"Is that it?" "I see." "A place that allows for destruction of surrounding areas with few consequences." "I guess so." "What are you daydreaming for?" "If you keep your head up, the enemy will spot you." "Yeah, sorry." "That's not good." "Those are Magic Knights of Runa." "Staying asleep" "Losing sight of you" "It makes me want to break everything right now" "If I can't hear the words I yearn for again" "I'd carelessly offer my life" "Desires that cuddle" "With a fading light" "It's lonely" "Will the morning sun come before me?" "Answer me" "Is there a love that binds us?" "Stand and face the despair we invited" "The wills of the people" "Born and destroyed" "Choose the future and open the lock" "According to an edict issued this morning, each and every noble in the king's faction is getting a major promotion!" "However, our Hero King, Lord Sion Astal, has not ended his reforms there!" "It says that if we citizens have the talent, we'll also be granted official posts!" "Just when I thought he had settled down, he pulls an outrageous stunt like this." "That child of a lowborn dog seeks to make a mockery of us!" "His Majesty's really gone all out!" "Yeah." "From rear admiral up to field marshal, he went up several ranks!" "Why make me a field marshal?" "!" "Is field marshal unsatisfactory to you?" " The only position higher is high marshal..." " That's not what I'm talking about!" "You think we'd jump for joy over promotions that you dictated?" "I am well aware of our rudeness, but I find it somewhat imprudent to take such measures in our current situation." "Indeed, it could be taken as provocation by the nobles of the anti-king faction." "With a tone of, "If you don't like it, bring it on!"" "I'm at a loss." "Complaining in spite of being promoted?" "You all have such little ambition." "What are you implying?" "We are not at Your Majesty's side for successful careers, but because we are inspired by the way Your Majesty puts this country first, and we wish to be of aid to you!" "Then, Lord Gnubul." "If I were to say that this edict came from putting this country first, you would be willing to accept it?" "Well..." "You all know of the country called Gastark, do you not?" "I don't know many details, but they're a small country on the northern tip of the continent, right?" "Then, I trust you know of the country of Stohl?" "Of course." "They're a prominent, major kingdom out of all of those on the Menoris Continent." "Stohl has roughly five times our national and military might." "According to information that has come to my attention, two thirds of their territory has come under occupation by Gastark." "Unbelievable." "How could a great kingdom like Stohl permit an invasion so lightly?" "It doesn't end with Stohl." "Many other smaller kingdoms have been swallowed up by them." "Frankly, we can't get accurate estimates." "It's rather far away, after all." "Indeed it is." "We are strongly geographically separated from Gastark." "For them to become a threat to our country..." "Yes, Gastark may not come to us." "But it is fairly likely that other kingdoms feeling pressured by Gastark will seek to increase their own national and military might." "They'll start fighting in droves." "Am I wrong?" "We're running out of time." "We have no more time to continue this unseemly infighting in our own country." "With that in mind, Froaude offered a proposition." "A proposition to set a trap for the nobles opposing me, and purge them all in one fell swoop." "Purge?" "!" "Women, children, everyone?" "Sion!" "If you did that, you'd be no different from that old piece-of-shit king!" "No, Claugh." "Froaude's proposition is not wrong." "I consider it to be one valid option." "However I am the king of all living beings in this country." "Even the nobles who wish to kill me are still Roland citizens." "Ergo, I believe they must be protected." "I wish to save their lives, even if only a few of them." "I wish to unify this country, without killing anyone." "That is the reason I carried out this aggressive measure." "If the nobles seek to join my camp," "I shall accept them." "I would like to work alongside them to make Roland into an even greater country." "But if they insist on opposing me I will resort to a purge if I must." "I'll say it once more." "We have no time." "I cannot allow this country to be destroyed." "Would you be willing to work alongside me, to save this country?" "Let all be as my king decrees it." "Let all be as my king decrees it." "Feed the nobles sweet honey." "When they lower their guard, purge them all in one clean sweep." "I expected you to ultimately choose my plan, but..." "You wish to save as many people as you can, even if only a few?" "Yes, I suppose kings should be this way." "Do you already realize it?" "No, perhaps you seek to walk the right path even after realizing it." "But, Your Majesty the path you have chosen will lead to far more bloodshed than the one I showed you." "And you are plagued with worry." "With that being the case," "I must work to lighten those worries, even if only a little." "Let all be as my king decrees it." "Major Miller has a grim expression yet again today, I see." "I guess he's mad because we failed our mission." "It couldn't be helped, Captain." "Our failure this time was hardly our fault." "Our opponent this time was just too tough." "He used far greater magic than yours, Captain Milk." "It was unbelievable." "That strength is absurd!" "He even sent out a red dragon!" "Yeah, that was scary." "I wonder what's going on there now?" "It might have turned into one heck of a tourist attraction." "They may be selling red dragon buns and other made-up souvenirs." "That doesn't sound very appetizing." "But if we get pulled off the mission now, what will we do?" "We can worry about that if it comes up." "The practical issue is that the taboo breaker this time was out of our league." "No way!" "I'm gonna save Ryner, mark my words!" "I'm gonna save him, I will!" "You're as spirited as always, Lieutenant Callaud." "Y-Yes, sir!" "Major Miller, you also seem in good spirits." "Then, you're saying the practical issue is just that this taboo breaker is out of your league?" "No, sir." "This mission should be a cinch!" "H-Hey, Captain, we can't!" " Getting off this mission would be better..." " I just wasn't serious enough before!" "When I get serious, I can trounce a Ryner or two, no problem!" "Can't I, Luke?" "E-Er, well, maybe, but..." "I see." "If Luke speaks that strongly, I'm sure you'll do fine." "Er, no, um..." "All right." "I'll continue to entrust this mission to Milk Callaud's taboo breaker pursuit squadron." "Sir!" "I'll give it everything I've got!" "An opponent out of our league, hm?" "This man, Ryner Lute, is much more troublesome than I had expected." "But beyond that..." "It looks like Sir Sion is finally starting." "Yeah, so it seems." "This country won't hold out much longer without chasing out the corrupt nobility." "Anything would do at this point, even a purge." "What's wrong, Luke?" "Have you grown to hate the nobility even more than before?" "Yes." "When I think of the way Captain Milk was treated by House Callaud..." "She was taken in from an orphanage, wasn't she?" "I hear that House Callaud sought to demonstrate their influence among the military, and that Lieutenant Milk was also given rigorous training." "Yes." "I don't think Captain Milk has ever enjoyed simple happiness before this." "Right now, Milk Callaud must not remain in this country." "I understand." "After all, we mustn't allow Captain Milk to get involved in the turmoil that's about to start growing." " Who's doing the cooking today?" " Just have Moe do it." "It's always me that does it!" "Ryner." "Wherever you are, mark my words." "I'm coming to save you, okay?" "Come now, hurry up and go on a rampage, little devil!" "H-Hey, is it really safe to encourage a rampage like this?" "I don't know." "That's what the experiment's to find out, right?" "Hmph, you leave me no choice." "Oh, the devil is squirming." "Does it hurt?" "Then why don't you beg me?" "Oh, great Saint Chezo Kalti, please save this cursed devil!" "How dull." "Hurry up and rampage!" "How long has he been like this?" "Calm down." "Even if we leaped out now, we wouldn't be able to save him." "We're up against Magic Knights." "We need to form a plan first." "You won't go on a rampage just over injuries to yourself?" "M-Mom..." "Mom..." "Mom!" "Mom!" " Mom!" " Ryner!" "Your mother is dead because she gave birth to a devil!" "That means your father committed the same offense!" "Arua..." "Dad!" "Mom was..." "Mom was, because of me..." "It's not because of you." "It's them." "They killed her." "Arua, this isn't because of you in the least." "So... you can't let them have what they want!" "Dad!" "Don't let it bother you if I get killed." "You have to live..." "We'll let the brat live." "At least until he breaks and we're done using him!" "Attack!" "We're under enemy attack!" "I offer up this contract, to bear the wicked spirit beast which sleeps in the earth!" "After him!" "Don't get any closer." "I will warn you." "The one running around is a wild beast who attacks men and women indiscriminately." "What are you doing?" "Hurry up and get him!" "I offer up this contract, to unleash the magic beast which dances through the skies!" "I implore our God who dwells in Heaven!" "To give Thy pitiful servants the light to destroy demons!" "Outta the way!" "Calm yourself, you fool!" "An Alpha Stigma?" "It certainly couldn't be a devil calling out to his brethren!" "Holy Runa's magic cannot be stolen by one with no faith in God!" "I implore our God who dwells in Heaven, to give Thy pitiful servants the light to destroy demons!" "I implore our God, who dwells in Heaven, to give Thy pitiful servants the light to destroy demons!" "You monster!" "Damn you!" "Hey, you over there, the kid's dad!" "We can't save you guys by ourselves!" "First, beat up that stupid noble, then take off the kid's ropes and get the hell out of here!" "You'd save someone from a different country?" "Dad!" "Dad..." "Arua!" "I'll save you now!" "Dad!" "I'm going to take off the ropes now, okay?" "The light to destroy demons!" "I can do this." "I can do this!" "Together with her, I can do this!" "Yes, when I'm with her..." "Surely..." "I'll be sure to save you..." "A... rua..." "See that?" "I delivered divine retribution to one who sought to release a devil!" "No!" "Go, Ryner!" "Arua." "You must be tired." "Have a long rest." "Let's go, Ryner." "Hey!" "That's our research sample!" "If you take it, you'll be recognized as a devil, and you will suffer God's punishment!" "Did you say God's punishment?" "When you do such cruel things and get no punishment at all, you say we'd get divine retribution just because of these eyes?" "!" "Ryner!" "Enemy reinforcements are on the way." "Let's hurry." "Damn it!" "Damn it, damn it, damn it!" "What the hell is wrong with you people?" "!" "You'd give us divine retribution?" "If so, then why did you even make us?" "!" "If there is a God, I dare you to answer me!" "Why did you make someone like me?" "To toy with me for your amusement, then deliver divine punishment?" "What a load of crap." "I'm not..." "We're not your toys!" "We're alive too, you know." "It's not like we wanted to be born as such devils... as monsters." "It's not like..." "It's not like..." "It's not like we want these eyes, either!" "Or maybe it is our fault?" "If there really is a God in this land please, I beg of you, tell me." "When I close my heart" "To the scent of impending darkness" "A refrain of a far-off day of resurrection" "Seeking to overcome resounding pain" "For that transparent future I saw with you" "Off in the sweeping emptiness" "If you stay by my side..." "I'll stretch my hand out" "Towards the soaring skies of our oath" "I want to be the light that protects" "Your fleeting dreams, your tears" "Break free from your cruelty-stained destiny" "I believe in it" "The other truth of my destiny" "To another world" "Roland's a real pain of a country." "Doesn't Sion work way too hard?" "Forget about the nobility or whatever, just kick back for a little while and relax!" "Seriously, yeesh." ""The legend continues easily!""