Editing Saijaku Muhai no Bahamut:Volume 3 Episode 4 (section)

===Part 8===

A few hours later, after they finished resting in the ‘hideout’.

Celis and Lux were walking on a main street in the first block.

The setting sun that was almost disappearing illuminated the townscape red, lengthening the shadows of the two.

「In the end, I fell asleep for a bit after that. I’m reflecting.」 (TN: Celis’s way of talking throughout the series is overly polite. Even when she was flustered, angry, confused, etc., she never stopped using polite form of speech.)

It was really hard to understand from her behavior, but it seemed Celis was feeling really down.

「No, it’s completely fine. IBoku──IWatashi too fell asleep in the middle.」

Lux was consoling Celis while inside his heart he was flustered.

Actually Lux wasn’t napping at all because it would be the end of the line if he was discovered to be a male.

His nerve was high strung in that kind of meaning, so he was quiet tired.

「Thanks to that my fatigue is mostly removed. It’s thanks to you.」

Celis muttered that and showed a soft smile that she normally wouldn’t show in the Academy.

「That’s, will you──go out together with me like this again?」

「Uh……!?」

Hearing the line that he feared the most being said to him caused Lux’s heart to throb in surprise.

This time he accompanied her because he had promised before, but more than this would be bad.

There was no way he could continue tricking Celis forever, Lux too was at his limit.

At this rate──no, even about today, there was no way he could keep silent forever.

That was why, he did something like this.

「I’m sorry. I still cannot reply right now. But, when the campus selection battle this time is over──」

At that time, there would be nothing Lux could do except shedding light of his true identity.

Perhaps a different problem would occur once more, but there was no way he could deceive her for more than this.

「I understand. I will look forward to your reply.」

Lux heard Celis’s words while feeling relieved inside his heart.

For a moment he was at his wits’ end about this outing, but it looked like it would end safely. Lux sighed in relief.

It was then,

 

iiiiiI!

 

A strange dissonant sound that split the ear could be heard from the surroundings.

「This sound, what could it be──?」

Celis only frowned a little, but Lux held his breath in sudden realization.

It was a sound that Lux had heard several times since he came to the Academy── the tone color of the horn flute that summoned the Abyss.

「This is── don’t tell me!」

Lux who noticed that lifted his face, it was then that the shadow of an evil omen alighted down towards the central plaza a slight distance away.

「-……!?」

The expression of Celis who saw that tensed, and she quickly unsheathed her Sword Device.

「Luno. Please wait here. I will go look at the situation.」

「No, IBoku will go too!」

After Lux said that while forgetting to even use a girl’s way of speaking, he followed the back of the running Celis.

 

The central plaza that was bustling with people who finished work was struck with terror and chaos.

「That’s──!」

The true identity of that became clear at the same time as they arrived at the plaza.

Medium sized Abyss──Chimera.

A legendary monster with a lion’s head, a goat’s body, and then a tail with a poisonous snake’s head at its tip.

The arrival of the Abyss was rare, but a Chimera itself wasn’t a type that was that rare.

But, the Abyss should appear from Ruins and flew a long distance until here. It was baffling why it suddenly appeared here without any contact at all from the fortress and checkpoints between this place and the Ruins.

「Wha-!? Wh, why is an Abyss suddenly──!?」

「Wha, what is going on……!? Someone, call the guards quickly! No, call the military’s Drag-Knights──」

The traders and shoppers who happened to be present trembled and raised stiff screams and ran away.

If an Abyss appeared in the middle of an urban area unexpectedly, anyone would be like that.

(This is bad! At this kind of time, what is in my hand is──)

He gave the Sword Device of his Wyvern into custody so that it would go through maintenance on the resting day.

His other Sword Device for Bahamut couldn’t possibly be used here.

(But! If a victim appears because I’m waiting and seeing……)

While Lux was hesitating like that with his hand reaching to the black sword, Celis was already moving.

「Eh……!?」

*ton*, Celis kicked on the stone paving. A golden lightning dragon showed up behind her.

And then, it instantly transformed into the armor of Celis who was in a sprint.

She didn’t use a Passcode to summon and wear the Drag-Ride. With only mind control operation, a high speed mobile deployment.

It was a high class skill that even five years ago when Lux was still in the Old Empire, there was no one who was able to master it properly.

Without a precise movement like going through the eye of a needle and excellent skill in mind control operation, the user would fail in connecting with the Drag-Ride and it would instead expose a fatal opening.

「GiiI!? ……GAAh!?」

When the Chimera that was leaking out a flame breath from its mouth reacted to Celis’s movement, the battle was already decided.

The special armament great lance, <Lightning Lance> bore into the Chimera’s chest and its movement stopped.

*BASHIiii!*

Then furthermore, intense electric shock burned the inside of the body and the Chimera was instantly burnt black.

When Celis pulled out her spear, the Chimera pitched forward motionlessly and tumbled down with a thud.

「Amazing……」

A voice of admiration leaked out unconsciously from Lux’s mouth.

A Chimera was a medium sized Abyss, but its life force was strong and it possessed abundant methods of attack.

It was a type that was fairly dangerous for a Drag-Knight to fight solo.

Being able to slaughter it casually in the first attack made Lux feel Celis’s strength for real once more.

「I defeated it. There is no sign of other enemies. Are you okay, Luno?」

Celis who pulled out her lance turned around to confirm Lux’s safety, it was at that timing a huge black lump rose up behind her.

「Watch out-!」

「────」

Lux yelled, at the same time Celis’s Lindwurm swiftly flew up.

The space where Celis was at just a moment before was burnt away by a spewed out hell fire.

「Kuh……!?」

Fanned by the flame before his eyes, Lux frowned from the high heat and offensive smell.

The wound on the Chimera’s torso that should have been stabbed through was closing up, the skin that was burnt black peeled off, and a new skin was already created below it.

No──that wasn’t all.

The sharp pair of eyes of the carnivore was dyed jet black. Its pupils were opening largely. Furthermore, its body surface had something like dark red blood vessels emerging. It couldn’t be judged whether it was a strange pattern or arteries.

In the investigation record, a Chimera wasn’t an Abyss with particularly excellent regeneration ability.

And yet, to be able to resurrect from that state instantly, the reason for that was completely unknown.

「What is the meaning of this? ──Why is, the chimera?」

Celis who escaped to the sky by flying whispered while preparing an attack using Lightning Lance.

As expected from a warrior who had fought a lot of the Abyss until now, she didn’t show any signs of agitation. But,

「GIi, IIeEA……-!」

「……-!?」

The Chimera madly howled and caught the lance that Celis thrust towards it. It gripped the lance then.

Right after that the flash of electric shock burst, but the Chimera didn’t let go of the lance.

「SHAAaAAAAA-!」

Together with that bizarre cry, the snake tail that was like rope smoothly stretched several times longer.

And then, when it was moved like a whip, it drew an arc and assaulted Celis from her back.

「Celis-senpai-!」

「──!?」

It was an attack of using fangs that were tinged with purple poison liquid.

Lux sensed it and moved at the same time.

「GIih!?」

*zashu-!* Together with that slicing sound, half the body of the attacking snake twirled in the air.

The flash of the Sword Device that Lux swiftly pulled out, severed the tail of the Chimera.

「Now! The finishing blow──」

「Understood.」

*bachi-!* The next moment, fierce sparks of electrical discharge scattered around Lindwurm.

And then, an electric attack that was several levels stronger than before surged from the lance in her hand.

 

*BASHIiiIiIII-!*

 

「GU, GI……! aA……!」

As expected it couldn’t endure. The lance tip that was held back by the Chimera’s front legs shot through and bore into the torso once more.

It seemed that this time the core was pierced accurately.

A clot of blood burst out, then cracks of light ran through its whole body.

「GI, iAAAAAA……」

「……-!?」

And then, when it radiated light along with a cry of death agony, it instantly burned out into a pitch black ash and crumbled down.

Lux instantly put up his guard thinking that it would self-destruct, but nothing happened and he stroked down his chest.

The monster that suddenly attacked the fort city was terminated and cheers arose from the central plaza.

「It looks like the Abyss is only this one.」

But, Celis’s serious expression didn’t vanish. She ran her gaze at the surroundings.

Lux also stayed vigilant at the surroundings, but he couldn’t feel the presence of other Abysses.

(For the time being, it looks like there is no more in the area, but──)

The Abyss appear from the Ruins and its surroundings.

That great principle should be unchanged even using the aforementioned horn flute.

When Lux first came to the Academy, he fought a Gargoyle at the practice ground. He thought it was some kind of exception, but there was also the possibility that someone was guiding the Abyss until the vicinity of Cross Field.

「More importantly, you helped me. Thank you Luno.」

Celis who dispelled her connection walked to Lux’s side and her cheeks loosened abruptly.

「Ah……!」

It was already too late when Lux spontaneously tried to hide it.

Celis was curiously staring at the black Sword Device Lux’s hand was holding.

So that it wouldn’t be exposed this time, he wrapped a cloth around the sheath to disguise it, but he never thought that he would end up pulling it out──.

「It’s a really beautiful Sword Device. Don’t tell me Luno, are you a user of a Divine Drag-Ride?」

Celis peered into Lux’s eyes in a slightly excited state.

「N, no, it’s something like a charm that I received from my big brother, so I too don’t really know about the content……」

「Is that so. It will be great if someday you will be able to use it.」

「Ye, yes……!」

While on the inside his heart was beating fast, Lux replied like that with an awkward smile, it was then,

「Onee-chaaan! Thank you!」

Looking there, a young boy who was almost attacked by the Abyss was running their way to say thanks.

「Ah, wait a second! This person is──」

Lux worried about Celis’s man-hating and he tried to stop the boy, then──

「You’re really energetic. Are you hurt?」

Celis patted the boy’s head with a gentle voice.

「Eh……?」

Lux was surprised seeing that unexpected sight.

Certainly there was the possibility that because the boy was a child, he wasn’t a target of her disgust, but he heard that she hated men since her childhood, and yet──.

After waving her hand to bid farewell to the boy, Celis turned to face Lux once more.

And then, after telling the circumstance to the guards who finally arrived, they returned to the academy.

「Luno? Is there something on my face?」

「No, that’s……. Celis-senpai is all right with a boy if it’s a child isn’t it?」

「…………」

Lux said that casually, but for some reason Celis stiffened and fell silent.

And then she looked around. After confirming that there wasn’t any sign of people in the area, she leaked out a small voice.

「Luno. Do you hate males?」

「Eh……?」

Lux was at a lost of how to answer back the question that was suddenly directed to him.

It took some time for Lux to recall that the position of his current self was a noble girl.

「Even if that’s the case, perhaps it can’t be helped. Although this country has become the New Kingdom, but looking at the tendency of the past──of the Old Empire, then it’s only natural.」

「N, no. It’s not like I’m──such thing is」

Of course, Lux was a man, so obviously he replied like that by reflex, but Celis smiled seeing that.

「…………Say, can you promise not to tell anyone? Actually──I don’t hate men or anything.」

「……Eh!?」

For a moment Lux didn’t understand what he was told in bewilderment.

But, seeing Celis’s impatient expression, he discerned that she wasn’t joking.

「Rather, I have interest and admiration in males. Because, when I was a child, the teacher who I was indebted to was a kind and strong person. One day, I also want to have a fortuitous meeting with that kind of wonderful person──」

Celis tensed her self-depreciating smile and recovered her serious expression.

「Bu, but Celis-senpai is!? You are regularly taking stern attitude toward men or avoiding them──」

「A, about that you see……. This is also a secret but, I, I don’t really understand how to interact with a young man. And so, since the past when I say 『I’m not good with men』 to the people in my surroundings, for some reason people said then that I hate men……. Why does it always turn out like that I wonder……」

Her shoulders dropped and she hung her head down in dejection.

(Thi, this person, she is too awkward……!)

But, it also felt like he understood how it turned out like that.

In a meeting with someone, a person’s perception of the other party would be largely occupied by prior information.

Once Celis was perceived as a man hater, men who came into contact with her would be putting up a guard excessively and conversely they would abase themselves. That would worsen the misunderstanding even more.

「But, I’m still not permitted to direct good will towards a male. I also cannot rely or be spoiled by them. I am the eldest daughter of the Ralgris House, one of the Four Great Nobles. The captain of Syvalles. I have a really important position.」

「…………」

She was a girl with a position that was special even among nobles.

That was why she was taking a firm attitude in the current New Kingdom.

「Celis, senpai……」

「Lux Arcadia.」

「……-!?」

Lux’s heart jumped in shock when his name was suddenly called.

(She, she found out? As expected──)

When Lux tried to apologize, Celis was staring forward beside him and smiled calmly.

「He is an interesting person. In his mock battle with Saniya, he deliberately showed his technique to me to challenge me to an equal match. ──As I thought, he resembles that person in some respects.」

「……That person? Who do you mean?」

After asking that, Lux recalled that he decided not to ask anything unnecessary before this, and yet…

But,

「Wade Rodbert-sensei. He was the educator of the Old Empire’s royal family.」

「Eh……!?」

Lux held his breath in surprise hearing that name.

Because that was the name of Lux’s grandfather from his mother’s side.

「Tha, that person, could he be──」

「Yes. He is the grandfather of Lux Arcadia. In the past, I received guidance in sword art and tactics from that person after he retired from being the instructor of the royal family.」

「…………」

Lux was dumbfounded in his heart.

He never imagined that he would have a tie with Celis in that kind of place…….

「I was really indebted to Wade-sensei. I still wasn’t using a Drag-Ride at that time, but it won’t be an exaggeration to say that it’s thanks to sensei that I could obtain this much strength. But……」

Celis’s nostalgic tone was suddenly tinged with sorrow.

Wade who was Lux’s grandfather made a counsel that criticized the misgovernment of the Old Empire and in the end he was imprisoned because of that. His life met its end inside the prison. With that as the impetus, Lux’s mother and also Airi were banished from the imperial court.

Lux guessed that Celis’s expression was because she was recalling such thing, but,

「I have to apologize to Lux Arcadia.」

「Eh……?」

The unexpected sentence that was said from Celis’s mouth caused Lux to spontaneously doubt his ear.

「Please don’t say a word of this matter to other people. Because I’ll say it properly to him myself. After the campus selection battle is ended, and I finished the subjugation duty that came to me──」

Celis slowly put her index finger in front of her lips and she smiled bitterly.

「…………」

(Apologize, to me? What could it be……?)

Lux didn’t understand anything.

He almost asked further forgetting his current appearance, but he was bothered by Celis’s tormented expression and he stopped himself.

「But──I cannot lose.」

That smile vanished and Celis clenched her fist in front of her eyes.

「My judgment will affect many things. There are also girls who are still troubled even now from meeting painful experiences by men who inherited the ideology of the Old Empire. The matter of him is on my mind, but it’s still too premature for the Academy to accept him.」

「…………」

Even Lux couldn’t deny Celis’s thinking.

Certainly, that might be so.

The military and top brass of this country where the ideology of the Old Empire remained still had that thinking firmly rooted inside them even after the revolution.

(But, I──)

「That’s right. I must never again make a mistake anymore……」

「Eh……?」

Lux lifted his head hearing that sad voice he suddenly heard.

「Luno. Today was really fun.」

Celis gently caressed Lux’s head.

「Then, sayonara. I will be waiting for your reply.」

He parted with Celis after arriving in front of the academy’s gate.

Lux avoided the eyes of other female students on the ground, took off his female clothing in the drawing room for guests, then he let out a small sigh.

「I absolutely, have to win huh……」

After changing into the male uniform, Lux muttered.

He couldn’t lose also for the sake of the girls who were supporting him until this far.

「And then, either way I have to reveal the truth to Celis-senpai and apologize──」

Lux renewed his determination, completed several small requests from the Academy, then returned to the girl’s dormitory at night.