You're not going to attempt a rescue mission?
You must be joking or something...
We're talking about nobles being assaulted now.
Around two hours ago,
at a train station near the border, we arrested a man trying to bring the documents to foreign media outlets.
We found out about tonight's assault from him.
It was too late.
Just too late.
I'm guessing that at least ten people are dead at the scene already.
I see...
"We weren't able to prevent casualties even after gaining this intelligence."
This kind of "stain" has no place in the glorious Section I.
That's your logic, right?
The blockade around the ballroom hall area you established...
...is just for "coincidentally" arresting the suspicious civilian mob that's headed for the ballroom hall, eh?
And that's when we officially knew about the tragedy and asserted...
...that if we had more power and authority, we could have prevented this tragedy.
But...
...there might be a small chance there are no casualties, yet.
The night's still young, too.
See 'ya later.
For a situation as serious as this to not result in any casualties yet...
...rather than calling it an act of God...
...it should be called a trick by the Devil...
Du... el...?
Do not tell me you are not going to accept, Marquis.
2nd Lieutenant...
This is good!
A duel!
A duel, you say?
What are your conditions?
Arm wrestling?
Or possibly a game of tag?
A duel with swords.
Don't tell me... she...
Gosh, I knew it!
Yo, big guy over there.
A wall, please.
This was the only thing she wouldn't give in to.
It is the Emperor's Seal, after all.
One is supposed to have it by their side at all times.
She's wonderful.
The 2nd Lieutenant's always so...
so...
Sisters.
I may not be able to protect your lives.
Sorry for having you wait, Marquis.
Very well.
Then...
These two men are my swords.
Come on, what's the matter?
Two against one?
H...uh?
2nd Lieutenant?
Quit joking!
What I desired,
Marquis Paul,
was three against one, including you!
En garde!
Tell me!
If something like this had happened to her, what would the 2nd Lieutenant have done?
What would she-
What would she have-
2nd Lieutenant this, 2nd Lieutenant that...
You plan on being like that for the rest of your life?!
The LT's not always the absolute answer, either.
But I just don't know!
What should I have done...
How should I have...
If you're going to associate yourself with Section III,
then shouldn't you figure out that answer by yourself?
No!
Corporal...
No, Lieutenant!
What do you mean, no?
You stay out of this.
I'm not going to let you fight anymore.
2nd Lieutenant?!
What are you say-
Back off, Corporal!
A flail... eh?
How pointless.
Let's go three versus two.
So I was right.
I was wondering about you two.
Round glasses made of brass...
You two...
...are Royal Guards from Loderia.
Loderia, as in... that?
Ahh...
The history of the agricultural country of Loderia...
...is a history filled with civil farmer riots.
I heard that by using their knowledge in quelling the riots,
they have created a guild of professional mercenaries hired solely to protect VIPs.
For being professionals at quelling farmer riots,
they really don't care about the actual situation right now, eh?
Come on, come on, come on, what's the matter?
This is not good.
We might not be able to do anything this time.
If... If I get hit by this...
Don't stop, Corporal!
You have a voice that fits very well for a commander.
If not for you, that soldier's head would be split wide open now.
Are you not going to go after him?
That won't be necessary.
Right now,
I have not drawn my sword as a soldier or as his superior.
I am from the Thirteen Appointed Families,
the third princess of the Malvin family,
Alice L. Malvin.
A noble's sword exists to protect the people...
...and to fight against foreign enemies.
I see.
As expected from a woman from the household of our former king of Loderia...
...who received the nickname, "Noble Flamme".
A matchete...
Is that fluid some sort of poison?
It doesn't look like it...
Unfortunately, the nickname was only bestowed upon my grandfather.
For this third princess...
...is a bit barbaric to be called noble!
He's a professional.
Pros wouldn't take part in unreasonable fights.
I just need to point the gun towards him.
If he's a pro...
...then he'd surrender...
I would like to confirm something first.
Since this is a duel, even if you're a noble of the Thirteen Families, I can kill you, right?
Of course.
Anything else?
And what are you betting on this duel?
A noble's...
All nobles'...
...pride.
Quit screwing around!
Pride?
Pride, you say?
Nobles don't have no shitty pride.
Like hell you have any!
You think this little game where you bet something that doesn't exist...
...will satisfy our feelings?!
Yeah!
You ain't foolin' us!
We're gonna butcher y'all!
Yo.
You call that hiding?!
I must've ripped your stomach apart.
Drop your weapon.
With that sobbing face and blood you spit all over the place,
you're telling me to drop my weapon?
I'm not bluffing.
Drop your weapon.
If you don't-
What do you think?
It's scary, isn't it?
You are my prey, after all.
Compared to this,
you and your gun are just huge, not scary at all.
Having done all this,
we're going to get the death penalty anyway!
Yeah!
So the more we kill, the more we get out of this!
Right?
Yeah!
Let's do it!
Butcher 'em!
Can I have a moment?
Begging for your lives now won't-
You're-
You're a... noble, too?
The fact that documents like these exist...
...makes the Marquis' wrongdoings clear and evident.
Then, if the princess were to win the duel,
the Marquis will be subpoenaed to appear in court and admit his guilt.
And... all of you will be considered prosecutors of justice...
...and will be released without any charges.
Without any charges?
He's lying, isn't he?
And if we win?
Whatever the Marquis wishes to do.
He may deny his wrongdoing and keep it a secret,
or he may plan about how to escape this place.
Well, but then,
a massacre of us all will simply continue as scheduled.
What say you?
Wh-Why not?
Yeah, no matter who wins, we don't lose.
So if the third princess wins...
Yeah... there will be no massacre...
We'll be saved, right?
We'll be saved!
Is it really okay...
...to trust that man like this?
Hey, what'll we do?
We'll let you do your duel, that's all.
We won't back away from anything else.
Well, my Princess,
fight as much as you please-
Do not come near me!
We're in the middle of a duel with the pride of nobles on the line!
She...
He's good...
Leonir Taylor...
With his tongue, this whole assault might not have even taken place.
Indeed.
Most of the nobles here are second or third-grade families.
In fact, most of them are second-born sons and daughters.
People like them don't care about their honor,
will scrape at any chance to protect their lives,
and do all they can to make the commoners heroes and Paul the villain.
But...
That guy doesn't get it at all.
The reason why these people raised forks and hoes and charged into this place...
He doesn't understand the real reason.
Reasons of justice or awards won't make these commoners lay down their weapons.
It's not that they can't tolerate evil.
It's not that they can't tolerate poverty.
They could have survived if they did wrong, too.
They could have survived if nobles were poor, too.
What they can't tolerate... is this entire world of unfairness.
Something like that can't be solved by a duel!
No...
This won't stop it...
This mustn't stop us!
Hey, big guy.
Did you know?
No matter how much you point a gun at normal people,
they just don't really get scared.
Well, there's no helping that.
It's hard to imagine the pain of getting shot by a gun.
Other than soldiers or criminal suspects,
there's really not that many people that have been shot.
So civilian mobs are ill-natured.
A gun and a knife.
They probably are more scared of a knife touching their skin than a gun, right?
In mob fights,
you keep the opposition in check by making them know what kind of pain will come to them.
Cutting...
Hitting...
Smashing...
The more primitive the pain, the more effective!
In painful forms...
With painful sounds...
Butcher a few of them into mincemeat...
...and the pussy ones can't do anything anymore!
Never stop the engine, okay?
These guys could go on a rampage any moment now.
I would like to add another condition for our victory.
If I win, I get that car as a means of escape; is that okay?
Very well.
Do what you want.
Then, we accept...
...this duel!!
Mer-kun, having accepted the feelings of both the nobles and the commoners, Alice's duel continues.
And Mr. Fiancé is just standing there and watching?
Next time, "The Solitary Balance."
Come get us if you dare!