March
Kuo Shenlin
First year
Wang Yujia?
My name is Kuo Shenlin.
First year
It's an honor to share a room with a member of the Wang family.
No, I'm nothing special!
I'm useless as a Lily.
Assault Lily
First year
Don't you have a lecture soon, Riri?
Second year
Are you ready?
I know I should prepare,
but right now I'm so happy just looking at your face.
This is hopeless. She's completely slacking off.
I didn't expect her to let herself go once I became her Schutzengel.
That was careless.
Oh, how do you do?
Third year
How do you do, Yuri?
How do you do?
"Yuri"?
Did she mistake you for someone?
Oh, that's our couple name.
Our what?
"Extra" "The Birth of an Unusual Schutzengel Pair!" "Yuyu + Riri"
Here.
It's an extra of the Weekly Lily News .
"Yuyu + Riri"
See? When you line up our names, you can read them as "Yuri."
Really, Fumi didn't have to take it that far.
Oh, it's really them.
Oh my, those two?
Miss Yuri, right?
Miss Yuri.
Yes, Miss Yuri.
Y-Yuyu?!
Episode 4
Yeah.
Yeah, I'm fine.
Bye.
Was that your mother?
Yeah.
It must be 11 at night at your home in Iceland now, right?
Yeah, but she worries and calls me every day.
She must really care about you.
No. I'm clumsy compared to my older and younger sisters.
So... she worries.
I think.
Riri, I have a request for you.
Sure, anything you want.
Form a legion.
I'm on it!
Huh? A legion?
What were those again?
Fumi!
First year
H-How do you do?
Fumi, if you would?
Right!
A legion is a combat unit of Lilies usually composed of nine members.
By the way, Fumi.
Y-Yes?
Thank you for your congratulations.
Y-You're welcome.
But why do you want me to form a legion?
You've been slacking off lately.
Acting more like a proper Lily would be good for you.
A proper Lily...
I understand!
I'll do my very best!
I don't honestly expect Riri to be able to recruit members,
but sometimes failure can be a valuable experience.
After all, I'm going to be making your legion, Yuyu!
I'll help out!
Thanks! I'll do my best.
Let's get to work recruiting!
No, that's not what I...
W-Wait for me, Fumi.
What's on your mind, Yuyu?
Huh?
Second year
You fired ten shots in the time I fired six.
That shows you're anxious.
I see you still keep a close eye on other people.
Yup! Because I love all of you!
I see.
Having your Schild form a legion for you?
Nice going.
I was trying to tell Riri to form a legion for herself.
That's just like you.
Hey, do you mind if I join?
What? Not you, too.
Legion members
First year, camellia class
Let's shoot for nine!
Let's try our classmates first.
Legion members
First year, camellia class
Let's shoot for nine!
Legion members
First year, camellia class
Legion members
First year, camellia class
Legion members
Let's see, first year, camellia class...
That girl!
Ando Tazusa, right?
First year
Huh?
Me, join Riri's legion?
First year
I'm honored.
Rokkaku Shiori.
A skilled fighter nicknamed the "unshakable sword princess."
Would you mind?
Umm, it's Yuyu's legion, not mine.
She's currently vice-commander of the legion W.E.T.P.
What, really?
What a blunder.
Yes, I am.
I hope you'll be able to assemble a wonderful legion.
Are you going to join a legion, Shenlin?
Yes.
You're here as an exchange student, so you should try to meet people, too.
By the way, have you read this?
The Weekly Lily News ?
You read this thing?
Yuyu + Riri
"Yuri"?
You saw them, too, right?
In the last battle?
Yeah.
Their skill is mismatched, and they're out of sync.
But they were strangely compelling.
Yeah.
Am I boring you?
Yeah.
Oh, no, I didn't mean that.
Oh, it's just a cat.
Meow, meow!
What are you mewing around here?
Are mew lost?
Are mew hungry?
I've got cat food, so come with meow.
What is it, Fumi?
Oh, Tazusa!
There you are a--
Please, take your time.
Huh?! What?!
What's wrong, Fumi?
I hear you're recruiting members for a legion.
Alfheim first year
Huh?
Oh, yes.
How do you do, Ichi, Kusumi?
How do you do?
How do you do, Riri?
A-Araya!
Alfheim first year
You're in Alfheim, too, right?
Are you trying to make a move on my Kusumi?
You've got some nerve.
I don't remember giving Kusumi to you.
Alfheim second year
Soraha!
Take your lecherous hands off Riri!
First year
Kaede.
Kaede?
Miss Soraha is one thing,
but aren't you being too familiar with Riri?
What do you mean? Riri and I are in the same legion.
It's only natural that I would defend her virtue.
Kaede.
Now, let's go.
H-How do you do, everyone?
How do you do?
What's a skilled Lily like Kaede Nouvel doing with those rookies?
No decent reasons, I'll bet.
You're one to talk, Araya.
I'll eat you up, Kusumi!
No eating anyone.
I hear all of them got invited to join Alfheim back in junior high.
Wow, that's amazing.
Yes. Well, that's Kaede down.
Hey, that sounds like you're taking me for granted!
N-Not at all!
This makes four of us.
Huh?
Don't you mean three?
Miss Yuyu, Riri, Kaede...
And you, Fumi.
Huh? M-Me, too?
You're a Yurigaoka Lily, too, you know.
I'd be honored! Delighted!
I can't believe I get to be in a legion with all you dazzling Lilies!
Five more to go!
Let's try our best.
And that's the shrimp down.
That said,
recruiting a legion might really be too much for me.
Would you join, Shizu?
First year
I can't.
I decided that I'd have my own legion once I entered high school.
What a difference in ambition.
You have Kaede in your legion, right?
Yeah, I know.
Rumor has it Kaede had gotten invites from eight legions.
What?
Kaede never said anything about that.
And Futagawa Fumi.
Huh?
I hear she has a Rare Skill called Hawk's Eye.
A lot of legions want her.
R-Really?
I'm good at gathering and analyzing intel.
Everyone's so amazing.
Am I the only one who's nothing special?
Thank you, Fumi, Kaede.
Riri?
Where did this come from?
I've just been relying on the two of you for everything.
You've been working hard, too, Riri,
and not just for yourself, haven't you?
I've been doing it for Yuyu.
Then it's the same for us.
What do we have here?
I see three people looking glum.
What is it, shrimp No. 2?
No. 2?
Am I No. 1?!
I heard by way of Miss Moyu.
First year
So, Riri is forming a legion?
No, umm, it's Yuyu's legion, and...
I'll enlist, if you'll have me.
"Enlist"?!
Would you really?!
I've always been fascinated by the way Miss Yuyu does battle.
Although I'd heard she refused to join any legion.
Then put your seal here.
Legion contract
"Miriam Hildegard von Gropius"
Will this do?
Thank you very much!
Let's keep up this pace!
You girls are certainly making an effort.
You want me to join your legion, Hitotsuyanagi?
Our classmate Kuo Shenlin.
She's an exchange student from Taipei who's been at Yurigaoka since junior-high.
She may be a first-year, but her abilities as a Lily are highly regarded.
Umm, it's Yuyu's legion, and...
I see. I'd be honored.
Umm, does that mean...?
I humbly accept your invitation.
You mean it?!
Thank you very much!
Please, call me Riri.
All right, Riri.
And?
You are?
Me?
Wang Yujia. She's a first-year, but in a different class.
She comes from Reykjavík, Iceland.
Her older and younger sisters are great Lilies, too.
My sisters are amazing, but I'm really not.
How about it?
Why not join along with Shenlin?
Me, join a legion?
If you're not confident, don't do it.
Huh?
Yeah, I won't.
What?
She's quite obedient.
B-But why?
Because if Shenlin says so, it must be right.
Umm, have you known each other for a long time?
No, we met this spring.
Then why...?
To become a Lily, and to stay a Lily,
I've worked myself to the bone.
Isn't that enough of a reason?
I don't have talent or experience,
and I don't have your confidence, Shenlin, but...
No.
Because I don't, I won't know unless I see for myself!
You're being obstinate again.
Of course, that's part of your charm.
Excuse me.
You want to see what Yujia can do, right, Riri?
Huh?
I didn't mean to sound arrogant or...
Thank you, Hitotsuyanagi.
I'll give it a try.
Huh?
Is this right, Shenlin?
In that case, would you let me choose the method?
Both my sisters
are still in Iceland fighting the Huge.
I was the only one told to leave my homeland.
I thought that they didn't need me.
I'm sorry.
Yurigaoka is a world-class Garden.
But wanting to defend your homeland is a special feeling.
Yeah. I understand that.
Can you see me, Yujia?
Yeah.
Shoot me from where you're standing.
What?
It'll be fine with training rounds.
No, it wo--
Load ten rounds.
If you aim accurately, I'll withdraw my opposition.
Don't worry. You can do it.
Why not tell her that?
Thank you for observing, Miss Yuyu.
Don't mention it. It's a favor to Riri.
Why?
Do you like cats, Yujia?
Huh?
Y-Yeah.
This little kitty sure is cute.
Yeah.
Would you hold this for me?
Huh?
Sure.
"Heaven's Measure."
The ability to perceive even distant objects with zero error.
That's Yujia's Rare Skill.
Long-range sniping?
What's the target?
Shenlin.
What?
Fire, Yujia.
Fire, and prove that you're a first-rate Lily.
Th-Th-That's dangerous, Yujia!
You and Shenlin gave me a chance.
So, I'm going to believe in you.
Huh? A chance?
Yujia is about a kilometer away.
Her Asterion's bullets have an initial velocity of 1,800 meters per second.
I have about enough time to blink.
If she's accurate, I can dodge.
If she's accurate? I see.
You won't use your usual CHARM?
I want an even playing field.
The wind.
The bullet... will blow off course.
The wind again.
Should I let it pass?
No, I can do it!
Ten shots.
Kuo Shenlin
Incoming call
Well done, Yujia.
Shenlin.
Now it should be obvious to everyone that you're an amazing Lily.
You did it!
Thank you, Riri.
Huh?
Because you complimented my cat charm, and I wanted to join your legion.
You're thanking me for that?
Yes, thank you.
Thank you very much, Miss Yuyu.
No, you performed admirably.
I was jealous of Yujia.
She was born into an elite family and blessed with talent,
but she was nervous and couldn't believe in herself.
Who did she think she was?
Doesn't it make you mad?
Were you... always angry at her?
Yes, but now I feel relieved.
I'm not one to talk, but you're an awfully difficult person.
I get that a lot.
Shenlin... thanks for today.
You're welcome.
And sorry.
I heard that your homeland was swallowed by the Huge.
That's right. I don't know my homeland.
I was insensitive.
I...
Has that been bothering you?
I've found a comrade I can trust to watch my back.
If you're happy, then so am I.
Yeah.
I'm glad I got to come here.
That makes seven.
We just need two more to form a legion!
I wish they could all be as easy as Miriam.
You'd better not be picking a quarrel with me.
Still, I feel like this is shaping up to be a great legion.
I apologize for calling you at a time like this.
Student council, third year
Arsenal Division second year
Don't mention it!
I'm awake round-the-clock anyway.
Acting chairman
Don't push yourself too hard.
Now, what's your report?
We've 'ot a 'unny new 'irst-year in Arsenal 'ivision.
The way 'e 'alks is sho old-'ashioned.
Just like you, Acting Chairman.
Oh, are you related?
No, I can't say I'm familiar.
Moyu?
Oh, this is just the preamble.
Ahem! As you know,
half a century has passed since the Huge first appeared before humanity.
But we are unable to decipher the Huge's behavior or goals as a species.
We have our hands full just taking them as they come. That's the reality.
Perhaps the Huge are too physiologically diverse to classify as a single species?
'At's just it!
There are lots of theories about what they are and where they came from,
but I took a slightly broader view and looked for correlations.
And I found...
See? Here, check this out.
Oh-ho.
This is...
It looks like your Schild is working hard.
Student council, second year
To be honest, I miscalculated.
That it's working out?
I never expected people to flock to her so easily.
It sounds like you have an easier time dealing with Huge than with people.
That's Yurigaoka's ace for you.
It sounds like you're mean.
I am.
To be continued
Next time
Episode 5
Next time, it's Riri's birthday!
What should I do?
Illustration: Nishimura Kinu