She also couldn’t think that he had the leeway to do this after she dealt an injury that heavy to him already. But, the super consecutive attacks from End Action and time acceleration that he unleashed at Raffi. If even that attack, was Lux’s scenario than──. 「Aa……!」 High in the sky where Raffi was looking up to, a jet black Divine DragRide was dancing. 『The Black Hero』. Sacred Eclipse was smashed and crumbling, by the legend that destroyed the Old Empire in the past. The thing that showed her a joyful dream when she was within the abyss of despair, the almighty miracle that could remake the world, was destroyed by human’s hand. 「No way, why……. Why──」 There was no one to catch her who was falling from the sky to earth. But, the impact of her fall was scattered by the snow. Raffi whose body was starting to break was faintly covered by the falling snow. As though to cover the sin of her wicked human heart. 「Tsu……!」 On the other hand, Lux who defeated Raffi with just a single super propelled slash of great sword by transforming into a godspeed arrow like lightning also found his whole body in tatter. The burden pressure and high heat from rising up and breaking through the sound barrier, the recoil from the frame that went past the Drag-Ride’s possible movement limit. The consumption of stamina. All those recklessness became debt that came knocking to his whole body, bringing fierce damage to Lux’s body. It was fortunate that Chaos Brand didn’t break, but he was already unable to wear Drag-Ride. However, a satisfied smile formed on Lux’s lips.
Sacred Eclipse──Raffi couldn’t be defeated by himself alone. The one who allowed Lux’s Bahamut to enter Over Limit when he didn’t even have the spare strength to use tuning was the power of Spell Code from Yoruka who came running just now. And then, Lisha worked together with Lisha who specialized in fighting alone to lure Raffi’s attention away from him. It was also thanks to Aeril, Celis, and Philufyf who bought time for him. They wouldn’t be able to win if all of them weren’t present here. Lux who had used up all his strength couldn’t even protect himself anymore. However──. 「Lux!」 「Lu-chan」 First Celis who somehow got up again caught Lux in midair, softening them impact, and hten they fell again. At the end Philuffy caught each of their Divine Drag-Ride. 「Haa……」 Aeril who saw that let out a relieved sigh and collapsed. Right after that, Celis and Philuffy’s Drag-Rides were also dispelled. Even though this many skilled Drag-Knights were present, not one of them had even a shred of strength remaining. It told the story of just how fierce the deathly battle against Sacred Eclipse was. 「Thank you, very much……. Celis, senpai, Phi……chan」 「There is no need for any thanks. More importantly, rest for now.」 Celis held up Lux in her arms while muttering so. Beside her, Lisha who was similarly wasting away started walking. She headed toward the spot where Raffi whose core was broken just now crased to. 「Lisha……! Where are you going!?」 「I……have to ascertain it with my own eyes. As a princess, as a daughter, I have to see Haha-ue──」
「Tsu……!?」 Hearing Lisha’s words, Lux also tried to stand up to accompany her. However, he couldn’t put strength into his feet to walk. When he struggled, Philuffy wordlessly lent her shoulder to Lux. 「……Uh!」 「Lisha……! Get a hold of yourself!」 For a moment, Celis looked at Philuffy and Lux with a conflicted gaze, but when Lisha who was walking ahead almost fell, she hurriedly headed toward her and lent her a shoulder. And then the four of them headed toward Raffi. Toward the first queen of New Kingdom that they should protect. The woman who was a victim of the Old Empire. 「Haha-ue, hang on! Please hang in there!」 Raffi’s eyes already couldn’t see anything. Heat was rapidly getting taken away from her body that had lost her other half the Sacred Eclipse. She became unable to even feel that cold. While everything was melting into the darkness, Raffi heard Lisha’s voice. 「Haha-ue!」 (Aa……) No one would see her worth. She was used and betrayed. She existed only to extol someone else’s glory and succeeded that person’s shadow. Within Raffi’s tragic fate, her meeting with Lisha was her only salvation. 「So you’re, safe. I’m glad……」 Those words were the very first thing that naturally came out. She was glad her daughter didn’t die, that she didn’t end up in misfortune. Thanks to being separated from Sacred Eclipse and its influence to her mind, Raffi could think so from the bottom of her heart. 「But, it’s alright. I, don’t have the qualification to be called as your
mother. After all I was still acting on my own will for a while even after Sacred Eclipse possessed me. Those things, were things I done by my own will……」 With her eyes closed, Raffi in her young girl form was crumbling from her foot. 「Things like qualification, doesn’t matter! I simply want to call you that! You who know my suffering and became my support!」 「……Is that, so. You’re really, kind.」 Raffi kept her eyes closed while letting out tears hearing Lisha’s sorrowful yell. She thought that she would be unhappy forever if she didn’t stand at the side of those who rule. However, someone was looking after her even now that she had lost all her strength. She was happy. 「If it’s you then, I can entrust everything to you……. Please be happy, with Lux, and the people who you trust……. Lisha, I love you. For becoming my daughter, I──」 「Yes……, Haha-ue.」 Lisha answered and then she looked down to hide the tears trickling on her cheeks. Right after that, Raffi became black ashes and vanished.
Epilogue 「────」 The snow was falling and covering the battlefield deeply. All the traces were covered. The traces of the deathly battle against the Sacred Eclipse that was the assembly of the fused thoughts of people. It was painting over the pain of the heart that lost something important. After watching after Raffi’s last moment, Lux and others thought of making contact with the other members who were left behind and joined up with them. But, 「──It looks like I made it in time.」 Magialca was riding on the shoulder of the Drake being piloted by Lolotte. She was leading Airi, the Triad, and the members of Seven Dragon Paladins. 「Captain, Magialca……. Why──?」 「What, after provoking all of you so much like that to take action, it would be uncool if I stay behind doing nothing in the last battle wouldn’t it? I told the remaining Azure Division members to bring relief supplies here. With this we should be able to relax somewhat.」 Magialca grinned. Behind her more than ten Drag-Knights appeared. Magialca who secretly came here was targeted by a Shadow that mimicked Raffi, but it seemed Yoruka had taken care of it easily. It was also her who saved Airi and others who got attacked. Other than that, it seemed they also collected the subordinate Drag-Knights of the four great nobles who charged into this Ancient Forest. 「That’s really, a big help……」 Lux who had no spare strength left smiled. Lux was indebted to them for taking care of the things that he couldn’t manage.
「You said that but, weren’t you waiting until Onii-chan defeated Sacred Eclipse? Your timing was too good.」 「Certainly. Perhaps you’re unexpectedly still targeting Avalon’s legacy.」 Mel gazed at Magialca with a fixed stare, and then Greyfer also got on the topic with a careless tone. 「You guys, be a little more trusting toward other people! We’re comrades who had fought together aren’t we!/」 「When it’s you saying that, it sound excessively suspiciouus……」 「The more you’re speaking, the more I feel it.」 Rosa and Soffice replied at Magialca’s objection. As though to notify the end of the long and very painful deathly battle, the air around Lux suddenly softened down. With this they were able to prevent the damage from the rampage of Sacred Eclipse for the time being. They protected the New Kingdom, and the world for now. 「Lux-kun, it’s fine to do it after you finish getting treatment and resting. I’m sorry to make you force your body but──」 「Yes, we’ve to enter the Center of Avalon. Also──someone has to connect with the Center.」 Connecting with the Center. That was an authority that could only be obtained by someone who was recognized by Avalon’s system. They had to seal Sacred Eclipse so it wouldn’t resurrect anymore. And then, they had to decide one more important thing. Should they listen to the continuation of the story from the record of the artificial intelligence in the Archive that was left behind by Arshalia at the ancient time. Currently, Lux couldn’t see the Automata Arshalia within his field of vision. Perhaps she was observing Lux and others from somewhere, or perhaps──. 「Fugil──……」
Lux called the name of his big brother who wasn’t in this Ancient Forest right now. The scale of this world, the path of the humans. Would Lux once more face that existence who was like a god controlling those things together with the Sacred Eclipse? Fugil headed to the Garden to set the Grand Force in there. They likely would have around several hours of time until he returned here. During that time, he had to resolve himself. He was going to take the chance to take his last break and talking to his comrades.
Afterword We finally arrived until volume 18. Thank you very much for everytime. This is Akatsuki. The era’s name will change soon but, personally for someone lazy like me, I only have the thought like there will be an item added at the list when filling form or hoping that I won’t make a mistake when doing paperwork procedure. How troubling. However when I tried thinking carefully, Bahamut too was inadvertently born at Heisei era, so this work too will experience living in two eras. When I thought of that, it somehow feel amazing, or rather, perhaps something like this won’t happen again from here on. This is two rare situations that happen at the same time. In any case, I’m grateful that this series can continue until this far. The story will finally enter the climax, so I have to keep running properly till the end. If I’m going to make a bit of exposition regarding the birth of a character in technicality, Kirihime Yoruka who is in the cover this time is different from the other heroines, she is a character that was born from my interest. Of course I’m also writing the other characters because I like them, but Yoruka is especially filled with a lot of that component. I really like how she isn’t fitting in with this world but a conviction in her own style is living inside her chest. And then Airi, actually she didn’t exist when I was forming the plan at the early period, but I received a demand that wanted a little sister character and she was born. There was such circumstance but, before I noticed she not only had the role as someone who is knowledgeable of the motive Lux’s action and his objective, or as someone who explained the inner working of the routine in the academy, she also go the position as someone who shared
Lux’s loneliness. I gradually came to like her. I’m especially pleased with her Drama CD cover and the like. The white tights too. And now is the thanks corner. The new illustrator Murakami Yuichi-sama. Thank you very much for the amazing illustrations this time too. I like how Yoruka & Airi at the front cover has their respective traits displayed. Well then, it will be great if we can meet again at the next volume when the era name has changed. A certain day of May 2019 Akatsuki Senri