In the blink of an eye, it is late autumn, and the coldness that seeps into the air is more and more day by day. It was a cold air that made people shiver in the body, but the bright sunlight from the suddenly clear sky slowed down the arrival of winter.

This is an infirmary attached to the Dreiser Rider Academy. On the only bed in the room, Edgar slowly opened his eyes. This is a clean and tidy room with no long things. As the sun tilted, the light crept into the room through the thin lace curtains, giving him a little warmth on his cheeks and gently stimulating his slightly open eyes. Perhaps it was because he had slept for a long time, but his consciousness could not be focused immediately, and for a moment, his gaze wandered blankly. Then he was covered with a thick fog and his vague consciousness slowly regained his clarity. At the same time, he recalls his condition before he lost consciousness, struggling to get up as he fell into a bit of confusion.

"Uh-huh...... hmm......"

The dull pain was reported to him all over his body, and he quickly dismissed the idea of getting up. In the midst of a chaotic mess of thoughts, he compared his current state with the last-minute memories he could recall. This is an injury caused by a violent impact and the scattering of parts. Life seemed to be in danger, but it was not an ordinary minor injury. After judging this, he relaxed his strength and let his body sink back into the mattress.

The pain prevented him from sleeping, so he could only lie still. At this moment, there was a cautious knock at the door of the ward. Edgar tried to answer, but a severe thirst in his throat took away his voice. There was a silent moan that had made the best possible airflow out, and the door was opened long before the moan could be heard.

"......! Are you conscious?"

The woman who piled through the door, Haiwei, had her eyes wide open and trotted close to the hospital bed where he was lying. It holds a water bottle in its hand.

"Great...... you slept for three days after that, and I'm so worried. 」

Crystal droplets of water twinkled in the corners of her eyes. Edgar was surprised by the word three days, and tried to express his apologies and gratitude by thanking him, but only a hoarse voice came out of his throat. Sensing this, Haiwei slowly passed the horizontal straw in her hand into his mouth. Edgar, whose throat was moistened, gasped a little, then asked in his still hoarse voice:

"......I'm sorry, Haiwei. After that...... after I lost consciousness, what happened, what ......happened?"

At this time, Edgar was still so serious, and Hevi shrugged her shoulders slightly for this, moved a chair and sat next to the bed.

"Yes, I'll explain it to you. There's plenty of time, so don't worry. 」

After taking a sip of water herself, she tilted her head and said:

"Well, let's start with ......."

This is Kankunin, the royal capital of the kingdom of Virard. Towering over its center, the royal city of Scherebelle, there are several figures in the corridor leading to the Hall of the Audience with the King.

One of them was Ambrose Tahavo Verrad, King of the Kingdom of Virard. Now a monarch of a kingdom and in his old age, he was a knight in his youth and had experience as a general. Since then, his body is still very strong, and his white hair and beard, which are as bold as a lion, also reflect each other, and his undiminished vigor permeates the surroundings. A few steps behind him was Duke Knut Discod. In contrast to the king, he is slender and thin, and his whole body gives the impression of being as sharp as a knife. However, his face was now overshadowed by fatigue and anxiety, and it had taken on the edge of the past.

"Well, the thieves bothered to break into the fortress of Kazadexiu and take a new type of Phantom Knight, didn't they?"

"Yes. Most of the new Phantom Knights who have been snatched by the thieves have been recaptured, but only one of them has escaped. Although notices have been posted in various bunkers and searches have been conducted, no trace has been traced so far. With such a major dereliction of duty, Weichen really has nothing to defend himself. Since this has come to this, the minister has come to his senses and is willing to accept any punishment......

"Canute, don't rush to ruin a ruling. I have more to do than punish you now. If you really want to take responsibility, you should devote more energy to your future work and think about how to redeem it. 」

With Canute's earnestness, if it weren't for the two of them walking, I am afraid he would have knelt and kowtowed on the spot, but in the face of his confession, Ambrose just waved his hand and threw it away.

"It's just about the true identity of the thief this time...... do you strongly suspect that he is from another country?"

"Yes. This inference should not be wrong. Now they are interrogating the thieves they have caught and getting information from them, but these guys seem to have been specially trained and have a rather tight mouth. It may take some time to find out who he really is. 」

"In any case, as long as the thief remains in the country, there is no need to be anxious, for sooner or later he will be able to lure him out. Otherwise, his escape route would be to sink into the sea of trees or climb over the mountains. Naturally, there is no need to speculate on which way he will go. 」

"Erponian Sea". This forest is spread widely in the eastern part of Wilrad, and is now inhabited by countless magical beasts. The recent attack of the Emperor Tortoise is still fresh in people's minds, and it is possible that there are more powerful magical beasts there, and from this possibility, it is easy to imagine what a stupid choice it would be to abscond there.

On the other hand, to the west of the kingdom of Virard, it is occupied by the human nations, the "Western States", and if you want to go there, you must first cross the Aubigne Mountains. The mountain range has been known for its treacherous traffic since ancient times. That being said, it's not like there's no way out. There are also several easy-to-pass mountain roads, all of which have been built into streets and have customs clearances.

The problem is the path beyond that. Although it is difficult to use for ordinary exchanges, there are many sections of the road that are definitely not completely impassable, and it is very likely that the thieves have already arranged such escape routes. There is no such thing as radar in this world. While the state of surveillance along the mountains is not so shoddy as a façade, it is by no means leaky, and Ambrose is quite aware of this.

"Really, it's tricky. How long ago have you been negotiating with other countries?"

The reason why the border has never been in this state is mainly related to the geographical location of the country. A defensive position between the Beastcraft territory of the Sea of Erbonia and the "city walls" called the Eubigne Mountains - if you were to describe the kingdom of Verrad, this description would fit perfectly. For the Western countries, the existence of this country is quite advantageous and convenient, and it has always helped to solve the troublesome problems on its own. So there's no need to do anything superfluous and let cracks appear in this relationship. The wishful thinking of various countries is that they do not interfere, and this is a kind of historical background of "turning a blind eye", and it can also be said to be the biggest reason why the Kingdom of Virard has relaxed its vigilance against other countries.

"What has been stolen is a new type of Phantom Knight that is completely different from the past and epoch-making. In this way, once it is exposed to the outside world, it is impossible to suppress this matter and prevent it from being widely spread. It's too late to dwell on this part. We must choose the path for our existence. 」

For the path of their existence. At this time, the two of them invariably had exactly the same idea in their minds.

The King's Audience Hall in Scherebel City is a vast hall. And for good reason, this place was made to a scale that not only humans but also Phantom Knights could enter. When the ceremony is held here, you can see the orderly array of Phantom Knights displaying their heroic and majestic demeanor in the Audience Hall.

It wasn't the Phantom Knights who were in this hall now, but a large group of young people. Needless to say, they were naturally students of the Riding Gymnastics Department at the Dreiser Riding Gymnastics Academy, as well as three younger teenagers and girls. After quelling the commotion at the fortress of Kazadexiu, those who remained in the Dreiser were summoned, and almost all the students belonging to the Riding Gymnastics Department were present.

The students waited in such a majestic space, with a strange majesty, and a moment later the king arrived.

"Alright, everybody. 」

Ambrose, seeing that everyone was on their knees, gave the excuse in a relaxed tone, and then sat down on the throne with great pride. Although the Dreiser's students looked up, none of them were so nervous that they stiffened. It's no wonder that they were already nervous just by meeting with the person who was in the rank of duke. Not to mention being suddenly led to the king's eyes. Among them was a small boy standing in the center of the front row, with an attitude that was neither humble nor arrogant. Ambrose glanced at the young man, El Nesty, for a moment, and a faint smile appeared on his cheek. The next moment, his face turned serious, and he spoke to everyone from the throne in a voice full of majesty.

"First of all, students. About the development of this new machine, thank you for your hard work. I am also very pleased that the gentlemen, who are supposed to be immature and still on the path of learning, have achieved results that have never been seen in the history of our country. 」

Ambrose's words made most of the students blush from their emotional exaltation. Some of them have even shown a flattered appearance.

"But unfortunately, there are rude and unreasonable thugs who interfere with it. Although we are trying our best to hunt it down. But the thief has not yet been caught. We have to prepare for the worst, thinking they've escaped. 」

The students' expressions suddenly became cloudy. Their hearts were in a moment of ecstasy because they were appreciated by the king, but now they fell to the bottom when they remembered the cold reality.

"There is no need to be so pessimistic. Although one was taken away, it does not mean that they took everything from us for the new aircraft. However, once it is exposed, there will inevitably be a competition between countries in the future, centered on this new type of aircraft. At that time, how can we be left behind? It is said that our new type of aircraft has not yet been truly completed. The reason why you have summoned you here is not for anything else, but to complete it. Without further ado, El Nesty, what more do you need to complete a new machine?"

Hearing the king's inquiry, Al thought for a moment before speaking.

"There are two problems, one of which is going to take a while longer, no matter what. Another solution to the problem is ...... need the assistance of the National Institute of Machine Mechanics Development. 」

Al's answer was completely different from what most of the people present had speculated. They had thought that the new machine would be built by Al himself, or by Al and the students. Ambrose's only what it takes to do so is what it takes. However, the answer to Al's answer was neither equipment nor materials, but the name of an organization.

"There are still big issues to be solved for new machines, and one of them is operability. The technology of the National Machinery Research Institute in this area has been perfected, and I think it can be more efficient to borrow their technology. In addition, if a new type of mechanized Phantom Knight is to be adopted sooner or later, its productivity will be very important in the future. Therefore, it would be most appropriate to use Gadatoya, which has the largest number of organisms in the country, as a springboard for the gradual development of a new type of approach. In this regard, it should be best for them to help them who know Gadatoya well. 」

Al seemed to have prepared these answers beforehand, and finished his words with a gulp, while Ambrose seemed to be a little disappointed with his arms crossed over his chest.

"Do you mean that the next step is to hand over the development to the National Machinery Research Institute?"

"I know it's not going to solve the problem. The content of the new model must be fully explained to the State Machinery Research Institute. However, there is already a solution to this. Fortunately, thanks to the recommendation of Duke Discod, the seniors of the Lechara Riding Gymnastics Department present have all confirmed that they will enter the National Machinery Research Institute. Each of them was part of the development of Trestal from the beginning. As long as the knowledge and experience of the two parties can cooperate with each other, the new machine will definitely be completed. 」

Ambrose narrowed his eyes and stroked his beard slowly. This boy is really thoughtful in a special place. When she was so thoughtful, a strange sense of incongruity suddenly came over him. He had a gut feeling that he was missing something. In order to find out what it was, he revisited the boy who was still at the center of his vision and came up with an answer.

"Well, that makes sense. In this way, I will issue an edict to the National Machinery Research Institute. I look forward to your efforts in the future regarding the completion of the new machine...... but why is your name not in the explanation just now?"

"Yes. I'm about to enter the second year of junior high school, and I'm still very early before I graduate. 」

At this time, the hearts of the people present were filled with the two voices of "It's all at this time, what are you doing with it" and "Ah, so it is also". Even Ambrose didn't hide the surprise on his face.

"...... as a king, it may not be appropriate for me to say such a thing, but you, are you still necessary to study in the school at this time?"

Hearing this, the bodies of Archid and Yadelchu behind El shook slightly. If the King himself ordered Al to leave the Academy, they couldn't find any way to stop it from happening. The words that drove them to Kazadeshu rushed to their throats at this time, but they could not exit rashly in the hall of the audience, and they swallowed them back again. The two could only bow their heads and clench their fists and listen quietly.

The two didn't notice it - Al glanced back at them slightly.

"There's a reason for ....... Your Majesty, I think it was because I was fortunate enough to be able to start the project of the "new machine" and actually complete it. 」

Whenever the diminutive Al spoke to Ambrose, he had to look up. Ambrose looked at the young man's eyes flashing with determination, stared straight at his appearance, the corners of his mouth changed to a smile, and replied to him:

"Oh, do you mean that such an amazing feat is not because of your own talent, but just by luck?"

"As you know, I've just turned twelve. No matter what idea I come up with, or what means I use, as long as no one takes it seriously, nothing will be accomplished. The reason for today's achievements is entirely due to the fact that the seniors of the Riding Gymnastics Department did not take my words as a child's joke and laughed them off, but took them seriously. I don't think there are many people who can do the same thing. 」

"You're so good at it, I don't think you can just ignore it. And if I follow my will, presumably the people of the National Machinery Research Institute will not dare to take my words seriously, in this case, isn't the situation the same?"

Al lowered his gaze and shook his head slowly.

"This will create unnecessary dissatisfaction. The highly anticipated new models will need to be developed over a long period of time and with perseverance. If you bring in the superfluous factors, I am afraid that what could have been done will become unfinishable. 」

This line completely captures Ambrose's inner worries. The National Institute of Mechanical Exercise Development is an organization that was established after the founding of the Kingdom of Verrad, and has been developing and supporting technical research on phantom knights for many years. The researchers inside have outstanding abilities and superior self-esteem. A person's self-esteem is a troublesome thing, and no matter how good the other party is or how good the results are, it does not mean that the institute can tolerate him. Especially in a situation where the age gap is so huge, you don't even have to think about it to know what the outcome will be.

Judging by Al's shrewdness and style, a little thing shouldn't bring him down, Ambrose thought. He also considered that as long as he gave these students a little more "protection", he should be able to solve the friction to some extent. After deducting points for all the expected problems, forcibly sending Al to the research institute still has more advantages than disadvantages. However, as Al said, it is unknown whether the final completion can really be carried out in the National Machinery Research Institute.

Regarding this "final adjustment", it is really impossible to do it without their technology. Moreover, the completed new machine will be announced to the whole country by the National Machinery Research Institute, and judging from the results, it will not damage their self-esteem, which can be said to be the ideal solution, except for one point - Ambrose thought about this, and added a few wrinkles between his eyebrows. When Al saw the frustration on his face, his expression immediately changed to a smile.

"Rest assured, I have not forgotten my agreement with Your Majesty. I'm not going to give up on making the best Phantom Knight. Therefore...... I will finish the design of the next airframe before I graduate, so stay tuned. 」

"...... wait, so you're going to do it anyway?"

Suddenly, in the hall, there was a weak clicker of bones falling apart, and it resounded through the whole room. In fact, there were really a few people who hugged their heads and smiled wryly.

"As the saying goes, if you want to hurry, you can't get there. This time, I'm going to sit upright and work hard to create a perfect, ingenious design!"

"So wait! That's not the problem!"

Cnut, who was standing by beside him, stroked his forehead and groaned, "......'s the one......" Ambrose glanced at him, straining back a smile.

"Also, the completion of a new type of machine is important...... but don't you want to think of a new one?"

Al looked a little like he was throwing a tantrum, and everyone in the room understood at this point - this guy just wanted to leave the troublesome adjustments to someone else completely. Ambrose couldn't hold back any longer. With this boy, he felt that he became more and more like his old self - the mischievous little hairy writing and moving.

"So it is, so it is, it is the embodiment of interest. The people of the National Machinery Research Institute will also be full of enthusiasm because of the long-lost big project, and the technology of those people is guaranteed, and they will definitely make results beyond expectations. 」

Ambrose burst out laughing, then suddenly turned back to earnestness.

"Is that okay, I can also borrow their power to do it in the next body?"

"The development of Trestal this time is just a so-called prototype. In this way, I have gained a wide range of experience and knowledge, and the resulting organism has enough potential to be the basis for future development. It's just that Verard's mass-produced machine is all about flawless perfection and versatility – but the body I'm going to make next doesn't fit both. 」

Canute froze in place with a complicated expression, and Ambrose ignored it. This "next step" pursued by a teenager who rewrote the history of the development of Phantom Knight because of his "interest". On the one hand, because he was piqued with curiosity, but also because he could not just ignore its importance. Just "trial production" shook history, and if it comes to the "next step", should he pay attention to the completion of the mass production machine, or ......?

Moreover, the "next step" can only be achieved by relying on this teenager. Although it is true that the National Machinery Research Institute is a capable group, it cannot be expected that they can bring such dramatic progress. Based on this alone, the choice he should make can be said to have been answered for a long time. The question is how to do it. At this moment, a flash of inspiration flashed in his mind as if a meteor had visited. At the same time, in order to achieve some kind of intention, he suddenly sat up.

"I can agree with what you say. It's just that I can't agree. 」

It was then that Canute caught a glimpse of the nightmare of the past from the side of Ambrose's face.

"I can't let you act as a student. The next generation of mechs mentioned now doesn't have to wait any longer, and we can make it as soon as possible for me to see. 」

A soft sigh from Al behind him was the only one he could hear. Even Al couldn't do anything to report the wayward thoughts of his childhood friends to the table. While Al was still groping for his next trick under the well-behaved expression, Ambrose continued:

"Speaking of Knut, if El Nesty says that he will continue to work on the Phantom Knight, his life will be in question. 」

"Your Majesty's words are very true. 」

"My life, what's the problem?"

"Think about it, although the purpose of the thief this time is only 'in kind', if the same thing happens again one day, no one can guarantee that the source of the whole thing, your life, will not be threatened. After all, you might invent the next one. If you target generations of mechs, the enemy will feel endless. Therefore, it is necessary for us to protect your personal safety. 」

"Sure enough, he should send guards to follow him. 」

"In other words, the men and horses you need are blacksmiths who can realize your ideas, knights who can protect your life. 」

Ambrose relaxed to look like his feigned serious face, and once again regained his unworn-free smile.

"And these people must accommodate you without a hint of contempt. Do people who can meet these conditions have a spectrum in their hearts? El Nesti? Why? The answer is not obvious, and there is no need to think about it. 」

For a moment, El Nesti Etcheberia's eyes widened in place, as if he had been attacked, before he finally moved, and slowly looked back. Sure enough, all the eyes of all the students in the Riding Gymnastics Department of the Dreiser Riding Gymnastics Academy were all focused on him. Even Dietrich and Davey and others looked back at him with fiery eyes. A silence containing a thousand words permeated the two sides.

"That's right. Students at Dreiser. All of you have experience in making new machines. I want to look forward to your performance again. I hereby decree the creation of a new Order of Knights. The members include El Nesti and the people who worked with you to create and control the new Phantom Knights!"

"Do the Knights ...... us?"

Al, who always had a smile on his face, couldn't help but feel a twitch at the corner of his mouth now. In contrast, Ambrose's smile is getting deeper and deeper.

"Then, since it was founded, you have to give it a name. It's not that big, and it can't be made in blue, right? No, because of your role, you should fall into a different category. Oh, by the way, the "silver" you are familiar with is very suitable. Right, El Nesty, and then I'll give you the word "phoenix" from my relatives. "Silver Phoenix Knights", this is the title of the newspaper. 」

The name, as the crowd whispered, spread like a wave. It didn't take much time to draw up in the minds of everyone on the scene, the "former" Dreiser Rider Academy's Rider Trainer Academy, and Al Nesty.

"Ah, by the way, it's a knight's order, but it happened suddenly, so it will take some time to prepare a place that can be used as a base. Before that, a temporary base is needed. Canute, do you have any suitable proposals?"

"Yes. The people here are Dreiser's associates. Since there are a majority of students, why don't you borrow the equipment of the school for the time being?"

"Hmm. It's a proper arrangement. Anyway, when El Nesti graduates, you will be able to prepare a formal venue, so you can rest assured. 」

Al wasn't going to object to the arrangement at all, but wanted to shout hooray—but aside from that, it was true that he was a little unhappy. That's right, it's all about mood. No matter how great this solution is, he will never forget to fight back a little bit and let the other side see his dissatisfaction.

"But, Your Majesty, won't this hinder the transfer of development to the National Institute of Machinery?"

Although this is just lip service, in reality it does cause problems. It's also where Ambrose was originally troubled.

"Oh, yes, yes, we have to find a way to solve this matter. Then, I'll give you and the Silver Phoenix Knights the first order. "Smash the conceited nose of the personnel of the National Institute of Machine Drills and Development." Let me see how you can use the Phantom Knights you make to make them scared the hell, and how you can teach them that age is just a trivial matter and make them obedient...... you can do it?"

Al turned to his back again. Every face he saw was full of determination—looking around at each face and seeing them nodding wordlessly, Al made up his mind.

"In accordance with the Imperial Decree...... we will do our best to carry out this task. 」

"......So, that's the way it is. 」

Before I knew it, the angle of the sunlight had been tilted, and the sunset that was slanting into the ward began to look brilliant and dazzling. Edgar listened with a serious expression all the way through, but after this twist and turn, his expression now changed to a stiff smile. His face clearly read, "I have heard a ridiculous and grotesque thing."

"Let me confirm a little, is that Phoenix Silver Knights or something...... am I included?"

Is he afraid, or is he expecting to be counted? In short, from his slightly stiff expression, it is impossible to see his true state of mind.

"Yes, but it's not mandatory, and you can choose to dismiss the appointment. Don't worry about any repercussions after dismissal, you can still join a certain knight after graduation. 」

"...... by the way, has anyone been dismissed so far?"

In fact, he already knew the answer, but he couldn't help but want to confirm it. Haiwei narrowed her pair of apricot eyes, which were reminiscent of cats, smiled heartily, and answered the answer he expected.

"No, not a single one. 」

After hearing this answer, a wry smile appeared on Edgar's face, and he buried himself deep in the hospital bed.

For a moment, silence flowed between the two. Coldly, he remembered a momentous fact he had seen before he lost consciousness. His expression turned serious, and after a little thought about the wording, he made up his mind to mention something:

".............. Haiwei, I have something to tell you first. 」

Seeing that Hai Wei still kept smiling and listening sideways, he held back the words in his mouth for a while, but in the end he didn't stop and continued to finish speaking.

"Concerning Telesel. The last machine I fought and was taken away was ...... "No. 1". That's your ......."

Edgar's words could not go on. Because Hewei's fingers were pressed on his lips.

"I know. I confirm all the new machines that have been left in surplus. 」

Hyvi lowered her gaze, her reaction at the thought of her connection to "Machine One" was surprisingly calm, but Edgar found a hint of his true mood.

That alone was enough to make up his mind.

"Yes. So, Hevi, I promise you. 」

Haiwei looked up. Edgar squeezed her hand hard.

"Someday—Earl Camber and I will take it back, or destroy it completely. I will not allow thieves to ravage our brainchild - your partner. 」

His resolute promise surprised Haiwei for a moment, blinking blankly, and then smiling.

"Well, I'm looking forward to it...... thank you. 」

She shook Edgar's hand back as she muttered softly.