Editing Masou Gakuen HxH:Volume 6 Prologue (section)

===Part 1===

After Aine took into her hand the proof of emperor that was a golden tiara, she put it on her head.

The girl who stared back at her from the mirror, had her body attired with outfit that was only allowed to the emperor.

Rather than calling it clothing, it was accessories. Accessories made from silver, gold, and jewelry were attached on her body in place of clothes, and she wore a thin transparent fabric like a robe. All the accessories were strictly measured for Aine’s personal use, created to tightly match her smooth curve line. That sense of unity was to the degree that could make one think that most of the accessories were body paint instead. And then, the thinly slender ornaments were very little in size, that even the parts which mustn’t be shown to other people couldn’t be hidden enough.

The excessively high exposure rate made Aine feel a strong shame, at the same time it emphasized Aine’s beauty so very much.

This outfit was really similar with the outfit worn by Aine’s little sister who acted as the agent of Vatlantis emperor while Aine was gone. If one had to say what was the difference, it was that Aine’s outfit was even more luxurious than Grace’s.  The outfit itself strongly emphasized that Aine was exactly the only absolute, that she was an existence which was even higher than Grace, that was how one who saw her would be made to think.

Aine sighed deeply.

At one of the corners of her room which could easily be more than a hundred tatami, Aine was just alone there, she was facing the mirror. The girl inside the mirror was in contrast with the luxurious and resplendent outfit she wore, her expression was darkly down.

‘――Is this, the true me?’

She asked herself inside her heart to make sure of it.

Vatlantis’s emperor, Ainess Synclavia.

There was no mistake that was who the person inside the mirror was. When her body moved, the emperor inside the mirror also made the same move. Correct, she was the emperor of Vatlantis. She was by no means Chidorigafuchi Aine of Amaterasu.

However, just what was this uncomfortableness holding still inside herself.

Her memory had returned, her lineage and past had become clear. There was no ground to feel doubt of the fact that she was in Atlantis. Despite so, her current self felt like a lie somewhere.

Aine took into her hand a newly presented golden necklace and wrapped it around her neck before fastening it behind her. Originally this was a work for her attendant, but she wanted to be alone a little and forced her attendant and guard to withdraw. It was likely that around this time they were waiting in an orderly line in front of the room.

Aine sighed one more time and lifted her heavy waist.

When she opened the door that was the size matching this room, she came out to a corridor with an even higher ceiling. The height was around two floors and its width was easily more than five meters, even a car could easily be driven through here. Just as she imagined, at that unduly wide corridor, the attendants and guard knights were lining up in a row. From the row of fifty people in total, there were several people a step in front of them, Zelsione, and then two of the Quartum, the long blue haired Lunora and the red haired Ramza.

And then in front of them was her lovable little sister, Grace waiting for her.

“Nee-sama, truly you look beautiful. This morning too, your beauty looks radiant.”

Grace lowered her head reverently, then other people also followed her action.

“Enough with the flattery already. And, stop that way of talking like you are a stranger.”

When she raised her head, Grace talked back with a serious face.

“Putting aside the time when it was the two of us alone, I cannot take that kind of attitude in front of everyone. Nee-sama too will soon ascend to the genuine public duty of the emperor, therefore this is all the more important. The difference between Nee-sama and me has to be displayed clearly.”

Aine thought that her little sister had really come far.

“And then Nee-sama, Kizuna’s subjugation party has been organized. Zel, has the preparation for the audience finished?”

Grace questioned Zelsione behind her without looking back.

“Yes. They are waiting for Ainess-sama’s arrival at the landing place outside the castle wall. Please look at it from the balcony.”

Aine began to walk the corridor that was adorned by silence, followed by Grace, Zelsione, and then Lunora and Ramza, continued by the party of the guards, they were forming a single neat line.

There was a stair when they turned on the corner. That was the stair that directly connected to the balcony exclusive for the emperor, that balcony could command the view of the battleship landing place adjacent to the royal palace. The landing place was extensive like an airfield, so it was obviously enough to gather the subjugation party there.

Aine was suddenly driven by an impulse of wishing to ignore that stair and passed it through. She clenched her fist tightly and descended the stair, getting down and stood on a wide balcony.

“This is……there is really so many gathered there……”

Aine’s words were caught in her throat looking at the force gathered there. Gigantic battleships and aircraft carriers were lined-up in tight rows, filling the landing place fully. What seemed to be the leaders of each unit, knights wearing magic armor were standing at the end of the ship that appeared to be the flagship with their swords raised.

And then behind them, was a force of magic armors that lined up neatly. There were several hundred in total, no perhaps it was in thousands. A number that even made her depressed to count was lining up. Aine wondered if the majority of Vatlantis’s combat strength might be invested into this. Aine even felt timid at the excessively large scale of the subjugation party.

“Even if you don’t make it so large like this, even though I alone will be enough for this……”

Zelsione shook her head as if to say ‘good grief’.

“Please don’t jest. There is no way we can let Ainess-sama go alone. In a certain meaning, this is one battle that is the most important against Lemuria. Defeat is not allowed, most of all we cannot allow any tarnish on Ainess-sama’s war record. Of course, this me and Lunora and Ramza will also accompany you.”

Aine talked in admonishment at Zelsione with her eyebrows knitted.

“No. If even you, Lunora, and Ramza are added to the subjugation party, Zeltis will become short of hand right? I want the three of you to protect this Zeltis and Grace.”

“Nee-sama doesn’t need to worry if it’s about me. Originally, I want to kill the demon king Kizuna with this hand myself. Of course it will be after granting him the greatest pain imaginable.”

“Grace……then, this is not like what I said just now but, please think of this as the command of the emperor. What will you do then if that’s what I want?”

Grace’s face instantly tightened.

“……Then it cannot be helped. As Nee-sama wills it.”

“I’m sorry Grace. Just like you are worrying about me, I too am worrying about you. I’m not saying this to be mean. I want you to understand that.”

“I understand. The affection of Nee-sama makes this Grace really too happy that it feels like I can ascend to heaven.”

Laughter came from Zelsione and the attendants.

Aine also smiled and stared outside once more.

The large army spreading fully in her sight.

Whether she wanted it or not, the inside of her heart became melancholic.

‘――Kizuna, what are you doing right now?’