Editing Saijaku Muhai no Bahamut:Volume 10 Episode 1 (section)

===Part 4===
「Fuu……. We managed it somehow for the time being, I think?」

At their return home from the western-style mansion that was the banquet venue.

Lux and Philuffy were slowly walking through the town.

Although it wasn’t snowing, because it was early winter the night felt cold to the skin, and the wind was penetrating into the body even through the coat.

They didn’t go straight back to the inn with the coach in order to learn Heiburg’s geography.

And Lux and Philuffy had another reason to do this, a hidden objective.

Even so──it was strange.

Even though this should be the first time Lux and Philuffy visited Heiburg, for some reason a nostalgic air could be felt from the scenery.

He felt that him walking while holding hands with Philuffy also somehow played a part in that nostalgic feeling.

「Somehow, this feels nostalgic. Walking in town like this with Lu-chan.」

「……You’re, right. The last time was at Airi’s birthday I think.」

A memory was replayed at the back of Lux’s mind at the same time when he whispered that.

It was when he was a child, when he was playing with Philuffy at the imperial capital.

Normally they didn’t really go out to the city much, but sometimes they would go out behind their parents’ backs.

[[File:SaijakuBahamut v10 01.png|thumb|right]]

When they went to buy a stuffed toy for Airi’s present, Lux wore a hat low over his eyes so he wouldn’t get found out as a prince. They went around to shops together then.

Thinking back now, it was one of his few happy childhood memories.

「Come to think of it, I still haven’t thanked you right?」

「……?」

Lux suddenly remembered and asked. Philuffy tilted her head wordlessly.

「Remember, you helped me chose a present for Airi’s birthday. At that time I said that next time I’ll also buy a present for Phi-chan.」

「Right, perhaps.」

But, in the end his childhood promise couldn’t be accomplished.

Before Philuffy’s birthday that year could come, the environment around Lux changed drastically.

He lost his mother in an accident. He was separated from Philuffy because of her family’s circumstances, and that was that.

And then since they were reunited in the Academy until now, various things happened.

He recalled that Philuffy’s birthday wasn’t far away.

In only ten more days, her birthday would come when this mission was over.

「Say, Phi-chan, is there anything you want?」

Those words suddenly spilled out from Lux’s mouth

「…………」

Philuffy’s eyes turned round for a moment, then her expression returned to her usual absentminded look and she fell silent.

When Lux peered into her face thinking if she hadn’t heard him, it seemed she was thinking. She gave him her answer.

「If it’s from Lu-chan, then anything is fine.」

「……I see. Right, got it.」

Lux thought that her answer was really like Philuffy.

She basically loved food like sweets and the like, but it was hard to understand what she wanted other than that.

This girl didn’t wish for much and always stayed by his side.

Exactly because it was right now where the world might end in half a year more, he wanted to properly convey his feelings to her through giving her a present.

His feeling of gratitude for giving him the impetus to getting back on his feet──

While he was walking with such thought in mind, Philuffy suddenly closed her distance with him quietly.

「Wai-!? What’s the matter Phi-chan!?」

She clung on him closely from the side. Her soft sensation and body warmth were transmitted across the smooth fabric of her dress.

「Because Lu-chan, you look freezing.」

「N, no. I’m fine, it’s just this much! Mo, more importantly I’m wearing a coat.」

「Lu-chan, you’re cold. Even though, I’m your wife right now.」

「……-!?」

Philuffy pouted a bit at Lux’s bashfulness.

In the end this honeymoon should be nothing more than a camouflage, but when Philuffy mentioned being a 『wife』 once more, his heart skipped a beat whether he wished it or not.

He wondered if he was actually wedded with Philuffy for real, would it be something like this.

At that time when Lux’s heart was pounding hard, a presence suddenly appeared behind.

「Oops, the two going lovey dovey over there. It’s not safe to stay this late at night you know?」

「Ri-ght ri-ght. Just because you two are on a honeymoon, aren’t you two being a bit too carried away? If you two don’t be careful on the streets at night──wait, ouch ouch ouch-! Give up, give up-! Heeellllpp-!」

Three people called out from behind.

When one of them tried to grab Lux’s shoulder, Philuffy instantly took that hand and twisted it.

「Yes. That was why I said to stop with the joke. Really, what a troubling person.」

「Ahaha……it’s been a while, everyone.」

Lux let his guard down hearing the girls’ familiar voice and smiled wryly.

The Triads who he knew well from the New Kingdom’s Academy were lined up in front of him.

Sharis, Tillfur, Noct, the three of them were arranged to contact Lux at this mission periodically to transfer information to the New Kingdom.

「It’s great that you seem to be in a good health, Lux-kun. You still haven’t crossed the line with missy Philuffy right?」

「Just what are you worrying about so suddenly!?」

Lux was immediately flustered by what the leader Sharis pointed out.

「Yes. It looks like I will be able to bring a good report for Airi too. Although Lux-san is really unreliable in woman relationship, so I believe in you.」

「Make it clear whether you are praising or speaking ill of me-!?」

Lux yelled even more after receiving Noct’s calm verbal abuse.

「Fuuu……. Because it’s kinda unacceptable. Even though the atmosphere in the New Kingdom is tense, and yet it’s only Lux-chi who is going to have a fun honeymoon. Isn’t there any role that I also can do? Like pretending to be a mistress or something?」

「Look here……. We are pretty much coming here for an extremely secret mission though.」

Lux retorted with a wry smile at the grumbling of Tillfur who was freed from Philuffy’s arm lock.

These three were like always, but thanks to them he also felt like his tension was loosened.

「Now then, we shouldn’t talk while standing like this, let’s go back to the inn and talk. After all our position today isn’t as students. I’ve picked up some alcohol and snacks too.」

「Err, you are absolutely having fun aren’t you?」

Lux muttered with a really complicated expression. Sharis showed a cheerful smile.

After that, they returned to the inn with everyone and had a light break while exchanging information with each other.

「Then──how is it going in the New Kingdom?」

Sharis straightened her back in response to the question that Lux asked with a low voice.

The flippant atmosphere until just now vanished and she showed a quiet expression.

「We are forced into considerable hardships there. Military forces from the Heiburg Republic are already occupying the west territory of the New Kingdom──the port city Triport near Babel. It seems their supply train was already arranged, and they began entering Babel from the other day.」

In the middle of the campus festival──because of the skill exhibition battle that was held under the presence of the Lords, the Heiburg Republic was granted with the rights to conquer Babel inside the New Kingdom’s territory for a month.

The port city Triport, where their troops that were formed mainly around Drag-Knights were massing, was enveloped in a grave atmosphere as though the city was suppressed and turned into a garrison.

One of the Four Great Nobles who was entrusted with the western territory, Dist Ralgris was also focusing on security with all his might, but it appeared that the citizens of Triport were spending days without sleep due to the threat of the Abyss that might arrive at any time.

「What about Lisha-sama and everyone else?」

Lux asked while eating a sandwich with cheese and meat in between.

Philuffy was also silently snacking on a deep-fried bread despite the amount that she had eaten in the party before this.

「The princess and the others are an essential battle force there. She is taking turns with Celis in the port city to take command of the New Kingdom’s military there. Though truthfully we also wanted missy Krulcifer and missy Yoruka to all be present there.」

「Weell, if those four are all present at the same time, as expected the other side will be on guard.」

「Yes. Our infiltration here is also being suspected.」

Tillfur and Noct added to Sharis’s answer.

If all the users of the Divine Drag-Rides were mostly going out, as expected the other side would be on guard wondering what the two who weren’t there were doing.

The new kingdom was receiving backup from the Vanheim Principality and the Ymir Theocracy sometimes, but as expected it seemed guarding Triport was an exhausting task.

After all, they didn’t know when the Abyss inside Babel that Heiburg’s military failed to defeat would escape and went to the nearby Triport.

It seemed that Celis’s sense of responsibility and Lisha’s show of courage didn’t let them complain, but the chances were that they wouldn’t be able to hold out if this situation continued for a month.

It seemed they had Krulcifer and Yoruka to harden the defenses of the Academy.

It was planned for them to alternate with Lisha and Celis in guarding Triport every few days.

Regarding that, there shouldn’t be any problem right now but,

「And, what about her?」

Lux nervously touched the topic about the information that he wanted to know the most.

The Seven Dragon Paladin of the Heiburg Republic, Rosa Granhide.

She was a Drag-Knight that possessed the alias of The Steel Witch, and gave an impression like an unsheathed sharp blade.

She had a severe personality with bared hostility, and it was rumored that she murdered five military cadets in mock battles in Heiburg.

Even though she possessed overwhelming strength as a Drag-Knight, because of her severe disposition, she had a shady history where her existence itself was hidden from other countries.

Lux had no time to investigate in detail about her, so he told Airi and the Triad before he left the country that he wanted them to gather information but──

「About that, we didn’t find anything even when we investigated her. In the first place we had conflict with Heiburg since the era of the Old Empire and they broke off relations with us, obtaining information about their Drag-Knight is especially hard.」

「Yes. Airi also seemed to be frustrated.」

The result was contrary to his expectations, but it couldn’t be helped.

Lux thought that and sighed, but then Sharis proudly puffed up her chest.

「──That was what we were going to say, but we have prepared a souvenir for you at least. Currently, there is no sign that Lady Rosa is going to move away from the New Kingdom. Regarding the soldiers’ commanding, it seems that it’s being done by a female general who is her aide.」

「I see.」

Even if someone flew using a Drag-Ride at full speed, it would take about a day and a half from Triport to this Hidehelm.

If he knew that Rosa wasn’t here, it would be somewhat easier to investigate.

Although the possibility was high that she was connected with this backroom deal, so he couldn’t feel completely relieved.

「Like that we finished with the report, should we stay here tonight too? Lux-chi too, you are uneasy staying with just the two of you here right?」

「No. I judge that we should go back immediately. There is no time for playing.」

「It’s unfortunate but it can’t be helped. It looks like you have found out about the date of the Underground Market, so we will show up again around that day.」

Noct rejected Tillfur’s joke while Sharis concluded the talk.

This time the role of the Triad was as a pipeline to convey information from the New Kingdom to Lux.

In case Heiburg’s military conquered Babel and reached until the floor where the Ragnarok existed, Lord Dist said that Lux’s cooperation for the defense there would be indispensable.

The Triad were cracking jokes, but they must be quite nervous too.

「Nn……. See you again, everyone.」

「Yeah, missy Philuffy too, just because this is a honeymoon don’t cut loose too much.」

The Triad left the inn with those teasing words as a parting gift.

「Fuu……」

When Lux sighed, he noticed that Philuffy beside him had vanished without him realizing it.

It seemed she was eating sweets without saying anything during the strategy meeting but──

「Lu-chan, you’re tired……. You have to, sleep soon.」

「Uwah!?」

Philuffy suddenly embraced him from behind with gentle strength.

The voluptuous body texture that he felt across her nightwear caused Lux’s head to boil up spontaneously .

「Wha-, what are you doing Phi-chan? Wait, are you drunk!?」

He wondered if she drank the alcohol that Sharis and co. brought, but it seemed she was simply sleepy.

She was hugging Lux firmly with drowsy eyes.

The faint scent of perfume that was mixed with the wafting sweet smell of a girl was making Lux’s emotions to seethe.

「I, I’m all right! Phi-chan, you go sleep first──」

He somehow refused her invitation and tried to escape but,

「……I’m Lu-chan’s wife, so I have to take care of you, that was what Onee-chan said.」

「No this is just acting I told you!? It’s fine to not go this far when there is no one around!」

The moment Lux reflexively yelled, he was pushed down onto the bed.

「-……!?」

The texture of Philuffy’s flushed body.

Lux almost raised his voice reflexively, it was then──

「Zzz……」

Philuffy’s eyes closed completely and a quiet sleeper’s breathing slipped out from her mouth.

「……Haa」

Lux patted down his chest in relieve while pulling off Philuffy’s body from him.

It wasn’t like he didn’t feel slightly reluctant to part from her, but he decided that it was just his imagination.

Before they went to the social meeting place, they had lightly wiped their bodies, so he guessed that it would be fine not to wake her up tonight.

「Even so, as expected we cannot sleep together……」

The bed was double-sized, but it was troubling that there was only one.

Rather than a matter of space, it was Lux who had no confidence that he would be able to maintain his reasoning.

「Really, just what is Relie-san thinking……」

He also felt that she wasn’t thinking anything.

No, in a sense her aim was terribly easy to understand.

After all, Relie’s wish was for Lux to be wedded with Philuffy.

「But, the me right now, has no leeway to think about such thing──」

It was a bit cold because it was early winter, but he had no choice than to sleep on the sofa.

Lux took a piece of blanket and smiled at Philuffy’s sleeping face.

「Rest well, Phi-chan.」

He turned off the lamp’s light and closed his eyes inside the darkness.

He felt an intense uneasy feeling in this situation where he was infiltrating enemy territory and regarding the dispute around the first Ruin Babel.

He was a bit anxious whether he could fall asleep, but Lux’s consciousness was sinking naturally perhaps because of the cold.