We start off this week’s episode from Roland’s Royal Special Military Academy, 2 years prior to the present day. Kiefer is being commented on by some of the other people (cute but stern), Ryner accidentally bumping into a sempai and getting scolded (and being observed by Sion and Kiefer). Oh YAY NEW OP!

At the training grounds, Kiefer got paired with a sleepy and lethargic as hell Ryner. Suspecting that maybe he’s trying to get her guard down, she kicks him…all the way across the field. She runs to him, asking if he’s alright but Ryner just turns and snores away. Oye oye ^^;;; In the classroom, Kiefer has more or less taken Ryner under her wing I’d guess as she tries to wake him up. Some other guys tell her to leave him be and she asks Ryner if he isn’t bothered by such comments. Ryner retorts that he’s bothered that he couldn’t skip on training cause of her. As she watches him sleep, she wonders what she’s doing.

4 years ago, at Roland Castle Town – Kiefer is at a festival with her older and younger sister. Kiefer rejects her older sisters offer to get something she wants and her younger sister comes and gives each of them a wand. Cue bastard jackass knights who come up and ask why such Estabul spies are in the area. The older sister tells Kiefer to take the younger one and run and she wipes out a knife as she takes a defensive stance. The knights hit her with the lightening spell but the older sister managed to block the spell with ease. She yells at Kiefer to run away already and starts to chan. Super speed and she clashes with the soldiers.

Kiefer and her younger sister run through the streets under the cover of the night but just as they are catching their breath, the three soldiers jump outta nowhere in front of them. They hold up her head, telling them they have nowhere to run. They grab the girls, holding the younger sister to the side as they slam Kiefer’s face into the brick wall (Fucking OUCH man! She’s 14 for Gods sake!) again and again and again before letting go of her. Even as she slides down the wall, she begs them to let go of her younger sister. A noble walks up to the small group as she weakly says that she’ll do anything for that. He asks if she would betray her own nation for the sake of her little sister.

As she watches Ryner snooze away the evening, she thinks that she likes Ryner but she doesn’t have the right to say something like that as she will soon betray him. Ryner wakes up with a yawn and a stretch and turns to her with a sleepy smile as she jokes that he overslept. Back to the present day, Ryner comes out of the memory of that time as he declares heavily that he’s sleepy. Only to have Ferris sword at him saying that he can’t sleep at the ‘wheel’. They’re still making their way through the forest in the Luna empire as Ryner complains that he hasn’t slept AT ALL. Ferris looks back at Arua who is STILL sleeping.

Meanwhile in Stohl, Foize Village – explosions are going off at various points in the village. People are fleeing when someone calls out for Private Kiefer. She turns around to the soldier who called out to her – he tells her to run as they can’t hold onto this place any longer. She argues that there are still civilians present but he tells her that Gastark’s soldiers will soon be upon them. She watches the Captain run away before she turns to look at the rubble and devastation left behind and thinks that she expected the military state of Stohl to have done some research on the AS. Before she can finish her thought, a rain of red arrows comes falling towards her!

A sudden cry from the side distracts her and we see two children who would get hurt as well should the attack fall. Kiefer rushes forward, managing to get the kids but not without taking a few hits herself. Another attack is directed towards them and for a moment she is speechless but then she grits her teeth and says that she can’t die at such a place. She casts a spell for the phantom spirits that go up towards the arrows but her magic is averted. Suddenly!

A cloaked figure rushes in front of her, swings his sword and the attack takes out all the red arrows. Ho ho, is this the King of Gastark? Hoooo *eyes him* Well he is a tall individual eh? And good voice…and THAT is definitely a heroes relic! Kiefer recognizes him and steps away from him as he asks if she’s an idiot for trying to defend an village that Stohl already abandoned. Kiefer angrily asks that what does he know? This is precisely why she hates war. Kingy is seemingly amused to find a soldier who would hate war but Kiefer yells that where can you find someone who would LIKE war in the first place. Kingy scoffs at the notion, musing that she’ll keep yelling while waiting for him to lower his guard right? (Dejavu much?)

Kiefer is surprised at that and remains speechless as he comments that her magic wasn’t from Stohl…coming in between Gastark and Stohl to protect people who aren’t her country men, she’s just an idiot…the kind of idiot he REALLY likes. Errr…are you…by any chance…flirting on a battlefield? I’d find that quite quite amusing actually. She is taken aback by that and watches as Kingy turns to the guy who runs up to him saying that all the preparations are complete. The civilians have been secured and Stohl is prepping for a large scale magic attack so it’s best for him to back down. Kiefer listens to the man calling him “Heika” and she asks if he is by any chance…but he walks away from Kiefer and the guy to stand at the edge of the nearby riverbed.

He looks at the huge pillar of golden light coming up from the other side of the river and says that he also hates war (then why did you start one?), blood, tears – all sad things. *stares oddly at the king* have you…read Ryner’s report? Cause what you said about hating it when friends die and all, it sounds so much like him. Ah there we go, a differentiating factor. He states that as long as there are nations, war is unavoidable. So if it HAS to be that way, he’ll work to keep the casualties to the minimum – he will save everyone on the Menoris continent and end all wars. Okay you and Sion need to sit down and talk. Kiefer looks away as she mutters that he’s fighting a war to end all wars? He’s contradicting himself by saying that. He readily and easily admits that perhaps he is but…he holds up his sword, yelling that he will use this. The sword cuts into his hard as it glows in a green light.

A voice calls out, saying that it will answer the call of the Contractor (Hei?! Yin?!?!) It bids him to offer his sacrifice and thus unleash its power. The King tells the voice to take his..LEFT EYE?! WHAT ARE YOU? CRAZY? He yells that he wants power and the light turns red as the contract is sealed. The glow faded away but not from his sword. He holds the sword ‘Glouvil’ (EASIER NAMES FOR GODS SAKE *weeps*) before yelling ‘Release’ and holy shit that thing went off like a canon! The blast hits the golden light column across the river as the King solemnly states that the sacrifice won’t be in vain and that he will continue forward while wiping everything out.

He swings his sword, a beam of light going out from it that goes head to head with the attack that Stohl sent out and it over powers stohl’s attack. The small group is left staring in awe at the blue light that is coming from the attack before the King lets out a pained yell. His left eye has been…taken, and its bleeding. His aides and soldiers run to him but he says that he’s alright. Rather, he wants them to tell Stohl that unless they want another attack like that they’d best surrender. Kiefer starts to ask about his eye when he explains that that is the cost for using the sacred sword Glouvil. The aid explains that he has already scarified his sense of smell and his right leg.

Kingy stands up and looks at the light of the magic still burning strong as he says that just now, he took a HUGE amount of human lives…and to save even more lives in the future..if his left eye is enough compensation for that, it’s a cheap price over all. Keifer gravely asks him if he doesn’t regret that decision. Kingy walks up to her and says in a light tone that those who kill others and don’t regret it are scum. If she wants to save even more people, she should come with him – Refal Edia. . . . . Edia?  . . . I’m sorry I was expecting a more…manly name…I guess I’ll get used to it. Though I’d rather call him Kingy but…okay Refal.  Kiefer quietly stares at him and then watches him as he walks away with his men. She thinks that someday she’ll join him. (And hook up with him. . . . WHAT?! I just don’t want any girl being with Ryner. She’s gotta be something special to be with him and to me Kiefer ain’t that…yet…though I doubt I’ll change my mind on that one…)

In Roland meanwhile, rumors of the political purging have spread. Miran overhears the other nobles whisper as he makes his way through the Palace. Claugh meanwhile is yelling at Sion, asking just how long Sion plans to keep at a Field Marshal. Miran comes up saying that he is most suitable for the position. As Claugh and Miran bicker, Sion gets out of his seat and looks out his window. Miran points out that there is one ability of his that appeals greatly in the military circles. Ah…his magic right? Claugh angriy glares at Miran as he says that it makes him appealing and because of that the soldiers want to follow him. Before they can start a fist fight, Sion tells them that enough’s enough and that those two REALLY can’t get along.

He asks Claugh to visit Estabul and to merge it with the Roland army. Claugh points out that there are still LOADS of people in the Estabul army who HATE Roland so they won’t appreciate the merge even if it meant to strength Estabul’s forces. They just don’t obey. Sion replies that a new wind has begun to blow because of the extermination and this should be his first priority. Claugh takes a step back, his expression dark as Sion explains that Noa’s been getting a lot of support from Estabul and now that she’s getting along well with him, it should be a job he can handle. Angrily he asks if Sion is telling him to take advantage of Noa. With extremely…cold eyes, Sion asks if he disagrees. Claugh crosses his arms and says that of COURSE he does. Sion tells him that it is for the sake of the nation. The door suddenly is flung open and Noa strides in, asking if this nation that Sion speaks of, does it include Estabul’s people as well?

Sion says that of course it does. He says that he truly does not want to fight them…ever again. He closes his eyes in grief as he explains that he once had a friend called Kiefer. He tells them that after she was revealed to be an Estabul spy, almost all of his friends were killed. Noa asks if he hates Estabul and he says that of course not, even now he considers her a dear friend. It’s just that she was in a helpless situation where she was forced to become a double agent in a bid to save her younger sister. Yet, her smiling face didn’t lie.

Sion muses that she must have called out for help many a times in her heart. Kiefer meanwhile is making her way across the land and…oh crap don’t tell me that city is Regit?! Let it be some random village, let it be some random village….Sion declares that as long as he is king, there won’t be any war between Roland and Estabul. For that sake, he wants Noa’s help. She quietly states that if its within her power, she will aid him. As Claugh escorts Noa back, Miran ponders out loud that while he merges the Estabul army and strengthens Roland’s forces, he’ll make selections from the Estabul workers and let their faces be seen.  . . . err…what? *confused face*

As Miran praises his plan, Sion gives him a worried, dark look as he hopes that it would go that well in reality. Miran bows and says that he will be heading to…LUNA EMPIRE?! OH CRAP. Apparently Duke Stearead has some contract with the Lunan nobility. UWAAA THAT is one uber ugly and DARK ASS glare there Sion! Miran says that he’s just going there to get the facts and Sion tells him to be careful and not to die as that would be troublesome.

At Regit village, Kuku is under house arrest and Ryner mutters that its gonna be a problem rescuing the girl. Some bickering and threatening later, Ryner and Ferris attack the few guards around the house. As they stand beside the closed door, Ferris quietly says that it doesn’t seem like there’s anyone inside. Ryner agrees before one of the guard’s stand up. A sudden blast from the inside (or maybe side of the building?) hits the guy and he…gets trapped in a block of ice OH CRAP Its Sui and Kuu! Ryner rightly mutters that things just got a whole lot more worse.

Sui comments that its odd how they would meet at such a place. Ryner snaps if they were waiting for them. Sui admits that they were as they are VEEERRRRYYY interested in him – holder of the unique AS. One whose power even broken down the Comb and that he managed to go back to his normal self after going berserk. Very peculiar indeed. With a smile and a head tilt, Sui inquites about Arua. Ryner is surprised and even more so when Sui says that they are interested in the AS so that’s why its only natural that they know about the child. Kuu attacks at Sui’s command. She goes after Ryner as he uses the Estabul super speed spell but Kuu can’t land a blow at him. Ferris runs forward and her blade clashes with Kuu’s scythe but she and Ryner get pushed back. Ryner grabs Ferris and they jump/run away.

They turn to see a large group of Luna soldiers running towards, swords unsheated. Ferris tells him to go to Arua while she takes care of the soldiers. Before Ryner can run off, Sui tells him that Kuku is being held in the local noble’s residence. Oh GOD NOT that jackass again *facepalms* And there Sui and Kuu will bewaiting. At the Luna Empire Royal Palace,…OH HELLO, another bishoujo. I love your….what do I call that? Head piece? Its just on her ears…I can never understand the functionality of stuff like that I mean..that just makes stuff hard for you to HEAR so why would you…ah wait never mind, im derailing…

Seems like the King, her father, has taken ill and left in order to hasten his recuperation. Miran asks where he went, Cassla or Nelfa? The princess apologizes that she is not aware. While Miran apologizes and says that often women have no say in politics, one of the guard is sneakily looking at one corner of the room…is there a sneak attack gonna happen? Miran lays some flattery on the princess and that night, Miran determines that Luna’s king has joined up with Gastark. He’s using his shadow demons to threaten the guard from before and he is staring down at those ‘demons’ as Miran continues that the one behind the assassination plot was the king of Luna himself. Miran kills the guy and says that Gastarks couriers (Kuu and Sui) slaughtered all of Luna’s soldiers at once…they are a threat that he cannot leave along and will get rid off by himself.

Oh I like this new outfit of Ferris. And I’m just saying that cause its pink and I like pink clothes! And the new ED has a nice bittersweet feel to it no? Kinda reminds me of ‘Lamento’ by Itou Kanako (I mean the original Latin version and not the Japanese version)

Score: B+/A+

Opinions:

And now we’re halfway through the show! And things are slowly building up a boil! Now we have to keep an eye on three different big ‘levels’. I hope that the pacing doesn’t get screwed up while they try to give every ‘level’ equal amounts of focus.

Oh God this is just getting messy! Sion and Refal both want peace and to end wars yet the ways they are going about it is just…gyargh. Refal’s bringing the war to Roland and it looks like it’s gonna be Roland and Estabul vs every other damn country on the continent plus some damn powerful heroes relics! The scales are NOT evenly balanced! I wonder if Refal and Sion are gonna manage to meet and talk..there will be quite the clash of ideas when it comes down to implementation of their dreams >>

Refal! He’s shown as a semi-easy going and semi-flirty, good looking, manly, fighting type. OH COME ON *whines* I kinda wanted to hate his guts and now I kinda wanna jump him…kinda sorta…maybe… I dunno…*shifty eyes* I wanna hate on you but I find myself unable to. But lets see how that progresses further on XD And your seiyuu…its ringing a bell…a BIG bell in my head…Is it Katsuyuki Konishi? It kinda reminds me of Kiriwar from Togainu no Chi…I think I’m wrong though…

Hmmmm Refal and Sion…though I think that they come off as being rather similar in thought but its in the actions that they truly come to differentiate themselves. Which made me wonder that…had it been Sion who had the Glouvil…would he have done the same? Would he have started a war against the entire continent in a bid to end all wars even if it meant him dying a little every single time he swung that sword? A big part of me says that Sion would never do that but then a small nagging voice in my head whispers “How do you know that he wouldn’t?” Graaaah, irritating nagging voice go away!!!

Kiefer, well well aint it nice to see you again. Though please remain to be a strong kick ass woman instead of one who will go all mushy and shit when she sees Ryner. Please I beg of you, the only romance I want in this series is between Noa and Claugh and after that, I don’t want any more! Except maybe you and Refal cause that could be interesting. That is…if he survives all the fighting *sweats* Quite the sword that man has…talk about your lethal weapons amirite? (- –   );;;;

Miran is now gonna be hunting down Kuu and Sui? Ho ho won’t this be interesting! And I bet that pink haired guy from before is gonna come back again so we’ll have THAT rematch and then it’ll be a three way tag team match between Roland and Gastark! Or wait…*headsmack* Miran doesn’t know that Ryner and Ferris are under Sion’s orders either so that would make that a three way match between three parties. Well I doubt that it’ll happen but its an amusing thought to muse on 😀

Are we gonna see more of the Luna Empire princess? She seems real pretty! But doesn’t look she’s got the same steel in her that Noa does *hugs her* Though I feel back for Claugh – always being judged on his powers that he clearly hates. *pats his shoulder*