1jaSLigE

1Knights & Magic
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6(ナイツ＆マジック)
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12Volume 01
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15Amazake No Hisago
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18(天酒之瓢)
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24Story Description:
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30A young man from Japan passed away after a traffic accident. His soul was reincarnated in an alternate world into the body of a pretty young boy Ernesti Echevarria with his memories intact. Influenced by his hobby from his previous life, Eru is a 'robot nerd' in this life too. He meets the giant humanoid battle robots in this world -- Silhouette Knights. The elated Eru started a series of plans in order to pilot the robots. He drags his childhood friend in this world along as he messes around in this world to satisfy his desire for robots.
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36Original Story can be found here: Link
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41
42Prologue
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45It was already evening when the glaring sun set on the horizon, its shadows expanding across the territory. The roads absorbed a lot of heat during the day, but released it back into the air at this time. It was going to be another night too warm to sleep comfortably.
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47This was K city’s K district, a place where the above scene was commonplace.
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49The city station was surrounded by skyscrapers, each accommodating a myriad of companies. 'K Softworks', a mid-sized software company, sat on the 4th floor.
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51In its cool air-conditioned office, several men stared silently at their computer screens. The atmosphere was tense. For a mid-sized company’s employees, their daily workload was always heavy, but today’s load was exceptionally heavy.
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53"We only have 3 days left to finish it..."
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55A man sitting at one end of the office mumbled with a hint of despair. He was currently battling with a time bomb ticking towards an explosion, also known as a deadline. Due to the downturn of the nation’s economy, the anxious sales team had grudgingly accepted the contract, even though its demands were unreasonable. Even during the planning phase, the project managed by him had little room for error. Repeated failures made it even more perilous; the situation could only be described as 'hellish'. And there were even more pressing issues.
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57"Nakai Section Chief, Sato is down! He's not reacting even when we splash him with water!"
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59"Nakai Section Chief, we won't make it in time if we don't finish the coding today."
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61"...Nakai-san, Takeda's desk has a resignation letter on it..."
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63"Ah― Shut up! How can we meet the deadline with things like this―!"
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65The man with his back against the corner, Section Chief Nakai, finally broke down. He hugged his head and rested it on his table.
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67There wasn’t any time to waste, but he knew the task was impossible with the lack of manpower... The deadline was looming, but there weren’t any obvious solutions, pushing his psyche to the breaking point.
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69"Nakai-san."
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71"What is it now!?"
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73He raised his head after hearing someone address him, and as he opened his eyes a man with a gentle smile appeared.
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75"I have finished the case on my side, and I am ready to assist you."
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77"Oh... Kurata... Are you fine with joining us?"
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79The pain on Nakai's face was swept away, like a man who saw a ray of light in the midst of despair.
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81"I have browsed through the specification manual and I’ve gotten the gist of the situation. Can you let me handle the progress management?"
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83"Of... Of course, I might as well give you my password, you can flip through the management folders too. Take care of all that please."
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85"Eh, Nakai-san, I can't manage all that... Erm, the coding parts are holding back the progress, let me settle this..."
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87The man speaking with Nakai, Kurata Tsubasa, sat down on the chair prepared by Nakai and started working immediately. He typed in code in the editor, all-the-while reading the progress reports and the specification manual. As he did this, he gave instructions to the colleagues around him.
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89"Ensure the testing machine is operational, test analyst-san, take this opportunity to rest. Erm, we will begin intensive testing after 12. For coding... Tatsu-san, can you complete 2 modules? Yes, I will do the other 10. Kiba, there are some weird parts in the specification manual, please fix them and resume testing."
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91He was 28 years old, and considered a part of the younger generation within the workplace, but no one questioned his instructions. This was due to his track record in the company. Since he started working here, he was commonly an inspiration to his half-dead coworkers. Now that he was on the case, it meant the job’s end was in sight. Humans are realistic creatures, if they can see the ending, they can endure it no matter how tough it is.
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93"Alright, that should do it. I will start coding."
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95"Hey, Kurata, will you be fine? 10 modules... That is no laughing matter."
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97"Nakai-san, did you forget? My actual profession is a programmer."
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99With his eyes half closed, a fearless smile appeared on Kurata's gentle face. He put his fingers on the keyboard, and all 10 fingers started dancing at a frightening speed. He typed in code on several editors that were open on his screen, processing the data like a torrent. The mature man sitting opposite him, Tatsu, threw himself into his work when he heard the amazing typing sound.
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101"As expected of the "Last Line of Defense" for the company, he has been handling all the troublesome cases so far... I have to keep up."
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103Everyone put their heart into their work, and the sluggish battle improved dramatically.
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105♦ ♦ ♦
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107The radio broadcast announced the time. The clock on the wall indicated it was 5:15pm ― time to get off work. According to the company policy, working hours had ended, but Kurata simply stretched his back and rotated his tired shoulders.
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109He had been salvaging this case for three days. Today was the dreaded deadline, but the atmosphere was no longer as desperate as it was three days prior. The case was thought to be hopeless by everyone before, yet it was rescued under his expert hands.
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111Thanks to him finishing the programming in one day, and the other team members working without rest, they managed to barely finish the product before the deadline. Although Kurata finished so much work in such a short amount of time, he managed each part perfectly, a miraculous talent beyond comprehension. Sadly, his skill was outstanding because he was always handed the troublesome cases.
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113After the long series of battles, empty cans of coffee and energy drinks were piled up like gravestones on his desk. Looking at his side, he could see the warriors (test analysts) smiling peacefully, collapsed on beds made out of chairs. Kurata had decreased his sleeping hours to the bare minimum, and he too felt that it was time to rest up.
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115"Alright, the client acknowledged the receipt of the product! We are done! Great news everyone, now we can rest easy!"
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117Kurata woke and sleepily saw the elated Nakai in a victory pose. He thought about going home to rest, but decided to nap for a while. By the time he woke up to go home, it was already time for the last train.
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119Several days after the death march, the end of the month was here. Speaking of the end of the month, people were thinking of ― that's right, the gospel of all working adults, payday.
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121Kurata turned off the computer and prepared to leave in a hurry. He was not alone, as his colleagues also started to leave. Following popular trends, companies had cut down the working hours of office workers. The companies have the obligation to let their staff leave on time, especially on payday. Although it was an obligation, this rule was often overlooked when things got hectic. But compared to the hellish experience of the past few days, it was much more relaxed now.
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123Today was a happy Friday. Some were rushing to meet their family, others were gathering with their friends, getting ready to splurge. There were others who just wanted to rest at home. Everybody was different, but for those getting their salary, the day they looked forward to which also coincided with the weekend made it a happy occasion.
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125Kurata was the same. Several colleagues who went through the death march gathered at his side.
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127"Kurata, want to get a drink? You were a big help, the first one is on me."
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129Nakai made a drinking gesture, and the others who worked on the project such as Tatsu and Kiba were standing behind him. Kurata was about to join them, but he remembered his schedule and hesitated.
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131"Ah― Sorry Nakai-san, I have an engagement, maybe next time."
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133"Nakai-san, today is the day, Kurata's hobby..."
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135"Oh... That. Can't be helped, don't skip out next time."
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137"Okay."
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139Kurata watched the group leave, and headed toward his destination as well. The young, talented man known as the "Last Line of Defense", who was depended on by everyone, had a unique hobby well known within the company.
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141On this weekend, the streets, humid with the summer heat were crowded with office workers getting off work. The way to the station was packed with people. After walking some distance away, the traffic eased.
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143"Over. Time. Pay! Get!"
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145A man― Kurata, yelled in front of the ATM. If he had done that in front of a manned counter, he would probably be reported to the police for acting suspiciously.
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147His emotion stemmed from the cold figures displayed on the ATM screen. The cases he handled were usually stressful and dangerous, but his efforts paid off in the form of overtime pay, so his savings increased steadily.
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149Without smiling, Kurata withdrew some cash and hurried towards his destination. His movements had no hesitation, a sign that he had gone through this route many times. A building appeared in front of him shortly. It was a major electronics store in the shopping centre. On the 3rd floor was a huge toys department― his goal.
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151♦ ♦ ♦
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153A few hours later, a man left the toys department with the store’s closing music playing in the background..
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155"As expected of the end of month sales. This is great."
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157The man carried two full bags in each hand, both double layered to prevent tearing. His backpack was also bulging in a strange shape. His bags were filled with plastic models. He was a 'model nerd'.
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159"Surfacer, paint and tools have been resupplied... the modeling festival shall begin..."
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161For his hectic lifestyle, the shopping spree on payday and the modeling festival was his biggest joy. It might have been the dull and normal lifestyle taking a toll on him, but the number of models he purchased increased every year. It finally became a monthly habit, and he was now completely addicted.
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163He wore his silly smile, walking home with his bags happily. The apartment he stayed in was some distance away from the company. The station sat between his residence and the company. He needed to make a detour whenever he visited the electronics store, but it wasn’t a big deal since he got what he was after. Kurata made his way past the quiet residential zone humming joyfully. The traffic was very light at this hour.
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165The sound of an engine broke the silence, and the oncoming headlights restricted his vision. With the lights from the distance blinding him, he hurried to the side of the road. The road was relatively wide, but it would be bad if one of his bags broke. Kurata frowned at the usage of high beams in the residential area, but he paid it no mind and continued walking.
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167The dazzling headlights fatally slowed his reaction. The car came straight at him with no sign of stopping. By the time he realised, it was too late for him to avoid it.
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169"Hey, wait..."
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171The roar of the engine reverberated in his ears, and his vision was drowned out by the lights. He felt a chill down his back.
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173He collided with the car while hugging his bags. At the moment of impact, he heard his body make a frightening sound. As his body flew through the air, before he lost consciousness because of the pain, all sorts of emotions flashed through his mind. But he did not see his life flash before his eyes, or curse his luck in being a victim in this accident.
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175Ah, I can't make the models I just bought and the series of models that will be released next month, such a shame...!
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177In his mind was the passion he had for the models he wouldn’t be able to assemble anymore.
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179♦ ♦ ♦
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181"― This just in.
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183Around 10pm tonight, a man collided with a car in K city S district. The victim was an office worker residing in the area, Kurata Tsubasa(28). An ambulance was dispatched after a resident made a report, but they failed to resuscitate the victim. According to the police investigation, the suspect was driving under the influence―"
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189Arc 1: School Entry
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195Chapter 1: Alternate World
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201A place he did not belong to, a different world.
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203This world had no name, the people had not completely explored it. They thought the continents they lived upon encompassed their whole world, and one such continent in this world was Zetterlund.
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205The Zetterlund Continent was split into an eastern and western region by the Aubigne mountain range. Divided by the mountain range, each region contained its own unique environment. The west was ruled by several countries controlled by humans, known collectively as the Western Union. To the east was the Bocuse sea of trees ruled by powerful Demonic creatures ― the nest of Demonic Beasts.
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207However, the eastern region of Zetterlund was not totally devoid of all humans. There existed a solitary human nation, known as the kingdom of Fremmevira. Because this country was on the border of the sea of trees, it was also the first line of defence in the war against the Demon beasts. To counter the roaming Demon beasts, the nation raised an army of knights and has maintained it to this day. They were proud of their role as the shield of humanity and the Western Union became known as the 'Nation of Knights'.
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209In the year C.E. 1268, the story with this continent as its background began.
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211At the base of the mountain Aubigne, which reached up to the clouds, was the Capital of Fremmevira, Känkänen. If you travelled east for half a day on carriage, you would then reach a large town. This town was unique because more than half of its space was taken up by a single facility. It was a fortified building made with bricks and stones, yet it didn't feel intimidating and was not meant for military use. This building was an educational institute for children known as 'Laihiala Pilot Academy'.
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213Knights defend the people against Demon beast attacks. As part of the glorious nation of knights, they were popular in Fremmevira, and it was a highly respected occupation. As a country prone to attacks due to its geographic location, they needed the support of a large army. Training knights was then made a priority for the nation, leading to the expansion of the educational organization for knights, Laihiala pilot academy.
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215A low thud reverberated within the building crafted of stone masonry.
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217This place had a wide stone floor, surrounded by stone walls and seats. This oval shaped training ground was situated in a corner of the academy.
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219In the centre of the ground were two knights facing off with their swords. They were both heavily armoured, one with a sword and shield, the other wielding a 2-handed sword. The training ground was used for mock battles. The two knights were going through all sorts of drills, and the swords they were using were blunt to avoid injuries.
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221The two knights took the exercises seriously, even though it was only practice. They pointed their swords at each other, carefully gauging the distance of their opponent. A gust of wind blew sand into the air. The powerful stare down ended, and both of them launched their attacks simultaneously, closing the gap between them in an instant. They moved into combat range so nimbly that it was unbelievable to think that they were in full battle armour.
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223But there was something off about this scene, the ground was shaking with each of the fighter's step, emitting a low and heavy thud into the air. Normal humans shouldn't make such heavy sounds with their footsteps, even if they are fully armoured.
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225The answer lies with their surroundings.
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227There were people in the audience seats watching the knights' duel, but their figures were much smaller than the knights. No, the opposite was true; it was the knights that were too big. If the size of the knights and the size of the audience were compared side by side, the knights would be at least 6 times larger. It was only natural for them to be heavy, and it was not an exaggeration to call them giants.
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229These giant knights were not human. They were actually Silhouette Knights, around 10 metres in height with metallic frames known as 'Inner Skeletons' and 'crystal tissues' acting as its muscles. Fuelled by mana, it was a hybrid robot spawned by magic and machinery, a giant knight. They were weapons made to fight against the magic beasts, the strongest fighting unit known to mankind.
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231A short distance away from the battling Silhouette Knights, several figures were watching the fight, one of them had an exceptionally sharp gaze.
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233He was one of the battle instructors. In other words, his duty was to instruct the pilots battling with the Silhouette Knights in order to train them to protect citizens from the demon beasts. He took in every single movement of the trainees, giving off a serious air.
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235"It's... Robots..."
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241A cute voice came behind him. The man turned and saw a beautiful lady walking towards him with a child in her arms. The lady had smooth, flowing silver hair with a hint of purple that reached her waist. Her hair swayed in the wind as she walked, leaving a bright silver trail behind her. She had gentle blue eyes, pale white skin, and looked very young, between the ages of 15 to 20. Despite her young appearance, she was already married and had a child.
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243The demonic instructor, whose face was feared by all, showed a rare smile. People who knew him might have been shocked, but it would not be surprising if you were in the warm presence of the lady.
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245"Tina, what brings you here? It's really rare to see you visiting the academy."
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247"I just wanted to let Eru see his father's workplace, so I made a detour from our usual stroll."
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249"I see. Eru, what do you think of dad’s job?"
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251The man asked the child held by his wife, but was completely ignored. The child kept waving his short limbs about, staring intently at the Silhouette Knights sparring on the training ground.
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253"Eh, he doesn't seem to be listening..."
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255The man smiled as he patted his 3 year old son's head. Their son had inherited his mother's adorable features ― silver hair with a touch of purple, an oval face exactly like his mother's when she was young, and a pair of bright blue eyes. His sharp gaze showed a hint of his paternal heritage.
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257"Ara, Eru, you are paying more attention to the Silhouette Knights than your own father, just like a boy. Do you really like the Silhouette Knights so much?"
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259"I heard that a lot of kids dream of being a knight, Eru seems to think so too."
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261Both parents smiled as they watched Eru display his curiosity for this boyish interest. He was so cute. The little boy watched the scene excitedly while waving his arms and legs, unfazed with being the centre of attention. He focused on the training ground without blinking, displaying his exceptional concentration. The man rubbed his son's soft hair for a while but gave up after getting no reaction.
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263"You really like it, huh. How is it, Eru? Those are Silhouette Knights, gigantic warriors that defend our kingdom."
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265"Silhouette... Knight..."
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267The child seemed to acknowledge the words of the man for the first time, repeating his words with a slur unique to toddlers as he fell deep into thought. The man smiled bitterly after seeing his child behave this way, and returned to his post after conversing with his wife for a while. On the training ground, the gigantic knights finished their match and were preparing to leave.
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269"Right, let's return home. We need to prepare dinner and wait for daddy to return."
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271The lady coaxed the child who kept looking back, reluctant to go. They were going home.
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273"Silhouette Knight..."
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275The child in her arms watched the gigantic knights on the training ground until they were out of sight.
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277The child's full name, referred to as Eru, was Ernesti Echevarria. He was the son of Mathias Echevarria, instructor of Laihiala Pilot Academy, borne by his mother Celestina.
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279It has been three years since his birth. This was the age when a child forms his sense of self, a period when they become playful. But Eru was very sensible. He understood his parents from an early age and was well behaved. Everyone felt that he was a bright kid, but his intelligence came from another source.
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281Ever since becoming self aware, and developing his own character, he became conscious of memories he had never experienced before ― the memories of his past where he lived in another place. A place called Japan, the civilization of computers, and the name Kurata Tsubasa.
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283A theory known as reincarnation.
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285Reincarnation describes the phenomenon that occurs when the spirits of those who have died are reborn into the world over and over again. It is mentioned in Buddhism, and all Japanese would have heard about this theory, whether they believed it or not. Kurata was no exception, but he didn't believe it at that time and never expected to experience it himself. He had even retained the experiences from his previous life, a successful reincarnation.
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287But including himself, no one truly knew what happened. The only thing he was sure of was, that he was Ernesti in this world and Kurata Tsubasa in his previous world. That's why, compared to children around his age, he had an 'experienced' mind, and a calm and matured analytical ability.
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289Because of his mother's whim, he visited his father's workplace. The impact of this visit inspired him to devote his second chance at life to this.
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291When the sun started to set in the west, a lady and a child walked along the streets of Laihiala academy.
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293The boy kept asking about the gigantic knights that he had seen, and his mother answered him gently and patiently. Looking at her excited son, his mother cheerfully replied:
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295"You really like Silhouette Knights, don't you? Does Eru want to be a knight in the future?"
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297"Knight... Okay! I want to be a knight!"
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299"Ara, such a dependable child. Let's ask daddy to teach you when you get a little older alright?"
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301"Okay!"
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303No one knew what would happen because of this dimension travel. But he was certain that his second life as Ernesti Echevalier was developing beyond his control.
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305The Echevarria residence was situated near Laihiala academy.
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307Apart from this family, the people in this nation awaken early. As the sun was rising in the east, the young mother, Celestina, got up to prepare breakfast. When she was done, the whole family ate together as usual.
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309The only child of the family, Ernesti, awoke the latest.
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311"Silhouette Knight!"
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313Eru seemed to have dreamt of something, as he kicked off his blanket and leapt up from his bed. He was unaware of his mother laughing because of his shout. Eru looked around him, realising he was in the bedroom, he climbed back into bed.
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315He was too excited last night and couldn't sleep. Instead, he laid in bed daydreaming, with a smile on his face.
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317Those are robots, and humanoid in shape, gigantic humanoid robots...!
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319Ernesti ― or rather the Japanese Kurata Tsubasa shed a tear of joy in his heart for this unexpected blessing, and couldn't stop smiling. Retaining the memories of Kurata Tsubasa means he inherited similar interests and hobbies from his previous life. In Eru's previous life, he was Kurata Tsubasa, a heavily addicted robot nerd.
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321As a working adult, he spent almost all of his income on his hobby, browsing modelling magazines and games, even searching for visual works at times. He put double the effort into his hobby compared to others, and it wouldn't be wrong to say that he was obsessed. But despite his obsession, he was still an ordinary man. He didn't have the passion to join the self-defence force just for the chance to operate a tank. But the situation was different in this life. That's right, gigantic humanoid robots ― Silhouette Knights actually existed here.
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323When he 'awakened', he was disappointed to find himself in a world with no models or computers. But he was grateful from the bottom of his heart for this miracle, be it by chance or by the will of a mysterious force, allowing him to reincarnate in this world, his disappointment changed when he had discovered Silhouette Knights. This was not a joke, gigantic humanoid weapons 10 metres in height actually existed. For a robot nerd like him, seeing the Silhouette Knights had enough impact to completely change his life. In other words, he believed the reason that he came to this world was to pilot these gigantic robots. He had no basis for it, but he still strongly believed this.
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325He had the resolve, but his tiny body lost to his sleepiness, and he napped a bit more before breakfast was ready.
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327It was almost noon, Celestina and Eru were in Mathias's study room.
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329The study was filled with simple, but practical wooden furniture that was kept clean and tidy. Mathias was primarily a sword instructor, but he was involved in other fields as well. The shelves in the study room were filled with all sorts of literature, including picture books for children.
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331Tina sat on the couch in the room, resting the tiny Eru on her lap, reading the picture book slowly to him. She spoke clearly and calmly. Eru, who was enjoying this yesterday, listened for some time before he started to fidget. He called out to his mother:
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333"Mum, mum."
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335"What is it, Eru? You don't like this book?"
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337Tina tilted her head, but Eru's next words dispelled her confusion.
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339"I like books... But, I want to know more about Silhouette Knights!"
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341Tina set the book aside and studied Eru's expression. Looking at his bright eyes filled with curiosity and joy, she couldn't turn him down.
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343"Ara ara, I see. Although it is still early for you, Eru, if you want to pilot the Silhouette Knights, you have to first become a knight."
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345"Knight... how do I become a knight?"
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347Eru had a fixed goal in mind, but he was still a 3 year old toddler body-wise. Even with the intellect of a grown man, his actions were still restricted, including the most crucial part, information gathering. How does a toddler, with limited access to resources, obtain information? He has to rely on his parents.
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349"Let's see, you need to read many books and practice swordsmanship. Right, let your daddy teach you about swords. Your father teaches swordsmanship at the academy anyway. How about reading your favourite book, where Silhouette Knights make an appearance okay?"
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351"Okay!"
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353Eru finally focused back on the book. Tina rubbed his head, took out a book related to Silhouette Knights, and read it to him slowly. Eru listened to the story that was simple enough for a child to understand excitedly.
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355Eru imagined himself piloting the gigantic knight, standing before humongous demon beasts in order to protect those in danger. He reforged his mind once again. He wanted to pilot a Silhouette Knight no matter what, and the sooner the better. To achieve this, he needed to use his mature mindset to his advantage and achieve all he could with his power. He prepared a schedule for the future in his mind, but for now, he listened quietly to the story.
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357"Dad, do you have a minute?"
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359Mathias Echevarria, who was resting in the study, heard the sound from behind him. He turned and saw his son, Ernesti Echevarria run towards him. Eru, who was now 5 years old, had a bowl cut, with his hair just above the eyebrows. He had bright silvery purple hair just like his mother; the resemblance to her cute appearance remained the same. Even the strict Mathias, with his merciless face smiled often in front of Eru.
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361"Oh, I have time. What is it, Eru?"
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363"I want to ask you a favour, dad."
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365Eru was young, but he spoke clearly. His slightly slurred speech when he was three, was now smooth at the age of 5. This child had always been polite to everyone since he was young. As his speech grew clearer, this became more obvious. But this didn't feel weird, and actually complemented his cute and small appearance. Mathias smiled happily, as he looked at Eru's pleading face. His 'doting' towards his son had been getting worse over time.
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367"Dad, I want to be a knight, please teach me swordsmanship."
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369It's finally the time. Mathias was troubled, but he didn't show it on his face. He knew his son had been keen on being a knight ever since he was really young, and there was no problem with his goal. If he had the motivation, that would be great. But Eru was only 5 years old, so it was still too early to teach him swordsmanship. If they rush it and start before Eru's body develops, it would be detrimental to him. Also, Eru looked more similar to his wife with every passing year, and was smaller in stature than children his age. To be honest, Mathias wondered if his son could even handle a sword.
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371But Mathias still faced his son firmly. Since Eru was showing his resolve, he couldn't ignore this as an instructor or as a father. Mathias advised his son not to rush, and start by building up his physical strength first. He also informed him that aside from swordsmanship, knowledge in magic would also help him in his quest to become a knight, encouraging him to study it.
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373"Magic... I understand dad, I will seek your advice on swordsmanship in the future.
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375Looking at the unwavering face of his son, Mathias nodded, promising to teach him swordsmanship one day.
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377".. That's what happened mum, so please teach me magic!"
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379After making the promise with Mathias, Eru immediately went to Tina and asked her. Why was he asking his mother? Because Tina's father, who was Eru's grandfather, was the current dean of Laihiala Pilot Academy ― Lauri Echevarria. Tina accepted gladly, gathering the necessary teaching materials within her means.
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381― Magic.
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383It goes without saying that in Eru's previous life ― back on earth, magic did not exist. It only appeared in stories and fairy tales. Most people only heard about magic when playing role playing games, like dungeons and dragons. But this powerful force existed in this world, and knights used magic often as support when fighting.
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385Under the guidance of his mother, who was doubling as a teacher, Eru read textbooks related to magic.
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387From the moment Eru decided to pilot a Silhouette Knight, Eru had started taking action. What he had been doing was the very basics, simply learning to read. Learning to read at the age of 3 was a very early start. Even the privileged class of this country ― the aristocrats ― didn't start so early. Because of this, Eru could handle materials that were quite advanced.
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389It was natural for kids to detest studying, but Eru was not a normal child. All of his effort was for the goal of becoming a knight. When he thought about piloting a Silhouette Knight, studying was no hassle in comparison to the reward. He could even read through textbooks from cover to cover. Because the contents were so stiff, it was better to treat it like a game, and enjoy it instead of thinking of it as studying. With the fast learning pace unique only to children, Eru learned the contents at an incredible pace.
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393
394
395Tina was not a teacher by profession, but she was managing it smoothly. She was the daughter of a school dean and the wife of an instructor after all. She satisfied the wishes of Eru, teaching him magic patiently.
396
397― In simple terms, magic in this world refers to the skill of manipulating mana to perform physical phenomenon.
398
399All living things in this world has the ability to convert the 'ether' in the air into mana, and store a certain amount of it within their body.
400
401"Mana is something like fuel, magic will be used in accordance to the content of the magic script, to do things in the physical world through a catalyst."
402
403Tina explained to Eru who was sitting down obediently.
404
405"There are two types of living beings in this world; they are divided into those who can use magic independently, and those who can't. The difference lies in the existence of a catalyst within their body. For beings that can use magic, they have a crystal within their body that acts as a catalyst. For example, the strongest creatures known as dragons possess a catalyst, and their dragon breath is created using this catalyst."
406
407"Humans don't have a catalyst inside us, so we are a race that can't use magic."
408
409Since humans didn't have a crystal catalyst, they couldn't use magic. Based on the laws of this world, this was a natural and undeniable fact. But people had learned of a way to use magic. This was the result of using their weapon called wisdom. As living beings of this world, humans could make use of mana and external catalysts to develop scripts gradually to use magic, successfully overcoming their weakness.
410
411With this breakthrough, humans, who were always the weakest in this world, developed gigantic magic-powered weapons after years of research - the Silhouette Knights. This made the humans one of the most powerful races.
412
413"Mum, since the Silhouette Knights are so powerful, and we have such a huge army of knights, we can build a bigger country right?"
414
415"Maybe it can be done, but it is difficult."
416
417Silhouette Knights may be powerful weapons, but they were tactical weapons that required large amounts of resources to build and maintain. It was practically impossible to prepare a force capable of dominating the land. Humanity used the Aubigne mountain range as the border to maintain peace on the western side of the continent. Fremmevira remained behind it as a barrier to protect their foothold in the east. The stalemate had been going on for centuries.
418
419"I will leave the details for history class. You will learn about it in more detail when you start school."
420
421Tina was talking about practical applications of magic. As mentioned before, magic had to be conjured through scripts, and the construction and usage of scripts was performed by a virtual organ in the brain known as Magius circuit. In this world, all beings that are self-aware has the potential to use it.
422
423"And Eru, scripts are sigils that perform specific phenomenon. First, are the 'Architect' sigils that perform basic phenomena, followed by the 'Control' sigils that coordinate and use Architect sigils."
424
425By combining Architect sigils and Control sigils, the picture created was something similar to magic summoning circles on earth.
426
427For beginners in magic, the part they will have trouble with is the construction of the script. Most people can manipulate Architect sigils immediately, but using powerful spells by using more complex scripts requires a great amount of practice. As humans can't use magic naturally, creating high level magic requires the accumulation of experience. Apart from perseverance, it also requires natural talent.
428
429Architect sigils that determine the phenomenon and the control sigils that maximise its effects. Combining both of them by using a set of fixed laws... Right, I have seen this before, this is just like...
430
431Eru's occupation in his past life ― programmer, helped him understand this part. In simple terms, the sigils and their interactions in the form of a script followed similar logic in programming code. The operation of the script by the magius circuit was similar to a virtual computer. Since the magius circuit was built within the brain, activating it didn't take time, performing better than computers in his previous life.
432
433After Eru grasped the logic behind it, he 'extracted' the architect sigil and control sigil from the textbook and started using his magius circuit ― which was within the human brain ― to start coding. With such a large amount of codes, even a veteran programmer wouldn't be able to organise it within their head; they would need the help of software editors. To counter this, Eru used the magius circuit domain as a software editor to plan and compile the scripts.
434
435Because he was a beginner, he had no idea how much magic the people in this world could use. He didn't consider his ability to easily build and control the complicated programming language to be special.
436
437Eru held a tiny wooden wand and focused with his eyes closed.
438
439A small crystal was fixed onto the tip of the wand. That was the crystal catalyst, a miraculous item which allowed humans to use magic. For humans using magic, they prefer to wield wands with the crystal catalyst affixed onto the tip. The wand in Eru's hand made a gentle 'Pashu' sound, and a line of fire shot out, leaving a scorched mark in the middle of the target board. He just activated the fire architect sigil with beginner magic ― 'Fire torch'.
440
441"Wow Eru, that's great. Although it is just the architect sigil, I never imagined that you would be able to use magic so quickly."
442
443"But mum, the textbook says that this is the basics of the basics, anyone can use it immediately."
444
445"It is true that anyone can activate it, but to hit the target so accurately requires practice. Eru has talent for magic."
446
447No matter how good Eru was in programming, it was useless if he only studied the theory without putting it into practice. A simple target board in the backyard and Tina accompanied Eru for practical training. They practiced all types of architect sigils one by one, allowing Eru to get used to the feeling of using magic. After casting spells repeatedly, Eru started to feel weird... it felt like energy was gradually draining from his body. It was like the fatigue you feel after exercising, but different at the same time. This unique experience confused him, but this was the natural result of expending mana. He panted heavily and breathed in the ether from the air around him, attempting to replenish his mana.
448
449... I didn't know it was this tiring. If I used advanced spells, I would have probably fainted because of the shortness of breath.
450
451Tina who had been supervising him, walked over with a gentle smile and rubbed his head.
452
453"This is how it feels when you expend mana. If you don't experience it now, it will be troublesome in the future."
454
455"... I can't catch my breath, it feels painful. My mana is empty after using just a little magic, so depressing."
456
457"Don't be discouraged. You are still young, lacking mana is normal."
458
459"Will I have more mana when I grow up?"
460
461"Hmm ― Let me think. It's a bit different, but just think of it as something like stamina. The growth of mana is not solely dependent on your physical growth. It will also get stronger as you train your psyche."
462
463"I understand. Mum, since that's the case, I will be doing special training to increase my mana pool!"
464
465Tina gave a bitter smile, rubbing the head of the spirited Eru.
466
467"Ara, what a hardworking child. Don't be too impatient, going too fast might be bad too."
468
469Eru reflected upon this and felt that he was being too rash. Tina was right, rushing wouldn't be good for him, and he didn't want his mother, who was accompanying him to worry.
470
471"Yes, mum. I will take it slow and steady."
472
473Eru promised his mother with a straight face. Tina nodded and hugged him tightly.
474
475Eru started his special training the following day.
476
477With the promise with Tina and the future in mind, he needed to improve his physical and magical abilities steadily. Constructing scripts was Eru's strength. He would be able to find a way to advance if he made use of his previous life's knowledge. The rest would depend on the mana he needed to use the magic. He persisted in his routine of jogging, physical exercise, depleting his mana, and recovering it. As he was going through his fundamental training, he found an interesting magic in the textbook.
478
479He was looking up physical boost spells. Physical boost means literally strengthening the capabilities of your body, including strength, stamina, and speed. Eru's plan was to incorporate this spell in his physical exercise, training both mind and body at the same time for efficiency.
480
481The spell physical boost was a high spell, a spell that was difficult to use. The effects of the magic were dependent on the script. The simpler the structure, the closer it would be to the architect sigil, and conversely, the easier it would be to control; the more targets there are, the more complex and difficult it would become.
482
483The high level complex spell physical boost had the ability of enhancing 'every muscle fibre', strengthening 'all of the bones' to absorb the impact, and the improvement of the durability of the skin. There was a need to control the target of the spell, which changes rapidly with every movement. To use these effects, the script needed to be activated constantly. This was why the boost spell was on a higher level than big, flashy spells, which did not require constant upkeep to maintain.
484
485Normally, Eru would have given up at this stage and would have chosen a more practical spell. But he knew how to solve the problem because of his unique skills ― programming concept. He had experience in designing and coding software to handle multiple variables. That's why he skipped the beginner magic phase and jumped straight into the 'modified magic' phase. Reviewing the structure of the physical boost script, Eru compressed the structure to minimise the number of variables, creating subscripts that would automatically extract the status of the body. After compiling it, he just needed to design the user interface to make it easier to control, so as to lessen the burden.
486
487Complicated projects like the improvement of scripts was not something that could be done easily by anyone. Eru, however, was not aware of this, completing the improvement shortly, and the patch was a big enhancement. But even so, it was still difficult to control magic that strained the mind heavily. But with his extraordinary processing ability, it was not much. No one realised that a historical revolution had occurred, but for Eru, this was just a small step in his journey.
488
489Everything was ready. Eru held a wand in his hand, activated the improved physical boost spell, and began his daily training regime excitedly. But his high spirited trip ended in tragedy, he didn't even have time to feel moved by his enhanced physical attributes before collapsing a few hundred metres away because of mana depletion.
490
491As expected of an advanced spell, the controls were complicated and the mana cost was tremendous. Eru felt down because of this basic mistake and returned to his normal training regime for quite a while.
492
493Even with the efforts he put in, he still needed 3 years before he could activate his physical boost magic for a sustainable amount of time. Eru was fuelled by his passion, moving towards his goal day by day.
494
495
496
497
498
499Chapter 2: Let's Play with Friends
500
501
502Laihiala Pilot Academy had a dormitory, several restaurants, and all sorts of shops. Various Silhouette Knight repair shops were gathered there as well, including lodging for related personnel, forming a large college city. Because Laihiala Pilot Academy was the top academic facility in the nation, the size of the city was not far off from the capital itself. The city adopted its name from the academy and was known as 'Laihiala Academy City', Ernesti resided in such a place.
503
504The sun set beyond the walls that surrounded the city, and night engulfed the academy city. Apart from a selected few, most of the shops had closed for the day, and only a handful of people were still wandering the streets. The whole city fell into a peaceful silence. A petite figure ran along a path formed by the rooftops of the buildings. The figure was dressed in black that was difficult to see in the dark, moving like the wind along the roof.
505
506And of course, that was the 8 year old Ernesti Echevarria. With the passage of time, his training had evolved from simple jogging into a round trip along the roofs of the buildings in the city. According to Eru, the wide field of vision and the undulating height of the buildings was perfect for training.
507
508He learned from his failure in using the physical boost spell in the past, and further improved it, changing it into a spell with low mana cost, emphasizing just the legs for running. He had become accustomed to it, even strenuous movement wouldn't affect the script. His enhanced legs enabled him to sprint at a very fast pace.
509
510As he ran, Eru came to the edge of a line of connected buildings; the edge was akin to a cliff with the road looming below. He took a deep breath, increasing his mana output. With the fierce reaction, he accelerated like an arrow fired from a bow, closing the gap to the edge in an instant. The moment he took his last step and leapt into the air, he activated another spell ─ by compressing the air, in front of him, he created a dense air bullet. This was originally the basic wind magic, air bullet. Eru exploded the air bullet behind him, using the burst of energy from the release to push him forward.
511
512The instantaneous acceleration threw Eru's body into the air, forming a beautiful arch in the sky. He activated his body strengthening magic in mid-air and cast another spell just before he landed. Another air bullet spell ─ but the area of compressed air was much larger. He didn't fire off the air bullet like before. Instead, he used it as a cushion, landing nicely on the other roof. Eru rolled to reduce the impact, running off with the same speed as before the jump.
513
514The year was C.E. 1273.
515
516It has been 3 years since Eru started his magic training. He practiced daily without rest, accumulating a large amount of mana within his petite body. Normally, a child wouldn't train so intensively in magic at such a young age, so it was not surprising for Eru to have grown so strong. The regimen also trained his physical attributes, which increased dramatically, but it was a pity he couldn't use full body strengthening spells for an extended amount of time. That's why he invented low mana cost spells targeted at specific parts of the body, only using his full strength when necessary. He has also found a way to use other spells while moving at high speeds. This training allowed Eru's outstanding processing ability to improve, increasing his mana pool while decreasing the mana expended.
517
518There was a reason why Eru focused his magic on movement. He didn't spend all of his time on training, making time to play with other kids his age, so his parents wouldn't worry. Despite his reasons, he couldn't deny that playing like a kid again was fun. Eru slowly realized that his body was smaller than others, but he was not too bothered about it. If his growth remained stagnant, however, Eru's lack of weight might become his weakness.
519
520Naturally, Eru plans to continue training his magic, refusing to fail because of his lack of abilities. Even so, his body being so light meant he has to place more consideration in regard to attack power. This was the reason he chose to strengthen his mobility. The speed would both disrupt enemies and increase attack power.
521
522That's right, just like Ushi Wakamaru overcoming strength with skills, the Japanese way. Eh, although I didn't have much choice anyway.
523
524Eru thought about these trivial things as he ran in the dim street during the evening. A normal training route, the daily jogging routine, but something unexpected happened.
525
526"Eh? Someone is coming." A girly voice came from above. A stern voice followed: “Who are you?"
527
528"...Is someone there?" The questions from both parties overlapped each other. Eru has never run into anyone during his rooftop training before, this was the first time he did.
529
530They remained silent for quite a while. They had met someone at a place that was normally devoid of people, so it was understandable to be cautious. One of them was dressed in black with his hood up, a suspicious outfit.
531
532Eru observed the other party. The weak starlight made visibility low, but he could vaguely make out that they were a boy and girl pair about his age. Eru was shorter than average, while the two of them were relatively tall and thin. At a glance, they didn't look younger than Eru, but not much older either.
533
534He couldn't make any headway with this silence, so Eru introduced himself.
535
536"Evening, I am Ernesti, in the middle of a stroll. And you are?"
537
538The two who were wary of this youth in black were stunned by the sudden introduction. Eru couldn't make out the delicate changes in their facial expression, but from the reflection of the moonlight, he knew the young boy squinted eyes.
539
540"I am Archid, this is my younger sister..."
541
542"Adeltrud... Eh, we were watching the stars... that's right."
543
544Eru looked at the ceiling window behind them; the couple probably came out from there. The sudden encounter surprised them, but it was simply a coincidence. Eru decided to continue jogging.
545
546"I see, sorry to disturb you. I will take my leave..."
547
548"Wa... wait, don't go yet. A stroll, you say? On the roof top wearing that?"
549
550"Don't you think that is strange?"
551
552"Hm, that's true."
553
554Eru could tell they were taken aback from their tone. Even Eru would have been suspicious if he was in their shoes.
555
556"I said it was a stroll, but it is more like special training. That's why, I chose a place where it is difficult to run."
557
558"Eh... Do you really need to run on the roof? That's weird."
559
560A simple matter to Eru, but it was unthinkably strange to them. They looked at each other with scepticism faces and asked while tilting their heads.
561
562"...Hmmm, forget it. That means we are interrupting your training."
563
564"Please don't mind me. Well, I should be..."
565
566"Hey, hey, wait! You said this is special training, so you run around this place every day?"
567
568Adeltrud stopped Eru, who was ready to go. Eru stumbled a bit, and replied "Yes", and took off again. The two of them followed Eru with their eyes, as he disappeared into the shadows... His extraordinary speed surprised them, as they watched Eru accelerate and leap off the edge of the roof. The large arc of his jump stunned them yet again.
569
570"... Amazing, really amazing! What is that? That looks fun!"
571
572"Wah, he is really running! Incredible, he flew off from the edge of the roof!?"
573
574Archid and Adeltrud were excited after Eru left. They were stargazing out on the roof because of some unhappy events, and had an amazing encounter. Their lives changed drastically because of this meeting.
575
576Eru, Archid, and Adeltrud met again the very next day, at the same place. Unlike the encounter before, the two of them seemed to be waiting for Eru. Eru gave up any thoughts of trying to avoid them and greeted:
577
578"Evening. Watching the stars again?"
579
580"Yo. Nope, we are here to see you."
581
582"Yep..."
583
584The pair smiled happily, visible even under the faint starlight. Eru wasn't sure of their intentions, but decided to go along with them. He could just run away if things go awry, and pick another running route in the future.
585
586"Erm, do you have to cover your head?"
587
588Archid pointed out. Eru thought it was rude too, so he removed his hood and sat on the roof like they did. "What is this about?" Eru pressed them. He noticed that the two of them stiffened with awkward expressions.
589
590"Eh, your names are Archid and Adeltrud, right? What is it? Why the weird reaction?"
591
592"Eh? Oh, nothing. You... you are a girl!?"
593
594"You moved so fast, I thought you were a boy..."
595
596Eru, whose image takes after his mother, had grown even more adorable with age and was now a 'pretty girl'. The silvery, purple hair that reached just over his chin was cut to shoulder length, swaying in the wind. The dim moonlight failed to hide his face. In fact, the faint light on his smooth skin gave his face a magical air. His pretty face didn't match the amazing movements they saw the day before, confusing the pair. Eru looked at the two children with slanted eyes and said:
597
598"No, I look like my mother, but I really am a boy."
599
600"... No, there is a limit to how much you take after your mother. Are you really a boy?"
601
602"It's true; I have nothing to gain from a lie like this."
603
604"Oh...How... how cute, Ernesti..."
605
606Adeltrud drew closer with her hands for some reason, and Eru stepped back when he sensed the danger. Archid grabbed Adeltrud's collar and pulled her back immediately.
607
608"Eh... Ah, my name is hard to articulate, just call me Eru."
609
610"Ah, you can call me Chid."
611
612"I will address you as Eru, then! I am Ady!"
613
614
615
616
617
618After the round of introductions, Eru was wary of Ady, who looked ready to pounce on him as he said:
619
620"And, so? What did you want to talk about?"
621
622"Right, after you left yesterday, didn't you jump really high from the roof? How did you do that?"
623
624"Ah, that..."
625
626"Also, please teach us the technique!"
627
628Where did their wariness from yesterday go? Chid was chatting with him like they were old friends. Eru didn't understand why Chid was so excited.
629
630"I can show you, but it will take a long time okay?"
631
632"No worries. If we train with you, we can fly like you one day, right?"
633
634"But you might be stuck at a bottleneck before that happens too..."
635
636Eru warned and started to explain his training in simple terms... the content about magic. Chid and Ady were quite clever, picking up the difficult content at a good pace. Because they understood the content, they frowned at the task ahead.
637
638"Isn't that grueling!"
639
640"Eru is so amazing..."
641
642"Didn't I tell you that at the very beginning?"
643
644The stunned duo groaned, then lifted their heads as if they had just thought of something.
645
646"By the way, why is your magic so powerful?"
647
648"... That is because of compatibility, and I have been training for some years."
649
650"Some years... How old are you?
651
652"Eight."
653
654"Eh!? That's the same as us!?"
655
656Ady was impressed. Compared to the explanation earlier, this was more stunning. Chid and Ady seemed to be twins, both of them were eight years old just like Eru. Chid was in high spirits after hearing this, dismissing all of his worries. He had a face that said 'alright, we have to do this' and was fired up. Eru warned Chid who was rearing to go:
657
658"Physical boost is a high spell; you can't use it without starting from the basics."
659
660"Then just teach us magic."
661
662"...Hmm?"
663
664"You are strong, right? You know a lot of advanced spells!"
665
666"You might be cute, but you are also dependable!"
667
668Eru's face began to cramp. This development was beyond his expectations and had nothing to do with cuteness. Their request was troubling; he wanted to escape if it was at all possible. But when he saw Chid and Ady talking enthusiastically about the training regimen, his conscience could not allow him to ignore them.
669
670"Ah... This.... Eh, I understand. I will... teach both of you magic..."
671
672"Great, I knew you were a bro!"
673
674"Wonderful, no wonder you are so cute!"
675
676"You are overestimating me, and this has nothing to do with being cute!? Wait, like I said, magic cannot be learned immediately. You have to start from the basics, understand?"
677
678"I know, I know, don't worry. We will catch up to you in a flash!"
679
680He felt uneasy with Chid, who accepted so readily, but Eru still confirmed the training details with them before they parted ways.
681
682The following day, the twins visited Eru's home. Not at night, but during the day.
683
684Because they had only met under the moonlight until now, Eru finally saw their beautiful black hair and hazel eyes. The brunette twins reminded Eru of Japan, and he felt a sense of kinship with them. Chid's messy hair was short, while Ady's slightly wavy hair reached her shoulders. They really were twins, having similar physiques and strong eyes.
685
686"Welcome to my humble abode, please come in."
687
688Eru gave up resisting and ushered them in. The Echevarria residence was slightly bigger than their neighbours' because of their relations with both the dean and an instructor at Laihiala Pilot School. Chid and Ady looked around curiously as they followed Eru.
689
690Eru's mother, Celestina, welcomed them warmly. Her son, who seldom brought friends home, had two guests with him at the same time. She was a great cook, and showed off her prowess, making her guests feel at home with her snacks and beverages. Ady was really delighted, she hit it off well with Tina and was about to follow her into the kitchen to make snacks, but was dragged off forcefully by Chid.
691
692After the disruption, they went into Eru's room to learn basic magic. Eru's room was very tidy. There were only a table, a bed, and several shelves along the wall. The shelves had textbooks related to magic, along with some storybooks for display. For preschool children, this room was too practical. The twins (especially Ady) were planning to snoop around the room, but were stopped by Eru.
693
694After this episode, the magic lesson finally began. Eru used the magic textbook he liked the most as the teaching material, starting from the fundamentals. He thought that the pair were too confident and believed that because they were 8 years old, they would grow tired of it and give up immediately. But Chid and Ady were surprisingly passionate about their studies. When they started their architect sigil practical session, they displayed admirable control, hitting the bull’s eye after a few attempts.
695
696Eru remembered their conversation yesterday. Did they understand the explanation about magic immediately? That means the twins are excellent. Eru reflected on underestimating them, as he gave feedback to the duo that collapsed after depleting their mana.
697
698"What you are feeling is mana depletion because your mana pool is too small. You should start by building up your mana capacity through training."
699
700"Huff, huff, this is tiring. So... How do we do this special training?"
701
702"Deplete your mana every day. Your mana pool will grow faster than if you were doing nothing. And it will be best to do some exercise, you can train your body and magic at the same time, it's more efficient that way."
703
704"...Oh, that's why you were jogging on the roof tops?"
705
706"Yes. I told you it's not simple."
707
708"That's right, but I still want to do it! I just need to keep this up every day! Isn't that 'simple'?"
709
710Eru was surprised. He turned around to see Ady, who had caught her breath with both hands on her hips, looking fearless. Her eyes were filled with determination and confidence, and a hint of a smile showed on her face. He looked at Ady, thinking nonchalantly, She is tall and will become a beauty in the future, but she is hard to handle.
711
712"... I see, please work on your architect sigils for now. You will be able to do special training with me after your mana pool grows."
713
714"I don't know when we will catch up to you... But it will definitely be sooner than you think!"
715
716"Of course! Just watch us; we will reach your standards in no time!"
717
718Eru's impression of his first ‘good friends’ was improving gradually.
719
720They are tougher than I thought. I've made some pretty interesting friends.
721
722And so, Eru's training now included the twins, Archid Olter and Adeltrud Olter. His life had gotten livelier.
723
724Eru was not just learning magic. When he had spare time from his magical and physical training, he was also learning swordsmanship as promised from his father, Mathias. This was the standard swordsmanship from the curriculum of Laihiala Pilot Academy. Chid and Ady also joined in.
725
726Of the three, Chid was the most talented in the sword. His build was great for his age, which allowed him to surpass Eru in no time. His stance was proper and would never lose to anyone in a simulation battle.
727
728They practiced the sword along with their magic. Compared to other children their age, the trio was incredibly busy. Eru did the necessary training in order to achieve his goal. He had gotten used to it after such a long time, so he didn't find it intolerable. He felt that he did not push himself hard enough in his previous life, which motivated him to strive harder. Eru realized the biggest motivation for humans manifests from their desire.
729
730But what about Chid and Ady? They harbour the same passion as Eru, living each day to the fullest. Eru's training already surpassed the normal standards; there was no need to burden normal children with this. If they were aiming to be a knight, there was no need to work so hard. But they never complained about it.
731
732'What motivates the twins?' Eru couldn't think of any reason for them to work so hard.
733
734Even with their busy schedule, they didn't only train. They made time to spend with their parents or play with other children around their age. With the largest academy in the nation, the children had plenty of playmates.
735
736The kingdom of Fremmevira had a problem unique to it, which was the existence of the Demon beasts. The situation here was different from the region west of mount Aubigne, the kingdom of Fremmevira shared a border with the Bocuse forest ruled by the Demon beasts. Demon beasts often attack, threatening the lives and property of citizens causing the people to live in fear. Hence, the cities of Fremmevira has strong walls erected around them, protecting the towns and citizens.
737
738─ Everyone in Fremmevira agreed to the construction of the walls, but the playful children found life within the walls to be dull and stifling. To expend their energy, they treated the entire city as their playground, playing around noisily. The sound of the children's laughter could be heard on the streets every day.
739
740It was no different today, a group of kids dashed along the pavement. But on closer inspection, a child had fallen far behind.
741
742"What are you doing... slow tortoise..."
743
744When he heard the jeers of the children, the kid who had fallen behind stopped, panting, and waved his arms while protesting:
745
746"Huff, huff.... It... It can't be helped! We dwarves can't run that fast!"
747
748This protesting child was shorter than the rest; he had a strong and stout body along with short legs, and a sturdy albeit slow build.
749
750"Ah... Batson is slow..."
751
752"What did you say? Damn...!"
753
754"Slow Batson is angry! It will hurt if he gets you...! Run away...!"
755
756The child named Batson was red from anger, running along with heavy steps, but he couldn't compensate for his short stride. The children dispersed with laughter every time he drew near, leaving the lonesome Batson behind.
757
758"...Ku, damn..."
759
760He clenched his fists in frustration. He was helpless, but being slow was a racial flaw of the dwarves.
761
762Dwarves... a race originating from the northern mountains.
763
764They lived among treacherous, snowy peaks, residing within caves. As time went by, they started excavating deeper and became skilled miners. While refining and processing the rich minerals in the northern hills, the dwarves became experts at all sorts of mineral resources, advancing their skills in crafting with them. They were renowned as the 'crafting race'.
765
766Because of their environment, the dwarves had evolved over time, in order to move nimbly in narrow caves. Their short but stout stature was their most prominent, physical trait. They were also covered in muscles, having double the arm strength of normal humans. They were rugged in appearance; the men had thick long hair, and beards which start growing at the age of ten. By the way, their culture emphasises on how spectacular their beards are and all men take pride in them.
767
768But the isolated dwarves didn't spend their entire history hiding in the north. There were many dwarves who use their skills to set up smith shops all across the land.
769
770The child mentioned just now... Batson Termonen was one of those dwarves. His parents had a smithy in Laihiala Academy City, the reason why he was playing with the local children. The games of children revolved around chasing each other or hide and seek, especially so, for a city surrounded by walls. Batson didn't know how tough it was to live in such an enclosed environment with his short stride. He was also mocked for his appearance by the kids in the neighbourhood.
771
772The children making fun of Batson were long gone. Batson gave up, heading home in disgust.
773
774"Weird. Are you alone? Where are the others?"
775
776The fuming Batson heard someone talking to him and saw the trio when he turned his head. The one in the middle was especially short, like a valley between two mountains. It was the trio Ernesti, Archid, and Adeltrud.
777
778"It's Eru. You guys are probably looking down on me for being slow, too."
779
780The three of them were baffled by Batson's response, but quickly understood the situation. The dwarves might be slow, but they were also very strong. This means Batson would be incredibly strong in a fight. He wouldn't lose against multiple enemies if it came to a dogfight. Batson had an argument with someone, and achieved overwhelming victory in the ensuing fight, which was the reason for the current situation.
781
782As Eru watched Batson walk away, he felt like pulling a prank and laughed mischievously:
783
784"Ah, he was bullied again... Alright, let's go after those guys, everyone."
785
786The twins listened to Eru's suggestion and answered indifferently:
787
788"I'm fine with that, but how? We are fine, but Batson can't keep up."
789
790"Right, that's why we will bring him along. Just treat it as normal training, with Batson as training weights."
791
792"Oh! I get it!"
793
794"Let's go, let's go!"
795
796Chid and Ady understood what Eru was saying, and stood on either side of Batson. They didn't consider how Batson felt and grabbed his arms.
797
798"Eh? Hey... Hey! What are you..."
799
800"Well, let's start our jogging exercise for the day!"
801
802Chid and Ady started moving on Eru's command, ignoring the confused Batson. They treated Batson like cargo and carried him. This technique could only be used after learning 'limited physical boost', allowing them to use strength above their physical limit. Batson was stunned by their amazing speed, unable to resist.
803
804"They must be at the central square! Let's attack!"
805
806"Ora!"
807
808"Yeah!"
809
810"Like I said, what's happening...!?"
811
812Laihiala Academy City was roughly divided between the school campus and the urban zone. In the heart of the urban zone, there was an open space known as the central square to everyone. It was filled with stalls during the day and was the gathering point for all the children.
813
814"Hey, will that guy catch up?"
815
816"There is no way, he's too slow..."
817
818"That's right; it will hurt like hell if you get hit by him!"
819
820"Relax; just run away if he shows up. He is slow, you can get away easily."
821
822It was the kids who made fun of Batson earlier. The group used some boxes as stools, biting into fruits they bought from a stall. They were gleeful from their successful revenge. Suddenly, they heard a loud scream from far away.
823
824"Ahhhhh... Woah...!"
825
826"Out of the way!"
827
828"Where are you going?! You guys better...!"
829
830They noticed a familiar voice, which surprised them. Wasn't that Batson, who they were just jeering at? The one person they want to avoid? The group searched for the origin of the voice, and saw Chid and Ady carrying Batson by the arms and approaching fast. They panicked and screamed:
831
832"Woah, what... what are you...!?"
833
834"Ah, found them. Now, Batson... launch!"
835
836Eru pointed out the target, while Chid and Ady threw Batson with a mischievous smile without slowing down. With a running start and a powerful throw, the short but heavy Batson flew through the sky. The group of children had slow reactions, watching Batson as he arced through the air, slack jawed. When they realized they were the landing point, the kids scrambled to get away in a panic.
837
838"Eh! Wah, idiot, don't come here!"
839
840"Woahhhh, quick... hide..."
841
842But it was too late to run. They were hit directly by Batson's rock, hard head, the force smashing the boxes into pieces. They fell all over the place under a cloud of dust. It was so chaotic that the masterminds, Eru and his friends, felt guilty as they looked at each other.
843
844"...Did we... go too far?"
845
846"Yeah... Right on target."
847
848"Hey... I have an idea. I think we should get out of here."
849
850
851
852
853
854"You three! Don't run!"
855
856Batson shrugged off the broken boxes and stood up among the debris. As expected, the first to recover was the tough Batson, the rest of the children were still down. Batson was furious, sprinting towards the trio with a speed beyond any dwarf. The moronic three ran immediately.
857
858"Goodbye, see you later!"
859
860"Shut up, stay where you are!"
861
862By the way, the kids, who were left behind were caught by the adults, and were lectured for breaking the boxes.
863
864Some distance away from the central square and the residential area was a shopping mall. There was a building double the size of the surrounding ones. It emphasized sturdiness more than appearance. This was the smith shop 'Termonen Workshop'.
865
866Batson chased Eru and the others all over the streets, and finally ended up here. Compared to Eru and company, Batson was on the verge of dying from exhaustion after the chase.
867
868"You... You guys... are too fast..."
869
870"Thanks to our daily training."
871
872"Huff... how did you train to be so good..."
873
874Eru smiled casually. In terms of stamina, Batson had the edge, but he couldn't match Eru and his magic.
875
876"Ah... forget it, I don't care anymore."
877
878Batson was exhausted and felt that all of this was just silly. He gave up, laid on the ground with his limbs spread out, and finally caught his breath after a long while. He gave a contented smile and laughed softly.
879
880"But it was fun smashing into them head first."
881
882"Hey, hey, we can do it again if you like."
883
884"No way."
885
886After a short while, Batson stood up calmly and pointed to his house.
887
888"Eh, alright. Want to visit my place? I'm thirsty."
889
890Maybe it's because they were near the workshop, but they could feel the heat even from outside. Batson's craftsmen parents were probably working in there.
891
892"Oh, I have never been to your place."
893
894"Yeah... You will get hit if you disturb them. Don't be too rowdy."
895
896The trio entered Batson's home, and saw his father and a few craftsmen working in silence. Batson's father had a long beard and a wide body; it was easy to tell that he was a dwarf. His punches were no joke.
897
898Opposite the work tables was the shop front with the finished merchandise on display. Batson explained about each one of them with pride.
899
900"Look, all of these are made by my dad."
901
902All sorts of metallic equipment could be seen, from swords, lances, shields and armour to woks and pots. As expected of a dwarf craftsman, they were made delicately. Every one of them was a masterpiece made to the perfect size and colour.
903
904"Woah... Your place is selling lots of stuff."
905
906Eru browsed the merchandise curiously while Ady followed him. Chid grew excited when he saw the weapons, such as swords and lances. Batson was extremely pleased when they praised his father's work.
907
908"Hey Bat, do you craft things too?"
909
910"Ah... my dad seldom lets me touch metals, but I can do carpentry. I am a dwarf after all; even my dad praises my work!"
911
912After hearing Ady's whimsical query, Batson pointed to an item at the corner of the shop. There were some simple wooden household items there. They looked plain, but the workmanship was good and durable. Batson's skill was clear, and the trio was impressed. At this point, something in the corner attracted Eru's attention.
913
914"Can you make 'magic staves'?"
915
916"... Magic staves? I can make them if there are enough materials. I made these to earn some pocket money."
917
918In order to use magic, humans have to use external 'crystal catalysts' to convert mana into physical phenomenon, and a magic staff is the most common example of that. Simply put, the crystal catalyst is attached to the end of the staff for ease of use.
919
920Most staves are made from trees called 'white mist'. Because the wood from these trees are an excellent mana conductor, it is a popular magic ingredient. The plain staff crafted by Batson was also made from that.
921
922"When practising magic, I always felt that..."
923
924Eru's shifted his gaze to the staff on his waist. It was the magic item he had been using since the very beginning. It was shorter than most staves and fits well with his small stature.
925
926"What is it? Something wrong with your staff?"
927
928Eru twirled the short staff wand in his hand and smiled at the confused Batson:
929
930"Don't you think a magic staff is unwieldy?"
931
932Besides Batson, Chid and Ady were puzzled by Eru's comment. They had gotten used to using the staff as a tool to use magic and had no complaints. They didn't understand what he meant.
933
934Eru thought it didn't feel right because of the memories of his previous life. Because he remembered the world where science was king, he felt that this was awkward and primitive. Strictly speaking, magic staves are items used to cast spells. Apart from 'strengthening' magic, human spells are usually 'shot', releasing powerful effects. Eru assumed that a magic staff was a type of 'projectile weapon'.
935
936Eru recalled a scene from his past in Japan... a room filled with models. Among these collections, he owned an airsoft gun, a realistic looking 'Winchester M1894' rifle, which left a deep impression on him. Firearms, especially rifles, resembles magic staves. The correlation made him think that there was a way to implement the shape of the rifle onto a magic staff.
937
938"For example, the knights fight with a sword and staff in each hand..."
939
940Even the knights, whose main weapon were swords, knew the importance of magic. Right handed knights would hold the long sword with their dominant hand and the staff with the other. If a shield was equipped on the left hand, they would normally hold the staff behind the shield.
941
942"I think it is a hassle to hold them separately, that's why I have been thinking about combining them."
943
944"I don't get it... But even if it can be done, how do you want to go about it?"
945
946As he thought, Eru had a stroke of inspiration. Guns and swords... these two simple terms made him think about bayonets on rifles. It was simply attaching a knife to the tip of a gun barrel, using the rifle as a melee weapon. This concept was brought to this alternate world by Eru.
947
948"Yeah, I just thought of an interesting idea."
949
950Eru smiled gently, making Batson feel a chill run down his back.
951
952Later, Eru returned home, sat in front of a table, and drew the design he had in mind. His focus surprised Chid and Ady who tagged along.
953
954"What is that? What a weird staff."
955
956That was the first thing Ady said after looking at the finished diagram. 'Bayonet'... a rifle that fires spells with a blade mounted upon it, the first 'magic staff' of its kind. For Ady who had only seen normal magic staves, it was very exotic.
957
958The next day, Eru visited Batson's home again with the design in hand.
959
960"Like I mentioned yesterday, can you make a staff like this?"
961
962Batson was at a loss as he stared at the unexpected guest, who had showed up with a design in hand after just one day. He decided to look at the plan first and started confirming the details. Batson made a strange face.
963
964"Eru, what... is this?"
965
966"Winchester Rifle."
967
968"What? I've never heard of a staff by that name, and the shape... is weird... Why is the bottom so wide? And what is with this protruding piece here?
969
970"Well, this is known as the stock..."
971
972Some things couldn't be explained with just a design drawing. Eru answered Batson's queries and explained them in detail.
973
974"Eh, I will give it a shot."
975
976Batson didn't really understand, but he took the job anyway. He promised Eru he would craft this strange magic staff. Eru was relieved, and felt that this was a good chance to see Batson's artisan skills.
977
978Several days later, Eru visited Batson's place for the third time on Batson's invitation. The unique weapon designed by him was presented in physical form.
979
980The handle resembled the stock of a rifle, thick and slightly bent, but there were no triggers. A crystal catalyst was attached to the tip, the part where the sight of a gun should be. There were no chambers and magazines as it was not an actual gun. In place of the barrel was a short sword fixed in place. This was the bayonet designed in this alternate world... 'Gun staff'.
981
982"The carpentry is done by me, my dad helped me with the metallic bits."
983
984"Did he lecture you? If it was too much trouble, making all of it out of wood would have been fine too."
985
986When Eru visited a few days ago, he heard that Batson's father was very busy. Eru did not want to press him, and just asked Batson to do what he could.
987
988"Eh, for some reason he was very interested when I was making it, and gave me a hand."
989
990Eru nodded in agreement. He thanked Batson and took 'that' in his hand hurriedly. He tried out the size, weight, and balance, the finished product was no different from the design. The dwarves were incredible, their skills were truly astounding.
991
992"Alright, I completed it as you asked... it turned out weird, what do you plan to do with it?"
993
994"It will be quicker to show you."
995
996Eru tried wielding the 'staff' and asked Batson for a place to test out magic. The two of them headed to the yard behind the smith shop, where a few target boards meant to test out swords were erected. Eru aimed at one and slashed at it, casting an intermediate wind spell just before it hit... Sonic Blade. He used the crystal catalyst on the staff to convert mana into physical form, emitting a shockwave from the blade and splitting the target cleanly in half. Eru took aim at the top half that was falling and casted an intermediate fire spell... Fireball. It connected with the target and exploded, leaving a cloud of dust in its wake. The incredible performance of the staff made Eru smile, but Batson was stunned.
997
998"How should I put this? It is too weird and out of this world."
999
1000"Eh. Let’s leave it at that. Batson, you did great! Seems that using magic in the future will be interesting!"
1001
1002"Eh, as long as you are happy."
1003
1004"By the way, can you make another one for me?"
1005
1006"Don't be so shameless with your requests."
1007
1008Eru received the second bayonet staff that he wanted. These two bayonet staves officially named 'Winchester' were kept in a specially made sheath worn around his waist. Eru kept them with him at all times.
1009
1010The completion of the gun staff, which was suitable for close quartres fighting and ranged combat, was the key to enhancing his mobility and firepower, influencing his fighting style greatly.
1011
1012
1013
1014
1015
1016Chapter 3: Let's go to School
1017
1018
1019One day, Ernesti sat with his arms crossed in the living room at home, thinking with a serious expression. The reason was the letter spread on the table before him, with 'Laihiala Pilot Academy student prospectus' written on the top. At the age of eight and a half years, he finally received an offer to attend Laihiala Pilot Academy.
1020
1021Eru's family resided in Laihiala Academy City, named after the best educational facility in Fremmevira, Laihiala Pilot Academy. The education system was divided into three stages, primary school from age 9, middle school from age twelve, and high school from age 15, taking three years for each stage. Most students only complete the first six years of school because high school was similar to college on earth, intended for students who seek further specialised education. It was customary to recognise all those above the age of fifteen as adults. Most people started their career around the age of 18, but depending upon the circumstances, some may join the workforce at 15.
1022
1023Even though Laihiala Academy had the term 'pilot’ in its name, not everyone enroled had the goal of being a Knight or a Knight runner. One reason was the sponsorship from the kingdom for primary and middle school education, so children from all social standings studied there. Fremmevira's education system differed from modern compulsory education, a result of the special circumstances of the nation.
1024
1025Fremmevira was known as the 'Kingdom of Knights'. Its name sounded great, but it actually meant that 'battles' occurred frequently. There was a large number of Demon beasts lurking on the outskirts of the nation, where the majority of the citizens were defenseless farmers working on the vast fields, making them vulnerable to attacks. The threat had always been there. In order to secure a steady supply of tax and food, protection of the farmers became an important policy to the nation, but Fremmevira did not plan to eradicate all of the Demon beasts because they appeared to be infinite.
1026
1027The Knights existed to protect the citizens, but there were lapses in their defence due to the large area under their protection. The Knights were usually deployed after the discovery of a Demon beast, which was a passive strategy. This meant that the citizens would be under threat before the Knights moved in, to intercept. With this historical background, at some point the farmers hoped to possess skills to protect themselves, which was fulfiled by the nation in short order, by setting up a ministry and related facilities to teach them the minimum combat techniques, and magic knowledge needed for defence. In the end, Fremmevira was not a peaceful nation; even the farmers needed to pick up weapons to defend themselves.
1028
1029There was opposition among the aristocrats ruling the country, on educating the lowly farmers to fight, but the policy remained in place to keep the nation running. Based on the results, the policy was a success. By pushing for a minimum standard of education among all people, it unified the citizens and their concept of pride as a nation. The improvement in domestic security was also a lucky bonus.
1030
1031With this back-story, a trend of setting up education facilities was started all over the country. Laihiala Pilot Academy took advantage of its geographic location near the Capital and enroled students who were peasants, merchants, and even nobles. The academy was thus divided into an agricultural faculty, a business faculty, a pilot faculty, etc. All majors included classes on combat techniques, but most of the curriculum was tailored to make the students employable. The school holds many different classes to accommodate the family circumstances of its students, as well. Students need to attend at least 3 years of class and achieve a certain level of proficiency to graduate.
1032
1033Chid and Ady sat beside Eru, who was studying the prospectus seriously. They had already flipped through the prospectus, and were eating the snacks on the table. When the snacks were almost gone, Eru was still deep in thought, which surprised them.
1034
1035"Hey, what's troubling you? You wanted to be a Knight, right? Just take the Knighthood major."
1036
1037"Erm, that was my plan... But there is something bothering me."
1038
1039"Bothering you? Is it something like, 'the Knighthood major is too easy'?"
1040
1041"No, that's not it... My goal from the very beginning was to be a Knight runner."
1042
1043Knights certified to ride on Silhouette Knights are known as Knight runners. Eru's family knew about his ambition, and Chid and Ady had heard about it several times, too.
1044
1045"The number of Silhouette Knights is limited, and only the elites of the Knighthood major can become pilots. The Knighthood major will take 6 years to complete and is followed by the piloting course. When all of that is done, including the deployment process... It will be a long time before I am actually riding a Silhouette Knight."
1046
1047It is not easy to become a Knight runner; Silhouette Knights are 'weapons', something created to protect the nation. That's why, it requires years of training before it is possible to pilot one.
1048
1049Eru thought about it for a while and faced Mathias.
1050
1051"Father, I have a question, does the Knighthood major allow the skipping of grades?"
1052
1053Mathias frowned, his son had asked something difficult. He understood Eru's worries and also knew how tough it would be.
1054
1055"With the efforts you put in, and your magical capabilities, that is certainly possible... but the Knighthood major is different. Not only are you tested on your sword and magic abilities, you will also go through ethics lessons, and you have never learned about ethics officially, correct?"
1056
1057This was a blind spot. Mathias continued with a troubled expression:
1058
1059"Silhouette Knight pilot training is the final class before you enter pilot school. Students usually enroll at age 15... But for you... eh, if you are not tall enough, there won't be a suitable machine for you to pilot."
1060
1061Everyone looked at Eru, and the scene fell into a hellish silence. Eru was smaller than the peers in his age group, which was obvious compared to the Olter siblings beside him. But no one thought this would be important.
1062
1063Eru looked down in utter disappointment. He would need to wait 7 more years to pilot the giant robots of his dreams. He didn't mind waiting, but no one would blame him for thinking the process would take too long. But not everything will go your way. Eru wanted to change the mood in the room, when he felt a shadow loom over him. He lifted his head and saw Tina standing before him.
1064
1065"I'm sorry, Eru. Because you look like me... your height..."
1066
1067Seeing his mother rubbing his head with an apologetic face, Eru opened his eyes wide and shook his head.
1068
1069"That's not it! Mother, it doesn't matter! I am still young, and this is not the only way..."
1070
1071Eru stopped suddenly as he remembered something, surprised by his own words and closed his mouth slowly. This inspiration gave birth to a new possibility.
1072
1073"...That's right; this is not the only way. I was too focused on piloting and wasted too much time. I should be spending my efforts in the right place..."
1074
1075Tina tilted her head in confusion, as she watched Eru slowly raise his head with resolve.
1076
1077"I can just make one myself."
1078
1079"Make what?"
1080
1081Chid asked on reflex when he heard Eru's fragmented words.
1082
1083"A Silhouette Knight. I will make one myself."
1084
1085"... Ah?"
1086
1087"...E...Eru? Are you serious?"
1088
1089Eru looked more determined than ever. His words were too surprising; everyone in the room didn't know what to say.
1090
1091"Wait... Wait a minute, what do you mean... by making?"
1092
1093"I mean literally. All my actions thus far are based on piloting, but now that I think about it, I won't get my personal machine this way."
1094
1095Everyone was stunned, was Eru thinking of hogging a Silhouette Knight for himself? Aside from a handful of powerful nobles and merchants, no one owned a personal Silhouette Knight. Creating and maintaining one would require enormous funds and manpower, going the pilot route is a short cut compared to this. That is the common sense of this world, but for the robot nerd from an alternate world, Eru didn't care about all that.
1096
1097"That's right, isn't it? The machine issued by the kingdom cannot be modified too drastically! Why didn't I think about something so basic? A custom Silhouette Knight is the way to go. I will need related knowledge to modify one completely anyway... I overlooked this."
1098
1099Chid and Ady put their hands on their foreheads when they saw Eru's evil smile, they knew that this was bad. The normal Eru would always act maturely with a casual air. But he had an unbelievably passionate side to him too, erupting unexpectedly. Chid and Ady felt that they were looking at Eru's true obsessive nature.
1100
1101"You're doing it for real? Eru..."
1102
1103"Yes! I am sure that I will be wasting my time if I carry on this way. Setting the goal of building one myself will be a good hobby, and is more practical than saving money and buying one, right?"
1104
1105Chid thought either choice would be crazy, but he chose silence intelligently. Mathias glanced at the uninterested Chid and said sternly:
1106
1107"Eru... I understand how you feel, but it is not as simple as you think."
1108
1109"I know, father. But if possible, I want a personal Silhouette Knight, so I am going to do all I can."
1110
1111"I see... alright, then. But, work hard on your Knight lessons, too."
1112
1113"I will. I really want to be a pilot, so I won't take it lightly."
1114
1115Eru had no hesitation on his face. Ady started patting Eru's head for some reason, moving from being stunned to being impressed.
1116
1117"Well, you are really willing to do whatever it takes for your goal."
1118
1119"... I am a bit concerned with the way you put it, but there is no reason to give up when there are choices for me to take."
1120
1121"Amazing. Eru looks so cute, but is so passionate."
1122
1123Because of how I look, normal methods won't work on me.
1124
1125Eru looked out the window; he could see the facility that took up half the space in the city... Laihiala Pilot Academy.
1126
1127"Well... I am looking forward to the day I go to school in Laihiala."
1128
1129Mathias and Tina smiled at each other; they didn't want to see their son depressed. Even though his goal was ridiculous, if it is Eru, he can definitely strive towards it wholeheartedly.
1130
1131"... I don't want to lose, Eru is too amazing."
1132
1133"Chid?"
1134
1135"Noth... Nothing. Okay, let's work hard to be Knights!"
1136
1137"Yeah!"
1138
1139Chid and Ady had decided to major in Knighthood, too. The three of them wanted to work hard on their goal together at Laihiala Pilot Academy, and looked forward to their campus life in the future.
1140
1141== C.E. 1274
1142
1143The season changed to spring, the time for Laihiala Pilot Academy to welcome new students.
1144
1145Laihiala Pilot Academy didn't only take in students from Laihiala city but also from the Capital, the neighbouring city, and all over the nation. Taking into account the possibility of a Demon beast attacks and traffic conditions, most of the students leave for academy city early, so new faces could be seen around the dormitory in recent days.
1146
1147On the morning of the entrance ceremony, Ernesti, Archid, and Adeltrud walked to campus along with Batson. With the dormitory filled with students from foreign countries, local students usually commuted to school from home.
1148
1149Laihiala Academy City was surrounded by a giant city wall, but Laihiala Pilot Academy had a wall of its own. Although its purpose was to demarcate the campus grounds, with the vast amount of land that makes up the academy, the continuous line of walls extended to the streets, becoming a well-known landmark.
1150
1151"Now that I think about it, I have gotten used to the wall but have never gone in..."
1152
1153"You can go in as much as you like from now on."
1154
1155"That's right."
1156
1157The group walked along the wall and reached the tall school gates shortly. This was the main entrance into the academy. Because the piloting students will ride on Silhouette Knights, the gates were adjusted to accommodate their height. The door was wide open for the entrance ceremony.
1158
1159The four of them were about to enter excitedly when Eru suddenly stopped. Chid, Ady, and Batson looked back with surprise, but understood when they saw the things beside the gates. On either side of the main gate were Silhouette Knights, welcoming all of the visitors and incoming students. The group had to drag Eru, who looked like he was about to prostrate himself before them, away and entered the academy.
1160
1161The most important part of the schedule was the entrance ceremony. The ceremony mostly consisted of listening to speeches given by the teachers. After lunch, the teachers would lead their students away, and give them a brief introduction to the content of the course. Although they were divided into various faculties, primary school focused more on the basics, with common modules across the whole school year. The division was very vague, and the contents only start to vary during middle school.
1162
1163The entrance ceremony was held in the grand hall. The group gazed in awe at the gigantic scale of the campus, but Eru, who had visited his father's workplace before, knew the way and walked confidently towards the grand hall, while the other three desperately chased after him to keep the short Eru in sight.
1164
1165"It's great that we don't need others to lead us, but it is easy to lose track of Eru. He is really small."
1166
1167"Right, it would be easier to locate him if he was taller, but that's fine. He is cuter this way!"
1168
1169"I didn't grow much either."
1170
1171Eru couldn't stand them being so noisy and spoke up.
1172
1173"I'm going to leave Chid and Ady behind."
1174
1175"Ah, I have an idea! We won't lose Eru if I hug him right?"
1176
1177"I'm not okay with that."
1178
1179As the group was joking around, the grand hall was already overflowing with people when they arrived. Everyone here was a new student, as expected of the largest educational institute in the nation. They thought it would be too crowded to even stand in the grand hall, but they somehow found some seats. The school had already anticipated this overwhelming crowd.
1180
1181The ceremony began in the grand hall filled with tense freshmen.
1182
1183Grandfather of Ernesti... Dean Lauri Echevarria started off the address, followed by esteemed members of the academy. The four children who listened to the speech with their backs straight started to feel irritated as the event dragged on. Although they displayed patience uncommon for children, they still had bored expressions by the end of the ceremony. Fortunately, the torment stopped before noon. With the end of the speeches, the entrance ceremony drew to a close, and the freshmen filed out of the grand hall.
1184
1185It was lunch time, so the group headed for the school canteen. Some people bought food there; others took out their lunch boxes. Upperclassmen, who were familiar with the place headed to the eateries outside the campus. Everyone settled down to eat their lunch in their own way, but the cafeteria remained crowded. In this chaos, a prominent group sat in a corner of the canteen.
1186
1187One of them was a pretty girl, who had short, silvery hair with a hint of purple.
1188
1189The other two had unkempt black hair and wavy shoulder-length black hair, a boy and girl who shared a similar feeling.
1190
1191The last was a young dwarf who had reddish brown hair.
1192
1193From afar, the members of this group had nothing in common. Even though the group drew many curious glances, no one had the courage to approach them.
1194
1195"The canteen is incredibly crowded."
1196
1197"But we found a place to sit immediately, which is great."
1198
1199"They offered their seats to us immediately... I wonder why?"
1200
1201Eru chatted with Batson as he ate his crepe covered in pie crust. It was a mini crepe with pie crust that was easy to carry, and fitted nicely into Eru's small hand. Ady looked very pleased, as she watched Eru eat the biscuit in silence.
1202
1203"Are there speeches in the afternoon? They are too long winded."
1204
1205"Doesn't matter, you didn’t listen to them anyway Chid. Didn't you fall asleep?"
1206
1207"Let's eat our lunch first. There are lots of people here, so we should finish up and let others sit, too."
1208
1209There were empty seats at their table. Eru felt embarrassed that no one else was sitting with them. At this moment, a female student ignored all of this, and walked towards them.
1210
1211Her blonde hair swayed as she walked in confident strides, causing a small commotion among the students. It was rare for her to show up here after all. She sat in the empty chair as if they were planning to meet up.
1212
1213She was obviously older than Eru and the others, an upperclassman. There was no standard uniform in Laihiala Pilot Academy. Her clothes seemed to be low profile but well made, with accessories that didn't hinder her movements. Eru guessed she must have come from a well off family, either a daughter of wealthy merchants or aristocrats.
1214
1215There were two types of reaction from them: Eru and Batson looked at the stranger with confusion, while Chid and Ady held their breath and stared at her. Those were not passionate eyes for a beautiful lady, but bashful eyes. Eru didn't understand this, but he was certain the girl had connections with the twins.
1216
1217The pretty girl who came uninvited smiled as she looked at the tense twins, then faced Eru and Batson. Her smile became gentler as she introduced herself.
1218
1219"Hello my cute friend. My name is Stefania Serrati. What about you?"
1220
1221Eru was lost for a moment, but he put down his half bitten biscuit, sat properly and replied:
1222
1223"I am Ernesti Echevarria, this is Batson Termonen, as for these two..."
1224
1225"It's fine, I'm already acquainted with them. Archid, Adeltrud, long time no see, I'm glad you are both healthy."
1226
1227Stefania had been smiling gently the entire time, but Chid tensed up his normally sleepy face and said:
1228
1229"Long time no see, Stefania onee-sama."
1230
1231The stiff tone didn't sound like something Chid would normally use. Stefania's face collapsed, but she regained her smile immediately.
1232
1233"... Both of you are at the age where you are attending school at Laihiala. Since we have the opportunity to study at the same school, why don't you visit me?"
1234
1235"Stefania onee-sama is in the third year of primary school, right? Oh yeah, Baltsar onii-sama is studying here, too?"
1236
1237"Right, he is majoring in Knighthood, 2nd year of primary school, you will have the chance to meet him soon."
1238
1239Compared to Stefania's attitude, the demeanour of the twins was weird. Chid was stiff in his tone while Ady was uncharacteristically quiet. It seemed like they had family ties, but it felt unnatural. Batson routinely switched his gaze from one member to the next in this awkward atmosphere. Everyone had stopped eating. Suddenly, Eru finished his biscuit aggressively, contrary to his small stature. He ignored the surprised stares of others, wiped his mouth and smiled.
1240
1241"Alright, we have finished our food. The cafeteria is too crowded, and it's not considerate to hog the table, let's go somewhere else. What do you think?"
1242
1243"... Ri... Right. Both of you are majoring in Knighthood? There will be plenty of chances for us to meet, let's chat slowly next time."
1244
1245Stefania, who had a regrettable expression, patted Eru's head for some reason before leaving. The four baffled children were left behind. Batson wanted to clarify things, but Eru said that lunch break was over, and they should head for the classroom. He forcefully left his seat and left. Batson wasn't satisfied, but he still went towards the crafting faculty, while the trio moved towards the Knighthood department with an awkward atmosphere.
1246
1247There was nothing worth mentioning about the afternoon’s freshmen welcome activities. They were simply briefed on the schedule for the future, and the contents for lessons tomorrow. After orientation, everyone was dismissed, and the students prepared to leave.
1248
1249Even now, Chid and Ady still seemed troubled. They were not joking like usual, instead, they were unfocused and had an awkward air about them. On the way home, Eru led the way and told them:
1250
1251"I don't know the details, but don't be depressed. Class is starting tomorrow, so training will be cancelled for today, take a break."
1252
1253Chid and Ady stopped. "Eh, Eru." Chid called out with a calm resolve.
1254
1255"What is it?"
1256
1257"Aren't you going to ask, erm, about her?"
1258
1259"If you feel the need to share, I will listen."
1260
1261The air about the twins visibly eased. They looked at each other as if to confirm something. After a while, Chid started:
1262
1263"Eru, we have something we need tell you."
1264
1265"Alright, let's talk in my room."
1266
1267And so, the trio left campus and headed for Eru's place, to his room. As this is the place where they hold their magic lessons, the two were familiar with it. They sat on the table and bed as usual, but the difference was that they were quiet. After a while, Chid began:
1268
1269"Ah... Erm, simply put, our father is an impressive noble."
1270
1271After being silent for so long, those words were too direct. Eru blinked and asked:
1272
1273"So you are aristocrats? But you two have not done anything noble like? And, even joined me for training."
1274
1275"It's complicated... actually not. Our mother is not the noble's wife but a mistress."
1276
1277"Erm, because mother is easygoing, she says she doesn’t mind being a mistress since she has us."
1278
1279"Father's wife... well, is very jealous and conscious of others."
1280
1281"Even if she doesn’t like mother, her pride prevents her from feuding with a simple mistress."
1282
1283Even Eru wasn't sure how to react, so he simply nodded.
1284
1285"Mother is too obedient, doing everything to appease others. In the end, madam didn’t allow us to live under the same roof as her, making a big scene."
1286
1287"And, we were given a place to live, that's why we moved here. The living expenses are handled by father."
1288
1289"Eh, that's how it is... Stefania Onee-sama that you met earlier is the daughter of madam."
1290
1291"Tiffa-nee is alright, but the problem is with the other two brothers. The younger brother is very irritating."
1292
1293"He likes to go on a power trip, bullying us because we are scions of a mistress. Just like Madam."
1294
1295The two of them complained nonstop and ended with a big sigh. Their expressions twisted when they mentioned the brother, making it easy to imagine all of the things that happened between them.
1296
1297"This brother you mentioned is in Laihiala?"
1298
1299"Correct. He is one year older than us, so he is in the second year of primary school."
1300
1301"I see. I have a feeling that there will be trouble."
1302
1303Chid nodded firmly. It's not a premonition; Chid knew that there would definitely be trouble. The life at the main house flashed in his mind. He had to bear with the oppression and the hardships back then, so he didn't spend too much time reminiscing.
1304
1305"We are still grateful towards father for providing us with the living expenses. But..."
1306
1307"If they leave us alone, we won't trouble them either. But they like to mess with us and can't stand us."
1308
1309They probably recalled unpleasant memories, Chid was gesturing furiously while Ady said moodily.
1310
1311"Since Tiffa-nee knows... That guy will probably come soon. If you are with us, you might get caught up in this too..."
1312
1313Ady was depressed when she said this. Her usual confidence had disappeared. Because she usually gives off a bubbly impression, the gap appeared wider.
1314
1315"I understand the gist of it. So what's next?"
1316
1317Eru was standing before they had realised it.
1318
1319"... What do you... mean by next?"
1320
1321"Do you plan to defend, ignore them, or attack?"
1322
1323"Oh, should be attack... Hey!"
1324
1325Chid unconsciously went along and was shocked. Eru smiled as he usually did when he is talking about dangerous things. Even Chid, who knew that Eru was not just a pretty face backed off.
1326
1327"What is with you all of a sudden? I am glad you are my friend, you would be terrifying as an enemy."
1328
1329"You are helping us? As expected of Eru! You are so reliable, but this is our family problem. We can't trouble you."
1330
1331"That's right. I have no idea how much I can interfere, but I don't plan to seeing my friends so troubled. Just call me whenever you need me, I will be there."
1332
1333"... Okay, we're counting on you!"
1334
1335Chid and Ady nodded confidently, they were smiling once again. Eru looked at them and thought:
1336
1337I didn't expect them to be nobles. Their sister didn't seem to hate them... why is that? No matter what, it seems there will be trouble...
1338
1339Eru thought about it from an outsider's point of view, keeping this matter to heart. The upcoming school days will be more chaotic than he imagined.
1340
1341After the tumultuous entrance ceremony, they started their school life the next day.
1342
1343There were no scheduled lessons today either, because the briefing took up half the day. This was extremely boring for the 9 year old kids who just enrolled. Most people paid no heed to the teacher's presentation, and the atmosphere was clearly screaming 'won't it end already' for all to see. But one student was excited about a few trivial details.
1344
1345There… There is such a course...
1346
1347That's right, it was Ernesti Echevarria. And the matter that gave him such a big impact? It was the flimsy piece of paper in his hands. A table was drawn neatly on it, the timetable for all classes, probably basic information given out by the school to all freshmen. What did he learn from the timetable?
1348
1349...There is a... 'Silhouette Knight Design Basics' course...!? But the timetable he was holding with his trembling hands did not belong to the Knighthood major for primary school. You can infer from the name that this course is meant for Knightsmith students, who are aiming to build and maintain Silhouette Knights. It is catered for students in their 2nd year of middle school (around 13 years old), and this course had nothing to do with Eru who was majoring in Knighthood.
1350
1351But, after reading such tempting words, the out of control speeding train... Ernesti will definitely go for it. He confirmed the Knight faculty timetable, and in the same time slot was one of the most important courses for Knighthood majors... fundamental magic.
1352
1353I must attend this course no matter what... this class is in the way...!
1354
1355Suddenly, the teacher on the lectern felt a strange sensation, as if a starving beast had made its way into the classroom, sending a prickling sensation down his back. He shivered, stopped his lecture and looked around the room, but he could only see a bunch of unmotivated kids, there was no famished beast here. The teacher shook his head and decided to treat it as a false alarm.
1356
1357He overlooked the fired up, petite student hidden in the crowd.
1358
1359The Knighthood courses that they are studying has two types, Fundamental Knight courses and Generic courses. The Generic courses are the same as other majors, while the Knight courses focus on magic knowledge, mana training, and swordsmanship.
1360
1361Generally speaking, human magic is classified into elementary, intermediate, and advanced according to its power and ease of control.
1362
1363As most citizens know elementary magic, they are also known as 'common spells'. Hence, intermediate and advanced spells are recognised as real magic. Faculties aside from Knighthood majors strive to be at the intermediate level. Since advanced magic is also dependent on the depth of one's mana pool, only Knighthood majors learn it. Ernesti knew through experience that increasing the mana pool requires plenty of effort. Hence, joining combat related careers such as Knights requires a lot of effort in mana training. Allocating more time on mana training than other courses is the unique feature of the Knighthood faculty.
1364
1365And so, the day to attend Fundamental Magic class arrived.
1366
1367This was a memorable first lesson. The lesson was not conducted in the classroom as the students needs to be tested to determine their magical abilities, and to be divided into different groups.
1368
1369Eru's trio had already learned magic before enrolment, so their foundations were strong. Apart from them, there were some who had learned the basics, too, so they would be in a different class from those without any magical training. The newbies were placed in the 'general class', while the experienced ones were placed in the 'advanced class'. Advanced class might sound impressive, but the only difference with the general class is the experience. Regardless, advanced class students were viewed as elites anyway.
1370
1371This was because the advanced class had kids from noble clans and merchant families, who were able to receive education in sword and magic before enrolment. This meant that they had a certain standard of wealth. In a way, Ernesti, with his family background in the education field, and his disciples, Archid and Adeltrud, were exceptions.
1372
1373The chattering students followed the teacher to the sports arena. The fastest method to test magic capabilities was for the students to use them, and to cast destructive spells, they need to move to a specialised training ground surrounded by walls. The classmates gathered in groups of twos or threes, surveying the straw man targets wearing old armour, rearing to go.
1374
1375On the surface, this was just an introductory class. They wouldn't be scrutinised because of their magic abilities at this stage, but it was a chance to show off and garner fame, if they performed better than their peers. A lot of the advanced class students had confidence in their abilities. Everyone was in high spirits and did their best because of this.
1376
1377One of the students casted a Fireball, an intermediate level fire spell. An orange magical sphere appeared from the staff, hitting the target with blazes trailing behind it. True to its name, the magic exploded in a ball of flames upon impact <TL: Kanji is Explode Fire Ball>. The armour retained its shape but was scorched black, showing the explosive power of the blast. The students were in an uproar after witnessing this scene, very few freshmen knew intermediate spells before starting school and have mastery over the powerful Fireball. But Fireball was an impressive spell and drains a lot of mana, the boy was already at his limits after casting it. He was panting roughly, almost to the point of mana exhaustion, but he still looked very pleased.
1378
1379The teacher supervising the exercise held high hopes for this batch. With such mastery of magic upon enrolment, he would become an elite magician if he puts in the effort at school. The teacher tried not to display this thought on his face, and continuing to record the results in silence.
1380
1381"Everyone seems used to Fireball, should we do something like that, too?"
1382
1383"Right... Ah, Eru, what do you want to do?"
1384
1385Archid folded his arms lazily, standing some distance away from the area that was filled with excitement. Adeltrud hugged Eru as usual, as she conversed with him. She realised Eru was not being himself. Eru always gave off a gentle air, now he had a stern expression as if he was going to a battlefield. Ady tilted her head in confusion, her past experience tells her that Eru will only make such a serious face when Silhouette Knights are involved, but she had no idea how it is related to the magic test that is going on right now.
1386
1387The test continued. Next up was finally Eru’s turn. His stature was petite, compared to his classmates, but his expression was stern like never before, and he had a serious atmosphere about him. Eru spoke when he got into position.
1388
1389"Teacher, I have a selfish request."
1390
1391"Hmm? What is it?"
1392
1393The sudden question surprised the teacher.
1394
1395"If the results of the test exceeds the contents of the class by a large margin, can I be exempted from taking this course?"
1396
1397"... What are you talking about?"
1398
1399Eru's strange words stunned the teacher. He frowned deeply when he realised what Eru meant.
1400
1401"...Ernesti Echevarria? What do you mean? Refusing to attend lessons? This joke is not funny..."
1402
1403"No, I am very serious. I have another class that I wish to attend, so it will be a big help if I am exempt from this course."
1404
1405The teacher was dumbstruck. He had been a teacher for quite some time, but he had never seen a student so confident before. It might be okay for a middle schooler, but a freshman in primary school? The teacher wouldn't allow this request easily.
1406
1407"How bold of you, I won't accept it so easily. Ah, right, since you said that, at least show me advanced magic. Then I will think about it."
1408
1409"So it will dependent on my results? I heard that very clearly..."
1410
1411The students around them listened to the conversation and anticipated a good show. Most of them just wanted to watch the drama, but only Chid and Ady knew of Eru's strength and the inevitable results, they looked at each other.
1412
1413The teacher was also hinting that punishment will follow if Eru failed, and deliberately made things difficult for Eru. But the teacher did not realise that he was facing a demon who wanted to give his whole life to Silhouette Knight designing; Eru would give his all without hesitation.
1414
1415Eru started to construct the magical script in the virtual region in his brain... the magius circuit. He pushed his amazing calculation abilities, starting the processing sequence. He drew out Winchester from his waist, casting spells along the wake of his staff... Piercing Lance. This was a type of compressed fire spell, focusing the explosion on impact in one direction, increasing the piercing power of Fireball. And, he did not just activate one, there were ten Piercing Lances appearing one after another in the air.
1416
1417After completing the deployment of the Piercing Lances in short order, he took aim at the target, firing them off simultaneously. The long and thin flaming spears were right on target, and the armoured target was hit repeatedly. The narrow interior of the armour was heated intensely after being pierced on impact, the straw man was instantly torn apart. The armour could not withstand the devastating heat and melted in a red glow before finally exploding.
1418
1419
1420
1421
1422
1423The teacher and students were speechless, unable to believe their eyes. Piercing Lance was an intermediate spell but was a higher level spell than Fireball. Constructing the script in such a short time and activating 10 of them was not a simple task. And amazingly, Eru didn't seem fatigued after casting such a powerful spell. This means that the mana cost of the Piercing Lances was not a burden on Eru's mana pool. This was not something a freshman, who had just enrolled in yesterday, could achieve.
1424
1425This was more than enough, but Eru kept his word. He lifted his other Winchester... different from the one he used to cast Piercing Lance. The next script had been completed in his mind, a complicated and orderly spell, conjuring a magic much stronger than Piercing Lance.
1426
1427The air around them started to shift, forming a tornado in an instant. It went straight for the target from Eru's position with a large howl. The strong wind would definitely have blown the straw man away if they hadn't been nailed to the ground. The furious wind and rumbling thunder resonated within everyone's ears. The lightning created by magic was much more destructive than the Piercing Lances, turning the armour into dust with one strike.
1428
1429Thundering Gale... A melded magic using wind and lightning sigils, a real Advanced Spell.
1430
1431Eru started training from age 5, so casting these series of spells, including advanced spells, was not a burden on him, and he was not even out of breath. When he looked back, he saw a startled expression. The teacher was slack-jawed and stiff. Eru smiled happily and said to the teacher:
1432
1433"How was that teacher? Do you agree to exempt me from this course?"
1434
1435"...Eh? Ah, yes, do what you want."
1436
1437No one protested or challenged his decision. And so, Eru earned the freedom to work towards a bright future.
1438
1439Everyone stared from afar at the pleased Eru, who gained victory with his overwhelming abilities. Even Chid and Ady looked at the target that was blown away with blank eyes.
1440
1441"He made such a big scene, he was totally into it."
1442
1443"Yeah, he can skip this class and attend the Silhouette design module of his dreams!"
1444
1445"He was willing to go this far... Anyone who gets in his way will be burnt to ashes..."
1446
1447Ady said as she backed away. Chid pulled her back with a bitter smile.
1448
1449"That's wrong. He is not taking it easy because he has a goal, right? I will blow the target away too."
1450
1451Chid rolled his shoulders gleefully with anticipation. Eru gave him a warning despite what he did:
1452
1453"Don't mind me, but is it okay for you to stand out? You have an irritating brother here, right? Do you plan to challenge him?"
1454
1455"What are you saying, after causing such a commotion? Like I said, we will stand out with you around anyway."
1456
1457"I think ... you are spot on, I can't deny that."
1458
1459"Right? I will be right back."
1460
1461"Take care... Work hard!"
1462
1463The training ground hadn't recovered yet, from the disaster caused by Eru, everyone looked at Chid with sympathetic eyes when he stepped onto the field without a care in the world. No one wanted to be next, right after Eru's unbelievable magic display. Chid knew this, but still entered with his head held high.
1464
1465My tutor is amazing. It will be hard to catch up to him. I have to put on a good show, too!
1466
1467For Chid who studied under Eru, he was used to Eru's shenanigans and knew he couldn't match Eru yet. That why, he couldn't hold anything back.
1468
1469Chid steadied himself, closed his eyes, and started to construct a script with his magius circuit. To be honest, he was more proficient in power type spells, so he chose to use one. He drew up the staff he favoured and held it high, then pointed it at the target. The mana and script streaming into the crystal catalyst made the red orb glow brightly. He chose to cast a single shot spell, an intermediate spell more powerful than Piercing Lance... Flame Strike.
1470
1471An oval shaped magic sphere flew out with a spectacular trailing blaze, causing a bigger explosion than fireball. The reverberating sound acted like a signal, drawing the attention of everyone present back to the arena.
1472
1473"... Wahhh!"
1474
1475Chid fired a second shot, the two overlapping explosions blew the targets away. For him, two shots were the limit of his mana pool. He was unsteady on his feet from fatigue, but he still smiled and passed the baton to the next person... Ady.
1476
1477"You are still the same, only going for brute force... My turn!"
1478
1479Chid and Ady were twins, but their strengths differed widely. Unlike Chid who was good with power, Ady specialised in intrinsic control. She carefully constructed the script, held her magic staff with both hands and aimed at the target. A dazzling lightning appeared the next second, piercing the target with the rumble of thunder. She chose the intermediate spell of the lightning architect sigil... Riot Sparrow.
1480
1481As depicted by its name <TL: Kanji is Lightning Javelin>, Riot Sparrow changes lightning into the form of a javelin before firing it at the target. Lightning spells are powerful, but it is hard for the caster to direct it accurately. Increasing the accuracy adds additional burden on the caster, and along with its difficult control makes people view it as a higher class of magic compared to others. From the aftermath, the trio displayed incredible capabilities.
1482
1483They ignored the atmosphere in the arena, high fiving each other in celebration. Ady hugged Eru and twirled around while Chid was so tired he couldn't stand up straight. Compared to the casual trio, the other advanced students felt uneasy. They were thinking:
1484
1485What are we going to do, if we take classes with these three incredible people?
1486
1487As previously mentioned, the advanced class had many scions of aristocrats and merchants, a bunch of children with large amounts of pride. Their childishness and immature pride angers others easily, but the scene before them was too amazing, shattering their young pride and competitiveness. They gave up and sighed deeply. Eru and the twins didn't care about their depressed classmates. Their classmates’ troubles were just beginning.
1488
1489That fundamental magic class was seen as a catastrophe. A few days later, Batson led his petite childhood friend and repeated for the one hundredth and first time.
1490
1491"Ah... it's that way, that's the classroom you want... But, are you really going to study there?"
1492
1493Laihiala Pilot Academy had many grades and faculties, so it needs plenty of classrooms and facilities. Because the campus was divided by grades and faculties, a lot of students would only meet each other at the canteen during breaks.
1494
1495"Of course, how can I miss such an interesting class? Ah, here will be far enough, Batson."
1496
1497"Yeah..."
1498
1499Batson watched the youth enter the classroom and remained baffled.
1500
1501"But this is the crafting faculty, and that is a middle school classroom..."
1502
1503The atmosphere before class began was casual, some were preparing for the next lesson, some were working on their assignments, and others were just chatting lazily.
1504
1505"Quiet please, class is beginning... It seems very quiet today."
1506
1507The teacher said the usual as he entered the room, but he noticed that something was wrong and stopped. The students were usually noisy and rowdy before class started. To be craftsmen requires a practical attitude. In other words, it is better to try it out instead of thinking about it. There was nothing wrong with this line of thought, but that meant a lot of them just couldn't sit still.
1508
1509For these students, this lecture based class was unpopular. It was rare for his charges to be quiet before the teacher arrived. He might have felt moved, but instead, he felt that something was out of place. The 40 odd years old teacher surveyed the students in the room and noticed that they were staring at the same spot. He followed their line of sight and saw the culprit of this abnormal situation.
1510
1511"... What are you doing here?"
1512
1513The teacher asked the student sitting in the middle of the front row, who did not belong here.
1514
1515It was a young and small sized boy, nothing like a middle schooler. Because the middle school desk was too large for him, he had to kneel on his chair. His position was upright and proper, with the text book 'Fundamentals of Silhouette Knights Design' on his lap, waiting excitedly for the class to begin.
1516
1517This scene was warming, but contrasted with the situation in reality. This was a classroom in middle school, not a place for primary school students.
1518
1519"I'm here for the lesson."
1520
1521"I see, because the class is about to begin. But that's not what I meant. You don't look like a middle schooler."
1522
1523"I am a primary school student from the Knighthood faculty. I came because I want to attend this course."
1524
1525Their conversation was going in circles, but the teacher, who was firm, warned Eru calmly.
1526
1527"Well, it is good to be passionate about your studies, but there are classes for Knighthood majors, right? You should come after you finish that class."
1528
1529"It's okay. I knew all the contents of that class. The teachers are fine with exempting me. You can confirm this with them."
1530
1531"... Is that so? Then, that’s fine. Alright, let's continue with the topic from the previous lesson, regarding the structure of Silhouette Knights..."
1532
1533All the students retorted in their heart: “How is that fine!", but the teacher decided that he would lose, if he felt bothered by Eru and carried on teaching adamantly.
1534
1535The outsider who hogged the first row, Ernesti Echevarria, glanced at the teacher and opened the textbook happily, preparing to take notes. Being so pleased because of a lesson, the middle schoolers felt too lazy to retort. And so, the crafting faculty accepted this outsider and the course somehow carried on smoothly.
1536
1537"Before dabbling in the design of Silhouette Knights, you have to familiarise yourself with the structure, this is a simple rationale. But what needs to be done specifically? That is hard to answer. One of the reasons is the difficulty in constructing the Silhouette Knights. It requires crafting, magic, and alchemy, so there is a lot to learn, meaning the problem is with the amount of studying materials. That is why only people, who are going to make Silhouette Knights, Knightsmiths, will learn how to design them. Knight runners won't have the time to learn all of this knowledge."
1538
1539That might be true, but we can't apply this to the boy intruding into the crafting faculty... Ernesti. He is a robot nerd whose obsession wasn't even cured after reincarnation. He read volumes of robot designs and specification, even memorising the name and models of robots. If you teach the method of crafting a giant robot to this guy, what do you think will happen? He will treat the textbook as a bible and study it religiously, preparing for lessons and revising the topic until perfection, going beyond the scope of the lesson and researching tons of information. His attitude is great, but his burning passion makes the middle schoolers, who are older than him back away.
1540
1541"... Comparing the current military model Karrdator and the previous generation Salodrea..."
1542
1543As Eru listened to the teacher's explanation, he flipped his textbook. He always sat in the middle of the front row, and after a few lessons, that became his permanent seat.
1544
1545The elderly teacher scribbled on the blackboard with the clear sound of chalk, listing the basic structure of the Silhouette Knights. This includes the 5 main crucial elements... The 'magius engine' acting as the brain, the 'ether reactor' that serves as the heart, the 'crystal tissue' simulating muscles, the 'inner skeleton' reinforcing the structure, and the 'outer skin' as the armour.
1546
1547"As everyone knows, these two models have similar ether reactors; the difference in power output lies in the crystal tissues..."
1548
1549The Silhouette Knights are powered by the mana produced from the ether reactor. The ether reactor converts the ether in the world into mana, simulating the organic functions of living things in the form of machines. As long as there is ether around it, this device can keep on running. Normally, the mana produced by the reactor will turn back to ether and spread it into the atmosphere. Hence, there is a need for ether to circulate within the crystal tissues to maintain its form as mana.
1550
1551Crystal tissues are crystal catalysts, that has been modified through alchemy, and able to change its shape under the influence of specific scripts and mana. Apart from using it as the muscles of the Silhouette Knights, this property also allows it to be used as mana batteries.
1552
1553"The script in the magius engine has been refined, but the improvement is not significant. Because of its ruggedness, it has been used for over 300 years without major changes..."
1554
1555The magius engine is responsible for controlling the heart and muscles. It contains gigantic and complicated magic scripts, allowing the pilot to control the Silhouette Knights.
1556
1557The inner skeleton and outer skin are simply a metallic frame and armour. But current technology cannot create the skeletons of the gigantic humanoid robots as a single entity. They have to be made from the combination of smaller parts, wielded together with physical boost magic and scripts to support its weight. This allows the Silhouette Knights to look tougher in its defence, but creates a flaw with the body being unable to support its own weight without a constant supply of magic.
1558
1559Silhouette Knights simulate the functions of living beings, an existence created by the combined efforts of crafting, magic, and alchemy.
1560
1561"Please turn to the next page. This covers the Silhouette arms of the Silhouette Knights. Although it is not directly related to the design, but this is still important, so please study this part carefully."
1562
1563Silhouette arms refer to the ranged attack equipment used by Silhouette Knights. Surprisingly, the Silhouette Knights, which are a combination of magical components, are not able to use ranged magic on their own. The magius engine can only be used to move the Silhouette Knight itself, and does not include the ranged attack function. The Knight runner is required to construct a magic script when spells are needed.
1564
1565Of course, casting magic at the level of Silhouette Knights... known as Overt spells... is impossible for humans. There are rare cases where an individual is able to process the magic, but constructing the script needs time and cannot be used in actual battle. For Silhouette Knights to use overt spells in the heat of a fight, the magic script has to be prepared in advance.
1566
1567"For people aiming to be Knightsmiths such as yourself, there is no need to study 'Emblem Graph', but you must master the script at the level of Culverin."
1568
1569Emblem graph doesn't construct magic through the use of scripts, like the magius circuit of living beings. Emblems are drawn on the exterior of objects, which are then used to cast spells... It uses the theory that scripts can be visualised in the form of a pattern. When using emblem graph to cast magic, the mana can be channelled directly to the object the emblem is grafted on, in order to activate it. It appears to be a convenient technique so far, but because drawing the script needs a large physical area, it will run into the problem of the equipment being too cumbersome. If you take into account the difficulty and the effort required to make them, the emblems are not really marketable to citizens.
1570
1571But the advantage of using the emblem graph is the ability to prepare any spell as long as there is enough space. You just need to provide the power and the spells can be used without much control. Simply put, this technique is suitable for the gigantic Silhouette Knights, which are made from the combination of magical components; the only disadvantage is that each emblem can only use one spell. That is why the army created a variety of Silhouette arms in order to deal with different situations. It is common to see a Silhouette Knight going into battle with several arsenals on its back.
1572
1573A bell in the distance rang when the class reached this point, announcing the end of the lesson.
1574
1575"Ara, time is up so I will stop here. Remember to revise today's content... Ernesti, please 'have mercy' on us."
1576
1577Ernesti watched the teacher leave after uttering these words, he was uncertain what he did wrong. He took plenty of notes today as well. By the way, his progress has already exceeded normal students by months.
1578
1579After finishing classes for the day, Ernesti returned home and took out his books to revise the content of the day's lesson. Although he meets up with Chid and Ady for training occasionally, he prefers to head home and review whenever there are Silhouette Knights design classes.
1580
1581Eru learned a lot from the class. Thanks to that, he gradually grasped the basics of Silhouette Knight designing. But the more he understood, the more questions he has for the parts beyond the basics. In the construction of Silhouette Knights, the crucial elements, such as crystal tissues, inner skeleton, and outer skin, are subjected to a lot of wear and tear. Because of this, the country invested heavily in the education of engineers and alchemists. This ensures that forts at the front lines, and towns with appropriate facilities can supply the Silhouette Knights with the necessary parts. A lot of crafting faculty students, apart from Eru had actual experience in crafting. But the details about the magius engine and the ether reactor... the heart and soul of Silhouette Knights are classified. The lesson covered their functions, but their interior structure remained a mystery.
1582
1583Silhouette Knights are a major military force for the nation, but it is problematic for normal citizens to possess. Its distribution is controlled by the government, and the construction methods of the core parts are national secrets. Even the 'kingdom of Knights', Fremmevira, is strict about this. Withholding the crafting method led to a drop in production efficiency, so it cannot be mass produced, making the value of each Silhouette Knight sky rocket. Silhouette Knights are treated as expensive tactical weapons because of this.
1584
1585"...That might be the case, but I am not worried about the magius engine."
1586
1587It is already known that the magius engine is used to control the movement of the whole robot. That means similar scripts can emulate this. Simply put, Eru intends to hack into the magius engine. It was an idea Eru had come up with, because of his incredible processing ability and background in software engineering. But he can't do anything when it involves something that is not dependent on theory, emulating the fundamentals of magic in this world, the heart of magic technology... the ether reactor.
1588
1589"But... without more clues, I will come to a bottleneck... After all, 'that world' doesn't have the concept of ether."
1590
1591Uguu, Eru frowned and rolled around in bed.
1592
1593He understood one thing from class; the ether reactor was made from a special mineral called 'Elven ore'. But the mining and methods used are unknown, all information regarding fairy stones are kept secret. Although Eru's goal was to build his own Silhouette Knight, the worst case scenario was to buy an ether reactor. But even so, the price of ether reactors made the plan impractical.
1594
1595"Eh, no use worrying about it. Let's start researching from what I already know."
1596
1597Eru mumbled and returned to his desk. The notes he took did not have any blank space, so he took out another self-study notebook. He dipped his pen in ink and immersed himself in preparation, and revision, a time to research his hobby. Eru lived an incredibly busy life, but it was a blissful life according to him.
1598
1599Eru's student life traversing between the Knighthood and crafting faculties continued for some time.
1600
1601In the beginning, others were irritated by Eru's unprecedented actions, but they became used to it with the passage of time. Everyone started to notice the cute features that Eru had inherited from his mother. The short Eru who happily listened to the fundamentals of Silhouette Knight Design was treated like a mascot, and Eru had gotten used to being patted on the head as a greeting. And one day...
1602
1603"Ara, you are..."
1604
1605Eru finished his crafting classes and was on the way back to the Knighthood faculty when he heard a familiar voice. He looked back and saw a lady with wavy blond hair, a nice pair of eye brows, and slightly drooping blue eyes, that were squinting because of a smile.
1606
1607"You are Ernesti... right?"
1608
1609Archid and Adeltrud's sister... Stefania Serrati said, as she walked to his side, bending down with a smile to accommodate Eru's height. Eru replied politely making her even happier.
1610
1611"Ara, I remember, you are in the same grade as Archid right? Why are you here?"
1612
1613Even though she looked joyful, she still asked. This was the secondary school campus, not a place where a primary school student, like Eru should be visiting. When she heard Eru's honest reply, that he was attending a middle school crafting course, her eyes opened wide from shock.
1614
1615"Eh, you are really smart, but why are you rushing to learn this?"
1616
1617In a way, this is an obvious question. A student will be hard pressed handling the work at their grade level. In the long history of Laihiala Pilot Academy, there are very few such independent students. Eru's answer was very simple and to the point.
1618
1619"Because I'm interested."
1620
1621"Interest...? Even though it’s school work? Hmm... I see, you are a bit special."
1622
1623Because there was another class, the two chatted as they walked. Eru's actions were unpredictable. Stefania was surprised sometimes, patted his head sometimes, and was always smiling and in a great mood.
1624
1625As class had just ended, there were a lot of commuting students in the corridor, but they were shocked at the sight of the blonde girl and silver haired boy, giving way to them. Thanks to this, their journey proceeded smoothly, reaching the freshmen campus of primary school in no time. Stefania was in the 3rd year of primary school and needed to go to another campus. As she was leaving Eru reluctantly...
1626
1627"Ah, Eru... found!"
1628
1629Someone ran over at a high speed, it was Adeltrud who had seen Eru by coincidence. The petite Eru is easily hidden in a crowd, but with everyone avoiding him, he was easily discovered. Adeltrud looked gleeful when she was coming over, but stopped when she saw her sister beside Eru.
1630
1631"Ah, Onee... Onee-sama"
1632
1633"Ara, Adeltrud."
1634
1635Ady alternated her eyes between the two, and seemed to be quizzing Eru about what was going on. Eru didn't give a direct answer and smiled awkwardly. Stefania smiled gently as she approached Ady. From their previous encounter, Ady seemed to be bad at dealing with her sister from a different mother, but Stefania didn't seem to be bothered.
1636
1637"Don't be so guarded, I won't bully you."
1638
1639"Yes..."
1640
1641Seeing Ady acting so hesitantly despite answering obediently, the two of them smiled bitterly.
1642
1643"But why is Eru together with Onee-sama?"
1644
1645"Ara, it's simple... because I like smart, and cute kids!"
1646
1647Stefania placed her hands on her hips and declared confidently. What a forceful way of putting it. Ady looked like she was frozen on the spot, convinced by Stefania. As expected of sisters, Eru thought.
1648
1649"I've had my eyes on him since the last time we met, and he is the centre of some 'topics'. We chatted just now, and I discovered that this child is both smart and cute!"
1650
1651Stefania became more excited as she spoke, finally giving in and hugging Eru.
1652
1653"Nah, Eru wants to be a Knight, right? How about this? Want to protect onee-chan as my Knight? I will welcome you with three meals a day and sleeping together on the same bed."
1654
1655"Wait... wait, no! Eru is my soft toy!"
1656
1657What is it with this family, scary. And Miss Ady, what do you mean by soft toy?
1658
1659The stiff Ady who was rooted on the spot because of the impact of the confession was now yelling, snatching Eru back. She might have been too tense, but even her tone had reverted back to normal. Stefania was smiling coldly. Because she was beautiful, this made her even scarier. Eru saw her close her hands as she said quietly. "Ara, so that's how it is~". Eru decided to pretend that he didn't see anything.
1660
1661"Ady, your tone is back to normal."
1662
1663Ady covered her mouth, her face seemed to be saying 'this is bad'. Stefania shook her head immediately. "It's okay. You don't need to try so hard at school. I am not like Baltsar who is petty about such things."
1664
1665"Since Onee-sama... says that..."
1666
1667"Before that, Ady? Can you let go?"
1668
1669"Eh? Ah, sorry. You are just the right size, so I hugged you without thinking..."
1670
1671Eru broke free from Ady, while Stefania looked at her longingly.
1672
1673"Yeah... Eru's height is just nice for a hug..."
1674
1675"That's right, Onee-sama, and his hair so soft and smooth..."
1676
1677"Adeltrud... as expected of my sister!"
1678
1679"Onee-sama..."
1680
1681Eru put some distance between the perverted sisters who were holding hands. There were many things he wanted to retort, but Stefania seemed so happy. Maybe she was just joking, with Eru as an excuse to become closer to her sister. He decided to think of it that way, and hoped that it was true.
1682
1683The sisters ignored Eru who was averting his gaze, and talked about how much they love cute things. Their discussion was so passionate that you could see a pink aura around them. Eru felt like escaping reality, thinking 'just do what you girls want', and he suddenly remembered something important.
1684
1685"Ah, the next lesson is starting."
1686
1687The bell signalling the start of the class rang, as if on cue. The three of them rushed to their classrooms in a panic, but unfortunately, they arrived late and were lectured by their teachers.
1688
1689"Oh, isn't that Archid? It's been a while." Just as Eru and the others were talking noisily, Chid and another person met by coincidence at another place. This was the number one person that Chid didn't want to meet... Chid and Ady's half-brother... Baltsar Serrati, someone who had always picked on them.
1690
1691Baltsar had normal features on a decent face, but his scowling smile was a minus. Chid frowned reflexively when he saw the irritating face of his brother, but managed to keep his composure thanks to his training since he was young.
1692
1693"Long time no see... Baltsar Onii-sama."
1694
1695"I heard the rumours, although the contents are idiotic... I heard that there is an amazing freshman this year, eh?"
1696
1697Baltsar said suddenly. He was probably trying to find a fault, since he usually ignores what Chid says. Even though Chid hated that attitude, he didn't complain. Baltsar was taller than Chid, and seemed happy about something, as he looked down on him and continued:
1698
1699"After asking, didn't that freshmen have some familiar companions."
1700
1701"Really? I never heard anything about that..."
1702
1703It's finally here, Chid braced himself. Baltsar was more imposing than usual, there was no way the conversation would become cheerful.
1704
1705"Hey, is that the attitude you should show your brother? Are you a brat that didn't learn manners?"
1706
1707"...Sorry."
1708
1709"Forget it. I am generous and will forgive a brat without manners like you."
1710
1711Baltsar squinted his eyes and deepened his smile, a creepy smile like a predator hunting its prey. Chid worked hard at hiding his wariness.
1712
1713The actual topic is coming, how can I get away from this...?
1714
1715"I heard you guys weaseled into the advanced class. That trash of a class has grown so much, but, even so, I will praise you honestly. Eh, although you are a bastard, we are still family after all. It would be shameful if you couldn’t do this much... That's right, I said ‘do this much'. Freshmen brats shouldn't know much of anything, right? But I heard a rumour that concerned me. How boring, if it was true..."
1716
1717Baltsar squinted his eyes further, Chid felt a sense of uneasiness down his spine.
1718
1719"I heard you guys made quite a scene? Hey, that's not true, is it?"
1720
1721Baltsar's smile vanished without warning as he drew closer menacingly; speaking in a low voice, so no one else could hear them:
1722
1723"Don't you think you are acting out of line for a mere child of a mistress? Huh? A bastard? The rumours are probably not true, and I don't know what trickery you used, but wouldn't it mislead everyone."
1724
1725"No, they did not misunderstand. Onii-sama, we..."
1726
1727"Enough, shut up."
1728
1729The smile on Baltsar's mouth had turned into a frown. Seeing Baltsar getting emotional, Chid was tense and ready for anything. But unexpectedly, Baltsar said without emotion:
1730
1731"Archid, what are you scheming?"
1732
1733"What... scheming?"
1734
1735"Casting intermediate spells easily just after enrolment, and planning to become a noble Knight? Is that the extent of your ambition? Are you planning to bring that title to 'my house' as a welcoming gift?"
1736
1737Baltsar asked with his poker face.
1738
1739"Nope, I told you before. We don't want to pester, the main family. My ambition to be a Knight, is for my mother and our future livelihood."
1740
1741"...Alright, as a gentle elder, I will believe my foolish brother."
1742
1743"I am very... grateful."
1744
1745Baltsar resumed his cold smile, patted Chid on the shoulder, and left. Chid who was left alone sighed deeply.
1746
1747He didn't plan to do anything to me here, but he won't let us off so easily. If he is just picking on me, I can endure it. I hope he doesn't cause any stupid commotions.
1748
1749But the looming sense of unease lingered within Chid, contrary to what he thought.
1750
1751
1752
1753
1754
1755Chapter 4: Let's try Dueling
1756
1757
1758Spring of C.E. 1276.
1759
1760
1761
1762It has been 2 years since Ernesti and the others enroled in Laihiala Pilot Academy. Their lifestyle remained the same. First of all, Ernesti Echevarria...
1763
1764"Alright, this year we will be working on 'Silhouette Knight Design and Application'... Ah, you are here..."
1765
1766During this period, when the school welcomes new students and the new academic year begins, the teacher who came into the classroom glanced at the short student occupying the center seat in the front row. As a third year primary school student, Eru has gained fame for attending the craftsmen faculty's courses despite being from the Knighthood Faculty.
1767
1768"The Knighthood faculty's teachers have surrendered."
1769
1770"Yes, I am happy to meet teachers who are so understanding."
1771
1772He slightly tilted his head and smiled. He may have looked really cute, but with his background in bullying the teachers to accommodate his schedule, the scene was not warming at all. After promoting to the next academic grade, Eru used his abilities to destroy all of the classes that got in the way of the courses he wanted to attend. The Knighthood teachers were deeply depressed over this, and the craftsmen faculty had given in. The teacher sighed deeply, and focused on his lesson. If you ignore his shenanigans, Eru is a bright and passionate student, so the teachers gave him more leeway.
1773
1774Next are the twins Archid and Adeltrud.
1775
1776This is the training grounds of the Knighthood faculty. Class was in session, so no one should be here. The boy and girl practicing on the field were Archid and Adeltrud. They followed Eru's lead to go beyond the scope of the lessons given by the school, and had been conducting personal training. For the past two years, instead of taking magic classes, they had been conducting this special training. Eru was not present because he had to attend some other class.
1777
1778"Okay, I will be going all out next."
1779
1780"What's up? Your hits are harder than usual."
1781
1782Chid waved his hands at the suspicious Ady, gesturing that nothing was wrong as he tightened his grip on his weapon. His build was excellent for his age, and the sword in his hand was one size bigger than the standards. Even though it was a wooden sword used for training, it was still imposing.
1783
1784In contrast, Ady held two thin swords, and her battling style was similar to Eru's, focusing more on agility than strength.
1785
1786Apart from that, their weapons had something strange attached to it. Made from the wood of the white mist tree, a gun staff based on the normal magic staves... the latest 'Gandiva' model. Driven by his interest, Eru used the knowledge from his previous life to design the 'Winchester', but there was no need for the twins to use the same weapon. Instead, their Gandivas were more polished, evolving to the state where it could be attached to any sword. It was designed by Eru and made by their wonderful neighbour... Termonen Workshop.
1787
1788The two of them adopted a stance and faced each other, activating their magic before raising their swords. They switched smoothly between sword attacks and magic, displaying the power of their weapon, which merges the sword and the staff... the ability of the gun staff. They were using limited physical boost. After Ernesti tweaked with its script, the spell was easier to use than the previous version, and more importantly, it improved the sustainability of the spell. They held true to Eru's teachings, training their body and magic at the same time, efficiently improving their mana pools. The crystallisation of their hard work was clear for all to see.
1789
1790With the start of the battle training, Chid took a strong step forward. His strengthened muscles propelled him forward, placing his opponent within his sword’s range. This was Chid's preferred fighting style... practical usage of the length of his oversized sword. Thanks to Mathias's training, his style, which places emphasis on the gauging of distance and skill, was a real threat.
1791
1792Ady used the agility of her swords to counter this. Because of her limited physical boost, her slashes turned into a whirlwind, bypassing Chid's sword and going straight for his body. Even though his weapon was large, Chid still managed to shorten the attack range of his sword, to ward off Ady's attack. But Ady didn't back down, shifting positions constantly as she waited for an opening. The fierce exchange made others question if this was really a mock battle. The two continued to spar until their mana and endurance were sapped.
1793
1794Because these two learned magic from Eru, who thought about things differently, this sort of training was normal for them. But simple things for them... using magic and swords simultaneously in training, were not taught in primary school. If a third party was around, they would probably question their common sense.
1795
1796"Really... I can't stand you guys, what did Eru teach you..."
1797
1798That's how Stefania, who was watching felt.
1799
1800"Hmm... it was magic and sword right?"
1801
1802Watching the twins tilt their heads and answer at the same time, Stefania could only smile bitterly. This was not a style you could learn just by 'learning magic'.
1803
1804"With your standards, I'm not sure if I can win."
1805
1806"Really? Winning against the top student of Knighthood Faculty, who is also the Student Council President can't be that easy, right?"
1807
1808Stefania had reasons to be concerned. Normal students will learn using magic during sword battles in secondary school. If someone started doing so from primary school, how far could they grow? The answer was right before her.
1809
1810She was the top in her faculty in results, the daughter of a Marquis, and with her distinquished personality, she was elected as the student council president. But after seeing the capabilities of her half-siblings, Stefania was still shocked. The twins were too used to Eru's standards, so their benchmark was different from normal people. Stefania thought about correcting their mindset, in order to avoid trouble in the future.
1811
1812There were only the three of them in the training ground. They were focused on training, and distracting themselves with chit chat, not paying attention to their surroundings, so they failed to notice the shadow lurking behind the thin wall near the training grounds entrance.
1813
1814While class was in session, the sound of footsteps echoed in the empty dormitory, the students were all absent.
1815
1816The person walking was agitated, his pace fast as he reached his desired room shortly, his dorm room. He unlocked the door with trembling hands and rushed in as if chased. For a dormitory, this personal room was spacious, and was arranged by the school with consideration of safety in mind. Aristocrats staying in dorms are all assigned personal rooms.
1817
1818The male student stood by the door listlessly for a while. He couldn't hold in his agitation anymore and kicked the furniture in the room, the sound reverberating loudly.
1819
1820"What is... that... how could it be... damn, damn, damn!"
1821
1822The male student, Baltsar Serrati, cursed, feeling extremely frustrated. He was upset because he had witnessed the training session of his sister and half-siblings.
1823
1824Baltsar was a first year student in middle school of the Knighthood Faculty, and has just started using magic and sword simultaneously. He was troubled by the difficult training, but his siblings were doing what he couldn't with ease. It was clear that their abilities were far ahead of him. For the proud Baltsar, he couldn’t stand bastard children who were stronger than him. This thought filled him with rage, and he realised the existence of Chid and Ady was a threat to his goal.
1825
1826Baltsar's goal was related to his 'family'.
1827
1828His family... The 'Marquis Serrati family', is one of the most notable aristocratic families in the Fremmevira Kingdom. Their territory isn't large, and it occupies a place that is flat and filled with farmland. It is situated to the east of the Kingdom, near the Bocuse Sea of Forest and suffers from frequent attacks by Demon beasts. In order to fend them off, the Marquis commands one of the top bands of knights within the country... the 'Red Rhino Knights'. It is a critical place that borders the frontlines, and as a result, the land has prospered economically, with merchants passing through the main economic artery constantly.
1829
1830Marquis Serrati, the ruler of this land had three children. The eldest, Artos, was the heir of the Marquis, receiving an education befitting a noble, and was starting to help his father manage their territory. The eldest daughter, Stefania, was studying in her second year of middle school at Laihiala Pilot Academy, while the second son, Baltsar, was in his first year.
1831
1832"If this carries on... If that brat shows up at the main family..."
1833
1834The titles of nobility are basically inherited by the eldest son, where the other children do not get any land or property. They need to forge their own path forward, most of them became knights or bureaucrats. Baltsar chose to become a knight without hesitation, since the Serrati Marquis clan was in command of the famous Red Rhino Knights. In the Kingdom of Knights, protecting the people from Demon beast attacks was the noblesse oblige of the aristocrats. It was natural for him to set this as his goal.
1835
1836"If those bastards come into contact with the Red Rhino Knights... maybe..."
1837
1838The entire Kingdom, including the Serrati counties, has no competition amongst its knights. The knights are expected to be ready to fight the Demon beasts at a moment's notice, and it is very demanding in terms of ability for those aspiring to be commanders. Being strong in combat skills doesn't guarantee the right to be the leader of the knights, but the stronger someone is, the more respect they will garner in a military organisation.
1839
1840Baltsar imagined himself leading the order of knights with his brother. He had never doubted that until the twins showed up. This casted a shadow in his heart. Even though they are children of a mistress, with their strong capabilities, and ties to the Marquis by blood, they might seize the advantage and realise their dream before Baltsar. His entitled position being stripped by his bastard younger siblings was a nightmare.
1841
1842"That's right... I have to get rid of them."
1843
1844He reflected upon why he had let the situation deteriorate so much, and the conclusion was that he was too careless, thinking of them only as bastards who could never match him. Because of his foolish overconfidence, he ignored that incident during the first day of school. He realised he was wrong, the situation was very pressing and every second counts. He needed to work fast to dispose of them, but the twins were too strong, it would be unwise to challenge them head on. He needed to suppress their strength, in a safe and efficient way.
1845
1846Baltsar raised his head, his worries had disappeared.
1847
1848He was not dumb. His willingness to sacrifice others allowed him to come up with despicable and effective methods. The usual cold smile widened, and his ugly feelings became stronger than before.
1849
1850One day after class, Batson Termonen walked along the corridor with heavy steps, preparing to head to his next class. He looked around and discovered a familiar figure. He noticed that person because she was a childhood friend.
1851
1852"Is that Ady? Who is she... with?"
1853
1854As he wondered about what Ady was doing, Batson became suspicious. Not because Ady was with someone, but because she was with a student he didn't know. From afar, her face looked stiff.
1855
1856"Should I alert them?"
1857
1858Batson was not overreacting because Ady was with a stranger, but her expression looked weird, and that worried Batson. She might be in trouble, so Batson decided to show his considerate spirit.
1859
1860After making up his mind, Batson turned around and searched for his petite friend, who was probably in a classroom nearby.
1861
1862"Baltsar Onii-sama, what's wrong?"
1863
1864Adeltrud clenched her fists, her eyes searching her surroundings and her slightly fierce demeanor growing stronger.
1865
1866Baltsar stood before her with his usual smile. That was still bearable. Although it upsets the people who look at him, Ady had gotten used to it. The problem was with the people around them. There were three of them behind Baltsar and four behind Ady. Male students who she did not know, blocked her way after Baltsar gave a signal. They were probably his lackeys.
1867
1868Ady was stopped by Baltsar in the corridor and brought to a deserted area. Although she was not close with Baltsar, they were still family, so she let her guard down. Ady thought she was being brought to a quiet place, so others wouldn't hear him picking on her. She was surrounded before she realised. From the atmosphere and from their unfriendly gazes, Ady guessed that this was probably not a 'happy chat'.
1869
1870"These are my friends. Nothing much, they are here to help me teach disobedient brats their manners, eh?"
1871
1872Baltsar's companions smiled quietly.
1873
1874"I learned about manners in class, there is no need to trouble everyone."
1875
1876"The teacher is not enough to teach the brats of a mistress. Your brother is teaching you personally, shouldn't you be lowering your head, and begging for your lesson?"
1877
1878A hand stuck out from behind Baltsar.
1879
1880"That's right, be a good girl and..."
1881
1882The nameless lackey was careless... he thought they had the overwhelming advantage with their numbers, and the target was a girl younger than them. Ady judged that there was no need to argue anymore, pulling out her gun staff before he finished. She immediately used limited physical boost and elbowed the lackey in the stomach before he could react.
1883
1884"You are too noisy!"
1885
1886She needed to break through the encirclement to get away. She dropped one opponent, and took the chance to run with her enhanced leg power. Because of her sudden retaliation, the encirclement was full of holes, but just as she was about to get away...
1887
1888"Spark Dart."
1889
1890An arrow of lightning landed on Ady's back, at the command of this calm voice. She couldn't even scream, a hoarse sound escaped from her mouth as the air was pushed out of her lungs. It was not lethal, but the direct lightning numbed her body, so she tripped and fell.
1891
1892Uguu! I screwed up... can't, conscious... fading...
1893
1894Incredibly, she remembered the smug expression on Baltsar's face as she blacked out. He was not haughty like usual, but was wearing a foreboding smile.
1895
1896Sometime after Ady blacked out.
1897
1898Chid had no idea what happened, and he was just a bit concerned that Ady hadn’t returned when class had begun. When he was thinking about ditching class to search for her, he met an unexpected person.
1899
1900"Oh? You were in class... that saves me the trouble."
1901
1902Baltsar appeared before him. Chid was shocked, he had maintained his distance from Baltsar during his time with the main family, and Baltsar always chose inconspicuous places to talk to him. But they were conversing in a public place right now, and Chid was unsure of how to address him.
1903
1904"Senpai, do you have anything for me?"
1905
1906Chid couldn't hide his confusion and asked. Baltsar was smiling as usual, as he announced in a loud voice:
1907
1908"I challenge you to a duel!"
1909
1910The rowdy classroom was silenced, followed by an eruption of sounds. Students in the classroom chatted excitedly with each other, discussing the current exciting topic, 'duel!'.
1911
1912"What are you saying..."
1913
1914"You can't understand? Ha, I expected as much. I have let an eye sore like you fool around for too long, I can't forgive such insolence anymore. That's right, I have to set you straight."
1915
1916Chid was baffled, because everything had been set in motion without his knowledge. Baltsar's actions confounded him. But he was sure of one thing.
1917
1918"I don't get what you are thinking... Duel? Alright, it's on!"
1919
1920He also hated Baltsar. His fighting spirit overcame the question in his heart, and he accepted it readily. Chid would let it go if Baltsar had picked on him verbally as usual. But if Baltsar issues a challenge head on, Chid had no intention of hiding his displeasure.
1921
1922"How uncouth... your manners are lacking. Let's see how long you can stay arrogant."
1923
1924Class was abandoned, and the whole group tagged along with them out of the campus.
1925
1926Laihiala Pilot Academy restricts fights between students. It is ridiculous for knights protecting citizens to fight amongst themselves. Those who break the rule will face all sorts of punishment. However, the only exception is a fight known as a 'duel'.
1927
1928Duels have their own set of rules: they must be one on one; the duel requires both parties to agree... a third party has to act as the referee... the referee has absolute authority; the match will be decided when one party loses consciousness or surrenders; they have to use wooden training swords, and spells that release projectiles are banned to avoid collateral damage to others. In the end, the main point is 'settle it yourself'.
1929
1930By its nature, the Knighthood faculty has a lot of hot headed students, so settling disputes by duels is common. There is even a fixed place within the academy known as the 'duel arena'.
1931
1932News of Baltsar and Chid's duel spread through the academy instantly. They had been anticipating this, and the challenge became issued prominently, resulting in a large crowd gathering to witness the battle.
1933
1934A student who was unrelated to either of them volunteered to be the referee. He read out the rules of the duel in a loud voice, and confirmed the acceptance by the two participants. When they faced each other, Baltsar took out something from his shirt pocket. Chid turned stiff when he saw it.
1935
1936Isn't that... The hair pin Ady was wearing this morning!? Why... Did he...!?
1937
1938The shocked Chid looked at Baltsar, and their eyes met. Baltsar was smiling more intensely today, and Chid understood his goal, why Baltsar had proposed a duel and why it was being done in public.
1939
1940"You... What did you do to Ady..."
1941
1942"Hmmm? I don't know what you mean."
1943
1944Baltsar's expression twisted as if he was trying to control his laughter, confirming Chid's suspicion.
1945
1946"That's right, I heard a rumor the other day. You can use advanced spells as a primary school student, an amazing achievement! Can you show them to me?"
1947
1948Chid made a spiteful groan. It was obvious why Baltsar raised this issue, he wanted everyone present to hear Chid say that he couldn't to humiliate him. The way he flashed the hair pin made Baltsar's intentions clear.
1949
1950"... I can't use it anyway..."
1951
1952Chid answered, as if he was squeezing the air out of his lungs, baffling the audience. Chid was one of the famous trio in primary school that was exempted from class by the teachers. The crowd was chattering, wondering why someone so far ahead in magic was saying something like this. Were the rumours false?
1953
1954"Huh? What a joke! Ha! The rumours are fake? Really, to be exposed so easily! Where did that attitude of yours go? Hah!"
1955
1956If eyes could kill, Chid would have murdered Baltsar with his gaze by now. Baltsar didn't mind and continued with a laugh:
1957
1958"Hey, hey, hey, wanting to stand out even if you have to lie, what a naughty boy. Correcting the error of juniors is the senior's job, right? Okay, it's about time to begin."
1959
1960Baltsar lifted his sword and staff while Chid quietly attached his Gandiva to his wooden sword. What followed was not a duel anymore, but an execution.
1961
1962"What's with you? Such a spoilsport. You can't use magic, and you're subpar with swordsmanship!?"
1963
1964Baltsar taunted as they sparred. Chid was enraged and wanted to counter attack, but Baltsar was flashing the hair pin from time to time to warn him.
1965
1966About 30 minutes into the fight, everyone could see that the battle was one sided. Chid was slow and was the only one taking hits. He tried countering a few times, but his strength was lacking. The pitiful state of the rumoured student disappointed the crowd. "Rumours are just rumours", "When did the misunderstanding start?". "The ending will be the arrogant junior facing reality", "Such a boring fight"... There were even some who left impatiently.
1967
1968But some of the students felt uneasy. Chid was hit directly a lot of time, but he kept up his stance. He didn't take damage? Baltsar, who was enjoying the overwhelming advantage noticed and took pleasure in tormenting Chid.
1969
1970Since he can't defeat Baltsar, Chid had to tank the attacks. He was unsure how long he could endure it. Even so, he was still waiting for the chance to counter attack. He didn't know if he still had a chance, but he clanged on desperately to this hope. Chid's most trustworthy friend was not here, but he definitely knows about this commotion after such a big uproar, so his absence means he is on the move.
1971
1972I’ll leave it to you my, friend... You are my only hope!
1973
1974
1975
1976
1977
1978Chid gritted his teeth and took the hit from Baltsar with a staggering stance.
1979
1980At the same time, Ernesti was walking quietly along the corridor. After listening to his childhood friend Batson's explanation, Eru had begun searching for Ady. But he was troubled by the fact that there were no clues. Suddenly, someone hugged him from behind. Eru was startled, and looked up to see Stefania caressing his hair with a blissful face.
1981
1982"Ah, so soft and smooth, that you won’t ever want to let go."
1983
19841
1985
1986"...E, Stefania-Senpai?"
1987
1988"It's the fault of these silky smooth locks... You. Impish. Devil."
1989
1990Stefania rubbed her face against Eru's hair, as she poked his cheek. Eru was baffled by her reaction as usual, but inspiration struck. Maybe Stefania has some clues.
1991
1992"Stefania-senpai, you came just the right time. Do you know where Ady is?"
1993
1994Stefania who was all smiles became sullen and worried. She looked at the confused Eru straight in the eye.
1995
1996"I think Baltsar was meeting Ady."
1997
1998"Balt... Your brother? He, Chid, and Ady..."
1999
2000Eru hesitated uncharacteristically. He had heard about Baltsar... and things about him. If Ady was taken by him, there was no telling what could happen. But Eru still hesitated, since this was a family affair after all. Eru couldn't judge how deeply he could interfere, but Stefania blew all of his worries away with one sentence.
2001
2002"... Also, Balt brought a lot of lackeys with him."
2003
2004"I don't like commenting on another family's affairs, but that sounds ominous."
2005
2006Eru's heart was not as calm as his voice. It would be fine, if it was in the realms of 'sibling fights'. But this is different if he brought a gang with him, which means Ady is in danger.
2007
2008"I can't really ask you for help for this... but I hope you can look for Ady."
2009
2010"... Will that be fine? Let me say this first, if he harms Ady, I won't forgive him even if he is your brother."
2011
2012Eru's eyes are usually mature, but a dangerous gleam shined in them. Chid and Ady are his best friends in this world, if someone brought a group to harm them, he didn't plan on holding back. Stefania watched him seethe in anger, and dropped her beautiful eyebrows.
2013
2014"... Please restrain from killing him."
2015
2016"You are pretty cool about this."
2017
2018"It's fine if Baltsar moves alone. Well, that's not really good... I can stop him, but it's not the same this time. I can't overlook this as the Student Council President, or as his sister."
2019
2020Stefania said softly, as she tightened her hug slowly. Eru couldn't imagine her expression and simply asked:
2021
2022"Can you tell me where Ady has been brought to?"
2023
2024Laihiala Pilot Academy has a large campus, and most of them weren’t used. Ady and Baltsar's lackeys are most likely in one of the empty classrooms.
2025
2026The group sat Ady on a chair, tied up her legs with her hands behind her. It had been about an hour since Ady was knocked out by Baltsar, and she still hadn't woken up. The four lackeys who surrounded her were arguing about something.
2027
2028"Cheh! Little brat, she hit me!"
2029
2030"Hey, she's still sleeping, calm down."
2031
2032So many people had been left to guard the unconscious Ady, to prevent her from making a scene when she wakes up. The noisy boy, the one who took an elbow from Ady, had just regained consciousness.
2033
2034"Why? She is out and tied up, there's no need to be afraid."
2035
2036"Says the guy who was knocked down."
2037
2038"Uguu! I was careless!"
2039
2040He grabbed Ady's hair and lifted her head, clenching his fist with a violent smile.
2041
2042"Look at this brat, getting cocky because I didn't go all out. She is going to get it now!"
2043
2044The other lackeys thought he was going too far. He didn't fall because he was holding back; he was knocked out in an instant because he was too careless. And, if he punched her and Ady wakes up, things will become messy. Their goal was to restrain her for a short time, it will be easier if she continues sleeping. Just as another lackey was about to stop him...
2045
2046"Hello... Anyone here.... Oh, there is."
2047
2048At this moment, a shadow appeared from the back of the classroom. The group naively thought that no one would come, so their reactions were slower than the intruder's. When they realised their situation, they saw a silver bullet shooting out from a weird magic staff towards their face.
2049
2050The intruder... Ernesti knew his 'hunch was right', when he saw the lackeys, or rather Adeltrud, who was tied to the chair behind them. All that was left was to dispose of the enemy. He drew Winchester without hesitation, and cast an intermediate wind spell at his left and right... Aero Damned. The projectile hit the two at the back of the room directly, and they were blasted away before they could even scream. Eru didn't wait for them to land, before activating physical boost to enhance his agility and strike at the boy who was about to punch Ady. The boy panicked and attempted to block it, but he couldn't match Eru whose speed had been enhanced. Eru cast a Sonic Boom with his staff while running, blowing the boy away.
2051
2052Seeing three of his companions flying in an instant, the remaining lackey gave up attempting to understand the situation. Regrettably, his opponent wasn't merciless enough to let this chance slip by. The lackey raised his staff unconsciously, but it was broken in half. The other Winchester swing back horizontally... That was the last thing he remembered.
2053
2054After instantly knocking out the four lackeys like a whirlwind, Eru checked to make sure they were really down and ran to Ady. He cut the ropes on her and checked for injuries. Ady seemed to be fine, and her breathing was normal, so she was probably unconscious. Eru was relieved after confirming that Ady was safe, and proceeded to tie up the lackeys who were knocked out. Fortunately they prepared ropes... although they were not meant to be used on them. After making sure they couldn't move, he looked towards the direction of the arena.
2055
2056"There might not be much time left."
2057
2058From the commotion he saw on the way here, Eru could imagine the situation over there. Ady was kidnapped then Baltsar appeared before Chid, his actions were easy to guess. That's why he was worried about Chid who was caught in the middle of all this. But he believed Chid would not give in so easily. Eru believed that if he hurried, he would be able to make it. That's why he wanted to rush over immediately, but...
2059
2060Eru looked at Ady who was on the floor and felt troubled. Should he feel depressed? It would be a hassle to bring Ady over, since she is taller than him. But he couldn't leave her here like this. Uguu, he groaned and gave in, struggling to carry her in his arms. It was a challenge to keep his balance, but Eru used magic he was proficient with to compensate.
2061
2062"I must make it in time..."
2063
2064In order to reach Chid as soon as possible, Eru took long strides as he ran.
2065
2066In a place known as the 'duel arena' within Laihiala Pilot Academy, two students had fought for over an hour. Although the battle was one sided, it didn't feel like it would end any time soon.
2067
2068After sparring for this long, Baltsar finally realised something was off. As he expected, Chid's movements were sluggish because of his scheme, and his strikes landed true countless times. Even though it was a wooden sword, normal people would still have incurred serious wounds that would put them out of the fight. Chid's movements became slower, but he showed no signs of taking serious damage. Chid might not be attacking because of the hostage, but his eyes were still strong. He was obviously waiting for his chance.
2069
2070Why can this brat take so much damage? Why is he still standing!? Is he going to buy time for Adeltrud to escape by herself? Adeltrud is very agile, but there is no way she can escape, could it be...
2071
2072Baltsar laughed. Chid didn't know that Ady wasn't just tied up, she was under guard too. This means that his plan is doomed right from the start.
2073
2074Chid was startled when Baltsar stopped attacking. Baltsar laughter was unnatural, and he attempted to stomp out Chid's hope.
2075
2076"Archid, are you stalling for time?"
2077
2078"...!"
2079
2080"I thought so. You think 'that' will come if you wait? I can only tell you it is all in vain, 'that' is tied up securely."
2081
2082Baltsar could hear Chid grinding his teeth, it stirred a murky joy within him.
2083
2084"Well, I'm growing tired of this. It's regrettable, but let's end it, shall we?"
2085
2086Baltsar flashed Ady's hairpin and lifted his wooden sword. Chid tensed his face. To be honest, he was not in a good shape, contrary to how he looked. Although he was using 'some method' to minimise damage, it was still accumulating little by little. It will be hard to gauge whether Chid can endure an all out attack. But Baltsar has been sending out a strong message, 'do not dodge'. Baltsar probably wants to finish this for real, his next strike will be at full power. Chid was not confident that he could withstand this unscathed.
2087
2088The two of them put more strength into their stance than before. The spectators that were still around could feel that this was the final attack, and held their breath. As Baltsar was planning to launch his attack and charge in, someone intruded into the arena.
2089
2090The figure leapt over the heads of the crowd and reached the front row. The arc of his jump was huge, and he was moving very quickly despite carrying a girl in his arms. His footfalls were silent, as if he was stepping on a soft surface. The eyes of the audience naturally fell on this petite figure.
2091
2092The figure was Eru carrying Ady. Baltsar cast a sideways glance over and made a twisted face when he recognised them. Ady should have been tied up, and he even posted guards. Did he overcome these obstacles and break Ady out? What are the guards doing? More importantly, who is this silver haired kid? Baltsar's head was full of questions, but no one was giving him answers.
2093
2094Eru put Ady down. She had regained consciousness on their way here, and stood up by herself. The first thing she did was glare at Baltsar. Then she turned towards Chid, sliding her thumb across her neck with a violent smile. Chid relaxed his body when he saw Ady safe, and had the urge to smile. He nodded and complained to Eru who was standing behind her.
2095
2096"So slow."
2097
2098"Sorry, there were too many rooms."
2099
2100"That so. Nah, never mind."
2101
2102Chid smiled and raised his wooden sword. Nothing was holding him back. The time to counter attack was finally here.
2103
2104Baltsar wanted to scream. He knew that this was the worst case scenario. But when he thought about it, the damage he inflicted on Chid remains, even though he lost the trump card of Ady as a hostage. He should take the chance and strike fast at full power. Baltsar put his thoughts into action and slashed at Chid.
2105
2106But Chid displayed his outstanding agility. His sluggish movements earlier seemed to be an act. He stepped forward lightly, parrying the attack and bumping Baltsar back with a shoulder tackle to keep their distance.
2107
2108Chid had expended a considerable amount of mana after dragging the fight for so long. But he had been going through tough training under Eru since he was young, and had enough gas left in the tank for one final attack.
2109
2110"I will take back everything you owe me in one hit!"
2111
2112Chid yelled loudly and activated the physical boost he learned from Eru. A wild surge of energy flowed through his body, and he sprinted forward with enough power to almost crack the floor. Before Baltsar could scramble and get up, Chid's sword hit his stomach. The air in his lungs was pushed out, and the hoarse sound 'hyaa' escaped from Baltsar's mouth as he was launched into the air. Chid followed with a series of air combos before he fell to the ground. Baltsar's body was twisted unnaturally. Before Baltsar's body lost speed and started to tumble, Chid followed up with a roundhouse kick as the finishing move. Baltsar's body crumpled into a ball and rolled away before stopping in a heap several meters away.
2113
2114The referee came to his senses after Chid took a deep breath and ran to Baltsar, finding him sprawled out like an old rag, his eyes white and mouth foaming. The result was obvious and the referee raised one hand to announced Chid's victory to the crowd.
2115
2116The unexpected ending made the battle before look like a lie. The audience couldn't keep up with the rapid development.
2117
2118Although Chid was as formidable as rumored, far beyond the capabilities of Baltsar, they did not understand why he was being overwhelmed for the past hour.
2119
2120The spectators looked at the young girl running towards Chid. They weren't stupid. They could link the appearance of her with the sudden display of strength by Chid. The answer was obvious.
2121
2122The eyes staring at Baltsar turned cold. For Knighthood majors, although duels are a way to resolve disputes, the glory of the victor is sacred. If anyone defiles the duel with despicable schemes, it goes against the way of the knight. The crowd was unsympathetic when Baltsar's lackeys carried him to the infirmary.
2123
2124But Chid was badly injured, falling on his butt after letting out his victory cry.
2125
2126"Chid! Hey Chid, are you okay?"
2127
2128"I'm not doing so good, I took quite a beating."
2129
2130"Your clothes are all tattered... Why didn't you dodge, stupid!"
2131
2132"He kept waving that in front of me... I couldn't dodge even if I wanted to."
2133
2134"...! Sorry, I was... too careless..."
2135
2136Looking at Ady's tears and depressed face, Chid stroked her hair and said with a smile.
2137
2138"Don't worry, this is all the fault of that idiot. And Eru, thanks, that was close."
2139
2140"I'm glad I made it in time. But enough about this..."
2141
2142Eru retrieved the hair pin from Baltsar without anyone noticing, and handed it to Ady saying:
2143
2144"You are all beat up, but it seems like there are no serious injuries."
2145
2146"Yeah, that guy was attacking recklessly because I couldn't dodge and was boasting about his skills."
2147
2148Chid said sheepishly.
2149
2150"I used physical boost and hard skin just before being hit to keep the damage down."
2151
2152"I see. You managed to pull off a dangerous skill there."
2153
2154"I could do it because I didn't need to think about anything else... And it worked because he was so stupid. If he concentrated his attacks on my soft spots, I wouldn't have been able to hold out for so long."
2155
2156"In other words, this guy lost because he was too cocky."
2157
2158As Eru nodded, the crowd started to disperse.
2159
2160"I will settle the loose ends. Ady, can you please take Chid to the infirmary?"
2161
2162"I understand. Chid, can you stand?"
2163
2164"I'm fine, my injuries are mostly bruises, just let me take it slowly."
2165
2166Eru saw the twins off, watching Chid's staggering figure as he and Ady headed towards the infirmary. Only Stefania was left in the arena.
2167
2168"Is this okay? Your brother is badly injured."
2169
2170"... He is, but his actions warranted this punishment."
2171
2172Stefania looked refreshed and shook her head.
2173
2174"That child... He resembles mother that way... About time he learnt his lesson."
2175
2176"It must be hard on you..."
2177
2178Eru felt conflicted when he thought about Chid and Ady's family troubles. But he shook his head and changed his mood.
2179
2180"Can I leave the clean up to you?"
2181
2182"Okay, I have to explain to my family anyway."
2183
2184Eru bowed to Stefania, who nodded in agreement and left. In the end, some of the audience were interested in this commotion and discussed the relations between Chid and the Serrati family.
2185
2186A few days after the duel.
2187
2188The disgraced Baltsar was warned sternly by the school and his family, and he was grounded at home after some deliberation. To reform him, Baltsar was sent to the Red Rhino Knights for training, the place of his dreams. It's hard to say if this is a good or bad thing. But it is great for Eru and co who had one less thing to worry about.
2189
2190One day, after school had peacefully ended, Ady spotted Eru who was reading in the campus garden. He is not a prominent person and it is not easy to spot his petite figure. But his head of silver hair was an easy landmark to spot when there are less people around. He sat under the shade of a tree, reading a thick book as usual. She didn't even need to ask, it was a textbook on Silhouette Knights.
2191
2192Ady walked to his side, but Eru didn't seem to notice. When he is engrossed in a book, Eru will be totally absorbed and not pay attention to his surroundings. Ady sat down beside him, staring at his profile intensely. His blue eyes with long lashes gazing down at the book. His hair flowing down along his face, shining brightly in the sun. His lips tightly shut, reflecting his intense passion.
2193
2194Eru is cute as usual...
2195
2196Ady giggled 'hehe' happily and was preparing to pounce on him, but she was stopped by an image in her mind. The memories from the dueling incident.
2197
2198When Eru rescued Ady when she was kidnapped by Baltsar, he had carried her princess-style to the arena in the middle of the crowd. She didn't pay any heed to this as her mind was filled with anger, but when Ady thinks back, she discovered that it was a pretty embarrassing scene. Not just embarrassing, she remembered the joy of being rescued by Eru, and how it felt in his arms, Ady blushed from just being next to Eru.
2199
2200Hya, I thought about that again...
2201
2202Ady was glad that Eru didn't notice her feelings. Her complicated feelings were making her hesitant to hug Eru like before. Ady was unhappy with how she was acting and forcefully hugged Eru. Eru calmly greeted Ady who pounced on him suddenly, and closed his book.
2203
2204It might be strange, but Eru had been treated like a 'soft toy' by many others, since he was young and was used to being hugged. And Ady was the one who started the 'hugging trend', so it was no surprise to Eru, but he noticed that Ady wasn't her usual self and tilted his head curiously.
2205
2206
2207
2208
2209
2210Ady was troubled by her unexpected actions. Usually, she would stroke his hair while chatting with him. But when she hugged him this time, she could feel her heart thumping intensely, she couldn't do anything else. Ady buried her head into Eru's hair to hide her blushing face from him.
2211
2212Wah... Why did it turn out this way! Oh no, I can't lift my head.
2213
2214Ady was too nervous and forgot that she could just let go. Eru was a bit surprised by her reaction, and decided to keep reading his book since she was not moving.
2215
2216It feels like I am an idiot, give me some reaction!
2217
2218In a way, this nonsensical anger calmed her down. Ady poked Eru's cheek angrily.
2219
2220"Hey, please go poke someone else's cheek."
2221
2222"...So cute!"
2223
2224Ady regained her normal demeanor. Eru felt more comfortable to hug than usual, and she started to caress his head. The two of them didn't realise, but a few students in the garden were enjoying the sight of the pretty black-haired girl and silver-haired girl (?) playing around. That's how their daily life continued, every day was peaceful.
2225
2226
2227
2228
2229
2230Summary for Knights and Magic School Arc
2231
2232
2233In an unnamed world not yet fully explored by its inhabitants, there exists the continent Zetterlund.
2234
2235The eastern and western regions separated by the Aubigne mountain range.
2236
2237It’s eastern region inhabited by the kingdom of Fremmevira. At its capital, there is an academy teaching knights.
2238
2239At the arena, two knights piloting giant robots known as Silhouette Knights, an instructor is observing them.
2240
2241Kurata Tsubasa, newly reborn, approaches his father accompanied by his mother. Kurata is now known as Ernesti and he is focused on the Silhouette Knights dueling. He inherited his mother’s features.
2242
2243He then becomes abnormally focused on Silhouette Knights and decided to devote his second life towards this, to pilot a Silhouette Knight and become a knight. Since he was obsessed about robots in his previous life.
2244
2245At home, he asks his parents how to become a knight. His father tells him to study magic first.
2246
2247His mother teaches him magic. Thanks to his matured mind, he is able to easily learn at a faster pace than other children.
2248
2249The process of casting magic is similar to programming, since he was a professional programmer, he is able to cast a basic spell. But suddenly collapses due to lack of mana.
2250
2251After learning about limits of mana and how to increase it, he vows to train hard.
2252
2253The next day, Eru begins his special training and used a physical boost spell but failed. He then sought to improve it and continues training.
2254
2255When Eru reached the age of 8, he’s already begun advancing his special training by jumping on the roofs of the city at night using physical boost spells. Focusing on mobility and training without rest and without interacting with children at his age.
2256
2257On one such night, he encounters two children at one roof. Archid and Adeltrud. When he jumped off the roof, the two are amazed and admired him. The next night, Eru encounters them again. They plead with Eru to train them as well. Adeltrud becomes infatuated with Eru’s appearance being cute and similar after his mother. Eru accepts.
2258
2259The next day, the twins, Ady and Chid visit Eru’s house. Eru’s mother greets them warmly and then later, Eru teaches the twins. He made new friends and his life got livelier.
2260
2261Due to the existence of demonic beasts, walls have been erected to protect the city. It’s often a spot where children played together.
2262
2263One day, several children tease a slow dwarf child named Batson then ran away. Eru, Chid, and Ady were around then Eru wanted to play a prank. The twins grab Batson and they chased after the children. They launch Batson at them, hitting them hard and destroying several boxes.
2264
2265Batson gets enrage and chases after them, leaving the children there to take the blame. Batson soon gives up chasing after getting tired. They arrive at his house, his father’s workshop.
2266
2267After a small tour, Eru asks Batson to create a staff. He returns home to create the design, and entrusts it to Batson.
2268
2269Batson makes the Winchester Rifle. Pleased with it, Eru wanted another one built since they greatly enhanced and influenced Eru’s fighting style.
2270
2271At the age of 8 and a half, Eru received a letter to enroll at Laihiala Academy. He’s troubled since he wants to be a knight runner. After consulting his family and friends, he remembered his height is too small to pilot a Silhouette Knight. His mother apologized since he takes after her in appearance and height but Eru denied it and decided to create a Silhouette Knight himself.
2272
2273When the time came for the academy to welcome new students, Eru and his friends enter. When they started to eat at the cafeteria, they meet Chid and Ady’s half-sister, Stefania Serrati. She develops a fondness for Eru hear. She introduces herself being acquainted with Eru. Eru notices that Chid and Ady act strange.
2274
2275Later, the twins confide to Eru about their family troubles, and their cruel brother and step-mother.
2276
2277The next day, they formally begin classes. Eru notices at the time table a class that allowed him to study about Silhouette Knights however another class is in his way.
2278
2279He gets determined to get it out of his way. When the day for Fundamental Magic class begins, he asks the teacher to allow him to skip his class if he proves his ability to be far superior to the rest. Although doubtful, he’s given a chance, he shows off an overwhelming display of magical prowess, using an advanced spell without difficulty. Chid and Ady follow suit as the class is amazed at their performance, somewhat reluctantly the teacher gives her permission.
2280
2281Later, Eru encounters Stefania who shows a fondness for Eru when Ady appears, they chat about his cuteness, troubling Eru.
2282
2283The bell rings later and they head to class. Chid encounters Baltsar later on, his and Ady’s half-brother.
2284
2285After two years, their lifestyles remain the same. Eru forcibly used his abilities to be exempted from classes to attend those he wants to attend. While Chid and Ady duel using dual magic and swordplay. Stefania watches in amazement as the two display abilities unthinkable for children their age.
2286
2287Baltsar secretly observes the duel and retreats.
2288
2289Expressing frustration due to being inferior in terms of abilities in comparison towards Chid and Ady, Baltsar plots to dispose of them.
2290
2291The next day, Baltsar corners Ady with his lackeys and they capture her. Baltsar challenges Chid later on while holding Ady’s hair pin. Baltsar beats Chid mercilessly, leaving Chid to count on Eru.
2292
2293Eru encounters Stefania while looking for Chid. Stefania informs Eru of Baltsar plot and this enrages Eru. He searched for Ady and relentlessly crushed the lackeys guarding her. He takes her and rushes to where Chid is.
2294
2295Chid is severely beaten when Eru appears with Ady. Chid gets serious and mercilessly beats Baltsar. The audience understood Baltsar’s scheme after seeing Ady. His lackeys take him away and Eru consults Stefania to deal with everything else later.
2296
2297A few days later, Baltsar was severely warned by the school and his family and was sent to the Red Rhino Knights for reformation. Eru and Ady play and chat as usual while Ady develops feelings for Eru. Life is peaceful for Eru and his friends.
2298
2299
2300
2301
2302
2303Arc 2: Demon Beast Attack
2304
2305
2306
2307
2308
2309Chapter 5: Shadow of the Giant Beast
2310
2311
2312
2313
2314
2315In the past, humans only ruled half of the Zetterlund continent, with the eastern land beyond the Aubigne Mountain Range being uncharted territory dominated by Demon beasts.
2316
2317With the Silhouette Knights as their main fighting force, humanity pushed the Demon beasts back, and ventured into the east beyond the Aubigne Mountains. The humans were doing well in the beginning, but their invasion was grinded to a halt. The east of Aubigne was covered by the Bocuse Sea of Trees, with Demon beasts that could take on hundreds of Silhouette Knights lurking inside. Suffering huge losses, the humans retreated out of the forest.
2318
2319There were vast plains of land at the foot of Aubigne Mountain, which was suitable for agricultural use after some development. To protect this piece of land, they expanded their territory to the edge of the forest and formed a country. This was the story behind the founding of the Fremmevira Kingdom. There are still Demon beasts wandering in the Bocuse Forest that might appear on a whim. To keep the Demon beasts away, walls were erected along the borders, and fortresses were set up at the place where Demon beasts show up the most frequently... The entrance to the Bocuse Forest known as the 'Rabidly Road' (Demon Beast Highway). Castle walls were then erected between such fortresses. As it was physically impossible to cover the whole border with siege walls, they could not completely deter Demon beasts that approach from places not covered by siege walls. The siege walls were mainly effective against titanic Demon beasts, and thanks to the nation's defensive efforts, the kingdom remained relatively safe.
2320
2321This happened during a certain quiet night.
2322
2323Balguerie stronghold was one of the fortresses lying between the Forest and the borders of Fremmevira Kingdom. It was quite far from 'Rabidly Road', even visits from mid size Demon beast were rare, an outpost guarded by ten Silhouette Knights.
2324
2325That night, the guards on duty felt there was something wrong with the unusual silence in the Bocuse Forest. The stars twinkled brightly in the night sky. There were usually a couple of howls from Demon beast on a night like this, but instead, there was an unnatural stillness. They couldn't even feel the presence of the animals, as if they had all evacuated. Although it was unnatural, there was no indication of anything happening. Baffled, they continued their rounds.
2326
2327The silence did not last long. They heard the sound of trees being crushed in the distance. It was obvious that something was approaching... Demon beasts. The guards raised the alarm without hesitation.
2328
2329"What the hell, a Demon beast so late at night!?"
2330
2331"We're from the Rabidly Road, what is it doing so far in the countryside?"
2332
2333The knights in the fortress prepared themselves when the alarm horn sounded. The outpost was a hive of activity, as they mustered together their equipment with haste. Listening to the sound of trees being crushed, the men could feel the looming crisis. The Knight runners on duty jumped into their Silhouette Knights. The Silhouette Knights deployed at this fortress were the standard 'Karrdator' model of Fremmevira. The ether reactor was forcefully started from a dormant state, its hum reverberating around it.
2334
2335The Silhouette Knights checked through their start up procedures, and hurriedly gathered at the gate of the fortress. At this time, the thing that had been crushing the trees appeared. The Demon beast was like a small moving mountain, covered in an uneven shell of rocks like a porcupine. A head and four limbs protruded from the sides, so the shape resembled a tortoise, an eighty metre long and fifty metre tall tortoise.
2336
2337The guard on duty, on the wall had only seen an 'Emperor Tortoise' in books... a type of Demon beast known as 'Behemoth'. Its primary features were its toughness and endurance. With its reputation of being a walking citadel, it was a difficult enemy to handle. To put it simply, the Behemoth's greatest power was 'Strengthening'. It uses overwhelming mana output to maintain its strengthening spell, and support a physically impossible body structure. It also enables it to move with a speed contrary to its appearance, and hardening every part of its body from shell to skeleton, possessing incredible toughness. It is said that a Behemoth mainly uses body slam to attack and can shatter siege walls. It's 'heart', which is proportionate to its large body, can generate mana equivalent to over 100 Silhouette Knights. With its endless endurance, the defense of the Behemoth is almost impossible to break through. This was a Behemoth, a fortress like Demon beast with incredibly high defense.
2338
2339"Demon beast identified... It’s an 'Emperor Tortoise'...! A Behemoth!"
2340
2341Before the pilots could process the guard’s screaming report, the Behemoth slammed into the walls of the stronghold. Its intentions were unknown, as the Behemoth attacked the fortress from the front. Using the body weight and the toughness that the Behemoth took pride in, the Demon beast turned itself into a battering ram. The siege wall and gate made of iron and stone were destroyed in one hit, the debris splattering all over. The minds of the pilots witnessing this scene turned blank.
2342
2343After hearing the reports of the guard and the destruction to the stronghold, the pilot's faces displayed shock and awe. Who would have thought that a battalion-level Demon beast would show up at a place so far away from Rabidly Road? A battalion-level Demon beast requires a battalion of Silhouette Knights (about 300) to defeat it. But there was only a squad (9) of Silhouette Knights stationed at this outpost, ten Silhouette Knights if you include the Captain. This was enough to keep duel-level Demon beasts (equal to 1 Silhouette Knight in power) in check, but was overwhelmingly weak compared to a battalion-level Demon beast.
2344
2345It would be suicidal to take a stand against the Demon beast, but the Knight runners did not waver. They did not know why the Behemoth was heading into the Kingdom of Fremmevira, but if they allowed it to push through without warning headquarters, the results would be disastrous. It was impossible to stop a Behemoth with the forces stationed at the stronghold Balguerie, but if they stalled for time, they may find the weakness of the beast. They hardened their resolve and charged forward bravely.
2346
2347With the walls breached, the Behemoth broke down the remnants of the gate and walked into the stronghold. Its howl shook the fortress like an explosion.
2348
2349The squad of Karrdators moved with this cue, pointing their Silhouette arms, 'Culverin', at the Behemoth. The knights channeled their mana into their spear shaped weapons, the emblem graph converted it into a physical phenomenon. Magic scripts and mana beyond the capabilities of humans to process were activated, forming overed spells. Flames erupted from the tips of the spear and scored direct hits on the beast with an explosive sound, burning it in a pillar of fire. Normal beasts would have fallen under this attack, but the Behemoth lived up to its name of a moving fortress, and was completely unfazed by the attack. But this was within the expectations of the Karrdators, and they continued the onslaught of flames with their culverins, covering the beast in smoke and fire.
2350
2351The power of the Silhouette arms was strong, but the expenditure of mana was very intensive. All the Karrdators kept up the attack until their mana reserves were depleted. To replenish their mana pool, they revved their ether reactors to absorb ether from the air. The reactor moaned louder as it worked even harder.
2352
2353The entrance of the stronghold was blazing in a sea of fire, after the continuous assault by the Silhouette Knights. The crackling flames and smoke shrouded the Behemoth completely, and the knights lost track of the beast. There were merely ten Silhouette Knights, but even a battalion level beast should sustain some injury under their all out attack. Just when the pilots were thinking that, a howl made the earth shudder, the shock wave dispersed the flames, and the Behemoth appeared from behind the smoke. Reality betrayed their wishful thinking; the Behemoth's gigantic body was unscathed.
2354
2355The Behemoth rushed towards the squad of Karrdators with a momentum that didn't match its size, the speed was so fast that the Karrdators could not evade it in time. The Silhouette Knights were down after receiving a solid blow. The steel plates caved in, instantly and the limbs were smashed. The sparkling crystal shards flew out from the gaps between the armour. There was no way the Knight runners survived.
2356
2357The other Karrdators fell back, keeping their distance from the beast. The Behemoth attacked with a deceptively quick pace, knocking away the Karrdator who could only fire off a flame bullet in futile resistance.
2358
2359The remaining Silhouette Knights judged that their magic attacks were ineffective and surrounded the Behemoth, attacking with swords. But just as the rumours say, the shell covering the Behemoth was unbelievably hard, negating all of the slashing attacks. Even though its whole body was covered by a shell, the Behemoth was still able to move with incredible speed. Just ten Silhouette Knights won’t be able to buy enough time and would be in danger of being wiped out by the Behemoth. The remaining pilots felt an unspeakable terror run down their spine; this was indeed a battalion-level Demon beast. The Captain of the Silhouette Knights made a snap decision.
2360
2361"Arlo, Benjamin, Claes! Are you still alive?"
2362
2363"...Yes sir!"
2364
2365The Behemoth went on a rampage again, slamming its body into the fortress with the force that it used to charge at the Karrdators. The stone-made stronghold was falling apart, it wouldn't last much longer.
2366
2367"Arlo, evacuate all the people who are still alive and run to Carriere Fortress! Benjamin, alert all the neighbouring cities that the Behemoth is nearby, and rush to Jantunen! Claes, make for the Capital! Run at top speed, run till you grind the crystal tissue to dust, you must report this to the Capital!"
2368
2369The Captain turned the head of his machine and looked at his remaining subordinates.
2370
2371"The rest of you... Sorry, you drew the short straw."
2372
2373The three pilots belonged to the younger generation, the reason behind their nominations was unknown, but they had no authority to refuse or hesitate. The top priority was to stay alive and deliver the warnings, there was no time for them to bid farewell. A tinge of sadness flashed across their face, but they regained their spirit through determination and their sense of duty.
2374
2375"Go!"
2376
2377"Yes sir!"
2378
2379The young pilots left the front lines on their Karrdators without hesitation. After the Captain confirmed the situation through his holo monitor, the corner of his lips rose in a smile.
2380
2381"My brothers, we will be knocked away if we stay in this cramped space! We are abandoning the stronghold. Go outside and use stalling tactics!"
2382
2383"Hey, hey, we won't let you come into our Kingdom!"
2384
2385"Let's show this damn tortoise what we're made of!"
2386
2387The five Karrdators escaped from the stronghold, preparing to fight the Behemoth. This was a hopeless battle, but their movements were clean and crisp. The Behemoth razed the stronghold to the ground and started its attack again. The Karrdators used a series of coordinated attacks to impede its advance, but the range magic attacks cast at random couldn't stop the movement of the giant beast. They would need to use melee attacks eventually, striking the head and legs before running away. The hit and run tactics were repeated again and again. The Karrdators could only focus on dodging the enraged Behemoth as they fought on.
2388
2389But even Silhouette Knights had a limit to their energy.
2390
2391Silhouette Knights are equipped with ether reactors, a semi-automatic part that supplies mana by absorbing the ether in the atmosphere. But the supply rate is limited. Especially in battle, if the usage rate is higher than the supply rate, the mana reserves in the machine will gradually get smaller. The pilots were only human... both man and machine have their limits. With the depletion of the mana reserves, the sluggish Karrdators were sent flying. The lack of concentration due to fatigue caused the Karrdators to miss the chance to evade, and was smashed by a tail attack. One by one, the knights fell to the Demon beast.
2392
2393But the five Silhouette Knights managed to buy a few hours of time, that were more precious than gold, while facing off a battalion-level Demon beast. It was only right to see this as the victory of their iron will.
2394
2395The one who held on to the very end was the veteran Captain. The machine was full of countless scratches; the right hand was blown away by the swipe of the Behemoth's tail. The crystal tissue was in tatters, due to damage as well as wear and tear, the mana reserve was on its last legs, he couldn't even run away.
2396
2397"... The rookies have escaped... This fucking turtle, your next opponents won't be a half ass group like ours, but a standard Order of Knights. Prepare to be history."
2398
2399Since he couldn't escape, the Captain commanded the damaged machine to run. He never thought he would survive, injecting his remaining mana into his command Silhouette Knight and charging at the Behemoth recklessly. But the best it could do was stagger forward in awkward steps. He tightened the grip of his sword in the left arm, and threw the whole weight of the machine to stab at the face of the Behemoth.
2400
2401Maybe the Demon beast knew the concept of respect.
2402
2403The Behemoth locked on to the last enemy blocking its path, opened its mouth and took a deep breath. This was a never before seen attack. After a moment, just before the sword of the command Silhouette Knight reached the Behemoth, a tornado breath powered by magic, spewed from the Behemoth's mouth. The fierce wind uprooted the trees. The command Silhouette Knight took a direct hit and was blown far away, the crystal shards and pieces of armour raining over the forest.
2404
2405The Behemoth growled. The squad launched many attacks with their stalling tactics, and with the command Silhouette Knight's last blow, a faint crack was left upon the Behemoth's face, lightly scratching the eye ball. If the damage of the command Silhouette Knight wasn't so severe, it might have hit the eye ball. The Behemoth surveyed the area for a while, and started advancing after making sure those in its way were gone. Its footfalls were heavy and its eyes bore no sign of emotion.
2406
2407The largest Demon beast calamity since the founding of Fremmevira started quietly. What was its goal? The answer lies in the road the Demon beast was heading down towards, the largest city of central Fremmevira... Jantunen.
2408
2409
2410
2411
2412
2413Chapter 6: Let's go on a Field Trip
2414
2415
2416== CE 1277.
2417
2418The 12 years old Ernesti Echevalier and his childhood friends, the twins Archid Olter and Adeltrud Olter has moved on to middle school of the Knighthood faculty. Their other childhood playmate, the dwarf Batson Termonen, remained in the Crafting faculty. Due to Eru’s influence, Batson has shown interest in the career of Knightsmith. The two of them can sometimes be seen together, talking about Silhouette Knights design and operation knowledge.
2419
2420As for Ernesti, he has been taking classes about Silhouette Knights but unrelated to Knighthood ever since he enrolled in Laihiala Pilot Academy. Eru has completed all the courses in the Crafting faculty after attending their classes for three years. After satisfying his thirst for knowledge, he is now unofficially attending Pilot faculty classes.
2421
2422Since Laihiala is a 'pilot' Academy, the Piloting faculty is the star of the institute. Only the best graduates from Knighthood middle school may gain entry into the Piloting faculty. Although it is generally known as the Piloting faculty, not everyone enrolled here has Knighthood background. The Knight runner won't be able to move the Silhouette Knight alone, it is still a machine that requires crew to maintain and service.
2423
2424The pilots will learn about control and manoeuvre. The craftsmen learns to construct and maintain the outer skin, as well as the inner skeleton. The alchemists train in the art of crystal tissue creation and repair. The sigilmancers focus on the preparation of the Silhouette arms. The various faculties in middle school are collectively known as the Pilot faculty in high school.
2425
2426With this background, the education policy of the Pilot Academy trends towards practical application. They familiarise themselves with the skills and techniques by piloting the Silhouette Knights owned by the academy. Laihiala Pilot Academy possesses 20 Silhouette Knights, a number that is more than adequate to man a fortified outpost on the frontlines. But they are the retired models Salodrea machines that are second rate in abilities.
2427
2428These Silhouette Knights has been repaired countless times over the long years, and each of them are used by several piloting candidates for training. The repeated usage has worn down the machine and it requires frequent maintenance checks, a heavy burden on the students, but also great experience for real world application. Organisation hiring Piloting faculty alumni comments that the fresh graduates has the ability to work on the frontlines immediately.
2429
2430On the training ground of Laihiala Pilot Academy, a mock battle between Silhouette Knights is ongoing.
2431
2432In the middle of the stone building, a red machine is engaged in battle with a white machine. They have blunt sword used for training spars in their hands, battling fiercely. The machine provided by the school has reinforced armour around the pilot seats, a design which focuses on the safety of the pilots. But a Silhouette Knight going all out is still very dangerous, so the equipment is nerfed to restrict its damage. Standard equipment is only used in practical training battles against Demon beast.
2433
2434There are no empty seats on the wall surrounding the arena. All sorts of people are watching the duelling Silhouette Knights from the spectators’ seats. Training with only brawls is not real training; the analysis of the fight is indispensable. There are people recording the battle logs, studying the skills of the pilots... some are allocating maintenance spare parts as the damage piles on; some of them are observing the effects of the magic arsenal.
2435
2436Most of the people present are high school students, but there is a small figure that is out of place here. Not only is the person short, he also has a cute face that is easily mistaken for a girl. That person is Ernesti. Because his stature is small, he is occupying the front seat so his vision won't be obscured by others, staring at the Silhouette Knights intensely.
2437
2438He skipped the Knighthood faculty classes he is supposed to attend, overcoming all obstacles to earn the right to be exempted them. He is unorthodox in his actions, but is strangely law abiding in some areas.
2439
2440In the beginning, Eru uses his cute appearance and mascot like character to gain entry. He was planning to watch quietly from the side, but he is now observing the battles and repairs up close, finding more places he can chip in. From the way he can easily keep up with the conversations of his seniors, his preparation in the last three years did not go to waste.
2441
2442Getting practical first-hand experience and knowledge outside the classroom made Eru extremely happy. Apart from greedily taking part in all sorts of work processes, he is very interested in the training battles. The Silhouette Knights ― giant robots fighting before his eyes draws out indescribable emotions within him. The giant machines that emulate a knight in armour bash at each other with iron limbs wielding mammoth swords, even shooting powerful projectile spells. Eru observes the training battles with passionate eyes, not missing a single movement.
2443
2444As a side note, there was a rumour that a guy was almost pulled into a twisted world after seeing the pretty boy, who can be mistaken for a girl, blushing while watching the Silhouette Knights with longing eyes.
2445
2446"Eh, seems like Di will lose again."
2447
2448Piloting faculty student... Helvi Öberg mumbles as she records the battle logs, a breeze blowing across the arena messes her short and curly hair.
2449
2450The situation of the battle before them is clear, the red knight is struggling. Its dual wielding blades and on the offense, but it didn't break through the white knight's defense.
2451
2452"Hmm, what do you think about this battle, Eru?"
2453
2454Helvi, who has been glancing at the data in her hands asked Eru, who was sitting obediently beside her. Their eyes remained fixed on the arena at all times.
2455
2456"The speed of Guyale's sword is slower than before. I think that is the reason why he missed the opportunity to score points off attacks."
2457
2458"... I see. Now that you mentioned it, his attacks seem too casual. I thought the condition of the Knight runner is not too good. What went wrong?"
2459
2460"The movement of the right arm seems sluggish. I think it is because the joints or crystal tissues have been replaced."
2461
2462Helvi browses through the documents in her hand and confirms the maintenance report of the red machine named Guyale. The record states, due to signs of stress and fatigue in the crystal tissues of the right arm, it has been replaced this morning. The movement probably seems rigid because the parts are not aligned. She found the reason behind the sluggish actions of Guyale, but she couldn’t tell that that the condition of the right arm is bad. Helvi moans Eru's passion and attention to detail when watching training battles is better than those actively engaged in it. She found it amazing and wonders where his passion stems from. The white machine fighting Guyale in the arena, Earlecumber, fended off the attack and stabbed at the Guyale's chest. The horn sounded, signalling the end of the battle. The instructor judged that the spar has been won by Earlecumber. Guyale couldn’t overcome its bad condition in this battle.
2463
2464The machine that was battling just now enters the workshop situated near the arena, and the pilots exited the Silhouette Knights.
2465
2466The pilot of the white Earlecumber was Edgar C. Blanche, a tall and dignified man. Similar to his appearance, he is mature and steadfast, an elite among the pilots.
2467
2468The red Guyale is manned by Dietrich Cunitz. Unlike Edgar, he has long blonde hair, a meek and skinny man. His abilities are top notch, but he tends to get nervous and loses his head easily over small matters, his performance is inconsistent. He seemed frustrated because he lost the match.
2469
2470He started squabbling with the maintenance crew the moment he got off the machine. Instead of discussing the issue, they are pushing the blame onto someone else, even the bystanders know they won't make any headway. Helvi couldn’t stand it and butts in. She explained her findings about the arm to settle the meaningless quarrel. But Dietrich's expression lit up mid-way and smiles sarcastically. In contrast, the maintenance crew looked annoyed.
2471
2472"Oh, no wonder the movement is so rigid. Maintenance is skimping on the repairs."
2473
2474Dietrich is suggesting 'losing is not my fault'. Edgar standing nearby advises him sternly:
2475
2476"Di, that's going too far. If the arm is not functioning well, you should adopt a different style in your fight. It’s fine if you lose after trying, but your movement seems unfocused today. It is not right to blame it all on the maintenance crew."
2477
2478Dietrich's sarcastic smile disappears after being lectured in front of everyone.
2479
2480"You only won because my machine's performance is sub-par, don't get cocky."
2481
2482"The content of the spar is more important than winning. I am just saying that you should reflect on that."
2483
2484"Is that so? Why don't you operate a faulty machine in our fight next time?"
2485
2486
2487
2488
2489
2490Dietrich left in angry strides after uttering these words with a sour face. The people in the work shop have gotten used to this and simply shrugged. Eru, who was watching from the side-lines made a perplexed face and Helvi patted his head for some reason. The school bell rang, announcing the end of class and to start preparing for the next lesson. Eru was unhappy that the fun time is over, but still bowed to Helvi and rushed back to the Knighthood faculty.
2491
2492"Field trip?"
2493
2494Eru have no idea what his classmates in middle school are talking about, there seems to be some events. He must have missed something if the whole class is talking about it. Probably because he is spending so much time in pilot school.
2495
2496"I'm sorry, I have no idea. Can you tell me what this is about?"
2497
2498Eru said with a troubled expression. His classmates look at each other for an instant, and all of them started explaining at the same time. Maybe they enjoy talking to Eru, or they felt excited when speaking with Eru. It requires tremendous patience to summarise the jumbled contents, but it can be filtered down to these main points.
2499
2500- In order to accumulate practical experience in fighting Demon beast, all three grades of Knighthood middle school will be participating in a field trip.
2501
2502- The destination will be the region of Jantunen, the forested hill home to small Demon beast.
2503
2504- The first years will be focusing on the basics of camping and wilderness survival skills.
2505
2506- For safety, Pilot school will be sending several Silhouette Knights as escorts.
2507
2508"I see, it will be conducted two weeks from now."
2509
2510"Hey, did you only find out about it today?"
2511
2512"That's what I thought. You keep going~~ to high school right? You don’t come~~ back much anyway."
2513
2514Eru tilt his head perplexedly. Chid seems shocked, but Ady looked unhappy. Eru has been reporting to Piloting faculty during class and after class, the time he spent training with Chid and Ady have been dwindling.
2515
2516"Ady? Are you in a bad mood?"
2517
2518"Not~~ really. Totally not. You are mistaken, right?"
2519
2520But the way, Ady is crossing her arms and her strong tone seems to be announcing 'I am very unhappy'.
2521
2522"I don't think I did anything wrong. What did I do?"
2523
2524"That's right~~ you didn't do anything. You are not here most of the time anyway~~"
2525
2526This is what a hopeless situation means. Eru has no idea what he should do and requests Chid for aid with his gaze. Chid seems to acknowledge that and changed the topic forcefully.
2527
2528"We will split into teams for the field trip. Eru, which group are you joining?"
2529
2530"Ah, about this..."
2531
2532Eru glance at Ady who couldn’t hide her curiosity and said:
2533
2534"If there are no special arrangements, I would prefer forming a group with the three of us. From the sounds of it, the first years will be concentrating on the basics, so grouping up casually should be fine."
2535
2536"Oh― we will be staying together then..."
2537
2538Ady's mood has obviously improved. She went behind Eru and put her arms around his neck in a hug like usual.
2539
2540No matter how old I am, I don't get women...
2541
2542Including the memories from his past life, Eru looked at Ady with his wealth of life experience and felt a chill. About two weeks later, Ernesti and the others prepared to go on their field trip under the clear blue sky.
2543
2544Large communal horse drawn carriages are parked in front of Laihiala Pilot Academy. The middle school students gets onto the carriages under the direction of the instructors.
2545
2546"Take care of yourself―"
2547
2548Batson from Craftsman faculty is not participating in the field trip. The Knighthood trio walks towards the carriage after Batson bid them farewell in a nonchalant tone.
2549
2550"Eru, Eru, this way!"
2551
2552"Don't rush; the carriage won't leave without us."
2553
2554The destination of the field trip is a place called 'Cloquet's Forest'. That place is covered in forest and is slightly elevated, filled with Demon beasts that are relatively weak. Carriages are used for the long trip after considering the strength of the Demon beasts. Cloquet's Forest is a suitable place that meets the requirement of the field trip. According to the route planned, they will swing by Jantunen to resupply before heading into Cloquet's Forest, which is nearby.
2555
2556After all the students are seated, the carriages set off one by one. The long caravan of carriages advanced steadily on the road.
2557
2558The ten Silhouette Knight escorts spread out along the convoy. They are piloted by the high schoolers from the Academy. The dark red and pure white machines, Guyale and Earlecumber are here too.
2559
2560The Silhouette Knights used by the Academy are donated from the military. After the long years of maintenance by the students with free reign, their appearance has become unique and interesting. Some have meaningless and complicated patterns engraved on its armour, while others has eerily big accessories added onto its head, and there are armours that are pieced together in a weird pattern. The machines have been customised deeply, giving a 'that's too exaggerated' kind of feeling. The exoskeleton comes in all sorts of colours, having an elegant air about it, instead of being fierce and mean.
2561
2562There are many Knighthood majors participating on the field trip. Although middle school is full of kids, they are still candidates striving to be knights, so there shouldn't be any problems if they meet the attacks of normal Demon beasts. Even if this is a field trip, they can't be spooked by small Demon beasts. Within the Kingdom of Fremmevira, mid-sized Demon beasts about a dozen metres still lurk in the forest and mountain regions, and they might run into them on the road. The Silhouette Knights are the insurance against unexpected attacks.
2563
2564"I thought we will have a chance to fight Demon beasts, but it turns out to be a boring trip."
2565
2566Dietrich Cunitz who is riding in Guyale complains loudly. Although they are here as a safeguard, there has been no major incidence on this road for the past several years. Although the Knight runners have been assigned the mission of 'long distance manoeuvre training', this is a trip that has nothing to do with tension or motivation.
2567
2568"Hey, I know how you feel Di, but you can't say such things."
2569
2570Helvi Öberg who is piloting the Silhouette Knight 'Trandorches' instead of working as a battle logger reminds him. There are microphones inside the pilot seat, and the sound inside will be broadcast loudly through external speakers if it is not turned off. It is amplified to ensure the message is not drowned out by the noise of the Silhouette Knights in operation, so it is possible that a middle schooler might have heard him.
2571
2572"Both of you take this seriously. Even if nothing happens, this is still part of our training."
2573
2574Earlecumber caught up to Guyale and Trandorches, the voice of Edgar C. Blanche can be heard booming from the Silhouette Knight.
2575
2576"As expected from the top pilot, such high end content."
2577
2578"Di, didn't you hear what I said?"
2579
2580"Ah ― keep it down you two, everyone can hear you."
2581
2582Guyale and Earlecumber fell silent after hearing Helvi and returned to their positions. Helvi felt uneasy about the days ahead while she is piloting Trandorches.
2583
2584They are not the only ones who don’t know how to kill time.
2585
2586"I know it can't be help, but this is too boring."
2587
2588After rocking in the carriage for about half a day, Chid is bored out of his mind. Not only Chid, the students around him are feeling the same. They are four days away from their destination, and with their transportation taken care of by the carriage, the students on board have lots of free time. They can talk freely, but they are growing tired of the cramp space on the carriage, which can't be help.
2589
2590"Do you want to look at the scenery outside? The scenery outside is interesting."
2591
2592"No, the only one who is satisfied with watching the scenery is you. And you are really tenacious, how long do you plan to watch that?"
2593
2594Chid looks at Eru with tired eyes. Eru stops gazing at the scenery and turns back, sitting properly on his seat. He looks really cute with his head slightly tilted while deep in thought, relieving the atmosphere instantly.
2595
2596"Want to read the books I brought along? I think you can kill time this way."
2597
2598"Books... I want to stretch my body. Eh, never mind. What have you got?"
2599
2600"Theories on Alchemy, volume 1."
2601
2602"Is that a textbook? Isn't it better to sleep then read that?"
2603
2604"You are right, but there is really nothing to do here. Why not follow Ady’s example and take a nap?"
2605
2606Ady is sleeping soundly in front of Chid. Her peaceful face that has nothing to do with boredom makes Chid look up to the sky. He maintained that position and suddenly thought of something.
2607
2608"Eh, it's a great way to kill time right?"
2609
2610They climb on top of the carriage. The top is full of the students’ luggage. Unlike the inside of the carriage, there are no seats here, but there is no problems sitting down.
2611
2612"The scenery here is better."
2613
2614The carriage advanced leisurely under the clear blue sky, the top of the carriage feels nice and peaceful. A breeze made Eru's silver hair sway. He found a nice seat among the luggage and entered scenery appreciation mode.
2615
2616"Ah― this is still boring. But it is nicer than the inside of the cramp carriage."
2617
2618Since there is nothing to do, napping under the sky sounds interesting. Chid didn’t care anymore.
2619
2620"Ah, so you guys are here."
2621
2622Ady poked her head out from within the carriage.
2623
2624"You woke up?"
2625
2626"Yeah, you guys are gone when I got up."
2627
2628Ady made her way to Eru's side as she spoke, and lied on his thigh, getting in position to sleep.
2629
2630"The sun is so warm, it feels better sleeping here."
2631
2632"Sleeping is fine, but why are you using my lap as your pillow?"
2633
2634"It's feels nicer this way."
2635
2636As Eru was at a loss, Ady has begun her journey into dreamland. Eru couldn’t do anything about her and started reading, looking out at the scenery occasionally. Chid ponders about stuff for a while, but thinks it’s too bothersome and gave up, using a luggage as a pillow to nap.
2637
2638Their leisurely journey continues at this pace. After rocking for three more days on the horse drawn carriage, the group from Laihiala Pilot Academy finally arrived at the largest city of central Fremmevira ― Jantunen.
2639
2640There is a reason why Jantunen ranks amongst the top cities in the Kingdom. It lies along the route that leads to the west of Fremmevira and beyond the Aubigne Mountain Range. It is also the transit point for supplies leading to the frontline fortress to the east of Fremmevira. As an important transport hub, its defences are second only to the Capital, surrounded by siege walls and moats. On top of that, there is a large band of knights equivalent to a company (100 Silhouette Knights) garrisoned here. No matter how crucial this city is, there is too much military force for one city. But they are stationed here because of Jantunen's strategic location, allowing them to reinforce frontline cities quickly. And in practice, about thirty percent of the forces will receive patrol and escort missions outside the city.
2641
2642By the time the convoy from Laihiala Pilot Academy arrived at Jantunen, it was already past noon.
2643
2644The city wall surrounding Jantunen is colossal in scale. Because of the existence of Demon beasts, traveling long distances is difficult, so this is first time seeing another big city other than Laihiala for many of the students. Everyone is curious about this city and this is the most anticipated part for many of them.
2645
2646"What an amazing wall, what are they defending against?"
2647
2648"The enemy they have in mind are Demon beasts... or rather, the Demon beasts during the nation's founding. There are many more vicious Demon beasts during that era."
2649
2650"Oh... That's why it is so massive."
2651
2652The students were elated when they saw the gate leading into the city. But the carriage did not pass through the gates, but are gathered in the open space in front of it.
2653
2654"Wait, aren't we going into Jantunen?"
2655
2656"They already told us that the stop at Jantunen is only to resupply."
2657
2658Although the group can disembark and rest outside the carriage, but they will need to move out once the goods have been loaded. The students who thought they could get a reprieve from the dull journey starts to complain, the twins stare at the gargantuan gate and nags.
2659
2660"Man, this is boring. It won't do any harm letting us in for a while!"
2661
2662"That's right, I want to go shopping."
2663
2664"Wait, that's not why..."
2665
2666"Don't you want to take a look?"
2667
2668"I am interested, but going on a tour with such a large group of students can turn into a horrible mess."
2669
2670As they spoke, Eru looks to the side. It was probably arranged in advanced, the merchants came out of the gate with the goods, which are then loaded onto the carriages.
2671
2672The short break was over and it was time to go. The carriage left with the reluctant students on board and move towards their destination ― Cloquet's Forest.
2673
2674After traveling for a day from Jantunen, They reached Cloquet's Forest. The road that leads to the east of the Kingdom was badly maintained. After rocking in the carriage for the whole day, they finally reach the entrance of a thick forest.
2675
2676The caravan parked in an open space near the entrance of the forest, the base camp for annual field trips.
2677
2678The students started setting up tents under the command of the instructors. They have been sleeping on the carriage on their journey here, ready to escape at a moment's notice if Demon beasts attack. But they will be training for several days here and can't stay on the carriages indefinitely. So they erected tents and used this base as a camp site.
2679
2680The seniors have experienced this several times and set up their tents skillfully. In the Knighthood faculty, besides normal training, camping trips are also conducted once in a while. Since they aspire to be knights, setting up camp is a necessary skill when traveling in an army. Learning skills other than sword and magic is a unique feature for those majoring in Knighthood. But it is not easy for the first years. Although they learned and practiced before the trip, their inexperience still shows in their work. Even with the assistance of the instructors, there are a few teams that slowed the progress, so dinner was served very late.
2681
2682The entrance of the forest was filled with tents just like a camping zone. There are torches all around, illuminating the dark corner of the forest. As part of their training program, the second years are assigned guard and patrol duties. With so many charges, the instructors can't take care of everyone, so the students are also posted as guards, which serve as practical assignments too.
2683
2684Eru's team set up their tent faster than the other groups. Eru knows the steps well, and with the tall twins’ helping, they finished in no time. The two of them helped the other groups after finishing, while Eru walked to the outer edge of the camp site.
2685
2686The basics are all done. I am not being lazy... ah, found it.
2687
2688Beside the camping ground of the middle school students is the base of the high school Knight runners, and their Silhouette Knights. The footsteps of the Silhouette Knights and the hum of their internal components will disrupt the sleep of the campers. That's why they are stationed here in case of any emergencies.
2689
2690The ten Silhouette Knights are arranged in rows, in standby mode with one knee on the ground. Their colossal figures are partially illuminated by the camp fire. With some parts hidden in the darkness, they look more imposing at night. Normal people might feel intimidated, but Eru simply smiled as he looked at the rows of iron giants seated in a row.
2691
2692Ah, giant robots are great― this is the oasis of the heart, every home should have one.
2693
2694There are no such terrifying families even in this world. But regretfully, no one is around to retort Eru.
2695
2696"Hey, you there... silver hair? Is that Ernesti?"
2697
2698After a short moment, someone called out to Eru who was immersed in a mysterious healing aura of robots. He turns back and saw the owner of Earlecumber ― Edgar.
2699
2700"Evening Edgar-senpai. Sorry to disturb you."
2701
2702"So it is you. Why are... I guess it is pointless to ask."
2703
2704Eru is famous in pilot school. His antics and motivation are well known, too.
2705
2706"Is senpai on standby duty?"
2707
2708Edgar heard Eru's query as the flickering light from the camp fire shined over them. He smile bitterly and shook his head.
2709
2710"No, we were deciding the order of the duty but... sigh, Di is making a scene as usual."
2711
2712"Dietrich-senpai?"
2713
2714"Yes. Simply put, he was complaining about standby duty being a hassle. As Knight runners in their senior year of Laihiala Academy, protecting our juniors is an important mission... But as usual, his attitude is flippant."
2715
2716He still has to carry out his task no matter how stubborn he is. But Dietrich still insists on nagging about it.
2717
2718"I don't want to hear his complains, so I decided to change the mood and see these guys."
2719
2720The two of them raise their head to look at 'them'. The campfire lit up the giant knight in white armour ― Silhouette Knight Earlecumber. It was not customised and retained its original shape. Its simple design has no special features and has a gentle feel about it. With the top pilot Edgar controlling it, the two partners are known as the strongest in pilot school.
2721
2722
2723
2724
2725
2726"Senpai likes Silhouette Knights. too?"
2727
2728"Eh? Rather than like... they are my weapon and comrades. My mood will calm down when I am with them. When I feel frustrated, like just now or when I feel tired, I will visit them."
2729
2730I am probably not suited for this kind of talk ― Edgar scratched his head.
2731
2732"I think having a reliable companion is wonderful."
2733
2734"You really like Silhouette Knights. That's right, if you continue to work hard as a knight, you will gain a partner too... Ah, we talked for too long, first years should get back before it gets too late."
2735
2736And so, they bid their farewell and returned.
2737
2738"...Okay, De should have calmed down by now."
2739
2740After watching the bright silver disappear into the darkness, Edgar mumbles to himself, and prepares to head back with the spirit of heading into battle.
2741
2742The sky is totally dark. The first years finished their late dinner in the dim lights and returned to their tents. The first years have no assignments for the night. After the long journey and setting up camp, fatigue sets in and they wrap themselves in their blankets and sleep. When they have gone into slumber—
2743
2744A loud howl from a beast came from deep within the forest. It was probably wolves. After the first howl, howls in response can be heard from all over the forest. The students on guard duty heighten their senses and look towards the forest. The howls can be heard every now and then, so they lost interest in it after a while. But there are some who can't ignore the howls. It reminds the first timer the situation they are in. This is not a safe town for a carriage they can run away on. This is right in front of the forest where Demon beasts lurk, they are sleeping in tents that were erected here.
2745
2746Even though Cloquet's Forest is not really dangerous, it is not considered safe even with the students on watch. After arriving here without incident, they felt the atmosphere was on the way here, but grew tense because of the howling. Their sleepiness because of fatigue is gone and they are wide awake.
2747
2748In Eru's team tent, Chid is shaking his head while lying down. Although he is not very affected, Chid still felt a bit uneasy and can't sleep.
2749
2750I thought I was braver than this, seems like I am quite tense too.
2751
2752The dim camp fire shines in, giving the dark tent an unsettling atmosphere. Chid suddenly wondered if Eru, sleeping besides him was uneasy like him and called out softly.
2753
2754"Hey Eru, I want to ask... Eh."
2755
2756Eru was fast asleep. He was not totally unmoved, but he was a warrior on the frontlines of hell in his previous life, too. He understood the importance of rest even if he doesn’t want too, and gained the ability to be able to sleep under any circumstances.
2757
2758... Although I have known from the beginning, but he is too strong and carefree.
2759
2760After hearing Chid, Ady who couldn’t sleep turns and stares at Eru's sleeping face.
2761
2762"Eh, how cunning."
2763
2764Chid doesn’t know what she means by cunning. Ady shifted over and pulls Eru into her arms, hugging him like a pillow. Eru woke after being hugged this way. He realised it is Ady, and he pats her head and falls asleep. Maybe Ady felt safe because of this and her breathing turns smooth after a moment. Looking at the two of them, Chid felt foolish for not being able to sleep.
2765
2766Isn't it stupid for me to be tense by myself?
2767
2768That's it, he decided to not worry anymore. After a while, he enters dreamland.
2769
2770The next morning, the students start getting up some time after dawn.
2771
2772A lot of student didn't get enough sleep. In the drowsy atmosphere, Eru's group was refreshed. There are always students who can't sleep when camping, experiencing this tension is one of the objectives of this field trip. The instructors didn't push the younger first years, so the content of job is rather relaxed. After the students finished the simple breakfast made from preserved food, they gathered in groups by their grades under the commands of the teachers.
2773
2774After the teacher had given brief instructions, the second years break into teams and headed for the depth of the forest. The prime objective of this field trip is to engage in practical battles with the Demon beast lurking in the forest, and to hunt for a certain number of them. The first years will head to the outer region of the forest, and may have to fight if necessary.
2775
2776The first years were tense as they enter the forest for the first time, while the other grades had to bear a different sort of tension, as they headed into the forest. After a moment, the sound of their armour grows softer as they move further in and the forest turns quiet once again.
2777
2778And so, this long day that all students in the Knighthood faculty will never forget begins.
2779
2780
2781
2782
2783
2784Chapter 7: Let's fight a Demon Beast
2785
2786
2787A physical phenomenon forms out of thin air with a screech, and flies towards the 'Staccato Lizard'. The spell 'Aero Ripper' slices through the Staccato Lizard's neck, killing it before it can scream.
2788
2789"A lizard is heading this way! Vanguard, ready your shields!"
2790
2791The group follows the clear command of the lady, students lightly equipped with wands and bows retreat to the rear, replaced by students in heavy armor. They form a row and a wall with their shields to fend off the swarming Demon beasts. The beasts that survived the onslaught of magic and arrows pounce on the student in the front row with a fierce collision. The students used their shields to repel the claws and fangs of the Demon beast, and counter attack with their swords, taking down a large number of beasts.
2792
2793But the Demon beast use their superior numbers to bypass the iron wall defense and to their back. The lightly armored students on standby, behind the vanguards will attack when they see any beast slip past their defenses. No Demon beast will make it through this formation.
2794
2795The middle school students who split into groups when they entered Cloquet's Forest gathered and formed into a single unit, positioning themselves into a formation that focuses on defense. The surge of Demon beasts charged at them from the depths of the forest. The students took on the waves of Demon beasts courageously.
2796
2797They put down one Demon beast after another, but the torrent of Demon beasts is just on the tip of the iceberg. Some beasts slipped through the defense of the edge of the formation, and file towards the forest entrance.
2798
2799"If this goes on, the first year at the forest entrance will be attacked...! We have to warn them!"
2800
2801The female student in command realised the danger and wants to warn the group behind them, but they have another impending crisis.
2802
2803"Watch out! A Macehead Ogre is coming at us!"
2804
2805The student who saw the Ogre screams. They were warding off small sized enemies like Staccato Lizards and Saber Cats, which is manageable despite their troubling numbers. But Macehead Ogre is a different ball game. Similar to its name, Macehead Ogre is a three metre tall giant ape with a head full of short and thick horns. It requires the teamwork of several students to fight on par with just one of them. They can't take on this enemy while engaging the horde of small Demon beasts.
2806
2807"...! Second file! Aim for the ape's leg! It will be bad if they draw near!"
2808
2809Several staff sticks out from the student acting as the defensive wall, casting all sorts of spells. They used fire, wind and lightning magic to battle the Demon beasts.
2810
2811We need to turn back time a few hours to understand why the situation is so dire.
2812
2813Morning, the middle school students from the higher grades headed into Cloquet's Forest in teams with high spirits. They kept their guard up, advancing deep into the forest with no resistance and realised that something was wrong. Normally, they would have met with several Demon beast attacks this deep into the forest, but there had been nothing so far. There was no news of the Demon beast disappearing from Cloquet's Forest.
2814
2815The groups hesitantly loiter around the forest, attempting to reach other teams for news. But all of the groups reported the absence of Demon beast encounters, with no signs of cats or lizards. Finding no trace of the things that should be there is an abnormal sign, so the crowd decides to report back to the teachers after a short discussion.
2816
2817As they were preparing to leave, the Demon beasts started to emerge from left and right. It is a bit of a hassle, but they still raise their arms to destroy the Demon beasts.
2818
28191, 2― 5― 10―
2820
2821When the Demon beasts numbered in the dozens, everyone’s expression changed. Seeing the state the forest is in, they understood that this is another abnormal event, differing from the one they experienced just now.
2822
2823But thankfully, they were all gathered so they have the strength in numbers, a silver lining of this gloomy situation. With their years of experience in Knighthood combat training, the students formed ranks with a formation made for large groups. This is the result of the students who aspire to join an Order of Knights, displaying the fruits of their hard work. And thus, their group clashes head on with the swarm of Demon beasts and this brings us to the present situation.
2824
2825This is the tenth Macehead Ogre they have defeated.
2826
2827The tactics of prioritising ranged attack is working. They judged that staying put will wear them down, so they retreated towards the forest entrance slowly.
2828
2829It was fortunate that the Student Council President, Stefania Serrati, is present. When they split into team activities, she assigned the task and suitable equipment to each group. It was the same for their combined formations; everyone has their role to play. Although they are a pick-up group, things are going well. The problem is the lack of a commander. It is great just following their given task, but if they don't act when there is an opportunity, they will miss the chance to take advantage of a situation and waste their resources.
2830
2831Under these circumstances, no one objects when the Student Council President, who is in her senior year step up as the commander. She has the nominal title as well as the grades, and was trusted by everyone. Even if this is a pick-up group cobbled together on a whim, her instructions were clear and led the group through difficult situation well. Their retreat was orderly and casualties was low, but―
2832
2833... This is bad. The number of Demon beasts is a problem, but why are they so adamant about charging us... How much longer can we hold them?
2834
2835Stefania appeared calm when she commands, but she was frantic inside. They still have a lot of stamina and mana, but they will be overwhelmed if this keeps up.
2836
2837We didn't intercept all the Demon beasts. I hope the children behind us are safe...!
2838
2839The situation is deteriorating, but they still fought on.
2840
2841The first years training at the outer edge of the forest was attacked while the higher grade students were battling.
2842
2843In the beginning, the students near the forest screamed. Several Staccato Lizards pounce on the students and bit them. Their attacks weren’t fatal, but it is dangerous if a bunch of them strikes together. The instructors rescued them immediately, attacking the Demon beasts that were targeting the students.
2844
2845The results of the instructors' actions made the situation worse, but they are not at fault. It will be fine if it was just a few Demon beasts, but the Demon beasts started to emerge en masse. The teachers missed the chance to fall back and had to keep on fighting. They are holding up well, but the students behind them fell into a panic with the emergence of more Demon beasts. The instructors who are supposed to maintain order can't draw back and give the students the proper instructions.
2846
2847The students recklessly waved their staff and cast spells. Their blindly casted magic did not threaten the beasts, almost hitting allies instead. Some drew their swords without thinking about the other students that are near them, causing further panic. Compared to the higher grade students, who were prepared and equipped for battle, and had plenty of practical experience, the first years were not ready for a fight.
2848
2849"...Aero Damned, Canister Shot!"
2850
2851Suddenly, someone leap over the panicking first year students. Silver hair shined brightly under the sun, this image burns deeply into the eyes of the confused students. That person flips in mid air, aimed for the ground and shot out several air bullets. Canister shot meant casting several spells at the same time like a shotgun.
2852
2853The air bullets hit the ground with the sound of an explosion. The compressed air bullets squeeze the face of the beasts together before blasting the Demon beasts and the ground away.
2854
2855Carpet bombing is a large aerial bombing done in a progressive manner to inflict damage in every part of a selected area of land. The phrase evokes the image of explosions completely covering an area; in the same way that a carpet covers a floor.
2856
2857The merciless magic destroyed a large amount of Demon beast through carpet bombing. Two more students move in from the left and right. One of them charges into the Demon beast mob with a big bastard sword in hand. He used physical boost to swing his giant sword, slicing the Demon beasts in half. He used the momentum to turn his body, drawing another weapon from his waist and point it at the surviving beast.
2858
2859<TL: wikipedia.org/wiki/Carpet_bombing>
2860
2861"Too naive! Sonic Boom!"
2862
2863This weapon― gun staff Gandiva produces a vacuum from its tip, forming an air current rushing towards the Demon beasts, hitting those that were outside his sword range. Their bodies twisted unnaturally and were blown away.
2864
2865A girl showed up beside him, holding two bayonet staff pointed at different beasts.
2866
2867"Riot Sparrow!"
2868
2869Lightning fell, accompanied by the sound of thunder the next second, striking the gathered Demon beasts. She didn't even look at the beasts that spasmed and died, attaching the gun staff onto the sword in her sheath. She held the dual swords in both hands, slashing at every Demon beast that came within range. Even a thin sword can cut Demon beasts in half if it is strengthened by magic.
2870
2871The three students attacked like a storm, reducing the number of beast drastically. The pressure from the approaching swarm lessened, giving everyone a chance to catch their breath. The students’ moment stopped not because of the chaos, but from the shock of seeing the one-sided massacre.
2872
2873"Draw your staff."
2874
2875The short student who leapt over the crowd stood in front of them, and issued an order. The young, tender voice that sounded as pleasant as a bird, had an air of authority, making everyone follow his instructions.
2876
2877"Everyone gather up, form into tight ranks. Teacher!"
2878
2879The dumbfounded instructors finally came to their senses.
2880
2881"Please take command and keep the initiative. Please retreat, the three of us will support the others."
2882
2883The teachers started giving out instructions hurriedly. The students formed a tight formation and strengthen their defense. For first year students with inferior combat abilities to fight Demon beasts, they will need to concentrate their firepower. Although it is still a bit flimsy, the teachers commanding them can handle it.
2884
2885Ernesti stared at the Demon beasts rushing out of the forest and slowly raises his Winchester. Chid and Ady stood beside him like his guards. Chid leaned the bastard sword on his shoulder with one hand, and grabbed a Gandiva with the other, while Ady rested the tips of her dual swords in her hands, on the ground. Their eyes are full of determination when they see the swarm of Demon beasts before them.
2886
2887"Hey, aren’t those numbers a bit too much. Oh well, we can wreck havoc if more of them comes!"
2888
2889"Hmmph― I won't hold back!"
2890
2891Eru reigned in the spirited twins.
2892
2893"It's fine if the both of you want to fight, but don't forget about the rest of the student body."
2894
2895"Eh―? They can take care of themselves... probably..."
2896
2897Ady wanted to protest, but stopped midway, because Eru was staring at her with a stern expression.
2898
2899"You don't need to stay here if you just want to wreck havoc."
2900
2901"Uguu, I... I get it! I will help them!"
2902
2903Chid raised his hands in surrender.
2904
2905"Fortunately, this is still the entrance of the forest. We can get back to the campsite if we retreat. If we meet up with the Silhouette Knights there, things will lighten up. Before that..."
2906
2907Eru casted an Aero Damned as he spoke. The Demon beast that wanted to attack them while they were talking was sent flying.
2908
2909"We need to protect them."
2910
2911Eru made up his mind, lifted Winchester and shot out a string of spells.
2912
2913While the middle schoolers are in the forest, the high schooler Knight runners were relieved from their duty and started their training. Since they cannot increase the stress on the machines, as the Silhouette Knights have to be conserved for escort duties, their training centred on one on one spars.
2914
2915Edgar was in the midst of sword swinging practice when he heard noises that shouldn't appear from the forest.
2916
2917"Hey, isn't the forest rather noisy?"
2918
2919"Hmm?"
2920
2921The moment he brought it up, the students around him perk up their ears. Sounds of tremours that weren’t there before came from the direction of the forest, and they knew what it was.
2922
2923"That sound of explosions... magic!?"
2924
2925"Something is up... Exercise cease! Pilots prepare to sortie. The situation in the forest seems to be bad, scout out the situation!"
2926
2927The group in the camp moved hurriedly. The Knightsmiths working on the Silhouette Knights’ withdraw to let the pilots mount. They skipped the initialisation check and let the machines stand up, drowning their surroundings with the sound of the churning ether reactor. But they couldn't send all the machines out, so only five Silhouette Knights were dispatched into the forest.
2928
2929"Hey, look at that..."
2930
2931The scale of the crisis was beyond their imagination. Swarms of Demon beasts were charging at them before they entered the forest, the numbers were more than they had ever seen. The beast’s shrieked as they charged in all directions.
2932
2933"What... What is happening?"
2934
2935"The Demon beasts are going out of control? Are the brats in trouble!?"
2936
2937They drew their swords and advance into the forest. They linked up with the first years in no time. The first years has successfully retreated with Eru's quick thinking.
2938
2939They bundled together, retreating slowly as they casted magic to restrict the Demon beasts' movements. The beasts that rushed at the formation will be repelled by magic. Edgar move in to support them, piloting Earlecumber as a shield in front of the first years. The tense first years breathed a sigh of relief when they saw the Silhouette Knights appear and dispose of the Demon beasts. The strongest combat units of humanity ― the Silhouette Knights are trusted by the populace. Especially at the scene of a Demon beast’s raid, their power to match a hundred Demon beasts provided a great sense of security.
2940
2941They retreated to the campsite, setting up fences around the area to fortify their defenses.
2942
2943With the Silhouette Knights taking charge of defense, the instructors and the high school Knight runners began to discuss their plan of action. There’s enough defense to protect the first years, so that isn't an issue. Their main worry lies with the higher grade students who delved deep into the forest.
2944
2945"Do you know the routes taken by the second and third years?"
2946
2947"That is hard to say. Because this was meant to be a practical session, the area of operation is the whole forest, and there is no guarantee they will stay in the assigned location."
2948
2949The instructors reviewed the action plan of each higher grade student and groaned with a serious expression. They wanted to rescue them, but with the limited number of Silhouette Knights, they don’t know where to start. Cloquet's Forest was vast, running around like a headless chicken will be counter intuitive. But they didn’t have time to hesitate either. At this point, Ernesti stick his head out from the instructor's side.
2950
2951"Where are the places in the forest that people can gather easily?"
2952
2953"Hmm? That... if they want to rendezvous, it should be nearby."
2954
2955The teacher was surprised by Eru's sudden question, but still answered him. It was meaningless to discuss this with a first year, but with his spectacular performance earlier, no one felt that Eru's intrusion was out of place.
2956
2957"With the scale of the Demon beast horde, won't the seniors group up to resist? That's why I think we should look for places where large group of people can gather."
2958
2959"Hmm... You have a point."
2960
2961"The Silhouette Knights can't move easily in heavily forested areas. Taking our combat assets into consideration, we should start our search from open spaces, right?"
2962
2963The map sprawled out on the table was marked with red lines showing the routes of advancement. To reach the designated areas, they would have to cut through the centre of the forest.
2964
2965"Also, you can take out the Demon beasts coming this way if you use this route. If anyone is caught in a battle, just holler and you will be fine."
2966
2967Because this was an emergency, everyone accepted Eru's proposal, and formed a team to rescue the higher grade students. The campsite needed guards, so only half of the machines were deployed ― five Silhouette Knights.
2968
2969Edgar who was the pilot of the pure white Silhouette Knight – Earlecumber, was the first to volunteer. As he was getting inside Earlecumber, someone called out to him. Edgar turned back and saw Eru standing there.
2970
2971"Can I go, too?"
2972
2973"Why?"
2974
2975"The family members of my friends are also in the forest. They are worried, so I want to join the search if possible."
2976
2977Edgar felt troubled. Although it is dangerous, it shouldn't be a problem with Eru's combat ability. And with the rational discussion he displayed during the conference, it will be helpful to bring him along. Edgar agreed after thinking about it.
2978
2979Earlecumber let Eru stand on his hand and stood up. Behind him is Helvi in Trandorches and three other machines. They entered the forest with heavy steps.
2980
2981"Those who have depleted your mana, help the wounded! Front line switch with standby line! Hold the line, everyone just hold on a little longer!"
2982
2983Their mana were exhausted and they are panting hard. They try to stabilise their breathing as they continue to defeat the unending torrent of Demon beasts. The higher grade students protect their wounded as they continue to retreat from the forest.
2984
2985It has been several hours since the battle begun, their retreat has been difficult. They are fine with handling the beast one at a time, but when a huge wave swells up and attack, they are forced to deplete their stamina. The Macehead Ogre that shows up from time to time drains their mana. Because they can't cast powerful enough spells as they lack mana, a Macehead Ogre managed to close in on them and cause serious damage. About half of the group is in the state of mana depletion or have been wounded, their forces are dwindling. They conserve their remaining stamina and keep switching the vanguard to hold the up the battle front. But they don't know how much longer they can last; they are close to the campsite, which is the only hope that kept them going.
2986
2987But reality is cruel.
2988
2989Two Macehead Ogres appeared dead ahead ― They are so agitated that they are foaming at the mouth, charging straight at the group. Compared to the beginning of the battle, the magic at their disposal are much weaker, so the students couldn’t stop them. The vanguards frown. The sole Macehead Ogre that attacked earlier wiped out over a dozen students, inflicting heavy casualties. If they take on two at the same time, they might be wiped out.
2990
2991Stefania who is in command knows this very well. On top of giving out commands, she has moved to the front line with her staff in hand. She has gone through all sorts of possibilities while fighting, but they don't have the combat prowess to break away from the encirclement. The group is reaching the limit of their physical and mana reserves. They can't muster the strength to defeat the Ogres even if they wanted to.
2992
2993The Macehead Ogre has an endurance that matches its tough appearance. They advanced steadily, making light of the desperate struggles of the students. The chaotic attacks served to agitate them instead, making them more excitable.
2994
2995"This is it..."
2996
2997Someone mumbled this softly. The Macehead Ogre who was right before them raised their fist, aiming for the head of a vanguard. The vanguard raised their shields, even though it is in vain.
2998
2999That's why he didn't understand what happened when he heard the sound of a dull explosion over his head.
3000
3001He didn't see several Piercing Lances flying over his head with incredible accuracy, hitting the arm of the Macehead Ogre dead on. He also missed seeing the Piercing Lance exploding one by one in accordance to its script, blowing the Ogre's arm away. By the time the vanguard composed himself, the Ogre was running away, yelping.
3002
3003Following immediately was something that is beyond his imagination ― the one which came flying wasn't just the magic projectile, but the caster himself ― Ernesti, who rush in like a silver bullet. This was a literal description, as Eru was conjuring 'Aero Thrust' to accelerate as he was leaping, just like a bullet. He used the momentum to catch up with the limping Ogre who lost its arm, slashing off its head with a Sonic Blade. The head flew into the air and the massive body collapsed.
3004
3005Eru landed with enough force to dig into the ground, turns his head as he slides and pointed his Winchester at the other Macehead Ogre. Fireball was rapidly cast from its tip, engulfing the Ogre an explosion that shakes the ground. Half of the Ogre's body was charred and falls.
3006
3007"Now... Now's the chance! Kill it!"
3008
3009Stefania was stunned by Eru's sudden intrusion into the battlefield, but she didn't let the chance slip away. Her command made the students move, finishing off the Ogre.
3010
3011"... Eru..."
3012
3013"Sorry for the wait, Student Council President. I brought reliable reinforcements."
3014
3015Without needing Eru to show her, she could hear heavy footfalls behind. The rescue team overtakes the higher grade students, spreading out in front and protecting them.
3016
3017The ten metre tall giant Knights swung its gigantic iron sword, easily wiping out a wave of Demon beasts, this was the overwhelming strength of humanity's strongest weapon. The students erupted in cheers at the sight of the powerful Silhouette Knights. There are no reinforcements more reassuring for the group on the verge of defeat. They are safe.
3018
3019
3020
3021
3022
3023"... Well, well, bringing Ernesti along was the right choice."
3024
3025Edgar who was riding inside Earlecumber mumbles to himself, as he drives the Demon beasts away.
3026
3027They followed Eru's suggestion and searched for places with wide open spaces. They discovered the higher grade students shortly after advancing in that direction. That is because the students are bunched together and ready to retreat. But they were in a crisis when Edgar found them, the Macehead Ogres were about to break through the formation. They can take down the Demon beasts easily with the Silhouette Knight’s power, but they are too far away. They will also hit the students if they use the Silhouette arms.
3028
3029Frustrated with his inability to help, despite having the strength to do so, Edgar grinded his teeth in regret. At this moment, Ernesti who is in the hand of Earlecumber charged ahead. The Ogres fell easily before the rampaging Eru, making Edgar sigh. His performance is shameful when compared to Eru.
3030
3031With the Silhouette Knights who made it in the nick of time as escorts, the students continue to retreat. There are many injuries, but no one was lost and everybody made it back to the campsite in one piece.
3032
3033This happened slightly after the Laihiala Pilot Academy student body left Jantunen for Cloquet's Forest.
3034
3035A Silhouette Knight passed by the convoy and arrives at the eastern gate of Jantunen. This is probably urgent as the exhausted Knight runner approached the Knights after reaching the gate. The Knights were stunned by the sudden turn of events, but their faces turned pale after receiving the report of the pilot and hastily informed their commander.
3036
3037"Is... this true!?"
3038
3039Commander of Jantunen garrison Knights ― Philip Hallhagen's expression changed after hearing the report from his subordinate. The vice-commander, Gottfried Hyvärinen, who was also in the commander's office was expressionless, but his face is white. This showed the impact this report gave them.
3040
3041"Yes sir! Stronghold Balguerie was decimated under the attack of the battalion level Demon beast ― Land Emperor. It is likely the defending team has been wiped out. Behemoth is moving west into the heart of the Kingdom, and is expected to show up around Jantunen soon. Sir!"
3042
3043Battalion level Demon beast's sudden attack makes Philip's head ache like a nightmare. But the commander has no time to waste. It is fortunate a Knight runner brought this news to him, giving him some buffer time to prepare for the Behemoth to appear. Every second is precious.
3044
3045"Issue emergency orders, muster all the Knights near Jantunen! This order overrides any mission they are currently undertaking!"
3046
3047They orderly repeated his given orders, salute and sprinted out immediately. Philips and Gottfried dash out as if they were chasing after him, and head towards the war council room.
3048
3049"A Behemoth... Even Jantunen doesn't have a battalion, only the Capital can match that."
3050
3051"The categorisation is only a guideline. Even with our forces, we can take it down if we are prepared for major losses."
3052
3053Philip clenched his fist as he moved hurriedly.
3054
3055"I know, but the problem is the scale of the losses! It's meaningless to blindly sacrifice the hundred Silhouette Knights in our garrison! Jantunen will be left defenseless!"
3056
3057Gottfried was quiet after hearing this. He did not wish to risk the destruction of their band of Knights, but Behemoth has already ravaged a stronghold. If Jantunen suffers heavy collateral damage, the trade routes of the Kingdom will be heavily congested. If the supplies to the frontlines are cut off, it will adversely affect the fortresses, leading to more catastrophes. This could determine the fate of the entire nation; they have to kill the Behemoth even if it takes the lives of the entire Knight company. Gottfried had to offer his advice if necessary, that is his duty as the vice-commander.
3058
3059"...No, there is no time to discuss this. If we don't stop it here, the entire kingdom might fall. Send an envoy to the Capital, they will need to send a replacement company of Knights after we fall..."
3060
3061Seeing Philip’s face twist with worry, Gottfried can only nod in silence.
3062
3063All the Knights on duty were already there when Philip entered the war council room. All of them wore anxious expressions because of the impending crisis.
3064
3065The Knights outside the city received a call order, so they had to assess the situation before all the Knights return. A map was prepared, and the possible advancement route of the Behemoth was highlighted. The Knight runner who sent the warning didn't know the current position of the Behemoth either, so they had to factor in things such as terrain and the mobility of the Behemoth to predict its advancement route, and estimate its rough position. They will also need to decide where they will fight the Behemoth.
3066
3067"From the direction it is headed and the terrain around stronghold Barkley, the most possible route is around D'Aiguebelle Mountains, through the forest at the foot of the mountain."
3068
3069"That is right beside Jantunen... Its current estimated position?"
3070
3071The Knight who was asked pointed to the map.
3072
3073"I think it passed through Crepel Plains and is about to enter Cloquet's Forest."
3074
3075"Cloquet's Forest... Uguu, that's closer than I thought. If we are going to intercept it, we will need to do it somewhere closer to Jantunen..."
3076
3077A Knight behind him suddenly shouts.
3078
3079"Did you say Cloquet's Forest...!?"
3080
3081"What? What’s wrong with Cloquet's Forest?"
3082
3083No one wanted to listen to bad news, but they needed to keep tabs on elements that could affect them. Before the watchful eyes of everyone, the Knight announce with a pale face.
3084
3085"... Laihiala Academy is conducting a field trip there right now!"
3086
3087"Wha...!?"
3088
3089All the Knights present are speechless. Not only Jantunen, even citizens who are the assets of the nation, as well as the children are in danger. There are Knights in the room who has relatives studying at Laihiala Knighthood school right now. Some of the Knights approached Philip frantically.
3090
3091"We need to go to Cloquet's Forest!"
3092
3093"We have to save the children!"
3094
3095Philip was troubled with the accumulating problems, but he did not consider it for long. Another mission takes priority.
3096
3097"...Send out messengers, but the company will stay put until we have gathered enough forces."
3098
3099"Commander! Are you forsaking them!?"
3100
3101"Nonsense!"
3102
3103Philip roared at the Knights who were pestering him, his voice filled with anguish.
3104
3105"I want to help them too, but with our current forces, we will need to give everything to take down the Behemoth!... I am not optimistic about the coming battle. Striking now without mustering the whole company will just be wasting our forces, we might even be wiped out by the Behemoth. Don't be mistaken! Our objective is to defeat the Behemoth, defend Jantunen and safeguard the entire Fremmevira Kingdom!"
3106
3107The rowdy Knights quietened down. They also understood that they have no say in this.
3108
3109"... What we can do now is to have faith in their luck and wits..."
3110
3111They looked into the darkness in the direction of Cloquet's Forest.
3112
3113The entrance of Cloquet's Forest, Laihiala Knighthood school campsite.
3114
3115After the upper grade students in middle school retreated successfully, a simple fence was erected alongside the Silhouette Knights, forming a simple line of defense.
3116
3117Most Demon beasts emerging from the forest are about one metre in height, the largest being three metres tall. Their combat capabilities are insignificant compared to the ten metre tall Silhouette Knights. They swat away clusters of beasts with a single sword swing. But there are a few that sneak past because of the large difference in size. They swarm towards the fence, and are held off by the students who move in to fill the gap.
3118
3119From the Demon beast's view point, the Silhouette Knight who seems to be flaunting its existence is intimidating. Unwilling to face them, the beasts flank the Silhouette Knights, attacking the base camp from either side. The middle schoolers in the higher grades suffered many casualties, so this is a favorable situation for the Knighthood students who lack the manpower.
3120
3121After the sun sets beyond the mountains, the attack came to an end. The students, who are alert even with the absence of enemies instinctively felt that the battle was over and takes a breather.
3122
3123"Is the Demon beast stampede over?..."
3124
3125Stefania Serrati, who felt fatigue from the depth of her heart was relieved. She was leading the able bodied student body to the very end. They met up with the teachers back at the base camp, but they judged that it will be easier for Stefania, who has been commanding from the very beginning to continue. But part of it was because of her sense of responsibility.
3126
3127"Chid, Ady... Eru."
3128
3129When the situation has calmed down, she greeted the students, who were resting and surveyed the campsite. She called out to the familiar faces loudly when she came across them.
3130
3131"Ah, Onee-sama... Are you okay? I heard the student body was in trouble!"
3132
3133Stefania shakes her head.
3134
3135"As you can see, I am doing well. Enough about me, you guys were reckless out there."
3136
3137Stefania looked amazed as she spoke. The students who just retreated back to camp were riddled with wounds and fatigue, so their combat capabilities were minimal. They will struggle to handle the Demon beasts that sneak pass the Silhouette Knights in their current state. But thanks to Eru buying time for them, they managed to recover and made it through.
3138
3139"We were the only ones who can still fight, so we went a little overboard."
3140
3141"I think the three of you are as effective as a platoon, and that is not going 'a little overboard'... Sigh, never mind. More importantly... Eru!"
3142
3143Stefania approached Eru, who was standing behind the two of them and hugged him. She didn't care about Eru, who was surprised and couldn't resist, and rubbed her face on that silky, smooth hair of his.
3144
3145"Ah~~ this healing♪~~ I can keep fighting if Eru is here."
3146
3147Stefania-senpai... Can't be helped. I will give her some reward for her hard work. If my sacrifice can improve her mood, then, this is nothing.
3148
3149Stefania happily played with his hair and poked his cheeks, Eru did not resist, and allowed her to toy with him. Ady seemed angry, but didn't stop her.
3150
3151Stefania enjoyed herself with the cuddling for a long while. Suddenly an awkward voice called her from behind.
3152
3153"Eh... Student Council President..."
3154
3155The student was looking for her, but was surprised at how creepy Stefania’s smile was. This was expected as Stefania was leading the student body coolly earlier, but is now hugging a junior with a lewd smile.
3156
3157"What is it?"
3158
3159"The teacher is asking for you to discuss our next move."
3160
3161"I understand. Sorry you three. Let's chat later, it will just take a little while."
3162
3163It was too late to cover it up, but Stefania didn't seem to mind, changing to Student Council President mode immediately. The three of them waved at her with an amazed expression as Stefania leaves.
3164
3165Alright, we made it past the dangerous period, but what's next?
3166
3167They made it through the stampede of the Demon beasts, but Eru didn’t think that things are over just yet. He looked back at Cloquet's Forest, which seems to be growing darker, as if it wants to mask itself from Eru's sight.
3168
3169Even Eru is not sure what was lurking deep within the forest.
3170
3171"And so, we are moving out tomorrow?"
3172
3173The instructors are unable to come to a consensus for their next course of action. This is understandable as they have not grasped the whole picture. Anyway, they had informed everyone of their course of action over dinner. Eru and the others drank the soup made from simple vegetables and the food they brought along, while they confirm their circumstances.
3174
3175"Correct, we have many wounded but no one is in danger of dying, the worst of it are just fractures. There are many who have depleted their mana and are exhausted. The teachers feel that it is dangerous to move with our inadequate fighting power."
3176
3177"Yes, but isn't it dangerous to rest here?"
3178
3179"The horses will also be affected by the dark. The instructors decided that being attacked while exhausted and moving on the carriages will be too risky, it is better to wait for day break while taking advantage of the base camp's defenses. I think we won't be attacked by Demon beasts in such numbers any time soon."
3180
3181"Oh― what an optimistic view."
3182
3183"Not really, all the options are like a gamble, this is simply choosing the safest option. If something does come in the middle of the night, it will be easier for the Silhouette Knight to defend if we stay put."
3184
3185What they can do now is to rest up, detect danger early and react to the situation. In the end, they have to depend on themselves. After dinner, they try to relax and shake off their tense emotions, and put their hopes in making it to Jantunen when morning comes.
3186
3187But they missed an important thing― What created the stampede?
3188
3189They didn't notice that the Demon beasts heading their way were desperate, as if something was chasing them to the west.
3190
3191They only regret missing this detail during the twilight hours just before dawn.
3192
3193The red sun rises slowly over the mountain range. The students, who took the last shift suppressed their drowsiness and yawns. The surrounding is peaceful. After meeting the large scale migration of the Demon beasts, there were almost no Demon beasts left in Cloquet's Forest. The whole forest seems to have died with a silent air.
3194
3195―And that silence was broken suddenly. They noticed the weird noise coming from the forest. The sound of trees breaking and falling appears to follow a rhythm. Something heavy seems to be hitting the ground. It didn't take long for them to realise what that meant, sounding the alarm immediately.
3196
3197"Oh shit! A big one! A big one is coming!"
3198
3199Both instructors and students who were sleeping jumped out of bed when the alarm sounded. They didn't sleep well because of the tension, so everyone was moving once they got up. The high school Knight runners, who are dragging their tired bodies to perform their standby duties, mount their Silhouette Knights, activating them immediately to guard the entrance to the forest.
3200
3201The sound of trees falling can be heard clearly now, along with the thundering footsteps. It is clear that something big is approaching.
3202
3203"Hey, isn't this bad?"
3204
3205It goes without saying that everyone can feel that this is a crisis like never before. In this intense atmosphere, everyone's eyes are drawn towards the forest entrance.
3206
3207There is no Demon beast larger than duel-level in Cloquet's Forest, that was the reason it was chosen for the field trip. But the footfalls of the approaching beast tells us how large it is.
3208
3209It was a large Demon beast that shouldn't appear in Cloquet's Forest. The swarms of Demon beasts that attacked them out of nowhere.
3210
3211The Demon beast wave was so large, as if the whole forest was rushing out. Could it be that they were chased out by the intruding colossal beast?
3212
3213The trees near the entrance fell like dominoes. Finally, the Demon beast appeared with the light of the breaking dawn. It was covered in uneven armour with protruding edges. It was easily mistaken for a mountain, and humanity's strongest weapon, the Silhouette Knight looked as weak as a child in contrast. Its eyes that are disproportionately small scan the area before it.
3214
3215Everyone was awestruck, feeling fearful and weak before its majesty. Land Emperor ― the colossal beast that appeared at the border of the nation is now advancing dangerously close to Jantunen.
3216
3217An abnormal silence enclosed this space. It spurns from the tension between the Demon beast and the people present.
3218
3219The humans on scene, Laihiala's students, are awed by the gargantuan sized Behemoth and can't move. The elite Knights posted at the frontlines were also stunned when they saw the Behemoth; it is too much to ask fifteen year old students to find enough courage to stand up to it.
3220
3221During the moment when time seemed to freeze, the Behemoth moved first with its calmer mind-set. It looked around, opened its mouth and howled. Instead of sound, it felt closer to a shock wave moving through the air. Its horrifying lung capacity released a roar that made the earth tremble, shattering several trees close to it. The armour of the Silhouette Knights closest to it shivers, and it took a few steps backwards because of the pressure. The sound is so loud that the students had curled up in a ball, cupping their ears; some even fainted from the shock wave.
3222
3223This is the signal that undid their bindings. When they started moving, the silence before was just like an illusion. Everyone is running away from the Demon beast as if they were being pushed back. This is not because they have come to their senses, but the chaotic actions due to their panic. The instructors lost control of the situation; everyone is just focused on running away from the Behemoth.
3224
3225Escaping is the best option under such circumstances, but the way they are doing it is bad. The range a human can travel on foot is limited; they need to run to the carriage if they want to escape further. The panic strickened students didn't think about that, and just concentrated on getting away in any direction.
3226
3227Just as the group was dispersing, there was suddenly an explosion at the front. No matter how terrified the people are, they won't run into an explosion. The student body's movement stopped for an instant and a figure used this chance to jump in front of everyone.
3228
3229"Get away! Run! It's dangerous! Everyone head for the carriage!"
3230
3231Following Eru's lead, the few students who kept their wits shot out Fireball, preventing the group from spreading out. They attracted the attention of the students with spells, herding them towards the carriage like hunting guides. They are still far from being calm, but the group is stable enough to understand instructions. They run towards the carriage in order to escape from the Behemoth.
3232
3233The middle schoolers are not the only ones awed by the Behemoth, it was the same for the high school Knighint
3234
3235t runners. Because they are in possession of the powerful Silhouette Knights, the Behemoth is a bigger threat to them. With the responsibility that comes with this power, they can't run away. Even if they want to fight, the enemy is too strong.
3236
3237"Don't stop! Move―!"
3238
3239Caught in a dilemma because of an enemy out of their league, the first to snap out of it is Edgar. Be it fight or flight, remaining still before the Behemoth is like suicide.
3240
3241The Knight runners finally recognise that the Behemoth is preparing to charge and tries to evade in a panic. The momentum of the beast is incomparable to anything in this world. Even a Silhouette Knight won't stand a chance when facing one. The pilots break out in cold sweat, losing their will to fight. What can they do to fight this terrifying Demon beast?
3242
3243But one man, Edgar, suppressed his fear when he realised the advancement route of the Behemoth coincides with the carriages the middle schoolers are using to flee, and said with resolve:
3244
3245"I will distract the Behemoth! Everyone, please lend me your strength!"
3246
3247"Huh? Edgar! Do you know what you are saying!? That is a Behemoth! It will send all of us flying with a kick!"
3248
3249"I know! But our juniors will be wiped out if we let it rampage. No, not just that. It will assault Jantunen if it heads down the same way as the carriages!"
3250
3251Helvi who snapped at Edgar knows, too. There is nowhere to run, even if they escape from here, it will just lead to more collateral damage. She gritted her teeth with enough force to splinter it.
3252
3253"We have no choice but to go through with it...!"
3254
3255"We are Knights. We learnt swordsmanship and piloting in order to protect our Kingdom, how can we run without a fight!"
3256
3257Edgar equips magic armament onto Earlecumber as he spoke. The ether reactor is running the flow of mana activates the magic armament... the whole Silhouette Knight glows dimly.
3258
3259"I don't want to die pointlessly either. We need to draw the Behemoth's attention!"
3260
3261"Yes, there's no other way!"
3262
3263Edgar didn’t want to lose the spirit he managed to squeeze out. Earlecumber led the charge, aiming at the Behemoth's leg.
3264
3265"All units, draw staff! Use magic bombardment to draw its attention and pull back!"
3266
3267Edgar shouts as he pulls his control stick all the way back. Earlecumber channels its mana to the magic armament under the control of its pilot, lightning staff Arquebus. The tip of the simple longish weapon glows brightly, a lightning bolt strikes at the Behemoth with a flash.
3268
3269Unfortunately, the blast had no effect. One reason is the Behemoth is too big; the other factor is the electricity was directed towards the ground from the armoured shell without hurting the interior.
3270
3271The other three Silhouette Knights apart from Edgar has also armed themselves with magic armaments, circling around the Behemoth while firing their overed spells. It is hard to tell the effectiveness of the attacks, but they achieved their goal of getting the Behemoth's attention. The Behemoth turns its head when it noticed the disturbance, looking at the Silhouette Knights casting spells at it with annoyed eyes.
3272
3273"How... It is ineffective..."
3274
3275"It's fine! Don't stop and run! We just need to buy some time!"
3276
3277The Knight runners understood the Behemoth is focusing on them, so they lure the Behemoth away from the middle schoolers and retreat at full speed.
3278
3279As the high school pilots battles the Behemoth, the middle schoolers are rushing onto the carriage.
3280
3281Because of the number of people, only about half of them has evacuated despite the carriages being dispatched one by one.
3282
3283There are still a lot of people left... we need more time, we can only depend on our seniors now...
3284
3285Eru stands at the end of the line, looking at the fight between the Behemoth and the Silhouette Knights with a grim expression. Using spells beyond human capabilities ― overed spells are negated by the invulnerable armour shell, leaving no trace of injury. Before the colossal beast, even the crystallisation of human technology, the Silhouette Knights are insignificant. The Eru who is just one person is even more powerless.
3286
3287He has a serious face. The situation of the high school pilots is overwhelmingly bad... No, it is hopeless, their attacks does no damage at all. Their tactics revolves around retreating, disrupting it with deft movements. The Silhouette Knights will fall with just a single hit because of the differences in mass. If the pilot continue to accumulate fatigue and stress ― it is hard to think of a good outcome.
3288
3289I will evacuate everyone, so don't die senpai...!
3290
3291No matter how fast a Silhouette Knight is, there is no guarantee it can get out of the way of an angry, charging Behemoth. Hence, the other Knights will concentrate their attacks on the Behemoth to divert its attention, if it locks on to their comrades. Their attacks did not hurt the Behemoth, but it was frustrated with the annoyance.
3292
3293"Hahaha! Is that it, this thing is big, but can't do anything to us!"
3294
3295Dietrich shouted. In order to overcome the intimidating aura stemming from the gigantic body of the beast, he has to convince himself that he has the upper hand. It was meant to motivate himself, but because the tactics of stalling for time was working too well, they were taking things lightly. Could it be, this is a slow and dumb beast that is all bark with no bite? In actual fact, it will take just one hit to shatter a Silhouette Knight, but toying with the Behemoth this way has dulled their sense of judgment.
3296
3297For a short time, they seem to be successful in their bid to drag out the battle. The Behemoth that is chasing after the escaping Silhouette Knights slowed down suddenly. The pilots watched the Behemoth's changes, as it took a huge breath with a lung capacity appropriate to its colossal size, sucking in an illogical amount of air.
3298
3299The next second, a fierce breath of tornado shot out from its mouth. This is a ranged magic attack. The pilots who assumed the Behemoth can only charge and attack physically, were caught off guard by the sudden projectile spell. A tornado charged in a straight line. The turbulence from the current engulfed a machine that didn't get away in time. The Silhouette Knight couldn’t resist the raging air currents which twisted its armour and squashed its crystal tissue.
3300
3301The ten metre tall mass of steel ― the Silhouette Knight flew into the sky and fell heavily to the ground. The impact shatters the limbs which has the least durability, which breaks off from the torso. Because the Silhouette Knights are humanoid shaped, its tattered image burns deep into the heart of the pilots.
3302
3303"Hya! Ugu... Wah!"
3304
3305Dietrich saw the whole process clearly. His classmate, who has been with him through high school ― and his Silhouette Knight was destroyed, making him scream as if his throat was in spasm.
3306
3307The next moment, another machine disappeared before Dietrich's eyes with a loud bang. He didn't understand what happened, but he gets it when he shifts his gaze.
3308
3309The Behemoth struck with its tail. The moment that machine stopped, it was hit by the tail which was swinging with inertia, flying out in a twisted lump. Dietrich is safe because of luck ― his position was slightly out of range. He would have been swept by the tail if he was a couple of steps forward.
3310
3311Two Silhouette Knights were easily shattered like some pottery in the blink of an eye. The pilots realised how wrong they were to think they can hold the Behemoth off somehow. The Behemoth turns its head towards the surviving Silhouette Knights as if it was flaunting how easily it can destroy them. The perpetrator of the entire incident was targeting them next.
3312
3313"Wwwwaaaaahhhh!"
3314
3315"Oooorrrraaaaa!"
3316
3317The two sounds coincide with each other. The former was Dietrich screaming in horror, because of the Demon beast, the latter was Edgar, shouting to overcome the fear in his heart to steel himself.
3318
3319Damn! How can I be so careless! The Behemoth is a battalion level Demon beast... I knew it was a monster that cannot be handled by the handful of us!
3320
3321Edgar couldn’t forgive himself for the loss of his comrade's life, because he underestimated the enemy. His anger is stronger than his fear, pushing him forward.
3322
3323"Everyone, avoid facing it head on! No matter what, evasion takes priority! Just a bit more, everyone, please hang on!"
3324
3325They had engaged the Behemoth, everyone will be wiped out if they turn and run suddenly. After hearing Edgar's spirited voice, the other Knight runners responded to him, even though they are shivering with fear. All of them used everything they had to dodge the Behemoth's attack. Right now, they can only put their life on the line and keep pestering the Behemoth.
3326
3327Under the rampage of the Behemoth's magic, the high school pilots are forced into a dire situation.
3328
3329Eru and the others had safely evacuated the middle schoolers, and he hopped onto the last carriage himself. He watched the battle from the carriage, speeding away from the Behemoth. The high schoolers are at a severe disadvantage with the magic attack of the Behemoth, killing off any chance for them to run away, even if Eru and the rest had left. The conversation he had with Edgar flashed across his mind. Even if his message didn’t reach them, the only thing he can do now is to give his support.
3330
3331At this moment, a red shadow appeared in the corner of Eru's eye. He turned his head quickly, and was shocked after he identified it. The red shadow was the Silhouette Knight, Guyale.
3332
3333Could it be... As he was thinking, he turned his head ahead and saw the battle still raging on between the Behemoth and the other Silhouette Knights. This means Guyale is abandoning the other students and escaping by himself. Eru jumped off the carriage when he understood this. Everyone was stunned by his action and couldn't stop him. He ran after Guyale with the speed of a bullet.
3334
3335A red Silhouette Knight was running in the bright forest under the sunny sky.
3336
3337The quiet forest extends all around it; there is nothing in the surroundings. But the red machine was focused on its task, sprinting hard as if it was being chased. In fact, the red Silhouette Knight Guyale and its pilot Dietrich Cunitz was pressed into this situation with no way to escape. What is driving Dietrich is pure terror. The image of his classmate's Silhouette Knight being crushed by the Behemoth repeats in his mind endlessly. Dietrich doesn’t even dare to turn back, blindly pushing Guyale to sprint forward. Although he is not the one running, but his lungs are constricted because of fear and his breathing is irregular.
3338
3339Knight runners have absolute trust in their machines. There are Demon beasts which have power beyond the Silhouette Knights, but Dietrich didn’t think they were invincible. He was not prepared to face an enemy that shrugged off attacks and can destroy Silhouette Knights in one hit. In the end, he panicked, and made the shameful choice of saving himself by sacrificing his classmates.
3340
3341But the goddess of fate did not let him off so easily.
3342
3343Guyale's speed suddenly dropped drastically. Although Dietrich was panicking, he immediately thought of a reason for this. He went through the battle earlier and sprinted at full speed. He didn't display the calmness he showed during his training, running hard in an inefficient manner. What awaits him is a dead battery.
3344
3345The fear that accompanied his immobility seizes Dietrich, but he could still do something about it. He stops Guyale and switch to standby mode to rest and recover his mana reserve. After confirming that the Behemoth is not pursuing him, he sighed in relief and steadied his rough breathing.
3346
3347After stopping, he gathered some of his wits and felt a strong pang of regret. He shakes his head to clear away this thoughts. But being unable to move, all sorts of thoughts emerged, pushing Dietrich into a corner.
3348
3349―That's right, I abandoned my comrades and ran―
3350
3351―Leaving your brother in arms behind, a shameful behaviour for Knights―
3352
3353So... So what! Staying there means dying in vain! I only chose to live, and the code of chivalry didn't say anything about dying for nothing!
3354
3355Dietrich denies the accusations of his own conscience. His calm breathing becomes rough again; he didn't even notice his hand holding the control stick is becoming stiff because he was gripping too hard. His eyes were wide open as he sweated profusely, and he continued to affirm and deny his own thoughts.
3356
3357Dietrich, who was tormented by his own thoughts, heard a sound that drew closer into the distance and came to his senses. That is the screeching sound of compressed air, which is followed by the sound of metal rubbing against metal. The vision in front of him suddenly widened, and he couldn’t react because of how sudden things were happening.
3358
3359The chest plate armour of the Silhouette Knights was connected by compressed air for ease of entry into the cockpit. But it was opened suddenly, although he didn't activate the control for the hatch, and has no reason to do so. To open the hatch from the outside, you had to manipulate a complicated set of levers and had to be careful not to dismantle the armour by accident. Based on this situation, someone is opening the hatch from the outside using the lever.
3360
3361A figure jumped up to the open hatch which confirmed his deduction. It was a petite body, with a head of silvery, purple hair. That figure is Ernesti, who smiles casually at Dietrich and says:
3362
3363"I finally caught up with you, Senpai."
3364
3365Eru said in a casual tone, as if he has simply forgotten to bring something. Eru tilts his head and continued:
3366
3367"I will go straight to the point Senpai, are you running away?"
3368
3369For Eru, this question was meant to be a confirmation, but Dietrich trembled when he heard Eru. The sudden appearance of his junior asking so bluntly made him hysterical.
3370
3371"...! Ah, d... damn... right! Running... What's wrong with that! Just missing one man won't change the tide of battle! Why do I have to die in vain? The chivalry code doesn't tell us to abandon our lives!"
3372
3373Dietrich repeats his thoughts, not caring how broken his reasoning was. He did not answer Eru, but was trying to convince himself. Eru nods with his usual peaceful smile and said to the agitated Dietrich:
3374
3375"That's great."
3376
3377"... What?"
3378
3379Dietrich didn’t expect such a reaction and lifted his head up, tongue tied. Great? What did he say to make Eru so happy?
3380
3381"Because, that reason is sufficient for me to borrow Guyale from you."
3382
3383When Dietrich realised what he meant, Eru has drawn his Winchester. This is the last thing he remembered while he was still conscious.
3384
3385After knocking Dietrich out with a single air bullet, Eru made a pleased expression and nodded his head with satisfaction. Although he can sympathise with Dietrich's situation, Eru is still angry.
3386
3387Eru perked himself up and scanned the cockpit. Silhouette Knights are ten metre tall giants, but the cockpit was tight and messy with all sorts of gears. The most prominent feature is the seat in the centre, the control stick to the side and the pedals under the seat. The Knight runner controls the Silhouette Knight by holding the control sticks and stepping on the pedals. Eru recalls the functions of the pilot seat and the activation procedure.
3388
3389After Eru undid the harness and was preparing to drag the unconscious Dietrich out, he thought of something.
3390
3391"If I leave him here unconscious, won't he die if wild beasts attack him?"
3392
3393Although he was angry at Dietrich for running away by himself, Eru was not willing to kill him. After contemplating for a while, Eru saw some space behind the seat. The cockpit of Silhouette Knights will usually have blankets, food, and a first aid kit for emergency supplies, enough for a few days of solo travelling if they lost contact with their team. These items are stuffed behind their seat so they won't interfere when they are piloting.
3394
3395"Eh, it's a bit of a waste, but I can make space here."
3396
3397Eru randomly pulled out some of the items and threw them out. After confirming that there is enough space, he squeezed the unconscious Dietrich in there. Although this position was uncomfortable for humans, but Eru wasn't bothered.
3398
3399After 'settling' Dietrich, Eru turned towards the seat. Unfortunately, the size is designed for high schoolers. Eru won't be able to reach the control sticks and pedals with his stature. The seat does not have the convenient function of being adjustable like the cars back on Earth.
3400
3401Eru had already anticipated this, and he came with a plan in his mind. He slashed at the consoles on either side of the seat calmly, destroying its casing. He was not doing this out of frustration. He pulled out silver wires from within the destroyed panels ― Silver Nerves. Eru coiled the wires around Winchester, sat down and buckle himself in. Winchester is made from that white mist tree that is an excellent conductor of mana; it becomes a primitive control input device by entangling Silver Nerves around it.
3402
3403"... I will have to do this live with no backup plan, failure is not an option."
3404
3405The Silver Nerves transmit mana and scripts through the control sticks and pedals to the magic engine, which in turn uses scripts to operate the Silhouette Knight. The commands of the pilots are interpreted by the magius engine, transforming them into scripts to move each part of the Silhouette Knight. Taking this concept to the extreme, if you have great control over the scripts, you can operate the Silhouette Knight without control sticks.
3406
3407But that is only in theory. It is difficult for pilots to conceptualise and control Silhouette Knights through scripts alone, so the control sticks and pedals are necessary to reduce the burden on the pilots and make control simplier. By having physical control sticks and pedals that matches the four limbs of the pilots, the movement of these controls can be used as input data for the movements of the robot, a semi automatic mode of control. The current way of riding a Silhouette Knights is a combination of physical control and script transmission, a balance between simplicity of control and complexity of actions that can be taken.
3408
3409The problem Eru has with the Silhouette Knight lies with the difficulty in using the physical controls. That's why he planned to use total script control from the start, using his own magius circuit to handle the large stream of control scripts. This is an absurd idea, but Eru has the script processing speed beyond the realm of normal humans, so it was a worthwhile bet.
3410
3411Eru took a light breath, calmed down, closed his eyes and concentrated.
3412
3413The Winchester connects to the Magius engine through the Silver Nerves. Normally, it is the Knight runner who answers the magic input query, so there wasn’t any resistance with the pilot assuming direct control. It was surprisingly easy to establish a bypass route. Eru's conscious became one with the Silhouette Knight, reading and processing the pre-programmed scripts in the magic engine.
3414
3415Eru analysed the script with his eyes closed. He construct a magic program from nothing, growing it outwards in all directions. Arms stretched out from Eru's mind to draw the magic program ― reading its contents. Even though the code and symbols were different, but being in the flow of data is nostalgic, and he smiled gently.
3416
3417"Alright, time to show you see the power of a professional programmer."
3418
3419He began analysing the core of the magic scripts at a fast pace, starting with comparing what he had learned so far with the scripts within the magius engine.
3420
3421"Starting pattern analysis... Similar scripts detected, physical boost, Amplifier..."
3422
3423Most of the scripts in the magius engine were similar to the scripts he knew. Eru identified them one by one, using the script to understand its purpose. The more similarities there were, the faster he could grasp the internal workings.
3424
3425"The base is physical boost? Crystal tissue is the emulation of muscle tissues. To move them, the theory is the same..."
3426
3427Using Architect sigils, he dissected each script. Each part formed complicated patterns and are interconnected, the magic program is expanding to the limit of his conscious.
3428
3429"The control of the crystal tissue... placement, the connection between each of the modules, output control, this is the mana output of the ether reactor..."
3430
3431Guyale, which was kneeling on one knee in standby mode trembles slightly. Its fingers move, its eyes begins to focus and see its surroundings clearly.
3432
3433"To activate... I will need to connect my physical boost with the movement script of the Silhouette Knight. It needs to be converted to accommodate the Silhouette Knight, using the default output control parameters to move..."
3434
3435The mana produced by the ether reactor executes the script issued by the pilot, broadcasted out to the entire Silhouette Knight through the Silver Nerves. The Silhouette Knight loyally obeys the command, using the mana stored in the crystal tissue to contract and expand. The machine vibrates, standing up slowly like a new-born deer.
3436
3437"Operation parameter conversion complete, activation starting... Adjusting output values, mana reserves adequate. Okay, take one step..."
3438
3439Guyale's gigantic body balanced itself awkwardly, taking one heavy step after another, taking large but unsteady strides. The movement is like a zombie, staggering and slow.
3440
3441"Feedback adjustment, optimising."
3442
3443Eru used the feedback details from practical movements to scan for excessive movement in the crystal tissue and debugs the script. These scripts still has traces of being a magic script, but errors were detected by synchronising the movement and user input, optimising it in a short time. Guyale's movement changed from unsightly shuffling to a graceful walk in the span of a few steps.
3444
3445It had been half an hour since Eru started accessing the magius engine. The Silhouette Knight, the weapon which is the crystallisation of humanity's wisdom was now completely under his control.
3446
3447Guyale moved as Eru wishes. There are no lags because of physical defects or inefficient scripting. It is one with the pilot, making total full control a reality.
3448
3449The situation is dire.
3450
3451The high school Knight runners are in a deadly battle all this while, so Eru issued Guyale a command. It accepts the command and starts sprinting as if to make up for all the time that was wasted.
3452
3453But―
3454
3455As he ran, Eru's expression shifted from a tension to a smile. He didn’t feel anxious or pressured. The reason was simple; Eru was piloting a robot right now. The robot follows his wishes and was sprinting wildly.
3456
3457Eru didn't think too much when he chased after Guyale; he was too preoccupied when accessing the magius engine. He only had the leisure to think after he started moving, coming to terms with what he was doing.
3458
3459Eru thinks it is childish to react this way, but he couldn’t contain his emotions.
3460
3461"Ah, Ahhh, Ahhhhhh! Robot, robot, I am piloting a running robot!"
3462
3463For him, be it the tremour of each step the machine took, the Holo Monitor showing the scenery that was disappearing at an horrifyingly, fast pace or the inertia Eru is feeling, all of it felt so blissful. Who can stop Eru's joyous laughter? Eru forgot about the powerful Demon beast that was waiting for him ahead, and immersed himself in the happiness of piloting a Silhouette Knight.
3464
3465Guyale ferries Eru, who forget his original objective as well as the foaming and unconscious Dietrich towards the battlefield at an amazing pace…
3466
3467
3468
3469
3470
3471Chapter 8: Final Battle, Land Emperor
3472
3473
3474The trees in the plains increased in number gradually, until its density matched that of a forest.
3475
3476A road paved with stones extended to the east of this forest; it was the biggest road in the Fremmevira Kingdom that leads to the east ― 'East Fremmevira Highway'. From Känkänen to Jantunen was the 'West Fremmevira Highway' and from Jantunen to the Kingdom's border was the ‘East Fremmevira Highway’. These two highways are built with cobble stones, a historical route that was paved for the ease of transport when constructing the fortress at the frontlines. It now shoulders the duty of intra-kingdom transport; its active use matched its reputation as the leading traffic junction.
3477
3478The road that is used frequently by caravans with Silhouette Knight escorts was desolated. It might be due to the Demon beasts stampede or the rumours spreading among merchants about the sightings of a gargantuan Demon beast.
3479
3480There is a tense silence on this road, which was broken suddenly.
3481
3482The sound of hooves from dozens of carriages reverberated in the air, as they ferried the Laihiala Pilot Academy students who are escaping. The high school Knight runners are risking their lives to cover the evacuation, so the carriages were running at full speed. But this was too taxing on the horses, so the pace was slower than normal. Even so, they were already halfway to Jantunen.
3483
3484The exhausted students sat in the carriages. They weren't chased by any Demon beasts during this period. They had calmed down after some time, but the uneasiness in their chest lingers.
3485
3486"What happened to Eru―?"
3487
3488With this solemn atmosphere, Chid and Ady sat on the last carriage, looking behind them blankly. Eru jumped off the carriage and entered the forest when they were escaping from Cloquet's Forest. It happened so suddenly, that they lost track of him before they could even try to stop Eru.
3489
3490"... Hey, could it be..."
3491
3492Chid mumbled, as if he thought of something. Ady tilted her head questioningly.
3493
3494"That guy, did he hijack a Silhouette Knight to join the fight?"
3495
3496Impossible― Ady wanted to dismiss it, but fell into deep thought. The probable deduction morphs into a clear image in her mind. Common sense tells her that Eru, who did not attend pilot school can't control a Silhouette Knight. But he might make it work with what he learned through self study― She didn't know that Eru has actually succeeded. Ady easily imagined the face of Eru challenging the Land Emperor head on, it seemed so natural.
3497
3498"Ah― Yeah, that makes sense. Eru will probably do that."
3499
3500"No need to worry. He can run away with those legs of his if things goes awry."
3501
3502The magic invented by Eru called 'Aero Thrust' is surprisingly fast. Who can catch up with Eru who was faster than wolves and rivals that of a bird? Even if the opponent was that mammoth Demon beast, Eru can run away if he puts his mind to it. The two of them imagined that scene and laughed.
3503
3504As they predicted, Eru had hijacked Guyale and was charging towards the Behemoth. It was hard to tell if it was a blessing or a misfortune that the twins, on the shaking carriage had no idea about this.
3505
3506The instructor on the carriage in front alerts the entire convoy. Clouds of dust can be seen in the direction they are heading, and they heard the sound of the horses’ hooves in the distance. Everyone understood what was causing all that racket. A group of Silhouette Knights― the standard model 'Karrdator' was advancing in a column. All citizens of Fremmevira Kingdom were familiar with these figures and understood why they were here.
3507
3508"...The garrison Knights of Jantunen!"
3509
3510The voice of the instructor on the leading carriage reached the carriages at the back. The students poked their head out of the carriages one by one, their face bright with excitement.
3511
3512This group was a scale larger than two platoons, consisting of roughly ninety Silhouette Knights. They are followed by the maintenance and supplies corps. Most of Jantunen's military forces are here, the most they can muster one day after receiving the envoy from Balguerie.
3513
3514Karrdators are the official mass produced standard model, with rugged exterior. After experiencing many battles, it has a unique charm to it. Their shoulder armour was decorated with the Fremmevira Kingdom flag and the Jantunen city crest, displaying the pride they had in protecting this land.
3515
3516The Laihiala students are not uneasy anymore. No matter how mighty the Demon beast was, the band of Knights will defeat it. They had faith in the power and credibility of the Knights.
3517
3518A sense of relief spreads among the Knights who had discovered the carriage at the same time. Although they had set off as soon as they could, they had already mentally prepared themselves for the possibility that the entire Laihiala student body being massacred. From the looks of things, most of them made it out safely, and had brought with them valuable information about the current location of the Behemoth.
3519
3520"I see... the high school Knight runners..."
3521
3522It included information on why the Laihiala students managed to evacuate safely. A lot of the Knights are graduates of Laihiala Pilot Academy, and are moved by the honorable actions of their juniors and steeled themselves.
3523
3524"Please rest assured. In order to protect our kingdom, and not let their sacrifices be in vain, we will crush the enemy."
3525
3526The Jantunen Knights engrave this determination within their hearts; their morale grew stronger than before. The band of Knights learned that the Laihiala students met the Behemoth less than half a day ago, so their meeting with the Behemoth is at hand. The tension of the Knights grew sky high with each step they take.
3527
3528A red Silhouette Knight was sprinting wildly in the lush forest. Its speed was incredible; double that of a normal Silhouette Knight.
3529
3530
3531
3532
3533
3534Because Eru is controlling it with magic scripts, he is now in sync with the magius engine. His thoughts are converted into scripts that are transmitted to the entire machine without any lags. The crystal tissue of the Silhouette Knight is being moved, its reaction speed is better than organic muscles, executing commands without delays. Guyale now has double the reaction and movement speed of a standard Silhouette Knight.
3535
3536Guyale maintains its peak performance as it runs, and heard the sound of howls in front. It was a mix of lightning explosion and raging winds. He will engage the Behemoth in a few minutes. Eru's expression twisted with joy, showing unrestrained happiness as he begins his first battle in a Silhouette Knight.
3537
3538With a dull thud of metal against metal, the steel giant was knocked into the sky. It flew under the tremendous force and hits the ground hard, tumbling a few times. No one could spare the effort to confirm the safety of the pilot, but from the way it lands, the caved in torso and the smashed arms, the pilot couldn’t be unharmed.
3539
3540"Damn!"
3541
3542The high school Knight runners kept on fighting after the middle schoolers evacuated. It's not that they didn't want to run; they don't have the luxury of showing their back to the Behemoth. The battle has raged on for some time, compared to the fatigue showing on the pilot's faces, the Behemoth lived up to its name of being a fortress, showing no signs of slowing down. There was also an overwhelming difference in strength between them, the discrepancies in endurance was surfacing with each passing second.
3543
3544Facing pressure that the Knights at the borders failed to withstand, the high school pilot's machine fell one by one, there were only three left.
3545
3546The Behemoth's tail swung towards Earlecumber, whose pilot Edgar was distracted by his comrade's demise. Edgar instinctively felt that he couldn’t dodge the tail bent like a whip, and pushed the stance of Earlecumber as low as possible while swinging the shield on his left arm, parrying the blow. An incredible technique only Edgar, who was the elite in high school, can pull it off with the help of Earlecumber's excellent performance. But the shield was knocked away from his hand with just the tail's glancing blow. Earlecumber cautiously steadied its stance and pull away from the Behemoth.
3547
3548I lost my shield! This is bad, the situation is desperate!
3549
3550Even so, Earlecumber's damage is slight, the other two machine's mana pool and damage was at their limit and might cease any second now. Edgar couldn’t shake off the foreboding sense of doom that flashed across his mind. His team couldn't hold on much longer and might be wiped out in five minutes...
3551
3552The Behemoth didn't let up its attack, shooting out Tornado Breath again. The raging wind has a large area of effect; they could be pulled in if they didn’t get further away.
3553
3554"Please... Trandorches, move!"
3555
3556Helvi realised that the Tornado Breath was aimed at her and scream like a banshee as she tried to get away. Trandorches squeezed out its last ounce of strength, despite the accumulated fatigue and damage, but lost its balance because of the fierce air current.
3557
3558"Helvi! ― Damn it, make it in time!"
3559
3560Edgar roared, commanding Earlecumber to charge at the Behemoth, who was in turn closing in on Helvi in order to distract it. He hung on to a glimmer of hope and fires his Silhouette Arms, Arquebus. His full power attack bounced off harmlessly against the armoured shell, while the Behemoth was still locked onto the Silhouette Knight before it. The running Behemoth accelerates, closing in on Trandorches that was struggling to stand.
3561
3562Just as Helvi and even Edgar was prepared for the next victim to appear―
3563
3564"Ah hahahaha! Hue hahaha! Found it ― I am here!"
3565
3566A red Silhouette Knight intrudes into the battle field with arrogant laughter. The first thing he saw in the forest was the Behemoth that was about to run over the robot lying on the ground.
3567
3568Guyale increased its speed instantly, rushing to the Behemoth's left flank like a scarlet bullet. It draws its sword and lunges without thinking ― concentrating his power at a single point, aiming at one of the few weak points of the Demon beast known as a fortress, which were its eyes.
3569
3570Guyale not only moved at a speed beyond normal machines, but it was accurate and precise.
3571
3572Before Guyale's blade reached the Behemoth, it noticed the red figure ― because of that, it turned its head on reflex. The distance was too close to avoid, Guyale's sword accurately caught up with the eyeball on the Behemoth's head as it turned. The sword looks as if it was drawn in, stabbing at the eyeball and colliding with the shell.
3573
3574This was a pure coincidence.
3575
3576The shell that should be protecting the Behemoth's eyes had a slit. That was a crack a certain Knight inflicted at the cost of his life, half a month ago.
3577
3578If the Behemoth didn't move and took the hit, this blow would probably be deflected by the shell covering it. But because it turned its head, the sword coincidentally pierced it from the gap.
3579
3580Guyale used double the speed of a Silhouette Knight and attacked with a stab that focused its entire metallic body weight. The sword screeches and sparks flew because of the friction, as it penetrates the pupil of the giant beast. Eru thought his concentrated fatal attack will continue until it reached the hilt, but it snapped in two loudly and shattered.
3581
3582The surprise attack took out that eye, but it didn't reach the skull. The sword can't withstand the impact of their collision and fractures.
3583
3584Eru lets go of the sword when he realised that it broke, and leapt into the air to avoid hitting the Behemoth head on. Guyale slips pass the Behemoth's charge with its massive body, spinning in mid air, followed by two back somersaults as it lands, pulling away from the Behemoth before stopping.
3585
3586The Behemoth let out an angry howl that was never heard before. Blood sprays out profusely from its left eye socket, something it has never experienced permeate its body. The defense of the Behemoth is top class among Demon beast, and doesn't suffer injuries even when attacked. The pain of its eye being pierced and losing half its vision is a setback it has seldom experienced.
3587
3588The Behemoth's remaining right eye is bloodshot as it searches for the accursed enemy that took its left eye. It lost interest in everything else; the only thing that matters is the red figure he last saw with its left eye.
3589
3590The high school Knight runners forgot that they were still one a battlefield as they stared at the scene before them, dumbfounded. They couldn’t keep up with the development. They thought Guyale abandoned them, but it was back with amazing speed, and broke through the invulnerable shell of the Behemoth and blinded it.
3591
3592The giant beast before them was howling furiously as it took aim at the red machine. It was only concerned about Guyale, ignoring Edgar and the others.
3593
3594"Right, Helvi!"
3595
3596Edgar rush to the downed robot while the Behemoth was distracted. The exhausted Trandorches was damaged and couldn’t walk properly. But Edgar was relieved that Helvi was still alive.
3597
3598Edgar felt a tremour and took a stance with Earlecumber. He then realised that the Behemoth was charging at Guyale with an angry howl. The one eye Behemoth was even swifter than before, but Guyale was more agile. Edgar questioned what he saw, the Guyale he knew had never displayed such a performance before.
3599
3600He even doubts whether Dietrich was piloting it. But he didn’t have the time to worry about that. If Guyale can dodge the Behemoth's fierce attacks, then that means Edgar has time to rescue his wounded comrades.
3601
3602Sorry Di, please hold him off for a while longer...!
3603
3604They turned their back to the scarlet robot dancing with the giant beast, leaning on each other as they escaped.
3605
3606Edgar didn't know that Ernesti was piloting Guyale or what his situation was like. Inside Guyale, Eru was gleefully staring at the holo monitor that was displaying the approaching colossal body.
3607
3608"So this is a Behemoth, a Demon beast and battle. This is... using a Silhouette Knight! To battle!"
3609
3610A ferocious smile appeared on his face.
3611
3612His surprise attack yielded results beyond his expectations. But the wounded and bloodied giant beast harbors even stronger killing intent and charge at Eru. With majesty comparable to mountains, it closes in with murderous intent and power that twists the scenery. Even though the scene before him was enough to scare off veteran Knights, Eru only felt intense joy.
3613
3614"Come at me, come at me, come on, come on!"
3615
3616―Piloting robots and fighting massive enemies.
3617
3618It was the dream of every robot nerd. Was there anyone who didn’t wish for this? He had no intention of backing down, to move away from his happiness. Driven by the elation of his body, his chosen action was―
3619
3620"Come on, I'm going ahead!"
3621
3622Guyale bends slightly and ran at the Behemoth while kicking up earth with each step.
3623
3624To close the gap in an instant. The moment before impact, Guyale disappeared from the Behemoth's vision. The Behemoth, who lost an eye didn't notice, charging at Guyale's previous position. Guyale jumped a second before they collided, kicked off the Behemoth's uneven armoured shell and jumped over it. For the blinded Behemoth, with its limited field of vision, catching Guyale was mission impossible. Eru somersault in mid air deftly as he thinks.
3625
3626"Ah, ah, ah, amazing! A shell with no gaps or weak points, invincible armour! It is too tough, even slashing at it with a running start won't help, magic attacks are useless, too. Alright, just use one of the cliché moves in destroying massive weapons!"
3627
3628Eru mumbles nonsensically with heightened emotions, bending his knees smoothly to lessen the impact upon landing and drew Guyale's spare sword.
3629
3630"The weak point of massive guys is usually the legs and joints. Let's start there!"
3631
3632Guyale uses his running momentum and stabs with terrifying accuracy at the back of the kneecaps, aiming for the gaps between the shells. This attack hit the muscles behind the shell, but it felt tougher than he imagined. Eru noticed it and pulled out the sword, retreating from the Behemoth.
3633
3634"Hmm ― it didn't go in! Other than the shell, is the rest of the body this tough too?"
3635
3636Eru didn't expect the Behemoth's physical boost to raise the endurance of its internal tissues. To support its massive weight, the Behemoth must focus on strengthening its four limbs, which was obvious and a nightmare for its foe.
3637
3638The Behemoth was agitated by the injury to its hind leg and turned around. Even a slight graze from the limbs of the turning Behemoth will be enough to destroy Guyale. Eru pulls further back and runs out of the Behemoth's sight again as he reviews his previous attack.
3639
3640"I didn't harm the joints just now, but it is more effective than hacking at the shell."
3641
3642Hehe ― Eru is wearing a happy, cute smile for some reason. He still stands a chance, but the execution is difficult, and needs tenacity and patience.
3643
3644"Seems like this will be a long fight... Eh, I'm fine with that, I don't really hate that."
3645
3646Eru is smiling casually in the face of the raging beast and advances with the red robot. The battle is just beginning.
3647
3648Ug... Hmmmm...?
3649
3650'He' finally wakes.
3651
3652He sees a dark space in front. As his dull conscious clears, he feels pain from his uncomfortable body posture.
3653
3654"Uguu... here... here is..."
3655
3656He tries to resume a normal position in the cramped space and groans, but a special pressure pins him to the wall in front.
3657
3658He let out a muffled scream, the pressure clears his mind. What he felt was inertia ― A familiar sensation for all Knight runners. But the inertia he felt was stronger than he remembered. This must be the pilot seat of the Silhouette Knight. When he thought about this ― Dietrich Cunitz recalls the last image from his memory. That's right, a short junior appear before him, and―
3659
3660He hastily assumes a normal position and lifts his head from the back of the seat. The first thing he saw was the looming Behemoth that filled the entire holo monitor.
3661
3662"Gyaaaaahhhh!?"
3663
3664You can't blame him for screaming like a headless chicken. He saw the close up of the ferocious beast straight after waking up. The sudden scream surprised Ernesti and he almost lost control.
3665
3666"Oh no! Ha!"
3667
3668After he recovered from tripping, Guyale slides to the left of the charging Behemoth, evading it safely. Eru pulled away from the Behemoth and glanced behind hime before the Behemoth gets ready to charge.
3669
3670"Eh ― good morning senpai. We are in a life and death situation, so please keep quiet."
3671
3672Dietrich’s jaws drop after listening to his calm tone that contradicts its contents. The words sound logical, but he couldn’t understand why he was back here when he should have ran far away, his head is full of questions.
3673
3674"You... you! Are... you insane!? No, before that, why are you fighting!?"
3675
3676He had loads of questions to ask, but has to shut his mouth as Guyale starts to run.
3677
3678The Behemoth's furious face fills the whole holo monitor. The giant beast is emitting a much more murderous air compared to his prior escape. This was beyond the extent of chasing obstacles away, but raging killing intent. Guyale is moving at a speed that was faster than anything the Knight runner Dietrich has experienced, dodging the massive beast's attack by a hair's breadth. After seeing several scenes of imminent death, Dietrich didn't care about appearance and was on the verge of tears. He suppressed his voice and gritted his teeth, enduring it with a pitiful face. He knows if he said anything that distracts Eru, Guyale might really be done in.
3679
3680What... is this!? What's happening!? Is this my punishment for running off alone?
3681
3682
3683
3684
3685
3686Although he didn't know, the other machines are either destroyed or had fallen back, there is only Guyale battling alone here. It is ironic that the situation is the opposite of what happened when he fled. If Eru, who is piloting the machine, fights on, Dietrich couldn’t escape again.
3687
3688Seems like I am fated to stay here... Why did he bring me along? He wants me to see the fight until the very end? He wants the man... who abandoned his comrades to watch?
3689
3690Eru couldn’t leave him behind even if he wanted to ― Dietrich won't be able to guess the truth. The titanic beast didn't care about Dietrich's feeling and the battle between the two rages on.
3691
3692The Behemoth used its devastating strength to shatters the earth, its Tornado Breath uproots the trees. A glancing blow from these will be enough to kill, but Guyale that is piloted by the petite youth is evading them happily and is even counter attacking the limbs of the beast.
3693
3694Dietrich lost his cool when he woke up, but has gathered himself now and was perplexed by another issue. Unbelievably, the young pilot is a match for the giant beast, although he is on the defensive. Because Dietrich was the pilot of Guyale, he understands how amazing this is. The performance of this machine is average, the training robots at Laihiala Pilot Academy are second rate equipment anyway. This was clear since the other Silhouette Knights piloted by high schoolers can't match the beast.
3695
3696The problem lies with this pilot. Dietrich also knows this short first year that shows up at pilot school occasionally. He would never have believed this small youth had such outstanding piloting skills. But since he is taking the beast on right now, Dietrich have to give in.
3697
3698Too amazing, no, that is an inadequate description. This is 'strange'... But if I... If we want to survive, I have let him fight...!
3699
3700Dietrich fell into the chasm of despair once, but he saw hope in the scene before him. A sense of longing grows in the feeble youth who lost to himself.
3701
3702In Dietrich's eyes, Guyale and Eru are fighting a steady battle. But in reality, they are not doing that well. There are two big and pressing issues.
3703
3704First is the mana pool of Guyale. The maximum time a Silhouette Knight can fight at full strength is one hour under normal conditions. Anymore than that and the mana supply will not be able to keep up with the usage rate, leading to diminished performance. It has been two hours since Guyale started the battle... This means that it has kept up peak performance for double its time limit.
3705
3706This was thanks to Eru's delicate control and his grasp of the operating system. The optimisation of the script lowers the mana consumption rate, limiting the usage of mana in tissues not in operation to conserve energy. Also, he is not running Guyale at full power all the time, and this includes breaks for Guyale to 'breath' and restore mana. His actions looked intense at first sight, but he has been secretly minimising its consumption rate once he decided to fight a long battle.
3707
3708But that was still not enough; he has exhausted half his mana reserve. If this goes on, he can optimistically hang on for about two more hours.
3709
3710Next will be the weapon's wear and tear.
3711
3712After attacking the Behemoth repeatedly for two hours, Guyale's blade is twisted and is full of cracks, making the attacks that causes minimal damage even less effective. There is also the magic armament, but Guyale's 'Chasm' <kanji: wind blade> is not suitable for pin point attacks.
3713
3714Eru considered programming an overed spell, but doing that while controlling the Silhouette Knight is too great of a burden, especially if it is a tactical level magic. He gave up on that but his morale is still high, although lacking the means of attack made him feel helpless.
3715
3716If I knew this would happen, I would have armed myself with several swords like a porcupine.
3717
3718Even though he was upset, Eru persist with his battle tactics. Or rather, he couldn’t change it. Guyale relies mainly on evasive manoeuvres while looking for a chance to win.
3719
3720As the battle continued, even Dietrich noticed the frequency of counters was dropping. If they just want to survive, dodging will be fine, but they will lose in terms of endurance. If they plan to escape, they had to use this chance to attack the giant beast's legs and lower its mobility. And attacking is a possibility with Eru's piloting skills. But Eru has let a number of opportunities go.
3721
3722Why are you not countering...! If you keep running like this, our chances of escaping will fall!
3723
3724Dietrich anxiety rises as he can only watch. As a Knight runner, Dietrich knows Silhouette Knights can't fight for long. He chose a time when Eru has evaded an attack and asked:
3725
3726"Hey... Hey, Ernesti, you have not been countering for a while, what's wrong!?"
3727
3728Eru was slightly surprised when the Dietrich, who has been quiet, suddenly spoke. But Eru explained the situation.
3729
3730"The Behemoth is too hard, the sword is tattered. The attacks are not damaging it."
3731
3732Dietrich stole a glance at the sword through the holo monitor; the blade was twisted badly and was totally blunt. Dietrich moans.
3733
3734Need to think... find a weapon... we made it so far, we can't die now!
3735
3736He searched frantically from the scene displayed on the holo monitor for something that can be used as a weapon. Ernesti is piloting Guyale, but there are things Dietrich can do as well. Dietrich is finally back on the battlefield by his own will, his mentality has changed drastically without him noticing, and his participation yielded great results. Eru was also scanning the surroundings as he fights, but he has to dodge the Behemoth's charges, so he can't focus too much on their surroundings. That's why Dietrich was the one who noticed 'that'. He shouted loudly when he discovered it:
3737
3738"Beside the fallen Silhouette Knight! Take its weapon!"
3739
3740Eru took just a second to look at the spot Dietrich pointed at and saw a Silhouette Knight that had broken down. Eru comprehends Dietrich's intention, accelerating after evading the Behemoth with a low posture almost hugging the ground. Eru charged forward and picked up a sword from the fallen robot. Since the high school pilots mainly used Silhouette Arms to attack, there was almost no damage on the sword. An invincible smile returns to Eru's face.
3741
3742"Thank you, senpai. I have been troubled because of my weapons."
3743
3744"No... No need for thanks, just carry on fighting the Behemoth!"
3745
3746Eru faced the Behemoth immediately and reevaluate its status. Its legs are bleeding after numerous slashes, meaning the damage it took was not trivial.
3747
3748"Okay, mana pool is less than 50%. If I don't take down a leg, it will probably catch up if we escape."
3749
3750Guyale raise its new sword and began its counterattack. The Behemoth was massive, but it was bad with intrinsic movements, so its natural enemy is Guyale which uses speed and precision as its weapons.
3751
3752The Behemoth used its endless stamina to rampage. Although it has been attacking nonstop, it has yet to land a single hit. Guyale on the other hand is dealing damage consistently to the giant beast. The wounds on the Behemoth's leg is significant. Dripping water can hollow a stone. With its eyes and limbs bleeding, even the fortress Demon beast Behemoth was slowing down.
3753
3754Dietrich was the one to notice again.
3755
3756Eru heard a shout from behind and scanned their surroundings quickly, and saw many Silhouette Knights. He won't miss that even if it is just a glance. These are 'Karrdators' that are synonymous to Silhouette Knights in Fremmevira Kingdom. They are spread out, surrounding Guyale and the Behemoth in layers. After seeing their machine model and the flying flags, they understood their identity.
3757
3758"Karrdator!? Ah, ahhh... that flag... It’s Jantunen garrison Knights! Reinforcements are here to rescue us!"
3759
3760They are here... sooner than I expected, I thought it will take a bit longer before I can escape and rendezvous with everyone.
3761
3762Eru quickly thought about his next course of action. Guyale can still fight, but the mana pool was below 30%, it is at a critical juncture. Since the Calvary is here, there was no point in buying time, and let the Knights take over and retreat. The firepower of Guyale alone is not enough, the forces here should do. He was just stalling for time when facing the giant beast just now, but the time to 'defeat' it has arrived.
3763
3764The gargantuan beast is not concerned with the situation around it, and continued to stubbornly chased Guyale. Eru dodges easily, luring the Behemoth to turn its back to the Knights. He then slipped past the left side of the Behemoth where it is blinded and dashed towards the formation of the Knights. The band of Knights probably understood Guyale's intentions and aimed with their Silhouette Arms.
3765
3766The giant beast only had an eye for the detestable red figure, and was finally being led to the stage of the final battle.
3767
3768A short time before the Knights arrived at the battlefield.
3769
3770Several Silhouette Knights travelled deftly in the forest, instead of the stone pavement of Fremmevira's Highway. They are the scouts of the Jantunen garrison Knights, their mission is to reconnaissance the status of the Behemoth before the main party arrives.
3771
3772After bashing into the forest from the highway, they found the density of the forest to be very high. Compared to using carriages and traveling by the highway, the team travels much faster by cutting through the forest. The Behemoth is much closer to the highway than the position reported by the students, so the scouts completed their mission and reported back in no time.
3773
3774"Is that so? That is right ahead of us... the Behemoth not taking the highway is a silver lining."
3775
3776Philip Hallhagen comments, after listening to the scout’s report. He was prepared to fight the Behemoth on the highway if the situation calls for it, but that wasn't necessary. But his face turns stiff as he listened to the next report.
3777
3778"We have linked up with three of the training robots, there is still one more engaged in battle..."
3779
3780The high schooler's Silhouette Knights retreated from battle because of Guyale's intrusion made it to the highway, and was being protected by the garrison Knights. Trandorches and another machine were critically damaged, and were sent to the maintenance crew at the back for major overhaul. The remaining Earlecumber suffers minor damage and joined the fighting ranks after receiving simple repairs.
3781
3782The robot still in battle was Guyale. When the scouts saw the scarlet Knight, it was attacking with a fearsome might. The scouts did not know how to report this, so they just gave the position of the beast and the fact that a machine was engaging it.
3783
3784Philip and Gottfried plans the operation based on the gathered intelligence and relays the orders to all units. Their plan was as follows: They will spread out by squad level (9 machines) around the target in a semicircle. From the intelligence of the students who fought it, it is judged that close quarter combat with the giant beast is very dangerous, so they will be using Silhouette Arms and attacking in waves from a distance to damage the Behemoth.
3785
3786They have also drawn up contingencies for the Behemoth's charging and Tornado Breaths. They are expecting casualties, so the worse scenario will be the targeted squad will act as bait and stop the Behemoth's movement, while the others move in for the kill. The Knights move into the forest with the resolve to risk death in battle.
3787
3788The howl of the mammoth beast makes the forest tremble.
3789
3790As the Knights move into position, the beast keeps turning in circles at the same spot, rampaging painfully. The Knights were confused by this and were dumbfounded when they saw the reason. They saw a red Silhouette Knight moving at incredible speeds as the giant beast chased it with blood gushing out of an eye and howls of rage.
3791
3792"What, what is that..."
3793
3794The beast can shatter the Silhouette Knight with one blow, but the scarlet machine was using its superior speed to toy with it. Even the commander with his elite skills doubted whether he can match that speed. Everyone was impressed and sighs at this display. They understand that the giant beast is staying in place because it is persistently chasing the scarlet machine. It was too focused on the enemy before it and lost track of its surroundings.
3795
3796This is a great chance for the Knights.
3797
3798Suddenly, the red robot notices the Knights and stops. In the next instance, it lures the Behemoth to turn its back to the Knights and slips past the flank of the beast towards the Knights. Philip grasped its intention and commands his entire force:
3799
3800"Scarlet Knight... Thank you! Don't let this chance slip away! Everyone, ready your Culverin <TL: kanji is Spear of flame>!"
3801
3802Receiving the command from Philip who lifted his sword, the Karrdators readies its magic armament 'Culverin'. Their objective is to attack in unison with magic, using their numbers to overwhelm the enemy.
3803
3804The red machine did not slow down, slipping to the back of the formation. Philip swings his sword down as it pass through the last of their ranks.
3805
3806"All units, fire!"
3807
3808The Knights anticipated this signal and shot out flames on cue at the Behemoth with their culverins. The high pitched sound reverberated as fire trails flashed through the sky towards the centre of the semi-circle, raining down on the mountain sized monster.
3809
3810Countless Flaming Lance pierced the Behemoth, who was engrossed with the scarlet Knight. The overed spell Flaming Lance exploded in columns of flames like a lotus within the forest. The tongues of flame engulfed the entire beast; the fire was so big that they couldn’t see what was happening. Even so, the Knights did not slow down their persistent attack.
3811
3812Guyale who made it past the Knights stopped at the rear of the formation to rest his machine and recover its mana pool. The machine appears to be fatigued after making through a fierce battle; the ether reactor churns noisily as it runs at full speed.
3813
3814"... That's great! Well done! How, how's that? Damn Demon beast, this is the power of the garrison Knights! Hahaha!"
3815
3816Eru frowns when he heard the maniacal laughter of Dietrich behind him. Eru didn't relax as he watched the hellish flame before him. The culverins kept up its attack and the scale of the fire was increasing gradually, determined to burn everything inside it. Even the Behemoth, who took pride in its defenses won't be able to escape unscathed from this attack.
3817
3818But it is not an opponent that can be dealt with so simply...
3819
3820It was impossible for the situation to go as Eru hoped and the space that is burning is changing. The fire that is burning fiercely is swirling in the form of a whirlpool. No, it was not just the flame that are swirling, but the air current around it was sucking the flames in, turning it into a tornado of fire. The Knights sensed that something was wrong and adopted a defensive stance, but kept up their attack.
3821
3822The tornado flame finally evolved. The next second, it turns into a slithering burning snake and whips at the Knights.
3823
3824"What, what is that!"
3825
3826The burning snake spits at the Knights as it struggles, the flame that was shot out by the Knights was dispersed into the surroundings. Fortunately, the Knights kept their distance when they attacked, so the Tornado Breath was not fatal. Although they knew about the existence of the Tornado Breath, they didn't expect the Behemoth to use it inside that fiery pit, stunning the Knight and disrupting their formation.
3827
3828With the formation falling apart, the attack from the culverins slowed down. The Behemoth realised this and kicked at the remaining fire and leap out of the fire pit. After its shell was baked in hellish flames that can melt steel, it is burning hot and several wounds can be seen on the giant beast. The injuries on its limb sustained from Guyale's slashes are burnt badly after the baptism by fire. On the whole, the colossal beast suffered serious damage.
3829
3830The movement of the Behemoth has also slowed significantly, but it is still known as an extraordinarily tough beast with absurd endurance. The charge of the beast was enough to make the Knights who are reforming scatter. The Behemoth's massive body is in the middle of the reforming group. The movement of the Knights are slow because they are in the midst of forming ranks, making things worse. A number of machines was knocked away during the giant beast's advance, the robots that fell down were mercilessly trampled into lumps of metal.
3831
3832Some of them tried to engage the Behemoth. The shell that was weakened by the heat can be sliced by the sword, but the blade twist and shatters before it reaches the interior. Even wounded, the close quarters battle between the beast and the Silhouette Knights are hopelessly one sided, a squad of Knights are forced into a corner.
3833
3834Although the Knights are prepared to sacrifice their lives, they are unable to attack in a position that will hit their allies. The occasional magic attack stops and their 'ace' showed itself.
3835
3836"Squad two, four and eight, ready the 'hammer'!"
3837
3838Phillips in his command machine 'Sordwort' swings his sword; his instruction gives a sense of purpose to the battle. The Knights were prepared to die in this battle, and with the battle turning into a melee fight, they restrains the beast's movement and showed their ace in the hole.
3839
3840The Silhouette Knights carrying a massive weapon and starts running to either flanks of the Behemoth. They are moving the 'Hard Crust Bunker' that requires four Silhouette Knights to use ― simply put, it is just a giant lump of steel in the shape of a stake.
3841
3842As shown from its name, the Battering Ram that requires four Silhouette Knights to move can easily destroy a siege wall, the ace they prepared for the Demon beast with the reputation of a fortress.
3843
3844The Battering Ram is a powerful weapon, but it has the weakness of being 'slow and heavy'. It is a type of weapon that changes mass into destructive force, so it requires four Silhouette Knights to wield. It is also big in size, so it is a hassle to deploy or withdraw with it. To hit the Demon beast, they need to seal its movement. That is why the Knights are deploying their ace when the giant beast stopped its advance.
3845
3846The problem with the Battering Ram has been briefed to all Knight units, including the squad that was engaging the Behemoth. They knew they couldn’t last for long but they refused to back down, facing the Behemoth to stop its movements.
3847
3848The Karrdators that are charging with the Battering Ram can see this scene clearly. The Knight runners in their seats grip their control sticks so tightly that it creaks. They step on their pedals with all their might, wanting to crash into the Behemoth immediately. This is the battle where they are ready to sacrifice their lives. Even so, their wrath towards the enemy that massacred their allies burns on. The Battering Ram squad roars as they charge in respond to the sacrifices of their allies.
3849
3850The air intake valve plays a high pitch screech, the Karrdator charge at their maximum speed. As they close in towards the beast, they are covered in the shadow of the mountain liked beast. The first Battering Ram reached the Behemoth's side. This was not a precision weapon, so they used their momentum to aim at the biggest target which is the flank and rams it in.
3851
3852The weight that requires four Silhouette Knights to move has amazing destructive power. The shell being cooked in flames, causing it to soften might play a part. The Battering Ram pierced cleanly through the shell of the Behemoth into its stomach.
3853
3854The stake seems to shake in that moment, the Behemoth's colossal body starts to move and it howls painfully, louder than when it lost its eye. Its howl to the sky makes the ground tremble and a massive amount of blood gushes out from its stomach wound.
3855
3856"Great! The Hard Crust Bunker is effective! Use this chance to attack and kill it!"
3857
3858Cheers erupt among the Knights. They know the Battering Ram is difficult to use, but its power can hurt a battalion level Demon beast. There are two more teams with Battering Rams and they are closing in on the giant beast. The beast is still writhing in pain, not noticing their advance. The two teams are aiming for the head and the other flank respectively. If they hit these two places, it will be fatal even for a fortress Demon beast. Most of the Knights are convinced of their victory. The Battering Ram team that is shouldering the entire army's hope is right before its target.
3859
3860The moaning and dazed Behemoth suddenly looks downwards. All the Knights and Eru didn't know what this means and was perplexed. The team that is charging with the Battering Ram didn't notice―
3861
3862The Behemoth shoots a Tornado Breath at the ground. The fierce wind this close to the ground digs up the earth and the flying debris in this confined space explodes. The Battering Ram team was unable to evade this; the team aiming for the head was hit by flying boulders and smashed into smithereens.
3863
3864Amazingly, the Behemoth uses its stomach to withstand the explosion and the impact of the tornado and 'stood up' with this momentum. All the Knights that were maintaining the encirclement of the Behemoth stared at the images on their holo monitor in awe. The eighty metre long Behemoth had incredible weight, and its foreleg is completely off the ground as it stands. This bizarre situation made everyone's reaction slower by a beat.
3865
3866"Oh no! Danger, get away!"
3867
3868The team aiming for the stomach knew something was awry before Philip shouted and attempts to dodge. But they are carrying the heavy Battering Ram with them and had been charging at full speed. Even if they wanted to retreat, they couldn’t stop their accelerating machine in time.
3869
3870The Behemoth's massive body fell with the pull of gravity right on top of them. The destructive force of the gargantuan Demon beast's weight was beyond that of the Battering Ram. It caused a small earthquake when it landed, shattering the ground and shooting debris like a shotgun to the surroundings. The dust flew sky high, covering the beast's entire body.
3871
3872The Battering Ram team that didn't get away in time was decimated, the Ram was flattened and the Silhouette Knights were beyond recognition.
3873
3874This attack was too rash, and the Behemoth that used it was hurt too. More blood flows out from its gaping wounds, and several cracks appears on its shell. It was not obvious, but the attack that penetrates its physical boast injured some of its internal organs, the Behemoth was also desperate.
3875
3876But the Knight’s casualties were more severe. Including the squad that was attacked in the beginning, they had lost 40% of their forces and the flying boulders caused medium damage of another 20%. And losing their ace seriously hurt the Knights’ morale. The attack they placed their hopes on was negated, this impact their psyche deeply. Anxiety higher than before seizes the Knights.
3877
3878The culverin held by the Karrdator are shaking, the movement of the Knight runners were unconsciously transmitted to the machine. Not only the giant beast's power, but even its existence brings pressure that corrodes their heart.
3879
3880"..."
3881
3882Guyale watches the string of attacks from the rear of the Knights, Dietrich was trembling inside the machine. Even the special attack that sacrifices part of the Knights was negated in front of the beast's strength; can they really take it down? The generous amount of fighting spirit in his heart recedes instantly. The damage to the Behemoth is significant, but seeing the power he had absolute faith in failing, shook his heart. Dietrich couldn’t make collected judgment. The thing that returns Dietrich back to normal is the angry growl from the seat in front of him.
3883
3884"... Unforgivable..."
3885
3886Dietrich could only see the silver hair of Ernesti sitting in the seat, but he can understand the abnormal atmosphere emitting from Eru's body.
3887
3888"You dare destroy robots before my eyes!"
3889
3890"Eh?"
3891
3892"The only thing that is permitted to destroy robots... is other robots..."
3893
3894"Eh, eh!?"
3895
3896Eru mumbles reasons unfathomable to Dietrich as he stands Guyale up. Although he has a faint smile, his blue eyes differed from its usual shine, burning like a devil. As if it is channeling Eru's wrath, Guyale's air intake valve screeches louder, the mana flows through all the crystal tissue in the body, the body encased in armor is full of power.
3897
3898Mana pool is over 50%, the sword in its hand is serviceable and the machine is undamaged.
3899
3900The scarlet Knight took a step forward, Eru who has become a vengeful spirit returns to battle. The red Silhouette Knight charges at the giant beast, the cry of despair from Eru's passenger can be heard along the way.
3901
3902The Land Emperor emerged slowly from the thick dust. Despite its body being covered in wounds, it can still move, displaying its amazing endurance. Battalion level-Demon beasts are truly impressive.
3903
3904On close observation, it is on its last legs. But the Knights with their devastated morale lost their will to fight when they see the Behemoth is still moving. They shoot their culverin in response, but their scattered efforts are ineffective. It can't even break through the weakened shell. The encirclement of the Knights that was sealing the Behemoth's movement also fell apart.
3905
3906Commander Philip felt a strong sense of danger from the sight before him. He has issued numerous orders, but it is not easy to build up lost morale and he is growing anxious. Suddenly, a scarlet wind pierced through the loose encirclement.
3907
3908The red Silhouette Knight was prominent among the earth colored Karrdators. It made a beeline for the Behemoth before anyone could react.
3909
3910"This is impossible! We are doomed; it can't be done, the Knights are here, there is no escape, ahhhhh!?"
3911
3912Eru, who is piloting Guyale didn't even look at the Knights and Dietrich's nonsensical scream didn't reach their ears. Eru's deep blue eyes locked onto the Behemoth.
3913
3914Leaving the Knights out of his mind, Eru closes in on the Behemoth. Even though the Behemoth was heavily wounded, it howled when the red figure in its memory appeared. It ignores the gushing blood and tattered shell and moves its limbs.
3915
3916The gap between them disappears.
3917
3918The speedier Guyale has the advantage. With suffering many cracks and fractures from the previous fight, the Behemoth's defense is full of holes. The scarlet machine turns into a whirlwind, slashing repeatedly at the Behemoth with its speed. The sword cuts accurately through a fissure, causing sparks and screeching noise as the shell cracks and fell to the ground.
3919
3920"Sword attacks are effective! This mean the enemy is at its limit!"
3921
3922Guyale glides around and slashes, turns back and pounces at the Behemoth again, turning his evasive tactics to offense. These two have traded their position.
3923
3924The Knights were shocked by the scene before them. In their eyes, Guyale is a machine piloted by a Laihiala Pilot Academy student. A student younger than the Knights is standing up to the giant beast without fear and attacking it. At a glance, it seems like foolish bravery, but this is why it has a motivational effect that fires up the hearts of the Knights.
3925
3926"All units, assume encircle formation! Form new ranks! Renew the attack!"
3927
3928The Knights felt shamed from losing heart before the Demon beast's might and move with renewed conviction. The units with restored morale formed up quickly and encircled the Behemoth. Each squad took note of the scarlet machine's position and started magic attack support, restraining the Behemoth's movement and damaging it.
3929
3930The sword of the scarlet Knight peeled off the shell of the beast, the culverin pierced the Behemoth's legs. The attack of the giant beast is sealed and it becomes a static target board.
3931
3932The table has been turned and the Behemoth was on the verge of defeat. This bolsters the morale of the Knights and Guyale moves freely. The colossal beast finally reached its limit, its shell is dropping off from the damages and its blood turns the ground into marsh. Anyone can tell the beast has lost its ability to resist.
3933
3934But something unexpected happened.
3935
3936A sudden pressure assaults Eru and Dietrich out of nowhere. As Guyale was turning its body to evade, the strength in one leg disappears and it leans heavily to one side. A strong force pushes the scarlet Knight to the ground and Guyale's red armor was twisted and peels off, scattering in mid air.
3937
3938"What happened!?"
3939
3940Eru continued to control Guyale in a panic, rolling backwards and kicking off the ground with all its might. Guyale finally steadies its posture with one knee on the ground.
3941
3942"The Behemoth didn't hit us, so why are we hurt..."
3943
3944Eru shift the machine's head to scan the status of the legs, finding the joints stiff and sees shards of crystal tissue falling out from the gaps in the armour.
3945
3946Eru finally understood the situation after seeing this, this was not caused by attacks. Eru made intrinsic control possible with his full control piloting. But his high output demands made Guyale break under the heavy burden.
3947
3948This long battle has also exceeded the operation time of a normal Silhouette Knight, which adds to the stress, damaging the legs which took the brunt of the burden. Living beings will be alerted through pain stimulus. But Silhouette Knights are robots without the function of reporting feedback of abnormalities. You will only know when it exceeds the limit and suffers damage.
3949
3950Eru frowns deeply. Guyale holds the advantage because of its excellent mobility. But it can't fight on with its legs busted. Eru can only abandon the machine and run for it.
3951
3952There is not much time left for him to worry about this. The Behemoth is rushing at the hated red machine as usual.
3953
3954The culverins fired by the Knights rain down on that Behemoth as they try to save the scarlet machine that suddenly kneeled down, but it didn't stop the giant beast. The Behemoth's remaining right eye is bloodshot and full of hatred, an angry howl came from its mouth. The shattered shell and flowing blood didn't even faze it, the Demon beast charged with the conviction to decimate everything. Its speed was much slower, but it is a death sentence for the immobile Guyale.
3955
3956To break down with this timing... It's a pity, but I have to escape.
3957
3958With his capabilities, Eru can get out of the giant beast's range once he abandons the machine.
3959
3960That's right, if... it is just me.
3961
3962Eru can do it, but Dietrich behind him can't. Eru releases the harness and stares at the Behemoth on the holo monitor. There is no time left, the charge will shatter Guyale. Eru's thinking speed reached its peak.
3963
3964It is not good for my conscience to leave senpai here... But it is not easy to survive this.
3965
3966He desperately went through all sorts of possibilities. What Ernesti can do, what Dietrich can do and what Guyale can do.
3967
3968... There is a way, but it is a gamble. There is only one chance; the chips are our lives... But to die with a robot is an acceptable way to go out with a bang.
3969
3970That's the best a robot nerd can hope for. Eru has no hesitation in choosing this insane option. To risk his life and fight the giant beast.
3971
3972"Senpai, can you hear me?"
3973
3974Eru's calmness doesn't match the situation before them. Will Dietrich sitting at the back listen? He is already in despair over their fate, mumbling as he pants. He is not acting normal.
3975
3976"If you hear me, please switch with me and take over the controls."
3977
3978Eru tone is the same, but the strange aura in his voice made Dietrich tremble in fear.
3979
3980Eru ignores him, pulling Winchester and the silver nerves to the front, almost hitting the holo monitor. Leaving the empty seat.
3981
3982"It's hopeless! What can I do by piloting..."
3983
3984"It doesn't matter. Sit on the chair now if you want to live."
3985
3986Dietrich reacts to the words 'if you want to live'. He is on the verge of breaking down, but he still slides into the seat.
3987
3988"Shit... Shit! What are we doing! What can we do!?"
3989
3990"I will only say this once, so listen carefully. First..."
3991
3992Part of the silver nerve was pulled along with the Winchester, but several of them are still connected to the control stick. It can still be operated normally. Once he confirms Dietrich is holding the control stick, Eru release his control from the magius engine's domain.
3993
3994The Behemoth is right in front of them. It is critically wounded with nowhere to run, but its massive body is still imposing, filling their entire field of vision. Eru takes a deep breath and stares at the figure in the holo monitor and concentrates.
3995
3996He push his unique skill 'the processing speed that can fully control a Silhouette Knight' to the limit and programs a large scale script. It's an overed spell in scale, similar to those used by Silhouette Knights but larger.
3997
3998He has a bigger mana pool than others as he has trained nonstop since childhood. But that is the standard for humans, and not enough to execute tactical level spells. Even if he can process and construct the script, he can't use tactical level magic. But he is sitting on a large supply of mana right now. That's right, the mana from Guyale.
3999
4000Silhouette Knights can't construct magic alone. Eru didn't have the mana for tactical level spells. But they can cover each other’s weakness and Eru is executing this never seen before plan.
4001
4002"~~~...!~...!!!"
4003
4004Dietrich screams without realising. Fear made him stiff, but Dietrich believes the young boy before him and acts.
4005
4006Eru focuses on the processing, creating a large and powerful spell to his limit.
4007
4008The Behemoth's head is like a protruding boulder, closing in on Guyale to smash it. Their distance is close enough to make out the details on the Behemoth's skin.
4009
4010Everything that follows happens in an instant.
4011
4012Guyale extends its arms as if to hug Behemoth and creates an air bullet but did not fire it out, constructing an air bag. Eru uses the magic he conjured to decelerate when moving at high speed, 'air suspension' and enlarged it to the tactical level.
4013
4014The air cushion he made collides with the impact of the Demon beast's charge. The compressed air was squeezed even tighter from the collision. A force that is still tremendous after hitting the air bag pushes at Guyale. The pressure deforms the armour and blows away the crystal shards.
4015
4016"Now! Jump back―!"
4017
4018Eru opens his eyes and shouts. He heard a reaction from Dietrich. Dietrich didn't think about the content of the instructions and reacted on reflex ― extending his legs and pushing down hard on the pedal. Guyale's leg is broken and can't walk, but the crystal tissues that are still working executes the command faithfully and expends all its energy.
4019
4020The Behemoth has broken through the air cushion and is about to pierce the scarlet Knight ― Guyale leaps back recklessly at this moment. The crystal tissues in the legs snap completely, but it has completed its task.
4021
4022"It's not over! Hang on! Hard skin!"
4023
4024Eru's operation is not over, he casted an armour hardening spell on Guyale's front armour. At this moment, the Behemoth's head touches Guyale and the hit lands.
4025
4026Weakening the impact with air cushion, minimising the force by jumping back and defending with hardening magic. Even with this, it didn't negate the force of the blow as the armour dents and the pieces surrounding it breaks and flies off. The holo monitor in front of the pilot seat shatters, making Eru gasp.
4027
4028"It is not enough after doing all this...!"
4029
4030All his effort was negated, making him think about giving up. But a small blessing aided him ― The training machine used by the Laihiala Pilot Academy places its priority on pilot safety, so the torso armor is made thicker. The front armor reinforced by Eru's magic stays true to this priority, denting heavily but still was able to withstand the Behemoth's strike, protecting its passengers completely.
4031
4032Anyone would think the red machine was lost, but Guyale looks like it is hugging the head of the Behemoth, still retaining its humanoid shape. The Behemoth was baffled by the Knight that didn't fall apart from its charge. The attack still carries on, the Behemoth advances and pushes Guyale along.
4033
4034"... If we make it through."
4035
4036The time to strike back is here.
4037
4038Eru grabs the control stick and move Guyale's body. He only moves the robot's right wrist and lifts it up and punches at the Behemoth's head. No matter how weak the shell is, the body of the giant beast will not be damaged by bare hands. But the arm is not aiming for the shell, but the left eye socket.
4039
4040The broken half of a sword is stuck in there. Eru grabs the broken sword and activated all the remaining mana in Guyale's crystal tissue. He overrides all safety limiters, emptying all mana reserves, using all his processing power to construct the largest spell.
4041
4042"Checkmate!"
4043
4044After uttering this phrase softly, the largest scale lightning the world has ever seen channels through Guyale's arm into the broken sword, striking the Behemoth's head directly.
4045
4046The Behemoth is a living being and has a brain in its head. The lightning through the eye socket is conducted through the optical nerves and the blood vessels, hitting the brain directly. The large current ravaged the brain of the Behemoth, frying the interior components. Even the giant beast couldn’t take it when its brain, which is the control hub of living things burn.
4047
4048The Land Emperor finally took its last breath.
4049
4050The electric current continues to burn the nerves, making the Behemoth spasm and jerk. That flings off Guyale that was hugging the head onto the ground. Guyale has exhausted its mana pool, so it can't even harden its structure, breaking into pieces upon impact with the ground.
4051
4052― The giant beast collapsed to the ground slowly.
4053
4054Death comes to the powerful beast that rampaged. The ending was brutal and sudden, everyone was silent. When they comprehended that the Demon beast will not move again, joy spreads among the Knights in waves. It didn't take long for them to cheer in victory.
4055
4056"... It was dangerous till the very end, any mistake and we would have turned into minced meat."
4057
4058The decimated Guyale was in a pitiful state. The limbs had fallen off; the inner skeleton was breaking apart with the connection magic gone. Every piece of the armour was battered and there were only bits of red paint left. The pilot seat was also shaken up, but Eru casted air suspension with his own mana to absorb the impact safely. Dietrich was almost crushed to death from the pilot seat's inertia, but that was better than becoming minced meat for real.
4059
4060Although this was a plan that might kill them along with the Behemoth, Eru was relieved to have survived. He let out a long sigh and showed a gloomy expression.
4061
4062"...Ahhh... in pieces... Guyale is in pieces..."
4063
4064Eru ignores the unconscious Dietrich whose pupil had turned up and shakes his head, worrying about the wrong priorities.
4065
4066"Ahh, I can't stay depressed. Guyale, I will fix you, please wait for me!"
4067
4068Eru made a strange resolution and left the half destroyed cockpit.
4069
4070
4071
4072
4073
4074Chapter 9: After the Fight
4075
4076
4077The sound of timbre cracking can be heard repeatedly. The source is the mountain of mass― the carcass of the Land Emperor.
4078
4079When the Behemoth died, the mana supply powering the physical boost magic stopped. The massive body over eighty metres in length couldn’t withstand its own weight and collapsed on itself. The shell armour that suffered countless cracks during the course of battle crumbles, the struts holding the body up crumbles one by one, the height falls slowly. The lower half of its body that supports the heavier weigh is in shambles.
4080
4081The Jantunen garrison Knights cheers as the giant beast crumbles further, shooting their Silhouette Arms into the air with pride.
4082
4083But the Knights suffered serious casualties. That's why the ones who survived have to sing their victory song loudly as a tribute to those who fell in battle.
4084
4085Some distance from the Knights, three Silhouette Knights are advancing. Among the band of Karrdator Knights, these three has a different appearance and stands out from the crowd.
4086
4087One is the command Silhouette Knight 'Sordwort' piloted by the commander Philip. Compared to the Karrdators that focus on practicality, it has a prominent regal appearance and is covered in plate armour.
4088
4089Besides him is the vice commander's 'Cardiaria', a Karrdator that has been reinforced.
4090
4091Behind them is the training machine from Laihiala Pilot Academy, 'Earlecumber'. Its appearance is crude, but it is covered in pure white armour, giving it a different aesthetic compared to Karrdator.
4092
4093They walked pass the Behemoth that is still crumbling and approached their target. The closer they got, the clearer the pieces with red paint.
4094
4095―Scattered around here were the remains of the Silhouette Knight Guyale.
4096
4097The first thing Philip, who was leading the way saw was Guyale's right arm. Its skeletal structure was broken and it was bent out of shape. The trio glanced at it and continued without a word, finally reaching their main objective. The torso without its head and limbs, the armour was in shambles, the crystal tissue has been utterly destroyed. The armour protecting the chest cavity has caved in, the whole torso is misshapen. The strong frontal armour was a twisted lump, showing how strong the impact was.
4098
4099I did think it will be like this... From the looks of things, the Knight runner inside... It's hopeless...
4100
4101No one made a sound, thinking about the same thing. They had some hope, but if the impact shatters the torso, it is impossible for the pilot to survive.
4102
4103Philip and Gottfried stares silently at the holo monitor. The scarlet Knight from Laihiala Pilot Academy fought the Behemoth to the last breath to protect its juniors. Compared to the Knights who were on the verge of collapse, it was on the very frontlines. It battled the giant beast like a burning torch of courage, taking down the Behemoth with its life. Philip wondered what the pilot was like. The pilot should be a student, but his future is immeasurable. He had the skills to take down a Behemoth, the virtuous attitudes to risk his life for others, and the indomitable spirit to overcome the odds. He possessed the three characteristics a Knight should have. Philip had not converse with him before, but Philip gives a silent prayer for the hero who sacrificed himself honourably.
4104
4105Earlecumber moved ahead and kneels beside Guyale.
4106
4107Earlecumber's front armour opens with the sound of compressed air jetting out. Edgar stands on the armour, silently looking at the remains for a while before saying
4108
4109"Di... I am late, but I still want to apologise... back then, I thought you abandoned us and escaped."
4110
4111Unlike his calm tone, Edgar's expression was twisted with regret.
4112
4113"I lost all respect for you at that moment... But I empathise with you too. The scenario was too dire then, I told myself 'Di won't work with us in this situation'. But... You came back."
4114
4115Edgar’s clenched fists are trembling.
4116
4117"And, so... Sorry Dietrich. I don't know why you were hiding your real strength. Even so, you sacrificed yourself to save us..."
4118
4119Edgar's monologue was interrupted by an explosion. Shortly after, Guyale's chest armour flew into the sky before him.
4120
4121The chest armour flew and made an arc through the sky and rolls loudly when it lands.
4122
4123The three robots followed the movement of the chest armour that blasted off, and looked back at the remains by their feet. A short figure climbs out from the cockpit as they watched in awe.
4124
4125"The front armour couldn’t open because it was bent out of shape. That took some effort to get out... Eh? What's wrong everyone?"
4126
4127"... Huh?"
4128
4129Jantunen was under high alert because the deployment of the entire garrison Knights, but the gates are fully open to welcome the return of the Knights. The victorious garrison Knights returns in an orderly fashion, advancing slowly on the main street.
4130
4131News of the Behemoth's invasion has spread throughout the whole kingdom with the deployment of the Knights. The citizens who were trembling from fear cheered with reckless abandon for those who had returned safely. Their excitement matches that of winning a war, and in reality, defeating a Behemoth successfully has more value than winning a war.
4132
4133Something followed the advance of the parade and the crowd was silenced when it enters the gate. That was the head of the Demon beast which was much larger than a Silhouette Knight. A carriage ferries the intimidating head, even the citizens that didn't see it move knows it’s a threat. The silence spreads, and suddenly explodes in cheers twice as loud.
4134
4135Everyone is singing the exploit of the Knights, deepening their respect for their guardian garrison Knights. Jantunen's parade reached its climax at this point.
4136
4137Some distance away from the main street, a quiet cafe that is isolated from the bustle of the city. Most of the citizens were gathered around the main street, leaving the cafe empty. There are just a few youths patronising the shop, they are people related to this incident: Edgar, Stefania, Archid, Adeltrud and Ernesti.
4138
4139"Really! You are too reckless..."
4140
4141Edgar sighs and lowers the teacup in his hand. He is saying this on behalf of everyone present. He couldn’t help himself from commenting after hearing Eru casually describe his actions during the Land Emperor incident.
4142
4143"This makes me sympathised with the 'victim' who was dragged in, Di..."
4144
4145After hacking into the magius engine, Eru exerts full control over the machine and fought. Just listening to this is enough to make anyone with common sense faint after screaming. The more detailed Eru's explanation, the more troubled Edgar becomes. Stefania eyes widen and her surprise is evident. Chid and Ady are stunned, but accepts it since it is Eru. The twins looked at each other and said:
4146
4147"See, he hijacked a Silhouette Knight as expected."
4148
4149"You two, what do you mean by 'expected'? Although you are right."
4150
4151Eru looks unhappy, but averts his eyes guiltily when the twins glares back.
4152
4153Apart from Eru, Edgar is the only one with experience piloting Silhouette Knights. That's why he was shocked after listening to Eru, but was convinced. From what he remembered, Guyale's performance was not that outstanding. If Eru didn't hack in, it wouldn't have been that powerful. But even with the facts right before him, Edgar just shakes his head. He suddenly thought of something.
4154
4155"Ernesti, if Di didn't run, what would you have planned to do?"
4156
4157"Nothing. I just would have went with the flow back then, and would probably have boarded the carriage and escaped."
4158
4159Edgar's face sours. What would have happened if Guyale didn't join the fray? Edgar won't be sitting here in that case, and the Knight's casualties would probably double. Not only that, the Behemoth might not be defeated. Without question, a medal of honour should be awarded to the petite youth in front of Edgar, but rewarding his outstanding performance was an issue because of Eru's position. Edgar bit his lip and goes into the main topic.
4160
4161"We... the surviving high school pilots, will be going to Känkänen for an awards ceremony."
4162
4163Edgar felt conflicted even though he was talking about such a glorious event.
4164
4165"The Jantunen garrison Knights will send representatives as well, probably Sir Hallhagen and a few others. This involves a battalion-level Demon beast invasion, a story that is worthy to be spread within the nation, no, to all nations. They say there will be a grand ceremony."
4166
4167"You are right, congratulations... but you seem unhappy about it."
4168
4169"The existence of the scarlet Knight will be covered up for this incident... This means Ernesti's achievements will not be stated."
4170
4171Stefania wears an apologetic expression and looks at the tea beside her hand. Chid and Ady understands the meaning of these words after a while and glares at Edgar. Only Eru seems unaffected and nods.
4172
4173"I see. If I was a member of the Knights or an official high schooler, there wouldn't be any problems."
4174
4175"Hey, things would have been serious if Eru wasn't there! Why can't he receive commendations?"
4176
4177Chid stands up in protest. Stefania stops him with a look, sighs and explains:
4178
4179"Calm down. If a normal Knight performs so outstandingly, they will be promoted or commended. For high schoolers, they will be enlisted as an official Knight... But we can't promote Eru that way."
4180
4181"Why? Eru is obviously stronger than those run of the mill Knights!?"
4182
4183"Being a Knight means he has to join a band of Knights. He can be a member with his exceptional power, but there are some who will be willing to work with a twelve year old. Working under an organisation means Eru can't be willful in his actions."
4184
4185"We can work something out if he is an adult... If they pass over the Knights and grant honours to a twelve year old, the Knights will look bad. The honour of the Knights is the honor of the Kingdom, no one wants that to happen."
4186
4187Eru tilts his head and ask with a smile:
4188
4189"I understand. Senpai are here to convince me?"
4190
4191The expression of Edgar and Stefania stiffens. Eru didn't say much about their expression and continues:
4192
4193"Let's forget about this incident. I am satisfied with piloting an actual Silhouette Knight. Instead of asking shamelessly for rewards, doing nothing is much more relaxing. Besides, I was the one who butted in without permission. I don't want to be manipulated by others because of this incident."
4194
4195Stefania nods her head in agreement.
4196
4197"That won't happen, I guarantee in the name of the Serrati family."
4198
4199"That's right, I will remind Sir Hallhagen."
4200
4201Eru nods after receiving their promises. Unlike Eru, Chid and Ady are unable to accept this, asking with a moan:
4202
4203"Eru, is this really okay?"
4204
4205"Yah, Eru's dream is to be a Knight and pilot Silhouette Knights correct? Are you giving in now?"
4206
4207"This is an exceptional case. I don't plan to demand for any rewards."
4208
4209Seeing Eru consoling the unhappy twins, Edgar and Stefania breathe a sigh of relief. Guyale and the Behemoth were both destroyed in the battle, a testament to the desperate situation Eru was in. Not giving any reward to Eru doesn't sit well with them either. On the other hand, they understand the order of Knights won't be able to handle Eru's exceptional case well. They volunteered to convince Eru of the Knights' dilemma in order to avoid using official orders to pressure Eru. They need not worry about Eru protesting violently, but the contents of their speech were filled with illogical reasoning, so they were prepared for the talks to be stall. They felt grateful for Eru's generous disposition.
4210
4211Phew, that was close. I barged ahead without thinking too much; there will be tons of trouble if I make the Knights lose face. Giving me a way to reject the commendation cordially was a big help...
4212
4213Eru who appears to be drinking tea calmly was breaking out in cold sweat. To be honest, he was troubled over how to settle things on his end. It was hard for Eru to do anything in his position. The other party proposing a peaceful resolution made Eru relieved.
4214
4215I did have a great time piloting. I even got to see the magius engine's script, that is enough for a reward. And the Knights owe me a favour too. Being too forceful will blow matters up, just let them bask in the glory. Also... it will be good if I can build a close relationship with the Knights and the people present.
4216
4217Eru finish his tea happily as he thought about how to resolve the matter.
4218
4219The atmosphere was peaceful after ending the tense topic. The sound of cheers was continuing all this while. They chatted casually in the mean time.
4220
4221―His consciousness recovers slowly. His first thing he feels is a question.
4222
4223What... What happened? That time... the Demon beast...
4224
4225He felt a sharp pain next from all over his body, stimulating his mind and waking him up.
4226
4227"Eh... Uguu..."
4228
4229Dietrich groans from the pain of his protesting body and opens his eyes. The first thing he sees is a wooden ceiling. He turns his head and observes a white drape. He was still confused, but he understands the situation before him. He was admitted in a hospital like facility― which means he is safe.
4230
4231... This means, the battle was won...?
4232
4233He shivered when he remembered the giant beast. From the situation at that time, it was impossible to save him without getting rid of the beast. Dietrich deduced from this that the battle ended somehow, and was a success since he is alive.
4234
4235"Ara, you’re awake?"
4236
4237Dietrich relaxed after deducting the crisis has ended, and more importantly, he is safe. As he lies down groggily, a voice came from his side.
4238
4239"This is Jantunen pilot's infirmary. You have lost consciousness for over a day after the battle."
4240
4241Dietrich turns his head with his eyes wide open. It's not because of the content of the speech, but the person who is saying it―
4242
4243"Don't worry, you have many bruises, but no serious injuries. You are young and will heal up in no time!"
4244
4245His white clothes almost bursting from his muscular body, and his hair was crew cut. His feet were a shoulder width apart but his knees were clamped together. He is speaking in a feminine way despite having a deep voice― This was a man.
4246
4247A scream erupts suddenly and fills the entire infirmary.
4248
4249A convoy comprising of carriages and Silhouette Knights are travelling along the gravel road leading from Jantunen to the capital ― Fremmevira Highway.
4250
4251Inside the carriage are students from Laihiala Pilot Academy's Knighthood faculty. The Silhouette Knights are escorts from Jantunen garrison Knights. The Knights were headed towards the capital for the award ceremony and were acting as escorts since they are heading in the same direction.
4252
4253There is a person sitting on the top of a carriage. That person is basking in the sun, watching the long convoy line under the warm sun. At the end of the line was a wagon filled with recovered Silhouette parts. The machine that was wrecked by the Behemoth was turned into junk, but the most valuable torso was retrieved. The damage was assessed, if the magius engine and ether reactor known as the heart was fine, it will be easier to repair. And in the worst case scenario, they can place the heart into a new body.
4254
4255Jantunen garrison Knight's wreckage has been sent to Jantunen, the ones here are the Laihiala Pilot Academy's robots.
4256
4257The boy on top of the carriage, Ernesti looks towards the back with a blank expression. There must be parts from the scarlet Silhouette Knight on the wagon too, but it is covered by the canvas so Eru can't tell where it is. The last scene of the fight with the Behemoth while piloting Guyale flashed across his mind. He feels the bump of the carriage as he reminisces.
4258
4259The action I took was a gamble largely dependent on luck. In order to avoid this, I need a machine that won't fall apart even when operating at full power... and this problem should not be entrusted to others lightly.
4260
4261Right now, Eru is the only one who can make a robot break down in such a short period of time, so he is the only one who wants to resolve it. He will create his personal machine one day. He needs to plan for that day.
4262
4263"Eru, are you brooding over here?"
4264
4265As he was feeling troubled over many things, someone approached him from behind and hugs him. There is only one person who will do that in Eru's mind. He turns to look at Ady behind him.
4266
4267"Yeah, I am thinking about how to resolve the weakness in the previous battle."
4268
4269"Why― are you thinking about that again!"
4270
4271Ady looks displeased as she leans forward. Ady is taller than Eru, so Eru is squashed when Ady leans in with her body weight. Eru protest as his body bends forward uncomfortably.
4272
4273"I know, but I have to think it over when I have time, or it will be a problem in the future."
4274
4275The pressure behind him relaxes slightly, allowing Eru to breath. Ady stops moving and her displeasure fades, replaced by a troubled expression.
4276
4277"... Eru, you really... I hope you can promise me one thing."
4278
4279"What promise?"
4280
4281"Don't go by yourself, take us with you!"
4282
4283"That's a bit..."
4284
4285Eru couldn't see Ady's face, but he can feel the sincerity from her voice. Eru didn't turn back and looked ahead, thinking about Ady's request. He has been setting Silhouette Knights as his goals, and working towards that means...
4286
4287"We might not be able to help, but..."
4288
4289"Don't say that... it depends on the situation."
4290
4291"Really? I can't pilot a Silhouette Knight. How about telling us what you plan to do!"
4292
4293At this point, Eru couldn't reject her.
4294
4295"I understand... I will do my best. But it is an emergency, it will have to wait."
4296
4297"Hmmph! That's a cunning way to put it! Even though we can't do much, but three heads are better than one!"
4298
4299"Haha, that's right, three of us is... three?"
4300
4301Ady's casual words made Eru think. In his heart is a famous story, and inspiration strikes.
4302
4303"Three are better than one... three arrows compared to one arrow. One arrow is easy to break, but it is hard to break if there are three. Right, it is fragile and easy to break because it is separated. That hurts... Wut arf yu dooin?"
4304
4305Ady pulls both of Eru's cheek as he was spacing out.
4306
4307"Pay attention when talking to others, that was rude. Hmph!"
4308
4309"That hurts... You are absolutely right, that was ill mannered of me."
4310
4311Ady looks are Eru nursing his cheeks painfully and thought of a good idea. She approached Eru from the side with a smile. Eru has a foreboding feeling looking at Ady's smile.
4312
4313"Right, I know a way! Teach me how to pilot Silhouette Knights!"
4314
4315"Wah― to use this method!"
4316
4317Eru groans and smiles awkwardly at Ady, and wonders how things had come to this.
4318
4319The roasted beef in the centre of the table gives off a delicious aroma.
4320
4321The cramped place around it are full of dishes. Eru's mother― Celestina Echevarria is pouring soup into a large bowl. Beside her is the mother of the twins, Ilmatar Olter (Ilma) who arranges the freshly baked pie. The extravagant dishes made the two happy as they laid out the plates.
4322
4323"Is it time for your Ady to learn to cook?"
4324
4325"Hoho, it's about time. That child is always messing around with Chid."
4326
4327They finished the preparation nimbly as they chatted and called their families to have dinner. The two families gathered shortly after and ate happily.
4328
4329This is the Echevarria residence. The Echevarrias and the Olters are together for a party to celebrate the safe return of their children. The parents planned to welcome them back after the field trip all along. But the children were involved in an unprecedented Demon beast invasion instead.
4330
4331The faces of every parent turned green when they received the news, including these two families. Ilma’s only family are the twins, her anxiety is indescribable. She couldn't stay alone in that state, so the Echevarrias took her in for the time being. Now, both the children and their parents had deepened their friendship.
4332
4333Fortunately, the crisis was over and the children had returned safely, all the families were busy and relieved.
4334
4335"To be frank, it's great that everyone is safe."
4336
4337Ilma watched the kids finish off the dishes and sigh. Tears well up in her eyes and fell as she relaxed. Ilma quickly covers her face.
4338
4339"We made you worry. As you can see, we are not hurt... This is a miracle."
4340
4341"That's great; the most important thing is that you are safe. Your appetite is good, as if nothing had ever happened."
4342
4343"Nomnomnom!"
4344
4345"NornNornNorn!"
4346
4347"Swallow your food before talking..."
4348
4349Chid and Ady continues to stuff their face despite their mother's instruction. They were eating tasteless preserved food while traveling, so they are focusing on the delicacy before them.
4350
4351"We heard that it was really dangerous, but you all seem fine. What did Eru do?"
4352
4353"Yes. Behemoth and I beat each other up."
4354
4355"Cough! Cough, cough."
4356
4357Mathias chokes on his food when he hears the conversation between the mother and child.
4358
4359"Ara, wasn't the Demon beast really big? Are you okay? Did you give it a good beating?"
4360
4361"I borrowed a Silhouette Knight from a senpai, so I'm okay. It was rather dangerous, but I beat it up really well and won."
4362
4363"Ara, ara, you can borrow Silhouette Knights? That's wonderful, Eru. But don't be too reckless. It's not something you can borrow anytime you want, right?"
4364
4365"That's right. Luckily we had that 'good senpai' who aided me."
4366
4367Mathias forced himself to look away from the two of them; the others casually ignored their conversation. In some way, this family was really disciplined.
4368
4369Only Eru's grandfather refrained from speaking during dinner, watching everything. After finishing, he called out to Eru.
4370
4371"Eru, I want you to accompany me to someplace, alright?"
4372
4373"Okay grandpa. Where are we going?"
4374
4375"Erm, we are going to..."
4376
4377Fremmevira Kingdom Capital, Känkänen.
4378
4379Located at the foot of mount Aubigne, it served as a front line fortress in the past. The highway on either side was made with robust stones, a legacy from its days as a fortress. Several layers of walls are erected with the capital at its heart. Only the outer most siege wall has defensive functions, the rest are used for zonal segregation. Its existence is a testament of the history of this city and nation.
4380
4381In the centre of the capital lies 'Castle Shreiber'.
4382
4383The castle has traces of its days as a fortress, ancient and majestic. Even now, the tough appearance of the fortress commands respect. Its reputation as the ‘Kingdom of Knights’ is presented harmoniously, allowing all visitors to feel the pride of the city.
4384
4385In the heart of Castle Shreiber is an audience hall for the King to receive his guest.
4386
4387It is a vast space with a high ceiling, enough for Silhouette Knights to enter comfortably. Elegant drapes are hung on all the walls in fixed intervals on the pillars. A red carpet is rolled out in the centre, and at its end is the throne for the King. An amazingly big seat is situated behind the throne, with a Silhouette Knight sitting on it.
4388
4389That was the personal Silhouette Knight of the King ― known as the king's Knight 'Raids of Valor'. Its appearance was more elegant than any machine within Fremmevira. A cape with the same pattern as the national flag covers its shoulders, displaying the majesty of a Knight standing at the very peak. Cardiarias piloted by the royal guards are positioned to the side of the hall with Raids of Valor right at the centre, a powerful and intimidating scene.
4390
4391Sometimes, the hall will be cramped with soldiers and Silhouette Knights, but there are only a few people here today.
4392
4393A middle aged man was sitting on the throne before Raids of Valor, the tenth King of the Fremmevira Kingdom, Ambrosius Tahvo Fremmevira. In front of him are Marquis Joachim Serrati and Jantunen garrison Knight's commander Philip Hallhagen. According to customs, they have to address the King while kneeling on one knee with their heads down. After the King grants him permission, Philips raised his head to report.
4394
4395"That concludes the report for the battle with the Behemoth."
4396
4397King Ambrosius acknowledged with a grunt and a nod after listening to the detailed report from Philip. He was holding a concise report in his hand and was browsing it as he listened.
4398
4399"And the carcass of the Behemoth?"
4400
4401"Your Majesty, it's impossible for the garbage collectors to harvest a colossal beast like the Behemoth, I have dispatched the Silhouette Knights to assist them. It should be completed in the next few days."
4402
4403"I want to use its carcass to offset our losses. But our casualties are light, considering the opponent was a battalion-level Demon beast."
4404
4405"Your Majesty, Jantunen's forces are depleted, please allow me to send some reinforcement to support them."
4406
4407Ambrosius focused on one point of the report as he listens to Joachim, it is the logs of the scarlet Knight and its pilot Ernesti. A baffled expression appears on the King's face.
4408
4409"Echevarria... Lauri's grandson? What an exceptional performance. Isn't that right, Philip? It is unbelievable; did this child really topple the Demon beast before everyone?"
4410
4411"Yes, Your Majesty, I saw it with my own eyes. I understand the content seems dubious to Your Majesty..."
4412
4413Philip couldn't give a precise answer to the King in regards to this and his voice grows gradually softer. In fact, Joachim was doubtful as he listens to the conversation between them.
4414
4415"I don't think you will spin such a ridiculous tale, but this makes me worried... Especially this part, rewriting the script in the magius engine. If that's true, that is really marvelous."
4416
4417"Half of it are rumours, but I saw it myself... and I’m convinced that it really happened."
4418
4419"I heard the same report... Only Sir Hallhagen and the Knights know the truth."
4420
4421Ambrosius closed his eyes. The ability to fight a Behemoth is amazing, but that is only a might of one man. But it is different if he can reprogram the magic engine, which is a skill that has no precedent.
4422
4423After thinking it over, he mumbles:
4424
4425"... This child is too dangerous."
4426
4427Philip panicked when he heard this; Eru literally saved the lives of dozens of pilots with his participation. They couldn't commend Eru because of the state of things, but Eru accepted it unconditionally, so Philip owes him a favour. He might be a youth that is much younger than him, but having fought as comrades, Philip won't forget how Eru saved his Knights.
4428
4429"You Majesty, allow me to report. This boy might be just twelve, but he is knowledgeable and courageous. His etiquette is fine and his peers like him. More importantly, he was always on the frontlines during the battle with the Behemoth..."
4430
4431Ambrosius stopped Philip's words with a wave of his hand.
4432
4433"Don't worry; I am not planning to do anything to him. It might be fine now, but you say he is just twelve years of age. Having amazing power at such a tender age... Since he is just a twelve years old boy, he might grow wild with his exceptional strength. That's my worry."
4434
4435Ambrosius was right to be worried. No matter how talented or pure in character, people can change with the passage of time. Especially a twelve year old who is moving into a rebellious and emotional age. If he grows arrogant because of his talent, it will harm him in the end.
4436
4437But inside Ernesti was a soul with forty years of experience, so normal conventions don't apply to him. But that is beyond their imaginations, so they are worried that Eru will stray from the right path in the future.
4438
4439"If that's the case, what should we do?"
4440
4441"Since he doesn't chase mindlessly after glory, he might become a great Knight... We need to guide him. It might be unnecessary since Lauri is there. Hmm, alright... Arrange for Ernesti to meet me."
4442
4443After Ambrosius issues his orders, Joachim and Philip bows and acknowledged.
4444
4445
4446
4447
4448
4449Summary for Knights and Magic Demon Beast Attack Arc
4450
4451
4452One quiet night, at the fortress of Balguerie, an outpost guarded by 10 Silhouette Knights, where even demon beasts rarely attack, a powerful demon beast called Behemoth charged forth and attacked.
4453
4454The knights guarding the outpost fought to the last.
4455
4456The captain sent some knights as envoys to the
4457
4458kingdom to inform them of the attack.
4459
4460The captain and the remaining knights fought to the last man.
4461
4462The captain was the last to fall, dealing a crack near the Behemoth’s eye before dying to its strongest attack.
4463
4464The beast headed forth towards the kingdom.
4465
4466Ernesti is finally 12 years old and moved to the middle school of the school while Batson remained in the crafting faculty.
4467
4468One day, Ernesti was viewing a mock battle between Silhouette Knights.
4469
4470The arena is crowded with people analyzing the battle.
4471
4472Helvi, a senior student, chats with Ernesti regarding the battle.
4473
4474Ernesti accurately realized that the right arm of Dietrich’s Silhouette Knight was sluggish and was not aligned properly.
4475
4476Edgar, the other pilot won again.
4477
4478Di argued with the maintenance crew until Helvi pointed out Ernesti’s analysis.
4479
4480Di made another fuss until Edgar lectured him and Di left fuming.
4481
4482Ernesti leaves to meet his classmates and hears about a field trip.
4483
4484He is unaware of this since he is exempted from most of his classes by forcefully making the teachers exempt him.
4485
4486Ady is fuming since she couldn’t spend as much time as possible with Eru but brightened up when they grouped together for the field trip.
4487
4488Batson was not participating and so the three headed to the carriages.
4489
4490The location was “Croquet’s Forest”.
4491
4492Ten Silhouette Knights were deployed to ensure safety.
4493
4494The company spends time leisurely until they reach Jantunen.
4495
4496The caravan restocked on supplies and they continued on their destination.
4497
4498They began setting up tents there and Eru headed to where the Silhouette Knights were stored and met Edgar and they had a chat about Silhouette Knights. Afterwards, Eru left for his tent and went to sleep.
4499
4500At dawn, most students unused to camping were still sleepy while Eru’s group was refreshed. And so, they entered the forest.
4501
4502Later, the senior students find themselves under attack by demonic beasts and they group themselves together to fight back.
4503
4504Meanwhile, the 1st year students were also under attack and were panicking until Eru’s company helped them recover and began slaughtering demonic beasts.
4505
4506When the pilots hear the noises of battle, they rushed to their aid. They held a meeting and concluded that the seniors would group up to resist in open areas.
4507
4508Eru tagged along while the other two stayed back to defend the 1st years. As the seniors battled fiercely, they were nearing their end when Eru and the Silhouette Knights arrived and helped them.
4509
4510Meanwhile, the Commander of Jantunen Garrison Knights heard from an envoy about a Battalion-Class Demonic Beast headed to Cloquet’s Forest.
4511
4512As they began discussing, a knight informs them that Laihiala Academy was holding their field trip there.
4513
4514They then decide to gather up their forces first then head there.
4515
4516At Cloquet’s Forest, the students form a base camp and began resting after setting up defenses when the stampede was over.
4517
4518They discussed their next course of action, and decided to leave tomorrow.
4519
4520Near dawn, an alarm announcing the arrival of the Behemoth rang and woke up everyone.
4521
4522Making everyone panic, thanks to Eru, they managed to lessen the panic and began evacuating towards the carriages.
4523
4524Edgar and the pilots began battling the Behemoth as a diversion.
4525
4526As the battle continued, several pilots were killed and Dietrich panicked and ran away in fear.
4527
4528Eru intercepted him, knocked him out, and then cracked the Silhouette Knight and headed straight towards the Behemoth.
4529
4530He immediately appears and his surprise attack strikes the Behemoth’s eye.
4531
4532Blinding it, and in fury, it rushed towards him.
4533
4534This gave the remaining pilots enough time to escape as Eru prepared for a battle of attrition.
4535
4536Eru enjoys the battle and feeling of piloting a Silhouette Knight.
4537
4538While this happened, the Garrison Knights encounter the students fleeing and learned of where the Behemoth was.
4539
4540They rushed towards the Behemoth to aid the Pilots facing off against it.
4541
4542Eru is battling the Behemoth fiercely, although he had superior speed, he lacked power to attack and his weapon was destroyed.
4543
4544Di who woke up managed to find a sword and Eru took it.
4545
4546The knights then arrived to help and notice Eru fighting.
4547
4548They are in amazement at his skills and noticing them,
4549
4550Eru distracted the Behemoth to turn its back towards them, and grasping his intention and opportunity, the knights began to attack as Eru slipped away.
4551
4552The knights begin an onslaught of magic but the armor of the beast holds on.
4553
4554The knights then prepared their secret weapon but it failed when the Behemoth unleashed its strongest attack.
4555
4556The knight’s panic but Eru then rushed towards it.
4557
4558His attacks were effective as the armor was weakened. The knights recovered morale after seeing Eru’s attacks.
4559
4560They renewed their formation. Suddenly, Guell, the Silhouette Knight Ernesti was piloting suddenly had its knee broken due to overuse.
4561
4562The behemoth charges and Eru thought of a plan.
4563
4564He let Di pilot it a bit as he hacked into the Silhouette Knight and constructed a massive spell. Using an electrical current, he killed the Behemoth.
4565
4566The knights cheer but worry about the Pilot of the knight. Edgar, the vice commander, and the commander approach Guell and began offering prayers but Eru blasted off the front armor.
4567
4568Eru used magic to soften the impact and survived. Shocking the knights.
4569
4570Later, Eru was scolded by Chid and Ady for recklessness.
4571
4572The knights were receiving awards but Eru was not due to being a 1st year.
4573
4574Although the twins were slightly enraged since Eru was not receiving rewards. But Eru was alright and made the matter slide.
4575
4576Later Dietrich woke up and had a trauma regarding men who look like women.
4577
4578Later, they went home to eat.
4579
4580Their parents were worried and Eru’s grandpa was there and said he’ll take him to see the King. They rewind back a bit towards the Capital.
4581
4582The commander, Philip reported everything. And the King wishes to see Eru.
4583
4584Worried a bit at his youth and guide him towards the right path if he makes a mistake.
4585
4586Meanwhile, life returns to normal and Eru and Ady began chatting. Ady’s feelings for Eru began blossoming this instant.