03x12 - Mercenaries

[bunniefuu]

Alert every knight hidden throughout the land!

Be ready to move quickly!

Let the invasion commence!

Curtana Original is now in our hands!

Those who do not wish to see their country befouled

are invited to rise up with me, Carissa,

as I am now your new head of state!

This is the start of a new United Kingdom.

We will improve whatever we see as necessary.

And whatever we don't need will be destroyed!

[SISTER B] The knights are even coming after those of us

in Necessarius.

I need to rendezvous with the sisters in the other fortress

so we can regroup.

[SISTER B] Oh, no!

[OPERATOR A] Attention!

Three through twenty and thirty through thirty-five,

ready to fire!

Designated witches will please accelerate in sequence

and attend to intercepting the knights.

What do you think about this, Smartvery?

There's no way to be certain that our att*cks

will have any effect against those knight monsters.

Guess our only choice is to tough it out

until Coven Compass crosses the border.

Great. So we're decoys, then?

Knights do love to chase after witch tail

no matter what year it is.

Right, here we go!

[KNIGHT A] We have instructions to avoid

lethal force whenever possible,

but with this many of us in one fight,

I'm afraid there will be no guarantees.

So you're suggesting we surrender to spare us

from danger.

How generous of you, sir.

[KNIGHT A] You don't care if your people die?

[KNIGHTS yell]

[KNIGHT A] What?!

Spread out and begin searching the area!

They couldn't have gotten too far away.

[KNIGHTS] Sir!

Well, well, that worked out even better than expected.

Yes, but what do we do now?

[AGNESE] Hmm...

[LAURA] My goodness, I had intended to call in the List

of Prohibited Books and have her determine

whether the First, Second, and Third Princesses

posed a thr*at before something as drastic

as this happened.

It's likely the militaristic second princess's work.

Given the number of knights involved.

Hmm. Very impressive, her locating the Original like that.

As a result, Curtana Second here is all but useless.

I might have a parent's bias,

but so far the invasion's going splendidly.

Yes, it's been wonderful.

Perhaps her fool mother should just stick her head

in the noose right now.

[KNIGHT C] Offer no resistance, and you needn't come

to any undue harm.

Please choose wisely.

This must be quite rough for you.

That is not the way Carissa operates.

Her orders would've been more along these lines:

"If she doesn't obey you, k*ll her without hesitation.

Once you decide to k*ll her, show no mercy."

[KNIGHT C gasps]

Well, then, shall we?

[INDEX] From what I can sense, a Roman Orthodox spell

based on the lore of the House of Loreto

was used as a destruction glyph.

[CARISSA] Hmm.

[INDEX] The original House of Loreto is famous

for having been visited by King Louis IX of France.

And he was known for his magical item theory.

It's possible someone updated it and used it to cause

the blast in this tunnel.

[CARISSA] Well, that is excellent news,

and not just for me, but for you, as well.

Your analysis of the spell and its connection to France

is definitive proof that they were involved in the blast.

If you had denied their complicity,

things would have gotten ugly.

I wouldn't have had any choice but to k*ll you

right here, right now.

Issue the ultimatum to France immediately.

Then mobilize the m*llitary.

Get the destroyers to Dover.

I want them ready to fire on Versailles at any moment,

pending France's response.

Should we consider Academy City?

Ignore them. This is our m*llitary might.

And we alone must hold the reins to it.

To hell with this damn w*r.

The Puritans, Academy City,

the Orthodoxy, and the Russian Church.

We can't win.

Whether magic or science is victorious in this fight,

Britain will go down for having gotten mixed up

with both sides of the battle.

If we're going to avoid that,

we can't wage a w*r of just two powers.

Instead, we must make it a three-sided w*r

for British independence.

Mother's way isn't aggressive enough.

For the sake of our nation's future,

we need to win this w*r on our own,

without help from anyone.

Their interference will only weaken us.

Well, then, that just leaves my mother.

And my sisters, too, of course.

To secure my claim to the usage of Curtana Original,

we'll have to k*ll them at once.

[KNIGHT LEADER] Right.

Damn, those knights are everywhere.

[LESSAR grunts]

We need to go and meet up with Necessarius quickly.

She's fading fast.

--[blast] --[BOTH gasp]

Are you kidding?!

[KNIGHTS yelling]

Wait, Golem Ellis?

Sherry's making a move?

[SHERRY laughing]

[ORIANA] She looks like she's completely unhinged.

I forgot.

Of course.

A friend of hers was k*lled by a knight.

Looks like we have a distraction.

Use it to get her to Necessarius's dorms.

I'm going to knock out those knights while they're busy

fighting the golem and then wait for the chance

to bring the sorceress back to her senses.

You really think you can handle that by yourself?

You mean, "Good luck out there. I trust you"?

If you don't trust me, then you can always

abandon the girl and stay here to help.

Once you deliver her, head to Waterloo station

and find a way to sneak aboard the Eurostar train.

The knights will be using it to move people and goods around.

Why would I do that?

The train will take you to Folkstone,

where you'll find what you're looking for.

Namely, Carissa and the List of Prohibited Books.

Good luck. I trust you.

There, that's better.

Go, I've got things here.

[CARISSA] I was wondering how she sensed the danger

she was in.

I see.

The servants are to blame for her escape.

The virtuous third daughter lives up to her reputation.

[KNIGHT LEADER] Princess Vilian's carriage appears

to have headed toward Canterbury by way of Dover.

That's where the English Puritans' main cathedral

is ostensibly located.

For being the slow-witted sister,

she made an impressively quick getaway.

Let's go.

We don't have any time to waste at this point.

We'll k*ll Vilian with all haste,

then go after my older sister.

An aircraft.

Really?

[CARISSA] Is it hostile?

[KNIGHT LEADER] Likely so.

We haven't received word of any reinforcements.

I'll bring it down.

Too late. It's here.

This mess you created is going to take

a very long time to untangle.

But defeating the ringleader should speed things up.

I don't have time for this.

Please, allow me to take care of her.

Is that why you were so determined to get me here?

Because you knew it was going to end up like this.

My desire to see you behave in a more ladylike fashion

was unfeigned.

Though, it seems it's too late for that now.

[KANZAKI yelps]

[KANZAKI grunting]

I don't understand why you're so surprised.

This kingdom was first forged around Curtana

and our four cultures, and that itself binds us

under unique church-of-the-cross rules.

You see, within our realm, the king is the archangel.

Which means the knights are angels.

[KANZAKI grunting]

I don't care if you are a saint.

As long as we're in this land,

my power is on an entirely different level.

[VILIAN] I'll head to Canterbury Cathedral.

If there are any puritans remaining when I get there,

I must ask if they'll rescue the servants

who allowed me to escape.

--[horse neighs] --[VILIAN gasps]

[CARISSA] What are you waiting for?

Hide if you want, but you might as well come out.

You're going to die either way.

Three, two, one.

[VILIAN screams]

[CARISSA] If you're counting on Canterbury Cathedral,

don't bother. Do you understand?

Foolish little girl.

Your carriage losing control wasn't our doing.

You have Canterbury and their autopilot magical item

jamming to thank for your current situation.

The puritans have forsaken you.

You're wrong! That can't be true!

Give up already, you pathetic brat.

There isn't a single soul left on your side.

Not a single one.

The saint won't bother us anymore.

Nothing stands in our way.

Would you do one more task for me?

Of course.

I won't use a sword, though. An axe.

That's generally the preferred w*apon for executions.

[VILIAN gasps]

You're free to beg for help if you would like to.

Perhaps somebody's even listening.

I wouldn't expect anyone to answer you, though.

[VILIAN] There's no one.

I'm all alone.

Nobody is going to help me.

Nobody.

It's time now.

But I will make one promise before we must say farewell.

I will take all measures I can

to ensure your head is well-preserved after death.

It will remain as beautiful as it was in life.

That those who see it may honor your memory.

[VILIAN whimpers]

[KNIGHTS yelling]

[KNIGHT D] He returned.

Interesting.

You're really back.

[GROUP] William Orwell!

Have you been injured, third princess of the realm?

What took you so long?

What took you so long,

you washed-up mercenary scoundrel?

Where have you been?

k*ll them both. Go, now.

I'll bring you their heads.

[VILIAN] Bayard?

The location of Necessarius's safe house has been input.

You're leaving now, Princess.

But William, what about you?

I'll catch up with you shortly.

Don't worry too much about pursuit.

I'll do all I can to keep them from following.

You're going to go up against the knights

all by yourself? And Carissa?

You intend to fight the person who is now

effectively the state?

Just forget me.

I'll be all right.

You saved my life.

That's already more than anyone else in the world

would have done for me.

I'm not the sort of person people want to save.

Please cast me aside and be off.

If you go now, at least you'll--

William, what are you doing?

You may not believe in my strength,

but don't doubt my dedication.

The reason I fight for you remains unshaken

and always will, Princess.

No!

[VILIAN] Idiot!

Don't you understand that isn't what I wanted

to hear from you?

[KNIGHT LEADER] Why do you stand here against me,

even now?

You are William Orwell, the onetime mercenary.

And now Acqua of the Rear, one of the Right Seat of God.

I see no possible reason for you to risk your life

for our nation's Third Princess.

Very well.

It seems that no matter who you are or who you're with,

It doesn't change what you must do.

So... That truly is the way that you see the world.

The magic item Hrunting.

[KNIGHT LEADER] Many things have changed in the ten years

since you left.

As you can see, I'm no longer the same man

you knocked out in Dover.

I'm ready to stake my ten years of experience against yours.

Let's see what you've accomplished

during your long absence!

[KAMIJO] Lessar's with Necessarius and I made it

aboard the train.

[KAMIJO] A patrolman?

They're checking in here?

--[FLORIS] Hey. --[KAMIJO gasps]

You're not from around here.

And you definitely don't look like you're working

with the knights.

Um, no...?

[KAMIJO] Huh.

I feel like I've seen that outfit somewhere before.

Is that the style now?

[FLORIS] Then you can help me.

Hi, my name is Floris,

and I dabble a little bit in a minor sorcery society.

Now don't just sit there. Get me out of this thing.

We're almost to the end of the line.

[KAMIJO] A sorcery society?

Those restraints they've got you in look really sturdy.

What exactly did you do?

Uh, well...

I don't think I did anything that was too wrong.

This is just overkill.

Oh, and these are magical items,

so you'll never get them off without the keys

over by the door.

[FLORIS gasps]

Uh, sorry.

Thing is, my right hand's actually called

Imagine Breaker.

It's got this weird ability to cancel out magical objects

and stuff.

[FLORIS] Idiot!

Breaking the restraints off so roughly like that

is going t--

[alarm blaring]

Wonderful!

[whines]

We're gonna hit a dead end in about ten minutes!

No. It's too soon to give up yet.

[FLORIS] Wait, you're not thinking--

Desperate times and all.

Are you crazy? I don't have a death wish.

There's a river just ahead that should work.

Jumping's our only chance. Let's go!

[FLORIS yelling]

Oh, man, we're gonna die! For real!

We're gonna be fine!

The water will cushion our fall.

Yeah, except that river is no more than a meter deep,

you jerk!

[KAMIJO] Huh?

[KAMIJO] Whoa, watch my right ha--

[BOTH yelling]

Your wounds ache, don't they?

I can see them hurting more with each blow.

Are you suffering the aftereffects

of your defeat in Academy City?

Why are you talking when you should be fighting?

Can you no longer take up your sword and do battle

without making excuses for your actions,

both to yourself and to everyone else?

[KNIGHT LEADER yells]

[ACQUA yells]

It's such a pity.

If this is the great battle of our lives,

then I would have preferred to fight you

when you were at your best.

[ACQUA grunts]

[ACQUA] That was not Hrunting.

Changing your att*ck pattern?

I'm just impressed you realized it so quickly.

And here I was hoping we'd be able to settle things

between us without me having to use this.

That's not like you.

I wouldn't think you'd hold back

against the sign of the evil dragon.

Let's go.

I'm ready.

[KNIGHT LEADER] Movement Speed!

[KNIGHT LEADER] And w*apon Weight!

[KNIGHT LEADER] Slicing Power!

[KNIGHT LEADER] att*ck Range!

That's all you have.

You have no chance of overcoming my blade in your condition.

I'll give you a choice.

Lay down your sword and leave the country now.

Or stay and become one with the United Kingdom's soil.

Which would you prefer?

Before I choose,

I have a question for you.

If you support the Second Princess

and her bloody coup d'état, and k*ll the third princess,

do you truly believe it will salvage this nation's future?

It isn't the ideal course.

However, history is already in motion.

As such, I had no choice but to take a side.

So I have chosen, and I believe this path

will bring the most benefit to my country.

I see.

Will you flee, or will you die?

Neither.

The real question is, will I k*ll you,

or will I let you live?

Very well.

It appears I have my answer, then.

So be it.

Prepare to die!

[LAURA] How about that?

I managed to get us out of our restraints.

Are you insane?

That wasn't "getting us out of our restraints"--

it was just an expl*si*n.

As long as the outcome's the same,

who really cares about the process?

Whatever you call it, the carriage is a wreck now.

What are we supposed to do about transportation?

[LAURA] Uh... Never fear!

I have a terrific idea about that.

[ELIZARD] Huh?

No! Please tell me you're not doing

what I think you're doing.

Yes!

It's the hitchhiking gambit!

Hey, driver of that wretched-looking lorry there.

How would you fancy a drive with this beautiful lady

and her companion?

That was rude.

Moron.

The driver clearly made the right decision.

[horse whinnies]

All right! London, here we come.

What are you waiting for?

What?

You really think I know how to do something

as brutish and uncouth as riding a horse?

[ELIZARD] Off we go! Ha!

[LAURA] Wait, you can't just leave me here!

Come back! I'm serious!

What do you expect me to do? Hitchhike?

[KAMIJO] The sword rips apart dimensions,

and engulfs Britain in a sea of flames.

Will the sorcerers be able to withstand

such overwhelming power?

Next time, "Curtana Original."

When science and magic cross paths, a story is born.