Emotional Howl Page 7

  (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 front line 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 am."

  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 center 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 center. 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 were 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.

  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 are 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?"

  "Aaah......" Naruki lowered her head.

  "She really doesn't have to do that......"

  Naruki said that Meishen 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 gesture stopped him from saying more.

  "Even we have a few things we don't want others to know. We aren't like Layton because our reasons for hiding them are different, but there is 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-senpai joined as your substitute."

  "Really?"

  "Aaah, 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 ones 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, Derek. 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 Derek's view. If he used the Psyharden skill, then he'd have tainted Derek'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.

  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 still need to give it our best despite 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 Kongoukei. He said the Heaven's Blade successor, Reverse, 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.

  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 Meishen standing at the exit of the tram. Since he couldn't escape, he entered the tram. Meishen 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. Meishen 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?" Meishen asked, shocked.

  "Ah, I was discharged."

  "Huh? But......But you have 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. Meishen 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 Meishen's were of a pure color. Layfon thought Meishen'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 he
r 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 was exiled from Grendan......" she fell silent.

  Meishen 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 Meishen 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. Meishen and anyone else probably wouldn't understand the difference in Layfon's strength in those matches. In addition, Meishen 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.

  (Aaah, 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, Meishen 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 itself to Meishen. Normal people would hide in a shelter when filth monsters attacked.