Volume 16 Chapter 4 (1/2)

Episode 4 - The Captive Inside The Box

Part 1

「Nn, uu……」

「Lord-saarimasu?」

The odd but robotic tone of an Autoirl before her

It was a silver space that was tinged with bluish white light

Aeril Vi Arcadia was chained inside the ? Do you rearile string covering her She looked up at the girl in front of her

「……This place? I'ation to tell you I'll at least just listen to you」

There was sheep horns ht outfit that was similar with a pilot suit

It showed that she was the Ruin's Gear Leader──the Automata who existed in this place

「You are, Clan Lieze……? Then this place, is, the Garden……」

「As expected you reari For o look at the imperatorial capital for the first tiht now it is called the imperial capital isn't it?」

Clan Liezeup her cheeks while her expression stayed blank

When the seven Grand Forces were installed in the Ruins, Garden was captured under Listelka's direction

Aeril wasn't present at that time, but Aeril as an imperial princess of the Lord knew the name of all the Automatas

But, at present it seemed the Automatas received the control comer

After all a Gear Leader was confining the Lord, Aeril as originally their , ……to killtone, Clan Lieze sighed in exasperation

「Even though I have healed you until this arimasu It's planned to remodel you by the current master's order, but the priority before that was to heal you fro and weakened After all you have resistance toward nanoot troubleso to grasp the situation while her eyes were staying lightless and blank

But, her head wasn't working perhaps because of the drug injected into her

(I see, I' reused, as pawn……)

After the loss against Fugil in the decisive battle in the abandoned capital Guernica, she wrung out her last strength of perception e to Lux, but was he safe?

She didn't knohether the other Seven Dragon Paladins were alive or dead, but at the very least Singlen should have died

Aeril as at the death's door was recovered by Avalon's Auto the Ruins, the Garden played the role as the treasure warehouse

Because it also bore the burden as development base at the saery, and manufacture function

「Endless…… It will becoot eliet conveniently brainwashed, is it……」

Clan Lieze's eyes opened wide and she scratched her head when she heard Aeril formed the words that surfaced inside her head

「……It' surprising deyagarimasu Your mind is still clear like that Then, I'll arbitrarily otiate with the current douaranteed a safe life deyagarimasu」

「In any case even if you stay silent, in not so distant future your personality will be remodeled I think it ain't too bad even if you submit here while it's still ain't that painful for you yeah?」

「……I, guess」

After hesitating slightly, Aeril smiled weakly

In this situation she couldn't do anything to resist

Rather than suffering for long, perhaps it would be faster to swear loyalty to the new ruler

But,

「But, I'll……refuse」

Aeril quietly for

Clan Lieze who saw that froith a dubious face

「Why? Could it be you are a arimasu, Lord's imperial princess-sama?」

「The current master of you all, surely, they were soht……? After all, she is soil and Sacred Eclipse allied themselves with」

The expression of the questioned Clan Lieze vanished and she fell silent

That was because her progra

「You see, since waking up, we the Lords used special power froot everything stolen from us, because we shouldered the fate of our clan, that's why it doesn'tbythat's not allowed?」

Clan Lieze tilted her horned head with an expression that vaguely looked hu sister, my little sister, and then reater or lesser extent There was no regret Because we thought we could only do that, but……」

Aeril made a weak s such thing on other people, now that it's et stolen froht be a tiny thing, but even I have my vanity as a Lord」

Aeril stared at the tube connected to her body and smiled fearlessly

Clan Lieze silently turned her back on her in resignation

「Huari, Aeril's consciousness was starting to cloud

Her words just noere undoubtedly her true feeling, but she didn't say her other feeling

(Besides, even in this situation, I still believe……)

Just one, the only possibility of overturning this situation

The possibility of Lux giving the answer──

Part 2

「Nii-san Please sit over there for a bit」

The night of the second day When Lux returned to his roo a bit angry

He instinctually understood that there was a scolding waiting for hi how even was Noct beside her, Lux could sur time until Lux came back

「Err, why is Noct also here?」

「Yes I'o too long and Lux-san get enough sleep After all the last party toht that she ht be here to be Airi's ally, but contrary to his expectation she was volunteering to be the stopper It could be seen hoell she knew about the power relationshi+p of these siblings from this act

「Since when Nii-san becaht in the ainst the Lords is over doesn't mean that we beco was su hi of their own standing

「Right now Nii-san is being pampered because you are a hero, but don't you understand that it's also bringing the saer? You are in a position where it won't be strange if people who don't think well of the new kingdoht Sorry……」

Other than that, there was also theinvolved with representatives and iht invite its share of trouble

She also warned him about little details like how at the present they were in the middle of the parade event so the attention ofwhen the talk was going to be over, Airi took a sip of the corief, it see with Philuffy-san or Krulcifer-san── So, how is it going, Nii-san?」

「Eh……!?」

Lux was bewildered when the talk suddenly changed

「Yes There is no need to hide it The students of the Academy had also witnessed it from afar」

Certainly in the irls because of various circu the ation to trace the back the clue, but it seemed that everyone had splendidly oing out with?」

Airi seemed to perceive Lux's silence as affirly

Lux noticed herafter a few seconds passed and his face reddened

「Eeh!? That's, you mean to ask──」

「Please don't make me say the rest-!」

Lux tried to confir Lux couldn't say anything in the end

It would be pointless even if he told Airi here about hi the confession from Krulcifer

There was the possibility that the loop of the world revision would occur once more He couldn't show an unnatural reaction at that tiot noticed by the Automatas

Above all else, he couldn't think of any reason to reject, he was unable to reject it

For the ti the formal reply was put on hold until the last day of the parade but──

「Haa, so you haven't decided」

「No, it's not like that」

「Then, who is it?」

Airi was blushi+ng fro up and stared fixedly at Lux

Airi today was really persistent

He didn't understand the reason but──

「Celis-senpai too, I think that perhaps she love Nii-san Her eyes when looking at you walking with other girl looked lonely」

'I see'

Lux comprehended it for the first time here

Most likely at the second loop too when he entered love relationshi+p with Yoruka, she held herself back and gave up fro

She really hesitated to say it

Celis at the first loop intended to confess by e

(Celis-senpai……)

Thinking of that, a prickling pain ran inside his chest It felt like his heart was being squeezed hard

He intentionally didn't think about it but, Yoruka too was surely the sa her, if there wasn't the circuht not even confess her feeling to Lux

「Besides Philuffy-san too, it looks like her condition is a bit strange you know?」

Then, what about Philuffy?

Lux realized about that when Airi told hi at the previous parade and the parade before it

(……Coht with Prime Minister Nulph, we parted froet injured but, he was a bit worried

「Airi, is it okay if I go checking on Phi-chan for a bit?」

「Feel free The scolding too is enough already, also──」

「What?」

Airi took a deep breath to tell so and looked at hi Please be careful not to stay too late」

「Yes Sleep ahead ofonly those words Lux headed to the roo in the same inn

After that, there were only Airi and Noct reht Airi? You not telling Lux-san」

「Yes, I don't think it's so that should be heard from me」

Airi muttered with a lonely expression that looked conflicted

「Since the past, I'ood with Philuffy-san」

「Do you htly at Noct's question

「It's not a proble that is more fundamental I think that surely, it's just jealousy Because she has a lot of things that I don't have」

「……Yes Certainly, that fact cannot be denied」

「Where are you looking while saying that!? Noct!」

Airi looked at her best friend with a twitching fixed stare

But, she understood that it was a joke to soften the mood

The era of the old eet looked down at despite her status as an i herbrother Lux

But, in contrast with her who could only depend on her big brother at that ti various influences to Lux even from Airi's point of view

Airi understood that exactly because Airi was looking at Luxan existence Philuffy was inside her big brother

What her big brother's true feeling toward Philuffy was

What he obtained while being together with her

Exactly because of that Airi was not good at dealing with her

In contrast with Airi as considering everything with logic and rationality, Philuffy herself was soh the truth of everything with her instinct and intuition

Even though normally she was silent and expressionless, she was able to express her feeling straightforwardly

That aspect of her was charht that surely someday, she would take away Nii-san from me」

Airi

「Then, why are youabout Philuffy-san just now?」