“I am involved in this strife, that is true.  However, it isn’t because I look down on Lacia and seek favor with the homeland.  I was raised being exhaled as the future Emperor of Rave.  When the Dragon Emperor who wielded the Heavenly Sword appeared, that dream became impossible and I was abandoned.  Not a single adult stood by me.  I decided that both Rave and Lacia would be better off destroyed and thus joined this scheme.
“I don’t intend to run from my responsibility.  Now that everything has come this far, it won’t stop even if I give the command.  I was the same.  I was given countless opportunities, yet I cast those choices aside myself.
“If you believe me a fool, even if just for a moment, I won’t argue.  Yet, won’t you take a moment to try and think this over?
“The oppression of the Rave Imperial Military is real.  But, is this really something that can only be resolved through warfare?
“The Military Academy was attacked, but by whose orders?  And for what purpose?”

Hades listened to the ringing voice carried pleasantly along by the sea breeze with crossed arms.  Lutiya’s back, visible beyond the sail as he looked down from behind, was straight and proud.

“Not bad, is he, your new little brother?”
“Yeah, he looks like he’ll be useful.  As expected… my fiancée really has a good eye.”

The desire he felt to watch over him was strange.  Is this what it feels like to be an older brother?

The problem now, however, was with the new older brother.  He was supposed to have revealed himself from this mast tower where he could watch Lutiya from above, yet he still hadn’t shown himself.  Hades himself was starting to grow tired of having to constantly blend in with the guards while tracking their movements.

“—You’re just trying to avoid your responsibility!”
“That’s right!  Our child still hasn’t come home!  You’re the one who killed him!”

Hades returned his gaze to Lutiya as the jeers rose.  He felt as if he saw his back tremble, but that child said he would take responsibility.

He was only 13 years old.  He was still a child, yet he was taking responsibility for having been used by adults.

“…You’re right, it is my responsibility.  Tell me off all you want, you don’t have to forgive me.  However, turning that anger towards others who did nothing wrong and spreading the flames of war, that’s just wrong!”

Hang in there, he found himself muttering in his heart.

“This was my doing, but it wasn’t something planned by the Rave Empire!  The attack on the Military Academy was made to look like the work of the Rave Empire!  It was all orchestrated by Principal Gunter and—”
“The principal might be dead because of you!”
“He said enough!  Don’t let him say anything more, bring a gag!”
“You can stop there, Lutiya.”

At the stern fluttered a long coat resembling something a noble might wear.  Hades narrowed his eyes as he tried see past the sail, but all he could make out was an eyepatch and bandages, perhaps because of the sun-shielding hood.  He had an injury on his face.

“Execute Lutiya Theos Rave!”
“Yeah!  Shifting the blame and begging for your life, you’re a disgrace to Lacia!”

Spurned on by the sight of Maynard, voices rose once more from the crowd.  Agitators were likely mixed in among them.  Lutiya, shoved down by the guards and gagged, could only twist his expression in frustration.

Yeah, that’s how it’d turn out.  Hades mused, That’s the way the world works.  Effort usually goes unrewarded.

“This was the doing of the Rave Empire!  Don’t believe him, everyone!”
“Show us proof!  You can’t, can you!?  The dead students aren’t coming bac—”
“If you want proof, then here it is!”

However, sometimes effort was rewarded.

That voice came flying from the sky.

The wave that rose up from the passenger ship that crashed down washed over the pier and rocked the warships lined up in the harbor.  Shrieks rose from the drenched spectators, and soldiers clung to the swaying warships.  Hades braced himself against the mast and gave a wry smile.

“Hmm, I was wondering where they’d sneak in from, but the sky?  That was unexpected.”

That was the same method they used when they arrived at Veilburg.  The flight distance was probably shorter than back then, but are the students on the ship safe?

However, unless they revealed themselves here, it wouldn’t count as proof.  They must have understood as much.  With unsteady legs, the students stepped onto the deck of the passenger ship wearing tattered school uniforms.

Someone pointed and said, “Huh?”  Murmurs and unrest began to spread.  The class leader of the Gold Dragon Class stepped to the front and shouted.

“We are alive!  We were saved by His Highness Lutiya and the teachers of the Blue Dragon Class!  The Rave Military wasn’t who attacked us!  Lutiya isn’t lying!”

As unrest and murmuring rippled through the crowd, a soldier who snapped back to his senses shouted.

“…Those students are traitors who sided with the Rave Empire!  Shoot them!”

Soldiers aimed their guns at the passenger ship.  Gunshots rang out.

The students, having been trained by Jill, didn’t flinch.  They formed ranks, deflected the bullets with flawless barriers, and struck back at the soldiers trying to climb aboard with a separate unit.

The one giving the orders was the leader of the Gold Dragon Class.

The harbor was in utter chaos.  Screams, shouts, and the noise of fighting filled the air.  The spectators all began to flee, trying to avoid being caught in the conflict.  Some of the soldiers were swept away by the rushing crowd.

At their current rate, the students wouldn’t be able to reach Lutiya.

However, there was one single person.  A small girl kicked off the deck of the passenger ship, and using the warships as stepping stones, she went for him.  No one could stop her.

“Bring her down!”

Anti-air magic was launched all at once, but she struck it all down with a flash of golden light.  Her form as she danced across the blue sky was as beautiful as a war goddess.  “Aaah.” Rave murmured, “Rho was stuffed into the bag on her back and seems like he’s going to be sick.”

“I wish she’d treat my heart a bit more gently…”

“Lutiya!”

Lutiya turned around when Jill called his name.  Using the gaps created by the rocking of the ship from the scattered impacts, he tore free from the hands restraining him.  Jill leapt toward her student.

It made Hades a bit jealous, but he decided to let it go.  After all, on her left hand shinned a golden ring.  The sacred relic of the Dragon Queen, capable of shattering magic circles, sparkled like the sun in the middle of the sky at having been splashed with seawater.

“Grab onto me!”

Jill pulled Lutiya close and then slammed her fist into the deck.  The ship’s bow tilted sharply.  People were swept off the deck and into the sea.

Hades instinctively used magic to keep the ship from splitting cleanly in two and then praised himself.  See? I’m a capable guy, after all.

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