Editing Saijaku Muhai no Bahamut:Volume 3 Episode 2 (section)

===Part 6===


The school building’s third floor, the corridor before the Principal's room had already been crowded with a great number of students regardless of the school year.

“Sorry, please let me through!”

Pushing his way through that crowd, Lux arrived at the Principal’s office.

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Bang*! The moment he opened the door, that scene jumped into his eyes.

“That’s why I’m saying that there’s no problem with admitting Lux! It was originally my suggestion, but the principal approved of it as well and he went through an official procedure. There’s no way that he can drop out at this late hour!?”

“It is an admission that was selfishly decided when we, the third-year students were absent. Besides, in the original admission conditions, it is written only girls of regulated age can enroll. If we were to allow his attendance at the academy, it should affect the very meaning of the academy's existence.”

Two girls were facing each other in front of the principal seat where Principal Relie was sitting.

On one side, the New Kingdom’s princess Lisha.

And on the other side, Celestia.

The two girls were having an intense dispute, but when they saw the figure of Lux, who entered the room, they suddenly stopped their words.

“Lu-Lux!? Why are you here──!?”

Not minding the surprised Lisha, Lux closed the door and began to walk slowly.

And when he advanced until the principal room’s center, Celis’s face turned towards Lux.

“Are you the Old Empire’s former Prince, Lux Arcadia?”

After a short pause, she asked with an appraising look.

Slight suffocation could even be felt in her presence and voice which overwhelmed others.

(So this is her attitude towards “men”, huh……)

He had heard the rumor about being a great man-hater, but an overwhelming pressure pushed Lux’s body just by confronting her like this.

“You are not someone who should originally be here. Do you understand that?”

“…………”

Lux could not argue once against her serene voice.

“I have heard the story about the recent circumstances.”

Before Lisha interjected, Celis continued talking.

“I am grateful that you saved the academy from danger several times during my absence. But, it’s not a valid reason for you to enroll here. This academy is for noble ''young ladies''.”

“But, that’s──”

When Lisha raised her voice, Celis held her back with a gaze.

“If we were to recognize and accept him here as an exception, we would have to recognize other exceptions. The talk about the academy not being a coed school should have already been settled seven years after the academy's founding.”

“Kuh……!”

When Lisha groaned, Celis heaved a sigh.

Then, Principal Relie also scratched her head as she was troubled.

“I thought that no one remembered such talk…… As expected, you’re quite formidable. What Celis-san said certainly makes sense, but could you overlook it only this time?”

“Just the other day, a suspicious man invaded the school grounds. The one over there is not the cause, but it will be trouble for this academy’s students if they are careless towards men.”

“…………”

Unflinching even against Principal Relie, the talk seemed to take a parallel course.

The defense for Lux’s admission was eroding quickly.

The New Kingdom Royal family’s power did not hold a great amount of power, the nobles, who were the investors of the academy, would adhere with the Ralgris House who had more influence than the royal family.

If that happened──

“…………”

Expulsion or attendance. While being made to stand barely at the edge, Lux thought.

Though he was about to be overwhelmed by Celis’s intimidating atmosphere, he steeled himself as he took a deep breath.

(Calm down…… no matter what I say here, it’ll only sound like an excuse. In that case──)

Thinking so, Lux made a certain decision.

“Celestia-senpai. I have a favor to ask you.”

To Lux’s sudden words, everyone present in the room held their breath.

After lowering his voice so that it could not be heard outside the door, Lux said.

“It about the matter of the Ragnarok subjugation that Balzeride Kreutzer was supposed to undertake. Would you lead the unit for that?”

“……!?”

At these words, tension exploded inside the principal room.

The existence of the Ragnarok, which rested at the seashore of the Heiburg Republic, was absolutely a confidential matter that was known only to a limited number of people.

After Balzeride’s downfall, Celis’s name has already been raised as the next subjugation commander candidate, it was a fact that Celis naturally knew, but,

“……I will not ask why you know about that matter.”

After slightly accumulated breath, Celis indifferently responded while matching her gaze to Lux.

“But, it is a matter that has nothing to do with you. Therefore, there’s no need for you to worry about it.”

Her words bluntly refuted him.

But, Lux could not afford to pull back either.

“Most of the New Kingdom Army’s Drag-Knights are men for the moment, but would you be able to cooperate with them?”

“Lux Arcadia. Are you trying to sidestep the issue? If that’s the case, I will judge that there is no room for discussion.”

“My answer will be decided depending on yours. So──”

“…………”

After Celis leaked a small sigh, she looked down at Lux, whose height was slightly shorter than her, and answered.

“I am going to accept the aforementioned subjugation request, but I do not intend to borrow the power of the male Drag-Knights. I intend to kill it by myself. Are you satisfied now?”

“────”

In a sense, those were expected words.

The academy’s strongest ── no, she was the girl who held the throne of the strongest perhaps in the New Kingdom. Her absolute ability and the words were coming out of her self-confidence.

However,

“Then, I cannot leave this academy.”

“……What do you mean?”

Looking at Lux, who clearly showed a will of rejection, Celis inquired with a dubious face.

“Because I will tag along in your squad subjugation as a member of the Knight Squadron. Lord Ralgris”

“……!?”

Celis, who was perfectly the “dignified Four Great Nobles” so far, showed unrest for the first time.

“I have also heard about your ability. But──, the Ragnarok is a formidable enemy. I cannot let you fight alone without the cooperation of other Drag-Knights. If I am a member of the “Knight Squadron”, which can undertake missions of the army while being students, then I can cooperate with you.”

“……Lu-Lux. That’s──”

Lisha was about to say something unintentionally, but she held her tongue in the middle.

She probably guessed that Lux had an idea.

As he gratefully received her solicitude, Lux resolved himself.

“I have heard that your ability is equal to a member’s of the “Knight Squadron”. But, I do not intend to recognize you──”

Celis said in a slightly sharp voice.

When Lux, unfazed, was going to continue speaking,

“Hold on, could you calm down, both of you?”

Relie broke in as a mediator as she revealed a wry smile.

“It is already the time for the lunch break’s end, you know? Even if you deny each other’s opinions like this, you will not reach a conclusion, right?”

Saying so in a calm tone, Relie stood up from her seat.

And when she opened the principal's room’s door, a great number of students, who gathered before it, crowded in as they fell while screaming various “Kyaah!?”

“To summarize it, Celis’s demand is “Lux-kun’s expulsion”, and Lux-kun refuses this. And Lux-kun’s demand is that “Celis-san accepts Lux-kun’s cooperation in the Abyss’ subjugation”, and Celis-san refuses this, too. So a situation where both of you cannot accept each other’s claims, right?”

Relie greatly raised her voice so as to tell the students who gathered.

“So, you girls, who have heard the talk now, which claim do you support?”

When Relie asked so, the great number of students began to rustle.

“Errr ── As expected, I’m in Lux-kun faction, I guess? He hasn’t yet properly done my request, and if he’s expulsed, I’ll be troubled; so if Celis-senpai is to subjugate a strong Abyss, a safer way to do it will be better……”

“Well, I don’t think that he’s really a bad guy, but it may certainly be still a problem that a man is in this academy. If Celis-san said so, then……”

“Please wait! What you did is called thought resignation.<ref>Meaning that she leaves someone to decide for her instead, something along those lines.</ref> At least, Senpai should decide after coming to know him well──”

The first- and second-year students supported Lux, and the third-year students who supported Celis.

From the female students’ debate that could be heard, such impressions were roughly transmitted.

“Yes, yes. Everyone, calm down.”

As she clapped her hands, Relie controlled the place which became noisy.

And then, she turned once again towards Lux and Celis.

“In the end, it looks the students’ will is fifty-fifty. Won’t it be difficult to settle this talk immediately?”

“I see…… I’m gradually reading your aim. Principal.”

When Lisha called out so in amazement, Relie nodded with a smile.

“You guess right. Since it’s a rare opportunity, why don’t you settle it with your abilities?”

“Eh……?”

“What do you mean by that?”

As Lux and Celis asked almost at the same time,

“The Campus Selection Battle that will begin in three days ── you will settle this dispute depending on its result. What do you say about that?”

“……!?”

At Relie’s suggestion, all the students present were astir.

The International Tournament in order to acquire the rights to investigate the ruins.

She proposed to settle Lux and Celis’s problem simultaneously with the Campus Selection Battle to decide its representatives.

“We will solicit the students’ opinions afterwards. We will divide the power in two groups according to whether they support Lux-kun or Celis-san and have the other students participate as well.”

“W-Wait, that’s──!?”

“Principal. What are you──”

Lux and Celis broke in a hurry to stop it, but it was already late.

“This is bad! We must quickly secure strong people──”

“Can we win against the third years……? But, if we have the first- and second years, we must somehow with the difference in number……”

The ripple that Relie caused became a big wave and spread out to the students in the school building.

It was an event where it could no longer be stopped.

“Isn’t it fine? Not only each other’s ability, but also whether or not they can get a stronger great number of supporters ── on top of testing these qualities, it’ll be settled.”

Lisha suddenly stood up before the dumbfounded Celis.

“I naturally bet on Lux, but how do you feel about this? Madam Celestia Ralgris.”

As she turned her red eyes and provoked, Celis hesitated just a little,

“──Understood.”

She silently closed her eyes and consented.

“Although it was something inevitable, I have to take responsibility for the events that had transpired during my absence. Though it is not my original intention, I think that I will accept the challenge…… But─”

Celis muttered in her usual serious tone, but her presence suddenly changed.

From the atmosphere as a calm senior to one of an aloof ruler,

“If you seriously think that you can win against me, then it is a tragic miscalculation.”

“……!?”

Lux and Lisha unintentionally winced at her smile filled with a sharp overpowering feeling.

When Celis turned and was about to leave the principal room,

“But──, didn’t Celis have some thought about Lux-kun?”

“Eh……? What do you mean by──!?”

“That’s──”

To the words muttered by the Principal, the feet of a flustered Celis turned around.

On the other hand, when Lux reflexively approached towards the Principal, the two people’s feet got entangled.

“Uwah!”

They fell down on the luxurious red carpet.

“Owww…… ──wait, huh?”

In the time they fell together, Lux was looking at the ceiling, in a posture while he was pinned down by Celis.

There were a sweet fragrance, which gently drifted, and Celis’ face was near his own, and her glorious cleavage also stuck to Lux’s chest.

“U-Um……!?”

[[Image:SaijakuBahamut v3 093.jpg|thumb]]

As Lux was flustered,

“…………”

Celis, whose face became red, had stiffened as she looked at Lux’s face as is.

“H-Hey both of you, what are you doing!?”

Lux suddenly came to his sense at Lisha’s voice.

“Excuse me…… But, you look like him after all.”

After several seconds. Celis, whose cheeks were slightly dyed red, stood up, was about to lend a hand to Lux, but pulled it back.

And when she whispered something in a low voice, Celis left.

“……Phew.”

In the principal room where the large number of students already left, Lux heaved a small sigh.

“For the time being, we got a little deferment.”

Lisha muttered and looked at Lux.

“Geez, to think that you’ll come here; I wondered what would have happened. You, the person concerned, shouldn’t act so rashly.”

“I’m sorry. But, I thought that I have to speak for myself this time after all.”

Not long ago, he only saw himself as a criminal.

He was thinking that if he were to just undertake requests of the citizens, who knew nothing, and follow the wishes of the girls of this academy, he would atone for his crimes.

That’s why, depending on those girls’ will, he would accept everything no matter what happened.

But, it was different now.

“I also want to fight here together with Lisha-sama and everyone.”

This was because he thought that it was cowardly to only entrust his fate to the girls’ hands without speaking of the wish that budded inside him.

“Lux……”

Perhaps because she guessed his intention, Lisha smiled and held out her hand.

“It’s all right. If it’s us, we’ll win. Um ── you also have many allies; um, above all, you have me here after all!”

When Lux took her hands, Lisha smiled as she blushed slightly embarrassed.

“Both of you, it’s nice that you get along so well, but it’ll soon be time for the next class, you know?”

Immediately after Relie muttered so, both of them quickly ran towards the classroom.