Liberi Reader

—!

Ngh...!

Uncle!

How many times I have told you? Never speak to your opponent in combat.

Then why won't you use your Arts?

I should ask you myself. Your Arts have improved. You must have realized the truth, then?

About that... yes.

However...! Uncle Młynar, right now, I would prefer it if you—

Say no more.

You sent my sword flying. That means you've won, Margaret.

Even though... you never used your Arts at all?

It was a match, nothing more, nothing less. All other factors are mere excuses. When have I ever taught you to be so indecisive?

......

If you've come to understand the price your grandfather paid for your naivety, then you must understand the meaning of your return.

Margaret, you are trampling my father's will.

For us to become cowards?

......

'Fear neither hardship nor darkness.'

Right. Fear neither hardship nor darkness... You won the battle. You won the chance to continue your mistakes.

Do remember to say your prayers, and pray that your stubbornness won't drag too many souls into its wake.

Uncle...

Do you still believe those times are forever behind us?

......

Margaret, how dare you ask me this question?

I have a telephone meeting later. Everyone is busy with the Major. As for your little charade... Try not to do anything to distract me from my responsibilities.

Face reality. See how others must live. See their needs. And stop imposing your fantasies on them for your own glory.

You find yourself disappointed, sooner or later.

But what if I don't end up like you?

Like me...? You?

......

Looks like those Sarkaz friends of yours took excellent care of you during your exile.

Margaret!

Margaret, are you okay...?

Yes... I'm fine.

Okay, Maria. Stop squeezing her like that. Her arms must be going numb.

Oh! S-Sorry... Does it hurt?

*Sigh*. I never imagined I would find you two dueling today—

—Młynar hits hard, doesn't he?

......

How has he been the past few years?

Normal. He's been living a pretty normal, routine life. He heads out early for work and comes home late, always busy with meetings or dealing with difficult clients, and, once in a while, he gets into debates on account of the 'Nearl' name.

But I'm sure this 'normal' feels enough like a punishment for him.

I mean, he used to be so... Uh, never mind! Let's talk about something else!

......

Look at how you frown. You won, but it doesn't feel like it, does it? Seems that stubbornness runs in the family.

At least Uncle Młynar's agreed to let Margaret compete in the Major, right?

If she takes the crown again, I'm sure that'll be the end of his complaints.

After, it's all for—

......

Maria? Why so quiet all of a sudden?

Ah...

Are you hungry?

A-Auntie!

Let's give Margaret some time to rest.

...Hello?

My apologies. I just got home, and I had some family matters to deal with... Not a problem. The documents have been annotated.

Sponsoring the Major...? Me? No, please, stop pulling my leg. You know I'm not suited to something like that...

Right... Of course. It's work. I shouldn't be trying to bargain. My apologies.

Yes, of course. I will be there right away.

The window's open, Toland.

You're getting rusty. I could sense your presence.

But, please, come in through the front door next time.

Okay... Doesn't look like you're hurt.

He held back.

Yeah... He didn't use his Arts after all.

And actually, it's been a long time since he had that look on his face...

......

—Alright! Get up.

So what's your plan now? You need to report to the Knights Association, don't you?

There is a complicated process, but it's not time yet.

Margaret... We barged into that unfinished match... Is it really going to be alright?

Alright? You're looking at an exiled Infected, Maria. She smashed through the arena walls and waltzed onto the field, remember?

With all that she has done, what's interrupting a match or two?

R-Right... You have a point...

Trouble is an old friend. Be it then or now, so long as Kazimierz remains as it is, we will face all manner of obstacle in our path.

So are you going to compete in the Major, Margaret?

I am.

......

Is that... something that you absolutely have to do?

...Maria.

It's just... you finally got to come home... I don't think the Association would make things difficult for Uncle and the family...

But if the Chamber of Commerce have their eyes on you again like they did a few years ago, then we—

......

Maria has a point, Margaret.

It doesn't matter how the Knights Association deals with this, or what the Adeptus Sprawiedliwi's decision is. To the masses and the knights, you are still the Radiant Knight.

I have to admit... I don't get it either. I don't understand why you insist on competing again... I don't understand what you're thinking.

But I'm sure you have it figured out. Stubbornness may run in the family, but that's not the same thing as recklessness.

This is just the beginning...

Whether I take the crown or not... it's just a beginning.

Maria, Auntie Zofia. If all we do is cower on the sidelines and look on at society with indifference, if we only comfort ourselves, insisting that nothing can be done—

—then when will we truly regain our glory?

Are the knights of Kazimierz destined to wallow forever in times long past?

So you want to...

Shining light on the tragedies of the world is not a permanent commitment to dispelling the darkness.

Sometimes... Sometimes, it's just to illuminate the path forward, to help those who are lost see things from a new perspective.

Even in today's Kazimierz, there is still meaning to keeping our faith.

Margaret...

Alright... Sounds like you've made up your mind.

But you put on such a show as soon as you got back to Kazimierz. If there's a chance... Margaret.

Don't forget you're home. You have family and memories here. You have Maria... and me.

At the very least, give Maria some time to fawn on you.

A-Auntie! What are you saying?!

She's been working really hard lately, you know?

I-I haven't...

Yes, I know. I'm proud of you, Maria. You've really... really grown up.

Maria Nearl, you will be an excellent knight.

Oh... right.

About that... Margaret. If you're thinking of joining the Major, you probably won't have time to rack up the points you need, right?

It will be difficult, but not impossible.

Right... Just like the Candle Knight who's been popular the past few years. I understand it didn't even take her a month to earn enough points.

That may be the case, but the Candle Knight racked up her points early in the preliminaries. Even if Margaret gains the Knights Association's approval right away, we'd still be cutting it close.

What's your plan?

The competition's rules have changed, but the basics are still the same. So long as I scrape together a win in the melees, I should still stand a chance.

But... that's too risky! I drew a lot of attention when I stepped into the ring. If you take to the arena yourself, you're bound to attract even greater opponents...!

Right, and we can't say for sure that the corporations won't pull their dirty tricks on you.

Anyway, we need to come up with a plan as soon...

I... I have an idea.

Maria?

Independent knights... like me and Margaret... aren't part of a knightclub, so we compete as part of a 'knight family,' right?

That's true... You used the Nearl family coat of arms during your matches.

And, if I remember correctly, it's not just knights of the same knightclub who are allowed to transfer their points, right? Those from the same knight family are allowed to do the same?

—Maria?!

No, I can't accept that.

Maria, those points are proof of your gallantry as a knight. I can't—

—I don't care!

I... I chose to become a knight because I wanted our home to be ours.

The Nearl family's ancestors... Grandfather... Father... and you. I didn't want to lose all that. I wanted to protect the Nearls' glory.

......

But... But then I realized... I was too naive about all this.

If we followed them into the Major, if we became their knights just to uphold our knightly name... then... we wouldn't have changed anything.

Margaret...

...I don't actually want to become a knight.

Knights can't change the knighthood, Margaret.

Maria...

If there is something only you can do, I beg you to do it.

I... I just want this home to still be our home...

......

I understand, but I still need some time to think.

Alright now... Don't be so gloomy. We've got lots of ways to go about this.

Why don't we go to Old Marcin's bar for a drink later? It's been such a long time. I'm sure he wants to talk to you.

What about Uncle...?

You should try not to bother him. I'll check up on him.

There's one thing, Margaret.

There are a lot more Infected in the city than before, and the Armorless Union is also much more active.

Be careful.

......

Report.

What's the situation?

The Radiant Knight and Młynar Nearl just fought each other in a duel.

I read their lips. Neither looked very happy.

*Sigh*... I seriously hope she'll just stay home and spend some time with her family. They haven't seen each other in so long.

Please don't get yourself mixed up in anything you shouldn't, Radiant Knight. I don't want any more trouble to deal with.

Uh, Platinum, so what should we do...?

Keep an eye on her.

If she tries anything, let me know right away.

Of course.

What are the others up to? Mission-wise?

Uh... Per the rules...

I'm not allowed to know.

Whatever. It's either something about the Infected or the Adeptus Sprawiedliwi.

As long as we don't have to lift a finger, it's all fine by me.

Młynar...

......

Młynar!

...Do you need something?

Are you... okay?

Margaret might've stopped herself in that last duel, but you weren't wearing your helmet...

You needn't worry about me.

She caught you by surprise... didn't she?

She caught all of us by surprise. After all... she's become far stronger than any of us could've imagined.

Is that all you have to say...?

I'm worried about you, Młynar.

I've fallen so far that it falls on you to worry about me.

Right. I'm sure even you have realized.

It's just a sprain, nothing more... Her swordsmanship has come a long way, but she's not yet at the point where I can't handle her.

But... hmm.

You're wondering what made Margaret like this?

Of course, there are her Sarkaz friends. They are all... noble souls. Shockingly noble.

It might just be that she's gone through more over these past few years than either of us could imagine.

Maybe... you could swallow your pride just a little and talk to either of them?

Confident enough to order me around now, are you? Did coaching Maria give you such a sense of fulfillment?

—!

Before Margaret became the center of attention, you and your brother were heroes to all of us.

I know how you see the rest of us. Marcin does as well, and so do V and Kowal. Though... at the same time... I am just as disappointed in you.

Let's leave it there. Have fun with work.

......

Looks like someone used to live here...

Right, there are still traces of their lives... but... are they hiding?

This is... the third settlement we've come across.

In a glittering city, the Infected always run to cold, cramped corners like these.

It's hard to believe... How could Kazimierz be this heartless...?

Are these the Infected Amiya and the kind old knight talked about?

Right... If even the knights knew about this, then things can't be that simple.

Do you still have any strength left, Nightingale? It's getting late. We can head back for some rest, if you need.

No, I can hang on for a little longer.

Okay...

In that case—

Ah—What's the noise?

A wrecking crew... They're tearing down the buildings... and the subterranean structures beneath.

What if there are still Infected hiding below?

Remember everything you see, Liz.

Perhaps Nearl knows something about this.

......

Maria...

Hm?

You... Are you... the Radiant Knight?

My apologies. Is this place not open yet?

Oh, uh... No... More accurately, it's not open to the public yet, though I am not sure you count as the public...

Right, sorry about this.

Uh... Forgive me, I haven't yet introduced myself.

Please, call me Malkiewicz. I am the spokes—I am the staff member in charge of maintaining the wall of champions.

Forgive me for asking, Radiant Knight, but what are your plans right now?

Radiant Knight, huh? It wasn't until today that I finally regained that title.

So the Association gave their approval... Congratulations.

You look much more gallant in person.

It's been a few years, after all.

I understand that you... have your differences with the Knights Association and many others. Perhaps this isn't something someone the likes of me should say... But...

I still would like to tell you. I say this not in a professional capacity... But... Rather, as a regular enthusiast of the knighthood and a citizen of the Grand Knight Territory...

Please, go on. You needn't be so reserved.

Welcome back to Kazimierz, Radiant Knight.

I truly believe this is the beginning of something great.

Huh? Margaret, where have you been?

I took a walk around the Grand Knight Territory. Where is Uncle Młynar?

He got summoned to a meeting just as I got home.

Good thinking, taking a look around town since you just got back. What do you think?

Not much seems to have changed.

Really? I kind of remember there have been a bunch of new fast food joints opening up at the mall the last couple years, though.

But it feels a lot emptier in here...

We had to sell off a lot of the furniture...

Uncle Młynar is working for the corps, and I've been helping out at Master Kowal's workshop too. We don't have any troubles with our day-to-day expenses, actually, though Uncle Młynar doesn't tell me a whole lot...

But Old Marcin told me there are a lot of knight families and merchants who don't look too kindly on the Nearl family these days. Uncle Młynar might be facing a lot more pressure than we know.

So... Do you think we'll ever patch things up with Uncle?

It'll be difficult, but I'm sure we can.

I had a few arguments with him before I left Kazimierz.

It was Auntie Zofia who told me that Uncle Młynar's been depressed about a lot of things, ever since our parents went missing.

But now... I can't bring myself to agree with what she said, not completely. I... I've seen a lot of people, and a lot of things on my journeys, and now... to face Uncle Młynar again...

Remember the story Grandpa used to tell us when we were kids? How, on their very first trip together, Uncle sorted out a lowly noble who hiked up the tax rates and made life hard on the countryside commoners?

I remember. We just couldn't imagine he used to be a brave young man like that.

It's not always the magnificent things that change a person's mind, Maria. I've come across many of those cases.

Maybe... he's been disillusioned ever since.

......

So how does it feel to be a knight now?

Actually... It's not quite how I imagined it.

Yeah... I know what you mean.

That's why I will compete in the Major. Even if nobody understands me.

Margaret... No... You have people in your corner too, right? Really impassioned supporters!

Do I?

Of course! I'm talking about Shining and Nightingale.

I only met them briefly, but when I saw all of you standing on the stage for such a highly anticipated match, I couldn't help but feel I could trust them with my back.

I've been meaning to ask, what have you been through these past few years?

I will tell you soon enough.

It will be a very long story, though, and it doesn't have a happy ending, not like those novels about knights I used to read to you.

Well, we're sisters.

We are.

Take everything you see and kill everyone! Get the food!

A knight? What's a Kazimierz knight doing here?! All the people here are dead, and you'll still get in our way?!

The Radiant Knight...?

What do knights stand for?

No! Nearl! It's too dangerous to run into the storm. You need somebody else—No, I'll come with you!

...Faust.

I want her shot through the mouth.

...The knights never helped us guerillas.

Our leaders waited years, but in the end, help never came. We fought to the last, alone, until we were devoured by Ursus. Not many of us are still around to tell the tale.

The Radiant Knight is back in the arena! What amazing spectacle does she have in store for us today? Will we bear witness to a once-in-decades legend?!

Is she an Infected or a knight?! Will she reign victorious or will her opponent best her?! With all the dreams weighing on her blade, is it still sharp enough for battle?! Keep your eyes peeled!!

Please welcome—The Radiant Knight—Maaaaargareeeeeeet Neeeeaaaaaaarl—!

......