Editing Saijaku Muhai no Bahamut:Volume 13 Prologue (section)

===Part 3===
「Impossible── there was something like that while I was sleeping!?」

Lisha who finished listening to Krulcifer clenched her fist and shook in rage.

Even now Shadows that were mimicking Listelka continued their speeches in various places, and the nobles of the New Kingdom were starting to feel uncomfortable.

Furthermore, because the Shadows also talked about the matter of Sacred Eclipse, the students of the Academy also seemed to be dispirited.

The usual liveliness didn’t exist because of that.

「That means, is there also one in this Cross Field, that Abyss which is representing the Lords?」

「There is but, calm down a little.」

Lisha lost her temper while still in her sleepwear. Besides her, Krulcifer admonished her calmly.

「You think I can calm down like this!? It’s not just about Lux and the others who are captured, the very existence of the New Kingdom itself is in danger!」

「That’s why I’m telling you to calm down. The enemy’s aim is to make the situation unable to be ignored by all means like that.」

「What do you mean……?」

Lisha made a questioning face. The blue haired girl straightened her back in response.

「If you don’t feel anything strange after hearing that the Seven Dragon Paladins were captured, then it seems that you still aren’t in a perfect state. Your brain shouldn’t be that bad you know? The you as a commander that is.」

「Muu……」

Krulcifer’s cool words caused Lisha to think once more.

The abandoned capital of the Marcafal Kingdom, Guernica.

In order to capture Avalon, the elite squads of the world alliance took position there as their base.

The Seven Dragon Paladins there were rounded up by the Lords.

Right after Lux arrived there after receiving a summon, and easily at that.

「Certainly it’s strange……. Lux, those Seven Dragon Paladins bunch, for them to be that easily captured──」

Certainly, Lisha understood that they weren’t almighty against every kind of situation.

Situations where they were taken by surprise before they could wear their Divine Drag-Rides or something, naturally it was possible that they were done in at such special circumstances.

Those people should have countermeasures too so that such things wouldn’t happen, but if the report that they were captured was the truth, then there was no doubt that the Lords had prepared in advance and suppressed the Seven Dragon Paladins.

「Yes, but there is a point that is even more baffling than that. Why didn’t they get rid of the Seven Dragon Paladins? Even though they are the greatest fighting force of the world alliance.」

「……!?」

Lisha was taken aback by what Krulcifer pointed out.

There were several reasons to spare the battle strength that was stolen from the enemy, but in this situation the biggest reason she could think of was──

「Because we are still remaining, is that it……?」

「That possibility is high. The Abyss called Shadow were scattered in an especially larger number inside the New Kingdom. Considering that──」

A lot of Divine Drag-Ride users were gathered in Syvalles of Cross Field in the New Kingdom.

If the Lords used their greatest ace and obtained the cards called the Seven Dragon Paladins, they should want to use that and deal with Lisha and co. too beforehand.

The capture of Avalon that still hadn’t been liberated yet.

In order so that there wouldn’t be the slightest chance that the greatest wish of the Lords would be taken away from them.

「That bunch was advancing the preparation of agitation tactic using Shadows in order to divert our attention and take away our composure──is it okay to consider it like that?」

「In the end it’s only our conjecture though. They might be serious about this reorganization of ruling structure too. But, even if that isn’t the case, if they continue the incitement of the people for too long, they wouldn’t be able to avoid the worsening of impressions towards them. In the little chance that an uprising occurs, they will get stuck with needing to split their forces.」

「In any case, from the enemy’s point of view it is an effective strategy huh.」

To continuously give orders to the Abyss and made them carry out a complex assault, a continuous command from a horn flute was necessary.

But, regarding the Shadows in question, they would only earnestly do repeatedly the command that they had been made to remember, so it didn’t take much effort.

Even if the Lord’s subordinates and collaborators were few in number, it was possible for them to execute this plan.

「Yosh! In that case, our job is one. Staying alert so that those Lord bunch won’t get the jump on us and rescuing Lux──no, all the Seven Dragon Paladins!」

When Lisha clenched her fist tightly, Krulcifer smiled.

「Yes, we had come to such agreement. Celis-senpai and Philuffy have already departed for the Marcafal Kingdom early this morning.」

「──Wait, what did you say!?」

Lisha, who was full of motivation, was dumbfounded after hearing that sentence.

「What’s with that!? Going ahead like that while leaving behind this me who is the Princess of the New Kingdom!」

「It couldn’t be helped. The countdown of twelve days from the Lord’s threat has started, and we will also need time to investigate the enemy. Besides, they had only left for half a day, so if we go now we will be able to link up with them.」

Krulcifer smoothly explained like that.

「If I’m to speak my true feelings, I also wanted Yoruka, who possesses a special equipment type Divine Drag-Ride, Yato no Kami, to accompany us, but her treatment is still not over. At this time we can only ask her to stay in the Academy with the Triad and come along after us later.」

「I see now……」

Lisha took a deep breath several times and repressed her impatient feeling.

It seemed that was the best they could do in this current situation.

She had the wish to save Lux even for a second faster, but she mustn’t be too hurried and blundered.

The New Kingdom’s──no, the world’s fate was in the hands of Lisha and the others after all.

「Then let’s go Krulcifer! We’ll depart from the Academy three hours later! Finish your preparations until then!」

「I can go anytime. After all it’s not just you who is reining in the feeling of wanting to go save him right away.」

Krulcifer responded to Lisha’s voice and concluded the talk.

Right at that timing, the door was knocked and Tillfur’s voice came.

「’Sup. How is Lisha-sama doing?」

Lisha asked the Triad who came for a visit to bring her pilot suit here, then she took off her sleepwear in a flash and began to change.

「Good grief. Even though the Princess finally woke up, there isn’t any time to give thanks for the battle the other day huh.」

The oldest person there, Sharis made a smile that looked somewhat troubled.

「Yes. But, it also can be said that it’s just like Lisha-sama.」

Noct said with her usual calm tone and expression.

「We will leave the rest to all of you. When Yoruka wakes up, we will also come to back you guys!」

Tillfur showed a bright smile to encourage them.

Lisha made a light arrangement with the Triad to send a letter to Queen Raffi, then she got carried by Krulcifer’s Fafnir and departed to the Marcafal Kingdom.

After seeing them off from the Academy’s courtyard, the Triad looked at each other’s faces.

「They are gone……」

Noct muttered while looking up at the sky with a lonely gaze.

It was also the same at the incident of attack by Hayes and Dragon Marauder previously, but as expected they were left in the dust by those girls when it was crucial.

They weren’t displeased by that.

Sharis, whose father was the deputy commander of the New Kingdom’s military, naturally knew that the logistics wouldn’t hold with just the powerful soldiers, and Tillfur and Noct also knew that.

But, that was that. They still had feelings of vexation within them.

They had no time to inform Lisha, but they had finally become able to use their new strength, that she had granted them, well.

「We will also rush there……is it, will our strength be useful against opponents that easily captured the Seven Dragon Paladins?」

「What what, Sharis is getting cold feet? Isn’t it too late already to be bothered about that kinda thing now?」

「Yes. Tillfur who said that seems to be trembling as well though?」

「Wai-, that’s not true! This is just because of the cold I’m telling you!」

「Ha-ha-ha. Say that it’s trembling from excitement even if you’ve to lie. That excuse is uncool, you know?」

Sharis who was watching the conversation of Tillfur and Noct smiled.

Even if they piled up effort trying to catch up, their difference with those girls only got wider.

Even so they weren’t just being bothered by a sense of inferiority.

The three of them believed that there would be a time when their strength was going to be necessary.

That was why they suppressed their impatience and silently waited for Yoruka to wake up.

In order to head together with her to rescue Lux.