“There’s only one military force in all the kingdom that uses Gryphons! You’re telling me the Royal Knights have been deployed?!”
As if it might have heard Watt’s words, the new Lord Gryphon turned around. It was the current model of Mechsteel reserved for the exclusive use of the Royal Knights: “Lord Gryphon Neo.” Just as Watt had surmised, it was the Mechsteel’s latest model, further enhanced in the span of the decade and more that had passed.
But there was something that caught his attention even more than that.
“I’ve seen that swordsmanship before, though! There’s only one person I know who could swing a blade so mercilessly—isn’t that right, Caro? So this is what an active royal knight can do, huh? She’s gotten a helluva lot stronger in the last decade!”
The way she scattered her foes with her swordplay alone without even activating her Magi-skill was only fitting for the strongest in all the kingdom.
Watt didn’t even realize he was clenching his fists. Carome hadn’t been this strong seventeen years ago. She’d likely continued to tirelessly devote herself to her craft as an active royal knight in the years leading to this very moment. Or perhaps she’d improved her skills beyond Watt’s own in the time he’d spent hauling freight in Front-Edge City. Watt felt a vicarious surge of joy at the thought of Carome’s accomplishments.
Lord Gryphon Neo gazed at Watt. “Good to see you haven’t been executed yet.”
“Look, I’m really glad you came here to save me,” he replied, “but just goin’ off on a rampage? It’s one thing for a quitter like me, but it’s another thing altogether for an active royal knight!”
“Let’s be clear,” Carome replied. “The center of the issue is Legalisbelm. And in that case, it falls under our authority as royal knights. Thus we’ve merely come here to secure you, given your status as an important witness.”
As they were speaking, even more enemy reinforcements encircled them. Without so much as an ounce of hesitation, Carome’s Mechsteel swung her broadsword around into a brandished position.
“If they get in our way, strike them down! Royal Knights, attack!”
Immediately thereafter, a wave of Mechsteels descended from the skies above one after another. There were five in total, all of them Lord Gryphon Neos.
“The captain of the knights has given her orders! Royal Knights, draw your blades!”
Watching the Royal Knights spring into a fierce battle from their rear, Watt latched onto a string of words that he simply couldn’t pass over.
“The hell? Did they say captain of the knights?!” Watt gasped. “Hey, hold up a sec, Caro! You’re tellin’ me you’re the captain now?!”
“That’s right,” Carome replied. “Did I fail to mention that?”
“Ya didn’t say a damn word about it! No wonder you’re stronger!”
Indeed, Watt had left it all to Carome on that day seventeen years ago. He never expected, however, that Carome would take the post he’d left behind as well. Watt couldn’t conceal his exasperation; she really did get far too serious over the most unexpected things.
The prison had fallen into silence. The sheer force of multiple Lord Gryphon Neos could only be described as absolutely overwhelming. Neutralizing the prison squadron hardly took much time at all.
After taking control of the surrounding area, the royal knights gathered around Carome. It was then that they noticed the presence of the older Lord Gryphon holding Watt.
“What’s this? There’s a model of Lord Gryphon I haven’t seen in ages!”
“You’re right! What sort of warehouse did they pull an old model like that out of anyway? More importantly, who’s that piloting it?”
Watt didn’t recognize the voice speaking. Guess that’s about right. It had been seventeen years since he’d left, with members that he didn’t know now likely comprising the majority of the Royal Knights.
“What a surprise... Now there’s a face I haven’t seen in a good while!”
Watt heard a familiar voice, and his head sprang back up. Before him was a Lord Gryphon Neo equipped with a massive halberd. Watt knew just the man who favored that sort of weaponry.
“Why, if it isn’t Watt Sears! Good to see you’re still sticking your neck in all the wrong places.”
“That voice! Papa Soleil, that you?!” Watt exclaimed. “You’re still at it too?! I figured you musta retired a long time ago!”
“Wouldn’t sit right with me to retire while Miss Caro’s leading this bunch,” Soleil replied. “Still, never would’ve thought the day would come where I’d be here fighting beside you again! It’s sure worth it to stay on active duty!”
Soleil Garcia was Watt’s senior in the Royal Knights. While he fell somewhat short of Watt and the other members in terms of his abilities, he had an undeniable eye for tactics that made him a powerful advisor and an irreplaceable member of the Royal Knights. Watt could rest easy knowing that Carome had Soleil supporting her in her role as captain.
Listening to the two of them go back and forth from the side, the other royal knights suddenly sprang into excited conversation.
“Whaaa? Did he say Watt...? Wasn’t that the captain’s imaginary boyfriend?!”
“Huh?” Watt said.
“Wait, that Watt? The ‘you’ve gotta be exaggerating what he did’ Watt?! So he’s real after all...”
“It’s him! The ‘always comes right in the nick of time to save the day’ Watt! Wonder if all that was for real?”
“Hey, hold on! Hold up now, Caro!” Watt demanded. “What the hell were you doing while I was gone?!”
“N-No, it’s not...” Carome replied. “I just... I just wanted to train them up a bit, that’s all! And, well, I...may have told them to get as strong as you, Watt, but still—!”
“From the sound of it, I can tell you’ve done a helluva lot more than that!” Watt barked back.
He clutched his head only to hear laughter erupt from beside him. Watt cast a bitter glance up at Soleil’s Lord Gryphon Neo.
“Don’t just laugh at me—say somethin’, Papa Soleil!” Watt pleaded.