Editing Masou Gakuen HxH:Volume 3 Chapter 2 (section)

===Part 2===

Grey clouds were lingering in the sky that couldn’t be determined as red or pink colored.

A beautiful and radiant quadrangle was floating in the sky that was dyed by the evening sun. It was a gigantic quadrangle, with its side that could reach above one kilometer, it was reflecting the sunset waveringly.

That beautiful flat surface distorted as if bulging out. As though a stone was thrown on a water surface, a ripple spread. And then from the center of the ripple, boorish metallic lumps made an appearance. It pushed through the beautiful flat surface, showing its appearance. However, its end couldn’t really be seen. It was an object so large and long that one couldn’t understand how far it would continue.

“My, isn’t that Gravel-sama’s fleet?”

People looked up at the gigantic shadow obstructing the sunset that appeared in the sky and raised cheerful voices.

Invited by those voices, the people of the AU rushed outside from inside their houses and buildings and looked up to the sky guided by the sound raised from the magic mechanisms of the battleship.

“It’s true! The fleet is returning from Lemuria―”

“It’s the return of Gravel-sama!”

The military ships appearing from the Entrance one after another were welcomed by the people with cheering and applause.

The people raised a great cheer when they found on the deck of the ship, the figures of Gravel and Aldea.

“It’s a happy thing to be warmly welcomed like this isn’t it?”

“I guess, Gravel is really popular.”

Aldea’s pleasant voice made Gravel smile wryly.

“What popularity? I’m just a mere warmonger.”

However if one looked at Gravel’s smile, it was obvious to anyone that she didn’t find this really that bad.

Gravel looked across the city of Gringam that was the home port of the fleet.

Gringam of Vatlantis Empire was a provincial city far distanced from the imperial capital. It was also a strategic position for transportation, so in spite of its distance from the capital, it was a wealthy city both materially and culturally.

The view of the city had the atmosphere that resembled the townscape of gothic-style Europe, possessing several spires and splendorous structures made of stone lining up, giving the city a profound refinement.

However the constructions were peculiar, bridge supported by elegant pillars that were surprisingly slender, spiraling building that interlaced complex curve. Large stone houses that were built high above as if ignoring the strength calculation in its construction were standing in a row composedly.

And then, one more difference with this place compared to the world of humans, was the mechanisms called as magic machinery all over the place which were emitting mysterious light. The machinery were based on magic power, it was the source of energy and the lifeline of the AU, which converted magic power into various shapes, like energy that resembled electricity or heat and cold.

The fleet was crossing over that city of Gringam, the ships were lowering their altitude gradually and landed on the harbor that was built at the coastline. Large waves broke ashore the harbor and soaked the ground.

Gravel and Aldea walked across the deck, heading to the stairs that descended down to the harbor along the pier. The deck of the gigantic battleship was almost as high as a five-storied building, it was a pain to descend down from it. And then, while it was a ship this large, the one descending down were only Gravel and Aldea. There was no sign of anyone else going down.

The moment the two came down, the battleship, no, the whole fleet drifted off bleakness like abandoned ruins. The fleet that lost its master was completely like a gigantic gravestone, or a cast-off shell.

“Hey, Gravel. What are you going to have for dinne――”

A gigantic humanoid magic weapon fell down from the sky.

Thunderous roar resounded, the ground shook up and down. The thing fell about ten meters ahead of Gravel and Aldea, its leg parts sunk into the ground. The impact made the surrounding stone pavement to be lifted up and danced in the air.

The total height of that humanoid weapon was fifteen meters. The image was like a luxuriously decorated Albatross. The fuselage that was coated red had a white crest painted on it. That crest for some reason resembled the kanji of emperor (帝).

“What’s this, so suddenly out of nowhere! Just why is the exclusive magic weapon of the imperial guard coming to this kind of place!?”

Aldea yelled angrily from indignation that she couldn’t clear away.

“Ahahahaha, what a fine manner of speaking? Maybe this is too much stimulation for a country bumpkin.”

A high-pitched voice like a child resounded.

“This voice, is it Ragrus?”

There was a petite shadow on the shoulder of the magic weapon. A large mantel unsuited for that figure billowed out on her body. The crest painted on the magic weapon was also similarly drawn on the eye-catching red mantel. That showy red color fluttered, with the body wrapped in pilot suit falling down. As if ignoring gravity, the figure gently dropped on the ground as though it was using a magic to fly in the air.

The small figure dropping in front of Gravel and Aldea stood cockily and showed a smile that looked down on them. The childish face had large rolled twintails hanging down in front of her body. The expression full of confidence gave the impression like a highly haughty cat from somewhere.

“This Ragrus-sama is expressly coming until this faraway sticks! Be thankful.”

“For the imperial guard who always shut themselves inside the castle in the capital to come until this place alone as a messenger? How admirable.”

Aldea replied back without even trying to hide her irritation.

“I didn’t ask for your impolite mouth! Besides I’m not alone here.”

“Eh?”

Aldea looked around the surroundings, then a silhouette of a person appeared relaxedly under the feet of the magic weapon.

It was a slender and tall female with deep blue hair. She was putting on the same coat as Ragrus with her unconfident gaze roaming about.

“I also brought Valdy along too. She is here as my attendant!”

Valdy opened her mouth timidly.

“He, hey Gravel……that, you found Zeros……is that, true……?”

Her cowering attitude was truthfully contrastive of Gravel.

“Who knows.”

“Is that so……thank you.”

“Wait, what are you doing pulling back that easily! Gravel, Aldea, I won’t accept the two of you hiding something from this me!”

Ragrus raised one of her hand and a magic circle materialized in the air. In concert with that radiance, light entered Gravel’s fleet. Magic mechanisms moved and gun turrets rotated. The target was fixed on Gravel.

One of Gravel’s eyebrows went up.

“So you rescinded the magic formula and stole my ownership?”

“Ahaha, that’s just too easy! Are you listening? We understand already that Aldea over there obtained the information about Zeros and headed to {{furigana|Lemuria|the world of the other side}}! Now confess!”

“My my, is that so? This is really troubling.”

Aldea shrugged her shoulders exaggeratedly.

“But, that’s just a misunderstanding. Certainly I was taught of information about some Cores. But I have never received some kind of special information regarding Zeros by any means.”

“Certainly we have confirmed that several Cores exist in the world over there, but that’s all. We have never seen the likes of Zeros there――rather than that.”

When Gravel waved her fingertips, the magic weapon exclusive for the imperial guard which was standing behind Ragrus started to move. The gun it held in its hand was directed at Ragrus.

“Wha-……wait! Just what are you doing to someone’s magic weapon-!”

“Ragrus, rescinding your magic formula is also a simple matter.”

Ragrus clenched her teeth toward Gravel who was grinning broadly.

“Youu……! How dare you point a gun to an imperial guard, do you think you will get away with this!?”

“My fleet is about to be taken away by a thief. This can’t be helped.”

“Just who do you call a thief! To, to point a gun toward us the imperial guard, is the same as pointing a gun to the emperor! Do you understand that!?”

Ragrus yelled with such caustic words.

“Demon!”

Ragrus’s body was enveloped in red light. And then that light promptly equipped the magic armor [Demon] on Ragrus’s body.

“Ahahaha, looking down on people really is a good feeling.”

The face of Ragrus who was laughing loudly was now in the position where they needed to look up at her. Magic armor Demon was a magic armor with hugeness that didn’t suit Ragrus’s petite body. Rather than calling it a magic armor, perhaps it would be more accurate to call it a robot. Just the leg unit that enveloped Ragrus’s leg increased her height for more than a meter. And then what stood out most of all were the two strong huge and thick arms. Following Ragrus’s crossed arms, the robot arms were moving similarly and crossed its arms in front of Gravel. Ragrus’s mantel that was too large looked small right now.

“In the place of the emperor, how about I raise a festival of blood for you right here, Gravel?”

“That’s really a disrespectful way of talking, to treat the emperor of Vatlantis in the same rank with a petty thief.”

Gravel’s eyes shined sharply.

“Zoros!”

Gravel’s body was also equipped with a magic armor [Zoros].

Zoros was a magic armor with four wings. The true identity of those wings were three rows particle cannons, two were in symmetrical position at the left and right on the back, and two were equipped on her waist. When the cannon was fired, they were angled at the enemy and the direction could be freely changed. On that armor, orange light the same color as Gravel’s eyes was running across the surface. And then, one more thing that stood out, was the large sword shouldered on her back.

Before the two that were at a critical point, Aldea’s eyes were sparkling. And then she yelled with an excited voice.

“Zeel!!”

Six shields instantly lined up in front of Aldea protecting her body.

“Aah, this makes my heart throb! Looks like this will become a lovely party.”

“There is still something wrong with you as usual! Aaah geez-, I’ll hand down the capital punishment for you two altogether in this place!”

“Wait……Gravel. Err, Rael……”

Valdy falteringly cut in to stop them. Light of light blue color converged on her body. The magic armor [Rael] was equipped on her, it was as though her body was clad in mist. Beautiful light blue luminescence was traveling on the navy blue armor. What stood out from it was the sharp shining claw on Valdy’s fingertips.

“Don’t stop me, Valdy! I will teach them my true streng……thh-!”

The collar of Ragrus who was going to rush forward was grasped by the claw of Valdy who was several dozen meters away from her. Valdy didn’t actually move from her spot, there was only a hand starting from wrist that was floating in the air near Ragrus. As for Valdy, her actual arm was currently reached out toward Valdy, but her arm starting from her elbow was gradually thinning off until the area where her wrist was supposedly at, completely vanished.

“Kuh! Can’t breath……i, idiot, re, release……”

Her neck was wrung by the driving force of her own magic armor. However Ragrus’s choking voice didn’t reach Valdy who was standing quite far from her.

“Err, Ragrus……please, I want you to calm down. If you fight……it’s dangerous you know? You might get hurt…..e, everyone, let’s get along……”

“I, I’m going to die-……I said, release your hand-!”

When Valdy released her hand, Ragrus pitched forward and collapsed.

“You planned to kill me!?”

Ragrus became teary eyed and yelled angrily at her partner.

Putting aside those two, Aldea was making a ruckus.

“Hey, heyy! I wonder which one is better for me to kill? Gravel, which one do you want? Of course, I’ll surrender the one you like for you-! Aah, to make the imperial guards as the prey of all things……Gravel, you are really lovely!”

“……Aldea, shut your mouth.”

With a bitter face, Gravel pushed aside Aldea.

Valdy talked to her timidly without meeting their gaze.

“Sorry, Gravel……certainly, we are also too forceful……but, that’s because this is an important matter……we have to hurry. That’s why, don’t be angry……”

“Valdy, I too don’t like a pointless quarrel. I also intend to understand your position. If you can just go home to the capital like this, I don’t intend to worsen the situation more than this.”

“Ee―”

Aldea glared at Gravel with a wholehearted dissatisfied face.

The collapsed Ragrus finally stood up and raised her stout arm. The thruster on her legs emitted light to gather the power for flying.

“Don’t decide it as you please! There is no way we can just go home like thi――gah!”

Ragrus’s neck was hit by a hand chop. Similar with before, there was only a hand starting from the wrist floating in the air. It was obvious with a glance whose arm that was without even confirming Valdy who was in a pose of swinging down a hand chop.

Ragrus lost consciousness and her magic armor was called off at the same time.

“Ah……Ragrus, you okay? She fainted……what to do”

Unnoticed, Valdy’s arm returned to normal. Valdy nervously rushed to Ragrus and carried her small body under her arms.

“I’m sorry……I will immediately carry you to the bed……”

When she lifted up her hand with an apologetic face, the fingertips of that hand shined. Thereupon, the magic weapon exclusive for the imperial guards that was now under the control of Gravel crouched down as if it had heard of Valdy’s order. Its gigantic palm turned to Valdy and gently moved forward.

Valdy hopped on the gigantic palm while still carrying Ragrus’s body, then she turned around to Gravel.

“Gravel……that, are you planning to……stay here, for a while?”

“I guess so, I plan to relax for a little while. There is much that I wanted to annex from the occupied area named Okinawa at the other side into city of the Vatlantis Empire, but there is no need to rush.”

Valdy only responded ‘is that so’ and flew away to the sky riding on the palm of the magic weapon. While watching that figure fly away across the sky, Gravel whispered idly.

“Aldea. Is your story really true?”

Aldea too kept watching the sky and replied with a small voice.

“Ufufu, actually it’s true. The truth is, I met an interesting person in the workshop. Then, she said that she will teach me about a place where there is a clue about Zeros in the world of the other {{furigana|side|Lemuria}}.”

“Really……just why are you keep bringing trouble without pause.”

“Because, I want Gravel to build your achievements.”

“……”

“Well, but I too had done something arbitrary. Don’t you think it’s fine even if we leave this to the imperial guard?”

“We also couldn’t do that. Those lots in imperial guard surely wouldn’t think about the damage to Lemuria at all if it is for the sake of searching for Zeros. Rather than stealing their lives pointlessly, it will be far more profitable for both sides for them to become the slaves or semi-citizens of Vatlantis.”

“……I say, Gravel. There is one more thing that I have to say here.”

“Is there still something else?”

Gravel let out a fed up voice.

“This is about the girl wearing Zeros but……she said that her name is Aine.”

Suddenly Gravel’s eyes opened wide in shock.

“If that’s the case than it’s even more important for them to not know of this. If they hear about this, the elites of the imperial guard will march to Lemuria in great number. They will undoubtedly massacre all that get in their way.”

“Then, we will slip off the imperial guard and head to the other side?”

“Yeah, one ship is enough. Prepare a ship with long range.”

Before the imperial guard could be suspicious, they would capture Zeros.

That was the only way to protect the future of Vatlantis Empire’s people.