Volume 12 Chapter 2 (2/2)

「Wai-, wait a second! No wait, as expected my current appearance is──uwah!?」

She looked flustered about so her own coat and face, after that she took a ered from her foothold

Lux who saw that quickly put down the basket and kicked on the floor in a dash

Lisha was falling froht her with both hands

「Tsu……!? O, oi Lux! Are you okay!?」

「Yes, I'm fine Lisha-sama yourself──」

「I, idiot! It's dangerous if you suddenly call out right!? Besides you recklessly caught me like this, if you are injured──」

「I'm sorry about my voice But, it's only natural for ht after all」

When Lux s her in his ardom's princess flushed red and she averted her face shyly

「Good grief……that's why this is no good If you co shaken from happiness」

「Eh……?」

She muttered that with a low voice, so he was unable to hear the last part clearly

「I, it's nothing-! More importantly the meal If I don't wash my hand──」

「I also brought a towel to wipe your hands with, here」

He put down Lisha and picked up the basket, then they sat on a bench that was a slight distance away froether

Vegetable soup with stock from meat and bone

Sandith bacon and egg in between, apple pie as desert, and so on After consu those, they took rest

During that ti-Rides in display that Lisha was decorating and tuning

「Is this, Lisha-saht festival?」

「Yeah, Haha-ue said that it will be a good symbol to convey my work to the people She asked overn-Ride that I tuned」

Lisha didn't only ht, but she was also known to produce result with Drag-Ride development

Normally it couldn't be shown to the public to -Rides would be put in display as special occasion

「Well, it can't be helped After all there is really nothing else that is princess like froood if it's just a simple decoration, so I also applied the blueprint of ancient docus with unique shape」

Lisha folded her ar proud

In front of Lux, three types of general purpose Drag-Ride, flying type Wyvern, land battle type Wyrm, and special equipment type Drake were lined up

「Eh……? But this, their shape is different from normal?」

「As expected froood eyes」

Lisha raised her voice in excitement at what Lux pointed out and bit at the topic

「They are nor like this is also develop」

「Is that so, as expected it will be bad to display the co-Rides here」

When Lux enrolled at first, Lisha was already developing the Chi type and land battle type

Co-Rides wasn't really striking out No, rather──

「Or rather, will they -Ride, each of them looks like they are disassembled in various places──」

「They will Besides, those three Drag-Rides are only model in the end My 『new type』 that can be used in real battle is already placed in the underground of Drag-Ride hangar」

Guessing fro absurd that surpassed that Chimeratech Wyvern

These display iteress until she reached that development

「Well but, the truth is I' my work like this」

「Why?」

When Lux tilted his head, Lisha looked up at the Drag-Rides with a despondent look

「After this the new kingdom will also raise tax Recruitment for soldier is also inevitable with the recent consecutive battles, there is also the reat nobles The increased a cannot be avoided」

「So this display is for the sake of convincing the people for that?」

「It wasn't Haha-ue──her h I don't know if it was the suggestion of Prireat nobles The result of overnment promotion」

The Drag-Rides of princess Lisha were lined up in display at the holy night festival that was originally a solemn event

The tax would be increased for the expansion of , which would raise dissatisfaction and doubt fro the people of the kingdom at the forefront of her ativity

It ht festival for the sake of that

It ht be inappropriate for Lux to say it, but this was so the country

In fact the world was being in danger right now, so it couldn't be helped

「That is not a strange thing In fact Lisha-sa result both in research and also in battle」

「I guess…… It's just as you say However, well, with this kind of work behind the scene as princess, a si like this Is this, not a betrayal toward the people?」

Lisha looked at the Drag-Rides and murmured

「If Lisha-sa until that far, then Lisha-sama is a splendid princess already」

「I, is that so?」

「It's codo, it will be fine if you just don't act like that」

Lux's gave such advice to the wavering princess

「I, is that so?」

「It will be fine if Lisha-sama convey to everyone asabout the present situation of the national politics If you do that, surely her majesty and also everyone of Cross Field will understand」

「I see…… You're right」

After hesitating slightly, hesitation cleared up from Lisha's expression

「Yosh!+ If that's decided, I' it extra effort My bad but I'll have you help out too!」

「Yes, it's my pleasure」

Lux helped Lisha who had recovered her spirit and the tuning of the new type Drag-Rides for the display was finished

In the first place, it was just choosing things and than putting them on display, so it didn't take much time

Even though Lisha was in the middle of standby and this was 『a work as princess』, but seeing that she was one of the few Drag-Ride researchers who existed, the new kingdom didn't want to waste too much of her time with this

After finishi+ng the work, a coach caot on it and returned to the Academy

Midway, Lux and Lisha were shook inside the coach while watching the night scenery of Cross Field that was decorated for the holy night festival

The people of this country didn't know about the danger of Sacred Eclipse

But, the infor active and the threat of Abyss was heightening was circulated, and yet for the atdom

The new kingdo the country and secured safety, thanks to that the people could go through the holy night festival safely like this

Just that was enough for Lux to feel happy

「It's a beautiful sight isn't it, Lisha-sama」

「Yeah But──I'm a bit dissatisfied here」

「Eh……?」

The cheeks of Lisha who until now looked like she was in good htly puffed up and she leaked out her complaint

「Why did you co me in this kind of time huh? It's the truth that you helped , I will be able to keep you co myself properly, and yet──」

「Isn't it unsightly when I'm drenched with sweat and oil like this……」

Lisha averted her face shyly and caressed her own hair looking troubled

'I see Lux thought He understood the reason why Lisha was panicked when he called her out at first and she lost her footing

From Lisha's point of view, she wished to meet Lux in beautiful appearance at the ti-Ride

But, that was so completely irrelevant to Lux

He wasn't bothered by the s-Ride

Even so Lisha was bothered with her own appearance that was like this while Lux ith her That figure of her as like that was lovable

「……Fuah」

Lux reflexively reached out his hand and patted Lisha's soft blonde hair

Then, Lisha's eyes snapped open in surprise and she looked up at Lux with a dazed expression

「Lisha-saure of Lisha-sadom, is really lovely, and cool」

That was Lux's unvarnished true feeling

Just howtheir good side in the public?

Just howat the internal of the old empire as a child?

There was nothing nobler that being able to work hard, getting dirty and injured for the sake of so

That was the ideal royalty that Lux wished to exist when his heart was pained by the old empire's despotic rule

And such ideal could be seen in the current figure of Lisha

「Eh? Lisha-sama……?」

Lux beca closer, Lisha'sdazed

「……That's, not true」

After looking dumbfounded for a few seconds, Lisha caasped, then she continued her words

「Even if, if you aren't by e to face the people of this country and everyone in the Acade-Ride research, it was nothing more than an excuse for me to escape from the duty in front of me」

Lisha spoke that to the finish and lifted up her face She stared still on Lux's face

「I became able to face myself as a princess……was thanks to you Because Lux, you supported me」

「Lisha, sama……」

「Say, Lux Even when this fight is over, will you──……no, it's nothing」

Lisha suddenly was going to say souely lonely look, but she faltered

After Lux stared at that with a serious face for a few ly and took the hand of this lovable small princess

「I will accompany you till the end Please rest assured, Lisha-sama」

「I, I see……wait, don't get too close That's, because of the work, I'ht?」

「Eh? It's all right, there is also a bit of sweaty scent but, it's a nice smell so──wait」

His tongue slipped

It was already too late when he noticed that Lisha's face went red like a boiled octopus and she raised her voice angrily

「You're noisy shut up! A guy like you is just──!」

「I, I'm really sorry-!」

After receiving Lisha's eruption for a while, the laughter of two people resounded inside the coach

The lighting of the city shi+ning inside the night scenery was sparkling like jewels

–

Part 5

「Lisha-sa really hard」

After that, Lux who returned to the girl dored into his room clothes and relaxed

While he was going around various countries as Seven Dragon Paladins, during her exhausting work, Lisha wasn;t just developing Drag-Ride, she was alsoproactive effort as rpincess

She had no conspicuous achieve of Triad's Drag-Rides, or the repairing of Syvalles reat efforts behind the scene

「I too shouldn't only pay attention to the outside, but I have to becoht too……」

He thought that he was really able to serve an ideal master

At the same time, he also noticed the fact that he was attracted in soure

『Say, Lux Even when this fight is over, will you──……no, it's nothing』

「There is no way……right?」

He felt like that heartfelt sentence of Lisha was also filled with another emotion

That she wished hi her forever from here on too

But, if that wasn't just Lux's , then after they escaped this predicament and liberated Avalon, Lux would──

「……Right now isn't the time for that」

He lightly tensed his face in front of the mirror and fired up himself once more

Although right now the situation was like a short break, he mustn't let his mind wander too much

He didn't knohen this state of tension would be dissolved and they entered into a long deadly battle

He had finished visiting the girls

Yoruka as heavily injured wouldn't be able to move for a while, but Celis, Philuffy, Krulcifer, and also Lisha

The girls ould beco were connected with him

After that, there was only one thing that worried him in a senses but──

When Lux was absorbed into his thought like that, knock knock sound came from his door

「'Sup Lux-chi, how's it going? The bath is empty y'know?」

「Thank you Tillfur」

It was Tillfur of Triad who brought that notification with a friendly voice

Lux replied to her while showing her face from the room

「So, have you talked with everyone?」

「Yes I have also met with Lisha-sama, then there is only one person left I think」

「I see, then great ti I also have to tell Noct then」

Tillfur

When Lux made a puzzled face, Tillfur who read his expression answered him

「You seee, Noct consulted with me for a bit just now Since the previous battle, Airi-chan seeh her body is here, looks like she got a lot in her mind」

「Did, so happen?」

The traitor Key's Supervisor, Soffice Xfer kidnapped Airi previously After that Airi returned safely but, she only said 『Nothing happened』 when she was asked about the time she was taken away

(Come to think of it, she was also worried when she found the list of Holy Arcadia Empire)

Just as her external appearance suggested, Airi was a girl with calm and sarding her only family Lux

(No, that's surely my fault I think……)

Fro chores was so troubleso that couldn't be helped for him in that situation

But, from Airi's point of view, it only looked like that Lux was always being reckless that he almost died

In reality it was exactly like that, there was no rooument

(But, just a bit more Soon it will be over)

In order to stop the world's destruction, he couldn't declare with certainty that he wouldn't be reckless anymore

But, of course Lux didn't plan to die and leave behind Airi by herself

But, he had to have a heartfelt talk with her one more time for now

Lux was thinking such thing while opening the door to the large public bath and entered

When he went toward the washi+ng place to shoith hot water and cleaned his body, he heard sound froe marble pillar inside

「Eh……?」

Strange

Based on what he heard from the Triad, this time should be fully reserved for him, and yet…

(Don't tell me──intruder?)

Lux immediately moved silently and held his breath

Normally it would be i for Lux's life, then it was different story

There was enough possibility that Dragon Marauder or the like would aidom

In a sense Lux would always be together with so time was the short period where he would be alone and defenseless

In fact, he was leaving behind his Sword Device along with his clothes, so he would have no way to defend hieted at this situation

It would be a different story if it was Yoruka who could even use a single razor as weapon but──

「……Haa It's already this late」

At that tih froh to back up Lux's conjecture

Lux who caught that voice got taken aback and peeked at the situation of the other side

(As I thought, there is someone! One person)

If he was going to fight in this situation, he could only take the first move quickly

He had no other choice but to restrain the opponent'sfor Lux

(Yosh──)

After taking several deep breath, Lux resolved himself

With a towel in one hand to bind the hands of the eneradually approached the other side of the pillar

Inside the steam that was like thick mist, that silhouette turned around to his way In that instant, Lux moved

「Don't move-!」

Lux intentionally raised his voice threateningly in order to take the enemy by surprise

Because he closed the distance and grabbed the opponent's arm, the true identity of the intruder became clear

Glossy silver hair fluttered and clear gray eyes snapped wide open in shock

That figure which looked like he was looking at a mirror for a moment──exposed beautifully white skin color

「……Eh?」

「Wha, wha……!?」

Lux's thought crashed to a halt while his hand kept holding the girl's slender arm

That person was no one else than Lux's little sister, Airi

「────KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!」

Less than ten second after she raised a shrill screairls ca

「What's wrong Airi-chan!? What happened!?」

「……N, no, I' commotion I slipped and almost fell, that's all I'」

Saying that, Airi sent away her classmates who entered into the public bath

Lux was hiding inside the ht nearby

「It's fine already, Nii-san」

「Puhah!」

When Lux put out his head fro face

「……Please don't look this way The next time you look, I will call people here for real」

「Ah, right Sorry……」

There was no way for Lux to object after he had in fact looked

Well, when Airi was still sickly, they often entered bath together, but as expected their figure noas different from the past

Regarding the degree of her chest's bulge, it didn't look like that place had grown much but──

「I will drown Nii-san if you think of anything improper」

「It's nothing at all……」

How did she read Lux's heart even though she was turning her back on him?

Perhaps it should be said, as expected from a blood relative

However, due to Airi's co thrust out before the dorm mother

「……This ed on for a bit, so I entered the bath alone this late」

「I co inside……」

「There won't be anything like that Just what does Nii-san think your position is?」

When Lux told his excuse, Airi let out an exasperated sigh

「That's, what do you mean……?」

Lux asked while they were keeping their back turned on each other

Then, an answer that was completely unexpected came back

「Recently, Nii-san's bathing time is monitored by the radar of Noct's Drake After all it will be troubling if Nii-san is targeted while entering the bath alone and defenselessly with this fixed schedule」

「Tha, that's what is going on?」

「Well, it was iven permission Besides Nii-san is too careless h it's possible that spy like Saniya-senpai is sneaking into this Acade any countermeasure for that?」

「Well……you're, right」

It see role in order to be alert of the ene the watch-keeping not too exaggerated but──

「──Wait a second! Isn't that strange? Noct is noticing right now that I and Airi is together here right?」

It was Noct who didn't stop Airi as late fro a bath to enter here, and it was also her fellow Triad Tillfur who recommended Lux to enter the bath under such situation

Even if for exa that occurred between them, if Noct searched with her Drake, she should have noticed this situation right now──

「That's why I'ry I have to reprimand Noct severely later──」

Behind hiine even without looking back

In other words, this was surely the Triad's scheme

Surely theybut wouldn't speak about it

(Their h……)

Lux was exasperated inside his heart even while he tried to live up to their expectations

After all Lux also wanted to ask Airi

「Speaking about it, how is your condition recently Airi? I wasn't really here these few days because I was attending new kingdom's war council after all」

「There is nothing particularly srange I'm desperate to clean up after the incident that Nii-san caused as usual」

「A, ahaha……」

The conversation stopped cohed aardly

Only the sound of waterof time

Although she was his little sister who had been together with hi to enter bath together

But at the saia

Airi was sickly when she was little She was a honest kid as really clingy and spoiled toward Lux

The older she got, she became a mature child with clever mouth, but he believed that in the bottoed even now

「That's, I really think it'sAiri worried and fussed about my needs When this battle is over, I will make it up to you for sure」

「Nii-san is always treating me as a child like that, please stop it」

When Lux tried to put her in good mood, she immediately replied with sharp words

Surely she was ht now

「It's not like I'ht now」

「I, I see, that h──」

When Lux s a bit shaken up, Airi immediately denied it

「That's not it That's not what I h Originally ere in the position of idom would ostracize In order to improve our position, I conductedRuin's ancient document But──Nii-san formed communication with everyone, you clashed with thenized by everyone」

「That's, a coincidence It's not just ood people who treatedin the Academy──」

Lux scratched his head and spoke with an embarrassed tone

But, Airi continued her words with a quiet voice that sounded detached just like before

「That's why──it's the opposite I' fro I who don't have the sta-Ride cannot be of any help even in this situation where the new kingdoht if that th……」

「Airi……」

She had changed, but actually not

All this time since that ti anxiously for Lux's wellbeing

Lux's heart was struck by the pure feeling of his only re family

Just that feeling of hers was enough

For what he was fighting? As long as that was clear, he wouldn't hesitate

「I also said this before but, I can fight because Airi is waiting for me When you were kidnapped to the Moon before this too, ripped by terror That's why, it's fine for you to stay like this Because you can be ether with me」

「Haa……Nii-san is always talking sweetly to girl like that Just what are you going to do about the future? Thepresent to Nii-san in the holy night festival, if I don't take care of it, it will become a disaster you know?」

When Airi who subed herself inside the bathtub until her shoulder turned around, she said that to hiaze

Since when it became like that he wondered

The event that Relie said she would hold felt somewhat scary now……

「A, and that's why, because I' brother like this, please take care of this incompetent me」

「……What a hopeless Nii-san You won't be able to do anything without me here」

When Lux pleaded with a wry sly made an air of importance

The siblings enjoyed a nostalgic family time

–

Part 6

Because it would take tiot out of the bath first

It was only for a few rossed herself in her thought

In the end──she was unable to say her true trouble to her big brother

She couldn't let Lux did anything dangerous more than this

In the previous battle, after she was kidnapped to the seventh Ruin Moon, she was approached with a certain dealing froon Paladins traitor Soffice

–

『There is a way to end this battle bloodlessly Even though youthe key for that The next time we call on you, I want you to comply with us』

After the battle the other day, the black haired girl with red tattoo on her face told Airi that

Thinking how she asked the Dragon Marauder to steal the Grand Force that the new kingdom entrusted to Lisha, she should be an enemy without a doubt

『Itabout the world, this should be the best thing to do』

The Key's Supervisor Soffice, and the Moon's Automata Re Plica who introduced herself as Soffice's little sister Uruk Septy were showing a thinking to save the world in their oay

–

『If you betray us later, I will activate the Moon's function──the Lunatic CallBell of the Crazy Moon, gathering all the Abyss and Ragnarok and destroy the new kingdo brother will naturally die If you are fine with that, then you can refuse this deal』

–

They didn't trust the world alliance and also the Lords They planned to liberate Avalon by themselves

At present, they threatened all the countries with the weapons of the seventh Ruin Moon and the re the key for their plan

From here on it was just Airi's personal conjecture, butthe Ruins could only be done by the Arcadia family

In other words, she was told to give the last push for them to be able to obtain Avalon

They said that they wouldn't do anything bad to her as long as she kept her promise to cooperate with them

If she betrayed the the Moon's function to destroy the new kingdom

But naturally, in case they had evil purpose in their scheme to rule over the world, it would be Airi's push that beca

Even so──when Airi al anything to her

–

『If possible I don't want to kill a little sister In the past inside that Garden, my important little sister──Uruk was tricked and torn li like those traitors』

–

Of course, she also couldn't deny the possibility that Soffice words were just made up story

After all in negotiation it often happened that the talk progressed s back sometimes

Pro to the cornered Airi

There was h possibility of that

Even after taking that into consideration──Airi decided to comply with their deal

She didn't think that it was right

If her action was found out, she dom

For the ti, she had to skillfully probe for their objective before Avalon was liberated

「My battle, is from here on」

Although she couldn't divulge it to anyone, but the other day a letter from them arrived to her Inside it ritten that the promised time would soon arrive

Airi exited the large public bath and changed into her unifor Drake at a blind spot of the school building

After Noct stopped using her radar and joined up with Airi, Airi coht Lux inside the bath, and then in the end she said that she recalled she had a business to do so she wanted to be alone for a while

She said that she had business in a hidden room where students were forbidden to enter

「Yes I ait in our room, so Airi, please be careful to not catch cold」

The Acadehts so there was no problem

Magialca of Seven Dragon Paladins was also staying in the Academy as reinforce bout with Relie and she had drunk hersel