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Back then, at the time, that was indeed my belief.

If everyone's gazes had diverted from glory, I would go to where they focused most, and tell them all, the knights still remain.

At the time?

After I left Kazimierz, I traveled to many places. By no means was I always free from bewilderment—but by the end, I'd chosen my own justice, my own faith.

To rescue the Infected?

Yes, but not that alone.

So this is your definition of a knight?

If you demand an answer... I once told my sister as much, and to this day, I've still never amended this notion.

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

The Candle Knight and the Radiant Knight, then.

Now there's a match that'll light up every corner. Don't you think, V?

Hey, old bones. Why've you been so out of sorts lately? What's wrong? Did that Nightzmora end up being your long-lost lovechild or what have you?

Spadaj, what the hell nonsense are you talking?!

Hold on, Maria's not here?

She wouldn't miss her sister's match for the world. Should be right on her way.

I'll go and look for her.

Illuminate... the land.

Not all people can illuminate the land, Radiant Knight. Most are but tiny candle-flames, barely enough to light the way on their own lives.

The storm rocks us. In this age, a candle-flame is indistinct, the people have lost their selves, and what frightens me, is they aren't even conscious of it.

Knowing this full well, why must you still—

Are you doubting yourself? Viviana?

You call me by my name.

That may be who you really are, the Candle Knight is no more than a title upon you.

People's fates are not decided by their births, Viviana. In my view, you are an outstanding knight.

...Heheh.

(Leithanian) If your faith truly is as unshakeable as the sun, allow such a meager candle-flame as myself...

(Leithanian) To try and wrest a moment of your rays.

卡西米尔2 4-2

Viviana Droste. That's your name.

You are the shame of the family. If other nobles find out about you, you will become their weapon, used to attack your father.

You should have been exiled in secret or killed outright. The spire should never have heard your cries.

Yet you were brought here to Kazimierz. You were entrusted to a Kazimierz campaign knight to raise.

Your identity should have stayed hidden, but there is nobody here to hide your identity.

It's as though everyone wanted you to live out in the open, unconcealed.

How respectable yet sorrowful... Your noble father... Your nameless mother... They both love you so.

Ngh...

Candle-flame... and shadows.

What a surprise... You seem to have a good inductive reasoning of Arts phenomena.

When a room is illuminated by only a single candle, the candlelight will naturally draw our attention more so than anything else. Yet it is the shadows of everything around that truly engulf us.

Impressive techniques, Viviana... Not even my light... can shine upon you.

Please allow me to apologize.

What...?

Out of courtesy, I should call you by your name too, Miss Margaret.

Is... Is this really the a knight competition?!

It looks like neither of the knights are in a rush to slaughter her opponent for a win. On the contrary, you could say this scene is like an elegant aristocratic social gathering!

B-But even so—Did you see those Arts?! The Candle Knight's lightning-quick swordhand! Did it just engulf all that light?!

Is the Radiant Knight's endless radiance starting to wear thin?!

Just a small candle-flame—That's right, it's just a tiny candlelight, but check out its surroundings! The flame is engulfed by the darkness around, and it's that unlit darkness, not the candle's light, that's drawing our attention!

Rather than that tiny glow, you could say the Candle Knight is controlling the shadows underneath that light!

Gotta hand it to them! This isn't something you often see in our matches, not even the finals!

Their Arts are calm and elegant, but there's no mistake that these Arts are of the highest caliber!

That's the Radiant Knight, Margaret Nearl, and the Candle Knight, Viviana Droste, we know and love!

Maria? Maria!

Where is she...? She's not at the bar, and she's not home...

No...

Nnf... nnf...!

Why am I...?

You...? You're that...

The Armorless Union.

Oh, calm down.

As long as you promise you won't make a fuss, we won't do anything to you.

After all, if the Nearl family's precious little baby got hurt... the Radiant Knight and Młynar wouldn't just sit around and not do anything.

You want to... make Margaret forfeit?

Something like that.

Do you know what happened to Brassrust? The Infected are the talk of the town right now.

Could you imagine what would happen if, under these circumstances, the Radiant Knight ends up taking the crown?

Your sister just has to be a good girl and let the Candle Knight win. That will save us all the headache. Pretty simple, don't you agree?

Margaret isn't going to forfeit.

Did you know, Maria Nearl?

Kazimierz... is like a tower. If you stand at its base and look up at the top of the spiraling staircase, you will never, ever see its end.

V! Kowal! Marcin!

Maria might've been—

What happened to Maria?!

I have wondered for a long, long time.

What are we suffering for?

Compared to the farmers of Ursus's barren soil, the refugees escaping Bolívar's flames of war, and the merchants making their way across Sargon's endless golden sands...

Are we not enjoying our lives?

No.

Ursus has nobles living their high lives, Bolívar has war profiteers swimming in money, and Sargon's golden city must be one of the most prosperous metropolises the world has ever seen.

In that case, what is the source of Kazimierz's sufferings? As 'knights,' as Kazimierzian knights, how are we to handle these tragedies hidden from view?

No.

To start, am I really a knight of Kazimierz?

Should I have stayed in Leithania, writing poems and songs amid flowers and accordion melodies?

Why don't you try your hand at writing a few poems? With how popular you are, I can get in touch with a few publishers. Your fame and talent will...

Me...? I'm afraid... I can't.

You're being humble again.

No, this isn't humility, McKee.

I...

I might have gone numb.

I thought I had left Leithanien and left that spire behind. It wasn't until afterwards that I realized this. The spire is still there. It has always been there.

It has always stood above all suffering and tribulation.

...Margaret.

When you set a tall, magnificent spire ablaze, how far away can the masses see the smoke?

Flames cannot burn away the contradictions in their hearts.

The masses can see the black smoke from far, far away, but it may once have been their homes, the lands on which they survived.

In that case... I truly don't understand.

How does a knight like you return to Kazimierz, if not for a change of heart? What is your objective?

It's just as you said, Viviana.

The times are changing, but that does not mean what we once considered virtuous and righteous must change.

I came back because I must remind the knights of Kazimierz... as well as all those who are here in this country—