Editing Saijaku Muhai no Bahamut:Volume 11 Episode 3 (section)

===Part 3===
While heading towards the headmaster’s office, there were already a lot of guards in front of the room.

It seemed that Relie temporarily excused herself, and inside there were only the Queen and her assistant.

When they entered after receiving permission, the nostalgic face of the Queen was there along with her aide, the prime minister Nulph.

「Looks like you are in good health, Lisha. I have heard about your efforts even at the royal capital.」

Perhaps because this time she came here with the pretext of inspecting the Academy, Queen Raffi was wearing a dress that wasn’t too showy. She first faced Lisha and smiled at her.

As always, she was a woman with manner that wasn’t typical of a queen in a good meaning.

She didn’t have the dominating aura that overwhelmed other people, but she possessed gentleness and intellectual grace.

In response, Lux and Lisha first kneeled towards her, then Lisha gave her greetings formally.

「It’s my delight to hear that your majesty. To be able to bask in the glory of your royal visit at this chance──」

「There is no need for the stiff greeting. This place is not the audience hall after all.」

「Then, long time no see, Haha-ue.」

After Lisha spoke really tensely, Lux also lifted up his face next.

「It has been a long time your majesty. It’s great that you are in good health.」

「Yes, you too have a very good look now on your face. Compared to five years ago when we first parted, now you look far more lively.」

Hearing those words, Lux slightly recalled five years ago.

Lux who was captured as a survivor of the imperial family was given amnesty and released. He was given permission to travel around the New Kingdom as the Chore Prince while chasing after Fugil with the status of a criminal just as Lux wished.

It was the arrangement of Raffi who was the wife of Count Atismata, because she knew the circumstances.

Lux could spend his time in peace and tranquility like now was also because of the existence of Raffi who took over the country as queen.

While recalling such thing, Raffi started to talk about the present situation.

First was about the conspicuous service of Lux and Lisha that had saved the New Kingdom several times.

The state of affairs of the New Kingdom including the Ruins. The situation regarding the Lords including other countries. The tentative settlement regarding the case of Heiburg.

All those situations were working out somehow right now, and in the present when the Ruins investigation was halted, there was no big problem occurring.

「This too is all thanks to you, Lux. I’m really grateful that you are giving your all for the sake of the New Kingdom.」

After she concisely finished that talk, Raffi said her thanks once more.

「I’m honored, your majesty.」

In response, Lux also answered respectfully. For some reason Lisha beside him also puffed up her chest proudly as though it was her who was thanked.

──But here, words that could be said as predictable in a sense came to him.

「Incidentally Lux, I wish to ask you one thing, how much do you know about the secret of the Old Empire?」

She was asking that with a relaxed attitude without any particular change in her manner.

That more than anything was what caused Lux and Lisha to harbor nervousness.

「……I had told all the facts that I knew that day when the revolution ended. Until now I had also reported the information related to the Old Empire that I obtained after that without omitting anything.」

Not just the matter about Hayes, even the matter of the Lords when they appeared led by Fugil, Lux reported all important information related to the Old Empire without hiding anything.

It was only the information about the name of the Holy Arcadia Empire that came out from the ancient document of the Ruins that Airi deciphered that wasn’t reported right away, but then it became a common knowledge among the leaders of each country and the senior statesmen of the New Kingdom after the world summit.

While Lux was waiting for a reply timidly, Raffi smiled wryly and loosened her expression.

「Please don’t worry. I am not doubting you at all. It’s just, there is one thing from the past that is a puzzle no matter what.」

「That is──」

When Lux asked that question, prime minister Nulph who was waiting opened the lock of the jewel box he was holding.

Inside the box that was securely safeguarded, a transparent crystal about as big as a human’s head, a Grand Force was placed.

「──!?」

「Her majesty wishes to ask once more, whether you know anything about this.」

Prime Minister Nulph asked with a tone that was rigid and tense, but calm to the end.

Seeing him along with Lisha turn stiff while holding their breaths, Queen Raffi continued the talk.

「A giant crystal was discovered in the treasure warehouse when the Old Empire was destroyed. At the time we didn’t know what this thing was, but there was only a note left behind that this is something important in regards to the Ruins.」

After that, thinking about the investigation of this crystal, it was decided for the Academy in Cross Field to manage it due to its close proximity to a Ruin and also because it had a combat force nearby.

──But, after that due to Saniya who was a spy of the illegal arms dealer Hayes investigating about it, the New Kingdom held suspicion about the crystal. Then along with the arrival of the Lords, the mystery of the crystal’s existence became clear.

It was a key to open the path towards that land where the legacy of the ancient era was sleeping──Avalon. An important item that was hidden within the body of one of the seven Ragnarok.

「According to my and Nulph’s thinking, we are guessing that perhaps this came from the sixth Ruin, Garden that is nearby this Cross Field.」

After taking into account the present situation, that was the only natural conclusion.

Seeing that it was sleeping inside the treasure warehouse of the Old Empire, nine out of ten, this Grand Force could be hypothesized to be something that came from within the New Kingdom’s territory.

And then, right now, after the Grand Forces of Babel and Ark had been recovered from each Ragnarok there and installed at those Ruins’ deepest part, by the process of elimination there was a high possibility that this was the Grand Force for the Garden.

「Honestly speaking, at that time we couldn’t even imagine that this crystal is a treasure that influences the fate of the world. Besides, thinking about the danger of a thief like Dragon Marauder aiming for it, I believe that the decision to not give this information even to other countries was not a mistake.」

Queen Raffi continued matter-of-factly looking vaguely at a loss.

Lux was also in agreement regarding that.

「But, the situation changed too drastically in these few months.」

Prime Minister Nulph added.

The descendant of the ancient people, the Lords declared that an act of betrayal like hiding information regarding the Ruins investigation would be crushed thoroughly. It had become a situation where they couldn’t tell at this late hour that they were in possession of something really important like a Grand Force from the very beginning.

「In other words, we already cannot just reveal this honestly──」

Nulph nodded to Lisha’s straightforward question.

「The traitor that the Lords mentioned also hasn’t been discovered, and Dragon Marauder is also going strong. In this situation where every country is maintaining the equilibrium, if we show that kind of opening, we might be accused of betrayal. After all every country has already invested a lot of funds and soldiers for conquering the Ruins.」

The liberation of Avalon was nearing──if the ancient technology and treasure were made clear, the possibility that another country would take advantage of this flaw of the New Kingdom couldn’t be denied.

「Then, what should we……」

When Lisha was about to say that, Queen Raffi silently turned her gaze towards the window that took a whole side of the wall.

「We thought of a countermeasure. We will talk about this from now. Can I rely on you two for this?」

Like that Queen Raffi presented a top secret mission to escape from this responsibility and made it acceptable for the New Kingdom to possess the Grand Force.

Naturally Lux and Lisha couldn’t refuse. The plan would be carried out under their leadership in ten more days.