Editing Saijaku Muhai no Bahamut:Volume 4 Episode 5 (section)

===Part 3===

Ten minutes later. Everyone split to search for Relie at the likely places like the boarding house, the practice ground, and other places.

But, there wasn’t any sign of her at all.

There was also the possibility that she was kidnapped by someone, but Lux had an idea to her whereabouts.

The Ruin.

In order to look for a way to erase the Ratatoskr of the Ragnarok taking hold of Philuffy, Relie planned to slip into the deepest level.

Therefore, Lux would slip into the Ruin alone in order to not involve the other students.

From here onward, there was the possibility that the students would get dragged into a serious crime.

If they weren’t careful, it wouldn’t end as only the problem of the New Kingdom. It might become a big international problem that could affect the international tournament that would start after this.

(But…… I cannot leave her alone like this.)

In the night duty room in the boardinghouse where Relie was.

There was a letter placed on the table there. It was only written with ‘Please take care of Philuffy’.

Lux who sensed an alarming atmosphere from the letter hurriedly moved to exit the boardinghouse, it was then──

「Lu-chan. Wait.」

「Philuffy……!?」

When he looked there, Philuffy was getting up with her face red and her body staggering.

「You must not! Right now, if you don’t sleep──」

There was no way he could talk about the Ragnarok, so Lux told her like that in panic.

However,

「I, already know.」

「Eh……?」

「That in my body, there is an Abyss.」

Philuffy said that with her usual absentminded tone and serious face.

The moment Lux heard that, the inside of his head became blank.

「Philuf, fy……」

A listless voice was squeezed out from Lux’s lungs.

「Sorry, for staying quiet.」

Philuffy calmly smiled while saying that.

「……I noticed it recently but, well, it doesn’t really matter.」

「Eeh!?」

Lux was taken by surprise from Philuffy’s words that were still at her own pace even now.

But,

「Yes. Because, it’s important that I live. Because, if I die, both Onee-chan and Lu-chan will surely be sad.」

Philuffy lightly put her hand on her chest and muttered.

「Onee-chan, after Okaa-san died from sickness, she looked like she was really lonely. That was why, I thought, I cannot die.」

Philuffy continued talking while smiling. Her tone was detached in nostalgia.

「Lu-chan is also someone who get lonely really easily, so I thought that it will be really painful for you, if I die.」

「────」

「That’s why──I’m glad, I’m alive until today.」

Lux’s chest tightened hearing that sentence that was like a surprise attack.

He wondered since when he misunderstood that Philuffy didn’t notice.

Normally Philuffy was silent and she wasn’t good in expressing her emotion, but with her sharp intuition, she understood about Lux and Relie more than anyone.

Of course that included how Lux and Relie were actually alive while carrying unbearable loneliness and wounds.

And also how if Philuffy, who was their support, died, both of them would lose sight of themselves.

Philuffy knew all about the change of her own body, she noticed it, but she still tried to live.

「But, it’s already okay.」

Saying that, Philuffy made a transient smile.

「Because, Lu-chan already made, a lot of important people. Because, you’ve become strong.」

She said that with a voice that sounded just a little lonely.

「That’s why surely, you’ll be fine.」

That voice that was trying to reassure him was the same like that time seven years ago.

However, it was different from that time.

 

「──You’re wrong-!」

 

Lux reflexively yelled, but he couldn’t speak further.

And then, he strongly embraced the body of Philuffy before him.

「Lu, chan?」

Warm body and the faint sweet fragrance.

Lux whispered while pushing down his emotion that usually made his heart pound hard at this kind of time.

「I’m, no good……. I haven’t changed at all since then……I’m still, weaker than anyone else!」

Faint surprise and perplexity could be felt from the girl inside his arms.

Even so, Lux didn’t let go of her.

「Don’t disappear……. The wound inside me still remained all this time since that day! It was because Philuffy saved me that day, because you stayed alive until today, that I could fight as the prince of the Arcadia Empire!」

A person who lost the important person that they ought to protect.

A person who cursed the whole world and turned it into an enemy, such person wouldn’t be able to change a country.

「That’s why, don’t go! Don’t disappear! I absolutely, this time for sure I absolutely will save you! That’s why──」

「I see.」

A gentle sensation of a hand caressed Lux’s front hair.

When he noticed, Philuffy was making a faint smile at him.

「Lu-chan, still hasn’t changed.」

「…………」

Philiffy caressed Lux’s cheek in nostalgia and muttered.

「Thank you. I’ll wait.」

It was only a brief sentence.

But it was the demonstration of will showed by the silent Philuffy using words.

Lux understood everything just from that.

「Please, take care of Onee-chan.」

「Yes.」

Lux nodded firmly and turned around.

And then, the moment he turned his back, Philuffy’s voice called out to him.

「Also, call me Phi-chan, okay?」

「Yes……sorry.」

Lux smiled wryly hearing Philuffy’s words that sounded a bit sullen.

「……Then, I’m going, Phi-chan.」

[[File:Saijaku 017.jpg|thumb|right]]

And then Lux exited the boardinghouse and started running.