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General Chamber of Commerce
There is an old man in the audience.
This old man has not a speck of interest in competition knights. At the behest of his beloved grandchild, he has grudgingly purchased two tickets to the event so hyped up by the newspapers and media.
He frowns, he sighs, for he does not know why the crowd cheers for the public execution of the young Kuranta by the Sarkaz.
He does not think anything is wrong, for he too was once a knight, a campaign knight without a noble title. He merely scoffs at the competition, at the Sarkaz.
Yet, the battlefield suddenly flares with a blazing light. The old man remembers that the knight is the young lady of the Nearl family.
What a pity, he laments as he stares at the dazzling light. At the same time, the very few Kazimierz present in the audience simultaneously recall an old story.
The story takes place in a land beyond rivers, forests and lakes, in a great fortress formed of towers and walls.
Every day, as night falls, blazing torches form an unbroken line. The campaign knights' armor gleams beneath the moonlight, the sharp edges of their silver lances point at the restless enemy prowling in the darkness.
The invaders are ruthless. The Leithanians, capable of coloring the sky, black out the moon. The terrible armies of Ursus overwhelm the castle walls.
Cities are captured and brought into Ursus in humiliation. The lines fall back once and again, as 'Silverlance' becomes a mocking joke leveled at the knights by the warmongers.
They are pushed to the outskirts of the last city, the last line of defense——
——Where Kazimierz makes its last stand, a pegasus with golden hair appears.
On the dawn of that day, when the Ursus suffer their first defeat of the war, on the faraway horizon of Kazimierz, two suns rise.
Light.
The light does not dissipate. Rays of light diffuse into a haze, banishing the terror.
At this moment, even the sun itself nods, welcoming the returning knight.
......
......
...Maria.
Stand up, Maria.
- Maria
......
- Maria
......Margaret?
Maria.
You've grown up. You've really done well.
- Spokesman Czarny
No... That's not Maria's Arts...
- Spokesman Czarny
What happened?
- Corporate Employee
Mr. Czarny! We just received a message from——the Armorless Union! A beam of light crashed into the arena from a kilometer away northwest!
- Corporate Employee
It was very, very fast! They couldn't even get a glimpse of what it was!
- Spokesman Czarny
...Terrorist attack?
- Corporate Employee
I-It doesn't seem like a weapon. It's a person, a Kuranta, but only the strongest knights are able to handle speed like that——
- Spokesman Czarny
......
- Spokesman Czarny
...No.
- Spokesman Czarny
Impossible... Light... Could it be...
- Corrupted Knight
Guh... Where's the enemy? Too bright, can't see...!
- Withered Knight
Mission, must be completed. No matter who——kill the target first!
- Corrupted Knight
Guh....!
- Corrupted Knight
Knocked off my feet... barehanded...? Who?
- Margaret
Foul Arts and tortured Sarkaz Infected. Is this what a 'knight' should be?
- Corrupted Knight
Gaa...
- Maria
Margaret...?
- Maria
Wait... Is it really you? I'm not hallucinating, am I...?
- Margaret
It's me.
- Maria
......
- Maria
R... Really?
- Margaret
Yes.
- Maria
......Margaret?
- Margaret
You've done well, Maria.
- Maria
*Sob*... Margaret... What... What took you so long...?
- Corrupted Knight
...Wretch! Kill them both!
- Margaret
No, don't even think about it.
- Corrupted Knight
Why... Why can't I hit her...?
- Withered Knight
...Her light is gathering and suppressing our Arts. Retreat. I will deal with her.
- Greatmouth Mob
It's her——She came in that light. It's——that's——that's the Radiant Knight!
- Greatmouth Mob
What's going on?! The exiled Radiant Knight returns at the climax of this fight!
- Greatmouth Mob
(Hey! Go get the spokesman! What the hell is going on?! What——Huh?)
- Greatmouth Mob
Sh-She broke the rules! But that's not important! To save her sister, the Radiant Knight did whatever it took to return to Kazimierz!
- Greatmouth Mob
Exceptional courage! Extraordinary demeanor! Unrelenting in the face of the two knights from hell!
- Greatmouth Mob
Let us cheer——for the Radiant Knight!
- Zofia
That's... Margaret? That knight with the shield is the Radiant Knight...?
- Zofia
W-Why did she come back to Kazimierz...?
- Bald Marcin
I don't even recognize her anymore...
- Bald Marcin
...It's her. What has she been through all these years...?
- Zofia
*Sigh*...
- Bald Marcin
The Radiant Knight, that spirited Margaret... She's returned?
- Old Knight
Huff...... Just be a dear and let us through.
- Platinum
Sorry. No can do.
- Old Knight
So we gotta put our lives on the line then, eh?
- Platinum
I'd really rather you didn't.
- Platinum
I'll say it again: there's nothing you can do. I live by a rule, I don't fight with anyone but my target.
- Platinum
As long as you stay away from the arena, you get to live——Hm?
- Platinum
——It's getting bright?
- Old Craftsman
Hey! V, look over there!
- Old Knight
What...
- Old Knight
That light... that...
- Old Knight
Old Man Nearl...?
- Platinum
(This is a lot more intense than Maria's Arts. Could it be...?)
- Platinum
(But... The two Lazurites... It can't be...)
- Platinum
Hm.
- Platinum
It's me.
- ???
Time to stop playing, little pegasus. Pack up and skedaddle.
- Platinum
...What?
- ???
The Radiant Knight herself is in the mix. No point to guarding the door anymore, is there?
- Platinum
......
- Platinum
I think I get the gist of it... But you still failed, even with the both of you?
- ???
Don't be so suspicious of your superiors, little pegasus. The board of directors only asked us to 'watch the Radiant Knight' after all, not fight her...
- ???
I was thinking that even if we did fight, I would have that dumb-faced idiot with me so it wouldn't be any problem at all.
- ???
Turns out there was, uh, a tiny issue shall we say. First off, the Radiant Knight seems to have gotten just that little bit stronger... There are also some troublesome horns together with her, it's really annoying.
- Platinum
Well... If it's even giving you trouble, you're wasting your time telling me about it.
- ???
Oh, I almost forgot. I wanted to tell you about it because the target is approaching your location right now——Hmm, might be too late, actually.
- ???
Well, try to avoid fighting at all costs. Good luck surviving, little Platinum.
- Platinum
Sorry? Wait...
- Platinum
What the hell are they doing...
- Platinum
Could it be Młynar? No, can't be... He should still be in his office... Then...
- Platinum
Nnh...!
- Platinum
(Wh-what? Just now, was that...a blue shadow?)
- Old Craftsman
V...!
- Old Knight
I know!
- Old Craftsman
What's happening? I've never felt like this before...
- Old Knight
...Don't move. Breathe slowly and look around.
- Platinum
(Feels like I've been made... And those two are looking jumpy...)
- Platinum
Oh, here.
- Old Knight
......
- Old Craftsman
......
- Platinum
......
A white-horned Sarkaz holding a sword stops in front of them. She breathes softly, raising her eyes at them.
- Shining
......
- Platinum
......Ugh, of course they'd be difficult to handle... They're not even knights...
- Shining
......
- Platinum
Let them pass. Their names aren't on the list anyway.
- Shining
...Thank you.
- Shining
Liz, can you still move?
- Nightingale
Yes... It's bright over there.
- Shining
It's Nearl.
- Nightingale
Let us go then?
- Shining
Yes.
- Platinum
...Really, what's going on today...
- Old Knight
That Sarkaz just now... Does she know Margaret? What's happening?
- Old Craftsman
It's really Margaret! V! Margaret's back!
- Old Knight
...Don't yell.
- Old Knight
Then... What about us? Do we keep going?
- Platinum
Don't stare at me like that... You get to live.
- Old Knight
......
- Platinum
They cancelled the mission. I don't have a reason to stop you anymore.
- Platinum
You get to live.
- Old Knight
You gonna leave, just like that? Halt!
- Old Craftsman
V! Don't bother with them, let's get to the arena!
- Old Knight
Tch...damned Armorless Union.
- Spokesman Czarny
Margaret Nearl... The Radiant Knight!
- Spokesman Czarny
Where's the arena security?
- Corporate Employee
S-Security...? That was the Radiant Knight charging at full power, we'd probably have to raise the city's barrier to stop her...
- Spokesman Czarny
......
- Spokesman Czarny
Radiant Knight...
- Spokesman Czarny
Haha... Radiant Knight... With things as they are now, why did you even return? To look at the knights' epitaph?
- Corporate Employee
Mr. Czarny! We've received word from the General Chamber of Commerce... You...
- Spokesman Czarny
......
- Spokesman Czarny
Mr. Malkiewicz.
- Corporate Employee
Yes?
- Spokesman Czarny
No matter what happens next, even if I don't return, you must not leave this room.
- Corporate Employee
O-Okay...
- Spokesman Czarny
Yes, I've already prepared everything beforehand... Yes, Czarny, you have already done everything you could, so just wait for the curtain call.
- Spokesman Czarny
How amusing... Pfft, hahaha...
- Corporate Employee
Sir...?
- Spokesman Czarny
Ah, excuse me...
- Spokesman Czarny
......
- Corporate Employee
Mr. Czarny? Your phone...?
- Spokesman Czarny
...I know, I know.
- Spokesman Czarny
Please excuse me... for a moment.
- Margaret
...Knight techniques.
- Margaret
But drug overdose and signs of overreliance on Arts. Also...
- Corrupted Knight
Guh——
- Withered Knight
I will suppress her! Kill the target!
The mentally crippled Sarkaz warrior brandishes his weapon, Arts and the smell of a grave.
But the Radiant Knight does not move.
- Withered Knight
——Kill her!
- Margaret
Hmm, the explosive energy has been dissipated——
- Corrupted Knight
——Die!
- Maria
——
- Corrupted Knight
Guh....! You...still have strength?!
- Margaret
Maria, your wounds——
- Maria
Margaret! You once said a knight raises her shield to protect others... right?
- Maria
But, now, on this battlefield——
- Maria
——There is no one that you need to protect!
- Margaret
......!
- Maria
I will become your shield, so——
- Withered Knight
Move aside, I will blast them both to death!
- Maria
——I'll do my best!
- Corrupted Knight
Guh... She abandoned her shield! But your Arts!
- Withered Knight
...This, impossible... That warhammer is her staff, she...
- Margaret
Are you ready, Maria?
- Maria
Yes!
- Margaret
To be a knight...
- Maria
Is to be the noble light that illuminates the land!
- Greatmouth Mob
The Radiant Knight who charged onto the field has abandoned her shield after just a few short exchanges! Hold on! Wait!
- Greatmouth Mob
Remember the two-handed warhammer craze that followed the Radiant Knight?! Watch her swing that hammer, her shield long forgotten! This is the old school Radiant Knight!
- Greatmouth Mob
She's out there, against all odds! The return of the legend! The National Council could drag her away right after this match. This could be our only chance to witness the glory of the Radiant Knight!
- Left-hand Knight
This... these Arts, this glow...
- Left-hand Knight
Why are you allowed to give off that kind of light so impassively...? You arrogant little——Do you really think yourself the sun?! Radiant Knight!
- Shining
How long has it been since we saw Margaret put her shield down?
- Nightingale
Her light... It's hot.
- Nightingale
She will be fine, right?
- Shining
I've never seen her fail, after looking like that.
- Nightingale
The girl is a lot like Nearl.
- Shining
Yes, that's her sister.
- Shining
Hehe... What a cute little knight. I can see the resemblance.
- Withered Knight
...Arrows... ran out!
- Corrupted Knight
Gaa——! Your Arts!
- Maria
He's forming arrows using his Arts... I'll block them!
- Margaret
Leave the rest to me.
- Withered Knight
Can't penetrate——this damned light!
- Zofia
......
- Bald Marcin
...The audience is quiet.
- Bald Marcin
Margaret doesn't have an advantage. Those two Sarkaz are strong... and work well together.
- Zofia
But I don't feel like Margaret will lose... I don't even think she is disadvantaged...
- Bald Marcin
Her techniques are mesmerizing... Her demeanor is so calm, yet her light burns so brightly...
- Bald Marcin
It reminds me of Old Nearl, when he was young.
- Greatmouth Mob
Un-unbelievable! Totally unbelievable!
- Greatmouth Mob
The radiance from every swing of Margaret's warhammer completely dispels her opponent's Arts! Even the cracks the Radiant Knight steps on are filled with light!
- Greatmouth Mob
What amazingly brilliant Arts! Combat techniques of this level!
- Greatmouth Mob
This is definitely befitting of a champion! The true strength of a knight——!
- Maria
Haa... My wounds aren't hurting as much anymore... Is this Margaret's Arts too?
- Maria
(Caring about me even during a battle like this——)
- Corrupted Knight
Gaa——! My hammer...!
- Corrupted Knight
No weapon, then, with my hands, I'll tear you apart——!
- Withered Knight
Kill her!
- Margaret
......
Margaret has a strange expression on her face. It's...pity?
For these two Sarkaz? Because they are called knights? Or is it... because of their circumstances?
- Margaret
...Maria.
- Maria
Ah, I'm here!
- Margaret
I'll leave the support to you.
- Maria
——Yes!
- Corrupted Knight
Do it!
- Withered Knight
Yes!
- Margaret
Repent.
- Corrupted Knight & Withered Knight
——
- Margaret
——
At this moment, the entire arena descends into silence.
No one has realized that the match has ended. There aren't any knights boasting about their victory, nor are there the defiant howls of the losers.
The corrupted Sarkaz kneel on the ground——They have not fallen over, and the Radiant Knight does not strike.
She looks down upon the two Sarkaz, then takes a knee and extends her hand.
- Corrupted Knight
......
There is no reply from the Sarkaz.
- Margaret
You should not give up on your destiny.
- Corrupted Knight
No...
- Corrupted Knight
......
As if unwilling to bow to the two young girls, they remain silent, unable to stand.
The Radiant Knight turns.
- Margaret
Maria.
- Maria
Eh? What...?
- Margaret
We've won.
- Greatmouth Mob
This is unbelievable! Can you believe your eyes?!
- Greatmouth Mob
Because I sure can't! The Radiant Knight who suddenly entered the fight! The Knights Association that let it happen! Oh my god, I, this——
- Greatmouth Mob
I've never seen a situation like this in all my years of commentating! Though I don't know how the National Council will react, it doesn't change the fact that they won!
- Greatmouth Mob
I——
- Spokesman Czarny
(Mr. Mob.)
- Greatmouth Mob
(...Oh, you're here!)
- Greatmouth Mob
I am deeply honored to announce to everyone!
- Greatmouth Mob
(Mr. Spokesman, what should I do?)
- Spokesman Czarny
(Acknowledge her.)
- Greatmouth Mob
The winner is! The young and miraculous Maria! Aaaand, she who has returned from her long exile, the pegasus that everyone knows, the Radiant Knight! Margareeeeeeeeet Neaaaaaaaaarl!
- Spokesman Czarny
(That's right, Mr. Mob. I really do appreciate your ability to fan the fervor of the audience.)
- Spokesman Czarny
(Hold the fort for a while, someone will come to handle this.)
- Greatmouth Mob
Cheer for her——!
- Zofia
——
- Bald Marcin
Zofia?! Where are you going?
- Old Craftsman
Marcin! Where are they——Ugh, that, that one?
- Old Knight
Is it really Margaret... Why'd Margaret come back now?
- Old Knight
N-no matter what, she's an exile. Why didn't she tell us——
- Bald Marcin
Alright, both of you calm down. Młynar might have known about this... But for now, we need to leave.
- Bald Marcin
The reporters and the crowd are going to swarm this place. We have to find a way——to get the Radiant Knight home.
- Tourist
Radiant Knight! That's the Radiant Knight from last season!
- Tourist
Make way, make way! Let me get a picture!
- Greatmouth Mob
Everyone! Everybody! Please remain calm! No matter what happened, we have to make sure that the competition adheres to the proper procedures all the way up to the end!
- Greatmouth Mob
(What should I do next?! You can't contact the spokesman?! Idiot! Go look for him at the VIP seats——!)
- Greatmouth Mob
Hold on! That, that's the Whislash Knight! The Whislash Knight suddenly rushed towards the Radiant Knight from the crowd——
- Margaret
Zof——
- Maria
Eh——A-Aunt Zofia?!
- Zofia
You... Why are you back?!
- Greatmouth Mob
——D-did she just slap the Radiant Knight? Huh? Eh? This looks like it'll be in the papers tomorrow——
- Margaret
I'm sorry. But I've returned.
- Zofia
...That slap was for Maria.
- Maria
——?!
- Zofia
I'll spare you my own.
- Margaret
Thanks for sparing me... But, you used your right hand just now... When did that happen?
- Zofia
...Now isn't the time to talk about that. The National Council will definitely not allow an exile to return to Kazimierz.
- Zofia
We have to leave before the reporters and the National Council show up.
- Maria
R-right now? But the competition results haven't...
- Zofia
It doesn't matter! She's here and that's way more important than the competition!
- Nightingale
Nearl.
- Margaret
Careful, Liz!
- Margaret
...You don't need to worry so much. Alright, hold my hand tight.
- Zofia
These two Sarkaz...
- Margaret
Don't worry, they're my friends. Shining, can you do me a favor?
- Shining
Yes.
- Corrupted Knight
......!
- Corrupted Knight
I... I fainted... These are healing Arts?
- Corrupted Knight
Who... you?!
- Corrupted Knight
Sarkaz, you... you! It can't be, you? Healed me?
- Shining
Your injuries are very serious, but they are not from this match. The scars of drug usage may never be removed. You should take better care of yourselves.
- Corrupted Knight
Go away——Don't touch me! Guh...
- Corrupted Knight
I...
- Corrupted Knight
Wait... You...you are...
- Shining
——Nearl.
- Margaret
Yeah, I know.
- Margaret
Those two assassins from the Armorless Union are still watching us... Now is not the time to celebrate.
- Zofia
A-Armorless Union? You——
- Nightingale
Time to run? Nearl?
- Margaret
——No.
- Margaret
A victorious knight has no reason to scurry away like a coward. If they wish to stop us, just let them try.
- Nightingale
Nearl, over there.
- Margaret
Ah... It's Mr. Kowal and Mr. Vogelweide. Have they found something?
- Zofia
What do you think?! Of course they're preparing a way for you to escape!
- Zofia
The three of us will help keep the crowds away from you, but the National Council will definitely be paying you a visit. You'll have to deal with them yourself——
- Zofia
——Margaret!
- Margaret
Yeah?
- Zofia
It's really great... that you came back.
- Zofia
The usual place, don't be late.
- Margaret
Of course.
- Nightingale
That's... Nearl's family?
- Shining
She's come back home. We can all see her joy, no?
- Shining
So, let's give her some space. She's the Radiant Knight after all. No one in Kazimierz can touch her.
- Nightingale
Right.
- Shining
We'll regroup with Amiya later.
Margaret raises her head.
She used to hate this land with every fiber of her being.
- Margaret
...Maria.
- Maria
Ah, yes?
- Margaret
...Let's go home.
But this is her home.
- Spokesman Czarny
......
- Platinum
...You're here. What about your little follower?
- Spokesman Czarny
...He's the next one.
- Platinum
Ah... How cruel.
- Spokesman Czarny
Just tell me the answer.
- Platinum
Well, aren't you straightforward...? You already know the answer, why ask me?
- Spokesman Czarny
......
- Platinum
Maybe you can live better.
- Spokesman Czarny
No... Maybe I will die on the way to my exile. Maybe you will be the one to do it.
- Platinum
...Maybe. Don't blame me, if I am.
- Spokesman Czarny
Of course.
- Platinum
It won't happen through the National Council. You'll have to leave by tonight. Is there anything you need to take care of?
- Spokesman Czarny
......
- Spokesman Czarny
Szewczyk has a young son. He was present during the incident.
- Platinum
Right.
- Spokesman Czarny
I wish to ask you...
- Spokesman Czarny
...To make sure that he never has a chance to speak the truth.
