment. “…You can’t mean—the Crystal Palace is…”

[Assistant] “Alive? Yes.”

[User] The knight felt his thoughts come to a hard stop. The Crystal Palace, center of the capital of Lupghana and the symbol of the entire Volakian Empire, was not just a fortress of unparalleled offensive and defensive capabilities but had concentrated so much mana that it had become a sort of spirit in its own right. Now that he knew, the conclusion seemed inescapable.

[Assistant] Vincent chuckled as he observed Julius’s reaction. “Now there’s one more reason none of you can be allowed to leave the empire alive.”

[User] “Y-you chose to answer the question!”

[Assistant] “The answer to any question you might ask of me will inevitably touch something crucial to Volakia. It’s only natural. You know perfectly well who I am; don’t make me laugh.”

[User] “Grrr…!” Ferris’s face went red at Vincent’s taunting tone. He didn’t know how serious the emperor actually was, but what he said was true enough. When the man spoke, his words were like a gateway to the depths of the Volakian Empire. Listen carelessly, and anything could happen to you. Even so, the danger had yielded them something. “If the Crystal Palace literally has a pulse…then when Master Balleroy fell and Reinhard blacked out, it’s possible a special spell was used.”

[Assistant] “Clever. But hold back your deductions for a while. I rather prefer the reactions of your beast-boy there.”

[User] “Watch it, Your Majesty!”

[Assistant] Vincent had confirmed Julius’s suspicion, but he didn’t neglect to work in a dig at Ferris. It might simply seem like a show of how calm he was, but it might have been the emperor’s little trick for getting through such stressful situations. How this behavior was interpreted likely varied from one individual to the next.


[User] Julius suddenly froze.

[Assistant] "Julius?" Ferris quickly came to a stop alongside him.

[User] Vincent likewise halted a few steps behind them, his keen black eyes studying the knight. But the swordsman didn’t react to either Ferris’s call or Vincent’s gaze. He had other things to worry about.

[Assistant] "Ooh. Spotted me already? And from that distance to boot?" The voice, affectedly nonchalant, came to Julius and the others from farther into the woods.

[User] Ferris’s eyes went wide, and he turned toward the source of the noise. When it came to detecting someone’s presence, if nothing else, Ferris’s intuition was every bit as good as Julius’s. Now he worked all his senses—sharpened by the demi-human blood in his veins—putting his ears, nose, and eyes to the task of finding the enemy. That the cat-boy’s own reaction was so belated was a testament to this figure, who had been concealed as naturally as if they were a part of the forest itself.


[Assistant] Without another word, a single, young-looking form worked their leisurely way around the fallen leaves, moving toward the group. He was a youthful man of rather peculiar quality. His clothes were a mix of bright blue and subdued peach-pink, much like those worn by the citizens of Kararagi, a city-state in the west. He wore handwoven zori, or reed sandals. His deep-blue hair was tied back behind his head, and he had a surprisingly friendly smile. However, at his hip were two swords—katanas, as they were called, also in the Kararagi style.

[User] "Oh-ho!" He stopped several feet ahead of the purple-haired knight, staring at him intently. Then he slapped his knee.

[Assistant] "From this distance, I can see how handsome you are! And your beast-friend over there is lovely, too! The three of us would look wonderful together! And to face off with His Majesty between us… Isn’t it just the most exciting thing?!"


[User] "A-another one… Are you one of the Nine Generals, too? Aw, which number are you?!" The young man seemed very pleased by the situation.

[Assistant] Ferris, thoroughly tired of being continually attacked, made an exasperated face.

[User] "Ferris, go to His Majesty. Quickly." Julius urged the confused Ferris over to Vincent with a touch of his shoulder. Then he stepped forward so Ferris and the emperor were behind him, after which he drew his saber.

[Assistant] "Cecils Segmund, I take it." Julius said softly.

[User] "Yes, yes, indeed, that’s me! Argh, am I really that obvious? Even an outlander knows who I am. How troublesome! Ha-ha-ha!" Cecils rubbed his head, laughing in a way that did not sound bothered at all.

[Assistant] Ferris hid himself discreetly behind Julius.

[User] "Cecils? So he’s…"

[Assistant] "Oh, what’s this? You haven’t heard of me, lovely one? What a shame. Oh, maybe you’d recognize the name The Blue Lightning of Volakia? Even the bards sing about me!"

[User] "The Blue Lightning… You mean the empire’s unparalleled warrior?! The monster who destroyed an entire army during the Rite of Imperial Selection all by himself?!"

[Assistant] "Monster is such a harsh word. Here’s a better way to describe me: I am Cecils Segmund, star actor standing upon the stage of this world!"

[User] Cecils casually waved to Vincent, who remained behind Julius. "You can relax, Your Majesty! Now that I’m here to bring you home, you’ve got nothing to worry about. Just hmm and harrumph like you always do and enjoy the show while I take care of these two!"

[Assistant] "Foolishness. Your flippant speeches never improve no matter how many times I tell you to correct them. A dunce beyond all hope… But truthfully, it is worth acknowledging your impertinence."

[User] Julius felt a bead of cold sweat running down his cheek at that.


[User] "Ine, Ness.” He murmured. “Lend me your power.” Julius raised his sword before his face and closed his eyes as if in prayer; a white and a black glow bestowed themselves upon him.

[Assistant] Cecils, eyes wide and blinking at the display, shifted the sheaths of his blades gently. "Oh? Are you a real spirit user? I’ve heard there are many like you in the north, but the only ones you run into in Volakia are evil. Very impressive—an opponent who can use a technique I’m not familiar with? Beautiful. A brilliant stage, shared by magnificent players… Wonderful! One such as I needs an excellent foil!”

[User] “Don’t you think you’re being a bit hasty? I’m familiar with many tragedies that culminate in the hero losing his life. Only your own sword will determine whether you’re starring in such a tragedy at this moment.”

[Assistant] “Bravo, what a fantastic turn of phrase! That’s the sort of line that makes a person fall in love with an actor. And such being the case…” With a pleasant smile, Cecils calmly drew one of the swords at his hip. Then he took a single, nonchalant step toward Julius and vanished. An instant later, faster than lightning, he delivered a blow that transcended all perception.

[User] “Hrrgh!” Julius only just managed to block this first strike with the upraised hilt of his saber. He hadn’t deflected it consciously; it was an instinctive reaction, one born of the heightened reflexes granted to him by his greater spirits. Julius had been forced to use his trump card at the very first exchange.

[Assistant] "My! You managed to block that? You kingdom warriors are more capable than I thought.” Julius, keenly aware of the pain in his arm, registered the now-distant Cecils’s surprise. The general had widened the gap again as quickly as he had closed it. His movements were almost instantaneous, truly as fast as lightning. Such speed certainly lived up to his title. “Well, try, try again! Show you can follow me—unless that first time was just luck!”

[User] “I can only ask you not to go too hard on me,” Julius said, gritting his teeth and forcing himself to sound more assured than he felt.

[Assistant] The smile on Cecils’s face shifted at the remark, and The Blue Lightning struck Julius again. The saber jumped in Julius’s hand with every hit. He managed to block, barely, as the clang of steel rang out. “Wonderful, wonderful! Two, three, five, six, seven! You blocked them all!


[User] "This is more than a few lucky guards! I’ve hit the jackpot! Now, this is exciting!” There was a sharp sound of a kick off the ground, and in the next instant came the critical flash of a sword. Again, Julius narrowly managed to parry on instinct, as he listened to Cecils’s laughter get closer and then farther away again. The strikes came from every direction, demanding the utmost from the knight’s swordsmanship. It was all he could do to avoid being sliced in half; the man was nowhere near swift enough to provide any counterattack. Cecils’s movements and strikes were too quick, leaving no opportunity for Julius to create an opening by passing his opponent’s blade, as he usually did. The physical enhancements provided by his greater spirits wouldn’t last forever, either.

[Assistant] Watching Julius struggling to maintain a defense, Ferris began to sweat. “Th-this is looking bad… Sweet li’l Ferri has zero combat capability…!”

[User] “Our saving grace is that Cecils is merely amusing himself. But that’s not all. That swordsman is as much a dupe as any of them. The comedy is that he doesn’t wish to be.”

[Assistant] “Huh?” Ferris was baffled by Vincent’s words.

[User] Cecils, who had just now created a large distance between himself and his opponent, quickly demonstrated the accuracy of the emperor’s words.

[Assistant] The kimono-clad young man cocked his head and scuffed his sandals on the ground as he said, “I can’t quite shake the feeling that I’m not quite as…lightning-y as usual. Maybe there’s some kind of spell on me?”

[User] “Just a nasty little trick from a man who can’t do anything better. To think there’s still such a gulf in our abilities when I’ve given my best—it sends chills down my spine. Perhaps you could humor a poor swordsman and his trifles for a bit…?”

[Assistant] “Hmm? Even if I swear I don’t want to? Oh heavens, no. Overcoming a nasty trick is just the sort of thing that defines a protagonist; it’s what makes him a main character! If my lightning has slowed, then I need simply dig deep into myself and make it faster again! In deference to your fighting spirit, though, I’ll spare your head—aaaand go!” Still ready to fight to the finish, Cecils launched himself forward at a speed that would have been incomprehensible to the average observer. Astonishingly, he did indeed seem even faster than before. His sword was a flashing bolt, a silver streak, that took the shortest route to Julius’s heart.

[User] But Julius’s saber got there first, meeting the blade that meant to pierce his chest. "Huh?”

[Assistant] “If you’re going to be so kind as to underestimate me, I’m more than happy to take any advantage. Your sword is mine.”

[User] Cecils watched in amazement as, with a loud crack, the katana in his hand shattered. Tossing aside the broken half of his sword, the young man mouthed a silent word of surprise.


[User] Cecils was looking at the weapon that had intercepted his katana; Julius’s saber was shining with a multicolored light. "That might be the strangest and most interesting thing I’ve seen in my life!”

[Assistant] “This is the spirit sword Al Clarista. It’s missing a hue, but there’s nothing this light cannot cut.”

[User] “Wow, that’s so cool!” Having successfully shattered his opponent’s weapon, Julius pressed his attack against his deeply impressed opponent. If his rainbow strike could inflict even one wound, things would turn considerably in his favor. Cecils, however, had already discarded the bladeless sword and dodged the incoming attack with a backward flip. The Blue Lightning of Volakia nimbly evaded with his legendary speed. Eyes sparkling, the young man then enthusiastically applauded Julius. “Bravo, bravissimo! Granted, it was only my fifth-best weapon, yet you not only blocked but even destroyed my sword! And to do so with your own special technique! This has gotten me really fired up!

[Assistant] “Cecils. You’ve been ordered to ensure the safe return of the emperor. What’s this about your fifth-best weapon? You know my life is essential to Volakia, as well as your own best interests.”

[User] “Ha-ha-ha, pardon me, Your Majesty. My primary and second-best swords were out for sharpening. Honestly, I overslept today, and when I jumped out of bed, that was the one I grabbed…” Vincent, standing with his arms crossed, only managed to inspire a moderately embarrassed scratch of the cheek from Cecils. Then this most preeminent of the Nine Divine Generals drew his other sword—one with a truly cruel countenance. “This is my third-best sword; plus, I think I’ll take off my sandals to fight this time. How about that?”

[Assistant] “With all that I have said, you still think it wise to speak flippantly to me?”

[User] “You know that’s how I am, Your Majesty! Besides, when I really get serious, most opponents don’t last even a few seconds—heavens, they don’t last the blink of an eye. I know it makes for a good show, but as a performer, it’s boring. Please let me decide how to strut my hour upon the stage.” A more insolent reply to the leader of an empire could hardly have been imagined. But Vincent, arms still crossed, let the matter pass, only giving an affirming nod. Cecils broadened his smile.

[Assistant] “I knew I could count on you, Your Majesty! I knew you’d understand!”

[User] “I must say that when we cross blades, I think your third-best sword will suffer the same fate as your fifth.”

[Assistant] “To touch is to be cut. That’s true of every blade, be it a saber or a katana. But then it’s only a matter of not touching. Of cutting off your wrist before you can block me. You’re such a fine-looking opponent, though! I’ll try not to mar your appearance too much.”

[User] “How considerate of you. Perhaps I might hope for yet more kindness.


[User] "Let me suggest we retire for today and resume this combat at some time less fraught for us both…"

[Assistant] "Ah, you’re making yourself sound less elegant. You won’t talk your way out of this, no matter how pretty your words."

[User] Julius had known it wouldn’t work. His opponent’s hunger for battle was growing by the minute, and the knight doubted Cecils would let him buy much more time.

[Assistant] Just as he had said, Cecils removed his sandals and stood barefoot on the forest path. If taking off his footwear made him even faster, then Julius was unsure how many more exchanges he could manage. He had played his trump card, used his special move, and yet… The knight of Lugunica adopted a fighting stance.

[User] "I believe this is my cue." Cecils said, leveling his third-best sword at the purple-haired man.

[Assistant] An instant later, a massive form came sprawling between them, toppling trees as it went.

[User] "Gooonng, gooogogoong!" This enormous torso was accompanied by a unique cry as it spat up dust and soared through the air. It finally came to rest spread eagle on the forest floor and covered in dirt. In a fit of violent coughing, a gemstone fell loose from their body. A being cased in natural armor was difficult to forget; it was Mogro Hagane.

[Assistant] "Mogro?! What in the world happened to you? And why did you have to spoil my performance…?" Cecils, miffed, called out to the Steelfolk from somewhere above.

[User] "Ghnr, Cecils, glad you are here. Enemy very strong—Groovy, losing." Mogro heard him and, turning what seemed likely to be their head, said:

[Assistant] "Look, sorry, but I’m very busy finishing off my prey, and—Wait, did you just say that both you and Groovy are going to be defeated?"

[User] "Yes. Wait, correction. Think we cannot win. That is all."

[Assistant] "Most people would call that being inferior! Huh, huh, huh, you Lugunica folks are really something!" Completely ignoring Mogro’s stubborn attempt to maintain their pride, Cecils gave an excited kick of his feet. He kept his sharp eyes trained on where Mogro had come tumbling through the forest.

[User] Shortly after, Groovy followed, no less airborne.

[Assistant] "Gah! Bah! Ngha? !" The hyena-man grunted and groaned as he bounced along the ground, until he was stopped when he slammed against Mogro. Groovy rested his back against the Steelfolk’s leg as he unsteadily rose back to his feet.

[User] "Gotta hand it to him; he really packs a punch, damn! That kingdom bastard ain’t normal! Is he even human? !"

[Assistant] Cecils, grinning widely, flitted here and there around the wrathful Groovy, pelting him with questions."My goodness, he really did work you over! Tell me, Groovy, tell me: What kind of opponent is he? How badly did he beat you up?! Was it a close call? A total defeat? Did you manage to get in a single blow?"

[User] "Shut yer gab hole, ya battle-crazed loon!" But Groovy refused to play along; he just kept glaring back through the trees.


[User] "He’s ours; you just stand there and watch!”

[Assistant] As the man cleared the toppled trees, the pair were sure it was Reinhard. His white royal guard uniform snapped in the wind. Terrifyingly, the red-haired man didn’t have a scratch on him worth mentioning. It was clear at a glance that he had taken on two of the Nine Divine Generals at once and completely overpowered them.

[User] Julius’s entire body relaxed at Reinhard’s appearance. He gave a slight shake of his hand, trying to work out the last of the pain, and let his stiff face break into a smile. “You’ve managed to arrive just before we weren’t all right. Ferris can heal my injuries later, I’m sure. Don’t worry about me.”

[Assistant] "Meowha—?! R-right, let me handle it. Ferri’s the best at that sort of thing! I’m not as tough as any of you guys, but I can hold my own when it comes to healing!”

[User] As Julius registered Ferris’s panic-tinged response, he saw the rainbow shimmer fade from his saber.

[Assistant] "Just a moment.” Cecils said, puffing out his cheeks as he realized his opponent was standing down. “Aren’t you being a bit hasty, acting like our battle is over? On the field, a moment’s inattention can cost you your life. Don’t you know that?”

[User] "I thank you for the warning. But it would be rather unfair of me to add my strength in this battle. I’ll recuse myself.”

[Assistant] “…?” Cecils arched an eyebrow in surprise.

[User] With the empire’s strongest fighter flummoxed, Julius gestured toward Reinhard—the kingdom’s strongest fighter—with his chin and said, “Since you claim to be the protagonist of this drama, your rightful counterpart is Reinhard. For I believe he is the one who deserves the title you claim.”

[Assistant] “…Ahh, ha-ha, I see what you’re playing at. You think I’ll go mad at that little taunt, do you? Ha-ha-ha, please!” Cecils wore a half smile while he spoke.

[User] Vincent, arms still crossed, let out a long, soft sigh. "You may.”

[Assistant] "And so I shall! Right, excellent, let’s see just how good this newcomer is!” Cecils took the emperor’s remark as his cue, striking a fighting stance with his third-best sword and promptly disappearing. He had sounded completely at ease during their banter, but the prowess of The Blue Lightning of Volakia was on full display now.

[User] Julius was unable to see even Cecils’s ponytail as the general sped forward. The strike, like a bolt from the sky, lashed out at Reinhard’s neck with the power of a storm.

[Assistant] "Aw, you must be joking…”

[User] "Many pardons.


[User] "It happened to be right at my feet, so I just decided to use it."

[Assistant] Cecils gazed in amazement at Reinhard, who had just apologized for causing such a surprise.

[User] “…!” That single exchange was enough to convey Reinhard’s unparalleled strength. Eyes shining, Cecils disappeared again. He went as fast as his namesake, then even faster. Multiple images of the man in the blue kimono began to appear until it seemed as though Reinhard was against an army of a hundred. It was beyond anything Julius’s defensive reflexes might have been able to respond to. This surely must have been Cecils’s last resort. But if Cecils at his greatest seemed superhuman, then so did Reinhard. The Sword Saint didn’t give an inch of ground, parrying the encroaching attacks with nothing but the hiltless blade of his opponent’s own broken weapon. Reinhard deflected, swept away, and guarded against every strike. With only half a sword, one he had to hold with the tips of his fingers to not cut himself, Reinhard was defending against what was essentially an enchanted sword. Such power was truly something from the realm of nightmares. And if that was how Julius saw it, then how much more did the enemy, the Divine General, think of it? Yet even in the face of such fearsome strength…

[Assistant] "Think you can keep up with this? !" Cecils unleashed a devastating crosswise cut, but there was a tremble in his voice now. Every mode of attack he had tried had been thoroughly rebuked.

[User] "More…" It was from facing this thing head-on…

[Assistant] "I believe it’s about time I counterattack."

[User] Cecils licked his lips and tensed his waist as he prepared to move even faster. It was only an instant, the blink of an eye in the midst of a thunderstorm, but it wasn’t lost on Reinhard. Swiftly, he drew an arc with one long leg, targeting Cecils’s slim body. His kick sliced through the air with not only beauty, but enough power to split a tree in half with a single blow. In a battle of swords, the deliberate choice to use a kick sent a very clear message, and it was right to do so—but to choose it during such a clash of titans was tantamount to foolishness.

[Assistant] "Leaving your dear sword sheathed is going to cost you your life!" Cecils exclaimed. Reinhard had left the Dragon Sword at his hip, and now Cecils’s strike came rushing at him. It was a slash designed to catch the incoming kick; even Reinhard couldn’t win in a battle of blade against leg.


[User] He chose to twist his waist and hip, changing the angle of his strike in midair.

[Assistant] "Wha—? !" With a crack like a whip, the foot that had been coming for his chest was suddenly aimed at Cecils’s delicate neck. “…!” The impact robbed the Divine General of consciousness, and the man’s eyes rolled back in his head for a moment. The swordsman fell to the ground like a puppet with cut strings.

[User] Vincent seemed a man apart, neither openly surprised nor particularly crestfallen. "And what did the two of you hope to accomplish? Numbers and skill have both failed you. If you insist on expending your lives in this attempt to recover me, I will not stop you, but…"

[Assistant] “Damn it, you don’t have to spell it out! Mogro!”

[User] “Understood. Acknowledged. Groovy.” Mogro secured Cecils, propping him against the Steelfolk’s own massive body.

[Assistant] Groovy, scowling, pointed across the woods. “You win this one, ya bastards. But if you harm a hair on His Majesty’s head—well, I’ll cut you up till that hair is the only thing left! Till even the animals won’t eat you!”

[User] “Ferri thinks that makes it sound a lot safer to finish you off right here.”

[Assistant] “Yeah? I’d like to see you try, you pointy-eared punk!”

[User] “Please don’t. Safer for us. I think so.” Mogro tried to calm Groovy’s attempt to put up a strong front.

[Assistant] “Groovy, Mogro. Tell that fool to use his first- and second-best swords in any future incidents, and that another defeat will not be tolerated. And next time you show up, act like you know what you’re doing. This is of great consequence to me.”

[User] “…Yeah, you got it, Your Majesty.” Groovy nodded disconsolately at the emperor’s parting words. Then Julius and the others fled the field, not dropping their guard.


[User] "Oh, Cecils, awake, safe." The young man in the blue robe got up off the ground as he suddenly found consciousness rushing back to him. He looked around hurriedly to discover a massive, brown wall looking down at him—Mogro Hagane. Cecils Segmund blinked at his comrade—he never could tell what Mogro was thinking—and tilted his head, wondering what had happened. A lancing pain in his neck was quick to remind him. Cecils had fought the young, red-haired man, taken him on head-to-head…

[Assistant] "I lost? Me?! Me, defeated by that nobody?!"

[User] "Whaddaya mean, 'nobody'? That was Lugunica's Sword Saint."

[Assistant] "Sword Saint? You mean the one said to have cut down a dragon?! He's still alive?!"

[User] "That story, four hundred years old, first Sword Saint. That boy, a descendant. But still, a monster." Groovy and Mogro shared a moment’s annoyance with Cecils’s startled misapprehension.

[Assistant] "Yeah." Groovy nodded, confirming Mogro’s stilted words. "Can’t believe all of us got hung out to dry, geez. Three of the Volakian Empire’s Nine Divine Generals, done in by one nasty little shit!"

[User] "‘Done in’…? Oh! Speaking of which, where’s His Majesty? What happened to him?! When you said ‘safe,’ did you mean—?"

[Assistant] "That we completely turned the tables on ’em and got the emperor back? Friggin’ hell, don’t make me laugh. We had to watch those pricks walk away with him. Was like we weren’t even there."

[User] "His Majesty, taken. Knights of the kingdom desire war, truly." Cecils had looked at his own, quaking hand when he asked to confirm the whereabouts of the absent Vincent. The generals, utterly defeated? A situation as bad as could be imagined? The emperor of Volakia, gone? It was almost too much to take in. This was all because Cecils had failed to match them as an opponent. For the first time in his life, he felt humiliated and powerless. The swordsman ground his teeth in shame. When he’d heard that knights from Lugunica were responsible for Balleroy’s murder and the emperor’s abduction, he’d been fired up. Cecils had casually assumed that the incident would give him something to do.

[Assistant] "We have to get His Majesty back immediately. I have to confess, I assumed I would’ve beaten them easily, but I wasn’t thinking hard enough… Do you suppose this is the worst thing that’s happened since His Majesty assumed the throne?"

[User] "You just realizin’ that now, dung-for-brains?! Listen, the man told us to get the other generals and hunker down in the capital! Goz's in charge now, the old nut!"

[Assistant] "Arrrgh, awful, this is awful, this is the worst thing!" Cecils flailed on the ground, angry over his belated understanding. After a moment’s wailing, though, he gave a long, deep sigh.

[User] "Phew, nothing like a good bit of yelling to calm yourself down… Now, if there’s one major problem, it’s that all the soldiers in the imperial army put together couldn’t best that red-haired Sword Saint."

[Assistant] "Calm, suddenly. Proof, where?"

[User] "Simple deduction."


[User] "The imperial army faced me, and I cut them to pieces. So if there’s a young man who can do roughly what I can do, do you think they stand a chance?”

[Assistant] Mogro duly went silent at that.

[User] Though they had been spoken lightly, Cecils words were true and bore no exaggeration.

[Assistant] "With the likes of him on their side, it wouldn’t matter if we pitched the whole army against them—it wouldn’t matter if the whole army joined into one gigantic, united entity. They can’t beat him. We must make sure they’re told not to engage him, even if he’s spotted.”

[User] "You sayin’ we should tell ’em to just look the other way if they see the guys who kidnapped the emperor?”

[Assistant] “Yes, because they have no other choice. It is not our place to deprive His Majesty of his property, is it?”


[User] "Still, to lose to them… Ahh, so this is loss. I’m still alive, though. I’ve risen from my defeat and have the chance now to seize victory. I see, so that’s my new role! I sold you short, my red-haired friend! It seems destiny is on my side.”

[Assistant] “Hoo-hoo-hoo… Ha-ha-ha! Ahhh-ha-ha-ha-ha!”

[User] "Son of a—Keep it down! I said pipe down, shithead!”

[Assistant] “I can’t wait, I can’t wait; there’s no reason to wait. Right, I’m going to go grab a little something I forgot, for when we retrieve His Majesty. Gotta get my possessions back from the smith.” Cecils slipped his sandals back on his feet, tapping the toes gently against the ground and smiling.

[User] "Possessions…”

[Assistant] Mogro cocked their head curiously.

[User] “Indeed!” Cecils said, nodding vigorously. "My beloved swords, my first- and second-best.


[Assistant] Having shaken their Divine General pursuers, Julius and the others emerged safely from the forest. Although Reinhard had eventually forced his way to victory, it remained true that the generals had taken no small amount of time from them. As such, they fully expected to emerge from the woods to find an impenetrable net of soldiers surrounding them, but—

[User] “However my men may feel, the other three will have told them that they are not dealing with opponents mere foot soldiers can handle. Knowing that, none of those in command would order the wasteful use of soldiers. Though one must admit, it makes for a rather boring escape.”

[Assistant] Such was Vincent’s understanding of the disposition of his nation’s troops. It was a statement from a man who trusted the tactics of his subordinates over the obvious deployment of the entire army to retrieve him. Julius, too, understood this intellectually, but from an emotional perspective, it must have been very trying for the soldiers. To be able to quell such emotions and bend the soldiers to a desired effect—perhaps that was another advantage of the empire’s ways. In any event…

[User] “Looks like we’ve finally got a chance to breathe.” Reinhard slumped his shoulders ever so slightly, though his attention to what was happening on the other side of the closed door remained vigilant.


[Assistant] The group found themselves in a small guardhouse somewhere beyond the woods. It sat at the edge of the mountains to the north of the empire. Happily, whoever normally occupied this modest domicile was absent, so there had been no need to explain who they were or what they were doing. Though, it had to be said that the place made a poor substitute for an imperial castle. Reinhard was right; it was only a stopover, a place to catch their breath.

[User] “I would never intentionally take such opponents lightly."

[Assistant] “Even so, those people pursuing us are truly a powerful lot… Guess there’s no rest for the weary.”

[User] “‘Truly powerful’…? If even you think that, Reinhard, that gives me a meowy, meowy bad feeling about this.” Ferris frowned at Reinhard’s verdict as the young man leaned back against the door and thought of his earlier fights. Julius, though, was more than half in agreement with Ferris’s somewhat sarcastic remark. One would never know that Reinhard had just been through a series of intense battles by looking at him. As he dusted himself off, the Sword Saint only seemed like perhaps he had been sprayed with some dust carried by the wind.

[Assistant] “I’m not used to hearing such things from you, either, Reinhard.”

[User] "You too, Julius? It wasn’t as easy as it looked.


[User] "If I’d made one wrong move, I don’t know what would have happened. Those three… Especially that last one… The thought of them makes my blood run cold.” There was no false note in his remark, even though he had subdued such a tremendous enemy with a single kick. He was offering heartfelt admiration for his opponents’ strength and skill. Reinhard was one who could sincerely praise the strength of others without hesitation, without showing any pride in his own abilities. That was what made him—

[Assistant] Vincent interrupts, having sat himself in one of the guardhouse’s poorly hewn chairs. "And what do you plan to do next?" It was just a crude, wooden thing, yet from the way Vincent occupied the seat, it suddenly appeared to be a storied piece, a legend. The atmosphere felt less like a little shack and more akin to a throne room now—such was what it meant to truly be the ruler of Volakia. Vincent calmly crossed his long legs and looked at the three dumbstruck knights. "You have procured my person and even evaded several of the Nine Divine Generals. Do you intend to continue sowing chaos and confusion in the empire, using my life as a shield? Or perhaps you wish to destroy my nation."

[User] “If we were clever enough, we might be able to manage it, but then we would wind up on the chopping block, and I’d like to avoid that. If there must be a tragic turn, let it be in the middle of the story, not at the end.”

[Assistant] “Hmph. A most erudite way of putting it.”

[User] Julius didn’t intend to follow the old precedent quite so literally.

[Assistant] “We’d better be in our best shape, then,”

[User] “Julius, let me look at your injuries; I’ll treat them. You too, Reinhard. Don’t worry, I’ll be done in a jiffy.” He took Julius, who was feeling newly inspired, by the sleeve and sat him in a chair.

[Assistant] As instructed, Julius rolled up his shirt to reveal the painful-looking wound on his side, which had been inflicted by Groovy. He also had a seemingly endless collection of cuts from battling Cecils.

[User] “Geez… Can’t believe you can look so calm with wounds like these…”

[Assistant] “One of the first things you learn as a knight is how to put on a strong facade. At no time must a warrior appear bereft of his confidence and poise. So long as he stands before that which he must protect, his will must remain unbroken.”

[User] “Yeah, yeah, very noble and everything… There, that does it for your external wounds.” Ferris tended to every one of Julius’s injuries, and no sooner did he feel the warmth of the blue glow than all signs of them vanished from his body.


[User] He twisted to check the most serious of them, the injury to his side. There wasn’t so much as an ache left. “That is some skill. Now I can fight to defend you again.” Julius exclaimed, complimenting the swiftness and skill of the healing.

[Assistant] “Don’t get carried away. I said your external injuries. You keep pushing yourself beyond your own limits using those greater spirits, and it’s tearing up your insides—that’s way more serious.”

[User] “I can’t hide anything from you.” Julius said with a smile.

[Assistant] “You shouldn’t hide things from your healer.” Ferris frowned again. He poked Julius gently in the forehead, where he could interfere with Julius’s gate—the nexus of all the mana flowing through his body. The purple-haired knight’s pact with the greater spirits allowed him to exceed the capacities of his physical body; this was one of his ace techniques. It was this tactic that had allowed him to cope with Cecils’s speed, but the price Julius paid was collected through internal damage to his body, in places that couldn’t be seen by the naked eye. Thankfully, Ferris detected even these elusive injuries and was able to treat them. “You’ve got to be in top shape, or you won’t make a good meat shield for me. Believe me, I’ll put you to good use… What’s with the look, Your Majesty?”

[User] “Mm, I was simply wondering why a beast-person who can’t even use a sword would be granted the livery of a knight. I was also somewhat surprised to discover you are more than a mere decoration. It seems all three of you have your skills. Therein lies the hope of victory.”

[Assistant] “Your Majesty,” Julius said, turning toward Vincent. He had his doubts, but he thought it was time for a serious talk. “I think we can expect not to be interrupted now. I would be pleased to know what Your Majesty is thinking. You’ve acted cool toward the Divine Generals, who are ostensibly out to rescue you, while cooperating with us in our flight… I, for one, believe you are fully aware by now of what is actually happening.”

[User] “Insofar as it is within my knowledge, yes. Some of my predecessors have been vain enough to believe they could bend the entire world to their will, but I am not quite so prideful as that. Nor am I deluded into believing the entire world is somehow under my control. There are things I do know, and things I can know, and that is all.”

[Assistant] “You have an awfully roundabout way of talking, Your Majesty.” Ferris said, tilting his head. "What is it you’re saying?”

[User] “I believe the emperor’s telling us that the way he understands the situation, it is better for him cooperate with us. Sound about right, sire?” Reinhard asked, summarizing.

[Assistant] Vincent nodded placidly and crossed his arms, provoking a squeak of protest from the ancient chair. "Are you people of Lugunica familiar with the traditional commandment of Volakia?”

[User] “The Imperial Way…,” Julius said.


[User] "The teaching that citizens should be strong. I will resist the urge to give any personal comment on that ideal, but it certainly seems to be a crucial aspect of the empire’s current successes."

[Assistant] "So it is. And the accompanying admonishments apply to everyone in Volakia, the emperor included. All position and all honor are gained through power, and through power can they be taken away."

[User] Julius and the others arched a collective eyebrow to hear Vincent describe the imperial system.

[Assistant] Why was he explaining the empire’s way of life to them now?

[User] Soon enough, however, they worked it out.

[Assistant] "You think someone’s trying to start a rebellion in hopes of gaining the throne?"

[User] "A fine guess, beast-boy. In other circumstances, one might suspect a foreign assassin. However, things are different in the empire. For those of us who live here, it is far more common to find our lives sought by those closest at hand."

[Assistant] Ferris was incredulous.

[User] "B-but even if you were assassinated, and the throne wound up empty, there’s no guarantee the plotter would be the one to fill it. Would anyone accept a ruler who came to power like that?"

[Assistant] "You’re wrong about that, Ferris."

[User] "You’re thinking like you’re still in Lugunica… What you’ve described is exactly how things work here."

[Assistant] Ferris frowned at this.

[User] Vincent Volakia did not contradict him.

[Assistant] "Precisely. It would be tolerated, even embraced. Each must prove their worth through strength. That applies to the throne as much as it does to everything else."

[User] "In fact, if you think about the Rite of Imperial Selection, the throne seems to be the paragon."

[Assistant] In Volakia, the seat of power went to the survivor of a rite characterized by bloodshed, with the sons and daughters of the last emperor murdering one another until the sole survivor took the seat of sovereignty. This made the emperor a symbol of strength.

[User] "Unreal…" Ferris practically whispered the word and then fell silent.

[Assistant] "…In any case, we understand that whoever is seeking Your Majesty’s life is probably someone within the empire. But then what explains Master Balleroy’s death? What did he have to do with assassinating you?"

[User] "One could conceive any number of possibilities. Perhaps Balleroy became aware of the conspirators’ plans, or perhaps their hope was to eliminate one of my pawns. Although, he was the lowest of the Nine Divine Generals. If it were meant as a blow to my strength, his death has not proven very effective in that regard. Such an objective would mean these conspirators are not aiming very high."

[Assistant] "They did worse than that—after what happened to Master Balleroy, the Crystal Palace was in an uproar. It only served to raise Your Majesty’s suspicions and make it harder to get at their target."

[User] For that matter, was there even an advantage to doing all this while the emissaries from Lugunica were present?


[User] “It would certainly be difficult to fathom if my head were their only objective. But what if one added the situation you all now find yourselves in to the calculations? Then their true goal begins to become clear.”

[Assistant] “Our situation…?”

[User] Julius fell silent for a moment. Then he pulled his lovely eyebrows into a frown as his thoughts struck upon an outrageous possibility. He met the emperor’s eyes with his own. “Your Majesty, are you suggesting that your enemies want to start a war between Volakia and Lugunica?”

[Assistant] “It would be the sort of accomplishment that would make one appear worthy of the throne. A hasty notion, perhaps, but a potentially effective one with Lugunica bereft of the Dragon’s protection. There have been no small number of those advocating an attack on the kingdom the moment its covenant with the Dragon became anything less than certain.”

[User] Julius gritted his teeth at the emperor’s words.

[Assistant] “If those responsible make Balleroy’s death look like your doing, and if they manage to eliminate me as well, then war becomes inevitable. It doesn’t appear the Divine Generals are involved yet, but we must imagine these betrayers will assume we would figure out this much. It would appear the three of you are bound to commit your lives to the protection of the imperial personage.”

[User] “What a nasty smile…” Despite the clear and present threat to his life, Vincent had grinned as if he were in high spirits. Julius didn’t bother to reprimand Ferris for his sour whisper.

[Assistant] Indeed, he himself felt like exclaiming that this was akin to some cruel joke.

[User] “If all this is true, though, then Master Balleroy was targeted as a catalyst to start this war. Surely, anyone could have served the same purpose?”

[Assistant] “Yes, if they were of the appropriate station. One of the Nine Divine Generals—a man who could stand on his own feet while not holding much influence, either. A perfect target, unfortunately for him.”

[User] “I… I see.” Julius said, looking at the ground, discouraged.


[User] "...Unnatural." He muttered.

[Assistant] "Julius?" He put a hand to his chin and let his thoughts roam.

[User] "Reinhard. After you arrived in that large room, just before Master Balleroy was killed, you said your time was stolen. Isn’t that right?"

[Assistant] "Yeah, that’s right. It’s mysterious to me why I couldn’t save Master Balleroy. I’m pretty confused, because even I don’t really remember what happened…"

[User] "Don’t worry, I’m not blaming you. It just doesn’t make sense. Why didn’t our enemies, whoever they are, go after you instead, Reinhard?"

[Assistant] "? I’d guess it was because my death alone wouldn’t have been enough? If they wanted to start a war, only the death of Emperor Vincent would suffice…"

[User] "In which case, they could simply kill you and Master Balleroy both and weaken the two sides in a single stroke. If there really is war between our nations, you yourself are going to become more important, not less."

[Assistant] "There must have been some reason they could only target Master Balleroy."

[User] "You think war between Lugunica and Volakia wasn’t their only plan? Why would they only kill one of their own…?"

[Assistant] "No. No, that isn’t the way it is. Ah, perhaps I’ve had this backward."

[User] Ferris was confused by Julius’s speculation.

[Assistant] A thin smile crept across the ruler of Volakia’s face, and his black eyes drilled into Julius.

[User] The young man frowned, a chill creeping down his spine, but he returned the piercing look.

[Assistant] "Tell me, then. By your reasoning, to what end did these brigands attack Balleroy and not your Sword Saint? What purpose did they have in leading our countries toward war while leaving the Sword Saint alive?"

[User] "Well, I think…" He felt his tongue go dry as he began to answer; he swallowed once. Then, feeling Reinhard and Ferris at his back, he gave Vincent his answer—his explanation for why Balleroy, and not Reinhard, had been felled.


[User] “The death of Balleroy Temeglyph, one of the Nine Divine Generals, was part of their plan all along.”

[Assistant] A quiet chaos reigned in Lupghana, capital of the Volakian Empire. The emperor had been kidnapped, and one of the renowned Nine Divine Generals lay dead. Such events were unprecedented, to say the least. In an elaborate chamber far from the Crystal Palace, several figures held a secret conference.

[User] “The emperor’s a sharp one—I think we have t’ assume he’s noticed by now.”

[Assistant] “Startin’ to wish we’d finished him off at the castle? In the capital, with enough troops, we might’ve had a shot, but… Well, well.”

[User] “I’ve had quite enough of your griping, Temeglyph…!” A tall, slim figure had been speaking before they were cut off. The voice belonged to an attractive man who ran a hand through his dirty-brown hair, his almond-shaped eyes drooping. It was none other than the one believed to have died within the Crystal Palace, he whose untimely end had moved so many soldiers to prepare for battle. There stood Balleroy Temeglyph, alive and well.

[Assistant] The one who had interrupted pointed a quaking finger at Balleroy. "This is all because you couldn’t resist embellishing things! What have we done that we deserve to be led on a wild-goose chase in our own country by a bunch of outlanders?”

[User] “Force can only get ya so far. Can’t stab someone in the back when you’re comin’ at him from the front, can ya? As for the outlanders, color me impressed that they’ve given us so much trouble. Raisin’ so much hell in a foreign country—they must be better than we thought.”

[Assistant] “For an entire group of Divine Generals to be roundly defeated is a disgrace to the nation. If Eight-Arms were still alive, we would never have suffered such an affront.”

[User] “That name’s real nostalgic and all, but he’s dead as dirt.” Balleroy shrugged at the man’s rueful tone. To hear the name of Volakia’s old hero after this litany of complaints was enough to bring a tear to his eye. “Anyway, time to stop lookin’ to the past. He ain’t fit enough. And Eight-Arms, well, he didn’t give himself the finest send-off. Am I wrong?”

[Assistant] “He was supposed to defend the capital, but instead, he betrayed the city to one of the Archbishops of the Seven Deadly Sins and then got himself killed in the fighting… As legendary heroes go, it wasn’t much of an ending.”

[User] “…The emperor must not return to the Crystal Palace.” The other man clenched his fist at Balleroy’s less than reverent words, then sighed deeply.

[Assistant] “Y’ can just leave that to my own personal guard. Most of the men won’t even get near that li’l group—Master Goz’s orders, see. If we can finish ’em off in the meantime, it’s our game.


[User] "Even if they get away from us, eh, so long as we keep Lugunica’s knights quiet, there won’t be anyone t’ question us."

[Assistant] "Question us? Now who’s playing the upstart? You and I are rebels against His Majesty the Emperor of Volakia. Don’t be so naive as to think you can still escape as you please.”

[User] “Ha-ha-ha, that was just a joke there. Empire humor. I’ve spent long enough with His Majesty t’ know that if you gamble and lose, you don’t live long enough to do it again.”

[Assistant] “Gotta say, I feel bad for His Majesty.”

[User] “Right, okay, let’s get to gettin’. Figurin’ out where he is now… You and I both know that’s what’ll settle this fight.”

[Assistant] "I certainly do!" The other man, incensed, pounded the table with his fist. Then he took the conversation mirror from his table and pointed off somewhere, giving instructions for battle formations.

[User] “Welp, s’pose I’d best get moving myself,” the traitorous general decided. Balleroy picked up the spear leaning against the wall and began to slowly make his departure.

[Assistant] “Where do you think you’re going, Balleroy?”

[User] “Not feelin’ so numb anymore, so I think I’ll get some air.” He waved to his coconspirator without halting his stride.

[Assistant] “Don’t even think about making any decisions on your own.”

[User] “On my own?” Balleroy answered quietly. “Don’t be silly. If I wanted to just sit around, I never woulda talked to you.”

[Assistant] “…!” The tone was so restrained, yet the other man felt his throat tighten with fear.


[User] Balleroy realized he had accidentally let a bit of his bloodlust slip into his words. Still, he didn’t apologize for it, choosing to just leave the building. He was greeted by the welcoming cry of his mount. The quality of his smile changed when he heard the familiar call of his friend, and Balleroy looked up with a sincere grin.

[Assistant] “How about we get going, Carillon? Do what we’re really here to do, eh?”


[User] At the foot of a broad mountain range, located some handful of miles north of the Crystal Palace, several fugitives were looking one another over inside a guardhouse bereft of its usual occupants. Reinhard and Ferris shared a glance while Julius explained his hypothesis on what had really happened in the palace earlier that day.

[Assistant] “What if Master Balleroy faked his own death…? Could he be in league with the conspirators?”

[User] “If the death of one of the Divine Generals was the best way to put things in motion, then the simplest solution would be to enlist one of the Nine as an ally. Backstabbings and ambushes by one’s friends are akin to daily bread among those of the empire. It is unwise to turn your back without proper caution. Striking the spark of rebellion is no small feat, either.”

[Assistant] “So then the best move is to make the general who’s supposed to ‘die’ your ally from the start? But that…”

[User] “It is an eminently plausible tactic. If the crime could be pinned on you all, then so much the better. The rest of the generals would take it upon themselves to wipe you out. All the more so if you happened to kill me somewhere in the process.”

[Assistant] If it turned out that knights from Lugunica had killed both a Divine General and Emperor Vincent, they’d set the entirety of the empire against the apparent criminals. Even now, they teetered on the brink of just such a development. Should their enemies create the right conditions, then the conspirators themselves had no need to do anything more. They could count on the pursuing generals to silence the interlopers. However…

[User] “There were two things they didn’t count on. One was that His Majesty wasn’t killed back at the palace…”

[Assistant] “And the other, that your Sword Saint would be a match even for Cecils.”

[User] “…You mean to say that Reinhard really threw a wrench in their plans?” Ferris asked.

[Assistant] Julius nodded with no small degree of pride. If Reinhard hadn’t been there, Vincent might very well have lost his head to an assassin. Julius and Ferris would have certainly been destroyed by the pursuing generals, too. It was thanks to Reinhard that those events had not come to pass, and that there was still a ray of hope for peace between the kingdom and the empire.

[User] “We’ve got a lot of the pieces now.


[User] "What we have to do is get His Majesty back to the Crystal Palace and reveal the true identity of our enemies. That’s going to take some careful planning. Not many people would be capable of it.”

[Assistant] "Agreed.”

[User] “Yeah, way to go, Julius. Ferris and I would never have figured all that out.”

[Assistant] Julius felt it was all a little much—but by having simplified the situation, he had also thrown the difficulties into sharp relief. Now that they knew exactly what their victory conditions were, they knew their enemies would be desperate to stop them. Balleroy Temeglyph was among those enemies. The three knights would need everything they had to—

[User] “Ah. I knew it wouldn’t be so easy.” Julius looked around, ever alert.

[Assistant] “Oh, for the love of—! Talk about not being able to catch your breath!” Ferris groaned.