HxH Vol 6 Chapter 2 – Holiday of Izgard

Chapter 2 – Holiday of Izgard

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Part 1

Grace’s voice reverberated in the imperial castle of Zeltis.

“Nee-sama, just what in the world happened!?”

Aine who failed to catch Kizuna collapsed on her bed as soon as she returned to her room. It was right after that when Grace rushed into the room.

Aine kept lying on the bed and answered without a single movement of her body.

“…….What do you mean?”

“The commotion just now at the castle city! What else is there!”

In contrast with the dreadful menacing attitude of Grace, Aine was completely listless.

“There is really nothing to it. I let my prey get away……that’s all there is to it.”

Grace pursed her lips in dissatisfaction and her face went bright red in fury. Zelcyone showed her face from behind Grace.

“However in the report, due to Ainess-sama’s Code Breaker, the imperial guards were disarmed at that time……about this, just what is the meaning of doing such?”

“That was because they tried to turn their hands towards my prey.”

Grace half-closed her eyes towards that cold attitude of her sister. She made a sadistic smile on her lips.

“I greatly admire Nee-sama’s spirit, but when looking at just the result, isn’t it really deplorable? Zelcyone, prepare some knights that will be a little more useful for Nee-sama.”

“Understood. I will strengthen the subjugation unit we organized the other day.”

“As soon as you finish dealing with that, send Nee-sama’s army to Izgard. Punish Kizuna and Gravel who dare to point their blades to our Vatlantis Empire and put Izgard under Vatlantis’s rule once more.”

Snapping up from her listlessness, Aine raised her body.

“Don’t decide that by yourself!”

At that time, there was the sound of knocking on the door, Ramza of the Quartum showed her figure with her disheveled red hair.

“What’s the matter Ramza? We are in the middle of an important talk right now. I told you not to enter right?”

“Bu, but, the Genesis is looking grave right now!”

“You are saying that now after all that!?”

Grace’s intimidation made Ramza tremble.

“Tha, that is……”

Ramza who looked like she was going to cry made Zelcyone felt that something was unusual and she rushed to the window. She opened the window and exited to the balcony, there she looked up to the sky.

“That is-!?”

The pitch black pillar towering high to the sky, Genesis was tilting. The pillar that had stood straight all this time, was tilting diagonally. Furthermore, a large crack that had never happened until now entered its surface, its outer wall was crumbling down into pieces.

Aine and Grace that went out to the balcony also gulped their breath at that situation.

“That……the pillar is breaking down?”

The torn off fragments were falling to the city of Zeltis. Even if it was called a fragment, but it was something with length that reached even several dozen meters. The fragments crushed the roads and buildings and made the city fall into pandemonium.

“Teros!”

Zelcyone put on her magic armor and opened several floating windows.

“Emergency situation! Destroy the falling fragments! Notify all personnel to march out!”

“Roger!”

Panicked replies were coming back in succession from the other side of the windows.

“We are going too!”

“Ye, yes-! [Bael]!”

Following after the flying away Zelcyone, Ramza also put on her magic armor [Bael] in panic. And then she flew towards Genesis.

Looking at their figures, Grace leaked out an empty voice.

“It becomes, more and more……”

“Hey, Grace. Is there no method to stop this break down?”

Grace fell quiet with a face as if she was biting a bitter bug. And then she lifted her right leg and stepped loudly on the floor.

“Just what is Nayuta doing!”

Grace gripped the table on the balcony and overturned it with all her strength. The glasses and bottles put on it were flipped up and fell to the floor where they were smashed.

“It’s a mistake to leave this to her! She is a person from Lemuria after all, I’m foolish to hold any expectation towards her. Right now, her life is――”

“Did your highness call for me?”

A calm voice that was really out of place reached the inside of the room.

“……You-!”

At the center of Aine’s room, Nayuta who was wearing a white coat that resembled a doctor’s robe was standing.

“Since when were you here?”

Without minding Grace’s gaze that felt like it could kill, Nayuta answered with a smile.

“I arrived here just now. I just finished the collection of data for the damage report of all Vatlantis’s regions, so I came to hand over the written report.”

Nayuta took the sheaf of documents that she carried at her side and waved them flutteringly. And then with a glance she took a look at the tilting Genesis.

“Although, it seems that I have to immediately update the report now.”

Saying that, she smiled sweetly. That composed attitude rubbed Grace’s nerve the wrong way.

“Nayuta! What happened with the recovery of Genesis that I entrusted to you? There is already no time to postpone it even for a second now!”

“Yes. We are coping with that by expanding the magic power plant, but even that seems to have a limit.”

“Then what are you going to do!? Depending on your reply, I’ll hand down a judgment to you in this place!”

Nayuta stared at Grace who lost her temper with a troubled look. She was like a mother who was in front of a child that was throwing a tantrum.

“Right now I’m in the middle of investigating a new method. Before long, I think I will be able to obtain the correct way to use Genesis, and also the method to recover it.”

“What-!?”

Grace made a shocked expression, but she soon scowled her face suspiciously.

“Who is the person that brought up such story to you?”

“There is no one. It is Genesis itself who is teaching me.”

Grace’s expression was dyed in rage once more.

“You, how dare you ridicule me!”

Aine knitted her eyebrows.

“I don’t understand the meaning of what you two are talking about. Just what are you possibly scheming?”

After shrugging her shoulders, Nayuta answered as if it was obvious.

“The inscriptions carved on Genesis, I am deciphering it.”

“What did you say!? Those are the letters of an ancient civilization. There is no one that can read that anywhere!”

However Nayuta was calmly smiling. From the beginning Grace didn’t believe Nayuta’s words, but Aine was different.

‘――If it’s this person, she might really do it.’

“Are you really……is such a thing possible?”

“Yes. However, it will take some time from now, there is a need to increase the amount of magic power even more. I want to receive the permission to augment the magic power plant in Lemuria.”

――Augment the magic power plant.

Hearing those words, Aine felt like her chest was gouged out.

In the end, she was continuing to do inhumane things to everyone of the earth. Just because their side was in a pinch, because the other party wasn’t listening to what they were saying, they forced the other party to yield by force to listen to what they were saying. Like this, it was only natural for Kizuna to be angry.

But, Grace answered instantly with a face wondering just what was Nayuta talking about after this late.

“I don’t mind. Do as you like.”

Nayuta lowered her head with a sweet smile.

“Thank you very much. It won’t take that long until the deciphering is finished. I am sure that your highnesses are afflicted with worry, but please wait for a little while.”

There was still something left that Grace and Aine weren’t fully satisfied about. However after they finished listening to the story, there was nothing that could be done except leaving it to Nayuta, they were made to think like that. Even while harboring a large anxiety, Aine and Grace could only stare at the back of the leaving Nayuta while staying quiet.

When Nayuta exited the room, the shadow of a pillar rose to the surface as if being torn off from the wall. The black figure appeared in a slow motion and approached Nayuta as if to nestle close to her.

“Nayuta-sama.”

“My, Valdy. You came along with me? You really are a worrywart.”

Nayuta who began to walk along the corridor was accompanied by Valdy like a shadow.

“Everyone is growing tired of waiting……the damage of the pillar is becoming large, and Nayuta-sama who is trying to stop that……cannot stop it, perhaps Nayuta-sama will be blamed conversely.”

“So you worry about me then. Thank you.”

“That……is Nayuta-sama really, can read those letters?”

In order to reassure Valdy who was asking anxiously, Nayuta answered brightly.

“Fufufu, I think there is no problem of that. How about you stop making such a face?”

Nayuta narrowed her eyes towards Valdy who looked down embarrassedly.

After the two of them exited the castle, they headed towards Nayuta’s research facility that was located at the base of Genesis. The tilting pillar was causing fissures on the ground and pulled up protrusions, but miraculously a corner of the research facility was safe.

Nayuta looked up at the pillar which was towering to the heavens and whispered to herself with a voice that even Valdy couldn’t hear.

“The deciphering, is over already though.”

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Part 2

The inside of the room was ruled by nervousness. All present held their breaths and concentrated their minds to a single paper. The leader of Masters, Scarlet Fairchild gulped audibly and reached her hand to that paper.

When Scarlet’s fingers pinched at the edge of the paper, Henrietta raised her voice as if screaming.

“You, you are going to see it!?”

Surprised by that voice, Scarlet reflexively distanced her fingers back.

“I, it can’t be helped isn’t it! After all this is prepared so we can see!”

“Bu, but……I’m still, my heart’s preparation……”

After combing down her upped platinum blond hair and fixed the position of her glasses, Henrietta was still in a state that was really not calm.

Beside her, Leila was staring at her arm watch since a while ago.

“It has been five minutes since this staring game to that paper scrap began. How about I demand a compensation for the mental agony that is caused by this tense atmosphere? About a hundred dollars for each minute.”

“Just who is it that has any responsibility to compensate you huh!?”

Even after coming to AU, Leila was still a money-monger. Scarlet reflexively made her retort.

Clementine whose orange hair was braided was walking around the room with an irritated state.

“How long are we going to be like this. Geez, let’s see it quickly! Either way the result has come out already. We can only pray to god now.”

The remaining one person, Sharon who had grey hair wasn’t wearing her usual goth-loli clothes, she was wearing her stage outfit. She didn’t really say anything and only watched fixedly at the situation’s development.

“I, I got it already. Fine then, I’m going to look!”

Scarlet restrained her hard beating heart and slowly flipped the paper.

“……-!?”

All members leaned their bodies forward and got their faces close to that paper.

“GYAAAAAAAAAAA-!”

“DAMN ITTTTTTTTTTTTTTT!”

“Aa―nn, how unfortunateeeee-“

“EEEEEE-, it’s like we are fined!”

“……disappointed.”

Scarlet was trembling fiercely while grasping that paper of [new song ranking’s quick announcement].

“Second place……Masters is in second place, and then the first place is……”

Henrietta put her hands on her cheeks and sighed deeply.

“This week too it’s Amaterasu again……”

“Shhit―, those girls are immovable from the first place.”

The place was Vatlantis Empire’s theater that was in the imperial capital Zeltis. The Masters right now were in their exclusive waiting room inside that building. At that room, the tally of the weekly popularity ranking was reported to them. For the recent while, Amaterasu and Masters consecutively hogged the first and second rank. No, more correctly Amaterasu was at the top while Masters was at the second place. Of course, there were also the local artists and idols of Vatlantis, but these two groups which came from Lemuria were boasting an overwhelming strength.

“How―ever! I cannot accept being the second place forever like this. To keep eating Yurishia’s trailing dust even as an idol……at this rate I’m going to be called as the world’s number two girl!”

“But……what to do?”

Sharon asked with a voice without any modulation.

“There is no other choice! Strategy meeting. Conveniently, tonight we will have a joint live with Amaterasu! We are going to make everybody realize, our true power right there!”

Scarlet thrust up her fist and everyone else followed her while raising warcries “OOO―!”

“Anyway, what do we do so we can win against them, all of you give me nice, good, and cool ideas!”

“More country-style, like cowgirl! Also gunfight!”

“Let’s buy the media with bribe!”

“Goth-loli costumes. Also the dress code for the audience is also goth-loli.”

“Double our trainings and lessons……”

“You girls, are you all idiots!?”

Scarlet snapped.

“Eee!? Even my idea too!?”

Henrietta who gave out a serious idea let out a voice that almost sobbed.

“……All of you, what are you doing?”

Yurishia was peeking in from the opening of the door with knitted eyebrows.

“Aa―! This eternal first place!”

“Scarlet, is that a praise? Or are you speaking ill of me?”

“Both!”

Yurishia pressed her hand on her forehead as if having a headache.

“So, what are you all clamoring about. I can hear you until the next room you know?”

In this Vatlantis Empire theater, the waiting rooms of Amaterasu and Masters were neighboring each other. Because they were together the top idols so they were using the best floor, also considering about the possibility of them escaping they were put close to each other to make it easy to monitor them, such intention was also there.

“We are in a meeting of how to win against Amaterasu right now!”

“What a really exciting meeting you all have……but, doesn’t something like rankings not matter at all?”

“Even if the three of you are fine, we are not fine at all with that-!”

“I don’t know about saying this myself but……all of you, why are you doing idol activity? What are you thinking……I don’t think that you are thinking though.”

“Even you Yurishia are doing this aren’t you. Even if we also do this idol business, it’s not strange right?”

“I don’t particularly mind but, Scarlet and all of you look as if you all are seriously doing this idol business. I have the feeling that you all are completely losing sight of our objective right now.”

Scarlet was making a face of someone who didn’t understand what Yurishia meant.

“Of course we are seriously being idols you know? Because our objective is to become the top idol, so it’s not like we are losing sight of anything though.”

Yurishia’s opened mouth couldn’t close again.

“……Err……everyone also fine with that?”

Yurishia was looking around at the faces of the Masters worriedly.

“That is……”

All members hesitated to talk. There was no reply from anyone.

“Wait, you all! Answer that it’s fine here-!”

Scarlet yelled angrily while swinging up and down both her hands. Yurishia put her hands at Scarlet shoulders in a ‘good grief’ state.

“See here, we are prisoners you know? The original objective that you lost sight of is――”

“But, there is nothing else that we can do so it can’t be helped isn’t it? If we don’t do this idol business, we are only going to get locked up at that prison right? Like that there will be no one that will be happy isn’t it?”

Scarlet answered with a nonchalant face.

“This idol business, we are enjoying it, the common people of Vatlantis are also having fun right? Even if we get locked inside the prison, there is no one that will be happy, but if we sing and dance, there are many people that we can give happiness to. Then, isn’t that way better?”

“Scarlet……”

Yurishia was taken aback. Henrietta also couldn’t close her gaping wide mouth, but she suddenly smiled and spoke in understanding.

“Certainly that is so. We are fighting the enemy, but that is a fight against Vatlantis’s army, we are by no means fighting the people of Vatlantis.”

At once, a congenial atmosphere was born. Yurishia sighed and smiled helplessly.

“Well, that’s really like you Scarlet. Whether it’s you yourself, and also the current Masters.”

Scarlet sniffed her nose and puffed her chest proudly.

“Obviously-! After all I’m the leader of Masters!”

“I guess. It’s exactly as you say.”

Yurishia smiled in relief and then left the room. And then right before the door closed she turned back and said.

“But, I don’t have the intention to hand over the seat of the first rank. Bye bye, forever second-san♥”

“Wha-……!!”

The faces of Masters stiffened in astonishment. And then Yurishia winked snappily and closed the door.

Right after that, a scream thundered inside the waiting room of Masters.

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Part 3

When Kizuna woke up, he didn’t understand where he was.

“This place?”

White ceiling and white wall, a rattan chair and wooden table were put inside the room, cool wind of morning was swaying from the left open window, swayed by the wind, the lace curtain elegantly fluttered.

After Kizuna raised his body from the comfortable white bed, he put his feet on the floor and stood up. The wooden floor felt pleasantly cool. There was a mirror on the wall, reflecting his waking up figure.

A sleeping wear was provided here. Its shape was similar with Japan’s jinbei or samue. The clothes were like house clothes or sleeping clothes worn at relaxation time. (TN: Samue is informal summer clothes for men (short jacket and trousers), while jinbei is a monk’s non-spiritual clothes.)

“Right……here is Gravel’s country, Izgards’s capital city. If I remember right, it’s Aljiento……I think.”

When he opened the curtain that was fluttering from the wind, dazzling light poured into the room.

“Uwa……”

Beautiful sea was spreading outside the window. The blue color with depth in it was really pretty, it was a sea that made one feel its pureness. Waves were drawing white line, washing onto the sandy beach quietly. Even the fading blue sky and the pure white clouds floating in it had not a single stain. The light of strong sun was exposing everything clear without hiding anything. There was no secret or opposite side here. Only nature as it was and its beauty existed here. The scenery was such that it made him feel like that.

As if invited by that scenery, Kizuna came out to the balcony. There his field of vision widened and he could see well the situation of a coastal city. Trees that really resembled palm trees were growing on the beach. The palm trees on earth were tall trees, but the trees growing on this beach were giant trees that might even reach a hundred meters. Under the trees other short trees but with wide spreading branches were creating cool shadow underneath. Colorful flowers that were like pendant lamp were dangling from those trees. It was clearly a plant that didn’t exist on earth.

The chirping of small birds could be heard, something was flying towards the railing of the balcony.

“Wh, what the? This thing is……”

It was something spherical and chubby with feathers growing from it. On the round body there were eyes in the shape of perfect circle and a meager beak attached.

“Is this……a bird?”

The round body slanted, it was a cute gesture as if it was tilting its head. Kizuna unconsciously extended his hand trying to pet it, but that living thing flew away suddenly and escaped from Kizuna’s hand. And then it went distant from the beach, flying over the green trees. Ahead there was stone paving path following the coastlands. Town started from that path, and buildings with white walls and orange roofs that resembled a resort town from the southern islands facing the Mediterranean Sea were lining up. The image of the town was 180 degrees reversed from Vatlantis’s Zeltis, a bright and gentle atmosphere that suited the coastlands.

A knocking sound came from behind Kizuna.

“Oh……you woke up already.”

The door opened and Gravel entered.

“Aah, good morning. Gra……”

She was not in her usual military uniform, but wearing a halterneck one piece. Her shoulder and back, together with the valley of her breasts were largely opened, tanned legs were peeking out from the loosely spreading skirt fringe. A southern flower was put on her hair, engendering about a gorgeous feminine atmosphere.

“What’s the matter?”

“It’s just, this is the first time I’m seeing Gravel in that kind of appearance, so I’m a little startled.”

“Eh, is……is it, strange?”

Kizuna waved his hand in a fluster at Gravel whose face clouded in anxiety.

“No, it really suites you. You look girlish, it’s cute.”

“Cu-……!? Wha, what are you saying right since the morning.”

Gravel looked aside as if to hide her blushing face.

“S, so, how do you feel?”

“I slept well, I feel refreshed now. This is thanks to Gravel, thank you.”

Gravel showed a delighted smile hearing his answer.

“Yes……that’s great then.”

Gravel pointed her thumb at the door’s direction in fluster.

“A breakfast is prepared. Let’s eat together.”

“My bad, to make you prepare everything like this.”

Kizuna followed behind Gravel and left the room. They came out to a corridor with large windows and went out to a garden. Green lawn with tall trees lining up at the other side, blue sea was peeking out between the gaps of the trees. Now that he was walking in the middle of the scenery that he watched from the balcony, in the shade of the trees, there was a building with only a roof that was like a gazebo.

“Ah! Boss Kizuna. Good mor――”

Gertrude was waving her hand from inside the gazebo. However the instant she saw Gravel who was walking beside him, her waving stopped still. And then with a look that even now she would snap out, she glared at Gravel. It felt like he could hear buzzing voices ‘gururu’.

“Oi, Gertrude. We had talked about this last night but, right now……”

Kizuna spoke as if to chide her.

“I understand already. Right now is not the time for keeping resentment. It’s just, I understand this logically, but just logic cannot really make me come to an end with that.”

Previously Gravel had once attacked Ataraxia. At that time Gertrude battled Gravel and bore serious injuries. Due to that, she had the past where she was forced to stay for long in hospital and live in a wheelchair. It was not unreasonable for her to harbor a grudge towards Gravel.

“Well, with the assistance she gave yesterday, I’m not saying that the debt is paid even but, I guess I’ve been paid back for at least a little.”

Gertrude averted her face with a ‘hmph’ and sunk her body on the sofa.

Gravel made a troubled face and honestly lowered her head.

“Forgive me, Gertrude. From now on I’ll endeavor to repay all my debts as much as possible.”

Gertrude stared hard at Gravel who lowered her face with a startled face. It felt like she was just getting pushed down all of a sudden.

“We, well……that’s fine if that’s the case then.”

She once again turned her face away in embarrassment.

Kizuna for the moment sighed in relief that the matter was settled and greeted the green-haired beautiful woman who sat facing Gertrude.

“Good morning Aldea.”

“Mm.”

Aldea only gave him a brief glance before facing the sea with a languid stare. Aldea was also wearing similar clothes with Gravel. He didn’t understand if it was the national dress here, or else the resort fashion, but the clothes really suited the two of them.

And then Gertrude too who was wearing jinbei-style clothes similar with him, he felt that it bizarrely suited her.

Gravel and also Kizuna entered under the roof and sat at the table.

Even if he called this a gazebo, but the build was splendid. Plant relief was applied on a large pillar, the fabric dangling down from the roof was also smooth and pretty like silk. A table was put at the middle, the surface of the sofa surrounding it was soft, and yet it superbly supported their body weight when they sat with comfortable feeling. There was also the refreshing wind blowing inside, making him feel like he would fall asleep if he let his guard down.

Before long, a waitress brought their breakfast.

The appearance of the breakfast was completely like earth’s breakfast, with bread and scramble eggs, then bacon and vegetables. However, when he tried a bite of it, he understood that the ingredients were different. The inside of the bread gave the impression of closely packed stuffing, while the sweetness of the egg was strong. He didn’t understand if the taste came from the ingredients or the flavoring, but the bacon and the vegetables were also giving off a particular aroma.

“The taste is different but, it’s tasty.”

“It really is. Somehow, I can get used to the taste of the world over here.”

Aldea stared at the two of them in amazement.

“What high adaptability you two have. As for me, I cannot get used to the taste of Lemuria and brought my own cook there.”

After putting down all the food in the blink of an eye, beverage that looked like coffee but with mint fragrance was brought out. Gravel’s mouth drank it enjoyably.

“I don’t hate Lemuria’s cooking. Even when I was stationed at Okinawa, I was enjoying the local cuisine.”

Gravel’s words made Aldea show an obviously unpleasant face.

Kizuna recalled the sea of Okinawa.

“Okinawa huh……certainly, this place seems quite like Okinawa.”

When he said that, a dinosaur jumped like a dolphin from between the waves.

“Wha-!?”

He didn’t know if that was really a dinosaur. However its appearance that was huge like a whale, long neck, limbs that looked like fins, were all exactly like the sea reptilian plesiosaur.

“Aah, that animal is called preshia, it’s a docile animal whose staple food is the algae. It unexpectedly takes kindly to humans and sometimes it even approaches if you play at the sea.”

“As expected from another world……it cannot be made light of.”

“Now that you mentioned it, there is no animal that is like preshia at Okinawa huh……”

Gravel had a distant look that stared at the sea far away.

“I want to visit there again……the first time I met Kizuna was also when I was stationed at Okinawa.”

Aldea sullenly glared at Gravel who had a dreamy face. However the person in question wasn’t concerned at all and spoke to Kizuna.

“Kizuna……does Izgard suite you?”

“Yeah, it’s really a good place. I’ve never seen a sea this beautiful, I want to try swimming here.”

Gravel floated an enthusiastic smile like a blooming flower.

“I, I see. Then how about trying to swim? This is a rare chance after all, let’s swim together.”

Being showed a smile that bright, it made him completely unable to refuse. Kizuna nodded and stood up. Aldea who was making a sullen face and Gertrude who was smiling ambiguously also followed out of the gazebo and headed to the beach.

It was a beautiful beach. There was not a single trash in the sea and at the beach. Kizuna was barefooted, but the sensation of his feet sinking into the sand was actually pleasant. Regardless of the strong sunlight, the temperature of the sand wasn’t really hot, it felt like the sand was gently massaging his feet.

“Nevertheless, there is no one else here other than us.”

Even until he came until the brink of the breaking wave, he couldn’t see any human presence.

“That’s how it is. This place is Gravel’s private beach.”

“So you are a celebrity! As I thought I cannot forgive you! You are an enemy!”

Gertrude was as always burning with hostility towards rich people. She raised a growling voice like a dog, but Kizuna dared to ignore it.

“What, that’s not really a big deal. Rather than that let’s swim……ah”

As if noticing for the first time, Gravel became lost.

“There is no swimsuit……”

He thought that she might have prepared something, but looks like there was no such thing.

“Hmm, isn’t it fine even without that?”

Aldea put her hand behind her neck. Her breast was lifted up as if stretched and her smooth side that became exposed was dazzling. She untied the knot of her clothes and her liberated breasts obeyed gravity, it tumbled out and jiggled like jelly.

“Uwaa, oi!”

As if to mock the flustered Kizuna, Aldea untied the knot on her waist. The dumbfounded Gravel returned to her senses with a ‘hah’.

“Wa, wait Aldea.”

When Gravel let out a restraining voice, Aldea was already lightly taking off the fabric wrapping her lower body. Long and slender legs extended out from the greatly jutting out hips. Under the blazing down brilliant sunlight, the glossy white naked body was exposed without sparing anything behind.

“Whaaat, Gravel? Our relationship is not something where there is anything to hide after this far isn’t that right?”

Aldea showed not even the tiniest bit of shame while wriggling her waist.

“I, idiot. Kizuna is also here.”

Kizuna couldn’t take away his eyes from Aldea’s naked body which he saw for the first time. It had perfect proportions and smooth white skin. Slender neck from her smallish head, gorgeous shoulders, and then the soft curve that suddenly changed into chest that was filled to the brim with large fruit. From there was a tight curve that continued into a voluminous ass that was largely swelling. The radiance of sparkling sea that could be peeked out from between the gap of the thighs and the similarly green colored hair was beautiful.

When he thought that this was something of the opponent in which he acted a mortal combat with, he mysteriously felt deeply moved.

Looking at Kizuna who was staring fixedly, Gravel puffed out her cheeks.

“What’s with you, is Aldea’s nakedness that great?”

“Eh!? Ah, no……that’s not how it is.”

Gravel stared fixedly at Kizuna, and then she glared at Aldea next. Aldea giggled ‘fufu’ and took a pose.

“See? Gravel. Kizuna doesn’t really think of you as particularly special. He became completely entranced by my body. That’s why, Gravel too only to this me――”

“Understood. Then I too will undress.”

“Hee?”

Kizuna and Aldea were startled and stared at Gravel. While watching over the two, Gravel untied the knot of her clothes.

The tanned breasts which possessed pink summits appeared under the sunlight with a jiggle.

“I haven’t shown everything to Kizuna yet but……it’s like something that has been seen already, also we have already done various things……”

While whispering grumblingly as if to persuade herself, Gravel dropped down the remaining fabric on her waist decisively.

“If it’s Kizuna……it’s fine if you look.”

The tanned skin that had glossiness became all exposed.

That body had a different charm than Aldea’s, stealing Kizuna’s eyes. The body was well trained, even while the tight body was drawing a feminine and beautiful curve, well trained muscles were hidden under them.

The large breasts was pointing up primly, the tips became bigger than usual, proclaiming its existence.

And then, the most important part of Gravel looked smooth without any dirtiness, it was really lovely. He knew the sensation of touching that place with his fingertips, but this was the first time he saw it. The delicate undulation from the lower stomach. That place was undecorated without anything hiding it, it really suited Gravel well. It was truly a magnificent body.

“Bu, but, if you stare until that thoroughly……”

Her cheeks reddened and Gravel hung her head down shyly. However, she didn’t try to hide her body.

“But……I don’t want to lose to Aldea.”

“Why, did it become like this! What I wanted to say is not that!”

Aldea scratched off her face.

“Aa― geez, just why is this turning into a competition for Kizuna!”

Aldea forcefully cut in between Gravel and Kizuna before she grasped Gravel’s hand and pulled her to the sea.

“O, oi Aldea.”

“We came to play at the sea! Let’s enter quickly-!”

The bottoms of the two who were running to the sea were juggling up and down. The white and light brown naked bodies leaped at the edge of the breaking wave. Kizuna scratched his head and spoke to Gertrude.

“Hey, what are you going to――whaa-!?”

Gertrude was also stark naked.

“My battle preparation is finished from long ago already!”

She raised her thumb firmly and stuck out her tongue.

For some reason, there was no sex appeal at all. Gertrude who was standing imposingly while putting her hands on her hips was actually charming like a simple kid.

“Yosh-, then how about the two of us also go there!”

He ran comparatively seriously to the beach. But Gertrude’s feet were surprisingly fast, she had put distance in the blink of an eye. She arrived at the water’s edge a step ahead, twirled to turn at Kizuna and extended one of her hands.

“Wait a second! Is boss planning to enter the sea in that kind of appearance?”

Certainly Kizuna was still wearing his room clothes.

“Wha……you, don’t tell me”

“That’s right! Boss too needs to be like this! In your birthday suit!”

“What did you say―!”

“Yes, certainly. With only us being naked while you still wear your clothes, how can that be fair?”

“Isn’t that rightt, you have scrutinized us to that extent. Don’t tell me, I don’t want to do it……you won’t say that right?”

“Ku……I, I got it already.”

Receiving an all out attack from the three, Kizuna took off his upper wear and threw it on the beach. And then he put his hands on his pant too and slowly lowered it down. Perhaps it was only his feeling but, the eyes of the female camp who was staring fixedly at him looked flaringly bright.

‘――Eei, to hell with it’

After he pulled it down with all his strength, he threw it on the beach like his upper wear.

“The, then. I’m going to the sea.”

“Ye, yeah……”

Gravel’s reply was absentminded. The faces of the three were red while staring fixedly at Kizuna’s groin. It was like a mysterious power was making them unable to tear off their eyes.

“That is……the thing of a the living thing called a man……amazing, gulp” Aldea’s throat gulped.

“That is……that shape……that’s, as I thought……”

After murmuring with a voice that was feverishly delirious, Gravel unconsciously reached out her hand and touched softly at her own nether region.

Aldea wetted her lips with her tongue together with a heated breath.

“Aa……what’s this, mysterious feeling……when I looked, for some reason my body cannot calm down……but, what should I do?”

Gertrude also smiled shyly with a red face.

“It, it’s a little different, with what I learned from class isn’t it?”

Listening to all their impressions was just too embarrassing. Kizuna jumped into the sea and splashed water towards the female camp.

“Uwaa! What are you doing Kizuna?”

Gravel who returned to her senses after being dashed by water complained while avoiding the water with her hand.

“Is the hero of Izgard going to give up from this kind of attack? You aren’t really a big deal then.”

“Hohou……interesting, I’ll accept that challenge!”

Making a warlike smile, Gravel scooped up water with both her hands and splashed it to Kizuna. Each time her tanned breasts were shaking like jelly.

“Buwah! Ku……now you’ve done it-“

“Fuhahaha, obviously. Just who do you think I……hyan-!”

Gertrude threw water with all she had from the side.

“The resentment from the heavy injury, I’ll clear them right here!”

“Mu, it’s just my wish if you want a rematch! Toaa!”

She raised a pitch with both hands and fiercely sprayed water.

“Yo, you’ve done it now!”

Water spray burst up and shined sparklingly from receiving the light of the sun. The water splash mercilessly sprayed Gertrude’s face and water drips slid down her flat chest.

Kizuna’s water splash made Gravel’s face dripping wet, the water trickled down from her neck to her chest, and then continuing to fall down from her hairless groin. Aldea’s white breast shook while she splashed water at Kizuna.

Kizuna wasted no time to shot back. Kizuna’s water spray rained down on Aldea’s white skin. The water flowed down to her breasts and drips were flying from the tips of the largely shaking breasts.

“Kyaa!”

Having her feet slipped on the sand inside the sea, Aldea almost fell over. Kizuna immediately extended his hand to Aldea.

“Oops……you okay?”

“A……”

Aldea’s pose became one where she was now hugging at Kizuna’s chest. The solid flat chest that was different with hers was conveyed on her cheek and her palms. When she felt the palms of Kizuna that were circled on her waist, she felt numbing heat from her tailbone going through her body. And then she felt it from being hugged, the organ on Kizuna which she didn’t have. When she was pushed against by that organ, her head was strangely turning blank and she almost went weak in her knees.

“What’s the matter? Did you twist your leg?”

Kizuna worriedly peered onto Aldea’s face. In her violet eyes, sparkling shining magic power was swimming in there.

“This is……Heart Hybrid’s”

When Kizuna whispered that, Aldea returned to her senses and pushed Kizuna away.

“Uwaa!”

Kizuna was overturned and fell into the sea. Looking at his figure, Gertrude pointed with her index finger and laughed, Gravel was also smiling delightedly. However Aldea found the sweet and murky painful feeling, and the throbbing born inside her chest to be too much for her, it was the best she could do to make a twitching smile.

After playing for a while, the four returned to the gazebo and wiped their bodies. After catching their breaths with a nicely cooled fruit juice, they entrusted their bodies on the comfortable sofa.

“Aah, I’m tired……but, it was fun.”

Kizuna’s murmur made Gravel smile.

“That’s right, though we cut loose a little too much there.”

“But, this is a good sea. I came to like it.”

“I see. But Izgard is not only sea. There are various fun places in the city too.”

Gravel’s voice got excited as if getting struck by an idea.

“Right, I’ll guide you to the city after this. You will find more to enjoy there.”

Aldea sighed in astonishment and stabbed Gravel with a fixed stare.

“Gravel. I know you are happy, but don’t get too high spirited. After all right now you are the leader of this country.”

“Eh? Is Gravel the king of the country or something?”

Gravel made a wry smile, denying it to be impossible.

“I’m just a warmonger. As the emergency measures under the war time, I’m entrusted with the chain of command temporarily, that’s all. Even so, there is also royalty in Izgard, but until the end they are just the symbol of the country and don’t hold authority. They don’t even participate in the government. This country in essence is a democratic nation.”

“War huh. The opponent is……not us, right?”

Gravel’s voice changed into a serious one.

“The greatest threat for us right now, is not Vatlantis Empire, much less all of you from Lemuria.”

“Then what in the world is your opponent?”

“Genesis. Due to its breaking down, this world is ending.”

Aldea toyed with a long and narrow metal piece put on the table and a floating window was created on the table. It seemed the metal piece was something like a remote control.

“Please look at this. You can understand what kind of situation this world is in right now.”

An image of lushly green grassland was projected in the window. Gently-sloping hill was dotted with trees spreading their branches, livestock with long fur like a sheep were walking around without care.

“What a pastoral scenery……where did this image come from?”

“It’s located north from here, a land called Harsia. However this is from three years ago. The current condition of this beautiful grassland is like this now.”

Aldea tapped the metal piece and changed the image. The scenery reflected there made Kizuna reflexively asked.

“Is this……really the same place?”

“Yes. That is the current Harsia now.”

What was projected in the floating window was a desert as far as the eye could see. Yellow sands were blown by the wind, drawing patterns like waves. He couldn’t make connection of this image with the scenic grassland reflected just now no matter how.

Gravel whispered with a pained look.

“Not just this. Several other grasslands, forests, and arable lands are changing into desert.”

The window projected out images in succession, every single one showed a region that he couldn’t imagine humans could live in.

“Due to a change in the planet’s crust, a phenomenon of the breaking down of land is occurring. It generated gigantic fissures, because of that there are also towns that were terminated.”

An image taken from air was projecting out a city created on a vast plain. It was not a huge city like Zeltis, but it was surrounded by ramparts, inside the ramparts a city was built. But, what was strange was the large trenches running on the land, the rampart city was cleaved into two halves. Thin fissures were spreading with the trench as the center, the whole city was on top of the ground that even now looked like it would collapse, the city was in the situation where it was barely hanging on. If the balance was broken even for a little, the whole city would surely crumble down into the darkness.

“This is…….it’s awful.”

“This kind of phenomenon is happening not only in Izgard, it’s happening in this whole Atlantis.”

“Atlantis?”

Kizuna thought that he mistakenly heard, but he asked for the peace of his mind.

“Do you mean Vatlantis?”

“Aah……Kizuna isn’t supposed to know this, but what is called Atlantis is the name of this continent that has been told down since the ancient times. In addition, the whole of this world is also called with that name.”

Even on earth, there was a legend that once a continent called Atlantis existed. Was this a coincidence?

Kizuna who suddenly got deep in thought made Gravel show a dubious face.

“What’s the matter?”

“No……in other words, these natural disasters are because of Genesis’s fault you say?”

“Yes, that’s right. That pillar is supporting this world. Saying it in reverse, if that pillar is gone, this world will be the same like a house that lost its pillar. It will crush down and everything will end.”

‘I see……so the danger in Vatlantis that Aine talked about, is about this.’

“That pillar is holding not only the fate of Vatlantis, but the fate of this whole world. The current Vatlantis Empire, is not worthy to be entrusted with this world, with the lives of us all.”

“And so, it’s war……then.”

Gravel nodded heavily.

“Compared to before too, Vatlantis Empire is declining in strength. We are sending envoy to Baldein at the north with the intention of proposing an alliance. Just recently they should have tied a treaty with Vatlantis, but I am hearing news that it was due to one sided invasion by Vatlantis. If we can make them change sides when the time comes, perhaps we can also shorten the difference in battle strength between them and us.”

Indeed. If the time to fight came, they could suddenly press a sword right at the enemy’s throat out of nowhere with that.

“Also one more thing……Kizuna, I want Lemuria to fight together with us.”

“Wha-!?”

‘――Us? Making an alliance with an AU country?’

It was something he never even considered.

“Even if I said that they are weakening, Valtantis is mighty. I know that Lemuria’s battle strength is far inferior compared to us. But, Kizuna. The strength of you and your comrades are equal or even higher than us. We know because we have crossed swords several times already.”

Gravel faced Kizuna straight with a sincere gaze.

“That’s why I want to make a request to you. Fight together with us.”

“However……”

“Especially Grace and Ainess, the magic armors of the emperor sisters are strong.”

Kizuna’s heart jumped inside his chest.

“Those irrational abilities that Koros and Zeros possess. The only one who can oppose them, is just Kizuna.”

“Me……no, my Heart Hybrid Gear, it’s not irrational like them.”

Kizuna made a cramped smile.

“Rather than calling it irrational――it’s miraculous.”

Gravel’s face was serious. She was not ridiculing or joking.

“Kizuna, your miracle, share it to us. For the sake of saving this whole Atlantis.”

――For the sake of saving everything.

Kizuna could hear Aine’s voice inside his ear.

{I want your help. With that……everyone can be saved. That’s why}

The conversation he had with Aine when he was imprisoned at Vatlantis’s prison was resurrected in his brain.

Kizuna clenched his fist so tightly, that blood might even ooze out.

‘――I got it already. Leave it to me.’

“This is not something I can decide myself, I’ll return once to the other side and try to explain there. Even if for example it doesn’t go well……I alone will fight together with you.”

Those words let the string of nervousness inside Gravel slacken. Her soft expression was not the face of a general who was leading the army of a country, but merely a girl’s face. She was fondly locking eyes with Kizuna.

“Kizuna. If you are here……then I”

“Oka―y, with that the talk is settled, now it’s enemy observation.”

Aldea cut in between the gazes of the two.

The image of the floating window switched and the figure of a host talking inside a studio was reflected. It had the atmosphere like a news program on television.

Gravel cleared her throat and asked Aldea.

“What news program is this?”

“This is broadcasting from Vatlantis. We went until near Zeltis with pains. In order to obtain enemy’s information, I put a relay device there. It captures dispatched magic power waves and sends it here, it’s really an excellent item. It was buried in the ground, so I guess it won’t be so easily discovered.”

‘I see’, Kizuna nodded.

“Putting aside military information, this might become an information source for Vatlantis’s internal situation.”

Aldea scoffed as if to make fun of him.

“Don’t tell me that you think this is receiving recreation broadcast aimed at the common citizens? After all its main purpose is to intercept the magic power wave between Vatlantis’s magic weapons and magic armors.”

“So it can do something like that too. That’s a really important information source then.”

Looking at the delighted Kizuna, Aldea embarrassedly averted her face.

“I, it’s great if you understand……”

At that time, it was as if the volume suddenly went louder and a loud cheer could be heard. It seemed the screen was projecting a pitch dark theater. Inside the falling light, lights were swaying sparklingly like stars. Inside the screen, the voice of the announcer could be heard.

{Well then, next will be the corner that everyone is waiting for. The Amaterasu today.}

“……-!?”

Kizuna reflexively stood up.

{Today in Vatlantis Empire theater, Amaterasu and Masters’s joint live was taking place, the gathered several tens of thousands of fans were passing a time that was like a dream.}

Himekawa, Yurishia, and Sylvia. Then Scarlet and the other Masters. They were singing while bustling around on the stage, dancing.

With a cramped face, Gertrude was writhing and groaning ‘uoo―’.

“Noo―……it’s re-ally hard watching this one more time. It feels like flaunting off family shame somehow.”

It was shocking watching this at first, but he was gradually getting used to it and Kizuna too was getting a strange feeling, like getting embarrassed about his own personal affair.

However, Gravel was staring at the screen with a serious face.

“Perhaps they are like your acquaintances huh. But, right now those girls are Vatlantis’s idols you know? It’s not an exaggeration to even say that they are the national stars.”

“Just what in the world happened, that it turned out like this……”

Gertrude hugged her head as if to say that she couldn’t bear to watch.

“Yeah. Just what the heck are they thinking, those guys?”

But he couldn’t imagine that it was something they did by their own initiatives. Perhaps they were threatened, or possibly there was some kind of dealing, there was undoubtedly circumstances that forced them.

Stacked up over the stream of the live, the voice of the announcer came.

{And then today, truly, a special shocking guest appeared!}

A white figure appeared from the wing of the stage.

“……Aine!”

The one projected in the screen was Aine wearing a white dress. She was holding a flower bouquet in her hand and went in front of Amaterasu and Masters.

He could see that the audience gathering in the venue was clearly in an uproar.

{Everyone of Amaterasu is arranged to head to Lemuria in order to express their sympathy for the magic power plant’s expansion. Also, their activity as the goodwill ambassadors to convey the magnificence of entering under the affiliation of Vatlantis Empire toward the people of Lemuria will be finally starting, it really heighten the expectations.}

One more announcer gave a supplemental explanation in succession.

{So the visit of Ainess-sama this time, is including the encouragement for this matter isn’t it―}

{That’s right. Amaterasu and Masters have their origin from Lemuria, they were also the school friends of Ainess-sama when her highness was living in Lemuria, so surely they have an especially deep feeling.}

When Aine arrived at the center of the stage, the three people of Amaterasu welcomed her with smiling faces. Aine also presented the bouquet with a smile and Yurishia accepted it with a happy face. The lips of the two were moving and it could be seen that they were talking of something.

{Surely they are renewing old friendship aren’t they.}

{What a heartwarming scene this is. It looks like the support for Amaterasu and Ainess-sama is increasingly getting higher.}

At this time, all the audience in the venue were getting excited from this surprise.

Everyone knew about the relationship between the emperor and Amaterasu. That was why this was dramatic, emotionally moving, it invited the tears of the audience. Applause and cheers were thundering, to the level that they couldn’t even hear well the voice of the person next to them.

When Aine showed up after the introduction of the MC, Yurishia and others were shocked that they almost jumped on the spot.

“Eeh!? Aine?”

“Wawa, it’s startling desu!”

“Aine-san-! How unfair! If only we knew about this, we would prepare a proper reception!”

In reality, Yurishia and the others had heard about the situation beforehand, that the emperor would come as a special guest. However they showed a reaction as if they didn’t know anything about this.

Amidst the light flower storm made from magic power, Aine was walking towards her former comrades. Yurishia secretly switched off her mike.

Aine displayed a happy smiling face of meeting her old friends, Yurishia who was welcoming her was also spreading both her hands and fully expressed happiness on her body. And then they embraced each other as if to make sure of their friendship.

Yurishia kept smiling while whispering in Aine’s ear.

“Aine, just what are you planning to do?”

Aine replied also with a smile.

“There is no other way. I have to fulfill my duty as the emperor.”

“An emperor is really a great position isn’t it? Well, we too will do as we want to do. But, I’ll kill you if you are a hindrance you know.”

Both of them separated their bodies. They took each other hands with smiles and talked delightedly.

“Do whatever you like. Though I don’t know what the current all of you can possibly do.”

“Don’t make light of us. If this is a national polling, then we have the confidence to give a good fight against the emperor-sama. The current us have most of Vatlantis’s people as ally you know? Just pray to the utmost that we won’t pull the carpet from underneath your feet.”

Yurishia declared with a smile that wasn’t clouded at all. Himekawa and Sylvia who were listening from the side were in tenterhooks.

“Yes. I’ll be careful then.”

Aine the turned at the direction of the audience and went towards the mike that was put in the center. The cheers arising from the audience seats were rapidly quieting down, changing into silence that awaited the words of the emperor.

After taking a deep breath, Aine began to talk towards the audience.

“Today, I feel happy of being able to come meeting old friends. We once met in Lemuria, carrying the same objective together, fighting together, and then even though our means is different right now, but it is my great joy to work together for the sake of settling Lemuria under the jurisdiction of Vatlantis.”

Voices of admiration and applause burst out from the audience seats.

“However, the obstacles are not little. The biggest threat even among them, that I think even all of you the people of the empire fear. That is――”

Aine’s eyes closed. Behind her eyelids, various memories were coming and going.

“The demon king of Lemuria Hida Kizuna. He who frequently crushed our magic knights, is the only threat for us. However, there is no more need to fear. The reason is”

She opened her eyes as if to shake off various feelings. Her red eyes were shining determinedly.

“Because this Ainess Synclavia, will defeat the demon king of Lemuria with this hand.”

Those words made the whole venue hold their breath. And then at the next instant, the theater was wrapped in the vortex of wild enthusiasm.

“Therefore, there is no need for other people no matter who to interfere. Hereafter, I forbid anyone other than me to turn their hand to Kizuna. The demon king of Lemuria is”

Aine grasped the mike and yelled.

“My prey!”

The people united their voices and called Aine’s name. Trampling sounds of footsteps shook the floor, ringing as if to split those calls.

Even inside the city of Zeltis, the people who were watching the broadcast were beginning to make a commotion from the excitement.

Aine faced the venue and camera and waved her hand.

Her face was smiling.

But.

Her gaze was somehow sad.

{Woww, the sudden declaration of demon king extermination from the emperor! How shocking that iss}

The screen switched and projected a fleet gathering nearby the castle.

{It seems that the preparation for the demon king Kizuna is steadily progressing. Currently, there is information that he is in hiding at the area of Izgard. This will become a large scale expedition of Ainess-sama.}

Aldea manipulated the metal piece and closed the floating window.

No one said anything.

Kizuna who watched from start to end was desperate to put his feelings in order. The wave sound and sea breeze coming from the sea were gently caressing Kizuna’s body as if to heal his heart.

Aldea glared in irritation at Kizuna who was staying quiet. She sighed exaggeratedly and threw her chest out while leaning her back on the sofa.

“And so what are you going to do, demon king of Lemuria? Aine coming here, also means that a large army of Vatlantis is closing in you know? If they come with all their strength, then we will be helpless.”

However Gravel grinned broadly.

“No, rather, this is a chance.”

“Eh?”

Aldea tilted her head in puzzlement.

Kizuna also reflexively looked at Gravel’s face. As if waiting for his gaze, Gravel stared hard at Kizuna.

“What do you mean Gravel?”

Gravel shrugged her shoulders and smiled.

“For Izgard, there is no will of resistance towards Vatlantis. Let’s receive Vatlantis army happily and cooperate with them.”

Aldea leaned her body forward.

“Wait! That’s――”

Closing one of her eyes, Gravel smiled in mischief.

“But, Izgard’s army is arbitrarily running wild and is impossible to control. After all, the general who is entrusted with all the authority due to the state of emergency is going mad. For Izgard, they cannot do anything. The time Vatlantis army arrived, will be after the Izgard army headed to Lemuria――how about it?”

Kizuna spontaneously hit his knee.

“I see! We can just go to earth from an Entrance for once and then travel in the world at the other side. If we do that, we can link up with Ataraxia without clashing with the Vatlantis army!”

Gravel nodded and continued her words.

“Around that time, the majority of Vatlantis army will arrive at Izgard.”

Kizuna yelled with an excited look.

“If we charge into London’s Entrance, we will arrive at those guys’ base, right over the imperial castle of Zeltis!”

Gravel returned a daring smile.

“We are going to subdue the capital in one go, suppress the castle and gain control of Genesis!”

Both of them stood up.

“Yeah, no other way than that.”

Besides with that method, they could finish this without fighting against Zeros’s Code Breaker which they didn’t have a countermeasure for.

Gravel gave the order with a dignified voice.

“Prepare for sortie immediately! Aldea, give the command to the whole army. We are going to Lemuria!”

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