Saijaku Muhai no Bahamut

–

「──Nii-san. Please wake up. I"m coming in.」

「Uu, nn……」

There was a light knocking sound and the familiar soft voice of his little sister.

After Lux made an ambiguous reply, the door was opened and a presence approached him.

「Good grief, how long are you planning to sleep just because you don"t have to do any ch.o.r.es for a while? Today is the day of the periodic medical examination, so please prepare yourself properly.」

「N, nn……」

Airi opened the curtain and the window. The sunlight s.h.i.+ned through and the tranquil morning air flowed into the room.

He was in a room that was made from smooth wood.

The interior design gave out a high cla.s.s atmosphere.

This place was the Royal Officer Academy of Cross Field in the New Kingdom.

Lux was sleeping in his nostalgic room at the girl"s dormitory.

Lux cleared up his hazy consciousness and lifted up his languid body on the bed.

「Airi……? What day is today again?」

「It"s January tenth. Please wash your face quickly. The breakfast in the dining hall will be over soon.」

「I see, you"re right.」

Lux kept sitting on the bed and took a deep breath.

Although he still wasn"t in his best condition, there wasn"t any major discomfort or after-effects in his body.

It was a good luck that could be called a miracle that his condition was this good after struggling through such fierce battles.

「Are you alright, Nii-san? Should I feed you instead?」

Lux ignored Airi"s teasing with a wry smile and then the siblings headed to the dining hall together.

The breakfast that was made by the capable cook of the Academy was delicious like usual.

–

The battle that happened in the abandoned capital Guernica in the Marcafal Kingdom──the final decisive battle that decided the fate of the world.

Two weeks had pa.s.sed since then.

The representatives of the countries, the Seven Dragon Paladins, Syvalles of the New Kingdom, and then the Drag-Knights of the world alliance.

All of them made frantic efforts in order to obstruct Listelka and the others, the Lords, from ruling over the world after their betrayal, and to prevent the humanoid Ragnarok Sacred Eclipse from destroying the world.

Many of the elite Drag-Knights from each country became sacrifices, but the only silver lining was that not a single one of the girls was lost in that battle.

And then, Singlen"s ambition to secretly monopolize Avalon was also crushed, and they were able to obtain Avalon.

That victory was the greatest good news.

After Lux lost consciousness, the Seven Dragon Paladins including Magialca reached the control room and Aeril connected with the central.

She safely completed the third trial that was given by the Automata Arshalia and grasped the hidden function of Avalon.

First Aeril suspended the resurrection of the humanoid Ragnarok Sacred Eclipse. She ran out of strength doing that and so they temporarily withdrew.

For the countries who lost many Drag-Knights in this great war, they had no reason to leave the legacy and technology of the ancient era alone, but everything would come to nothing if they excessively forced Aeril who could control Avalon and broke her down.

The surveillance of Aeril who became the manager of Avalon was carried out in turns by the countries. For the time being her safety was guaranteed, and then──

It was the New Kingdom who was first in turn in being entrusted with her.

–

「Thank you for the meal. Then, Airi. I"ll go visit the Triad too after this.」

「Yes. Please do that, Nii-san.」

By the way, the reason Airi was accompanying him was in order to avoid a situation where Lux was surrounded by the female students now that he was showing his face in the Academy after so long.

The existence of Sacred Eclipse and the danger of world destruction itself were also informed to the Academy due to Listelka"s incitement, but all the students were also told that Lux and the others headed to the Marcafal Kingdom in order to stop that, and that they had splendidly accomplished it.

The students had a lot of things they wanted to ask Lux who they couldn"t meet until now because he was in recuperation. Surely he wouldn"t be able to avoid getting showered with questions.

Originally the Academy"s famous group, the Triad, should be the ones with the role to stop that, but the three were also in recuperation because of serious injuries and fatigue.

The pod for medical treatment in the Academy seemed to have finally run out of energy. It became completely impossible to use after performing the minimum treatment to each of the three.

Furthermore the main force of Syvalles other than Yoruka──Lisha and the others were returning to their respective homes.

Around half of their injuries like broken bones and the like had been recovered, but they were given rest to take away their fatigue too.

After parting from Airi at the stairs of the girl"s dormitory, Lux took a light rest after meal in his room before heading to the cla.s.sroom in the school building.

The first cla.s.s after New Years for Lux who had been staying in bed all this time until now began.

「Come to think of it, it has also been a long time since I met with everyone in the cla.s.s.」

Even though it felt uncomfortable when he first came here because he was the only boy, right now he felt happy from his heart that he could talk with the girls in his cla.s.s.

「Long time no see, Lux-kun! I heard you saved the world? Thank you!」

「Sheesh……. I wanted to make various ch.o.r.e requests while you weren"t here you know? Teach me when your body recovered okay? I"m making the reservation.」

「Wait, stealing a march just because Tillfur is absent is unacceptable. Even us too──」

As expected, the girl cla.s.smates surrounded him before the homeroom began, but they soon scattered after Instructor Raigree who arrived yelled at them.

「Don"t cut loose this early after New Years. I"ll give extra homework to anyone who isn"t in their seat right now.」

The beautiful young instructor.

Raigree"s dignified look and atmosphere were also something nostalgic for Lux.

She sent a brief glance at Lux to observe his condition. After confirming it, she resumed her talk.

「At the battle this time, countries all over the world──including the New Kingdom, lost many Drag-Knights. Although the threat from the Ruins is gone for the time being, all of you have to become fully qualified as an officer as quickly as possible, and become the foundation that will support the new kingdom in the future.」

Raigree"s tone was serious.

Of course, the cultivation of military officers were also carried out in various places other than in this Academy, but the total number was just too few compared to the amount of personnel that was sought.

The Four Great n.o.bles who lent their soldiers for the expedition to the Marcafal Kingdom also lost considerable number of soldiers, but it was also an alarming problem for the royal capital.

If the New Kingdom was attacked by the Abyss or bandits like Dragon Marauder in this situation, they would be helpless.

「This Academy too is still in the middle of developing. The future of the New Kingdom rests on your shoulders. If you all got it then I"ll introduce an admitted student before the cla.s.s begins.」

「Eh……?」

The expressions of everyone in the cla.s.s tensed before the atmosphere changed into bewilderment.

Who would enroll here at this timing?

While everyone was most likely thinking so, a single girl entered the cla.s.sroom.

「Nice to meet you. I am an imperial princess of the Lords, Aeril Vi Arcadia. I will only stay here for a month, but please treat me well.」

The one who entered the cla.s.sroom and bowed in front of the blackboard was a lovely girl with an androgynous look.

The silver hair that was just like Lux was braided and trailed down until her waist. Her asymmetrically colored eyes produced mysticity that seemed to transcend humanity.

She had showed up in the Academy several times under the guise of Coral, the aide of Vanheim Princ.i.p.ality"s Seven Dragon Paladin, but this was her first time coming here as a Lord.

(No, more importantly Aeril is enrolling here!? And she is wearing a skirt!)

She was a full-fledged girl by nature, so there wasn"t anything wrong with that, but it was a bit of a shock for Lux.

「Err, she is Aeril-san who is a Lord, that means she is that person who we heard about?」

「Yeah. The person they said became our ally──more importantly, she resembles Lux-kun so much. Like her hair color……」

「Somehow, it also feels like she resembles Coral-kun but……she is so cool. No. She is pretty.」

Amidst those mutterings, the girl called Aeril winked as though she was enjoying Lux"s discomposure.

「That"s how it is, that"s why, once again my best regards, Lux-kun.」

Aeril walked as though she was cutting through the commotion that was created inside the cla.s.s and sat down near Lux.

The students started to become noisy once more at the arrival of the unfamiliar beauty who was a Lord, but they were quietened by a glare from Raigree and the cla.s.s began.

Of course, the Academy had been informed that Aeril had been cooperative with the alliance army, even so, she was someone who the students had an abundance of topics to talk about.

After that it went without saying that each time there was a short break between cla.s.ses, the cla.s.smates would form a crowd and showered her along with Lux with questions.

–

──At the rooftop of the school building, during the lunch break.

Lux along with Aeril made an excuse that there was a summon for the Academy"s raid squad Syvalles and escaped to there from the female students.

「Just what is going on? Enrolling into the Academy with that appearance──」

「Queen Raffi and Headmaster Relie listened to my wish. It would be harder to protect me instead when I"m getting targeted if I"m at a place like the capital.」

Although she was in the middle of recuperation, Aeril was still a key figure who was able to control Avalon right now.

It was unknown when hostile forces who wanted her ability would target her.

It seemed that it was decided that it was safer to place her in the Academy where the users of Divine Drag-Rides gathered rather than the area of the Royal Capital where a lot of its Drag-Knights were lost during the great war.

There was also a talk of entrusting her to the Four Great n.o.bles" Dist Ralgris, but if there was his daughter Celistia, as expected he would support Aeril"s enrollment into the Academy.

「But it"s unexpected. Contrary to my expectations, everyone accepted Aeril naturally──」

It seemed there was an explanation to the ma.s.ses that Aeril was an ally in regards to the matter of the Lords, but Lux thought that others would poke a bit more in regards to how she was using perception manipulation to disguise herself as an existence called Coral.

「About that, you know, it"s just as Lux-kun realized.」

She smiled mischievously.

One of her eyes that was colored like a jade was the proof of the Baptism she received.

She possessed the power to manipulate perception using the Ruin"s functions.

Using that, regardless of the lack of notification regarding the relation of Aeril and Coral, the students of the Academy were accepting that fact.

「But, I"m using perception manipulation only for that. I have no intention of doing anything further than that. I have to make an effort to live as Aeril, besides──I"m already sick and tired of pretending to be various things that I am not.」

「I see.」

Lux nodded in response to her expression that looked unbound. And then Aeril twirled on the spot.

The fringe of her short skirt was blown by the wind on the rooftop and it fluttered riskily. Lux"s gaze darted around from it.

The white thighs that peeked out from below the skirt that was held down with both hands looked bewitching. Her face that was faintly reddening looked adorable.

「…………Did you see?」

「E, err……just for a bit.」

The lacey panty with refres.h.i.+ng light blue color suited the androgynous Aeril. Though, as expected Lux couldn"t declare so.

She slightly puffed out her cheeks that was blus.h.i.+ng with embarra.s.sment, and then she suggestively spoke out「Well, I guess it"s fine if it"s Lux-kun」.

「Looks like I"m still not used to being a『girl』 in the end. It feels windy at my lower body, and the girls in the cla.s.s also told me that I still have a cool atmosphere──」

「That…… you look cute like that.」

When Lux unconsciously said that, Aeril"s eyes opened wide and her body staggered.

Her face reddened even more than when her panty was seen. She averted her gaze awkwardly.

「That girl uniform, matches you really well. Congratulations on your enrollment.」

Lux could say that naturally because it wasn"t flattery but something that came from his heart.

No, with the end of the battle this time, a change also happened within Lux himself.

His feelings towards the girls became even stronger than before.

It wasn"t just a deep affection simply as a friend, but he was starting to harbor feelings towards them as members of the opposite s.e.x.

「Thank you……. Aah geez, this is really regrettable.」

Aeril replied while acting bashful, but then she turned around with a troubled look.

「Regrettable?」

When Lux tilted his head in response, a small sigh was returned to him.

「There is still a bit more until the 『pact』 ends. If that"s not the case, I"ll be able to say it clearly at once, and yet──」

「Eh……?」

Lux felt his heart jump inside his chest seeing Aeril"s pained expression from the side.

But, the girl didn"t answer back and she looked up to the perfectly clear blue sky before speaking to him.

「I guess it"s about time soon. Let"s go eat lunch.」

She directed to him a friendly smile as a friend just like when she was acting as Coral.

Lux left the rooftop with Aeril even while feeling bewildered at the strange emotion in his heart.

–

When the school was over, he temporarily parted from Aeril in front of the girl"s dormitory.

He wanted to be together with her a bit more, but Lux had his own business to do.

His ch.o.r.e jobs had also piled up like a mountain, but there was a place that he had to head towards no matter what before that.

First he headed to a florist inside Cross Field. After that he purchased fresh fruits in the market.

In the end he returned to the Academy──and he went to visit a room in the girl"s dormitory. It was Airi"s room.

「This is Lux, can I come in?」

「Yes. Please. Feel free to enter.」

Lux felt relieved inside his heart hearing that indifferent tone without any inflection.

In this room there was the roommate and best friend of his little sisterAiri, Noct.

In the deadly battle two weeks ago, even the Triad partic.i.p.ated in the final decisive battle and he heard how they got seriously injured.

Fortunately their injuries seemed to be something they could recover from, even so, they were the people who he wanted to meet first where he also wanted to say his thanks to them for risking themselves in order to protect Airi.

「Then, excuse me──wait, uwah」

As soon as he opened the door, he saw the figure of three girls and got bewildered.

He completely thought that there was only Noct inside, but contrary to his expectations, all the Triad were there.

「Long time no see, Lux-san. It"s great that you are healthy. Fua……」

He discovered Noct looking unusually sleepy. Perhaps she had been sleeping until just now even though it was evening already.

She was wearing a light green pajama, while one of her hands was hugging a pillow that looked like a cus.h.i.+on.

Somehow, her appearance looked somewhat fancy.

「Forgive me for my unsightly appearance. I was only finally allowed to move from the medical room to here.」

It seemed Noct who came from a family of servants was embarra.s.sed with her appearance from just waking up.

It was cute how her cheeks were slightly red while her face stayed expressionless.

「You don"t need to feel bothered about that. Noct looking slovenly like this makes me feel like I"m able to look at something precious.」

「Lux-chi, your wording sounds indecent somehow. Didja suddenly get awakened to the younger girl faction?」

On the other side, Tillfur, who was lightly dressed with clothing that had a black color base was speaking out to him from the chair beside the bed.

Different from Noct whose broken bone was healed to a degree by the hibernation pod, there was a splint remaining on Tillfur"s one hand.

But, her consciousness was clear. It seemed there was a difference in fatigue and damage between each of them.

Lux smiled wryly at Tillfur"s teasing while noticing that his feelings towards them had actually grown.

It was also like that towards Aeril before this, but perhaps after the battles had reached an end, somewhere in his heart there was a part that lightened with comfort.

「Oh dear, to think Tillfur can speak like that in spite of you being the one who hurriedly dressed up after hearing that Lux-kun will visit here. Even though you were still sleeping with bedraggled hair only in your underwear just now.」

「Aaah, Sharis! Even though I told you not to say that in front of Lux-chi! Geez, I won"t lend you a hand anymore no matter how troubled you are!」

Tillfur"s face reddened while she acted fl.u.s.tered and got angry at Sharis who was coming down from the upper bed.

The eldest and the leader of the Triad had her right arm bandaged with a splint and suspended down from her neck. Even so she welcomed him with her usual friendly smile.

「Sharis-san too, long time no see. That, the state of your injury──」

It seemed the state of her broken bone was the worst among the three. It seemed that without the treatment of the hibernation pod, her arm wouldn"t be able to completely go back to normal.

But, the girl with the elder sister disposition didn"t show even a hint of that hards.h.i.+p on the surface and smiled teasingly.

「Yeah, it will be fine now. It will take a bit more time until it heals completely, but it looks like there won"t be any after-effects remaining. It can only be called as good luck now that I think back to the battles we were struggling through.」

「Is that so, I"m glad.」

Lux felt relieved from his heart and his expression also relaxed.

「But, please don"t act too recklessly. Although it couldn"t be helped because the strategy demanded it, but if you are injured because of me or Airi──」

Lux didn"t know about the strategy where Airi and the Triad partic.i.p.ated in the mission at Avalon"s deep level floor.

Of course it was natural because he wasn"t told anything about it, but he thought his heart would stop when he heard about it in the middle.

「Yes. Though it doesn"t sound persuasive at all when the one saying it is Lux-san who almost dies every time.」

Noct muttered that with an unblinking stare. Tillfur too approached and touched his body mischievously.

「Yeep yeep. Lux-chi yourself, are you alright? How about I give you a ma.s.sage?」

「Hmm. Having a junior worrying about me isn"t a bad feeling. Then, I wonder if I can ask you to help me when changing clothes or taking a bath until my arm recovers?」

「Yes. If it"s something that I can do then──wait, eeeh!?」

When Sharis entwined her arm with Lux"s arm and brought her cheek closer to his face, the sensation of her moderately big breast was conveyed to him.

At the same time the scent of her favorite rose perfume tickled his nose and made his head go into a daze.

A few seconds later, he barely shook himself free from the temptation that made him want to keep receiving it forever. Lux shook and untangled her arm while his face was turning red.

「Oho, it doesn"t look like you are completely opposed to it. From your reaction, we too aren"t someone you can disregard as woman huh.」

「Wai-! Please don"t make fun of me. Even I, more or less is, that"s──」

「We get it. We also understand how reliable of a boy you are. And also how you challenged that Sir Singlen to battle and took revenge for us.」

He didn"t expect that he would get thanked instead even though he was the one who came here to visit them, who were injured when protecting Airi.

No, surely she was saying that so that Lux wouldn"t be even more concerned than this about their injuries.

Lux"s chest grew hot once more, knowing the feeling of Sharis and the others who a.s.sociated with him as fellow students and as friends.

He felt really glad, that he could protect everyone.

「By the way, just now was a personal grat.i.tude from me. If you feel that it"s still not enough, should I make Tillfur and Noct do it too?」

「I, it"s enough already. Then, let"s meet again in Syvalles when everyone is in good health. I"ll also come to visit again.」

「Lux-chi. You aren"t forgetting that the requests are also piling up like a mountain, aren"tcha?」

「Ahaha, please go easy on me……」

He had distanced himself from the Academy"s ch.o.r.es for a while, but he wondered how many had piled up right now.

It was scary to ask, so he dodged the matter with a wry smile and exited the room.

A few minutes later after that, the three people inside the room conversed with a small voice.

–

「Fuu……. My heart was throbbing so hard, really unlike me. Though it seemed he himself also noticed, that the wall in his heart towards us has vanished.」

After the danger of world destruction by Sacred Eclipse had settled down, Lux"s intimacy towards the girls were growing.

That was to say, that the moment to answer their feelings was approaching near.

「Yes. But from that reaction, it looks like Lux-san hasn"t picked anyone inside his heart.」

Noct expressed her impression with her usual bland tone.

「This is just really complicated. Haah, the girls around him are just too formidable ain"t it……」

On the other hand Tillfur let out a dissatisfied sigh and laid down face up on the bed.

The Triad"s feelings towards Lux.

They too couldn"t deny that it was in the process of leaving the territory of simply being friends.

That was exactly why they along with Airi took on the role of managing and monitoring the girls" 『pact』.

「Oh dear, I can tell it"s going to be hard going forward with our state like this. After all, our job will reach the finale a few days from now.」

Noct also nodded at that statement from Sharis.

「Yes. Let us prepare for that time, towards the parade of the New Kingdom and the end of the 『pact』.」

The time that should come was approaching.

The time that they understood all this time would arrive in the near future.

The three keenly felt that arrival and nodded at each other.

–

After Lux finished visiting the Triad, he finished some light ch.o.r.es from the Academy.

Although, the contents of the jobs were relatively light, and if he was pushed to say, he noticed that he was given the work as an excuse to evade the pursuit from the female students.

And then──at night.

After having dinner in the dining hall, the bathing time arrived.

Lux entered the large public bath after the girls finished bathing. The large s.p.a.ce was reserved for him alone. His heart danced with the feeling of liberation after so long.

Naturally there wasn"t any proper bathing facility in the fortress in the Marcafal Kingdom. There the most he could do was draw hot water to wipe his body with using a towel.

「Haa……. Somehow, it feels a bit floaty……」

Lux talked to himself like that inside the bathtub that was filled to the brim with milky white hot water.

It wasn"t about the atmosphere of the Academy that was liberated from nervousness, but about Lux himself.

Thinking back, he had continued to keep running determinately since the day he decided to overthrow the Old Empire.

The planning of the Revolution, the ch.o.r.e jobs he did while chasing after Fugil, the training using the tournaments, the enrollment into the Academy.

In order to change the country as a prince of Arcadia.

After that he continued to fight in order to accomplish the mission that he carried.

Strictly speaking there was still various tasks remaining for him, like his professional duties as Lisha"s knight, attending the distribution of Avalon"s legacy and technology as a Seven Dragon Paladin, and so on, but there was no doubt that he had reached a juncture where he could stop.

「What should I do from here on……?」

In a few more days, it had been decided that the New Years parade that had been delayed until now due to the various circ.u.mstances of the great war would be held for three days. Soon he would depart to the royal capital along with the female students of the Academy.

Lux had also heard that on the last day of the parade, he would be honorably awarded with commendations for his heavy contributions as a member of the world alliance, as a member of Syvalles, and as the exclusive knight of Lisha.

He was feeling complicated that he would receive commendations with his status as a criminal, but on the other hand, it was also a situation that he should welcome when thinking about Airi who was in the same position as him.

Even after that he would make contributions to the New Kingdom as Lisha"s knight, and then.

He would heal Philuffy"s body, raise achievements in order to have Airi"s criminal collar removed, protect Aeril.

「After that──I"m」

He felt like there were still other things remaining that he should do.

But for some reason he couldn"t recall it. His thought was turning dim and vanis.h.i.+ng just by trying to think about it.

「……I want, to meet everyone.」

Not just the Triad and Airi, he wanted to meet Lisha and the others who fought together with him.

He felt like he would be able to recall what he should accomplish by being together with them.

Lux listened to the echo of his muttering inside the bathroom while experiencing the sense of freedom and a tinge of loneliness.

–

Around the time Lux was submerging himself in deep emotion in the New Kingdom, the war of the girls was starting behind the scenes.

It was different from a war that made use of Drag-Rides, but it was beyond a doubt a war.

It was a battle that gambled their destiny, which was even more severe than the battle at Avalon in a sense.

A strategy meeting for that was being carried out even in a border region of the Ymir Theocracy.

On a highway near the national border.

Three girls and a woman who were staying in an inn there were conversing noisily until late at night.

「So the preparations for the dress I"ll be wearing at the capital"s parade is also perfect. I never thought that the house of Einvolk would prepare it for me though.」

Krulcifer who was trying on a deep blue dress was chuckling beside the fireplace.

The parental heart of her step father, Stiyl Einvolk was terribly amusing somehow.

Krulcifer who temporarily returned back to her country for recuperation and information exchange spent two weeks at her home in the Ymir Theocracy.

It was lonely to be separated for that long from Lux, but it was also just right because in any case it was necessary to heal her injury.

Her body that was weakened and her injuries from the battle the other day like abrasions and bruises luckily recovered completely without leaving behind any marks.

It was a situation that she had no complaint about for her reunion with Lux at the parade in the Royal Capital.

「What do you all think from your point of view? Do I have any prospect of victory if it is with my current self?」

「Yes, yes, you are really perfect, my lady. ──Other than the b.r.e.a.s.t.s.」

It was a room for four people with luxurious design.

A pet.i.te girl let out a mutter that was mixed with a sigh on one of the four beds.

The Seven Dragon Paladin of the Ymir Theocracy, Mel Gizalut was wearing a simple but lovely camisole. She was sending an exasperated gaze at Krulcifer.

The decisive battle of the girls that fought over Lux.

Mel was taking a slightly fed up att.i.tude at the enthusiasm that Krulcifer directed towards it.

「Is that so, I don"t want to be told anything about b.r.e.a.s.t.s from you but, thank you. And what about you Soffice, what do you think?」

Next, Krulcifer moved her gaze towards the girl who was doing a puzzle on another bed, the brown skinned Soffice Xfer.

The three took rest and acted together for around two weeks based on their common point as fellow citizens of the Ymir Theocracy and as fellow Key"s Supervisors.

Soffice who was addressed didn"t respond for a while, before she finally muttered expressionlessly with a small voice.

「……This country, is too cold. I want to go to the capital quickly.」

「No one is asking you that. Or rather, naturally you will feel like that if you are dressed like that in this country.」

Krulcifer let out a sigh and retorted.

Soffice, whose appearance was usually nearly half-naked, was despondent as expected towards the coldness of the Ymir Theocracy in January.

「In the end I also cannot meet Ney Louches, I"ve got quite a lot of free time.」

They also casually went to check on the Ruin Hall"s situation, but for some reason they couldn"t meet the familiar Automata there.

Soffice who was unable to meet with the Automata of the Moon who was like her little sister, Re Plica, was spending her time during her recuperation mostly alone.

Her body was only covered very little around her chest and waist with underwear. She took position on the bed that was nearest to the fireplace and wouldn"t move at all from there.

After looking at Krulcifer"s appearance once more, she folded her arms and made a thinking posture before declaring.

「Even though Lux looks like that, he is an owner of a radical fetish, so the current Krulcifer won"t be able to win, perhaps.」

「……Getting chained in a prison and then peeing was your own circ.u.mstance right……? Can you please not describe Lux-kun as an owner of a peculiar fetish as you please?」

「-……!? How do you know that information!? Did Lux expose it to you!? I"ll beat him up when we go to the capital!」

Soffice cheeks reddened from shame even while her expression was staying blank, and she was clenching her fist tightly.

Mel was staring at that with an astonished gaze before turning back towards Krulcifer.

「Putting aside this peeing paladin, in reality you won"t know your chance just from your appearance. You have approached Onii-chan before not just once or twice right?」

「I didn"t wet my pants! It was only because Lux didn"t let me go to toilet even when I requested him!」

「You"re right. I"m not feeling inferior towards the other girls but, I also don"t have an actual feeling that I have a great lead from them. Of course, I have self-confidence, but I cannot say that I"m ahead with certainty.」

Krulcifer consented to Mel"s comment while ignoring Soffice"s protest.

「It"s troubling that it"s not a certain thing. After all, all the relatives of the house of Einvolk have been told that Ojou-sama will marry with Lux-sama.」

The one who opened the door and entered while saying that was the butler Alterize.

This time she was acting as a bodyguard for Krulcifer and the others. She was even in charge of giving them various support, including arranging for their lodging at the capital"s parade.

Honestly speaking, the house of Einvolk also burdened her with the role to marry Lux with Krulcifer for sure this time.

「Lux-sama, too, has reached a juncture where he can pause with his job after that battle right? In that case I thought that perhaps the way he looks at Ojou-sama will also change when the two of you reunite again.」

「If my rivals were on normal levels, I too won"t feel uneasy like this though.」

For Krulcifer, she didn"t feel like she would lose with her looks, pedigree, and the relations.h.i.+p that she had built with Lux, but the girls who were her rivals were really formidable.

Putting aside Yoruka who was already br.i.m.m.i.n.g with the intention to settle as a concubine, there was Lux"s childhood friend Philuffy who possessed childish looks and a voluptuous body that would tickle a male"s instincts. Above all else she had the advantage of the bond from her past with Lux.

The captain of Syvalles, Celistia, had a n.o.ble and dignified appearance, but in contrast to that she had an innocent side where it was easy for other people to misunderstand her and she was unable to relate well with them. That gap could easily shoot down the heart of Lux who liked to be helpful.

Until now her approach towards Lux didn"t have any momentum because of her being a late bloomer, but recently she was directing a strong fondness towards Lux where he too responded to it quite favorably.

Her position as the eldest daughter of one of the Four Great n.o.bles and as fellow citizens of the New Kingdom also made it easier to give a push to such a relations.h.i.+p.

As for the Lord, Aeril, speaking frankly she was an irregular existence. It was as though she couldn"t be predicted.

She and Lux were both fellow Arcadians. With her position as the manager of Avalon, they would act together from here on too, which was a troublesome point. She couldn"t be underestimated with how skillfully she was leading Lux around.

If she didn"t take Aeril seriously because she was a newcomer who came late, Lux would surely get taken away.

And then, the last was the princess of the New Kingdom, Lizsharte. The existence who Krulcifer was on guard the most against. The girl who might be the one with the slimmest chance to be joined in marriage with Lux in reality.

She was also the one who dragged Lux into the Academy, and the one with the influential position as the princess of the New Kingdom with deep ties to the Old Empire.

The problem was that Lisha herself was completely mistaking how to use that authority and how she was expressing her fondness towards Lux, but if it was only in the point regarding the worth in giving support to someone, Krulcifer thought that Lisha"s charm in that aspect surpa.s.sed the rest by far.

She thought that also because of how everyone in the Academy was harboring affection for her despite her status as the New Kingdom"s princess which was hard to approach.

Krulcifer also wasn"t an exception to that.

If she had to mention who was the girl who she could be the most frank and open with at the Academy, the answer would be Lisha. She had been helped by her and also helped her back many times.

She deliberately didn"t speak it out but, she recognized her strength and effort, and she was also harboring good will towards her as a friend.

(But, exactly because of that──)

She couldn"t lose.

Several more days. From the first day of the parade in the capital where everyone would gather, the 『pact』 would reach the end and it would become possible to confess to Lux.

It would be important to take the initiative, but the process to reach until that phase was also equally important.

After all the possibility that she feared the most, was that Lux would be harboring equal fondness to everyone.

「It doesn"t matter what you are going to do but just win okay. Otherwise I"ll take Onii-chan for myself.」

Krulcifer returned to herself after hearing Mel"s suggestive teasing.

「Sorry, but it won"t become like that.」

Even though she was thinking various things, she was convinced with that single sentence.

She had not the slightest intention of giving up. She swore she would make Lux hers without fail.

In order to do that she would simply do everything she could. She steeled her determination once more and formed her strategy.

–

──On the other hand, around the same time.

Each of the other girls" feelings were also similarly growing stronger with the approaching time to confess to Lux.

Celis was resting while also training in the territory of her family. Philuffy was together with Relie in the mansion of the Aingram family. Yoruka was quietly acting as Lux"s guard. Each of them were making their own preparations.

And then, the day before the parade finally arrived.

The New Years party that was slightly delayed than the previous years.

Lux boarded a coach that was bound for the capital in order to partic.i.p.ate in the festival that was held within the peace they had won.