Ernesti Echevalier/Novel

## Silhouette Knights

Ikaruga

**Ernesti Echevalier** (エルネスティ・エチェバルリア *Erunesuti Echebaruria*), also known as **Eru** (エル), is the protagonist of *Knight's & Magic* light novel series. He is usually composed and quiet but displays excitement whenever Silhouette Knights are mentioned. He can also be quite forceful, which is evident when he skips and exempts himself from other classes to attend classes about Silhouette Knights. His goal is to create a Silhouette Knight and become a pilot.

## Appearance

Eru looks a lot like a girl. He is has a short and petite frame and a feminine appearance which led to Adeltrud and her older sister fawning over his cuteness. He has medium-length mauve coloured hair and deep blue eyes.

## Personality

Though Ernesti looks like a child inside of his body dwells a soul of someone who is forty years old. Ernesti's defining character trait is his fanatical obsession with robots stemming from his past life on Earth where he was a hardcore mecha Otaku named Kurata. Learning about the Silhouette Knights of his new world at a young age, he immediately dedicated himself to learning everything he would need to know to build and pilot one day.

Ernesti's obsession led to his developing a genius level intellect and highly proficient physical and magical abilities, to the point that all of his teachers are forced to let him do whatever he wants both in his free time and during class.

Ernesti's obsession also gives him a bizarre sense of aesthetics, during the battle against the Behemoth he was enraged not by the deaths of his upper-classmen, but rather the destruction of their Silhouette Knights by a not robot. During the battle in Fort Casadeus, he felt conflicted between joining in one a battle between Silhouette Knights and not because at the time he didn't have one to operate yet. Most Bizarrely of all, he'll even find a damaged beyond recognition Silhouette Knight beautiful even though he was angry with its destruction.

Another of Ernesti's defining traits is his fearlessness, charging recklessly any situation whether the enemy is Demon Beasts or Silhouette Knights, and especially in the latter case. Other characters comment that he lacks common sense, designing things and having them built simply because he thinks they're cool and considering ideas outside the norm such as building non-humanoid Silhouette Knights like the Telestale and Centaur Knight with abnormal piloting or power systems. While this has led to many innovations in Silhouette Knight technology his creativity and obsession creates an endless stream of headaches for those around him.

## History

Born as Kurata Tsubasa, he grew up to be a programmer working at the company "K Softworks" which was at the time under a tight 3-day deadline after one of their employees resigned at the last moment. Kurata, is considered the company's "Last Line of Defense", was able to help resolve most of the issues their project was experiencing, over the course of the remaining days.

After rescuing the project by the deadline, Kurata denied his co-workers' offers to drink out and excused himself from work to pursue his hobby. After withdrawing money from an ATM, he purchased various plastic robot models and parts such as paint and tools to supplement his hobby. However, on his way home, Kurata was tragically met by an accident, being struck by a car he didn't see.

### Alternate World

After dying, Kurata was reincarnated into a different world as Ernesti Echevalier, son of Mathias Echevalier and Selestina Echevalier. As soon as Ernesti became self-aware, he inherited the knowledge of Kurata and immediately deduced what had happened to him after death. Although he was initially dejected for having been separated from his hobby and computers, one day, at the age of three years old, while accompanying his mother to observe his father's job as a Swordsmanship Instructor at the Laihiala Pilot Academy.

Ernesti became overjoyed at learning that giant "robots" truly existed in this new world, and were called Silhouette Knights. Knowing this, he urged his father to teach him swordsmanship, and his mother to teach him magic, in the hopes that he could eventually become a Knight Runner. At the tender age of Five years old, Ernesti's training began. Immediately, Ernesti started to make leaps and bounds of innovations in magical spells. With the understanding that the Magius Circuit that humans use to create magical script is the same as a computer and that Magic Script functions the same as programming code Ernesti is able to apply his advanced knowledge of programming to reprogram his Magius circuit with magical subroutine patches that aid him in the process of using high level magical spells. Every day Eru would use magic to the point of exhaustion, knowing that it would gradually expand his mana pool, and eventually makes use of the advance spell Physical boost to train both his magical power and physical body at the same time. And although at first exhausting as he progressed and made improvements to physical boost to affect only one area of the body at a time it became much easier .

At the age of 8, he met twins Adeltrud Walter and Archid Walter while in the middle of his nightly exercise routine of running along the rooftops. Impressing them with a display of his magic, the twins confronted him the next night and demanded to learn magic from him, and Ernesti reluctantly complied with their demands. The next day, the three met in Ernesti's home where he began teaching the twins his own unique brand of magic and walked them through his training routine, quickly beginning to catch up with Ernesti. Not too much time passed before the trio met Batson Termonen, a young dwarf child, and target of bullying by other much faster children. Using magic, the three of them hurled Batson at his tormentors before retreating to his workshop. Ernesti convinced Batson to make him a new type of magical rod, one that combined the blade and rod normally used by Knight Runners, which Ernesti based on an Air Rifle that Kurata used to own. Ernesti had him build two of the new Gunlike Rods dubbed the Winchesters with the aid of his boss .

### Chapter 3: Let's Go to School

At eight and half years old, Ernesti received an offer attend the school his father worked at, the Laihiala Pilot Academy, where he was soon met by an interesting predicament. According to the prospectus for the school and it's courses, he would have to complete nine years of training before he could actually be made a knight runner, and even then it was not guaranteed with only a limited number of Silhouette Knights in circulation.

In terms of both magic and swordsmanship, Ernesti reached the top of his peer group, but his physical features, his shorter than average height, meant he couldn't properly fit inside of the cockpit of a Silhouette Knight. As a result, Ernesti decided that if there weren't any Silhouette Knight he was suited for, he would have to design one that was suited for him.

During lunch on their first day at Laihiala Academy, Ernesti and his group of friends met Stefania Serrati, the elder half-sister to the twins, who was also the legitimate daughter of their noble father. It is explained that while Stefania and her brother Baltsar Serrati together with their elder brother are the legitimate children of the Marquis and his wife while the twins are the children of his mistress.

While Stefania is easy going and does like them, interactions with her is still awkward for the twins. Baltsar, on the other hand, likes to go on a power trip and bully's the two. Because of this, Ernesti offers his support in dealing with the elder siblings. The next day, after examining the prospectus a second-time Ernesti notes the presence of a middle school course on the design and upkeep of Silhouette knights.

Obviously, Ernesti's robot fanatic self-wishes to attend the course but in his time slot is a course for advance Intermediate level magic. Immediately Ernesti negotiates a deal with his magic instructor that if he can prove that his magical power and skill is above the level of a middle school student then he will be exempt from the class. At once Ernesti annihilates the targets using advanced powerful magic and his stunned teacher has no other choice but to let him go.

Ernesti immediately proceeds to make himself at home inside of the Middle School Class, where he learns of the five components of the Silhouette knight, Magius Engine, Ether Reactor, Crystal Tissue, Inner Skeleton, and Outer skin. While the other components are available on the open market, the key irreplaceable components are the Magius Engine and Ether Reactor the design of which are a closely guarded government secret.

Towards this end, for Ernesti's goal of owning his own Silhouette knight, buying the Ether Reactor, or the 'Elven Ore' to make one, and making his own Magius circuit by reverse engineering the scripts at the school are his two biggest obstacles, by overcoming them, and by learning how to make the crystal tissue, inner skeleton and armor himself, he will have his own Silhouette Knight.

While making these plans one-day Ernesti meets with Stefania once more, and later she has a small bonding moment with Adeltrud over Ernesti, treating him like a toy to be hugged before that is the three of them bolt off realizing that they are late for their different classes.

### Chapter 4: Let's Try Dueling

At the age of 11 years old, Ernesti is still attending middle school courses, having successfully bullied the teachers using his unsurpassed magical abilities into accommodating his needs and interests by demolishing the elementary courses on knighthood and inserting himself into the courses on design. However, Ernesti learns from Balton of a problem that has come up.

Baltsar has kidnapped Adeltrud and is using her as leverage against Archid in a duel the two of them are having, Ernesti immediately begins scouring the campus for Adeltrud. Meeting up with Stefani, who has also deduced that Batlsar has ominous plans for Adeltrud, they share their information and pinpoint her location.

After defeating Baltsar's thugs, Ernesti carries Adeltrud's unconscious body to the arena. Having confirmed that Adeltrud is okay, Archid immediately defeats his half-brother with an advanced high-level spell, and Baltsar's ploy is revealed to the entire school, and as punishment, he is temporarily suspended and sent to train with his family's Order of The Knights of The Red Rhinos.

### Chapter 6: Let's Go On A Field Trip

At the age of 12 years old, Ernesti has properly moved into Middle school, having already completed all of the crafting-related courses, having already blown away the knight related courses, and is now attending Pilot classes in the High School and pitching in on the repair and upkeep of the school's own supply of Silhouette knights between the practice matches of the students.

One Day Ernesti is watching the battle between two of his senior upper classmates in mock sparring via Silhouette knights: Edgar C. Blanche in Earlecumber and Dietrich Cunitz in Guyale. The match ends in Edgar's favor due largely to his superior skill, and a faulty joint in Guyale. After the end of the match, Ernesti learns that his Middle School class is going on a field trip to a small area called Cloquet forest outside of the city of Jantunen, where small Demon Beasts that students can study can be found.

On the way there the group of Elementary and Middle Schooler's are escorted by a contingent of ten Silhouette knights, while the students are studying Demon Beasts the seniors will practice killing them. On the carriage ride over, Ernesti forms a group with Archid and Adeltrud and reads through alchemy textbooks on the roof of the carriage. After finishing with Edgar, Ernesti returns to the campsite and quickly falls fast asleep, awaken the next morning with light work assigned to him by his teachers.

### Chapter 7: Let's Fight a Demon Beast

When a large hoard of Demon Beasts suddenly attack's the campsite Ernesti, alongside Adeltrud and Archid, swings into action using his newly invented shotgun type air bullet to great effect to rescue the Elementary students and wipe out a group of the demon beasts. As he decimates the beasts, Ernesti orders Adeltrud and Archid to start evacuating the students.

Later, after meeting up with the senior students there is still the issue left of locating the other students who had delved deeper into the forest, included among them, Stefani. Ernesti proposes that they start by searching any large clearings, reasoning that the students would try to group together to fend off the attacking Demon Beasts.

Ernesti soon locates Stefani's group and with the Silhouette knights providing backup they wipe out the attacking beasts and escort the group back to camp. Once the campsite is secured Stefani takes the opportunity to thank Ernesti and her siblings, and hug Ernesti calling the act of rubbing her face in his hair healing before she called away to go talk with the teachers.

Ultimately, it is decided to rest during the night, and move out at first light. However, the group soon regrets not leaving the forest when they had the chance when a gigantic Demonic Beast known as a Behemoth emerges from the forest and reveals itself as the cause of the earlier stampede.

Ernesti uses explosive magic to calm down his frightened classmates and load them onto wagons to evacuate while Edgar leads the counterattack on the Behemoth in order to buy them time. While trying to Evacuate his classmates, Ernesti notices the appearance of Guyale and realizes that Dietrich is running away. After interrogating the Knight Runner Ernesti knocks him out and decides to use his Silhouette knight himself.

Knowing that he can't operate the machine normally, Ernesti breaks open the console and hard wires in his Winchesters so that he can use his own magic to operate the machine manually, utilizing the principals of Physical boost, he successfully enters the fray against the Behemoth, his long-standing dream of becoming a Knight Runner finally succeeding.

### Chapter 8: Final Battle, Land Emperor

By controlling Guyale directly, Ernesti ultimately supercharges its performance allowing him to reach the sight of the battle with the Behemoth in record time. Attacking without thinking, Ernesti lands an extremely luck hit onto the Behemoth's cracked eyelid lodging Guyale's sword inside of it in the process. The enraged Behemoth focuses its attention on Ernesti and Guyale which buys the rest of the students the chance to escape.

In the meantime, Ernesti continues to run around his massive foe, staying in his newly formed blind spot while looking for a weakness in the otherwise impregnable armor to attack. While trying to hack away at the back of the Behemoth's legs Dietrich suddenly awakens but immediately clams up realizing that his only chance of survival now is to let Ernesti who's piloting skills are vastly superior to his own keep control.

That said Dietrich does make himself useful pointing out the discarded weapons of his classmates as Ernesti continuously breaks his swords from repeatedly striking the Behemoth's hard body and are eventually able to bleed out one of their limbs. The Jantunen Garrison arrives on scene and deals massive damage to the already half blind, bleeding, running low on mana and distracted Behemoth through the use of Culverin staff weapons.

While Ernesti takes the opportunity to restore Guyale's magic he sees the Behemoth launch a retaliatory strike against the newly arrived Silhouette Knights sucking in their fire attacks before spitting them back out. While the beast is distracted again a group of Knight's move in with a 'Hard Crust Buster' that pierces the Behemoth's side and causes it to start bleeding out.

Enraged the Behemoth stomps the other team trying to use the same weapon on its other side, a sight that thoroughly enrages Ernesti who re-enters the fray. The sight of Guyale taking on the Behemoth and even winning as Ernest targets his foe's damaged armor reinvigorates the remaining knights who renew their attacks blowing off chunks of their half-dead giant's shell.

Even though the Behemoth's broken body has begun falling apart at this point Ernesti soon discovers a new problem plaguing him, having abused Guyale to its limit the Silhouette Knight has started falling apart. Worst yet the Behemoth's long-standing grudge against the Red Knight hasn't disappeared yet and with its final breaths, it intends to take his hated foe with him.

Reviewing all of his possible options, Ernesti has Dietrich pilot Guyale again while he exits the hatch. Combining his magic reserves with Guyale's Ernesti creates a huge air cushion right in front of him that absorbs the impact of the charge. Seeing Guyale's sword still lodged in the Behemoth's eye Ernesti converts the remaining supply of mana between him and Silhouette Knight into a lightning strike transmitted to the Behemoth's brain through the blade lodged in the beast's eye killing it at last.

That said the price paid to defeat the Behemoth is steep, with a death count in the dozens and Guyale who has fallen apart after the abuse by Ernesti and losing all of its magical power. Saddened by the Machine's destruction Ernesti promises that he will fix it before and asks Guyale to wait for him.

### Chapter 9: After the Fight

Using explosive magic to escape from Guyale's twisted wreckage Ernesti is greeted by the sight of his upperclassmen and the Jantunen knights who were mourning Dietrich, who is still alive. Later on, after the celebration of the defeat of the Behemoth is in full swing Edgar and Helvi explains the situation as it is to Ernesti, Adeltrud, and Archid. Simply put, Ernesti is a hero.

If not for Dietrich fleeing the battle Ernesti would have never entered the fray and deal both the massive amount of damage that he did to the Behemoth. As a reward, Ernesti will receive nothing. In order to protect the reputation of the Knight Runners, and to prevent an unruly twelve-year-old from being enlisted, Ernesti's involvement will be covered up completely.

Ernesti is okay with this arrangement, rather he is glad that he won't be getting in trouble for acting recklessly and piloting a Silhouette Knight is reward enough. Even so, Adeltrud, Archid, Edgar, and Helvi are not entirely satisfied with the lot Ernesti has been dealt but to save face for the countries Knight Runners Ernesti's sacrifice is small and agreeable.

But on a different note, Ernesti notes that he was able to study, improve upon and memorize the Magius Engine code, he's obtained valuable information on piloting a Silhouette Knight at full capacity and can plan for the future, and now he's earned a favor from the king, so thus his goal of building the ultimate Silhouette knight has been furthered dramatically.

On the way back to the academy, Ernesti is watching the remains of Laihala's Silhouette knights sadly. Adeltrud and Archid confront him and demand that he take them with him in whatever path that he's walking. That said the conversation with Adeltrud gives him new inspiration on how he might improve upon the Silhouette knight, though his spacing out causes Adeltrud to yank on his cheeks.

Ernesti and the twins return home to a family meal cooked by their mothers in celebration of their safe return. After casually recounting his tale of the battle with the Behemoth Ernesti's grandfather Lauri takes him away, with the young boy's presence having been requested by King Ambrosius himself.

## Volume 2

### Prologue

Lauri escorts Ernesti to see King Ambrosius, who explains that even though Ernesti is responsible for defeating the Behemoth, he cannot give him an award acknowledging his feat. Rather, he asks what Ernesti wants in exchange and so long as it's within his power to grant he'll reward Ernesti with it. Thus Ernesti says outright that he wants to know how to build an Ether Reactor.

Though Ernesti's request leaves the king stunned, he questions why Ernesti would want to know something like and offers him a Silhouette knight instead. Ernesti politely turns down the offer, saying that his goal is to build the ultimate Silhouette Knight that only belongs to him and towards that end what he requires is the knowledge to improve upon each individual component of the Silhouette Knight.

When questioned what is driving Ernesti to do this, he simply states that it's his hobby. Accepting Ernesti's reasoning with a laugh, Ambrosius states that cannot give away a secret like that for the 'mere' act of defeating a Behemoth. Rather, if Ernesti wishes to learn the information that he seeks, what he must do is build a Silhouette knight that is superior to anything they have today. Accepting the King's challenge, Ernesti returns to school to work.

### Chapter 10: Everyone's Beginning

Once Home, Ernesti completes work for his first models of Silhouette Knights, what's left now is to find someone who can help him build them. Ernesti goes to Batson's place in order to get the necessary help, though after the two of them are kicked out of the house by Batson's father for being too noisy they instead visit the academy's workshop.

On their way into the school, the two of them are ambushed by the twins, and together the four of them enter the workshop where repairs are being done to the Silhouette knights totaled by the Behemoth, where they encounter Guyale who has been saved for last in the rebuilding process, Ernesti commenting that even destroyed beyond recognition a Silhouette Knight was pretty.

Immediately, the Twins decide to pull on Ernesti's cheeks hoping to instill common sense into him through negative reinforcement, though in the process they catch the attention of the foreman of the workshop David Hepken. Dietrich, who has been called in to explain what happened to Guyale, lets it slip that Ernesti was the one who totaled the Silhouette knight and defeated the Behemoth.

Ernesti explains how he overrode the Magius Engine and all the safety protocols therein by taking direct control over the Silhouette Knight, which also forced the Machine's function way beyond what it's supposed to be capable of which is what led to it to break down, he then depleted of all of it's Mana in a final strike which shattered its inner skeleton.

David realizes with horror that this means that any Silhouette Knight that Ernesti pilots will similarly fall apart under Ernesti's influence. Ernesti however as a proposal, and presents his designs for an improved Silhouette Knight. Firstly, Ernesti proposes weaving Crystal muscle fibers into the string, or Crystal Strand Tissue, making it stronger and longer lasting.

Ernesti's second proposal is a little more extreme, the addition of back arms on the Silhouette Knight. With Ernesti who can alter the Magius engine at whim, writing a new formula that will make it possible to operate Auxiliary arms that can hold and fire magic staffs as a distance weapon would be easy, and drawing upon Kurata's experience as a company man, is able to sell the idea that violates their common sense to the craftsmen.

As it so happens, with all the Silhouette Knight's the craftsmen have to repair anyway, they might as well install Ernesti's suggestions onto the rebuilt Knights anyway. Victorious in his goals for the immediate future, Ernesti happily walks home with his friends. But Archid and Adeltrud feel troubled and request that Ernesti bring them along wherever he's going and teach them how to pilot Silhouette Knights.

A few days later, Ernesti and David goes to Lauri with their proposal, after the principal gets over the initial shock he lets the pair make their modifications and instructs Ernesti and the Craftsmen to finish the work on the Silhouette knights as quickly as they can, as the lack of knights has severely slowed down training for the Knight Runner students. Towards this end, Ernesti has another idea.

Silhouette Gear, smaller Silhouette Knights that instead of being powered and operated by a Magius engine and Ether reactor is instead directly powered by the pilot, a cheaper alternative to teaching students how to pilot a Silhouette Knight. With the Craftsmen already busy with rebuilding the knights, it would be hard to work on both projects at once, but Ernesti proposes that they make use of the Middle School students instead.

### Chapter 11: Let's Design, Build and Assemble

After class finishes a few days later, Ernesti and the twins arrive at the workshop where they find David and the Craftsmen looking extremely tired. David explains that after having had to go to the clothing faculty to help make the Crystal strand tissue, they showed them no mercy and made them learn how to use a Bobbin machine. The end result of their hardship is the strongest possible Crystal Strand Tissue that is now ready to test.

The new Crystal strand tissue is 2.5 time's stronger than the original crystal tissue and ten times tougher, a dramatic improvement beyond even Ernesti's expectations. At that time installation of the new crystal-strand tissue is completed on an arm for practical testing purposes. Helvi moves the arm and uses it to lift a heavyweight and notices the increase in strength that is over double that of the original.

Unfortunately, the arm snaps after a minute, flinging chunks of armor off of the arm and nearly hurting those present. Examining the arm, Ernesti and David conclude that the rest of the knight can't keep up with the new muscle, and they have to rebuild it from scratch. While David works on that, Ernesti and the twins join Dietrich and Edgar as they train with their Silhouette gears.

Simply put, Ernesti the designer is the best at the Silhouette Gear operation, the twins Archid and Adeltrud his proteges are the second best and are able to operate the gears with minimal difficulty, while Dietrich who is struggling but still getting by thanks to his enthusiasm is third and Edgar who is on the verge of quitting out of frustration like the rest of the Knight Runner students are in last.

In comparison to Silhouette Knight's, the Silhouette Gears are just too much to handle, and Edgar requests that a Magius engine be installed to make it easier, which would require an Ether Reactor, which requires that they increase their size back to that of a regular Silhouette Knight, which defeats the whole purpose of the Silhouette Gear in the first place.

Moving on from the Silhouette Gears, Ernesti engages in a one on two battle against Adeltrud and Archid in Silhouette Gear as part of their regular training regimen in which he is victorious. As several months past summer turns to fall and development of the new Silhouette Knights has progressed smoothly and they've entered the next phase of testing.

As part of their training with the Silhouette Gear, Ernesti and the twins are roaming about the city in their Silhouette gears in their day to day lives. A student comes up to them and informs them that they've reached the next stage of testing, having already successfully built a Silhouette Knight that can walk without exploding, they are now testing the back weapons.

The weapons perform to satisfactory levels hitting 60% of the time and the next step is to improve its aiming system. Once the machine has been improved until it reaches the naming stage, it is officially dubbed the Telestare named after the Trandorches, Helvi Oberi's machine that it was rebuilt from after it's destruction during the fight against the Behemoth.

### Chapter 12: Let's Have A Mock Duel

During a mock trial against Edgar and Earlcumber, the two biggest weaknesses of the Telestare are highlighted, the first is it's difficult to control, and the second is its rapid mana consumption stemming from its massive strength. In order for the goal of mass production to be realized, both of these issues must be resolved, or else they could face catastrophic failure in the middle of the fights against the Demon Beasts.

After forcibly sending Edgar to cheer up a depressed Helvi Ernesti turns his attention to the workshop. The main problem is that the Telestare only has a slight increase in mana capacity compared to the Karrdator, whereas the price the Telestare has paid for twice the strength is half the operational time. Adding more Crystal Strand Tissue will only increase this consumption rate along with the mana capacity.

Adeltrud makes the suggestion to try using a non-human shape so that they can add more Crytal Strand Tissue in places that aren't normally used, and Ernesti has the Telestare do various poses to try and find this area, and towards this end four more Telestare are built so that the testing can be done more efficiently. In the end, although the two major flaws are still present steady improvements have been made.

In the meantime Ernesti is working on the development of weapons for Silhouette Gear makes things like Anchor wire, an arrow with retractable spokes on its head, a grappling hook, and a mini-ballista, with siege level capabilities, both using the newly developed Crystal Strand Tissue. Crystal Strand Tissue has also been added to the Silhouette Gears which has significantly increased the difficulty for other students to use them and the Ten Silhouette gears developed for the pilots have become the toys of Ernesti and the twins.

The Silhouette Gears are also officially dubbed 'Motor Beat' by Ernesti which causes him and the twins to become attached to them. As for the Telestrale, innovations continue to be made in the form of Capacity Frame, a heavily modified armor and skeleton designed to create pockets for Crystal tissue to be put in, Crystal Sheet Tissue, Crystal Strand Tissue that has been woven into sheets, and high capacity Mana Crystal Tissue in hopes of resolving the matters of mana capacity and to celebrate their success, the crafting department hosts a party.

### Chapter 13: What to Do with the Prototype Machine

Later on, Ernesti is in the middle of History class where, instead of paying attention to his teacher, Ernesti is still designing new Silhouette Knights. Specifically, with the foundation provided by Telestare, the next step is to create something that will well and truly shock the king. After class is done, Ernesti goes shopping with Adeltrud and together they visit the workshop where Lauri is bullying David in a board game.

Simply put, Lauri is wondering what Ernesti is planning on doing with the Telestare, having built a completely new model of Silhouette Knight with a higher level of performance than the previous model it wouldn't be unreasonable for Ernesti to cash in on his promise made with the king. But Ernesti, who has only reached the beginning stages, wishes to advance the development even further and build a mighty castle on top of the foundation that is Telestare leaving the others shocked.

That said they have built a new model, and it's only logical that they report it to the nation. At first, they think to go to the National Technological Robotics Laboratory, but that runs the risk of the Lab making things difficult due to the never before seen scenario where an entirely new design is submitted all at once, which can delay the deployment of the Telestare unnecessarily.

There is also the fact that whoever takes credit for the development of the technology will become very financially well off in the future, but the list of people who worked on the Telestare starts with the crafting department and ends with the pilot students. There is also the abnormality of the Telestare as well, as a collection of hard to believe technology people would not easily accept it as is, which will further delay its use.

Ultimately, it's decided that the best way to convince everyone is to have Ernesti explain it to them directly, while having the NTR lab hire all the students involved, the twins make the suggestion of directly contacting their father, the influential Marquis Joachim Serrati who has already taken an interest in Ernesti and asked the twins to keep him informed, with the information and demonstrate the technology to him.

### Chapter 14: Let's Head into the Storm

A group of knights, the Red Rabbit Knights, sent by Duke Knut Dixgard, close personal friend to Marquis Joachim Serrati, arrives at the school demanding that the five Telestare along with all of the personnel who worked on them and the one who invented them and travel to fort Casadeus under the command of the Duke for a demonstration immediately.

To this end, Ernesti's father Mathias barges into his class to get Ernesti and take him to the workshop. Despite the rain, the convoy of Knights, craftsmen, and machines progress smoothly as they travel along the highway road. Arriving near the fort, the convoy is suddenly attacked by a group of a dozen shaker worms, worm-like demon beasts who attack from below ground.

Although the group suffers casualties the Telestare, Ernesti and David soon prove themselves invaluable in fending off the attackers, keeping their ears out for the sound of the Shaker Beast's rumbling digging, using Ernesti as a distraction to draw out and away the Shaker Worms, concentrated firepower get past their armored shells and finally vastly superior brute strength to fend off their attacks.

The attack, however, delays the group dramatically, having to ferry their wounded to the nearest village, waiting for new carriages from the Duke to arrive, followed by traveling to the Fortress as they had originally intended while fending off the occasional Demon Beast. When they do arrive at the fortress Ernesti proceeds to explore in awe of the vastly superior facilities over that which are at the academy.

After exploring for a while, Ernesti is brought before the Duke where he explains all of the innovations they've made to the Telestare. Knut's attempts to catch his opponent off guard is foiled time and again, whether it's from Ernesti taking the initiative to explain taking advantage of Knut's curiosity, Ernesti finding Knut's terms of taking complete control over the project rather agreeable, to his 'it's my hobby' line Knut's power to argue completely crumbles.

Immediately Knut concludes that Ernesti is one who is going to change the world, and while he will have many eager to make him his ally, he will also make many enemies as well. While Ernesti is explaining his future plans for Silhouette Knights the leader of the Red Rabbits suddenly comes in and informs the duke that a demon beast attack is in process at the nearby Dallier village. Wasting no time Knut takes command from the fort and keeps Ernesti by his side throughout.

### Chapter 17: Battle in the Forest

After the thieves break into Fort Casadeus and steal the new Telestare Ernesti attempts to commandeer a Silhouette Knight to join in on the fighting, but to his dismay, he learns that when the thieves stole the Telestare they also destroyed what machines that they couldn't commandeer. As luck would have it though, the carriage from Laihiala arrives with his Motor Beat inside.

Arriving at the wagon David who is on board already explains that the twins are helping Edgar and Dietrich who are fighting the stolen Telestare that escaped from the fortress. Using the much smaller and faster Motor Beat Ernesti runs circles around the enemy Silhouette Knights taking advantage of his vastly superior knowledge of the machines to sabotage the enemy as he defeats them.

Once the enemy is defeated, Ernesti alongside the base commander Molten in his personal Silhouette Knight Hymmerwort pursue the escaping thieves who were stalled by the Laihiala students. Unfortunately, the thieves use cursed bait to lure in Demon Beasts and cover their tracks and instead Ernesti and Molten end up aiding Dietrich, Adeltrud, and Archid in defeating the monsters.

Between the thorough preparedness of the Thieves and the distraction made by the Demon beasts, the group is left with no other choice but to return to the fortress without the last stolen Telestare. Simply put, Fort Casadeus is a mess, they've lost 20% of their facilities and their Silhouette Knights have all but been wiped out.

### Chapter 18: When the Silver Phoenix Spreads it's Wings

Once everything has been said and done, Ernesti, Adeltrud, Archid, David, and Dietrich are called into a meeting with King Ambrosius and Duke Dixgard. The King congratulates the group of developing a new Silhouette Knight but laments that a group of Foreign thugs spoiled what should be cause to celebrate and questions Ernesti on what he'll need to perfect the Telestare.

Ernesti states that the best course of action is to hand over the what's left of the Telestare and the related designs to the NTR lab whose expertise in producing easy to handle Silhouette Knights and the current mass-produced Karrdator models means that they can put the Telestare into mass production as soon as possible, after they hire the students from the academy's workshop as employee's.

However, Ernesti doesn't have any intention of joining the NTR lab at the moment and intends to graduate from Middle School first. The main reason why he was able to build the Telestare was that he was lucky to have upperclassmen who were willing to listen to his ideas. But that isn't necessarily going to be the case at the NTR lab, so finishing school first is Ernesti's best option.

That said, Ernesti intends to continue developing new designs while at the school and promises that he will have his 'ultimate design' finished by the time he graduates. So Ambrosius makes his decision, founding a new order of Knights that he calls the Silver Phoenix Knights from the Laihiala Academy students with the dual goals of helping Ernesti develop his new designs and keeping them, and him, from being threatened by foreign agents and are given the temporary base of the academy.

As their first order, they are instructed to design something that will scare the NTR lab out of their wits.

## Volume 3

### Prologue

Ernesti is sleeping inside of the capital city dreaming about the Models he bought as Kurata before his untimely death, which turns into a nightmare as they flew away from him and he is unable to catch up even with magic. Waking up to the sight of Adeltrud sleeping with him, Ernesti resolves that he is going to move past his regrets from back then and build the robots that have eluded him his entire life.

### Chapter 19: Uproar in Laihiala Pilot Academy

Ernesti and the Silver Phoenix Knights return to Laihiala academy and disperse inside of the city. Ernesti and the twins return home to another large meal prepared by Celestina. After eating Ernesti explains to his father and grandfather that he is now the leader of the newly created Silver Phoenix knights operating out of the academy.

Once the group's position is made official by the King, Ernesti presents his first assignment to the group. Batson walks into the workshop with the newest model of Silhouette Gear, Motor Rad. Unlike Motor Beat Motor Rad is a model with emphasis on use as a construction aid, as such it is stripped of armor and includes a miniature Magius Engine supplied by the Duke so that it's easy to use.

### Chapter 20: Sprint Silver Phoenix Knights

In the year 1278 and Motor Rad has become common across the country. With the use of Motor Rad construction time and cost goes way down, not only in the workshop but from all over the country as well Motor Rad becomes a common sight in workshops and even in villages. However between the lack of raw materials needed and the focus on Motor Rad development of new Silhouette Knights has been nonexistent.

However, after the long delay, the Duke's forces arrive at the school with the Karrdators that the Silver Phoenix Knights were promised in exchange for the Telestare. With this Ernesti is able to put his designs to work at last. Firstly, taking inspiration from the Casadeus incident Ernesti wants to design a faster model, one in the shape of a centaur.

Naturally, the Craftsmen are hesitant, but Ernesti explains that the goal here is to design something with the speed of the horse and the offensive power of a knight. They could theory build a Silhouette horse to carry the Knight, but after chasing down the enemy the horse would be useless, this is meant to combine the best of both speed and offensive power.

Dietrich points out that if the enemy steals this one like they had with Telestare they'll never be able to catch them, a fact that Ernesti has considered and is in the process of designing anti-theft measures. That said Ernesti doesn't want to just leave the Telestare alone either and towards this end has designed the concept of Option Works.

Option works expand the concept of the Auxiliary arms, additional weapons that can be attached to the Silhouette Knight with minimal difficulty and add a variety of options to their arsenal. Ernesti has already created a shield type Option Works he has dubbed 'Flexible Coat.' While the others are working on Centaur Knight and Option works Ernesti, Adeltrud, Archid, and Batson begin work on another project, using the concept of Air compression magic, they begin work on a magic propeller.

### Chapter 21: Rival and Determination

With spring having arrived, students graduate and new ones take their place. The Silver Phoenix knights welcome the presence of the new craftsmen and Cadets who will be working with them on their projects. Ernesti and the newly appointed 1st company captain Edgar and Captain Craftsman David introduce themselves as the Silver Phoenix knights much to the shock of the students as they realize their situation was quickly becoming dire.

After introductions, Ernesti has a private meeting with one of the Cadets, a member of the Blue Hawk Knights Nora Frykberg, an espionage order sent to weed out the spies within the academy. Simply put, they've conducted thorough background checks on everyone in the city and dealt with everyone suspected of being spies, Ernesti doesn't have to worry about anyone trying to steal from him again for a while.

Later, while Ernesti and Archid are working on the magic propeller, Adeltrud storms into Ernesti's room demanding that he teach her how to pilot a Silhouette Knight. As it so happens, with Centaur Knight about to be done in a little while, Ernesti needs someone to pilot the machine preferably someone who is not already in the habit of using a normal Silhouette Knight and should be easier with two people.

The new Centaur Knight, dubbed Tzendorg, almost immediately suffers from a catastrophic failure during the test run, the explanation being that the Ether Reactor isn't able to support it's mana needs by itself. Reluctantly, Ernesti proposes the solution of using two Ether Reactors for Tzendorg, lamenting the fact that this means that will be more expensive than the standard Silhouette Knight.

While everyone else works on Tzendorg Ernesti, the twins and Batson go outside of the city with a Karrdator intending to test out the magic propeller, dubbed magical Jet Thrusters, having his friends install the thruster on the Karrdator, the Silhouette Knight takes off through the air achieving alarming speeds and height, before suddenly running out of mana and crashing back to the to the ground.

Miraculously Ernesti survives the crash, but the Karrdator, on the other hand, is destroyed beyond recognition. Ernesti begins scheming improvements to the thruster and when he gets back to base with the tattered Karrdator the knights go into a state of high alert. After calming down his knights and explaining what happens, a temporary office is made for Ernesti and he is confined to it by his own knight order.

Ernesti spends several days working projects that won't explode and produces results on the day, having Edgar test out a new feature for him. Basically, using a silver blade with a specialized inscription, Ernesti has created a Key for Silhouette Knights called a pattern identifier. Every sword will be unique to every Silhouette Knight and it will be impossible to take them without it, even if they have another sword, Ernesti's anti-theft device he said he was working on.

After being grounded, Ernesti devotes his time to designing various option works, once Tzendorg is completed the craftsmen have enough time to begin working on Ernesti's designs. The creation and testing of Flexible coat favored by Edgar's unit progresses smoothly, and a taser type weapon that uses anchor wire to channel lightning magic into a target is created for Edgar.

Testing for Tzendorg proceeds smoothly with the twins rampaging around the walls and forests of the academy.

### Chapter 22: Presentation of the New Model

With Autumn having arrived the time to present the fruits of the Silver Phoenix Knights is nigh. Since it's successful test run the Twins having playing pranks on the merchants going in and around Laihaila by making them think that Tzendorg is a new type of Demon Beast. Having a picnic on the back of their inhuman Silhouette Knight the Twins and Ernesti discuss that the time has finally come to terrify the NTR lab into submission.

A group consisting of Edgar, Dietrich, Adeltrud, Archid, and Ernesti arrive inside of the arena in spectacular fashion, securing Earlcumber, Guyale and Ernesti's personal Telestare to a wagon and being towed there by the twins inside of Tzendorg, causing the audience to scream at the new abnormal machines that enter the arena.

Once disembarked from their machines, the Silver Phoenix Knights arrive at the VIP area and greet the king explaining that as requested they brought along Tzendorg, and Telestrare equipped with Option works and are introduced to the nobles. Gaizka, who has been drugged by the king, confronts Ernesti with a mad look in his eyes on how such a thing like Tzendorg can possibly exist.

Ernesti calms the dwarf by explaining that Tzendorg has two Ether Reactors, and is about to give a further explanation before the king cuts him off. The head of the NTR lab Olver questions the founding of the Silver Phoenix knights, logically it would be better to dump Ernesti into their midst and use the knights solely as his personal bodyguards.

While Ambrosius understands this reasoning, he also questions if the group would have been so receptive to a child and that the existence of a second group has created much stimulus for the NTR lab. It is the king's intention to have the Silver Phoenix Knights come up with new ideas, and then have the NTR lab polish and refine them so that they're easier to handle.

Once Ambrosius is finished explaining that the sparring match begins. Basically, it's the Silver Phoenix knight's four machines versus six improved Karrdators developed by the NTR lab and Piloted by an elite order of Knights the Alvanz. The Karrdators, dubbed Karrdator Dash, are hybrids of Karrdator and Telestare that solves the two biggest problems of the Telestare.

In order to make the Karrdator Dash more manageable, they've reduced the Crystal strand Tissue to a fifth of that found in the Telestare and as a result, it's only 30% stronger than the standard Karrdator. But in compensation for that, they're able to fill in the gaps with Crystal sheet tissue solving the mana consumption problem. All this with the back weapons makes the Karrdator Dash a truly fearsome opponent.

Ernesti charges the platoon ganging up on the Tzendorg making use of his magical jet thruster and flying overhead, knocking down one of the Karrdator Dash in the process. Tzendorg doesn't let the chance slip by and attacks the distracted second platoon. Edgar meanwhile makes use of his superior defensive power to tag team with Dietrich and his massive offensive power to fight against the other platoon.

Having drained Toy Box's power Ernesti has no other choice but to watch on the sidelines as Tzendorg takes on the divided second platoon. Edgar takes the other Platoon's leader in a head to head fight foiling his magic attacks with Flexible coat and pressing the advantage of superior brute strength. Dietrich fights two Karrdator Dash with his massive arsenal of weapons.

Tzendorg uses it's towing cables to throw one of their opponents at the other, thereby defeating half of the opponents, as Edgar and Dietrich are on their last legs, having used up their mana dealing severe damage to their enemies, Ernesti re-enters the fray taking down of Dietrich's opponents with a flying knee kick. Before the match can go any further, the King ends it in a draw.

Ernesti is not upset by the outcome, only seeing the Karrdator Dash as an improvement and proposes trading machines with the enemy for research and development purposes, though some of the others are upset that they couldn't finish their duels.

### Chapter 23: Graduation Day

The year is 1280 in Spring. The fifteen years old Ernesti, Archid, Adeltrud, and Batson all graduate from Laihaila pilot academy. Different from the ceremony in other years though in that they are sent off by a path of Silhouette Knights. After moving out of the Academy, the Silver Phoenix Knights set up their new base of operations in the newly constructed fortress Olvecius a short distance away from the academy.

### Chapter 24: Inheritor of the Lion

In the months since graduation, the newest mass produced model with an optimized capacity frame for maximum mana storage and modular slots for Option Works Kardetolle has been put into service and several of the machines have been given to the Silver Phoenix Knights for use in their R&D efforts. Earlcumber and Guyale have both been retired to the Academy.

In the place of the two Telestare are the Adelecumber and Guyalinda, Kardetolle based on the old machines and customized to suit the tastes of their pilots. Unfortunately, the third company, headed up by Helvi, is having trouble adjusting, the twins Adeltrud and Archid making for poor instructors on the new Tzendribble Centaur Knight.

Rather than scold the Twins, Ernesti focuses his efforts on continuously upgrading his personal Silhouette Knight dubbed toy box, a strange abnormal thing with its armor stripped off, two Ether Reactors, and had new bits continuously added to it for testing purposes by Ernesti. Even so, Ernesti has the ambition to move beyond the flawed product he has created and instead consolidate all of the technology he has made into his ultimate Silhouette Knight.

While thinking about this Ernesti receives a summons for the royal capital. Riding there on Tzendorg with Adeltrud Ernesti arrives and is greeted the now-retired King Ambrosius and his grandson and second in line for succession Prince Emrys Geijer Fremevira. Cutting to the chase, Ambrosius explains that since he retired as King his old Silhouette Knight Raid of Valor has been given to his son the current king, as such he wishes for Ernesti to build a new one.

Emrys also wishes for a personal Silhouette Knight as well, one which emphasizes power above all else and with a lion-like theme. Ambrosius on the other hand while not having anything specific in mind for his request asks Ernesti to not go too overboard with the machine, well aware of his reputation for making outlandish things.

About a month later Ernesti delivers the two machines via Tzendribble to the royal capital. As per Emrys's request, the two machines, Gordesleo and Silver Tiger are both built emphasizing power and defensive strength, Gordesleo is made to resemble a large humanoid lion, and Silver Tiger is made with a paint job of white with black stripes, though they do burn through Mana a lot too.

Unfortunately, both individuals seem to want the Gordesleo, and unable to come to a compromise decision to settle the matter in a Silhouette Knight duel. Ultimately, it is Emrys who is victorious, though his grandfather appears to have thrown the match after acknowledging his grandson's growth and maturity. As such Emrys takes the Prize of Gordesleo while Ambrosius settles for Silver Tiger.

### Chapter 25: Premonition of Crisis

In the fall, Ambrosius charges into for Olvacious with dire news, a division class threat, a hive of Shell Beast Demon Beasts have split off and are threatening the Giant Tree fortress, an area of massive strategic importance responsible to producing Ether Reactors. Due to the classified nature of the base and the group's previous experience in fighting division class threats the Silver Phoenix knights are being called in to deal with the crisis.

Ernesti deploys their forces in the form of the Centaur Knights towing their full forces plus Ambrosius and Emrys in their personal Knights as well. They charge to the Giant tree forest with a loadout tailor-made for fighting against the Behemoth and arrive just in time to keep the gates outside of the forest city from falling to the Shell beast hoard.

After dropping off Silver Tiger and Gordesleo in front of the gates Ernesti is ordered to wipe out the heart of the swarm the Queen Shell Beast by Ambrosius.

### Chapter 26: Queen of the Shell Beast

Switching over to Tzendorg pulling the Chariot, Ernesti and the twins charge into the forest to hunt the Queen Shell Beast. Simply put, in order to maximize its potential firepower, Toybox is being dragged through the battlefield as a chariot mounted turret being pulled by Tzendorg and the twins and makes use of its firepower to the fullest to wipe out the enemy swarm.

They eventually spot the Queen Shell beast, who is rampaging in the forest. When they fail to take out one of the legs in melee combat, they instead target the huge egg sack beneath the Queen using Toy Box's firepower and successfully wound the monster. Unfortunately, the Queen quickly recovers after discarding the damaged organ and, thoroughly enraged, begins stubbornly chasing after the trio.

Ernesti takes the chance to break off and fly to the back of the queen making use of the nearby trees as a starting point while the Queen continues to chase after Tzendorg. Failing to deliver a finishing blow to the back of the Queen's neck, Ernesti instead targets the joints of the Queen's legs taking them out on one side and knocking the beast down, and finishing it off with a blow to the head from their melee weapons.

After losing their Queen, the Shell Beasts begin losing ground and after a week of continuous fighting, they succeed in wiping out the enemy and bringing peace back to the forest.

### Chapter 27: Forest City

Following the battle, the Silver Phoenix knights are stationed at the Giant Tree forest temporarily, the third division of Centaur Knights being the most prominent in the area hauling cargo and supplies to and fro. After his many years of hard work, Ambrosius decides to give Ernesti his long-awaited award, the designs for the Ether Reactor. That said as it turns out the designs aren't his to give.

Rather Ether Reactors are constructed by the people of the forest City that they just saved, the Elves, and as such Ambrosius takes Ernesti to meet them. Conversing with Olver, an Elf and the head of the NTR lab Ernesti learns that Elves are beings with a lifespan of roughly five hundred years. The reason why the elves have chosen to isolate themselves is that they find humans too noisy.

When Elves reach the age of one hundred they start to lose the motivation to do anything else but spend long hours meditating, that said they need food and they still need someone to fend off the Demon Beasts for them, hence their alliance with the humans. In exchange for the Ether Reactors that only they can build the Humans use the Silhouette Knights that they build using those reactors to defend the Elves and provide them with the resources they need to live.

Olver and Ambrosius take Ernesti to have an audience with the Elven leader elder Quitterie Kirjarinta to request that Ernesti be able to learn the secrets of the Ether reactor. The Elder initially refuses, Half a dozen kings in her lifetime have brought craftsmen before them claiming that they're the best in the country requesting to learn the secrets of the Ether reactor and each of them has failed, more important than that none of them were small children not even twenty years old.

However, Ambrosius explains Ernesti's impressive skill with magic with such feats as bypassing the Magius engine of a Silhouette Knight to pilot the robot directly and being the designer and commander of the forces that repelled the Shell Beast invasion. Deciding to humor the pair she lets Ernesti meet with the head of the craftsmen to learn the secrets of the Ether Reactor.

Basically, the Reactor has three parts, one an alchemical solution called Elixer that;s similar to blood which rejects the presence of mana in the Reactor, expelling it and allowing it to be used. The second is called Life Song, a magic script engraved in Mythril which soaks up Ether in the air. The third is a Catalyst Crystal which converts the ether into mana.

The Mythril is the Key reason why only Elves are able to make Ether Reactors, Mythril is metal that has been altered by absurd amounts of ether, no matter how much force is applied it will not bend, but conversely elves who are able to use magic naturally are able to manipulate the metal at will, engraving the extremely complex life song in microscopic amounts.

As for how to make them more powerful the answer is easy, a Catalyst crystal harvested from the body of Demon Beast that is larger then a Duel class beast would be more powerful than that used in the Silhouette Knights, they're also extremely unstable due to being inside of a Demon Beast, which would require complex minute adjustments to be made to the life song to avoid catastrophic failure thus making the method unsuited to mass production.

Having learned the information he needed Ernesti immediately requests the use of the Behemoth Catalyst crystal that was recovered after the fall of the beast and stays at the base with the Silver Phoenix Knights for an entire month learning the secrets of the Elves.

### Chapter 28: Descent of the Fierce God (Kishin)

After having learned the secrets he desired Ernesti immediately returns to Fort Olvacious where he sets to work building his ultimate Ether Reactor to go with his ultimate Silhouette Knight, while the rest of the Craftsmen work on building the frame and other parts of his masterpiece. In substitute for the Elves ability to directly wield magic Ernesti has modified his Motor Beat that is filled with magic into a tool that can shape Mythril.

But because of the method Ernesti is using, it's taking him a long time to get the work done because his normally impressive stamina can't keep up with the strenuous activity, thus a temporary office has been erected in the corner Ernesti is hogging to himself. Nora arrives and gives her report, apparently tension in the west is escalating and one of the countries might try something soon.

Adeltrud informs Ernesti that his family misses him and tells him to go home and see his mother. That said, Adeltrud takes the liberty of asking Ernesti out on a date, going Demon Beast hunting with her in a Tzendorg and Ernesti in his new Silhouette Knight seated in the Chariot with Ernesti noting that he'll have to ask the king for the location of a nest of troublesome Demon Beasts.

As Ernesti continues his work another year passes and it's now 1281, six months after saving the Elves from the Shell Beasts Ernesti has completed work on not one but two Ether Reactors, the Heart of the King made from the Division level Behemoth's Catalyst Crystal, and the Queen's Coronet made from the Brigade level Shell Beast Queen and has Greedily used both in his new Silhouette Knight.

Ernesti's masterpiece is a monster of a Silhouette Knight, with six arms, a massive size, Magical thruster, dozens of different option works, a unique control system modeled after a keyboard, and the face of a demon covering its head, Ernesti names his newly minted monster Ikaruga. After sixteen long years, Ernesti's ultimate goal of building the best Silhouette Knight that's only just for him has finally succeeded.

## Volume 4

### Prologue

Having received a summons from the King for an expedition into the western nation, all of the machines of the Silver Phoenix Knights are overhauled with fresh parts and loaded up with supplies to maintain them over the long journey. Ernesti is home saying goodbye to his parents and packing everything that he needs for the trip, telling them that he'll miss them and he'll bring back lots of souvenirs including himself safe and sound.

Arriving in the Audience Hall, the current King Riothamus informs the group that their neighboring allies where his sister Martha and her family lives of Kuscheperca is under attack and sends them under the command of his son to rescue her, her family and the royal from harm. Ernesti shows Emrys that the Silver Phoenix Knights are well prepared to march into war.

The Tzendribble has been overhauled with fresh parts for the long trip, the first and second companies are also refreshed and are waiting in standby moods on wagons attached to the Centaur Knights alongside Gordesleo, along with vast amounts of food medical supplies and spare parts for the long journey. Being thoroughly prepared, the Silver Phoenix Knights set out for the Western part of the continent at full speed.

### Chapter 30: The Exiled Princess

Rushing as fast as they can to the checkpoint in the Albigne mountain range Ernesti initially introduces the group to the Zaulodek guards as merchants, writing off the presence of the Tzendribbles as being a machine meant to protect the caravans from Demon Beasts in the Western part of the continent. They question why a Kuscheperca flag isn't being flown in the checkpoint despite this being their territory.

To this end, the Guards explain that Zaulodek has conquered the entire Western part of the continent in the short amount of time since they left the capital. Realizing that they no longer have the option of going easy on them. At once Gordesleo disembarks from the wagon and blows the gate down with a powerful attack taking one of the enemy Silhouette Knights, known as Tyrant, with it. The Tzendribbles separate from the wagon and spears the enemy Tyrant leaving four of the foes left.

Ernesti jumps into Ikaruga and jumps over the enemies heads, landing on the ground as they scatter to avoid the giant. Ernesti begins making quick work of the enemies, taking out the arms of one, gutting a second, destroying a third with Falconet, the spell used to ground the Shell Beast Queen, before lancing the last with Ikuraga's sword cannon and shooting at it from within.

Making the checkpoint their temporary base of operations, capturing the enemy personnel, raiding the base for intelligence and dissecting the enemy Tyrants the group makes a number of disturbing discoveries. First and foremost, Zaulodek which conquered Kuscheperca is on the far side of the continent, in other words, the entire western half of the continent is under their control.

Secondly, they determine that the Tyrants are essentially enlarged copies of Telestare, meaning that Zaulodek were the ones who stole their machines four years ago. For the most part Ernesti is excited to see what kinds of innovations Zaulodek has made to the Silhouette Knights, but more importantly, as the technology was originally their's Ernesti intends to reclaim every single Tyrant on the continent, one way or another.

### Chapter 31: The Imprisoned Princess

Since arriving in the Eastern Region of the former Kingdom of Kuscheperca Ernesti and the Silver Phoenix Knights have been hunting the Tyrants that are occupying the area, using the combination of Ikaruga in a chariot drawn by two Tzendribble to slaughter the enemy forces. The threat of the rumored 'Demon Death God' combined with their severe loss in numbers forces the Zaloudek empire to start sending their patrols out in larger groups for their safety.

Because of this the Zaloudek empire no longer has the luxury of sending their Tyrants out to harass the minor nobles of the Former Kuscheperca kingdom whom Ernesti and Emrys have been negotiating with. Although they've consistently proven their ability to fight against the Zaloudek empire, the Silver Phoenix Knights are still only just over thirty Silhouette Knights strong, the nobles confidence in their ability to defeat the entire might of the Zaloudek empire, even with their help, is non-existent.

If they want to gain the support of the people, then they need the help of the captive Noble family being held by the Zaloudek empire, and more specifically the crown princess Eleonora. As it so happens, the latest report from the Blue Hawk Knights comes with valuable intel about the missing Princess. In an Ironic twist of fate, the princess, as well as Emrys's aunt Martina and her daughter Isodora are being held in the castle that they use to live in belonging to the archduke who ruled over the Eastern Region, Lacepede castle.

More important than that though, in order to solidify their control over the Kuscheperca region, the Zaloudek empire intends to wed Eleonora to the Second Prince of the Zaloudek Empire Cristóbal Hasslo Žaloudek. Naturally, the members of the Silver Phoenix Knights are filled with rage and intend to go after her at once. However as Ernesti is one to point out Lacepede castle has become an enemy fortress, therefore stealth is the keyword to their strategy, not brute force.

As far as their intelligence knows, the enemy has imprisoned the three nobles in three of the four watchtowers that dot the four corners of Lacepede Castle. To rescue them they'll be utilizing Ernesti, team leader, Archid and Adeltrud, getaway drivers, and Emrys, who is familiar with the layout of the castle while being supported by Nora and the Shadow Lad Silhouette Gears.

The Shadow Lad is the newest Model of Silhouette Gears made by the request of the liaison to the Blue Hawk Knight's Nora Frykberg based on the Motor Rad. Without needing a Ether reactor to power them, the Motor Rad is silent, and offers physical stats superior to a human, in addition to that the Shadow Lad are given camouflaged armor that lets them move through the woods under the cover of darkness without being seen and have Crystal Strand Tissue reinforced joints that let them land safely from up high.

Additionally, the First, Second and Third companies are assigned the task to distract the Zaloudek empire, though at the same time they are to deliver designs to the nobility to modify their Resvent model Silhouette Knights to fight against the Zaloudek empire's Tyrants.

### Chapter 32: Infiltrating Lacepede Castle

Ernesti and Emrys arrive in Fontaine city, which surrounding the castle where the royals are being kept, disguised as merchants during the day. Arriving inside of a warehouse they observe the Blue Hawk Knights as they prepare for the rescue operation that night. While the Blue Hawk Knights eliminate the sentries around the castle the main team uses Anchor Wire to reach the prisoner's cells.

Ernesti quickly rips the bars off of Martina's cell and safely lands on the ground with her in his arms thanks to Shadow Lad's reinforced leg joints where they meet the other members of the rescue team with the rescued royals, then as the base goes into chaos from the Blue Hawk Knight's sabotage the group scales the wall and makes their escape in the Tzendribble.

Unfortunately, the escaping convoy comes under attack by the enemy's Levitate Ship. Ernesti deploys Ikaruga in order to fight the airborne enemy and easily deals massive damage to it. Unfortunately, he soon realizes that it was merely a distraction while the enemy deploys their own stealth unit Wittendora model Silhouette Knights, to pursue the convoy and is thusly forced to break off in order to chase after them.

Ernesti deals with the attacking enemy in short order and the convoy safely returns to the Silver Phoenix Knight's forward operating base.

### Chapter 33: Hoisting the Flag of the Silver Phoenix Knights

The Convoy with the royals arrives safely at the City that the Silver Phoenix Knights have made their base, the former city of Miliver, and lead the royal family to a mansion that is serving as their barracks. With the safe return of the Princess the confidence of the Nobles in the Silver Phoenix Knights is invigorated and thus listens to the proposal Ernesti makes to upgrade their Silhouette Knights the Resvants.

Basically, the new models, Resvant Vido, is less of a Silhouette Knight, and more of an immobile turret to be placed on top of the walls of the fortresses. What they will lack in mobility, will be made up for in huge reserves of Mana through a base composed of thick Crystal Sheet Tissues, rapid firepower through six staff type Silhouette Arms, and massive defense courtesy of their barrel-like frame and heavy armor.

However, Ernesti also demands payment for the services of the Silver Phoenix knights in upgrading their Knights and providing their own support to wipe out the enemy, namely what Ernesti wants is every singular Silhouette Knight that they capture from the enemy. Martina agrees to Ernesti's terms, and at once Ernesti deploys the Blue Hawk Knight's to destroy the supplies and supply lines of the incoming Black Skull Knights of the Enemy in order to severely weaken and stall them.

Thus when the Black Skull's do arrive at the Gedeon City Fortress intending to resupply there they are instead met by a massive assault from the enemy using the Resvant Vido and Catapults and are forced to flee. This unilateral defeat invigorates the Rebel Kuscheperca army, and as the year enters the Autumn months the East once again becomes a battlefield as the war enters a new chapter.

### Chapter 34: The Worries of the Princess

The situation in Miliver gradually improves as the Silver Phoenix Knights expand their influence. The Knightsmith's of Kuscheperca are being equipped and trained in the use of Motor Rad and the upgrading of the old Resvant models based on the designs of the Kardetollie is progressing smoothly. Ernesti takes the liberty of giving David the designs for a new anti-Levitate ship weapon with the intention of giving the mass-produced models the power to sink the flying ships.

However the Silver Phoenix Knights are called in to consult on a new problem troubling the royal family, the severe depression of the crown Princess stemming from the loss of her family, her prolonged stay in captivity, and nearly marrying Cristobal who had murdered her father. After hearing and rejecting the various ideas they eventually decide to use Archid who has become the main emotional support of the princess since her rescue.

The gamble succeeds when Archid successfully forces the princess out of the room, as Ernesti and Adeltrud learn when they eavesdrop in on the conversation through the door. The interaction between the three lifts the princess's spirits, and she is guided on a tour of Miliver as she is slowly lifted out of her depression.

### Chapter 35: The Princess' Stratagem

Ernesti oversee's the development of the anti-aircraft weapon when Adeltrud comes in with a basket of food for Ernesti, David, and Batson. Ernesti comments that the food reminds him of his mother's cooking, which considering that Adeltrud learned how to cook from her and her mother is not surprising. Adeltrud makes Ernesti take the rest of the night off now that the preliminary work on the Anti-Aircraft weapon is done.

Once in his bedroom, Adeltrud forcibly inserts herself into Ernesti's bed and goes to sleep hugging him. Unfortunately, the duo's peaceful sleep is interrupted by the actions of the Zaloudek intruders that have infiltrated the mansion to kidnap the royals and assassinate the Silver Phoenix Knights. The pair quickly wakes up and makes short work of their uninvited guests before reuniting with the other people in the mansion, having been awoken by Adeltrud's thunder magic.

Once the intruders in the mansion are dealt with and the safety of the royals confirmed, Ernesti sends Edgar to go and get their Silhouette Knight's in order to ensure that the enemy does not attempt to steal or destroy them. Edgar succeeds in the task thanks to Ernesti's anti-theft measures and the use of Silhouette gears to overpower their human enemies and using their Silhouette Knights the 1st division captured or killed all of the enemy forces and their Wittendora.

Once morning comes Ernesti and Emrys discuss the enemy. They note that in face of the anti-siege weapon the Resvent Vido the Zaulodek empire realize that they can no longer use the same tactics that they have in the past to defeat their foes. Although the Zaulodek Empire does still hold a firm grip over the eastern region, they now see the Kuscheperca rebellion and the Silver Phoenix Knights as a threat.

### Chapter 36: Mobilization of the Black Skull Knights

In Missilier, the Silver Phoenix Knights receive word from the fortress belonging to the now deceased Baron Letonmaki that the Zaloudek Empire's combined invading army has conquered the fortress and are now making their way to Missilier. As such the Silver Phoenix knights and the Kuschepecha rebels scramble to prepare, getting as much work done on their weapons as they can and consolidating their forces inside of the outpost.

Once the Zaloudek forces arrive they implement the tactical information they gleaned from fighting the Resvant Vido and rest outside of their enemies range of fire. The Shadow Lad watches them during the night and obtains tactical information about them before retreating. During the night the Zaloudek forces move unopposed to Missilier and once they are in range Ernesti initiates the attack.

Firstly, to counter the enemy ships camouflaged in the air, Ernesti deploys a flash bang type device that serves to use magic to light up the night sky, destroying the enemy's cover. Then they deploy their anti-aircraft weapon, loaded onto the chariots pulled by the Tzendribble. The new Anti-aircraft weapon, Vertical Launch Javelin, or guided Missile Javelin, are javelins loaded into a specialized launcher, with Silver nerves and miniature magic thrusters.

The Missile Javelins use the same principle of wire arrow, a projectile weapon that can be guided mid-flight through the use of magic, Silver Nerves, and Crystal strand tissue and are given impressive penetrating power using the same script found in Magic Thruster. The first volley scores a lucky hit against one of the ship's Etheric Levitator and sinks it instantly.

The sight forces the Levitate ships to retreat at which point in time Ernesti and Ikaruga finally enter the battlefield. Ernesti uses his newly installed Rahu fist to grapple the ships, destroying one with a point-blank shot into the bridge of the ship before Ernesti begins sinking the ships one by one. Not satisfied with destroying the ships, Ernesti turns his sights on the Tyrants on the ground and orders his forces to attack.

### Chapter 37: The Nightmare of Missilier

With one final Levitate Ship, Ernesti drops into the middle of the enemy army and begins decimating the middle-guard forces while the Kuschepeca forces fight the vanguard, demonstrating the true purpose of Rahu Fist, an explosive mid-range weapon that can pierce the armor of the Tyrants then detonate using magic. Reuniting with the Kuschepeca rebels, Ernesti hits the retreating Vanguard with a pincer attack.

Charging the Rearguard, the Kuschepeca rebels continue to slaughter the enemy army as Ernesti pursues the Zaloudek flagship with reckless abandon. Arriving on top of the flagship, Ernesti is about to sink it when he see's Cristobal, the Second Prince of Zaloudek and leader of the enemy army arrives outside of his ship in his personal Silhouette Knight Alekelorix.

Recognizing the superior ability of Ikaruga and it's pilot after a short clash Cristobal attempts to negotiate with Ernesti to bring his considerable talent and resources over to his side, believing that he can use his motive of just wanting to fight Silhouette Knights with Silhouette Knights to lure him into the bloody war that he intends to have consumed the continent in the name of restoring the Grand Nation of Father Aburdene.

Ernesti simply has one request in exchange for joining Cristobal and contributing his vast resources, that being to be placed in control of the restored Father Aburdene's entire Silhouette Knight forces from research and development to deployment and distribution of Knight forces. Ernesti explains that he already holds a similar position in his homeland of Fremmiveria, but he doesn't have any interest in becoming a noble.

Seeing as how Cristobal can't meet those terms, Ernesti makes a counteroffer to the increasingly mad prince, that if Cristobal surrenders and immediately gives up his Silhouette Knight then he will be spared, while Ernesti would never miss a chance for robot on robot combat, he'd also never dream of using a Silhouette Knight to kill a unarmed human.

Ernesti's words only enrage Cristobal who comes after him one last time, only for Ernesti to destroy his arm and legs and accidentally knock him off of the ship. With their commander dead Ernesti successfully threatens the crew into landing the ship, capturing an intact Levitate Ship in the process as they deal a crippling blow to the Zaloudek Empire with the loss of their military commander.

## Volume 5

### Prologue

The year is now 1282 and Ernesti is 17 years old. With the defeat of the Zaloudek empire on the horizon, the payment for the Silver Phoenix Knight's aid is delivered, namely, every single Zaloudek Silhouette Knight that has been captured or defeated by the Silver Phoenix Knights. Even though the word captured is used, what Ernesti, Adeltrud, and Batson are currently in the middle of happily digging through using Silhouette Gear is the wreckage of Dozens of Silhouette Knights and nine sunken Levitate ships.

After much work, Ernesti finds the Key component he was looking for, the Etheric Levitator. The device that will allow them to build flying ships that can travel across the country and serve as Silhouette Knight transport.

### Chapter 38: New Kuscheperca Kingdom Army Advance

Ernesti arrives from the salvage yard in the middle of a Tea party with the Princess, her extended family, and the twins and is made to sit down with Adeltrud who's already sitting with the princess. Eventually moving onto business Elenora and Martina reveals that they wish to renegotiate their original deal with Ernesti. To continue their war effort with the Zaloudek empire what Kuscheperca needs is Silhouette Knights.

Under normal circumstances after destroying so many enemies Silhouette Knights they would simply use their wreckage to build new knights to launch a counter-offensive. But due to the deal made with Ernesti, currently all of the Knight wreckage, including the vital and stubbornly tough and essential Ether reactor and Magius engine, is his property. Thus they ask Ernesti to loan them the raw materials in his possession to rebuild their army.

Ernesti is okay with the asking, he doesn't have sufficient raw materials or manpower to rebuild and maintain ninety Silhouette Knights so he agree's to rent the majority of the new forces. While the other's are initially relieved they become terrified with Ernesti's next words. Since the rented Knights are still considered 'Silver Phoenix Knights' that means that any enemy forces that they defeat will become Ernesti's as well, due to the terms of their previous contract, thus creating the very real possibility that Ernesti will soon consume the entire Zaloudek army.

The other nobles stunned, Emyrs grabs Ernesti and noogies him for bullying his relatives. Escaping from Emyrs clutches, Ernesti explains that such a scenario will just create too much of a burden for his forces, so he agrees to loan out his Silhouette Knights to Kuscheperca and they can renegotiate their original deal later on. Ernesti ends the conversation being chased into Adeltrud's clutches who tidies his ruffled hair.

As the day's progress Kuscheperca uses the captured raw materials to rebuild and expand upon their forces in preparation of rescuing the rest of their nobility and the other neighboring countries from the clutches of the Zaloudek empire.

### Chapter 39: Zaloudek Kingdom's Schemes

As summer nears, Ernesti holds a meeting of the Silver Phoenix Knights, since he's completed his study of the Tyrants and the Levitate ship he presents the information he's gathered about the enemy's technology to his subordinates. Firstly is the Tyrant, the vast majority of the Tyrant features technology that was stolen from them five years ago with the Telestare, one key difference though is it's power source that allows for it's much larger size.

An Ether reactor is a machine that turns the Ether in the atmosphere into magical power to fuel a Silhouette Knight, what the Zaloudek empire has done is create an add-on which first converts ether into a solid mass known as Ethelite, a much denser mass of Ether. Until now Ethelite was thought of as a useless material that when left alone would dissolve back into the air after a while.

The device Ernesti found, known as an Ether Supplier, concentrates Ethelite and injects it directly into the Ether Reactor giving it a large boost in power. However there is a downside, Ether Reactors weren't designed to be used like this, and now huge strain is being put on them which will in due time cause the reactors to break down and thus the Ether Supplier should only be thought of as a last resort measure.

Onto the main topic, the Levitate ships, and their Etheric Levitator. The ships also rely on Ether Suppliers, except that the goal with the Etheric Levitator is storage, for some reason, Ethelite has a mysterious property that allows the ships to float, the more of it there is, the high the ship can float. Thus now that they understand the function of the ship, the next step is to fly it themselves.

Thus Ernesti alongside the Silver Phoenix knights and the Kushcheperca smiths take the ship and fly it several feet in the air, while Ernesti isn't affected having come from earth where there are airplanes and already one to fly around inside of Ikaruga even going a few feet into the air has a huge effect on the others and after a short period of time they go back to ground level.

The Silver Phoenix Knights continue to experiment with the ship, testing the limits of its speed, height, and nearly crashing it when they tried to flip it upside down. Ernesti thoroughly examines the capabilities of the ship and concludes it's chief weakness is its speed and the designer's focus on the idea of a 'flying ship' thus both David and Ernesti end up arriving at the same conclusion on how to improve the ship.

### Chapter 41: The Confrontation between the Demon God and the Flying Dragon

As Autumn begins, Kuscheperca receives word of several of their bases being destroyed in rapid succession, the survivors report describing a Silhouette Knight like a monster in the shape of an extinct Demon Beast known as a Drake rampaging across the countryside. Ernesti is excited and together with Emrys, Helvi, Edgar, and Dietrich begin formulating a plan to defeat the new enemy.

As a start Emrys and Archid will stay behind with Gordesleo and a Tzendribble along with the Kuscheperca army, if the enemy does get by them, they need someone strong enough to protect the Kuschepercan nobility. Ernesti divides his forces in order to try to protect two fortresses at once, the first and third divisions with Missile Javelins will protect one, and Ernesti, the second division, and Adeltrud will take another.

Arriving at another fortress Ernesti and the Second division watches in horror as another fortress is destroyed by the Dragon ship, although there is nothing they can do for them the survivors fleeing the battle is another thing and so the Second division is deployed to protect the retreating Kuschepercan army from the deployed Tyrants while Ernesti fights the Dragon ship.

The Dragon ship, the Vouivre, was designed for the specific purpose of taking Ernesti and Ikaruga down, the Silhouette Knights attached directly to the hull of the ship are able to use lightning magic to deploy a force field that protects them from both magic and physical attacks. its huge size means that it can overwhelm them with brute force, it's fiery breath is a weapon that can easily crush a fortress, it's high level of Crystal sheet Tissue gives it huge mana capacity, and it's use of a Magius Jet thruster means it can keep up with Ikaruga in an areal battle.

Were Ernesti fighting alone, he would inevitably be destroyed by the enemy that stubbornly pursues him. However, Ernesti receives help in the form of Adeltrud who is wielding Missile Javelin. The Vouivre lands to deal with its new opponent, which also gives Ernesti the chance to land and restore his mana reserves, and unleashes a volley of fire lances on the enemy that destroys one of it's thirteen Ether Reactors.

Though not a significant loss at first, the Vouivre is a precisely balanced machine, the loss of one of its reactors lowers its mana output and with the crew of the ship continuing to pursue Ernesti at full throttle it quickly runs out of mana. Left with no other choice the Vouivre flies as high as it can into the air with Ernesti chasing after them not content to let them get away.

In the process, though Ernesti suddenly begins experiencing pain, and Ikaruga's systems become strained. Doing a full body analysis on Ikaruga and himself Ernesti discovers what the problem is: both himself and Ikaruga are producing too much magic power. The previous chain of thought with Ether is that it was a substance found in the air, however following that logic the amount of ether in the atmosphere should decrease as the air gets thinner.

Thus Ernesti makes a conclusion that it is not Air that Ether is found in, but rather space itself and actually gets thicker the less air that's around that it has to compete for space. Unable to continue the chase Ernesti congratulates the enemy and acknowledges them as king of the sky, for now, but he also warns that the next time they meet he will not fall for the same trick twice.

### Chapter 42: Battle Preparations

Some time passes since the tie between Ernesti and the Vouvire, for the new Kuscheperca kingdom the seemingly invincible Silver Phoenix Knights tying against the hated Zaloudek empire is a severe blow to their morale, and thus Elenora calls Ernesti in to learn if he's developed a countermeasure yet. Ernesti tells them not to worry, he chalks his previous failure up to being poorly prepared and being unaware of the true nature of Ether.

Ernesti has already made countermeasures to defeat the enemy, who will likely be devising their own countermeasures to stop him, so Ernesti's strategy is to predict what these countermeasures are and plan for them. Part of this strategy is to modify the captured Levitate ship from the battle of Missilier to use a support unit for Ikaruga in the upcoming battle with Vouvire.

When asked how Ernesti can face such difficulties without fear he explains that he simply views them as an obstacle to improve oneself, and his Silhouette Knights. On the subject of the Levitate ship, Ernesti has already been making a vast number of improvements on the ship. As a start, he's already built in a Magius engine into the ship designed to operate many of its functions thereby vastly reducing the number of people needed to operate the ship.

The next improvement Ernesti wishes to make is to replace the wind-powered Blow Engine with a Magius Thruster system, but there's an obstacle there. Due to the Gluttonous nature of the Magius Thruster, it would take either a huge number of Ether Reactors to power it, or one or two large ones. In other words, the ship has gone from being a support unit for Ikaruga into something that won't be able to operate without it, and that isn't even taking into account Ernesti's secret weapon that he plans on installing on the ship to help take down the Vouvire.

On a more personal note for Ernesti the Vouvire is an existence that he can no longer tolerate. He realizes from working on their own Levitate ship that the Vouvire must use up an enormous amount of Ether and Magical power in order to operate. In order to supply that power, it requires either one very large Ether Reactor, or several normal ones working in tandem.

As long as the Vouvire has the chance to prove that battleships like it are better than the single Reactor Silhouette Knight, then people will begin mass producing them, and thus the main force of the world will change from Ernesti's precious Silhouette Knights into battleships. Not able to tolerate such an existence, Ernesti vows to thoroughly erase the Vouvire and all other multi-reactor platforms like it from the world at large.

As the days go by and the Silver Phoenix Knights continue work on their ship The Vouvire returns to the front lines and begins laying waste to the Kuschepercan fortresses. When the pessimistic nobles question why the Dragon Ship just doesn't come to them and turn that overwhelming firepower against them Elenora comes up with the theory that they actually fear Ernesti and Ikaruga.

However, if they do something reckless like charging forward with the full force of the New Kuschepercan army and the Silver Phoenix Knights then that will leave the capital and the pillar of the Kuschepercan army Elenora Defenseless. However hunkering down into a defensively battle is also not an option, because while they hide the Vouvire will slowly lay waste to their war potential until they are finally crushed.

The solution is ultimately reached to gather all their forces and strike at the heart of the Zaloudek Empire's occupying forces in the former capital of Delvincourt, with Elenora leading the charge. Cities they can theoretically rebuild, but if Elenora, the last member of the royal family, is captured or worst killed then it would mean the permanent end of the Kuschepercan Kingdom. Thus, influenced by Ernesti's words, it is Elenora's decision to fight alongside her army and vassals to save their kingdom.

### Chapter 43: The Queen's Campaign

Being successful in gathering together their forces, and in finishing work on the Levitate ship, Ernesti builds for Elenora the Kartoga Ol Cauchard Secundus, a New Silhouette Knight based on the former personal Knight of the King of Kuscheperca Elenora's father for her use complete with all the upgrades of the new models designed by Ernesti, with a unique dual pilot cockpit so that Isadora can co-pilot the new knight with the heavily inexperienced Elenora.

That said, the two are still inexperienced as Knight Runners, so serving as a guard to the two young women will be Emrys in Gordesleo, as well as the three companies of the Silver Phoenix Knights. The vast army takes the first fortress with little difficulty, but a message does get back to Delvincourt about the resurgent army. Thus when the Kuschepercans arrive at Silda Neljak, a wall like a fortress that surrounds Delvincourt, Zaloudek's combined army is already waiting for them.

Taking the Fortress by land is simply put, impossible. Their only choice is to send in the Blue Hawk Knights to open the fortress from within and let them through. Since Dietrich's Guaylinda hasn't been rebuilt, he decides to join the raiding party in a Shadow lad While the 2nd company is placed under Ernesti's direct command. With their plans set, the next stage is to prepare to siege the fortress.

### Chapter 44: Assault, Siege of the Tetraspides

The Army moves into position to wait for the bridges to lower and take the fortress, Zaloudek Levitate Ships arrive and begin a preemptive strike against the Kuschepercans. While they bomb from the air the Empire marches their ground forces forward in order to route the Kuschepercan army below. Finally, after the conflict devolves into a brutal melee with occasional fire being exchanged between the Missile Javelin's and the Levitate Ships the Vouvire Makes its appearance.

At once Emrys orders all Missile Javelins fired at the Vouvire, unfortunately with it's upgraded 'lightning curtain' all of the Javelins are destroyed in short order. Instead, Emrys signals Ernesti to enter the battlefield, Ikaruga attached to the bow of the massive ship, the Aerial Assault ship. Using the Ship to bait the Vouvire away from the battlefield Ernesti deploys the ship's weapons system, a massive arsenal of Specialized Missile Javelins.

Firing the Javelins, they are predictably destroyed by the Vouvire's lightning curtain, but once destroyed the Javelins deliver their payload of demon beast oil, which is now sticking to and covering the enemy ship. Ernesti ignites the oil and soon engulfs the Vouvire in flame. As Ernesti prepares to fight the weakened Vouvire the Dragon ship successfully flings the fiery oil off of itself and prepares its secret weapon to fight Ernesti.

### Chapter 45: Nemesis

The Activation of the 'Dragon Blood Reactor' gives the Vouvire a ludicrous amount of magical power to the point that it almost becomes uncontrollable. The rowdy Vouvire charges at Ernesti and Ikaruga as they depart from the areal assault ship and activates the lightning curtain. Ernesti uses a barrage of fire attacks to cut a hole into a single point in the Lightning curtain and uses that to bypass the Vouvire's defenses.

Even though Ernesti has breached the first layer of defense of the Vouvire, he is now stuck between that and the dragon's breath the siege level weapon that can easily beat a army. Ernesti makes clever use of his thrusters to avoid and cut through the fire breath and land on the Dragon's back where it's mounted silhouette knights are destroyed looking for the Etheric Levitator. The dragon makes a effort to shake Ikaruga off of it doing a barrel roll and clawing at the knight.

Ernesti holds on via his Rahu fist and resumes his hunt for the Etheric Levitator.

### Chapter 46: The Dragon's Resolve

In spite of the erratic movements of the Vouvire Ernesti continues to hold on and hunt for the Levitator. Having maneuvered himself where the lightning curtain cannot reach him, Ernesti fires his sword cannon's at close range with impunity chipping away chunks of the Vouvire. Caught between Ikaruga and the Assault ship, the Vouvire attempts one final tactic: namely the crew decide to use the broken body of the Vouvire itself as a weapon and crash it down on the enemy army and it's princess.

Ernesti attempts to push the Vouvire away but it's pilot and captain Doroteo won't let him, manning the controls himself to keep the failing Vouvire on course. The Assault ship attempts to ram the flying dragon ship away but only succeed in depositing Chid in a Centaur Knight on the Dragon who proceeds to find and skewer Doroteo with a lance. With the Dragon's pilot dead Ernesti is able to move it away from the Kuschepercan's and rescue Chid before it crashes.

Not only that, but thanks to Ernesti the Vouvire instead lands on the enemy Zaloudekian army, crushing their reserves. Landing on the assault ship, Adeltrud jumps out of her own Centaur Knight and hugs the victorious Ernesti.

### Chapter 47: The Liberation of Delvincourt

The Victorious Silver Phoenix knights and Kuschepercan rebel army carry their momentum all the way to the former Kuschepercan capital of Delvincourt. Ernesti in Ikaruga mercilessly cuts down all of the fleeing ships and accepts the surrender of the Zaloudekian princess Catalina. The Zaloudekian forces continue to collapse and the situation stablizes enough that the Silver Phoenix knights feel comfortable leaving Kuscheperca in the hands of it's people.

The Areal assault ship has since been modified into a simple cargo hauler and has been packed to the brim with the cores of defeated tyrants. Eleonora has a heartfelt goodbye with Chid, who, now that the Silver Phoenix knights have completed their primary goal of removing Zaloudek from their lands need to return to their homeland. Emrys states that he will look into having Chid stay with Elenora, but he will have to discuss the matter with Chid and his father.

With that Ernesti and the Silver Phoenix Knights return home. The existence of Levitate ship technology quickly spreads across the continent, however the secrets of the flying dragon ship are lost with the disappearance of the inventor Horatio Callazo. None the less the introduction of the new technology revolutionizes warfare in the west and soon the kingdoms make a new grab for expansion.

## Powers and Abilities

### Great Intellect

Even before being reincarnated as Ernesti, Kurata was a genius programmer and was often credited with being the reason why many of the projects that he worked on for company were finished on time. As Ernesti Kurata's great intelligence has been put to work to revolutionize magic and magical technology, Kurata's obsession with robots is transferred into Ernesti's obsession with Silhouette Knights in his new life developing the strong urge to have one for his very own from a young age.

Among the developments made in magic by Ernesti include:

* **Specialized Magius Circuit**: After coming to the realization that Magic is the same as computer programming, Ernesti soon realized that the Magius Circuit is the same as a computer. By reprogramming his own internal Magius circuit, Ernesti has created subroutines that allow him to easily use high-level magic from an early age. Using this same knowledge, reprogramming and improving upon the Magius engine used in Silhouette Knights became like child's play for Ernesti.
* **Winchester Magic staff**: Ernesti had commissioned a pair of specialized wands combining the magic staff with the blade of a sword to create a unique fighting style combining magic and close quarters combat.
* **Crystal Strand Tissue**: Using the concept of rope and thread making, Ernesti has created specialized Crystal Tissue used in the building of Silhouette Knights by weaving together the crystal fiber tissues normally used in Silhouette Knights, creating Crystal Tissue that is approximately 2.5 times stronger and 10 times tougher.
* **Silhouette Gear**: A miniature Silhouette Knight Ernesti built designed with the concept of a Silhouette Knight that could be cheaply mass produced by losing the expensive Ether Reactor.
	+ **Motor Beat**: The first Model, Motor Beat, proved to be an abject failure due to the lack of a Magius Engine making it difficult to pilot for most.
	+ **Motor Rad**: The second model, the Motor Rad was built with a miniature Magius Engine which makes it dramatically easier to pilot compared to the Motor Beat. Additionally, it lacks armor and can be modularly customized to suit a wide variety of purposes.
	+ **Shadow Lad**: The Third Model, the Shadow Lad, was commissioned by Nora Frykberg of the Blue Hawk Knights, it provides a dramatic increase in physical stats and its lack of Ether Reactor means that it is able to move silently, and it has reinforced leg joints that make it able to leap from great heights.
* **Option Works**: Working on the principle that 'Silhouette Knights are machines meant to serve a purpose' Ernesti has added a pair of secondary arms attached to the back meant to hold more weapons and follow simple commands executed by subroutines he programmed into the spare space of the Magius Engine. Among the 'options' that can be loaded into the back weapon includes:
	+ **Flexible Coat**: A shield and Staff combination that can be loaded on the back, capable of defending from above, the sides, back and front, and on top of that can fire magical attacks from the back.
	+ **Kathka**: A scaled up version of the Winchesters that function as both staff and Silhouette arm short sword and uses wind magic.
	+ **Sword Cannon**: A even further scaled up version of the Winchester that is closer to a broadsword and utilizes fire magic.
	+ **Lightning Flail**: A grappling cable attached directly to the arm capable of latching onto an enemy like a grappling hook and delivering an electrical discharge like a taser.
	+ **Missile Javelin**: With the goal of creating an Anti-Air weapon, Ernesti has attached miniature Magius Jet Thrusters to Javelins and with lines of Crystal Strand Tissue and Silver Nerves it can be guided to hit a target with pinpoint accuracy.
	+ **Magius Jet Thruster**: Working on a way of making a Silhouette Knight faster, Ernesti has built a thruster based on the thrusters of Earth but using magic and ether to power it, unfortunately, it burns through large portions of Mana.
	+ **Wall Robe**: A section of armor plating and Crystal strand tissue, designed to grant immense magical reserves and defensive power at the cost of all mobility, but can be discarded in the event that they have to enter close quarters combat.
* **Centaur Knight**: Continuing to work on the principal that Silhouette Knight's are machines designed to serve a purpose, Ernesti has created a unique brand of Silhouette Knight with the upper body of a knight and the lower body of a horse. A massively powerful machine that requires two Ether reactors to operate, the Centaur knight has the approximate value of three Silhouette Knights. A centaur Knight can also be equipped with a Chariot that can be used to tow more firepower oriented Silhouette Knight's through the Battle Field.
* **Toybox**: The Prototype of Ernesti's Ultimate Silhouette Knight, it's a mere a Karrdator that he continuously added new features onto for the purpose of having them tested, and thus was dubbed 'Ernesti's personal toybox.'
* **Ikaruga**: Ernesti's crowning achievement, the culmination of over ten years of dedicated research and development, Ikaruga is a massive six armed Silhouette Knight built out of Crystal Strand Tissue and using Unique Ether Reactors made from the Crystal Catalysts harvested from the bodies of the Behemoth and the Queen Shell Beast, integrating four scaled-up Winchesters dubbed 'sword Cannons' into it's secondary and Tertiary arms, a Magius Jet Thruster, and controlled directly by Ernesti himself using Direct Control with some help from Ikaruga's Magius Engine.

### Physical Conditioning

Ernesti's physical body is below average, in spite of dedicated exercise from an early age Ernesti's biggest obstacle is his naturally short stature. Making up for this, Ernesti increases his physical strength using a Physical boost, Flying around the battlefield using hit and run tactics, and even using his opponent's tendency to underestimate him to his advantage.

### Skills

**Physical Boost Magic**:
**Swordsmanship**: Skilled in swordplay.
**Huge Manapool**: It has a large mana pool enabling him to cast huge spells without fatigue.
**Hacking Silhouette Knights**: Allows him to hack Silhouette Knights to better use them.
**Multicast**: Allows casting multiple spells at once.
**High Processing Speed**: Capable of constructing scripts in a shorter time and is able to improve them.
**Piercing Lance**: An intermediate level spell that creates a spear of flame to strike the target.
**Thundering Gale**: An advanced level spell that’s also a melded magic of wind and lightning. Creates a tornado imbued with lightning.
**Air Bullet**: A bullet out of the pure air that strikes the target.
**Aero Dammed, Canister Shot**: A powerful spell consisting of Air Bullets launched together all at once like a shotgun.

## Trivia

* The name "Echevalier" is a pun on the surname "Echevarria" (from Basque meaning "new house") and the French word "Chevalier" meaning "Knight".
* The name "Ernesti" is a Finnish variant of the German given name "Ernst" meaning "Serious".
* Ernesti is similar to Nagisa Shiota from Assassination Classroom, for both was mistakenly thought to be a girl.
* Ernesti is similar to Tanya von Degurechaff, for both remember their previous life and skills before being reincarnated in a new world, they also share height problems.
* Married Ady in the end of volume 9

## References

1. ↑ Volume 1, Chapter 1 *Alternate World*
2. ↑ Volume 2, Chapter 2 *Let's Play with Friends*