Silent Talk

by Shūsuke Amagi

  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?"

  "Eehhhh, 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 that?"

  "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 Meishen's face had gone white.

  "Our dormitories just lie in the same direction."

  "So because they're in the same direction, you have dinner with her all the time?"

  "......How come you know about that too?"

  Yes, since that night at the battle arena, 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 information network!"

  It was another arrow to his chest.

  "No, it was just a coincidence."

  Layfon tried to make up another reason, but he could tell from Mifi's eyes that she was still suspicious.

  "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 wish you wouldn't use such clear words......" 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 talk about?"

  "I was asked not to."

  Karian asked him to keep it a 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, when it was so chaotic within the city that students failed to follow 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.

  "Mi......?"

  "This is boring. I'm gonna go to eat by myself." She raised a hand and left the rooftop.

  "Geez......She didn't have to throw 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 Meishen.

  "I'm going to stay with Mi. Please take care of Mei."

  Naruki took her bento and left.

  "......Ah."

  While Meishen stammered, Naruki disappeared from the rooftop.

  (Why do I feel like this has happened before...)

  "Sorry," Layfon apologized.

  "......You're not the bad one here, Layton." Meishen shook her head like a bell.

  "But still, it is 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 Meishen 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 knows that too."

  "I hope so."

  "......But, Mi is curious." Meishen smiled. Layfon envied the affection in that smile.

  "......If Nakki and I had any secrets, Mi would expose them 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 wants a better relationship with you. With her curiosity, she wants to be close enough to you that you can tell her things on your own. If it's Nakki, she'll do what she can quietly, but me......" She shook her head. "......Especially Nakki, she's impatient too."

  "Especially?"

  "......Yeah, especially."

  "Why?"

  "Didn't you help Nakki before? She's impatient because she can't help you out."

  "I never knew," Layfon murmured at a loss.

  "......Nakki'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 when she needed it, but unable to help when that person was in trouble. 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 Meishen and the girls wanted to get closer to him. That was enough to make him at fault.

  Thinking back closely, Meishen didn't use to speak that much when they first met each other. She never talked much, always saying very 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?"

  "......Not troubled, more like......worried?"

  "Worried?"

  Layfon didn't get it.

  "......Sometimes you seem like that." Meishen frowned.

  "......Really?"

  "......Yeah."

  "I see......"

  ......And Meishen was always on the verge of tears, but he wouldn't say that even if someone tore his mouth apart.

  "......What is 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, he had to face the crisis. This feeling was different from worrying. Either way, he was prepared for the reality that filth monsters would come near. Coming back to it, fighting filth monsters was normal in Grendan. Considering that death might become real was indeed a heavy burden, but if he lost to that pressure, he would've 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 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, Meishen's hands were put together tightly, as if she was praying.

  "Meishen......?"

  "Um......Well......Ar......"

  "Ah, Ahah......No! No......Nothing. Nothing really. I just got something wrong......So, please don't cry?"

  And as he comforted the trembling Meishen, he told her the truth.

  Naruki and Mifi came back to find Layfon comforting a trembling and nervous looking Meishen. In order to explain he wasn't bullying Meishen, Layfon had no choice but to skip his afternoon classes.

  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 wasn't interested in the platoon and the platoon matches. If so, then the captain acting weird shouldn't be that bad for you, right?"

  "......Mi," Meishen looked at Mifi and Naruki, troubled, then she shook her head as if giving up.

  They must have understood something between 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 me Zuellni's in a crisis. Everyone above the 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 here for six years until I graduate, I don't think I can survive in other cities. I don't plan to train in the Military Arts all the way to 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 in your spare time, then all the other Military Artists are 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 you 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 what he did in Grendan was wrong. It didn't go against his sense of morals. 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 would he feel if Nina found out about it?

  "......Isn't this enough?" Meishen said, cutting through his emotions.

  "Mei......?"

  "......You wouldn't want to listen to Layton's past now, right?"

  "Well......"

  "But......"

  "......If that's the case, then it's enough, isn't it?" Meishen's repeated question silenced the other two girls.

  Layfon's reflection danced in the regret and guilt in Meishen's eyes.

  "......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 so close to these 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 Meishen 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.

  "Aah, I was planning to help from the beginning. The only person who didn't want to was Mifi."

  "You're lying, Nakki!"

  "I was never suspicious of Layton!"

  "Liar. You were concerned too!"

  "My concern's not the same as your concern."

  "They're the same."

  "No."

  "The same!"

  "No."

  "Nakki was concerned about it. Definitely, definitely, definitely concerned about the captain, Felli-senpai and that letter......"

  "Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh!!"

  Meishen suddenly shouted, her face all red. Everyone stared at her, dumbstruck.

  "M,Mei...?"

  "......!"

  Her shoulders heaving, Meishen quickly covered her mouth with her hands.

  "Ah......"

  "So-Sorry......"

  "......Uu......" Tears filled her eyes.

  (And I thought I could apologize.)

  Meishen had been trying to find an opening to apologize for reading his letter.

  But not under these circumstances......

  Tears flooded down her cheeks.

  This time Layfon was chased away. At a distance, he watched Mifi and Naruki comfort Meishen. Sometimes they said something wrong and made the situation worse. At other times, they mentioned the past and Meishen looked even worse at that. Meishen got angry, and was comforted, and like that the process repeated itself......

  Meishen......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."

  It was now night, 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, the sign of a sleepyhead.

  "No, this isn't really a mission," Naruki said to Mifi, who, for some reason, was wearing a long coat and sunglasses.

  When the workers had finished cleaning the Engine Room, Meishen, Naruki and Mifi were already waiting for Layfon outside the entrance.

  The quartet's breath came out as steam. Meishen had hot tea in her thermos. 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 until it's time to work, so if anything happens, it must happen after work."

  "Huh? Has she been training?"

  "Yeah, it's pretty scary too, when she trains."

  "It's like she's another person."

  If even Naruki said so, then the training must have been intense.

  "......"

  She canceled her training with him, but continued to train by herself.

  "I see."

  "Hm? What?"

  "Uh, nothing."

  That confirmed his suspicions.

  He glanced at Naruki. She seemed to have arrived at the same conclusion.

  "......Ah," called Meishen softly. Everyone looked at the entrance.

  Nina was coming out.

  Breathing out steamy br
eaths, cold and shivering, Nina only wore her Military Arts uniform. Did she come straight from the Engine Room without returning to the dormitory? Her work-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 pace while walking 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 left to Mifi and Meishen, they'd have been discovered already. Although that was his conclusion, Nina's appearance changed his judgment. Mifi might tail her 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 they lost the platoon match? Could it have been that big of a shock to her? He wasn't sure. No, perhaps he did know. He had tasted failure in Grendan. In order to survive, it was important for him to win again and again. The important point wasn't his life and death, but more 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."

  Troubled expressions adorned Meishen and Mifi's faces.

  Nina continued towards the outskirts of the city.

  The edge of the city was a danger zone, a zone where emergencies tended to arise, so residential and any important buildings were usually built further in from the city's boundary. On the other hand, any buildings close to the danger zone were rented out cheaply.

  Layfon didn't know the exact location of Nina's dormitory, but he could guess from the direction she headed after training and cleaning in the Engine Room that her dormitory did not lie on the city's edge.

  Nina finally arrived in a clearing devoid of buildings.

  The sound coming from the movements of the city's multi-legs rode the wind. Layfon and the girls hid in a forested area. This place was a bit far from the roaming bus station. All they could see was the wind carrying pollutant, a sandstorm rioting outside the air shield.