Pushing their way through the uproar filling their surroundings, the Lord Gryphon Neos—the Mechsteels for the exclusive use of the Royal Knights—sprang to action.
“Royal Knights, assume your positions! In accordance with the laws of the kingdom, the Royal Knights are now to serve as witnesses to the duel, and we’re to minimize the damage to the surroundings while doing so! Be on guard and tighten your defenses!”
“Captain, this is just crazy! He’s gotta be nuts to bring a Diviner to a duel! You’re telling me he’s gonna pilot that thing here at the palace?!”
“I don’t recall teaching you to complain,” Carome chided. “Crazy or not, we do what we have to. Think back on our duty as royal knights! And remember—the future of our kingdom rests on this duel!”
“He sure knows how to turn everything he touches into one helluva mess.”
“Argh, fine! I’ll do it! I’m countin’ on you, mister ex-captain! If you can rip through the heavens like they say, then let’s see it!”
The Royal Knights’ gazes landed on the Lord Gryphon standing before them. It was an old model, but its sheer acuity remained unmatched in all the kingdom to this very day. The Royal Knights’ Lord Gryphon Neos took their places, surrounding the courtyard to form a simple defensive barrier.
So you’re finally going to finish it then...aren’t you, Watt?
Carome knew. She knew everything that had led up to Watt leaving the capital behind seventeen years ago. On that day all those years ago and now once more, she’d been absolutely disgusted by Lezamer’s selfish behavior. Given her position as the captain of the Royal Knights, supporting a candidate in Legalisbelm wasn’t ideal, but even then, she couldn’t help but wish that Watt—that Anna—would emerge triumphant.
Ahh... Still, to think I’d find myself unable to fight alongside him yet again. Always being stuck watching on the sidelines really does eat at you...
It had always been like that. Watt had always marched off on his own to fight against some absurd hardship, only to come back with nothing but victories under his belt. It was all over before she could even realize he’d kept her from fighting alongside him. Carome had turned her bitter frustration at being unable to save him into a springboard to push herself and grow stronger, only to find herself watching yet again.
If, heavens forbid, there comes a moment in this battle where you find yourself with your back against the wall...that’s when I’ll be there.
Hiding away her own grim determination within, Carome put on the very image of calm on the surface.
Her gaze found the beast and the knight facing each other there in the center of the courtyard, the air enveloped in tension and surging spirits. From the cockpit of the beast—Bahamut Dominion, a Diviner-class Mechsteel—a sinister grin grew on the face of Lezamer Ogdenn, first prince of the kingdom.
“Heh heh heh—to think I’d find myself dueling against you again. It’s just like old times, Watt! Do you remember? How you groveled and begged for my forgiveness after your wretched loss against me seventeen years ago?”
“Oh, I remember all right. Just like it was yesterday,” Watt answered quietly with a scornful laugh. He had taken his leave those many years ago after falling into Lezamer’s despicable trap and being defeated in their duel. Their duel could hardly have been called a battle, but there was no mistaking the fact that Watt had been defeated.
“I’ve thought back on it more times than I can count. I wound up furious, racked with pain and regret over every bit of what happened...over and over and over again. You taught me a good lesson, I’ll give you that. You showed me that just being strong isn’t always enough to win.”
Lord Gryphon unsheathed its dual swords—one of which was broken off in the middle.
“What’s this now?” Lezamer laughed. “Hee hee hee, you’re still using that sword I broke?! You must’ve been living in wretched squalor if you couldn’t afford to replace a single blade after all these years!”
“This blade’s a reminder,” Watt replied, “for the person I was back then who I thought was damn well invincible.”
Spinning the point of his sword around to point at Bahamut Dominion, Watt laughed ferociously. “But now, it’s the blade that’s going to carve a path forward into the future. You ready, Lezamer? You love throwing your royal weight around, but it ain’t gonna do a thing to keep you safe now. After all, I’m Her Highness’s blade now—which makes you an’ me equal.”
“Equal?! Of all the nonsense to spout off! You insolent dog! How dare trash like you try to defy the king!”
“Easy there—Legalisbelm’s back to square one right now. All your vyin’ for the throne came up short.” Lord Gryphon flipped its sword onto its shoulder. “Now you’re nothing more than scum desperate enough to do anything.”
Lezamer ground his teeth. Every little thing that Watt did—everything about him got on his nerves. He was nothing more than a knight who just happened to be a little bit strong. Lezamer would’ve wasted no time using his authority to crush the lowly worm if he’d had his way, but with Anna around as princess, even that hadn’t gone as he’d hoped.
Just then, a calm voice addressed Lezamer from behind him.
“Lezamer, do try and control your anger. If you fail to remain calm, then your chances of winning are slim,” Cullina said.
“Silence!” Lezamer barked back. “When have you ever had the right to tell me what to do?! Hold that damned tongue of yours!”
Cullina paused. “Yes, I suppose you’re right.”As if realizing her attempts were in vain after all, she closed her mouth and looked down. Her advice had backfired, leaving Lezamer even more enraged.
“All you damn fools trying to defy me! Unsightly maggots, the lot of you! And you’re the worst of all of them, Waaaaaaatt!”
“Blabber on about whatever the hell you want to, Lezamer. I don’t give a rat’s ass about what you think or what you do.”
In stark contrast to Lezamer, Watt was completely calm. With an uneasy look on her face, Anna looked up at him, only for him to smile back to put his daughter’s mind at ease. Brimming with confidence, Watt fixed his sights on his foe.
“I’m her blade now, which means there’s only one thing for me to do—and that’s strike you down.”