We're changing the specs?!
Why did the sales department agree to that without asking us first?
I've got over 100 hours of overtime this month!
We have to do it, don't we?
The company agreed.
Don't worry. We can do it.
What?
But Kurata, you...
My real job is as a programmer.
We don't have nearly enough time to do the job right,
but I have to make this a success.
Plamodel Corner
Battleships | Tanks |Trains
Mephisto
Th-This is... a neutral grade Mephisto Mark II!
I didn't realize it was out yet!
And this is a High Divine, too!
In a place like this!
I didn't think we'd be able to pull it off.
Mr. Kurata's amazing, isn't he?
He's a huge otaku, though.
He's got a two-room apartment,
and they say one whole room's filled with plastic models.
He's into models?
Yeah. The ones from robot anime.
I don't care if he's an otaku.
I'll follow Mr. Kurata anywhere.
He's such an efficient programmer!
Well, he is a genius.
Family
K Soft Inc.
The models I bought today,
the ones I've got stockpiled at my house,
and the ones that are coming out after this...
I don't get to make any of them?
How infuriating!
Chapter 1:
How was His Highness, Father?
He's as well as ever.
Fremmevilla maintains its prosperity even when exposed to the threat of demon beasts
only because of the might of King Ambrosius.
On this trip, our Laihiala Academy of Knight Runners
was given a splendid speech and a large sum of money.
It's his way of telling us to raise more Knight Runners.
Your husband will be quite busy.
There's no need to worry about Mathias.
I'm concerned about Ernesti's growth as well.
It's true that Ernie is smaller than the other boys.
But I'm sure he'll accomplish something great.
You stay back!
Ernie!
Huh?
Is that...
...a robot?
Father!
We'll handle this!
Is that your husband?!
Father! Selestina!
You saved our lives, Mathias!
I heard a report of an attack by demon beasts on the road,
and went to scout it out!
Ernie!
Are you okay?
A robot?
Do you mean the Silhouette Knight?
Silhouette Knight?
That's right.
A knight that's powered by magic.
If you like it, Ernie,
would you like to be a Knight Runner when you grow up?
A Knight Runner?
If I become a Knight Runner,
can I pilot a Silhouette Knight?
After you grow up, if you learn magic and swordsmanship.
So I was reborn into this world
to meet these Silhouette Knights?
I'll become a Knight Runner!
It is the Occidental Year 1268.
The Kingdom of Fremmevilla,
ruled by man and demon beast.
Academy City Laihiala, near the capital of Kankkunen,
is where this story begins.
The slow, repetitive training and study that most children would despise
was no problem at all for young Ernesti.
Instead, he immersed himself in it.
For him, everything he learned was something
that would bring him one step closer to Silhouette Knights.
I'll add emission and enhancement spells
to the basic wind spell structure, and execute...
I see! So this is like a program!
And so three years passed in the blink of an eye.
Hurry, Kid! They'll find us!
Don't be in such a hurry!
He'll be here in the morning!
I don't want to see him!
Mom wants us to meet him, though.
I don't want him to be my dad!
Who cares if he's a noble?
That's not a lie, though.
Then you stay here.
No, I'll follow you, Addy.
Why do you have to say it like that?
Addy!
A girl?
Um... I'm Ernesti.
You're a boy?
I'm doing my morning training.
Be careful. The roofs are slippery.
Bye.
Wait, are you training up here?
Isn't that suspicious?
And it's suspicious how cute you are!
This was Ernesti's first meeting with Archid and Adeltrud, his future lifelong friends.
That was magic, right?
Teach us, too!
It's not easy to learn.
You need to start by training your magical power, or mana.
I'll do it!
If you're sure, I don't mind teaching you, but...
Yay!
You're cute, but I feel like I can count on you!
Mistress, the siblings are up on the roof!
Uh oh.
See you tomorrow!
Right here, just before dawn!
Okay!
Ernesti's hometown, Laihiala, existed for a single purpose.
It was to train the Knight Runners who piloted the Silhouette Knights.
Of course, Ernesti wanted to be a Knight Runner,
so he went to the Academy of Knight Runners as well.
What I just passed out was a guide to the classes you'll be taking.
First, open to the listing for the elementary school.
Fundamentals of Silhouette Knight Design?
What an amazing class!
Echevalier, that's the listing for the middle school.
You'll be studying Magical Fundamentals, then.
But sir, I want to be a Knight Runner as soon as possible!
There're two fundamental things you're lacking:
a knowledge of the basics
and height.
Well, don't let it get you down, Ernie.
The seats are adult-sized.
I didn't realize that!
I want to get big fast!
No! You need to stay just the way you are!
The way I am...
That's right!
If I can't change myself,
I'll change other things.
What do you mean?
What did you say?
I'll just have to make one!
A Silhouette Knight?
Are you serious?
My very own unit!
When it comes to mechs, customizing them is the best!
If I'm going to customize the entire thing,
that'll make knowledge of the design principles even more important.
I guess I need to get out of that Magical Fundamentals class.
Haha! Come and get us!
You're so slow!
Wait, you jerks!
Give it back!
Who do you think you are, carrying around a brand-new hammer?
That's right!
Ya dumb dwarf!
What's wrong?
They always mess with me just because I'm slow.
That hammer is the first thing I ever bought with my own money.
I'll get it back.
Wait!
What are you studying here?
Do you think we dwarves are going to be Knight Runners or something?
My family's been Knightsmiths for generations.
I'm sorry!
I have a great deal of respect for anyone involved with Silhouette Knights.
Please let me help you.
Come and get it, Batson, you slowpoke!
Those guys...
Let's go, you two.
Okay!
Aerothrust Batson, fire!
Who are you?
What kind of high spell was that you mastered?
So he taught you both magic?
Yeah.
Impressive, huh?
Aren't rods hard to use?
Huh?
Normally when we use magic,
we need a catalyst attached to a device.
That lets us transform energy into magical phenomena.
The most common form the device takes is this rod.
You've used that a lot.
Just for daily life stuff.
Just daily life...?
But knights should run into times when they need more precise control of magic.
Can we change the shape of the rod itself?
For example...
Like this.
What's that?
That's a weird rod.
I call it the Gunlike Rod.
It's combines the power of a sword to cut enemies with a gun that fires magic.
That's a weird idea you've got, kid.
If you can try and make one for me,
I'll show you what it can do.
If you're talking like that, you must be confident, right?
Fireball!
The students this year are quite talented.
Truly.
Some of them seem to be show-offs, though.
Sir, I have a request.
What is it, Echevalier?
If, during the mana measurement, I showed results that exceeded the contents of this course,
would I be excused from Magical Fundamentals?
Are you still going on about that nonsense, Echevalier?
I'm extremely serious.
There's another class during this period I want to take.
Even if you're the headmaster's grandson,
I can't give you special treatment.
I know.
That's why I want you to make a calm, objective decision.
Being excused from Magical Fundamentals would mean
you have the same level of mana and knowledge as a middle school student.
Of course.
Very well.
Then let's see why you're so confident.
What is that?
A rod?
It's weird.
Piercing Lance...
Thundering Gale!
Yes!
Sir, how was that?
May I be excused?
The rumors that an elementary school student showed off a high spell
and was instantly granted the right to take middle school classes
spread throughout the whole academy by the end of the day.
But no one yet knew that was only the first step taken by Ernesti,
a man who would later change the world.
3 Years Later
The structure of an Ether Reactor?
Yes. What they call a magic energy transformer.
That's the engine that forms the core of a Silhouette Knight.
You could call it the heart.
Without understanding it,
you can't be the master of a Silhouette Knight!
Ernesti Age 12
Sure.
That's why it's a national secret.
Even your father doesn't know it?
We're just a bunch of low-level blacksmiths.
We don't even know where they're made, let alone how.
Are you really planning to make your own unit?
Of course.
It's been a hundred years since the Kaldatoah,
the kingdom's standard Silhouette Knight, was introduced.
And there have been no advancements since then.
The Solodreahs we use were designed three centuries ago.
You can't just make a new...
Don't worry.
I can.
Ernie! Ernie!
We're about to leave!
We'll talk about it later.
Be careful!
Even if the high school is protecting you,
you're still going up against a demon beast!
The Laihiala Academy of Knight Runners prizes field exercises and combat training.
The middle and high school students in the knight curriculum
were heading to a forest where relatively small demon beasts were supposed to live.
Sheesh.
Not a single beast to be seen.
What a boring trip.
I heard that, D.
All you do is whine!
What's wrong with telling the truth?
Helvi, D, knock it off!
There's more to training than fighting.
Training for long-range marches in Silhouette Knights is another goal.
That's why you're the head of the Knight Runner class, I guess.
You're a cut above the likes of us.
I'm so full.
That was so good.
Kid, your manners are so bad.
Your group's already finished eating?
You're fast.
Sister Steph...
Student Council President.
Just call me "Big Sister."
Even if we have different mothers,
I can't deny that we're siblings.
So you're Ernesti Echevalier?
Yes?
There isn't a student at the school who hasn't heard of you.
But why do you want to advance through the grades so quickly?
What is it about Silhouette Knights that makes you want to do that?
I'm not sure how to answer that.
You're a little strange, huh?
Um, Big Sister...
Don't get so scared.
I like cute, smart kids, is all.
It's unfortunate, but the third-years have night training.
Someday, I hope I get a chance to really talk to you.
Sorry, Ernie.
I didn't say anything until now,
but we and the student council president have the same father,
a marquis named Joachim Selati.
But our mother isn't a noble,
and Addy and I are, um...
Not in the line of succession, right?
I understand the situation.
So what's the plan now?
Plan?
Do we meet her in open combat?
Ignore her?
Or ambush her in the night?
That's right, a night ambush...
No way!
Ernie, you're scaring me!
If my friends are in trouble,
I've no intention of ignoring that.
If you need help, please tell me.
Thank you, Ernie!
Glad to hear it, partner.
Giant robots are so great.
They bring such peace to the heart!
Every family needs one.
I heard that the academy's Silhouette Knights were passed down from the military,
but this one's been really customized.
At this point, it's totally different from the base Solodreah it started as.
The Earlcumber's been mine for two years now.
This is the result of all the repairs and modifications I did.
Good evening, Edgar.
Are you going out for a patrol on your own?
My partner Dietrich is being annoying.
Do you like Silhouette Knights, too?
I don't know.
I guess you could say that.
This is my weapon, my armor, and my irreplaceable partner.
I understand!
I can't wait to get a partner of my own.
Want to get in?
What?
I don't mean to pilot it.
Just to sit in the seat.
Really?
I figured you wouldn't be able to reach the stirrup.
What's wrong?
I... I'm inside a robot!
A robot? What's that?
What every man dreams of!
Addy, wake up!
Ernie...
We need to get out of here!
Eh?
A large group of demon beasts appeared
and attacked the third-years during their night exercises.
First and second-years, leave your things and evacuate immediately.
High school students, advance in your Silhouette Knights,
and rescue the others!
Wasn't this supposed to be safe?
My uncle was killed by a macehead ogre.
No talking!
Big Sis Stephania...
Big Sister...
Okay, you can go.
Sir, I have a request.
You again, Echevalier?
Help me!
Why are there so many demon beasts?
Ernesti!
Student Council President!
Big Sister!
Leave this to us!
Sonic Blade!
Riot Sparrow!
Archid! Adeltrud!
I brought help!
Sorry to keep you waiting.
It's finally my turn!
Here we go, Guair!
Middle school students, get to safety!
We'll handle the demon beasts!
Here we go, Trandorkis!
But why are there so many demon beasts here?
Something's not right.
Don't think we're letting you through without paying a price, monster!
I have a bad feeling about this.
Next time: "Hero & Beast!"
Chapter 2:
The behemoth is calling me!