Good morning, Tina, Ellie.
Good morning, Lynne.
Good morning to you, Lady Lynne.
Please wait! Your Royal Highness!
Oh, it's you.
T-To what do we owe the honor?
Rejoice.
I'm going to make you mine.
What zeal.
You make notebooks for all three of them every week?
I'm sorry. I hate to use your office space.
I don't mind.
It saves me the trouble of reporting back to you about the Frigid Crane business.
Have you learned anything?
No. It's been slow going.
I wish you wouldn't get my hopes up like that.
Frigid Crane is a Great Spell, remember? No one alive can cast it.
I can't simply look it up.
Allen, I'm counting on you.
Hello. This is the Royal University's department of—
Is that Allen I hear?!
It's me, Richard!
Thank goodness! I've been looking for you!
What has Lydia done now?
It's not her this time!
Be mine, Lynne Leinster!
I've already told you that I most emphatically decline!
You would refuse me? Impossible.
The Howards' cursed child has been a bad influence on you.
Simply deplorable.
Don't you dare insult my friend!
Like sister, like sister.
But no, I suppose that lowborn scum is to blame.
You reek to high heaven.
An animal stink.
Have you all become his women?
Is besmirching me alone not enough for you?
I challenge you to a duel!
What?
If you wish to refuse, I shall make my request to the royal family.
His Majesty and the Four Great Dukes can watch us settle this at a later date.
May I have your answer?
Episode
Imitation
How could it come to this?
Don't worry.
Let's wait for my brother to bring help.
Perhaps Your Royal Highness has gone a trifle too far?
Yes. You've only just returned to duty.
Consider your position if this goes on.
Don't you second-guess me!
None of you knows proper respect!
That includes you, Lynne!
Help the wounded before it's too late!
O-Of course!
Enough of your nonsense!
I'll teach you empty-headed little girls to know your place!
Prince Gerard, are you mad?!
Watch your tongue, failure!
I've heard all about you and how you'll never master supreme magic!
All right, that's quite enough!
What's going on here?
That's quite a deadly weapon you've drawn.
You again?!
Stay out of my affairs!
Girls! Please take cover!
We'll fight, too, sir!
We want to help!
Die!
In that case...
Now! Leave while you can!
Good grief.
That dagger...
Die.
Hurry up and die!
Die like a dog!
You think that will stop me?!
You're wide open.
Excellent teamwork. Unfortunately...
Now!
She can do supreme magic, too?
I asked you nicely to take cover.
You've all been very naughty.
But we were worried about you, sir.
Leinster! Howard!
What?!
Sir!
Please, just fall back!
I'll kill every last one of you!
Lynne!
Dear Brother!
You fool!
Now die!
Lydia.
Take this seriously, why don't you?
What choice did I have?
I need him to testify before he dies.
And I knew you were on your way.
Fine, then.
I'm at your side, and you're at mine.
What could be more natural?
Sorry. And thanks.
I'll make this quick.
Good.
Lydia Leinster!
So, what am I looking at?
I'm pretty sure that dagger in his right hand unbalanced his mind.
I sense unbelievable mana.
Hmm...
Why don't I just slice him up and get it over with?
No. We've been over this.
Spoilsport.
I'll burn him, then.
No warning, I see.
Is it over?
I wish he'd put in some effort. I want to fire off more spells.
Death is too good for anyone who tries to hurt my sister, her school friends,
and my personal servant.
Lydia...
That's more like it.
We'll go with the usual.
Yes, ma'am. You just focus on slicing.
Don't need to tell me twice!
Lydia!
I'll back you up!
Lydia!
What do you think?
Kind of a pain.
Taking him alive will be hard work,
and I have a feeling he's immortal while his mana lasts.
Thinking is your job.
I just cut things.
What is that dagger?
Allow me to explain!
Headmaster!
You rotten elf!
Perhaps I ought to review the design of this arena.
We're sorry.
It's too fragile.
Don't breathe a word of this to anyone.
That dagger is imbued with the remnants of a lost Great Spell: Radiant Shield.
If its wielder lacks sufficient skill,
its mana will consume him and transform him into a shambling monster, as you see.
The royal family guarded it as a treasure of their house,
but I've been tracking it since it was stolen last night.
How do we beat him?
He's immortal while his mana lasts.
It may be a remnant, but it is still a Great Spell.
You may safely consider his mana supply inexhaustible,
and he can consume mana to restore himself.
In other words?
Under the present circumstances, there is no way.
He changed again?!
How sickening.
I see he's gotten bigger.
Well, for now...
we strike fast!
As you see, he's getting stronger.
What a nuisance.
If Lydia gets serious, Gerard is a dead man.
But we can't afford to hold back, either.
Halfhearted attacks will only strengthen him.
In which case...
Hey, you! Stop lounging around up there!
Come down and fight!
Rotten elf!
We'll figure something out, so keep him busy!
I'm a person of some importance, I'll have you know.
Kiddo, come here! Just you!
Huh? B-By "kiddo," do you mean...?
I have a name, and it's Ti—
Stop whining and get over here!
On the double!
O-Okay...
I'd prefer to leave Tina out of this if possible.
Too bad. It's the only way.
You've linked mana with her, right?
Sir?!
He hasn't said anything.
It's just obvious.
He probably told you,
but I've linked with him, too.
That's how I got halfway decent at spellcasting.
Just like you.
And that's why I'm asking you a favor.
Me?
Link mana with him and cast the strongest ice spell you've got.
Huh? But...
Then you can leave the rest to us.
Got that?
Sir?
I realize it can't be pleasant.
Not at all! Go right ahead!
Thank you.
Do you feel all right?
I can feel you close to me.
You're so warm.
I'll give it my best shot!
I'll support you for all I'm worth.
Yes, sir!
If you're linked, hurry up and get ready!
R-Right!
I haven't got all day.
Are you serious?
Of course I am.
I don't feel ready for—
Hey! You didn't do anything like that with me!
It's unfair!
I demand a do-over!
If it bothers you that much, try surpassing me.
Not that I'll let you.
Okay, both of you,
focus on the problem at hand.
Tina.
Yes?
Are you ready?
Yes, sir! I feel like I can do anything!
Lydia—
Who do you think you're talking to?
Get on with it.
Headmaster! Now!
Lydia!
Tina!
Yes, sir!
Annihilate the imitation.
The voice!
What voice?
Sir?
Nothing. It's nothing.
Now, brace yourself!
My word!
Well now.
Howard!
Tina! Now!
Yes, sir!
Allen!
Lydia.
Target?
The dagger itself.
Got it.
I'll show you what the Lady of the Sword can do!
With you at my side, there's nothing in the world I can't cut!
What's that?!
The Leinsters' secret art: the Scarlet Sword.
An "imitation," is it?
Lydia Leinster!
Don't use my name so lightly!
I'm his, and no one else's!
This is... the end!
You'll never master supreme magic!
That was excellent work.
All thanks to you, sir.
Stella?!
When do you plan on letting go of him?
Oh! I mean...
S-Sorry, sir.
Sir?!
Allen?
Allen!
So this is the price I pay for linking with two people.
Oh, morning.
Did you know you'd end up like this?
Well...
Answer me.
Yes, I knew.
If I'd known it would endanger you,
I'd have put that brainless prince out of his...
You shouldn't think things like that.
It's beating.
I can hear it.
That's right.
I'm alive.
You think you can worm out of this?
I'm not trying to. That was our best option.
Liar.
I've said it before, and I'll say it again:
I'm fine being your sword. Yours, Allen.
I'd rather you be the nice girl who plays along with my banter
and grew her hair out for me.
H-Hey! You read my mind earlier, didn't you?!
Unbelievable!
I couldn't help it. We linked mana, remember?
It just flowed into me.
No excuses!
Cad! Lout!
Who are you to talk when you k-kissed the kiddo?!
Th-That was...
Well... She caught me off guard.
And why didn't you even try to dodge?
I mean...
Hey, what are they saying?
I can't hear a thing.
Keep your voices down.
What are you girls up to?
Listen, you lot...
Sorry, I didn't mean to startle anyone.
Hi there, Allen. I see you're awake.
Thanks to Leinster hospitality. What did I miss?
Gerard's under arrest.
His punishment's still up in the air, though.
What about Caren and her friend?
Caren said you'd better come see her once you're well.
Message received.
Prince Blockhead is one of yours. What do you have to say about the mess he caused?
I... I admit we didn't keep as close an eye on him as we should have!
But whatever was in that dagger changed Gerard into—
My, my. It's certainly lively in here.
Mother!
Well done, Allen.
How do you feel?
Well, thanks to your hospitality.
I realize now I should have waited for more help to arrive. The professor, for one.
Lisa.
Yes, Allen?
I bear responsibility in this matter for drawing Gerard's enmity.
I'm not qualified to continue as Lynne's tutor.
Lynne, do you want Allen to continue tutoring you?
Huh?
Answer promptly.
I'd like him to continue!
You heard her, Allen.
As I've told you before,
the Leinsters are on your side.
Your parents trust us to look out for you, remember.
Thank you very much.
Sir...
What brings you here at this hour?
Just a stroll.
The Leinsters have such pretty gardens.
The plants seem happy here.
I like it in daylight as well,
but it does have a certain atmosphere at night.
Sir...
Today, I saw clearly that I'm nowhere near good enough.
That's not true at all.
Your magic is steadily improving.
You can be proud of—
That's not what I mean!
I mean... I mean... I mean...
I'm not fit to stand beside you the way I am now!
The only person who can...
is Lydia.
I—we—are just following where you lead us.
When something goes wrong, only one person gets to stand beside you,
and that's Lydia, right?
Tina...
Don't put yourself down like that.
Lydia is the Lady of the Sword, the pride of the kingdom.
And she hasn't always been what she is now.
Just keep growing and improving, one step at a time.
I may still be a child in your eyes, sir,
but I won't stay a little girl forever.
Sir!
I will earn a place at your side!
I swear it on my late mother, Rosa Howard, and the rod and ribbon she left me!
So... So please, watch me do it.
Please keep helping me along!
I will. And I'm looking forward to the day you make good on that promise.
Now, I think it's time we headed back.
You'll catch a chill.
Let's do what we can, tomorrow and every day after.
Yes, sir!