Editing Saijaku Muhai no Bahamut:Volume 8 Episode 4 (section)

===Part 5===

「-……!? What’s with that Drag-Ride……! Its shape is completely different from just now──」

The huge figure of Gorynych that appeared from the dust cloud caused Airi to hold her breath on the audience seat.

Then, Magialca who was sitting beside her smiled with a convinced expression.

「──I see, that Divine Drag-Ride, it appears its form is transformed into Drag-Ride of various shapes depending on its own special armaments.」

「To be more accurate, it’s from the combination of its Divine Raiment and special armament thouugh.」

From the other side of the whirling inferno, Rosa who was clad in Gorynych that was equipped with ten-odd cannon muzzles faced toward Magialca and informed her the answer.

「The special armaments Twelve ViceTwelve Iron Cage──its ability to operate several unmanned general-purpose Drag-Ride, and Sin Phantom──creating mechanical illusion of a fake me that I overlapped on the unmanned Drag-Rides, this combination produced pseudo clones of me.」

Rosa faced the audience seat and explained her own skill.

「Rearranging and transforming armors that are treated as special armaments. At the same time it also produce my own clones──this is the power of Divine Raiment that my Gorynych possess, the true shape of Tartaros FramePurgatory Mechanism.」

「I see, that’s why you are the Steel Witch. Certainly it’s interesting, but it’s really lavish of you to expose everything here.」

Singlen who was similarly sitting on the audience seat at the opposite side spoke with a fearless smile.

But, Rosa looked like she wasn’t perturbed at all. She was only showing a crooked smile.

「I don’t really caree. After all those Lords know about it anyway. Besides even if the trick of my Divine Raiment is exposed, it’s still not something that anyone can do anything about. More importantly, are you fine with this, tyrant-sama? The Ruin investigation right is taken by me you knoow? If I also conquered even Babel after this, perhaaps even all of you will be below me in the achievement obtained.」

「……!?」

The surrounding was stirred in agitation after hearing what Rosa said.

The haughty and arrogant man called the Blue Tyrant, who was a powerful person that stood out even among the Seven Dragon Paladins. The leaders’ representatives held their breath seeing Rosa provoking such man.

「Ro, Rosa-dono!? Please stop with the joke──」

As expected, even a senior statesman of Heiburg, Gunius was also agitated. He tried to remonstrate Rosa in panic.

But, in comparison Singlen only sent Rosa a dark gaze that was like a bottomless swamp without any change. He stood up with unshakeable smile.

「You churl, don’t push your luck.」

The one who said that wasn’t Singlen himself, but the tall and lean old soldier standing behind him, Zweigbergk.

Bloodshot eyes peeked out from the helmet’s gap, and his hand was touching his Sword Device.

「I’ll gratefully accept your loyalty──but, stop it Zwei. As the vice captain of Seven Dragon Paladins, I have the responsibility to watch over their growth.」

Singlen stopped him with one hand. Seeing that, Roza’s lips distorted repulsively.

「Myy? What a splendid thing to say despite being a coward who wouldn’t come forward to participate in the skill exhibition battle after getting cold feet. An incompetent superior whose style is to exert all his effort in making excuse──it’s great how easy it is to understand you.」

「Ple, please stop with the reckless remarks Lady Rosa! Si, Sir Singlen, please forgive her, it still hasn’t been long since she return to the military──」

Minister Gunius tried to smooth over the situation in great panic, but Singlen wasn’t perturbed in the slightest.

Perhaps seeing that the situation was going out of control, the captain Magialca cut in.

「It’s not like what she is saying is wrong so just leave it alone. More importantly, the fight is finally settled. It’s also necessary to treat the injury, so let’s breakup for the moment. I too am tired from the long journey. Can you allow me to rest soon, Relie?」

‘Fuaa……’, she cutely yawned. Magialca made a forced yawn like a fawning cat and concluded the happening like that.

「Yes, I guess. You were playing wholeheartedly at the campus festival before this though.」

「Oh, was that so? Recently I kept forgetting things──wait, who are you calling old!?」

「…………」

Right after that conversation that wasn’t reading the mood, the leader of the Lords who wished for this skill exhibition battle, Listelka stood up.

「Please calm down the two of you. We are compatriots. Let’s refrain from pointless quarrel among ourselves.」

It wasn’t clear whether Rosa consented with those words, but she dispelled her armor and Zweigbergk also sat down.

And then the Steel Witch withdrew to outside the practice ground with leisurely footsteps.

「I’m sorry, Lux. Because of my fault──」

「No, I’m glad that Celis-senpai is safe.」

Celis looked down. In respond Lux replied with a gentle smile, but the fact was that during one month from here, Heiburg would be monopolizing the conquering effort of Babel.

The damage from Abyss due to the after effect of that investigation as well as the defense that would be needed in case Ragnarok went outside would always exist as threat toward the new kingdom during that time.

Regarding this case, there was also a possibility that Lux and Celis would be asked to take responsibility in some kind of manner, but it was no use even if they thought about it here.

When Lux who was thinking that averted his gaze, he saw on Celis’s upper arm a faint bruise remaining there.

Because Celis was wearing a white coat on her pilot suit until right before the match, Lux didn’t notice it until now.

「──E, excuse me-!」

Celis who got that bruise seen ran away in a flustered state from that place. Then the Lords, everyone of Seven Dragon Paladins, and the leaders’ representatives also left the audience seats.

「…………」

Lux wished to think that his judgment to protect Celis instead of taking the option to attack at the end wasn’t mistaken.

It would be too dangerous to make a gamble and attack Rosa in that situation.

Conversely if he attacked the weak Calensia mercilessly and defeated her, then perhaps they would be able to obtain victory through that.

Even if because of that Calensia and her family would meet a tragic fate from Rosa, perhaps he shouldn’t go as far as pitying even the military officer of other country.

However──.

『That righteousness that is unable to sacrifice even a single relative, unable to discard anything. Your ephemeral ideal that is trying to save even the evil, I’ll root for it from the bottom of my heart.』

That smile of Fugil that was containing pity and disappointment was constricting Lux’s heart tightly.

In the end, he hadn’t change at all since that time.

Wasn’t he only clinging on his own ideal while running through the wrong path?

Even after living for five years doing chores, in the end wasn’t he still unable to understand people’s feeling?

「I……, I, just what am I──」

「Are you all right, Nii-san!?」

Airi, along with Lisha, Krulcifer, Philuffy, and the Triads were rushing toward Lux.

「Yes, sorry to make all of you worry.」

But Lux was aware that currently he was making a forced smile that didn’t come from his heart.

That was just like the childhood him in the era of old empire.

It was a glossing over smile that he showed at that time when he was living by hiding his true feeling.

The skill exhibition battle silently closed the curtain without the festival visitors and other students getting told about the result.

After receiving the minimum treatment at the medical office, Lux returned to the campus festival as though nothing had happened. And then the sun sunk down.

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