Episode 5 – Weakest Versus StrongestPart 1The fourth day of the campus selection battle pa.s.sed safely, and then today, the final day finally arrived.
「Good morning ladies and gentlemen. With today it’s the last day of the campus selection battle. Pay attention so no serious injuries will result. Everyone, put forth every effort.」
Inside the cla.s.sroom in the early morning, Instructor Raigree concluded the talk shortly like usual and ended the cla.s.s.
The moment the instructor exited and the tension inside the cla.s.sroom relaxed, Lisha stood on the podium in the front.
「My dear compatriots, you have done well fighting hard yesterday. The number of victories and defeats and the score until yesterday has been posted, but I will announce it here right and now once more!」
*ban* Lisha spread out a large poster and raised her voice loudly.
If a first or second year student won against a third year students, it would be three points per win.
If a third year student won against a first or a second year student, it would be two points for them.
Until present, with the pair battles and individual battles combined, a total of 127 battles were carried out. The point were 126 points for Lux’s side, while Celis’s side had 134 points, the difference was closer compared to yesterday.
「What’s left is only to overturn the situation! Everyone, put your spirit into it!」
After Lisha gave that encouragement, ‘WAAAH’ cheers filled the inside of the cla.s.sroom.
「I wonder why she became something like the leader.」
Krulcifer made her usual cool smile while saying that smoothly.
「At any rate, everything will be decided with the battle today! Oi, Aingram’s airhead girl! You are confident right!?」
「Yes. I’m fine.」
When Philuffy was called by Lisha, she nodded with her own usual pace, however there was no hesitation in it.
「Don’t force yourself too much okay, Philuffy.」
Lux said that to the childhood friend sitting on the seat beside him.
In the battle between fellow Syvalles members, the direct confrontation against Celis became extremely important.
Thus it was a battle they couldn’t afford to lose, but as expected, there was also a worrying aspect.
Of course, Philuffy was also a user of a Divine Drag-Ride, there was no doubt that inside the Academy──no, even inside the country she was one of the prominent powerful people.
But, even bearing that in mind, as expected Celis was strong to an unusual degree.
He didn’t want Philuffy to act recklessly when it became a fierce close combat, which might cause her to get hurt or anything.
(Philuffy is really stubborn after all……)
Normally she looked absentminded, so she was liable to get misunderstood, but since their childhood, she had the nature of not yielding what she had decided on at any expense.
Lux was happy that she was strongly showing such side for Lux, but on the other hand he was also worried.
「Yep. I’ll be fine.」
Philuffy showed a faint smile and replied immediately.
「Let’s do our best. Lu-chan.」
She just replied like that, but Lux could only smile wryly to that.
(As I thought, she isn’t planning to back down……)
Philuffy was quite seriously planning to win the match.
However, Lux was also the one who was wis.h.i.+ng for this battle.
In that case, his only choice was to put his best into it.
「Then, let’s go soon?」
「……Yes.」
Lux nodded to Philuffy’s voice and they exited the cla.s.sroom together.
After having a short briefing session for the campus selection battle in an empty cla.s.sroom, they walked towards the practice grounds.
–
During that time, for some reason Lux spoke out a question that he wasn’t even pondering.
「Hey, Phi-chan.」
「What, Lu-chan?」
The vacant eyes of the girl walking beside Lux reflected his face.
Asked back like that, even he himself felt doubt why he would ask something like that.
「It’s, you see……. In the past, Phi-chan. Was there something? Like you were seriously sick, or injured, something like that──」
「…………. I don’t, remember anything like that.」
After Philuffy tilted her head and said that, Lux thought that as expected, it was just his imagination.
「I see, nope. It’s nothing. Don’t mind it.」
Lux said that and smiled wryly.
「But, I remember a bit……five years ago.」
「……Eh?」
「Lu-chan. You came, to save me you know?」
「…………」
Philuffy made a faint cheerful smile.
The smile of his childhood friend which normally would relieve him, for some reason caused Lux to feel a strange shudder.
(Five years, ago……? If I remember right, the last time I parted with Philuffy……)
「Uu……!」
*Throb*, a sharp pain reverberated in Lux’s head.
Some kind of baffling scene that looked like a dark underground room flickered at the back of his mind.
It was at that moment,
‘Waaah’, such cheers could be heard from the direction of the practice grounds.
「Let’s go, Lu-chan.」
「Ye, yep……. Let’s hurry, it’s our turn.」
Lux and Philuffy ran and arrived at the practice ground.
Part 2About a few hours before the battle against Celis began.
A large force of Drag-Knights was gathering at the sky in the vicinity of Lidneth seash.o.r.e, a remote region of the Heiburg Republic.
Their affiliation was shown by the crest of the New Kingdom that was engraved on a part of their armor.
A man of High Cla.s.s that was called as an elite in the present New Kingdom was looking down below with a trembling voice.
「It’s still not moving……. Was something this big really alive in the past?」
The Ruin’s biggest monster that was concealed by the Old Empire and secretly unleashed──RagnarokDivine Beast of Demise.
The legendary cla.s.s monster that was only known through record was being looked down by nearly three hundred male military officers with expressions that were tinged with tension.
That Abyss that boasted a gigantic body that could be mistaken as a small island looked as though it was fused with the surrounding rocky area. A face with a fiendish expression peeked out from the ocean.
Only Drag-Knights with Wyverns that could fly approached until over its head, but a mixed force of Wyrms and Drakes was standing by at the nearby pier and island.
A third of the Drag-Ride forces that was possessed by the current New Kingdom’s military was invested into the mission this time. It wasn’t just for investigation and monitoring, but also included the calculation of launching attacks at the same time.
When the time came, they would fight a battle against the resurrected Ragnarok. They would lure the enemy away from the townscape and the pier while bringing the fight to an unpopulated island that had traps laid out on it. Even such possibility was considered.
But──
「Why? In the letter brought by the envoy from the Heiburg Republic the other day, it said that even now there is no sign of it starting to move……」
The man who was the captain frowned towards the sight before him.
Just three days ago, they were requested 『We want to look at the situation』. Because of that, he was leading a large force like this and came here, but the monster before his eyes was like a gigantic statue. Just like its appearance suggested, it didn’t show any signs of moving at all.
No, on the contrary──.
「Captain. What should we do? Even if we continue observing it like this, if it’s not going to move immediately, it will be necessary to arrange logistics nearby──」
A Drag-Knight officer who served as vice captain gave that counsel.
「I guess……. It’s also fine if we end this operation without anything happening like this, but I want a positive proof. For now──have several Wyverns approach to look at the situation, and then use Drakes to observe its internal state!」
After hesitating slightly, such decision was made.
Was it dead, or sleeping, or perhaps gathering strength?
In order to judge the battle situation, they would only keep getting scared against the threat without taking action.
『Ordering all hands! From here on several names from the Wyvern force will carry out an investigation. The main force is too keep vigilant. All members ready your Cannons! The target spot is the head part coming out from the sea surface. Begin bombardment if the enemy’s movement is confirmed! The force at the pier and the force on the small island, don’t let your guard down! Here we go!』
The captain readied his Cannon while communicating that using Dragon Voice to the whole army at the same time.
「…………」
The whole army held their breaths nervously. Then when several Drag-Knights flew away heading towards the Ragnarok──
……*pis.h.i.+-!*
Between the sounds of the waves, a strange sound of cracking could be heard.
Part 3「Well then, the campus selection battle’s mock battle of group A’s first pair, versus group B’s second pair will begin!」
The fifth match in the practice ground today was enveloped with intense enthusiasm and excitement.
Even the students of all years who had been fighting to the bitter end until this point understood that this battle would be a big turning point.
Thus, the practice ground was also filled to the brim with quiet tension.
「Forgive me, Lux-kun. Personally, I really wish to support you but──. With my position, this time I’ll side with Celis.」
Perhaps because Saniya was defeated by Lux in the individual battle, today Celis’s pair was Sharis of the Triad.
「I don’t mind you know, Sharis. Because even if you become his ally, the result won’t change at all.」
Celis muttered with her usual aloof expression.
It was similar to her usual aura that overwhelmed other people, but,
「On the outside she is an Ojou-samayoung lady that can only make this kind of face, but actually she also has a cute side. My bad, but I’ll go all out. If it’s you, well, it won’t be any problem, right?」
「Thank you very much, Sharis-senpai.」
Lux returned a nod to Sharis’s smile.
Surely Sharis was being considerate to Celis who had to shoulder the Academy’s burden.
But, at the same time she also believed that Lux would be able to smash through this adversity.
That was why, Lux thought that he couldn’t lose.
(I have to win, then expose my true ident.i.ty to Celis-senpai and apologize. And then──have her allow me to accompany her in the Ragnarok’s subjugation.)
「……Please do as you like. I will just accomplish my duty.」
Celis said that as though she wasn’t bothered at all.
It seemed that the petrified Ragnarok at the open sea that was about to be released had the momentum of its fetal movement strengthening in these few days. Judging from the observation result until now, it might be resurrected within a month──or perhaps it could be faster and resurrect within few days and then it would start moving.
Thus, there was no time.
In order to prevent Celis from exterminating the Ragnarok alone, and also to bring victory in the international tournament after that.
The battle that put the fate of this country at stake was already starting.
「Well then, unsheathe each of your Sword Devices and connect with your Drag-Rides.」
Following the instruction of Raigree who was the referee, the four wore their Drag-Rides.
「You have resolved yourself haven’t you, Lux Arcadia.」
Celis wearing her Lindwurm quietly asked.
Even if her opponent was the general purpose Drag-Ride Wyvern, she intended to attack with all her strength.
Lux nodded in response and lightly took his usual stance with the large Blade that Lisha modified.
「I’m all right. Because I won’t run.」
「…………」
His gaze crossed with the girl who was the Academy’s strongest.
Just for an instant, the spectator seats fell silent like a calm lake surface, at that moment──
–
「Battle, Start!」
–
The battle began at the same time with Instructor Raigree’s voice.
Lux booted up the propulsion device of the Wyvern and swiftly flew backward.
In order to perform the defense that destroyed the enemy’s weapon──Critical Hit, he had to measure the attack timing of Celis.
Celis also similarly flew above, then while Sharis was readying her Breath Gun to lay out a barrage, it was only Philuffy in her Typhon who was showing an unexpected movement.
「Pile Anchor.」
She thrust her huge right arm and rust colored wire shot out from the upper arm.
*Doun-!*
The metal stakes that were fired out at fierce speeds like a bullet opened up vertically like a snake’s jaw and a.s.saulted Sharis’s Wyvern.
「……Kuh!? ──Whoops, dangerous dangerous. Philuffy missy is scary huh, acting suddenly like that.」
Sharis escaped to the sky to dodge the preemptive strike that was fired almost horizontally and she sighed in relief.
By escaping to the air, although there was the difference in specs, it would make it hard for the land battle type Typhon to land its attacks. At the very least, she shouldn’t get done in one-sidedly so soon.
「Ei」
But, Philuffy muttered right after that. In that moment, *meki meki* a strange sound of destruction could be heard in the practice ground.
「Wha-……!?」
When Sharis noticed the true ident.i.ty of that sound, not only her, even the students in the spectator seats were dumbfounded.
The tip of Typhon’s armament, Pile Anchor bit off the wall surface behind Sharis and grasped a huge ma.s.s of rubble.
While the wire was pulled back with a speed that wasn’t bothered by its weight, Typhon turned around in half rotation and aimed at the Lindwurm midair.
The wire that had a ma.s.s of rubble attached on its end was turned into a weapon like a giant flail, which was swung in an arc!
「…………!」
Lindwurm’s Divine Raiment──Divine Gate was already spreading its s.p.a.ce. Celis activated instant teleportation in a flash and evaded that attack.
But,
The surprise attack was dodged. The instant Lux made that judgment, the impact sound of a heavy metal burst out.
Right after that, Lindwurm that Celis wore was sent flying at high speed to behind Philuffy and crashed on the wall.
「Celis!」
「Philuffy!」
From the sky, Sharis and Lux called out to their respective partners.
After a gap of a few seconds, Lux comprehended the offense and defense between the two.
Celis teleported to behind Philuffy. At that moment, Typhon visited a powerful kick to the back.
It was a kicking technique of a Drag-Ride that couldn’t be unleashed without possessing absolute sense of balance.
Furthermore, if the prediction that Celis was circling to her back was mistaken, the timing of the attack would be off.
A cloud of dust enveloped the surroundings of the wall surface Celis crashed onto. A commotion wrapped the spectator seats.
(Philuffy…… She is really strong!)
He had understood just from watching her fight once previously, but this time her movement was even more terrifying.
She deliberately made the Pile Anchor’s first attack to miss, made it bite off the wall surface at the back, created an improvised flail and gave a pursuing attack towards Celis. It was an amazing inventiveness.
And then, estimating that Celis would dodge and circle behind her at the same time, she visited a kick to the back that originally shouldn’t be reachable by any attack.
While the true strength and ability of the serious Philuffy caused Lux to be at lost for words,
「──Lu-chan. Be careful. Right now, I cannot move……」
Philuffy raised a voice that was mixed with faint agony. Right after that, Lux quickly swung his Blade.
*Giin!*, sparks burst before his eyes and intense electricity ran through Wyvern.
「Guh……!」
Even while grimacing from that pain that was transmitted to him through the Drag-Ride, Lux somehow pushed back the opponent’s attack and took some distance.
Celis who teleported in front of Lux using Divine Gate unleashed an attack using Lightning Lance.
The muscles in his whole body were paralyzed from the powerful electric shock and the control system of Wyvern was also degrading.
Most likely Philuffy also got hit by this thunderbolt in the defense and offense just now.
Even if it ended up as simultaneous strikes to one another, if the special armament, the lance could hit, the opponent’s movement could be sealed.
He had already antic.i.p.ated it but, as expected it was a fairly troublesome ability.
Thinking normally, it was something at the level that nothing could be done about it.
「Honestly, it’s just a little bit unexpected.」
Celis spoke with a serious face while floating still in the air.
Lux’s Wyvern and Philuffy’s Typhon were still under the effects of the electric shock, they couldn’t move satisfactorily.
Thus, it was convenient for Celis to spare time for a conversation, but the words that they came to hear were unexpected.
「I was thinking that it would be fine to hold back a bit more than the match against those girls four days ago.」
「……!?」
Even in the match four days ago, at the battle against Lisha and Krulcifer, Celis was fighting with composure to spare.
The corners of Celis’s lips bent into an arc along with that declaration.
That smile of an absolute ruler.
Celis showed a face that she created as someone from the Four Great n.o.bles.
「Can I ask you to surrender first at this point?」
And then after a temporary pause, she said such thing to them.
「I don’t want to get serious and cause needless injury for more than this.」
Those words weren’t a threat, but her true feelings without any exaggeration.
Those words came exactly because she judged that she would be forced to get serious with her all with Lux and Philuffy as her opponents.
「Oi Celis, making pointless talk in the middle of a fight is──」
Sharis beside her gave a warning, but Celis didn’t avert her eyes from Lux and Philuffy below.
「I have an obligation to protect this Academy.」
She pointed and thrust the tip of the lance before the two and then the strongest girl declared,
「By any chance you might be different, but in this country there are still men who are persecuting weak women. I have to fight as those girls’ sword and s.h.i.+eld.」
And then, Celis continued with a serious voice that was laced with faint tension.
「I will announce my judgment. I still cannot recognize an exception like you. There is no way I can ask for cooperation from a male. I will subjugate the Ragnarok alone. If you say that you cannot accept it, please continue to fight. I will teach you that I am able to do that.」
Her words were most likely genuine.
She was without a doubt a strong person, and it was also clear to see that she was really trying to protect the Academy and the students.
Perhaps it would be fine if he left it to Celis.
But──.
「I will remain in this Academy.」
Lux answered without showing any hesitation or discomposure.
Exactly because he knew Celis’s true feelings that he couldn’t possibly accept it.
Above all else, Lux also had the same feeling of wanting to protect everyone in this Academy.
「This isn’t for the sake of anyone else, but for myself. That’s why──I won’t give up.」
After Lux proclaimed that with a strong gaze, Celis took a deep breath.
She turned a gaze that was slightly tinged with hesitation towards Lux and declared.
「──Then, here I come.」
Part 4On the other side of the match that was reaching the climax──a shadow was moving secretly.
In the empty library that was closed up without even a librarian inside at the present time.
The one who was at the deepest pa.s.sage lined up with bookshelves was the girl called Saniya Lemiste.
This girl who originally should be watching the fight of Celis, who she went so far as to idolize as an elder sister, told everyone around her that she would be resting inside her own room right now with the excuse of recuperating.
Her braided hair shook slightly while she was putting the key in her hand into the keyhole of the door in front of her. She then twisted.
*Click* Such sound resounded and the lock opened. Then Saniya chuckled.
「Fufu, it gave me a hard time but, with this, finally──」
「You will be able to search the off limits place──is that it? Saniya-senpai.」
「……!?」
Saniya turned around towards the sudden voice. There three girls were standing.
Lux’s little sister, Airi Arcadia. On both her sides were Tillfur and Noct of the Triad.
「……What is your business? Aren’t you going to watch your big brother’s battle, Airi-chan?」
「Yes. Airi too greatly wanted to do that, but she came here because of your fault. Please take responsibility.」
「That’s right. When Airi-chan is explaining Lux-chi’s fight, her spirit is really different you seee.」
「……Well, putting aside that kind of inconsequential thing.」
Airi straightened her back while her cheeks were reddening slightly.
And then, she cleared her throat *cough* and directed a serious gaze at Saniya.
「I want to know one thing. What are you looking for? Senior of Syvalles──. No, Heiburg Republic’s spy-san.」
「…………」
Saniya’s eyes turned round hearing those words that were said casually.
「Haa…… no matter how antagonistic I am to your big brother, but to call me a spy of another country is just──. I am really hated here. It hurt.」
「It seems that you enrolled into this Academy two years ago, as a daughter of a n.o.ble living in a remote region, but it appears that you are an adopted child in the Lemiste House isn’t it? It was hard to obtain proof with just that and until now we didn’t find out, but recently, you finally showed a large movement.」
「…………」
Saniya responded calmly. In response, Airi pushed out a bundle of slightly dirty papers.
They were letters addressed to Heiburg, written by Saniya with the internal conditions of the Academy.
「We already reported this to the headmaster and the government office too. If you don’t want to say what you are scheming, then please receive interrogation slowly by all means in the prison of the royal capital.」
Airi calmly a.s.serted and cast her eyes down.
Then, Saniya leaked out a small bitter smile and stood up.
「Are you planning, to capture me?」
「Yes. Please don’t move from that spot. In any case, you don’t have any more chances of victory.」
「Right right. We had already called everyone else in Syvalles before this too.」
Noct and Tillfur stood in front of Airi and pulled out their Sword Device altogether.
But, even after being told the fact that she along with the library had been surrounded, Saniya wasn’t agitated at all.
「Hmph……. I’m impressed that you all can be a bit clever but──looks like you are miscalculating.」
Saniya made a fearless smile while untying her braided hair.
And then she narrowed her eyes slightly and emitted a fierce aura that was completely different from her usual intellectual impression.
Her long hair spread out roughly. Her eyes glinted sharply.
Saniya grinned while sending a ferocious hostility that gave the impression of a hungry carnivore.
「To show my respect to you three who saw through me, I’ll teach you what I was planning. My mission is to ma.s.sacre all of you. To destroy the combat force of the New Kingdom──right here!」
And then, Saniya pulled out her Sword Device.
「……Come, the winged dragon of crest, the symbol of power. Obey my sword and soar, Wyvern.」
「-……!?」
A moment later, Noct and Tillfur also summoned their respective Drag-Rides and wore armor on their bodies.
Saniya was emitting a terrible killing intent, but the Drag-Ride she was using was a general purpose Drag-Ride, Wyvern.
If the members of Syvalles came to reinforce the two, she wasn’t an opponent that they couldn’t beat.
When the three thought like that──
–
iIiiiiIiII……!
–
「……This sound is──!?」
Suddenly, a dissonant sound could be heard from somewhere. Airi plugged her ears reflexively.
A flute’s sound.
A sound that was teeming with an evil omen of destruction──from the horn flute that called the Abyss.
But, there was no Abyss that appeared in that place. In exchange Saniya’s summoned Wyvern suddenly accomplished a bizarre transformation.
*Snap*, something like dark red blood vessels crawled on its surface, the armor creaked as though it was screaming, and the Force Core was tinged with an ominous radiance.
The Drag-Ride that should be made from inorganic substance was wriggling──like a living thing.
「What’s, this……? Is that really a Drag-Ride!?」
「Unknown! What in the world, is──!?」
Tillfur and Noct faltered. Behind them, Airi was backing away.
「Now! Let’s end this idiotic selection battle and start a real war! You bunch of sheltered n.o.bles!」
Saniya’s eyes snapped widely open, and right after that the strange-looking frame activated.
Part 5The wall and ground were gouged violently, clouds of dust and white smoke were hanging over the practice ground here and there.
In the practice ground that welcomed the decisive battle of Lux and Celis, a never seen before fierce battle was developing.
「Biting FlareDragon Bite Explosive Blaze」
The right arm of Typhon that Philuffy was wearing was tinged with light and shook the surrounding air.
It was Typhon’s other special armament that sent energy directly into the caught object and blew it up.
That attack, which wouldn’t let Celis get away unscathe if she was. .h.i.t with it directly, caused explosions that looked like eruptions from the piece of the ground that Philuffy seized from the practice grounds.
Clouds of dust and soil rolled up from the explosion’s impact, and at the same time Typhon’s shoulders, arms, and back fired out countless Pile Anchors. Inside the smoke where one’s sight was limited such that they should be unable to see even an inch ahead, Celis deflected all the Pile Anchors with accurate lance handling.
But, Philuffy also closed the distance by kicking on the ground and visited a fist using Typhon’s powerful arm on Celis.
Her frame’s joints twisted and a sure kill barrage of fists was unleashed at high speed. Celis dodged or evaded by running to the sky. Typhon chased her using its terrifying leaping power and unleashed a spinning kick after a feinted straight punch.
Furthermore she fired multiple Pile Anchors to the ground. They pulled on Typhon like rope with a claw attached, changing its...o...b..t midair and evaded Lindwurm’s counterattack.
Typhon landed down on the practice ground at high speed, shook off the opponent’s aim with circling trajectory, dashed to beneath Celis, fired countless Pile Anchors once more, and sniped at Lindwurm.
Philuffy casually caught the three Daggers that were thrown from the air as counterattack, she then turned around her body from side to side and threw them back several times faster. Celis who predicted that circled to Typhoon’s back instantly using Divine Gate. This time she took distance to be able to dodge Philuffy’s kick and unleashed a thrust that was laced with electricity. But, Philuffy too seemed to know it. She jumped forward to dodge, twisted her body and faced towards Celis, then midair she fired several more Pile Anchors.
Celis slipped through that attack that aimed to hold her back and seize her, and pursued with a lance attack.
Philuffy seemed to perceive reflexively that she couldn’t dodge it. She met Celis with her fastest forward charge.
Fist and lance’s tip collided, and intense sparks and impact burst out.
Such offense and defense that was like raging waves were deployed without even a breathing gap.
Even the female students at the spectator seats who were cheering them on loudly at first were watching the fight while holding their breath before they knew it.
「Celis. Sorry but I leave the rest to you. I’ll be at my limit soon.」
A few minutes later, Sharis who came down on the ground sheathed her Sword Device and declared her own defeat.
All her weapons were already destroyed, and even her Wyvern’s armor had deep gashes on it.
Her state was because she launched attacks at Lux several times even knowing that she would receive counters by Lux’s Critical Hit, in order to pull his attention to her, but she was literally reaching her limit.
「I understand. Please withdraw quickly. You are too reckless.」
「I see. Then, do your best, okay? I’ll leave it to you.」
Sharis leaked out a wry smile and headed to the door that connected to outside the ring in a jog. It was then,
「You fought in a way that doesn’t put shame on your status as my partner, Sharis.」
Such words of grat.i.tude were softly said to her.
「Haa, haa……. Haaa. tsu──」
Right after Sharis exited the ring, Typhon’s armor that Philuffy was wearing was also losing light and it was automatically dispelled.
It was because the exhaustion of the user reached the limit, but thinking how it was used continuously at full output, even though using a Divine Drag-Ride already consumed energy intensely even at the best of times, she had been using it for too long.
In the case it was confirmed that the armor was forcefully dispelled, that partic.i.p.ant would also be considered as defeated, and they had to leave the stage right away.
「Haa, haa……sorry, Lu……chan」
Philuffy cast her eyes down with her head hung low while walking away with a limping gait.
Philuffy was usually silent and didn’t show much emotion, but she was exerting her best effort for him while sweating all over her body and out of breath.
Lux thanked his important childhood friend while he too exerted his last fighting spirit.
「Right. Leave it to me, Phi-chan.」
Since the battle started, Philuffy did something unexpected and commenced close quarter combat, but she couldn’t score a direct hit on Celis’s Lindwurm.
It seemed that she really wasn’t serious even in her fight against Lisha and Krulcifer.
But, thanks to Philuffy challenging Celis proactively, Lux was able to memorize that exquisite lance handling with his eyes somehow.
Celis’s movement had no wasted motion and it was hard to see through, but with this it would be a more even fight somehow.
「……Why?」
When their respective partners withdrew and it became a schema of a one-on-one duel, Celis suddenly let out a voice.
Celis too, although she didn’t receive any damage worth mentioning, but her composure was already gone.
In order to defend against Philuffy’s fierce offense, other than her Lightning Lance for close quarter combat, and Starlight Zero for long range, almost all her armaments were out of use.
「Why are you fighting? Is it for restoring a male dominated society? Or else are you trying to raise an achievement in this academy where n.o.ble ladies are gathering, so that you can get involved with this country once more? As the survivor of the Old Empire that once ruled this country──」
「…………」
Her voice was the same like usual, an aloof voice of a ruler.
But, Lux could hear that there was a slight hesitation inside Celis’s voice.
「Please answer. Lux, you are──」
Lux made a small sigh, then he softly touched the collar of a criminal with his Drag-Ride’s finger.
Now that he was looking back once more, he wondered why.
Was it atonement towards the perished country that he failed to save?
Was it regret of being unable to fulfill his responsibility as prince?
Was it for the sake of answering the feelings of these girls who he ought to respect?
No──.
「I tried the whole time to walk the right path, and made a mistake.」
All the reason above sounded true, but surely it was different.
「What should I do? Is the current me able to do something more than that? I don’t know the answer. But──」
Surely Celis was the same like himself. That was what Lux thought.
She tried to do her best in order to guide this country, however, at the same time she was lost.
Actually, should she cooperate with a man? She was worrying and suffering even about that.
「What can the current me do. It is continuing to hope for the best by none other than my own judgment. I will fight for that, that’s what I’m thinking right now.」
「……I understand.」
Celis gathered her breath slightly hearing that answer, and she readied her lance.
The mock battle’s remaining time had just gone below three minutes.
Most likely, this would be the last exchange of offense and defense.
「Let’s decide this, Lux Arcadia!」
*Gakiin!*
Celis yelled and aimed the main cannon connected to Lindwurm’s shoulder toward Lux.
The special armament that wasn’t used even through the intense fight and saved until now, Starlight Zero.
Against the super wide range attack that would blow up the whole practice ground, even Lux wouldn’t be able to defend against it.
「-……!?」
Before the energy finished loading, Lux’s Wyvern flew in at high speed, but at that moment Celis’s spear became wrapped with electricity and s.h.i.+ned radiantly.
Right after that, she teleported instantly using Divine Gate and took distance from Lux to the very limit.
The act of loading energy at first was──fake!
「Starlight Zero.」
Together with Celis’s voice, the light ball of compressed energy was fired──it was then!
–
「──GU, oOoOOOOooOOoOOoooooOOOOOOON!」
–
A never heard before strange sound resounded in the surroundings, making anyone who heard it think of it as the evil omen of calamity.
The surroundings fell silent as though time had stopped, an odd tension was born.
At the same time, the practice ground and spectator seats were starting to shake rattlingly along with terrible rumbling from the earth.
–
「Wha, what is, this sound──?」
–
Someone among the female students at the spectator seats leaked out that mutter, it was at that moment.
*GOBAA-!*
Several dozen tentacles crawled out all at once from the ground of the practice ground like pillars.
「Wha……-!?」
Without even any time for the two who were in the middle of battle to hold their breath, they were attacked by the tentacles and Lindwurm’s balance crumbled.
Right after that, the compressed light bullet of Starlight Zero hit the center of the practice ground and exploded.
Part 6「Big trouble board chairman! There is a messenger from the royal capital!」
Inside the board chairman office, a young man who was the board chairman’s secretary aide opened the door with a force as though slamming it open and tumbled inside.
「According to the large force that carried out scouting near the ocean of the Heiburg Republic, 『The Ragnarok crumbled away while still in a petrified state』 they said……! Bu, but, they confirmed that there was something inside it, and they found the trace of something travelling underwater! The whereabouts of the content inside it──is still unknown!」
The board chairman’s aide was talking with a shaking voice.
The figure of the Ragnarok that made the country move the army’s main force to observe and monitor it was gone from that place.
Furthermore, there was a sign of it moving underwater. The Ragnarok that was a disaster on the level that could make a country perish was revived, and it was already starting to move, a large force of the New Kingdom’s military was splendidly diverted.
If it attacked the royal capital──it might be destroyed within today.
「……So it used camouflage. It got us.」
「Wha, what are we going to do headmaster!? In order to search for the Ragnarok and strengthen the protection of the royal capital, requesting Syvalles’s cooperation urgently is──」
「It’s unfortunate, but I discovered it already. Perhaps it’s that right, the aforementioned Ragnarok Poseidon.」
「Eh……!? Wha, ah──!?」
Pointed out by Headmaster Relie, the secretary turned his gaze to outside the window.
At the practice ground that could be seen from afar, there was half the body of a gigantic monster that reached to the sky.
「I’ll give you a new task right now. Contact the city mayor, and tell him to evacuate the citizens from this first block. And then, can you also dispatch a rescue request to the Drag-Knights at each city block and near the Ruins?」
Relie took off her coat and quickly gave instruction.
「Whe, where are you planning to go!? It’s dangerous! If the description of the Ragnarok that was written in the Old Empire’s secret doc.u.ment is correct, the enemy has strength on the level that could destroy a small country──」
「It’s unfortunate but──a person in charge has various special jobs to do you see. I have to go do everything that I can.」
Relie smiled bitterly while going outside the room. It was then that a female staff member came running and raised her voice.
「E, excuse me! It seems that a force of Drag-Knights with unknown affiliation is appearing in every city block of Cross Field! All of them are heading simultaneously toward the first block where the Academy is!」
「……Heiburg really got us huh.」
Finally sweat trickled down Relie’s forehead and she scratched her head.
And then, she slowly started walking to outside the academy.
Part 7「Uu……. Ku……」
「Are you all right? Celis-senpai!?」
Half of the wall surrounding the practice ground collapsed, while the ground was deeply sinking in. There Lux was helping Celis along with Lindwurm to sit up.
The explosion of Starlight Zero seemed to just barely not reach the spectator seats.
However, Celis who deployed a barrier to suppress the explosion was blown away. Her consciousness was hazy temporarily.
「What happened? Just what is……」
「I don’t know. But, most likely, that’s──」
Lux lifted up his face, at that moment it could be seen.
「GUOOOoooooOOOOOOoOOoOOO!」
It was a sight that resembled h.e.l.l.
Several hundred thick green tentacles were growing out, breaking through the earth surface of the practice ground and the spectator seats.
The super large Abyss that was taking up a position in the practice ground was digging up the hard earth, smashed the surrounding stone wall haphazardly, and its momentum was growing gradually.
At the center was a huge head and protruding purple eyeb.a.l.l.s.
That figure was even more ominous and several hundred times bigger that the squid type Abyss that was called Kraken──.
That gigantic body that occupied the whole area of the practice ground and spectator seats was there.
「Don’t tell me, that is──!」
「Yes. Most likely that is the Ragnarok that the Old Empire unleashed upon the world.」
The Abyss that originally should wield its menace in the sea was for some reason invading here from underground. It was incomprehensible.
But, it was hiding a strength that made it as though something like disadvantage from terrain was nothing at all for it. That fact was obvious no matter from which point of view.
The scream of students running around in confusion could be heard from the spectator seats where countless tentacles were waving around.
Students with spare strength were trying to fight back the tentacles somehow, but weapons like Blade or Cannon were entangled and taken away by the tentacles one after another, and then they were crushed in its grip easily. Seeing that caused the students to lose their fighting spirit quickly.
–
「Wa, wait a second……!? I, I’ve never heard, something like this──」
「What’s this!? This kind of thing……this is not an opponent that someone like us can fight……!」
「He,help! I don’t care if it’s Syvalles or the royal capital’s army! So, someone──」
–
Even the girls who belonged to the military academy and acc.u.mulated diligent study day by day to defeat Abyss lost the color of their faces and ran about in confusion.
They were in a disadvantageous situation, to the degree that they could only barely save those who got entangled by the many tentacles before they could be brought to that fiendish mouth.
Most of the members of Syvalles weren’t in this place for some reason, so even with several instructors including Raigree also fighting hard, their number was overwhelmingly insufficient.
The number of the student who could fight was decreasing, but the tentacles kept growing one after another, increasing their number.
The number of tentacles already surpa.s.sed several hundreds even based from what Lux could see.
The scream of the students could be heard in the area, it was then,
「Prostrate under G.o.d’s name! SuppressorHeaven Voice!」
*DOON!* A terrific rumble in the ground could be heard. Poseidon’s head was sinking into the ground.
At the same time, Tiamat’s special armament, LegionAirborne Fortress, several of them pierced the tentacles capturing the students and tore them apart.
In addition, the sliced section of the tentacles were frozen in succession, preventing it from swift regeneration.
「Lisha-sama! Krulcifer-san!」
Lux looked up from the large hole with its bottom missing. There he could see red and blue Drag-Rides.
While everyone was continuing to fight defensively and escape, only two people were launching fierce attacks against the Ragnarok.
Using that opening, Lux destroyed the lump of rubble overhead with Blade.
「It looks like we will be able to manage somehow huh, Krulcifer.」
「Yes. That’s only if we can use our full power continually like this for long, though……」
Lisha and Krulcifer prevailed for the moment, but as expected, perhaps because they were directly feeling the strength of the Ragnarok, they weren’t optimistic.
As long as the core wasn’t destroyed, an Abyss wouldn’t die.
「Wait for me, I too will soon──!」
Lux too was going to join the fight using Wyvern, it was then,
*DOON!* A large explosion sound could be heard, everyone including Lux was dumbfounded.
Inside the Academy ground, at a distance from the practice ground──the vicinity of the girl’s dormitory and the school building was blown up.
On top of that, they could see several dozen Wyverns with unfamiliar coatings applied on their frames.
「What’s that!? That’s not the New Kingdom military’s Drag-Rides! What in the world──」
That Lisha’s yell was cut off must be because she thought of the true ident.i.ty of the intruders.
If it was the rebel army that espoused the Old Empire, the Drag-Rides should be painted gray.
This force was of unknown origin, but it was apparent that they were enemies of this Academy and took advantage of this Ragnarok attack.
*BIKIiih……!*
「-……!? This thing, it’s already regenerated……!?」
Looking there, Poseidon that was flattened by the gravity load of Tiamat and had all its legs frozen was recovering its momentum once more.
It crawled up while flattened by gravity, and tore off the tips of its frozen legs, then those parts began to regenerate.
「This looks bad. Not just the Ragnarok, we also have to go reinforce the academy──」
「──This is an order. Please go to defend the Academy. Lizsharte, Krulcifer.」
At that time, Celis flew overhead Poseidon and calmly ordered that.
Even with blood flowing in drips from her shoulder, she readied her lance with composure.
「Celis-senpai! Don’t be reck──」
「Just this much is no trouble. I can defeat it alone. Allowing the enemy’s approach until this far is my error. I will take responsibility.」
When Lux yelled, Celis’s tense voice replied back.
Certainly if it was with Celis’s strength, she might be able to fight equally even against this atrocious Ragnarok.
But──
「You must not! At the very least cooperate with me──」
「Both of you, please move. I already said my instruction.」
「Kuh……!?」
Lisha groaned a bit and after a few seconds,
「It’s unfortunate, this time we don’t have any more spare strength to just fight this huge thing.」
Lisha was showing a self-depreciating smile while directing at Lux a gaze that was filled with some kind of determination.
「Lux! I’ll leave everything to your decision about the action that you should take! If you aren’t given any order by that great and mighty duke’s daughter, then fight with your seriousness!」
She yelled like that with a grin even while showing a fatigued and agitated state.
「Come to birth. The wedge that opposes heaven and earth, the gouged dragon of chaos. Chimeratech Wyvern!」
Lisha dispelled Tiamat’s armor and wore the original Drag-Ride that she personally created.
That Drag-Ride that was a combination of two types of Drag-Rides had been modified into an even more fiendish form than before.
She must be intending to protect the Academy while avoiding the exhaustion from a Divine Drag-Ride as much as possible.
「I too greatly want to show my good side to you though──」
Krulcifer suddenly showed a cool smile and then she raised her voice.
「But it doesn’t look like I will be able to do that in the current situation where I cannot even properly use Wise BloodWisdom of Fortune and Calamity. ──I’ll leave this place to you, hero-san.」
「Right…… both of you──leave it to me!」
Lux nodded, and at the same time Lisha and Krulcifer flew towards the Academy together.
Lux recalled Lisha’s words inside his head and he made a faint smile.
(The action, that I should take huh……)
Exactly as she said, Lux thought.
He still hadn’t settled it with Celis.
That meant that there was still no ground for Celis to give him an order.
In that case, he would only defeat the disaster before his eyes, with the greatest strength he had as the Black Hero.
However──.
「…………」
Suddenly Lux ran his gaze at the practice ground area that was destroyed by tentacles.
「Philuffy……?」
The girl he looked for wasn’t in sight.
It weighed on him, but there was no way he could just leave alone the disaster before his eyes.
(First, I have to grasp the core’s location──!)
When Lux resolved himself, he flew following Celis who was readying her lance wordlessly.
Part 8「Ku-ku-ku! As expected from the military academy where the new kingdom’s ojou-samayoung ladiesare gathering. Quite a lot of pretty things are here en ma.s.se, ain’t that right!?」
Inside the Academy’s ground──.
On the narrow path continuing to the girl dormitory and school building from the practice ground, several Drag-Knights were blocking the path.
「Wha, what are you people!? Whi, which unit do you belong to!? Something like this──」
「Ri, right now there is a huge Abyss nearby don’t you know!? This isn’t the time to jest around!」
Two second year female students who were running ahead were raising their voices like that.
They were returning to the school building after finis.h.i.+ng their match in the campus selection battle. But midway they noticed the existence of the Ragnarok and hurriedly tried to go back to the practice ground. It was then that these mysterious male Drag-Knights surrounded them.
Each of the men were clad in a Drag-Ride with greatly different armaments, but for some reason their frame’s paintings were uniform.
They were the same like the Drag-Knights using Wyverns to bombard the Academy from the sky.
「Hee. That’s scary. We gotta guard these ladies politely then.」
But, even when the men saw the tentacles that could be seen at the practice ground in the distance, their complexion didn’t change and they cackled loudly instead.
「Oi oi? Is it okay for us to stop by in this kind of place? We are going to get scolded by those Cerberus bunches yeah? Our objective is looking for the headmaster and that thing right?」
「Who d.a.m.n cares. We are usually worked like dogs in dangerous missions. What are we gonna do without this kind of special reward? While we are searching for that thing, we got into battle with these girls who stood in our way and captured them. There are plenty of ways to make use of them later y’know.」
「……-!?」
The words of the men that were filled with malice caused the two female students to go pale.
「──It’s useless even if you talk to them, my cute juniors. These guys are probably mercenary Drag-Knights.」
The one who said that from slightly behind was Sharis who was lending her shoulder to Philuffy.
「Are you guys employed by Heiburg’s military? Must be troublesome to go as far as the New Kingdom.」
「Sha, Sharis-senpai……!?」
Sharis showed a smile to the two students who ran towards her in a panic, then she whispered.
「Leave this place to me. Also──take her and run, if possible call for help.」
Sharis’s own Wyvern was already in a greatly damaged state, her stamina was also at the limit, but in front of her defenseless juniors, she could only say that.
She would attract their attention while the others escaped. Sharis thought that it would be great if she could do such a thing.
「Ye, yes-!」
「You think we are gonna let you-!」
The moment the two second year students answered, a man before them yelled.
At the same time, he unleashed one of a Drag-Ride’s basic techniques, Howling Roar.
*GOU-* The air whirled and a shockwave shot through in radial shape.
「KYAAAAAH……!?」
The four people there were all blown backwards, Sharis too struck her back hard on the tree behind her.
「Kuh…… uu……!」
*Cluck* Sharis and the two second year students fainted with their necks bending down.
「……nn」
In that place it was only Philuffy who barely held on to her consciousness, she was standing up even while staggering.
But, the impact from getting blown away caused the sword belt on her waist to slip. The Sword Device of Typhon fell into a thicket that was out of her reach.
「Oops, was the power a bit too weak? Well doesn’t matter. It will be a waste even if you die now.」
「Ah, uh……」
Philuffy pressed her head while groaning listlessly.
Light was already vanis.h.i.+ng from her eyes.
「……Even so, this girly is really a quality good even among these bunches huh. It’s unthinkable that she is still a brat with that body of hers.」
The male mercenary crawled his gaze on the chest of Philuffy who was still wearing a pilot suit while licking his lips.
「After we have a lot of fun, we will let you go home when your family pays the ransom for you. With your body chopped into pieces though.」
「……ill us?」
「Haahn……? What’s up, huh, Ojou-sama? Your voice is too feeble we can’t hear anything y’know?」
The male mercenary asked back with a vulgar grin.
They didn’t notice while standing in an overwhelmingly superior position in front of a good quality prey.
That the girl before their eyes was clad in a terribly hollow aura.
「You will──kill us?」
「Yeah, tough luck but that’s whats gonna happen at the end. My bad, but just give up. You have totally lived well until now and made a lot of good memories right? This, too, is the fate from G.o.d.」
「……That’s, no good. Such thing. Because──」
Suddenly, the eyeb.a.l.l.s of Philuffy who was showing a hollow expression were dyed with the color of darkness.
Just one point, it was only the pupil that snapped open, tinged with sharp golden light.
Philuffy lightly pulled back her arm that was dangling down limply, and took a stance of punching.
The men laughed without noticing anything from too much leeway.
「Hahaha! What are you gonna do? It’s dangerous you know, so stop it. You will get inju──gobah!?」
The men noticed the bizarreness after it was over.
There was the sound of destruction of metal crumpling and cracks spreading.
An instant later, a scream and blood surged out from the man’s mouth.
「Wha……ah!?」
The remaining mercenaries who saw that scene opened their eyes wide speechlessly.
「I, impossible-……!? No way!? A bare hand, against a Drag-Ride──!?」
The girl pierced through the barrier of the Drag-Ride using a fist of flesh and blood, destroying the Drag-Ride’s armor really easily.
In front of that impossible reality, the men’s face were dyed with fear.
「……I cannot, die anymore.」
Philuffy faced the next man along with a smile that was dyed with bottomless darkness, and she pulled her fist.
Part 9「GUOOOOooOo!」
In the practice ground that was half destroyed, the Ragnarok was rampaging madly.
It swung around several hundred tentacles, spewed out smoke screen that was like mist from its mouth, and it was gradually increasing its method of attack.
Lux continued to defend and dodge against that, but he really couldn’t s.h.i.+ft into counterattack.
Critical Hit that returned the opponent’s destructive power back as it was had little effect against Poseidon’s soft body.
Thus, if it was seen from the side right now, Lux was devoting himself to evasion that could be seen as buying time.
But,
「Lux Arcadia. I order you to take shelter. Your strength is unnecessary for me.」
*BAs.h.i.+-!*
Celis cut apart tentacles using Lightning Lance that was clad in electricity while muttering that suddenly.
At first it sounded like a statement that was obstinately rejecting 『the male Lux』, but──.
Lux guessed Celis’s intention from those words.
「──Understood. Be careful.」
Right after replying, Lux escaped to high in the sky outside the attack range of the tentacles.
At that moment, Celis moved.
「Divine Gate.」
She whispered quietly, and at the same time the Lindwurm she wore was wrapped in a halo of seven colors.
And then, the moment several hundred tentacles a.s.saulted Celis, her figure disappeared.
「GIiIIH!?」
When Poseidon raised a bizarre cry, Celis was already in front of the enemy.
「Starlight Zero.」
The super compressed light bullet was fired from zero distance into the ugly mouth that was opened wide like a h.e.l.l hole.
Right after that, Celis retreated to the sky and flew higher than Lux. She then readied her Lightning Lance that was clad in intense electricity.
「The finis.h.i.+ng blow.」
「Celis-senpai! Don’t tell me──」
Without even any time for Lux to stop her, Celis charged towards the Ragnarok below at the same time with the explosion of the light bullet.
Hitting the opponent with two types of attack simultaneously by oneself, 『Double Attack』.
Celis commenced it, aiming at the instant when the enemy was blasted from inside.
While the area was shook by explosion blast and shockwave, Celis deeply stabbed Poseidon’s torso without even balking at getting damaged by her own bombardment.
–
「──GIiIAAAAAAAAH……!」
–
It spread out a shriek that was unthinkable to be something of this world while splattering blue blood to the surroundings.
It acted violently for a while and threw all its tentacles to the surroundings. And then it stopped moving completely without even a twitch.
It seemed that Celis grasped the position of the core through the process of stabbing her spear on it many times.
Using her last two special armaments, she executed the double attack with the resolve of getting bombed.
She really defeated the Ragnarok by herself alone.
That fact that was like a dream stole Lux’s gaze for a while.
「Uu…… aa」
As expected, she might be considerably exhausted. Celis pulled out her stabbed lance while her body shook unsteadily.
「Celis-senpai-!」
Lux approached beside her in panic and supported her, it was then,
「……I should have told you, my order already. Worrying about this me is──」
「It’s necessary.」
「Eh……?」
Celis tried to shake off Lux’s hand with an obstinate voice, but Lux stopped her with few words.
「Why did you do something that reckless? If you are hurt, the students here will all be sad. What am I going to do if someone won’t worry about a person who pretends not to feel pained when it’s painful?」
「…………. You are──」
Lux’s lonely voice caused Celis to open her eyes wide in surprise for a moment.
Her beautiful jade eyes shook slightly, but she immediately shook her head and made a resolute expression.
「I’m all right. More importantly, I have to go save everyone who is being attacked by the strange force──」
Saying that, she tried to fly towards the girl dormitory and school building, it was at that moment,
–
「HA-HA-HA-HA-HAA─!」
–
A shrill loud laughter came from the spectator seats of the half destroyed practice ground.
「……-!?」
When Lux and Celis looked at one area of the seating, a small silhouette wearing a jet black robe was there.
Vibrant silver hair and sharp eye glint were peeking out from under the hood that was snugly covering until the figure’s head.
That hair color──was the same as Lux and his little sister Airi, the color that was inherited by the imperial family of the Old Empire.
The moment Lux saw that, his heart thumped heavily.
「That’s──don’t tell me!?」
「As expected from the mighty duke’s daughter, the so called Academy’s strongest. Splendid, splendid, how strong. ──But, don’t tell me. Don’t tell me that you are having a thought, even for just a tiny bit, that it will end with just this much? You aren’t riiight?」
The figure who narrowed their eyes under the hood put a golden horn flute on their lips, and raised their voice loudly.
「Now, entertain me quickly! How all you lowly maggots get eaten, your despairing face, the end of the road of the traitors, show me and satisfy this thirst of mine!」
–
*iIiiIIIIIII!*
–
The moment the black robed figure murmured, a discordant sound rang out.
At the same time, *zun!* the ring of the practice ground caved in and deep cracks entered the ground.
「Wha……!?」
The moment Celis’s eyes opened wide in shock, it showed its figure.
「Gu……──GUaaAAAAAaaAAAA!」
Poseidon that got its core pierced and had completely fallen silent for a moment raised a howl that sounded like a shriek and it was resurrected once more. The several hundred tentacles that were burned to a crisp and dangled on the ground limply were getting regenerated in the blink of an eye.
「This is, that time’s──!?」
When Lux went on an outing with Celis, the Chimera showed the same transformation like this.
Dark red lines were running through its whole body, and ominous killing intent was filling the whole practice ground to the brim.
The eyeb.a.l.l.s dulled darkly, its pupils opened and s.h.i.+ned.
「VAaaaAAAAAAAAAAH!」
The Academy’s ground was shaking fiercely along with Poseidon’s howl.
「This is bad……-!」
At this rate, the academy itself would be destroyed.
Celis who thought that readied her Lightning Lance. It was at that timing,
*DOoN!*
Lindwurm was blown away by an explosion blast and Celis crashed on a mountain of rubble.
「Wha……-!?」
When Lux turned to look behind in surprise, over there was──.
「As expected from Celis-neesama. You aren’t defeated yet.」
Saniya who was smiling calmly was looking down on Celis from the sky.
Completely different from her usual intellectual appearance, her long curly hair was disheveled. Her appearance looked wild.
Furthermore she was wearing a Wyvern that was covered with a bizarre dark red pattern, the same like the Ragnarok.
「What are you doing, Saniya……?」
The girl who idolized her since their time meeting as first year students. That girl was shooting a Cannon at her. Celis was unable to accept that fact right away.
In contrast to the shaken Celis, Saniya readied the Cannon in her hand and grinned fearlessly.
「Aa, you mean this? This is called a B-blood Wyvern. A new weapon that was recently introduced into our unit, it’s a little bit risky, but it’s a strong frame that won’t lose even against a Divine Drag-Ride.」
「What are you saying, you are……」
Celis who was helped to stand by Lux asked with a shaking voice.
At that instant, the black robed silhouette on the collapsed spectator seats laughed loudly.
「Really slow aren’t you, as expected from the muscle-brained duke’s daughter-sama! You were just dancing in our palm you know! Saniya over there is a spy that I sent in here! A spy from the Heiburg Republic where this me is acting as the military strategist you see!」
「-……!」
The words of the robed figure made Celis speechless.
On the other hand, Saniya was directing a dubious face at the robed figure.
「Is that fine? To say out that name here?」
「Hahn? What’s with you? Don’t tell me you are feeling like letting go even one of this bunch huh? Make them forget everything in this place. That’s your job, Heiburg’s dog.」
「Understood──and so because of that, it’s a shame, but please die. Celis-oneesama.」
「……Wh, why!?」
Saniya was looking down with a cold smile. Even so Celis still called out to her.
「Was everything a lie!? Even the things that you told me……. Even the poor treatment and terrible acts that you received from males that I heard from you, all of those──」
Her voice and expression were pleading. Saniya answered her with a smile that cut down all of those.
「Celis-neesama. It’s thanks to you, you know?