Magic-sealing chains...
Did he...?
Is someone there?
Royal blood.
Royal blood...
Finally... I finally have royal blood.
Royal blood, royal blood, royal blood...
How do you do? Royal blood, royal blood, royal blood...
Are you my kidnapper? Royal blood, royal blood, royal blood...
Royal blood.
Royal blood... Royal blood.
Royal blood, royal blood!
May I ask a question?
What will you be using my blood for?
Y-y-your blood is demon blood blood blood.
Blood blood blood.
I’m going to resurrect the demon in the mod-modern day.
I see. Sounds lovely.
Not that I know what that means.
Kono subete ima kakete
Tada risou ni todoku made kono te nobashite
Me no mae ni nobiru sentakushi
Zen to aku to no haguruma wa yuku
Tada hitotsu no ketsumatsu e
Nanimo kamo guuzen no Choice
Soshite mata tsugi e no aizu
Kanousei no genkai made
Sono yukusaki o mitsumete
Only one, hoka ni mo iranai
To the one, dake misuetetai
Yuzure wa shinai shinnen to
Ketsui kono mune ni himete
Highest, highest, I'm going on
Shinjitsu yori shinsou no kage o yuke
Highest, highest, I'll carry on
Ze ga hi demo saa, nozomu nara kokou ni tsuranuke
#4: Sadism’s Rewards
Take that! Had enough yet?
You’re the only one who could possibly have done it!
I’m gonna ask you one more time.
Where did you hide Princess Alexia?
The physical pain is something I can just put up with.
The bigger issue is...
Why don’t you try saying something?
Keeping your mouth shut won’t solve your problem!
This interrogation is such classic minor character material!
Such a high degree of NPC-ness!
I can’t let them out-unshine me!
We’re going to have to give him a wider variety of pain.
I don’t know! I swear, I don’t know anything!
Please, let me go!
How’d you like that!
I’m a much better background character!
Go on, talk!
Please, just don’t kill me! Let me live!
Oh please, now he’s begging for his life?
I’m so tired of hearing that tired spiel.
And a perfect clincher.
But still.
How long is this gonna go on?
They should have starting looking for me ages ago.
Knowing my sister.
I’d appreciate it if you didn’t take too much of my blood.
I’m not ready to die yet.
I know, I won’t.
I want lots and lots. So I’ll make sure I can keep taking more.
Yes, please do.
It wasn’t... It wasn’t supposed to be like this!
If it hadn’t been for all those idiots!
Yeah. I hate idiots, too.
My lab... They destroyed my laboratory!
Then they kept... They just kept...
You poor thing. That sounds awful.
It was! It is awful!
My... my research... I was so close!
I-I-I’m so close... I have to complete it soon, or...
I... I’ll be excommunicated! Excommunicated!
Oh no, how could they?
Dammit...
Dammit, dammit!
Dammit. Dammit. Dammit dammit!
Useless!
You useless thing!
I thought you were going to take my blood?
That’s right, your blood.
With your blood, I can complete it.
Well, that’s good.
Your blood. Blood, blood...
Oh, I forgot!
What is that?
Your blood levels have gone down.
I was forgetting to feed you.
You may be excused.
Your Highness.
Thank you for waiting.
I appreciate your cooperation, Marquess Zenon.
Of course, Princess Iris.
I feel partly responsible, as the incident most likely happened on school grounds.
I doubt anyone would find any fault in you personally.
Right now, our highest priority is saving Alexia.
Yes, we must find your sister.
And I understand that there is a strong possibility she was kidnapped by a student named Cid Kagenou?
It’s true, the circumstantial evidence is against him.
But knowing his skill level,
even if he did attack Princess Alexia, I doubt he could have overpowered her.
After five days of interrogation, he’s given us nothing.
But we will continue to monitor him once he has been released.
As long he remains a suspect, that is the right course of action.
But I am inclined to believe him.
I would prefer not to suspect my sister’s schoolmates myself.
We’ll wait for the report before we make a decision.
Still...
My sister has been kidnapped,
and I don’t have nearly enough personnel to send after her.
Everyone knows that you are stronger than the average knight, Princess Iris.
But you are a princess, and that makes you a target.
I’m sure the highest ranking officials struggle to know what to do with me.
I know how you feel.
If there is anything I can do, I’m at your disposal.
In that case...
I’d like you to assist in maintaining order at the Academy.
The students are all under lockdown.
Don’t try to stop me! The students are all under lockdown.
No, Claire! You can’t!
They’ve all been instructed
And why not?! to stay in their dorms when not in class.
Please, just calm down! to stay in their dorms when not in class.
Please, just calm down!
How can you expect me to calm down?!
My brother’s in trouble! I have to save Cid! Get out of my way!
Calm down, Claire!
I don’t need to calm down!
Whatever your reason may be, you are not allowed outside your dorm.
Dull, uninspiring Cid could never have kidnapped anyone!
Although not all of them will listen.
I’m just going to go explain that to the knights!
I will continue to trust you to keep the students safe.
Then you could at least sheathe your sword. I will continue to trust you to keep the students safe.
Then you could at least sheathe your sword.
As you wish, Your Highness.
If I do that, they won’t listen to reason! As you wish, Your Highness.
If I do that, they won’t listen to reason!
You’re an unreasonable person.
Ow, that hurts!
It’s time you start behaving!
For her brother... It’s time you start behaving!
We all care about our families.
I hereby order you to detention!
Who me? Ow, ow, OW! I hereby order you to detention!
Who me? Ow, ow, OW!
Back then, crossing swords was all it took for us to understand each other.
But now...
When was the last time we even talked to each other?
My shoulder!
Hang on, Cid! Your sister’s coming!
Seize her at once!
Go on, get out of here.
I could heal my wounds instantly,
but that wouldn’t be a very “background character” thing to do.
Later.
It’s been a while, Alpha.
Here.
Thanks.
But I thought it was Beta’s turn to be on personal assistant duty.
So what brings you here?
I got a call and I came back.
I hear you’ve gotten into some trouble.
I guess so. How are things with you?
We’re making more progress on our investigation of the Cult.
Of course, we’ve been increasing our organization’s influence, as well.
We’re not as strong as the Cult yet, but we’re growing steadily.
I’m sure they all live free, normal lives most of the time.
But sometimes they’ll stop by like this, to play along with my game.
I really appreciate it.
Thanks for the meal.
You should at least change out of those clothes.
No, I can’t...
Excuse me.
Do you understand the position you’re in?
The way things are going, you’ll be blamed for the crime.
I know.
The lackluster son of a poor baron is the perfect patsy.
We can’t trust the Knight Order.
The Cult got to them?
Yes, beyond any doubt.
It was the Cult who kidnapped the princess.
The royal family has a higher concentration of heroes’ blood in their veins.
Which means she’s still alive?
If she dies, they can’t extract any more blood.
I don’t know why you were cultivating a romantic relationship with Her Highness.
I don’t think any romance was cultivated.
I know.
I know you carry a heavy burden on your shoulders.
But I wish you would trust us more.
I know, I will.
Alright then.
Once we’ve solved this case, you owe me some Tuna King.
That was my sandwich.
You lie low for a while. I’ll send word when we’re ready.
Incidentally, about the two men who interrogated you.
Would you mind if we disposed of them first?
Why? They were only doing their job.
In fact, I say they deserve a reward.
A reward, eh?
But tell me if you change your mind.
Delta’s here, too.
Delta’s here?
She’s been missing you.
Let go of me!
I’m going to give them what they deserve for hurting my Cid!
Then you would be considered a criminal.
You just called my brother a criminal!
I did not. Now get back to your room!
I’ve prepared everything for this day.
Vintage wine from Bordo in the southwest region of French: 900,000 zeni.
Glasses, also produced in French: 450,000 zeni.
The elusive masterpiece I happened pick up, The Shriek by Monch.
And to create the soft light that will bring it all together in perfect ambiance,
I top it off with this antique lamp.
Yes, my heart is full.
Hunting all those bandits...
Crawling around to pick up whatever coins I could find on the ground...
It was all to complete my Eminence in Shadow Collection.
And as one final touch, I take this letter that just arrived today...
And set it here.
Now, I just have to wait.
The time has come.
This night is a world of shadow.
A world of shadow.
A night with the moon hidden... Truly a fitting world for us.
Everything is in place.
I see.
Under Lady Alpha’s orders,
we have gathered all available personnel here in the Royal Capitol.
They number one-hundred-fourteen.
One-hundred-fourteen?
I-I’m terribly sorry!
No one else could mobilize... It was the best we could do!
Did you hire extras or something?
What?
What...?
No, never mind.
Our plan is to launch simultaneous attacks on all the Fenrir sect hideouts
of the Diablos Cult scattered throughout the capitol.
At the same time, we will search for traces of Princess Alexia’s magic.
As soon as we find her, we will bring her into custody.
Gamma will take general command, while Lady Alpha leads the troops on site.
I will be assisting her.
Epsilon will take charge of support from behind,
and Delta will lead the vanguard and signal the start of the operation.
Each unit will consist of-
Is this...?
My apologies to Delta, but I will be playing the prelude.
Tonight, the world will know us.
After all that, not a word from the surveillance team?
They must be goofing off somewhere.
Those idiots.
Do they have any idea how terrifying this organization can be?
Hey.
Is he here?
Hey there, lover boy.
What are you doing there with Princess Alexia’s boot, huh?
Oh wow, there’s traces of her magic all over it.
I see. So that’s your game.
Yup, that’s our game.
If you would’ve just talked, you could have spared yourself a lot of pain.
Cid Kagenou!
You’re under arrest for the kidnapping of Royal Princess Alexia.
Don’t try and resist. I mean, not that you can-
Those were our lookouts!
You little-! What do you think you’re-
Don’t think you can get away with treating the Knight Order like-
You have nothing to worry about.
By the time the sun is up...
This will all be over.
In that instant,
the Great Lord Shadow moved with superhuman speed to stand before the lowly knight.
No sooner had his noble voice finished speaking than his fierce attack...
That would be Delta.
Help me!
The situation is complicated,
Transport battalion, assemble! The situation is complicated,
but we’ve been able to identify at least eight locations.
Make way! The carts can’t get through! but we’ve been able to identify at least eight locations.
Make way! The carts can’t get through!
We have confirmed that the destruction
I’m hearing noise from the dorms! Go shut them up! We have confirmed that the destruction
I’m hearing noise from the dorms! Go shut them up! is being perpetrated by an organized group.
I want the security team to focus
Deploy troops on either side of the Big Bridge! I want the security team to focus
Deploy troops on either side of the Big Bridge! their activities around the school.
Yes, Your Highness!
Meet up with the troops on site and back them up!
I’m going to the front lines.
Good luck, Your Highness.
What in the world is going on?
Where is Alexia?
It’s hard to sleep with all this noise, huh?
But I’d rather be awake.
I don’t want to miss the fun.
Dammit! Dammit, dammit!
It’s them... They’re coming!
It’s over!
Total slaughter! Everybody dies!
Dammit!
The Knight Order doesn’t kill unless they need to.
Dammit! Dammit!
I don’t give a damn about the Knights!
I’ll kill them! I’ll kill them all!
I made a p-p-prototype. N-now even this defect can make itself useful.
Go on, show them!
I wouldn’t do that.
Give them a taste of Diablos! I have a bad feeling about it.
Magnificent!
It’s magnificent!
I tried to warn you.
Alright...
You helped me?
What the-
Monster!
Run for your lives!
Nooooo!
I have the devil’s own luck, if I do say so myself.
Or maybe I don’t.
Well, I suppose it could be worse.
I can’t have you running out on us, you know.
You?! What are you doing here?!
This is my facility.
I funded that man’s research.
That’s all.
What a relief.
I always thought you must not be right in the head.
It looks like I was right.
It doesn’t matter. As long as I have your blood.
Is blood all anybody can talk about?
With your blood and his research,
I’ll be guaranteed the twelfth seat in the Rounds.
I can say goodbye to that ridiculous post as sword instructor.
Rounds? What is that, a group of lunatics?
The twelve highest ranking knights in the Order, Knights of the Rounds.
It comes with money and fame that doesn’t even compare to what I have now.
Actually, Iris would have made a more fitting offering.
But I’ll just have to settle for you.
Oh, I’m sorry.
I forgot you hate being compared to your sister.
It’s better than usual.
But you will never be more than a Fencer Ordinaire.
Then watch and I’ll show you how “ordinary” I really am!
A flashy move you copied from your sister.
I had no idea you were keeping something like that from me.
I’ll show it to you as many times as you want.
In that case...
Let me show you the skill of a future Knight of the Rounds.
You will never be like your sister.
You’re coming with me.
A man clad in purest black.
My name is Shadow.
He who lurks in the shadows in order to hunt the shadows.
Akenai yoru nante nai tte iu keredo
Akenakute ii to, sou omotteta
Kakushitai kizuato datte
Wasuretai kioku mo minna
Taiyou wa zenbu terashidasu kara
Ryuusei o sagashi
Samayottetanda yo
Anata to deau toki made
Sora ni matataku ano hoshi ga
Tsunaida kibou no michi no saki e yukou
Mou mayowazu ni susumeru
Kurai yoru o koeru inori o oikaketeku
Tatoe mada todokanaku tatte
Tsutaetai kara
Arigatou