Editing Saijaku Muhai no Bahamut:Volume 5 Epilogue (section)

===Part 1===

「We will arrive soon, Nii-san.」

「N, nn……」

Lux faintly opened his eyes along with the familiar voice of his little sister Airi.

It seemed that Lux was dozing while sitting inside the neat horse carriage that was shaking sometimes.

The canopy acted as sunshade, but the inside was hot because it was midday──and then, the scent of summer’s greenery was coming in.

On this day where the last day of the summer holiday was fast approaching, Lux along with the other selection members were on a long trip back to the Academy.

「……I see, it’s over already isn’t it.」

They were delayed for ten days longer than their original return schedule, but thinking of the cleaning up of the great incident at the capital, the treatment and recovery of Lux and company, and so on, it could be considered as fast.

The Imperial Capital Recapture Plan that was schemed by Heiburg’s enlarged military division was safely obstructed, and the All-Dragon Battle this time had also closed its curtains.

The selection members who were the representative of each country returned back to their own countries, and in their place he heard that a lot of important people visited the royal capital in order to deal in regards to the various occurring problems.

Regarding the case of the rampage of Lisha’s Tiamat too, with the testimony of the captured Saniya and the others, it seemed that for the moment the other countries were persuaded.

Hayes’s whereabouts were unknown, but it was very likely that she died in battle with how she was defeated at the end.

Ragreed and the Rebel Army’s forces that were used by Heiburg were also captured. From here on their crime would surely be inquired for a long time.

And then, on the last day before they went back.

Lux and Airi were summoned to the government office where the high officials were assembled.

 

「Lux Arcadia. Your conspicuous service this time was truly splendid.」

The first words of the high official who was representing the consuls were that.

The decoy role against the Imperial Capital Recapture Plan, and the four wins at the All-Dragon Battle.

And then, the case regarding the sudden invasion of Gigas that assaulted the royal capital and how he stopped it.

Looking at the results, Lux had completed all of the consuls’ demands, and he even raised an accomplishment that far surpassed it.

「Regarding the enemies that attacked the New Kingdom, your meritorious deeds of commanding the members of Syvalles and managing the defense is big. Therefore──just as promised, the matter of the unauthorized Ruin investigation by headmaster Relie won’t be questioned.」

「……Thank you very much.」

Lux lightly bowed in response to the high official’s tone of voice that was vaguely mixed with fear.

Lux had resolved himself against the possibility that they might make allusions regarding the jet black Divine Drag-Ride Lux had──Bahamut and about the Black Hero, but unexpectedly those matters weren’t mentioned.

Perhaps Queen Raffi had explained it already, or perhaps they were forbidden to question it, even Lux didn’t know what it actually was but──

「A, and so. In regards to your exceptional achievement, we wish to grant you even more reward. The punishment given to you who were cast down as a criminal along with the establishment of the New Kingdom, we will recognize that you have compensated for them with your meritorious deeds this time, write off that punishment, and we will lift up your status to be the same as us nobles.」

The high official’s words were spoken along with a flattering smile.

But even hearing those words, Lux’s expression didn’t change at all.

「On top of that, we of the government wish to recommend you as a Drag-Knight to be the representative of the New Kingdom──becoming one of the 『Seven Dragon Paladins』. You are not a Chore Prince or the like anymore. Now you can become a first class knight of the New Kingdom with honor.」

The surrounding consuls gave applause to their representative’s words.

But at that time, the calm voice of the young man suddenly resounded inside the government office’s assembly hall.

「Err, excuse me. This is a talk that is really too good for me, but I wish to decline it.」

「──What?」

It seemed that reply was completely unexpected, the representative high official showed bewilderment.

「I am satisfied with the amnesty I received from her majesty the queen, and I am even indebted to her highness the princess. And so, I──will be satisfied if I’m allowed to attend the Academy just as before.」

「Wha……-!?」

The consuls there were making a stir seeing Lux refusing like that with a calm smile.

「Wha, what are you saying!? We the representatives of the New Kingdom are saying here that we will pardon your crime you know!? You won’t be ridiculed as the ruined prince or obligated to do chores anymore. You can become an upper class noble from your position as a criminal you know? That’s──」

「It’s because my current lifestyle suits me. I wish to be allowed to work for the sake of this country’s people and the Academy from here on too.」

Lux emphasized a part of his words slightly while giving back a smile that was free of any malice.

「Bu, but……, that’s──」

「Rather than that, if I’m able to receive some kind of reward, there is one thing that I wish to request in exchange. I don’t mind to be given a request, but from here on, can I ask all of you to refrain from calling out to me through someone else in the Academy?」

「Ri, right……」

「I beg you, please protect that promise.」

After informing that with a cold gaze in the end, Lux left the assembly hall along with Airi.

Amidst the parliamentary seats that were enveloped in agitation, one of the Four Great Nobles, Dist Ralgris who was sitting at a corner made a calm smile.

「……It looks like we completely misjudged his existence.」

「What do you mean by that, Lord Dist?」

One of the Four Great Nobles, Bugriser who was sitting beside him shook his large body and asked.

「There is no other meaning. He showed how he completely outmaneuvered the consuls──the nobles gathering here. By lifting a powerful Drag-Knight like him from his criminal status into a noble, he will become in 『debt』 with them. The government officials attempted to put a collar on him like that. Just now these lots were trying to make him into their convenient tool.」

「I see. That brat saw through that miserable ulterior motive and so he refused to be freed from his criminal status.」

Dist nodded at Bugriser’s words.

「He is currently acquitted due to the amnesty that reduced him to the criminal status──which put him under the management of her majesty the queen in the end. The other nobles cannot carelessly put their hands on him as long as that is the case. He weaved through the traps of the consuls here, and threatened back instead with that clever speech and achievements. All that while he is in the weakest position as a criminal.」

「This means that the blood of the empire cannot be underestimated. As expected, that young man seems to also possess the disposition of 『king』. ──Perhaps it will also be quite difficult for us to make use of him in the future huh.」

One of the Four Great Nobles, Zagha laughed while saying that, then he slowly walked away from that place.

After him Bugriser also stood from his seat, and Dist quietly raised his face.

「I too deliberately asked for unreasonable things to test him. But, the result is that he is actually a man that surpasses my imagination. Then perhaps I have to ask for his cooperation quickly. ──In order to save this country from the danger of the world.」