Silent Talk
Page 1
Also by Shūsuke Amagi
Chrome Shelled Regios series
Chrome Shelled Regios
Silent Talk
Sentimental Voice
Confidential Call
Emotional Howl
Red Nocturne
White Opera
Mixing Note
Blue Mazurka
Complex Days
Impact Girls
Black Arabesque
Grey Concerto
Scarlet Oratorio
Next Bloom
Spring Burst
Summer Night Rave
Crying Autumn
Initiation Log
Desire Report
Winter Fall (Part 1)
Winter Fall (Part 2)
Legend of Regios series
Riggzario Baptism
Ignasis' Awakening
The Appearance of the Regios
Silent Talk
Silent Talk
Chrome Shelled Regios Book Two
Shūsuke Amagi
Tokyo, Japan
Contents
Prologue
Chapter 1: Confusion
Chapter 2: What Can Be Done
Chapter 3: Cry For What?
Chapter 4: Run the Entire Lap
Chapter 5: Things in Life
Epilogue
Appendix
Regios
Electronic Fairy
Filth Monsters/Pollutant Beasts/Contaminiods
DITE
Kei
Novel Illustrations
Baka-Tsuki
Project Staff
Translators
Editors
Updates
Prologue
The boisterous sound of a ringing bell echoed through the area.
The sound delivering the result.
The sound of judgment, dividing the winners and losers.
The signal of the end.
"......"
"......"
"......ah"
"......"
As Layfon stood, wordless, Sharnid made some silly noise and Felli sighed lightly. Nina heard all that through Felli's transmitter flakes.
Without a word, she accepted the truth, while the sound of the siren freed her from tension and excitement.
"This, this, this......this is unexpected!! What a turn of events!!" The excited voice of the emcee echoed in the battlefield, and in turn, the howling of the audience became louder.
Forgetting the noise that seemed to swallow her, Nina stood still.
What did it mean to be strong?
Nina Antalk asked herself.
As the captain of the 17th platoon, Nina Antalk asked herself.
To be absolutely strong means not losing to anyone. In other words, it means to be the strongest.
If that was the case, then what was the existence of the strongest?
She searched through her memories, looking for the existence of the strongest. Different kinds of strong people surfaced in her mind.
The people she had met, the people she knew from books......These people were valiant, strong......but they were still far from being the strongest.
Even strong fighters had experienced failures. They matured through failures. As they went through a journey of failures in order to become stronger, then they weren't the strongest.
And half of those people reached the end of their lives through that journey.
Was it impossible for humans to be the strongest?
If so, then what does it mean to be the strongest?
Is the creature on the top of the food chain the strongest being? Those filth monsters?
If she kept on following this line of thought, then the world itself was probably the strongest. Leaving aside the food chain, all creatures managed to live only by standing on the stage this world provided.
And should the world change, the so-called food chain would be easily destroyed.
In fact, there had been a huge change in the world's distant past, before Nina's birth.
No records remained of how this happened, but the filth monsters appeared and conquered the Earth.
They spread across the world, destroying the ecosystem, turning the Earth into a barren place.
But was the Earth really the strongest existence in this world?
That was doubtful too.
Because humans still lived and survived in this world, despite its changed appearance.
Humanity lived in mobile cities that were isolated from the rest of the world. In other words, they created their own worlds. Wasn't this the proof of the strongest?
The other proof was the filth monsters.
When the ecosystems were destroyed and all plants and animals faced extinction, the filth monsters were born, making the pollutants their food.
Wasn't this the result of survival adaptation?
(......I'm thinking too far.)
She abandoned her thoughts to watch the young man before her.
Here is a man who had defeated the filth monsters.
Layfon Alseif.
The new Military Arts student.
And he belonged to the 17th platoon.
The genius Military Artist who had obtained the title of the Heaven's Blade Receiver at Grendan.
To Nina, he was the closest to what could be the strongest existence, but......
"Ah......"
Layfon lifted his gaze at the ringing of the bell and loosely lowered his sword. The two members of the 14th platoon that he had struck down moaned, and relaxed at the sound of the bell.
"Geez......This is so tiring."
The captain of the 14th platoon lowered his weapon. The satisfied smile of someone who executed a successful plan blossomed on his face.
The broadcast was irritating to the ear. "Big turnabout! The 14th platoon's plan was successful against the newly formed platoon that had won the match against the 16th platoon. This time, the veteran team has turned around the result! They showed great teamwork that the new platoon lacks!!"
Teamwork......
Nina turned around to look behind her, strengthening her vision through internal-type Kei, and saw the flag of her team had fallen. Over there, Sharnid shrugged as if surrendering. Nina resented herself for worrying about how people would have perceived his response.
"Well, that's how it is," the captain of the opposing team patted her shoulder.
"That guy's strong. He's strong......But there's a way to handle him."
The murderous eyes of the captain during the match turned back into those of a senpai.
"This wasn't a one-on-one fight."
"Yeah......"
The exhaustion of not having tried her best loosens up her tension, and she lowered her shoulders.
"You still have lots of work to do to become strong."
The captain of the 14th platoon walked over to say a few words to Layfon, and then help his subordinates, who were still lying on the ground, get back to their base.
"Th......Thank you!" Nina bowed to the back of the captain, fulfilling the etiquette required from a junior student.
She bit her lips as she gazed at the ground.
Chapter 1
Confusion
How've you been?
My school life's busy, but it's more ordinary than yours. After I got one of your letters, a few more reached me a few weeks after. I don't know when you'll receive this letter, but I hope it will reach you faster than yours reached me. I'm happy that you haven't given up the Military Arts. You've finally made a decision after going through a lot of trouble! I'd be embarrassed if you made up your mind because of my letter, but I'm still happy about that. I've made a new friend. It's tiring to be around that interesting person. This must be what they call pros and cons.
So how are you doing over there? Are you sick? Have you been eating well? I'm worried. You never pay much attention to the nutrients in your diet.
It seems you've made a lot of friends. I'm relieved that you're not alone. But......how come they're all girls?
That, I do mind.
Perhaps Layfon is a lecher?
That kinda thing makes me worried. I really should have protested more strongly about you going to Zuellni.
Ah, please take it as a joke. Right.
Oh yes, just to say, I'm happy that you haven't given up the Military Arts! But I don't want you to become the Layfon you were in Grendan. I envy the Layfon training with all his concentration on the Military Arts. You looked cool. But I didn't like the Layfon who became a Heaven's Blade Receiver. Do you understand the difference?
When the letter first came, there was this interesting topic. Maybe you'll be surprised, but I won't tell you just yet. It'd be great if it can surprise you a bit.
I'll write to you again.
To my dear Layfon Wolfstein Alseif.
Leerin Marfes.
......Delicate fingers folded the letter along old folds. Praying that nobody would discover this, she put the letter back into the correct mailbox.
Forbidden from living on the polluted earth, humans lived in mobile cities.
As if floating on the earth, the cities move according to their own consciousnesses and maintained contact through the center of the traffic network, the Traffic City Joeldem.
The network wasn't reliable, but it was a way to connect them.
Academy City.
Within the ranks of the Regios were cities of different functions. This type of city, specializing in education, moved within this unstable network.
It gathered boys and girls, letting them study knowledge.
In here, where no adults set foot, children were learners and also teachers.
This was the Academy City.
And Zuellni was one of the Academy Cities.
Sunlight shot through into a classroom that was filled with a boisterous atmosphere before class began. The students entering the classroom placed their bags behind their seats and either joined into different conversation circles or prepared for class. Some ran about, asking for notes to copy. Some stayed immersed in their own world.
Surrendering to the urge to sleep, Layfon bent over his desk.
"Oh~~Morning!"
"*cough!"
The other person gave his back a heavy hit.
"What? What? You look tired!"
"*cough*! Uu......Mor......Morning......" Layfon coughed.
"Mi-chan, you went over the line."
"Yeah, maybe Layton still hasn't recovered from the match." Naruki said.
"Oh, wasn't that two days ago?"
Mifi puffed up her cheeks. "As if Layton would get tired just because of that. Right?"
"Yeah......Uh, the match wasn't tiring. I'm ok."
"......But you look like you wanted to sleep."
"No, really, I'm fine."
Looking at Meishen's worried eyes, he nodded in a carefree manner. Her eyes were always teary. He didn't know what to do about that.
"Even so, you look tired. What is it? Did you have to work yesterday too?" Naruki studied him. Her tall presence made him feel like he was being interrogated.
"It's alright."
"I see. Well, working for days at a time can be tiring."
"......It's hard work to clean the Mechanism Chamber."
"Yeah. If you seriously want to prepare for the platoon matches, I think it's better for you to quit the cleaning job."
These three girls knew each other before they came to Zuellni.
Layfon met them because he stopped the riot at the opening ceremony.
And that was also the reason he was transferred into the Military Arts.
But these three had nothing to do with his transfer. The Student President, Karian Loss, knew from the beginning who Layfon was.
A Heaven's Blade Receiver in Grendan.
"No......I'm getting used to cleaning there already," he said as he smiled at Meishen.
The cleaning job in the Central Mechanism – cleaning the heart of the Regios – Layfon really had gotten used to it. The repetitive body work was way more relaxing than using his brain.
"Then what is it?" Mifi asked.
"Ahhahahah......Um, something." He gave a vague response.
"......Are you hiding something?"
"No. Definitely not!"
"No, you have a secret! Don't think this can escape my eyes! Hurry up and tell us before you get it!"
"Get it......"
Her pair of questioning eyes came closer. No one could stop Mifi when she was deep in her passion to collect and record any information.
"Tell, tell, tell......"
"Ah......" A troubled smile appeared on Layfon's face.
Naruki grabbed the back of Mifi's uniform and dragged her away.
"Didn't we have to tell him something? Class is about to begin."
"Huh?"
"Ah. That's right. Geez......Because Mei-chi is always staggering, we almost forgot about it."
"......Is it my fault?" Meishen said, sulking.
"Well, Mi's always making a huge ruckus. Hurry up, Mei!"
"......Oh."
Naruki pushed Meishen. Meishen walked forward, facing Layfon, her face a fiery red.
"......Um......"
"Yes?" Layfon sat up.
"......Lunch......I made a bento. Do you want to eat together?"
"Huh?"
"We're always eating out for lunch, so Mei's decided to make us a bento," Naruki said.
Meishen nodded at her, her face so red, it seemed like smoke was about to rise from her head.
It was true. Since his first day here, he'd always been buying bread for lunch. He had helped out in the orphanage so he knew how to cook, but because of his late shift in the Central Mechanism, he spent more time sleeping late in the morning.
"Ah......Is that ok?"
"......Hmm."
"Mei-chi loves to cook. Just be thankful and accept her goodwill."
Wondering whether the continuously nodding Meishen was becoming a robot, Layfon smiled happily.
"Then, thank you."
Meishen stopped nodding.
"I'm jealous!" Harley said, after having listened to Layfon talk about Meishen's invitation to lunch. He was looking at the display.
"Thank's for the compliment," Layfon nodded, holding a green Dite with a wire connecting one of its ends to Harley's machine.
"No, that's not what I meant."
"Um......?"
"Uh, I meant......I also want a girlfriend!"
Layfon came to the training complex after for platoon training and was accosted by Harley to do some checking.
The intense sound of training in other rooms drifted past the walls and into the boys' ears.
Only Layfon and Harley were in the room.
"That's wrong! We aren't lovers! She just likes to cook."
Harley sighed and shook his head.
"Oh, that's right. What's this for?" Layfon had been sending his Kei into the sword.
There were two types of Kei, a destructive Kei that flowed externally and an internal Kei that strengthened the physical body. They were the skills that Military Artists used.
"Well, there's something I wanted to check."
"Um......" Layfon continued to extend his Kei into the blade, not knowing what he was doing it for. The sword emitted soft green light.
The vein of
Kei made him feel like he'd grown a new limb. The vein extended into the blade to feel its heat and caressed the wind around it.
Harley sighed in admiration. "Your concentration of Kei is incredible! In this case, isn't it better to use a Platinum Dite? That'll increase the conductive rate."
"Really?"
Layfon was actually unsatisfied with it. It wasn't as good as the Heaven's Blade he'd used in Grendan.
(Now that I think about it, wasn't the Heaven's Blade also a Platinum Dite?)
But it was useless to compare the two. In the end, the sword was made to fight the filth monsters.
"So I was able to use the weapon before because of my amount of Kei."
Not long before, the filth monsters had attacked Zuellni.
Zuellni's multi-legs were trapped in a filth monster's nest. With Layfon's help that crisis has been resolved.
Harley had made a new adjustment to the Dite at Layfon's request.
A weapon that could be divided into countless wires.
Layfon used that to wipe out the larvae. He even stepped outside the city to eliminate the mother.
"But they took that weapon. Oh, this is fine."
The Student President and Vance had confiscated the weapon. It gave too much of an advantage to Layfon in a platoon match.
The Dite Layfon was now holding was newly made.
"Well, I didn't plan to use that weapon in the platoon matches anyway."
He cut off his Kei flow and lowered the sword. The residual heat from his Kei remained in his body, making him sweat.
"Really? If you used that, it would've been easy to win a platoon match."
"True, but isn't it pointless to win through that method?"
"Really?"
"Yes. Besides, the captain would never approve of it."
"Ah, true, true." A sour smile appeared on Harley's face.
"She wouldn't be happy, winning through other people's strength."
"Yeah," Layfon nodded and swung the sword.
Having released so much Kei, he wanted to exercise his limbs.
It was a casual swing from high to low. The remaining Kei on the blade disappeared along with the scattering green light of the Dite.