Editing Saijaku Muhai no Bahamut:Volume 14 Episode 1 (section)

===Part 5===

Including today, there was a rest of three days before the path to Avalon’s deep level floor was opened.

However till the end Lux thought that they would pass the time silently until then.

The destroyed old castle was less than a few kl ahead of them, and although a lot of injured soldiers were transported away, they were still in a state of high alert.

But, the moment Lux and Aeril entered the reception hall of the fortress, they stiffened with a blank look.

「Lux-kun……. Perhaps I’m too tired. I can see some kind of hallucination though?」

「Then, I’m also the same.」

Aeril muttered in bewilderment. In respond Lux also replied back with a really conflicted expression.

The fortress that should be in solemn atmosphere despite the extravagant interior design had changed appearance into a dazzling and splendorous space.

Red carpet that had soft embroidery. The chandelier that was illuminating the hall was an antique, but because of that a high class feeling could be sensed.

In addition, an aroma that was created from fruit was kindled to give nice fragrance to the air.

「This place should be the fortress’s reception hall right?」

When Aeril rubbed her eyes, a young male waiter appeared there.

It was the butler young man who was Magialca’s aide, Lolotte.

「Welcome. Today, I have prepared a meager banquet due to the idea of my master Magialca. Please forget the battle and enjoy the night.」

He bowed his head with a voice that sounded somewhat sorry.

It seemed he had the awareness that the atmosphere of this place was inappropriate in this situation.

(……Even so, somehow it feels like I can understand the reason, why Relie-san and Captain Magialca get along well with each other.)

It wasn’t simply because their assets rivaled each other or that their age was close, but their hobby was also somewhat similar in some respects.

After receiving wine glass from Lolotte, Lux was guided to a nearby round table.

On top of the pure white table cloth, a tallow lamp was lit, and the swaying flame gave a somewhat fantastic atmosphere.

「……Good grief, it’s really astonishing yeah. People with money and authority really lack common sense.」

「Ah, good evening Greifer.」

Faster than Lux could, Aeril who was familiar with the young man standing there called out to him.

Greifer of Vanheim Principality was nibbling on beef jerky with a sulky expression.

Everyone of new kingdom still hadn’t come, but almost all the members of Seven Dragon Paladins were there.

「Good evening Onii-chan. Is your condition already fine?」

When Lux turned around because he felt something pulling on his sleeve, Mel was standing there while holding a wine glass.

As expected he thought it would be bad for her to drink alcohol at that age, but it seemed it was just grape juice.

She was wearing a chic outfit like usual, but as expected from a lady of a distinguished family, somehow she seemed overflowing with elegance.

「I seem to have an aura? That’s only natural. When I become a bit more adult, I will become even more charming for sure. At that time Onii-chan, come to play at Ymir too.」

「Right. I’ll surely go.」

Lux nodded like that to the lovely girl who was full of confidence like usual.

Her way of speaking that made it seemed like it was only natural to survive and win this battle felt dependable instead.

「Ee, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you for coming this evening.」

While they were chatting light that, Magialca began her speech on a stage deep inside the hall.

Her appearance was her usual unique outfit, but her cheeks were visibly red from drunkenness. It seemed she was already sloshed.

「The extermination of the revived seven Ragnarok as well as the capture of Avalon’s surface level floor are truly great achievement. You can rest your body enough during these three days. It’s only a little bit more until the time of the conclusion.」

Magialca only said that and returned to her table once more. She was heading to Lolotte’s side.

I the end it seemed she had no intention to say what this banguet was for, but they also felt like the somehow understood.

「Something like the pre celebration of victory?」

Soffice was chewing a dry squid with a serious face while appearing behind Lux.

Because her aide and younger sister existence, the Automata Re Plica wasn’t here, she seemed to have spare time by herself.

「Or perhaps, a last dinner thing?」

「Don’t say such unlucky thing youu. Even if you cannot read atmosphere at all, that’s still too much.」

Furthermore Rosa in her military uniform arrived from beside Soffice.

Perhaps it was just as expected. Even the Seven Dragon Paladins were gathering with Lux at the center.

Singlen was wearing his coat as usual even in this kind of place. He looked out of place.

He was sporting a fearless grin as usual while reclining arrogantly at the corner.

(Eh……? Singlen’s aide isn’t here?)

The veteran soldier called Zweigbergk should be at his side constantly. Was he taking command of White Ridge knight order right now?

Lux diverted his focus on that slight doubt, but the answer didn’t come out.

「Don’t tell me, perhaps this banquet is also Lady Magialca’s gambit.」

「Eh……?」

Lux expressed a question when Aeril suddenly whispered those words.

However, Aeril shook her head saying 『It’s nothing』. He then returned his attention to the party once more.

Magialca was certainly the captain of Seven Dragon Paladins, but at the same time she was also the boss of the company who led the world by the nose.

Was she scheming something to aim at the legacies and technologies of Avalon?

Even if that was what she was actually doing, he wanted to believe that it was only for the sake of profit and she wouldn’t do anything bad, but…….

「’Suuup, Lux-chi! Maaan, it’s feel good to have the whole place reserved isn’t it!」

When Lux was thinking about such thing, Tillfur leaped at him from behind.

Looking at her somewhat feverish expression and gaze, it seemed she was also drunk.

「Good gracious, when she become defiant so much like this, it goes past being imprudent and straight into feeling refreshed. Seeing how many of the elites of the new kingdom also became victim, as the daughter of the vice commander I have to act with solemnity though.」

Next Sharis also appeared. Perhaps because of her standing as the leader of the Triad, she didn’t drink alcohol and stayed sober.

「Yes. But, it will be meaningless to act solemn if you won’t be able to fight when it matters. In any case switching thought and taking a break are necessary. There is no injured soldier here, and the Seven Dragon Paladins too has just gone through time as captive.」

「Well, I think there won’t be any problem if you just push the responsibility to Captain Magialca when it come to it.」

Airi whose cheeks were somewhat red said such thing with glassy eyes.

It was a statement that was slightly unlike Airi, but perhaps her reasoning was melting because of the alcohol.

When Lux approached her worriedly, she jumped him as though to entrust her back on him.

「Wai-, Airi. Could it be you are drinking too much?」

Airi sent an upward gaze at Lux and continue to talk casually.

「That’s right, Nii-san have a problem with that? This is the fault of Nii-san who continued to make me worry though. That’s why it’s fine if Nii-san also feel worried for a bit about me.」

「A, haha……」

Lux spontaneously smiled wryly seeing Airi’s sullen look.

Airi who originally was a civil official candidate had come running until this kind of battlefield, so surely her feeling of worry wasn’t just at the normal level anymore.

Thinking about that, Lux felt apologetic, but this would be the last time.

The fight against the Lord would be concluded, and the Sacred Eclipse stopped.

With that, surely there wouldn’t be anything more that troubled his little sister.

「I was hesitating whether I should say it but……recently I was investigating about Fugil-niisan little by little. Most of the documents of old empire aren’t remaining, even so I thought that I would be able to find something.」

Airi suddenly whispered that with a drunk face.

Lux was taken aback by the subject. Airi continued her words with a small voice.

「I also tried investigating the family tree and also documents like the record of proceedings but, there was nothing particularly odd in them. There is no such thing remaining in the records, to the degree that it’s unnatural. But, there is only one point that bothered me.」

「And that is──」

With a glance, Airi’s gaze turned toward Singlen’s direction.

She confirmed that he is tilting his wine glass into his mouth without paying attention their way, and then she resumed her talk.

「It was only by chance but, when I was trying to look at the family tree of the past five hundred years ago, I found Fugil-niisan’s name recorded several times. A second son, the emperor’s nephew, or an uncle, his standing is varied but, he showed his figure many times in the history of Arcadia Empire.」

「……!? What does, that mean?」

When Lux asked back with a dubious face, Airi also closed her eyes and tilted her head.

「Nii-san is making a completely uncomprehending face there. Well, I myself doesn’t thing that in itself is particularly strange. After all it often happen among the royalty for someone to succeed the name of an ancestor.」

Certainly it was just as Airi said.

Besides, it was unthinkable that Fugil was taking part in the entirety of this matter.

[[File:SaijakuBahamut v14 01.jpg|thumb|right]]

It was something impossible without eternal life span. Besides, the standing and post of these people with the name of Fugil were relatively low for being involved in Arcadia Empire.

But, Airi wouldn’t intentionally bring this up if she really thought that this was just coincidence.

Airi herself had mostly never interacted with Fugil, but she knew about his involvement with Lux.

Thus, she seemed to be harboring great wariness regarding the decisive battle against Fugil that would most likely happen the next time.

「……Be careful okay, Airi.」

「Yes. Also──well, I guess it will be better to talk about this too. Thinking about this and that before the battle too, surely it cannot be helped.」

「……?」

Suddenly Airi’s tone was mixed with a sigh. She puffed up her cheeks in dissatisfaction.

Perhaps because of her being unusually drunk, different from her usual graceful appearance, her childish emotion was standing out.

「When this battle is over and we return to the new kingdom, Nii-san will meet a terrible experience. Just what are you going to do about those five. It’s really troubling.」

「No. Airi, more than that will be a violation of the pact, let’s stop there.」

「It’s fineee. I have Noct, so Nii-san please, enjoy it to your heart’s content.」

Airi’s hand was pulled by Noct and she headed to a sofa together with the Triad.

Somehow it also looked like she was drowning her cares in drink but, was she dissatisfied about something?

「Fuuu……. A break! The work won’t end! Oi Lux! Keep me company, it was really lonely!」

When Lux was tilting his head, Lisha appeared wearing her white robe. It seemed she had been doing Drag-Ride maintenance work until now.

From further behind her, Krulcifer, Celis, Philuffy, and Yoruka, the familiar faces also showed up.

「I see. So that’s it……everyone will surely say it huh. What’s more it will be very soon.」

Aeril muttered with a deeply meaningful expression, but Lux was perplexed because he didn’t get what she meant at all.

「It’s fine for Lux-kun to not know anything. After all it will be a really great surprise for later.」

Aeril said that and cheerfully pulled Lux’s hand. Lisha sprang up in panic seeing that.

「Oi you over there! Don’t hold hand with Lux as you please! You are also included in the pact!」

「Ahaha. Sorry sorry.」

After Aeril awkwardly separated from Lux, Krulcifer smoothly sent her a cold gaze.

「We cannot let our guard down around you as usual. It’s even nastier because you are dressing up your act as natural.」

「Tha, that’s right. Although it’s this kind of special banquet, we ought to be solemn. It’s impolite toward the pioneers who lost their life or wounded in this battle.」

Celis also looked fatigued, but her complexion was better than before due to the full day of rest.

「Lu-chan. I fetched you meal. Let’s eat.」

Philuffy who was piling up a mountain of food on her plate like usual was on her own pace as ever.

「Then, we too shouldn’t make too much ruckus.」

Lux said that with a smile, and the night deepened while also exchanging pleasant chats with the Seven Dragon Paladins.

After that, he escorted the drunk Airi until the guest room. For some reason Krulcifer and Soffice also came along with him.

「It was really fun. The banquet was a nice diversion.」

「The dishes, were delicious. Kepuh」

Soffice spoke with earnest tone while walking in the stone corridor that had shining lamps on the wall.

Surely it wasn’t just his feeling that there was a hint of enjoyment within her expressionless look.

「By the way, it looked like both of you didn’t drink alcohol but, putting aside Soffice, why didn’t Krulcifer-san drink?」

「My? Geez Lux-kun, I wonder what are you planning after making me drunk?」

Krulcifer who heard that smiled bewitchingly and teased Lux.

After Lux smiled wryly and dodged that, then he faced her once more.

「Then could it be, the two of you have some kind of errand after this?」

「Yes, it’s a bit of mission. It’s from Captain Magialca.」

「The Heaven Palace that fell nearby, we’ll investigate it now.」

「──By Heaven Palace you mean, that airborne ship the Lords were boarding right?」

In the battle just yesterday, that ship was shot down by Magialca’s Divine Drag-Ride Jormungandr and it fell on the ground with serious damage.

After that it seemed the Drag-Knights of the alliance army were made to guard it, but there wasn’t any sign of the Lord approaching it.

Because it fell nearby this fortress, the enemy too wouldn’t intentionally come to recover it.

「It was postponed because our stamina recovery couldn’t be predicted. And then, if it is the both of us who are Key’s Supervisor, then perhaps useful information can be gathered from that Heaven Palace.」

「In that case I will also come. It doesn’t change the fact that it’s dangerous.」

When Lux reflexively stated that, Krulcifer smiled and put her index finger on Lux’s lips.

「I’ll just accept your feeling gratefully. Our Divine Drag-Ride has excellent defense, and we also have spare strength. It’s more important for you to rest. After all you will surely be the one to act the most recklessly at the final battle.」

「We also won’t do anything excessive so it’s all right. I’m happy that you kept me company in the party, Lux.」

Lux waved his hand to the smiling Soffice, then he parted from the two of them.

The tension might be removed because of the banquet, but as expected Lux was worried about what was waiting ahead.

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