Vol 9 Chapter 8 (1/2)

Chapter 8

Episode 8Coral Chapter – Reunion And Promise

–

Part 1

Lux felt a prickling pain inside his head, his field of vision was covered by sandstorm

「──What’s this? My body, is heavy……」

He felt uneasy that he ht catch a cold, but when he pressed his hand on his head, the pain immediately receded

Last night he becae earthquake

Perhaps it affected him a bit

「Now then-……there, I wonder ifthe preparation is fine like this?」

The fortress city Cross Field, in theof a holiday

Lux iping the sweat on his head inside his roo his time alone

Luggage was crowding inside the room for two people

He was packing food, valuables, change of clothes, and so on for the portion of several days, but it was already a lot just from that

More than half of his luggage was merchandises that Relie prepared for hie

The contents were -Ride related items

The background setting was that he would be bringing the Republic’s capital for business discussion

Of course, his true objective was different

He would go there for infiltration where he would investigate a certain incident that was being done by the initiative of Heiburg Republic’s higher-ups

「However, I wonder if I will be able to do this alone? So like this──」

Lux sat down on his bed and muttered earnestly

He slowly took a deep breath and closed his eyes and recalled the happening about a week ago

–

Part 2

The underground labyrinth inside Acaderound

In that space that was like an atelier with countless utensil lined up and bookshelves that were filled with books recording iiven an unexpected ialca

–

『Therefore, the Seven Dragon Paladin of New Kingdom Atismata, Lux Arcadia I will bequeath you with a specialour world alliance──and erase theht appear』

–

The ancient race of Ruin, the Lords showed their appearance around teeks ago The iested a skill exhibition battle As the result, the Ruin inside new kingdo’s hand

In order to carry out Ruin investigation for the span athe procedure to be stationed in a port city inside new kingdom’s territory

It was the port city inside the territory that was governed by Celis’s father Dist, one of the four great nobles The name of the port city was──Triport

That city that was the nearest to Babel would likely get dragged into the whirlpool of disturbance

The treasures that would be obtained by conquering Ruin would be stolen, and through the process of that, Abyss would appeared and brought hardom

Furthernarok slipped away from the Babel, there was even the possibility that several cities and villages would be erased from the map

Because of that, hts would be dispatched frodom to the Triport, even several Acade-Ride users would be recruited toward that city by turns

There was a possibility that Lux would also get chosen for that, but thinking that he should refrain frodom’s terri

tory, he was told by Relie to concentrate toward a different mission

『It’s unfortunate that I cannot serve as Lux’s aide, but I will accomplish my own duty Please be careful while you are away』

Celis said that to him and then departed to Triport early

And then on the other hand, Lux was preparing for his departure toward the capital of Heiburg Republic, Exestal, in order to accoave him

Why was Magialca convinced that the 『traitor』 of the world alliance would show up there?

Froialca’s reasoning, but for the tiuise himself as merchant and infiltrated there

Thus, he gathered the ed for him and put his outfit in order

It was the eleventhten days, Lux had finished going to class while spending tiirls

He had felt it once irls

Exactly because of that──Lux was able to renew his determination that he wouldn’t let this world came to an end in half more years

In a few more days Lux would depart from this Cross Field

Before that he went out fro that he hadn’t done

「I have also done as much chores as possible in the Academy that I wasn’t able to do until now I think it will be fine for now but──」

Lux strolled at the courtyard while

For today he accepted almost no chores in order to prepare His schedule was empty since the afternoon

「Should I invite Airi and walk around in the city?」

While he was thinking of such thing, he suddenly ran into female students of the Academy

「Ah, Lux-san How do you do?」

「Oh, are you doing chores again today? Even though it’s a holiday, you must have it hard」

Two girls at the sarade with him called out to him amiably

When Lux asked the unusual, the two of them pondered for a while

「Eerrr, let’s see Coirl as sneakily loitering around the Acadee perhaps」

「Eh, that’s──」

The huotten defeated should have revived yet

Thus it shouldn’t be a big probleot a bit curious about it

「Thank you Then, I’ll go take a look for a bit」

Lux parted froate and looked around the area

He was vigilant against the possibility of fellow like Gerdaf who attacked Lux and others in the campus festival, but it seemed it was only his needless anxiety

Yoruka would periodically stand on guard at the Academy, but he also didn’t want to burden it all on just her, so this was a good chance

「Right now there doesn’t seee」

「Nyaaah」

When Lux was feeling relieved at the peace before him, a cat suddenly crossed in front of Lux

The cat looked so

‘Eh?’, Lux thought while feeling slightly taken aback Then at that moment, sound of footsteps came from behind

「Wai-!? WAIIIITTT-!? SOMEONE, PLEASE CATCH THAT CAAATT-!」

「Eh……?」

Lux turned his face toward the voice in surprise

Over there, a girl wearing clean and neat lacy dress was desperately chasing the cat

「Don’t tell ain!?」

Correct

It was that cat, the cat who beca enrolled into the Academy

It see people’s thing

But, only this time there was no way he would let it escape easily

「Yosh!+ I’ll absolutely catch it this time!」

Lux instantly determined himself

This opponent beat hi, but he was different from that time

If it was the current him──he could overtake it

「Funyaaaah!」

It was uncertain if the cat considered Lux as its longtihting spirit, then it accelerated

But, even so Lux wasn’t left behind

The agile and skilled escape of the wild animal was cornered by Lux’s experience

(As I thought It’s the same cat with before──, its escape habit is the same)

Lux’s observation and foresight had been polished through Drag-Ride’s mock battle

It could also be applied to cat’s movement Lux erased its escape options one by one

It ht not be possible if it was that time when he came for the first tihly faround

Where was the place that a cat could easily escape to?

Or else, where was the place where it would be easy to corner the cat later?

Lux hi those options, guided the cat, and cornered it

「Yosh!+ After getting this far──, wha-……!?」

When Lux thought that he had cornered the cat until the corner of the fence, the cat kicked on the wall and juh

Lux was taken by surprise

It wasn’t just Lux, even the cat had improved in skill

A beat later Lux also jumped and reached out his hand, but he couldn’t catch it

「Wait! IBoku too……! No, Iwatashi+ too am also here!」

The voice of the girl as also chasing after the cat while wearing skirt immediately came from behind

Lux who detected her presence used his finger to pull the string of the bag fluttering in the air and he succeeded so the cat’s balance

「Funyaaa!?」

The cat lost his balance

Lux fell on the ground on his back with his face facing up In the end he was unable to catch the cat, but──

「Ei-!」

The girl wearing frilly one piece who ca

Lux who used all his irl who ai

The teamwork of the two y a success nificently

「I did it! I got it back, thank you Lux-kun!」

The girl raised her hand with a wide smile

Lux kept lying down on the ground while he was going to reply back with a smile, but then he suddenly held his breath in surprise and turned stiff

「……Eh, just now? My name──……wait, uwah!?」

When Lux was going to lift up his body in surprise, he noticed that situation

The sirl who took back the back

Lux had tu above him

For the girl earing pure white dress to be right above hiaze was inevitably absorbed to inside her skirt──, sky blue color that was like clear weather of the autumn was projected there

「Wait, KYAAAaAAAH!?」

The girl instantly turned red until her neck and she screaht

「Wai-, wait a second-!? If you yell that loudly──」

Lux iirl’s hand, and pulled her into the nearby cover

「Wha, what are you doing!? Co, could it be──, you are planning to do pe, pe-pe-perverted thing to meboku!?」

「Not that!? This place is still a et scolded if you are found out!」

「Ah……」

The girl finally noticed She allowed herself to be dragged by Lux and obediently hid at the shadow of a bush

After that, Triad htly distanced from the courtyard

「……Hirl’s screaination」

「Sharis is highly strung eeh Though the caet it if you feel anxious」

「Yes Perhaps it was only Lux-san accidentally encountering soain」

Sharis, Tillfur, and Noct werealternately

They then looked around for a bit at the surrounding, then they left

「Fuu, we’re saved……」

If it was Lux, he believed that he would be forgiven even if he was found out, but he didn’t want the girls of Triad who volunteered to act as vigilance committee to bend the rule for him too much

The moment he patted his chest in relieve, he suddenly noticed the presence behind him

When he turned around, the girl whose expression was stiff frorasped by Lux

「No, this isn’t how it looks like!? I was looking at your underwear before this was a ──not that, it was just an accident! I didn’t have any intention at all to peek……, wait, eh?」

While e sensation rose inside Lux’s body that was holding hand with the girl

A faint prickling pain was born behind his eyes He saw sandstorm before his eyes

The sound of blood circulation echoed in his eardrums

After that happening that took place in less than a few seconds, the fore

「You, could you be, ……Coral?」

「Eh……?」

The girl was flustered hearing the word that slipped out from Lux’s mouth

Lux hi could be true

The young on Paladins of Vanheientle personality as quite friendly with Lux

After the suo was over, Coral should have returned back to Vanheiether with Greifer and others

Further clothes and hairstyle of girl

Vibrant long light green hair that was spreading out and pure white dress

That appearancedéjà vu for some reason

Although Coral originally had androgynous appearance, he should have never seen this girl’s appearance for even once

「Ku……!?」

Right after that, a sharp pain ran inside Lux’s head and he fell on his knee

His hand pressed on his forehead and he stayed still After that the pain immediately receded

「A, are you all right Lux-kun……? If you are feeling unwell, then we should go to the medical office──」

The girl called out to Lux uneasily, but Lux stood up and shook his head

「No I’ht already so don’t worry More iht?」

「Eh……!? N, no Iboku……not that, Iwatashi+ am not that person……you know?」

The girl averted her eyes without any confidence for some reason

(It’s too suspicious…… But──)

In reality, there was also no definite truth that this girl was Coral

She had the same hair and eye color with Coral, so he believed the possibility was high, but──

「Just now you mentioned medical office didn’t you? How did you know that this place has so like that?」

「Kuh……, n, no A military facility this size must have that much at least Re, remember, just now you said that this place is a military facility」

The girl made an aard friendly smile, but as expected she was subtly suspicious

「The, then, seeing that I a 」

The girl said that and slowly tried to back away from Lux

Lux who saw that raised his voice in hurry

「Wait! The gate before this has a patrolling soldier It’s better to get out fro around is also increasing at this time, perhaps it’s better to hurry──」

「I, is that so? Understood, I will be careful Farewell!」

The girl smiled and waved her hand, then she half ran toward the backdoor

She was h the shortest route toward the backdoor that was still far away froe of the courtyard

「…………」

But, after a few seconds, the girl stopped still She turned around with a wry smile

「E, errr……right, yes Whe, where is the backdoor again!? I forgot to ask that-!」

「Aa……」

She finally got captured at the second trap Lux laid out

In the first place, only the student of the Academy knew about the backdoor

And yet she──no, he instantly guessed the location instantly

In other words, he knew about the backdoor’s location

Most likely, it was Airi who told hi in the Cross Field

It seemed that he noticed that late, but the proof was already left behind

「Say……as I thought, you noticed already, about meboku?」

Coral grasped the cuff of his dress while averting his gaze shyly

Fro e

「Well, it wasn’t like I was 100 sure By the hy are you still in this Cross Field? Also, that appearance too──」

「A, ahahahaha…… This is, there is a bit of circumstance──more importantly Lux-kun What do you think about ht now?」

「Even if you ask h」

「Eh?」

Coral’s eyes turned round like saucer hearing Lux’s words Right after that his cheeks puffed red

Seeing that reaction bewildered even Lux who said that

「N, no, I don’t mean like that I uise looks really natural」

Lux orried because he called Coral 『cute』 even though he was pretty much a male, but it seemed Coral didn’t really mind it

「Fo, for the tis like my hair color or eye color, they properly look like the usual ht?」

「Ye, yes But, your chest──」

There was only one place that was baffling for Lux

The two bulges that could be clearly seen fros that couldn’t be seen from Coral previously

「Eh, this!? Thi, this is, that──the, they are padding It’s for disguise, just in case」

Coral smiled wryly in panic and explained it like that

Lux was a bit curious about his chest, but he also hesitated to stare fixedly at there, so he didn’t ask further than that

「And, why are you looking like that? What’saround the Academy──」

「E, eerr, you see, it will be long if I talk about it but, that’s……」

Seeing Coral hesitating looking slightly bewildered, Lux let out a sigh

Surely it was a matter that was hard to be said openly in this place

Lux who guessed that estion

「Then, how about we talk outside the Academy? I think I can show you around if it’s inside the Cross Field」

「Ri, right Please, by all means……」

And then, Lux headed outside the Acade

–

Part 3

「And, just what happened? Can you tell now that we are here?」

Lux brought Coral earing a neat and clean dress to walk leisurely on the main street

They were at the center of the first block that was shaped like a cross

Perhaps because today was a holiday, the central plaza was bustling They sat on a bench and finally Coral told his story

「Err, you see It’s hard to say it with a loud voice but, this is a uised h」

「Is, that so But──just what kind of mission it is?」

Lux looked at Coral’s figure when she was going to talk

His hair wasn’t braided like usual His long hair was s out

His glossy lips were slightly opened, letting out a soprano voice

「Vine Hachettes One of the three bosses of Dragon Marauder, the Earth Dragon division co the Wyr the best」

「Dragon Marauder!? Don’t tell me, they are still near the Academy even now──」

The mercenary force that was hostile to the royalty and aristocrats of many countries and raised havoc in Ruins

Furthermore they were the archene for Avalon

And according to the story that he heard later on, they also seemed to attack the Academy the other day too──

「No Right now they aren’t showing big ure was seen here It seeht here from Vanheim Principality witnessed his appearance That’s why──」

「Because of that Coral dressed as a girl and remained alone in this city?」

Coral nodded while staying alert to the surrounding

This town ht now

Coralthe citizens

「But, why is it Coral who remained here? Even if for exaon Marauder is really hiding in this city──」

There was no need for Coral to do this mission solo

Even if danger would visit, it would happen inside the territory of the new kingdom, not in Vanheim

He could just warn the military and had them taken over this case

「No Don’t tell anyone else this but……, that division commander had a debt He is, a distant relative of Vanhaim Principality’s royalt──what’s more he is from the same line as me」

「……-!?」

The face of Lux who heard that turned slightly tense

The young man Vine as a former royalty wasn’t known by the public, but it was still a fact that he was a relative of Princess Milmiette who Coral served

Thus, the country had the motive to deal with this secretly if possible

「That’s the circumstance, so don’t mind me Lux-kun I can at least protect inally this dom’s side, but──」

Coral smiled wryly In respond Lux pondered for a bit

If this was a secret mission from Vanheim Principality, then there was no way he could tell about this dom

In other words──

「Then, let me to help out a bit」

「……Eh?」

Coral opened his estion

「It ht? Besides if it becoon Marauder, Coral will also be in danger」

「Bu, but──」

Perhaps because it was a special mission, Coral’s expression was a bit bewildered

「You are searching around the Acadeht be around here isn’t it? I don’t want to let everyone in this city to er」

「Ye, yes You’re right but……I」

Coral’s response was evasive

Perhaps Lux’s suggestion was unexpected for Coral He was bewildered by Lux’s words but──,

「It’s all right I won’t stay with you all the time Let’s decide a tiirl who isn’t even aaround this area you know?」

「I, is that so!? I was standing out that much?」

Coral spoke with a surprised expression, but actually the reality was a bit different from that

A beautiful girl at that age that gave a noble i around the Academy by herself was problematic

Although, it was a bit hard to tell Coral as an androgynous young man just how feminine he looked

(I also have experience going through so like this huh……)

Thanks to the experience of the Triad irl, Lux could sympathize with Coral

「──I got it Then Lux-kun, can I ask you to teach me a bit about this city?」

It appeared that Lux’s good as conveyed Coral deterreed

And then, the mission with Coral started from this day

–

Part 4

「The witness report frouard said that it was around here……」

The extensive outer wall that surrounded Acaderound

Lux was cautioned by Coral while they were

「It’s fine to not get to close to the Academy That’s, if we are seen by the students, on’t knohat they will say about us」

「About Coral? It will be fine, as expected if it’s a party of two like us then it won’t look unnatural Even if the students saw us, I will cover it up properly」

「……It’s not aboutalone with irl like this?」

「……Eh? Why?」

「…………」

When Lux responded like that seriously, Coral unusually stared fixedly at hihed deeply

「Now I understand a little bit about Airi-chan’s hardshi+ps Lux-kun so」

Coral’s sarcasm that was quite transparent caused Lux to make a conflicted expression

He wanted to object slightly, but he also happened to be relatively aware of what Coral meant, so he couldn’t say it

「We don’t knohat is the objective of Dragon Marauder’s division commander Vine If it’s before the cah that he came for preliminary inspection in the preparation to rescue Drakkhen, But now──」