Editing Masou Gakuen HxH:Volume 7 Chapter 1 (section)

===Part 2===

After that, Kizuna and Aine who finished their Climax Hybrid returned to the bridge and the briefing quickly started. Those present were Gravel, Aldea, and then the supervisor of each section of Izgard’s side and the likes of platoon leader, in total around twenty names. And then from Lemuria’s side were Reiri and Kei, Kizuna and Aine, and Gertrude. Also the leaders of the combat department and research department added with the main staff of Nayuta Lab, their side also had the total number of around twenty names, combined there were a total of around forty names gathered here.

{The loading of crew, material, and equipment from Ataraxia are mostly finished. It’s just, including the setting up, we need about four, five more hours to restore the function of Nayuta Lab to normal.}

Reiri stayed quiet and nodded to Kei’s report.

“We have decided to abandon Ataraxia. Fortunately due to the alliance with Izgard, we are permitted to embark on this Izgard army’s flagship. Therefore this time we will fight Vatlantis Empire as the crew of Izgard’s flagship.

Commotion and wave of agitation spread through the former staff of Ataraxia. One of the research department personal raised a hand.

“Is Ataraxia……no good anymore?”

Kei answered that question with a floating window.

{The main facilities are in a dead state. A lot of time and material will be needed to recover it as before. In our present situation we don’t have any way to perform that.}

“No way……”

They were abandoning Ataraxia that had been like their own home intimately until now. It was a decision that was accompanied with a great feeling of loss. It was like that even for the people in charge, so surely it was felt even more extremely by each student. Furthermore, they were now boarding the battleship of AU that was their enemy until now and had to fight as its crew. Even if they understood in in their mind, they couldn’t process that fact and feeling.

The atmosphere of the bridge was ruled by gloominess.

Inside such atmosphere, only Gravel had a smile on her lips and kept nodding many times.

“I see, Ataraxia……Ataraxia huh.”

“What’s the matter Gravel?”

Aldea tilted her head.

“Aah, that’s a good name. I’m pleased with it.”

Gravel faced Reiri and smiled.

“Let’s name this ship from now on as Ataraxia. You don’t mind right, Reiri?”

Even Reiri was shocked by this suggestion.

“That’s……we don’t mind but, is it fine? This is about the name of the flagship you know, to so easily……”

“It’s fine. This ship is newly built for me personally. It hasn’t been formally given a name yet. It was troubling that I couldn’t get a good idea for the name. This is a good timing.”

Reiri looked into Gravel’s eyes fixedly, before long a smile appeared on her lips.

“Got it. From now on this battleship is Ataraxia. Section leaders, get back and inform it to all members.”

“Roger!”

The members of the earth side replied with a bright voice.

Nothing changed about their real problem. But just with naming the ship Ataraxia, an affinity towards this ship was mysteriously gushing out. The sense of security of the personnel and students formerly from Ataraxia suddenly increased and their battle morale also went up.

Reiri was grateful inside her heart for Gravel’s tasteful discretion.

“That’s a good strategy meeting. Reiri, can I rely on you for the march?”

“What? You are the general right?”

“It’s strange saying this myself but, I’m the one with the highest combat strength in my army. Rather than sitting inside the bridge, it’s preferable to make use of myself more effectively as battle power by fighting on the front line. Besides, if we march into Zeltis, the enemy will be even more formidable than now. Especially the imperial guard that is a gathering of one man armies. That’s why I want to go out to the front line to fight without reserve.”

“That’s, perhaps that is so but……”

“Reiri, I can entrust being the commander if it’s you.”

Reiri smiled uncomfortably.

“Is that like the compensation for the naming of this ship?”

“Is such thing too expensive?”

Closing one of her eyes, Gravel smiled mischievously.

“……Got it. I’ll show you that I can answer your expectation.”

Reiri looked over the bridge with determination. The crew of the Izgard army also didn’t really show any dissatisfied face towards Reiri.

“Then we are starting the war council. Our objective is to repair the Genesis that is located at the palace of Zeltis. If this pillar breaks down, the Atlantis world will breakdown, and the aftermath of that will make our world……for the sake of avoiding confusion from now on we will call our world Lemuria, the possibility that damage will also reach our {{furigana|world|Lemuria}} is extremely high. In the worst case, it can be imagined that both worlds will breakdown together.”

The bridge became silent. Although the soldiers of Izgard felt that the frequent occurrence of the cataclysm wasn’t something normal, being clearly told that the breakdown of Genesis is connected to the breakdown of the world was shocking as expected.

On the other hand, looking from the standpoint of the Lemuria side, they didn’t even imagine that the danger in the other world that was like other people’s problem could be directly connected to the problem of their own world. That fact was even farther from mere shock. The staff of both countries were whispering to each other about that anxiety.

“Be quiet! All of you acting like that will only make the people under you feel anxious. Be brazen!”

Reiri’s yell recovered the silence in the bridge once more.

“First we will rush into the Entrance of London. When we get out of the Entrance, we will be right within a stone’s throw away of the imperial capital Zeltis already. Naturally, Vatlantis will surely deploy their defense line too. The problem is how much battle power is waiting for us……”

Aldea stared at the small window floating on her palm.

“The first until the fifth are assembling together as the subjugation army. Behind them even the first squad until the fourth squad of the imperial guard are also assembled there. And then the force going to campaign for Izgard is also returning back……so that means, just their battleships are nearly three hundred ships. Even just their magic weapons are around ten thousand.”

Kizuna asked Aldea with a wondering face.

“How can you know that?”

“I’ve told you before right? We came near Zeltis and left behind the relay device that monitored the enemy’s transmission. This information came from there.”

Reiri nodded to Aldea and moved the talk forward.

“Battle with the enemy cannot be avoided. However our objective is not the extermination of the enemy. It’s to breakthrough the enemy and reach the Genesis at the castle. Secure Professor Nayuta that is thought to be at the research lab adjacent to the pillar. After collecting information, we will carry out the repair of Genesis.”

――However, if they clashed with such large army, a lot of injured and deaths would come out.

Kizuna raised his hand, Reiri jerked her chin and urged him to speak.

“Nee-chan. If that’s the case, isn’t it fine if we just tell them that we have no intention to fight? We will make them understand that our objective is to make the two worlds survive. We can avoid pointless fighting like that.

“Hmm……I guess. Aine, can you call for a ceasefire as the emperor of Vatlantis?”

But, Aine shook her head sadly.

“There is Grace at Vatlantis right now. In the case I’m not there, Grace holds the right of governing. Besides, even if I said that kind of thing from the enemy camp, no one will believe me, surely everyone will doubt me……”

Reiri crossed her arms and pondered.

“Grace……Aine’s sister huh. And then the de facto emperor of Vatlantis, that’s the case right?”

Certainly, in this ten year absence of Aine, she was the existence that ruled as the emperor. On the other hand, Aine only just suddenly returned for a few months. If it was the problem of who could obtain trust, it was normal to imagine that Aine would be the one at a disadvantage. Besides, if she appealed this kind of thing from the side of Lemuria, perhaps she would be thought of as an imposter and she might be ignored right from the start. What Aine said was something they could understand.

“Besides, if Grace knew that I’m following Lemuria’s side, she will surely get into a frenzy. She is bound to be trying to exterminate us no matter how many sacrifices need to be paid in that case.”

Gravel raised her face from her pondering.

“Then that means, if Grace is the one who gave out the ceasefire command, accordingly the battle will be over, isn’t that right?”

“Yes……if that’s possible.”

Reiri made a complicated face and pondered.

“The way to negotiate with Grace……how we can move the event until we can have a discussion with each other huh.”

Before long several discussions started. They considered various ways but, there was no opinion that could become the clincher. Amidst the chaotic hustle and bustle, Aine stood stock still.

Aine suddenly lifted her face.

“I’m going to persuade Grace.”

That proposal instantly silenced the clatters of the discussion.

Reiri tilted her head while frowning.

“However Aine. If Grace knew that you are siding with us, won’t she get a fit of anger?”

“Yes……that’s why, I think it’s no good unless I go. If she only heard that I’m at Lemuria’s side, I think Grace will get frenzied. But, if I can properly convey why I am on the side of Lemuria……if I directly meet her and speak to her, I have the feeling that surely we can understand each other. Just like how I was……”

Aine’s eyes were directed to Kizuna. Receiving that gaze, Kizuna also nodded.

“That’s so huh……but, it’s going to be dangerous you know?”

“Saying it in reverse, a frenzied Grace won’t listen to the word of anybody else other than me. Besides, at the outskirts of Zeltis, there is a secret path known only to me towards the castle.”

“Eh?”

“It’s a path in the case that when danger befell the emperor, they can escape from the castle using the secret path. That entrance wasn’t told to anyone but me. That’s why……”

If she said that, then Kizuna could only agree.

“Got it……but, I’ll go too.”

However Aine rejected clearly.

“That’s no good. Grace is especially regarding Kizuna as enemy. It will just bring about the opposite effect if you go.”

“But, Aine!”

Certainly if Aine was the one speaking, even Grace might lend her ear. But, if she was under the impression that her big sister betrayed her, excessive tenderness switches to hundredfold hatred……it might come to that.

Reiri thought for a while before handing down her decision.

“We have no chance of victory if we clash with the number of enemy waiting for us right from the front. But, we have Zeros’s Code Breaker. First I want Aine to reduce the battle strength of the enemy as much as Aine’s Hybrid Count allowed. It’s a precious method that can disarm both sides without spilling out blood. There is the risk that it will shed light of Aine’s siding with us but, it’s unavoidable.”

“I understand.”

Aine answered strongly.

“However just in case. Don’t use up all your Hybrid Count, pay attention so that your Hybrid Count won’t get into the yellow zone of 25%. After decreasing the enemy’s force, we land on Zeltis. Infiltrate inside the castle using the secret path. Negotiate with Grace for a cease fire. And then――”

Reiri then looked at Kizuna, Gravel, and Aldea in turn.

“Kizuna, Gravel, and Aldea will be Aine’s guard. I want you three to send Aine whose Hybrid Count will be expended to reach Grace’s location safely.

“Roger.”

Different with Gravel who consented readily, Aldea looked away in dissatisfaction.

“It’s too plain isn’t it-? Even though we can finally have a rare death match with the imperial guard……”

“Don’t say that. The vital point of the operation this time is to realize a dialogue between Ainess and Grace. Besides, it’s unthinkable that they will just let us go quietly. This is going to be quite a difficult mission in its own way.”

Kizuna clenched his fist.

“Yeah. We will send Aine until her little sister’s place for sure with our hands.”

Reiri spoke as if to give a warning to Kizuna who was eager.

“But negotiating with Grace is Aine’s role. Absolutely don’t show your face in that place.”

“Excuse me― can I speak a little?”

Gertrude who was staying quiet until then listening to the talk raised her hand a little.

“Aah, sorry. Gertrude will protect Ataraxia. The number of enemy the Code Breaker can deal with is limited. While Aine is persuading Grace, we will have to fight the remaining enemy force from the front. We will especially rely on you for dealing with the magic armor.”

“No, I understand that but……this is not about that.”

Reiri made a dubious face.

“What?”

“There are our former coworkers in Vatlantis being idols or something perhaps because of some mistake, what are we going to do about that?”

“Aa―……”

All present had their words clogged in their throat with complicated expressions.

It was only about this that there was no one who understood what should be done about it. It also looked like they had completely integrated with the world of the other side, perhaps they had some kind of thinking doing something like that.

Aine too didn’t understand at all about the details of their idol debut, she was shocked when she knew about their being from the broadcast.

Kei typed her keyboard and listed the recent activity of Amaterasu and Masters that they understood from the information obtained by Izgard. Their schedule was splendidly packed full, furthermore they had crossed over the whole continent of Atlantis.

{Those girls are super busy from their popularity. They are bustling about at various scenes and it’s difficult to specify their current location. It’s effectively impossible to plan their rescue.}

Aine sighed deeply and spoke as if spitting out.

“There is no need to worry there. Because Amaterasu and also Masters are authentic super idols, I think they won’t be endangered. There is no doubt that they will be confined in a safe place importantly.”

“So there is no way to rescue them then……well, this is them we are talking about, so they might unexpectedly come back here with a face as if there was nothing that happened at all.”

Gertrude showed a little forced smile.

“So no more questions then. The detailed schedule of the operation will be issued from Kei to every leader later on. Each of you carry out the instructions without exception. That’s all!”

All present in the bridge replied in unison.

“Roger!”

Reiri faced all of them and yelled her heart.

“Listen well! This is the last decisive battle. No matter what it results in, the fate of both worlds will be decided with this battle. Even if you leave regret behind, there will be no chance to take it back! Use up all your strength! Don’t leave behind any lingering sentiment! We are literally shouldering the world. We are going!!”

All present raised their fists in response. The resounding war cry in the rebirth Ataraxia, whether they were Lemurian or Izgardian, it couldn’t be differentiated who was who, the voices became one wave and thundered.