catap

Thief... there's a thief! Catch the thief!

Quit the racket! What happened?

Knight, sir...! Th—Th—There's a thief!

(And one more for the road...!)

(Check me out!)

Waagh! Wh—What the hell?

Yeek! Sir Knight, some bastard just felt me... Hey, you were right there! Was it you?!

Eh? I didn't do it... hey, what are you hitting me for?! Seriously, it wasn't me!

Settle down, please, settle down!

All of you, calm down... don't get hysterical!

Where's my wallet?!

Back up, everyone! Our search here isn't over yet... ugh!

Who threw that stone?!

I can't take it anymore! Tell me, how much longer am I going to be stuck here?

I've gotten official passage! I request to be let through here immediately!

Hold on, this is by Lord Barth's command—

He's just a cruddy knight noble with a hunk of land. Who does he think he is?

(Hahaha!)

(Mm-hm, and there's my moment.)

Phew...

Finally, out of there.

Apologies, Mister, I'll toss your wallet in your van. And you over there, Miss, truly very sorry, I'll let you sock me sometime...

But sorry's all I can give right now!

See ya, everybody~

You're better off apologizing to their faces than doing it out here to the trees.

Stir chaos, hide in the crowd and slip out of the mess. You almost fooled me.

Oh, hey, it's you.

Still got caught, huh? That's not good.

I would've gotten away with it too, if it weren't for your sharp eyes, Raz.

Speaking of, when'd you put all this gear on? You look pretty slick, really like a capital-K Knight. May as well enroll for knighthood sometime, right?

The old fart's always been wanting to raise up a Knightclub.

This road... should take me to my destination, if I'm not mistaken.

Hm?

Oh? What's that up there...?

Nothing else to say?

Have a care, huh? I'm gonna look real long-winded if it's just me talking, y'know~

What, you're not here to cuff me and take me back? If you don't do anything, I'm gonna get away, alright? I'm warning you.

If I was going to bring you in, I would've busted you back at Filon's.

If I actually did that... chances are Lord Barth would give you a public hanging for real.

True that, hahaha. Old guy's gotta be blowing his top!

So why'd you chase me out here anyway? Did you wanna give me a ride?

Yes...

...Whuh?

Raz. Raz, bro.

Any way you slice it, the old guy's got all hands out for me. I'm wanted by name... You're deserting, here!

And you get to talk?

Who slinked off to hit up the streets and go drinking, back when we were on patrol together—

Stoppit, stoppit, let's not reopen old wounds. Bad.

I came to ask you, why—

Why let go of the good days, and risk it all on this?

...Yeah.

Man, it's not healthy to be stale like this~ Why's everyone ask this one question?

And if I confess it was just 'cause I was sick of the old guy, you don't even believe me!

I believe you.

Guh?

It's a majorly convincing reason, knowing you.

Are you commending me, or dunking on me... Filon sure didn't believe me one bit.

Whatever. We're way past that, now. Let me be real with you.

Under the geezer, as long as we do what we're told, we get everything taken care of, and we get a little allowance. And sure, maybe a whole lot consider those fine days to live.

But I just couldn't stand it anymore. Everything that happens everywhere pisses you off. That life grosses me out, down to the core.

But I can't say that in front of the people in that town. I can't drop those words.

I've never gone hungry. How do I have the right to tell people without a meal to eat that I think my life sucks?

So you did it for all the civvies who couldn't pay taxes...

Yeuch, don't make me out like some kind of beacon of righteousness. I'm not THAT good-hearted.

I wasn't counting on doing something for anyone else's sakes. Blowing that geezer's vault open, dumping everything in there everywhere, that was all just me channeling my revenge.

Simple as that~

Oh, my...

She's a surprisingly clear-minded girl.

But still, not quite that cautious...

Raz—!

What are you doing here?

Oh, crap, they're coming this way! Hide somewhere, quick!

Easy for you to say... there's nowhere to hide here, is there?!

Raz? What are you doing... are you talking to somebody?

I—

(Crap, I can't make it!)

Excuse me, sorry for that. I was occupying this kind gentleman's time.

(—Who?)

(She walked out from behind... was she seriously behind me the whole time?!)

Hm? Who is it?

You're... wait, it can't be, i—it's you?!

Pardon me. Please, don't be so nervous. I'm just a traveler passing through.

I was asking this gentleman the way just now.

Huh... is that right?

Uh... yeah, that's right.

Um, forgive me, but are you... by any chance, the Candle Knight?

Ah. That is indeed my title.

The Candle Knight?! THE renowned Knight from Leithanien... I've seen a whole bunch of your matches!

I never expected to meet someone as famous as you here! C... Could you, um, sign—sign this for me, Miss Knight?

I appreciate your praise. If just my signature suffices, I would be delighted.

(This lady's totally distracting everyone!)

(Just who...)

(Shh.)

(Is she winking at me...?!)

This doesn't seem too well a place for conversation. If you don't mind, shall we talk as we go?

I've been wanting to pay a visit to the good Lord of this place, as it turns out... so could I trouble you all to show me the way?

Of course... of course!

(She led them off for real... Did she—save me?)

(Catapult.)

(What?)