Editing Saijaku Muhai no Bahamut:Volume 8 Episode 2 (section)

===Part 2===

「This is strange. Something is odd. Even though I thought that I was finally able to do what I ought to do just now, why──」

Inside the Academy’s ground that was dyed red by the setting sun.

Perhaps because it was the day before the campus festival, there were a lot of students putting their preparation in order steadily──or rather, they were spending all their time and energy to prepare each of their stall or event until the very last minute.

Even among them, Celis was staring at that sight from afar by herself.

『──lacking in focus.』

The words of her father Dist were still echoing inside her ears.

Trusting Lux and merely leaving everything to a boy who was her junior were two completely different things.

Even though she was taking the position of an aide of Seven Dragon Paladins in order to protect him, but she was really lacking in focus.

That was why she accepted the provocation of Rosa Granhide in the summit just now.

The battle would be carried out at the end of the campus festival that would be held for a period of two days──in the practice ground.

But──, there would be no spectator watching the fight from among the students as well as guest from outside.

Because there would also be the management of the campus festival, and in the unlikely chance that Dragon Marauder attacked, having spectators would only invite further chaos.

That matter itself wasn’t a problem.

In order to save the new kingdom, this method was inevitable, and she thought that she couldn’t allow this to also become a burden for Lisha and Lux.

「And yet──Lux is trying to help me again. Even though I thought that it will be fine if I can fight alone just for this time.」

But, even so she felt happy for his consideration.

And then, the moment the summit was over, her face suddenly became completely heated.

「Perhaps, it’s better if I distant myself a bit from Lux. If not, it feels I will depend on his good will again.」

Celis muttered that to herself in a place where there was no one.

But, at that timing, suddenly there was a sound coming from a cover. Celis reflexively turned around.

「You are──?」

「My? You are sharp as usual. It’s different from what I heard.」

The one who said that while appearing from hiding was Kirihime Yoruka.

She wasn’t wearing that black foreign outfit with high exposure rate, but the uniform of the Academy.

She was staring at Celis with a bewitching smile that looked beautiful but would make anyone who saw it to feel vaguely uneasy.

「How unusual. For you to appear personally in front of me like this.」

Yoruka was a girl with incomprehensible way of thinking even from Celis’s point of view, but only her loyalty toward Lux that was certain.

「Yes. It’s a matter that Aruji-sama asked of me. It seems that you are acting somewhat odd, so he asked me to check up on you while I’m in the middle of patrolling.」

「──Eh?」

Lux was concerned about her.

Just from hearing that name briefly, a disturbance ran through her once more.

But, this time she was able to suppress the throbbing of her heart somehow after taking a deep breath.

「I’m thankful for Lux’s consideration. But, as you can see I’m all right, so can I ask you to tell him that there is no need for worry?」

「Is it──really true?」

「What, do you mean by that?」

Celis threw a genuine question to Yoruka.

「Even though I look like this, I am sensitive to people’s emotion. This violet eye──the sense that was strengthened by Baptism can accurately read the wavelength of consciousness from the other party’s expression and gesture.」

Yoruka’s lips lightly relaxed and she pointed at her own left eye.

Purple iris shining mysteriously could be seen there.

「Are you intending to say that I am lying?」

「No. It’s not like I can read your heart after all.」

Yoruka replied immediately with an artificial pleasant smile that looked bright.

「…………」

Celis thought that this girl was tough to face as usual.

It wasn’t that she hated her, but she didn’t understand how she should talk with her.

「By the way Celis-san, most recently it seemed that Krulcifer-san tried to propose Aruji-sama to go out with her──do you know about that?」

「Wha-……!? Wha, what are you saying so suddenly!? You are──」

「Well, I only happened to overhear of it just now, so please don’t pay it any mind. And then how about Celis-san?」

「Wh, why are you asking me that!? Regarding the matter of love, i, it’s something that is still unrelated with me.」

「That is unfortunate to hear. I hoped that you too would bear Aruji-sama’s child as one of his concubines by all means but──. More importantly, you will fight against one of the Seven Dragon Paladins correct? Let’s see, if my memory serves me right, it seems the opponent is called the Witch of Steel or something like that.」

「Is she a formidable enemy even from the view point of a Drag-Knight of your level?」

When she lightly opened hostilities with Rosa at the front gate of the Academy, she managed to estimate her ability in general.

Certainly she was an uncommonly strong person, but Celis thought if it was her current self she would be able to fight her more than equally but──.

But, Yoruka didn’t answer that question and only returned a smile filled with deep implication.

「Let’s see. How should I explain it? In case I and you──try to kill each other in downtown, which one of us do you believe will win?」

「That’s──」

It was only her guess, but it felt like the winner would be Yoruka.

Celis herself didn’t want to admit so easily that she was inferior against a first year girl, but in the sense of personal combat skill, this girl called Yoruka possessed ability at the same level with Lux.

「By the way, the capability between me and you is about equal──that’s what I’m thinking. Regardless of that, in a real battle I will be the winner. In other words, that’s how it is.」

「…………」

Their strength was about equal, but in real battle Yoruka would be in advantage.

Celis pondered the meaning of that and she immediately drew out the answer.

「I see. You mean that I am weak against ambush or surprise attack, or perhaps against foul play, is that it? If that’s the case──」

「Completely wrong. What are you saying?」

Yoruka once more replied immediately with a smile that contained no ill will, interrupting Celis.

「…………」

Yoruka faced Celis who was making a conflicted face and calmly began to resume their talk.

「Things like ambush, surprise attack, or foul play won’t work against you. It’s something more fundamental than such things. For example you, whether it’s against ally or enemy, you will fight in the way to not kill human as much as possible.」

「────」

Celis was taken by surprise at what Yoruka pointed out so casually.

「You don’t have the resolve to bring death to the enemy when the time come──is not what I mean. However even after omitting that, you possess the minimum consideration for other. You are tied by moral.」

「But, that’s──」

「Yes, it’s something that is par for the course. Rather, it’s me who is broken. I who don’t have a human heart won’t hesitate in such thing. However in real battle, that slight difference in mentality will become a gap. Such thing can also be said to that Witch of Steel.」

「She──a member of Seven Dragon Paladins, Rosa Granhide won’t balk to involve the surrounding people, and bring death to enemy or ally. Is that what you are saying?」

Celis finally understood the reason of Yoruka’s warning.

Most likely it would be difficult for her to win if she didn’t resolve herself once more.

「Perhaps in a sense she might be nastier than me. After all before talking about not balking, no, in the first place, that figure of hers could it be──let’s stop. From here it will become only my individual conjecture after all.」

Unusually Yoruka herself was talking ambiguously.

Celis put her feeling in order once more and said her thanks to Yoruka.

「My thanks for your consideration. I will come into the skill demonstration battle against her with meticulous vigilance.」

「I hope so. It’s forbidden in the rule, but if there is danger to Aruji-sama’s safety then I intend to barge in, so please fight bravely with that in mind. Well then──」

Was she coming here to expressly give advice so that Celis wouldn’t be defeated?

That motive which was just like Yoruka relieved Celis instead.

After saying only that, Yoruka left like a smoke.

Celis took a deep breath beside the trees behind the school where there wasn’t anyone and lifted her face.

「I won’t allow Lux to be burdened. This time I will win with my own strength without relying on him.」

That was exactly the mission that should be accomplished by her who was the daughter of one of the four great nobles.

Celis believed that this was the answer toward the reprimand『Lacking in focus──』  that her father Dist said to her.

「If I can do that, surely──I will be able to fight together with Lux once more.」

Celis stared at the setting sun and made an oath.

After immersing herself in the air of the campus festival like that for a while, a voice came from afar.

「Ooooi Celis. Help us out over here! It feels like the festival tomorrow is going to be busy.」

The three members of Triad who were led by Sharis were calling at her while waving their hand.

Sharis’s hand was wrapped with bandage, but it didn’t look like she was particularly hindered by it.

A relieved smile emerged on Celis’s face as though the worrying she did by herself was just a lie.

(As I thought, the academy is a good thing……)

Celis was thinking that while walking slowly toward the girls.