act13d5

卡西米尔 7下

4:12 P.M. \ Cloudy, Kazimierz Fireblade Arena

Independent knight Maria Nearl vs. 'Left-hand' Tytus Topola, one hour and twenty minutes in

Right now, this arena... is host to a once-in-a-lifetime event!

She gets knocked down, and she gets up, again and again! That spark of light still hasn't left the eyes of the audience! It's as if it's taken root in the smeared blood and soil of the arena!

That one spark of light—! Just like a candle lit in the night! Under the ever more oppressive onslaught of Tytus, a man who lives to crush the will of his opponents—

—It's still alive!

Haahh... haaahh...

You... stand once again. You...

I see. The most miniscule Arts to heal your wounds, never running out, all the while looking for weaknesses—

—Does it feel good? Enduring your flesh on the verge of collapse for so long?

Hah... hah... no, I'm fine...

Stubborn.

Nothing more than a parlor trick.

She—she blocks! It's the first time she's done it! Maria has blocked Tytus's attack!

What... did my blade glance...?

No, it was dead on... but you're hitting—a lot less hard.

You... you have to get tired too, Tytus...

I do?

Certainly... I have wasted far too much time on you.

Let me end this.

He hit again—!

The flow's completely changed... Who knows what'll happen now...

Gugh...

Hmph. I know all your little tricks now. No reason to cede you a single chance more.

(Too fast—)

He! Gives! No! Quarter!

A relentless rush! Not letting Nascent Nearl catch her breath! Will this finally put out that last spark of light?!

Can that girl... even hold on anymore? This match's boring now, I'm done...

...That one's Maria Nearl, right...? Margaret's little sister?

Really? I've been coming to the Majors for two years now, and she's nowhere on the same level.

But when they flip the script, that's what's worth seeing, isn't it?

I mean...

Maria!

Maria! Stand up straight!

Vision's blurry.

Don't blink, Maria.

Blink, and they'll never open again.

Maria, you are gifted with a pair of pegasian eyes.

Maria. Stand. Come, come forth.

Grandpa...

Cry not, my child.

What is the motto of the Nearl family?

'Fear neither hardship nor darkness...'

I do not regret the past. It brings me so much joy that Margaret chose to walk a different path.

Margaret...?

In confronting all hardship, all darkness, generation after generation, each of our us have made our own choices.

Margaret chose the path least realistic.

Has she... has your sister ever spoken to you of her vision of a knight?

'To be a knight is to be the noble light that illuminates the land...'

Heh, heh. At such a young age...

Wishing only to be light.

Wishing only to dispel the hardship and darkness.

...One second later, and you may have been freed from this meaningless battle. Why stand up?

Uncle Młynar... was wrong.

What?

It wasn't at all... It was only a sigh...

Deep breaths. Deep breaths, Maria.

Keep exerting yourself and you won't win. Use his arrogance. Use his overconfidence.

What would Margaret do?

Just one opening... just one opening.

Mph—

And suddenly, a burst of light! What in the world just happened?! Are we gonna have to give out free sunglasses next time—?!

This is the first time the Left-hand Knight Tytus has backed off! There's Arts! No doubt about it, this is Maria Nearl's own Arts! Is she using Arts to turn the tables at the last minute?!

Ooooh! There's been a small tremor in Maria's figures! But even still, the odds are just astounding! The numbers are rivalling corporate donations, now! Would you look at this prize pool?!

The Radiant Knight...

...No, only a pale shadow of an imitation.

You... you will pay dearly for this act of contempt.

Maria—!

You can do it! Go, Nearl!

Hey! Maria Nearl! You can do it!

Maria! Stay focused—! Beat him into the ground!

The cheers! Everyone out there is cheering for Maria, now!

But even then—! Tytus still has free rein to walk the arena!

You...

(Blocked it!)

And the tale keeps twisting! They're both spent, but she's actually made a massive comeback!

Ladies! And! Gentlemen! Keep your eyes right on the prize, whether it's the marvelous match or the extravagant prize pool! It's all shaped up to be the most worthwhile event of the season yet!

Let's see more coin and more screams! Gotta let your knights know just how hyped you are!

You—you have the nerve to block my attacks! Leaning on your puny smattering of Arts?!

Arrogant. I hate the arrogant. I loathe them.

It is readily apparent that Tytus could have won this. His vision tunneled on trampling the Nearls' dignity. This middling, neglectful means of combat always tends to offer the other side an advantage.

I-I see...

After all, she is the Radiant Knight's sister, and the granddaughter of a certain 'Nearl.' Hah. My past self could've only pictured that fear-inspiring old lout upon hearing the name 'Nearl.'

Such is the decline of the knightly family, it would make one weep. Compared to the corporate, a knightly family's dreary class conflicts truly are so fragile.

The Association controls the entire noble class, now...

And so we control the Knights Association.

We just... received word from a lot of our sponsors... They want the Left-hand Knight to end the battle ASAP...

They're worried that Tytus will lose. But there is no harm in him losing. The sticking point is how hot that topic is, and on that, I am very much satisfied.

You, um, think so?

Mm... he is the commander of the Blade Helmet Knightclub. Arrogant, believes the universe revolves around himself. But he is undeniably strong, and sublime in the art of torturing his enemy's will to fight.

In all previous competitions, he relished his opponents kneeling in surrender. And so...

He is sure to lose.

Huh?

Haahh... haaahh...

(No, need to be steady... can't stand upright... just, stay like this... and breathe...)

Enough!

Maria—!

(Maria... should've long since reached her limit... Even in her duel with Ingra, she never got hit this bad...)

—You've shed your blood for this! Grit your teeth, Maria!