ZyiHEF0T

1Knights & Magic
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6(ナイツ＆マジック)
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12Volume 02
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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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42Prologue: Audience with the King
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45To the east of Zetterlund continent lies a nation situated at the perilous foot of mount Aubigne, the Kingdom of Fremmevira. This world had a unique form of natural power-- 'magic'. And there were beasts who uses 'magic'-- 'Demon beasts'. The nation acts as a barrier against the Bocuse Sea of Trees, where many Demon beasts lurked. The people called it the 'Nation of Knights'.
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47The year is 1277, winter was over and it was the time for the bountiful spring that brings life. It was during this time when that incident happened.
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49Battalion level Demon beast 'Behemoth' attacked. The Demon beast crossing the defense line in the eastern borders of the Fremmevira Kingdom was known as the 'Behemoth Incident'.
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51That Demon beast was en route to disrupting the major transport artery of the nation, pushing the Kingdom of Fremmevira to the edge of downfall. During this crisis, the ones rised to the occasion were the 'Jantunen Garrison Knights' and the trainees from 'Laihiala Pilot Academy'. Without regarding their own safety, they fought the Behemoth courageously. At the expense of many sacrifices, they defeated their adversary and brought peace to the nation--
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53The majestic Aubigne Mountain Range was right behind the Capital of the Fremmevira Kingdom, Känkänen.
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55At the centre of the Capital was the castle Shreiber, which was surrounded by a lively atmosphere. Bards singing about legendary tales were everywhere, entertaining the people in the taverns who were drinking wine in broad daylight. The merchants used this opportunity to set up shops, advertising their wares loudly. Everyone were enjoying themselves and laughing cheerfully.
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57This chaotic scene was because of the award ceremony held in the castle for the Jantunen Knights and the high school student pilots of Laihiala Pilot Academy. Those who heard the events of the battle trembled in fear and vigourously praised the Knights who fended off the Demon beast. They also took the opportunity to enjoy this grand event.
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59An elderly man and a young child walked on the crowded streets of the Capital. They were the dean of Laihiala Pilot Academy 'Lauri Echevarria' and his grandson 'Ernesti Echevarria'.
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61The streets were overflowing with pedestrians. The petite Eru grabbed onto Lauri's clothes so they won't be separated. In his other hand was a thin slice of baked fruit pie.
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63"Grandpa, do you want some?"
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65"Hmm. I'm fine; eat all of it, Eru."
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67Eru nodded and he took large bites as he moved nimbly among the crowd. This was brought from a stall that could be found anywhere along the road.
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69There are so many people... Grandpa is taking me out for a trip, and it turned out like this.
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71The young and old pair was in the bustling Capital because of the King's invitation. After Eru asked, he found out that Lauri and the King were classmates. Because of their relationship, Lauri held the post of a Royal Consultant in the past. Lauri eventually became a dean, and their friendship continued till this day. The King knew Lauri was related to 'Ernesti Echevarria', the person who piloted the red Silhouette Knight skillfully during the 'Behemoth Incident', so he invited both of them for an audience.
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73Eru who heard about this couldn't shake off the ominous feeling he had during the journey here. The King had asked specifically for him, he wouldn't let him off easily with just a few questions. With his sigh smelling like sweet fruits, the two of them moved towards the Royal Castle against the flow of the crowd.
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75The main gate of the Shreiber Castle was bustling with people while the back gate was relatively quiet. Making their way through the crowd, the duo finally reached their destination and was received by the guards. They were led to a conference room-like place in the Castle and were left alone after being asked to wait momentarily. The grandfather and grandson were alone in the vast room. The cheers of the crowd at the award ceremony could be heard from the distance.
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77"Eru, are you nervous?"
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79"Of course. I never thought I would have the chance to meet His Majesty."
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81"I thought Eru won't be bothered by such small matters."
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83"The way you put it sounds mean, grandpa."
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85Chatting idly when they were about to meet the King, the two of them were rather audacious.
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87Shortly after, the guards appeared again and announced the arrival of the person they were waiting for.
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89They turned and stood. The door opened and several people walked in. Leading the way was the King everyone in Fremmevira knew, 'Ambrosius Tahvo Fremmevira'. He was past his prime, but his ageless majesty could be felt clearly. Two men with the air of nobility followed behind him. When Ambrosius entered the room and met Lauri's eyes, his mouth turned into a smile in an instant.
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91"Thank you for coming, I have kept you waiting. It's been ages, Lauri."
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93"Long time no see, Your Majesty. I should be the one thanking you for meeting us despite your busy schedule."
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95"Don't mention it, this meeting was arranged out of my curiosity after all. Well, he is the pilot of that crimson Silhouette Knight... right?"
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97Ambrose and the nobles behind him shifted their gaze to Lauri's side. The report stated a child twelve years of age piloted a Silhouette Knight and fought the Behemoth, so they thought it would be a youth that looked older than he actually was.
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99But in actual fact-- before them was a child that was smaller than a normal twelve year old, a boy that could be mistaken for a girl. He had a gentle appearance, a round face with determined bright eyes blinking. His silvery purple hair reached his jaws, covering the side of his face. This made the bunch, who had experienced great political trials stiffened. But the King was no ordinary man. After raising an eyebrow in surprise, he changed his expression to one of curiosity in no time.
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101"Oh, I thought it was a boy from the reports, I didn't realise the pilot was a girl."
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103"No, Your Majesty. I might look like this, but I am a boy. Pardon my late introduction. Nice to meet you, I am the grandson of Lauri Echevarria, Ernesti. I am very pleased to meet with Your Majesty today."
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105"Oh, I heard you were a twelve year old child, but aren’t you outspoken? It’s hard to converse if you are too formal, please relax.”
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107“Alright, as you command.”
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109Seeing Eru accepting so readily, the two men behind Ambrosius changed their expression from shock to dumbfound. They were unable to judge if Eru was a great person or just someone who didn’t know manners.
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111“I will get to the point. I invited you here to conclude the aftermath of the ‘Behemoth Incident.’ I heard that your performance was excellent, but could not be commended publicly.”
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113Ambrosius said as he looked at Eru.
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115“I heard you are agreeable with that. But I felt that it isn’t right to simply dismiss a capable Knight who could fight the Behemoth on equal grounds, so I want to give you a fair reward in private. That might be so, but it is hard to give an appropriate reward for an underaged child.”
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117Ambrosius explained with a warm smile-- but no matter how you looked at it, it was a smile with ‘malicious intentions’. To bring up this issue that had already been rejected, is he testing me? Eru behaved as usual, but the wariness in his heart increased slowly.
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119“Be it promoting you to a full fledge Knight or granting you nobility titles, your age is a limiting factor. Do you understand?”
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121“Yes, I understand that it is too much for an underaged child of twelve years of age.”
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123“Hmm, how perceptive of you. Eh, and so… what do you want? I think it would be easier to ask the person in question directly. If it is something that matches your accomplishment, I will grant it to you as a reward.”
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125Ambrosius’ direct explanation surprised Eru. Accepting this proposal, Eru’s brain started churning at a high speed.
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127It’s hard to imagine… but is this out of his good will. Or, does he want to see if I am easily baited by rewards? Wanting to give me a reward now is suspicious.
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129A pie that fell out of the sky into his hands. But there were no free lunches in this world. This was common knowledge, be it in this world or the previous one.
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131That might be so, but I can’t turn down the offer from the King… I have to say something.
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133But, finding a reward that befits the ‘contribution of defeating the Behemoth’. How much is this worth in terms of money? How much is it in terms of material? Is there anything he wants aside from titles? Eru simply didn’t know how much this is worth. Should he use his age as an excuse and make an unreasonable request-- when he pondered about that, he dismiss the thought.
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135Wrong, I don’t think that is an expression he would show a child.
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137In Eru’s memory, he found Ambrosius’ expression familiar. Browsing through the fading memories of his previous life, the warm expression was looking for the smallest loophole in the conversation-- ‘the expression of a salesman’. Something must be up.
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139How about asking for a Silhouette Knight? It would be great to have a reference model. It might work from the contributions I made. Fukeke.
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141As Eru was about to give in to his desires and give his reply, a strong thought flashed through his mind.
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143...No, no, this is a great chance. There is no way to tell if I will ever have a chance to ask the King for something. Then I should ask for something only the King could give?... Right, that should be the thing that is the hardest to obtain!!
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145It was just a short moment, before Eru finished his thoughts. It’s fine if it doesn’t work, he could think of something else then-- He thought optimistically as he casually said:
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147“Well, Your Majesty, the thing I crave for the most right now is knowledge… knowledge on ‘how to make an ether reactor’.”
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149The air froze in silence. Hearing this whimsical wish made Ambrosius surprised. That was expected, this was too weird as a wish for a twelve year old child. Not just him, even the usually calm Lauri was tensing up, the other two were stunned and seemed baffled.
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151They were treating Eru like a child, if the request was ‘unexpected’, they won’t lose their composure. But what Eru wanted was ‘impossible’ for a person. This answer was too unexpected, even the wise Ambrosius couldn’t react immediately, creating a strange silence. The first to react was a noble behind him-- Duke Knut Dixgard.
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153“You… Do you know what you are saying…”
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155“Silence.”
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157Knut who almost lost his composure because of the confusion was interrupted by Ambrosius who regained his senses. The relaxed atmosphere from earlier had changed. Facing the King who was displaying his dignity as the head of state, everyone present stood at attention.
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159“Ernesti, you mentioned the production method of the ether reactor? That is surprising, asking me is the only way of getting your hands on it, but normal people won’t want such a thing. And so I have to ask-- what do you plan to do with this knowledge?”
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161The King squinted his eyes, silently pressuring Eru. Cold sweat was falling from Eru’s back, but he looked back with a steel resolve.
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163“Right or wrong aside… state your reason. Why do you want such a thing?”
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165“Yes, I… am currently studying in Laihiala with being a pilot as a goal, but I really wanted to have my own Silhouette Knight.”
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167“Oh, a personal Silhouette Knight. What a grand aspiration. That is understandable; why not ask for it now? It just might come true.”
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169Listening to Ambrosius’ words, Eru shook his head.
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171“In the past, I just wanted my own Silhouette Knight, but it’s different now. I… I wish to ‘use my own hands to create’ the best Silhouette Knight that belongs to just me.”
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173Another answer that went beyond his imagination made the King dumbstruck. At this moment, something he read in the report came to mind.
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175‘Changing the magius engine’s script by himself’ huh? Is this boy serious? He is not kidding, and really hopes to do that?... He had that capability?
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177Facing the silent Ambrosius, Eru continued to explain:
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179“This is the reason why I seek knowledge from all fields in Laihiala Pilot Academy. Getting magical knowledge, learning the construction and piloting methods of the Silhouette Knights. I had already investigated the technique of constructing the machine frame, but I am still missing a crucial part. That’s right, the ether reactor. As Your Majesty already knows, the method is not available to normal citizens. Hence, when you mention a reward, I hope you could teach me the production method. If I know how, the next thing would be constructing it.”
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181Lauri looked at his grandson explain to the King worriedly. He knew Eru was passionate about Silhouette Knights, but he didn’t think Eru would put caution to the wind and request for it at such a juncture. The situation had already progressed to this stage; it would be hard to help Eru. Lauri glanced at the King and saw that Ambrosius made a serious expression and said heavily:
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183“... And so, your reason is?”
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185“Because it’s my hobby.”
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187Everyone present acted as if they saw something strange and had a complicated expression. In this silence, a faint suppressed laughter was suddenly heard, making everyone look over in shock. Ambrosius' shoulders were trembling silently, and he suddenly burst out in laughter.
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189“How… ha! Ridiculous! To say it's a hobby! Hahaha! This is interesting! To seek the classified secret of a nation because of a hobby! Are you really a twelve year old kid? Ke haha! Magnificent. I have not met such an interesting person like you for a long time!”
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191The two nobles watched the King laugh uncontrollably in shocked silence. Lauri who knew the King the longest could tell he was amused for real and relaxed.
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193“Fine, I will grant your wish!!”
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195“Wha… Your Majesty, you mustn’t! That’s not something you can teach an unknown child!”
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197“I know where he came from; he is the grandson of my friend. That might be so, but it’s only natural for you to worry… right? Ernesti.”
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199After Eru finished his explanation, he watched the situation unfold silently. When he heard Ambrosius say that, Eru tensed his face.
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201“I will grant your request. But, this is a classified secret. The mere accomplishment of taking down the Behemoth isn’t enough.”
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203Eru’s expression turned to doubt. The King accepted the proposal, but commented the accomplishment wasn’t enough. This made Eru doubt the King’s intention. Ambrosius saw the doubt flash across Eru’s face and revealed a joyous smile.
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205“Don’t worry, a king wouldn’t lie. I guarantee you that when you have met the adequate amount of accomplishments, I will pass the knowledge onto you.”
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207This could be interpreted as using a reward as bait, and asking me to work for free… But, it is still an unexpected gain. Forget the terms for now, this is a chance to learn a critical secret.
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209This reward was worth more than 10,000 in cash to Eru. The cute smiling expression was burning with desire and passion. Ambrosius was certain his plan was right after seeing Eru’s face.
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211“Keke, putting it this way seems a bit empty. I will determine the means. You said you wanted to create Silhouette Knights? Well then, show me your worth-- prove that you can use the knowledge of creating ether reactors.”
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213“Prove… please tell me what should I do?”
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215“Just create a Silhouette Knight would be enough. Apart from the reactor, make the casing of the best Silhouette Knight in your opinion for me to see. If I am satisfied, I will make this wish of yours come true.”
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217When Eru heard these words, his expression was like a predator that had found its prey. The King used the final part Eru needed as the goal. And to Eru, it was something he was going to do sooner or later. And of course, he accepted without hesitation.
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219“By your command. I will prepare a Silhouette Knight that would satisfy Your Majesty.”
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221Shortly after the audience with Ernesti ended, Ambrosius went to a private room of the King that wasn’t a meeting or audience hall. There was another man in the room-- Lauri.
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223“Keke, it’s been a long time since I had such a fruitful day. Lauri, your grandson is really interesting.”
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225When he remembered what happened just now, Ambrosius who was a little drunk would smile.
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227“Sigh, I left his upbringing to my daughter completely. That child had always loved Silhouette Knights, but I didn’t know he would bring it so far. I couldn’t grasp the situation and was dripping with cold sweat.”
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229“I heard a twelve year old child fought with the Behemoth, so I summoned him to take a look. But you can’t say he is a child anymore.”
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231“Ara, my grandson is still at school, though.”
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233“Children have to be ambitious, but who would come out with such a weird request? I had heard so many requests all these years, but the request today was ‘superb’!”
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235The two of them clinked their wine glass and continued chatting in high spirits.
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237“Because it was too interesting, I accidentally made a happy promise.”
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239“Because it’s my grandson. I will work hard to nurture him and won’t let Your Majesty down.”
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241“Yes. That’s right; I was worried about his future because he was too capable. But after meeting him, I realised that was unnecessary.”
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243Ambrosius probably thought of that time again as he let out a soft laugh from his throat.
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245“Ara, for Your Majesty to have such high expectations, my grandson is quite promising.”
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247“Kekeke, I am not interested in him because he is your grandchild, I am curious on what surprising things he would do. Making a better Silhouette Knight-- An absurd task, but he accepted without hesitation.”
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249As he spoke, Ambrosius suddenly had a precognition that was something similar to a belief.
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251“It probably wouldn’t be long before he brings the results before me.”
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253“... To make such a promise lightly. I have to advise His Majesty to curb his desire for amusement.”
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255One of the nobles that were present during the audience, Duke Knut Dixgard’s complained to his counterpart Marquis Joachim Serrati.
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257“Watch your words, Duke.”
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259“His Majesty isn’t so petty that he wouldn’t accept advice. Or do you think its fine to disclose a national secret to a suspicious child?”
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261“I don’t think so… that is why His Majesty added these terms. Even if he is the grandson of the Laihiala Pilot Academy’s dean, it is not easy to make a new Silhouette Knight.”
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263“I am not talking about how hard it is, I am saying there is something wrong with the promise itself!”
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265Knut was indignant, taking heavy steps as he passed through the corridor. Joachim who was following him saw the figures of his children in his mind.
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267Supplements of the report of, Jantunen’s Knight Commander Philip Hallhagen, was done by his daughter -- Stefania. The report included how his bastard children were close to Eru. In the end, Eru was someone he knew.
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269It might be necessary to gather some intelligence, or issue some instructions to his illegitimate children. Besides Joachim who was deep in thought, Knut’s expression was becoming serious.
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271“Even though he is still a child… It’s dangerous to leave him alone.”
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273These words weren’t heard by anyone, dissipating into the air quietly.
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279Arc 3: New Model Creation
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285Chapter 10: Everyone’s beginning
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291Laihiala Pilot Academy was the largest educational facility in the Fremmevira Kingdom. It conducts the pilot training programme, and naturally has maintenance facilities to support the usage of the Silhouette Knight on campus. Included are the inner skeleton, outer skin, parts crafting and the linking of crystal tissue, a place to assemble all the parts; all these facilities are named as a whole as the ‘workshop’.
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293In order to service the ten metre tall humanoid weapon-- Silhouette Knights, the interior of the workshop was spacious. Situated at the edge was the maintenance platform shaped like a gigantic chair. A Silhouette Knight was placed on it, and a large group of students were doing maintenance work. The unarmoured arm of the Silhouette Knight was placed on a truck to be transported. The sound of hammers pounding the giant armour into shape could be heard. There was noise everywhere and some of the people were even bickering.
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295A burly man headed past the frantically working students with heavy steps. No, it was a bit wrong to use burly as the description. The man was short for his age, but he had a stout body. He was twice as thick as a normal man, giving off a strong sense of presence to the surroundings. This wasn’t because of body fat, but the strong and thick muscles buffing him up. His finely plaited hair flowing down his back and his magnificent beard clearly showed that he was from the crafting race, a dwarf.
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297He approached the squabbling students and silently hit them with his arms that were thicker than a human leg. He held back, but being whacked by a dwarf still made the two of them roll on the floor in pain.
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299“Really, everyone is finding trouble with me at such a busy time!! If you have time to talk trash, then move your hands!!”
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301“Cough! Bo… Boss! Sorry, we will get back to work right away!!”
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303If a dwarf gets serious, they could crush boulders with their bare hands. It was no joke. You don’t want to get on the bad side of the ‘Boss’ - the leader of the pilot academy’s crafting students. The two who were quarreling nonstop rushed back to their work station.
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305“Stop messing around, half of our Knights were destroyed! I’ve had enough.”
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307The Silhouette Knights that were heavily damaged in the battle with the Behemoth were sent here. It should originally start from repairs, but with most of the machines destroyed with only the core and the frame intact, the school had unanimously agreed to build new ones from scratch.
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309With the knowledge and skill of the maintenance students, constructing new Knights wasn’t too difficult. But it wasn’t just one or two, with so many orders, the workload dramatically increased. They had to get help from people from the craftsmen department; the academy really went all out.
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311Even though there were many Knights to rebuild, priority was given to machines that had more surviving parts. Those that were heavily damaged and needed a lot of work would be worked on later.
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313“... This one would be worked on at the very end.”
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315The Boss stopped before one of the machines. Although all the wreckages were damaged seriously, only that one’s inner skeleton fell completely apart, leaving behind only sparse parts - a terrible sight. The ether reactor and magius engine remaining intact despite the damage was a miracle.
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317“On closer inspection, the destruction was really thorough. Was it damaged from the mana being exhausted? The inner skeleton is breaking apart.”
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319The Boss was staring at the wreckage seriously for a long while. The students hearing him mumble tilted their heads, unable to comprehend why the Boss was so surprised.
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321“Ah? That should be common right? It can’t be helped if the ether reactor was flattened… Huh?”
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323The student who was speaking doubted his own words, staring intently at the wreckage. The ether reactor was intact, but the mana was depleted, resulting in the inner skeleton falling apart. Seeing this illogical situation, he finally understood why the Boss was puzzled. A new question arose and he asked:
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325“Ah… Did the silver nerves break? What an unusual way of breaking down.”
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327“Oh, that’s right. The way it was destroyed is unique.”
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329The Boss focused on what appeared to be the legs of the wreckage. After removing the armour, the exposed crystal tissue was torn and frayed in the middle. For these experienced craftsmen, this was a familiar symptom: the tissue exceeded its limit and will tear from fatigue sooner or later. That wasn’t surprising, but--
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331“These fellows had all their parts replaced with new ones before they set off, why would it suddenly tear from fatigue? How was it piloted? Weird, this fellow broke down in a weird way.”
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333The Boss grunted and stiffened his face hidden by his beard. His intuition told him that there was something wrong with the wreckage; the way it broke down was obviously different from all the scenarios they had seen before.
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335The maintenance department didn’t just do repairs. If there were any structural improvement that could be made, they would be the ones to implement it. Hence, they have to do their best to understand any underlying problems in the machine.
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337“The name of the machine is Guyale; the Knight runner is that fellow Di… What the hell did he do?”
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339The Boss yelled out loudly, and assigned someone to bring the pilot of this wreckage to him.
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341The Capital of Fremmevira Känkänen had a famous aristocrat district. Most of the nobles who have their own territory also owned a property here. The Serrati Marquis clan also has a mansion here. The twins Archid (Chid) Olter and Adeltrud (Ady) Olter were led by their sister of a different mother, Stefania (Tiffa) Serrati into this place which they hadn’t seen for a long time.
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343The aged butler led these three towards Marquis Joachim Serrati’s study room. The study had a solemn colour, reflecting the personality of the owner and a steadfast atmosphere.
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345Tiffa who could see him every other day aside, the twins saw their father for the first time in years, their nervousness was clear for all to see.
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347Joachim continued to arrange his documents after they entered; only speaking a few moments later:
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349“Thank you, Tiffa. It’s been quite a while since I saw the both of you. It’s great that both of you are healthy. Is Irma doing well?”
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351“Yes, long time no see, father. Mother has never fallen sick before, she is as fit as a fiddle.”
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353It’s a bit awkward for a conversation between parent and child, but it’s more than a problem of etiquette. The twins were the illegitimate children of the Marquis, plus their ill relation with the legal wife meant they didn’t have much of a chance to interact with the main family. They seldom talked to their father, Joachim, so both parties weren’t used to this.
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355“Father, I have brought them with me, do you have anything for them?”
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357Tiffa sensed the awkward atmosphere. They had not come out with a way to converse, so getting straight to the point would help them open up with each other.
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359“That’s right… I heard from Tiffa that Archid and Adeltrud have a friend named Ernesti Echevarria, right?”
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361They never imagined that they would hear this name from Joachim. Not just the twins, even Tiffa had a surprised expression.
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363“How is he as a person? Do tell me what you know, go on.”
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365Their father’s tone was beyond debate. Chid and Ady suppressed their doubts, looked at each other and described their impression of him: Childhood playmate and their teacher in magic; In terms of magic alone, he should be the top talent within the nation; and his passion towards Silhouette Knight, etc.
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367Even just listening to half of it was enough to shock you, but Joachim did not question and listened quietly. The doubts in the twin’s heart grew deeper because they didn’t know why their father was interested in Eru. Joachim probably read their doubts from their faces, pondered for a moment and explained:
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369“He was listed as one of the contributors in the battle with the Behemoth. Although there wasn’t any awards for him this time, but it was proposed that he should be rewarded for his efforts in the future.”
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371“Hmm? This means that Eru’s contribution would be properly acknowledged!?”
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373“Don’t be hasty, it’s not something that would be decided immediately, it would depend on his performance from now on.”
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375Eru who risked his life in the ‘Behemoth Incident’ wasn’t recognised or rewarded after the situation was resolved. Eru himself might be fine with it, and he did give up on it without much hassle, but the twins couldn’t accept it.
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377Those who actually watched would definitely know.
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379That might be the reason why Chid became closer to the father he wasn’t good at dealing with. Joachim was strict, but he wasn’t unreasonable.
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381“But father, you said it would depend on his performance, so what should we do?”
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383“Simple. Just tell me if he accomplishes anything from now on. Understand?”
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385“Yes, father!”
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387The joy on Chid and Ady’s face were easy to see, the tense atmosphere of the visit had also dissipated. The twins were close to Eru and were sure that he would make it ‘big’ one day. If they tell their father at that time, Eru’s strength would be recognised. They had always been relying on Eru, so this was some form of paying him back.
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389Tiffa had a gentle smile too. She also thought that it was wrong to overlook Eru’s accomplishment, so her feeling in wanting to help was the same. Joachim didn’t change his expression as he watched the cheerful children.
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391For a whole week after the Behemoth incident, Laihiala Pilot Academy stopped their classes.
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393As the event overlapped with the field trip, many middle schoolers were injured, there were even deaths among the pilot cadets in high school. The school thus needed time to attend to this situation.
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395In this sudden holiday, the students who were safe and sound spent their time freely. Some visited their parents back home; some relaxed in their hostel; others used the chance to play as much as possible. As for Ernesti--
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397The Echevarria mansion was situated near Laihiala Academy City. In one of the rooms in the mansion, Eru was concentrating before a desk, writing down something. The evening sun shined through the windows, only the sound of the tip of the pen touching the paper could be heard.
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399“... Hmm-- that should be the rough structure of it.
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401He had just completed a section and returned the pen back into the ink bottle. Eru stretched in satisfaction, rotated his stiff shoulders and leaned back onto the chair.
402
403The words on the notebook were tidy, detailing the design theory he had learned in class, his thoughts from observing other pilots and most importantly, the ideas he came up with while piloting, which included his memories from his previous life. This notebook could be described as ‘book of terrifying knowledge of a different world’. The last page had the freshly finished sketch of the machine based on these notes.
404
405“With this, I could complete the promise I made with those two… What’s left is the promise with His Majesty.”
406
407He crossed his arms as he mumbled to himself, falling deep in thought once again. He was troubled over the promise he made with the King a few days ago. ‘Constructing the best Silhouette Knight’-- the content of the promise coincided with Eru’s goal, but there hadn’t been any progress.
408
409“There are mountains of problems. There are tons of difficulties when making a Silhouette Knight… making a Silhouette Knight… Silhouette Knight…”
410
411The temptation creeped into his mind when he relaxed, tunneling into a corner of his mind. It spread rapidly like an ink drop in water, taking over his mind. Shortly after, Eru couldn’t resist the temptation and said it out loud:
412
413“Wahh, Silhouette Knight, I want to pilot a Silhouette Knight…”
414
415The worse thing was thinking about related matters. The more Eru tried to not think about it, the more rooted it became in his head. Furthermore, piloting a real Silhouette Knight was actually a great stroke of luck. Closing his eyes, Eru could see that scene before him again-- the metallic legs following his command, the strong pace sending strong vibrations; the friction the arm made when it swung the several meters long sword; the inertia he felt whenever he entered the command to move forward; the fight with the powerful giant beast. All these experiences and memories assaulted Eru in the form of an illusion.
416
417“Ughh, I want to pilot some more, just riding for that short while wasn’t enough…”
418
419That might be so, but Silhouette Knights were not something that you could pilot and run around in. Eru was just a middle school student. Remembering this fact, he laid down on the table meekly.
420
421“No good… I can’t work like this. At such a time, I need to go out for a walk.”
422
423He propped himself up, running out onto the streets once he was ready.
424
425Sometime later, Eru showed up at the smithery ‘Termonen Workshop’ which was situated in Laihiala Academy City. He came to visit one of his childhood friends, the young dwarf Batson Termonen.
426
427As the son of a smithery owner, he should be working to inherit the family business. But after having this strange friend that likes Silhouette Knight a little too much, he had slowly drifted onto the path of a Silhouette Knight craftsman.
428
429With this background, they had been acting like a Silhouette Knight fan group.
430
431“... That’s what happened. I will be building a better Silhouette Knight and present it to His Majesty.”
432
433“What ‘present it to His Majesty’! Why does it suddenly look like a request from the King!? I don’t know what to say to you, there should be a gradual progress in events…”
434
435Eru who strongly believed that the completion day would come chattered cheerfully while Batson just brushed it off casually. Batson thought Eru was going on a field trip, but in the end Eru exchanged blows with the Behemoth; Batson thought Eru had safely returned, but he made such a ridiculous promise with the King. Eru’s actions had been unpredictable over the years. Batson sighed deeply, giving up on retorting each point.
436
437“...Eh, forget it. This suits your style, too. So what are your plans? Do you have an idea about the new Silhouette Knight?”
438
439“No.”
440
441“Hey.”
442
443Eru’s firm reply made Batson almost fall over. Batson thought Eru had a plan from his confident demeanour.
444
445“If you ask me what I want to create, I do have lots of ideas. But the problem of where to build it hasn’t been solved. How about constructing it at your place?”
446
447“Of course not!”
448
449Silhouette Knights were about ten metres tall, a giant robot made from metal, crystal and magic armaments. It requires large facilities, not something you can make in a workshop in town.
450
451“Can’t you accommodate this? Aren’t we comrades?”
452
453“I don’t care if you are a comrade or a friend, no means no!”
454
455As the two of them were chattering happily, the door of Batson’s room was suddenly opened with a strong force. Both of them were shocked as they turned to look at Batson’s father.
456
457He worked long years as a craftsman and had the feature of a dwarf too. His strong body was full of solid muscles, and his fierce bearded face looked just like a demon’s. He was emitting a dangerous aura, pushing them back several steps.
458
459“You two… Didn’t I say don’t be noisy, it would interfere with work?! If you want to be noisy, do it outside!!”
460
461Without waiting for him to finish, the two of them leapt out the window. They didn’t hesitate even though Batson’s room was on the second floor. Eru who jumped first landed smoothly and used Air Cushion to catch Batson who jumped next. Their movements were unusually practiced, as if they had probably done this several times before.
462
463“Eh, we were chased out. What do we do, Batson?”
464
465“Dad is fierce, it can’t be helped. Ah, how about going to the Pilot faculty’s workshop?”
466
467Eru didn’t understand why Batson made this suggestion and tilted his head.
468
469“Didn’t a bunch of Silhouette Knights get totaled in the recent battle? They should be repairing them now, let’s ask them to let us observe.”
470
471“I get it, that’s a great idea, let’s go, then!”
472
473Eru cheered himself up and ran in the direction of Laihiala Pilot Academy, with Batson chasing behind.
474
475It was past noon in Laihiala Academy City. The two of them reached the campus and were passing through the school gate when they heard someone calling for them.
476
477“Hee, found him.”
478
479“Caught Eru--!!”
480
481The ones who grabbed Eru’s arms were Chid and Ady. Because they were both taller than Eru, Eru whose arms were caught couldn’t touch the ground.
482
483“Eh- Chid, Ady? What is it? This is so sudden.”
484
485“Nothing, how should I put it, we guessed that Eru would be here.”
486
487“Since we guessed right, we should catch him! Well then, where should we go next?”
488
489The two of them seemed to be grabbing Eru just for the fun of it. Eru swung his legs hanging in mid air and sighed depressedly.
490
491“... I was thinking that the workshop of the pilot school is conducting the repairs of the Silhouette Knights, so I wanted to observe.”
492
493“Is that so? Let’s hurry there immediately!”
494
495“It’s fine to go along, you two. But it’s about time you put me down.”
496
497And so, the four of them headed towards the workshop of the pilot school. Although they were just in their first year of middle school, they were already familiar with the layout of the campus and reached there in no time.
498
499They sneakily peeped at the insides of the workshop. The knocking sound of hammers, the rollers of cranes, the angry shouts and the roar of the Silhouette Knight’s engine. It was noisy inside. Eru wanted very much to get closer to watch, but the frightening focus of the craftsmen made them feel bad about intruding. Hence the group slowly moved to a spot where no one was working.
500
501And, they came to the side of the machines that suffered devastating damage and would be dealt with later.
502
503At the rear of the workshop was a giant chair for Silhouette Knight maintenance. On it were iron pieces that could only be described as wreckage being lifted by a crane. That was probably the torso of a Silhouette Knight. As the exterior had caved in, the inner skeleton was also warped. Leaving Eru and Batson aside, the twins couldn’t comprehend what it was for a moment. Thankfully, there were scraps of red paint as clues, which led them to think about the original form of that machine.
504
505“That is… eh, could it be Guyale that was piloted by Eru?”
506
507Chid observed the profile of Eru who was gazing at the wreckage and mumbled a question.
508
509“Correct. I remember the armour and the way it was damaged. It is completely wrecked… No wonder they are putting it off until later.”
510
511“Amazing, what did you do to destroy it until it looks like that.”
512
513Ignoring Batson who was stunned, Ady stared at the completely totaled wreckage and seemed to be in a trance. The thing before her could tell her wordlessly just how desperate the battle with the Behemoth was. Even the twins who had never piloted a Silhouette Knight could imagine it easily.
514
515When they heard Eru talk about the incident in the past, both Chid and Ady thought they had understood how dangerous it was. But the wreckage displayed before them was beyond their imagination and made them speechless. The giant lumps of metal were twisted horribly like clay. How large was the force that destroyed it, and how dangerous it was to face it--
516
517Chid clenched his fist until it turned white, while Ady was tearing up. One misstep and Eru could have died on that battlefield, which gave them the chills. It couldn't be helped, but the twins were terribly frustrated about not doing anything to help during such a crisis.
518
519"... Pretty."
520
521At this moment, Eru's soft voice spread into the ears of the gloomy twins. They floated up from the sea of regret and turned towards Eru slowly.
522
523"Even a destroyed robot is so pretty..."
524
525
526
527
528
529Eru sighed, his profile looked so charmed. He didn't realise the atmosphere around him was turning icy and said:
530
531"That's right, when something with a form breaks apart and leaves only wreckage behind, it is known as the 'elegance of silence'. The air of defeat and loneliness... Is so pretty..."
532
533The eyes of the twins met for a split second, the 132nd session of the Olters siblings’ conference ended with a consensus-- they decided wordlessly to attack Eru.
534
535"!? Ick... Ick hwurts ick hwurts, wife areth youth dowing!!"
536
537Eru’s cheeks were been pulled hard, making him protest loudly in tears. The twins continued pinching without letting up.
538
539“Eh, you can’t blame them, Eru…”
540
541Batson watched calmly from the side by himself.
542
543“Hey, where did you brats come from?! Stop making a racket here!!”
544
545The twins pinched for a moment longer before letting go. Eru who was finally liberated nursed his cheeks and was about to protest when a roar came from behind him. It was loud enough to be heard over the other noises in the workshop. They turned to see a dwarf youth with a strong presence -- the Boss, David Hepken.
546
547“Oh? Isn’t that the silver boy? You really like it here, huh, but don’t disturb our work.”
548
549The Boss knew Eru, who was hanging around the pilot school as if it was normal. And, he was even here when school was out. Even the Boss was stunned. Eru looked past him at the person standing behind him.
550
551That face was as pale as a ghost, under the eyes were thick eye bags. His carefully combed blond hair was a mess-- the official pilot of the red Knight, Dietrich Cunitz. For a moment, Eru couldn’t identify him with the Dietrich in his memories and rubbed his eyes. But no matter how he looked at him, the Dietrich before him was in a distracted and terrible state. His arrogance and cockiness were gone, with frustration and gloom taking its place.
552
553“Eh, umm…. Dietrich… Senpai? Right? What happened?”
554
555Eru asked with a stiff smile that lacked confidence. Dietrich's face looked so down that even Eru was troubled. Dietrich responded with an ugly smile and said hoarsely:
556
557“... Ahh, Ernesti. Ke keke… a little… right, just a little. I have been having nightmares recently… The demons from the infirmary chasing me… which made me lose sleep. If I let my guard down just a little… Ugh, that person acting cute with a terrifying voice, pui!”
558
559As he spoke, it spurred the memories of his nightmares. Dietrich’s eyes lost focus and seemed to be drifting off to the other world-- The Boss gave him a chop to the head, pulling him back. Dietrich blacked out for a moment and then woke up. The Boss’ chop probably worked.
560
561“Ugh, oh, oh… Ah! Where am I…? Wah! Eh, forget it. Since Ernesti is summoned here to explain, too, right? That makes it easier.”
562
563“Ahh? What does the boy need to explain?”
564
565“What else, you want to know the reason why Guyale broke down right? Isn’t that why you asked the ‘reason’ to come here?”
566
567The Boss looked between Dietrich and Eru’s face for a long while, slowly getting what his words meant. His frown became even deeper.
568
569“Wait. Di, from what I am hearing, that boy seems to be the reason why Guyale broke down?”
570
571“Eh? Isn’t that… You asked him to come without knowing that?”
572
573“No, I didn’t look for him, he just showed up by himself.”
574
575The conversation didn’t match and all three of them tilted their heads simultaneously. In the space of these few seconds, Dietrich seemed to have noticed something and clapped his hands together.
576
577“Ah, did I let something slip?”
578
579“I think that’s what happened.”
580
581The Boss stroked his beard out of habit and looked at the two of them with sharp eyes.
582
583“Ah, never mind. Just tell me everything.”
584
585Seeing the Boss smiling deviously as he cracked his bones loudly, no one present had the guts to object.
586
587When Eru was piloting Guyale in the fight against the Behemoth, Dietrich was watching from behind, so he didn’t have any ideas on how he piloted. Eru’s skills were not something that could be understood through observation, so he had to do the explaining. It was fine in the beginning, but they ran into problems immediately.
588
589“... Pardon, say that again.”
590
591“Okay. I took the seat, but my limbs couldn’t reach the controls and pedals, so I read it through the script in the magius engine and controlled the Silhouette Knight by ‘processing it myself’.”
592
593The Boss, who always had a scary face, opened his eyes wide in surprise, a rare sight. That was understandable; the magius engine exists because it was impossible for a person to keep up with the script processing. Doing the processing by yourself goes beyond common sense. Dietrich who experienced the movement of Guyale firsthand aside, no one could have stopped the Boss’ expression from turning doubtful. Dietrich’s expression, on the other hand, turned sharp.
594
595“... Even if I believe everything you said is true, then what? What does it have to do with this fellow breaking apart because of mana depletion?”
596
597“I took the place of the magius engine, which meant I could control all functions of the machine freely. When I was delivering the final blow to the Behemoth, I turned off the safety device, using all my remaining mana in that attack. In the end, I accidentally used up the mana that was keeping the structure intact.”
598
599“Damn it! How do you want me to resolve the issue that way!! The limiter was meant to keep the mana from depleting completely!”
600
601The Boss had a stern tone, but he could only shake his head at Eru’s recklessness. He breathed out a sigh that was exceptionally heavy, and gave up on lecturing Eru.
602
603“That might be so, but I am the only one who can control it that way, so you are not in a hurry to solve this, right?”
604
605“Of course, it would be a disaster if it could be done easily!! Forget it. And the crystal tissue snapping from fatigue was related to you, too, right? No, you broke it right?”
606
607“You are right… But being told that in my face still makes me unhappy.”
608
609“Can it, so it really is your fault!!”
610
611“That was the burden of full control. Guyale was under an abnormal amount of strain and broke. This made our situation desperate, too.”
612
613“You… After replacing it with new parts, it should operate smoothly for more than a month. But you broke it in just one battle…”
614
615The Boss couldn’t help looking up and covering his forehead with his palm. At this point, he couldn’t do anything about it. The work on hand was already a headache, but he noticed the possibility of something worse happening.
616
617“Hey, wait. Boy, if you get serious, would all the machines you pilot get destroyed?”
618
619“The possibility is high. The Karrdator operated by the Knights has better crystal tissue, so it would probably last longer.”
620
621So it’s a problem of bearing the load-- Eru grumbled casually. The Boss glanced at him through slitted eyes and his face turned sour.
622
623“Tch! If I don’t improve this, I would lose face as a craftsman. That might be so, but I can’t solve the problem immediately.”
624
625Speaking of which, pilots that would be so reckless were unheard of, so it’s natural for the solution to not exist. Anyway, this was not a problem this facility could tackle. Finding an answer to improve the design was not something you could settle it in one day.
626
627The repairs would be left for later, the research to solve this issue would be done later -- the Boss secretly came up with a plan. Unfortunately, there was someone who treats unrealistic options as something normal.
628
629“If that is so, I just happen to have a great idea! And there is no downside to it-- the most important thing right now is increasing the toughness of the crystal tissue, right?”
630
631That person was Eru. He raised his hand cheerfully, saying something shocking in a loud voice.
632
633“Huh? Increase the toughness of the crystal tissue? That is easy to say, but how long do you think alchemists spent researching that? In fact, there has been no breakthrough for the past hundred years.”
634
635“Ah, no. When I say increasing toughness, I am not referring to the crystal tissue itself. I lack the expertise on alchemy anyway, so I want to work on the way crystal tissue is ‘used’.”
636
637In the face of the people who were popping out question marks because of the term ‘used’, Eru used this chance to explain:
638
639“Here is how an old story goes: ‘One arrow is easy to break, but it is hard to do so when three of them are tied together’. Which means…”
640
641His proposal was to bind several crystal tissue together in the form of a ‘rope’, By combining the weak individual strands together, the toughness could be increased. By braiding it together, it could improve its elasticity compared to longer strands and enhance power output.
642
643“... I call it ‘strand crystal tissue’. What do you think?”
644
645Eru was brimming with smiles, like a salesman concluding his pitch. Following this, he braided the crystal tissue on the spot and presented the flexible ‘rope’ for everyone to see.
646
647The twins didn’t seem to understand, just accepting everything Eru said. Batson and the craftsmen present reacted very strongly.
648
649The Boss picked up the crystal tissue with a slow and deliberate motion and studied it. He started shaking his hand and then fell deep into thought. With his past experience of attempting to improve the Silhouette Knight, he wanted to say something, but gave up after failing to find the words. The Boss sighed and said:
650
651“To combine the crystal tissue through braiding… this is a blind spot.”
652
653He was usually serious when talking, but the words he said were filled with mixed emotion.
654
655“Is that so? It’s strange that no one ever tried it though.”
656
657“The boy is right. It does seem weird hearing you say that… But improving the Silhouette Knight usually starts from the inner skeleton and the placement of the crystal tissue, or enhancing the quality of the materials. No one would think about changing the crystal tissue this way.”
658
659Silhouette Knight is a gigantic weapon that mimics a human Knight. Based on the idea of ‘amplifying the power of men’, it had the shape of humans. Although it had the advantage of being easy to pilot and to understand, it also limited new ideas to the human shape, holding back its development. A pure machine that is piloted like a human, this contradiction was rooted deeply into their psyche. The architects of Silhouette Knights lost the idea of making breakthroughs from the very basics.
660
661Eru could overcome this because of his knowledge from a different world, where robotics was very developed. Even though his face was covered by his beard, the Boss was smiling happily at this moment, a rare sight.
662
663“Haha! After thinking it through, this idea is interesting!! The time is just right, let’s install this thing in that machine we are repairing!!”
664
665The bright and cheery Boss made the students take a step back. But the Boss was occupied by the Silhouette Knight’s enhancement project and didn’t mind it one bit, preparing to give the order to the others--
666
667“By the way, could I make another suggestion? How about changing the exterior shape too?”
668
669-- The whisper of the devil came into the Boss’ ears. The Boss digested the meaning of these words and turned back slowly. Before him was Eru, who had a sparkling smile.
670
671“Boss, I am thinking of adding arms onto the back.”
672
673The boy looked as cute as a girl, saying words gently while smiling like a flower. But the content was incredible. This couldn’t be described as ‘insufficient explanation’, but more like the realm of insanity.
674
675The Boss did hear the words clearly, but it took him a much longer time than before to understand. Even the twins, who were used to Eru’s erratic nature couldn’t hide their bafflement. The one who was most calm was Batson who had heard plenty of his ridiculous ideas.
676
677For the craftsmen who didn’t even think about improving the Silhouette Knight until moments ago, Eru’s words were incomprehensible. Logically speaking, Silhouette Knights should be a weapon ‘in the shape of a man’. And in this world, men usually have two arms and legs. Only characters in fairy tales go beyond this norm, so apart from Eru, no one could understand where the idea of adding arms to the back of the Silhouette Knight came from.
678
679The stunned Boss sighed deeply and wanted to retort, but dropped that idea. It would be nonsense if these words came from someone else, but this was coming from Eru who proposed the new idea of the ‘strand crystal tissue’. The Boss suppressed his voice and struggled to keep his heart normal and asked:
680
681“... Just to be clear, I should ask to clarify. Why? How?”
682
683Even though he was doing his best to suppress it, the Boss couldn’t keep his voice from trembling.
684
685“As for why… I discovered the last time I piloted a Silhouette Knight, that they only have two arms.”
686
687“Eh? That is obvious, do you need to bring it up? Huh?”
688
689“Sigh, calm down Ady. Let me finish… I think the issue lies with the control of the ‘Silhouette arms’. In order to conduct long range attacks, the Silhouette Knight has to use ‘Silhouette arms’. The armaments have to be operated by hands, so there is a need to change between sword and armaments according to distance and the situation.”
690
691Eru stopped and looked around. All the faces had the same ‘that is obvious, what is the problem’ expression on them. His smile deepened.
692
693“But I think that is inefficient; there would be a gap when changing the weapons, too. Obviously, there is no choice but to store the ‘Silhouette arms’ in close distance combat. So, I am thinking of putting something at the back… something like a hand that could operate a ‘Silhouette arms’. That way, there would be no need to change weapons and the ‘Silhouette arms’ would be available any time.”
694
695Everyone wasn’t buying Eru’s explanation wholesale and had a deeply confused look. They felt something wasn’t right and didn’t know how to express it-- In that awkward atmosphere, the one who moved was the leader of the engineers-- the Boss.
696
697“... I know what you are getting at. Let’s leave how to increase the number of arms aside. If we really do add another arm, how would it be controlled? Humans don’t have arms on their back; I don’t need to explain that right? You can’t control things you don’t have.”
698
699Without needing the Boss to point it out, almost everyone was thinking the same thing. Silhouette Knight’s control was based on the movement of the pilot’s limbs. With this system, it was impossible for the pilot to control parts that humans do not have.
700
701Wrong, there was no need to bring out structural logic. Emotionally, they were resisting the addition of parts which humans do not have. It would be the best to laugh this off as nonsense-- such thoughts were formed silently and were the common thoughts of everyone present.
702
703But, Eru’s smile did not disappear, and he didn’t stop his advance. He is a product of an alternate world, journeying alone outside of the common sense of this world, happily redesigning the existence known as Silhouette Knights.
704
705“I understand your concerns, but I am not proposing adding a real arm, so it doesn't have to be as agile as one. In simple terms, it just needs to hold the ‘Silhouette arms’ and shoot, that’s all. Which means…”
706
707Eru took in everyone’s confusion and repulsion, describing it casually. The strongest thing that was pushing him was his will and clear objective. Slowly, everyone was convinced by his words.
708
709“At the same time, an automated movement script with aiming functions would be added. A device that could control the movement of the ‘Silhouette arms’; this is my proposal… the development of the ‘Back Weapon’ and the ‘Fire Control System’.”
710
711There was a small area in the corner of the workshop separated by boards, dubbed the ‘conference room’. Even though Eru’s proposal deviated widely from common sense, the group didn’t reject it and gathered here for a discussion. Eru explained with a clear voice, his chalk making rhythmic sounds on the board, gradually drawing out the whole picture of the alien shaped machine.
712
713“Although I used the word ‘arm’, what I wanted was a simpler design… Something that could hold an object firmly.”
714
715The additional arm -- named ‘Auxiliary arm’ henceforth-- would be kept when the ‘Silhouette arms’ were not in use, and would be deployed when in combat, ready to fire. When deployed, the Auxiliary arm would mount the weapon over the shoulder, facing forward.
716
717The Fire Control System is the script responsible for the deployment and the retraction of the Auxiliary arm. This movement doesn’t require much flexibility, it just needs to be able to deploy and retract the Auxiliary arm. Hence, it wouldn’t be a burden on the pilot and could be completed automatically by the system. Just hearing this much, the Fire Control System script seemed to be used only to point the armament forward, but its main feature was the aiming function. Displaying a reticle on the holo monitor, the script links it to the ‘Silhouette arms’ to control the direction of fire.
718
719At this point in Eru’s presentation, the expression of the craftsmen changed. To use the ‘Silhouette arms’ without interfering with the use of the hands, it even made the addition of an aiming reticle possible. Although the pilots are the experts in controlling Silhouette Knights, the craftsmen doing maintenance also have the related skills. That’s why they could understand the advantage the ‘Back Weapon’ brings—increasing the opportunity to attack, more variation in tactics, and the possibility of stronger attacks.
720
721“The plan is to install the functionality of the fire control script into the unused area of the magius engine. Ah, I will be doing that part. Also, the pilot using this function needs to…”
722
723Pilots just needs to be trained in using the aiming function. The reason was simple, they do not need delicate control to use the Auxiliary arm, and the Fire Control System would automatically deploy, retract and even aim. The control could be done through the pilot seat easily, so there wasn’t any burden when controlling it. If the pilot needs to adjust to the modification, then the training programme of the pilots needs to be adjusted.
724
725“... That’s the summary of the proposal. Further details would be finalised when production begins… How does everyone feel about this?”
726
727Facing Eru, who was cutely tilting his head, no one gave a response. Right now, a terrifying silence was controlling the workshop. Eru’s ‘technology’ had turned their perceived common sense on its head: adding parts which deviates from the human form and installing scripts in the untouchable magius engine. Even though they had accepted the idea of strand crystal tissue, Eru’s proposal was very abnormal to the students present.
728
729Eru explained himself clearly, the common language of the engineers was displayed on the board -- ‘technology’. It had no fantasy or fairy tales, with a taste of reality, it couldn’t be ignored with a laugh; and it was full of charms, making it hard to resist.
730
731Seemed like I’ve still got it in me. My presentation skills haven’t gotten rusty. But they still need another push.
732
733In Eru’s eyes, the maintenance students were obviously lost. It’s fine if the presentation wasn’t good enough, they could reject it directly. But, the problem was that it was feasible enough to be discussed. Their cultivated common sense was warning them something was wrong, but when Eru brought out the revolution this technology could bring, their logic pulled them to accept it. In order to push the group who were caught in this dilemma and fell into silence, Eru continued:
734
735“Even though Silhouette Knight mimics the form of men, it is still a tool, a machine. There is no need to be hung up on it being in the form of men… If there is a function that is needed, don’t you think that it’s fine to modify how it looks?”
736
737If a devil appeared in any story, it would probably give off this feeling. A beautiful appearance whispering sweet temptations in your ears, luring you away from the straight and limited path of the world-- As everyone’s thought were heading down this divergent path, the Boss sighed in an exaggerated manner.
738
739“Really, just who the hell are you? Be it the strand crystal tissue or the back weapon, I don’t understand how you keep thinking up things we have never seen, or heard of before.”
740
741“How should I put it? I want to do it because it doesn’t exist, I wouldn’t have done it if it had already existed.”
742
743Eru pouted, prompting the Boss to stare at him for a long while before laughing out loud. The Boss’ hearty laughter swept all the doubts and gloom of everyone, who were present away.
744
745“Keke, hahaha! You got me. Yes, you are right! Kick reason to the curb, right? I like it. It might be frustrating, but the boy has a point. We craftsmen are professionals who improve Silhouette Knights. I will accept your proposal!!”
746
747With this as the cue, the engineers’ curiosity won against their hesitation. As one, they unanimously moved towards the development of the strand crystal tissue, back weapon and fire control system-- a step towards the revolution of a new Silhouette Knight model. It might be a small step, but there was a definite change in their mindset.
748
749And so, the ripple that started in Laihiala Pilot Academy will one day spread through the nation, and push the evolution of the existence known as Silhouette Knights to the entire world.
750
751Four figures walked in a row in Laihiala Academy City which was basked in the light of the setting sun.
752
753The petite one walking in the middle-- Eru was in a great mood, and seemed to be on the verge of singing. That was understandable; he didn’t expect to fulfill his ambition of modifying a Silhouette Knight. When he thought about the coming days, Eru felt overwhelming joy. Compared to the chirpy Eru, Chid and Ady beside him seemed gloomy.
754
755“Hey Eru, to be honest, I didn’t understand everything that happened today. But if the modification goes well, the Silhouette Knights would become stronger, right?”
756
757“Yes, of course!”
758
759Chid wanted to say something, but seemed hesitant.
760
761“... Eh, Eru… after strengthening the Silhouette Knight, are you going to fight the Demon beast again?”
762
763Chid’s words made Eru blink with a stiff smile. Eru’s mind was filled with the ‘modification’, and totally forgot about how to apply it practically. Facing this unexpected query, Eru cleared his throat to dismiss the anxiety in his heart and forced a smile:
764
765“That, that’s right. It’s a rare chance to create powerful Silhouette Knights after all, and think about it. And, becoming a Knight or pilot means fighting Demon beasts.”
766
767“That’s true, Eru has to fight… and you are ready to do so.”
768
769Eru looked surprised by Chid’s hesitant expression, and was hugged from the side by Ady.
770
771“E~ru! You didn’t forget that promise, right!!”
772
773“Huh? Umm-- Yeah. About teaching both of you how to fight with Silhouette Knights, right?”
774
775“Correct. If we put our mind to it, we can do it! I absolutely forbid you from fighting alone again.”
776
777Ady remembered the wreckage of the red Silhouette Knight. Even though Silhouette Knights were known as the strongest weapon of men, there were still a lot of Demon beasts in this world that were stronger than them. When Ady thought that Eru might be in danger, her tears would blur her vision, and the sounds would blur.
778
779“Ady? Are you okay? Don’t worry, I had thought about preparation for that, too… Oh, right! How about asking them to do ‘that’ too?”
780
781Eru seemed to be thinking of something and snapped his fingers. Ady lifted her face slightly, while Batson and Chid looked at each other with a confused expression.
782
783Several days later, Eru and the Boss came to the Laihiala Pilot Academy’s dean office.
784
785Hearing a polite knock, a calm response came from the dean, Lauri Echevarria who was inside. Even though Lauri was a bit surprised, he still ushered them in.
786
787“Oh? Eru and David, what a rare combination.”
788
789Lauri offered them a seat as Eru gave him some documents. Inside was the report summarising the proposal for the strand crystal tissue, the back weapon and the fire control system.
790
791“Dean, the document inside contains the proposal for a Silhouette Knight brought up by the silver boy. The maintenance department wants to create a new Silhouette Knight using this plan.”
792
793Lauri’s eyes were wide open after hearing these sudden words, and studied the documents carefully. After browsing through it once, he placed the documents on the table and exhaled deeply. Lauri looked into the distance and said:
794
795“Ara… Should I say this is unexpected… you two have stirred up something troublesome.”
796
797“It’s your grandson who did that.”
798
799“That’s why it was unexpected… should I say beyond my imagination? I didn’t think that you would start so soon. This report seems very unusual. Eru, can it be done?”
800
801Eru smiled like usual when he was asked-- But Lauri, who was his family understood that Eru’s blue eyes contained unusual passion, confidence and the will to challenge the norm. And as he expected, Eru nodded strongly in agreement.
802
803Your Majesty, my grandson is wilder than I imagined. He will probably go beyond my control
804
805“... Grandpa? What do you think? Are you willing to accept it?”
806
807“Dean, we should have the freedom in the production and modification of Silhouette Knights. But the ‘core’ of the modification is different from the past, so there would definitely be many problems. That’s why we are seeking official authorisation.”
808
809Lauri whose thoughts were somewhere far away-- specifically, the Capital, was pulled back because of these words.
810
811“Yes. A lot of the Knights had to be reforged because of damage, so the timing is just right. Some failures are acceptable, just do it the way you want to… Hmmm? No, we can’t afford to be slow; we have to finish it quickly. If there are not enough Knights, the pilots won’t be able to practice.”
812
813Lauri suddenly slapped his knee. The Behemoth Incident destroyed half the Knights of the Academy. Even at the full strength of twenty, it was not enough for all the pilots in the Academy, and they had to take turns. With half of it gone, it would definitely affect training.
814
815“About that, I have another proposal!”
816
817Eru raised his hand strongly and opened the briefcase beside him, taking out a notebook.
818
819“Hey, so that wasn’t all? You are well prepared, boy…”
820
821“I have been thinking about this for quite some time. To conduct Silhouette Knight piloting practice, you have to ride a silhouette Knight. But the number of the important Silhouette Knights is limited, and takes a lot of effort to make new ones… a vicious cycle.”
822
823Lauri and the Boss suppressed their doubts and nodded. Eru opened his notebook that was bulging from a lot of sticky tabs and showed them the newest page.
824
825“But increasing the number of Silhouette Knight presents another set of problems. First would be the expensive parts, reactors and engines, and the specialised workshop to handle large machines and manpower… Taking the cost into account, there is only one answer.”
826
827Lauri and the Boss listened to Eru’s explanation, squeezing together to look at the notebook filled with words. On it was a strange object-- A combination of a human skeleton with armour, which was filled with crystal tissue. According to the notes, it was about two and a half metres in height, slightly bigger than a normal person wearing armour. But it was about a quarter the scale of a Silhouette Knight.
828
829“That’s right, just make it smaller! That will cut down the work, and the facilities to construct it can be smaller in scale too. In other words, it can be mass produced easily. Silhouette Knights need ether reactors and magius engine because a single person can’t provide the mana and process the script to control such a large body. If the machine is smaller, the burden would be lessened, too… It could be operated by just one person. It doesn’t require the heart units, so the price would definitely be cheaper. If you order one now, you can get another one for free!”
830
831Hearing the long sales pitch of Eru, one would suspect him of being a merchant from somewhere. Lauri and the Boss had different reactions.
832
833“...Tiny Silhouette Knights? You are not satisfied with the new model, and are plotting that, too!?”
834
835“I see, but this thing sounds interesting. How about it, David? If it goes smoothly, the pilots won’t be bored out of their mind.”
836
837Hearing Lauri say that, the Boss adopted a troubled attitude.
838
839“Dean, I have no objection about making this, but making the new model and this at the same time will be too much, in terms of manpower. Even if it is easy to make, we simply can’t do both.”
840
841Constructing the new Silhouette Knight. That is a tedious mission that is troubling when you just to think about it. The Boss and the engineers don’t have the spare energy to work on other projects. Without the craftsmen working on it, it doesn’t matter how interesting the idea was.
842
843But Eru was prepared for this.
844
845“Don’t worry about this part. The good thing about this is its simplicity compared to Silhouette Knights, and it is easy to make. I think it could be done even without the skills of the Senpais in the high school department.”
846
847Understanding what Eru was saying, the expression of these two finally went beyond surprise and turned expressionless. The Boss sighed deeply.
848
849“Boy, I didn’t know you would go that far.”
850
851The Boss was definitely not complimenting him, but Eru simply smiled in reply.
852
853
854
855
856
857Chapter 11: Let’s design, build and assemble
858
859
860
861
862
863The plan proposed by the pilot faculty’s maintenance department-- breaking out of the mould of repairing Silhouette Knights, they had started the building process of the new machine model for half a month now. During this period, the school had resumed classes, and the middle schooler Ernesti had returned to his usual daily life.
864
865The bell announcing the end of lessons rang, and the classroom that was quiet when class was in session turned rowdy. The teacher sighed at the sudden change in the students and left after bidding farewell. The day’s lesson had finished and school was out. The students who were free from class could spend their time as they pleased. Even though they could be attacked by Demon beast if they took a step out of the city, the existence known as students remained the same. It applied to Eru and the others, too, although their situation was different.
866
867“Eru, Eru! Let’s go practice! Come, we have to work hard today, too!”
868
869“Alright, alright, you don’t need to pull so hard, I will go with you.”
870
871Ady couldn’t wait as she pulled Eru’s hand and Chid followed behind them. They attend classes in middle school during the day, and head for the pilot faculty’s workshop when school is out. This was their daily schedule recently.
872
873The workshop was noisy as usual. But the situation today was different. Eru and the others who were chattering when they arrived felt the heavy atmosphere. They saw the Boss, who was resting on a chair and approached him.
874
875“Hello Boss. Why does everyone look so tired today?”
876
877“Ah, silver boy… nothing much, it’s just that thing. We made the strand crystal tissue.”
878
879“The thing suggested by Eru?”
880
881“Correct, but… I didn’t expect the pilot faculty to need a bobbin machine. The clothing faculty’s people insisted that we do it seriously, and showed us no mercy.”
882
883The Boss’ eyes were out of focus, a hint of sorrow that couldn’t be described as an achievement. The three of them almost bursted out laughing when they imagined the muscle bound dwarf using a bobbin machine; that must have be hilarious.
884
885“Well, thank you for your hard work, Boss.”
886
887“Thank you, but it was worth it. Nah, look at this.”
888
889The document the Boss tossed to Eru listed a lot of numbers, listing the difference when using normal crystal tissue compared to strand crystal tissue in different situations.
890
891Other than that, there was also comparison data for different braiding methods. During the strand crystal tissue creation process, they discovered that using good braiding methods were more effective than simple braiding.
892
893“When I requested the clothing faculty to show me the various ways of braiding crystal tissue, they almost called for a shrink.”
894
895The information they gathered from their honourable sacrifice was priceless. The best braiding method improved the maximum power output by one and a half times, the tightly braided tissues went through repeated stretching tests, displaying a toughness ten times stronger than before.
896
897“It’s better than we expected. I thought the output would increase by twenty percent, and the lifespan would be extended two times…”
898
899“Ha! You are the proposer, but don’t think we didn’t do anything. Eh, I don’t deny that I am cocky because I attained actual results. I just wanted to test it out, but the results varied wildly depending on how it was used. I think the parts that were used casually have a lot of room for improvement.”
900
901As he spoke, the Boss laughed like an innocent child. Standing next to Eru, it was hard to tell who was the little kid. As the two of them were discussing the results, there was a sudden uproar coming from within the workshop, and someone was shouting for the Boss.
902
903“Boss! The replacement for the arm tissue had been completed!”
904
905“Oh! I will be right there! … We are going to test the strand model. Boy, come with us, too.”
906
907“Of course, please let me see it!”
908
909At the edge of the workshop was a giant figure with some of the armour around the right arm removed, revealing the crystal tissue underneath. The tissues of the arm were thick, which were obviously strand crystal tissue.
910
911If the tissue had the same colour as living beings, it would definitely be a scene that was not for the faint-hearted. Fortunately, the crystal tissue was murky white. Placed inside the giant body of the Silhouette Knight, it gave an impression of being a statue.
912
913“Alright-- Step back! We will be doing test movements! ...Good, please proceed, Helvi!”
914
915“Roger. Proceeding now.”
916
917The students working in the vicinity dispersed. The pilot, Helvi Öberg entered the machine seated on the repair dock. The hatch in the chest slowly closed with the sound of compressed air.
918
919They had already investigated the mana output of the crystal tissue, but this was the first time they were testing it in an actual machine. The eyes of the students in the area were sparkling with anticipation, watching with bated breath. The right arm installed with the strand model gripped a giant metal lump. The Silhouette Knight obeyed the command to lift its arm, and the crystal tissue could be seen contracting and bulging through the gaps of the armour.
920
921“Oh… That is amazing.”
922
923“Hee-- it has great strength, right?”
924
925The metal lump lifted by the unit required a normal Silhouette Knight to use both hands in order to lift it. But it accomplished this easily with one hand. The power output of the strand crystal tissue was incredible. Maybe it was because of the unique nature of the strand model, or the lack of outer skin, but cracking sounds could be heard.
926
927“Power output increment and toughness enhancement seem to be proceeding fine.”
928
929“Right, now we can produce a machine that won’t break down easily even if the boy pilots it.”
930
931As Eru and the Boss were passionately discussing the experiment results, a sound was getting louder, and a noise that didn’t seem to be from the crystal tissue could be heard.
932
933“By the way Boss, do you hear something? It sounds like… friction.”
934
935“What a coincidence, you heard that, too? So, I didn’t imagine that… What did you say?”
936
937The two looked at each other and the instant they turned towards the machine-- they heard a crisp bang, and the right arm literally ‘broke’. The crystal tissue fell off and the arm loosened, dropping the metal lump onto the ground. But no one cared about that. The reason was that the armour was sent flying by the snapped crystal tissue, scattering all over. It’s no joke if you get hit by the armour fragments of Silhouette Knight, and hellish screams erupted in the workshop.
938
939“Wahhhhh!? Ah, it’s coming this way…!!”
940
941Unfortunately, one of it flew towards the Boss. Eru stepped before him in the nick of time, drawing his gun staff, Winchester to repel the fragments. Eru lowered his stance, shooting out a massive amount of compressed air, deflecting the force of the fragments away. The fragment made a dull explosive sound, drawing a large arc in the air before embedding itself in the wall behind them.
942
943The Boss who was in the pilot faculty was a craftsman, together with the lack of agility of the dwarves, it's impossible to expect an immediate reaction. He shielded his body and stood stiffly in place like a statue. After a while, the Boss looked at the fragment stuck in the wall behind him. After seeing the fragment embedded deep in the wall, the Boss couldn’t utter a sound. Chid and Ady also maintained their position with their bayonet staffs out, the place was awkwardly silent.
944
945The Boss returned to his senses in no time and immediately inspected the machine that exploded. The right hand was wrecked from the impact and looked terrible. The crystal tissue was scattered all over the place, even the inner skeleton was visible. Eru timidly asked the Boss, who was enthusiastically inspecting the right arm:
946
947“... Boss, do tell us what you think.”
948
949“Ah-- Right there. The crystal tissue itself is fine, but the base securing it to the structure snapped. The tissue increased the output too high, so the other parts couldn’t keep up. So, that’s why. Ara, we really lost to it.”
950
951The Boss who was laughing dryly shut his mouth shortly after. After meeting Eru’s gaze, the two of them sighed deeply.
952
953“Normal means wouldn’t work; we would need to modify the entire body this time.”
954
955Even though the machine was damaged, miraculously, no one was hurt because it was kept at a distance. The students who crawled out cautiously sighed as they looked at the wrecked right arm.
956
957Strand crystal tissue still had a way to go before practical application. Anyway, they have to reevaluate and use new methods to secure the tissues. It takes time going through the reevaluation from the beginning, the personnel involved in the designs would be busy for the foreseeable future.
958
959“Well then Boss, I will leave this to you… we will go ahead with our training.”
960
961“You take care of ‘that side’ for now. Okay… Hey, stop standing around!! We are starting over with strengthening the clamps!!”
962
963He looked a bit down, but the Boss didn’t give up and threw himself into the work at hand.
964
965Eru left the workshop that was getting noisy because of the repairs, following Chid and Ady to another corner of the workshop.
966
967There were no Silhouette Knights there; instead there were several ‘full body armour’ that had interesting designs. Its height was big for a human, but it was just two and a half metres, small for a Silhouette Knight. The head and body were similar to a normal full body armour, the limbs were exceptionally long, and the ratio was off.
968
969“Hello-- Batson, how are things going?”
970
971“Oh, Eru. No problem, the ‘Silhouette Gear’ is in top condition today, too. I can vouch for that.”
972
973Batson answered as he flexed the muscles in his arm. The name for this full body armour was ‘Silhouette Gear’, a substitute for a Silhouette Knight made through the plans proposed by Eru, it could be considered as a mini Silhouette Knight.
974
975
976
977
978
979The row of Silhouette Gears was being worked on by students other than Batson. From their height, it was obvious that they were not from the high school department, but middle schoolers. The main point of the Silhouette Gear design was the ‘miniaturising and simplification of Silhouette Knights’, so the difficulty level was low, even middle schoolers, who were aiming to be craftsmen could build it. Batson being involved was a good example, but he had already made a bunch of weird stuff because of his acquaintance with Eru.
980
981“Well then, we will work hard for our training-”
982
983Eru just finished talking when Chid and Ady replied energetically. Speaking of which, the Silhouette Gear was something he thought up in order to teach them how to pilot a Silhouette Knight, and was used to solve the issue of insufficient machines on campus. Chid and Ady were full of spirit, but so was Eru. For him, even though it was smaller, piloting a robot still made him happy.
984
985Silhouette Gear was similar to normal armour; the movements were dictated directly by the user, and needed to be built to the user’s size. For example, Eru was using a machine that had been adjusted for a person with small stature to use; Chid and Ady’s machine were slightly bigger.
986
987Eru stood before the Silhouette Gear that was kneeling on the ground with the chest armour open, but he didn’t board it immediately and hugged the torso instead. Seeing Eru smiling with his mouth open, Chid who was behind couldn’t help saying:
988
989“I know you like it, but no matter how much love you shower it with, it won’t respond to you.”
990
991“No such thing. If you shower it with love, it would be obedient to you.”
992
993Chid looked at his Silhouette Gear in doubt. Is that really true? How could it be? A weird argument flashed across his mind.
994
995“... No, no way!”
996
997Chid came to his senses when he was just about to be convinced.
998
999“Ughh, Eru only loves Silhouette Gear. Sigh, Chid, shut up and board it! Training, we are starting training now!”
1000
1001“Eh? Oh, alright… Is this my fault…?”
1002
1003Chid was rushed by Ady who had already boarded, grumbling slightly as he sat in one of the gears. With the metal closing shut, the sound of air escaping could be heard, and the full body armour was enclosed and secured. Chid then grabbed the control inside the Silhouette Gear’s arm, moving the machine’s limbs directly as he controlled it with a script at the same time. The Silhouette Gear was designed to be controlled in the same way as Silhouette Knights for training purposes.
1004
1005“I am starting it…”
1006
1007He started using the unique organs common to all beings in this world—the magius circuit domain to construct a script. The crystal tissue installed inside the gear obeyed the script and the flowing mana, and started to contract and expand. The gear trembled, and stood up a moment later. The mana they put in during activation would be used to move the gear, a machine that directly converted mana into physical movement.
1008
1009They rode the Silhouette Gear and noisily walked outside the workshop. After making their way to the training ground behind, there were already some other guest there.
1010
1011“Hello, Edgar-senpai. How does it feel using that?”
1012
1013“Ahh! Ernesti… Hah! Ke!... You could tell just by looking, right?”
1014
1015The pilot cadet belonging to the pilot faculty, Edgar C. Blanche was piloting a gear that was made for a tall person. He greeted them as he lifted the legs to walk in large strides. His movements were rough and seemed to take a lot of effort. He was not as good as Eru, who could ride the Silhouette Gear like it was second nature, Edgar was still really serious about it.
1016
1017“I see, that looks interesting!”
1018
1019Eru nodded as he watched Edgar. Edgar stiffened his already serious face and looked up slightly. Eru knew he had a hard time piloting, but for Eru, ‘the hardship of piloting a robot = a happy thing’. Because Eru thought that from the bottom of his heart, Eru was hard to deal with. Edgar understood that and gave up convincing him. Instead, he crossed his arms and brought something else up.
1020
1021“Hey Ernesti, I have been thinking about this. This Silhouette Gear isn’t bad, but I think… It’s too hard to use!!”
1022
1023Edgar had a hard time piloting it because of the control method. Controlling with his actual limbs and script at the same time wasn’t a problem; the issue was the type of magic used. Piloting requires high level magic ‘physical boost’, even a top class pilot cadet like him couldn’t do it well, it’s even worse for normal cadets.
1024
1025“The necessary controls are too complicated. The script controlling Silhouette Knights requires less burden than this… It's not unusable, but definitely not for pilot training. In fact, everyone had already given up.”
1026
1027Edgar surveyed the training grounds. There were just a few others apart from him. Everybody was complaining after trying it a few times.
1028
1029“Yes-- you are right. I underestimated the difficulty level.”
1030
1031“Then make it up with hard work! Nah, look at me Senpai, we can do this.”
1032
1033Edgar looked at Eru, Chid and Ady in turns and sighed softly. Chid and Ady didn’t care about the high school pilots, controlling the Silhouette Knight with ease. This was the result of them learning magic from Eru and training together, but others would only lump them together with Eru as abnormal people.
1034
1035“Don’t ask the impossible; this is not something that could be done in a day or two, right? Really… I know how weird you guys are. At this point, I won’t say anything more, just don’t expect normal people to catch up with you guys.”
1036
1037“Hmm- ugh… it's a pity, but this can’t be used.”
1038
1039“That would be true if there are no improvements. This is a mini version of a Silhouette Knight, right? Then install a magius engine. That should cut down on the piloting burden drastically.”
1040
1041Edgar told Eru his suggestion. It made sense, if this goes on; it won’t be usable for the high schoolers, although it's fine for Eru and the others.
1042
1043“Hmmm- that's the only way… This would increase the cost, but it can’t be helped, so that’s the only option.”
1044
1045But this method presented its own set of problems. The small frame of the Silhouette Gear couldn’t hold the ether reactor of the Silhouette Knight. The main idea was the miniaturisation of the machine, but no matter how much of a genius Eru was, he didn’t know the structure of the magius engine. So this problem couldn’t be resolved immediately.
1046
1047“Ke! What a pitiful sight, Edgar! As the top Knight of the pilot faculty, I didn’t expect you to give up so easily!”
1048
1049Hearing a voice coming from behind him, Edgar turned his head. Before him was Dietrich who was slowly walking towards him in a Silhouette Gear, with movements more refined than Edgar.
1050
1051“... Di, it’s rare to see you so fired up.”
1052
1053Unexpectedly, Dietrich was serious about learning how to control the Silhouette Gear. His movement was smoother than Edgar, while Edgar appeared a bit frustrated. Dietrich who was feeling great about that worked harder. As he was preparing to take a large step-- tragedy struck.
1054
1055“Hmmp, this level is easy… Eh? What? This is bad, I can’t stop--!?”
1056
1057Although his movement was crisper than Edgar, Dietrich hadn’t mastered it. Because he used too much strength and made a mistake in the controls, the upper torso cracked loudly and bent at an impossible angle. Everyone who saw this had an anxious expression.
1058
1059“Di-senpai? Wah, it’s an emergency, send Senpai to the ‘infirmary’…”
1060
1061When the panicking Eru mentioned the taboo word, Dietrich recovered with amazing spirit. Not just that, he even spun around gracefully and struck a strange pose, saying curtly:
1062
1063“I, will definitely not go to the infirmary! This, this is nothing!! There is absolutely no need!!”
1064
1065He posed agilely, but his forehead was sweating profusely. Was this the result of physical or mental injury? Everyone was stunned and Dietrich walked towards the workshop while laughing in a loud voice. Edgar who composed himself followed in a hurry.
1066
1067“... Eh, Senpai seems to be fine. Let’s start our training.”
1068
1069After blankly seeing their Senpai off, Eru and the others finally started their training. Eru was obviously fine, but the twins could already move around freely. So they raised the difficulty and conducted something similar to a battle simulation.
1070
1071“Silhouette Gear has controls similar to Silhouette Knights, and it's in the form of full control. Control the movement of the crystal tissue, feel the flow of the mana. Control script. The two of you can move even faster!”
1072
1073“As if it’s that simple!!”
1074
1075Training was done with Chid and Ady fighting two on one against Eru. Even so, the twins had never won before. They harboured the determination to get at least one win and launched the attack with perfect coordination.
1076
1077Chid lifted a great sword and charged at Eru, using the length of the sword to take the initiative. Eru’s machine opted to close the distance instead. With the large difference in agility, it became Chid’s turn to be on defense.
1078
1079“Oh, no! Eru is pressing in. Ady!”
1080
1081“Leave it to me! I will break off his attack!”
1082
1083Ady shouted, attacking Eru who was attacking Chid from the side. The machine lifted dual blades just like what its pilot preferred to use, it attacked continuously like a storm-- but it failed to even touch Eru, who evaded all the strikes. But even though Ady didn’t gain any advantage, the two on one situation remained the same. This time, it was Chid’s turn to attack Eru’s defensive gap when Eru was dodging. The great sword swung down with terrifying speed and was about to hit.
1084
1085“Nice teamwork… But!”
1086
1087With an explosive sound, Eru whose posture was very low suddenly accelerated. As he piloted the Silhouette Gear, he used his own power to accelerate with air compression magic. Eru jumped with a force threatening to heave up the ground, landing behind Ady who was preparing to change her position. She wanted to escape in a hurry, but was caught by Eru, who tossed her at Chid, who was swinging his sword down.
1088
1089“Hmm! Ugh!”
1090
1091The machines couldn’t stop in time and collided. Looking at the two people he just beat, Eru nodded with satisfaction.
1092
1093“It’s a bit small, but human shaped weapons are great. Power and drive are flowing out endlessly. How long are you two planning to lie there, let’s continue!”
1094
1095“Sigh, don’t you think Eru is even stricter than the time he was us teaching magic?”
1096
1097“It’s no coincidence. If it has anything to do with Silhouette Gear, Eru will become vicious… can’t be helped. Alright! Let’s have another round.”
1098
1099They cheered themselves up and challenged Eru’s machine again.
1100
1101“It’s fine if you want to train-- but I’m the one who is doing the repairs, so don’t break them…”
1102
1103The complaints of Batson, who was watching this scene dissipated into the wind.
1104
1105As the days got colder, the season changed from summer to autumn.
1106
1107The busy days of everyone passed by. Since Eru proposed the plans for strand crystal tissue and back weapons, several months had passed. With the continuous efforts of the pilot faculty’s maintenance team, they finally completed a ‘prototype machine’.
1108
1109“Ara, we finally reached this stage…”
1110
1111The Boss complained, unable to hide the fatigue in his voice. Some of the students had panda eyes, some were massaging their shoulders, and all of them gave off a heavy sense of fatigue. The few months before the completion of the prototype were a living hell.
1112
1113The one responsible for designs drew all sorts of plans, and the crafting leader completed every one of them. The machine took shape after several trials and errors, no wonder they were so exhausted.
1114
1115They might be students, but their skills were at the level of professional craftsmen. But this project was a grueling challenge. The harsh everyday conditions made them wonder ‘why hasn’t anyone died’. To reach this stage without losing their motivation, it was due to their boundless joy in developing new technologies. The evidence was their eyes that were full of passion despite being worn out.
1116
1117“Okay, bring it out! Slowly. If you drop it, it won’t be settled with just a simple beating!!”
1118
1119Everyone carried the finished prototype to the trolley, sending it out of the workshop carefully. That thing was a bit strange. Its body was covered by a minimal layer known as ‘primary armour’ to protect its interior. Crystal tissue could even be seen from some of the parts. Only the chest and limbs were covered by outer skin, giving the impression of ‘incompleteness’.
1120
1121The prototype was quickly sent to the pilot faculty’s training ground which had the shape of a circular arena. After reaching the centre of the training ground, the chest of the prototype which was lying down was opened, allowing the test pilot Helvi to enter the pilot seat.
1122
1123Everyone from the maintenance team was seated in the audience seats of the arena to observe. In front of them were giant shields that protected them, a lesson they learned from the accident they had earlier. It was natural for them to be cautious. Even though they did several testing for the individual parts, this was the first time the entire assembled body would be tested. To be safe, they removed some of the larger auxiliary parts.
1124
1125“Okay, Helvi, are you ready!?... For starters, stand up!”
1126
1127The Boss held a loudhailer and yelled. With this as the cue, the prototype started to stand up. The maintenance team members watched its movement closely. The creaking prototype slowly sat up; its movement stiffer than a normal machine, and was very slow. The arms braced the body, the legs bent. From afar, the legs that were exerting strength could be seen bulging. After spending quite some time, the prototype machine finally stood up.
1128
1129“It’s standing…!!”
1130
1131An emotional voice came from somewhere. When he thought about the efforts they put in to make it stand, the difficulties they overcame and the sacrifices, that voice was trembling. Completing this movement that was totally dependent on the power of the leg tissue, it was evident that the structure of the prototype machine could withstand the minimum output of the strand crystal tissue.
1132
1133“Not yet, be careful now… you over there! Don’t stick your body out! It’s dangerous!! Alright, steady… Helvi, try walking. Slowly, slowly.”
1134
1135The head of the prototype machine moved up and down, expressing understanding. After stopping for a moment, it decided to walk. Although it was in the centre of the training ground paved with stone slabs, its footsteps were extremely careful. It seemed to be walking on a hanging bridge that could break at any time, its speed slower than an ox driven cart. With the sound of heavy steps and churning muscles, it took quite a while to make it halfway around the training ground.
1136
1137“The stabilising components are still in place, it should be able to hold.”
1138
1139Because it had no outer skin, they couldn’t be careless. But at least it didn’t seem like it would break any time soon. The prototype machine moved to the front of the students of the maintenance team, and knelt on one knee with an even slower motion. It adopted the position of a Silhouette Knight on standby and stopped completely. Only then did the members of the maintenance team sigh in relief. After a moment of silence, there was an eruption of cheers. This was the moment the walking test succeeded-- the moment where their past trial and errors bore fruit.
1140
1141The chest armour of the prototype machine opened and Helvi appeared. She was probably still nervous as she was breathing hard and was wiping her sweat.
1142
1143“Hey, Helvi, how did it feel to pilot that?”
1144
1145The Boss who had looked happy after the successful experiment asked. Helvi replied with a hint of bitterness:
1146
1147“It was literally a ‘wild horse’. There was too much energy; just walking took a lot of effort.”
1148
1149“It’s that bad?”
1150
1151“Yes, the sensation was completely different from the other machines I piloted. To be honest, everyone would need to be retrained.”
1152
1153“I see… To improve to the stage of walking was a great achievement, but the piloting system still needs to be worked on. That would be left for later… Okay, it might not be too agile now, but since it had no problem walking, all that’s left is to check the other parts.”
1154
1155Helvi nodded and returned to the pilot seat. After the guys in the maintenance confirmed their safety and picked up their shields, they proceeded to the next phase. Unmodified Silhouette Knights carried large target boards into the training ground and placed them on the ground one by one. The Boss made his way to the stone paved training ground and kept issuing orders to the students around him.
1156
1157“Alright, bring in the Silhouette arms! For training use! Put the target board at the corner! And someone get the silver boy here! He is probably wandering around in his Silhouette Gear anyway; it's easy to spot him if you search around the vicinity!!”
1158
1159Around Laihiala Pilot Academy were some grocery shops and fast food restaurants. The students might not be financially rich, but with their large numbers, the market was rather big. Shops that catered to their daily needs congregated around the campus.
1160
1161Whenever school was out, stalls sprung out around the roads leading out of the campus. Most of them sold snacks. During this period, the students who were liberated from class were attracted like butterflies to honey, swarming to the stalls to eat the snacks. One of the stalls sold baked fruit pie. The stall owner was baking his pie as usual when he heard a female student place her order.
1162
1163“Owner, I want three fruit pies, with marmalade!”
1164
1165“Alright-- please wait a moment, it will be done soon…”
1166
1167The voice of the owner, who turned his head to greet his customer, became softer gradually. The reason was simple, the one before his stall was a full armoured Knight instead of a student. It wasn’t as tall as a Silhouette Knight, but it still towered over the tent. It twisted its body and peeked at the stall entrance, looking at the stunned owner with its tilted head. This awkward atmosphere went on for a while as two similar Knights came from behind to scold the one that arrived first.
1168
1169“Hey, Ady, why would anyone buy things while piloting that?”
1170
1171“Hmm? Ah, right! Sorry, sir, I must have frightened you.”
1172
1173The voice of a young girl came from the heavily armoured Knight. The owner had not shaken off this ridiculous sight when the armour suddenly opened and a real female student came out of it, shocking him.
1174
1175“Wha, what is this thing!!”
1176
1177“Ah, owner, the pie is burnt!”
1178
1179The owner flipped the pie in a hurry upon hearing that, but several of them had already been burnt. The girl made an apologetic expression.
1180
1181“Ah-- sorry, it’s all because of me. We will buy that burnt one, then.”
1182
1183“No, even though I was surprised, I was still the one who burned it. Please don’t mind that.”
1184
1185The owner put the fruit jam ordered by the customer into the pie and collected the money at the same time. The female student said her thanks, got back in the armour and left with the other Knights.
1186
1187“... The armour used by the Academy recently is incredible…”
1188
1189The owner held onto the coins with a shocked expression, seeing the three Knights off.
1190
1191“Hmm-- It tastes great-- Marmalade is the best--”
1192
1193“I prefer lychee jam.”
1194
1195“I’m fine with anything that is sweet--”
1196
1197Ady, Eru and Chid held their pie in their hands as they moved the Silhouette Gear. They looked just like armoured Knights, but they were walking with a snack in hand-- such a strange scene made the citizens and students give way to them in a panic.
1198
1199They have been using Silhouette Gear not just in training, but in their everyday lives as well, recently. As was seen earlier, it was a hassle to wear this in your daily lives, but they were not doing this out of convenience. As everyone knows, controlling Silhouette Gear requires the continuous usage of high level magic and drains a lot of mana. Magical abilities could only be strengthened with more training. If one wishes to increase their abilities efficiently, they would have to undergo training that was rather difficult.
1200
1201In other words, it was similar to them jogging while using physical boost magic, training their skills in their daily lives. By the way, only Eru is piloting it because it is fun.
1202
1203As they were advancing with noisy steps, a pilot faculty student chased them from behind. He was sent by the Boss.
1204
1205“... Okay, the testing of the prototype machine? Please let us observe!”
1206
1207After hearing the message he conveyed, Eru accepted immediately. He even picked the messenger up, not wanting to waste even one second. The Silhouette Knight which was controlled by Eru using ‘full control’ had speed that far exceeded a normal man. Eru, who wanted to rush to the scene immediately, ignored the screams of the student being picked up as he charged toward the campus with incredible speed.
1208
1209The closer they got to the training ground, the more pilot faculty students there were. Unmodified Silhouette Knights were carrying maintenance parts and materials. The craftsmen and pilots were doing all sorts of work together. When Eru and company reached the training ground, they saw a Silhouette Knight without outer skin at the centre of the stone paved area. It was the ‘prototype machine’ that just finished the walking test.
1210
1211“It moved just as planned. It’s great it didn’t explode after taking a single step.”
1212
1213“What you are worrying about is too simple… Are you really taking it off? If you wear this armour, it would be easier to escape if anything happened, right?”
1214
1215Eru put down the student who was on the verge of dying and walked to the Boss’ side after jumping off from the Silhouette Gear.
1216
1217“Oh, you are here boy. Let’s start, then.”
1218
1219“I’m counting on you.”
1220
1221The strand crystal tissue they conducted the test with, was made by the Boss and the craftsmen, completed after many trials and errors. In comparison, the back weapon experiment that would be done next was different-- not just the basic theory, even the design was done by Eru. They got Eru here in order to confirm the next phase.
1222
1223“It looks fine… how complete is this thing?”
1224
1225“The turning and aiming was moving as designed before it was installed. What’s next would probably be zeroing the sights and optimising the set up.”
1226
1227“That… zeroing thing, what is that?”
1228
1229“Oh, eh… it's adjusting the aim to be as close to the target as possible… I think.”
1230
1231“Oh, that’s important. No matter what, all this would have to wait until the experiment is completed.”
1232
1233Eru replied anxiously after alighting from the Silhouette Gear. The twins remained in their Silhouette Gears, which obstructed the work going on behind them unwittingly.
1234
1235“Okay! Let’s start from installing the Silhouette arms!!”
1236
1237After receiving orders from the Boss, the pilot students holding the Silhouette arms approached the prototype machine. A structure never seen on a Silhouette Knight before was attached to the back of the prototype machine. On the place where the shoulder blades of a human should be, a rugged claw that looked similar to the mechanical arms used in manufacturing back on earth sprouted from there. Its function was similar to that too. This was the main structure of the back weapon-- ‘Auxiliary Arm’.
1238
1239The test movement started from the installation of the Silhouette arms, and one was used directly without modification. As the Auxiliary arm had a ‘hand’ that could operate Silhouette arms, it could be equipped with all sorts of Silhouette arms, making it one of the machine’s selling point.
1240
1241The student machines standing behind the prototype machine handed the Silhouette arms over to the Auxiliary arms. Although the hand of the Auxiliary arms was simplified, it’s movement was very smooth as it was made just for holding Silhouette arms and nothing else. Each Auxiliary arm grabbed a Silhouette arms, pointing it upwards.
1242
1243“Hmm, the movement of the Auxiliary arm seems fine.”
1244
1245Although it required the assistance of another machine to change its Silhouette arms, the Auxiliary arms were functioning normally. Helvi, who was piloting the prototype felt a slight tremour from her back, and confirmed the image on her holo monitor.
1246
1247“Okay, Silhouette arms load out completed, testing deploying function now.”
1248
1249Before taking the role of a prototype pilot, she had been involved in the development of the back weapon. She had heard the briefing back then and knew the controls very well.
1250
1251“Deploying Silhouette arms, displaying reticle.”
1252
1253She pulled the lever besides the control stick, which sends instructions to the magius engine which activates the tissue in the Auxiliary arms. The auxiliary arms shook slightly and flexed, lifting the Silhouette arms up slowly. The Auxiliary arms turned from ninety degrees upright to horizontal, resting on the shoulders of the prototype machine, facing forward. Seeing that the movement was smoother than expected, the maintenance department students were in an uproar. They had seen the structure deploy several times before installation, but seeing it in action while installed was really moving.
1254
1255Inside the cockpit, there was a change on the holo monitor. It usually only displayed the scene outside, but it had a reticle used for aiming now. A combination of a cross and circle, it was a simple display. But taking the fact that there wasn’t anything there in the past, this could be considered a major improvement.
1256
1257“Aiming… I am going to fire.”
1258
1259Helvi aimed the reticle on the targets. Observing from outside, it was clear that the movement of the head was linked to the direction the Silhouette arms were pointing at. She nervously held her breath and cautiously squeezed the trigger. The Silhouette arms which received the command shot out magic bullets immediately. It was firing the standard flame bullets from the Silhouette arms. The magic bullets emitting red light flew out and hit the target as if they were sucked in that direction. The practice use armaments weren’t too powerful, that’s why the target kept its original shape, but the burn marks of the bullets were obvious. No one expected the experiment to be perfect, but they still hit the target in the end.
1260
1261“I thought we would need further adjustment, but we still managed to hit it.”
1262
1263“Isn’t that great? Ah, another hit.”
1264
1265The prototype fired more shots. There were some that missed, but the overall accuracy rate was 60%. After finishing, the prototype machine slowly retracted the Silhouette arms, which was the deployment movement in reverse. The Auxiliary arms folded, keeping the Silhouette arms vertically on its back.
1266
1267The testing objective was the deploy and retract functions, it would be enough if it could fire off shots, so the results were better than expected.
1268
1269“Oh… So, this is the back weapon… This thing might be more powerful than I imagined.”
1270
1271After witnessing the results, even the Boss was stroking his beard in praise. The students who were watching the prototype machine in action congratulated each other passionately. It was because the strand crystal tissue, back weapon and fire control system-- the light at the end of developing all these new functions could be seen. When the things they were after bore fruit, that’s the happiest moment for technicians.
1272
1273“... Why is everyone so moved?”
1274
1275The twins who were neither pilots nor craftsmen couldn’t understand why everybody was so touched. They seemed out of place amongst the joyous crowd of students. Hearing the doubts of Ady coming from above his head, Eru replied with a wry smile:
1276
1277“Because this is the first step towards a brand new type of Silhouette Knights. Because it is a path paved by their own hands, that’s why it brought so much joy.”
1278
1279Ady nimbly crossed her Silhouette Gear’s arms, and lifted her head after agonising over it for a moment:
1280
1281“Hmm-- I don’t really understand. But it’s great when you succeed!”
1282
1283“You are right, but, Ady…”
1284
1285Eru hugged his head, unsure of how to explain this to her clearly.
1286
1287As the maintenance students were immersed in the joy of their hard work bearing fruit, there was another group that stared at the prototype machine in another way.
1288
1289“Di, what do you think of its performance?”
1290
1291It was Edgar and Dietrich-- Silhouette Knight pilots. They looked at the result with much thought.
1292
1293“Hmm, let me think… First, we will be at a disadvantage at long distances. We have to use one arm to control the Silhouette arms, but the opponent could hold a shield. More importantly, it could even use a large shield with both hands to fight.”
1294
1295“That’s right, and it could use two Silhouette arms without taking risks. To make up for the gap when changing weapons, we would normally use one. It simply doubles the firepower. I don’t want to imagine getting into a firefight with it.”
1296
1297“Not bad, to be able to defeat your adversary more safely. Its functionality is great.”
1298
1299“You… It’s dependable in a fight against Demon beast, but we could be facing off against that too.”
1300
1301Edgar said and as Dietrich was about to refute, another voice interjected.
1302
1303“That’s right, how about I defeat you guys first?”
1304
1305The two turned their heads and saw the pilot of the prototype machine Helvi standing there. The experiment has ended as they were engrossed in their discussion.
1306
1307“I won’t say that that is impossible, but the machine is only half finished right?”
1308
1309“That might be so, but I confirmed all the main points during the test. It should be done really soon.”
1310
1311The layout had roughly been done, so it should be completed in no time. Helvi revealed a resolved smile and her eyes turned sharp.
1312
1313“If that is the case, don’t you think there are things that needs to be done? For example-- letting the strongest Knight of the faculty who survived the battle with the Behemoth test his might against this new opponent?”
1314
1315Edgar’s eyes widened. He, Helvi and Dietrich were all survivours of the Behemoth Incident, but each of them had a different view on the matter.
1316
1317“Eh, you are right; there will be a need to conduct a mock battle anyway… so, you are talking about me? But Helvi, aren’t you a survivor of that battle, too?”
1318
1319“Just barely, it was a coincident that I survived. Because that ‘boy’ made it in time.”
1320
1321“Do you feel any regrets about this?”
1322
1323“Regret over what? I can’t thank him enough for that. I should say… I am curious about the machine made by that boy.”
1324
1325They watched the prototype machine that was being ferried at the same time.
1326
1327“I had taken part from the very start, so I know very well. If I pilot this ‘child’ with its new power, even I could beat you.”
1328
1329“...How scary.”
1330
1331Edgar didn’t look afraid at all, just a bit troubled. Helvi sighed softly.
1332
1333“That’s why, after this is done… Maybe I can fight that giant monster to the very last moment too.”
1334
1335“Helvi… Is that the reason why you took on the job of the test pilot?”
1336
1337“Nah, I just felt that it’s a good thing for Silhouette Knights to get stronger. We will have an easier time fighting Demon beasts after all.”
1338
1339Seeing Helvi smiling cheerfully as usual, Edgar felt that she was dodging the question.
1340
1341“Wash your neck and wait for me, Edgar. I will give you a good beating.”
1342
1343Edgar sighed softly, seeing Helvi who was waving her hand. Dietrich patted his shoulder.
1344
1345“I envy you, Edgar; the first one to fight the new model.”
1346
1347“Want to trade places with me? I’m serious.”
1348
1349“If you reject her challenge, she will hate you, right? And, of course, I will use your battle as a reference.”
1350
1351Even though Edgar was a little unwilling, he couldn’t hide his curiosity and his determination to win. The two contradictory feelings made Edgar show a complicated expression.
1352
1353After completing the structure of the strand crystal tissue that was the hardest to make, the rest of the work proceeded smoothly. The workers followed the plan and completed the movement test with armour on, and experiments like deploying the back weapons while moving and firing the weapon while moving. They gradually completed each phase. One month after the walking test, they finally moved from the prototype stage to the official naming stage. The prototype machine used for technical tests was dubbed ‘Tellestarle’-- named after the machine it was modified from.
1354
1355Tellestarle showed itself slowly from the darkness of the workshop. Its appearance was not much different from the other student machines. As there would be further customisation in the future, it looked unrefined compared to the other machines. Only the two Silhouette arms on its back emphasised its difference from the current models. Tellestarle walked towards the training ground-- its movement smoother compared to the test back then, but it still felt a bit unnatural.
1356
1357Making its way through the training ground gate, it found another Silhouette Knight waiting there. The Knight ‘Earlecumber’ which was covered in white armour-- It had a simpler appearance compared to Tellestarle, equipped with the standard sword and shield. But it was controlled by the pilot recognised as the strongest within the pilot faculty-- Edgar.
1358
1359“Okay, Helvi seems to be ready. Let’s begin then, the mock battle between Tellestarle and Earlecumber!! Show us the result of the movement test!”
1360
1361The pilot faculty students who came in droves to watch the battle cheered after hearing the opening speech. The mock battle of the new model against the current strongest machine was a highly anticipated fight.
1362
1363Helvi stared at the image of Earlecumber displayed on the holo monitor, focusing herself in the pilot seat of Tellestarle. No matter how powerful the new model Tellestarle was, she couldn’t let her guard down. Edgar and Earlecumber fought that Behemoth directly after all. Even though he didn’t defeat the Behemoth, he was still a tough warrior who fought on the frontlines until the very last moment.
1364
1365On the other hand, she and her partner ‘Trandorches’ lost. Just like she said, it was just a coincidence that she didn’t die. Trandorches and Earlecumber were machines made by students, so their performance was about the same. That meant it was the result of the difference in the skills of the pilots.
1366
1367But, what about Tellestarle? It might be an untamed horse that was hard to control, but it had limitless potential. As the test pilot, Helvi had been with it all the way since its engine moaned for the first time, so she knew it very well.
1368
1369More importantly-- She looked around the cockpit. The joystick she had gotten used to, the display metre that was revamped but was still familiar. The seat that fit her just felt familiar to her. Speaking of which, Tellestarle was built from the wreckage of the Behemoth incident and modified by students. This machine was constructed from the base of her half destroyed machine (Trandorches). Naturally, there were structural differences between the two machines and less than twenty percent of the original parts were left. Even so, this machine was still the partner she knew for so long.
1370
1371“We can fight together again… alright, we are going, Tellestarle!!”
1372
1373She stepped on the pedal hard and shouted the name of her partner that was bestowed with new life. The machine responded energetically, leading her back to the battlefield.
1374
1375
1376
1377
1378
1379Chapter 12: Let’s have a mock duel
1380
1381
1382
1383
1384
1385On the training ground of the Laihiala Pilot Academy, two giants faced each other with swords in hand. The iron armour reflected a dull gleam and the sound from the friction of the crystal tissue reverberated in the entire field.
1386
1387What follows next would be a mock duel, which is part of training and testing. But for the two pilots riding in the strongest weapon of humanity, this was definitely a battle. The atmosphere wasn’t relaxing at all, as the pilots are burning with fighting spirit in the gradually rising tension.
1388
1389“Okay, are you ready? We will be having a duel next!! Both of you have to adhere to the rules of a mock duel. Bow! Ready!... Begin!!”
1390
1391With the cue of the referee’s command, the two iron giants charged out with a roar.
1392
1393Basically, a battle between Silhouette Knights starts with firing off Silhouette arms. When they close the gap, they would switch to melee weapons. Because the Silhouette arms were dependent on the emblem graft engraved on them, they were structurally weak and would be destroyed easily in melee combat, depriving the pilot of the means to attack.
1394
1395Edgar had seen Tellestarle’s back weapon in action. Using two Silhouette arms at the same time and attacking from a distance was a big threat. That was why Edgar wanted to do away with the long distance battle and moved into a melee battle immediately.
1396
1397But contrary to his expectation, Tellestarle moved forward immediately after the battle started, gradually closing the distance.
1398
1399What is she thinking? Doesn’t she want to use the advantage of a ranged attack? But that suits me just fine!
1400
1401Earlecumber took a strong step forward, wanting to give it a headstart on the slash. But as he was swinging his sword, Edgar realised he misjudged the functionality of the back weapon.
1402
1403As the two machines were about to collide, Tellestarle suddenly deployed the Silhouette arms onto its shoulders. Helvi, who was looking at the reticle displaying before her in the cockpit smiled as her plan worked.
1404
1405“I will use this in place of a greeting. The ability to shoot magic rounds even at close distance— the real value of the back weapon!”
1406
1407The dual Silhouette arms on Tellestarle’s back fired off simultaneously. Even the tough Earlecumber couldn’t evade the attack at such a close distance. Its shield blocked one of the shots; the other hit the right shoulder which wasn’t covered by the shield. The training shot wasn’t strong enough to blow the right arm off, but Earlecumber still lost its balance and its advantage in pressing the attack.
1408
1409“That’s not all!”
1410
1411Tellestarle swung its blade as it retracted its Silhouette arms. Using the momentum, it attacked the unbalanced adversary. The movements were rough, but it was more terrifying than a half assed attack.
1412
1413Edgar didn’t resist the falling motion. He spun to the right and pushed out the shield on its left arm to block Tellestarle’s blow. Earlecumber managed to defend the attack, but was almost sent flying as it staggered backwards. Earlecumber was in such an awkward position because it was unbalanced, and also because of the power behind Tellestarle’s strike.
1414
1415“....!! What terrifying strength, so this is the power of the strand crystal tissue!?”
1416
1417Edgar groaned and leaped backwards to pull away. The back weapon could attack from unexpected angles, and the strand crystal tissue displayed overwhelming strength. Edgar repositioned himself as he threw away all the known tactics of dueling.
1418
1419“Eh, really, I am getting used to abandoning common sense, how unpleasant!”
1420
1421The holo monitor showed that Tellestarle had started to advance, coming after Earlecumber. It had given up the idea of a surprise attack, deploying its Silhouette arms onto its shoulders as it forged ahead.
1422
1423“But I won’t back down so easily!!”
1424
1425Simple back and forth movement will just make Earlecumber the target of magic shots. Earlecumber started moving sidewards, escaping out of Tellestarle’s attack range.
1426
1427A heated battle started from the very beginning, which pumped up the audience in the training ground. Cheers erupted every time the iron giants crossed swords. Unlike the audience immersed in the heat of the battle, the maintenance students analysed the battle in low voices.
1428
1429“As expected of Edgar, most pilots would have fallen from the first attack.”
1430
1431“Helvi-senpai is piloting really smoothly.”
1432
1433“Being the test pilot wasn’t just for show.”
1434
1435The ones conversing were Eru and the Boss. For these two, Tellestarle moving in a situation close to actual battle was as valuable as gold. They observed carefully, analysing their every move.
1436
1437The two machines clashed right in their field of vision. They thought the machines would struggle for quite a while with swords, but Tellestarle had an advantage in power, pushing Earlecumber’s sword back; but Earlecumber wasn’t a pushover either, pulling away from Tellestarle as if he had expected it, not letting Tellestarle gain the upper hand.
1438
1439“Helvi seems to be relying heavily on the ‘power’ advantage.”
1440
1441“The difference in power output is significant after all. I think this is the best way to gain the upper hand. To be honest, the controls have not been optimised yet, so she will lose if she relies on delicate controls to fight.”
1442
1443The Boss accepted Eru’s commentary. Tellestarle had overwhelming energy and excellent explosive power. But as the control system had not been calibrated perfectly, it couldn’t perform delicate movements, and could only attack with crude steps. Edgar could see this and didn’t take the hit head on. Even so, Tellestarle, who could attack with the sword and back weapon simultaneously had the upper hand.
1444
1445“How dangerous! I have to stop the Silhouette arms, it's too powerful!!”
1446
1447Edgar, who was trapped, analysed the situation calmly. His opponent, Helvi, had grasped the feature of Tellestarle, and used the most effective ways to attack, to cover its weakness. Even though Edgar had noticed that the movement of Tellestarle wasn’t polished, but he couldn’t take advantage of it. If this was a fight between normal Silhouette Knights, Edgar would be about to lure the opponent to attack and counter. But it's another matter when battling Tellestarle.
1448
1449The most crucial factor was the back weapon resulting in the difference in means of attack. The opponent could attack and restrain Edgar’s movement with unexpected timed attacks. He had less ways to attack, and will lose in terms of strength in a wrestle. It had nothing to do with skill; that’s how big the difference in machine performance was.
1450
1451The students watching knew that Earlecumber didn’t mess up or was giving a handicap. Hence, even though its movement was still crude, the new model that was overwhelming the strongest man in the faculty brought the excitement of the crowd to the boiling point.
1452
1453Earlecumber was gradually forced into a corner. If he doesn’t take a gamble and take out the back weapon, Edgar will definitely lose.
1454
1455“I don’t like gambling… but it would be pointless if I lose without trying anything.”
1456
1457Seeing Earlecumber in her holo monitor stopping, Helvi mumbled:
1458
1459“... He is getting impatient. Edgar wants to bet everything on the next attack.”
1460
1461Helvi knew her skills were not at his level, so she had to fight by relying on the performance of the machine. It was easy for Helvi to guess Edgar’s objective.
1462
1463“He can’t make up for the power output of the strand crystal tissue… he is probably aiming for the back weapon.”
1464
1465If Edgar takes the back weapon out, no matter how vast the gap in the power output was, he had a chance to aim for the weak point with precision and turn the situation around with his skills. Because both pilots knew this, the main objective of the upcoming scrimmage was decided.
1466
1467The two machines pointed their swords at each other and stopped moving. The silence after the heated exchange was like a tightened string, and the tension grew with it. Before they realised, the audience had turned quiet, waiting for the end of the battle with bated breath.
1468
1469The sharp sound of intake of air was suddenly heard, it was Earlecumber revving the ether reactor at full power. That sound was akin to the battle cry of the Silhouette Knights, and the tensed situation changed— Earlecumber charged. Out of all his choices, Edgar chose a direct assault. The iron Knight dashed with heavy steps which almost shattered the stone paved ground.
1470
1471“Going head on in such a situation, that’s just like you! Good, I will do my best too!!”
1472
1473No matter how wide the power difference was, if its momentum doesn’t match her opponent, Tellestarle won’t be able to take the hit. That’s why Helvi ordered Tellestarle to advance too. The scene of both machines clashing with a charge was reminiscence of the opening of the battle.
1474
1475Tellestarle used the attack which was to her advantage, the two Silhouette arms on her shoulders fired at Earlecumber. Earlecumber used its shield to defend while swinging its sword to deflect the shot. The sword mastery capable of deflecting magic shots was commendable, but swinging his sword right before clashing with the enemy meant giving up the chance to attack. Even the audience could tell. Tellestarle closed in on Earlecumber at this moment and was about to give a mighty blow. Everyone, including Helvi, thought that this ending was a letdown when Edgar, who took the initiative to attack, is being cut down like that.
1476
1477Of course, Edgar didn’t swing his sword because of carelessness. He had decided to use the sword for defense right from the start. Gripping the crucial shield, it moved its fist near its shoulder to secure its hold. Earlecumber lowered its posture and threw the left side of its body forward.
1478
1479“... What!? Shield bash!! He wants to clash head on!?”
1480
1481Helvi sensed Earlecumber’s intention at the last moment and kept her sword. She would be at a disadvantage if she used her sword against Earlecumber’s shield.
1482
1483Edgar’s plan was simple, even if his means of attack and pure power output loses to his adversary; Earlecumber still had an advantage over his opponent, which is ‘weight’. He used speed to make up for the difference in power and charged at Tellestarle like a bullet.
1484
1485Piloting skills aside, Tellestarle had the advantage in terms of strength— Helvi had absolute confidence in this and decided to take the attack head on. When she discovered Edgar’s motives, it was too late for Tellestarle to dodge. She had already started to accelerate, and had to take the same actions.
1486
1487Tellestarle raised its shield and the two Silhouette Knights collided shortly after.
1488
1489At that moment, the loud bang of the collision reverberated through the entire training ground. The shields taking the full brunt of the impact deformed, splitting the two machines to the side on offense and defence.
1490
1491Helvi, who hesitated because of the unexpected attack and Edgar, who was aiming to clash from the very beginning— His objective was to enter the melee range, that’s why he threw himself into this attack. Earlecumber didn’t forego the chance it gained after its heavy sacrifice, lifting its right arm which was still mobile, and stabbing into the Silhouette arms on Tellestarle’s shoulders.
1492
1493“You are good!! But I won’t fall for that again!!”
1494
1495Earlecumber’s left arm was heavily damaged and couldn’t move freely. But surprisingly, Tellestarle’s left arm was still working after that collision. The strand crystal tissue was damaged, but still showed its strength, pushing Earlecumber easily.
1496
1497“What!? Not just the power, even the toughness was enhanced!? But I can’t miss this opportunity…”
1498
1499“Just a bit more!! Tellestarle!!”
1500
1501Earlecumber’s quick attack went over its opponent’s shoulder, destroying the Silhouette arms. But that’s the limit of his all out counterattack. Tellestarle’s seemingly endless strength pressed back at Earlecumber, pushing Earlecumber, who was in an unstable position due to the previous attack staggering backwards.
1502
1503“Ugh! Did I push it too much?!”
1504
1505“I got this! Edgar-!!”
1506
1507Tellestarle charged at Earlecumber mightily. The off balanced Earlecumber couldn’t evade the attack, its wounded left hand was unable to lift its shield. Tellestarle raised its sword high, and was about to hack at the helpless Earlecumber—
1508
1509
1510
1511
1512
1513But the sword didn’t fall, and Tellestarle knelt onto the ground.
1514
1515It was hard to described the atmosphere in the training ground, maybe ‘dumbfounded’ and ‘stunned’ would be appropriate. Why did Tellestarle, which was about to deliver the final blow kneel down? Just by looking at the stunned reaction of Earlecumber, it was easy to tell this wasn’t the result of Earlecumber’s timely counterattack. No one expected this result just as the match was about to be decided at the very climax. No one knew how to react to this finale, and the entire training ground was shrouded in silence.
1516
1517“...Ah! The mana had been exhausted!”
1518
1519The shout of Eru, who figured it out echoed through the silent training ground.
1520
1521“Well then, time for the maintenance department’s first after action review.”
1522
1523Eru announced the start of the meeting with a serious expression. Inside the workshop, Eru, the Boss and their merry friends were all gathered here, everyone had an awkward expression. Even Eru who always does as he pleased looked distracted— he hesitated a moment and peeked at the reason of the awkwardness. What he saw was Helvi, who was squatting gloomily in a corner of the workshop.
1524
1525The kanji ‘awkward’ could almost be seen coming out of her body. It wasn’t her fault, but ending it so abruptly after such a stellar performance, she would rather be defeated in battle. It’s no wonder she was sulking.
1526
1527It was within their expectations for the prototype to have flaws, but it picked an awkward time to act up— That’s how one would frankly describe the feelings of the audience. No, the problem only surfaced because of their fierce fight before the conclusion of the battle. But these facts couldn’t console Helvi.
1528
1529“Ed, Edgar-senpai, could you please cheer Helvi-senpai up…”
1530
1531“Hey, why me!? Ugh, ahh, I will do my best…”
1532
1533Eru, who couldn’t stand it any longer forcefully pushed Edgar to Helvi’s side. After seeing him go with a selfless expression, Eru turned his head back refreshingly.
1534
1535“Phew, that should do. Let’s think about tackling the new problem that surfaced.”
1536
1537“Don’t die, Edgar… Well, the problem is obvious. The greater the output, the bigger the consumption rate, it’s very logical.”
1538
1539Everyone looked at Tellestarle which was placed on the maintenance platform and thought hard. Using strand crystal tissue to increase the power output led to a higher mana usage rate, depleting the mana reserves at a faster pace.
1540
1541With the Silhouette arms being easier to use, the mana consumption rate was higher than expected. On the other hand, the amount of crystal tissue didn’t rise by much after implementing the strand crystal tissue method, so the mana reserves only increased slightly. This resulted in the flaw of shorter operational time for Tellestarle. The timing of this problem was bad, but it made sense when you think about it.
1542
1543“Considering all these factors, the operational time is about half of a normal machine… This is very bad, right?”
1544
1545“The worst. It could be considered a fatal flaw…”
1546
1547The point of emphasis for this modification was the increase in power output, installing Silhouette arms and aiming functions and such. Anyway, they were all things that consume mana, so the imbalance of the modification rose to the surface. After years of tweaking, the Silhouette Knights were designed to store as much mana as possible, but it also meant the design couldn’t be changed easily.
1548
1549That might be so, but sitting here sighing wouldn’t help either. In order to not let Helvi’s honourable sacrifice go to waste, they had to think of something to overcome that flaw.
1550
1551“The main point is that the mana supply couldn’t keep up with the consumption rate… But it’s difficult to modify the source— the ether reactor. Or rather, it’s impossible.”
1552
1553Even Eru couldn’t do anything about the mysterious reactor. His words made the students around him relax secretly. If Eru could customise that too, they would have all fallen over in shock.
1554
1555“What about lowering the output? But, even so, it wouldn’t change the fact that the structure burns a lot of mana… and lowering the output would be putting the horse before the cart.”
1556
1557“Another way would be increasing the mana storage capacity… How is the capacity increased?”
1558
1559“Simply put, by increasing the amount of crystal tissue.”
1560
1561“Can’t we do that, then?”
1562
1563“If we increase the crystal tissue, the consumption rate would increase too.”
1564
1565There would be no end to this.
1566
1567“The strand crystal tissue has an intangible flaw. The amount of tissue didn’t increase much, that’s why the power output and capacity is unbalanced.”
1568
1569This serious issue gave everyone a headache; this wasn’t something that could be resolved easily. But hope came from an unexpected source.
1570
1571“How about using your idea?”
1572
1573As everyone was silent in thought— Ady who didn’t say anything spoke up. Hearing Ady, who was usually quiet during conference voice her opinion, Eru asked:
1574
1575“My idea?”
1576
1577“That’s right, ‘it’s fine even if the appearance is not human’! We can increase the tissues, but we don’t need to stick with the human form, right?”
1578
1579“It’s fine… even if it’s not human… I get it. Correct, you are correct.”
1580
1581For her, this was just repeating something Eru said. But the one who said it was surprised with his eyes widening, and he slowly squinted his eyes.
1582
1583“Ugh, you are correct, but for Ady to enlighten me… I can’t believe it.”
1584
1585“How mean!! Why—!?”
1586
1587The Boss ignored the raging Ady and Eru, who was being chased. Ady’s comment reminded the Boss too, and they came to the same conclusion. Being fine even if it’s not in the shape of a human, doesn’t mean you had to use a shape that was inhuman.
1588
1589“That’s it! Increasing the crystal tissue doesn’t mean it has to move. By connecting the silver nerves to it, and pushing it into excess space, it would be fine if we could increase the ‘mass’ of the crystal tissue!”
1590
1591“Ke! I said, I am sorry! Kah!... Sorry, I apologise… Alright?... Boss, we should maximise the space usage, so we shouldn’t use fibre form but sheets… I think it would be best to employ the form of a sheet.”
1592
1593Hearing Eru’s proposal, the Boss lifted his head.
1594
1595“Alright, it’s decided. Next would be negotiating with the alchemist faculty and asking for their help. I will go ahead and greet them, leave it to me!”
1596
1597After finding a solution to the critical issue, the air around the maintenance department relaxed. Eru was cracking his head, thinking of ways to soothe the piqued Ady.
1598
1599The iron giant made a squeaking sound as it stood up. It was ten metres tall, more than five times the height of the humans in the vicinity. The rough armour maintained its original metallic shine, reflecting a dull glow from the sunlight. The sound of its armour clanking grew louder as it moved.
1600
1601The giant moved its body to check its condition, and nodded at the person at its feet. When it had confirmed all the people in the vicinity had left, it started to move according to the instruction of the people around it.
1602
1603The crystal tissue covering the arms of the giant started to contract from the effects of mana. Its body tensed and lifted both arms with emphasis and shot its elbows to the side. It stretches its arms, shoulders and chest muscles, with both feet planted firmly on the ground —’front double bicep pose’. Next, it took a light step forward, and put down its arms. Its fists meeting before its abdomen. Leaning slightly forward, it used all its might to pump its arm and chest muscle— the position that brings out the best of power and beauty, ‘the most muscular pose’. The iron giant kept on changing its pose.
1604
1605“... What the hell is this… No, what experiment is this?”
1606
1607“Hmmm? According to the explanation, it seems to be testing for crystal tissue parts that aren’t used much.”
1608
1609“Who? Who set such an agenda?”
1610
1611Looking at the experiment devised by a certain silvered hair youth and the prototype that was concentrating on doing all sort of poses, Edgar complained with a dumb look. Helvi was the one who answered him.
1612
1613“Well, its fine if it is a proper experiment… Eh, is it fine? It’s fine, right?...”
1614
1615“Is that so? Forget about that. Is the testing for unit two going well?”
1616
1617“Yes. The pilot just changed shifts, but it is progressing smoothly.”
1618
1619Before Edgar was another Tellestarle named as unit two, which was doing another set of tests. Other than these two machines with exposed tissues, other Tellestarle could be seen doing all sorts of movement tests.
1620
1621The experiment ended with the great flaw of reduced operational time a few days ago, but new developments had started because of that mock battle. The flaw aside, because its discovery was too dramatic, it made everyone wonder if there were other critical flaws. That’s why experiments with repeated and large movements were set to filter out any more problems. Everyone agreed to the additional testing, but it couldn’t be done with just one Tellestarle, so they created more machines of similar models to deal with that. To do this, the maintenance team worked nonstop after the mock battle, and some were worried about the students being overworked to death.
1622
1623In the end, they created five Tellestarle. They weren’t piloted by a handful of Knight Runners, but by a team working in shifts to complete the list of experiments. Thanks to this, no major defects were discovered. They also made improvements during this time period, steadily improving the level to its perfection.
1624
1625Edgar and Helvi just happened to be both on break, and were chatting about how to adjust to the controls. Recently, they had been talking about the new models every now and then.
1626
1627“... We need to discuss this part with Ernesti, too. Hmm? That’s right; I haven’t seen him around lately.”
1628
1629Stopping his sentence halfway, Edgar remembered because of the name he brought up. They didn’t see Eru recently, which made Helvi troubled.
1630
1631“That boy should be watching the experiments here; you can’t even drag him away. What happened?”
1632
1633“... Did he run into some troubles…?”
1634
1635Edgar’s expression stiffened slightly and he looked up at the clear sky—
1636
1637“I’m not usually this free.”
1638
1639“Really? So, what’s so special about today?”
1640
1641Ady was hugging Eru and poked her head out from behind. Eru dodged her gaze with wandering eyes. Before them were the blue Silhouette armour and many other spare parts.
1642
1643When Edgar brought up Eru in campus, Eru and his friends were gathered at the Tymomen Workshop. The development of Tellestarle was proceeding well with the efforts of the high schoolers. With nothing major requiring his assisstance, Eru, who was ‘bored’ immersed himself in the development of ‘equipment for Silhouette gear’.
1644
1645“That’s right, we are busy; there are tons of things we need to test.”
1646
1647“You are that free, but you only play with Batson! You only train with Chid as an opponent and you don’t go out much, how boring.”
1648
1649This equipment was designed by Eru and made by Batson. The miniature armour was different from the Silhouette Knights. The challenge of making equipment for Silhouette gear spurred their desire for research. The passion of these two even made Ady, who was given the cold shoulder kick up a fuss. With Eru and Ady, who were playing casually at one side, Batson deftly opened the armour of the Silhouette gear to install the internal parts while Chid watched.
1650
1651“I’m fine with it though. But you had made so many. What is that?”
1652
1653“This is called ‘Wire Anchor’, ask Eru for a detailed explanation… As for its uses, see for yourself.”
1654
1655Although they made about ten ‘first generation’ Silhouette gears, it wasn’t utilised because of the difficulty in the controls. It had become Eru and the other’s toy— correction, training tool. Only Edgar or Dietrich would use them for training. With Eru’s permission, they would visit every now and then.
1656
1657“Oh yeah, Edgar-senpai was complaining a few days ago, saying it was harder to pilot after changing the crystal tissue into the strand type.”
1658
1659Of course, the strand crystal tissue had moved on to practical applications thanks to Tellestarle. It had greater strength, but the controls were also more difficult, even Edgar had to give up on that.
1660
1661“Anyway, it’s too pitiful to keep calling them ‘Silhouette gear’, it’s about time for an official name… right, how about Lucy Kimiko Akie Airi Shiori Rinne Yoshiho Ayano Tomika Chitose Sanae Mikiko Ichika!?”
1662
1663“Too long! Pick something shorter.”
1664
1665“Then, use the short version ‘Motor Beat’.”
1666
1667“Hey, the short version has nothing to do with the name you came up with earlier!!”
1668
1669“Motor beat… nice to meet you.”
1670
1671After greeting his own Motor beat, Chid’s face stiffened. Oh no, he might have been infected by Eru. He facepalmed himself and shook his head.
1672
1673“Well, since the name has been decided, time to show off the new equipment. Stop sulking Ady and help, alright?”
1674
1675Eru finally soothed Ady and got on the blue Motor beat made to his size. He walked towards the yard of the workshop and pointed the arm of Motor beat at the wall that was higher than the building, instead of the target boards.
1676
1677“Watch carefully… Wire anchor, fire!”
1678
1679The sound of a shot followed the cheerful shout, an arrow shaped projectile flew out from the wrist— wires were attached to the end of the arrow, which kept coming out from the wrist. The arrow defied gravity and went at full speed towards the top of the workshop, and went over the roof at a sharp corner. The internal mechanism activated, turning the arrow into the shape of an anchor. Eru pulled on the wire to check if the anchor was secure.
1680
1681“It’s stable, next would be… take off!”
1682
1683The gears inside Motor beat’s arm made churning noises. Motor beat was pulled by the wire that was secured and he started running towards the wall and leaped. After ‘landing’ on the wall, it took several steps and ran up to the roof. After twisting in the air, the motor beat used air suspension magic to cushion its landing, stopping on the roof top gently.
1684
1685Eru commanded the Motor beat to stand up slowly, focusing his script and mana on the arrow that was still embedded in the roof. The wire attached to the anchor contained silver nerves, and the script was sent to the crystal tissue installed in the anchor. The deployed anchor changed its shape, returning into its arrow form and was stored in its arm.
1686
1687The arrow head was propelled by the crystal tissue built into it, using aero thrust intermittently to move. By controlling the direction of the propulsion, it could even change its flight path to a certain degree.
1688
1689“Amazing, gear…. no, Motor beat got up onto the roof in no time.”
1690
1691Ady and the others, who saw the entire process lifted their heads and watched. Even with their physical boost spell, climbing to the top of buildings while wearing armour was a tedious task. And, Eru managed to do that while wearing Motor beat which was even bigger. It was something that amazed them.
1692
1693“Oh— it went well this time, Eru.”
1694
1695“I had fallen so many times before! Let’s try the next one!”
1696
1697“Ah, so it will fail sometimes… Eh, so you want to bring ‘that’ here?”
1698
1699Eru jumped off the roof. Even Motor beat would be in trouble if it fell from such a height. It decelerated using air compression on the way down, and used air suspension to absorb the impact, kicking up a cloud of dust. Once it landed, Chid and Ady started dragging something out of the workshop.
1700
1701They were holding different items. Chid was holding a giant bow, built mainly from wood and reinforced with steel. Behind the bow was a mechanism with gears. Chid looked at the thing he brought out and said:
1702
1703“Eh, this crossbow is too big… is this a siege weapon?”
1704
1705“You are right. To be precise, it is the mini version of a ballista.”
1706
1707As Eru had described, that bow was large even in the hands of the Motor beat. It would be too heavy to operate without the Motor beat.
1708
1709“Why would you want something this big… Ah— I see. You want to use the Motor beat to operate the ballista.”
1710
1711“Not only that… Ady? Did you bring the ‘magazine’? Please put it in.”
1712
1713Inside the cart pushed over by Ady were several box-like items known as magazines. It was as thick enough for a man’s torso, and would protrude out even when held by a Motor beat.
1714
1715“Simply put, this uses strand crystal tissue on the bow string and loading mechanism, a weapon known as ‘Mobile Ballista’. By controlling the crystal tissue, you can shoot out the bolts freely.”
1716
1717“I see. What about this magazine?”
1718
1719“There are bolts in there and they would move whenever the bowstring was retracted, reloading after shooting out one bolt. As for the next part, it would be quicker to just show you.”
1720
1721Chid followed Eru’s instructions; inserting the magazine into the front and centre part of the ballista. The catch clicked, securing the magazine in place.
1722
1723After confirming that the magazine has been secured, Ady started transmitting script and mana to the ballista. The strand crystal tissue stretched to the limit, making the unique sound of crystal tissue being pulled. The gear connected to the pulling motion loaded a bolt onto the grove of the ballista. The next control was special: Since the crystal tissue is the bowstring, there wasn’t any mechanism like a trigger. Chid could control the crystal tissue directly in order to fire the bolts.
1724
1725Chid commanded the crystal tissue that had been stretched to the limit to retract. The bolt flew out with a mighty sound. As Chid was aiming from a close distance, the arrow pierced the wooden target dead on. This bolt was shorter and thicker when compared to its bow. It might be relatively short, but since it was fired from a (mini) ballista, it was closer to a spear with fletching rather than an arrow. Utilising the power of the strand crystal tissue to its limit, while the bolts fired from the ballista couldn’t match mainstream weapons, they were powerful enough. The result was the bolt piercing the wooden target and pulverising part of it.
1726
1727“...Eh, I don’t think we should fire this inside the city.”
1728
1729“It’s fine; there is a really thick earth wall behind the range. Unless you use Overt magic and focus at one point, you won’t be able to break through it.”
1730
1731Eru and Batson ignored Chid, who froze in place after firing it and chatted idly. Ady, who was hugging a magazine was looking at the bolt that demolished part of the target excitedly.
1732
1733“Oh right, by using the crystal tissue, you can fire repeatedly. Depending on proficiency, you can fire a shot every five seconds. A magazine has ten bolts, so it could be depleted in a minute.”
1734
1735“Phew! Is that so… let me try.”
1736
1737Chid raised the ballista timidly. Breathing out to calm his mind, he started firing continuously. The rhythm of the churning and the arrows flying through the air continued for a moment, the bolts hit the target one after another. The target fell apart after the fifth shot, so he shot the remaining bolts onto the wall.
1738
1739“A portable siege weapon that can be fired repeatedly, how frightening—”
1740
1741“But, it is portable after all, though it is heavy and hard to control. It’s put together with spare parts and has low accuracy, so it needs numbers to cover for its lack of precision.”
1742
1743“What do you want to do with this, Eru?”
1744
1745“... Don’t you think challenging the limits and creating new things is something amazing?”
1746
1747“You didn’t think about how to utilise this at all…”
1748
1749Chid’s questions made Eru avert his gaze and smile nonchalantly. And so, the Silhouette gear slowly turned into a terrifying weapon without anyone realising it.
1750
1751The movement tests of the prototype were about to finish when the alchemist faculty sent word that the ordered goods had been completed. Because the crystal tissue was in the form of a sheet, it was dubbed ‘sheet crystal tissue’. The new material was sent to the workshop one by one.
1752
1753Past research on crystal tissue focused on how to effectively increase output from the contraction of the tissue, mana storage was only seen as a secondary function. But with the development of the sheet crystal tissue as a catalyst, the alchemist had also started researching crystal tissue that are used primarily to store mana. Doing the research from a different angle renewed their motivation; they would definitely come up with a crystal tissue that has large mana capacity sooner or later.
1754
1755As for the prototypes that went through a long series of test, the results showed that there were no major defects except for the shortened operation period. The sheet crystal tissue became the last piece in the puzzle to make up for its flaw. In order to finish the project, the craftsmen started the modification project to increase the mana capacity of the Silhouette Knight.
1756
1757“Eh, we are full of drive, but this isn’t working.”
1758
1759Their original plan was to install the sheet crystal tissue into the space inside the armour. But, when they started researching it, they found the space to be smaller than expected. To avoid interfering with the crystal tissue used for movement, they couldn’t stuff the tissue into any space haphazardly.
1760
1761And, so, they removed all the armour, covered the machine with a layer of sheet crystal tissue, and replaced the armour, using multiple layers. This was done in order to not affect the tissues responsible for movement. Increasing the mass of the tissue meant increasing the mana storage. By extending the operation time, it would be a success. But the results weren’t as optimistic. The guys moaned at the sight of Tellestarle.
1762
1763“How fat, how lame…!!”
1764
1765Even if they put their sense of aesthetics aside, the multiple layer method posed many problems. It drastically increased the machine weight and lowered mobility, even the power of the strand crystal tissue couldn’t compensate for that. The thick armour interfered with movement, and the melee combat ability. The crystal tissue layer could increase defence as a secondary armour, but with the disadvantages outweighing its benefits, they rejected this method.
1766
1767“Too heavy! Let’s try to ‘slim’ him down.”
1768
1769The next thing they thought of was to limit the parts with multiple layers. Considering its detrimental effect on melee combat, only the armour that didn’t affect the movements of the joints were installed with multiple layers. This method won’t increase the weight by much, but the crucial mana reserves won’t improve much either.
1770
1771But the method of adding multiple layers was preserved, and was named ‘Capacity frame’.
1772
1773“This is the limit of adding crystal tissue into the inside…”
1774
1775“If we increase it anymore, it would affect the armour.”
1776
1777The only solution left was to install the sheet crystal tissue on the outside. In order to avoid the problem with weight, they didn’t even install armour, covering it with cloth and wires, which was just barely better than exposing it. After researching where humans could store extra weight, they decided on the back or the waist, with the back being the best fit. They thought so, too, but it created another problem.
1778
1779“Really, what a ‘stubborn machine’! Be more considerate!”
1780
1781They removed the back weapon to install the crystal tissue, but the result of a heavy mass on the back was shifting the centre of gravity backwards, affecting melee fighting ability and control. Silhouette Knights were built to fight; it would be bad if the pilots couldn’t control it properly. And, removing the back weapon would invalidate the existence of the new model. They had no choice but to explore other methods.
1782
1783“What the hell do we have to do?!”
1784
1785“Let’s do all we can and test everything out.”
1786
1787In the end, they decided to use the capacity frame and distributed the sheet crystal tissue on the outside. They added tissue that won’t affect the balance onto the back, and installed pockets of crystal tissue on the waist, too. They had to make adjustments to the equipment on the waist and were able to increase the mana capacity. They improved on its weak points, but there were still some problems with the operation period that remained.
1788
1789In the end, the Silhouette craftsmen gave up on solving all the problems at this current stage. With their technology, they needed heavy crystal tissues in order to ensure a sufficient supply of mana. Everyone agreed that they should wait for the alchemist to develop a new type of crystal tissue with large mana capacity, solving the problem at its roots.
1790
1791The modified Tellestarles were lined up in the workshop in standby mode. There were five of them with capacity frames, and had a more solid appearance compared to its earlier days. On its back and waist were pockets of sheet crystal tissue. It didn’t look like a mechanical customisation, giving it a feeling of being more human.
1792
1793“That’s it. It’s not perfect, but that’s the best we can manage! It’s complete!”
1794
1795The feeling of it being a rushed job couldn’t be waved off, but the craftsmen decided to change their thinking. The modification of the Tellestarle series was enough to cover its critical flaw, the highest level of completion they could hope for at the current stage. It wasn’t perfect, but these five machines still had the potential of being more powerful than the old Silhouette Knights, leading the way to a new generation of Silhouette Knights.
1796
1797Seeing them lined up like this, the maintenance department and the pilots finally saw the completion of an entire phase. Everyone had different reaction when they saw the Tellestarle series; some were immersed in a sense of accomplishment, some were glad to be free from work, and some were already thinking about ways to improve the models. But all of them had the same expression of making it through a tough challenge, basking in the pride and glory.
1798
1799The Boss had the same expression and turned to look at everyone, showing his teeth in a brilliant smile.
1800
1801“Good work, everyone! You have worked too hard!! We still have many problems to tackle, but let's celebrate the completion of these fellows! After finishing such a big project, I don’t need to tell you what we need to do next, right!?”
1802
1803Everyone lifted their hands and acknowledged the Boss loudly. They all came to a consensus, the entire pilot faculty held an overnight celebration party.
1804
1805That scene could only be described this way: When the sky was dim and the surroundings enveloped in darkness, the celebration party morphed into the Demon realm. By the way, Fremmevira law dictates that only adults (fifteen years old) could drink alcohol. Eru and his friends didn’t take part, and the party was exclusive to the entire pilot faculty.
1806
1807In the raving atmosphere with several people literally ‘flying’ into the air, one figure left silently. He blended into the noisy atmosphere and kept a low profile, leaving the celebration party which was a Demon realm in hasty steps and returned to his room in the dormitory.
1808
1809The sky was dark; a light was lit in a room in the silent dormitory. After returning to the room, he shook his giddy head, drinking water to wash away the alcohol. His roommate was probably still drinking in the workshop. He relaxed and took out a stack of paper from the drawer of his table. There was an organised report on it, stating technology related to Silhouette Knights— including the prototype machine and strand crystal tissue.
1810
1811He added details of the sheet crystal tissue and capacitive frame onto it. It wasn’t exhaustive, but it was enough for others to understand the gist of the prototype. As he felt his dizziness fade away, he felt satisfied with the content he wrote, and placed it back into the drawer.
1812
1813
1814
1815
1816
1817Chapter 13: What to do with the prototype machine
1818
1819
1820
1821
1822
1823Noticing that the shadow blocking the sun was beside his hand, Eru raised his head and looked at the sky outside his window. The clouds turning from white to grey slowly eroded the clear blue sky. He looked at the notebook before him, relaxing his stiff shoulders and overworked brain. His gaze turned to the skyline, watching the heavy grey clouds. The thin clouds would probably turn black soon. As Eru was thinking mindlessly about that―
1824
1825“Ernesti, don’t look around during class.”
1826
1827The voice pulled Eru, who was losing his focus back. Eru apologised obediently to the teacher who had a stiff expression and looked back at the blackboard. The teacher continued his lesson, and with the sound of chalk writing on the blackboard, the voice explaining the history of Fremmevira could be heard. His classmates glanced at him curiously, before turning their attention back to the content written on the blackboard.
1828
1829That was close; I shouldn’t relax no matter how tired I am. Let’s review my work…
1830
1831Eru looked at the notebook in his hand once again. It was a pity but as Eru’s classmates were listening to the lecture seriously, he was writing things that were unrelated to the lesson into his notebook. Specifically speaking, it had the sketches of strange Silhouette Knights, with legends marked at the side.
1832
1833Tellestarle is completed, which means the foundation has been laid. With this foundation, I have to prepare a surprise that will amaze the King… I have to start with the designs.
1834
1835Thinking about matters that were obviously unrelated to class, looking at the blackboard from time to time while writing down notes, Eru appeared no different than usual. A normal twelve year old wouldn’t have covered that up so perfectly. This was the result of experience― In a negative manner. No one suspected his attitude towards lessons, and the class carried on smoothly. No, there were some who had noticed.
1836
1837Hmm― the wire anchor seems fun. I will ask them to install it for me next time. He did say the controls were a hassle, but there must be a way.
1838
1839I will bring Eru to walk around and eat snacks, I’ve decided! All work and no play will make Eru a dull boy!
1840
1841The two of them got the attitude one should have in class wrong, but it wasn’t a big issue. By the way, although they are like this during lessons, they all had good grades for lessons outside of magic and physical training.
1842
1843The shadows from the clouds gradually became darker. The Boss who was taking a break under the shelter of the workshop looked at the sky and let out an irritated moan.
1844
1845“Sigh― it’s gonna rain.”
1846
1847“Shouldn’t we be glad that it didn’t rain during the testing for Tellestarle?”
1848
1849Edgar who was sitting beside the table answered absentmindedly. Dietrich who was sitting at the same table looked at his hand seriously, while Helvi watched the two of them with a smile.
1850
1851“It’s troublesome when it rains. There will be some endurance tests coming up soon. Ah, a pair, I’m going to win soon.”
1852
1853As she spoke, Helvi placed the card she picked and a card in her hand onto the table. There was a reason why they were playing cards. The students from the pilot faculty had hung on until the celebration party, but after that, most of the craftsmen collapsed from exhaustion and most of them took leave. The newly finished machines could not be activated without the maintenance staff, so the pilots had to kill time this way. The dwarf who was tough amongst the craftsmen― the Boss was still lively, but he couldn’t do much by himself.
1854
1855“The five Tellestarle are officially completed, but from the looks of things, I don’t know when the rest of the repairs will be done.”
1856
1857“Ah? There will be progress in the next few days. Right now, we are on vacation.”
1858
1859The Boss answered Edgar ambiguously. Helvi drew a card and discarded the last card in her hand, leaving Edgar and Dietrich to duke it out.
1860
1861“Oh, yeah. Boss, my Guyale is still in pieces right?”
1862
1863“Oh, that’s correct. Come again when we are open for business.”
1864
1865Dietrich suddenly thought of this question, and the Boss gave a casual reply. Since the craftsmen were short handed, it couldn’t be helped. Dietrich who lost to Edgar leaned onto the table weakly.
1866
1867“Anyway, Di, please help the winners buy some snacks.”
1868
1869“Yup, a cheap pie would do.”
1870
1871“I want to eat meat, so buy something with that.”
1872
1873“Well, okay. Wait… Hey Boss, you didn’t take part right!!”
1874
1875“Don’t be so petty, just treat it as a gesture of thanking me for all the times I took care of you.”
1876
1877Dietrich’s face alternated between green and white before resigning himself, dragging heavy footsteps towards the cafeteria. The three of them looked on with the ease of victors, seeing him off. When that gloomy back disappeared from view, the Boss thought of something.
1878
1879“It’s not worthy of compliments, but that fellow is easier to get along with now. Before this, he would keep yammering whenever he loses, and would definitely play cards with me.”
1880
1881The Boss smiled wryly, the smile under his beard was hard to see as usual. Dietrich’s neurotic and hard to please personality was famous among the maintenance department and the pilots. He was capable, but not someone easy to get along with. They had the chance to work with him often, so they had noticed that Dietrich had become rather low profile.
1882
1883“He changed after the Behemoth Incident. Dietrich has mostly changed for the better.”
1884
1885“By the way, he was the one most passionate about the Tellestarle experiments right?”
1886
1887Helvi recalled something related, too. Helvi, who took on the role of test pilot from the very start had the most experience, followed by Dietrich who started piloting Tellestarle after that. Edgar nodded with a surprised expression.
1888
1889“That’s right; maybe… it was because of Ernesti. Di was the only one who saw him pilot during that incident.”
1890
1891Edgar answered Helvi with a stern face. Edgar’s expression displayed his passion and commitment as a pilot. It might be a coincidence. It might just be by chance, but his friend had the opportunity to witness the skills capable of fighting against a battalion level Demon beast and it made him jealous; and his friend’s ability has obviously rised to a new level, which impressed Edgar. Edgar was a just person― although he might be too stubborn about it at times. Helvi, who knew him for quite some time understood that Edgar would work harder when he sees the people around him put in so much effort.
1892
1893“Hmm- that boy, huh. He is small and agile, if you don’t work hard, he will leave you in the dust.”
1894
1895The eyes under the slightly curled short hair squinted cheerfully, teasing Edgar. Edgar didn’t know how to respond and reverted back to his nonchalant smile.
1896
1897“I won’t be left behind so easily.”
1898
1899“Oh, now that you mentioned it, I have something to discuss with the silver boy.”
1900
1901The Boss suddenly clapped, and noticed the question on the faces of the other two.
1902
1903“Well, making a new model is all good, but I am thinking about what to do next.”
1904
1905“Repairing the rest of the machines on campus?”
1906
1907“I have permission from the dean, so there’s no hurry… but we can’t just abandon the new models after reaching this stage.”
1908
1909The Boss mumbled, his eyes looking at the evening sun. Edgar and Helvi gasped and looked at each other.
1910
1911With the bell ringing to signal the end of the lessons, stalls started appearing around Laihiala Pilot Academy. In no time, the students who were dashing out after school could be seen.
1912
1913“Hey, little miss, not bringing your armour along this time?”
1914
1915“Yes, we will be eating while walking like this today! Give me three pies!”
1916
1917“Alright! What fillings do you want?”
1918
1919“Let me think…”
1920
1921The last bit of blue was gone from the sky, which made the people watching it feel uneasy. Eru compared Ady, who was ordering her snacks with the stall owner cheerfully, with the weather. He thought it would be better if the weather had the same mood as Ady.
1922
1923“Don’t think about it too much, it will rain if you drag it for too long.”
1924
1925“You are right. But how should I put this, I feel that if we don’t accompany Ady more today, our relationship would turn bad.”
1926
1927“... Oh. Eh, let’s worry about that after it rains.”
1928
1929Ady turned around at this time with a smile on her face, and hot pies in her hands. Would it rain first or would she have shopped until she was satisfied― Eru was wondering about trivial things.
1930
1931After this, they visited a lot of stalls, and when they were almost full, they made a trip to the workshop. There was no special reason for this; they would just go there to see the strange sights from time to time.
1932
1933“... What are you doing?”
1934
1935“Eh? As you see, we are playing ‘Kuuklen’. Ara, David is a formidable opponent.”
1936
1937Under the shelter of the workshop, the dean of Laihiala Pilot Academy was playing a board game similar to chess on earth with the Boss. Lauri had the overwhelming advantage in the board, and seemed to be bullying the Boss, pushing him close to defeat.
1938
1939“I am out of ideas on how to turn this around… could you go easier on me?”
1940
1941“Kekeke, as an educator, I can’t go easy on you right?”
1942
1943“This is just a game…”
1944
1945Unlike the smiling Lauri, Boss’s face looked ready to crumble if he wasn’t supporting it with his hand. He was unwilling to admit defeat, but also had a look of resignation, knocking the chess board with an extra chess piece.
1946
1947“No, playing games is fine. I am just curious why grandfather is here.”
1948
1949“Eh? That’s right; there was something I want to discuss with you and David. I wanted to call you to the Dean’s office, but I figured you all might be here.”
1950
1951Eru didn’t imagine that his grandfather’s thinking was so haphazard and almost fell down. After ravaging the Boss, pushing him and checking him on the chessboard, Lauri was finally satisfied and ready to speak. The Boss, who was treated as a means to kill time sighed, not bothered by this small matter.
1952
1953“The things I wanted to discuss with the both of you is no other than the new models. David seemed troubled by it, too… It is regarding what to do with the new models in the future.”
1954
1955Eru and the others took a seat, feeling surprised by this sudden topic.
1956
1957“Frankly speaking, I was only expecting slight improvements. I was wondering what it took so long, and the results in the end were beyond my imagination.”
1958
1959“Because this is truly a new model machine.”
1960
1961Eru’s cheerful answer made Lauri’s shoulders droop.
1962
1963“I didn’t expect you to create something out of nothing. To progress to this stage, are you planning to present it to His Majesty?”
1964
1965Lauri’s words didn’t feel like a question, and seemed more like requesting confirmation. Because for him, the new model with the improved performance compared to the old models was more than enough to fulfil the king’s request for the ‘best machine’. Reporting the new model to the King and receiving his well deserved rewards was the natural progression of things. But things went contrary to his expectation as Eru shook his head firmly.
1966
1967“Oh? I thought that’s why you were working so hard for… is that wrong?”
1968
1969Lauri’s eyes widened from surprise, he then turned his head to glance at Tellestarle.
1970
1971“I have something else to show His Majesty… I am thinking about something that would let His Majesty acknowledge that promise. Since his majesty requested for ‘the best’, I have to give it my all, too.”
1972
1973“You are not giving it your all yet!?”
1974
1975Listening to Eru’s firm statement, the Boss, who was shocked, almost knocked the chair over and retorted. No one imagined Eru’s series of action that defied common sense was just the beginning, which was outside of Lauri’s and the Boss’s expectations.
1976
1977“Yes, Tellestarle is the foundation… after stabilising the foundation; I want to construct a grand castle on top of it. That should give His Majesty the shock of his life.”
1978
1979“I think we will die from shock before that.”
1980
1981“And the boy only knows how to tell the truth, that’s the scary part…”
1982
1983Lauri changed from surprise and amazement to resignation. He wasn’t the only one; everyone else felt the same way. Lauri took a deep breath to change his thoughts, grunting as he crossed his arms.
1984
1985“Since Eru said so, this matter is settled. But anyway, since we completed the new model, we have the obligation to report it to the nation.”
1986
1987“That is natural. So in the end, we will still be reporting it to His Majesty?”
1988
1989Lauri gave a negative response to Eru’s query.
1990
1991“His Majesty is also busy with work. He might have made a promise with you personally, but we can’t settle this so casually. We will probably need to go through the proper channels.”
1992
1993“The proper channels… you mean the NTR Lab…”
1994
1995National Technological Robotics Laboratory, and known to the public as ‘NTR Lab’. As its name implies, it was an organisation that manages the development of Silhouette Knight technology. From major projects such as development of new machines to minor details like improvement maintenance techniques, all things related to Silhouette Knights were handled by them, and communicated to the rest of the nation. The academy took part in technical enhancement before, so the Boss with his background as a craftsman was familiar with this organisation.
1996
1997“Eh,... that might be so, but there are problems with bringing the whole thing there.”
1998
1999“Hmm? Grandpa Lauri, what’s the problem? This thing is strong right? If we start making a bunch of Tellestarle, the Knights would have it easier and the city would be peaceful. To improve to such an extent, the important people would be happy, too, right?”
2000
2001Chid, who interrupted with questions tilted his head in confusion. What he said wasn’t wrong, promoting strong Silhouette Knights was an effective way of guaranteeing the Kingdom’s security. While they were discussing this, a large Demon beast larger than duel level was attacking the Kingdom somewhere, and Silhouette Knights were suppressing them. Silhouette Knights turning stronger meant shortening the time to defeat Demon beasts, which would reduce the level of damage. For the Kingdom of Fremmevira, which was equivalent to the frontline of the battle against Demon beasts, this had priority over anything else. Why would reporting the construction of Tellestarle to the authorities be anything to worry about? Lauri’s smile had a hint of bitterness as he answered:
2002
2003“It can be done… but making Silhouette Knights require a fixed process. It starts with accumulating small improvements, and a few engineers would use this as the foundation and apply them to the final product. Silhouette Knights are strengthened by repeating this process.”
2004
2005Constructing new Silhouette Knights were the responsibilities of the NTR Lab, and in terms of scale, only the NTR Lab was capable of doing that. Lauri remembered this part and continued:
2006
2007“Developing new Silhouette Knights is a national level project; I never imagined we could make an entire new model with the facilities on campus. Well, an idea that could revolutionise doesn’t come along that easily…”
2008
2009Eru and the Boss looked towards the distance, as if they were avoiding Lauri’s eyes. Both of them remembered doing crazy things in order to complete the machine they wanted.
2010
2011“Eh, that’s it, the problem is that the suggestions we submitted are usually minor, and there are no precedents for submitting an entire new model. If we suddenly show up with a new machine, we won’t know how they would handle it.”
2012
2013When Lauri saw Eru’s smiling face, who was ready for battle, Lauri sighed softly.
2014
2015“Grandpa, what’s done is done, sighing over it is useless. Now is the time for us to grab hold of our happiness and take a step towards the future.”
2016
2017“Well said. Those who have the knowledge and don’t apply it are not engineers. We will handle the things in the future when the time comes!”
2018
2019“You two are really confident about this...”
2020
2021Seeing Eru and the Boss squeezing out a smile with folded arms, Lauri felt he was a step away from reaching enlightenment.
2022
2023It might seem like a joke to outsiders, but they weren’t taking it lightly. The Boss changed his pose and started speaking.
2024
2025“Also, applying new technology in practical use is the pride of craftsmen. We would get rewards which would fatten our wallets, too. The fastest way would be to pilot Tellestarle to see the King, but regrettably, there is still one problem.”
2026
2027The Boss jokingly gestured with his hands and continued:
2028
2029“The completion of Tellestarle involved a lot of people, about half the students in the pilot faculty took part. The rewards for completing the new model must be significant, but wouldn’t it be chaotic if we had to divide it with everyone who took part?”
2030
2031The Boss had a valid point. Providing new technology to NTR Lab would be compensated with monetary rewards, and that would naturally be divided among the ones who help develop it. As the Boss said, many people were involved in the construction of Tellestarle. They included the proposer Eru, the craftsmen doing the assembly and the test pilots. Even the alchemist who developed new materials; it was quite a number. But in reality, it's impossible to ascertain how much each individual contributed. Not just the way to report about Tellestarle, just the mountain of problems was enough to make you give up.
2032
2033“Can I say something? I have an idea…”
2034
2035Breaking the tense atmosphere, Edgar raised his hand slightly. Lauri, who was preparing to leave ignored the two who were clapping to ‘welcome’ the hero, going into dean mode once again.
2036
2037“Yes, no matter what opinion you have, do tell.”
2038
2039“Pardon me. Leaving the way to handle the aftermath aside, Tellestarle is not complete yet, but its performance is still better than the current model. By spreading knowledge of the prototype out, it would definitely benefit the national security greatly. Anyway, it would definitely be conveyed to the administration… Is that correct?”
2040
2041“Yes, that is true.”
2042
2043Everyone present expressed their agreement. No one thought about making the new model exclusive to the academy. After confirming this point, Edgar lowered his eyes to organise his thoughts.
2044
2045“... So… There is definitely a problem with the rewards, but we need to consider the matter of handing Tellestarle over. No, I’m not talking about the way to do it; I just think the matter would not be over so easily.”
2046
2047“Anything wrong?”
2048
2049“Think about the situation when Ernesti first made the proposal, Boss. We are used to it, but the technology behind the construction of Tellestarle is unusual.”
2050
2051After hearing this, everyone remembered this fact that was almost forgotten and quietened in enlightenment. If Eru didn’t explain to them directly, they probably wouldn’t believe in this technology. There was one thing they kept forgetting after seeing Tellestarle’s performance: it was still an abnormality in this world. The Boss, who remembered this point clapped his hands together and said:
2052
2053“Yah, that’s right, everyone was wondering if the boy had gone insane.”
2054
2055“So, you did doubt me…”
2056
2057After everyone understood that, Edgar continued:
2058
2059“In other words, it would be meaningless to just hand Tellestarle over right? They can see the exterior design and imitate it, but it would be hard to explain the interior design concepts.”
2060
2061All of them looked at Eru. Under their pressure, even Eru was backing off a little.
2062
2063“... By the way, letting the people in NTR hear the ‘whispers of the devil’ seems like a good idea.”
2064
2065“Is that how everyone looks at me…?”
2066
2067“Like I said, we should fully utilise the devil right?”
2068
2069“... I will cry, okay?”
2070
2071Ah, Eru looks cute when he is unhappy.
2072
2073Eru glared at the Boss but the Boss remained unmoved, while Ady seemed happy about something. Lauri ignored them and turned to Edgar. Edgar was looking upwards, seemingly thinking about how to express the idea he had already thought of in words. Lauri who saw through that, hurried him.
2074
2075“I am not sure… if this is the way to resolve this. I think there is a need for the craftsmen of the pilot faculty to explain to the NTR Lab. In that case, asking them to hire all the members involved in developing the new model is a way, too, right?”
2076
2077Lauri couldn’t help his eyes widening. Edgar’s proposal was to use their employment as a substitute for the distribution of the reward money. Since the craftsmen would graduate from the academy eventually and join the workforce, this was a good career path, too.
2078
2079“This method… Is a grand proposal.”
2080
2081“With their accomplishment of completing the new model and their knowledge of the current technology, they are the ideal talents for the future development of the new models.”
2082
2083This proposal put Lauri in a dilemma. From the perspectives of teaching proper skills and the well being of the students, this was definitely a win-win situation, but the academy would be the one that receives the most benefits. Which means NTR Lab would definitely negotiate with the academy, and that would be another highly difficulty task. And it would be up to Lauri and a few other teachers. They were teachers after all, not professional negotiators, so it was easy to imagine how the road ahead would be.
2084
2085“This proposal is very alluring, but I don’t know if it would proceed so smoothly. We will do our best and give it a try… But it is still up to the decision of the NTR Lab.”
2086
2087Since the Kingdom would be the one to decide, Lauri couldn’t guarantee anything. It would be enough if they can decide their stance in general. Although he had a feeling that the negotiations ahead would be grueling; but as an educator, and with his pride in defending his student’s efforts, Lauri smiled with a hint of bitterness.
2088
2089After finally finding a way to forge ahead, the group that was discussing was engrossed in conversation. But two of them, Chid and Ady had a troubled expression. They barely understood the contents and were finding it hard to keep up. Unlike Eru, whose mental age differed from his physical appearance, asking two actual twelve year olds to join in the discussion was too demanding.
2090
2091“Erm― is there anything we can do to help?”
2092
2093“It sounds difficult. It can’t be helped, we will just watch quietly.”
2094
2095They spent a lot of time with Eru who wasn’t like a kid, so they had a lot of chance to take part in such talks, and they were always thinking about how they could help out.
2096
2097Simply put, because the Boss and the others worked hard on Tellestarle, they will continue to do so, right?
2098
2099Ady had a few terms she was concerned with― new, Silhouette Knight, construct, end. Her thoughts flew through her tunnel of memories with these vague terms― and linked it to the things she was told a few months ago. She suddenly realised something and lifted her head anxiously.
2100
2101“... Eh, they said Kingdom, so you have to ask a great person for that right? We could use that promise right?”
2102
2103“Hmm? That is true… promise?”
2104
2105That promise― The meaning in Ady’s words confused Chid for a moment, and he found the answer within his memories too.
2106
2107“Ah!... Right, this is Eru’s merits too.”
2108
2109That was the memories of their conversation with their father. Their father ― Marquis Joachim Serrati asked this of the two of them, ‘If he had any contribution, please inform me’. In the heart of the twins, the existence of their father was equivalent to a way out of this stalemate.
2110
2111“Nah, Grandpa Lauri. We have a suggestion.”
2112
2113“Oh, Chid? What is it?”
2114
2115Lauri thought the twins would ask some questions at the most, and was surprised that they had suggestions. Chid didn’t seem to be happy about that, and had the expression of a kid who had thought of a mischievous idea as he voiced out his proposal.
2116
2117“It would be hard for grandpa and the others to negotiate, right? How about getting an important person to be your partner?”
2118
2119“Oh? An important figure… do you have anyone in mind?”
2120
2121“Marquis Serrati.”
2122
2123Chid’s straightforward reply surprised Eru and Lauri, while the others felt confused. Some of them knew from previous incidents of the twin’s history, but it wasn’t widely known. Mentioning the name of such a powerful noble baffled them.
2124
2125“...! Yes, that’s right… If it’s Marquis Serrati, he was present back then too. It will be easier to explain it to him, and ask him to cut through the bureaucratic red tape. But… will it be okay?”
2126
2127What he wanted to ask was the situation of the twin’s family. They are illegitimate children, and should be avoiding contact with the main family. Could we really ask your father? The twins understood what Lauri was conveying through his eye contact.
2128
2129“Father told us before, if Eru did anything, he wants us to inform him.”
2130
2131I see, so they agreed. So discussing this with the Marquis would be appropriate.
2132
2133“I see… If the two of them are fine with it, I have no objections. What about everyone else?”
2134
2135The others looked surprised, and looked at each other when they were asked. Speaking of Marquis Serrati, he was one of the few elite aristocratic clans. Marquis Serrati’s territory was next to the Bocuse Sea of Trees, so he would understand the importance of the Silhouette Knights’ performance. Putting why the twins mentioned this name aside, if they could gain the Marquis’ support, he would be a powerful ally. They looked at each other to confirm, and nodded firmly.
2136
2137“We have no objections.”
2138
2139“Well then, sending the Tellestarle over wouldn’t do. How about briefing the Marquis with the documents?”
2140
2141“Yes, that’s a good idea. Can I leave the preparation of the documents to David? Chid, Ady, the rest will be in your hands...”
2142
2143The twins stood up straight and accepted the task with a pat on their chest. Solving the problem made everyone at ease, and they laughed at the twins’ liveliness. Tellestarle which was situated in the depths of the workshop watched over this scene.
2144
2145After the sun set in the evening, the shops on the streets closed one after another. Conversely, now was the time for the bars to open for business. The citizens who finished their day of work came to relax and enjoy their meals, flooding the place in doves. A certain bar in Laihiala Academy City welcomed the busy period as usual. Most of the patrons were elderly gentlemen, but there was a strange customer who took a seat in the corner. He appeared young, probably a teenager still at school. Since he was in the bar, he was an adult (fifteen years old).
2146
2147He seemed very familiar with this place, blending in with the atmosphere and drinking beer by himself. As he was about to finish his first glass, someone sat down opposite him. For there to be an empty seat in this bar that was almost at full capacity, this meant the two of them had arranged to meet up. That man who appeared was burly and looked like a worker ordered a beer right after sitting down, and smiled at the student.
2148
2149“How rare for you to find me for a drink. How is it? Is it hard studying at the academy?”
2150
2151The burly man took a swig after getting his beer and breathed out exaggeratedly. The student who already drank a bit replied excitedly:
2152
2153“Ah― that’s right, it’s been hectic lately.”
2154
2155“Hahaha! That’s how studying is. If you can overcome this part, you will become somebody!”
2156
2157“You are right, but it’s been really bad recently.”
2158
2159The two of them drank and chatted, complaining about their life happily. Their conversation became part of the noise in the bar.
2160
2161“I thought I got over the hill, but I ran into a small problem.”
2162
2163“Haha, the life of a student is hard!”
2164
2165Even if they conversed loudly, no one would bat an eye, that’s the kind of place a bar was. Picking on the rumblings of drunkards would lead to nowhere. And if you look around the place, they were drunkards talking noisily everywhere. At this point, it didn’t matter if another noisy fellow joined in the racket. These two who seemed to be part of the drunkards suddenly observed their surroundings. After confirming that no one was paying attention to them, they suppressed their voice.
2166
2167“Right! Really!... That thing’s completion is ready for the next phase.”
2168
2169“Oh? The students are quite capable.”
2170
2171The whispers of the two wouldn’t reach the ears of the other people because of the din in the bar. The student’s face was red because of the alcohol, while the burly worker with a beer in hand looked just like a drunkard, but the things he said were calm and clear.
2172
2173“You can’t underestimate something like passion. Seems that this technology will be completed sooner or later.”
2174
2175“The details? You are not thinking about telling me verbally, right?”
2176
2177The student shook his head, signaling that was impossible. He quietly took out a stack of papers. The cover was plain and undistinctive, but the content was information related to the new machine model. The burly man accepted it openly, putting it in his coat without a word.
2178
2179“Like I said, we need to have a drink together some time!”
2180
2181“You got that right! Okay, today I will treat the student who had worked hard to a few glasses!”
2182
2183“That’s the spirit!”
2184
2185The atmosphere from before was gone without a trace, and the two reverted back to simple patrons as they toasted their glasses. The bar got more rowdy as it got closer to midnight; no one paid them any heed or understood what they talked about under the table.
2186
2187Heavy rain fell onto the stone paved roads covering the imperial capital Känkänen. The drizzle at dawn turned into a downpour, clouding over the entire city.
2188
2189The unexpected rain made the residents, who were always full of life reluctant to leave their house. The streets seemed to have lost its energy. The boundary between the overcast sky and the stone pavement blurred together, becoming one in the monochromatic background.
2190
2191Marquis Joachim Serrati was inside his mansion located in the aristocratic district, browsing through a document as he listened to the rain outside. On it was a sketch of an alien shaped Knight that was the calm before a storm. It had an air of chaos that would threaten to swallow an entire city.
2192
2193His crude movement in pressing the bell on his table probably reflected the Marquis’ mood, it was rare for him lose his cool. The experienced butler who had served him over many years was composed as usual, and appeared in his office faster than normal.
2194
2195“Master, your orders?”
2196
2197“Bring this document to Duke Dixgard’s mansion as fast as you can. Make sure you hand it to the Duke in person.”
2198
2199“Yes, I will arrange for it immediately.”
2200
2201Joachim handed the documents to the butler and spoke after the butler left:
2202
2203“Duke Dixgard, this might be a bigger issue than we had imagined.”
2204
2205His words were blocked behind the thick doors of his office, fading into the sounds of the downpour.
2206
2207
2208
2209
2210
2211Arc 4: Chaos in Casadesus
2212
2213
2214
2215
2216
2217Chapter 14: Let’s head into the storm
2218
2219
2220
2221
2222
2223Fuu, fuu, the raging wind howled.
2224
2225A convoy consisting of several carriages braved the wind coming from the sides, moving along at full speed on the Highway of Fremmevira. If the weather was clear, the sound of the horse hooves would definitely be heard, but it was overshadowed by the storm. The weather that had been deteriorating since the beginning of the month could turn into a storm in no time. The rain kept falling during this time, seemingly strong enough to scrape up the earth. The downpour exceeded the water runoff rate of the paved roads of Fremmevira. Large puddles appeared one after another which blocked the way.
2226
2227In this weather and road condition that was not suitable for outdoor activities, the convoy persevered on. And, looking towards their destination; the vague image of the largest education facility in the nation— Laihiala Pilot Academy, which was situated in Laihiala Academy City.
2228
2229“Really, it’s pouring down hard.”
2230
2231The dean of the Laihiala Pilot Academy— Lauri Echevarria frowned, as he looked at the rain outside the window while he stroked his beard. The rain that rarely fell had been ongoing nonstop recently. It even affected the progress on some of the classes, which troubled the dean. Suddenly, the sound of knocking pulled Lauri’s thoughts back to the present.
2232
2233“Hmmm, who is it?”
2234
2235He walked back to the quaintly designed dean’s office desk, and answered as he sat down. He heard a voice informing him that there were guests visiting. Lauri thought for a moment, but didn’t recall having any prior engagements.
2236
2237He was the dean, but Lauri was just the person responsible for managing the staff of the academy, and held no special authority. Even so, there were a few visitors that required his immediate attention. There had been cases of abrupt visits by guests, but most of them were important persons with busy schedules, and would make appointments early in order to save time.
2238
2239That might be so, but with the terrible weather, it’s no wonder the other party didn’t contact us in advance, Lauri thought. Or rather, to have braved such a storm to journey here, they must have come regarding urgent matters. Lauri answered hurriedly for the receptionist to usher the guest to the dean’s office.
2240
2241The guest appeared to be in the vicinity as the door opened shortly after Lauri’s reply. Seeing the guests enter with noisy footsteps, Lauri squinted his eyes, deepening his frown.
2242
2243“That emblem… is the Knights-sama serving under Duke Dixgard. What matters do you have for the academy to travel in such bad weather?”
2244
2245Before Lauri were three Knights. They were covered tightly in armour with a cape over their shoulders and a helmet under their arms, so it was impossible to mistaken their identity. Lauri identified the emblem on their cape, but couldn’t tell what they were here for.
2246
2247The Knights exerted a unique intimidation and dignity, bowing gracefully before Lauri and said:
2248
2249“Yes, we are from the ‘Red Rabbit Knights’ serving under Duke Dixgard.”
2250
2251The Knight standing in the middle introduced himself. He seemed to be the commander, who represented the others.
2252
2253“We are here by the orders of the Duke. First, this is the letter entrusted to me, please take a look.”
2254
2255Lauri received a package and retrieved a sealed letter from within. Duke Dixgard’s wax seal was clear under the light of the oil lamp. Obviously, the only ones who could use this seal were the clansmen of Duke Dixgard. After confirming again that this was an official letter from the Duke, Lauri became more nervous.
2256
2257After acknowledging, Lauri started checking the content and his eyes widened as he read. When he was done and was about to speak, a flash of lightning dyed the entire room white, and the sound of thunder erupted a short moment later. It stunned the ear drums of all present, followed by the sound of the continuous rain, covering over the silence that was filled with a mixture of emotions.
2258
2259The classroom was filled with whispers that were suppressed by the sound of the rain.
2260
2261That thunder, just now, was especially loud. Although it was still day time, it was dark because of the terrible weather. The students discussed among themselves how shocking it was in the room illuminated by oil lamps. The teacher at the podium also looked out the window, but continued with his lesson after saying: ”How frightening.”
2262
2263Moments later, the classroom was filled with the sound of the rain. The teacher spoke louder to be heard over the rain, but sounded weak before the might of Mother Nature. Despite the distracting atmosphere and the shock from the thunder just now, the students, who were finding it hard to concentrate, still did their best to take down notes. Or rather, as they couldn’t hear the lecture properly, they had to make up for it by looking at the blackboard. The students were giving their best too.
2264
2265The morning lesson ended with this subtle balance and was followed by the lively lunch hour. Laihiala students who were basically living on campus would eat at the cafeteria around the academy for lunch. If the weather was stable, there would be people eating out or at their homes, but it was not an option in this atrocious weather. As Ernesti and the twins were heading to the cafeteria, an unexpected guest walked into the classroom in a panic.
2266
2267That man— Mathias Echevarria, combat instructor whispered something to the teacher tidying up the blackboard. After the two of them came to a consensus, Mathias walked to Eru immediately.
2268
2269“Da… Echevarria instructor, what is the matter?”
2270
2271Eru asked his father, who was approaching silently. Mathias spent most of his time instructing students in the high school pilot faculty. If he was here in the middle school, it probably had something to do with Eru— that’s the logical explanation.
2272
2273“I will explain later. Eru, come with me right now.”
2274
2275Mathias nodded as he rushed Eru along with his words. Eru looked at Mathias’ unusual demeanor, baffled, thought for a moment, and turned and looked behind him. Mathias followed his gaze and told the twins behind Eru, who was at a loss for words:
2276
2277“Ahh, sorry. Chid, Ady, lend me Eru for a bit.”
2278
2279The two of them didn’t understand the situation but still nodded. After Echevarria returned the nod, both father and son left the classroom together.
2280
2281“What’s with Uncle Mathias? How unusual…”
2282
2283“I have a bad feeling.”
2284
2285Chid and Ady spent quite a while staring blankly at the door the two of them left through. But when they remembered how crowded the cafeteria was during lunch time, they started moving in a hurry. We will just ask later— they thought. But they wouldn’t find out for a very long time.
2286
2287When the afternoon lesson began, Eru still couldn’t be found in the classroom.
2288
2289Ernesti and Mathias walked side by side through the corridor quietly.
2290
2291On one side was a burly combat instructor with his short blonde hair neatly combed; on the other side was a short boy with silver hair that reached to his shoulders. Because Eru looked like his mother, even taking the age difference into consideration, the appearance of the two were polar opposites. Even so, the aura emitted by the both of them was similar, and you could tell that they were father and son.
2292
2293They walked against the oncoming lunch time crowd, away from the cafeteria. They moved away from the school building and stepped into the zone where the training equipment was kept. As Eru walked, he guessed the destination was the high school, and had a rough idea why they were in a hurry to find him. Eru walked in silence without asking anything. Unlike Eru, Mathias had other plans. He was probably wary about other people overhearing them, and slowed down when they were far enough from the school buildings and everyone else, and said:
2294
2295“Earlier, an envoy from Duke Dixgard visited father-in-law.”
2296
2297Eru reacted one beat slower.
2298
2299“... Duke? Not someone sent by Marquis Serrati?”
2300
2301A few days earlier, Eru and the others accepted Chid and Ady’s proposal to help with the new model. Eru thought that if there were visitors, it would likely be people related to Marquis Serrati. But Mathias’ words were expected, which puzzled Eru. But he cast his doubts aside for now and prioritised on confirming the situation.
2302
2303“What are the envoys here for?”
2304
2305“They seemed to be here for the new Silhouette Knights models made by all of you. I don’t know the details, but I heard it would be explained after gathering the personnel involved at the workshop.”
2306
2307Eru could guess what the content was, but couldn’t understand why.
2308
2309Marquis Serrati was definitely notified, but why did this ‘Duke’ come into the picture? Was it something that couldn’t be solved at the ‘Marquis’ level?”
2310
2311Was the aid they asked for difficult to accommodate? Or was the new model hard to handle? Eru was almost lost in his own thoughts, but realised it was useless to consider all the possibilities and shook his head lightly. When Eru lifted his head, he looked into Mathias’ eyes. Mathias’ usual sharp gaze was filled with gentleness, his drooping eyebrows strengthening this impression.
2312
2313“You had always loved Silhouette Knights.”
2314
2315Saying something trivial, Mathias patted the head that just reached the bottom of his chest. Sensing that his father’s attitude was different than usual, Eru felt it was strange, but still replied frankly:
2316
2317“Yes, you know that is the reason I am here, Dad. I just didn’t think I would have the chance to be involved with the actual thing so soon.”
2318
2319“Yes, I am sure you learnt many things in order to get this far, and had been working hard. But…”
2320
2321Mathias’ face stiffened and he continued. From his expression, Eru realised what his father was going to say.
2322
2323“Eru’s new Silhouette Knight will cause a big stir.”
2324
2325This might sound like a premonition, but it was almost a given. Just from the fact that a Duke had sent an envoy was enough to prove this.
2326
2327“It’s not only good tidings, troubles will probably follow.”
2328
2329Eru could see Mathias’ worries; Eru’s cute face had a hint of bitterness. Eru resolved himself to face a huge crisis; it would not be a surprise if the students in the pilot faculty were involved, since they were comrades. But Eru felt guilty about the possibility of dragging others into trouble.
2330
2331Not just Eru’s actions; the current situation was all the result of Eru’s willfulness. The recklessness of a normal child wouldn’t be too problematic; it would just be treated as a prank, mostly. But, the things that occurred could no longer be considered as a prank.
2332
2333“But, if it’s you, maybe you can solve any problem you face by yourself.”
2334
2335As Eru was reflecting in his heart, Mathias started walking again. The soft words of his father didn’t lose out to the sound of the rain outside the window, reaching Eru’s ears clearly. Eru jogged slowly behind him, looking up at Mathias. Eru couldn’t see Mathias’ expression, but he could hear Mathias saying calmly:
2336
2337“But, even if you can do that; there is no need for you to do everything yourself.”
2338
2339Mathias, who turned his head, met Eru’s eyes. Once again, Mathias’ big hand patted his head.
2340
2341“Just follow your dreams until the end, Eru. Tina and I believe in you and will support you. Father-in-law is also on your side. We will back you up if you run into any trouble, so don’t hold back.”
2342
2343“Yes Dad. I will rely on everyone if I need any help!”
2344
2345The entrance to the workshop was right before them. Eru had always walked through this door happily, but it looked as if he was walking towards a battlefield today.
2346
2347When they reached the workshop, they saw the row of Silhouette Knights lined up against the wall as usual. The difference was that the craftsmen weren’t working.
2348
2349On normal days, they would be busy running around, doing all sorts of maintenance on the Silhouette Knights placed on the platform; but they were discussing the sudden news uneasily today. Looking closely, all involved, including the pilots, were gathered here along with the craftsmen.
2350
2351As they hadn’t heard the explanation, the atmosphere inside the workshop was a mixture of uneasiness and anticipation. Eru was an exception among exceptions; most students wouldn’t have anything to do with a Duke. Most of the students who had merits in the fight had the chance to attend the award ceremony in the Imperial Capital Känkänen, but that’s about it. This meant Duke Dixgard was someone who is an important figure of society, so the pressure from this summon was exceptionally heavy.
2352
2353Eru used his short stature to his advantage and squeezed through the crowd and approached an acquaintance. “Boss!” Eru shouted, which made David, who was deep in a conversation with Edgar turn his head, swinging his beard.
2354
2355“Oh, silver boy. Have you heard? Someone contacted us so soon. It’s someone more important than I expected.”
2356
2357“That shows how highly they evaluate us, right?”
2358
2359In order to block out the storm, the workshop was closed tightly and was unbelievably stuffy. The Boss fanned himself as he shrugged, while Edgar loosened the harness on his leather protective gear.
2360
2361“I didn’t expect it to be so sudden.”
2362
2363“To make this trip on such a rainy day, it must be hard on them, too.”
2364
2365“Don’t ever say that in their presence, Boss.”
2366
2367The three of them chatted idly when they heard the mumblings around them grow louder. They didn’t know what happened, and only saw an unfamiliar group entering the workshop when they turned their head. Their attire was obviously unsuitable for work— they were covered in thick armour, wearing a cape with an emblem on the outside. The pilot cadet’s armour was made from leather that focused mainly on mobility, and was only reinforced with metal parts. With their full armour, they must be Knights. There were twenty in the group and all of them had the same attire. Their group might be small, but they were still a band of Knights.
2368
2369The group marched in with a clanking sound that was louder than the rain. The students couldn’t help taking a few steps back in awe. One of the Knights walked in front and just happened to coincide with the students backing away. He seemed to be the representative of the Knights.
2370
2371“Are all those involved in the construction of the new Silhouette Knight model gathered here?”
2372
2373When they heard this, the students present looked at each other with a troubled expression. Who will represent the students to answer the representative of the Knights? The gazes bounced between them before settling in a certain corner. The Boss and Edgar endured their stares that were boring holes into their back, sighed in resignation, and walked forward like a sailboat blown by the wind. Eru, who was conversing with them was also dragged in and pushed to the front.
2374
2375“This is not everyone; there are still some alchemists involved, too. The craftsmen and test pilots are all here, though.”
2376
2377The Boss gestured to the rear with his chin. This reply made Edgar hug his head while Eru almost fell. The Boss didn’t change his rough attitude even in the face of Knights, in some way he was like a big shot. Hearing an affirmative reply, the Knight’s expression became awkward for an instant. But when he thought about the Boss being from the crude dwarves, the Knight thought it was useless to correct his mannerism and decided to continue.
2378
2379“Great, that’s good enough. I know all of you are students in the pilot faculty, but what about that child?”
2380
2381Understandably, the Knight was looking at Eru suspiciously. The Boss and Edgar wanted to introduce Eru, but didn’t know where to start and closed their mouths again.
2382
2383For the pilot faculty, Eru’s existence was a common sight. But thinking about it carefully, Eru was still a middle school student. The Boss, who only just realised how strange it was for him to be here, was cramping his cheeks. Eru looked at the two who didn’t how to answer, understood the reason for their silence, and introduced himself naturally:
2384
2385“I am the one who proposed using new technology for the new Silhouette Knight model, and the one responsible for the draft design.”
2386
2387“...... This child must be joking.”
2388
2389“Eh, no, what he said is the truth. You can ask anyone here or even the dean. Everyone will give you the same answer.”
2390
2391Despite hearing how convinced the Boss was, the Knight still couldn’t wipe away the doubt in his heart. It might just be his imagination, but the students around him seemed to be looking at the Knight with sympathetic eyes. Even Eru, himself, understood nothing would be done if this went on.
2392
2393“Maybe you could confirm my identity later. But I am definitely involved in this.”
2394
2395“... Alright. Dear students, I belong to the ‘Red Rabbit Knights’, and I am here on the orders of Duke Dixgard.”
2396
2397The students turned rowdy once again. Second only to the King, the one with the highest nobility rank in the country had sent an envoy. Even though they already heard about this, the impact when the Knight introduced himself was still significant.
2398
2399“My lord is very interested in the new Silhouette Knight and wants to see it in action. He requests everyone to deliver the new machine models to the Duke’s territory ‘Fort Casadesus’ as soon as possible. He is also requesting enough crew members to come along to ready the machine.”
2400
2401In response to the Knight’s words, the crowd answered with silence. Their tense emotions cooled down instantly. A feeling of doubt spread among the students. In this awkward atmosphere that wouldn’t go away, the Boss meekly raised his hand.
2402
2403“Ah— Can I ask you something?”
2404
2405The Knight who was addressing them gave permission with a look, so the Boss stroked his thick beard and enquired:
2406
2407“I have no objections to presenting the new models to the Duke, but the weather is really bad and not suitable for piloting Silhouette Knights. Do we have to set off immediately?”
2408
2409“Of course, it’s a direct order from the Duke. After so many classes in the pilot faculty, you should have training in traveling in the rain. That is not a reason to delay, please prepare to leave immediately.”
2410
2411The Knight’s face grew stern. Unsure of their intention, the Knights behind gave off a huge pressure. The air in the workshop turned heavy in an instant. But the Boss simply shook his head exaggeratedly, and said with a casual attitude:
2412
2413“No, don’t get me wrong. Yes, I admit that traveling in such weather is a pain, but more importantly, the burden on the machine would be huge. No matter how much training we have, journeying in the rain is still difficult, and there is a storm out there. The new models aren’t that fragile, but we shouldn’t be reckless with them. Since we are presenting it to others, we wish to show it in its best condition. Isn’t that better for everyone?”
2414
2415The Knight Captain lowered his head slightly, accepting that the Boss wasn’t bringing it up because he hated the weather. But he maintained his headstrong attitude.
2416
2417“You have a point, but my lord’s order requires me to make haste in the delivery. Force marching might result in some problems along the way, but the machine can be repaired after reaching its destination. That’s why we are requesting you all to come along.”
2418
2419After saying this much, the students couldn’t turn him down. They could reject something if it was impossible. This request might be difficult, but could be done. A bunch of students couldn’t protest the command of a Duke anyway, so they could only do their best. Even though there wasn’t a choice, the Boss still sighed and shook his beard when he thought about the effort required.
2420
2421“I understand, let’s hurry and get ready.”
2422
2423The Knight finally nodded in agreement. The Boss turned and started issuing orders to the maintenance department, failing to hide his annoyance. Silhouette Knights which walk like humans would also be affected greatly by the road’s condition. If the rain kept pouring and softening the ground, preparations would be needed in addition to piloting skills: installing parts on the legs and covering the joints with waterproof materials. The well trained engineers shouldn’t take long to finish that.
2424
2425As the maintenance department worked, Mathias spoke to the Knight.
2426
2427“Would the maintenance team and pilots be enough? They could start the machine up if that’s what was needed.”
2428
2429Mathias was worried about Eru and asked. Sensing what Mathias was implying, the Knight gave a precise answer.
2430
2431“No, the proposer has to come along, too. We didn’t think it would be a child this young… Is it really him?... I see, it’s true. If that is the case, the orders are to bring him along. No exceptions, even if he is not in high school, please let him come with us.”
2432
2433The proposer had to be the central figure in the development of the new model. The Knight who thought this looked at the youth before him, still a bit doubtful. The students and teachers has no reason to lie, but how could it be a child this young? That was how he felt. Eru smiled and wasn’t bothered by the suspicious gaze of the Knight.
2434
2435The situation was getting more complicated than he imagined. Eru felt a bit fazed, but shook his head quickly and pulled himself together. No matter what Duke Dixgard was scheming, Eru’s goal wouldn’t change. The new model was getting its debut. Eru made his resolve to complete it together with the high school students.
2436
2437Fortunately, the rain eased up while they were preparing and the storm had let up. The sky was still overcast with thick clouds and the rain was still falling. But, at least it was not a storm.
2438
2439The convoy set off from Laihiala Academy City. They were led by the carriage of the Red Rabbit Knights, with the student’s carriage behind them and the Tellestarle in between their formation. There were limited methods to deliver the ten meter tall Silhouette Knights. They could use specialised carriages for transporting damaged machines, or break them apart to spread the load. Silhouette Knights would usually walk by themselves, and it was no exception this time, even if they were the stars of the show.
2440
2441The front of the Tellestarle and the rear of the convoy were guarded by the Red Rabbit Knights’ Karrdators. There was the danger of Demon beast attacks along the way, so the important new models were kept as combat reserves, and not committed to immediate battle.
2442
2443The destination — Casadesus Fort, was situated to the north of Fremmevira Kingdom, within the territory of Duke Dixgard. The plan was to take the western Fremmevira Highway, and head north part of the way. The road there was paved with stone, and even with the unpredictable weather; it should be an easy trip. For the Silhouette Knights which had to carry their own weight, it was hard to walk on the muddy path caused by the rain. The pilots were also trained to move in wet conditions, but it wasn’t something they were happy about.
2444
2445The rain fell on the Silhouette Knights who were traveling alongside the carriages and evaporated upon contact with the machine, which was hot from its operation. The steel Knight dragged its body that was emitting steam and forged silently ahead.
2446
2447The smooth journey ended when they got off the road as they turned towards the direction of the fort. While passing through a trail in the forest, they heard a weird sound that was obviously not a Silhouette Knight.
2448
2449“That sound… Tch, it’s a Demon beast. All units watch the surroundings! Defensive formation!”
2450
2451The low grumble of the earth rumbling continued. In the Kingdom of Fremmevira, there were two types of existence that would make such a sound: either Silhouette Knights or Demon beasts. For Silhouette Knights, the sound of the parts churning should be audible. If not, the thing that would suddenly emerge from here would be a Demon beast.
2452
2453The source of the noise was obviously approaching them. And, it is estimated to be at least duel level scale – a Demon beast that requires Silhouette Knights to fight them. There might be several of them, too. The battle hardened Knights aside, the horses pulling the carts were just normal horses, and the approach of unknown creature made them panic. The driver grabbed the reins desperately, preventing the horses from running out of control. But the horses were still in disarray, slowing down the progress of the convoy.
2454
2455The Silhouette Knights surrounded the slowing carriage, taking a defensive formation facing the surrounding forest. With the Demon beast making such a noisy entrance, there would definitely be movements in the forest. They took action assuming this, but the forest remained still despite the noise getting closer.
2456
2457“...No, it’s coming from around us… it’s from below!? Damn, how is that possible!?”
2458
2459One of the Knights noticed the direction the rumbling was coming from — and ‘that’ appeared, too. In the middle of the Silhouette Knights’ formation, the earth suddenly split open and something thin burrowed out.
2460
2461It maintained its momentum and drew an arc in the air, crushing the rocks when it touched the ground, and burrowing out of sight. There seemed to be no resistance against its movement when it broke through the ground that was paved with stone, like a fish leaping in a pond. What appeared was as thin as a rope— a rope that was one metre in diameter and twenty metres in length.
2462
2463Following its lead, the Demon beasts burrowed out of the ground one after another, a herd of Demon beasts started moving parallel to the convoy. There were about a dozen of them, shattering the ground as they moved on the stone paved road.
2464
2465“To attack at such a place! This is bad, if we stop here, they will hit us from below!”
2466
2467“Silhouette Knight team! Change formation…”
2468
2469Before the Knights could react to the attack coming from the unexpected direction, the Demon beasts gained the initiative. The beasts split to either side, jumping through the air in an arc towards the carriages. With its tip strong enough to shatter boulders, it destroyed the wooden carriages and the armour on the Knight as if it was nothing. Some of the Demon beasts pierced through the centre of the carriage, while the others attacked the horses, tearing them to pieces in seconds and disappearing underground. The carriage that lost its propulsion force skidded for a moment before falling over, becoming an obstacle for the ones behind.
2470
2471“We will be wiped out if we stop! Get out of the carriage…”
2472
2473The Knights attempted to fight back in the chaos. But, as if mocking their efforts, the situation changed again. A Karrdator lifted its sword, moving in to help, but was stopped when the ground around its feet changed suddenly. The ground bulged and a humongous Demon beast much larger than the others emerged from the below.
2474
2475“What, what is that…!”
2476
2477The ones witnessing this scene were in mortal danger, but they couldn’t help standing there stunned for a few seconds. The moment the Demon beast showed up, screeching noise of hard materials scraping against each other could be heard.
2478
2479Its shape was like a thin rope similar to the other Demon beasts, but its diameter exceeded six metres— more than half the height of a Silhouette Knight. The front was covered with a lot of shell armour, overlapping with each other and spinning at high speeds; built just like a tunnel boring machine on Earth. The spinning armour grinded everything in the path of the Demon beast into pieces and into its body, be it ground, stone or Silhouette Knights.
2480
2481The Karrdator’s legs were shattered by the Demon beast’s onslaught in an instant. After losing its legs, the Karrdator’s upper body was tossed into the sky, and tumbled when it fell onto the ground. At the same time, the giant Demon beast and its smaller counterparts touched the ground after flying in an arc through the air, burrowing underground with a pile of dirt in its wake.
2482
2483The sudden destruction of a Silhouette Knight was a huge blow for the Knights and students, but they didn’t have time to just stand there.
2484
2485“Abandon the carriage! Run! You will be swallowed from below if you stop!”
2486
2487The rumbling sound mercilessly approached the destroyed carriages and the ones preparing to carry the injured. Even with their high levels of training, the Knights were helpless against the enemies hiding underground. They grinded their teeth anxiously, but that only made them more frustrated without solving anything.
2488
2489“Damn it! Demon beast bastards! Look at what you have done!!”
2490
2491The casualties weren’t just the Knights, the students on the carriages were also attacked and several students were dragged in. The survivors dragged the raging Boss from the carriage in a hurry. The encirclement of the Demon beasts drew closer with each passing second, the chaotic group was forced to the edge. At this point, the Knights and students who had left the carriages finally composed themselves.
2492
2493They paid attention to the ground beneath them, ready to attack, planning to strike the moment the beasts popped out. Among this group that was screaming their heads off was a short student with a strange weapon in each hand, Ernesti.
2494
2495“Shaker worms… another troublesome fellow.”
2496
2497Shaker worms were a type of gigantic worm-like Demon beast. The front end was tightly covered with small pieces of shell, forming an end with overlapping armour that spins to grind through the ground, pushing the dirt into its body, a living tunneling machine. They used the intestines within them to digest the things within the earth, absorbing nutrients. The unused parts were expelled out behind them, which propels the worm forward. More importantly, it could attack from underground which was hard to defend against, a Demon beast known for being hard to handle. Eru recalled the information of these Demon beasts and felt baffled.
2498
2499“But the shaker worms shouldn’t be bigger than two metres in diameter… What is that thing? Some sort of leader?”
2500
2501“Who knows! And, why are you so calm!”
2502
2503“Alright, don’t be so loud, Boss. It’s hard to handle them when they are underground. But they are noisy when they move, so we can determine its general location from the sound.”
2504
2505The Boss shut his mouth and gritted his teeth so hard it was almost audible. He was full of wrath, ready to wield the hammer in his hands. If possible, he wanted to smash the Demon beast’s head in, personally.
2506
2507“That’s how it is. So, Boss, please back off a little. Get away from me.”
2508
2509After hearing Eru say that, the Boss didn’t bother answering and sprinted at his top speed. The tremours underground also approached speedily, splashing the water puddle around Eru’s feet. Before the Boss, who was turning his head back as he ran, the shaker worm burst out right next to Eru’s feet. The scene made the Boss tense. He didn’t think the shaker worm would swallow Eru so easily; but, it was still bad for his heart.
2510
2511Eru ignored the worried Boss, casting Aero Thrust to leap the moment the shaker worm flew out. The shaker worm stretched its body, chasing after Eru with amazing speed. But Eru accelerated in mid air once more, shaking off the Demon beast’s pursuit. He maintained his posture and extended the gun staff, Winchester, in his hands.
2512
2513“Welcome, taste this!”
2514
2515Shaker worms could burrow freely in any direction underground, but they couldn’t change their momentum once they were in the air. The two Winchesters fired repeatedly at the front end of the Demon beast that was covered tightly with shells. The piercing lances pelted the shaker worm and exploded upon impact.
2516
2517Even though the shell armour of the shaker worm was powerful enough to shatter boulders, it couldn’t withstand the consecutive magic attacks. The pinpoint attack blew up the armour, and the subsequent spells entered the hole and imploded inside. The intense pressure burst the body from the inside. About twenty percent of the front end of the shaker worm exploded, breaking into pieces in midair. A second later, the Demon beast stopped all signs of life, its body parts stabbing onto the ground.
2518
2519“Sorry for the wait.”
2520
2521After confirming that the shaker worm exploded, Eru did a flip and landed. The air suspension spell splashed the water puddle and mud, absorbing the impact. Eru then ran to support the other students and Knights against the shaker worms’ attack.
2522
2523In order to deal with the Demon beasts attacking from underground, the Knights and students didn’t use a close formation, and spread out instead. The thing they had to watch out for was the attack coming from beneath their feet, so they observed the ground attentively.
2524
2525“Be careful of tremors! Run if you feel them coming, don’t stop!!”
2526
2527“Coming, watch your right!”
2528
2529The shaker worms burst out from the ground, attacking the people trying to dodge them. They were powerful underground, but if they wanted to attack creatures on the surface, they had to burrow out from the ground. If they burrowed out of the ground too fast, they would be exposed defenselessly in the air. That was the chance to attack.
2530
2531“Damn worms! Don’t look down on humans!!
2532
2533The students and Knights were in disarray after the surprise attack, but were countering fiercely now. Every swing of their staff shot out a fireball, just like crimson flowers blooming in the rain. The shaker worms hit hard by the explosion fell heavily onto the ground; there were some that simply exploded in mid air. The Knights and students delivered the final blow before the shaker worms could escape underground.
2534
2535The skin of the shaker worm was tough from the abrasion against the ground, but it was weaker when compared to the armour at the front end. The Boss charged at a shaker worm that was downed by a fireball and smashed his hammer down with all his might.
2536
2537“You dare lay a hand on my men!?”
2538
2539
2540
2541
2542
2543This blow used the powerful muscles of the dwarves to its limit, breaking into the area not covered by shell armour. The hammer smashes with incredible momentum, splitting the hide of the Demon beast and digging into its insides. The impact permeated through the worm, turning it into mush as it was broken into two. Without organs to emit sound, the worm spasmed soundlessly and collapsed.
2544
2545The Boss confirmed the worm’s demise and pulled out the gruesome hammer that was embedded inside the Demon beast’s body. He swung it around and readied himself.
2546
2547“Come at me, bro! Next! Hell, all of you come at me! I will send all of you flying!!”
2548
2549With his mighty aura, both the Demon beasts and the students were afraid of him.
2550
2551The small shaker worms were defeated with the consecutive attacks from the Knights and students. They could handle the small sized Demon beast thanks to the efforts of the Silhouette Knights team.
2552
2553About some distance away from them, the giant shaker worm dubbed ‘leader’ by Eru was rampaging around.
2554
2555When the Silhouette Knights team realised the leader was more interested in Silhouette Knights than humans, they immediately pulled away from the students. The intelligence of shaker worms was low, so the leader took the bait and was lured into the forest.
2556
2557With its diameter more than half the size of a Silhouette Knight, the forest and ground were ravaged. The woods which obstructed movement was a disadvantage for the Silhouette Knights. Even though its intelligence was no match for humans, no one could fight against the leader. Despite knowing they were in a bad situation, they still pulled the battle away from their traveling companions.
2558
2559“Damn it—!!”
2560
2561Tellestarle one piloted by Helvi charged forward as she roared. The two back weapons deployed on her shoulders moaned and fired a series of magic shots. It hit the body of the leader directly, but, as expected of a colossal beast more than a hundred metres long, it was tough and didn’t seemed affected.
2562
2563“What’s with this?! Not taking any damage despite getting hit, isn’t this cheating!?”
2564
2565Against the leader that was twisting its thick and long body as it moved, the Silhouette Knights could only attack sparsely. The enemy was too large; the damage the magic shot could deal was limited. With the Silhouette arms ineffective, they could only rely on the swords of the Karrdator. But the slashes were not very effective against the leader either.
2566
2567Compared to the weak attack of the Silhouette Knights, the strike of the leader was deadly. A Karrdator that was almost caught by the leader raised its shield to parry. The surface of the shield shrieked against the body of the leader, spraying out a lot of sparks. The shell spinning at high speed grounded the shield into shreds.
2568
2569The Karrdator was sent flying from the collision, lucky to lose just its left arm and shield. An ally ran to the fallen machine.
2570
2571“Are you okay!?”
2572
2573“Ugh!... The shield and left arm are gone, but I can still move. I can still swing my sword!”
2574
2575“Tellestarle, rally to me!”
2576
2577Edgar used the sound amplifier built into his machine to shout over the din of the leader rampaging through everything. The Tellestarle team sneaked through the lashing body of the leader, gathering at the side of Tellestarle two piloted by Edgar.
2578
2579“What’s the plan? Any good ideas?”
2580
2581“Yes. Spreading our attacks is ineffective, let’s concentrate our firepower. Everyone prepare to attack head on with ‘quadruple arms mode’. We will stop this thing.”
2582
2583Although the plan was to concentrate firepower, they didn’t expect Edgar to suggest a frontal assault. The Karrdator pilots would suspect that he wasn’t right in the head or reject his proposal. But the students believed the new models could accomplish this objective. They smiled brilliantly in their pilot seats, nodding firmly to express their acknowledgement.
2584
2585“Alright, let’s do this! Show them the power of Tellestarle!”
2586
2587The Tellestarle sheathed their melee weapons and threw away their shields. They drew the Silhouette arms hanging from their waist with each hand and deployed their back weapons. With four Silhouette arms in place, this was literally the ‘quadruple arms mode’. This showcased the capability of Tellestarle to use multiple Silhouette arms at the same time.
2588
2589With multiple Silhouette Knights concentrated at a single point, it roused the interest of the leader who locked on to them and attacked... Seeing the Tellestarle congregate in the way the tumbling beast was heading, a Karrdator pilot warned:
2590
2591“What are all of you doing!? It’s dangerous, disperse now!”
2592
2593“We are concentrating our Silhouette arms to attack! If that fellow retreats, don’t let it get away!!”
2594
2595The Tellestarle stood in a row as if to welcome the leader, aiming the reticle on the holo monitor at the centre of the leader’s maw. It was at a distance where they couldn’t miss.
2596
2597“Fire—!!”
2598
2599Under Edgar’s command, the five Tellestarle acted immediately. The total of twenty Silhouette arms, equivalent to the firepower of ten or more Silhouette Knights fired off at the same time. Backed by the large mana pool from the capacity frame made from sheet crystal tissue, the flames shot through the ever falling rain.
2600
2601The magic shots with fiery tails plummet onto the leader simultaneously; the carefully aimed magic bullets went directly into the leader’s maw. No matter how indiscriminate it was about food, it couldn’t eat Overed level spells. The front end of the leader was covered in a blooming brilliant fire. The Tellestarle kept on pouring out its concentrated fire, destroying the shell covering the worm’s front end. This forced the rampaging leader to slow down.
2602
2603The leader squirmed painfully. The explosion made the giant beast burrow underground in an attempt to escape. But the magic attack damaged the front end greatly, preventing it from digging into the ground. The colossal body just wriggled on the ground in pain.
2604
2605“Now is the time, attack! Finish it off, don’t let it escape!!”
2606
2607No one held back on the vulnerable enemy. The Karrdator raised their swords and spears to attack; the Tellestarle exhausted a lot of its mana, but they squeezed out a last spurt and charged in with melee weapons, slashing at the wounds made by the magic barrage. The leader that was struggling to escape was in tatters in no time.
2608
2609At this moment, a Tellestarle plowed down the halberd in its hands mightily. The strand crystal tissue made a melody similar to string instruments as it flexed to exert more power. The high speed and centrifugal force plunged the halberd into the body of the Demon beast, splashing its body fluids all over, mixing into the mud.
2610
2611The leader could not withstand the blow and split into half. No matter how strong the leader was, this was a fatal blow. The lifeless body crumpled onto the ground with a bang and stopped moving.
2612
2613The machines that took down the powerful Demon beast raised their arms in celebration. But, they were only immersed in the joy of victory before heading back to the place they were ambushed, to support the Knights and students. But when they walked out of the forest, most of the shaker worms had been vanquished under the wrath of the Knights and student’s counter attack. In the end, the leader was the hardest to handle.
2614
2615And, so, the roads became peaceful once again.
2616
2617“Sigh, the stinky worms caused us so much trouble.”
2618
2619After defeating all the worms, everyone finally relaxed and the Boss complained with a stinky face. Before him was the carriages that had turned into wreckages, and the carcass of the horses that were nothing but bones.
2620
2621“Can we salvage enough carriages to ferry everyone?”
2622
2623“No way, the damage can’t be repaired easily. No matter how much we rush, it would be great if we get half of them working. We are Silhouette craftsmen, not great with wood work.”
2624
2625The Knight who asked expected as much and crossed his arms troubled. For them, losing most of the carriages was the biggest loss in this battle.
2626
2627“We have no choice, prioritise sending the wounded. Let the carriages that can still move ferry them to Fort Casadesus. The carriage is fine, but there are no horses? Let the Silhouette Knights pull it. There is a village a short distance from here, we will go there first. It would be great if we can borrow some means of transport there…”
2628
2629Everyone followed the command of that Knight and started moving. The Boss kicked the carcass of the worm grudgingly, but that didn’t help at all. The only thing they were thankful of as they walked was the rain letting up.
2630
2631When the group reached the village, they still couldn’t find a means of transport, so they had to wait for Fort Casadesus to send carriages to pick them up. They encountered Demon beasts on several occasions, but they were small compared to the leader and were kicked aside by the Silhouette Knights. And, so, although it was several days later than they planned, the students and Tellestarle finally made it to Fort Casadesus.
2632
2633“Alright, everyone start the inspection of the Tellestarle! Pay extra attention to the back weapon!”
2634
2635The Boss and the others started inspecting the machines immediately after moving into the workshop. After fighting an unexpectedly large beast, the Tellestarle required a full check up. The Boss led the maintenance department and repaired the machine with care.
2636
2637The craftsmen in the fort watched the scene curiously. They had a rough idea of what happened. They were torn between doubt and anticipation at first, but were awed when they saw the new models in the flesh. The Knights who escorted them were especially impressed, with many hoping the Tellestarle would be mass produced, or at least modify their machines with similar functions. They quietly looked forward for that day to come, but for now, they quietly watched over the fruits of their labor.
2638
2639Fort Casadesus lived up to its name as a fortress; the workshop was much larger than the one on campus. The Karrdator of the red rabbit Knights lined up in a row. With the Tellestarle standing beside them, it was a majestic view.
2640
2641A person leaving a silver trail behind made his way through the machines. It was Ernesti, who looked like he was dancing. He wasn’t a craftsman and didn’t have anything to do while the inspection was going on, so he was just strolling around. He looked at the rows of Silhouette Knights and had a smile ten times more brilliant than usual.
2642
2643“The hangar bays are awesome; it’s so wonderful to have so many Silhouette Knights…”
2644
2645A Knight looked towards Eru, who was praising the wonders of this world. In the eyes of outsiders, Eru looked just like a child excited to see a Silhouette Knight. The Knight smiled gently and told him:
2646
2647“The Duke is looking for you, could you come with me?”
2648
2649But, Eru, who turned his back didn’t look like a child. Using an example to describe him, he looked like a developer supervisor about to report to the department head, his expression was a mix of confidence, uneasiness, passion and weariness.
2650
2651Going back to before the students set off from Laihiala Academy City.
2652
2653Laihiala Academy City was formed with Laihiala Academy at its core. There’s residence and shops. In the streets with buildings constructed tidily on either side, a man was rushing through the pavement. The storm had moved away, but the rain was still falling hard. The man finally reached a certain building. It was a place situated at a corner of a simple looking street. It didn’t seem to be a shop, and was probably a residence. The man opened the locked door with practiced hands and relaxed after entering the place.
2654
2655“What made you rush here in this rainy weather?”
2656
2657The woman at the other end of the room asked. The man went straight to the point and answered.
2658
2659“‘Emergency report from ‘hidden rat’.”
2660
2661The stern eyes of the woman squinted, giving off the impression of a sharp blade. The man looking at her had the illusion of suffocating.
2662
2663“What is it? Did the student start a revolution or something?”
2664
2665“Duke Dixgard seemed to be eyeing that thing. We received report he had summoned them over with haste.”
2666
2667A hint of bitterness flashed across her face, but no further emotion was shown. She leaned onto the chair, folding her arms in deep thought.
2668
2669“... He beat us to the punch. I heard it wasn’t finished, that’s why I decided to wait and see; this is bad.”
2670
2671“I heard ‘that thing’ has already set off with some of the students towards the Duke’s territory. We have been had.”
2672
2673Hearing this, the wrinkles that were starting to become obvious, multiplied. She took a pile of documents from her desk and tossed it at the subordinate standing beside her.
2674
2675“Hmmp, nagging like this won’t help; sent this report back to headquartres at once. Don’t forget to add that this is to be given to ‘His Majesty’ immediately.”
2676
2677This was probably a routinely matter; the subordinate caught the documents skillfully, and expressed his acknowledgement before running out of the room.
2678
2679“... Alright, no time to mess around. Depending on the judgement by His Majesty, We might need to move out.”
2680
2681“Act directly… His Majesty is…”
2682
2683“Steel yourself. We need to prepare too, recall everyone immediately.”
2684
2685She answered with resolved in her eyes. The man nodded without a word and left the room. Shortly after, the only one left in the room was just her. There was no telling what she was thinking about, but from her serious expression, it wasn’t anything pleasant.
2686
2687“...Alright, seems like things are going to get busy.”
2688
2689Unexpectedly, there was a hint of joy in her voice, contrary to the contents of what she said.
2690
2691A week had gone by since Ernesti had left for Fort Casadesus together with the students from the pilot faculty.
2692
2693The boys and girls of Laihiala Pilot Academy walked in the rainy streets with their equipment for wet weather. There was some time before lessons started and the students living in the city were starting to leave for school.
2694
2695The figures of Batson, Archid and Adeltrud could be seen among the students commuting. In the midst of the students chatting happily, the moody twins appeared out of place.
2696
2697“Really! How long is Eru going to stay there? From what we heard, he should be back by now.”
2698
2699“That’s right! Ugh, if this goes on, there would be a deficiency in vitamin Eru…”
2700
2701“What vitamin is that…”
2702
2703They heard it would take about a week to make a round trip to Casadesus, but despite waiting so long, Eru didn’t show up. The primary reason was their encounter with the shaker worms, which threw their schedule into a wrench, but they didn’t know the details. In this world, with no method for long distance communication, they had no choice but to wait.
2704
2705“But, Eru left without us, is he taking our friendship too lightly?”
2706
2707“We helped in making Telle-chan too!... Though we were just watching from the side.”
2708
2709“How long are you going to complain about this?”
2710
2711The twins only found out about Eru heading for Fort Casadesus after he left. After the Behemoth Incident, being left behind, yet again, filled them with frustration that they had nowhere to vent. The circumstance was different from last time and couldn’t be blamed on Eru, since it was so sudden. But, the twins wouldn’t listen, and you couldn’t really fault them for that. But, they were not high schoolers, so they couldn’t barge in as they pleased. Since they could only wait helplessly, Batson was getting tired of consoling the gloomy duo.
2712
2713“Like-I-said, Eru is gone and there’s nothing we can do about it.”
2714
2715Listening to the same phrase said by Batson repeatedly for the past week, Chid crossed his arms dejectedly, while Ady, who was at the peak of her anger made up her mind about something, and waved her clenched fists.
2716
2717“No, we can’t give up! We have to pick him up ourselves! Unlike before, we have Silhouette gears, right!?”
2718
2719“... Then, where is our destination?”
2720
2721Unexpectedly, the one who pointed this out calmly wasn’t Batson, but Chid.
2722
2723“Eh? Erm… I heard he is in Duke Dixgard’s territory.”
2724
2725“Where, exactly? The territory is huge, and we don’t know the way there, either.”
2726
2727Ady groaned and turned stiff with her fist raised. Even if the Silhouette gear’s speed exceeded horses, it’s pointless without knowing the destination.
2728
2729“I can’t accept this either, but he probably will be back soon. We just have to wait.”
2730
2731Chid still sounded unhappy, Ady pouted and turned silent.
2732
2733“... Eru… After you come back, I will punish you like a pillow.”
2734
2735Hearing Ady’s mumblings made Chid forget about his anger for a moment. He remembered that Eru needed a lot of effort to calm down his sister, and looked up into the sky. As for Eru in Fort Casadesus, he felt a sudden chill.
2736
2737And, so, they spent their days waiting gloomily. The story progressed a few days later, when the students from the pilot faculty finally returned to Laihiala Academy City.
2738
2739The convoy passed through the city gates of Laihiala Academy City. The Karrdator Silhouette Knights that were acting as escorts moved away from the carriages and entered a workshop near the city gates. The carriage continued advancing along the road, going all the way into Laihiala Pilot Academy.
2740
2741“Oh, our nostalgic home sweet home.”
2742
2743“It’s only been a week or so, Boss.”
2744
2745“I meant it metaphorically, asshole.”
2746
2747Shaking their limbs stiff from the long journey, the group from the Pilot Academy, including the Boss, dismounted. The desolated workshop regained a bit of life.
2748
2749But, the group was missing something they had when they first set off. First, none of the new models they brought to Fort Casadesus were with them. The one escorting them back was the Karrdators from the Red Rabbit Knights, and they had parted ways at the city gates. They came back empty handed. Not only that, everyone here was a student of the pilot faculty. The short youth who accompanied them wasn’t with the team.
2750
2751With the end of the lessons, school was out. Evening had come and the sun had set behind Mount Aubigne. Inside the dormitory of the middle schoolers, Stefania Serrati was doing her homework in her room. She flicked her blond hair that got in her way behind her, writing silently.
2752
2753When she had solved most of the problems and was about to take a break, there was a sudden visit from a guest. She thought it was a friend, but the knocking was hurried, which made Stefania dismiss that possibility. She walked to the door a bit confused. Stefania was the Student Council President, but the relevant work should have been completed. Thinking there was some urgent matter to handle, she opened the door with doubt in her mind.
2754
2755“Onee-sama…! Please help us!!”
2756
2757Seeing her younger siblings looking so worked up, Stefania eyes’ widened and stood there frozen stiff.
2758
2759Tiffa did not estrange her siblings of a different mother, ushering them into her room.
2760
2761She thought with a smile:”How rare this is.” The gap between them had faded and they were on good terms, but this was the first time they had visited Tiffa’s room.
2762
2763But they didn’t seem like they were here to play. Unlike the brother who always showed an irate attitude, just by looking at her sister, who couldn’t keep her thoughts to herself, Tiffa could tell they wanted to ask something. Tiffa wanted to serve them some beverages, but Ady acted first.
2764
2765“Onee-sama, you are the only one we can rely on!!”
2766
2767“Alright, I will listen to you, calm down. I will prepare something to drink, please wait a moment.”
2768
2769Using the chance while Chid was soothing Ady, Tiffa made some red tea. After the twins drank the tea, they calmed down a little, but they still went straight to the point.
2770
2771“... The Boss and the others are back from the fort visit, but Eru… Eru isn’t with them!!”
2772
2773The expression of Tiffa who was smiling warmly in the beginning turned serious gradually. After she heard about the completion of Tellestarle, contacting their father Marquis Joachim Serrati, the summon by Duke Dixgard and the students’ return, Tiffa lowered her gaze in deep thought.
2774
2775“Is that so… that incident back then had turned to this…”
2776
2777Tiffa didn’t know what plans their father had, but Eru was definitely dragged in. Tiffa and the rest were saved by Eru’s quick actions, so it was her turn to repay him this time. She made up her mind and stood up with a resolve expression.
2778
2779“I understand, let’s go.”
2780
2781“Onee-sama?”
2782
2783Ady looked at her in surprise.
2784
2785“Let’s visit our father. He should be in Känkänen’s mansion… we have to at least ask why.”
2786
2787Hearing that, Chid and Ady nodded firmly and stood up, too.
2788
2789After deciding their objective, Tiffa acted fast. The next day, she abused— correction, used her authority as the Student Council President to the limit. Using the excuse of an important family matter, she stepped over the sighs and tears of the teachers, and Student Council members and brought Chid and Ady along to Känkänen. When her sister was asked about this incident some time later, she commented: “...I thought it would not be wise to go against Onee-sama.”
2790
2791That day, the storm that should have passed fell on the Serrati residence in Känkänen once again, causing chaos. The servants couldn’t stop the daughter of the Marquis adamant on walking in, and rushed to inform the master of the house. It wasn’t clear if they were lucky or unlucky, but Joachim happened to be in the mansion, and the trio was brought to his study room.
2792
2793“Why the sudden visit? Tiffa, you should have school today, what are you doing here?”
2794
2795Seeing his daughter acting so agitatedly, Joachim questioned her the moment he saw her. When he saw Chid and Ady behind Tiffa, his frown deepened.
2796
2797“You all…”
2798
2799“Father, after seeing the both of them, you should know why we are here, right?”
2800
2801Tiffa didn’t back down, despite seeing how displeased her father was and greeted him gracefully. She didn’t change her calm and bold attitude; she wasn’t the Student Council President for nothing. After experiencing the fight with a battalion level Demon beast, her mental strength was exceptional among all past Student Council Presidents.
2802
2803“... It’s related to the new machine model?”
2804
2805“Not just that, it concerns the person behind the new model— their friend Ernesti Echevarria.”
2806
2807Tiffa said before Joachim could continue, and became more and more agitated:
2808
2809“In the Behemoth Incident back then, many of the students including I, survived because of his efforts, but he was the only one who didn’t return from the Duke’s territory! I don’t know what your plans are, father, but I won’t allow harm to come to my benefactor!”
2810
2811Chid and Ady stood besides Tiffa, opposing their father.
2812
2813“Father, please give us a reasonable explanation.”
2814
2815With no room for lies or escape, they forged ahead with the determination of entering a battlefield.
2816
2817“... That’s the summary of what I gathered from my men.”
2818
2819The Commander of the Red Rabbit Knights based in Fort Casadesus, Molten Fredholm, stood at attention as he read out the contents of the report. He was inside the top level war room in Fort Casadesus. It was usually not in use, and would double as a conference room when high nobles visit the fort. There was a table in the centre of the room surrounded by four chairs. Seated in one of them was the master of Fort Casadesus, ‘Knut Dixgard’.
2820
2821After hearing Molten’s report, Knut closed his eyes for a moment before expelling the heavy air in his lungs.
2822
2823“Alright, I understand the capability of the new models. What did our Knights think of them?”
2824
2825Molten’s report was the investigation report of the new models during the shaker worms attack.
2826
2827“To be honest, I have to admit the combat performance is great. Even with double the number of Karrdators, we might not achieve similar results. Almost all the Knights who fought alongside them wished to implement the new models.”
2828
2829Knut frowned slightly and groaned as he leaned back on his chair. Below the carefully combed hair was a prominent hooked nose making his facial features look more compelling.
2830
2831“... The new model is good for the nation. We can’t leave it alone.”
2832
2833Knut said softly and Molten nodded.
2834
2835“Molten, the students who constructed the new model would like to apply for the development of the new technology— They request for us to mediate any problems that might occur.”
2836
2837Knut had a set of documents that was different from the earlier report. It was forwarded to him from Marquis Serrati, after he received it from Laihiala Pilot Academy, a report and request letter.
2838
2839“And, they would like to join the NTR Lab.”
2840
2841“Oh? Not just providing the technology?”
2842
2843“I quote, ʻWe are the ones who are the most knowledgeable about the new models. If we can take part in the research related to this, we will definitely contribute to the technological advancement of Silhouette Knights.’”
2844
2845Knut read out a part of the request letter. Morton stroked his carefully groomed beard and laughs aloud.
2846
2847“Hahaha! The students have been getting greedy recently; this means they have the confidence to develop the new model? Isn’t that great? Graduates from Laihiala are great talents, and they are the ones who made the new models. We welcome such capable young ones.”
2848
2849Molten wasn’t just being polite. He predicted that the development and implementation of the new models would require a lot of talents, the more the merrier. It is a joy when both parties are after the same goal.
2850
2851“But it is not certain how much of the credit belongs to them.”
2852
2853But, Knut was thinking about another matter. His gaze fell on a series of words on the report— ‘Propose by: Ernesti Echevarria’. The image of the silver haired boy flashed across his mind.
2854
2855“Molten, interview the students about the new models.”
2856
2857“Yes! What are your plans, my lord?”
2858
2859“I, well… there is someone I have to meet personally.”
2860
2861For Knut, who was shouldering heavy responsibility within the nation, his words had a hint of bashfulness. Molten bowed and went about issuing orders.
2862
2863Knut stared at the door Molten went out from and sighed softly. He received the report from Marquis Serrati, and knew the new model wasn’t developed by the students alone.
2864
2865… Did I underestimate him back then? But....
2866
2867Knut banished the regret welling in his heart. This feeling was because of his carelessness back then, when the King promised to disclose the manufacturing method of ether reactors in exchange for ‘designing a Silhouette Knight’.
2868
2869For Knut, the problem was the playful attitude of the King. The person he made the promise with— Eru was someone Knut had to look out for, but it wasn’t very much. That child has talent beyond his years, but no matter how brilliant he was, there was a limit. The King only stated the terms, but didn’t guarantee the provision of support.
2870
2871Furthermore, Silhouette Knight designing wasn’t something a mere student could handle. Fremmevira’s current Silhouette Knight, the Karrdator was designed a hundred years ago. After accumulating long years of technological enhancement and mobilising the best craftsmen of that era, they finally finished this masterpiece.
2872
2873The Karrdator predecessor ‘Salodrea’ was in service for almost two hundred years. Just from this numbers, it was clear how difficult it was to develop new machines. Knut experienced this himself, so he didn’t even consider the possibility of that promise bearing fruit.
2874
2875That’s how it should be...
2876
2877Less than a year after that incident, an unbelievable report reached his ears— ‘A student made a new Silhouette Knight model.’ Such a report was unheard of, and Knut almost fainted when he saw the name of the proposer. Ernesti Echevarria— the promise Eru made with the King was starting to become feasible, and Knut felt his common sense crumbling away.
2878
2879When Knut was young, he had experience in an attempt to ‘improve Karrdator’. The combat prowess of the Silhouette Knights was linked to the stability and strength of the kingdom. As the master of the highest nobility, Dixgard Dukedom, he wished for the advancement of the nation, and put this hope in the Silhouette Knights.
2880
2881With the permission of the King, he worked together with the NTR Lab, but the grand project didn’t yield any satisfactory results. The technology accumulated for the past century was tough to match, and the improvement was limited without any major breakthrough and didn’t meet his expectations at all. With these unpleasant memories and experiences, he realised how hard it was to create a new Silhouette Knight. Without years of accumulated technology, top notch experts or even funding, it’s preposterous to imagine a bunch of students constructing a new model.
2882
2883In that case— Knut changed his reasoning. The boy named Ernesti should have a certain ‘something’. The ‘something’ from an unknown source that made an impossible task of developing new models possible. It would definitely bring much benefit to Knut and the Fremmevira Kingdom.
2884
2885After rationalising to this point, Knut finally realised how unreliable his judgement in the past was and felt a chill run down his back. If Marquis Serrati hadn’t obtained information about Eru and took action, Knut would only hear the report afterwards. He felt grateful towards Marquis Serrati for the warning, and used this chance to make his move. There was some unforeseen incident, but the new models displayed exceptional combat ability, and was highly evaluated by the Knights. Knut was sure the nationwide implementation of the model was inevitable.
2886
2887To achieve this, Knut needed to know what this boy Ernesti was scheming, and what were his plans. For Knut, Eru was a squirming shadow he didn’t understand. Knut would definitely not hand over the future of his beloved country to such a person.
2888
2889Knut, who unconsciously closed his eyes in deep thought heard a gentle sound of knocking on the door. It was time to achieve his goal. He took a deep breath to calm himself, and invited the guest to enter the room.
2890
2891Several figures walked along the corridors of Fort Casadesus. Leading the way was a soldier in armour, who was followed by a rather short child. The light of the lantern flickered in the soldier’s hands, casting shadows on the silent corridor. The clanking of the armour and the sound of footsteps created a soft melody.
2892
2893At the end of the corridor, a sturdy door appeared in the faint light of the lantern. The carefully designed door had a different atmosphere from its surroundings. The door Labeled ‘Top Level War Room’ showed how special this room was. The soldier leading the way knocked on the door and opened it carefully, leading the boy, Ernesti, into the room.
2894
2895Eru went through the door and noticed that the grand decoration of the room was vastly different from the rugged air of the fortress. As if to confirm the texture of the soft carpet, unsuitable for iron boots, the soldier walked slowly to the middle of the room. There was a table there. A middle aged man—the master of the fortress, Knut Dixgard was waiting there. He politely offered Eru a seat, and Eru deftly sat down after a simple greeting.
2896
2897The servant who appeared at the same time moved away after pouring them a drink. The high class tea imported from the west tickled the noses of these two. Their conversation thus began harmoniously with a cup of red tea in hand.
2898
2899To Knut, the conversation was a battle. He needed to judge Eru’s character, motives, and then grab the initiative. The two of them should be gauging the distance carefully with each other on the surface while fighting intensely underneath.
2900
2901But, Knut was confused.
2902
2903“... And so, the craftsmen from the pilot faculty developed the strand crystal tissue with tremendous effort, improving the power output of the new model by one and a half times…”
2904
2905Eru, who was sitting opposite him was explaining endlessly. That was the case, since Knut probed with a few question about the new model, turning into Eru’s personal stage. And, he prepared a lot of presentation materials as if he was planning for this.
2906
2907“Please refer to the material here. As mentioned previously, the new model’s main advantage is in its greater power output and variety of equipment, but there is a minor issue in endurance…”
2908
2909But, Knut also wanted to learn more about the contents, so it was harder for him to handle. Even when Knut wanted to regain the initiative in the discussion, his ears were still listening to Eru’s voice, his eyes stared at the documents and his mind was busy organising the information about the new model. Even though a corner of his mind was sounding out in alarm, Knut continued to greedily absorb the information he seeked.
2910
2911“As for the costs involved, I can’t give you a precise number at this stage. It might change with the optimisation of production in the future. But, the expensive core parts of the Silhouette Knight would remain the same, and the changes would mainly affect the inexpensive parts, so, we predict that the price would not escalate too much…”
2912
2913Eru’s presentation carried on. Ever since he was summoned to Fort Casadesus, Eru has been preparing the content of his presentation, and his explanation was near perfect. In the end, Eru kept talking for three hours. No matter how good someone was, the motivation to talk continuously like this has to be his passion for robots.
2914
2915In contrast to Eru, who was sipping the cold red tea in satisfaction, Knut was busy tidying the contents in his mind, analysing the mass production plan. When he wanted to ask some follow up questions, Knut finally remembered his original plan.
2916
2917Knut was stunned; he didn’t think he would be unable to use his negotiation skill, which was honed in his duties as a Duke. Eru hit Knut’s weakness, which was his strong interest in the new model. If that was Eru’s plan all along, then Knut had completely lost. But, that powerful card was temporarily ineffective because the explanation was over, now was the time to counterattack— Knut also didn’t understand why he was frustrated as he showed his ace in the hole.
2918
2919“I understand now, I have several questions about the new models… But Ernesti, before that, regarding what you want to do with these machines…”
2920
2921Knut didn’t take this seat for no reason. The air about him changed, it was like a sharp blade being unsheathed.
2922
2923“I have permission from His Majesty to take total control over the new model project.”
2924
2925The highest ranked Duke was tasked by the King himself, meaning he has the highest authority, only second to the King. At least in regards to this case, his words were as good as the King’s.
2926
2927“I will take charge of everything related to the new model; the information will be relayed to His Majesty through me.”
2928
2929This was Knut’s ace, and his last hand. ‘Taking total control of the opponent’ had a huge effect on the other party, and had the advantage of easily earning their ire.
2930
2931For Knut, who couldn’t make an enemy out of Eru, this wasn’t the best choice. But, Knut felt it was dangerous to be led on like this. And, he had only listened to Eru’s explanation and nothing more. Eru would definitely react strongly to this move, and that would be the best chance for Knut. The bigger the reaction, the easier it was for Knut to direct the flow of the conversation, and he could make full use of his skills, then.
2932
2933Knut suppressed his cluttered thoughts and squinted slightly. But, his opponent’s answer was not what he had expected.
2934
2935“That’s great; I won’t need to repeat this to His Majesty again. If you have any other questions, please don’t hesitate to ask.”
2936
2937Eru nodded his head and bowed smoothly.
2938
2939Knut succeeded in pressing down the groan which was some sort of miracle. The ace that was all powerful, no matter who the opponent was, didn’t have any effect and was dismissed. Knut didn’t expect Eru to act like he was saved the hassle. While he was dumbfounded, Eru gained control of the discussion again.
2940
2941“If you have full authority over this, sir, I would like to confirm something.”
2942
2943“... Eh, what is it?”
2944
2945“I remember requesting something for the students in the pilot faculty when I submitted the report…”
2946
2947Hearing this, Knut coughed softly and regained his composure.
2948
2949“Yes, I heard about that. I can’t guarantee they would be hired as the developers of the new models, but once we move officially into production phase, the more people we have, the better it would be. Or rather, I would push for them to take the job even if they don’t want to.”
2950
2951Eru smiled and sighed softly. That was expected, he had accomplished most of his objectives anyway. But, Knut still felt puzzled about the intentions behind Eru’s words.
2952
2953“I am here to explain the new models and to confirm that the senpai would be employed.”
2954
2955Eru answered frankly. Knut wondered why he thought something wasn’t right. He pondered for a while and found the reason.
2956
2957“... What are your plans? Promoting the new model, marketing the students, there is no problem with this. But, I haven’t heard the most important part, which is your plans, and you already seemed satisfied. You are the proposer of the new model right? Based on this merit, there should be something you would want to say.”
2958
2959In the end, Knut still knew nothing about Eru, or heard any request made by Eru. Maybe it was due to fatigue; Knut didn’t beat around the bush and asked directly.
2960
2961“Me? Nothing yet. I am still a middle school student, so I will stay in the academy until I graduate.”
2962
2963Oh right, he was still a twelve year old child. Knut almost agreed with him, but realised quickly that wasn’t the issue here.
2964
2965“Wha… You stirred this matter to this point and you still want to go back to school!?”
2966
2967Knut forgot he was talking to a kid and was in chaos.
2968
2969“That might be so… but let’s say I go to the NTR Lab, I would be dropping out of school and making my parents sad.”
2970
2971Eru didn’t abandon the logic of his previous life in some strange areas, but bringing this up this late into the game made Knut ‘crumble’.
2972
2973“... You, do you know what you did?”
2974
2975“I only made some suggestions for a new Silhouette Knight right?”
2976
2977“Don’t make it sound so simple! You are acting like this is natural, so it’s useless to explain, but I want to say it anyway! Listen, since the founding of this Kingdom, no, in all the history of mankind, there has never been anyone who proposed a redesign of Silhouette Knights alone!!”
2978
2979Why did he have to explain this common sense? Knut felt an emptiness he had never experienced before in his life. If he didn’t have the experience of living as a noble for so long, he would have found someone to complain about this to.
2980
2981“And, obviously, developing Silhouette Knights is a grand project that involves many people! Even if there is a group who comes up with a new design for Silhouette Knights, it was impossible to do so alone!!”
2982
2983Knut was getting really agitated; he even frightened Eru a little.
2984
2985“His Majesty setting this term in exchange for the ether reactor… is as good as telling you it was impossible. But, you did something so ridiculous like it was nothing, why are you acting like a kid after all that!!”
2986
2987In reality, Eru was really just a child, so Knut was mistaken, but it’s a pity no one was present to retort him. When Knut thought a mere twelve year old ‘stirred up trouble’ and shook the entire nation, Knut’s mind snapped. He probably didn’t think about that because of his self defense mechanism. But, Eru fanned the flame mercilessly.
2988
2989“No, I don’t plan to present Tellestarle. I have something else for His Majesty.”
2990
2991“... There is more? What else do you want to make?”
2992
2993The composure he had in the beginning was gone without a trace, veins appeared on Knut’s temples. Eru displayed his most brilliant smile of the day and said:
2994
2995“Yes, of course. Because making Silhouette Knights is my ‘hobby’.”
2996
2997The agitation just now seemed to be an illusion as Knut turned ominously silent. A similar scene flashed across his mind— ‘ because it’s my hobby’. It’s true, Knut finally understood that what Eru said to the King were the sincere words from his heart.
2998
2999He then realised this person will definitely be a genius that will leave his mark in history and be unmatched in his field of expertise. But, at the same time, Eru was like a bad omen, who would charge head ahead without regarding how much trouble it would cause others.
3000
3001No wonder he hit it off with the King. The calm portion of his mind confirmed something ominous. The young Ambrosius was a capable and reckless genius, taking joy in setting up others. Back then, the Duke had to go along with him and suffered much. Right now, Ambrosius was a ‘wise King’— wrong, His Majesty still couldn’t suppress his playful mentality— but he was like a catastrophe back in the days. Knut didn’t know, but the people in the palace called him the ‘tamer’.
3002
3003The boy before him was the same type of person as the King, he finally acknowledged this point. He didn’t expect to uncover Eru’s ‘way of thinking’ like this. He collapsed in his chair with a ‘thump’.
3004
3005“... I see.”
3006
3007The conversation ended with these heavy words. Molten mentioned after this incident that the two of them conversed for a long time, but Knut was obviously tired for some other reason.
3008
3009About a week after Eru and Knut’s verbal battle, the scene returned to Marquis Serrati’s residence inside the Imperial Capital Känkänen.
3010
3011“According to the information I received, they had this conversation.”
3012
3013Joachim Serrati reviewed the document he had already read several times. The summary of Eru and Knut’s discussion was sent to him immediately afterwards. After he stoically finished his explanation, the children were speechless. They didn’t know where to place their raised fist and their mouths were tightly shut under an awkward expression. If one were to describe how they were feeling right now, it would be ‘Ah, that’s right, Eru is such a person.’ Tiffa squeezed out the last ounce of her strong will to recover her composure.
3014
3015“... Yes, that’s right. Anyway… it’s fine if he is happy.”
3016
3017She sounded a bit unhappy, but that was understandable. At this moment, the shaky Chid suddenly lifted his head. He understood Eru stirred up some trouble after hearing Joachim’s explanation, but there was still an unsolved mystery.
3018
3019“Then, why is Eru not back?”
3020
3021“I don’t understand either. There are people who returned from Fort Casadesus, did you ask them?”
3022
3023“... Ah… We came here without asking…”
3024
3025They were too agitated, and forgot the Boss and the others, who were an important source of information. The three of them became dejected.
3026
3027“Ara, to get so worked up, this boy, Ernesti, must be very precious to all of you..”
3028
3029The three of them lost the imposing air they had when they entered the room. Joachim didn’t lecture them and said calmly to the twins:
3030
3031“Archid, Adeltrud, stay by his side in the future, too.”
3032
3033“Yes, yes! Ah, huh?”
3034
3035The two of them thought they would be lectured, and were surprised after hearing that.
3036
3037“Duke Dixgard thinks he would be safe for now, I feel the same way, too. His actions in the future will affect the Kingdom… No, it would have even vaster consequences. He will have many comrades, but also a lot of enemies. No matter how capable he is, it would be hard to make it through the turmoils by himself. You are close to him and had been learning from him, right? Continue to support him from now on, too.”
3038
3039Chid and Ady listened with a surprised expression, and then clenched their fists tightly, saying firmly to their father:
3040
3041“Of course!”
3042
3043“That’s right! It’s obvious that I will be together with Eru!”
3044
3045The twins who steeled their resolve once again nodded and Tiffa hugged them from behind. Watching this scene, Joachim glanced at the part of the report he didn’t tell the children.
3046
3047The Duke said he has the naivety of a child and the logical mindset of an adult. It would be a good move to have playmates from childhood around him. I hope he doesn’t immerse himself in the pursuit of power, and continues to work hard for the country.
3048
3049Joachim looked at his children with unexpectedly gentle eyes, but the children who were hugging each other did not notice.
3050
3051“... Setting this aside for now.”
3052
3053Joachim changed his tone, reverting back to his strong attitude. The three of them stiffened.
3054
3055“The three of you skipped school and came here? It seems like we need to have a proper talk.”
3056
3057The smiles on the children became bitter, it couldn’t be helped— A huge lightning struck at the very end of the storm.
3058
3059Duke Dixgard was troubled— and the reason was standing before him, smiling with a huge pile of notes in his arms.
3060
3061“You really… plan to make that?”
3062
3063“Yes. I have confidence that this is worthy of teaching me the manufacturing method of ether reactors.”
3064
3065Eru’s cheerfully replied to the words Knut squeezed out. Lucky I had a look before it was presented to the King— Knut wanted to praise himself.
3066
3067The document Eru showed to him had the Silhouette Knight and the draft design that was planned to be shown to the King. This ‘thing’ that threw out all sorts of common sense could still be submitted to His Majesty, but not directly like this. Knut sighed deeply and realised he needed to keep this ridiculous existence, named Ernesti, in check.
3068
3069“Pardon my intrusion!!”
3070
3071Knut’s thoughts were interrupted by a third party. Without waiting for a reply, the commander of the Red Rabbit, Molten, barged straight in.
3072
3073Even a Commander of the Knights would be faulted if he interrupted the conversation of a Duke with his guest. But, Knut could tell it was an emergency from Molten’s demanour.
3074
3075“What happened?”
3076
3077“Smoke signals from the direction of ‘Dallier Village’ has been spotted… the smoke is ‘red’, probably a group of Demon beasts above duel level.”
3078
3079Demon beast above duel level, and an entire group; this meant ‘death’ for villages with limited defenses. Knut decided immediately—
3080
3081“Molten, you had already ordered the pilots to sortie, right? Sent at least a squad, and head at full speed for ‘Dallier Village’, we must protect the village!!”
3082
3083“Yes, my lord! We are making preparations. Once the team is ready, I will send the Red Rabbit Knights to attack!!”
3084
3085Molten bowed and charged out with the same speed he entered.
3086
3087“There is no time to chat, I will command from the fort. You… I can’t just leave you here, come along with me.”
3088
3089Eru nodded and exited the room, following behind Knut.
3090
3091
3092
3093
3094
3095Chapter 15: The things squirming in the darkness
3096
3097
3098
3099
3100
3101Under the clear blue skies, two figures were dragging their feet as they walked through the Laihiala Academy campus. It was the twins, Chid and Ady. The two of them, who were lectured along with their elder sister by their father, were also warned by the teachers after returning to school. Battered all over, the two of them walked gloomily along the corridor of the campus renowned for its size.
3102
3103They were out on a walk to change their mood, but they had a strong urge to give up on everything and just lie down on the ground. They were pushed forward by the need to ‘check on Eru’s situation’. Squeezing out their last ounce of strength, the two made it to the pilot faculty’s workshop, and rushed at the Boss when they saw him.
3104
3105“The silver boy? He should be educating the Duke… Cough, cough, explaining to the Duke right now.”
3106
3107“... Eeeerrruuuu…”
3108
3109The Boss looked at the exhausted twins, who collapsed onto the floor with a mix of sympathy and pity. The two of them realised that if they had asked the Boss from the start, they wouldn’t have blown the matter up, so they were laughing dryly, too.
3110
3111“And, so, the boy won’t be back so soon. Ara, what a rare sight. The Duke even cried…”
3112
3113The Boss said as he stroked his beard, and the twins just muttered an acknowledgement on the ground. The Boss didn’t really mind and simply nodded. He then started explaining the things decided at Casadesus. The Boss thought of the twins as people related to the development of the new model, and he felt the obligation to inform them accordingly.
3114
3115“Just sit there; it’s fine. The new model is under the charge of the Duke now. This means the development project would be directed by the Duke. Depending on their progress, the craftsmen here might be sent to the NTR Lab, or some factory to manufacture the new model.”
3116
3117The tired Chid lifted his head in surprise.
3118
3119“Are you going to leave, Boss?”
3120
3121Chid couldn’t conceal the loneliness in his voice. For Chid and Ady, the senpais in the pilot faculty weren’t playmates like their friends in class, but comrades on the same team, an existence similar to older brothers. When the twins heard they were going to leave, it hurt them a little.
3122
3123“I was going to graduate next year, anyway, so don’t show such an expression.”
3124
3125The Boss poked Chid’s forehead, wanting to dismiss the gloomy air. But, the power of a dwarf’s fist was so powerful that it made Chid fall over.
3126
3127As Ady pulled away, the Boss cleared his throat and went back to the topic.
3128
3129“Ah— there’s one more thing. The reason why the boy has yet to return… is probably due to them squabbling over how to handle him.”
3130
3131“Handle… Eru?”
3132
3133“Yup. The boy said he wanted to stay in the academy until graduation, but, honestly speaking, the circumstance doesn’t allow this. We also did our best to develop the new model, but the ‘essence’ of the boy was different from us. It’s impossible for him to keep the status quo and continue schooling.”
3134
3135The twins spent a bit of time understanding what the Boss said. They just heard the Boss was leaving, and adding in this dire news made the faces of the twins turn green.
3136
3137“Eh… Nee, nee, Boss, do you mean, Eru will go to the NTR Lab, too?”
3138
3139“Eru… Will leave!?”
3140
3141This was a possibility they had never considered. With the introduction of the new machines, there was no telling if they could become a Knight. But, they had always assumed that they would be together with Eru until they graduated. This wasn’t a one sided wish, the three of them were classmates with the same ambition, after all. But there had been a drastic change to the situation, stopping this path they had always taken for granted. The shocking content made the twins hang their heads in silence. The Boss wanted to call out to them, and at this moment—
3142
3143Chid lifted his head, his body emitting a steel resolve.
3144
3145“I have decided. I will find Eru immediately.”
3146
3147Chid’s soft words stunned the Boss and Ady, who turned towards him.
3148
3149“Damn it, how long do you think it would take? It’s not so simple that you can go, if you want to! And, the boy will be back sooner or later, there is no rush…”
3150
3151“I don’t care! I want to find him now!! And, ask him face to face!! I won’t allow him to stay there by himself!!”
3152
3153Chid who was usually lazy became full of anger, showing the others his determination.
3154
3155“Calm down, how will you get to somewhere so far away?”
3156
3157“Silhouette gear! With that, we could move faster than a horse!!”
3158
3159Ady raised her fist as well, making the Boss hold his head with a headache. He knew the twins were the pupils of Eru, so they could actually do it, if they wanted to. But the trip to Casadesus was easier said than done. Domestic travel with the Kingdom of Fremmevira was paved with danger. Only those with experience and adequate preparation could survive the trip. No matter how good the twins were, they were definitely underestimating the dangers. The Boss was doing all that he could to stop their recklessness.
3160
3161But, the one who stopped the agitated twins was a calm voice that came from behind.
3162
3163“And, of course, we won’t let you do that.”
3164
3165Edgar grabbed the twins by their arms, restraining them.
3166
3167“Edgar-senpai!? Unhand me!”
3168
3169“No. Both of you listen up, the journey to Casadesus is dangerous! Even with Silhouette gears and your skills, I won’t permit you to go. I understand… how you feel, but we can only wait for now.”
3170
3171The twins were still calm enough to not draw their staves. Edgar was grabbing their arms; mere children wouldn’t be able to break free without using physical boost. It became a match of tug of war. Helvi and Dietrich who walked towards them from behind watched them with a troubled expression.
3172
3173“... Oh right, Di, that thing isn’t repaired yet, right?”
3174
3175An awkward atmosphere was hanging over the workshop because of the intense debate, when these untimely words were uttered. Under the gaze of everyone present, the Boss smiled mischievously, and gestured behind him with his chin. Everyone was baffled by the sudden change in topic, but they still looked in the direction indicated.
3176
3177Before them, a machine that was being repaired was seated on the Silhouette Knight repair platform at the end of the room. It was customised with strand crystal tissue with the primary armour, the outer skin had not been installed yet. One man reacted strongly to the armour that was painted red.
3178
3179“It’s Guyale! I remember it was only half finished when you all set off for Casadesus. Ara, it is almost complete… Nee, Boss, isn’t the construction of the new model under the purview of the Duke and had been stopped? What are you planning?”
3180
3181Guyale’s pilot, Dietrich, turned from joy to troubled, an expressive face.
3182
3183“Well, we won’t be building new ones, but it would be a shame to stop those that were half done. So, we will finish this one.”
3184
3185Dietrich asked gleefully, while the Boss nodded his head while explaining. The others ignored the two who were chatting harmoniously and was puzzled.
3186
3187“The new models are under the charge of the Duke, so we can’t just leave this one here in Laihiala. We can’t trouble the Duke over such a small matter, so we have to deliver it over, right?”
3188
3189The smile on Dietrich’s face froze, while Edgar and Helvi, who were starting to understand what the Boss was saying had a complicated expression.
3190
3191“It’s not safe for Guyale to travel alone, Edgar, bring your Earlecumber along. We will follow in carriages, so we can make repairs if needed on the way there. And, we might have extra passengers on the way back.”
3192
3193Understanding what he was trying to say, Chid and Ady stared at the Boss with wide eyes. The face of the Boss covered under his beard had a wide grin.
3194
3195“Hey, Boss, even if you want to help them, you shouldn’t spoil them like this.”
3196
3197“Oh—? I am not doing this for them, it just so happen that I have ‘some business there’. But, things might not go so smoothly.”
3198
3199Edgar who heard this couldn’t help but shrug. The Boss was definitely going out of his way for the twins. But, Edgar could only hold back a wry smile.
3200
3201“Hee— I didn’t think you would be so nice to kids, Boss.”
3202
3203“Hmmp, those who have wielded a hammer with me are my brothers, a Dwarf would never ignore a brother in trouble… The boy is their friend, right? There’s no better time to help them.”
3204
3205The Boss puffed his chest out righteously, and the others could only give a bitter smile. Edgar wanted to stop the twins, but he understood how it was to part with friends, and wanted to aid them too. These actions were very ‘intentional’, but Edgar understood the importance of keeping up appearance and let go of the twins’ hands.
3206
3207The two children happily bumped their fist against the Boss. This scene warmed the hearts of the maintenance department, who were watching them bicker. They rolled up their sleeves and started moving purposefully.
3208
3209“The outer skin is about eighty percent complete! Just a bit more!”
3210
3211“We can use the spare parts for the delicate areas. Get the crane over here, install this quickly!”
3212
3213The warm atmosphere a second ago was gone. The workshop regained its vigour of fire and iron, operating as usual. With the noise of rollers as the background, it overlapped with the noise of the crisp sounds of metal being hammered. After their experience in the recent days, the skills of the maintenance crew had grown even more. Under their skillful hands, the red Silhouette Knight became closer to completion.
3214
3215“... Sob, are we taking Guyale away? It is finally repaired… Should I ask Casadesus to hire me directly?”
3216
3217“Di, well… Cheer up.”
3218
3219In the hot and steamy workshop, Dietrich was the only one watching the red machine being finished in sadness.
3220
3221The Red Rabbit Knights saw the smoke signals and were dispatched to its source, Dallier village. The squad comprised of nine Karrdator and one command Karrdialia. As the distance was relatively near, the Silhouette Knights travelled at a pace faster than normal.
3222
3223All villages in the kingdom of Fremmevira have walls that could repel Demon beasts. But normally, villages won’t be able to erect walls that surround itself completely. Instead, they would focus on the village centre, building reinforced walls there and erecting a mini stronghold with supplies to tide over the danger. When they were attacked by Demon beast that couldn’t be defeated by humans, the villagers would seek refuge there, raise the smoke signal and waiting for the Knights stationed nearby to help them.
3224
3225The stronghold was small, but as the last line of defence for the lives of the villagers, it was built to be very sturdy. But, the smoke signal was red this time, meaning duel level Demon beasts were attacking. Facing monsters that could match up against the strongest weapon of humanity, the Silhouette Knights, the fortress couldn’t hold on indefinitely. The Knights suppressed their anxiety as they rushed to the Dallier village.
3226
3227There was quite a number of duel level Demon beasts in the nation, so, such attacks were common. But, when the Red Rabbit Knights reached Dallier village, the Demon beast weren’t just one or two— there were more than a dozen duel level Demon beast around the village, with numerous mid-level beasts congregating there. The entire village had been morphed into the playground of the Demon beasts.
3228
3229The scene before them made the cavalry scouts shiver in disbelief. They could see armoured bear, blunt dragon, flaming tiger and all sorts of Demon beasts. Each of these Demon beasts lived in the area around here, but they all have their own territory and wouldn’t act in concert. It was unfathomable for them to be gathered here like this. All of them were in an aggressive state; there were even some fighting among themselves.
3230
3231The scouts advanced cautiously, and found something that shouldn’t be happening. Reflected in their eyes was the ruins of the sturdy walls that was supposed to protect the villagers. An armoured bear was sticking its head into the stronghold, savouring ‘something’. The squad leader piloting the Karrdialia issued his order without hesitation, once he received the report from the scouts.
3232
3233“All units, charge into the village centre at full speed. Wedge shaped formation; take down all the Demon beasts in our way. Protect the stronghold at all cost!!”
3234
3235Charging into the centre of the Demon beast encirclement was suicidal, but there was no voice of opposition coming from the pilots and they acknowledged firmly instead. The squad adopted the wedge formation with amazing speed, kept their shields and equipped their Silhouette arms and swords. They were prioritising their offence over their defence. With the command from the squad commander, the group began their assault.
3236
3237The sprinting giants were as loud as thunder, drawing the attention of the Demon beasts. The Karrdators’ Silhouette arms ‘Culverin’ glowed brightly from the charging Overed spell and blasted at the Demon beasts mercilessly. The Karrdators seemed to be chasing their own magic shots as they ran, forging the shortest path to the centre of the village with brute force.
3238
3239Although the Demon beasts had the advantage in numbers, they were scattered all over the place. The squad repelled the Demon beasts with their tight formation, making it to the stronghold in one push.
3240
3241The sound of explosions finally grabbed the attention of the armoured bear that was sticking its head into the stronghold. Lifting its head slowly, the beast growled unhappily for being disturbed in the middle of its meal, turned its head back— and lost its chance to put up a fight. A roar of thunder came at it as the entire squad fired a barrage from their culverin, before rushing at it en masse.
3242
3243“Die! Bastard!!”
3244
3245
3246
3247
3248
3249The vanguard of the wedge formation did not slow down, moving forth with the momentum of the Karrdialia and struck with its spear.
3250
3251Although the armoured bear had hardened skin, it couldn’t guard against the rampage of the Karrdialia. The strike hit the armoured bear in the head, piercing the skin and smashing its insides, killing the armoured bear instantly. The Karrdialia did not slow down and crashed into the carcass of the armoured bear.
3252
3253In order to protect the squad commander, who took care of the Demon beast splendidly, the other Karrdators changed their formation immediately, arranging themselves in a semi-circle outside the hole. They had an aura which screamed ‘You shall not pass!’. The other Demon beast became more ferocious when they smelt the scent of the armoured bear’s blood, and swarmed up in a frenzy. Facing the tsunami coming at them, the Karrdators stood their ground.
3254
3255The first wave of the attacks had reduced the Demon beasts’ numbers, so, that they were about on par with the squad, but the reckless charge into the midst of the Demon beast group left them in a crisis. The assault earlier depleted most of the mana pool, limiting their means of attack. Mana was being created as the ether reactor groaned with the intake of air, but it couldn’t keep up with the depletion rate the machines were using to evade the Demon beasts’ vicious attacks.
3256
3257Blocking the fire of the flaming tigers with shields, dodging the tail whips of the blunt dragons, taking on the charge of the armoured bears. Utilising the intelligence of humans, which the Demon beasts lack, the Silhouette Knight overcame the crisis with teamwork and their skills, but were constantly in danger, just like walking on a tight rope.
3258
3259“We will never retreat! Exterminate them right here!!”
3260
3261Breaking the stalemate was the squad commander. The high performance command Karrdialia was damaged in the assault of the armoured bear, but it still took out the Demon beast that engaged him. Before the mana of the machine was completely exhausted, it delivered the last burst of attack.
3262
3263The battle ended shortly after that. The Knights who gained the advantage in numbers charged into the enemy’s formation and achieved victory. After taking down the last duel level Demon beast, the mid-sized Demon beasts were all repelled.
3264
3265All machines in the squad were damaged. Three of them were half destroyed, another two were total losses. It was a close victory, but they completed their mission.
3266
3267After the long battle ended and the area was secured, it was already dark. The support units on standby outside entered and provide relief to the survivors. Bonfires were set up around the stronghold and tents were erected to tend to the wounded. It was a disaster within the stronghold; the armoured bear that broke through the walls killed half the population of Dallier village.
3268
3269The surviving villagers expressed their thanks to the Knights for making it in the nick of time. There were some who thought ‘if only the Knights came earlier’ or ‘I will mourn for the neighbour who passed on’. But the most important thing was that they were still alive. Everyone congratulated each other for living on. This was the unique thought process of citizens who lived alongside ‘Demon beasts’. Their cold and extremely positive attitude became the motivating force supporting them in this harsh environment.
3270
3271Apart from the loss of lives, the damage to the buildings was great, too. The Knights weren’t just tasked with driving the Demon beasts out. In situations like this, when the Demon beasts caused large scale damages, the Knights would be stationed there temporarily, ensuring the safety of the area and assisting with restoration works. Only in emergencies, such as this will the Silhouette Knight be used as extremely strong construction machines. It won’t be used in this way normally, because the cost would outweigh the benefits. The scene of ten meter tall Karrdators repairing the houses would carry on for quite some time.
3272
3273As the repairs of the village began officially, two Karrdators capable of walking by themselves were dispatched to fort Casadesus to report the safety of the village and the start of restoration works. They will need to request reinforcement from the fort to retrieve the badly damaged machines.
3274
3275The pilots only did basic repairs to the machine and returned to base, consoling the partner whose machine short circuits every now and then. The journey was uneventful, and they reached the forest near Fort Casadesus in no time. They will reach the Fort after passing through the woods. Bearing news of victory, they advanced along the forest path while chatting casually.
3276
3277While the squad of Red Rabbit Knights were subjugating the Demon beasts in Dallier village, a shadow that wasn’t the Knight’s support units was observing from the forest. The figure was covered with a cloth that blended with the forest, hard to detect like a shadow.
3278
3279The shadow left the place after most of the duel level Demon beast had fallen, jumping onto a horse that was tied to a tree in the vicinity. The horse walked slowly and silently through the forest for a while before a cabin came into view.
3280
3281The cabin was originally the rest station for hunters working in the forest. It could be used as a refuge if they were chased by Demon beast. Made from sturdy logs, the cabin was small but durable. The shadow dismounted and rapped the door in a certain rhythm. After the sound of unlocking was heard, the door was opened.
3282
3283The cabin was unexpectedly crowded. Everyone was wearing dark coloured leather armour and seated around the table in the middle, discussing something. On the table was a map that detailed the terrain of the surroundings, with arrows and legends marked on it. The person that entered the cabin slowly unraveled the cloth around his body— it was the man who got the information about the new model from the student in Laihiala Academy City.
3284
3285“Captain, as expected, the Red Rabbit Knights defeated the Demon beasts.”
3286
3287“I figured that would happen, those Knights exist for this very reason. How large was the dispatched forces?”
3288
3289“About a squad size.”
3290
3291The woman that was addressed by the man as Captain crossed her arms after hearing the report. She pointed out her sources that told her there were roughly three squads deployed at the Fort, so there should be two squads left in Casadesus plus the new models.
3292
3293“Alright, withdraw the scouts. We will proceed as planned— the job we have all been waiting for.”
3294
3295After saying that, the woman looked out of the window. There were figures that looked like the mythical giants in fairy tales, covered in canvas, vines and plants. The giants completely occupied the vast space around the cabin. The objects that were camouflaged by the items placed on them were silent, eagerly waiting the moment when they would be activated.
3296
3297In the workshop of Laihiala Academy’s pilot faculty, the craftsmen were wielding their hammers as usual. The noise of the rollers could be heard overhead and a roar which could be heard over the entire din announced the conclusion of the final checks.
3298
3299A Silhouette Knight was seated on the giant chair-like repair platform.
3300
3301The chest armour was open, allowing easy access to the pilot cockpit. The craftsmen who were repairing the machine moved away as a student walked passed them towards the machine. Pilots— those with the skills to manoeuvre Silhouette Knights and possessed the training of a Knight, the cadet of the pilot faculty. He boarded the machine and unlocked the control stick by his legs and pulled hard. The sound of gears clicking into place and the compression of air overlapped, closing the chest armour of the machine slowly.
3302
3303“It’s been a long time. Tellestarle wasn’t bad, but I feel more at ease in here.”
3304
3305Dietrich leaned back in the cockpit of his repaired machine, ‘Guyale’, and was moved. With ninety percent damaged— a never seen before number, the Silhouette Knight was reforged with the efforts of the craftsmen. Almost everything in the cockpit was replaced, the smell of new leather tickled Dietrich’s nose.
3306
3307“You had just been reborned, but I have to send you away. Ughh…”
3308
3309He had a face that ‘looked good when he kept his mouth shut’ which showed a bitter expression. Dietrich pushed the control stick lightly; it was the only thing that was salvaged from the destroyed cockpit. The wear and tear and familiarity troubled him. Even though it was contrary to the wishes of the Boss and the twins, it was still decided that the new models would be under the Duke’s management now. He smiled wryly and shook his head, pushing his troubles behind him and opened the cap of the sound amplifier.
3310
3311“Guyale is standing up, please clear the area.”
3312
3313Dietrich stepped on the pedal and operated the control sticks, and Guyale with his new outer skin followed the instructions of its master faithfully. The ether reactor came to life, the sound of the air intake revving noisily. The magius engine applied the mana from the reactor onto the scripts and the crystal tissue flexed accordingly, making the sound of tensing and moved the giant Knight. The armoured Knight trembled and after the gap of several months, the ‘Crimson Knight’ rose once again with heavy steps.
3314
3315Guyale stepped out from the edge of the workshop. Its shattered armour reforged with no sign of the damage it once had, reflecting the bright red glint under the sun. Because it was customised in the same way as the Tellestarle when it was repaired, the interior was totally new, even though it looked about the same on the outside. The back weapon had been installed on it with the Silhouette arms ‘Kamast’. Learning from its lesson from its weapons breaking, there were four swords equipped on its waist, with two of them being reserves, it was heavily armed.
3316
3317Guyale was a machine which focused on offense with dual blades. It might not have a shield, but the armour from its shoulder to its arms was reinforced to make up for its lack of defences. Standing beside the standard model Earlecumber, Guyale looked rather bulky.
3318
3319“Alright, no problems from my side. Are the preparations ready?”
3320
3321Earlecumber, who was standing in front of the workshop raised a hand to acknowledge Dietrich. Aside from Earlecumber, there were two carriages and other familiar faces.
3322
3323“David, isn’t this Silhouette Knight a property of the academy? Handing it over like this troubles me.”
3324
3325“It’s just for a moment, so, its fine. And, it had already been agreed that the Duke-sama would exchange each machine with a Karrdator. The number of machines in the campus would be the same.”
3326
3327“That’s not the issue… Well, forget it. The pilot faculty had been breaking the tradition all year long; it’s too late to bring this up…”
3328
3329Dean Lauri, who had been more opened minded recently mumbled and waved his hand casually. Batson who was on a carriage said in a soft voice:
3330
3331“Loading of the goods is completed… Isn’t this pushing it a bit too much? But, it won’t fit if I don’t do this.”
3332
3333Including the ones used by Chid and Ady, the three Silhouette gears— Motor beats were secured with steel wire. Even though they were smaller than Silhouette Knights, not much space was left after squeezing in these large armours. Just three of them took up an entire carriage.
3334
3335“Three? We are bringing Eru’s machine along?”
3336
3337“If we only bring ours, he will definitely throw a tantrum…”
3338
3339Chid and Ady nodded at each other. The Boss completed loading the other carriage and called out.
3340
3341“Alright, let’s make a trip to Casadesus. Move out!”
3342
3343“Understood—! See you, Batson! We will bring Eru back!”
3344
3345“Yeah— it’s a rare chance, so lecture him in my place—”
3346
3347The carriages set off quietly under the watchful eyes of everyone. The Boss, several maintenance staff and the twins sat in the carriages with the red and white Silhouette Knights following behind. Batson, who was left behind waved his hands for a while. Lauri changed his mood, turning his head back and said:
3348
3349“We need to prepare for the Karrdator that will be coming. We might need the help of your juniors, so, plan with that possibility in mind.”
3350
3351The group acknowledged sparsely, and the craftsmen who were left returned to the workshop. Many things might have changed, but they were living their usual lives.
3352
3353This happened about a week ago—
3354
3355A man walked on the streets of Laihiala Academy City, walking ahead without reservation towards a non-descript house. The people inside the house were surprised by the visit; even the tall woman sitting at the very end was surprised. But, she composed herself in no time and smiled mockingly, squinting her eyes with a hint of a threat and said:
3356
3357“Ara, I wasn’t expecting the envoy from the ‘home country’ to visit, this is a surprise.”
3358
3359The ‘envoy’ wasn’t fazed, standing tall before the woman and spoke in a businesslike manner.
3360
3361“... ‘Kerhild Hietakangas’, ‘His Majesty’ has orders for you and your ‘Copper Fang Knights’.”
3362
3363“Ara, His Majesty is so kind to address us as Knights.”
3364
3365Ignoring Kerhild’s teasing, the envoy conveyed the purpose of his visit plainly.
3366
3367“His Majesty is very curious about your report on the ‘toy’, and would like one to be sent to him. They are too extravagant for mere ‘Demon beast guards’, only our ‘home nation’ is worthy enough to have it. Obtain them by all means necessary and present it to His Majesty.”
3368
3369The orders were within her expectations, so Kerhild simply shrugged.
3370
3371“We were just complaining about the mission being too boring, this came at the right time.. That’s what I wanted to say, but that ‘toy’ is in some place called a Fort after all. And it is a bit too big to steal, you understand?”
3372
3373“I get it, but, like I said, ‘by any means’. His Majesty knew about this… so you can use ‘everything you have’.”
3374
3375A smile that came from the bottom of her heart surfaced on Kerhild’s face for the first time. To supplement the description of her smile, it was like ‘a predator that got its prey alive’.
3376
3377“Hee… if everything is at my disposal, then, that includes the treasured ‘Wendebadalla’?”
3378
3379“Of course, even ‘cursed bait’ is fine too.”
3380
3381The answer that went beyond Kerhild’s imaginations made her eyes widen before she burst into laughter.
3382
3383“Haha! This is interesting! Ara, the miser Majesty is being generous this time! He must really like this ‘toy’.”
3384
3385From the depths of the narrow eyes of the envoy, strong determination could be seen, but Kerhild didn’t mind at all. She didn’t care about others when she talked or acted.
3386
3387“Sigh, guess we have to do this… The men are prepared. Help me convey to the ‘Dear Majesty’, I will definitely deliver what he desires.”
3388
3389“... Very good. Those Demon beast guards should be very pleased with themselves right now and let their guard down, so act with haste.”
3390
3391After this, the envoy turned and left after completing his job. Kerhild who watched the envoy leave couldn’t help smiling as she said to the others.”
3392
3393“How cold, just like usual. Never mind, men! After being chased to this hell hole of a country, we are finally in luck!”
3394
3395“That’s right; it’s our win if we complete this mission!”
3396
3397The men around her were all in high spirits. The smile on Kerhild’s face darkens.
3398
3399“Alright, let’s bring the ‘toy’ the Demon beast guards are so proud of as a gift.”
3400
3401And, so, the ‘Copper Fang Knights’ began their operation in this country silently.
3402
3403One week later, ‘Acquart Forest’ near Fort Casadesus.
3404
3405In the dense Acquart Forest, it was dim even in the middle of the day and the air was heavy and still. The path through the forest was illuminated by sunlight, making the surroundings brighter. But, outside the range of the sunlight, a group of people were squirming in the depths of the vegetation. They were wearing dark coloured armour that didn’t draw much attention, prone and keeping still, waiting for the right moment. Aside from the occasional chirping of the birds, it was absolutely silent.
3406
3407After an unknown period of time had passed, a shadow meandered through the forest. Wearing dark coloured armour similar to his comrades, he reported.
3408
3409“Captain, message from ‘reindeer’: ‘The hunter had put down the prey’.”
3410
3411After hearing the quiet report from her subordinate, the Copper Fang Knight Commander, Kerhild Hietakangas, instructed softly:
3412
3413“Alright boys, are you ready? Activate ‘Wendebadalla’.”
3414
3415The subordinate nodded and disappeared into the depths of the forest without much noise.
3416
3417This group was known as the Copper Fang Knights, but normal ‘Knights’ won’t be able to conceal themselves and hide in the darkness to execute their plans. Calling them a ‘band of Knights’ was almost a mockery— they were an existence known as ‘spies’. For them to act in a group, it meant that their goal wasn’t simple.
3418
3419The birds resting on the trees became agitated, chirped and flew away. At the same time, A giant object that was camouflaged behind them was preparing to stand up slowly. That object which was about five times the size of a human showed its true form. It was a humanoid machine made from steel and crystal tissue— Silhouette Knights.
3420
3421The Silhouette Knight known as ‘Wendebadalla’ to Kerhild and the others had many strange features: A smooth exterior, partial armour, visible Demon beast leather, two holes on its oval head for vision, with its lifeless eye crystal swaying inside. The skinny appearance felt unpleasant.
3422
3423Most incredible of all, ‘Wendebadalla’ did not make any churning noise unique to Silhouette Knights. The sound of the air intake was soft and vague, blending into the noise of the forest.
3424
3425Somehow, the crystal tissue that should be emitting a shrill string-like instrument noises were almost silent, and its footfall was non-existent compared to other machines.
3426
3427The faceless giant with a thin presence was like a spirit in the dim forest. Kerhild watched its blurry figure and smiled deviously.
3428
3429“You are the trump card we worked so hard to smuggle in, so show us what you are made of. Okay, get ready for battle. There is only one chance, so don’t screw this up. Give it your best shot!”
3430
3431She waved her hand and the three Wendebadallas started advancing in silence. The squirming spirits headed towards the main road of the forest, where the two Karrdators would definitely pass through. They were waiting for the Red Rabbit Knights who were bringing news from Dallier Village.
3432
3433When the spirits detected the Knights, they went forth like a shadow, approaching them from behind quietly.
3434
3435The pilots of the Karrdator weren’t careless. It might have looked like they were strolling casually, but, they were watching their surrounding carefully, looking for Demon beast that might pop out. But, their focus was on the sound. The more threatening the Demon beast, the bigger the disturbance, so they had been trained to ignore the unnatural sound emitted from their machine. That was why the Knights didn’t notice the spirits sneaking up on them, concealed by the noise of their machines churning.
3436
3437Sneaking behind the Karrdator without a sound, the Wendebadalla closed in speedily. In their hands was a thrusting weapon stiletto. Sacrificing combat prowess for speed and stealth, the Wendebadalla had below average power, light armour and lacked endurance. In a straight up fight, it would take three Wendebadalla to match up against one Karrdator. It’s a pure assassin type.
3438
3439The stiletto was aimed at the flank of the machine. The arm joint of the Silhouette Knight was thin; it was at best covered by chain armour or Demon beast leather. In order to draw in air into the reactor, intake valves were usually situated above the abdomen, and the chest cavity had the most fragile part of the Silhouette Knight — the pilot. That was the biggest weakness of the Silhouette Knight.
3440
3441The Wendebadallas hugged the Karrdators from behind, stabbing the blade into the flank. The weapon specialised for thrusting attacks pierced the thin armour easily, hitting the pilots inside. Before the pilots of the Karrdator could react, the blade of the giant took his life. The Karrdator didn’t move, stopping like a puppet that lost its strings. A Silhouette Knight that lost its pilot won’t go out of control like living beings. Seeing both Karrdator stop, Kerhild laughed softly.
3442
3443“Alright, things are progressing smoothly. Let’s make the next move, get ready!”
3444
3445After the Wendebadalla slowly laid the Karrdator onto the ground, the soldiers came out from the woods. The Stiletto could take out the pilot in one hit in most cases, and had the advantage of damaging just the armour, intake valve and the pilots. This meant it wouldn’t affect the operation of the Silhouette Knights much. If someone else controlled it, the Karrdator could be moved once again.
3446
3447They ‘cleaned up’ the pilots of the Karrdator, and sat into the bloody cockpit without hesitation. And, so, the Karrdator became real spirits and slowly stood up. The ironic thing was that the Karrdator which was easy to control benefitted the assassins. The Karrdator which fell into enemy hands as though nothing had happened walked forth steadily, while the Wendebadalla blended into the darkness of the woods once again. The spirits marched step by step towards Fort Casadesus.
3448
3449
3450
3451
3452
3453Chapter 16: The fire of fort Casadesus
3454
3455
3456
3457
3458
3459The warm sun set behind Mount Aubigne and the scenery was enveloped in darkness with the chill of the autumn breeze. The wind made the guards on duty at Fort Casadesus shiver. His companions who had left to light up the torches everywhere had returned to the observation post.
3460
3461“Sigh, guard duties are going to get even more tiring in the coming season.”
3462
3463“You are right, I want to change shift and rest soon…”
3464
3465The two talking with each other heard the heavy footfalls of a large presence approaching and looked tense. They observed the situation on the road from above the city gate. In the dim light before the city fell completely into darkness, they identified the giant Knight wearing green armour.
3466
3467“Oh, that’s a Karrdator? The squad sent to Dallier Village?”
3468
3469“Hold on, let me confirm… Yes, that’s our crest.”
3470
3471Seeing the crest of the Red Rabbit Knights on the shoulders of the approaching Karrdator, a weird noise could be heard. It might be some damaged parts jamming, the Karrdator made clanking sounds every time it moved. The damage seemed rather severe. The guards saluted them and asked:
3472
3473“Thank you for your hard work. How’s the situation at Dallier Village?”
3474
3475“The village is badly damaged, but we took care of the Demon beasts.”
3476
3477The pilot in the Karrdator said that they were piloting the badly damaged machine in the Dallier Village expedition, and were sent back to bring news of their victory. Acknowledging the report, the guards opened the gates. The Karrdator on duty manipulated the control of the gate, and the entrance to the fort opened slowly with the grinding of wood against wood.
3478
3479The two returning Karrdator and the carriage following behind entered, showered by the praise and greetings of the guards. If you come home victorious, even wounds would be a glorious medal. No wonder the guards were so excited.
3480
3481“The damage is terrible, park the machine in the workshop before reporting in.”
3482
3483“Okay… I was planning to do that.”
3484
3485After saluting stiffly at the Karrdator stationed at the gate, the two damaged Karrdators moved slowly towards the workshop. There was a carriage following behind, but the guards assumed it was just carrying supplies, so, no one paid it any heed.
3486
3487Seeing the damaged machines enter the workshop, the craftsmen working on the other machines gathered in a hurry. As a precaution, the other machines had already been inspected, ready to be deployed. The Knights received orders to standby, too and were gathered at the guard room near the workshop.
3488
3489The leading craftsmen barked out orders when he saw the Karrdator making weird noises and moving stiffly, and the maintenance team brought in spare parts in a hurry. The two Karrdators walked slowly towards the repair platform where the other machines were placed. That was normal, but the carriage was following them into the workshop, too, was puzzling. All the pilots were in the guard room, were the craftsmen accompanying the squad inside? But, with the operation still going on, they wouldn’t sent people back needlessly. When a craftsman thought about that and was about to question them about the carriage, something flew out from it.
3490
3491Several arrows flew through the air with a dull sound, hitting the craftsman right in the chest. As he fell to the ground puking blood, a few armed members burst out of the carriage at the same time. While, the Karrdators walking towards the repair platform revealed their true colours, pulling out their swords swiftly, their stiff actions moments ago was a ruse. They swung their blades at the entrance to the workshop, shattering the structure and blocking the way with debris. Cutting off reinforcements, the intruders fired their crossbows and wielded their swords, disposing of the remaining repair personnel in the workshop. The last person to dismount from the carriage was the Captain of the Copper Fang Knights— Kerhild.
3492
3493“You lot guard the front! How long do you need to deal with mere craftsmen!? Hurry up and steal that thing!”
3494
3495The Copper Fang Knights occupied the workshop in the blink of an eye, blocking the entrance to the workshop with the stolen Karrdator as they searched the workshop. Moments later, a member shouted for Kerhild’s attention. Looking over, Kerhild saw a plain colored machine that was different from the Karrdator. Seeing the new model that looked out of place, Kerhild was confident the plan was going to work.
3496
3497“Yeah, that’s it… Just as I thought. Alright boys, prepare to pack it up…!”
3498
3499The Copper Fang Knights were just spies after all. Individual combat prowess aside, there weren’t many skilled pilots among them. Due to the necessity of the raid, everyone gathered here had piloting skills. As Kerhild activated the target ‘toy’, the others boarded the Karrdator on scene. They could only take three Karrdator, the rest of the Karrdator couldn’t be activated.
3500
3501“The extras might get in the way, get rid of them. The guards are coming soon, no time to drag on, move!”
3502
3503Following her instructions, the Karrdator cut down the other machines seated on the repair platform. The unmanned machines were easily destroyed and reduced to scraps.
3504
3505The Red Rabbit Knights noticed something was wrong in the workshop. The Karrdator in charge of manning the gates rushed to the workshop because of the commotion, and was pounced on by another Karrdator.
3506
3507“Damn it! What are these guys doing? They are stealing our Karrdator!!”
3508
3509The Red Rabbit Knights couldn’t get a hold of the situation, they only knew the intruders had captured some of the Karrdators and occupied the workshop.
3510
3511Even though they lacked information, they still retaliated ferociously. That was natural, as the enemy stole their Karrdators and messed up their home base, how could they stay calm? They forgot about their confusion and attacked fiercely. But the high spirited Red Rabbit Knights fell into a panic once again when they saw the familiar machines behind the Karrdator.
3512
3513“That… could it be…!!”
3514
3515Their appearance weren’t standardise, a sign of a rushed job. The back weapons that the other machines had, gave off an intimidating aura. The new prototype Silhouette Knight ‘Tellestarle’ advanced with strong steps threatening to smash the floor of the workshop. All five machines sent by Laihiala Pilot Academy had fallen into the hands of the Copper Fang Knights.
3516
3517“What power… it’s more amazing than they said, like an untamed horse!”
3518
3519A weird sensation came from the control stick, making Kerhild, who was piloting one of the Karrdators curse. They knew the basics of the Tellestarle from the documents they obtained in advance, but, it was unbelievably hard to actually pilot it. Even experienced veterans would need some time to get used to its uniqueness.
3520
3521“Who said these are second rate products made by students? Making me waste so much effort… Oh, so, this is the back weapon.”
3522
3523She followed the ‘instructions she learned beforehand’ to manipulate the unfamiliar control stick, and the Tellestarle faithfully moved in accordance to the pilot’s command. The auxiliary arms started moving, placing the Silhouette arms onto its shoulders. Kerhild felt a slight tremour from the pilot seat, squeezing the trigger after the weapons had been deployed.
3524
3525She didn’t even aim seriously, and the magic shot fired straight ahead into the Red Rabbit Knights’ formation. Explosion from the Overed spell spread further chaos, a signal of the coming nightmare.
3526
3527Knut Dixgard, who was inside the commander office of the fort stared at the ceiling unhappily as he listen to the explosion from the distance, and the tremour in the room. He turned his gaze towards the member of the Red Rabbits who had came to report.
3528
3529“Well then, how many intruders are there?”
3530
3531“Sir! They had two Silhouette Knights and ten soldiers on foot in the beginning. They have taken over the workshop, and stolen several of our Karrdators.”
3532
3533Knut might look calm before his subordinate, but he was actually fuming inside. The intruders targeted the Silhouette Knights of the Red Rabbit Knights. No, since they were occupying the workshop that must have been their plan all along. Knut might be furious, but he had to admit that this was an efficient method to attack the fort.
3534
3535At the same time, Knut was baffled by the objectives of the invaders. They didn’t seem to be much to gain from destroying the fort and stealing the Silhouette Knights. In this nation that was infested with Demon beasts, almost no one would benefit from the fall of a fort and its Knights. It was the same with the Silhouette Knights. The strongest weapon of humanity had the power of over a hundred men, but was costly to maintain with expendable parts. The ones who could ‘benefit’ would be the nobles who used them to protect the citizens and the merchants escorting their cargo. Both would benefit from proper channels, so there was no need to risk such an attack.
3536
3537“Commander Molten is engaging with ‘Hymerwort’!”
3538
3539The report from a Knight rushing in, pulling Knut out of his thoughts, and he lift his head. The Commander of the Red Rabbit Knights, Molten was joining the fray.
3540
3541With him and Hymerwort, the Knights might wrest back the initiative.
3542
3543“... I’m counting on you, Molten.”
3544
3545Knut who saw a ray of hope mumbled softly as if in prayer. The next second, an exceptionally loud boom and tremour reverberated within the fort. Knut’s eyes darkened, the battle seemed to be getting more intense.
3546
3547The overed spell fired by the Silhouette arms blazed through the air, hitting the ground before the Red Rabbit Knight’s Karrdator. With the explosion of the spell, a large dust cloud was kicked up. The Karrdator who were fighting intensely with the enemy put up their shields and retreated in defence. The Tellestarles which were firing their back weapons moved stiffly, moving cautiously towards the courtyard of the fort.
3548
3549The Red Rabbit Knights opposing them felt a moment of unease. The tables had turned, the Red Rabbits Knights had six Karrdator; one machine on the intruder’s side was done, so there were four Karrdator and five Tellestarle, so they had the advantage in numbers. And, the power of the Tellestarle was clear for all to see. The Red Rabbit Knights knew about the stellar performance of the Tellestarles from the fight against the shaker worms, but they had never piloted it before and couldn’t judge the situation clearly, leaving them overly guarded.
3550
3551The Red Rabbit Knights hesitated on taking the offensive and the short stalemate made the Copper Fang Knight feel as if they were walking on thin ice. Kerhild couldn’t help complaining.
3552
3553“Isn’t the ease of control the strong point of the machines in this country!? Really, it’s hard to fight like this; the wise choice would be to run…”
3554
3555“The performance of the new models is better. We are lucky the equipment is in good shape.”
3556
3557Seeing her members moving the back weapon, Kerhild frowned.
3558
3559“Only that thing is useful. Let’s charge out while the enemies are still on their toes. Get ready.”
3560
3561The Red Rabbit Knights seemed to be hesitating because of their numbers, so this was a good chance. Even though Kerhild’s gang had more machines, they didn’t want to battle in machines that were so hard to handle. They used force to rob the machines; even with all five machines in hand, it was better for the damage to be minimal.
3562
3563Their plan was to retreat after getting the new models, so they had prepared a trap in advance. But, they needed to get away from the fort before activating it.
3564
3565Because of the difficulty in piloting the new model, the plan to break through with their numbers has changed. But, the advantage in numbers remained. They prepared to breakthrough before the Red Rabbit Knights realised the difficulties they are facing.
3566
3567“Karrdators to the front! The new models support from behind!”
3568
3569This became the mission of the Karrdators, which were good in melee combat and were not a target. There were only four, but that was enough to handle the current situation. With the support of the spell shots from the Tellestarle, the courtyard of Fort Casadesus was gradually turning into rubble. The Karrdators of the intruders advanced using this opportunity. The Red Rabbit Knights who were on the defensive kept blocking with their shields as they fell back.
3570
3571“Knights! Let me through!”
3572
3573Suddenly, a feral roar came from behind the Red Rabbit Knights, who were in a dire situation. The Knights’ formation split to the side on reflex, and a Silhouette Knight went in with powerful momentum.
3574
3575That Silhouette Knight raised its warhammer high and swung it down mightily, hitting a charging enemy Karrdator like a magnet drawn to steel. The inertia of the hammer was converted to a shockwave, bending the Karrdator into a ‘<’ shape, shattering its armour and downing it. The impact didn’t just pulverise the abdomen armour and crystal tissue, it even crushed the inner skeleton. The furious blow broke the morale of the intruders, and the Silhouette Knights who showed up taunted them after the blow.
3576
3577“Look at the mess you made, thieves! Don’t think you can get away with this!!”
3578
3579The machine spinned the hammer and lifted it again. It wasn’t a Karrdator. The smooth and delicate outer skin was painted red; a majestic external armour was draped over its body. It was the personal Silhouette Knight of the Red Rabbits Commander, Hymerwort. The machine had its own hanger bay and wasn’t harmed by the intruders.
3580
3581“How imposturous to do as you please, I have to put you in your place. Don’t hold back, slaughter them!!”
3582
3583Inside the cockpit, the Red Rabbit Commander, Molten Fredholm, pilot of Hymerwort was roaring like a bear in a bad mood due to hunger. The chaotic Red Rabbits regained their composure and formed up on either side of Hymerwort. The strongest Knight in the band, Hymerwort, steadied the heart of the troops.
3584
3585“Knights, advance! Take down these dirty rats!!”
3586
3587Molten raised his hammer like a ceremonial staff. With his strong encouragement, the Red Rabbits took the offensive. The intruders still had the advantage in numbers, but the morale and teamwork of the Red Rabbits Knight was not to be taken lightly.
3588
3589Hymerwort overtook the advancing Karrdator and led the charge. The Tellestarles sent a few spells their way, but were deflected by the external armour. The flashy armour was damaged, but the main body was fine, charging on ahead. Hymerwort did not have any shields, but it was a heavy machine one size larger than Karrdators, the firepower from the Tellestarle won’t be able to break through its armour so easily.
3590
3591Hymerwort braved through the hail of fire and swung its hammer when it reached the enemy, making a sound akin to an explosion. After witnessing what happened to the Karrdator opposing it, the enemy Karrdator scattered away.
3592
3593“Good, get out of my way, small fries!!”
3594
3595This was exactly what Molten wanted. Hymerwort pulled back his hammer and lifted it overhead and continued forging ahead; Molten was after the Tellestarle situated at the back. The new models might be valuable, but it must not fall into enemy hands. Since the enemy was not resisting, Molten intended to charge over and destroy them.
3596
3597The hammer howled towards the Tellestarle piloted by Kerhild. Cursing the machine that was not moving as she wished, Kerhild managed to evade the giant hammer. But, Molten pulled back his hammer with a spin and followed up with an attack. Living up to his title of Knight Commander, Molten displayed his skills and attacked continuously with his hammer. Used in conjunction with his heavy armour and powerful machine, it could smash the intruders into pieces.
3598
3599“Ugh… This one is the Command Silhouette Knight? It’s amazingly strong!!”
3600
3601Kerhild was gradually getting used to the machine in the short time she has controlled it. But, before she could master the controls, the merciless, consecutive attack forced her into a corner. As the hammer was about to deliver a devastating blow—
3602
3603“Captain!!”
3604
3605Before the hammer could accelerate, another Tellestarle got in the way with its shield. The movement was rugged, just an assault with brute force. But, it managed to stop the hammer that had accelerated halfway, leaving just a muffled sound.
3606
3607“Annoying!!”
3608
3609The heavy machine, Hymerwort, pushed at the shield of the Tellestarle with its powerful strength. Even though it was similar in size to Karrdators, the power of the strand crystal tissue could match the heavy machine, standing up to Hymerwort. Seeing the Tellestarle wrestling on par with his unit, the surprised Molten twisted the lips under his moustache.
3610
3611“Hmm, so this is the power of the new model, to think it could match my Hymerwort. Although I want it to be part of my Knights, it is a hindrance right now!!”
3612
3613The new models that fell into the hands of the opponents were troubling. With the size of a Karrdator and as powerful as the Hymerwort, it was like a bad joke. At this moment, the other Karrdators charged into the formation of the defenders, turning this into a chaotic battle. This move lowered the spirits of the Red Rabbits, forcing the fight into a stalemate again.
3614
3615“Captain, now’s our chance!!”
3616
3617Kerhild nodded at her subordinate. She understood this was the best opportunity to escape the fort. Hymerwort was too dangerous. They could stand up to it in terms of power output, but they would definitely lose if the battle dragged on.
3618
3619She had no intention of challenging the Commander of a Order of Knights in an unfamiliar machine. With no telling how long the Karrdator on her side could fend off the Red Rabbits, she had given up on escaping with all the Tellestarles.
3620
3621“There’s no choice, those who can still move follow me!!”
3622
3623Instead of fighting with the advantage in numbers, Kerhild prioritised on keeping the machines intact. That was the difference in principle between ‘Knights’ and ‘spies’. Their goal was not to defeat the enemy; battle was just a means to stall for time and a means to ensure safety. Kerhild treated all her subordinates on the field as a way to ‘restrain’ the enemy, firing randomly as she skirted around the battlefield, running towards the unguarded gates.
3624
3625Several shots destroyed the gates from the inside, making it losing its function as a door. A total of three Tellestarle piloted by Kerhild and her underlings ran onto the road in the night, beginning their escape.
3626
3627After breaking out from the chaotic fort, Kerhild and the others were not followed, so they just needed to follow the pre-arranged route to escape. They didn’t take all the new models, but they still managed to get three. On the positive side, most of the Copper Fang Knights stayed behind to stall for time, sacrificing almost all the combatants, but, this was within their expectations.
3628
3629The Copper Fang Knights was a group that took on covert operations and lacked professional fighting prowess. The ‘Wendebadalla’ that took them much effort to smuggle in were their only direct combat units. Using these limited resources to infiltrate a foreign nation’s fort and capturing their machines. Considering the cons of the operation such as the difficulty in piloting Tellestarle, ‘just’ losing the entire group of Knights was a great deal.
3630
3631Things were proceeding smoothly, but Kerhild was emotional and sighed with a complicated feeling of easiness, satisfaction, dissatisfaction and regret. She ignored the casualty of her Knights for the moment, shaking her head and thinking about her next move. She had to link up with the ‘Wendebadalla’ team on standby in Acquart Forest. With strong steps, they commanded the Tellestarle to run, their movement stiff but fast.
3632
3633Thin clouds covered the sky; the moon that was almost full illuminated the road by their feet. Three Tellestarle forged ahead without a word. Only the sound of the Silhouette Knights’ footsteps could be heard. It was close to their rally point at the entrance of the forest. When Kerhild was about to slow down, she saw a red and white figure in the distance.
3634
3635The moon was bright tonight and the road up ahead was visible. Even without the moonlight, Kerhild had been trained to move in the dark and recognised the true identity of the faint light was Silhouette Knights. On the path to their escape route, a red and white Silhouette Knights were heading in the direction of the fort.
3636
3637Tch! I didn’t hear anything about reinforcement!! Why are there Silhouette Knights at a place like this!?
3638
3639With all the combat units of Fort Casadesus tied up, there shouldn’t be any pursuers. With the long distance to the other forts, even if they send an urgent message over, calling for aid, the intruders would probably be gone from Fremmevira by the time help arrives. Traveling at night was fraught with danger and would be avoided unless it's an urgent matter. Kerhild couldn’t understand why she would encounter Silhouette Knights at such a place. The enemy units that popped up made her agitated; Kerhild didn’t know how much time her underlings at the fort could buy her. Right now, the thing they were lacking the most was time.
3640
3641Without the option of lying her way through, Kerhild decided to get rid of the obstacle. She signaled to her underlings and they nodded in silence. The three Tellestarle deployed their back weapons and attacked the red and white Silhouette Knights without warning.
3642
3643These events occurred moments earlier.
3644
3645Setting off from Laihiala Pilot Academy, the carriage ferrying the Boss and the twins, together with Guyale and Earlecumber had a smooth journey. Fort Casadesus was right before them, and they didn’t meet with much trouble. With the destination right before them, the group was starting to get careless.
3646
3647“This is much smoother compared to the previous trip.”
3648
3649“We had a hard time back then. I won’t welcome the shaker worms visiting now.”
3650
3651“... You would probably not prefer the shaker worms to visit ever at all.”
3652
3653It was getting dark. Fortunately, the group could advance under the bright moonlight. It was taboo to travel at night, but they still persevered on marching towards Fort Casadesus that was not far ahead. They were a small group that could travel easily. Even with the Silhouette Knight escorts, they only had a carriage and a cargo wagon.
3654
3655They moved while they chatted— and suddenly noticed an abnormality in front of them. The sound of heavy metal clanking came from the depths of the darkness along with sharp screeches, familiar sounds for a pilot— the sound of Silhouette Knights churning. As they wondered who was running about recklessly in the night, without realising they were doing the same as well.
3656
3657The sound of footfalls became heavier; the other party came close enough to be discerned in no time. They watched with bated breath as they identified the Silhouette Knights appearing before them to be the new models built by them, and placed under the charge of Fort Casadesus. Not understanding why the other party was charging at them in full speed, they were surprised and confused.
3658
3659Even if something happened and there was a need to send the combat units out, they won’t use the new models which were in the minority for the task. Furthermore, the pilots stationed at the fort were not trained to operate them, so there was no reason for them to use these special machines.
3660
3661“What do you think, Di?”
3662
3663“No idea, let’s ask them.”
3664
3665They decided to confirm the situation, which was the best judgement they could make. But, what happened next was beyond their expectations. The approaching Tellestarle deployed their back weapons. Kerhild and the others on the Tellestarle would never stop at this place, so, they naturally attacked the machines before them. The unexpected attack from the back weapon had been more effective than melee combat so far.
3666
3667This shocked Edgar and Dietrich; they would never dream that they would be attacked by their allies’ Tellestarle. They reacted in time because of their familiarity with this machine and the back weapons.
3668
3669Dietrich, who was piloting the reforged Guyale aside, and Edgar, who was piloting the old model reacted splendidly. Guyale drew his sword and deflected the shots with excellent swordsmanship; Earlecumber raised its shield, blocking the shots Guyale missed, protecting the carriage behind them.
3670
3671Seeing her opponent fending off the attack, Kerhild clicked her tongue and had to stop. Earlecumber opposed them from a distance. Edgar opened the cover to the sound amplifier.
3672
3673“... We are cadets from Laihiala Pilot Academy with business with the Red Rabbit Knights, and on our way to Fort Casadesus. Why have you attacked us without identifying yourselves?! Please tell us if your reasons are justified!!”
3674
3675After hearing the angry speech from Edgar, the Tellestarle remained ominously silent. Kerhild had nothing to say to them. But, after hearing that, she finally knew where the red and white Silhouette Knights hailed from. She was relieved the opponents weren’t professional Knights. They should be avoiding battle, but before her were just two school trainer models, so, she decided to break through with their superior skills. Tellestarles’ power was also a big threat, even without any gimmicks, just crashing into them would leave any Knight or cadet’s machine severely damaged. They had gradually gotten used to the movements of the machine and didn’t think much about their adversary, preparing to assault from the front.
3676
3677But they didn’t think about who made the new models they were piloting right now.
3678
3679“... Edgar.”
3680
3681“I know; I’ll leave it to you.”
3682
3683There was no doubt the silent and hostile Tellestarles were enemies. It was sad to slash at the machine they worked so hard to make, but the cadets didn’t plan to give up. After the short exchange, the two of them moved out without hesitation. The red Silhouette Knight charged ahead with a strong step with the white Silhouette Knight following behind.
3684
3685One Tellestarle took on Guyale, swinging its sword while moving forward. The movement was crude, but fast and strong as well. It should be hard to block, but Guyale placed one sword behind the other and crossed swords with the Tellestarle, not losing to it in power at all.
3686
3687The Guyale directed the blow to the side, swinging its sword down diagonally. The Tellestarle’s mighty blow was parried to the side, causing it to lose balance in its upper body. The Copper Fang Knight member tried to pull back the arms, but it wasn’t fast enough. The Tellestarle full of openings took the attack of Guyale’s dual sword; the flowing steel blade seemed to be pulled to the Tellestarle’s right arm, cutting it off at the joints. For the Tellestarle that used its left arm to wield a shield, it was as good as losing its primary means of attack.
3688
3689The face of the Copper Fang Knights member twisted from shock. He was experiencing how Molten felt earlier— the opponent’s power output was on par with his. But, there was a reason why this soldier had survived this long in the battlefield– he forcefully pulled back the falling machine and deployed its back weapon in an attempt to retaliate.
3690
3691“Back weapons are strong, but the way you are using it is too naive!”
3692
3693Dietrich shouted and deployed Guyale’s back weapon first. The Silhouette arms resting on its shoulders looked like short swords with a broad body. Dietrich took aim through the reticle displayed on the holo monitor and squeezed the trigger on the control stick.
3694
3695The Silhouette arms which received the command fired the magic shot out. It hit the back weapon of its adversary that was just about to shoot, the impact from the vacuum tearing at it, destroying the Silhouette arms of the Tellestarle. It was already off balanced, and with the blow to its upper body, it felt onto its back immediately. This exchange only took a few seconds.
3696
3697When that Tellestarle was clashing with Guyale, Earlecumber blocked the way of the other two machines. As they might hit their allies during melee combat, the other two Tellestarle turned their attention to Earlecumber. Even though it was two on one, and the enemies were using the new models, Edgar’s action didn’t seem wise. To exterminate Earlecumber, the Tellestarle Kerhild was piloting raised its sword while the other deployed its back weapon, planning to attack in unison.
3698
3699But, Earlecumber didn’t moved as they expected— Earlecumber stopped in its tracks halfway and shot at the ground with the Silhouette arms ‘Culverin’. The spell exploded, casting dust and debris in the air, using the smoke screen to blind the enemy.
3700
3701“What cheap tricks!”
3702
3703Kerhild moved her machine back, the shots from the other machine failed to hit Earlecumber, flying through thin air. Earlecumber took a step back, raising its shield in defence. It was obviously baiting an attack, which made Kerhild hesitate.
3704
3705At this moment, a sound of something flying could be heard. Turning their heads, they could see Guyale attacking steadily, and the Tellestarle which fell to its blow. Kerhild didn’t expect the new models to lose to a cadet trainer so easily. In her anxiety, she thought of a possibility.
3706
3707“Could this be… a new model!? I didn’t hear about this, so there are more!?”
3708
3709There was no way she would know, the construction of this machine wasn’t planned; and she would definitely not know it was a pair of willful twins that brought the red Knight to this place.
3710
3711When she realised what her adversaries were, she found her side in a tough situation. The opponent was the same model as Tellestarle, and from the looks of things, the pilot was very familiar with it. Compared to them, who were new to the controls, meeting a skilled pilot was a nightmare. They had fallen into a trap; the white machine was obviously a bait. While it was luring the enemy in and defending, the powerful red machine hunted down the other machine. Being tricked because of her carelessness made Kerhild grind her teeth, but the situation wouldn’t change for the better like this. Could she defeat the red machine in the machine she couldn’t control skillfully? She was not optimistic enough to bet on this possibility.
3712
3713Even at this critical juncture, they still found a weakness: the red machine was a new model, but the white one wasn’t. They could tell from the way they fought earlier. If that was the case, if they could stop the red machine, it was possible to take down the white one. The next move was a gamble for them.
3714
3715Unfazed even when their allies had fallen and showing more spirit than before— facing such cautious enemies, Edgar and Dietrich carefully took their stance. Both sides were looking for an opening and the battle became a stalemate.
3716
3717If there was a god of fate, it has not forsaken Kerhild. Something unexpected happened.
3718
3719“Ughhhhhhh!!”
3720
3721The machine brought down by Guyale roared and sat up. It was a big matter for a Silhouette Knight to fall. When seated inside the cockpit of a ten meter tall Silhouette Knight, the pilot would be badly hurt if the machine fell over. Even with the protection of physical boost within the Silhouette Knight, the injury shouldn’t be something you can shake off and start moving again. Dietrich who thought he had dealt with the enemy was caught off guard.
3722
3723“What!? How tenacious!!”
3724
3725The Tellestarle charged with its shoulder down from the side, crashing into Guyale and bringing it down. The others couldn’t react to the sudden development.
3726
3727“How persistent! Di, are you okay!?”
3728
3729“Well done!”
3730
3731Earlecumber adopted a defensive stance. It was two on one again, and the enemy had Tellestarles, so Edgar had to prioritise on defending himself.
3732
3733Kerhild and his underlings fired their back weapon at the ground unhesitantly, returning what Earlecumber did earlier. A cloud of dust raised in the road that was only illuminated by moonlight. Edgar retreated further; a random barrage by the enemy would be dangerous enough. He lifted his shield in defence, but the shots didn’t come and only the heavy footsteps moving gradually away could be heard. Using this chance while Guyale was hindered, Kerhild chose to escape.
3734
3735“Ugh… Edgar!! Ugh, you bastard, stop bothering me!!”
3736
3737Dietrich who managed to break the fall when his machine fell was conscious, but was unable to move Guyale. Even though the Tellestarle that collided with him was half destroyed, it was still a new model. The distance was too close for him to gain an advantage with his piloting skills. With their powers evenly match, Guyale was pressed firmly onto the ground.
3738
3739“Cough! Fu, haha… don’t need to hurry student, play with me a little…”
3740
3741As he spoke, he climbed onto the back of the anxious Dietrich. No matter how skilled Edgar was, the lone Earlecumber couldn’t take on the two Tellestarle.
3742
3743“Ke! This is dangerous, but I have to do this, get out of my face!!”
3744
3745Under the extremely close distance, Dietrich didn’t think about his own safety and fired the ‘Kamtha’ mounted on the back weapon. The air that rushed into the vacuum became a burst of wind, the impact hitting both machines.
3746
3747While Guyale and Earlecumber was battling the Tellestarle, the boss and the others fled from the scene in their carriage, heading straight for Fort Casadesus. If they get dragged into the battle between Silhouette Knights, the carriage won’t even last a second. If there were Tellestarles out here, the chances that something was up at the fort were high, and they had nowhere else to go, anyway.
3748
3749The horse was foaming at the mouth as it sprinted while dragging the fully loaded cargo. The canvas covering the cargo wagon snapped off, revealing an armoured figure secured with steel wires beneath standing up. It was the strangely shaped, two and a half metre tall Silhouette gear— Motor beat.
3750
3751And, the one activating it were Chid and Ady. They brought their equipped weapon— the portable ballista along under their arms, and carried a bag of spare rounds on their back, jumping off the wagon and started sprinting. True to its description of ‘faster than a horse’, the heavy armour sprinted with amazing speed. After training so much with Eru and the continual training with Silhouette gear, running was a piece of cake.
3752
3753Edgar was chasing the fleeing Tellestarle and noticed footfalls in the surroundings; two figures smaller than the Silhouette Knights appeared on both side of Earlecumber. Turning the neck of the machine, Edgar discovered the Silhouette gear that was about the height of a Silhouette Knight’s knee, were running alongside him. Forgetting the situation because of his anger, he roared:
3754
3755“Wha… You two! What are you doing?!”
3756
3757“As you can see, Edgar-senpai, we are going after the thieves.”
3758
3759“That’s right. They have two machines, so we will take care of one!”
3760
3761The two of them chased behind the back of the steel green figures into the forest, running under the sporadic moonlight as they answered.
3762
3763“What nonsense is this?! I don’t care how good you are, the opponents are Silhouette Knights, the strongest weapon of humanity!? It’s too dangerous, leave the thieves to me, so, go back!!”
3764
3765“But Edgar-senpai would be dealing with two of those things alone, then.”
3766
3767Edgar groaned and didn’t know how to answer. The intruders chose to flee as they were unfamiliar with the controls. But, if the two machines attack Edgar together, he would be at an disadvantage. The serious Edgar was dumbfounded when he faced situations he didn’t know how to deal with.
3768
3769“It’s not just Edgar-senpai, we are angry, too.”
3770
3771“This was made by everyone, right? To steal that thing away is unforgivable!!”
3772
3773Edgar felt the same and couldn’t find the words to convince the twins otherwise. After pondering it over, the situation didn’t allow Edgar to waste any more time, and these two weren’t that obedient and wouldn’t follow what he said. Making up his mind, he reluctantly said:
3774
3775“... Don’t be reckless and fight them head on. Focus on providing support, prioritise your own safety at all times!! Got it?”
3776
3777“Yes, we will definitely ‘not be reckless’, Edgar-senpai!”
3778
3779“Right, we will ‘only provide support’, Edgar-senpai!”
3780
3781The forest became denser and the night was getting darker. This incident stirred up by the new Silhouette Knight models that involved people from a number of factions was heading towards its end.
3782
3783
3784
3785
3786
3787Chapter 17: Battle in the forest
3788
3789
3790
3791
3792
3793While Edgar was chasing the Tellestarles in his Earlecumber, the battle in Fort Casadesus between the Copper Fang Knights and the Red Rabbit Knights was entering its climax. The wreckage of defeated Silhouette Knights was littered all over the floor, the fire shot from the Silhouette arms dyed the battlefield orange.
3794
3795Ernesti observed the intense fight from the damaged workshop. Usually, Eru would be shining with joy from watching the Silhouette Knights battle. But, right now, his face was full of regret.
3796
3797“... They destroyed the machines they couldn’t seize, how thorough.”
3798
3799On the floor behind him were several Karrdator that were destroyed by the Copper Fang Knights. Eru’s gaze kept switching between the wreckage and the battle.
3800
3801“Silhouette Knights are having a large scale battle in front of me, but, I don’t have a machine. A pity, such a pity. I will just charge in without one. But, joining a fight between robots without piloting one is too unsightly! That’s unforgivable… But, without the all-important machine…”
3802
3803Eru lifted his head towards the sky, sighing the deepest regret ever in his entire life. After giving his all towards robots, he couldn’t forgive himself for watching two opposing groups of robots battling and not taking part. But, joining the fray without a machine of his own is against his sense of aesthetics.
3804
3805That was why he barged into the workshop shortly after the battle started, but, he could only see wreckage all around him, depressing him further.
3806
3807As he was filled with regret, the Knights in the courtyard were falling one by one, and the fight would be over if this goes on. Pressured by his feelings of anxiety, he made a decision.
3808
3809“... Alright, I will steal a machine that is currently in operation! There is nothing I can’t do if I put my mind to it!!”
3810
3811Once he made his decision, Eru acted swiftly. He fired a human sized anchor wire and leapt onto the roof, observing the battlefield from there closely. Even with Eru’s skills, it was mission impossible to steal a Silhouette Knight that was being operated. With the persistence of a snake, agility of an eagle and the silence of a spider, he waited for a chance to come.
3812
3813At this moment, Eru noticed something moving in the corner of his eyes. It wasn’t in the courtyard where the Silhouette Knights were fighting, but from the vicinity of the gate that was destroyed by the Tellestarle. Looking closely, he could see two carriages hurrying in through the debris of the gate.
3814
3815Some weirdoes who are visiting the fort when there was a fight going on. Eru’s puzzlement didn’t last long as he spied some ‘object’ that looked familiar on the cargo wagon. His eyes widened with surprised for a moment, and jumped into the air. The silver flash left the sound of an explosion behind and moved in the night sky.
3816
3817“Hey, can’t we go faster!?”
3818
3819“This is the limit, Boss! The horses will fall if we go any faster!!”
3820
3821A carriage was sprinting along the paved road with extraordinary speed. The Boss, who stuck his head out from within was urging the student to accelerate. The horses pushed to run at full speed were already foaming at the mouth as they ran, moments until they collapse from exhaustion. But, the group had a reason why they were in a hurry.
3822
3823At this time, Edgar and Dietrich were fighting the Tellestarle that attacked them while they were travelling. The Boss had to report this to the fort.
3824
3825But, when the group reached the vicinity of the fort, they were dumbfounded. Fort Casadesus which reigned over the Acquart Forest was glowing bright in the dark from the flames that erupted all over.
3826
3827“Hey, what in the…”
3828
3829Fortunately, they arrived at Fort Casadesus before the horses had fallen from exhaustion. Before them was the destroyed gate, burning buildings and the intense fight between Silhouette Knights. They couldn’t understand the situation and just remained in place. They were seeking refuge at the fort from a fight between Silhouette Knights, bu,t there was no telling if it was safe inside, either.
3830
3831A silver bullet landed before them as they stood there baffled. Eru used ‘air suppression’ to cushion his fall after leaping down from high up, landing steadily before them. The series of sudden events made the group stunned, and the silver bullet asked while tilting his head:
3832
3833“I was wondering who it was, isn’t this the Boss? What are you doing here? This is a battlefield here.”
3834
3835“Ah, silver boy!! What is happening here!?”
3836
3837Eru calmed the Boss, who was on the verge of pouncing on him, smiling awkwardly as he explained:
3838
3839“I don’t really understand, either. I heard there were thieves entering the fort with Karrdators while posing as the Red Rabbit Knights. They occupied the workshop, stole the Silhouette Knights and created this disaster.”
3840
3841As he was explaining, the flash of Overed spells and explosions continued, the chaos was still ongoing. The Boss and the students listened to Eru with their back to the battlefield. The expression on the Boss suddenly changed.
3842
3843“... Oh right, it’s the Tellestarle… We encountered Tellestarle on our way here, and they attacked us without any warning!! Edgar and Di intercepted them, but I don’t know what happened next. Were they the thieves!?”
3844
3845The Boss clenched his fist furiously while Eru besides him nodded, seeming to understand something.
3846
3847“I see, so the thieves were targeting Tellestarle… No, I should say the ‘new model’... This is a ‘robbing incident’, what a bind. I didn’t think such a ‘cliche’ would happen to me.”
3848
3849Luckily, Eru’s mutterings were covered by the noise in the battlefield and the Boss didn’t hear it. There was no telling how they would feel if they were to hear that, but right now, the Boss, who didn’t know that was full of wrath. He remembered something and turned to Eru.
3850
3851“And, what are you doing?”
3852
3853“I am looking for a Silhouette Knight. Remember that I said the thieves occupied the workshop? The machines they didn’t used were all destroyed… I couldn’t do anything but bite on my fingers as the Silhouette Knights fought before me. The actions of the thieves were rational, but, it made me so furious. I was flying around looking to steal a Silhouette Knight… Well…”
3854
3855Eru ended his explanation and looked at what was behind the Boss. He pointed at the wagon with an ominous smile.
3856
3857“The armour on the wagon… is ‘my Motor Beat’, right?”
3858
3859The Boss stroked his beard. The last cargo on the wagon was the blue armour only Eru could use.
3860
3861“Yeah, the little ones asked me to bring it along. Oh right, they took off to chase the Tellestarle.”
3862
3863“They are here, too? And, they are chasing the Tellestarle? How envi… cough, cough, dangerous, I have to help them right now!!”
3864
3865“Hey, you are enjoying this too much… yup, he is not listening.”
3866
3867Eru gave a perfunctory acknowledgement and boarded onto his Motor beat. After the chest armour closed, mana flowed through its entire body and it stood up slowly as the crystal tissue contracted. The Boss couldn’t see Eru, who was behind the armour, but a joyous voice came from inside, and it was easy to imagine Eru’s expression.
3868
3869“Activation complete… With a machine, everything… everything would be alright. Let’s have a good fight. I will settle things on this side and then assist them… Let’s go!!”
3870
3871Before finishing his sentence, Motor beat jumped with enough force to almost crush the carriage. The churning sound of the winch overlapped with the noise of compressed air jettisoning, extending the wire anchor into the night sky, guiding Motor beat onto the battlefield. Under the shine of the moonlight, its armour had a blue glint that was prominent even in the light from the sea of fire.
3872
3873The Boss spent quite a while chasing the figure of the Motor beat leaping onto the roof and running. He sighed in resignation, turned around and said:
3874
3875“I don’t think a duel level Demon beast is as scary as him. Eh, there’s no need to sympathise with the thieves… There’s nothing else we can do, let’s escape.”
3876
3877The group came to their senses after hearing him and rushed to the entrance of the fort.
3878
3879The owl hooted and the nocturnal wild animals lifted their heads towards the skies. Under the bright moonlight, the aura of a battle crept into the usually peaceful Acquart Forest.
3880
3881The giant intruder made from steel and crystal tissue barged through the forest. They knocked away branches getting in their way, flattening everything under their feet, shaking the ground. Kerhild Hietakangas, the Captain of the Copper Fang Knights had a sour face while piloting her sprinting Silhouette Knight— Tellestarle. She tightened her grip on the control stick and relaxed the pedal which was pushed to the limits.
3882
3883“Tch! It would be bad to continue running like this.”
3884
3885From Fort Casadesus to this place, she had piloted Tellestarle and ran for quite a long distance. That was why she noticed the machine losing the speed it had in the beginning, it was a sign that the mana pool of the Tellestarle gradually drying up.
3886
3887There was still quite some distance before reaching the rendezvous point with the Wendebadalla. If she carried on like this, the mana would be exhausted before she reached the destination and forced to stop all movements. No matter how high the power output was— No, the high power output, the new models was the cause for the mana capacity problem. The Tellestarle didn’t have enough mana pool right now; its biggest weakness still remained unresolved. Kerhild didn’t care about all this, instead of the theory; she was more concerned about the depleting mana.
3888
3889“We probably can’t run any more… I really don’t want to use this thing to fight.”
3890
3891If she pushed on, there was a good chance her mana would deplete when the pursuers caught up. At that point, they would definitely lose even if the opponent wasn’t a new model. She decided to crush the pursuers completely before that happens, escaping would lead to an inevitable defeat. Clicking her tongue, she gave a gesture to her underlings, stopped the Tellestarle and turned around. Apart from the churning of the ether reactor, the forest was quiet once again. Kerhild glared at the approaching white Silhouette Knight on the holo monitor that seemed to be walking casually.
3892
3893On the pilot seat of Earlecumber— the white Silhouette Knight, Edgar saw the Tellestarle decelerating and smiled.
3894
3895“... It seems like their mana pool is running low.”
3896
3897The two Tellestarle gave up on escaping and waited for Edgar to come. As someone who had ‘experienced’ the same problem, Edgar’s guess was spot on.
3898
3899“We still have plenty of mana left, so we have the advantage in that area. I will attack straight on, you two will focus on disruption and support. Do not charge in!!”
3900
3901The Silhouette gear running by the feet of the Silhouette Knight saluted half-heartedly and disappeared into the forest. Edgar suppressed his sigh and focused on the Tellestarle, attempting to conceal the movement behind the trees. Shots from the Tellestarle went through the forest, creating a large explosion when they hit the trees. But, Earlecumber didn’t even raise its shield, closing the distance fearlessly.
3902
3903“Tch! He saw right through us!!”
3904
3905Realising the shots from the back weapon were just a waste of mana, Kerhild yelled in frustration, withdrawing it. Unlike the Red Rabbit Knights, the cadet was inexperienced, but, familiar with Tellestarle. It was a tougher opponent than she had anticipated. All the tactics Kerhild could think of were within the expectations of the enemy, and resolved it one at a time. Even though her machine had better performance, she was still pushed to this point.
3906
3907“Split up, pincer attack!”
3908
3909She decided to fight honestly in the end, utilising their advantage in number to its fullest. The band member nodded and attacked Earlecumber.
3910
3911In the dark forest, it was easy to find a Silhouette Knight that reflects light faintly. The presence of a ten meter tall body was difficult to conceal even in the darkness. Edgar noticed the pincer formation from the Tellestarles immediately. He maneuvered Earlecumber deftly, not letting himself become a target. Edgar closed in on one of the enemy— the Tellestarle piloted by Kerhild.
3912
3913There was no way the Tellestarle would stay at the same spot and wait for him, and kept changing its position. Earlecumber used the woods as barriers and avoided fighting two machines at the same time. The Copper Fang Knight member accelerated his Tellestarle, attempting to flank to the back of Earlecumber. The three Silhouette Knight didn’t engage as they moved around the forest searching for the best position.
3914
3915Something was moving around the forest, concealed by the noise of the three Silhouette Knights. It was an armour one quarter the height of a Silhouette Knight— the Silhouette gear, Motor beat. Chid and Ady hid themselves from the enemy, approaching quietly from behind. Chid was slightly out of the Silhouette Knight’s attack range, observing from behind the trees, calming his shallow breath and racing heart.
3916
3917Looking from this angle, the Silhouette Knights are really huge…
3918
3919Chid spent a lot of time with Eru in the pilot faculty, so he had plenty of chances to see Silhouette Knights and had gotten used to them. But, seeing it as a hostile enemy, the machine’s size and prowess made Chid intensely nervous. Silhouette Knights were the strongest weapon of humanity, which meant there were no other human weapons that could match the Silhouette Knight. The ability of the Silhouette gears were still unknown, but, judging from pure combat power, it couldn’t stand up to Silhouette Knights.
3920
3921A strong and big adversary… When Eru was fighting the Behemoth, it probably felt like this.
3922
3923Chid took a deep breath, drawing the sword from the back of his machine, as if he wanted to sever the fear in his heart. The blade was longer than two metres, an oversized two handed sword. There wasn’t any weapon that suited a Silhouette gear; this was something he dug up from the warehouse in a hurry. The giant sword that was difficult for men to handle was just the right size in the hands of the Silhouette gear.
3924
3925I can’t run now. The people who took Tellestarle are infuriating, I will never catch up to teacher if I back down now, let’s do this!!
3926
3927Chid breathed in deeply and rested the sword on his shoulder. Someone called out to him. Not far away, he could see Ady hiding herself with her ballista, and waved at her with his sword.
3928
3929“Okay, let’s do this!”
3930
3931Chid’s Motor Beat raised its arms and shot out the anchor wire with a soft bang. The arrow head with crystal tissue built inside flew to the top of the trees nearby, embedded into a Y-shaped tree firmly. Chid jumped with the roar of the winch churning. Ady, who was one step behind came out from the trees, aiming her portable ballista.
3932
3933“We need to ‘support’ properly!”
3934
3935Chid’s Motor beat reached the top of the trees, kicked at the branch, and charged ahead. At the same time, Ady’s Motor beat started attacking from long range. Steel arrows flew through the air, splitting it.
3936
3937The two Tellestarles worked in concert, forcing Earlecumber into a corner. Earlecumber couldn’t overcome the difference in numbers, taking a few steps back. If the situation didn’t improve, the pilots would be under tremendous mental pressure. Despite risking death with any wrong move, Edgar, who was piloting Earlecumber was as cool as a cucumber, showing a serious expression and strong concentration. He was at an overwhelming disadvantage, but he refused to give up, waiting for the chance to counterattack. His strong determination frustrated Kerhild and her minions who outnumbered him.
3938
3939The opportunity presented itself at this moment.
3940
3941Kerhild and the Copper Fang member were focusing on Earlecumber, since there were no signs of other machines. The Knight member raised its sword, attempting to attack the back of Earlecumber again. Closing in, he aimed the sword at Earlecumber’s back.
3942
3943After taking the first step, something flashed between Earlecumber and Tellestarle. From the faint moonlight in the woods, that thing reflected a threatening metallic light. It landed on the trees in front of the Knight member with a thud, shaking the entire tree.
3944
3945“An attack!? Enemy reinforcement!!”
3946
3947The shocked Knight member pulled back his leg. There was another force beside them and they were clearly hostile to the Tellestarles. This was a huge surprise to them, as the Tellestarle could afford to do a pincer attack because of their numerical advantage. The appearance of another enemy overturned this, making them hesitant to proceed as they searched for the unseen enemy.
3948
3949Seeing this, the twins smiled. The attack just now halted the movement of the band (Knight) member, which was their plan all along. Chid’s Motor beat was moving at high speeds above the Silhouette Knight’s head, kicking off the trees to accelerate. It then raised its sword, aiming for the head of the Tellestarle.
3950
3951“Woooahhh!!”
3952
3953As the Knight member turned its head, searching the surroundings, something humanoid was flying at him with amazing speed. The unexpected attack surprised him and he tried to dodge by twisting the body of the machine. The machine stopped in its tracks and turned its head unnaturally. The extended two handed sword stabbed at the inside of the helmet, creating screeching sounds and sparks. The Silhouette Knights were tough with its utilisation of physical boost magic, not only did this blow not leave much damage, the crystal eye was as good as new. But, the unnatural evasive movement made the Tellestarle lose its balance.
3954
3955The twins didn’t let this good chance get away and continued attacking. Ady’s Motor beat was standing firmly at a place close by, lowering her centre of gravity as she aimed her ballista, firing without hesitation. Lock and load, whenever the dull sound of energy being released was heard, giant arrows that could easily be mistaken as lances shot skywards. The earlier shot had given her the bearings, allowing Ady to unleash a storm of arrows at the unbalanced Tellestarle.
3956
3957Seeing the Copper Fang Knight member’s Tellestarle being toyed by the attacks from the Silhouette gear, Edgar changed his cautious approach and closed in on Kerhild’s machine in an instant. He didn’t know how long the twins could hold up the Knight member’s machine, so he had to fully utilise this opportunity and take some risks.
3958
3959“Prepare to die!”
3960
3961The sudden ambush and the cadet who switched to the offensive made Kerhild even more frustrated.
3962
3963“These rascals!! Don’t look down on us!!”
3964
3965Unlike the hesitation earlier, the Tellestarle’s sword was full of terrifying power. The change was incredible.
3966
3967Facing this attack, Earlecumber didn’t dodge and took the hit head on. Tellestarle’s power was on par with the heavier models, so, Edgar will definitely lose in a direct confrontation. Other than arm power, Edgar put all its weight behind the sword, stopping Tellestarle’s sword for an instant. This was Edgar’s anti new model skill he came up with from his past experience. It would be useless once the opponent became aware of it, so, he couldn’t repeat it too often; it was a double edged sword. That’s why Edgar chose to show his hand to his adversary at the very beginning. The stalemate would be broken once the Tellestarle used more power. Before the Tellestarle could do that, Earlecumber pushed his sword down, bringing the Tellestarle’s sword along with it.
3968
3969“This guy!?”
3970
3971Earlecumber’s left hand that was holding the shield withdrew, and pushed out towards the Tellestarle with great force. This was known as a kite shield, the diamond shaped shield had a horn on its surface. Although it was blunt, it still made a simple bashing weapon. And, of course, Edgar aimed for the arm. The arms were closely related to the attack power, and structurally speaking, they were weaker than the other parts.
3972
3973A weird sound came from the arm of the Tellestarle. The idea of a follow up attack flashed through Edgar’s mind, but he turned and backed away instead. The next second, a barrage of spells from the back weapon landed at where Edgar was standing moments earlier.
3974
3975“It’s not going that well…”
3976
3977Edgar observed his opponent calmly, and his face twisted bitterly when he realised something. The enemy didn’t realise his shock and retracted the back weapon and didn’t pursue. Edgar’s earlier attack didn’t cause critical damage, the arm seemed serviceable and the sword was still gripped tightly in its hand. Tellestarle’s calm and ominous silence changed Edgar’s shock into caution.
3978
3979“My apologies to you, cadet.”
3980
3981The Tellestarle said suddenly. There was no emotional fluctuation, the steady tone made Edgar even more cautious.
3982
3983“To be honest, I had been underestimating you because you are a cadet. In the end, you have proven to be really capable.”
3984
3985The movement of the Tellestarle became slower as it took up a stance, the stiffness in its movement disappeared. Even with an unfamiliar machine, Kerhild had gotten used to it after running such a long distance with it. That’s right, she was the Commander of the Copper Fang Knights— it might not be a regular Order of Knights, but the title wouldn’t be bestowed on one without ability.
3986
3987“As my apology, I will show it to you. I might have gotten rusty from lack of use… watch this, ‘fang of the copper snake’!!”
3988
3989Before she finished speaking, Tellestarle attacked with movements that were faster than her initial strike. The fierce attack was sudden and took everything Earlecumber had to withstand it.
3990
3991“Strong! It’s a tough opponent!!”
3992
3993Earlecumber kept a safe distance and defended with its shield probing the next step it should make. The white and steel colored Silhouette moved at the same time, sprinting with the roar of their machines.
3994
3995The Copper Fang Knights member who was listening to the fight between Earlecumber and Tellestarle from a distance was yelling angrily from an unexpected development of events:
3996
3997“These things keep squirming around!”
3998
3999He could hear the sound of his enemies kicking the trees echoing in the forest, making it hard to determine their position. The Copper Fang Knight swung his sword wildly in frustration, but didn’t hit them. At this moment, another giant lance hit the outer skin of the Tellestarle, causing sparks.
4000
4001This situation had been going on for quite some time. There were two opponents, one with a melee weapon flying around the forest; the other firing arrows as big as a lance from afar, working together seamlessly. Their teamwork toyed the Knight member around completely.
4002
4003The size of the adversaries was much smaller than a Silhouette Knight, but this was an advantage in concealing oneself in the forest, helping with the sneak attacks. Their individual attacks were nothing insignificant against the Silhouette Knight’s armour reinforced by magic, making it seem tougher than it looks. But, a hit to the joints would be critical even for a Silhouette Knight.
4004
4005They couldn’t deal significant damage with their attacks, but they were still a dangerous presence that couldn’t be ignored. Unfortunately, the Copper Fang Knight thought the opponents were too small and could be dealt with in one hit. While he was aiming at the enemy jumping through the sky, a barrage of lance attacks fell on his unguarded back.
4006
4007The worst thing was the Tellestarle he was piloting had Silhouette arms on its back. The intrinsic engraving and low endurance couldn’t withstand the burst of lances, and lost its functionality from the damage.
4008
4009Realising things were getting dangerous; the Copper Fang Knight went on the defensive. But, it was too late. The Tellestarle had lost one of its advantages. Even though he adopted a defensive position, it resulted in him being attacked one sidedly.
4010
4011The Copper Fang Knight member was as furious as a wild beast pricked in the butt, and he thought about how to take down these damn enemies. The enemy in charge of long distance attacks was cautious and kept a certain distance, and would flee if he went near. He should dispose of the opponent in melee range. But, if he couldn’t stop that thing’s movement, or at least keep up with the opponent’s speed with his eyes, the plan would end there. While the Knight was forcing his mind that was burning from anger to think, the enemies’ attacks continued, fuelling his wrath.
4012
4013Suddenly, a ray of moonlight shone through the trees onto the Tellestarle’s crystal eye. The Knight saw the image captured by the holo monitor and inspiration struck. His expression was like a wild beast that found a prey and couldn’t wait to pounce.
4014
4015After his numerous attacks got deflected, Chid had given up on denting the tough Silhouette Knight. Basically, Silhouette gear had about the same attack power as humans; it’s not possible to defeat Silhouette Knights with it. Even though Chid tried increasing speed and aimed for the weak joints, the Tellestarle wasn’t foolish enough to allow that.
4016
4017Edgar senpai is right, we could only stall for time. That should be enough, but I still can’t—
4018
4019Chid’s Motor beat accelerated by swinging on the wire anchor and jumped. He released the arrow head embedded on the tree and stopped on the next tree with a great force. Chid focused and kicked at the tree branch to accelerate, attacking the Tellestarle that had turned around to defend against the attack from Ady’s Motor beat. The attack aiming for the shoulder joints was blocked, ending in failure.
4020
4021As Chid’s Motor beat was preparing to retreat, the Tellestarle behind was moving in a different way than before. It had probably lost its composure, swinging its sword wildly. The vegetation was thick in this area; the random attacks won’t hit Chid’s Motor beat. The power stemming from the strand crystal tissue bashed the trees and branches, sending it all over the place.
4022
4023“What’s with that, it’s dangerous—”
4024
4025Does he really think it will hit just by swinging wildly? Chid felt the pilot of the Tellestarle had lost his cool and laughed lightly. He understood how his opponent felt, as Chid couldn’t bring the Tellestarle down and was troubled, too. The Tellestarle kept repeating its movement, felling some of the trees, but it didn’t affect Chid’s movement. The accelerating Chid approached the Tellestarle once again.
4026
4027Just as the Knight expected, the Silhouette gear reflected the moonlight as it charged into the edge of the trees. It was bright in the dim forest, marking its position clear to the Knight, who was watching the surroundings.
4028
4029“There you are!! Found you!!”
4030
4031The Knight who was toyed with swung his sword with all his might. It was a fatal situation for the Motor beat that was using the darkness of the forest and its small size. Chid kicked the tree in an attempt to change directions, but the sword swinging down was faster than him. The irony was that this attack, which contained all the hate and anger of the Knight was more powerful than any of his previous attacks.
4032
4033“Chid—!”
4034
4035Ady stared with widened eyes and screamed. She was hesitant about taking action, but, it was too late to attack with the mobile Ballista now. Ady hung on to faint hope and ran.
4036
4037Chid felt all the blood in his body flowing backwards as he stared at the sword of the giant that was closing in with frightening speed. He remembered something. It was related to his teacher— Eru. The advantage Eru has, was his agility and magic abilities. Didn’t Eru teach him the spell to ‘accelerate in mid-air without footholds’?
4038
4039“Waarrgghhh!!”
4040
4041Silhouette gears was a structure made from metal frame and operated by crystal tissue, while crystal tissues were a catalyst that acted as a medium to draw out magic.
4042
4043Chid kicked out his legs strongly, channelling his mana into the crystal tissue powering the legs. At the same time, an architect spell showed itself splendidly. With no regards to force or control, the burst of air exploded like a bomb. The spell named by Eru as Air Thrust violently twisted the momentum of Chid’s Motor beat. The diagonal slash of the giant’s blade went through the space Chid’s Motor beat was in moments earlier with destructive force.
4044
4045“Wooahhh—!?”
4046
4047Chid who almost died under the sword went out of control in mid-air. He wasn’t used to flying in the air like Eru, and couldn’t follow up after forcing himself to use a skill he was not familiar with. Betting on a lifeline, Chid shot out his wire anchor as he was spinning out of control.
4048
4049Fortunately, the wire anchor latched into a tree branch securely, and would allow Chid to regain his balance by retracting it. But, before Chid could put this into action, he faced the problem of his wire anchor running out.
4050
4051“Kya!”
4052
4053The wire anchor that had been pulled to its maximum length shook Chid for a moment; the strong momentum made Chid’s Motor beat changed its direction to the side. It was anchored to a tree by the wires, spinning around it in mid-air. Confused by the centrifugal force, Chid maintained his speed and saw the ground approaching and scream. He straightened the machine with all his might and moderate force to brake by Air Compression, learning from his earlier mistake. He followed that with Air Suspension— another magic taught by Eru personally— and used the air to slow himself down, absorbing the impact with the ground. Chid, who was about to crash heavily into the ground managed to make a slow and safe landing.
4054
4055“Phew… That was close… really close…”
4056
4057Because he was using large amounts of mana recklessly, Chid panted hard to replenish his mana and calmed his beating heart as he stood up. It’s not just the drop in his mana that made him tremble; the near death experience played a part, too.
4058
4059But, the current situation didn’t allow him a chance to take a break. Tremours that shook the ground and the sound of the footfalls of a giant were drawing closer. The Tellestarle saw what happened, too. The Knight piloting Tellestarle thought Chid would crash into the ground and die, but realising his opponents were hard to handle, he had to confirm Chid’s death with his own eyes before relaxing. That’s why he was heading towards Chid to land the final blow.
4060
4061There was no other choice but to escape. Chid forced himself to breath in deeply, and activated the Silhouette gear as he breathed out evenly. He tried using the wire anchor to move large distance, but was stunned when he saw the hand of the machine. The anchor that was bounded to the tree when he fell couldn’t be used, and didn’t work when he pulled at it. Chid gritted his teeth, pulled out the device from his arm. It would just get in his way right now.
4062
4063Chid squeezed out his last ounce of strength to run, putting as much distance as he could away from the attack of the titan.
4064
4065Ady’s Motor beat was sprinting in the forest, kicking up the dirt as she fired her mobile ballista at the Tellestarle going after Chid. But, the armour mercilessly deflected all the attacks. It did nothing to stop the Tellestarle, and had no visible effect at all. With both party moving, it would take amazing luck and coincidence for a hit to be effective.
4066
4067Ady endured the raising anxiety in her heart, and kept firing her ballista non-stop, hoping to stall the enemy. But, the Tellestarle was like a hungry beast who found a wounded prey, licking its lips as it approached Chid step by step. Chid’s Motor beat appeared to be severely weakened, and it seemed unlikely it could escape. Right now, the only one who could stop the Tellestarle and help Chid would be Ady. With a prayer in her heart, she continued her attack.
4068
4069But, her prayers weren’t answered.
4070
4071The Tellestarle who had locked onto Chid’s Motor beat raised its sword again, speeding up in order to deliver the final blow. Just a few more steps and Chid’s Motor beat would be within sword range. The Tellestarle took a final giant stride.
4072
4073Ady’s vision was blurred by tears, Chid’s Motor beat stopped struggling and the Knight was sneering, elated by the prospect of his revenge. Something unexpected happened. There was ‘something’ behind Chid’s Motor beat, right in the path of the Tellestarle, which was Chid’s broken wire. The wire was tied securely to the trees at the height of the Silhouette gear— which was the legs of the Tellestarle.
4074
4075Not noticing the sudden attack— the Tellestarle, who took the step with all its might entangled the wire, the taut wire stopped the leg of the giant, stopping it in its tracks. This was the weakness of the bipedal Silhouette Knight which walks like humans were fated to have. The Tellestarle, who was tripping while shifting its centre of gravity, fell forward just like that.
4076
4077The Copper Fang Knight pilot was probably lost in his anger and couldn’t react in time. The Tellestarle fell forward elegantly, bumping its head into a tree branch with a dull clang. A human would probably die from such a hit. The giant’s head maintained this position as it fell, leaving a cloud of dust and the sound of a crash in its wake.
4078
4079“... Eh, what, what happened…?”
4080
4081“Chid! Chid! Are you alright!? Are you still alive!?”
4082
4083Chid’s jaw was slack the entire time, watching the event unfold behind him. The Tellestarle who fell loudly didn’t move, lying prone to the ground amidst the dust.
4084
4085Ady, who arrived a bit late, ran to Chid’s side. Confirming that Chid was standing stunned in place, she breathed a sigh of relief.
4086
4087“Great! I thought I wouldn’t make it!! Ahh, this is great…!! But, I didn’t expect you to prepare such a trap as you were escaping… Amazing, well done, Chid!!”
4088
4089“Ahhh?... Eh?? Ahhh, hmmm? Ohhh, what?”
4090
4091Compared to Chid, who was laughing dryly as he averted his eyes, Ady was all smiles, swinging her arms strongly to express her joy.
4092
4093“Anyway, let’s take care of this fellow.”
4094
4095After that, Chid clenched his slightly trembling hands.
4096
4097The Tellestarle fell slowly.
4098
4099It hit a tree on the way down, the Copper Fang Knight who was inside the twisted machine didn’t know what happened and panicked. The Tellestarle didn’t have time to break the fall and crashed onto the ground directly. Its momentum was slowed when it hit the tree, but the impact from the fall still affected the pilot inside the cockpit. The force coming from his back pushed out all the air in his lungs, making him cough a few times. Thanks to the seatbelt, he was fine after being shaken in his seat. If not for the seat belt, he might have turned into minced meat after tumbling around in the cockpit.
4100
4101After the machine stopped moving, the Knight shook his head, and tried to grasp the situation. The head of the machine probably suffered serious damage; the image on the holo monitor was distorted and could disappear anytime. The damage to the entire body wasn’t clear, but, he knew the reactor was fine from the steady vibration under his seat.
4102
4103No matter what, the first thing he needed to do was to stand the machine up. Pushing his aching body, the Knight reaches for the control stick. Suddenly, the sharp sound of air gushing out was heard. The holo monitor projecting a twisted image was gone as the chest armour opened. Replacing that was the cool night air and the scene of the real world.
4104
4105Before him was the moon. The Knight stared at it, lost for a moment. The almost perfectly spherical moon was exceptionally bright, and someone was standing before it. He still couldn’t focus, thinking that this was the giant armoured Knight that he was fighting all this while.
4106
4107“Taste my fist of punishment!!”
4108
4109After hearing an exceptionally young shriek, his vision was filled by the view of an extra large iron fist, and that was the last thing he remembered.
4110
4111Again, returning to the scene in Fort Casadesus.
4112
4113After the Copper Fang Knights’ Captain Kerhild accomplished her main objective— seizing the new model, and had escaped, the rest of the Knights that chose to stay behind continued battling the Red Rabbit Knights. The Red Rabbits were full of wrath towards the invaders who had caused much destruction, determined to wipe them out. If the invaders turned their back, they would definitely be done in by countless swords. That was as good as suicide, so the Copper Fang Knights had no choice but to engage.
4114
4115But, unexpectedly, the battle was still at an impasse. And, naturally, they rallied around the two new models that stayed behind. It might be hard to control, but its powerful performance more than made up for this. As the phrase goes, ‘an untamed horse could run fast, too’. Facing such tenacious enemies, the Red Rabbits couldn’t hold back their anxiety.
4116
4117At this moment, a gust of wind swept through the burning battlefield, even knocking the red flames aside. It was a prominent blue whirlwind— the combination of the Silhouette gear, Motor beat and Ernesti. He used the anchor wire to fly around the walls of the fort and observe the situation. Watching from up high, it was easy to identify the enemy from the ally. The one standing with the Tellestarle was the enemy.
4118
4119He leapt towards the enemy Karrdator nearby. Silhouette gear was one size bigger than humans, but was only a quarter the height of Silhouette Knights. He wasn’t discovered by the Karrdator when Eru landed softly on its shoulders.
4120
4121“Good night Mr. Thief. I made you wait, let me join in, too.”
4122
4123The Knight who was only focusing on the Red Rabbits was shocked by the sudden appearance of the armoured Knight appearing on the holo monitor. Before he could understand what was happening, the seemingly large palm of Motor beat covered the holo monitor. For Silhouette Knights, the head exists in order to protect the ‘eye crystal’. Naturally, it was covered by helmets and heavily protected by armour.
4124
4125But, the Motor beat that was smaller than the Silhouette Knight reached in through the gaps of the armour and attacked the eye crystal directly. It was too close for the image to focus, the blurry palm was glowing faintly from magic, materialising into a mid-tier spell that was more powerful than Fireball — Flame Strike. No matter how tough the armour of the Silhouette Knight was, it wouldn’t last long if the insides were attacked directly. The flames filled every corners of his vision before the holo monitor finally lost its light— the eye crystal was destroyed. With the light source gone, the sealed cockpit fell into darkness. This unexpected development made the Copper Fang Knight panic.
4126
4127Before the enemy Karrdator could thrash about from confusion, Motor beat fired the anchor wire to the Tellstarle nearby and swung in the air. With the direction adjusted slightly from air compression, the Motor Beat charged towards the back of the knees of the machine. Before the targeted Tellestarle realised a foreign object was entangling it, Motor Beat had fired a few dozen Flame Lances into the knee joint, creating a grand explosion at the thinner armour there, breaking the joint. The Motor beat delivered the final blow with a kick, and the Tellestarle lost its balance and fell.
4128
4129When their comrades, including the new model fell one after another, the Copper Fang Knights fell into disarray. The Red Rabbits couldn’t fathom what was happening, but, they could see that the strange blue armour was putting on a spectacular performance.
4130
4131When another Karrdator bent its knees, the Copper Fang Knights finally noticed the full plate armour that was flying around them. They attempted to strike it down with their swords in a hurry, but the blue armour was one step faster than the giant’s sword, disappearing from view as if something was pulling it in. The Motor beat stopped at the top of the fort’s wall once again, moving swiftly before attacking the other Tellestarle. Using Air Suspension while dropping from the blind spot at the top of its head, Eru landed on the shoulder of the machine like a shadow.
4132
4133In order to fend off the Red Rabbits, the Copper Fang Knight deployed its back weapon. Eru showed a devious smile. He was the ‘proposer’ of the back weapon; no one understood its structure and functions more than him. Eru had a way of using this against his enemies. Keeping his balance, Eru swiftly took out the sub arms supporting the Silhouette arms, destroying the part equivalent to the ‘hands’ and pulled on the silver nerve to move the Silhouette arms. Eru deftly manipulated Motor Beat, turning the Silhouette arms that were taller than the Silhouette gear around, pointing it at the other Silhouette arms and securing it.
4134
4135There was no way the Copper Fang Knight knew his machine was heading towards tragedy. He pulled the trigger without hesitation. The Silhouette arms received adequate mana and an Overed spell materialised at its tip. And, the tip which was sabotaged by Eru exploded immediately, sending a shock wave as the Silhouette arms exploded. Before the Tellestarle could understand what happened, it was sent flying by the force, falling head first into the ground and stopped moving.
4136
4137“Tamayaa—” <TL: something you yell when setting off fireworks in Japan.>
4138
4139Eru, who was on its shoulder moments ago let out a cheerful comment as it somersaulted gracefully in the air and casually landed. And, so, the outnumbered Copper Fang Knights were taken down in no time. The struggle earlier was like a lie, that’s how the victory felt like.
4140
4141Molten couldn’t hold back his sigh of resignation. The invaders he himself couldn’t handle were put down like a joke with unorthodox moves—and, the one that did it was a small Silhouette Knight imitation he had never seen before. Other than ridiculous, he couldn’t think of a better term to describe it. Molten, who was suppressing his frustration couldn’t help sighing towards the sky, when he saw the figure exiting the blue armour after the battle ended.
4142
4143“... Ah— Ernesti, it’s you.”
4144
4145He worked very hard to not show any fatigue in his voice. Eru opened the armour of his Silhouette gear, Motor beat. The terrifying thing was that his face dyed in the red glow of the flames was showing a huge satisfactory smile.
4146
4147“Yes, Knight Commander. Sorry I’m late; I couldn’t find a machine just now.”
4148
4149That’s not the problem. Molten used his willpower to swallow back these words.
4150
4151“... No, I need to thank you for helping us with these troublesome enemies. I have much to ask, but, let’s leave it for later. Since the issue here is settled, we need to chase the ones that ran off… We might not make it in time though.”
4152
4153Molten stroked the neat beard he was proud of, and crossed his arms. Quite some time had passed since the thieves, who stole the Tellestarle, had left. It was normal to assume they were beyond reach.
4154
4155“As for this, I have something to report to you. The students travelling from Laihiala Academy met the Tellestarle who was escaping by chance. They report that they were attacked as they were approaching the suspicious group, and engaged in battle immediately. They should have stalled quite a bit of time; the thieves might still be nearby.”
4156
4157Eru might not be able to see him, but, a ferocious smile returned to Molten’s face, just like a hunter going after its prey. Hymerwort turned to the surviving Karrdator and ordered:
4158
4159“You heard him, I will be going after the thieves that had run off, but, we can’t leave the heavily damaged fort alone. I order you all to stay behind to defend it.”
4160
4161The Red Rabbit Knights, which has three squads at full strength, had only 20% of its combat forces left. Destroying the enemy was as good as dwindling their own forces, and that was the terrible part of the invader’s scheme. Even if they deployed the few damaged Karrdators here, it will only make them uneasy. Hence, they should be left to defend the fort, while the strongest machine that was almost undamaged, Hymerwort, pursued. They had no time to hesitate.
4162
4163“Alright, Ernesti, as you can see, we are short handed. I would like to request you and your weird armour to lead the way and assist me.”
4164
4165“Definitely. Be it leading the way or assisting you, I will do all that I can.”
4166
4167They left this place to the Karrdator who saluted them. Hymerwort and Motor beat dashed out to the road gallantly.
4168
4169The metallic clashes in the distance stopped.
4170
4171Dietrich felt complicated with half uneasiness and half expectation, raising his eyebrow. He pressed on to the pedal harder, increasing Guyale’s pace. He raced on, the surroundings illuminated solely by moonlight, not decreasing his almost suicidal speed. The footfalls of the iron giant mixed with the scraping of metal against metal. Looking carefully, the crimson armour on it was twisted all over. With every step it took, some parts of the armour were even creating sparks from the friction.
4172
4173Guyale was tangled up with Tellestarle before entering the forest, which stalled him. Dietrich was so angry that he fired his back weapon despite the damage to his own machine, regaining freedom for a short time.
4174
4175But, the thing that stumped him was the half destroyed Tellestarle, who refused to release Guyale’s leg. That fearless determination took Guyale a lot of effort to break out of. The damage was minimal, but, Dietrich felt that the other party got his way when he thought about the time he wasted.
4176
4177He finally subdued the Tellestarle completely in the end. Dietrich then chased after the escaping Tellestarle and Earlecumber who was following it. Acquart Forest was filled with signs of violent battles and movement of Silhouette Knights, so, it was easy to track. He focused on hurrying.
4178
4179As he ran, Guyale suddenly came to an empty plot of land. No, the place wasn’t this bare originally. The signs of slashes on the trees and things falling all over showed that an intense battle happened here. Dietrich shook off the ominous feeling creeping up his back and surveyed the area. The surroundings was filled with dark trees with wild grass growing beneath. He looked around him and found something pure white that didn’t fit in the forest. The pure white here could only be one thing.
4180
4181“Edgar! I have been looking for you, where is the Telle…”
4182
4183As he approached the white object, Dietrich’s voice became smaller. He recognised the giant resting against the tree— the Silhouette Knight, Earlecumber, and gasped.
4184
4185
4186
4187
4188
4189The white and flawless armour was twisted from an intense battle, the colour turning dim and dull. It was probably slashed at the shoulder; the entire right arm was missing, even the chest armour nearby was peeled off. The lifelessly dangling left arm had a shield attached, which was covered with scars of explosion and slashes, it was still swinging slightly. There was slight damage, but, the legs were in good condition. That was the proof that Earlecumber fought until the very end.
4190
4191At the same time, the sword that pinned Earlecumber to the tree by the stomach announced its defeat clearer than a picture that says a thousand words. They probably struck at the same time. An arm severed at the elbow was still holding the sword sticking through Earlecumber’s stomach, and seemed to belong to a Tellestarle. Listening carefully, a churning noise could be heard from within the machine. The ether reactor wasn’t functional, but it was still running.
4192
4193Earlecumber remained motionless. Dietrich who couldn’t hold back his frustration ran towards it.
4194
4195“...!? Edgar!! Hey, answer me! Are you alright!?”
4196
4197An indescribable feeling filled Dietrich’s heart. The damage to the Silhouette Knight does not indicate the injury that the pilot incurred. But, because the Silhouette Knight was humanoid in shape, people tend to assume that the pilot suffered similar injuries. Reacting to Dietrich’s shouts, Earlecumber moved its neck slowly, as if it was rusted. Half of the armour covering the head had been squashed; the unsteady gaze looked over from the crystal eye.
4198
4199“... Ugh, is it Di? Sorry, I let the Tellestarle get away…”
4200
4201“Ah, I see. But, are you okay!? Hang on, I will send you to the fort…”
4202
4203Dietrich relaxed and suggested, but, was interrupted by Edgar’s loud voice.
4204
4205“Di! Earlecumber’s reactor is shot and it can’t move, but, it won’t blow up any time soon. Aside from some bruises from the crash, I am fine. More importantly, it hadn’t been long, go pursue Tellestarle…!!”
4206
4207Dietrich was caught in a dilemma. Was it fine to abandon the seriously damaged Earlecumber and go after Tellestarle? Edgar said he was fine, but, there was no guarantee that it was true. Seeing his rival and friend, who competed with him in the pilot faculty all this time in a bind made Dietrich hesitate to chase Tellestarle. No, he was hesitating about leaving this place.
4208
4209“Di, we got this far, don’t let him slip away, I’m counting on you!”
4210
4211“... Alright, leave it to me!!”
4212
4213The thing that made up his mind was the words of his friend. Dietrich could feel the strong determination within Edgar’s voice, and it swept his doubts away. He couldn’t ignore the will that pushed Earlecumber to fight on until it broke down. Dietrich’s friend had not given up on the fight. Guyale nodded firmly, turned around and chased Tellestarle, charging into the forest.
4214
4215Hearing the footsteps of Guyale grow distant, Edgar managed to squeeze a smile onto his bitter facial expression. He could no longer see the twisted image displayed on the holo monitor. As he listened to the fading footfalls, he imagined the scene of someone running off.
4216
4217“I’m counting on you, Di. I am going to rest for a while…”
4218
4219Edgar breathed out, holding back his moan and slowly relaxing his body. He didn’t even have the strength to wipe the red liquid dripping from his forehead, and submerged into the darkness once again.
4220
4221The crimson Silhouette Knight morphed into a whirlwind, sprinting in the forest. Dietrich used his anger to suppress the anxiety welling in his chest, pushing his machine to go forth. Guyale had already drawn both its swords and deployed its back weapon, ready to fight. The moment he finds Tellestarle, Dietrich’s blade smothering from wrath would joyously send a final blow to the enemy.
4222
4223As he ran, Dietrich could tell from the tracks in the forest that the Tellestarle was in terrible condition. Earlecumber dealt serious damage to Tellestarle, as expected, and Guyale’s mission was to attack the enemy and deal the final blow.
4224
4225“It couldn’t have gone too far with such damage…! Where is it!?”
4226
4227After running for quite some time, Dietrich noticed something from the senses he honed through his many battles. In the tracks in front of him, something was squirming in the darkness.
4228
4229“That is… No, it’s not Tellestarle!?”
4230
4231His instinct told him the enemy he was looking for wasn’t in front of him. He felt there were ‘numerous’ beings. Those things seemed to notice that Guyale was approaching, and crawled out from the fog of darkness with a roar.
4232
4233The true identity of these things was Demon beasts.
4234
4235From their size, they were definitely duel level, and it was a ‘swarm’ in numbers. The track of Tellestarle vanished in the middle of this group.
4236
4237“What… what is happening!?”
4238
4239The track had been trampled by the squirming Demon beasts and was difficult to identify. He was just one step away from victory, and was stopped by an unexpected ambush.
4240
4241Dietrich was furious, and had the illusion of everything before him turning red. His emotions reached the boiling point and he didn’t notice how unnatural this situation was.
4242
4243Before him was a swarm of demon beasts from a ‘mixture of species’. Demon beast was just a general term and consisted of multiple types. It was normally impossible to mobilise them together, as they have the concept of territory and nests. In other words, the swarm that was blocking his way was a ‘unnatural occurrence’.
4244
4245Several of them lowered their stance and growled at Guyale. They weren’t just gathered together, each one of them were highly agitated. There were some that bared their teeth at each other, trying to impose dominance over each other.
4246
4247In such a situation, what would happen if a giant emitting an aura of fury was to approach? The Demon beasts were sensitive to changes. Using their instincts, the beast judged the giant, that was standing still from anger and confusion, to be an enemy and charged with crazed vigour.
4248
4249Dietrich felt regret over showing this fatal opening as he took a stance against the Demon beast charging towards him. He had calmed down slightly after losing his cool earlier. The remnant of calmness in his mind grasped the situation, directing his wrath into the will to attack, allowing Guyale to display an even more powerful ability. A mighty slash decapitated a flame tiger, while the shot from ‘Kamtha’ killed another.
4250
4251As he fought the Demon beasts, Dietrich realised ‘something’ and frowned. His original goal was to pursue the escaping Tellestarle; he didn’t have time to deal with so many Demon beasts. His only hope, which was the tracks left behind had already been trampled over. Even if he could break through this swarm, it would be impossible to catch up. What about going around this swarm? But, with so many Demon beasts congregating, their active area would be large too. How far would he need to detour in order to avoid detection? Just thinking about it made him feel it was foolish. Even if he avoided battle with the Demon beasts, he will lose the only clue to help him track the enemy. Dietrich wasn’t optimistic about his chances of finding his target by wandering around the forest.
4252
4253Did I lose him? The thought flashed across Dietrich’s mind, and he was aware of something uneasy pricking at his heart. He cursed the ‘coincidence’ of the demon beasts blocking his path.
4254
4255No matter how angry Dietrich was, he wouldn’t do something as dumb as charging into the midst of a swarm of Demon beasts. But, the situation developed by itself. As Dietrich stood his ground, the scent of blood from the Demon beast he killed spread out towards the other Demon beasts, agitating them further, and drawing them towards the source of the scent.
4256
4257And, the source of the bloody smell stemmed from the crimson Knight. Watching the Demon beasts flooding out of the forest one after another, Dietrich couldn’t help groaning a curse. Despite his anger, he moved Guyale back. But, this action was too late and he didn’t have much choice. Dietrich couldn’t shake off the blunt bear and flame tiger no matter what he did. Dietrich needed to find a place to fight, but, there were too many Demon beasts. If they gang up on him, even the new Guyale would be in danger. As Dietrich retreated, he cautiously gauged the opportune time to attack.
4258
4259The Demon beasts running on four legs were naturally faster than Guyale, and entered his attack range. As they were about to pounce him from behind, Guyale stopped in its tracks, and slashed behind him like a whirlwind. The endless power of the new model raised this attack into a fatal blow. Ignoring the flame tiger it defeated in mid-air, Guyale fired its ‘Kamtha’ to keep the others at bay. As the Demon beasts collided together and fell into confusion, Guyale retreated once again to buy time.
4260
4261But, a strong force tugged onto its hand, making it stop. A blunt dragon was biting onto Guyale’s left hand. This type of Demon beast was strong; a normal Silhouette Knight wouldn’t be able to match it. Guyale didn’t lose in terms of strength, but, he was forced to stay in this position, a grave mistake. Meanwhile, the Demon beasts picked themselves up and drew closer. Dietrich moaned hysterically like he used to, thinking about how many he could take out, with his Silhouette arms before they come closer. Instead of resignation, his sigh contained the ferocious will to fight.
4262
4263Suddenly, numerous objects flew over the top of Guyale’s head with a screech.
4264
4265Instead of precision, the giant arrows that relied more on numbers flew in one after another, sticking into the faces and legs of the Demon beasts. Seeing several Demon beasts fall in pain, Dietrich used this chance to cut off the blunt dragon’s head. Guyale, who regained its freedom from the crisis used the chance to look at the armour on the trees, there were two Silhouette gears there. From what he remembered, there were only three people who could control Silhouette gears proficiently, and two of them journeyed with him.
4266
4267“Di-senpai! We will cover you, so, please fall back a little!!”
4268
4269“Why are there so many Demon beasts!? Ah— annoying!”
4270
4271The two of them— the twins Chid and Ady didn’t hide their displeasure of the sight of the swarm of Demon beasts, aiming their mobile ballistas and firing off a barrage. The Demon beast who was hit in the head roared and fell in pain, and the swarm scattered. Dietrich finally obtained a break in the action, which was more valuable than gold, but—
4272
4273“Ah—Di-senpai, sorry, that barrage used up all the arrows. Let’s use this chance to flee.”
4274
4275“...It’s enough, thanks for the big help. You guys go first.”
4276
4277Right now, the twins who strutted their stuff during the battle with Tellestarle had limited supplies left, and it was depleted in the last burst that was fired. Dietrich took a slow deep breath. The covering fire from his juniors cooled his overheated emotions down, allowing him to look at the big picture. Guyale was wary about retreating too hastily, but, Chid thought Dietrich wasn’t fast enough.
4278
4279“They will catch up if you don’t hurry!”
4280
4281“Yes, I think so, too. But, Edgar is still behind us, and he might get dragged in if we let them draw too close. It seems like we have to defeat these guys before that happens.”
4282
4283“Edgar-senpai!? We can’t let that happen! We will help, too!!”
4284
4285The twins were full of spirit, but they were down to the two handed sword in their hands right now. Chid’s Motor beat was even missing its anchor wire. Even with their help, it wasn’t enough against the swarm of Demon beasts.
4286
4287“You have exhausted your arrows right? Thanks to you, the Demon beasts have scattered. I will figure this out myself.”
4288
4289Dietrich gave an exceedingly calm reply. There was no hint of anxiety or anger in his tone. They couldn’t escape easily, these Demon beast are obstacles blocking his pursuit anyway. Since there was no choice but to fight, there was no need to be troubled over this. This made Dietrich feel more at ease.
4290
4291“So, bring Edgar along with you and leave. This is nothing, leave it to me…”
4292
4293“Then, let me accompany you in their place.”
4294
4295Before the grumpy faced twins could say anything, someone replied from an unexpected direction. Immediately after that, the one replying leapt over their heads and showed himself. A familiar blue figure faced the swarm of Demon beasts with no hesitation. When Dietrich recognised who it was, the worries in his mind vanished. As he suppressed his smile, Chid and Ady cheered, and high fived each other.
4296
4297The person who flew in from behind them—Ernesti, who was piloting a blue Silhouette gear, smiled audaciously as he watched the swarm of Demon beasts close in.
4298
4299“Could you explain the situation? The prey… cough, the Tellestale, where is it? These prey… cough, cough, what is with this swarm of Demon beasts?”
4300
4301In Dietrich’s eyes, that demeanor of being overly enthusiastic overlapped with his previous memories. This boy could even fight a hopelessly big Demon beast joyfully. Eru would definitely kick up a storm here, Demon beasts of this level were no match for him. Dietrich smiled bitterly.
4302
4303“I ran into this swarm as I was chasing after Tellestarle. Its track goes right through the swarm… but, it had been trampled over, and is impossible to trace. I don’t know why there are Demon beasts at such a place. These things trampled over Tellestarle’s tracks and make me so mad. And, Edgar is down, resting somewhere behind us. I am thinking about stopping them right here.”
4304
4305“I see, that means we should dispose of them first, right?”
4306
4307“Ahh, yeah, let’s do that. Please give it your all, just like that time with the Behemoth.”
4308
4309“I understand.”
4310
4311The blue Silhouette gear disregarded the heavy pressure from the Demon beasts and jumped right into the middle of the swarm. Compared to the Silhouette gear, duel level Demon beasts were much larger, and a swarm of them were coming like a tsunami. The small armour looked helpless before the tide washing in.
4312
4313But, before that happened, the sound of an explosion overlapped with the sound of footsteps, and the Motor beat accelerated. It charged into the gap between the Demon beasts with the speed of a bullet, covered by the glow of magic as it passed by. The flame bullets which materialised hit the face of the Demon beasts, making the Demon beasts squirm painfully from their burnt nose and rampage. The swarm fell into a vicious cycle of chaos in no time.
4314
4315Even though he had no time to spare, Dietrich had the urge to facepalm himself. He knew Eru would do something like that, and Eru didn’t disappoint and made a huge scene. Dietrich noticed something. The Motor beat was causing disarray among the Demon beasts, but that’s the limit of what it could do. It didn’t possess the attack power capable of taking down duel level Demon beasts after all.
4316
4317Guyale aimed its back weapon and raised both of its swords. If that was so, his duty was to deliver the final blow. He couldn’t let this golden opportunity go. A few Demon beasts that broke out of the chaos charged at the crimson Knight. As Dietrich prepared to engage, a burst of wind dashed from his side.
4318
4319“Waaarrrghhhh!!”
4320
4321A lump of metal smashed into the body of a Demon beast with a feral roar. This wasn’t just strength, it was also weight and speed that turned the Demon beast into minced meat, and sent it right back into the forest.
4322
4323Ignoring the wide eyed Dietrich, Hymerwort raised its hammer and repeated the same procedure and crushed the incoming Demon beasts, sending it to its comrade.
4324
4325“Hmmm, I heard the pilot of the new model in pursuit was a cadet, but I didn’t imagine you would not give an inch even in the face of this swarm of Demon beasts! Impressive guts. Allow me to help you!”
4326
4327As Hymerwort chatted, it continued to turn one Demon beast after another into mush. Even though it wasn’t a new model, the tough armour of Hymerwort performed fantastically in this chaotic battle. As it was a heavy model, its power was on par with the new model and swept the Demon beasts away with ease. With the appearance of strong allies, Guyale didn’t just stand there. Using the typhoon created by Hymerwort as a shield, it acted like a guerrilla, taking down the Demon beasts one at a time.
4328
4329There were a few dozen Demon beasts in this swarm, a far larger scale than the one which attacked Dallier Village. But, the group didn’t pay this any heed as Eru, Chid and Ady created havoc with their Silhouette gear, separating the beasts into smaller groups for Hymerwort and Guyale to finish off. Even if they were on a roll, it still took a lot of time to exterminate such a large number of Demon beasts. When the battle was over, the sky to the east had started turning white.
4330
4331Eru opened the armour in Motor beat and surveyed the area. The forest which was the battlefield was a terrible sight. There were trees that were broken and had fallen over, barren grounds and the carcasses of gigantic beasts. Hymerwort and Guyale, who had taken down numerous Demon beasts were battered as the machines were pushed to its limit.
4332
4333“... Let’s return to the fort.”
4334
4335Eru calmly announced the end of the fight to Guyale, who was still ready for combat.
4336
4337“... It’s no good?”
4338
4339“Even if you want to pursue it, it will be too late. And, look at this terrible scene, there is no way to tell which direction the thief fled in. We accumulated too much fatigue, too, it is impossible even if we try.”
4340
4341“It’s a pity, but, let’s call for aid from somewhere else…”
4342
4343In response to Dietrich’s request, Eru shook his head.
4344
4345“Fort Casadesus is in a terrible state, there is no telling when they can muster the manpower. And, with how well they executed the attack, I don’t think the thief would simply run. If they use decoys or disguises, it would be hard to track. We could try asking for aid, but, there is no guarantee…”
4346
4347After hearing him say that, Dietrich forced his stiff hand to release the control stick and pull it back. Guyale’s back weapon screeched painfully as it retracted. The crimson Knight kept the swords in its hands and walked slowly towards the fort.
4348
4349After the tense and chaotic night, the day was breaking. The sunlight scattered the darkness in the forest, revealing the trace of destruction left in Acquart Forest. Those involved in the incident were dead tired, and their reward was the damaged fortress and numerous sacrifices. The few surviving Karrdators pushed their tired bodies to perform their duties. Fortunately, the fort was built from stone, so the fire didn’t spread to the inside, allowing Fort Casadesus, which caught fire at one point to remain operational. But, its combat force was almost wiped out, with both manpower and the Silhouette Knights pushed to the brink.
4350
4351Duke Knut Dixgard, seated in the Top Level War Room, a few wrinkles added to his aged, but sharp expression. Because of this incident that happened through the night, most of the people in Fort Casadesus stayed up the entire night. For the duke, who was between middle and elderly aged, working through the night was a heavy burden. But, his appearance and voice showed no sign of weakness.
4352
4353“Including the gates, the fort lost twenty percent of its facilities. We suffered serious casualties, but, the pressing problem is the Silhouette Knights being just one step away from being wiped out.”
4354
4355Summarising the report submitted to him, Knut couldn’t help sighing after confirming the losses suffered at the fort. The fort was in danger of falling after just one night.
4356
4357… Thieves. I don’t know who their allegiance is to, but, damn… but, we were careless, too…
4358
4359From what Knut knew, Fremmevira Kingdom had never suffered attacks from Silhouette Knights for the past century. Aside from there being nothing to gain from this, the natural barrier of Aubigne Mountain made it difficult for other countries to attack.
4360
4361Politically wise, the Kingdom was stable and there were no signs of revolt, allowing all the territories to invest in anti-Demon beast defence. In this incident, the lack of experience was a serious flaw leading to self-destruction. The schemes of men were more terrifying than Demon beasts sometimes. Compared to the lesson learnt, the price they had to pay was heavy.
4362
4363Molten knocked and entered the room. After saluting in silence, he skipped the opening greetings and got straight to the point:
4364
4365“Pardon me, Sir. Regarding the new models… out of the five that were taken, four had been recovered, but, one of them shook off our pursuit and we lost track of it.”
4366
4367“... It escaped?”
4368
4369“During our pursuit, the Laihiala cadets joined in because of various reasons… But, something strange happened along the way.”
4370
4371Knut told him to go on with his gaze.
4372
4373“Demon beasts. Because of a swarm of Demon beasts appearing along the escape route of the thief, we had to give up on the pursuit.”
4374
4375Another frown was added to Knut’s face. It’s nothing special for Demon beasts to appear, but, the timing of it showing up was too coincidental, and blocked the advance of the pursuing party? The Demon beasts might move as they pleased, but, that was normally part of their usual routine. Knut could sniff the scent of someone having a hand in this.
4376
4377“I thought it was suspicious and investigated it thoroughly…”
4378
4379Molten’s face which was known for being courageous had something bitter mixed in, including despise, anger and contempt. He said in a tone full of disdain:
4380
4381“In the place where the Demon beasts showed up… I found remnants of a ‘curse bait’.”
4382
4383In that instant, Knut, who was quietly thinking about the content of the report, opened his eyes wide from shock and anger. ‘Curse bait’ was a lure made from special medicine made for the purpose of attracting Demon beasts. It works by emitting a scent which the Demon beasts like, able to gather the Demon beasts nearby when used. But, the Demon beasts that congregated would be agitated and become more aggressive.
4384
4385Hearing this, Knut stood up, knocking his chair backwards.
4386
4387“Preposterous… curse bait!? It was used merely to ‘escape’!? Are they insane!! If that is true… No, as expected…”
4388
4389The consequences of using that in the Fremmevira Kingdom were clear. It would create an epidemic of Demon beasts in the region, and was a great taboo in the Fremmevira Kingdom. Its production method was obviously heavily classified. Not just production, even possession could be punishable by death. Aside from legal issues, it was not acceptable rationally and emotionally by the masses. With the Demon beasts’ periodic attacks, both the Knights and civilians had to fight day and night in this nation. Doing something here would naturally be infuriating to the people, which exposed the origin of the thieves.
4390
4391“I am thinking, could the thieves be from another nation…”
4392
4393Knut nodded; he was thinking the same thing as Molten. Setting the issue with the curse bait aside, he couldn’t think of any reason anyone within the Kingdom would plot this incident. Knut had been considering this possibility for a long time, and, this new clue became the last piece of the puzzle. He pondered for a moment. This incident had serious implications, he needed to tidy up the situation and clear all his doubts.
4394
4395“... Molten, do what you can to gather information in the vicinity. There is no need to rush with the restoration of the fort. I have to report to His Majesty myself… I will be rushing to Känkänen. Prepare the carriage!”
4396
4397
4398
4399
4400
4401Chapter 18: When the silver phoenix spreads its wings
4402
4403
4404
4405
4406
4407The season moved into deep autumn in the blink of an eye, the chill in the air grew stronger with each passing day. The bone chilling breeze was blowing today, too, only the bright and cheery sunlight from the clear skies delayed the onset of winter.
4408
4409This was an infirmary situated within Laihiala Pilot Academy. On the only bed within the room, Edgar slowly opened his eyes. This was a clean and bare room. The sunlight shining in at an angle pierced through the lacy curtain and into the room, giving his cheeks some warmth, gently stimulating his slightly opened eyes. He had slept for quite a long time, so, he couldn’t concentrate immediately and his sight lacked focus. His view was covered by a white fog, before everything gradually became clear. At the same time, Edgar recalled the situation before he lost consciousness, and struggled to get up in confusion.
4410
4411“Ugh…“
4412
4413Aches from all over his body were registered by his brain, stemming off Edgar’s thought of getting up. Within his confused mind, Edgar compared his current situation with what he last remembered. These were injuries from an intense collision and bruises from the machine parts that were sent flying. His life wasn’t in danger, but it wasn’t just a light wound. He relaxed after judging so, and rested his body onto the bed.
4414
4415The pain prevented him from sleeping, so, he just laid there in silence. At this moment, he heard a cautious knock on the door. Edgar attempted to answer, but the dryness of his throat deprived him of his voice. He managed to grunt, but, the door opened before he sounded out.
4416
4417“...! You are awake!”
4418
4419The woman who entered — Helvi stared with widened eyes, jogging to the bed Edgar was lying on. In her hands, was a jug of water.
4420
4421“Great… You have been sleeping for three days, I was so worried.”
4422
4423Teardrops were glistening at the corner of her eyes. Edgar was surprised by the words ‘three days’. He wanted to express his apology and gratitude, but, only a hoarse sound came out of his mouth. Helvi, who noticed this slowly, slotted a straw into Edgar’s mouth, with the other end inside the jug. After moisturising his throat, Edgar relaxed and asked with his hoarse voice:
4424
4425“... Sorry, Helvi. After that… After I lost conscious, what happened…?”
4426
4427Even at this juncture, Edgar was still so serious. Helvi shrugged and pulled a chair over to sit.
4428
4429“Alright, I will explain everything to you. There is time, so, don’t be hasty.”
4430
4431After taking a sip herself, Helvi tilted her head and said:
4432
4433“Well, first of all…”
4434
4435In the Imperial Capital of Fremmevira, Känkänen; in Castle Shreiber situated at its heart, there were several figures along the corridors to the audience hall of the palace.
4436
4437One of them was the King of Fremmevira, Ambrosius Tahvo Fremmevira. An elderly reigning Head of State, he was once a Knight in his youth, and has experience as a Field Commander. He had carried on with his training since those days and was strong and healthy. His majestic hair and beard were like a lion’s mane; his presence was as strong as before, permeating into the surroundings. A few steps behind him, was Duke Knut Dixgard. Compared to the King, he was slender and gave the impression of a sharp blade. But, right now, his face was shrouded in fatigue and anxiety, dulling his usual glint.
4438
4439“So, thieves broke into Fort Casadesus through their schemes, and took the new model of the Silhouette Knights by force, is that right?”
4440
4441“Yes. We have recovered most of the new model Silhouette Knights, but one of them got away. We have put up notice everywhere and are combing the grounds, but, nothing has turned up so far. It was my grave negligence; I have no words to defend myself. I am prepared to bear any punishment…”
4442
4443“Knut, don’t be hasty. Instead of punishing you, I have more important things for you to do. If you want to take responsibility, put more effort into your work in the future and think about how to make up for it.”
4444
4445With how serious Knut was, if the two of them weren’t walking, he would have already prostrated himself on the spot. But, facing Knut’s confession, Ambrosius waved and dismissed it.
4446
4447“You strongly suspect the real identity of the thieves… to be personnel from foreign nations?”
4448
4449“Yes, I believe it to be so. We are interrogating the thieves we captured for intelligence. But, they appear to have special training and are keeping their mouth shut. It will take some time to determine their true identity.”
4450
4451“No matter what, we won’t need to be hasty as long as the thieves stay within our borders. It’s just a matter of time before we get them. Otherwise, their escape route would be limited to the Bocuse Sea of Trees or hiking up the mountain range. It is easy to deduce where they will go.”
4452
4453‘Bocuse Sea of trees’. This forest was situated to the east of Fremmevira, and a realm that played host to countless Demon beasts. The recent attack of the Behemoth was still fresh in everyone’s mind, there might be a Demon beast stronger than that out there. Judging from that, it was easy to imagine how foolish it would be to seek refuge there.
4454
4455On the other hand, the west of Fremmevira was populated by nations of humans— ‘western countries’. Going that way would require hiking up Mount Aubigne. The mountain range had always been known for its treacherous terrain, but, it wasn’t impassable. There were several easy passages built into the roads, with garrisons set up.
4456
4457The problem was the alternate routes through the mountains. It might be difficult for regular travel, but it was possible to traverse through it, and the thieves might have prearranged such a route. There were no radars in this world. The surveillance effort of the mountains wasn’t just for show, but, there were gaps in the security which Ambrosius was aware of.
4458
4459“Really, things are getting serious. It has been a long time since we had diplomatic talks with foreign nations.”
4460
4461The reason why the Kingdom could survive with its national borders in such a battered state was because of its geographical location. Situated between the Bocuse Sea of Trees and the Aubigne Mountain Range, Fremmevira could be described as a ‘city wall’. For the western countries, the existence of this Kingdom was convenient and beneficial to them, solving problematic issues which would had troubled them otherwise. That was why they wouldn’t do unnecessary things and risk souring their relationship. The nations came to a similar consensus to not intervene in any way, and has a ‘turn a blind eye’ historical background with Fremmevira. That was the main reason why the Kingdom was relaxed in their security against the other nations.
4462
4463“The next generation model of the Silhouette Knights were stolen. Once this has been revealed to the world, it would be impossible to keep it from spreading to the other nations. It’s too late to worry about that. We have to defend our mean of survival.”
4464
4465And, in order to carve a path into the future. Both men were thinking about the same thing.
4466
4467The audience hall of Castle Shreiber was spacious. This was natural as it was built to host Silhouette Knights within it. When a ceremony was held here, tidy rows of Silhouette Knights would line up at the side, displaying the majesty of the Kingdom.
4468
4469Right now, the group inside the hall wasn’t Silhouette Knights, but a group of young adults. Simply put, they were the students from the pilot faculty of Laihiala Academy, and three children. After resolving the incident in Fort Casadesus, the ones staying in Laihiala had also been summoned, gathering almost all of the students in the pilot faculty.
4470
4471The students stayed in this spacious hall, awed by the serious atmosphere as they waited for the imminent arrival of the King.
4472
4473“Good, you may rise.”
4474
4475Ambrosius looked at group kneeling before him and did away with the pleasantries with a casual tone. He then sat onto the throne gracefully. The Laihiala students lifted their heads, but, they were so nervous that their body grew stiff. This was natural since they were already tense in the presence of a Duke. A petite boy stood at the centre of the front row and seemed indifferent. Ambrosius smiled the moment he glanced at Ernesti. The next instance, his face turned serious, and said with a voice filled with dignity.
4476
4477“First of all, I must congratulate all the students present for successfully developing a new machine model, well done. For a group still at school to accomplish an unheard of achievement, I feel proud and happy.”
4478
4479Ambrosius’ words made most of the student blush from excitement. Some of them even looked shocked.
4480
4481“Regrettably, there are ruffians disrupting this great work. We have done all we could to capture them, but there has not been any news, yet. We have prepared for the worst and assume the ruffians have escaped.”
4482
4483The expressions of the students turned gloomy. They were overjoyed by the praises of His Majesty, but the cold reality pulled them back to reality.
4484
4485“There is no need to be upset. They might have stolen one machine, but that doesn’t mean they have taken everything related to the new model from us. But, with the news of this machine made public, there will be conflict between nations over this new model. When that happens, we can’t afford to fall behind! From what I know, the new model had yet to be perfected. The reason I have summoned everyone here is to make it so. Without further ado, Ernesti. What do you need to perfect the new models?”
4486
4487Eru thought for a moment, after hearing the King’s question and asked.
4488
4489“There are two problems; one of them would take quite a while no matter what. The other problem… requires the assistance of the NTR Lab.”
4490
4491Eru’s answer differed wildly from the guesses of most of the people present. They thought that Eru himself, or Eru and the students would complete the new model’s development. Ambrosius just wanted to know what he would need in order to accomplish that. But, Eru’s answer wasn’t facilities or materials, but the name of an organisation.
4492
4493“There are many issues that need to be resolved for the new models, one of which is ease of control. The NTR Lab is experienced in this aspect; I think it would be most efficient to borrow their expertise. Also, if we are planning to adopt the new model as the base unit for Silhouette Knights, the production method would be very important from here on. Hence, the best way is to use the Karrdator which is the most populous model as a springboard and upgrade them. To achieve this, it would be best to rope in the NTR Lab, who are the most familiar with Karrdators.”
4494
4495Eru had prepared these answers beforehand and presented everything fluently. In contrast, Ambrosius was a little disappointed and crossed his arms.
4496
4497“So, you are saying that future development should be transferred to the NTR Lab?”
4498
4499“I know this alone won’t solve the problem. We have to explain the details carefully to the NTR Lab. But, there is already progress for that. Thanks to the recommendation of Duke Dixgard, all my senpais present would definitely have a place in the NTR Lab. Every one of them is a member who took part in the research and development of Tellestarle from the beginning to the end; they will definitely see the new model into completion.”
4500
4501Ambrosius squinted his eyes and stroked his beard. This boy had given much thought. As Ambrosius thought about this, something seemed to be out of place. His instinct told him he had missed something. In order to recall what that was, his eyes fell on the boy once again, and he got his answer.
4502
4503“Yes, you have a point. As you have suggested, I will summon the NTR Lab to discuss this. For the completion of the new model, I am looking forward to your performance from now on… But, why wasn’t your name mentioned in your proposal earlier?”
4504
4505“Yes, Your Majesty. I will soon be in the second year of middle school; I won’t be graduating so soon.”
4506
4507At this moment the two thoughts of ‘Why are you bringing this up this late in the game’ and ‘Oh, that’s right’ flashed through the minds of everyone present. Even Ambrosius couldn’t conceal the surprise on his face.
4508
4509“... As the King, it might be inappropriate for me to say this. But, at this point, do you even need to study at school?”
4510
4511When they heard this, Chid and Ady, who were behind Eru trembled. If the King ordered Eru to stop going to school, they wouldn’t have any way of preventing that from happening. The words that made them rush to Casadesus swelled towards their throat, but, wouldn’t come out. The two of them could only hang their heads with their fists clenched and listen quietly.
4512
4513The two of them didn’t notice that Eru glanced back at them.
4514
4515“There is… a reason. Your Majesty, the reason I could work on the ‘new model’ project and finish it, was because of extremely good luck.”
4516
4517Whenever the petite Eru spoke to Ambrosius, he had to look upwards. Ambrosius could see the shining determination in the boy’s eyes staring straight at him. He smiled and replied:
4518
4519“Oh, so, you mean this incredible achievement wasn’t because of your own talent, but, simply great luck?”
4520
4521“As you know, I am just twelve years old. No matter what ideas or methods I could think of, if there is no one to acknowledge it, I wouldn’t have accomplished anything. This achievement was thanks to the senpais in the pilot faculty for not treating my words as a joke, and taking it seriously. I don’t think there are many who would do the same for me.”
4522
4523“Your work is outstanding; I can’t just dismiss it so simply. And, if I were to give the order, I don’t think the NTR Lab would ignore my words. If that was the case, wouldn’t the condition be similar?”
4524
4525Eru lowered his gaze and shook his head slowly.
4526
4527“That would cause unnecessary friction. The new model will become the centre of attention and would require long hours to research and develop. If unnecessary elements are mixed in, things that could have been done might become impossible.”
4528
4529These words were right on the mark on what Ambrosius was worried about. The National Technological Robotics Laboratory was set up right after the founding of Fremmevira Kingdom. The organisation’s long years of research supported the development of all technology related to Silhouette Knights. The researchers were exceptionally talented and had a high level of pride. The pride of men was a troublesome thing, no matter how talented one was, or what their accomplishment was, it doesn’t mean the Lab could accommodate him. Especially with such a huge age gap, the problem of sending Eru there was obvious.
4530
4531With Eru’s talent and his matured way of handling things, such minor issues wouldn’t set him back; that was how Ambrosius felt. He also thought the friction could be reduced by giving some ‘insurance’ to the students. After considering the potential problems, forcibly assigning Eru into the NTR Lab had more cons than pros. And, as Eru said, at the end of the day, It would be hard to say if the task could be finished at the NTR lab.
4532
4533For the ‘final adjustments’, it would be impossible to accomplish it without the NTR Lab’s expertise. And, the finished product would be presented to the world by the NTR Lab, which would preserve their pride, a great way of resolving the problem; except for one thing. Ambrosius thought about that one thing and frowned deeply. Seeing Ambrosius’ troubled face, Eru smiled immediately.
4534
4535“Please be at ease, I have not forgotten about the promise I made with Your Majesty. I would not give up on my goal to make the best Silhouette Knight ever. Hence… I will complete the next machine design before I graduate, please look forward to it.”
4536
4537“... Wait, you are still doing that?”
4538
4539Everyone in the hall heard the illusionary sound of people falling over like dominoes. Some of those present were literally holding their heads with a bitter smile.
4540
4541“As the saying goes, slow and steady wins the race. This time, I will plan carefully and think of a unique and perfect design!”
4542
4543“No, that’s not the problem here!”
4544
4545Knut who was standing by the side scratched his forehead and mumbled: “...He is talking about that…” Ambrosius glanced at him and suppressed his urge to laugh.
4546
4547“The completion of the new model is important… But, doesn’t everyone want to design newer machines?”
4548
4549Eru looked as if he was being willful, but everyone understood— This guy was just leaving the problematic finishing touches to others. Ambrosius couldn’t bear it any longer. Being with this boy made Ambrosius feel like he was reverting to his old self. His blood of a prankster was squirming.
4550
4551“I see, as expected of a hobbyist. The NTR Lab would be motivated by a project on such a grand scale. Their expertise is guaranteed, they will definitely produce great results.”
4552
4553Ambrosius laughed for a while, and, then reverted to his serious expression.
4554
4555“Is this fine? I might tap into their expertise when making the next model, too, alright?”
4556
4557“The development of Tellestarle was just an experiment. Thanks to that, I learned all sorts of knowledge and gain much experience. The end product has the potential to be the basis for future development. But, the mass production model that Fremmevira seeks is one that is flawless and has multi-utility. But, the machines I am planning to design doesn’t match these two criterias.”
4558
4559Ambrosius ignored Knut, who stood stunned in place. The boy, who rewrote the development history of Silhouette Knights because of his ‘hobby’, was taking it to the ‘next phase’. Ambrosius was concerned because of his curiosity and the impact of Eru’s actions. Eru made history with just a ‘test’, what should be Ambrosius’ focus for the ‘next phase’, the completion of the mass produced models or…?
4560
4561And, moving on to the ‘next phase’ would be dependent on this boy. The NTR Lab might be a capable organisation, but, they could not provide such a dramatic technological leap. Just from this point, it was clear what the answer should be. The problem was how to do that. Suddenly, inspiration struck Ambrosius like a comet. Ambrosius sat up, with a scheme in mind.
4562
4563“I can agree with your reasoning, but I cannot approve of this.”
4564
4565Knut saw from Ambrosius’ profile the nightmare that haunted him in the past.
4566
4567“I cannot allow you to do as you please as a student. There is no need to wait for the construction of the next machine model, get it done as soon as you can and show it to me.”
4568
4569Only Eru could hear the faint sigh that came from behind him. Even though Eru couldn’t do anything about it, he couldn’t trample the willful wishes of his childhood friends like this. As Eru was thinking of a scheme under the guise of his innocent face, Ambrosius continued:
4570
4571“By the way Knut, since Ernesti expressed his interest in creating Silhouette Knights, his safety will be a concern.”
4572
4573“Yes, Your Majesty.”
4574
4575“My safety? What is the problem?”
4576
4577“Let’s see. The villains targeted the ‘actual product’ this time, but, if something like this happens again, there is no telling whether the source of this whole incident— you, would be in danger. You might develop another new machine. If they keep targeting generations after generations of machines, the enemies would feel that there is no end to this and take drastic actions. That’s why we have to ensure your personal safety.”
4578
4579“We should assign him some guards.”
4580
4581“That means what you need would be blacksmiths to bring life to your ideas, and Knights who can protect your life.”
4582
4583Ambrosius relaxed his serious face which seemed to be a farce, and smiled without worries.
4584
4585“And, these people must accommodate you without a hint of prejudice. Do you have any idea who could fulfill these conditions, Ernesti? Well? The answer is obvious, there’s nothing to consider.”
4586
4587For a short moment, Ernesti Echevarria stood wide eyed on the spot in surprise. He moved moments later, turning to look behind him. As expected, all the students in the Laihiala pilot faculty focused their gazes on him. Even Dietrich and David were looking at him with warm eyes. The silence that contained a multitude of emotions fell between them.
4588
4589“That’s right; the students of Laihiala. Everyone has experience in making the new model. I am looking forward to your performance once again. I hereby order the raising of a new Order of Knights. The members include Ernesti, and the ones who craft and pilot the Silhouette Knights alongside you!”
4590
4591“An Order of Knights… Us?”
4592
4593Eru, who was always smiling could feel the corners of his mouth cramping. In contrast, the smile on Ambrosius’ face was getting deeper.
4594
4595“Since the Order of Knights has been raised, we have to name it. The scale isn’t big, so we shouldn’t assign it the colour blue? No, because of your duties, it should be a different category. Oh, the familiar ‘silver’ is a good fit. Am I right, Ernesti? Next, I will bestow everyone with the name of ‘Phoenix’. The ‘Silver Phoenix Knights’; that would be the title all of you will go by.”
4596
4597This name spread out like a ripple with the mumbling of everyone present. Moments later, it had permeated into the minds of everyone— the ‘former’ students of Laihiala pilot faculty and Ernesti’s group.
4598
4599“Ah, this is a Knight Order, but, it would take time to prepare a suitable place to set up base. There is a need for a temporary base in the meantime. Knut, is there anywhere that is suitable?”
4600
4601“Yes. Everyone here is related to the Laihiala Pilot Academy. Since most of them are students, how about housing them on campus for now?”
4602
4603“Hmm, a great plan. A place would be prepared by the time Ernesti graduates, so please don’t worry about that.”
4604
4605Eru had no objections to this arrangement, and wanted to cheer loudly. But, that aside, Eru still felt a bit unhappy. That’s right; this was just an emotional issue. No matter how wonderful this proposal was, Eru still wanted to fight back a little to show his dissatisfaction.
4606
4607“But, Your Majesty, wouldn’t this get in the way of handing the development issues to the NTR Lab?”
4608
4609Eru brought this up casually, but this was still a potential problem. This was what Ambrosius was concerned about in the first place.
4610
4611
4612
4613
4614
4615“Oh, yes, we need to solve this problem. Well, then, I will issue the first command to the Silver Phoenix Knights. ‘Give a solid blow to the arrogant noses of the researchers in the NTR Lab’. Show me how you will use the new Silhouette Knights to scare them out of their wits; teach them that age is just a trivial matter and tame them… Can you do that?”
4616
4617Eru turned to the back again. He could see determination in their eyes. Seeing them nodding silently, Eru made up his mind.
4618
4619“By your command… I will do all that I can to accomplish this mission.”
4620
4621“... And that’s what happened.”
4622
4623Before they realised, the sunlight was coming in at a steep angle, the glaring sunset was shining into the infirmary. After Helvi finished the story, she took a sip of water and rested. Edgar was listening with a serious face all this while, but, when the story became weird, his expression turned into a stiff smile. The words ‘I just heard a ridiculous story’ was written on his face.
4624
4625“I want to confirm something. That Silver Phoenix Knights thing… does it include me?”
4626
4627Was he afraid of being enlisted, or looking forward to it? Anyway, it was hard to tell from his stiff expression.
4628
4629“Yes, but, it’s not mandatory; you can choose to turn down this appointment. There are no negative consequences for rejecting this appointment; you can still join any Knight Order after you graduate.”
4630
4631“... By the way, did anyone quit, yet?”
4632
4633Edgar already knew the answer, but, he couldn’t help asking. Helvi squinted her almond eyes that were similar to a cat, smiling happily as she gave the answer that had Edgar expected.
4634
4635“None, not one person has turned it down.”
4636
4637After hearing this answer, Edgar smiled wryly and rested his entire body onto the bed.
4638
4639For a moment, the two of them were silent. Edgar suddenly recalled something important he saw before losing conscious. His expression turned serious, after finding the right words, he brought up this matter:
4640
4641“... Helvi, I have something to tell you.”
4642
4643Seeing Helvi continue smiling with her head tilted, Edgar chewed on his words, but, didn’t stop and finished his sentence.
4644
4645“It’s about Tellestarle. The machine I fought, the one that got away… It was ‘prototype one’. That is your…”
4646
4647Edgar couldn’t say any more; because Helvi’s finger was pressing on his lips.
4648
4649“I know. I checked the other new models.”
4650
4651Helvi lowered her gaze, considering her ties with ‘prototype one’, her reaction was unexpectedly calm. But, Edgar could see some hint on how she really felt.
4652
4653This was enough for Edgar to make up his mind.
4654
4655“I see. Helvi, I promise you.”
4656
4657Helvi raised her head. Edgar held her hands tightly.
4658
4659“One day, Earlecumber and I will get it back, or destroy it completely. I won’t let the thieves trample on our hard work, and your partner.”
4660
4661Edgar’s determined words surprised Helvi. She blinked her eyes blankly and then smiled.
4662
4663“Yes, I will look forward to that… Thank you.”
4664
4665She held Edgar’s hands as she replied softly.
4666
4667
4668
4669
4670
4671Credits
4672
4673
4674
4675
4676
4677Translator: Skythewood
4678
4679
4680
4681
4682
4683Epub: Estevam / dotNOVEL