Editing Saijaku Muhai no Bahamut:Volume 11 Episode 1 (section)

===Part 7===
「Say Lux-kun. Right now, I’m looking properly like a boy right?」

While changing in the changing room, Coral asked him like that for some reason. Lux didn’t know how he should react.

「O, of course, but, what’s the matter?」

「No. It’s nothing, though.」

Even while saying that, he averted his eyes from Lux for some reason while taking off his clothes in a way that attempted to hide his body. Because of that he looked strangely bewitching.

However it was odd.

Even though Coral looked undoubtedly like a man, Lux wondered why he looked erotic to him.

He was feeling strangely nervous with his heart pounding hard, but the moment he stepped inside the bathroom, that dubious atmosphere vanished.

「Uwaa……」

The pillars that were made from marble.

The large public bath that was illuminated by faint orange light felt pleasant no matter how many times he visited it.

Although Coral was also a relative of the princess, it seemed he had never seen a bath this large, because his face burst into a happy smile.

「Somehow, it’s amazing. I’m envious that you can enter this kind of bath.」

There was almost no custom to take a bath in the academy of the Vanheim Principality and the bathtubs there were also cramped, so it seemed that it was quite the hardship for Coral to bath there.

When he soaked inside the bathtub after lightly washing his body, Coral stretched out his limbs delightfully.

「Nn. It’s calming. So much so that I want to become a student here.」

「Ahaha, I’ll welcome it if Coral came here.」

Lux finally returned to his usual rhythm and he felt relieved in his heart.

His gaze casually moved towards Coral’s chest, but as expected he couldn’t see anything feminine there at the slightest.

(At that time it felt like he even had proper breasts there though──)

When Coral dressed as a girl in his pursuit of Dragon Marauder, at that time it wasn’t just his body, if he remembered right even the color of his hair──

「I heard just now but, in the holy night festival, it seems a boy can receive a present from a girl isn’t it? It feels like Lux-kun will receive a lot of presents──」

「Ah, about that, it seems that Airi will manage it for me. She said that it appears the number of present that will come will be more than expected, but I think she is exaggerating.」

「Haa……. Really Lux-kun, even though it will soon be one year that you are staying here, but you still don’t understand a girl’s feelings.」

Hearing Coral tell him that with an exasperated tone mixed somewhere in his voice caused him to feel like his heart was stabbed deeply.

「I think I’m in agreement with Airi-chan. After all, when I was protecting this place with Greifer while Lux-kun was absent, I saw how popular you are.」

「As expected, it must be because they are considering me as a rare sight here, I think that’s all there is to it. After all I’m the only boy here. Besides──」

「Lux-kun. That kind of modesty is called as simple blockheadedness you know?」

Coral got out of the bathtub with a splash and he gathered his light green hair with a towel.

And then he puffed out his cheeks slightly and pointed out.

「They won’t pay attention to you for nearly a year just because you are a rare sight. You are an imperial family member of the Old Empire, and the only boy in the Academy, but everyone is able to receive you properly. I think that’s something really amazing, something that you should feel proud about.」

「……Is, that so.」

If that was the case then he felt happy.

After all he was from the imperial family of the Old Empire that was once oppressing the people.

From his position as an 『enemy』 that was widely imposing the tendency of male chauvinism, to a position where everyone was able to recognize and accept him.

He was finally able to obtain the thing that he had been wishing for all this time.

「By the way, Lux-kun, do you have anyone who you like?」

「──!?」

Lux was bewildered from getting asked that with a tone that sounded teasing, but also sounded somewhat serious.

「Wh, why so suddenly?」

「Isn’t it fine? We are fellow males here, I also wanted to try doing this kind of talk. Greifer is obviously devoted to Milmiette-sama after all.」

「……Even if you ask me that so suddenly, that’s──I don’t really know.」

「Really? Even though you are getting along so well with those girls.」

Coral questioned with a blushing face from soaking into hot water.

「Certainly everyone is really friendly with me, but that is because of various circumstances. Could it be……there is such doubt remaining in me.」

「Hmmm. That also means, that you have become properly conscious of them.」

Coral stayed submerged in the bathtub and smiled with a somewhat innocent expression.

「Bu, but it isn’t like I said it clearly. Besides, I’m a criminal, there are things that I have to do no matter what──」

「……Certainly, that might be true.」

After holding his breath slightly, Coral muttered with a meek expression.

「A criminal isn’t burdened with just debt, they don’t even have the freedom to marry. But, you are recognized by her majesty Queen Raffi and Lizsharte-sama. You have also become the princess’s personal knight, and you have saved the country from danger several times. If you only wish for it, isn’t it possible to have that collar removed?」

「──Yes. Perhaps, it’s just as Coral said.」

After similarly taking a bit of time to think, Lux also smiled with a lonely look and told his answer.

「But, I still cannot do that. That which I tried to accomplish in the past but was unable to. Until I obtain an answer about it that can convince myself, I──」

It was about the revolution in the Old Empire that ended as a tragedy due to Fugil’s betrayal.

Did Lux overlook something, or were the words that his elder brother told him correct?

Perhaps, there was no way to confirm the answer.

Even so──Lux resolved himself to become deeply involved with the New Kingdom once more as a member of the Seven Dragon Paladins and fought together with Lisha and everyone.

With the method that was the same as that time, where he would try to save even the enemy as much as possible.

However, right now he had a lot of comrades who were fighting together with him.

「Perhaps something like an answer in regards to an incident or a mistake that happened in the past doesn’t exist. Even so──if I can finish this battle, then perhaps I will be able to feel convinced in my heart. That’s what I think.」

There was no way Lux could talk about the particulars of the Black Hero to Coral who was from the Vanhiem Principality.

That was why, he let out a large sigh and smiled after hearing Lux earnestly expressing his feelings to him just now.

「I see. It will be great……if you can find your answer.」

Coral didn’t say that casually, he spoke earnestly while putting his hand on his chest.

It was the smile of someone who understood Lux and sympathized with him.

「──That means, Aruji-sama’s relationship with those girls will also progress at the Nativity Festival three months later? After relinquishing that criminal collar too?」

「Right. I don’t know how it will become but, if possible I──wait!? Why is Yoruka here!?」

The moment Lux responded to the voice that came from inside the steam, he noticed the girl’s presence.

There he saw the figure of the girl exposing her bewitching white skin.

「Huh, eeeeeh!? Wh wh wy, why!?」

Coral spontaneously also leaped back, creating a large splash in the bathtub.

The large public bath at night where there should be only two young men alone, was instantly enveloped with an odd heat.

「My, please don’t pay me any mind. I’m only coming here to guard Aruji-sama while also washing his back. Besides──I’m also borrowing the so called water dress from my friend.」

Yoruka said that while making a carefree smile on her face. Indeed, she was wearing a purple water dress and a small dark blue waistcloth.

Although, the exposure rate was slightly greater than her usual clothing or pilot suit as expected. Lux’s gaze was naturally absorbed towards her body.

「Not that, what I want to say is──」

「Lux-kun, don’t tell me you are always doing something like this……?」

Coral who was submerged until his shoulder inside the milky white hot water was unusually expressing dissatisfaction.

He was sending him a reproachful gaze with red cheeks from the heat of the hot water.

「Yo, you are wrong! That’s, usually even Yoruka won’t come until this place──! Yoruka too, you promised not to do anything strange in the Academy right!?」

Lux was justifying himself to Coral who was unusually making a grave expression while chiding Yoruka who was circling her hands around his neck.

But, the girl didn’t look guilty as usual and spoke out a shocking thing.

「Protecting the safety of Aruji-sama is my natural duty as a servant. Especially when there is an unknown fellow staying by your side, that’s all the more true──」

「Eh──?」

Lux was taken aback by the words and gaze of Yoruka that were filled with significance.

Her blue and purple eyes, the asymmetrically colored eyes were obviously looking at Coral.

「Those words, do you mean to say that I’m going to do something to Lux-kun?」

「Forgive me for my slowness. My name is Kirihime Yoruka. The loyal servant and tool of Aruji-sama──that is all there is to my existence.」

Yoruka didn’t answer Coral’s question and introduced herself to him.

She was telling the young man in front of her that she had no intention at all to get along with him.

「I, I know. This is the first time I’m talking properly with you but, you are just like the rumors aren’t you? More importantly, I don’t know if I should be the one to say this but, it’s not good you know, something like this.」

Coral averted his face as though he recalled the situation they were in and calmly offered his candid advice.

‘I don’t know if I should be the one to say this’, Lux was curious about those words, but he didn’t understand what Coral meant by that.

After all, there should be no problem for him to enter with Coral, unlike Yoruka. Did he refer to his standing as a transfer student from a foreign country?

While Lux was tilting his head in puzzlement at that,

「Is that so? But, you are in no position that allows you to say such thing I believe.」

「No I, based on the general common sense──」

「Actually, I am doubtful.」

While the steam was covering each other’s body, Yoruka interrupted like that with a carefree smile.

「You have been getting involved too much with Aruji-sama since some time ago. And then you appear conveniently too many times around Aruji-sama. It is as though you are monitoring Aruji-sama’s situation──」

When Yoruka said that, Lux was taken aback by a sudden awareness in his heart.

Coral himself was receiving such missions from the Vanheim Principality, but indeed the number of times he came into contact with Lux was a lot.

And then the aide exchange this time that was due to the proposal of the Lords, this event in itself was implicitly about fellow Seven Dragon Paladins, and also fellow countries checking each other in place.

「……It’s a coincidence. Besides I have no intention at all to trick and betray him.」

「Then, there is no problem even if I am by Aruji-sama’s side. I am Aruji-sama’s tool, so there is no reason for me to do anything unnecessary without his order.」

Coral calmly objected, but Yoruka too kept smiling without yielding.

(What’s with this situation……)

The elusive Yoruka who stuck with her unique sense of value at all times, and the calm Coral who was sensible and social.

The two of them were mostly the polar opposites of each other in personality, but for them to become involved and confront each other like this…

Furthermore, it was in the bath.

「Besides from my point of view, I don’t wish for the likes of you who are a man to stay by Aruji-sama’s side. Time and chance are not something infinite. With you taking Aruji-sama’s time means that is also how much the other girls will lose the chance to produce a successor with Aruji-sama.」

「Wai-, what are you saying Yoruka!?」

Lux raised his voice in panic also because the image of Syvalles’ members immediately came to mind when he heard her mention ‘the other girls’.

But, Coral didn’t even show any sign of caring about it and puffed out his cheeks slightly.

「I don’t really want to say this but, I think you are being bothersome to Lux-kun you know?」

「My, that is not true. Isn’t that right, Aruji-sama?」

「……Wait, the talk moved towards me!?」

While Lux was dumbfounded, the talk was suddenly thrown at him from the two and he became flustered.

This was troubling.

Coral was in the right based from what they were saying, but Yoruka herself was thinking about Lux’s well being in her own way, so he was also reluctant to bluntly rebuke her.

Because she was also not mistaken in a sense with what she was saying.

「Excuse me, Nii-san. Did you happen to see Yoruka-san? After she suddenly talked about a water dress just now, she suddenly went outsi──! Eh……the door?」

The moment Lux was stiffened, Airi appeared and she seemed to think it odd that the door to the large public bath was opened. She peeked inside while tilting her head in confusion.

And then she saw Lux, Yoruka, and Coral, and she stiffened.

「Thi, this is, Airi! There is a deep circumstance about this──」

「Please come to my room after Nii-san finished bathing. I have something important to talk about with Nii-san.」

Airi smiled with a shadow covering her eyes. She told him that with a wide smiling face.

「O, okay……」

The door was slowly closed. After that, the place was ruled by a heavy silence.

「That’s, sorry, about various things somewhat.」

「She will understand if she is reasoned with. Then Aruji-sama, if you like I can directly explain to your younger sister──」

「It might be useless if it’s not me who talks to her. That’s, can I get out now?」

Lux replied to Coral and Yoruka each while getting out of the bathtub.

The month of rest period that suddenly happened and Coral’s transfer.

The ordinary days that should be peaceful was opening its curtains with a disturbance.