Chapter 454: The Three Knights of the Royal Guard Panic
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'My name is 'Byun of the Wind Bow'! I'm one of the proud swords of the Sky King, the Three Knights of the Royal Guard, and the guardian of the first Trial Room! I won't let anyone pass!'
...The above lines are the pre-battle lines that Byun came up with when he was appointed to the Three Knights of the Royal Guard.
Clad in brilliant, exclusive Three Knights of the Royal Guard armor, his cloak with the royal family's crest billowing, his majestic, decorated magic bow held up imposingly...
Byun faces the intruder and defeats them magnificently.
That's the kind of dazzling, heroic image the young knight had in mind.
But.
What about reality?
""""............""""
The intruder didn't challenge the Trial Room... politely.
Somehow... she destroyed the wall and barged into the waiting room.
And he hasn't even prepared for battle yet.
He's in casual clothes!
(What should I do...?)
Confusion.
...That's all that's filling Byun's heart right now.
He's an elite, but he's still young and inexperienced.
He has to deal with this sudden situation calmly, but... it's so sudden, his mind isn't working.
He doesn't know what to do.
He can only stare at the intruder girl in front of him, frozen just like him.
But.
But!
'Nikkor of the Sun Sword', the captain of the Royal Knights... is different from Byun!
"Intruder..."
He said solemnly...
And slowly stood up from his chair...
He stood imposingly... in front of the girl!
...It's a shame that he's in a tank top, but his presence is definitely that of a strong person!
"............"
The intruder girl also seemed to become a little more alert, seeing Nikkor like that.
The somewhat relaxed atmosphere of the waiting room tightened up.
(A-Amazing! Just by standing up and confronting her, he changed the atmosphere! As expected of the Commander... he's completely unfazed by this unexpected situation...!)
Byun, although regretting his own ineptitude, was impressed by Nikkor's dignified attitude, his eyes sparkling!
(How will he... handle this situation!?)
And his heart pounded with anticipation, as he waited for Nikkor's next words.
But, this 'Nikkor of the Sun Sword'... said...!
"M-My name is 'Nikkor of the Sun Sword'... one of the Three Knights of the Royal Guard! I commend you for making it this far. However... I'll avenge Byun and Shito-Shitorin!"
Those are clearly... the lines he prepared to say after the intruder has cleared the first and second Trials!
(Eeeehhh!?)
It's nothing special!
Although he didn't show it on his face!
Nikkor is also panicking!
(What do you mean by 'avenging Byun and Shito-Shitorin'!? We haven't been defeated yet!?)
Byun retorted inwardly!
"............?"
And the intruder girl tilts her head!
It's only natural!
She hasn't defeated Byun or Shito-Shitorin!
"F-Fufu."
And then.
Another person stepped forward, chuckling, and stood beside Nikkor.
The woman in a gray sweatsuit... 'Shito-Shitorin of the Rain Staff'!
(O-Oh! Shito-Shitorin-senpai! The atmosphere is really... strange! Please, fix this!)
Byun looked at Shito-Shitorin pleadingly!
Shito-Shitorin, after dramatically flipping her beautiful blue hair, gave the girl a condescending, alluring, arrogant, cold look...!
"I am 'Shito-Shitorin of the Rain Staff'... one of the Three Knights of the Royal Guard and the guardian of the second Trial Room. I'm not as soft as Byun... Prepare yourself!"
...She also ended up saying the lines she prepared beforehand!
(N-Noーーー!? Shito-Shitorin-senpai is also panickingーーー!?)
Looking closely, this Shito-Shitorin, even though she's smiling confidently, the corners of her mouth are twitching!
She's incredibly nervous!
"............?"
And once again, the intruder girl tilts her head!
It's only natural!
She hasn't defeated Byun!
"Ahh... um... I'm Emi Rune. A traveler..."
And then.
Perhaps interpreting Nikkor and Shito-Shitorin's panicked lines as introductions...
The intruder girl told the Three Knights of the Royal Guard, her name.
"............"
And then, she looked down slightly, thinking.
(...! Lines... she's going to say some catchphrase!)
Byun somehow intuitively understood what the girl... Emi, was thinking.
Emi was lost in thought for a while, but she seems to have finally found the words to express herself.
She lowered her hips slightly, clenched her fists, glared at the Three Knights of the Royal Guard, and declared!
"...I'll kill you all!"
Those words were...
Far too awful to be called a catchphrase!