>the knight had even more aura and drip but it gave it to us so we could stand a fighting chance

People seem to misunderstand the Shadow Mantle sprite. Those aren't horns, they're a high collar for the cape.

Also, I've now convinced myself that the Shadow Mantle belongs to the Knight/Dess originally. Noelle's coded line for declining to wear it makes so much more sense then. She can tell that it's for someone taller cause she can recognize it's something belonging to Dess.

Which also adds to the theory that ERAM is just The Knight/Dess fucking with us. She's pushing our buttons so we'll get amped up, then gives us a tool to actually try and beat her with so we can prove ourselves and get the Shadow Crystal and Black Shard from her.