"He's late." "Tomorrow morning." "The meeting point will be in front of the Wynnit dango shop." "He's late!" "Ryner!" "How long do you plan to stay asleep?" "Looking up at the door of reminiscence" "The faraway whispering I was listening to" "Guide me, labyrinth of the soul" "To the path of the flakes of light" "The pain that pierces me is an innocent trick" "I want to believe that I'm not alone" "This place is a paradise of wandering" "With wings that dye the heart white" "If I can reach your eyes" "Embrace me with a smile" "Know the meaning behind being born" "Gazing at one another, the destiny legend begins" "Luke, sir!" "Captain Milk..." "It doesn't look like she's been back to her room since yesterday!" "Could she have stayed out overnight without leave?" "No way!" "The Captain would never do such a thing!" "It couldn't be..." " Luke, sir!" " What should we do?" "Stay calm." "It's possible that the Captain could be..." "Do you have some idea about this?" "She could be with Ryner Lute." "You mustn't!" "Please wait a moment!" "To barge in with a sword would be..." "Ferris?" "I'm sorry!" "I tried to stop her, but..." "Relax." "She's an acquaintance of mine." "Of Your Majesty's?" "But..." "On that note, Eslina." "Everything's fine, so if you could leave?" "A-Ah, right." "Well?" "What's this all about?" "Ryner has disappeared." "I see." "Neither of you cared for the idea of going to Estabul as my escort, so you planned to flee together." "But Ryner never showed up at the arranged place." "Right." "Maybe he wound up wanting to ditch the dango tour with you as well?" "There was nothing odd about him?" "Not a thing." "But he apparently met with Brother yesterday." "With Lucile?" "Before coming here, I paid a visit to the manor." "I thought that Ryner might have been there." "What did he go there to do?" "I don't know." "Brother wouldn't tell me, either." "Lucile!" "What happened between you and Ryner?" "!" "Ryner has vanished?" "He promised me." "That he would carry the dango for me..." "He promised that." "Sir Sion!" "Whoa, what a hottie!" "Come on, Sir Sion, introduce me!" "What are you?" "Didn't you have a notification for His Majesty?" "Oh, right." "A report arrived from Sir Claugh in Estabul." "From Claugh?" "An Alpha Stigma bearer has appeared in Estabul, and has caused a considerable amount of damage, it seems." "Claugh has gathered Roland and Estabul forces and set out to subdue the threat." "Don't tell me it's..." "Ryner?" "That would be impossible." "Ryner's disappearance was this morning." "Against an Alpha Stigma, even Sir Claugh wouldn't have it easy." "I'll head for Estabul and support Claugh." "I'll need to ensure that the Alpha Stigma bearer also gets secured without dying." "Secured?" "!" "Opportunities to learn more about the Alpha Stigma don't come often." "Ferris." "I'll entrust the search for Ryner to you." "Use these two as you see fit." "Indeed." "Is it really an Alpha Stigma bearer?" "There's no mistaking it." "He's someone who appears from time to time in our territory and attacks our citizens." "Black hair." "Black clothes." "Black eyes with a glowing vermilion pattern." "And even worse, this Alpha Stigma monster consumes people." "The field marshal of the Roland Empire who deceived our princess and stole our kingdom." "Let us bear full witness to your power." "Black hair." "Black clothes." "Black eyes with a glowing vermilion pattern." "Oh, how delicious you look." "Alpha Stigma, huh?" "Capital city of the Gastark Empire, Grenslade." "A tiny little town like this is the capital of the so-called strongest nation of the north continent, the one that defeated Imperial Stohl?" "And on top of that, monsters that devour people, creatures that spread destruction all over, descendants of heroes..." "This place is filled with records of myths and legends." "A strange nation, indeed." "But thanks to that, I finally found what I was looking for." "This world has people with special powers, called Magic Eyes." "These people hold different respective symbols, depending on their abilities." "Ebra Crypt, which is said to look in on people's dreams." "lino Doue, which is said to devour people's lives." "And Alpha Stigma, which is said to analyze and understand all magic." "Torch Curse and Will Hame, in addition to the others." "At present, these are the five types that have been confirmed." "When Alpha Stigma bearers are born, they are no different from human children." "It is said that their eyes can clearly see the truth of the world merely by looking." "They read into the structures that spread through the atmosphere, and instantly comprehend magical power." "There are also cases where something triggers them into going out of control." "They seek the destruction of truth, the erasure of all structure." "Once an Alpha Stigma bearer goes out of control, there is no return for them." "But..." "Ryner came back." "What does that mean?" "Does it mean that Ryner doesn't have an Alpha Stigma?" "But, then..." "A goddess?" "A broken, black hero, and a lonely demon?" "Man oh man, you're really into your studies there." "Riphal Edea?" "How about a little break?" "I know!" "I've got some good tea." "Care for a taste?" "What are you doing here?" "This is my country." "What's so strange about me being here, as king?" "But..." "I'm glad you could make it, Private Kiefer Knolles." "Of course I'd at least want to know the name of the woman I've fallen for." "You did research about me?" "Just your name." "What meaning could there possibly be in only knowing someone's name?" "Hitting on her." "Hitting on her and sleeping with her." "My men wanted to look up your background, but I had them lay off." "After all, when you're hitting on a woman, it's only fun when it's straightforward." "What makes you think that I came to see you?" "I could be a spy for another country, you know." "I like to think I have an eye for women." "Besides," "I thought we'd hit it off as two fools who hate war." "Of course I am!" "Where in this world would you find someone who likes war?" "!" "I, too, hate war." "Plus, this country has things you want to know." "It's okay for you to just use us to your advantage, at first." "Me, and this country." "In time, mark my words, I'll bring you around." "That's some impressive confidence." "But, before that..." "Would you mind pouring me some tea?" "With pleasure." "This is..." "It's definitely him." "Your Excellency, over there!" "It's him..." "Finally, we meet..." "Finally!" " He consumed her?" "!" " He consumed a human body?" "!" "Don't lose your head!" "Get in formation!" "Prepare large-scale magic!" "I can finally kill him!" "Kill that man!" "Ah, humans are so fragile." "Well then, I'm through with my meal." "I think I'll see myself out." "Do not falter!" "Continue the attack!" "I have to go search for someone." "I'd rather you stayed out of my way." "Your Excellency!" "Back him up!" "Let's go!" "You're fast, for a human." "I love meat with some spirit." "You're..." "Oh, you've grown up so very delicious!" "You remember me, huh?" "Perfect!" "I'll make you regret not killing me back then!" "He can win!" "His Excellency the field marshal can win against that Alpha Stigma monster!" "I suppose you're not bad, for a human." " But..." " I offer up this contract, to unleash the magic beast of light which dances through..." "This is for my friends!" "Die!" "...the skies!" "You're the one who's finished!" "I consume power, and unleash it!" "Your Excellency!" "The field marshal!" "Crimson Fingered Claugh has lost?" "!" "Not good..." "Calm yourselves!" "Your Excellency!" "Are you all right?" "Your Excellency!" "Your Excellency!" "Ah, how truly... truly glad I am that I left you alone back then!" "Amazing..." "I'm filled with power." "With this..." "With this, I could kill each and every last person here at once, with no traces left!" "Stop pushing yourself, Your Excellency!" "We should retreat for now, and treat..." "Let me go!" "I'm in no shape to run with this injury, anyway." "Your Excellency!" "This is an order!" "I'll hold that monster off." "Use that time to withdraw the troops." "But that would mean..." "I told you, that's an order!" "If you won't follow it, I'll take your life, too." "Your Excellency..." "Give my regards to Sion and Noa." "You..." "Who would want to tell the princess anything about you?" "You little... son of a..." "Let me go!" "Look at that!" "Protect His Excellency!" "Let His Excellency, Field Marshal Klom withdraw!" "They're a bunch of damned fools!" "You are, too." "You Roland folk are all idiots." "Truly foolish and good for nothing." "I can't stand it, so I'll bail you out." "Hey, you sons of bitches!" "Save those Roland fools!" "Prepare to fire large-scale magic!" "If we fire that in a situation like this, we'll hit our own people." "He should absorb the magic." "That can buy us some time!" "Fall back!" "Damn it..." "Captain Milk!" "Luke made you a delicious cake!" "Please come out, Captain Milk!" "Ryner Lute departed from his inn this morning and hasn't been seen since." "After Captain Milk visited him." "That directive..." "Maybe I was wrong to have shown it to him." "I know that you're hiding." "How about showing yourself?" "So, what business might you have with me?" "Milk Callaud is in our custody." "Oh?" "And?" "We'd like you to come with us, Luke Stokkart." "And if I refuse?" "Milk Callaud will not live." "I see." "I thought it was strange that Ryner Lute would take the captain with him." "So that's it." "The ones who abducted her were all of you." "And your aim was me?" "What are you babbling on about?" "Come quietly!" "This is..." "Yes, it's a Magic Trap." "Ah, I'd recommend not moving." "If you lift a foot, you'll be blown away without a trace." "After all, I'd rather not have fellow servants of Roland die." "How did you?" "I can tell from the way you carry yourself." "You're all people who received martial training in Roland." "And the person who has employed men like you, who has abducted Milk Callaud, and who has business with me, would likely be none other than Miran Froaude." "I'm impressed." "You've done your research on me, have you?" "Lord Froaude, my deepest apol..." "You are Lieutenant General Miran Froaude, I presume?" "It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Sergeant Luke Stokkart." "I'm well aware of your strength." "Undefeated in twenty battles." "And all in situations with numerical inferiority that should have spelled certain defeat." "You've done impressive research, considering that in most of those battles, I never gave my real name." "It seems men of this caliber weren't even enough to properly test you." "Where is Captain Milk?" "Before we discuss that, there is a favor I would ask of you." "Please follow His Majesty's orders and kill Ryner Lute." "I respectfully decline." "That matter is none of your concern." "Let there be darkness!" "Let there..." "This is..." "If you move any further, your fingers and arms will go flying." "Come to think of it, didn't I promise to carry the dango?" "Ferris is probably pretty pissed." "Vestiges of that day I had forgotten" "Faint in the direction of the sky" "Our hearts should have been connected" "The trembling eyes don't answer" "No matter how much I believe" "No matter how much I want to convey" "This voice won't reach" "Filaments of light" "Carve everything into my body" "From here where I set out walking" "Memory segments" "Untie the strings of fate that now bind me" "I want to grow strong" "So that when we meet again" "I can give you more protection" "Crap." "I left in such a rush that now I'm almost out of pocket money." "Why do monetary economies even exist?" "This sucks!" "Ugh, I want to go to a world where I can just nap all the time." "I really, fervently want that."