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  "I still think what you did was despicable, but you have your reasons to stand firm. To say you're despicable one-sidedly is in itself despicable."

  "It wasn't like that."

  "No, it was like that," she shook her head. "I said this before. I can't understand the pain of starvation. Someone who knows nothing and can't imagine what it's like, I don't think she should say it before someone who does know what it's like."

  "It probably wasn't like that."

  "No, it was like that," Nina shook her head again.

  "I think sometimes a third party can more accurately analyze the situation," he said.

  "But......"

  "At least I think of the Captain's words that way."

  "Layfon........."

  "Captain isn't wrong," he nodded at Nina who had turned around to face him.

  Sitting in the sofa with her chin in her palm, Synola stared at the letter on the desk with annoyance.

  "What is it?" the female waiting by her side asked. She was a tall beauty and her appearance was similar to Synola's.

  Kanaris Aerifos Rivin. One of the twelve Heaven's Blade successors that people boasted about in Grendan, waited for Synola's answer. Currently, the two of them were in the palace situated in the middle of the Lance Shelled City, Grendan. They were in a room located in the residential area for royalty. Synola Aleisla the senior research student was a fake identity. Her real name was Alsheyra Almonise. She possessed the power of the Queen and stood at the top of the twelve Heaven's Blade successors. Her power exceeded those of the other Heaven's Blade successors. Synola's pupils stared at the words in the letter. Soft lips clamped together, she stayed silent.

  "Do you think it's a good plan to bring the Haikizoku from Zuellni to here?" Kanaris asked solemnly.

  The letter was sent by Haia Salinvan Laia from Zuellni. The Heaven's Blade successor Synola had exiled from Grendan now lived in that city. Haia had succeeded his master as the third leader of the Salinvan Guidance Mercenary Gang. The content of the letter explained the event with the Haikizoku.

  "I believe no one outside Grendan can fully control the power of a Haikizoku," Kanaris said. Confidence in Grendan's Military Artists showed through her light voice.

  "........."

  Synola remained silent. She started fingering her hair.

  "Your Majesty........."

  Synola's lips parted under Kanaris' urging. "So......"

  "Perhaps, something like 'so annoying,' you weren't planning to say it were you?"

  "......That's bad. You can't say that ahead of me."

  "This isn't the problem of bad or not."

  Kanaris coldly watched the pouting Synola.

  "Under the situation of not having gathered all 12 Heaven's Blades, we should manage what we can manage."

  They had hosted numerous Military Arts matches since stripping Layfon of his title. Some participants were powerful enough to fight filth monsters, but none of them had the strength to become a Heaven's Blade successor. Hence, the Heaven's Blade title remained without an owner.

  "When Layfon held the Heaven's Blade, I thought, yes, it's finally here. Guess that wasn't the case."

  "Your Majesty, no one knows when that day will come. We have had all twelve Heaven's Blades in the past, but that day hasn't come again."

  "What about Haia? Can he not be one?"

  "Your Majesty, please answer my question first."

  "But it really is annoying."

  She curled her lips again. Kanaris didn't get mad at her.

  "We Heaven's Blade successors can give up our lives for you."

  "............Layfon probably wouldn't say things like that."

  "That's why he had to give up the Heaven's Blade."

  "Would have been good if that were the case."

  Losing to Kanaris' imposing manner, Synola listened.

  "If your Majesty can't make a decision, how about we make a choice? As said in the letter, using the students of the Academy City would make Layfon our enemy. In that case, the Mercenary Gang won't hold against him. We can leave Lintence out as he's too involved with him, but if it's someone else......"

  ".........You're saying you'll use a Heaven's Blade successor without my permission, Kanaris?"

  Leaning against the back of the sofa, Synola watched Kanaris.

  "N, no......something like that."

  She smiled at Kanaris. The Heaven's Blade was panting as if she was short of air. Synola continued with a soft voice. "I did give you the authority while I was away. You did your job well, and that's worth my gratitude............But only I can decide how to use the Heaven's Blades."

  "I'm......really sorry."

  "Seems you understand," she smiled and straightened her back to look outside. Kanaris sat down beside her, more like fell down beside her. She glanced at the trembling woman, took the bag from the table and stood up.

  "I have to go to the research lab."

  "Your, Your Majesty, please wait......" Kanaris tried again.

  Synola smiled bitterly. "Well, I'll take some time to consider it," she said and left the room.

  Outside the room was a corridor that connected to the facilities outside the palace. No guards could be seen. This arrangement was made especially for Synola's privacy. The lights in the corridor were weak, as if they weren't used often. Because of the bad location in relation to the position of the sun, the sunlight piercing through the windows was weak too. A figure appeared at the end of the dim corridor.

  "What is it?" Synola asked.

  The figure moved to where the window was. The shadow shrouding him retreated. It was Savaris.

  "Your Majesty is in a good mood......Ah, what a busy day today."

  Synola sighed against the greeting. "............Not that good. I didn't get to use my brain today, so I don't feel good."

  "Thanks for the hard work," he laughed.

  She glared at him, and his laughter stopped short.

  "Is the letter the reason behind your bad mood?"

  Her eyes narrowed. Was Savaris the only piece of hers that had infiltrated the palace? She watched his smiling face with displeasure. "......Has the Luckens family got ahead of themselves? Or is this the case with all Heaven's Blades? If so, I've got to tighten them up."

  "Not at all! There isn't anything impure in our loyal hearts," he retreated a few steps.

  She watched him coldly.

  "I found out about the thing at Zuellni by pure chance. It's because my younger brother's there......"

  She listened silently to his explanation. Younger brother......Gorneo was studying Military Arts course at Zuellni. He was in a platoon there.

  "I knew of this from Gorneo's letter. I'm guessing the Mercenary Gang had sent Your Majesty a letter about it too. I was waiting here to convey the news in case Your Majesty didn't hear of it."

  "You could have told Kanaris."

  "It seems that she hates me. Besides, I made a vow to only be loyal to Your Majesty. Not to Kanaris, nor the city named Grendan." His voice turned light.

  "So what you plan from now on?"

  ".........You understand when I said I don't feel good?"

  "Haha, Kanaris must have been difficult."

  She glared at him once more.

  "Uh oh.........If possible, why don't you use me?"

  "For what?"

  "My brother's there. He can help us better than anyone else. And under the possible situation of a fight with Layfon, anyone else would cause huge damage to Zuellni," he laughed.

  He was making a joke. Watching him with her icy gaze, Synola tossed out the question as if the idea just popped into her head. "Are you saying you want to kill Layfon?"

  "Why?" The smile remained on Savaris' face, but it was definite that the temperature of his expression had dropped a few degrees.

  "The bait we used before, the one Layfon crippled, certainly he was from the Luckens' school, wasn't he? Surely you hold a grudge."

  "That was only Gahard's immaturity."
>
  The frosty reply meant she had stepped on a landmine.

  "Then......What is it?"

  "Your Majesty.........I don't hate Layfon. I'm just very concerned with the Haikizoku," he said frankly. "Your Majesty has always guided us. Heaven's Blades only need to concentrate on getting stronger."

  "Well, I at least hope all of you have some common sense."

  "Of course."

  "Humph......Well, I'll consider it," she said and started walking.

  "Have a good day."

  "I will," she waved her hand without turning back.

  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.

  "Wait a minute.........Three days two nights. Does this include the weekend? So boring."

  "Don't plan to go?"

  "Since we get to be 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 like he said she could have told them the agenda tomorrow, since 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 running around to various places until training started. 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 about food?"

  "We'll bring the ingredients over. Layfon knows how to cook, so he'll do the cooking."

  "He can?"

  "Yeah, well........." Layfon smiled, troubled. Meishen 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?"

  Meishen 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. I'm counting on you."

  Nina explained a few more details about the meet-up time and so on, and they started their usual training.

  After listening to Naruki's suggestion, Meishen 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. Meishen 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, Meishen watched Naruki.

  "Me.........?"

  "Who else? I can't ask Mi."

  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."

  "Au........." Meishen'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."

  Meishen 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, right?"

  "Didn't I say that from the very beginning?" Naruki nodded.

  "So......naive!" A voice suddenly intervened.

  "Mi......You'll complicate things."

  "Agh, 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 Meishen'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 Meishen'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 they don't want others to know? 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, Nakki? 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 Layton?"

  "Isn't that natural? The basis of the relationship between me and you and the relationship between me and Layton is different."

  "What would be 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. Aaah, I can still recall it now. The Nakki of that time......"

  "Shut up!" Naruki bent over Mifi, locking her neck
in the crook of her arm. Meishen 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. And 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 also need to 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 in the direction where Mifi had 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 Layfon who grew up in Grendan. That was why Meishen was bothered. She was jealous of Leerin because Leerin knew of the Layfon in Grendan.

  (But......am I too spoiled?)

  This uneasiness 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, Meishen was more confused.

  Someone pinched her face and brought her back to reality.

  "What're you doing?" Synola lay flat on her stomach on top of the table.

  "A report......is what."

  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.

  "Really......?"

  "What?"

  "No......You were staring pretty blankly. 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 stationary of other students.