Chrome Shelled Regios:Volume2 Chapter4
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.
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.
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 practised all the moves she knew.
There was no delay or hesitation in her movements. Each move flowed smoothly into the next.
It was an Art, and with it had 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.
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? Its wings 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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