GalaxyTL
* * *
“U-Um… Haa!?”
Now, going back in time a little…
Byun of the Wind Bow, who had been knocked unconscious by Emi with a single blow, opened his eyes, feeling something patting his cheeks.
“Awake, I see?”
“You seem alright. Can you move?”
Then, he saw Shito-Shitorin of the Rain Staff and Nikkor of the Sun Sword peering at his face worriedly.
They are the two who were also defeated by Emi in an assembly line-like fashion, just like Byun.
“Senpai, Commander…”
Byun, checking his body’s condition, slowly sat up and exhaled deeply.
It seems that he isn’t seriously injured.
His bones are fine.
But… feeling around his stomach, there’s a large hole in his armor there.
The white orb that should have been embedded in his chest is gone.
And it seems that the same is true for Shito-Shitorin and Nikkor.
In other words…
“Senpai, Commander… we lost…”
To that… unidentified intruder, that cursed child named Emi.
The Three Knights of the Royal Guard, who should be the most elite in this country, were soundly defeated.
It seems that’s what happened.
“““…………”””
A heavy silence fell between the three of them.
“I did manage to land one blow, but… she was too strong.”
Shito-Shitorin broke the silence, muttering that with a wry smile.
“I also unleashed a full-powered combo from the start… but she easily dodged all of it. She’s terrifyingly strong.”
Nikkor, with his hand on his chin, said that with a serious expression.
…………Both of them were subtly exaggerating their performance…
“…I couldn’t even… draw my bow.”
Byun—hearing his seniors’ remarks—felt ashamed of his own inadequacy, frowned, closed his eyes, exhaled deeply, and hung his head.
But to tell you the truth, you weren’t much different from your seniors.
Don’t be so hard on yourself.
“H-Hey, that’s not important right now!?”
“That’s right! Now is not the time to be discouraged, Byun! Look at that!”
Shito-Shitorin and Nikkor, seeing Byun’s dejected state, hurriedly changed the subject.
“Eh?”
What they pointed at was the monitor installed on the wall of the Trial Room.
And on that monitor… the Neverfall Sky Kingdom citizens were being chased by mysterious monsters, running for their lives!
“Wh-What are those things!?”
“I don’t know… but they suddenly appeared in the city. The citizens are in danger.”
Byun trembled, watching the footage.
Nikkor, also staring at the footage, quietly said that.
“We have to go help them… Ah, but…!?”
Byun, hurriedly standing up, grabbed his weapon, the magic bow ‘Infinite’, which was lying nearby, and was about to run towards the surface… but stopped in his tracks.
Because… they, the Three Knights of the Royal Guard, are currently ordered by the King to guard the Trial Rooms.
Even though they were defeated… can they leave their post?
And what about the King?
What should he do?
Doubt arose in his mind.
“…………”
Nikkor, silently watching Byun, nodded deeply, and then… suddenly shouted!
“The first principle of the Sky Kingdom Knightーーー!!”
Byun and Shito-Shitorin, reflexively straightened their postures, and recited in unison!
““We knights are the Sky King’s swords and the people’s shields!!””
“…Then, abandoning the people here would disgrace the name of the Sky Kingdom Knight! …Am I wrong?”
““Commander…!!””
Byun and Shito-Shitorin looked at Nikkor, who smiled with a serious expression, their eyes sparkling!
“And besides, to begin with…”
And then, Nikkor coughed, erased his smile, and asked the two of them with a serious expression.
“We’ve already lost. There’s no point in staying here now that the intruder has moved on. I don’t think there will be any more intruders.”
“That’s true…”
“And even if we were to go to the King, worried about his safety… that intruder is there. Do you think you can defeat her?”
“No way.”
“Impossible.”
“Impossible, right?”
It was a unanimous decision, without any room for argument.
“Besides… that girl… well, she doesn’t seem like a bad person… so, where we should head to is—“
““The surface…!!””
“That’s right!”
The Three Knights of the Royal Guard exchanged glances and nodded to each other, then they raised their weapons, facing each other, and shouted!
“Then… let’s go! Let’s save the citizens!”
““Oooooooohーーー!!””
And so they ran towards the surface!
Driven by conviction, compromise… various things!