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"Death, Be Not Proud" (死よ、驕るなかれ Shiyo, Ogoru Nakare?) is the fifth volume of the 86 -Eighty Six- light novel series. The volume covers the first half of the fourth story arc of the series, depicting the Strike Package's new mission to support their allied nation—the United Kingdom of Roa Gracia—while introducing a new foil to the Eighty-Six and giving a new perspective to their pride.
Tagline[]
"A monster lives in a northern country."
"雪山に潜む怪物たちが、彼らに、笑みとともに問いかける。[1]" ― A monster lurks in the snowy mountains, he questions them with a smile.
Epigraph[]
"May even death not do us part." ― Viktor Idinarohk, Artificial Fairy Outline
"死も我らを分かたぬように。" ― ヴィークトル・イディナローク『人造妖精概説』
Synopsis[]
WHAT MAKES A MONSTER?
"Come find me."
Legion developer Zelene Birkenbaum, a figure shrouded in mystery, has left the Eighty-Sixth Strike Package a trail of bread crumbs leading all the way to the frozen north. But as Shin and the Eighty-Six acquaint themselves with the United Kingdom of Roa Gracia, they learn of an anti-Legion strategy that chills them worse than the cold. Here on this new battlefield, surrounded by mechanical ghosts that exist only to fulfill their duty, the Eighty-Six are forced to acknowledge an unsettling truth...
Contents[]
- Prologue: The King of Corpses
序章 屍の王 - Chapter 1: Melancholy of Monsters
第一章 怪物どもの憂愁 - Chapter 2: Citadel of the Swans
第二章 白鳥の砦 - Chapter 3: Deaf to the Songbirds' Lament
第三章 シンギング・バードの嘆きも知らず - Chapter 4: Ex Machina
第四章 エクスマキナ - Epilogue: Flowers Bloom Not on Snowy Fields
終章 花など咲かぬ、雪の野に
Summary[]
Prologue[]
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| In the northern capital of Arcs Styrie, within the resplendent throne room of Roa Gracia’s royal palace, the king—embodiment of the nation’s militaristic and archaic values—summons his son, Prince Viktor Idinarohk. Despite its northern chill and austere landscape, United Kingdom of Roa Gracia prospers thanks to its fertile soil, powerful rivers, and rich mineral resources. Before the throne, Prince Viktor Idinarohk, the king’s youngest son and commander of the southern front, stood with quiet resolve. Though wrapped in the formal setting of a royal court, the conversation between Prince Viktor and the king carries a casual, almost familial tone beneath the surface. They discuss the Eighty-Sixth Strike Package—a foreign elite unit battling the Legion. While the unit has struggled, its ability to draw out new enemy types has made it a valuable strategic asset. The king informs Viktor that the United Kingdom will form an alliance with the Federacy, exchanging technology and dispatching personnel to support the unit. As part of this, Viktor is assigned to join the Eighty-Sixth Strike Package. He accepts without hesitation, requesting only to bring his personal unit, the Songbirds. Prince Viktor returned wearing his school uniform, carrying his schoolbag despite the chamberlain’s protests. This casualness isn’t carelessness, but a symbol that royal formalities are secondary to the real power shared between Viktor and his father, the king. The prime minister expresses concerns about Prince Viktor’s absence affecting defense, but Viktor dismisses them, stressing that the army shouldn't depend on one person. Prince Boris objects, blaming Viktor for the war, but the king silences him. Viktor, uninterested in power, requests to leave for schoolwork. The king allows it, and Viktor departs, overhearing a harsh comment.
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Chapter 1[]
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| Rito Oriya, a young Processor, is unexpectedly assigned to the Spearhead Squadron, a unit typically reserved for veterans nearing the end of their service and expected to die. His reassignment coincides with a catastrophic large-scale offensive by the Legion, during which the Republic’s last stronghold falls. As chaos erupts, Rito and 22 other surviving Eighty-Six are urged to flee by the base’s chief mechanic, Lev Aldrecht, who chooses to stay behind with the rest of the maintenance crew. They sacrifice themselves to buy time for the young soldiers, hoping to atone for years of silently watching children be sent to die. Rito and his comrades escape on their Juggernauts and seek refuge in the southern sector, where they find temporary shelter with the Razor Edge defensive unit. However, the situation remains dire, and the unit is quickly overwhelmed by Legion forces. Amidst the confusion, reinforcements arrive from the neighboring nation of Giad, and Rito spots an advanced Feldreß—possibly piloted by his former squad leader, Shin Nouzen, whom he believed to be dead. When the two reunite, Rito informs Shin of Aldrecht’s death, though he withholds the man’s final words. As they travel by train to their next assignment, Rito reflects on his fear of death and the trauma of watching others die—a fear he feels Shin can no longer comprehend.
Later, Prince Viktor brings Shin deep into an ice-bound mausoleum to reveal the dark truth behind his mother’s remains. The royal family of the United Kingdom, as part of their tradition, preserves the remains of their ancestors in this frozen crypt, where the bodies of deceased family members are carefully enshrined in ice coffins, kept intact with advanced preservation techniques. Vika explains how his mother’s brain was removed and became the basis for the Legion, an artificial intelligence that would later bring devastation to humanity. Vika reveals his obsessive, childlike desire to resurrect his mother, driven by a yearning for a maternal connection he never had. His delusions of control and twisted reasoning become evident as he admits to desecrating her remains in his failed attempt to restore her. Despite the horror of his actions, he shows no remorse, convinced that his longing to reunite with her justifies any means. This obsession ultimately cost him his royal succession, but Vika’s fixation didn’t end there. After the failed resurrection, he uploaded his research to the public network, unaware of the global ramifications it would cause. Vika believed that his failure was due to his youth, lack of knowledge, or a flaw in his theory. At the time, he viewed the world with naive optimism, thinking that with the right method, any desired result could be achieved. His crude, immature writings, despite their simplicity, attracted the attention of Major Zelene Birkenbaum, a military researcher working on autonomous weapons for the Empire. She saw potential in his work, which would later evolve into the creation of the Legion. Vika never foresaw that the very weapons he helped inspire would be turned against him, triggering a devastating war. By the time the Empire declared war, Zelene had already died, leaving Vika to confront the unintended consequences of his actions—the destruction of other nations and the suffering of countless families. Vika admits to indirectly causing the destruction of Shin's homeland and family but is met with Shin's indifference, as he no longer feels the loss. Vika desperately seeks confirmation about his mother's fate, but Shin, with his ability to hear the dead, tells him she is gone, leaving Vika resigned to the finality of death. As Vika presses Shin about his own emotional detachment, Shin reveals his belief that the dead can never interact with the living and has no desire to reconnect with his past. Vika hints that Shin may be suppressing a deeper wound but chooses not to push further, acknowledging it's not his place to comment. |
Chapter 2[]
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The Spearhead Squadron is shown around the Revich Observation Base, a towering fortress built into the United Kingdom's southern front’s mountains. Designed for impact observation, it's strategically important and largely impregnable due to its rugged geography and reinforced defenses. This base will serve as the temporary headquarters for the Federacy's Eighty-Sixth Strike Package. Lena and her unit meet the Sirins—mechanical, human-like female soldiers created from the brain patterns of the dead. Though designed for emotional suppression and battlefield efficiency, their human appearance raises ethical questions. Lena struggles with viewing them as mere machines, especially after noticing their personalities. Vika, the prince and southern front commander, explains their origins with a mix of pride and emotional distance. The discussion reminds Lena of Shin’s brother Rei, a human-turned-Legion, deepening her guilt over dehumanizing the Sirins. While at the Revich Citadel Base's underground cafeteria Shine and the others notice the seated class and racial divisions within the United Kingdom. Soldiers are divided by eye color and ethnicity, with Viola (those of noble birth, identified by their violet eyes) holding the highest social status. They display open disdain for serf soldiers, who are of lower birth and belong to other racial or ethnic groups, as well as foreign allies like the Eighty-Six, despite the latter's noble or officer status in their home countries.Later on, Lena heads to Vika's private quarters to ask about the psychological toll of extrasensory powers like Shin’s ability to hear the Legion. Vika dismisses the idea of lasting harm but warns Lena not to patronize Shin by assuming he’s too damaged to choose for himself. He critiques her idealism, comparing her to a snow goddess—beautiful, pure, and untouched by suffering, yet cold, distant, and fundamentally incapable of understanding the weight others bear. Her desire to shield Shin from harm, while well-intentioned, is framed as arrogant and presumptive, as if she alone knows what’s best for him. Moving past the conversation Vika gives Lena a device called the Cicada, a choker-like Thought-Support Device developed to reduce the mental and neurological strain caused by Para-RAID Resonance, especially in high-load scenarios like commanding multiple units. As Vika is aware that Lena has been over exerting herself by connecting herself with a large amount of people during missions. Lena tries it on in another room and leaves out of embarrassment after trying it on. During the operational briefing, a high-stakes joint mission is outlined targeting the Dragon Fang Mountain, a key Legion manufacturing stronghold. The Strike Package is tasked with leading the primary infiltration, while the United Kingdom’s 1st Armored Corps launches a diversion to draw Legion forces away. The mission’s central goal is the capture of a Legion command unit, codenamed the Merciless Queen—a rare white Ameise believed to contain intelligence vital to ending the war. While conducting recon near Dragon Fang Mountain, the Spearhead unit, coordinating with United Kingdom forces, navigated snow-hardened terrain alongside modified Juggernauts and Barushka Matushkas. As the mechanical Sirins carry out scouting duties ahead, the Eighty-Six observe them with unease. Though human-shaped, Sirins are emotionally vacant constructs built from the brain data of the dead—eerily efficient, yet deeply unsettling. Shin, Kurena, Theo, and the others debate the Sirins’ nature, comparing them to Legion units like Black Sheep or Shepherds. Kurena voices visceral discomfort, likening Sirins to “walking corpses,” while Theo critiques their inhuman behavior and appearance. Shin, haunted by memories of his brother Rei’s transformation into a Legion unit, quietly wrestles with whether Sirins are just machines—or something more. Meanwhile, Lena and Frederica listen in, noting the Eighty-Six's lack of sympathy toward the Sirins, despite their shared experience as expendable tools of war. Frederica posits that the Sirins provoke an essential question: What defines humanity? The encounter, she suggests, might force the Eighty-Six to reflect on their identity, their past, and the future they never thought they'd live to see. After a grim exchange with the coldly artificial Sirin, Lerche, the Spearhead Squadron faces a surprise attack when the Legion deploys a previously unconfirmed artillery-support unit: the Zentaur, an electromagnetic launcher capable of flinging lightweight units like the Ameise and self-propelled mines far behind enemy lines. These units glide in via boosters and deployable wings before dropping into forest clearings, launching a sudden assault on Federation forces. The Spearhead Squadron receives a scheduled message from Lerche, who asks why the Eighty-Six returned to combat after being granted refuge. Kurena fiercely responds that they fight by choice, not out of obligation. The conversation is abruptly cut off when the squadron faces a surprise attack from the Legion, which deploys the previously unconfirmed Zentaur artillery-support unit. The Zentaur uses electromagnetic launchers to propel lightweight units like Ameise and self-propelled mines deep behind enemy lines, where they glide in via boosters and wings before launching a sudden assault on the Federation forces. Despite the ambush, Shin quickly coordinates an efficient defense by predicting the glider trajectories, supported by artillery from the United Kingdom. Vika, a United Kingdom commander, steps in with a large Sirin battalion, including Lerche, to engage the attackers. Their eerily efficient, emotionless combat contrasts with the Eighty-Six’s raw determination. Impressed by the Eighty-Six's combat skills, Vika suggests having them pilot the Alkonosts, revealing that Sirins were designed to be compatible with humans in such scenarios. Lena, curious about Lerche's human-like traits, asks Vika about her origins, but Vika hesitates and deflects, leaving the mystery of Lerche’s true nature unresolved. On a snowy battlefield, Shin’s Undertaker switches from melee to recon duties, using himself as a decoy to help his squad avoid encirclement. The Alkonosts, engaging the Legion with close combat tactics, sacrifice themselves in attempts to take out enemy forces, prompting concern from Raiden about their expendability. After Shin defeats two Löwe units, he encounters Chaika, a Sirin, who asks him if he would consider enhancing his body to improve combat abilities. Shin is unsettled by her suggestion of abandoning humanity for greater power. Later, Shin rescues Ludmila, a Sirin, who expresses pride in being a tool for the United Kingdom. Anju surveys the battlefield, noting that the situation seems under control and the enemy is likely to retreat. Dustin, the least experienced member of the squad, asks about enemy remnants, and Anju cautions him not to rely too heavily on Shin's abilities, warning of the danger if they lose him, though acknowledging that things have changed since the past. Suddenly, a self-propelled mine detonates, triggering a chain reaction that collapses the battlefield around them. Both Dustin and Anju's Juggernauts plunge downstream, with both of them stumbling toward the lone hunting lodge for warmth and safety. Meanwhile, the rest of the squad, back at base, organizes a search. Frederica, attempting to locate them, fails to provide any useful information, much to the group's frustration. Eventually, they figure out the key to finding their location: the weather and the stars. The team prepares to search for their missing comrades, with Vika cracking jokes to lighten the mood. Back in the lodge, Anju and Dustin, stranded in a small lodge on the battlefield, share a quiet, intimate moment as they try to stay warm and reflect on their pasts. Anju struggles with her memories, haunted by the loss of her mother and the scars of being driven out to the internment camps as an Eighty-Six. Dustin opens up about his own struggles as an Alba, recalling how he was the only one spared from the internment camps despite being originally from the Empire. Dustin lived in a town as a first-generation immigrant, being the only Alba in his school until the war began. Dustin joined the unit out of guilt and moral responsibility for being unable to stop the cruelty inflicted on the Eighty-Six. As Dustin hands Anju his blanket and glimpses the scar on her back, he responds not with disgust but with quiet empathy, gently urging her to remove it—not for its appearance, but because it looks painful. Dustin shyly but sincerely confesses his feelings to Anju, surprising her with his heartfelt honesty and admiration for her. Though touched, Anju admits she can’t love again, still haunted by the memory of someone she once loved deeply—someone she believes she’d always compare others to. Dustin gently challenges her thinking, telling her it's okay to carry those memories and still find new love and happiness. Their emotionally charged moment is broken when Shin unexpectedly arrives, unintentionally overhearing everything and delivering some comic relief. As Shin helps them with new uniforms, he offers quiet support and gently tells Anju that the one she lost, Daiya, wouldn’t have wanted her to remain trapped in grief. Anju smiles through her tears, acknowledging the truth in his words, but also admitting that she’s not ready to move on just yet. Shin, usually unshaken by the chaos of battle, hesitates when inviting Lena to the observation tower. A rare sense of nervousness grips him, a mix of anticipation and fear. Despite the cold and harsh surroundings, he manages to ask, and Lena agrees. When they reach the top, the sky is breathtaking, filled with stars that Lena has longed to see. In the First Sector, the constant fog blocked the view, but here, the stars shine brightly. Shin, though accustomed to the sight, feels a new appreciation, perhaps because he’s sharing it with her. As they stand in silence, Lena speaks of the Eighty-Six, freed from their fate but unable to imagine a future beyond war. She believes their kindness, not hatred, prevents them from wishing for more. Shin, lost in thought, struggles with his own inability to see a future for himself. Despite his freedom, the battlefield is all he’s ever known, and he can’t picture life beyond it. Lena, sensing the moment, apologizes for their past argument. Shin remains silent, reflecting on the emotional scars they both carry. These scars have become part of who they are, a reminder of the choice not to let hatred define them. They’ve both endured loss, but together, they’ve formed a bond that transcends their shared pain. Shin hesitates, wanting to tell Lena he dreams of showing her the sea, a peaceful escape from the war. But doubt creeps in. What comes after that? What would it mean? His fear of not being able to fulfill such a wish silences him. Despite Lena’s warmth and understanding, Shin is paralyzed by self-doubt, unsure about what comes after or if such a wish can ever be fulfilled. |
Chapter 3[]
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| As Shin and his unit travel toward Dragon Fang Mountain, he senses something wrong: a strange mechanical howling among the Legion forces. He realizes too late that the Legion have used a feint — the United Kingdom’s diversion was a trap, and now the enemy is launching a surprise assault. Despite Shin's warning about the attack, the Revich Citadel Base is overwhelmed. A high-speed Legion unit, the Phönix, undetected by sensors due to its optic camouflage, infiltrates the base via a glider launched by the Zentaur. The base's surface and most underground sectors were quickly overrun. It bypasses defenses, devastates the base from within, and clears the way for more Legion units to take control of nearly the entire installation. Only the command ward and the eighth underground hangar remained under their control, where the surviving personnel, including Lena, Vika, Federacy soldiers, base personnel and maintenance crew, Handlers, and Feldreß, retreated.
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Chapter 4[]
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| Vika reflecting on his past transgression—an attempt to resurrect his mother through dissection, an act that rendered him a monster in the eyes of his father, brother, and milk sister, Lerche. Despite not fully understanding why it was wrong, he had vowed never to defy death again. That promise is shattered when a shell hits their base, and the real Lerche is mortally wounded after saving Vika’s life by pushing him out of harm’s way. Lerche’s final moments are emotionally charged. Despite her immense pain, she smiles and expresses love for her homeland and for Vika, asking him to protect the country after she's gone. She was more than a servant—she was Vika’s childhood companion and the one constant in his life. Her death reawakens his old temptation to defy death, and he begs her to stay with him. She agrees, unknowingly allowing herself to be turned into a Sirin—a reanimated, mechanized soldier. In the present day, Vika wakes in a dark, confined base near the frontlines of a siege.
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Epilogue[]
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| <<-- add text here --> |
Appearances[]
- Main Characters
- Supporting Characters
- Brent Bernholdt
- Daiya Irma (mentioned)
- Dustin Jaeger
- Ernst Zimmerman (mentioned)
- Erwin Marcel
- Fido
- Grethe Wenzel
- Henrietta von Penrose
- Kaie Taniya (mentioned)
- Ludmila
- Reki Michihi
- Rito Oriya
- Shana
- Shiden Iida
- Yuuto Crow
- Zafar Idinarohk
Illustrations[]
Trivia[]
- The cover of this volume can be seen in the second OVA of Eromanga-Sensei after Sagiri Izumi receives a copy to give to her stepbrother. Both Eromanga-Sensei and 86 share the same light night novel publisher, Dengeki Bunko, as well as the same animation studio, A-1 Pictures.
- The title of this volume is a reference to "Death, Be Not Proud"—the opening line to Sonnet X, written by English poet John Donne.