This is the Hamelin.
It's an ancient magic tool for controlling monsters.
We'll cooperate, as promised, for our mutual benefit.
You protect the emperor from danger,
win the Knights' Festival of the Hunt and become a hero.
In return, we...
EPISODE 5: THE KNIGHTS' FESTIVAL OF THE HUNT PART 1
KNIGHTS' FESTIVAL OF THE HUNT DAY 1
That magic tool will serve both to make your whereabouts known
as well as to prevent fraud.
What kind of fraud, Chancellor?
So long as you will be deploying together,
each regiment will be one with each of you.
Therefore, the knights may not go out on their own to hunt monsters.
Once you are roughly one kilometer apart from the commander of your regiment,
your bracelet will break and you will be disqualified.
Which means I can't just leave Elna to deal with the hunt
and stay at my lodging to take a nap.
Arn!
But I thought Krista and Rupert would be staying out of the Hunt.
Correct.
The two of them will not be restrained in distance.
They'll be giving their orders from this lodging.
Now, it's time.
Everyone, please prepare.
What's the matter?
Your waiting room isn't this way.
Is something bothering you?
No, I'm okay.
The people here are going to be in trouble.
Did you see the future again?
Lots of monsters are coming to this town.
Thanks for telling me.
That makes my work quite a bit easier.
Pleased to meet you, Princess Krista.
My name is Finne Von Kleinert.
Blau Mowe.
The most beautiful person in the nation.
No, I'm certainly not.
Finne, if you wouldn't mind, could you keep Krista company until I'm back?
Finne's my friend.
You can trust her.
Way more than you should me.
I want you to stay, Brother!
Finne's snacks are fantastic.
You like snacks, don't you?
Snacks?
If you'd like.
Thanks.
Understood.
I'll gladly do anything for you, Master Arn.
Pleased to make your acquaintance, Princess Krista.
Our empire is one of a handful of nations made suffering monster attacks.
My inadequacies have caused the people of the east hardships in particular.
I'm truly regretful.
I ask for this foolish emperor to be forgiven.
The knights pledge allegiance to my children for the duration of the festival.
My children will respect the knights and the knights will honor my children.
They will each act as one as they confront the powerful monsters.
We are royalty.
It is our duty to defeat all enemies of our empire.
Go, my children, my knights!
Are you ready, Arn?
Of course.
Let's go!
I declare this moment to be the beginning of the Knights' Festival of the Hunt!
KNIGHTS' FESTIVAL OF THE HUNT HEADQUARTERS
Gordon's unit has defeated two sand scorpions.
Zandra's unit is moving to the northeast.
Krista's unit has encountered slimes.
What do you make of this?
Each unit is making perhaps modest progress.
Except one.
Except one?
That unit is currently in the overwhelming lead.
Oh?
Whose unit is that?
Well...
Seriously?
Anything goes with her, huh?
She's taking on 30 blood hounds.
They're AAA-class level monsters.
And she's going at them all on her own.
She instructed us not to involve ourselves.
I really could just take a nap at this pace.
Arnold Unit reporting in.
Thirty-two blood hounds exterminated.
Arn, I see monsters over there.
We're going after them.
No, let's call it a day.
Don't be such a slob.
Aren't we going to win?
I don't remember ever making such a declaration.
It's the first day.
We don't need to be in such a hurry.
The festival's on for three days.
Let's pace ourselves.
Are you serious?
Hang, on, I'm supposed to be your boss for the next few days, aren't I?
Are you going against my orders?
Fine, then. I'll follow your orders.
Very good.
Well, let's head to the nearby town.
You could at least knock.
Oh, you need me to knock?
What would you do if I went into your room without knocking?
I'd cut you down.
You're insane.
What are you looking at, Arn?
Your breasts.
At least try being sneakier. Sheesh.
I was just thinking about how they haven't grown.
Don't say it with so much disappointment!
Arn, I've been hoping to get some post-dinner exercise.
Good grief. You haven't changed, have you, Arn?
People don't change that much in a few years.
What did you imagine me to be?
A normal prince.
I was hoping you'd at least stopped making yourself the subject of mockery.
I have no talent, I don't apply myself, and I waste all my time.
I'm the insipid prince whose twin brother took everything from me.
It's a fitting nickname, don't you think?
I didn't like it. I was sad about it, you know.
Why, thank you.
You don't get it, do you?
So, what, are you going to bring me the win and clear my reputation?
What do you want to happen for me?
So long as Leo is aiming for the throne, you should be taking this seriously.
I believe in you.
I know you just aren't trying at all.
Because the lower your reputation, the higher Leo's becomes.
So you never engaged in anything in earnest.
Wow.
I'm fine the way I am.
And stay away from me once the festival's over.
I...
I was nearly assassinated.
You know why, don't you?
It's my fault?
Just having you with me makes me a strong contender.
I'm a threat to my siblings' chances of becoming Ambassador Extraordinary.
As far as they're concerned, I ought to be taken out,
even if I'm their brother.
You could be in danger too.
So stay away.
I'm sorry.
No, don't worry about it.
I'll actually try for once during this festival.
Relax.
Okay.
KNIGHTS' FESTIVAL OF THE HUNT DAY 3
Second place?!
How?
Prince Karlos is in first place?
He climbed from last place all the way to the top.
I suspect he took down two AAA-class monsters.
That isn't possible!
It's the Seventh Regiment that's with him.
They aren't exactly weak, but there's no way.
I see.
So Karlos is the one with the Hamelin.
He's a simpleton. Someone must be taking advantage of him.
Judging from Krista's premonition, things are about to get pretty bad.
Please do the smart thing, Karlos...
It's a stampede of monsters.
The monsters in the east are all fleeing because we've been hunting them down.
Elna, where are the monsters headed?
I suspect...
So it is Keel.
The monsters will destroy everything in their path.
Can the Keel's garrison force hold them off?
I doubt it.
The emperor is only going to have a minimal security force.
There's no way they can hold them back.
Could you protect Keel if I asked you to?
Of course.
It's our duty to protect the emperor and the people.
We don't know how many monsters there are coming.
It could be a suicide mission.
I'm not afraid of death.
And the rest of you?
Of course.
We'll protect the town with our life.
We shall protect Keel!
Sir!
Promise me one thing, Elna.
What?
Swear that you'll survive.
All of you.
Swear by your sword that you won't die.
I'm not sending any of you there unless you can do that.
I, Elna Von Amsberg, swear by my sword that I will not die.
Likewise.
Likewise!
Good.
Now, let's go.
Given all the monsters there, we have a chance to turn the festival around.
Nope. I'm only going to slow you down.
You'll go without me.
Oops, I broke it by accident.
I wasn't supposed to ever take it off.
And now I'm disqualified from the Knights' Festival of the Hunt.
Arn!
I guess I'll just have to go unwind in the nearby town.
Why...
We still had a chance! Why?!
I disqualified myself because I wanted to.
Don't let it bug you.
Arn...
Be sure to tell my father that too.
That I didn't mean to destroy my bracelet.
I, Arnold Reks Adler, seventh son of
Emperor Johannes Reks Adler of the Empire of Adrasia,
make this demand of the Third Regiment of the Knights of the Imperial Guard:
Save the lives of the people of Keel and of the emperor.
If the town is lost, so be it.
Their lives come first.
As you wish, Your Highness.
My knights, only you can carry out this order!
I, Elna Von Amsberg, knight of the Imperial Guard, shall carry out your wish.
I swear on my sword and on the Amsberg name.
We will defeat all enemies and protect Keel!
Please do.
Time for my furtive activities.
Your Highness, please flee!
I will not!
Men, we must not allow people of the east to suffer any further!
Protect the town of Keel with your lives!
Take the casualties inside the gate.
Reporting! A second wave of monsters is approaching!
Counting roughly 3,000!
What? That's only one monster per knight.
Remain strong!
Look, look, Brother!
The emperor looks desperate!
Yes, my brother.
Pathetic!
Who are you?
I'm Sam.
I'm Dean.
Sam and Dean.
I've heard your names from my predecessors.
That you were banished by your vampire brethren for your heinous deeds
and had a Rank-S bounty placed on your heads by the Adventurers' Guild.
Vampires?!
That's right! That's us!
The Adventurers' Guild treated us the same as lowly monsters.
We haven't forgotten the disrespect.
Nor our need to take revenge on those who backed them up.
Oh?
That's a rather persistent grudge.
The previous emperor is no longer alive.
Do you intend to take your revenge on me instead?
Of course.
Humans are brittle creatures, so prone to death.
We've given up taking revenge on individuals.
Your lives are far too short compared to ours.
Thus we'll take revenge on their descendants and their belongings instead.
So the entire empire is a target of your revenge...
Are you the ones behind the monster outburst as well?
You won't be flaunting your title of "emperor" for much longer.
Once I'm done sucking all your blood and turning you into a mummy,
we'll throw you into the capital streets.
Go ahead and try.
The empire will not die with me.
The elites of my empire will see to it that you're dead.
Come, if you have no fear!
I'll admit that you have spirit.
But all that barking won't improve your fortunes.
That's some impressive magic power.
That's enough of your tough act.
I'll make you regret having angered us as you die!
Die! Die!
Your Highness!
Are you uninjured, Your Highness?
Elna, thank you for coming in Keel's moment of need.
Did you not have to babysit Arnold?
Forgive me.
I failed to carry out my order of staying with Arn—with the Prince.
Indeed.
Arnold sent you here.
You obliged and made it here in time.
Is that correct?
It's rather satisfying watching your own son grow up.
I'm proud.
I must say, I'm interested to see how you've grown as well.
As you wish, Your Highness.
I shall show you the Sword of Amsberg.
So what if you have more knights?
Don't let your guard down, Sam.
The Amsbergs are heroes.
They're no ordinary humans.
I know you.
You're that knight who's with that incompetent prince.
How dare you?!
What did they call him again?
Um.... Right, insipid!
The insipid prince!
You just said the word I hate the most.
For that, you must die.
Prepare yourself!
Puny human!
Don't underestimate me!
She's so strong!
She's the prodigy of the Amsberg family.
There's a reason they call her a modern hero.
Alas, I'll make sure you regret having gone against us!
It's them!
Prince Karlos!
Father! I, Karlos, am here!
Karlos is here!
Your highness, please stand down!
It's dangerous!
I'm fine!
Now that I'm here in Keel, I shall protect my father!
And I will win in the Knights' Festival and become a hero!
You there, vampires!
You'll turn back if you don't want to fight me!
N-No...
This wasn't the promise!
Your Highness!
Karlos!
He came all the way here on a promise,
not even knowing he was being played.
What a fool he is.
Ignore the small fry. Keep your eyes ahead.
She's coming!
Pleased to meet you, Prince Leonard.
You must be Silver.
May I assume you've come to provide support?
That is my intention.
But you should avoid going directly to Keel.
I must protect my people, my father, and my sister in Keel.
I would not forgive myself if I were to abandon them.
I don't remember suggesting that you abandon them.
But you ought to regroup before you fight.
Even the Knights of the Imperial Guard would be lost in vain in such small numbers.
But there are more than just the Imperial Guard in the east.
Are you saying we should use the knights of neighboring domains?
You would be overstepping your authority even as a prince.
Not to mention, it would take days to mobilize all the knights.
You're not wrong.
Why, then, if you understand...
You're right that it would be unrealistic to gather the knights now.
But I can make real the unrealistic.
How?
The question is whether the prince has the will.
As the captain just said,
you may be held responsible for overstepping your authority.
That won't be a problem.
Your highness!
If I can protect the people and the emperor, I'll take all the responsibility I must.
Now, Silver, tell me how you would do it.
Impressive.
I commend your resolve.
The plan is simple.
I'll open a transfer portal.
Make your speech through there.
You'll guide the confused knights where they need to go.
What's the matter?
Are you not confident that you can sway the knights with just your voice?
Yeah...
I'm not confident, but I'll do it.
My brother would tell me to give it a try.
I doubt that insipid prince would speak in such a way.
You don't know him.
My brother is decisive when it matters most.
In fact, I'm sure he's already made a decision before anyone else.
Indeed.
Then, give it a try.
Follow me.
Keel!
We're there in an instant!
So this is transfer magic.
I made transfer portals in seven towns nearby.
This is where things get difficult.
Alertness magic.
Your voice will be heard from every town.
Begin.
It is I, Leonard Reks Adler, eighth imperial prince.
Violent monsters are on the loose and Keel is in danger.
I am requesting knights to come to Keel with me.
Please enter the transfer magic portal and join me.
You will not need your lords' approval.
I will take all responsibility.
Righteous knights protecting Keel, courageous knights,
if you wish to be the one, join me!
I look forward to your decision!
Your Highness!
I am Hans, knight of Hessen!
I am at your service, Prince Leonard!
Thank you for coming, Hans.
You have my gratitude.
In fact, you have mine.
Ever since I heard that you had been visiting all the villages,
I've been eager to fight for you.
I'm not the only knight who thinks as I do.
We have at least 3,000.
Yeah.
And morale is high because they joined of their own volition.
This'll be enough.
Silver, I appreciate your help.
I merely did what was right for the people as an adventurer.
Besides, it's too early to thank me just yet.
You can do that after we save Keel.
All right.
Well, I'll be there.
We should go.
Sir!
TRANSLATION: REI MIYASAKA
TIMING: EDGAR CRUZ EDITING: ZACHARY CARLYSLE
QUALITY CONTROL: WILLIAM HAGGARD