Chaika the Coffin Princess
Your Majesty.
I have brought the assistant director of the Institute of Magic, Viktor Izhmash.
Izhmash.
Y-Yes?
I order you to produce the tools necessary to achieve my goal.
We already have the technology and the plans.
All that remains is to carry it out.
Yes.
However, it must be carried out in strictest secrecy.
I have arranged a research center and funding outside the country.
Begin immediately.
Understood.
There is one more thing you must know.
"Chaika"?
All will be set in motion for my sake.
It may appear counterintuitive to that end,
but that in itself is my intention.
I will die soon.
Five years ago, the eight heroes assembled by
the Alliance of the Six Nations
eliminated Emperor Gaz.
This brought an end to the war that had raged for 300 years,
but even now, five years after the war's end,
the deceased Emperor Gaz, deemed the "taboo emperor,"
maintains vast influence upon this continent.
You say he was involved in the floating fortress incident, as well?
Yes.
It is safe to say that the emperor's remains and
his daughter, Chaika, initiated the event.
Isan, hizan, yadwavi, ama...
Come, that which overwhelms!
The Overwarming!
The Princess Who Gathers the Remains
Elum... Naikt inte... Naint...
As you know, the floating fortress incident that occurred one month ago
not only resulted in many deaths, including that of the general,
but once again placed us in a war outbreak scenario.
Blow, powerful gust!
The Heavy Wind!
Chief Konrad of the Kliemann Organization in charge of postwar restoration,
give your report of the details.
Yes, sir.
Ricardo Gavarni, the son of Duke Gavarni,
most likely used Emperor Gaz's remains to power the floating fortress.
According to reports from our investigating team,
the remains were obtained from a girl believed to be Chaika.
Girls calling themselves Chaika
began appearing throughout the continent
three years after the war ended.
Regardless of whether their claims are true,
they all work toward the same goal of gathering
the emperor's remains from the eight heroes.
Are you really the daughter of Emperor Gaz?
I am real! Real daughter!
Your father was the most powerful wizard of all.
Elum... Naikt inte... Naint...
Bertolt... Infant...
Come, swirling vortex!
The Tornado!
Shock... Incantation time, short...
Chaika?!
Elum... Kolt...
Come, that which bursts and scatters!
The Buster!
Natow!
They're former soldiers.
What are they doing out here in the sticks?
They're pretty good at handling weapons.
Yeah.
I am steel.
Steel knows no fear. Steel knows no doubt.
When faced with my enemy, I hesitate not.
I am a weapon to destroy these.
Iron-Blood Transformation!
What?!
That form...
I've seen it on the battlefield!
You're saboteurs of the Acura clan?!
What of it?
Why are you conspiring with Emperor Gaz's daughter to gather his remains?!
We're not conspiring. It's our objective.
Her objective is my objective.
Have you guys lost your edge?
Looks like the battle is finished over there.
Sadly, I don't think you'll be able to take the remains from me.
Blow away! The Blow!
What are you afraid of?
I told you at the start that I would fight you,
but not to the death.
Total defeat.
Despite appearances, I was once called a hero.
I have far more experience than you.
Yes...
And did you two win your fight? Impressive!
You took us far too lightly.
One win, one loss. I guess it's a draw today.
Shall we try again tomorrow?
Rematch, gladly!
Toru! Akari! Try, recommended!
Huh? You're...
I apologize for before.
Mm, s'good.
We can't do business with this.
No good.
Please check the flavor of this wine.
She owns a vineyard and even a winery...
Definitely someone I would call a success in life.
The grapes are delicious.
So both her life and her grapes are top notch...
Brother, are you jealous?
Not really.
I am.
Looking at you makes me think about various things,
and I've come to the conclusion
that nothing beats having money and a good home.
Well, sorry.
Just look at how lively she is.
Yeah... Is she really a hero?
Unknown person, not lie.
But maybe not all people who have remains are heroes...
Lady Claudia is indeed one of the eight heroes,
but that is now a thing of the past.
Now, she is busy every day with managing this winery.
When soldiers were left without purpose after the war,
she offered work to people everywhere who had lost their jobs.
She is a truly benevolent woman.
So even if you show up and challenge her to a fight for the remains...
Besides, that is like a badge of honor to Lady Claudia.
Nuisance?
It is a nuisance, yes.
That's not a badge of honor,
and you're not a nuisance.
In fact, I was the one who proposed we fight.
This has a good acidic quality.
Well done.
You can harvest the south vineyard now.
The north isn't ready yet. It'll need a few more days.
Yes, ma'am.
As you can see, I'm quite busy.
So I think tomorrow's fight should have a time limit.
If the three of you can score even one victory against me
in the time period between breakfast and tea,
you win.
How's that?
Understood!
Still, I had heard that girls
calling themselves Chaika were gathering Emperor Gaz's remains,
but I didn't expect one to come to me.
The remains possess immense magic fuel.
You know that, right?
Some say the Chaikas intend
to avenge their father by attacking the
Alliance of the Six Nations with a weapon made using the remains.
And you have them in there?
Yes. Already found several.
What do you intend to do with them?
Father, funeral.
I see. If you're his daughter,
I can understand why you'd want to do that.
What was Father like in end?
I don't know what his last moments were like.
I was tending to my injured companions.
You didn't see him?
I did, but it was the captain of our punitive force who finished him.
He was supposed to have beheaded the emperor's daughter then, too...
Then, perhaps the girl he killed was a fake?
Real one, me...
Oh, yes. I'll give you some good advice.
Your magic focuses on attacks, but neglects defense.
You need to defend yourself better.
Right...
And your incantations are too long.
If you can choose only the necessary words,
a short incantation is enough to invoke magic.
Appreciate advice.
Need more work.
It's hard for me to react to such open gratitude...
Oh, would you like some wine?
We'll pass. We have tomorrow to think about.
Oh, that's too bad. It's delicious.
Delicious?
One glass, please!
Don't you dare!
So we have until tomorrow afternoon...
That's less time than it seems like.
She told us to take her three-on-one, like we were a joke...
Akari, we need to have a solid plan in place, or we'll be in trouble.
What are you doing?
Claudia is a hero, and a powerful wizard.
All the vineyard workers, including her butler and secretary,
are strong ex-soldiers.
Yeah.
Which means we must spend this night in the palm of our enemy's hand.
You must be terribly worried.
But there's no need for concern.
I will rest close to your side tonight.
Oh... Sorry.
What's wrong?
Incantation shortening, problem.
That's true... Her incantations were really short.
Is that a skill born of experience?
Yes.
As always, you and I will have to buy time, Brother.
Not enough.
Claudia, immediately interrupt.
And if she cuts off our movements, it's over, huh?
So we'll need to set a trap.
This is taking too long.
What is?
If you'd just make a contract with me
and become a dragoon cavalier, you'd win easily!
That again?
Ask our employer.
Well?
Appreciate sentiment...
But Claudia's terms, three-on-one fight.
If you win, what's the problem?
You want the remains, don't you?
I keep promise.
You're so serious.
And Toru is fixated on staying a saboteur...
I don't know about you guys.
I'm not fixated!
Well, whatever! If you ever want to try it, let me know!
Fredrica, if you were with Claudia when the Gaz Empire was subjugated,
don't you know her weaknesses?
Nope.
We were on the same side, so I didn't fight her.
I guess...
Okay.
Until tomorrow's rematch, let's practice your magic as much as time allows.
Right!
So, what do those incantations mean, anyway?
All things in world have meaning.
Temperature, humidity, wind, terrain,
and all other things affect magic.
Many conditions required to invoke magic.
Precise incantation necessary.
In magic fuel, memories of living things even after death.
Through precise incantation,
wizard's strong feelings can extract memories from magic fuel.
Magic is art of making phenomena appear by
consuming living things' memories and thoughts.
What do they mean when
they say Emperor Gaz's remains are the most powerful magic fuel?
Stronger memories and thoughts, higher quality magic fuel.
Father's feelings while alive, probably very strong.
First, try shortening incantations!
Incantations, many similar words.
Try revising combinations.
That sounds really tough.
Yes.
What's the most important incantation?
Wait.
Looking up.
Are we gonna get this done in time?
Lai braga... Iatavi... Kamal al...
Ifun... Elstel... Rankali... Bunkali...
Roh... Task... Am... Il...
Glokka! Tamult!
Naints... Ahman... Isaka...
Flakinekt... Trinelil...
We've got a long road ahead...
I've read your report.
Regarding Captain Gillette... What actually happened?
The captain...
During the floating fortress incident,
he was trying to save Zita and Vivi, who were still inside Soara...
Wh-What do you think you're doing?
I will have you delay your attack by any means necessary!
But then the battle began...
Gillette-sama!
Run, Leonardo!
The captain was caught in the blast.
And when Vivi found out about it...
You're lying...
Vivi?!
She took on an appearance resembling
Chaika right before your eyes?
It's ironic.
Someone pursuing Chaika turned into something so like Chaika...
Why her?
I looked into her background to see if
she had any relation to Emperor Gaz, but...
She said she was an orphan raised as an assassin,
and taken in by a noble family as a guard.
Yes. Beyond that, her origins are unclear.
In any case, considering what happened with the floating fortresses,
we can assume the existence of Chaika and the
emperor's remains will bring great danger to the continent.
On that note...
I would like you all to carry on with Nikolai as the new captain,
and continue the investigation of Chaika.
Understood.
But please, let us continue to use the name of the Gillette Squad.
Very well.
Who are you?
Guy... is what I call myself.
It appears you only
half-transformed into Chaika since the others stopped you.
But there is proof that you are Chaika.
Stop it! I am not the daughter of the taboo emperor!
You don't want to admit it...
But it is true.
Half is enough,
provided you fulfill your role as Chaika.
Role?
To gather the remains of the emperor.
You know that.
What does that mean?
You'll find out once you gather them.
Just what are you?
An informant.
Vivi!
Vivi, what's wrong?
I'm...
not Chaika...
Chaika.
Incantation shortening, not successful.
Very worried.
Don't think I can win.
Don't worry.
We'll get the remains, no matter what.
Brother is right.
Even if we lose the fight, we know where she keeps the remains.
If we have to, we'll just steal it.
Appreciate sentiment.
But I fight as wizard.
Ready to go?
Yes.
It looked like you were practicing magic late into the night.
Did you have any luck?
Not successful.
I see. That's a shame.
But I fight, full strength!
And trust Toru and Akari in battle!
We'll be taking the remains, no matter what we have to do.
Truly the words of a saboteur.
Toru and Akari, saboteurs.
Also, both precious to me!
Oh?
How nice to have such reliable partners.
Are you ready?
All ready!
Then, shall we begin?
Furom, iestrov...
Elmuto... Eril!
Natow!
Come, The Shtola!
What?
Come, tense atmosphere!
The Strays!
Jentol, winsica!
Claudia's advice, very beneficial.
I spare no effort!
This manor, full of grapes!
Cakes, cookies, tarts... Want to stay forever!
A Wizard's Pride
Next time: "A Wizard's Pride."