Volume 12 - CH 2(2/3)
「Oo! This is a nostalgic face! You are doing fine?」
When Lux entered inside the restaurant, a youngster of a farmer family who was sitting on a chair leaped on his feet.
Next his coworker from a bar, then the son of blacksmith who happened to pass through also called out to him one after another.
But, in contrast to Lux’s expectation, they didn’t ask him request to do chores and only gave him words of thanks for his periodical great efforts.
「It can’t be helped. I wonder if Lux-kun can let me experience your other birthplace too? I’ll be happy if I can hear about the story from your chore livelihood period. I’m interested in story like how Lux-kun wooed girls in bar or the like.」
Krulcifer smiled with her eyes glinting sharply.
It seemed she was trying to acquire more material to tease Lux with.
「That, please go easy on me....」
Lux smiled wryly while together with Krulcifer he was exchanging talk with the nostalgic people he knew from the period when he was doing chores.
The days of the past when he spent his time doing chores and got recognized by the citizens.
The words of Krulcifer who said that it was his other birthplace remained in his ears.
–
After spending peaceful time after so long, Lux parted with Krulcifer and headed to the government office building at the first block.
Following the list that was given to him by Triad, he would visit Lisha next.
He didn’t hear it directly from Lisha, but he heard that she was practicing here for her greeting at the new year parade that would be held in the new kingdom. It made him unable to sit still after knowing that.
Furthermore this time it seemed there would be an attempt to decorate the government office building with Drag-Rides for the holy night festival.
Lisha was checking the display items for the sake of the final tuning.
「Lisha-sama! Thank you for your hard work!」
Lisha was doing work on a high place by standing on a foothold that was constructed from wood material. Lux called out to her from right below.
Then, Lisha who was concentrating got taken aback and she turned toward him in hurry.
She was the princess of new kingdom with her red eyes that were like jewel and her blonde hair that was tied with side tail style as her distinctive trait.
Her body build was small, but she was a girl who was containing blazing enthusiasm inside like a sun.
Right now she was wearing her white coat that she was often wearing when developing Drag-Ride while performing tuning with Sword Device in one hand.
「Lu, Lux-!? Why are you here──」
「I prepared dinner, so how about taking a breather? I also brought Lisha-sama’s favorite apple pie.」
The basket that he asked the restaurant to prepare was filled with warm rock so the dishes wouldn’t be cold.
But, it was still better to eat it while not much time had passed.
Thinking that, Lux called out to her loudly, but──.
「Wai-, wait a second! No wait, as expected my current appearance is──uwah!?」
She looked flustered about something while touching her own coat and face, after that she took a misstep and staggered from her foothold.
Lux who saw that quickly put down the basket and kicked on the floor in a dash.
Lisha was falling from the height of three or four ml. He splendidly caught her with both hands.
「Tsu....!? O, oi Lux! Are you okay!?」
「Yes, I’m fine. Lisha-sama yourself──」
「I, idiot! It’s dangerous if you suddenly call out right!? Besides you recklessly caught me like this, if you are injured──」
「I’m sorry about my voice. But, it’s only natural for me to save Lisha-sama. Even like this, I am Lisha-sama’s knight after all.」
When Lux smiled at Lisha while still holding her in his arms, the cheeks of the new kingdom’s princess flushed red and she averted her face shyly.
「Good grief....that’s why this is no good. If you come showing your face suddenly, I can’t help but getting shaken from happiness.」
「Eh....?」
She muttered that with a low voice, so he was unable to hear the last part clearly.
「I, it’s nothing-! More importantly the meal. If I don’t wash my hand──」
「I also brought a towel to wipe your hands with, here.」
He put down Lisha and picked up the basket, then they sat on a bench that was a slight distance away from the workplace and they ate dinner together.
Vegetable soup with stock from meat and bone.
Sandwich with bacon and egg in between, apple pie as desert, and so on. After consuming those, they took rest.
During that time, Lux stared at the Drag-Rides in display that Lisha was decorating and tuning.
「Is this, Lisha-sama’s work for the holy night festival?」
「Yeah, Haha-ue said that it will be a good symbol to convey my work to the people. She asked me whether I would be able to decorate the government office building with a Drag-Ride that I tuned.」
Lisha didn’t only make conspicuous service as Drag-Knight, but she was also known to produce result with Drag-Ride development.
Normally it couldn’t be shown to the public to maintain secrecy, but this time? new type Drag-Rides would be put in display as special occasion.
「Well, it can’t be helped. After all there is really nothing else that is princess like from me. Although, it also won’t look very good if it’s just a simple decoration, so I also applied the blueprint of ancient document obtained until now and lined up things with unique shape.」
Lisha folded her arms looking proud.
In front of Lux, three types of general purpose Drag-Ride, flying type Wyvern, land battle type Wyrm, and special equipment type Drake were lined up.
「Eh....? But this, their shape is different from normal?」
「As expected from my knight. You have good eyes.」
Lisha raised her voice in excitement at what Lux pointed out and bit at the topic.
「They are normal Drag-Rides that I remodeled into special type. Something like this is also development, to be constantly progressing.」
「Is that so, as expected it will be bad to display the combined Drag-Rides here.」
When Lux enrolled at first, Lisha was already developing the Chimeratech Wyvern that was the combination of flying type and land battle type.
Compared to that, the modification of these general purpose Drag-Rides wasn’t really striking out. No, rather──.
「Or rather, will they move properly? Somehow rather than a single Drag-Ride, each of them looks like they are disassembled in various places──」
「They will. Besides, those three Drag-Rides are only model in the end. My 『new type』 that can be used in real battle is already placed in the underground of Drag-Ride hangar.」
Guessing from her confident smile, most likely she had finished something absurd that surpassed that Chimeratech Wyvern.
These display items seemed to only lined up the middle result of the progress until she reached that development.
「Well but, the truth is I’m quite reluctant..... Displaying my work like this.」
「Why?」
When Lux tilted his head, Lisha looked up at the Drag-Rides with a despondent look.
「After this the new kingdom will also raise tax. Recruitment for soldier is also inevitable with the recent consecutive battles, there is also the matter of compensation for borrowing soldiers from the four great nobles. The increased amount of military spending cannot be avoided.」
「So this display is for the sake of convincing the people for that?」
「It wasn’t Haha-ue──her majesty queen Raffi who said it. Though I don’t know if it was the suggestion of Prime Minister Nulph or the man called Zagha of the four great nobles. The result of my research too, in the end it will be used for government promotion.」
The Drag-Rides of princess Lisha were lined up in display at the holy night festival that was originally a solemn event.
The tax would be increased for the expansion of military spending, which would raise dissatisfaction and doubt from the people. For Lisha who had the thought of protecting the people of the kingdom at the forefront of her mind, this was a proposal for the sake of clearing up that negativity.
It might be correct to call this as making use of the holy night festival for the sake of that.
It might be inappropriate for Lux to say it, but this was something that often happened when moving the country.
In fact the world was being in danger right now, so it couldn’t be helped.
「That is not a strange thing. In fact Lisha-sama is making result both in research and also in battle.」
「I guess..... It’s just as you say. However, well, with this kind of work behind the scene as princess, a simple and stupid girl like me is thinking like this. Is this, not a betrayal toward the people?」
Lisha looked at the Drag-Rides and murmured.
「If Lisha-sama is thinking until that far, then Lisha-sama is a splendid princess already.」
「I, is that so?」
「It’s completely different with the old kingdom at my past. Besides, if that’s what Lisha-sama is thinking, it will be fine if you just don’t act like that.」
Lux’s gave such advice to the wavering princess.
「I, is that so?」
「It will be fine if Lisha-sama convey to everyone as much as possible what you are thinking about the present situation of the national politics. If you do that, surely her majesty and also everyone of Cross Field will understand.」
「I see..... You’re right.」
After hesitating slightly, hesitation cleared up from Lisha’s expression.
「Yosh! If that’s decided, I’m giving it extra effort. My bad but I’ll have you help out too!」
「Yes, it’s my pleasure.」
Lux helped Lisha who had recovered her spirit and the tuning of the new type Drag-Rides for the display was finished.
In the first place, it was just choosing things and than putting them on display, so it didn’t take much time.
Even though Lisha was in the middle of standby and this was 『a work as princess』, but seeing that she was one of the few Drag-Ride researchers who existed, the new kingdom didn’t want to waste too much of her time with this.
After finishing the work, a coach came to pick them up, so they got on it and returned to the Academy.
Midway, Lux and Lisha were shook inside the coach while watching the night scenery of Cross Field that was decorated for the holy night festival.
The people of this country didn’t know about the danger of Sacred Eclipse.
But, the information that the Ruins were getting active and the threat of Abyss was heightening was circulated, and yet for the atmosphere to be this peaceful was solely thanks to the new kingdom.
The new kingdom military, Lisha, and many other people were protecting the country and secured safety, thanks to that the people could go through the holy night festival safely like this.
Just that was enough for Lux to feel happy.
「It’s a beautiful sight isn’t it, Lisha-sama.」
「Yeah. But──I’m a bit dissatisfied here.」
「Eh....?」
The cheeks of Lisha who until now looked like she was in good mood were slightly puffed up and she leaked out her complaint.
「Why did you come visiting me in this kind of time huh? It’s the truth that you helped me out but, that, if you come while I’m doing nothing, I will be able to keep you company after dressing myself properly, and yet──」
「........」
「Isn’t it unsightly when I’m drenched with sweat and oil like this....」
Lisha averted her face shyly and caressed her own hair looking troubled.
‘I see. Lux thought. He understood the reason why Lisha was panicked when he called her out at first and she lost her footing.
From Lisha’s point of view, she wished to meet Lux in beautiful appearance at the time when there was no work related to Drag-Ride.
But, that was something completely irrelevant to Lux.
He wasn’t bothered by the smell of oil and metal that were used for tuning Drag-Ride.
Even so Lisha was bothered with her own appearance that was like this while Lux was with her. That figure of her who was like that was lovable.
「....Fuah」
Lux reflexively reached out his hand and patted Lisha’s soft blonde hair.
Then, Lisha’s eyes snapped open in surprise and she looked up at Lux with a dazed expression.
「Lisha-sama isn’t unsightly at all. The figure of Lisha-sama who is working hard as the princess of new kingdom, is really lovely, and cool.」
That was Lux’s unvarnished true feeling.
Just how many noble and royalty out there who were only showing their good side in the public?
Just how many people like that who he had seen when he was staying at the internal of the old empire as a child?
There was nothing nobler that being able to work hard, getting dirty and injured for the sake of someone else when there was nobody else watching.
That was the ideal royalty that Lux wished to exist when his heart was pained by the old empire’s despotic rule.
And such ideal could be seen in the current figure of Lisha.
「Eh? Lisha-sama....?」
Lux became concerned when she didn’t reply. Looking closer, Lisha’s mouth was staying open with flushed cheeks looking dazed.
「....That’s, not true.」
After looking dumbfounded for a few seconds, Lisha came back to herself suddenly and gasped, then she continued her words.
「Even if, if you aren’t by my side, I won’t be able to have the courage to face the people of this country and everyone in the Academy as the new kingdom’s princess. Even the Drag-Ride research, it was nothing more than an excuse for me to escape from the duty in front of me.」
Lisha spoke that to the finish and lifted up her face. She stared still on Lux’s face.
「I became able to face myself as a princess....was thanks to you. Because Lux, you supported me.」
「Lisha, sama....」
「Say, Lux. Even when this fight is over, will you──....no, it’s nothing.」
Lisha suddenly was going to say something with low voice and a vaguely lonely look, but she faltered.
After Lux stared at that with a serious face for a few moments, he nodded strongly and took the hand of this lovable small princess.
「I will accompany you till the end. Please rest assured, Lisha-sama.」
「I, I see....wait, don’t get too close. That’s, because of the work, I’m smelly right now right?」
「Eh? It’s all right, there is also a bit of sweaty scent but, it’s a nice smell so──wait」
His tongue slipped.
It was already too late when he noticed that. Lisha’s face went red like a boiled octopus and she raised her voice angrily.
「You’re noisy shut up! A guy like you is just──!」
「I, I’m really sorry-!」
After receiving Lisha’s eruption for a while, the laughter of two people resounded inside the coach.
The lighting of the city shining inside the night scenery was sparkling like jewels.
–
「Lisha-sama is working really hard.」
After that, Lux who returned to the girl dormitory changed into his room clothes and relaxed.
While he was going around various countries as Seven Dragon Paladins, during her exhausting work, Lisha wasn;t just developing Drag-Ride, she was also making proactive effort as rpincess.
She had no conspicuous achievement at the surface, but whether it was the strengthening of Triad’s Drag-Rides, or the repairing of Syvalles members’ Divine Drag-Rides, she was undoubtedly doing great efforts behind the scene.
「I too shouldn’t only pay attention to the outside, but I have to become Lisha-sama’s strength as a knight too....」
He thought that he was really able to serve an ideal master.
At the same time, he also noticed the fact that he was attracted in some level to her earnest figure.
『Say, Lux. Even when this fight is over, will you──....no, it’s nothing.』
「There is no way....right?」
He felt like that heartfelt sentence of Lisha was also filled with another emotion.
That she wished him to be at her side supporting her forever from here on too.
But, if that wasn’t just Lux’s misunderstanding, then after they escaped this predicament and liberated Avalon, Lux would──.
「....Right now isn’t the time for that.」
He lightly tensed his face in front of the mirror and fired up himself once more.
Although right now the situation was like a short break, he mustn’t let his mind wander too much.
He didn’t know when this state of tension would be dissolved and they entered into a long deadly battle.
He had finished visiting the girls.
Yoruka who was heavily injured wouldn’t be able to move for a while, but Celis, Philuffy, Krulcifer, and also Lisha.
The girls who would become the cornerstone of the battle, their feeling were connected with him.
After that, there was only one thing that worried him in a senses but──.
When Lux was absorbed into his thought like that, *knock knock* sound came from his door.
「’Sup Lux-chi, how’s it going? The bath is empty y’know?」
「Thank you Tillfur.」
It was Tillfur of Triad who brought that notification with a friendly voice.
Lux replied to her while showing her face from the room.
「So, have you talked with everyone?」
「Yes. I have also met with Lisha-sama, then there is only one person left I think.」
「I see, then great timing. I also have to tell Noct then.」
Tillfur made a suspicious smile that seemed to have hidden meaning.
When Lux made a puzzled face, Tillfur who read his expression answered him.
「You seee, Noct consulted with me for a bit just now. Since the previous battle, Airi-chan seems strange y’know. Like her heart is far away even though her body is here, looks like she got a lot in her mind.」
「Did, something happen?」
The traitor Key’s Supervisor, Soffice Xfer kidnapped Airi previously. After that Airi returned safely but, she only said 『Nothing happened』 when she was asked about the time she was taken away.
(Come to think of it, she was also worried when she found the list of Holy Arcadia Empire.)
Just as her external appearance suggested, Airi was a girl with calm and smart head, but she was exceptionally worrywart when it was regarding her only family Lux.
(No, that’s surely my fault I think....)
From Lux’s point of view, him being greatly busy doing chores was something normal, him getting dragged into something troublesome and met danger was also something that couldn’t be helped for him in that situation.
But, from Airi’s point of view, it only looked like that Lux was always being reckless that he almost died.
In reality it was exactly like that, there was no room for argument.
(But, just a bit more. Soon it will be over.)
In order to stop the world’s destruction, he couldn’t declare with certainty that he wouldn’t be reckless anymore.
But, of course Lux didn’t plan to die and leave behind Airi by herself.
But, he had to have a heartfelt talk with her one more time for now.
Lux was thinking such thing while opening the door to the large public bath and entered.
When he went toward the washing place to shower with hot water and cleaned his body, he heard sound from beside the large marble pillar inside.
「Eh....?」
Strange.
Based on what he heard from the Triad, this time should be fully reserved for him, and yet..
(Don’t tell me──intruder?)
Lux immediately moved silently and held his breath.
Normally it would be impossible, but if by chance there was assassin aiming for Lux’s life, then it was different story.
There was enough possibility that Dragon Marauder or the like would aim at him who was the Seven Dragon Paladins of new kingdom.
In a sense Lux would always be together with someone else, but this bathing time was the short period where he would be alone and defenseless.
In fact, he was leaving behind his Sword Device along with his clothes, so he would have no way to defend himself if he was targeted at this situation.
It would be a different story if it was Yoruka who could even use a single razor as weapon but──.
「....Haa. It’s already this late.」
At that time, he could hear a sigh from the opposite side of the pillar as though to back up Lux’s conjecture.
Lux who caught that voice got taken aback and peeked at the situation of the other side.
(As I thought, there is someone! One person)
If he was going to fight in this situation, he could only take the first move quickly.
He had no other choice but to restrain the opponent’s movement while they were searching for Lux.
(Yosh──)
After taking several deep breath, Lux resolved himself.
With a towel in one hand to bind the hands of the enemy, he gradually approached the other side of the pillar.
Inside the steam that was like thick mist, that silhouette turned around to his way. In that instant, Lux moved.
「Don’t move-!」
Lux intentionally raised his voice threateningly in order to take the enemy by surprise.
「─────!?」
Because he closed the distance and grabbed the opponent’s arm, the true identity of the intruder became clear.
Glossy silver hair fluttered and clear gray eyes snapped wide open in shock.
That figure which looked like he was looking at a mirror for a moment──exposed beautifully white skin color.
「....Eh?」
「Wha, wha....!?」
Lux’s thought crashed to a halt while his hand kept holding the girl’s slender arm.
That person was no one else than Lux’s little sister, Airi.
「────KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!」
Less than ten second after she raised a shrill scream, sounds of multiple footsteps from several girls came running.
「What’s wrong Airi-chan!? What happened!?」
「....N, no, I’m sorry for making commotion. I slipped and almost fell, that’s all. I’m fine now, I’m not injured or anything.」
Saying that, Airi sent away her classmates who entered into the public bath.
Lux was hiding inside the milky white hot water right nearby.
「It’s fine already, Nii-san.」
「Puhah!」
When Lux put out his head from inside the hot water, Airi averted her blushing face.
「....Please don’t look this way. The next time you look, I will call people here for real.」
「Ah, right. Sorry....」
There was no way for Lux to object after he had in fact looked.
Well, when Airi was still sickly, they often entered bath together, but as expected their figure now was different from the past.
Regarding the degree of her chest’s bulge, it didn’t look like that place had grown much but──.
「I will drown Nii-san if you think of anything improper.」
「It’s nothing at all....」
How did she read Lux’s heart even though she was turning her back on him?
Perhaps it should be said, as expected from a blood relative.
However, due to Airi’s compassion, he somehow avoided the sentence of getting thrust out before the dorm mother.
「....This must be Noct’s doing. My translation work got dragged on for a bit, so I entered the bath alone this late.」
「I completely thought that an assassin or someone is sneaking inside....」
「There won’t be anything like that. Just what does Nii-san think your position is?」
When Lux told his excuse, Airi let out an exasperated sigh.
「That’s, what do you mean....?」
Lux asked while they were keeping their back turned on each other.
Then, an answer that was completely unexpected came back.
「Recently, Nii-san’s bathing time is monitored by the radar of Noct’s Drake. After all it will be troubling if Nii-san is targeted while entering the bath alone and defenselessly with this fixed schedule.」
「Tha, that’s what is going on?」
「Well, it was my personal request, but the headmaster has given permission. Besides Nii-san is too careless most of the time. Even though it’s possible that spy like Saniya-senpai is sneaking into this Academy, what are you going to do without preparing any countermeasure for that?」
「Well....you’re, right.」
It seemed that Noct undertook the monitoring role in order to be alert of the enemy movement without stimulating the students by making the watch-keeping not too exaggerated but──.
「──Wait a second! Isn’t that strange? Noct is noticing right now that I and Airi is together here right?」
It was Noct who didn’t stop Airi who was late from taking a bath to enter here, and it was also her fellow Triad Tillfur who recommended Lux to enter the bath under such situation.
Even if for example there was a misunderstanding that occurred between them, if Noct searched with her Drake, she should have noticed this situation right now──.
「That’s why I’m angry. I have to reprimand Noct severely later──」
Behind him Airi was puffing up her cheeks, which he could easily imagine even without looking back.
In other words, this was surely the Triad’s scheme.
Surely they meant Lux to ask the feeling of Airi who was worrying but wouldn’t speak about it.
(Their method is absurd as always though....)
Lux was exasperated inside his heart even while he tried to live up to their expectations.
After all Lux also wanted to ask Airi.
「Speaking about it, how is your condition recently Airi? I wasn’t really here these few days because I was attending new kingdom’s war council after all.」
「There is nothing particularly srange. I’m desperate to clean up after the incident that Nii-san caused as usual.」
「A, ahaha....」
The conversation stopped completely after Lux laughed awkwardly.
Only the sound of water mixing and white steam rising marked the passing of time.
Although she was his little sister who had been together with him since they were little, it felt a bit embarrassing to enter bath together.
But at the same time, Lux also felt an odd sense of nostalgia.
Airi was sickly when she was little. She was a honest kid who was really clingy and spoiled toward Lux.
The older she got, she became a mature child with clever mouth, but he believed that in the bottom of her heart she hadn’t changed even now.
「That’s, I really think it’s my bad that I keep making Airi worried and fussed about my needs. When this battle is over, I will make it up to you for sure.」
「Nii-san is always treating me as a child like that, please stop it.」
When Lux tried to put her in good mood, she immediately replied with sharp words.
Surely she was making her usual reproachful gaze right now.
「It’s not like I’m wishing Nii-san to do anything more for me than right now.」
「I, I see, that makes me feel a bit lonely though──」
When Lux smiled wryly while feeling a bit shaken up, Airi immediately denied it.
「That’s not it. That’s not what I mean, What Nii-san has done for me is already more than enough. Originally we who were in the position of imperial family are existence that the people of new kingdom would ostracize. In order to improve our position, I conducted myself sociably and worked hard in deciphering Ruin’s ancient document. But──Nii-san formed communication with everyone, you clashed with them, reached understanding with each other, and got recognized by everyone.」
「That’s, a coincidence. It’s not just me, everyone is also good people who treated me well, and it’s also thanks to Airi who is staying in the Academy──」
Lux scratched his head and spoke with an embarrassed tone.
But, Airi continued her words with a quiet voice that sounded detached just like before.
「That’s why──it’s the opposite. I’m not asking for anything from Nii-san, it’s painful that I cannot do anything. I who don’t have the stamina and technique to wear Drag-Ride cannot be of any help even in this situation where the new kingdom is cornered on the wall. Even though I want to fight if that means I will be able to fight Nii-san with my own strength....」
「Airi....」
She had changed, but actually not.
All this time since that time until now, Airi was a little sister who was thinking anxiously for Lux’s wellbeing.
Lux’s heart was struck by the pure feeling of his only remaining family.
Just that feeling of hers was enough.
For what he was fighting? As long as that was clear, he wouldn’t hesitate.
「I also said this before but, I can fight because Airi is waiting for me. When you were kidnapped to the Moon before this too, my heart was gripped by terror. That’s why, it’s fine for you to stay like this. Because you can be my strength like this even more than fighting together with me.」
「Haa....Nii-san is always talking sweetly to girl like-->>