Volume 12 Chapter 3 (2/2)

The giant dragon on her back tensed its arly in co bloard Soffice

The enor shi+p launched a vertical down strike with its weight riding behind it

Right after the launching of that attack which would definitely deal a great dae if it hit directly, Soffice's eyes shi+ned in respond

「──VajraAdamantine Mallet」

Right after that, a pillar of light was falling down through the cloudy sky

A brilliant lightning strike cut through the jet black darkness vertically and directly hit Jorand

「──Ku!」

Even Magialca couldn't fully block it with her barrier and she grimaced

(Just now, don't tell me──)

Airi who saw that ied the situation

She concluded that , aiialca from the sky

But, that was all that Airi could confirm

Airi as separated froe of the rooftop was freefalling froht of more than 10 ml A fate of unavoidable death was imposed on her

──Despair

Airi was iround and went splat while hugging her own body, at that ently in the air She could hear the voice she ishi+ng for

「──Airi-!」

「Nii-san-!?」

Her eyes snapped open at the fa brother, i Airi was carried off by a huge black dragon

Without pause it flew horizontally and landed on the ground Airi was put down on the nearby grassy ground

「Why, Nii-san is here──?」

「Let's talk later Right noe have to do so about that Soffice──」

Lux didn't relax his focus and stared intensely at the battle situation where two dragons were striking at each other

Lux was able to coon Voice coialca

Lux reacted at the sound above the Drag-Ride hangar and put on Bahaht after that a voice suddenly caialca

『Your little sister will soon fall froar's rooftop Pick her up if you don't want to lose her』 She said

The special equipon Voice

Thus, she was able to tell Lux the strategy froe where Soffice hadn't noticed him yet

The strategy went as planned until there, but right after Lux was able to help Airi safely, a single hesitation sprouted inside Lux

「……-u」

The arar was already dispelled

Soffice already lost consciousness froand's full power strike and shockwave from above

「──Lux, move away from there I'll finish her off」

Magialca in her pilot suit leaped down froar

The installation type Jor a short sword type Sword Device

「──Please wait!」

But, Lux also called off his arialca's way

「What? Are you intending to cover for the bandit who threatened your little sister's life?」

Lux didn't back down even after Magialca said that

「We cannot kill her here You should know the reason why better than me」

「What do youthree Ragnarok, including Sacred Eclipse as threat and irl there you know? There is no doubt about whether she should live or die」

「No, there is After all a the traitors, there is the Auto behind in the Moon even now If so happen to Soffice──」

「She ht be desperate and self-destruct you mean? Well, certainly it's as you say」

Magialca sheathed back her Sword Device as though she had understood that right from the start

And then, she entered the hangar and brought back a rope She tied Soffice with that

「Then for now it's torture I'll otiate with the Auto」

「About that──, for now can I ask you to put it on halt?」

「Why? You, don't tell me she is your type?」

Lux responded with seriousness to the end even against Magialca's teasing tone

「From my view, she doesn't look like a simply bad person You should have seen it yourself She tried to save Airi without even thinking about herself」

Airi held her breath in surprise hearing what Lux pointed out

She had an idea about what he was saying

First, Soffice covered her fro Roar

And then, the second hen she was falling

After hitting Magialca with a counter from Vajra that seemed to be Vritra's special ar the Divine Raiment of trajectory control

That hy for a moment Airi's body floated in the air

The battle itself ended in Magialca's victory, but if Soffice forsook Airi right froht be different

At the very least, it ht be possible for her to escape

「That sounds painful foryou know? For these traitors to liberate the Ruins, they need the bloodline of Arcadia's fauys That was exactly why your little sister was kidnapped the other day」

「……So you noticed? No──so there is no mistake about that?」

There was a high possibility that only the faiant crystal Grand Force into the Ruin

Airi had never heard anyone saying that clearly or seeing it written in document

It was nothingthat happened until now

And so Airi asked that question once ialca nodded

「It's not like I have confirmed it, but there is almost no doubt about it It appears those Lord bunch intentionally keep it quiet though A, little sister?」

Saying that Magialca folded her arms proudly

Airi who had that pointed out could only nod in affirmation

「Well, if we torture this girl ill be able to obtain proof about that Now, hand her over」

「I think, it's still too early to ment」

But, Lux rejected Magialca's suggestion

「She won't be able to fight for a while with her injury She shouldn't be able to do anything if we just take away her Sword Device」

「That's an irrelevant stateent like you So what? Certainly it ht away But, there is every reason e have to torture her toas she doesn't die froht?」

Just as Magialca said, there were a lot of things they wanted to ask Soffice

But, Lux was reluctant to torture her for that before casting her away in the end

「However I──don't want to do so her when she is powerless First we should talk to each other, and then if possible we should try to persuade her That's what I think」

「……Haa」

'Good griefyare yare', like that Magialca shrugged her shoulders and sighed

Her sigh that was dyed white from the cold melted into the darkness and vanished

「You are just like always It should be fine to not show that much mercy to an enemy」

「Even if she is trying to use Airi in order to liberate the Ruins, she shouldn't be trying to save her to the point of risking her life for it Please let ht be able to do that if we talk to each other」

After Lux requested once more, silent visited for a while

Then, perhaps hearing the couards of the Acadear

「There is nothing serious The enemy has already left You all return to your post and keep the lookout」

Magialca said that and sent away the guards, after that she turned toward Lux once more

「As the captain of Seven Dragon Paladins, I can also turn down your request, but it looks like I'll get hated if I do that」

Magialca formed a somewhat obscenely wicked smile

「Whether we are going to torture her or not, as long as this girl is kept in the Acade Then using her instead as hostage against the lot in the Moon and negotiating is also one way」

「Then……」

「Yeah, I'll entrust her to you She is a dangerous existence whether alive or dead, but let's try pulling out anything usable from her as much as possible But the ti after the end of that holy night festival If you cannot persuade her until then, I will use her to threat the Moon And also, if you cannot obtain any important information until then, I'll have you take responsibility too」

「……I, understand」

Even this was Magialca giving her compromise until the limit

After Lux nodded, Magialca talked about arranging for a prison in the hangar's underground and went to Relie's place

After it was only Lux and Airi left, Airi finally spoke

「Is it okay, Nii-san? It erous If she escape, or we allow the enedom will──」

Be the first one to get aimed, and that time they would be done in for sure

「That's right, however either e have to question her, there is no other way Though I'ain like this」

「Good grief, Nii-san is still doing it even knowing that irl is really beyond help」

「Wai-, don't interpret this strangely like that I'm just──」

「I know There is no way I won't understand Nii-san's thinking」

「Eh……?」

'Fuu', Airi slipped out a sht sky

「Being uy just because of the difference is standpoint, we are also the sa to at least listen to the other side's story, I can understand that」

That's right

Right now they could be accepted by the new kingdo, but in the past Lux was also in the enemy side from the viewpoint of the people

「Besides, I also hadto talk to her about that too At that ti happen──」

Lux heard about the story fro until the preparation for the underground prison was finished

How Soffice was together with Dragon Marauder in the Moon

How Soffice was trying to use Airi as key to liberate the Ruins

How it seemed her she lost her little sister in the past inside the Garden

How she was calling Lux and others, those of Arcadia lineage as a family of traitors

And then, how she was thinking that her reaching Avalon would be for the sake of the world

In any case, it would be difficult to draw out information and persuaded her within one week

But, if they didn't do that, ould be waiting after that would be killing each other

「It's an honor to ialca's secretary and bodyguard」

Right after Lux finished hearing Airi's story, a young boy with sreeted them

He was a young boy with thick and short brown hair, baby face, and gentle demeanor

It seemed that he wasn't appointed as aide because he didn't really have aptitude for Drag-Ride, but it appeared he was acting as Magialca's close associate

After Airi was kidnapped to the Moon the other day, Magialca ordered hiilant Soffice, he disguised hiialca this time and stayed at Relie's place

After exchanging a bit of greeting, Magialca and Relie arrived

「I got permission froh hand for the transport You two need to help out too」

「……Understood」

Following Magialca's instruction, the five of thear and sneaked into the hidden room inside

Because the hangar itself was a place for storing Drag-Ride, guard Drag-Knigts were also guarding the place, so the enemy wouldn't be able to approach easily

It was decided that it would beto hide Soffice here rather than in the Academy

「Then, I will coht festival If there is anything you can do, then do it before then」

「Yes I'rateful for your consideration」

After confining Soffice in the underground, Lux parted with Magialca

Soffice as sleeping and un had shackles put on her Lux and Airi would watch her in turn

「Then, good night for today Airi too, good work today」

「……Wait, is Nii-san planning to sleep here!?」

He asked the headmaster to lend him a sofa and blanket, so today Lux decided to sleep in front of the stone prison where Soffice was confined

「Because I have responsibility more or less If by any chance we let her escape, that will be the end for us」

Well, fireplace was also prepared in the roo frankly, it was cold outside the room

However, he also couldn't lit up fire in the passage in front of the prison, so Lux could only endure it

The underground of the Drag-Ride's hangar was basically forbidden for students to enter, but even inside it there was a door that was further locked strictly

There were four prisons behind that door that was used in the era of old ee that was connecting to those prison and he would be sleeping there

「Haa……, I understand Please don't die no ht now is the middle of winter you know?」

「I'll be careful Then, good night Airi」

「Rest well, Nii-san」

Airi talked with an exasperated tone at the end and she left

The prison's door was closed, but there was a gap was opened for ure from there

It see her life

Both her legs and arms were fastened with chain, and Airi had checked her body for anything she , so there was no worry about hidden weapon

But, Lux wondered whether she would really get persuaded by hi the time limit

Family of traitors──why did she call Lux and Airi like that?

(Six ht festival……)

The state of coon Marauder suddenly changed

Now that there were only less than two months until the time li a new premonition of trouble