Editing Saijaku Muhai no Bahamut:Volume 1 Episode 6 (section)

===Part 4===

After finishing his breakfast, Lux decided to begin today’s chores.

By the way, the written requests addressed to Lux, far from decreasing as the curiosity at first disappeared, increased in number as time passed, and he had already reached a physically impossible domain.
Therefore, Lux settled down in the way of whether to accept the tasks judging from the importance and the degree of relative priority.

“Well, I’m used to not having days off, so it’s fine anyway.”

Rustlingly looking through the bundle of requests dropped in, Lux sighed.

The jobs such as watering the flower bed, studying and helping with cleaning the dormitory were still better.

Baggage carrier for shopping, help changing clothes, massage, being a person to talk to during tea a party and the like exceeded the mixing up of public and private matters; it was very likely that they were mistaking Lux for a butler or something.

“…I mean, about half of them aren’t jobs that I, a man, should do!?”

He unintentionally retorted to the bundle of requests.

But, this was not a joke and since there seemed to be a lot of students who have written seriously, he had a headache.

Be that as it may, if there were jobs which should be given priority, he could use them as an excuse and turned down those requests, so for now he could relax.

The job which he had to do today was a request from the academy.

[Workplace] Royal Knight Academy Machine Dragon research and development site, Atelier

[Client] Machine Dragon Research and Development Chief

[Work contents] Machine Dragon Operation Test

The atelier was a large detached building located in a corner of the school premises.

He had several times helped with blacksmith work, but an atelier for Drag-Rides was a first for him.

He was slightly anxious about doing a job he was not familiar with, but he was also looking forward to it.

Originally, he intended to come to work as a mechanic apprentice of Machine Dragons, so it was welcoming.

“Excuse me. It’s Lux Acadia. I came for the commissioned work.”

He lightly knocked and greeted in a loud voice.

“…………”

However, the answer to Lux’s greeting which was slightly tinged with tension was only silence.

“Huh…?”

He once again checked by looking at his requests note and the academy’s big clock.

There was no error.

Both the place and time should be right––

As he tried to turn the doorknob, he found that it was not locked.

“That’s really careless…”

The existence and technology of Drag-Rides should be top secret in any country.

''Just because it’s within the school premises, I wonder if this is all right.''

While smiling wryly, Lux quietly stepped inside.

“Excuse me. Is there anyone––”

Lux unintentionally swallowed his voice which he was about to utter.

A large space in this brick building filled with the smell of oil and metals.

At the back where innumerable parts and tools were scattered about, there was a monster.

In the court of the imperial capital a long time ago.

Since he became the chore Prince, he had seen many Machine Dragons in the Machine Dragon hangar before holding a mock battle.

But––, this was totally different from them.

A strange Machine Dragon which fused halves of the bodies of a <Wyvern> and a <Wyrm> was over there.

“This is––?”

“Ngh… what the heck is it? So noisy––”

As Lux was looking at it in utter amazement, he suddenly heard a voice from the nearby sofa.

“Lisha-sama…?”

Sleeping there covered with a thin blanket was Lisha dressed in a white gown on her uniform.

Probably because she had stayed overnight, her whole body got slightly dirty and her hair was also slightly disheveled.

Incidentally, her uniform was also very messy and her blouse was turned inside out. Lux unintentionally averted his gaze.

“What are you doing in a place like this?”

“…Huh? Lux, why are you here––? …Ah, I see. Now I remembered, I had requested you. Fuhaa…”

While rubbing her sleepy eyes, Lisha said something which he did not really understand.

When Lux went out again and got tea in the dining room, Lisha who fixed her messed up clothes drank it in one gulp.

“Fufu. You’re quite thoughtful, eh, Lux. As expected of the man that I acknowledged!”

With a behavior unlike a Princess’, Lisha showed a happy smile.

She probably came for a visit of the atelier and ended up staying overnight.

“Good morning. By the way, where is the chief of the atelier?”

As Lux asked after calming down,

“Here, here, right before your eyes.”

Lisha pointed at her small face and said.

“Yes?”

“You still haven’t noticed? It looks like I need to somewhat correct my assessment regarding your insight! I’m saying that I’m the chief.”

“…Eh?”

''No, she’s certainly wearing a gown which seems to be for work, but…''

Honestly, it only looked like a child’s playing attire.

The hems were so long that they dragged on the floor.

“Whew. You’re very good at provocation. All right, I’ll ride on it.”

As Lisha proudly laughed, she drew out the two Sword Devices hanging on her waist at the same time.

“…!”
“––Come out. The Primordial Chaos Dragon that is the perforating wedge against Heaven and Earth. <Chimeric Wyvern>!”

At that moment, the strange Machine Dragon which could be seen at the back of the atelier turned into photons, and was transferred behind Lisha.

“This is––!?”

“A connection should not be necessary. All right, go back.”

Lisha simultaneously wielded her two Sword Devices and put them in the sheath.

Then, the Machine Dragon which was summoned once again changed into light particles, and went back to the depths of the warehouse.

“…What is it, that thing?”

Staring at it in wonder, Lux muttered.

“How’s that, were you surprised?”

Lisha, who was pleased with Lux’s reaction folded her arms and stuck out her chest with pride.

“<Chimeric Wyvern>. It’s the world’s first original Drag-Ride which I’ve developed.”

Lux doubted his ears.

“––!?”

Drag-Rides were ancient weapons excavated in ruins.

Since they had been discovered more than ten years ago, their concrete principle even now remained a mystery, and at best only adjustments of the degree of either installing the existing parts or replacing them could be performed.

A remodeling into a totally different Machine Dragon like this should exist nowhere in the world––

“If you can process the Mithril Dite and Force Core, there seems to be a lot of things which can be produced. Afterward, the performance and output of that body are quite impressive, but it’s a little neck that one has to use two Sword Devices for the activation.”

He had never heard about the fusion of two kinds of Machine Dragons and dual wielding Sword Devices.

If she had combined two original machines and even learned to operate two swords, then this girl concealed an unimaginable potential as an engineer.

“Um, who are you really, Lisha-sama?”

“Fufu. Did you get a better opinion of me?”

Smiling contentedly, Lisha sat on the chair before the work unit and looked up at Lux.

“Praise me more. You know, it isn’t because I have the position of the Princess of the New Kingdom that I’ve been allowed the foolishness of letting you admit into the academy. This is because I show ability and gave results enough to be entrusted a personal atelier at this age. How’s that, are you surprised?”

“By the way, at the back there, there is something which looks like a serious burn mark or rather traces of an explosion though…”

As Lux pointed at the room kept opened as the door was broken and asked,

“…Failure is the mother of success.”

Holding down her slight agitation, Lisha asserted.

Not inquiring any further, Lux asked.

“Perhaps is this research the reason why you always sleep during class?”

“That’s half correct. But, I do properly listen to lectures and I can’t really be half asleep during the practical training. Instructor Raigree is also totally merciless to me who is the Princess. If I skimp in the Machine Dragon’s training or don’t take it seriously, I’ll have a hard time. She really deserves respect.”

Lisha was not sarcastic; she really admired her.

“Then, what about the other half?”

“Take this, it’s your Sword Device.”

Not answering the question, Lisha took the Sword Device which was on the desk and handed it to Lux.

That which Lux received was undeniably the sword matching his <Wyvern>.

“If I’m not mistaken, I should have asked the mechanic for the repair of this––”

“Yes. I’ve fixed your Drag-Ride here”

As she smoothly said so as if it was a matter of course, Lux doubted his ears.

A Machine Dragon’s repair, maintenance and adjustment were so difficult that an expert other than the user was required.

Lux’s <Wyvern> was partially destroyed in the fight with the Abyss, so he thought it would take quite the time and money to repair it, but––

“Is it true!?”

[[File:SaijakuBahamut v1 171.jpg|thumb]]

“It’s the Machine Dragon of the hero who saved the school. You don’t really have to be surprised. But, I stayed up all night several days and finished it just this morning.”

“Thank you very much!”

Lux unintentionally bowed with a smile.

She was skilled to the extent of taking apart two Machine Dragons and building a new Machine Dragon.

For a naturally gifted engineer like Lisha, this much might be simple.

But, even Lux could easily imagine how hard it was for a small-sized girl alone to repair a Machine Dragon built of a large, heavy metal.

“Hmm… I-It’s not a bad feeling to see you so happy… P-Praise me more; if y-you can even pat my head––”

Lisha suddenly blushed and lightly scratched her head.

And looking at Lux who asked back “eh?”, she cleared her throat confusedly.

“W-Well then, test it at once to see whether it moves properly.”

“Yes.”

Lux drew the Sword Device hung on the belt of his waist and muttered the pass code.

“––Come forth, the Branded Wing Dragon which is the symbol of power. Obey my sword and fly, <Wyvern>.”

Light particles gathered before Lux and it instantly transferred –– summoned beside him.

There, his blue Machine Dragon which should have been destroyed was completely––

“Huh…?”

Lux cocked his head in puzzlement.

Completely –– the appearance was different from what Lux had been using.

Among the three types of general-purpose Machine Dragons, the <Wyvern> was the Machine Dragon with the flight ability.

Lux had the mechanic adjust it with that (flight ability) as a base and put on a thicker armor, but…

“Hey, what is this!?”

There was a strange dragon with an abominable appearance there.

Breath Guns linked on both shoulders and an injection port for flight in the back and legs.

Although the large-sized blade which he was using before remained to a very poor degree, more than half of the thick armor was chipped off and became sharp like the blade of a naked sword.

“Ah, while I was repairing it, it was interesting in various ways. So I remodeled it a little.”

“This is beyond the level of ‘a little’!? You’ve even installed something like a drill on the left hand!? What is this!?”

“Oh that? It’s cool, right? It’s a rare part even among those found in the ruins.”

To Lisha who looked happy, Lux was at a loss for words.

He recalled the bad things about the engineers and craftsmen, which he had seen during his previous odd jobs up until now.

“To begin with, it’s weird. That Drag-Ride which you were using, that is.”

Before he could speak, Lisha began to talk.

“In addition to the basic air frame, there were only parts of armor strengthening stuck here and there. Things like uselessly thickening the armor of a flight type Machine Dragon and raising the weight are stuff that a complete amateur does, you know? Like this, it can’t even show its original performance at all. To begin with, judging from the appearance, it’s too lame.”

“No, I don’t think appearance has anything to do with it…”

To Lisha’s angry look, Lux, though restrained, rebutted. But,

“Are you an idiot! Concerning Drag-Rides, functionality is first, and the coolness is the second most important thing! Just looking at this, I will become miserable for having been unable to win against such a quack Machine Dragon!”

“…………”

''It’s a cruel way of putting it…''

Lux thought so and sighed.

“Um, I’m sorry… It isn’t like I don’t understand your feelings. But, could you return it to how it was? That was the handiest for me and I was also used to it, so––”

What Lisha said was not off the mark.

No, it was a matter of fact. Far from being painfully true, in the first place, it was all as she said, but––, even so Lux had a reason for why he didn't want to change it.

“…No matter what?”

“Yes, please.”

He bowed his head.

“It can’t be helped, eh. Even though this remodeling took a lot of time…”

''Rather, didn’t it take time because of the remodeling?''

Lux could not help but think so, but Lisha, while grumpy, somehow compromised.

“It’s all right if the armaments are the same, right? The large-sized sword being the main weapon, and the Breath Gun, Daggers and Wire Tail the sub-weapons. I will thicken the whole armor mainly with the PL – 12 type, I'll also raise both the barrier and output, and as for the roar generator of the head, with a high output possible type––”

“Yes, please.”

As Lux answered, Lisha promptly began the maintenance with practiced movements.

“But you know, it’s weird after all. This Drag-Ride…”

Lisha muttered so with an expression which was not somewhere lively.

“It’s really strange; the balance is obviously a problem. If you want to crush your opponent by endurance and firepower, it will be better to use a Ground-type Machine Dragon whose gross weight could be raised; in a Flying-type Machine Dragon which has high mobility, there is no meaning to go so far to strengthen the defense. Rather, it will become heavy and slow, it will unnecessarily increase the burden on the user too, –– are you a masochist?”

“…………”

“Well, it’s fine. There are also things which only the human user can understand after all. It’s none other than your request.”

Lux was relieved inwardly.

Any ordinary Machine Dragon mechanic would feel a sense of incongruity to Lux’s <Wyvern>.

He could not talk about the reason and he could not let the reason be noticed, either, but––,

“Hey, Lux.”

“…!?”

Suddenly being called to, Lux’s spine slightly shivered as he was taken aback.

“By the way –– may I leave only the drill?”

With her loveliest smile so far, Lisha said.

“You can’t.”

“You’re really stingy, even though you’re just a former Prince!”

“That has nothing to do with it.”

With that last exchange, the silent work continued for a while.

In the early afternoon, Lux’s Machine Dragon was completely restored.

For the time being, it was good that his Machine Dragon was repaired.

Lux felt relieved so, but,

“All right, then it’s time to go.”

“Eh? Where?”

“Isn’t it obvious? What do you think I stayed up all night to repair this for? Of course, it’s for your new workplace.”

Seeing Lisha with sparkling eyes, Lux got a bad feeling about this.