act13side

Hah, knights really have gotten interesting.

I suddenly understand why I hate seeing Toland Cash so much.

Why's that?

Because he's too much like you.

*cough*... Are you calling me out?

Get on with it. What did you interrupt me for?

You've been too hard at it lately. Isn't it nice, relaxing every once in a while?

I'm heading back to work.

No, nuh-uh, you've been getting more and more workaholic lately.

See, the curtain's pulled open on the Radiant Knight's Major adventure, and I'm not exactly resting easy with just Platinum on the case.

And the Adeptus Sprawiedliwi has been scarily quiet this year. Usually they'd be firing opening shots against the Board of Directors by now, what with all their documents and meetings.

And this is your grounds for shirking work?

Not entirely. The 'three above' are having us keep this in check lately.

Hmm.

To be strict about it, the Infected are creating an opportunity for us.

Darksteel'll seize that to eliminate the last of those who know what really happened, and shift the blame to the Infected.

What we should be doing now isn't harming the Infected. When it comes to it, in fact, we even ought to give them a little help from the shadows.

But we can't be too obvious about this, so I let you enjoy the hassle of finding them, seeing it through to the end.

Work really does shift under your feet when it wants.

We're on the Board of Directors's dime, after all. All we can do is be their people.

Provisionally, of course.

Heh.

How's the Nightzmora business going?

Not much to be concerned with, just a moron tracing the footsteps of old-timey legends.

We'll fix up a match for him to face one of the Grand Knights later. After the 'Nightzmora reenactment' thing gets enough buzz, it can get dumped.

That's 'knights' for you, after all. A Nightzmora orphan living in the present day—it's gotta be hard on the soul.

Batbayar, what are you following me for?

You can drop that tone with me like you're on your victory lap. There's youth in your voice. Odds are you're younger than me.

Are you always so... aimless?

Don't you have anywhere to go? A titled Major knight being a tramp in Kawalerielki, really?

Cities disgust me.

Walking helps clear the mind. Kurantas always walk the grasslands.

It ain't no grassland here.

It should be.

And you just go on like this?

How long has it been?

Ten years or so. Or however many. I can't even remember now.

Er... but you did get a lift to reach Kawalerielki, right?

You crossed Kazimierz on foot?!

R—Rubbish. You've really never 'stopped' before? Don't you even need to rest?

Batbayar, do you know of the 'Khaganquest?'

...What...

It was once... the apotheosis of a Kuranta's glory.

At the time a warrior comes of age, in order to manifest their glory as a Kuranta, in the company of their mother and father, they would make a promise.

From the place they were born, they would leave for a distant site of trial. Taking only a weapon gifted by their parents, they would go on foot.

A site of trial...?

The site of trial is decided by themselves. True courage must be recognized by themselves.

The way of the courageous spans a thousand folds of the earth, while the cowardly only dared choose the forests before their own door.

A distance or lack of it was by no means the sole judge. Some brave brought back the heads of prey; some brave cut off their enemies' ears; some brave were empty-handed, but bountiful with pure gold and spices.

Our forebears never once forgot this tradition. This was proof of valor. Countless Nightzmora soldiers walked the Khaganquest, as the start of their long journey.

So, right now, you're... you're completing your rite of adulthood alone?

Where's your parents?

Since I can recall, I had no one at all.

Batbayar, I'm not ashamed to admit. To be with you, one of the same blood, no matter how distant, consoles me somewhat.

At least, it lets me take in that, in this age twistedly proceeding, my past brethren... are still alive.

Alright... Are you gonna hang around the Grand Knight Territory like this for the time being, then?

Kawalerielki... I learned from the travelers, this place is the center of the land of the knights, Kazimierz's glory.

Yet now I see, it's no more than a rotting fort, trampling the glory, the honor that should shine esteemed.

Once, my brethren were trialed in their Khaganquests by beast and Catastrophe. And what I face now, is a forward-roaring, grassland-crushing metal titan.

Champions.

They're the pinnacles of modern Kazimierzian knighthood, the strong that garner all attention.

Dwelling on their image amounts to nothing. Attempting to debate the attitude of the knight of now comes off as utterly foolish.

Only through one victory after another can it be understood, just how Kazimierz postures itself in the modern day.

It happens to block my Khaganquest.

So I will conquer it, in order to prove my fatedness.

Each knight in Kawalerielki has their own reason to fight.

Maybe many of the ignorant beyond Kazimierz would criticize the modern knight competitions as 'defying tradition,' 'renouncing glory.'

But we're not of that mind at all. The times are changing, industry and finance are expanding. Do you honestly still want the people putting stock in the traditions of killing? Rampant duels paid with blood, in modern society?

No, the General Chamber of Commerce finds it very hard to sanction such things.

Cities springing up, engines rumbling as they turn.

This is an age of rapid progress. Yes, wildly unlike it was over a decade ago, Mr. McKee.

Madam Droste. The General Chamber expects your certain victory.

The Infected knight crisis is intensifying. Taken as a locus, the Radiant Knight will extol it, and the Board of Directors will lose great face over it.

I understand.

I... *sigh* I don't mean to trouble you—I'm guessing you still won't accept our proposals, will you?

But I hope you'll realize, you won't actually need to do anything.

McKee.

I want to decide a victor between me and the Radiant Knight, fair and square.

'I won't need to do anything.' These last few years, I've always been solicited as such.

Mr. McKee, as a knight, inaction itself is one brand of action. Can you sympathize with that?

I...

Am I not even allowed the satisfaction of a single request anymore? Mr. McKee?

No... if you really are so determined... I'll try and talk over the Knights Association and the other spokesmen.

But... can you tell me why? You have no preexisting relationship with the Radiant Knight, as far as we know... What makes you so insistent?

Why is the General Chamber so focused on her?

Though she's of a famous family, she is no more than a knight once banished, in the end.

Tell me, just what is the K.G.C.C. so focused on?

This isn't something you and I should discuss right now, Madam Droste.

But... alright. Behind this affair, it's a contest between the Adeptus Sprawiedliwi and the General Chamber.

In fact, neither the K.G.C.C. nor the Adeptus ultimately care too much who 'takes the championship.'

Do you understand? I've currently obliged with you... I respect your way of thinking, but your steadfastness is harming the K.G.C.C.'s outlook towards you.

I'll explain to the knightclub myself.

Our Leithanian visitors wouldn't want to see any mishaps befall you in the arena, either.

Mishaps? Losing to an Infected champion, you mean?

I've no illusions of the way they work. The Candle Knight Viviana Droste is celebrated so because she is a Leithanian.

A Leithanian, finding success in the Kazimierz knight competitions, makes them beam.

And since the Black Knight, it's a glory they've taken for granted. I became a substitute for the Black Knight by luck, no more.

No more than vanity.

It might be vain of them, yes, but their support for you is authentic. The K.G.C.C. is hoping to sign a trade agreement with the nobles at this moment, and your impact cannot be ignored.

McKee.