Uh, you dropped this...
Kisaki Mio-san!
On the honor of myself as a knight, and in the name of Bertille Althusser,
I challenge you to a duel!
We're both knights here.
I suggest we settle this with a joust.
What?!
I look forward to the day we see each other again.
Farewell, Kisaki Mio-san.
Bertille-sama, you're exposing yourself.
Only extraordinary nobility could laugh so loudly while dressed like that!
Mio!
Takahiro-kun!
I can't joust...
I can't duel someone!
Sakura's Trial
What should I do?
Bertille, huh?
She's not a bad person,
but sometimes she gets the wrong idea and won't back down.
The duel can't be canceled?
I asked the student council, but...
She can't withdraw?
The documents we received from Bertille Althusser are in perfect order.
But I can't duel--
It is not a duel.
It will be a practice match approved by the student council.
I-I see...
And Mizuno-kun,
I'm sure you understand.
Canceling a battle after it is scheduled would do harm to a knight's honor.
They just shut me down.
Mio isn't even studying the Knight Curriculum.
If you mentioned that...
No, I'm sure you've already gone over that with them.
Oh, I know!
Takahiro-kun, how about asking Celia, the student council president?
You know her, right?!
Celia-senpai?!
Celia-senpai...
Pai... Pai... Pai...
Akane-chan?!
I don't think she'll be coming back to Earth any time soon.
I don't think talking to her will make any difference.
Also, Reina-senpai is correct.
We can't do anything that would damage a knight's honor.
But I can't duel!
If there was a way to avoid a duel...
If there was?
It would be to leave Winford Academy.
That would be the only way.
What?!
No...
I don't want to leave the school.
Then you only have one choice:
you have to joust.
There's no other way.
But I've never even ridden a horse before.
Takahiro, take responsibility for her.
Responsibility?
It was you fault for not being there when Mio-chan brought you lunch, Takahiro.
She has a point.
Does she?
I do.
Listen, Takahiro.
Become Mio-chan's begleiter.
Takahiro-kun...
I was already planning on it.
Takahiro-kun!
But only for this duel.
Understand, Mio?
We're starting practice tomorrow.
Sure! I'll do my best!
It's so big...
Is this your first time touching one?
Of course it is.
Try taking hold of it.
It's so hard and thick.
You thrust with this?
Yes.
And it breaks sometimes?
That all depends on you.
But it's so long...
It's kind of scary.
Here I go!
So this is a jousting lance?
First, you need to get used to handling it.
It's so heavy!
You don't need power to use a lance.
You need balance.
R-Right.
Grip the shaft tightly,
then tense your arms and move it close to your body.
With your hand touching your hips,
hold the lance in a fixed position, with the tip slightly pointing upwards.
Don't ever let the tip touch the ground.
It's so heavy!
It's so thick!
I can't do this!
It's pulling me!
Mio, where are you going?!
Ask the lance!
Ayako-sensei, good morning!
Good morning.
Someone stop me!
Mio-chan?
Everyone get out of the way!
No!
I'm sorry!
No!
What's going on here?!
We have a girl with a lance
charging through the crowd of students heading into school!
Shinonome, your announcer, is here to give you all the juicy details.
She's coming this way.
Oh, no! The lance has torn off my skirt!
I can't take this anymore!
What are you doing?
Akane-chan...
What were you two thinking?!
I'm sorry.
It was my fault.
It was Mio's first time, and I forced her to...
It was her first time, and you forced her?!
That's correct...
She didn't want to, but...
She didn't want to?!
Is that true, Kisaki-san?!
N-No...
It was so hard and thick,
but Takahiro-kun told me to take hold of it.
And then he told me to tense up,
'cause we were going to use that long thing to thrust...
You two...!
You weren't practicing jousting?
Huh?
I'm sorry, Takahiro-kun.
Don't worry about it.
Hey, Takahiro.
James-san!
You were quite an amusing sight this morning.
Yeah...
Takahiro, I never thought you'd become Mio-jouchan's begleiter.
It's only a temporary arrangement.
Well, whatever.
Anyway, have you heard the rumor about the new transfer student?
Transfer student?
They're supposed to be amazing.
Amazing?
It's a girl,
and she's rumored to have the potential to take out
all of the top contenders and win the next tournament.
Really...
Are you interested?
It couldn't be...
A transfer student taking it all, huh?
A cat?
Are you lost?
Wait, there's horses over there!
It's dangerous!
I'm sorry.
This was not my intent.
Lisa, I got some lunch!
Let go.
Huh?
There were some really spicy tacos too!
H-Hey! What are you doing?
Perv!
It's too bad there's perverts like that at our school.
Did he do anything weird, Sasami?
She said she's fine, Fiona.
Hey, don't point that animal at me.
She's so cute, though.
Cute?!
Moving on to a completely different subject...
Right in front of me, I see a spaceship...
My luck must be terrible today.
Oh, Takahiro-kun!
Take a look!
Mio...
Ta-da!
After running around all this morning,
I think I've kinda figured out the trick to using this lance!
You really can move this thing around without putting much power into it.
Ow...
Hey, Sakura.
You think Mio'll be okay?
She might actually have some potential
if she was able to figure out how to use a lance in a single day.
But jousting is going to be...
Huh?
Student Council President.
Just call me Celia.
This is a nice horse.
Um, Celia-senpai...
Reina spoke with me.
Sounds like you put on quite the show this morning.
No, that wasn't...
Have you thought about becoming my begleiter?
About that...
What was her name?
Kisaki Mio?
Are you busy thinking about her duel?
I hear you have a dish called okonomiyaki in your home country.
I've heard that you fry it, but take your time in doing so.
I imagine this is representative of the spirit of your people.
You've chosen your path.
If you've become Kisaki Mio's begleiter, see it through to the end.
I'll wait to hear your answer once her duel is concluded.
I'll wait until that okonomiyaki of yours is thoroughly cooked.
I-I'm sorry.
Huh?
Sakura!
I'm sorry!
No, I'm fine.
Oh, here's a towel.
What's wrong?
N-Nothing.
Here you are.
Celia, how long are you going to be?
If you take too much time out here, we're not going to make it to the meeting—
Mizuno-kun, I can't believe you!
I got it!
Look! I did it, Takahiro-kun!
Mio, let's go over the basic rules for jousting again.
Right!
What is jousting?
It is a game where you ride a horse, and attempt to hit your opponent with a lance.
That is correct.
But hitting different locations will have different results.
Arms are one point.
The abdomen is two points.
Hitting the head is considered dangerous, and therefore against the rules.
I see...
What about the chest?
Chest?
It's treated the same as the abdomen.
Two points.
I see!
And if you get three points, that's one round,
and you play for three rounds!
That's right.
You give up a round if you drop your lance or fall off your horse.
And a feather's fly attack can completely change any match.
If you knock off the feather on an opponent's helm,
regardless of how many points or rounds your opponent has on you,
you win immediately,
Jousting sounds surprisingly fun.
Watch out!
Mio?!
That surprised me.
Great!
You did well by not moving your head away.
You've got guts.
You're... Noel!
There was a carrot on the tip, so I wasn't too worried about it hitting me.
A carrot?
Of course.
I wouldn't point a real lance at a beginner.
Even a carrot would be dangerous if it hit her.
Do you really think I'd make a mistake like that?
You saw my skill, didn't you?
I think it'd be a better use of your time
if you became my begleiter instead.
What?!
Wait, Noel...
I'm...
I know.
You wouldn't think of it until this duel is over.
Right?
That's why I'll help you train.
Huh?
If you know just how good I am,
then after the duel ends, there's no question you'll want to become my begleiter.
You're very confident in yourself.
U-Um...
I'm Noel Marres Ascot.
Nice to meet you, Mio.
N-Nice to...
Hi.
Be gentle with me...
Bear with me.
You'll get used to it soon.
O-O-Ow...
You need to be flexible.
Doing stretches will help make sure you don't get hurt.
Come on, hurry up.
I can't take much more...
Y-You okay?
You can't go easy on her.
There's not much time until the duel.
She needs Spartan training.
Now, pick up your pace.
You're so heavy.
How rude!
Be careful!
Are you two okay?
W-We're fine...
You've got a beautiful body.
Y-You think so?
It's pale and smooth.
No scars or marks.
I, uh...
Very, very beautiful.
You wouldn't expect someone with a body like that to be jousting.
Huh?
I'll let you have Takahiro for a little while.
I will be the one to win the summer tournament.
Noel-chan...
James-san.
Use this.
It's a present from me to Mio-jouchan.
Hold the lance tight,
and keep an eye on the movements of your opponent.
Relax.
It'll be fine.
It's my first time, so don't make it hurt...
You're being too rough, Takahiro-kun.
It's very tight...
Stop, it won't fit.
Could you help me out?
You sure?
Let's see...
But... it's only my first time, I can't have both of you...!
It went on?
Looks like we managed to get it on.
Ta-da!
Fair feathers make the horse, I guess.
You look like a knight.
James-san, I don't have any feathers.
What are you talking about?
You have no clue, do you?
Huh?
That set of armor's old, but you should get good use out of it.
Polish it up and have a good fight.
Right!
Do I have feathers?
Takahiro.
R-Right.
Mio.
Huh?
Sakura?!
She's mischievous, but a good horse.
It looks like she likes you, anyway, Mio-jouchan.
Sakura, let's do this.
James-san, thank you!
Also, this is from me.
Takahiro-kun's helmet.
You can't joust without a helmet.
Are you sure?
Thank you!
Sure.
Tadah!
How does it look?
It looks great.
All right, we're going to train hard today.
Please go easy on me.
No. I wouldn't hold back against my parents,
siblings, or even my girlfriend.
Even your girlfriend?!
What's wrong?
N-Nothing!
Anyway, let's practice hard today!
No one knows what will happen tomorrow.
Life is one thing after another that you didn't expect.
But Mio's fate was already moving quickly, even back then.
Jousting for Dummies!
I'll be talking about begleiters today.
Topic Begleiters
Begleiters are like a second in boxing.
They give advice in the middle of a match,
and think of tactics.
Begleiters are said to be
what either brings out or suppresses the full potential of a knight.
They form one unit.
S-So they're like lovers!
Just kidding.
Let's do this duel thing!
The fateful day approaches, with a feeling that much is left undone.
And then Mio makes a decision...
Next time, The Morning of the Duel.
Next Time: The Morning of the Duel
Please watch.