Saijaku Muhai no Bahamut

–

Memory flickered.

In the seventh Ruin Moon, Soffice Xfer woke up from the hibernation pod and encountered the Automata Re Plica.

There was no other comrade remaining, and she lived in the Ruin.

They pa.s.sed peaceful days together with her little sister Uruk.

And then──one day Uruk said that she wanted to try seeing the outside world.

『I want friend from the outside world.』

The innocent little sister said that hopefully.

She wanted to grant the wish of her little sister.

Thinking that she also wanted to do that, Soffice and co went outside.

Just like the Xfer in the past who also did so, they wished to interact with the humans who they were still unfamiliar with.

They descended to the Old Empire Arcadia more than ten-odd years ago.

When they descended to that large country where three Ruins were remaining within its territory, Soffice"s skin was white, and her hair was also blue.

「……I won"t, forgive.」

The brightness of flame blazing in the fireplace showered her face. The awakened Soffice renewed her determination.

The wound on her shoulder that was torn up at that time had almost vanished completely, but the pain was seared into her memory even now.

The accident where they headed to the Garden together with the imperial family of Arcadia Empire.

At that time, if Re Plica didn"t save her, she would have died.

Her little sister Uruk wouldn"t come back anymore.

Just because they tried to have faith at the people of this era, just because they got involved with the family of traitors, Soffice lost something irreplaceable forever.

「That"s why I──won"t trust anyone anymore.」

A part of broken chain fell into a gap within the prison must be because this place hadn"t been used for a long time.

In order to prevent blood congestion from getting restrained for a long period, Airi would take off her chain one at a time. Using that timing, she luckily obtained a fragment in the shape of wire.

She somehow brought it until her hand and then she tampered with her shackle"s keyhole for nearly half a day.

She had to reach Avalon and protect the world from destruction by Sacred Eclipse.

However, she wondered why?

Even though that girl didn"t resemble at all with Soffice"s little sister who was innocent and pure, for some reason when Soffice looked at her, she recalled her little sister Uruk.

When Soffice peed, Airi didn"t call for other people and cleaned it up herself was so that Soffice wouldn"t hold even worse impression toward Lux.

「Even though, this isn"t the time to bask in sentimentality.」

*Click*, finally the unlocking using wire went well and next her right hand also got free.

Next she also finished unlocking the chain on her legs and she was completely freed. But as expected because her Sword Device was hidden away, she was unarmed.

「It"s necessary, to look for chance.」

Soffice thought with her usual serious look that was dyed with nihility.

At that time outside the jail, a conversation with small voice could be heard.

「As expected there is n.o.body here. It seems there is no possibility of Lux-chi secretly having tryst with someone.」

From the voice of the girl who sounded relieved somehow, Soffice judged that they weren"t looking for her.

「Yes. I"m glad that you two can feel relieved. Because you two were unexpectedly restless.」

「You said that Noct, but when you heard that Lux-kun might have a partner, weren"t you yourself really bothered?」

Soffice felt like he had heard their voice somewhere, but she couldn"t remember where.

「Enough with that, let"s get out of here. Even we are forbidden to enter this place.」

The voice that was only slightly oozing with discomfort was speaking indifferently.

「Right"o. Today is the holy night festival event, it"s gonna be busy.」

「Are you all right Tillfur? You were doing preparation until late at night yesterday.」

「Oof course. I also finished my costume preparation. Complete with the makeup tool and the outfit. I already collected it beforehand at girl dormitory"s hall.」

「Yeah, the situation is like this right now, but we"ve got to have fun when we can. Then, let"s go.」

It seemed they finished talking. The footsteps were going farther.

It appeared there was an exit some distance away from this prison.

Most likely there was a locked door or a hidden pa.s.sage.

But, from the look of it, it seemed that other than Lux and a few others, the matter of Soffice"s capture wasn"t known widely.

Besides, according to the preliminary investigation of Dragon Marauder, she also knew that the majority of this Academy"s students didn"t know about her war declaration toward the world alliance too.

If she could just deceive those students" eyes, it was possible for her to sneak around.

「……Right, makeup.」

Because it was still early in the morning, there should be few people around.

Even if she escaped, the possibility that her Sword Device was hidden inside this Drag-Ride hangar was little.

「First I"ll disguise myself, and then take back Vritra. s.n.a.t.c.hing Airi will be after that.」

Soffice took a deep breath and brushed away the unlocked chains.

When she exited the prison cell, she discovered the entrance of a hidden pa.s.sage by groping the wall around, and then she ran outside.

–

It was a morning where the chirp of small birds could be heard.

「Fuaa……」

Lux woke up with a small yawn.

Last night he helped out with the decoration for the night before holy night festival, so he was a bit sleepy.

As expected from mid winter, it was cold, but he sobered up after doing light calisthenics inside the room.

He went to check on Soffice before sleeping, but her att.i.tude was brusque as usual.

He only heard a sentence 『It looks like, you are really loved by your little sister』 from her but──.

(Only one day remaining.)

If the time limit pa.s.sed, Magialca would start negotiation  with the Automata as well as Dragon Marauder who were remaining in the Moon using Soffice as hostage.

He had to somehow persuade Soffice before that happened.

「Before that, I have to focus on the Academy this afternoon.」

The costume party that would be held in the Academy the day before the holy night festival.

Lux was selected as the main lead of that event that Relie a.s.sembled.

The original holy night festival was a custom that existed as festival since before the time of old empire. The adults would dress in ceremonial dress, but the children would copy animal appearance by wearing costume and handed over present to the opposite s.e.x. That was the gist of it.

And then, it was the etiquette for male to show their grat.i.tude for the present later.

「Somehow, it feels nostalgic.」

In his period of ch.o.r.e livelihood, Lux had never received any present, so it had been a while for him to experience this event.

He was thinking such thing while finis.h.i.+ng changing into his uniform, then his door was knocked.

「Mooorning! Lux-chi, you awaake!?」

An energetic voice that was distinctive of Tillfur.

As expected, she came early in the morning.

Because in the event today where Lux became the main lead, the Triad would be escorting him.

「Morning, Tillfur……wait, eeeh!?」

The moment he opened his room"s door, Lux"s mind came to a halt from bewilderment seeing the sight.

Black one piece clothes and tights that clung tightly on the body with high exposure rate.

Also, the ribbon on the neck and hair band that imitated rabbit ears.

The Triad"s appearance was really similar with Philuffy who he saw the other day. They were standing in front of his room.

「Err. That appearance, don"t tell me──?」

「Just as you guessed. The three of us is wearing costume of rabbit.」

「What"cha think? Does it look goood?」

「Yes. The fault of this costume is the chill due to the season, but we will wear jacket when going outside.」

「That"s, even if you ask me how is it──it looks really good on you three.」

To be honest, he was troubled where to look. Though Lux couldn"t say it.

Normally he often got his sight stolen by the gorgeous atmosphere of Lisha and others, but the Triad was also really charming when they were dressed like this.

「Haa, I"m glaaad! Dressing like this really need a looot of courage isn"t it?」

「Yes. From the aspect of fabric amount, it"s not so different from pilot suit, but it"s mysterious how different it is.」

「Fuh, as expected even me is feeling a bit embarra.s.sed. Then let"s go Lux-kun, I"m also looking forward to your turn you know?」

「Ahaha……, then please take care of me.」

Prompted by Sharis and others who were a bit embarra.s.sed, Lux headed toward the dining hall.

After taking light breakfast of soup and bread, Lux changed into a black suit and headed to the courtyard.

Even though it wasn"t a formal party, for some reason he was made to dress like this. He was wondering why, but the reason soon became clear.

「My, Goshujin-samamaster / his lords.h.i.+p has arrived!」

「As expected from a former prince.」

「You are looking really good there.」

The female students made a fuss and Lux felt a bit ticklish hearing htat.

Lux went up on a small stage that was specially set up in the middle of the courtyard, then the headmaster Relie stood beside him and gave a greeting first.

「All students. You all have worked hard with the strict training despite the time being the end of the year. Today, a costume party is opened for the holy night festival, which will also serve as a meager reward for you all. Let"s enjoy it to your heart"s content!」

The students applaused at Relie"s short speech.

It seemed that the secret of her popularity was the shortness and neatness of her talk.

「Then, other than wearing costume and eating snack, I"ll also have Lux-kun to do a special ch.o.r.e for the sake of everyone. It"s named──Familiar Selection Convention!」

"Waaa-", hearing the event name that Relie mentioned, the girls raised their cheers.

The girls were already wearing costume, from mere hair band with ear decoration attached, until those who went as far as attaching tail or wing. There were a lot of variety.

The system was for Lux to draw a lottery that had animal name written in it, then choosing work as familiar for the girls who were dressed the same like the lottery, and then the girls could hand him their present.

The content of the event was for those girls to spend time together with Lux inside a room that was similarly decorated and received order from him.

The types of animal were ten in total, so it would be quiet worth it to choose.

(Even so, to think they will get this kind of idea, really.)

He didn"t know whether this was Relie idea or not, but he was impressed with the freedom of the idea.

「And so, first let"s have him draw the first lot.」

Lux who was prompted pulled out a lottery from the box casually.

「Eerr──first there is cat written here.」

「My, you pulled out the biggest bomb there. There are many who dressed like that. Then, you have to be affectionate with them in the Academy"s parlor room──」

With Relie"s words, a lot of students were rus.h.i.+ng, but the Triad somehow held them back.

While Lux"s long day was going to start, at the side a girl snugly wearing white robe and hood, with a scribble that looked like face drawn on her mask was staring at that sight.

「My, you are wearing a curious costume there.」

When the female student beside that robed girl called out cheerfully, she looked a bit fl.u.s.tered.

「This is……yes, a ghost costume. I think.」

Her tone was bland without any inflection, but the female student"s expression burst into a smile.

「That"s interesting. Aah, even so it"s unfortunate that you are getting excluded like that. Even though there is finally a chance to spend a short time with Lux-san.」

「Is that ruined prince, that popular?」

「That nickname sounds nostalgic. I think there is no one who is calling Lux-san like that anymore. Right now he is this Academy"s pride after all.」

「…………Is that so? By the way, where is the storage room for Sword Device again?」

「Yes? The management of Sword Device should be entrusted to each student themselves though──, you are」

「Nothing. I only forgot a bit.」

The white robe said that a bit hurriedly and then quickly left.

「I don"t think I"ve ever heard her voice before.」

The female student who was left behind was tilting her head in confusion, but then she was called by her cla.s.smate and joined the banquet.

–

「──Fuu. That was dangerous.」

Soffice who quickly left from that place let out a relieved sigh under her mask.

Although it was great and all that she managed to escape from the underground room of the Drag-Ride hangar, she was unable to escape without Vritra"s Sword Device, so she was searching for it.

She was also considering to steal general purpose Drag-Ride in the hangar, but as expected even with the merrymaking of this festival, the inspection there was strict, so she gave it up.

Or rather, as expected she got the hunch that her Divine Drag-Ride, Vritra wasn"t in the hangar.

When she tried thinking from Lux"s point of view, it was dangerous to put Soffice"s Sword Device in the same building where its owner was being confined.

There, she sneaked into the girl dormitory next, but she luckily discovered costumes in the hall and borrowed one of them.

There were also makeup tools, but she didn"t think she would be able to use them well, so she dressed as ghost in the end.

「But, what should I do from here?」

It seemed the reality was that she had to move while a.s.suming that her Sword Device was inside the school building or the girl dormitory.

And then in that case, it was preferable to first try looking at the room of Lux or Airi who were confining Soffice.

In the worst case, she had to threaten Lux or Airi in order to take back Vritra"s Sword Device, but that was the last resort.

「……I won"t hesitate, this time for sure.」

Soffice pilfered a knife for cutting cake from a table in the courtyard and then she roamed inside the girl dormitory.

The moment she resolved herself like that, she discovered a figure of a person who she had seen somewhere before.

「Good grief, why is my appearance a bat!? I"m still a princess even like this!」

「Now now, Lisha-sama. For today all the students are leading actress, and the type of outfit is also limited. Also, that"s a vampire, not a bat.」

The person with her blonde hair tied in a side tail that was swaying and prancing was a pet.i.te girl wearing black outfit.

In front of her was a girl in bunny outfit with distinctive brown ponytail. She was the owner of voice that Soffice heard before this in the underground prison.

Soffice had faint recollection of seeing the two girls from somewhere.

「Can you two spare a bit of time? I want to ask where is the room of Lux Arcadia, or his little sister Airi.」

「Hm……what"s with you? What"s your business with Lux?」

「Lux-chi right now is being surrounded by cat girls y"knoow. Sharis and Noct are managing that place, while I"m taking a break──」

「…………I see, unfortunate.」

Soffice concluded that the young man named Lux was quite popular.

Soffice wasn"t asking about the person himself, she just wanted to know where was his room, but there was a risk that she might get found out if she asked too bluntly, so she didn"t pursue for further answer.

「More importantly, do you two know something about that man? Like, anything particular about him.」

And so, Soffice changed the question.

She thought that if she was lucky, she might understand the place he often visited, and from there she would be able to reach the storage place of her Sword Device.

「Who knows, even though the battle is just around the corner, because of this pact whatever I cannot call out to him now. And yet, he is coming and going inside the Drag-Ride hangar for some reason.」

「But, he came to check on Lisha-sama right?」

「Well yeah.」

Lisha"s cheeks loosened hearing what Tillfur pointed out.

「That guy praised a princess like me whose only ability is to fiddle with Drag-Ride and fight, saying that I"m amazing, helping with my work.」

And then, she continued her words with her arms still folded, an earnest emotion vaguely coloring her tone.

「Even though he usually also has idiotic side in him, but it feels like I"m losing when he is doing that kind of thing to me.」

「It feels like Lisha-sama is always losing though. Buut, I understand that feeling reaally well.」

「There"s no way──that"s true.」

「Eh……?」

The sudden words of the girl in ghost costume shocked Lisha and Tillfur.

But, Soffice didn"t stop there and spoke the continuance.

「The Arcadia family of that old empire, they will only think of themselves. They are that type of creature. All of you are only tricked. He is working to be considered as hero merely because he needs to do that in order to escape from the threat of Abyss.」

Lisha blinked in puzzlement for a moment, then she sighed.

「That"s a nostalgic criticism. I thought this kind of fellow is no more, looks like I"m wrong.」

「Somehow, she is like Lisha-sama when Lux-chi first came to the Academy eeh.」

「Tha, that is only at the very beginning though……」

But, even so the two weren"t swayed.

They just talked to Soffice about Lux as he was, betraying her imagination.

How he was a softhearted person who found it difficult to refuse someone else"s request.

But, he would put his life on the line with conviction in order to save everyone.

「Well, I agree that guy is more perverted than I thought. He was also like that when he peeked at me bathing the first time we met, and he also got a lot of further crimes──」

「I also agree with that. That young man is a deviant.」

Soffice who heard Lisha"s story immediately responded in agreement.

Then, it was Tillfur who tilted her head in confusion.

「Eeeeh? Did you also get something done to you by Lux-chin? Or rather, which grade you are from? Feels like you are a freshman though.」

「……This isn"t the time for this. I"ll go ahead.」

Soffice"s heart skipped a beat and she turned around in panic. Then she advanced through the corridor of girl dormitory with a small run.

In order to put distance for now from Lisha and Tillfur, she headed to the Academy"s school building this time.

–

「Fuu, that was dangerous.」

Soffice was walking in the courtyard while continuing to search inside the Academy ground.

She had come here before at the campus festival, so she remembered the outline of the place in general, but she couldn"t recall the detail.

Above the table that was set up for the standing buffet party, several baked sweets were placed. Soffice who hadn"t eaten very much reflexively reached out her hand.

「……Nn, tasty.」

The taste was delicious for something that students created.

Or perhaps she was just feeling nostalgic because she hadn"t eaten sweet thing for a long time.

Inside the moon, thanks to synthesized meal, she was able to obtain balanced nutrition, but in general she was unable to eat meal that could be called as proper food.

It was to the degree that the meal Airi brought her inside the prison tasted delicious.

「Aaah, wait there. You are eating too much!」

「-……!? That"s, this is──!?」

Soffice who was stuffing herself under her mask became fl.u.s.tered, but it seemed she was misunderstanding.

「I"m not, eating too much……you know?」

The girl who was slightly behind her was eating a heap of piled up sweets.

Donuts, apple pie, crepe, cookie, cake, and so on, a girl with soft and fluffy pink hair was continuing to stuff her mouth silently with various sweets.

If she remembered right, this girl should be also someone close to Lux and a user of Divine Drag-Ride.

Her appearance was lascivious with the rabbit ear hair band and black outfit that was clinging tightly on her skin she was wearing, but it looked cute when coupled with her innocently childish expression.

「Geez Philuffy, don"t just eat, help out here too! Right now there is a talk that an intruder is inside the Academy. It could be that a molester is coming again──」

Soffice"s body stiffened with a twitch hearing the voice that talked to Philuffy.

「On that topic, the girl over there, you are wearing a mask but, don"t tell me……you aren"t a man who came from outside right?」

「I wonder?」

*JIii*, Philuffy"s sleepy looking eyes were directed on Soffice"s mask.

When Soffice tried to divert attention from her while slipping away from the side, she stepped on the fabric of her robe that was dangling until under her feet.

「Ah……!」

Soffice"s body that almost stumbled was lightly supported by a single arm.

And then, her mask was slowly s.h.i.+fted up, and eyes with golden pupil were absentmindedly peering on Soffice"s face.

A brief silence.

Wondering whether this was a fatal damage to her disguise, Soffice resolved herself inside her heart. Even so Philuffy returned her mask back to its original position as though nothing happened and faced the other female students.

「This girl, isn"t a molester.」

「Is that so? Thanks.」

The girls who seemed to be searching for the intruder left with that.

Soffice was openmouthed in amazement under her mask, but then Philuffy"s gaze turned toward the sweets that she was carrying.

「The baked apple, look tasty.」

「Could it be, you want to eat?」

*Nod*, the pink haired girl──nodded wordlessly to Soffice.

When Soffice handed it to her, Philuffy split it into half and gave it back.

「Thank you, ghost-san.」

「You"re welcome, rabbit-san.」

She wondered what was with this situation.

Far from getting captured, was she overlooking her here?

Why wasn"t this girl getting suspicious of her?

「I want to ask for a bit. Do you know Lux Arcadia"s place?」

「Over there but, right now, I cannot go meet Lu-chan from me end.」

The girl was indifferently answering so while eating the baked apple.

「I see.」

「Yes. Lu-chan, is liked by everyone in the Academy after all.」

「Because, now he has a lot of proper friends.」

「Friends……?」

「Yep. I am Lu-chan"s first friend.」

Soffice could perceive just a little bit of soft smile from the expressionless face of Philuffy who muttered that.

『I want friend from the outside world.』

The face of her little sister──Uruk who said that emerged inside Soffice"s mind.

–

「Haah, haah! Is Relie-sa……headmaster here!?」

「My? What"s the matter Airi-chan? Has Lux-kun and Phi got on together I wonder?」

When Airi rushed inside the headmaster office, Relie who was doing her paperwork in her outfit as witch was there.

There were so many things she could make retort at that statement just now, but right now wasn"t the time for that.

「Soffice Xfer"s Sword Device was entrusted to Relie-san right!? She had vanished from the prison underground the Drag-Ride hangar!」

Even Relie understood the situation from the urgent voice of Airi. Her expression immediately turned serious.

「……I see, so she escaped. When did you notice it?」

「Just now! Today I was busy with the party"s preparation, and when I finally went there──. Nii-san is in danger! If we don"t quickly call and hide him……」

「Calm down a little Airi-chan. Is there any trace of intruder from outside? Like the prison being damaged or something.」

「N, no, there is no trace like that. I think that most likely Soffice herself took off the chain.」

「I understand. First, I will try asking the guards around the Academy whether they had seen anyone suspicious, and then can you gather the Triad for now?」

「Wai-, please be serious! If we let her escape, the new kingdom"s future will be──」

「There is that, but it"s useless even if we are panicking. You and Lux-kun should have been resolved with the girl escaping like this too when you two took her under your responsibility.」

Relie"s calm att.i.tude.

It wasn"t because she wasn"t serious. Airi noticed that it was her acting mature in her own way and she fell silent.

Certainly, it was just as Relie said.

Even Lux and Airi had acknowledged that there was high possibility of the girl escaping.

「It"s strange to say this, but the time while there is an event in progress is also accompanied by danger, so the security in the area should be carried out tightly. Drakes with radar are constantly being alert to the surrounding, so even if it is the Dragon Marauder, they won"t be able to easily approach.」

「Then, she is still inside the Academy──?」

「Yes, the rest is just as you predicted I believe. She won"t be able to summon her Vritra without the Sword Device. In other words, she will be trying to ask someone who know the location in order to find it, so it will be Airi-chan who is the likeliest to get targeted.」

「I……see. But, what should I do?」

「Either way, the Sword Device is hidden underground the library, so it won"t be found out for now. That"s why, I recommend Airi-chan to hide here, but if we want to capture Soffice, then there is also another way.」

*Knock knock*.

At that time the door of the headmaster office was knocked.

「Come in. Just in time. If it"s him who is from an allied country, there won"t be any problem, so let"s request him.」

「You are──Coral-san!?」

「Good afternoon Airi-chan. I"ll be in your care again.」

AIri"s eyes snapped open in surprise.

The one who was there dressed in b.u.t.terfly figure was a beautiful girl──or rather, an androgynous young man.

His light green hair wasn"t braided and instead tied up into twintails that drew a curve.

The positioning of his skirt that was doubtfully risqué didn"t look out of place on him at all and looked lovely.

「……Wait, what"s with that appearance!?」

「Sorry. I"ll be happier if you don"t question that too deeply……」

Coral muttered with a conflicted gaze that was looking distant.

When Airi listened briefly about why he was here, Coral came to the new kingdom as Magialca"s subst.i.tute, but because he came at the timing when the costume party was in progress, it seemed he was toyed around by the Triad.

Relie"s thinking was to talk about the situation this time to Coral who was the aide of the Seven Dragon Paladins of Vanheim Princ.i.p.ality that was allied to them, and asked him to be Airi"s guard.

Originally, the matter of Soffice"s capture was a top secret even within the new kingdom, but they couldn"t pay attention to outward appearance in this emergency situation.

Airi hesitated a bit before nodding, then she asked for his cooperation.

「But, in a sense this is convenient. It looks like Coral-chan"s face is known to Soffice, so if you are dressed like usual you will get found out immediately──」

「Err, headmaster……. Even though I look like this I am a man though……?」

After Coral retorted with his face somewhat twitching, they immediately moved into action.

The Triad would be on guard at Lux"s surrounding, while Airi and Coral would search for Soffice without getting near Lux as much as possible.

「I"m sorry to involve you Coral-san into this kind of trouble.」

Airi said that while walking on a corridor. Coral shook his head slightly in respond.

「I don"t mind. Besides, it was you all who first captured Soffice Xfer, so it"s not something that I could personally say anything about.」

Coral said that and smiled with the appearance of female b.u.t.terfly fairy.

From Airi"s view, he wasn"t an androgynous male anymore. He looked completely like a female.

「Besides──I"m also curious about the matter of Soffice Xfer.」

「Is that so? Certainly she is an existence with a lot of mystery but……」

Airi reflexively replied.

The face of Coral that she saw from the side while walking looked the most serious she had seen until now.

「XferKey"s Supervisor……the successor of will of the ancient race. And yet regardless of that, the girl showed no sign of being connected with the Lord at all. I want to know about her circ.u.mstance. Just what happened in her past.」

「And also, there is no more time for this world. Depending on the situation, we will have to deal with her just as ordered. Even if that is unrelated with my original intention──」

「Coral, san?」

Airi tilted her head in puzzlement. Seeing that Coral"s expression let go of his tension.

「Sorry. I"m getting lost in thought. I"ll walk a bit away from you, so Airi-chan, can you pretend to search for Lux-kun just like now?」

His aim was to intentionally made Airi to be alone and defenseless, and when Soffice targeted her, he would subdue her then.

Airi who understood the strategy nodded and separated from Coral.

Coral followed behind her while putting his hand on the second Sword Device hanging on his waist.

「In the worst case that Dragon Marauder also came, just EX Wyvern won"t be enough. I won"t have any choice but to show my Divine Drag-Ride too……」

Coral"s monologue was vaguely mixed with tension.

It gave a hint that this mission for him wasn"t just cooperation to allied country.

「Lux-kun. I──」

That murmur which had uneasy sigh mixed in it wasn"t heard by anyone. He blended among the bustling female students waling in the corridor and vanished.

–

Around the same time.

The seventh Ruin, Moon that was floating in the sky.

Inside a room where there wasn"t any light at all despite the time being midday, voices were exchanged inside the darkness.

The people there were three notorious mercenaries──the division commanders of Dragon Marauder.

The strengthening surgery of Baptism was over and they had just accomplished the contract with their new employer.

No, for the three, they had nothing like true master since the start.

They completely understood that one day they would be dismissed as long as they were mercenary.

However that person was an existence that called be called as the great beginning even among the employers of Dragon Marauder.

「……However, this is astonis.h.i.+ng. For me who had seen the great change of many countries in these several years, I won"t be surprised anymore by most things, but this is…」

The tall man with tanned skin, the Sky Dragon division commander Gatouhan muttered.

Beside him, the woman who dressed like bandit, Drakkhen was observing the surrounding and leaked out a sigh.

「It was really surprising. Well, from what I saw, that girl"s lifespan doesn"t look like it will be that long eh. In that state, it"s more like being unable to die even when killed I guess.」

「Is this fine? If we abort our contract with Soffice Xfer and get on board with her, then even our pride as mercenary will be gone with this won"t it?」

The Earth Dragon division commander, the boy who was still young, Vine pointed that out calmly.

But, the other two commanders only snorted.

「Betrayal……huh, you are really young eh, Vine. We ended up turning into bandits originally was because of a large country"s high-handedness. Is this hards.h.i.+p story too difficult for a young master I wonder?」

For Drakkhen who was usually aloof, her voice was painted with sarcasm.

Vain had also been told since the past about her history of misfortune.

She possessed a rarely-seen talent as Drag-Knight, yet she was shunned by the incompetent commander of her country and got used as sacrificial p.a.w.n along with her subordinates.

At the end she was captured and almost got tortured, but before that happened she was picked up by the previously mentioned employer.

「I know about your story. Besides, even I had also met quite an experience myself. After all even though I look like this, I"m a former royalty who almost got a.s.sa.s.sinated.」

Vein also replied without any change in his tone.

「We don"t have any other place to live at. Even though we managed to escape from our original place, we cannot forgive them. There was no proper path provided to us since the start. Nowhere at all.」

「Yeah. And then, there is also no one else who is giving us help……right? Those guys only need us as disposable troops. Just like my clan that got ma.s.sacred as savage tribe despite being the one who had been living in that land since the past.」

The three fell silent and shared their past to each other.

Their place to belong was stolen from them due to the convenience of the people in authority. While they were Drag-Knights with first cla.s.s talent, they were existences that couldn"t live a proper life.

That was the essence of Dragon Marauder, the fate of the three division commanders.

「That"s why. We will move to the ruling side. Those guys who treated us as trash and used as convenient p.a.w.n, I"ll give them the scare of their life. I"ll beat the fact that this world isn"t theirs into them!」

The yell that was filled with a flood of emotions kept the other two silent.

Right after silence filled the place, Gatouhan gazed at his remaining two comrades once more.

「But, I won"t ask for you two to go along with my revenge too. I"ll leave it to you what you will do when we get cornered. I"ll say this first, if you want to run away then tell me. I don"t want to drag even you two into the power of my Divine Drag-Ride.」

After he said that with a severe tone, the bandit styled woman standing at the side sighed in exasperation.

「This man, what the h.e.l.l you are saying at this late.」

「Yeah, it"s too late already.」

「Even I more or less has a sense of responsibility as someone who is starting up something.」

Gatouhan smiled wryly at the words of Drakkhen and Vine.

「If you are saying that you are taking responsibility, then keep us company until the end of h.e.l.l. Fight till the end without throwing us away or running away.」

「I also feel the same Gatouhan. Even an existence like me who wasn"t wished by anyone wants to perish together with my comrades at the end. When that time come, add me into your strength without reservation.」

「……Then let"s go, gather all our remaining force. From here on, we"re going to fight against the world.」

*Click*, at that moment, light s.h.i.+ned inside the room.

When they stood up, it could be seen that their face had tattoo with strange pattern.

It was the sign of the secret art called Baptism that familiarized the body with Elixir, just like what was done to Yoruka in the past.

『The remaining amount of the energy isn"t rea.s.suring. I"ll be controlling the Moon, so I"m not gonna join the battle this time, you mongrels.』

A voice came toward the three from the ceiling that was made from silver planks.

Their first employer.

And then, an existence that could move the Moon even now when the Xfer and Automata were gone.

「We don"t intend to bother client-dono"s hand. In exchange we want you to keep your promise. At the dawn when you obtain Avalon──」

『I get it. Either way I don"t have time, you guys split the treasure among yourself.』

Light ran on the vast wall surface inside of the Moon at the same time with the person"s voice. Geometrical pattern emerged.

Dull and heavy sound of moving mechanism resounded, and the Ruin began to advance.

『──I won"t be satisfied unless I crush that false prince and that new kingdom bunch with my own hand. As long as I can accomplish that, I don"t give a d.a.m.n to what happen to this world.』

The three s.h.i.+vered slightly at the low voice that was filled with hatred.

Drakkhen muttered with a bit of fear in her.

「Seeing from the side, an avenger is really troublesome eh.」

The Moon was flying above the new kingdom.

In order to strike despair toward the battlefield that hadn"t come into view yet.

–

「Haa, this Academy is too lively as usual desu. It feels like I"ll become a lost child desu. Geez……」

While Soffice was disguising herself as ghost to search her Sword Device inside the Academy, one more intruder was walking inside the Academy at the side.

The Automata with fox ears growing on her head, Re Plica.

Drakes with radar were on guard against the surrounding, but thinking that the security wouldn"t be that suspicious against visitor, Re Plica succeeded in infiltrating from the front gate by disguising herself as a little sister of a student.

She wasn"t carrying Sword Device or horn flute, so she didn"t get find out by Drake, but there was high possibility that she would get exposed if she stayed for long.

The treatment of Baptism toward Dragon Marauder had ended safely.

It might become a battle after this in order to recover Soffice, but in that case her master would become hostage and be put in danger.

Thus, Re Plica came alone here a step ahead to search for Soffice.

「That Soffice, she is really a handful desu……」

For Re Plica who was an Automata, her master"s order was essentially absolute.

After she got ordered to stay in the Moon, she had the duty to obey that.

But, right now she wasn"t doing that.

Due to her, her base personally was gradually tampered with, and she was programmed to have a mental structure of even closer relations.h.i.+p with Soffice.

That was why for her, rather than such promise, she wanted to save Soffice"s life.

It wasn"t just because she was the Ruin"s Gear Leader, it was also her own wish.

「There might be an intruder, is it……. This is only a maybe, but could it be…」

While walking on a corridor, such voice suddenly entered her ear.

A girl with blue hair was looking down outside the window. She was the aide of Ymir Theocracy"s Seven Dragon Paladins, Krulcifer.

"This is bad", thinking that, Re Plica immediately hid her ears and attempted to pa.s.s through beside her.

Krulcifer should have no acquaintance with her appearance like this, but in the slightest chance that she was addressed──.

「Say, you over there.」

「Yes. What is it desu? Ah──!?」

Re Plica noticed her carelessness and pressed her hands on her mouth.

With her nature as a Ruin"s Gear Leader, she would obey an Xfer unconditionally.

「I heard that there is an intruder and thought that could it be, but it looks like you are the real thing if you are unable to go against my words.」

「No, that"s──even so I cannot betray Soffice desu! Because she is also an Xfer!」

Even when she acted rebelliously with a firm tone, she relaxed when her head got patted.

「It"s not like I"m intending to obstruct your work. Recently Lux-kun often come and go from the hangar"s underground, so I was anxious whether he is meeting with someone there, but──with this I somehow understand the reason.」

Yes.

Just because there was a pact among Lisha and others, didn"t mean that they stopped paying attention to Lux.

They thought in their own way and probed if it was possible.

「If, it"s just as I imagined, and Soffice Xfer is here, I wish to cooperate. I might be able to understand a little of the feeling of her who is alone in this world.」

「Will you, become Soffice"s friend desu? For her──」

Re Plica recalled the wish that Soffice"s little sister, Uruk had and muttered.

「That will depend on your master, but I intend to handle it to the best of my ability. In exchange can you tell me? Why does she hate Arcadia family and call them traitor──」

「That"s……」

When Re Plica was about to say something with a hoa.r.s.e voice, the sound of footsteps running quickly on the corridor could be heard.

「Wait, you won"t be able to escape again!」

A figure wearing white robe and mask, and a girl wearing fairy costume chasing after it.

That pursuit which in a glance looked like a scene of a play possessed bloodcurdling seriousness.

「That"s Sir Coral of Vanheim Princ.i.p.ality?」

「The ghost just now is Soffice desu! If I don"t chase her──」

「Yes, let"s hurry.」

Krulcifer nodded and started running inside the Academy together with Re Plica.

Their destination was the back of the Academy, connecting to the direction of the practice ground.

–

「Kuh……. How careless of me, to be caught with simple method like that.」

Soffice who was running to outside the school building felt that she was being cornered.

Coral intentionally didn"t close the distance all at once. He was chasing after her while maintaining a fixed distance that wasn"t too near or too far.

Indoor it was too cramped to summon Drag-Ride, and even if he summoned one he wouldn"t be able to move it satisfactorily.

Thus, he was trying to chase her toward the direction of the practice ground. Soffice could see that.

Most likely he was also being careful in case Dragon Marauder was also sneaking in.

There was no hesitation and opening in Coral Esther"s movement.

「……No, it wasn"t that I got caught in enemy"s trap. It was inevitable from the start.」

In order to escape with her own strength, Soffice had to find Vritra"s Sword Device.

If Airi was walking alone, then she would have no choice but to capture her and questioned the location from her.

Coral splendidly aimed at that.

「Is this, the end?」

Soffice"s arms and legs were starting to tremble.

Even though she should have been resolved to get killed when she declared war to the world, she was overran by fear now when she was facing death in the face.

「──In the end, I was unable to hear even a single bad rumor about that young man.」

Unexpectedly, but escaping and hiding in the Academy, she was able to interact with the girls in the Academy who were close to Airi and Lux, but from them she only heard that those siblings were good people.

「──However, I won"t repeat the same mistake.」

Even the people of the old empire, at first they were valuing her and Uruk highly.

They were courteously treating them as Xfer, the indispensable existence for dealing with Ruin.

But in the past, within the Garden, they tried to rule over the world as dictator.

Uruk was killed when she tried to stop it.

It was trivial.

According to the past history, they should be able to get along well with the descendants of the Lord, but Soffice and Uruk couldn"t become friend with them.

The imperial family of the old empire literally only thought of them as key for opening the treasure warehouse of Ruin.

「As the last remaining Xfer, I must not get betrayed anymore.」

At the route from the Academy that was heading to the practice ground, she headed toward the nearby waiting room.

It was locked, so she circled to the back. But there, a death G.o.d for Soffice had been waiting.

「……That appearance, it suited you more than I thought.」

「I see, then that"s good. After all it means that the surrounding"s perception isn"t mistaken.」

Coral Esther who was already wearing EX Wyvern was looking down on Soffice with a cool gaze.

Soffice was running out of breath from sprinting all the way here. A Sword Device"s tip was pointed to her when she sat down on the ground.

「Please, I want you to change your mind. It"s too dangerous to let you live in this situation.」

「You can kill me. Even though you intentionally pursued me alone, with that intention. Liar.」

Coral couldn"t reply back at what Soffice pointed out.

In other words, it showed that it was just as Soffice said.

「Liar, huh……」

Coral who heard her words shut up for a moment with a gloomy expression.

However the next moment any expression vanished from his face and he lifted up his Blade.

The moment Soffice closed her eyes tightly, a running sound came.

「Don"t! Coral!」

*Claang!* Sharp metallic sound echoed, but there was no pain in Soffice"s body.

When she opened her eyes fearfully, there Lux with Wyvern covering only half his body was blocking the Blade"s attack.

「Lux, kun……?」

The eyes of Coral who was seeing that opened wide in surprise.

On the other hand, Lux who was still wearing a suit was breathing hard.

A high speed Drag-Ride summoning by discarding the chanting.

Lux who noticed the commotion and rushed here midway stopped the attack just barely──.

「──I"m glad, I made it in time.」

「What, do you mean?」

Soffice murmured in a daze. Lux turned toward her and muttered.

「I heard from Krulcifer-san. The Moon"s Automata came here to search for you. Even though there is a risk of her getting captured in the middle, she said that she doesn"t want to respond to negotiation with you still being hostage.」

While talking, Re Plica along with Krulcifer showed up from behind.

There wasn"t any change in her breathing, but she was standing still with a desperate expression.

「I"m sorry desu, Soffice……」

「These people are surely, not bad people desu. I cannot tell you to trust again, not after you lost your little sister desu. But──」

While looking down, even so Re Plica squeezed out her voice.

「I want you to at least have a talk with them with your true opinion desu. Because, that should be what both you and your little sister Uruk wished for all this time desu……」

Soffice fell silent for a while at Re Plica"s pleading.

But, when she saw that not even one of the members of Syvalles who gathered here after noticing the commotion was trying to reach for their weapon, she sighed quietly and threw away the cake knife she was secretly carrying.

At the same time, she took off the white robe she was wearing back to her usual ethnic tribe appearance.

「Understood, I surrender. However, I have no intention to cooperate with you all. I only stop the threat using Moon.」

After hearing that, Lux used a rope for decoration to restrain Soffice"s arms.

It seemed that everyone around also stopped being tense and relieved sigh could be heard.

「To think that the Moon incident would be settled in the middle of this holy night festival party.」

「Yes. It was the correct action to not lose focus.」

「Lisha-sama and also Sharis-senpai, you two aren"t persuasive at all with that appearance y"know?」

Tillfur made fun of the words of the serious two who were dressed as bat and dog. The place"s atmosphere was softened.

「It"s unfortunate. If only I received healing from the 『hibernation pod』, I would be able to be a bit more useful.」

「If you acted, it feels like the matter will be settled quickly in the opposite meaning, so it"s scary though……. Either way, it was great that she wasn"t harmed.」

「Right. Especially missy Krulcifer, you did great noticing the Automata girl.」

The talk of Yoruka who gave a hint of dangerous atmosphere with a smile was followed by Krulcifer and Sharis next.

Krulcifer"s respond to this matter was calm and swift as usual, but it also looked like she was glad inside her heart that she was able to save her brethren.

「Should we, keep watch by turn? Lu-chan seems busy after all.」

「It will be helpful if Philuffy-san can do that for us. After all it"s possible Dragon Marauder or other enemy might come attacking.」

「Yes. Then Lux-san, please return to the party. We will properly set up a place for you to talk with her again.」

After Philuffy made suggestion with an absentminded tone, Airi agreed with it and Noct concluded the talk.

The elites of Syvalles each had strong personality and status, but they were reliably managed with Lux at the center.

After that, Lux allowed himself to presume on everyone"s kindness and returned to the party. During that time Airi explained the course of events until now to Lisha and others.

The matter of Soffice asking Airi to cooperate in order to liberate the Ruin of Garden.

Then how Magialca attempted to obstruct that and laid out a trap. She battled Soffice and brought her down.

The matter of hiding Soffice underground the Drag-Ride hangar and their attempt to have a dialogue with her.

And then now, the escape attempt was foiled, and the duo of the Moon who declared war to the world──Key"s Supervisor Soffice and Automata Re Plica were together here came to light.

After that, Soffice and Re Plica were brought back to the prison underground the hangar, and they would be made to wait until the costume party was over but──.

「Before this, it was intentional wasn"t it?」

Soffice muttered with small volume at Coral who was helping with taking her to the underground prison.

「What do you mean?」

「You didn"t intend to kill me. Even without Lux coming, you would stop just before it hit.」

「……That"s not really true. Even though I planned to stop, but I didn"t know whether I would really able to stop or not. At the very least, if Lux-kun didn"t come, the worst case might occurred.」

「Then, why did you play that farce?」

If he didn"t intend to kill Soffice from the start, then there wasn"t any need to slash at her with Blade.

Coral put his hand on his chin in respond to that question of Soffice and thought for a while before speaking.

「I also don"t really understand. But surely, I"m the same like you.」

「The same, like me?」

「I wanted to see what will Lux-kun do. Perhaps……」

Coral only said that and left quietly from there.

After that, the holy night festival party progressed peacefully without any big trouble.

–

「Today we are able to make really good memories. Then all the students, let"s begin cleaning up.」

The time of dusk that was slightly faster in the midwinter.

After Relie gave her speech from the stage in the courtyard, wave of cheers was spreading out.

Deeply religious students would head to the monastery at Cross Field after this to offer prayer before quietly pa.s.sing the night in the girl dormitory. That was the custom.

Lux also received a lot of present from the female students, but he stored them in the warehouse.

He also received presents from Lisha and others, along with their respective feeling, but due to the urgency of the matter of Soffice, he planned to open them at another time.

「Nii-san. Cleaning up the Academy is also important, but please helps out with here.」

After helping out with several physical works, he was called by Airi.

Lux parted with the female students and changed into his uniform, then he headed toward the bas.e.m.e.nt of the Drag-Ride hangar.

The party had ended safely, but in a sense the fight of the two would enter the main part from here.

Soffice and Re Plica.

The duo of the Ruin who proclaimed war to the world. They had to persuade them after this.

「Even so, are you serious Nii-san?」

Airi was uneasy while preparing for the talk.

Before coming here, she stopped by at the library within Academy"s ground and took something.

Airi was scared to use it for the negotiation material.

「Yes. It can"t be helped……. But, I think she isn"t a bad person. In order to make her understand, I also have to resolve myself. If she wouldn"t respond with this, at that time──」

When Lux said that, he tightly grasped the sheath of his Wyvern"s Sword Device.

He would have to hold back Soffice, a powerful person who was a member of Seven Dragon Paladins by himself.

Hangar bas.e.m.e.nt──when they entered the prison through the hidden pa.s.sage, Soffice was standing there with a rope fastened on her.

She was waiting for Lux and Airi along with Re Plica who was in the same state like her.

「I"m sorry to have made you wait. Then, will you talk? About what the two of you know──」

「……If you give back my Vritra, then I won"t mind talking.」

Seeing Soffice talking brusquely, Lux smiled wryly.

「In this situation, my life is being held in your hand. Like this it"s impossible to talk as equal, am I wrong?」

「You are saying that desu, Soffice……? Even though you were the one who first threatened using Moon……, ouch!?」

While still being tied with rope, Soffice stepped on the foot of the Automata who was retorting from the side.

Soffice took a deep breath, then she faced Lux and Airi with her usual indifferent serious look.

「I"ll say this first, I have no intention to cooperate and hand over the Ruin to you. I just won"t attack the new kingdom, is that fine with you?」

No change in emotion could be sensed from there, but it was enough with just her responding to his talk like this.

「Of course. For now, I want to hear your story. Did something happen in the past between you and the old empire?」

「No, in the first place, are you two living in the same time period with us?」

Airi matched Lux and added further question.

Soffice fell silent for a while seemingly in hesitation, then before long she began to form her words.

「Conversely, there is one thing that we want to ask you first. You two, the descendants of the empire family really don"t know anything? About what the old empire did ten years ago too. And also about the matter of family of traitors.」

「We too wish you will quickly teach us about why you are calling us the family of traitors though. Even though we have no recollection of betraying anything, being called like that continuously is also vexing.」

Airi said that with a bit of dissatisfaction, then Lux continued after her.

「When we were children, we were distanced from the center of government, so we weren"t that knowledgeable about the old empire"s wrongdoing. Especially about the matter with you that seemed to be done in secret, it"s not even remaining in record.」

「Soffice. I think these people aren"t lying desu. They don"t even have any need to do that.」

When Soffice who kept looking at Lux"s eyes was keeping silent, Re Plica beside her prompted her.

「Understood」 saying that as the beginning, Soffice began to talk bit by bit.

About her first half of life since she was awakened in the Moon as an Xfer.

「I woke up inside a hibernation pod in the Moon and pa.s.sed several years inside the Ruin. The way to use Drag-Ride, how to control Abyss, how to use the Moon"s function, I learned those from the Automata Re Plica. It seemed that I was awakened because my state of preservation was getting worse, but other than that it was also for carrying out my most important mission.」

「The mission of Key"s SupervisorXfer──the one who manage the Ruin. Essentially what kind of mission it is?」

Airi asked in the place of Krulcifer who wasn"t here.

Soffice closed her eyes as though recalling it keenly, then she continued her words.

「The Lords, are those who were entrusted with the Ruins. The Key"s Supervisor, is the ancient race that brought about the Ruins. Those people who created the Ruins themselves were the clan of XferKey"s Supervisor of the far ancient era. The clan called Xfer isn"t blessed with many offspring and they were few in number, but they possessed extraordinary talent and knowledge. In addition of that, they also further received special education growing up.」

「But, Soffice didn"t receive that education desu. That"s why despite being an Xfer, she is a bit disappointing like this──ouch ouch ouch-! Wait, stop stepping on my foot from the side with that serious look desu!」

With unchanging serious look, Soffice stepped on Re Plica"s foot with all her might from the side. Lux and Airi smiled wryly.

Their figures interacting with each other despite one being an Automata that should be loaded with pseudo personality seemed like the exchange between real sisters.

「Our talk diverted. However, our clan of Xfer, in contrast with that development of technological strength, our number was decreasing and we were getting cornered. Our clan was persecuted and even our own country treated us hostilely.」

「Did they, do something bad? Why did they meet that kind of experience──」

Airi asked with a dubious expression. Soffice answered indifferently without even a twitch in her expression.

「They didn"t do anything. They only improved their technology and earned money from that. And yet the surrounding nations ganged up and cornered the Xfer. That is what is written in the record.」

Lux imagined that event.

The reason why those girls who were only developing technology got shunned──.

「Could it be, their surrounding was jealous of them?」

*Nod*, Soffice simply nodded wordlessly.

「In short, those people envied their technological strength desu. Both common people and the people in charge attempted to take away their fortune and technology desu. In order to escape from that, Xfer clan moved from place to place. They continued a long, long travel that felt beyond counting, and then finally──the clan encountered people who recognized them desu.」

「Was that the Divine Arcadia Empire……the clan of the Lords?」

Airi muttered seriously. Silence filled inside the prison.

After everyone there once more mutually recognized the history of the two clans that had been together since the ancient time, Soffice resumed the story.

「Arcadia Empire was a really small and weak island country, but as the result of its royalty welcoming the Xfer and supporting them, their might was increasing. They mined meteorite from the nearby sea, took out the raw ore of Mithrildite and Force Core, and began to process it. In this world, that kind of huge meteorite wreckages existed in several places.」

Lux thought that perhaps, the Ruins were places to process those huge meteorites.

「Time flowed further from there. Before they knew it, Arcadia Empire was convinced that they possessed armed might that was unrivaled. They expanded toward the world searching for even better land. At that point of time, several existing Ruins were used as moving fortress.」

「They secured positing at the center of the vast continent, pushed their way through undeveloped lands using Drag-Ride and cultivated those places. With that──the end.」

「Eh……?」

Lux reflexively raised his voice at the sudden end of the story.

Airi was also agitated. She leaned forward with eagerness.

「The end you said──why did the Holy Arcadia Empire get destroyed? Even though they were monopolizing the technology of Ruins…」

「I also don"t know the detail. It might be a top secret matter even between the Lords and the Key"s Supervisor. But, the available record only goes that far. Just, it seems that after that some kind of large revolution occurred. At that time, Arcadia Empire clearly segregated the cla.s.s of the n.o.bles and the citizens. Discrimination occurred. And then what happened to those citizens──」

「Was our ancestor, was it……」

Soffice nodded at Lux"s muttering.

At the same time Lux couldn"t help but felt like he had heard something bad.

The segregation that Arcadia Empire put between the n.o.bles and the citizens, some people then unified the citizens and caused uprising. Those people were called as the 『family of traitors』.

「Nii-san……. Could it be, this is──」

Lux"s thought also concluded the same like Airi"s uneasiness.

He didn"t know the detail except from what he heard from Soffice"s story, but that Hayes who was at Heiburg Republic was having some kind of fixation toward Lux.

And then, from how she was calling him as a false prince, there was a high possibility that she had extraordinary relations.h.i.+p with the ancestor of Lux and Airi.

There was a possibility that a revolution occurred with Arcadia Empire due to the people"s uprising.

「During that time, we the survivor of Xfer went to sleep for a long time before waking up.」

While Lux and Airi were imagining about their origin, Soffice was slowly continuing her story.

「Ten years ago, I encountered with the imperial family of Old Empire Arcadia that was also the relatives of you two. My little sister was looking for friend. Most likely, the mission of Xfer that had been reduced to few remaining number is to protect the Ruins, and to increase our number again. For that reason, my little sister wished for interaction with other people. She wished for people who will understand and accept us.」

Lux who was treated coldly even while being an imperial family member understood well that feeling.

The lonely environment where one couldn"t obtain other people"s understanding despite being in a special position.

He was happy right now being surrounded by everyone in the Academy, but that was exactly why that period where he was starving for such thing felt even stronger.

「However, there a fatal breakdown in relations.h.i.+p occurred wasn"t it? The bones of a girl at that Garden, could that be……」

Airi recalled the happening of the other day while muttering.

When they headed to the Ruin Garden to hide the Grand Force by the new kingdom"s order, they found human bones with broken skeleton buried under the ground.

「Those guys of Old Empire Arcadia, they used us to unlock the seal of the Ruin and planned to make the world their own. My little sister who noticed that rejected it──she got killed and I was also injured seriously. I slept inside the hibernation pod in order to hide myself while applying the remodeling called Baptism to my body, changing the color of my skin and hair. After that, I was merely acting in accordance with my mission. I won"t hand over Avalon to the villains that will destroy this world. The family of traitors too, none of them can be trusted. Believing that……」

It seemed the story was over with that. Silence visited inside the prison.

Soffice woke up inside the Moon as a survivor of the Xfer.

She tried to search for comrade who would recognize them due to her little sister"s wish.

She met the old empire"s betrayal and lost her little sister. Now she tried to protect Avalon by herself.

「Nii-san. What are you going to do? With the two of them here, most likely there is n.o.body who can move the Ruin.」

Lux silently nodded at Airi"s words.

「Perhaps so. I don"t know what will happen if the Lords interfered, but I think that also won"t happen. If they can easily discover Moon, then they should have done so since a long time ago.」

「If you"re going to kill me then do as you like. I too did everything with the resolve to die. Either way it"s impossible that the world alliance will pardon me.」

Soffice talked indifferently with an expressionless look, however Lux shook his head slightly.

「Can I, ask you to promise one thing? After this I"ll go to consult Captain Magialca after the holy night festival is over. If with that I"m able to guarantee your life, will you cooperate then?」

Soffice"s eyes that were tinged with emptiness snapped open in surprise.

「You will help desu!?」

Re Plica who had even more abundant emotion than human raised her voice. Seeing that Airi was fl.u.s.tered.

「Wait a second Nii-san! Please don"t say anything absurd. Even if it"s Nii-san that"s impossible. That kind of promise without due consideration──」

「That"s obviously impossible. If you are going to lie, then you should make up something more believable.」

Soffice was similarly acting negative, but Lux a.s.serted without any hesitation.

「That"s why I also cannot say anything certain. However, that"s the only option that has possibility. Either way it"s most important that the Ruin move with the power of you two. There is also the matter of Ragnarok. With that, it might also be possible to curry favor with the world alliance and write off the crime of the war declaration.」

「What does Nii-san, mean?」

Airi tilted her head in puzzlement. Lux took a deep breath and answered.

「In order to take out the remaining Grand Forces, we have to defeat two Ragnarok no matter what. However, originally the damage to do that will be impossible to predict.」

It felt like normal Drag-Knights would be completely useless against them, and even if users of Divine Drag-Ride were gathered, if they made even the slightest mistake than there was a risk of total annihilation.

「But, if you two are able to annihilate Ragnarok, it will be possible to eliminate almost the whole burden for all the countries.」

「Giving an order to the two Ragnarok to defeat each other……that"s what Nii-san mean. Certainly, if that can be done, then the world alliance might be convinced too. And then, if the Abysses in the abandoned capital of Marcafal Kingdom can also be eliminated without problem like that──」

「We will be able to reach Avalon in the remaining two months time. What do you think?」

Soffice was silently listening to Lux"s suggestion for a while, but before long she opened her mouth with a murmur.

「Didn"t you listen to what I first said? I have no intention to trust anyone else anymore. As a survivor of Xfer, I must not fail. Even so, if you at least would spare my life, I would talk about the facts that I know. I have fulfilled that with this.」

She gazed at Lux with an indifferent gaze that showed no emotion.

If Soffice was executed like this, in the end Avalon would fall into someone else"s hand. She should know that, even so it seemed that she was unable to cooperate even then.

After a moment of pause, Lux silently took a breath.

「I got it. But, before the holy night festival is over, I"ll come again to persuade you. Before that I"ll get an agreement from Lady Magialca.」

「……No matter how many times you come, it will be the same.」

「Even so, I won"t give up.」

Lux smiled at Soffice who was somewhat perplexed.

「I don"t know what should I do to make you trust me, but I"ll try to do what I can do. After all, that"s the only thing I can do.」

「Why──are you struggling that much desu? Shouldn"t you ignore the like of us already and quickly go to search for the Ruin desu?」

In the place of the silent Soffice, Re Plica asked Lux.

In respond, the little sister who knew her big brother really well also answered in his place.

「That"s because Nii-san is like this. He is really a difficult person. He is always giving me troubles.」

「……Wait, Airi!?」

「But, if he isn"t like this, he wouldn"t try to change the old empire or anything. Whether it was polis.h.i.+ng his skill with Drag-Ride, or advising the emperor at that time, and even destroying the old empire──. Even if it was a path that was nearly impossible, Nii-san didn"t give up in creating a place for us to belong.」

Lux who received Soffice"s gaze thought for a while before telling her.

「Fugil of the Lords told me. I who was ostracized by both the imperial family and the people merely tried to become loved by anyone. He said that I have no caliber as king with resolve to abandon or kill anyone.」

Philuffy taught him the answer of that.

His admiration toward the act of the girl who saved him from isolation even without any authority or strength.

Lux believed that was to be his benchmark in saving the country.

「What my elder brother said might not be wrong. Perhaps the truth is that I merely wanted to escape from the environment where everyone hates me. Even so right now there are a lot of comrades who I can trust around me. That"s why, I can keep fighting from now on too. Even if it might be mistaken, I can continue to reach out my hand toward someone else.」

「Thank you for not harming anyone in the Academy and Airi. I"ll come again later to persuade you.」

「Excuse us.」

Lux finished speaking with that and left. Airi also followed after him.

And then, silence visited the underground prison at the end of the hidden pa.s.sage.

–

「Soffice, what will we do from now desu?」

One supervisor, and one Automata.

Re Plica asked her master inside the prison underground the hangar where there were only the two of them.

「……What about?」

Soffice didn"t move at the slightest with both her arms in shackle.

There was no emotion at all in her expression. It even looked like she was wearing mask.

「Those people, aren"t bad people desu.」

「I heard that before.」

「The people of Syvalles, all of them are good natured people.」

「I know. I met several people while here, I talked to them.」

Soffice replied indifferently.

Even so there was no emotion mixed at all in her voice.

「How about trying to trust one more time desu? Soffice was always alone all this time desu! You were betrayed by the imperial family of old empire, lost your little sister, even so in order to fulfill your mission as Key"s Supervisor, you stifled down just about all your emotion desu.」

「My mission is already over. I"ve done everything that I can. After this, the only opposition that I can do, is to not hand over Avalon to the enemy so easily.」

「You lie desu! Even though the truth is──you want comrade more than anyone! You are only running away because you are scared to get hurt desu!」

「……Uruk, my little sister died for the sake of Key"s Supervisor"s mission. She persisted on her wish for peace and died. If I got tricked here because I want comrade, she would have died for nothing.」

「Soffice……」

「This is fine, Re Plica. It"s not like I"m cursing my fate. Just──, those siblings are really interesting. They were like us in the past, it"s nostalgic.」

The always expressionless Soffice showed a faint emotion.

Re Plica was about to say something in respond to that, but in that moment a sound resounded inside the prison.

*GAN GAN GAN GAN-!*

High pitched bell sound was ringing repeatedly with terrific speed.

Even Soffice who was ignorant of the new kingdom"s regulation immediately noticed the meaning of that bell sound.

「Abyss attack? This late at night?」

「No, the way they ring the bell isn"t normal desu. Don"t tell me, this is──」

Right after Re Plica muttered that nervously, a magnified voice due to Drake"s function could be heard.

『Emergency! Students are to gather toward the hangar right away! It"s emergency situation! The silhouette of Moon and a large swarm of Abyss appeared inside the Academy ground! Uguh, a……!』

The voice was cut off at the middle. The scream of a man who seemed to be a guard Drag-Knight drowned it over.

The content of those words that were hard to believe made Soffice and Re Plica exchanged gaze.

「What, does this mean? Did you, move the Moon?」

「I moved it a bit but, I didn"t let out any Abyss desu! Or rather, how did the Moon come until the Academy even though the Key"s Supervisor and the Gear Leader me aren"t there desu!?」

「I don"t know……. Even if Krulcifer discovered Moon"s location, she shouldn"t know how to operate it. If there is anyone who know that much……」

「It"s also possible this is just a diversion you know desu? Like the Dragon Marauder releasing faulty information to save us──」

At that time when they were starting to discuss various possibilities, there was sound coming from outside the prison.

「……That"s also an interesting method but, unfortunately this time it"s different.」

The door was opened with creaking sound along with a joking smile.

「We came to save you incompetent supervisor-sama. My bad but, our contract with you ends here. From here on we will obey the instruction of our first employer.」(Drakkhen)

There, three Dragon Marauders were standing while carrying Airi who lost consciousness.

In addition even further behind them, a girl wearing black robe and clad with ominous aura was standing.

The curtain of a frenzied stage was raised at the end of the tranquil holy night festival.