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Chrome Shelled Regios:Volume14 Chapter 3

2011-03-02T19:07:06Z

ZaX: /* Chapter 3: The assault of a storm */

===Chapter 3: The assault of a storm===

A dream.

“What’s dinner for today?”

Toby and Anri called as they ran into the kitchen. The one who came in a bit latter was Ranietta, her hair weaved into three braids.

“Hey! This is still study time?”

“Already finished!” the younger sister called happily, right after Toby.

“Don’t bluff!”

“It’s really finished.”

“Yes. Anri finished it. I also packed everything away.”

“Me too!”

“Toby’s bluffing. He hasn’t done all the math homework’s.”

“Then what’re we having today?”

“Listen!”

Anri laughed as she watched Rainetta speak with all her might.

Leerin, who was preparing the food in the wok, also laughed.

“It’ll take a little while yet. Toby, go and finish your homework otherwise you’ll get punishment. I’m cutting off every minute of dinner for every minute you don’t finish your work.”

“Uh!” Toby voiced out his anguish.

Everyone ate from the big dish. This was how it was done in the orphanage. The later one came to dinner, the less portion one received.

Rainetta revealed a “See. I won,” smile. Toby’s expression was bitter after he accepted it all. Anri saw it all and laughed.

“Layfon-Ni, you say something too,” Toby said to Layfon who was sitting on a chair and cutting up the vegetables.

“Layfon-Ni, I was right?” Rainetta said, watching him with a hand on his knee.

“……… Toby, under this situation, you’d have lost if you resist the girls,” Layfon shook his head with a ‘given up’ expression. He could feel the pressure in Leerin’s smile behind his back. Layfon thought Rainetta was becoming more and more like Leerin.

“Damn! Layfon-Ni you traitor! Remember this! I won’t lose in tomorrow’s match!”

“Toby!” Rainetta shouted angrily as Toby escaped from the kitchen, but Toby didn’t stop because he must not miss tonight’s dinner. Layfon believed he must have gone to finish his homework. After that, Layfon continued to make up the dishes. And so the habit of not resisting the person who cooked had spread throughout the entire orphanage.

Layfon thought it was pretty scary as he continued to silently cut up the vegetables. The only path for resistance was to choose to cook. Since he still wasn’t good at gauging the amount of seasonings needed, he still couldn’t lift his head in front of Leerin.

“Well then, Rainetta, Anri. Come and help.”

“Ok~” the two answered together and began to help with the cooking. Hearing the girls’ laughter, Derek smiled and left the kitchen as he passed it by.

This was the memory of the day before he became a Heaven’s Blade successor. Layfon already knew that he would win. He knew the level of his opponent. The possibility of his losing was even smaller than his last digit. In fact, he did win, and at the same time, he found out about the underground matches and seriously began considering entering those matches with his advantage as a Heaven’s Blade successor.

Toby came when he was five years old. Derek held his hand as they entered the orphanage. Toby’s wrist had a large mold. They found out there was one on his stomach too when he took a shower.

Anri came at age four. She had been crying, not knowing anything and suddenly having her environment changed so drastically. Her crying voice that called out for her mother was painful to the ears. Toby adapted to the orphanage, doing his best in part to stop her crying.

Rainetta came at age six. At first,she hid in a corner of the room all by herself. Toby, who was the same age as her, was the one who helped her release the knot in her heart. And the three of them, coming to the orphanage, became siblings.

No one existed who came happily to the orphanage, but after coming here, the children received happiness. Smiles appeared on their faces.

The happy time was found in that place.

And money was needed to protect this happiness. This was what Layfon thought.

Why hadn’t he stopped in the appropriate time? No. Not just that. Why didn’t he think of a better way to earn money? If so, things wouldn’t have turned out like this.

Ten years old. He was still a kid even though he had the strength of a Heaven’s Blade successor. This could have explained his action, but Layfon had always wanted to protect the smiles of Toby and everyone. In the end, he himself took away their smiles.

The happiness existed even without him having to do anything. He destroyed it.

If he hadn’t thought of entering the underground matches, Toby wouldn’t have looked at him with hatred, Rainetta wouldn’t have hidden herself from him and Anri wouldn’t have felt so frightened as she watched them. If that event hadn’t happened, Layfon would still be in Grendan as a Heaven’s Blade successor and Leerin would be looking after the orphanage while she studied, calling for Toby and the others to do their homework. Their lives would have continued, and Toby and his siblings would come to influence new siblings.

But this was impossible now.

Layfon destroyed everything with his own hands.

<center>◇</center>

Layfon woke with his shallow sleep, shocked.

“Uh!”

Woken up all of a sudden, he roughly pushed away the blanket on him and stood up.

“Wh, what happened?” Sharnid woke too, noticing his action.

“Hey, what’s it?”

Layfon touched the Dite next to his pillow. He was not moving. Suspicion filled Sharnid.

“…………..”

Layfon couldn’t answer him.

Something was happening. The air in Grendan gave him a nostalgic feeling? Atoms that could numb one’s skin filled the air. But this was noiseless. One couldn’t even confirm it.

“Hey, Layfon!”

“Get ready immediately,” he said and dressed himself in the fighting clothes that was his pillow a minute ago. Since Lucia had washed it, it no longer had the smell of the underground sewage,

“It doesn’t look good,” Sharnid said he also wore his own fighting suit.

(What’s it?) Came Felli’s voice immediately. The flake exuded dim light as it floated above their heads.

“Senpai, did something happen outside?”

(Nothing seems strange in the city but something seems to be happening outside it. It’s difficult to decipher. I’ve spread the flakes outside to confirm the senses. Because of the rain, dense pollutants are surrounding the air shield.)

“Get ready for battle.”

(Got it.)

Layfon didn’t doubt his own feeling even after listening to Felli’s report. He headed for the workroom after he finished his preparation. The room was very dim, filled with the smell of mechanisms. Only the work on the desk was lighted. The baby, Maruku, was sleeping quietly in the cradle.

“What’s it?” Lucia stopped working.

“Please head for the shelter immediately.”

“………. Not that I doubt the feeling of a Military Artist, but isn’t this a bit rushed?”

“Whether it was yesterday or today, a battlefield is a battlefield.”

“I really hate that expression of yours,” Lucia showed a helpless expression.

“Nee-san?”

She stood up and took the bag she used for evacuation purpose from the desk. She took up the Maruku. Maruku moved at the change of position, but it quickly turned quiet.

“Even though it’s better to show such a serious attitude in a battle than being lax……..” she said and stopped as the evacuation siren rang outside and confirmed his words.

“Nee-san, hurry and head for the shelter.”

“Yes. I know.”

Lucia didn’t say anymore. She carried the baby and left the room. Nina and the others were already waiting in the living room. Tension filled Nina’s face, not confusion.

“You’re back.”

“…….. Then, what do we do?”

They must be waiting for Layfon to return. Sharnid looked at Nina. This wasn’t the time to continue the conversation from before they went to bed, but he still wanted to know the result. His expression was eager. Felli’s expression was the same as usual, but she exuded a similar feeling to Sharnid’s. Perhaps the answer had been decided no matter what Nina would say.

(I……….)

“……….. First, let’s confirm the situation.”

Nina’s voice didn’t allow Layfon any time to ponder.

“Hey.”

“Don’t get the wrong idea. If we don’t know this has become a battlefield, it’d be difficult for us to return to Zuellni.”

Everyone was speechless at her words.

“Captain?” Felli looked at her, incredulous.

“We can’t not protect Zuellni when she can’t move,” she replied before the shocked Sharnid and Layfon.

“Felli, drop what you’re doing now. If the situation is as predicted, the other side probably won’t have time to bother with us. After confirming the situation, head for the shelter.”

“Why?”

“First, this is the biggest crisis. They have to send all the Heaven’s Blades to the battle. In this place, we can’t move while protecting you. Layfon, where’s the shelter that is closest to Zuellni?”

“Let me be the guide,” Lucia said. She had been listening from behind them.

“Thanks,” Nina nodded, but Sharnid didn’t agree.

“Wait up. Even if it’s a shelter, we’re still outsiders. Will they capture Felli-chan there?”

“I’ll protect her,” Lucia said.

“But.”

He didn’t believe her. His feeling was reasonable. Lucia wasn’t a Military Artist. She was an ordinary person even though she was a Dite technician. She had no way to resist if they were to run into authorities like the City Police. Still, she didn’t back a step.

“Don’t worry, I’ll protect her. A majority of people wouldn’t do anything. The ones who can do something are probably only the Queen or Heaven’s Blades.”

“Why……….”

Layfon sighed at Sharnid’s expression of disbelief.

“Nee-san’s child, Maruku, is the Heaven’s Blade successor Rumei’s child.”

“…….. No way?”

Felli and Nina were surprised too.

“Just the child of a second wife. The official wife doesn’t have a child, so this child is still a seed.”

There was no pride in Lucia’s face, just sadness.

“Even so, he’s the child of a Heaven’s Blade successor.”

“You should have said so earlier.”

Layfon lowered his head at Sharnid’s disapproval. Lucia smiled.

“Was it because Ruimei endangered me?”

It was dangerous for a normal person to bear the child of a Military Artist. Of course, there were many places to enable a safe delivery, otherwise the marriage between a normal person and a Military Artist would have been banned. But it was true that the probability of a miscarriage was higher.

“My previous and I parted because there’s a problem with my uterus. Since I can’t have child, he found someone else. Not that he’s the descendant of any special lineage.”

Nina and the others didn’t know what to say, looking at her smiling face.

“I met Ruimei after the divorce. For some reason, I became pregnant after that. This was before the event with Layfon. Layfon’s action was unexpected. Originally I couldn’t give birth to a child, but giving birth to a child with a Military Artist is even more dangerous. The doctor said I might die.”

Lucia’s voice didn’t contain any reproach, but Layfon still had his head lowered, not saying a word.

“After that, Maraku was safely delivered, but my uterus was taken out. Still, I’m healthy. Isn’t that good, Layfon?”

“……… Sorry.”

“Why are you apologizing?”

She hit his head again, but this time it didn’t hurt.

“Anyway, isn’t this an emergency?”

“Ah, yes.”

Nina’s train of thought returned.

“Then I’m counting on you for Felli.”

“Uh, leave her to me.”

Lucia accepted Nina’s request and moved.

Looking at the time, it must be morning, but it was still dark in Grendan because of the cloud layers and the black smoke. Even so, a large crowd of people was outside, heading for the shelter. Layfon and the others protected Lucia as they infiltrated the people who were moving orderly for the shelter.

“Then, what do we do?” Sharnid asked.

“Ensure our escape route is safe, and also confirm the exit. Just which place would become the battlefield. Can the city still move. Though the repair isn’t done, can the city move a little or that it truly can’t move at all……….. We must confirm all of that. Felli, can you try contacting the Student President?”

“All right.”

“Are you really ok?”

“………………..”

Nina didn’t reply to Sharnid’s question. Layfon was listening to them as he pondered. Should he return to Zuellni with them and not see Leerin? He watched Lucia, who was holding Maruku and moving in front of them. Nee-san never changed no matter what it was. The sister who controlled the kitchen managed them when Layfon was about the same age as Toby. Nee-san didn’t mention her pregnancy to anyone because she knew her adopted father would oppose it. It was by chance that Layfon knew of this. Leerin, who grew up under Lucia’s influence too, would probably be like Nee-san if she had made up her mind about something.

Layfon was the same at that time. Though he was confused, he didn’t tell his father. Because Nee-san’s preparation had overcome him, he could only follow her strong will.

This was a familiar feeling to him as he watched Lucia led ahead of them. Though her place wasn’t that close to the orphanage, her movement stimulated his memories. But………….

Not that they didn’t have this weather before, with the cloud layers and black fog blocking off the sun. As long as the rain fell, the dense pollutants outside the air shield would become black fog. This was common sense. It wasn’t rare that thick cloud cover would spread across the city’s sky while the rain continued. But it was new for droplets of rain to hit the body. It seemed the rain was still going strong as the outside of the air shield was still dark.

Besides, what Layfon wasn’t used to was walking among a crowd of refugees. He had never been part of the refugees since he started fighting. He had always been running on the battlefield. The scenery of mixing in with the refugees was in a memory from a long long time ago. Perhaps because it was this reason or of the bad weather, he didn’t realize he had entered the area of his old residence. Lucia wasn’t using the usual shelter this time because she had to guide Felli.

“Aunt Lucia!”

Layfon readied his murderous intent after hearing that voice.

“Who is it? Who said I’m an Aunt!”

The kids laughed as they evaded Lucia’s fist.

“Call me Nee-san, ok!”

“But Toby-Ni said it.”

“Yeah, Lucia feels more like a big sister than Nee-san.”

“But Lucia would be angry if you called her that.”

“So we can only call you Aunt.”

“What conclusion is that!” Lucia said angrily and the kids laughed again.

Everyone. They were all kids that Layfon knew. Peter. Stephen. William. Holland. The children of the orphanage. Layfon’s siblings, the next generation of Toby and the other children.

Nina, Felli and Sharnid, having noticed the kids later than Layfon, were keeping a little distance from Lucia, observing her. They didn’t know where Layfon was hiding. Layfon watched the faces of his siblings. Nostalgia and pain rushed up to him.

“Lucia? Why are you here?”

Romina arrived just a little bit later than the kids. She was slightly older than Lucia. She was of Lucia’s generation and had also looked after Layfon.

“Romina, now that you’re the head of the orphanage, you should teach these kids properly.”

“Really. Why are they all boys. Aren’t there kids like Leerin and Rainetta…….. Geez, stop fooling around!”

“Girls have always been managing our orphanage.”

Anger, laughter, clouting kids’ heads. After that, everyone joined the crowd of refugees. Layfon followed behind so they wouldn’t discover him.

“Speaking of which, why are you here, Lucia? If you left home, you should be heading to another shelter?”

“Well, something’s come up.”

“Something?”

“Compared to that, I don’t see Toby and the others? What happened?”

Romina sighed with her palm supporting her slightly chubby face.

“It’s not just today.”

The two of them watched the still honest kids. But the kids seemed to be considering another prank. They all smiled, looking at Romina and then turning their faces away.

Really. Romina sighed again.

“As I thought, you should be the orphanage head. You were also the manager in our generation.”

But Lucia let the conversation end with a bitter smile. Perhaps Romina had mentioned that a number of times. She didn’t mention Maruku. They must have talked over that too.

“But that can’t be helped. I’ve my own problem here. Speaking of which, where’s father?”

Romina looked at the baby’s sleeping face, her expression softening. “I’m not sure too. His disciples said he left without saying anything.”

“That’s rare.”

“Yes. Don’t know what to do with this group of problematic kids without father and Toby.”

“You’ll get used to it one day.”

Romina sighed many more times in response to Lucia’s comforting words.

Judging from the conversation, the two of them were feeling more of the passing of time than the nostalgia of the past. Layfon had heard that Derek had passed the Head of the orphanage position to someone while Layfon was on his way to Zuellni, but he didn’t know that person was Romina. Toby and the others would have to manage the kids without Layfon and Leerin, and this wasn’t possible, so Romina was given the position, and she accepted it. Forget Rainetta for now. What was Toby’s reaction back then? Time continued to flow. It had been flowing even though it hadn’t been a year yet. The absence of Layfon and Leerin had become matter of fact in the orphanage.

This was for sure. There were siblings of Layfon and Leerin’s age when Lucia and the other older siblings left. But these siblings either became adopted or left to become apprentices. The only ones left were the two of them, so they had to manage the younger siblings. Changes happened in life, and people would react accordingly. Layfon and the others did the same, and so did Toby and his generation.

What Layfon felt shocked about was that he didn’t get to see them grow.

Or maybe he was surprised he was thinking of this.

“It hasn’t been all that long but we’re coming across filth monsters again?”

“We’ve been through that before.”

“Yes, but that event a few days past was different from others.”

Romina’s gaze moved away from her younger sister to beyond the crowd, fixing at the outside of the city. Zuellni wasn’t that clear because of the black fog, but one could see the city’s outline. The artificial light of the Academy City was shining brightly, seeming to emphasize its existence.

“Layfon’s living over there, right? Toby and the rest fought yesterday because of that.”

Layfon felt the tension tighten in his chest at hearing his own name.

“Toby?”

“Yes. Peter and the others have suffered from the impact but they don’t hate Layfon like Toby and the rest. Toby must think differently about him.”

Lucia’s words told Layfon that the journalists from the magazine didn’t point the finger at Layfon. Rather, they had turned their fury to the underground matches, but Toby and the others wouldn’t be able to change their mind so easily. They must still be mad at him.

Romina should have continued saying something after Lucia’s words……. That should be it.

But the noise of a huge explosion smothered her voice.

And then the city started to shake. People wailed after the noise. The originally orderly crowd collapsed into chaos because of the shaking. Some people fell because of panic, some tried to escape first. Chaos ensued.

Layfon let go of his murderous intent and tried to protect Romina and the others from the crowd, allowing the crowd to flow past him.

“Strange……….”

He felt somebody’s gaze piercing his back. But he couldn’t stop his action even with that feeling. Nina, Sharnid and Felli came to help him.

It was Holland who spoke the words. Layfon could distinguish his siblings’ voice even through the commotion.

“Layfon….. Ni…….?”

Layfon’s heart hurt as of an eager tearing it piece by piece.

But the chaos in Grendan was just beginning.

<center>◇</center>

Looking at the Heaven’s Blade successors gathering once again in the palace, Alsheyra spoke.

“Welcome to hell.”

Kalvan’s expression was pained, but Alsheyra didn’t seem to care.

“Ok, this isn’t time for us to laze around. Delbone, how’s the situation?”

(Yes. The target is 30 kilomels east of Grendan. The number is increasing because our opponents cannot immediately attack here. That location is around 200 meters above Grendan. They’re continuing to appear. The number is increasing exponentially because their number is swelling in this world and in the other dimension. It shouldn’t take them long to exceed Grendan’s surface area.)

“Just what are you saying?” Reverse asked, his face frightened.

Exceed Grendan’s surface area. Even the Heaven’s Blades didn’t immediately comprehend her words, but Alsheyra didn’t seem to mind.

“Of course she means the enemies,” she replied matter of factly. “The plan is………. But then again, I don’t have one. All members are to fight on the outer edge. It doesn’t matter if the city sustains some damage, but you have to use all your strength otherwise you may be destroyed. More deaths would result if you restrain yourself.”

(Because of that person’s help, it couldn’t come through the air shield the last time. But I don’t know how it would turn out this time with the number increasing like this. Also, our opponent’s body is already more than the surface area of this city. Judging by its strength, it is quite flexible. I’m afraid it may try to encircle the entire city, so Heaven’s Blade successors, please don’t gather in one point.”

“That’s the situation. Other than Kanaris’ group, everyone else spread around the city. Tigris and Barmelin stay behind to support the others. Savaris that idiot can’t participate because he’s injured. Kalvan, Lintence, Ruimei, Troyatte, Cauntia, Reverse. You six form a hexagon in the frontline. Understood?”

“……….. I’m very sorry, but this intelligence about the enemy is unbelievable.”

Kalvan’s words must represent all Heaven’s Blades’ feeling, but Alsheyra didn’t explain further. She knew her explanation would turn their understanding of filth monsters upside down. The attack of the giants on Zuellni a few days ago was really strange. Their individual forms were of average size. As for the larvae moving together, that wasn’t too surprising because larvae tended to move as a group. This must be what the Heaven’s Blades were thinking.

But it was different this time. These were individual filth monsters according to Delbone’s intelligence. They didn’t usually move together.

The biggest problem was the size of the enemy.

Could such thing really exist? Even the Heaven’s Blade successors couldn’t imagine it.

“Rather than hearing of it, isn’t it clearer to see it with your own eyes? That would be the fastest way,” Alsheyra answered Kalvan succinctly. “Then, do you understand what you’ve to do? Then move. The Heaven’s Blades that I gave you, the stupid yet huge strength, reveal it all to me here and now. What are you waiting for if you don’t use it now?”

Alsheyra sent out all the Heaven’s Blade successors as if she was chasing them away. Delbone was in charge of informing the Heaven’s Blades of the detailed locations. The Heaven’s Blades obeyed and left the palace, leaving only Lintence behind.

Only Lintence’s expression showed no changes from beginning to end. Of course, he had been waiting for such a day. It was not possible for him to feel uneasy. On the other hand, he may have smiled like a beast meeting its prey, but he didn’t do that. For Delbone who held some insider information, the cowardly Reverse, and the Heaven’s Blade successors who viewed your average battle as a stroll, even their hearts were swayed in today’s situation, but Lintence kept his calm.

This wasn’t strange because he was the most reliable.

“Geez, it isn’t necessarily a good thing to be too strong,” Alsheyra sighed, considering the role she played in this battle.

(Speaking of which, the girl with the Haikizoku has escaped. Is this all right?)

“Ah, isn’t the Ronsmier family guarding her?”

(Several people lost her trail, and a number of them had gone missing. Something must have happened in a place where my psychokinesis can’t reach.)

“Another unusual event.”

There was no place in Grendan where Delbone’s psychokinesis couldn’t reach. This meant that place must be very unusual.

(Are you not interested in the information you hold so far? Is that girl useless just by counting her fighting strength?)

“Doesn’t Zuellni need her power to protect her? That girl’s eyes seem to say she’s the symbol of justice. She also seems to be involved in many things, though we don’t know how she’d act.”

(I feel from Your Majesty that you’re trying to tell her something.)

“Is that so? I don’t seem to have told her to come along if she wanted to hear the truth.”

(Is that right?)

“Yes. Besides, I don’t have anything to tell her. If it’s her, shouldn’t that man be the one to tell her?”

Alsheyra was thinking of the red haired man that she met in Zuellni. The Military Artist with a beast’s mask. The bolded man who invaded Leerin’s room. He was the man who survived in a world that Alsheyra didn’t want to see. She gave such advice to Nina so that Nina could see a clearer reason to her own action. Perhaps she would understand more by coming to Grendan. That was it only. Alsheyra said those words by instinct when she saw that girl.

Originally she didn’t pay Nina that much attention, but that changed because of Kanaris’ intense demand and Savaris’ interest in her. In addition, one of the other reasons to take care of the previous King’s will.

The previous King of Grendan thought the Haikizoku’s strength was necessary, so he sent out the Salinvan Mercenary Gang. That was probably because he hadn’t gathered all the Heaven’s Blades yet, hence he wanted to replace them with the Haikizoku’s strength.

The point of the necessity of the Haikizoku and its strengthened Military Artist wasn’t important to Alsheyra. It wouldn’t be unreasonable to gather strength by using a Haikizoku’s strength or employing Kei accelerating drug and giving that person the Heaven’s Blade since not all twelve Heaven’s Blade successors had been assembled. But for some reason, Alsheyra didn’t like this method.

The previous King was a Military Artist but he wasn’t that excellent. He was even weaker than the Heaven’s Blade successors. This implied their ancestor Airen, the Military Artist, his DNA had spread thinner. The previous King’s thought was totally opposite Alsheyra’s must be because of that.

The strength of a Haikizoku was not essential. Even if its hatred could strengthen a Military Artist, it was just an overlap of misfortune and chance. Then, the Haikizoku was just something on a rampage? Perhaps this wasn’t just it as she looked at Grendan, but this bore no relationship with her. And it wasn’t the most important problem now. The awakened Saya also hadn’t mentioned anything about it.

(As I thought, I’ve met that fellow somewhere before.)

Delbone was bothered by that red haired man. She felt an unsteady power behind that man. He wasn’t a normal Military Artist.

Still, Alsheyra didn’t care.

“How about you release the seal placed on your memory?”

(Perhaps that might be something good, but it is no longer suitable for a body in my old age to peek into the alley of Asura.)

“Then forget that thing.”

Having decided on what she needed to do, it wasn’t necessarily to search deeper into the unrelated event.

“Perhaps Grendan knows something. That fellow must also have with him a Haikizoku.”

(Since Your Majesty feels there’s no need to look deeper into his issue, I don’t need to worry about it too, but………)

“But?”

(……… Why do you care naught for the things around you?)

Alsheyra smiled bitterly at the sudden question.

Because hers was a fated answer.

“Because I already know what I must do, besides, I also know I’m not omnipotent.”

She stood up. She wouldn’t simply wait for everything to end this time. Even though she was a Queen with the power that exceeded everything, she must have the same mental preparation for it. Several Heaven’s Blade successors still didn’t believe her. The battle in Zuellni a few days ago was very unusual, but even though they agreed it wasn’t normal, this didn’t mean they’d easily believe her words. The Heaven’s Blades saw those things in Zuellni with their own eyes. Their number was numerous and they were powerful. They were neither larvae nor male filth monsters, but all of them held the same appearance just like the larvae. The place they appeared from was also from the sky. This was truly unusual.

But the Heaven’s Blades saw the enemies and entered the fight.

The other Heaven’s Blades who were outside the city also saw the enemies.

Perhaps this still wasn’t enough to change the Heaven’s Blades’ thinking about the filth monsters. They would speculate on the current situation based on their personal experience of that time. Perhaps some of them would also hold a wrong understanding.

The number of enemies was large. It was a high possibility that even Delbone’s psychokinesis couldn’t truly grasp hold of the enemy’s number. Some of the Heaven’s Blades thought so, and in fact, Kalvan had given voice to this thought but Kanaris had scolded him angrily with the reason “Her Majesty would never lie.”

But even though Kanaris had been governing in place of the Queen, even though in her flew the blood of the three royal families, even though she held some inside information, she still couldn’t hide the distrust in her.

Alsheyra commented that their fights were like strolls. True. The battles of Heaven’s Blades weren’t difficult as long as it wasn’t a fight against an aged phase filth monster with a name. To say it from another perspective, it could be misfortune. Not that the Heaven’s Blades had made the mistake of underestimating their enemies in the first place, but they couldn’t feel the sense of victory and joy of defeating an enemy using all of their strength.

How should the Heaven’s Blades think in this current situation……..

“……. Uh?”

The movements of the Heaven’s Blades finished in a flash. Kalvan was already watching the outside of the city when the Queen was still conversing with Delbone.

He held the Heaven’s Blade in its restored form. The rain had completely halted. Black fog still lingered around the air shield whose sole purpose was to remove the pollutants. However, the fog was thinner in the outer edge area because the rainfall was less. The darkness on the other side of the fog implied cloud covers still covered this city, blocking off the sun.

But Kalvan felt the unnaturalness of the cloud layers.

From where………. A feeling of uneasiness that was extremely hard to explain. He didn’t think this darkness was normal. He still couldn’t see the end of the darkness with his internal Kei strengthened vision. Something made him feel uncomfortable but he didn’t know what it was.

“Delbone, what is the distance between us and he enemies?”

It wasn’t his personality not to get to the bottom of his doubt. Perhaps this was boosted by the fact that he was in the battlefield. He was second to Delbone and Lintence in terms of battle experience in Grendan. And for someone like him, he had noticed something.

(You should say you’re already seeing it.)

Delbone’s voice was like a girl playing a prank.

But Kalvan agreed with her words.

“Delbone, please notify everyone,” Kalvan said as he released all of his Kei. Golden light exuded from his body.

External Kei variation – Armed Sword.

Kei that had half turned into real substance twisted itself up the entire length of Kalvan’s body as he shouted loud voice, “All hands, ready for battle. Don’t get confused. Fight with all your strength!”

His Kei-infused voice echoed in the sky like thunder, making the air shake. The vibration reached the other side of the air shield and dispersed the surrounding dark fog.

Still, the opposite side was a sea of darkness, but Kalvan already understood what he was seeing.

Nothing could be seen through the gaps in between cloud layers. A deserted field should lay open in front of what was blocking his vision. One could put it more accurately that there were no gaps in between cloud layers. The time right now was morning, but no sunlight broke through the clouds. This meant the thing in Grendan’s sky was big enough to block off all the sunlight. This thing was right before Kalvan.

Kalvan’s speculation was spot on.

What lay before him was like a wall.

But it wasn’t a real wall. It was a part of a living creature. One part of the monster that was covering the entire Grendan was before him. And impossible, stirring movements could be seen across the monster’s skin.

(So this is hell.)

Kalvan had never seen so huge a filth monster even though he had fought countless times. Shock stayed in his throat. Words he wanted to give voice too were buried in his heart.

Voiceless.

This monster was almost near enough to touch the air shield but it had yet to make a noise, otherwise Kalvan could have noticed its existence much earlier rather than only feeling uncomfortable.

This colossal body headed for Grendan without making a noise. One could say it was unusual out of all unusual events.

Kalvan lifted the Heaven’s Blade. It was a huge longsword. The golden Kei weaving his body also wrapped itself around the sword. The area of gold continued to expand in the sky.

Expand.

Expand.

Expand.

Golden Kei expanded its territory in the sky. The entire world was painted gold. The light of gold dispelled the darkness and gradually revealed the shape of the monster.

One couldn’t see the entire monster no matter how wide one’s vision was. Kalvan’s vision was filled with the monster’s skin. He stretched his neck and still couldn’t see the end of that skin.

Plus the movements on the skin.

It felt like the internal organs of a monster were in front of the entire city of Grendan.

Kalvan felt the stirring of strong Kei from different spots on the outer edge. The Heaven’s Blade successors were each entering battle mode. Just Kalvan’s Kei was enough to make the city wail.

“Humph,” Kalvan made the noise as he felt his Kei and the Kei of other Heaven’s Blades.

How long had it been since he could fight with all his might? No. Had he been fighting with all his strength before?

Perhaps this had occurred to him when he was young. A new fighter who had yet to obtain the Heaven’s Blade. Perhaps he had once fought with all of his strength, relying only on the strength of his wrist and Kei when he was new to the key of technique and to the method of how to employ his power. But an average could no longer sustain the pressure of his Kei when he grasped hold of a certain fighting technique. He had never used all of his strength since that time. He wasn’t dissatisfied with the Heaven’s Blade, but the problems he came across after that were to do with the tolerance of fighting suits used outside the city and the considerations placed on the city’s safety when he was in a battle.

But now?

In this battlefield right now, in this impending hell?

This wasn’t the time to ponder. The city would certainly face destruction if he didn’t defeat this monster. He couldn’t defeat it if he didn’t use all his strength. Did this feeling come because of the battle experience he had accumulated or that he felt frightened of this horror?

The golden territory surrounded one part of the outer-edge, Kalvan’s territory. Golden Kei stretched like something flexible, as sharp points emerged along different spots of the golden Kei. An ancient animal with Kalvan as the centre was born.

“Then, let me see how much I can use my sword technique!” he said.

The monster broke through the air shield almost at the same time and attacked.

The air shield was torn asunder. This was what Kanaris saw. The truth wasn’t like that though. The air shield was almost invisible to the naked eye. What Kanaris saw was the movement of the surrounding dark fog. The dark fog flowed into Grendan like a ball being burst from the inside. However, the truth was different. The pollutants didn’t flow in. Still, it wasn’t that urgent even if the pollutants flowed inside the city.

What she could see now was very intense, and it was invading the city.

It looked like the internal organs were suddenly splitting themselves up from a gigantic body into numerous individual forms. The enemy was using this strategy probably because it couldn’t enter the air shield with its gargantuan body. Otherwise, even the Heaven’s Blades couldn’t block off the attack if the monster was to press down on the city with its whole body.

But Kanaris hadn’t thought of this explanation. Focused on the battle in front of her, she only reacted accordingly.

This time she wasn’t wearing luxurious clothings. The clothes she wore before was for when she governed Grendan in the Queen’s steed. She had always been wearing the current clothes underneath her luxurious clothings. The tightly-fitted fighting suit, the long sleeves stopping short of her elbows and the length of the pants stopping short of her knees were all designed to minimize interference with her movements.

In her hand was a restored Heaven’s Blade in the form of a thin blade.

“Ahah, I was such a fool,” she said to the sky, feeling the tension she had never felt before as countless enemies splitting from the monster’s body headed for Grendan.

“I actually doubted Her Majesty’s words.”

She lifted the sword to the level of her chest. Her action was like the opening pose of a dance. One could see the slight tension floating around her.

Fu……… Kanaris swung the sword horizontally.

The dance began.

“Please forgive me, Your Majesty,” she said and continued to swung the sword in her hand. The monsters crossing the sky above her……….. She cut them down one by one, tearing apart their bodies with the Kei hidden in the sword’s paths.

She hadn’t moved from her spot as she danced with the sword, turning around her body, leaping in the sky like she was dancing. The sword’s paths of her dance shattered the monsters in the distant sky.

A piece of music supported her dance.

Countless bodies split out from the gigantic monster stirring in the sky. It wasn’t possible for the monster not to make a noise in under this intense battle even though it reached Grendan noiselessly.

Because the Kei of the Heaven’s Blade successors were vibranting.

And the vibrations all became the music and rhyme of Kanaris’ dance.

Occurrence, clash, swallowed, covering, rebirth, biting, friction, fading, and it all happened again. Kanaris danced with the speedy, repeated music. The technique of the music or the beauty of art didn’t exist. The chaotic noise was cut apart and reborn because of Kanaris’ sword. It was once again dragged into her sword path and torn asunder.

Her sword continued to dance, and each new individual form tearing from the huge body continued to break apart.

The individual form looked similar to the average larva. A rock-solid shell covered the huge body. Long and thick legs grew from the monster. The lower jaw formed the head that aligned with his body in a straight line. The not-too sharp teeth lined the jaw, their sole purpose to crash the enemy.

But this would only happen after they managed to land.

The original……….. The original body that was outside the air shield and covering Grendan like a huge intestine was shooting out one copy after another. The legs were hidden underneath the shell, the body was curled into a ball, and they were being shot out like teardrops.

Countless. In a huge number.

This could be seen as a three combined attacks of shooting out, entering and creating chaos from all directions except the ground. And Kanaris kept dancing in it.

A flash of the sword. The enemy shattered into 100 billion pieces, and there was almost no gap in between the first and the next swing of the blade. The speed of Kanaris’ dance had already exceeded a speed that words could describe. The average citizen would fail to see anything special from this. Even a normal Military Artist would not be able to see anything. A dance along with the sound of battle aiming at the bullets of life forms shooting at the entire city. Kanaris’ dance wasn’t that strange an occurrence compared to this.

She continued to dance in one spot. She had never moved from it.

No, she couldn’t move away as long as she danced. The area of her movement was within half to ten centimeters. She never stepped across this area. Not even by one step.

But the cut path depicted in her dance was cutting down all the enemies from one side of her area to the other, drawing out a broken line of light.

Internal and external Kei variation - Resounding Melody.

Sound filled her surroundings……….. Vibration and Kanaris’ dancing became one. Her dance drew it on, controlling it. The huge Kei exuding from the Heaven’s Blade filled the surroundings to become one with the vibration, and it had emerged as the victor.

The action of swinging a sword originally held no meaning. The cut paths didn’t come from the sword. Kanaris’ sword was acting like a baton, and Kanaris was the conductor of a band. Wherever her baton pointed as she swung the slender sword, destruction occurred.

“……… So, I, Kanaris, will not fail Your Majesty’s expectation. I’ll continue to eliminate them, so please watch me.”

Accompanying the sound of Kanaris’ cut paths, numerous forms splitting apart from the huge body……… the bullets of life burst and fell one by one.

The intense scenery existed here too.

Standing still here was a small piece of metal. Unbelievably heavy armour wrapped around the tiny existence of a Military Artist in Grendan. The multi-layer armour formed by the Dite wrapped around his tiny body. He was like the one only to appear in a series and a fairy tale, the one who rode a horse, appearing in a movie with spear and shield upraised………. Like a knight.

Also, there existed a way to fight like a knight though there was no real knight in Grendan. Wrapped from head to toe with heavy fighting suit, lifting a knight’s spear and piercing the filth monster’s body as a group, this fighting method was built on the preparation to make sacrifices. This method was not appropriate for Grendan who had to fight against filth monsters more frequently than other cities. Hence, this method was not popular. However, it did exist.

But for the tiny body who looked like a boy in its teens no matter how you looked at him he was not a knight. He couldn’t possibly be a knight. He only held a shield. A defensive tool. He didn’t have a weapon. All he held was only a shield. A huge shield that shielded his entire body.

He only focused on defense. He put so much emphasis on it that he didn’t even hold a weapon…….. No. The shield itself could act as a blunt weapon. Still, he placed too much importance on defensive equipment. A majority of Military Artists would probably mock him as a coward and gaze at him with unreserved contempt. But they didn’t do so.

Holding a shield, he was standing at the appointed place. At the place closest the outer edge of the city as he gazed at the gigantic monster nearing the city with upraised head. The eyes behind the mask showed no signs of fear as he faced the enormous monster and its horrifying movements. His fear didn’t drag out into the hour of battle even though he was scared of it with his face turning green, even though his body shook when he heard the Queen said “hell”.

The timid hero.

This was how people who knew him complimented him. Because he was a coward, he possessed strength and courage that was stronger than anyone else as he stood ready to face battle. No matter how many enemies stood before him, he held a mental strength that was stronger than anyone as long as he overcame his timidness.

He was the Heaven’s Blade successor Reverse Ilginas Elmen. No enemy existed who dare stood in front of him.

It held true even now.

Kalvan’s shout pierced the outer edge through the flakes.

“……….. Teia.”

The event transpiring before the other Heaven’s Blades was also happening here as he made a noise behind his mask.

The intestine-like skin of the massive monster continued to split. The bullets of living creatures shot out like a torrential rain past the air shield to attack the city.

As usual, Reverse’s eyes seemed to be closed, but his slit-like eyes didn’t miss the scenery before him. He also didn’t seem to want to escape.

He lifted the shield before him and released the Kei in his body.

Internal and external Kei variation – Kongoukei Barrier.

This was the matured form of Kongoukei that Layfon stole from Reverse and later taught Nina. The outer edge where Reverse stood formed a defensive line around the city, a barrier of Kei.

Reverse stared ahead of him. His determined gaze stared at the colossal monster outside the city, stared at the bullets of creatures shooting out from its body. He could capture them with his senses even if his eyes couldn’t catch them. Either way, he was a defender. He focused all of his talents on the defensive. He kept training himself until he reached this state. And the person whom he protected also arrived at a state entirely opposite his.

“Ah, I know, Reverse.”

The voice sounded behind him, carrying with it a sense of drunkenness.

Different from Reverse, it was a tall female. Her arms and legs were shockingly long. Her opened fighting suits revealed a huge injury across her chest. There was also another big wound drawing from her forehead to her neck. Long hair the same colour as her skin drifted in the wind. She was gazing at Reverse with proud and infatuated eyes.

The Green Dragon crescent moon sabre was resting on her shoulder.

Cauntia Valmon Falnes.

The person who had reached a state totally opposite her partner’s had focused on her attention on the offensive. She slashed down a path diagonally as she lifted the sabre.

External Kei variation – Ravenous Wolf's Charge.

Reverse’s defensive wall were blocking off all the bullets of life creatures in his area. Many of them died when they touched the wall. But their comrades, shot over in the next wave were using them as cushions, so many managed to survive. The number of surviving bullets increased following the rise of number of corpses on the wall.

The external Kei infused in Cauntia’s Green Dragon crescent moon saber became a starving wolf’s claw in the air, wiping away the remains in the outer edge and the bullets that managed to survive. The path of her saber cut away the monsters. External Kei turned them into powder and the heat of the Kei burnt them into coal. The chain of damages and destruction showed no signs of abating. The move was like a pack of starving wolves being released. The pack charged their preys, full of destructiveness.

The light of annihilation dispersed like foam and repelled all its enemies.

The Starving wolf was affecting the original body outside the air shield too. Long lashes of injuries were crafted into the skin of the huge body. The body shook. Its vibrations spread through the air shield and a sound of pain echoed throughout the city.

The shooting of bullets halted but not the injury. It pierced straight through the huge body until one could see the sun on the other side. The power of that move was this strong.

“………… It could have been better if I could use this outside the city.”

Reverse didn’t reveal a bitter smile at the dissatisfied Cauntia. His tense expression would not loosen up as long as he still in a battle. He was afraid that his timid courage that was suppressing himself would disappear like fog if he was to loosen up.

“If you were to use it outside, you’d die, Cauntia.”

He had to say this. Cauntia dying was scarier than his own dying.

In reality, the leather-like clothes she wore as she stood behind Reverse was in tatters. The not so rounded breasts were also revealed. The rebounding force of her move had damaged her clothes. Her clothes could only withstand ten shockwaves when she fought outside the city. And that was when she wasn’t using her full strength. Cauntia had said she wouldn’t have let that aged phase filth monster escape if she were to use the move she just executed.

“But I don’t like it when I can’t catch my prey.”

It was hard to imagine she was fighting in this battle as he recalled her dissatisfied expression in the past. He couldn’t help but smile bitterly in the end. Her expression hadn’t changed. Alarm filled his eyes under the mask as he watched the body of the huge monster.

“It hasn’t ended,” he said.

“I know.”

Cauntia understood her lover’s personality very well, so she didn’t get angry at him. She also wasn’t surprised at the event unfolding before her.

Because the injury inflicted by Starving wolf recovered in a split second. It wasn’t strange that this monster’s recovering ability was greater than a filth monster in its aged phase. This was predictable since the monster was able to cover the entire city.

“Then let’s give it everything we have, just like before.”

Cauntia smiled. Her smile, for someone who was performing destructive acts, was so beautiful.

But Reverse wasn’t looking at her. His gaze was always glued to the place ahead of him in order to protect the woman he loved behind him.

In the sky.

“It seems this isn’t the time to stay in the back and give support.”

External Kei variation – Meandering Haze.

Tigris said as he released the shot. The bronze bowstring hit the air and gave off a crisp sound. A crisp and fresh sound of power that rose above the battlefield filled with chaos, bedlam and madness. The released arrow was a shot of condensed external Kei. It turned into numerous new arrows as it was released from the bow. The shots dispersed like shinning water droplets, and they became a torrent of rain. Their trajectory wasn’t straight. They ignored the principle of nature and changed direction after travelling for some distance. Like animals fallen into water, they pierced through the bullets attempting to land, shattered them and went to hunt down the next prey until they exhausted their energy.

A new Mei Kasumi shot out before the rain of arrows disappeared. Dots painted the sky of Grendan.

He had been called an old man since he was young. He stood rooted to the spot just like his name as he continued to release his arrows.

Behind him.

“So annoying. Annoying. Annoying.”

Barmelin repeated while she pulled the trigger. She held two cannons. The body of the cannon was two round barrels aligned side by side. The two barrels spun every time a bullet shot out. Not many Military Artists preferred this weapon but some liked it. But the city government would hate him for the enormous artillery bill if he was to use real bullets. In addition, Kei bullet would tip the balance between the Military Artist’s amount of Kei and the speed the bullet was shot out. Hence some Military Artists disliked it. These reasons explained why it was so rare a chance to see the figure of this weapon.

Still, Barmelin was using two of such weapon and shooting out Kei bullets. This point alone was enough to demonstrate her unusual amount of Kei. Besides, this weapon needed something to help brace its body because of its weight. For example, using straps and then holding it with two hands, but Barmelin was holding one in each hand without any trouble. This meant her internally Kei-strengthened muscles were quite something.

Four thousand bullets for every minute. Two hands equaled eight thousand bullets. This number of Kei bullets ran in Grendan’s sky. They formed a screen in the sky and also looked like an intense stream. The monsters passing through the air shield shattered into pieces when they contacted the screen or the stream.

“Really, this isn’t a speed an old man like me can catch up to,” Tigris sighed as he kept shooting. There was no change to his speed.

“Hurry up and retire, you dead old man.”

“Is this respect for the elderly?”

“You’re so noisy. If you want me to be like that then become someone that is worthy of respect before you said it.”

“Hahaha, that’s true.”

Tigris laughed joyously and kept shooting arrows. Barmelin kept pulling the triggers, her expression dissatisfied.

The screen of Kei bullets weaved by two Heaven’s Blade successors heartlessly obliterated the bullets of creatures falling from the sky. They weren’t giving them any chances.

“…….. So troublesome.”

The feeling of dissatisfaction didn’t disappear in Barmelin’s body.

“So annoying. I should just get rid of it with one shot.”

She glanced at the restored Dite under his foot.

That was her Heaven’s Blade. A right amount of Kei was required in terms of using guns. Otherwise, one couldn’t even shoot with a gun. Although her Heaven’s Blade had a setting that would allow her to adjust the level of Kei, this wasn’t the time to use it recklessly. This was also one aspect of the gun. It was different from Tigris’ bow which allowed him to change the amount of Kei at will. To put it clearly, a gun was just a device used to release a certain amount of Kei bullet.

“Bear it a while longer,” Tigris said with a sour smile. “It won’t be late to use that later. There’s always an order to doing things.”

Of course, the Heaven’s Blade successors’ ability to minimize the damages the city sustained in this unusual situation was one type of “unusual”.

“As I said, right now, we’ve to bear it.”

“Humph.”

Barmelin turned her gaze to the Kei bullet again.

Looking at the downpour of Kei bullets that showed no signs of stopping.

Very little damage meant the city was still harmed even though the damages were minimized.

“How’s the situation?”

(About the reception to the attack, the current rate of destruction is 99.9999999…….. almost close to 100.)

“That isn’t 100%.”

Alsheyra looked out the window to the battlefield after listening to Delbone’s report. The strength of the Heaven’s Blades that could almost strike through all the monsters was worthy of compliment. But this wasn’t a 100% success, meaning a very small number had landed in Grendan and continued to move. Even a small number wasn’t a number to be neglected in light of the total.

(This number is still controllable because Military Artists have been arranged on the third defensive line.)

“They would be useless if they can’t even do that much.”

But the problem was how much longer would this state last?

In this bizarre situation, she couldn’t not worry about the mental state of the Heaven’s Blade successors who enjoyed battle. It was also problematic of how long other Military Artists could sustain themselves mentally. The pressure of the mind was bigger than that on the flesh. It wasn’t possible to keep sane for long in this battle.

“Let’s hope it won’t drag out for too long.”

(But we’ll be troubled if Your Majesty used all of your strength.)

“I know,” she said as if she had eaten something bitter. “Are you trying to say that the timing is the key?”

(If Your Majesty’s strike a few days ago was 110%, then a strike in full power would create a rebounding force large enough to destroy half of the palace. It might bring huge damages to the ground under the worst circumstance. Though the palace had been rebuilt to cushion the impact, do you think the palace could contain all the damages? Please give it some consideration.)

“I hate it for being too strong.”

Delbone laughed at her words.

(It’s very important for wait for the timing right now. Allow the Heaven’s Blades to make that chance. Make that monster show its weakness. It is necessary to wait till then.)

“It’d be good if it really has a weak point.”

“…….. It does have a weak point.”

The person who replied was Saya. The girl of moonlight had been standing behind with Leerin as she watched the battle raged outside the window with little emotion.

“Saya?”

“That’s probably Nano Celluloid Interface M Durin.”

“What a name.”

“It was a weapon that Ignasis used to destroy the world before it became Ignasis’ subordinate. It can turn the atoms of the Aurora Field into energy and increase it endlessly in Zero Territory. It may be in a half rampage state.”

“Atoms of Aurora Field?”

“Oh, the ancestor of the filth monsters. That I do know. What next?”

“Nano Celluloid is a group weapon made up of many individual forms. The core that controls everything is inside the body. It isn’t possible for it to attack in large scale without a core controlling the organization.”

“That’s true. There is a weak point, but even you don’t know its location, right?”

“No.”

“I see,” Alsheyra said and finally sensed Leerin spacing out.

“What’s it?”

“…….. Nothing. What’s it?”

Leerin must be the one most uncomfortable about the current battle. She was not used to a battle no matter how prepared she was mentally. She would definitely feel unsettled with a battle raging before her.

“It’s all right.”

So Alsheyra showed a carefree smile.

“Seems like it isn’t the expected final battle.”

“Is that so…….? But why………”

“Because it’s not Rivantine. Besides, the moon is not falling,” Saya replied.

“Rivantine?”

“Nano Celluloid Interface 1 Rivantine. He is the original of the Nano Celluloids and the filth monsters. An existence up a level of Durin who is attacking this city.”

“Then is he like a king?”

“It’s more like a Queen from its shape.”

“Ala, the same as me.”

“The situation on the moon seems dangerous judging by the fact that Durin has successfully escaped. But Rivantine has yet to appear, and so Ignasis probably hasn’t been released, or we can say it hasn’t reached that stage yet. Protecting Ignasis is always her first priority.”

Alsheyra couldn’t tell from Leerin’s expression if she understood Saya’s explanantion or not. But her unsettled face was facing the window.

Ah. Yes.

Alsheyra also turned her gaze out the window as if she had thought of something. Even if she was to strengthen her vision, she still couldn’t see it.

It was on the other side of the air shield.

Zuellni.

(That guy shouldn’t have the time to spare to attack the other side.)

But this wasn’t the only thing Leerin was worrying about. Of course, she was worried about Zuellni, but she was even more worried about the person in it.

Layfon.

Alsheyra had asked Delbone about him, but she had not told Leerin that Layfon had come to Grendan. Delbone may have thought that Leerin already knew or she thought it wasn’t something she herself should say.

(Is this really all right?)

Delbone was asking about Layfon’s punishment. Was it really all right not to retract the order exiling him?

Alsheyra would reinstate his Heaven’s Blade title if Leerin asked for it now. Leerin’s ability was essential even though they didn’t know how much of it was needed. But she believed the blood of Grendan’s royalty had become purer as evident in the births of Leerin and Alsheyra, the existences that were one step away from perfection. Hence Leerin’s blood was needed to make this plan come into fruition.

Besides, this incidence, the day that was fated to arrive, today’s incidence that had been predicted, this meant the day to use Leerin’s eye would come sooner or later, and so she was the most important person in Grendan. Alsheyra would not casually deny Leerin’s wish.

But Leerin would not ask for it. She had already said so in Zuellni and in the Inner Court of Grendan. She didn’t want to drag Layfon in. She didn’t wish to involve him in this hell.

To Alsheyra, there was no need for Layfon to become a Heaven’s Blade successor since he had been exiled from Grendan. Alsheyra had been gathering the Heaven’s Blades since she became Queen.

This meant everything was fated. They didn’t happen by chance. Alsheyra understood this to be her personal explanation but she felt the person to become a Heaven’s Blade successor must be fated to do so. So for Layfon who was chosen by a Heaven’s Blade and had to let go of it, he was already eliminated from the fate of becoming a Heaven’s Blade successor.

The same reason explained the impossibility of making a Military Artist hold the Heaven’s Blade through the strength of a Haikizoku and Kei accelerated drug. These acts would only forcibly twist fate. They were meaningless acts that would create unfortunate consequences. It was better not to do it in the first place to create the uneasiness.

“………..”

She looked at the side of Leerin’s face.

But it wasn’t that bad to allow Layfon to come back. As long as his personality of leaving the reason of a fight to others, as long as he still cared about Leerin, then Leerin’s reason to fight would become his reason to fight. In a way, Layfon would once more return to the road of fate.

(Never mind. Things will work out somehow.)

As expected, Alsheyra’s thinking wouldn’t change. If Layfon was fated to become a Heaven’s Blade successor then he would hold a Heaven’s Blade even if she didn’t do anything. Right now, they focus on the thing happening before them.

What would that guy do……….

What he would do probably wouldn’t be related to the battle now.

<center>◇</center>

“Ni-san?” the brothers and sisters said behind him.

The pain in Layfon’s heart wasn’t physical but it was enough to make him breathless. Still, this wasn’t time for the pain to drag him down. The city was shaking because of the attack. Layfon knew this was caused by the Heaven’s Blade sucessors on the outer edge of the city.

“………… All of them?”

The waves of Kei linking like one line on the outer edge was telling Layfon of this fact. On top of this were the two waves of huge Kei rolling from the centre of the city, making it the Kei of nine people altogether. Nine people except Delbone and Savaris. No one could possess so much Kei other than Heaven’s Blades.

The Heaven’s Blades had not entered battle together when Layfon was still in Grendan. Usually only one Heaven’s Blade was needed in battle excluding Delbone, who was constantly searching through psychokinesis. The exception was the fight with the filth monster with a name – Behemoth. But even that battle didn’t need all Heaven’s Blade successors.

But Layfon didn’t have time spared to feel shocked.

He immediately understood through his sight why the Kei of the Heaven’s Blade successors were covering the entire city.

He was a little later than usual in detecting the situation because the people he was familiar with had attracted his attention with their conversation. And he had concentrated on protecting them from the refugees around them. But then even other noticed it by this stage.

“……. Hey, what’s that?”

Layfon looked at the sky and finally understood what it was that could counter the huge Kei of the Heaven’s Blades. The alarm made his skin prick. His body moved stiffly. He used his body to protect the siblings behind him.

The enemy was in the sky.

It was morning now but the sky was still dark, and it suddenly split. Bubbles surfaced one after another like boiling water, and then they split apart…….. this happened at the same time in numerous places, and then a large number of things fell from the sky.

A huge number of Kei bullets ripped the sky apart in a speed faster than people could comprehend, and they destroyed those things falling from the sky. The shocked crowd finally shrieked at this scenery.

“Ni-san?”

Layfon felt people stepping on his back and he could also hear Nina and the others’ angry shouts. They were probably protecting Lucia and Romina.

“Ni-san?”

His siblings repeated, just wanting to confirm the truth.

Layfon felt like a knife was cutting into his heart.

He hadn’t seen his siblings since that match. Some of them reproached him. Some may have feared him after watching the match and so they fled…….. Even once was enough of an impact for him.

“Ni-san!”

The one who shouted was Stephen.

Layfon closed his eyes. His ears hurt. His heart hurt more. Even part of his body capable of feeling pain hurt. He didn’t hear anything more afterwards. No, he couldn’t hear it. Wailings, moanings and an angry tide of footsteps shook the earth.

And then,

“Layfon!” came Nina’s sharp voice.

And then,

“Oh no, Toby and the others still haven’t escaped!” Romina’s voice came to his ears. “They’re still in the orphanage.”

Layfon used most of his strength to keep his teeth from chattering as if something was pressing down on all of his nerves.

“Layfon!” Nina’s voice made him choose.

He had already decided what to do when he opened his eyes. What to do? What to do? The painful memories, the place of his past, Grendan. He reached out his hand to Grendan and this meant……..

“……… Senpai, can you ask you to do something?” he opened his eyes and looked at Nina.

“Leave them to me,” she nodded once with force. “We’ll see them safely to the shelter.”

Her strong nod answered him.

“Please!” he said and leapt for the orphanage, for his siblings. The pain in his heart did not disappear. What should he say to them? To his brothers? To Stephen? He had chosen to refuse answering when they questioned him at that time. Still, his body moved now so to protect them. He was scared but he wanted to touch them. Two opposite feelings clashed in his heart. Even he didn’t know which road to pick. He was like a ball used in training, rebounding after hitting a wall, halting only till it lost all of its energy.

Perhaps his existence was like this.

Perhaps there was no meaning in meeting with Leerin. Everyone in the orphanage still hated him. He came here because of his immaturity. Perhaps it held no meaning for him.

This implied…….

“Even so……….”

He continued to jump.

Anri was silently digging on her own in a corner of the city, behind a fence of evergreen vegetables.

“Anri!”

She didn’t stop even though a voice of reproach was calling her.

“Anri! What’re you doing!”

Wet soil stuck to her face, but she still kept digging, ignoring that voice. She was holding a toy spade that children used, and she was using it to dig.

“Anri, what’s it?”

This time it was her sister’s voice. She finally turned around. Standing behind her was an angry Toby and a very worried Rainetta.

“The evacuation siren’s been rung. Hurry and head for the shelter.”

“…….. I’m looking for something! It’s ok. Toby-Ni, you guys go ahead!”

“Be sensible! This isn’t the time for it!”

“It’s all right. The Heaven’s Blades are in this city.”

“I don’t mean that!”

It looked like fire was about to sprout form Toby’s throat. Rainetta watched them with suspicion. This situation shouldn’t warrant such fury. Filth monsters attacked this city a lot. Although this time the attack closely followed the last tone, it wasn’t that rare for filth monster warning to sound in a short period of time. Besides, this didn’t mean filth monsters would immediately pop up in residential areas even though the city was being attacked. Though Anri and them had experienced many evacuation sirens, the residential areas had never been destroyed. Because the Heaven’s Blades would easily defeat them no matter how horrifying the filth monsters were. A battle that didn’t need the presence of a Heaven’s Blade was of an even lower level.

But Rainetta could feel from Anri’s answer that her sense of danger was too low. It couldn’t be helped that Toby was angry with her, but Rainetta could also discern that there was more in Toby’s anger than met the eyes.

“Anri, Toby’s right. This isn’t the time for this. Anri, you’re a big sister. You can’t be a bad influence to the kids.”

“That’s not it, Nee-san. Toby-Ni isn’t angry about that.”

“Uh?”

“Hey, stop it.”

At Toby’s threat, Anri didn’t stop digging.

“Toby-Ni just doesn’t want me to dig up what he left here.”

“Anri!”

She ignored Toby and kept digging with the spade. A feeling of the spade touching something solid shot up her arm. Found it.

“Leave it!”

“Ah.”

Toby pulled on her sleeve. She lost her centre of gravity and fell to a side.

“Toby. You didn’t have to do this!”

“So noisy!”

Anger filled his words. He glared at her. She glared back without losing ground.

“Zuellni’s here!”

Anri’s voice made Toby and even Rainetta’s face fall.

“Layfon-Ni is there. There won’t be another chance to apologize to Layfon-Ni if we miss this opportunity.”

“Why do I have to apologize to him!” Toby’s voice, mixed with pain, echoed in the
darkness. “That guy, that guy betrayed us! He was a Heaven’s Blade successor but he entered the underground matches. His name as a Military Artist is tainted.”

“No!” Anri’s voice smothered his. Pain showed in her expression, in Rainetta’s too.

They liked Layfon-Ni the best.

The entire orphanage had turned strange since the exposure of Layfon’s deed. Toby was always angry. Rainetta was always sad. Their younger siblings cried because of Toby’s anger. Father left the responsibility of the orphanage to Romina. Layfon left Grendan and Leerin left the orphanage. Anri could only cover her ears and escape the reality because she was scared. She couldn’t do anything.

But she saw it.

Scolded by Toby, beaten. The siblings threw things at him, but Layfon always had his head silently lowered, his face filled with sadness. Anri saw it. Layfon never once explained himself.

“This isn’t why Toby-Ni’s angry. You’re angry because Layfon-Ni has betrayed our expectation!”

“Wu!”

Toby’s face turend red. He stood rooted. Anri showed no signs of stopping though she saw his hand turned into a fist. She chanced upon the news that Layfon had been exiled to Zuellni. She heard the entire conversation between Leerin and Father when they were making dinner.

Right now, Zuellni was next to Grendan.

Why? Why?

She was confused about this event that would never have happened. But one thing was clear.

“There may not be another chance! The chance to meet Layfon-Ni and apologize. There won’t be another one! Is this all right? Toby-Ni. I don’t like it to be like this. Nee-san thinks the same too, don’t you?”

The two of them were silent at her question. Their feelings were complicated. They faced her with their back, unable to give answer. Anri had decided on what to do regardless of their decision. She tightened her grip on the spade again and continued to dig out that thing.

The thing that Toby hid in here after Layfon left. He hid it in a can originally containing food. He buried it here.

“Anri!” Toby shouted.

“You didn’t throw it away!”

Toby fell silent once more.

At this time.

“Eh?”

“Wuah.”

“Ah!”

The city shook intensely.

“Cityquake?”

The evergreen vegetables, the building behind them and the fence were all shaking intensely. Watching the building and the vegetables that seemed about to collapse, Toby forcibly pulled Anri up to a safer place. Still, she held the can tightly before her chest.

“Hey, this doesn’t look good. We can talk about this later. Anyway, we’ve to head for the shelter……..”

But it was already too late.

“……….. Uh?”

Rainetta looked at the sky, pointing at something.

Monsters were falling through the air shield like rain. After that, a large number of Kei bullets shot them down. The place where Anri lived, an ordinary place, a place that remained peaceful regardless of filth monsters’ attack, turned into a battlefield in a spit second.

“…………..”

The three of them forgot what they were doing as they stared at the sky. Huge rumbles hammered the sky. Kei bullets burnt the atmosphere. Shattered chain crossed the sky.

Their hearts must kept calm while facing this sudden change.

“……….. Hurry and go,” Toby was the first to speak.

“Hurry!”

The shaking had subsided but the city was still shaking. It was difficult to run on the unstable ground. Besides, Anri and Rainetta still hadn’t mentally caught up with reality. They couldn’t feel their feet touching the ground. They felt more like they were stepping on air, unstable. They couldn’t use all of their strength.

“Hurry!”

Not wanting to wait further, Toby took Rainetta’s hand and dragged her along after Anri.

But………. The counterattack of the Heaven’s Blades wasn’t perfect. The small misses were below the smallest decimal point, so a few bullets of monsters still landed on Grendan, and their fall explained the shaking of the city.

And the probability of this tiny decimal, taking into consideration of Grendan’s size, was happening right before the three of them.

It landed in front of them.

“AH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

Anri didn’t know whether she herself or her sister was calling out. The impact of the landing shattered the pavements, and then something hard was blown around in all direction. Low moans of hurt sounded from the direction of the thing that landed. Humid solid things rubbed against each other, giving off an uncomfortable noise. The three collapsed people weren’t clear of the situation, but they knew very well what was before them.

“Ah…….. Ahhhhhhhhhhhh.”

This time it was obviously Anri’s voice. The monster opened its hard shell, letting loose its legs and opening its huge lower jaw. Insect-like multifaceted-eyes shone red.

“Uh!” Toby stood before the two girls.

“Toby!”

“You two, hurry and escape!”

“How could you….. Toby!”

Toby’s face turned white at Rainetta’s wailing, but he still stood in front of the girls, standing before the monster. However, those weren’t the only changes in the monster’s body.

The shell on the upper body of the monster opened and insect-like wings unfolded. Underneath the shell hid not an insect’s soft body, but many ball-shaped things. The balls were just the size of a full-grown male, and there lay about twenty to thirty of them. Cracks appeared on those balls almost the same time as the shell opened. The cracks spread across the surface until the balls burst. What was inside the balls obtained freedom.

And flew.

The things flying out from the balls landed around the monster. Only four slender legs supported the body. Its shape was like a skeleton’s. There were neither muscles nor fat. Sticky membranes covered the joints. Tiny red light shone inside black eye sockets. The new monsters ran for the three.

The three people were so scared that they couldn’t even voice their terror.

“Run!” Toby shouted with a trembling voice.

But Toby couldn’t prevent the monsters from catching up with the girls even were the girls to escape. Toby wasn’t a Military Artist, and he was also weaponless. He was just the average 20 years old teenager that one could see anywhere. But he still stood before the girls, his arms outstretched to protect them. One knew he was scared just by looking at his shaky legs, but he still stood, unmoving.

“Run!” he repeated.

But Anri and Rainette were motionless. The sudden dark fate swallowed their courage. Their bodies couldn’t move.

All was about to end. About to end heartlessly.

They couldn’t say sorry to Layfon-Ni, couldn’t eat Leerin’s handmade cooking, couldn’t tease Rainette and Toby, couldn’t fight with the boys at school. Everything was about to end.

“………… No,” Anri said.

“Run!” Toby called again.

And an even intense change happened.

What Anri and the two saw was a pillar of light descending from the sky to destroy the entire monster, then light split off from that pillar to shatter the small monsters, evaporating them. The horror and despair were eliminated so easily.

One person stood on the remnants of the eggs of that monster. The smoke of the explosion dispersed. Anri and the two clearly saw that person’s face.

“Ah, ahhh………..” Anri felt tears rushing from her eyes.

This person held a Katana the same as Father’s. He was eyeing the corpse of the monster with a pair of serious eyes but his face was the same as last time’s, filled with a wisp of sadness.

“Layfon-Ni!”

“Toby, Rainetta, Anri, are you hurt?”

“No, it’s all right.”

“ Really? That’s good.”

From the relieved-Layfon, it felt like he had turned back into the familiar person that they knew.

“Layfon-Ni!” Rainetta finally found her voice and cast her gaze at Toby.

“Toby.”

Layfon was also looking at him. Unlike Rainetta and Anri, only Toby’s originally despaired gaze was now filled with anger as he glared at him.

“Why now……..”

“…………”

“How dare you show your face before us now!?” Toby shouted in fury as he cried. His shoulders trembled from his crying. His fists were held tightly as he glared at Layfon angrily.

Anri couldn’t say anything. She had been scolding Toby but she couldn’t say anything now. Toby still liked Layfon-Ni now, but his intense feeling only added more to her pain.

“………. Wu.”

Rainetta covered her mouth with both of her hands. Tear rolled in her eyes as he tried not to call out. Anri too, trying hard not to cry as she watched Toby and Layfon.

“……. Till now, I also know I’ve no right to stand before you,” Layfon said faintly. His voice made people feel very sad.

“But since I’m here and I met this thing, I couldn’t leave you all behind.”

“Didn’t you already leave us behind!” Toby shouted and ran to Layfon who had stepped down from the corpse. He took hold of the shirt on his chest and howled. “Doing such terrible thing to us and being exiled from the city. Isn’t that the same as leaving us behind!”

“…………….”

“The underground matches. Was there even a need to enter!”

“………….. Because I thought money was necessary. Toby, you may have forgotten. There was a severe shortage of food in Grendan’s past. There was no food for everyone, but only I, as a Military Artist, was rationed food.”

Toby had heard of this from Romina. This happened before Anri was born. A problem appeared in the city’s food production plan. Though the problem was solved on time, it had led to a year of food shortage. Many many people died of starvation.

“I thought that wouldn’t have happened if we had money. Lots and lots of money. Of course, the problem couldn’t have been solved that easily, but that was how I thought back then. I became a Heaven’s Blade successor but I still thought the money wasn’t enough, so………”

“But to us…………. To me, it’s enough to have Layfon-Ni around………”

Anri felt she must say something as she watched them. She felt that her relationship with Toby and Layfon may not return to how it was before if a wrong move was made, so she wanted to convey her feelings to him.

“I also think it’s enough that Layfon-Ni is around.”

But it already took all of her courage to say this. She couldn’t say anything more. She lowered her head, feeling bitter at her uselessness.

Rainetta’s hand gave her back a pat.

Anri finally realized what she was holding because of her sister’s gaze.

“This is what Toby-Ni hid without tossing away.”

“Anri dug it up hearing of news about Zuellni.”

Anri opened the can in her hand. Inside lay a toy. Though it wasn’t a common toy, it was an ordinary toy that no one would be envious of.

A wooden toy. A doll holding a shield and a sword.

“Ah……….”

Layfon clearly knew what this was.

Anri didn’t know what it was, but she had seen Toby putting it in his personal box. Sometimes he took it out and played with it. She had asked him to lend it to her at home but he wouldn’t no matter how much she asked.

“You’re still keeping it.”

“……….. So annoying. I already tossed it away.”

“It’s Sutero’s Roki.”

As expected, Anri didn’t know what it was. She guessed it was a character in a popular animation in their children. Anyway, boys tended to like this kind of thing.

“I’ m sorry. I wanted to buy you a better one, but I couldn’t get one.”

“So annoying. They don’t sell it anymore. It’s enough I have this,” Toby said angrily and glared at him. “Like this, it’s enough………… It’s good enough to have this………..” his hands fell from Layfon’s chest, but one of his hands was still balled into a fist, trembling.

“You idiot. Layfon-Ni is a big idiot.”

“Sorry.”

Suddenly, Toby threw his fist at him. Layfon could have evaded it as a Miltiary Artist but he didn’t move. He silently let his fists fall on his body.

“As I said, don’t apologize.”

“Uh.”

“…….. I won’t say sorry too.”

“Uh.”

“This cancels it out.”

“Uh.”

“You idiot.”

Toby’s entire body shook. After a moment of hesitation, Layfon placed his hand on his shoulder. Toby muttered again in a light voice. “You idiot.”

Anri and Rainetta watched it all.

“……… I don’t understand how boys think,” Rainetta sighed, but tears rolled in her eyes.

Anri was happy too. Everything was back in order.

But they didn’t have time to submerge in joy. Monsters continued to fall from the sky.

“……… Anyway, you three hurry and head to the shelter. Felli.”

A piece of metal exuding a faint light flew over to Layfon’s voice. Anri immediately knew this was a psychokinesis flake.

“Please guide these three to a shelter.”

(I understand.)

A clear and melodic voice came from the flake.

“Ni-san.”

“It seems even all of the Heaven’s Blades are unable to guard everything. It’ll be bad if the same thing happens. Felli…….. senpai is an excellent psychokinesist, so she’ll definitely point out a safe route for you.”

“Layfon-Ni, what are you planning to do?”

“I……….”

His gaze turned to somewhere faraway at Toby’s question. His gaze was there, Grendan’s centre. The closer it was to the city’s centre, the higher the buildings were. And the highest building in the middle of the city was Grendan’s palace.

Toby felt Layfon was looking at there.

“I’ve to meet Leerin.”

“I see.”

Toby was shocked. Layfon’s expression was severe. In the palace……… Everyone knew the Queen, Alsheyra Almonise was there. Perhaps Ni-san hated the Queen who exiled him.

“Ah, but Leerin-Nee may be in the shelter.”

“It’s ok.”

It’s ok? Toby didn’t get it.

“All right, let’s go.”

But Toby lost his chance to make clear of things because of Layfon’s urging. Besides, this wasn’t the time to let his guard down. He took Rainetta and Anri’s hands and followed the flake to the shelter.

Layfon looked at his siblings’ backs till they disappeared, then he cast his gaze at the palace once more.

(As I thought. You’re still going.)

Another flake was giving off a faint light beside him.

“……… Sorry.”

(I already knew things would turn out like this, so I’m not mad.)

“The captain?”

“They’ve already arrived at the shelter. The two of them are confirming a safe route back to Zuellni.”

“Do you know of Zuellni’s situation?”

(Aren’t you heading for the palace?)

“…….. Felli.”

He felt she was hiding something from him. She hadn’t told him of Zuellni’s situation when Nina was missing and when he was fighting the aged phase filth monster.

He heard her sigh on the other end of the flake.

(I still can’t contact Zuellni. That unbelievable monster has surrounded the other side of the air shield.)

“Then Zuellni……..”

(We can only pray the other side isn’t in the same situation.)

Layfon felt a future filled with darkness waited for him. Intense fights were taking place everything. He had never seen this before in Grendan. This monster wrapping around the entire city and suppressing it. All of the Heaven’s Blade successors were defending the city.

This had never happened before.

This must be the mysterious fight related to the world that Nina talked about. If this was true………

He had always been thinking of Leerin’s refusal to see him after he heard of Nina and Lucia’s opinions. At that time, it was impossible for him to win against the Queen and Lintence. He could only drag out the fight longer with Lintence even if he held the Heaven’s Blade.

But this was something Leerin wouldn’t understand.

Besides, the Heaven’s Blades knew the Queen was the strongest Military Artist. Even if one wasn’t a Heaven’s Blade, a slightly better Military Artist could tell how powerful she was by looking at the unusual amount of Kei exuding from her.

Ordinary people thought the Queen being the strongest was just advertising from the palace.

This couldn’t be helped since the Queen had never fought in a fight. And even if she did fight, no one from the city would have known. Layfon knew some people thought it was propaganda to strengthen the royal family’s dignity.

He didn’t know if Leerin thought the same, but at that split second, it shouldn’t be strange for her to think he could save her from them.

No…………. Leerin wouldn’t think like that.

It was more like her not to get allow him to do something so dangerous. But what if this wasn’t the case?

What if she truly, truly wanted from the bottom of her heart to return to Grendan and so she refused him? At that time, to leave without telling anyone of her reason….. Perhaps it had something to do with the mystery that Nina talked about.

He thought maybe he was thinking too much.

But pondering led him nowhere. Could he only confirm his suspicion if he were to see her face to face? Why did she refuse him? What was she thinking to return to Grendan at that particular point in time? Why did he want to straighten out these things?

He could only confirm all of it when he met Leerin.

“I really should head back to Zuellni with the captain……..”

(Please don’t talk about the impossible.)

Felli heartlessly cut off his words.

“Felli………”

(You came to Zuellni in order to change yourself. Has this changed?)

“No, it hasn’t.”

He nodded subconsciously at the sudden question, not sure what she was getting at.

(My feeling stays the same. I’ll definitely challenge it if there’s another path other than being a psychokinesist. That was why I came to Zuellni.)

“Yes.”

(But if you came back to Zuellni the way you are now, you’ll only be halting your footsteps.)

“Perhaps so…….”

(Then please resolve this knot in your heart. Regardless of the result, it’s better to understand than to worry and not understand anything.)

“Perhaps so.”

(But there’s only one thing I want to know. Is that all right?)

“What is it?”

(…………..)

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| Back to [[Chrome_Shelled_Regios:Volume14_Chapter 2|Chapter 2]]
| Return to [[Chrome_Shelled_Regios|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Chrome_Shelled_Regios:Volume14_Chapter4|Chapter 4]]
|-
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</noinclude>

Chrome Shelled Regios:Volume13 Ghost in Ghost

2010-09-28T16:29:39Z

ZaX:

She ran desperately. All that was left in her mind was her resolve. Nothing else mattered.

It was dark everywhere and monsters were closing in. The multi-eye held no emotions. Teeth like scythes sat in rows inside the opened jaw. Just imagining being bitten into pieces was enough to make her tremble.

She began to doubt her current location. She was in a place she didn’t want to be in and had run into an unexpected monster. What joke was this?

Why do I have to fight?

Felli Loss was just a psychokinesist, why……..

<center>◇</center>

That day began with the usual morning. Having arrived at the school for some time, she passed the time as usual. Felli Loss didn’t have any friends, yet she did not feel lonely amidst a crowd. Not that she didn’t want to make friends, not that she felt painful interacting with others.

She just felt it was all right to be alone.

Her classmates knew she didn’t deliberately create a barrier to wall them off. She would respond if they walked over to talk to her. They would also make jokes with her. Everyone knew she just didn’t wish for others to make lots of effort to talk to her, so few came to speak with her.

“Felli-san.”

Hence, her words were slightly odd when she was greeted with such a kind attitude.

It was after the first lesson after lunch break. She was called short when she prepared to leave the room. Felli lifted her head and saw Eri standing before her. She hadn’t talked much with Eri. Not that they had a bad relationship. Eri also didn’t talk much.

……. But she liked to talk to herself.

“Hohoho….. Shall we go together?”

“Ha…..”

They had the same destination. Felli cocked her head as she calculated the intention behind Eri’s stiff smile.

“Why?”

Though she didn’t know Eri’s intention, she was sure she had some sort of purpose.

“Why!...... Hoho, how do you know? Hoho.”

“Do you know your laughter is creepy?”

“Hohoho, that can’t be helped. It’s become a habit. My friends said I’m gloomy, so it’s best to at least laugh. This started back then.”

Her friends must have said something regretful.

“What’s it?”

“Uh, actually, I’ve joined a club. We have an activity tonight. If possible, Felli-san, can join us?”

“…….. What does the club do?”

“A club for horror lovers.”

“I refuse.”

Ignoring the still gloomily smiling Eri, Felli quickly walked away.

“Ah! Please wait.”

Eri ran to catch up with her.

“Please don’t say such cold thing~”

“You must be holding that activity in the ruins?”

“Yes, because we’re going for supernatural excursion.”

“No negotiation.”

“Ahah!”

She increased her speed and chased after Felli.

“Don’t say that…. The president said to bring some friends. The president’s order is absolute.”

“I’m not interested in your situation.”

“Please don’t say that. I…… I only have you as a friend outside the club.”

“Then please take my name off your friend list for today.”

“So cold!”

Eri cried. Though the students around them looked concerned, they all left due to Eri’s icy and gloomy smile. Felli sympathized with her…….. but as the party involved, she felt embarrassed about it and so halted her steps.

But she immediately regretted her action.

A challenging smile adorned Eri’s face.

“Hohohohoo……… Could you be afraid of ghosts, Felli-san?”

“Why would I? I just don’t believe in things that can’t be analyzed rationally.”

Correctly speaking, she meant things that flakes of psychokinesis couldn’t analyze.

“If I’m confused by information that can’t be felt, I cannot accurately send out information.”

“Hohoho…….. Even though you’re saying this, you’re really scared.”

“No, as I was saying…”

“No matter. Even though you’re a Military Artist, it’s understandable if there are a few things you’re afraid of.”

“……….”

It seems she was provoking her dignity to make her join. This must be Eri’s strategy? Or it could be the president’s. Either way, none of it worked on Felli. Not even Eri’s strategy worked.

“Hohoho………”

“Just say whatever you like.”

“Aaa, please wait.”

Her pretense collapsed.

“Don’t do what you cannot do,” Felli said.

“Um, uh….. I’m sorry,” Eri continued to explain, lying on the floor as if she was paralyzed. “But new members must invite friends to participate. If I can’t do that, I’d have to play a punishment game. Do you find that too much?”

“Exactly.”

“Uh, please, I beg you. Save me.”

She looked really pitiful. Felli sighed and nodded.

It was night. After training at the war field, Felli changed her clothes and headed out for the meeting.

“Ah, Felli-san,” Eri waved at her. It seemed she was worried she might not show. Felli felt it must have been really horrible for her when she rejected her plea.

“Is it here?”

They were next to the building of the Student Council. Before Felli was an old building. She couldn’t tell whether the paint protecting its surface was peeling off or just barely hanging on. Dirt filled the windows. Some windows were broken. No one was in the area. She felt uneasy by coming to an empty building, and that uneasiness was intensified since the building had been abandoned for a long time.

They were in the middle of Zuellni. This abandoned building next to the building of the Student Council was creepy, the atmosphere magnified a thousand times. Though Felli had visited the building of the Student Council many times, this was her first time seeing this building. But that couldn’t be helped as the building was surrounded by thick bushes. It gave off a feeling of rejection. Even the only road that led to the depth of the bush that Felli now walked on was overgrown with wild grasses, repelling outsiders.

Around ten people had already arrived.

As expected, the Horror lovers club didn’t have many members. She understood the president’s intention now, but according to Eri, the club had over a hundred members. Besides, Eri had only entered a branch of it. If all members gathered together, there should be over one thousand of them.

“………..”

“Hohoho. Thought that’s the case, only these people are seriously interested in attending the activities,” Eri told the truth while Felli stood speechless.

It was useless to get numb over this now.

The club’s irregularly published magazine was popular and the money had provided them with minimal financial support. Sometimes, they had enough to organize a big event.

Eri kept talking about past big events………. She was probably lured by the same tactic.

The announcement sounded. It came from a girl with freckles around her nose. For some reason, she gave off a mysterious aura. She must be the president.

“Well then – let’s begin,” she said after looking at the twenty or so participants. She hadn’t confirmed whether anyone was late. So unorganized.

“First, I’ll explain since we’ve some newcomers. Then please come forward, our special guest.”

“Hey, hey, you aren’t even gonna introduce him?”

The special guest smiled sourly and walked out of the crowd. His gaze was on the building. Perhaps she was suppressing his presence so no one noticed him. Had he used Sakkei? That meant……….

A tall and muscular man stood out beside the president. The more Felli looked at him, the bigger her suspicion grew.

“I’m the special guest, Vance Harudei. “

Embarrassment showed on his face.

Felli was shocked, her eyes wide. This tall Head of Military Arts who always accompanied her brother the Student President gave off the image of someone angry and impatient. She never thought he’d show himself in such a shadowy club. No, from the way he spoke, it felt like he had joined one of the primary clubs. She couldn’t imagine what the primary clubs were like these days. However, Vance was really before her. This was the truth. For someone who didn’t show much emotion like Vance to suddenly reveal a side full of humanity, Felli found this fact both shocking and revolting.

Not at all concerned with the strange gazes pinning him, Vance began the explanation.

“This building used to be for experiment purposes for the Alchemy course. It was the original building for the Alchemy course and has a history of about 30 years.”

30 years. This building had not been refurbished for other purposes since Felli entered the Academy City. She couldn’t think of why the building had been abandoned for so long.

“This building is not in use because of one of the experiments. The record for that experiment doesn’t exist anymore, so it must have been a big event. You’d understand once you enter. But since there’re traces indicating the building is in risk of collapsing, please be cautious and don’t get close to any dangerous areas,” he gave the typical warning to the students and continued, “The event had not only damaged the building but it had also injured and killed several students. Because of that, the Student President of that time decided to abandon this building and built another building for the Alchemy course. The final decision was to demolish the old building but various things happened during the demolition process, ranging from the failing of a crane to workers getting injured. In the end, people who walked past the building had reported seeing students who weren’t here anymore. Rumor had it that a ghost interference had occurred.”

(How stupid.)

They all sounded like lies to Felli. Just what exactly was a ghost? It never had a clear definition. Legend had it that a soul existed in a human body. Supernatural lovers typically defined a soul as a ghost. But what happened to a soul that had died? In the time of religion, of a God that believers were devoted to before the existence of Regios, souls were believed to return to where the God resided. Would the God accept the souls of present humans who no longer believed in them? Had the thinking of believing in a God overcome the narrow-mindedness of humans? If a God would unconditionally accept the souls of non-believers, doesn’t that mean there shouldn’t be any more ghosts in the world? There was also another belief that the souls of stubborn people would remain after they died. This mean the countless people who lived in this world, or those who had a stubborn will were not all buried in this earth? Either way, all weird rumors said ghosts only appeared in special places that ghosts appeared in.

Felli listened to Vance with disappointment.

“Hohoho…. So interesting.”

But Eri was enjoying it.

“Aaa……… Those people died in the explosion without realizing they had died. What were their feelings as they appeared here?”

“Have you not thought of failing?” Felli said to Eri, who was convinced she would meet a ghost.

Felli and Eri were given a map and a torch. The members formed into teams of two and they entered the old building in order. Inside, the building smelled humid, stale and dusty. Though there wasn’t a trace of burnt smell, they could see the black stains left by the fire.

“Wuhohoho…….. I’m excited,” Eri said to the dissatisfied Felli. She slowed down her steps, the light from the torch drifting.

Felli silently stared at the map. It wasn’t complete. The danger zones were clearly marked but other areas had been neglected. This was probably done to make the participants search for their own paths. The so called investigation of the strange was just a courage testing game. The president looked like she was used to this. She must have participated many times. Felli couldn’t understand how they could be so happy in this dark and dirty place, especially Eri.

“Hohohohohohohohohohoho……..”

Eri kept laughing. “Are you scared, Felli-san?”

“How can you be so happy?”

Eri’s expression showed she didn’t comprehend Felli’s question. “Because it’s a ghost.”

“………. That isn’t an answer.”

“Why? They appear in a way unknown to us living beings. They chase after us and attempt to possess our bodies, thinking of cursing us to death and bring us over to that side of the world. Isn’t that the delicate existence of a ghost?”

“Don’t you think this is rude to the dead?”

Even though she said that, it was useless against Eri.

(Hurry up and finish this.)

The only way to finish as quickly as possible was to walk through the building as fast as possible. Felli increased her speed.

“Ah, wait for me.”

Eri chased after her in a fluster.

Humid wind blew in past a broken window. Dried leaves and sand blown in by the wind filled the corridor. Every step generated soft crunching sounds. Many of the doors leading to what looked like research labs were opened. As all documents had been moved away, almost all bookshelves stood empty. Abandoned glass containers had stains of yellow in them. Some liquid could have been left in them for a long time. Looking from the color, some horrible thing might happen if one were to take out the cork.

“Hohoho, so interesting.”

Felli ignored her and silently filled in the map. They needed to investigate all areas in the five story high building except the collapsed areas and an individual area that had been blocked.

“…….. This is the last room.”

Having investigated the last room, Felli confirmed the map had been filled. They had checked all areas they could enter.

“Ok, let’s head back.”

“Still haven’t met one.”

She ignored the disappointed Eri and returned to the corridor. Through the dust covering the window, she could see the sharp tower of the Student Council building. The tower had been turned into a clock tower. Only elite Military Artists with internal Kei could see the time on the clock from the outskirt of the city. As for the building itself, everyone could see it since it was so enormous.

The clock she saw from here was like a giant spying at them. Felli could see the trembling of the moving long hand of the clock. She had looked at the clock before entering the forest that surrounded the old building. They had been in here for two hours now.

“So long.”

“Hohoho, is it already that late?” Eri was shocked.

“I spent so much time on this meaningless task.”

“Such a regret. Let’s return. The president and the others have probably gone back.”

Her words made Felli pause.

“What’s it?”

“Speaking of which, we haven’t seen anyone since entering the building.”

“Yes.”

Only three entrances were usable in this building. Ten teams were formed from twenty people. Two people for each team and they were to enter through the three entrances. Two teams should have entered before Felli’s team.

Felli looked at the map. They had gone through all the possible areas from the entrance. They had also checked the collapsed areas and the blocked off area. They had walked through every corner of the building but why had they not met the first two teams?

“Because this building is huge.”

She didn’t agree with her.

“Saying it’s huge cannot explain the problem.”

“Really? Those people are also submerged in the game. They just haven’t found each other.”

“Am I also submerged in it?”

This was obviously unusual. Besides, this was exactly the situation that Eri had wanted to be in with such high anticipation. Why didn’t she think in that direction? Felli sighed with suspicion.

(Well, it’d be troublesome if she starts dancing in joy.)

Not wanting to see an Eri shouting happily “the ghost has finally come!”, Felli began to think of something else. Have they all been kidnapped? In this place? All of them? That’s unrealistic. Is there a murderer with a psychological problem? So stupid. Or maybe we’ve been lied to. There’re only the two of us here?

That’s the most realistic but cheapest possibility. If the club would get Vance to help for such a boring prank, Felli would have to change the way she viewed him. For the man whose only good point was being punctilious, he was also the most foolish.

“To leave the girls in such a dangerous place, how does he plan to go on if it became a problem of responsibility?” Felli said to herself and bent down to snatch out the Dite from the weapon harness tied to her thigh, hidden beneath her skirt. She wasn’t permitted to carry her Dite with her. Almost all Military Artists obeyed the school rule. If she was found out, she wouldn’t escape punishment even though she was the Student President’s sister.

She snatched it out and restored it to spread the flakes around.

Numerous scale-like flakes spread out from the staff shaped Dite and flew away like drifting petals.

“Woah……..”

The power of psychokinesis shone a pale blue in the dark. Eri sighed.

“Incredible.”

Ignoring the Eri who still hadn’t noticed she was the target of a prank, Felli began to search for other people.

The inside of the building was very spacious. The Alchemy building was built to withstand all kinds of experiments. Felli was suspicious of the cause that could damage the building to such a level. Though the paint on the wall was peeling off, the long abandoned walls showed no signs of rot. This was the same outside or inside the building. Materials strong enough to resist any kind of destructive power must have been used to be able to tolerate pressure, explosion, and heat that was created directly or indirectly. This meant even psychokinesis had trouble passing through this material. The difficult investigation made Felli frown as she checked the underground carefully. She had finished checking the outside and had found a few people, but the main suspects, the club president and Vance, were nowhere to be seen. This meant they must still be inside the building.

(Perhaps they’re hiding somewhere and monitoring me.)

But she had yet to find them.

“Really, what a waste of time………..” she complained subconsciously.

At this time.

“Huh?”

Her psychokinesis captured an unexpected wail.

Whose voice was that? She matched the voice to her memory. A female, and she wasn’t the club president. It matched one of the voices in the crowd during the gathering. The real wailing did not come physically through to Felli’s ears. She heard a strong echo. If there was glass in the corridor, the sound should spread to the outside of the building and not cause the glass to resonate. But Felli felt the voice echoing in a place similar to a corridor. The sound was located quite a distance from the flake that was in one of the floors.

“Underground?”

The map hadn’t indicated a passage leading to the underground. Still, it wasn’t surprising if there was an underground area. Where did the voice leak from? Felli sent her flake over to search for the source of the voice.

Found it. A set of stairs leading to the underground hid in the staircase of the first floor. The floor was opened like a trapdoor. The voice must have come from there. Surrounding the stair was dust and leftovers of something. Who did it? Who pushed apart the things behind the stairs and opened the door?

Something might have happened. Felli couldn’t believe the impulse she felt to head for the underground area. She never thought she had an ounce of righteousness or justice in her. This must be Nina’s influence.

(What troublesome.)

She complained, not at all preventing her body from moving.

“Eri-san, we’re going down,” she said. “……….Eh?”

Eri had disappeared. She was nowhere to be seen in the corridor.

“Eri-san?” Felli called loudly, but her voice only echoed in the empty corridor. “What bad timing!”

Did she run away? To where? Did she find something strange that interested her? Felli curled her tongue grudgingly and recalled several flakes to search for Eri. She ran for the stairs beneath the staircase of the first floor.

Felli herself did not possess the fighting strength to match a Military Artist so she had to make detailed preparations before entering a possible battle zone. Underestimation was taboo for anyone. It was especially poisonous for psychokinesists. Any error on psychokinesis might bring about the death of a Military Artist who relied on the psychokinesis in the fight.

The image of the first flake enlarged in Felli’s brain as she ran. The air was heavier than the area she was in now, and in the dimness existed a thing that exuded light. It was the trace of Kei light. A Military Artist. Felli didn’t have to think more. Vance must be fighting someone.

She sent the flake closer and it captured Vance’s figure. Kei ran on the broken wall. It appeared Vance had not jumped out but was sent flying. One of his knees touched the floor and he pushed himself up with his rodlike weapon. Felli checked his surrounding with the flake……. No one was around.

“Vance, step down.”

Her voice sounded from the flake. Her other flakes flew out of the hole that Vance’s body had made. Psychokinetic mines. Intense light dominated the area as explosions reverberated.

Vance escaped from the explosions. While he ran out as if leading the smoke billowing out behind him, Felli reached the first floor.

“Don’t forget to add senpai behind the name,” Vance said, covered by white dust.

Felli was shocked at his first words right after his escape. “As a member of the Student Council, how do you explain playing a prank on girls in such a dangerous place?”

His expression was bitter and sour. “As I said, I…….” he muttered.

“What’s going on?”

She had set up new flakes at the explosion point as she investigated the surroundings and voiced her question.

“Just what were you fighting?”

Her flake did not catch anything after the explosions. Actually, she hadn’t caught anything since she started using psychokinesis in this building. Vance fought in a place empty of people and he flew out, breaking a hole in the wall all by himself.

“What did you say?” he looked at her strangely. “Didn’t your flake sense it? Is that really……..” he said to himself, making a conclusion in his mind.

“What’re you saying? Eri-san’s gone. Where are the others? Do they know?”

Vance lifted his head with shock on his face. “Even she’s gone? Impossible. Her personality should be ok.”

“What?”

“Damn, something really isn’t right.”

“Hey…… Isn’t that enough,” she quietly stared at him. He sighed.

“I know. I’ll give you an explanation.”

Unbelievable.

“Do you think I’d believe that?” she watched him coldly.

Vance was sitting on the stair. “If it were the usual, you’d believe it, but this time, it’s different. Something bad is happening.”

“Bad?”

“If I knew, I wouldn’t be working so hard,” he shook his head tiredly.

What do believe in? The president of the Horror Lover club was a girl named Ira Roshirinia. Very few people knew she was also a member of the Student Council. Her duty was to look after this old Alchemy building.

This building wasn’t simply abandoned.

Thirty years ago when the Academy City Alliance people were still in Zuellni, the students of the Alchemy course had undertaken an experiment under their guidance.

The Guardian Beast plan.

At that time, filth monsters that were far more powerful than Military Artists had invaded the inner parts of the city. Even though they were beaten back, they had caused heavy damages to the city. Besides, Military Artists had suffered death and injuries after the filth monster invasion. After that, Zuellni began planning for ways to defend against filth monsters, and that was the Guardian Beast Plan. The Alchemy biological department had created some monsters through gene technology. Made from the basis of dead parasites, these monsters would invade a filth monster and destroy its soft inside as a self-exploded weapon.

But there was as problem. How were they to make it so the parasite only unleashed its madness on filth monsters? In the end, this problem was never solved.

“The original suggestion was to allow psychokinesists to control them, but that never took place as it didn’t work well.”

Though one could control it by burying a flake in the parasite’s brain and stimulating it through electricity, this was highly developed technology that psychokinesists could not control through short training. Besides, the technology itself had yet to be realized. The suggestion was abandoned.

“They used other ways in the end but the experiment was stopped because of the explosion. Not only that, the Guardian Beasts had gone on a rampage afterwards, so they halted the plan.”

The top had decided to abandon the experiment facility under a sealed circumstance. The entire building had not been demolished but was abandoned. This had also transformed into the driving force behind Zuellni’s student rule.

“What is her mission?”

Felli meant the president of the Horror Lover club – Ira.

“She’s like a shadow Military Artist, suppressing the curious glances of the crowd and preventing them from getting close.”

A tree had to hide within a forest. Ira’s job was to use certain things to create an interest and satisfy that interest on a certain level. The Horror Lover club worked to filter the students. This was something difficult for one to accept over a short period of time.

“Then what’s the purpose of this activity? Where are the others?”

Even now, Felli’s flake was searching for Eri and everyone. No one had escaped the building, and no one had shown in the place of Vance’s fight. Though Vance’s words were hard to accept, it was true that Felli knew nothing of anything.

“Then……….” Vance opened his mouth and stood.

The flake did not capture anything before him.

“How………”

But why was a monster here? A strange monster was walking in the corridor. It had strange, its body height about the same as Vance’s. Its body bent, delicate and slim like Felli’s wrist. A ball shaped eye protruded from its head. Its huge mouth was like a line. The body cover had neither scales nor shell. Its wet body reflected the light of psychokinesis revoltingly.

Though the multi-eye, special to a bug, could not feel people’s gazes, the icy pressure assaulted Felli and Vance.

“This is…….”

Filth monster. That term flashed across Felli’s mind, but a filth monster could not have escaped her psychokinesis. Then this is…… If Vance’s words are true……

“Guardian Beast? It’s still alive?”

Vance tightened his grip on the weapon and quickly moved to stand before her.

“I’ll buy some time. Hurry and call for reinforcements.”

Felli carefully retreated as she sent a out a flake.

The monster moved.

Vance roared and stepped up to meet its attack. The flow of his Kei made the dry leaves and dust around him float off the floor. The storm of Kei tore the dry leaves apart and pounded them into powder to dance in Vance’s surrounding.

The huge staff danced fiercely in the corridor and swung at the monster’s speedy long legs. However, the monster stopped suddenly. Vance didn’t anticipate that move, and his staff hit the floor before the monster.

“Tsk,” he quickly moved away.

The monster’s front leg was gone the next moment.

“Woah!”

Vance’s body was bounced higher and he was then tossed with his back facing the floor. Next came the sound of a mountain collapsing. The monster’s leg beat Vance’s body like a whip. Unlike insects, this was a joint supported by muscles like a snake.

“Damn, you’re just a bug but you got good eyesight.”

Vance didn’t look injured. He stood back up. The monster didn’t move as if it knew Vance wasn’t dead. It probably wouldn’t deal the final blow as long as the opponent was still moving.

“This is difficult.”

No matter what its real body was, the monster could match the speed of any Military Artist, and it also had a brain for strategies. Though it wasn’t enough to defeat Vance, the top in the Military Arts course, it could make this fight difficult.

Vance leapt for the monster and used his staff to fend off the attack of the front leg. Taking advantage of technique that did not seem to match his body height, he slid to the front of the monster.

He stabbed. Wind accompanied the stab that only cut through air as the monster evaded just in time. Vance kept moving, not giving the opponent any time to rest. The monster continued to back off with its long legs in incredible speed. A distance drew between Vance and Felli.

“What!” Vance suddenly shouted in surprise and stopped.

“Oh no!”

She couldn’t tell Vance’s situation through psychokinesis, but the moonlight shining through the window showed Vance’s figure.

“……. Thread?”

That monster seemed to possess the ability of a spider. Moonlight showed threads weaving around Vance’s body. The monster was releasing threads, laying a trap as it retreated.

It now closed in on Vance, planning to eat him. Noticing its intention, Felli used the mine of psychokinesis. She exploded them on any surface area of the monster that was exposed.

A mad storm swept through the corridor. White light conquered the area. As the dust and smoke parted, a large figure appeared before her.

“Couldn’t you have saved me more gently?”

Reproachful gaze came from the rough countenance that was stuck with dust.

“Nope.”

She had already detonated the mine to minimize Vance’s injuries, and she had calculated so the explosion would not spread to her. Other than that, it’d be hard to satisfy more difficult demands.

“Did this monster kidnap everyone else?”

“……. Yes.”

The threads had lost their function after absorbing the heat of the explosion. Vance stood up and waited for the dust to dissipate.

“Those threads have taken everyone. I escaped it as I just finished the work. Everyone else has been taken.”

The dust parted, but the monster was gone.

Vance bit his tongue. “It’s always like that, retreating after attacking. It must be waiting for our weakness to show.”

“But how can a self-explosive weapon hold such a function?”

“I’ve read the manual. That function was made to save those who couldn’t escape in time.”

“What terrible taste,” she burst out, thinking of the threads weaved around her.

“If that’s the case, the other people should be safe for now.”

“Aa, it didn’t have the time to eat them.”

Felli frowned, thinking. The way this monster fought drew out the battle. The sealed off space was advantage for Felli and Vance, and they could leave the building to call for reinforcement. But if they let their guard down for those two factors, the situation for the captives would worsen.

“We must act.”

Not only for the disappeared students, but she must also keep on alert.

“Yeah,” Vance nodded. “But how do we find them?”

For some reason, psychokinesis did not work on the monster. Since they couldn’t search for its whereabouts, they could set a trap and lure it in. Though psychokinetic mines worked to a certain degree, that monster’s body could probably resist it better than they had imagined.

“Worst comes to worst, we’ll have to destroy the building.”

Vance agreed. “Even if we can’t save the captives.”

“First, let’s search for its nest.”

They moved.

If they acted separately, they might fall one after another, particularly Felli. Using the mines in a critical moment was not enough.

The two of them ran to the underground area.

Felli had searched the areas above ground, including the places she and Eri had gone to, leaving this area as the only place they had yet to investigate. The device to seal off the Guardian Beasts must be there too. Who knew whether the device had fallen into disrepair through time or through other reasons, the seal had been released and the Guardian Beasts started moving again.

Why did the people not completely destroy the place? That question was probably useless to ask.

“Let’s go,” Vance took the lead, carefully walking deeper into the gloom.

Felli held his torch. The light shone a circle in the dark. They walked as the flake flew before them.

“Have you contacted the outside?” Vance asked to ease the heavy atmosphere. Felli shook her head.

If she had concentrate on controlling the flakes, they could move faster, but the monster had prevented her from doing so. The speed of the flakes had slowed down.

“There isn’t anyone in the Student Council building. Anyway, we’ve sent a flake to the police, then………”

She had sent the other one to the Mechanical Department. If she remembered it right, Layfon and Nina were working there. If she could contact Layfon, she could obtain a much reliable support.

Vance snorted in disapproval. “It really irks to have to rely on him all the time.”

“That’s the reality.”

“If this keeps on, we’ll become a rubbish organization that can’t do anything without him.”

Vance’s words were not entirely irrational. Besides, it hurt Felli to have to contact Layfon when he desired to leave the path of a Military Artist.

“Aa, really. Why did it become like this?” she burst out. The tension of the incapacitated psychokinesis had put pressure on her. She probably wanted rest psychologically.

Vance changed the topic having heard her sigh. “Your brother has his own considerations.”

He immediately knew she was sighing about being transferred to Military Arts.

“That guy’s always been thinking for you through his own way.”

“What way?”

This was what she wanted to ask but couldn’t.

“You’ve talent. You can be called a genius, but you rely on your talent and have not put any effort into it. You don’t know what hard work is.”

“………..”

His intense words made her speechless.

“You didn’t even spend effort on searching for a path besides psychokinesist. As you lived in a rich family when you were young, you don’t know what hard work is in life. You don’t know the pain of failure. To him, it’s not possible to let you live in the outside world.”

“You wouldn’t know if you don’t try, isn’t it?”

“What have you done so far?”

“…………..”

Similarly as before, she had no defense. She had been in Zuellni for two years and she had only done some part time work once.

“If you were serious, he probably wouldn’t say much. Either way, he’ll be leaving next year. The person and things that bound you will disappear. He’s been preparing for that.”

“……… Doing something unnecessary,” she complained lightly.

“Well, it really is……. Difficult to transfer you out of Military Arts at this time.”

Vance’s breath changed, and Felli’s mood also changed.

The breathing of the monster came from the deeper part of the corridor. It was a sound they had not heard of before. It must be excited.

They were close to the destination.

Felli’s flake moved in high speed as it investigated.

Found it.

“Found it.”

There was more space beneath them. The large hole was punched through the ground after the explosion. This space had appeared after the building was abandoned. All the people that were taken were bounded in this space. There were no signs of struggle. They had all lost their energy. Felli was released as she confirmed they were still alive.

“Very good. All that’s left is to defeat this guy.”

Luck persisted……….. No, the situation had turned for better. The two of them had discovered Felli’s flake at the Mechanical Department.

“What’s happened?” Nina asked in shock. Felli relayed the event.

“Psychokinesis doesn’t work on that monster? Isn’t it a filth monster?”

She briefly explained the origin of the monster.

“There was such a plan…….” Layfon said.

“All right, we’ll head over immediately.”

Nina’s voice drowned out Layfon’s. This was the first time Felli thought the Captain’s voice was so reliable, probably because Layfon was around.

“Wait a moment,” he stopped her.

“What?”

Layfon ignored her and spoke to the flake. “I’m afraid it’ll be too late even if we head over now.”

His voice echoed emotionlessly around them. Felli was silent as her body trembled.

“What’re you saying?”

“The battle’s begun, right? Looking at the location, it wouldn’t allow anyone to retreat. All that’s left is whether Vance can win or not.”

His faint voice made Nina breathe in deeply.

“If you want to turn the situation around, then Felli…….. senpai has to join in the fight.”

She didn’t know what to do.

“Me? But I’m only responsible for processing information……..”

“It’s not that you can’t fight. You can only attack. Either way, you can’t just observe from the side.”

Layfon and Nina had left the Mechanical Department and were heading over with all their strength. He urged Felli to take action. But, what should she do……..

“……….. This is like food storage for it, isn’t it?” Nina suddenly began to confirm the situation.

“Yes.”

“Then there’re ways. This isn’t as difficult as it seems.”

Felli quietly listened to her words.

Vance had entered a fight with the monster. Felli communicated with Layfon, Nina and the Police at a distance. The strategy Nina had set down was for Felli to act on, not Vance. If she were to tell Vance, the opponent might notice their strategy, so Felli could only wait for the chance to reveal itself.

That was all she could do, to fight as a psychokinesist whose usual responsibility was to process information and support from behind.

(Really………)

This was her first time. A psychokinesist’s physical attack was only the use of the psychokinetic mine. Though the destructive power wasn’t high, it was enough to buy some time. But even that power was so little, she could only use it.

(Really.)

She repeated the word.

And the chance came.

“Ohhhhhhhh!”

The monster began to take evasive measures under Vance’s fierce attack. A straight line appeared between Felli and the nest.

(Good.)

She ran. Her speed wasn’t as high as an average Military Artist, but it matched that of an elite. The monster noticed her after a little while. It howled and channeled all its hostility to her. No longer avoiding Vance’s attack, it rushed for her. Vance’s staff had only broken a number of the monster’s feet, but the monster showed no signs of stopping.

Felli looked over her shoulder and saw the monster right after her.

Her foot slipped and she fell on the sand-filled floor. Though she had scratched her knees, she had no time to moan.

The monster was right behind. Its agile movement beyond reality did not match its huge body. It jumped as if it had lost its balance.

(Really.)

She repeated. What joke was this? She had come to a boring place where ghosts existed, and in the end, she met the dead. This was beyond a joke.

The monster was close and it knew she didn’t have resisting strength like Vance. Its movements showed its boldness as it opened its large mouth. She could clearly see the dense teeth in that mouth. Saliva drooped from it. Just thinking of herself being torn apart made her tremble.

The being of death was before her.

Is this it………. she thought.

This was Layfon’s experience in battle. As a psychokinesis who always stood at the back, she never understood the tension that dominated her entire body, the burgeoning of the brain, the tearing of the heart, the numbness that spread out from her back.

Even so, her body moved. She had finished the preparation before she moved.

Her mission was to lure it here.

Do it.

An intense light suffused the ceiling. The mine of psychokinesis. The sound of explosion hammer her eardrums as fierce wind blew her light body into the air. The pressure of the explosion assaulted the monster and pressed it down onto the floor………. And then the ceiling collapsed. The debris of the first floor buried the monster.

It was easy for Vance to deal the immobile Guardian Beast a final blow.

The red light of the ambulance painted the forest. The students rescued from the old Alchemy building were carried to the ambulance. Felli watched them tiredly from a side. The Police had searched the place thoroughly afterwards but did not find any more Guardian Beasts. What was left was a huge formation of glass containers. One of them was broken and the liquid left in its inside was dyed a suspicious color. They couldn’t believe they were still alive. As this was the result of being abandoned for thirty years, who knew whether the one alive was lucky?

The loneliness of words she couldn’t say, “how should we catch it?” filled Felli. Perhaps, she was exhausted from being released from the tension in her. In there….

“Huh, what happened to everyone?”

Felli’s eyes widened.

“Eri-san?”

Eri walked over with suspicion, not knowing what had happened. Unbelievable.

“Why did you…….?”

She turned around in a fluster and saw the students bounded by threads were being carried on stretchers. She thought Eri was one of them, but she then remembered Vance’s words.

“Though that girl really likes strange creatures, her reactions tend to diminish when she really meets one. With her around, the probability of meeting one is strangely high. That’s why Ira used her to find the entrance to the sealed off area that has disappeared off the record. She did it by applying as a Student Council member. So I joined her.”

Felli watched her as she recalled Vance’s words.

“Where did you go?”

“Eh? Did I not tell you that I found a little girl who got lost? So I led her out.”

She had no recollection of it. Speaking of which, all of her attention was on the flake when Eri disappeared. Was that why she didn’t hear her?

“Where’s that girl?”

“Well…….. She was gone once I left the building, then I went to search for her. But I couldn’t do much alone, so I came back for help.”

Ahah……. Felli watched the sky.

A girl in the building? In this night, in this ruin, in this Academy City? Though there were kids in Zuellni who hadn’t reached the age to enroll in the Academy City, but the probability of such a young child coming to this sort of place was very low…… Yes, wasn’t that lower than the probability of meeting a ghost?

“Did you really not see it?”

“What do you mean?” Eri said, but she recovered quickly.

“Well, it’s good that nothing’s happened.”

Felli’s friend was safe.

And………

“Felli senpai!”

Nothing else mattered when she saw Layfon running over with all his might despite the cold words he uttered through the flake. Anyway, things had safely ended. That was what Felli thought.

The Longing Of Shiina Ryo:Volume1 Chapter 2: Reikoku

2010-09-18T16:57:58Z

ZaX: /* Part 2 */

== Part 1 ==

"...Koukishin Shinzou." I finish writing my name on the blackboard. "You can call me Shin-tsu, if you want to."

I guess this is quite easy to explain. I got nicknamed Shin-tsu in one of the schools I've been, because the ''kanji'' in the end of Koukishin is the same as the one in the beginning of Shinzou. The "tsu" is the result of the Japanese pronounciation of two, I guess. I'm not so sure now. And it's not like I came up with that nickname myself.

When I turn around to face the class, I meet the gaze of those who are (from this point on) my classmates. They all seem friendly and happy to see a new student from abroad. Strangely, I can't help noticing they are all girls. Every single one of them. Now that I think about it, I haven't seen a male student since I got here. It sounds weird, but I don't think I want to any questions that could lead to a harem development right now...

In the midst of the curious looks I see Ryo waving at me from her chair at the back of the class. She looked particularly beautiful in her school uniform, and she was radiant. She radiated a wave of happiness that seemed to pass through the whole class and reach me, and I could feel an extension of her smile forming on my lips.

The teacher coughed and brought me back to reality.

"You can sit on that empty chair at the back, the closest to Kouma-san." She pointed to the back of the class where I could see the chair she assigned me to. I would sit between Kouma Yon and another empty chair. Looking back at my teacher, I noticed that when her gaze fell on the second empty chair she seemed suspiciously unpleased. This was only confirmed by a whisper following that, so low I was most likely the only one that could hear it. “Interesting.”

A girl with braids raised her hand quickly.

"But that's Minato's place, Reikoku-sensei!"

The teacher just shook her head in denial, but her brown hair didn't move a single millimeter. Almost as if the hairspray had made it solid as a rock. She probably spent hours working on that bun, and it is certainly a practical hairstyle: it makes her look serious and could defend her from a meteor falling from the sky.

"I'm afraid not." She pressed her temple. "Not anymore. I was informed this morning that Minato's family just moved, due to her father's new job in a big company."

It sounded like everyone in class had decided to talk (or rather, scream like caged monkeys at the sight of a banana mountain) at the same time. They all seemed to be so surprised with the sudden departure of their colleague that I felt like I had become old news already. The ear-shattering noise went on for a while, but it was so solid I felt like it would go on and on, forever.

The teacher raised her open hand and started to close it slowly, finger by finger. A few students noticed the quiet countdown and started warning the others as quickly as they could. They seemed to be truly afraid of what happened at the end of the countdown. Before she reached the number four, the class was silent once again.

Ms. Reikoku lowered her hand and gazed at me. At that moment I realized that she had already told me where I should seat and I was in her way to start class. I hurried to the empty chair, without knowing exactly what I was afraid of. Now that I think about it, it's much scarier when you don't know what the monster looks like.

The desk I ended up with was on the last row, located by the window. I sat by Kouma's side, and smiled shyly at her.

"Hello..." I try to think of a proper honorific to use, but I haven't been in Japan for a while and this is harder than it seems. Sometimes it's hard to think that I'm actually Japanese; I've spent most of my life living abroad. In the end, I decide to go with a neutral honorific. "...Kouma-san, right?"

She simply looks at me without a trace of expression on her face and makes the V sign with her fingers. After that, her attention just goes back to the other person sitting by her side, Ryo. She just kept talking to Ryo like I wasn't even there for a while, and now she keeps blocking my way when I try to talk to Ryo. It looks like she is jealous or something. In this moment, this Kouma girl is literally between me and Ryo.

Ryo managed to look at me and give me one of her cat-like grins when the girl with the razor cut fringe was distracted. It was just a simple gesture and nothing but one of the oldest forms of communication known by mankind, but it meant more than words to me.

After that small yet significant commotion about the girl who transferred, the day was calm. It took me a while to get used to the kanji used in class, but Ryo helped me with that and said that it was only expected since I've been living outside of Japan for a while. When the rest of the class heard Ryo saying that, they started to ask me if I needed any help and stuff. I felt a little bit like a foreigner in my own country (which is partially the truth, anyway), but they were all very helpful. So in the end, it was a great start for a first day and everyone in class was pretty much nice to me...

...and everything felt alright until lunchtime.

== Part 2 ==

When the bell rang, the three of us stood up and decided to go to the cafeteria. I forgot to make a lunchbox and I was starving, so I needed to buy something to eat. Ryo saved the day by offering to show me the cafeteria. Kouma had brought her lunch from home, but she insisted in coming with us (and I'm betting that she doesn't want me to be alone with Ryo) instead of going directly to the rooftop, where they told me they usually eat. We were just about to leave class when...

"Koukishin-kun, come here for a minute."

...our teacher decided to talk to me.

I looked around to tell the girls to wait for me, but they had already vanished.

"Yes..." I said, and then remembered that I was in Japan and honorifics were the thin line between being polite or not. Which was probably the reason my teacher was staring at me with that evil look in her eyes. "...sensei?"

Ms. Reikoku proceeded, apparently satisfied.

"Because of your sudden transfer, you are the only student in this class I hadn't the chance to home visit yet. Still, I need to finish writing down the report on all students currently attending my class for the meeting tomorrow morning." She paused for a second, and I noticed that she looked a little bit angry. Probably because my transfer probably ruined her organization scheme; she seemed to be someone that liked everything in perfect order and freaked out when they weren't. "Without further ado, I'll be at your front door tonight by eight post meridian, also known as twenty o'clock. Any questions?"

I tried to think of something to say, but nothing came to me.

"...no, sensei."

"Good." She waved her hand and her gaze went back to the notebooks on her desk. "Dismissed."

I bowed and walked out of the room. Ryo and Kouma were waiting for me in the hall, but after seeing my face they must have decided that it wasn't a good moment to ask about my conversation with our teacher.

...

We went downstairs and then moved to another building, where the cafeteria was located.

...

I ordered Gyudon by pointing.

...

We came back to the first building and went upstairs to the same floor where our class was located.

...

After walking through the hall we reached another stair, which led to the rooftop.

...

We sat on the rooftop and started eating silently.

...

I put my chopsticks down and breathed deeply.

...

"GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

As I screamed after being completely silent for several minutes, the birds on the rooftop flew away and the world seemed to stop moving. It was almost a cinematographic scene, but I didn't feel like I was going to get a golden statuette for demonstrating my despair in public.

Since I used all the air in my lungs, it took me a while to regulate my breathing. Kouma and Ryo just looked at me with curiosity in their eyes, but they did not seem shocked.

"...I guess I'm ready to talk now."

I sat down, calmer than I was a few seconds ago but still full of tension.

“Go on, it will be good for you. Talk to us." Ryo said but quickly corrected herself after looking at Kouma, whose attention seemed to be completely drawn to her Udon. "Talk to me." 

"Reikoku-sensei will pay me a home visit tonight, but I haven't unpacked yet and there is so much to do that I don't think I could do it even if I skipped classes." I sighed, hopelessly. "Which is probably what I'm going to do." 

"You shouldn't skip classes, Shin-tsu!" Ryo seemed genuinely angry. "It's your first day at school!" 

"Why all the drama?" Kouma said suddenly joining the conversation. "Can't you just call home and ask your parents for help?" 

"No, he can't because..." Ryo stopped herself.

"It's okay, Ryo." This little detail was going to show up sooner or later, so I'd better just say it and end the subject. "I can't ask my parents for help because I'm living on my own now."

There, I said it. Now what comes next is a long awkward silence and then a subject change...

"We'll help you."

...not. Ryo surprised me by subverting the common flow of the conversation.

"...what?" 
"We will help you unpack and tidy up." Ryo seems pretty excited about this, but I can't think of a reason why. "If it's the three of us, we'll probably make it and..." 
"Wait a second, Ryo-chan." Kouma interrupted. "I never said I was going to help, so don't include me in this cleaning group out of your own will." 
"Oh, come on Yon-chan..." 

I make a hand sign to Ryo, telling her to stop talking. I think I have a plan.

"I guess it can't be helped if Kouma-san doesn't want to come." I make a calculated pause in my speech. "Don't worry, Ryo; even if it's just the two of us, all by ourselves the whole day through, in a big flat without adults to supervise us and a romantic and astonishing view of the city, we might be able to finish tidying up." I smile maliciously to Ryo. "Unless we lose track of time while engaging in... other activities."

For a split second I thought my plan had failed miserably, but Kouma raised her hand without looking at me.

"... I'm coming."

After saying that she resumed eating her Udon silently and I kind of felt bad for having to tease Kouma like this.

No, not really. And it's not like I did it just for fun(not entirely, anyway); there's a lot to do and I certainly need all the help I can get. So, my ends justify my means(especially when it's fun).

We kept quiet for the rest of the meal, mostly because I knew that if I looked at Ryo's face at that moment we would start laughing and ruin everything up. We suppressed the laughs that wanted to be set free, ate and went back to class.

== Part 3 ==

It's funny to think that I was incredibly nervous only a few seconds ago, because a few seconds before I've heard the doorbell ring I felt a wave of relief passing through me. It was sudden and apparently at random, but I felt peace, like it was the calm after the storm.

"Just a second!"

I ran through my flat to answer the door, taking care to avoid the piles of boxes I hadn't unpacked yet. Obviously I started unpacking before the girls came because, well, I didn't want to look like a lazy guy.

As soon as I realize that the door key is not in my pocket, I start searching for it in my house (which, thanks to the boxes, was a tough task). In the end, my efforts were wasted: the key had been in the door the whole time. When I saw that, I died a little bit inside.

I open the door and see two faces that are quickly becoming familiar. Kouma and Ryo came 2 minutes earlier than we planned, which is good; we have a full day ahead of us and if they were late I am not sure if we would be able to make it. I do have a lot of boxes, and even if I moved the boxes to the first and second floors, the ground floor would look rather empty(especially because the shelves and cabinets are already here). So, the teacher would come and see I live in a place with closets and bookshelves and even an antique mahogany cupboard of which I'm very proud of(but would never admit it in front of people) with absolutely nothing on them. Which would be extremely embarrassing and...

...I did it again, didn't I?

"Sorry for making you guys wait." I shake my head and wave the random thoughts away. "I had a hard time finding the key. Please come in." 

"Sorry for intruding." Ryo steps in with the grace of, uh, something very gracious. You can't possibly expect me to think about clever or poetic comparisons all the time. I'm not that smart.

Kouma entered just after her, but she didn't say a thing until she noticed that she was not minding her manners...

"I'm not going to say I'm sorry for intruding because technically you invited me and I'm the one doing a favor." She says it looking directly at me. "And I only came because I didn't want Ryo to be here alone with you. If I'm sorry for anyone, it is for myself."

...and instead of doing so, she only made the situation worse by making a declaration of war under my roof without a trace of shame on her face. That's Kouma Yon for you.

"This place is huge!" Ryo wasn't paying attention to her friend, which is good. I guess. "You've got to be kidding me; you're living by yourself in a flat with three, having even a spiral staircase? A spiral staircase! I've always dreamed of a spiral staircase!" She kept running from a point to another like a little kid in a theme park. She went all the way up the stairs and screamed, her voice echoing in the second floor's empty space and finding its way to the ground level. "Look at this view! You said it was romantic, but this is simply the epitome of awesome!"

I was thinking about telling her that this place wasn't that great compared to the mansion we had at England or the ''château'' at Vallée de la Loire, but I stopped myself before I ended up sounding snobby. Let's just keep it a secret between you and me, okay?

It's interesting to compare Ryo's cheerfulness and Kouma's lack thereof. I wonder how those two ended up being friends. Well, people do say that opposites attract; I'm just not quite sure if magnetic fields are the same as relationships of any kind.

Not that I'm an expert in magnetic fields. Or relationships. Just saying.

As I closed the door, Kouma started taking steps through the ground level. Her falcon eyes made up for the lack of expression in her face. After a minute of silence, she decided to enlighten us with one of her amusing comments.

"A huge mess, really." No kidding, Sherlock. "Did you really need to bring so much stuff with you?"

"Yes, I did. I wouldn't stay away from my CD collection, my board games or my kitchen utensils." Wait, that didn't went out right. Worse than that, Ryo came along just in time to hear me talking about my girly collection. Think, boy, think! "Did I say 'kitchen utensils'? I meant my secret manly stuff. Because I'm a manly guy who likes manly stuff. I’m really manly. Like a pirate. Harr."

"...right." Kouma just looked at me with disbelief in her eyes. "So, you're here since Saturday night, right?" I nodded. "Why didn't you start unpacking at Sunday?"

"I can answer that one, matey!" Ryo raised her hand, clearly getting into the pirate character. "Me fellow Shin-tsu couldn't swab the decks of his ship at Sunday 'cuz we went down to the port for some grub and ended up singin' ol' chanteys till nite."

It took me a while to understand that she was telling Kouma about our Sunday meeting. At first I thought my Japanese skills had failed me, but I guess I talk better than I read(except when it comes to understand girls impersonating pirates, perhaps).

Kouma seemed to be having a hard time making sense of Ryo's speech, so I translated it to her...

"What our corsair Ryo was saying is that we met for the first time in real life at Sunday and after going out to eat, we spent the day together. By the time I came home, it was getting late and I was too tired to unpack, so I just slept."

...which was not such a smart move, now that I thought about it.

I felt a dark aura emanating from Kouma's body and I feared for my life. I was certain I would be killed at that moment. Curiosity killed the cat, huh? Then why am I the one who is going down? It's all Kouma's fault! She is the one who asked too many questions!

...I wonder if the cat died because he was so curious about a box that he entered it to see how it was from the inside. Probably. Then, at that very moment a theoretical physicist walked in and closed the box, making an internal mechanism release poison inside the box. Now that I think about it, I can't tell if the cat is dead or not because the box was closed when he entered it. And technically (since there were no holes to watch the cat), the cat would run out of air pretty quickly, with or without the poison.

I reach the conclusion that I don't like physicists very much, and neither do cats.
I'm not sure if you noticed, but I'm trying to think of something else while Kouma kills me in the most dreadful way she can imagine(unfortunately for me, she does look like someone with an excellent imagination). Which she is going to start doing any minute now... Any minute now...

"We're wasting time here." Kouma exhales lightly. "Let's stop fooling around; we need to get this done."

Despite her obvious anger, Kouma managed to keep her control and act with much more maturity than I expected. Which is good for me, since her self-control in these situations is probably the thing that stopped her from smiting me with her bare hands. However, I am kind of disappointed now. It's not like I'm a person with suicidal tendencies or anything, but her reaction didn't quite met my expectancies. Don't judge me, you were expecting a violent reaction yourself.

I raise my hands in defeat.

"Okay, we've played a little bit, let's get down to business."

Ryo suddenly saluted.

"Sir, permission to go to the bathroom, sir!"

It's like she is a little kid, really. Deciding to go to the bathroom just when we are about to start working...

I guess it could be considered cute if we didn't have such a tight schedule.

Twice as cute if it didn't have a toilet involved.

"...permission granted, it's the second door over there." She saluted again and walked away. "And that's not a pirate, it's a soldier!"

Once the bathroom door closed, I was alone with Kouma. You can imagine what happened.

Right, nothing did. Kouma didn't say a word since Ryo left the room, and it's quite disturbing. I mean, it's obvious that she is good friends with Ryo and once I intend to spend a great deal of time with Ryo, I'll end up spending a considerable amount of this time (probably most of it) with Kouma too. However, the girl didn't liked me from the start and I haven't done much to change this situation (actually, I've met her today and I have already teased her twice).

Girls tell everything to each other and when they're close friends they can talk about any subject, right? Plus, friends can influence the others with their opinions. If someday Ryo got mad at me, she would probably talk about it with Kouma. Who would probably bad mouth me and make my situation even worse. Basically, my friendship with Ryo might depend someday on that girl's opinion on me. And I have started with the left foot. Way to go, champion.

Well, there might be still a hope: I could be incredibly nice to her from now on and make her change her mind! And this is the perfect occasion to put my plan into practice: I'm alone with Kouma, so no external interferences will affect the course of our conversation. I just need to pick a topic.

Which would be an easy task if I only knew her interests. Besides Ryo, I mean. It's kind of weird, really. The spark that glows in her eyes every time she sees Ryo makes me think of that nurse in Misery. Creepy, but she is still Ryo's best friend and I need to impress her.

Oh, I know! I could talk about her clothes! Girls love fashion, right? Also, everyone loves a compliment, so if I manage to say good things about her dressing style I might be able to score a point or two and start a friendly relationship out of this.

Alright, I'll do my best!

Gooo~od morning, Miami! Welcome to Fashion Week! On the catwalk, Kouma Yon! She is sixteen, 5'3 feet tall and a full b-cup (believe me; I have a good eye for that kind of thing)! Kouma is wearing dark skinny jeans, a brown cashmere V-neck sweater and the most fabulous silk scarf I have ever seen! Some will say it might not be the best choice of clothing to use when you're going to unpack boxes, but when this girl decides to get down to work she will most certainly do it with style!

...I could just go with the simple, straight (pun intended) way.

"You're looking really good dressed like that, Kouma-san. Err... It's a shame that our school's uniform rules won't allow you to show your true beauty."

She looks deep into my eyes.

"Please don't hit on me. You're weird and I don't have the slightest interest in 3D boys."

...I must confess that I wasn't expecting this.

"What the...? A female 2D lover? That's not even possible! There are no giggle.com results for that!" I keep struggling with the idea of a pretty girl with a great sense of fashion who is only interested in anime characters; it certainly doesn't sound right. "And I wasn't hitting on you; I was just trying to be nice! Why do you need to be like that? Have I done something wrong?" And I add, in a much lower voice. "Is teasing the only way I can get to you?"

She stayed still for what seemed to be centuries and then started muttering something unintelligible.

"What did you say?"

"...it's not personal. Really." She finally said. "Please sit down, Koukishin-kun. We need to talk."

"Okay." Her voice was a little different. We sat on the couch next to the stairs, which was probably a strategic move on Kouma's part since from that point she could observe the bathroom door. That's why I assumed that our little talk was going to be about Ryo. "And like I said earlier, you can call me Shin-tsu. No need for family names or honorifics."

"Understood, Shin-tsu." I was done with the teasing, but it still felt good to see Kouma having a hard time talking to me without being able to sound indifferent or impersonal. It obviously wasn't easy for her. "We must talk as quickly as possible, since we don't know how much time we've got."

"Right."

She sighed deeply.

"I'm sorry if I made you think I had something against you. It wasn't intentional; I'm just not fond of people." Kouma stopped herself for two seconds of meditation. "This is probably the reason why Ryo-chan is my only friend in the world."

Despite her usual lack of facial expressions, that sentence showed me that the girl facing me had feelings. It kind of hurt because I was in the exact same boat as she was: currently Ryo was my only friend in the world as well. I wanted to interrupt her and say that I understood her and that we could be friends, but I know that you can't just decide something like that; it takes time and several moments together before you can form bonds with someone, and we've only met today.

Besides, she looked like she still had much to talk and not a good amount of time to do so.

"I think I have been acting childishly towards you, and I apologize." Actually, I'm the one who was having fun teasing her. Listening her apologize to me when I was also at fault made me feel bad. "I was jealous. I still am, actually. You've managed to do something I have been trying to do for months just by saying you'd come here."

"What are you talking about? What have I done?"

"You made Ryo-chan smile."

No words could describe what I felt at that very moment. Especially because I had too many mixed feelings about her statement: happy because the fact that I was moving here cheered up Ryo, concerned about the fact that she was unhappy before my announcement and particularly intrigued because I don't remember anything about Ryo being sad and we talked every day, about everything. This last one is tricky, because either Kouma is lying or Ryo has been hiding something from me. I guess I'll have to give them both the benefit of the doubt for now and investigate a little more on both sides.

I've been in this kind of situation (conflicting experiences and arguments) before, so I'm used to dealing with it. I'm just glad that, despite requiring a little bit of investigation in order to find the truth, this doesn't smell like Mystery at all (actually, it smells like teen drama, which is not much of a big deal). I'm still safe.

"So Ryo was sad before I said I was moving here, huh?"

"Yes, she had been like that for three months. She kept smiling and saying everything was okay, but I could tell that she was depressed just by looking at her." Based on what I saw today, I bet she does that a lot. "No one else seemed to notice it, but I have known her since kindergarten; if anyone can understand Ryo, it's me... or that's what I used to believe."

"What do you mean by that?"

Kouma took another breath like she was having a hard time focusing.

"I need your help."

She certainly doesn't look like the kind of person that says that a lot. Since she stopped talking at that moment and I could see that the bathroom door was still closed, I try to guess what she wants.

"You want me to find out the reason for Ryo's sadness? How am I supposed to do that? Do you want me to pray for a miniature moon or something?"

Kouma waved her hand.

"No, that task is mine. I know Ryo better than you do, and my odds of making her talk are much bigger than yours because I'm a girl and I have been by her side for the past ten years. I just need you to keep her happy until she feels comfortable to talk about that problem of hers. Just keep doing your job and she will be fine. Also, stop quoting nearly-unknown songs from the early nineties."

"You shouldn't talk like that when you're asking someone for help."

"I never asked you for help. I said I needed it, and I know you will help me because you want the best for Ryo too. I am not begging you, I am giving you a list of your tasks."

I do want the best for Ryo, but I don't enjoy being used as a toy. This Kouma girl is completely impertinent. She took it to a whole new level. I mean, how dare she say that to me in my own house?

"What if I don't cooperate?"

She sighed.

"If you don't want to be near her, I can't force you. I'm not very supportive of you being friends with Ryo, but I'm not against it either. Really. The more the merrier. I can even ignore your disturbing lack of honorifics towards her, if I must." She looked around and then looked at me again, staring at my jugular. "On the other hand, if you make her life just a little more painful, I'll make you wish you were dead and after I have my fun I'll grant that wish. Do you understand me?"

I wanted to talk back, I really did. However, what I saw in her eyes wasn't the same thing as before. It wasn't anger or sadness: those were mere paper masks of a deeper feeling that kept growing inside her and was consuming her soul quickly. I have seen that before, and every time I see it I just hope it's the last time. She would do anything to reach her goals (whatever they were), even if it meant killing or dying. In front of my eyes, the horrendous face of desperation.

This is starting to sound like Mystery, and I don't like it.

"Have you guys done any work yet?" Ryo said as she walked out of the bathroom wearing hair in a ponytail. I noticed that she was also wearing make-up now, which she doesn't seem to do a lot (justifying the amount of time she spent inside that bathroom). She did a surprisingly good job for someone without any experience in the field. It's not like I'm an expert or anything. "We don't have much time."

"Are you done with pirate talking already?" I turn back to Kouma and extend my arm with a smile on my face. "Come on, sailor: we need to keep up with the plan!"

Kouma understood it at once and shook my hand with tremendous force. We stood up and I did my best to pretend there was no tension between me and her. Now I'm worried about both Ryo and Kouma, but I can't let that show.

I might need to save them both in the future. Right now, the only thing I need to tidy up is my house.

"Raise the anchor! This ship is sailing!"

Ryo saluted in the cheeriest way.

"Aye aye Capt'n!"

== Part 4 ==

"Guitars usually have six strings. Why does yours have only five?"

Kouma is much more talkative (and interesting) when Ryo is around. She raised a fairly decent question that probably bugged a lot of people that were too shy to ask, thinking they would be treated like idiots by the ones who knew the answer. The point is: when she is with Ryo, Kouma Yon is almost innocent.

I was about to explain it when Ryo started talking.

"While technically still a guitar, the electric bass guitar is quite different from the guitars most people are used to. The electric bass' standard tuning is an octave lower than the guitar standard tuning. Keep in mind that most bass guitars have 4 strings, which correspond to the four lower strings of the electric guitar." She took a breath, and her unexplainable burst of knowledge about an area I love was so intense that I think I lost mine. "Shin-tsu owns a five-string bass, which is a variation of the standard four-string bass tuned to the same pitches as the contrabass used mainly in symphony orchestra and jazz bands. So, his bass is not missing a string, it has an extra string that delivers an extended lower range By the way, the standard tuning for a five-string bass is B-E-A-D-G, which stands to Si-Mi-La-Re-Sol, right? Ti-Mi-La-Re-So if using the variant note name list which uses Ut as Do."

I was so astonished that I could only nod. Words failed me. Big. Time.

Let's get some things straight.

First, I was expecting anyone but Ryo to talk like a robot. Kouma doing that would have been alright, and Reikoku-sensei looks just the kind of person that says the content of encyclopedia articles during a casual conversation with a friend (and I don't even think she has one); Ryo doing it was a completely unforeseen development for that scene.

Second, I have never felt so attracted to her as I am right now. Everything was so beautifully precise and sudden that I almost cried like a baby watching scenes of a postmodern movie. Bad comparison. Nevertheless. If only she had finished that perfect explanation with a funky, mind-blowing bass solo I would be asking her to marry me right now. I swear I would.

Third... there is no third. I guess it's the second all over again. Yes, I would gladly marry her twice. Yes, I would even go as far as divorcing my geeky wife just to win her back and marry her again, making our lives seem like a romantic book end.

Strong passion burns my body and soul; I feel the urge to express my admiration, even if moderately, before it explodes and I definitely lose control over my body and eventually find myself either engaged or restrained by a police order.

"Oh wow, that was simply amazing! How did you know that, Ryo?"

She suddenly became aware of the fact that she had just given a complete lecture on music to Kouma and started to blush.

"Well, I... I have been a m-moderator at Hikkipedia for a while, s-so I have read a few articles in order to c-correct them..."

"Don't forget you have been programming synthesizers for a while, too." Kouma says, proudly for some reason. "You had to learn a thing or two about music."

"Hey, you didn't tell me you were a synth programmer!" I say, and pat her back lightly (my self-control is a little stronger than I expected).

Kouma... kind of... grins. I think she is grinning. I'm not sure; this is way too creepy to look at directly.

"So you didn't know about Ryo being a composer..." She said it like she had an advantage on me or something. "Could it be that you don't know a thing about Ryo's famous works?"

"Actually, no, I don't. Tell me about it."

I'm not going to play Kouma's little game, whatever it is. I have been talking to Ryo for only a year, so it's obvious I don't know so much as Kouma does. And I really don't, but instead of letting it get to me I'll just use this opportunity to learn more about Ryo. Kouma might be a bad winner if she wants to, but I certainly won't act as a sore loser.

"Cut it out, Yon-chan. It's not a big deal." Ryo says and turn to face me, not blushing anymore. "It's just that when I started working on Visual Novel games I didn't have a team to work along, so besides writing I had to learn how to program and compose."

"Oh, right." Kouma's grin became a chuckle. Since our roles reversed, she teases me every chance she gets, and I don't even feel bad for teasing her anymore. This is probably the beginning of a weird friendship (if I can call it that). "You do know what a Visual Novel is, right?"

"Yes I do, thank you for asking." I might have spent most of my life living abroad, but I know a thing or two about Japanese pop culture. A Visual Novel is an interactive fiction game genre pretty much similar to Choose Your Own Adventure books. Not much of a game, now that I think about it. Anyway, Visual Novels are basically stories for computer or console with anime-style graphics and multiple endings. Oh, interesting. I just noticed something. "What about the graphics, Ryo? If you write, program and compose, who draws the characters and the background images?"

"That would be me." Kouma says, and my sensors detect a good amount of arrogance and pride in her voice. "The artist in the A.R.K. game and manga developing team, 4koma!"

It was my time to get back at her and burst her bubble. Better than that, I would do it in the best way I could: by telling the truth.

"Never heard of it. By the way, how did you manage to pronounce that?"

The grin in her face faded, and the lack of expressions I quickly grew used to come back. I kind of missed it, to be honest.

"What about you?" I look to Ryo. "Do you have an uncommon pen name as well?"

She took a small notebook and a pen out of her pockets and started writing. After she finished, she handed it to me. The word written on it was SCENARIO, clearly another pun. See, Kouma Yon's nickname is pronounced yonkoma. I think it's a type of comic strips with four panels. Ryo's nome de plume is pretty much obvious: the Japanese pronunciation for that word is Shiinaryo (which is probably why she chose to write it instead of saying it).

Even after understanding the reason of their pen names, there was still something bothering me.

"Ryo... your handwriting... is surprisingly bad."

"You should have seen her draw." Kouma agreed with me. It might be sad, but we can't deny such an obvious truth. "A real abomination. My eyes were soiled. I even offered to help her after seeing a drawing she made at elementary school, and I didn't even know how to draw back then."

Ryo simply shook her shoulders.

"Well, ''sue me for not being a Mary Sue''."

Despite the aftereffect of her rather imprecise and disturbing sentence pronounced in heavily accented English, we kept on chatting and unpacking for a while.

...

An hour later, Ryo raised her hands.

"How about... we take... a break?" She said, panting like she had just run a marathon. Ryo laid down on the couch until her breathing stabilized. When she noticed the worried look on my face, she tried to make a joke. "I don't have much stamina... because I have spent all of my points in intelligence."

Kouma did not seem surprised. Since they have known each other for a long time and even work together, I'm guessing Kouma experienced this situation a few times before and grew used to it. She looks at me and shakes her head.

"Don't worry; it happens once in a while. Her body isn't really strong, so she doesn't even get to participate in P.E. classes. Give her a couple minutes to rest and she will be fine."

I didn't know that about Ryo. In fact, I am starting to realize that there are a lot of things about her that I don't know. Things that matter.

"I'm so sorry, Ryo..."

She extended her arm and touched my hand lightly with her fingertips.

"It's not your fault. I decided to come by myself, so I'm the one to blame. I just need to rest a little..."

Her declaration doesn't make me feel any better about this. Ryo doesn't look well at all and she is only like that because she came to help me. I can't help but feel responsible about it. I know it's not directly my fault, but I can't get this thing out of my chest. I can't.

Kouma suddenly started moving.

"I'm hungry. We should go out and get something to eat."

"Good idea, I'm starving too." Ryo says, looking a little livelier than she was a few moments before.

"Not you." Kouma said, with surprising motherly care. "You will stay here and rest. I don't want to see you passing out on the streets."

"I can cook, you know." I say, my pride a little hurt. "And I know I didn't had time to go grocery shopping properly, but it's not like I don't have any food at home."

"I didn't mean it like that, Shin-tsu." Kouma looks at me and starts curling a lock of her hair with her index finger and thumb. "It's just that I already have something in mind since I was coming here, something I saw in the way. I'm not going to tell you what it is, so don't ask. Besides, we don't have time for cooking; there is still much to do."

"Okay, okay." I admit defeat. "Then let me at least give you some money. Paying for the snacks is the least I can do..." An idea strikes me; I can at least be useful at something. "...I can also make us some tea! Do you have a favorite flavor?"

"White tea for me!" Ryo says louder than necessary from the couch.

"So ''Oolong'', White and...?" Kouma just kept staring at me, so I continued. "Oh c’mon, just pick a flavor and..."

"So you're not coming?" She sounded a little angry, but she started talking in a lower voice as soon as she noticed that. "Do you really think I'm going to let you here alone with Ryo?"

"We can't leave her alone, not like that. And I can't go buy the snacks you want so much because you want to keep it a secret, so you'd better chose either to trust me or telling me what you want me to buy."

There was a long time of silence between my line and her reply.

"Fine." She finally said and then sent me a glance, this one with a message within: "You'd better not try anything funny while I'm not around or I'll come after you with hellhounds and zero mercy; even if you run, I will hunt you through the mist of Nifelheim and when I find you I will obliterate your soul completely after torturing you for over two thousand years."

I handed her some money and she left, leaving me to ponder the fact that her eyes can be impressibly full of expression when she wants to. And no, I wasn't surprised when she avoided the easy solution and instead gave me a chance to prove her I'm not as bad as she thinks. Not because I have done much to deserve it but simply because, despite her everyday mask, she is probably a very impulsive person at heart.

After the door closed, Ryo sighed.

"Yon-chan worries too much. I was not that bad, just tired." She does look better now, but it doesn't change the fact that she seemed pretty unhealthy a few moments ago. "Besides, if I don't make any physical effort, how is my body supposed to become stronger?"

"Your condition will only grow worse if you make too much effort. On the other hand, if you make none, your muscles will atrophy." I breathe, suddenly realizing that I am tired too. I walk into the kitchen and put the water to boil. "You need to take it easy and start with small things, so you can gain strength and stamina little by little. So no heavy weight lifting or such for now, okay?"

"Okay!" She smiles to me as I come back to the living room and my worries start to fade away. "By the way, don't you want to sit down?"

I had the impulse to do so, especially because I am kind of tired right now. Then I remembered Kouma's threats and decided not to push my luck in my second day in town. This kind of situation seems to instantly lead to a misunderstanding and domestic violence in manga, so I guess I'll be better off without being on the couch with Ryo.

"N-no, it's okay... I'll just stand up and watch the window for a while."

"It’s your loss, anyway." Ryo looks around, looking like she is still amazed. "This flat is really something, Shin-tsu. I knew that you travelled a lot, but I wasn't expecting your family to have this kind of money."

"Oh, it's not like that. Buying and selling buildings around the world is actually my parent's job. It's a family business, so we're not really rich or anything." She still looks a little bit confused, so I try to simplify it. I guess even smart people have problems understanding subjects not related to their interest areas. "Me living here is no different from a kid who gets free candy at his father's convenience store."

"Except I don't think there is such a thing as candy whose value surpass ten million yen." She shook her shoulders. "I'm a little jealous."

"Don't be, they are just trying to compensate for not being around." I am not sure if I'm ready to talk about this with someone, but I find myself unable to hold the words back. "Actually, it has always been like this. They don't make that much money because they technically still work for my grandfather and most of the houses belonged to him to start with, but they always worked really hard to pay for all the travels and constant moving. The rest of their money ended up on compensation gifts I didn't really want." I turn around to face the window. "I know I'm being childish and unfair, but I just wish they had spent a little more time with me inste-"

It was so sudden it took me some time to make sense of it. One moment I was having one of that dramatic inner monologues said out loud and then something struck me hard enough to make me lose my breath. I felt an overwhelming heat wave pass through every bit of my body, filling me of something I can't find the word to describe right now.

Ryo was hugging me from behind. Her slender arms were around my waist and she was holding to me tightly, as if I was going to fall if she didn't hold me strong enough. At that moment, I probably would.

"Don't worry." She rested her chin on my shoulder whispered in my ear. "I'm here. Everything will be okay now."

Now that I think about it, Ryo knows only a little bit about my life so far. She probably knows more about my personal life than I know about hers, though. It might sound weird, but she knows about my problems with Mystery. Not everything, but she knows enough. I am not sure if she believes it, but I don't think I care about that.

The weirdest thing is that this situation is familiar to me. I know this is not possible; I have only met Ryo in real life yesterday. However, I feel like we have done this a thousand times before in a distant past.

We stood like that for a while, until that beautiful moment was completely ruined by a cough. Not mine, not Ryo's. Go on, guess whose. Good job, Sherlock. Now if you don't mind, please find a way to get her into jail for what she is going to do to me. Better than that, come quickly enough to help me avoid being a murder victim. Please.

The tea kettle whistles higher and higher, as if measuring the rising anger in Kouma's once again expressive eyes. She marches through my living room, which unfortunately does look like a battlefield right now. Except the boxes won't serve as proper trenches against the fury of Kouma Yon, the Merciless Fashionista. Help!

== Part 5 ==

Never mind, Kouma didn't kill me. Not yet, at least. She said she would when Ryo wasn't around, but not right now. I hope she forgets it. No, that’s being too optimistic; Yon-chan doesn’t seem to be the kind of person who forgives or forgets anything. I’m most likely doomed.

The three of us are sitting at the kitchen bar. Once the misunderstanding was explained (with much effort, I must add), Kouma revealed the contents of the paper bag she had been carrying around. Fortunately for me, it wasn't a machete or a halberd. I guess it would be a hard task to hide a machete or a halberd inside a common paper bag. Not impossible for someone with a good imagination, but quite hard for a common person. Not that I think that there's anything common with Kouma Yon.

Still.

The thing she took out of the paper bag was something fish-shaped and apparently baked. Despite its odd look, I could smell something easily recognizable to me: red bean paste. My olfactory memory is much better than my visual memory, and even if it has been a long time since I last visited Japan, the same doesn't apply to the rest of Asia. I'm not sure if it is because of the smell, but this fish-cake thing seems really familiar to me.

I pick one of them.

"What is the name of this thing?” My Japanese speaking skills are not that bad, but some words still fail me every now and then. “I can't remember."

"So you really have spent a while outside Japan, huh?" Kouma says without much interest.

Ryo looks at me, serene as the sky.

"This is a ''Taiyaki''. It's a cake and it's delicious. Go on, try it."

I take a big bite.

"Oh, I was right about the filling!" It seems my nose didn't fool me. "This surely is ''chi xiao dou''."

"''Chi'' what?" The serenity in Ryo's face fades to curiosity.

"''Chi xiao dou''. It's the chinese name for the annual plant ''azuki'' bean, also known as ''Vigna angularis'' or ''Phaseolus angularis''. Widely grown throughout East Asia and the Himalayas. Is a member of the ''Fabaceae'' family and has ''Faboideae'' as subfamily." She suddenly becomes aware of the fact that she was the center of attention. "What are you staring at? It's not like you have the right to get all the good lines. Besides, my grandmother is chinese."

Surreal.

That is the only word I can use to describe this kind of situation. Sometimes everyone is so odd and the scenario feels so dreamlike it's hard to believe that this is not fiction. And it could be; this could all be a dream, even someone else's dream. I could probably take some time to consider the theory known as Anti-Realism, but right now I happen to have something else in my mind.

And it must have shown on my face, because Ryo started to stare at me.

"What is wrong, Shin-tsu? You seem a little disturbed."

"It's just that, well... Kouma-san has known you for a long time. That classifies her as a 'childhood friend', right?"

"Yes, it does." Said Ryo, curiously.

"And she loves ''Taiyaki''."

"Yes, I do." Said Kouma, awkwardly.

"And she is helping me unpack."

Kouma raised a fist.

"And what is that supposed to mean?"

I can only conclude this with a question.

"Did you really pay for that ''Taiyaki'' or did you just run with it?"

Ryo suddenly started laughing so hard I thought she was having a heart attack. No, maybe a soap opera dramatic heart attack. Real life heart attacks are not like that at all. Anyway, I wasn't the only one surprised by her reaction: Kouma also seemed to be completely dazed, which is indeed something rare. Ryo kept laughing for a while and it looked like she would never stopped doing so, but eventually she got tired and her laughter started to die down.

"Ha-ha, oh wow! I laughed so hard I actually cried..." She started to wipe away the tears. "My, I wasn't expecting a game reference from you..."

I was going to interrupt her and say I wasn't sure of what she meant, but I guess it would end up being at least another half an hour wasted, and right now we can't afford it.

So after eating and drinking tea, we resumed working.

== Part 6 ==

20:17.

She is late, and I'm not sure if that's a good thing. I mean, I didn't wanted her to come in the first place, but after spending a whole afternoon tidying my flat up, I would become rather disappointed if she didn't show up.

Kouma and Ryo left at 17:24 p.m. because they needed to work in a project that was already late in schedule. Apparently they were going to their studio at Kouma's place. I thanked them for their help and they left in quite a hurry, making me feel a little bad for making they come when they already had other plans. After that I kept unpacking and organizing. I even went down to the market and bought the ingredients to make curry rice. I have eaten it a few times, but never tried cooking it. Now it's time to test my chef skills.

No, I'm not going to start cooking now. I already have started it. Actually, I'm just letting it simmer right now. It might take 10 minutes, so I guess I can spend some time explaining the recipe. Are you ready to rock (or rather, cook)?

First, the ingredients. Let's start with the meat; I don't like to use a single kind of meat in every meal, so for this recipe you will need a quarter of a pound of pork and a quarter of a pound of beef. One onion, two big potatoes, three carrots, three and a half cups of water, a quarter of a pound of curry roux and four or five cups of steamed rice. You will need some vegetable oil too.

Once you got the ingredients, start by cooking the steam rice while you slice the onions and cut the carrots and potatoes into small pieces. Get a deep pan and heat the oil. Saute the meat in it (some might say it's not a good idea to put both the beef and the pork together, but they would end up mixed sooner or later). Add the vegetables and saute them together with the meat. After that, pour water in the pan and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat to low and simmer the ingredients for 30 minutes. Don't forget to skim off any impurities that rise to the surface. Add curry roux and simmer for 10 minutes. Serve the curry over steamed rice.

The recipe is easy and it seems like the result is going to be really good. Thank you, Internet!

''You're welcome.''

Oh, you're back.

''Don't mind me, I just came because I wanted some curry.''

Really? So today you didn't come to bring me down and fill my head with paranoia. You just want some curry.

''Yeah, it smells divine.''

You, a mysterious voice inside my head, wants to eat my curry.

''Pretty much; that recipe serves four portions, so you will still have more than enough for you and your teacher.
Is there a problem with me wanting to eat some curry?''

No, not at all. Everything is just fine. Except the obvious, of course. You don't have a mouth, a nose, a stomach or even a physical body for that matter. Just that small issue. Other than that, no problems.

''You're right...''

The voice went silent for about ten seconds.

''...well, then I won't be getting any curry. I guess it could be worse, though.''

How so?

''I could be you and have to find a way to pretend my legal guardians weren't around right now but would soon come soon, the whole night.
And if I were you, I wouldn't even have legal guardians on the country.''

Just wait a second, I...

''Yet I would have to pretend and lie until she either found out the truth and made the situation weirder by telling it on school or went home for tonight and came back in a near future, eventually learning the truth and resulting in the same ending for you.
So yeah, not having a body is not the end of the world.
I'm really glad to be myself instead of being you.''

...t-t-thank you for your kindness and cheerful words. I feel so much better now.

''Once again, you're welcome.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to leave you alone with the teacher.
She will arrive in three...
two...
one...''

The doorbell rang precisely on time.

I know my own capabilities very well and I wouldn’t be able to hear someone walking to my front door from the kitchen, especially considering the flat’s acoustics. It would be an impossible task for any human being, and it confirms a hypothesis I started working on since that little situation at the Le Ciel Bleu café; the voice on the back of my head is not mine at all.

Still astonished, I turned off the oven and went to answer the door.

"Good evening, Koukishin-kun."

The figure of the woman standing in front of me certainly didn't look like the one I have met in the classroom. While in school the teacher was simply the definition of neat, the one I see here is someone who could easily pass as a NEET. Forget the serious teacher outfit, Reikoku-sensei is fine with a hand knit sweater and white wool pants. She had let her hair down and it was surprisingly longer than I expected it to be based on the size of her bun. Her face was now calm and almost friendly and she was carrying a plastic market bag full of instant ramen. I barely recognized her.

"...sensei?"

"I'm sorry for being so late. There was a big line at the convenience store because a woman insisted that she wanted her change back. Now that I think about it, I would have done the same. Maybe not, if I was under the same circumstances. Anyway, aren't you going to let me in?"

I was a little bit too shocked. I mean, even her speaking style has changed.

"Oh, sure." I shake my head. "Yes. Please come in."

"Well, well..." She walks in and scans the whole place with her eyes. "This is a lot less messy than I thought it would be. I bet you spent the whole day trying to tidy the place."

"Yeah, I did."

"Then it's a good thing that I've bought us dinner." Reikoku-sensei hands me the bag. "You just need to add hot water and we'll be able to eat it in three minutes."

"Actually, I cooked our dinner." I say, proudly. I didn't realized at that moment that she being unaware of the fact that I had food at home(and worse than that, she had brought just two cup noodles' units with her when she wasn't supposed to assume it would be just us) was something to be concerned about. It's always easier to think about the details when the opportunity is gone, isn't it? "Tonight we'll have curry rice."

She seemed to be pondering over that.

"I guess that explains that apron you're wearing. I was starting to think you had a thing for cross-dressing or something."

"What are you talking about? Every great chef wears an apron! I-it's not like I enjoy cross-dressing or anything!"

That last bit went out on its own, and after I said it I only wished I could take it back.

"Yeah, a real chef would wear an apron. It's just that the one you're wearing is pink and frilly, and your face is not really manly. Just look at yourself; it doesn't make you look like a chef, it makes you look like a maid."

Despite being called "girly", I was actually glad she ignored my tsundere reaction towards cross-dressing. I'm pretty sure she would have a witty comment for me. I know she would. The best I could do at that moment was to distract her. I needed to be sure that she wouldn't start thinking about that, and I started to serve the curry. After doing so, I took my apron off and put on my robe and wizar-

What I meant to say is that I knelt on the floor and we started eating.
The weirdest thing is that despite her sarcastic remarks, unusual questions and rather manipulative ways, she was really nice to me. Nicer than she seemed to be to everyone in class, anyway. She seemed genuinely interested in talking about trivial things, and never made a question too deep or personal (well, except that one about my kitchen utensil collection). She even helped me do the dishes after dinner. Who would have seen that coming, really?

We played a few short chess games(and when I say "short" I mean she beat me up so quickly I can only believe she was cheating, somehow), watched a zombie movie from the 60's and listened to some remastered old-school jazz recordings(unlike Ryo and me, she doesn't play any instruments or program; she just loves listening to jazz). It was a great night, after all.

Around eleven o' clock she stood up.

"I guess it's time for me to go, Koukishin-kun. We have played quite a bit and I am tired. I'm just glad I don't really need to write a report about you now, otherwise I wouldn't get my beauty sleep." She shook my hand firmly and walked to the door. "I had a great time. See you tomorrow at school."

There was only a single thing in my mind, and it was "WHAAAAAAAAAAAT?".

"W-wait! You don't need to write a report for tomorrow? Then this wasn't a routine home visit after all!" I screamed. "You haven't even met my pare- ck!"

She looked at me and her expression was clearly saying ‘gotcha!’.

"You are right about this not being a routine home visit, but I never said I was expecting to meet your parents tonight or something like that. You assumed that, and you were wrong. Please don't take me for an idiot; as a responsible teacher I had checked your documents and I already knew you were a... say, recently emancipated minor from abroad."

We both knew that wasn't quite the situation.

"Why have you come here, then?"

"You're kind of slow sometimes." She stopped for a while, probably searching for the proper words. "I came to spend some time with you, obviously. I, of all people, know how it feels to live by yourself and have to eat dinner alone every night. I also had to... emancipate myself at 15 and it was kind of depressing, so I decided to come and see if you were doing alright."

The shock made me feel really odd.

"I didn't know that."

"And how could you? Practically no one here does, and you just came yesterday. By the way, you know too much already; I'm not telling anything else about my past." She combed her hair with her fingers. "My reasons to come and spend time with you might be selfish, but I'm only trying to do what I wish someone did to be back then. Sometimes all we need is a little company, even if only for an hour."

At first words failed me.

"...thank you for coming, sensei. I really appreciate it."

"Don't worry. Now you know I'm doing it out of my own selfishness, so cut it out." Reikoku-sensei sighed. "So you'll keep my liking for splatter films a secret and I promise not to say anything about your little familiar situation. Deal?"

"Deal."

"You also need to understand that I won't treat you any different from the rest of the class just because you are living on your own or because we are, say, friends. Not in class, though."

"I'm okay with that too, sensei."

She nodded, satisfied.

"Good. Farewell and good night, Koukishin-kun." She turned her back to me and started walking. "I might drop by to have dinner with you and play chess again someday."

I kept looking to the streets for a while after she left.

Closing the door, I go straight to my bedroom. I feel pretty tired, but this was certainly an interesting day for me. I think I found the word for that thing I felt when Ryo hugged me. It's the same thing I am feeling right now. The word is hope. I think I might have finally found my place in the world and it feels great.

After texting Ryo "good night", I fell asleep.

<noinclude>
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| Back to [[The_Longing_Of_Shiina_Ryo:Volume1 Chapter 1: Ryo|Chapter 1: Ryo]]
| Return to [[The_Longing_Of_Shiina_Ryo|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[The_Longing_Of_Shiina_Ryo:Volume1 Chapter 3: Kouma|Chapter 3: Kouma]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

The Longing Of Shiina Ryo:Volume1 Chapter 2: Reikoku

2010-09-18T16:40:48Z

ZaX: /* Part 1 */

== Part 1 ==

"...Koukishin Shinzou." I finish writing my name on the blackboard. "You can call me Shin-tsu, if you want to."

I guess this is quite easy to explain. I got nicknamed Shin-tsu in one of the schools I've been, because the ''kanji'' in the end of Koukishin is the same as the one in the beginning of Shinzou. The "tsu" is the result of the Japanese pronounciation of two, I guess. I'm not so sure now. And it's not like I came up with that nickname myself.

When I turn around to face the class, I meet the gaze of those who are (from this point on) my classmates. They all seem friendly and happy to see a new student from abroad. Strangely, I can't help noticing they are all girls. Every single one of them. Now that I think about it, I haven't seen a male student since I got here. It sounds weird, but I don't think I want to any questions that could lead to a harem development right now...

In the midst of the curious looks I see Ryo waving at me from her chair at the back of the class. She looked particularly beautiful in her school uniform, and she was radiant. She radiated a wave of happiness that seemed to pass through the whole class and reach me, and I could feel an extension of her smile forming on my lips.

The teacher coughed and brought me back to reality.

"You can sit on that empty chair at the back, the closest to Kouma-san." She pointed to the back of the class where I could see the chair she assigned me to. I would sit between Kouma Yon and another empty chair. Looking back at my teacher, I noticed that when her gaze fell on the second empty chair she seemed suspiciously unpleased. This was only confirmed by a whisper following that, so low I was most likely the only one that could hear it. “Interesting.”

A girl with braids raised her hand quickly.

"But that's Minato's place, Reikoku-sensei!"

The teacher just shook her head in denial, but her brown hair didn't move a single millimeter. Almost as if the hairspray had made it solid as a rock. She probably spent hours working on that bun, and it is certainly a practical hairstyle: it makes her look serious and could defend her from a meteor falling from the sky.

"I'm afraid not." She pressed her temple. "Not anymore. I was informed this morning that Minato's family just moved, due to her father's new job in a big company."

It sounded like everyone in class had decided to talk (or rather, scream like caged monkeys at the sight of a banana mountain) at the same time. They all seemed to be so surprised with the sudden departure of their colleague that I felt like I had become old news already. The ear-shattering noise went on for a while, but it was so solid I felt like it would go on and on, forever.

The teacher raised her open hand and started to close it slowly, finger by finger. A few students noticed the quiet countdown and started warning the others as quickly as they could. They seemed to be truly afraid of what happened at the end of the countdown. Before she reached the number four, the class was silent once again.

Ms. Reikoku lowered her hand and gazed at me. At that moment I realized that she had already told me where I should seat and I was in her way to start class. I hurried to the empty chair, without knowing exactly what I was afraid of. Now that I think about it, it's much scarier when you don't know what the monster looks like.

The desk I ended up with was on the last row, located by the window. I sat by Kouma's side, and smiled shyly at her.

"Hello..." I try to think of a proper honorific to use, but I haven't been in Japan for a while and this is harder than it seems. Sometimes it's hard to think that I'm actually Japanese; I've spent most of my life living abroad. In the end, I decide to go with a neutral honorific. "...Kouma-san, right?"

She simply looks at me without a trace of expression on her face and makes the V sign with her fingers. After that, her attention just goes back to the other person sitting by her side, Ryo. She just kept talking to Ryo like I wasn't even there for a while, and now she keeps blocking my way when I try to talk to Ryo. It looks like she is jealous or something. In this moment, this Kouma girl is literally between me and Ryo.

Ryo managed to look at me and give me one of her cat-like grins when the girl with the razor cut fringe was distracted. It was just a simple gesture and nothing but one of the oldest forms of communication known by mankind, but it meant more than words to me.

After that small yet significant commotion about the girl who transferred, the day was calm. It took me a while to get used to the kanji used in class, but Ryo helped me with that and said that it was only expected since I've been living outside of Japan for a while. When the rest of the class heard Ryo saying that, they started to ask me if I needed any help and stuff. I felt a little bit like a foreigner in my own country (which is partially the truth, anyway), but they were all very helpful. So in the end, it was a great start for a first day and everyone in class was pretty much nice to me...

...and everything felt alright until lunchtime.

== Part 2 ==

When the bell rang, the three of us stood up and decided to go to the cafeteria. I forgot to make a lunchbox and I was starving, so I need to buy something to eat. Ryo saved the day by offering to show me the cafeteria. Kouma had brought her lunch from home, but she insisted in coming with us (and I'm betting that she doesn't want me to be alone with Ryo) instead of going directly to the rooftop, where they told me they usually eat. We were just about to leave class when...

"Koukishin-kun, come here for a minute."

...our teacher decided to talk to me.

I look around to tell the girls to wait for me, but they had already vanished.

"Yes..." I said, and then remembered that I was in Japan and honorifics were the thin line between being polite or not. Which was probably the reason my teacher was staring at me with that evil look in her eyes. "...sensei?"

Ms. Reikoku proceeded, apparently satisfied.

"Because of your sudden transfer, you are the only student in this class I hadn't the chance to home visit yet. Still, I need to finish writing down the report on all students currently attending my class for the meeting tomorrow morning." She paused for a second, and I noticed that she looked a little bit angry. Probably because my transfer probably ruined her organization scheme; she seemed to be someone that liked everything in perfect order and freaked out when they weren't. "Without further ado, I'll be at your front door tonight by eight post meridian, also known as twenty o'clock. Any questions?"

I tried to think of something to say, but nothing came to me.

"...no, sensei."

"Good." She waved her hand and her gaze went back to the notebooks on her desk. "Dismissed."

I bowed and walked out of the room. Ryo and Kouma were waiting for me on the hall, but after seeing my face they must have decided that it wasn't a good moment to ask about my conversation with our teacher.

...

We went downstairs and then moved to another building, where the cafeteria was located.

...

I ordered Gyudon by pointing.

...

We came back to the first building and went upstairs to the same floor where our class was located.

...

After walking through the hall we reached another stair, which led to the rooftop.

...

We sat on the rooftop and started eating silently.

...

I put my chopsticks down and breathed deeply.

...

"GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

As I screamed after being completely silent for several minutes, the birds on the rooftop flew away and the world seemed to stop moving. It was almost a cinematographic scene, but I didn't felt like I was going to get a golden statuette for demonstrating my despair in public.

Since I used all the air in my lungs, it took me a while to regularize my breathing. Kouma and Ryo just looked at me with curiosity in their eyes, but they did not seem shocked.

"...I guess I'm ready to talk now."

I sit down, calmer than I was a few seconds ago but still full of tension.

“Go on, it will be good for you. Talk to us." Ryo said but quickly corrected herself after looking at Kouma, whose attention seemed to be completely drawn to her Udon. "Talk to me." 

"Reikoku-sensei will pay me a home visit tonight, but haven't unpacked yet and there is so much to do that I don't think I could do it if I skipped classes." I sighed, hopeless. "Which is probably what I'm going to do." 

"You shouldn't skip classes, Shin-tsu!" Ryo seemed genuinely angry. "It's your first day at school!" 

"Why all the drama?" Kouma said suddenly joining the conversation. "Can't you just call home and ask your parents for help?" 

"No, he can't because..." Ryo stopped herself.

"It's okay, Ryo." This little detail was going to show up sooner or later, so I'd better just say it and end the subject. "I can't ask my parents for help because I'm living on my own now."

There, I said it. Now what comes next is a long awkward silence and then a subject change...

"We'll help you."

...not. Ryo surprised me by subverting the common flow of the conversation.

"...what?" 
"We will help you unpack and tidy up." Ryo seems pretty excited about this, but I can't think of a reason why. "If it's the three of us, we'll probably make it and..." 
"Wait a second, Ryo-chan." Kouma interrupted. "I never said I was going to help, so don't include me in this cleaning group out of your own will." 
"Oh, come on Yon-chan..." 

I make a hand sign to Ryo, telling her to stop talking. I think I have a plan.

"I guess it can't be helped if Kouma-san doesn't want to come." I make a calculated pause in my speech. "Don't worry, Ryo; even if it's just the two of us, all by ourselves the whole day through, in a big flat without adults to supervise us and a romantic and astonishing view of the city, we might be able to finish tidying up." I smile maliciously to Ryo. "Unless we lose track of time while engaging in... other activities."

For a split second I thought my plan had failed miserably, but Kouma raised her hand without looking at me.

"... I'm coming."

After saying that she resumed eating her Udon silently and I kind of felt bad for having to tease Kouma like this.

No, not really. And it's not like I did it just for fun(not entirely, anyway); there's a lot to do and I certainly need all the help I can get. So, my ends justify my means(especially when it's fun).

We kept quiet for the rest of the meal, mostly because I knew that if I looked at Ryo's face at that moment we would start laughing and ruin everything up. Then we suppressed the laughs that wanted to be set free, ate and went back to class.

== Part 3 ==

It's funny to think that I was incredibly nervous only a few seconds ago, because a few seconds before I've heard the doorbell ring I felt a wave of relief passing through me. It was sudden and apparently at random, but I felt peace, like it was the calm after the storm.

"Just a second!"

I ran through my flat to answer the door, taking care to avoid the piles of boxes I hadn't unpacked yet. Obviously I started unpacking before the girls came because, well, I didn't want to look like a lazy guy.

As soon as I realize that the door key is not in my pocket, I start searching for it in my house (which, thanks to the boxes, was a tough task). In the end, my efforts were wasted: the key had been in the door the whole time. When I saw that, I died a little bit inside.

I open the door and see two faces that are quickly becoming familiar. Kouma and Ryo came 2 minutes earlier than we planned, which is good; we have a full day ahead of us and if they were late I am not sure if we would be able to make it. I do have a lot of boxes, and even if I moved the boxes to the first and second floors, the ground floor would look rather empty(especially because the shelves and cabinets are already here). So, the teacher would come and see I live in a place with closets and bookshelves and even an antique mahogany cupboard of which I'm very proud of(but would never admit it in front of people) with absolutely nothing on them. Which would be extremely embarrassing and...

...I did it again, didn't I?

"Sorry for making you guys wait." I shake my head and wave the random thoughts away. "I had a hard time finding the key. Please come in." 

"Sorry for intruding." Ryo steps in with the grace of, uh, something very gracious. You can't possibly expect me to think about clever or poetic comparisons all the time. I'm not that smart.

Kouma entered just after her, but she didn't say a thing until she noticed that she was not minding her manners...

"I'm not going to say I'm sorry for intruding because technically you invited me and I'm the one doing a favor." She says it looking directly at me. "And I only came because I didn't want Ryo to be here alone with you. If I'm sorry for anyone, it is for myself."

...and instead of doing so, she only made the situation worse by making a declaration of war under my roof without a trace of shame on her face. That's Kouma Yon for you.

"This place is huge!" Ryo wasn't paying attention to her friend, which is good. I guess. "You've got to be kidding me; you're living by yourself in a flat with three, having even a spiral staircase? A spiral staircase! I've always dreamed of a spiral staircase!" She kept running from a point to another like a little kid in a theme park. She went all the way up the stairs and screamed, her voice echoing in the second floor's empty space and finding its way to the ground level. "Look at this view! You said it was romantic, but this is simply the epitome of awesome!"

I was thinking about telling her that this place wasn't that great compared to the mansion we had at England or the ''château'' at Vallée de la Loire, but I stopped myself before I ended up sounding snobby. Let's just keep it a secret between you and me, okay?

It's interesting to compare Ryo's cheerfulness and Kouma's lack thereof. I wonder how those two ended up being friends. Well, people do say that opposites attract; I'm just not quite sure if magnetic fields are the same as relationships of any kind.

Not that I'm an expert in magnetic fields. Or relationships. Just saying.

As I closed the door, Kouma started taking steps through the ground level. Her falcon eyes made up for the lack of expression in her face. After a minute of silence, she decided to enlighten us with one of her amusing comments.

"A huge mess, really." No kidding, Sherlock. "Did you really need to bring so much stuff with you?"

"Yes, I did. I wouldn't stay away from my CD collection, my board games or my kitchen utensils." Wait, that didn't went out right. Worse than that, Ryo came along just in time to hear me talking about my girly collection. Think, boy, think! "Did I say 'kitchen utensils'? I meant my secret manly stuff. Because I'm a manly guy who likes manly stuff. I’m really manly. Like a pirate. Harr."

"...right." Kouma just looked at me with disbelief in her eyes. "So, you're here since Saturday night, right?" I nodded. "Why didn't you start unpacking at Sunday?"

"I can answer that one, matey!" Ryo raised her hand, clearly getting into the pirate character. "Me fellow Shin-tsu couldn't swab the decks of his ship at Sunday 'cuz we went down to the port for some grub and ended up singin' ol' chanteys till nite."

It took me a while to understand that she was telling Kouma about our Sunday meeting. At first I thought my Japanese skills had failed me, but I guess I talk better than I read(except when it comes to understand girls impersonating pirates, perhaps).

Kouma seemed to be having a hard time making sense of Ryo's speech, so I translated it to her...

"What our corsair Ryo was saying is that we met for the first time in real life at Sunday and after going out to eat, we spent the day together. By the time I came home, it was getting late and I was too tired to unpack, so I just slept."

...which was not such a smart move, now that I thought about it.

I felt a dark aura emanating from Kouma's body and I feared for my life. I was certain I would be killed at that moment. Curiosity killed the cat, huh? Then why am I the one who is going down? It's all Kouma's fault! She is the one who asked too many questions!

...I wonder if the cat died because he was so curious about a box that he entered it to see how it was from the inside. Probably. Then, at that very moment a theoretical physicist walked in and closed the box, making an internal mechanism release poison inside the box. Now that I think about it, I can't tell if the cat is dead or not because the box was closed when he entered it. And technically (since there were no holes to watch the cat), the cat would run out of air pretty quickly, with or without the poison.

I reach the conclusion that I don't like physicists very much, and neither do cats.
I'm not sure if you noticed, but I'm trying to think of something else while Kouma kills me in the most dreadful way she can imagine(unfortunately for me, she does look like someone with an excellent imagination). Which she is going to start doing any minute now... Any minute now...

"We're wasting time here." Kouma exhales lightly. "Let's stop fooling around; we need to get this done."

Despite her obvious anger, Kouma managed to keep her control and act with much more maturity than I expected. Which is good for me, since her self-control in these situations is probably the thing that stopped her from smiting me with her bare hands. However, I am kind of disappointed now. It's not like I'm a person with suicidal tendencies or anything, but her reaction didn't quite met my expectancies. Don't judge me, you were expecting a violent reaction yourself.

I raise my hands in defeat.

"Okay, we've played a little bit, let's get down to business."

Ryo suddenly saluted.

"Sir, permission to go to the bathroom, sir!"

It's like she is a little kid, really. Deciding to go to the bathroom just when we are about to start working...

I guess it could be considered cute if we didn't have such a tight schedule.

Twice as cute if it didn't have a toilet involved.

"...permission granted, it's the second door over there." She saluted again and walked away. "And that's not a pirate, it's a soldier!"

Once the bathroom door closed, I was alone with Kouma. You can imagine what happened.

Right, nothing did. Kouma didn't say a word since Ryo left the room, and it's quite disturbing. I mean, it's obvious that she is good friends with Ryo and once I intend to spend a great deal of time with Ryo, I'll end up spending a considerable amount of this time (probably most of it) with Kouma too. However, the girl didn't liked me from the start and I haven't done much to change this situation (actually, I've met her today and I have already teased her twice).

Girls tell everything to each other and when they're close friends they can talk about any subject, right? Plus, friends can influence the others with their opinions. If someday Ryo got mad at me, she would probably talk about it with Kouma. Who would probably bad mouth me and make my situation even worse. Basically, my friendship with Ryo might depend someday on that girl's opinion on me. And I have started with the left foot. Way to go, champion.

Well, there might be still a hope: I could be incredibly nice to her from now on and make her change her mind! And this is the perfect occasion to put my plan into practice: I'm alone with Kouma, so no external interferences will affect the course of our conversation. I just need to pick a topic.

Which would be an easy task if I only knew her interests. Besides Ryo, I mean. It's kind of weird, really. The spark that glows in her eyes every time she sees Ryo makes me think of that nurse in Misery. Creepy, but she is still Ryo's best friend and I need to impress her.

Oh, I know! I could talk about her clothes! Girls love fashion, right? Also, everyone loves a compliment, so if I manage to say good things about her dressing style I might be able to score a point or two and start a friendly relationship out of this.

Alright, I'll do my best!

Gooo~od morning, Miami! Welcome to Fashion Week! On the catwalk, Kouma Yon! She is sixteen, 5'3 feet tall and a full b-cup (believe me; I have a good eye for that kind of thing)! Kouma is wearing dark skinny jeans, a brown cashmere V-neck sweater and the most fabulous silk scarf I have ever seen! Some will say it might not be the best choice of clothing to use when you're going to unpack boxes, but when this girl decides to get down to work she will most certainly do it with style!

...I could just go with the simple, straight (pun intended) way.

"You're looking really good dressed like that, Kouma-san. Err... It's a shame that our school's uniform rules won't allow you to show your true beauty."

She looks deep into my eyes.

"Please don't hit on me. You're weird and I don't have the slightest interest in 3D boys."

...I must confess that I wasn't expecting this.

"What the...? A female 2D lover? That's not even possible! There are no giggle.com results for that!" I keep struggling with the idea of a pretty girl with a great sense of fashion who is only interested in anime characters; it certainly doesn't sound right. "And I wasn't hitting on you; I was just trying to be nice! Why do you need to be like that? Have I done something wrong?" And I add, in a much lower voice. "Is teasing the only way I can get to you?"

She stayed still for what seemed to be centuries and then started muttering something unintelligible.

"What did you say?"

"...it's not personal. Really." She finally said. "Please sit down, Koukishin-kun. We need to talk."

"Okay." Her voice was a little different. We sat on the couch next to the stairs, which was probably a strategic move on Kouma's part since from that point she could observe the bathroom door. That's why I assumed that our little talk was going to be about Ryo. "And like I said earlier, you can call me Shin-tsu. No need for family names or honorifics."

"Understood, Shin-tsu." I was done with the teasing, but it still felt good to see Kouma having a hard time talking to me without being able to sound indifferent or impersonal. It obviously wasn't easy for her. "We must talk as quickly as possible, since we don't know how much time we've got."

"Right."

She sighed deeply.

"I'm sorry if I made you think I had something against you. It wasn't intentional; I'm just not fond of people." Kouma stopped herself for two seconds of meditation. "This is probably the reason why Ryo-chan is my only friend in the world."

Despite her usual lack of facial expressions, that sentence showed me that the girl facing me had feelings. It kind of hurt because I was in the exact same boat as she was: currently Ryo was my only friend in the world as well. I wanted to interrupt her and say that I understood her and that we could be friends, but I know that you can't just decide something like that; it takes time and several moments together before you can form bonds with someone, and we've only met today.

Besides, she looked like she still had much to talk and not a good amount of time to do so.

"I think I have been acting childishly towards you, and I apologize." Actually, I'm the one who was having fun teasing her. Listening her apologize to me when I was also at fault made me feel bad. "I was jealous. I still am, actually. You've managed to do something I have been trying to do for months just by saying you'd come here."

"What are you talking about? What have I done?"

"You made Ryo-chan smile."

No words could describe what I felt at that very moment. Especially because I had too many mixed feelings about her statement: happy because the fact that I was moving here cheered up Ryo, concerned about the fact that she was unhappy before my announcement and particularly intrigued because I don't remember anything about Ryo being sad and we talked every day, about everything. This last one is tricky, because either Kouma is lying or Ryo has been hiding something from me. I guess I'll have to give them both the benefit of the doubt for now and investigate a little more on both sides.

I've been in this kind of situation (conflicting experiences and arguments) before, so I'm used to dealing with it. I'm just glad that, despite requiring a little bit of investigation in order to find the truth, this doesn't smell like Mystery at all (actually, it smells like teen drama, which is not much of a big deal). I'm still safe.

"So Ryo was sad before I said I was moving here, huh?"

"Yes, she had been like that for three months. She kept smiling and saying everything was okay, but I could tell that she was depressed just by looking at her." Based on what I saw today, I bet she does that a lot. "No one else seemed to notice it, but I have known her since kindergarten; if anyone can understand Ryo, it's me... or that's what I used to believe."

"What do you mean by that?"

Kouma took another breath like she was having a hard time focusing.

"I need your help."

She certainly doesn't look like the kind of person that says that a lot. Since she stopped talking at that moment and I could see that the bathroom door was still closed, I try to guess what she wants.

"You want me to find out the reason for Ryo's sadness? How am I supposed to do that? Do you want me to pray for a miniature moon or something?"

Kouma waved her hand.

"No, that task is mine. I know Ryo better than you do, and my odds of making her talk are much bigger than yours because I'm a girl and I have been by her side for the past ten years. I just need you to keep her happy until she feels comfortable to talk about that problem of hers. Just keep doing your job and she will be fine. Also, stop quoting nearly-unknown songs from the early nineties."

"You shouldn't talk like that when you're asking someone for help."

"I never asked you for help. I said I needed it, and I know you will help me because you want the best for Ryo too. I am not begging you, I am giving you a list of your tasks."

I do want the best for Ryo, but I don't enjoy being used as a toy. This Kouma girl is completely impertinent. She took it to a whole new level. I mean, how dare she say that to me in my own house?

"What if I don't cooperate?"

She sighed.

"If you don't want to be near her, I can't force you. I'm not very supportive of you being friends with Ryo, but I'm not against it either. Really. The more the merrier. I can even ignore your disturbing lack of honorifics towards her, if I must." She looked around and then looked at me again, staring at my jugular. "On the other hand, if you make her life just a little more painful, I'll make you wish you were dead and after I have my fun I'll grant that wish. Do you understand me?"

I wanted to talk back, I really did. However, what I saw in her eyes wasn't the same thing as before. It wasn't anger or sadness: those were mere paper masks of a deeper feeling that kept growing inside her and was consuming her soul quickly. I have seen that before, and every time I see it I just hope it's the last time. She would do anything to reach her goals (whatever they were), even if it meant killing or dying. In front of my eyes, the horrendous face of desperation.

This is starting to sound like Mystery, and I don't like it.

"Have you guys done any work yet?" Ryo said as she walked out of the bathroom wearing hair in a ponytail. I noticed that she was also wearing make-up now, which she doesn't seem to do a lot (justifying the amount of time she spent inside that bathroom). She did a surprisingly good job for someone without any experience in the field. It's not like I'm an expert or anything. "We don't have much time."

"Are you done with pirate talking already?" I turn back to Kouma and extend my arm with a smile on my face. "Come on, sailor: we need to keep up with the plan!"

Kouma understood it at once and shook my hand with tremendous force. We stood up and I did my best to pretend there was no tension between me and her. Now I'm worried about both Ryo and Kouma, but I can't let that show.

I might need to save them both in the future. Right now, the only thing I need to tidy up is my house.

"Raise the anchor! This ship is sailing!"

Ryo saluted in the cheeriest way.

"Aye aye Capt'n!"

== Part 4 ==

"Guitars usually have six strings. Why does yours have only five?"

Kouma is much more talkative (and interesting) when Ryo is around. She raised a fairly decent question that probably bugged a lot of people that were too shy to ask, thinking they would be treated like idiots by the ones who knew the answer. The point is: when she is with Ryo, Kouma Yon is almost innocent.

I was about to explain it when Ryo started talking.

"While technically still a guitar, the electric bass guitar is quite different from the guitars most people are used to. The electric bass' standard tuning is an octave lower than the guitar standard tuning. Keep in mind that most bass guitars have 4 strings, which correspond to the four lower strings of the electric guitar." She took a breath, and her unexplainable burst of knowledge about an area I love was so intense that I think I lost mine. "Shin-tsu owns a five-string bass, which is a variation of the standard four-string bass tuned to the same pitches as the contrabass used mainly in symphony orchestra and jazz bands. So, his bass is not missing a string, it has an extra string that delivers an extended lower range By the way, the standard tuning for a five-string bass is B-E-A-D-G, which stands to Si-Mi-La-Re-Sol, right? Ti-Mi-La-Re-So if using the variant note name list which uses Ut as Do."

I was so astonished that I could only nod. Words failed me. Big. Time.

Let's get some things straight.

First, I was expecting anyone but Ryo to talk like a robot. Kouma doing that would have been alright, and Reikoku-sensei looks just the kind of person that says the content of encyclopedia articles during a casual conversation with a friend (and I don't even think she has one); Ryo doing it was a completely unforeseen development for that scene.

Second, I have never felt so attracted to her as I am right now. Everything was so beautifully precise and sudden that I almost cried like a baby watching scenes of a postmodern movie. Bad comparison. Nevertheless. If only she had finished that perfect explanation with a funky, mind-blowing bass solo I would be asking her to marry me right now. I swear I would.

Third... there is no third. I guess it's the second all over again. Yes, I would gladly marry her twice. Yes, I would even go as far as divorcing my geeky wife just to win her back and marry her again, making our lives seem like a romantic book end.

Strong passion burns my body and soul; I feel the urge to express my admiration, even if moderately, before it explodes and I definitely lose control over my body and eventually find myself either engaged or restrained by a police order.

"Oh wow, that was simply amazing! How did you know that, Ryo?"

She suddenly became aware of the fact that she had just given a complete lecture on music to Kouma and started to blush.

"Well, I... I have been a m-moderator at Hikkipedia for a while, s-so I have read a few articles in order to c-correct them..."

"Don't forget you have been programming synthesizers for a while, too." Kouma says, proudly for some reason. "You had to learn a thing or two about music."

"Hey, you didn't tell me you were a synth programmer!" I say, and pat her back lightly (my self-control is a little stronger than I expected).

Kouma... kind of... grins. I think she is grinning. I'm not sure; this is way too creepy to look at directly.

"So you didn't know about Ryo being a composer..." She said it like she had an advantage on me or something. "Could it be that you don't know a thing about Ryo's famous works?"

"Actually, no, I don't. Tell me about it."

I'm not going to play Kouma's little game, whatever it is. I have been talking to Ryo for only a year, so it's obvious I don't know so much as Kouma does. And I really don't, but instead of letting it get to me I'll just use this opportunity to learn more about Ryo. Kouma might be a bad winner if she wants to, but I certainly won't act as a sore loser.

"Cut it out, Yon-chan. It's not a big deal." Ryo says and turn to face me, not blushing anymore. "It's just that when I started working on Visual Novel games I didn't have a team to work along, so besides writing I had to learn how to program and compose."

"Oh, right." Kouma's grin became a chuckle. Since our roles reversed, she teases me every chance she gets, and I don't even feel bad for teasing her anymore. This is probably the beginning of a weird friendship (if I can call it that). "You do know what a Visual Novel is, right?"

"Yes I do, thank you for asking." I might have spent most of my life living abroad, but I know a thing or two about Japanese pop culture. A Visual Novel is an interactive fiction game genre pretty much similar to Choose Your Own Adventure books. Not much of a game, now that I think about it. Anyway, Visual Novels are basically stories for computer or console with anime-style graphics and multiple endings. Oh, interesting. I just noticed something. "What about the graphics, Ryo? If you write, program and compose, who draws the characters and the background images?"

"That would be me." Kouma says, and my sensors detect a good amount of arrogance and pride in her voice. "The artist in the A.R.K. game and manga developing team, 4koma!"

It was my time to get back at her and burst her bubble. Better than that, I would do it in the best way I could: by telling the truth.

"Never heard of it. By the way, how did you manage to pronounce that?"

The grin in her face faded, and the lack of expressions I quickly grew used to come back. I kind of missed it, to be honest.

"What about you?" I look to Ryo. "Do you have an uncommon pen name as well?"

She took a small notebook and a pen out of her pockets and started writing. After she finished, she handed it to me. The word written on it was SCENARIO, clearly another pun. See, Kouma Yon's nickname is pronounced yonkoma. I think it's a type of comic strips with four panels. Ryo's nome de plume is pretty much obvious: the Japanese pronunciation for that word is Shiinaryo (which is probably why she chose to write it instead of saying it).

Even after understanding the reason of their pen names, there was still something bothering me.

"Ryo... your handwriting... is surprisingly bad."

"You should have seen her draw." Kouma agreed with me. It might be sad, but we can't deny such an obvious truth. "A real abomination. My eyes were soiled. I even offered to help her after seeing a drawing she made at elementary school, and I didn't even know how to draw back then."

Ryo simply shook her shoulders.

"Well, ''sue me for not being a Mary Sue''."

Despite the aftereffect of her rather imprecise and disturbing sentence pronounced in heavily accented English, we kept on chatting and unpacking for a while.

...

An hour later, Ryo raised her hands.

"How about... we take... a break?" She said, panting like she had just run a marathon. Ryo laid down on the couch until her breathing stabilized. When she noticed the worried look on my face, she tried to make a joke. "I don't have much stamina... because I have spent all of my points in intelligence."

Kouma did not seem surprised. Since they have known each other for a long time and even work together, I'm guessing Kouma experienced this situation a few times before and grew used to it. She looks at me and shakes her head.

"Don't worry; it happens once in a while. Her body isn't really strong, so she doesn't even get to participate in P.E. classes. Give her a couple minutes to rest and she will be fine."

I didn't know that about Ryo. In fact, I am starting to realize that there are a lot of things about her that I don't know. Things that matter.

"I'm so sorry, Ryo..."

She extended her arm and touched my hand lightly with her fingertips.

"It's not your fault. I decided to come by myself, so I'm the one to blame. I just need to rest a little..."

Her declaration doesn't make me feel any better about this. Ryo doesn't look well at all and she is only like that because she came to help me. I can't help but feel responsible about it. I know it's not directly my fault, but I can't get this thing out of my chest. I can't.

Kouma suddenly started moving.

"I'm hungry. We should go out and get something to eat."

"Good idea, I'm starving too." Ryo says, looking a little livelier than she was a few moments before.

"Not you." Kouma said, with surprising motherly care. "You will stay here and rest. I don't want to see you passing out on the streets."

"I can cook, you know." I say, my pride a little hurt. "And I know I didn't had time to go grocery shopping properly, but it's not like I don't have any food at home."

"I didn't mean it like that, Shin-tsu." Kouma looks at me and starts curling a lock of her hair with her index finger and thumb. "It's just that I already have something in mind since I was coming here, something I saw in the way. I'm not going to tell you what it is, so don't ask. Besides, we don't have time for cooking; there is still much to do."

"Okay, okay." I admit defeat. "Then let me at least give you some money. Paying for the snacks is the least I can do..." An idea strikes me; I can at least be useful at something. "...I can also make us some tea! Do you have a favorite flavor?"

"White tea for me!" Ryo says louder than necessary from the couch.

"So ''Oolong'', White and...?" Kouma just kept staring at me, so I continued. "Oh c’mon, just pick a flavor and..."

"So you're not coming?" She sounded a little angry, but she started talking in a lower voice as soon as she noticed that. "Do you really think I'm going to let you here alone with Ryo?"

"We can't leave her alone, not like that. And I can't go buy the snacks you want so much because you want to keep it a secret, so you'd better chose either to trust me or telling me what you want me to buy."

There was a long time of silence between my line and her reply.

"Fine." She finally said and then sent me a glance, this one with a message within: "You'd better not try anything funny while I'm not around or I'll come after you with hellhounds and zero mercy; even if you run, I will hunt you through the mist of Nifelheim and when I find you I will obliterate your soul completely after torturing you for over two thousand years."

I handed her some money and she left, leaving me to ponder the fact that her eyes can be impressibly full of expression when she wants to. And no, I wasn't surprised when she avoided the easy solution and instead gave me a chance to prove her I'm not as bad as she thinks. Not because I have done much to deserve it but simply because, despite her everyday mask, she is probably a very impulsive person at heart.

After the door closed, Ryo sighed.

"Yon-chan worries too much. I was not that bad, just tired." She does look better now, but it doesn't change the fact that she seemed pretty unhealthy a few moments ago. "Besides, if I don't make any physical effort, how is my body supposed to become stronger?"

"Your condition will only grow worse if you make too much effort. On the other hand, if you make none, your muscles will atrophy." I breathe, suddenly realizing that I am tired too. I walk into the kitchen and put the water to boil. "You need to take it easy and start with small things, so you can gain strength and stamina little by little. So no heavy weight lifting or such for now, okay?"

"Okay!" She smiles to me as I come back to the living room and my worries start to fade away. "By the way, don't you want to sit down?"

I had the impulse to do so, especially because I am kind of tired right now. Then I remembered Kouma's threats and decided not to push my luck in my second day in town. This kind of situation seems to instantly lead to a misunderstanding and domestic violence in manga, so I guess I'll be better off without being on the couch with Ryo.

"N-no, it's okay... I'll just stand up and watch the window for a while."

"It’s your loss, anyway." Ryo looks around, looking like she is still amazed. "This flat is really something, Shin-tsu. I knew that you travelled a lot, but I wasn't expecting your family to have this kind of money."

"Oh, it's not like that. Buying and selling buildings around the world is actually my parent's job. It's a family business, so we're not really rich or anything." She still looks a little bit confused, so I try to simplify it. I guess even smart people have problems understanding subjects not related to their interest areas. "Me living here is no different from a kid who gets free candy at his father's convenience store."

"Except I don't think there is such a thing as candy whose value surpass ten million yen." She shook her shoulders. "I'm a little jealous."

"Don't be, they are just trying to compensate for not being around." I am not sure if I'm ready to talk about this with someone, but I find myself unable to hold the words back. "Actually, it has always been like this. They don't make that much money because they technically still work for my grandfather and most of the houses belonged to him to start with, but they always worked really hard to pay for all the travels and constant moving. The rest of their money ended up on compensation gifts I didn't really want." I turn around to face the window. "I know I'm being childish and unfair, but I just wish they had spent a little more time with me inste-"

It was so sudden it took me some time to make sense of it. One moment I was having one of that dramatic inner monologues said out loud and then something struck me hard enough to make me lose my breath. I felt an overwhelming heat wave pass through every bit of my body, filling me of something I can't find the word to describe right now.

Ryo was hugging me from behind. Her slender arms were around my waist and she was holding to me tightly, as if I was going to fall if she didn't hold me strong enough. At that moment, I probably would.

"Don't worry." She rested her chin on my shoulder whispered in my ear. "I'm here. Everything will be okay now."

Now that I think about it, Ryo knows only a little bit about my life so far. She probably knows more about my personal life than I know about hers, though. It might sound weird, but she knows about my problems with Mystery. Not everything, but she knows enough. I am not sure if she believes it, but I don't think I care about that.

The weirdest thing is that this situation is familiar to me. I know this is not possible; I have only met Ryo in real life yesterday. However, I feel like we have done this a thousand times before in a distant past.

We stood like that for a while, until that beautiful moment was completely ruined by a cough. Not mine, not Ryo's. Go on, guess whose. Good job, Sherlock. Now if you don't mind, please find a way to get her into jail for what she is going to do to me. Better than that, come quickly enough to help me avoid being a murder victim. Please.

The tea kettle whistles higher and higher, as if measuring the rising anger in Kouma's once again expressive eyes. She marches through my living room, which unfortunately does look like a battlefield right now. Except the boxes won't serve as proper trenches against the fury of Kouma Yon, the Merciless Fashionista. Help!

== Part 5 ==

Never mind, Kouma didn't kill me. Not yet, at least. She said she would when Ryo wasn't around, but not right now. I hope she forgets it. No, that’s being too optimistic; Yon-chan doesn’t seem to be the kind of person who forgives or forgets anything. I’m most likely doomed.

The three of us are sitting at the kitchen bar. Once the misunderstanding was explained (with much effort, I must add), Kouma revealed the contents of the paper bag she had been carrying around. Fortunately for me, it wasn't a machete or a halberd. I guess it would be a hard task to hide a machete or a halberd inside a common paper bag. Not impossible for someone with a good imagination, but quite hard for a common person. Not that I think that there's anything common with Kouma Yon.

Still.

The thing she took out of the paper bag was something fish-shaped and apparently baked. Despite its odd look, I could smell something easily recognizable to me: red bean paste. My olfactory memory is much better than my visual memory, and even if it has been a long time since I last visited Japan, the same doesn't apply to the rest of Asia. I'm not sure if it is because of the smell, but this fish-cake thing seems really familiar to me.

I pick one of them.

"What is the name of this thing?” My Japanese speaking skills are not that bad, but some words still fail me every now and then. “I can't remember."

"So you really have spent a while outside Japan, huh?" Kouma says without much interest.

Ryo looks at me, serene as the sky.

"This is a ''Taiyaki''. It's a cake and it's delicious. Go on, try it."

I take a big bite.

"Oh, I was right about the filling!" It seems my nose didn't fool me. "This surely is ''chi xiao dou''."

"''Chi'' what?" The serenity in Ryo's face fades to curiosity.

"''Chi xiao dou''. It's the chinese name for the annual plant ''azuki'' bean, also known as ''Vigna angularis'' or ''Phaseolus angularis''. Widely grown throughout East Asia and the Himalayas. Is a member of the ''Fabaceae'' family and has ''Faboideae'' as subfamily." She suddenly becomes aware of the fact that she was the center of attention. "What are you staring at? It's not like you have the right to get all the good lines. Besides, my grandmother is chinese."

Surreal.

That is the only word I can use to describe this kind of situation. Sometimes everyone is so odd and the scenario feels so dreamlike it's hard to believe that this is not fiction. And it could be; this could all be a dream, even someone else's dream. I could probably take some time to consider the theory known as Anti-Realism, but right now I happen to have something else in my mind.

And it must have shown on my face, because Ryo started to stare at me.

"What is wrong, Shin-tsu? You seem a little disturbed."

"It's just that, well... Kouma-san has known you for a long time. That classifies her as a 'childhood friend', right?"

"Yes, it does." Said Ryo, curiously.

"And she loves ''Taiyaki''."

"Yes, I do." Said Kouma, awkwardly.

"And she is helping me unpack."

Kouma raised a fist.

"And what is that supposed to mean?"

I can only conclude this with a question.

"Did you really pay for that ''Taiyaki'' or did you just run with it?"

Ryo suddenly started laughing so hard I thought she was having a heart attack. No, maybe a soap opera dramatic heart attack. Real life heart attacks are not like that at all. Anyway, I wasn't the only one surprised by her reaction: Kouma also seemed to be completely dazed, which is indeed something rare. Ryo kept laughing for a while and it looked like she would never stopped doing so, but eventually she got tired and her laughter started to die down.

"Ha-ha, oh wow! I laughed so hard I actually cried..." She started to wipe away the tears. "My, I wasn't expecting a game reference from you..."

I was going to interrupt her and say I wasn't sure of what she meant, but I guess it would end up being at least another half an hour wasted, and right now we can't afford it.

So after eating and drinking tea, we resumed working.

== Part 6 ==

20:17.

She is late, and I'm not sure if that's a good thing. I mean, I didn't wanted her to come in the first place, but after spending a whole afternoon tidying my flat up, I would become rather disappointed if she didn't show up.

Kouma and Ryo left at 17:24 p.m. because they needed to work in a project that was already late in schedule. Apparently they were going to their studio at Kouma's place. I thanked them for their help and they left in quite a hurry, making me feel a little bad for making they come when they already had other plans. After that I kept unpacking and organizing. I even went down to the market and bought the ingredients to make curry rice. I have eaten it a few times, but never tried cooking it. Now it's time to test my chef skills.

No, I'm not going to start cooking now. I already have started it. Actually, I'm just letting it simmer right now. It might take 10 minutes, so I guess I can spend some time explaining the recipe. Are you ready to rock (or rather, cook)?

First, the ingredients. Let's start with the meat; I don't like to use a single kind of meat in every meal, so for this recipe you will need a quarter of a pound of pork and a quarter of a pound of beef. One onion, two big potatoes, three carrots, three and a half cups of water, a quarter of a pound of curry roux and four or five cups of steamed rice. You will need some vegetable oil too.

Once you got the ingredients, start by cooking the steam rice while you slice the onions and cut the carrots and potatoes into small pieces. Get a deep pan and heat the oil. Saute the meat in it (some might say it's not a good idea to put both the beef and the pork together, but they would end up mixed sooner or later). Add the vegetables and saute them together with the meat. After that, pour water in the pan and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat to low and simmer the ingredients for 30 minutes. Don't forget to skim off any impurities that rise to the surface. Add curry roux and simmer for 10 minutes. Serve the curry over steamed rice.

The recipe is easy and it seems like the result is going to be really good. Thank you, Internet!

''You're welcome.''

Oh, you're back.

''Don't mind me, I just came because I wanted some curry.''

Really? So today you didn't come to bring me down and fill my head with paranoia. You just want some curry.

''Yeah, it smells divine.''

You, a mysterious voice inside my head, wants to eat my curry.

''Pretty much; that recipe serves four portions, so you will still have more than enough for you and your teacher.
Is there a problem with me wanting to eat some curry?''

No, not at all. Everything is just fine. Except the obvious, of course. You don't have a mouth, a nose, a stomach or even a physical body for that matter. Just that small issue. Other than that, no problems.

''You're right...''

The voice went silent for about ten seconds.

''...well, then I won't be getting any curry. I guess it could be worse, though.''

How so?

''I could be you and have to find a way to pretend my legal guardians weren't around right now but would soon come soon, the whole night.
And if I were you, I wouldn't even have legal guardians on the country.''

Just wait a second, I...

''Yet I would have to pretend and lie until she either found out the truth and made the situation weirder by telling it on school or went home for tonight and came back in a near future, eventually learning the truth and resulting in the same ending for you.
So yeah, not having a body is not the end of the world.
I'm really glad to be myself instead of being you.''

...t-t-thank you for your kindness and cheerful words. I feel so much better now.

''Once again, you're welcome.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to leave you alone with the teacher.
She will arrive in three...
two...
one...''

The doorbell rang precisely on time.

I know my own capabilities very well and I wouldn’t be able to hear someone walking to my front door from the kitchen, especially considering the flat’s acoustics. It would be an impossible task for any human being, and it confirms a hypothesis I started working on since that little situation at the Le Ciel Bleu café; the voice on the back of my head is not mine at all.

Still astonished, I turned off the oven and went to answer the door.

"Good evening, Koukishin-kun."

The figure of the woman standing in front of me certainly didn't look like the one I have met in the classroom. While in school the teacher was simply the definition of neat, the one I see here is someone who could easily pass as a NEET. Forget the serious teacher outfit, Reikoku-sensei is fine with a hand knit sweater and white wool pants. She had let her hair down and it was surprisingly longer than I expected it to be based on the size of her bun. Her face was now calm and almost friendly and she was carrying a plastic market bag full of instant ramen. I barely recognized her.

"...sensei?"

"I'm sorry for being so late. There was a big line at the convenience store because a woman insisted that she wanted her change back. Now that I think about it, I would have done the same. Maybe not, if I was under the same circumstances. Anyway, aren't you going to let me in?"

I was a little bit too shocked. I mean, even her speaking style has changed.

"Oh, sure." I shake my head. "Yes. Please come in."

"Well, well..." She walks in and scans the whole place with her eyes. "This is a lot less messy than I thought it would be. I bet you spent the whole day trying to tidy the place."

"Yeah, I did."

"Then it's a good thing that I've bought us dinner." Reikoku-sensei hands me the bag. "You just need to add hot water and we'll be able to eat it in three minutes."

"Actually, I cooked our dinner." I say, proudly. I didn't realized at that moment that she being unaware of the fact that I had food at home(and worse than that, she had brought just two cup noodles' units with her when she wasn't supposed to assume it would be just us) was something to be concerned about. It's always easier to think about the details when the opportunity is gone, isn't it? "Tonight we'll have curry rice."

She seemed to be pondering over that.

"I guess that explains that apron you're wearing. I was starting to think you had a thing for cross-dressing or something."

"What are you talking about? Every great chef wears an apron! I-it's not like I enjoy cross-dressing or anything!"

That last bit went out on its own, and after I said it I only wished I could take it back.

"Yeah, a real chef would wear an apron. It's just that the one you're wearing is pink and frilly, and your face is not really manly. Just look at yourself; it doesn't make you look like a chef, it makes you look like a maid."

Despite being called "girly", I was actually glad she ignored my tsundere reaction towards cross-dressing. I'm pretty sure she would have a witty comment for me. I know she would. The best I could do at that moment was to distract her. I needed to be sure that she wouldn't start thinking about that, and I started to serve the curry. After doing so, I took my apron off and put on my robe and wizar-

What I meant to say is that I knelt on the floor and we started eating.
The weirdest thing is that despite her sarcastic remarks, unusual questions and rather manipulative ways, she was really nice to me. Nicer than she seemed to be to everyone in class, anyway. She seemed genuinely interested in talking about trivial things, and never made a question too deep or personal (well, except that one about my kitchen utensil collection). She even helped me do the dishes after dinner. Who would have seen that coming, really?

We played a few short chess games(and when I say "short" I mean she beat me up so quickly I can only believe she was cheating, somehow), watched a zombie movie from the 60's and listened to some remastered old-school jazz recordings(unlike Ryo and me, she doesn't play any instruments or program; she just loves listening to jazz). It was a great night, after all.

Around eleven o' clock she stood up.

"I guess it's time for me to go, Koukishin-kun. We have played quite a bit and I am tired. I'm just glad I don't really need to write a report about you now, otherwise I wouldn't get my beauty sleep." She shook my hand firmly and walked to the door. "I had a great time. See you tomorrow at school."

There was only a single thing in my mind, and it was "WHAAAAAAAAAAAT?".

"W-wait! You don't need to write a report for tomorrow? Then this wasn't a routine home visit after all!" I screamed. "You haven't even met my pare- ck!"

She looked at me and her expression was clearly saying ‘gotcha!’.

"You are right about this not being a routine home visit, but I never said I was expecting to meet your parents tonight or something like that. You assumed that, and you were wrong. Please don't take me for an idiot; as a responsible teacher I had checked your documents and I already knew you were a... say, recently emancipated minor from abroad."

We both knew that wasn't quite the situation.

"Why have you come here, then?"

"You're kind of slow sometimes." She stopped for a while, probably searching for the proper words. "I came to spend some time with you, obviously. I, of all people, know how it feels to live by yourself and have to eat dinner alone every night. I also had to... emancipate myself at 15 and it was kind of depressing, so I decided to come and see if you were doing alright."

The shock made me feel really odd.

"I didn't know that."

"And how could you? Practically no one here does, and you just came yesterday. By the way, you know too much already; I'm not telling anything else about my past." She combed her hair with her fingers. "My reasons to come and spend time with you might be selfish, but I'm only trying to do what I wish someone did to be back then. Sometimes all we need is a little company, even if only for an hour."

At first words failed me.

"...thank you for coming, sensei. I really appreciate it."

"Don't worry. Now you know I'm doing it out of my own selfishness, so cut it out." Reikoku-sensei sighed. "So you'll keep my liking for splatter films a secret and I promise not to say anything about your little familiar situation. Deal?"

"Deal."

"You also need to understand that I won't treat you any different from the rest of the class just because you are living on your own or because we are, say, friends. Not in class, though."

"I'm okay with that too, sensei."

She nodded, satisfied.

"Good. Farewell and good night, Koukishin-kun." She turned her back to me and started walking. "I might drop by to have dinner with you and play chess again someday."

I kept looking to the streets for a while after she left.

Closing the door, I go straight to my bedroom. I feel pretty tired, but this was certainly an interesting day for me. I think I found the word for that thing I felt when Ryo hugged me. It's the same thing I am feeling right now. The word is hope. I think I might have finally found my place in the world and it feels great.

After texting Ryo "good night", I fell asleep.

<noinclude>
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|-
| Back to [[The_Longing_Of_Shiina_Ryo:Volume1 Chapter 1: Ryo|Chapter 1: Ryo]]
| Return to [[The_Longing_Of_Shiina_Ryo|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[The_Longing_Of_Shiina_Ryo:Volume1 Chapter 3: Kouma|Chapter 3: Kouma]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Chrome Shelled Regios:Volume13 Bottled Letter For You

2010-09-13T04:52:11Z

ZaX: /* Bottle letter for you */

===Bottle letter for you===

He held a document on that day. The document that had arrived in his hand later than its delivery time had given him a huge shock. Not that because it arrived late. Under the inconvenience of letter deliverance between cities, it wasn’t possible to guarantee timely delivery of anything. Hence, one would be more lenient to this mishap.

He had deliberately printed out the data from the terminal because he could better feel what he was reading on paper rather than on the screen.

“……… But why?” he muttered after a short moment of confusion.

Rather than joy, doubt first surfaced in his mind. The person in the rough photo on the document looked to have grown a lot, but he had lost his sensitivities. He looked like an ordinary boy. It was hard believe he had once brought him so much impact. But there was no question to the city he came from, and his name was the same as before.

The person in the photo still left traces in his mind. This happened five years ago. The childish air in the boy was disappearing, but some part of it remained. The trace of youth. People always viewed the traces of the young as their potential in the future. Though he shouldn’t be considering this as he was only twenty years of age, but the trace of youth could fade with growth. The choices in one’s life reduced through time. In the end, only one road was possible. However, this explanation was for the general populace.

He was different.

As a Military Artist, he was born to fight. He had no other choice, and his talent had farther paved the road for him. For him to come to an Academy City filled with immature students, it was unbelievable.

……… But this was the reality.

“Have to do my best,” he murmured.

Karian Loss. This was his name. He was the Student President of the Academy City Zuellni. This was where he was now.

<center>◇</center>

That thing was in every post office near any roaming bus station of any city. In a box beside the counter held letters placed in a mess. Karian tried all he could to take out one of the letters. The roaming bus driver, wearing a somewhat dirty uniform, had stuffed a few letters into that box and had then taken new packages from the post office and left. Though the letter wasn’t eye-catching, it had strongly attracted Karian’s attention.

It was a letter without an address for its addressee, a letter not specifically written for anyone or any organization. It was sent to anyone, any city no matter what that city was, as long as it was sent to someone living in a world different from the sender’s own. A letter without an address. In Karian’s memory, these letters weren’t received with gladness by the post office. However, for some reason, these letters were increasing in number. The post office had also taken a counter measure against it.

At that time, Karian was only ten years old. He lived in the Trade City Santoburug. Since the beginning of the year, his vision had reduced drastically. He had to wear glasses now. The uncomfortable feeling on his ears and nose made him square his glasses.

The letter in his hand was quite new. Except for the rough edges of the four corners, he couldn’t find any traces of damage on it. It had probably taken in all the luck of the roaming bus. Karian studied the envelope and put it in his bag. Though there was no rule that said one couldn’t take the letter home, he still wanted it to be safe.

What was he expecting? Perhaps expecting a change to his routine life. He wanted to breathe in the outside air.

The present Karian could not recall what he was thinking back at that time. Either way, he remembered he had taken the letter home.

His family life was very content. He lived in a huge mansion. He had a strict and serious father, a gentle mother and a young sister……. No matter how he looked at it, it was a good family. Karian himself did not have anything to be dissatisfied about. Not that he would complain. As the child of a rich family, he worked hard for his grades and people could easily find any shortcomings on the surface. His parents loved him. No one would be more fortunate than him in this world. He was content.

But, for sure……….

“Nii-sama.”

The door opened after a knock. Karian’s sister walked in with a servant, carrying a heavy book in her arms. Hair the same colour as Karian’s waved behind her as she delivered the book to him. He had lent her the book a few days ago.

“You’ve finished reading it?”

“Um,” she nodded with a face that carried an immature air.

“Did you pull an all nighter?”

This thick book wasn’t one that a child could finish reading in so short a period of time. He studied her and did not see traces of tiredness in her eyes.

“Lend me the next one,” she said without answering him and pushed the book to him. Karian took it with a sour smile and caressed her head. His hand felt the warmth that was unique to a child’s, proof of her exhaustion.

“I’ll prepare it and lend it to you tomorrow.”

“You must.”

She pouted at the gentle instruction but she immediately agreed. She was probably losing to sleep. It was extraordinary that she could concentrate and finish reading such a thick book at her age.

The servant took her hand and led her out of the door. Her footsteps were not stable. She would probably fall asleep before she arrived in her room. This was his younger sister, Felli Loss. Out of all normal members of the Loss Felli, she was a special child with the power of psychokinesis.

That was Felli.

Kei – was a special power that supported the strength of a Military Artist. A psychokinesist made a further change with it. A psychokinesist’s body strength was the same as a normal person’s, but he possessed strong brain cells that could release the Kei of psychokinesis, turn it into atoms and use it to gather information and to communicate.

Karian returned the book to the bookshelf, feeling the weight of the book through his wrist. Felli could read and write at the age of six, and she could read professional books of this thickness, all thanks to her ability of psychokinesis. Though the words she used were still a child’s words, her knowledge far exceeded Karian’s.

Incredible. Though Karian had met Military Artists and psychokinesists, all of them were adults. Were they that incredible too when they were young? Did such a huge distance exist between them and the normal people? Felli had so easily crossed over the four years that separated them. His sadness probably rose from his psychology.

He was jealous of his sister.

At his age, he was beginning to use his knowledge to his advantage. That was what made him sad. The gloomy atmosphere in his room intensified.

He returned to the desk and without any mood to study, leaned on the chair. A sense of failure and inferiority mixed together and created a feeling that he couldn’t describe with words. He couldn’t think of a way to let it out, yet he didn’t want to be troubled about it on his own. Not that he couldn’t imagine it. It was just revolting to even think about it.

His hesitation stayed with him and only became worse and worse. The negative feeling stuck to every part of his body like glue. While finding a way to escape it, he found the letter in his bag.

<center>◇</center>

The door to the Student President’s room had been blocked. A tray of sandwiches that replaced dinner, prepared by the Student Council members, sat on the table. Karian was sipping tea after dinner.

The person who walked into the room was Felli. She had just entered first year. The feeling of wearing the General Studies uniform was nostalgic. Perhaps he wasn’t used to her growth in these four years since he left her. She was twelve back then. He had only recently gotten used to the difference between the present Felli and the Felli in his memory. Once more, he could only sigh at the speed of the growth of an adolescent.

The emotionless face of a pschokinesist had not changed, but currently, Felli’s cheeks were pale red, her breathing irregular. She must have run from her room to here.

“Nii-san.”

In her irregular breathing, she had changed her greeting.

“…. What’s it?”

She held a new uniform in a plastic bag.

“What is the meaning of this?” she looked at him angrily.

He squared his glasses and spread his hands. His face showed the icy expression he used during work.

“As you can see, I’m transferring you to Military Arts.”

“Why? I……..”

“If possible, I want you to live freer, but the city’s current circumstance does not allow it. You should also know of the Academy City’s situation.”

“What has that got to do with me? I know Zuellni would lose all its selenium mines if it lost in the next Military Arts Competition. But we’ll leave this city one day. In that case, why……….”

“Felli.”

He understood her and he held the same feeling, but he still stopped her.

“That’s rude to all the students who come here to search their path.”

“Then I just need to go to another Academy City…….”

“Do you think our parents would consent to that?”

Felli lowered her head, biting her lips. Everyone back in Santoburug had high expectation of her as a genius in psychokinesis. Originally, she had no chance but to live in her home city for her entire life. However, influenced by their daughter’s thinking, the parents had allowed Felli to leave the city in a limit time. The condition was that she must go to Zuellni, where her brother Karian was. The Loss family was rich through its trading on information, and it had used its huge influence to persuade the government to allow Felli to leave. On the surface, Felli had appeared to leave for Zuellni to further her studies. The department of a psychokinesist like Felli was that important a thing for the city.

“…… I didn’t want to be a psychokinesist.”

“I also didn’t want to be a normal person. If I had a power equaled to yours, I wouldn’t have done this. Since people cannot just obtain what the power they want, unfairness also clings to you all the time.”

Though it was an opinion hard to accept, Felli’s head was lowered and she did not argue. She just kept her head down, not moving an inch.

“From tomorrow, you’re a Military Arts student. Your classes are the same no changes would interfere with your lessons. I’ll let you know later of other admin procedures.”

The room echoed his dry voice. His sister staggered out of the room. Alone in the room, Karian leaned back on the chair. His body felt heavy, as if he was feeling all his exhaustion at once. He recalled her figure leaving the room with her head lowered. It was a nostalgic feeling, proof of the fact that the many years of separation between them had not changed them.

Perhaps it was the same for Felli.

Karian opened the envelope. The letter, having traveled a long journey, had obtained different kinds of smell. It also retained a faint aroma of the flowers, a smell of the outside. The smell of a place that Karian could not contact with. The air of some place that disallowed him from stepping foot in. The letter had allowed him to temporarily overlap with a different place. He seemed to understand why this kind of letter was always mailed out.

The words on the letter were typed up. They were hand-written in neat handwriting, as if the writer was imitating some kind of writing. It looked to have come from a female’s hand. Karian tossed away his worries and began to read.

“Hello, stranger. My name is Sharon Marcel. I really hope this letter wouldn’t be sent back to my home city. I wonder what will happen to it?”

What will happen to it? That troubled Karian. Sharon Marcel had not mentioned the name of her city, but from the content of the letter, she must have left the city already. Karian found that amazing. Though he knew many people could change from one roaming bus to another, it did not feel that real to him as his level of knowledge was still not enough. He wanted to know why she left her home city, but he’d probably only find out till he read the entire letter. He kept reading.

“Perhaps it’s strange for me to send a letter like this after leaving a city, but it wouldn’t be surprising if you think about it closely. I only know the sceneries of two cities. Though the roaming bus has stopped in many cities, I could only look in from the outside. No matter which city it is, I can’t move freely as I’m not a citizen of that city. I understand from the journey that there’re so many more people and cities than I can imagine. Back in my home city, what I heard was just a small part of everything. This world is really vast! But for the cities that are related to my life, there’re only two.”

She publicly announced her wish in this letter, saying that she wanted to understand the world more. It wasn’t just for knowledge. She wanted to experienced it and write down the wish of the world where numerous Regios drifted.

And she also understood that it was an impossible wish.

“What the……..”

Karian was disappointed. He never expected it was such a boring letter. Though one could only write about oneself in a letter not addressed to anyone, but how could she hope to gain the goodwill of the reader by writing a negative letter? This person seemed to be older than Karian. This side of her was worse than him.

Karian was angry that the letter had failed his expectation. Of course, one reason was that he held too much expectation. Normally, he’d just laugh it off, but not today.

Yes, he should write back. This sudden thought fascinated him. The other person was female. She probably wrote the letter, hoping to meet somebody. In that case, the person who received the letter must be a brilliant male. A male who could understand her, respect her and comfort her. Yes, that’s right. Karian pondered in his foul interest, pondering how to reply as his pen ran on the white page. He knew this was boring and meaningless and was tempted to stop writing. But he wrote to the end and folded the letter, wrote the address on the envelope and took it to the post office. He did all that without hesitation.

When he put the letter in the mail box, all he had was a feeling of self-hatred. He hated he was only a ten year old kid. Perhaps he could manage to suppress his impulse when he grew older?

“That’s why I’m sending you this letter, to you whom I know nothing but your name. If possible, I hope you live in a city that I know nothing about. But in a world that contains numerous cities like stars, I think it won’t be that bad for the letter to be sent back to my home city.

I want to listen to your story. I also want to hear the story of your city.”

Trade city Santoburug. A city that specilised in information trading. Its system was the same as a normal city’s. Every few years, it participated in an intercity match. Mostly, it fought against the cities in its vicinity – Ronderia and Karamarina. One was a manufacturing city. The other was an agricultural city. Don’t know whose joke it is to fight against these two good business partners. Since Santoburug’s relationship with these two cities had worsened, it could only obtain information from faraway cities. And the information was what Ronderia and Karamarina desired. In the end, the hostile relationship between the three cities evolved into that of a natural information trade.

An Academy City was the best target in terms of information trade. It gathered immature people, but that meant it had also stored up talents from different cities. It was a city of mixed values. The city chased after flexibility. It was able to use its potential on research and invention. An Academy City’s research was valued highly by other. Other cities all used the results of these researches to make other inventions and employ them in use.

According to Sharon’s request, Karian had explained the situation of his own city. But when he thought closely, he didn’t think there was anything special he wanted to let off.

The outside world. It must have all kinds of things that differed from here. Each sealed off city had its own culture, but the specialty of Santoburug had avenged out the difference between culture and civilization. The trade of information seemed to have smoothed out all the ripples in the sand.

In so prosperous a city like Santaburug that is the avenge of all cities, doesn’t that mean it doesn’t have anything sellable and different? As Karian had thought, it mattered not where one was in.

Time passed in such thoughts. As he waited for a response, anticipation and uneasiness greeted him every morning. But because the time of delivery between cities was much longer than he had imagined, he had gradually forgotten it.

It was three months after that he received the letter.

<center>◇</center>

Karian examined all the documents sent over, and began processing the letter of notification.

If they had such a strong Military Artist as him, they would win the next Military Arts Competition. Everyone would hold the same conclusion in the face of this person’s strength. But an excellent psychokinesist was necessary to allow this Military Artist to utilize his full potential. If information could be provided to this Military Artist in a large scale, his strength could be used more easily. As such, Felli was necessary.

“But…….”

Karian looked at the document in his hand again. This person had chosen to enroll in General Studies. In reality, a Military Artist of his level could learn nothing by entering Military Arts course. Felli was probably the same. The government shouldn’t have given this person permission to leave his city.

Something must have happened.

Karian must find out the reason to it. He had to transfer this person to Military Arts when he entered the Academy City, because the year of his entry was the year of the Military Arts Competition was to be held. Karian’s gaze landed on the vase in the room as he thought of how to obtain that information. The red flowers blossomed happily in front of him.

“……. Am I going overboard?” he asked the flowers.

But the aroma drifting through the air was different from that in his memory.

Karian was skeptical of the letter that the manager of the house had taken to him. Once he saw the name of the sender, he recalled what he did three months ago. Extreme self-hatred and embarrassment made him want to tear apart the unopened letter, but he wanted to find out what she had to say. In the end, he chose to open the letter.

“Yo, hello. Thanks for your reply. In truth, I’ve sent out ten similar letters. You’re the third to reply……. And no one had written as bad as you.”

As if he had received a head wound, the impact was heavy for him.

“You understood my intention and my feelings, but you still played with me like I’m an idiot. You deliberately messed around with me who am so far from you. It’s rare for such long distance concentration.”

A chill ran up Karian’s back. Large beads of sweat ran down his face. He had been seen through. This woman had seen through his horrible taste by just reading the letter. He felt deeply the wound made by the hidden crawls of this person whom he held in contempt. Though this atmosphere made him feel dizzy, he kept on reading.

“But I like you the most of the three. You described your city in details, but unfortunately, I can’t give you a pass. Though I want to understand a city’s history and uniqueness, that’s not only it. There’s also the scenery. You might only think the city is only used to gather information, but that’s not it. I want to understand how you feel about the city. Perhaps you don’t understand with such an abstract explanation. Ah yes. You said in the letter you’re 22. But in truth, how old are you? If you still want to say more, then send me a letter. I hope you’d say something more meaningful next time.”

He had lost completely……..

After reading the letter, Karian looked at the ceiling. He never thought the prank he played back then would suffer such defeat.

“How can this happen?”

He was still doubtful after reading. Was that address not the sender’s address? Was this woman actually in Santaburug, someone that Karian knew? Who was she? Karian had no clues. His parents…… But his dad was busy all day, and her mother was busy helping her husband. They wouldn’t have the time.

This person might not be in Santoburug. In that case……

“Did she really leave her city?”

His sense of defeat did not fade, but he couldn’t suppress his curiosity. He quickly found a piece of blank paper and began moving the pen without hesitation. Say something. What should he say?

Karian never thought he could be so happy in his confusion.

<center>◇</center>

The person who came in after knocking at the door was a young Military Artist with a stiff expression on her face. Vance, standing beside Karian, looked at the gloomy girl.

“Excuse me. I’m in Military Arts second year, Nina Antalk. I heard you want to talk to me?”

“Yes, I’ve been looking for you,” Karian nodded and looked at the document beside his hand. An application form to form a platoon.

“You want to form the 17th platoon?”

“Yes.”

“According to the document, you don’t have enough members. You can’t form a platoon just with a piece of paper.”

Karian’s words did not scare her. Keeping her stiff expression, she nodded.

“AS you said, there’re only me and Sharnid Elipton. There also a Dite technician from the Alchemy course, but Sharnid was once active in the 10th platoon.”

“You entered the 14th platoon in first year. Sharnid was the same. He’s young and can do much. If there’re enough members, I’d really anticipate the forming of this platoon.”

“Karian,” Vance cut in a low voice. He meant to stop Nina from forming a team. Nina and Sharnid were both excellent Military Artists, but Vance had doubt on whether Nina had the quality to act as captain. Nina was in second year. The first priority they should consider was her experience.

Vance was right.

“…….. I want to know why you wan to form a platoon? What are you not satisfied with in the 14th platoon?”

“Nothing. I think the 14th platoon is excellent.”

“Then………?”

“I admit it’s my willfulness. But I want to try a fighting style that can reflect myself.”

“You can’t do that in the 14th platoon?”

“The 14th platoon is excellent, but time is needed to do things my way. I’m doubtful of whether Zuellni has the time for that now.”

“What honest opinion.”

Nina’s personality dazzled Karian. So honest that she was stupid. This was shown in her handing in the application form even without enough members. It was easy to reject her with the reason of her being young and impatient. Though Nina needed Karian’s permission to form a platoon, Vance’s vote could reject her in this situation.

But he did not. This meant Vance was also moved by Nina’s honesty.

“I understand your passion,” Karian said. His words cleared up Nina’s confusion. However, Vance’s muttering made her control her emotions.

“But it’s not possible to properly acknowledge the team when you don’t have enough members. Besides, it’s not permissible to find any Military Artists to fill the number. If one can easily become a platoon member, it would affect the air of Military Artists.”

“…….. Yes.”

Nina’s relaxed expression turned stiff again. She was alert for the bitterness to come.

“How about this. I’ll give you temporary permission. If you don’t have enough members till the deadline, then I’ll take back the permission. As for the limit….. yes, let’s make it the month after the opening ceremony. Both you and Sharnid are excellent Military Artists. Even though the 17th platoon might not be formed in the end, I don’t want you two to have nothing to do. Besides, it takes about the same time to enter another platoon.”

“That won’t happen.”

“I hope so.”

Nina’s gaze pressed onto Karian’s in response to the provocation in his words. A chill ran up Karian’s back at the Military Artist’s hostility, but his expression remained the same. Bad Military Artists would be exiled from an Academy City, but he knew Nina wasn’t that kind of person.

“I very much anticipate your performance, oh yes……”

Pretending he suddenly thought of it, Karian said the things he already had in mind.

“I’ve someone to introduce to you.”

“Huh?”

“A psychokinesist. And I’m not boasting. She really is talented.”

Nina’s eyes shone. For those among Military Artists who held special powers to evolve into psychokinesists were few. In addition, this was a talented psychokinesist. This was what Nina needed.

“Please introduce her to me,” Nina said with her head lowered.

Karian’s smile was faint. He had planned this from the beginning. Since hearing of Nina from Vance, Nina was enough to make him interested in her. And her stubborness far exceeded Karian’s prediction. What was more important was that this level was not enough to form a new platoon. On retrospect, this environment suited that person. He might not be able to make use of his potential in an old platoon. On the other hand, the new stage that awaited his coming and the adaptability to him were worth anticipating. No. Even if others were to match his strength, Felli was enough for that. Even if the team was to disband afterwards, the hurt caused by it could be alleviated.

“What’re you thinking?”

Vance’s gloomy face watched Nina leave the Student President’s room with elation.

“I got beaten by her passion.”

Karian didn’t know whether Vance understood his meanings. All he thought of was next year, the time of ''his'' arrival. Besides, it hadn’t been confirmed whether ''he'' was to arrive at Zuellni.

After Karian received that letter, he had communicated with her three times. One time, the letter took three months to arrive. The other two letters took one month and two weeks respectively. This probably was due to the number of roaming buses and their different routes. But the difference was comical. Though the route wasn’t that different subjectively speaking, but on closer inspection, all cities were constantly on the move. Even though one didn’t know how long a distance existed between two cities, the route must be continuously changing.

Perhaps, the vast world was in fact very small. The movements of the cities and the wilderness conquered by filth monsters made people feel the distance was long.

Karian received the fourth letter after six months. He was now eleven years old. This was his first time understanding the meaning behind his age increase. A few more years, he’d be of age to request to leave the city. Fortunately, the Loss family specialized in information trade. Though father had already settled down in Santoburug and had his own employees, information had it that he used to travel between cities between his marriage. He would probably agree with Karian’s thinking. Once he graduated from junior high……

But there was one thing he was concerned about. No, one thing that he regretted.

“Your mind really does not match your age. You’re not cute at all. But you’re right. A safe route changes according to the changes of a city’s location. Normally, even cities near each other spend a lot of time moving, so much more than that moving in a straight line. I heard of this from friends who live in the Traffic City. Speaking of which, aren’t all roaming buses, as the key of communication between cities, under the control of the Electronic Fairy in Yorutemu. It might be a bit ominous but what would happen if filth monsters destroyed Yorutemu?

Normally, I’d have to wait for a long time to hear your thoughts, so this time, allow me to share my opinion. Uh, though I don’t know how Electronic Fairies came to this world, they have formed different characteristics of the cities, creating the survival system for us human. If the city’s consciousness is defined as a body, then we’re acknowledging them as living beings like us. Does that mean instead of Electronic Fairies living as individuals, they are social beings who each work different part?”

That was the Sharon Karian he couldn’t see. She was in Academy City. Even if Karian went over to her city, she would’ve graduated when he enrolled.

Karian had only recently noticed the simple thing mentioned in the letter. As he read the letter, his admiration for Sharon’s theory grew. He was both surprised and afraid of the truth.

“Did I leave the city so to see her?”

The roaming bus and this letter caused his knowledge of the distance between cities to fade. Though it wasn’t impossible, there did exist a faint sense of distance and danger. Most important was, she had never mentioned her home city, nor did she mention her plan after graduation.

Should he ask? Would she tell him after he asked? What would happen after he asked? Would he follow her and go to her home city? And afterward? In fact, Karian already knew how to express his wish to leave. He just hadn’t prepared himself mentally. That wish had only stayed on the level of knowledge. But the knowledge he obtained from early maturity and his own thinking had made him comprehend the growth of a young man. Like the etching of a mark, this was his first time seeing the other as a female. He hadn’t yet seen her, but he was attracted by the personality and knowledge brought out by the words. Thinking how this was just like his style, he began mocking himself to calm down.

But true peace and calmness did not come to him.

Yet, he could not ask her face to face.

The possibility of Karian and Sharon meeting randomly in so many cities was zero. Even if Karian was to inherit his father’s information trade and traveled between cities like his father in his youth, he could only raise that possibility by very little. Was his feeling for her to end when he hadn’t even seen her? This thinking and his bitterness made his hands shake.

He couldn’t end it like that. He had decided. Nothing would happen if he waited. Waiting for her to come to Santoburug was the same as waiting for a miracle. He must act. Of course, he wasn’t planning anything exaggerated. Immediately leaving for the Academy City she was in was not realistic. It would be strange for a kid of his age to handle the administrative papers for a roaming bus ride. At this stage, it was possible for him to see her. Besides, what could a child do once he saw her? Nothing was advantageous for him.

He could only do one thing. Though it was an insignificant action, Karian knew he must resist falling into the sprouting of this confused feeling. He held his pen, as if he was resisting the resistance in himself.

Everywhere else was dark. No matter how dazzling sunlight bathed the ground, the ground had no connection to the world beneath it. It was as if darkness had filled a ditch. Karian grasped his own collar.

“How’s it?”

“The usual failure to attack the fake nervous system. The simple reaction really isn’t satisfactory.”

If he could let things go by not looking at the exhausted face of the Head of Alchemy, it would have been good. Faint light floated before the two of them. The darkness was most dense around the light, as if it was sucked into that light only to be pushed aside.

“I’ve always been thinking, do you want it to wake?”

“It was originally born from the Guardian Beast plan. It separated from what cannot be analyzed. Through a long period of time, changes had occurred to it. And we can no longer understand the original body it came from.”

Karian could tell the passion in his words. The Head of Alchemy was no longer answering the question. He couldn’t see his expression in the dark. Of course, not that he wanted to see his face, fascinated as if possessed by a devil. Beneath the sunlight, the Head of Alchemy was a proper researcher, but he had changed since entering here. Was this his true nature? Or did the darkness turn him into another him?

“No one knows what would happen if it wakes.”

“No one knows how much power it has, but it must be enormous. If it can be gathered and processed, it could solve the current problem.”

“That’s just an optimistic speculation.”

That wasn’t it. Karian hadn’t been listening since the middle of the conversation. This man was like the sinking darkness, possessed by that existence. The city’s crisis had just given him one more excuse.

The scenery hidden within Zuellni. Only after becoming the Student President could he see this scenery. It was the greatness brought about by a certain reason, or it was just randomness. No matter what, Karian couldn’t have seen this in Santoburug.

At the same time, it reminded him of something worrying.

(Is this what you’ve seen?)

Sharon. For you, who have once lived here, you should have seen this too.

He returned to his room. Only the icy cold air greeted him. His sister was in her own room. He hadn’t seen her for days. That couldn’t be helped, but he was worried. He had wanted to acknowledge the way of life she wanted. In fact, before he knew she was to enroll, he had thought he would let her live the way she wanted if Zuellni were to lose in the next Military Arts Competition.

He had given up until that time came.

A miracle had happened. No, it was about to happen. If a miracle appeared, anyone would naturally consider how to make it more effective, even if he was to sacrifice his sister…… It didn’t matter that she would hate him after that.

It was deep into the night. Karian changed into his pajamas and walked carefully to the kitchen. He made himself a cup of tea and returned to the living room.

Karian tasted the tea under a lamp. In the dim room, only the aroma drifting from the table stimulated his feeling. Smell. First, he only smelled the aroma that was left on the letter. The aroma of another city. Attracted by that aroma, he had decided to come to Zuellni.

Because Sharon was here at that time.

Karian’s gaze moved to the door at the sound. Felli appeared under the dim light. Though he couldn’t read her expression, the atmosphere surrounding her was rejecting him. She walked past the sofa behind him and headed for the kitchen. He could hear the sound of water running from the tap. Felli came back out. It seemed she only came to get some water.

“Felli,” he called.

“….. What?”

“After the end of next year’s Military Arts Competition, I’d let you live the way you like. No matter what, I’ll be graduating then. No one can bind you anymore.”

“……. Do you think it’ll go that smoothly?”

Felli wasn’t at all happy with his words. She was smart. But unlike Karian, Felli’s cleverness came from the experiences as a psychokinesist.

“Do you think people who know of my psychokinesis would let me switch back to General Studies? Even though you’re returning to the city, the next Student President might permit my transfer. The promise of someone who is about to leave is meaningless.”

He couldn’t defend. If he admitted her point, he would only anger her more.

“I can only…….” She didn’t say anymore. Her words disappeared in the dim darkness. She could only not do her best. That was probably the content of her missing words.

“Why do you want to protect this city so badly?”

She didn’t wait for his answer as she closed the door and left.

“……. It’s harder to persuade one person than a crowd.”

He had been in Zuellni for five years now. Though he had learnt how to operate a city in the Student Council that Sharon was once in, his way of interacting with an individual had not changed.

Karian sighed and quickly drained the tea that had gone cold.

“Why……?”

He returned to his bed and caught a glance of the vase sitting by the window. The flowers seemed to understand him as they wiltered in the dark.

He would put the flowers somewhere else tomorrow.

This thought accompanied him as he sank into sleep.

He had written the letter. Though he didn’t know whether it worked, the uneasiness of waiting for the reply and the regret of wondering whether the content was appropriate were speedily destroying the feelings he had laid bare in the letter.

Every day was long. The heavy pressure pressing on his chest failed to leave him with the passing of time. The first month seemed to have stolen his consciousness. The second month was like forever. But time continued to pass day by day. At last, he received the letter at the end of the third month.

“In truth, I’m surprised. You do know what you’re saying? I’m sorry, but I thought you were joking. It’s unbelievable that you feel like this when we’re so far away. But my dream is very sold. Ahah, I really am a girl.

Of course, I’m happy, since I’m a girl. Can you understand that delicate difference?

But, sorry. I can’t return your feeling. This isn’t a problem of age and distance. I already have someone I like. I’m helpless with him. He’s the same age as me but he’s playful. Yet, sometimes, he can be serious. What a strange guy. True to say, with my serious personality, I don’t think I’m suited with that type of person. But this can’t be helped. Maybe, this feeling would not be realized. Even so, that can’t be helped. This explanation is spoiled, but I think you’d understand. Even if I could tidy up my feelings, you cannot come to my city. I can’t return to Santoburug. I’ve my own reason.”

The letter hadn’t ended, but he could no longer read the rest of the letter that he had been waiting for, for so long.

The conclusion was out. As Sharon said, this wasn’t possible. Even so, he couldn’t help himself and had written her the letter, pouring all his emotions out in it. He didn’t cry. Only his throat felt bad.

Had it ended?

The second day, Karian bought flowers with the spare time he had from his work at the Student Council. Not only did the flowers at home wilter, the flowers in the Student President’s room had lost their vitality. In order to buy new flowers, he had come to walk on the road of the shopping street.

A girl had appeared in a corner of an alley that did not connect to the shopping street, holding a bunch of flowers. Judging from the apron she wore, she must be working in some restaurant. The flowers were probably decoration for the shop.

After seeing Karian, the girl was slightly surprised. She nodded an apology and was about to leave. Karian smiled as he walked past her.

The aroma of flowers drifted to his nostrils.

“…… Can you wait a second?” he quickly turned around and called to her. He stood before the nervous girl and looked at the flowers before her chest.

A bunch of small flowers in faint yellow.

He had never seen this type. He had come to many florists in Zuellni, but he had never seen this flower. No, he had never smelled this aroma.

“Excuse me……… Where did you buy these flowers?”

The girl answered in suspicion. After thanking her, he walked straight into the alley. The alley was very narrow and it branched off. He kept walking between the two buildings. The end was a space that seemed to draw a perfect square. Tall buildings filled the four corners. A random space had appeared here. Who knew whether it was planned? In the space was a greenhouse. It looked like a simple house made to store equipment. It probably hadn’t been repaired. Karian could see it was originally a fine house.

Though the plastic sheets covering the greenhouse weren’t that transparent, he could barely see a figure moving in the house. The closer he walked, the stronger the smell of the flowers.

“Excuse me,” he said. The person in the greenhouse answered him. It was a female’s voice.

“As I thought, it was lonely to end this relationship with you. Though I was lonely, that can’t be helped. I still think of you. I know I’m willful. A relationship on paper feels somewhat special. It’s simple, but the other person cannot accept it. Because you must be very serious.

But how long can this feeling last? Forever? Can’t be. I’m sorry. To me, swearing for a love that has no result is just a lie. Because that’s the same as ignoring other means of obtaining happiness. That would become someone else’s unhappiness. Only you? If that’s the case, those words reflect you. But can I just sit and watch unhappiness befall you? Perhaps you would say yes. But I don’t want you to be unhappy because of me. I wish for you to end this feeling for me. I don’t want you to be unhappy. I don’t want any students to be unhappy in the Academy City. At the same time, I don’t want you to be unhappy.

You knew of this city because of me. You’re my most important person who hadn’t changed in those six years. You’re closely connected to the Academy City that I deeply love.

I’ve decided not to write to you anymore. I’d welcome your letters if you were to write back. I think when that time comes; you’d have begun tidying your emotions.

If possible, I really want you to see that little space I made. For you who can’t appreciate scenery, I wonder what expression you’d make after seeing it. How anticipating.

If you really did come to Zuellni, then try to find it. If you’re lucky, perhaps you’d stay there.”

The door to the greenhouse opened. The rich aroma inside it enveloped Karian.

It was here.

That must be it.

Sharon’s letters always carried the aroma of another city. The aroma came from these flowers.

“Is there anything you want?”

The female student wiped the sweat on her forehead as she looked at him. She was suspicious of the Student President coming here alone.

“Aa, sorry. Could you sell me some flowers?”

“Ah, I’m sorry. These flowers aren’t for sale. The conditions to nurture them are very harsh, so not many flowers are grown. Sometimes when they’re ready, I give them out to people I know.”

“This is?”

“The outside base of the Flower Appreciation Research Club.”

Outside base?”

Karian looked around.

“Been negotiated?”

“Yes. The conditions here are suited to growing these flowers. The senpais in the past negotiated and built this greenhouse.”

“In the past. How long ago?”

“I heard it was ten years ago.”

“I see.”

It really is here.

“Can I look around?”

She gave him permission and he entered the greenhouse. Cute little yellow flowers spread in the house. Though they were small, the aroma they gave off was rich. Not rich in a way that made him feel uncomfortable. He felt refreshed.

So it’s here. It’s the scenery that Sharon wants me to see. The place she had put lots of effort into creating is this place. Flowers are blossoming in between buildings, in a place that had disappeared amidst data. This must be the scenery she mentioned.

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Chrome Shelled Regios:Volume13 Epilogue

2010-09-13T04:15:48Z

ZaX: /* Epilogue */

===Epilogue===

The feeling of Kei stirring through his entire body made Derek Psyharden frown. It seemed today would be a noisy day. Though it wasn’t something depressing, the fact that it prevented him from staying calm must mean it wasn’t worth feeling happy about. Besides, he wasn’t the only one feeling like this. Almost all Military Artists in Grendan that he had come across had become like this.

Derek had received a sudden summon. Grendan had contacted an Academy City – an incomprehensible contact. It had also sent over a number of Heaven’s Blade successors to help them defeat filth monsters. What incredulous information. On top of all of that, this Academy City’s name was Zuellni. All reasons for his uneasiness had gathered to Derek. However, what puzzled him was that he wasn’t the only person tasting this atmosphere.

He was in the reception room of the palace at the moment. He had been sitting on the sofa and had stood up to look out the window after feeling that running of Kei. Buildings blocked the centre of the source of Kei stirring, making its location hard to define, but he could tell it was somewhere close to the contact point. This information made the atmosphere more irritating. Derek could not calm down no matter what. He could feel that familiar Kei though two types of Kei were weaved together. He couldn’t be wrong. But……. Why?

Doubt deepened the atmosphere around him. He didn’t even know who had summoned him, yet he came as his personality would not allow him to ignore the summon. But perhaps this was the time to leave aside his personality.

He heard knocking on the door while he was troubled about it. The servant called his name politely and left to lead the way. And that was how Derek missed the opportunity to leave. He followed the servant.

The atmosphere in the palace was different from usual as he had expected. The dry and nasty feeling reminded him of his old battle days.

(What’s happened?)

Why did they summon a retired Military Artist? The more he thought of it the stronger the bad feeling became.

His destination was the room that he last went to, after the event involving Gahard Baren. The door opened and he entered the room. The chair behind the bamboo curtain was gone, replaced by a sofa and a table. The furniture was simple. But what was more surprising was…….

“Leerin?”

His adopted daughter was in the room.

“Father.”

“Why are you here?”

Leerin’s gloomy face watched him. She wore a blindfold over her right eye for some reason. The leather made blindfold was simple and delicately made. It did not suit her. The covered right eye was a mismatch to Leerin’s face. The image of the innocent girl stained with blood surfaced in Derek’s mind.

“…… What’s happened?”

Leerin’s expression revealed everything: what event had transpired, what she had decided. When all of the children reproached Layfon, on the day that his Heaven’s Blade successor title was stripped from him, only Leerin stood by his side. On that day, the lonely Leerin wore the same expression.

“Father, can you calmly listen to me? And believe what I’m about to say?”

“Leerin?”

His adopted daughter wanted to say something and he could feel the uneasiness in her words.

“Of course I’ll believe you. You’re my daughter. You won’t lie to me.”

“……. Thank you,” she said. She looked like she wanted to cry but her eye was dry. The strength in her heart had sealed her tears.

“My name’s changed to Leerin Eutnohl.”

She then told him everything, including the information she had obtained from Saya. She told him what would happen next, her role in the event and what she had to do. Derek crossed his arms in silence. His gaze never left his daughter. He didn’t think she was lying, and that he had been deceived. This was the palace, but more importantly, he could read the atmosphere. It was similar to the atmosphere of Grendan’s Military Artists waiting to be released in the battlefield. Once one sank into it, one would wish for an opponent no matter who he was. Derek was in that state when he waited in the reception room. The atmosphere strengthened while no one knew its real source. All Military Artists in Grendan had felt it instinctively. Something big was about to happen but no one knew what. This feeling was special. A feeling, knowing that the battle was here yet there were no enemies.

This was unusual.

“Leerin, let me ask you again.”

He closed his eyes, took a deep breath and let it out. His lungs expanded and shrank. In this process, the cycling air took away the confusion in him. If this was to become a battlefield, then confusion was useless. It was important to calmly digest the information of this battle. Besides, his daughter was the key to the battle to come. As a parent, he had the duty to make the battlefield the most advantageous to his daughter.

“You don’t need Layfon anymore?”

Leerin’s reaction was slow. Her expression changed from one to another. Her strong will suppressed it.

“……… Um,” she nodded resolutely.

“Layfon is no longer a citizen of Grendan. He cannot be involved in it. I’ve already decided.”

“Even though you still want to see him?”

“Yes.”

She didn’t look confused. No, she had already suppressed it. Had she chosen to sacrifice herself, or…….

“Then there’s only one thing for me to do,” he murmured. He snatched out the Dite from his weapon harness and restored it.

Leerin watched the Katana in his hand.

“Father?”

“Since he’s here, words alone cannot stop him.”

The stirring he felt just then……. It really was Layfon’s. His adopted son had come to take back his sibling. Words could not stop him who came with that purpose in mind.

“To hurt him with this Katana or to be hurt. Either way, this is the only thing I can do.”

“No…………” Leerin didn’t know what to do.

He smiled. “Military Artists are stupid creatures, especially my son. He’s like me. I’m sorry.”

“But………..”

“Don’t you want to stop him? I’ve decided. I don’t plan to kill him but would this naïve thinking work?”

He smiled. A more carefree smile than before. Thinking that he could do something for his children with this old body made him happy.

“I’m proud of him. You too, Leerin.”

He stood up and caressed her hair.

“Father……….”

“It’s my fortune to be able to do something for you and his decision.”

“I’m sorry…….. I’m sorry,” she moaned. Even so, no tears fell. She could not cry any longer. She had already prepared herself for this.

She would not hesitate.

“I’ll stop Layfon. You strive for the place you want to go.”

He returned the Dite to the weapon harness. He had no more to say to her. Derek left the room in order to receive Layfon outside the palace.

He headed out.

Leerin was temporarily rendered immobile as she covered her face. Layfon would become an obstacle. On the road she was to walk, he would become her obstacle. No, if she didn’t realize that before, she might not have to agonize over it. She would not have realized it if she had not seen Mei-Shen crying for Layfon. If so, she would be facing the future with Layfon right now. Perhaps he would even hold the Heaven’s Blade. He would be in his best condition as a Military Artist holding that blade.

However, reality was not like that because Leerin already understood her own feeling and the most important thing. She also noticed why she thought of Layfon. That was why she didn’t wish for him to appear. He had already left Grendan to search for his own path. He lived for it. It was all right even if his road was not to cross her path because she had already noticed her feeling.

That she must not rely on him anymore.

Perhaps she would never be happy if she hadn’t noticed it. Once she overcame this difficulty, perhaps, she could live together with Layfon in the future. It was enough that she knew the foundation for that future right now. She must not see him.

“Wu, wuwu………”

Her eyes were hot but the debris of that heat source did not show. She had already decided. Besides, she had cried before Saya. No need to cry anymore. She gathered up her sadness and burned it all with the fire of her spirit. A picture surfaced in her mind. A picture of thorns. Captured by sadness, only this picture was unrelated to her consciousness. Only this picture remained in her mind. The thorns fell one by one. They fell into emptiness, and for some reason, the last piece landed on Derek’s head. In the end, they surrounded Derek. The meaning inside this picture… Leerin didn’t want to know, but she knew.

I see. So that’s it. That’s why Layfon……

“Then…”

She lifted her head. No tears stained her blindfold. She had decided not to cry. She stared at the door that Derek had closed behind him.

“As I thought it is still not possible, Layfon,” she murmured, standing up.

Resolution filled her face.

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| Forward to [[Chrome_Shelled_Regios:Volume13_Bottled Letter For You|Bottled Letter For You]]
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Chrome Shelled Regios:Volume13 Chapter1p1

2010-08-31T07:32:45Z

ZaX: /* Chapter 1: Cadenza Road Itto */

===Chapter 1: Cadenza Road Itto===

A faint blue dimness pervaded the surroundings.

A stone without any taint. Its surface was transparent like a mirror, reflecting the faint light like water. No one knew where the light came from. Or perhaps, the wall itself was releasing this faint light? But the light was not enough to chase away the darkness. Light and dark combined to create this special faintly blue gloom. It made a person feel like he was swimming in moonlight.

“This is?”

Words seeded with doubt echoed faintly. The sound rippled in the dimness. The surroundings stirred.

“This is the inner court of Grendan,” Alsheyra said in a low voice behind her.

Alsheyra reached out a hand behind Leerin. Unlike before, that long and elegant finger guided Leerin’s gaze. A hand that had been decorated. The decorations adorning her hand sparkled lightly in the darkness. It was also a strong hand. The hand of a guardian who was stronger than any Military Artists in Grendan.

The door.

It didn’t look any different than the wall. But there was nothing behind them here, so Leerin understood this was the door.

The door was in front of her.

No, it existed here.

Alsheyra continued her narrative. Synola, the person who went to school together with Leerin was in fact the Queen who governed Grendan. Facts were always accompanied with an element of surprise. Leerin was surprised at that time too. But she had already seen through it before the disguise came off. Leerin’s right eye had seen through Synola to the real identity that was Alsheyra Almonise.

“Inside this place is the person who is connected to the beginning of the world. She is the prototype of all Electronic Fairies. She lived in the very first Regios. She is the first guardian to the human race. All Electronic Fairies are copies of her. That way of putting it might be more suitable.”

Alsheyra’s explanation was meaningless. It was both wrong and right. Leerin’s right eye knew.

That person was connected to the creation of the world. That person had been reborn in order to guard the human race. However, that wasn’t her wish. She was anticipating the person who had helped her regain her lost identity. She lived till now to wait for his reappearance. In fact, she didn’t care about the fate of this world. All she prayed for was his safe return.

He was the true owner of Leerin’s right eye. What lived in Leerin’s body was just his shadow. And the origin of that shadow was……

“Is it really all right?” Alsheyra said.

Leerin thought of her words.

“Since what will happen next wouldn’t be that bad. The worst situation might not occur during our lifetimes. There’s no need to go past this door and no need to know the truth. Even so, do you still want to?”

The knot in Leerin’s heart tightened at that question.

“……Don’t you understand?”

“Huh?”

“Do you not understand anything? Things might begin in the next moment. The shadow might swap with the real body. If that doesn’t happen, what about next time? It might happen soon! Isn’t that so?”

“Yes, I don’t deny that. Things are starting to move, but I don’t know at what speed. The flow of time in the two sides might differ. Perhaps, while we’re making our preparations, a hundred years might have flowed past.”

“………I don’t know. Didn’t we just arrive here?”

“Yes. Either way, we don’t know.”

“That’s why we should do our best in the present.”

“That’s the right choice. But is it really all right?”

Alsheyra’s repeated question stabbed Leerin’s heart. The question stabbed deeper than the initial question, making it hard to breathe.

“……Why, why are you asking?”

“What we need now is the “correct choice” that everyone can accept. Isn’t that so?”

“……………”

“What we need now is also the “correct choice” of your feelings. Right?”

Leerin clutched her chest tightly, feeling the pain, making herself accept Alsheyra’s words. She did it because they were words she wanted to hear and words she couldn’t disobey. But the temptation in the words and the pain both landed in her heart. She was determined to untie that knot in her.

Perhaps that was the truth.

No, she already knew what the “right” choice was. But she couldn’t accept it, and she couldn’t be persuaded. She didn’t even know how things would turn out if she took action.

“So I…………”

Once more, she took a step out. Facing the wall, she walked close to the door.

“I knew from birth that this day would come, so I could walk this path without confusion. But Lee-chan’s different. The sudden realization, the sudden involvement. It’s ok though you only knew of the burden of fate you carry. No one would blame you. I wouldn’t blame you.”

“………Thanks.”

But Leerin’s steps did not cease. She would just keep on walking. That way………It didn’t matter.

<center>◇</center>

Nina Antalk slept. The golden goat was near her. Sparkling light exuded from it as it waited for the timing from not too far away, watching her.

Where is this place?

It wasn’t a real place. At least, it wasn’t some place she was familiar with. Not Zuellni. Not Schneibel. An alien place.

This wasn’t a real place because Nina knew she was sleeping.

The Haikizoku. Only he was watching her.

“You are………”

She tried to get closer, but the goat retreated at the same speed. She didn’t see him moving though. Perhaps this was the distance of the mind between her and the goat. That was what a dream was, which meant she was still sleeping. There was nothing here. Everywhere was dark. Nina and the Haikizoku floated in the darkness. Time flowed. The two kept silent. No, did time exist? No matter how long one was in a dream, only a few seconds would pass in reality. Time in a dream was meaningless. In that case, perhaps the silence between them hadn’t been a long one. But it felt long to Nina.

She wanted to say something. The silence made her uneasy.

“What is your name?”

The goat that had kept still like a statue finally moved. Its body shook lightly.

“As an Electronic Fairy, you were once a city’s consciousness? I saw it. That was your city, wasn’t it? Then you should have a name.”

“I’ve become the blade of revenge. A name means nothing. I only desire for the person who will use me and the person who can use my power.”

“You mean me?”

“For now, I look at you to see whether you can complete the blade of revenge or as the flame of hatred, turn me into a blazing flame. Or turn my face into that of that person who is like a beast of ill-omen. I will keep looking.”

“Who are your enemies?”

She knew of the Haikizoku’s power when it was on a rampage. That information she had obtained from Haia. Changed by its hatred for those who had destroyed its city, the Haikizoku had transformed into a dangerous power that could be lent to a Military Artist, and its target was the filth monsters. The Haikizoku had caused the Academy City to go on a rampage, and it had entered Nina’s body. If she didn’t have Zuellni’s help, she wouldn’t be able to suppress its power. After that, she had come to the city of Myath and was involved in the fight against the Wolf Faces. To put it another way, a certain huge power had made her fight them.

This might be connected to Dixerio. While preventing the Wolf Faces’ plan from coming into fruition, Nina had been dragged into this thing that was connected to Dixerio.

But that might also be wrong. Dixerio might not be the cause of her movement to Myath. Perhaps the overlapping of the two of them had caused a simultaneous movement. Perhaps this had occurred for the first time since the Haikizoku’s power entered her body.

“The negative substance that wishes for this world’s destruction. The person who spreads it. The people who want to bring their ideal into reality. I belong to this world. I exist in this world. It’s natural for me to battle and bet on this world’s existence.”

“The Wolf Faces too.”

“Of course.”

“Just what are they?”

“…………”

“They are planning something, that I can tell. It must be something bad. Those guys don’t care for the deaths of Electronic Fairies and their cities. I understand we must defeat them, but I don’t know what they’re doing.”

“………” The Haikizoku was silent.

“I don’t know why they do what they do. You know, don’t you? Then tell me.”

“………” The Haikizoku was silent.

“Tell me. I don’t know. I know nothing about the enemies. “Something bad” isn’t an explanation I can accept.”

“…………” The Haikizoku remained silent.

What was the meaning behind that silence? “Tell me everything. Who are we fighting? What is the point of it? I want to know what other threats there are to this world other than the filth monsters.”

“I know your anger.”

That was the battle in Zuellni against the giants. The sound of Military Artists who craved for battle rose and fell. This was a hopeless and hated scene for the Haikizoku. He cursed his impotence. As a city’s consciousness that worked to protect humans, he had failed to take up his responsibility.

This scene hammered home his impotence.

The Haikizoku managed to live by feeding on his despair. It searched for a Military Artist it could entrust its power to battle the filth monsters, the Wolf Faces and the unknown enemies to this world. He ended up living in Nina’s body. Even so, why didn’t he tell her everything?

“………I too, I’ve sighed at my impotence.”

Nina put a hand on her chest, recalling the pain in her memory. This memory started from Schneibel. She had failed to save the little Electronic Fairy. After that, she had come to Zuellni so to train herself. But she still felt powerless even though she was in Zuellni. A loss in the previous Military Arts Competition had left Zuellni short of supplies.

“We cannot lose next time. We must win in the next Military Arts Competition.” She had kept training while holding this belief. In order to strengthen her resolve, she had left team 14 to start her own 17th platoon. She had invited Sharnid, who had left team 10, to join her. Later on, the Student President had recommended Felli. Harley had become the platoon’s Dite technician, and the platoon had started its activities despite its low number of members.

Nina had felt uneasy. Perhaps her first step was wrong. Perhaps it was wrong to strengthen her resolve under those circumstances. They didn’t have any outstanding fighting power, nor did they have any brilliant tactics. Perhaps it was more correct to work under the captain of the 14th platoon and let him draw out her potential. That unease had always occupied her heart. Perhaps she should disband the platoon. That thought had come to her again and again, but she had stomached all the weaknesses of the team.

At last, Layfon appeared.

His existence was so bright. His power drew Nina in the right direction. Though there were many accidents, they had finally won in the intercity match with Myath. Zuellni was released from its situation. Though this wasn’t the last Military Arts Competition, if this kept on going, Zuellni probably wouldn’t lose.

Zuellni had been released from its crisis. But what did Nina gain? It was good to have formed the 17th platoon? What had the platoon that reflected her will offered in the battle? Did everything else become meaningless as long as Layfon was here?

“I actually didn’t do anything. Aren’t I still a meaningless and powerless existence? Haikizoku, you chose to live in my body. But that power is yours. I’m just a tool to manifest your power. As I thought, I’m still powerless. Is that why you aren’t telling me anything?”

Her chest hurt. Her breathing hurt. She had left Schneibel for a certain goal. What had she achieved now? She was jealous of Layfon, and she disliked herself for being unable to hate him. She must be very ugly.

What was she thinking when Karian reproached Layfon for relying on her for the reason of battle? What was she feeling when she fought the giants and was almost taken over by the Haikizoku? Was she here just because of her own willfulness?

“………You who comprehend your powerlessness.”

The Haikizoku spoke as she sank into negative thought.

“You understand the heart of Electronic Fairy. It was a correct choice to stay in your body. But your resolve is not enough. Perhaps you have experienced the hell of this world, but your resolve to strive for the future is not enough.”

“I mean the resolve to keep fighting, you little Military Artist. You who have become my son.”

This wasn’t the Haikizoku’s voice. A new existence was now in this darkness, in this incredible dream.

“You are………”

She sucked in a breath as she watched her. So beautiful. So unexpected. Looking from a human’s perspective, her appearance stood on the fine line between beauty and ugliness. She had a human’s form, but some parts were different. Wings took over her arms. Within her hair was a long feather like a bird’s tail feather. Feathers grew on different parts of her body, and her feet were the claws of a bird’s.

Half beast and half man.

“Schneibel?”

That was Schneibel that Nina had seen when she was little.

“Great mother,” the Haikizoku called her.

A faint smile adorned Schneibel’s face. She looked at the Haikizoku then surveyed her surroundings.

“Melnisc, I’ve made you carry a painful memory. You others, no need to hide. Show yourselves.”

A change occurred. The world remained dark, but two more pictures appeared in the dark background.

It was a four-legged beast with long fur, and the other……

“Zuellni?”

The Electronic Fairy that had grown after obtaining something from Falnir stood by Nina’s side.

“The three children who have chosen a cruel fate. This is your first time gathered together?”

“As we’re connected closely by En, no need for first time formalities,” the four-legged beast said.

“Yes, Grendan. Though I’m connected to this girl, it’s not so for others. This is the first meeting. It’s a moment that is worth remembering.”

Melnisc. Schneibel had said it. That must be the Haikizoku’s name. And she had called the four-legged beast “Grendan”. Lance Shelled City. Gorneo had said it before. There was another Electronic Fairy in Grendan. An existence that slept and was called the true will. So this four-legged beast represented the will of the sleeper. It was a Haikizoku that drove the movement of the Lance Shelled City.

And there was Zuellni, lowering her head unobtrusively beside Nina. Why did she appear with these two in here? Why did Schneibel say “The three children who have chosen a cruel fate”? What had Zuellni chosen?

“Grendan, has Saya awakened?” Schneibel said, ignoring the confused Nina.

“Not yet, but it’s close. The person with the rose and cross crafted into her and the person who possesses great power have appeared.”

“They should be in one body, but now it looks like it won’t go so smoothly.”

“Yes, but I don’t know how things will progress in this situation.”

“The shadow has become two. Though that shouldn’t have appeared, this is the first of many occurrences. We’ll have to keep watching to see what happens next. What I’m worried about is just mere worry.”

“Perhaps not, that’s why we need to make preparations.”

“As you said, and there’s also Zuellni.”

Schneibel’s gaze turned to Zuellni. The tiny Electronic Fairy looked at the mother of all Electronic Fairies without fear.

“You, who have chosen to hide in the dimness, have seen everything. What has happened to her?”

Nina watched Zuellni. The Electronic Fairy that had never spoken opened her mouth. Though she had heard the Haikizoku – Melnisc’s voice, she had never thought that other Electronic Fairies could speak. Zuellni could speak. What was her voice like?

Though this wasn’t the time to notice that, it still bothered her.

“That person has not changed.”

Zuellni’s voice was gentle and healing.

“As in the past, an upright person.”

“The same as the person that I know?”

Schneibel’s voice also felt gentle.

“I’m not sure. I do not know the person that mother knows.”

“Then, what do you feel about her?”

Zuellni crossed her arms and smiled at Nina. Nina thought of the meaning behind that smile. The conversation that was now taking place in darkness……She thought about it and something suddenly flashed through her mind. Darkness. Only the girl whose beauty was like that of a temptress suited this word. Nina had thought the Haikizoku had left her body………but the girl had returned Melnisc to her body.

She was the topic of this conversation in the dark.

“She’s an upright person. She hasn’t changed since our first meeting. What she likes, she likes. What she dislikes, she dislikes. She’s clear about that.”

“You really do like her,” Schneibel said.

Zuellni smiled her usual smile. This was the Zuellni that Nina knew.

“So I’ll put my full support behind her, and Nina too.”

Though Zuellni tagged Nina onto her word, Nina was finally mentioned in the conversation.

“Um, and Grendan?”

“I’ve already obtained the information about that girl from you. Her temper and personality haven’t changed. Though I don’t think her virtues will change, since she’s determined, this will become her new strength.”

“Both of you have agreed, but the ultimate decision rests in your hand, Melnisc. You too, Nina Antalk. The children who are the knights protecting Schneibel.”

Schneibel’s gaze found Melnisc. The golden goat lowered its head.

“I………”

“You pitiful child who knows the will of destruction just as Grendan. You pitiful child who has been baptized in despair yet still lives strong. Why do you hesitate?”

“…………”

“Is it because revenge burns in you still and you’ve seen that beast?”

“…………”

“Is that it? But you can’t become that beast, nor can you partially become him. Though you both have the same form, he lives a different existence. An Electronic Fairy that is not my son, that shouldn’t exist in this world. No, he isn’t an Electronic Fairy. He lives in the same dimension as Saya.”

“…………”

“Zuellni is clear about him too? The darkness you protect nurtures him. Do you know what that beast is doing?”

“I………”

“The fight with the Wolf Faces is as expected, since between them is a give and take relationship. But after that, where do the beast’s fangs point? Where are they pointing at now? Do you know?”

“………”

Zuellni fell silent. She looked troubled. At the same time, they seemed to be on alert.

“………Unlike them who are closely tied by promises, we do not have a symbol. That’s why we can’t do as we please. In order to break free from the fate of waiting for the end of legend, we cannot use the legend as our aim.”

“The end of legend……?”

What did Schneibel mean? Was this what all Electronic Fairies wished for? No, just what was their aim? Wasn’t the Haikizoku Melnisc’s wish revenge?

“Zuellni……?”

“………”

Nina looked at Zuellni, the first friend she met after arriving at the Academy City. But Zuellni remained silent.

This was a dream.

This was Nina’s dream. That should be what it was.

But Nina failed to find a way to break this silence. She failed to wake from the dream.

<center>◇</center>

He was in the dark.

“What? Isn’t it already out?”

“Because isn’t this more interesting?”

Dixerio took down the mask from his face as he watched the scenery beneath him. The mask disappeared as if melting into the air. It was a face like a beast’s. One seemed to see huge fangs during the moment of its disappearance.

“Speaking of which, aren’t you gonna explain what just happened? After all, I’m at your beck and call.”

“Ala, isn’t it normal for the hunting dog to obey its owner?”

“Tsk.”

Dixerio left.

He stood on one of Grendan’s multi-legs.

“Is this the first Regios of this world?”

“Yes. You’ve been here many times, haven’t you?”

“Unpleasant things happened every time I visited. I never had the time to appreciate its scenery.”

“But I think there are many familiar people to you here.”

“I’ve already forgotten. They aren’t worth remembering. Besides, they probably don’t remember me.”

“It’s sad, being unable to become familiar.”

The fierce wind blew Nelphilia’s hair into curls, swaying her dress. Originally, Dixerio wouldn’t let it go like that. He also didn’t accept himself in the dark for being so unsightly.

“Are you letting loose the sadness in you?”

“You saw through it?”

“That’s not like you.”

“Fu~”

Bearing the strong wind, she looked at Grendan.

“Speaking of which, the prey has appeared.”

“Then capture him, just as I wanted.”

“And the girl?”

“Bring her along. She’s my woman.”

“Ah, when did it become that kind of relationship?”

“Since she interfered with my plan.”

“So troublesome. She may be the one that Zuellni likes.”

“Then I’ll sing Zuellni a nursery rhyme.”

“Really, you’re already past that age.”

“Then I can prepare her a doll.”

“Ah, that’s a headache.”

The scenery was peaceful. The unusual event of contact with an Academy City had ended. Normal citizens had returned to their normal lives. That was the same for the Academy City too. Students had begun working hard to renew the desolate city. Though Grendan’s citizens were still perplexed about the incident, they had given the immature students as much help as they could, trying to understand the situation in the other city while being banned from interacting with them.

What peaceful scenery. No one would know the next huge wave was about to hit. Everyone thought the rain had passed.

“So when is your hunt going to end?” Nelphilia’s gaze moved from the city to Dixerio’s back.

“Until I’ve hunted them all down. The saying goes, a dog boils a dead rabbit. This time, the hunter has become the prey.”

The stirring of green Kei appeared around Dixerio as he replied. Green Kei. The flame of revenge. Though it had a low profile recently, it might be slowly waking up.

Her gaze shifted to the deep blue sky and saw the faint shadow of the moon.

“Perhaps it’s coming close.”

The moon appeared there all the time even though the sun continued to rise in the east and fall in the west.

“It seems your fangs are heavily damaged?”

“Then let new fangs be grown.”

The Dite in his hand had not been restored. This was a new Dite given by Nelphilia. It was made of metal that would never shatter no matter how much Kei was poured into it. This Dite symbolized eternity as long as Nelphilia lived. However, at present, it was rusting. Not the Dite but Dixerio. To say it clearly, it was the fang living in his heart. The reason for the rust didn’t stem from Dixerio or Nelphilia. His heart wasn’t rusting. His skill was not either.

Yet the rusting never stopped. It continued to invade and swallow the depth of Dixerio’s heart.

“Let’s go.”

Dixerio jumped into the city. It was his will to silently bear the destruction of his body.

“Perhaps it’s a good thing for you.”

<center>◇</center>

She was very dissatisfied. She absolutely did not comprehend the things happening before her. She tried placing the reasons and what she didn’t comprehend side by side in her mind but the end result was blurry. Too many things were incomprehensible. And for those few things she understood, a large part of them was very abstract.

Still, there was something like a premonition.

“Geez…….”

Claribel walked in the palace.

She had originally wanted to see the real Queen but the Queen had left the palace with an unknown girl of Claribel’s age. Lintence too. Why did he bring in the unfamiliar girl? No. She could tell he had snatched her away.

Claribel saw the Academy City from Grendan. Was that girl a student in this city? Though the filth monsters had made a ruckus yesterday night, the crisis had been safely averted. Claribel had heard the only people over in that city were boys and girls of her own age. She wanted to look but her grandfather had stopped her.

“What did you say?” she didn’t get him.

But she had a premonition.

She stopped in the corridor. She could see a part of the city from here. The scenery was the usual Grendan. It was dry on the outside but full of energy in the inside. Though she knew she could feel the unexpected vitality if she was to walk the street, from here all she felt was silence. Perhaps this had to do with the layout of the buildings. Perhaps it was the influence of the tower?

What she saw now was probably different from the Academy city?

The curiosity in her heart gushed out again.

“Shall I go and see?”

Though her grandfather had stopped her, it was her freedom to listen to him or not. If she was found out, what awaited her would be harsh scolding……… But either way, she was the only one who would bear it.

So it should be ok?

That was what she was considering. Besides, wasn’t Layfon over there?

“Layfon. But I have something to confirm too.”

Her hand reached naturally for the Dite at her wrist.

Let’s just head over to the Academy City. This idea urged Claribel. Layfon was there. He became a Heaven’s Blade successor at age ten. He was also the first Heaven’s Blade to be exiled to another city.

“The person who once held the Heaven’s Blade that I can’t obtain……….”

She wasn’t that interested in his experience. What he did after becoming a Heaven’s Blade successor. The thing that had happened, and his deed that a Military Artist shouldn’t have committed………. Not interested at all – because she had already investigated them all. She even knew what the disabled Gahard Baren threatened Layfon with. The three royal families and the Heaven’s Blade successors all knew.

Even so, it was not enough to placate the anger of the citizens. Layfon had told the normal citizens the horror of a Heaven’s Blade successor. Though he had only told them a part of it, it was enough for them to feel the horror of a Heaven’s Blade successor on a rampage. Only fellow Heaven’s Blades could suppress a Heaven’s Blade. And the Queen whose strength far exceeded all Heaven’s Blades had no opponent.

They could destroy the entire city if they were to use their full strength.

Layfon possessed such power, and he had left Grendan to dwell in the Academy City, a gathering place for immature people.

For him who was still immature, Claribel wondered who he was living with.

Had he matured? Or was he still immature? She really wanted to test him.

“What should I do? Today………”

She looked at the city and turned her gaze to the sky.

Looking at herself.

A feeling of electricity had been moving behind her back. It wasn’t just here and it wasn’t just her who felt it. Everywhere else in the city felt the same. Though Grendan’s streets were silent, behind it was a force, waiting to move.

A chaotic presence mixed in with the flow of air. It felt as if any small thing would make the situation dangerous. And it felt as if everyone had forgotten the principles of Military Artists and was making a commotion. But nothing had happened yet. Was it because Grendan’s Military Artists weren’t foolish enough to react to the influence in the air? Or did everyone think that this dangerous air was nothing compared to the coming storm? Or……..

“Claribel, what’s up?”

“Ah, sensei.”

The direction that the voice came from was her sensei – Troiatte.

“Did you just get up? It’s rare to see you not sleeping.”

“Ah, I’m tired of sleeping in. I seem to have gotten used to the exciting life.”

“Only getting into the idealistic now?”

“That’s one part of it…” she shrugged, knowing her sensei’s personality.

“Has Layfon appeared?”

“Ah? No. I didn’t see him. Lintence and Ruimei seem to have. And Savaris made a joke of being severely injured.”

“Savaris-sama?”

“He didn’t have the Heaven’s Blade with him, but his head almost got separated from his body during a duel. He would have died if Lintence hadn’t sewn him up.”

“………Did Layfon do that?”

“Seems so. He’s shown us something good.”

“Has he become stronger?”

“He hasn’t changed much from before, and he doesn’t feel that terrible. Well, though I don’t think it’s good not to change, I can’t say change is the benchmark to growth. That kind of thing is dependent of the situation.”

“Just what are you trying to say?”

“Uncertainty. The ending Lintence set isn’t quite bad.”

“Lintence designed it? Then………”

Is he already dead?

“Still alive. Though I didn’t hold much expectation for Lintence’s naivety, I didn’t feel the presence of death. Well, whether that guy lives or not doesn’t matter to me. What do you think, Claribel?”

“I’ve learned the same having studied under you for five years.”

She reached for the Dite at her waist. She touched it and wanted to pour Kei into it. But not yet. Sparks flew. It wasn’t enough to burn up the tension in the air that was liquefied selenium.

“It’s flashing though we still don’t know what’ll happen.”

“Doesn’t matter, since I can’t go to the center of the festival.”

“Uh?”

“That’s what a festival is, isn’t it? The battlefield that only the chosen can enter. Though I don’t like it, I’m still part of the Ronsmier family.”

“And then? Do you still want to play in the bush with guys you like rather than dance around the bonfire of the festival?”

“If it’s interesting.”

“There’re too many dangerous guys in this city who like to play with fire. I hate that.”

“What you think, Sensei?”

“What answer do you want?”

“Yes, I shouldn’t have asked.”

He wasn’t the type of teacher to solve a student’s perplexity. No. This idea was formed because of her own willfulness. She walked out of the corridor after greeting Troyatte, yet he stopped at the same spot to look over Grendan as if replacing her.

Layfon Alseif.

Layfon Wolfstein Alseif. The young man who only had a one-year age gap with her. But he had obtained the acknowledgment that Claribel didn’t have.

And……And……

“Do you still remember me?”

She really wanted to test him. To confirm it. Claribel pondered as she suppressed the two strong desires in her. If she were to follow her heart, where would she go?

<center>◇</center>

She realized she was alone after passing through the door.

Alsheyra did not follow. The door remained open. If anything happened, Leerin could escape immediately, but she felt it meaningless to support herself with that thought in this place.

The dim blue continued to stretch ahead of her.

But the atmosphere had changed. Something conquered this place. The air did not seep past the door to the outside but remained in here. It was so quiet.

This was the atmosphere that surrounded Leerin.

The only furniture in the room was a bed. An old bed. A bed with a rich bed-cover and ornate decorations. The bed sheet seemed to leak the dim blue as if it had forgotten the passage of time. Cushions were piled on the bed like a hill.

A girl slept on the bed as if she were crafted along with it.

The person in Leerin’s dream was sleeping here. The girl Leerin had seen in Zuellni.

It was her, Saya.

Everything seemed to be like a dream, ready to disappear in any moment. Leerin wondered whether the sleeping girl before her would disappear or if everything besides the girl would melt into nothingness. This was probably what it meant to acknowledge this girl’s existence. If Leerin didn’t do that, she felt this girl could not live alongside reality.

She pressed a hand to her chest. Her heart beat intensely with tension.

Why was she tense? Because of the girl? Because she noticed she was about to step on a line that would never allow her to turn back? Because she was thinking of what was to come? Because she was thinking of the life of Leerin Marfes? Because once she crossed that line, she’d have to change her name to Leerin Eutnohl? Herder Eutnohl. Because she was to acknowledge this man as her real father?

Marfes. A name without any meaning. Her adopted father had given her this name. The name itself meant nothing. But it was a name given her to enable her to enter the orphanage and forget her past, so she could keep on living. The name and its pronunciation meant nothing, but its existence was important.

Marfes. This name called forth her past. The life at the orphanage. The time with Layfon. Many things had happened. Sometimes it was sad, sometimes happy, sometimes difficult. She had felt contempt from people for being an orphan. The older brothers would protect the younger ones when that happened. The older sisters would encircle them with their gentle arms. Leerin also cared for her younger siblings after growing up. Layfon had replaced the fist, protecting the siblings with the achievements he made as a Military Artist. They were happy though time was harsh. So what if their parents weren’t here? Many siblings had replaced them. They wouldn’t lose to anyone. Besides, their adopted father was guarding them.

We had such happiness.

But it was destroyed.

No. Not Leerin, but Layfon.

Leerin believed it wasn’t anyone’s fault. She believed so. Even the reason behind Layfon’s actions did not change her thinking, but she never thought another person would do the same besides Layfon.

Her brothers and sisters began to split apart after that. No, only Leerin and Layfon had been separated. Layfon had left for another city, and Leerin had entered another school, participating in the Student Council. She could only show up in the Dojo a few times because the school was far from the orphanage.

Did she regret it?

No way. She couldn’t sink into regret and do nothing with her life. She didn’t think it was Layfon’s fault but she couldn’t see her siblings anymore. And Layfon wasn’t here. Leerin had become alone.

The name Marfes had this kind of background. Though it was rich with sadness, it was a name that had accompanied Leerin’s growth. Was she to give it up? Give it up and inherit the name Eutnohl. This great yet meaningless name that could change her record?

She was now standing at a crossroad.

The girl was still asleep. Her tightly closed eyes seemed to await Leerin’s decision.

Just one step. The problem was this one step. It was even heavier than Alsheyra’s question. This step would decide everything. Once Leerin took this step, she could realize the determination she made in Zuellni. And if she was to take one step back, she could forget everything. She couldn’t wrap everything up. She still had to rely on Layfon in the end. She came here because she hated that side of hers. Insult? Regret? These words sighed at her impotence. If she had held the attitude of those words, she wouldn’t have walked into this place.

The destruction began in herself. Leerin Marfes destroyed her own identity just like Layfon Alseif blackening out his own past. Cracks began to run through her. The most delicate repair could not fix it. Leerin knew she couldn’t ignore the cracks anymore.

She had already decided what to do.

“………!”

She bit her lips and took a step forward.

It felt hard to breathe. Tension was at its peak. Suppressing her irregular breathing, Leerin came close to the bed and bent down. The soft mattress supported her.

The time on the bed began to flow. Saya opened her eyes.

“………I had a dream,” Saya weaved her words softly. The quiet voice was enough to make one shiver. Her transparent voice slowly seeped into the darkness.

“You were in my dream. Is this the continuation of that dream?”

Leerin didn’t know how to reply. How? Perhaps Saya was trying to confirm for herself.

“No. That’s not it, Saya. This is real. At least, it’s real to me.”

“I see.”

Saya lightly breathed in as she lay on the bed. She then slowly sat up. Her delicate legs quietly moved, guiding her body to bend down beside Leerin. She suddenly hugged Leerin tightly. Her delicate fingers brushed away her hair. Guided gently, Leerin buried her head in Saya’s chest.

“I offer you my most sincere atonement and gratitude for your painful decision.”

“Don’t say that………”

Leerin’s throat shook. Saya understood her. At Leerin’s appearance, she understood what decision she had made. What she had chosen and given up.

“I……I………”

Her throat shook, failing to give voice to her words. Leerin couldn’t turn weak. That was how she kept encouraging herself. She had lived through everything. She had lived through it all by suppressing her cowardice.

“I’m sorry, but that’s all I can say. No matter how much I say to you, no matter what expectations I hold, no matter how I defend them, it’s all my personal wish. You’ve chosen a difficult life for that wish. I can say nothing but words of atonement and gratitude.”

“But you………”

Though it’s not something unreasonable, I understand. Though it can’t be clearly expressed in words, I understand. Saya wasn’t in a slumber to sacrifice anyone. Besides, even if Saya held no consideration for Leerin and anyone else, everyone could keep on living only because of her existence.

Saya didn’t need to apologize at all.

“……You didn’t have to say that.”

“Really?”

Saya’s hand was still on the back of Leerin’s head. Her gentle fingers parted her hair and touched her scalp. Saya’s voice was crisp. Her fingers were delicate. An aroma cut through the tip of Leerin’s nostrils. Everything here was so real. The thin sense of reality shattered the wall of the dam Leerin had desperately built around herself, making her think this was all an illusion.

“Uu, uu……”

Saya gently caressed her head. All she did was repeat the motion.

“Um, Ah…………”

Sound of crying flowed from Leerin’s throat. The dam had burst. Even so, she kept holding it in. She had already decided not to cry. And she’d not lose even if she cried out loud. She couldn’t let anyone see her like this………

“Ah. Ahah……”

Saya embraced her, continuing to caress her head. It felt as if she was being caressed by an adult. She couldn’t stop it anymore.

Leerin cried.

She felt light pain in her head. Her eyes were hot. It was a bit embarrassing but she felt more relaxed after crying. The traces of her tears on Saya’s dress were unbelievably real, as if they could bring her out of her dream.

“Feeling better?”

“………Thanks”

She took the handkerchief from Saya. She felt ashamed as she felt the rich material but she still used it to wipe her tears.

It was all right now.

She had let Saya see her shameful side, but it was all right. She could pretend nothing had happened with this level of shame. The days to come would definitely be more difficult. Helpless, she might even do more shameful acts. Today’s crying was nothing compared to the future.

“Then let us talk. I don’t understand anything. This right eye wants to tell me something but I don’t understand. About the right eye, you, and anything I don’t know. Please tell me everything.”

“All right. I understand,” Saya nodded lightly and began the explanation.

It was something that happened a long, long time ago.

“In this world exists a place to realize a wish.”

“A wish?”

“Yes. Once you arrive there, no matter what it is, including what you are not conscious of, the thing that hides in the deepest corner of your heart, even that wish can come true.”

“Even those things………”

“We call it the Zero Territory. The earth was once in a huge crisis. A huge war exploded across the world so a device was made to create Subspace in order to replenish the lack of resources. The Zero Territory was discovered as a result.”

“The earth?”

“That was the origin of this world. Cracks appeared in the space that the earth was in because of the birth of Subspace. Subspace’s role is to expand the world. Its effect allows different spaces to overlap that never touch each other. This world is also part of it. But because something unusual had happened in Subspace, cutting off had become the deciding factor for survival. On one hand, Subspace has to maintain its shape as a space. On the other hand, it has to guarantee the amorphous inside that is the Zero Territory. This all led to the splitting of the world."

What came next was the era of humans living in Subspace. The earth originally belonged to them, but they did not know of it. They continued living and spreading in Subspace, not knowing what was happening to others.

"An experiment was carried out during that time.

It was an experiment called: The plan to investigate the Zetsuen Space. It was a plan to investigate the Zero Territory in order to find out the reason behind the cutting off of the world and another deeper problem – the Aurora atoms leaking out from the Zero Territory that cause changes in the human body.

“Ailen was one of the people in the team. He’s the true owner of your right eye.”

At that time, Saya was in Zero Territory.

“Unlike him, I was born in another space. I was one of the people of another culture. But because of Airen’s discovery and the interference with the Zero Territory, I gained the same form of the young sister that person had lost.”

“Younger sister………? And then?”

Could it be that the Saya Leerin saw in Zuellni was another Saya? Saya gave confirmation to her suspicion.

“Yes. Nelphilia. That person’s sister’s name.”

That child Nelphilia had accidentally fallen into Zero Territory. The limit of Subspace also came to a breaking point following the passage of time.

“Then, was her wish realized?”

“Yes. It should have been destroyed at the same time but that didn’t happen.”

“Destroyed?”

“The wish of a human is not perfect. But to put it in perspective, people can keep on living to realize unreachable wishes. However, an imperfect wish can come true in Zero Territory, giving form to its imperfection.”

Everyone was the same. They would fall into an exhausted state after experiencing the joy of seeing their wish come true.

Or it might be a feeling of despair at understanding the ugliness within oneself.

Witnessing the self that headed for destruction because of imperfection.

“People who lose their vitality in Zero Territory would immediately die. The state of the heart is closely tied to one’s existence. Even a machine reflects its maker’s heart, so many people died. I was born to bring hope amidst destruction, so I didn’t die in Zero Territory. But that space is extremely dangerous to people. But Nelphilia lived. Airen too.”

“Why could the two of them survive?”

“This is only a guess, but Nelphilia probably wanted more people to acknowledge her beauty. Her definition of power is to have many people obey her. Her wish is limitless. I think she understood the limit that the Aurora atoms imposed on the realization of a dream and she took advantage of it. Next is Airen. He didn’t know his sister had changed. He participated in the plan to save his sister. After that, the wish of that person came true according to the rule of Zero Territory. At the same time, my heart resonated with him as I wanted to complete my mission, so I obtained the form of his sister. That person’s wish was for his sister to escape and for him to obtain the power to protect her so she wouldn’t encounter similar event. That was how we escaped Zero Territory.”

“Wait a minute………” Leerin said.

Something felt strange.

“So the Zero Territory can realize one’s dream?”

“Yes.”

“But Ailen’s wish hasn’t entirely come true. Wasn’t his sister in the Zero Territory? Why didn’t she herself appear?”

“The Zero Territory cannot do everything. If Airen had known she was there, things would have turned out differently. But it didn’t happen. Zero Territory only listened to that person’s wish and made it come true in its own way. It can’t distinguish what’s true and false. Zero Territory is not a system with that level of consciousness. It simply exists to give form to a wish. Same as the meaning of the words, it grants the form. I became like this because I was accidentally caught in it.”

“So all that Zero Territory makes true is false?”

“Only the person himself can tell whether it’s true or false. Besides, only he himself can tell whether the fake can satisfy his wish.”

Leerin breathed in deeply as she looked at Saya. Her false form came about from Airen’s wish. She wasn’t the sister he wished to see. Had Saya been worried about that? Perhaps she’s still worried. Because she’s always been waiting for the person named Airen.

“Sorry.”

“It’s ok. Let us continue.”

The plan to investigate the Zetsuen space fell through. Airen escaped together with the experimental object, Saya. They then met the scientist who opened the Subspace – Rigzario. The three of them began a journey. Rigzario had been traveling in order to fix the problems appearing on the Subspace device due to its overuse for a long period of time. But the wearing out of the device far exceeded her predictions. In the end, Rigzario was caught in the collapse of another world just like Saya and became another scientist hovering in Zero Territory. The result was the summoning of Ignasis into this world. Ignasis obtained his power in the Zero Territory and destroyed the device of Subspace in the name of experimentation, trapping millions of people in Zero Territory.

“How could………”

That meant death.

“His aim was to find the proof of souls and the paths of the people who disappeared in Zero Territory. Did despair really make people disappear? Had Zetsuen Space really destroyed Subspace?”

“To get so many people involved just for that………”

“The experiment was a success. Though the proof of soul is not definite, the people inside Zero Territory still exist. The total collapse of Subspace has eliminated Zetsuen space. Ignasis should have created a passage connecting it to other Subspaces.”

“Should have?”

“I was made to allow the people to take shelter from the collapsing Subspace. Those people who had been melted by the Zero Territory lived inside me, and I was to use Rigzario’s device to give them new lives in a new Subspace.”

“Do you mean this is it?”

“Yes, it’s here.”

That was how this world was born.

“But at the same time of creating a new Subspace, Zero Territory started invading Zetsuen Space. Ignasis sought to destroy this world so Airen prepared some defensive mechanisms. He used the power in his right eye to seal the space where Ignasis and his followers were in. And that’s………the moon of this world.”

“The moon……”

The moon hanging in the sky……had such a secret.

“But Ignasis didn’t just sit on the dim moon and wait for his destruction. He hates this world and that hatred made this world inhabitable for humans.”

“Pollutants.”

“Yes. In order to combat the weapon of Ignasis that was strengthened after absorbing his hatred, Airen let his own genes descend from the moon.”

“And they are Military Artists and psychokinesists.”

This voice came from a third party.

Leerin turned around and saw numerous masks had appeared behind her. Strange masks wearing the faces of beasts. Those masks lined in a row as if to decorate the wall of this space flooded with dim moonlight.

“I thought it already took you tremendous energy to open the hole in Zuellni’s sky,” Saya said faintly, replacing the speechless Leerin.

“Though many people live in this land, we have numerous comrades on this side of the sky. No matter what, this battle is our victory because in Zero Territory exists slumbering souls that far exceed the number of people in this world.”

“Even so, you won’t know the end result.”

“………”

“Numbers mean nothing in Zero Territory. The so-called power of numerous souls only obeys a stronger consciousness. You people are an example.”

“Then to prevent that strong consciousness from visiting Zero Territory, we can only fight in this world.”

Bodies appeared one after another. They wore the same clothes and had the same form. They were the same as those that Nina fought in Myath.

In their hands held weapon of the same structure. They were like mirror reflections as they attacked together. The speed of the attack, the air and the shouts filled with murderous intent made Leerin shut her eyes tightly.

Though she had shut her eyes,

she could still see them.

At that time, the one who was impacted was Nina.

She couldn’t express the secret behind the creation of this world that Schneibel had revealed.

“Do you believe?”

“Is this a matter of believing or not believing?”

At least Nina had given some reply to the question. No one could tell why this world was born. Humanity lived matter of factly inside Regios, living in fear of pollutants and filth monsters that were outside the city. This was the world that Nina understood.

The ridiculous story of the creation of this world. It was neither an ambiguous myth nor something that the Alchemists had experimented on. Though it was grand, it was far from reach. It felt like a dangling story. But the story coming from the Electronic Fairies didn’t feel like a lie.

“Electronic Fairies have no reason to lie to me. At least, all of you here believe in that story.”

“Exactly,” Grendan nodded, its long fur swaying, its cold and icy gaze staring at Nina.

“So has Grendan, the Lance Shelled City, been battling till now for that day?”

“I move the city in place of the slumbering Saya. One of Grendan’s aims “to stop the end of war” matches my hatred. This increased the power of Military Artists and successfully gave birth to several outstanding Military Artists. Their combination increased the density of Airen’s genes in their bodies. And then they were gathered in Grendan’s three royal families to give birth to the most ideal person.”

“The most ideal person?”

“Gather Airen’s dispersed genes and make a copy. That is the purpose of Grendan’s royal family. It was originally close to finishing but a mistake in the process has increased the time period.”

Grendan did not reveal the identity of that person but he must mean the Queen. The Military Artist who surpassed all Heaven’s Blade successors. She struck down the aged phase filth monster that Layfon and Savaris failed to defeat even though she was far away from the battlefield. Grendan’s royal family had spent a huge amount of time to create such a powerful Military Artist. This must be it.

But the Electronic Fairies said it wasn’t finished. Something was still lacking.

“Not everything was included in the predictions. Whether it could explain the problem that happened before or if it means there’s still some time before adjustment is finished, I’m not sure,” Schneibel said slowly.

“But right now a hole has opened in the sky of the Academy City. Its cause is eventually linked to the Lance Shelled City. Then it might not be the first battle but the final decisive battle. We have to act according to it. Nina. The child of Schneibel’s knight. My child. Perhaps you might become the hope of the Electronic Fairies. As a creature that gives life to this world’s lives and lives in this world, one cannot entrust the entire wheel of fate to this world’s temporary dwellers. You will become the key or the first of the new generation or the helpless abandoned child who falls down in the wilderness. I’m not clear. But we now need new power as guardians of this world.”

“You mean I’m the new power?”

“That isn’t our choice, but yours and Melnisc’s, the one who deeply knows this world’s despair.”

Nina looked at the Haikizoku, Melnisc. The golden goat kept silent, immobile.

“This choice appears like a dilemma to you who understands the limit of hungry wolves. But what we need now is not the flame of destruction but the blade of a guardian.”

“………”

Melnisc remained silent. It stubbornly remained silent before the gazes of Schneibel, Grendan, Zuellni and Nina. It did not express clearly whether it was confused or resolutely refusing. Nina couldn’t discern anything from the Electronic Fairy’s expression.

“………I see. If you don’t make a choice then Nina’s reply would also be ignored.”

“Uh?”

“Right now, you and Melnisc are in one body. It’s meaningless if the two consciousnesses are not in agreement even though this situation is temporary. But I have to say this clearly, Melnisc. The limit is unclear. You also know confusion cannot create anything.”

“I’ll remember it, Great Mother.”

Schneibel nodded at the goat’s reply.

“Then let us observe the flow of time in Grendan.”

Everything turned faint at the fading of the voice. The Electronic Fairies disappeared from Nina’s eyes. Zuellni too, and Melnisc.

“Wait. I still don’t………”

The Electronic Fairies ignored her. Their figures turned even fainter, gradually merging into the darkness.

“Zuellni.”

“I’ll definitely return.”

The young girl hugged Nina’s neck. Her figure slowly disappeared along with a tangible yet intangible feeling of vagueness.

“Wait. What do you mean by returning?”

But her surrounding was empty when she spoke. Her consciousness changed. Nina knew she was waking up from her dream.

Someone was staring at her.

“……… \Eh?”

“Ah, you awake?”

A stranger stood before the confused Nina. The person was smaller than her but Nina could feel this person had had a good education from her fine and delicate countenance.

“This is?”

She put a hand on her temple to calm her head. She had had a long dream and she still clearly remembered its content. Was it real? And just where was she now?

“Ah, don’t remember? And I wanted to see just what kind of a person Lintence-sama has brought back.”

“Ah……”

She remembered.

Leerin was taken away after Layfon was defeated in Zuellni. She had then chased after her. But reality had failed. She had obtained the Haikizoku’s power and defeated the giants easily though the enemies had put them in a difficult fight. Still, that much power was not even worth mentioning before a Heaven’s Blade successor.

(What a horrifying gap in strength.)

She didn’t even manage to get one strike in.

“No need to be so sad. Lintence-sama is special even among Heaven’s Blade successors. No other Heaven’s Blades can defeat him.”

Must be comforting me. Nina looked at the girl. Her long hair was gathered together. The strands of white hair mixed in her dark hair stood out clearly.

“Ah, I’m Claribel Ronsmier. This is Grendan’s palace. What is your name?”

“I’m Nina Antalk. A student in Zuellni.”

Claribel clapped her hands as Nina gave her name.

“As I thought. And I thought you were a Grendan Military Artist that I didn’t know.”

“Was I captured?”

Nina reached to her waist but the Dites were missing from her weapon harness.

(This is only natural.)

“Are these your Dites?”

“What!”

She was speechless at the two Dites next to her bed.

“Wasn’t I caught?”

“Who knows? Her Majesty didn’t say anything and she didn’t arrange anyone to monitor you. But if you do anything you’ll get caught by Kanaris-sama.”

“Even so, to not take away the weapons is a bit………”

“Then show me how much you can do? Either way, it’s my first time meeting someone possessed by a Haikizoku.”

“!”

“Ahah, sorry. I know a bit of it because of my identity.”

“Does that mean it’s ok even if I escape to the outside?”

“As you wish. You have freedom as long as you don’t cause a commotion. But I don’t think it’s possible to escape. Either way, this is Grendan’s palace. The home of monsters.”

The anticipation sparkling in Claribel’s eyes made Nina shiver. Her gaze was enjoying watching Nina’s actions and anticipating the coming of chaos.

“………What’re you doing here?”

The sudden sound of disapproval wasn’t surprising. Rather, this rare question of common sense made Nina feel more at ease.

It was an elegant man with perfect long black hair. Nina wasn’t sure but she felt this man was similar to Claribel. And this person was watching her in surprise.

There wasn’t the sound of a door opening. Nina also didn’t feel his presence when he came in. He wore a weapon harness at his waist. This man was a Military Artist, and he was powerful.

“You too. What’re you coming here for?”

“Tigris is looking for you. He thinks you might be being naughty again.”

“Ah, as expected of my grandfather.”

“So it’s true.”

An even more surprising expression on the man’s proper face.

“Can’t say something like “don’t think of it” under this situation. It’s all right since all Heaven’s Blade successors had a chance to show their strength but we don’t have that chance.”

“Take care of what you say. You’re the inheritor of the Ronsmier family.”

“Someone from my grandfather and grandmother’s family can inherit even if anything happened to me, since grandfather has many children.”

“How surprising.”

“I think you are the one with the problem since you don’t feel a thing.”

The man’s face showed an expression of one being given no choice at the younger person’s words. Claribel looked at Nina.

“I forgot to introduce. The one over there is Minse Eutnohl. My……Uh, though we’re not of the same seniority in our family, it’s annoying, so please just treat him as my older cousin.”

“Is she the one possessed by the Haikizoku? Her Majesty should have already taken away the other person,” Minse said.

“Who knows? I don’t know where Her Majesty has taken the other person to.”

“Damn.”

“Speaking of which, Layfon seems to be in that city. What would you do?”

“If I see him I’ll have him die.”

“I know.”

“……Hey, you knew already?”

“Of course. I’ll deliver the message as it is. What about you?”

“Since that’s all I can do.”

Minse left with anxiety on his face.

“That person had a bad experience because of Layfon. He holds a personal grudge but that’s his own fault.”

Nina was shocked at her mentioning Layfon.

(Yes. This is Grendan. The city that holds a painful past for him.)

She hadn’t had the time to tidy up her emotions because of Savaris and the invasion by filth monsters. Why had she become so gloomy?

“You know Layfon, don’t you?”

“……He’s in my team.”

No point hiding it.

“Then you should understand the current Layfon. Ah~~ but it still isn’t good enough to compare with the past. As I thought, it’s better to just see him face to face.”

“What are you planning to do with him?”

“Do you know why he left Grendan?”

“………”

“You knew.”

“Wait, Layfon, that guy……Perhaps he did do something wrong but!”

“Don’t worry. No one looks at him in contempt from the view of a Military Artist.”

“Eh?”

Claribel laughed in a carefree manner before the numbed Nina.

“Her Majesty, the Heaven’s Blades and us three royal families. We all knew the reason behind his actions. However, he let the citizens of this city know the horrifying power of a Heaven’s Blade successor. They shouldn’t have to know of it. Because that cannot be forgiven, we decided to exile him.”

Claribel’s words should be believable. Though Nina once was horrified at seeing Layfon eliminating the larvae on his own, her feelings had quickly turned into envy. But what would it be like if the witnesses of that scene were not Military Artists but normal citizens? Naruki’s friend. What if that girl Meishen saw it?

“In truth, I think even Military Artists wouldn’t think much if they were to see him again. The Heaven’s Blade successors aren’t interested, and the other Military Artists know of the gap of strength between them and him but it’s better for him not to meet up with the ordinary citizens of the city.”

“………Layfon can’t see them.”

“Uh?”

He can’t meet with the city’s citizens. He can’t meet with the normal people. That reality heavily pressed down on his heart.

“He can’t see his family.”

Nina couldn’t accept it after hearing the words even though she herself had experienced a sad past. Layfon only did it for the orphanage. He gave his all for his family. He ended in failure. They thought he had betrayed them and they hated him for it.

Did they still hate him now?

“I too can’t understand how my family feels,” Claribel said icily. “A bad deed will eventually be exposed. And this event that Layfon is associated with was easily discovered. No matter what he planned to do, he had to shoulder the result, whether it was good or bad.”

“Yes, you’re right.”

She couldn’t retort her theory because she herself had considered the same thing. She left her home, Schneibel, without considering her father’s feelings.

“But the right discussion is only limited to a discussion. It can’t be used for all cases.”

Claribel looked out the window as if avoiding Nina’s gaze. The top part of Zuellni’s tower entered Nina’s gaze.

Had Zuellni smoothly won through the crisis? No. It had a Military Artist strong as Lintence. And it must be safe now by the peaceful look of it. The problem now was that the city’s leg was broken. Who knew how much longer it would take to repair it. And the next question was whether filth monsters would appear during the repair period.

Nina left the bed without thinking and came to the window.

“You haven’t thought for yourself.”

“Eh?” she turned around to Claribel.

“Wouldn’t one worry about himself in this situation?”

“Ah, ahah. That seems to be it now that you mention it.”

“Or that you have the confidence to escape from Grendan?”

“It’s not like that……”

There were too many things to consider. She herself didn’t know where to begin. The Queen had said something was to happen in Grendan. And then there was the conversation of the Electronic Fairies she saw in her dream. A huge riddle was stirring. She wanted to solve it. Leerin was taken away. It was unquestionable for her to return to her own city as she was Grendan’s citizen, but Nina felt something was hidden behind it. She also wanted to confirm this suspicion.

So many things had happened. She didn’t know where to begin.

“Or do you want to see the things that are to happen here?”

“The Queen asked the same thing.”

She lost to Lintence even though the Haikizoku was in her. Just what was she doing here? She felt impotent once she thought of it.

“I don’t know what I can do now and I don’t know what I should be doing. But I can’t do nothing. Leerin’s been taken away. Though she belongs here, it’s normal for her to be taken back. But I can’t accept the fact of her being forcibly taken away without reason. I want to know the reason behind it.”

“This Leerin person is the one that Her Majesty has taken away?”

“Yes.”

“What’s her relationship with you?”

“She lived with me in the same dormitory and she’s Layfon’s childhood friend.”

“Layfon? I see.”

Here it came again. Nina’s body turned stiff.

Claribel’s meaningful words threatened her. “This means she grew up in the same orphanage as him?”

“Aah, they did mention it.”

What’s going on? She did say she didn’t hold anything against Layfon for his crime but it seemed she held some other feelings for him.

“Then Layfon will definitely come,” she said to herself.

She felt dangerous.

Claribel had said that the Military Artists wouldn’t do anything to him. The Heaven’s Blades weren’t interested in Layfon. The other Military Artists wouldn’t do anything since they knew the distance of strength between them and him. Then what kind of Military Artist would choose to confront Layfon? Claribel didn’t look like a Heaven’s Blade successor. She had mentioned the “three royal families” so she must be part of this city’s government and she was a Military Artist.

Right now only she was considering a battle with Layfon.

But why?

“You and Layfon……” Nina didn’t get to finish.

Sudden.

Suddenly, Claribel moved.

“!”

Nina had no time to react. Why did she reach out to the weapon harness? When did she restore the Dite?

Her arm was already next to Nina’s face when she reacted.

“What’re you doing being so sneaky?” the expressionless Claribel asked behind Nina.

The sound of dry splitting echoed in the ears. If Claribel’s Dite was of a blade type then the blade must be in a spiral shape judging from the turning of the elbow.

Nina turned around and seeing what she saw, leaped away to restore her Dite. The heavy iron whips appeared in her hands.

A mask. A beast’s face emerged from it. Claribel reached out to it. Her blade had cut deeply into the mask, splitting it apart.

Claribel’s Dite was of a strange shape. The red painted part revealed the strong part where the blade had cut open the mask. The handle was like a glove protecting the fist, the fingers going through the four holes in the handle of the blade. Thorns were attached to the defensive part of the weapon and a small knife was attached to a side of the handle.

The shape was unique to her. It contained a strong sense of offense.

“Wolf Faces……”

A body was revealed behind the split mask. It toppled and melted into the air. Similar masks continued to appear before Nina. They wore the same clothes and held the same weapon. They stood in an orderly row like dolls in a mirror. All of them rushed for Claribel.

“You things are nothing in front of my Kochouenshiken (Bladed wing of the flaming butterfly).”

Claribel attacked.

Nina stood rooted on the spot.

Claribel rushed them. Her long hair that was tied back danced agilely in the air. The scarlet blade in her hand moved with innumerable changes. Its weight and speed varied according to her body movements. Death leaped as if it was dancing. The Wolf Faces who attempted to surround her had their masks shattered. They didn’t even have to time to lift their weapons. Their arms were cut off and they fell to the ground to disappear.

Before one could breathe, she had eliminated all the Wolf Faces in the house.

“You can’t even make a fire in this city,” she murmured, bored.

“You too……” Nina’s words stopped halfway. She couldn’t think of a suitable word to symbolize the relationship she had with the Wolf Faces. Are you Dixerio’s friend? Have you seen him? Is this a good way to say it?

“Aa, so you’ve seen them too?” Claribel ignored Nina’s confusion. An innocent smile appeared on her face.

“I wonder whether all Haikizoku-possessed have this kind of special treatment? No, no. They are the enemies of the Electronic Fairies. You know of it, don’t you?”

She asked Nina a question instead. Nina was speechless, not catching on what the question was about.

“I have a bond with them because of my blood. I somehow knew of their existence since I was little. But about blood, Minse that you saw before is also the same.”

“That man too………”

She was surprised as Minse didn’t look all that reliable.

“Her Majesty seems too pure so she can’t see them. But she is better trained than us with this sensitivity so she might have been always opening and closing her eyes.”

Nina knew of the Queen. Looking from the conversation between the Electronic Fairies, it felt strange that the Queen and the Wolf Faces hadn’t yet clashed.

“Well, these useless fools seem to be on the move while we’re chatting. Wanna go and clean up together?”

Claribel restored the weapon back to its Dite form and left the room. She wanted Nina to go with her.

“Eh? Hey.”

Can she? She wanted to ask and stopped herself. This might become a good opportunity to escape.

She walked through the stone paved corridor, behind Claribel. The people walking past them all asked after Claribel with sincere attitudes but they coldly ignored Nina.

“I said already. Only Minse and I know of it. It’ll become troublesome in many areas once others know. Do you understand? Anyway, this is trouble so I have to quickly tidy it up.”

“You said to tidy them up but do you understand who they are?”

Nina only knew that something was to happen while she was in Myath. She knew of nothing else. She didn’t even know the purpose of the hostile Wolf Faces. In the end, she didn’t know what to do even when the event happened.

Wouldn’t Claribel understood more compared to the Nina back then?

“I know. At least I know why they come to Grendan.”

“Is, is that so?”

“But I haven’t been to other cities through the En system so I don’t know what they do in other cities.”

“En?”

Dixerio seemed to have said the same thing.

“You can explain it as a communication system between Electronic Fairies.”

“There is such a thing?”

“Otherwise how do they tell each other apart when cities fight?”

“……I see.”

“Of course. I’ve heard of people using the En system to jump. I’ve never experienced it. You?”

“Once.”

“I see. There really are people who can do it.”

They walked out of the palace styled building as they chatted.

(I’m really out. Is it ok?)

She was worried since she was a captive but Claribel walked on the street, indifferent.

“Clara.”

The sound came from behind them. Minse was walking from the direction of the palace.

“How many did you get?”

“The palace is quiet.”

“Thanks for your hard work.”

“The number is larger than usual this time.”

“It’s ok now. There probably will be a large-scale appearance later. What do you think they’re aiming for?”

“To put it correctly, it should be the Inner Court. This time they seem to be targeting something more. Then there’s only one thing to do.”

“Her Majesty is in the Inner Court. Don’t worry.”

“Then what’s left is above the ground. So troublesome.”

“Yes. This is the key. I think it’s better not to approach the Inner Court for now.”

“What a coincidence. I think so too.”

“For some reason, I think we’d end up making Her Majesty mad.”

“So scary.”

“Especially for you who has had that kind of experience.”

“Nonsense.”

Minse left this word and headed for a different direction.

“Fu……seems this isn’t as simple as usual. Let’s go on a serious patrol.”

Claribel increased her pace as if she didn’t care about Nina.

Nina hesitated for a split second. This was the only time to escape. They just said “The Queen is in the Inner Court.” Then Leerin was probably there too. Leave Claribel here and save Leerin from the Inner Court. Can this be done? Problem is, where was the Inner Court?

(What should I do?)

Leave Claribel to search for the Inner Court? But she might become an enemy once she escaped. That is definite. Then let’s rendezvous with Layfon who is coming from Zuellni and rescue Leerin together? That was the calmest judgment she can make under this situation.

(What should I do?)

She kept asking herself. Claribel continued to walk by herself. Has she not noticed me?

“Ah, that’s right.”

She suddenly turned around.

“I won’t chase after you even if you escape. Compared to that, other Military Artists will probably hunt you down? There are serious guys among the Heaven’s Blades. Their subordinates should be monitoring you.”

“………”

Speechless.

Nina followed Claribel. Right now, she had no other way. It was paramount to understand Claribel as she was a Military Artist who fought the Wolf Faces. Nina could persuade herself with this line of thinking. The most important thing was that she didn’t feel any observers monitoring her. Was this the result of that dream? Though she felt the Haikizoku insider her body – the existence of Melnisc, she didn’t feel the stirring and hot blood she felt when they fought together in a battle. This meant he wasn’t lending her any power so that might be why Claribel knew she didn’t notice their presence?

But Claribel noticed the observers without needing the Haikizoku’s help. Grendan’s Military Artists were truly strong. Why would someone of this level still thirst for a Haikizoku? No. Compared to that, right now she should……

(Wait.)

This meant they had also seen the fight back then? But they didn’t get caught. Was that it?

Claribel had said that only she and Minse could fight the Wolf Faces here. Then they must be very important to Grendan. It shouldn’t be strange that there were people protecting them in the shadows. In that case, there should be people who had seen them fight?

Would they get caught in this fight with the Wolf Faces just by looking? Then how did Nina get herself involved?

(You can’t get involved just by looking.)

Nina thought so as she followed Claribel. Right now that was all she could do.

Then what did Nina herself see at that time and how was that event triggered?

She tried to recall the past.

“Right, let’s start here.”

Claribel’s soft words called her back to reality. Though this was the city’s center, the surrounding environment was a quiet residential area. The house before Nina had the same structure as Nina’s own home. Was this a rich family or did it belong to a Military Artist of a strong dojo?

Claribel leaped over the wall without changing her expression.

“Hey!”

“It’s ok.”

“But………”

“If we worried about the details, they’d be doing whatever they want.”

This was an illegal intrusion but she was speaking loudly. She was conversing in a relaxed manner. Though Nina was a bit nervous, she followed.

“Well, they wouldn’t be that hardworking if they could do whatever they liked,” Claribel said as she landed.

All Nina saw while standing on the top of the wall was the tall trees close to her and the top part of a three story mansion. The tragic scene shocked her after she landed. Normally, this ground should be covered with grass and adorned with a fountain but what replaced it now was a hard surface that hadn’t been repaired.

“This is………”

A hole was in the middle of the wavy hard surface of the ground. Nina stomped hard on the ground. It was unbelievable that this was land judging by the hardness of it. She gave it a kick and it didn’t budge.

“This is Heaven’s Blade successor Ruimei’s home. That person trains in the courtyard every morning at the same time. Thanks to him, Grendan’s citizens can wake up on time everyday.”

Claribel walked in someone else’s home normally.

Nina couldn’t believe the feeling coming from her under her feet. A person who held the title of a Heaven’s Blade successor. It was easy for him to shatter the ground but all he did was make it harder. This wasn’t just the turning of the ground into hard soil. It had become another type of substance through repeated compression. This was proof that he could control that strength and perfectly control his Kei.

“Those guys use the people living here as medium to appear because they don’t have a real form other than their masks.”

Claribel kept walking and arrived at the backdoor. This was probably used by hired hands. The room immediately behind the door would be the kitchen if this building had the same layout as Nina’s home, and this backdoor was probably used for deliveries.

The door opened easily.

The aroma of spice wafted out from the kitchen. The structure of this mansion was the same as Nina’s, and most of the people in this mansion were normal people.

“Is it ok?”

“It’s all right since this mansion is also one of the targets.”

Nina could only watch regardless of Claribel’s actions. Claribel walked into the corridor without using Sakkei. The appetizing smell became stronger. The two of them came to the kitchen as Nina expected. In the kitchen were three chefs and a woman monitoring them. All four had their backs to them. The chiefs were making dishes. The four of them turned around when they noticed Nina and Claribel.

“Ahah, Claribel-sama? Do you want anything from us?” the woman asked, ignoring the flustered Nina. “You’re making it difficult for me with a sudden visit.”

“The smell is good, Mrs. MacRing.”

“It’s almost lunch time. That person eats a lot.”

The woman smiled with a hand covering her mouth. Her fingertips showed signs of having been through training. She was also a Military Artist.

“Yeah. It’s normal for Ruimei-sama to have a large eating capacity. Sorry for the sudden visit. Can we join you?”

“Sure. We’ve no reason to refuse Claribel-sama’s visit.”

“Ahhh, that makes me happy. Then can I make a small request?”

“Is it something that Request doesn’t have? My Chef can make most of the dishes but with the ingredients……”

“I don’t mean to increase it for me. On the other hand, I want you to reduce it.”

“Aa……”

“I mean seasoning. For example, the small bottle over there.”

Claribel meant the bottle closest to her. She was about to move for the bottle in the chef’s hand who was putting the seasoning on the dish.

The air froze in that moment. Not only the woman but the chef holding the small bottle. Even the other two chefs had stopped moving. Nina didn’t know what was inside the bottle as she didn’t know how to cook. Though it was seasoning, it didn’t feel like the type that an outsider could imagine.

“It seems like an unusual type of seasoning. As a member of the royal family, I can’t casually speak of something I don’t know.”

“I understand. Then I won’t add it to the meals of Claribel-sama and your friend. My husband likes it more……”

“Time to stop lying, Mrs. MacRing.”

“…….”

The woman was happily talking about her husband…… She suddenly stopped. It seemed the passage of time had also halted.

Nina didn’t understand her expression. She was speechless in this unusual circumstance so she could only observe how this event would unfold. She found it strange that Claribel could converse normally in this situation.

“The rumour’s spread outside. Ruimei-sama’s lover recently gave birth to a child, and she is also a Military Artist. I understand the feeling of his wife who can’t bear children but I don’t think he had to do it that way.”

“You don’t understand as you’re still young.”

“No, I’m also female, and I’m a child of the royal family so I understand very well the treatment of one who can’t give birth to the next generation.”

“Even so, you won’t understand. Our standings are different. Our path from now on will be even more difficult on a certain level. But you’ll never understand the feeling of losing to another woman.”

“The term replacement is especially sensitive within the royal family. I wouldn’t want to comprehend its meaning if possible.”

“No! You still don’t understand!” the woman shouted, covering her face.

Was she crying? Seemed to be so from the noise she made. But what about her expression?

Nina didn’t comprehend. Nor did she understand. Because all of them, whether it was the woman or the three chefs, wore the mask of a Wolf Face.

“Anyway, confusion is taking you to a bad direction. Let me take that thing down.”

Claribel began handling her job faintly.

“No, you can’t.”

The woman’s head was still lowered. A voice came from somewhere deep within her.

“I must let that person know of my feelings.”

“Then take down the mask first and resolve it.”

“No. No.”

“This is decided.”

“No!”

The woman lifted her head.

Claribel moved.

Nina failed to see her restore her Dite again. Kochouenshiken was already in her hand when Nina reacted. The scarlet blade cut the mask in half. The woman’s body bent backward. High pitched moaning filled the kitchen. The chefs attacked with kitchen knives in their hands. Their foreheads were pierced by a scarlet thing in the next second. The masks split into two. The needle-like cloud that destroyed only the masks scattered.

The needle was the product of Karen Kei.

The chefs continued to moan and then fell onto the floor with the woman.

“Are they dead?”

“Just fainted.”

A quick and carefree reply. Claribel took the bottle from the kitchen and tossed all the finished and half-finished cooking into the rubbish bin.

“Let’s go to the next stop.”

She planned to ignore the fallen and leave.

“What about them?”

“They won’t remember a thing after waking up. That event just then has taken advantage of her personality and her dissatisfaction with reality. She didn’t do it deliberately. This is what is called “the demon gives orders and the underlings work.” Fortunately, they’re weak characters.”

They left the mansion and leaped over the wall as Claribel explained.

“Well, now I know their goal. To assassinate the Heaven’s Blade successors. They might be doing some destructive work too. I can only leave that to Minse.”

“Those guys do something like this in Grendan?”

Nina had seen the Wolf Faces two times. One was when she met Dixerio. Two was at Myath. The Wolf Faces took the initiative to attack with weapons in both times. But this was first time seeing them using others to get to the Heaven’s Blades.

“This isn’t the first time so it isn’t anything new. No matter who it is, people have one to two weaknesses if you look carefully. Perhaps they think they can’t defeat the Heaven’s Blade successors without using these means. One Heaven’s Blade is still needed among the twelve Heavens’ Blade successors. And Savaris-sama can’t move as he’s injured. Thinking of the future from now, they probably think it better to make one or two more immobile.”

“Future……”

Nina recalled the Electronic Fairies’ conversation. They said something was about to happen. The origin of Regios – the slumbering Saya in Lance Shelled City. Airen who sealed off the people in the moon, those who sought to destroy this world. Ignasis and his subordinates, the Wolf Faces. They were sealed away but they continued to plan to destroy this world through pollutants. They used the pollutants to create a new ecological environment. The filth monsters that acted as the weapons of destruction in the past.

Something related to them was about to happen. It could possibly be a battle. And a very intense battle at that. Hence the Wolf Faces were getting active in order to make the balance of victory tilt to their side.

Was that it?

She kept hesitating. What should she be doing now? She should observe the fight with the Wolf Faces and she should also participate. But in reality, she could do nothing except follow Claribel. No. Perhaps this couldn’t be helped. Her current situation was like her situation at Myath. She was in a state in which she had even lost her innate mission of what she had to do.

“Speaking of which, what do you think of my skill just then when I unsheathed the Katana?”

“Uh?”

Claribel asked her just when she was deep in thought. She turned around with disapproval, sensing Nina’s slow reaction.

“Really. Didn’t hear me? That’s the skill to unsheathe a Katana. Leave aside the accuracy of cutting down the mask first. The most important thing is speed. Speed. Didn’t you find it really quick?”

“Ah. Yes. Very quick.”

She didn’t even see her restore the Dite. Though Claribel was praising herself, her accuracy in cutting the mask was incredible.

“Faster than Layfon?”

Her eyes sparkled. She still couldn’t stop herself from asking.

“I, I wonder.”

Nina still felt Layfon was faster but the speed Claribel used to unsheathe the weapon was a first for Nina.

“Layfon’s capacity of Kei is the top even among the Heaven’s Blade successors. I can’t surpass him but I think I’ve the advantage with speed,” she said.

Some unknown feeling rushed out in Nina’s heart as she watched her. She didn’t feel happy about it but she couldn’t be sure what it was.

Claribel kept talking on her own. It had become a monologue that didn’t need an audience.

“But the problem is the source of Layfon’s Military Arts, the Katana technique. The skill to unsheathe a Katana can’t be underestimated. Don’t think I’m out of it. I’ve always done heaps of research but I feel that I’d lose if I studied under Psyharden to understand the essence of his Katana technique. Besides, the strengths of others who wield Katana don’t differ much……Ah, the fact, the current person who holds the Psyharden skill is someone called Derek Psyharden. You can count the number of people who are on par with the strength of his Katana skill in all of entire Grendan.”

“Ha……”

“I don’t quite understand the situation now but my grandfather said he’s someone who has room to spare whether he fights one on one or with a group.” He isn’t on the Heaven’s Blade level but he has extremely high skill. The lowest requirement of a Heaven’s Blade successor is to possess an amount of Kei that only a Heaven’s Blade can sustain. But his skill is probably the level of a Heaven’s Blade. And from here I can understand why Layfon took the Heaven’s Blade at his age. No. Hang on a sec. In that case, under the situation that my grandfather is a Heaven’s Blade but one Heaven’s Blade is still missing an owner then the question is, why I can’t become a Heaven’s Blade? So the things before don’t mean anything. Pretend I didn’t say anything. Got it? Thanks very much…… Then Layfon could so speedily make his achievement because of an experienced teacher, Derek Psyharden. What a shame that the weapon I chose is different from my grandfather’s. I can’t mature quickly. Ara? Then what I said before counts, doesn’t it? Never mind. It doesn’t matter. Anyway, I want to stress that I’m not weaker than Layfon. I won’t lose to him even if I were to confront him directly. Besides, I might even win. I’d have to boast about it. Eh? To whom? To Layfon of course.”

………She spoke it all at once, totally overwhelming Nina.

Claribel’s attitude and words were cold when she first met Nina but her monologue just then had less negative elements of hostility and murderous intent. All Nina felt from her was competitiveness.

And she was very innocent.

The second strong and young Military Artist that Layfon met seemed to hold some misunderstanding towards him. The leader of the Mercenary Gang, Haia, was the same but he held hostility and murderous intent.

“Excuse me……”

Nina planned to ask her and understand everything. She had many things she wanted to ask. About the Wolf Faces. About Leerin being taken away. But Claribel hadn’t given any answers. No. Nina had been forcibly taken in Claribel’s direction rather than Claribel trying to divert the conversation. Anyway, Nina hadn’t gained any useful information from her. This was the time to prevent the Wolf Faces from assassinating the Heaven’s Blade successors but Claribel wasn’t impatient at all.

Still, there was one thing Nina had to ask. Otherwise she wouldn’t have the confidence to keep on working with Claribel.

“What’s it?” Claribel watched her. She wasn’t on guard with Nina.

“Claribel……”

“Please call me Clara. People I’m familiar with me call me that. Speaking of which, don’t you find my name hard to say?”

“Ah, well……”

“What is it?”

“That is……What do you want with Layfon?”

“I want to defeat him.”

A very honest and quick reply.

“Ah, yes, please don’t misunderstand. It isn’t something to do with a personal grudge or the sense of justice of a Military Artist.”

“Then what is it for?”

“Please don’t think this is my personal thinking. Military Artists in Grendan who are the same age as me all have Layfon as their goal. He’s the youngest Heaven’s Blade successor.”

“But Layfon………”

“Didn’t I say it already. Military Artists don’t mind him. Of course, this isn’t representative of everyone. Please give it a good thought. The underground matches mean there are other Military Artists. It’s impossible to imagine there are many illegal Military Artists from the outside in a place with few visits from roaming buses like Grendan. In that case, many local Military Artists and people who make up the audience are involved. Otherwise it’s not possible for trade, isn’t that so?”

“That……isn’t unreasonable.”

“I’ve said it many times. Layfon’s participation in the underground matches and his intention to kill Gahard Baren in the match weren’t something he shouldn’t have done, but his action that made people understand the horror of a Heaven’s Blade successor. So he must leave Grendan. We’ve secretly fined the other Military Artists who participated in underground matches.”

The horror of a Heaven’s Blade successor.

The Queen had said it before too, that this must not be exposed. Nina heard that what pained Layfon were his siblings at the orphanage, knowing he wasn’t the pure hero they thought he was. They were angry that the image of the hero they worshiped had been tainted.

“Actually, he could have killed Gahard somewhere other than the match. He could have easily killed him during the night……Well, this clumsy and stupid living style is also………”

“Uh?”

Unusually, Claribel’s words turned unclear.

“No. Nothing. Anyway, us Military Artists of similar ages want his strength. We all see our own potential by looking at him taking the Heaven’s Blade. This point alone still makes him the hero to young Military Artists. The reason for his entering the underground matches has been spread. I don’t think many people still think he’s a bad guy.”

“Then that means……”

Layfon’s return to Grendan wasn’t just a dream?

“So many people want to defeat him.”

“What did you say?”

Claribel looked normal but Nina felt the topic had suddenly changed.

“Because he’s very strong. So this wish to fight him is not wrong. Surpassing Layfon is our important goal in life for us Military Artists who are the same age as him.”

Claribel didn’t notice Nina’s shock.

Had Nina herself felt the same thing?

No. How many Military Artists in Zuellni had thought the same? Of course some wanted to be like him. A large number of students gathered everyday after the platoon match, hoping he could teach them. Though Layfon himself wasn’t keen, the flow of students neither lessened nor stopped. And no one had tried to challenge Layfon in a duel. Nina too. She wanted to be strong like him even now but she had never thought of defeating him. Layfon was also Zuellni’s student. He was in her team and he was a friend, a comrade. Though Nina’s goal was to keep improving, Layfon wasn’t someone whom she had to defeat.

She just wished for his strength.

(This is……)

Why Grendan’s Military Artists were strong. Their wish wasn’t limited to the definition of respect and hoping that they could one day reach Layfon’s level but the wish was directly connected to the term to “surpass”. So was that why Grendan’s Military Artists were so strong?

“……So that’s why Clara wants to fight Layfon?”

“Yes.”

Claribel confirmed in a carefree manner.

The two of them hadn’t halted their steps as they walked.

“Ah?”

Claribel nodded innocently and turned around.

“What’s it?”

“Nothing. I thought there’s something else. I see. So that was what it was.”

She didn’t understand her meaning.

“What’s it?”

“Ah, sorry. Seems we’ve to split up here.”

“What did you say?”

Her sudden word made Nina speechless.

“I’m really sorry but there’s something I have to do. I think you don’t have to worry I’ll get killed but if you don’t feel well, my conscience would feel bad. And I don’t know whether Her Majesty would complain about it, so please take good care of yourself. It’s fortunate that you’re on our side and you have the Haikizoku to protect you. It should be all right. You’ll be safe.”

Claribel spoke without stopping as Nina thought. Nina was speechless.

“Then, keep at it.”

Claribel suddenly jumped. She was suddenly on a roof nearby and the next second, she was gone.

“……What?”

That was all Nina could manage. She was suddenly left behind in an unfamiliar street on Grendan. Uneasiness rushed up in her as she looked around.

What had Claribel noticed?

Nina stood on the spot, thinking of what she should do next.

(Let’s just take this opportunity.)

This was a good chance to return to Zuellni. It was impossible to take Leerin back as the Queen was with her. She couldn’t win against Lintence even using the Haikizoku’s power – He was the top among Heaven’s Blades. This meant he was stronger than Layfon but Layfon had said that the Queen surpassed all Heaven’s Blades. She herself could have been killed within seconds in the fight against Lintence. No way she could win against the Queen.

She carefully thought of her strategies but Grendan was too unfamiliar to her.

(Anyway, the most important thing now is to meet up with Layfon.)

She might have gone to save Leerin alone if she was the past Nina. Sometimes her strong sense of mission made her lose control of herself. She understood it too but she could not control herself once she pressed the button of mission.

Maybe Claribel pulling her along had enabled her to escape that situation and calmly think about her next action. It seemed the person monitoring her was still around. She felt she could manage. At least, escaping wasn’t a problem. She still remembered the direction of Zuellni from her vantage point in the palace. Perhaps she could escape by running in that direction.

(That’s decided.)

No point standing here once she had her plan. Nina prepared to run for Zuellni.

Kei moved at the same time but it didn’t come from Nina. In a split second, it created a huge circle with Nina in its center. The pressure of Kei made her experience the illusion of receiving an impact. She stopped moving.

“Wh, what?”

What she felt was the remnants of a strong Kei. It had surrounded her in a split second and cancelled out something. She wasn’t sure what it was but something had happened in that split second and then had quickly ended.

Her hands naturally held the Dites and restored the iron whips.

Something was coming. The sense of premonition in her expanded.

The sound of wet footsteps from somewhere arrived at the moment when the limit was near. It was the sound of something stick to the shoes. It was a very soft sound but it couldn’t escape a Military Artist’s ears.

Behind her.

Nina turned around. A cold sensation flowered in her chest the moment she saw him. She had seen him close to the Queen when she lost to Lintence and was close to losing her consciousness.

“Yo.”

His voice carried a heavy atmosphere. The easy and floating manner he had when they first met was now hidden.

“Dixerio……Senpai?”

“Ah, yes.”

It was hard to accept even with his admittance. His image was completely different from his first image.

“Well, it can’t be helped that you feel different from the last time. My mood is different from that time. What I want to see might have appeared. I’ve become much more naïve while anticipating it.”

Naïve. Was this atmosphere suitable to the meaning of that term?

She couldn’t put down her weapon. The Dixerio before her was anything but good. Her heart still held tension. The cold sensation seemed to want to suck out all the heat in her body.

“Senpai, what do you want to me?”

“Well, from all areas. You got involved because of my miscalculation. Though it’s a joke for me to feel guilty, I’m definitely feeling it. But it’s not my style to apologize.”

His left hand held the chain of the watch hanging before his chest. Nina could clearly see the dry blood on his fingertips.

“Senpai, what did you just do?”

“Uh? The people monitoring you are in the way so I put them to sleep temporarily.”

Temporarily? Put them to sleep? Was it really that? Dixerio didn’t respond to the question in her eyes. She was expecting him to say lightheartedly “Don’t look so skeptical. I was joking.”

But he didn’t.

“It doesn’t matter what happened to them. If you don’t have anything else to do then I’d take you back to Zuellni. Besides, they’ll be in chaos. It’s something that will happen sooner or later.”

“How so……”

“Don’t worry. You’ll forget it anyway.”

His words shocked her. Was this his original personality? Had he been pretending all along?

“It is troublesome isn’t it? So I’ll get rid of it.”

And suddenly.

“!”

A sudden storm appeared before her. Nina swung the iron whips. The sound of hard things clashing pierced the sky. Dixerio quickly moved to her. Three successive strikes with the iron whips caused sparks to fly.

“Why!?”

“Didn’t I say it when we first met? I give everything I can to take what I want. This means I’m to cancel the debt of getting you involved right here.”

Dixerio’s Kei continued to expand as the two of them competed with their strength. Should she avoid it? She couldn’t. The pressure on her wrist had not changed. If she moved, the huge metal whip of his would kill her.

In that case.

Internal Kei variation – Kongoukei.

Kongoukei received the external Kei releasing from Dixerio’s body. The two Kei clashed and rebounded, causing the two to separate.

“Why must we fight!”

“It’s something that would end in a split second if you don’t resist.”

“Give me an explanation.”

“You’ll forget anyway!”

Kei was increasing during the conversation. She couldn’t let her guard in this situation. Nina gave up holding back her Kongoukei and allowed her Kei to expand.

“You’re so stubborn.”

“You forced me to!” she shouted and rushed him but he was quicker than her.

No. Don’t get confused. But this hesitation had slowed down her actions. Dixerio didn’t hesitate. The Kei running in her made the Kongoukei again strike a path similar to the one she made before. The impact created in the iron whips crossed in front of her was like the touch of electricity, numbing her body.

This was Raijin. Dazzling purple electricity ran madly around Nina.

“Wu……”

“Never would have thought you could stand that.”

The expressionless cold voice retreated. Dixerio took a few steps back. He put some distance between them and prepared for Raijin again. As Nina’s action was dependent on his attack mode, all she could do was to rely on Kongoukei to receive the next impact. Impacts came one after another without stopping.

She couldn’t defend all of them. Dixerio’s Raijin created a tiny opening in her Kongoukei, accumulating her injury. This made her shiver. She’d lose at this rate. She tried to suppress the innate anxiety rising in her.

(In this disadvantageous situation……)

But Dixerio had retreated again to prepare the third Raijin while she was thinking of her strategy.

Kongoukei. The iron whips crossed before her deflected the attack. But this time she gave up the notion of receiving the attack and deliberately let fly her weapons. The huge iron whips fell hard on the ground after losing their goal and created a huge explosion. She adjusted her position according to the Kei flow to avoid the flying debris.

The distance was just right. Dixerio prepared to release Raijin as she expected. He stupidly rushed her.

“Believe in yourself. Step out without confusion and deal your enemy a decisive strike.”

She suddenly recalled Dixerio’s words for her when he demonstrated Raijin. There was no trick. A serious fight was just the repetition of one’s strongest technique. One didn’t have to use strange moves no matter how delicate a change the battle experienced. The strategy was to attack decisively and stop the opponent from using their strategy. Inability to carry this out meant defeat and weaving a counter strategy also meant defeat. Inability to last was also defeat. She had to utilize all the potential in her in a fight that was overwhelming in the favor of her enemy. Though it felt stupid, she had to attack to keep testing her boundaries.

And this was the essence of Raijin.

“In that case!”

If he planned to give all he could then she could only react accordingly.

She felt the Kei vein. The creature called Kei. Layfon had said this before. The Kei vein spreading around the waist would hurt. The stirring created shook the entire body. This was Kei cycling in the body, and next was to spit it out and turn it into destructive, rumbling energy called external Kei. Allow the sound and the stirring to be deeper and greater.

No. She had to do this.

Dixerio smiled as he made the same stance. A cruel smile. Only people who had stepped into the marshland of pointless massacre had this smile. Nina was now in the marshland too.

Was he laughing about this or that he was soaking in running Kei?

“That’s great. You’ve got great preparation.”

She thought he would rush her but he continued, smiling. “What do you want to do?”

The Kei releasing from his body suddenly increased. Nina didn’t want to be careless. She increased the amount of her Kei too and seriously asked.

“Why must we fight? What’s happened? Why are you trying to kill me?”

“Nothing much. Besides, I don’t want your life……But. Yes, it’s my mistake to get wild all of a sudden.”

“Then put down your weapon.”

“That depends on you. I give you two choices. One is to fight me here. Two is to accept my suggestion.”

“What?”

“I won’t accept any other answer. I didn’t expect a perfect ending from the beginning. Do you understand? A movie’s happy end is when everyone tolerates something and receives happiness. Or, the bad parts are all left outside the camera. I’m not interested in fortune that is given to everyone. Only two choices are available according to my suggestions. Originally you should be working for me. Either way, you should only have two endings. Either get beat up by me and I take you away or follow my instructions honestly.”

“………”

His ridiculous theory made her speechless.

Dixerio Maskane from the City of Strong Desire. He introduced himself such when he first met her, fighting the Wolf Faces. He had also called himself a pirate. He had craved the words “Pray to give it all for you” in the statue in front of the Student President building.

This was the image he had left for them.

But Nina felt this wasn’t it. No. Had she thought of it? He had taught her his move without holding it for himself. He had not forgotten her even when fighting the Wolf Faces. It felt like he was worried about her. She had always thought he was such a man.

“………What do you want to take from me?”

“Memory.”

“What?”

“I’ve to take away your memory about the Wolf Faces. Nothing much. Just then your complete memory would get a bit chaotic. It might make you emotionally unstable but you just have to tolerate it and it’d pass. It’d gather in the deepest recess of your memory with time. You should be right in about five years time.”

“Just what are you saying?”

“I want to release you from this battle. You can thank me.”

“If you could have done it, why didn’t you do it at that time?”

“It’s easy to remove it if the connection is shallow but you saw that guy’s true face and had contact with the Aurora atoms on the mask. They are the source of those guys. Pollutants have become the past substance that belongs to the other side of this world. It’s not that easy to cancel the cause and effect of contacting this thing. It’s a pity to create memory loss but the source of failure is to be a good person.”

“How……”

She didn’t know what to say.

Take away her memory. Remove all memory she had about the Wolf Faces. Was this related to what was about to happen in Grendan? Could she only be an ignorant observer?

“Why……Why let me know of it only now? Why did you hide it from me before?”

Perhaps Nina still didn’t know anything now. About the origin of this world, the existence of Saya and Ailen, the two’s tragic fate and the fight with Ignasis in order to create an opportunity for this world. The fighting style had continued to change from then till now, and a large-scale war would break out in the near future.

That was all she knew. But what would the war be like, how large a scale would it be and just what would happen in the end? Would the world really be destroyed if Ignasis won? Or would victory be the end and the stubborn will of Electronic Fairies would continue to survive. Then the war in the near future might just be a frontline war.

And what were the Electronic Fairies’ expectations on Nina? What expectations did they hold for Nina who had become a vessel for Melnisc?

“What are you only saying it now!”

The wind of fury rose among confusion.

The platoon matches. The commotion after the end of the platoon match with the 1st platoon. At that time, Melnisc had possessed Nina and Nina had then jumped to Myath. Urged by a sense of mission, her body moved on its own to fight the Wolf Faces though she knew nothing of the situation. She was confused and troubled, and she couldn’t honestly share the details of this event with anyone. She couldn’t even explain why she suddenly went missing. She might get other people involved if she told them. Nina hadn’t said anything carelessly as even she herself wasn’t sure of the situation.

What were the Wolf Faces? What was their purpose?

She didn’t understand in the past. She still didn’t understand everything now. But then she really didn’t get anything back then. Though she didn’t get it at present, she was right here. Right here in Grendan. Along with the creation of the world, the story of enemies, and the purpose of the Electronic Fairies who had shown themselves to her…… She finally began to understand, realizing the purpose of herself and gradually clearing the direction she should walk.

“Finally… Finally I’m beginning to understand, yet you, you……”

Nothing was more important than “What can I do” to Nina who was tortured by a sense of impotence. This man appeared before her to say such things at such a key moment, blocking her way and stealing her hope.

Dixerio Maskane. This man was the one who led her into the deep pit.

“You bastard. You’re acting however you want!”

Dixerio was indifferent to her anger.

“Don’t worry. You won’t care after forgetting.”

Nina couldn’t understand his heart. Dixerio, who said these words with such thick skin.

Things she didn’t understand.

“…… Are you still insisting on this?”

“Of course. That’s my style.”

“Then I’ve decided.”

She tided the messy flow of Kei and gathered the Kei. The stirring of her Kei vein increased your speed without limit. Rise high. Because this body was strong and wouldn’t fall. Strong and wouldn’t be torn apart.

“I too will act by my willfulness.”

The Kei density had increased to a level she hadn’t experienced before. It hadn’t reached the level of when she fought the giants, relying on Melnisc’s strength, but she had never experienced this amount of Kei being produced by herself.

“I was dragged into the fight since meeting you. I was even brought here. Who would let you pull me around as you wish when I’ve reached here? Who would ignore this! I’ll walk the path with my own strength from now on. Who would care whether about you?”

YOU ARE HERE

She wasn’t just talking to Dixerio. She meant the Electronic Fairies too. Melnisc’s resolve had also just been conveyed. They hadn’t mentioned anything about their plan. They didn’t even say anything about the responsibility that Nina was to shoulder.

Nina was ignored. Were they just using her as a good tool?

No. Perhaps not. Forget Senou and Grendan. At least she couldn’t believe that Zuellni would do this. But Dixerio’s attitude now had turned her confusion into fury. She felt these people who knew of the truth of this world were showing off their advantage and planning to control her.

“If there’s danger in this world, then I’ll use my own strength to fight it.”

“……… I originally wanted to talk over this peacefully.”

The pressure from Dixerio hadn’t changed. It was neither messy nor shaky. Its density and amount continued to increase. His expression also wasn’t as haughty as before. His icy gaze stared at Nina.

“Someone as serious as you isn’t suitable to appear in this drama. You’ll definitely be angered into a mess. I say it would be better for you to forget everything.”

“It’s my business to forget or not. I’m also the one who gets angry. You don’t have to decide it.”

“Can’t be helped.”

Dixerio rested the metal whip on his shoulder, looking as if he was full of openings. No. This was simply an attack pose – to rush her, raise his whip and swing down.

It was only meaningful to execute the move in this mood.

Similarly, Nina raised her iron whips. Two metal whips – his weapon was the same as hers but it was nothing to him to have to control both whips. Nina was searching for the suitable fighting stance. But her level was still far from his. The essence of Raijin, a gambling move. She couldn’t fight him on par if she kept thinking of how to protect herself.

She slowly changed her pose, pulling back the left iron whip. She had extended it in preparation for his sudden attack, and guided it down to cross with her right iron whip. She bunched up her body as if she was tightly bounding herself. And like this, she received Dixerio’s attacks who was swinging down from left and right.

The stance she took in this crisis was a gamble. She only learnt how to use Raijin in the recent fight in Zuellni. Her current action was foolish in a situation with nowhere to escape. But she’d return to her old impotent self if she was defeated here and lost her memory, leaving her to only watch the events from Zuellni.

(Would that be it?)

Then don’t get stuck in the uneasiness of changing her pose. Her best choice now was to use the most advantageous stance in this fight to suddenly move forward.

Her density of Kei was increasing unbelievably. Would it explode in her body at this rate…? A wave of uneasiness suddenly began.

Almost at the same time.

Internal external Kei variation, Raijin.

Two lightning strikes hit each other. The destructive balls of light clashed and made their surroundings explode, sending the two fighters flying.

“Wu……”

Her internal Kei instantly eliminated the numbness of her body. The shock didn’t hurt. This wasn’t because of the numbness. This was proof that the match of external Kei had ended. The strength of the rebound had been swallowed as the two strikes clashed, swallowed each other and exploded intensely. The numbness she felt just then was created by the clash of the explosion.

(One more time!)

After being sent flying by the mad storm, she instinctively increased her Kei once more. She had already grasped hold of the fighting approach of Raijin. She must keep on fighting without stopping until she defeated him or he defeated her. This was the correct way to use Raijin. She didn’t feel she had defeated him in her last move. This meant he must be preparing for the next attack.

The stance of Dixerio who stood on the opposite side of the screen of smoke…

Raijin.

Release. Run. She didn’t feel anything other than the time when she first stumped on the ground. Her entire concentration was on the weight of the iron whips in her hands, and then she poured Kei into them. She wasn’t planning to swing her weapons. Her entire body had become part of the iron whips, breaking through in order to defeat her enemy.

Clash. Explode. Fly.

(One more time!)

Repeatedly.

Increase her Kei. Adjust her pose. And release.

(One more time!)

Repeatedly. Her feeling for her whole body was becoming hazy. She couldn’t tell what her expression and body condition were like. She was totally immersed. Immersed in what? Defeating Dixerio? Or releasing Raijin?

Clash. This time it didn’t explode immediately. Were the two powers resisting each other? The Kei of the two fighters was gathered in between the three whips. The boundary limiting the explosion was being controlled by the delicate pressure.

“Really, you’ve shown unbelievable growth,” Dixerio murmured, only inches from her.

“But I know. This is what it means to detach from oneself. This is what it’s like to open the lock in your heart. Who decides the thing called a limit? Not anyone else but yourself. You’ve released your rope right now. Be careful when you return to normal. Don’t lose yourself.”

The pressure between the two twisted, causing the explosion. The light of Kei shot into the sky as Nina leapt back.

(One more time!)

Who cared what Dixerio was saying. Continue to let Kei run and increase the density of Kei in her Kei vein. Use that stirring to make the entire world vibrate. Attack all who manipulated the ignorant Nina as she bet on her existence.

“But remember. There won’t be a next time,” Dixerio said in a low voice.

In the next second, something had covered his face. A mask. A Wolf Face mask. Yes. Nina didn’t know why he was wearing this mask the time when she saw him from Zuellni.

Why was it a mask of the Wolf Face?

“You!”

Was he one of the Wolf Faces? Was he not Dixerio? Was he an imposter?

“I’m neither an imposter nor a spy of the Wolf Faces,” he cut her off.

Kei was about to explode as it increased. A layer of blue light surrounded him as its strength continued to grow. The stirring released by that light caressed Nina’s skin. Something appearing behind him entered her sight.

(Um…….)

A voice coming from who knew where accompanied the sound of moaning. She realized immediately it was Melnisc’s voice. Melnisc may disappear again, judging from the attitude in the dream, but the Haikizoku was still in Nina’s body.

But…… Could it be…….

“Yes…… Haikizoku.”

“The vessel of a Haikizoku.” “the original Electronic Fairy.” “To have such an experience.” ….. Claribel’s voice sounded in her head. Was it what she meant? Dixerio had to fight the Wolf Faces because he was also possessed by a Haikizoku?

A cloud of dark fog appeared behind Dixerio and a dry hand reached out from it. Delicate and long fingers as of a female’s reached out to Dixerio’s neck. The fingernails entered his skin.

It looked as if the hand was reaching out, full of hatred, in order to squeeze him to death.

Blue flame. The light of Kei enveloped Dixerio. The same light enveloped Nina but Nina could only thought of it as the light of a ghost.

“Melnisc!”

The Haikizoku slumbering in Nina’s body stirred at her shout. Its attitude was hesitant and indecisive in the dream, yet it was reacting to her voice.

“Lend me strength.”

(Understood. But you have to be careful. This man has conquered the hungry wolf of extreme flames.)

Who cares.

No time to consider Melnisc’s words. Blue light also surrounded her. Her Kei had suddenly increased.

“Tsk. You can use it as you wish already? But……”

Dixerio moved. Nina also executed her technique accordingly.

Internal and external kei variation, Raijin.

The pressure and atmosphere that were totally different from before made Nina lose herself for a split second. It might not even be a second. She swiftly used her body, strengthened by internal Kei, to grasp hold of the situation. Dixerio was somewhere near. The feeling of the metal whip was sent to her arms. She would rush in to confirm his position rather than cutting the air apart.

Dixerio swung down the whip.

As if to match her breathing, Nina once again raised the two iron whips. Bright blue traces of Kei followed the two whips.

The result came within one second as expected.

An incomprehensible feeling came to Nina the moment she raised the iron whips. It was a feeling of being able to keep extending her iron whips as the pressure kept increasing. She felt more relaxed because the Haikizoku helped to increase her Kei. Originally, the increasing speed would add another burden to the whips but right now, she was given the strength to overcome that difficulty. She had had this feeling before at somewhere else. Just where and what was it…… She couldn’t quite tell. Just hold her weapons tight, pour Kei into them, the feeling spreading through her entire arms, the feeling of resisting something in the air, moving her centre of gravity. Everything felt different.

Something made her feel that this shouldn’t be what it felt like.

The uneasiness called forth by this feeling became reality in the split second as the three weapons crossed together.

The voice was so clear. The sight before her was unbelievable.

The blue light of Kei gradually scattered as it rebounded. Her arms, the weight suddenly lifted from her, felt so uncomfortable as if her arms had been torn off. Unable to accept this reality, Nina’s spirit was conquered by emptiness.

Dixerio’s metal whip attacked as if to tear through the emptiness.

Instinctively, Gongoukei ran through her entire body. But the timing was delicate. The huge amount of Kei in the iron whips had already reached Nina before she used Gongoukei and then it entered her body. Same as the name given to the technique, Nina’s entire body was exposed to the running of lightning.

They had broken and were sent flying. She had been staring at her lonely arms. Something was left in her tight fists. She was holding just the handles of her iron whips.

He had shattered them.

She never thought she would lose on strength.

She felt like she was in an intense current as she hit the ground.

“Ah!”

The air exuding from her mouth was mixed in with a fog of blood. She couldn’t breathe. She didn’t know whether her lungs had gone numb or that the attack had stopped her lungs from functioning. Intense pain flooded her chest. This was the only place that hurt. Though she hadn’t received all of the impact, her organs had received a huge shock.

“Did you think simple Dites can bear your Kei?”

Her sight was red. Maybe the capillaries in her eyes had burst. Dixerio even looked red to her as he bent down to look at her.

Her lungs were managing. But she couldn’t think properly as she lacked blood. Her fingers and skin were numb as if she had suffered an electric shock. Her body couldn’t move. Her body and consciousness couldn’t react to the sudden change. Just what had happened? No. She knew very well. But why…… why had this feeling conquered her now?

She couldn’t feel anything but the numbness in her arms. No, no just her arms. It was her entire body. The disappointment of being unable to feel her weapons took hold of her entire heart. The image of shattered weapons was craved deeply into her brain. Unable to fade.

The weapons had failed to bear her Kei.

Was that what had happened? No. She knew very well. This had happened to Layfon too. Harley had said that only a Heaven’s Blade could display all of Layfon’s potential. That was why he wanted to hold the Dite that Leerin had brought to him. Even though it still failed to help him use his true strength, at least he hoped to use the techniques he honed when he was a child.

This meant he was forgiving himself as he confronted his past.

Layfon hoped to use his strength better as he continued to fight. Actually, this was just Nina’s thought as she wanted to bring him back into the battlefield.

But she never thought the same thing would happen to her…..

No. The impact she felt now. The emptiness conquering her heart and the memory of her weapons being destroyed. Not just that.

The feeling of her iron whips had disappeared. The feeling of the iron whips that she had held for a long time since the time she started training in Military Arts. She had always wanted to have the weapons that her father used. Her father, who was able to elegantly wield the crude weapons. That feeling was gone. A weapon was just a weapon. Even the iron whips she made now were made by Harley. Speaking of which, she had kept changing her iron whips since coming to the Academy City. This was due to many different reasons that made the whips unusable. But the iron whips that she loved so much shouldn’t have had received this impact.

Then why?

“Right. This time, disappear,” Dixerio said faintly as he spread his hand. His five fingers closed in on her in her red vision.

(Right.)

Why such an impact?

It wasn’t just because her weapons were destroyed.

It was because the thought that was poured into the iron whips had been twisted.

?

Zuellni had felt it in the depth of the city.

This was the city’s Mechanical Department. Zuellni had been staying here, never straying. She had also stayed here as she communicated with Schneibel through the En system. She was currently unable to leave as she had to repair the city.

But she felt it. The voice that made her shake. A keening voice filled with pain and sadness. The feeling of not wanting to go made the voice louder and harsher.

Zuellni must maintain the city’s functions as an Electronic Fairy. The damage to the feet was hindering its movements. Only one leg was broken on the surface but the impact of the shock had caused abnormalities to many internal areas of the Mechanical Department. Though the city could still move, it didn’t have the speed it needed to evade filth monsters. Its balance was also worse than before. If the city kept moving, it’d bring inconvenience to the people in it.

Hence she must finish the repair as quickly as possible. Zuellni didn’t want the young people in this city to get caught up in the events that were to come.

But she felt it.

Nina.

Zuellni flew a few circles above the Mechanical Department.

Should she go? Or stay?

She couldn’t go. As an Electronic Fairy, and as one who had a huge connection to the fate of this world, she couldn’t forget her own mission. Her mission was to ensure the survival of the people in this city. That was why she was born and sent adrift in this world. This was the consciousness of the Electronic Fairy of self-managed Regios – the Electronic Fairy’s mission.

But she was confounded.

Zuellni was slowly growing away from her puerile appearance through the strength she obtained from Farune. According to her age, she should have grown more. But in reality, her image had only grown up a little. Though what her appearance was like meant nothing to an Electronic Fairy, it was special for Zuellni who had kept her puerile appearance for a long time.

Perhaps she had grown a little now that she had obtained some strength. The functions hidden in the strength had also been upgraded. The self-repair ability of the Academy City had apparently been upgraded. Though it still took time to repair the leg, the repairing of the abnormalities in the control system should be fine at this rate.

The students responsible for the repair of the Mechanical Department had been running around because of that too. Even if she didn’t do it for the effort of them, Zuellni must stay here and concentrate on repairing the city.

But……

“Being too honest is a cute side of yours but it’s also your weakness.”

The sudden voice resounding in the air gave Zuellni a shock. She flew high to look for the owner of that voice.

A girl sat on the round top of the Mechanical Department. It was Nelphilia.

“There’s no need to get deeper into it, is there?”

She reached out her hand to Zuellni, who was facing a girl of the night’s light. She hugged Zuellni as if they were bound together then she put her beautiful face, beauty that would make one shiver, close to hers.

“Electronic Fairies should finish their mission. You understand this too. Why do you care so much for that girl?”

“……..”

“Ah. That’s true. I also lent her my strength. I gave her back the Haikizoku I took from Saya.”

“………”

“Why? It’s simple. Because I want to see. See what? You’ll know.”

But Nina now was…….

“Yes. It’d leave her at this rate. But perhaps not so. You understand her personality well? She won’t yield even if she loses her memory. Well, there may be some side-effects as he’s the one doing it. If you’re really worried then follow me. It’s simple to eliminate the after effects.”

“………”

“Aa, you aren’t accepting this either? What a troublesome child. But what would you do? I’m sorry. All I can do for you is follow her. You should know I’m not in my normal state right now. The hole in the sky is another matter. Oh, Sheniebel may not leave this situation alone.”

Zuellni stared at Nelphilia, who was quite happy with this. Why was she here? She should be in Grendan, to witness with Sheniebel and others the event that Dixerio was going to make happen.

Why did she appear before Nina?

“Have you figured out?”

Nelphilia’s beautiful smile did not disappear.

“But Zuellni is the most important to me now. I’d abandon that child if you were in danger. I won’t lose my priorities.”

Zuellni considered her words. Considering what was most important and what she herself wanted to do. She pondered and pondered…

Nelphilia gazed at the flying Zuellni, who was hovering as she thought. An icy and beautiful smile adorned her face. It felt as if one would fall into a demonic trap if one was to look at her.

But there was just a bit, a bit of warmth in her smile. Warmth seeped through her gaze that was watching Zuellni.

Icy yet warm. The two contradictory expressions watched Zuellni.

Zuellni’s gaze flew in the air as she pondered.

The original people and those who now lived here. Which side was more important? Which side should she respect?

Different opinions causing bloodshed had occurred in this city. Zuellni had taken the role of an observer back then. It was important to ensure their survival but she had never interfered with the way they lived. Electronic Fairies only needed to move according to the principles set down for their own cities.

But now she was confounded. Why?

The reason was Nina. The girl whose body the Electronic Fairies thirsted for. Zuellni was confounded because of her.

Was that it? Was that really it? Was that why she was confused? Did she think her luck had made her meet Nina? Did she think Nina was a convenient tool?

No. It wasn’t like that.

“Is that the conclusion as expected?”

Zuellni flew back to Nelphilia and said that in a low voice with a bitter smile.

“………”

“I know. That’s why I’m here. This is all because of you, Zuellni. I can be here because of you. That’s why I can exist in this world. Because you’ve lent me your strength, I can survive till now.”

She reached out her hand to caress Zuellni’s face, curling up her hair. Physicality meant nothing to an Electronic Fairy. This manifestation was temporary, caused by the gathering of electronic atoms. But whether it was Zuellni or other Electronic Fairies, Electronic Fairies tended to grow according to the aspects of the initial appearance they obtained. They could control their appearance so they didn’t need to grow. But for some reason, the reality was different. Was it because the original possessed a real body? Or that an appearance meant something to Zuellni and the other Electronic Fairies?

This appearance was proof of Zuellni’s identity. It was the same as Grendan and Melnsic who could change their appearance according to their heart.

“Then let me convey your intentions.”

“……..”

“No need to be so surprised. You can’t leave the city because you need to repair it right? You need someone to convey your message but you don’t want to drag the students of this city into the event, right?”

“…….”

“Then only I can do this. It’s not a difficult job for me anyway. Why so surprised?”

“……..”

“Ah. You mean him? I don’t plan to stand by his side. Because this is my style. And……”

She stopped halfway. The smile disappeared from Nelphilia’s mouth. The girl of night stood up.

“Perhaps this is the last time we meet. Whether it’s life or death, I’ll fly through the hole as soon as it appears in the sky. The time spent connecting with that other hole was too short so I couldn’t absorb anything. But it’s enough to make my body move. In that case, I’ll probably not see you again. Whether this world is to be destroyed or not, I’ve to carry out my plan as long as things are progressing. Eliminate the insult I felt at that time. I’ve given you trouble in the past so this is the least I can do for you.”

Zuellni hugged Nelphilia as she looked at her expressionless face.

“………”

“Thanks. Only you would say something genuine to me.”

“……..”

“Uh, yes. We’ll hug again when that time comes.”

Nelphilia opened her arms and Zuellni flew to the sky again. The hand of the young girl pointed to the empty space and then there was an explosion of light.

Intense light conquered the Mechanical Department and then it gathered together. A square appeared in front of Nelphilia. It lost its light and gradually sink. The girl of night received it.

“…… It’s great I’ve lent her my power. Same as him. But what that girl needs isn’t me. It’s your smile.”

Zuellni smiled at her. The girl of night replied with a bitter smile…..

“Farewell. The time I spent with you was really happy.”

Disappeared. Leaving Zuellni to hover on top of the Mechanical Department. She concentrated on repairing the city again and never noticed she had returned to her puerile form.

?

The widespread hand continued to close in through her red vision. The illusion of the end came to Nina. If Dixerio meant what he said, then she wouldn’t die. But right now, she might die. The memory she possessed would die. She had been inexplicably dragged into this mess and inexplicably pushed away. She might be able to imagine it if it had been something else. But never this. Same as Dixerio, she had struggled in pain, tasted bitterness, wanting to tell someone of her experience so much that she couldn’t sleep.

Her memories were all painful.

Even so, she couldn’t comprehend why he wanted to push her out now.

The natural reason was that she got caught in the whole thing but the more important thing was that this was Grendan. She would end up dragging Layfon into it.

Nina was the one who forced him to enter the battlefield again. Of course, that wasn’t just it. It was also because Zuellni was in a crisis, and Karian knew everything about his past. But in the end, the one who made him stand in battle was her. Now that she recalled it, she had once kicked Layfon out of the platoon after knowing his past. Perhaps Karian had done something to interfere with this but he didn’t clash with her in the end.

But this was all Nina could think of now. Though it had only been a few months, had she thought of it this way back then?

Back then, she only wanted to do something for Zuellni. So she didn’t have the courage to let go of Layfon’s fighting strength.

(I get him involved in this.)

This was Grendan. A place of deep meaning to him.

She wished she hadn’t been so stubborn with her original intention. She wished the fight with the Heaven’s Blade successors had never happened. This way, Leerin wouldn’t have come to Zuellni and gotten taken away.

Layfon kept fighting because of Nina. Didn’t Karian also say “the reason of the fight is up to you”.

Layfon must have come to Grendan. He came to simply bring her back, knowing nothing of the fate she bore. What would he do here? Was he going to jump into the huge fight against the Queen and the Heaven’s Blade successors? Without the Heaven’s Blade to help him use his full potential, would he also experience her uneasiness as he held the handle of his broken Dite?

Even so, Layfon still……

(Am I still impotent?)

She had always been like this. She kept thinking ahead but she could do nothing. What had she been able to do during the time when Zuellni was attacked by the larvae? All she did was let Layfon fight.

(Am I deserving of forgiveness?)

She couldn’t be forgiven. She was so unsightly. She wanted to kill herself. Make herself disappear. Surpass her past self and become stronger. She had come to the Academy with this thought. But the current her hadn’t surpassed anything. And she never would have thought she would feel so impotent.

Was she to sigh about her impotence in here?

Impotentce. This feeling had sustained her actions till now. She had borrowed this thought to sustain herself even though she was hammered by reality. She had sustained herself till now even though her goal and means didn’t match. She had sustained herself even though she was dragged into an unexpected event.

She had gritted her teeth and endured even though she had lost her direction, feeling uneasy and scared. She had walked to this point though this place wasn’t the place she wanted to be in. Was she to lose all that?

(Stand. Stand up. I can’t let it end here!)

Her lips quivered. Her limbs had lost their feelings. Her vision was red. She couldn’t do anything. But even so……

(Stand up!)

Her heart hadn’t died.

She kept calling herself to stand up as Dixerio’s hand moved closer and closer. The faint light of Kei lit up his fingertips. Was this light to take away her memories? What was the difference between losing herself and death?

(Move!)

She called continuously. Even a tiny movement was better than nothing. She had to resist. She should be able to do something even though she had lost the iron whips. She must move to resist that hand, resist Dixerio.

“Let me help you.”

A voice sounded in her ears.

(Who is it?)

No. I know this voice. It isn’t possible to forget the voice that shakes my core so deeply. No other person would make the same voice.

It was Nelphilia.

Was Nina the only one hearing her? Dixerio’s movement didn’t change.

“I have something to give you. But unfortunately, this isn’t my present.”

She only heard her voice. That beautiful form hadn’t appeared. Only her voice resounded. But it wasn’t enough to stop the effect brought by fear.

(What does she mean?)

“No time for you to hesitate. I have two choices for you. Allow Dixerio to erase your memory or keep moving forward. Though he says the aftermath would affect your memory, I can help with that.”

Nina’s brain couldn’t quite catch up with her words. Choice. Even this girl was saying the same thing to her.

“I’ll give this to you if you want to keep moving forward. But if you choose this, then you’re not to start over or stop midway. Otherwise I’d kill you. I’d make you die in the depths of despair until you understand in core of your soul how important it is.”

Nina couldn’t understand her words. Her voice didn’t sound playful, the attitude she held when she was underneath Zuellni. Instead, Nina felt anger in her voice.

What was she mad at?

No more time to think. To move forward or to give up.

She had decided.

Hadn’t she been thinking what events would transpire if she were to give up and let Dixerio take away her memories?

(I’ve always just wanted to move forward.)

If she were to regret both choices, she’d rather regret taking the forward path. This was what Nina Antalk was like.

“Uh.”

Nelphilia sighed.

“All right. I’ll give it to you. The present of the pitiful child who is always giving away for others. The present of the cute child who hasn’t even thought of whether you match it. You must take great care of it.”

After her words. Something suddenly changed.

“Goodbye. You’ll forget me and anything else the next time you wake up.”

Dixerio’s hand extended to her forehead.

At the time when the hands that held the broken Dites felt the change.

At the time when power once again filled her body.

At the time when her red vision cleared.

At the time when she believed everything was back to normal.

Nina counterattacked. She swung without knowing what she was holding, jumping away from the shocked Dixerio.

“Hey, hey…….”

He was confused, shocked and……

“What kind of a joke is this?”

Furious.

“I won’t let you,” Nina said and then confirmed the things in her hands.

The iron whips. The iron whips had returned to their original forms. Their appearance hadn’t changed but they felt different. They wouldn’t break again. There was no proof of this but this was what Nina believed.

The strength living in her body hadn’t changed. Melnisc was silently lending her his strength. The pressure of the blue Kei hadn’t changed from before. However, she couldn’t feel any uneasiness from the blue Kei shining through the iron whips.

This was a sense of peace she had never felt before.

“Perhaps it’s your fault for bringing me here.”

The ability to fight as she wanted without regret made her feel peace.

“But I’m the one standing here. It’s my choice to decide whether to leave or not. This hasn’t got nothing to do with you.”

“It’d have been good were you to listen to me when I was in my good mood.”

Dixerio rested his metal whip on his shoulder.

“I said already that I’d do my best to get what I want.”

“Then I’ll do my best to keep moving forward.”

She increased her Kei again. Dixerio did the same. The color of the two blue Kei swayed intensely. They stirred, increasing their density as both fighters watched for the timing to release their Kei.

But they didn’t.

Dixerio’s Kei suddenly scattered and disappeared. He turned the weapon back into its Dite form and put it into his weapon harness while Nina was still confused.

“What do you want to do?”

“I’m not playing. I feel like a fool,” he replied, exhausted. He looked like he really had gotten tired of this. “You’ve wasted my goodwill.”

“Goodwill? I can’t see it.”

If he did it out of his goodwill, then his brain or his knowledge must have undergone some twist.

“Disobedient children need to be educated.”

“Stop joking.”

“I’m serious.”

He scratched his red hair and breathed out a long breath.

“Never mind. Do whatever you like. But don’t forget the things you’re holding.”

His gaze had stopped on her weapons.

But she didn’t understand. That voice. This was what Nelphilia had given her. But it wasn’t hers. She said she was only here to give it to her.

She looked at the weapons in her hands. The feeling from the weapons was real. It felt the same as the ones that Harley had made for her. She couldn’t see any difference.

But this wasn’t just it. The Dites wouldn’t break even if they were to receive the strengthened Kei of the Haikizoku. This belief stayed with her. And she didn’t feel uncomfortable at this event. The belief about the unbreakable Dites had brought along with it a sense of warmth and comfort.

These iron whips were unbelievable.

“You know what they are?”

“…… Think of it yourself.”

Dixerio watched her icily. Nina was speechless, pressed down by his gaze.

“This is the second time.”

“What?”

“The second time. You’ve escaped two times to return to normal. It won’t happen again. You can only keep on moving forward. You can only move forward with an intention of losing that power no matter what your Haikizoku says. This is what you bear now.”

“……….”

She couldn’t understand his meaning but she didn’t ask. His air told her he would refuse all questions she raised.

“…….. Well, good luck. I don’t have the time to interfere with you.”

“Eh?”

“The next time we meet is at Asura Harbor. The place to decide life and death. I won’t worry about your safety anymore. I’ll kill you if you get in my way. That’s all.”

He turned around and disappeared into the buildings.

The traces of the battle between the two of them stayed in the unusually quiet street. Nina had separated from Claribel because of the movements in the fight. This meant the fight just then had been very intense. But no one had come to investigate despite the huge ruckus. Everything disappeared after her question.

“What?”

Confounded. This was all she felt. The traces of the battle were disappearing one by one.

“What… What’s happening?”

She had no idea. She planned to prepare her fighting stance but Melnsic had stopped her.

(You’re back to reality. Stand down and move normally.)

What was going on? Still, it’d be bad if someone saw her like this. She returned the weapons to their Dite form and jumped to the roof of a nearby building like Dixerio.

“What’s happened?” she asked.

(The space has shifted and moved away from the real Grendan. You’ve come to a different place. The twist just then had been repaired. Everything is once again returned to its state in the real space.)

She still didn’t understand despite Melnsic’s explanation.

(The Wolf Faces are good at twisting space. The disappearance of the twist means the Wolf Faces have been eliminated.)

Must be Claribel and Minse. They won.

“Does that mean the plan to assassinate the Heaven’s Blades have been prevented?”

This was it. They were the ones who took away Leerin. Right now, they might be the enemies but they were the ones who attacked the giants. Though the feeling towards them was complicated, the latter meant more to her. Either way, she didn’t want the Wolf Faces to have their way.

(Then what next?)

“What do you want to do?”

The Haikizoku’s attitude in the dream was vague. He didn’t seem to accept the goal of Sheniebel. Dixerio had said something about “with the intention of losing that power”. Had he seen through the Haikizoku’s intention?

(………)

The Haikizoku was silent to her question.

“…… Watch my action,” she murmured as she watched the palace.

(Don’t you plan to return?)

“If anything had happened to Zuellni, it’d have happened already. I’d rather stay here and observe than do something useless.”

Yes.

If it was Layfon, he would do something to rescue Leerin. The words that Sharnid said when they headed for the lab was correct. Layfon feared nothing in Grendan, a place that had gathered Military Artists as strong as him. He’d come here successfully even if he was to fight his way through.

In order to rescue Leerin.

Nina’s heart hurt as she thought of this. The injury she received from Dixerio should have disappeared when Nelphilia handed her the iron whips.

Nina pondered. She touched her body and didn’t find any traces of injures.

“I’ve found out Leerin’s location. This should help him.”

Besides, she must witness the events here.

“Hey, you.”

Someone said suddenly as she was deep in thought. Nina turned around and saw a female putting her head out the window of the roof.

“Are you a student of the opposite city? What’re you doing standing there?”

“Ah, no. I……..”

She was concentrating on her own affairs, neglecting the presence behind her. So unsightly. The more she thought, the more flustered she became. In the end, she couldn’t even weave her words properly.

“I don’t know what you’re doing but don’t damage my house.”

“Ah, ok. No problem.”

The female frankly watched the serious Nina.

“Uh, never mind. By the way, do you have time to spare?”

“Uh?”

So sudden.

“You must be bored because you’ve been spacing out. I have something I hope you can help me with.”

“Ah, no, not at all………”

“Hurry up and come in.”

She wasn’t even listening. The female opened the window wider with the rope and pulled herself back. It seemed she wanted her to enter no matter what.

“Wh, what should I do……?”

She had asked but the Haikizoku gave no reply. What a heartless guy.

“I say, hurry.”

“O, ok.”

Reluctantly, Nina entered through the window.

CSR Vol 13 Ch 1 Part 5

The Queen brushed apart the blue dimness into the Inner Court.

“Leerin!”

The Wolf Faces had appeared to attack her while she was waiting for Leerin. The foolish invaders were eliminated the moment they appeared. She hadn’t even lifted a finger. Just the external Kei exuding from her was enough to finish them.

Wolf Faces. She had known of the name of this organization since long ago. She also knew of the fight between Claribel, Minse and the Wolf Faces who had infiltrated Grendan, but she just pretended not to know of it.

Because there wasn’t a need for her to make a move before that moment came.

But had that moment arrived? The lamentation she felt when eliminating them only lasted a second. She had quickly switched her mind around, found the opened door and the girl who had entered into this place.

The blue dimness still pervaded. Alsheyra saw the lonely bed. Standing beside it were her friend and the formerly-slumbering girl.

“…….Saya?”

Alsheyra had never seen the slumbering girl, as the door to the Inner Court had always been closed. Even so, she was still certain that the girl standing next to Leerin was Saya.

“Sen…. Your Majesty,” Leerin said in a low voice. She looked a little confounded as she covered her right eye with her hand. Was she hurt? No. That was impossible.

“Just call me senpai. It’s more convenient.”

Alsheyra was relieved that she was all right. Her expression softened as she walked over to them.

“Did those guys come here?”

“They did, but it wasn’t much of a problem,” Saya replied. Her voice, crisp as a bell, echoed merrily in Alsheyra’s ears.

“Really…….” She looked at Leerin. Leerin was still covering her right eye, watching the direction behind Alsheyra.

She already noticed when she entered the room. Numerous balls were spinning for some reason. She thought they were decorations of this space but they seemed to be something else. She randomly picked up one of the balls. It was just big enough for her to hold in one hand. It was made of glass and looked like it was an eyeball. A circle weaved of thorns was inside the pupil, weaving around a cross.

A pattern that really bothered her.

“……. Saya has awakened. Then it was inevitable that those guys would come. It would be more suitable to explain this as the true beginning.”

“It would be better for that to be the case, though that’s only my personal feelings.”

“What a coincidence. I felt the same not long ago.”

She had felt the same, but not now. If possible, she hoped this trouble would have occurred in the next generation after Leerin’s. Though she hadn’t gathered all 12 people, it was Grendan’s first time having gathered so many strong Military Artists. It would be foolish to give up this time and wait for the next chance. Besides, Leerin wouldn’t have hoped for that. She wasn’t someone who would push trouble to her descendents.

She could stand here because of her personality.

If she could prevent the coming event, she’d even sacrifice her feelings. This thought had never gone away.

“But you wouldn’t do that. In that case, we can only let it happen. If the opposite side doesn’t plan to, we’ll force them. My job is to eliminate it.”

“I’m counting on you,” Saya bowed. Alsheyra found she had unconsciously put her hand on Saya’s head. This action looked very natural.

“Is that all right? No matter what you think, the most important thing to us now is survival.”

Saya’s face remained expressionless even though Alsheyra’s hand was on her head. But a shade of dislike could be discerned from her countenance. The girl of night gazed at Alsheyra, confirming the feeling on her head.

“What should be said was already said. Then do you want to leave here?” Alsheyra asked the two of them.

Leerin nodded lightly, still with a hand on her eye. Saya also confirmed silently.

“Then let us discuss further outside. You must be tired after this ordeal.”

“Thank you.”

“Don’t worry. Leerin is my family too.”

“Eh?”

“Leerin’s surname will change to Eutnohl from today. There’s a crazy uncle but you can just ignore him. Even his relatives do the same.”

“But…..”

“Of course. You can keep the name Marfes if you like. It really is quite a good name.”

Leerin lifted her head, the original serious expression turned into a smile.

“Thank you, but I’ll listen to senpai and change my surname to Eutnohl.”

The change before the smile didn’t escape Alsheyra’s eyes.

It was an expression of joy. Tears of joy.

“Then it’s probably more suitable for me to call you Your Majesty.”

“…….. Yes.”

Included in it was the meaning of saying farewell to her name. The past Leerin Marfes who called her senpai had disappeared. In here was the daughter of fate that the three royal families had hoped for -- Leerin Eutnohl. This was Leerin’s own decision.

Sad and painful words had nothing good to offer. Though Alsheyra had never regretted her own fate, she really wanted changes for Leerin, who had to suddenly bear this fate. But the conclusion she could think of was that she could do nothing.

(I’m the useless one.)

“…… Anyway, let’s head up.”

She couldn’t tell what Leerin was feeling, judging by the expression she gave when she praised her Marfes name. But she knew her words hadn’t hurt her. Only that point was clear.

The current Leerin had overcome an obstacle and taken one step forward.

When Leerin’s thought turned back to reality, Alsheyra Almonise was already behind her.

Claribel felt deeply that she had gone over the limit of her own endurance.

“I can’t stand it,” she said in a low voice after Kalvan destroyed the practice sword in the dojo. A needle had pierced the handle of the sword. Of course, the needle was poisoned. Claribel pondered as she looked at the broken Dite with her head lowered. A Heaven’s Blade successor would never fail to notice the tiny change to his own Dite. Even if he were to spring the trap and the poison spread through his body, he only needed to cut off his arm before his whole body was poisoned. This level of speed and judgement was the most basic even for a non-Heaven’s Blade successor in Grendan. The person could always get a doctor to sew up the arm so no one would hesitate to cut his own arm off.

But one might not be able to control any situations perfectly once this step was taken. This was the end goal.

Let the gears go mad one by one. Things would head for the more advantageous situation this way. The effect wouldn’t be too bad.

But in this city existed Claribel and Minse who could sense Wolf Faces. They would never let them have their way here. Claribel would not let them win even if she was to bet on her pride.

The destination was the outer edge of the city. Toss away the Dite there and eliminate all evidence. The students at the dojo, realizing their teacher’s Dite was missing, must look very stiff.

Even imagining this scene was no fun.

“I can’t stand it,” she repeated in a heavier tone.

“Be patient,” Minse said, looking at her unhappily.

“It’s lucky we’re on this side. To swing with that level of Kei will provoke other Military Artists.”

Minse didn’t look happy because he knew what Claribel was like.

“Don’t talk about him. I’m annoyed.”

“Didn’t it turn out this way because you didn’t think before you acted?”

“You’re so longwinded.”

Minse made annoyed noises, his brows furrowed. A riot aimed at making a stain in the Eutnohl family occurred when Layfon took the Heaven’s Blade at age 10. This was done because of Herder’s incidence. Another commotion also occurred as a Heaven’s Blade was involved.

But the Queen didn’t handle it seriously as if it was a big case. After that, she solved the problem with unbelievable power while ordinary citizens still noticed nothing.

In the end, the Eutnohl family had to pay a huge amount as a fine……

“Thanks to that, it’s now a poor family with a royal name.”

Claribel laughed at him who had covered his face. Minse thought she would feel better after laughing but it still didn’t work as expected. Her expression had turned stiff again. Minse’s bitter expression changed.

“Hey, you know? I don’t want to be seen as a conspirator.”

“Ara. I’m the one taking action. You don’t have to worry.”

“As if Her Majesty would accept this reason. Besides, the space has returned to normal. This event will not escape Delbone’s eyes.”

“Never mind.”

“Never mind? Either way, we’ve kept the calm. What would happen if the medicine ignores its original effect?”

“Nobody’s designated that mission. We defeated them. The ending is perfect.”

Claribel looked at him – this bitter, bored, impatient, anxious cousin who gave off such an expression that was difficult to pull off – had boldly spoken out.

“Besides, we didn’t fight because we had an order. Things became like this when we came to. Either way, it’s enough that we eliminate them, right?”

Claribel became like this…… her first fight with the Wolf Faces was when she was nine. She decided to learn Karen Kei and so became Troiatte’s apprentice. Heaven’s Blades never took apprentices because nurturing an apprentice was an obstacle to raising his own strength. Ruimei, who opened his own school, was an exception. Hence, everyone thought it was difficult to become a Heaven’s Blade’s apprentice. However, Troiatte accepted her with a carefree manner. His belief was that he should be a gentlemen to all women regardless of their age. But Claribel didn’t officially become his apprentice. She had to forcibly enter the Military Arts stream that Troiatte hailed from, Nain, so to learn the basics of Karen Kei. She received his direct instructions after she had trained in the basics for some time. She had trained diligently so she could learn under him sooner.

And it suddenly arrived at that time.

It was so sudden, so unexplainable. She was attacked by the Wolf Faces but she realized after the battle that she was holding her Dite with her pose read, but she was facing passerby in a daze. Similar incidences occurred since that time. The Wolf Faces stood before her when she reacted, and then she had kept on fighting battles with them.

Nine years old. Judging by how she somehow managed to handle them, those Wolf Faces weren’t all that powerful. Claribel hadn’t met any strong opponents. Those Wolf Faces were of average strength. Numerous encounters with them gave Claribel opportunities to be creative in the battles. They had become the best opponents to her in terms of fighting a crowd.

And then she had met Minse who was under the same situation as her. He had discovered the purpose of the Wolf Faces. The two of them had worked hard to understand some of the truth. The Wolf Faces’ purpose was related to the three royal families. The three royal families of Grendan that were deep in the mystery of the world. Claribel understood that she herself was also deeply involved.
“But I won’t give up this chance to confirm my strength.”

“Then you just need to duel with your master.”

“He’ll definitely go easy on me.”

But Layfon wouldn’t be soft in this situation.

“Don’t you want to fight too?”

“…. You, are only of this level.”

“What do you mean?”

“Do you just simply want Layfon to see how much you’ve grown? It’s been about three years right, you and Layfon….”

“It isn’t something admirable to talk about a girl’s secret that easily.”

The pressure in her smile made him breathe in a sharp breath.

She took a deep breath, showing no intention to continuing with the conversation. He should already have seen it. This was the outer edge. Though it was very close to the contact point with the Academy City, any interaction or entry was forbidden. Even people with goodwill could only look at the other city from here. There were many who wanted to help the immature people of the Academy City to repair their city. They had observed the other city in details and gone to talk with the palace to release the order. Of course, not all of them did this out of goodwill. Some did it to get a chance to earn money. Some also did it just to want to join in the fun.

Anyway, there usually weren’t many people here.

There were three males and females entering from the Academy City. She could tell from their uniforms that they were wearing fighting clothes. The Military Artists of the Academy City should still be on alert. Their presence here wasn’t anything strange. At least, fighting clothes weren’t all that strange to the citizens of Grendan.

Then what were they here for? Claribel’s curiosity made her look at them.

“That idiot, coming in here so openly……” Minse said in a low voice.

Claribel was looking at the same person. There was no mistake. It hadn’t been a year since he left Grendan. His face wouldn’t have changed much. It should still take the citizens some time to recognize him but if there were Military Artists among the crowd, they would have spotted him already.

He was Layfon.

“…….. Listen up. I’m returning to the palace immediately. Right now, so you stay here and wait for 10 minutes. If you start anything, do it after that time. Understood? This has got nothing to do with me.”

Minse jumped for the direction of the palace after leaving those words.

Ten minutes?

Claribel wasn’t that patient. But she was grateful that he didn’t completely stop her so she waited one minute. She jumped after the time had passed.

Of course, in a direction opposite Minse.

She rushed to stand in front of Layfon.

The girl who dropped from the sky to block his way drew out an image in Layfon’s mind.

“It’s been a while, Layfon-sama.”

“Claribel… sama…….?”

The daughter of the Ronsmier family. Heaven’s Blade successor Tigris’ granddaughter.

“I’m happy that you still remember me.”

Layfon didn’t drop his guard even though she was smiling. Even Sharnid could detect the challenge beneath her smile. Layfon wouldn’t have missed it.

“Hey……..”

He stopped Sharnid from snatching out his Dite.

“You and Felli, please…….. senpai, step back. If anything happeneds, evacuate. Move once you’re ready.”

Sharnid immediately understood him.

Layfon stood on a spot where he could cover for Felli. Sharnid and Felli stepped back to make some distance between them.

He understood Claribel’s meaning.

“Aa, are you planning to win against me?”

“I’m sorry but I’m not in the mood to chat now.”

Claribel’s hand hovered above the Dite in her weapon harness but she didn’t pull it out. The fighting spirit in her continued to rise. It was on the brink of erupting.

“This makes me think of the first time we stood in the same battlefield. As a Heaven’s Blade successor, you were my guardian in my first fight.”

“Did anything happen? I don’t remember.”

He had the Sapphire Dite, Shim Adamantium Dite, Adamantium Dite, and the Iron Dite. Which Dite should he use? He thought about it and decided in a split second.

Claribel’s expression cooled, affected by the provocation in his words.

“True. It was only one of many fights to you, but to me, it was unforgettable……. I’ve been only thinking of how to surpass you since that day.”

“Really? Then let’s have a quick fight. I don’t have time to waste on someone like you.”

“Yeah. That’s enough……”

She only managed to get half of her words out.

Claribel attacked. The afterimage of her standing pose was left behind as she rushed him. The Dite was still in the weapon harness but her fingers were ready to snatch it out anytime. The technique to pull out her Dite. A move without hesitation. Layfon held the Dite he had decided on initially – Sapphire Dite. He had snatched it out while Claribel was shortening the distance between them.

Red and blue, the lights of restoration crossed each other. The cut paths weaved together. The Kei released from the two bodies cut open the sky.

This all happened in one moment.

And then the stirring of the strength of the outpouring Kei linked the outer edges of Grendan and Zuellni.

“Has she gotten serious? That idiot.” Minse complained in distaste as he was on his way to the palace.

And the two Military Artists who suddenly entered a fight revealed a rare scene to the speechless citizens and the few Military Artists mixed in the crowd.

Kochouenshiken (Flaming Butterfly Sword). Claribel named this move herself. The twin swords made of ruby Dite danced in the sky. The handle made to guard her fists were of a design that made it difficult to let go of the weapons.

Yet the weapons were dancing in the sky.

They were dancing agilely in the sky with Claribel’s arm.

The Sapphire Dite altered by Harley and Kiriku made this scenery possible. The swing made at the time of restoration cut out a cut path faster than the one drawn by the scarlet blades of Kochouenshiken. That cut path then pierced through Claribel’s shoulder.

The fallen arm slowly fell onto the ground, drawing out a circle.

She rolled down next to Layfon, her stance totally collapsing. Blood continued to flow but her face was red. Her body was numb but words were weaved in between her teeth.

“As I thought, you’re the best.”

Only Layfon could hear her moans.

But her words failed to stop his steps.

“……. Restoration 02.”

Claribel wasn’t a threat anymore. He turned the Sapphire Dite into the Steel Threads mode.

“Let’s go, senpai.”

“Ah, Oi, Oi.”

Sharnid was too shocked and his reaction was obviously slow. Layfon carried Felli with one arm, holding the handle of the Sapphire Dite in the other hand, and jumped.

The Military Artists at the outer edge only came rushing in now. The speed of the fight was so shockingly fast that even Grendan’s Military Artists couldn’t react fast enough.

But they managed to restore their Dites after coming to, at the time when Layfon and the two were meters away.

They roared in anger and attacked.

Attacks with Kei intense as flames.

They should have already realized it.

Their opponent was Layfon.

“I won’t hold back if you get in my way,” he murmured in a low voice as he waved the Steel Threads at them…..

The three of them rushed out of the outer edge.

Kaze no Stigma:Ignition Volume1 Chapter 2

2010-08-25T16:56:49Z

ZaX:

Kaze no Stigma Ignition 1 Chapter 2
Meeting upon a dream

“I have always loved you.”

Kazuma says gently, hugging Ayano strongly at the same time.

“In this entire world, you are the only one I love------ I will never let you go again.”

“Kazuma……”

Ayano who is choking from the hug, uses wet eyes to look at Kazuma.

“Me too, I have always------”

Half way through her sentence, Ayano instead used eyes filled with emotions to transmit her feelings across.

There is no need for words any further. In response to Kazuma who is closing in towards her, Ayano closes her eyes gently.

Then------

“Wahhhhhhhhhhhhh!!”

Ayano flips her blankets over quickly, she jumps up as if she was struck by lightning, a powerful scream coming out from her mouth.

The shriek that came along with dawn, spread across every corner of the Kannagi residence.

The Kannagi clan is a clan of En-jutsushis that are allied with the flame spirits, and are capable of controlling flames freely. For a thousand years, they have relied on their cleansing flames to eliminate all kinds of ghouls and demons, protecting people from harm.

The job they took on this time, is just like one of the countless missions they have had in the past. But------

“------Oh?”

“Good morning, Nii-sama.”

With the appearance of an unexpected guest, Kazuma Yagami seems a little surprised. Kannagi Ren on the other hand, greets him.

Kazuma shifts his glance towards the other girl. She is the one who brought Ren along.

“Why is Ren here? Ayano.”

“It doesn’t matter.”

The girl------ Ayano Kannagi says immediately.

“It is about time for Ren to learn to take on jobs.”

“-------Even though that is true……”

“Since you agree, just shut up.”

After Kazuma nods, Ayano responses coldly, and then turns her head away in disdain.

Seeing that rejecting attitude, Kazuma and Ren throws a glance at each other.

Even though their surnames are different, they are brothers after all. Kazuma was exiled from their family four years ago, and after a series of events, he is now employed under the Kannagi, assisting the clan in their work.

On a side note, this pair of brothers are distant relatives of Ayano, but that is not important.

“Ayano seems to be in a bad mood today------ Is it because of that period?”

Kazuma whispers quietly like a bad kid making horny jokes by his twelve year old brother. But, his voice is a little too loud. After Ayano heard that, a big green nerve bursts out at her temple.

“------ I don’t know about that.”

Ren watches all these with a glance at the side of his eyes, replying calmly. He did it just so as to not get dragged into their quarrels, yet Kazuma seems even more enthusiastic:

“Or to say, because it didn’t come, that is why she is throwing a tantrum?”

“Nii-sama!”

Ren shouts painfully, but no matter what, this fatal speech cannot be taken back. The sorrowful sighing boy, his collar seems to be grabbed by someone, and forcefully pulls him away from Kazuma.

Shortly after that------

“Go to hell!!”

Ayano uses her left hand to pull Ren over, and with the counter-force that comes with it, she reaches her right hand out. Her right hand quickly reaches beyond the original distance it is capable of, and continues to stretch forward.

Its color being bright red.

“Hey hey!”

That is a forward going crimson red blade that is engulfed in golden flames. Just as the strike is about to pierce through between his eyebrows, Kazuma shifts his head slightly and dodges it easily.

This sword is the prized treasure of the Kannagi clan “Enraiha”------ the one and only exorcising sword that is said to be bestowed upon by the Spirit Lord of Flames himself. Definitely not a weapon to be used against a guy making perverse jokes.

“Isn’t that too dangerous?”

Kazuma complains naturally. But, Ayano would not accept any of it.

“Ren is still just a primary school kid, what the hell are you teaching him!?”

“No, I am just emphasizing on the importance of contraceptives, and using a failed example on it while at it.”

“Who the hell failed!? How dare you slander a pure girl!”

Ayano shouts out loudly, while waving the Enraiha in her hand. Faced against the fierce, deadly and rough attacks that would burn one to a crisp accidentally, Kazuma simply dodges with ease.

“Don’t run!”

Ayano raises Enraiha high, and swings it down with force. Yet, Kazuma dodges this strike easily, and took the opportunity to stick close to the opponent, grabbing Ayano’s wrist at one go.

“------------!”

Seeing Kazuma’s face so close, Ayano can’t help but recall her nightmare just this morning.

Tightly holding her arms, the sweet whispers that spreads into her ears, and, those lips that closes in slowly------

“……Wahhhhhhhhh!!”

The volume that came out from the girl’s mouth, is enough to make a building under construction collapse.

Ayano looks at Kazuma angrily with a blush on her face, using all the might she can muster to grab onto Enraiha. The flames that wrap around the blade now shines even more brightly.

“Don’t…… Don’t come near me! Get away from me! Pervert!!”

Even though she says that, but Ayano is waving Enraiha all around, preventing Kazuma from getting away.

Seeing Ayano enter an insane state, Kazuma was surprised.

“What is going on?”

He dodges as he asks Ren at the side. However, the young boy is currently facing them with his back, his elbow at the window ledge, looking at the sunset with a sorrowful look on his face.

<nowiki>------</nowiki>Seems like he has set his mind up to treat us as strangers.

“Where are you looking at! Knowing that your brother is in trouble, yet to turn a deaf ear to me, is that okay with you!? Hey!”

Even though Kazuma is yelling for help, but Ren still continues to ignore the argument between the two.

“Ahh, the sun is about to set…… But, just what am I doing here……”

Looking at the distant sunset, Ren grumbles sorrowfully.

<nowiki>---------</nowiki>After three minutes.

“……huu……huu…….” [Sound of panting]

The breathless Ayano, places her entire body weight on the ground and sits down. As for the similarly breathless Kazuma, he is looking at this scene with a surprised look on his face.

Because Ayano, as the next Soushu, even after vigorous training, but after consistently engaging in vigorous anaerobic exercises in her fury, no one can hold on. If she even has thirty percent of her strength left, that would really be something.

“------Gee, to be this tired even before we start our work.”

“This…… is nothing…… Will…… Recover immediately……”

“Is it------”

Hearing Ayano’s broken up reply, Kazuma answers without thinking.

“I say…… Just what the hell is wrong with you?”

“……Nii-sama should take half or more of the responsibility for it.”

“Ohh?”

He looks at Ren who is murmuring to himself, showing a smile on his face that makes one get a nasty premonition. Seeing this, Ren tries to run away, but it is already too late.

“Uuuuuuug--------Uuuuuuugg------!”

The boy who has his cheeks being pinched, a cute cry comes out from his mouth. Even so, Kazuma did not stop, but continues to pull his brother’s cheeks.

“Do you have the right to say such things? When your beloved Nii-sama is in a crisis, who was it that pretended to have seen nothing, and then to talk to me as though such a thing never happened? You really are something.”

“That…… That is not even considered a crisis!”

Ren who is finally released from the evil clutches acts unlike his usual self, and rebuts.

“You obviously dodged so easily------ ugh……”

But, his glory lasted no longer than a few seconds------ When the boy’s eyes met Ayano’s scary stare, he shuts up instantly.

A voice that seemed as though it came from the depths of hell said:

“…… I am so sorry. They were all so easily dodged by him.”

“Ah…… Erm…… I……”

Ren doesn’t know how to explain at all, cold sweat running all over his body.

(That is why I don’t want to be involved in this……)

His eager wish was not heard by the heavens. No, even if the deities heard it, just how effective would it be against the two that are just like stars of death------

(I am such an unfortunate child……)

Shrouded under the gaze of the two, Ren sighs deeply.

“------ Okay.”

After the nonsensical conversation ended, Kazuma puts on a serious look on his face again.

“While the little shrewd recovers, explain the details of this job to me. I am still unsure of what we have to do.”

“Ah, okay.”

Ren hurriedly says before Ayano can make any noise. If the two of them continues arguing, then there will probably be no work done today.

“This building halted its construction due to an economic crisis. Someone else took it over, intending to demolish it and rebuild it, but------”

“Ghosts appeared?”

“No, it is not something so distinct, instead, it is the gradual increase of unconscious people. Five people died in this manner, and out of those that woke up, two of them suicide thereafter. All the rest seems weak, at this rate------”

“Hmmm------”

Kazuma responds in accordance. Ren quickly asks:

“Did Nii-sama sense any youki?”

“Ahh.”

Kazuma nods in confession, he is a fuujutsushi that can control the winds and air, where there is air, there is practically nothing that he cannot find.

“But, I can’t pinpoint the actual location.”

He gives an ambiguous answer, and then looks coldly at Ayano who’s sitting on the ground.

“You can walk now right? Let’s start quickly, as long as we roam around, maybe the opponent will take the initiative.”

“Do as you please……”

Ayano murmurs, as she stands up. Even though she is not too willingly, but given that there are no other plans, she can only do as Kazuma says.

“So then, let us set off!”

Even so, Ayano makes the commands as if she’s leader, walking off before the other two.

“Hey------”

In less than ten minutes, Ayano who cannot stand it turns back. If she continues to move forward in this position, as she looks at Kazuma that does not show any signs of tension.

“Found it yet?”

“No point rushing me------”

Kazuma shrugs in helplessness.

“Because I have not even started looking.”

“Huh?”

Ayano can’t help but suspect her ears. Kazuma emphasizes once more:

“Didn’t I mention that we will wait for it to strike first?”

“But, at least try! Do you even want to work!?”

Ayano stares with an angry look. But even under such conditions, Kazuma is still being cheeky.

“Well then, let me give you some advice.”

“What?”

“You should look forward when you walk.”

“------Huh?”

Ayano who is just about to turn her head around, her neck is suddenly hooked by an arm stretching out from the wall. The arm tugs Ayano strongly, not giving her any time to resist, and pulls her into the wall directly.

The cement showed ripples as if on a lake surface, and Ayano disappeared into the wall just like that.

“Nee……Nee-sama……?”

Ren is in a daze, and raises his head to look at Kazuma with a despaired look on his face.

His brother’s face shows no signs of panic. He looks dumbly at the wall where Ayano disappeared into for a long while, and then said something:

“Okay------ Let’s go on.”

“No…… No we can’t, how can we just leave like this!”

Seeing Kazuma’s intentions to leave casually, Ren rushes before him and stops him in his tracks.

“Are you going to just leave Nee-sama like that!?”

The wall that swallowed Ayano, is currently still undulating like a liquid. The diameter is around two metres, just big enough to let one man through------ and it seems deliberate.

Kazuma’s reaction seems as though he is feeling unhappy from the bottom of his heart.

“Anyone can tell that it’s a trap. Asking me to save that kind of fool------”

“No!”

“How about this, we go have a search around this building, and if we don’t find------”

“No!”

Ren refuses to give in, he tugs Kazuma’s hand, and forcefully drag him towards the wall, as if he is forcing a kid that doesn’t want to go to school.

“Ren------”

“No means no!”

Ren refuses Kazuma’s request. The boy that even the most superior Fuujitsushi, Kazuma, has to listen to------ In a way, he may perhaps be the strongest.

“Hey? Ayano? Wake up.”

“Mmm……”

Feeling the gentle shake on her body, Ayano’s consciousness gradually recovers.

(I…… was dragged in by hands stretching out from the walls, and then……)

And then, she has no recollections of what happened next. She opens her heavy eyelids, and is shocked to see Kazuma’s face.

“Wah------”

Ayano instinctively wants to jump up, but Kazuma was one step faster than her, and hugs her, preventing any kind of resistance.

“Huh? Ah……”

“Don’t make me so worried ever again……”

Beside the ear of the surprised Ayano, came Kazuma’s slightly coarse voice.

“I thought you were dead.”

His voice is filled with relief. This suffocating hug, could it be because he is afraid to lose her?

“------ I am sorry, I was too careless.”

Perhaps due to his frankness, Ayano changes her usual defiant attitude, and apologizes to Kazuma.

“Good that you are okay. Can you stand up?”

“Ah, yeah. Thanks.”

Ayano holds onto Kazuma’s hand and stands up. She wanted to let go of his hand after thanking him, but she was unable to.

“Kazuma?”

“Don’t leave me again.”

Kazuma says as he holds tightly onto Ayano’s hand.

“Stay by me forever, I will protect you.”

“Ka…… Kazuma------?”

Ayano cannot believe what is going on, and stares at Kazuma. To think this man would actually say such undisguised sweet mutters to her, it is like a dream.

Unsure of what to do, Ayano’s eyes wander around------ Suddenly, she noticed something.

“What happened to Ren?”

“Huh? Ahhh------”

For some reason Kazuma hesitated, and then shrugs his shoulders as if it is unimportant.

“We got separated. But, I was most worried about you.”

“---------------------------------”

“Ayano?”

The stunned Ayano, recovers upon Kazuma’s call. She shows a shy smile, and lift her eyes to look at Kazuma.

“Thank you for being worried about me……”

“That goes without words.”

Kazuma answers, caressing Ayano’s gently while at it. Ayano holds onto Kazuma’s hand, her actions seems rather stiff.

“But, its about time we set off to go find Ren. Can you walk?”

“Yes, no problem. Let’s go.”

And so, the two march off.

While holding each other’s hands tightly.

“------Nii-sama?”

Just as they submerged into the wall, Kazuma who was originally holding his hand suddenly vanished without a trace.

“Nii-sama? Where are you------”

He looks around, but there is only darkness surrounding him.

“Nii-sama------?”

There was not a single reply, Ren’s voice is swallowed by the darkness, the entire world was filled with silence.

(Just where is this place------?)

Judging from the fact that his voice never echoed back, this should not be the interior of the building. Could they have been sucked into an alternate dimension------ Suppressing the anxiety in his heart, Ren looks behind subconsciously.

“Woah!?”

Not long after the suppression, a cry of shock came out from his mouth. He hurriedly retreated backwards, staring at “that thing” with widened eyes.

It is a white shadow that is floating amidst the darkness. That thing------ “She” showed no forewarnings, and just appeared at the place before him suddenly.

That is a girl wearing a white one-piece dress, her age seems to be around the same as Ren, yet her height is a little taller than Ren, her curly hair extends all the way to her waist.

“You are……?”

This is the first time that they have met, there is no doubt about it, because if they have ever met before, Ren would definitely not forget it, he would never forget such a lonely smile------

“-----------------------”

The girl opened her mouth, but, her voice could not reach Ren’s ears, he is unable to hear anything.

“What did you say? I can’t hear you at all.”

“-----------------------”

The girl seems to ignore Ren’s question, and continues on with her silent words. Following that, she lowers her head sadly, and raises her head once more several seconds later.

“------Huh?”

The girl’s expression changes as though its someone else, her eyes look cold, a sinister smile at the side of her mouth. She wields a dagger that came out from nowhere in her right hand, and then without hesitation, she slashes at Ren.

“Wait…… Wait a minute------”

The girl’s attack even though relentless, but her actions are clearly those of an untrained personal. Just as Ren dodges easily, he voices out to try to stop her:

“Stop it! Why are you doing this------”

Suddenly, the girl’s movements sped up. The tension of her muscles and the flexibility of her body did not change, it is just an increase of speed. Just like a tape that is being fast forwarded, it looks extremely unnatural.

“Waah!?”

Ren’s leg hits something, and he stumbles onto the floor. Facing the boy who is lying on the ground, the girl lunges at him with a deep murderous intent. The sharp blade aimed at the position of his heart.

“Mmm------”

Even at this stage, Ren does not want to harm the girl. He begins to focus his consciousness, intending to let the dagger------ let that steel dagger that is shining with great brilliance within the darkness melt away.

------Swish!

The girl that stopped in mid-air, her body is suddenly cut into half. The body that was sliced into two from her left shoulder to the right side of her waist, is then swallowed into the darkness and disappears.

“Huh? What…… What was that……”

“Are you okay?”

The puzzled Ren, hears an extremely calm enquiring voice at this moment. He sits up instantly, and searches for the source of the voice.

“Nii-sama!?”

“Yeah.”

Kazuma nods calmly. Ren who finally sets his mind at rest, start to observe his surroundings.

It is no longer pitch black. This is probably some room in the building, it looks dark and desolate. The concrete floor is cold and hard, Ren stands up quickly.

He asks Kazuma who is right before him:

“Did Nii-sama save me?”

“Yeah.”

Kazuma gives a very short reply, he doesn’t seem to be in a good mood.

“What was that just now?”

“Its your dream. I am not too sure of the contents.”

“Dream?”

“Its ‘Nightmare’.”

“------Hmm.”

Hearing the term, Ren more or less understood. In other words, it’s a psychological attack by the enemy.

There is a youma that is called “Nightmare”. Just as the name implies, it would give its host nightmares.

There is a “sacred area” in everyone’s heart. Their loved ones, precious memories, or mental wounds that cannot be healed------ hidden deep in his heart, a forbidden zone that does not allow others to come into contact with.

Nightmare would intrude into this sacred area, and distort it.

Memories of time spent with your loved ones, would turn into a nightmare where you are being murdered by them.

When assaulted by the one you love so dearly, just how many people would bear to fight back? And so, people are forced into the fear and despair of being killed by their lovers, parents or even children------ The purpose of Nightmare is to consume these negative emotions.

“Did Nii-sama have a nightmare too?”

Ren asks casually. Kazuma frowns slightly, and after keeping quiet for quite a while, he uses a bitter tone to say softly:

“……Yeah. A past I don’t want to recall.”

“Is…… Is it……”

After realizing that he asked a question he shouldn’t have, Ren starts to ponder on ways to change the topic. He wanted to go through what he just went through, and suddenly realized something strange.

Ren’s dream did not turn into a nightmare.

Just as previously mentioned, Nightmare would distort important memories, and turn them into nightmares.

Yet, in Ren’s dream, he met a girl he doesn’t know. Even though he is about to be killed by her, but he was merely shocked, and was not to the extent of feeling scared or despaired.

“……How strange.”

“What’s strange?”

”Hmmm, frankly speaking……”

After Kazuma who felt strange begins to enquire further, Ren describes his dream.

“------Oh?”

“What does Nii-sama think?”

“About that…… From Nightmare’s usual tricks, it is definitely your memories alright. But if you didn’t forget it, then perhaps it predicted your ‘memories from the future’?”

“Memories from the future? Can Nightmares really do that?”

Ren cries out in surprise.

“Who knows.”

Kazuma’s reply sounds like perfunctory remarks.

“I am merely stating my assumption, just let it go. Anyway let’s meet up with Ayano.”

“------You’re right.”

Ren does not think that the future is something that is fixed. Even if Nightmare really can predict the future, it is but just one of the possibilities.

Matters regarding the future, there is no point in thinking about it now. Ren shifts his attention towards the problem at hand.

(Is Nee-sama also having a nightmare now……)

He is not unconfident about Ayano’s strength. A trap that even he would be able to escape from, Ayano would never fall for it.

Yet even so, it is still worrying.

“Let’s hurry up and go, Nii-sama.”

Grabbing onto Kazuma’s hand, Ren starts walking off quickly.

Speak of the devil.

It was such a coincidental meeting.

As they were moving along the outer walls of the building, just when they were about to take a turn, they met at an extremely close range.

“Nee-sama!”

After recognizing the girl before him, Ren’s eyes brighten up instantly. And yet, in the next moment he changed into a shocked expression.

“……And…… Nii-sama……?”

He stares blankly at the man standing beside Ayano, and then he turns his head around, and looks to his side once more.

They look exactly identical.

“There are two…… Nii-sama……?”

“Oh……”

“Hmm……”

The “two Kazumas” stares at each other, showing the exact same cold smile at the same time.

“…………”

And Ayano on the other hand is watching from the side. On a side-note, the moment she saw Ren, the hand originally holding onto Kazuma’s was drawn back forcefully.

“Nee…… Nee-sama…… What’s this about……?”

“Even if you ask me, I too------”

Towards Ren’s question, Ayano shakes her head as if she has no part in this.

“One of them must be an imposter right?”

“Bu…… But……”

Ren seems hesitant, and looks at the Kazuma beside him.

“But, Nii-sama------ this Nii-sama saved me.”

“What a coincidence. It’s the same for me.”

Ayano answers calmly. Seeing Ayano’s strange attitude, Ren can’t help but show a troubled look.

“Nee-sama, why do you seem so calm?”

“That’s because------”

Ayano compares the two Kazumas, and then makes a conclusion:

“We can’t tell which is the real one.”

“……So?”

“In that case, let’s not waste time. Let them prove themselves.”

“Prove themselves……”

Ren does not know what Ayano is trying to say at all.

He doesn't think that they can prove anything just by talking. Besides, the imposter won’t admit that he is the fake.

Leaving the puzzled Ren at one side, Ayano turns to the two Kazumas and say:

“So to speak------ Both of you go over there and have a good fight.”

“Nee-sama!?”

Ignoring Ren's shock, she continues to say:

“The surviving one will be the real deal, got it?”

“This is too reckless! The winner might not be the real Nii-sama!”

“------What are you talking about?”

Seeing Ren’s violent reaction, Ayano blinks, surprised.

“How can Kazuma lose.”

“------Huh?”

This is not a taunt. Her tone is so calm and peaceful, it is as if she is stating the obvious truth.

“Kazuma would never lose to an imposter.”

“That…… though its true……”

Even though there are a lot of problems with his personality, but as a Jutsushi, Kazuma’s abilities can be fully trusted. Faced against an unwavering argument, Ren can only swallow his own words.

“So------”

Ayano raises her finger with force, pointing at the two before her, and announces loudly:

“The two of you don’t have to go easy, just fight it out quickly!”

“…………”

Both Kazumas both glanced at Ayano, and then stare at each other, and finally sighs at the same time.

Their actions are an exact mirror image, without the slightest difference at all. Even a pair of artists that have partnered for a long period of time might not be as harmonious as them.

“What’s up with this girl.”

“Doing things so arbitrarily-------”

“So violent------”

“Just like a tomboy……”

After finishing their final sentence at the same time, they both sigh together once more. Seeing this collaborative scene, Ayano’s temple twitches slightly.

“You……”

She grabs a piece of concrete the size of her palm.

“Why are you having a twosome performance with the imposter! You idiot!”

And threw it out with all her might. Seeing the concrete piece that is entirely offtrack, the two Kazumas did not dodge, but only watched quietly.

“How dangerous.”

“That’s right.”

“Shut up!”

Ayano shouts out with a sinister look on her face:

“Hurry up and start! Or else I will slaughter the both of you!”

Both Kazumas widen their eyes instantly, with an astonishing look on their face. Following that, once again, they spoke together harmoniously to ask the question in their hearts:

“How will you slaughter me?”

“------!!”

In her fury, Ayano drew out her Enraiha. But, just as she is about to swing it, Ren stops her.

“Nee-sama, calm down!”

“I can’t calm down anymore!”

Ayano struggles, trying to break free from the boy who is hugging her tightly.

“How can I accept two Kazumas in this world! Just one makes me mad, having two will drive me nuts!!”

“Nee…… Nee-sama……”

Ren tries to pacify Ayano, and turns to Kazuma with begging eyes at the same time------ As he does not know which is the real one, his eyes can only shift between the both of them.

“Nii-sama, please think of something. Nee-sama can’t take much more of this.”

“………..”

The two Kazumas look at each other, and shrugs helplessly.

“We don’t have much choice I guess, let’s begin.”

“------You’re right.”

Kazuma------ the one that appeared with Ayano------ reaches out, and caresses the head of Ayano who is beginning to ease her anger.

“So, I am going.”

“------Have a nice trip.”

Ayano replies, some of her unhappiness still lingers in her tone. Yet, when Kazuma turns around with a bitter smile on his face, her voice turns freezing cold suddenly.

“I meant to hell.”

Poosh! [Sound of something splattering?]

With the sound of one’s body being pierced through, Enraiha stabs into Kazuma’s body. The blade tip engulfed in flames, entered from his back, and came out from the center of his chest.

This is a strike that accurately pierced the heart. As if time stopped, everyone seemed to have forgotten to breathe. At this moment, Kazuma turned around to look at Ayano.

“A……Ayano……?”

“Shut your trap.”

His coarse voice, cut off coldly by Ayano.

“Even though I have no idea who you are, but please don’t call my name out so casually.”

“Wha……What------”

“Quit the acting. The moment your heart was pierced through by Enraiha and you didn’t die instantly, it doesn’t matter what you say anymore.”

“----------------”

Perhaps admitting its failure, “Kazuma”’s painful expression disappears suddenly, and in exchange an evil smile reveals itself.

“When did you find out?”

“Since the beginning.”

“……Why?”

“Why? Need you ask! How is it possible for Kazuma to leave Ren behind, and come rescue me alone? That is not possible no matter how you look at it!” [Actual translation would be “That is impossible in physics terms.” But I don’t understand why use physics here. Correct it if you do]

“……Nee-sama……”

Seeing how confident Ayano is when saying that, Ren can’t help but feel sad for her.

“So that’s the reason…… Seems like I let an unwanted girl have a nice dream…… Argh!”

Enraiha suddenly shone brightly, “Kazuma”’s body is completely swallowed by flames.

“Shut your trap and go and die! I will eliminate you! I will burn you till you won’t even have ashes left!”

Ayano shouts, while igniting the “furies of justice”. As if responding towards her will, the flames gives out an angry roar too, slowly eroding “Kazuma” off.

“Hey hey------”

Even after “Kazuma” was all burnt off, the flames show no signs of subsiding, instead, its spreading out swiftly. Avoiding Kazuma who has set up a wind barrier and Ren’s surrounding area, the flames start to burn the entire building, streets, and even the entire world.

Shortly after that------

“Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!”

A dying cry came out from somewhere.

“------Strange?”

The feeling in her hand vanished suddenly, Ayano takes a step forward quickly to prevent herself from falling over.

She looks around, this seems to be a certain room in the building, which was obviously all burnt down just now, yet there is no burnt marks anywhere.

“What’s going on?”

“------Could it all have been a dream?”

Ren who understands the situation more clearly than Ayano, turns towards Kazuma and asks.

“Perhaps.”

“That is to say------”

“Its all over.”

Before the question is finished, Kazuma gave a short answer.

Just as “Kazuma was burnt, Ayano burnt everything else as well------ The entire world that Nightmare created. Of course, the Nightmare that has been hiding naturally failed to escape its fate.

After hearing this explanation, Ayano raises her chest high up, and puts on an arrogant front:

“Hmm hmm. How was that? Shocked right!”

“Mmm------ So you won with brute force.”

“What! Does it matter------”

Ayano tries to rebut, but then changes to the smile of a victor, and looks at Kazuma with an expression of mockery.

“You didn’t do anything this time round. Even so you still want to get paid?”

She interrogates this “Money thief” with her eyes. Of course, Kazuma will definitely not push the reward at hand off just because of a slight mockery from someone else.

“Yup, there was no room for me this time round. You really became stronger.”

Kazuma hugs Ayano gently, and whispers softly by her ear. Faced with this sudden development, Ayano’s turns beet red instantly, her entire body stiffens.

“Wha……What……”

(What…… What is this……? Could it be that I am still dreaming……)

As she could never imagine that Kazuma would praise her, Ayano can’t feel happy at all. Kazuma continues to input more sweet whispers into Ayano’s frozen consciousness.

“Work harder from now on, and let my wallet earn even more.”

(----------------------Hah?)

Ayano raises her head reflectively. Ayano looks into her eyes and say:

“Just standing there and I get paid for it, how can I give up on such a job? So, I will be relying on you from now on.”

“……You……”

Ayano who is so angry her body is trembling, gets kissed on the forehead at this moment. The sound of the kiss, is the sound of the detonation switch being pressed at the same time.

Kaboom!

The moment Kazuma turns around, golden flames burst out Ayano’s entire body. Feeling the amazing heat behind him, Kazuma quickly grabs Ren’s hand and starts running.

“Time to run.”

“……Nii-sama.”

Ren cries out in a painful voice.

“Can’t you use a more normal way to encourage Nee-sama?”

“------Hmm, actually, that is not impossible, but……”

“But?”

“It is more fun this way.”

Dodging the plasma ball that comes flying at a high speed, Kazuma hums as he says.

“-------Sigh……”

Thinking about the fact that Ayano will probably still be toyed around by Kazuma from now on, and he would still get dragged into it, Ren can’t help but sigh with mixed feelings.

Chrome Shelled Regios:Volume10 A Day For You 01

2010-08-02T21:00:33Z

ZaX: /* A Day For You 01 */

===A Day For You 01===

Anytime she came across those words, Felli would declare without any expression, "Stupid."

It was the day known as Van Allen's Day. As a custom of another city, there should be no connection to Zuellni. Last year however, every confectionery that had knowledge of Van Allen's Day all went on a campaign.

Leading to this year.

Numerous posters with "Van Allen's Day" written in big, bold letters were taken and affixed to the inside of every building.

Other than that, those poster's had, "To that person on your mind," "Send out those special feelings," "This is the taste of my feelings," and "Spend some time with a bit more mature atmosphere about you," written on them, and……not only coffee shops and confectioneries, restaurants also put out some of those posters and advertised ahead of time.

Van Allen's Day……A special day where sweets are given to that special person of the opposite sex, and by those means, one's feelings are shared.

Of course, those customs originated from the conversations and gossip of another city.

Zuellni had no connection.

Though there was no connection, with an interest in love this season, the youths gathered the information, as expected of an academy city. It's a completely simple matter for a craze to spread like fire.

"Stupid." Felli once again muttered.

While taking her usual path home, she thought about what to do for dinner while walking, and then those posters were everywhere in sight. She was fed up with it. In order to raise their proceeds, the business department devised a collection of marketing tactics and rode them out. The ones they were not pleased with collectively were generally ruled out by the campaign committees. Coffee shops, restaurants, and places with any relation to food and drink were generally advertised with a male audience in mind. There was only a confectionery, bookstore, and a grocery store that advertised with a female audience in mind.

Guys make Van Allen's Day reservations and invite girls out. On the other hand, women were subjected to advertising for classes, etc on how to make sweets.

Guys spend money while girls spend time, or so they say.

(Making a fool of me)

This time without words, Felli immediately directed her anger with a glare at the nearest grocery store. If women could spend their time and immediately be able make delicious treats, there wouldn't be any troubles. If men could spend money and still be at ease, there would also be no worries.

(Good grief……)

Posters put up around the town were everywhere in sight, so one would have to be an idiot not to remember that. Felli discretely let out a sigh.

and……

"Fuu, bought a lot, didn't I~"

The nonchalant voice, along with its owner, emerged from the store.

The girl had her voice in a good condition and a carefree expression on her face. Compared to that utterance, it merely took one arm to carry the small bag, but she apparently was left with a satisfied expression on her face. But, Felli's eyes weaved their way to the back of the group.

"……so, you don't think this amount of food is too much for the dorm, do you?" Seeming discontent, with a bag full of cheap lettuce in each hand. It was Nina.

"But it's finally the day you can openly try the food. You wanted to make a lot of new things, didn't you", she declared optimistically after turning her head. Nina frowned, feeling a headache forming.

"……Selina-san, isn't there some sort of misunderstanding?"

"No~t at all~"

To the person of the opposite sex you care about, a confession of love…… that intent of Van Allen's Day was disregarded, even to Felli.

"Whatever I've made before, you said you'd eat everything I placed before you, so I can make a lot of things, can't I~"

"Selina-san……"

It appears that she intends to experiment on cooking something. Her uniform was from the Alchemy Department, so there was no way she could be wrong.

"It's too bad the Heartseer fruit hasn't arrived, isn't it~? The shops had been commissioned to produce something or so I hear, so I thought the market would be caught up in that……cultivation's also failed, I wonder?"

"That's kind of suspicious."

"It's nothing like that. We're talking about taste."

"It doesn't seem suspicious for even a minute?"

"However even if it's a small amount, when properly made, it has a positive result on proper nourishment, recovery from weariness and promotes an increase in appetite amongst other things."

"Which energy drink is that……?"

"Well~, that is something we'll have another chance to try, won't we~? It'll be OK~. Since I'll properly think of something so that Nina can give a present."

"No, that kind of thing I wasn't planning on……"

"No~ way, it would be bad if you didn't give anything to the guy on your own platoon, wouldn't it?"

"No, that's because……"

From then on, whatever conversation unfolded, Felli, whose legs had stopped, became unable to hear them.

Felli stood still until she lost sight of Nina's dismayed figure weaving in and out of the crowd. Meanwhile, she also glared at the newly discovered rival before her.

<center>◇</center>

He heard a clanking sound.

"Felli, what're you doing? This is……"

Having returned to the room just now, his nose assaulted by an offensive smell, Karian entered the kitchen after blocking his nose with a handkerchief.

His younger sister was standing in the kitchen. Just because of that, there was already trouble.

Going through the handkerchief, the irritating smell that had been entering his nose once again managed to enter.

The clanking noise that was heard was from the pot. Why was it coming from the pot? Together, they were siblings who couldn't cook. Thus as one would expect, he couldn't believe that the sound came from cooking.

"Felli……?"

"Be quiet"

Gazing at the saucepan, Felli's eyes were tinged with an earnest light. Karian couldn't help but swallow his question as he held his breath.

"Just a little bit longer……"

With the clock grasped firmly in one hand, she alternated between checking it and the pot, as well as adding a few drops from a small bottle of liquid. The sound of the liquid vaporizing mingled with the other sounds, and the irritating smell had changed.

"It's ready……"

"W, what……is?" A trace of ominous, black smoke rose from the saucepan. If the ventilation fan were not ventilating, the entire kitchen would be filled with a black haze. As Felli lifted the pot cautiously, it was obvious that something had been burnt black through overemphasized searing.

"Elder brother, please sample this."

What was placed onto a plate was then cut up with a kitchen knife, and after placing some on a smaller plate, was presented in front of Karian's nose without hesitation.

"Unh……"

"Please sample this."

Repeatedly. He had the strength to not say any words of disinterest. Karian had, after taking several steps back, lost the ability to move his legs.

"Please wait a moment. That's it! I remembered. I have unfinished work in the student council room, really urgent, that is……"

With his own words, he pushed himself back and could finally move his legs. In order to run from that strange black object releasing a strangely irritating odor, Karian quickly turned around from his right.

However, his legs had stopped once more. Before you knew it, Karian's surroundings filled with flakes.

"Sample this……"

Looking back, he could see Felli standing with her silver hair shining.

"If that talent were to fully manifest itself in another place, it would greatly please me, wouldn't it?"

"Sample this."

As though to completely turn a deaf ear to his words, everything on the small plate was being forced to him. From that smoke emitting, strange, dark matter, Karian averted his eyes.

Van Allen's Day.

Until recently, that name, which held no particular import, had in that mind, rose to its surface.

(F, For the love of……)

Last year had Felli coldly disregarding the Business Department's campaigns, and yet this year doesn't seem to be the case. The younger sister who harbored no interest in others was currently interested in the opposite sex. It made him lonely, but happy at the same time. Now, if I were to eat this thing, I would draw closer to my cold demise.

(Remember this. Layfon-kun)

"Come now……Sample this."

"Urgh, erm."

Felli stabbed the meat with a fork. Some charred portions had, under that pressure, broken off. She could possibly force it into his frantically shut lips.

No escape. The surroundings continued to fill with flakes, enveloping him to the point where not even an insect had room to squeeze through. Light was let loose like lightning. A flake mine? Felli could make explosions herself, and in addition, there was only a short distance between them. Just taking into account these factors, he couldn't come out of this unscathed. Karian's time to sample drew near.

(I've resigned myself to this, haven't I……)

That's right. If this one bite is finished, it would be all over. The anxiety about the thought of those prepared ingredients entering a person's mouth shouldn't be felt much longer. In it existed the special qualifications necessary to label it as food, but to obtain those things today was impossible for his younger sister.

(How's the taste? It seems edible!)

Upon realizing, Karian opened his mouth.

On top of his tongue, that piece of meat flopped down and rolled.

"Fgah-, Guo-!

He couldn't control himself from letting out the words he spat out. An impact was delivered to the crown of his head. As he was losing consciousness, Karian braced his arm on the table. Still, something on the inside of his mouth continued to feel like it was splitting open. Each time he felt that small breaking feeling inside his mouth, his tongue became weak. No, wait. This……This feeling, could it be the taste buds on his tongue making up the palate breaking down one by one!?

"Ha, Ha……"

It was said that the taste buds on the tongue numbered about ten thousand……why in the world would you lose them to that extent……? After thinking about it, his body trembled in terror.

"……It appears that it's failed, hasn't it?"

Felli's disinterested voice had turned toward Karian's skull.

"Well then, next sample this"

Felli said, while bringing out the next dish.

"What……did you say?"

A cold sweat poured from his head and the small of his back.

Van Allen's Day.

A name that he didn't worry about had, this moment today, carved a memory of fear and became a cursed name.

<center>◇</center>

Morning had come.

They had to call a cleaning service. The reason for this was that the kitchen had fallen into ruin. Leaving this battlefield, Felli took a shower and washed away her fatigue.

After sliding on the sleeves of her spare uniform, she undid the towel coiled around her head, used to dry her hair. It was an easy habit to get into, diligently brushing her hair to check her own appearance in a mirror.

No problem. She grabbed her bag and left the room.

On the living room table were the fruits from yesterday's battle. Resting on the palm of her hand, a small box sat neatly wrapped and tied with a ribbon. In order to for it not to become ruined, she placed it in her bag with great care and looked at her older brother's room.

"Well then, I'm off."

"……Try your best."

The moan-like reply came from the other side of the door. The voice sounded rough. Did he catch a cold from being up all night? Since his movements weren't sufficient compared to normal, his body had definitely weakened. "Slovenly."

"……Sorry, but can you convey the message that I'm resting today?"

"I understand."

"I'm counting on you."

With that, nothing more could be heard from her older brother's room.

With nothing left to worry about, she left the mansion.

After being up all night till dawn, the sun's rays were intense. Felli narrowed her eyes and, until they became adjusted to the light, stood stock still.

(Now, the problem is……)

While viewing the slowly dimming early morning scenery with narrow eyes, Felli began thinking.

The thing was completed. More time was spent than expected, but that was settled by reducing the duration of sleep.

How to hand it over?

That was the extent of the problem.

To begin with, Layfon's year was different. If the year is different, facilities would also be different, and the chances of meeting a student of a different year would be small.

At any rate, Zuellni was one of those places said to be a city only for students. The number of school buildings was nothing to be trifled with.

If there was any chance to reliably meet Layfon, it would be the platoon's training hours. If it were left until after school, it would come up at the military arts training facility.

(There is no other time to aim at but that one, is there?)

After finally being able to open her eyes, Felli set out.

However……

How should she time the handing over?

That was the next problem.

After coming to the training facility……it would probably be useless. Surely, Nina would be faster than Felli, without a doubt. Above all, Sharnid would be an eyesore. It was only a matter of time before she would be discovered, and if that were to happen she didn't know if she could say something.

(In that case, it would be better to be seen by someone unfamiliar than someone who was.)

In the event that someone were to see, it would be better if that stranger didn't know her name as well.

For that to happen, she would have to go to the first year facilities.

It would be good if she could go. Sometime during school, at lunch break would be when to go and hand it to him. There was no other time to spend like that.

(Fumu……Let's go with tha……)

No, wait.

All appearance of reasonable thought had suddenly halted. Her legs wouldn't stop. Calmly looking straight ahead while walking forward, her previously halted thoughts restarted.

Going to the first year facilities. That's fine. Layfon would be there. If she were to hand it over at the training facility, an acquaintance, particularly Sharnid, would see her. It would be better to avoid that.

In that case, the first year facilities. That was the conclusion she reached some time ago.

There she ran into an issue.

(Wait, Felli. You are forgetting something.)

Warning herself, why did she sense danger, she thought.

Who would be at the first year facilities? Layfon would be there. However, it wouldn't be just him.

That's right……That girl was there.

(Meishen Trinden……!)

After remembering that person, Felli looked up towards the sky.

With that cowering camouflage, that deceiver of men was there. That girl was there with formidable weapon-like cooking skills thoroughly emphasizing her familial appearance.

(How absurd……)

In the classroom Layfon is in, that girl was there. Those two women who protect that girl are there. If she were to hand it over, there would be no doubt that she would be stopped by the gaze of those three. She couldn't think of Layfon flaunting the things he received from other people, but if he were to face the curiosity of those three, what would happen?

Layfon's weakness to pressure was first-class. They would be seen without a doubt.

If that were the case, what would happen?

Meishen would see the sweets, or something like that. Gambling on cooking, far outstripping Felli, Meishen had……

(Ku……)

How ridiculous.

(Inside the school building, the gazes are too numerous.)

In this hopeless situations, Felli's mood turned somber.

As it was now, if a good idea didn't come to mind at this rate, she would struggle on to school.

The restless atmosphere that plagued the classroom everyday had cleared up. Though the boys would always chat loudly and idly, on the contrary they seemed to prefer sitting motionlessly alone in their own seat today. Concealing their voices amongst themselves in a circle, the girls exchanged conversation and glancing at the boys, who asserted an unconcerned air.

Unprepared for the thick atmosphere that hung over the classroom, Felli secretly let out a sigh.

Even though up until last night Felli held something like scorn for that atmosphere, now she was joining in. After feebly greeting her classmates while exhausted from betraying herself, Felli fell prostrated at her desk.

(However, coming this far, it would be irritating to withdraw……)

How should she go about losing the public gaze while getting the chance to hand it to him? In her mind, this continued to torment Felli.

"Errr……Loss-san"

With her name called, Felli came to her senses and then lifted her head.

"Yes?"

An unfamiliar female student stood nearby. The uniform, like her brother, was from the Law and Administration Department.

Meaning she wasn't a student of this class, but not only that, she was also an upperclassman.

"What is it?"

"Well, Karian-kun isn't here today and so I was wondering, what's going on? Everyday before class, he comes to the student council room, but it doesn't appear that he will even come to class……"

"Ah, if it's about my brother……"

On that subject, Felli completely forgot about the message Karian had entrusted her with.

"His physical condition is poor, and so he said he's taking today off."

"Eh, is that so? You say he's taking the day off, is it that serious?

The female student listened with an awfully flustered look on her face.

"Is he alright?"

She probably thought it was just a case of lack of sleep.

"Oh, well……Karian-kun has a usual habit of pushing himself on the student council work and so fatigue probably caught up with him."

It was her own thought however, the female student in front of her had arbitrarily came to her own conclusion. Without the willpower to stop her, Felli left her to her own devices .

"Hey. You and Karian-kun live together, don't you? I want to go nurse him , would that be alright?"

Felli rolled her eyes at this girl's proposal.

"Ah, troublesome?"

It seems she had an unusual facial expression.

"Ah, no. I have no objections. Do you know the address?"

"Yeah. That's alright."

"Well then, do as you please."

"Thanks."

With something between smiling and laughing, the upperclassman, whose name she did not know, left the classroom.

"I see."

Watching her from behind, Felli had come to an understanding on her own.

In other words, if there wasn't a chance for them to be alone together, she would have to create a chance to be alone with him.

Afternoon recess. Felli turned up at the school building's rooftop. One could say the rooftop was usually left empty, and with benches left forgotten, this place wasn't very popular. Nearby, there was a park with a better appearance. Unless a student took the time to prepare a meal beforehand, they wouldn't come to this place.

But, of course today would be different from normal.

Each and every spot on all of the benches were completely filled. Couples. Pairs happily chatting away while eating seemingly hand made lunches that would end with the giving of sweets.

"Kuu..."

In order to not be caught in these couples' field of vision, Felli concealed herself in the shadow of the entryway.

After restoring her dite, she released her flakes.

The place targeted was the first year facilities.

And yet, Layfon's figure was not in the classroom.

"Good grief, what am I doing."

Irritated, Felli broadened the scope. Within a corner of the hectically processed maelstrom of information, an image of Layfon eating Meishen's handmade bento came to mind.

Before, there were times where she would disperse flakes as a diversion and gather those images. By no means has she thought today she would be searching for Meishen on her own prerogative.

She and those two noisy girls she called her childhood friends were having lunch alone.

Layfon wasn't there.

In that case where is he? The thought of Layfon's absence putting Felli at ease, she continued to broaden the scope.

(Good grief……)

After meeting Layfon for the first time, this phrase which had become her favorite had once again come out, after which Felli thought.

(I am probably throwing myself at that hopeless boy.)

Even though she thought that, she couldn't stop her search. Felli sighted as she searched for Layfon's figure.

(There.)

Finally found him.

With a feeling of relief, she confirmed his surroundings.

Layfon was alone. However, a slightly tense atmosphere hung in the air, as psychokinesis other than Felli's was in the vicinity. The warehouse district. At this place which stored provisions and things produced in Zuellni, examining Layfon's side of the situation, he was concealing himself.

"Fon Fon?"

[Uwah! ……Felli?]

Silencing himself in panic and checking the situation, Layfon timidly responded to her.

"What are you doing?"

[This is for my part-time job with the City Police, however……]

At the reply made with a concealed voice, for an instant Felli had furled her eyebrows, but immediately reconsidered this as a chance.

(If that's the case, it is possible to be alone together.)

Known as the warehouse district, the place did not have a good business condition. The problem was the existence of another Psychokinesist, but if Felli proposed to collaborate on this, the probability of her taking charge of Layfon was high.

"With the city police……? What is it this time?"

[Well……this is. This incident concerns the illegal importation of alcohol.]

"This again?"

[This time it is something different. It's seen as an ingredient in cooking. Being targeted, it's being used to lure out the culprit……

Somehow in addition, there seems to be a somewhat strange group for support, or something……]

And so, is he alone at that kind of place?

If that's the case, the proposing to collaborate would probably not be strange.

"I see, shall I lend you a helping hand?"

[Eh?]

"……What is it?"

Somehow, Layfon's voice rather than sounding surprised, sounded more like her presence was inopportune. Differing from her expectations, Felli felt offended and asked in response.

"Would my involvement be useless?"

[Th, That isn't what I meant exactly. Errr, what I was saying, this time there's something of a rather special circumstance, and so nothing would come out of this if I don't use my own discretion………]

"Such a repetitive response……what is that for? If we talked it over with that upperclassman, wouldn't it be fine?"

[That isn't quite the case……]

"Well then, what would you call it?"

[Ah, please wait one moment.]

The other psychokinesist addressed Layfon, Felli became sullen and kept silent.

[I'm sorry, eh? Agh, is that true!?]

Suddenly, Layfon shouted.

[Aah, no……]

"What happened?"

[Sorry, I am in a bit of a hurry, so with this. ……Ah, it doesn't look like I will be able to go to today's training, so please convey the message for me!]

After saying that in a low voice, Layfon rushed from the area at high speed.

"Ah!"

Flakes had yet to be deployed in Layfon's area. It may have still been possible to pursue him, but in the blink of an eye, she lost sight of him.

"Really………"

Allowing psychokinesis to flow smoothly at this range, even Felli would succumb to exhaustion.

"Even though people have their own problems……"

If she were persistent, she would make an error, but today that feeling wasn't there.

"Haa………"

Her body felt heavy even though the fatigue from the sleepless night seemed to just set in. Along with a breath, whatever was driving her till now slipped out.

<center>◇</center>

When afternoon break met its end, Felli trudgingly returned to class. It seemed in the time Felli was away, several Van Allen's Day struggles had come to a close. Clearly, there was a divide between guys in good spirits and those who weren't. They were in luck as almost all of the gifts guys gave to the girls were high class reservations to shops. That approach directed the formation of a different atmosphere.

"Ur……"

From the seat positioned next to the door, a cheerfully speaking voice could be heard, at which point Felli froze in horror. Up until now, she could coldly brush it all away with the phrase, "Not interested." On the contrary, feeling the self she brushed aside, she felt miserable.

"Urk……"

Staggering forward through the stifling atmosphere where it would be good if she could walk straight, she somehow managed to struggle to her own seat.

''' "Haa……" '''

Really now……with that overlapping a sigh, Felli lifted her head. Come to thing of it, this environment wasn't uncomfortable.

Upon lifting her head, she met the eyes of the female student sitting in the seat next to her.

"Ah, good after……noon……………"
`
After finishing her greeting, that female student had once again started looking at the desk with vacant, drooping eyes.

Feeling an overwhelming sense of failure, Felli unintentionally overlooked the situation and inquired further.

"What is it?"

The girl's name was Eri. With beautiful, long black hair, she didn't think that image was bad, however usually she cut herself off from the rest of the class and stayed in darker corners of the room. Similarly, Felli who didn't usually associate with other classmates, was treated as equally eccentric.

"Fu, fu, fufu……" While looking at the desk, Eri leaked a voice with laughter. "Sweets, huh? I lost them somewhere."

"Eh?"

"Fufufu……So many times remaking it, and working late into the night, the sweets, huh? fufu, fufufufufu……"

"That is, how should I make this clear……"

"Fufufu, that is alright. It was clumsy of me. Fufufu…………At least today is what I thought."

At long last, that dry laugh subsided.

"Ah……"

"Fufufu……Such a miserable conversation topic."

Eri also had someone she wanted to hand sweets to.

"Please don't be discouraged. Besides, if not today, there will be another chance."

"No." At Felli's consolation, Eri shook her head. "The times you see me summon up my courage, doesn't amount to just today."

"That is……"

"This personality of mine, I well understand that gentlemen do not have a preference for it. I would also like to fix it, but by no means………… Nevertheless, I thought it would be today, but……"

After sighing, Eri sank into silence.

After the upperclassman turned up, class began. Felli silenced herself to allow class to proceed normally. While doing as such, she observed Eri's situation. Sometimes, letting out a sigh and often seeing girls making hollow glances, Felli would be infected by that feeling.

(At this rate, this won't be good.)

After blowing away the contagious feeling of losing, Felli said, "All right!" and nodded.

"Eri-san"

At the end of class, Felli hurriedly cleaned up and spoke out to her.

"……Yes?"

In a depressed state, Eri had a slow reaction.

"We're going."

Eri slowly tilted her head. Felli seized her hand, forcibly pulling her outside the classroom.

"Eh? Eh? Eh?"

Being a full head taller than Felli, Eri seemed to be stumbling as they departed from the school building.

"Say, what are……?"

"We're going to go look for the thing you lost."

"Eh? But class has……"

"There is no meaning in a class you aren't listening to. Spacing out there is a pointless waste of time.

"But……"

"……Eri-san."

As the time till the start of the next class approached, there was no sign of life. When Felli stopped pulling on her, she turned to face Eri.

"I am reluctant."

"Eh?"

"I am being reluctant. However after watching you, because I will stop giving up, you should not want to give up either."

"……I, am being unreasonable?"

"In any case, in that state, you were giving up. If that's the case, in order for me not to fail, cooperate with me. Come, for the time being, let's repeat today's actions from the beginning. Where is your room?"

"Fufu, as I thought I am being unreasonable."

With a dark smile, Eri followed after Felli.

Eri's place of living was an average one-room.

Even without saying it was average, practically before even walking in, she knew it was the case. Beyond the corridor, found soon after opening the door, there was a small kitchen and the interior contained the living quarters.

After looking around the room which was left with a seemingly dark impression, she turned to face Eri, having satisfied her curiosity.

"……Well then, let's try searching by reviewing today's actions."

"That would be good……, but I was thinking."

"What is it?"

"Felli-san is a Psychokinesist, so would it not be faster if I had you search for the sweets I dropped using psychokinesis?"

"Talk of psychokinesists searching for lost articles, have you ever heard of it?" Felli muttered while letting out a sigh.

"That talk of pride, could you leave it behind for now?"

"That was not what I was saying." To Eri who thought the problem was the pride of a military artist, she explained.

"Regarding psychokinesis and the psychokinesists that use it, there exists the five senses, however on top of that, there is electromagnetic perception, infrared perception, provisions people do not have. After checking those things, that diverse information can be gathered up."

"Y-Yeah." Whether or not she understood, with a puzzled look on her face, Eri nodded.

"Psychokinesists use flakes as an intermediary and extend Psychokinesis over a large range. Whatever information is there is perceived. However, that huge quantity is beyond the scope of normal human throughput. The braincells of a Psychokinesist are enhanced beyond a normal human. However as I was saying that large quantity of information, furthermore dealing with the whereabouts of an object created by people as a standard, it wouldn't be strange for people to say it's not possible. For this particular objective, electromagnetic waves and infra-red rays are completely useless and meet their limit for these reasons."

"We……ll, in short?"

Of course, it appears she didn't understand.

"Therefore, if you have the exact material coating the sweets you prepared, moreover the raw materials encasing it could be made use of, a sample of the exact wrapping paper you used, the arrangement, how you folded the paper, furthermore the ribbon you used, the things you used…… with that, by memorizing these things, searching to an extent should not be difficult but……Would it?"

"Y, Yes……"

"If I had those things stored in my memory, this topic would be simple, but that isn't the case. ……Your explanation being easy to understand, if you made that the basis of your search, usually the probability you would find it wouldn't have been zero."

"Wouldn't have been?"

Eri's eyes filled with hopeful luminance. Felli shut her eyes in response.

"Today of all days has been a disaster, hasn't it? There is alot of things out there like it."

"Ah……"

It seems Eri had also come to an understanding.

The boxes and wrapping sets from gift shops aimed at Van Allen's Day had large quantities as a selling point. Eri seemed like that type to buy things like that. Felli also did that so she understood well.

"Therefore, by whatever means necessary, you must search using your own power. Do you understand?"

"Fufufu……It feels hopeless."

"Look at me! well then let us begin. First, when you woke up……"

To Eri who burst out in a hallow laughter, Felli began her inquiry in what seemed to be forceful interrogation.

The lost item disappeared between the time she left the room to when she entered the classroom……That was certain.

The sweets stored in her bag couldn't have gone anywhere by themselves. Still, if Eri had simply taken care to not fall, it would still be in her bag, or so they say.

If so, didn't some sort of strange event happen to that bag?

"So, this is the place, isn't it?"

"Yes."

Eri nodded.

After the two had left the room, they headed in the direction of the nearest tram stop, their legs stopping only when they cleared the straight path through the forest of Yuusuiju[Spring-water tree] which was enveloped in a white haze.

This place was the only city water purification plant in the area. The sewage from the drainage system flowed into the underground reservoir beneath the forest, where suction from the roots hanging down from the Yuusuiju was applied. The roots of the Yuusuiju housed a filtration process, furthermore the remaining waste in the roots would be broken down and converted into nutrients which periodically would be replaced with soil from the manufacturing district.

Yuusuiju had, like the name, a hole in the trunk from which excess water would flow out. That water would flow into irrigation canals above ground and collect, and from there go to the mechanical department for further filtration. The clean water would leave to become public water.

"This place, you parted with your bag here, did you not?"

"Yes, something completely took me by surprise and……"

According to Eri's information, early morning at this place, along with the sound of water, she heard the roar of of what sounded like a dangerous beast. At the violent sound of water, Eri was taken by surprise and ran until she reached the police station nearby.

At that time, at the sound of water, she was taken by surprise and dropped her bag, it seemed.

"Really, I had no idea what was happening, so I became scared and soon after left from here."

After returning with officers from the city police, they scattered throughout the interior. While searching for the bag, the source of the roar was nowhere to be found.

While listening to Eri's explanation, Felli surveyed the forest.

"……if you lost it at an irrigation canal, this would be over, wouldn't it?" While gazing intently at the Yuusuiju forest, Felli muttered.

"Please don't say such unpleasant things."

"For the time being, we will search for the bag in the vicinity of the location you dropped it."

Leaving the grimacing Eri, Felli entered the Yuusuiju forest.

"Felli-san?"

"If there is a way, we will know soon. The lost item has yet to be reported to the police station. After reporting, into the forest."

The Yuusuiju forest had high humidity, probably also from the decomposition functions of the bacteria, and the hot water gushing out from the holes. Consequently, at that place, a public bath house and a warm-water pool had been built. The white haze enveloping the Yuusuiju was from the resulting steam.

While steam continued to rise from the irrigation canals, Felli's group continued to search once more.

"I can't endure this any longer."

Brushing aside the withered grass of the earth's surface and forcing her way through the weeds for a short while, Eri lifted her head and wiped away her sweat.

As a consequence of moving around in high humidity, her breathing grew harsh. Their long hair clung to their cheeks and necks with a sticky feeling.

"The condition of the clothes we're wearing seems as though we just came out of a sauna."

Brushing away the hair sticking to her forehead, Felli was also breathing hard.

"Moreover, we've searched this much and still haven't……"

"If there's anything we could do here, it's only to search."

She tried to encourage Eri who looked as though in a state of fatigue, but she quietly hung her head.

"Well……once again, it truly looks like it won't work out."

"Eri-san……"

Eri showed the same dispirited smile, but that was probably her distinctive characteristic. The moisture on their faces somehow felt refreshing.

"For the one box of sweets I was going to give, the me that worked so hard to come this far, had made such an absurd memory."

That was something Felli too identified with.

Having just realized, Eri became flustered and shook her head for Felli whose expression became sullen.

"Ah, you're mistaken. That wasn't what I meant……"

It was at that time.

Zaa……

"Eh?"

"Wha"

Suddenly, from above water poured down on them. High above, the Yuusuiju leaves were covered in moisture such that they could barely stand the weight. Then like a chain, it all came down at once.

That instance of a downpour had swallowed up their shrieks and abruptly ended.

The aftermath left the girls dripping wet.

"What in the……":

Dripping wet, her condition hit her all at once.

"Ah, ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!"

There, suddenly in a large voice, laughter had overcome her, to which Felli, who wore a startled expression, lifted her head.

"Really, we look like idiots. One box of sweets, in order to give it out, something like this, really………"

For sometime she stood there, dumbfounded, watching Eri doubled over laughing, but before long Eri was able to stand.

"Felli-san."

Silently being glared at, Eri stopped laughing.

"I became defiant."

"What do you mean?"

"Because I somehow became fixated on the hand made sweets, I couldn't move on. If I select good-looking sweets from a shop somewhere, it'll be fine. Better than searching desperately for a lost box of sweets in this kind of place, by far it would comfort me more to show myself in front of that person and hand him a different box of sweets."

"Y, yes……"

"Felli-san, I've decided. I will confess to that person. Yes, I don't have time to waste for that kind of thing. If I want to meet him today, I must immediately buy another box of sweets. Felli-san, if you have someone you want to give something to, you don't have time to spare at a place like this, you know. If we don't take action,"

"……someone?"

Grabbing her hand, Eri who had previously expressed a dispirited smile changed. Had Eri's melancholy been thoroughly washed away by by the water from the Yuusuiju? Nevertheless, with her sudden change, Felli couldn't follow.

"Come, let's hurry. For now, about these soaking wet clothes."

That is to say, this time Eri grabbed Felli's hand and dragged her in the direction of the forest's edge.

"Eh? Say……"

"Come, let's hurry. There's not much time left, you know."

At the sudden reversal of position, for meddling, Felli was at her mercy.

They returned to Eri's room and showered. For the time being Felli changed, afterward they left as if being driven out of the room and arrived at the mansion.

After entering her room, once again put on her uniform. Given that the one she was wearing today was a spare, she had to overlook the shoulder of her usual uniform. It wasn't the uniform was conspicuously soiled anywhere, but this morning, the enthusiasm she had during the time she was wearing it, gave it the feeling it had been magnificently trampled.

The wet, crumpled uniform was currently in a paper bag. The clothes she borrowed were placed together with her uniform and to take for cleaning.

(Eri-san, will everything turn out well for her?)

She had no idea who the other person would be, but with the vigor Eri displayed previously, she felt Eri would successfully give it to him.

(I will……)

Upon thinking of it, she began making preparations. Changed into her uniform, Felli brushed her hair once more, prepared another paper bag, and put the clothes she borrowed inside.

(At any rate, I have no choice but to search for Fon Fon.)

Before that, she would need to return to school. Felli's bag was left at school, and inside were the sweets.

(First of all, I must return to the classroom.)

After leaving the classroom, she dropped the clothes at a nearby dry cleaners and headed for the school building. Eri said she had run out of time so she returned to school with a tremendous amount of vigor, but Felli felt no such pressure.

She walked, tottering.

She always walked at her own pace, but today she walked with the timing she had become accustomed to.

She finally arrived at the school building. With class having long since ended, the classroom was bathed in crimson light.

"I have to search for him now, don't I?"

Her mood was not lifting, so the increasing futility of the sweets was mortifying. Felli pulled out her Dite.

First, she needed to find him. Alone in the classroom, Felli released her flakes.

"Senpai……Felli?"

After opening the window to allow her flakes to escape, a voice came from behind.

"Fon Fon? Do you need something?"

Pinning down the impulse to turn her head, she turned to face him and inquired. The flakes circled behind her. Somehow, she felt exhausted.

"Err……Well, I have a request."

With just that, she understood what Layfon wanted to say. Of course, Layfon looked troubled.

"Why does it seem……you always rely on people?"

"You understand?"

Still troubled, Layfon smiled. She was probably already aware of this.

It probably had to do with his part-time work with the city police. Just looking at Layfon's appearance, it was probably over.

The request he was talking about probably had something to do with Felli's Psychokinesis.

"Rather than relying on people, it's wrong to use them, however, either way overuse of that amiable quality is the real problem, don't you think?"

"That is possibly true, however……"

Gazing at Layfon overwhelmed by the criticism, Felli dispelled all of the resentment that had built up over the day.

"Well then, what do you need me to do?"

With a relieved expression, Layfon briefed her on the situation.

"……Okay, no problem."

The target of the request was to find Gorneo who was captured somewhere. After raising an eyebrow at that detail, Felli nodded.

"That's good."

"However……"

"Eh?"

"Th-……"

With her head turned, Felli reached into her bag with her hand, and stopped.

"Th- ?"

Puzzled, Layfon tilted his head.

(Realize you idiot!)

Holding her outbursts inside, Felli took a deep breath. In that instant, she put a bewildering thought to work.

"This is……"

Layfon's eyes widened at the thing she took out of the bag.

"Something I made, and so sample this please."

"Ah, sweets……? ……………………Felli did?"

"What is that response?"

"Ah, no no no, it's nothing. Yes"

"Uu……yes."

Opening the sweets handed to him with caution, Layfon's face became stiff.

"Ah, the appearance, it looks splendid."

"Is that so?"

"It would be rude, so I thought it would be better to eat this as soon as I get home……"

"That is not good. Please eat it now."

"Uu……"

Having lost to Felli's glare, Layfon put one of the sweets into his mouth.

It made the sound of a crunch, to put it simply.

"Ah, delicious……isn't it?"

Somehow feeling relieved, that expression didn't last long.

He suddenly started convulsing.

"Guu……"

"What's……"

As she said that, before her eyes, Layfon's face looked as though it was died violet, and he began heaving.

"Guu……ge, *cough*, gufu……n, ngh…………………………………………gokun"

After doubling over and making a large gulping sound, Layfon took a deep breath and lifted his head.

"Th, that was delicious."

"Please don't tell lies."

With a bad complexion and his face trembling bit by bit, his smile told everything.

"……Being unskilled, I know that at least."

"Uu……"

"I brought you trouble, haven't I? Well then, shall we begin searching?"

Upon turning her back to Layfon, Felli sent off the flakes she had released flying in every direction.

(Well, this was probably decided from the outset.)

A lonely feeling passed by her chest.

She soon found the target. Somehow, she felt she didn't fully understand the situation, but with her feelings in front of her, it didn't really matter.

"I will lead the way. Please follow me."

"Okay, thanks."

Layfon lifted his head, and soon took to the air, leaving the classroom behind.

Felli sighed.

"……Ah, that's right."

Though she thought that he had left, Layfon had stopped.

"If it's something simple, I can make it so next time we should make the sweets together."

"……You don't have to do anything unnecessary,so hurry up and go."

"Yes."

This time for sure, Layfon had dashed off.

"……Good grief."

To learn how to make sweets from the person she wanted to give them to or something……

Appearing both pleased and mortified……With a complicated disposition, Felli muttered.

By the time Layfon arrived, Shante's group continued observing, however by no means did they expect to see Eri's conclusion.

"What is she, that woman……Mukiiiii!"

"Wh, what are you……"

The one confused was Gorneo. The person on Eri's mind was him……that sort of surprise wasn't just that instant.

Above all else, that situation was brought on by Felli alone. With the exception of that surprise, it was nothing.

Gorneo was half naked. His set of clothes weren't incomplete, but he was half naked. The Military Arts uniform he was wearing had been shredded nearby, and had gotten scattered. His belt had also been shredded down the middle so they were on the verge of slipping and falling off. One side of his shoes had fallen of somewhere. Approximately half of his fastener had fallen off, so part of his underwear they didn't want to see shown through.

If you think about the fact that this was the 5th platoon's captain, it would be pitiable.

That Gorneo was down below. Although on that thick, tightened chest, were red scratches finely cut into him. The girl who instigated this was standing right there.

In that setting, Eri was present. By what nature of chance would she managed manage to arrive at this place, they didn't understand, but she was here.

Really, what in the world just……?

Just a short while ago, Felli's group was just at that place, the Yuusuiju forest. Before, they didn't go very deep, however near the heart of the forest was an open field. If someone thought about the benefits of the warm earth, this would be great for one's health to have an afternoon nap here. ……If it weren't for the zone of high humidity in the surrounding area.

However, an area where people normally keep away from would probably be most suitable.

"Shaaaa!"

"Kiiiiiii!"

What kind of fight……

Eri could be called nothing but a normal person. Clad from her head to her torso in Karen Kei, the stark naked body of the beautiful woman flickering like fire, she and Eri began a shouting contest in strange voices. Meanwhile, they continued to glare at each other.

With the strained atmosphere amongst other things, even though that unknown naked beauty would crush her if she were able to move for even an instant, that thought didn't seem to exist even in a corner Eri's mind.

"Shaa! Shaa Aaaaaah!"

If she had a mane, it would probably be standing on end. For this reason, this beauty looked like a beast. Perhaps, Eri had heard this so called beast's voice that morning and thought it was probably part of her personality.

However, then, who is this?

"I can't excuse this!!"

Eri was attacked by the beauty standing before her.

What level of courage.

What level of recklessness.

Even though the origin may have been jealousy, for an ordinary person to stand and face a military artist……

Felli was secretly, deeply moved.

She came to the conclusion that she probably had to be this reckless. If that wasn't the case, that, she probably wouldn't have run to that helpless, stolid, insensitive, thickheaded man.

Even if it was the craze, it was no good.

Even if it was misrepresented in a different form, it was no good.

Breaking through the wall consisting of that man's unmistakable thickheadedness would be like fighting pollutant beasts barehanded. Wouldn't that recklessness and for sure that foolhardiness be necessary?

Slap.

"Hafun."

After receiving the strange beauty's strike, Eri fell to the ground.

"……Well, that's why, didn't I say a miracle might not happen?"

That was, however, in a corner of that man's heart, a fragment of the feelings Felli wished for which probably wouldn't have appeared if she didn't say anything.

Along with that, flushing that out was the largest problem, still, after figuring that out, all that was left was probably to have courage, but not being reckless or foolhardy.

What kind of inconsistency is that?

Layfon appeared in that place, capturing that strange beauty with a net, and soon after rescued Gorneo.

After mentioning it, Felli had grasped an important lesson,

"Really, I will not try a second time."

It was that kind of place, don't you agree?

<noinclude>
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|-
| Back to [[Chrome_Shelled_Regios:Volume10 Sweet Day - Sweet Before I|Sweet Day - Sweet Before I]]
| Return to [[Chrome_Shelled_Regios|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Chrome_Shelled_Regios:Volume10 Sweet Day - Sweet Before II|Sweet Day - Sweet Before II]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Chrome Shelled Regios:Volume12 Chapter4

2010-06-12T06:30:34Z

ZaX: /* Chapter 4: The City of Spirits */

===Chapter 4: The City of Spirits===

Just what had happened? No one here could understand, but they were sure that something had happened. Groups of invading filth monsters had taken over parts of Zuellni, but those filth monsters were fighting each other. They didn’t seem like they were allies. The presence of the enemies was enough to seep through Nina’s entire body, making her grit her teeth.

A name had come from the flake – Delbone, Grendan’s messenger.

Karian had kept a flake to communicate with Felli, and that person’s voice had come through that flake.

“We’ll take care of the filth monsters on the ground. Please rest at ease.”

The old woman’s peaceful voice dispelled the ruckus in the room, a voice from heaven that exuded a relaxing breath to ease off the tension. Her words comforted them. In fact, Zuellni’s Military Artists were at their limit. To be attacked in the middle of an intercity match…….. Many had been injured. No one had died yet, but the number of Military Artists sustaining heavy injuries was on the rise.

They were saved! Relief showed on the faces of the members of the Student Council around Karian. But Karian himself held a complex expression. Nina was the same. Grendan’s aim was the Haikizoku. The city might have other goals, but they were sure at least that the Haikizoku was its main goal. Judging from the action of the Mercenary Gang, Grendan’s movements were all about retrieving the Haikizoku. Right now, no one knew where it was, though. It was originally in Nina’s body, but it had gone somewhere. It might have abandoned Nina to possess another person. In that case, what would Grendan do when it realized it couldn’t reach its goal? Or, what would Karian do if the Haikizoku had possessed yet another student of Zuellni? But Delbone hadn’t mentioned the Haikizoku, and Nina didn’t feel the old woman had any other aim. The negotiation was all about eliminating filth monsters. The psychokinesist had left right after the conversation.

Karian watched the screen on the ground, projected by the psychokinesist.

“What’s happening?” he said in a small voice. This was reality but no one knew what it was. Karian called over the Head of Alchemy. This was his first time meeting him. He already knew his name, but he couldn’t imagine what the other person looked like.

“This is that, isn’t it?”

“I can only think so. It’s a guardian beast.”

“Guardian beast?” Nina cocked her head, but then she remembered.

This was a strange event that Felli got caught in way before Nina entered Zuellni. It was a project that students of the Alchemy course were researching for, a project that got cancelled – the Guardian Beast project. Nina wasn’t here, so she didn’t see the monster that had attacked Felli. So it was a Guardian Beast? Looking from the function of a Guardian Beast, it was a monster with the body of a worm. Right now, this group of Guardian Beasts was attacking a giant.

“So they were hiding in a place that we didn’t know? So many of them too?”

“Impossible! We did a thorough check of the city when the city’s base collapsed. We would’ve found such a place if such a place existed.”

“We did not investigate the underground maze though!”

Members of the Student Council said to each other.

“But a facility that can sustain so many lives needs energy! Why didn’t we find out about that………” The Head of Alchemy said, thinking.

“Karian, there’s a place I want to confirm.”

“If possible, I want to go too!”

Some secret information flowed between Karian and the Head of Alchemy.

“But that place isn’t connected to the shelter. We’ll have to return to the ground.”

“No problem.”

The Head of Alchemy was a very thin man, but enthusiasm and passion filled his eyes. He wasn’t scared of the outside at all.

“We need guards. Military Artists. Psychokinesists…….. I want a platoon for this, but we don’t have any that is intact. We must choose.”

Karian adjusted his glasses. “Contact Vance. Since Grendan’s going to eliminate the filth monsters, we can arrange some elites to be guards.”

Vance came over quickly, bringing with him Gorneo and Shante. Karian walked with Vance a distance away from Nina and the rest of the people in the room before they spoke.

“Are you all right?”

On the other side, Gorneo was observing the situation.

“Grendan is here.”

“What did you say!?” Nina said.

Bandages were wrapped around Gorneo’s head. Blood showed on the bandages. He was surprised.

“Just what is the Haikizoku that makes the city come all the way here?”

“I’m not sure of the exact details, but Grendan is looking for the power that the Haikizoku possesses.”

“You mean Grendan’s government?”

“No…… Grendan itself,” Gorneo shook his head. “Only few people in Grendan know of this. Originally, even the Luckens family shouldn’t have known since they’re not connected to the royal family. No, I myself didn’t want to believe a Haikizoku existed, so I don’t remember where I heard of this from.”

Vance and Karian were still talking. They seemed to have gotten stuck over something in their discussion. It appeared some time was needed till they made the final decision!

“Grendan is a Haikizoku.”

“What!?” she couldn’t comprehend, but he didn’t look like he was lying.

“It does things that other cities wouldn’t do. Have I not thought of this before? I did, but I gave it up, thinking it was too ridiculous an idea. But that is the reality. Grendan is a Haikizoku!”

Yes, she remembered. When she saw Savaris in Myath. Leerin had had an encounter, then Savaris had shown up. What did he say? He said………

“The real consciousness………”

“Is there another Electronic Fairy in Grendan?”

“I’ve heard of it, but only the royal family knows. Only the Luckens family is left from the first generation of Heaven’s Blades.”

He didn’t look proud of that fact, but why was he telling her of this so easily?

“I’m Zuellni’s Military Artist. Even if I’m to return to Grendan, I’m still Zuellni’s,” he said honestly. “I’ll stand before Grendan if it has bad intention towards Zuellni…….. Even I can fight against some of them.”

A kind of tragic emotion was in his words, but in the next second…

“Ah!” Gorneo’s head turned. Shante had suddenly leapt to sit on his shoulders. Her legs encircled his neck as she pulled on his short golden hair.

“Don’t worry! We’ll beat them up!”

“You’re too naïve!”

“Don’t think so much. We just need to beat up our enemies.”

Shante’s quick words helped Nina relax her expression. Gorneo looked funny with his troubled expression. He was speaking to himself in a tiny voice.

Karian and Vance had finally come to a conclusion. Nina, Sharnid, Gorneo and Shante were to guard Karian and the Head of Alchemy. They went back to the surface and headed for their destination. Vance stayed in the shelter in case anything happened.

“Just us?”

Only four people. Too few to protect the key members of Zuellni’s Student Council in a danger zone.

“Captain-level Military Artists are unable to fight except for you four.”

“What a terrible situation!”

This was the painful truth. Nina herself might have shown her shock if Sharnid hadn’t voiced his out first. She swallowed her words. This wasn’t a usual time. No time to get surprised at every little thing.

“For those who don’t want to rest, they’ll never rest. We must carefully observe and confirm those who force themselves.”

This was the reason that Vance had to stay back. His expression had always been bad, and now he looked even worse. His team was the first to fight the first wave of larvae. He fought while commanding all the other Military Artists. He probably hadn’t gotten any sleep.

Nina’s wrists hurt. She had received treatment but they hadn’t entirely healed. However, she could now ignore the pain. Gorneo and Shante both had bandages on them. Sharnid was the only person unhurt, but his eyes were red. His vision must be overworked for having to do so much precision shooting. He had used eye drop medicine countless times, but he would still rub his eyes occasionally.

“Can we safely arrive there?” Sharnid looked at the ceiling and applied some eye drops again.

The psychokinesist had turned the sky into a map. Vance began the explanation.

“You’re to leave from the E1 exit. There’s a distance to the destination from E1, but that area has the fewest number of filth monsters. If the enemies come over to check the situation by sense of smell, our psychokinesists will create a magnetic barrier to control the flow of the wind, but that won’t affect their vision.”

“So we’re to move tentatively!” Sharnid joked.

Vance nodded. “Yes. It’s best if you don’t get found out. We still don’t know the enemy’s strength. We don’t know whether four injured birds can defeat them. In the long term, these things are gathering, fighting and consuming each other. We must use this chaos to our advantage and head for our destination.”

“Isn’t it better to stay here and wait for Grendan’s help?” Gorneo asked.

Karian answered. “We still don’t know their aim. With this situation, even Zuellni itself might become problematic.”

“You mean the City’s Electronic Fairy?”

“Yes,” he nodded heavily.

Nina tensed at the possibility of something happening to Zuellni. She didn’t know what Karian was planning, but she couldn’t let this go if it was connected to the Electronic Fairy.

“This is the temporary route. Everyone, remember it. Got it? Then go!” Vance said.

They walked through a passage in the shelter. The aroma of food wafted to them. This was the canteen, and many students were inside, mostly women. They were probably making meals for Military Artists. The usual food eaten in a shelter was food that could last long, and this food was being cooked in the kitchen.

“We can rest a bit and eat some hot food,” Karian said.

Nina saw Leerin in the canteen. The other girl had also noticed her. Nina was a bit surprised. Once the two of them got close to each other, questions surfaced. Nina’s expression was dull, but that was normal for this situation. But Leerin was still bothered.

“What’s it?”

“I have a mission,” she replied vaguely.

Leerin looked at them. “Wait a moment.” She entered the canteen and came back with a bag of stuff.

“If you’re in a hurry, eat this on the way.”

Sandwiches, and soup in paper cups sat in the bag.

“Thanks.”

Though she wasn’t hungry, she realized she hadn’t eaten a thing for a long time. Nina took the bag with gratitude.

“Are you all right?”

Leerin smiled. “Yeah, I’m fine!”

But it still worried her. Leerin’s attitude was the same as when Nina talked to her childhood friend. Bluffing. But there was a reason behind that attitude. She had wanted to make a carefree expression but had failed. Whose heart was more knotted? But there was no time to investigate further. Gorneo was calling her. She ran with the bag in her hand.

“Leerin, remember to see a doctor if your eye hurts!”

Leerin looked surprised. Her eye had not opened again.

Nina ran, hoping it wasn’t something serious. Layfon wasn’t here, and this fact surprised her. She had always believed he was here, and pain cut through her when she thought of that. What would happen to her if she didn’t think this way? The soup in her mouth flowed warmth into her body.

A different air hit their nostrils the moment they left the shelter through the door. As expected, this air differed from the purified air in the shelter and the dust-filled air when fighting the larvae. The sky had turned dark. No moon or star could be seen, as if a thick cloud cover had shrouded the entire sky. Electricity had been cut off from some parts of the ground. Everywhere was dim and gloomy. Only the faint emergency lights on the streets led their way.

The sound of clashing filled the air. Filth monsters roared. But there was still some distance between the enemies and the students. Though they could fall from the sky, the number did not seem to have increased. Compared to that, the sound that had been enveloping the entire city was more stimulating. A regular rumbling brought along a bad premonition. The sound of Grendan’s multi-legs.

“Let’s hurry!”

How could they let the Head of the Alchemy walk ahead of them? Gorneo and Shante headed the small group. Nina and Sharnid took up the rear, and the rest were protected in the middle. Shante had strong night vision. She could see the path even without light. That ability must be innate! On the other hand, Gorneo had chosen to walk close to the emergency lights. Shante looked left and right to check whether anything had closed in on them.

The route remained unchanged. Vance’s strategy to change the flow of the wind through a magnetic barrier might have been effective.

Nina was observing her surroundings, and so did Sharnid, but they didn’t feel anything getting near. What was this? She was undergoing a mission, and it was the same with the city. This wasn’t something simple. Things were developing while she was still in the dark. Just like the literal darkness surrounding them now. For Nina’s group, they could see only very little, so they had to do all they could to survive.

Something big was happening. Would Zuellni survive? Unease continued to plague her. What about the Haikizoku? Did Grendan come just to defeat filth monsters? Not because of the Haikizoku? What would they do when Grendan realized it had failed? If that happened, Nina could only give up her body. Grendan’s people didn’t know how the Haikizoku worked, and Nina had deceived them. What would the situation be when they realized they had been lied to? She better take that possibility into consideration too.

“You’re thinking of something again?” Sharnid asked in a small voice.

“You think simply. I can guess from that,” he said to the surprised Nina as he looked around. “You’re thinking of using yourself for the exchange, right? Stop that thinking! No one would be happy if you do that.”

“But………..”

“Layfon’s forcing himself and being reckless!”

Nina was confused at his words.

“Why’s he doing that? That’s important. Since he understands Grendan, then he shouldn’t move recklessly! But he was like that when you weren’t here.”

He meant when she was in Myath. Recalling herself back then, Nina looked at Karian. He was following Gorneo. It appeared he hadn’t heard them.

He had said to her before her return that Karian didn’t think it possible for Layfon to fight without a reason. Hence, Layfon was only following Nina’s reason for fighting, and he was doing that even now! They had to fight because they were Military Artists. But that matter-of-fact reason for Nina did not work for Layfon. He was too strong, and his birthplace was too different. He had things he wanted to protect. He betrayed to protect the people precious to him and then he was tossed away. Was she to draw that Layfon into battle? Was she the one who drew him in? She had asked herself numerous times, and so she confirmed her answer again and again. She could only ask him for his power. No one else had the power to handle the task.

“True. As a Military Artist, he really is too strong, so strong that we find it hard to stomach. He surpasses all of us. He’s always acted clueless and clumsy, but he’s entirely different when he fights. But how should he fight? – He never thinks of that. As long as he’s set his goal, he’d probably fight even if the outcome would be defeat. That’s what I think.”

“That guy knows.”

Layfon really was different when he trained. As long as something had to do with Military Arts, he’d become sharp and cold. People found it hard to like him when he was like that. He was saying clearly to the weaker people that they were weak. He had walked through many intense battles. He had obtained a Heaven’s Blade at the age of ten. From then on, no, he had been fighting filth monsters before that. What was Nina doing before age ten? She didn’t yet have her own Dite. But Layfon had already stepped into the battlefield, had already started facing cruel and cold reality. To let him fight was foolishness. Unbelievable. But Sharnid thought differently.

He sighed, “Oi, if he really understood, he wouldn’t have come here.”

She couldn’t make a retort. Layfon had always been fighting for the orphanage. What a Military Artist earned could sustain the operation of the orphanage, but he thought it wasn’t enough. He wanted to protect all the orphans in Grendan, so he participated in underground matches and consequently was exposed. A person who was a hero was not a hero in reality. Nina couldn’t reproach the orphans who thought they had been betrayed. Probably even Nina herself would have condemned him like them if she was there. Sharnid was right. There might be another reason. It probably wasn’t what Nina said before about his spirit, but just a more practical way to make up for his deeds in the past.

Layfon had said that he wanted to kill, but he didn’t end up killing. He had the chance to kill the guy who threatened him, but he failed. Something must have stopped him. The orphans looked at him as a hero. They might have been in his mind and had stopped him – Nina thought so. But perhaps he couldn’t kill him because the screen didn’t manage to hide them. If the trend went the majority’s way, then he couldn’t kill Gahard even in broad daylight. Anyway, something must have gone wrong. That was what she thought.

“That guy’s probably the same as you! He doesn’t really think about the problem. To him, it’s a mistake, if he doesn’t face it……… You guys don’t think over things, so you never change. Because you never think of whether the fight benefits you or not.”

“I don’t think I’m doing this for myself, besides, with me here…….”

“If you really think you understand, then we ought to celebrate!”

She could only fall silent. They were now at a distance from Karian and the rest. They wanted to talk about deeper things, but this situation didn’t allow them. Sharnid understood that and didn’t say anything more.

They walked some distance. Still no filth monsters, but they could hear the sound of fights. And the sound of Grendan’s movement was getting louder. The sound came from the direction of the Student Council building, so it was opposite from where they were. Though they couldn’t see the thing on the other side, they could feel the darkness deepening.

Nina and her group walked a long circle to come to the Student Council building. The sound was close. She could tell the location of Grendan even if she didn’t want to know of it. She could see Karian’s face had turned stiff, but the Head of Alchemy seemed all right. He just kept moving ahead as if he was impatient for not being able to move according to plan. The clock tower that was the symbol of the Student Council emerged from the darkness. The digits on the clock shone. Light emitted from them so anyone could see them anytime. They were about to step on the path that led to the clock tower.

Shante took a step on the path, shrouded by the shadows of the trees, and stopped. The path was wide, covered by fallen leaves. The building that hid deep in a distance where the path led to was where that event had happened. The event that Felli got caught in.

Shante suddenly lowered her body, holding her spear and stared behind Nina.

(One’s heading your way.)

The psychokinesist’s report was a bit late.

A huge shadow accompanied by the sound of wood splitting headed for Nina.

“It’s here!” Karian said.

“Nina, you cover for the Student President. I’ll stop it with Shante!” Gorneo said.

Shante raised the spear. The Kei on the weapon had already painted her hair red, as if she was being burnt.

“But……..”

“No time for discussion! Go!!”

The Head of Alchemy was already running for the building.

“Don’t die,” Karian called.

“As if?”

Nina chased after Karian. Roaring shook the entire forest. Trees fell one after another. Shante shouted and Kei exploded one by one. Nina turned her head around and kept running after the Student President. Sharnid had already reached the entrance and had readied his sniper rifle.

“Hurry and support them!” Nina thought but didn’t say it. They couldn’t afford to draw attention. Sharnid understood too and hadn’t pulled the trigger.

Once she entered the building, Sharnid followed.

It was dark inside, but Karian and the Head of Alchemy kept forging ahead. The psychokinesist didn’t know what danger lurked before them, so he moved with caution. Finally they reached the end of the building. The Head of Alchemy touched the wall, and another space opened before them.

“A false door!” Sharnid whistled.

“This is a secret research facility,” Karian said.

“I see?”

Nina looked ahead, but there was no light around them. She couldn’t see anything.

“Zuellni’s been researching about something that came out of the Guardian Beast project. But we haven’t fully investigated it.”

Karian followed the Head of Alchemy into the darkness. Darkness felt like water. Once she stepped into this area, Nina felt something resisting her, and her breathing became slightly difficult. She had thought that maybe the air wasn’t good in here, but she felt that couldn’t be the reason.

Darkness filled Zuellni. Filth monsters conquered the surface, and the mysterious things that they fought against were here, as well as the ever closing in Grendan. The pressure that Nina felt before entering this hidden space was different from the pressure she bore now. The term “monster” surfaced in her mind. Darkness conquered Zuellni, yet the darkness here had been living within Zuellni since long ago.

Finally, something that could suppress the darkness – faint green light. The darkness was close to the source of the light, but they didn’t seem to touch. Was the darkness a creature? She thought of that and was shocked at what she saw.

The source of the light was in the shape of a large container, and liquid filled its inside. This thing was emitting green light. The glass container was similar to the medical facility used to take care of heavily injured patients. No, this was probably a medical facility.

The Head of Alchemy took a step forward and stood, silent. Karian couldn’t see the glass because of him, so he stepped to a side and then saw it.

“……… What is this?” Nina said. Karian was also silent. Sharnid, who used to joke around, also didn’t say a word.

A very beautiful young girl was sleeping in the container. A girl with black hair and white skin. Naked, but the green liquid had covered most of her body. Her beauty was indescribable.

“Ha, hahaha………. It’s all right. It’s all right!” The Head of Alchemy laughed, as if something had possessed him.

Nina looked at him, feeling something terrifying was beside her.

“Student President, this is………..”

No matter how she looked at it, this girl looked like a scientific sample.

“It is true that a failed experiment during the Guardian Beast project had caused an explosion,” Karian said.

Nina looked at him. For some reason, she could see him now. It was difficult to move her gaze away from the girl.

“According to the record, the explosion had heavily damaged the underground energy net. The energy hadn’t run away on a rampage, but it has remained here and become like this.”

“This is……….”

“A part of Zuellni. An Electronic Fairy. That was the conclusion of the researchers back then. She’s been sleeping and she has a body, but the structure of the body differs from a normal human’s. The researchers had concluded it’s made of a high level magnetic field, but they’re not sure of the exact details.”

Meaning this girl was Zuellni? But she looked different. A question floated past Nina. If this girl was part of Zuellni, then that question would definitely surface again.

When Falnir fled, it had communicated with Zuellni. No one knew what they said. But something had been decided, and Zuellni had grown. No person in existence knew of how an Electronic Fairy grew. Even Nina, who grew up in Sheniebel, didn’t know. The growth of an Electronic Fairy probably denoted the city was in possession of something. If that was the hypothesis, then what did Zuellni’s growth represent? A growth stage? Or had she just returned to her original form? If it was the latter, then what did it mean to regain what had been lost? But, but………..

Nina looked at the girl in the container again. Dizziness assaulted her head. It hurt. She realized she might have seen this girl before. It might just be her imagination, but that feeling remained. She had seen her somewhere. Yes, in Myath. To her, the entirety of what was unbelievable all came to her when she was in Myath. Since her mysterious encounter with Dixerio, she had touched the other end of his fate, and that had in turn changed her fate. What was going on? She still didn’t get it. A force of darkness was inside her, but it might be part of the darkness that now shrouded Zuellni.

What did she see in Myath? Was this thing in Myath too? Not really. Just her imagination? But something unbelievable existed. She had to remember it quick. Since everything happened so quickly, she might have missed something. Something. Something?

Leerin.

That named surfaced in her mind. She and Leerin went to deliver the Electronic Fairy back to the Mechanical Department, and the Wolf Faces had interfered. Nina was rendered immobile because of the Haikizoku losing control……… What had happened at that time? Something had calmed the Haikizoku down. Something was behind Leerin. Savaris had called it “the true consciousness”.

But why was Nina recalling that now? Because she talked about it with Gorneo in the shelter? Because she wished to connect everything? She must remember what she saw at that moment.

“What?” The Head of Alchemy said.

Everyone reacted. Nina raised her iron whips. But the sound of Gorneo fighting from the outside couldn’t reach here.

The change occurred in the glass container. The Head of Alchemy stared at the measurement, and he looked as if he had been hit. What did the change in number on the measurement mean? Nina didn’t understand. But his action told her it wasn’t something good.

Numerous bubbles emerged in the glass container and the girl opened her eyes.

“She’s awake. No way………” Karian said.

The Head of Alchemy trembled.

The girl moved. Her hand touched the glass. Next moment, all light vanished, but the green light came back straight afterwards.

The girl was missing. The Head of Alchemy gave off a shrill shout and fell background. Karian also fell as if he had lost his strength. Sharnid was the same.

Nothing happened to Nina.

“As I thought, it’s better to return to my original body. Good timing that you’re here. Oh, shadow. It really isn’t something that other people can use! I didn’t like that at all!”

Where did the voice come from?

Nina looked around. Sharnid had fallen. A force of darkness that could suppress the green light was here. A face emerged from it.

“First time meeting you, little girl.”

The girl.

“You are…….”

“Nelphilia, that was how people called me. No one calls me that now, but since that’s the only name I have, call me Nelphilia then,” she said in a joking way.

And her words seemed to suck Nina in.

“Your name?”

“………. Nina.”

Hang in there. Nina encouraged herself. If she relaxed here, she’d be drawn in. That beauty was dangerous. The lightly dancing figure with her eyes opened was so beautiful.

The girl wasn’t naked now. She wore black clothes. She walked over to her. Her dress swayed. The darkness seemed to sway with her too.

The ground shook, and then the entire place trembled.

Nelphilia lifted her head to look above her.

“The thing that controls the shadow is finally here!” she said.

The giant had seen it. The sensing organs in its chest flashed, only the face with the mouth looked up like a human’s action. A gigantic ball-like thing floated within the darkness. It saw it, or perhaps it felt it, and then it moved. That was the only thing the giant could do.

The next moment, that thing hit the giant’s chest. The impact exploded against the giant’s chest. Bones shattered and muscles flew apart. Cracks spidered down the giant’s entire body. The giant fell.

Countless number of thorns stood from the ball-like thing, and it was connected to a chain. The chain stretched to the outside of the city where a certain huge shape was.

A large metal ball and a long chain.

Loud noise sounded from Zuellni’s ground. Next, a huge man appeared next to the metal ball. He was shorter than the giant, but he was a giant by human standard. Zuellni’s “huge men” were Gorneo and Vance, but those two paled into insignificance beside this man.

Ruimei Garrand MacRing. That was this man’s name.

“Ahah?” Ruimei looked underneath the metal ball. Liquid spurted from the giant. Dissatisfaction pushed his brows together. The sound of rumbling called in more giants, but he ignored them.

“What? So weak! Is this hell? She sent me out so grandly. Did I mistake her meaning? Or was she dizzy from sleep? No, hasn’t she been acting like the fool usually too?”

The giant’s body shivered beneath the metal ball. It was regenerating. The previous strike had not finished it. But Ruimei didn’t move away.

“Look! It’s not like I haven’t been out! This way, even that Karuvarn’s foul face would look shocked?”

He stepped on the chest of the giant casually. He didn’t seem to be using any strength in his foot, but the chest of the giant shattered. Sensory organs broke with the sound of glass breaking. The giant struggled and fell still.

“Stop moving, you worm.”

He stepped on the face that only had a mouth on it.

“I’m talking! Listen up. Listen up! If you don’t have the brain to cry and beg for mercy, then shut up and listen! Oi!!” he said to the still giant. As if satisfied that the giant wasn’t moving, he swung the chain.

The chain shortened and the metal ball floated. He put it on his shoulder.

“Don’t be too reckless!” Troiatte said from a far distance. When did he arrive at Zuellni? The giants that had surrounded Ruimei had yet to discover him. Who knew when? But he was now standing with Rumei.

Both of them didn’t wear fighting clothes since they weren’t fighting outside the city. Fighting clothes were unnecessary burdens in battles inside cities. Unlike Karuvarn, the clothes would restrict their Kei flow.

“This is an Academy City? Cute boys and girls live here. They’re in the shelter because of the monsters. We’ve to save them!”

Ruimei spat. “Your “man” isn’t in there!”

“Of course, Danna! A man naturally uses his own skills to deal with any trouble. As for a woman, she ought to let a man do that for her and that means me, Troiatte!”

In his hand was a Dite in the shape of a cane.

“Let’s first chase away the darkness here! It’s too dark where I’m standing.”

Tenkuru. Tenjuru….. Light up.

What was that guy joking about! Ruimei thought. Who cares what the name is! Besides, the name of Troiatte’s technique changed according to his mood. He remembered the last time Troiatte used the name Birushana (notes: this means the light of Buddha.)

Troiatte raised his arm as he tightened his grip on the cane. Light suddenly spilled forth from Zuellni’s sky. A gargantuan ball shone with light and illuminated the entire city, dispelling the darkness around them. The hour right now was noon. The light stopped at the edge of the city, where it looked like dawn.

“Light up! Light up more brightly!” Troiatte shouted.

The giants reacted to the light. They headed for the two Heaven’s Blade successors.

Ruimei swung the large metal ball to strike and break apart the top half of one of the giants. The metal ball kept moving forward and destroyed more enemies to at last come to a stop on the body of an already dead giant. During this time, other giants had encircled him. They showed their fangs and attacked with the weapons in their hands.

Ruimei wasn’t at all anxious. He did not retrieve the metal ball. Bare-handed, he stabbed an enemy’s chest, his fingernails piercing the giant’s skin, and he lifted him up with indescribable power. That giant then became his shield. Strange sounds came from the captive’s mouth. His body trembled, and his arms and legs expanded in an unbelievable rate. His entire body expanded to a certain size and exploded. All the giants around Ruimei fell like weeds.

External Burst type Kei variation – Exploding Fist.

The smoke of the explosion quickly dissipated. Ruimei only sustained one burn injury, but he hadn’t been defeated. He retrieved the metal ball with no expression.

Other giants had also reached Troiatte. The Heaven’s Blade successor did not move. He kept his arms raised. The giants’ footsteps shook the earth. Troiatte remained rooted on the spot, however, something had changed.

In the next split second, the giants were all painted with red. They were burning. Parts of their body were suddenly on fire. One had fire on his shoulder, one on his chest, one on his head………. Flame spilled from their bodies and their muscles melted into fiery blocks. The ball of light above Troiatte’s head had caused many changes during this time. Karenkei caused the density of the atmosphere to change, creating many things like magnifying glasses. Those glasses turned to the giants, readied the right angle and began to concentrate, filtering the sunlight onto the targets.

If this was just normal sunlight, many magnifying glasses were needed to generate the high heat. But this light came from Troiatte’s Kei. A very destructive power. Troiatte had no problem gathering that power.

There were about ten magnifying glasses, and around Troiatte were fifty giants, gathering closer and closer. Ruimei was probably facing that many giants too.

The giants burnt one after another, but it would still take time to turn them all into a sea of fire.

“Aaa, this is annoying,” Ruimei called after hammering a giant’s head into pieces. “If I could destroy Zuellni, then I can take care of these things immediately.”

“Danna, that’s the act of a villain!” Troiatte laughed.

“Well, though it’s weaker than a filth monster in its aged phase, it’s stronger than a male filth monster. What mysterious half-ass. The only fearful thing is their number. If a male appears before these green Military Arts Students, they’d definitely lose.”

“Because Layfon’s here? Where did that little brat go off to?”

“Playing around with Savaris. Haven’t seen him either.”

“Foul brat.”

Ruimei snorted and looked at the city. Zuellni looked different from Grendan. Grendan had many more crude buildings, whereas the buildings here lacked unity. After all, this city consisted of students who all came from different cultural backgrounds. Ruimei thought that a pretty good idea.

“I really want to destroy the city!”

“Be patient, Danna.”

More giants appeared while they chatted. These giants had probably drowned the entire city. Their number must have reached 10 thousand! Delbone didn’t tell them the exact number. Perhaps she knew but the Queen thought it unnecessary to relay that piece of information. Was it a terrifying number? That thought alone made Ruimei furious.

Even so, only he and Troiatte were assigned to here. Lintence and Barmelin had moved, but they were carrying out another order. Did the Queen think Ruimei and Troiatte were enough to handle this situation? But other Heaven’s Blade successors were guarding the contact point. Did she think the enemies would get past to the contact point? That made him even more furious.

“I’ll destroy you all. Destroy every single one of you!” he rushed for the giants with the metal ball on his shoulder.

“Oi, I’ll take care of the ones that have gone past Danna!”

“As if any would get past me.”

“The lively Danna wouldn’t do that!”

Really. As he thought, he would be the one to destroy this city himself. The metal ball flew in amidst the group of giants.

<center>◇</center>

It was night, but the sky was unusually bright. Layfon felt that he had encountered this phenomenon before. He landed while this thought flashed past him…….. He was in the outskirts of Zuellni. The feeling of desolation brushed past his skin. He shivered.

The bike didn’t manage to last the entire journey. Though he thought the fight was finished, he knew a new battle had begun since Grendan made contact with Zuellni. But, no. Something wasn’t right. What he felt now wasn’t the feeling of desolation that appeared after the fight, and it wasn’t the pressure of having to face new battles.

“Felli.”

As he talked through the flake, he saw a man standing before him.

Savaris was waiting. Looking at his composed face, he probably knew of the situation too.

(This was what happened after we fought the first filth monster………)

Felli begun to explain what had happened during the time when Layfon was away. Everything was shockingly real. Things that Layfon had never heard of. Things that he had never experienced before.

Felli continued the explanation.

Grendan’s messenger – Delbone, the person who held the flake in the shape of a butterfly. Layfon immediately thought of her – even when Felli reported the name of the psychokinesist. He had only seen her a few times and remembered she was an old woman. The way she talked never changed. It wasn’t impossible to interact with Delbone, but she was a difficult woman.

Grendan was here to eliminate the filth monsters. That was possible. But why had it appeared here of all places? It couldn’t be interested in an Academy City! Either way, consternation seized him at how Grendan had come all the way here. He remembered himself changing many roaming buses before reaching Zuellni! Words couldn’t convey the entirety of that hardship.

Grendan’s aim was the Haikizoku. Savaris was also here for it.

“What about the Captain?”

“She’s fine. She’s carrying out a mission for my brother.”

Next, she told him how the Haikizoku seemed to have left Nina’s body.

What was going on? But there was no time to get the details. All he needed was to understand the situation.

“……………” he was stuck when he wanted to ask the next question. Was it appropriate to ask that question now?

(Leerin-san is also safe.)

But it seemed Felli knew what he was thinking. He felt a bit embarrassed at that, but the current situation wouldn’t allow him to keep feeling awkward and shy.

“So you probably have a grip on the situation?” Savaris said.

He just stood there full of spirit. He still couldn’t use his injured right arm.

“The Haikizoku has left the Captain.”

But Layfon had also lost his weapon. He only had the Shimu Adamandite with him now. The Dite was now in the shape of a Katana. Layfon could use the techniques of Psyharden since the fight with Falnir. That was a big help to him.

“Oh.”

Savaris didn’t move.

“But the Haikizoku won’t leave the city alone, since it’s facing a crisis? It’ll possess someone and show itself again.”

“Grendan’s here.”

“Yes, I was surprised too! You might not believe this, but don’t you think this city, being unable to move, is connected to something?”

“The other Heaven’s Blade successors will defeat them.”

Night turned to day. A huge source of light flew to their position. A ball of light had miraculously appeared above Zuellni. Layfon remembered this was Troiatte’s Kei. That guy was here. The person that Layfon found hard to like. For defending any city, Troiatte’s Karenkei made him a hard to obtain talent.

“What a headache! But there’s someone else that makes this a pain.”

As Savaris had said, Layfon could also feel the Kei of another person. A rough Kei.

“Ruimei………..”

Oh no! What was the Queen thinking? Why did she send Ruimei to fight in a city? Savaris had said this before. If Ruimei wasn’t cautious, he’d end up destroying the entire city, but wouldn’t that crisis suit the Haikizoku?

No……….

Did the Haikizoku change after coming to Zuellni? Was this Grendan’s aim? What would the Haikizoku do if Zuellni was destroyed and all its inhabitants were dead? Would it look for a new place that had Military Artists? In that case, Grendan was right here.

“Since I’ve left Grendan for a period of time, I wonder whether Her Majesty might have changed her mind……….” Savaris smiled as usual, but Layfon disliked that face of his.

“So what do you plan to do now? But if you drag it out, Ruimei might clean this entire place.”

He was happy. This was the situation he wanted, pushing Layfon into a corner and seeking for one last full power fight with him.

“The curtain’s closed for too long. About time to get serious, uh?” he lifted his left arm. His right arm still hung down by his side. Was it too hurt to move or did he do that to draw Layfon into a trap?

“You are too arrogant.”

“Yes, but you have to listen. You carry the lives of all Zuellni’s students with you.”

What should he do? He wanted to spat out that horrible tension in him. When he first arrived in Zuellni, he just raised his sword after some consideration. Because he had found the target to protect from that time on. Nina and the 17th platoon, and Mei-Shen, Mifi and the others. They were all his friends, as if they had replaced the children in the orphanage. But that time he faced a female filth monster and its larvae. He had the confidence to defeat them even without the Heaven’s Blade. But now?

Grendan. Just the name itself made his heart heavy. The despair in him was the same as when he fought the filth monster that tossed larvae into Zuellni. He knew his situation thoroughly. This time he faced Military Artists who were the equal of him when he held a Heaven’s Blade. No, these Military Artists might even surpass him in power. In addition, there were more than ten of them, and they all had lots of battle experience. Moreover, the Queen stood above them all. That mysterious light that destroyed the filth monster was definitely the Queen’s move.

“It’s a bit heavy for one person to bear!” Savaris laughed even though his words were that of a sympathizer.

Layfon took down the helmet and tossed it away. He raised the restored Shimu Adamandite. Kei ran up the blade. For one split second, if he could get rid of that man and stop Ruimei……. But could he win with this weapon? If Grendan truly wanted to destroy Zuellni, beating up Ruimei was not enough. As long as the person was a Heaven’s Blade successor, he could destroy the city. Ruimei was only good at large scale fights. Troiatte should be able to manage that feat. Lintence might find it a bit difficult, but that was only a psychological problem.

Zuellni’s crisis would stay if he didn’t defeat all Heaven’s Blade successors and the Queen.

The Katana was heavy. This was the first time that he felt it to be so weighty in his hands.

But the Kei inside him was running and bursting out intensely, so intense that his entire body hurt. If he poured that Kei into the Dite now, the blade would shatter. The long fight had tired him out, but his Kei vein showed no unusual signs. What was this feeling? He didn’t think he had become stronger. But it felt like he had been released from something. This might even be a power that he had unknowingly sealed within him.

Layfon’s realization was plain. Savaris’ smile deepened. He was elated, an expression that one would never understand if one had not fought in battle; an expression that Layfon would never make. A fight was always just a means. To aim for battle was never something Layfon would do.

What did it mean? What was different? He had no time to think of that now.

First was Savaris.

That one single thought occupied his heart.

Chrome Shelled Regios:Volume9 Chapter4

2010-05-11T04:58:01Z

ZaX: /* Vol 9 Ch 4 Confusion */

===Vol 9 Ch 4 Confusion===

In the morning, after discovering a city was nearing them, the siren sounded in the sky of Zuellni. Someone quickly confirmed from the flag that it was the Academy City Farune.

“Again…..”

Karian was having morning tea. Enjoying the time with a cup of tea was one of his hobbies. Though the siren had interfered with his pastime, it did little to affect his mood.

After announcing the situation, he ordered all Military Artists to gather and the normal students were to evacuate to the shelters. It was after hearing the name of the other city that he started to feel annoyed. He clearly remembered the results of the past five Military Arts Competitions, along with the names of the cities. Whether it was Myath or Farune…

“We haven’t fought this city before.”

That was strange.

It was common knowledge that Regios wouldn’t move too far away from their selenium mines. As Zuellni only had one mine, the area it moved in should be small. Normal speculation would conclude that the other city had had contact with Zuellni. However, Zuellni had yet to fight Farune. This meant the results of the previous Military Arts Competition had caused huge fluctuations in the movement areas. The other possibility was that after the rampage, Zuellni had run across Myath, and was in turn now running across Farune.

“Is that really the case?”

He wasn’t convinced. The city had been moving for a long time twice now. This trip into the summer season took longer time than usual. One could explain that by an error, but no detailed proof was forthcoming. Then one could only conclude the only possible explanation was chance. But was this enough to solve the problem? As the Student President of Zuellni, as the highest authority of this Academy City, how should he respond to this change?

“Anyway, just focus on solving the present problem.”

He couldn’t ignore the present because of his consideration of the future. Leaving his sister behind, he left the house.

<center>◇</center>

Before the ringing of the siren, Nina was waiting for Layfon at the entrance of his dormitory. She was already awake when the siren sounded. What she was surprised with was that Layfon had apologized to Leerin, and later on, Leerin had asked her to take the Dite from her room and bring it to him.

Nina followed Leerin’s instruction. Though it wasn’t that good to enter another’s room, Leerin had given her permission to do so. The light was dim, but she quickly found the box. She had seen it once, and the box jumped out to her as it stood on the desk.

Once she handed the Dite over to Layfon, he had unwrapped the box and taken out the Dite. A metal Dite with a thread weaving around the handle.

“This is………..”

“Yes, this is proof of one having learnt all Psyharden skills,” he held the handle with nostalgia, walked into the court in the dormitory and restored the Dite.

The beauty of the Katana made her speechless. The length of the blade was as long as Layfon’s arm. It was wide, giving off an aura of power. The morning sunlight reflecting off the blade made her squint.

“Amazing,” she said with her voice raised, attracted by the light.

“Every part has been set carefully. The technicians have adjusted it again and again for half a year.”

“Really?”

“Yeah,” he nodded and moved away from her to ready his fighting stance. He swung the blade back and forth.

The feeling of the blade on his hand was different. He confirmed the Katana.

“Should it be heavier? The blade also needs……. It’s a bit too long, so I should use the Safiadite as a spare. If the blade can be thicker, then it can sustain the Steel Threads. This setting can be made on the Shimu Adamandite, but with the Adamandite…….”

It looked like he wanted to change the Dites he had into Katanas.

“….. Aren’t you going to use this?” Nina pointed at the Psyharden Katana. It was an excellent Katana, yet Layfon didn’t seem satisfied.

“Of course I need adjustments made on this Katana, but when comparing the quality of the materials, white alloy far exceeds that of metal and the green alloy. When I used the Dite in the past, it couldn’t sustain my skill in Kei, so I decided to go for the aspect to cut things apart.”

“Is…… Is that so?”

“Yeah, besides, this adjustment was made when I was ten.”

Nina was shocked.

“I’m used to wielding bigger Katana. In truth, I can use the Adamandite better if it’s heavier. The Shimu Admandite suits me more just based on that.”

He continued his explanation, facing a speechless Nina. “Of course, there’s inconvenience if I keep using it. The inconvenience brought by Kei flow in a Katana used against a filth monster will cause error in the swing of the weapon.”

A siren cut through the air.

“Emergency? Is a city near?”

“Seems so. This is like training.”

Layfon looked at the sky and turned his gaze to the city’s legs. A city did appear ahead of Zuellni.

“Time to get ready.”

“I’m going to find Harley-senpai to make some adjustments.”

“Aa……”

“Then I’ll be leaving now.”

She watched him run off.

“…. He’s changed.”

A sudden change. He had accepted his identity as a Military Artist. That should warrant a celebration. Whether it was for Nina or Zuellni, this was good news. But somehow, she didn’t feel comfortable.

“He must have talked over this with Leerin.”

That must be it.

This was probably a good thing, but on the other hand, she knew it was something she couldn’t have affected. Having experienced the setback in Grendan, Layfon’s current change did not come about because of Nina or anyone else.

Never mind.

She couldn’t do this because she wasn’t Leerin? Or because she forced herself too much?

“…………” Nina shook her head and breathed out as if to let loose the feelings piling up inside her. Sunlight shone into the court. Today was another hot day.

Layfon ran. His feet were light, so light. In fact, his entire body felt light, as if power had filled him. Looking at the usual streetscape before him, it felt refreshing. Why was that so? He knew the reason behind it lay in the wooden box in his right hand.

He ran on an empty street. He ran, knowing clearly that he hadn’t been abandoned and forgotten. He already knew when he was little. The children of his age had all been adopted by other people. Only he and Leerin had stayed in the orphanage. The kids who had been adopted and taken away never did return to visit them. When he grew up and had a talk with father, he knew this was a fact. At the same time, he realized he was still immature. This didn’t mean Derek didn’t care for the kids who had left the orphanage. In truth, some kids caused trouble for their adopted families and were sent back to the orphanage. When that time came, Derek faced the adopted parents with determination and persistence. And Layfon didn’t know that, as he was still little. Though he didn’t feel it daily, he felt he had been kept behind when it was time for other kids to be taken away. One after another, the children left. Only he was left behind, and that made him feel lonely. Every time the day for a kid to leave rolled around, Layfon was always holding Leerin’s hand. Leerin, usually strong and talented, always turned gentle and weak on that day. Even though he felt uncomfortable with her sweaty hand, he held onto it and never let go. And every time, she would tell him of her trouble. And Layfon would want to become stronger, stronger and stronger, so he could always stay by her side. So he would never let go of that hand. He didn’t know when he had forgotten that feeling. The shortage of food in Grendan had shrouded that feeling, leaving it to hide deep in his heart.

He was always with Leerin in Grendan. It was the same when people challenged him for the title of the Heaven’s Blade successor. Leerin’s letters encouraged him when he was confused. And Leerin had come to Zuellni because of him. For that alone, he must not let go of her hand. Hence he must hold it tight. Hence he must win this battle.

The siren was a summon.

Holding the Dite in the box, holding the thoughts of Derek and Leerin, Layfon ran for battle.

It was after midday when Farune contacted Zuellni. The sound of the edges touching echoed throughout the city. Layfon heard this sound in the building of the Alchemy course.

“…….. Made it~~” Harley collapsed on a chair. “Come over and see.”

The restored form of the Shimu Adamandite lay on the table. Compared to the Katana, the Shimu Adamandite was now longer in length. Light sparkled in the dark blade.

“I took the mode of the metal Dite and made it in powdered form. That should raise the sharpness of the blade.”

Layfon prepared his stance. He couldn’t make any large movements in the narrow room, but he nodded at the feeling of the blade in his hand.

“Perfect,” he smiled.

“Re, really?” Harley smiled too.

“Well, this doesn’t have much to do with the Military Arts Competition since you aren’t allowed to hurt your opponent. But I tried merging the aspects of the Dites……..”

“Then I’ll go ahead. Counting on you for the Safiadite.”

“Ah, yes.”

Layfon jumped out the window. Felli’s flake was already waiting. It flew into his pocket.

“Sorry.”

“Please hurry and get changed. A plan’s already been drawn up.”

“What do I do?” he asked as he leapt from building to building.

“……….. Instead of that, let’s just solve what happened last night. I’m sorry.”

“Ah, not at all…….. It was my fault. Sorry.”

“No…… So you’ve decided to hold the Katana.”

“Yes, you and the Captain are right. I was wrong,” he felt flustered at the seeming shadow in her words.

“I don’t mean that. I mean your heart. Have you decided to continue fighting as a Military Artist?”

“Ah………” he breathed in deeply and didn’t give an instant reply.

“What?” her tone was icy.

“No, I haven’t thought of that yet……..”

Submerged in the joy of being allowed to use Psyharden, submerged in the feel of the Katana in his hand, he had totally forgotten it. No…….. He had forgotten. That probably came about as a burden on his spirit from fighting as a Military Artist. He now held the Katana, but he hadn’t resolved his past in Grendan. Still, this had nothing to do with whether he should continue to be a Military Artist or not.

“This feels like your style.”

“……. Are you underestimating me?”

“I was just saying the truth.”

“Wu………..”

True. He could only see what was before him. He didn’t protest against her words as he arrived at the Training Complex. He took out the flake before entering the change room. He took up the clothes.

And next, he quickly made his way to the outer area of Zuellni.

“Sorry.”

“No, it’s good that you caught up.”

Under Felli’s guidance, he had arrived at where Nina was to confirm the situation. The signing of contract had already begun.

“Eh? That person……….?” He noticed the older man standing beside Farune’s Student President.

“He’s the representative of the Academy City Alliance.”

“Eh, so it’s that person.”

That person wore a grey coat. He looked to be in his thirties. The Academy City Alliance. It managed all Academy Cities and exchanged information between cities. It was also responsible in buying and selling information to other Academy Cities.

“It seems he’s in Farune.”

“So these people appear in Military Arts Competitions?”

“Seems so. Last time we had one in Zuellni, probably since there was a roaming bus. Not every city had one.”

“I see……..” Layfon looked at the man again.

He was a Military Artist that bore no weapon harness. That was probably hidden beneath his uniform. The lumpy part of his left side might hide a Dite. Layfon saw no openings from this person. He looked to hold some strength. Since it was the Academy City Alliance, it must hold several incredible Military Artists.

“Well……. Never mind that.”

That had nothing to do with the present Military Arts Competition. Layfon turned his gaze to Farune’s Military Artists. They were all students. How would they fare? Though it was difficult to speculate on the strength of a group, he could tell by looking at them that they held confidence. They might have won in other places.

Recently? Or………

Their aura was frightening. Zuellni did win against Myath, but that was three months ago. Everyone had gradually come to forget the feeling they had in victory.

“Captain, what’s our deployment?”

“Uh? Aa, this time we’re in the frontline. Gorneo’s team will infiltrate the city.”

“I see……..”

“What’s it?” she asked.

“I’ve something to talk to you about.”

“What? About the plan?”

“It isn’t really a plan…….”

“What’s it?”

“Well……..”

Dalshena came over too. He told them in a small voice. They both widened their eyes.

“….. Is that good?”

“But that’s the basic.”

“Well, even so…….” Dalshena fiddled with her golden curls.

“But that’s still an individual fight.”

“It’s ok. I think………” he nodded with a smile.

“Even if there’s one more person, the feeling in battle won’t be much different.”

“True, if we do that, we can dampen their spirit……..” Nina said after some consideration.

“Can we do that?”

“Though I’m not too good with it, it’s just a matter of grabbing the right timing,” she nodded. “Ok. Let’s decide this then. Dalshena-senpai, please lead the front troop. Layfon and I will rush into the enemy formation afterwards. Is that all right?”

“Ok. Leave it to me,” Dalshena nodded.

“Right, next is to win,” Nina said with resolve.

Layfon smiled. Yes, next was to win.

<center>◇</center>

At this time, Dixerio finally woke from his long slumber.

“As I thought………. It takes a long time to heal continuously.”

He had been sleeping on a tree branch. He stood up and stretched, confirming his body condition.

“Looks ok.”

The wounds caused by Barmelin had completed healed.

“Aaa, my left leg had become charcoal. One night’s sleep wasn’t enough to heal that,” he laughed lightly in irony. Still, it had been a long time since he was injured.

Many tens of years had passed since his body turned into this condition. And the events he had experienced made him feel that time was extremely long and slow. The network of Electronic Fairies that was formed inside the Aurora Field, which was called “En”, and his fights against the Wolf Faces in recent years.

Just when did he stop growing? When did he stop being human and Military Artist?

Dixerio. He used to be a spoiled and arrogant kid living in the City of Strong Desire – Veruzamous. He had become like the two people that he met on that day.

Who were they? His current purpose was to confirm the answer of this question. However, he had something else to do before that. He must find the man that destroyed his city. That was why he infiltrated Grendan’s Inner Court for the second time. He had found a violent welcome waiting for him both times.

He didn’t get along with the Heaven’s Blade successors. They were different from him, as they had obtained power as normal Military Artists. Though he knew a Heaven’s Blade could fully release a wielder’s potential, the result of that far exceeded his expectations. Either way, his misconception was formed when he was still a kid…….

“……… In that case, the “moto” lives there too.”

His expression turned sour. The girl he met before did get caught in this whole affair. Through the baptism of the Wolf Faces, her body had an easier time traversing the Aurora Field.

No. He should say that she had become less resistant to it.

“Anyway.”

This was an urgent matter in this world. He got her involved in his fight without reason, and that saddened him.

“I must do something for her.”

Something had happened in that city, so Dixerio had come to visit Zuellni several times. The possibility was high that that girl was the key. Either way, she had obtained the Haikizoku. And that implied……. She had no other choice but to walk the same path as him.

<center>◇</center>

The Student Presidents signed the contract, shook each other’s hand and returned to their own city. The representative of the Academy City Alliance returned to Farune without a word.

The contact point of the cities was the main battlefield. Military Arts students from both cities stood in formation. They faced each other and waited for the signal to begin the battle.

Layfon looked at the opposing formation. He held the restored Shimu Adamandite. Blue phosphorescence reflected off the dark blade. The gazes of the enemy Military Artists gathered to one spot.

The sky was cloudless. Strong sunlight lit up the ground and steam rose in threads. Both Zuellni and Farune scolded the heat. Sweat rolled down Nina’s face. Sweat wetted her hands.

“It’s ok,” he said.

“Don’t look everywhere,” she scolded.

“Don’t worry. I know the timing.”

“Wu……..”

“Stay calm. If this works, we rush straight into the enemy formation.”

“You said that so easily.”

The flutes sounded at the same time from Farune and Zuellni, signaling the beginning of the battle. At the same time, Military Artists from both sides shouted. The air vibrated from the impact of internal Kei.

“Go!!” Vance shouted.

Kei exploded from Dalshena. She was leading the front troop and was waiting for Nina’s signal.

While studying Farune’s front troop, Layfon took a large breath. Just when he was about to give the signal before Nina gave hers…….

“Heh!”

A thunderous voice filled the space between the two sides. Internal variation of Kei – Sound to War.

Layfon had released his breath along with Kei. His voice sent Farune’s troop into confusion and chaos.

“Go!” Nina shouted. Dalshena rushed into the enemy’s frontline. Her lance created an opening in the frontline.

“Second team, follow!”

As if to chase after Dalshena, Nina’s team moved forward and expanded the opening that Dalshena had made.

Sharnid was waiting on the city’s edge, somewhere to the right of the frontline. He was with the cannon team. Naruki was in Nina’s team, and Felli had stayed behind for support work.

Layfon didn’t have any subordinates. He made a huge leap and landed well ahead of Dalshena’s team, right in the midst of Farune’s second team.

“What?”

“Wa!” A Farune Military Artist shouted at the sudden landing of Layfon from above. Layfon swung the Katana. External variation of Kei – Enreki.

A massive amount of Kei flooded out from Layfon, sweeping the Military Artists around him into the air.

“….. Fu,” he made a sound as he confirmed his move. He had executed a Psyharden move that he hadn’t used for a long time. It appeared his skill hadn’t gone rusty. He remembered he was in a battle. No time for him to sigh in nostalgia. He wouldn’t underestimate his opponents.

His feelings were more intense and colorful than usual. He held the joy of the time when he boasted of his newly learnt skills to Leerin.

Some Farune Military Artists probably thought Layfon was full of openings. Someone attacked him from behind. He half turned around and hit his opponent’s wrist with his elbow, making him drop his weapon. He then fought back the other Military Artists who sought to close in on him. He fought Kei with his Katana. For attacks that he didn’t have time to counter with his weapon, he used his fists and kicks. He reserved his strength when he executed a kick, and he also used that chance to sweep up the dust and soil from the ground and create a dust screen. Sometimes, he countered using his enemy’s weapon.

The school of Psyharden had never nurtured someone as incredible as Layfon. There was also a saying that said Heaven’s Blade successors were nurtured in Grendan. Most of the Military Arts school in Grendan were branch schools that descended from a main school. That main school became famous because it had nurtured Heaven’s Blade successors. Those that failed to give birth to any Heaven’s Blades faded away with time. With the Psyharden school, no Heaven’s Blade was born between its founding and Layfon’s birth. Why then didn’t it fade away like others? Because people who held Psyharden tended to survive their battles. And that was what Psyharden was like. The Salinvan Guidance Mercenary Gang became famous thanks to the skills of Psyharden.

It wasn’t difficult for Layfon to evade the attacks aimed at him. But he suppressed his Kei and sustained the attacks because of the restrictions placed on him.

To people who knew Layfon in Zuellni, they might found him “intolerable”, but as Heaven’s Blade successor who had to keep fighting the same filth monsters, that sense of danger was essential. Hence Layfon always stayed alone in the Training Complex to train his basics.

“What’re you waiting for!” Dalshena’s team had invaded Farune’s second line of attack. Their team had it easier because of Layfon’s action. Next, Nina’s team completed suppressed Farune’s second team. Farune’s frontline ended up collapsing.

“Ah, yes,” Layfon said and made another leap.

Keep on moving and he should be able to confirm which moves he was more rusty with.

While in midair, he stiffened at a sudden gaze from somewhere.

(What?)

He cautiously searched for that presence but he couldn’t feel it anymore.

(Was that my imagination? But……..)

He had always felt someone was watching him since Leerin came to Zuellni. That gaze was sharp, but it always disappeared when he noticed it. He didn’t know who it was, but since he didn’t feel any hostility from it, he chose to ignore it.

(But why now?)

He had thought that it might be a non-Zuellni Military Artist who was watching him from a distance. He couldn’t fathom the reason behind that act, but that was a possibility. Besides, no normal Military Artist could catch up with Layfon’s speed with his eyes.

(Who is it?)

Haia………? But he shouldn’t be in Zuellni anymore. The Salinvan Guidance Mercenary Gang was still in Zuellni, but they had announced that they had exiled Haia. The Student Council and the City Police had done a thorough investigation, and they couldn’t find Haia and Myunfa. So it shouldn’t be Haia. Then who was it?

<center>◇</center>

“Aa, that was a close call,” Savaris cringed on the top of the Student Council building. He was right beside the flag. “As I expected, his sensitivity in this battle is higher than before. Well, he has been a Heaven’s Blade successor. Close call. Close call.”

No one could tell what he truly meant from his expression. In fact, he was enjoying himself.

“But he’s finally picked up the Katana, his favorite weapon. Now this is getting more interesting.”

Though he once showed displeasure in Layfon’s performance, he was now very happy with his choice of weapon. Because the two of them would one day clash. He had heard of this from the current head of the Gang – Fermaus. Since the Gang aimed to take the Haikizoku, then sooner or later, it’d have to face Layfon. Savaris was disappointed of how relaxed Layfon had become in his peaceful life in Zuellni, but now he was happy to see him change.

Either way, he wanted to fight a strong Layfon. And since he himself also didn’t have the Heaven’s Blade, then the conditions matched.

“But…….. When would that be?”

The Haikizoku wouldn’t appear as long as the city was safe. He heard Zuellni had gone on a rampage before and had headed for filth monsters like Grendan, but that was before he arrived here.

He knew the reason. One, this had something to do with Grendan, and two, that person was in the Queen’s care.

“……… I don’t want to listen to Her Majesty’s complaints. What should I do?”

Leerin Marfes. She had interfered with his mission, but he couldn’t do anything to her. Because of her, he had been lazing around for three months. That was why he had time to train Gorneo and observe Layfon. Well, he couldn’t say the three months were totally wasted.

“It’s about time I get tired of this.”

He thought of what to do. He could block Layfon’s way when filth monsters attacked Zuellni, allowing Zuellni to face extreme danger. He remembered hearing from Gorneo of how Zuellni fought. Though it probably wouldn’t face another group attack from larvae, a crisis still existed if a crowd of mature filth monsters came. But Savaris couldn’t wait for filth monsters to show up. He had already waited for three months, and the battlefield of Grendan beckoned.

The other way was for him to create a crisis by destroying the city. Though the Haikizoku’s hatred was bent on the filth monsters, it might come to possess someone in face of danger. Either way, the person that the Haikizoku possessed at first did not face the danger of filth monsters at that time.

“………. How about I just do that now?”

What was ironic was that a battle was right before him. This kind of child’s play fueled his impatience.

“I say, what do you think?” his gaze slid to that person.

“As expected from a Heaven’s Blade successor. I can’t hide from you.”

A man wearing a grey coat appeared behind Savaris. A moment ago, he was just at the contact point of the cities. As the representative of the Academy City Alliance, he should have already returned to Farune.

“I thought you might do something. What’s going on?” Savaris said.

“Well……” the man shrugged. “I can’t meet your expectation on my own.”

“But you don’t die, right? Nothing would harm you even if you die a hundred times. You give your opponent mental pressure.”

“That’s not possible. Though our thoughts are separated from our bodies, we are still weak in front of despair,” he said simply.

He was one of the Wolf Faces.

“Is it ok to tell me this so easily?”

“Of course. Dying a hundred times is not enough to reach true despair.”

“I see, since you have no real body, you can’t feel pain.”

Savaris remembered the foolish young man he met in Myath. That young man’s fear of filth monsters was extreme and unusual. It must be a side effect of becoming a Wolf Face.

(What. As I thought, he can’t match Layfon.)

He looked at the sky, bored.

“Then what do you want with me? Let’s leave the conversation if you’re here to persuade me to surrender. Grendan’s battlefield is still the most attractive for me.”

“I want to help you return to that battlefield quickly……..”

“Right…….”

“Aa, you don’t believe me?”

“It’s not that I don’t want to believe. You’re Grendan’s enemy. Can I trust you like that?”

“Then do you plan to keep waiting?”

Savaris gave a bitter smile. This person knew of his thought and had suggested accordingly for the negotiation.

The man continued speaking without fear. “Filth monsters will attack Zuellni today.”

“………….”

A topic that Savaris had been waiting for.

“What’s the catch of telling me this?”

“No matter. This is a filth monster with a name,” the man said something that only people of Grendan would understand.

“This is becoming more interesting. The Haikizoku will definitely appear. What useful information. As thanks, I won’t destroy your body.”

“Not at all. I still haven’t yet asked for your help,” he said.

“Then what do you want me to help with?”

“We’ll take the Haikizoku off its vessel.”

“Why?”

“Why? Don’t you want the Haikizoku? It’ll be troublesome to take it back like that. You can’t be thinking of asking us for help when you’re at your end?”

True. That made sense. Savaris did not have the tool to capture the Haikizoku. He’d probably use the same method as the Mercenary Gang. Find a random person and let the Haikizoku possess him. That wasn’t enough. The Haikizoku would be very unstable because the vessel lacked willpower. In addition, Layfon would be there to interfere.

The Queen knew the Gang would fail in this mission, so she sent a Heaven’s Blade over.

But once the Haikizoku had settled in its vessel, next was Savaris’s turn to contend against it. He didn’t think he would lose. Actually, it’d be interesting if the vessel was Layfon. In that case, he had to make sure he had enough strength left to fight Layfon after contending with the Haikizoku.

“But can your way ensure nothing will happen on the way with delivering the Haikizoku back to Grendan? If it was in a city, I could suppress it with force, but if it was on the roaming bus………?”

“Uh……….”

As he thought. This would get troublesome. Besides, that consciousness in Leerin might not take his side.

“We can take the Haikizoku off its vessel and hand it to you in its real form.”

“You can do that?”

“Only we can do this.”

It sounded like a good trade.

“Then what’re you getting out of this? Do you want me to fight that filth monster?”

If that filth monster did have a name, then Layfon himself wasn’t enough. This would also be difficult for Savaris as he didn’t have his Heaven’s Blade. But if they were to cooperate, they might defeat it.

“I want you to protect Zuellni.”

Savaris’s eyes widened at the unexpected. “You do know how to joke. According to what I saw in Myath, destroying Academy Cities is what you like.”

“Yes, Myath doesn’t mean much to us, but Zuellni is different. It has something that we want.”

“I see……..”

“But it takes time to obtain it. We’ll be troubled if something is to happen to Zuellni.”

“I see.”

Was that the only reason? What were the Wolf Faces planning? Savaris was really curious. In that case, he better collaborate with them so he could return to Grendan earlier.

“Let’s do this then.”

“Good. Please look after me.”

The man nodded and vanished. Speaking of which…….. who did that man look like? All he saw was that grey coat.

“Uh, this is trouble,” he said, losing interest in the Wolf Face man.

What he was interested in now was the upcoming battle.

“A filth monster with a name…….. I really anticipate this.”

How much could he do without a Heaven’s Blade? That question made him really anxious.

<center>◇</center>

Feeling the Kei running up her arm, Naruki released her Kei without hesitation.

“Ha!”

External Kei variation – Purple Lightning.

Thunder strikes shot from the chain of rope. The Military Artists caught by that rope fell down one by one.

“Fu…………” Naruki retrieved the rope and sighed.

In the past three months, she had successfully learnt the key of Kareneki under Gorneo’s instruction. The move she executed was of Karenkei. The Military Artists she caught did not faint. They just couldn’t move as their nervous system was in chaos, leaving Zuellni’s Military Artists ample time to deal the final blow. Naruki took back her gaze from the scene.

They didn’t have a judge to judge whether a person was out of action in the platoon match even though a safety setting was installed in every Dite. Besides, a safety setting couldn’t guarantee safety. A blade could still inflict heavy damage, and that was the same with Nina and Naruki’s weapons. Sometimes, Military Artists would sustain severe injuries. They might even die. In truth, a guy the same age as Naruki had sustained a head injury during the match with Myath. She had visited him in the hospital. He didn’t look reliable, but he was a good man. Fortunately, it wasn’t a life threatening injury. But in the month that he was discharged, he always complained of headache. At present, his head would hurt occasionally. Even modern medicine failed to completely cure brain and Kei-related injuries. That man might have died. This was what a Military Arts fight was like. No matter how many safety precautions were made, one fought with death.

Naruki couldn’t agree with it. She couldn’t do it, and that was why she left Joeleom. One had to fight filth monsters in order to survive. But what was a war for? Why should they fight over selenium mines? Why did the cities, the Electronic Fairies have to make humans fight? She didn’t understand.

And that, she couldn’t agree with.

Once she told her parents of her thought, they decided to allow her to study in Academy City. They thought she would die if she continued to think like that in Joeldem. Only death awaited her if she didn’t fight. Her parents’ decision was right.

Hence Naruki aimed to join the police force. Police’s opponents were people who threatened the peace of the city. Till now, she had never doubted her decision in becoming a policewoman. However, right now she was part of a platoon, and she was fighting in the Military Arts Competition. She fought and she learnt Karenkei from Gorneo. What was with the change of heart? Actually, she knew. The event with the 10th platoon had changed her. Dinn had chosen the wrong path for the sake of the city. Did he fail because his choice was wrong? Or was it that even with a wrong decision, one could reach one’s goal with a firm belief? Was there any mistake in the justice that she believed in? A closer study yielded the conclusion that one made mistakes because one was too loyal to one’s belief. Did the action succeed in the end or fail? Naruki didn’t understand, so she now fought in a fight she didn’t want to participate in. What she couldn’t accept might not necessarily be wrong. But what about the people who had a hand in changing her thinking?

Naruki’s gaze turned to Nina. Holding the iron whips, Nina changed the team’s movement according to the enemy’s reactions. If the counterattack was strong, she would take the attack. If the counterattack was weak, she would increase her territory. No one needed a psychokinesist’s report to realize Nina was the captain, looking at the way she shouted and gave orders. As natural, she concentrated on attacking. Naruki and the other Military Artists became Nina’s wall to reduce her burden. However, Nina would choose to attack even while defending. As long as she saw an opening, she would rush forward. Even though the strategy was aimed to keep Nina’s team not too far away from Dalshena’s, Naruki still thought it tactless. If Layfon didn’t head alone into the enemy’s rank to cause a commotion, Dalshena’s attack wouldn’t have worked. Putting it the other way, the connection of the teams had turned harder to maintain because the fight was too smooth. The team led by the 16th platoon would have collapsed if not for their favorite Whirl Kei strategy.

“Captain, please stop for a bit!” Naruki shouted.

“Ah? Uh, yes…….” Nina replied reluctantly.

Naruki calmed herself. She must stop her before anyone broke through the defense of Kei in the Captain’s Dite.

“Captain!” she called again.

Nina finally halted her steps.

“You’re going in too fast. What exactly are you thinking?” It was Felli’s voice coming through the flake. “Please also tell Dalshena senpai not to keep moving ahead. You guys are too far away from the third team.”

“But………” she looked ahead. “Layfon, he……..”

“If I don’t first stop you, I can’t concentrate on persuading that happy idiot.” Reproach filled Felli’s voice.

A psychokinesist could process gathered information all at the same time. Still, it was difficult for her to speak to different people at the same time.

“Sor, sorry……..” Nina said and gave an order to Dalshena through the flake. “This is Vance’s order. Join with the second wave and turn to defensive formation. Defend the areas we’ve gained.”

“Roger.”

“Really………” Felli didn’t say anymore. She must be talking to Layfon.

Though they had stopped moving, many Farune Military Artists still surrounded them. Naruki and the other members had turned to a defensive formation while Nina was giving the order. The team changed into a dense formation with Nina at the centre of the circle. Not long after that, Dalshena’s team retreated to meet up with Nina’s team.

Since she was in the middle of the formation, Nina couldn’t fight. She sighed.

“Damn!”

She wasn’t relaxed at all. She was impatient with Layfon. He wasn’t back yet.

“What is it?” Naruki asked. The heavy push forward back then seemed to have been pulled by Layfon.

“Did I think too highly of myself?” Dalshena sighed also. Sweat rolled down her face.

Naruki felt more at ease. No matter how beautiful her senpai was, she could sweat too. This scene didn’t mean much, but it helped Naruki breathe.

Dalshena’s gaze turned from Nina to her. “What’s up with her?”

“Ah, no, it’s Layfon. He seems different from usual. That’s worrying.”

True. Layfon’s action was strange. He didn’t give off that dark and shadowy feeling. Compared to before, he was happier and more carefree. So carefree that it was hard for her to accept it.

“…….. He must have solved that problem with Leerin?”

“I think so too, but somehow, I feel he’s really overdoing it……..”

Yes. It felt hard to approach him before the intercity match. She also hadn’t talked to him during the fight. And today, she got a feeling that he was relaxed up till the signal for the match to begin. Though he looked like he had plenty of room to spare, others couldn’t but think he was being careless.

Was that why Nina was worried? Naruki’s instinct told her that wasn’t it. Nina was worried……… She was probably using that as an excuse to lie to herself.

(Mei-Shen would have felt down while saying, “That’s great”.)

Though Nina was happy that Leerin and Layfon had made up, she probably felt down for failing to help him. Naruki was probably feeling the same too. So useless. But perhaps she was dreaming to live such a useless life. She thought she would deceive herself like this.

(Has Leerin noticed?)

That Leerin herself felt something for Layfon. Nina should have known the reason behind Leerin’s visit, yet she still chose to live with her. It must be hard for her to see Leerin and Layfon so close together.

Why was Naruki so useless?

The battle continued and Layfon still hadn’t returned.

“So slow. Has she not convinced him yet?” Nina stumped her foot.

At this time…… A roar sounded in the air.

“What?”

As the battlefield was filled with noise, no one noticed something was nearing them. The psychokinesists were concentrating on gathering information of the battle, so they didn’t have spare time to look beyond the cities. The roar became a rumble, and the entire earth shook.

“Cityquake!?”

Naruki quickly threw away that speculation. A city’s multi-legs being trapped inside a crack was the cause of a city’s quake. Farune and Zuellni had already stopped moving, so this wasn’t it. Then what was it?

New rumbling sounded from in front of and behind the two cities. No one had yet to give the signal to stop the battle. However, all Military Artists had ceased fighting.

A shrill siren sounded above the battlefield to announce the attack of filth monsters. The sad wailing of Electronic Fairies. At the same time, countless number of larvae had appeared outside the cities.

Talk:Chrome Shelled Regios:Volume8 Cool in the Cafe

2010-03-13T14:32:21Z

ZaX:

im not sure on this section, please advise
------

“…Could it be that you’ve been waiting here for the whole time?”

“No, even for me that would be too…”

“No willpower?”

“Eeehh?”

As Felli finished speaking, she didn’t even stop and left, and Layfon chased after her.

'''I’ll walk you home.''' ''should this be "I’ll walk you home."''

“Of course you will. You’ve been waiting for so long, so of course you would.”

And just like that, they continued to walk silently. But she still felt conscious about Layfon, who was walking behind her just out of her peripheral vision.

His expression at that time was the exact opposite of that when he was fighting Filth Monsters; it really made people want to sigh. It was like a child throwing a fit… Felli sighed.

ZaX

Talk:Chrome Shelled Regios:Volume8 Cool in the Cafe

2010-03-13T14:31:52Z

ZaX: proofreading

Chrome Shelled Regios:Volume8 Cool in the Cafe

2010-03-13T14:27:03Z

ZaX: /* Cool in the cafe */

===Cool in the cafe===

That day, Layfon lived out a perfectly normal day of his life without anything abnormal.

After getting out of bed in the morning, he went to school and stayed there, attending classes and absorbing all the information from his lectures without delay until dusk. Afterward, he went to his platoon training session. To the Zuellni Military Arts department first year Layfon, it was a day which was devoid of anything worth mentioning - just another normal day.

His platoon training was the same as always; with Captain Nina filled with enthusiasm, Sharnid, who didn't know what enthusiasm meant, Felli, who was perpetually observing from the sidelines with absolutely zero enthusiasm, and Layfon, who always obediently completed all the exercises.

Felli’s immediate departure at the end of training was another part of daily life.

But today, Sharnid, who normally disappeared right after Felli did, was staying behind and waiting for Layfon with a somewhat sinister smile.

“Hey, you don’t have work today, right? You couldn’t possibly.”

This happened after Layfon took a relaxing shower after working up a rare sweat during training.

Nina had already returned, and Sharnid, who had already packed up and was ready to leave, was waiting outside the door of the training rooms in high spirits.

“If you had to go to your part time job on a day like this, I’d probably end up rolling around on the floor laughing at you.”

“Stop acting talking about strange things sempai, I don’t have any work today.”

“Good, you really are a lucky guy. Let’s go and share the joys of a day like this together. It’s not often that I invite another guy.” As he said this, he tightly grasped Layfon’s shoulders and, like that, forced Layfon out of the training area with him.

“Just what are we doing?”

“You’ll just have to calm down and wait and see.”

Releasing a struggling Layfon from his grip, Sharnid lead the way with an extremely happy look on his face. Layfon quickly caught up to him, completely lost as to what was going on.

The Regios. They were the whole world.

Since the world was covered by pollutants, making it extremely difficult for normal life forms to survive on the earth. The people who lived in the world before it was polluted had the Alchemists create and pass on the Regios and continued to live the same way they did before, paying no attention to their drastic change in environment and returning to their everyday lives.

Living in the wandering cities, they fought with the real inhabitants and menaces of the earth; the filth monsters.

“It’s here.”

He was brought in front of a coffee store by a confident Sharnid. Calling the store a restaurant wouldn’t be an exaggeration, with a sign at the doorway listing all the kinds of dishes that were available and the store sign reading “Coffee Mira”. Layfon remembered his classmate Mifi saying something about the selling point of this cafe being the beautifully dressed cute waitresses who served the food and drinks.

“Ah… Do you like this sort of stuff, senpai?”

Supposedly this was a very popular place among male customers, in comparison to its relative unpopularity among females. The mood of the café was flirtatious, filled with handsome young men. It suited Sharnid, who always liked to hit on girls.

“Cute girls are the heritage of the world, even though they aren’t really part of our cultural heritage.” As he laughed at his own words, Sharnid walked into the store.

“Welcome.”

Layfon was greeted by a young girl and it really surprised him. At the door, a whole line of girls who wore cute pink uniforms greeted Layfon and Sharnid.

“Whoa…”

“Table for two? Come with me.”

Layfon was still spaced out, and before he recovered he was already lead to his seat.

After Layfon sat down, Sharnid said something quietly so that girl, who smiled and nodded. She then placed the menu in front of them and left.

“What’s happening?”

“We’re leaving the best till last right? Anyway, today is my treat, so just choose anything you like.”

“Ha…”

Layfon felt puzzled at Sharnid’s cheerful mood as he searched through the menu.

“You really are a hard worker, aren’t you? Even if you didn’t do that every day you would be just as strong.” As Sharnid looked as his menu, he started talking about their platoon training.

“It’s not that I want to do the training seriously, it’s that instead of wasting my efforts thinking about it, I might as well train instead.”

“I can understand that kind of thinking. Well…when you compare the inter-platoon matches to the actual inter-city battle, it still seems like a kind of game.”

“Did senpai participate in the last inter-city battle?”

“I guess you could say that. But at the time, I hadn’t gotten into a platoon yet, so I was just a normal member of the infantry. But because of that I could just relax and do all the support work from behind the front lines.

“Next time will be the real thing, and if we don't win, there will be no future for Zuellni. Seeing the other platoons training seriously, and even organising all these inter-platoon matches, I really am moved.”

“It’s more like you’re trying your luck, sempai.”

“If you’re too serious about everything then you won’t be able to experience the joys that this world has to offer. A normal Military Artist would never leave victory for luck to decide. I guess I’m the only one who can do such a thing without worries.”

Layfon pretended he didn't hear anything at all and closed the menu.

“Oh! Have you finished choosing what you want? Then…Hey!”

Sharnid motioned to a nearby waitress.

“So what did we really come here for?”

“You’ll find out in a sec.”

Ignoring the silently smiling Sharnid who wouldn't answer any of his questions, Layfon shifted his gaze into the scenery outside the window.

It wasn’t too long before somebody came over.

“What would you like?”

Her air was totally different from the girls who had welcomed Layfon at the door…it seemed like she was angry?

“Ah…”

“…………………..”

As Layfon turned his head around, he found a very familiar person standing before him.

Outside of training, her long hair was usually worn over flowing her shoulders but right now it was tied in a high ponytail with a bright red ribbon. On that delicate face you could say that her features were all very well proportioned. Her long eyelashes were quivering; needless to say, she was very angry.

“Felli…Senpai?”

“What would you like?”

Before he was cut off, his voice was barely audible from the shock, the tone of his words revealing much of his underlying thoughts.

It was Felli, without a doubt.

Speaking of which, there couldn't possibly be another beauty such as this in Zuellni anyway. Also a Military Artist of the 17th platoon, this senpai was older than Layfon by a year, and she was also the sister of the president of the Student Council. A psychokinesist prodigy. To think that Felli, who was expressionless no matter where she went, that Felli who seemed like she was unhappy, a synonym for indifference, was wearing such a cute, pink costume working in this store, was hard to believe.

But she was standing before him regardless.

And even her name card clipped to her chest read: “Felli Loss”

“What are you doing here…?”

“Have you decided what you would like?” The second time she asked that question she cut him off yet again in deathly cold manner.

Sharnid, who was shaking all over, could take it no longer and finally burst out laughing.

Even with this, Felli continued to fume as she kept her cheeks drawn.

“Have you decided what you would like?”

What on earth is happening…Am I having a nightmare?

In reality, her biggest failure was to be found out by Sharnid-senpai while she was looking for a job. That thought wouldn’t leave Felli’s head as she angrily picked up the curved plates in the kitchen.

Girls wearing the same cute uniforms as Felli as if their looks were their only redeeming quality bustled all around her. Girls with larger chests specifically wore clothing which emphasized that point and the rest of them chose to wear chest pads to wear such clothing as well. Someone else also suggested that Felli do the same, but the offer was immediately rejected.

Thinking back, she could only blame herself for not thinking that this kind of thing would happen. Felli continued to hide in that corner cursing Sharnid with a furious look in her eyes.

“Are you looking for a job?”

After she had finished eating during her lunch break and was enjoying a cup of tea as she read through an info-magazine, Sharnid came over and asked that question.

“Ahh…”

Noticing Sharnid peeking at her careers magazine over her shoulder Felli nervously closed it. But in doing so, she revealed the cover of the magazine instead, and she ended up not hiding anything at all. Even if she put the magazine into her bag the moment she noticed someone else reading it, there was no way she could have deceived the vision of a Military Artist.

It was even more impossible when you considered the fact that Sharnid was a sniper in the team, and his vision was several times better than a normal Military Artists in the first place.

“Do you have a problem?”

“Ah, no, no…But to see Felli-chan looking for a job is not something you see every day. What’s wrong? I thought your parents were sending you money for living expenses, unless for some reason this month they’re experiencing some sort of financial crisis?”

“That’s…”

…impossible. As she thought this, Felli decided to keep her cool and play along. She had already received the money from her parents, and although she wasn't too sure of its exact value, she knew it was far beyond what a normal student got. And that money was perfectly managed by her brother so that there would be no unnecessary waste. So getting a job had nothing to do with earning more money.

But…

“No, you’re exactly right. My brother went overboard and bought too many books. ”

In short, she was trying to push all the blame onto her brother.

“Oh? That Student Council President-sama? There shouldn't be any problems with the city’s budget right?”

As Sharnid said this, he had a look of indifference on his face but he as stroking his chin as if thinking intensely about something.

“In other words, you want to get some money as quickly as possible?”

“As long as it isn’t anything shady.”

“It’s legal! It’s legal! It’s definitely legal! All you're doing is delivering the completed dishes to the customers.”

It wasn't that she trusted that smiling Sharnid.

It’s only that she accepted the offer, considering the circumstances that she was in.

That was how she had gotten into a situation like this.

“You bastard, I’ll remember this!”

Sharnid hadn't actually lied to her. All she really did was ask what people wanted to eat, and then bring serve those dishes to the customers. But she never thought that she would be brought to a shop where you had to wear costumes like this.

“Ok, new girl. Are you used to the job now?”

“I’m memorizing the menu right now.”

Hearing someone shouting, Felli turned around. And it was something like…

“Really~~? Felli-Chan really is a brilliant child. You could probably remember it immediately, right~~?”

To think she was being hired by a man like this.

This man was wearing a cute pink uniform and as talking in a feminine voice, happily waving at all the waitresses.

“Everyone, do your best to show off your cute points, ok? What’s our mission?”

“To make cuteness reign supreme!”

“That’s right!”

Seeing the shop owner happily nodding at the waitresses’ replies, Felli’s head felt like it hurt even more.

“And it’s all thanks to Sharnid, too.”

His nightmare got even worse. As he thought this, Layfon pretended to not notice the man in the strange uniform and continued to eat.

“You guys are the best, right?”

“Yeah. Ever since I started the store, we’ve been making uniforms like this, so we always pick girls who could bring out that feeling on the chest part of the uniform So that’s why I’m considering making a new type of uniform which can bring out Felli-chan’s loli aspect.”

“Layfon, this here is my classmate from my first year here, and right now he’s going into the clothing industry.”

“I’m James~~ Please take care of me, and please use a light to and call me James~~”

“Haaa… Nice to meet you.”

“I decided that opening a normal clothing store would be too boring, so I opened this instead. However, it actually turned out to be a huge success.”

“A couple of normal stores also use this sort of uniform as the basis for their designs.”

“Those guys are a bit miserable, aren’t they?”

“Yeah, there isn’t a single girl in the world who would understand the cuteness of those uniforms.”

Listening to words that seemed logical and incomprehensible at the same time, Layfon decided to not make any judgments and remain as a listener for the entirety of the conversation.

“So in order for us to maintain our customers who live in that area, we have to do much better and we’re working very hard to improve. We have many more competitors than before. It’s because there are fewer and fewer kids willing to work here, and some are even taken away to work at other places……It’s thanks to Sharnid that we have pulled through this tough time.”

“So what you guys were talking about for that whole time, it was all about Felli-Senpai wasn’t it?” Layfon started to understand a little of what they were really talking about.

But no matter how he thought about it, he couldn't imagine Felli coming to work at a place like this by herself.

“Yeah, we were. She was looking for a job, so I introduced her here.”

“Haa…”

Sharnid obviously didn’t make it very clear to Felli as to the nature of her job before she arrived…Layfon began to feel sorry for Felli.

But still, it seemed strange that Felli, who had never had a job, suddenly needed one.
Anyway, it’s all thanks to her that it seems that we’ve gotten the upper hand over our competitors. I heard that many people are secretly her fans. This time the store with the highest sales is ours.

“What are you guy’s talking about?”

“Eh? Ah, recently there have been many shops which have opened up nearby which are very similar to ours. Everyone is competing for customers, causing income for each store to drop quite a bit.”

“Seriously. It’s because the things we sell in our store originally couldn’t be found anywhere else, and since we’ve become well known, immediately many other people tried to enter the market. If they wanted to copy us, it would have been fine if they opened up somewhere different, but they had to cramp up here with us. All they are doing is causing trouble for other people.”

“Well…the thing is, not many people like this sort of stuff in the first place, so if you think about it from an business standpoint opening here is actually not a bad choice. Regardless of what happens though, if this continues on, at this rate everyone is going to go broke.”

“If the competition gets too fierce it won’t be good for the economy either.”

“That’s why the economic scientists stepped out and tried reconciliation, and made this decision. Next week, there will be a turnover competition, and the shop with the most turnovers will be accepted by the Economic Sciences department.”

“We are putting the honor of the store on the line here, so no matter what we must come first. But at the rate we are going at now, it’s not enough to overcome our opponents. Because the other stores used us as a blueprint of sorts and have worked out some sort of marketing strategies, but as a result they don’t have anything that is key to their victory. Out strategy of changing uniforms every month has allowed us to pull away from them a little, so next week we have decided to change our uniforms everyday in order to attract more customers. But what we can’t have a shortage of in battle is man-power.”

“So you decided to hire Felli-Senpai.”

“That’s exactly right.”

It seemed like he understood but then looked like he didn't, showing an expression which was difficult to describe.

“Then…does Senpai know about this?”

“Of course she knows, I have already given her the pay for next week.”

“Ah…I see.”

A week eh…If it was spent doing a job you didn’t like, the week would probably pass by very slowly.

And it was a job which was in complete contrast with her image.

(It should be OK, right?)

She would definitely make a mistake somewhere down the line.

“What would you like?”

“Uhh…A hamburger meal please.”

“What drink would you like?”

“Uhh, red iced tea please.”

“Would you like me to bring it up together, or do you want to wait until you’ve finished eating for me to bring it over.”

“Together please.”

“Ok, it’ll be ready in a moment.”

Faintly, a feeling of cold indifference rose up over that cute atmosphere which the pink uniform created, making the customers flinch. Felli looked as if she didn’t see them at all, and left the table. After she left the table, the customers let out a sigh, released from that tension.

As Felli gave the orders to the kitchen, the store owner said “Felli-chan~ you have to keep smiling, smiling.”

“Smiling…is it?”

“Yes, you have to show our customers your most beautiful expression.”

“To smile.”

“Yes. It doesn’t have to be heartfelt, ok? But forcefully smiling isn’t ok either. It’s ok to act like you’re happy, and if you think you can do it you should welcome the customers as they enter and feel their smiles. Have a look at how the other girls do it.”

He looked at the busy waitresses in the other stores.

Felli looked over at the girls who were standing there, all of them with bright, clear smiles on their faces.

At the same time, she noticed all the males in there had a lusty look on all their faces.

“……………”
Perhaps he followed Felli’s line of sight, as the store owner immediately followed up with a couple of lines.

“You don’t need to be too conscious of how the customer’s are looking at you. If you can’t go to the door and welcome the customers, then please try and display the cutest aspect of yourself.”

That’s hard too.

“We aren’t trying to greet the customers with an overbearing airs. If I had to describe it, then it would be a frank expression. Let them feel that they are being welcomed like friends in a relaxed manner.”

“Frank…”

“Can’t do it?”

The store owner was also starting to feel a little insecure.

“I’ve never tried smiling before.”

“That’s strange, your brother is a professional when it comes to smiling. His fake smile really is brilliant.”

“It confuses people into not knowing what to think.”

“Even if you are thinking about something else, it’s ok. If you smile, you leave a very good impression upon other people. Knowing that, your brother is always showing a smiling expression.”

“Haa…”

“Then practice your smile please. You can have a look at those girls, and say something like ‘welcome’”

“…Welcome.”

“Noo~~ooo! You weren’t smiling. Try again.”

“Welcome.”

“Your eyes don't have a very welcoming feel to them.”

“Welcome.”

“You're too stiff.”

“Welcome.”

“No! No! This won’t do!”

“Welcome.”

“Try again.”

“I think you can do it.”

…Just like this, they continued to do this for a length of time.

About an hour had passed.

“…Have a bit of a rest.”

The store owner showed his weakness first.

“Oh, you really are quite stubborn.”

“That wasn’t my original intention.”

“It seems she really hasn’t ever smiled before.”

Felli decided that she would put on an innocent look, but there was practically no way for her to communicate that.

It was always like that. Felli had trouble with expressing her feeling to anyone other than her family members.

“She pretty much failed.”

So that's all they could say.

The store owner wiped the sweat off his forehead, and thought it over a little before continuing.

“Ok, seeing as it's come to this, then we just have to prepare our store to match your expression instead.”

“Haa…”

“Just show us your unique expression. That cool loli feeling. Next week we’ll prepare a special uniform just for you. Aaaah~~ It’s been a while since I’ve felt this excited.”

“No, that's…”

“I’ve already decided. I will not change my decisions. We will change our uniforms daily – Uwaahh! It’s going to be difficult. Uwaahh!”

The store owner pranced away with impossibly tiny footsteps, and Felli couldn't stop him.

It wasn’t because she was worried about what she was thinking that she couldn’t properly communicate with him. She didn't really care what he thought of her.

How other people perceived her, wasn’t a problem for Felli at all.

Right now the issue was…

To tell the truth, she wanted to resign.

She didn’t need any money at all.

And she didn’t think that this job was very interesting either.

And it wasn’t like she had no option other than to do the job.

Indeed, she really wanted to throw the week’s worth of pay she was given in advance right in the store owner’s face and just leg it out of there.

“AAAAAAHHHHHH!”

No, this was serious.

“AAAHHH! Genius! I’m a genius! A prodigy! Kami-Sama has gifted me with my superior abilities. Perhaps you’d better just call me Kami-Sama? Once again, I have gathered the conviction that I had lost by my side.”

If she could run away from that shop owner who was constantly making these weird noises, Felli would definitely do that.

“That’s…”

“Yes, it’s Kami-Sama. I am Kami-Sama. That’s why I have to say this. What is cuteness? Cuteness is justice. That's why all those who are cute are gathered to my side.”

“It doesn't matter how you do it, but please give me a more normal response.”

“Ah, I’m sorry. I accidentally got caught up in the moment; there’s no need for you to worry as it happens all the time.”

“…All the time?”

Keeping a constant distance between herself and the shop owner who was still shaking from his recent excitement, Felli looked at the uniform she was wearing again. It should have been…changed a little. The design of the uniform was definitely different from the others. The uniform doubtlessly still retained its cute feel, having kept its pink color

They had started from pink, and finally returned to pink. She felt that if they were going to use that uniform emphasize her selling points it would be a little forced.

“It seems blue and black really do suit you the most. But if we just obediently followed that train of thought, we wouldn't have a chance to dig deeper into your potential, and I can’t further make use of my genius. Regardless as to how it goes, as long as it is confined by some sort of trend, then that would be a defeat; one which I cannot accept. You have to make cuteness your objective, you must make that pink color your objective!”

“Please don’t just casually put out a motto like that.”

“But no matter what it’s one which I must always adhere to. It’s difficult, oh, it’s difficult.”

He didn’t look troubled at all; instead seeing the shop owner revealing an expression of utmost satisfaction at the new uniform Felli couldn’t say anything.

“Well then, everybody! From now on for the next week, we must all work hard, ok? You are warriors which have been chosen to protect the cute-ism ideals. In order to protect the cuteness in the world, you must show the customers your heartfelt smiles filled with bravery and hope… It’s also in order to protect what’s dear to you! What’s dear to you?”

“Of course, our pay!”

Just like this, with the dropping of the shop owner’s tears, the sales wars began.

<center>◇</center>

“Ok, ok, let me have a look at what the uniform has turned into.”

“Why did we have to come to a place like this?”

After training ended, Layfon was dragged here by Sharnid again.

This was the roof of some tall building. Layfon listlessly asked Sharnid who was lying on the water tank enhancing his vision with Internal-type Kei and looking toward the store.

“If I peeped at her from close up I’d probably piss Felli off, yeah?”

“So they say…”

“Even if it’s her, she probably wouldn’t be using psychokinesis while she’s at work.”

“No, that’s not what I’m trying to say.”

“If anything diverges from the plan, then I’ll lose all the money I put into the bet.”

“You bet on something again?”

“Of course, that’s why I prepared the ultimate weapon.”

“And the ultimate weapon refers to…?”

“Well, you’ll see.”

Sharnid dragged Layfon over by the neck, and Layfon used his Kei unwillingly and looked across to the Cafe.

The store was filled with people.

In the midst of it all, girls wearing pink uniforms rushed back and forth.

Of the people who were sitting in the cafe, the majority of them were pretty much male students in uniform. Their eyes were glowing as they looked towards the girls in the pink uniforms.

And out of all the girls, the male students were all looking towards Felli.

Felli, wearing a custom uniform, wore the same cold expression on her face as she carried the plates back and forth. After placing their meals in front of the stunned customers, she left without a shred of warmth in her expression.

Even so, all the male customers in the store were completely satisfied.

“How is it?”

“That…”

“I have no idea how to describe this situation” thought Layfon.

Felli was the same as always with a cold, featureless expression. What was more striking was an annoyed look as if she had been forced to do this reflected on her doll-like face. Even though she should be very nervous at carrying all those dishes around, yet…

“It seems like you still don’t get it” said Sharnid as he shook his head.

“It doesn't matter that she doesn't provide a very welcome service. Look, see all those girls around her who are attending to the customers’ every need? Look at them all, all smiling the same smile, and even the girls who are a even a little cute just get buried under the whole group. No matter how much prettier Felli is she would probably be the same, buried by the rest of the girls. That’s the result of the uniforms. Wearing the same uniforms, doing the same things and saying the same words, it will always bury a person’s individuality to an extent. The only people who could tell all those waitresses apart would be the waitresses themselves. But Felli is different. She’s definitely wearing the same systematic uniform, but the impression she makes is different to the rest of them. And on top of that the other girls are obviously treating the guests enthusiastically. ‘What’s wrong with her?’ is probably what most of the people are thinking when they see her. As long as you give them this kind of an impression, you’ve won. She’s already a lot prettier than the rest, making other people wishing they could see her smile. Not the smile she uses to greet the customers. Her real smile.”

Her real smile.

Speaking of which, Layfon hasn’t ever seen it either.

“Senpai, you...have you seen Felli-Senpai smiling before?”

“No. She already has a fan club, and the people there haven’t caught her honestly smiling either. But there are heaps of people who are willing to pay a lot of money for a picture of her smiling.”

“Speaking of which, what’s in that box?”

Beside Sharnid, there was a box which he could carry over his shoulder.

“That’s a telescopic camera which I borrowed from the people in the Newspaper Club.”

“You’re trying to get pictures too.”

“Naturally” said Sharnid confidently, leaving Layfon sighing in resignation.

Just like that, he unconsciously probed the area around him.

“How do I say it, there seems to be a lot of people around here.”

“They are the members of the fan club. Damn, they really are quick. If it’s like this, even if it’s a smile out of professional duty, it’ll have to do.”

Sharnid anxiously got the camera out of the box and proceeded to get into position. In that position, he looked like a sniper who had already locked onto his target.

“No matter what, I must take a photo of her smiling.”

Seeing Sharnid erase his presence completely with his external-type Kei right in front of him, Layfon tilted his head, using internal-type Kei to boost his aural sensory organ, or more commonly known as an ear, and listened for any changes.

With a clang, the dishes that were originally on the tray fell out in front of Felli. The spaghetti bolognaise was tipped all over the floor, and the sauce spilt out with it. The empty tray fell onto the floor spinning, going sha-ra sha-ra.

The waitresses who saw this immediately began to apologize successively, and Felli turned her head looking over her shoulder behind her.

Somebody had pushed Felli from behind her, making her lose her balance and drop the meal.

But as she turned her head to look back, there wasn’t anyone near her.

(She must have been set up)

The person who pushed Felli form behind vanished just like that, during the instant when Felli’s concentration was broken by the fallen dishes.

(Was it on purpose? Who?)

“Hey, aren’t you even going to apologize?”

While she was looking for some person who had already vanished, an angry voice cut in. It came from a guest who was on the table beside Felli whose uniform was splattered with oily dots from the sauce.

“You don’t even check if you had splattered that on anyone, how the hell are you treating customers?”

The waitress who was holding onto the mop froze in confusion.

That person was wearing a Military Artist’s uniform, and the expression on his face was doubtlessly one of fury.

The store suddenly quieted down.

“My most sincere apologies.”

Felli lowered her head.

“If you want to apologize, then get rid of this filth on me.”

Felli lowered her head, listening to that person’s words, and she immediately realized that that person wasn’t really angry.

It was all an act.

As she noticed this, Felli immediately checked the feelings on her hips. The sword belt wasn’t there. Of course, she didn’t have her Dite rod hidden anywhere either. Realizing that she was about to teach that person a lesson, Felli remembered what she was here to do.

(Since she was taking care of a customer, she couldn’t do that)

“Hey, say something.”

“I’m extremely sorry.”

Just like that, she lowered her head and repeated those same words. She couldn’t think of anything else to say.

“Aiyayaya, we’re very sorry Customer-san.”

The store owner spoke in an extremely high pitched voice as if to ward off the awkwardness of the situation, quickly appeared in front of Felli.

“We are very sorry. We’ll pay for the cleaning. The dishes will be free as well, so please forgive us.”

“I don’t want to hear this.”

“Eh?! Aiya, then what?”

The customer moved in front of Felli with difficulty as she had been pushed aside by the store manager who was acting as if he were lamenting.

“As soon as I came in here I felt unsatisfied. Everyone is pretentiously doing work in front of the customers and there isn’t a single sincere smile here. It really pisses me off.”

That was actually a very appropriate statement. However, she didn’t lose her calm but instead felt a cutting pain on her skin.

Felli was also very self-conscious about the fact that she couldn’t smile properly. When she was practicing with the store owner, she felt that even if she didn’t’ smile very often, she should still be able to do it. She was quite shocked herself.

“I’m extremely sorry.”

But, right now, the problem wouldn’t just go away after laughing a little. And he couldn’t even put on a smiling expression anyway.

Felli just kept her head lowered for the whole time.

“I’m sorry.”

In the resting room Felli lowered her head as she apologized to the store owner.

“It’s okay~~this kind of thing is pretty common in this business” said the store owner, light-heartedly dismissing the apology with a wave of his hand.

That customer had left after taking the money for cleaning his clothes. Felli was allowed to have a short break, which is why she was in this resting room, which doubled as a change room for the girls that worked here.

Felli stared at the spiralling pattern that spread across the tea cup in the store owner’s hand.

“...I really wasn’t suited to do things like serving the customers.”

There wasn’t a single time where she revealed her true smile. All she did the whole time was listen to the customers’ conversations closely. “In that kind of a situation, what would Karian have done?” thought Felli. He would probably deal with a perfectly. No, her brother would never let the customer get angry in the first place.

But Felli couldn’t do it. And she was completely lost on what to do.

“Well...I had thought that dealing with the customers would have been the easiest job, but I hadn’t considered suitability for the role.”

“Then...”

“But, I don’t think you’re not suited to the role.”

“Eh??”

“You quickly memorized the entire menu and when you deliver the dishes there aren’t any excess movements. And it’s not like you’re completely unable to treat the customer nicely, so there’s no way anyone could tell you were a newbie.”

She never thought that she would be praised, and Felli started feeling dazed about all this.

“But it’s a pity, we still can’t increase the number of customers that way.”

When he put it like that, for some reason Felli suddenly felt calm again.

“Well, if you went to the other stores, there are probably some waitresses who aren’t too friendly either. The issue here isn’t whether or not you’re suited to the job, this is the customer service business. There aren’t any real qualifications required, and in a job like this, screwing up is part of the business as well.”

“Ha....”

“But you’re not really getting stressed over this right?” The store owner continued “I’ve got many military artist friends, and most of the psychokinesists are all people who aren’t very good at expressing themselves, right? Even though us commoners don’t really understand, but those friends told me, that when the psychokinesists are using Nen-I, in order to sharpen their senses, they will normally cut off their responses from their physical body.”

She kind of understood the meaning behind these words. While using psychokinesists to gather enormous amounts of information, if their bodies reacted to all of the information they received it would waste a large amount of time. So in order to prevent this kind of reaction, the brain limited the amount of information sent to the nervous system in the body.

If that repeated continuously over time, the result would be the same as how Felli was now.

Whether it be shock, anger or grief...and even laughter, all of those emotions are processed within the brain, and thus Felli became an emotionless doll.

“But that’s something that must be fixed. In reality, right now, my friend can finally begin to smile again. I think that if you want to express yourself properly, it’s definitely not impossible.”

“Is...that true?”

“Of course, I guarantee you.”

“... The store owner’s promise seems somewhat unreliable.”

“Hey, that was too far.”

“But, I’m extremely grateful to you.”

“Ara? What’s wrong?”

“I don’t know if I’ve figured out where my goal is. I was just thinking that a person already assigned to the Military Arts department who is unable to read the atmosphere and regretted it might exist.”

The store owner tilted his head, looking at Felli, and Felli felt that the gloomy atmosphere had gotten somewhat more relaxed, and her facial expressions recovered likewise. After bidding the store owner good day, Felli left the resting room.

“…That really scared me,” muttered the store owner to himself as he spaced out in the resting room. “Really, that child can smile too. If she practiced a little more, she could do a professional smile as well…ah…but it’ll be impossible by this week. And I don’t know if that child will still work here after this.”

The store owner’s inner musings never reached Felli’s ears.

<center>◇</center>

“Was that ok?”

A little distance away from the store in a nearby alleyway stood the man from before. He was looking uncomfortably at his surroundings as he flattened out his tie.

“You did it very well,” said a girl, wearing a bright pink Café Mira costume. “If a perfect girl with such a noble air to her resigned, Café Mira’s customers would definitely be reduced. Even if she doesn’t resign, it would take away a lot of her enthusiasm. If we do this another two, three times, then that Onee-san will definitely not be able to take it anymore.”

“But is this ok? Isn’t that where you work?”

“Yeah, it’s fine. I’m starting to get annoyed with that boring shop owner cause of how long I’ve been here. And I hate how he has us wear these idiotic clothes. If you can do it well, you’ll get paid for your acting fees.”

This waitress had accepted the bribe of a rival to Café Mira. In today’s competitive market, buying people out was perfectly natural, but amidst all that, transactions such as these occur quietly in the background.

This is also something which the Commerce Department was worried might happen.

“Anyway, it’s about time to get these clothes off. It wouldn’t be good if other people recognized me.”

“What? Cause it’ll make other people think you enjoy Cosplaying?”

At this moment, they heard a new voice.

“So that’s how it is, huh? Well, I knew it would be like this anyway…”

“Who is it…”

“Who cares who I am. To appear in a situation like this, I must be a hero of justice, right? Do you understand your position?”

Sharnid stood there, looking like he was blocking the way to the exit of the lane.

“Che. Seventeenth Platoon.”

“That’s how it is.”

Sharnid snickered at the slowly retreating boy.

“What’re you doing? What do you want with us?” shouted the waitress.

Sharnid shrugged his shoulders. “Well…if it was just me, it wouldn’t really be a problem. But there someone else who wants to have a little chat with you guys.”

“Huh?”
After hearing Sharnid’s words, the other two finally noticed.

“You should be feeling your backs getting cold about now. Although I’m surprised at how relaxed you guys are, how do you feel now?”

It was as if there was a gale behind them.

They gingerly turned around, and standing there was…

“.....................”

Stunned to silence, the two just stood there rigidly like corpses.

Layfon was standing behind them.

Gazing at them, silently.

He wasn’t holding anything in his hands, but his dite was clearly hung on his hip-belt for all to see. It felt like he could whip it out in an instant.

“Speaking of which…you guys were talking about some very interesting things. That it wouldn’t be good for people who know you to recognize you. Can you tell us why you would be troubled by that?”

“What…What do you want? It’s got nothing to do with you.”

“Well… it doesn’t have anything to do with us, but…”

There was a very quite knocking sound. It was the sound of Layfon tapping the Dite with his fingers.

Da… Da… Da… The sounds reverberated through the small alleyway with rhythm.

“Did you know? There’s a rule, specifically dealing with duels between Military Artists in the student handbook. Well, if we did this in public, we would break the rule, but if you reject others’ challenges, it’s a sort of disgrace to a Military Artist. It’s not easy to reject another’s challenge.”

As he said this, Sharnid slowly pulled out the student handbook.

“Let me see, ok? Lets, see… Lets see…If there’s to be a duel between Military Artists on school grounds, you must first apply to the student council for permission, and after verification of the two student’s identities, the duel is to take place at a specified arena. The weapons must comply with the Academy City’s regulations…etc. etc.”

He closed the student handbook with a slap.

“So, you’ll have to wait until our trump card decides to apply for a duel before this can proceed. If you piss him off, even just a little, then you’ll no longer get to speak reason to him. So let me tell him.”

Da. Da. Da. The sound was continuing.

Seeing the paling boy, Sharnid continued.

“So, what do you say?”

“W-w-w-wait a sec, I, I’m not really a Military Artist, I’ve only just worn this uniform for a little while. Duels or whatever, just spare me!”
“Then that makes it very difficult for us. That’s obviously against the rules. Then… about the uniform, it’s the proof of what kind of student you are, and if there’s no valid reason to be wearing another type of uniform then you’ll have to receive punishment. It says here.”

“It’s much better than a duel.”

As the male student lamented he took off his Military Artist’s uniform and threw it onto the floor.

Da…The sound stopped.

The boy looked relieved as he collapsed in a heap onto the floor.

“Hmm… I guess it’s ok like that as well. Then we’re done over here, but not quite yet over there, eh?”

“What are you going to do?”

The blanching waitress looked down upon Sharnid with a belittling expression.

“This guy wearing a Military Artist’s uniform has absolutely nothing to do with me.”

“Woah, acting like you don’t know him already?”

“What are you talking about, acting? I obviously don’t know him.”

“Well, if you want to take this approach it’s fine as well. Then how did she drop all those dishes and spill it over a customer’s trousers?”

“It was her mistake, I suppose.”

It seems she was going to pretend she didn’t hear what the other boy had said previously… No, she was insisting that she didn’t even speak to the boy.

Of course, Layfon and Sharnid both knew Felli, so you could say they were protecting one of their own people and lying.

“No, that’s not such a simple problem.”

As he said this, he took out the camera.

“I prepared this baby to catch a Kodak moment, but instead it caught a different moment instead”

“Che…”

“I got the decisive shot. We haven’t broken the student rules by doing this…at least we shouldn’t have. Anyway, if the Commerce Department catch wind of some bad rumors, it might be pretty difficult to find any jobs in the future.”

“……………”

Looking at the silent waitress, Sharnid gave Layfon a signal with his eyes, telling him what to do.

But Layfon didn’t reply either.

The blood rushing to his head was genuine; him getting pissed off wasn’t an act either, but to push a girl in a dilemma to make a choice still seemed low.

And it wasn’t their place to deal with this girl either.

If he still forced her to make a decision, it would seem a little excessive.

If they were officially questioned, it would actually be Layfon and Sharnid who wouldn’t be able to answer.

“…Really, what the hell are you guys doing?”

Hearing a tired, sigh, Layfon and Sharnid’s bodies both shivered from the surprise.

“Oh, Felli-Chan. Are you well?”

“Of course. I’m having a wonderful time working at some brilliant store somebody recommended to me.”

“Wahh… but isn’t that obviously displeasure in your voice?”

“And on top of that, you make someone your money tree?”

As she said this, Felli walked up to Sharnid and pulling the camera off him and took out the memory card in an instant.

“I’m confiscating this.”

“That memory card has a huge storage capacity, and it was pretty expensive. Can you return it to me afterwards?”

“Denied.”

Hearing this, Sharnid powerlessly lowered his head.

Ignoring Sharnid’s reaction, Felli stood in front of the waitress.

“What are you doing?” The girl looked at Felli with contempt and provocation.

Felli brought down her palm with a lot of force.

The sound didn’t seem to match with the small lane…or rather, it was a huge noise you would expect to find on busy highways, reverberating in that tiny side street.

“Hmph.”

“Ah….”

The sound was so loud it left Layfon and Sharnid stunned for a moment.

“Well, with that, your debt to me has gone away quite easily; I’ll just leave you to the store owner and let him deal with you.”

Saying that, Felli stared steadily at her and walked past Sharnid, quickly returning to the store.

The four people behind her watched her leave, stunned.

<center>◇</center>

It was already deep into the night.

The shift was over, and Felli came out from the store.

When she looked up, she saw a familiar person standing in front of her.

“You were here.”

Layfon stood under a lamppost near the store.

“Yeah, well…”

“…Could it be that you’ve been waiting here for the whole time?”

“No, even for me that would be too…”

“No willpower?”

“Eeehh?”

As Felli finished speaking, she didn’t even stop and left, and Layfon chased after her.

I’ll walk you home.

“Of course you will. You’ve been waiting for so long, so of course you would.”

And just like that, they continued to walk silently. But she still felt conscious about Layfon, who was walking behind her just out of her
peripheral vision.

His expression at that time was the exact opposite of that when he was fighting Filth Monsters; it really made people want to sigh. It was like a child throwing a fit… Felli sighed.

“Really, thanks for before.”

“No…I’m sorry, I just went ahead and did something unnecessary.”

“You were really pissed off, weren’t you? I could feel your killing intent from all the way inside the store.” At that time, as Felli was repenting on her actions, she had already felt Layfon’s killing intent. “Looking at you threatening those two people, you seemed pretty happy to me.”

“No, that was all Sharnid-senpai’s idea.”

“Why were you so angry?”

“That…It seems I really can’t bear to see my friends being bullied.”

She had guessed it was probably something like this much earlier, and her expectations for any other reasons were disappointing.

“Well…that’s just how you are.”

“And besides…” As if countering Felli’s words, Layfon began to say something. “I also wanted to help senpai…Felli try out things other than being a psychokinesist.”

He whispered this at a barely audible volume to himself, surprising Felli so much that she couldn’t catch her breath.

(This person really is…)

She wanted to live a life outside that of a Nen-I user.

Her brother knew that Felli had this dream. Other than him there was only Layfon.

(He really is…He really is…He really is…!)

Nobody else, knew; only Layfon. She never even told her captain, Nina, and this man she did tell didn’t even understand the meaning behind it.
But at that time, she didn’t know what kind of expression to put on.

He was cheering for me, worrying about me, it really makes me happy…

But Layfon, who knew of her dream, didn’t recognize the deeper meaning to this dream at all, and his slowness really made Felli angry.

Now, how was she going to show both those expressions at once…

(Right now, she was completely lost on what expression to use.)

“Fine, I’m going home!” Felli loudly ended the conversation, and continued on forward and as she confirmed the sounds of Layfon’s chasing footsteps. She walked a little bit faster.

Chrome Shelled Regios:Volume8 Cool in the Cafe

2010-03-13T11:35:18Z

ZaX: /* Cool in the cafe */

===Cool in the cafe===

That day, Layfon lived out a perfectly normal day of his life without anything abnormal.

After getting out of bed in the morning, he went to school and stayed there, attending classes and absorbing all the information from his lectures without delay until dusk. Afterward, he went to his platoon training session. To the Zuellni Military Arts department first year Layfon, it was a day which was devoid of anything worth mentioning - just another normal day.

His platoon training was the same as always; with Captain Nina filled with enthusiasm, Sharnid, who didn't know what enthusiasm meant, Felli, who was perpetually observing from the sidelines with absolutely zero enthusiasm, and Layfon, who always obediently completed all the exercises.

Felli’s immediate departure at the end of training was another part of daily life.

But today, Sharnid, who normally disappeared right after Felli did, was staying behind and waiting for Layfon with a somewhat sinister smile.

“Hey, you don’t have work today, right? You couldn’t possibly.”

This happened after Layfon took a relaxing shower after working up a rare sweat during training.

Nina had already returned, and Sharnid, who had already packed up and was ready to leave, was waiting outside the door of the training rooms in high spirits.

“If you had to go to your part time job on a day like this, I’d probably end up rolling around on the floor laughing at you.”

“Stop acting talking about strange things sempai, I don’t have any work today.”

“Good, you really are a lucky guy. Let’s go and share the joys of a day like this together. It’s not often that I invite another guy.” As he said this, he tightly grasped Layfon’s shoulders and, like that, forced Layfon out of the training area with him.

“Just what are we doing?”

“You’ll just have to calm down and wait and see.”

Releasing a struggling Layfon from his grip, Sharnid lead the way with an extremely happy look on his face. Layfon quickly caught up to him, completely lost as to what was going on.

The Regios. They were the whole world.

Since the world was covered by pollutants, making it extremely difficult for normal life forms to survive on the earth. The people who lived in the world before it was polluted had the Alchemists create and pass on the Regios and continued to live the same way they did before, paying no attention to their drastic change in environment and returning to their everyday lives.

Living in the wandering cities, they fought with the real inhabitants and menaces of the earth; the filth monsters.

“It’s here.”

He was brought in front of a coffee store by a confident Sharnid. Calling the store a restaurant wouldn’t be an exaggeration, with a sign at the doorway listing all the kinds of dishes that were available and the store sign reading “Coffee Mira”. Layfon remembered his classmate Mifi saying something about the selling point of this cafe being the beautifully dressed cute waitresses who served the food and drinks.

“Ah… Do you like this sort of stuff, senpai?”

Supposedly this was a very popular place among male customers, in comparison to its relative unpopularity among females. The mood of the café was flirtatious, filled with handsome young men. It suited Sharnid, who always liked to hit on girls.

“Cute girls are the heritage of the world, even though they aren’t really part of our cultural heritage.” As he laughed at his own words, Sharnid walked into the store.

“Welcome.”

Layfon was greeted by a young girl and it really surprised him. At the door, a whole line of girls who wore cute pink uniforms greeted Layfon and Sharnid.

“Whoa…”

“Table for two? Come with me.”

Layfon was still spaced out, and before he recovered he was already lead to his seat.

After Layfon sat down, Sharnid said something quietly so that girl, who smiled and nodded. She then placed the menu in front of them and left.

“What’s happening?”

“We’re leaving the best till last right? Anyway, today is my treat, so just choose anything you like.”

“Ha…”

Layfon felt puzzled at Sharnid’s cheerful mood as he searched through the menu.

“You really are a hard worker, aren’t you? Even if you didn’t do that every day you would be just as strong.” As Sharnid looked as his menu, he started talking about their platoon training.

“It’s not that I want to do the training seriously, it’s that instead of wasting my efforts thinking about it, I might as well train instead.”

“I can understand that kind of thinking. Well…when you compare the inter-platoon matches to the actual inter-city battle, it still seems like a kind of game.”

“Did senpai participate in the last inter-city battle?”

“I guess you could say that. But at the time, I hadn’t gotten into a platoon yet, so I was just a normal member of the infantry. But because of that I could just relax and do all the support work from behind the front lines.

“Next time will be the real thing, and if we don't win, there will be no future for Zuellni. Seeing the other platoons training seriously, and even organising all these inter-platoon matches, I really am moved.”

“It’s more like you’re trying your luck, sempai.”

“If you’re too serious about everything then you won’t be able to experience the joys that this world has to offer. A normal Military Artist would never leave victory for luck to decide. I guess I’m the only one who can do such a thing without worries.”

Layfon pretended he didn't hear anything at all and closed the menu.

“Oh! Have you finished choosing what you want? Then…Hey!”

Sharnid motioned to a nearby waitress.

“So what did we really come here for?”

“You’ll find out in a sec.”

Ignoring the silently smiling Sharnid who wouldn't answer any of his questions, Layfon shifted his gaze into the scenery outside the window.

It wasn’t too long before somebody came over.

“What would you like?”

Her air was totally different from the girls who had welcomed Layfon at the door…it seemed like she was angry?

“Ah…”

“…………………..”

As Layfon turned his head around, he found a very familiar person standing before him.

Outside of training, her long hair was usually worn over flowing her shoulders but right now it was tied in a high ponytail with a bright red ribbon. On that delicate face you could say that her features were all very well proportioned. Her long eyelashes were quivering; needless to say, she was very angry.

“Felli…Senpai?”

“What would you like?”

Before he was cut off, his voice was barely audible from the shock, the tone of his words revealing much of his underlying thoughts.

It was Felli, without a doubt.

Speaking of which, there couldn't possibly be another beauty such as this in Zuellni anyway. Also a Military Artist of the 17th platoon, this senpai was older than Layfon by a year, and she was also the sister of the president of the Student Council. A psychokinesist prodigy. To think that Felli, who was expressionless no matter where she went, that Felli who seemed like she was unhappy, a synonym for indifference, was wearing such a cute, pink costume working in this store, was hard to believe.

But she was standing before him regardless.

And even her name card clipped to her chest read: “Felli Loss”

“What are you doing here…?”

“Have you decided what you would like?” The second time she asked that question she cut him off yet again in deathly cold manner.

Sharnid, who was shaking all over, could take it no longer and finally burst out laughing.

Even with this, Felli continued to fume as she kept her cheeks drawn.

“Have you decided what you would like?”

What on earth is happening…Am I having a nightmare?

In reality, her biggest failure was to be found out by Sharnid-senpai while she was looking for a job. That thought wouldn’t leave Felli’s head as she angrily picked up the curved plates in the kitchen.

Girls wearing the same cute uniforms as Felli as if their looks were their only redeeming quality bustled all around her. Girls with larger chests specifically wore clothing which emphasized that point and the rest of them chose to wear chest pads to wear such clothing as well. Someone else also suggested that Felli do the same, but the offer was immediately rejected.

Thinking back, she could only blame herself for not thinking that this kind of thing would happen. Felli continued to hide in that corner cursing Sharnid with a furious look in her eyes.

“Are you looking for a job?”

After she had finished eating during her lunch break and was enjoying a cup of tea as she read through an info-magazine, Sharnid came over and asked that question.

“Ahh…”

Noticing Sharnid peeking at her careers magazine over her shoulder Felli nervously closed it. But in doing so, she revealed the cover of the magazine instead, and she ended up not hiding anything at all. Even if she put the magazine into her bag the moment she noticed someone else reading it, there was no way she could have deceived the vision of a Military Artist.

It was even more impossible when you considered the fact that Sharnid was a sniper in the team, and his vision was several times better than a normal Military Artists in the first place.

“Do you have a problem?”

“Ah, no, no…But to see Felli-chan looking for a job is not something you see every day. What’s wrong? I thought your parents were sending you money for living expenses, unless for some reason this month they’re experiencing some sort of financial crisis?”

“That’s…”

…impossible. As she thought this, Felli decided to keep her cool and play along. She had already received the money from her parents, and although she wasn't too sure of its exact value, she knew it was far beyond what a normal student got. And that money was perfectly managed by her brother so that there would be no unnecessary waste. So getting a job had nothing to do with earning more money.

But…

“No, you’re exactly right. My brother went overboard and bought too many books. ”

In short, she was trying to push all the blame onto her brother.

“Oh? That Student Council President-sama? There shouldn't be any problems with the city’s budget right?”

As Sharnid said this, he had a look of indifference on his face but he as stroking his chin as if thinking intensely about something.

“In other words, you want to get some money as quickly as possible?”

“As long as it isn’t anything shady.”

“It’s legal! It’s legal! It’s definitely legal! All you're doing is delivering the completed dishes to the customers.”

It wasn't that she trusted that smiling Sharnid.

It’s only that she accepted the offer, considering the circumstances that she was in.

That was how she had gotten into a situation like this.

“You bastard, I’ll remember this!”

Sharnid hadn't actually lied to her. All she really did was ask what people wanted to eat, and then bring serve those dishes to the customers. But she never thought that she would be brought to a shop where you had to wear costumes like this.

“Ok, new girl. Are you used to the job now?”

“I’m memorizing the menu right now.”

Hearing someone shouting, Felli turned around. And it was something like…

“Really~~? Felli-Chan really is a brilliant child. You could probably remember it immediately, right~~?”

To think she was being hired by a man like this.

This man was wearing a cute pink uniform and as talking in a feminine voice, happily waving at all the waitresses.

“Everyone, do your best to show off your cute points, ok? What’s our mission?”

“To make cuteness reign supreme!”

“That’s right!”

Seeing the shop owner happily nodding at the waitresses’ replies, Felli’s head felt like it hurt even more.

“And it’s all thanks to Sharnid, too.”

His nightmare got even worse. As he thought this, Layfon pretended to not notice the man in the strange uniform and continued to eat.

“You guys are the best, right?”

“Yeah. Ever since I started the store, we’ve been making uniforms like this, so we always pick girls who could bring out that feeling on the chest part of the uniform So that’s why I’m considering making a new type of uniform which can bring out Felli-chan’s loli aspect.”

“Layfon, this here is my classmate from my first year here, and right now he’s going into the clothing industry.”

“I’m James~~ Please take care of me, and please use a light to and call me James~~”

“Haaa… Nice to meet you.”

“I decided that opening a normal clothing store would be too boring, so I opened this instead. However, it actually turned out to be a huge success.”

“A couple of normal stores also use this sort of uniform as the basis for their designs.”

“Those guys are a bit miserable, aren’t they?”

“Yeah, there isn’t a single girl in the world who would understand the cuteness of those uniforms.”

Listening to words that seemed logical and incomprehensible at the same time, Layfon decided to not make any judgments and remain as a listener for the entirety of the conversation.

“So in order for us to maintain our customers who live in that area, we have to do much better and we’re working very hard to improve. We have many more competitors than before. It’s because there are fewer and fewer kids willing to work here, and some are even taken away to work at other places……It’s thanks to Sharnid that we have pulled through this tough time.”

“So what you guys were talking about for that whole time, it was all about Felli-Senpai wasn’t it?” Layfon started to understand a little of what they were really talking about.

But no matter how he thought about it, he couldn't imagine Felli coming to work at a place like this by herself.

“Yeah, we were. She was looking for a job, so I introduced her here.”

“Haa…”

Sharnid obviously didn’t make it very clear to Felli as to the nature of her job before she arrived…Layfon began to feel sorry for Felli.

But still, it seemed strange that Felli, who had never had a job, suddenly needed one.
Anyway, it’s all thanks to her that it seems that we’ve gotten the upper hand over our competitors. I heard that many people are secretly her fans. This time the store with the highest sales is ours.

“What are you guy’s talking about?”

“Eh? Ah, recently there have been many shops which have opened up nearby which are very similar to ours. Everyone is competing for customers, causing income for each store to drop quite a bit.”

“Seriously. It’s because the things we sell in our store originally couldn’t be found anywhere else, and since we’ve become well known, immediately many other people tried to enter the market. If they wanted to copy us, it would have been fine if they opened up somewhere different, but they had to cramp up here with us. All they are doing is causing trouble for other people.”

“Well…the thing is, not many people like this sort of stuff in the first place, so if you think about it from an business standpoint opening here is actually not a bad choice. Regardless of what happens though, if this continues on, at this rate everyone is going to go broke.”

“If the competition gets too fierce it won’t be good for the economy either.”

“That’s why the economic scientists stepped out and tried reconciliation, and made this decision. Next week, there will be a turnover competition, and the shop with the most turnovers will be accepted by the Economic Sciences department.”

“We are putting the honor of the store on the line here, so no matter what we must come first. But at the rate we are going at now, it’s not enough to overcome our opponents. Because the other stores used us as a blueprint of sorts and have worked out some sort of marketing strategies, but as a result they don’t have anything that is key to their victory. Out strategy of changing uniforms every month has allowed us to pull away from them a little, so next week we have decided to change our uniforms everyday in order to attract more customers. But what we can’t have a shortage of in battle is man-power.”

“So you decided to hire Felli-Senpai.”

“That’s exactly right.”

It seemed like he understood but then looked like he didn't, showing an expression which was difficult to describe.

“Then…does Senpai know about this?”

“Of course she knows, I have already given her the pay for next week.”

“Ah…I see.”

A week eh…If it was spent doing a job you didn’t like, the week would probably pass by very slowly.

And it was a job which was in complete contrast with her image.

(It should be OK, right?)

She would definitely make a mistake somewhere down the line.

“What would you like?”

“Uhh…A hamburger meal please.”

“What drink would you like?”

“Uhh, red iced tea please.”

“Would you like me to bring it up together, or do you want to wait until you’ve finished eating for me to bring it over.”

“Together please.”

“Ok, it’ll be ready in a moment.”

Faintly, a feeling of cold indifference rose up over that cute atmosphere which the pink uniform created, making the customers flinch. Felli looked as if she didn’t see them at all, and left the table. After she left the table, the customers let out a sigh, released from that tension.

As Felli gave the orders to the kitchen, the store owner said “Felli-chan~ you have to keep smiling, smiling.”

“Smiling…is it?”

“Yes, you have to show our customers your most beautiful expression.”

“To smile.”

“Yes. It doesn’t have to be heartfelt, ok? But forcefully smiling isn’t ok either. It’s ok to act like you’re happy, and if you think you can do it you should welcome the customers as they enter and feel their smiles. Have a look at how the other girls do it.”

He looked at the busy waitresses in the other stores.

Felli looked over at the girls who were standing there, all of them with bright, clear smiles on their faces.

At the same time, she noticed all the males in there had a lusty look on all their faces.

“……………”
Perhaps he followed Felli’s line of sight, as the store owner immediately followed up with a couple of lines.

“You don’t need to be too conscious of how the customer’s are looking at you. If you can’t go to the door and welcome the customers, then please try and display the cutest aspect of yourself.”

That’s hard too.

“We aren’t trying to greet the customers with an overbearing airs. If I had to describe it, then it would be a frank expression. Let them feel that they are being welcomed like friends in a relaxed manner.”

“Frank…”

“Can’t do it?”

The store owner was also starting to feel a little insecure.

“I’ve never tried smiling before.”

“That’s strange, your brother is a professional when it comes to smiling. His fake smile really is brilliant.”

“It confuses people into not knowing what to think.”

“Even if you are thinking about something else, it’s ok. If you smile, you leave a very good impression upon other people. Knowing that, your brother is always showing a smiling expression.”

“Haa…”

“Then practice your smile please. You can have a look at those girls, and say something like ‘welcome’”

“…Welcome.”

“Noo~~ooo! You weren’t smiling. Try again.”

“Welcome.”

“Your eyes don't have a very welcoming feel to them.”

“Welcome.”

“You're too stiff.”

“Welcome.”

“No! No! This won’t do!”

“Welcome.”

“Try again.”

“I think you can do it.”

…Just like this, they continued to do this for a length of time.

About an hour had passed.

“…Have a bit of a rest.”

The store owner showed his weakness first.

“Oh, you really are quite stubborn.”

“That wasn’t my original intention.”

“It seems she really hasn’t ever smiled before.”

Felli decided that she would put on an innocent look, but there was practically no way for her to communicate that.

It was always like that. Felli had trouble with expressing her feeling to anyone other than her family members.

“She pretty much failed.”

So that's all they could say.

The store owner wiped the sweat off his forehead, and thought it over a little before continuing.

“Ok, seeing as it's come to this, then we just have to prepare our store to match your expression instead.”

“Haa…”

“Just show us your unique expression. That cool loli feeling. Next week we’ll prepare a special uniform just for you. Aaaah~~ It’s been a while since I’ve felt this excited.”

“No, that's…”

“I’ve already decided. I will not change my decisions. We will change our uniforms daily – Uwaahh! It’s going to be difficult. Uwaahh!”

The store owner pranced away with impossibly tiny footsteps, and Felli couldn't stop him.

It wasn’t because she was worried about what she was thinking that she couldn’t properly communicate with him. She didn't really care what he thought of her.

How other people perceived her, wasn’t a problem for Felli at all.

Right now the issue was…

To tell the truth, she wanted to resign.

She didn’t need any money at all.

And she didn’t think that this job was very interesting either.

And it wasn’t like she had no option other than to do the job.

Indeed, she really wanted to throw the week’s worth of pay she was given in advance right in the store owner’s face and just leg it out of there.

“AAAAAAHHHHHH!”

No, this was serious.

“AAAHHH! Genius! I’m a genius! A prodigy! Kami-Sama has gifted me with my superior abilities. Perhaps you’d better just call me Kami-Sama? Once again, I have gathered the conviction that I had lost by my side.”

If she could run away from that shop owner who was constantly making these weird noises, Felli would definitely do that.

“That’s…”

“Yes, it’s Kami-Sama. I am Kami-Sama. That’s why I have to say this. What is cuteness? Cuteness is justice. That's why all those who are cute are gathered to my side.”

“It doesn't matter how you do it, but please give me a more normal response.”

“Ah, I’m sorry. I accidentally got caught up in the moment; there’s no need for you to worry as it happens all the time.”

“…All the time?”

Keeping a constant distance between herself and the shop owner who was still shaking from his recent excitement, Felli looked at the uniform she was wearing again. It should have been…changed a little. The design of the uniform was definitely different from the others. The uniform doubtlessly still retained its cute feel, having kept its pink color

They had started from pink, and finally returned to pink. She felt that if they were going to use that uniform emphasize her selling points it would be a little forced.

“It seems blue and black really do suit you the most. But if we just obediently followed that train of thought, we wouldn't have a chance to dig deeper into your potential, and I can’t further make use of my genius. Regardless as to how it goes, as long as it is confined by some sort of trend, then that would be a defeat; one which I cannot accept. You have to make cuteness your objective, you must make that pink color your objective!”

“Please don’t just casually put out a motto like that.”

“But no matter what it’s one which I must always adhere to. It’s difficult, oh, it’s difficult.”

He didn’t look troubled at all; instead seeing the shop owner revealing an expression of utmost satisfaction at the new uniform Felli couldn’t say anything.

“Well then, everybody! From now on for the next week, we must all work hard, ok? You are warriors which have been chosen to protect the cute-ism ideals. In order to protect the cuteness in the world, you must show the customers your heartfelt smiles filled with bravery and hope… It’s also in order to protect what’s dear to you! What’s dear to you?”

“Of course, our pay!”

Just like this, with the dropping of the shop owner’s tears, the sales wars began.

<center>◇</center>

“Ok, ok, let me have a look at what the uniform has turned into.”

“Why did we have to come to a place like this?”

After training ended, Layfon was dragged here by Sharnid again.

This was the roof of some tall building. Layfon listlessly asked Sharnid who was lying on the water tank enhancing his vision with Internal-type Kei and looking toward the store.

“If I peeped at her from close up I’d probably piss Felli off, yeah?”

“So they say…”

“Even if it’s her, she probably wouldn’t be using psychokinesis while she’s at work.”

“No, that’s not what I’m trying to say.”

“If anything diverges from the plan, then I’ll lose all the money I put into the bet.”

“You bet on something again?”

“Of course, that’s why I prepared the ultimate weapon.”

“And the ultimate weapon refers to…?”

“Well, you’ll see.”

Sharnid dragged Layfon over by the neck, and Layfon used his Kei unwillingly and looked across to the Cafe.

The store was filled with people.

In the midst of it all, girls wearing pink uniforms rushed back and forth.

Of the people who were sitting in the cafe, the majority of them were pretty much male students in uniform. Their eyes were glowing as they looked towards the girls in the pink uniforms.

And out of all the girls, the male students were all looking towards Felli.

Felli, wearing a custom uniform, wore the same cold expression on her face as she carried the plates back and forth. After placing their meals in front of the stunned customers, she left without a shred of warmth in her expression.

Even so, all the male customers in the store were completely satisfied.

“How is it?”

“That…”

“I have no idea how to describe this situation” thought Layfon.

Felli was the same as always with a cold, featureless expression. What was more striking was an annoyed look as if she had been forced to do this reflected on her doll-like face. Even though she should be very nervous at carrying all those dishes around, yet…

“It seems like you still don’t get it” said Sharnid as he shook his head.

“It doesn't matter that she doesn't provide a very welcome service. Look, see all those girls around her who are attending to the customers’ every need? Look at them all, all smiling the same smile, and even the girls who are a even a little cute just get buried under the whole group. No matter how much prettier Felli is she would probably be the same, buried by the rest of the girls. That’s the result of the uniforms. Wearing the same uniforms, doing the same things and saying the same words, it will always bury a person’s individuality to an extent. The only people who could tell all those waitresses apart would be the waitresses themselves. But Felli is different. She’s definitely wearing the same systematic uniform, but the impression she makes is different to the rest of them. And on top of that the other girls are obviously treating the guests enthusiastically. ‘What’s wrong with her?’ is probably what most of the people are thinking when they see her. As long as you give them this kind of an impression, you’ve won. She’s already a lot prettier than the rest, making other people wishing they could see her smile. Not the smile she uses to greet the customers. Her real smile.”

Her real smile.

Speaking of which, Layfon hasn’t ever seen it either.

“Senpai, you...have you seen Felli-Senpai smiling before?”

“No. She already has a fan club, and the people there haven’t caught her honestly smiling either. But there are heaps of people who are willing to pay a lot of money for a picture of her smiling.”

“Speaking of which, what’s in that box?”

Beside Sharnid, there was a box which he could carry over his shoulder.

“That’s a telescopic camera which I borrowed from the people in the Newspaper Club.”

“You’re trying to get pictures too.”

“Naturally” said Sharnid confidently, leaving Layfon sighing in resignation.

Just like that, he unconsciously probed the area around him.

“How do I say it, there seems to be a lot of people around here.”

“They are the members of the fan club. Damn, they really are quick. If it’s like this, even if it’s a smile out of professional duty, it’ll have to do.”

Sharnid anxiously got the camera out of the box and proceeded to get into position. In that position, he looked like a sniper who had already locked onto his target.

“No matter what, I must take a photo of her smiling.”

Seeing Sharnid erase his presence completely with his external-type Kei right in front of him, Layfon tilted his head, using internal-type Kei to boost his aural sensory organ, or more commonly known as an ear, and listened for any changes.

With a clang, the dishes that were originally on the tray fell out in front of Felli. The spaghetti bolognaise was tipped all over the floor, and the sauce spilt out with it. The empty tray fell onto the floor spinning, going sha-ra sha-ra.

The waitresses who saw this immediately began to apologize successively, and Felli turned her head looking over her shoulder behind her.

Somebody had pushed Felli from behind her, making her lose her balance and drop the meal.

But as she turned her head to look back, there wasn’t anyone near her.

(She must have been set up)

The person who pushed Felli form behind vanished just like that, during the instant when Felli’s concentration was broken by the fallen dishes.

(Was it on purpose? Who?)

“Hey, aren’t you even going to apologize?”

While she was looking for some person who had already vanished, an angry voice cut in. It came from a guest who was on the table beside Felli whose uniform was splattered with oily dots from the sauce.

“You don’t even check if you had splattered that on anyone, how the hell are you treating customers?”

The waitress who was holding onto the mop froze in confusion.

That person was wearing a Military Artist’s uniform, and the expression on his face was doubtlessly one of fury.

The store suddenly quieted down.

“My most sincere apologies.”

Felli lowered her head.

“If you want to apologize, then get rid of this filth on me.”

Felli lowered her head, listening to that person’s words, and she immediately realized that that person wasn’t really angry.

It was all an act.

As she noticed this, Felli immediately checked the feelings on her hips. The sword belt wasn’t there. Of course, she didn’t have her Dite rod hidden anywhere either. Realizing that she was about to teach that person a lesson, Felli remembered what she was here to do.

(Since she was taking care of a customer, she couldn’t do that)

“Hey, say something.”

“I’m extremely sorry.”

Just like that, she lowered her head and repeated those same words. She couldn’t think of anything else to say.

“Aiyayaya, we’re very sorry Customer-san.”

The store owner spoke in an extremely high pitched voice as if to ward off the awkwardness of the situation, quickly appeared in front of Felli.

“We are very sorry. We’ll pay for the cleaning. The dishes will be free as well, so please forgive us.”

“I don’t want to hear this.”

“Eh?! Aiya, then what?”

The customer moved in front of Felli with difficulty as she had been pushed aside by the store manager who was acting as if he were lamenting.

“As soon as I came in here I felt unsatisfied. Everyone is pretentiously doing work in front of the customers and there isn’t a single sincere smile here. It really pisses me off.”

That was actually a very appropriate statement. However, she didn’t lose her calm but instead felt a cutting pain on her skin.

Felli was also very self-conscious about the fact that she couldn’t smile properly. When she was practicing with the store owner, she felt that even if she didn’t’ smile very often, she should still be able to do it. She was quite shocked herself.

“I’m extremely sorry.”

But, right now, the problem wouldn’t just go away after laughing a little. And he couldn’t even put on a smiling expression anyway.

Felli just kept her head lowered for the whole time.

“I’m sorry.”

In the resting room Felli lowered her head as she apologized to the store owner.

“It’s okay~~this kind of thing is pretty common in this business” said the store owner, light-heartedly dismissing the apology with a wave of his hand.

That customer had left after taking the money for cleaning his clothes. Felli was allowed to have a short break, which is why she was in this resting room, which doubled as a change room for the girls that worked here.

Felli stared at the spiralling pattern that spread across the tea cup in the store owner’s hand.

“...I really wasn’t suited to do things like serving the customers.”

There wasn’t a single time where she revealed her true smile. All she did the whole time was listen to the customers’ conversations closely. “In that kind of a situation, what would Karian have done?” thought Felli. He would probably deal with a perfectly. No, her brother would never let the customer get angry in the first place.

But Felli couldn’t do it. And she was completely lost on what to do.

“Well...I had thought that dealing with the customers would have been the easiest job, but I hadn’t considered suitability for the role.”

“Then...”

“But, I don’t think you’re not suited to the role.”

“Eh??”

“You quickly memorized the entire menu and when you deliver the dishes there aren’t any excess movements. And it’s not like you’re completely unable to treat the customer nicely, so there’s no way anyone could tell you were a newbie.”

She never thought that she would be praised, and Felli started feeling dazed about all this.

“But it’s a pity, we still can’t increase the number of customers that way.”

When he put it like that, for some reason Felli suddenly felt calm again.

“Well, if you went to the other stores, there are probably some waitresses who aren’t too friendly either. The issue here isn’t whether or not you’re suited to the job, this is the customer service business. There aren’t any real qualifications required, and in a job like this, screwing up is part of the business as well.”

“Ha....”

“But you’re not really getting stressed over this right?” The store owner continued “I’ve got many military artist friends, and most of the psychokinesists are all people who aren’t very good at expressing themselves, right? Even though us commoners don’t really understand, but those friends told me, that when the psychokinesists are using Nen-I, in order to sharpen their senses, they will normally cut off their responses from their physical body.”

She kind of understood the meaning behind these words. While using psychokinesists to gather enormous amounts of information, if their bodies reacted to all of the information they received it would waste a large amount of time. So in order to prevent this kind of reaction, the brain limited the amount of information sent to the nervous system in the body.

If that repeated continuously over time, the result would be the same as how Felli was now.

Whether it be shock, anger or grief...and even laughter, all of those emotions are processed within the brain, and thus Felli became an emotionless doll.

“But that’s something that must be fixed. In reality, right now, my friend can finally begin to smile again. I think that if you want to express yourself properly, it’s definitely not impossible.”

“Is...that true?”

“Of course, I guarantee you.”

“... The store owner’s promise seems somewhat unreliable.”

“Hey, that was too far.”

“But, I’m extremely grateful to you.”

“Ara? What’s wrong?”

“I don’t know if I’ve figured out where my goal is. I was just thinking that a person already assigned to the Military Arts department who is unable to read the atmosphere and regretted it might exist.”

The store owner tilted his head, looking at Felli, and Felli felt that the gloomy atmosphere had gotten somewhat more relaxed, and her facial expressions recovered likewise. After bidding the store owner good day, Felli left the resting room.

“…That really scared me,” muttered the store owner to himself as he spaced out in the resting room. “Really, that child can smile too. If she practiced a little more, she could do a professional smile as well…ah…but it’ll be impossible by this week. And I don’t know if that child will still work here after this.”

The store owner’s inner musings never reached Felli’s ears.

<center>◇</center>

“Was that ok?”

A little distance away from the store in a nearby alleyway stood the man from before. He was looking uncomfortably at his surroundings as he flattened out his tie.

“You did it very well,” said a girl, wearing a bright pink Café Mira costume. “If a perfect girl with such a noble air to her resigned, Café Mira’s customers would definitely be reduced. Even if she doesn’t resign, it would take away a lot of her enthusiasm. If we do this another two, three times, then that Onee-san will definitely not be able to take it anymore.”

“But is this ok? Isn’t that where you work?”

“Yeah, it’s fine. I’m starting to get annoyed with that boring shop owner cause of how long I’ve been here. And I hate how he has us wear these idiotic clothes. If you can do it well, you’ll get paid for your acting fees.”

This waitress had accepted the bribe of a rival to Café Mira. In today’s competitive market, buying people out was perfectly natural, but amidst all that, transactions such as these occur quietly in the background.

This is also something which the Commerce Department was worried might happen.

“Anyway, it’s about time to get these clothes off. It wouldn’t be good if other people recognized me.”

“What? Cause it’ll make other people think you enjoy Cosplaying?”

At this moment, they heard a new voice.

“So that’s how it is, huh? Well, I knew it would be like this anyway…”

“Who is it…”

“Who cares who I am. To appear in a situation like this, I must be a hero of justice, right? Do you understand your position?”

Sharnid stood there, looking like he was blocking the way to the exit of the lane.

“Che. Seventeenth Platoon.”

“That’s how it is.”

Sharnid snickered at the slowly retreating boy.

“What’re you doing? What do you want with us?” shouted the waitress.

Sharnid shrugged his shoulders. “Well…if it was just me, it wouldn’t really be a problem. But there someone else who wants to have a little chat with you guys.”

“Huh?”
After hearing Sharnid’s words, the other two finally noticed.

“You should be feeling your backs getting cold about now. Although I’m surprised at how relaxed you guys are, how do you feel now?”

It was as if there was a gale behind them.

They gingerly turned around, and standing there was…

“.....................”

Stunned to silence, the two just stood there rigidly like corpses.

Layfon was standing behind them.

Gazing at them, silently.

He wasn’t holding anything in his hands, but his dite was clearly hung on his hip-belt for all to see. It felt like he could whip it out in an instant.

“Speaking of which…you guys were talking about some very interesting things. That it wouldn’t be good for people who know you to recognize you. Can you tell us why you would be troubled by that?”

“What…What do you want? It’s got nothing to do with you.”

“Well… it doesn’t have anything to do with us, but…”

There was a very quite knocking sound. It was the sound of Layfon tapping the Dite with his fingers.

Da… Da… Da… The sounds reverberated through the small alleyway with rhythm.

“Did you know? There’s a rule, specifically dealing with duels between Military Artists in the student handbook. Well, if we did this in public, we would break the rule, but if you reject others’ challenges, it’s a sort of disgrace to a Military Artist. It’s not easy to reject another’s challenge.”

As he said this, Sharnid slowly pulled out the student handbook.

“Let me see, ok? Let, see… Let see…If there’s to be a duel between Military Artists on school grounds, you must first apply to the student council for permission, and after verification of the two student’s identities, the duel is to take place at a specified arena. The weapons must comply with the Academy City’s regulations…etc. etc.”

He closed the student handbook with a slap.

“So, you’ll have to wait until our trump card decides to apply for a duel before this can proceed. If you piss him off, even just a little, then you’ll no longer get to speak reason to him. So let me tell him.”

Da. Da. Da. The sound was continuing.

Seeing the paling boy, Sharnid continued.

“So, what do you say?”

“W-w-w-wait a sec, I, I’m not really a Military Artist, I’ve only just worn this uniform for a little while. Duels or whatever, just spare me!”
“Then that makes it very difficult for us. That’s obviously against the rules. Then… about the uniform, it’s the proof of what kind of student you are, and if there’s no valid reason to be wearing another type of uniform then you’ll have to receive punishment. It says here.”

“It’s much better than a duel.”

As the male student lamented he took off his Military Artist’s uniform and threw it onto the floor.

Da…The sound stopped.

The boy looked relieved as he collapsed in a heap onto the floor.

“Hmm… I guess it’s ok like that as well. Then we’re done over here, but not quite yet over there, eh?”

“What are you going to do?”

The blanching waitress looked down upon Sharnid with a belittling expression.

“This guy wearing a Military Artist’s uniform has absolutely nothing to do with me.”

“Woah, acting like you don’t know him already?”

“What are you talking about, acting? I obviously don’t know him.”

“Well, if you want to take this approach it’s fine as well. Then how did she drop all those dishes and spill it over a customer’s trousers?”

“It was her mistake, I suppose.”

It seems she was going to pretend she didn’t hear what the other boy had said previously… No, she was insisting that she didn’t even speak to the boy.

Of course, Layfon and Sharnid both knew Felli, so you could say they were protecting one of their own people and lying.

“No, that’s not such a simple problem.”

As he said this, he took out the camera.

“I prepared this baby to catch a Kodak moment, but instead it caught a different moment instead”

“Che…”

“I got the decisive shot. We haven’t broken the student rules by doing this…at least we shouldn’t have. Anyway, if the Commerce Department catch wind of some bad rumors, it might be pretty difficult to find any jobs in the future.”

“……………”

Looking at the silent waitress, Sharnid gave Layfon a signal with his eyes, telling him what to do.

But Layfon didn’t reply either.

The blood rushing to his head was genuine; him getting pissed off wasn’t an act either, but to push a girl in a dilemma to make a choice still seemed low.

And it wasn’t their place to deal with this girl either.

If he still forced her to make a decision, it would seem a little excessive.

If they were officially questioned, it would actually be Layfon and Sharnid who wouldn’t be able to answer.

“…Really, what the hell are you guys doing?”

Hearing a tired, sigh, Layfon and Sharnid’s bodies both shivered from the surprise.

“Oh, Felli-Chan. Are you well?”

“Of course. I’m having a wonderful time working at some brilliant store somebody recommended to me.”

“Wahh… but isn’t that obviously displeasure in your voice?”

“And on top of that, you make someone your money tree?”

As she said this, Felli walked up to Sharnid and pulling the camera off him and took out the memory card in an instant.

“I’m confiscating this.”

“That memory card has a huge storage capacity, and it was pretty expensive. Can you return it to me afterwards?”

“Denied.”

Hearing this, Sharnid powerlessly lowered his head.

Ignoring Sharnid’s reaction, Felli stood in front of the waitress.

“What are you doing?” The girl looked at Felli with contempt and provocation.

Felli brought down her palm with a lot of force.

The sound didn’t seem to match with the small lane…or rather, it was a huge noise you would expect to find on busy highways, reverberating in that tiny side street.

“Hmph.”

“Ah….”

The sound was so loud it left Layfon and Sharnid stunned for a moment.

“Well, with that, your debt to me has gone away quite easily; I’ll just leave you to the store owner and let him deal with you.”

Saying that, Felli stared steadily at her and walked past Sharnid, quickly returning to the store.

The four people behind her watched her leave, stunned.

<center>◇</center>

It was already deep into the night.

The shift was over, and Felli came out from the store.

When she looked up, she saw a familiar person standing in front of her.

“You were here.”

Layfon stood under a lamppost near the store.

“Yeah, well…”

“…Could it be that you’ve been waiting here for the whole time?”

“No, even for me that would be too…”

“No willpower?”

“Eeehh?”

As Felli finished speaking, she didn’t even stop and left, and Layfon chased after her.

I’ll walk you home.

“Of course you will. You’ve been waiting for so long, so of course you would.”

And just like that, they continued to walk silently. But she still felt conscious about Layfon, who was walking behind her just out of her
peripheral vision.

His expression at that time was the exact opposite of that when he was fighting Filth Monsters; it really made people want to sigh. It was like a child throwing a fit… Felli sighed.

“Really, thanks for before.”

“No…I’m sorry, I just when ahead and did something unnecessary.”

“You were really pissed off, weren’t you? I could feel your killing intent from all the way inside the store.” At that time, as Felli was repenting on her actions, she had already felt Layfon’s killing intent. “Looking at you threatening those two people, you seemed pretty happy to me.”

“No, that was all Sharnid-senpai’s idea.”

“Why were you so angry?”

“That…It seems I really can’t bear to see my friends being bullied.”

She had guessed it was probably something like this much earlier, and her expectations for any other reasons were disappointing.

“Well…that’s just how you are.”

“And besides…” As if countering Felli’s words, Layfon began to say something. “I also wanted to help senpai…Felli try out things other than being a psychokinesist.”

He whispered this at a barely audible volume to himself, surprising Felli so much that she couldn’t catch her breath.

(This person really is…)

She wanted to live a life outside that of a Nen-I user.

Her brother knew that Felli had this dream. Other than him there was only Layfon.

(He really is…He really is…He really is…!)

Nobody else, knew; only Layfon. She never even told her captain, Nina, and this man she did tell didn’t even understand the meaning behind it.
But at that time, she didn’t know what kind of expression to put on.

He was cheering for me, worrying about me, it really makes me happy…

But Layfon, who knew of her dream, didn’t recognize the deeper meaning to this dream at all, and his slowness really made Felli angry.

Now, how was she going to show both those expressions at once…

(Right now, she was completely lost on what expression to use.)

“Fine, I’m going home!” Felli loudly ended the conversation, and continued on forward and as she confirmed the sounds of Layfon’s chasing footsteps. She walked a little bit faster.

Chrome Shelled Regios:Volume7 Chapter1

2010-02-22T09:08:20Z

ZaX: /* Chapter 1: Either way, I won’t say it */

===Chapter 1: Either way, I won’t say it===

In the end, nothing was explained about the disappearance of Nina Antalk, how she returned and the time she was away when Zuellni went on a rampage. It must have been because of the Haikizoku. It wasn’t that hard for Naruki to figure out. She understood the gist of things when she fought the 10th platoon. Some strange existence that resembled an animal had possessed Dinn Dee, and the leader of the Salinvan Guidance Mercenary Gang, Haia, had called it the Haikizoku. An electronic Fairy of a ruined city that held a heart full of hatred against filth monsters. It gave its power to strong-willed Military Artists. An insane Electronic Fairy.

Dinn hadn’t resisted that power, and he now lay in the hospital, his consciousness gone. He had the strong will to protect the city but he didn’t have strength to realise his dream. He had taken illegal drugs to strengthen his Kei vein, and he was then possessed and controlled by the Haikizoku. A real pity.

But the current Naruki could now understand Dinn’s feelings. Zuellni going on a rampage had greatly saddened her. The reason behind the numerous filth monster attacks was a secret to many people, but Naruki, having entered the 17th platoon, saw Layfon’s reaction. When he heard news of Nina’s disappearance, that reaction of his wasn’t just simple anxiety. He hadn’t gone to school, and when Naruki occasionally ran into him, all she saw was tiredness on his face. He didn’t even have the strength to cover up his exhaustion.

In the days when Nina wasn’t around, Naruki directly felt the power of Layfon and those who were on about the same level as him. They weren’t afraid even when they were facing filth monsters head-on. Layfon continued to fight with an overwhelming power. And because Naruki was assigned with him, she saw the intensity of his fighting and his exhaustion.

Naruki had participated in two fights against filth monsters since the time the Student President had called all students together. During the first time, she had received the order for Zuellni to retreat. A filth monster that could speak human languages had appeared and quickly disappeared like lightning. The second time was when Nina returned. Naruki was given the assignment to stop a filth monster’s movements. That action of binding the filth monster for one short moment was extremely important, and it also took everything Naruki had to execute. Whereas Layfon managed to fight countless number of filth monsters and destroy most of them at the same time.

Dinn must have felt this sense of impotence a long time ago, the impotence that Naruki had felt in battle. Hence, in order to reach his goal, Dinn had to train himself daily and endlessly……. To the point of using Kei vein drugs and ending up bringing himself a sad ending.

Naruki wouldn’t choose his path. Besides, she belonged to the City Police. Her wish was to graduate and join the Police Force in her home city. Witnessing Dinn’s end, an end that failed to protect anything, had deepened Naruki’s denial of Dinn’s chosen path. She wouldn’t take his road because she didn’t have the confidence to see a different ending.

Zuellni’s rampage stopped on the day of Nina’s return. Thinking of how Zuellni went on a rampage on the day of Nina’s disappearance………

(The Captain knows something.)

And….. Naruki also thought of the Haikizoku. It must be linked to Zuellni’s past condition. Perhaps the Haikizoku’s hatred against filth monsters had caused Zuellni to lose control and head for filth monsters. No matter how bad the Haikizoku was, no matter how mad it was, it was in essence an Electronic Fairy.

(The Captain must have done something in the day when she was missing.)

A wave of cheering spread out in the sports hall, pulling Naruki back to reality.

It hadn’t been a week since the wave of filth monster attacks. An audience stand was built in the sports hall, since the hall was also used by other societies. Naruki came here today to cheer in a certain competition.

“Ah, the White team has won two rounds,” Harley said in quiet despair.

“The White team does have the advantage at first, but it’s about time…..” Sharnid called as he watched the arena.

Layfon, Felli and Dalshena were also here. The groups of people among the audience stand watching the fight were all platoon members or people related to the platoons.

Nina was in the arena.

“But what’s the point of holding a match at this hour? I haven’t heard of such an activity before,” Dalshena said, cheering for the Red team.

Nina was waiting to enter the match as the 7th member of the Red team. All Captains from the 1st to the 17th platoon were fighting in an elimination match in Red and White teams. Without the Captain of the 10th platoon, the count of the remaining Captains numbered 16. Naturally, the captain of the Red team was Vance, and the position for captain of the White team fell on Gorneo. The rest of the captains drew lots to determine the order of their matches. The choice of the lead attacker was decided by the rank of previous platoon matches. And the result of who went on which team came about by nothing but chance.

“Well, let’s just call this the festival to the conclusion of the platoon matches.”

“Just for that? They have time for this when time is all we don’t have.”

“There must be some consideration behind it, for example, assigning whom to what position……….”

“Didn’t we already know that during platoon matches……..”

The conversation between Sharnid, Dalshena and Harley quieted down after the signal sounded for the match to begin.

Naruki looked at Layfon. She didn’t feel any doubt from him about the matches. His tension was gone. Instead, he now saw at ease like his usual self as he observed the progress of the match. It felt that he was more at ease now because Nina had returned safely. Totally different from before. Naruki wasn’t sure whether her speculation was right. He had just returned to the Layfon that she knew……. He was like that originally. Too bothered by how unusual he had become, Naruki had forgotten what his usual self was like. She had lost confidence in her memory.

(Does Layfon know?)

Did he know why Nina disappeared and how Nina returned? And did the people sitting beside him know too? Felli and everyone else. Did they notice anything? Or did they already know something? Was Naruki the only person left out in the team? Her strength was the weakest in the platoon. She still found it unbelievable that she was wearing a platoon badge, so she wouldn’t find it strange if they kept her in the dark.

The match had entered its second half while she was deep in thought. It was finally time for Nina to fight. The Red team’s third participant had stopped the team from gaining a third loss. Nina now had to fight against the White team’s 7th participant. That person was the captain of the 14th platoon Shin Kaiha.

“Hoho, it’s my first time to cross blades with you after the platoon match.”

“Please look after me.”

“I remember you trained with me daily when you first joined the platoon. What a tiring new member………”

That was before the 17th platoon was formed. Shin wasn’t yet a captain, and as a senpai in the 14th platoon, he helped with Nina’s training. Shin was the same as the captain of the 14th platoon back then. They liked to help people. That was why nobody objected to his becoming the captain. And Nina had thought she would follow him. Not only did Shin look after his juniors, but he was also powerful in strength. In truth, the 14th platoon ranked the third on the chart.

“Oh yes, I heard a talent scout had contacted Uinsu. I’m a bit envious. Who knows what he’d do.”

Uinsu was the captain of the 3rd platoon. It seemed a talent scout had contacted him before the 3rd platoon fought the 16th platoon.

“But I think they actually want you more. If you’re serious, the captain of the White team might get tense.”

The ranking of platoon matches determined the captain of the teams. Gorneo’s 4th platoon defeated Shin’s 14th platoon in the match. Shin’s words meant that Nina had a chance to win against Gorneo.

“Thanks for your evaluation, but……….”

She was happy of his evaluation. And it meant much to her since it came from Shin.

“But………. I’m prouder of being a member of the 17th platoon.”

Shin smiled bitterly, “Nina really is Nina. Well then, let’s begin.”

“Yes.”

The match began.

Keeping a distance from Shin, Nina crossed the iron whips before her. Shin’s weapon was a sword. A thin blade that was made for the advantage of its speed. Kei enveloped Shin and ran into the blade. A Safaiadite was good with conductivity whereas a Rubidite was good as a tool for creating Karenkei. As for the last Dite of the three – its quality determined by the amount of black annoy in it – the Emeraldite was best at gathering Kei.

Shin turned the blade upward to point at Nina. It was a posture that Nina was familiar with.

(He wants to win with one move.)

His upper body seemed to lean inward as his hands embraced the handle of the sword for a sudden stab………

Here it came. External Kei variation – Tenha. A move that released the Kei gathered on one point in the blade.

“Uh……”

(Can’t avoid it!)

In a swift second of judgment, Nina ran Kei through her entire body. Internal Kei variation – Kongoukei. A move that gathered Kei in the targeted area to bounce off the attack. A high level defensive move that required accurate judgment.

The external Kei rushed past the iron whips to hammer her chest.

“Wu………” Nina moaned, unable to cancel the entire impact of Shin’s attack.

“………..” Shin silently observed her reaction. He usually talked a lot, but he had turned solemn the moment he stepped into battle. This side of him remained unchanged.

(But that attack………..)

A chill ran down her back.

She could evade that attack when she was in the 14th platoon and in the platoon match. But Shin had dealt an attack today that had far exceeded the speed that Nina had known.

(Has Senpai become so strong in such a short time?)

The attack she received could have ended the match if she hadn’t learnt the technique of Kongoukei from Layfon. She didn’t even have spare time to counterattack. But Shin’s attack did have a weak point.

(It takes too long to gather the Kei. He won’t make it in close combat.)

Sure, his speed and power had increased, but he had spent too much time gathering Kei.

Nina ran to attack Shin’s side. She would be using a move that everyone acknowledged as her special move.

(I’ll show you how much I’ve grown!)

Shin blocked her first attack that swung down from the upper right, causing him to move a step to his right. Instead of following tradition and defending her chest with the left iron whip, Nina took advantage of force rebounded from Shen’s defense and shot forth with her left fist. Shin backed off a few steps. There was a smell of something being burnt mixed into the air, a smell of the clash of a Dite and protein…… Shin’s fringe had been burnt.

Nina didn’t stop. Taking the advantage, she shortened the distance between them. Shin backed off a little and leapt forward within a very short distance. He executed a second Tenha before his feet touched ground.

(So fast!)

Then why did he spend so long preparing for his first attack? Was it a trap? But Nina didn’t have to time to ponder that now. Her opponent had a strong defense and an impenetrable attacking power. But Nina did what she always did. Step forward! Judging that Shin’s Tenha wasn’t as powerful as before, she put all her strength on the counterattack. No Kongoukei.

The assault coming from her left caused pain on her cheek as if her face had been split apart. But she did feel from her right wrist that she had hit something.

“Uh………” Shin sat down in front of her as the judge called out her victory.

“Ah, my trick didn’t work,” Shin stood up, swaying, his hand on his injured shoulder.

“You’ve become strong………. Is it because of them?” he looked at the 17th platoon in the audience stand.

“Yeah,” Nina nodded proudly.

Naruki relaxed. Harley shouted in excitement. Layfon smiled.

“Ha, beautifully done.”

“Shin’s Tenha is used for medium distance attack. Drawing close to him is the correct strategy.”

Having heard Sharnid and Dalshena’s conversation, Naruki turned to Layfon in a small voice. “Is that right?”

“Yes. Looking at his posture, I think he can shoot even faster. His steps are also firm. If the Captain chose to defend then there’d have been quite a distance between them.”

“I see………”

Layfon explanation helped her to understand the comments of the other two.

“But I don’t know whether the Captain did think of it.”

“Ah?”

“It’s hard to suddenly change your tactic. It’s the same for your opponent. The Captain’s just chosen the method she’s best at. The captain of the 14th platoon must have abandoned his original methods in favor of trying out a new tactic. Otherwise, his change of strength shouldn’t fluctuate that much.”

Dalshena thought Nina’s quick decision was the key to the victory, but Layfon thought Nina’s lack of hesitation to shorten the distance between them was it.

“Powerful strength doesn’t guarantee the winning of a match, especially with the Captain.”

As he finished his sentence, the announcement came for the next match. This time Nina’s opponent was the captain of the White team, Gorneo Luckens.

(Does that strength come from the Haikizoku?...........)

Everyone could tell Nina had become stronger. Her growth didn’t come from a step by step training. Naruki knew before she joined the platoon. Most of the platoons had extra training besides the regular training sessions. She had seen some people faint by training too much, and she knew Layfon had accompanied Nina with her training. The result of this match was proof of Nina’s training.

………. Was it really related to the Haikizoku? Nina had stopped Zuellni’s rampage………. Didn’t that mean she could use the power of the Haikizoku?

(Is this too premature a conclusion?)

Her speculation was possible, but where was the Haikizoku if that wasn’t the case? Whom should Naruki ask……. And who can give her an answer? And should she know of this? The management of Dinn left a question for her: What could she change even if she knew the truth? Who could have stopped Dinn if the Salinvan Guidance Mercenary Gang and Layfon weren’t here?

(But…….)

She couldn’t just leave everything. Otherwise it was possible for Zuellni to go on a rampage again. It wasn’t right to ignore the danger.

(Because normal people like Mei-chan and Mi-chan are in this city……)

The huge noise in the sports hall once again called her attention to reality.

Both of them moved at the sound of the signal.

Gorneo was the next blockiest person after Vance. One could feel the pressure just with him standing before you. The feeling of a difference of skill and physique would have defeated Nina if she let Gorneo’s aura overtake her.

(In that case!)

Nina leapt forward as Gorneo moved towards her, pulling close the distance between them. Gorneo held a fist in front of his chest, and his fist seemed to look so much bigger than his body.

(Karenkei!)

The left fist suddenly expanded. No, it was already here.

“Uh……”

No time to evade! Nina could only block it with her right iron whip. A huge impact. The shrill sound of metal clashing. The heat of Gorneo’s Kei brushed past her face.

(The right!)

No time to breathe. Gorneo’s right fist gave an even heavier blow on her left iron whip. She originally intended to swing the whip down from top to bottom, but the impact of his fist had guided her force to another direction, causing her to lose her balance and fall forward. Gorneo never once stopped. He moved to Nina’s side like wind. Nina didn’t even have the time to stand straight as she felt the rush of an attack behind her – a kick that could easily break a thick tree trunk. She leapt away with Kongoukei, using the momentum of her leap to touch ground and roll to her feet.

(I almost lost……..)

But her opponent wasn’t without a weakness. Gorneo was readying his stance for a more powerful move. Nina stood quite a distance from him but she could still feel the pressure of Kei building up in him. It appeared the next move would be decisive.

(What kind of a move is it?)

Gorneo’s weapons were his limbs. Karenkei was a Kei technique that aided the four limbs in using rich variations of Kei. A technique that maximized the potential of close combat fight. However, this didn’t mean one couldn’t deal Gorneo a direct attack.

The air called. Another left fist lashed out. It shouldn’t be able to reach Nina from that distance.

(Huh……)

But she did feel the heavy blow on the iron whips crossed before her.

(External Kei?)

External Kei, the type of Kei that was famous for its destructive power. It was a simple release of power rather than a technique. Usually, Military Artists who had trained in the use of Kei could execute that move. The difference was only down to how large a scale that move would be. A normal platoon member couldn’t have released external Kei that could touch Nina at this distance.

The sound of something cutting through the air and chaotic airflow should have accompanied Gorneo’s move, but all Nina felt was the sudden impact on her weapons.

(As if I physically took his fist. Why?.......)

Gorneo attacked again while she was thinking. She evaded to her right.

(Ah……..)

A heavy blow on her right side. Her knees buckled and she kneeled down!

“External type Kei variation – Jaryu.”

“Huh?” Naruki looked at Layfon. “You know of it?”

“I’ve seen it before, but the person who made that move was stronger.”

“What move is it? It seems different from the usual external Kei………” Dalshena gave her head a light shake.

Gorneo hadn’t moved from his position. His dealt his blows as of a fighter training with a dummy. People could hear the sound of wind caused by his movements, but they saw no traces of any external Kei being released.

“That’s Karenkei. The Captain’s tangled in small threads of Kei. Gorneo’s Kei finds her through those threads.”

“Threads………?” Sharnid squinted and increased his vision with internal Kei. Naruki also did the same but couldn’t quite make it out.

“Ah, you’re right. There is something?”

“Yeah? So if she can see those threads, then she can see through Gorneo’s attacks.”

“Oh……….”

Everytime Gorneo swung his fist, Nina’s body shook. It seemed this really had something to do with the Kei threads.

“The Captain probably knows, so she’s using Kongoukei to cancel the impact.”

“But she can’t wiggle out like that. Same for Gorneo. He’ll be fighting Vance next, so he should be preserving his strength. It’s disadvantageous to drag out the fight.”

“True, though Kongoukei takes more strength than Jaryu…….. I see, he’s only using four threads to preserve his strength. He should be able to manage more.”

“Just four?”

“The person I knew could control far more but changes would occur to the threads. Gorneo’s move would be useless if we can tell how it’s done.”

“Can you use that move?”

“Yes, but I’d end up using extra strength because I’m not trained in the use of Karenkei. Besides, the speed isn’t as fast as using the steel threads. Putting one’s strength through the Kei threads isn’t much but it’s very tiring to use that effect to cut.”

Layfon explained in a natural manner. He really did know a lot. A little bit shocked, Naruki observed his face and saw him squinting at the match.

“But if Gorneo’s left something up his sleeves, then he’s underestimating the Captain. I already taught her two different ways to control Kei.”

Naruki returned her gaze to the match. Nina was still stuck with the iron whips crossed before her chest.

“Since she knows the enemy’s position, she can adjust the Kongoukei to reduce the amount of Kei she uses. In that sense, she can defend with Kongoukei while gathering her Kei. If she wants to break this stalemate, no, if she targets her opponent, the Kei she’s stored up will come into play.”

Naruki couldn’t see the flow of Kei that Layfon was talking about but she did see that Nina was shining faintly, and that light was getting denser and denser.

(Time to counterattack.)

As Layfon had said, Nina was slowly adjusting her defense. The iron whips were still crossed but she had pulled back her right wrist and was pushing forward her left wrist inch by inch. The crouched legs spread.

Gorneo couldn’t have missed the changes that even Naruki could see. He stopped attacking. He pulled the right fist close to his body and began gathering his Kei. He wasn’t planning on winning the match with just one move. Since he had to fight Vance next, he was still preserving his strength. Still, he had to take Nina seriously. She was pouring all she had into her next attack. So what should he do? Evade it or attack it head-on?

While Gorneo had stopped his attack, Nina was using this chance to store up her Kei. The pressure of her Kei sent waves even to the audience stand. Naruki had seen this two times besides that time when she joined the platoon match. To Naruki, no one was better at Karenkei than Gorneo and Shante. Perhaps one to two other people could use it, but only Gorneo and Shante could use it in a real fight. She had heard of how difficult it was to learn Karenkei. Understanding the theory was not enough. One must be able to freely use it.

Nina moved. Her figure seemed to vanish in one split second, leaving only a path of light. External Kei variation – Raijin.

The sound was so huge as if the sports hall had exploded, as if lightning had hit the air shield above the city. Intense flashes of light burnt Naruki’s eyes. What’d happened? Naruki was dazed by that light. But the judge had declared Gorneo the victor.

“Gorneo’s seen through her,” Layfon said. “The Captain’s posture was too easy to read. It wasn’t a long distance move. Besides, according to the Captain’s personality, she wouldn’t have held back. Her only thought was a straight path. By understanding that, all Gorneo needed was to react by adjusting his power, speed and destructive force.”

External type Karenkei variation – Fuuja (Wind Snake). The move that had defeated Nina.

“In Grendan, any move with the word ‘snake’ in it means it isn’t an attack that takes a straight path. It wasn’t enough to take the Captain’s attack directly with a fist. The Kei released from Gorneo’s fist curved around the Captain’s body to hit the side of her stomach. That was what decided this match.”

“But the Captain’s speed was even outside Gorneo’s prediction.”

Vance won the next match.

“Gorneo blocked the Captain’s attack, but the impact of her attack has probably numbed his nervous system.”

The Red team won in the end. The platoon members cheered at their victory.

“Speaking of which, I never knew the Captain knew such a move. I didn’t see her use it in the platoon matches,” Naruki said.

“Ah………. She already understood the theory. She just wasn’t at the level where she could execute it.”

“What do you mean?”

“Low level Kongoukei looks good on the outside. A Raijin that got stuck between good and bad would be the same as a Whirl Kei. When used properly, Raijin involves a leveling up of speed. If one couldn’t use it well, might as well use Whirl Kei. That’s why she hasn’t used Raijin till now.”

Naruki fell back into her thoughts.

(If that’s the case, when was the Captain able to use the move in a real battle?)

Nina and Vance fought one and one in the last platoon match. She didn’t use Raijin back then. Didn’t have the chance? Or she couldn’t use it…..? If she couldn’t use it back then, then she must have obtained the key to use it in the time when she was missing.

(It really is the Haikizoku……….?)

Thinking on that, she missed Layfon’s mumbling.

“……….. I did teach her Raijin, but when was it?”

“So what were the elimination matches for, uh?”

After the matches, Vance thanked the captains for their hard work and dismissed them. It was still day time and they didn’t have classes. Nina announced they would continue training in the Training Complex.

“Confirmation of the strength of the captains,” Nina said. Naruki could tell how tired she was by looking at the way she walked.

Both Sharnid and Dalshena seemed to immediately understand Nina’s words.

“Ah, so that was done to determine which teams were to take on the infiltrating work?” Sharnid said.

“I see.”

“Throwing in too much would reduce the main team’s power. Too little would mean we couldn’t budge the enemy defense, so exactly how much……..”

“We’re sure that we need at least one platoon,” Dalshena cut in.

“Vance is the reserved kind of strategist,” Nina said. “He won’t consider attacking unless our defense is fully prepared. Under that situation, Gorneo and Shante would work as part of the defense team. As for the main fight and guarding power inside the city………. After fitting the defense, what’s left would be assigned to attack. That’d leave probably only one team.”

Although all captains were involved in the discussion of strategies, the final decision rested with the Captains of platoons 1-3: Vance, Goreno and Shin.

“In that case, a team with many problems like us won’t be chosen. If they work around us, that might reduce our main power. Rather than putting us in the main fight, it’s better to use the ‘wild pig surprise strategy’.”

“Who’s the wild pig?” Dalshena asked.

“The beautiful you that’s in front of me,” Sharnid said.

“……….. Just wait till we get to the Training Complex.”

Layfon smiled at their banter. Felli ignored them. No. Naruki noticed that Felli’s gaze flitted to Nina’s back. Her face remained expressionless but Naruki felt she had a question for Nina.

(Does she doubt?)

It wasn’t that unbelievable for Felli to doubt Nina. After all, she was the one supporting Nina when the Captain went missing. No. Everyone in this team had a question for her. Their Captain had gone missing. Dalshena and Naruki weren’t in the team for long but both of them were involved in the incident with the Haikizoku, and Naruki wouldn’t just sit and do nothing if this was related to the Haikizoku.

(It’s all right to find out?)

The others must have noticed something, but what if she found out? She couldn’t do anything in response. However, Naruki’s worry was taken care of when they reached the Training Complex.

“I have something to say to everyone,” Nina said seriously after they all entered the training room of the 17th platoon. “A lot has happened recently. This is the first time we can now gather together. I want to say this while we’re all here.”

Naruki stood behind the group, so she caught everyone’s reaction. They all tensed up at Nina’s words. The easy atmosphere was gone. And Naruki also noticed a certain someone had already asked Nina the question, but Nina probably waited till everyone was together.

Layfon’s expression was fairly stiff. He probably wanted to know what happened a long time ago, judging by his personality. And Nina’s reply, “wait”, made him wait till today. Did he wait because he trusted her or was he just pretending to be at ease…….. Either way, Layfon’s heavy feelings for Nina were real. He worried about her more than anyone else. He wanted to become her strength more than anyone else. It wouldn’t be too much to call that ‘love’ if he was a normal person.

(Then what does Layfon think?)

Naruki thought of Mei-Shen. She did her best to get close to Layfon, but the guy didn’t react. He didn’t push her away either. If the other person was schooled in the area of love, one could say Mei-Shen had been taken advantage of, but with Layfon, it probably was just clumsiness. And because it was Layfon, his feelings for Nina probably wasn’t just simple love. At least, he himself hadn’t realized.

(Why? I don’t feel good.)

A feeling that her knowledge in Military Arts couldn’t quite match his.

“On the day after the match with the first platoon, I received Layfon’s message and headed for the Mechanical Department. What I saw there………” Nina began to explain.

Lost, she had entered the very center of the Mechanical Department that no one had ever touched foot in. She saw Zuellni and the Haikizoku, both Electronic Fairies exuding something unusual about them. She wanted to protect Zuellni, but instead, the Haikizoku took possession of her.

“So that monster is inside you?” Dalshena howled. Naruki couldn’t tell whether it was tension or outrage.

“It is here, but I can’t control it, and it’s not controlling me.”

“……. What do you mean?”

“The Haikizoku’s sleeping. I don’t know when it’ll wake, but it hasn’t done me any harm for now.”

Questions filled Naruki’s head. Why did it sleep? How? Who put it to sleep?

“…….. And where did you go?” Sharnid said, scratching his head. “We didn’t find you anywhere in the city. The City Police did a search too but couldn’t find you. Where were you hiding? There wasn’t a trace of you.”

Zuellni was spacious enough to house thousands of people. It wasn’t an easy task to search everywhere. But Naruki knew the City Police managed it. They managed it under unbelievable conditions, yet they failed to find her. Meaning…..?

“……… I wasn’t in Zuellni.”

“Then where were you?”

Unbelievable. Somewhere outside Zuellni? Where? Humans couldn’t survive outside the city without protective gear. Was she in another city then? How did she get there? By roaming bus……… But how did she get back? No roaming buses came close to Zuellni during that time. And how come Nina had to get outside the city?

But she didn’t speak more. “Sorry, I can’t say any more.”

“Why?” Layfon asked quietly.

“No particular reason. Sorry, but I’m not just keeping this from you. I’m not saying anything to the Student President either. I won’t say it to anybody.”

Naruki’s gaze turned to Felli. The Student President’s younger sister showed no signs of reaction. She might have heard already with the Student President. And Nina was refusing to speak more no matter how hard the platoon members pushed her. The training after that was conducted with an embarrassing atmosphere.

Naruki arrived at the City Police office at dusk. After the conclusion to the fight with the filth monsters, everyone was participating in city-wide training in anticipation to the intercity match. Thanks to that, the number of Military Artists helping out the Police dropped drastically. Naruki was the same. Her time at the City Police had been cut.

“You don’t have to come,” Formed said, preparing his lesson.

She felt ashamed. “A case doesn’t choose when to happen.”

“Well, it does,” Formed said. He was seated at his desk with documents before him. “There are cases that only happen during this time, but there are also people who can’t move because of this time. Of course, there’re also those who choose not to do anything at this time.”

“Just say so if you need help.”

“Speaking of which, it really has been a long time since I got to sit down and do some paperwork,” Formed said, pleased, but his response lacked conviction.

Only Naruki and Formed were in the office. The few number of people who came to work might be napping in the Locker Room.

“…….. It isn’t that good to force the answer out of someone who doesn’t want to say anything about the secret?” Naruki said as she placed the cup of tea she made for Formed on the table.

Formed stopped tapping his finger on the desk and lifted his head to look at her.

“I want to find out why. Am I too spoiled?”

In the end, Layfon, Sharnid, Felli and Harley all gave up on making Nina tell her secret. Only Dalshena and Naruki still wanted to make her explain it. Sharnid and Harley in particular. Both of them immediately gave up asking more when Nina said she wouldn’t tell them.

“As a City Police officer……..”

“Eh?”

“As a City Police officer, I’d use any means to get to the bottom of things if it were to solve a case. But a secret. The person himself wouldn’t want anyone to know regardless of how boring it is to others. It really is difficult.”

“Yes………”

“But there’re two kinds of secrets. One that you can’t say to anyone else and one that you won’t spill a word of even if you’re to die for it. If it’s the latter then it won’t be easy to discover it. And a secret can be deep or shallow. Just like a basement. You can sometimes see to the depth of it from the entrance. There’s only so much hiding in there. But It might be a basement whose depth you can’t see through.”

“………..”

“If you want to see what’s inside, you can only go in. Do you have the assurance to make a full retreat?”

“Well………….”

“Preparation of the heart is needed to discover the secret of one who vows to keep it secret even in death. Can you then still fight alongside Nina without reservations?……. Well, if it’s a secret that a police officer must know, then let me shoulder it with you,” Formed said.

“Chief……….”

“Isn’t that what an organization is for?”

It wasn’t what Naruki had expected, but it sure suited Formed’s style.

<center>◇</center>

Cacophonous rumbling filled the Mechanical Department. How long ago had it been since she last worked here? Submerging her body in the noise? Sighing, Nina cleaned with the mop. Her body remembered that motion. What came next was just her consciousness. Her thoughts gradually left the floor and the tubes around her.

(That was correct?)

She recalled what happened in the Training Complex. It already took her everything to tell them about the Haikizoku…….. It should be right.

''You’ll get involved.'' Dixerio Maskane had said……… His words echoed in Nina’s ears. The Nina who first met the Wolf Faces and felt she had gotten caught in something. In truth, even Layfon might get caught in it if she took one wrong step.

Ignasis. Nina was now involved in the fight against that person. She still didn’t know exactly what this signified and she had no idea who else besides Dixerio was involved in this war. She also didn’t know which direction this fight was taking. She knew nothing. But at least she knew who the enemies were. Ignasis and the Wolf Faces. An organization whose members wore beast masks. Most of them had no real bodies, and they walked about like they were dead. Their number was increasing and they were building a network of “En” between cities. They had some conspiracy against the cities. And about the En between Myath and Senou City Sheniebel – Sheniebel was the place where Riggzario was, the device that gave birth to Electronic Fairies. The Wolf Faces’ true objective might be Riggzario.

Did Nina appear in Myath because she was born in Sheniebel? That alone wasn’t enough to draw that conclusion. Possessed by the Haikizoku and aided by Zuellni, she managed to safely return to Zuellni. The origin of all Electronic Fairies had helped her, and that original Electronic Fairy resided in the girl named Leerin. Leerin had a guardian called Savaris, and the Wolf Faces had called him a Heaven’s Blade successor.

The man knew Layfon. He seemed to have fought him too.

(What more can I say?)

If Leerin really was Layfon’s childhood friend, Nina would want to tell Layfon about her. Layfon had never thought he could return to Grendan. He’d be happy to hear of her. A deeper thought asked why Savaris and Leerin left Grendan to come to Zuellni. Savaris already told her his purpose. He was here for the Haikizoku, just like the Salinvan Guidance Mercenary Gang. Then what about Leerin? And that original Electronic Fairy with her……… Yet she herself didn’t realize.

(On what level can something be forgiven?)

Layfon felt nothing about the pride of Military Artists. Was it correct to get him involved? And Nina herself was forced into a fight that she knew nothing about. How much should she tell him? At what point should she stop so she wouldn’t get him involved? She wouldn’t tell him of what happened in Myath if she couldn’t find that boundary. She felt a crisis was near but she couldn’t say anything.

“Senpai,” Layfon’s voice called her back to reality. “It’s past bentou delivery time.”

“Wu…… Oh no.”

It appeared some time had past without her knowing. If they missed the bentou delivery time, they could all get what food was left by others. The tasty sandwiches were popular. One couldn’t get one unless he remembered it and went early to purchase it.

“If it’s ok with you, you can have my bentou.”

“That isn’t good,” she shook her head. A platoon member had to train everyday, and the two of them did cleaning at night on top of training. The three main meals were important. She couldn’t have half of Layfon’s lunch.

“We only have a bit of time left. I’ll just pass.”

Layfon scratched his head in embarrassment. “Well, I made the bentou today, but I made a bit too much. So if senpai can eat some, you’ll be helping me a lot.”

Nina looked closely. That bentou did look too much for one person.

“I don’t recall whether I’ve mentioned it, but I’ve never been good with measuring the amount of food made. It’d be great if you could eat some.”

“Is that so? Well then, I’ll have some……”

“Please go ahead.”

Nina was urged to go wash her hands. Layfon had set everything up when she returned. He had also poured tea into paper cups.

“Time to eat.”

“Don’t have to hold back.”

Two fairly large bentou boxes sat inside the bag. One box contained sandwiches with marinated meat, cheese and vegetables. The other box contained salad.

“It’s still as tasty as before.”

“Really?”

“Ah,” she ate as she sneaked a peek at Layfon, and saw him smiling. She couldn’t quite see his face clearly from this angle. She didn’t allow herself to look at him directly because she was hiding things from him. And also, the words of the Student President remained in her head.

Karian had said that Layfon fought because he relied on her. He might be right. Nina had then said she’d take responsibility of it. As if she made a confession.

(Geez, just what did I say?)

She just burst it out. Perhaps in that moment, she wanted to convey her feeling without covering it up. She wanted to describe the part of her that hadn’t been honed.

(I……….)

To Layfon? She couldn’t refuse him.

“Layfon……….. I…………”

“That’s good,” he cut her off. “I believe you’ll tell me one day, and I’ll stand by your side.”

She looked at him directly. He smiled.

“If the Mercenary Gang plans something against you, I’ll do everything to protect you. If you have something you want to say, then say it. I’m willing to help if I can.”

“Aaa……”

That was it. There still remained a reason for denial.

(I want to stand by your side.)

Not just to guard and not just within this Academy. If there was something she truly wanted to say, then she wanted Layfon to acknowledge her as a Military Artist.

“So I’m counting on you.”

Nina returned the smile and dug into the bentou again.

“We’ll get busy tomorrow. Oh yes, many people want to fight you in training,” Layfon said.

“Really?”

“Everybody knows of your strength since the matches between captains.”

Yes, she wanted to stand by Layfon’s side. She wanted to bury this feeling in her, but she still felt happy to know that he had accepted her.

<noinclude>
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|-
| Back to [[Chrome_Shelled_Regios:Volume7_Prologue|Prologue]]
| Return to [[Chrome_Shelled_Regios|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Chrome_Shelled_Regios:Volume7_Chapter2|Chapter 2]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Chrome Shelled Regios:Volume6 Chapter6

2010-02-11T09:09:15Z

ZaX: /* Chapter 6: The owner of the blade */

===Chapter 6: The owner of the blade===

“Time for you to go,” Karian calmly said, despite feeling a little terrified.

“I don’t have the confidence to win.”

The filth monster was leading them…….. In this unbelievable situation, Layfon was sitting on a bike with Karian and talking with him.

It was an ancient filth monster. So ancient that even Layfon couldn’t tell which phase it was in. Its swift appearance had brought fear to the entire city. Karian had then called for the special team to stop its attack. Did he trust the words of that filth monster? Or was it because he was in despair?

The filth monster didn’t make a move against the Military Artists and Zuellni. All it did was hover above the city. The Leader of the crowd……. It was waiting for the Student President Karian to finish his preparations. Karian had then ordered Layfon to go with him.

“This is my first time seeing such an ancient filth monster. It is my first time knowing it can speak human language. I don’t think I can win.”

“We don’t know whether we need to fight yet.”

Layfon couldn’t see Karian’s face, hidden by his helmet. Karian’s words, transmitted by the flakes, did nothing to ease him.

“If we have to fight, doesn’t that mean we’d be annihilated in one moment?”

“Perhaps……..”

Felli was still recovering and had not received permission to leave the city. The psychokinesist of the 1st platoon was acting as their support.

“I’m not interested in how powerful this filth monster is, but rather in what it proposes.”

“I don’t think we can deal with it…….”

“That isn’t an issue,” Karian said, putting his hands together. “So long as it understands human language, then there’s room for negotiation. We have to quickly understand what it values, then decide how to negotiate.”

So Karian really was here for the negotiation. Layfon pressed on the accelerator to keep up with the flying filth monster. He didn’t think the negotiation would work. Their bike sped along the uneven ground. It leapt over an edge of a raised piece of earth to land heavily.

“I’ve had this doubt for a long time,” Karian said loudly. “Filth monsters. They eat pollutants. Do they really have to consume human meat to survive?”

“Uh?”

“I’ve investigated the living conditions of the filth monsters. The most beneficial information for a City is the way to fight filth monsters. And what is the best is to be able to avoid a fight. Fighting filth monsters guarantees a certain level of harm. No matter what city it is, one or two Military Artists would die in a fight. That’s the same with Grendan. Even with Zuellni now. Sending out a Heaven’s Blade successor again and again to fight them is still detrimental to our fighting strength.”

Layfon himself was the best proof here.

“But filth monsters will attack us.”

“Yes, but why?” Karian said.

“The way the larvae consume each other isn’t anything special. It’s the baptism needed for the fittest to survive, and it’s also a hunt. Eating each other isn’t evil in their eyes”

“But they never thought of it this way.”

“Yes, that’s the problem. A human baby isn’t immediately aware of his consciousness. Humans live together to find food. But what about filth monsters? They prefer to obtain nutrients rather than consuming pollutants. In that case, what about the matured filth monsters that can think for themselves? How so? Isn’t that in itself a complex way of communicating?”

Layfon’s cold reply had an opposite effect and made Karian more excited.

“When we solve that problem, we can perhaps find new ways to deal with filth monsters.”

“By talks? But would they not eat us and listen to us? They’re hungry.” Layfon’s experience at the orphanage placed him firmly on Karian’s opposite side.

“We might have to kill the larvae, but it’s different with a matured form that possesses knowledge and the capability to negotiate.”

“So what do we do?”

“We’ve to understand why they attack cities! Is it really just for human meat? Human meat and any other animal meat is the same in terms of being nutritious. We just need to make food that caters for them. Besides, we can replenish the loss of food in the city by selenium.”

Layfon shook his head. Allow filth monsters to come into the city to buy food? Filth monsters to buy food with money…… Ridiculous. Impossible.

“Reality isn’t like that though!”

“But it’s worth trying. And………”

The filth monster slowed as the ground evened out. Karian put his hands together again.

“That filth monster didn’t attack the city without reasons. It requested the head of the pack to attend the negotiation, and that really bothers me!”

“………”

Then Layfon realized that it wasn’t the speed of the bike that had changed. It was the filth monster. They were getting close to their destination.

“I wonder whether anyone has ever gone to a gathering of filth monsters?”

Shocked by Karian’s curiosity, Layfon sensed the atmosphere around them. No killing intent from hungry filth monsters.

But next came the change of scenery. Layfon quickly gripped the handle and made an emergency stop to the bike’s movement.

“What?”

He heard Karian’s muffled voice. The sound came from outside the helmet. The psychokinesist’s support had been cut off. His vision had turned narrow.

“Please reply!”

No matter how many times Layfon called, the psychokinesist did not reply.

“What’s going on?”

“Psychokinesis is blocked off here. Please be careful.”

Layfon took out his Dite but Karian stopped him. “Wait, we’re here to negotiate. Don’t do anything to provoke the other party.”

“But…….”

“Let’s see how it reacts,” Karian slid off the bike.

Endless plain surrounded them. The dry earth looked like it had been cut apart by a blade. However, the color of the air was much more transparent. The color of the sky where the filth monster was remained the usual rusty red, but the scenery here was what one could see only in a city. The air that was clear as water. This place was obviously different from others.

“Is this space a 3D image? What’s going on?”

“This kind of technology……..”

Layfon looked around to confirm Karian’s words. The gear he wore for outside city use prevented him from having contact with the air, so looking around did nothing to help him discern whether this reality was true or not.

“Uhah……? Layfon, what is it?” Karian pointed.

Layfon strengthened his vision with internal Kei. He took the bike further up and saw a rocky mountain that sat like teeth, blocking his way.

“Eh? …….. Impossible!” his eyes widened in shock.

He returned to Karian’s side.

“What’s it?”

“Come and see!”

Karian took his seat and Layfon pressed on the accelerator with his foot, pressing all the way so he couldn’t press on it anymore.

“What did you see?” Karian asked.

The time it took them to arrive at the place seemed so much longer than Layfon remembered.

“This is……..” Karian understood. He slipped off the bike to stand as of someone sleepwalking.

The sound of rushing water shook their helmets.

“A lake……… or a waterfall?”

In the middle of the mountain range that resembled teeth sat a large lake. A waterfall fell on the opposite side of Layfon’s location. The rumbling of water and a screen of hazy water shrouded the lake.

“This doesn’t look like a 3D image!” Karian wiped the surface of the helmet.

A few droplets of water had also splashed onto Layfon’s helmet.

Green grasses and small flowers adorned the side of the lake. Pollutants had conquered the arid world. All animals and plants besides filth monsters were dead……. That had always been Layfon’s belief. But this place that the filth monster had shown them………

“This? This isn’t affected by pollutants?” Karian said calmly.

“How, how is that possible……..”

“We won’t know till we bring this back for investigation. Besides, the filth monster here is already different from the ones we know!” Karian dug up a small plant and put it in the bag hanging around his waist.

“So you’ve shown us what needs to be seen. Isn’t it time to show yourself?”

“Uh, you’ve noticed?” The filth monster was already above the lake. Had it hidden itself? Or had it used teleportation just like the time when it appeared in Zuellni? Karian couldn’t tell.

The filth monster spoke as if it was already holding a conversation with him. “You do hold the air of a leader!”

“Thanks. But I still don’t know your true purpose,” Karian replied without shock.

Layfon held tight to his Dite, observing the filth monster solemnly as he suppressed his urge to snatch out his Dite and restore it.

The huge body of the filth monster was on top of the lake, but the surface of the water remained calm without a ripple.

(Illusion……..?)

But the pressure of the body felt real. That long neck, that gigantic body, those huge, curved wings. They all felt so real.

“Uh………”

“Speaking of which, what is your name?” Karian asked, unafraid of those massive eyes of the filth monster’s.

“Though I hadn’t used it for long, people have called me ‘cell.separation Maza number 4 Harupe’.”

“Can I call you Harupe?”

“As you like,” Harupe nodded with its long neck.

“Then, Harupe. I’m guessing that this is the real meaning behind your negotiation. One, you want to prove that humans and filth monsters can communicate. Two, humans are a threat to the survival of filth monsters in what we call this world, but there is a bigger mission. Three, you don’t wish to fight humans. That’s all,” Karian said it all in one breath. He lifted his head to look at Harupe, and waited as of a student waiting for a response.

“Hohoho, we’ll leave the first two points. Do you think I don’t want to fight humans?”

“Yes, if you wished to fight, Zuellni would have been destroyed. You didn’t do that, so I think you don’t wish to fight. All the same, you don’t want Regios to enter this territory.”

Harupe called through its nose. It eyes studied Karian. “Got a good brain there. Well, to want to hear the words of another creature’s heart isn’t something that can just be done. How about we just say the truth and hear the truth?”

“It’s my wish for a beneficial negotiation,” Karian nodded in satisfaction.

“Then allow me to start the question. What made your city enter this territory? A normal city wouldn’t have come here.”

Karian answered that question honestly, telling Harupe about the contact with the ruined city, the invasion of the Haikizoku, the City’s Electronic Fairy on a rampage.

“Haikizoku…… The insane Electronic Fairy? I see…….. Does it hate us?” Harupe said with his long neck bent in apology. Its short foreleg scratched its lower jaw. “The invaded system caused the city to go on a rampage?”

“Yes. This isn’t our will, nor is it Zuellni’s will. I hope you understand this point.”

“All right, I forgive you for entering the territory.”

“Thank you.”

Harupe and Karian actually held a conversation. That fact didn’t keep Layfon from abandoning the belief of this as something unbelievable.

“But this only holds in the present. The city has not stopped moving, and if the Haikizoku forces it to invade the territory further, we’ll do all we can to eliminate it.”

“I understand,” Karian said.

“Then onto the next topic. I heard what you said while you were riding that thing.”

“Well…….”

“I’m Cell.Separation Maza number 4. I know everything that happens in my area.”

“That’s amazing.”

“Um, well, the business trade you talked about isn’t impossible. It’s not impossible to happen in the area that I control, but I can’t do anything about filth monsters outside my area. Besides, no city can enter this territory.”

“What a shame.”

“You want to resolve this quickly, I see. For humans who are limited in their movements and are weak in survival, it must be extremely difficult for you to fight your enemies.”

“I’m afraid so, so we’re looking for solutions. Harupe, do you know the way to fight against the Haikizoku?”

“No. I’m Cell.Separation number 4 Harupe. My purpose is to guard the boundary between the edge of the world and the Aurora Field. I do not have any information that lies outside the manager of the Human Preservation Plan.”

Aurora Field. Human Preservation Plan. Terms that Karian had never heard of.

(And why is this the only filth monster……..)

“…….. I see. I got it,” Karian nodded.

Layfon felt uneasy.

“Then let’s find a way to solve the problem of the city. Harupe, please allow the city to stay here for a while.”

Harupe had lifted its long neck. “……. There’s no need,” it said. Its gaze turned to the sky and it spread its wings.

“Your city is moving away from my area. You better hurry and catch up to it.”

Layfon was surprised at those words as he supported Karian under the beating of the wind.

“The city is moving……..?”

And it was moving away…….. So the city had started evading filth monsters? Meaning……..?

“Hurry, the city moves as fast as the bike. It’d be troublesome if we end up having to chase after it,” Karian said.

Harupe was gone. The presence of the filth monster that had a name had disappeared, as if it was just an illusion.

“I know.”

They mounted the bike.

(Captain……. Is she safe?)

That wasn’t his naïve dream. He must confirm the reality. The tires of the bike bit the dry ground and the bike began its mad dash. The scenery changed after a time of riding.

“Oh, Oh!” Karian’s voice drowned out the engine’s call. A group of matured filth monsters stood in a file as they watched Layfon and Karian leave.

“Such grandeur!”

Layfon felt like he was a doll under those gazes, but Karian’s attitude remained unchanged. The same as when he held the negotiation with Harupe, except his voice was now different.

“……. Let’s hurry!”

Layfon accelerated to the maximum. There were more than ten filth monsters watching them, and all of them looked like Harupe. Filth monsters that were born from the same mother shouldn’t all look the same in their matured forms.

(I feel………. Something feels really bad.)

The bike continued to run madly.

“Not working. Still can’t contact Zuellni! Are we heading the right way!?”

“The direction is correct.”

But they would miss Zuellni if they erred in the direction. Harupe had said the city was moving, so it must also know Zuellni’s direction. Layfon and Karian had left the sight of the filth monsters.

Layfon saw something ahead of them and stopped the bike.

“What’s wrong?”

“These are the city’s footsteps!”

A human made pit in the shape of a square. Not dugout, but pressed with a huge weight that could cut through the dry earth. Layfon looked far ahead and saw similar footsteps.

“We won’t get lost if we follow them.”

The problem now was whether they could safely catch up with Zuellni.

“If we can contact them, the city can come back for us.”

“Anyway, let’s catch up!” Layfon started the engine and the bike ran for a whole day.

Night. Layfon could keep on going but considering Karian’s strength, he had found someplace to rest instead.

“Anything wrong?” Karian said. He had climbed off the bike for a rest.

“Nothing………” Layfon felt as if something was lurking behind them.

(Filth monsters? Or is Harupe watching?)

They might be monitoring them to make sure that they left. And that feeling didn’t sit well with him.

(Well, it is a machine.)

He meant Harupe. That filth monster moved like a robot.

(So humans in the past made filth monsters?)

He couldn’t think of any other explanation. Pollutants filled this world, and only filth monsters could live in it. But reality was that the machines that humans made had taken on unusual changes – that must be it?

(I wonder what the Student President thinks?)

He wanted to ask but Karian probably wouldn’t say anything here. They were still in Harupe’s territory, and anything they said was apparent to it. That hateful presence was still here.

(Can’t fight it.)

Karian was already asleep.

(The Aurora Field, the edge of the world………..)

Layfon returned to the bike and fell into a shallow sleep.

(Is that place really the edge of the world?)

They had lost the map of the world. Was there really an edge? An edge like the Regios edges? If there was such a place, why the monitoring………? The light sleep stopped Layfon from thinking further, besides, returning to Zuellni was their main problem now. About the reason behind Zuellni’s movement – he needed to find out whether it matched his speculations…….

He and Karian moved from their camping spot before dawn. It was during the day when contact through psychokinesis recovered.

“Finally found you.”

“Felli?”

Layfon and Karian exchanged a glance at the sudden voice inside their helmets.

“Did you get the doctor’s permission?”

“Saying this means you two are ok! I got permission this morning and went to search for you. A bit of a confusion at the start because I couldn’t use psychokinesis in the area.”

“That’s good. Please give us the directions.”

“Right.”

“…….. If possible, please find a route that the Student President can drive on,” Layfon cut in.

“What do you mean?”

“Here they come!” he pulled out his Dite while the bike was still rolling across the plain. He inserted a card into one of the slots on the Dite.

“You can drive?”

“Ah, yes, but…….”

“I sense a number of presences behind us, 0402 and 0840.”

“What?” Karian looked back.

Layfon stopped the bike. “Filth monsters!”

“How come?”

Filth monsters were flying towards them.

“Are they not the same as Harupe?”

“They’ve been hiding in this area.”

The presence of murderous intent born out of starvation. The presence that Layfon was similar with.

“So Harupe’s control isn’t absolute,” Karian sighed. Layfon stepped down to the passenger seat of the bike.

“Please don’t mind me when you drive.”

“All right,” Karian pressed on the pedal and the bike started running again. Layfon connected the handles of the Adamandite and the Safaiadites and restored them.

“Layfon, the flow of psychokinesis is obstructed in my investigation of the filth monsters,” Felli said.

“What’s happening?”

“I don’t know, but is there a reason why the filth monsters can’t let you go?”

“We’re still in the area……. It’s not strange the use of psychokinesis is affected. We can’t deny the possibility that Harupe might have changed its mind. These filth monsters might be as powerful as Harupe. Anyway, it has its own purpose,” Karian speculated.

“How far can you use psychokinesis?” Layfon asked.

“Not for long distance. It’d work better if I can come to your side but that isn’t possible……… If you go inside the group of filth monsters, your transmitter and visual aid would fail. I might even end up losing your position.”

“Pretty bad?” Karian said.

“If it is just fighting, I don’t find the situation too bad.”

A number of matured forms. They wouldn’t be cut open with the steel threads as easily as did the larvae. Karian immediately understood the implication in Layfon’s words.

“I’ll be troubled if you don’t come back. Is there a way to make some of them head another way?”

“I don’t think so. Perhaps this is their first time coming across food other than pollutants. They’ve been enduring for a while. Now they can’t wait anymore.”

What should they do? It was useless to ask. Layfon was the only fighting force in this situation. None of the filth monsters were in their aged phase, but they were matured, males that were probably in phases 1-3. Lintence was the only Heaven’s Blade who had the skill to slaughter a large number of filth monsters at the same time. But Layfon hadn’t managed to learn all of Lintence’s skills.

“If you’re correct, then they’re just heading over for a change of taste. Felli, please find a route that the Student President can drive on at full speed. If possible, find one that isn’t too far from Zuellni.”

“Got it.”

The Dite changed into its steel thread form in place of the sword form held in the Safaiadite. The Adamandite did well to support jumping on steel threads over a large area.

“Did a lot of thinking?”

“Just thinking on what I can do.”

“I don’t mean that. I mean you,” Karian said. “Academy City is like a passage. All who associate with it will leave after they graduate. Is this place really worth protecting? It isn’t because the Military Artists are yet to mature that explains their weak fighting strength. It’s because they all hold the same doubts. What can they protect? Is what they’re protecting important enough to them that they should die for it? Military Artists lose courage and flee because they fail to solve that problem.”

The bike made a huge leap. Karian’s body shook violently when the bike landed, and Layfon steadied him to prevent him from falling off. His helmet smashed against Karian’s.

“Why are you fighting for Zuellni? Not for money. If you were that type of person, I’d be very willing to put you beside me, but you’re not like that. Your purpose is to survive, and you rely on Nina Antalk to survive. Because both you and she won’t change much in the next few years,” Karian said as Layfon continued to pour Kei into the steel threads. The distance between the trap and the filth monsters was shortening.

“There are people who exist to help point out the path of life. Before the end of their lives, people are solving their own problems in different situations. But you’re not one to fight at the cost of your life. Will you fight for Zuellni even if it costs you your life?”

“That kind of thing……..”

The filth monsters had entered the steel thread area. Layfon leaped onto the threads and howled, “How should I know!”

A few filth monsters had been cut by the steel threads and fell onto the earth. Layfon concentrated on a filth monster before him instead of checking to see whether the others were dead.

Karian went to meet Harupe for the sake of Zuellni. He was just a normal person, yet he did it to protect Zuellni. Then was Layfon the same? The Layfon who had been pulled through by the intense will of Nina?

“How should I know!”

He pulled the steel threads, controlling them as he ran on them. Blood spurted from filth monsters’ bodies. The distance between Layfon and the bike became wider. Zuellni might be the reason why the filth monsters had chosen this path. The destination that both Layfon and Karian were heading for. In that case, Layfon must take care of them here. The problem now wasn’t with the number of steel threads he had but with the length of them.

“What’s it?” Felli said.

“I don’t think it’s a problem handling them here, but it’ll be difficult to fight filth monsters that are further away,” Layfon said.

“Um…… we’ve a tiny problem here,” Karian said.

“What?”

“Felli, how much longer till we reach Zuellni?”

“Two hours minimum. What’s wrong?”

“The batteries. Two hours. Amazing!”

“Ah……..”

Two hours. They had spent two hours resting at night and cutting off the engine.

“We already used the spare battery.”

A bike wasn’t the same as a roaming bus. Still, the bike was made for long distance travel, so the batteries shouldn’t run out so easily, and they did change a new battery before they slept!

“No way! Perhaps it sustained some damage during the ride. A place that can damage the battery…….”

“How come?”

“We won’t make it unless Zuellni comes to meet us……… What should we do?”

It wasn’t possible to kill all of the filth monsters in two hours.

“You’re calm, Nii-san.”

“Getting into a panic does nothing. So what does Layfon plan to do next? If you plan to stand there and fight with your life, I’ll stay with you.”

“Nii-san!”

“The filth monsters might not split up even if I run away as bait. So we can only rely on Layfon and buy some time for Zuellni to finish its preparations!”

“You don’t have to do that,” Layfon said. He didn’t really like Karian, but not many people could show his calmness and resoluteness while conversing with a filth monster. “Zuellni cannot lose its Student President.”

“Thanks, but……..”

“Leave this nonsense and come back!” someone else said angrily.

“Ah! Vance, you heard us!”

“Of course! We’ve relayed the current situation to all Military Artists. We’re making preparation. You just need to head straight back. We’ll take care of them.”

“That’s reckless……..” Layfon said.

“You shut up. I’m the Head of Military Arts! I won’t allow you, a platoon member, to disobey an order. Just keep those filth monsters together while you head straight back for Zuellni. This is an order!”

The anger in the voice allowed no protest and kept Layfon silent.

“Do you really have a plan?”

“I’ll show you the defense we have. Just come back!”

“That makes me glad,” Karian said.

“That’s right. I’ll lead the way,” Felli said.

“I’m counting on you, Layfon. You can return while keeping them like this, can’t you?”

“Got it.”

He wasn’t satisfied but it was true that he couldn’t fight them all alone. Layfon returned to the bike.

“Counting on you!”

Karian put his attention back to driving as Layfon did his best to herd the filth monsters together. The filth monsters chasing them were tangled in the steel threads and those who tried to split up were herded back by Layfon’s external Kei.

“Isn’t this unbelievable? He…….”

“What do you mean?” Layfon said, keeping his eyes on the filth monsters.

“He made a decision to fight so many filth monsters!”

“Well……..”

“You said you couldn’t win against Harupe. To you, the meaning of a fight depends on the gap of strength between you and victory. I don’t mean you aren’t prepared to die in a fight, but that’s about what your fight is like – chosen from the few to enter the arena. What did you fight for? It must have been money in Grendan.”

“………”

“You fought under disadvantageous circumstances. You haven’t fought differently so you don’t understand their feelings.”

“Student President, understand what?”

“To understand that they have what you don’t have!”

The reason to protect Zuellni. The reason to fight even at the cost of one’s life.

“What?”

“Glory!”

“Eh?”

“You might think what kind of reason is that. But most Military Artists fight for the pride and glory in them. Only they can protect the city. They’re to protect their citiess with their hands……. And that’s the meaning of survival!”

Layfon recalled Karian’s speech at Zuellni.

“So you did it for that?”

“Yes, in order to summon their pride. They chose the pride of a Military Artist, and that is a reason worthy of throwing one’s life away for.”

“So stupid, how…….”

“But what else is left? A Military Artist has the duty to fight filth monsters once he’s born to this world. That’s why the society made changes for them. In order to obtain glory. Duty doesn’t mean simple sacrifice. Military Artists fight with their pride to protect the city. That’s what society trains them to do.”

“……….”

What’re you saying? That’s a lie! You’re wrong! But Layfon didn’t give voice to those thoughts. He understood deep down that Karian was right.

Karian glanced at him a bit sadly. “You weren’t trained like that. Perhaps you had that question before you received your training…….. Either way, your pride is as a Military Artist who doesn’t die. And for that, you can keep on walking no matter how hard life becomes. As a Military Artist, you don’t escape from reality. And because of that, you have to find your reason to fight. I wanted to say this to you too, Felli.”

Was this Karian’s love for his sister?

Felli didn’t reply. The bike continued on its path. The murderous intent of the filth monsters shrouded Layfon and Karian, as if that tension was about to explode. The steel threads cut through the murderous intent. The liquid spurting from filth monsters’ bodies turned into a mist. Those monsters who fell onto the ground writhed in agony, and were immediately consumed by their brethren.

The two hours long flight was about to come to an end. Karian’s bad driving skill allowed the bike to slide on the ground, and that wore out the tires quicker than usual. The brake wasn’t as sensitive now. The engine was overheating and parts of it were melting. The bike wasn’t the only thing edging close to its limit. Karian had almost exhausted his physical strength and concentration as he experienced the terror of filth monsters outside the city. He did all he could to keep himself calm and dispel the fear in him like all other Military Artists.

“The signal’s out. Seems we’re about to run out,” Karian mumbled.

A red light was flashing in the middle of the control panel, and the status of the battery showed “low”.

And Zuellni finally appeared before them.

“Great……..” Karian’s words were cut off. The bike swayed as his head lulled.

“He’s lost consciousness!” Felli said in a shrill voice. The sight of Zuellni had broken Karian’s concentration, causing him to sink into a slumber. The bike crashed into a huge rock and Karian was thrown out of his seat.

Layfon caught the Student President in the air. The engine sparked and the entire bike exploded. Pieces of the bike scattered and cracked wheels shot upward. Layfon ran ahead of the explosion. The weight of Karian prevented him from dashing at full speed.

“Five more minutes. Keep at it! Run!” Vance shouted.

Layfon bite his lower lips, the steel threads waving madly behind him.

Jump, run, leap……… He ran through a sea littered with debris to where Zuellni stood. Something sounded on the surface of his helmet. The pieces of earth shattered by Zuellni’s passage danced everywhere, and those pieces of small debris hammered Layfon. Praying the debris wouldn’t damage the protective suit, he kept running. Unable to evade the shattered pieces, Layfon headed underneath the city.

A presence behind them suddenly surged. His steel threads closed in on the filth monster and cut apart its wing. It lost its balance to slide on the ground.

“Wu-!”

But the filth monster didn’t give up. It slid with the momentum of its fall with its jaws wide open, planning to sweep Layfon and Karian into its mouth. Layfon could’ve jumped up to avoid the attack, but he couldn’t do it with Karian on his shoulder.

“Keep running!” Sharnid’s voice sounded from Layfon’s helmet. Gun shot. And the filth monster wailed. The bullet had shot through its eye.

“Compared to attacking the enemy head on, sniping really is much more enjoyable!”

Layfon kept running. The door of the city was closed, and he could see Sharnid standing there. Two new figures slipped through the door and leapt past Layfon, one holding a lance and one holding a baton.

“Aaaaaaaaaaa!!” Naruki roared. She adjusted her landing trajectory in the air and swung her baton with all her might at the weakest scale of the filth monster – in between its eyebrows. The attack bounced Naruki off the filth monster’s body, but her attack managed to shatter the scale and expose the meat beneath. She tossed out a rope and it hooked itself onto the filth monster’s lower jaw.

“Aaaa!!”

She slid down the rope, the rope stopping the filth monster’s movement, pulling its head down to the ground.

“Heee………” Naruki pulled at the rope to keep the filth monster in place. Her shoes sank deep into the ground and the rope made a moaning voice at the pressure. The tug of war didn’t last long. Naruki let go of the rope and left her spot.

Dalshena leapt up. Her lance stabbed deep into the wound that Naruki had made. The bone of the filth monster’s head broke as Dalshena’s external Kei destroyed the brain cells. Blood spurted from the filth monster. Its head crashed heavily onto the ground. It died.

Shocked at what had happened beside him, Layfon hadn’t stopped running.

He then felt a change above him.

(What’s it?)

A massive amount of Kei was being gathered on the outskirt of the city.

Layfon arrived below the door. No time to use the lift. Should he jump………? A new figure appeared at the door. Wearing a protective suit, the figure slid down the rope, its length coiling around her waist.

“Give me your hand!” her voice sounded in Layfon’s helmet.

--The voice he had wanted to hear for so long.
-- The voice filled with colors.
-- The voice that shone before him.

Layfon leapt and took hold of her hand. He handed Karian over. They confirmed each other at the closest distance possible.

“You’re back!”

“Yes!”

They spoke without using the force of psychokinesis.

A great flash of light enveloped them the next second. A huge ball of Kei had shot out from the city, obliterating a large number of filth monsters and triggering chain explosions.

“Let’s go!”

“Yes!” Layfon retrieved the steel ropes and turned the Adamandite into a sword.

The feeling of the tightening of relaxed nerves. The feeling of his flesh and his concentration coming together. The feeling of Kei exploding from head to toe. He was confirming what he had – some kind of meaning that could release his strength. Something that was like a parasite……….. This was the current Layfon Alseif, howling alone as he leapt into the battlefield.

Pulled back into the city, Nina put Karian down. The medical team, its members all wearing protective suits, rushed over to tend to the Student President. Nina looked at the battle. The second shot of massive Kei closed in on the filth monsters like a ball of light.

“This is………”

A weapon she had never seen before. The intensity of the Kei made the air vibrate.

“The Kei cannon!” Karian said, standing up with the support of the medical team. “It’s not on that huge a scale. We need about 100 Military Artists to recharge it. Not a very good weapon.”

“To make this weapon, that means……..”

“We don’t have to cower under the threat anymore, besides……..”

Nina watched Karian’s eyes.

“He has become his original self.”

“No! If he does that, then it’s meaningless for him to come here. You’re the Student President. You shouldn’t be tolerating his condition. Don’t you realize that you’re using him like a tool?” Nina reproved.

Academy City. A city that no one could view it as home – that was the city’s fate. A cold yet gentle place that nurtured newborn birds that had yet to fly.

Karian was shocked by Nina’s words. “I’m using Layfon as a tool…….?” Outrage surged in him. It wasn’t like that! – He wanted to shout it out, but ended up swallowing it. He calmed himself down. “I’d receive punishment if I did that.”

But Leerin had said.

“He has to shoulder the agony that is the result of his punishment. When that time comes……..”

Reproving himself and reproving everything around him.

Nina watched the battle. Layfon was dancing with the filth monsters, sword held high.

“When that time comes, and till the end ………”

She wanted to stand with him.

“He shouldn’t feel regret at what he himself has done.”

Nina continued to gaze at the battlefield. She felt a sigh coming from Karian.

Birds called somewhere out in this world.

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| Back to [[Chrome_Shelled_Regios:Volume6_Chapter5|Chapter 5]]
| Return to [[Chrome_Shelled_Regios|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Chrome_Shelled_Regios:Volume6_Epilogue|Epilogue]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Chrome Shelled Regios:Volume6 Chapter5

2010-02-05T10:10:02Z

ZaX: /* Chapter 5: The center of the world */

===Chapter 5: The center of the world===

Leerin ran in the unfamiliar city. She ran and ran till exhaustion caught up to her and made her stop running.

“Ha, Ha…….” She panted, her lungs tightened in need of air. Her stomach hurt as if it was twisted.

“I…… I don’t……. exercise enough…….”

She had been sitting everyday in the roaming bus, and that fact hadn’t dawned on her when she requested to leave the city. Now she didn’t even have enough strength to smile bitterly.

“Aaa, already done?” Roy smiled, standing ten steps behind her. This was the same distance between them when the chase began.

“Sorry, I can’t do much about my strength…….”

“Yes. It’s good to exercise sometime! You can also cut back on some fat.”

“…….. Shut your nonsense!”

“Excuse me,” he stopped laughing. He wasn’t the young man Leerin saw before. His twisted expression was revolting.

“Isn’t it about time to give up and hand that thing over?”

She still held Myath, the Electronic Fairy that had the same name as this city. The bird could have escaped far away by flying off, but it stayed in her hand, inert as if it was sleeping.

“It’s useless! It has used up its strength inside the barrier. It can’t move. It’s half dead! You understand what would face this city if the Electronic Fairy died………..?”

The death of an Electronic Fairy was directly linked to the death of a city. A Regios that couldn’t move would not be able to escape filth monsters. It’d be consumed sooner or later. Leerin trembled at that possible future.

“What do you Wolf Faces want?”

“If you were a Military Artist, things would be so easy!” There was a mask in Roy’s hand. “Once you wear this, you can see the world that Ignansis wishes for. You can see the Dream of Ignansis,” Roy said, half wearing the mask. “World peace can be achieved when the majority of Military Artists hold the same dream.”

How unconvincing. How pretentious.

“The Electronic Fairy is needed to stop the fate of continuous fighting between filth monsters and Military Artists. That’s why we must move numerous Electronic Fairies to Senou. I came here to find En.”

“What’s En?”

“The network of Electronic Fairies. It shows the genealogy of them. Electronic Fairies can find Electronic Fairies of other cities through En, and it can also tell whether other Electronic Fairies belong to the same category as itself. Sheniebel and Myath belong to the same genealogy. So I must catch Myath to obtain the En.”

“It’s ok to do that even to sacrifice this city?”

“Yes, it’s an evil that is necessary.”

“You, you live in this city, don’t you?”

“Yes, so?”

“……. This city might disappear. Don’t you feel anything? Aren’t you a Military Artist?”

“Ho, hoooooooo…….” Roy laughed. “Who cares! How do you look at an Academy City? Same as others, right? That’s not good. This isn’t a permanent home. There’s no value in protecting it.”

“How dare you say this……. The people here are normal students!”

“The principles of Military Artist? Humph!”

Deep hatred showed on his face. “Is there meaning in it? Fear! Pain! The hell of Military Arts! Bastards who push these things to us so they can survive! Their lives or deaths have nothing to do with me!” the hatred twisted his face more. “Those guys who only look for the results and care nothing for our effort! Those guys!”

Who did Roy hate? Who was Roy being angry with? Insanity and madness spread across his countenance. He didn’t look like a human being anymore. Leerin retreated. But his words…… seemed to be hiding something. She must see through it. That was her way of escape.

(To understand Military Artists………)

She thought of the Military Artist that was the closest to her, Layfon. What would Layfon do? She thought desperately as she distanced herself bit by bit from Roy. She had to protect the Electronic Fairy in her hand. Its death was the equivalent to a city’s death. Military Artists were usually the ones who protected it!

(Ah…….) She understood.

“…….. I see,” she stopped moving and laughed. The forced laugh made her face twist. “That’s your reason!”

“I said so!”

“You’re wrong.” Leerin’s tension rose. She must change her position and attack. “That isn’t the reason to abandon Myath! That’s the reason that you fell into such a state?!”

“You!!!” Roy’s voice was louder than a normal person’s voice. Strong wind assaulted Leerin.

She laughed mockingly. “Pain’s revealed your true self? That of a weakling?”

“Wh……..”

“You said it yourself. Fear, pain, the hell of Military Arts…….. That hell, you mean intense training, don’t you? That’s simple then. What about the rest? Fear and pain. Of what? If you want others to understand you, you should show your feelings and help them understand you.”

“You don’t know anything! Don’t say it as if you know!”

“As if I know? Why do you think so?” Leerin asked coldly.

Silence. He had nothing to hold onto. Roy now swayed between his dignity and weakness. Leerin had no confidence in how he would react. She was just taking a risk.

(That’s my only weapon.)

And……..

“Pain. You must have felt that during training. As strict as my adopted father’s dojo, and in the end you couldn’t get up! Then what about fear? Something that a Military Artists is afraid of. Fellow Military Artists? That can make you afraid. War? Killing each other is horrible! But those who are asked to take the job are elites like the captain of City Police. Besides, you can’t feel that level of fear in a fight between Military Artists. In that case, what’s left is……?” her gaze moved from the sky to Roy.

Roy’s entire body trembled.

“Filth monsters!” she scolded. “You ran away from filth monsters!”

“Ah…… Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!” Roy hugged his head. “Damn! Damn! Damnnnnnnn!! Those guys, those guys! Playing with me. They don’t know how horrible it is! They haven’t even seen it!”

Leerin’s guess was right. It was beyond her imagination in how much it had hurt Roy mentally.

He ran away from filth monster. Probably while on the ground receiving an assault! Fleeing from the horror of seeing filth monsters for the first time! Military Artists were born to protect the city, so they were protected by many laws…….

(Though that doesn’t apply to Layfon……..)

Grendan had countless number of Military Artists, so they only received the lowest level of insurance money. That money would increase shockingly if the Military Artist showed he had great strength. Layfon had given that money to the orphanage, so his and Leerin’s standards of living remained the same. They grew up together in poverty. Even so, he did not run away. Perhaps Layfon did feel that enormous fear, and he participated in underground matches in order to dispel that fear. He worked hard to keep the orphanage stable.

(Compared to him, this man……)

Roy was so, so very weak! No, she didn’t think being weak was a sin, but a Military Artist who lost to his weakness was even worse than an average person.

“Unforgivable……..” Roy said in a low voice. “Unforgivable, woman! You’re just a normal person, but you fool me…….” he crouched and rushed her. He didn’t need any weapon. Just a fist would do. The Kei in his fist was enough to finish a normal person.

Something blocked his attack.

“Wh…….”

“…… How shameful!”

It wasn’t Leerin. Different hair colour. Different voice. Sharp gaze pierced him.

“You…….”

“Your attitude does sound like one who is banished from the “original city”. But being unable to face your weakness, you picked the easy path, didn’t you?” Nina let go of his fist.

Leerin stood behind her. She was just buying some time. She knew Nina would come over to check the situation since the nest of light was gone.

“They made something called En and used it to lure Myath………. An En for Sheniebel.”

Leerin had won her bet.

“You abandoned the city you should be protecting……. You fool. Know your shame!” Nina said.

Roy stepped back with a speed that Leerin hadn’t yet seen. He had restored his Dite into a sword.

“Ha, Hahaha! You’re joking? Can you defeat me? I know! You traveled here through En. You might have defeated other Wolf Faces, but you can’t defeat me!”

“I will, just like how I stopped you before,” Nina stretched out the hand she used to stop his attack. “But I won’t kill you. That would be the same as waking up from a dream. Not that I plan to kill you.”

Leerin could only see Nina’s back, but Roy, seeing Nina, showed fear in his face.

“I’ll deal out the punishment that suits your crime.”

“Hu!” Roy was behind Nina. And his figure disappeared as wind in the next second. Nina hadn’t moved.

He had fled.

“Is that ok?” Leerin asked.

“No time to play with him. Besides, that’s all I could do.”

“Is……. Is that true…….?”

A traveler who came through En. Leerin wasn’t sure whether she got that right, but she knew Nina shouldn’t be here. Nina already said that she felt like she was in a dream. Leerin didn’t believe her back then. And now. She didn’t quite believe her either.

“I can’t explain in detail. This is my first time trying, after all. I’m not sure of the exact details myself,” Nina turned around with a troubled smile. “I’m not someone who can be totally fair. I have a sense of righteousness. It might bring misfortunate to my city sometime, but this is different. This isn’t what I wanted. I can’t force other people to finish it. No matter what my true feelings are, it’s some consciousness outside me that determines it. If I say it that way, I might be the same as the Wolf Faces.”

“You mean Ignasis and the Riggzario Belief?” Leerin said, remembering the conversation between Nina and the Wolf Faces.

“Perhaps……….. As for Riggzario, I don’t know whether it’s a person’s name or anything else.”

“What’s Riggzario?”

“The city I was born in. In the Senou City Sheniebel, there’s a machine called Riggzario.”

The target of the Wolf Faces.

“And?”

“I haven’t seen it, but dad said it’s the machine that gives birth to Electronic Fairies.”

“Huh?”

“The womb that the Electronic Fairy Sheniebel uses……. That’s probably what Riggzario is. We have other Electronic Fairies besides Sheniebel in my city.”

“But the increasing number of Electronic Fairy…….?”

“Electronic Fairies travel as time passes to find their own cities……. That’s probably it. I myself haven’t seen an Electronic Fairy that travels though.”

The inert Electronic Fairy in Leerin’s hand, small and weak, came to this city to give it life? The Alchemists had made Regios, cities that the level of modern technology could not make.

“Sorry, I didn’t know it’d turn out like that. But Electronic Fairies are born in Riggzario. The Wolf Faces have targeted it, and that has something to do with their actions here.”

“…… So Nina’s helping Myath because this has something to do with your city?”

“Perhaps. That benefits me, doesn’t it?”

“You can’t conclude with that.”

Nina took action before she knew about the Wolf Faces’ aim. Some consciousness inside Nina had driven her to take action.

“As I thought…… You did it because you’re strong,” Leerin said, though she thought to herself “Ah, why did I say that?” She continued, “I know someone very strong, but he doesn’t run away. I can’t say we’re his burdens, but he’s probably freer without us. I want to be strong, but I’m just weak.”

“That’s wrong, Leerin,” Nina shivered.

“Nina?”

Nina’s face was a shade of pale green.

“No matter how strong a person is, he’s the same if he has no a reason to become strong. Besides, I’m not strong. Leerin, you think I’m strong to fight the Wolf Faces…… my, power……..” she crouched.

Leerin went to her and crouched down with her. Sweat beaded Nina’s forehead. “I have something to protect, so I, I want to protect it……. And then, I…….”

“Wh, What happened?”

“Nothing,” she frowned and stood up. Her face was still green. No sign of recovering.

“Hurry, we’re running out of time.”

She walked away and Leerin ran to keep up with her.

He hadn’t considered where to run off to. He just happened to be there while running away.

“Ah ha, Ahha…….” Roy panted. He was standing on the roof of a certain building, standing in the shade of a water tank. He gritted his teeth then breathed in deeply.

“You bastard!” he screamed.

Roy was born in a peaceful city. No filth monsters had ever attacked that city. The city kept a certain distance from other cities. Roaming buses only came a few times a year. The city rarely had outside influences. It was a city with peace as its pride. The city that Roy grew up in. Roy’s grandfather had fought filth monsters in the past, telling them stories of those fights in the old days. Still, that city did meet filth monsters in the end.

The shocked Military Artists fought desperately. Wearing protective suits, they fought the filth monsters. About a hundred or so of them were dispatched, and tens of them died. Everyone fought in desperation. The elders who had had experience devised the strategies for the youngsters to carry it out. The fight had a miraculous win with just one stain. Tens of people died out of the hundred or so Military Artists, and one person fled.

Roy Entorio.

In a battle they had never fought before, everyone used all their Kei except Roy. The death of Military Artists revealed the city’s negligence in its defense despite the victory. Besides, the dead Military Artists all had families. And Roy Entorio fled the battle. The Roy who was an elite among the people of his age……… Those whom Roy mocked as being weaker than him had rushed forward to open a hole in the filth monsters. They had died under the weight of the fallen filth monsters. And seeing that, Roy had fled, an escape that no one would ever forgive.

“Damn……….”

And he had then come to Myath, sent to Myath like rubbish by his family.

“Damn……..”

Roy had once again run away. Given up the pride of a Military Artist and lured by Ignasis, he had run away from Nina Antalk.

“That woman……….. Just you remember! I’ll kill you.”

But the person he hated wasn’t Nina.

“She’s just a normal person. How dare she treat me like that!”

He had never told anyone of his secret in Myath……… But Leerin Marfes had seen through him.

“Unforgivable.”

“Ah, I see………”

Roy lifted at face at the sudden voice.

“This is what it means to fall. You act what you call righteous, switching good and evil around. So cute. A fall can’t be a fall if it isn’t this tragic.” The voice came from above.

“Who is it!?”

Someone stood bending above the water tank. Roy hadn’t noticed him. The person straightened and Roy could now see his face. He was the Military Artist that was with Leerin, named…… Savaris Luckens.

“Is it ok to be here?” Roy asked.

“How could I…….. I just happened to have time now! I’m not the type who works diligently, not like you, wasting time in a boring place.”

“Uh…..”

“Well, I saw what you did.”

“What………?” Roy confirmed his current location. He was quite far away from where Leerin and the other girl were. “How could you have seen………”

“I saw it and also heard what you said to yourself.”

Roy was shocked. Too shocked to feel the insult. He himself couldn’t have seen and heard anything at that distance. Luckens had the kind of strong Internal Kei that Roy couldn’t even imagine possible.

“I was ordered to protect her. Considering that you might harm her, I’ve to resolve this problem……..”

Roy retreated. He no longer doubted that this person was a Military Artist who was too strong for him. He thought back on how the City Police had confiscated Luckens’ Dite, but did that mean anything? He wasn’t sure.

“It’d be good if things over there are settled. If possible, I want to settle this quickly too! Since I can’t predict the future.”

“Uh………” Escape. Roy decided. No time to turn his back on Luckens. He kept retreating, stepping back. He would sustain heavy injuries if he accidentally bumped into any buildings while moving at high speed. He didn’t even have the time to put Kei into his feet, and suddenly found Luckens’ face before him. A pressure pressed down on Roy’s head.

“There’s a strategy to retreat, but a Military Artist who likes to run away won’t do!” Savaris said as he grabbed hold of Roy’s head and shook it.

“Ah Uh……”

Roy found it hard to breathe. Unable to strengthen his body through Kei, he could do nothing but suffer the consequences.

“I don’t have the obligation to teach you. I do want to see how you’d react, as someone who can do nothing but abuse the system of the society.” Savaris loosened his hold, enough for Roy to breathe. But the next moment he increased the pressure. Roy’d never forget the feeling of having the bones of his head almost shattered.

“Anyway, I won’t kill you yet. Come with me for a sec!”

Roy had no strength to struggle. It only took Savaris a few jumps to reach his destination.

Military Artists had assembled some distance from the edge of the city. Savaris let go of Roy. Being tossed onto the ground, Roy coughed. Before he finished coughing, he was back on the roof.

“Looks like they’re going to greet the filth monsters’ attack here!”

Roy went numb.

“I want to know what you’d do as someone who had fled a battle. What would you do next?” Savaris looked at the closest filth monster, widening his eyes. The Military Artists out there should be able to see it clearly at this distance.

“Not much time till its arrival.”

“Humph!”

“Oh.”

Savaris’ foot on Roy’s back kept him from moving.

“Allow me to confirm! Can a Military Artist who has fallen once stand back up? You’re a Military Artist of this city, aren’t you? Would a Military Artist begin life anew or head for the same failure? And after losing, can you stand back up and have a fresh start?”

Savaris wanted to know. “If you don’t get prepared, time won’t wait for you!”

The Military Artists outside the city called to each other to defend the city. They moved in a fluster. The shooting team began to fill in the Kei cannon. The faces of those in the fighting team turned green. Filth monsters were coming.

The Kei cannon fired. The condensed Kei cannonball hit the filth monster and exploded, shattering a number of scales. The filth monster’s cry of pain echoed throughout Myath. Eyes bloodshot with outrage and pain, the monster headed for the city and was greeted with another Kei cannon ball. The filth monster didn’t halt its advance. With blood spurting from its body, it hammered through the air purification shield and entered the city.

Savaris removed his foot from Roy’s back.

“Ahhhhhhhh…………” Roy trembled from head to toe. He could do nothing but give voice to his terror.

“No way? Didn’t you feel you were once an elite?”

“No, no! Nooooooooooo! I don’t want to fight!” he crawled, hoping to move away from here. He wasn’t even thinking of using Kei. No, perhaps he didn’t even realize that Savaris had moved his foot from his back.

“Aa!”

Savaris was bored of this sight.

“Ah!” Roy screamed. Savaris had shot Roy’s body with small balls of Kei and shattered the bones of his head.

“Just lie here and sigh about your current situation,” the Heaven’s Blade successor jumped off the city to land on the head of a filth monster. “First phase. A mature form? I’m interested in killing, but her word is the same as the Queen’s order,” he sighed and put his hand on the filth monster’s head.

“Fu----“

He released his Kei. External type Kei – Drip. His Kei seeped slowly through the filth monster’s scales and into its cells, beginning to destroy it from its inside. Savaris left. No one would discover what he did here. What Myath’s Military Artists saw was the filth monster’s movement slowing down. They had to seize this opportunity. All Kei cannons fired their shots. Explosions covered the filth monster. Its body collapsed and bits and pieces fell away as the dust cloud cleared. Someone should have been asking questions, but doubt disappeared in the tide of cheers. Savaris watched this from somewhere else. His gaze moved from the dead filth monster to Roy.

“Is Layfon also as useless?”

The Layfon who fought to protect and betrayed it all. Would he redeem himself or repeat the same failure? This was the only reason why Savaris was looking at Roy.

“I don’t want to fight a fellow Heaven’s Blade successor, but I just don’t want to disappoint myself,” he murmured and turned his back on Roy. How was Leerin doing? He must hurry and confirm her situation.

Nina was swaying by the time she reached the entrance to the Mechanical Department.

“Are you……. all right?”

Nina panted, leaning against the wall of the lift. Her face was pale, but her eyes emitted a light that showed she was fighting within herself.

“Why to such a degree………” Leerin paused.

The downward lurch of the lift put Nina’s internal organs into a wreck, yet she refused to give up and lose to it. She considered Leerin’s words. “Didn’t I say it before? The power I possess now is far from what I truly am. Only in a dream can this power be realized, and the result is my losing to what I should have defeated, and my being protected by what I want to protect.”

Leerin listened to her talk about her powerlessness, but at the same time, she didn’t feel Nina was weak.

“This is a necessary experience to me. The fighting experience. The experience to expose my weaknesses. The experience to become another’s strength. I lack all these experiences. Nothing is more important than the will to stick through to the end, and that’s what I need to make up for what I lack.”

So that was why Nina was tolerating it?

“But Nina is strong!” Looking at the light in her eyes, Leerin thought the “strong will” that she said was already in her grasp.

“No…….”

And Leerin saw the first tremor in Nina’s gaze.

The lift stopped and opened its door. Nina staggered out. Leerin went over to steady her. She didn’t refuse her help. They could smell the oil in the machines. Tubes covered the place in a complicated pattern. The path curved in between the gaps of the tubes. The dimly lit Mechanical Department gave off a pressuring atmosphere.

“My comrade was injured in the Mechanical Department,” Nina watched the scenery in the Mechanical Department of Myath. “At that time, I had a feeling of “My goal is this.” That might not be the reason! I, I can’t forgive myself. People probably think it’s natural to borrow someone else’s power when my strength isn’t enough, but I can’t rely on someone else’s strength. I think that but I can’t not do that. I can’t forgive the me like that.”

Leerin felt a strong sense of self-reproach from Nina. Not allowing herself to lose. That kind of determination was Nina’s most powerful weapon and also her biggest weakness.

For some reason, Nina’s words put unease in Leerin.

“How about you relax a bit?”

“What?”

“I understand some of your feelings,” she said, remembering her own experience. “In the past, I had thought of growing up. I wanted to become an adult so I could earn some money……..”

She had to work to help the orphanage. Though she couldn’t earn a large sum of money like Layfon, as long as she could earn some…….. “But I knew it wasn’t easy to become an adult. My….. friend was like that. The living condition at the orphanage has improved but he was exiled from the city……”

Leerin had a shock too when she heard Layfon had been participating in underground matches. But she wasn’t as disappointed as the younger children in the orphanage. She just felt very painful that Layfon was shouldering everything himself.

She smiled at Nina’s shocked expression. “What he did has brought happiness to the orphanage. Even if he didn’t do that, I thought it’d be better if we did something afterwards. The money he left behind was limited, but we could make preparations. I need to learn more so I can do more for the orphanage.”

What she was doing now was for the sake of Layfon’s past efforts. Hence, she had chosen to study. “Your comrades know what you try hard to do. It’s ok even if you fail. It’s all right to fail many times now so you won’t fail in the most important moment.”

“Don’t say that so easily!”

“Then failure can’t be forgiven?”

“What?”

“I’ll forgive. Uh….. On the other hand, I know he thinks he can’t be forgiven.”

On the day when his deed was exposed, he kept mumbling “sorry” as the children from the orphanage looked at him with icy gazes. He had done all he could. His shoulders slumped. So lonely and tired…… Watching him, Leerin wanted to cry. She felt regret and resentment for not having noticed what Layfon had been doing.

“Reproaching yourself is the same as reproaching others. That’s what I think, so rather than reproaching yourself, why not just strive forward?”

“I see…….”

“Nina should have a lot of people that you worry about? You must lift your spirit for their sake!”

“That……. Yeah!” Nina smiled and nodded. “I don’t know the situation, but I can’t go back yet. For the sake of this……..” She must save Myath.

“I feel like you’re the hero of a story,” Leerin smiled. A story to release the world from pollutants.

The tense atmosphere had eased.

“Resolving different people’s problems in a different place. I feel that what Nina is doing now is like what a hero would do!”

“My personality isn’t that good.”

“Personality has nothing to do with whether something can be done.”

“Perhaps…….. But I’m still immature!”

Leerin smiled, admitting Nina was stubborn. The two of them finally arrived at the center of the Mechanical Department.

“This is………”

Wrapped in thick planks, it looked like a small hill.

“It’s similar to the one in my city. Leerin, has Myath recovered?”

She checked the bird.

“Still weak.”

The bird still couldn’t stand. It could only move its beak. Was it because the supply of Selenium had been cut off? Anyway, they must put it back quickly…….

“Yes,” Leerin nodded and headed for the hill. Nina grabbed hold of her sleeve.

“Uh?”

“……. Come out!” Nina restored her Dite to stand before Leerin.

“…… What a shock!” Someone appeared from the shadow, and Leerin’s eyes widened.

“Thanks to you, my clones have returned to the Aurora Field.”

The man wore the mask of a beast. He felt different from the Wolf Faces. He felt alive. His meaning was clear. His eyes contained within them an intense goal like Nina’s. A dazzling light shone in the depth of the mask.

“I see. I can’t defeat you people if I don’t strike the real body?”

“That’s the dream of Ignasis.”

“So you’re staying somewhere safe while your clones fight? Ignasis really is a coward.”

“Military Artists are not allowed to be cowards? That’s unfair, the weakness of this world.”

“What did you say…….?”

“Military Artists are people given the fate of war…….. Have you ever asked why? What’s the difference between the strong stringed by fate and the weak? It is as if your fate is already planned by others. And you’ve never doubted?”

“Don’t tempt me with words!”

“Negotiation collapses. No need to tempt you anymore,” he restored his Dite. “But you’ll soon regret your ignorance.”

His blade was like a saw. It wasn’t made to cut, but to dig. Leerin felt an evil air from that person.

“Nina……….”

“It’s ok!” The greenish color remained on Nina’s face.

“Haikizoku works for its own purpose. The collapse of the power balance must be painful!”

“You………..”

“Isn’t it natural to use what you have?”

The man moved. Leerin failed to catch his movement. All she saw was Nina being struck back, flying to crash into a tube.

“Nina!”

“Stay back,” Nina shouted.

Leerin retreated. She still had Myath with her, so the man would probably chase after her. Nina’s figure disappeared as the noise of fighting sounded from every direction.

(But if this continues…………)

Myath was still weak. It might die if Leerin didn’t take it back into the place, but she couldn’t move with the fight going on. She didn’t know how Nina did it, but Nina continued to fight.

“What should I do…………”

Myath was losing its body heat. Leerin controlled herself. She must find a chance to close the distance………

“No………..” she breathed in deeply. She must not let the man win. With Leerin’s physical condition, it was impossible for her to run this distance. The life in her hand was trickling away. She looked for a sign of life in Myath’s gem-like eyes.

The small eyes reflected something that she couldn’t comprehend.

“This….. What is this?” But Leerin saw it. She saw it. As if she was looking through a looking glass – Nina. But the sound of fighting continued in the Mechanical Department. Nina shouldn’t be reflected in Myath’s eyes.

“This……. What is this?”

Something else covered Nina. A golden goat and a young girl with long hair.

“What’s going on?”

(Haikizoku……… An Electronic Fairy.) The voice sounded in Leerin’s ears. She looked around but didn’t see anyone.

(The power of hatred of filth monsters wars with the power to protect. This balance had been broken when the filth monsters drew near.)

Haikizoku……… The man with the mask of a beast had said so too.

“Hatred against filth monsters? So the Haikizoku in Nina wants to destroy her body because it knows filth monsters are close?”

But Nina chose to fight the Wolf Faces instead. Was that the reason that the balance was lost?

(Yes………..)

Leerin didn’t say anything but something had answered her.

“Are you speaking, Myath?”

Myath was the only choice.

(Yes.)

A weak voice that did not belong to a male or a female. A neutral voice.

(Two Electronic Fairies are inside Nina. One is the Haikizoku. The other is a normal Electronic Fairy. The Electronic Fairy is controlling the power of the Haikizoku. And that is the balance that enables Nina to control it. But the Haikizoku’s power increased when it sensed the nearness of filth monsters.)

“What should I do?”

(You must calm the Haikizoku.)

“How?”

(………..)

“This is connected to your life. Keep at it!”

Called by that strong voice, Myath answered weakly. (Pray!)

“Huh?”

(You hold the En of Grendan……… No, the Holder of En of the other Electronic Fairy that Grendan has hidden. You’re rare. Your prayer can calm the Haikizoku.)

“Then, what………?”

Grendan had hidden an Electronic Fairy. Leerin didn’t know.

(Pray. Pray to the hidden Electronic Fairy. The prototype of all Electronic Fairies.)

“Pray……… How?”

No answer. She could only hear the sound of fighting and Nina’s pain. Any information on religion was the legacy of a time long past. It was said that prayer could increase one’s faith. Anything else was just an individual’s wish. Hoping the day would sail by smoothly and peacefully was only a person’s wish. It was useless if other people didn’t think so. Saying anything in everyday words was meaningless if she didn’t make a wish to a god or any other supernatural entities. Even so, Myath had told her to “pray!”

“Um!” Leerin prayed. Nothing surfaced in her mind except for her wish for Nina to win and the Haikizoku to calm down.

(But who do I pray to?)

Myath mentioned the hidden Electronic Fairy, but what was it? Leerin hadn’t the memory of such a thing. In Grendan…….? She recalled the beast she saw on the night when Gahard attacked her and Deruk. That was probably Grendan’s Electronic Fairy.

“If that was Grendan, then there really is an Electronic Fairy I’m unaware of…..”

Because it had hidden itself, it wouldn’t easily show itself before people.

(Now that I remember it, Synola senpai was there too?)

She chased the flitting memories of the past, recalling how she had fainted and woken up with Deruk beside her. Was Synola senpai with her when she fainted?

(AH?!)

It seemed Synola and Savaris knew each other. Leerin didn’t think it’d be so easy for a Heaven’s Blade successor to so easily tell her of his mission. Then why was Synola there?

(………Ah.)

Reflexive thinking took her down the memory lane of her time with Synola as her their first meeting surfaced in her mind…….

(Why, why did I cry at that time?)

Leerin had lost her way after the entrance ceremony, and met with Synola who was lying on the grass. As she watched Synola, tears spilled down her cheeks. It wasn’t sadness, but a feeling threatened to burst out of her chest.

(What was that…..?)

What was it? She must recall it. That feeling…..

- Let me lend you a little of my strength then!

“Ah?”

- But please don’t forget.

“Who are you?”

- Because that moment won’t come again.

“Why?”

- Because, it’s near…….

Leerin’s consciousness went empty the next moment.

Nina kneeled at the intensity of the Wolf Man’s attack.

“Uh……..”

“For someone who can’t control her Kei vein, you’ve worked hard in this fight!”

“This is nothing!”

“This will of yours to fight against the Haikizoku is worthy of praise.”

More voices from the Wolf Faced Men.

“But will alone can’t take you any higher. We’ll cut you down here!”

“As if!” Nina stood up and readied her iron whips. The weight she was used to in her hands turned painful. In the next moment, the iron whips lightened tremendously. It appeared the power inside Nina was unstable. The iron whips turned heavy again……. Proof of the instability of her Internal Kei system. It was hard to move with this much pain in her.

The Haikizoku was inside her, and Zuellni was losing its control in suppressing the Haikizoku. The strength of a Haikizoku came from its hatred against filth monsters. If Nina’s will was any weaker, she’d have ended up as Dinn.

The Wolf Face man remained inert. He wasn’t that far from the center of the Mechanical Department but he chose to be cautious, leaving no opening for her to take him down.

“I can’t lose here!”

She must return to Zuellni where Layfon and everyone were. Zuellni. A place where she had things she had to do and wanted to do.

“No matter when it is, fighters who fight with a purpose wouldn’t want to lose,” the Wolf Face man said lightly and blocked Nina’s assault. His saw-like blade slashed at her left leg. She kept her distance from him.

This was like fighting against a wall. And her condition was far from her best. (Damn!) She forced herself to stand up as she pressed down the despair in her. The pain in her left leg restricted her movement. She stretched her hand. She knew it wasn’t easy to win against the Haikizoku. And that fight with it was preventing her from fighting against this Wolf Face man with her full potential. Despair.

A strength that hardly matched a dream. The shadow of despair that had caught hold of her since the formation of the 17th platoon. She needed a strong sense of determination and resolution to dispel that despair and fear.

“This is only what I have.”

How could she stop this reality? Nina stood up. To lose her heart and fall – That wasn’t permitted!

Who wouldn’t permit it? Nina herself.

“Aaaaaaa!” she howled and stood up again.

The Wolf Face hadn’t moved from his position of victory. In silence, he swung down with his sword.

And-

“Uh?”

“What?”

They both felt it and they both turned their gazes away from each other to look at Leerin. Leerin was praying, but her eyes watched somewhere empty, blank. Something had appeared at the line of Leerin’s sight…….

What was that?

What was that?

“What…..?”

That attraction exuding from Leerin wasn’t that of Kei. That presence was hidden from others.

“What…. You, can you be…..”

Something had deeply shaken the Wolf Face. “I knew it….. This isn’t a joke. Ignasis knows you. So that’s why? For a normal person, a non-Military Artist, to appear here. That’s why!?” Wolf Face said to the invisible presence.

“………” The presence remained silent. The air trembled.

“So bad. This is bad!” Someone said, appearing behind Leerin.

Nina recalled this was the Military Artist who was with Leerin in the canteen.

“It’s not everyday that I get to head outside the city, but I can’t do what I want. Besides, I just came from a fairly boring fight.”

Why did he appear? This man was looking at Nina and the Wolf Face man without a hint of surprise. Obviously, he wasn’t surprised at Leerin’s condition either. Was he observing them all along?

“My mission is to protect her. I thought I could let you go if you don’t mean to hurt her, but that person said I can’t. In truth, I don’t care about the fate of this city.”

He was looking at what couldn’t be seen. Had he seen it? It appeared he had some level of understanding of it.

“A Heaven’s Blade successor?”

“Excuse me. I’m Savaris Qaulafin Luckens,” Savaris smiled at the Wolf Face man as he introduced himself.

(A Heaven’s Blade?)

He was the same as Layfon? Why was he here?

“To expose yourself here. It’s indeed an incomprehensible situation, but I did anticipate it,” Savaris continued. “You’re under Ignasis. The first Luckens fought you too. The first of my family was a hero, so we had wanted the script of some legend, but for some reason, my family is unexpectedly plain. That, I really hate!” A smile still hung on Savaris’s face. “Geez……….. I want to say I’m glad to be here. If I hadn’t heard of the story of the first Luckens, I wouldn’t have taken that person’s order so seriously. The residence of monsters. I wouldn’t have taken it so seriously……..!”

Savaris vanished.

“Uh-“

Savaris had his hand around the Wolf Face’s neck as he lifted him off the floor. The Wolf Face flailed his sword at his attacker, but Savaris blocked it with his bare hand. The blade shattered in pieces, leaving the handle intact. Layfon had also used this skill before, but Savaris did it with his bare hand. The Kei from this Heaven’s Blade successor battered Nina. If the Wolf Face was likened to a solid wall, then Savaris was a typhoon.

“Tell Ignasis,” he declared with laugher. “He can’t win with this boring style of fighting.”

Nina averted her gaze the next moment as the sound of shattered bones assaulted her eardrums.

“This is the strength of those who are truly powerful.”

The sound of something heavy hit the floor. But when Nina turned her gaze back to the fight, the body of the Wolf Face man was gone.

“Ah~ they can’t die. That rumor really is true. That’s troublesome!” Savaris said, looking at the floor. He then turned his gaze to Nina. “…… You. I saw you when you suddenly appeared. I see. A fight that we can’t get involved with but is nevertheless connected to us really does exist. The First of Luckens didn’t lie.”

“You…….. Are you really a Heaven’s Blade successor?”

“Yes!” he nodded.

“I knew about you! That’s……….. Riggzario. You got information from there?”

“Wrong.” A man like a storm who could blow everything into the air in a sudden. An icy gaze accompanied his smile. “Did you hear this from other Heaven’s Blades?......... If it’s Layfon, then that’s another matter.”

She must hide the truth. If this man knew it was Layfon, she’d be in danger.

“It seems my guess is right!” he said, discerning the slight changes in Nina’s expression.

“Humph-!”

“Don’t you feel that the stirring in your Kei is now back?”

“Aa-? Ah…….” Now she did realize her body felt normal.

“This means the Haikizoku inside you has been suppressed. This person is the origin of all Electronic Fairies. All Electronic Fairies listen to her, and that includes the Electronic Fairy that has gone mad.”

He strode to her, his sharp gaze pinning her to the floor. “You knew Layfon, so you must be a student at Zuellni! Then please convey to him a message from me. I’m heading to Zuellni to take over the job of the Mercenary Gang. My purpose is to bring back the Haikizoku – no matter the means.”

“What did you say………?”

“About the thing inside you,” he stood next to her, took hold of her head with his hand and lifted her up. Eyes that seemed to be laughing. The presence of unrestrained violence swallowed her.

“I’ll kill you if you fell so much like a worm. I’ll eat you whole if anything’s left. You no longer need……. that power!” he released her. Nina felt the strength inside her being sucked away. Embarrassed by her defeat, she heard Savaris said “Not interested anymore.”

That unusual presence was gone, leaving behind Leerin who was staring at an empty space as if time had stopped.

“Please convey my words to Layfon,” Savaris said and left.

“…………………….Eh?”

What did she do?

“Ah? That……….” She couldn’t recall anything except for the feeling that something big had happened……….

“Speaking of which………. Uh? When did I get here?” She had no idea why she was spacing out in the Mechanical Department.

“Uh?” She saw her hands put together but nothing was in it. A feeling. A feeling of warmth was all that was left. Something wet fell on her hands.

“………. What?” Her face was wet too.

“Why, why am…….. I crying?” Yes, it was a feeling of having met with something very important. Something she couldn’t lose. Very important………..

The sound of trembling shook Leerin’s entire body. Everything else around her vibrated.

“Ah………”

Green light exuded from the tubes in the Mechanical Department as the vibration hit the air. It felt like blood was circulating around Leerin. Orange light flooded the bottom of the Mechanical Department.

“It’s working!”

The City’s multi-legs woke into movement. The city was leaving the danger presented by filth monsters. Myath’s crisis was solved.

“This is great!” She wanted to share this happiness with…. With whom? She couldn’t remember.

Nina had hidden herself to watch Leerin. “Memory loss…… the same as Layfon?”

But this felt different to Layfon’s situation back then. Leerin’s mission was the same as Nina’s. “But I saw the depth of that mask. Am I wrong……….?”

Leerin wasn’t a Military Artist. Her fate was too cruel. “The Alchemists who made Regios……….. Did the world become like this because of them?”

The world before the coming of Regios that nobody knew about. Perhaps Nina was now in contact with something in the past. “But why does Leerin have the same mission?”

Leerin was just a normal citizen traveling outside her city. However, she possessed something and that something was guarding her. Savaris too. Why was a Heaven’s Blade guarding Leerin? Did she have some secret?

“So many things remain unresolved!” Nina shook her head.

No time to think about that though. “Time to head back?” She felt dizzy as her consciousness left Myath.

“Am I returning to Zuellni….. or?”

Was she being taken to another city to continue her fight with the Wolf Faces? Dixerio, the person who sent her on this path, was he fighting somewhere too?

“There’re things I must do.”

She must return. Everyone would worry about her if she continued to remain missing. Besides, she was still concerned with how much the Haikizoku had affected Zuellni’s Mechanical Department. If the effects remained in place, then Zuellni was still in danger……….

“And Layfon. He must still be reproaching himself!”

She needed the reassurance. “Head back………….”

The strong will that came with thoughts………..

“Can Leerin really be…………?”

Nina’s figure disappeared from Myath as she finally realized her suspicion.

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| Back to [[Chrome_Shelled_Regios:Volume6_Chapter4|Chapter 4]]
| Return to [[Chrome_Shelled_Regios|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Chrome_Shelled_Regios:Volume6_Chapter6|Chapter 6]]
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</noinclude>

Chrome Shelled Regios:Volume6 Chapter4

2010-02-02T11:46:02Z

ZaX: /* Chapter 4: The Katana without an owner */

===Chapter 4: The Katana without an owner===

Tension that could explode at any moment filled the hall, the largest building that could house all the teachers and students. The biggest difference between this place and a war field was that all space was occupied by chairs. The space was also adjustable through a mechanism built into the building. The floor would become sets of stairs during entrance and graduation ceremonies. The floor would become chairs when it was a famous speaker giving a speech, student voting events and any other events. Right now, the floor remained unchanged. The heaviness of the students and their chatting choked the air.

The chattering ceased suddenly. A person had appeared on the stage. Silvery hair – Karian Loss, the Student President. The many screens above him were switched on to show his image the moment he appeared on the stage. As usual, he wore a confident and sly smile that caused the students to once again raise their noise.

“Everyone……..” Karian’s amplified voice drowned out the noise. “There isn’t time to explain everything, so I’ll simply convey to you the current situation.”

The topic that had attracted everyone’s attention was the situation of the city. The movements of the Student Council had been in a fluster since the end of the platoon matches that were conducted for the selection of platoons to enter the next Military Arts Competition. Everyone thought the Student Council had noticed that another city was near. Military Arts Competition………. What was called a war that didn’t take place in a competition zone. The opponent’s entire city was used as a war facility, and that was the same with one’s own city. Of course, people weren’t allowed to destroy key facilities that sustained a city’s operation. One would set out the boundary of war zones according to those rules.

“The City’s hiding something. Your room’s on the edge of the city. It should be noisy every day.”

Seniors and juniors talked in low voices. Other students also began to talk among themselves. However, even the commotion failed to conform to that of an atmosphere created from the discovery of another city. Rumor then came of several platoons gathering at the Student President’s office. Their subsequent actions were filled with agitation……….. And all kinds of rumors spread. For example, the threatening mystery that lived in one of the facilities. For example, that mystery had something to do with the 10th platoon. For example, filth monsters were close by.

“You’ve probably all heard of some rumors. Some of them are real. Some are false. Allow me to explain.”

Silence descended on the hall. Karian breathed in deeply, “Our city is currently in the middle of a group of filth monsters.”

Small chatter. No huge commotion. Karian thought there would be people wailing and moaning…… but he understood immediately. It seemed nobody could imagine such a crisis. Light crying sounded from somewhere in the hall while they all waited for him to explain the details. At first, they were just a few girls, but even the boys couldn’t suppress their emotions. Friends and lovers hugged each other. Many people had tears on their faces.

This wasn’t a situation that normal students could face. Karian knocked on the microphone. The shrill sound from the amplifier echoed in the hall.

“Everyone, it’s too early to fall in despair.”

The crying sound softened.

“Yes, we’re only students. We’re immature, but we also have our Military Artists. People who can protect this city.”

Platoons with Vance in the center of them replaced Karian’s image on the screens.

“All platoon members know the current situation. They haven’t yielded under it but rather vowed to fight through this difficulty. Are you going to send them off with this expression – while they fight with their lives for Zuellni? I absolutely will not tolerate this!”

Karian’s image once more filled the screen. His serious pupils pierced all students in the hall. The crying completely stopped.

“Everyone…….. Perhaps we’re just normal people. We can only wait in shelters when our city’s attacked. But because of that we must trust our Military Artists. We can only send them off to the life-threatening arena. We can only do that.” Karian didn’t look at anyone below the stage as he left.

“Still, what bravado.”

Vance was waiting in the control room.

“But it’s the truth for them. You don’t understand as a Military Artist.”

“We’re the same in terms of feeling powerless. Forget your speech, but it does work somewhat for the other Military Artists.”

Many of the Military Artists back in the hall were not in the platoons. At first, they were also agitated like the other students, but calmed themselves after listening to the speech. Karian could feel the gratitude in their eyes.

“If that can unite our will, then it would be very fortunate.”

Karian glared at Vance, noticing the sarcasm in his words. “Aren’t you pessimistic?”

“My first time seeing such a strict training manual. Hard to follow even though I want to. I fully understand that I’m too naïve.”

Karian had asked the Salinvan Guidance Mercenary Gang to train the platoons in fighting filth monsters. Paying the Mercenary Gang to fight wasn’t a long-term strategy. Earlier, he only did it because of the urgency of the situation. Since this situation wasn’t as urgent, the platoons were to fight, and that meant they had to undergo training. Haia had agreed to the request.

“Of course we’ll accept such a safe job~”

That was what Haia said, but Karian was uncertain of the outcome.

“Can they fight now?” Karian asked.

“We did the course on team coordination in the time that Layfon bought, but they still think it’s not enough,” Vance said.

“We don’t have much time left.”

“I know. I’ll do my best.”

“We’ve to win.”

“We’ll win, even if it’s just for myself.”

Karian watched Vance with his fist gripped tight. A smile adorned his face. “To bet on the honor of a Military Artist, that’s what I wanted to say……… Very good.” Vance responded to that unexpected praise with an “I have no choice” expression.

“What? Praising me?” Karian asked.

“It’s creepy how you were so honest with your words.”

“Ah, because you don’t fully understand the meaning of what you just said.”

“What do you mean? ........ Never mind that. I’m leaving the fate of the entire city to your people. I’m counting on you.”

“I know.” Karian patted Vance’s stiff shoulder and escorted him out of the control room. The next wave of filth monsters was very near. Vance and the platoons were currently undergoing intense training with the Mercenary Gang. Karian confirmed the time. Most of the students should have already left the hall. The time for rest had ended.

“Then……… Time to solve the next problem.”

Karian headed for the building of the Student Council. Many Resting Rooms were built into the building. He had a habit of using one since he always had to work overtime due to a busy schedule. He walked into one of the Resting Rooms.

“What do you mean?” His voice was full of anger.

Karian thought his judgment was lacking when he received the report of Felli fainting. He had let Felli go out to help Layfon when Nina disappeared. In the time when the city was on a rampage and the Salinvan Guidance Mercenary Gang was training the platoons. Layfon would have fought the filth monsters to protect the city even without Karian asking him. He knew that once he saw Layfon’s expression after hearing of Nina’s disappearance. But he could not allow Layfon Alseif to fall simply because the city had gone insane. All platoon members must receive training against filth monsters to buy some time. At that time, he made a swift decision and left Layfon’s reinforcements to Felli. No, Felli would have done it even without Karian’s request.

Those two needed to rest. Karian’s calculations were off a bit but it wasn’t at the stage where the situation became irreparable.

“You wouldn’t have listened even if I talked to you. I think you need rest.”

Layfon was standing by his bedside. He was sleeping on that bed just a moment ago. Sharnid’s anesthetic bullet had hit him. The medical team had then carried him to the bed and he had slept for a week. The team worked to prepare for this day.

“We did a check up on you while you were asleep. The injury on your back isn’t healed. It should have healed up, as you’re a Military Artist, and that really makes me angry.”

“It was just a scratch.”

“Even so, it’ll become trouble if it doesn’t heal right. So I ordered you to rest. I hope you listen to me. As for what to do during this time……… I believe you’ve already heard something?” Karian’s gaze moved to the screen in the Resting Room. Nothing showed on the screen, but Layfon should have heard his speech in the hall.

“……….. The Captain’s there,” Layfon said, looking at the blank screen with hope in his eyes, and Karian felt guilty of having to crush that hope.

“It had been recorded. Just did a bit of adjustments on it. Nina Antalk’s whereabouts remain unknown.”

“!”

Regret, anxiety, bitterness, anger pointed at himself……… All sorts of negative emotions twisted Layfon’s face. Karian controlled himself and suppressed the complicated feelings inside him as Layfon lowered his head.

“………… I’m not allowed to stay here.”

“Who wouldn’t allow you? Not me? You think it’s Nina Antalk? Do you think she’s the type of cruel captain to force an injured subordinate to fight?”

“No!”

“Then who’s not allowing you? Layfon Alseif.”

“That is………”

Karian stood up and continued his interrogation. He had to say this to prevent Layfon from returning to the frontlines. He had to nail his weakness.

(She should be the one to do this.)

Nina Antalk. But probably even she herself couldn’t do it, and it wasn’t just her. Any Military Artist would be the same.

“I’m saddened that no one has said this to you.”

“What……..?” Layfon looked at him as if he was peeking at something. The relationship between the two of them turned delicate. What was this guy doing under the situation that his head might be chopped off any minute? Karian wasn’t fearful of that. It was Layfon………. But Zuellni wouldn’t see tomorrow if Karian didn’t do something to fix Layfon’s weakness.

“The other Military Artists probably don’t say much to you. You’re too strong. Power overpowers everything. People don’t care about your personality as long as you’re strong. As long as you don’t affect the normal operations of the city. For example, when you were in Grendan.”

“!”

How come you knew? That thought showed in Layfon’s expression. That was, however, very simple logic for Karian. Layfon only participated in underground matches. No city would have exiled him because of that reason.

“You’re too reliant on your power.”

Karian knew of this at the time when he read Layfon’s application to enter Zuellni. General Studies. Layfon didn’t know exactly what he wanted to do with his life. He had already reached the highest peak on the path of a Military Artist. Zuellni couldn’t teach him anything more. But it was different for him as his goal had been rejected by everyone in Grendan. As a result, he had arrived at Zuellni without an aim.

“Why? It’s because you don’t have a reason to fight.”

“I already knew. I didn’t come here as a Military Artist,” Layfon growled. His anger was full of murderous intent, showing that Karian had nailed the head of his true feelings.

“………. But, if not for you.”

“You’re right. I forced you back into Military Arts. I don’t regret my actions. We do need your strength.”

“Then………”

“Because of that, I hope you can use your strength more efficiently.”

“Efficiently! Do you mean for me to stay here and wait for filth monsters to eat me?”

“The result’s the same if you overwork your body. You need to rest. Back to the topic.”

“What topic……..”

“Don’t run away, Layfon-kun.”

“Run away…….. I’m not……”

“Nobody would want to be trapped in a situation he himself finds hard to deal with. I forced you into Military Arts was against your will. There shouldn’t be a problem now if you were the person described in the report I received, but reality is different.”

Waive all school fees. According to Karian’s original prediction, someone who was particularly stubborn about money would have accepted his offer. He might even request for extra compensation. But Layfon didn’t do that. Why? An opportunity to understand Layfon came up. What was Layfon Alseif like? And the conclusion revealed itself in Layfon’s attitude towards the commotion caused by the illegal drugs.

“……..”

“You’re outside of my predictions. Someone even more innocent. Your reason to become stronger is also beyond my predictions,” Karian paused and breathed in deeply to hook Layfon’s attention. He had used the same technique in the speech he made in the hall, but this action held a different meaning for Layfon. Someone who had failed and waited for the last strike.

“You’re making other people shoulder your reason behind your fight.”

Layfon’s expression twisted.

“Whom did you blame for your failure in Grendan?”

“No, I’m fighting for everyone…….”

“What mighty thinking…….. But, can anyone really fight for people he hasn’t met? ‘Everyone’ means good friends, lovers, a basis of life. You probably mean these people, but who made you think like that?”

“Ah…….. Uh………”

Silence. Karian had also anticipated it. The shadow of dissatisfaction had disappeared in Layfon after his battle with the larvae. Karian observed this in the platoon matches and in Layfon’s battle with the filth monster in its aged phase. Just who had changed him? The answer came easily when he connected the two.

“Nina Antalk’s the reason that you fight. You’re uneasy due to her disappearance.”

It wasn’t romance. Not friendship and not the relationship of comrades. Nina Antalk’s strong influence had unconsciously caught Layfon’s attention and drawn him over.

“Uh…………”

“Your action wasn’t driven by the city’s crisis. Another point is also important. You try very hard, but your effort means nothing in terms of searching for Nina Antalk.”

A fatal strike. Layfon sat down on the bed. Karian regretted a little, wondering whether he had gone overboard. But there was no other way. Under this situation, he had to nail down Layfon’s weakness.

“………. Nina Antalk is still missing. We don’t know what we can do to bring her back. If you truly want to protect the place that she can come back to, then follow my orders. A situation that needs you will arise.”

He patted Layfon’s shoulder……… didn’t say any comforting words, and left the room.

“But, if possible……….” he seemed to want to say more as he opened the door. He hoped the wish could be granted, but that wasn’t something he could give.

The door wasn’t locked. Layfon could leave anytime he liked, but he remained inert. He’s relying on Nina’s existence……..? He wanted to deny it but abiding by Nina’s decision was the truth.

(Because she’s the captain………..)

Was he defending himself? Is it wrong to obey the captain’s orders as a member of team 17? There shouldn’t be anything wrong with it.

(But perhaps it’s true.)

At the time when he was exiled from Grendan, the children at the orphanage looked at him as if he had betrayed them. That was a huge shock for him. He really did lose his reason to fight at that moment. His demand for himself had been denied, and he felt foolish for the improvements he made in Military Arts, which was why he came to the Academy City. He had no clear goal and direction. He held an indifferent feeling for and cared nothing for Zuellni. He had wanted to head for a shelter rather than fight when Zuellni faced the larvae’s assault. He fought because……………

(Because of Leerin’s letter.)

And that wasn’t it. Leerin’s letter sparked his action. She confirmed that what he did in Grendan wasn’t meaningless. She had acknowledged his goal in Military Arts. And what else was it that kept him burning? Military Artists’ principles to protect the city? Layfon cared nothing for it at first. In Grendan, he only fought to earn money to help the orphanage. Then what made him decide to protect Zuellni? Protecting Mei-Shen and the others’ future. Hoping that one day he could melt in that light of theirs. Why did he think so?

“What is the purpose of our power?”

This question came to him. A feeling as if he had found the goal he lost, as if he could find it if he kept searching, but once again, he lost it…………

“But what should I do next……” he hugged his head. He didn’t know, and that was why he searched for Nina.

Sweat wetted his hair. Anxiety filled his helmet.

“Ah, I can’t calm down,” Sharnid said as if he was speaking on behalf of everyone here. This was his third time wearing a protective suit at a distance so far away from the city. In all the other times, he only wore fighting suits for mock training inside the city. For most of the other people, this was their first time heading so far outside the city. And this was also their first real fight. But it probably was Sharnid’s first time too. His previous fight with the filth monster in its aged phase was more urgent than now, but his responsibility back then was to take up the rear, not to really get involved in the fight.

“But that wasn’t easy either.”

The gear used outside the city was lighter than when they did training. It was the same gear used when Sharnid went to investigate the ruined city. The protective suit had good ventilation. Still, it was hot. He felt as if his throat was heating up and steaming. A tube inside the helmet allowed him to replenish the water he needed. A ‘drink up’ temptation tickled him…. But he pressed it down.

“Never thought you’d look so listless,” Dalshena laughed mockingly.

“I envy you. How can I be full of confidence like you?”

“That is the basis of what makes a Military Artist. How can you easily let other people see your weakness?”

“Is that so?”

“Of course. You lack the quality of a Military Artist. A Military Artist would naturally do all he can to protect the city.”

“Naturally…. Ah.”

Probably. In truth, only Military Artists could fight filth monsters even though heavy weapons like cannons were placed on the city’s edge. Those weapons should help somewhat against the thick filth monster shells. Still, that help was limited. Using them without strategies would see the quick depletion of the city’s resources. Hence, the cannons were only equipped for an “in case they are needed” scenario. Taking that into account, Military Artists made up the biggest fighting force of a city.

(Naturally. Rather, say it’s because we have no other choice.)

That explanation could only alleviate some of the tension. Still, there were people who hadn’t yet prepared themselves with determination.

“For the sake of the city…….. Compared to that, it’s more understandable to fight for someone. For example, me, I fight for my lovers.”

“So you do hold the photos of all your lovers.”

“………. I just need to hold your photo and no one else’s.”

“Go die.”

“You’re so cold. This might be my last time with you.”

“If it’s you, you’d probably live, along with the cockroaches,” Dalshena said icily, turned around and left. Sharnid shrugged, then checked his watch. Not much time was left from the time the psychokinesist predicted.

“Then as you wish, I’ll do my best so I can live as a cockroach.”

And the order conveyed by psychokinesist came through to all platoon members. The platoon members took out their Dites. Light sighing could be heard all around them. The battle had begun, and that message was sent to Zuellni. All students in the Military Arts course had been gathered as Zuellni’s last shield in case filth monsters got past the platoons.

Far away from the students in the Military Arts course, Layfon stood alone on the roof of the Student Council’s building. The city held its usual peace from a viewpoint high above anything else. However, the atmosphere wasn’t as lively as before. All of the students left behind had entered the shelters.

Layfon’s weapon harness was empty. The student who delivered his meals told him the Student President would hold his Dites temporarily. The Safaiadite. The Shimu Adamandite. The Adamandite. All of them. The Student President didn’t want him to make a move.

(He’s serious……….)

Karian’s determination to keep Layfon away from battle was apparent by not returning the Dites to him even under this situation. Layfon was a bit uneasy with Karian’s action. He recently had a feeling of fear from not doing anything.

“I have nowhere to run……..”

What could he do even if he ran away? He did tell Mei-Shen that he would return to General Studies after Karian graduated, but he had now lost that confidence.

“Am I someone who can’t do anything without the Katana?”

Another way to put it was from the moment when he was born.

“What do you think?” he turned around.

Felli was here. “That kind of thing……..” Her face was still pale. It might have been caused by her overuse of psychokinesis. Nina was the same before.

“I’m sorry for making you fight with me.”

Felli shook her head. The wind blowing past the roof made her hair dance. She turned her head to keep the hair smooth and quietly moved over to his side. No weapon harness hung on her waist.

“They took it at away at the hospital. I was permitted to leave my room but they banned me from using psychokinesis.”

“I see……..”

“I can still use it even without my flakes. I can use the flakes in the battle to support Fon Fon,” she said, watching the city as she pressed down on her hair with a hand.

Layfon looked at her with a “what’re you planning” expression.

“But it doesn’t have to be that troublesome. I know the approximate location of my Dite,” she continued before he could respond. “I can restore it from a distance. I can even tell you accurately the number of scales on a filth monster.”

“Felli………”

“What?” Her hand was still on her hair as she turned to him. “I’ll grant your wish. It’s not because of someone’s order. It’s not forced. I’m not doing this for the city. My actions come from my feelings to work with you.”

Meaning she wanted to aid him. But……….

“You don’t have to.”

“Why?”

“Felli, you haven’t fully recovered. Don’t force yourself, and……”

“And?”

“I don’t have the confidence to hold a Katana right now,” he lowered his gaze. Karian was right. Even if he held a Dite now, he probably couldn’t take any real action. But perhaps he could do something if he did hold a Dite. He felt that influence from Felli’s words. She’d fight even though her body was not in a condition for her to fight.

“………. I see.”

There wasn’t any disappointment in her voice.

“In truth, I’m a bit lonely.”

“Huh?”

Felli’s gaze turned to the outskirt of the city. Layfon didn’t know whether she could see that far without using psychokinesis, but she said with a frown, “I said before that I have to use psychokinesis. I don’t wish to become a psychokinesist, but my body makes me. That I really don’t like. I also don’t like my brother forcing me into Military Arts.”

Yes, she did say that.

“But when I am told not to use psychokinesis, I feel unexpectedly lonely. Even though I know this is just for a short period of time.”

Her pair of eyes looking so far away did feel like they had lost something.

“Fon Fon, our bodies were born to fight. It’s a reality that we can’t turn around. So we have to fight, or you could say we have to fight because of this body…… What do you think?”

“About that…….”

How could he know.

“But what I can confirm is………” She was still looking at the outskirt of the city. “The people over there are weaker than us. Have they already found their answer?”

The immature Military Arts students who fought desperately against the larvae. However, they did not run away. They gathered and did not abandon their battle.

“Have we been abandoned?”

“If that’s the case, we………”

Darkness filled their future. Layfon shook his head as if he was shaking off that image.

“I don’t want to admit it………. But, that person is essential to us.”

Nina Antalk. She had what Layfon and Felli lacked. Especially……….. Felli didn’t know………… The reason that Nina attracted Layfon was because she had the determination to sustain her will. Something that Layfon didn’t have?

“I hope she can return.”

“Yes,” Felli nodded, and…….. The atmosphere in the air suddenly changed. A sense of danger pierced Layfon.

“Eh?”

“Go inside the building! Hurry!”

He pushed Felli from behind and looked up at the sky. The air spun like a whirl inside the air purification system. A huge creature appeared above Zuellni after the whirl dissipated. At a place where no battle preparations had been made.

“Filth monster…….” Felli murmured, having lost her chance to run.

“……. Oh no.”

The fear of death from Layfon’s memory surfaced. A body like a lizard with strong hind legs and front legs that were smaller and shorter. A long neck sustained a head with a horn for assault purposes. A horn to pierce the sky. A pair of gigantic wings allowed the body to stop in mid-air. A matured filth monster. Layfon couldn’t tell which phase it was in. It stopped in the sky as it surveyed the city. A filth monster that was more ancient than the one that Layfon and the other two Heaven’s Blade successors had fought.

(Can’t win.)

Just by standing here……. The pressure on his entire body caused him to instinctively make that conclusion. He couldn’t win even with a Heaven’s Blade in hand.

(I see. This is the real thing……..)

This should be dealt with by the Queen of Grendan.

“Human……….. The human being who foolishly broke the boundary. Why are you here?”

But what was more unbelievable came next.

“The filth monster……… spoke?”

“Stop. Bring me your leader, else I’ll eat you.”

The filth monster’s voice drowned out Layfon, its voice covering the entire city, a voice filled with rationality and deep hatred that numbed Layfon’s entire body. The city’s movement stopped as if it was responding to the filth monster. The filth monster nodded at the shrill sound of metal clashing against metal that resounded through the city.

“Good. The messenger has already left.”

The filth monster vanished from above.

<noinclude>
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|-
| Back to [[Chrome_Shelled_Regios:Volume6_Chapter3|Chapter 3]]
| Return to [[Chrome_Shelled_Regios|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Chrome_Shelled_Regios:Volume6_Chapter5|Chapter 5]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Chrome Shelled Regios:Volume6 Chapter1

2010-01-11T17:20:02Z

ZaX: /* Chapter 1: In a broken house */

===Chapter 1: In a broken house===

This wasn’t the first time she had been in an Academy City, Myunfa Rufa thought as she stood beside the leader.

No Academy City would be very wealthy. Most of its income would have been spent sustaining the livelihood of students and maintenance of facilities. As such, the Salinvan Guidance Mercenary Gang that Myunfa was in usually wouldn’t be given VIP treatment. Though she didn’t have a map, she knew around an Academy City existed strong Military Artists or another city, which explained the low probability of filth monsters attacking Academy Cities. One probably wouldn’t know this truth if one only spent his entire life in one city, but someone had planned the locations of different Regios.

(I never thought of that before I entered the Mercenary Gang.)

Even so, the Mercenary Gang would sometimes visit Academy Cities not to work as hired mercenaries to fight, but to work as teachers. To allow student Military Artists to taste the atmosphere of a real fight – probably just a taste of what was left of a fight though – the previous leader of the Mercenary Gang said that was the best way to teach.

……… Everyone else said it was boring though.

But Myunfa herself had been really busy when visiting an Academy City. Of course, The problem of resupplying was part of it too.. Seven years. That many years had passed by since the Mercenary Gang picked up Myunfa. Her strength wasn’t enough for her to fight on her own so she hadn’t really fought before, but she thought it incredible that she hadn’t died in the past seven years. This thought surfaced in her mind because the Mercenary Gang constantly moved from city to city. They were constantly exposed to the danger outside.

“There’re larvae within the investigating area. 500 of them. They’ve noticed us.” An electronic voice broke Myunfa’s train of thought.

They were in one of the bus stations on the edge of Zuellni. Myunfa was on the roof of the roaming bus. The vehicle was bigger than a normal roaming bus, built to house the Mercenary Gang. It looked like a moving fortress. As such, it needed three times the normal length of rope to hold it down at the bus station. The Mercenary Gang currently had 43 Military Artists and a number of technicians. The large size of the roaming bus was needed to house these people, their living space, the Dite preparation space and other storage.

No matter how far Myunfa’s gaze roamed, all she saw were the multi-legs of the city and the arid land.

But Fermaus, the man with the electronic voice, saw something different.

“Anything~?” the person sitting on Myunfa’s left asked. He was Haia Lyra, the leader of the Salinvan Guidance Mercenary Gang.

“I got them. I think the location of my flake is good but I still can’t beat the abilities of a genius. She discovered them faster than I did.”

Fermaus was the one who had picked up Myunfa. He had looked after her for seven years now, but she had only recently managed to understand how he thought.

Fermaus sighed at the strength of the genius psychokinesist – Felli Loss.

“If you two fought, who would win~?”

“I don’t like this childlike thinking. But…….. if our strength was the same, no, if she’s at 40 percent and I am at 60, I’ll win. She relies too much on her ability. Not like Wolfstein. He’s got perfect skill.”

“But he’s a bit rusty now~” Haia said. He was the leader but he still failed to hide the childish side of him. But Wolfstein…….. since meeting Layfon Wolfstein, that side of Haia was more obvious and intense than before.

Myunfa understood. She was about the same age as Haia when Fermaus picked her up, so she grew up together with him. But now, the relationship between them was as a leader and a student. This gap between them made her lonely. However, she could stay by his side with this identity, so she was happy too.

“You still can’t win. That’s the truth,” Fermaus said.

Haia curled up his lips.

Fermaus continued, the shaking of his mask denoting the shaking of his head. “He is a bit rusty, but that his heart and not his skill. He was once called Wolfstein, yet he isn’t any worse than he was even though he now chooses to use a different weapon.”

Although the Salinvan Guidance Mercenary Gang was formed in Grendan, out of the three people here, only Fermaus was born in Grendan. Some of the other Gang members entered the Gang while the Gang roamed from city to city. Only the seniors who were about to retire and the 2nd head of the Gang were born in Grendan. Fermaus was the only person left in the Mercenary Gang who was Grendan-born.

The youngsters heard of Grendan’s Heaven’s Blade successors from the older generation. The truth was beautified and exaggerated, hence, Myunfa didn’t think a Heaven’s Blade successor was really that strong. She never thought anyone could win against Haia until the appearance of Layfon Alseif. A Grendan-born, former Heaven’s Blade successor, exiled from Grendan.

Layfon was now fighting the larvae in a place Myunfa couldn’t see.

“But the sword that he can’t use to its fullest potential is the same as a rusty katana. It’s the fate of giving up.”

Myunfa heard loneliness in Fermaus’ voice. When Layfon arrived at the destination on his bike, the ground had already cracked apart, spilling out the larvae. The larvae crawled out of the hard ground like water shooting forth from a broken pipe. They spilled out and spread across the earth.

“I’ve confirmed through my eyes.”

(150 larvae. The mother and the other larvae beneath the ground show no life signals.)

The larvae had probably eaten the mother and then each other. Layfon stopped his bike and took out the Adamandite. Different Dites were placed in the slots in the Adamandite. The best feature of the Adamandite was its ability to combine and use these different alloys.

(But, tracking again……….)

Layfon put the thought of Felli aside, poured his Kei into the Adamandite and spoke the keyword. “Restoration AD.”

A weapon left with only its handle formed in his hand. Numerous steel threads were attached to one end of the handle.

“I trust Felli. I’ll calculate the number I have to defeat. You just need to track them with your eyes.”

(…… I know.)

Whether she had heard of the word “trust”……. Or that she was tired of the same conversation, Felli didn’t say anything else. She spread the flakes, including the one on her helmet, into the sky.

She knew where her flakes were heading without having to explore her surroundings with the steel threads. Even Layfon found that terrifying. At the same time, he felt a murky feeling in his chest. He dismounted from the bike without cutting off the engine, and he ran his Kei into the steel threads.

In that one second, he clearly felt something murky in his heart. Something heavy in him had slowed down his thought. His body felt all right though. A fulfilled feeling inside him once he got to use Kei as much as he could out here, whereas back in the city, he had to suppress it. But this feeling was exactly the problem.

“I must hurry and finish this……..”

His steel threads went hunting for the larvae.

Why is it like this? He knew the answer but the question hovered in his mind. That day……..Loneliness and tension greeted Layfon after the cooperated fight with the Salinvan Guidance Mercenary Gang. One of the reasons revealed itself straight after that fight.

Layfon and the Mercenary Gang were greeted by Zuellni. They went in the city through the entrance in the bottom half, taking off their masks to breathe in the purified air. The people who greeted them were the Student President Karian, Vance, other members of the Student Council, Harley, the senior Military Artists of the Mercenary Gang…….. and Felli. Then came Sharnid, Naruki and Dalshena.

But not Nina.

That was the source of his loneliness. How strange. Nina was the captain of the 17th platoon, and Layfon and Sharnid were the team members. Nina wasn’t one to not welcome back her team members. This gave him a really bad feeling. A crack showed on Felli’s usually indifferent face. Harlety was cheerful as usual, but his countenance was a bit stiff and green. He looked as if he wanted to say something, but he swallowed it and his gaze darted around. That was enough for Layfon to raise the question.

“Where’s the captain?”

He had to raise the question. Now that he knew, he had to. Standing next to him, Sharnid also felt that something was wrong. But Layfon didn’t push the responsibility to him. His gaze swept across the people before him.

As such, a senior gave a reply to his question. Karian waved and stopped Felli and Harley from speaking.

“She’s missing,” he said.

Layfon’s heart thumped….. it made that kind of a noise.

“What’s going on?” Sharnid said, putting his hand on Layfon’s shoulder. His voice trembled like Layfon’s but in it was calm. He glanced at Felli. She should know where Nina was up till when she went missing.

“……… I failed to find the Captain once she entered the center of the Mechanical Department.”

“Meaning she’s missing now?” Sharnid asked, shocked.

She nodded. “Her presence suddenly disappeared. I checked the area around but didn’t find her.”

“How……..” Layfon was speechless.

“She might have invaded the very centre of the Department. That’s a secret even we can’t touch,” Karian added. “But in that case, we can only give up. It’s a place we can’t reach. Perhaps there’s a failure there. But I can’t risk stopping the city from functioning.”

A certain feeling rushed up in Layfon.

This had become his responsibility.

Not too much time was needed to defeat 500 filth monsters. The larvae were nothing to Layfon. Although his skill in using the steel threads was only a thousandth of Lintence’s……. Lintence liked to describe with numbers and exaggerated them. In truth, with Layfon’s level of Kei, he could defeat these many larvae in one moment. Yes, even though his skill wasn’t on Lintence’s level. The filth monsters rushing for the Zuellni from behind him were stepping straight into a trap. If Layfon was in Grendan, other Military Artists would have taken care of this crisis, but not in Zuellni.

People of high talent were so labeled by others, so they could be used equally by other people. That was the cruel reality. All sorts of policies were created to protect these elites so they could be used for a long time and for maximum potential. Military Artists were people who could die easily, and as such, cities gave them the best protection possible. Many families that gave birth to Military Artists were given wealth and the best living conditions. But that didn’t change the fate where they were used as commodities.

The purpose of an Academy City was to nurture elites, not to consume them. That was why any situation with students dying must be avoided as much as possible. Zuellni being attacked by filth monsters was, to any city, the biggest crisis.

(Thanks for the good work.) Felli’s soft voice sounded in his ear.

“Any other reaction?”

(Straight in your path. The information came from the flake on the drone so the psychokinetic power is lacking. I doubt the accuracy of the intelligence. I can get more detailed information if we get three days closer.)

“I got it. Please return for resupplying.”

(Right. Get a good rest.) Tiredness filled Felli’s voice.

Next……. Running desperately in tiredness. The city should be avoiding filth monsters, not attacking them. Did other cities have the same confidence to defeat this crisis?

(Because I said so.) Layfon thought as he rode the bike to Zuellni. If he said it out loud, Felli probably would say “that’s not true”, so he kept it inside him.

When he first heard from Karian of the city going on a rampage, he immediately thought of Nina. She had a good relationship with the Electronic Fairy. Layfon had never seen anyone who had a relationship with an Electronic Fairy so good that the Electronic Fairy would fly over for a hug. He had never seen an Electronic Fairy in Grendan. He had wondered whether Zuellni was special because it liked to hug other people, but that probably wasn’t the case. Zuellni didn’t like hugging just anyone. He only knew Zuellni because Nina introduced him to it. Was it because of Nina’s personality or some special ability of hers? He couldn’t think of anyone else who could directly touch an Electronic Fairy. That was why he thought she could do something about it. Such a weak reason.

If only he didn’t think of that. If only he just defeated the filth monsters, solved the looming crisis, and then discussed the reason behind Zuellni’s rampage… So many students were here. They had better brains than him. The result would have been better if he had left it to them……….

(All I can do is fight filth monsters…….)

Other people would call him arrogant, but Layfon was good at Military Arts. Till now, most of his time was spent on increasing his strength as a Military Artist. No one in Zuellni had as much strength and experience as him in fighting filth monsters. But being a Military Artist had nothing to do with solving the problem of a city going on a rampage. He couldn’t do anything without having first experienced it. However, he had pushed that problem to Nina, pushed it to her without listening to anyone else’s opinions.

(That’s true arrogance.)

He tossed away the thinking to solve this problem on his own. After looking at the fight of the Mercenary Gang…….. Layfon thought himself too arrogant.

“Did you…… find senpai?”

(……….) Felli remained silent.

In this heavy atmosphere, Layfon tightened his grip on the handle of the bike.

<center>◇</center>

When Leerin stretched all she wanted in the space she had been waiting for………. Footsteps sounded in the corridor outside and the door was banged open.

“Don’t move!”

“Huh?” Leerin said, unprepared for the gun facing her.

“We’re from the City’s armed forces. Don’t move,” one of the people wearing the fighting uniform said. He and the people with him were about Leerin’s age.

She had no choice but to keep her stretching pose as she raised her hands.

“Excuse me, please go out to the corridor.”

That young man must be the captain. He ordered one of his comrades to remain in the room and he left with the rest of the soldiers. In the corridor echoed the footsteps of leather boots, angry howling and moaning. Only the title of City’s armed forces was clearly heard, and any dissatisfaction started calming down. The person in the corridor took Leerin and the others outside. It seemed all of the passengers were caught in a commotion. They were in one of the facilities in the roaming bus area.

“Ah, who would have thought that I’d get caught up in something strange so quickly.”

Leerin turned her head at that voice. The silver-haired handsome young man was also taken to the outside by the same person who took Leerin away. But the young man didn’t look worried or shocked.

“Ah, better do what that driver says,” Savaris seemed happy. On the other hand, Leerin was too busy fending off the pressure on her.

“Seems so,” she replied.

The driver was the talkative type. Perhaps he was always driving outside cities, in places without protection, his attitude was a bit annoying, but he was a nice person. He had said, “Listen up, Mr, Mrs, and Ms………. All passengers. In case, just in case this is your first time leaving a city, then there’re some principles you must abide. Even if you find it unreasonable, you must not resist the government of other cities. Isn’t that normal? Yes. You must obey the government. Still, you can expect to see habits and laws in other cities that will surprise you. That isn’t a problem of being strange. Perhaps they might find your city strange. You ask why, isn’t a city functioning normally? That’s the truth. Understand? It’s the feeling of unfamiliarity.”

……… Anyway, that driver really talked a lot.

They left the driver this morning, registered themselves, took their luggage and arrived at the designated facility. It was lunch time when Leerin was stretching herself. The passengers probably calmed down by taking notice of what the driver had said to them.

The driver had also said. “You must not make trouble. Any criminals will not be put in jail. Why? Because it’s too much trouble. Outsiders are outsiders. Keeping them doesn’t gain the city anything. If there happens to be a roaming bus around, the city will put a stamp on the clothes, get the criminals to wear them and exile them, but if the crime committed is really severe, us roaming bus drivers can refuse to take on the criminal. I have to look after my passengers after all. If we refuse and there aren’t any roaming buses around, the city will forcefully remove the criminals……… meaning, they toss them away like trash…… that’s the way it is.”

Humans would die if they stayed outside a city without the air purification system. Forceful removal was the euphemism of capital punishment.

(How can I die here.) Leerin shivered.

They left the corridor and walked down the stairs rather than taking the lift. They were taken to the reception hall. No one lived here. There were a lot of people that Leerin didn’t know. They probably came here on other roaming buses. They came here to change roaming buses to get to other cities. They were travelers who couldn’t even get to cities that they had once visited.

(Yes………)

Once Leerin took the next bus, she’d be heading to Zuellni. The Academy City where her childhood friend Layfon resided. As such, (I must not be dragged down here.) She vowed silently and entered the reception hall.

This city was named Myath. The city’s armed forces surrounded the passengers in the reception hall. Leerin observed the people in the armed forces as she waited and mixed in with the crowd. These people had the symbol of the City Police on their uniform and they all looked to be about her own age.

“Truly an army of kids,” Savaris said. “An Academy City is such a strange place. It can function even without any experienced people around.”

Yes, this was an Academy City. A city managed by students, just like the city that Layfon was in.

“Very low level, these Military Artists. Seems the rumor of Academy Cities not encountering filth monsters as much is true.”

Leerin didn’t know thatt there were Military Artists amidst the City Police. Why? Was this how the police force in Myath was chosen or that something had happened and only Military Artists could solve it………. If it was Grendan……… She lightly shook her head. She had never needed to talk to the City Police in Grendan, so she didn’t know what they were like.

“Speaking of which, just what’s going on……. It’s about time for them to give us an explanation,” Savaris said.

The person who took Leerin away to the reception hall spoke. “First of all, I want to thank everyone here for following our orders.”

He had a clear voice, and his manners showed he had had a good education but his eyes looked serious. “The city’s in a lockdown because some important information has been stolen. I hope you can cooperate with us and allow us to check your possessions.” Despite the reservation in his words, his voice showed he would not take ‘no’ for an answer.

“We’ll check your possessions while asking you of your situation. If you have luggage in the rooms, please bring them out here.”

The crowd broke into a groan. They quieted under the sweeping gaze of that young man.

“Important information……… I see,” Savaris nodded.

“Important information? Speaking aside……..” Leerin looked at the young man. She understood the importance of information from school, so it was reasonable for the city to make precautionary measures.

“What’s it?”

“These people look tense.”

“Uh?” Savaris observed the expressions of the City Police. It was hard to discern their expressions as the helmets blocked off their faces, but sometimes their lips and heads moved. That wasn’t the only thing. Savaris might have reacted slower because he reacted to anything dangerous even in his sleep, but the tension of the City Police was influencing the crowd.

“I see, seems to be the case.”

“Why is it like that……”

“Well, we couldn’t do anything even if we knew,” he said in a relaxed manner.

Feeling as if a cold bucket of water had been upended on her curiosity, she waited for the check with displeasure. She waited for a long time. This wasn’t the only facility with living quarters. If other places were undergoing the same process, Myath probably didn’t have enough people for the job. She waited while thinking of other irrelevant things, and finally, it was her turn. The tea room in the reception hall was taken to use as part of the checking process. The tables were taken away and only five were left. Leerin was led to the table on the left hand side to face the same young man.

“Nice to meet you. I’m captain of the 1st platoon, Roy Antorio.”

“I’m Leerin Marfes,” Leerin sat down. Another City Police member took out the luggage that looked like Leerin’s, along with a document.

“Uh……..” Roy looked at it then turned to her. “I want to ask a few questions. That might bring you trouble but I hope you can cooperate.”

“Sure.”

His voice was gentler than when he gave the speech, but it was still the voice of an official. Perhaps he was always like this.

“Where were you born? If possible, please tell me your address too.”

“Grendan, as for residence……..” she gave it too but she felt strange about it. They were in Myath. What was the point of giving them her address in Grendan?

“Ok,” Roy nodded at the document in his hand. Leerin felt relived.

(Ah, I see. He’s confirming whether it’s me.)

A document confirming Leerin’s identity was in her luggage. Since they checked her luggage, they must have found the document too.

(Wu, they couldn’t have checked my underwear too?)

Everyone had enough space to sleep in the roaming bus but it was still just a vehicle for transportation purposes. It didn’t have all the conditions to satisfy a good living. Clothes and washing gave Leerin a headache. Water was the most valuable in a roaming bus. There was a simple tap, but the water was cooled by the engine and recycled. Hot water was also made through absorbing the heat of the engine. So it wasn’t possible to wash clothes or shower. Besides, water was shared by other passengers. Leerin’s clothes smelled……….. She couldn’t do anything about it though. Other passengers’ were the same. Her underwear…….. Either way, she had to put up with it. But that was inside the roaming bus. She had already sealed up her clothes in special bags. Since this was a check, the City Police might have opened those bags too.

(Wu……….)

“What’s it?”

“……… Nothing.”

Roy was doing the asking, so he didn’t have time to open her bags. Someone else must have done it, such as the person who took her luggage to here. That made her so embarrassed that she wanted to find a hole and hide there.

“Then, to the next question.”

Roy looked tired. He had asked the same questions of different passenger. His questions were casual, but sometimes he’d ask some serious questions. Leerin felt tired too.

“Thanks,” Roy said, and Leerin sighed.

“I’ve asked the customary questions. Lastly……. Just one more question.”

“Eh?”

He took out something from her luggage.

“Ah…………..” She had wrapped it carefully to prevent damages, and had put it deep inside the luggage. The box that her adopted father, Deruk, had given her. Roy opened it cautiously. Inside was a Dite.

“Is this yours?”

“…….. I suppose.” She thought of how to reply and decided to give such an answer.

“Suppose. What do you mean?” His gaze sharpened. He looked at the document. “You’re a normal citizen. Then why do you have a Dite?”

Did he suspect her to be a Military Artist using a fake identity? She calmed herself down and looked at him. “……… I was asked to take this to someone so I left my city.”

“I see. To where?”

“Zuellni.”

“Another Academy City. Unfortunately, we haven’t fought Zuellni for a long time. We don’t know the strength of Zuellni. Who are you giving this to?”

“You mean…..?”

“What is your relationship with this person?”

“Uh……..”

What relationship. Siblings? Probably, since they grew up in the same orphanage. But Deruk, the former head of the orphanage, didn’t put down their names in the official documents as his children. He registered them using their own names. Hence, Layfon and Leerin weren’t siblings in the official document.

(Childhood friends?)

That should be the safest answer?

“What?”

“……….. My childhood friend.”

“……….. You took the roaming bus on a dangerous journey just for a childhood friend?”

“That’s got nothing to do with you.”

“Excuse me,” he apologized in embarrassment.

Leerin was angry about it, but it was her first time seeing Roy show an expression other than his official look. Being released from the sweaty smell of the roaming bus, she had planned to relax in her room if not for this sudden event. She was happily planning to have a good shower but was instead taken to the reception hall. And someone else had looked at her underwear. This level of revenge was her due. But the strange feeling of satisfaction was broken in the next second.

“I’m sorry, but we’ll keep the Dite for now.”

“Why!?”

“I already told you the current situation. I’m not suspecting you but we’ll temporarily confiscate all dangerous items.”

“…….. Will you give it back to me?”

“After we confirm you’re clear we’ll return it to you.”

Meaning they were treating her as a criminal. More like a criminal candidate? So rude! She glared at him.

“What proof do you have to do this?”

“That’s inside information.”

His coldness and the way they were investigating everyone meant the investigation wasn’t going well.

“Stop joking!” she said. She hadn’t turned away and left. There weren’t any roaming buses leaving Myath, and even if there was one, the City Police would have stopped her from leaving. Leerin gritted her teeth and swallowed her words.

“Then……. Are you done with the questioning?”

“Yes, thanks. You can go back to your room.”

“Yeah…… Then I hope you can catch the criminal soon. Though I don’t know whether you can do it!!” she spit out her displeasure and stood up. Returning to her room with irritation, she thought back to the question Roy had asked her. Why were the people of Myath so worried? This event………

<noinclude>
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; padding: 0.2em; border-collapse: collapse;"
|-
| Back to [[Chrome_Shelled_Regios:Volume6_Prologue|Prologue]]
| Return to [[Chrome_Shelled_Regios|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Chrome_Shelled_Regios:Volume6_Chapter2|Chapter 2]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Chrome Shelled Regios:Volume6 Prologue

2010-01-11T16:58:27Z

ZaX: /* Prologue */

===Prologue===

That was an extremely random meeting.

To Synola or Alsheyra Almonise, sleeping wasn’t an equivalent of being defenseless. Although her senses were clumsier than usual, even a Heaven’s Blade successor would find it difficult to attack her in her sleep. Synola could prove it with Kanaris. She could tell Kanaris was within 100 steps of where she was even while she was using Kei to mask her presence. This wasn’t a matter of confidence, but reality.

On that day, Synola spent the entire night in the lab. She had had a meeting till dawn with the other researchers, and had staggered drunkenly onto the lawn outside and slept there. The air smelled fresh and crisp in the morning. An entrance ceremony was currently in progress in the senior school next door. The researchers over on this side had gone over to help, so there weren’t that many people in the lab now. Synola’s strange behavior was well known among her fellow researchers. Sleeping outside on the lawn was nothing to them. Since she thought no one would bother her since they were all busy, she had laid down on the lawn and slept with ease. Even if the stubborn professor found her, it would be interesting to make him mad about it. Synola’s personality was created to fulfill the desires of Alsheyra Almonise. Making a professor mad was something Alsheyra would do without ever getting tired of it.

Synola wanted to get up, but she had no motivation to do so. She knew she’d quickly tire of her life as Synola if she kept living in this identity. Life couldn’t be always full of joy. There always were boredom and arguments. She took on the identity of Synola because she wanted to remove the boredom of being Alsheyra, but at the end there was still boredom, and she could do nothing about that. As she thought of that, she gradually drifted off to sleep. But she never thought someone would get so close to her before she realized it.

(Who is it!?)

She opened her eyes without making a noise. A seemingly slow reaction. In fact, she was reacting with ease to the next move that the person would make.

She never thought the other person’s next action was to cry.

“Huh?”

It was a normal girl. Synola didn’t sense any traces of her hiding anything. The stirring of a Kei vein could not be masked from the sensitivity of Synola’s ears.

(This child………?)

Unbelievable. A normal girl walking up to her without hiding her presence and she hadn’t even noticed her. That was her first time.

“Oi, why are you crying?”

Tears slid down her cheeks as the girl looked at Synola. If she was sad about something, she should go somewhere and cry. If she wanted someone to comfort her, then why come to interfere with Synola’s sleep? And she cried after seeing her, why?

“I’m sorry. I think I’m lost,” she hastily wiped her tears.

She looked too young to be in the research institution. Then she must be a new senior student.

“Never mind that, but why?”

“I….. I don’t know either…”

She didn’t seem to be lying.

“I don’t know why but I feel something in my chest, and I can’t turn away my gaze…..”

“Uh……….”

Synola looked into the girl’s eyes. Her own reflected image…… that should be in there.

“Huh?”

“What is it?”

“Ah, Aaaaa…… sorry. Nothing,” she smiled to cover up the doubt in her, and looked at the girl’s eyes again.

The reflected image in her eyes really wasn’t Synola. Why………? Instead, she saw a beast with four legs. Grendan, the Electronic Fairy that was in real charge of the Lance Shelled city, the insane Electronic Fairy that hated filth monsters. Another shadow stood behind Grendan. The other truth of the Lance Shelled city that the family of Almonise was hiding, the other soul that slumbered in Grendan. That was what the girl was seeing. Was this Synola’s imagination? She was just a normal girl.

(Is that it?)

Only one conclusion emerged from her pondering. This girl wasn’t even a Military Artist, but to be caught in such a fate…..? Or had the genes spread out to such a level?

Regios………. The Alchemists made them to fight the world. The genes of fate. But this was also just something random. Even Alchemists weren’t omnipotent. The existence of such a world as this had proven it. Perhaps this really was just something random that had happened outside expectations.

(But if things have become this…….)

“I’m Synola, you?”

“Ah…….. Leerin Marfes.”

“Uh, if possible, can we be friends?”

If this defenseless girl was caught in a fate that even Synola couldn’t fight against………..

(I’ll do my best to protect her.)

No matter what the means. And this moment witnessed the real birth of Synola as a person.

<noinclude>
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| Back to [[Chrome_Shelled_Regios:Volume5_Epilogue|Epilogue]]
| Return to [[Chrome_Shelled_Regios|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Chrome_Shelled_Regios:Volume6_Chapter1|Chapter 1]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Chrome Shelled Regios:Volume5 Chapter4

2009-12-29T09:51:12Z

ZaX: /* Chapter 4: Hold hands while blindfolded */

===Chapter 4: Hold hands while blindfolded===

It had been a week since Layfon regained consciousness. Most of his injuries had been healed, but the doctor hadn’t yet given him permission to leave the hospital.

Naruki arrived while Layfon didn’t know how to pass his time.

“Yo…. How’re you?” she said.

“I can’t stand the boredom,” he said weakly.

Naruki smiled in relief at his voice. She had also sustained injuries, but they were less severe. She had already recovered.

“Still haven’t had the operation yet?”

Most of Layfon’s external wounds had recovered, but the spinal injury had been left untouched. Caution was required to take out the debris embedded deep inside the spinal cord. The medical team in charge of the operation was having a preparatory meeting over it. Next would come the operation, and Layfon would be discharged if the operation was successful.

“I hope it comes quickly.”

He couldn’t stand the boredom and the numerous medical checks on him. It felt like he had become an experimental object.

“This is better than undergoing a failed operation. Have more patience.”

“……. Mei, is she still blaming herself?”

“Aaa……” Naruki lowered her head.

“She really doesn’t have to do that……”

Naruki said that Mei-Shen was blaming herself over the incident and had locked herself in her room. She hadn’t even come to the hospital for a visit.

“At least she’s going to school now.”

“Sorry, it was my fault.”

“I told you before that it wasn’t your fault. We chose that place. You were just following us.”

“But it turned out like this because I was hiding something……”

“Layton…….” Her gestured stopped him from saying more.

“Even we have a few things we don’t want others to know. Although we aren’t like Layton, our reasons for hiding them are different, but there’re bound to be a few secrets. I don’t think we have to blame ourselves because of it.”

“Naruki……..”

“I’m happy. The fact that you can tell us about such a heavy past, isn’t that proof of the trust between us?”

“Uh……..”

“That’s enough. But I hope you can wait for Mei. She’s confused because you got injured. Can you give her some time?”

“Of course.”

“Thanks.”

After exchanging an awkward smile, they changed the topic to the 17th platoon.

“Dalshena’s replaced your position.”

“Really?”

“Aaa, Sharnid-senpai invited her.”

Layfon thought it was difficult to invite Dalshena, taking into consideration the previous incident with the 10th platoon. Naruki thought so too.

“I’m bothered but it’s a sensitive topic. Since the Captain has agreed to it, I can’t say much about it.”

“If you had a better relationship with Sharnid-senpai, then it would be easier.”

“Well….. That’s not easy.”

“Huh?”

“Anyway, what should be done should be done. It’d be good if you could be discharged soon, otherwise it would be meaningless for me to enter the platoon.”

“…….. Naruki, what do you think of what I did?”

“Other people’s opinions don’t matter to Layton, do they?”

“Uh…… well.”

“I’m joking….. You’re right. My sense of morality feels that what Layton did was wrong. It was wrong, but I don’t hate you because of it. What’s important is that it was in the past. It’s not totally cut off from the present Layton, but I can’t say much about it since I wasn’t involved.”

“Sorry. I asked something strange.”

“It’s ok. We were the one who asked you about it, and I hadn’t told you my thoughts on it yet.”

“Yeah.”

“Layton….. What you did was a crime, but you were already punished for it. I don’t think it’s something you can tell anyone easily, so don’t worry too much about it. But you’re letting go of it, right?”

“…….Letting go?”

“Seems a Katana was involved with the fight against the Mercenary Gang? You had two Dites. The Dite you used against Dinn was in the form of a Katana.”

“………”

Originally, Layfon had been training in the Psyharden’s Katana skill, taught by his adopted father, Deruk. It wasn’t a sword skill. However, Layfon chose to fight with a sword when he became a Heaven’s Blade successor.

“Didn’t you say before that you don’t think what you did in Grendan was wrong? But you’ve restricted yourself to some sort of a constraint? That’s not because of the crime, but because of your sense of guilt. I think you just need to let go and release yourself from it.”

Layfon didn’t think it was wrong to participate in the underground matches, but it was unforgivable in Deruk’s view. If he used the Psyharden skill, then he’d have tainted Deruk’s reputation. The only solution was for him to stop using the Katana. The difference between using a sword and a Katana was delicately decisive. He was able to use the sword when he was a Heaven’s Blade successor because of his ability to understand and use any techniques by glancing at them, and because of the support from the Steel Thread techniques that he learned from Lintence.

“That’s all I have to say. Layton’s the one to decide in the end.”

(Letting…… go?)

He knew from Naruki’s opinion that it wasn’t easy to let go, still, he was hesitant.

Someone knocked on the door.

<center>◇</center>

The day of the match had come. The audience was more enthusiastic than usual. All of the platoons would have fought each other at least once after this match. They would also have their results compared. The results would directly impact their ordering in the next Military Arts Competition. Nevertheless, all the audience wanted to know was which platoon was the strongest. In particular, today’s match would decide whether the 1st platoon could maintain its top position. As such, everyone in the audience seat kept their gazes on the war field.

“Well…….. it’s got nothing to do with us,” Sharnid happily said in the locker room.

The three teams fighting for the first position were Vance’s 1st platoon, Gorneo’s 5th platoon, and the 14th platoon. All three teams had only lost one match. The 17th platoon was right after them, with two defeats under its belt. The 17th platoon’s opponent was the 1st platoon today. The other two teams were also having their match today with each other. If the 17th platoon won the match, first place would still go to the 5th or the 14th platoon. If team 17 lost, the 1st platoon would take top position, tied with the winning team of the other match.

“We can’t not give it our best because of that,” Nina glared at him.

“Yes, yes,” Sharnid shrugged.

“Even though we can’t take the top position, we’ll still do our best…… No, we must still win!”

Because the platoon wasn’t in its best condition………. Because whether they won or not they couldn’t take the first place……. These things mattered not. There was a higher meaning if they defeated the 1st platoon. Naruki’s friends held an interview before with the platoons. Gorneo, the captain of the 5th platoon, had said in the interview that if they couldn’t win against the 1st platoon, then Zuellni wouldn’t have changed from the time when it lost in the last Military Arts Competition. Nina thought so too. And more significantly, she didn’t want to think that it wasn’t possible to find a replacement for Layfon. It was also for Layfon, since Nina had said to “do something”, so she had to do something for him to see how they had become stronger.

“I know,” Sharnid said, waving his hand weakly as if Nina’s words were wind to him. She glared at him then turned her gaze to Dalshena. Dalshena sat with eyes closed.

“The attacker is…….. the Captain?” Dalshena asked, keeping her pose. Everyone’s gaze went to Nina except Felli’s.

“Naruki and I will go up the left rear. Dalshena, please take the right rear. Sharnid will fire from a distance with Felli’s support. That’ll be our formation once the match begins,” Nina said. She swallowed and waited for their reaction.

“This time we’re on the offensive. We lose if the Captain falls. Is this ok?” Dalshena asked as Nina had expected. She knew she would point out the danger of having the captain take the front attacker position. In truth, Nina wasn’t sure where to put Dalshena. She did check Dalshena’s fighting style through the videos, but that was all within the formation of the 10th platoon. Nina didn’t know how Dalshena fought on her own. The 10th platoon had taken advantage of Dalshena’s excellent offensive skill. Nina had thought of using a similar strategy, but it would be difficult because they didn’t have enough time to train together. And Dalshena also held the same worry.

“Please don’t worry about me,” she said. Layfon had taught her the Gongoukei. He said the Heaven’s Blade successor, Lintence, used it as his defensive skill. She couldn’t use it as well as the Heaven’s Blade successor, but with it, she had the confidence to defend against heavy impacts.

“Then I just need to attack when the time comes?” Dalshena opened her eyes and looked at her.

“Yes.”

“Roger.”

She closed her eyes again and waited for the match to begin.

Having checked everyone’s Dites, Harley came to Nina.

“It’s Layfon’s operation today. Is it finished?”

“Um? I don’t know much about medicine.”

Layfon’s operation was today, an operation to take out the debris in his spinal cord.

“I hope it’ll go smoothly.”

“Yes.”

They must not lose this match. If she continued to rely on Layfon and didn’t move forward……… That was what she thought. And she wanted to show that she could do it without Layfon.

“We’ll win,” she said to herself.

<center>◇</center>

Layfon was outside the hospital one hour before Nina’s match. The operation didn’t take long. The problem was where the debris was located in the spinal cord, and how to safely take it out. This had been talked over in the preparatory meeting, so all the doctors needed were to follow the decisions made in the meeting during the operation. Fortunately, the debris was in an area where the debris could be taken out in one and not in several operations…….. So one operation sufficed. The doctors had then sewed up the wound and stuck on it a wet pad filled with active cell medicine. The pain felt like a cramp, but with the aid of Internal Kei, the wound should close up and recover within the day. The thread used to sew up the wound would then melt and disappear. Layfon didn’t even need to go back to the hospital and have the thread taken out. However, he couldn’t do much about his reduced strength.

(I’m not at my full strength.)

He checked his body condition in a relaxed manner and headed for the closest tram station. This area was quieter today because of the inter-platoon match. A tram arrived right after Layfon had checked the timetable at the station.

“Ah………:

The tram slowed to a stop. The first half of the tram rolled past Layfon, and he saw a shocked Mei-Shen standing at the exit of the tram. Since he couldn’t escape, he entered the tram. Mei-Shen stood at the exit with a bunch of flowers in her arm. The computer of the tram made an electronic sound as if urging something. Mei-Shen stepped back from the door in a fluster.

The tram moved after the door had closed.

“Ah, Mei. Hello,” Layfon smiled with embarrassment.

“……..Layton, why?” Mei-Shen asked, shocked.

“Ah, I was discharged.”

“Huh? But……. But you’ve an operation……..”

“Oh, it’s finished.”

“…….. Uh? But, the operation?”

“Yeah, it finished quicker than expected. I was surprised too.”

Only the two of them were in the tram. They sat side by side. The scenery flowed outside the window opposite them. They sat in silence. Mei-Shen put the light-colored flowers between them. Layfon had received flowers when he was in the hospital. Nina’s was a deep color. Felli’s was a color that softened the room. Naruki and Mei-Shen’s were of a pure color. Layfon thought Mei-Shen’s flowers seemed to represent herself.

The two of them looked at the flowers.

“About before…… I’m sorry,” she said weakly.

“Uh…….. Rather than that, I’m happy that Mei isn’t injured.”

“Me…… never mind.”

“Never mind, but……..”

“Layton……. You protected me,” she cut in, her hands clutching her skirt as if she was using her entire strength to say those words. “…….. Not only that, you also protected me when the filth monsters were here.”

“Huh……..?”

“I heard about it from Naruki. Like a secret weapon, but the Student President didn’t say what it was. He just said it’s changed. If Layton wasn’t there.”

“Uh……..”

“…… Actually, Naruki said that too,” she said, her head lowered. Her shoulders sagged as if losing strength.

“…….. I don’t understand. Even though Layton’s a Heaven’s Blade successor, an incredible someone, I still don’t understand. I know Military Artists are incredible, but I don’t understand anything beyond that. Although I understand that you did something bad and were exiled from Grendan…….” she fell silent.

Mei-Shen was a normal person. In Grendan, people would understand the term Heaven’s Blade successor even if it wasn’t explained.

It was understandable that Mei-Shen didn’t comprehend the meaning of the term. Layfon hadn’t fought seriously in the past inter-platoon matches. He had fought with a strength just a bit above a normal student’s. The only times he used some of his true strength was when he fought in the matches against the 10th and the 5th platoons. Mei-Shen and anyone else probably wouldn’t understand the difference in Layfon’s strength in those matches. In addition, Mei-Shen and the others wouldn’t understand how Zuellni’s Military Artists fought against filth monsters. They were in the shelters and couldn’t see anything as the fight wasn’t broadcasted.

(Aaa, I see…….)

He now understood the Queen’s words on a deeper level. This was the thing that no one was to know – that Military Artists fought filth monsters using the strength they exhibited in matches. The strength of Heaven’s Blade successors far exceeded the comprehension of normal people. Hence, Mei-Shen couldn’t accept what Naruki said, that Layfon defeated all the larvae.

“It was me,” Layfon nodded.

“Really?” She didn’t look convinced.

“Is it hard to believe?”

“Uh……”

“That was what happened. But it’s ok if you think it’s a lie.”

“Wh, Why?”

“Because I can’t find the proof for you.”

Naruki might see the proof one day. She was a Military Artist. She had what a Military Artist possessed. Perhaps Layfon would be there when Zuellni once more fought filth monsters. He didn’t think the same opportunity would present to Mei-Shen. Normal people would hide in shelter when filth monsters attacked.

“Can’t I trust you?”

“Huh?”

“I want to trust Layton?”

Looking at her lowered head, this time Layfon had nothing to say. Although her words were within his predictions, the feelings he got when hearing them was unexpected. He had wanted her to believe him, but whether it would go smoothly was uncertain. Anyone else wouldn’t have cared. To believe, to trust or not to trust mattered not.

“Th, thanks.”

“I’ve thought of what Layton said. You decided to do that after considering many things, right?”

“Yeah………”

“I wasn’t there. About those people who didn’t treat you well…….. I’m angry at them, and I’m also sad……. But, I don’t understand them. I don’t think I can judge them, but……”

When he realized it, Mei-Shen’s shoulders were trembling. Her tears darkened her skirt. She was crying.

“Mei……”

“Layton…… You’ve done well,” she said as if she was moaning. “You did your best…… but they didn’t understand you……. they’re so mean.”

“………..”

Mei-Shen meant the children at the orphanage. Words defending those kids flashed past Layfon’s head. He swallowed them. It wasn’t hatred. The feeling was like a defense but either way, they wouldn’t forgive him.

If only he was hated.

He said that not long ago to Gorneo. He had the right to hate him. The closest person to Gorneo was Gahard. Gorneo had the right to hate Layfon as Layfon had paralyzed Gahard. He hadn’t the right to stop that hatred, which was the same with the children at the orphanage.

So,

“Thank you,” came his heartfelt reply to Mei-Shen, who was crying for him.

<center>◇</center>

Thump, thump…… The sound of a pulse. Was this Zuellni’s voice coming from the liquid flowing in the tubes? No. No. Zuellni denied that. The reason came from somewhere else. Speaking of which…….. The Electronic Fairy Zuellni did not exist in a human’s consciousness. A human’s nervous system was too sensitive to be able to manage such a huge city. A human would scream horribly at every single thing. He wouldn’t be able to manage the city. So this feeling didn’t come from the city itself. What was it………? The answer came from within the question. What was used as a hearing mechanism was limited only to a certain place. Where could it be besides that place?

Here.

The centre of the Mechanical Department. In here. The place that existed for the city’s entirety. The Electronic Fairy in the form of a child…….. That was the city’s consciousness. It pondered its feeling of looking at the city, and of managing its own body. Usually, it could clearly feel the boundaries, but now it couldn’t remember that feeling and that puzzled Zuellni. But was that really the sense of hearing? It also felt like touch, as if a pulse was shaking it. What was it, that feeling….? Zuellni analyzed its feelings in order to seek the reason behind it, but no results surfaced. It was strange.

When Zuellni broke through its thoughts, it stared at that place. Its gaze pierced through the outer wall of the Mechanical Department, the outer wall of the city to somewhere far away. A place the city must go to………. Anxiety and impatience urged Zuellni on.

<center>◇</center>

“Your stubbornness is really annoying,” Kiriku said coldly, sitting in a wheelchair.

“Sorry,” Layfon said with his head lowered.

A “humph” came from Kiriku, contrasting his unhappy attitude with his handsome face.

“I made it for you, but you said you’re not gonna use it. This is too tragic.”

Both of them looked at the Dites lying on the table. A big Dite in the shape of a stone, and a rod shaped Dite in a leather case. They were the Adamandite and its material. The Alchemy student Kiriku, had combined the qualities and shapes that were determined by the combination of materials to make the Adamandite.

“This Dite can turn into sword, thread, gun, long sword, bow and staff, It can take several sword forms……. And according to your wish, I had eliminated the variation of a Katana.”

“Yes.”

“Really………”

Wearing protective gear for outside city use, Layfon listened to Kiriku’s explanation. He had returned to the dormitory to change his clothes and make his preparation. He now stood at the entrance underneath Zuellni. It was his third time here. The first time was when he had to fight the aged phase filth monster. The second time was when he went to investigate the ruined city. The first time he was alone when he came here. The second time he was with the 5th and the 17th platoons. This third time……..

“He, you’re holding something interesting~” The new presence stood behind Layfon without hesitation. He frowned.

“This is confidential. Go away,” Kirkiu glared at the newcomer.

“Yeah~” the owner of the presence……. Haia retreated. A number of bikes sat behind him, along with more than ten Military Artists. They were all his subordinates, Military Artists of the Salinvan Guidance Mercenary Gang.

Karian had come to the hospital room a day before the operation.

“Actually, the city’s acting strange,” he said after putting down the present and greeted Layfon politely.

“Strange?”

“Though the information came from the Mercenary Gang……….”

Remembering Haia’s face, Layfon’s expression turned sour. Haia had been sent to the hospital after that match. He had already recovered but Layfon didn’t hear anything of Haia leaving Zuellni.

“Aa, don’t show that kind of a face. They’re still useful.”

“How…. Useful?”

“Their strength is needed when it comes to fighting filth monsters. And we have to leave the Haikizoku to them. Of course, that’s besides using what they planned in the match.”

Layfon didn’t know whether there was an easy way to remove the Haikizoku, but he knew Karian was serious about the filth monsters’ attack. Layfon understood after having seen the Military Artists of Zuellni fighting the larvae. They had no previous experience in that area. Grendan’s would have at least have seen fights with filth monsters, but not here. As he thought, cities other than Grendan were more peaceful.

“Then………”

“Ah. Their…… Their psychokinesist discovered some filth monsters inn the path of the city.”

“The path of the city?” That puzzled Layfon. If it was at a distance that a psychokinesist could reach, then the city should have taken evasive action.

“It really is strange. At first I doubted it too. Of course, the psychokinesist who discovered it was also doubtful of it. He delayed his report to Haia to spend a few days to observe.”

Karian breathed in. The pupils behind his glasses were sharp.

“But the city didn’t change its path. It still heads in the same direction, right where the filth monsters are.”

“Felli…….. Has your sister confirmed it?”

“Because it’s quite a distance, it was quicker to send the drones out than the flakes. The result came back yesterday.” He took out a bag and handed it to Layfon.

Layfon confirmed the content. He had done this before. As expected, the photos were like before, photos of the wild scenery outside the city. In those photos showed numerous things that he had encountered. The dormant filth monsters.

“Aa, right. Let me introduce them~” Haia said to Layfon, pointing at the bikes and people behind himself. This was after Kiriku had finished explaining and Layfon had buckled up the weapon harness around his waist.

“He’s the psychokinesist. He’s my backup.”

A tall man waited behind Haia. A hood covered his head and face, and a cape shrouded his body. A mask concealed his face. His hands were hidden in gloves. A piece of cloth wrapped around the head where the mask failed to cover, as if he was careful so not one inch of his skin was exposed.

(This person………)

He was the psychokinesist who found the filth monsters, the one who discovered the filth monsters earlier than anyone else, and he found them in a distance that required a drone to cover……… If that was true, then his psychokinesis might even be more powerful than Felli’s.

“This is Fermaus. His throat doesn’t work so he has to talk through an electronic voice.”

“Please look after me.” An electronic voice, devoid of its gender origin, sounded above Layfon’s head. A flake floated above him.

“He’s a genius in psychokinesis, but he also has other special abilities. Because of that, he’s to dress like this.”

“Special abilities?”

Layfon listened silently, suspicious of Haia’s voluntary information. As of a kid who was so proud of something that he had to boast about it, but because it was a secret, Haia said in a low voice, “He can smell filth monsters.”

“Smell?”

What? Smelling anything was out of the question once outside the air purification system. The pollutants were enough to blunt and conquer the senses of the entire body. The sense of smell was also paralyzed.

“You don’t believe me. I can distinguish by smelling,” Fermaus said. “Wolfstein……….. You have killed countless filth monsters. I can tell by smelling the remnants of filth monsters left in your body. Other people won’t get it, but I do. You’ve killed many more filth monsters than anyone here. It’s my honor to be able to fight with you.”

“Uh….. That name’s already………”

“I see. Excuse me, Layfon-dono,” Fermaus lifted his head carefully.

Layfon didn’t feel any hatred and rudeness from him. Instead, Fermaus was respectful.

“Hey, hey. I was the one in trouble before. You don’t have to use polite terms here.”

“That was leader’s fault. Although to obtain a thing through any means is passed down from the first generation, this time with Wolfstein……. Excuse me, Layfon-dono’s provocative action was also unnecessary. If we had explained the danger of Haikizoku to Layfon-dono, he’d have lent a helping hand. But we turned him into an enemy. If Ryuhou was alive, he’d call you a fool.”

“Don’t bring in the previous generation,” Haia said with an annoyed expression.

“No, I have to.”

The rest of the Mercenary Gang laughed cheerfully.

Layfon watched them with complicated feelings.

“……. Well, it’s useless to talk about the past.”

“No, please forgive me~” Haia sat down.

“Compared to that, let’s talk about me,” Fermaus turned to Layfon. “I can smell filth monsters. This is by smelling the stirring in the air when pollutants are breathed in and stored. The dry wind outside the city is caused by the filth monsters’ activities and their use of pollutants.”

“Ha, Ah………” Even though Layfon had just listened to something grand about filth monsters being able to change the air, all he could do was stand dumbfounded.

“My sense of smell can find the pollutants used by filth monsters.”

“But…….” Layfon still didn’t find Fermaus’ words convincing. Even the filth monsters changing the atmosphere didn’t feel real to him. It was too hard to comprehend without a basis. The thing was, Fermaus’ words just weren’t credible enough. Besides, what Layfon thought was most suspicious was…….

“I understand. To smell the filth monsters, you’ve to go outside the air purification system.”

“…….. Yes,” Fermaus slowly lifted his right hand. “People cannot live under long exposure to the pollutants. The body will burn, rot and collapse. My body can’t escape that pain. And medical treatment isn’t advanced enough to treat injuries of that kind if I’m exposed repeatedly to pollutants.” His right hand took the chin of the mask. “But I have in me a special physique. It might have been born from tolerance. I’ve a special physique that allows me to live even though I’m exposed to pollutants. If my body’s examined, maybe we’ll see the day when humans can overcome pollutants in the air.”

Fermaus took down the mask. Layfon heard Kiriku’s swallow. He himself opened his mouth, but no words came forth.

“But the price might be to become someone like me,” he said.

Fermaus’ skin was dark as charcoal and ribboned with red veins. His nose had collapsed. His eyelids were gone. The white eyeballs looked ready to fall out of their sockets. Dry lips cracked. Layfon could see his perfect white teeth that contrasted with his lips. This was a face of someone who could live through continuous exposure to pollutants, unable to receive any treatment because modern medicine wasn’t advanced enough.

“Please believe in my sense of smell. Her Majesty also acknowledges it.”

Fermaus put the mask back and bowed deeply to Layfon.

<center>◇</center>

Whistle sounded in the war field. Besides the psychokinesist, only four people in team 17 were left to fight. The 1st platoon had six. However, the fighting power wasn’t that unequal taking into consideration of the 1st platoon leaving one or two people to defend their flag. In actually, Felli’s report showed the 1st platoon did leave two people for defense.

Nina and her team took action when the siren sounded. Nina took the left rear, followed by Naruki. The 17th platoon was on the offensive. The team would lose if Nina, as captain, was defeated. Showing this weakness was to attract the attacks over to Nina’s side, and it worked. Vance had sent a number of good fighters to track her.

“Bad strategy……..” Vance said, his huge body suddenly blocking her forward momentum. The staff spun in his hand, creating a storm of Kei. His other teammates gathered round and sealed off Nina’s path.

“Bad strategy or not…….. Talk of it later!” she roared and blocked the staff with the iron whips. Her foot sank into the ground at the impact of the assault. She used external Kei to bounce back the staff, and dived for Vance’s front. The staff was a longer ranged weapon, so close quarter fight would reduce its effectiveness. As expected, Vance’s teammates moved as if to make Nina back off.

Naruki’s rope shot in and wrapped around the sword of the Military Artist on Vance’s right, stopping his movement. Still, they were two against one…………. Still a disadvantage for Nina. Vance was a better fighter than her. He had had more experience as a senior student, having fought in the Military Arts Competition and numerous other inter-platoon matches. But Nina’s fight with Vance was to draw the attention of the 1st platoon. The strategy to move forward for a decisive fight was to create an opening for Dalshena. She boldly swung her iron whips at Vance.

Vance fought her at close distance, looking as if he was releasing his strength without holding back, and also looking as if he had become smaller for the fight. Chased away from Vance’s front area, Nina attacked his teammates behind him. Body bent, she blocked a sword with her left iron whip and stood up. She heaved him over her shoulder in Vance’s direction.

“Wa!”

Vance pulled close his distance with Nina to avoid his teammate’s body. He didn’t once look at his team member. Using external Kei, Nina jumped backward to retreat. Vance rushed in, his staff pointed forward to attack. Nina had the disadvantage as she was in midair.

In one moment, Vance’s body seemed to shrink, retrieving the staff. And Nina then felt the speed of the staff that she failed to see. Her iron whips bounced off Vance’s weapon, and a heavy impact landed on her chest. She was thrown into the air.

“Captain!”

The disappearing of Nina in her sight pulled Naruki’s gaze over. In that one swift moment, the rope in her hand had loosened. The enemy team member had seized that chance. By the time Naruki’s gaze returned to him, he was right beside her.

“What!”

“So naïve, newcomer!”

“Ah!”

External Kei hit Naruki and sent her sliding out. She wanted to climb back up but her body was paralyzed. The commentator announced she was out of the match. Everyone thought the same conclusion would be made for Nina, but reality spoke differently.

“Huh!”

Dust clouded the place where Nina had landed. Soil particles fell onto the ground. A shadow flew out of the dust cloud.

Variation of internal Kei: Gongoukei.

Using all of her strength, Nina had used Layfon’s skill to block Vance’s attack. After blocking Vance, she had leapt over his head to defeat Naruki’s enemy. She also defeated the other member of the 1st platoon.

The commentator couldn’t make a conclusion to the fight, and more cheering and shouts roiled down from the audience stand.

“……… It’s not finished.”

“You’ve become strong………” In response to Vance’s fighting stance, Nina readied her own as she moved.

“Is it because of that guy’s influence?”

“It’s not my personality to rely on others,” she declared.

“I see. So that guy’s thinking. It’s moving in the good direction.”

Vance meant Karian, the person who knew of Layfon’s past. He switched Layfon from General studies into Military Arts, and put him into Nina’s team. Platoon 17’s real beginning was when Nina’s determination aligned with Karian’s thinking.

“I’m grateful to the Student President……. But what went after that was my own path.”

“Not a bad response,” Vance said. “I can fight you more….. though that’s what I wanted to say.” Regret filled his voice.

“It’s the end.”

A change occurred on the frontline of the 1st platoon. Intense light burnt Nina’s eyes, and the sound of explosions drowned the cheering of the crowd.

“This is!?” she said, forgetting Vance was in front of her.

“They’ve put in a flake mine in the ground….. We got tricked,” Felli’s guilty voice came through her flake.

Dalshena was free to choose her own timing for when to attack. When did she move…….? Seemed to be when the crowd cheered. If that was the case, then the target of the explosion was Dalshena………..

“……… They got through our opening when our vision was sealed.”

Next was Felli, relaying how the 1st platoon defeated them.

Nina didn’t think the flake mine would finish off Dalshena, but the number of flakes was large, and the light and the rumble of the explosion were unexpectedly overwhelming……… They couldn’t do much under that situation.

“And I’m here to stop you while the others take out Sharnid and that guy’s sister……. I was to play with you during that time.”

Both Dalshena and Naruki were out of action. Only Nina was left. Felli had fighting power but she was one against so many Military Artists.

“It’s your defeat, Nina Antalk.”

I can still win!

Although that was Nina’s thought, it failed to turn into strength to tightly grip the iron whips. Vance looked bigger than he was in front of her.

Regaining her sight, Dalshena’s intense gaze pierced Nina. Nina moved her own gaze away.

Anger filled the Locker Room. An invisible bomb waited to explode. What was shattered became the sound of reality. The cabinet leaning against the wall had been cut into two.

“Calm down, Shena,” Sharnid said tiredly. He was hiding beside the door.

“…….. Calm down?” The person who cut down the cabinet…… Dalshena slowly turned around to glare at him.

“I……… This is my first time experiencing a match as terrible as this.”

Her gaze swept across the room. She was too outraged to scream. The fight between Nina and Vance didn’t happen in the end. The moment when Nina saw Vance’s attack, she was defeated. Vance’s words about sending people to find Sharnid was a trap. Numbed by Vance’s air, Nina didn’t hear the siren announcing the end of the match.

“Damn!” Dalshena destroyed another cabinet.

“That’s enough.”

“But………!”

Sharnid frowned. “You neglected your surroundings because you were used to relying on others. This is no longer the same when you can just look at what’s before you.”

“!”

The muscles on Dalshena’s face twitched. She opened her mouth and closed it, gritting her teeth.

“I……….” That was all that slipped through her closed mouth, and she rushed out of the Locker Room.

The sound of the door closing echoed in the room.

“…….. Well, I think we did pretty well.”

Sharnid’s words felt like they were there to disperse the echo, rather than a comfort.

“…….. How so?” Nina asked. “It’s true we had a terrible match.”

“Well, even so. Vance won. He had accurately taken advantage of Shena’s weakness. As for the flake mine, isn’t that eye-opening, Felli-chan?”

Felli nodded with an expression stiffer than usual.

“……….. The flakes buried there probably cut off the psychokinesis communication. If they did do that, they couldn’t read the flow of the other team’s psychokinesis. They then used a minimal level of psychokinesis to trigger off the flake mine. This technique isn’t necessary against filth monsters, but against humans, that’s different. It’s a technique we should learn.”

He added, “Can’t be like that the next time.”

It seemed Felli felt regret too.

“I see……… well, it’s that type of feeling. Layfon had taught Nina some skill, but it wasn’t enough to change the result? We underestimated the 1st platoon. That was all?”

“But…..!”

Nina could accept this. Everything felt hopeless once she knew Layfon couldn’t participate in the match. She couldn’t forgive herself. She didn’t want to admit that they couldn’t do anything without Layfon. She wanted to win. She wanted to win just this time. To win a match that wasn’t a “beautiful match.” What should she say to Layfon at the hospital?

Sharnid and the rest of team 17 couldn’t find anything else to say to Nina.

Knock Knock…..

The cautious knocking on the door broke the silence. Nina didn’t move. Sighing, Sharnid opened the door.

“………. Mei?” Naruki said. She’d been sitting on the long bench in silence.

Mei-Shen stood nervously at the door.

“Hi,” Mifi waved, oblivious to the atmosphere.

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| Back to [[Chrome_Shelled_Regios:Volume5_Chapter3|Chapter 3]]
| Return to [[Chrome_Shelled_Regios|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Chrome_Shelled_Regios:Volume5_Chapter5|Chapter 5]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Chrome Shelled Regios:Volume5 Chapter3

2009-12-23T08:37:32Z

ZaX: /* Chapter 3: Darkness. And then… */

===Chapter 3: Darkness. And then…===

Plunged into the depths of the earth, Layfon’s left hand reached out for his weapon harness, took out his Dite and restored it. The sound of rumbling shook his eardrums. He extended his Kei to the blade. The weak moonlight reflected off the soil falling down on them and sustained his vision. It’d have been great if he could use the steel threads, but they would be trapped in the rain of soil.

“Tsk!”

At the moment the flash of green light burst forth from his blade, the situation left Layfon speechless. He swung the blade with Mei-Shen in his arm. Huge slabs of soil fell down above them. Even though the soil was soft, that size and mass was enough to kill anyone underneath it. Kei shot out from the tip of the blade to destroy the soil slabs. But that wasn’t just it. Layfon detected the sound of soil striking metal. That must be it. That was the metal fence used to support and protect the city. Since it was falling for such a long time, it seemed even the ground of the organic field had collapsed. The falling soil blocked Layfon’s sight and hid within it a large number of killing weapons.

Tension ran calmly through him. He adjusted his position to better use the sword.

(If it’s only me……)

If it was just him, he could manage this situation, but he was currently holding Mei-Shen. His movements were hugely limited. They included his swinging the sword, his speed and Kei. Mei-Shen, as a non-Military Artist, probably couldn’t stand the situation.

“……..”

Mei-Shen held tightly to him. He continued swinging the sword to strike down the huge slabs descending on them. While he regretted that he could not use his right hand, soil and metal fence closed in on them. Soil particles hit their skin, and the veins weaving around the ground of the organic field struck their backs. He swung in the direction of the low echo he heard. The blade shattered the two metal fences, throwing off sparks at the contact. Layfon used that faint light of sparks to confirm their situation. He twisted to stand on one of the passing fences, using it to extend his area of movement and decidedly swing his sword.

(I might ruin it again.)

He was using the sword with his movements restricted. His cutting paths were absolutely horrible. He could only use external type Kei and shatter the obstacles with brute force, which wasn’t very good on the sword blade.

(Please last.)

Praying like that, he continued to cut through the things falling on them. And like that, he concentrated on the crisis above them. As moonlight left them, Layfon used the sparks caused by his strike and the sound of falling obstacles to defend themselves. His tension was reaching its limit. He calculated the distance between them and the ground through the echo of metal striking the bottom.

But something unexpected happened.

“Ah.”

“Wuah!”

Just a bit more…. As he thought of this, the ground beneath them shook. Other things that had fallen past Layfon had piled on top of one another to make a hill. The metal fence he was standing on crashed against a metal fence buried in the hill. He pushed against his foothold and flew sideway.

“Aaaaaaa.”

To fall and then to rise, Mei-Shen became more confused. Originally, she suppressed herself and not made a noise, but now she struggled in Layfon’s arm.

“Uh.”

Pain cut a path between his eye and ear. Probably just some debris. He suppressed the impatience and anxiety rushing up him as he bore that hot pain. Finally, his feet touched the ground, and he used both hands to carry Mei-Shen, running away from the hill to avoid the falling obstacles.

A rumble shook the ground, heading for Layfon from behind him. He jumped and touched the ground. That presence behind him was gone. He didn’t sense anything falling on top of them. The sound of the city’s moving multi-legs overwhelmed the sound of debris falling. Layfon kept moving forward without thinking. When he stopped, he put Mei-Shen down.

“Ah…. Ah, Ah…. Huh?”

“It’s all right. It’s all right now.”

He couldn’t make out her face in the dark. The sudden descent had prevented her from saying anything. He covered her with his jacket and patted her trembling shoulder. He waited for her to calm down, then he stood up.

“I’ll just go and check the situation.”

“Ah………!” she took his hand.

“……… Uh, so…….. sorry.”

As if the darkness had wiped away her voice, she let go of his hand.

(Aa, I see……)

She must feel very scared since she couldn’t see anything. Layfon abandoned the idea of checking his surroundings and sat down beside her.

“It’s ok. Please go.”

“It’s all right to wait a bit. We can go together afterwards.”

It’d be good if she was confused as usual. That would be proof of her recovery.

“Speaking of which……… That really was surprising.”

Layfon lifted his head and couldn’t see anything. He had never thought such a place existed. He thought only the Mechanical Department and its exit would be beneath the city. The truth stared at him when he thought deeper about the issue. How could the underside of the city just be covering up the Mechanical Department? It must envelop a larger area than that.

(This place is close to the city’s edge. There must be other mechanisms around to control the city’s multi-legs.)

He glanced around. It was still dark everywhere. The sound of rumblings pressed around them. His guess of other mechanisms being close by was correct. He had moved around during the descent, so it wouldn’t be surprising if he had moved slightly away from the mechanisms.

“……….”

A weak touch on his shoulder. The sound of clothes brushing against clothes. It was Mei-Shen’s shoulder.

“Be patient a bit more. They’ll definitely find us.”

“Yes……”

He took her hand.

“Uh, uh………Say something,” she said.

“Eh?”

“About Grendan.”

“Ah…….. I was in a place as dark as this a long, long time ago. It was outside the city, in the nest of filth monsters. I wasn’t a Heaven’s Blade successor yet, still quite a kid. I had undergone training without using my vision, so I wasn’t worried in the fight. I just fought like I was in a dream.”

Layfon and other people fought the larvae in the nest that the psychokinesists had found.

“The feeling during the fight was good, since I didn’t have to think. I just needed to move according to my memories, but it was different after the fight.”

The underground nest was made for the newly born larvae. Unable to sustain the intense fight, the exit had collapsed, sealing the Military Artists in there, including Layfon.

“I knew we’d be rescued because we had the flakes of the psychokinesists with us, but I felt uneasy in the dark. So I understand your feelings.”

“Sorry…….”

“Why are you apologizing?”

“Because…….. You were going to find the exit.”

“They’ll find it quickly. There’s someone who is better at this than I am.”

“Yes, so…….”

“So, I was scared back then.”

“Huh?”

“I exhausted all my strength during the fight, but after everything had ended……..”

He had nothing else to do. And he hated that feeling. The feeling of waiting for someone to do something.

“Layton……. Layton!”

“……. Uh? What?”

“……… uh.”

He understood when Mei-Shen turned her head and he heard her hair brushing against the uniform he had covered her with.

(As I thought………)

The feeling of spacing out didn’t sit well with him because it led his thinking into the negative. In this place where light failed to reach, the smell of metal and the surrounding environment had stolen away their body warmth. The coldness of the place took away their strength. The same as the situation before. The feeling was similar to the cruel time when the orphanage was poor and they couldn’t do anything about it. He felt he had to do something, but deeper thought revealed his impotence.

“Layton…… Are you ok? Aren’t you cold?”

“Thanks. I’m all right,” he replied shortly and wrapped his knees with his arms.

“What do you mean it’s all right!” A heated voice cut through the coldness. Felli.

“Great. You found us.”

The sudden violent voice scared Mei-Shen, and she tightened her hold on Layfon. He gave a relieved and exhausted smile.

“Huh?” It was Mei-Shen’s voice, shocked. She took her hand away from his shoulder as if to confirm something.

“Of course.” Anger shot through Felli’s light reply. Layfon shrugged.

“The Captain and the others are coming. You stay there and don’t move.”

‘Wait for sometime,’ Felli had said. In her words were impatience and anxiety.

“Layton…..?

But it was already too late. Mei-Shen confirmed that sticky feeling on her hand. “Lay…. ton.”

She called his name repeatedly, her voice filled with tension and edginess. Layfon heard the sound of blood leaking rapidly in the gap in his heart. His consciousness felt far away.

“Layton!”

Darkness swallowed him.

<center>◇</center>

Leerin woke up and looked at her watch. She sat up on the bed, doubtful of the time her watch showed and then realized she hadn’t changed into her pajamas. The window blinds remained closed from before she went to school. She opened it and saw the night street. The sun hadn’t risen yet. As she spaced out, she remembered what happened yesterday. She was eating fried bread with Synola in the park and had told her about her feelings. The reason behind the chat was to seek advice and to organize and objectively examine herself. She began to get flustered as bit by bit, she realized she already knew what she wanted from the very beginning.

“There’s someone I want to see.”

She had said that without reserve. That was what she wanted. Her worry came from her uncertainty of how he would think of her when he saw her.

But no matter how much you worry, you won’t know the answer. Only the current Layfon in Zuellni can answer you. You gain nothing by worrying.

That was what Synola had told her.

“It is impossible to find what isn’t in your heart,” Synola said as she rolled up the bag of fried bread. The constant smile on her face had disappeared. Staring at the park, her eyes were surprisingly serious, but it was clear she wasn’t looking at anything in particular.

“You’ll only be wasting your effort seeking for that thing,” she continued.

Leerin thought Synola had become someone else. She wasn’t the strange senpai that Leerin had known. She had become a beautiful creature of something different.

“It’s simple to give up what you can’t have. Humans can even give up their lives easily. Humans have the habit to abandon things. What is before you can, in one split second, become a beautiful memory. It’s also simple to live by loving your memory. Leerin, it’s all right if you want to do that.” Her words were cold and harsh. “But we can give up anytime. You hate getting hurt, but that feeling of dislike and hate can happen anywhere. Even if one wishes not to die, one might die on the day of his wish. Even so, it’s easy for anyone to give up. Why do you think so?”

Leerin had a bad feeling as she listened. She felt that she didn’t want to hear more. But Synola showed no signs of stopping. “Leerin, you just don’t want to get hurt. That’s all.”

“!”

She wanted to deny it, but nothing came to her. She couldn’t even shout. Swallowing back the words that weren’t words, Leerin exhaled.

“It’s not wrong to be afraid of getting hurt. But it’s true that what can’t be hurt might not be beautiful. No matter how beautiful a thing is, it began at its birth as a dirty stone. Nothing will happen if that stone isn’t cut. No one knew what it would become before it was cut. But I believe it’ll become something much more beautiful than when it was still dirty.”

Having said that, Synola left the park, leaving Leerin rooted on the spot. Leerin had then returned to the dormitory and went to bed without changing. Perhaps what she had needed then was sleep. Synola’s words had given a direction to the thought in her heart.

Leerin was surprised the next day that she had slept from dusk till dawn, as if she could only sleep to accept that change. She slept a lot but did not feel tired from waking. Her body was surprisingly light.

“Let’s go,” she said to herself and closed the blinds. She took off her clothes in the dark and went for a shower. She washed away all that stuck to her and refreshed herself once more.

<center>◇</center>

When he came to, he was on a hospital bed, looking at a nurse’s face. The nurse quickly called the doctor over to check on him.

“The person who came into the hospital the most this year is you,” the senior doctor said with a teary face.

“I suppose.” Layfon’s gaze turned to the drip connected to his arm.

The main injuries were on his forehead, right shoulder and back. He sustained many other smaller wounds, but those three wounds were the main reason behind his blood loss and loss of consciousness.

“The biggest problem is the back. The debris had cut into a part of your spine. You have to go through an operation, but…….” he paused.

“Will there be any side effects?”

“No. Even if the operation failed, we could restore your spine with the restoration operation. As long as your brain and Kei vein aren’t damaged, pretty much your entire body can heal if we transport you to a hospital with good equipment before death. That’s the level modern medicine is capable of. It’d be easier to just get you a new spine,” the doctor said frankly.

“Then……?

“If we change your spine, you’ll need time to recover. Taking out the debris needs less recovery time…… but you can’t participate in the next platoon match.”

“Aaa…. I see.”

“Aren’t you shocked?”

“This is the second time.”

The 17th platoon had lost their match before when Nina had fainted and they lost by default.

“But I feel bad because it’s my fault.”

“That wasn’t your fault. It was just the situation.”

The situation……. It was caused by the wearing out of the part under the city, causing the ground to collapse…….. That kind of thing. A detailed investigation was still being carried out, but that would probably be the conclusion. The doctor and all senior students of the construction course were told of the investigation.

“Just take a good rest now. A patient’s job is to recover,” the doctor hung the stethoscope back on his neck and left the room.

Nina came in, brushing past the doctor’s shoulder.

“Are you all right?”

Appropriate to the situation of entering a hospital, Nina held a bunch of flowers.

“Sorry, I can’t participate in the next match.”

“Stupid, don’t worry about that,” she put the flowers aside and sat on the chair closest to the bed. It had been three days from the night when Nina knew of the date for the camp to when Layfon fell and lost his consciousness. Felli had quickly found him and Mei-Shen, and the team had rescued them.

“Didn’t you say that before? Now it’s real.”

“I see.”

But the purpose of the camp was to prepare for the match with the 1st platoon. It felt like the 17th platoon had finally revived, and this thing happened on the worst timing.

“We haven’t given up the match.”

“Huh?”

“The training you gave us won’t be wasted. I’ve become stronger. I think it’s a shame if we forfeit the match. I’ve talked with the others, they all say we can’t forfeit now.”

“Is that so, that’s good.”

“So I say, you just concentrate on recovering.”

Layfon nodded at her encouragement.

“Mei…. Is Mei-Shen all right?”

He felt cramps from the muscles wrapped in bandages, and in his head surfaced Mei-Shen. He couldn’t quite move his head when the doctor was checking up on him.

“She’s all right. Didn’t get hurt much, just a scratch.”

“….. That’s great,” he said, truly relieved.

“I’m sorry. That was my fault,” Nina lowered her head.

“Not at all. It wasn’t senpai’s fault.”

“But……..”

“Nobody could have predicted it?” he joked.

“Well….. I guess.” Unable to accept that fact, she glanced at the flowers. Layfon’s gaze followed hers for a short moment, then returned to Nina. A question rose in him as she continued to look at the flowers.

“What’s it?” he asked.

“Huh? What?”

“Uh…. Just a feeling.”

“Nothing. You’re mistaken.”

“If so, that’s good.”

“What a strange guy,” Nina smiled. Looking at her smile, he couldn’t help but feel that she was worried about something.

“Speaking of that, what about you?”

“Huh?”

“Your face tells me you’re thinking of something.”

“No…. Nothing.”

“Don’t lie. You’re hiding something.”

She moved herself to the end of the bed and bent close to his face. Layfon had his arm attached to a drip so he couldn’t evade her.

“I’m not hiding anything. Really.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

Her face tensed up as it came closer to Layfon’s. Her air weakened for a split second. It was just a split second but Layfon was sure of it. She saw him notice her change of expression, and she turned her gaze from him as if she didn’t care.

“You’re too close,” she said.

“Huh? Is that my fault?”

“Yes. That confusing face of yours.”

Nina didn’t move away.

“…….. But.”

“But….? What?” Layfon asked.

“I feel a little bit lonely.”

“Lonely?”

“Uh……. Can you just pretend you didn’t hear my last sentence?”

“Of course not.”

She turned her face to him again. Under her imposing gaze, Layfon said “I lose.”

“To think that I can’t do anything even though I’m here…..” he said.

“Stupid,” she mumbled. “It’s not what you can do but what you do……. Isn’t it a given in your situation?” Her gaze fled from him again. She blushed.

Felli arrived a short time after Nina had left.

“Stupid? You are.”

“Wa, is that what you say the moment you step through the door?”

“It’s not a problem.”

She was obviously angry. Even so, she looked at Nina’s flower vase and compared it to the flowers in her hand, then she placed the flowers in the flask in the washroom.

“If you had lost more blood, you’d have died.”

“Sorry.”

Felli glared at him. Layfon felt himself becoming small before her.

“Since it was you, couldn’t you have done better?”

“That was my limit. I had to protect another person so I couldn’t use my full strength. It was difficult to handle the remnants of Kei.”

“So that’s why you sustained severe injuries?”

“I’m far from being good.”

“That’s all?”

“Huh?”

“…….. Nothing. Do you know what’s happening with the next match?”

“Ah, the Captain just came over and told me.”

“Yes? The Captain…… truanted and came over?”

Layfon looked for the clock hanging on the wall. The time showed it was sunset. Nina didn’t check her watch when she visited so she didn’t know the time. It did feel that the time she visited was during class hours.

“Ah, true.”

“…….. Your relationship’s getting better.”

“Ehh?”

“That the captain would actually truant……. I don’t think she knew you’d regain consciousness at this time. I only heard of it after school. I was really worried.”

“Ah…… Perhaps.”

“Layfon, you do whatever she says…… What a good relationship.”

“…… Are you mad, Felli-senpai?”

“………” she glared at him.

“Felli,” he said quickly.

“I’m not mad. I’m just calmly analyzing the situation.”

“Ha, haha……….”

“You told them about Grendan,” she suddenly changed the topic.

“Huh? Ah. Yes,” he nodded anxiously.

“What’s the point of letting them know?”

“Rather than point….. I didn’t feel I could keep it a secret anymore……….”

“Then, since you can’t keep it a secret, you’ll tell everyone about your past?”

“Well……” Probably not. Karian wouldn’t want anyone to know of Layfon’s past either.

“You…… think too little about yourself.”

“Huh?”

“Mei-Shen Torinden, Naruki Gerini, Mifi Rotten……. Naruki Gerini’s all right, but the other two are just normal people. They cannot objectively understand the abilities of Military Artists. They know they can’t do anything if a Military Artist attacked them. Is it all right to so easily tell them your past?”

“………..”

“Didn’t you think of the possibility that something happened?”

“I did.”

If Mei-Shen, Mifi and Naruki left him………. Of course he thought of that. The worst situation was a repeat of his experience in Grendan. He hadn’t thought of anything else except for that situation, and if that situation arose, Layfon’d have to leave Zuellni no matter how much Karian needed him.

“If I asked them not to ask about my past, I’m sure they’d keep their word.”

“Then you should have done that.”

“But I didn’t think I should leave things like that. They wanted to know more about me. They weren’t planning something bad, so………”

“You want to be trusted?”

”Probably.”

“About that, it might be a problem coming from me who knows of your past…….. Geez, so you wouldn’t be trusted if you didn’t tell them?”

“Huh?”

“I’m using an analogy. You know why I came to the Academy City, don’t you, Fon Fon?”

“Yes.”

Felli was born a genius in psychokinesis. Everyone had high expectation of her. But doubt flowered in her of her predestined role to become a psychokinesis, so she came to Zuellni in search of another path. However, what awaited her in Zuellni was a city that had been defeated in past Military Arts Competition, with students who didn’t have good marks in Military Arts. Karian, as Student President of the city, knew of Felli’s ability. And that was another unfortunate thing.

“But Fon Fon didn’t know why I thought so. Weren’t you suspicious of me? And if I didn’t tell you, then you wouldn’t have trusted me?”

“N….. Not at all.”

“But perhaps I lied?”

“Huh?”

“Perhaps I lied because I wanted you to ease off your suspicion against my brother.”

That was possible since Layfon’s strength was worth the lie. But.

“You’re lying,” he said curtly.

“Why?”

“Because Felli’s face is stiffer than usual.”

“Huh?” she touched her face in a fluster, and that act alone had exposed her lie. Layfon didn’t think by copying Leerin’s method, it actually worked.

Noticing how he looked relieved, Felli glared at him. “Fon Fon……”

“Sorry,” he lowered his head. “As you said, perhaps it was better if I didn’t say anything and remained alone. But I already told them…….. Although I might have kept it a secret if they didn’t know.”

In truth, the girls connected the term Heaven’s Blade successor with Layfon when they heard of it.

“Even so, I can’t keep hiding it.”

“You really are an idiot.”

“Am I?”

“Yes,” she decided. For some reason, the atmosphere between them had turned into the best. Probably because they had returned to the feeling they used to have.

“……… Do you want to know about my past, Layfon?”

“Yeah. I think there’re many things about Felli that I don’t know, but I don’t know which part it is that I’m not aware of, so it’s difficult……”

“I hate talking from the time of my birth.”

“Same here.”

“You still want to listen?”

“Yes, it’s you telling me.”

Layfon finally felt at ease as the atmosphere turned back to normal between them.

At the same time, Sharnid stood at the entrance of a certain building in the area where Layfon was. Ambulances stood at that entrance, and there were other vehicles used to transport cargoes. They were all vehicles that anyone hardly saw in Zuellni. They stood out on the ground where usually trams trended.

Sharnid was leaning against one of the pillars supporting the ceiling. He looked casually at the red and white vehicles to kill some time. The person he was waiting for finally appeared.

“Um,” the person frowned.

“Yo,” Sharnid raised his hand happily.

“What is it?”

“Is Dinn fine?”

“….. He’s still unconscious.”

“Oh.”

It was Dalshena, a beauty with rich golden curls. Her sharp gaze pierced Sharnid.

“Aren’t you going to see him?”

“I did already. Well, I don’t think I’ll be forgiven.”

“Then……. Why are you here?”

She remembered what happened a few days ago. “I see…….. I heard someone from your team was hurt in that incident.”

“We aren’t as keen now.”

News of the accident had quickly spread throughout the city. That might be due to the person who was injured in the incidence. It looked like Dalshena really had no idea who was injured.

“The 10th platoon is disbanded. It’s got nothing to do with me now.” The coldness in her words wasn’t aimed at Sharnid. “We deserved it. Your team just happened to take the role of executioner.”

She knew a long time ago of Dinn’s dealings in the illegal drug trade. She had a strong sense of justice, yet she failed to do anything to stop him. Her confusion disappeared along with Dinn’s leaving, but she remained listless as before.

“Our trump card got injured.”

“That first year student?”

“Exactly.”

“How unfortunate.”

“Yes.”

The conversation went on smoothly, but Dalshena was looking at the scenery behind Sharnid, and Sharnid was looking at the ambulance. They treated each other as part of the scenery and continued the conversation.

“So you came to visit? Though I don’t think so.”

“I can visit tomorrow, now that we’re immersed in the beautiful scenery around us.”

“You need something from me? If it’s a date, I refuse. But it’s probably useless to tell you this. You never know when to give up.”

“Haha, not bad. I’m about to break the three digit count.”

“Don’t count. So you really need something from me?”

“Yes.”

Displeasure showed on her face. “Don’t tell me you want me to replace the injured first year?”

“I don’t think that’s bad. And not as replacement, but as a new member. We’re still short of people.”

“I refuse.”

His expression stayed the same despite the quick rejection.

“ ‘Military Artist as Military Artist. So you work hard to protect the existence of this city’,” he quoted.

That stopped her from leaving.

“That came from a certain magazine? What a good saying. Who said such a thing?”

“You.”

“What?” she said.

“You don’t remember? Well, it’s been a while, so you probably don’t remember it.”

“Um…….”

“Remember it now?”

Layfon’s classmate, Mifi, once did an interview with the 17th platoon. She also went to see the 10th platoon on the day of the interview. What Sharnid quoted was what Dalshena said for Mifi’s magazine.

“Aaa, I did. So what?”

“Aren’t you trying hard for Zuellin’s sake?”

“……….. I can do that even without entering a platoon.”

“Do you already know what you can do by not entering a platoon?”

“Well…… I’m still not mature enough.”

It was the time of the last Military Arts Competition when Sharnid and Dalshena were in second year. They hadn’t entered a platoon back then, and they fought as soldiers of the lower ranks, then came Zuellni’s defeat.

“Perhaps, but are you satisfied to fight against those immature guys?”

“You’re provoking me with pride and a mission, but I don’t plan to do what you’re thinking. The important thing is that I can’t fight with you anymore. The relationship of us three is broken. That’s a truth we can’t deny.”

“I know that.”

When Sharnid was still with team 10, people called him, Dalshena and Dinn the strongest of Zuellni. This was shattered when Sharnid left, and the ranking of team 10 plummeted. In order to boost the strength of team 10 and make it as good as it was before, Dinn plunged his hand into the illegal drug trade and ended up getting his team disbanded.

“But I didn’t call out to you because I want us to work as before. We can’t be like before now that Dinn’s not with us. I don’t anticipate that kind of thing,” he said honestly. “The person we need now is someone called Dalshena Che Matelna. You’re not replacing Layfon. Of course, we need an attacker because Layfon can’t enter the next match, but that’s not only it. We need to increase our strength for the next Military Arts Competition. That’s why we need you, Shena.”

He pushed himself off the pillar and looked at her. “If Dinn’s here, and I’m not there………. What’d Shena look like without us? That, I think, would not be bad to see.”

“……….”

“Well, if you think otherwise, come to the Training Complex,” he didn’t wait for her reply and brushed past her to leave the hospital.

“Wait……..”

He stopped.

“…….. Why did you go to team 17, no, accept Nina Antalk’s invitation?”

“………. Though I broke our relationship, there’s something important to me.”

“What?”

“It’s useless to stand around and grumble…… Isn’t that it?”

“You always never speak clearly of what’s important.”

“Haha,” he laughed and resumed walking. He didn’t stop this time.

“Ah, still full of spirit?” A cheerful greeting.

“I’m still a patient like usual,” he greeted casually. Observing as a side party, Myunfa felt herself getting smaller.

“Really? Though all I heard was the recovery of basic functions. Several of your ribs and internal organs were injured, right? It’s not strange for a Military Artist to recover quickly from that.” The person handed the bunch of flowers to the female student behind him. He glanced at the student preparing the vase, and went to stand near the bed, smiling.

“Well, I’ve always been sick since little. I get sick once my strength drops,” the red haired person deliberately coughed on the bed.

“I see. That’s been hard on you.”

“Exactly, because of that, the doctor won’t dismiss me from the hospital.”

That didn’t feel like something that a patient lying on a hospital bed should say, but the visitor didn’t point that out. The visitor’s name was Karian Loss, and the person on the bed was Haia Salinvan Lyia. Karian was the Student President who made all the important decisions in Zuellni. He came to visit the leader of the Mercenary Gang.

“I’m very grateful for the Student President to visit me. So please take your time.”

“Thanks for your invitation, but I didn’t plan to. There’re many problems I still have to manage.”

“Ha, as expected of the Student President. You’re so busy.”

“Yes, like discovering that part of the foundations of Zuellni had weakened, and how our most important trump card is injured. Problems are piling up.”

The smile in Karian’s eyes disappeared. On the contrary, Haia’s fearless smile deepened.

“Let me make it clear that I didn’t do anything.”

“I believe you. We’ve been partners, so it’d be good if there’s friendship and trust between us.”

“Friendship is very important.”

“True.”

Laugher sounded between them. Their words conveyed warmth yet their expressions showed anything but trust. Myunfa trembled in that icy atmosphere.

“As proof of our friendship, I’ve some information for you.”

“Oh, then I thank you……… but is this a parting gift? Your subordinates at the dormitory seem to be making some sort of preparations.”

“How could they? I’m injured and in the hospital. They can’t leave.”

“True. Sorry for that. Your subordinates admire you very much. Then?”

“The Haikizoku. It’s not good to leave it alone for so long.”

“Oh, why?”

“No matter how powerful it is, it’s gone through time of destruction. If it hasn’t got something to support it, it’ll continue to spread a presence of destruction. That’s the kind of thing it is. You should listen to me.”

Karian frowned. Could this have something to do with the incident a few days ago?

“I see. Seems we can’t just leave it.”

“You can’t do anything but hand it to us.”

“……. Does that mean Grendan’s Queen knows how to take care of it?”

“How would I know something that detailed? I wasn’t born in Grendan. I haven’t even seen the Queen’s face.”

“Um…….. Speaking of which, you have quite a thought for a Heaven’s Blade successor.”

“I spoke too much.”

“Oh ha, how much information have you got?” Karian smiled.

Haia returned his smile. “I like people with good memories.”

“Same here.”

“Geez……. We match well,” Haia laughed and told him another piece of information. Karian’s expression went stiff as Haia watched him cheerfully.

<center>◇</center>

The recent atmosphere felt strange. Was this just her own feelings? Nina watched the people at the Mechanical Department.

She was cleaning the designated area on her own. She didn’t have someone to talk to because Layfon was in the hospital. Nobody was fast enough to match the cleaning speed of Nina and Layfon, so no one would clean with her. Usually, the other people cleaning here were normal people. It was rare for Military Artists to take up this job.

“Fu………” she breathed out and glanced up. The maze of corridors surrounded the centre of the Mechanical Department.

“Was it my imagination?”

In recent days, she heard of some other noise besides the noise from the workings of mechanisms. People were investigating the Mechanical Department because of the collapse of the ground. Was this the case of that noise? Nina didn’t have the confidence in her own feelings. Unable to calm down, irritation rose in her. She felt as if the noise was overtaking her being. If she could talk to someone, she’d feel more relieved, but……….

No one was around her. Layfon was in the hospital. Before Layfon arrived, Nina used to clean on her own for the sake of efficiency. Even if there were people around, they were those who ran around for errands.

They seemed…….. busy?

“Nina!” A senior student called. Nina turned.

“Could it be……”

“Could it be exactly. Counting on ya,” the senior student with a beard said and left running.

Zuellni had run off again. It was normal for the workers to be busy, but today was different.

“Right, so that’s why they’re…….”

Why hadn’t she realized?

Nina put down the broom to find Zuellni.

(As I thought, is it because of Layfon?)

At that time, Nina and the others were waiting at the camp for Layfon and the girls to return. The night had deepened. There weren’t many dangerous things in the production area. Felli had left camp to follow the girls and Layfon. Nina wasn’t too worried because it was highly unlikely for them to get lost in the dark. One possible danger could be animals that had escaped from the ranch and turned wild, but they didn’t have those animals here in Zuellni. Besides, it should be all right with Layfon and Naruki there. Who would have thought that a huge hole would appear on the ground?

The intense shaking of the ground hit the camp where Nina was. She thought Zuellni had stumbled across another filth monster’s nest. But she then heard of the truth from Felli, a truth more shocking than filth monster attack. She felt as if her blood had been sucked dry, and her feet couldn’t help but shake. She had never experienced something as horrible as this, and something this unusual had happened to Layfon.

(Are you not going to stop messing up that guy’s life?)

Layfon came to Zuellni to start a new life.

(Yes……..)

He wanted to live like a normal person. He gave up the benefits that a Military Artist would receive, and planned to live a normal life. That was what he wanted. Of course, a Military Artist wouldn’t just accept his benefits. He had to stand in the frontline when the city faced a crisis. He had to fight filth monsters and fight in the Military Arts Competition to win a selenium mine for Zuellni. He had to bet on his life and fight for the city. And that was what made a Military Artist a Military Artist.

Layfon wasn’t escaping from danger. In fact, he chose to fight alone when he met such a situation.

(Am I the one who stopped him from living a new life…..)

It was unfortunate that Karian knew of Layfon’s past, and Nina had underestimated the impact of Karian’s knowledge. Layfon worked hard because he was asked to. He had sustained damage to his body because of that. He had said that he’d fight with them. But that couldn’t hide his outstanding strength. Of course, he played a huge role in deciding how the 17th platoon worked in a match.

(What was I thinking back then……..?)

Nina and Sharnid went out to help once they heard from Felli. Seeing the blood-covered Layfon, she wondered whether her own heart had stopped beating. After recovering from the shock….

(What was I thinking……..?)

She was thinking of the next match. The doctor had said that Layfon couldn’t participate. The only frontline attacker had retired. That wasn’t the only truth. The 17th platoon had lost its entire function.

(That’s not it.)

There were many other ways to fight. Sharnid had volunteered to find someone to replace Layfon, but there were ways even if they couldn’t find another person. Nina and Sharnid could give Naruki reinforcements when the team was on the offensive side. They might not even need to make any changes if the team played the defensive role. Nina couldn’t guarantee victory, but she felt that the team wasn’t doing too bad for now.

(That’s right. But why………)

At that time, she felt everything had ended. The torch in her hand illuminated a bloody Layfon. His eyes were closed. She did feel that everything had ended, including her thoughts and hope. She once said to him to “do something”. A strong and determined declaration that was in fact weak and soft.

“How useless I’m.”

The situation became her relying on him. She had accepted the fact that his strength as a Military Artist far exceeded hers. At the beginning, she had wanted to learn from him and make herself stronger………

“Damn………”

The shock of seeing Layfon covered in blood still remained in her. She couldn’t look him in the eyes when she visited because that image was with her.

“I can’t be like that…….”

Probably because she had been thinking while walking, when she looked around, she didn’t know where she was. Probably somewhere close to the centre of the Mechanical Department. A place like a small hill, surrounded by metal plates. What was inside? The Electronic Fairy. But what was the Electronic Fairy doing in there? Nobody knew what made a city move. What Military Artists and the workers came into contact with were the tubes, corridors and wires that stretched out from the centre. How did Zuellni turn the mine into liquid form, how did the city detect the filth monsters….. There were many, many things that people didn’t know.

“Geez…….. Where is this place?”

As if to keep her spirit up, she called and looked around.

“Zuellni!”

Too many things blocking her sight. She didn’t know where she was. Nina raised her voice again. Her voice echoed within various noises.

When her voice faded, a ball of light flew to her through the gaps between tubes. The form of a small girl occupied the middle of that light. The city’s Electronic Fairy half flew and half staggered into Nina’s arms. Zuellni weighted nothing.

“You aren’t being good,” Nina scolded. Zuellni made a happy expression that made her want to forgive her.

“What’re you doing for today?” Nina asked and patted Zuellni’s hair.

Zuellni had her head on Nina’s shoulder, but she suddenly flew from Nina’s arms to sit on her shoulders. She hugged Nina’s head and put her chin on her head. Zuellni pulled Nina’s hair.

“Uh? Over there?” she turned to look at the direction Zuellni was indicating.

“There’s nothing there?” she gazed in Zuellni’s direction and only saw tubes and corridors.

“What is it that makes you so happy?”

Zuellni didn’t respond.

“Zuellni?”

The tiny Electronic Fairy kept staring in that direction.

“………..”

The Zuellni now reminded Nina of an anxiety she once felt. She couldn’t tell whether it was unease, tension or excitement. She watched Zuellni’s direction in silence.

<noinclude>
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|-
| Back to [[Chrome_Shelled_Regios:Volume5_Chapter2|Chapter 2]]
| Return to [[Chrome_Shelled_Regios|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Chrome_Shelled_Regios:Volume5_Chapter4|Chapter 4]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Chrome Shelled Regios:Volume5 Chapter2

2009-12-21T08:40:16Z

ZaX: /* Chapter 2: The event of that day */

===Chapter 2: The event of that day===

It didn’t take long to decide the schedule of the camp. Nina had applied for the camp as study camp. The camp would be treated as part of school, so they didn’t have to apply for a holiday.

“Oi, oi………. Three days two nights. Does this include the weekend? So boring.”

“Don’t plan to go?”

“Since we get to truant openly, we should apply for normal weekdays. Besides, it’s not good for the body to not rest.”

Nina’s cold gaze rejected Sharnid’s suggestion. Though she had something on tomorrow, she was still cleaning at night with Layfon at the Mechanical Department. Layfon wondered how she managed to squeeze out the time for tonight’s job. She had been busy from training till now. The current Nina had regained some of the dominating air she had before. She had probably forgotten the event surrounding the 10th platoon because of the camp.

Nina had told her team about the schedule of the camp in the training room. The camp would begin three days from now, and it would be three days and two nights over the weekend. The location was the production area of a certain dormitory.

“Excuse me……” Naruki raised her hand. “That place doesn’t have any shops. What do we do with food?”

“We’ll bring the ingredients over. Layfon knows how to cook, so he’ll do the cooking.”

“He can?”

“Uh, well……….” Layfon smiled, troubled. Mei-Shen was the one who cooked his lunches. “Yeah, but I won’t be able to put much consideration into cooking a nutritious meal.”

“It’s all right as long as it’s delicious,” Sharnid patted his back.

Naruki thought for a moment and raised her hand again.

“What?”

“Layfon has to train too. Isn’t it better to find someone else to do the cooking?”

“Yes, that was my original plan, but the person I had in mind is already booked that day……” A shadow shrouded Nina’s face.

“If it’s ok, can I ask for a friend to help?”

“Is it all right?”

“I think so. Layfon knows how the cooking tastes too.”

“Is it Mei?” he asked.

“Of course. I don’t know anyone else. Not satisfied?”

“No, not at all. Is it really all right?”

Mei-Shen was really shy. She was used to being with him, but not with others. And at the camp, it wasn’t possible for Naruki and Layfon to stay with her all the time.

“I’ll think of a way about that. Is it ok, Captain?”

“Yeah. Counting on you.”

Nina explained a few more details about the meet-up time and so on, and they started their usual training.

<center>◇</center>

After listening to Naruki’s suggestion, Mei-Shen leaned on the chair with a faraway look. The girls were in the kitchen inside the dormitory. The kitchen was shared, but not everyone had to share a bathroom. Living quarters spread out across the dormitory, and here was the kitchen. Mei-Shen confirmed once again with Naruki. She was preparing for dinner.

“Just….. what did you say?”

“Oh, I mentioned it yesterday. Platoon camp. I recommended you to do the cooking for us. You’ve decided, haven’t you?”

“Wait, wait a minute……..”

Naruki peeled the vegetables with a matter-of-fact expression. Hands clutching her apron, Mei-Shen watched Naruki.

“Me………?”

“Who else? I can’t ask Mifi.”

Mifi wasn’t in the kitchen. She was busy writing up drafts in her room.

“But……….”

“The Captain’s already told the teacher, so you won’t be marked absent.”

“Wu………” Mei-Shen’s reason to reject the offer was blocked.

“Why not? It’s not easy to get such an opportunity,” Naruki cocked her head.

“But…… so sudden……..”

“Sudden……. It’s not just you and Layton.”

“Of, of course.”

Just the two of them……… She felt her cheeks heating up.

“Well, it is possible for just the two of you to be alone. Layton seems to know how to cook too. And with his personality, he’ll probably offer to help. Everyone else can’t do it……..” Naruki said and popped a piece of lettuce in her mouth. She chewed.

“Uh…….. Wu……….”

“You don’t have to be so excited. Didn’t you two go somewhere before?”

“That was, well, we didn’t spend the entire day together.”

“You won’t be together that long. There is training after all.”

Mei-Shen calmed down at that. “But, is it ok? Won’t I be in the way?”

“You won’t. We won’t have to worry about cooking if you take care of it.”

“I see…..” she began to know where she stood. Cooking. Just as usual. It’d be good if she could help out with that. Just that. Nothing else special would happen. Even if it happened, she wouldn’t be prepared for it.

“I just need to cook?”

“Didn’t I say that from the very beginning?” Naruki nodded.

“So…… naïve!” a voice interfered.

“Mi…… You’ll complicate things.”

“Wuah, so mean! Why am I getting this treatment? I’m protesting.”

“All right, here. Be more honest.”

“I’m a kid!? I won’t have it……. Not like that,” Mifi called, putting a vegetable in her mouth. “How can you leave it like that? Isn’t this a good chance?”

“Chance…… What?”

“About the Heaven’s Blade.”

The feeling was like a knot in Mei-Shen’s heart. The letter she received earlier had left a puzzle. The letter was for Layfon, sent by a female named Leerin. The term “Heaven’s Blade” was in the letter. It seemed Layfon was called the Heaven’s Blade successor back at Grendan. Every city gave its elite Military Artists titles. Back in Mei-Shen’s home city, Joeldem, entering the Knights of the Crossroad organization was proof of being acknowledged as an excellent Military Artist. Everyone aimed to enter that organization. Heaven’s Blade successor probably held the same meaning. She wasn’t surprised to find out that Layfon had such a title because she believed he was very strong. But then why did he leave Grendan? She had asked him once but she failed. She was afraid that question would break the relationship between them. It didn’t. But for the sake of not failing again, she wouldn’t put that question to him again.

“Forget it.”

Naruki frowned.

“Everyone has something he doesn’t want to tell? Layton would have said it if it’s something that doesn’t really matter.”

“That makes sense. But…… Isn’t it easier to hang out with him if you know his secret?”

“Um……” Naruki responded to Mifi’s words.

“I knew it. You were thinking of something after that match, weren’t you, Naruki? It’s got something to do with Layfon?”

“No. Wouldn’t I have lost the trust between us if I kept something from you guys?”

“You’ll say it if you can?”

“Look, why doesn’t this work with Layfon?”

“Isn’t that natural? The basis of the relationship between me and you and the relationship between me and Layfon is different.”

“How different?”

“I know you’d cry from wetting your bed.”

“What!” Naruki blushed. “I, I didn’t cry! And that just happened once………”

“You did, though you were trying not to. The tears just fell from your eyes. Aaa, I can still recall it now. The Naruki of that time……”

“Shut up!” Naruki bent over Mifi, locking her neck in the crook of her arm. Mei-Shen just moaned and didn’t do anything.

Mifi beat the floor with her arm. “No! That wasn’t what I wanted to say. I mean, we knew each other since we were little. We can trust each other even if we hide a thing or two, but it’s different with Layton. We don’t understand him. We don’t know anything about him before he came to Zuellni, that’s why we want to know. Why we are concerned.”

“Um……..” Naruki loosened her hold. Mifi took the chance to escape.

“Anyway, what I wanted to say was if we want to understand Layton, we can’t not understand the Layton of Grendan. That’s all! I’m hungry!” she quickly left the kitchen.

“….. Geez, she just says whatever suits her,” Naruki glared at the direction where Mifi’s gone, off to her own room. Naruki’s face was still red.

“Mei, don’t worry about it.”

“……. Yeah.”

But Mifi was right. Layton had only been in Zuellni for half a year. He had in him the Layton who grew up in Grendan. That was why Mei-Shen was bothered. She was jealous of Leerin because Leerin knew of the Layfon in Grendan.

(But…… am I too spoiled?)

This unease had always been circling inside her, unable to leave. It might explain why the taste of dinner didn’t go well. Naruki and Mifi noticed that the taste wasn’t as good as usual, but they didn’t comment.

(Is this trust? Or pity?)

For some reason, Mei-Shen was more confused.

<center>◇</center>

Someone pinched her face and brought her back to reality.

“What’re you doing?” Synola lay flat on her stomach on the table.

“Report…….”

They were in the library. The computer terminal on the table showed a number of technical books on its monitor. Leerin was reading them for her report.

“He……..”

“What?”

“Ah…… the mission is to stare at the city with a blank mind. Do you know when I got here?”

“Huh?”

The students weren’t allowed to take books outside the library, so the library provided many areas for self-study. A number of huge tables sat side by side in the area Leerin was in. Many students came here to study after class. In fact, there were many students around Leerin right now. Yes, it was a large table. Synola had her chin in her palm. She had pushed aside the terminals and stationeries of other students.

The students around them were all watching them.

“Uh! …….. What’re you doing?” Leerin quickly lowered her voice.

“Aa…….. I waited a long time. Me? Though I was about to lose to shame……..” Synola’s face was red.

“Please hurry and come back down!”

Unable to stand the atmosphere of you’re-an-interference, Leerin escaped from the library to return the computer.

“Ah, you’re so mean. Wait up,” Synola called and chased after her.

“I’m worried because you were spacing out.”

“Then worry in a way that is appropriate!” she protested with a red face.

“Aa, don’t praise me.”

“………. Tell me just how did I praise you?”

“Ehh, don’t be so boring. I’ll treat you a meal,” Synola insisted as she followed her.

“I refuse. Senpai you always take me to some place expensive. I feel like I’m in danger.” She was used to a life of thriftiness. She couldn’t understand Synola’s perspective in the use of money.

“Ah, then it’s ok if it’s some cheaper place? Good. There’s this place I want to go.”

“Uh? Wait……..”

Ignoring what Leerin had to say, Synola took her hand and dragged her away.

Synola took Leerin to a park close to the bus station.

“This?”

She could feel the heat through the paper bag. Many small shops stood before the bus station at the school, ranging from convenient stores to grocery stores. A student who lived alone would be very grateful for this shopping street.

In one of the shops here……… The two of them held something that they bought from one of the shops.

“Yes. I wanted to try this,” Synola took out the food from the bag with a happy expression. Sugar stuck to the surface of the fried bread.

“…….. How should I put this. Senpai is really rich.”

She hasn’t had fried bread………. Shocked at that fact, Leerin also started eating. The softness and sweetness of the bread dispersed in her mouth. It didn’t taste like the bread was fried in oil used for a long time, and the bread hadn’t been over-fried either.

“Um, yum. This is great.”

Synola finished one swiftly and took out another piece of bread. Finding herself getting hungry after having one, Leerin also took out another bread to eat. Synola kept repeating “yum, yum” beside her as they finished eating the bread.

“Um, not enough,” Synola said softly, licking the sugar on her hands.

“No. We ate too much.”

Synola had ordered twice the amount as Leerin. She finished all that in the time it took Leerin to just finish her own bag of bread. Leerin sighed, looking at Synola’s body.

“Then how can you keep so fit?”

“With an adequate amount of exercise.”

That was all she said. Leerin groaned and caressed her stomach.

“Isn’t it about time to tell me of your worries?” Synola sipped from the cup of hot tea she bought and looked at her.

“Huh?”

“Your worry is still there, right? How is it?”

“I didn’t………”

“Or was there progress? Did it give you new worries?”

“No. I ……” she denied desperately, but Synola continued. “Well, you were like someone climbing up from a dark chasm before, and now you’ve this confused, reddened face that suddenly sinks in shadows. Like a flea.”

“Ah………” she didn’t realise this was what Synola felt about her………. Thinking of how she appeared in others’ eyes made her feel embarrassed.

“So what’re you worrying about? Let me solve it for you.”

“No, uh………” Though she denied it, Leerin changed the topic. “……… There’s someone I want to see.”

<center>◇</center>

The day of camp had arrived. They alighted from the tram and walked through a field of fruit trees. A light breeze carried the aroma of the field to them. The horizon widened when they reached the end of the field.

“Wow……..” Layfon called out at the vast plain before them. He was carrying a bag stuffed with his clothes and some other luggage. He held bulging bags with his two hands. The bags contained the food that he and Mei-Shen and the others bought at the shops. Naruki was loaded down too.

“So huge…….”

Mei-Shen was speechless.

Opposite the field of fruit trees that they just went past was the lake they saw when Layon and the three girls went for lunch. They were in an agricultural area. Sunlight reflected off a huge greenhouse. Nina had explained that this was a period of no-planting, so there wasn’t any produce here. It was all right even if the team caused huge damage during training.

A lone house stood in the middle of the plain. That was their dormitory. The dormitory became bigger as the team stepped closer on the path.

They only saw how huge the dormitory actually was when they got close.

“We’re here.”

Nina was waiting for them at the dormitory. She took the bags of food ingredients from Layfon. She thanked Mei-Shen for coming to cook, and Mei-Shen replied in a very small voice. Following behind Mei-Shen, Layfon lifted his head to study the building.

“So big.”

Nina also lifted her gaze. “Aa. The students doing agriculture use this building when they work outside, so it can fit around 20 people.”

“Amazing.”

“This area provides food for Zuellni, so it’s pretty huge. You can find this facility in other producing areas too. ……… Here.” Nina led them to the kitchen and put the ingredients in the fridge. She told them their room locations, and they dispersed to put down their luggage.

“We’ve spent today getting here and putting everything in place. Be prepared for training tomorrow,” Nina said and took Naruki and Mei-Shen to their rooms.

Left alone, Layfon went for his room to put down his luggage. He pulled aside the window screen and saw that it was almost dusk.

“We’re at the edge of the city.”

Standing on the second level, he could see the city’s outskirt. The dormitory he was in now and the dormitory of the first years…… The different scenery he looked at now gave him a feeling of being in another city.

In another city…… That kind of lament came to him. The thought of studying at an Academy City was nonexistent to him when he was still a Heaven’s Blade successor in Grendan.

There was a reason behind his naïve desire. No, the Layfon in Grendan thought his way of doing things was current. What Nina said was reasonable. Wasn’t there another way? Probably. If he had picked another way, Leerin wouldn’t be in so much trouble now. Regret and loneliness plagued him.

Leerin, is she still full of energy?

His room at the dormitory being too big might explain his feeling of loneliness. A room big enough to fit three beds. The dormitory was usually for students of the Agricultural course who needed to work very late and had to stay outside. And now only Layfon was using this room. When he was in the orphanage, he had always dreamt of having a room to himself. He was in a large room at the orphanage, but he slept there with everyone else. The current room back at Layfon’s usual dormitory was for two people. He did not have a roommate. The feelings of being alone in there and being alone in here shouldn’t be different. It only felt different because the size of this room was similar to the room back in the orphanage.

“Aaaa……”

He shook his head and swallowed the nostalgia. He knew well the feeling of loneliness of being unable to return to that place so long ago. What would happen if a Heaven’s Blade went on a rampage……. He was the one who answered that question for the public. How could he return to Grendan with that past?

Sharnid and Felli arrived while Layfon mulled over that thought. He was also called over.

The training on that day was simple. Since there wasn’t a training room, they did training outside, much the same as they did training in the war field. Training ended when darkness came. Sparse light from the building acted as the only source of light after the sun had set. The team spent some time after training in the large living room. Nina and Sharnid played a paper game in the Military Arts course that was designed to nurture a mind in terms of tactics. Mei-Shen and Naruki chatted in a corner, Felli read a book she had brought with her. Layfon sat beside Nina and Sharnid, and watched them play the game.

The game was played on two boards with pieces lined up on either side of the boards. Each player was to move his own pieces in accordance to the movement of his opponent. The boards were positioned in a way so the opponent couldn’t see the pieces. It was a game of command.

“I got flakes around B6.”

“A shame, got nothing there.”

“What? Damn……. Finished.”

“My turn. Flakes around E3.”

“……. There’s a guard at E2.”

“Ah, I’m sniping him… he.”

Nina and Sharnid tossed the dice that had 6 faces, and spoke the result.

“Good. Let’s swap.”

“So naïve. One more sniping.”

“Wh….. Damn.”

Nina tossed the dice again, and removed her own piece with a painful expression.

“Uh…. Finished.”

“It’s my turn now. Then…….”

The two moved their pieces in front of Layfon, using psychokinetic flakes to find the position of other pieces and attack them. Sharnid kept winning the game, all the way to victory.

“Geez…..”

“So I said, only platoons with the normal structure can make the best of movement? With 2-3 psychokinesists, the remaining sniper can move around freely.”

Staring at the board and pondering on her next move, Nina fiddled with the dice as Sharnid talked.

“You’re so noisy. Be quiet.”

“Decide on a better structure next time.”

“No, I’m using the same structure.”

“Then you can only rely on the luck of the dice.”

Knowing Nina wouldn’t take his suggestion, he sighed and placed his pieces with the same structure as before. Nina didn’t win the following three games either.

“Just a bit more……”

“Let’s stop here,” Sharnid put down his piece and put up his arms.

“Um…… I guess. It’s already that hour. Getting ready for the bath?”

“Ah, there is a bath?” Naruki asked.

“Aa, a very big bath……. Oh no, forgot to let the hot water run,” Nina looked at the clock.

“Sorry, let’s just take a shower. I’ll put in the hot water tomorrow.”

The bath was for both male and female. The girls went on ahead on Nina’s direction, as Layfon and Sharnid watched them leave.

“Oh…… a big bath, hehe……..” Sharnid said to himself. Layfon pretended he didn’t hear him.

<center>◇</center>

Layfon opened his eyes at the tiny noise reaching his ears. He had slept enough. He slipped off the bed to pull open the blinds on the window. The morning air was a bit cold. He stretched his arms, went to wash his face and automatically headed for the source of the noise. A figure was in the kitchen where a wonderful breakfast had already been prepared.

“Mei-Shen, you’re early.”

“Wa…. Layton?” Mei-Shen turned around in surprise. She was holding the wok. “Sorry, I haven’t finished making breakfast.”

“It’s ok. Let me help.”

“Huh? But……”

“I woke up without knowing,” he said and started washing the vegetables. “That’s a lot.”

“Ah, yeah……. I want to prepare for dinner too.” She had prepared two pans of food.

“Ah, I’ll handle the vegetables. You can work on something else,” he said and peeled off the skin of the vegetables.

“…….. But the other dishes will get cold if I finish them first.”

“Ah, true.” He had bought the ingredients with Mei-Shen, so he had a general idea on what dishes she’d make. They stood side by side, peeling green vegetables.

“Layton….. You’re good at this,” she said with wide eyes.

“I’ve been helping since I was little. I have confidence in my food-preparing speed.”

“I see.”

He memorized the shape of the bean with his finger, then quickly sliced it out with the knife without having to look at it. The color of Mei-Shen’s face changed at that, and Layfon noticed her change of color.

“What’s it?”

“Huh? No, nothing,” she shook her head with a smile, knowing the change in her face. Layfon…. realized it. (Perhaps…….)

“But I’m not good at considering what dishes to make. I didn’t think of balancing the nutrients. I just made dishes, and that always made her angry.”

“……. How?”

“Uh, I made Leerin angry.”

“Huh?”

“Ah, Leerin is my childhood friend……” And like that, Layfon told her about Leerin, how he cooked with her and what laughable moments he was involved in. He took care of explaining it so that she wouldn’t mistake him as a good cook and think it was redundant to make him lunches.

Mei-Shen listened to him with a smile. But he didn’t notice how her expression hadn’t changed when he finished talking.

And during this time outside the kitchen…

“…… I can’t hear,” Felli said as she peered into the kitchen with her body pressed against the wall. It seemed Layfon and Mei-Shen were chatting. A good relationship. Felli couldn’t hear anything as the kitchen was big. But she could see Mei-Shen smiling.

“Just a bit more.”

She wanted to get closer, but that would mean stepping into the kitchen and being discovered by Layfon. And if she stepped even closer, Mei-Shen would see her.

“I have to use psychokinesis.” As she considered this with a half serious attitude, footsteps neared her. Felli jumped back from the wall immediately and composed her face as if she had just arrived.

It was Nina.

“Morning.”

“Ahah, morning,” Nina greeted her. Her gaze flashed towards the kitchen. “Are they making breakfast?” Her nose twitched.

Steam rose from the two pans. The smell of food drifted over to the girls. In one pan were the vegetables Mei-Shen had peeled and cut into small pieces. The other pan contained soup. On the other side was Layfon, busy peeling a huge amount of vegetables.

“Do they need help……” Nina scratched her head.

“Ye…. Yeah.”

Good to use “help” as an excuse to check the inside of the kitchen. But…..

“Not good. I’m not good at this at all,” Nina smiled bitterly. She was the same as Felli.

“Captain….. Have you cooked before?” Felli asked.

“Yes, but….. I was forced to cook. My mother believes the kitchen is a woman’s fortress, so she always made me help out and do simple things…….. I did them, but not very well. I thought it was more meaningful to spend time practicing with dad, so I always escaped from the kitchen.”

Felli was different. She grew up in a family unrelated to Military Arts. Every generation made its living off buying and selling information on cities. Karian came to the Academy City for two reasons, one to know more of other cities, and to also memorize how information flowed between cities. That was Felli’s family. A family that hired many, many servants. Of course, specialized people were hired to be responsible for meals. A kitchen was a place where Felli would be given sweets. She had never touched a kitchen knife before coming to Zuellni. And she didn’t have any interest in cooking after coming to Zuellni, so her cooking skill hadn’t improved either.

Felli and Nina stood motionless at the door when Naruki finally arrived.

“Morning….. What’re you doing?”

“Ah……” Nina mumbled.

Naruki looked inside the kitchen, called out that she’d help, and stepped inside.

“Does she know how to cook?”

“Probably.”

Naruki joined in the peeling of vegetables.

“She does.”

“Yeah.”

The voices of those two, mixed with complicated feelings, spread out in the corridor. Someone laughed behind them and they turned around to see Sharnid, a towel hanging down his neck.

“Ah, you seem to be doing something interesting.”

“Shut up,” Nina curled her lips. Felli glared at him.

“Humph…… I’ll tell you the greatest tool just for you two.”

“Huh?”

“…… What?”

They watched him with suspicion and anticipation. Sharnid took out a small tool from somewhere.

“This is a peeler. An easy tool to use for peeling the skin of vegetables.”

“What……!?”

“Just move the blade back and forth on the surface of vegetables, then you can easily peel off the skin.”

“What a convenient tool,” Nina sighed honestly. Felli’s expression remained unchanged, but she stared at the tool as if she wanted to eat it. The small blade was set securely between two pieces of thin metal plates. It seemed the tool really could easily peel off the skin by moving it along the vegetables.

“Here. Just use this and peel all you want.”

Felli reached out without thinking…… and caught Nina’s hand. Both of them took hold of the peeler at the same time.

“…… Can you let go?” Felli said calmly.

“No, just leave this to me.” Nina held tightly to the peeler.

“Is it all right for the Captain not to think of today’s training?”

“Why don’t you think of your individual training for today? I can’t do much for psychokinesis training.”

“You don’t have to worry. I’ve always been doing that.”

“I did my preparation already.”

Tension rose quietly between the two of them, revolving around the peeler. And…….

“……. What’re you doing?” Layfon stood at the door of the kitchen.

An opening.

“Ah!”

Nina snatched the peeler from Felli’s hold. “Aa, you guys seem busy, so I came to help.”

“Oh, we already finished,” Layfon smiled. Felli saw Nina trembled slightly. Looking at her, Felli stood as if frozen.

“Breakfast’s almost done. Please help finish the rest,” he said and went back to his room.

The sound of oil cooking in the pan and the smell of soup drifted from the kitchen.

Training started after breakfast. The team didn’t do much training in the first day of the three day, two night camp. They probably couldn’t do much tomorrow either, so today was important. Nina called everyone over after they all did some warm-up exercises.

“Today’s training will be a match.”

Nina held two flags.

“Wa, wait a minute,” Sharnid raised his hand.

“What?”

“We don’t have enough people for a match?”

“Simple. Layfon.”

“Yes?”

“You stay.”

“Ha……”

“Wait a minute,” Naruki said. “Is this really ok?”

She knew from the match with the 10th platoon of how strong Layfon was, but it wasn’t possible for Layfon to win 1 against 4.

“Well, you’ll know,” Nina said meaningfully. She tossed a flag to Layfon. Sharnid didn’t say anything more and began his preparation. Only Naruki took out her Dite to confirm its weight with displeasure.

Layfon was to defend his flag and waited at the location Nina had indicated. He pierced the ground with the flag. Nina had talked to Layfon before he made a move. He seemed surprised but he nodded.

Then came the call for Naruki and Sharnid.

“How do we attack?” Nina asked Naruki.

“One person? Two people to stop him from moving while the remaining person aims for the flag?”

“Let’s do that then. I’ll head for the flag. Naruki acts as bait and Sharnid, you stop Layfon. Felli, support me.”

Mei-Shen waited at a distance with a gun in her hand. Nina nodded at her, and she raised the gun and pulled the trigger with trepidation. The hollow noise dispersed to announce the beginning of the match.

“Ten steps to your left, please move forward in the path of a big curve.”

Naruki ran as such, following Felli’s instruction from the transmitter. Nina ran beside her. Layfon was closer to Naruki’s right.

“If he attacks me then you head straight for the flag. Same for the reverse. If he attacks Sharnid then we’ll both move for the flag,” Nina said.

“Roger.”

Nina pulled open the distance between her and Naruki as Naruki increased her speed.

Layfon stood leisurely before the flag with no defensive mechanisms in front of him. He hadn’t restored his Dite. Naruki could clearly see him and he saw her clearly too. But this was a one against four match. He was at a disadvantage.

When Naruki and her team had run halfway to the flag, Layfon made his move.

No. He disappeared.

Because she was running and enveloped in the wind created by her own movement, Naruki couldn’t detect the direction of the natural wind around her. All she saw was the dust made by Layfon’s feet.

“Coming. 0040,” Felli said.

“Behind?” Naruki slid to a stop.

“Not enough Kei on the feet,” Layfon’s voice sounded from her side, then he was in front of her. The next moment he was behind her.

(His speed!)

Naruki swung with the baton as she slid on the ground. The baton hit air. Layfon was gone. As the thought flashed past Naruki, she felt something on her stomach. Her gaze turned down and saw Layfon there with his shoulder against her stomach, and he threw her up and away.

As Naruki stared numbly at the sky, Layfon chased after Nina. In no time at all, he had reached her and also tossed her into the sky.

The sound of a sniper rifle firing reached Naruki’s ear. Then a small explosion in the air. No, it was an explosion caused by external Kei striking down the Kei bullet. Naruki realized that fact that Sharnid had also been tossed skyward.

Layfon walked causally back to the flag. Felli didn’t put up any resistance.

“We lost…….” Naruki watched Layfon’s back with disbelief.

“How do we attack next?” Nina said as if she was enjoying it. Naruki still had an unbelievable feeling in her.

(That’s……… Layfon?)

Layfon was once again on the defensive side.

The Layfon with Naruki and her friends, chatting on the way to class, always had this unreliable feel with him. Where now was the Layfon she knew? Naruki knew he was strong as a Military Artist. She could tell during the platoon matches when she was in the audience seat and when she was participating in the match. She knew he never stepped back from the famous Military Artists organization or from the Salinvan Guidance Mercenary Gang. He even won against the Mercenary Gang’s leader. He was strong. Very, very strong.

But Naruki’s feelings were different when she fought Layfon. Different from the time when she and Layfon were paired up in Military Arts course training class. Layfon had moved with consideration of her strength.

And now it was totally differently. She lost by an overwhelming margin. Even so, he defeated her by holding back. First, he didn’t use his Dite. Not just that too. He didn’t hit her with his bare hands. He just tossed her up. Everyone on the team’s strengths were too far away from his.

Nina and the rest of her team devised their strategy in detail once again. Anger rushed up in Naruki. She wasn’t thinking of giving up, but she didn’t like Layfon’s arrogant attitude.

“Then let’s begin,” Nina said and nodded.

Looking at her, Naruki smiled.

Mei-Shen made a huge number of sandwiches and cookies for lunch. Everyone ate till their stomachs burst, as they replenished the amount of sugar they lost in training. They drank sports drinks and then continued training.

The formation remained the same. Layfon was on the defensive side, and Nina’s team repeatedly changed their strategies. They didn’t once win against him. Nina stopped the match when the sky was painted red. Everyone started their own individual training. Layfon finally restored his Dite and began dancing with it on his own. Nina did the same. Felli let loose all of the flakes, sending them off to faraway places. Sharnid prepared a number of solid balls made of soil. He threw each of them and shot them down in succession.

Naruki couldn’t move at the moment. She drank from the sports drink that Mei-Shen had brought to her and laid on the ground, breathing deeply. When she could finally sit up, she slowly drank and watched Layfon. As if penetrating the deepening red dusk with a pen, Layfon repeatedly swung the Safaiadite. Internal Kei filled his body. He should have been causing a lot of wind with his movements, but his surrounding was surprisingly quiet.

Naruki had watched Nina’s individual training alongside Layfon. She thought Nina’s pose was very beautiful as she swung the Kei-filled iron whips like a ghost. The current Nina didn’t have the air she had before. She was even more beautiful, stretching the definition of sports, but she shone less compared to Layfon. With Layfon, it felt as if something had finished. Naruki wasn’t sure what it was. Every time the sword cut out a green flash in the dusk, she felt a strike in her chest.

Loneliness, solemnity and the feeling of a wish in those sword strokes.

All of those feelings made her hesitate. She turned around and saw that Mei-Shen had gone. She must have gone to prepare dinner.

(What a shame.)

She sighed, attracted to Layfon’s figure. If Mei-Shen was here, she’d probably cry. For some reason, each of Layfon’s movement exuded something painfully beautiful. They made her contemplate what kind of a past he had. The Layfon who usually appeared weak and unreliable.

(Aa, yes…..)

She understood. This was probably the Layfon that Mei-Shen liked. She didn’t know whether Mei-Shen realised it the time when she first entered the Academy City, but she had felt it.

Naruki’s superior, Formed, had said this. “That person has had a life that didn’t match with his age. Observe him and understand that kind of depth.”

That was the reason why Naruki chose to stay with platoon 17. Just what had Formed seen? That curiosity intensified during the match with the 10th platoon. Was that depth what Naruki was seeing now?

Probably. She couldn’t really express it any better.

She stood and began her own training. If she kept relaxing, she’d only become a burden. She could not tolerate this point on the pride of her identity as a Military Artist. She struck the air with her baton.

Nina announced the end of training when dusk gave way to true darkness. Aroma of food filled the kitchen. Mei-Shen had prepared the meal in the morning. It wasn’t the simple vegetable soup that she made for them for breakfast.

“Amazing,” Sharnid groaned. His appetite grew with the aroma of meat and vegetable. The meat had been marinated for a long period of time.

“……. I, I made a lot. So……..”

“Oi, thanks very much. I’ll eat lots,” Sharnid sat down, and everyone else followed suit. Layfon and Naruki helped put out the dishes.

“Ah, sorry. We’ll…….” Nina said.

“Don’t worry. Leave this to us,” Layfon said.

Mei-Shen had also made salad and chicken. The helpers sat down at the desk after lining up the dishes of food.

The food was true to Mei-Shen’s skill. The team ate without speaking, enjoying the meal. Nina was worried that the delicious taste and empty stomachs might cause terrible side effects, but seeing how everyone dug into the food without complaint, she relaxed and happily watched them eat.

After dinner, Layfon watched Nina and Sharnid play their game. Naruki went over to him and said. “Layton, do you have a second?” She then walked out of the room. Mei-Shen was outside too.

Layfon thought the time had finally come. Neither Nina nor Sharnid noticed. They were concentrating on the game, and Felli was reading her book in a corner. He stood up and went after Naruki.

Nina’s gaze shifted to look at Layfon’s back.

“What will come will come. Either way, it’s difficult to keep your secret in the team. Since it’ll come out anyway, it should come from you, not anyone else. You’re the one to make the decision in the end.”

Nina had said that in the Mechanical Department, but that didn’t lessen Layfon’s worry.

“Well, there has to be a way,” Sharnid said as he played with the dice.

“Naruki plans to join the police force, so she’s got a strong sense of morality. That is worrying.”

“Even someone as stubborn as you accepted him, so it should be all right.”

“I’m not stubborn.”

“The one who truly doesn’t understand her is herself?” Sharnid smiled as Felli left the room stealthily. She must have gone after Layfon.

“Aren’t you going?” he asked Nina as if he had eyes on his back.

“No,” she gave a curt reply and continued to look at the board.

Sharnid’s smile was bitter as he rolled the dice.

Layfon left the building. The half moon and the stars gave off the only light besides the light in the building. He could have used internal Kei to strength his night vision, but he only followed Naruki and Mei-Shen, submerging himself in darkness. As if feeling unease at walking in the dark, Mei-Shen held Naruki’s hand.

They kept walking like that on uneven ground, under the lights of the sky. If they went any further, they might encounter danger. But Layfon didn’t say that. Probably nothing would happen with him and Naruki here. He stole a glance back and saw that the light from the dormitory was within sight. That eased his heart.

In the end, the three of them reached the edge of that place. The line of trees cut through the field as if dividing it from another field. Mei-Shen stopped before the wall of trees, and Naruki stopped too. Layfon did the same. Mei-Shen turned around. He couldn’t see her expression in the dark. Naruki broke the silence.

“The formation’s complete if Mi is here…… but that can’t be helped. Layton, we want to know more about you,” she said in the straightforward way of a Military Artist.

“Yeah,” he nodded in the dark.

Silence once again enshrouded them.

“……….. I hope you can understand this curiosity of ours. We’ve had a good relationship with you for half a year. We aren’t worried of leaving our home city. The relationship between us three girls is very good, so we were shocked when Layton came among us. We don’t want our relationship with you to remain as it is. We want it to become a form of Layton including us, so there are things we want to know.”

Mei-Shen trembled and swallowed.

“…… What is a Heaven’s Blade successor?”

As expected, Naruki was the one to voice the question. She then explained how she knew of that term, of how Leerin’s letter was wrongly delivered to Mei-Shen’s mailbox, and how Mei-Shen had read the letter.

Layfon was shocked. That was the letter that Nina had handed him. At that time, he hadn’t known why Nina had the letter. She said she had picked it up in the changing room in the Training Complex. The doubt of why she had that letter had always been with him.

“…… I’m sorry,” Mei-Shen apologized with a trembling voice. A tear rolled in her eye.

“It doesn’t matter.”

Even if he had felt anything, he didn’t plan to scold her.

“A Heaven’s Blade successor….” Breathing out the breath accumulated inside him, he explained everything.

There were twelve Heaven’s Blades, twelve Dites in Grendan that only twelve people could gain. Those people were called Heaven’s Blade successors, and Layfon was one of them. He was the twelve Heaven’s Blade successor, called Layfon Wolfstein Alseif. But he was neither happy nor boastful of receiving that title. He only concentrated on making money with the skill that he had, and that was all he cared about. Money was needed for survival. The Layfon back then was like a gear leaving its path to spin in the air. The crisis of the food shortage had passed, but as long as one had money, one could buy as much food as one wanted. He was still small during the most difficult time. He understood the basics of an economy, that food was scarce, but his adopted father, Deruk, did live a poor life. Layfon blindly followed his own desire in his action. He believed it was correct to break the principles of Military Arts. He didn’t feel repulsed at participating in underground matches.

He felt something from Naruki when he mentioned underground matches. For someone working in the City Police with a strong sense of morality, she’d probably find this unbelievable.

“…… And then?” Mei-Shen asked as if squeezing her voice out.

“I was exposed, stripped of my title and exiled from the city. It was Her Majesty’s mercy to give me time before the punishment and not to confiscate all my possessions. Because of that, I could leave some money for the orphanage.”

Yes……. Deruk managed the orphanage with the principle of being poor. The orphanage lacked money because of all sorts of problems. Layfon could solve it. His way was correct. While he was a Heaven’s Blade successor, he donated money to other orphanages too, so he didn’t have much money left when he was exiled.

“….. That’s why you’re here?”

“Yes,” he nodded after calming down. He was extremely tense when coming to here, but he had calmed down after explaining his past.

(Let it go as it goes.)

He didn’t deny his feelings. Mei-Shen and Naruki were the one to decide what to do after listening to his past. He couldn’t do anything. He knew his past action was wrong, but he didn’t think his way of thinking was wrong. Perhaps the power of Military Artists, Layfon’s ability, was necessary to protect the city. But Layfon couldn’t accept the fact that he could not protect the people around him. Naruki had said before that for a choice between the city and the people, she’d choose the people. Layfon probably had the same thinking as she. Because of that, he could not become a Heaven’s Blade successor.

“But the real problem isn’t my participating in the underground matches.”

The match with Gahard Baren was the real reason behind Layfon’s exile.

“All Heaven’s Blades are monsters whose Kei far exceeds that of any other Military Artists. If that monster betrayed the principle of Military Arts and felt nothing for it…… Nobody must know of that. Heaven’s Blades can easily overwhelm the Military Artists that other Military Artists can’t win against. Nobody must know of that.”

The problem was Layfon trampling Gahard with Kei that way exceeded what was normal.

“I…… am a monster,” he called himself. “So it’s right to fear me.”

Naruki held her breath. Mei-Shen trembled, wrapping her arms around herself. Had they received his message? He couldn’t tell with Mei-Shen but Naruki should have gotten it. She had gone through training with him and she had seen his fight with Haia. Though they only showed one part of Layfon’s true strength.

Layfon had said what he had to say. Now he waited for their response. He couldn’t see their expressions in the dark. Were they shocked? Scared? Crying…….

“……I,” Mei-Shen said. “I……..”

Her trembling voice stopped.

“I……..”

Rumbling…….

“Huh?”

The ground suddenly shook. Moonlight lit up Mei-Shen’s face as she took a step forward. Tears filled her eyes. Her expression turned stiff at the change of the environment. A bad feeling hit Layfon. He rushed out to grab hold of her wrist.

“Naruki!” he called.

The ground vanished underneath them and gravity pulled them down.

(We’re falling.)

Naruki reacted quickly. She snatched out her Dite and restored it, tossing up the rope that Harley made. Layfon heard the sound of it wrapping around something.

“Layton!” Naruki reached out her hand to him. With one arm wrapped around Mei-Shen, he stretched out his other arm…….. and couldn’t reach. His fingers brushed past Naruki’s, and he fell into darkness with Mei-Shen.

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| Back to [[Chrome_Shelled_Regios:Volume5_Chapter1|Chapter 1]]
| Return to [[Chrome_Shelled_Regios|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Chrome_Shelled_Regios:Volume5_Chapter3|Chapter 3]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Chrome Shelled Regios:Volume8 Innocence Wander

2009-10-07T15:55:35Z

ZaX: /* What is a Heaven's Blade Successor? */

== What is a Heaven's Blade Successor? ==

The bell that signaled the end of classes was also a signal for the start of yet another battle. The start of the lunch break was also the starting pistol of the race between military artists for lunch. The ordinary students who didn’t want to go to the cafeteria could easily buy lunch by asking students in the Military Arts department to buy it for them. Thus, the military artists charged out of the classroom simultaneously as the classes ended, flying towards the canteen. Occasionally even the older students who were teaching those classes would also join the fray, so naturally nobody tried to stop them. Of course, if public property was damaged, or if people started fighting and were caught by the city guards they would be punished. Having nothing to do with that storm-like event, Layfon leisurely walked to the nearest park. Inside the park there was a small pavilion with a table, and it was a very suitable place for lunch.

"......Is there anything special going on today?" Layfon stared at the food on the table. Although he already thought the bento he was carrying in the basket today was excessively large, he never thought that what it contained was also incredibly luxurious, and the effort put into making it was different from normal as well.

"......It's not like that" quietly replied Mei-Shen as she lowered her head, blushing.

"Hey, as long as I can eat great food it's all good."

"Ok..."

Although Naruki and Mifi were with Mei-Shen all the time, they didn’t know why Mei-Shen put in so much effort today.

For some reason, Mei-Shen seemed a little strange today.

But right now the atmosphere made it seem hardly appropriate to ask "what's wrong", so Layfon began to eat silently.

<center>◇</center>

“Heaven’s Blade Successor”

Recently, this phrase had continually appeared in Mei-Shen's mind. She knew that it was a phrase whose meaning represented something superior. That was why she was so concerned with it. To a passerby who had no idea of what was going on, the easiest solution would be to ask the person directly. But no matter what she did, Mei-Shen couldn't bring herself to ask Layfon. That was because it was a phrase that appeared in a letter privately addressed to Layfon. That letter was accidentally placed together with other letters for Mei-Shen, which explained why she had it. Although she immediately realized that this letter was delivered to the wrong place, why did it have to be delivered to her mailbox? ... Mei-Shen thought silently, resenting this fact.
Of course, Mei-Shen couldn’t just go and ask Layfon about a word appearing in a letter addressed to him that she couldn’t have ever heard of or seen before. Moreover, Mei-Shen hadn't apologized to Layfon for peeking at the letter and had completely missed the best chance to ask him about it. And who was the person who wrote the letter to Layfon, a girl named Leerin? Although she wanted to find out, it was difficult for Mei-Shen to open her mouth and ask. She was afraid of asking. The only thing that was clear was that this girl named Leerin knew the Layfon from before Zuellni very well.

Without knowing why, Mei-Shen felt very discontent.

"Have you heard of the phrase ‘Heaven’s Blade Successor’?" Instead, Mei-Shen decided to ask the people who were beside her in the dormitory's shared kitchen. In order to live together in the student dormitory, Mei-Shen, Naruki and Mifi shared this 3 bedroom and 1 dining room dorm. Because they had been best friends since childhood, they weren't uncomfortable with each other. Mei-Shen really liked this sense of spaciousness in the kitchen.

"Heaven’s Blade Successor?" Mifi was stuffing her face with Mei-Shen's cake as she tilted her head asking, "What's that?"

"I think it's a phrase referring to a Military Artist......" said Mei-Shen without much confidence. She then imitated Mifi and together they began to stare silently at Naruki. Layfon was a Military Artist, so this phrase must be specifically referring to something about them. Naruki, who was also a Military Artist, was the most likely out of them to know what the term meant.

"Heaven’s Blade......I haven't heard of it before."

Seeing Naruki shaking her head, Mei-Shen lowered her head in disappointment. However, Naruki seemed to have remembered something. "A person who received the Heaven’s Blade...right? It really is a pretentious name but at least it isn’t as absurd as the Joeldem’s Knights of the Crossroad. Well, every City has it own customs when referring to military artists, so I think Heaven's Blade something is just another nickname for them."

Mifi nodded her head in agreement.

"Oh yeah, if we went to the library and researched the phrase in the Database of Cities I'm sure we'll understand what it is. So, where did this phrase originate from?"

"Ah......That’s...."

"Well, the only one that could catch your interest would be that one.”

"Yeah, and plus the phrase is about Military Artists."

"Ah, that’s ... that’s not it.”
"There really is only one, we can't be wrong."

"Well, ah ~~ let’s go to the library tomorrow."

"Yeah, I was going to go there for work anyway to interview all the people in each Platoon and I wanted to research some topics about Cities that could become articles.”

“Oh, it sounds interesting.”

“Then do you want to go to the library together?”

“If there is time.”

“Mi-chan is a bit of a workaholic.”

Looking at the two people who had made a decision on their own and ignored her, Mei-Shen sighed in silence as their conversation drifted further and further away from their original discussion.

<center>◇</center>

The next day, after lessons had ended, the three took the monorail to the library. After showing their student ID’s at the reception area, they entered the library. They sat down at the designated window, and the computer terminal booted up immediately. All the information in the academy city was relayed across organized lanes like fast moving traffic. After all of that information is entered into the library centre, students are able to search for information at a library terminal, and can also download data that they need onto USB drives. Although they also kept physical books, the majority of them took the form of data that Zuellni published.

“Then let me search for information on Grendan.” Mifi typed the keyboard with practiced ease. Chrome Shelled Regios Grendan was Layfon’s home city, and was strong in military arts. Many powerful individuals were born in Grendan’s many training grounds. There was a reason for Grendan’s fame among other Cities, and this was the Salinvan Guidance Mercenary Gang. This gang travelled from city to city via free roaming buses, hired by cities to fight against Filth Monsters or to participate in battles. The number of Filth monsters slain by their hands was innumerable, and in many victorious battles they had made a major contribution. Moreover, they taught the cities fighting skills and battle tactics. The Salinvan Guidance Mercenary Gang was made up of an overwhelming number of Military Artists from Grendan. Originally, Grendan was just another autonomous City, but its reputation for fierce fighters made it well known across the globe. Therefore, almost all the citizens of Cities knew of the word “Grendan”. They had all heard of that city which produced large amounts of military fighters, yet any other details about Grendan were unclear to them. That’s why it could be possible for Joeldem, Zuellni and Grendan to have completely different customs and for Mei-Shen to have no way of knowing. The phrase “Heaven’s Blade Successor” she obviously didn't know either.
“How’s it going?” asked Mei-Shen as Mifi stared at the screen, humming.

“I still haven’t found it.”

“Really?” Naruki, who was standing behind them, leaned over for a closer look.

“There are no matches in Grendan’s dictionary, and after searching I didn’t find any related content at all.”

“Then what about places other than Grendan?”

“I thought about this too, so I tried it as well, but there were no results either.”

“Sigh~~”

“Naruki scratched her head, thinking.”

“How about asking Layfon himself?”

“……That, that's…”

“We can’t? I think that’s the easiest way to find out.”

“Um… It’s best if we don't. ”

Although Mei-Shen was a shy girl who didn't talk to others very much, it was rare for her to keep her best friends Naruki and Mifi in the dark. Mei-Shen was concealing the truth from her friends, yet at the same time she had to rely on those friends whom she was hiding things from, and this made her feel terrible. She was on the verge of tears.

“Well, if that’s the case, then we can only try and find out from other Military Artists. We are going to the Military Arts department for the interviews anyway, so why don’t you come along?”

Although their search was futile, Mifi’s face didn’t show the slightest sign of discouragement. For Mifi, not being able to find information was something that happened regularly.

“…Well” Since Mei-Shen knew Mifi was trying to help, she just silently nodded.

After classes on the next day, the three friends began their journey towards the Military Arts department. The moment Mei-Shen stepped into the entrance, a painful memory surfaced in her mind and she stopped moving.

“Eh? What’s wrong?”

“… Nothing.” Shaking her head, Mei-Shen recalled the time when she stood here agonising over whether or not she should give Layfon the letter that was accidentally sent to her. If she hadn’t met Felli here, what might have happened…? She still wouldn’t have had the confidence to give it back to him as if nothing had happened. Anyway, recently she had been incessantly gloomy about the contents of the letter. Mei-Shen felt that the consequences of her mistakes have begun to get out of hand.

“Let’s go.” Naruki held out her hand to an agonising Mei-Shen.

“Even though I don’t know exactly what you are thinking about, if you want to find out, we have to get moving. Just like how you decided to work at the bakery store before. ” Naruki held out her hand sincerely, and that look in her eyes reflected the same warmth and sincerity.

“…Ok.” Quietly nodding, Mei-Shen grasped the offered hand.

“We have to interview four Platoons today, and the first is the 1st Platoon.”

<center>◇</center>

Although the Military Artists’ grounds seemed very large from the outside, it was in reality divided up by various screens into a multitude of small areas on the inside. The streets were very narrow and some seemed like they were squashed in a gap between buildings. Mei-Shen and her friends lost their way several times before finally arriving at their destination.

“Hello everyone,” Mifi said. Mei-Shen became nervous when she felt Mifi’s voice penetrate the soundproof walls that divided the area. The walls vibrated at her voice.

As soon as the door was open, sound waves even louder than before hit Mei-Shen’s eardrums. This noise subsided with Mifi’s continued greeting. The sudden silence frightened Mei-Shen and she gradually edged her body behind Naruki. Mei-Shen thought that her weakness was lamentable but Mifi stood there without wavering in the slightest.

“I’m a reporter from the Weekly Look’n Magazine here for the interview, first year General Arts Student Mifi Rotten and these are my friends.”

“Yeah, I’ve heard.” Taking a towel from a woman who seemed to be supervising, the tall student wiped his sweat and made his way over. He was the commander of the first Platoon, Vance Haldi. As he stroked his beard his penetrating gaze examined Mei-Shen and her friends.

“Lets go to the lounge outside for the interview; you guys, continue training,” he directed the second half of his sentence to the platoon members. After they replied in unison, the platoon members continued with their training. Mei-Shen and the others followed this tall man who exuded dignity completely unlike any other student into the lounge room.

“I have read some of Weekly Lookn’s reports.”

Reddish bronze skin, two wriggling silkworm eyebrows, his clearly delineated face and his sloppy beard… it seemed like he embodied both good and evil with his outward appearance, although it didn't seem like he was an evil person.

“But, I felt that the content of some of the reports encouraged gambling.”

That’s because Vance had the role of representing all of the students in the Military Arts department. He was the head of Military Arts.

“Ahahaha! There is nothing like that. ”

“The journalist’s name was different from yours, so it couldn’t have been you. Well, you should pass on what I just said to your superiors.”

“Ok.”

Just like that, under intense scrutiny even the brave Mifi couldn't help but cringe a little.

“Oh, then I’ll begin the interview. The inter-platoon battles have gone on for nearly half a year. Up to now, how do you feel about it?”

“How do I feel about what?”

“For example, how you felt about some of the more difficult opponents, or if the 1st Platoon are currently in their peak condition, or things like that…”

“Inter-platoon battles are just sideshows; the key problem is the formal inter-city battles that we have afterwards.”

“Really? Okay then, how do good do you think your platoon is?”

“We can’t assert that we have already reached our limits and achieved peak condition but we can only try to improve ourselves as much as we can in the limited time that we have.”

“Hehe, it really is tough. Then how do you see the other platoons, and are there any platoons that seem strong to you?”

“Mmm… They all have their strengths and weaknesses. The third platoon’s average strength is very strong yet they have few other skills. My first platoon is the same. The fifth and sixteenth platoons are suited for surprise attacks, but if the opponent realises their plan before it can be executed it’s all over for them. The important thing is to see through the opponents’ plan and what has currently appeared……”

“The fifth, tenth, and seventeenth platoons are the ones which have won multiple times.”

“The tenth eh? Last year in the inter-platoon match they had impressive results. Even though they changed many members this year they aren’t short of wonders. Also, the combo between the captain and vice-captain of the platoon is exceptional. When it comes to combos, the fifth platoon isn’t bad either, even though the way they work together is not quite the same.”

“What do you think of the seventeenth squad?”

Hearing Mifi ask that question, Mei-Shen immediately became perturbed and couldn't stay calm. It was the platoon Layfon was in. Mei-Shen was very concerned with how others viewed Layfon and she wanted to know what the first squad commander thought.

“Captain Nina Antalk’s command is brilliant. Because she has a small platoon she thinks very carefully about what to do and how to do it. However, the platoon’s greatest weakness is that they lack numbers. Even though their offensive ability is highly ranked among the platoons, their defence is far too weak. When they are on the offensive they are very strong, but if they are defending, they are always passive.”

“On the topic of the seventeenth platoon, how good is that well known attacker Layfon?”

“The seventeenth platoon’s offensive force relies mainly on him. Even though you can’t overlook Sharnid’s sniping ability, Layfon’s ability to kill with one strike makes him a fearful existence.”

Hearing Layfon being praised by the strongest person in the Military Arts department, Mei-Shen felt very happy.

“But the fourteenth squad did come up with an idea to go against that terrifying sword with a shield of their own. Although it was quite significant, the plan failed. That is the power of the seventeenth platoon.”

“Is that so… Then I wish you the best of luck in your inter-platoon matches.”

“I want to graduate from this school, so no matter what happens, I will give my all to protecting this city. That is all.”

“Thank you for accepting our interview.” Mifi hurriedly nodded and bowed; Mei-Shen and Naruki quickly following suit. Vance nodded, preparing to leave the lounge room.
“Oh yeah, that’s right,” Mifi spoke as if suddenly remembering something.
“Yes?”

“I want to ask you something, is that ok?”

“What is it?”

“Have you heard of the phrase Heaven’s Blade Successor?”

“…What is that?”

“Oh, it’s a rarely used term that I don’t understand. I think maybe that as the head of Military Arts, you might know something about it. ”

“I don’t know. Then, I’ll be leaving first.” Seeing hope radiating from the look on Mifi’s face, Vance answered with a stiff expression, turned and left without looking back.

“It seems like he knew something eh?”

“Yeah, even though he knew he hid it from us.”

After Vance left, Mifi started talking to Naruki.

Why? Mei-Shen felt a little insecure. Why did Vance not tell them what he knew but hid it instead? Doesn't that mean he didn't want anybody to know what a Heaven’s Blade Successor was?

“Well, it seems things have gotten interesting.” Completely different from Mei-Shen’s reaction, Mifi’s eyes lit up, showing a look of curiosity.

“Trying to hide it from me only made me want to know it more.”

“The other person looked like he wouldn’t tell you no matter what you did.”

“Huhuhu. If it’s like this, then we’ll go and ask some other people. Ok, let’s go.” What Naruki said to Mifi obviously didn't register as she stood up with her face full of determination. Mei-Shen was beginning to feel less and less secure.

<center>◇</center>

The next place Mifi had to go to was the tenth platoon. As before, Mifi knocked the door with uncertainty, and the person who welcomed them was filled with the grace of three people; woman of great beauty. After being lead to the lounge room yet again, Mifi began her interview. This beauty’s name was Dalshena Che Matelna and it seems that she was the vice captain of the tenth platoon. Her golden, long curls of hair overshadowed the lights in the room, dulling them. Wearing altered fighting gear and a cloak with red texture matching its white lining, she was clothed like a knight.

“I’m very sorry, but please be brief.”

“Ah, ok.” Against her icy-cold demeanour, Mifi couldn’t hold her ground.

“Um… After successfully qualifying for the inter-platoon battles, how do you see your position right now?”

“Obviously I have things I am dissatisfied with, but it’s true that the platoon is in great condition when they battle. I hope that we can maintain this state for the proper battle.”

“Out of all the platoons, which one do you think is the strongest?”

“The first platoon. The head of Military Arts, Vance’s strong and indestructible fighting style is truly fearsome. The members of the platoon are well suited to that fighting style and aren’t bad either.”

“The other platoons who have qualified include the fifth and the tenth platoon. What do you think of them?”

“The fifth platoon’s main strength lies in Gorneo and Shante’s Carrying Attack. Gorneo’s alchemy attacks aren’t as easy to use as you make it out to be. Gorneo’s rational thinking and Shante’s use of her instincts form a fearsome combination. The thing is, you could probably estimate the limit of their combat powers.”

“Then what about the seventeenth platoon?”

“As for their main offensive force Layfon, the limit to his power is unfathomable. Even strong individuals like the head of Military Arts, Vance could be no match for him. But that’s all there is to that platoon. Even if he took on the whole of the opposing platoon alone, that won’t change the fact that he is only one person. The only reason for their recent victories is because he has been able to smooth out results with individual performances. Other than that, there is nothing noteworthy about that platoon.”

“Thank you very much for your co-operation. Then, I still have one last question which is unrelated to this interview…

“Have you heard of the phrase Heaven’s Blade Successor?”

“Heaven’s Blade? No, no I haven’t. Where did the term originate?”

“I think it came from Grendan.”

“Then I think you’d better find Gorneo, because that’s where his hometown was.”

“Really? Thank you so much.”

“Don’t worry about it you guys are working hard as well. The Military Artists are doing it in their own way, and so are you guys, doing the best to make sure our city can keep on existing.”

After the interview, Dalshena’s cold expression was like frost that had finally melted, revealing a warm smile. Watching her pure and radiant smile, Mei-Shen and the others couldn’t help but let out a sigh of relief, gazing at Dalshena’s back as it receded into the distance.

“Uwah, she was so cool.”

“Yeah, how do I describe her, she’s such a noble person.”

“…Yeah.”

The three girls stood there in a dreamlike trance looking in the direction in which Dalshena left.

“I heard that Dalshena-san was the eldest daughter of Iahaimu. He is the Head of The City of Hourin.”

“…Really?”

“So that's why. It seems to explain her grandeur.”

“I can’t put my finger on it, but she really is cool.

“Yeah, she is.”

“Ah, but I didn't know you knew that kind of stuff as well.”

“I know a little about her. Dalshena-san even has her own fan club. The amount of detail in those fan club reports of hers almost goes overboard.”

“It might not be a good idea, but I feel like reading the contents of that report.”

“Do you want me to bring it next time?”

“No, no thanks, I’ll give that a pass.”

The three continued with their conversation, they couldn’t get over their uncontrollable emotion. It was overwhelming.

<center>◇</center>

Next up was the fifth platoon. The three girls who were wrapped up by Dalshena’s graceful air floated to their next destination, and were lead to the same lounge room for the interview. This time they chatted to more than one person. The Captain of the fifth platoon, Gorneo Luckens was a tall man with a bulky stature comparable to that of the Head of Military Arts, Vance. His body was completely bound with muscle, and his robust neck supported a large head, which he held with a serious manner. Instead, the face reflected an affable expression, leaving a cute impression of the giant. That impression was further reinforced by the presence of a young girl tightly holding onto his shoulders. The red-haired girl distinctly contrasted with Gorneo, with a staunch little face, a petite frame and along with her headstrong personality and her inability to shoulder any responsibility gave the impression of childishness. Nevertheless, this young girl was actually a fifth year student at Zuellni and she was about twenty years old. Her name was Shante Laite and she was the vice-captain of the fifth platoon.

“Are you okay with that?” Shante was in a bad mood and was swiping at Gorneo’s head continually.

“It’s okay, it happens all the time.” Gorneo calmly answered Mifi’s question.

Mei-Shen timidly glanced at Shante and Shante immediately growled at her with a “Grr!”

“Ah!”

“Grr!”

“…Uwah…”

“Still not going to stop?”

Even though she was rapped by Gorneo’s huge knuckles, Shante had no intention of stopping. However, she suddenly stopped.

“Huhu…” After wriggling her nose several times, Shante used her legs and, clinging onto Gorneo’s head, she leant closer to Mei-shen.

“That… that’s…”

“You, you smell nice.”

“…Huh?”

“Ah, that's because Mei-Shen likes cooking.”

“Yeah, there’s a nice smell on her body.”

“…Ah”

Seeing Shante rapidly sniffing the air, Mei-Shen took out a paper bag from her school bag, and that was the leftover cookies.

“Uh, there’s only these left……”

“Is it for me?”

“If you want them…”

Mei-Shen put the cookies on the table. Shante leapt off Gorneo’s shoulders and went to Mei-Shen. She then started eating the cookies without a word.

“I’m sorry.” Gorneo lowered his head in apology.

“Ah… No, not at all.”

“She’s lived in the wild for too long.”

“…Ah.” Even though she didn't know what was going on.

“Then, can we start now?” Shante was eating the cookies voraciously next to Mei-Shen. Mifi felt at a loss for what to do but decided to push on with the interview.

“After qualifying in the inter-platoon battles, as a captain, are you pleased with your team’s performance?”

“If I were pleased so easily, then everything would be finished by now. It’s because we know what we are lacking that we feel unsatisfied.”

“Are there any platoons that you are especially concerned about?”

“I want to learn the first platoon’s stable command that can react to any scenario with creative versatility and the individual strengths of each member. They are the role models my platoon is striving for.”

“Which platoons do you think you should watch out for in the future?”

“All of them, but the most dangerous is still the first platoon. If we can’t beat the first platoon then it signifies that we cannot beat the previous generation of Zuellni. If there is no change from two years ago then the results will be the same as two years ago as well.” Gorneo’s words carried a sombre tone through his gloomy speech.

Two years ago, before Mei-Shen arrived at Zuellni, Zuellni suffered a heavy defeat in the Inter-City battle. Now, Zuellni had only one Selenium mine left, leaving them no choice of retreat. They must not lose! In Gorneo’s words one could hear this determination resounding firmly along with his beliefs the same conviction echoed in Vance and Dalshena’s words.

At this moment, that was what Mei-Shen felt. Normal students could never feel that heavy burden. Whether it was studying, working at night or playing around, female students followed fashion trends while male students played various ball sports, or common interests of both sexes, movie stars or singers, made up everything in a normal student’s life. Even to Mei-Shen, who could live happily as long as Naruki and Mifi were by her side, looking at the peaceful classroom atmosphere from afar, felt that it was very interesting.

On the other side, the world was like that. This was also Zuellni, Academy city Zuellni! A city with only students, it was a gathering ground for people to grow, and they had to use their own abilities to make the information they gathered into their knowledge. There were no adults acting as protectors. If it was your world, you had to protect it on your own. This city was a place like that. Right now, she felt that heavy burden; even within the resting rooms you could hear it, and echoing along the dividing walls of the Military Arts area the striking sounds of each platoon let the world feel that heavy burden. As long as you understood the true meaning of that heavy, heavy sound, you would never forget it. This resolution and will to fight rang out as thunderous crashes in the Training Complex for Zuellni to see.

“Thank you for accepting our interview.”

Mifi continued the interview and seemed to have finished it as Mei-Shen sat there blankly, swallowed up by the sound of training.

“Before you go, can I ask a question?”

Shante was licking the crumbs off the biscuit wrapper. “Yes?” Gorneo picked her up in one movement and held that position as he replied to Mifi.

“Have you heard of the phrase Heaven’s Blade Successor?”

“…Where did you hear this?”

“We heard it by chance…And other people we asked said it was a phrase originating from Grendan, so I thought that Gorneo-Senpai, since you were born in Grendan, would know what it means.”

“It’s a journey and a goal.”

“…Huh?”

“Almost everything in the world is like that. Some are driven by what they want but do not have, and for others it is necessity that leads them to their goal. Only by achieving those goals can we continue to move forward, and if we do not continue to do so then we have reached the destination, the summit of the peak. The Heaven’s Blade Successor is one of those peaks. Perhaps people who know of that phrase wish to attain that rank, or perhaps they must. Yet if they do not know of it at all, then they can never aim for it in the beginning.”

“…Uh huh.”

“If you don’t really want it, if you don't really believe that you need it, then your lack of interest will hold you back and where you are standing will be your final destination.”

Finishing his speech, Gorneo turned his back to Mei-Shen and the others. Shante climbed up along his arm settling down onto his shoulders, but she continued to stare at Mei-Shen.

“What’s your name?”

“Huh? Oh… Mei-Shen.”

“Mei-Shen, is it? Thank you, you really are a nice person. Come play next time!”

“Don’t swindle anyone else out of their cookies!”

“Bye bye!” Shante pretended not to understand what Gorneo was saying, and waved. A glowing smile spread across Mei-Shen’s face as she weakly waved back.

“Uwah! That was terrifying.” Mifi released the breath that she had been holding for the whole time in a large sigh.

“Jeez, it felt like I stepped on a Filth monster’s tail!”

“Yeah, and we can’t ask Gorneo-senpai about it any more seeing as how he’s already sealed his lips.”

“Yeah, that means the only person left is…”

The two of them turned and looked at Mei-Shen and she knew what they wanted to say. Compared to asking any other people born in Grendan, there was another, much easier way to find out, but Mei-Shen couldn’t do it. It was only because she couldn’t do it that Gorneo thought they were nuisances. Vance looked like he didn't want to tell anyone either. Just what is going on? Mei-Shen felt very uneasy. Just what did the phrase Heaven’s Blade Successor entail?

Mifi looked at the annoyed expression on Mei-Shen’s face and found it hard for her to open her mouth. “Uhh… Well, the last platoon we are supposed to be interviewing is the seventeenth platoon…”

Mei-Shen’s expression instantly stiffened.

<center>◇</center>

“There's no way out! The magazine had planned to make an article about all the platoons that performed well in the inter-platoon matches,” Mei-Shen murmured quietly like she would an apology. She knocked on the door of the seventeenth platoon and held onto the door handle at the same time.

“Hello everyone!” In response to Mifi’s cheery greeting, the door swung open. Her voice echoed within the room. This room was originally very quiet but shouts from within that could match those yelling in training exploded across it, making it seem a little out of place. Embarrassed by this unexpected situation, even Mifi couldn’t stop her face turning red as she turned into a statue.

“Aiyaya… Mifi? And why did you guys come?” From inside the room came Layfon’s voice.

“…Uhh… What exactly are you guys doing?” Mifi asked, puzzled. Since she was standing in the doorway, Mei-Shen, who couldn't see what was going on, stood on her toes to look inside. Inside the room, hard metallic balls were rolling all over the floor.

“Oh, we're training.”

“Is that so?”

Layfon, Nina and Sharnid were standing on the metallic balls which were rolling all over the place, while Felli expressed no interest as she sat aside on a seat reading a book. Although standing on continually rolling balls was by no means an easy feat…

“Wow, that’s amazing. Is that for practising balance?”

“You’re partially correct. This is a kei exercise, and through controlling the flow of the internal-type kei we aim to control the body’s balance, and at the same time we try to use external-type kei to keep the balls stationary.” As Layfon answered Mifi’s question, he waved his Dite downwards at his feet a couple of times. Naruki eye’s widened as she saw the ease with which Layfon moved about on the balls while waving his Dite around.

“So the interviewers are you guys?” Nina, who was also standing on the metallic balls asked in surprise.

“Ah, Yes, that's me. I’m the reporter from Weekly Look’n.”

“It must have been a busy day. Then, shall we begin?”

“Ah, don’t we need to go somewhere else?”

“No, just here is fine.”

“That's right. The interview with me, the most handsome man in Zuellni, is something that happens once in a lifetime, so I should treat you guys to a drink. Layfon, quick, go get some drinks for these ladies.” Sharnid leapt off the metallic balls lightly, landing in front of Mifi and her friends.

“I think they didn't come here just to interview you. Well, where you conduct the interview doesn't really matter, so let’s just talk here.” As Nina pointed to the chairs, Felli wordlessly got up and left the seat continuing to read as she leaned on the opposite wall.

Sharnid tossed a coin. Sighing, Layfon caught it in one hand and was about to go to the vending machine when…

“……Ahh, let me help.” Mei-Shen followed Layfon to the vending machine.

“I’m sorry.”
The soft drink cans dropped from the vending machine with a bump.

“Eh?” Layfon picked up the soft drink cans. The finger that selected the fruit juices did not hesitate and it seemed that Layfon had already figured out the tastes of everyone in the platoon. This was proven by how he asked what flavour Mei-Shen wanted (he still didn't know what flavours we like) and she felt a little disappointed.

“I came without asking for your permission.”

“That’s nothing to be worrying about, since we were going to have a break anyway.” Layfon carried the cans for everyone and stood up, and after Mei-Shen asked that she carry half, Layfon gave her the cans that she, Mifi and Naruki had asked for. Even though it was a rare opportunity for the two of them to be together without anyone else… yet she couldn’t think of anything to say, so she could only follow Layfon in silence. She gazed at the back of Layfon as he walked ahead of her. It was his back, the back that had protected her at the opening ceremony of the school. At the time in that long line of people, a disturbance suddenly caused everyone to start pushing and shoving, and in the mess of it all a surprised Mei-Shen had slipped and fallen over. If she had stayed like that any longer she would have been injured by the stampede of the crowd. It was at that time that Layfon had saved her, brushing aside the swarms of people and pulled her back to her feet, stopping her from being trampled to death. That might have just been a coincidence; even so, she could not forget the back that had protected her. Heaven’s Blade Successor… That was Layfon’s past and she wanted to know what it meant. If she were asked why she wanted to know so badly, then her only reason would be that she wanted to understand more about Layfon. Mei-Shen couldn’t think of any other reasons as to why she wanted to know. After she looked at his letter without his permission she had felt guilty, and as for the fragments of his past mentioned in the letter, did her simple desire to know merit her attempt at digging out all the information she could? Mei-Shen didn’t know how to answer. She was also guilty about not asking Layfon directly but instead asking others to gather information about him. Mei-Shen didn’t know whether what she was doing was right or wrong. (But…) She really wanted to know. Losing her chance for apologies, she decided to remain silent and stop thinking about the person named Leerin. The person who wrote that letter. Leerin was in Grendan, and Layfon was in Zuellni. If he could successfully graduate from here, then Mei-Shen would have a whole six years with him.

“…Mei?” Layfon turned his head in surprise, staring at Mei-Shen who was standing rooted to the floor.

“…Ah, sorry about that.”

“What’s wrong?”

“…Nothing.” She replied, shaking her head. Mei-Shen didn’t want Layfon to see her expression right now, so she lowered her head. She suddenly understood what she really wanted to do. No, that wasn’t it; she already knew what it was. In fact, she should have found out a long time ago. Even though she realised, she tried to not think about it, because that was the only way she could avoid reality. She really was a terrible person. Mei-Shen had six years, and those six years was time that Leerin would never have with Layfon. She turned this into an advantage and accepted it. ‘Advantage’… This word was suggestive of a scheme. It was perfunctory, ugly, and terrible beyond comparison. Her self that thought to take advantage of that was too ugly. Why would Mei-Shen think like that? That left her disappointed and anxious. She was attracted by that back, attracted by that back which had once protected her and was now in front of her eyes. There was a person who knew that back a long time ago; there was a girl who understood the Layfon from before Zuellni very well. Every time she thought of that, she couldn’t bear it. The ‘advantage’ that Mei-Shen had thought of was just something that she had come up with after intense thought about this issue. Even though she did have an advantage time-wise, when Mei-Shen thought about what she would be able to achieve in these six years she felt insecure. When she realized that her world was one limited to a world always with Mifi and Naruki she wondered how much she could do. When she realized that she had very little choice over her actions, she felt a deep horror welling up inside of her. In order to dispel those fears, in order to keep herself from feeling the anxiety caused by Leerin, an existence that she couldn't see, and in order to take herself out of a state of ignorance of his past, she decided that she needed to know. (I really am serious.) Mei-Shen sat there thinking to herself resolutely.

When Layfon opened the door, sounds of laughter came out from within.

“This really is difficult,” Naruki muttered to herself, scattering the metallic balls everywhere as she fell to the floor in embarrassment.

“That wasn’t bad for your first try,” Sharnid said as he continued to stand on the metallic balls. He switched to one foot balancing on the balls and moved about with ease. Beside him, Mifi and Naruki “oohed” in amazement.

“I’ve clearly started practising before you did,” Nina said quietly with indignation.

“That’s because I normally move about carefully without others noticing,” Sharnid smugly replied and jumped off the balls.

“Well… that means that your technique will continually improve.”

“I see.” Mifi nodded her head with an “Oh” as she wrote in her notebook. The extension to the interview was almost completely about carrying out different types of training.

“Then, are there any platoons that catch your attention?”

“All of them. Our platoon’s weakness is extremely obvious. All the teams will probably pick up on it. In order to become victorious we can only try to find a way to overcome the weakness. There is no point in saying which platoons are strong because no matter which platoon it is they are all stronger than we are. All of us recognize that point very clearly. ”

“But your battle records are very good.”

“That battle record might not represent our actual strength, but our constant good luck is an irrefutable truth. I hope that our luck will be effective only when we are in an unforseen pinch, like when we are seen through by the enemy and they begin to hinder our attacks, or when we are ambushed by the opponent’s traps. If we rely on luck like that, then defeat won’t be far away. That’s why we're working hard to prevent that kind of stuff happening.”

“Keke. Then, would you please say some final words for the readers?”

“I like this place, so that is why I joined the Military arts department. That is all.”

“Thank you very much for accepting our interview.”

Ending the interview, everyone started drinking the juice as they chatted about anything that came to their minds. Sharnid made innocuous jokes as Nina sat aside laughing bitterly, and seeing them, Mifi joined in too. Naruki was still sulking over what happened before, and dragged Layfon to help her continue her challenge against the metallic balls. Felli kept an expression saying “this has nothing to do with me” on the whole time. Mei-shen enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere that had spread across the room as well. Without knowing why, she felt anxious. Mei-Shen thought that if she could fit in with everyone here, then she felt that the world that she was experiencing got a little bigger.

But…

“Oh yeah, have you guys heard of the phrase ‘Heaven’s Blade successor’?” With this sentence, Mifi tore apart the serene mood.

<center>◇</center>

¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬
Mei-Shen didn't blame Mifi, as her strong sense of curiosity was without malice. Mei-Shen knew a long time ago that Mifi would be unable to resist the enticement of unfamiliar things. Even though she clearly knew this, she still went and discussed her problem with Mifi, so she had no right to blame her. After class, Mei-Shen had arrived at the park near the Alchemy Complex, alone. Not long before, she and Mei-Shen had been eating ice cream together. At that time, she tried to open her mouth and ask, but she could only think about it and never act. As she reminisced, she stepped into the garden where night would soon arrive.

There was a guest who had arrived already, and even though there was clearly a seat next to her, she was still standing. Seemingly hearing Mei-Shen’s footsteps, that person turned her head.

It was Felli.

Her silver-white hair swayed with her body, contrasting against the mood of the falling sun.

“You really came by yourself.”

“…Yes.” Mei-Shen stood in front of Felli, so nervous that she thought her heart would leap out of her chest. After arriving at school, she found a note on her desk. On it said ‘there is something I would like to discuss with you alone’, and it specified the time and place. Mei-Shen came alone, because the person who had asked her to come was the Psychokinesist, Felli and it would be impossible to trick her. If a psychokinesist wished, then they could even count the number of bugs that were in the garden. It was impossible for Naruki and Mifi to hide from her.

“… I thought you wouldn’t come.”

“I thought you wouldn’t come either.”

When she picked up the letter from the desk, she was seen by two other people. The letter had been read by all three people, and they decided together that Mei-Shen should go alone. Although Mifi held onto the idea of going together until the end, she met fierce resistance from Naruki.

“This is a critical moment, and I think that if we do not obey this condition, then Mei-Shen will have no way of intervening in any matter.” Even thought the Layfon they met in the classroom seemed calm and no different from normal, Mei-Shen felt that something deep within him was forcing him to put up that kind of expression, and it seemed very wearing. Mei-Shen hated that feeling when she was helpless and couldn’t do anything. She wanted to see his back.

“Without beating around the bush, please forget that phrase from yesterday.”

<center>◇</center>

“Heaven’s Blade Successor”

When Mifi said that word, Mei-Shen felt that the temperature in the entire room had fallen. Mifi’s question was like detonating a bomb, and the cracks created from the explosion separated Mei-Shen and the others from the seventeenth platoon.

Felli and the others knew what ‘Heaven’s Blade Successor’ really meant, and they knew what that phrase had to do with Layfon and his past. Mei-Shen didn't know. At that moment, she clearly felt the difference.

“…Why?”

“It has nothing to do with you, and I don't want an excessive burden on him.”

“…But” She wanted to know. She wanted to get closer to Layfon. Would forgetting this phrase allow her to get close to Layfon? No, it could only divide them further apart.

Just as Mei-Shen was about to open her mouth, Felli said “Just to satisfy your own curiosity, does revealing another person’s past make you happy?”

“…That’s not it.”

“But that's exactly what you guys are doing. You are unnecessarily digging up the past of another person, in order to please yourself. And then, what are you going to do afterwards?” Of course she knew, she knew just how despicable her actions were. Just because she was afraid of that person in Grendan called Leerin, and in order to patch up the difference between them, Mei-Shen wanted to know what that word meant, and at the same time she realised how inferior her actions were.

“…I didn't think that doing so would please myself.”

But…
But…

“But, it still want to know. Even though I don't know what will happen if I do know …but when I think about it, I feel afraid. Why must it be kept a secret? When I think about that fact, I feel afraid. ”

“Why?”

Because if she knew, then perhaps her regard for Layfon might change a little. In Mei-Shen’s heart, her feelings for Layfon might change. She was afraid of that, and she was so afraid she was trembling. If her feeling changed like the flipping of a palm, then Mei-Shen felt that she would definitely see herself as low and despicable. Even now, she was extremely jealous; jealous of the people in the seventeenth platoon who understood what she did not. She was jealous of the fact that even though they knew the truth about Layfon they still regarded him as a comrade. Layfon said that he would not return to Grendan. Was it that wasn't that he didn't want to return, but that he couldn’t return? In the phrase “Heaven’s Blade successor” was there hidden the reason that prevented his return? Was it because of that reason that Layfon had given up the path of the Military Arts? If it was the case, then what Mei-Shen was doing now was undoubtedly poking into Layfon’s unhealed wounds.

“Then why do you want to know?” Felli asked Mei-Shen for a reason.

“I…” Even if she knew the reason hidden within the phrase, the people in the seventeenth squad still saw Layfon as a comrade.

She wanted to protect.

She was very regretful.

It was as if she had been cast out of Layfon’s world that she was regretful.
“I…”

The sound quivered.

“… Because I like Layfon… Because I like him.”

That’s why she wanted to know, but she was afraid that if she knew, her current relationship with Layfon might collapse. She didn't wish for her feelings to be trapped within herself. She wanted Layfon to understand. Even if it was only one sided to Layfon. She wanted to know about Layfon’s past, even if she didn't really want to dig out everything about Layfon, but instead she wanted to verify, that even if she knew of Layfon’s past, that her feelings for him would not change.

“If you don't verify it, will you have no confidence in your feelings?”

“…Yes”

In Felli’s voice was reproachful, but Mei-Shen nodded without disguise.

“…Gingerly using the paws to test out the ground as you proceed. You only think about the step ahead, but think nothing of what the consequences are after. That isn't a very smart method.”

“…”

After she knew, how would Layfon see Mei-Shen… That’s what Felli was trying to say. Was it possible for everything to stay the same…?

“Well…” Facing Mei-Shen, whose expression was beginning to stiffen from fear, Felli continued to speak. “If that is how you do things, then there isn’t much left for me to say.”

After she said this, Felli turned away and left.

“That…”

“I have nothing to say to you anymore, and the last thing is a piece of advice.” Felli said this as she was leaving. “I don't know if you want to know, or if you don't but either way it’s very difficult.”

Mei-Shen noticed that after saying this, Felli sighed.

(Ahh… I see…) Watching Felli’s shadow leaving the garden, Mei-Shen felt ignorant. (There are many people who like Layfon.) And she, she was definitely…

“Hu…”
Accompanying her nervousness, loneliness, and weariness, finally recognizing this problem, Mei-Shen laid on the ground, exhausted.

Deep within herself, she felt that… there were a lot of hardships ahead of her.

Chrome Shelled Regios:Volume3 Chapter3

2009-09-14T19:12:16Z

ZaX: /* Chapter 3: The time of a destroyed city */

===Chapter 3: The time of a destroyed city===

The Student Council had only called Nina, but Layfon decided to accompany her to the Student President’s office. The thing was, if it had something to do with Nina, then this might be connected to the fate of the entire 17th platoon.

“What do you think happened?”

“What? Judging by how that phone call was made, this isn’t anything secretive.”

This was different from the last encounter with the filth monsters, in which Felli was the one who conveyed the secret information to Layfon.

“I suppose, but well…… oh, it’s already morning. It must be something urgent for them to call us over at this hour,” Nina mumbled as she lifted her head to look at the sky. Gloom shrouded the city. The streetlights were fighting as hard as they could to disperse the surrounding darkness.

Layfon followed Nina’s gaze. Purple rays gradually seeped through the horizon, spreading out to engulf the sky.

“Don’t overdo it.”

“Eh?”

“No matter what happens, I won’t let you face it alone,” she looked at him.

Morning light seeped through the gaps in between buildings, outlining Nina’s face. Layfon couldn’t make out her expression, and found that regrettable.

“…… Thanks,” he said. “But, senpai, don’t force yourself too much either.”

“What’re you saying? You’re my subordinate. It’s natural that I’m to protect you, isn’t it?”

Layfon chased after Nina, who had suddenly picked up her pace. They headed for the Student President’s office.

Inside the office were Karian and Felli. Despite the early hour, both of them were in uniforms.

(Did they sleep like that too?)

Imagining the two siblings sleeping immobile like corpses, Layfon found Felli glaring at him from the sofa.

“Excuse me. Did something happen?” Nina asked.

“That’s true but…… excuse me, would you wait a bit? Not everyone’s here yet,” the female helper in the room indicated for the two to sit down, then she spread out food and drinks on the table.

“It looks like this will take some time. You two haven’t had breakfast because of work, have you? Eat up. We’ve already eaten.”

“Ok,” Nina reached out for the bread. Layfon did the same.

He glanced at Felli. She was drinking tea.

“What?”

“Nothing. Just thinking about what’s happened……”

“You’ll know soon,” she continued to glare at him.

“Yeah, still……” he could only shut his mouth.

Someone knocked on the door as they finished breakfast.

“Military Arts commander…. And……”

Standing beside Vance was someone as robust as Vance himself. Layfon remembered him.

“Captain of the 5th platoon, Gorneo Luckens.”

“Thanks for coming.”

“What’s happening so early?”

None of the two carried with them the sleepiness of having just been roused out of bed. Karian nodded as if he was very satisfied with them.

“It’s very urgent.”

Under Karian’s indication, the two sat down on the sofa opposite Layfon. Gorneo’s sharp gaze swept over him in one split second.

“Please look at this,” Karian took out a photo from a drawer of his desk and placed it on the table.

“This is…… Did the drone take this?”

“Yes, about two hours ago.”

“Two hours? Then isn’t this urgent?”

“A bit.”

“Um,” Vance let it go and resumed examining the photo.

In the photo was a mountain, its outline sharply captured. It didn’t look that tall but the problem surfaced quickly. A huge shadow covered the upper right hand side of the photo. It didn’t look natural. In the middle of the table-like thing were numerous tower-like objects that were connected together, and beneath them was something that was similar to a ball cut in half.

Numerous multi-legs sustained this gargantuan thing.

“Can this be a city?”

“Yes.”

“A war?”

“Who knows.”

Under the tense atmosphere, Karian calmly took out another photo.

“This is the zoom-in photo of the city.”

“This is……” Nina swallowed. Layfon frowned at the tragic scene.

It was a city in ruins.

“So cruel……” Gorneo said softly.

The metal plates covering the first level of the city were either broken or had been peeled off. Only half of the multi-legs were left and some looked to be broken. The buildings in the city seemed to have sustained severe damages. A number of mechanical plates were conducting auto-repair on the second level. Vines and moss covered the exterior of the city. Judging from the progress of the auto-repair, it had been quite some time since this city was attacked.

“It seems the air purification system is working normally……”

“This city’s been attacked by filth monsters.”

“My same thought.”

The photo was taken at night, but there wasn’t any light in the city.

“……. Meaning there’re filth monsters around here?”

“We’ve checked the information in the vicinity of the city and didn’t find anything suspicious. We’ll continue the investigation. Compared to that, what I’m more concerned about is this,” Karian pointed at one of the photos.

“About this place, Vance, does it ring a bell?”

“…… Ring a bell…” Vance stopped.

“Wait……”

“I’m not sure since this photo was taken at night, but the things scattered on this mountain look familiar.”

“Could this be…… a selenium mine?” Nina lifted her head and saw Karian nodding at her.

“Yes, this is Zuellni’s one and only mine. It looks like Zuellni’s trying to resupply.”

“Then that city was also……”

“But why here?”

“According to my speculation, that city might have deviated from its territory while fleeing from filth monsters, so it failed to reach its own mine.”

“Even a city can go mad with hunger.”

“What a tragic reality,” Vance sighed deeply. Layfon couldn’t tell whether he was thinking of the same thing as Karian.

“Well then, Gorneo Luckens, Nina Antalk. Besides Vance, I called you two over for a reason.”

“Is it to investigate the city?”

Karian nodded at Vance. “Looking at the numbers sent back from the drone, there’re no filth monsters around the mine and the city, but that city was obviously attacked. We don’t entirely understand the biological condition of filth monsters, and we don’t know whether this city is a trap the filth monsters have set up to lure in more prey. Under this situation, we can’t wait and do nothing, so I’m requesting your teams to enter the city and investigate the situation. Obtain some real proof.”

“…… I’ve no objection with the mission, but I want an explanation on why these two teams are chosen.”

“Simple. Numbers. We don’t have newly improved protective suits for outside city work to fit two teams with full members. Of course, I also did consider the strength of the teams shown in the platoon matches, so I believe you should have no objection to my decision. What do you think?”

“We’ll complete the mission.”

“…… Roger.”

“I’m counting on you. Departure time is two hours from now. Gather your members in these two hours.”

“That’s quite rushed.”

“I wish to save some time, as there’s no way of stopping Zuellni from moving,” Karian said and saluted Nina and Gorneo.

“…… Well, so that’s how it turned out like this. Geez,” Sharnid said at the exit located by the city’s edge. He was the last to arrive and held the biggest complaint among the team. He jumped around, his unkempt hair showing his lack of sleep. “I was planning to sleep till noon.”

Nina watched him numbly. “You…… It’s not weekend today. What’re you planning?”

“You can’t imagine the night life of a handsome guy.”

“Whatever. It’s better to live normally,” Nina said, crossed and tired as she closely examined her protective suit.

“It really is light.” She wore the protective suit beneath the normal fighting clothes. It didn’t feel uncomfortable at all, as if she wasn’t really wearing an extra layer of clothes.

“Not bad. Ah, this is what I have to wear,” Sharnid looked at this own protective suit meaningfully.

“What is it?”

Sharnid watched Nina and the Felli who was sitting in the back seat of the bike, his eyes serious.

“……. Really sexy.”

“Hurry up and get changed, stupid.”

“Got it,” he took down the protective suit that was tossed onto his head, and dragged himself to the Change Room.
[[Image:CSR vol03 111.jpg|thumb]]

Layfon had watched the exchange of the two with a sour smile. The check-up on the bike was finished. What was left was Harley’s check-up on the Dites. Without meaning to….. his gaze fell down on Felli, who was bending down on the bike.

“What’s it?” she said.

“Um…… Did senpai discover that city?”

“…… Fon Fon,” she glared at him.

“Aaaa, sorry. Did Felli discover the city?” he collected himself, not certain why she hated to be called senpai.

“I found it by chance.”

“Of course, but……” What was surprising was that she used her psychokinesis power when she wasn’t in a match. Even if this were chance, her action would just prevent Karian from transferring her out of Military Arts.

“……” Feeling as if something had struck him, Layfon quickly turned his head away.

The 5th platoon was going through their preparations a little distance from the 17th platoon. Unlike Layfon’s team, none of the members from the 5th platoon voiced any complaints. They completed their preparation under the orders of Captain Gorneo.

(Again……)

The gaze came from the 5th platoon. The members of their team were discussing something with Gorneo standing in the middle of them. His back was against Layfon.

(Strange?)

So it wasn’t Gorneo’s gaze. He was busy talking with his team members. As a 5th year, he had the qualities that made him a captain. He could fully understand his members’ needs.

It was the girl sitting on the bike beside Gorneo who was looking at Layfon.

Shante Laite.

Judging from the color of her harness, she was also in her fifth year. She wouldn’t qualify as a teenager since she was twenty, but she was shorter than Felli, with a face that looked even more childish than Felli’s. Underneath her red hair, pupils stirring like a cat’s stared straight at Layfon.

(Eh? Eh?)

Layfon appeared flustered; having thought it was Gorneo who was staring at him.

Seeing how Layfon cringed at her hostile gaze, Shante looked away with satisfaction.

“What’s wrong?”

“Ah, nothing…..”

Felli followed Layfon’s gaze to the 5th platoon, and saw Shante grinding her teeth.

“…… How petty.”

“Hahaha……” Layfon laughed dryly and took the Dite that Harley was handing back to him.

“Is this about the last match?” Harley said.

“I suppose?”

“The 17th platoon is pretty popular outside the Military Arts course, so there are many people who don’t like this.”

“Ha……”

“Winning matches elegantly. Every member is a junior. The captain is a beauty. Their opponents are elites. Don’t you think that looks very interesting to the audience?” Harley analyzed.

“…… If we didn’t have to rush, I planned to give you your new Dite,” he continued.

“…… Did you guys come up with something yesterday?” Layfon ventured.

“Well…… something about a weapon specialized for combat against filth monsters,” Harley’s voice lowered. “The problem of the Dite not being durable enough remains. We don’t want this problem to persist, but we still hope to avoid a Dite breaking in the middle of a fight.”

“Yes.”

“What we can do now is make a Dite that is more suitable for the user, meaning, you. The price of a lighter Dite is to forsake the combined Dites you previously used. When the new Dite’s done, please come over and try it out. Even you wouldn’t want your weapon to fail in a key moment, right?”

“True.”

After Sharnid had finished changing and received his Dite from Harley, the 17th platoon had completed its preparation.

Under the icy gaze of the 5th platoon, everyone from the 17th platoon mounted their bikes. Layfon and Sharnid were the ones driving Nina and Felli. They put their supplies in the spare space. Their helmets were connected to Felli’s flakes, making the world before them more vivid. The gate to the exit opened.

“Good luck, everyone. I hope you can bring back some good news,” Karian’s voice came through the transmitter as Layfon and others headed out into the desolate land.

It took them half a day’s driving to arrive at the destination.

“Well……” Sharnid’s shock came through the transmitter.

Experiencing this in reality was much different from looking at the photos. Above Layfon’s head was the surface of the broken multi-legs, and covering the mechanical plates in auto-repair mode were mosses that looked as if they could fall off any moment.

“Even if it was attacked by the filth monsters, does it have to be so over the top?”

“It was just a guess.”

“The Student President’s speculation…… something doesn’t look right here.”

“The investigation of the west side is completed. The parking bay is totally destroyed and the anchor rope doesn’t look like it’s been used.”

“This is the 5th platoon. We’ve finished investigating the east side. There’s no parking bay and the gate outside is locked,” the psychokinesist of the 5th platoon said.

“Ah.”

“Doesn’t look like we’ve got a way up.”

“We have to use a rope,” Layfon said.

Nina nodded. “This is the 17th platoon. We’ll enter the city with a rope and begin our investigation.”

“Roger. We’ll continue our investigation and let you know of the rendezvous later.”

Layfon took out his Dite. A green light followed after the keyword. The Dite in his hand disappeared to be replaced by a weapon with only a handle.

Steel threads.

Under Layfon’s Kei, countless number of steel threads connected Layfon to the city.

“Layfon, we’ll go together.”

“Got it.”

Wrapping Felli with the steel threads, Layfon was the first to reach the city. The feeling of the air shield passed by him. As he scanned the scene, the steel threads moved under his command, investigating anything within a 10 meters radius in detail…… and he completed that task the moment he landed.

“I guarantee you it’s safe here. Or are you more at ease unless you’ve checked it yourself, Fon Fon?” Felli said.

“Of course I trust you, but this is my habit. I still want to confirm for myself,” he retrieved the steel threads. Sweat beaded on his forehead.

“How meaningless. Rather than wasting your energy, you should be more cautious.”

“…… I’m sorry.”

Speaking of which…… He was covered in chill sweat as he watched Felli.

This wasn’t his first time checking the vicinity with the steel threads, but such delicate and detailed work was a huge burden on his brain.

(The brain structure of a psychokinesist really is different from ours.)

Normal people would never thought of handling a massive amount of information at the same time. As human, she was human. As a Military Artist, she was also a psychokinesist.

(…… I can’t ignore that part.)

“What’s it?”

“…… Nothing,” he replied, swallowing back his words.

Nina and Sharnid had arrived.

“How’s it?”

“No corpses so far,” Felli said emotionlessly. She had restored her Dite and the flakes were now scattered in the sky.

“Then investigate the important facilities one by one in our vicinity.”

“If it’s to investigate half of the city, I will have finished it in an hour.”

“Yeah, can’t we just wait here?” Sharnid said.

“I don’t doubt Felli’s ability, but there are people who don’t accept the result of this type of investigation.”

“…… Fine,” Felli accepted. She had no other choice.

“…… Have you found the entrance to the Mechanical Department?”

“Not yet, it doesn’t look to be anywhere close to here.”

“Right.”

“But I’ve found the shelter.”

“Then let’s start over there. We might find survivors.”

“A very tiny hope,” Sharnid muttered, earning a glare from Nina.

Led by Felli, the 17th platoon headed for the deeper part of the city.

“Oi, Gorneo.”

“Um?” he observed his surroundings as he replied to the voice coming from above his shoulders. He had divided his platoon into three teams. The team with the psychokinesist had stayed behind to wait for orders. Gorneo and the other team had begun their investigation of the area.

“If we set traps here, that can be explained as an accident?” Shante suggested.

Gorneo stopped walking.

They were on a street lined with shops and empty of people. Debris littered the street.

“It’s almost impossible to ambush a Heaven’s Blade successor.”

“Really? But we’ll never know if we don’t try.”

Shante swung her legs before Gorneo’s chest, but he paid no attention to them.

“Saying we’ll never know if we don’t do it, shows you’re still not mature enough.”

“Wu……”

Gorneo’s nose stirred. Something smelt rotten. There was the smell of blood mixed in it too. That didn’t surprise him, since he had seen crowds of flies gathering in fast food shops, but blood……

He understood after looking at the black substance spread here and there on the street.

Something horrible and tragic did happen in this city.

Military Artists and psychokinesists had fought desperately against filth monsters and had failed. The filth monsters had entered through the air shield and spread out in the city to enjoy food other than pollutants.

But, even so……

“Why are there no corpses?”

The residents must have hidden in a shelter during the attack, then their corpses should also be rotting there quietly……

“It’s strange there aren’t any Military Artists’ corpses here.”

He could tell there were quite a number of Military Artists in the fight even though he didn’t know how good they were. Traces of intense fighting remained everywhere, but not one single corpse…… not even a sliver of flesh was in sight.

“As if someone’s cleaned this place,” Shante said in a low voice.

In a city devoid of the living, just who……

“Oi, Gorneo.”

Shante’s voice called him back to reality.

“Um?”

“Is it all right to leave that guy because of it?” she returned to the original topic.

“Of course not. I’ll never let that guy go.”

He’d never forget the shock he had when he heard of the news from the letter. “That guy killed Gahard-san. The Military Artist Gahard-san.”

If that was the only thing, Gorneo might have swallowed his anger with a sigh.

But, it wasn’t like that.

The letter had explained in detail the cause of the event.

“That guy is an insult to Military Arts. I’ll never let this go.”

Layfon participated in underground matches as a Heaven Blade successor, and he planned to kill Gahard, who wanted to expose his foul deeds, through legal means. Gahard wasn’t dead, but the loss of his arm had caused some unusual reaction in his Kei vein. For a Military Artist, this was the same as being crippled, never be able to use Military Arts again.

“Her Majesty is too kind to only exile that guy from Grendan.”

Having committed the crime, Layfon had appeared as a Military Artist in Zuellni. Although nothing had happened so far, this didn’t mean the same thing wouldn’t happen again.

“I can’t stop him.”

“Gorneo, I’ll help out too.”

Gorneo shook his head. “Even though his heart’s rotten, he still is a Heaven Blade successor. I understand that. I can’t let you face that kind of danger.”

“Moron!” Shante pounded her fist down on his head.

<center>◇</center>

There was a huge hole on the ceiling of the shelter, and beneath it, debris. On the edge of the debris was black blood, dried and hardened.

“How terrible,” Sharnid said, covering his mouth and nose with his hand.

The smell of rot filled every corner of the shelter. Layfon and Nina were also covering their mouth and nose. Felli had refused to enter and was waiting outside.

“Is anyone alive?” Nina asked.

“No,” Felli replied coldly through the flake.

“Damn,” she stomped the ground.

“There really isn’t a single corpse here,” Sharnid frowned.

“As if someone’s cleaned this place,” Layfon said.

Even though the filth monsters had eaten everyone in the city, there must be some trace left of the people here.

It was possible there were survivors since the air purification system was functioning normally, but Felli hadn’t yet found a live response. Even if there was a response, it might have come from livestock.

“Unless this city encountered the type that attacked Zuellni before?”

Layfon shook his head. Sure, if there were that many number of larva, they might not leave behind any corpses.

But……

“There’s suspicion on how the city’s been destroyed. Almost all of the buildings started collapsing from the top. If it was a group of larvae, the buildings should have folded from the middle.”

The filth monsters had descended from the sky and left via the sky. More than one. And the larvae weren’t huge enough to flatten a building.

“So someone’s been cleaning the corpses here?” Nina asked.

Even if there were survivors, it was hard to imagine their cleaning up all of the corpses…… at least to bury all the corpses in Layfon’s area.

The team returned back to the surface. Their mission was to confirm whether there was danger around rather than finding survivors.

“Fu, I can’t stand this,” Sharnid said. Layfon and Nina also breathed deeply the air of the surface. The smell of rot was also above the ground, but it wasn’t as intense back in the shelter.

“Just what’s wrong with this city?” Sharnid complained.

“Since there’re no filth monsters, it isn’t dangerous, right?”

Zuellni would arrive here in one more day. Before it arrived, they had to confirm whether the place was safe.

“There aren’t any filth monsters, but if we leave this riddle, something worse might happen later,” Nina said.

Felli remained silent.

“Anyway, we’ll stop here for the day. The sun’s about to go down. Let’s meet up with the other team when there’s still daylight.”

“The 5th platoon has given us instructions for rendezvous.”

“Ok. Tell them we’re heading over….. Let’s go.”

They followed Felli’s description.

Layfon took up the rear and suddenly halted his steps.

Something revolting and hateful seemed to shroud the city. Perhaps it was because of the smell of rot and the unusual silence, coupled with the descending night.

The 5th platoon had chosen to meet up in the middle of the city where the Military Arts dormitory was located.

“The machine still works.”

Nina entered the corridor and checked around.

The machine, though weak, was still working, producing its own electricity, and it was fortunate that the air-conditioning worked. The smell of rot had enveloped them from the very first moment when they entered the city.

Felli had received a message from the 5th platoon.

“Captain, Captain Luckens wants to talk to you about room allocation.”

“Right, I’ll head over.”

Nina left, leaving Felli alone. Layfon and Sharnid were checking the vicinity to make sure it was safe.

As Felli lifted her hands to feel the current of air-conditioning and wind, someone walked in through the door.

“Ah……”

“……Ah”

Displeasure showed on Shante’s face, and Felli narrowed her eyes to look at the other icily. It seemed Shante was checking the place was safe, just like Layfon and Sharnid.

The moment when the two gazes met created sparks between them.

She didn’t know why she was hated, but Felli wasn’t one to ignore the other’s hostility. On the contrary, she struck back at the other’s challenge.

Felli had a number of flakes around her to defend herself, and with these, she had enough to handle Shante. A psychokinesist’s power wasn’t limited to the gathering and analyzing of information. It wouldn’t be bad to use it against this petty girl.

Shante’s hand was on the Dite in her harness. Keeping that pose, she looked as if she was about to brush past Felli.

“Hey!” she called when Felli neared her.

“You, do you know that guy’s true face?”

This question made Felli stiffer.

“What do you mean?”

“…… Serious? Or are you pretending? I’ve heard of what that first year guy is like.”

Although Felli planned to ignore Shante, she had failed to cover up some of her outrage.

“…..”

“Humph, you know of it but you’re still using him. In that case, the Student President also knows already.”

“I don’t understand what you’re saying.”

“Using that despicable guy…… To hide the truth at this stage, do you think we’re so untrustworthy?”

Invisible murderous intent flew to Felli’s throat like a knife. Shante’s red hair danced like strong flame.

“What?”

“…… If you’re covering up your tragic failure two years ago, I think you need to take it out on someone else.”

“What?”

“He would be able to live peacefully as a student in General Studies if you guys weren’t so weak. Isn’t it because of your immaturity that we are facing the situation we’re now in? Military Artists who can’t guard their cities are useless. Look long and hard in the mirror and see how much strength you have before you say anything else.”

“What? You…… You, damn you……” Shante trembled and snatched up her Dite, but a voice stopped her before she could say the keyword.

“Stop it.”

“Gorneo!? But!”

“Don’t start a fight here.”

“Wuuuuuuu!!” she stuffed her Dite back into the harness and stomped hard on Gorneo’s foot before disappearing out the door.

Gorneo received the attack casually and apologized to Felli. “I’m sorry. My teammate’s been troubling you.”

“…… No,” Felli answered after breathing in deeply. She pressed down on her outrage and looked at the stocky man before her.

“But, that is also my doubt. Shante’s only conveyed my feeling, that’s all.”

“Are you from Grendan?”

“Yes. I’m Gorneo Luckens. I’m the younger brother of Grenden’s Heaven Blade successor, Savaris Luckens.”

“…… I see. What I just said are my own feelings. They aren’t my brother’s opinions.”

“I understand. About that guy… they’re just my own feelings too. I hope you understand.”

“…… You don’t look like you accept my take on things.”

“I can’t accept it.”

“…… How displeasing,” she whispered.

Only Nina made a simple greeting to the other team after room allocation. None of the members from the 5th platoon wanted to associate with the 17th platoon. The rooms for both teams were quite far apart.

From inside the common room of the 17th platoon floated the aroma of food.

“Ah, we made the right choice of having Layfon prepare food,” Sharnid sat contentedly on the sofa, drinking warm tea. Layfon had made something from the edible ingredients found in the grocery shop in the city.

“All of the vegetables are ruined except for the beans. Fortunately, the fish in the cultivation pond still lived.”

The meal was simple, but it was better than eating the cold food they brought with them. Layfon relaxed.

“Um…. This way, we don’t have a problem.”

“What do you mean?” Layfon asked but Nina only nodded.

“It takes at least one week to resupply Zuellni. During this time, classes will be suspended. I want to use this chance to strengthen our team.”

“Training?” Sharnid said, unwilling.

“We’ve accumulated some prize money so we have a lot to spare. There’s a good location in the produce area. I wanted to train there but I was concerned about food.”

“But there aren’t any shops over there. Ah, sorry, I can’t make food.”

“Me neither.”

Felli hadn’t said anything, but Layfon understood, having seen her cooking.

“So I planned to ask for a friend’s help, but since Layfon can do the cooking, then there isn’t a problem anymore,” Nina looked at the tea in her cup.

Mei-Shen surfaced in Layfon’s mind. Her cooking was even better than his, but it wasn’t possible for her to live together with the 17th platoon. She was too shy. If there was no helping it, he’d have to ask Naruki and Mifi to come too.

But if he did that, Nina wouldn’t give up that golden chance to persuade Naruki to join the team.

No matter what Naruki might think, Layfon hoped Mei-Shen and the girls wouldn’t become entangled with the 17th platoon before Nina’s made her decision.

(I guess I’ll have to cook.)

In that case, he’d have to consider the nutrients in the food. As Leerin pointed out in her letters, it was a headache to think up a meal that was well balanced in nutrients. He pondered this as he packed up the dishes.

Sharnid and Felli left the room.

“Sorry for making you do all this,” Nina apologized.

“It’s ok. I’m used to it.”

“Do you have time later?”

“Do you want something?”

“I want to have a chat.”

“Then let me make some tea.”

He made tea and sat back on the sofa.

“I have a question about what just happened.”

“…… Then Senpai……”

“…… yeah, it seems to be a warning for me.”

“For me too, I suppose.”

Layfon and Sharnid were far away when Felli had her confrontation with Shante. Sharnid hadn’t said much. He just shrugged.

“Do you remember?”

“I know about Savaris, but not much about his brother. The Luckens are a family famous for Military Arts back in Grendan.”

“Really?”

“And……”

“…… What?”

“Nothing.”

If it was about the Luckens, then there must be another cause behind Gorneo’s hostility.

“Layfon?”

“……. Hum?”

“This is hard for me to say, but I’m your captain and I also know of your past. I’ve decided to stand with you no matter what.”

“Captain……”

“You did something unforgivable as a Military Artist. No matter what the reason is behind it, your deed is unforgivable.”

(You must constantly remind yourself.)

Layfon recalled once again what Her Majesty had said. After his deeds were exposed, the Queen had beaten him up and had said this to him.

Nina’s words placed Layfon back in the past.

“There’re many who don’t understand you, and many who understand but can’t forgive you.”

Leerin was his only comrade. Even the orphans in the orphanage who used to view him as a hero had looked at him with hatred.

His world was flipped upside down in a short period of time.

“If others find out, your situation in Zuellni may become the same as Grendan’s.”

Go look at the world. The Queen had said. But no matter where he was at, Layfon still recalled his past and remembered it. Karian had known. And Gorneo, the younger brother of Savaris Luckens. People still moved around even though cities were basically isolated and sealed off. Layfon’s past seemed to patrol in the darkness, waiting for a chance to jump out of his shadow.

“But I’ve decided to be your comrade. Since I’ve decided, no matter who becomes your enemy, I’ll never be your enemy.”

“Senpai…… please give this up. If you do this, you’ll be in danger even as a captain.”

He was happy that Leerin had remained by his side, but at the same time, it pained him. He could keep on living peacefully because he was in another city, but there were people back in Grendan who wanted to hurt Leerin because she stood by him.

“Stop this nonsense,” Nina laughed. “If I’m afraid of that, how can I be your captain?”

Her smile pulled him back from the past. Leerin’s smile probably was like that too.

“What’s it?”

“Um?”

“If you decide something on your own, you’ll tend to think towards something bad. It’s the same with feelings and thinking style. It’s the same with everything. It’s because you want to shoulder everything yourself…… How should I put in? Well, I’m not one to talk.”

Layfon recalled how he lectured Nina when she was in hospital.

“What’s it?”

“I’m thinking that it’s great to be have senpai here.”

“Wh… Why so sudden?” her face went pink.

“I’m just expressing my honest feelings.”

He would tell her everything. Everything that happened in Grendan.

<center>◇</center>

After parting with Nina, Layfon hesitated a bit, then he went to a door. He breathed in deeply to disperse the pressure on his shoulders and knocked on the door.

After a pause, a voice filled with dissatisfaction called out. “…… Who is it?”

“Um….. It’s Layfon.”

Felli opened the door and let him in.

The room wasn’t that big. Two single beds took up most of the space. Because of the limited number of rooms, the team members couldn’t each have a room to themselves. It was just for one night anyway. Sharnid was against Nina’s suggestion, but Felli had agreed solemnly.

Felli should be in the same room as Nina, but it appeared those two weren’t willing to spend a long time together.

“It’s not good to eavesdrop,” Felli said after closing the door. She understood why he had come to her.

“Sorry,” Layfon lowered his head.

“But those two are the worst saying what they said under that situation.”

“Senpai too……”

“Fon Fon……”

“Ah, um, I’ve given Felli trouble……”

“Really, I don’t feel as good,” she mumbled.

Layfon lifted his head.

“Whose fault is it that we’re in this situation? Those people don’t understand at all. That’s why I don’t feel good.”

“Still angry?”

“Of course.”

Nina had known of Felli’s true strength in the previous fight with the filth monster in its aged phase. No one but Felli could support with psychokinesis over the distance that took one day to cover.

From that time on, Nina had reduced her demands of Felli in training.

Layfon wasn’t sure why the captain was doing that. It didn’t seem she had let Felli go because of Felli’s lack of enthusiasm. Same as Layfon, Felli had also wanted to ask Nina the reason behind her unusual action.

But what she did was continue to observe the captain and did all she could to avoid being alone with her.

“…… I’m concerned that she allows me to participate with the way I am,” Felli sighed lightly.

“Felli?”

“Fon Fon, I don’t think we have any other way.”

Lying on the bed, she looked smaller than before. The calmness she maintained was nowhere to be seen. What she gave off was an air of intense exhaustion.

“To a psychokinesist, using psychokinesis is as matter of fact as breathing in the air. I’m so tired of suppressing it.”

“Even so, you still hate it.”

“Of course.”

Layfon was put at ease by Felli’s usual reaction.

But that only lasted one moment……

“Fon Fon…… Why aren’t we normal?”

He couldn’t answer her.

(You must constantly remind yourself.)

The Queen’s words surfaced in his mind once again.

(Constantly remind yourself that we, as Military Artists and psychokinesists aren’t normal. As humans, we must not allow ourselves to forget this.)

Those words whipped him more painfully than his injuries.

“We……” Felli mumbled and suddenly lifted her face.

“Felli?”

“Outside. A live response 200 meters south west of here. It definitely isn’t livestock!”

“!”

Layfon responded swiftly. Internal Kei ran through his body as he picked up his harness and jumped out the window. The steel threads spread out as he headed for the direction Felli had indicated, running in the city illuminated by the pinprick stars.

Running silently on steel threads thin as spider threads, Layfon arrived early at the destination.

The thing hadn’t run away, as if it was waiting for him.

‘What is this?”

Dumbstruck, he looked at the shadow of a four-legged creature. A horn protruded from its head. Standing before Layfon was a golden goat.

<noinclude>
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| Back to [[Chrome_Shelled_Regios:Volume3_Chapter2|Chapter 2]]
| Return to [[Chrome_Shelled_Regios|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Chrome_Shelled_Regios:Volume3_Chapter4|Chapter 4]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Chrome Shelled Regios:Volume3 Chapter1

2009-08-28T19:25:58Z

ZaX: /* Chapter 1: Proposal */

===Chapter 1: Proposal===

“Fu……”

Leerin sat on a backless chair, holding a packet of juice she had bought from the vending machine. The Resting Room of this two-story, high-class school was comfortable and soothing. Many students came over to the second floor during the day. Only one floor was needed to accommodate those who decided to stay after school. Since this wasn’t the only Resting Room available, the sports guys who came over to buy drinks from the vending machine tended to move to a place closer to the sports hall.

This place was quiet and close to the library. The seniors of the Language Club gathered regularly on the first floor, but by the time their voices drifted over Leerin, they had become mere background noise.

“Fu……” Leerin sighed again, gazing off in the distance under the dim light, the edge of the paper cup on her lips. Warm and sweet chocolate dispersed in her mouth. The warmth slid down her throat into her chest.

“Ah…… Geez, what’s with me……” She watched the floorboards, her hands cupping the cup for warmth.

“…… Should I return like this?”

She didn’t feel like bringing the books over from the library. Her space in the library was already filled with numerous books and report papers. If she went back to the library, she wouldn’t be able to leave them alone. That was Leerin.

“The meanings behind news updates between cities and their consequences on the economy.”

The professor had suddenly given Leerin this question to be handed in one week later. Although there was still time to do this question, the question was close to impossible for Leerin who had only recently entered this school. All of the reference books were professional. If she were to understand them, she would have to have a large repertoire of professional vocabulary. She had been pulling books off to read just to understand the reference books, and in turn, had been pulling more books to understand the books that explained those reference books.

“…… Uh, my basic knowledge isn’t good enough. Besides, these numbers mean nothing if I can’t understand them. Really…… what should I do?”

And so she had spent the two hours after class piling up books. This wasn’t a problem with tepid enthusiasm. In order to escape the setback of her problem, she reached inside her breast pocket.

She touched something hard and took out a small box for letters. She cautiously took out a letter and spread it out.

“His handwriting’s still ugly……”

Leerin’s face relaxed automatically. She started to read the letter that she had already read numerous times.

''How’re you lately? I’m still the same.

Ah, not entirely the same as usual. What you’re worrying about has happened over here. A filth monster came close to Zuellni again. Zuellni wasn’t aware of it, as the filth monster was in its molting phase. Fortunately, the city’s drone discovered it and we managed to avoid the worst-case scenario. But…… just like what you were worrying about, I chose to fight alone.

The fight was intense, just like the experiences that I had had enough of in Grendan. As a Heaven’s Blade successor, I had no time for anything other than fighting filth monsters outside the city. I was being extremely careful not to get wounds, because if I got injured, I might fall to the pollutants.

I knew about that danger, but I’ve never chosen to fight with anyone before.

No, I’ve never even considered it from the very beginning.

I forgot I no longer have the Heaven’s Blade, and I did something foolish. In truth, it was dangerous. No, extremely dangerous.

I even knew my weapon wasn’t reliable. Although I know what a Heaven’s Blade is, when I was holding my weapon, I fought like before…… Am I too arrogant? I couldn’t help but be immersed in it, so your words cut straight to my core.

But, about that fight, it won’t happen again.

I’ll try not to fight alone again.

I no longer hold the resignation of being unable to give up Military Arts. It’s tiring, but I’ll try to overcome it.

I also haven’t given up on finding a path besides Military Arts, except, right now, I can’t lose Zuellni. This place is a new place, a fresh start for me, so I can’t lose it. Perhaps this feeling can remove some of my tiredness.

Leerin, it’s because of you that I can accept Military Arts like this. I think I haven’t entirely given up Military Arts because you’re my past in Grendan. Perhaps this is a very fortunate thing.

You said in truth, I like Miliary Arts. I haven’t yet had that feeling, but since you said so, it might be true. At least, the me now came from the me who spent ten years immersed in Military Arts, so that must be an important part of me. It’s a blessing that I haven’t lost it, and the Leerin who prevented me from losing it is also someone irreplaceable and important to me.

I also feel that it’ll be very hard to communicate for six years through letters.

Why can’t we break through this wall of distance?

I believe we can.

May everything go well with you!

Layfon Alseif.''

She finished reading…… Although she had read it many times, she still read it closely. Reading it and losing herself in thought. Reading it in joy… and anger.

She was happy that he said she was important to him, but he was so slow that he didn’t get her real feelings. She was lost in thought because of his slowness and clumsiness, and then she became angry. Just how many more pieces of paper did she have to sacrifice for him to understand……

“Ah, really……”

She knew that by reading the letter, she’d forget about the report she needed to write….. but it still made her feel debilitated.

(I’ll just sleep on the chair.)

Haha……

“?”

Someone was laughing.

“Uh?” Leerin turned around and saw a young man sitting on a chair against the wall behind her.

“Ah, excuse me.”

Noticing how he had seen her while she was reading the letter, Leerin’s face heated. She studied the young man.

A long bunch of silver hair hung neatly behind his back. He was in short sleeves despite the cold weather. A harmless laugh, and his laugh wasn’t tasteless.

But if he was laughing at her, then she wouldn’t feel good towards him.

“…… Excuse me, who are you? You don’t look like a student of this school.”

His arms were muscular. Not like a student at all. A Military Artist. It wasn’t strange to see Military Artists walking around. Some of the students were Military Artists, but this young man didn’t look like a student here.

“Yes, you’re right. I’m not a student here.”

“Do you need something? There’s the office……”

“No, I’m not here for school.”

“Huh?”

“I’m looking for you, Leerin Marfes.”

“Uh?”

“Ah, let me make this clear. I’m not chatting you up.”

“…… Why are you emphasizing this?”

“Well, for some reason, the girls always try to chat me up, so I’m just making sure. Just in case.”

“You’re too self-conscious.”

True. Perhaps it was a girl’s dream to be chatted up by this guy in this way. But not in this situation…… to be mocked after she had read Layfon’s letter. She would have seriously refused this man.

But he had made it clear, and that made his face more displeasing to her. Especially the point that he didn’t mean it at all.

“I really didn’t mean it. I really didn’t mean it!”

“I don’t want to listen to this.”

For some reason, she felt nothing evil and malicious from him. On the contrary, he felt like a kid.

“Well, what do you want me for? I’m busy.”

The report became her excuse. In principle, Military Artists were noble in character, but there were some who committed crimes. Even if this young man wasn’t a Military Artist, Leerin didn’t feel like talking to an unknown man who suddenly started talking to her.

“Oh, are you busy because of Professor Randeon? If so, you don’t have to do it.”

“Huh?”

“The Professor said anything’s fine if you stay in this school. “Leerin Marfes is a bright student. She can solve simple problems very quickly. Then let’s give her a harder report to do.” That was what the Professor said. If you’re busy because of that, then it’s ok to not attempt it.”

“…… What do you mean?”

Unable to express her astonishment, Leerin felt tired. She didn’t know why the Professor wanted her to stay, but knowing the reason behind the difficult report…… somehow, it didn’t feel that good on her.

“Even so, you should have talked to the office and let them contact me……” she said weakly.

“If possible, I want to contact you in secret…… It’s about Layfon.”

“…… Huh?”

Time seemed to stop.

“Yes. How should I put it? Actually, it’s not that bad, but when it comes to Layfon, some people may get sensitive. So I wanted to keep this meeting between us.”

“You….. you are?”

“It may not be a happy topic for you, but, uh, well…… fate? It probably is that. It’d be great if you can think that way.”

“…… Ha.”

She understood the situation even if he didn’t repeat himself. She had no idea what motive he had to get close to her, but she now knew whom he was.

The Professor should have listened to this man’s request already.

If it was this man’s request…. Then only the Queen could have that much power.

Under this light of understanding, the name of the young man surfaced.

“Then what do you want me……”

That was all she managed to say.

“Ah!”

And was suddenly pulled over. Her vision blurred. She couldn’t make sense of what was happening. The scene of the dim Resting Room became a line.

Leerin was pulled over in a very exaggerated way.

“Ah!”

She could only make out the young man’s shadow in her blurred vision. She was flying through the air. Being pulled out of the Resting Room and moving upwards. She was being pulled along with force, but she didn’t hurt at all. It felt as if some unknown power had floated her into the air.

“Ah.”

Finally she was let down on the ground.

A guest had already arrived on the rooftop. A man of wild hair, devoid of enthusiasm, and wearing a dirty-looking coat. He was watching the scenery around him from his vantage, his gaze sharp and clear.

“What did you do that for?” Leerin said crossly.

The young man walked leisurely up the rooftop, looking at the man in the coat reprovingly. But the man in the coat ignored him and continued to study the scenery.

“You took too long, making everyone impatient. Just how long did I have to wait? After I marry this girl?”

“If you want it, it can be as long as you want. Since it’s you, you can complete Her Majesty’s orders anywhere and anytime.”

“Stop joking. From the day I was born, I had never heard of Her Majesty giving me an order.”

“That’s because you don’t want to listen to it. Is that right, Lintence-san? Isn’t it the Queen’s order to kill billions of filth monsters? Hasn’t the Queen given us our most important mission, to protect this city? It never ends when it comes to talking with you.”

“That’s true. I also don’t want to be called around,” Lintence snorted. The Young man shrugged.

“…… Well.”

Leerin studied them in alert, unable to judge whether the two were speaking tensely or slowly.

(Just how did it turn out like this?)

“So, you’re Lintence-sama and Savaris-sama? What do you want with me?” she asked the two Heaven Blade successors – the pride of Grendan.

<center>◇</center>

Fervent cheering dominated the war field.

Layfon felt that gaze looked like someone he knew.

“One more person’s behind you.”

“I know.”

Although Felli was just a few seconds slower than him, even so, he wasn’t impatient about it…. If it was Felli, she could have discovered the enemy even earlier, but that couldn’t be helped. She hated her own ability.

The cheering from the audience drowned out Felli’s voice.

In Layfon’s line of sight was a strong-looking man wearing the badge of the 5th platoon captain on his battle uniform. Meanwhile, the emcee’s voice commented.

“Oh, oh. The audience is cheering Layfon on. He has already participated in a few matches, he’s one of Zuellni’s strongest attackers. In a match against the captain of the 5th platoon, Gorneo, just what kind of a battle will it be!?”

The opponent wore armor around his arms and legs. Judging by the color, the armors were made with a red alloy.

(For hand to hand combat…… No, not just that.)

Layfon changed the green Dite into the form of a sword.

“And now what, Gorneo? He can’t protect the flag if he doesn’t stop Layfon.”

Layfon had charged straight in from the beginning of the match, ignoring the psychokinesist of the 5th platoon. His target was the flag in the other team’s camp. Sitting on the defensive side, the 5th platoon would have lost the match if they failed to protect their flag. On the contrary, if the captain, Nina, of the offensive team fell, the 17th platoon would lose.

(Hand to hand combat….. perhaps……)

What Layfon was concerned about was the red Dite. He stopped and studied the strong-looking man, Gorneo. Gorneo had short silvery hair. His face and body build were like that of a robot’s. Nothing cute at all about his serious and harsh looking face, eyes and nose. Eyes that might look like the eyes of a good man if he smiled, that sharp gaze was staring at Layfon. A huge fist pounded towards him.

Kei was gathered in that fist, surrounding it with red light. The armor on his arm had become something totally different.

“Dispersed Kei……?”

Layfon jumped back.

The huge fist pounded down on the ground. The dancing sand from that strike didn’t just disperse into the air. Mixed with Kei, sand and soil particles attacked Layfon. At the same time as he leapt back, Layfon released the Kei from his blade through Whirl Kei. Blocks of Kei struck down Gorneo’s Kei, causing it to explode.

Within the small surrounding covered in sand, Layfon felt a stirring in his opponent’s direction.

“Resore Shosu!”

Along with that key word revealed a red spear and a small body that closed in fast on Layfon’s position.

(This is a red Dite too.)

He already knew about this other person and that she would attack him after Gorneo’s first move. Problem was……

(What kind of an attack?)

Layfon was still in the air. It was impossible for him to change his posture, so he decided to settle this in one swift moment when he landed. Green, red, turquoise…… the difference of the alloys lay in the amount of black alloy in them. Black alloy made the Dite harder and more damage-sustainable, but it also decreased the conductive rate of Kei. Black alloy directly affected the function of the weapon.

Dispersed Kei…… this required the highest level skill of Kei manipulation. To a Military Artist of this type, no Dite could be better than a red Dite.

Having understood what he was confronting, Layfon couldn’t face this move with an easy manner. He didn’t have the leisure to wait for the enemy to strike first. Dispersed Kei was famous for its variations on offensive moves. Against this type of an opponent, Layfon’s correct response was to strike first and attempt to slow down the enemy’s movements.

And in this one swift moment, he had decided on how to slow down his enemy.

Gorneo ''had'' to do something on the other side of the smoke screen.

It should be advantageous for Layfon to slide back further when he landed, aided by the remnants of his Kei as he executed a Whirl Kei. This way, his opponent would miscalculate.

Layfon added a variation to his basic sword move and swung the blade backward against the flow of the current Kei.

“Enke Shoudan!”

A strong and loud voice announced the name of the attack. From the tip of the spear burst out Kei in the form of bullets. Heat pressed down on Layfon’s head, and he gathered internal Kei on his wrists as he brought the sword back to him. A huge amount of Kei spread around him. Layfon rolled in the air like a chess piece.

Combining the internal and external type Kei….

All around Layfon, Kei spun up into the clouds like a whirlwind.

“Ah!”

That whirlwind dispersed the heat and the voice of his opponent. The enemy with the spear bounded off it, but that small body turned in the air and landed on Gorneo’s shoulders. It was a small girl with red hair, carrying a red Dite on her back. She had an intimidating look about her.

“Looks like varying the techniques on Kei can’t win against that guy.”

“I said so already! Speaking of which, how could you fight back under that situation? You’re too reckless.”

“Anyway…… about that guy……”

They looked for Layfon as the whirlwind gradually lost its force.

And they were astounded.

“What!”

“No way……”

They found a number of Layfon before them.

“An attack on the vision? And so many!?”

Behind them, on the tree branches, in the sky, in front, on their sides…… the two members of the 5th platoon were entirely surrounded by Layfon’s many images.

“A thousand……” Gorneo watched the Layfons around him, biting his lips and feeling a bit dizzy. This was a variation of combined internal and external Kei – A thousand flashes.

In reality, there weren’t a thousand, probably just about twenty or so.

With no where to escape to, Gorneo and his subordinated received Layfons’ attacks, but the attacks all missed by a few inches. Even though the Dite had a safety lock on it, it would have been fatal to receive that many attacks at once. After receiving the merciful attacks, the two Military Artists fell on the ground.

At about the same time, the siren signaling the destruction of the flag rang out, but the cheers of the audience almost drowned it out. Layfon swung his blade to disperse the remnants of Kei, and saw the girl with Gorneo…… He remembered from the news: A member of the 5th platoon, Shante Laite.

“Uhhhhhh!” Shante recollected herself.

“Bastard,” Gorneo climbed slowly back up, watching Layfon.

A gaze as if looking up from the bottom of a deep valley… where had he seen it before?

(Gorneo…….. Luckens.)

Luckens…… a name that rattled Layfon.

“My performance is perfect for today too,” Sharnid praised himself as he spun the two Dites in his hands.

“Yeah, didn’t expect it to go that smoothly. Nina’s strategy was successful.”

“Hey, hey. Don’t forget it’s because of me, Harley.”

“Of course,” Harley shrugged and took Sharnid’s Dites for check up.

“In truth, captain’s strategies are pretty successful in the last two matches.”

Sitting in a chair, Layfon listened to their conversation and he looked at Nina.

“That’s thanks to everyone’s hard work,” Nina smiled sourly. She didn’t look satisfied.

First, Layfon acted as bait, followed by Nina. Sharnid infiltrated the enemy camp, avoiding the psychokinesist as he did so. When Layfon fought the enemies, Nina drew out the rest of the enemy teammates to make an opening for Sharnid, who successfully moved into his shooting path for the flag.

Sharnid was using hand to hand gun combat, and Nina had planned her strategies based on Sharnid’s new ability.

In order to reinforce the main attackers, Gorneo and Shante, the rest of the 5th platoon members were a bit slow in their reaction. Sharnid had always worked from a long distance range. Changing that to close range attack had given them unexpected results.

“Sharnid’s hidden ability has seen good results so far……. But that strategy must have been analyzed through and through in the last two matches. We still haven’t fought the 1st platoon, Commander Vance’s platoon. So I don’t think we should let down our guard.”

“Hey, hey, we don’t get this great atmosphere all the time. Don’t douse it cold.”

“But……”

“Let’s end this for the day. If you got anything to consider, you can leave it till tomorrow.”

Layfon could tell Nina wanted to say something, but she swallowed it because of Sharnid’s words.

“Ok, I suppose.”

“Yeah, let’s leave the terrible topic for now. Shall we have a victory meal? The usual at Melo? I’ll book a table. Meet up again at 6pm. Now, dismissed.”

“Hey, don’t just decide on your own,” Nina said. Sharnid was already heading for the bathroom.

“Oh, right. Dismissed.”

Looking at the Nina like that, Layfon smiled. Someone’s gaze pricked his face, so he turned around.

Standing on a side was Felli, pouting.

<center>◇</center>

The world was polluted.

When did that happen? Why? How did it happen?

Those questions were lost in antiquity. No records remained.

Pollutants stopped the cycle of normal activities and led the creatures to death. The earth turned scarlet and arid. Wind and sand swallowed bones of the corpses. Plants that managed to survive were filled with poison. In the new world was a strange ecosystem, giving birth to greedy and stubborn filth monsters. This was no longer a place for humans.

Regios.

Humanity’s new earth. The only space where humans would live, rejected by nature. A world drifting in this world, created by a long lost technique.

In these artificial worlds, people were born, and people died……

At the same time, they fought……

<center>◇</center>

“Number 3! Mifi! I’m gonna sing!”

Mifi held a microphone, and all of a sudden, the shop was filled with loud cheers.

Zuellni had a number of streets lined with shops. The most prosperous street was the one with numerous stations for roaming buses, parking lots and facilities for people planning to go to other cities – Sanak.

Layfon and everyone else were inside a shop on Sanak Street called Melo. Inside Melo was a bar and a lot of empty space, filled with only few tables and chairs. Usually, the bar was full of wines and beers, but today, empty bottles were all placed behind the bar. On the desks were trays and trays of sumptuous dishes.

“Geez…. She drank so much wine and is still keeping it up.”

Sitting on the bar, Sharnid placed a wine cup on his lips with dull eyes. This bar had no audio equipment. Members of the 17th platoon and their guests must have brought some along with them.

“Sharnid, aren’t you gonna sing?”

“I’ll pass. My singing isn’t for everyone.”

“Ah, really? Then when do you sing?”

“When I’m alone with someone.”

“Uh, could that someone be someone here tonight?”

“You’re harsh,” Sharnid said to the female owner of the shop. Sitting next to Sharnid, Layfon was drinking juice and letting the rowdy atmosphere roll over him.

Besides Mifi’s singing, singing that didn’t sound too bad resonated in the shop and the male students couldn’t help but cheer. They were Sharnid’s classmates, a male and female choir, reading from the scores and chatting at the same time. Harley was also there along with his friends. Another group was there, slightly separated from the previous groups. A group of girls who looked serious and earnest. The atmosphere over there was a bit different. The girls were all chatting happily amongst themselves.
In that group were Mei-Shen and Naruki, and Nina was in the centre of the group. Nina was talking to Naruki, who listened with a troubled expression on her face.

(What’s she talking about?) Layfon thought, but had no intention of walking over to find out. He had just escaped from Nina’s friends and moved over to the bar. He didn’t want to get back to the thick again.

“It really is rowdy here.”

Mifi’s singing and the sound of the door opening drifted over to Layfon. Having already sensed the movement through his Military Artist ears, Layfon turned to watch the door.

“Mr. Formed?”

“Yo, how’re you lately, ace?”

Formed Garen. The Chief of security in City Police walked over with a smile that didn’t match the seriousness on his face.

“Please forget that title.”

“Why, isn’t that the truth? No one in Zuellni can win against you. That’s already become a legend. What do you think?” he sat down matter-of-factly beside Layfon and asked for a drink from the shop owner. He reached out for the food.

At first he had called Layfon “Alseif-kun”, but now he was already calling him “You guy”. Against that familiar attitude of Formed, Layfon could only shake his head lightly.

“I can’t help with that title, but a lot of things have told me that being strong alone can’t do anything much.”

“Uh, it’s as if you’re talking about someone else. You aren’t that old, but it feels like you’re looking in from someone far away. Have you had some painful experiences?”

Formed Garen was also a fifth year student in Cultivation. In Zuellni, the youngest student was sixteen, so a fifth year student was around twenty years of age…… perhaps Layfon felt a bit bad for Formed Garen. He doubted anyone would object if he said Formed was around thirty. He waited for the Chief to explain what he came for.

“So do you need anything today? If it’s Ge…. Naruki, she’s over there,” Layfon had almost said Naruki by her first name. Good that he managed to change that quickly.

“Aa, I came specifically to congratulate you, but it looks like I’ve been misunderstood. I feel so lonely,” Formed smiled.

Layfon had once been asked by Naruki to apply as a temporary member of the City Police. It was a job dealing with events that might involve Military Artists, meaning only Military Artists were capable of doing it. Of course, there was danger involved. Layfon was asked to cooperate with the police and prevent the culprits from escaping.

“Be at ease, there’s nothing you need to solve right now…… but, if possible, I want to ask you a favor.”

“Ha……”

Formed was looking at Layfon’s drink.

“Is that wine? It might be a problem from my standpoint, but I think in this situation, it’s all right to drink a little. But it doesn’t feel like you want to drink. Anyway, don’t be too harsh on yourself. Your captain is very serious and strict,” Formed turned his gaze on Nina. Layfon looked over too.

Nina Antalk. A Military Artist who formed a platoon when she was only in third year, whereas all the other captains were fourth year or above. Her short golden hair brightened up the dimness around her. The curves of her face seemed to boast of her beauty.

“Not a bad looking person. It was tragic that we lost in the last Military Arts competition. You and the captain over there appearing in Zuellni probably is a good thing.”

“Is it really that tragic?” Layfon asked.

All mobile cities needed pure selenium to function. Selenium, a mineral newly discovered after the world was polluted. Low-level Selenium could be found anywhere, as much as one wanted. But a large amount of pure selenium was needed for a city to function, and that could only be found in a mine. The moving paths of Regios revolved around selenium mines. This couldn’t be wrong, even though people didn’t have world maps to check. They could just tell by the yearly re-supply at a selenium mine. And for sure, a selenium mine would reach its limit one day, so…. How many mines a city possessed symbolized a city’s lifespan.

The fight between cities for selenium mines took place once every two years. The people living in the cities were the one fighting in this war. A city’s life and death was directly related to the people living in it, so it was a matter of fact to fight desperately.

“Yeah, it was very tragic,” Formed frowned, remembering the past.

A city would only fight against the same type of city. For example, Academy city Zuellni would only fight with other cities that specialized in education. In other cities, they might fight with blood, but for Academy Cities, the alliance of Academy Cities had set down rules for the Military Arts competition, turning the war into a sport that wouldn’t see anyone getting injured.

“For a non-expert to explain is difficult…… anyway, they totally owned us. They predicted our every move, and they went through our openings whenever they wanted. That was the type of feeling I got.”

“Was it because they had excellent psychokinesists?”

Psychokinesist…… Military Artists with a special type of Kei who could turn it into psychokinesis and use it to gather and analyze a massive amount of information.

“Well, I don’t really know much about the opposing force,” Formed scanned the shop. “Speaking of which, the psychokinesist of your team isn’t here? The Student President’s sister.”

“She doesn’t like this type of an atmosphere,” Layfon replied.

“I see.”

Felli was a genius in psychokinesis, but she hated her ability. Although her brother forced her into the team, she didn’t plan to use her true strength.

Layfon couldn’t do anything about it.

To Layfon, born in Grendan and given the title of Heaven Blade successor, he hadn’t used his true strength in the platoon matches. It wasn’t because there wasn’t a need to use his true strength, and not because he would be invincible if he displayed his true strength. Layfon came to Zuellni in the first place in order to give up Military Arts but he had become a platoon member and was working hard for the next Military Arts competition. The fact that he ended up fighting again was surprising to him.

“Do all Military Artists in Grendan have to have strength like yours?” Formed asked.

“…… Not really. What’s it?”

“Ah, nothing. Besides you, the captain of the 5th platoon also came from Grendan, and both of you are platoon members. I don’t know any Military Artists from other cities, perhaps it’s just my prejudice. What I feel is, coming from the “ignorant” perspective, Grendan’s a place of monsters.”

“Um……” Layfon nodded without putting meaning into it, and asked. “Was Gorneo Luckens born in Grendan?”

“Yeah, seems so. What? Do you know him?”

“No, I don’t know him directly, but the name Luckens sounds familiar.”

“Oh, then he probably is born into a pretty good house.”

Layfon smiled.

“I don’t know why he came here, but to him and I, we have a certain confidence in our own skills. Before coming to Zuellni, we’ve fought many. Of course, there’re opponents like monsters.”

Layfon found it hard to say he was also a monster.

“Then I’m put at ease,” Formed smiled, but something shone in the depth of his eyes. Perhaps he had understood something, or perhaps nothing at all. He was a student but also a person who had handled all sorts of things in the city. Nothing could escape his eyes – a person’s language, expression… on the contrary, Formed’s eyes seemed to be a trap, tempting people to make a mistake. It looked like Layfon couldn’t relax after all.

“Ah, chief.”

Naruki and Mei-Shen came over.

“Oh.”

“Did anything happen?”

Looking at Naruki, who was all keen and ready, Formed sighed. “Am I someone who would neglect my work? I’m still a student.”

“You aren’t too convincing,” Not knowing what Formed was keeping from her, Naruki relaxed her shoulders, discontent.

“Aren’t you the workaholic?”

“I’m not up to Chief’s level yet, but I’ll catch up soon.”

“Never mind. Don’t waste your precious school life.”

“It’s my right to choose.”

Looking at the funny talk between a superior and his subordinate, Layfon and Mei-Shen exchanged a glance and smiled.

“….. Is it about time to go?”

“About time. Need me to take you back?”

“It’s ok. There’s Naruki.”

“Ah…… it really is ok.”

“Right.”

Both Naruki and Layfon were in Military Arts, and they both worked for the City Police. Mei-Shen was safer with Naruki than with any other males.

Mifi wasn’t around. Layfon checked and saw her still reading the music scores.

“She can’t stop once she’s started singing.”

“I’ll take her back then,” Layfon said.

Naruki returned to the conversation. “Well then, we’ll go back first. Layton, thanks for tomorrow.”

“Oh, yeah. Is it really ok? If you really can’t, we can change the date.”

“Don’t worry. I’m pretty accurate at the timing of being a light bulb.”

“Gelni!” Mei-Shen said as she pulled the smiling Naruki out of the shop.

“What’s on tomorrow?”

“We’re hanging out.”

“Oh.”

“Originally the four of us were going together, but Naruki and Mifi said something sudden has come up and they can’t go. We wanted to change the date, but in the end, we still decided on tomorrow.”

“Is that girl beside Naruki going to go?”

“Yes, I’m going to thank her for the bento she made.”

“….. I feel that I’m wasting my precious school life because of work, but you’re wasting it in another way.”

“…… Ha?”

Formed slowly shook his head and said nothing.

<center>◇</center>

She held the heavy staff Dite in a place empty of people except for her.

(I still can’t fully manage it.)

Not long ago……. She trained here after the fight with the first aged phase filth monster and after Nina had fainted.

Nina hadn’t wanted anyone to see her.

It was the same with Felli. She didn’t want anyone to know. Standing on the outskirt of the city, Felli gazed at the faraway command tower. There wasn’t any wind today. Without wild dancing sand, the nighttime scenery around the command tower was clear and unhampered. Felli already thoroughly understood the inconvenience of being unable to pierce this darkness.

The world was clearer and more vivid.

She knew. Countless stars dangled in the sky, in the darkness opposite the command tower. They shone and sparkled beautifully beyond the reach of the city’s artificial light. The pale moonlight shone down as if to look through the polluted earth.

Felli knew there was another existence besides filth monsters in this world. Microscopic creatures that weren’t categorized as animal or insect. She knew those sad little creatures lived in the depths of the earth, their power of life not losing out to that of the filth monsters. She knew of that point of grandness.

Knew. Filth monsters howled under this moonlight that seemed to come from a dream or perhaps, from reality. Sad and lonely conquerors.

Felli understood this world more than anyone else.

“Ah……” she breathed in the silent air.

She relaxed, and bathed in the light that ran down her long hair to illuminate her surroundings. The light emitted from her hair suppressed the darkness and enveloped her.

Psychokinesis.

A huge amount of psychokinesis exuded from her body, conducted through her hair. Felli was a genius in psychokinesis. Even psychokinesists born without training in the special power but born with their hair emitting light could not be like Felli. It was the same with psychokinesists schooled and familiar with their ability. The power of psychokinesis couldn’t be increased through training.

The Kei of psychokinesis flew into her Dite. Felli did not need a keyword to restore her weapon, a translucent staff made of flakes.

The flakes scattered, leaving nothing in Felli’s hand. The flakes were connected to Felli through the power of psychokinesis. They became her eyes, mouth and ears. These flakes increased the communication range of a psychokinesist. Felli sent the flakes out to feel the existence of the world. She filtered out the burns of pollutants, returning back to the time when humanity and earth existed in harmony. She experienced the pale world of night, imagining a picture dotted with the jewels of the stars.

It was a psychokinesist’s privilege to feel the world outside the city. Anyone else would have to wear protective clothes to walk outside the city. If they went out naked, their lungs would rot in five minutes. Their skin would burn. They had no way of touching this world, because the world rejected them. Even so, there were people who still had to get out. Those who fought.

“I don’t understand,” Felli murmured.

Through her innate feeling and the feeling she acquired through maturity, something else felt peculiar. Perhaps…. Something wasn’t right. This feeling was similar to when she met him.

Layfon Alseif.

A feeling of hating one’s own ability, but being admired by others……. His past was different from Felli’s, and for that past, he planned to abandon Military Arts. Layfon’s past was more strained and distressing. He had experienced more hurt and pain than Felli. He was different from her, who was born to be a psychokinesist.

No. If it was about ability, then his ability had forced him to choose the path of a Military Artist. Layfon used his ability as a tool for survival. People wanting Felli to become like that were all around her.

Both Layfon and Felli attempted to head for a path other than the paths they were already treading, and both had experienced setbacks. And their experiences were different. Layfon had experienced a setback, whereas Felli chose to have a setback.

(Could I be wrong?)

(No.)

Layfon came to Zuellni for a road besides Military Arts. What prevented him from chasing his dream were Zuellni’s current situation and Felli’s brother who knew of Layfon’s past – Karian.

At first, Layfon hated it. He should have hated the platoon match…… But he didn’t look like that now. He didn’t look keen in the matches, but he didn’t give up fighting.

(He really is indecisive.)

He hadn’t given up on finding a path outside Military Arts, but he didn’t ignore what he was capable of doing.

And people thought he was zealous.

(A helplessly good-natured person.)

But perhaps, the road Layfon picked was right.

(Or……)

Or…… feeling something murky weighing on her, she shook her head and called back the flakes. She came here to clear her mind. Wasn’t it meaningless to consider so much……

“?”

Something was out there in the darkness. She had almost missed it because of the mountains. It wasn’t possible to discover it through the reflection of light. She investigated through ultrasound and electromagnetic waves. The flakes went near the source of the disturbance. It wasn’t far. Judging by the city’s speed, that thing was two days or so from Zuellni. If she let the flakes head for the place of that thing, daylight would arrive. The flakes hovered a distance from it and began their investigation.

Looking at the numbers surfacing in her consciousness, Felli swallowed.

“This is……”

Chrome Shelled Regios:Volume2 Chapter5

2009-08-08T21:37:46Z

ZaX: /* Chapter 5: Things in life */

===Chapter 5: Things in life===

The close-fitting protective clothes felt cool on his skin. The clothes looked heavy and hot on the outside, but it didn’t feel hot after he put them on. They had surprisingly good ventilation. He also wore these types of protective clothes back at Grendan. Wearing the clothes now wasn’t surprising to him.

Under the light, one could just detect his skin color beneath the half transparent protective clothes used for filtering the pollutants outside the city.

The fitting was done at the last moment, so this was his first time wearing them.

He left the fitting room.

“It feels fine,” Layfon said.

He was the underneath the city, inside what was called the waist of the city located beneath the Mechanical Department and connected to the multi-legs. A space that was similar to the existence of a gap.

A lot of work, mostly involving repair of the multi-legs, entered and exited here.

And in here right now were Layfon, Karian and a couple of other students.

The student leader of the technology course let out a relieved sigh. On his face were traces of sleepless nights.

“That’s great, next is the protective helmet……”

The protective helmet was made of two parts. The hard component that made up the outer part of the helmet pressed down on the same material as the cloth that made up the protective clothes. The cloth was cut according to the contour of Layfon’s face. Once he put on the helmet, his face was sealed from the outside world. And finally, the student leader connected the piece of cloth hanging out from beneath the helmet to the protective clothes to cover the neck area.

Nothing illuminated the helmet. In total darkness, the Student President sent out a message to someone through his transmitter.

A scene of somewhere else appeared before Layfon.

Barren earth greeted Layfon’s eyes.

“Oh……”

Right before him was the desolate and sterile earth with cracks spidering across its surface. The dry smell of the earth drifted into his nose. Wind filled with a huge amount of sand beat against Layfon as it blew past him……. Like an illusion, the clear images coming through the protective helmet transmitted a feeling as if he were watching it with his own eyes and feeling it with his body.

“Does it work?”

Felli’s voice.

But she wasn’t beside him.

“Perfect.”

“That’s good,” came the cool reply.

The helmet was connected to Felli’s flakes. They replaced Layfon’s vision and conveyed to him all kinds of information. This way, he wouldn’t have to see the world with his own eyes and risk burning them through contact with the pollutants, and he would also avoid the inconvenience of the sand sticking onto the helmet and obstructing his vision.

“Then everything’s prepared.”

In his harness hung the Dite he got from Harley. It differed from the normal Dite in that it was slightly longer. A small and thin slab of metal curved inward from the handle, and on it were three holes.

This was the completed version of the Adamandite……. And its inventor still hadn’t shown up.

Lastly, Layfon equipped himself with four more Dites.

“Please use the bike,” Karian pointed at the thing beside him.

It was a moving vehicle from the past that had long since lost its function. Its design was wide but delicate. Underneath the dim light, liquid silver ran across its black outer shell.

The rubber wheels could not be used on the barren earth. Long distance was out of the question, and there was little meaning in making the vehicle work for short distance. The obvious conclusion was to adjust it in a way that was similar to how the robotic legs moved. Even so, its movement far exceeded the speed of robotic legs. Every city had a few of these bikes for emergencies.

The seat for the person needing rescue had been taken off this bike.

Layfon took his seat and switched on the engine. A low rumble sounded out from beneath the vehicle as the bike vibrated.

Karian and the others relocated to the control room, and the gate leading to the outside world opened. A lift lowered Layfon to the ground.

Furious wind and the city’s slowly moving multi-legs surrounded Layfon. As the lift descended, he gazed at the mountain protruding from the ground in a far distance.

The filth monster was there.

It would take him one day to get there…… The long and lonely journey began.

<center>◇</center>

Time rewound to just a little time before Layfon’s departure. This was the patient’s room.

“This is……”

At the voice that sounded lost, Layfon looked away from the vase. It was Nina. The nurse had removed the needles from her back, turned her over and pulled a blanket over her. The remaining light of the sunset shone through the window. Light and dimness separated the room into two colours. Except for the dusky red on Nina’s bed, everywhere else was dim.

Layfon turned on the light. It reflected off the whitewashed walls and shooed away the darkness. Nina squinted at the dazzling light and caught Layfon’s image.

“This is the hospital.”

“Hospital……?”

“Don’t you remember?”

“……. Uh…….”

She slowly shook her head as she watched the ceiling, followed by a light sigh. The sound of quiet movements from nurses, patients and visitors outside the room caused thin vibrations in the air.

Layfon looked at the vase again. In it sat Sharnid’s flowers.

“I see, so I fainted.”

“Senpai overused your Kei.”

Layfon felt suffocated at the sparseness of the conversation. Nina gradually reached the conclusion she didn’t want to know…… A premonition of her struggling to escape and failing at it.

“Were you watching?” she said.

Watching the vase, Layfon felt her gaze stab one side of his face, but the Nina at the edge of his vision was looking at the window painted red by the sunset.

“No.”

“Do you find me ridiculous?”

“I didn’t laugh.”

“But I want to laugh at myself.”

He sensed the blanket move a little.

“I’m so unsightly……”

“I don’t think so.”

“Why?” Irritation filled her question. Mixed in it was also the sound of crying, but he didn’t attempt to confirm that. Perhaps…… he didn’t want to look at the Nina gazing at the sunset.

“This might seem cruel, but I think some things can only be understood after a near-death experience. No one can help with that.”

“And this is?” she asked in a mocking tone. Mocking herself.

Layfon nodded.

“…… We have to give up on the next platoon match.”

“…… I see.”

She must have understood it.

“Did I waste my time?”

“Waste?”

“I want to win and become stronger. In that case, haven’t I been wasting my time?”

“Have you lost just because you can’t participate in the next match?”

“That’s not it!” she half sat up, her face twisted. Her entire body hurt so much that she couldn’t even sit up properly. She lay back down heavily, the pillow supporting the sudden weight of her head.

“…… Even so, I still want to win and get stronger. If I stop here and can’t do anything in the real match, then nothing else is worth mentioning.”

“True.”

“So haven’t I been wasting my time?”

She didn’t turn to him. Inside the blanket, her body seemed to become smaller.

“…….. At first, I thought it would be enough if I used my own strength and helped out Zuellni in the next Military Arts competition,” she said softly, still not turning to face him. “But I got a bit greedy. Because you’re strong. I was scared when I first witnessed it. I even doubted whether you were human, but when I confirmed you were, desire came to me. I don’t want to just simply help, but I want to become the driving force, the core of victory. I thought the 17th platoon had become stronger even though there’s no proof of it. If you want to laugh, then go ahead.”

Layfon shook his head solemnly.

“But I lost the match. Of course. And I feel it’s fortunate that we lost. That match corrected my error, but I stopped moving forward after that…… if that’s the case, what do I have to do to win?”

As long as the team became stronger.

The answer was simple, but Layfon didn’t voice it.

He understood a little of Nina’s line of thinking. Sharnid had a lukewarm attitude, and Felli clearly had no interest at all.

Especially because Felli told him that she wouldn’t use her true strength. She hated herself for being a psychokinesist.

The strength of a team showed the level of coordination of the team. It was meaningless for one person to be strong.

The opposing team had demonstrated this truth in the previous match.

“I thought only I needed to become strong. Even if I can’t fight alongside you, at least I can be strong enough not to become a burden, so……”

So she increased her time for individual training?

The out of the ordinary training schedule meant she had a high evaluation of Layfon’s strength.

“But I might have wasted my time.”

Something quiet and heavy pushed down on the air in the room.

“….. Does senpai know the irregularity of the breath of Kei?”

“Uh?”

“I mean the breath of Kei. Senpai was very painful in that last moment.”

“Ah, Ahah……”

The sudden change in topic confused her.

“The irregularity of your Kei breath shows you’ve wasted your training up to a certain level. It’s natural for that to happen because you lied to your body and, despite your exhaustion, you continued to use Kei. This is the same theory as how one can’t breathe in whenever while exercising. When a person first breathes with Kei, the Kei vein generates an amount of Kei that’s larger than usual. The training method for the Kei vein is different from how you increase the capacity of your lungs. In the final phase of Kei training, that’s when you can live your daily life through the breath of Kei without having to use internal and external type of Kei.”

“Layfon……?”

“It’s hard work to maintain the breath of Kei without generating a Kei flow, but if that can be done, then it’ll increase the person’s sensitivity to her Kei and the amount of Kei she holds. It’s like the Kei becomes your nervous system. The breath of Kei is the basics of Kei.”

The breath of Kei is the basics of Kei.

That was explained in the junior textbook in Military Arts.

But he had said something that wasn’t included in the textbook. None of the textbooks mentioned maintaining a daily life with the breath of Kei.

“If humans with a Kei vein want to survive by relying on Military Arts, then it’s meaningless to live the same as normal people. They breathe differently, so the meanings are different. Please look at the flow of Kei as more important than blood. Believe the information from the Kei flow more than what you feel from your nervous system. Don’t become the blood bag that thinks, but please become the formless body of Kei that thinks,” he said lightly.

Nina remained silent and inert as she listened. She watched him with surprise, her eyes slightly red.

“If you want to live by Military Arts, then give up the thinking of living as a human.”

He said to the Nina who was at ease because he was human that – don’t live as humans do.

“That’s all I can tell senpai,” he smiled. It was a forced smile, so it must have looked quite stiff. He could feel the hard muscles of his face.

“Have you noticed? Sharnid senpai has a new Dite.”

“Huh?”

“He seems to know how to use close quarter gun combat skill. I don’t know what level he’s at. You can confirm that later. Perhaps we can add more variations in the strategies now. But all the formations we have so far are to have everyone attack, maybe you can do it the other way and stay at the back. My brain’s terrible with strategies, and they probably aren’t right, so I have to leave it to senpai.”

“……”

“I’m good at fighting alone, but I’m terrible when fighting in a team. It’s not easy to fight while thinking of the comrades fighting alongside me. Frankly, I feel that the war field is too narrow.”

“Layfon……”

“Please give me instructions, and I’ll try to act them out to the best of my ability. Sharpid senpai seems to have his own thinking on this. As for Felli senpai…… well, let’s work hard together.”

He stammered out the last words, so he laughed to cover them.

“It’s all up to senpai whether we can become the strongest platoon, so please don’t abandon us.”

“Abandon you…… How could I……”

Nina recalled her recent actions.

Yes, it wasn’t strange to think she had abandoned them when she was training to become strong alone.

“Yeah…… I’ve nothing to say.”

“I’m not against senpai getting stronger. I’ll help out the best I can if there’s anything I can do. Although all I can do is teach you how to train in Kei….. if you can take anything more useful than this, then take from me as much as you can.”

He smiled, a bit embarrassed. This time his smile might have been even stiffer. Please don’t abandon us…… that felt just like a kid not wanting to part with someone.

Had he come to like the 17th platoon this much……. Without himself knowing……?

Or was it because of…… her?

He didn’t want to leave Nina Antalk?

(Which is it?)

He wasn’t sure himself.

“I see…… so I’m the only uncertain one.”

Her soft voice stopped his train of thought.

“We’re comrades, so let’s get stronger together.”

He couldn’t deny the other him who was happy because of the intense light in her eyes.

<center>◇</center>

“It was just like your last words.”

“Huh?”

The bike moved forward, bumping across the deserted earth. He was already driving on the smoothest surface, but he wasn’t sure what good it did. He had had training back in Grendan on driving, but he had never driven for so long a distance. There was a spare tire. If possible, he didn’t want to encounter a situation where he had to use it.

The sun had sunk down in the west. The headlights cut out a circle from the darkness around him.

As long as he got the location right, he’d arrive there, so he constantly checked the magnet on the display of the bike as he drove.

And Felli was guiding him, so things should not be confounding.

He still hadn’t taken any action at this distance regarding the filth monster. One reason was because of the limit of preparation time and movement, but the main reason was his need to coordinate with Felli’s information.

Felli’s voice came through the flake on his helmet. “I heard……. What you said in the patient’s room.”

“Those aren’t my last words,” he laughed.

“But it’s not strange to think so in this situation, right?”

“Is that so?”

“Yes.”

“But I don’t plan to lose.”

“You didn’t say you wanted to die.”

“I don’t know anything besides the fact that the filth monster is male. I can’t say what isn’t certain.”

“See?”

He felt the low howling of the wind through his protective clothes. The pollutants beat against him.

On the other side of the protective clothes that were as thin as his skin lay a dead world.

Nothing lived except the filth monsters. On the barren earth were crusts of soil jutting out. Pollutants mixed in the air. Contact with the polluted substance would cause burns, causing the skin to peel off in flakes. If one breathed in the air, one’s lungs would rot.

One person was in this dead world.

The uneasy feeling of being in a place he shouldn’t be in invaded Layfon.

He had fought in this dead world for numerous times, fighting continuously in an arena that was far wider and vaster than any city, but filled with a sense of suffocation. Was he truly alive right now? Even that feeling of “of course he was living” was fading.

His mission remained his only driving force in this situation, so when he faced battle, he always felt his life was somewhere far far away from him.

“I don’t plan to give my last words,” he repeated.

“Really?”

“Really.”

“Fon Fon……”

He almost crashed.

“Have you really decided on that name?” Embarrassed at the nickname that didn’t suit the current atmosphere, he steadied the vehicle.

“I’ve decided.”

There was stubbornness in her icy voice.

“Can you not use that name?”

“No……. I remember. We were deciding on a something to call me. How did we end up deciding on your nickname?”

“…… Don’t ask me.”

He didn’t even get a say in the name of Fon Fon.

“Ah…… I get it, because my brother showed up. He has to interfere with me in whatever I do. My emotionless and tearless brother is the cause of my misfortune. I pray daily that he’ll be forced to withdraw because he’s been exposed for his crime in using public funds for private uses and for other crimes he’s committed.”

“What are you saying……”

Her solemn expression surfaced in his mind.

“Then you decide.”

“Now?”

“I’m bored, so you can be my conversation partner, or can you make any funny jokes?”

Yes, there was still some time before he reached his destination.

“Um, I don’t, but……”

“Please don’t make jokes. I’ll get a headache if you turn into Sharnid senpai.”

“….. Then what do I do?”

“Just think of what to call me.”

“Um……”

“Hurry……”

He was troubled. Anyway, all he needed was to say what he thought.

“…… Felli-chan?”

“I’m used to it. I was called that from very little. Use more creativity. This name’s denied.”

“Fe-chan?”

“I feel like a moron. Rejected.”

Then what was that when Mei-Shen was called Me-chan? But he didn’t say that to Felli. Recently, he had been calling her Mei. Speaking of which, that was how he called Naruki too, but that seemed different……

“Fe.”

“Is that even meaningful? Rejected.”

“Fe-chan-li.”

“My name is not a joke. Rejected.”

“Fellilin.”

“Are you laughing?”

“Fellifelli.”

“I hate how it sounds like fried rice. Rejected.”

“Fefe.”

“Sounds like a strange laugh. Rejected.”

“Fellinanese.”

“Who’s that? Rejected.”

“Felli-nee.” **TL note – Felli the older sister**

“Do you want to die? Rejected.”

“….. Sorry, I give up.”

“You’re not permitted to give up.”

What should he do…… he wanted to hold his head. Besides, the name was usually shortened or changed to add variations to its tone. Or he could use some similar thing as an analogy……

“……”

“What?”

“Nothing.”

He decided not to say she was a cold, bloodless doll. That would definitely hurt.

“Please hurry,” she urged. His head felt like stone. He couldn’t think of anything else.

(Fe?...... What is that?)

If he contracted her name, it became some strange sound. What if Naruki became Fena? How strange.

“Hurry up. What’s with you?”

“Felli,” he said in resignation. There were no variations and no comparisons.

Just her original name. Perhaps that sounded rough. Even so, he couldn’t help it. He had no other ideas.

(How about that?)

“……”

“…… Say it again.”

“Um….. Felli.”

“Um……”

Felli’s image wasn’t on the helmet, but he felt he saw her. Her right hand caressed her chin, left hand supporting right elbow, her head slightly cocked, her gaze lightly stroking the sky above her...... this image of her surfaced in his mind.

“It’s not creative at all, and you didn’t put any effort into it. No respect for your senpai at all, and there’s no affection for me. It’s so bad that you can’t call it a name.”

So that didn’t work…… well……

Layfon kept thinking up another name, but instead got a surprise from what Felli said next.

“Never mind, we’ll just use that.”

“Heh?” He was rather shocked, then glad of her letting him go.

“But you’ve to say it with more emotion. I don’t need the respect for a senpai. Call me with that name, ok?”

“Uh….. um…..”

“Well, Fon Fon. Say it again.”

“Ah, yes…… Felli.”

“Good.”

Layfon relaxed.

“Promise me.”

“…… What?”

“Call me with this name from now on, ok?”

“Uh, in front of others too?”

“Of course.”

“And Fon Fon too?”

“Sure.”

“Sorry, please forgive me.”

If he was called Fon Fon during team training and after school……

(No…… No No!)

That would be so embarrassing.

“Fine, then I’ll call you Fon Fon when we’re alone.”

He could truly relax now.

“In exchange for that, I’ll add in one more condition.”

“Yes, leave it to me,” Layfon said, not really having heard what Felli had just said. He’d agree to any request as long as she didn’t call him Fon Fon in front of everyone.

“Please remember to call me by that name when you return.”

“……”

“It’s a promise.”

<center>◇</center>

He took a quick nap before dawn. The swaying of his body stuck to him like echoes. And like that, he lay on the vehicle and closed his eyes.

The wind had died down and everywhere looked dead. He didn’t know what Felli was doing on the other end of the flakes. She hadn’t spoken to him for a while now.

It was really quiet, as if even his own voice had died off. When he moved slightly, the sound of Dites bumping against the bike shook his eardrums. On the contrary, the feeling of him being alive was more intense than ever.

He knew there was no such thing, but that feeling came unbidden to him. He had no one beside him, no one to help him. The people living in Zuellni were far behind him, and he had no idea where the other cities were.

What was Leerin doing?

This flashed through his mind.

After the attack on Zuellni, he had only written one letter to Leerin. He felt that he was waiting for a return letter from somewhere. It wasn’t that strange that he still hadn’t received a letter. The roaming buses hadn’t delivered any letters, so the mail probably would come soon.

He candidly told her about the present him in that letter. How he was forced to transfer into Military Arts, enter a platoon and fight the larvae…… And his inability to give up on Military Arts. What would Leerin think? Would she smile bitterly and say “Can’t be helped since it’s you”, or would she lecture him with a pink face……

The harness swayed and the Dites jostled against each other.

(I…… am quite afraid of loneliness.)

He deeply thought so. He used to write to Leerin every week, but he hadn’t been doing that now. One reason was his losing the fresh and curious feeling he had when he first started school. The second reason was that Leerin didn’t write as much in her letters to him. He felt a distance between them.

He hadn’t received a letter from Leerin since her last letter.

(It must be the distance between cities.)

In the time when cities couldn’t contact each other, Layfon was doubtful as to whether his letter had safely arrived at Grendan. He didn’t think Leerin would not want to write to him. The unreliable connection between cities, the Layfon involved in this situation, the Layfon who thought of Leerin in this time…… He arrived at this conclusion from all these factors combined.

Had the people he met in this city filled his loneliness of not being with Leerin?

No.

It didn’t fill his loneliness. It replaced it. The truth of separating from Leerin remained in him. He was just so busy with school and everything that he hadn’t the time to feel lonely.

This was the Layfon in Zuellni. Perhaps it was a good thing that he wasn’t as tense as when he was in Grendan.

(Although there’s a lot of troublesome things, and I’m doing what I did before……)

And as part of his life in Zuellni, he was out here in the open, in a desolate environment, totally isolated from his normal life.

Sand particles beat against the vehicle and his Dites.

The wind was rising again. Listening to the sound of the wind, Layfon’s consciousness sank into shallow darkness.

<center>◇</center>

Time rewound back to just after Layfon’s departure.

The door was pushed open.

“Yo, Nina! Are you healthy?”

“I don’t think that’s a question you ask a patient.”

“Yep. Just like this!” Sharnid walked into the room, smiling flippantly as he winked at a nurse walking past in the corridor. Harley was right behind him.

It was the morning of a weekend. Nina put aside the book she was reading.

“What’re you reading? Uh, a textbook! And it’s “Military Arts principles I”…… Why’re you reading this now?”

Nina nodded as she confirmed the Dites hanging around Sharnid’s waist.

“Because I’ve something I need to relearn.”

“Haha, even though you fainted all of a sudden, you’re still so serious,” Sharnid shrugged.

“Forget it. What about today’s match? Is it ok not to watch it?”

“If you want to know, I can bring you the disc later. Because of the sudden holiday, I haven’t time to arrange a date, so I’ve time on my hands.”

If so, then just go and watch the match. But Nina didn’t say it. Harley’s smile lacked his usual cheerfulness, and that bothered her.

“But it’s tragic to faint because of over-exhaustion. And you’re still so serious about it after fainting, I greatly admire our captain.”

“…… I’m sorry,” Nina apologized, lowering her head.

“Nono….” Sharnid said. “I don’t want you to reflect on this. I’ve encountered that type of thing many times already…… besides, I’ve something else to say today. Sorry I’ve to push back visiting the patient.”

“Something else?”

Sharnid snatched up his Dite. “For someone who’s kicked out of a team, my words probably don’t mean much……” He said as he deftly spun the larger-than-palm-sized Dite.

“Everyone has secrets, but there’re two types, one that doesn’t matter, and one that makes people notice. I don’t care if it’s the former type, but the latter……”

A rapid movement from him.

The Dite restored in his hand in the blink of an eye and it was pointed right at Harley.

“Sharnid!” Nina said loudly. A smile still hung on Sharnid’s face. As for Harley, he was frozen stiff at the sudden Dite’s appearance.

“If my comrade’s keeping secrets, then I can’t move freely, coz I’ll worry that he’ll attack me from the back. For example, just like whether this guy would shoot the wrong target….. something like that,” Sharnid stared closely at his Dite pressing down on Harley’s forehead.

Meaning he was suspecting Harley?

“How could that be?” Nina said.

“Harley is my childhood friend. He’ll never betray me.”

“I don’t doubt this guy’s skill, and I don’t think he’ll betray the team, but it seems we’re the only two left out.”

“What?” Nina looked at Harley. Resignation filled his stiff expression.

“Harley?”

“…… Sorry.”

“The weapon you made in haste a while ago was for Layfon, right? That ridiculously huge sword, just what is it for?”

Nina remembered, but she had never suspected Harley. Recently, she was only thinking of herself.

“What do you guys plan for the ridiculously strong Layfon with that type of a weapon? I think I can guess. Felli’s with you guys and that is enough confirmation. But if it’s possible, I want to hear it from you.”

Nina kept silent.

“Sorry,” Harley’s lips were clamped tight against each other.

Slightly shaky lips opened again.

Nina had forgotten her own breathing, and the same feeling remained with her as she listened.

After that……

The nurse went in to deliver lunch, and seeing the bed empty, she hurriedly went out into the corridor.

<center>◇</center>

Layfon arrived at his destination shortly after noon.

He drank down the food in jelly form with a straw, and confirmed the information conveyed through Felli’s flake.

The high and jutting mountain gave off an unapproachable bearing.

The scene appeared on his helmet.

The inert filth monster was fastened onto the surface of the mountain, its posture almost the same as the image in the second photo. The filth monster’s body had slightly expanded. Its length, from head to tail, was long like a snake’s. Two insect-like wings extended from its back. Muddy green veins spread across the tattered wings, which were damaged to a stage where they were bent, almost breaking off, by the wind.

Legs were attached to the curled body of the filth monster, and the claws of the forelegs weren’t dug into the wall of the mountain. The filth monster must be degenerating. A thin layer of white covered its green compound eye.

The prey whose nutritious value was much higher than the pollutants….. the filth monster made no reaction to the prey, the human standing within reach.

As if it was dead.

But what about the sudden chill he felt?

“How is it?” Felli said.

“A male in phase four or five. I can tell that from its shriveled legs.”

“Is it that thing in the photo?”

“The filth monsters lose their legs every time they molt…… uh, females are different. They stay underground when they’re laying eggs.”

He dismounted from the bike and took out two Dites from his harness.

In his right hand was the special Dite that Harley made.

“When its body’s grown old, its legs will completely degenerate. This is the aged period. Once the male fully degenerates, it’ll be able to fly, and that is its cruelest and wildest form. Next is the second aged phase with increasing functions and variations. The form of a second aged phase is never stable.”

“Fon Fon?”

Leaning stiffly against the bike, he tried to relax his body. It was meaningless to get anxious now. He allowed his Kei to run through his body.

“Just like its unstable appearance, it’s also hard to judge the filth monster’s level of strength. We’ve to be particularly wary of filth monsters in their second aged phase. If this filth monster is in its first phase, then there’re still ways to handle it.”

“What is it?” Incomprehension seeped through Felli’s voice, but Layfon wasn’t paying attention.

“A second aged phase filth monster is rare, perhaps there’s no need to be concerned, or it’s not possible to recognize it. But there is a difference between knowing and not knowing. If one knows, then one can take appropriate action. Please remember, sometimes second aged phase filth monsters don’t attack humans because they’re driven by the instinct to violence.”

“Fon Fon…… What’re you saying?”

“Something that might be my last words.”

Cracking noises. As if the air was rent apart. A loud noise hiding the sound of a secret’s breath. The chill on Layfon’s skin turned into needle sharp pain. As the noise increased in intensity, the tattered wings collapsed and the scales covering the filth monster’s body peeled off in flakes. The entire compound eye popped out and rolled down the side of the mountain.

Felli’s voice intruded. “I got a report…… Zuellni’s changed direction. The entire city’s made a rapid turn.”

“As expected……”

Now he knew why Zuellni kept moving straight before. The city hadn’t discovered the filth monster, or maybe it thought that was only a corpse. In the end, Zuellni found out it wasn’t that at all, so it changed its route.

“Fon Fon….. this is……”

“It’s molting. This is my first time seeing this, but it has to be it.”

“Zuellni’s changed direction…… Please escape!”

Layfon ignored her. “Restoration 01,” he said the key word, restoring the Dite in his left hand. The green blade tore through the air.

“It’s too late. This guy’s waiting, after molting…… It holds a different body type and will get more hungry than usual. It was suppressing its molting moment for the prey to get close. The reason why a second aged phase filth monster is particularly aggressive is because of its extreme hunger.”

It was too late for Layfon to escape. The filth monster had waited for the smell of prey to get close to the point where it couldn’t escape. Layfon readied his fighting stance and increased the amount and density of his internal Kei. The back of the monster split into two and sticky body fluid oozed from it to slide down the face of the mountain in many branches.

Low howling made the air vibrate. The filth monster called in its rebirth, lifting itself from the empty shell to spread its pure and moisture-filled wings. The intense red of the wings stained the sky.

The liquid covering its head fell off, revealing a head different from before. A long protruding jaw, sharp teeth on the outside, diamond blue light like a human’s eyes…… It looked very similar to an insect.

“The first aged phase…… please remember. You can defeat this monster if you are prepared to sacrifice half of a city.”

He connected the end of the restored Dite to the end of the other Dite in his right hand. He grasped hold of the connected Dites carefully with his right hand then charged forward.

Internal type Kei – Whirl Kei.

Strengthening his feet, he leaped onto the face of the mountain.

The monster’s wings vibrated as the liquid enveloping its body shot out, painting rainbows around it. It must have captured the scent of countless humans in Zuellni. The filth monster’s nose pointed directly behind Layfon.

The steel threads bounded up the entire filth monster, the action quiet as a mouse.

The filth monster kept on ascending without signs of slowing. The difference between the sizes of the two was too huge. Unable to suppress his opponent, Layfon was lifted up to dangle in midair.

(If it were Lintence, he could cut off its wings like this……)

As expected, its shell was much harder than a larva’s…… He wondered how Nina and the others would think of him if they knew he looked like this…… as he returned his attention to the current situation, he focused on binding the monster tighter.

Intense vibration shot down his wrist. The wings beat fast and rapid, and the steel threads bounced off them.

“It still isn’t working……”

Layfon didn’t have the time to try another tactic and aim at the base of the wings. The filth monster was now in the air and it could head for Zuellni whenever it wanted. Layfon let the steel threads loose into two bundles, one bounded the filth monster, the other shot into the face of the mountain.

“I’ll have it land.”

The monster rumbled in pain. Its body twisted and its wings danced more intensely, but the monster failed to ascend. At the same time, keen wailing came from the mountain.

Layfon removed the part of the combined Dite that was anchoring the steel threads in the mountain, then twisted in midair to land on one of the steel threads and ran across it, his face green and stiff as if he was performing in a circus. While running, he took out the rest of the Dites from his harness and inserted them into the holes in Harley’s Dite.

“Restoration AD,” he said as Kei flowed through his entire body.

Heavy weight burst out from him at the weight of the weapon and the power flowing in his body. The steel thread dropped, and he used the momentum of its rebound to jump up to the filth monster’s back.

A huge blade was born in Layfon’s hand.

Three different types of Dites….. combined with a Dite that was already an amalgamation of different alloys. This feat wasn’t impossible in the past.

And the end product was just a different type of Dite. It wasn’t particularly special in any way.

The new Dite maintained and combined all the advantages of three types of Dite. There was a disadvantage though. It wasn’t possible to reduce the weight and density of the restored forms of the three types of Dites, so Layfon was practically holding four weapons.

Any normal person would have had trouble controlling that weight.

He landed on its back. Using his left wrist, he reeled in a steel thread anchored in the mountain, all the time running, dragging the huge blade with him.

His aim was the wings.

He headed for the left wing. Furious winds baffled him, but he shot through it using internal Kei. He raised the sword and chopped down. The red of the wing scattered. The monster howled, not because of pain, as the wing had no nerves, but of losing its balance.

The filth monster sloped to one side. Layfon released the sword and retrieved it through a steel thread. Letting loose the steel thread looped around his left wrist, he ran up the back of the monster.

He jumped and descended. He had wanted to shoot out a steel thread to reduce his falling speed, but there wasn’t anything higher than his current altitude.

A concussion exploded on the ground to signal the filth monster’s landing. The wind rolled back from the monster and received some of Layfon’s weight as he landed.

The filth monster struggled to its feet. Blood filled its raging eye as it watched Layfon, the small creature who was interfering with its dinner time. Its starving and furious gaze seemed to be enough to stop a person’s heart.

“How long does it take to grow back its wing? Two? Three days? As long as there’s a big enough gap, then Zuellni can safely escape……” Layfon murmured, feeling the wetness coming from inside his protective clothes.

He was sweating profusely.

The murderous intent from a first aged phase filth monster was this amazing.

But higher power of concentration then that was needed for him to cut off its wing.

“How long will it take you to die of hunger? One week? Or one month? I’ll play with you no matter how long it takes.”

The filth monster had used up all of its stored nutrients to enter the first aged phase. It didn’t have enough strength to molt a second time.

Layfon couldn’t escape. This thought caused his stubbornness to live lift its head, and that was enough indication of his collapsing will to fight. If this continued, an opening would appear for the teeth of the filth monster to sink into.

The monster headed straight for Layfon, its body waving away the clouds of dust and its movements generating more dust. It had no legs as it had already given them up in the molting process, but its snake-like movements were fast even without legs.

This huge body of the filth monster in itself was a weapon, its every scale hard and sharp. Even if it didn’t directly come into contact with Layfon, a brush of it could tear open Layfon’s protective clothes.

Although Layfon had taken away the opponent’s advantage by forcing it to move on the ground, he himself still had the disadvantage.

“Fon Fon……”

Layfon leapt back into the close pressure of death.

<center>◇</center>

“I think if it’s him, he can do it…… I admit I didn’t consider fully in my passion while inventing the new Dite, but I really think he can do it!”

Harley’s voice hovered in Nina’s mind.

The sound of the running bike shook her entire body. The sun shone overhead. The temperature should be cold, but she felt hot. This must be because of the protective clothes.

Seated in the side passenger’s seat with nothing to do but sit still, yet she wasn’t at all impatient and anxious because……

“But looking at him, I thought I might have been wrong. Layfon he, how should I put it…… he was very serious. Of course he’d have such a reaction encountering this event. He has to fight a filth monster alone…… his reaction is natural, but I don’t feel that that’s the only reason.”

The bike flew across the earth.

Sharnid was the driver. Only one set of protective clothes was improved, so Nina and Sharnid wore the old type of protective clothes. They had worn it once when they were on practicum outside the city. This old type placed restrictions on the body’s movements, but it was better than wearing nothing.

But even if she could move more deftly, what could the present Nina do?

After listening to Harley, Nina went to find Karian at the office of the Student President. He received her with an expression free of guilt.

“Just what is this?” Nina said angrily.

“Nothing. Layfon-kun said he doesn’t need any help. I believe in him. Believing is different from abandoning.”

Nina’s fist pounded down on the desk. The documents rose an inch and the pen holder swayed. The fountain pen next to the documents rolled to a side.

Her hand hurt.

“…… He also said, don’t let anyone get close,” Karian picked up the pen that had almost rolled off the table. He spun it around with his fingers.

“Huh?”

“It seems a fight with a filth monster is dangerous. I can’t tell how dangerous since I’m not a Military Artist, but it seems that one would die while looking for somewhere safe. He said he doesn’t need anyone to wait for orders in the safety zone in that type of battlefield. There’re only two outcomes in battle with filth monsters outside a city – either come back alive, or death. He said we had better be mentally prepared……”

Nina held her breath. That was all she could do.

Layfon was all alone out there……

Her fist tightened on the desk. Her muscles still hurt. Her condition was hardly normal in this present state. If she tried to generate the flow of Kei, her waist would hurt painfully.

What could she do in this situation?

But she couldn’t stop herself.

“Please send me over.”

“And what do you plan to do over there?” Karian’s question was reasonable. “I understand your condition. Even if I don’t know of it, as the leader, I can’t allow a pale-faced student to enter that dangerous a place.”

“He’s my subordinate and my comrade. Even if we can’t fight together, at least I’ve to go and receive him……”

She didn’t know what she could do to help out.

But when she said “comrade”, she could imagine Layfon’s genuine smile.

“Um…… ok. I’ll give you permission to use the bike. My sister will guide you.”

“Thank you.”

“But you must come back alive. Escape immediately if the situation turns bad.”

“…… I won’t run away.”

“You people are the ones who can keep this city alive.”

“Layfon’s the same,” Nina said and ran out of the room.

She was now riding the bike. The problem was, what could she do to help?

Only a few days ago…… Layfon was alone, pondering on how to the fight the filth monster without telling anyone. Facing the him like that, what could she do?

She and Layfon differed in strength and experiences, but fighting as a platoon and fighting the filth monsters were different things.

Even so, she couldn’t continue her normal daily life not knowing what was going on outside.

Didn’t Sharnid say that there were two types of secrets? One that mattered and one that didn’t?

This was a secret she was concerned about. She couldn’t stay hidden in the dark.

(We aren’t the only ones who want you to live.)

The sender of that letter must feel the same. That letter was written with ease, worry and jealousy. It was clear that the woman felt something for Layfon. To leave this person behind to a place where only one choice, life or death, was possible… Just what was Layfon thinking?

(Perhaps that’s what she meant by “difference”?)

Pain rose in Nina’s chest. Was this what Leerin meant when she said in the letter that she was happy Layfon didn’t give up Military Arts but she didn’t want him to become the Layfon of Grendan?

Thinking of this, a tightness spread through Nina’s chest.

(Aaa!)

She chased away the uneasiness inside her. What she wanted to know wasn’t how much Leerin knew of Layfon, but what Layfon’s true intention was in this fight.

For him to head alone into this kind of a place.

Even if it was the fate that no Military Artist could escape from.

She didn’t know what to do if she failed to find out.

(Just what is he thinking……)

And……

(What do I do after I find out?)

If she didn’t understand that either, she felt she had no way to move forward.

Did this concern belong to the future? Or was it because of her present self…… she wasn’t too clear on the question itself.

“…… You’re almost there,” Felli’s voice came through.

Fatigue came through Felli’s voice. Nina never knew Felli’s psychokinesis could reach this far. This made her acknowledge once more just how ignorant she was of her team members’ strength.

(I’ll think of that later……)

“What is it?”

“Hey, there……” Sharnid said before Felli did. He shook his head and pointed ahead.

The bike entered a dust cloud.

And this was what Nina saw after a while.

The deserted ground looked as if someone had been madly slashing at it, and in that ground laid a huge, deep gutter. The sand and dust fluttering around were proof of it.

A lone shadow had fallen inside that gutter.

Nina’s hand pressed down on her chest, her heart tightened.

Sharnid slowed down the bike, heading towards the dark shadow.

It was the bike that Layfon had taken with him, but Layfon himself was nowhere to be seen.

“Where is he……?” she couldn’t see properly through the dancing sand, but something was certain.

She didn’t get it. The mountain where the filth monster had fastened itself onto should be right ahead of them. But it was gone.

“Felli, where’s Layfon?”

Felli didn’t reply.

They were already one day late. Was Layfon all right?

“Answer me. Is he all right?”

“He’s ok, but……”

“But…..? What’s it?”

“He said don’t get closer. Move far away.”

“What did you say?”

And the sound of some distant explosion filled her eardrums, and she saw a dark shape spattering the sky.

A huge rock was descending towards Nina and Sharnid.

<center>◇</center>

In one split second, his concentration broke.

Something had happened, but he had immediately focused back on the task before him.

It seemed to be some information… and he had shouted out something in panic.

The break in concentration was almost fatal.

Layfon didn’t have time to recall it. He didn’t dig through his memories as he had no time to think nor do anything extraneous to the battle.

Because if he did that, then death awaited him.

The huge monster filled Layfon’s entire vision. It roared as its body batted at Layfon. The steel threads flew at the filth monster’s tail and wrapped around it. The tail thrashed, pulling Layfon up and down, as if Layfon was a fish struggling off a hook.

When Layfon stopped spinning, he lowered himself –

His destination was the filth monster’s head.

The filth monster seemed wounded. It seemed to have buried itself quite deep, and it still hadn’t managed to shake loose the soil atop it.

The huge sword chopped down towards that body.

The scales resisted the sword point, but in one swift moment, Layfon had pierced through the tough outer-shell to only feel yet another resistance, another piece of scale.

“!”

It was one scale after another. Every time the sword contacted a scale, sparks lit up. Bathed in a shower of sparks, Layfon realized he had failed. His usual self could have torn through the monster like it was paper…… but why couldn’t he do it?

At this rate, the filth monster’s flesh would have swallowed Layfon’s blade. Before that happened, Layfon had turned the blade around. He grasped hold of the handle again and put his foot on the monster’s back. He pulled the steel threads to confirm they were anchored about one Jimel ahead of him in the mountain face, then he ‘pulled’ again as he kicked at the monster’s back. As Layfon was torn skyward, the huge blade leaped out of the flesh. Red blood sprayed from the filth monster’s wound.

Layfon landed on the ground.

He turned around quickly to face the monster and he looked down at the Dite.

Smoke rose from one of the Dites inserted into the three holes. A close watch discerned small cracks along the Dite. Its colour also looked different.

“One’s broken……”

He took out that Dite and tossed it away.

Although the Dite had the strength to maintain its form, that strength was limited. It had managed to hang on till now because of its high density, but now it was broken.

The combined Dite felt lighter in his hand. This different feel might cause the next fatal error, but he couldn’t stop fighting.

He watched the filth monster.

Many scales had fallen off its body. Blood spurted from its wound. It had lost too much blood. Slabs of something black fell off from its body.

It had also lost half of its remaining wing. To Layfon, the filth monster looked like a gigantic snake prostrated on the ground…… but the scales covering its body weren’t as smooth as a snake’s. They were as tough and sharp as rocks.

Layfon had destroyed its left eye. The blood flow seeping from under that shattered eye had slowed. The wound must be recovering. Layfon didn’t know whether the filth monster would re-grow the nerves in its eyes. He had no wish to find out.

So hot…… the ventilation function of the protective clothes had reached its limit. Layfon’s sweat became steam.

He knew his concentration was slipping.

“Damn!”

He refocused himself. He wanted to defeat this monster without sustaining any injuries. While doing what was nearly impossible, how could he get distracted?

He didn’t plan to die. Although he did say something to Felli that might be his last words, still, it was just a possibility. He hadn’t had time to talk with her properly since the fight began. As for last words…. All he needed was to smile after returning safely to Zuellni.

The filth monster struggled to get up. It must be because of the heavy wound in its head. The monster seemed to have trouble confirming its location as anger increased with the passing time. Its rough and wild movements sent sand flying everywhere, and the various wounds on its body sprayed out more blood.

(I’ll rest a little before it finds out where I am.)

Layfon didn’t know how much time he’d get to rest. He might not even have one minute, but all he needed was a gap in the fight so he could generate more Kei and let it fill his body. It was painful that he had nothing to replace the water and salt he had lost. He licked his lip and tasted something salty – his sweat.

“Fon Fon…… Can you talk?”

How long had it been since he last heard her?

“Ahah…. How long has it been?”

“About a day.”

“I see……”

(I should be able to stay up for two more days without water.)

He thought as he watched the filth monster. It hadn’t discovered him yet.

“And……?”

“Well…… it’s about the captain.”

“Captain? What’s happened to her?”

“…… I said before that captain and Sharnid senpai are heading this way. Though you said they were to retreat…… Don’t you remember?”

Now he knew why he had lost his concentration.

“Ah…… sorry, I don’t. Did they retreat?”

The astonishment back then felt so far away from him. Felli’s question wasn’t like doubt. She said it out of obligation.

Although he was resting, he didn’t let down his guard. He was still concentrated on the fight, so everything else felt far away from him.

“Well……”

He had no time to listen to her.

It had discovered him.

What should he do?

He felt uneasy at the lighter weight of the Dite, but it wasn’t just because he had lost one of the Dites. The clumsy feel of the Kei flow indicated that the combined Dites themselves had sustained a certain level of damage after the fight that lasted one entire day.

(How many moves can I still execute?)

Compared to his physical strength, the weapon itself might be the first to fall. This wouldn’t have happened if he had the Heaven Blade with him.

Fighting to his limit, he realized for the first time how rare and valuable the Heaven Blade was. That was strange. Did he not have the vision to understand that?

“It’s useless to give myself an excuse.”

He had decided what he had to do. In that case, all he needed was to finish his duty.

He would defeat the filth monster with one move so he must find its opening.

As he thought of this, the enemy made a peculiar movement.

“Uh……?”

It didn’t seem to intend to attack him. As if it was getting distracted.

Layfon followed it….. and his concentration broke again.

A small dust cloud. A bike with a side passenger’s seat…… it wasn’t the one that Layfon rode on.

Yes, the filth monster was looking at it.

“How could they come here!”

Although he couldn’t tell who they were as they were wearing protective clothes, he was sure they were Nina and Sharnid.

He leaped up to a steel thread and ran towards them, using Whirl Kei.

Sharnid’s shower of bullets had little effect on the filth monster. As Layfon passed their position, he felt Nina’s line of vision stabbing his face. Perhaps he was being oversensitive. And like that, he appeared in front of the filth monster. His body suddenly bounded upwards.

Flying in the air, supported by the steel thread, Layfon turned the huge sword around and swung down to cut open the monster’s forehead.

He flew back as blood mixed with howling noise shot high into the air. Layfon landed on the moving bike.

“Layfon!?”

“Why are you here!?” he asked angrily and looked back at the filth monster.

It was on a rampage from the pain twisting its long body. The feeling in Layfon’s hand told him he had failed in delivering a fatal strike to the brain.

And……

He looked at his Dite. Smoke rose from another hole. That couldn’t be helped as he had tried to cut through the already tough scales along with the even harder forehead bone.

(The move I’ve got left……)

Feeling the lightness of the weapon, he made his decision.

(Then what?)

He still had his own green Dite that he could use to buy time. He had been using its steel threads as support so it hadn’t sustained any heavy damages. But if he used his last move, he’d forego the steel threads move that had helped him escape countless times. Losing the backup would be a huge setback for him.

Perhaps this was better than losing his chance to attack, but he would be forcing himself into a dead end. Buying time would ensure Zuellni to move into safety, but if he did that, he’d lose his life.

And there were also Nina and Sharnid……

This was the only way… to determine the outcome of the fight before he lost the function of the steel threads.

And it was a highly dangerous gamble. If he failed, he’d die, Nina and Sharnid would die, Zuellni might also die. Everything would vanish.

Should he bet everything on the last move……. He hesitated.

“Hey, are you listening?”

“No…… Anyway, you guys hurry up and escape.”

“Listen up! Your bike’s broken. This is the only vehicle that still works.”

“As long as I beat this guy, people will come to get us.”

“Can you defeat it?”

“……”

“That weapon’s at its limit. Can you really beat it with this thing?”

“…… It’s starting to move. I have to go!”

He had no answer for her. He hadn’t the confidence that she’d agree with his answer He had nothing to say but to head out and fight.

Sharnid pulled him back by his collar, steering the bike with one hand.

“Aaa, wait!”

“Please let go of me!”

“It’s rare for the captain to order others to listen to her.”

“I’ll use force.”

“It’s fine to tear off my arm. Please go ahead.”

In reality, if he pulled himself out of Sharnid’s grasp with Kei, he might just end up tearing Sharnid’s arm off. And even if that didn’t happen, the bike might lose its balance and flip upside down.

“It’s too embarrassing to come out here and not do anything. Same for me, and same for the injured captain. The 17th platoon can’t embarrass its captain!”

“I haven’t heard of that.”

“Same here. I just made that decision.”

By looking at Sharnid’s back, Layfon could tell he was smiling.

“Have you got a plan?” Nina said. “Are you absolutely sure that you can win with your next move?”

She had even seen through this.

“…… Yes. It’s the wound on its forehead. If I strike there again……”

The scales were shattered. Half of the forehead bone was probably cracked…… If he struck there.

The wound must be recovering, but not the scales and the bone. If he could stab its brain and release his Kei there…… But Nina had calmly pointed out the uneasiness he felt about that move.

“Do you have a plan that can take you there and make sure you strike it on its head?”

“……”

“Ok,” Nina nodded. “Then we’ve increased our chance of success.”

“Heh?”

“You were listening in, Felli? Find out the place I want in the vicinity. Hurry.”

Then Nina listed out her conditions of the place she had in mind.

“It’s near. Head for the southwest. It’s about 20 Jimels from you.”

“Sharnid.”

“Roger, captain,” he changed the bike’s direction.

“Layfon, will the filth monster leave us?”

“Uh? ……. Probably not. It moves faster than this bike.”

“Then buy enough time for us to head for that place. Don’t damage your weapon.”

“With this……”

He could interfere with the filth monster’s movements using the steel threads.

“Keep at it.”

He nodded reflexively.

How should he put it? It was a feeling of suddenly being swallowed. He saw Nina’s face through the helmet and the protective cloth…… He looked at that face and the tension he held wavered.

He felt more at ease.

Should he be at ease at the wavering of the destructive pressure on him? Or be alarmed at it…… He wasn’t sure. Even so, he felt a part of him wasn’t able to deny Nina.

He continued to control the steel threads.

Twenty Jimels.

He focused on gaining them time.

<center>◇</center>

They arrived at a valley surrounded by cliff faces. Green matters and clear water might have once flourished here. Now the valley was dry, extremely dry.

Nina had explained her plan as they rode the bike. They looked at back at the slope as if it was waiting for something to fly into its mouth.

“How long till that guy catches up?”

“Three minutes.”

Nina nodded. “We’re getting off. It’s impossible to ride the bike here. Sharnid, take the bike to the shooting position. Layfon, carry me.”

Felli explained the terrain and Nina asked a few questions based on Felli’s information. It seemed just by doing that, she had already formed an accurate map in her head. Layfon dismounted, clear at the instructions he had received.

The sound of shattering rocks closed in.

The filth monster was already here.

“Hurry!”

Layfon carried her deeper into the valley.

“Is this really all right?” he asked, uncomfortable with how light she was in his arms.

<center>◇</center>

“The plan’s successful as long as that thing stops moving, isn’t it?”

Layfon nodded on the bike.

“It’s hungry, so it’ll rush straight for food, right?”

Layfon nodded again.

“Well, we’ll need bait…… No need to think of anything else.”

“…… Captain?”

“Limit your enemy’s movements and turn the situation into your advantage. That’s a basic principle.”

“You aren’t thinking of……”

“I’ll act as bait.”

“Who else can do this besides me? Sharnid’s got his mission and you have to give it its fatal strike. If you do everything including what’s unnecessary, isn’t that the same as what you’ve been doing in the past?”

“That was how I did things in Grendan.”

He had always done things this way. To change his way now……

“Aren’t there many people to replace you in Grendan? Aren’t there twelve Heaven Blade successors? So eleven people can replace you. Even if you fall, there’re still other ways, so you fought with that kind of tactics. But nobody can replace you in Zuellni. Grendan and Zuellni are different. Grendan’s way is not my way. You’re my subordinate. I can’t just leave you.”

“But……” Layfon stopped speaking. Her determination in her eyes. Her furrowing eyebrows as if she was glaring at him, as if she was staring at him with trembling eyes… he felt he was being sucked into them.

Those eyes suddenly turned gentle.

“You want to abandon the you in Grendan, don’t you?”

“…… But, I can’t.”

Because the danger of meeting filth monsters existed everywhere.

“It’s ok to abandon it.”

“Heh?” His eyes widened in astonishment.

“Your desire to protect Zuellni arose after you came to the Academy City, right? Then treasure it. As for your way of fighting, living and thinking in Grendan…… leave them all. It’s enough to protect Zuellni. Leave everything.”

“……”

“Do you find that beneficial for you too? But, that’s how I feel and how the person waiting for you at Grendan feels. Isn’t that what’s written in the letter?”

“Letter……?”

“I can repeat this how many times you want. I won’t let you, my comrade and subordinate, die. I’ll do whatever it takes to reach that goal!”

An intense light emitted once again from those gentle eyes. A determination that would never bend and break. Those eyes were what made him swallow his words. Looking at his image in them, Layfon nodded.

“I understand. Then, I’ll temporarily keep senpai’s life.”

“Stop your nonsense,” she laughed. “I’m captain. I’m keeping you guys’ lives.”

<center>◇</center>

Nina was all alone in the valley.

Trees once stood here. Clear water once flowed. Fishes once swam and everything must have been filled with birdsongs. Lives drowned the earth matter-of-factly. The lives were short, but creatures continued to sing out the song of life’s chains.

Something white was stuck to the rocks. They were probably the bones of some fish.

It was a life that failed to keep on living.

The world had shriveled up. And the reason behind that….. How did the pollutants manage to spread across the entire world? Some said it was a material created from humanity’s insolence when human civilization reached its peak. Some said it just happened all of a sudden. And Nina had heard of many other different explanations. She didn’t know which was the truth, and didn’t know whether there was meaning in looking back at the past. Everyone else now only lived in Regios, living under the threat of filth monsters.

Nina hated that feeling. Couldn’t something be done? She wanted to do something about it.

She hated herself for being born into a narrow world. She wanted to see other worlds. It didn’t matter if it was just a tiny outside world, and so she had come to Zuellni. But she still understood how useless she was, even though she had reached Zuellni. She understood more of the cruelty of this world and her own insignificance, her own weakness.

Surviving in this world, what should she do, what could she do……

She wanted to keep on living.

And to survive, she must become stronger. Because she lived in this kind of a world, she must become stronger. Because heaven blessed her with the power of Kei, she must become stronger. That was what she thought.

Except for a small failure.

She didn’t think she was entirely in the wrong. She just didn’t use the correct way. And now, the Layfon who corrected her was making the same mistake.

To Nina, Layfon’s mistake was a small failure on his part, since he didn’t know where he stood. In that case, she had to wake him up.

Rumbling sound closed in.

It was the filth monster, the existence on the very top of the pyramid. Covered in wounds, the creature headed towards Nina, driven by nothing but hunger.

Compared to the injuries that Layfon had sustained…… If Layfon and the filth monster kept on fighting, which side would win?

She recalled she had been pondering on what was the strongest existence not long ago. Filth monsters lived in a vaster world than humans, a world that humans could not enter directly in their flesh. On this level, the filth monsters were the strongest.

In the filth monster’s starving stage, fighting for the most basic requirement of life, pollutants weren’t enough for it.

So it had to eat human.

Compared to this creature, humans lived in their own worlds without having to worry about food. Looking from this perspective, just who was stronger?

“What boring thinking.”

The dominating presence neared Nina, its gaze piercing her like teeth. She couldn’t help but imagine her tiny body being crushed by those sharp and gigantic teeth, her organs rolling on the tongue of the massive monster.

“Is this the world that he sees……”

Facing this horror alone, Nina’s legs shook. The present her who was unable to use Kei was too weak. Besides, even if she could use Kei, what could she do? This must be the decisive gap in strength between humanity and filth monsters.

Layfon had been facing this type of creature all alone.

“I won’t let you do this alone from now on,” she said to the subordinate who was nowhere beside her.

But he should be able to hear her.

“You’ve me and your comrades.”

A sound.

A tiny sound compared to the rumbling of the filth monster, but it echoed in the sky and in Nina’s ears.

One side of the cliff face suddenly collapsed.

Caused by Sharnid’s sniping.

The sudden avalanche of rocks, sand and soil particles descended on the filth monster and towards Nina. The creature howled anew.

Nina’s body shot upward.

A long thin thread…….. a steel thread was wrapped around her body. She saw him as she was pulled up.

A figure that brushed past her, descending rapidly…… Layfon.

He plunged straight for the trapped enemy, his ravaged sword pointing downward.

Nina confirmed her plan was successful.

<noinclude>
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| Back to [[Chrome_Shelled_Regios:Volume2_Chapter4|Chapter 4]]
| Return to [[Chrome_Shelled_Regios|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Chrome_Shelled_Regios:Volume2_Epilogue|Epilogue]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Chrome Shelled Regios:Volume2 Chapter4

2009-07-31T18:15:56Z

ZaX: /* Chapter 4: Run the entire lap */

===Chapter 4: Run the entire lap===

At the same time when Layfon spoke softly……

The heavy iron whips hung listless from her hands. Nina felt she was suffocating, unable to stop her panting. She was sucking in air, yet her body wanted more. Despite the pain, she attempted to slow down her breathing.

She was so exhausted that her legs shook and enticed her to lie down, but she desperately kept standing, and slowly let her body heat cool off. Breathing was the basics of Kei. She mustn’t disturb it. Her body must not rest immediately. Everything had to gradually calm down.

On top of the drumming of blood bombarding her ears, the sound of friction from the movements of gigantic multi-legs of the city reached up from beneath her. The city’s edge was the only place at this time that was quiet and secluded enough without anybody around, a place where Nina would not be reproved.

“…… Great!”

Having regulated her breathing, she lifted the iron whips again. In fact, she looked as if she was forcing herself, but she could keep going as long as she extended her Kei to flow through the entire body. She had regulated her breathing for that purpose.

Conscious and aware of the place she was standing on, the place where Layfon had shown his strength, Nina danced with the iron whips alone.

What could she do to become stronger?

Basic moves flowed to more complicated moves.

To use a weapon, most of the moves were variations of the three stages of movements: retrieve, hold with increasing strength, and attack. For sword, it was slash. For spear or staff, it was stab and hit.

It wasn’t meaningless to repeat her moves. While the mind failed to catch up with the other end of the ladder, the body reflexively repeated familiar movements. The repetitive movements increased Nina’s physical strength, which would be a benefit to her when she fought.

“Fu… Ha, ha, ha, ha……”

And then she rested again. Regulating her breathing, she took out a towel from her bag to wipe away her sweat. When term started, a bone-chilling cold could immediately cool down the body heat, but it was better now. Even at night. Zuellni was probably heading towards a warmer climate. Because of that, Nina’s body heat took some time to dissipate. Irritated at the sweat continuously pouring from her skin, she lifted her head to watch the night sky through the invisible air shield.

And like that, she sat down on the ground.

The hard and cold ground felt good to her. Exhausted and feeling she had not the strength to stand up again, she sat there to look at the sky. Only a half moon floated above her with the endless darkness serving as the backdrop. The existence of the moon seemed to point to the boundary of the night.

The iron whips, turned back into simple Dites, fell on Nina’s sides. Still gazing at the moon, she touched them with her fingers. To look at the moon as if she herself was it, she felt for a split second that she could touch the moon. She didn’t reach out a hand. It was embarrassing, and she knew she couldn’t possibly touch the moon.

“…… It’s so far away,” she said.

As if it was within touch, but it actually wasn’t. The moon existed between illusion and reality. It made people think it was within reach, but it was billions of Jimels away from Nina. The length of her hand was not enough to touch the moon.

Even so, she thought she must touch it somehow.

If her arm wasn’t long enough, then she’d fly up there……

“Ah……”

She laughed, knowing how ridiculous it was. She couldn’t fly in the sky. This dream was meaningless. What was meaningful was her weakness for wanting to rely on this unrealistic means to touch the moon.

“This… won’t do.”

She didn’t think it was meaningless to repeat the moves she’d learned, as they were directly related to her growth. She had been training like this from the very beginning. Very beginning, when she knew she had Kei and decided to become a Military Artist.
She didn’t think she would become strong all of a sudden by repeating the same movements.

What was a faster way……

She understood that was just a wish. A wish not grounded in reality. She couldn’t help but think of it though, and that irritated her.

“Damn!”

She should become stronger if she trained at this pace. She believed if she was industrious and put more time and effort into it, she could catch up to Layfon. But how much more time would she need to reach his level? One year? Two years? Impossible…… It wasn’t that simple.

She had only reached the level she was now at, having lived all these years. One and two years of hard work weren’t enough for her to catch up to Layfon, who was one, three times and probably many more times stronger than her.

And she didn’t even have one year.

“I won’t make it!”

What she needed wasn’t possibility in the future, but what she could reach for now. To balance the unbalanced 17th platoon, she must become stronger. Only she herself could make it happen. She had decided to protect Zuellni.

“Can I not make it?”

Her hand moved from the iron whip to slowly reach towards the moon.

Her finger caressed the air and touched the moon in her line of sight.

Touching in imagination.

Success in imagination.

Yet she knew this was meaningless……

“Ahhhh!”

Watching the hazy moon, she lowered her wrist. Was this bitter regret or jealousy? Facing the Layfon who possessed what she desired……

And…… That letter.

She had read the letter that had fallen out of the envelop. Impatience and anxiety inside her became more intense after she read the letter, along with the growing desire of her to catch up to him.

She didn’t know what to think of Leerin, the female who understood Layfon more than Nina herself.

Increasing anxiety. Irritation.

“Is this the end?”

She wiped the sweat off her brow and suddenly stood up.

“It can’t end here!”

She picked up the iron whips.

The night was still long. Time was limited, but it should be enough. She believed so……

“HA!”

She generated the flow of Kei.

<center>◇</center>

The next platoon match was set in the next weekend.

A sigh burst out of Layfon.

He hadn’t had a chance to see Nina recently.

It wasn’t easy to bump into her as they were in different grades. During training, time passed without giving them room to chat privately, and once training finished, Nina immediately left the room.

They hadn’t even met in the Mechanical Department. Somehow, they had been separated and placed in different group. They now had different responsibilities at the cleaning job.

Losing the chance to contact Nina distanced him from reality. Besides, he didn’t have much spare time as he had to test Harley’s invention and attend meetings with Karian and the other Alchemy technicians.

Although he had no time to be still, he wasn’t worried about it.

But –

“How come you seem to be so busy these days?” Mifi asked.

It was now lunch break. They were eating Mei-Shen’s special bento on the rooftop of the school building. Long benches lined the metal fences around the rooftop.

“Huh? Do I look that way?”

“Yeah.”

“…… Hum,” Mei-Shen nodded.

Layfon scratched his head.

“We wanted to hang out with you after you’re done with training, but you’re always gone somewhere. And I specifically picked a time that you didn’t have work!”

How did she know his shifts at the Mechanical Department? Mifi’s ability to gather intelligence was terrifying.

“He’s busy because it’s almost time for the next platoon match?” Naruki said.

“Huh ~~ But I planned to get Layfon outside his training time. Isn’t this strange?” Mifi said. Layfon was right before her, but she was indifferent to how she appeared to be gossiping about him.

Besides, Naruki didn’t seem to believe the reason she herself gave, as if she only said it to eliminate one possibility and force Layfon to tell the truth.

“Then, what other reasons are there?”

Beautifully shooting down Naruki’s guess, Mifi cut straight into the chase.

“Is this secret preparation for the platoon match?”

“Why do you sound suspicious?”

“Hehhhh, why?”

“You’re joking.”

“I’m not joking. I’m serious.”

“Uh?”

Mifi stared at him. He looked down at the bento.

“Have you got a woman?”

“….. Why do you think so?”

“Well, you’re always with senpai lately. Isn’t that right? Senpai stands out a lot, so you can’t hide it.”

“No, that’s not it!” Layfon waved his hands, noticing how Mei-Shen’s face had gone white.

“Our dormitories lie in the same direction.”

“Just because it’s the same direction, so you have dinner with her all the time?”

“…… How come you know of that too?”

Yes, since that night at the war field, he had had dinner a few times with Felli. It was Karian’s treat, but the Student President had never come to dinner with them. Felli was the only one eating with him.

“Don’t underestimate my intelligence!”

“No, it was just a coincidence.”

Layfon tried to make up another reason, but he could tell from Mifi’s eyes that she still suspected him.

“Really? Her level of beauty and cuteness is shocking. When two people are alone, don’t they just…… start shooting out the energy of youth meaninglessly? Because of a moment of thunder and fire, don’t they think they are permitted to do anything and so derail off into the lust of youth?”

“…… I’m having trouble following you.”

“In other words, have you pushed her yet?”

“I hope you don’t have to use so clear a word……” he shook his head. He hadn’t the courage to do such a thing to Felli. No, no, no. He didn’t mean he’d do something if he had the courage……

“So just what are you doing?”

“……”

“Uh… Is it something you can’t say?”

“I was asked not to.”

Karian asked him to keep it secret. To students who hadn’t fought filth monsters, news of filth monsters in the direct path of the city would be a huge shock to them. Just like in the previous assault, it was so chaotic within the city that students failed to follow through the proper defensive procedures.

They tried to plan better for when the next wave of filth monsters hit, but that couldn’t be done overnight. And the only person who could fight back against this threat was Layfon. Hence, it was best to have Layton solve everything while everyone remained ignorant.

“Boooooooring.”

She stared at him for a while and gave up.

“Mifi……?

“This is boring. I’m going to eat by myself.” She raised a hand and left the rooftop.

“Geez….. she didn’t’ have to thrown a tantrum like a kid,” Naruki said, standing up.

“I’m sorry. Please don’t be mad.”

“No, this is my fault.”

“Really…… maybe, but her demand is unreasonable,” Naruki shrugged and looked at the uneasy Mei-Shen.

“I’m going to stay with Mifi. Please take care of Mei-Shen.”

Naruko took her bento and left.

“…… Ah.”

While Mei-Shen stammered, Naruki had disappeared from the rooftop.

(Why do I feel like this has happened before…)

“Sorry,” Layfon apologized.

“…… Layton’s not in the wrong,” Mei-Shen shook her head like a bell.

“But still, it’s my fault.”

“…… But, you can’t tell the truth, can you?”

“……”

He didn’t say anything. If he said “yes” then he was admitting that he was hiding something, and if he said he wasn’t hiding anything, that would expose him too.

He couldn’t say it, but also didn’t want to lie.

He didn’t want to lie because it was Mei-Shen and her friends so he could only shrug.

“…… I think we shouldn’t ask and listen to what can’t be told. I feel that if you want to tell us, you’ll tell us one day.”

“…… Thanks.”

“…… Mi-chan knows that too.”

“I hope so.”

“…… But, Mi-chan is curious,” Mei-Shen smiled. Layfon envied the affection in that smile.

“…… If I and Naruki have any secrets, Mi-chan will expose it immediately. But she doesn’t know what Layton’s hiding, and knowing that you don’t want her to know frustrates her.”

“She feels frustrated because I don’t want her to know?”

“…… Mi-chan wants a better relationship with you. With her curiosity, she wants to be close enough so you can tell her things on your own. If it’s Gelni, she’ll do what she can quietly, but me……” she shook her head. “…… Especially Gelni, she’s impatient too.”

“Especially?”

“…… Yeah, especially.”

“Why?”

“Didn’t you help Gelni before? She’s impatient because she can’t help you out.”

“I never knew,” Layfon murmured at a loss.

“…… Gelni’s good at being patient.”

“I don’t think she has to worry about it. After all, I did get paid,” he said, but he knew that wasn’t important.

To receive help from someone, but when that someone was in trouble, she herself couldn’t do anything to help him. Naruki’s feeling of uselessness had nothing to do with Layfon getting paid.

“I see…. Um, so it’s my fault.”

“…… No, it’s not Layton’s fault.”

“No, it’s my fault.”

For not realizing that Mei-Shen and the girls wanted to get closer to him. That was enough to put him in the wrong.

Thinking back closely, Mei-Shen didn’t use to speak that much when they first knew each other. She never talked much, always saying so little and giving snippets of words each time, but she was now talking and taking the initiative to get closer to him.

“Do I look troubled?”

“…… troubled, more like worried?”

“Worried?”

Layfon didn’t get it.

“…… Sometimes you show that,” Mei-Shen frowned.

“…… Really?”

“…… Yeah.”

“I see……”

….. And Mei-Shen was always about to cry, but he wouldn’t say that even if someone tore his mouth apart.

“…… What’s it?”

Layfon fell into contemplation.

Worried?

He didn’t worry about the filth monsters. There was a high possibility of filth monsters attacking Zuellni. Unable to run away so he had to face the crisis. This feeling was different from worries. Either way, he was prepared for the truth of filth monsters coming near. Coming back to it, fighting filth monsters was usual at Grendan. Considering that death might become real was indeed a heavy burden, but if he lost to that pressure, he’d have died already. To him, the fight of his spirit had already ended.

Then about this worry……

“Ahah……”

“Huh?”

“Ah….. Hahaha… So that’s why……”

“Huh? Huh?”

“Mi-chan sounded strange, so I got it all wrong.”

“Huh!?”

“Ah…. But that can’t be helped.”

“…… Wuwu.”

“Uh?”

Having laughed for a while, Layfon looked at the wall.

“…… Layton……” Face white, Mei-Shen’s hands were put together tightly, as if she was praying.

“Mei-Shen……?”

“Um… well…. Ar……”

“Ah, Ahah…. No! No…. Nothing. Nothing really. I just got something wrong…… so, don’t cry?”

And as he comforted the trembling Mei-Shen, he told her the truth.

Naruki and Mifi came back to find Layfon comforting a trembling and nervous looking Mei-Shen. In order to explain he wasn’t bullying Mei-Shen, Layfon had no choice but to skip his afternoon class.

Then he told them the entire truth.

“Uh, the captain doesn’t look strange……” Mifi nodded as she played with the empty milk packet.

“Is Layton worrying about her?”

Layfon nodded. “Yes.”

“So you want to help her?”

“If I can,” he nodded simply, burnt out from explaining things to them.

“Why?”

“Why……?” he sat up straight, surprised by the question.

Both Mifi and Naruki were watching him.

“Because you’re both in the same platoon? I thought Layton’s not interested in the platoon and the platoon matches. If so, then the captain acting weird shouldn’t be that bad on you?”

“…… Mifi,” Mei-Shen looked at Mifi and Naruki, troubled, then she shook her head as if resigning to something.

They must have understood something of each other in that split second, but Layfon had no idea what it was. He only knew he was being asked a question.

Why did he have to do something for Nina?

“Is there a need to ask me that difficult a question?”

“Depends on Layton whether it’s difficult or not, right?” Naruki said.

“Perhaps,” Layfon nodded. Perhaps it wasn’t a difficult question, but even if Mifi kept on asking him the same question, he still had no answer to give them.

“Even now, I still don’t care about the platoon matches. But my thinking’s changed. I want to stay in the platoon before the next real Military Arts competition ends.”

“Oh? Is that the awakening of a righteous heart? A little investigation tells Zuellni’s in a crisis. Everyone above 3rd year knows of it.”

“I’m not that good-natured.”

“Then what is it?” Mifi said, as if she was reproving him.

“It’ll be troubling for me if Zuellni disappears. I can’t return to Grendan. If I don’t study something for six years here until I graduate, I don’t think I can survive in other cities. I don’t plan to train in Military Arts till graduation.”

“You’re not returning to Grendan?”

Layfon shook his head.

“…… You probably know already. My skill in Military Arts doesn’t come about through spare training.”

“Of course,” Naruki shrugged. “If you managed to train up that skill over your spare time, then other Military Artists are all terribly weak. I guess you had formal training in Military Arts back in Grendan? And you’ve trained to a level that the Academy City can’t teach you anything more in Military Arts. But that’s not what I’m concerned with, rather, it’s the reality of your wanting to give up Military Arts even though you’re so strong.”

The three girls watched him, increasing the pressure on him.

They were concerned about his past.

Naruki’s mouth moved, preparing to turn her suspicions into clear questions. How should Layfon answer her?

He still didn’t think he was wrong for what he did in Grendan. It didn’t go against his sense of moral. But he only knew that what he did had hurt a lot of people.

What would the girls think of him? Shocked? Contemptuous? Would they then leave him?

Thinking of the loneliness made him nervous. How did he feel when Nina found out about it?

“…… Isn’t this enough?” Mei-Shen said, cutting through his emotions.

“Mei-chan……?”

“…… You wouldn’t want to listen to Layton’s past now?”

“Well……”

“But……”

“….. If that’s the case, then it’s enough, isn’t it?” Mei-Shen’s repeated question silenced the other two girls.

The regret and guilt in Mei-Shen’s eyes reflected Layfon’s image.

“…… Sorry, they…… and I, just want to understand Layfon more.”

“No……”

He failed to speak, his chest feeling hot. He didn’t know how to express his weaknesses to them, and he was scared of them knowing his past.

(Really? So I’m already very close with them three.)

He was used to hanging out with them, going to class and studying together. This had become a part of his daily life.

He was scared of losing it.

“…… I still like the people on the platoon, so I want to help,” he squeezed out those words and was left with nothing to say.

He fell silent.

He understood that just like how he was with Mei-Shen and her friends, he was also enjoying the time he spent with Nina, Felli, Sharnid and Harley.

He was afraid of losing them.

“….. In that case, I don’t have anything to complain about,” Mifi said, but still with suspicion in her voice.

“Aa, I was planning to help from the beginning. The only person who didn’t want to was Mifi.”

“You’re deceptive, Gelni!”

“I never suspected Layton!”

“Lier. You were concerned too!”

“My concern’s not the same as your concern.”

“They’re the same.”

“No.”

“The same!”

“No.”

“Gelni was concerned about it. Definitely, definitely, definitely concerned about the captain, Felli senpai and that letter……”

“Ahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah!!”

Mei-Shen suddenly shouted, her face all red. Everyone stared at her, dumbstruck.

“Mei….. Mei-chan….?”

“……!”

Her shoulders heaving, Mei-Shen quickly covered her mouth with her hands.

“Ah……”

“So…. Sorry……”

“Wuwu……” Tears filled her eyes.

(And I thought I could apologize.)

Mei-Shen had been trying to find an opening to apologize for reading his letter.

But not under this circumstance.

Tears flooded down her cheeks.

This time Layfon was chased away. At a distance, he watched Mifi and Naruki comfort Mei-Shen. Sometimes they said something wrong and worsened the situation. At other times, they mentioned the past and Mei-Shen looked even worse at that. Mei-Shen got angry, and was comforted and like that, the process repeated itself……

Mei-Shen…. When the three girls had calmed down, the bell signaling the end of class rang out.

The bell of the last class.

<center>◇</center>

Although they did agree on it, he never thought they’d really come.

“Well then, let me explain our mission.”

The present hour was night time, or more like it was almost dawn. Everywhere was still dark and dim, but the sun would rise in two to three hours. They couldn’t have stayed awake all night, so they should have been sleeping till now.

Mifi’s hair was tangled, showing signs of a sleepyhead.

“This isn’t really a mission?” Naruki said to Mifi, whom, for some reason, was wearing a long coat and sunglasses.

When the workers had finished cleaning at the Mechanical Department, Mei-Shen, Naruki and Mifi were already waiting for Layfon outside the entrance.

The breath of the four of them came out steamy. Mei-Shen had hot tea in her water bottle. Everyone enjoyed the hot liquid thankfully.

“Where’s the captain?”

“The class leader’s called her over. She should still be inside.”

“Good. We’ll wait here then tail her,” Mifi smiled deviously, cupping the cup as steam from the hot tea rose to fog up her sunglasses.

“I think she’ll go back to bed like usual……” Layfon said, uncomfortable with her expression.

“Oh, I’ve been observing her. She trains till work, so if anything happens, it must happen after work.”

“Huh? Has she been training?”

“Yeah, fairly scary too, when she trains.”

“It’s like she’s another person.”

Even Naruki said so, then the training must have been intense.

“……”

She cancelled her training with him, but continued to train by herself.

“I see.”

“Um? What?”

“Uh, nothing.”

That fitted his suspicion.

He glanced at Naruki. She seemed to have arrived at the same conclusion.

“…… Ah,” called Mei-Shen softly. Everyone looked at the entrance.

Nina was coming out.

Breathing out steamy air, cold and shivering, Nina only wore the Military Arts uniform. Did she come straight to the Mechanical Department without returning to the dormitory? Her working suit probably was inside the bag she carried. Layfon remembered that Nina had that bag with her when she came to team training.

Even the scattering street light, dim as it was, couldn’t cover the shadows of exhaustion on Nina’s face, but her walking pace didn’t show her fatigue.

Layfon drained the tea in his cup and tossed the cup into a bin. The four of them waited for Nina to walk ahead a bit before following after her.

Layfon and Naruki decided on how far they had to stay behind Nina. If it were Mifi and Mei-Shen, they’d have been discovered already. Although that was his conclusion, Nina’s appearance changed his judgement. Mifi might tail well even by herself. A kind of tension surrounded Nina, but it looked more like an old wire fence to him. A fence with lots of openings.

“She’s very tired,” Naruki said in a low voice. Layfon nodded.

What had pushed Nina to this stage? Was it because of their losing the platoon match? Could it be that big of a shock to her? He wasn’t sure. No, perhaps he did know. He had tasted failures in Grendan. In order to survive, it was important for him to win again and again. The important point wasn’t about his life and death, but more about his being afraid of encountering a stumbling block in the process of doing what he wanted to do.

Was this the feeling that Nina held?

…… Sure. She wanted to protect this city from harm. She said that to him not long ago.

“…… She’s going somewhere?”

“Probably.”

Trouble expressions adorned Mei-Shen and Mifi’s faces.

Nina continued to head to the outskirt of the city.

The edge of the city was a danger zone, a zone where emergency tended to arise, so residential and any important buildings were usually built further in from the city’s outskirt. On the contrary, any buildings close to the danger zone were rent out cheaply.

Layfon didn’t know the exact location of Nina’s dormitory, but he could guess from the direction she headed for after training and cleaning at the Mechanical Department that her dormitory did not lie at the city’s edge.

Nina finally arrived in a clear area devoid of buildings.

The sound coming from the movements of the city’s multi-legs rode the wind. Layfon and the girls hid in the forested area. This place was a bit far from the roaming bus station. All they could see was the wind carrying the polluted substance, a sandstorm rioting outside the air shield.

The wind tonight was especially strong. The sandstorm in the dark looked like some stirring creature.

Mei-Shen held tightly to Layfon’s sleeve.

A hazy sky blocked out the traces of the moon. The cloud cover must be very thick.

Nina walked down the stairs into the middle of the amphitheatre and let down the bag from her shoulders.

She took hold of the Dites in her harness.

“Restoration,” she said softly. At that sound, a familiar feeling ran through Layfon.

She readied her fighting stance. Layfon knew she’d then breathe in deeply and allow the Kei to flood her body.

The iron whips struck downwards or to the sides. She received, let the pressure slide off a side, and struck back at an imaginary enemy.

Nina’s body spun left and right, sometimes staying in one place as if defending against repeated heavy strikes, sometimes running forward as if attacking, charging in.

Nina pratised all the moves she knew.

There was no delay and hesitation in her movements. One move flowed smoothly into the next.

It was an Art, and with it was a frightening air.

All three girls except Layfon were holding their breath.

Nina was like a first class dancer, showing every scene of the world in her movements. At the same time, she was like a mad fighter, fighting against everything in the world.

Mei-Shen and two girls had already seen Nina’s training last night, but watching her for a second time did not reduce their amazement. They watched her wordlessly.

Layfon fixed his gaze on Nina, watching the light of Kei emitting from her. Her flow of Kei was brighter than the Kei she showed in team training. But unlike the first time when Nina’s Kei was so dazzling that he could not look directly at her, a shadow now traced her Kei.

It was meaningless to judge one’s strength against the light of Kei, since the two held no relation to each other.

Layfon wasn’t sure whether he should to be happy or not in the change in Nina’s flow of Kei.

He was just saddened for some reason.

The remaining Kei dispersed from her body like steam, giving off light and floating up into air as of something finally being released. From her fingertips, shoulders, neck, head, back, toes…. The remaining Kei shook like strings. The strings weaved together to become one and it stretched out to the sky as of something struggling against a force too heavy to resist.

What a tragic scene.

And that was where her problem lay.

“What a mess,” Layfon murmured, earning wide-eyed stares from his companions.

“…… Layton?”

“Huh? But I find her amazing, right……?” Mifi asked and looked at Naruki. Naruki didn’t seem to understand Layfon. She wore a perplexed expression.

“Is something wrong?”

“It’s not the problem with the Kei flow and her movements……” No, that ‘was’ the problem. Internal type Kei would not strengthen the entire body. What it did was it coordinated with the person’s movements and caused changes accordingly, making the move faster and stronger. It was a type of training like Whirl Kei, generating sudden and speedy changes. But in Nina’s training, there were many redundant movements.

Layfon didn’t want to point out that reason. Her weakness could be improved given more training.

“It’s not a problem that she trains by herself. Military Artists are always lonely. One must face oneself and struggle hard to become strong. Nobody can help you, and it’s not something you’ll ask someone for help, but……” he shook his head.

How could he put it? He hadn’t yet organized his own emotions, so no words surfaced in his mind. He failed to find suitable words.

“She’s too reckless,” he said in the end.

The way she dispersed her Kei was like she was drowning, struggling to hold onto anything, even a bunch of wheat, but even so, it still wasn’t enough to escape the flood.

She could only sink.

What would happen if she continued to sink……

“…… If she keeps this up, she’ll break.”

“Yes……” Naruki nodded in realisation.

Nina had classes and training in Military Arts course, then team training after class and individual training after that, cleaning at the Mechanical Department after all of that and then individual training again…… Just when had she time to sleep? Had she had enough rest? Looking at her, she had probably spent most of her time training alone when she wasn’t at her cleaning job.

But she would have to pay a huge price later.

In Grendan, Layfon once had to fight filth monsters for an entire week. A whole week without time to sleep and rest. A week that took away his awareness of time. In the end, he was so debilitated that he failed to lift one single finger. No matter how he lied to his body, his biological clock went crazy afterwards. A twist of the normal pattern appeared. He spent two whole weeks to rest before he could return to duty.

“…… We must stop her,” Mei-Shen said.

Layfon agreed. But how? It was easy to say you’d damage your body…… but Nina knew that too.

Layfon knew training was not enough for Nina to reach what she wanted, and he didn’t know what advice to give in that area. Sure, he knew on a simple level of how to become strong. The Head of the orphanage was the first person to teach him the Katana.

Nobody was born with an understanding in Military Arts.

But teaching Nina the Katana wasn’t what she needed.

She needed better training at the basics, but……

Layfon couldn’t teach her his training in Kei flow. He had already passed that phase of needing someone to teach him how to handle the flow of Kei at a very young age. He could teach Nina some simple steps, but he didn’t have the confidence to teach the deeper theories. His knew his own theory in this area wasn’t as easy a thing to obtain for other people.

Maybe it’d be presumptuous for him to say this, but what he meant was the ability of a genius. It would be difficult to pass on all of his instincts, instincts that a genius possessed and turned theory. And as such, none of the other Heaven Blade successors had apprentices. All they did was concentrate on their own training.

“We’re the rare of the rare, special and strange. We’re humans but not entirely humans. Even if we pass on our knowledge, it’d only be one thousandth, one ten thousandth, one billionth. We’re that type of people, off the usual rail.”

Lintence had said that when Layfon was slowly getting the hang of how to control the steel threads technique.

“I taught you this skill for a small experiment. You’ve reached one thousandth of my level, but it isn’t possible for you to get any better at it. Even if you can control billions of steel threads, they still aren’t as sharp as the point of your Katana. It’s better for you to use the Katana when you’re in a crisis.”

Layfon wasn’t disappointed at those words. He understood and accepted it. This reality hadn’t changed. He felt the running of his Kei flow the best when he held a Katana – not steel threads.

Why was there a difference? He couldn’t pass on his skill to Nina when he was unable to explain this theory of his.

He shook his head. She would have asked him already had she wanted to learn from him.

“…… Layton?”

Against Mei-Shen’s question, he had no idea how to show them his helplessness at Nina’s situation.

“Can’t we do anything?”

He shook his head.

“Probably……. No, I don’t know. We can tell her her training’s too reckless, that she’ll seriously injure her body, but is there meaning behind it? There’s something she wants to achieve even though she’s like this. I find it meaningless to tell her not to stop training when we can’t help her at all.”

Nina wanted to become stronger.

She had always wanted to become stronger. This wasn’t some sudden idea of hers.

But……

“Why’s she only doing this now?”

“Because she lost the match?”

“Is that all?” Mifi asked reflexively.

Layfon couldn’t think of any other reason, but doubt remained. Was that all, really?

“……. I think I understand,” Naruki said.

They all looked at her.

“This is how I feel when I asked for Layton’s help not long ago. Layton’s too strong, so I feel that I can’t fight beside you. I don’t know how to feel about this other than that. You can say that’s how Military Artists think. This feeling is lonely and regretful…. Frankly, I’m also jealous. The feeling of only being able to rely on another’s power is hard, especially for me as a Military Artist. I think it’s harder for her as the captain of the team that you’re in.”

Listening to that reminded Layfon of Sharnid testing his new Dite.

Though Sharnid had laughed, saying that sniping was not enough for him, but that might not be the only reason. Did Sharnid ask Harley to make him new Dites because of the feeling that Naruki held? And Nina too?

No, she must be reproving herself even more intensely than Sharnid? Because she strongly wanted to save this city……

“If that’s the case, then I don’t have anything to say……”

It was natural for a Military Artist to want to become strong.

“…… But why?” Mei-Shen said.

“Um?” Layfon responded. Mei-Shen, not being a Military Artist herself, wouldn’t understand…… He could conclude that for her, but the way she voiced her suspicion sounded different from simple doubt.

Mei-Shen said something vague, but changed her mind. “…… I know the captain wants to be stronger, but why can’t Layton do anything? Why does Layton have to do anything?”

At first, he didn’t understand what she was getting at.

“…… The captain wants to become stronger so she can win, right? Does she want the entire platoon to become strong? In that case, it’s not just Layfon, but everyone together……”

It was all right to become stronger or was it to become stronger together? Which one was it? Layfon thought that it was the same either way.

“Together?” he confirmed.

Mei-Shen nodded, her face all red.

“Together….”

“What’s so strange about that?” Mifi asked.

He felt as if something was stuck in his throat, preventing him from speaking.

“I see, it’s this simple……” Naruki said, touching her chin.

Something sounded strange. The sound of Whirl Kei flow had stopped.

Layfon was the first to look over, then Naruki and the other two girls.

Nina had fainted.

<center>◇</center>

It didn’t take long to arrive at the emergency department. Layfon had carried Nina to the hospital and the medical students on night shift had quickly prepared a room for them. The doctor that had been napping came over to do a simple checkup and ordered the nurses to get someone over and prepare the drip. During this time, Layfon had contacted Harley and as he was about to return to the patient’s room, he met Naruki, Mifi and Mei-Shen.

It was now another shift. A different doctor was checking up on Nina. The nurses had changed Nina into patient’s clothes that was opened on the back.

The doctor was placing needles on Nina’s back.

“He specializes in Kei vein,” the nurse said to Layfon.

“Is this Nina Antalk from 3rd year!?” the doctor said, displeased. Could it be because of sleepiness? His eyes looked quite sleepy.

Layfon nodded.

“I never thought a 3rd year in Military Arts could faint in such an easy way.”

“Is it serious?”

“There’s a decreasing level of functioning of her internal organs. She lacks nutrients and has overworked her muscles…… anyway, everything about her is weak. The simple cause is the overworking of Kei vein.”

Just as expected.

“Kei can strengthen body functions and speed up healing, but the source of Kei vein is the flow caused by human activities. Military Artists have the special organ to generate Kei flow, but the basics are the same. No, to a Military Artist, this is the same as increasing her weakness, because that organ is the same as a heart or a brain. If it’s damaged, then it might die,” the doctor said as he placed more tiny needles into Nina’s back. From her waist and going upward, as if the needles were mapping out some sort of a terrain.

“Even if the brain’s damaged, one can still live in a vegetative state. If a heart’s damaged, we can change it into an artificial heart. But only this organ is irreplaceable. If the Kei vein is damaged beyond repair, then it’s all finished. I think I said that already in class, that it has to be looked after carefully,” he said, continuing to place tiny needles on his patient’s back. Although there weren’t any professionals in the Academy City, this doctor’s skill seemed reliable enough.

“Can she be cured?”

“This isn’t fatal. I’m using acupuncture to strengthen her flow of Kei.”

Layfon relaxed.

“But she can’t move for now, and she can’t participate in the next platoon match.”

“…… Really?”

“Hum? You don’t seem shocked?”

“That type of thing means nothing to me.”

“It seems like that rumour that the newbie of 17th platoon is a weirdo really is true.”

So there was such a rumour? The needles spread from the waist to Nina’s fingernail and heels.

The doctor placed the last needle on Nina’s left heel, and massaged his shoulder.

The nurses adjusted the air-conditioner and left the room.

Nina continued to sleep. Layfon’s fast and irregular breathing had now calmed down. A relaxed sigh escaped his mouth, and he remembered the three girls waiting in the corridor. He went out to tell them Nina was all right, that they could go home first. It was almost dawn and the girls also had class next.

“What about Layton?”

“I’ll stay here a bit then go.”

“…… Is there anything you need?” Mei-Shen asked.

Layfon didn’t get what she meant.

“…… She’ll need things, staying in the hospital.”

“Ah……”

“Layfon won’t be able to prepare everything. We’ll bring the things after class.”

“Thanks.”

“Aa, that’s all we can do for her,” Mifi said as he escorted them to the lobby.

And he saw Harley.

Representing the other two who weren’t here, Harley’s face was stiff and green. “How’s Nina?”

“She’s sleeping.”

“I see…. Is she all right?”

“She won’t be able to participate in the next match.”

“That can’t be helped,” Harley said without resistance. He sighed, relaxed after knowing Nina was all right. “Don’t you find it a shame?”

“What’s important is the real match, right?”

“True.”

Harley’s reply gave Layfon courage. To Layfon, the platoon match wasn’t at all important, but he wasn’t sure whether Nina felt the same.

“I’ve contacted the other two. I think they’ll be here soon…… but they aren’t the hasty type, uh?” Harley shrugged, not at all reproving of their slowness.

They returned to the patient’s room. Harley breathed in deeply at the needles covering her body, but he breathed out slowly after seeing her sleeping face.

And suddenly directed his gaze to the wall. His face turned red.

“Can we cover her?”

“….. The nurses didn’t. If we do it ourselves, it seems……”

Layfon understood Harley’s meaning, and he also felt heat creeping up his own face.

After knocking quietly on the door, Felli walked in.

“…… What’re you doing?” she asked coolly, her gaze sweeping across Nina, her underclothes illuminated by the light, and the two young men.

Losing interest at her tongue-tied team members, Felli observed Nina’s face. After confirming that Nina was all right, she once again put her face closer to the captain’s.

Felli was in uniform. It was not yet dawn, but neither her hair nor uniform showed signs of her having slept.

Layfon was peeking at the girls. Felli moved her gaze away and looked at him.

He hastily moved his gaze back to the wall.

“Pervert.”

“I didn’t see anything.”

“Giving that response means you’re a pervert.”

Unable to fight back, he could only moan.

“Never mind, that’s not important. What’s important is……” Her gaze landed on Harley, then she took out a big envelop from her bag.

“My brother gave me this.”

Layfon read the letter.

He had already guessed the content of the letter before Felli opened the envelop. And after observing Harley’s reaction, stiffening and recovering and then looking at Nina, Layfon understood more.

Back then, Felli was checking whether Nina was truly asleep.

Inside the envelop was a photo.

“This is the second image from the drone.”

The image was the same as last one’s, but it was clearer and sharper. Maybe because it was closer to the city.

That thing was fastened high on the face of a mountain. Was it sleeping? It swings were folded, laying on top of each other. Its body was curled up.

A filth monster.

It was a male…… in which phase? Layfon couldn’t judge from the photo.

If only it would continue to sleep but this hope was far from possible.

“Has the city…… Has Zuellni changed direction?”

When a city detected a filth monster, it’d take evasive action. Every mobile city acted this way, including Zuellni.

Felli shook her head. “Zuellni’s still heading straight in that direction. At this rate, it’ll encounter the filth monster on the day after tomorrow.”

The day after tomorrow…… was the weekend, and the day for the platoon match. It appeared that team 17 would have to give up on the match.

Layfon sighed. He put the photo back inside the envelop and returned it to Felli.

“The Dite’s ready. You can use it anytime,” Harley said.

“The combat gear for outside city use is ready. My brother wants you to depart tomorrow night if possible.”

“I understand.”

“Are you afraid?” Felli suddenly asked.

“Um?”

“To fight the filth monster.”

“Well……”

Of course he was afraid. That line touched his lips but did not leave them. It wasn’t because he thought he’d lose face by confirming his fear, but he hesitated at the expectation and hope in Felli’s eyes.

“It’s a late question for you.”

“That’s…… true.”

As if imitating Layfon, wanting to say something and deciding not to, Felli’s lips opened and closed. She sighed, a sigh of who knew how many times cuter and more beautiful than it could be.

“Can you not stop…….” she murmured and confirming Nina’s condition once more, she left the room.

<noinclude>
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| Back to [[Chrome_Shelled_Regios:Volume2_Chapter3|Chapter 3]]
| Return to [[Chrome_Shelled_Regios|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Chrome_Shelled_Regios:Volume2_Chapter5|Chapter 5]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Chrome Shelled Regios:Volume2 Chapter4

2009-07-31T04:09:46Z

ZaX: /* Chapter 4: Run the entire lap */

===Chapter 4: Run the entire lap===

At the same time when Layfon spoke softly……

The heavy iron whips hung listless from her hands. Nina felt she was suffocating, unable to stop her panting. She was sucking in air, yet her body wanted more. Despite the pain, she attempted to slow down her breathing.

She was so exhausted that her legs shook and enticed her to lie down, but she desperately kept standing, and slowly let her body heat cool off. Breathing was the basics of Kei. She mustn’t disturb it. Her body must not rest immediately. Everything had to gradually calm down.

On top of the drumming of blood bombarding her ears, the sound of friction from the movements of gigantic multi-legs of the city reached up from beneath her. The city’s edge was the only place at this time that was quiet and secluded enough without anybody around, a place where Nina would not be reproved.

“…… Great!”

Having regulated her breathing, she lifted the iron whips again. In fact, she looked as if she was forcing herself, but she could keep going as long as she extended her Kei to flow through the entire body. She had regulated her breathing for that purpose.

Conscious and aware of the place she was standing on, the place where Layfon had shown his strength, Nina danced with the iron whips alone.

What could she do to become stronger?

Basic moves flowed to more complicated moves.

To use a weapon, most of the moves were variations of the three stages of movements: retrieve, hold with increasing strength, and attack. For sword, it was slash. For spear or staff, it was stab and hit.

It wasn’t meaningless to repeat her moves. While the mind failed to catch up with the other end of the ladder, the body reflexively repeated familiar movements. The repetitive movements increased Nina’s physical strength, which would be a benefit to her when she fought.

“Fu… Ha, ha, ha, ha……”

And then she rested again. Regulating her breathing, she took out a towel from her bag to wipe away her sweat. When term started, a bone-chilling cold could immediately cool down the body heat, but it was better now. Even at night. Zuellni was probably heading towards a warmer climate. Because of that, Nina’s body heat took some time to dissipate. Irritated at the sweat continuously pouring from her skin, she lifted her head to watch the night sky through the invisible air shield.

And like that, she sat down on the ground.

The hard and cold ground felt good to her. Exhausted and feeling she had not the strength to stand up again, she sat there to look at the sky. Only a half moon floated above her with the endless darkness serving as the backdrop. The existence of the moon seemed to point to the boundary of the night.

The iron whips, turned back into simple Dites, fell on Nina’s sides. Still gazing at the moon, she touched them with her fingers. To look at the moon as if she herself was it, she felt for a split second that she could touch the moon. She didn’t reach out a hand. It was embarrassing, and she knew she couldn’t possibly touch the moon.

“…… It’s so far away,” she said.

As if it was within touch, but it actually wasn’t. The moon existed between illusion and reality. It made people think it was within reach, but it was billions of Jimels away from Nina. The length of her hand was not enough to touch the moon.

Even so, she thought she must touch it somehow.

If her arm wasn’t long enough, then she’d fly up there……

“Ah……”

She laughed, knowing how ridiculous it was. She couldn’t fly in the sky. This dream was meaningless. What was meaningful was her weakness for wanting to rely on this unrealistic means to touch the moon.

“This… won’t do.”

She didn’t think it was meaningless to repeat the moves she’d learned, as they were directly related to her growth. She had been training like this from the very beginning. Very beginning, when she knew she had Kei and decided to become a Military Artist.
She didn’t think she would become strong all of a sudden by repeating the same movements.

What was a faster way……

She understood that was just a wish. A wish not grounded in reality. She couldn’t help but think of it though, and that irritated her.

“Damn!”

She should become stronger if she trained at this pace. She believed if she was industrious and put more time and effort into it, she could catch up to Layfon. But how much more time would she need to reach his level? One year? Two years? Impossible…… It wasn’t that simple.

She had only reached the level she was now at, having lived all these years. One and two years of hard work weren’t enough for her to catch up to Layfon, who was one, three times and probably many more times stronger than her.

And she didn’t even have one year.

“I won’t make it!”

What she needed wasn’t possibility in the future, but what she could reach for now. To balance the unbalanced 17th platoon, she must become stronger. Only she herself could make it happen. She had decided to protect Zuellni.

“Can I not make it?”

Her hand moved from the iron whip to slowly reach towards the moon.

Her finger caressed the air and touched the moon in her line of sight.

Touching in imagination.

Success in imagination.

Yet she knew this was meaningless……

“Ahhhh!”

Watching the hazy moon, she lowered her wrist. Was this bitter regret or jealousy? Facing the Layfon who possessed what she desired……

And…… That letter.

She had read the letter that had fallen out of the envelop. Impatience and anxiety inside her became more intense after she read the letter, along with the growing desire of her to catch up to him.

She didn’t know what to think of Leerin, the female who understood Layfon more than Nina herself.

Increasing anxiety. Irritation.

“Is this the end?”

She wiped the sweat off her brow and suddenly stood up.

“It can’t end here!”

She picked up the iron whips.

The night was still long. Time was limited, but it should be enough. She believed so……

“HA!”

She generated the flow of Kei.

<center>◇</center>

The next platoon match was set in the next weekend.

A sigh burst out of Layfon.

He hadn’t had a chance to see Nina recently.

It wasn’t easy to bump into her as they were in different grades. During training, time passed without giving them room to chat privately, and once training finished, Nina immediately left the room.

They hadn’t even met in the Mechanical Department. Somehow, they had been separated and placed in different group. They now had different responsibilities at the cleaning job.

Losing the chance to contact Nina distanced him from reality. Besides, he didn’t have much spare time as he had to test Harley’s invention and attend meetings with Karian and the other Alchemy technicians.

Although he had no time to be still, he wasn’t worried about it.

But –

“How come you seem to be so busy these days?” Mifi asked.

It was now lunch break. They were eating Mei-Shen’s special bento on the rooftop of the school building. Long benches lined the metal fences around the rooftop.

“Huh? Do I look that way?”

“Yeah.”

“…… Hum,” Mei-Shen nodded.

Layfon scratched his head.

“We wanted to hang out with you after you’re done with training, but you’re always gone somewhere. And I specifically picked a time that you didn’t have work!”

How did she know his shifts at the Mechanical Department? Mifi’s ability to gather intelligence was terrifying.

“He’s busy because it’s almost time for the next platoon match?” Naruki said.

“Huh ~~ But I planned to get Layfon outside his training time. Isn’t this strange?” Mifi said. Layfon was right before her, but she was indifferent to how she appeared to be gossiping about him.

Besides, Naruki didn’t seem to believe the reason she herself gave, as if she only said it to eliminate one possibility and force Layfon to tell the truth.

“Then, what other reasons are there?”

Beautifully shooting down Naruki’s guess, Mifi cut straight into the chase.

“Is this secret preparation for the platoon match?”

“Why do you sound suspicious?”

“Hehhhh, why?”

“You’re joking.”

“I’m not joking. I’m serious.”

“Uh?”

Mifi stared at him. He looked down at the bento.

“Have you got a woman?”

“….. Why do you think so?”

“Well, you’re always with senpai lately. Isn’t that right? Senpai stands out a lot, so you can’t hide it.”

“No, that’s not it!” Layfon waved his hands, noticing how Mei-Shen’s face had gone white.

“Our dormitories lie in the same direction.”

“Just because it’s the same direction, so you have dinner with her all the time?”

“…… How come you know of that too?”

Yes, since that night at the war field, he had had dinner a few times with Felli. It was Karian’s treat, but the Student President had never come to dinner with them. Felli was the only one eating with him.

“Don’t underestimate my intelligence!”

“No, it was just a coincidence.”

Layfon tried to make up another reason, but he could tell from Mifi’s eyes that she still suspected him.

“Really? Her level of beauty and cuteness is shocking. When two people are alone, don’t they just…… start shooting out the energy of youth meaninglessly? Because of a moment of thunder and fire, don’t they think they are permitted to do anything and so derail off into the lust of youth?”

“…… I’m having trouble following you.”

“In other words, have you pushed her yet?”

“I hope you don’t have to use so clear a word……” he shook his head. He hadn’t the courage to do such a thing to Felli. No, no, no. He didn’t mean he’d do something if he had the courage……

“So just what are you doing?”

“……”

“Uh… Is it something you can’t say?”

“I was asked not to.”

Karian asked him to keep it secret. To students who hadn’t fought filth monsters, news of filth monsters in the direct path of the city would be a huge shock to them. Just like in the previous assault, it was so chaotic within the city that students failed to follow through the proper defensive procedures.

They tried to plan better for when the next wave of filth monsters hit, but that couldn’t be done overnight. And the only person who could fight back against this threat was Layfon. Hence, it was best to have Layton solve everything while everyone remained ignorant.

“Boooooooring.”

She stared at him for a while and gave up.

“Mifi……?

“This is boring. I’m going to eat by myself.” She raised a hand and left the rooftop.

“Geez….. she didn’t’ have to thrown a tantrum like a kid,” Naruki said, standing up.

“I’m sorry. Please don’t be mad.”

“No, this is my fault.”

“Really…… maybe, but her demand is unreasonable,” Naruki shrugged and looked at the uneasy Mei-Shen.

“I’m going to stay with Mifi. Please take care of Mei-Shen.”

Naruko took her bento and left.

“…… Ah.”

While Mei-Shen stammered, Naruki had disappeared from the rooftop.

(Why do I feel like this has happened before…)

“Sorry,” Layfon apologized.

“…… Layton’s not in the wrong,” Mei-Shen shook her head like a bell.

“But still, it’s my fault.”

“…… But, you can’t tell the truth, can you?”

“……”

He didn’t say anything. If he said “yes” then he was admitting that he was hiding something, and if he said he wasn’t hiding anything, that would expose him too.

He couldn’t say it, but also didn’t want to lie.

He didn’t want to lie because it was Mei-Shen and her friends so he could only shrug.

“…… I think we shouldn’t ask and listen to what can’t be told. I feel that if you want to tell us, you’ll tell us one day.”

“…… Thanks.”

“…… Mi-chan knows that too.”

“I hope so.”

“…… But, Mi-chan is curious,” Mei-Shen smiled. Layfon envied the affection in that smile.

“…… If I and Naruki have any secrets, Mi-chan will expose it immediately. But she doesn’t know what Layton’s hiding, and knowing that you don’t want her to know frustrates her.”

“She feels frustrated because I don’t want her to know?”

“…… Mi-chan wants a better relationship with you. With her curiosity, she wants to be close enough so you can tell her things on your own. If it’s Gelni, she’ll do what she can quietly, but me……” she shook her head. “…… Especially Gelni, she’s impatient too.”

“Especially?”

“…… Yeah, especially.”

“Why?”

“Didn’t you help Gelni before? She’s impatient because she can’t help you out.”

“I never knew,” Layfon murmured at a loss.

“…… Gelni’s good at being patient.”

“I don’t think she has to worry about it. After all, I did get paid,” he said, but he knew that wasn’t important.

To receive help from someone, but when that someone was in trouble, she herself couldn’t do anything to help him. Naruki’s feeling of uselessness had nothing to do with Layfon getting paid.

“I see…. Um, so it’s my fault.”

“…… No, it’s not Layton’s fault.”

“No, it’s my fault.”

For not realizing that Mei-Shen and the girls wanted to get closer to him. That was enough to put him in the wrong.

Thinking back closely, Mei-Shen didn’t use to speak that much when they first knew each other. She never talked much, always saying so little and giving snippets of words each time, but she was now talking and taking the initiative to get closer to him.

“Do I look troubled?”

“…… troubled, more like worried?”

“Worried?”

Layfon didn’t get it.

“…… Sometimes you show that,” Mei-Shen frowned.

“…… Really?”

“…… Yeah.”

“I see……”

….. And Mei-Shen was always about to cry, but he wouldn’t say that even if someone tore his mouth apart.

“…… What’s it?”

Layfon fell into contemplation.

Worried?

He didn’t worry about the filth monsters. There was a high possibility of filth monsters attacking Zuellni. Unable to run away so he had to face the crisis. This feeling was different from worries. Either way, he was prepared for the truth of filth monsters coming near. Coming back to it, fighting filth monsters was usual at Grendan. Considering that death might become real was indeed a heavy burden, but if he lost to that pressure, he’d have died already. To him, the fight of his spirit had already ended.

Then about this worry……

“Ahah……”

“Huh?”

“Ah….. Hahaha… So that’s why……”

“Huh? Huh?”

“Mi-chan sounded strange, so I got it all wrong.”

“Huh!?”

“Ah…. But that can’t be helped.”

“…… Wuwu.”

“Uh?”

Having laughed for a while, Layfon looked at the wall.

“…… Layton……” Face white, Mei-Shen’s hands were put together tightly, as if she was praying.

“Mei-Shen……?”

“Um… well…. Ar……”

“Ah, Ahah…. No! No…. Nothing. Nothing really. I just got something wrong…… so, don’t cry?”

And as he comforted the trembling Mei-Shen, he told her the truth.

Naruki and Mifi came back to find Layfon comforting a trembling and nervous looking Mei-Shen. In order to explain he wasn’t bullying Mei-Shen, Layfon had no choice but to skip his afternoon class.

Then he told them the entire truth.

“Uh, the captain doesn’t look strange……” Mifi nodded as she played with the empty milk packet.

“Is Layton worrying about her?”

Layfon nodded. “Yes.”

“So you want to help her?”

“If I can,” he nodded simply, burnt out from explaining things to them.

“Why?”

“Why……?” he sat up straight, surprised by the question.

Both Mifi and Naruki were watching him.

“Because you’re both in the same platoon? I thought Layton’s not interested in the platoon and the platoon matches. If so, then the captain acting weird shouldn’t be that bad on you?”

“…… Mifi,” Mei-Shen looked at Mifi and Naruki, troubled, then she shook her head as if resigning to something.

They must have understood something of each other in that split second, but Layfon had no idea what it was. He only knew he was being asked a question.

Why did he have to do something for Nina?

“Is there a need to ask me that difficult a question?”

“Depends on Layton whether it’s difficult or not, right?” Naruki said.

“Perhaps,” Layfon nodded. Perhaps it wasn’t a difficult question, but even if Mifi kept on asking him the same question, he still had no answer to give them.

“Even now, I still don’t care about the platoon matches. But my thinking’s changed. I want to stay in the platoon before the next real Military Arts competition ends.”

“Oh? Is that the awakening of a righteous heart? A little investigation tells Zuellni’s in a crisis. Everyone above 3rd year knows of it.”

“I’m not that good-natured.”

“Then what is it?” Mifi said, as if she was reproving him.

“It’ll be troubling for me if Zuellni disappears. I can’t return to Grendan. If I don’t study something for six years here until I graduate, I don’t think I can survive in other cities. I don’t plan to train in Military Arts till graduation.”

“You’re not returning to Grendan?”

Layfon shook his head.

“…… You probably know already. My skill in Military Arts doesn’t come about through spare training.”

“Of course,” Naruki shrugged. “If you managed to train up that skill over your spare time, then other Military Artists are all terribly weak. I guess you had formal training in Military Arts back in Grendan? And you’ve trained to a level that the Academy City can’t teach you anything more in Military Arts. But that’s not what I’m concerned with, rather, it’s the reality of your wanting to give up Military Arts even though you’re so strong.”

The three girls watched him, increasing the pressure on him.

They were concerned about his past.

Naruki’s mouth moved, preparing to turn her suspicions into clear questions. How should Layfon answer her?

He still didn’t think he was wrong for what he did in Grendan. It didn’t go against his sense of moral. But he only knew that what he did had hurt a lot of people.

What would the girls think of him? Shocked? Contemptuous? Would they then leave him?

Thinking of the loneliness made him nervous. How did he feel when Nina found out about it?

“…… Isn’t this enough?” Mei-Shen said, cutting through his emotions.

“Mei-chan……?”

“…… You wouldn’t want to listen to Layton’s past now?”

“Well……”

“But……”

“….. If that’s the case, then it’s enough, isn’t it?” Mei-Shen’s repeated question silenced the other two girls.

The regret and guilt in Mei-Shen’s eyes reflected Layfon’s image.

“…… Sorry, they…… and I, just want to understand Layfon more.”

“No……”

He failed to speak, his chest feeling hot. He didn’t know how to express his weaknesses to them, and he was scared of them knowing his past.

(Really? So I’m already very close with them three.)

He was used to hanging out with them, going to class and studying together. This had become a part of his daily life.

He was scared of losing it.

“…… I still like the people on the platoon, so I want to help,” he squeezed out those words and was left with nothing to say.

He fell silent.

He understood that just like how he was with Mei-Shen and her friends, he was also enjoying the time he spent with Nina, Felli, Sharnid and Harley.

He was afraid of losing them.

“….. In that case, I don’t have anything to complain about,” Mifi said, but still with suspicion in her voice.

“Aa, I was planning to help from the beginning. The only person who didn’t want to was Mifi.”

“You’re deceptive, Gelni!”

“I never suspected Layton!”

“Lier. You were concerned too!”

“My concern’s not the same as your concern.”

“They’re the same.”

“No.”

“The same!”

“No.”

“Gelni was concerned about it. Definitely, definitely, definitely concerned about the captain, Felli senpai and that letter……”

“Ahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah!!”

Mei-Shen suddenly shouted, her face all red. Everyone stared at her, dumbstruck.

“Mei….. Mei-chan….?”

“……!”

Her shoulders heaving, Mei-Shen quickly covered her mouth with her hands.

“Ah……”

“So…. Sorry……”

“Wuwu……” Tears filled her eyes.

(And I thought I could apologize.)

Mei-Shen had been trying to find an opening to apologize for reading his letter.

But not under this circumstance.

Tears flooded down her cheeks.

This time Layfon was chased away. At a distance, he watched Mifi and Naruki comfort Mei-Shen. Sometimes they said something wrong and worsened the situation. At other times, they mentioned the past and Mei-Shen looked even worse at that. Mei-Shen got angry, and was comforted and like that, the process repeated itself……

Mei-Shen…. When the three girls had calmed down, the bell signaling the end of class rang out.

The bell of the last class.

<center>◇</center>

Although they did agree on it, he never thought they’d really come.

“Well then, let me explain our mission.”

The present hour was night time, or more like it was almost dawn. Everywhere was still dark and dim, but the sun would rise in two to three hours. They couldn’t have stayed awake all night, so they should have been sleeping till now.

Mifi’s hair was tangled, showing signs of a sleepyhead.

“This isn’t really a mission?” Naruki said to Mifi, whom, for some reason, was wearing a long coat and sunglasses.

When the workers had finished cleaning at the Mechanical Department, Mei-Shen, Naruki and Mifi were already waiting for Layfon outside the entrance.

The breath of the four of them came out steamy. Mei-Shen had hot tea in her water bottle. Everyone enjoyed the hot liquid thankfully.

“Where’s the captain?”

“The class leader’s called her over. She should still be inside.”

“Good. We’ll wait here then tail her,” Mifi smiled deviously, cupping the cup as steam from the hot tea rose to fog up her sunglasses.

“I think she’ll go back to bed like usual……” Layfon said, uncomfortable with her expression.

“Oh, I’ve been observing her. She trains till work, so if anything happens, it must happen after work.”

“Huh? Has she been training?”

“Yeah, fairly scary too, when she trains.”

“It’s like she’s another person.”

Even Naruki said so, then the training must have been intense.

“……”

She cancelled her training with him, but continued to train by herself.

“I see.”

“Um? What?”

“Uh, nothing.”

That fitted his suspicion.

He glanced at Naruki. She seemed to have arrived at the same conclusion.

“…… Ah,” called Mei-Shen softly. Everyone looked at the entrance.

Nina was coming out.

Breathing out steamy air, cold and shivering, Nina only wore the Military Arts uniform. Did she come straight to the Mechanical Department without returning to the dormitory? Her working suit probably was inside the bag she carried. Layfon remembered that Nina had that bag with her when she came to team training.

Even the scattering street light, dim as it was, couldn’t cover the shadows of exhaustion on Nina’s face, but her walking pace didn’t show her fatigue.

Layfon drained the tea in his cup and tossed the cup into a bin. The four of them waited for Nina to walk ahead a bit before following after her.

Layfon and Naruki decided on how far they had to stay behind Nina. If it were Mifi and Mei-Shen, they’d have been discovered already. Although that was his conclusion, Nina’s appearance changed his judgement. Mifi might tail well even by herself. A kind of tension surrounded Nina, but it looked more like an old wire fence to him. A fence with lots of openings.

“She’s very tired,” Naruki said in a low voice. Layfon nodded.

What had pushed Nina to this stage? Was it because of their losing the platoon match? Could it be that big of a shock to her? He wasn’t sure. No, perhaps he did know. He had tasted failures in Grendan. In order to survive, it was important for him to win again and again. The important point wasn’t about his life and death, but more about his being afraid of encountering a stumbling block in the process of doing what he wanted to do.

Was this the feeling that Nina held?

…… Sure. She wanted to protect this city from harm. She said that to him not long ago.

“…… She’s going somewhere?”

“Probably.”

Trouble expressions adorned Mei-Shen and Mifi’s faces.

Nina continued to head to the outskirt of the city.

The edge of the city was a danger zone, a zone where emergency tended to arise, so residential and any important buildings were usually built further in from the city’s outskirt. On the contrary, any buildings close to the danger zone were rent out cheaply.

Layfon didn’t know the exact location of Nina’s dormitory, but he could guess from the direction she headed for after training and cleaning at the Mechanical Department that her dormitory did not lie at the city’s edge.

Nina finally arrived in a clear area devoid of buildings.

The sound coming from the movements of the city’s multi-legs rode the wind. Layfon and the girls hid in the forested area. This place was a bit far from the roaming bus station. All they could see was the wind carrying the polluted substance, a sandstorm rioting outside the air shield.

The wind tonight was especially strong. The sandstorm in the dark looked like some stirring creature.

Mei-Shen held tightly to Layfon’s sleeve.

A hazy sky blocked out the traces of the moon. The cloud cover must be very thick.

Nina walked down the stairs into the middle of the amphitheatre and let down the bag from her shoulders.

She took hold of the Dites in her harness.

“Restoration,” she said softly. At that sound, a familiar feeling ran through Layfon.

She readied her fighting stance. Layfon knew she’d then breathe in deeply and allow the Kei to flood her body.

The iron whips struck downwards or to the sides. She received, let the pressure slide off a side, and struck back at an imaginary enemy.

Nina’s body spun left and right, sometimes staying in one place as if defending against repeated heavy strikes, sometimes running forward as if attacking, charging in.

Nina pratised all the moves she knew.

There was no delay and hesitation in her movements. One move flowed smoothly into the next.

It was an Art, and with it was a frightening air.

All three girls except Layfon were holding their breath.

Nina was like a first class dancer, showing every scene of the world in her movements. At the same time, she was like a mad fighter, fighting against everything in the world.

Mei-Shen and two girls had already seen Nina’s training last night, but watching her for a second time did not reduce their amazement. They watched her wordlessly.

Layfon fixed his gaze on Nina, watching the light of Kei emitting from her. Her flow of Kei was brighter than the Kei she showed in team training. But unlike the first time when Nina’s Kei was so dazzling that he could not look directly at her, a shadow now traced her Kei.

It was meaningless to judge one’s strength against the light of Kei, since the two held no relation to each other.

Layfon wasn’t sure whether he should to be happy or not in the change in Nina’s flow of Kei.

He was just saddened for some reason.

The remaining Kei dispersed from her body like steam, giving off light and floating up into air as of something finally being released. From her fingertips, shoulders, neck, head, back, toes…. The remaining Kei shook like strings. The strings weaved together to become one and it stretched out to the sky as of something struggling against a force too heavy to resist.

What a tragic scene.

And that was where her problem lay.

“What a mess,” Layfon murmured, earning wide-eyed stares from his companions.

“…… Layton?”

“Huh? But I find her amazing, right……?” Mifi asked and looked at Naruki. Naruki didn’t seem to understand Layfon. She wore a perplexed expression.

“Is something wrong?”

“It’s not the problem with the Kei flow and her movements……” No, that ‘was’ the problem. Internal type Kei would not strengthen the entire body. What it did was it coordinated with the person’s movements and caused changes accordingly, making the move faster and stronger. It was a type of training like Whirl Kei, generating sudden and speedy changes. But in Nina’s training, there were many redundant movements.

Layfon didn’t want to point out that reason. Her weakness could be improved given more training.

“It’s not a problem that she trains by herself. Military Artists are always lonely. One must face oneself and struggle hard to become strong. Nobody can help you, and it’s not something you’ll ask someone for help, but……” he shook his head.

How could he put it? He hadn’t yet organized his own emotions, so no words surfaced in his mind. He failed to find suitable words.

“She’s too reckless,” he said in the end.

The way she dispersed her Kei was like she was drowning, struggling to hold onto anything, even a bunch of wheat, but even so, it still wasn’t enough to escape the flood.

She could only sink.

What would happen if she continued to sink……

“…… If she keeps this up, she’ll break.”

“Yes……” Naruki nodded in realisation.

Nina had classes and training in Military Arts course, then team training after class and individual training after that, cleaning at the Mechanical Department after all of that and then individual training again…… Just when had she time to sleep? Had she had enough rest? Looking at her, she had probably spent most of her time training alone when she wasn’t at her cleaning job.

But she would have to pay a huge price later.

In Grendan, Layfon once had to fight filth monsters for an entire week. A whole week without time to sleep and rest. A week that took away his awareness of time. In the end, he was so debilitated that he failed to lift one single finger. No matter how he lied to his body, his biological clock went crazy afterwards. A twist of the normal pattern appeared. He spent two whole weeks to rest before he could return to duty.

“…… We must stop her,” Mei-Shen said.

Layfon agreed. But how? It was easy to say you’d damage your body…… but Nina knew that too.

Layfon knew training was not enough for Nina to reach what she wanted, and he didn’t know what advice to give in that area. Sure, he knew on a simple level of how to become strong. The Head of the orphanage was the first person to teach him the Katana.

Nobody was born with an understanding in Military Arts.

But teaching Nina the Katana wasn’t what she needed.

She needed better training at the basics, but……

Layfon couldn’t teach her his training in Kei flow. He had already passed that phase of needing someone to teach him how to handle the flow of Kei at a very young age. He could teach Nina some simple steps, but he didn’t have the confidence to teach the deeper theories. His knew his own theory in this area wasn’t as easy a thing to obtain for other people.

Maybe it’d be presumptuous for him to say this, but what he meant was the ability of a genius. It would be difficult to pass on all of his instincts, instincts that a genius possessed and turned theory. And as such, none of the other Heaven Blade successors had apprentices. All they did was concentrate on their own training.

“We’re the rare of the rare, special and strange. We’re humans but not entirely humans. Even if we pass on our knowledge, it’d only be one thousandth, one ten thousandth, one billionth. We’re that type of people, off the usual rail.”

Lintence had said that when Layfon was slowly getting the hang of how to control the steel threads technique.

“I taught you this skill for a small experiment. You’ve reached one thousandth of my level, but it isn’t possible for you to get any better at it. Even if you can control billions of steel threads, they still aren’t as sharp as the point of your Katana. It’s better for you to use the Katana when you’re in a crisis.”

Layfon wasn’t disappointed at those words. He understood and accepted it. This reality hadn’t changed. He felt the running of his Kei flow the best when he held a Katana – not steel threads.

Why was there a difference? He couldn’t pass on his skill to Nina when he was unable to explain this theory of his.

He shook his head. She would have asked him already had she wanted to learn from him.

“…… Layton?”

Against Mei-Shen’s question, he had no idea how to show them his helplessness at Nina’s situation.

“Can’t we do anything?”

He shook his head.

“Probably……. No, I don’t know. We can tell her her training’s too reckless, that she’ll seriously injure her body, but is there meaning behind it? There’s something she wants to achieve even though she’s like this. I find it meaningless to tell her not to stop training when we can’t help her at all.”

Nina wanted to become stronger.

She had always wanted to become stronger. This wasn’t some sudden idea of hers.

But……

“Why’s she only doing this now?”

“Because she lost the match?”

“Is that all?” Mifi asked reflexively.

Layfon couldn’t think of any other reason, but doubt remained. Was that all, really?

“……. I think I understand,” Naruki said.

They all looked at her.

“This is how I feel when I asked for Layton’s help not long ago. Layton’s too strong, so I feel that I can’t fight beside you. I don’t know how to feel about this other than that. You can say that’s how Military Artists think. This feeling is lonely and regretful…. Frankly, I’m also jealous. The feeling of only being able to rely on another’s power is hard, especially for me as a Military Artist. I think it’s harder for her as the captain of the team that you’re in.”

Listening to that reminded Layfon of Sharnid testing his new Dite.

Though Sharnid had laughed, saying that sniping was not enough for him, but that might not be the only reason. Did Sharnid ask Harley to make him new Dites because of the feeling that Naruki held? And Nina too?

No, she must be reproving herself even more intensely than Sharnid? Because she strongly wanted to save this city……

“If that’s the case, then I don’t have anything to say……”

It was natural for a Military Artist to want to become strong.

“…… But why?” Mei-Shen said.

“Um?” Layfon responded. Mei-Shen, not being a Military Artist herself, wouldn’t understand…… He could conclude that for her, but the way she voiced her suspicion sounded different from simple doubt.

Mei-Shen said something vague, but changed her mind. “…… I know the captain wants to be stronger, but why can’t Layton do anything? Why does Layton have to do anything?”

At first, he didn’t understand what she was getting at.

“…… The captain wants to become stronger so she can win, right? Does she want the entire platoon to become strong? In that case, it’s not just Layfon, but everyone together……”

It was all right to become stronger or was it to become stronger together? Which one was it? Layfon thought that it was the same either way.

“Together?” he confirmed.

Mei-Shen nodded, her face all red.

“Together….”

“What’s so strange about that?” Mifi asked.

He felt as if something was stuck in his throat, preventing him from speaking.

“I see, it’s this simple……” Naruki said, touching her chin.

Something sounded strange. The sound of Whirl Kei flow had stopped.

Layfon was the first to look over, then Naruki and the other two girls.

Nina had fainted.

<center>◇</center>

It didn’t take long to arrive at the emergency department. Layfon had carried Nina to the hospital and the medical students on night shift had quickly prepared a room for them. The doctor that had been napping came over to do a simple checkup and ordered the nurses to get someone over and prepare the drip. During this time, Layfon had contacted Harley and as he was about to return to the patient’s room, he met Naruki, Mifi and Mei-Shen.

It was now another shift. A different doctor was checking up on Nina. The nurses had changed Nina into patient’s clothes that was opened on the back.

The doctor was placing needles on Nina’s back.

“He specializes in Kei vein,” the nurse said to Layfon.

“Is this Nina Antalk from 3rd year!?” the doctor said, displeased. Could it be because of sleepiness? His eyes looked quite sleepy.

Layfon nodded.

“I never thought a 3rd year in Military Arts could faint in such an easy way.”

“Is it serious?”

“There’s decreasing level of functioning of her internal organs. She lacks nutrients and has overworked her muscles…… anyway, everything about her is weak. The simple cause is the overwork of Kei vein.”

Just as expected.

“Kei can strengthen body functions and speed up healing, but the source of Kei vein is the flow caused by human activities. Military Artists have the special organ to generate Kei flow, but the basics are the same. No, to a Military Artist, this is the same as increasing her weakness, because that organ is the same as a heart or a brain. If it’s damaged, then it might die,” the doctor said as he placed more tiny needles into Nina’s back. From her waist and going upward, as if the needles were mapping out some sort of a terrain.

“Even if the brain’s damaged, one can still live in a vegetative state. If a heart’s damaged, we can change it into an artificial heart. But only this organ is irreplaceable. If the Kei vein is damaged beyond repair, then it’s all finished. I think I said that already in class, that it has to be looked after carefully,” he said, continuing to place tiny needles on his patient’s back. Although there weren’t any professionals in the Academy City, this doctor’s skill seemed reliable enough.

“Can she be cured?”

“This isn’t fatal. I’m using acupuncture to strengthen her flow of Kei.”

Layfon relaxed.

“But she can’t move for now, and she can’t participate in the next platoon match.”

“…… Really?”

“Hum? You don’t seem shocked?”

“That type of thing means nothing to me.”

“It seems like that rumour that the newbie of 17th platoon is a weirdo really is true.”

So there was such a rumour? The needles spread from the waist to Nina’s fingernail and heels.

The doctor placed the last needle on Nina’s left heel, and massaged his shoulder.

The nurses adjusted the air-conditioner and left the room.

Nina continued to sleep. Layfon’s fast and irregular breathing had now calmed down. A relaxed sigh escaped his mouth, and he remembered the three girls waiting in the corridor. He went out to tell them Nina was all right, that they could go home first. It was almost dawn and the girls also had class next.

“What about Layton?”

“I’ll stay here a bit then go.”

“…… Is there anything you need?” Mei-Shen asked.

Layfon didn’t get what she meant.

“…… She’ll need things, staying in the hospital.”

“Ah……”

“Layfon won’t be able to prepare everything. We’ll bring the things after class.”

“Thanks.”

“Aa, that’s all we can do for her,” Mifi said as he escorted them to the lobby.

And he saw Harley.

Representing the other two who weren’t here, Harley’s face was stiff and green. “How’s Nina?”

“She’s sleeping.”

“I see…. Is she all right?”

“She won’t be able to participate in the next match.”

“That can’t be helped,” Harley said without resistance. He sighed, relaxed after knowing Nina was all right. “Don’t you find it a shame?”

“What’s important is the real match, right?”

“True.”

Harley’s reply gave Layfon courage. To Layfon, the platoon match wasn’t at all important, but he wasn’t sure whether Nina felt the same.

“I’ve contacted the other two. I think they’ll be here soon…… but they aren’t the hasty type, uh?” Harley shrugged, not at all reproving of their slowness.

They returned to the patient’s room. Harley breathed in deeply at the needles covering her body, but he breathed out slowly after seeing her sleeping face.

And suddenly directed his gaze to the wall. His face turned red.

“Can we cover her?”

“….. The nurses didn’t. If we do it ourselves, it seems……”

Layfon understood Harley’s meaning, and he also felt heat creeping up his own face.

After knocking quietly on the door, Felli walked in.

“…… What’re you doing?” she asked coolly, her gaze sweeping across Nina, her underclothes illuminated by the light, and the two young men.

Losing interest at her tongue-tied team members, Felli observed Nina’s face. After confirming that Nina was all right, she once again put her face closer to the captain’s.

Felli was in uniform. It was not yet dawn, but neither her hair nor uniform showed signs of her having slept.

Layfon was peeking at the girls. Felli moved her gaze away and looked at him.

He hastily moved his gaze back to the wall.

“Pervert.”

“I didn’t see anything.”

“Giving that response means you’re a pervert.”

Unable to fight back, he could only moan.

“Never mind, that’s not important. What’s important is……” Her gaze landed on Harley, then she took out a big envelop from her bag.

“My brother gave me this.”

Layfon read the letter.

He had already guessed the content of the letter before Felli opened the envelop. And after observing Harley’s reaction, stiffening and recovering and then looking at Nina, Layfon understood more.

Back then, Felli was checking whether Nina was truly asleep.

Inside the envelop was a photo.

“This is the second image from the drone.”

The image was the same as last one’s, but it was clearer and sharper. Maybe because it was closer to the city.

That thing was fastened high on the face of a mountain. Was it sleeping? It swings were folded, laying on top of each other. Its body was curled up.

A filth monster.

It was a male…… in which phase? Layfon couldn’t judge from the photo.

If only it would continue to sleep but this hope was far from possible.

“Has the city…… Has Zuellni changed direction?”

When a city detected a filth monster, it’d take evasive action. Every mobile city acted this way, including Zuellni.

Felli shook her head. “Zuellni’s still heading straight in that direction. At this rate, it’ll encounter the filth monster on the day after tomorrow.”

The day after tomorrow…… was the weekend, and the day for the platoon match. It appeared that team 17 would have to give up on the match.

Layfon sighed. He put the photo back inside the envelop and returned it to Felli.

“The Dite’s ready. You can use it anytime,” Harley said.

“The combat gear for outside city use is ready. My brother wants you to depart tomorrow night if possible.”

“I understand.”

“Are you afraid?” Felli suddenly asked.

“Um?”

“To fight the filth monster.”

“Well……”

Of course he was afraid. That line touched his lips but did not leave them. It wasn’t because he thought he’d lose face by confirming his fear, but he hesitated at the expectation and hope in Felli’s eyes.

“It’s a late question for you.”

“That’s…… true.”

As if imitating Layfon, wanting to say something and deciding not to, Felli’s lips opened and closed. She sighed, a sigh of who knew how many times cuter and more beautiful than it could be.

“Can you not stop…….” she murmured and confirming Nina’s condition once more, she left the room.

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