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

===Part 8===

“Ngh… Hum…”

Lux woke up with an anguished groan.

His body became stiff when he tried to move, due to the dull pain as if his whole body was fractured.

“…!? That’s right, everyone is––!”

Recalling about what had happen just a while ago, Lux forcibly got up.

Then––

“Eh…?”

Lux’s surrounding was covered with a grass thicket which grew in abundance, rugged big rocks, a lake which was visible from the gap in the trees and a ceiling which illuminated the ground with a soft light.

It was a mysterious place as if he lost his way in an uncivilized forest.

“Where the hell is this place…?”

“Probably –– inside the sixth ruins “Garden”.”

“Uwaaah!?”

At the voice which he suddenly heard from behind, Lux’s body shook in surprise.

When he looked back, Krulcifer wearing a dress gear like Lux was standing; her Sword Device hung to the belt at her waist.

“I understand how you feel, but do not shout that much. I have not grasped the situation yet, so it is dangerous.”

“Ah, sorry…”

At her usual calm and composed expression, Lux was a little relieved.

She was calm now unlike the Krulcifer of a little while ago.

“What on earth happened? If I remember correctly, the Abyss exploded and––”

“Immediately after the Garden shone, it looks like the people and things around were drawn to inside here. It’s also only a little while ago that I woke up.”

Saying so with a sigh, Krulcifer sat down beside him.

“Thanks to you protecting me, it looks like I’m all right. Thank you.”

“Ah, no. I’m glad that Krulcifer-san is safe.”

As Lux unintentionally looked, there was a bag containing tools for investigation at the place where he was sleeping.

He thought that he had lost it during the battle, but it seemed that luckily this had also been drawn into the inside of the ruins.

“Besides us, it seems that several members of the “Knight Squadron” were also sucked in, but other than that, I don’t know the rest of the details.”

“If I’m not mistaken, when we entered the ruins, our course of actions was already decided, right?”

Lux took out a memo of the strategy operation from his bag.

The “Garden” had a system such that the gate opened and closed by a cycle of fixed times.

There were access gates on each wall side of the six faces of the cube, and at the same time as the opening and shutting, things from outside were drawn in, and things inside were ejected.

“In case the invasion of the inside of the “Garden” succeeded, the first move is aiming for the altar in the center. Afterwards, carry out the investigation at the altar for about two hours max and then move to the gate of the inner wall after completion. Wait for the opening and closing time and return outside. It will be like this if we proceed as planned, eh.”

Krulcifer who seemed to have memorized the strategy contents confirmed as she read smoothly.

“Yes. But–– now…”

An unexpected incident had already occurred and the situation was different from the usual investigation.

It was a state of emergency where they were attacked by an unexpected Abyss and the members were also scattered.

Under the present conditions where they didn’t even know how many other members were drawn in, the Knight Squadron’s members’ safety should be top priority.

“Well then –– let’s head to the altar at the center tomorrow. Everyone should surely gather there, too.”

Krulcifer calmly muttered.

“Is your body all right, Lux-kun?”

“Y-Yes, well––. Not that, is it okay!?”

“What do you mean?”

Being asked so with a serious look, Lux hesitated.

Then, he alternately looked at the memo in his hand and Krulcifer’s face in panic.

If they were in perfect condition, it would be reasonable to proceed with the ruins investigation like this.

But, in case that there were casualties or that the members’ fatigue was profound, they should cancel the investigation and a judgment about withdrawing should be required, too.

In that case, they should camp near the gate of the inner wall from the start without going to the altar which was the center, and wait there to escape by the opening and closing of the ruins.

In other words, in this case––

“We shouldn’t overdo it. Um –– we also have that duel tomorrow night… Even your body is tired, isn’t it, Krulcifer-san…?”

<Fafnir>’s rampage shown earlier.

The failure of Krulcifer who is always calm and composed.

What Krulcifer desired should be the cancellation of the engagement plan selfishly forced on her.

For that, preserving her strength by not overdoing it in this mission and then winning the duel against Barzeride and Alterize should be the ideal scenario.

And yet, Krulcifer was trying to forcibly defeat the Abyss a while ago.

Though Lux felt uneasy at that behavior that was too much unlike her,

“It’s all right. At that time, I was just a little tired, and I’m not injured. What about you?”

As she turned her usual calm voice and looked at him, he wasn’t able to say the words he should say.

“I’m also all right, but… ––Ah.”

While touching his body, Lux noticed,

The blade of the <Wyvern>’s Sword Device which was hanging onto his waist lost its light.

This state showed that the corresponding machine was in a “serious damage” state.

Like this, he could not even summon it let alone wearing it as armor.

<Bahamut>’s black sword was fine, but since he couldn’t use it just like that, it would probably be the last resort.

“I wonder if it is broken. It’s because you protected me, huh.”

“N-No, we were both safe, so we’re pretty lucky.”

Considering that situation, that much was helpful enough.

However –– when thinking about tomorrow’s duel, it was also a troubling problem.

“If you want, you can just wait in front of the gate without overdoing it here. I’ll go alone.”

Krulcifer said not in a sarcastic or provocative tone, but in an earnest one.

That instead stimulated Lux’s uneasiness.

“N-No––. I’ll also go! I can’t let you go alone, Krulcifer-san!”

“…Thank you.”

To Lux who expressed his strong will, Krulcifer revealed a relieved smile.

The moment when Lux’s heart skipped a bit at Krulcifer’s slightly feverish gaze,

“By the way, Lux-kun. You –– are you good at cooking outdoors?”

“Eh…?”

Krulcifer suddenly said that and looked up at the ceiling of the wild wall.

“I do not know the theory behind it, but in this “Garden”, the system seems to be such that it will become dark in conjunction with outside time. At this rate, it will be night soon.”

“E-Errr, um––”

“In the case that we are in the “Garden”, camping goods such as firewood can be procured locally. This was also written, right?”

“Ah, yes…”

To Krulcifer who had suddenly returned to her usual self, Lux did not know what to say.

“And –– the securing of drinking water is necessary, too. The points (locations) of drinkable spring water should have been sketched on the drawn map from past investigations, so can you please give it to me, too?”

“Ah, I understand that, but Krulcifer-san is…”

“I will watch over the baggage near this vicinity. I’m counting on you, Lux-kun.”

“…………”

She had asserted like so with an extremely calm face.

In a peremptory tone…

“T-Then, I’ll be right back, so be careful, too, Krulcifer-san––”

“Lux-kun, you are a man after all. How reliable.”

When she earnestly said so, he could no longer complain.

(B-But well, it somehow feels like it’s been a long time since Krulcifer-san behaved like herself.)

He was still feeling pain here and there, but since he had shown off, he could not pull back.

''That’s what being a man is'', Lux thought.

(I feel like I have been beautifully led around by Krulcifer-san, but…)

Lux, enduring fatigue and dull pain, collected firewood and drinking water and decided to take a rest that day.

…………

There was no sun in the “Garden”.

Nonetheless, the light of the ceiling disappeared just as if the day had set, and nature and the neighborhood were wrapped in azure darkness.

They made a small bonfire at the waterside and built a simple tent stretching a cloth on the side of rocks and trees.

As they nibbled the dried meat and rye bread which were in the bag and finished their simple dinner, they were finally able to settle down.

“Speaking of which, I wonder if everyone is safe…”

Lux anxiously muttered so.

He presumed that Lisha and the others who were near had probably also been drawn inside the ruins, but he did not know.

“If there was a <Drake> user we would be able to detect the position of biological reactions and Machine Dragons .Though that is also impossible in this situation.”

“Which means, we can only advance to the altar at the center. If we’re lucky, we might be able to join them there––”

“…………”

As silence filled the neighborhood, Lux was thinking.

About the fact that Krulcifer did not seem to have an ordinary relation with the Einvolk House.

About the reason why she was so obsessed with this ruins investigation.

And––

“We should decide soon about the lookout and sleeping order.”

As if sliding into Lux’s thinking, Krulcifer muttered.

Fortunately, there were no ferocious carnivores inside the “Garden”, so they didn’t have to worry about being attacked by a beast.

But, there was also the possibility that an Abyss might appear in the “Garden”, so as expected they should avoid relaxing their vigilance openly.

“T-Then, I’ll look out first.”

When Lux proposed so, Krulcifer quietly nodded,

“Understood. After a little time has passed, please wake me up.”

As she lied down on the sheet which was a simple tent,

“Don’t attack me, okay?”

“I-I won’t do something like that!?”

To Krulcifer’s teasing voice, Lux unintentionally shouted.

“I see… But just to note, you have a criminal record.”

“Like I said, that was a misunderstanding!? That I’ve broken into the bath before was because––”

“Yes, I know. Judging from how you panicked, you surely will not do anything. Well then, good night.”

“…………”

As usual, he was played with.

When Krulcifer turned her back on Lux, she began to leak a sleeper’s breathing (the breathing of a person sleeping) calmly after a while.

“Ruins, huh…”

After sighing once, Lux looked up at the dark space.

An existence which should also be called the treasure warehouse of the world that brought about a tremendous development due to Drag-Rides and ancient documents.

The fight to solve its mysteries was accelerating as time passed.

It appeared to be what Fugil had said; Lux was also in possession of the golden horn which could summon the Abysses, but there was no reaction so far.

Was the key to reaching the ruins’ depths that Airi, who deciphered ancient documents, was talking about something different?

And on the night of the next day, a duel with Barzeride was waiting.

“It would be good if nothing happens…”

Towards the ceiling of the Garden where the sky could not be seen, it looked like invisible dark clouds were hanging over.