Editing City Series:Volume6a Chapter9 (section)

===Part 2===

The clouds burst apart and the blue blade of a craft flew out.

It was basically right on top of them.

“Schweitzer!!” shouted Berger.

“It is already in ascent position!!”

The König Pseudo-Drach let its rear slide with downwards inertia while the nose turned up. It also forcibly slid to the side and made a wide turn to rid itself of its forward momentum.

Then it ascended. The Sylphide was there only about 200 yards ahead of them.

It felt close enough to reach out and touch it.

“Its acceleration is incredible!”

Schweitzer was correct.

The König Pseudo-Drach boasted the greatest speed in the German military, but the Sylphide was ascending just as quickly.

The ocean was behind them, an expanse of clouds stretched endlessly on either side of them, and the dark heavens full of nothing but stars awaited out ahead.

The Sylphide soared upwards as if attempting to tear a hole in the dark heavens above.

“That thing is desperate to get up there.”

Before Berger was even done speaking, a shining substance scattered behind the Sylphide.

By the time he realized it was armor, it had already fallen past them.

He maintained his calm tone even in the pressure of their acceleration.

“It’s falling apart. This is its final flight.”

“Dog!” shouted Hazel over the communicator. “Are you chasing after it!?”

“Yeah, I’ll be in arm’s reach soon. Shall I grab your butt to prove it?”

“Please stop! It’s no use chasing after it, so stop!”

He shook his head, but her shouting continued since she could not see that.

“It’s no use. No matter where I go, no one can…”

Her voice faded away and he cut her off with a shout.

“Is giving up and dying your answer? I’ve head enough of your childish complaints, Hazel!” He laughed. “Did you ever bring these objections to your dad – to Oscar Mirildorf? Outside your dreams, that is!?”

He distinctly heard her gasp over the communicator and he touched the pendant hanging from his neck as he continued.

“Let’s leave this place, Hazel. I’m sure your dad will welcome you. He hasn’t abandoned you! …Or do you want to die with the Sylphide here!?”

“I don’t. But…”

“But?”

“But how are you going to stop this craft!? He protects me because he needs my eye! And he’s only ever been used by people, just like me!”

“That isn’t an issue. Even if the Sylphide needs you…”

He tried to say more, but his lips came to a stop. He erased it all with a bitter smile.

She soon protested.

“Dog!! Why!? Why are you so insistent on this? I…”

“The thing is, there’s one thing I’m the very best in the world at: doing everything I can to avoid having to take responsibility for something later on.”

“Have you been that way since that day 2 years ago when Eryngium died!?”

The König Pseudo-Drach slowed its acceleration when she asked that.

Berger immediately kicked at the seat in front of him, but the acceleration did not return.

Just then, a power conduit fell from above and grazed the König Pseudo-Drach.

They pursued the Sylphide without accelerating. A voice reached Berger from that somewhat distant craft.

“Dog! Please tell me why you’re the only one trying to get me out of here. Why do you keep rebuking me and telling me to leave instead of closing me up somewhere like everyone else is trying to do?”

“Because I made a promise.”

“Your promise to Eryngium? Can’t you tell me what that was?”

“I can’t. Because it was a personal thing.”

He spat out the words while kicking on the front seat again.

But Schweitzer still did not accelerate.

Instead, he spoke.

“Long ago, when the Heidengeist Messiah was unsure if she should use her power for the people, she was visited by a human youth with a divine name who persuaded her with a single statement.”

This made Berger quickly sit up and try to stop the man’s words.

“And 3 years ago, a certain woman made a special promise with Berger that she did not make with the rest of us.”

But he could not stop it in time.

Schweitzer’s voice rang in the slight silence of their slowed acceleration.

“Let us fulfill the prophecy here. …She had Berger promise one simple thing.” He took a breath. “To remain true to himself.”