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Then... let's try again!

(Eh?)

T-This is unbelievable! What just happened?! There was a sudden explosion on Maria's body, and the Corrupted Knight followed up with a hit that sent her flying!

(Was that Withered? Corrupted? Does it matter anymore?)

Nnng——!

*Cough* *cough*... *cough*.

Blood...? Why... why aren't my Arts working?

She is vomiting blood... the Arts have taken effect.

...Fester, wither, decay... I can smell her death. She cannot escape.

Maria! Forfeit the match! Quickly!

Tsk——

Let me go! Marcin!

Do you want to die with her?!

Mph——

——Dying together is better than Maria dying alone!

Zofia!

Hurry up, Kowal!

D-Don't run so fast. I'm not a Kuranta——

Sorry, you're not allowed back here.

You——

Former level-2 campaign knight, Vogelweide. Or should I say, Batbayar.

Your bloodline had you fighting all over the world. You got to run and howl across the prairies of no-man's-land.

And you, senior craftsman of the Craftsman's Guild, Kowal.

Your master was a great blacksmith, respected by the Silverlance Pegasus, and your apprentices are still out there on the front lines even today——

You're both fine, upstanding Kazimierz citizens. Could you just, like, leave?

...The way you talk ain't nothing like that lil' girl I once met, Platinum.

Hm. You know?

Yes, we know. Of course we know.

We have a personal grudge with some of your bosses.

...Ah, so that's how it is.

I heard that the last Platinum's first job was to assassinate a campaign knight. A really pretty lady, named——

——Shut up.

...Funny. Another leader dying for a woman, in the end.

Maybe working this job too long really does screw with your head. *Sigh* I gotta take a vacation, go traveling...

Stop wasting time with this crap! Are you the ones messing around with Maria?!

...Keep watching the perimeter. I'll deal with this.

...Yes.

So you have helpers after all. Why not call them out?

I really don't want to fight you. Can we not just take a step backwards?

Hah! That's funny. An assassin of the Armorless Union has a soft heart?

Don't worry, I won't go all out against a young lass like you. When you've given up, we'll be off to rescue Maria——

V——!

I... I'm fine. Just a scratch. I just didn't expect her to draw her bow that quickly and accurately...

Yeah, she's done talking. She might be young and immature——

But she's still above the dregs of the Armorless Union, as the Platinum in that 'one-two-three inverted triangle' of theirs.

Umm... I'll take that as a compliment?

Get ready, Kowal. Let's see if you've still got it.

Hah! I've long suspected that you're half-blind now, V.

Alright, alright. To you two feisty olds——

——Don't sprain your backs.

Are you leaving now?

Yes, time is tight.

Then... Please be careful. Please, please be very careful.

Don't worry so much... She's still with you, right?

...Yes.

Don't worry, it's fine. I swear——knight's honor.

Y-You don't need to do that. Go on, I believe in you.

Good.

Have a safe journey.

Yes, thank you, Liz.

*Cough* *cough*... *cough*.

(My wounds are rotting, I can't heal them...! Losing blood... It's cold...)

Faster than Mr. Szewczyk... Bigger than Mr. Ingra...

These two——

Should I forfeit?

No, just hold on, I can still——

...Hit. She should have fainted. You, go.

Guh... Boring fight... Just smash her head in.

Go, quickly!

...The Sarkaz raises his weapon up high.

The sun shines brightly on the girl trying to regain her balance.

Ugh, *cough*...

The blood on the ground, the metallic taste in her mouth, ears buzzing, head spinning, the fragrance of dirt after rain.

She tries to support her body with her hands, but gives in to the intense pain.

(Old wounds... Hands...!)

Guh... It's over.

Nnng...

Maria lies on the ground, unmoving. This sorrowful scene is reflected in the Sarkaz knight's emotionless eyes.

Suddenly, her vision brightens.

Perhaps the clouds blocking out the sun have dissipated, or perhaps the angle of the sunlight just happened to pass through the building's shade.

The next moment——He hears a thunderous sound. All the cells in his body are warning him, telling him that he must act immediately, that he must strike this defenseless little knight——

His vision brightens even more.

At the same time, the warhammer in his hand flies off, knocked away by someone.