Episode 11 (Anime)

*Duty* (責務（デューティー）, *Sekimu (dyūtī)*) is the eleventh episode of the *Reign of the Seven Spellblades* anime series.

## Summary

Joseph mocks Oliver that he has no talent and has run out of tricks. However, Oliver explains that his words are not affecting him. Joseph also doesn't feel as confident as he seems and the way Joseph looks down on Oliver is almost like he is duty-bound to do so. Joseph gets annoyed and continues to attack Oliver. As they swords clash, he cast a spell, believing he won, but Oliver reveals that he is fine and guesses that Joseph tends to win his fights by casting a spell from point blank range.

Stacy decides that they take on Michela, since if they avoid Nanao's sword range, she shouldn't be a problem. As Stacy and Fay charge Michela, she uses Tonitrus. Stacy is sure that Fay will able to take the hit and continues to charge, but as they hit, the electricity hits her as well and she falls down from Fay. Michela then reveals that she changed her spell so that it hits Stacy and not Fay. Stacy manages to stand up and proceeds to fight Michela, however Michela easily outpowers her and states that her blade lost swiftness now that she is fighting alone, and she still lacks mental training.

Joseph and Oliver are holding each other and try to make each other lose balance. Eventually Joseph manages to push Oliver, but as he spins, he kicks Joseph and then hits him with Impetus. Oliver then claims the victory. Meanwhile, Michela defeats Stacy, who starts crying and asking why she can't win. Fay tells her that they are just weaker. Michela asks them on why they hate her, and Fay explains that Michela is too perfect. Stacy is from a branch family and exist for the purpose that if Michela dies, to replace her. However, Stacy case is a bit different as her father is also Theodore McFarlane, however Michela isn't allowed to call Stacy her sister, nor Theodore can call her his daughter. There is an old tradition that powerful mages from the main family can "share" their blood with the branch families. Fay explains that Stacy has been working hard and started to exceed her other sisters, which made her father realize that his blood was inferior to that of Theodore and started to shun Stacy. Stacy learned that truth when she was ten years old and then decided to prove that she is more talented than Michela, so that Theodore can accept her as his daughter. They know that this won't ever happen, but its all they had. Nanao looks Stacy up close and states that she doesn't look like Michela at all, and she can't replace her. They are all themselves and no one else, and Nanao wishes to know more about Stacy. Stacy then smiles and agrees.

Joseph tells Oliver that he wants to talk about the past. In front of everyone, he explains that long ago, one of their servants had a girl who was Joseph's age, Emma. At one point, the two started to play chess. She was weak and Joseph beats her easily. However, in time she studies hard and gets better, and one day, she ends up beating him in chess. It was the first time that Joseph saw someone's hard work pay off. He ends up telling his parents that she beat him in chess and that he had fun. However, his father beat him severely, as he had to learn what it meant to be an Albright. After his punishment, Joseph went to his room, but Emma never came. He later learned that while he was being punished, she and her entire family were gone. That's when Joseph learned that he isn't allowed to lose and his victories and defeats belong to the Albright family. Joseph confirms that he is looking down on others out of duty and will be doing it for the rest of his life. Joseph then casts a spell and summons stinger bees. He gets on his broom and explains that he must make it that his loss never happened. He tells them to surrender and he will erase their memories. However if they refuse, he will use the bees. Stacy attacks one of the bees, forcing the other to attack them and the group to fight back the bees. Guy creates a barricade with plans and the group manages to hide inside. Katie uses incense to force the bees to get away, but explains it won't last long.

The group wonders what to do. Oliver states that they can surrender, since he only intends to erase their memories of the fight. Nanao is ready to accept that, but if possible, she wants him to taste proper defeat, as she feels sorry for a person who can't accept his defeat. Katie, Guy and Pete also don't want to surrender and ask for what other options they have. Oliver explains that its a gamble, but shares his plan. Michela states that there is something she has been keeping for herself, but is now willing to use it.

The group uses an incense that causes the bees to start attacking the barricade. While they attempt to break it, Michela transforms, revealing to be a half-human, half-elf, making them realize that the rumors of Theodore taking an elven wife was true. Michela explains that she had never shown this form to someone outside her family. The bees break the barricade. As one is about to sting Katie, Marco protects her with his body. The group then combine their power and use double incantation, Magnus Tonitrus, and defeat most of the bees in a single blow. Stacy states that double incantations put too much stress on the caster and they still shouldn't be able to use them, but Michela explains that this doesn't apply to elves. Nanao then comes out on her broom and kills some bees, while taking Joseph to the ground. Nanao then faces Joseph and defeats him in a single blow. As he falls to the ground, he feels that his loss was excellent and he can finally enjoy it. Stacy asks Michela on why she didn't use her power when she fought her. Michela explains that she didn't want to depend on her innate power against first year students, as she won't learn anything. Since this was also the first time they interacted since they were twelve, Michela wanted to make the fight last longer. Michela then reveals a flower diadem that Stacy had made for her long ago and that she keeps it. She couldn't call her a sister, but she was still her family. Embarrassed, Stacy states that she doesn't need to keep it as she will make her another.

Oliver helps Joseph stand up and tells him that they should fight again, when they become stronger. Joseph tells him to not regret his words as now that he knows defeat, he will be getting stronger. Oliver then tells everyone that they should be going back. However, a magical beast appears. Joseph attempts to attack it, but the beast captures him. Oliver then sees that they are many and tells the group to start running. One beast attacks Stacy, but Fay protects her and the beast captures him. As they run, Pete falls and a beast captures him. Oliver attempts to help him, but Michela stops him.

Outside the labyrinth, Alvin Godfrey and Carlos Whitrow tell the underclassmen to return to the dorms and not enter the labyrinths. Oliver comes and informs them that three of his friends were captured by magical beasts. Alvin and Carlos explains that they have received eight other reports about the same thing and seventeen people have been taken. By the description of the beasts, they believe that Ophelia Salvadori has been consumed by the spell. Oliver then recalls how Ophelia tells him to not go on too many adventures in the next few months. Meanwhile, Ophelia is keeping the kidnapped people in cells.

## Characters

* Oliver Horn
* Joseph Albright
* Stacy Cornwallis
* Fay Willock
* Michela McFarlane
* Nanao Hibiya
* Pete Reston
* Katie Aalto
* Guy Greenwood
* Marco
* Carlos Whitrow
* Alvin Godfrey
* Ophelia Salvadori

## Adaptation Notes

### Light Novel-Anime Differences

* The conclusions of the duels between Chela and Stacy and then Nanao and Albright are slightly extended and rearranged compared to the original novels. In particular, Albright summoned the stinger bees first in the novel version of the fight, and only explained his backstory after the other characters had taken refuge inside Guy's toolplant barricade.
* Joseph Albright's servant Emma was not named in the original novels.