" What are you laughing at?" " Son of a lowborn dog!" "I've been happy." "Sion, it's because I had you." "You've grown into a sweet child." "That alone makes me proud." "What's with that look?" "You dare to defy us?" "Lowly dog!" "It doesn't matter who speaks poorly of you." "Because you'll find plenty of people who will love you." "So even if I'm not there, you're..." "You're not alone." "At least understand that." "Nemuri toki agunete" "Kimi o miushinai" "Kowashitaku naru ima subete" "Nozomu kotoba ga nidoto kikenai nara" "Inochi sae mui ni sashidasu deshou" "Kiesou na kagayaki e to" "Yorisou omoi" "Kodoku da yo" "Watashi no moto ni mo asahi ga kuru no?" "Kotaete, futari o" "Tsunagu ai ga aru to" "Manekareta zetsubou no hate ni tachimukau" "Umarete horobiru" "Hito no ishiki koso ga" "Mirai o erabi, kagi o akeru" "Academy mock battle training begins soon." " If we don't assemble a team soon..." " I have a lead." "You mean... him?" "But he still has yet to show up for practice sessions." "I'd like to see what he can do for once." " I understand, but he's..." " Roll, I'll decide in two days." "Where are you going?" "Researching." "The usual place." "This academy gathers orphans and children of A-class criminals." "It's a place that raises weapons of war to keep nobles off the front lines." "Even children of lowly dogs like me..." "Bearer of the Alpha Stigma." "Roland's greatest magician." "Ryner Lute." "He left Germer Kleisrole Training Institute for Roland Special Institute #307." "The black-haired devil." "Who's there?" "What a bad nap." "So drowsy." "I woke up early, now my head hurts." "Have you slept here this whole time?" "This is a library." "I know." "This place is closed now." "Oh, okay." "See you in the morning." "Night." "That's not what I mean." "Roland's most powerful magician." "The black-haired devil, Ryner Lute." "Couldn't be." " It's Sion!" " That's a rare sight." "What was that?" "You finally show up for practice and it doesn't amount to anything, Ryner Lute." "That's Ryner Lute?" "Come on, Ryner." "Why are you always so unmotivated?" "There's no person who twitches so obviously, and stays collapsed!" " You're looking at one." " Back to practice." "I'm using my next spell." "Ready?" "Nope." "Don't give me "Nope"!" "What I seek is thunder." "Izuchi!" "With magic this simple..." "Goodness, why didn't you avoid it?" "You're okay, right?" "Right?" "Quit with the jokes!" "Ryner!" "No response." "It seems to be a corpse." "I'm sleepy today." "You're always sleepy!" "What a troublemaker." "Ryner, shame of the academy." "Just being around him would lower our own standing." " I'm sleepy today, too." " Don't correct yourself." "I'm not letting you slack off today, okay?" "If you don't train today, your grades will be in danger." "You don't want to get held back while we get promoted, right?" " You're a pest, Ryner!" " Weaklings should stay home!" "Could you all cut it out?" "That last direct hit." "He saw through it." "Who's Mr. Silver-Hair?" " Sion Astal." "He's a noble..." " Never heard of him." "You're Kiefer Knolles, yes?" "I am." "How did you know my name?" "I try to remember the names of excellent students." "Me, really?" "You get above-average grades in every course." "Plus, you're cheerful, attractive, and popular." "Attractive, oh my!" "You're going overboard." "I have a proposal." "Kiefer, would you like to join my team?" "Your team?" "We'll be forming groups for mock battle training soon." "If we were on the same team, it could have advantages." "But..." "What's the problem?" "Just do it." " Then I can have my afternoon naps..." " No, I want you too, Ryner." "Sounds like a pain to me." "How so?" "With Sion with you, you're sure to get promoted!" "So what?" "Why invite me, anyway?" "He knows my grades." "It's clear he wants you, not me." "Dummy." "If you say that, we'll get separated..." "Look, Ryner." "I really want you on my team." "Why?" "If I have to say something?" "It's because I like your eyes." "With a reason like that?" "No way." "Phew, I'm beat after a long day of real practice." "Later." "Don't grumble so much." "I told you, I like your eyes." "I want you, the bearer of the Alpha Stigma." "I don't know what you're talking about." "Don't be modest." "I looked up your orphanage." "I'm out of here." "Working under others isn't my style." "If you don't join me, I'll expose you." "To everyone." "Alpha Stigma bearer." "Ryner Lute." "You're really having that monster join you?" "Whether he can control those eyes is a different issue, though." "Do take care." "Here are the battle training documents." "Thank you." "Perfect." "Our goal for eliminating the enemy is in under four hours." "How do we find them?" "I know where they're located." "You do?" "I did research ahead of time." "All we have to do is wait there and ambush them." "Isn't that a little cutthroat?" "Looking up info on the enemy is certainly not cheating, to me." "How about looking up people's pasts and using them as blackmail?" " What do you mean?" " Oh, nothing." "Don't worry, guys." "Just stick with Sion for an easy win." "In war, info is everything." "Using info advantageously is another way to victory." "What victory?" "Bingo." "Great, they don't seem to notice us at all." "But it could be a trap." " What's the plan, Sion?" " Let's do it." "Smash them in one shot!" " Let's go." " Right!" "Here goes, Ryner." "What I seek is thunder." "Izuchi!" "A toast to our first victory!" "It went just like Sion planned!" "See?" "Believe in Lord Sion!" "I was surprised the enemy was there!" "They're the ones who were surprised!" "Did you see the looks on their faces?" "I'm with Sion for life!" "Mind if I ask why you joined this academy?" "You've already looked it up, right?" "You got me." "Roland Special Institute #307." "The orphanage you grew up in." "On paper, an institution to raise children orphaned by war." "But they really gathered children and gave them thorough military drilling." "Those with no talent were disposed of." "Those who survived were sold to nobles or thrown onto the front lines." "But suddenly, the war ended." "With no war, the institute lost its purpose." "The orphans there were faced with a tough choice." "Remain under military command..." "or be silenced through murder." "You chose the former, and entered the Royal Special Military Academy." " Say, Ryner." " What?" "Don't you want revenge against this country?" "Revenge?" "Haven't you ever wanted to crush this corrupt land?" "This land that shuns you as taboo just for your Alpha Stigma." "This foolish king that oppresses the weak and fights unceasingly." " And the nobles, who're even worse..." " You could get executed for saying that." "Maybe." "But you hate this country." "You wouldn't turn me in." "It's just too much effort with which to be bothered." " I know that's not your true reason." " Don't decide that yourself." "I'll do it, Ryner." "I'll become king of this land and change everything." "I'll make the world you once desired." "So, Ryner..." "Join me." "Sorry, I'll pass." "But if you do become king, could you make a law to give promotions to people who take lots of afternoon naps?" "You're funny." "Maybe that's why I want you." "Nothing to do with the Alpha Stigma." " Run, Ryner." " What's this?" "They're just after me." "Oh, is that right?" " Okay, have fun with that!" " Hey, show a little concern!" "Sion!" "If you want to be king, don't die from something so weak!" "Something so weak?" "Well, I guess you've got a point." "I won't die from something so weak." "I'll become king." "I can't die in a place like this." "What I seek is the destructive rainbow." "Kuuri!" " Dango?" " Will you continue your misconduct?" "I will not permit criminal actions in this area." "That's the task Brother gave me..." "Then you'll continue?" "In that case, I'll kill you." " Mockery!" " Making a fool of us!" "What I seek is thunder." "Izuchi!" "They say that when dogs receive a favor, they remember it all their life." "A dog?" "A rescued dog should remember his debt, and buy a Wynnit dango shop recommended combo set #4 to drop off at my house." "Here you go!" "It's for that lovely lady, right?" "The Eris family residence is just up ahead." "To think she belonged to the Eris family." "Why would the distinguished sword clan appointed with guarding the Roland royal family rescue me?" "Sir Sion Astal has arrived." "No need for it today." "I've left this to Ferris." "My brother told me to help you out for a while." "Ah." "Why?" "My brother's orders are absolute." "Why are you being targeted?" "Oh, that?" "It could take some time to explain." "You don't mind?" "My mother is a commoner." "My father is a famous nobleman." "You see?" "Mine was an unwanted birth." "I was separated from my father when I was very young." "But my mother raised me with love." "Because I endured relentless bullying, and because my mother died, the hatred towards me kept growing worse." "From what I heard, it seemed that my brothers from a different mother hated me." "It was probably one of them, trying to kill me." " I see." " I want to know who it is." "Even just to know where he is." "May I ask that of you?" "I'll try." "Otherwise, Brother will kill me." " I'll hire a henchman." " That sounds good." "Then starting tomorrow, two recommended dango sets for me and my henchman." "Sure..." "Can I not meet with your brother?" "Not now." "When he wants to meet you, he'll come to you." "Who's that?" "A new delivery boy for the Wynnit dango shop." "Iris, rejoice." "Starting tomorrow, you'll be my henchman." "All right!" "Iris will do her best!" "Iris will work hard and be useful to her dear sister!" "It's afternoon already." "How long will you sleep?" "As long as I can." "Here, have some lunch." " Getting lunch from Kiefer?" " What's with that reaction?" "Rot in hell!" "Say, is Sion taking today off, too?" "Then what comes next?" "We can make direct contact with the mastermind." " But I noticed something." " Yes?" "It's frantic in the castle." "In the past few days, comings and goings have grown hectic." " I see." " It makes covert action easier, though." "I hope to hear a good report soon." "Sir Sion!" "What's got you so frantic?" "What do we do?" "We could die!" "Quiet." " It's all over!" " Fill me in, Roll." "I hear the kingdom of Estabul has invaded our territory!" "War is starting again!" "No way..." "This year, Estabul had a long rainy season, and their main river flooded." "They're facing an unprecedented food shortage." "Estabul is trying to overcome its food crisis by hiring more soldiers and invading neighboring lands." "War..." "War is starting again." "A war with no end in sight." "Those incompetent kings!" "Can they do nothing other than harm their kingdom and destroy things?" "This is a dispatch order!" "As of this morning, all students are to advance to the front lines!" "So quiet..." "No surprise there." "I'll nap until we march." "You're impressive, Ryner." "How can you stay so calm?" "People dying on the battlefield..." "That scares me." "You dying scares me the most." "I'm not..." "Ryner, get away!" "If you went out to battle, you'd die easily." "You should run, Ryner!" "Get out of this academy right now!" "Kiefer, I won't die that easily." "I've got no intention of dying." " What are you..." "Sion..." " Water, water, more!" " Please, hold on!" "I can't breathe like..." " Water, water, more!" "Iris, enough water." "Next are the nails." "Okay, Sister!" " Nails, nails!" " Wait, please, hold on!" "Fine, I'll talk." "I'll tell you anything you want." "Then I'll ask." "Was it you who ordered the attack on Sion Astal, Brophs?" "Oh, you're pawns of Astal?" "He'll be dead real soon." "Sion will die?" "What do you mean by that?" "It's a trap." "There are fifty Estabul Magic Knights assembled on the Roxanne Plains." "Everyone, relax." "We won't die in this war." "We've been deployed to the Roxanne Plains, a remote non-combat region." "I told you, sticking with Sion is the way to go!" "We aren't going to die." "Kiefer, relax." "Our futures will continue on." "Astal thinks he's going to a safe place." "Fifty Magic Knights." "What a clown." "He thinks he can bare fangs at the prince and win." "Hilarious!" "There's even a spy planted among Astal's friends!" "No dragging your feet!" "We're gonna cross this mountain before dawn!" "Kiefer?" "Move it!" "Don't fall behind Estabul!" "Semaru yami no kaori ni" "Kokoro tozasu toki" "Yomigaeru tool hi no refrain" "Hibiku itami o koete mezasu yo" "Kimi to mita sukitooru ano mirai e" "Oshiyoseru kyomu no kanata" "Kimi ga soba ni itekureru nara..." "Habataku chikai no sora e" "Kono te, nobasu yo" "Hakanai yume o, kimi no namida o" "Mamoru kagayaki ni naritai" "Zankoku ni somerareta sadame o tokihanate" "Shinjiteru" "Mou hitotsu no truth of my destiny" "To another world" "Departing for the front really sucks." "Why can't guys take it easy every day?" "Why fight?" "What's so fun about this?" "War really sucks." ""Munch""