Editing Saijaku Muhai no Bahamut:Volume 9 Episode 1 (section)

===Part 1===

「──Is everyone here? Does everyone have tea and snack at hands too? Have you all finished taking a bath and homework properly? ……Is that so. Then, let’s begin the tea party tonight.」

「Yes-!」

At night of a certain day.

In the dining hall of girl dormitory at Cross Field’s Academy.

Inside the place where several lamps are being faintly lit, small cheers are spreading when the girl who acted as the coordinator said that.

「…………」

The night tea party that is held once a month between students of the same year is a custom event where most of the students are participating.

Tonight it’s the first year students’ turn, it seems that this place is reserved for them.

It’s a tranquil time where sweet snacks and gentle night wind soothe the heart.

This meeting’s main objectives are for information exchange, relaxation from the daily Drag-Ride training, and most importantly──to deepen the friendship between fellow students.

In that space where the girls’ friendly conversation are fluttering around and the tea cups are making small sound, I, Airi Arcadia am reading book at the corner.

「What is Airi reading since some time ago there?」

A black haired girl who is addressing me from the side is my classmate, she is my friend, and also my roommate──Noct Leaflet.

She is also one of the Triad, a famous trio of the Academy.

「It’s a book that a biologist wrote. If I don’t also read anything other than Ruin’s ancient documents and academic book, my knowledge will be one-sided.」

I responded curtly with my eyes still fixed on the book.

Half of that reply is the truth, while the other half is a lie.

「Yes. I can understand that thinking itself, but aren’t you tired instead by reading such difficult book?」

Although Noct is blandly retorting like that, she is also staying at my side with her usual quiet bearing.

This girl who is from a family lineage of servant while also possessing noble status act modestly toward everyone. She is worrying about me moderately.

The existence of such friend is a meager salvation for the current me.

Honestly speaking──it’s because I’ve become poor with dealing with this time.

It’s weird to say this myself but, I am a sociable person in the Academy.

──No, to speak in a more accurate term, I was behaving myself as a sociable person.

I also wouldn’t do anything that doesn’t match the situation, like intentionally reading a difficult book alone in a tea party where everyone is gathering once a month.

That was until my Nii-san got admitted into this academy of noble girls that is.

「Hey hey, Airi-chan. Is your big brother all right? I heard that he defeated a strong Abyss that somehow appeared inside the Academy the other day though──」

「Nii-san is only lightly injured and tired. He is mostly completely recovered already.」

I respond to my classmate’s question with a calm smile.

The existence of human shaped Ragnarok, Sacred Eclipse and the incident of the other day aren’t informed to the majority of the students.

It seems that in order to avoid mayhem, the incident is blamed as the work of the Dragon Marauder’s attack and Abyss’s act.

「I see, I’m glaad……. Then, I wonder if I can ask him to accept a request from me this time?」

……Aa, here it come.

This is the reason why I stop acting sociable in the Academy.

I am a survivor of Old Empire Arcadia, an empire that imposed tyrannical rule and tendency of male chauvinism for a few hundred years in the past.

After the empire was destroyed by coup d’etat, myself was acquitted by the amnesty of her majesty the queen of the new kingdom even while I am given the status of criminal.

Because of that complicated circumstance, I was spending my days in the Academy without sparing any effort in acting social so I can be accepted by everyone, but──.

「Right right. I heard that the girl who requested Lux-senpai before this to coach her in piloting Drag-Ride passed her Class promotion exam──」

「Ee, I don’t wanna making that kind of request outside of the Academy’s practice class. It’s a rare chance, so I will want to make a request like shopping outside or something.」

(As I thought, it turn into this kind of topic in the end……)

I control myself so I don’t make a sigh while smiling awkwardly at the girls around me.

Since Nii-san came to the Academy, various incidents occurred in succession.

The admission into the Academy after the duel against Lisha-sama, the princess of the new kingdom.

The 『lover』 incident from the request that was made by Krulcifer-san, an overseas student from Ymir Theocracy.

The official acceptance to join Syvalles after Nii-san was recognized by Celis-senpai, a third year student, the strongest in the Academy, and someone from the four great nobles.

And then the accomplishments of saving the Academy from various threats during that time.

Even though Nii-san also has special circumstance that gotten him called as the chore prince in addition of his position as an imperial family of the old empire, the more time pass, the situation isn’t calming down, far from that Nii-san is instead becoming a person with endless problem in various senses.

And so, now that it has come to this, taking the stance of talking cheerfully by my own initiative or listening to the talk of the girls is the same as meaningless.

If I am thought to be participating in the conversation, oh dear, I will be rained down with concentrated fire of questions regarding Nii-san, like 「What is your big brother’s hobby?」 or 「What kind of girl is his type?」.

That’s why I’m pretending to be absorbed into reading a difficult book and suppress the damage to minimum.

(……Well, if I can accept reality, it’s comfortable in its own way though.)

Noct who is staying by my side is a silent person in the first place, so if I can be together with her, it won’t be standing out even if I stay quiet.

Like that, a bustling time is passing by along with the usual tea party.

Even so, when I heard Nii-san is getting lionized in this kind of event, my feeling will grow quite complicated.

It should be a good thing that Nii-san is recognized and depended on by everyone in the Academy.

And yet──why is it, this itchy feeling.

(It’s like Nii-san belongs to everyone──does it feel like that?)

I drop my gaze to the book’s page to suppress down such fretfulness.

The book’s content is the academic regarding living thing, their ecology, and their instinct.

A study is written that there are a lot of animal’s children with adorable appearance so that it’s easier to raise them and raise their survival rate.

And then, there is opinion that the working of an animal that is just born gets emotionally attached to their parent is also for such reason.

Because they are a living thing that is still weak and immature, they will instinctually fawn on other, depend on them, and get emotionally attached to them so that they will be protected.

–

「Say say──Airi-chan, do you have anyone?」

「……Yes?」

When the classmate in front of me suddenly asked me, I replied back with a stupid look.

「The theme of the talk just now seems to be 『story of first love』, Airi.」

Noct followed up from the side for me who got completely disconnected from the flow of the talk.

But, this is troubling.

「First love is it……. Eerr──unfortunately, right now I still have never experienced it.」

「Eeehh……」

The girls who have already told their story raised their voice in dissatisfaction hearing my answer.

「Geez, if you’re like that then isn’t it the same like Noct? Is there no one around you that you are curious about? Like──a person who is similar like Airi-chan’s big brother or something.」

「……-!?」

Suddenly my back stiffen with a twitch as though my nape just get caressed.

My face reflexively got heated up and I looked down slightly.

(……Wh, why am I making this kind of reaction?)

I glanced around, but it seems that everyone doesn’t notice my agitation, so I’m a bit relieved.

「Oi oi, don’t drag Airi-chan into forbidden love. And then, how is it? There should be one or two people you are curious──」

「The, there is none. That……I’m still busy with my study, and there is also my position to consider.」

I put up a mask of calm and somehow deny it one more time.

‘Tsk─’, I dodged the question of my dissatisfied classmates and escaped somehow.

「It can’t be helped. Then, we will have Airi-san to talk about something at the next tea party, the next person──」

(Fuu, ……I’m saved.)

I let out a relieved sigh that the danger has passed while leaning my ear to the talk of the next girl.

Her first love was the man who was her private tutor.

Different from her strict parents, that man was gentle to her and reliable, so it seemed she fell in love, but──.

「But, in the end it was just my misunderstanding. At the past I thought he was an amazing person who can do anything but……thinking carefully, I noticed that he was kind to me only because he was hired by my parents.」

「…………」

However, in the end it was a misunderstanding because the man was passionately instructing herself who was his young student. ──It seem the result was only that.

「That’s lonely. But, that kind of thing often happen isn’t it? That anyone will think like that to a person who have done them a favor.」

「Eee……? Drag-Ride instructor is also quite my type normally though. Remember, the one who sometimes came from the capital──」

「That instructor is three times older than you, you know……? He got beard, and he also has wife and children……」

Like that, the first love story develops into silly funny story.

Normally I will also smile and join the talk, but for some reason only for today I am chasing after the letters of the book with a serious face.

『Living thing that is still young will get attached with nearby living thing that is giving them protection. That is one kind of defensive instinct.』

The conclusion of the academic book that I’ve been reading since some time ago was printed like that.

「…………」

I close the book I was reading with a snap and slowly stand up from my seat.

Then beside me Noct tilted her head slightly and look at me.

「What’s the matter, Airi?」

「I recalled that I have a bit of business, so please excuse me early for today. Everyone, please enjoy yourself.」

I told them like that with a smile and leave the dining hall.

I am quickly walking through the corridor while being aware that I am making a glum face.

「Sheesh, just what’s with me.」

I cannot understand at all.

Not toward the story of the girls, but toward my own emotion that suddenly turned displeased.

What the girl before this was saying was an ordinary and trivial story.

My emotion is only getting the wrong idea, it’s a failure in my part.

Even though it would be fine if I just listened with a smile, for some reason I became unable to stay there very much, and like this I exited the dining hall.

「At this kind of time, there is nothing better than venting out the anger.」

It’s also annoying to just return to my room like this, so I go to the medical office to look at Nii-san’s face.

Nii-san who had just fought Sacred Eclipse the other day is staying there in order to rest peacefully.

「Nii-san──are you awake?」

*Knock knock*, I lightly knocked and asked.

「……Airi? Yes, I’m awake. Come in.」

I’m relieved that a calm voice replied back and opened the door.

The smell of medicine that is peculiar for the medical room and flower faintly tickle the nose.

「What’s the matter, visiting this late? Did something happen?」

Fortunately there is also no girl visiting, Nii-san is alone by himself.

「It’s nothing so please lie down.」

I mildly stopped Nii-san who is trying to lift up his body.

Seeing Nii-san asking about me considerately right after we met caused my pace to go completely out of order.

「……It’s nothing. I come to check whether Nii-san is acting reckless again or not. After all compared to Nii-san’s injury and exhaustion, most things doesn’t amount to much.」

「A, ahaha……」

After I let out an exasperated sigh, Nii-san who seems to remember something to feel guilty about from that smiled wryly.

「Naturally, even after Nii-san’s body is healed, you must not receive chore request for a while.」

「Eh……!? E, err, that──right.」

「Please say that while looking at my eyes. Have Nii-san accepted such request already? You have haven’t you?」

When I’m asking reproachfully, Nii-san make a flustered face while making excuse.

「No, that, it’s only a verbal promise……and my body is already fine.」

「Haa……」

Astonishing. It’s always like this.

Even though Nii-san went through difficult experience like every time, as expected Nii-san is strange somewhere.

「Surely Nii-san doesn’t think anything about it if it’s for the sake of someone else but, making promise without even thinking about your own body look even more irresponsible instead you know?」

「Uh……」

Nii-san stiffened still with an expression as though he is poked where it hurt.

A faint superiority complex tickles my heart pleasantly.

「Besides, was the one who made the request a girl first year who usually never really made request? Nii-san is really pampering to younger girl aren’t you? It’s filthy.」

「N, no, that’s because it was a really small request. Doing it for rehabilitation is──」

「What kind of request it is?」

I readily pressed the question to Nii-san who is lying down.

When I heard the detail, it seems that it’s a request for accompaniment when going shopping outside.

「For now, rejected. The time for the outing is also ambiguous, and depending on the weight of the baggage Nii-san will be made to carry, it can become a burden for your body that has only recovered, I will go apologize to that girl and ask her to withdraw the request.」

「No, I’m fine so──」

「Who was it that told me to not worry and yet still got close to death every time?」

When I make a sweet smile, Nii-san fall silent.

「Err, sorry Airi……. My bad but, if you can apologize for me to that girl──」

Nii-san tell me the detail of the of the girl who made the request.

「Yes, I’ll do that. ──With this, it’s my 107th win from 107 fight. I wonder, when will the day come where Nii-san defeats me?」

My chest feels refreshed.

(As I thought, my heart calm down when talking with Nii-san.)

I leave the medical room with a different smile from the one when I came.

While going back to the girl dormitory from the school building through a passage, it seem that the tea party is over right at that time. Girl students are flowing from the dining hall to the girl dormitory.

I find the girl who Nii-san promised to go shopping with and talk to her about the matter just now.

「And because of that, can you please wait a bit more about the request? If Nii-san’s condition turn better, I will come to inform you.」

「I understand. It’s unfortunate, but it can’t be helped. Airi-san too, you must be worried for you big brother──」

「Eh……?」

The girl smiled bitterly and gave up, but it feels like my chest got suddenly pierced. My face reflexively turned serious.

While the chatting girls were walking through the passage, I am standing still there in a daze.

「…………」

These girls don’t know in detail of the Sacred Eclipse matter.

They also don’t know how Nii-san got injured and exhausted for the sake of saving the Academy with Celis-senpai this time too.

The same with the matter of how until now Nii-san had also exposed himself to danger several times in the place that these girls didn’t know.

Those are matters that are included in the information that is prohibited to be revealed, so I cannot convey it to everyone.

That’s why, I also understand about their misunderstanding.

Perhaps they are thinking that I’m worried about Nii-san more than necessary and trying to monopolize him.

『but it can’t be helped. Airi-san too, you must be worried for you big brother──』

(……No, I’m over thinking it.)

It wasn’t like they were saying that to me sarcastically.

I’m trying to monopolize Nii-san for my own sake, what I’m doing shouldn’t mean like that.

「What’s the matter Airi? Has you finished the business you mentioned before this?」

Suddenly Noct who was walking toward me come to a stop and look at my face.

Somehow, I’m feeling excessively gloomy.

I become unable to act the role of noble lady in my image like usual.

Even myself don’t really understand what this itchy feeling is.

「Say──, I know this is unreasonable but I have a request, Noct.」

But, I’m talking driven by the strong impulse welling up inside me.

「Can you, teach me the way to use Drag-Ride?」

With such voice that is filled with just a little stubbornness and resolve.

–