Editing Saijaku Muhai no Bahamut:Volume 7 Episode 4 (section)

===Part 3===

Ten-odd minutes later, they arrived at the old sanctuary site without any accident.

It seemed the ceremony here would take long, Lux and other who found opportunity planned to accomplish their objective.

Krulcifer would use the supervisor authority she possessed from underground the old sanctuary site, teleported to the archive of Hall, and obtained information of the past.

Ney Louches was given detailed instruction by Pope Nias──or more accurately the upper brasses of the church who were advising him, to investigate the inside of the Ruin together with Krulcifer.

But, the pope and the bishops didn’t know about Automata’s trait that was obedient toward Xfer. Krulcifer turned the table through that. She would investigate the Hall’s archive along with Lux and aimed to be a step ahead in investigating about her true identity and the objective of the existence that was called as LordCreator.

While Pope Nias was preparing for the ceremony, the eldest son of Einfolk house, Zain came talking to Krulcifer.

「Don’t loiter around too much. Our duty in the end is to guard his eminence the pope, and for you to raise an achievement that doesn’t lose to Mel Gizalut.」

His tone sounded chiding, but there was no particular malice that could be sensed from it.

Therefore Krulcifer too merely returned a simple question to Zain.

「I know. More importantly, is Otou-sama participating in today’s pilgrimage?」

She quietly turned around and stared at the back.

A man in his prime using a cane──the father of Krulcifer, Stiyl Einfolk was for some reason looking this way from afar along with Alterize who was acting as guard.

His foot was bad because of old wound. Perhaps because he had a body that couldn’t wear Drag-Ride, he was beside the horse carriage that was some distance away.

The old sanctuary site that was near the Hall had been predicted beforehand that it would be dangerous, and yet for him to intentionally come here was certainly an unnatural act but──.

「I also told him. That the position of Einfolk house doesn’t matter, just today father should restrain from coming. But, he is obstinate like that, he said to me 『There is a need for me to come』 and won’t listen.」

「…………」

Lux ignored Zain’s grumbling and stared at Stiyl who was standing at distance.

He didn’t understand his true intention, but to him it looked like he was somewhat concerned with Krulcifer’s condition.

「Perhaps unexpectedly, it can be that father also come here to watch your achievement?」

「No way such thing is true, absolutely.」

Krulcifer calmly cut down the words from her big brother that was filled with sarcasm.

「Even though, he didn’t come to save me at that time……」

She muttered that with a lonely look before slowly entering into the old sanctuary site.

「──Excuse me.」

「I, I’m going too dearimasu!」

Lux also excused him with a brief words to Zain, and then he along with Ney followed behind Krulcifer.

The Sanctuary Knight Order including Mel was already going ahead. If the old sanctuary site had to be described with few words, it was a mysterious place.

Different from the Ruin, it wasn’t a structure that existed from ancient time, but a great sanctuary of Ymir Theocracy that was build around two hundred years ago.

Lux heard that the entrance to the Hall was accidentally discovered near this site.

Deep at the center there was a large altar. Even in its state with the ceiling collapsed and the sky was visible, the vestige of solemn atmosphere could be sensed.

There was a stair continuing to underground beside the mountain of rubble, because there was the risk of cave-in over there, it was forbidden to enter with a chain.

That was exactly──the entrance toward Hall that was their aim this time.

「It seems the Ruin is silent. Scout was dispatched last night and it was investigated, but there wasn’t even a single Abyss from here until the entrance of Hall that was around a kl from here.」

「I see, thank you for your effort. I will begin the prayer ceremony now. Olpher, I’ll entrust you with assisting me.」

After the captain of Sanctuary Knight Order counseled Pope Nias, the bishop Orphel moved to aid with the ceremony.

Ritual tools for the prayer were lined up. The last ceremony of the Pilgrimage Festival would begin from here.

But, even after understanding that there was no reaction of Abyss nearby, it was possible that an ambush like yesterday could happen.

A total of fifty-odd Drag-Knights took position like their plan at the beginning without letting down their guard.

Lux and Krulcifer, and also Ney were placed to guard the inside of the old sanctuary site following the instruction of Pope Nias and Orphel.

Just as instructed by the top brass of the church that was conveyed through Pope Nias, Krulcifer whose origin was from Ruin and the Automata Ney were tasked to bring back treasure and information from the Hall.

However, the moment they descended down the stair, Ney was scared toward the depth of the darkness that was gaping wide open.

「Uwaaa. It’s dark! It’s scary! Ney is not good against mouse and bat dearimasu!」

「Is that so? How pitiful. But, I’ll have you walk ahead so do your best.」

「Hiiiii! The supervisor-sama here is inhuman dearimasu! U, understood, I will handle it carefully. ……Even so it’s cruel dearimasu, you are a type that will be hated by man, wait, oh nooo!」

(As always, the voice of her heart is leaking out……)

Lux unconsciously smiled wryly while beside him Krulcifer made a small sigh.

「It’s not like I want to harass you. With the narrowness of this passage, Drag-Ride cannot be deployed, so I thought that you as an Automata will have easier time to detect danger. That’s all. No matter how long you have been separated from the Ruin, you still at least have that function right?」

「Uuu, I understand dearimasu. I will do my best somehow.」

「I’ll depend on you, Ney. I’m holding hope for your real ability. You are a child who can do it when you try aren’t you?」

「Wo, woof-! Ple, please leave it to me!」

When Krulcifer patted the head of Ney who was nodding tearfully, her eyes sparkled and she recovered her liveliness.

(She tamed her in this short time……!)

Was it Krulcifer’s wiles that was amazing, or perhaps it was Ney who was simple.

In any case without even any time for Lux to feel admiration, Ney took the initiative and began walking through the collapsed underground passage.

Fortunately, perhaps because it was cold and there was no food, there wasn’t any mouse or anything like Ney was worried about.

Just, rubbles were scattered everywhere, so it was hard to walk combined with the darkness.

「It’s not as deep as I thought, if there is sign of fighting, we will also be able to return quickly.」

「Yes. even if the opponent planned to split their force, we cannot let our guard down. The Drag-Knight who is the mastermind of the kidnapping plan, a division commander of Dragon Marauder, Drakkhen, I heard that she is a clever person who excel in forming strategy.」

「Yes. Besides, I’m also worried about Krulcifer-san’s father and brother.」

「…………」

Krulcifer didn’t reply to Lux’s muttering.

Her side face that was illuminated faintly by the lighting of torch was also in her usual cool expression.

「Lux-kun, do you dislike me who keep putting distance with my family?」

「Eh……?」

The girl’s sudden words that was also similar like talking to herself caused Lux to raise a bewildered voice.

Even so Krulcifer kept looking forward and continued walking quietly.

「I noticed. You were calling out to my family in place where I wasn’t looking. You were trying to obtain some kind of information, regarding my discord with my family.」

「……Sorry. It wasn’t my intention, to hide it though.」

She must be referring to Lux giving present to Krulcifer’s little sisters, or talked to her father.

「You don’t need to apologize. I’m not angry or anything.」

Her lips abruptly relaxed and she turned a gentle smile to him.

「Rather, I want to say my gratitude instead. I’m happy that you are trying to ascertain in my place, whether I really cannot get along with my family for the second time anymore. But──I myself, don’t really understand my own feeling.」

In the past, Krulcifer found out that she was born from Ruin.

Since then, a gulf was created between her and her family.

And then, she was banished from Ymir to the new kingdom.

In the new kingdom, thinking that if she was able to solve the mystery of the Ruin, wouldn’t she be able to meet her true family, she entrusted her wish to that.

Krulcifer herself was wavering in her heart even now.

「Should I try to meet my family halfway one more time, even after thinking of it for the whole night, the answer didn’t come out.」

Even if right now she entered the archive of the Hall and obtained some kind of truth, she would still waver.

That was why, as an important friend of her, Lux said the answer.

「──I am Krulcifer-san’s ally. No matter what happened, for sure.」

「That’s right isn’t it.」

Krulcifer chuckled and showed a smile at Lux’s serious expression.

Right after that, Ney who was going ahead stepped her foot on an open place.

「We arrive dearimasu. Xfer-sama, Lux-sama.」

It was hard to see because of the dimness of the place, but it was a space that was like cone shaped hall.

Deeper inside, there was a wall that wasn’t made from stone, a metal wall that had weird pattern arranged on it.

「From this we can trespass into inside the Hall, toward the archive dearimasu. And then──here they come. Twelve Abysses appeared on the surface of old sanctuary site.」

「──!?」

Lux and Krulcifer lifted their face with alert expression.

This hall that was beside the door that connected to the Ruin had high ceiling. There was space to summon Drag-Ride.

In addition, if the ceiling was destroyed, it would be accompanied with the danger of collapse but it would be possible to escape.

「There is no large type Abyss, but what should we do supervisor-sama? If we go until the viewing room that is nearby the archive, we can even observe the surface from there dearimasu, we can also return using teleport but──」

Should they head out to help right now, or else would they go in a hurry toward the viewing room after finishing their business at the archive.

The elite force of fifty Drag-Knights made from a lot of High Class and above was a battle force that could oppose twelve Abysses.

Furthermore, right now Mel of Seven Dragon Paladins and Alterize who was EX Class were also there.

But, if reinforcement of Abyss or Dragon Marauder came at the middle, there was also the possibility of Krulcifer’s step brother Zain and her step father Stiyl getting exposed to danger.

「I──」

「Wait! I’ll try contacting Alterize-san!」

Lux quickly pulled out his Sword Device, summoned his Wyvern and equipped it.

And then he used Dragon Voice to send his voice to Alterize’s EX Wyvern.

If the enemy was noticed by Drake’s radar, she should also be wearing her Drag-Ride.

The prediction of Lux who was thinking like that was right on the spot, a connection with her was immediately linked.

『Lux-sama? Did something happen in the underground? Currently here we are in the middle of battle with appearing Abysses. Their number is twelve, and there are three types, Gargoyle, Chimera, and also Haiit.』

That lineup wasn’t weak, but she and the other Drag-Knights there should be able to oppose that number and types of Abysses.

Lux asked for some more detail just in case.

「Other than that, is there enemy reinforcement?」

『The Drake force of Sanctuary Knight Order is searching for reaction of Abyss and Drag-Rode, but for the time being none can be found in the area. We had also confirmed the sound of this rumored horn flute, but the one sounding it seemed to leave immediately.』

The conversation between Lux and Alterize were also heard by the two girls beside him.

When Lux told that to Alterize, Alterize gave a push on the back.

『Ojou-sama, please advance forward. We will hold on at this side.』

「──I understand. Take care of Einfolk house.」

Krulcifer told Alterize that without going as far as saying ‘family’.

From the beginning, the true objective of the Pilgrimage Festival this time was at here.

The girl who originated from Ruin, Krulcifer, and the Automata that came out from the Ruin, Ney Louches.

The mission was for the two to combine their strength and solve the mystery of the Ruin.

When Krulcifer lifted up her hand to the metal wall, words made from light ran through the surface and it was tinged with dazzling radiance.

『……’s existence is confirmed. The unlocking of special code is executed. If there is no problem, teleportation will begin.』

Inorganic strange voice could be heard resounding directly inside the brain.

It was the same phenomenon that also occurred when they once investigated the altar in the Garden.

With the authority toward Ruin that Krulcifer possessed, it was possible to infiltrate from a special route.

「Then, we are going in dearimasu!」

Along with Ney’s call, light enveloped the surrounding.

Right after that, they received sensation as though floating in the darkness, and when they noticed it was as though they were standing in different place.

A passage made from inorganic silver colored wall was spreading before their eyes.

The surrounding was tinged with faint light in reaction to their existence.

「──This place, is inside the Hall……?」

「Yes dearimasu! After a long time I have returned to the home I missed so muuuch! Waaaai!」

Perhaps feeling great delight from being able to return to the Ruin, Ney’s dog ears stood up then she jumped *pyon pyon* up and down.

But Krulcifer plopped her hand on Ney’s head with a quiet expression.

「My bad, but right now we have no time. Can you guide us to the archive here, so we can also quickly return to the surface?」

「Ro, roger dearimasu!」

Ney straightened her posture in a snap, then she quickly began to walk through the corridor.

Each side began to act with various feelings kept concealed inside the chest.

–