Volume 6 Chapter 3 (1/2)

Episode 3: Class Promotion Exam

Part 1

Those three people were looking down on the ground from the sky

Light that was faint like candle but wasn't fro the cold space

Light ies that were like countless small ere projected on a wall surface inside that unique room

Four ure were there

「Is that so…… So Hayes didn't wait for 」

A silver haired girl wearing a shi+ning dress as though it was inlaid with ge so inside the darkness

There was a huge transparent pillar in front of the girl That pillar was filled inside ater that was shi+ning bluish white A naked girl was floating inside the water

The girl that had the sa her head down Her body wasn't even twitching as though she was dead

When the girl in dress let out a lah, a tall man kneeled in front of her

「The responsibility lies within hness the third iive me any punishment that you deem fit」

「I heard the detail froirl, since the past she won't listen to anyone when she has set her heart on so」

The girl in dress h she wasn't despondent at all

Then, the blue hairedby at the back──Mishi+s vi Exfer lifted her face

「Her highness the second imperial princess has already blended in as a close aide of a certain country She told me that when Listelka-sah me」

「Is that so, well, surely Aeril has soirl is a bit peculiar, but her ideal should be fundamentally the same with us」

After saying only that, she stood in front of the kneeling ently presented her hand

And then, while her long hair that was dangling until al the floor swayed, she whispered calmly

「Please lift up your face Fugil I ath Will you help me, the priestess of oracle?」

「As your ish it, your highness」

Fugil s He then took her hand

Listelka gazed at that affectionately while s

「Thank you And then let us take back our country together You who prevented the betrayal toward us the LordCreator and destroyed that clan, saving us, my ──hero」

With that word as the last, the inside of the room was filled with silence

Only the quiet sound of the Ruin's working could be heard for a while in that place

Part 2

「Nn, nn……」

Lux could hear the chirp of small bird

Warh the room's old curtain

The n country was just a bit warmer than usual and invited sleepiness, even so a voice from the side awakened Lux's consciousness

「GoodLux-kun Was the bed here hard?」

Coral who already woke up at the neighboring bed earing short underclothes similar like Lux For an instant Lux felt his heart throbbed seeing that slender body and androgynous face

「N, no I slept well, thank you」

Lux felt e face was seen He i back

「I'lad By the way, coffee or tea, which one that you like?」

Coral smiled and asked him that with a friendly tone

When Lux answered tea, Coral went to the service rooht back cups for two people

「It has been a long ti」

Luxthe tea

「Is that so? As I thought, that's ──Lux-kun is the one usually brewing it, because of your work then?」

Coral was asking in a bit of roundabout way, perhaps because he was avoiding fro the nickname chore prince

Lux smiled wryly at Coral's friendly consideration and he nodded

「I didn't do that kind of work that many times, but I like a chore where I can brew tea When the result coood」

「Aa, that feeling I also understand that There is only slight difference, but you can understand right away from the taste and aroma──」

Like that, Lux and Coral had fun talking with each other about trivial daily things

But, the bell that infor and they decided to head to the dining hall in order to take breakfast

「Ah, sorry Even though you have exam today, I took your time to prepare」

「No Thanks to you I could relax」

Lux was changing uniforly

Lux orried last night about the matter of Yoruka, but it seemed it was the correct choice for him to receive favor from Coral

After he was showed the way until the dining hall, Lux parted from Coral for the moment and he joined up with everyone from Academy

The content of the ree, but as expected it was inferior when compared to the meal in the AcademyRoyal Officer Academy

(Without realizing it ue has also become used to luxury huh……)

Lux was thinking about such thing while finishi+ng his meal, then the Triad and Airi came before Lux

「Morning Lux-chi! Were you lonely last night staying alone? You can come to our room to play you know?」

「Good ratefully」

After Lux smiled aardly, the other member of Triad, Sharis smiled to him

「Fufu, Lux-kun is also the same like usual huh ──That's what I want to say, but that absentminded face isn't like the usual you, you know?」

「Yes As expected, Lux-san seemed to be worried about Airi I should have visited to report that she is safe」

「Thi, this is unrelated with me Geez……」

Airi who suddenly got the talk directed at her pouted shyly

It seeirls was still the same like usual

「Everyone is different from me, you all don't look nervous」

「Is that hoe look like? Then, one up」

Sharis suddenly s Lux's words

'Eh……?' When Lux observed the Triad really carefully, Tillfur was vaguely looking fidgety, Noct too looked like usual in a glance, but her expression was a bit stiff

Furtherlance also said such thing, so she must be really nervous too

「We are Middle Class right now, so going up froht─」

「Well, as SyvallesKnight Order too we are going to lose face if we keep relying on you all the ti to do our best──to show result」

At the end Sharis concluded beautifully like that befitting her status as the leader of Triad

「It will be fine Everyone's strength has been growing up rapidly after all」

When Lux said that to reassure the three, Airi sighed in exasperation

「What is Nii-san saying when you are still in Low Class yourself? Surely there won't be any problem with Nii-san's practical skill, but if you fail at the written test then it's hopeless you know?」

「Uh!?」

Lux flinched from the sharp retort and without paused Airi sidled up on Lux

「I' that will make you really stand out After all this country is a place that has discord with the old empire」

「Right I understand that」

「Also, I' you to force yourself…… But──」

Airi ht her mouth close to Lux's ear She then whispered to him

「If possible, please pay attention to everyone else After all this seen country They too are a bit nervous」

「Right I understand」

Lux iave that response before he suddenly made a smile

「Even so, it looks like Airi too has returned like usual……I'm a bit relieved」

「Wha, what are you saying? I' unneeded and stand out──」

「Sorry to alorry you But, I'm really thankful」

「If Nii-san think that then please reflect a bit……」

Airi said that with a shtly reddening

Like that he parted fronated place outside

「Well then, fro to move to the written exaht?」

Everyone gathered toward the corridor froree's brief words

Lux also opened the instruction -Ride and did his last review

At present Lux's position was Low Class, but the exam question for promotion to Middle Class wasn't that difficult

Although the difficulty level was different in proportion to the Class, the prograeneral

The first exa-Ride's operating procedure, function, and so on

The second exath, fro skill and unar skill

The third exaarding the basic operation and its practical application of the type of general purpose Drag-Ride the examinee used

The fourth exah th assuainst AbyssPhantom Divine Beast

And then──, the scores froed co on the situation it was also possible for a supplemental exam to be carried out

Currently, ah Class, while Lisha, Krulcifer, Philuffy, Sharis, Tillfur, and Noct were Middle Class

Counting out the girls of the raid squad Syvalles, the fe this tiinner Class, the lowest kind of license, so first they would aim to be promoted to Low Class

Regarding this time's first exa in the answers safely without any particular problem

「Fuu……」

He let out his breath and for the ti to exit the venue, it was then──,

「Hahah, you sure look composed, but it will be the practical skill exa test, but there will even be test in the foruys will get peeled off, but I' forward to the bout y'know?」

The moment Lux exited from the hall of the exam venue, a man came It was thetrouble with Lux and others

A military officer of Wanhei to the smile

It was a transparent threat, but several of the girls were tre that

Lux hesitated whether he should ht halted just before he could say anything

Quarrelling within new kingdoht now they were in the territory of foreign country which could be even more troublesome

This thing caused one's feeling to be bad, but theyof this level

「Don't worry They too have their own official position, they won't be able to meddle with us that openly」

Suddenly Krulcifer stood beside Lux while coolly brushi+ng up her hair

「But──」

Lux uneasily raised his voice like that, but Krulcifer's face was serious

「Froirls can only bet on their own effort It's not so that you need to be responsible until that far」

「I……guess」

「But, if it bothers you thatthat you can do」

「Eh……?」

「If the weakest you──you whose true strength is by all rights nearly the strongest is taking the exa on how you do it, you should be able to becoain later」

Krulcifer only said that before she slowly left

An examiner passed her on the way and entered inside When the break was over, the examiner told them to prepare for the next exam

Lux was thinking of Krulcifer's words while following behind the ed into his pilot suit at another room

He did light war the room, then the time immediately arrived

「──Then, the exam for the basic stamina as well as practical skill of hand-to-hand coin now!」

The man of Wanheim Principality as the examiner raised his voice and announced that

The exanated distances with the objective to clear each distance within the allocated time

This tih the road at the outer circumference of Ruin's Gear

Lux also felt it when he received the exaht that it was a harsh exairl

「Haa, the distance is still all right, but just why is the road this bad─」

Those who could coirls were suffering from the steep slope of Ruin's Gear that they weren't used to

「This is really pitiful It's because there is no decent dom that weak children and women like all of you has to have a hard time of it」

「How about you all stop forcing yourself and go back home? Or should I carry you on my back with my hand on your ass?」

Airls werefor breath

The faces of the three men were the same like the soldiers fro from far away also had familiar face

Thison his chest, Buzzheim

These ainst the old edom

Lux tensed his expression and wracked his brain for a plan to stop that, it was then,

「You three are really composed isn't it?」

「Wha……!」

A dignified expression without any opening in it, and an aloof presence that overpowered other people

The existence of the girl who co air caused the man to hold their breath

Celis as a part of the four great nobles cut in between the men

「If you three has thata match with me?」

The cal tone provoked the three men

「What are, you saying? This is an individual exam you know? It's not a place to start any unnecessary match」

The ed Perhaps Celis's fame was known even in Wanheim Principality

「Then, if you three can win againstyou say before our return home, how about it?」

「What-……!?」

But, the words that Celis said caused the men to turn stiff for a moment They looked at each other's face

Next their gaze crawled on Celis's face and breasts──and continued further to around her hips that rapped in pilot suit Before long a gulping sound could be heard

「……As a noble of the new kingdoht?」

The ar desire

「But of course Although, that's only if you three win against me」

「Hahah! Don't regret that later-!」

The three men only said that before they suddenly raised their pace and ran ahead

Until just now they were purposefully slowing down in order to harass the girls

Celis as receiving exa from quite far away behind the other exa

Since her childhood, as the heiress of Ralgris house, Celis trained up herself severely, but there was no absolute guarantee that she would be able to win

「Celis-senpai……」

When Lux called out uneasily, Celis smiled confidently

「Please rest assured Lux I won't lose against them」

She told hih it was only natural, as if she wasn't even pressured

「Yes But──will you allow me to help a little too?」

Lux thought of her existence as reliable, at the saht of an idea

A way to oppose the harassment that was sent by that man called Buzzheim

When he told his suggestion with a low voice, Celis ireed with it

「Understood I'll rely on you, Lux」

Celis accelerated her pace right away along with a calm smile

She i at the front and in the blink of eye her figure disappeared from view

「Everyone, don't worry for the rest」

Lux said that to the girls ere radually so that he was starting to catch up with the back of Celis and the three men

And then──he began his tactic

「Hahaha, that stupid noble girl Just as planned, she got angry and ca us」

The three irls──theBuzzheim's instruction, one of therin

It was unexpected that the other side was the one that cah pace was a happy miscalculation for the men

These three knew very well the environ course around Ruin's Gear

The road surface at the latter half would be steep slope with neglected stone paving That course would double one's exhaustion

It didn't matter that she was a trained military officer cadet, her stamina should be unable to hold out and she would self-destruct there

But, even after theslope, they weren't unable to catch up with that back at all

「Chih Are we going easy too much? Let's hurry up a bit」

The men ere impatient with the situation that deviated fro slope

But, the distance was only shrinking slightly

「Why, why aren't we catching up!? ──, you bastard!?」

They continued to run until their breathing turned rough, even so Celis's back was far away

Further doas running parallel to theed

「──Kuh! Don't underestih this path everyday all this time!」

The men raised a spirited yell and raised their pace even further

At that moment, the match's outcome was completely decided

「Guu, haa, haA……u, Ah……」

The round with gasping breath

Naturally they were unable to win the 『coot messed up, they self-destructed, and they ended up nearly at the last place in the exam

In the end, the plan that they executed didn't work against Celis and they were struck by trap instead

Celis nor by her own initiative on path that wasn't paved, separately froeneral exercise

Therefore, she wason unstable path that she wasn't familiar with

In addition, was how Lux who looked knackered in a glance was running parallel beside the three men

Those three beca beside them, and so they raised their pace further

「You helped randson of Wade-sensei」

「No, I was just getting on Celis-senpai's tactic」

As expected, Lux wasn't a le disorder in her breathing, but at the end he ht that he too had run quite much in his own limitation

Lux wiped his sweat and took rest there while letting out a relieved sigh, it was then,

「I heard the ru」

「──Eh?」

Suddenly the strained atently dispelled

A girl with appearance that was out of place in this exaht behind him

She earing a luxurious pure white dress, that was decorated with ornaments that looked like flower petals of many color piled up on each other

On top of her blond hair with trace of brown that was partly tied with ribbon, there was a s her head

That beautiful face was filled with gentle smile

「Ah, ize for my belayed introduction I am Milmiette Crhodel The princess of this Wanheim Principality」

Right after she introduced herself like that, Celis and Lux kneeled almost at the same time

Agesture in panic

「Forgive our rudeness of not noticing the arrival of your highness」

Even Raigree as a slight distance away also saluted, but Milhtly with a smile still on her face

「Please be at ease All of your are our sworn friends who has expresslyhere suddenly merely because of my curiousity」

After Milmiette said that with a smile, everyone there silently stood up

Then, the princess talked to Lux and Celis once more

「Today the Class Pro held in this Ruin's Gear, and so I too have the privilege of observing it, but I was surprised by the ability of the two of you I'll pray so that everyone of the new kingdoement, and so that the officers of our country will also put even 」

「Yes, it's an honor to be granted your highness's praise」

Lux was lured by Celis's words and he also lightly bowed his head

Buzzhei his teeth seeing that scene

'I see', Lux thought

Here Lux finally guessed the reason why a part of Wanhei their temper

Originally they were roused up already with the visit of their country's princess to observe the exam, then in addition the exaainst the country that was formerly their bitter enemy It explained why their reaction was outspoken like that

「Well then, now I'll leave to ht, so excuse me for the present May luck be with you, everyone of the new kingdom」

The princess said only that before leaving with elegant footsteps

After that, her bodyguards and servants who came late followed after her in a rush

「She is a person with quite unique atmosphere isn't she?」

Celis whispered with a smile after the princess's presence left completely

Lux was also in agreeard to that

He thought that if it was the royalty of Wanhei bad idom without doubt, but unexpectedly it didn't seem so

(By any chance, it could be that the advocate of her highness and the supporter of Buzzheim are split from each other)

While he was thinking such thing, his back was suddenly tapped from behind

「Looks like you were doing so quite fun huh, Lux」

「Ah, Lisha-sama Everyone too, thanks for your hard work」

After the princess left, Lisha, Krulcifer, and Philuffy, the three ere at another place also came before Lux

「You suddenly have attention showered on you Well, for a person with a position like you, it will be even stranger if that's not the case though」

「Running with the two of you, unfair I also want to run with Lu-chan」

「Ahaha……」

Lux s Krulcifer and Philuffy's words

Thinking that it would be too standing out if he was grouped with the users of Divine Drag-Ride too irls, but in the end he became completely involved with Celis

「I'ain, what a blunder」

Celis htly aard look In response to that Lux shook his head in panic

「That's not true Thanks to Celis-senpai, those girl were also saved, besides, senpai were really cool」

When Lux honestly conveyed his feeling like that, Celis's cheek flashed red

「I, it really help that you are saying that After all, that's withis really correct or not……」

She spoke bashfully while averting her face a bit

Lux who saw that was going to s,

「Both of you, this isn't the place to flirt!」

Lisha cut in with flustered tone

「Tha, that was rude of me We are still in the middle of exam We must not lose focus here」

「Yes, certainly that's true After all it seeer rivalry toward us」

Lux and others ran their gaze at their surrounding after hearing Krulcifer's words

Buzzhei their way froht in front of them unnoticed

Those sharp eyes that were like a beast were boiling with hostility toward the new kingdom

「You guys are really co overly conceited」

He snorted scornfully at Lux and others while kept walking to pass through them

When they were passing each other, he carin at Lux

「Don't push your luck just fro the basic sta more than remnants of the old empire」

Buzzheiether with his hangers-on

It was so expected already, but it seemed that man didn't plan to back away just with this

Next would be the second exa skill and sword fighting skill was carried continuously

They had heard froree that in any kind of country, there was an inclination for hting

「Will everyone be okay in the next exam……?」

「No eous battle it is, it's still too early to give up winning against them you know?」

In respond to Lux's estive expression

Part 3

「Then, continuing the second exain For the order you are called!」

At the next exah spirited, forcing the girls of the Academy into a hard battle conversely

In order to avoid injury, the exaainst each other to see who could hit the other following the proper stance, but as expected there was difference in pure physical strength betweenbehind

It wasn't a subject that was considered as that ido pushed back

「Now then, I too have to go all out as a member of Syvalles」

When the turn of Sharis of the Triad ca as her opponent

Norender that were as close as possible to the exaation at work

「I believe thatto be unable to assert that I'm a woman in this kind of time」

Sharis sweated and e man mercilessly attacked

It was an exaet the better of the opponent using martial art and wooden sword in place of Sword Device, but in order to avoid injury, a special regulation to not use direct attack as much as possible was created

「DROP DEAD YOU BRATTtTtT-!」

Sharis evaded the attack of the largeat her shoulder and swept away the opponent's leg

「Should I say that it was a blessing that I was usually defeated utterly by Celis? I won't be defeated by th you know?」

Right after the man tumbled, Sharis quickly thrust the tip of her wooden sword on his chin

With that stance, according to the rule the match was concluded──was how it supposed to be But,

「That's naïve, girl」

「Wha-……!?」

Instantly, the leg of Sharis that wascondition──ept By the foot of the round

Sharis was reeled and she ale man stood up

「Wait!? What are you planning to do!? I should have fulfilled the win condition──!?」

「The exaht? That's unfortunate for you!」

The examiner Buzzheim intentionally overlooked the end of the match

The ht the seam of her pilot suit

「Wai-, sto……!?」

「Oops, uah!?」

The , the roaned and crouched down

Sharis got dragged doith hiht her in their arms It was Lux

「Are you all right, Sharis-san?」

「Eh……, ye, yeah……」

When she looked, thehis side

Lux buried the handle of his wooden sword on the man's side

「The new kingdom examinee over there! That's considered as obstruction to other match, you are disqualified!」

「……Understood」

Buzzheim announced with annoyance, but Lux accepted the decision calmly

But, because Lux ainst his opponent and collided on Sharis's opponent by chance, the other examinees stopped that decision and after a discussion, it ended with only point reduction for Lux and Sharis

「I'm sorry, Lux-kun……」

「It's ot reduced──」

Sharis hung down her head in respond to Lux's wry smile that looked troubled