Editing Saijaku Muhai no Bahamut:Volume 13 Episode 4 (section)

===Part 2===
On the other hand, around that time── in the chapel inside the old castle.

The members of the Seven Dragon Paladins other than Lux who also got Wedges placed on their necks, the six of them were confined together there.

Thanks to Aeril’s management, their environment was improved somewhat, but it was still hard to say that the environment was really good.

Although they were all in one room, they were all fellow foreigners, so normally they weren’t really that involved with each other, but because they had too much free time, they amused themselves by chatting.

「But, the more I think about it, the more I don’t get it. Is there still any reason for them to keep us alive? Isn’t it better to kill us quickly without using us as hostages or whatever?」

「You are sharp as usual despite being only a little brat, yeah. But normally, would a prisoner talk about something like that, huh?」

Greifer spat out with exasperation in response to Mel who was murmuring calmly.

「Don’t treat me like a kid just because you are a bit older than me. I was formally appointed to the seat of Ymir Theocracy’s representative. You yourself, even though normally you always act slovenly without any motivation.」

「Quarreling isn’t good. The enemy will take advantage of it if we do something like that.」

「I don’t wanna hear that from you!」

「I don’t want to hear that from you-!」

Soffice spoke to the two of them with a blank face, but in response Greifer and Mel retorted simultaneously.

And then, further beside them, the red haired Rosa leaked out an exasperated sigh.

「So you guys felt composed enough to amuse yourself with nonsense talk noow? But certainly it’s strange isn’t iit. Even if we more or less have value as hostages, it’s too dangerous to leave us alive like this.」

Rosa muttered with a fearless gaze. In response Magialca who was sitting at the back of the room grinned widely.

「It can’t be helped. Perhaps I’ll teach you all as the captain.」

She stretched her small and lean body with a jerk, and then she performed light calisthenics with her arms and feet still shackled while speaking.

「The first reason is to use us as a trump card towards the remaining world alliance’s forces. The people taking command of the expeditionary force in the abandoned capital Guernica are most likely my aide Lolotte, and then Singlen’s aide Zweigbergk. Well, they aren’t that serious of a threat so the Lords doesn’t use us actively to threaten them, but when the critical moment comes, we can be used as hostages against those two. In that sense there is some value of letting us live.」

「That talk makes it sound like all of us here got no worth at all eh.」

「It’s a sad thing but, it’s exactly as you said.」

Greifer let out a voice that exchanged a joke, to which Magialca responded with a jest.

「Even though you all are Drag-Knights who are called as the trump cards of your respective country, as expected, they won’t exchange the head of their kings for you, correct?」

「What a harsh story of the world. Though I think it’s only natural.」

Mel let out a sigh of exasperation. Beside her, Rosa sent a glance at Magialca.

「And, what is the real truth theen? It will be easier if you just say it straight without prolonging it though?」

「You there, you are really impudent in that mode huh. Well, fine, it’s a simple story. Those guys are lacking combat force. If possible they want us to serve under them.」

「─────」

Everyone who heard Magialca’s words showed bewilderment.

「You mean they are trying to spend time persuading us? After destroying our country that is.」

「I cannot say that the possibility is zero. But, my prediction is different.」

Magialca bared an obscene grin as though she was scheming something bad and then she talked about it.

「This is only my speculation but, most likely in the deepest part of Avalon──if they reached until the central, won’t it even become possible to completely brainwash us?」

「……-!?」

Everyone once more held their breath and their complexion changed.

It was only Singlen who didn’t say even a single word and merely smiled.

「Wait a second! Brainwash you say, no way it can be that easily──」

「It won’t be that simple you say? Can we say that after our perception got completely changed by the ability of that second imperial princess called Aeril, when in the end we got tricked and imprisoned like this?」

「…………」

Magialca cut off Mel’s objection and spoke cynically.

Beside her Soffice nodded with brazenness.

「That possibility might be high. The Lords surely have no intention to trust us.」

「But, if that’s the case that means we also have an option don’t you think?」

Magialca added with a tone that was containing implication. Rosa tilted her head with a doubtful face hearing that.

「What do you meaan?」

「You want to say that it will be fine if we all suicide together right? This damn fiend.」

「──Wha-!?」

Singlen who was staying quiet until now suddenly spoke. The words that he spat out caused everyone other than Magialca to have a forbidding look.

「Is that really surprising? It’s the obvious thing. Even if we stay here, sooner or later we will be used or remade into a tool. Then severing our own lives and erasing our value as hostages is the logical judgment.」

The Wedge would discharge electricity if they tried to remove it, but if they did it by themselves three times, the power would be automatically increased until lethal level, so it would be easy to suicide.

「Hohou. Then you can do it first. Now do it! Show them the example as the vice captain!」

Magialca supported that suggestion with her all, but Singlen scoffed.

「Unfortunately, there is no way I will follow your wish. Either way if it becomes like that then it’s the same like getting murdered. If it will result in death either way, then it is human to bet in the possibility of hope, isn’t that right?」

「When it’s you who talks about hope, it sounds really fishy yeah……」

Greifer turned a fixed stare at Singlen’s calm proposition.

「In other words, it all depends on Onii-chan, doesn’t it? Whether we can break through this situation or not will be──」

Mel reached the answer after listening to that exchange.

In the end, they could only bet on Lux who was chosen by Aeril and who was the only one among them to obtain half a freedom.

Right now they could only sit quietly here believing in that.

「In the end there ain’t anyone who decided to suicide, huh.」

Greifer who saw everyone’s state muttered that with a wry smile.

In other words everyone here was hanging their hopes on Lux.

That he would overturn this situation and save the world as the central figure of the Seven Dragon Paladins.