Everything happened so fast. One moment Guiche shook his wand, speaking some incomprehensible words, the next moment a group of living knight armors that had showed up out of nowhere were charging at me, wielding swords.

Determined not to go down without a fight, I raised my fists. Before I could attempt anything else, the knights started showering me with blows. Some of them were punching me, some were kicking me, some were hitting me with their swords on the head; obviously, Guiche had mentally commanded them to use their swords as clubs for the time being instead of slaying me right away, wanting me to suffer before dying.

I tried to fight back, but it was to no avail. Before I could even feel the pain caused by a blow, I was already receiving the next blow. In my daze, I could hear Guiche's chuckles and Montmorency's screams of horror and pleas to her boyfriend to show mercy.

'KIRITO!'

That was Louise's voice! Surprised, both Montmo and Guiche turned around. Being mentally connected to their master, the knights stopped hitting me, since Guiche had been distracted. This gave me a chance to catch my breath and look at Louise, barely able to stand on my feet anymore.

I smiled at her. 'So you finally called me by my name,' I said weakly. 'I'm now a human in your eyes. Not a pet! Now I can die in peace!'

'You won't die,' Louise snapped. 'Just apologize to him and he'll leave you alone.'

I negatively shook my head.

'DO IT!' Louise screamed, her tone of voice indicating genuine concern. 'I'm your master and I command you to do it.'

'Please, Kirito, listen to her,' Montmo added between her sobs.

'Louise,' I said, falling on my knees. 'I'm glad I met you.'

Next, I turned to the knights. I opened my arms. 'Kill me,' I said, essentially addressing Guiche.

The blond boy chuckled. I closed my eyes. I heard the metal demons charging.

Then, the metal sounds stopped. Huh? I opened my eyes. The knights had halted. Had Guiche mentally commanded them to stop?

The two girls, their eyes full of tears, seemed as surprised as me.

'I decided to give you a sporting chance,' Guiche explained.

The next moment, a sword materialized right in front of me. It was driven in the ground.

'I don't think you even have enough strength to pull it or lift it,' Guiche scoffed. 'But you can always try.'

Still on my knees, full of bruises, aching everywhere, I looked at the sword. It was large and heavy indeed. And although, thanks to my martial arts training with Leafa, I was considerably stronger and fitter than one year before, I doubt I could lift that sword, let alone in the injured state I was in after the knights' assasult. Nevertheless, I had nothing to lose. I slowly raised my arms.

'It's hopeless, Kirito,' Montmorency cried.

'Just apologize, idiot,' Louise cried.

Deploying the last ounces of strength left in my barely conscious body, I touched the sword. Suddenly, my eyes widened. I felt a new surge of energy, unlike anything I had ever felt before. To everybody's shock, I stood up and pulled the sword, wielding it as if it was light as a feather!

I could not explain it. Until then, the only times I had fought with a sword were in video games. I had never actually held one in my life! Yet I felt like that one was an extension of my arm, like I had been practicing fencing all my life!

I glared at the knights. 'Come here, trash,' I provoked them. Was that really me speaking?

'Charge!' Guiche yelled, enraged.

With impressive, skillful moves, I shattered the armors as if they were made of butter. The fragments ended up on the ground and magically disappeared.

I walked over to Guiche, who fell on his butt in terror. He was now looking at me, breathing heavily with his eyes widened.

'Atta boy, that's my familiar,' Louise cheered. 'Kill that bastard. I command you.'

Once more, I ignored her order. 'Go away and never fuck with me again,' I said to the blond boy.

'Y-yes, sir,' he stuttered. He jumped to his feet and ran away.

Then everything went black.

Louise's POV...

I was sitting next to Kirito, who was lying in my bed! A familar lying on the silky sheets of a noble! I couldn't believe I was making that sacrifice for his sake! He'd better appreciate it when he woke up.

It had been one day since he miraculously defeated Guiche. I still didn't know how he had done that, but he fell unconscious as soon as the battle ended. In any case, the news spread fast. The servants seemed delighted. Kirito's victory had given them hope, they had started believing that anyone can change their fate, that they could even start demanding unreasonable things, such as... equal rights!

Kirche entered the room.

I glared at her. 'You're a noble, yet you have such poor manners,' I admonished her. 'You're supposed to knock before entering someone elses chamber.'

'Whatever, drama queen,' she chuckled. 'I have a message for you. Principal Osmond wants to see you in his office.'

'WHAT?' I cried. I immediately stood up and ran out of the room. When the principal wants to see you, nothing is more important than that.

I would swear that, before exiting, I caught a glimpse of Kirche giggling mischievously. Did she intend to do anything naughty to my familiar? Unfortunately, I had no time to deal with that at that moment.

Louise's POV...

When I entered the principal's office, I saw him fallen on the floor, with his secretary, Fouquet... repeatedly kicking him! They froze and turned to me.

'Err... I was suffering from back pain and that kind lady was helping me with a massage,' the headmaster explained awkwardly.

'Err... yeah, that's exactly what happened,' Fouquet added, a giant sweatdrop on her head.

She was a young adult woman with long, green hair and eyes the same color. She was wearing the same attire as the teachers.

If I didn't know mister Osmond well enough, if I didn't know how serious and moral a man he was, I'd swear Fouquet had been hitting him because he had groped her butt or something.

'Have a seat, miss De La Vallerie,' Osmond asked, sitting at his desk and correcting his glasses, his secretary standing next to him, ready to take notes.

I sat.

'I heard your familiar showed some pretty impressive skills yesterday,' Osmond started.

'I'm sorry for the commotion my servant caused,' I lowered my head. 'I swear I shall punish him severely as soon as he regains consciousness.'

'This is not what I meant, miss De La Vallerie,' Osmond comforted me. 'I think this lad you accidentally summoned might be Gandalfr!'

'WHAT?'

Fouquet's POV...

Was that old perv serious? Was that boy really the legendary familiar the prophecy talked about? The one that, along with his master, would end the war that was currently going on between Tristain and Albion?

In that case, being an Albion's secret spy, I had to report this to my superiors.