Editing Saijaku Muhai no Bahamut:Volume 7 Episode 1 (section)

===Part 5===

*katsun, katsun*

Footsteps echoed inside a dark corridor.

After getting down a stone stair, an open space spread out ahead.

Inside the room that was surrounded by countless bookshelves, a large table and numerous experiment utensils were lined up in fixed order.

The New Kingdom’s Cross Field. This was the laboratory existing underground the library inside the Academy’s grounds.

「Having a meeting in this kind of tasteless room, I’m really looked down here huh. I was having expectations because this is a reunion after several years, but I wonder if the Aingram conglomerate is declining?」 (TN: The person here is using ‘washi’ to refer to herself. ‘Washi’ is usually used by elderly males. Anyone who read Magika, Futsunushi no Kami also used ‘washi’)

It was the room where Lux and Airi once received explanation regarding the horn flute.

There, Relie Aingram and a girl were standing side by side.

「I really wished to give you the proper hospitality, but unfortunately I also really cannot do that. Especially in the recent years, we don’t know where the enemy might be.」

「……Dragon Marauder huh, what a really troublesome bunch. Thanks to them the price of things are fluctuating furiously. My business is also in a bad state.」

「That kind of glib talk won’t work with me you know? You must have predicted emergency demands in that kind of field already since a long time ago anyway, right about now you are making a killing right?」

「What a terrible woman. Even though I am merely protecting my beloved company.」

The girl──no, she looked young, but she was a blooming female with almost the same age as Relie, she who responded like that grinned widely with a predatory smile.

A part of her blond hair that was tinged orange was formed into a loop. It was a characteristic hair style.

Regardless, it really suited the atmosphere of the girl who possessed both dignity and also pretense without anything feeling out of place.

She wore stacked up fabric of black and red with golden embroidery, while several small pouches were fastened around her waist.

It was a custom made attire that stressed beauty while also endowed with the beauty of function.

A bizarre appearance that looked like the combination of a noble daughter’s attire and the work clothes of a merchant.

What was standing out from amidst that appearance was the sword belt of a Sword Device carried on her waist.

「──And, today what kind of ulterior motive you have, catching this world’s most beautiful girl? Though at the surface you were talking about something like national defense.」

The self-proclaimed beauty showed a somewhat crooked grin and looked up at Relie beside her.

Normally Relie would make a retort at the woman calling herself ‘girl’ while making frivolous talk, but this time Relie was silent instead.

The world’s biggest company faction that ruled at the top across dozens of countries, the Vanfrick company.

Relie was silent because she wanted to ask a favor of that woman who was the boss of the Vanfrick company.

「My bad but, I cannot answer your expectations today. Actually this isn’t something that should be said from my mouth but, this is really a talk about national defense. What’s more──this is concerning the world.」

Relie muttered that and put a sheet of a written report on the desk.

In it was written the report of a man who was a spy of Dragon Marauder, and the result that the higher-ups of the royal capital deciphered.

Dilwy Froias.

He was a military officer who searched for the secret medicine of the Ruin that Dragon Marauder possessed──the Elixir, and betrayed the New Kingdom for it.

A letter that recorded his exchange with Dragon Marauder was discovered as the result from searching his room.

「……Hoo, so those guys’ next target is the Theocracy huh. However what a risky season. Even if they noticed the leak of this information, there is a possibility that they will still cause trouble.」

One of their aims in order to accomplish their plan──to tear down countries, existed in the Ymir Theocracy.

[[File:Saijaku V7 P071.jpg|thumb|right]]

The exact date and time were unclear, but aiming at the chance when the protection of the country was divided between the Holy Capital and the pope when thr Pilgrimage Festival was going on was the natural conclusion.

But, from the view point of national defense, mobilizing a large army for the sake of an allied country was difficult.

「Yes……. But I’m holding a certain kind of belief. No matter what their objective is, most likely it has the meaning of causing conflict.」

The Dragon Marauder, and the influential people supporting them were putting up a will of opposition to rebel against the large countries.

At present, they should be aiming to lower the national power of a country by poking at the Ruins and expose cities to the flame of war.

「They don’t question the right and wrong of the outcome. Or rather, they will be able to accomplish a part of their objective……so it’s something like that. And then, what are you wishing from me, your old friend?」

「I want to borrow your strength for a little while. In exchange, a force to save the Theocracy will be sent from this Academy. I already contacted the top, they said that they won’t mind if that’s possible.」

The female merchant grinned fearlessly in response to Relie’s dispassionate mutter.

「So you’re coming like that. You too are quite reckless huh, getting into a debt with this me. Well, I can mostly predict why you are doing that though. ──Is my favorite disciple doing well?」

「I cannot deny that, but this isn’t simply for my little sister’s sake. I also have to pay back my debt to him.」

Relie smoothly muttered that and she spread out the contract she prepared.

「Lux Arcadia, huh. I heard the rumor, but it seems he is quite the remarkable character isn’t he. I also heard that his looks is easy on the eye for woman. I’m looking forward to the time this eye will be able to catch sight of him.」

The blooming woman muttered that and she quickly signed the contract in consent.

It seemed like the woman was licking her lips subtly, but Relie smiled wryly and pretended not to see it.

She was a beautiful woman who was strong and veteran, but she was someone who was loyal to her own desires.

She especially didn’t discriminate with younger males with beautiful looks. Relie had even heard a rumor that this woman employed people of such disposition and put them at her surroundings to serve her.

In that kind of meaning, she didn’t want Lux to meet this woman when it was likely that he would be her preference.

(Though as expected, it’s only this matter that it can’t be helped.)

In any case, someday Lux would surely meet this woman, who it wouldn’t be an exaggeration even if she was called as the one ruling over the world from behind the scenes.

With her current status, she was in an extremely close position to Lux.

Before that happens, she had no other way except making Lux’s relationship with Philuffy into something secure.

「Then, please move immediately from tomorrow. I’ll leave the protection of the New Kingdom to you, Magialca.」

The beauty only responded to that with a composed smile.

The secret plan was already starting to move.