Volume 10 Chapter 4 (2/2)

And yet, how did she lose? No,

「It's still, noot over yet…… If I can escape from here, it'll be, my wiiin……」

Rosa e herself and stood up

She touched the Sword Device of a general purpose Drag-Ride that she covertly carried and started walking toward asteps

But, so had already broken

Her expression, was beco an expression that she had never shown until now Even now it looked like she would break out crying

–

Part 3

「It's around here I think? It looks like Rosa's Gorynych was dispelled here」

Lux and Coral pursued Rosa and returned inside the practice ground in Heiburgat the broken trees of the forest while following behind the footprints

「Thank you Coral If it's froo alone」

Even though he ounded all over his body, it see down He unsheathed the Sword Device of Wyvern once -Ride on his body

「Don't force yourself Lux-kun! If you like, you can also entrust the matter of Lady Rosa to me──」

「No, that's no good If I don't settle it with her with my own hand……」

Lux stepped inside the darkness with an expression that was afflicted with fever

It was hard to understand because of the rain and the arments of Gorynych that were scattered around, but some trace of blood could be seen

Rosa too was also at a dying state without doubt

But, sheto escape

If Noct ca thing around with her Drake's probing device but──

「Be careful Lux-kun! ──There is someone nearby!」

When Coral informed hiuard

But, it see soldiers who escaped from the battle before this

It appeared they were also at their li-Ride

When they noticed Lux and Coral, they threay their swords and prostrated

「Ple, please spare us! We too had no other choice but to obey Lady Rosa We are putting down our Sword Device like this so──」

「I get it Coral, please take care of the for her so──」

「It's fine but, will you be alright by yourself? I just confiron Voice, everyone of the Triad will come soon you know?」

「Yes I still, can go on」

Lux slowly fleard, following the bloody footprints until behind a large rock

「Throay your weapon and surrender If you do that I won't take away your life here」

Perhaps Rosa wasn't behind the rock, no reply came

Lux readied his Scale Blade It was at that moment he felt a presence behind him

「──AAAAH!」

A hoarse voice burst At the same time, Rosa clad in Drake struck with her Blade

But, that trick wouldn't work for the second time

Although Lux was exhausted, as expected he had predicted the ambush

「As I thought, you are going to do so like this」

Lux perfor the Scale Blade The Blade of the Drake was smashed

Rosa who saw that backed ahile her body was tre fiercely

Perhaps her ar to the side

Fro the area around her stomach, it hinted that her ribs were also broken

「Why, why doesn't it work……! Even though it shouldn't be like this……just whyyy!」

Her eyes were er toward Lux

When Lux calmly used his Blade as a shi+eld, Rosa used that chance to vanish her figure

It was the basic ability of special equipe ability

However, in her dying state, she wasn't able to use it properly

Lux slashed at a spot where the air was distorted, breaking the waist part of the armor

「Tsu……! NOOoOOOO-!」

Rosa's armor was dispelled at the same time with her reappearance She broke into a run deeper toward the forest with her flesh body

「This is your lose, Rosa Surrender obediently and accept the judgment of the law Atone for your sins until now」

「Why, hy why…… Even though evil is absolute, even though I shouldn't have lost, even though I was told that I would hy──!」

Rosa hugged her shoulders with an expression of heartbreak while shi+vering Even so she didn't let go of her Sword Device

In the mire and she stumbled Her whole body was soppy with blood and mud while at the end she fell on her butt and looked up to Lux's Wyvern

She was at an open spot that was surrounded by trees There Rosa was finally unable to move anymore

「Please, help ive meee……! I, don't want to dieee……! I don't hat's et taken away by someone else anymoree……!」

Rosa leaked out tears down her cheeks that were soaked with blood while pleading

Even that ht be trap

Lux couldn't let his guard down until the end

「Are you planning to trick so like that? Or perhaps──」

Was she planning to buy time? When Lux was about to say that, footsteps could be heard approaching fro

For aif ene, but it seemed he was mistaken

Common soldiers whose ar here while leading Coral

「They had throay their weapon and surrendered just now Lady Rosa, I want you too to be restrained quietly」

Coral tried to persuade Rosa with a calm tone, but in contrast when Rosa noticed him, she called out to her subordinates

「Qu, quickly save et away then a reward──」

「Shut up you bitch-!」

「KYAAAAH!?」

Rosa immediately shrieked Her face was snapped backward

One of the soldier threw a rock that hit her forehead

「Tha, that's right! Be quiet you trash!+ You villain!」

「We are getting treated like this! Everything is your fault!」

「How dare you threatened us all until no dare you, how dare you──」

Heiburg soldiers who nu abuse at Rosa with that as the trigger

They threw rocks, stepped on her broken li pilot suit, punched her face

It seee, or perhaps they were doing this only to protect their own position

Even though the girl was crying and screa, the soldier's collective behavior didn't stop and increased in intensity instead

「NOOOOO-……! PLEASE FORGIVE MEEEE-! I'M SORRY I'M SORRY I'M SORRY I'M SORRY I'M SORRY I'M SORRY I'M SORRY I'M SORRY I'M SORRY I'M SORRY! STOP IT ALREADYYYY! SAVE MEEEE-!」

The girl who had already lost her strength and became powerless was showered with insult and violence by the men

That wretched sight that was just too painful to look at caused Lux to grimace unconsciously

──It was her just deserts

This was the payth and fear and carried out immoral actions

Lux had no duty to stop them

Besides even though she eak right now, if she recovered her strength, she would undoubtedly stand up again as follower of atrocity

At that tiain

But even so, Lux reached out his hand reflexively trying to stop the beating It was at that tion Voice

『I beg you Lux-san──please kill her with your hand』

Calensia's voice was tinged with urgency

『Eh……?』

Lux was bewildered by her words and he stiffened

『My fa by her tyranny I beg you Please save us』

『However, such thing……I』

Even so Lux was showing hesitation, but Calensia whispered

『Please Lux-san Right now I still cannot go there If she is ie I know that what I' you, in order to save this country』

Lux was listening to Calensia's pleading while gripping his Wyvern's Blade tightly

–

『As a king, you tried to save not only the people of this country, but even the rotten imperial fah ot outwitted』

–

The words of Fugil that he said to Lux when the old empire was destroyed was replayed once more inside Lux's head

(That's right There is no way──I can do the saain)

The imperial family that was treated as the symbol of evil and also their retainers, if possible Lux also wanted to save them He tried to save them

However he was betrayed by his eldest brother Fugil and failed Fugil thrust his own naivety before him

Even now he couldn't see the ansas the ht However──

「Please, kill this woman!」

「It's impossible for the people of our country! Anyone here will hesitate froe! Please kill her in our place!」

「If only this wo of Vices will also disappear! Peace will return into this country!」

Kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill kill, kill

The boos of the soldiers that sounded like a chorus strengthened Lux's world distorted and crumbled

Having those gazes that were filled with expectation directed at him, Lux stood before Rosa with Blade in hand

「Lux-kun……you s that we have to ask her!」

Coral who standing beside him stopped him like that, but Lux quietly lifted up the Blade

「No, that's no good After using Over Lith If Lady Rosa escape during that time, I won't be able to protect everyone」

That's right

This wasn't just about Lux

Philuffy and also the Triad ere here too, then everyone in the new kingdoer

「Someone has to do this I have to do this There is no, other choice If this girl won't stop no matter what, then, there is no choice──but this」

Lux erased his feeling and stared at Rosa coldly

And then he quietly lifted up his Blade, brandishi+ng it toward the girl whose pupils were opened in fear

「Please……save me! Don't kill meee! It shouldn't be like thiiiss…… I had no choice, but to do this……! I'll do anything! I' you, that's why……!」

「──Then, I too have no choice but doing this In order to stop you, this can't be helped」

Lux told her with a blunt tone

But, right after that Lux's heart throbbed violently, he was caught in the sensation as though his blood floas flowing in reverse

In the era of the old eure of hi for help in front of the coach that fell down the cliff was overlapping with the figure of Rosa right now

Even though he was asking for help to save his heavily injured mother, what came back were only jeers and thrown stones

Lux and his faht weren't involved with the despotic administration of the old empire

And then Lux and his family were banished frorandfather tried to remonstrate the emperor in order to save the people, but──, the people didn't know anything about such circumstance

They were only directing all the resentment they had piled up until then to Lux and his family eak imperial family members ere abandoned by the emperor

「U, gu……aa-!」

Nausea and dizziness assaulted Lux si crazy

But, the voices of Heiburg's soldiers ere oppressed until noouldn't stop ringing

And then, Calensia too was also sending a heartfelt plea『Kill her』 through the Dragon Voice

While Coral atching over Lux with an uneasy look, Lux was going to swing down the Blade unthinkingly, it was then──

–

「You, must not, Lu-chan……」

–

A war pilot suit

A dear and gentle voice caressed his ear Lux instantly came back to his senses

'Kill, kill', inside that hellish world where the chorus of Heiburg soldiers ishi+ng for Rosa's death penalty, only Philuffy tried to stop Lux by e him

「Phi, chan……!?」

Philuffy as slashed by Rosa and should be grievously injured was rushi+ng to Lux's side once again under the heavy rain with her body still wrapped in bandage

「Wait for uswith that injury is──!?」

Thefro-Rides

The abnormal atmosphere until noas dispersed with that Only the quiet sound of rain was hitting the eardrum

「If it's ht That's why, Lu-chan, you mustn't kill」

Philuffy's voice that was absentminded and at her own pace like usual

Just fro that, tension left Lux's body

His boiling killing intent and rage toward Rosa vanished, only the scene of this place entered his eyes

And then Lux told the Triad

「……Please take care of her, Lady Rosa's apprehending Also, about everyone's──」

Midway, the arth left Lux's body

He had already passed his lio

After this, surely he wouldn't be able to th for a while

「Lux-kun-!?」

「Lux-chi!?」

「Lux-san!」

Lux listened to the anxious voices of the Triad while getting gently embraced within someone's arms

It was a gentle and waric

Lux was feeling the war consciousness

–

Part 4

「U, uu……」

Lux lost consciousness He got a fever due to the extreme exhaustion from the Over Limit's backlash

A day passed since then It was the time when his consciousness finally returned

「Lu-chan You are okay?」

「Yes I'o back to the new kingdom tomorrow……」

Although he tried to act strong, his body was still heavy and couldn't move

Lux was tasting a delusion as though his whole body was deeply buried within clay

It felt like his body becah his body was plastered onto the bed

The underground market was closed after that coed to be handed over to Calensia and the Resistance to be judged

Heiburgthe first Ruin Babel at Triport in the new kingdom

In order to make the military retreat, it was necessary to thrust this case before Heiburg nize the crime

Therefore, right now they were searching for the record of Rosa's transaction with Dragon Marauder behind the scene and carrying out the procedure to appeal to the world alliance

『My apologies Lux-san I want you to wait for a bit 's complication is settled』

The afternoon of the next day, Calensia showed herself at the inn where Lux, Philuffy, and then the Triad were staying She said that looking like it was very hard for her to say

If they appealed with this fact to the world alliance before Rosa's sin was fored, the Lords ished for the annihilation of the traitor would interfere and the chance for Heiburg to clean up itself would be lost

At present because thein the capital were also those ere threatened by Rosa, they had rebelled and joined the Resistance's side

In order to treat the anization, and ambushed Rosa's subordinates the Servants, Calensia wished for more time

At that tiht that there was no choice but to kill her, but right now she was completely restrained and there was no risk of that

And then──Lux who sympathized with Calensia's intention decided to return to the new kingdom for the moment

From what he heard froressing well They had reached until the tenth floor just the other day

Including the highest floor, there were three floors re

The pace of the capture was really high, but it wasn't because Heiburg ate the Ruin was exceptionally excellent

It seemed that the moment powerful Abyss caet outside the Ruin through the nearby transfer device

Thus, the exterthere That was to say Lisha, Celis, Krulcifer, Yoruka, and the subordinates of Lord Dist

Because the new kingdoation, there was no proof Heiburg was using horn flute, but froh frequency of Abyss's appearance outside, there was al at Heiburg military

The gate that existed in the middle of the Ruin, at sixth floor see's request

It was annoying to cooperate with the to the new kingdom, but in the first place the world would perish if the Ruin wasn't liberated, so she couldn't refuse

After hearing that story, Lux said to the Triad that he wanted thedom to convey the situation here, but they refused

They chose to constantly stand on guard around Lux while he was sleeping in the inn

「If we take our eyes off frooal line at once with Philuffy If that happen, on't have any face to meet everyone else」

「Hahaha, well, she is hiding her embarrassment like this but, I'm also worried about you Just because it's a difficult situation in the new kingdom, there is no e can leave you alone here while you are seriously injured with only the injured missy Philuffy to take care of you」

「Yes I judged that we should carry out the best action depending on the situation」

Tillfur, Sharis, and Noct each said that and stayed here for him

Philuffy's injury also wasn't shallow, but the Abyss's strength seemed to quicken her recovery She was completely healed within a few days

After that she diligently nursed Lux

「Lu-chan I made lunch Open your mouth, aahn」

Philuffy etable soup that was different froht it to Lux

Philuffy usually wouldbut sweets, but it seemed she was teached by the inn's owner to make the soup

After also eating a soft bread that was soaked into the soup, his feeling calmed down just for a bit

When thehot water and towel

But, Lux as sitting up on the bed was stilla cloudy expression

「Why……」

Suddenly such words spilled out from Lux whose eyes were hollow

Lux was unable to move all this time wasn't just because of his physical exhaustion

Since that day when he cornered Rosa and alh he was dead

「I wonder, as I unable to finish off Rosa……」

Philuffy didn't answer Lux's question

After stopping her hand's ain while slowly changing his bandage with slow hand movement

「There was no other choice than that If I killed her, everyone in Heiburg would be saved, and yet…… Even though I understand that she won't refor, and yet──」

And yet, he was unable to finish her off

He was unable to answer the expectation of his surrounding

『I think from the view point of other country, it must looks like that she is a really bad existence But……I cannot believe that』

The words of Stefa who told him that she orried about Rosa

Even those words were bloay from his mind when Philuffy was slashed from behind

But the moment he cornered Rosa until the very end, Lux's heart was shaken

Even if that begging for her life was just her acting to trick him

Even if it was her getting her just desserts when the surrounding directed their hatred at her

The Rosa at that e of himself when he was a child

Just like when Lux was pleading tearfully, asking for help for his e of death

「I couldn't kill her…… In the end, perhaps I ail-niisan said I don't have the resolve to destroy evil for the sake of perforo anywhere So my ideal, from the start that's──」

『Someone asn't loved by anyone will try to be loved by anyone』

Perhaps he was just how Fugil expressed hi sinize him, and that he had no true resolve

(Then──I cannot continue anyon Paladins like this)

Lux was about to speak out that feeling into words, it was then

「Ah……」

A faint sweet scent enveloped Lux suddenly

Philuffy was hugging Lux froe wrapped on his body

Lux had his voice stolen from him just from that action

The sound of the clock's hand was carving into the stopped time

「……You're wrong, Lu-chan」

Philuffy whispered into his ears gently, with a soft tone as though to persuade a child

A tranquil sirl as reflected on the mirror inside the room

「Lu-chan, isn't mistaken at all That's why, don't worry」

「Tsu……!?」

Those words soaked into his chest, pushi+ng out the e

Tears slowly overflowed froh they were squeezed out

「But, I──!」

Was unable to grant everyone's wish

He was unable to cut Heiburg's darkness called Rosa with this hand

He was unable to persist in his justice even if he had to dirty his hand

Just like five years ago, when he was abandoned by Fugil when he tried to save even the members of the old empire and failed

「You see Lu-chan, what you want is not to beat souy you know?」

Philuffy tightly hugged the shoulders of Lux that were tre in his chest and she told hiht

「Lu-chan, you are just unable to overlook it, when there is someone troubled in front of you That's why──it's fine like this Abandoning someone else who can be saved, for the sake of someone, it's fine even if you don't do that」

「……Uu, ku」

Instantly, strength left Lux's body Drops of tears were spilling down from his eyes

At that time, everyone told him to kill

The soldiers of Heiburg who feared retaliation, and also Calensia, they wanted Lux to finish off Rosa

But at that tiht was settled and Rosa was in a state that was unable to fight

「That's why, don't force yourself Don't hurt yourself It will be fine, because I will protect Lu-chan, no matter what」

Her warmth enveloped the worn and beaten up Lux

And then, Philuffy kept e of his heart calmed down

──It's nostalgic

That painful day when he orn out and beaten up, helpless to do anything

This hug was just like the one she gave Lux that tirave of his mother