Vol 9 Chapter 1 (1/2)
Chapter 1
Episode 1Airi Chapter – Love Story At Tea Party In A Certain Day
–
Part 1
「──Is everyone here? Does everyone have tea and snack at hands too? Have you all finished taking a bath and hoin the tea party tonight」
「Yes-!」
At night of a certain day
In the dining hall of girl dormitory at Cross Field’s Academy
Inside the place where several la when the girl who acted as the coordinator said that
「…………」
The night tea party that is held once a month between students of the same year is a custo
Tonight it’s the first year students’ turn, it seems that this place is reserved for us
It’s a tranquil tiht wind soothe the heart
This e, relaxation fro, and most importantly──to deepen the friendshi+p between fellow students
In that space where the girls’ friendly conversation are fluttering around and the tea cups arebook at the corner
「What is Airi reading since soo there?」
A black haired girl who is addressing me from the side is my classmate, she is my friend, and also my roommate──Noct Leaflet
She is also one of the Triad, a famous trio of the Academy
「It’s a book that a biologist wrote If I don’t also read anything other than Ruin’s ancient docue will be one-sided」
I responded curtly with my eyes still fixed on the book
Half of that reply is the truth, while the other half is a lie
「Yes I can understand that thinking itself, but aren’t you tired instead by reading such difficult book?」
Although Noct is blandly retorting like that, she is also staying at
This girl who is fro noble status actabout me moderately
The existence of such friend is a er salvation for the current me
Honestly speaking──it’s because I’ve beco with this time
It’s weird to say this myself but, I am a sociable person in the Academy
──No, to speak in amyself as a sociable person
I also wouldn’t do anything that doesn’ta difficult book alone in a tea party where everyone is gathering once a month
That was until irls that is
「Hey hey, Airi-chan Is your big brother all right? I heard that he defeated a strong Abyss that soh──」
「Nii-san is only lightly injured and tired He is mostly completely recovered already」
I respond to my classmate’s question with a calm smile
The existence of hunarok, Sacred Eclipse and the incident of the other day aren’t informed to the majority of the students
It seems that in order to avoid on Marauder’s attack and Abyss’s act
「I see, I’laad…… Then, I wonder if I can ask him to accept a request from me this time?」
……Aa, here it come
This is the reason why I stop acting sociable in the Academy
I am a survivor of Old Empire Arcadia, an empire that imposed tyrannical rule and tendency of male chauvinism for a few hundred years
in the past
After the empire was destroyed by coup d’etat, myself was acquitted by the adoiven the status of criminal
Because of that cosocial so I can be accepted by everyone, but──
「Right right I heard that the girl who requested Lux-senpai before this to coach her in piloting Drag-Ride passed her Class promotion exam──」
「Ee, I don’t wannathat kind of request outside of the Academy’s practice class It’s a rare chance, so I ant to 」
(As I thought, it turn into this kind of topic in the end……)
I control irls around me
Since Nii-san came to the Academy, various incidents occurred in succession
The adainst Lisha-sadom
The 『lover』 incident from the request that was made by Krulcifer-san, an overseas student from Ymir Theocracy
The official acceptance to join Syvalles after Nii-san was recognized by Celis-senpai, a third year student, the strongest in the Acadereat nobles
And then the acco that time
Even though Nii-san also has special circuotten him called as the chore prince in addition of his position as an imperial family of the old e down, far fro a person with endless problem in various senses
And so, now that it has co cheerfully by irls is the saless
If I a in the conversation, oh dear, I will be rained doith concentrated fire of questions regarding Nii-san, like 「What is your big brother’s hobby?」 or 「What kind of girl is his type?」
That’s why I’ a difficult book and suppress the dae to minimum
(……Well, if I can accept reality, it’s coh)
Noct who is staying by my side is a silent person in the first place, so if I can be together with her, it won’t be standing out even if I stay quiet
Like that, a bustling ti with the usual tea party
Even so, when I heard Nii-san is getting lionized in this kind of event, row quite complicated
It should be a good thing that Nii-san is recognized and depended on by everyone in the Academy
And yet──why is it, this itchy feeling
(It’s like Nii-san belongs to everyone──does it feel like that?)
I drop e to suppress down such fretfulness
The book’s content is the acadey, and their instinct
A study is written that there are a lot of animal’s children with adorable appearance so that it’s easier to raise them and raise their survival rate
And then, there is opinion that the working of an aniets emotionally attached to their parent is also for such reason
Because they are a living thing that is still weak and immature, they will instinctually fawn on other, depend on theet emotionally attached to them so that they will be protected
–
「Say say──Airi-chan, do you have anyone?」
「……Yes?」
When the classmate in front of me suddenly asked me, I replied back with a stupid look
「The theme of the talk just now seems to be 『story of first love』, Airi」
Noct followed up froot completely disconnected from the flow of the talk
But, this is troubling
「First love is it…… Eerr──unfortunately, right now I still have never experienced it」
「Eeehh……」
The girls who have already told their story raised their voice in dissatisfaction hearing my answer
「Geez, if you’re like that then isn’t it the same like Noct? Is there no one around you that you are curious about? Like──a person who is si」
「……-!?」
Suddenly et caressed
My face reflexively got heated up and I looked down slightly
(……Wh, why a this kind of reaction?)
I glanced around, but it seeitation, so I’m a bit relieved
「Oi oi, don’t drag Airi-chan into forbidden love And then, how is it? There should be one or two people you are curious──」
「The, there is none That……I’m still busy with my study, and there is also my position to consider」
I put up a mask of calm and somehow deny it one more time
‘Tsk─’, I dodged the question of my dissatisfied classmates and escaped somehow
「It can’t be helped Then, ill have Airi-san to talk about so at the next tea party, the next person──」
(Fuu, ……I’m saved)
I let out a relieved sigh that the danger has passed while leaning irl
Her first love was the man as her private tutor
Different froentle to her and reliable, so it seemed she fell in love, but──
「But, in the end it was justperson who can do anything but……thinking carefully, I noticed that he was kind to me only because he was hired by my parents」
「…………」
However, in the end it was abecause thestudent ──It seem the result was only that
「That’s lonely But, that kind of thing often happen isn’t it? That anyone will think like that to a person who have done them a favor」
「Eee……? Drag-Ride instructor is also quite h Remember, the one who sometimes came from the capital──」
「That instructor is three tiot beard, and he also has wife and children……」
Like that, the first love story develops into silly funny story
Normally I will also smile and join the talk, but for so after the letters of the book with a serious face
『Living thing that is still young will get attached with nearby living thing that is giving them protection That is one kind of defensive instinct』
The conclusion of the acadeo was printed like that
「…………」
I close the book I was reading with a snap and slowly stand up from my seat
Then beside htly and look at me
「What’s the matter, Airi?」
「I recalled that I have a bit of business, so please excuse me early for today Everyone, please enjoy yourself」
I told the hall
I a aware that I alum face
「Sheesh, just what’s with me」
I cannot understand at all
Not toward the story of the girls, but toward my own emotion that suddenly turned displeased
What the girl before this was saying was an ordinary and trivial story
My e idea, it’s a failure in my part
Even though it would be fine if I just listened with a smile, for some reason I became unable to stay there veryhall
「At this kind of tier」
It’s also annoying to just return to o to the medical office to look at Nii-san’s face
Nii-san who had just fought Sacred Eclipse the other day is staying there in order to rest peacefully
「Nii-san──are you awake?」
Knock knock, I lightly knocked and asked
「……Airi? Yes, I’m awake Come in」
I’m relieved that a calm voice replied back and opened the door
The smell of medicine that is peculiar for the medical room and flower faintly tickle the nose
「What’s thehappen?」
Fortunately there is also no girl visiting, Nii-san is alone by himself
「It’s nothing so please lie down」
Ito lift up his body
Seeing Nii-san asking about o completely out of order
「……It’s nothing I coain or not After all cos doesn’t amount to much」
「A, ahaha……」
After I let out an exasperated sigh, Nii-san who seeuilty about from that smiled wryly
「Naturally, even after Nii-san’s body is healed, you must not receive chore request for a while」
「Eh……!? E, err, that──right」
「Please say that while looking at my eyes Have Nii-san accepted such request already? You have haven’t you?」
When I’ reproachfully, Nii-sanexcuse
「No, that, it’s only a verbal promise……and my body is already fine」
「Haa……」
Astonishi+ng It’s always like this
Even though Nii-san went through difficult experience like every tie somewhere
「Surely Nii-san doesn’t think anything about it if it’s for the sake of so about your own body look even more irresponsible instead you know?」
「Uh……」
Nii-san stiffened still with an expression as though he is poked where it hurt
A faint superiority complex tickles my heart pleasantly
「Besides, was the one who irl first year who usually never really irl aren’t you? It’s filthy」
「N, no, that’s because it was a really s it for rehabilitation is──」
「What kind of request it is?」
I readily pressed the question to Nii-san who is lying down
When I heard the detail, it see outside
「For now, rejected The tiht of the baggage Nii-san will be made to carry, it can becoo apologize to that girl and ask her to withdraw the request」
「No, I’m fine so──」
「Who was it that told ot close to death every time?」
When I make a sweet smile, Nii-san fall silent
「Err, sorry Airi…… My bad but, if you can apologize for irl──」
Nii-san tell irl who made the request
「Yes, I’ll do that ──With this, it’s ht I wonder, ill the day come where Nii-san defeats me?」
My chest feels refreshed
(As I thought,with Nii-san)
I leave the medical room with a different smile from the one when I came
While going back to the girl dore, it seeht at that tiirl dormitory
I find the girl who Nii-san pro with and talk to her about the matter just now
「And because of that, can you please wait a bit more about the request? If Nii-san’s condition turn better, I will come to inform you」
「I understand It’s unfortunate, but it can’t be helped Airi-san too, youbrother──」
「Eh……?」
The girl sot suddenly pierced My face reflexively turned serious
While the chatting girls alking through the passage, I a still there in a daze
「…………」
These girls don’t know in detail of the Sacred Eclipse matter
They also don’t kno Nii-san got injured and exhausted for the sake of saving the Academy with Celis-senpai this time too
The same with the matter of how until now Nii-san had also exposed hiirls didn’t know
Those are matters that are included in the information that is prohibited to be revealed, so I cannot convey it to everyone
That’s why, I also understand about their
Perhaps they are thinking that I’ to monopolize him
『but it can’t be helped Airi-san too, youbrother──』
(……No, I’ it)
It wasn’t like they were saying that to me sarcastically
I’ shouldn’t mean like that
「What’s the matter Airi? Has you finished the business you mentioned before this?」
Suddenly Noct alking toward me come to a stop and look at my face
Soloomy
I becoe like usual
Evenis
「Say──, I know this is unreasonable but I have a request, Noct」
But, I’ up inside me
「Can you, teach -Ride?」
With such voice that is filled with just a little stubbornness and resolve
–
Part 2
「We are going to practice Drag-Ride here?」
「Yes There is no other place round, but it can’t be helped」
The next day at the early
At the time when even the sun hadn’t fully rise, I and Noct are at the back of the practice ground We arrived at an empty space that is surrounded by trees
Originally, a test run of Drag-Ride should be carried out in practice ground that is exclusively used for training
But only this time the objective is so no one else won’t find us, so we are holding the training at an eround
I received permission from the headmaster, Relie-san and I have already borrowed a Sword Device and general-purpose Drag-Ride Wyvern
「We have finished the Drag-Ride’s authentication just now, so this tie into the pilot suit, Airi」
「Understood」
I nod to Noct’s instruction and put my hand into the sleeve of the pilot suit──the clothes that is exclusively used when using Drag-Ride
Finally the ti-Ride for real
(……For so fast)
When I enrolled into the Acade-Ride’s 『authentication』 and 『contract』
The people around -Ride aptitude count is at top level even a a bit of expectation
Of course, I who until noas doing nothing but learning through classroom lecture will experience difficulty to beco-Ride
「──Wait, what’s with this appearance!? This is really eh……」
I who finished wearing pilot suit reflexively coverthat
Although I am more or less also a civil official candidate, but I have been staying for long in the Acadeure of other students wearing this but──
「Yes I have been wondering whether Airi can i like that」
Noct told me with her usual bland expression
I a underwear, the shape and peculiar fabric are also clinging tightly onit for real, my face turned red
「It’s a like this every time……」
After all, with this the body line of the wearer is completely exposed, so it aze
And then it also causethe same outfit before me
(……As I thought, I’m──)
「Airi, there is no need for you to mind about my breasts I have heard that Airi’s breasts in its oay are strongly demanded by male of specific interest」
「I don’t need such follow up-!」
When I yelled that with ies But, Airi looks good in that」 with her usual composure
「Then, can you equip the Drag-Ride right away?」
「……Yes」
I pulled ether and took a deep breath
With a voice that is shaking with nervousness, I pull outNoct’s instruction
Bizarre silver line is running on the surface of the Drag-Ride’s controller
I push the button on the grip and send the thought of su
「──Coon of crest, the symbol of power Obey my sword and soar, Wyvern」
Right after I h speed and the flight type general purpose Drag-Ride──Wyvern is summoned
「Connect – On」
When I further perfor-Ride quickly unfold into countless armor and instantly cover my whole body
The sensation of thick and heavy metallic armor causes me to hold my breath spontaneously
Until this point it’s going just as I iined but──,
「……-!? Wha, what is this, it’s really……heavy……!?」
When I try to move my body, I notice that I almost cannot move
It’s stiff──heavy
It feels like my body is buried within a lump of steel
「Yes It’s so-Ride’s movement doesn’t move in tande just fro it while you are still not used to it」
「I, is that so……?」
The driving force of Drag-Ride come from a special jewel called Force Core
That hy I coht burden to the user but──I was naïve
「Then first, I wish to teach you the basic of movements Airi, are you prepared?」