.
The long battle finally ended.
.
After that──Lux ran out of strength and slept for several days. When he woke up, the cleanup of the aftermath was starting.
In the end──Avalon’s mechanism, the world revision function ceased functioning together with the destruction of the central.
Strictly speaking──by using the function of the Moon and the Garden, it could be repaired even if it would be difficult.
However, it was decided that the power of the Ruins wouldn’t be used overtly anymore.
With the exception of some people who coveted the benefits, the talk between everyone was progressing in the direction of basically sealing the Ruins.
They only decided to seal them instead of destroying them outright was to leave behind a way to escape great tragedy that would affect mankind’s survival, like natural disaster for example.
It seemed that Aeril and Soffice would be entrusted with the management of the Ruins. Various efforts were done in order to convince the leaders of each country.
The creation of Abyss would also be stopped completely, so the turn for Drag-Ride to make appearance would also decrease.
It would be impossible to dispose all of them unless Endless was used to make mankind forgot about Drag-Ride, so it was decided to gradually decrease their number.
It would be most difficult to abandon a mighty military power once it had been obtained, but that would be the new work for Lux and others.
Magialca was appointed as an advisor of the Seven Dragon Paladins. It seemed she would form an organization of international alliance after this.
She was someone who was faithful to her desire, but she had a sense of balance, so Lux could agree to leave these matters to her to a certain degree.
.
They made the story that Queen Raffi was targeted by the remaining Ragnarok and got killed. The news was announced to the populace later on and she was given a solemn funeral.
The populace showed their respect to Queen Raffi who was the successor of the great hero Count Atismata and saw her off.
The truth couldn’t be publicized to the public, but even Lisha seemed to accept this state of affair, that it was fine like this.
However, they couldn’t keep living in sadness forever.
The people who survived had the duty to live in the present.
They had to take over the things that their predecessors tried to protect.
.
And then, three months later after the final battle. It was spring.
The third years in the academy of fortress city Cross Field graduated and new students enrolled──.
The new kingdom──was going to welcome a new change.
.
「How are the Automatas who got rebooted doing, Soffice?」
「No problem. Everyone is behaving normally. Their memory has also been properly reset.」
「I see, then we are right on the schedule.」
Inside a room in the seventh Ruin, the Moon. Aeril and Soffice were conversing with each other. They were wearing pilot suit and a robe over it. A crest that they two of them decided together was engraved on their robes.
World Creation Organization, an organization that managed and supervised the Ruins in the world──.The two of them were appointed as the first leader and advisor of that organization.
「You can rest assured desu. It might be a slightly difficult event for the shy Soffice desu, but──」
「Re Plica is already like this. She gets impudent when I asked her to relax when talking with me……」
The Automata with mechanical fox ears, Re Plica was seeing off Soffice while teasing her.
In respond Soffice was complaining with a reproachful gaze but──.
「Ahaha……. But, isn’t it great that you two are just like in the past even though her memory of that time is gone?」
Aeril who let her long hair stretched down smiled wryly seeing the two’s exchange.
Re Plica’s lost memory shouldn’t be coming back, but for some reason these two looked like they were getting along well.
「But, you’re really going to do it?」
「Yep. It’ll be little by little but──I want to try it.」
The two’s role was──managing the technology sleeping in the Ruins, making them available for use, transferring the authority of use, etc.
Many Drag-Rides were already leaked outside, but Elixir was planned to be sealed and to have its existence itself erased.
This medicine that was refined by using human lives was accompanied with the certain risk of people fighting for it.
A secret medicine that could change human body’s function──their life span and even their talent just by getting injected and adapting to it would stimulate human desire too much.
To bring out technology from the Ruins, these two would consider its risk carefully first before making a rule for its use that had to be strictly followed.
Similarly, things like Abyss that could be used as military force without any inconvenience would also be abolished. They would reduce the battle strength that was protecting the Ruins from the thieves.
In exchange, they intended to thoroughly used the system to tighten the security.
It would take monumental effort and amount of time to construct and implement a system that wouldn’t need any sacrifice of human lives.
Even so, Aeril felt that it was something worth doing.
It was also related with the new future of the Lords.
「Then, let’s go. We can’t miss the enthronement ceremony today after all.」
「Yep. I’m also, looking forward to it.」
「Take care desu! Leave taking care of the children of the Lords we just found to me desu!」
「Please do, Plica. Then, we’re going.」
Aeril and Soffice equipped their respective Drag-Ride and flew away from the Moon.
The two of them would entrust the future to the new hope that they found in the Moon.
.
「──How should I say it, this is a mysterious feeling. Even though three months has passed since them, it felt like it happened just yesterday.」
A petite girl wearing a chic black dress──Mel Gizalut of the Seven Dragon Paladins was watching the scenery of the royal capital from inside the horse carriage.
She went home to her country after that last battle. Since then this was her first time coming to the new kingdom but──that was her frank impression.
The long years of disdainful act toward female was overturned at the same time with the establishment of the new kingdom. Raffi served as the symbol of that, but then she died. Mel thought that the royal capital’s streets would be enveloped with sadness because of it, and yet it looked like the place was still as flourishing as several months ago.
However this lively air wasn’t because the populace was indifferent toward their queen’s death.
The woman who established the new kingdom didn’t leave behind nothing.
One could see how the people here were paying close attention and holding hope to the strength of the new generation who succeeded the old generation.
「Mu, isn’t this Pope Nias and Lady Mel Gizalut from Ymir Theocracy. Please this way. The other honorable guests are already arriving.」
「You, why are you doing this kind of underling job? Aren’t your position more or less a high one?」
Mel was surprised seeing the girl with short ponytail who was wearing a pilot suit and a mantel on top of it.
She was Lisha’s little sister, Alma who was thought as dead in the history of the new kingdom, but now she was serving as a guide in the palace.
「Those are taboo words. My position is a fresh military cadet who has only just enrolled.」
Alma was──Lisha’s little sister. In the end her true identity as the second daughter of Count Atismata wasn’t disclosed to the populace.
They didn’t want to stir up the new kingdom even more for now after so many mayhems had already taken place. Alma herself also wasn’t fixated to her status as princess.
No──more accurately, she already lost her fixation to it.
After getting involved in that battle, she realized that her pride shouldn’t be about her bloodline but her way of living.
She couldn’t compare at all against Lisha and Lux’s noble resolve.
She wished to at least become a new officer in the new kingdom and supported the two──she also told that wish of her to her big sister Lisha.
『What? And here I thought that I’ll have a fellow comrade who know about the pain of being a princess.』
She responded by cracking a joke like that and they laughed together. Alma too was saved by that reaction.
「──And, has the others come already?」
「yes, Lady Magialca and Sir Greifer will be a bit delayed though.」
「Haa, that man is still slovenly as usual.」
When Mel grumbled in exasperation like that,
「How about you two do your gossiping laterr? You are blocking the way heree. Our way that is.」
A red haired girl appeared from behind and spoke provocatively.
It was the Dragon Paladin of the reborn Heiburg Republic──Rosa Granhide.
After the battle was over, she returned to her country together with Magialca and intervened there. Now she was serving as an aide of Magialca who became the king of the country.
「It has been a long time since I saw that persona. Could it be your personality has reverted back to how it was?」
「I want to meet with Lux-sama quicklyy……. Aa, how exciting. I have to make sure to use this chance to repay his kindness……personally too.」
After Mel’s question, Rosa’s high-handed attitude crumbled, leaving behind a maiden with dreamy expression.
Alma and Mel stared at her with exasperation. Then Magialca’s face peeked out from the carriage behind.
「It’ll turn into an international problem, so stop with your plan. Also, don’t get absorbed with reminiscing in this kind of place. Do that after the banquet start.」
「The former captain lady is reprimanding you women, y’all are still too green huh.」
「Hey, I don’t want to hear that from someone who came late like you!」
Greifer also came from further behind. Mel retorted the moment she saw him.
They all were making noises in nostalgia with the people who went through life and death struggles together with them──the people who might become their cooperative partner, worthy rival, or perhaps even friend hereafter.
Right after that, Rosa looked up to the clear blue sky and narrowed her eyes from the radiant sunlight while smiling.
「Enough chatter, those two are also coming. Finallyy.」
Her cheeks loosened seeing the arrival of Aeril and Soffice. And then cheers along with footsteps that felt like a rumble in the ground came from the surrounding of the castle.
Those were──cheering voices that were filled with expectation and hope toward those who would shoulder the future of New Kingdom Atismata.
.
The girls were walking through a stone corridor with exaltation dancing in their chest.
A girl who was wearing a luxurious red mantle above her uniform energetically knocked the room’s door.
「It’s going to be the time soon, Lux-chi! The people of the castle town are gathering faster than expected out there.」
「Tillfur, stop calling him like that already. You too are now a senior in the academy. You won’t give a good example to the others like that.」
「Again with that, you’re really stiff Sharis. I told you I get it. It’s only here that I’m being like this.」
Sharis grumbled beside Tillfur whose brown ponytail was shaking cheerfully.
She had graduated from the academy earlier and right now she was given the post as Syvalles’s adviser as academy staff.
She was given the post there to obtain experience for commanding army in the future as the daughter of the army’s deputy commander.
Currently she was spending her days coming and going between the capital and the fortress city frequently.
However, perhaps because the Triad had been disbanded, right now Tillfur’s tension was rising high from the feeling nostalgic that the three of them were all together like this.
Sharis was also feeling the same.
During the one year since Lux enrolled in the academy──they tasted near death experiences several times and even got injured some times, there were also a lot of troubles.
Even so──those experiences felt like something precious that was hard to come by.
And above all else, right now they still had all their limbs attached without lacking anything and all their comrades beside them. They couldn’t help but felt happiness.
「It was really, a good time.」
While she was flooded with emotions, Noct’s calm reply came from inside the room.
「It’s alright now. They have finished changing clothes.」
「……Wait, whatcha doing there Noct! Didn’t we have that talk about how stealing a march is no no!?」
Tillfur kicked the door open and rushed into the room. Inside the room that was made of stone there was Lux in formal attire smiling.
His troubled looking smile looked just like usual for the girls.
「I’m also Lux-san’s maid, so it’s only natural that I help him dressing up.」
「If you’re talking about that, then I’m also Lux-chi’s guard!」
「The role of you two are different, so that won’t back up your claim at all you know, Till.」
Sharis lightly patted the head of Tillfur who was burning with rivalry.
「──Sorry for this, we’re still being loud even in an important event like this.」
「No. I was nervous, so this help to distract me.」
「See! It’s just as I thought, it’s good that we’re staying close like this! We’re also serving as her highness’s guards!」
「Can you stop calling me like that……? I’m just an extra beside Nii-san after all.」
Airi replied to the Triad with a conflicted look.
Airi was clad in a pure white dress. She was sitting on a chair.
「I’m sorry. I caused trouble even for you Airi.」
「Nii-san is saying that at this point?」
Lux got panicked when Airi stared reproachfully at him.
「But──this will really be the la-」
「It’s better if Nii-san doesn’t say something like 『This is the last time』. Nii-san surely won’t stop sticking your neck if there is some kind of problem happening again anyway.」
「A-ahaha……」
Lux awkwardly laughed at Airi’s reminder.
He remembered doing just what she accused him so many times that he couldn’t object.
Even so, there was no doubt that the problem this time was top class in how troublesome it was.
He was thankful to Airi that she was still accompanying him even then.
「It’s my win in this argument. I wonder if the day Nii-san can win against me will really come.」
Airi sent a mischievous gaze toward Lux and made fun of him. Beside her, the Triad were making meaningful smiles.
「You said this and that, even though in the end you can’t possibly do something like refusing your Onii-chan’s request.」
「Perhaps in reality it’s missy Airi who is the loser here.」
「No. Be quiet you two. I won’t allow you break Airi’s pride.」
「I can hear what you are saying there, you three!」
Airi went red hearing Tillfur, Sharis, and Noct saying their respective opinions and raised her voice.
Airi was──in the end after that she stayed in bed for a long time from the exhaustion. As expected she wasn’t suited to be a Drag-Knight. Because she understood that, she wouldn’t participate in battle anymore, but she planned to keep doing her part from here on too as the one in charge of managing the information in Syvalles.
For Airi who was sociable and well-known, he would surely cause her troubles from here on too.
Even so he felt happy to have this tenacious little sister accompanying him.
「Stop making stupid talks and let’s go already. Have you finished preparing, Nii-san?」
「──Yeah. Let’s go, Airi.」
Lux too Airi’s hand that was covered with long white glove and exited the room.
They walked through the long stone corridor toward the terrace with the Triad following them behind as guards.
Lux noticed something important through the looping parade and the battle against Fugil for Avalon.
Lux──couldn’t become a hero on his own.
To see someone as hero meant pushing one’s own ideal to that person.
「…………」
Lux saw the blue sky that was expanding at the other side of the corridor’s handrail and thought.
Fugil and Arshalia, they tried to become the hero and goddess to answer the expectation that was placed on them.
They aimed to become an existence that couldn’t possibly be reached as long as they stayed human. Even so they continued to fight.
They were cornered by great ideal and dream that couldn’t be shouldered by human’s hand──and got lost in a labyrinth.
After slowly walking through the corridor for a while, he saw a familiar blue haired girl standing ahead.
Krulcifer who was wearing a dress saw Lux and smiled.
「As I thought, you look good in that attire──」
「Don’t flatter me too much. Even now I’m forcing myself a lot after all.」
Lux was feeling pressure from the girl’s praise. Then,
「It’s fine if you don’t force yourself. We will support you if there is any trouble. That’s why──」
「Yep. Rest assured, Lu-chan.」
Celis who was wearing a military uniform was encouraging him with a strong and kind voice.
Beside her, his childhood friend was also giving him a faint smile.
「──Thank you. Celis-senpai, Phi-chan.」
Yoruka who was wearing her usual black outfit was also standing beside the stair.
「Good luck Aruji-sama. I too shall accompany you even until the depth of hell, until your wish is realized.」
「That’s reassuring but……. Don’t cause any ruckus in the ceremony okay?」
「I’ll strive to do so.」
Yoruka smiled guilelessly toward him. She was just like usual as expected.
After receiving the encouragement from the four, Lux went up the stairs with Airi and the others.
(The peace of the new kingdom──I can’t shoulder such heavy burden by myself. I can’t──save the whole world by myself.)
What he accomplished was possible only because Lisha and the others, everyone was there for him.
If they weren’t there for him, he couldn’t possibly accomplish it.
That was why──he didn’t intend to shoulder the burden by himself even from here on.
He went up the stairs and came out to the open terrace of the palace.
When he showed his face to the populace, the honored guests from other countries, and the nobles who gathered here, very loud cheers were raised.
There, Lisha who was wearing a red dress and Celis’s father, the head of one of the four great nobles, Dist Ralgris were already waiting.
「Then, I shall introduce……the new king who will lead the new kingdom for this one year. ──King Lux.」
.
*WAaaaaAAAAAA……!*
.
Cheers so loud it could burst the eardrums were reverberating in the whole area like a ripple.
Lux watched the populace with a calm gaze and slowly waved his hand.
「It will only be for a year, but I will serve as the king of the new kingdom during that time. I will have to rely on Lord Dist’s assistance in regard to the political matter, but I intend to play my role to the best of my ability in order to improve the new kingdom to become an even better country.」
From now on Lux would still be a student in the academy while also taking up the role as the king at the same time. This was decided from the discussion with the four great nobles and the consuls.
Currently the central figures of the new kingdom were gone because of various incidents and accidents. Lisha’s presence alone would be lacking to unite the populace.
A figure with strong unifying force was necessary to bring together the worried populace.
In this one year Lux had raised many accomplishments, got his criminal collar removed, and the populace also came to recognize him. If it was Lux, he wasn’t lacking anything in that point.
Of course, in the end Lux was only king at the surface. Most of the governing would be carried out by Lord Dist of the four great nobles but──even then he was undoubtedly a king.
From here on an effort to switch the governing system to republicanism would begin. This role would serve as a bridge in that effort.
In order to spread the modest peace that he wished for, he decided to walk toward that ideal together with the girls who fought with him and stayed at his side.
「I am──not that strong. I cannot become a hero who can save everything in this world. However……」
He exchanged glance with Lisha and Airi. The two of them returned a heated gaze toward him.
His courage welled up seeing that.
「I wish that more and more people can find something that only you yourself can do. I wish to spread the will for everyone to help each other to even more people.」
Just like how Philuffy saved him from the loneliness when she was a child.
He wouldn’t try to be a hero who wanted to save every single people in need, but someone who could show others the path to do so themselves as much as possible.
「I think there will be time where I stumble due to my lack of strength. I think there’ll be also times where I encounter misfortune and toyed by fate so that things don’t go well. But──」
Lux cut off his words and looked over the populace before declaring.
「My friends from the academy who has been supporting me all this time, my experiences from everything I had gone through, they have taught me. That we can become happy by overcoming those hardships. That’s why, I wish to use this one year to think of the way to create such country.」
The people were listening to Lux’s speech with a quiet expression.
Before long small applauses could be heard here and there before they became a loud cheer that reverberated through the spring’s blue sky.
.
After finishing the coronation greeting together with Lisha, there was a break for several hours that was followed by a banquet.
The battle against other countries concerning the Ruins──the battle against the negative history that was the old empire.
And then──the battle against the past era that led to this situation.
After running through the long and painful fierce battles and obtaining this temporary result, the people who gathered here rejoiced and cheered on Lux who became the new king.
And then──three days later.
After the Seven Dragon Paladins and the important people of other countries returned home, the last event was going to be held right now in the royal capital Lordgalia.
「However, I never thought that the joyous occasions will keep coming like this after all of those sad times.」
One of the citizens of the capital, a middle-aged woman with wide girth was looking up to the palace with a news leaflet in her hand.
「Yeah, you’re right. I never thought that King Lux will do this kind of wedding right after his coronation──. But, this might be a good idea in order to restore the new kingdom right now.」
The woman’s husband, a man with thick black beard smiled meaningfully.
「It will go well if it’s King Lux. He is the one who brought together the allied force in that great war.」
Although the citizens were also harboring some curiosity, they were undoubtedly giving their blessing to this last event.
The bell of the bell tower would resound before long. People were gathering.
.
Lux’s marriage ceremony would be held in the capital’s cathedral after this.
.
It was going to be done before his return to the fortress city Cross Field, where a lot of people were waiting for his return.
.
The long battle finally ended.
.
After that──Lux ran out of strength and slept for several days. When he woke up, the cleanup of the aftermath was starting.
In the end──Avalon’s mechanism, the world revision function ceased functioning together with the destruction of the central.
Strictly speaking──by using the function of the Moon and the Garden, it could be repaired even if it would be difficult.
However, it was decided that the power of the Ruins wouldn’t be used overtly anymore.
With the exception of some people who coveted the benefits, the talk between everyone was progressing in the direction of basically sealing the Ruins.
They only decided to seal them instead of destroying them outright was to leave behind a way to escape great tragedy that would affect mankind’s survival, like natural disaster for example.
It seemed that Aeril and Soffice would be entrusted with the management of the Ruins. Various efforts were done in order to convince the leaders of each country.
The creation of Abyss would also be stopped completely, so the turn for Drag-Ride to make appearance would also decrease.
It would be impossible to dispose all of them unless Endless was used to make mankind forgot about Drag-Ride, so it was decided to gradually decrease their number.
It would be most difficult to abandon a mighty military power once it had been obtained, but that would be the new work for Lux and others.
Magialca was appointed as an advisor of the Seven Dragon Paladins. It seemed she would form an organization of international alliance after this.
She was someone who was faithful to her desire, but she had a sense of balance, so Lux could agree to leave these matters to her to a certain degree.
.
They made the story that Queen Raffi was targeted by the remaining Ragnarok and got killed. The news was announced to the populace later on and she was given a solemn funeral.
The populace showed their respect to Queen Raffi who was the successor of the great hero Count Atismata and saw her off.
The truth couldn’t be publicized to the public, but even Lisha seemed to accept this state of affair, that it was fine like this.
However, they couldn’t keep living in sadness forever.
The people who survived had the duty to live in the present.
They had to take over the things that their predecessors tried to protect.
.
And then, three months later after the final battle. It was spring.
The third years in the academy of fortress city Cross Field graduated and new students enrolled──.
The new kingdom──was going to welcome a new change.
.
「How are the Automatas who got rebooted doing, Soffice?」
「No problem. Everyone is behaving normally. Their memory has also been properly reset.」
「I see, then we are right on the schedule.」
Inside a room in the seventh Ruin, the Moon. Aeril and Soffice were conversing with each other. They were wearing pilot suit and a robe over it. A crest that they two of them decided together was engraved on their robes.
World Creation Organization, an organization that managed and supervised the Ruins in the world──.The two of them were appointed as the first leader and advisor of that organization.
「You can rest assured desu. It might be a slightly difficult event for the shy Soffice desu, but──」
「Re Plica is already like this. She gets impudent when I asked her to relax when talking with me……」
The Automata with mechanical fox ears, Re Plica was seeing off Soffice while teasing her.
In respond Soffice was complaining with a reproachful gaze but──.
「Ahaha……. But, isn’t it great that you two are just like in the past even though her memory of that time is gone?」
Aeril who let her long hair stretched down smiled wryly seeing the two’s exchange.
Re Plica’s lost memory shouldn’t be coming back, but for some reason these two looked like they were getting along well.
「But, you’re really going to do it?」
「Yep. It’ll be little by little but──I want to try it.」
The two’s role was──managing the technology sleeping in the Ruins, making them available for use, transferring the authority of use, etc.
Many Drag-Rides were already leaked outside, but Elixir was planned to be sealed and to have its existence itself erased.
This medicine that was refined by using human lives was accompanied with the certain risk of people fighting for it.
A secret medicine that could change human body’s function──their life span and even their talent just by getting injected and adapting to it would stimulate human desire too much.
To bring out technology from the Ruins, these two would consider its risk carefully first before making a rule for its use that had to be strictly followed.
Similarly, things like Abyss that could be used as military force without any inconvenience would also be abolished. They would reduce the battle strength that was protecting the Ruins from the thieves.
In exchange, they intended to thoroughly used the system to tighten the security.
It would take monumental effort and amount of time to construct and implement a system that wouldn’t need any sacrifice of human lives.
Even so, Aeril felt that it was something worth doing.
It was also related with the new future of the Lords.
「Then, let’s go. We can’t miss the enthronement ceremony today after all.」
「Yep. I’m also, looking forward to it.」
「Take care desu! Leave taking care of the children of the Lords we just found to me desu!」
「Please do, Plica. Then, we’re going.」
Aeril and Soffice equipped their respective Drag-Ride and flew away from the Moon.
The two of them would entrust the future to the new hope that they found in the Moon.
.
「──How should I say it, this is a mysterious feeling. Even though three months has passed since them, it felt like it happened just yesterday.」
A petite girl wearing a chic black dress──Mel Gizalut of the Seven Dragon Paladins was watching the scenery of the royal capital from inside the horse carriage.
She went home to her country after that last battle. Since then this was her first time coming to the new kingdom but──that was her frank impression.
The long years of disdainful act toward female was overturned at the same time with the establishment of the new kingdom. Raffi served as the symbol of that, but then she died. Mel thought that the royal capital’s streets would be enveloped with sadness because of it, and yet it looked like the place was still as flourishing as several months ago.
However this lively air wasn’t because the populace was indifferent toward their queen’s death.
The woman who established the new kingdom didn’t leave behind nothing.
One could see how the people here were paying close attention and holding hope to the strength of the new generation who succeeded the old generation.
「Mu, isn’t this Pope Nias and Lady Mel Gizalut from Ymir Theocracy. Please this way. The other honorable guests are already arriving.」
「You, why are you doing this kind of underling job? Aren’t your position more or less a high one?」
Mel was surprised seeing the girl with short ponytail who was wearing a pilot suit and a mantel on top of it.
She was Lisha’s little sister, Alma who was thought as dead in the history of the new kingdom, but now she was serving as a guide in the palace.
「Those are taboo words. My position is a fresh military cadet who has only just enrolled.」
Alma was──Lisha’s little sister. In the end her true identity as the second daughter of Count Atismata wasn’t disclosed to the populace.
They didn’t want to stir up the new kingdom even more for now after so many mayhems had already taken place. Alma herself also wasn’t fixated to her status as princess.
No──more accurately, she already lost her fixation to it.
After getting involved in that battle, she realized that her pride shouldn’t be about her bloodline but her way of living.
She couldn’t compare at all against Lisha and Lux’s noble resolve.
She wished to at least become a new officer in the new kingdom and supported the two──she also told that wish of her to her big sister Lisha.
『What? And here I thought that I’ll have a fellow comrade who know about the pain of being a princess.』
She responded by cracking a joke like that and they laughed together. Alma too was saved by that reaction.
「──And, has the others come already?」
「yes, Lady Magialca and Sir Greifer will be a bit delayed though.」
「Haa, that man is still slovenly as usual.」
When Mel grumbled in exasperation like that,
「How about you two do your gossiping laterr? You are blocking the way heree. Our way that is.」
A red haired girl appeared from behind and spoke provocatively.
It was the Dragon Paladin of the reborn Heiburg Republic──Rosa Granhide.
After the battle was over, she returned to her country together with Magialca and intervened there. Now she was serving as an aide of Magialca who became the king of the country.
「It has been a long time since I saw that persona. Could it be your personality has reverted back to how it was?」
「I want to meet with Lux-sama quicklyy……. Aa, how exciting. I have to make sure to use this chance to repay his kindness……personally too.」
After Mel’s question, Rosa’s high-handed attitude crumbled, leaving behind a maiden with dreamy expression.
Alma and Mel stared at her with exasperation. Then Magialca’s face peeked out from the carriage behind.
「It’ll turn into an international problem, so stop with your plan. Also, don’t get absorbed with reminiscing in this kind of place. Do that after the banquet start.」
「The former captain lady is reprimanding you women, y’all are still too green huh.」
「Hey, I don’t want to hear that from someone who came late like you!」
Greifer also came from further behind. Mel retorted the moment she saw him.
They all were making noises in nostalgia with the people who went through life and death struggles together with them──the people who might become their cooperative partner, worthy rival, or perhaps even friend hereafter.
Right after that, Rosa looked up to the clear blue sky and narrowed her eyes from the radiant sunlight while smiling.
「Enough chatter, those two are also coming. Finallyy.」
Her cheeks loosened seeing the arrival of Aeril and Soffice. And then cheers along with footsteps that felt like a rumble in the ground came from the surrounding of the castle.
Those were──cheering voices that were filled with expectation and hope toward those who would shoulder the future of New Kingdom Atismata.
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The girls were walking through a stone corridor with exaltation dancing in their chest.
A girl who was wearing a luxurious red mantle above her uniform energetically knocked the room’s door.
「It’s going to be the time soon, Lux-chi! The people of the castle town are gathering faster than expected out there.」
「Tillfur, stop calling him like that already. You too are now a senior in the academy. You won’t give a good example to the others like that.」
「Again with that, you’re really stiff Sharis. I told you I get it. It’s only here that I’m being like this.」
Sharis grumbled beside Tillfur whose brown ponytail was shaking cheerfully.
She had graduated from the academy earlier and right now she was given the post as Syvalles’s adviser as academy staff.
She was given the post there to obtain experience for commanding army in the future as the daughter of the army’s deputy commander.
Currently she was spending her days coming and going between the capital and the fortress city frequently.
However, perhaps because the Triad had been disbanded, right now Tillfur’s tension was rising high from the feeling nostalgic that the three of them were all together like this.
Sharis was also feeling the same.
During the one year since Lux enrolled in the academy──they tasted near death experiences several times and even got injured some times, there were also a lot of troubles.
Even so──those experiences felt like something precious that was hard to come by.
And above all else, right now they still had all their limbs attached without lacking anything and all their comrades beside them. They couldn’t help but felt happiness.
「It was really, a good time.」
While she was flooded with emotions, Noct’s calm reply came from inside the room.
「It’s alright now. They have finished changing clothes.」
「……Wait, whatcha doing there Noct! Didn’t we have that talk about how stealing a march is no no!?」
Tillfur kicked the door open and rushed into the room. Inside the room that was made of stone there was Lux in formal attire smiling.
His troubled looking smile looked just like usual for the girls.
「I’m also Lux-san’s maid, so it’s only natural that I help him dressing up.」
「If you’re talking about that, then I’m also Lux-chi’s guard!」
「The role of you two are different, so that won’t back up your claim at all you know, Till.」
Sharis lightly patted the head of Tillfur who was burning with rivalry.
「──Sorry for this, we’re still being loud even in an important event like this.」
「No. I was nervous, so this help to distract me.」
「See! It’s just as I thought, it’s good that we’re staying close like this! We’re also serving as her highness’s guards!」
「Can you stop calling me like that……? I’m just an extra beside Nii-san after all.」
Airi replied to the Triad with a conflicted look.
Airi was clad in a pure white dress. She was sitting on a chair.
「I’m sorry. I caused trouble even for you Airi.」
「Nii-san is saying that at this point?」
Lux got panicked when Airi stared reproachfully at him.
「But──this will really be the la-」
「It’s better if Nii-san doesn’t say something like 『This is the last time』. Nii-san surely won’t stop sticking your neck if there is some kind of problem happening again anyway.」
「A-ahaha……」
Lux awkwardly laughed at Airi’s reminder.
He remembered doing just what she accused him so many times that he couldn’t object.
Even so, there was no doubt that the problem this time was top class in how troublesome it was.
He was thankful to Airi that she was still accompanying him even then.
「It’s my win in this argument. I wonder if the day Nii-san can win against me will really come.」
Airi sent a mischievous gaze toward Lux and made fun of him. Beside her, the Triad were making meaningful smiles.
「You said this and that, even though in the end you can’t possibly do something like refusing your Onii-chan’s request.」
「Perhaps in reality it’s missy Airi who is the loser here.」
「No. Be quiet you two. I won’t allow you break Airi’s pride.」
「I can hear what you are saying there, you three!」
Airi went red hearing Tillfur, Sharis, and Noct saying their respective opinions and raised her voice.
Airi was──in the end after that she stayed in bed for a long time from the exhaustion. As expected she wasn’t suited to be a Drag-Knight. Because she understood that, she wouldn’t participate in battle anymore, but she planned to keep doing her part from here on too as the one in charge of managing the information in Syvalles.
For Airi who was sociable and well-known, he would surely cause her troubles from here on too.
Even so he felt happy to have this tenacious little sister accompanying him.
「Stop making stupid talks and let’s go already. Have you finished preparing, Nii-san?」
「──Yeah. Let’s go, Airi.」
Lux too Airi’s hand that was covered with long white glove and exited the room.
They walked through the long stone corridor toward the terrace with the Triad following them behind as guards.
Lux noticed something important through the looping parade and the battle against Fugil for Avalon.
Lux──couldn’t become a hero on his own.
To see someone as hero meant pushing one’s own ideal to that person.
「…………」
Lux saw the blue sky that was expanding at the other side of the corridor’s handrail and thought.
Fugil and Arshalia, they tried to become the hero and goddess to answer the expectation that was placed on them.
They aimed to become an existence that couldn’t possibly be reached as long as they stayed human. Even so they continued to fight.
They were cornered by great ideal and dream that couldn’t be shouldered by human’s hand──and got lost in a labyrinth.
After slowly walking through the corridor for a while, he saw a familiar blue haired girl standing ahead.
Krulcifer who was wearing a dress saw Lux and smiled.
「As I thought, you look good in that attire──」
「Don’t flatter me too much. Even now I’m forcing myself a lot after all.」
Lux was feeling pressure from the girl’s praise. Then,
「It’s fine if you don’t force yourself. We will support you if there is any trouble. That’s why──」
「Yep. Rest assured, Lu-chan.」
Celis who was wearing a military uniform was encouraging him with a strong and kind voice.
Beside her, his childhood friend was also giving him a faint smile.
「──Thank you. Celis-senpai, Phi-chan.」
Yoruka who was wearing her usual black outfit was also standing beside the stair.
「Good luck Aruji-sama. I too shall accompany you even until the depth of hell, until your wish is realized.」
「That’s reassuring but……. Don’t cause any ruckus in the ceremony okay?」
「I’ll strive to do so.」
Yoruka smiled guilelessly toward him. She was just like usual as expected.
After receiving the encouragement from the four, Lux went up the stairs with Airi and the others.
(The peace of the new kingdom──I can’t shoulder such heavy burden by myself. I can’t──save the whole world by myself.)
What he accomplished was possible only because Lisha and the others, everyone was there for him.
If they weren’t there for him, he couldn’t possibly accomplish it.
That was why──he didn’t intend to shoulder the burden by himself even from here on.
He went up the stairs and came out to the open terrace of the palace.
When he showed his face to the populace, the honored guests from other countries, and the nobles who gathered here, very loud cheers were raised.
There, Lisha who was wearing a red dress and Celis’s father, the head of one of the four great nobles, Dist Ralgris were already waiting.
「Then, I shall introduce……the new king who will lead the new kingdom for this one year. ──King Lux.」
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*WAaaaaAAAAAA……!*
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Cheers so loud it could burst the eardrums were reverberating in the whole area like a ripple.
Lux watched the populace with a calm gaze and slowly waved his hand.
「It will only be for a year, but I will serve as the king of the new kingdom during that time. I will have to rely on Lord Dist’s assistance in regard to the political matter, but I intend to play my role to the best of my ability in order to improve the new kingdom to become an even better country.」
From now on Lux would still be a student in the academy while also taking up the role as the king at the same time. This was decided from the discussion with the four great nobles and the consuls.
Currently the central figures of the new kingdom were gone because of various incidents and accidents. Lisha’s presence alone would be lacking to unite the populace.
A figure with strong unifying force was necessary to bring together the worried populace.
In this one year Lux had raised many accomplishments, got his criminal collar removed, and the populace also came to recognize him. If it was Lux, he wasn’t lacking anything in that point.
Of course, in the end Lux was only king at the surface. Most of the governing would be carried out by Lord Dist of the four great nobles but──even then he was undoubtedly a king.
From here on an effort to switch the governing system to republicanism would begin. This role would serve as a bridge in that effort.
In order to spread the modest peace that he wished for, he decided to walk toward that ideal together with the girls who fought with him and stayed at his side.
「I am──not that strong. I cannot become a hero who can save everything in this world. However……」
He exchanged glance with Lisha and Airi. The two of them returned a heated gaze toward him.
His courage welled up seeing that.
「I wish that more and more people can find something that only you yourself can do. I wish to spread the will for everyone to help each other to even more people.」
Just like how Philuffy saved him from the loneliness when she was a child.
He wouldn’t try to be a hero who wanted to save every single people in need, but someone who could show others the path to do so themselves as much as possible.
「I think there will be time where I stumble due to my lack of strength. I think there’ll be also times where I encounter misfortune and toyed by fate so that things don’t go well. But──」
Lux cut off his words and looked over the populace before declaring.
「My friends from the academy who has been supporting me all this time, my experiences from everything I had gone through, they have taught me. That we can become happy by overcoming those hardships. That’s why, I wish to use this one year to think of the way to create such country.」
The people were listening to Lux’s speech with a quiet expression.
Before long small applauses could be heard here and there before they became a loud cheer that reverberated through the spring’s blue sky.
.
After finishing the coronation greeting together with Lisha, there was a break for several hours that was followed by a banquet.
The battle against other countries concerning the Ruins──the battle against the negative history that was the old empire.
And then──the battle against the past era that led to this situation.
After running through the long and painful fierce battles and obtaining this temporary result, the people who gathered here rejoiced and cheered on Lux who became the new king.
And then──three days later.
After the Seven Dragon Paladins and the important people of other countries returned home, the last event was going to be held right now in the royal capital Lordgalia.
「However, I never thought that the joyous occasions will keep coming like this after all of those sad times.」
One of the citizens of the capital, a middle-aged woman with wide girth was looking up to the palace with a news leaflet in her hand.
「Yeah, you’re right. I never thought that King Lux will do this kind of wedding right after his coronation──. But, this might be a good idea in order to restore the new kingdom right now.」
The woman’s husband, a man with thick black beard smiled meaningfully.
「It will go well if it’s King Lux. He is the one who brought together the allied force in that great war.」
Although the citizens were also harboring some curiosity, they were undoubtedly giving their blessing to this last event.
The bell of the bell tower would resound before long. People were gathering.
.
Lux’s marriage ceremony would be held in the capital’s cathedral after this.
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It was going to be done before his return to the fortress city Cross Field, where a lot of people were waiting for his return.
