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Saijaku Muhai no Bahamut Vol 20 Chapter 6
🕑 Added 2020-08-13 12:37:17 +0000 UTC
Episode 6 – The Dear Friends, The Royal Guards (Triad Chapter)
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Part 1
「──King Lux. Your majesty, please wake up.」
「N, nn……」
The morning air had the scent of early spring.
Lux felt the sunlight that was shining in from the curtain while dozing off.
The calm voice without any intonation was hitting his eardrum with orderly rhythm.
When he cracked his eyes open slightly in respond to that familiar fce, he found the face of a black haired girl.
「It’s time to wake up. About the schedule today──first is」
「Wai-wait a second Noct!?」
Lux’s consciousness cleared up and his body shot up while he raised his voice.
「……What is it? The schedule for waking up in the morning should be correct.」
Noct was expressionless like usual, but what bothered him wasn’t that.
He was in the palace of the capital.
Lux came here from Cross Field in order to have meeting and conversation with military officers and civil officials because he had taken over the official duty as the king from here on.
This time he would only stay here for two days, but the Triad had undertaken the role as his aide and guard during his stay in the capital.
That was why, Noct being here waking him up wasn’t strange at all but──.
「That’s not it, your appearance──」
Lux asked while staring closely at Noct.
The simple maid uniform with base colors of black and white and the white brim on her head perfectly suited Noct’s personality and demeanor.
「Doesn’t it suit me? That’s unexpected. I thought of this outfit as my formal uniform as someone who came from a servant family like Leaflet House.」
Her expression was blank like usual, but perhaps it was just his imagination, it felt like she was saying that while staring fixedly at Lux in dissatisfaction.
「No, it suit you, yeah.」
「Yes. I’m relieved. Then your majesty, please wash your face and change your clothes. I have prepared the ceremonial clothes for today.」
On the table inside the bedroom, a bucket filled with water and ceremonial clothes that were tidily folded had been prepared.
It seemed that everything was ready as befitting Noct who had the self-confidence as a first class maid.
But, there was something that Lux wanted to say before he changed clothes.
「Say, can you do something, about the way you call me your majesty?」
It felt too distant to be called that by his friend, his comrade-in-arms.
Noct responded to Lux’s question with an exasperated half-opened eyes.
「No. Lux-san has genuinely become a king, so even though we aren’t in public right now, it’s not a mistake to form this kind of habit inside the palace. I’m unable to comply with that request as a member of Leaflet House.」
「…………」
Lux fell into thought for a bit after Noct flatly refused like that.
「Sorry. You’re right, I was lacking the resolve.」
He said that and apologized, then he washed his face and started to change clothes.
Even if it was just for a year.
Even if he only served in the role as the representation of king, he reflected that his thinking was too naïve.
He would only become a clown if he didn’t pay attention to his speech and conduct based on his current position.
As someone who was a member of an imperial family in the past, he would give his all to restore this country after Queen Raffi’s death.
That mental preparedness of his was about to slacken in the middle of his daily life.
「The breakfast has been prepared, this way.」
Noct led him outside the room. It seemed she had quickly grasped the structure inside the palace.
At the stone corridor outside, Sharis was standing while wearing a cape and a sword on her waist.
Tillfur was also showing her face at a slight distance away.
Most likely Yoruka was also standing watch somewhere but──she wouldn’t show herself as long as there was no danger approaching Lux.
Fundamentally it would be just the Triad who were guarding him during his stay for two days here.
(Yosh, I need to pull myself together and give it my all to do my work carefully!)
Lux held his head high and headed to the dining hall. Midway, Noct softly talked to Lux.
「Ah, about the matter just now──I shall call your majesty in the way that you desire when we return to Cross Field.」
「Yeah. Thank you Noct.」
Lux felt grateful for her consideration as his friend and his day as the next king began.
It felt like he would become busy too today.
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Part 2
The first day passed with only inspection and meeting in the capital.
Discussion about the national defense, the compensation for the soldiers who got wounded from the battles until now.
The management and stabilization of the Ruins, the treatment of the Drag-Rides, etc, etc──there was no end to the meeting.
Of course, there were expert officials who aided him in each matter, so Lux only needed to hear everyone’s opinion and gave instruction about the matter in a broad way together with Dist but──the matters weren’t really simple.
Even though the battle had ended, there were a mountain of problems for the reconstruction.
There were also voices that appealed how they had raised achievements in the battle against the Lords, so more materials should be taken out from the Ruins for them──there were even voices that demanded to make use of the Ruins themselves.
(But──that’s no good.)
If they used the technology of the Ruin thinking that it was fine if it was only them, then certainly the reconstruction would progress a lot more smoothly.
However, if the new kingdom that had three Ruins within its territory took out the materials of the Ruins as it pleased, the other countries wouldn’t just stay quiet.
They would fear that the military of the new kingdom would surpass them and there was no doubt that they would attempt to trespass into the other Ruins too.
If that happened──a war over the Ruins would break out once more.
That was why they asked Aeril as the survivor of the Lords to manage the Ruins in a neutral position.
Her permission was needed to use the Ruins while the amount of Drag-Ride that was distributed to the whole world was being controlled. At the same time the Ruins would be gradually suspended. That was the principle about the Ruins that was being displayed.
The time where each country had to face the loss that was born from the battles would begin from here on.
Lux didn’t want to burden the people with even more tax increase but, if he was aiming to build a country that didn’t rely on the Ruins, then he would also need to resolve himself.
But there were also those among the noble military officer and civil official who didn’t want to accept that.
Everyone implored so that they and their own faction could be given special treatment.
There were a lot of troubles for Lux even though he was just a temporary king for a year.
(Queen Raffi, Lisha-sama……)
It was only now that Lux keenly felt just how heavy the burden that they were trying to shoulder.
He didn’t know how far he could go as a king rather than as a knight.
However Lux braced himself to give everything he had for this one year and tackled his duty.
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Part 3
The second day of his official duty quickly ended.
Lux wearily collapsed on the sofa in the palace’s break room. Three girls were accompanying around him.
「Thanks for your hard work today──Lux-chi.」
Tillfur who was dressed in her royal guard outfit called at Lux who collapsed on the sofa tiredly like a dried fish. Beside her Noct in her maid outfit looked at her in exasperation.
「Tillfur. Please don’t make my effort to be in vain.」
「Ah, you’re right. My king, Lux-sama! Your majesty!」
The brown haired girl corrected herself in panic. There wasn’t a shred of manner and tension from her.
The only saving grace was that right now there wasn’t anyone else around him other than the Triad.
「Good grief, it’s unheard of that there is a royal guard who is making fun of the king. There is a need for his majesty to hand down a punishment later like this.」
「Eh……. Punishment? It won’t be anything perverted right?」
Tillfur played stupid in respond to what Sharis pointed out.
Sharis displayed a shadowy smile seeing that.
「I’ll be the one to give you the punishment directly you know, Till. It looks like you won’t understand unless you get punished a bit huh.」
「Ah, no way. Sorry……I’m reflecting.」
「Should I have you run twenty laps around the training ground when we return to the Cross Field? That will be just the beginning.」
「I said I’m sorry! Reallyyy!」
Tillfur was getting into a panic. Lux slowly raised his body beside her.
And then, he smiled wryly at Tillfur.
「Just ten laps will be fine. For this time that is. Be careful from now on in the palace and the capital okay, Tillfur.」
「Eh, is that fine?」
Tillfur who had teary eyes asked Lux back with surprise.
「Yeah. You have worked hard as bodyguard yesterday and today, and also while we were travelling. But, do half of the punishment to make the lesson stick okay?」
「Waaai! Thank you……very much your majesty!」
Sharis and Noct tapped her shoulders at the middle, so she hurriedly corrected her tone.
Sharis sighed in in exasperation while sitting close beside Lux.
「My gratitude for your majesty’s clemency. However please keep it in moderation. It’s human nature to take advantage of someone’s kindness.」
「Yes. Your majesty is too kind.」
「Ahaha……. It looks like I’m also still lacking the self-awareness, so I’ll try to do better from now on.」
To be honest, he was helped by Tillfur’s casual attitude.
It was Lux himself who wished to be the next king, so his relationship with the Triad who was staying at his side as his royal guards became stiff and formal at the surface, but emotionally it made him felt lonely.
But, he was unable to speak such pampered words.
He was already blessed enough that he had friends who knew him well accompanying him in his work as a king.
They too originally didn’t have the responsibility of going this far for him.
However──it was the three of them who asked Lux to become his royal guards.
He was really happy for their feeling.
That was why Lux was thinking that he wanted to compensate them in the trip this time.
「Your majesty, it will be time for a break soon. Please go take a bath.」
Lux ate the food that Noct had arranged to keep Lux’s condition well, then he took a bath and slept.
As expected from a girl who aimed to be first class as someone who came from a family lineage of servant, she did perfectly in every aspect.
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Part 4
The next morning after Lux safely finished his two days of official duty in the capital──, the day he returned to the fortress city Cross Field finally arrived.
Noct knocked Lux’s room and opened the lock while wearing maid uniform like usual.
After she woke up Lux, Sharis and Tillfur also entered inside.
The three of them changed to their academy uniform while also preparing for their return.
In their estimation, they would arrive to the academy at noon and then rested their body in Cross Field for the rest of today and tomorrow but──.
「Your majesty, there is something that I wish to ask──」
Noct in her maid uniform was tilting her head while holding a paper.
「For some reason, there is a new blank day created in the schedule?」
「Yeah. I’m thinking to go sightsee and relax for a bit before returning back today.」
「……It’s not in the schedule though.」
「How about, changing the schedule? Either way we have holiday today. There is also a town on our way home, so let’s go play for a bit.」
Noct made a reproachful glare. Then her gaze moved from Lux to Tillfur.
「This is Tillfur’s fault. Because you are always behaving carelessly that his majesty also become corrupted.」
「Is that really my fault!?」
Tillfur was bewildered because Noct suddenly recited a charge against her.
「Well, wait you two.」
There the leader Sharis interrupted between them. She mediated between the two.
She turned toward Lux and then kneeled courteously on the spot.
「Your majesty, is this something necessary? Resting is also an important job for a king.」
「Yeah. But, after this we won’t have any empty schedule for a while.」
In fact, Lux’s official duties were also doubling because of his plan to marry five queens.
「Then that’s all the more reason to not go sightseeing here. Your majesty should rest your body properly while you still have the time.」
「I also intend to rest. That’s why I’m thinking to stop by at the relay townSquare on the way to Cross Field. There is also a large inn that is managed by Aingram Company there.」
Square was a small town that was located between the capital and Cross Field.
It was surrounded by beautiful nature and it was a sightseeing spot and area of noble villas. A lot of people went there for relaxation.
Lux had visited that place several times for doing chores in the past, but he had never gone there even once since he entered the academy.
「Excuse me, but I don’t see where your majesty is going about this?」
Noct spoke up once more. Lux made a troubled smile and told them.
「About the graduation trip that everyone talked about before, how about going to this place for that?」
All the Triad opened their eyes wide in surprise hearing what Lux said.
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Part 5
An hour after that──in the morning.
Lux and the Triad arrived at the relay town──Square that was located slightly far from the capital.
First they headed to a large inn that was involved with Aingram Company and checked whether there was empty room there.
If the inn was full, they intended to head back to Cross Field right away because they had no intermediary with other inn and there would also be security concern, but fortunately there was a single room for four people available.
「I’m glad. It’s lucky that there is an empty room.」
「Yes. It must be because of our daily good behavior.」
Sharis sighed in relieve. Noct also nodded.
In addition Tillfur showed a mischievous smile.
「Well, I wanted to continue it for a bit more though」─. Lux-chi’s princess carry event.」
「Ahaha……. It was a bit embarrassing to be carried like that I think.」
「Yes. Though it was also because of Lux-san’s own fault.」
Noct retorted at Lux’s complaint.
Because of the sudden change in the schedule to spend a day for sightseeing tour, the Triad stopped Lux to wear his own Drag-Ride during the trip.
If Lux was going to use up a whole day that should be for his rest for playing around, he couldn’t use Drag-Ride at all during the trip in order to save up his stamina. In exchange the three girls of Triad carried him in their arms in turn.
Lux was complaining like that, but he too obediently accepted that decision.
「Then, I’ll show everyone around the city. Let’s go.」
After finishing their check-in to the inn without any problem, Lux started walking to lead everyone.
It was only for one day, but his graduation trip with the Triad now began.
The reason Lux proposed this trip could be traced on what happened several weeks ago.
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Part 6
「──Graduation trip?」
「Yeah, how about Lux-kun coming along too if you want? We’ll welcome it you know?」
After a while since all the battles were over, at a certain night.
He happened to bump with the Triad at the girl dormitory’s corridor. Then Sharis asked him that.
「We have miraculously survived with all of our limbs intact, so we are thinking to have a graduation trip while we can still act together as Triad right now.」
「Aa……. Sharis-san will also graduate at the third month huh.」
If Sharis graduated, then their Triad group would also end.
In the first place Triad was different from the raid force Syvalles, it wasn’t an official group or anything.
The title was like a pretext for these three girls who were close childhood friend with each other to act together.
That was why, if just one of them left than the group wouldn’t function anymore.
They must wish to have a trip as commemoration because they understood that.
「Yeep yeep. We’re planning to leisurely sightsee somewhere, so you should come to Lux-chi.」
Tillfur candidly entwined her arms on his arm and invited him.
「But, is it okay for outsider like me to intrude like that?」
「Yes. I think there won’t be any problem. Besides, we are currently considering to volunteer──to be the royal guards of Lux-san who is going to become the next king after this, so this can also serve to deepen our friendship.」
「──Eeh!?」
「Come on Lux-chi, your voice is loud. The matter of you becoming the king is also still a top secret right?」
「Y-yeah. That’s right but──」
「Then, come with us to our room now. Let’s have a secret talk there. We’ll also bring tea and snacks.」
「Yes. I’ll prepare them at the cafeteria.」
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Noct loyally followed Sharis’s instruction and then they held a tea party in the girl dormitory’s room.
They had a secret talk once more there while sipping tea.
「So what do you think Lux-kun? While you are working as the king for one year──can you let us serve as your royal guards?」
──She said.
Lux’s eyes widened from his surprise of Sharis’s proposal.
「After this you are going to work as the next king for a year. Of course, the girls who will become your queens are all skilled, but there is no way you can use them as your guard.」
「Yep, and we think that Lux-chi too doesn’t have any intention for that.」
Tillfur too joined her hands behind her head while saying that with an implicating expression.
「Yes. Most likely an intelligent person like Lux-san already understand even without us saying the reason but──」
「Well, I can somehow imagine the reason but──……」
Lux scratched his cheek with a troubled look when Noct turned her gaze toward him at the end.
That was right.
Lisha, Krulcifer, Celis, Philuffy, Yoruka.
Other than Yoruka, the other four had their own standing inside and outside the country. With them becoming his queens, it made their standing to become complicated too.
They couldn’t be treated as his 『bodyguard』 if they became his queens.
Furthermore he couldn’t possibly make other queen to serve as his guard while having another queen accompanying him as his companion.
That was why it was essential to have other people served as his guard.
「It can’t be helped if you don’t want us though. After all our skill are still far below those queens. We were also unable to do anything significant in the final battle──」
Sharis said that with a dejected tone.
But, Lux immediately shoook his head.
「That’s not true. I mean, if the Triad is going to stay at my side──there will be nothing more reassuring than that.」
「…………」
Lux said that with a heartfelt relieved smile. The three girls became speechless from watching that smile in fascination.
Because these three were comrades-in-arms who had overcome many deathly battles together with him──.
Because they knew each other well and had formed bond that could be trusted between them──.
Lux’s expression was telling them that without him needing to say it out loud.
It was clear that he was genuinely happy that the Triad was asking to be his royal guards.
「──Good grief, you are really unfair.」
Ten seconds later, Sharis muttered with a wry smile and blushing face.
「Eh?」
「After all you are always unconsciously seducing the girls around you like that.」
「Ah, but Lux-chi, you can’t increase the number of your queen even more than now okay~」
「Yes. There won’t be any end to it if in that case.」
Tillfur and Noct also backed Sharis’s statement.
「I-I know that! It was, also the fault of Uroboros’s loops, so it was a special case──」
While he was being bewildered like that, Lux noticed that the three of them were making such conversation to hide their own embarassment.
Sharis, Tillfur, and even the expressionless Noct weren’t hiding their happy smile.
Lux took a deep breath while feeling happy in his heart at their reaction.
He straightened his back and faced the Triad once more.
「I’m also asking from my end. Please take care of me during this one year. Thank you, everyone.」
The next day, Lux immediately announced to his surrounding that the Triad would officially act as his guards.
His five queens starting from Lisha, his little sister Airi, the headmaster Relie, and Lord Dist were all consenting to it. And so the Triad was formally reborn as Lux’s royal guards.
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Part 7
And then──Lux and his guards were making merry at Square.
They went around to every sightseeing place with horse carriage, enjoying the scenery while slowly looking around the townscape.
Thanks to the war finally being over, there was a festival that had been on hold finally being held in this place. The shops everywhere were bustling.
「Lux-chi, this way this way! Let’s do fortune telling, They said that this place is accurate.」
「It’s fine but, I’m a bit scared. I don’t want to get bad prediction for the country’s government.」
Lux smiled wryly at Tillfur’s invitation, then,
「Then, we can just ask fortune telling about our affinity.」
Sharis said that teasingly. In the end he was made to do it.
Midway they watched a show of a troupe, then eating the famous local cuisine as lunch.
After lunch the four of them competed with each other in a game of hitting the target, then at afternoon they moved around again using horse carriage.
After that they visited a famous casino. The Triad lost, but Lux luckily hit the jackpot and they decided to hold a victory celebration at night.
Sharis would lead Lux even while playing just like a leader.
Tillfur would talk to him from start to end with bright smile and made a cheery mood so that Lux could relax.
Noct would take care of all the miscellaneous matters properly and acted attentively to the details.
Even so, everyone gradually let out their real self came out and the atmosphere was loosening.
Like that──they unintentionally spent a relaxing and fun time for the whole day.
At evening they ate food in restaurant as the closing party. They also drank a lot and things got really excited.
They reminisced of their memories from when they first met and Lux got chased around in the girl dormitory due to getting mistaken as a pervert until the final battle. They shared happiness with each other.
And then──night.
When the lights in the town were getting fewer, the time for the no-holds-barred party finally arrived.
For the end they gathered in the inn’s room and drank there.
Noct was already drunk and held a glass toward Lux.
「Lux-san. Can you pour the wine for me? There is still some.」
「As expected, haven’t you drank too much?」
Several empty wine bottles were scattered around them.
The wine was drank with grape juice and water mixed into it, so it shouldn’t be that strong, but everyone was completely cutting loose.
「No. It’s a weak wine so there is no problem. If Lux-san won’t pour the wine for me then I’ll make Lux-san drink it instead you know?」
Lux smiled wryly when the drunk Noct glared at him.
He thought that Noct wasn’t someone who usually drank alcohol, but as expected she must be getting bolder because they were in the graduation trip.
The way she was drunk while still maintaining the logical part of her was amusing.
「Then, just a bit more.」
「Lux-chi, me tooo. You got to service me this time, hic」
After Lux poured wine to Noct’s glass, Tillfur pulled at his sleeve from the opposite direction.
She was also putting her arms around Lux’s neck.
The girls had been earnestly considerate of him during the day, but right now their reasoning capacity had been mostly dissolved by the wine.
This was his first time seeing them acting like this. The time that he was spending with them like this also wasn’t bad.
Rather, when Lux thought of how they were accompanying him until now, he felt happy that was able to enter their circle of memory.
Because for Lux who didn’t even have friend, the three of them were most likely his first friends.
「However Isee, soon it will also be announcned to the people that Lux-kun will become king……」
Sharis who was sitting on the sofa in front of him seemed to be a strong drinker. She looked like she was still maintaining her senses somewhat compared to the other two.
「Fufu, your position has become completely different compared to when you sneaked into our academy and peeked into the bathroom.」
「That was because the rooftop crumbled!」
「A-ha-ha-ha」
Lux denied it resolutely, but Sharis laughed it off.
As expected, she was only looking composed on the surface while she was also actually drunk.
「By the way Lux-chii, do you have any plan of taking mistress?」
Tillfur smiled mischievously while looking up at Lux with eyes that had become even more intoxicated.
「Ahaha. As expected even for me going that far is──……tsu!?」
Lux laughed self-depreciatingly, but right after that Tillfur whose eyes were staring still at him hugged him tightly from the front.
「It’s fine you knoow. I’m fine becoming a mistress if it’s with Lux-chii」
「Wai-wait Tillfur, calm down. You should treasure yourself more.」
Although he was feeling bewildered, Lux tried to calm Tillfur in panic. But Tillfur puffed her cheeks sulkily and protested.
「I’m saying this because I’m treasuring myself! Becausee, I think I’ll be happier that way……」
「…………」
Lux’s eyes widened in astonishment.
It felt like the flow of air was stopping for several moments, but.
「Now then, I guess I’ll go enter the bath now. How about you Lux-kun, want to enter together with me?」
「Err, please wake up from your intoxication a little.」
「Whoops, that’s right. You already have five beloved queens. There is no way you can listen to the request of mere royal guards like us.」
Sharis brushed up her front hair with a theatrical tone and joked.
It seemed that even Sharis who he thought as the one who was the least drunk had also entered a somewhat troublesome mode.
Even so, he couldn’t enter the bath together with her even as a joke.
「As I thought, I’ll enter the bath first by myself──」
The moment Lux said that, Noct who was drinking beside him hugged his arm.
She was expressionless with only her cheeks reddening, but the texture of her chest’s bulges that was pressing on him made Lux’s heart skipped a beat.
「Yes. However, won’t we become unable to fulfill our duty as royal guards if we allow Lux-san to enter the bathroom alone?」
「Wait!? Even Noct, what are you saying!?」
Lux was bewildered because the talk was starting to accelerate toward a strange direction.
「It’s alright Lux-chii. We are in our graduation trip after allll」
This time the drunk Tillfur was locking his opposite arm.
「…………」
Lux was thinking even while feeling bewildered.
It seemed that the three of them were drunk like never before and their moral was crumbling.
He thought that Sharis, Tillfur, and also Noct as charming girls.
But, Lux couldn’t possibly add to the number of his queens even more than this. He had to draw the line.
And above all else──he couldn’t possibly let the girls doing such thing while they were in such incomprehensible state due to alcohol.
「Err, in exchange I’ll listen to everyone’s request, so at least spare me from that.」
「…………」
Lux smiled wryly while rejecting their invitation with desperation. The three girls looked at each other.
Several seconds later, Noct who was staring fixedly at him muttered.
「He is, a bit hesitating with our invitation to enter the bath together.」
「Yeaaah……. We gotta tell Airi-chan and the queens about it later……」
Tillfur made a slightly twitching smile and followed up on Noct’s words.
「Umu. Looks like it’s possible that Lux-kun will have an affair depending on how he is approached. We will have to watch over him properly so that the next king won’t run wild──」
Sharis concluded with a serious face and tone.
It seemed that he was splendidly tricked by the three’s combination.
「I beg you three please don’t! I’ll go enter the bathroom first……!」
When the atmosphere changed like that, Lux went red and ran away in a hurry to the large public bath at the first floor.
.
Part 8
After Lux headed to the bath, the inside the large room in the second floor that he left behind, Sharis and others looked at each other and secretly conversed.
They had opened the window and let the night wind blew inside. Thanks to that their head became just a bit clearer than before.
「So, Tillfur, how serious you were with your statement just now?」
「I somehow managed to gloss it over because of the follow up of you two but, it was almost completely serious……」
Tillfur hung her head down in respond to Noct’s question. Sharis also nodded.
「Yeah. It seems we are cutting loose too much tonight.」
「Yes. It was dangerous just now.」
The three of them didn’t say anything more than that.
They understood even without saying it.
Even though they would never be able to marry Lux, they wanted to stay at his side by being his royal guards who were supporting him──it was something that they had decided after talking it between them.
They understood without even needing to say it out loud because of their relationship as bosom friends.
「Good grief, Lux-kun is really a sinful prince.」
However, the Triad also weren’t thinking of seriously trying to secretly nurture romantic relationship with Lux that could make the five queens sad.
They were firmly drawing the line there as their friends.
Even if it was a wish that wouldn’t come true forever, they were aware that staying at Lux’s side and becoming his strength was their happiness.
That was why, today was the last day that they would hesitate like this──just as they thought that, Noct realized something.
「By the way, how much time has passed? Shouldn’t Lux-san return already──」
「……Tsu!?」
The hands of the clock had moved by a lot while they were talking.
The three of them were half drunk, but they pulled themselves together and stood up.
They ran toward the large public bath in panic.
.
Part 9
「──And, what is going on here?」
「H-hmm……」
Several minutes later, Sharis and co found a dizzy Lux at the large public bath.
It seemed he fainted lightly because of the alcohol’s influence.
Fortunately he was only breathing a bit roughly. There wasn’t any worse symptom than that.
No matter how much his body had been strengthened by Baptism, as expected he could still get blood rushing into his head.
「We can only bring him to a cool place and give him water while looking after him……. However」
「Yes. There is one problem.」
「We can……only, do it huh,」
The three who had slightly waken up from their drunken state looked at each other and nodded.
The redness on their cheeks weren’t caused solely by alcohol. Their heart was pounding loudly.
Even if they wanted to call the inn staff, other than the guards outside the building, there were only female staffs who were still awake at this time.
Then, there would be no point to call them. It wouldn’t be any different with Sharis and co looking after Lux themselves.
Thinking that, Sharis pulled up Lux from the hot water.
They put a towel around Lux’s waist while doing her best to not look at his naked body as much as possible. Then the three of them carried him to their room.
「Haa, haa……. We somehow managed to break through the first hurdle.」
「W-well, somehow it also feels like that it’s half pointless being all that careful though……」
「No. We haven’t done anything to feel guilty about. We are doing what the royal guard should be doing.」
The three were breathing heavily wasn’t solely because how troublesome it was to bring Lux to their room at the second floor from the first floor.
It was because of a more impulsive feeling.
Even though their head had been cleared up a little from the alcohol’s influence, the three of them were still in an excited state.
At such time, the young man who occupied their heart was lying down almost naked in front of their eyes.
The three of them were losing their bearing in such situation while swallowing their saliva audibly.
「──Achoo……!」
Lux shivered from the cold while his eyes were still closed.
「As expected we can’t leave him like this. We need to put on his clothes in front of the warm fireplace──」
The three of them lifted up Lux and then they laid him down once more on the sofa in front of the fireplace.
「There is no other way, so forgive us, Lux-kun.」
Sharis muttered that, then she removed the large towel that was wrapped on Lux’s body.
Then small old scars and upper body that was sturdily firm for such a lean body became exposed.
「How should I say it, it’s amazing. Normally we dressed him in girl’s clothing and made fun of him but──as expected, he is really a boy.」
Tillfur muttered with a shrilly tone and cheeks blushing red.
「Yes. Don’t speak any strange impression like that, let’s wipe him dry.」
Noct looked calm on the surface, but her hand that was holding another towel was shaking. She wiped it over Lux’s skin and dried the water from the bath.
「Nn……」
「──!?」
Lux whose eyes were closed moaned. Noct’s movement stopped still from that.
Her heart was beating fast regardless of her own will.
Noct intended to behave perfectly as a servant, but as expected, she was unable to stay calm when touching the opposite sex──furthermore when it was a young man who she loved.
「Good grief, what a troublesome person. He is always reckless every time.」
「Yeah. Even when it was just for the like of us──he would give it his all to fight.」
「That’s nice and all, but it’s exactly because of that it gave us complicated feeling like this. It feels like there will be even more woman like us in the future.」
「…………」
Lux’s chest was silently moving up and down with his eyes still closed.
There wasn’t any sign of him reacting at all to the Triad’s muttering.
Noct’s hands were stopping to move because they were about to reach Lux’s lower body that was still barely hidden.
「Noct, leave it to me if you are scared. I’ll fulfill my responsibility as a leader.」
「You’re gonna to fulfill your last responsibility before graduation here!?」
Tillfur retorted at Sharis’s suggestion in less than zero point two second.
Their face was reddening from other cause than alcohol. It seemed they also understood the meaning of what they were going to do.
「S-shouldn’t we take turn at least? That’s, doing it alone, is unfair.」
「Y-you have a point……. Let’s do it in turn. Prepare everything else while waiting──」
「That’s, I’ll go bring some water. I want to make Lux-chi drink it.」
「Yes. Please do. Also, Lux-san looks a bit cold with this appearance, we have to warm him──」
Noct wiped Lux’s naked body with a towel while staying real close at his side.
Even though her cheeks were reddening, she was properly wiping Lux’s body with her expression and gaze staying blank.
「──I-I bring the water but, does it look like Lux-chi can drink?」
Several minutes later.
Tillfur returned while carrying a large water pitcher and a cup on a tray. She was announcing her arrival while still unable to hide her agitation.
「Y-yeah. I have also mostly finished wiping Lux-kun’s lower body, so it’s about time.」
「Wait, you have finished wiping the body already! Not fair!」
「I-it can’t be helped right……? We can’t let him catch cold, so the wetness has to be wiped quickly──」
Sharis pacified the protesting Tillfur.
Even though both Noct and Sharis should have become more awake from their drunken state than before, their face was redder now.
In a sense, everyone here was drunk from the unrealistic situation.
The night air that was illuminated by the lamp and the fireplace’s flame was bringing about a strangely forbidden atmosphere.
「Then, at the very least I’ll be in charge of giving Lux-chi water!」
Saying that, Tillfur poured water from the pitcher into the cup, and then she slowly brought it to Lux’s lips.
Lux also unconsciously opened his mouth as though to drink the water.
──But, no matter what she tried it didn’t like the water would be drank properly. The water was trickling from the corner of Lux’s lips.
「What to do now……. Don’t tell me, by mouth to mouth? But there is no way I can use that way……」
「…………」
「…………」
「Wait, why are you two staying quiet!?」
The deeply red Tillfur looked toward the silent Sharis and Noct and yelled.
「No, that’s……. I’m thinking that perhaps there really is no other way than that.」
「B-but……as expected that will be bad isn’t it? That’s──」
「Yes. However, we are nursing Lux-san, so isn’t it alright to not think about it too deeply like that?」
The Triad were surrounding the naked Lux who was breathing a bit roughly. They looked at each other’s face.
After thinking worriedly for a while, the three nodded together.
.
Like that──the night of the graduation trip of the Triad was growing late.
It became a night that the three couldn’t forget in various senses.
.
Part 10
「Haa……. I’m really sorry for yesterday. It looks like I have really troubled everyone.」
The next morning. Lux had completely recovered and said his thanks to everyone in front of the inn.
After blood rushed to his head in the bath and he fainted, he heard from the Triad how they called the inn’s staff to carry Lux, and how after that all three of them were nursing him.
「Aa, yep. You don’t need to mind it Lux-chi. S-say, Lux-chi, do you remember anything about last night?」
Unlike usual, Tillfur was muttering her question anxiously with blushing cheeks.
For some reason she seemed flustered and embarrassed. Was it because of how she got drunk yesterday and blurting out those words?
Though he couldn’t remember the specific of what she was saying.
「I only remember until I entered the bath I think. That’s all that remain in my memory──」
If he recalled correctly, Tillfur was saying something about how she was fine becoming his mistress.
「T-that was! How should I say it, I only said that because I was drunk, so there is no need to think deeply about it! But, I also wasn’t completely joking──」
「I-I see.」
Tillfur’s eyes were rolling in circles in her panic. Lux smiled at her with a troubled expression.
The tone of his voice was an intimate one that was directed toward a friend he felt a deep affection for.
「Well……. We were doing something even more amazing that that last night though……」
「Yes. Though I don’t really remember what happened after that because of the alcohol, so perhaps it was just a dream……」
Sharis and Noct were watching Lux and Tillfur’s exchange with a sidelong glance while talking secretly.
Anyway, thanks to Lux the Triad were able go through a time of fun memory.
They intended──to feel satisfied with that.
They were thinking that it was happiness even just from staying beside someone they loved and supporting him.
「After Lux-kun’s work as king calm down, how about we think of a way to become Lux-kun’s concubine? If it’s those five and Airi-chan, it will be possible to persuade them somehow.」
「Yes. Though I think it will be a very difficult operation to pull off──」
「It will depend on what happen from here on I guess. Though perhaps it will depend on whether we can endure it or not rather than anything that Lux-kun might do.」
However, the hearts of the girls who served as the royal guards were wishing for more than that.
That was why──there was no knowing what would happen in the future.
「Wait-, what are you two whispering over there. Even you two did something like that to Lux-chi didn’t──」
「……!?」
Tillfur misunderstood Sharis and Noct’s conversation as them talking about her behind her back. She yelled loudly at them from some distance away.
She covered her mouth in panic just after she said that, but it seemed that she was too late.
「Wait, what were you three doing to me while I was sleeping!?」
「Nothing at all! Now then, let’s go back to Cross Field! Everyone in the academy is waiting for us!」
「Yes. Airi too must be worried. Let’s go back Lux-san.」
「I’m worried about what could possibly happen to my body here……!」
The Triad equipped their Drag-Ride and forcefully carried the bewildered Lux in their arms and dashed off.
.
The next king and his royal guards were rushing through the land that was stretching under the azure sky.
They dashed off while hiding a feeling that they couldn’t suppress to be mere friendship and wishing for the realization of their dream.
