Editing Saijaku Muhai no Bahamut:Volume 4 Episode 2 (section)

===Part 6===

On the morning of the next day, it was the time for independent training immediately following the basic training.

Together with Lisha, Lux went towards the atelier of Drag-Rides on Ries Island.

A spacious arrangement of rooms made from stone, the smell of oil and metal that stabbed the nose.

At the large pedestal in the center, a great number of assembled Drag-Rides and weapons were scattered.

The fundamental construction was similar to the atelier inside the academy, but the atelier here was larger in scale.

Naturally, the inside of the atelier was filled with important highly classified information, so it seemed that no one could enter if it wasn’t someone with authority at the level of Lisha.

First Lux was instructed to summon the <Wyvern> he was using, so he pulled out his Sword Device and called out his Drag-Ride──

「Then, activate the System mode of the <Wyvern> for me.」

「System, is it? Err──」

Lux did as he was told even while tilting his head in puzzlement.

He lightly closed his eyes and carried out the mind control operation towards the Drag-Ride before his eyes.

When Lux sent the image thought of the Drag-Ride and his nerve connected with each other, bluish white light was formed from the head part of the folded <Wyvern>. The light then emerged as a window frame, graphics, and countless character strings.

「Err, next be aware of the graphic at the upper left and look at it. You can proceed using that.」

Lux couldn’t read ancient letters, so he operated following Lisha’s instruction.

By using the controllerjoystick that was the Sword Device, the Drag-Ride could be made to enter a state that was called the system mode. There, things like the tuning of the Drag-Ride, the authentication registration, and so on could be performed.

Things like the tuning of Drag-Ride parts, adjusting the output of the equipped weapons and so on were also indispensable functions, but in general a lot of Drag-Knights only knew about the system of authentication registration that was done at the very beginning.

Similarly, Lux was also one of those many who only knew of that very basic function, but──

「Yosh, remember the control procedure you have just done so that you can do it yourself. <Bahamut> should also have basically the same procedure like this.」

Countless graphics and bluish white letters were floating above the head of the Drag-Ride.

When all those advanced until a state where everything was released, Lisha told Lux to take a breather.

「So with this the new function can be used?」

「Yeah, with this the Drag-Ride’s function and weapon’s strength will increase exceptionally. For example, the great sword your <Bahamut> has, if it’s that <Chaos BrandStigma Sword>, not to mention its destructive power, just by defending, it can accomplish the same role like the Scale BladeBarrier Fang Sword I created exclusively for the <Wyvern>.」

「Is that, true?」

「However, if you mistaken the way to use it, then you will die though.」

「Eh……!?」

Lux’s face spontaneously grimaced. Lisha let out a small sigh to that.

「Remember that this is just my personal experience. This is a method to connect with the system to release the full ability of the Drag-Ride that is usually restricted. All Drag-Rides, in order to avoid excessive burden to the user’s body, stamina, and mental fatigue──the Drag-Ride’s performance is usually not fully accessible. A Drag-Ride in a state where this limiter is fully released is called the <Awakened State>, the mention of this was written in the ancient text from a Ruin. But, no matter which country, including the New Kingdom, none have reached the stage where they can make a practical use of it.」

The theory was understandable.

Even in horse-riding, there were examples of cases where someone died from fatigue due to the distance and time traveled.

Surely it would be impossible to use the Drag-Ride stably when the system to reduce burden towards the Drag-Knight was removed.

「You can close the system mode now. The input of the code to release all the ability limiter from there can be performed using mind control operation through the Sword Device but, don’t you dare test it yet okay?」

Just as Lisha said, when he cut off the mind control operation that he was doing through the Sword Device, the floating countless letters and graphics vanished, and the Drag-Ride was also turned inactive.

「The limiter release for a Divine Drag-Ride is a bit more particular, it’s something delicate you see. Regarding your <Bahamut> too, I’m investigating its limiter release code but──it’s dangerous until we fully understand the details.」

Lisha continued talking with a serious tone.

「I tried it with <Tiamat> around a year ago, but when I released around half of the limiter, I almost died. That’s why until now the use of it is sealed but──」

「Are you, planning to use it from now on?」

「I’m thinking of searching for a good way to release the limiter, so that it can be used somehow. It will be best if we never have to use it but, nothing will be gained if we are scared to take a step forward.」

「…………」

The code to surpass the limits of a Drag-Ride and evolve it into the awakened state.

Lux was puzzled.

Even though this should be the first time he heard about it, he felt nostalgic somewhere inside himself.

「By any chance, is the selfishness that Lisha-sama mentioned before, is it about this?」

Lux recalled what she said to him the day before yesterday and when he asked her,

「N, no, that’s about another matter. It’s something more personal for me should I say……」

Lisha entangled her fingers with each other while fidgeting. She looked hesitant.

After she was acting like that for a while, she opened her mouth with resolve.

「Tha, that──wo, won’t you become my knight!?」

「Knight──?」

「A, actually…… mother had been saying it to me since long ago. When I graduate from the academy I’ll have to do a lot of public business, so I should have an exclusive attendant as my guard. Until now, I was opposed to having a male knight assigned to me, so I’ve been turning it down all this time, but──」

「Could it be Lisha-sama means me?」

「I, if it’s you, you’re strong, you know about my secret, and most of all, if you will stay by my side──」

Lisha was about to say something, but then her face reddened and she shut her mouth.

Becoming the knight of Lisha who was the princess of the New Kingdom.

That invitation that he had never even anticipated caused Lux’s mind to become blank for a moment.

「By any chance, do you, hate it?」

「Tha, that’s not true! It’s an honor, but──」

He was an imperial family member of the Old Empire.

A criminal that was the last surviving member.

Wouldn’t it be a problem if someone like him was given the position as the knight of the princess?

Besides, the queen, the feudal lords under her command, and many of the people might refuse to acknowledge it.

「I know what you want to say. I also know how difficult it will be to make it a reality……. However, I want you to think about it. It’s fine, if you just think about it……」

Lisha finished talking with a tone that vaguely sounded vexed and she averted her face away.

「Yo, you understand now!? You can give me your answer after we return to the academy so, bye!」

Telling him that, Lisha went out of the atelier.

Lux was watching the girl vanish behind the door, and then he stayed unmoving for a while in that place.

「A knight of the New Kingdom, of Lisha-sama, is it……」

He didn’t feel bad towards her proposal.

Rather, he felt happy towards the trust and special feelings she directed towards him. But──

「Do I, have any……qualifications for that?」

Lux whispered to himself and looked up to the sooty ceiling.

Before long he noticed that he wouldn’t find the answer quickly. He locked the atelier’s door and he exited the room too.