Saijaku Muhai no Bahamut Vol 9 Chapter 8

Episode 8   Coral Chapter – Reunion and Promise

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Part 1

Lux felt a prickling pain inside his head, and it was like his field of vision was covered by a sandstorm.

「──What’s this? My body, is heavy……」

He felt uneasy that he might have caught a cold, but when he pressed his hand on his head, the pain immediately receded.

Last night he awoke at midnight due to a strange earthquake.

Perhaps it affected him a bit.

「Now then-……there, I wonder if the preparations are fine like this?」

The fortress city Cross Field, in the morning of a holiday.

Lux was wiping the sweat on his head inside his room at the girl’s dormitory where he was currently spending his time alone.

Luggage was crowding the insides of the room for two people.

He was packing food, valuables, a change of clothes and so on for the portion of several days, but it was already a lot just from that.

More than half of his luggage was merchandises that Relie prepared for him to be used for his camouflage.

The contents were mainly precious metals and expensive Drag-Ride related items.

The background setting was that he would be bringing them to the Heiburg Republic’s capital for business discussion.

Of course, his true objective was different.

He would go there for infiltration where he would investigate a certain incident that was being done by the initiative of the Heiburg Republic’s higher-ups.

「However, I wonder if I will be able to do this alone? Something like this──」

Lux sat down on his bed and muttered earnestly.

He slowly took a deep breath and closed his eyes and recalled the happenings about a week ago.

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Part 2

The underground labyrinth inside Academy’s grounds.

In that space that was like an atelier with countless utensils lined up and bookshelves that were filled with books recording important secrets, Lux was given an unexpected mission by the captain of the Seven Dragon Paladins, Magialca.

–

『Therefore, the Seven Dragon Paladin of the New Kingdom Atismata, Lux Arcadia. I will bequeath you with a special mission from the captain. Find the traitor that exists among our world alliance──and erase them! I already have a prospect where they might appear.』

–

The ancient race of the Ruins, the Lords, showed their appearance around two weeks ago. The imperial princess of the Lords, Listelka suggested a skill exhibition battle. As the result, the Ruin inside the New Kingdom’s territory, Babel fell into Heiburg’s hands.

In order to carry out a Ruin investigation for the span of a month, an expeditionary force from Heiburg was starting the procedure to be stationed in a port city inside the New Kingdom’s territory.

It was the port city inside the territory that was governed by Celis’s father Dist, one of the Four Great Nobles. The name of the port city was──Triport.

That city that was the nearest to Babel would likely get dragged into the whirlpool of disturbance.

The treasures that would be obtained by conquering the Ruin would be stolen, and through the process of that, the Abyss would appear and bring harm to the surroundings, which would be a burden to the New Kingdom.

Furthermore, if by chance the greatest class of Abyss, the Ragnarok slipped away from Babel, there was even the possibility that several cities and villages would be erased from the map.

Because of that, a mixed force of Drag-Knights would be dispatched from the New Kingdom to Triport, even several Academy students who were Divine Drag-Ride users would be recruited towards that city in turns.

There was a possibility that Lux would also get chosen for that, but thinking that he should refrain from using Bahamut inside the New Kingdom’s territory, he was told by Relie to concentrate towards a different mission.

『It’s unfortunate that I cannot serve as Lux’s aide, but I will accomplish my own duty. Please be careful while you are away.』

Celis said that to him and then departed to Triport early.

And then, on the other hand, Lux was preparing for his departure towards the capital of the Heiburg Republic, Exestal, in order to accomplish the mission Magialca gave him.

Why was Magialca convinced that the 『traitor』 of the world alliance would show up there?

From Lux’s viewpoint, he was half in doubt about Magialca’s reasoning, but for the time being he would disguise himself as a merchant and infiltrate there.

Thus, he gathered the merchandise that Relie arranged for him and put his outfit in order.

It was the eleventh month──Autumn was coming to an end. During these remaining ten days, Lux had finished going to class while spending time with the girls.

He had felt it once more, how pleasant his everyday life with the girls was.

Exactly because of that──Lux was able to renew his determination that he wouldn’t let this world come to an end in half a year’s time.

In a few more days, Lux would depart from this Cross Field.

Before that he went out from the girl’s dormitory while pondering if there was something that he hadn’t done.

「I have also done as much chores as possible in the Academy that I wasn’t able to do until now. I think it will be fine for now but──」

Lux strolled at the courtyard while muttering.

For today, he accepted almost no chores in order to prepare. His schedule was empty since the afternoon.

「Should I invite Airi and walk around in the city?」

While he was thinking of such thing, he suddenly ran into female students of the Academy.

「Ah, Lux-san. How do you do?」

「Oh, are you doing chores again today? Even though it’s a holiday, you must have it hard.」

Two girls from the same grade as him called out to him amiably.

When Lux asked them if there was anything unusual, the two of them pondered for a while.

「Eerrr, let’s see. Come to think of it…… there was a girl who was sneakily loitering around the Academy since some time ago. You can call that strange perhaps.」

「Eh, that’s──」

The humanoid Ragnarok, Sacred Eclipse that had only just gotten defeated shouldn’t have revived yet.

Thus it shouldn’t be a big problem, but he got a bit curious about it.

「Thank you. Then, I’ll go take a look for a bit.」

Lux parted from the two students and went out of the Academy gate and looked around the area.

He was vigilant against the possibility of fellows like Gerdaf who attacked Lux and the others in the campus festival, but it seemed it was only his needless anxiety.

Yoruka would periodically stand on guard at the Academy, but he also didn’t want to burden it all on her, so this was a good chance.

「Right now there doesn’t seem to be anything strange.」

「Nyaaah」

When Lux was feeling relieved at the peace before him, a cat suddenly crossed in front of Lux.

The cat looked somewhat familiar. Its mouth was holding a small bag.

‘Eh?’, Lux thought while feeling slightly taken aback. Then at that moment, the sound of footsteps came from behind.

「Wai-!? WAIIIITTT-!? SOMEONE, PLEASE CATCH THAT CAAATT-!」

「Eh……?」

Lux turned his face towards the voice in surprise.

Over there, a girl wearing a clean and neat lacy dress was desperately chasing the cat.

「Don’t tell me this── again!?」

Correct.

It was that cat, the cat who became the impetus of Lux getting enrolled into the Academy.

It seemed that thieving cat had learned the habit of stealing people’s things.

But, only this time there was no way he would let it escape easily.

「Yosh! I’ll absolutely catch it this time!」

Lux instantly determined himself.

This opponent beat him at the first game of tag, but he was different from that time.

If it was the current him──he could overtake it.

「Funyaaaah!」

It was uncertain if the cat considered Lux as its longtime enemy, but the thieving cat too meowed shrilly with fighting spirit, then it accelerated.

But, even so Lux wasn’t left behind.

The agile and skilled escape of the wild animal was cornered by Lux’s experience.

(As I thought. It’s the same cat as before── its escape habit is the same.)

Lux’s observation and foresight had been polished through Drag-Ride mock battles.

It could also be applied to the cat’s movements. Lux erased its escape options one by one.

It might not have been possible if it was that time when he came for the first time to the Academy, but the current Lux was thoroughly familiar with the structure of the Academy’s grounds.

Where was the place that a cat could easily escape to?

Or else, where was the place where it would be easy to corner the cat later?

Lux himself was also running in full speed while tightening those options, guided the cat, and cornered it.

「Yosh! After getting this far── wha-……!?」

When Lux thought that he had cornered the cat until the corner of the fence, the cat kicked on the wall and jumped high.

Lux was taken by surprise.

It wasn’t just Lux, even the cat had improved in skill.

A beat later Lux also jumped and reached out his hand, but he couldn’t catch it.

「Wait! IBoku too……! No, Iwatashi too am also here!」

The voice of the girl who was also chasing after the cat while wearing a skirt immediately came from behind.

Lux who detected her presence used his finger to pull the string of the bag fluttering in the air and he succeeded somehow in breaking the cat’s balance.

「Funyaaa!?」

The cat lost his balance midair and fell, but Lux too also failed in taking the bag.

Lux fell on the ground on his back with his face facing up. In the end he was unable to catch the cat, but──

「Ei-!」

The girl wearing a frilly one piece who came chasing the cat splendidly caught the bag.

Lux who used all his might to stop the cat’s movements, and the girl who aimed at the bag.

The teamwork of the two meshed perfectly with each other and made the strategy a success magnificently.

「I did it! I got it back, thank you Lux-kun!」

The girl raised her hand with a wide smile.

Lux kept lying down on the ground while he was going to reply back with a smile, but then he suddenly held his breath in surprise and turned stiff.

「……Eh, just now? My name──……wait, uwah!?」

When Lux was going to lift up his body in surprise, he noticed that situation.

The smiling girl who took back the bag.

Lux had tumbled down between the legs of the girl who was standing above him.

For the girl who was wearing a pure white dress to be right above him meant that his gaze was inevitably absorbed to the inside of her skirt── sky blue color that was like the clear weather of Autumn was projected there.

「Wait, KYAAAaAAAH!?」

The girl instantly turned red until her neck and she screamed with all her might.

「Wai-, wait a second-!? If you yell that loudly──」

Lux immediately got up on his feet, took the girl’s hand, and pulled her into the nearby cover.

「Wha, what are you doing!? Co, could it be── you are planning to do pe, pe-pe-perverted things to meboku!?」

「Not that!? This place is still a military facility after a fashion, so you will get scolded if you are found out!」

「Ah……」

The girl finally noticed. She allowed herself to be dragged by Lux and obediently hid in the shadows of a bush.

After that, the members of the Triad arrived at that place that was slightly distanced from the courtyard.

「……Hmm, I thought that I heard a girl’s scream from here, but it appears that it was just my imagination.」

「Sharis is highly strung eeh. Though the Campus Festival has also just ended, so I get it if you feel anxious.」

「Yes. Perhaps it was only Lux-san accidentally encountering someone changing clothes again.」

Sharis, Tillfur and Noct were muttering such things alternately.

They then looked around for a bit at the surroundings, then they left.

「Fuu, we’re saved……」

If it was Lux, he believed that he would be forgiven even if he was found out, but he didn’t want the girls of the Triad who volunteered to act as the vigilance committee to bend the rules for him too much.

The moment he patted his chest in relief, he suddenly noticed the presence behind him.

When he turned around, the girl whose expression was stiff from enduring the embarrassment still had her hands grasped by Lux.

「No, this isn’t how it looks like!? Me looking at your underwear before this was a misunderstanding──not that, it was just an accident! I didn’t have any intention at all to peek……wait, eh?」

While making excuses, a strange sensation arose inside Lux’s body that was holding hands with the girl.

A faint prickling pain was born behind his eyes. He saw a sandstorm before his eyes.

The sound of blood circulating echoed inside his eardrums.

After that happening that took place in less than a few seconds, the form of the girl before him overlapped with a certain image.

「You, could you be……Coral?」

「Eh……?」

The girl was flustered hearing the words that slipped out from Lux’s mouth.

Lux himself thought that no way such thing could be true.

The young man who was the aide of Greifer, the Seven Dragon Paladin of the Vanheim Principality. A young man with a gentle personality who was quite friendly to Lux.

After the summit two weeks ago was over, Coral should have returned back to the Vanheim Principality together with Greifer and the others.

Furthermore, the person in front of Lux right now was wearing clothes and the hairstyle of a girl.

Vibrant long light green hair that was spreading out and a pure white dress.

That appearance made Lux feel a strong sense of déjà vu for some reason.

Although Coral originally had an androgynous appearance, he should have never seen this girl’s appearance for even once before.

「Ku……!?」

Right after that, a sharp pain ran inside Lux’s head and he fell on his knee.

His hand pressed on his forehead and he stayed still. After that the pain immediately receded.

「A, are you all right Lux-kun……? If you are feeling unwell, then we should go to the medical office──」

The girl called out to Lux uneasily, but Lux stood up and shook his head.

「No. I’m all right already so don’t worry. More importantly, as I thought you are Coral right?」

「Eh……!? N, no Iboku……not that, Iwatashi am not that person……you know?」

The girl averted her eyes without any confidence for some reason.

(It’s too suspicious……. But──)

In reality, there was also no definite truth that this girl was Coral.

She had the same hair and eye color as Coral, so he believed the possibility was high, but──

「Just now you mentioned medical office didn’t you? How did you know that this place had something like that?」

「Kuh……n, no. A military facility this size must have that much at least. Re, remember, just now you said that this place is a military facility.」

The girl made an awkward friendly smile, but as expected she was subtly suspicious.

「The, then, seeing that I am an outsider here, I’ll quickly leave. Thank you for helping me take back this bag.」

The girl said that and slowly tried to back away from Lux.

Lux who saw that raised his voice in a hurry.

「Wait! The gate before this has a patrolling soldier. It’s better to get out from the backdoor. The number of students strolling around is also increasing at this time, perhaps it’s better to hurry──」

「I, is that so? Understood, I will be careful. Farewell!」

The girl smiled and waved her hand, then she half ran towards the backdoor.

She was moving in a straight line through the shortest route towards the backdoor that was still far away from this spot that was at the verge of the courtyard.

「…………」

But, after a few seconds, the girl stopped still. She turned around with a wry smile.

「E, errr……right, yes. Whe, where is the backdoor again!? I forgot to ask that-!」

「Aa……」

She finally got captured in the second trap Lux laid out.

In the first place, only the students of the Academy knew about the backdoor.

And yet she──no, he instantly guessed the location instantly.

In other words, he knew about the backdoor’s location.

Most likely, it was Airi who told him that while he was staying in Cross Field.

It seemed that he noticed that late, but the proof was already left behind.

「Say……as I thought, you noticed already, about meboku?」

Coral grasped the cuff of his dress while averting his gaze shyly.

From his hairstyle and outfit, he wasn’t an androgynous young man anymore, he only looked like a cute girl that was Lux’s age.

「Well, it wasn’t like I was 100% sure. By the way, why are you still in Cross Field? Also, that appearance too──」

「A, ahahahaha……. This is, there is a bit of circumstance──more importantly Lux-kun. What do you think about myboku appearance right now?」

「Even if you ask me that──you look like a normal cute girl though.」

「Eh?」

Coral’s eyes turned round like a saucer hearing Lux’s words. Right after that his cheeks puffed red.

Seeing that reaction bewildered even Lux who said that.

「N, no, I don’t mean like that. I mean that it really suits you, o, or that your disguise looks really natural.」

Lux was worried because he called Coral 『cute』 even though he was pretty much a male, but it seemed Coral didn’t really mind it.

「Fo, for the time being I’m currently a boy you know!? ──Not that! Things like my hair color or eye color, they properly look like the usual me right?」

「Ye, yes. But, your chest──」

There was only one place that was baffling for Lux.

The two bulges that could be clearly seen from above the dress were things that couldn’t be seen from Coral previously.

「Eh, this!? Thi, this is, that──the, they are padding. It’s for disguise, just in case.」

Coral smiled wryly in panic and explained it like that.

Lux was a bit curious about his chest, but he also hesitated to stare fixedly at there, so he didn’t ask further than that.

「And, why are you looking like that? What’s more you are loitering around the Academy──」

「E, eerr, you see, it will be long if I talk about it but, that’s……」

Seeing Coral hesitating looking slightly bewildered, Lux let out a sigh.

Surely it was a matter that was hard to be said openly in this place.

Lux who guessed that made a suggestion.

「Then, how about we talk outside the Academy? I think I can show you around if it’s inside Cross Field.」

「Ri, right. Please, by all means……」

And then, Lux headed outside the Academy together with Coral who was still blushing.

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Part 3

「And, just what happened? Can you tell me now that we are here?」

Lux brought Coral who was wearing a neat and clean dress to walk leisurely on the main street.

They were at the center of the first block that was shaped like a cross.

Perhaps because today was a holiday, the central plaza was bustling. They sat on a bench and finally, Coral told his story.

「Err, you see. It’s hard to say it with a loud voice but, this is a mission from the Vanheim Principality. Because of that I disguised myself like this. It’s embarrassing though.」

「Is, that so. But──just what kind of mission is it?」

Lux looked at Coral’s figure when he was going to talk.

His hair wasn’t braided like usual. His long hair was smoothly spreading out.

His glossy lips were slightly opened, letting out a soprano voice.

「Vine Hachettes. One of the three bosses of Dragon Marauder, the Earth Dragon division commander who is leading the Wyrm forces. He is still 16 years old, but his strength is among the best.」

「Dragon Marauder!? Don’t tell me, they are still near the Academy even now──」

The mercenary force that was hostile to the royalty and aristocrats of many countries and raised havoc in the Ruins.

Furthermore they were the archenemy of the world alliance that was currently aiming for Avalon.

And according to the story that he heard later on, they also seemed to attack the Academy the other day too──

「No. Right now they aren’t showing big movement. No, there is only suspicion that his figure was seen here. It seemed that one of the royal knights who were brought here from the Vanheim Principality witnessed his appearance. That’s why──」

「Because of that, Coral dressed as a girl and remained alone in this city?」

Coral nodded while staying alert of the surroundings.

This town market was bustling right now.

Coral moved his gaze around to search for the enemy’s figure among the citizens.

「But, why is it Coral who remained here? Even if for example a division commander of Dragon Marauder is really hiding in this city──」

There was no need for Coral to do this mission solo.

Even if danger would visit, it would happen inside the territory of the New Kingdom, not in Vanheim.

He could just warn the military and had them take over this case.

「No. Don’t tell anyone else this but…… that division commander had a debt. He is, a distant relative of the Vanheim Principality’s royalty──what’s more, he is from the same line as me.」

「……-!?」

The face of Lux who heard that turned slightly tense.

The young man Vine who was a former royalty wasn’t known by the public, but it was still a fact that he was a relative of Princess Milmiette who Coral served.

Thus, the country had the motive to deal with this secretly if possible.

「That’s the circumstance, so don’t mind me Lux-kun. I can at least protect myself. Well, I also think that originally this matter should be told to the New Kingdom’s side, but──」

Coral smiled wryly. In response, Lux pondered for a bit.

If this was a secret mission from the Vanheim Principality, then there was no way he could tell about this matter to the Academy and the New Kingdom.

In other words──

「Then, let me help out a bit.」

「……Eh?」

Coral opened his mouth wide at Lux’s suggestion.

「It must be difficult to be alone in an unfamiliar city right? Besides if it becomes a battle against Dragon Marauder, Coral will also be in danger.」

「Bu, but──」

Perhaps because it was a special mission, Coral’s expression was a bit bewildered.

「You are searching around the Academy because the enemy might be around here isn’t it? I don’t want to let everyone in this city to meet danger.」

「Ye, yes. You’re right but……I」

Coral’s response was evasive.

Perhaps Lux’s suggestion was unexpected for Coral. He was bewildered by Lux’s words but──

「It’s all right. I won’t stay with you all the time. Let’s decide a time to walk around the city. It would stand out if a girl who isn’t even a military cadet is loitering around this area you know?」

「I, is that so!? I was standing out that much?」

Coral spoke with a surprised expression, but actually the reality was a bit different from that.

A beautiful girl at that age, that gave a noble impression, loitering around the Academy by herself was problematic.

Although, it was a bit hard to tell Coral who was an androgynous young man just how feminine he looked.

(I also have experience going through something like this huh……)

Thanks to the experience of the Triad making him cross dress as a girl, Lux could sympathize with Coral.

「──I got it. Then Lux-kun, can I ask you to teach me a bit about this city?」

It appeared that Lux’s good will was conveyed. Coral determined himself and agreed.

And then, the mission with Coral started from this day.

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Part 4

「The witness report from Milmiette-sama’s royal guard said that it was around here……」

The extensive outer wall that surrounded Academy’s grounds.

Lux was cautioned by Coral while they were making a round around the surroundings.

「It’s fine to not get to close to the Academy. That’s, if we are seen by the students, we won’t know what they will say about us.」

「About Coral? It will be fine, as expected if it’s a party of two like us then it won’t look unnatural. Even if the students saw us, I will cover it up properly.」

「……It’s not about me, it’s about Lux-kun. Won’t it be bad if you are walking alone with me when I’m dressed as a girl like this?」

「……Eh? Why?」

「…………」

When Lux responded like that seriously, Coral unusually stared fixedly at him, then he sighed deeply.

「Now I understand a little bit about Airi-chan’s hardships. Lux-kun sometimes is really full of openings.」

Coral’s sarcasm that was quite transparent caused Lux to make a conflicted expression.

He wanted to object slightly, but he also happened to be relatively aware of what Coral meant, so he couldn’t say it.

「We don’t know what is the objective of Dragon Marauder’s division commander Vine. If it’s before the Campus Festival, then the possibility is high that he came for the preliminary inspection in the preparation to rescue Drakkhen, but now──」

「Is he planning something like kidnapping the Academy’s students or staff?」

「No way……is something that I can’t really say. But, no matter how excellent of a Drag-Knight he is and that he is even a division commander, attacking the Academy with you all in it isn’t a good plan.」

Including Lux, the Academy usually had elites gathered within.

Lisha, Krulcifer, Philuffy, Celis, and then Yoruka.

It was unthinkable that someone would attack alone knowing that there were six Divine Drag-Ride users as opposition.

「Besides, these few days I couldn’t confirm Vine’s appearance.」

「Is your presence here exposed?」

「I wonder? But, I want to stay here for just a bit more to investigate.」

「I see……」

Their talk paused for the moment and a bit of silence descended.

Coral observed Lux’s state while smiling apologetically.

「That’s why, Lux-kun too doesn’t need to try too hard. This mission is like half from my own judgement.」

Certainly, it might be just as he said.

Because he was feeling discretion towards Lux……or rather, because this was related to the secret of the Vanheim Principality, Lux accompanying Coral might also not be a good thing.

So far as it went, just teaching Coral about the path where he could observe the Academy’s surroundings without standing out should be enough.

「Got it. Then, if there is something, come talk to me anytime.」

「Yes. Then──……-!?」

Coral was about to respond to Lux’s words. It was at that moment, *growl*, a small sound could be heard from nearby.

「-……!?」

It didn’t come from Lux.

The growling sound of a stomach could be heard from in front of him. Coral’s cheeks turned red once more.

「Thi, this isn’t what you think Lux-kun!? That’s, it’s not like I skipped eating in order to save the living expenses. I was only completely absorbed in work that I forgot to eat──」

It seemed because this was an unexpected mission, Coral didn’t prepare that much money for the travelling expenses.

It was an unusual miss for Coral who was a reliable person. Lux’s mouth broke into a smile unconsciously.

「Is that so? Then Coral is quite a glutton, isn’t it?」

「Lux-kun you, bully……」

When Coral acted shyly while directing a reproachful gaze at him, his cute girl appearance caused Lux’s heart to skip a beat.

「Ahaha……sorry. Good timing, I’m also feeling hungry right now, let’s go eat something.」

Lux said that and invited Coral.

「Uu…… I wish to be treated in exchange of what you said just now.」

It seemed that Coral was hungry as expected, he came with Lux even while looking embarrassed.

A bar in the alley was also doubling as a restaurant in the afternoon.

There they feasted on chicken and mushroom simmered in cream, freshly baked bread, and smoked salmon.

Lux ordered for the food to be shared half with Coral, but the restaurant owner who was still young kindly gave them extra pickles, bacon and eggs.

The extras were also given because Lux had worked odd jobs there in the past.

「Hahaha, when I heard that you are going to enroll in the academy of those young ladies, I wondered just what will happen to you. But to think that you were going to bring a girl this cute here. Lux too has grown up huh.」

「No, he……she is just a friend──」

The stylishly bearded owner served the dishes while making reminiscent talk about the period when Lux was doing chores.

A few years ago, when this restaurant had just been opened, the owner was helped when Lux worked here for two weeks.

Lux and Coral exchanged talk and finished their meal before exiting the restaurant.

When Lux took Coral’s bag that was put on the chair and handed it to him, he noticed something.

「Tha, thanks for the meal. It was very delicious. Then, see you──」

When Coral tried to say that in a hurry, Lux suddenly smiled.

「I’m glad. Then how about we go to the next shop? If you are going to stay here for a while, you will need various other things right?」

「Eh, wai-……!?」

「That bag was light, it doesn’t look like there is anything for your everyday life inside it. You will catch a cold if you don’t prepare properly.」

Lux brought Coral to go to a tailor and made him choose a cheap underclothes and sleepwear.

After that they shopped for miscellaneous goods like towels, handkerchiefs, and water bottles in the market and Lux handed them to Coral.

Even so, the places they shopped at were places where Lux once did odd jobs, so they got an acquaintance discount.

And then for the last, Lux brought Coral to a clean and safe inn that was relatively cheap. By that time it had already became night.

「Sorry, somehow I ended up taking you around to various places.」

「N, no……. Thanks to you I’m saved from the trouble.」

After making small talk with Coral, Lux was going to exit the room.

「Then, take care. If there is anything, I’ll go meet you if you go to in front of the Academy so──」

Lux said that with reservation while walking out of the room.

「──Say, Lux-kun.」

Lux came to a stop hearing that voice and turned around.

Then, Coral stared at Lux with an expression that was somewhat frustrated.

「That’s, as I thought, can I ask you to accompany me in my mission from a while starting from tomorrow? I still don’t know much about the terrain and the situation outside the Academy……that’s if it won’t be a bother to you.」

His voice was vaguely mixed with unease.

Lux nodded pleasantly at this young man who was his close acquaintance.

「Yes, gladly. Then tomorrow, I’ll meet you after I finished my chores after school.」

「Please. Then, take care.」

After exchanging words smilingly, the door was closed.

Lux was satisfied that he could be of help to Coral while heading back.

---

Part 5

「Why did I say something like that……?」

Inside the inn’s room at night.

Coral who was left alone inside the room muttered such thing in a small voice.

He had taken off his woman dress. Now he was looking up to the ceiling while only in his white underwear.

He shouldn’t ask for help from Lux.

This secret mission from the Vanheim Principality shouldn’t be shared with Lux who was from the New Kingdom, in the first place──Coral also had another objective.

And yet why, at that time he called out at Lux to stop?

If he could borrow Lux’s help who knew well about Cross Field’s situation, he would be able to accomplish his objectives more safely, and Coral would also be able to accomplish the other mission that he received at the same time while acting together with Lux.

Certainly in that sense it wasn’t strange for Coral to do what he did. But,

「Even though I only want to do something somehow about Dragon Marauder, and I didn’t intend to follow even that other order too, and yet……」

In the end, did he himself also not trust Lux?

No, wrong.

「Is it because I want to know more about Lux-kun?」

He put his hand on his chest to ascertain his own feelings.

On his chest, there were two soft bulges that he said were padding.

It was a mysterious sensation.

Even though the current him was a male, no.

Even though everyone should have been made to recognize him as a male.

「Is there an abnormality occurring in Avalon’s mechanism too due to Sacred Eclipse’s appearance? If my secret is exposed to Lux-kun right now──」

What would happen?

Perhaps an unavoidable catastrophe would be waiting.

And yet, why did he call out to him by his own initiative?

「Is it because I don’t want to become a bad person……? Or else──」

The answer wouldn’t come out even if he talked to himself.

The night of the young man called Coral was passing in only silence.

---

Part 6

After school the next day, Lux and Coral’s strategy began.

Lux who lightly finished the chores after school linked up at the inn with Coral at the appointed time.

Following the eyewitness testimony of Vanheim’s royal guard, first they asked around at the residences around the Academy.

From the street stalls, the shops in the main street, and furthermore even the coachmen of the coming and going horse coaches.

Even here Lux’s well known personage was useful and they were able to obtain the general information.

It seemed that Vine would appear after sunset, and then he would loiter around the Academy from a distance doing baffling movements every day.

But, he didn’t show any other suspicious movement than that.

Two days had passed since they started gathering information, but they couldn’t even catch sight of Vine’s shadow.

「Even though he has been staying in Cross Field all this time, but there isn’t any sign of him causing anything……. That too feels even more unnatural.」

The two snacked on the food they bought at a stall while resting at the central plaza.

Lux had skewered meats with savory sauce.

Coral had a cherry pie.

The food felt excessively delicious because of their empty stomachs from walking around.

「Sorry, I wasn’t really much help when we looked around.」

Lux was wiping the sauce that got stuck on his mouth while saying that. Coral shook his head hurriedly hearing that.

「That’s not true. That’s, if it was just me alone, I wouldn’t be able to do much of anything until now, besides──thanks to Lux-kun, I’m having fun recently.」

「Having fun?」

Coral was a bit bashful at Lux’s reply.

「Yes. It might be imprudent of me to say this but, I’m having fun. After all, I practically didn’t have experience walking around the city with a boy like this.」

「How about when you were at Vanheim?」

「Unfortunately, not really. Greifer isn’t good with accompanying others, and in the first place, I had been living in a confined world until I became Milmiette-sama’s aide. In a situation where I couldn’t even really meet my elder sister and little sister, I was merely practicing with my Drag-Ride in order to carry out the mission of my family.」

「Family, mission……?」

「Lux-kun, do you understand what kind of person you are? From where you came from, and what it is that you should really do──」

「…………」

Lux was pondering in response to what Coral suddenly asked him.

The current him was one of the military cadets, and a member of the Seven Dragon Paladins.

He failed in trying to change this country. Even so, now he chose to get involved with the country’s matter as a Drag-Knight.

「I still don’t know. Both my elder sister and little sister have decided their answers and acted based on that. I know that I also have to make my decision like them. But──」

Coral looked down in his girl’s appearance

Then Lux abruptly smiled and put his hand on Coral’s shoulder.

「Feeling lost like that, isn’t it fine?」

「Eh……?」

「I was also the same. Since I was a child, despite being an imperial family member, I was troubled by the way the Old Empire was──I didn’t understand what I should do the whole time. I stifled my feelings then.」

Lux smiled with a vaguely pained expression and continued.

「But, I have accepted it now. This is my destiny. I can feel relieved just by being able to stay together with Lisha-sama and everyone.」

「……Is, that so. I’m jealous.」

Coral’s cheeks loosened hearing Lux’s words that were filled with conviction.

And then, he nibbled at the cherry pie on his hand and muttered in a small voice.

「Comrades and friends who would understand myself and listen to my worry……. If I can be together with such people──would I be able to find my answer?」

Seen from the side, Coral’s face seemed to look lonely, and also envious somewhere inside.

Lux who saw that unconsciously asked him.

「Say……. I wonder, can we become friends?」

「Eh……?」

Lux’s sudden words made Coral to blink repeatedly.

From Lux’s point of view, with his cheeks that were dyed red with his girl’s appearance, he looked completely like nothing but a girl to him.

「I was unable to make any male friends until now. The other day it felt like I would be able to make one, but it was no good. That’s why, it, it was fun this time, walking around the city with a boy the same age as me for the first time. It might be me being needlessly meddling but──」

「That’s not true. I also think that Lux-kun is a really amazing boy……──friend, I mean.」

Lux also stiffened in surprise to Coral’s words.

When he stopped moving like that for a while, the air became really awkward.

A strange silent atmosphere visited them.

Even so, both of their expressions and gestures conveyed their agreement.

「The, then do you want to make……a contract, that we are friends from now on?」

「Contract……?」

The words of Coral who broke the silence caused Lux to tilt his head.

「……Yes. If we are friends, let’s try what we can? I’ll give Lux-kun my pastry, so give me a bite of yours?」

「O, okay……」

Prompted by his words, Lux presented his skewered meats to Coral, while Coral presented his cherry pie to Lux.

And then they each took a bite from each other’s food, chewed, and swallowed it down. After that they shyly looked at each other.

「So, something like this, is what friends do right? It’s my first time though──」

「I, I guess. Somehow it feels, really embarrassing……」

He wondered why.

Their exchange just now might be something that often happened between fellow close friends.

But, with Coral dressed as a girl, Lux felt a strange feeling.

(Wait, just what am I thinking!? Coral is a boy you know!?)

From his appearance, it didn’t look like it at all, but he should be a boy.

And yet, his heart was pounding hard as it pleased.

And then, Coral was also showing him a lovely feminine expression.

At that time when the place was wrapped in a perverse atmosphere, something was reflected at the corner of Lux’s field of vision.

「──!?」

Lux’s expression turned serious. He took Coral’s hand and pushed him down on top of the bench.

That sudden action caused the young man before him to raise a shocked voice.

「Wah……!? Lu, Lux-kun!? Thi, this kind of thing is still too earl── not that, we are both male……」

「Quiet! He is here as we thought. We haven’t been seen yet. Let’s follow him from now.」

「……Don’t tell me, it’s Vine!?」

Lux nodded at Coral’s question that he spoke in a low voice.

Ahead of his gaze, there was a young man with small build wearing a black cloak.

While his face still had a trace of a child in it, his calm presence contained refinement in it somewhere. His appearance matched the information he heard from Coral.

「……Let’s follow him carefully. I’m in disguise, so I’ll get closer as much as possible. Lux-kun, can you watch out at the back and the surroundings for me?」

「Got it.」

The reason for Coral’s vigilance must be because of the happenings in the Campus Festival previously.

At that time, Gerdaf, a member of the 『ServantsSix Punishers』, the Heiburg Republic’s assassination corps, led Coral into a trap and attempted to kidnap him.

The two now also considered the possibility that Vine himself was a bait that was scattered to lure Lux and Coral.

Lux left the job of shadowing Vine in front of him to Coral while being alert to the back and the surroundings.

Vine was taking a route that was circling the Academy’s surroundings, just like the information that they gathered from asking around. At the end he entered into a back alley.

「Lux-kun. That place is──」

「If I remember right, there should be a dilapidated house there but…… don’t tell me」

「Is he, preparing Abyss’s eggs again……?」

That possibility existed.

After they found out the place where he was making his preparations like this, perhaps it was better to pull back for the moment.

「Let’s get back for now and tell everyone. It will be more certain if we call reinforcements.」

「Yes. Lux-kun, you do that. But I cannot let him get away here. I’ll catch him right away while he is in sight.」

「Coral-!?」

The moment Lux was taken aback, the young man in a girl’s appearance rushed inside the dilapidated house.

There was Vine inside still wearing his cloak while sitting on the bed inside the deserted house.

At the same time Coral quickly pulled out his Sword Device and pointed the tip before Vine’s eyes.

「Don’t move! I’ll stab you if you make even the slightest suspicious movement! Get down on the floor quietly!」

Because there was no space to summon a Drag-Ride inside the small closed space, using a Sword Device as a sword in close quarter combat was better.

Especially at this distance, the sword could slash without giving an opening to summon a Drag-Ride. The battle had been decided.

「…………」

But, even so Vine didn’t look surprised. Far from that, he didn’t even make a single twitch.

He only said a word. He directed a blackened dark gaze towards Coral and raised a mad yell.

「──GI, SHAAAAH!」

「……!?」

Coral reacted towards that bizarre action. He quickly kicked on the floor.

He mercilessly launched a thrust in straight line through the shortest route, piercing the enemy’s throat──

But, Dragon Marauder’s division commander Vine caught the blade that had pierced its body as though nothing had happened.

At the same time he also pulled out his own Sword Device and slashed the blade towards Coral in return with all his strength.

「Kuh……!? Damn it!? These guys, they have grasped the Ruin’s power until this──」

The Sword Device’s blade whooshed through the air and slashed in an arc.

But, before that attack could land, Vine’s arm along with the sword danced in the air.

「Lux-kun……!?」

The Sword Device’s slash that Lux swung cut off Vine’s arm and prevented that attack.

But, even after his arm was taken away, Vine didn’t falter.

Far from that, he reached out with his remaining arm and carelessly constricted Lux’s neck.

「This is……!? As I thought, this guy isn’t human.」

「Don’t touch him-!」

Right after that, Coral’s yell struck Lux’s ear.

An unfamiliar dark colored blade grew out from the right chest that was at the opposite side of the heart.

「Gu……a」

Instantly, the eyes of Vine who didn’t show any pained reaction until now rolled up and blue froth was spewed out from his mouth.

He was instantly enveloped in light as though his whole body was blazing up, then the body crumbled down and decayed into ash.

「This is──what in the world!?」

After the liberated Lux muttered that, Coral sighed in relieve beside him.

「This thing was a 『Shadow』. A humanoid Abyss that has a function to mimic humans. Most likely it’s a new type that still hasn’t been discovered in many countries. I never thought I will meet one here……」

After that, Lux listened to Coral’s explanation and grasped the circumstances of this situation.

A Shadow was a special type of Abyss. It was fundamentally a disposable Abyss that didn’t have its own ego.

When it was given an order by a horn flute, it wouldn’t forget that order and loyally continued to carry out the order until it died.

In exchange of possessing a mimicry ability with high precision, its strength wasn’t that different from a human.

Originally it was a pseudo bait that would turn into someone’s comrade and then lure them away.

When Vine came to this area, he left behind this Shadow as a bait to let him escape. And it seemed Coral and the others got caught by it.

「Is, that so.」

「For now let’s get out of here. Vine should be going to a different place already if he left this thing here. Perhaps he is even at the New Kingdom’s port city, Triport, already.」

Following Coral’s words, Lux exited the house together with him.

Outside where the weather was late Autumn, the sun had already completely set.

---

Part 7

「Then, thank you for everything until now. You really helped me a lot, and it was fun.」

Coral was going to depart from the New Kingdom right at that very day. He had taken off his girl disguise while telling Lux his parting words.

Lux faced the young man under the setting sun where darkness was starting to approach.

「You’re welcome. Also, I’m thankful to you too, for becoming my friend.」

Lux also spoke calmly. Coral showed a frustrated smile at him in response.

「About that, you see. I, have something that I need to apologize to Lux-kun……. My actual mission that made me remain here was──」

「It’s not just about the Earth Dragon division commander Vine, but it was also about observing the New Kingdom, including me, wasn’t it?」

「─」

When Lux predicted what he was going to say and said that, Coral opened his eyes wide in surprise and he held his breath.

That proved that Lux’s prediction was correct.

「Since when, did you notice?」

Lux smiled wryly at Coral who asked him with a meek face.

「I thought that it was a bit strange since the beginning, but  about midway I thought that perhaps it was like that. Even though Vine was only looking at the Academy’s surroundings from afar, when Coral met me at first, you were peeking until inside the Academy right? Even though you should be able to enter normally in your male appearance if you have business here as the aide of a Seven Dragon Paladin.」

In other words, that must be an order from the Vanheim Principality.

It didn’t seem like it was a command from Princess Milmiette, but most likely Coral received that kind of order.

He was to investigate Vine while he should also be vigilant against the New Kingdom too while he was at it. It was that kind of situation.

In fact, the captain of the Seven Dragon Paladins, Magialca came to contact Lux and gave him a special mission.

Due to the Lords, a competitive relationships between the countries was created in regard to the Ruins investigation. Now each country was being cautious of each other, that perhaps others would steal a march on them.

「……Sorry that I stayed quiet about it. But, when I said that I want to become your friend──」

「I know. Even I, just because I’m a friend, there are still things that I cannot say to Lisha-sama and everyone else. So don’t worry about it. Even you, Coral, also saved me just now right?」

「Lux, kun……」

Coral hung his head down in response to Lux’s words.

And then, he shook his body several times as though he was hesitating, then he suddenly made a smile.

「Even though I thought I had paid the debt of that time, now I get indebted to you again.」

Coral smiled wryly and quietly approached Lux.

And then, he whispered with a serious voice into Lux’s ear.

「──Since some time ago, there is an existence called 『King of Vice』 lurking in Heiburg. That person seized the military without showing up in the open until now. It was also that person who instigated the remnants of the Old Empire and colluded with Hayes. If that person isn’t defeated quickly, the New Kingdom will be placed in a disadvantage. No, perhaps in even less than one month from now, the New Kingdom will be destroyed by him.」

「──!?」

「This is a piece of information that I cannot say to anyone that I obtained from a certain source. I also want you to convey this information to your comrades. There is no time. There is also the matter of Sacred Eclipse, but if you are going to run after them, then this is all the more important.」

The King of Vice who was committing evil in the Heiburg Republic.

An existence that was hiding until now while secretly maneuvering to destroy the New Kingdom. Hearing about it, the face of one of the Seven Dragon Paladins, Rosa Granhide came into Lux’s mind.

If that girl intended to crush the New Kingdom in this chance, then Lux had to be the most cautious against her.

「……I’ll keep that in mind. Thank you for your warning.」

「No need to thank me. More importantly, be careful, if you don’t stay alive, I──……」

Coral, who was about to say that, came to his senses suddenly and shook his head slightly, then he corrected himself.

「……It’s nothing. Really, thank you for this time. See you again.」

He said only that and waved his hand while leaving.

Lux chased after his figure until he was gone from his view, then Lux let out a sigh.

「Did he also notice about my circumstance…….. Or else, was it just a coincidence?」

Incidentally, tomorrow Lux would depart to the Heiburg Republic. It would be a journey for his extremely secret mission that Magialca assigned to him to identify the traitor’s existence.

He had finished all his preparations for that. Did Coral suspect him of that?

「A danger to the New Kingdom, is it……」

The Sacred Eclipse that was said would soon destroy the world.

Before that, there was an enemy that he had to be fought.

Due to the reward that could be obtained from Avalon and the implication that a traitor existed, a form of competition was created among the countries that heightened the tension.

Was it just like Singlen said, that the Lords were aiming for this?

「I don’t understand……」

The answer wouldn’t come even if he thought about it.

For today, he could only feel relieved that he managed to make a friend from another country who was worthy of trust, and went to sleep early in preparation of tomorrow.

---

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