Blue Mazurka

by Shūsuke Amagi

  Right, he was here working close to the central location. Right now, he was standing, holding a mop and forgetting himself.

  "Layfon."

  "Eh?" he looked at the direction of the voice. "Captain? What is it?"

  "Leerin's fainted."

  ".... Eh?" he said, confused.

  "She must have fainted from the exhaustion in the long journey and her inability to adapt to the new environment. She's in the hospital."

  "Right," his body shook, his face green, but he didn't head straight for the hospital.

  "Not going?"

  "I......."

  "Why can't you accept it?" she felt him hesitating because of the box.

  "You heard it too. I betrayed my father. How can I accept it?"

  "Is that really it?"

  "Yes."

  "Not because you're still angry? Till now........"

  "How could I. There's no such thing!"

  The handle of the mop broke in his hand. His shrill voice echoed in the Mechanical Department and gradually faded. His hands still shook.

  "You're saying this because you don't know! Father did so much for us........."

  "Then why are you ignoring his feeling?"

  Emotions shouldn't govern his actions. Particularly not in this situation. Leerin probably knew that too. But she said those words back then because she felt strongly about it. She had been holding that feeling in the journey to Zuellni.

  "Your adopted father has realized his mistake. But why can't you accept him? Aren't you ignoring his feeling?"

  "That....... Of course I know that," he looked at the ground.

  Nina reached out her hand. "I want you to become strong."

  "Captain."

  "I don't know what you'll choose, but if you're not returning to Grendan and want to stay a Military Artist for a while longer, I want you to become strong. Leerin's right, this isn't Grendan. I can't support you from behind. At present, I can't catch up with you."

  ".........." He seemed to want to say something.

  Nina saw defeat in his eyes. Why did he lose?

  (What?)

  She felt shocked after looking at his eyes.

  (What.......)

  Why did he look like he'd been abandoned?

  "Layfon..... I......"

  "Captain, you......" Instead of saying more, he sped past her.

  "Wait!?"

  But he didn't stop, and she didn't chase after him. The broken handle of the mop was left behind on the floor.

  "Wu!"

  Gorneo kneeled down at the heavy impact of the fist. The time was deep into the night. No one was using the Training Complex. Light spilled out from the training ground of the 5th platoon.

  "Too naive. I thought training outside can improve your naivety. Is this all you can do!"

  Gorneo curled into a ball, as if to vomit the pain in his stomach, but no mercy came from that voice.

  "I'm not yet........" he said, a spasm working into his throat.

  "Yes, yes. Show me your endurance."

  He pushed himself up to face his own brother – Savaris Qaulafin Luckens. Why was his brother here?

  Gorneo was confused when Savaris suddenly appeared in his room. Grendan's Heaven's Blade Successors shouldn't have left the city. But Savaris was here to capture the Haikizoku. How foolish. It was only a rumor that a Haikizoku could realize a Military Artist's dream. Such an elite Military Artist actually left Grendan for a rumor....... But Savaris then explained it to him.

  "This is the Queen's order."

  In that case, he could only believe what Savaris said, believe in the Queen's words. He believed and accepted it even though he was doubtful. And that was what a Queen's existence was like. Consequently, understanding filtered through him now that he believed – about the report of the 17th platoon in the ruined city, the 10th platoon being suddenly disbanded, the doubts over the platoon matches, the appearance of the Mercenary Gang, Zuellni's loss of control. Had these all to do with the Haikizoku? If so, then the Haikizoku was poison to the city, particularly if it was related to Zuellni's rampage.

  Could it be.......

  Grendan continued to drift in danger zones. Was it because it had a Haikizoku? Why did the Queen want it? But.........

  It had been three months since the last meeting with his brother.

  "Come. How long do you plan to keep swaying?"

  What had his brother been doing in three months?

  He stood up, panting as he watched Savaris. That smile was the same as the smile in Grendan, but he could see it had turned older. Gorneo had been in Zuellni for five years now. It wasn't strange for his brother to have grown older. Savaris probably thought the same.

  No, it was easier to say Savaris had forgotten the brother he had five years ago. However, in these three months, Gorneo's brother would train him from time to time. He would come once every 2-3 days or he wouldn't show up for a whole week. He never told him what he did in these three months. Savaris was probably sleeping in the roaming bus of the Mercenary Gang. Layfon and Haia had a duel in the last Military Arts Competition, as if something had planned for them to fight. Was that to do with Savaris too? So he wanted to fight Layfon?

  "Please keep at it. I plan to make you a teacher if you return."

  "What!?" Gorneo said, speechless.

  "I think you should be able to inherit father's name since you've had five years of experience."

  "Hang on. Being a teacher......... There should be people stronger than me. Like Parsen and Denet. And if it's to inherit the Luckens......."

  "Those two are teachers already, and half of the teachers you knew were already dead."

  "How........"

  Savaris told him their death in a frank and refreshing manner. Just like the time when he told him of Gahard's death without considering his feelings.

  "Geez, death is one split moment no matter how long we train. We live in a world of a moment."

  "Brother."

  "Well, in a sense, that's happiness too."

  A shiver ran down Gorneo's spine as he watched his brother. Savaris........ his brother...... this creature......... he had always watched the world in a different light. As if he had returned to the Savaris in Grendan. Everyone looked at the Heaven's Blade Successor, Savaris, with respect. But not Gorneo, who watched him with fear. Every time he looked at his brother, he felt that he was watching a monster, and uneasiness and fear filled him.

  "Brother!" he said in a loud voice to cover up the trembling in himself. "It's natural that you would inherit the Luckens Military Arts."

  "That can't be done. I'm not interested in females."

  "What!?"

  "Aaa, that doesn't mean I'm interested in males. I just don't have much of a concept with sex. I haven't done a check up, but I probably can't produce the next generation. How can someone who can't produce the next generation take over the Luckens' name?"

  What should he say to an older brother like that?

  "So I can only fight. I can only feel good in fights. Aa, so boring! Why is Layfon so lazy? I was so looking forward to it and thought the Haikizoku would get out of control. I thought I can see the power that I once saw in Grendan," he watched the sky.

  "So boring! So peaceful! Damn! Isn't there a place that is more exciting than Grendan? Was that why Lintence came to Grendan?"

  Gorneo didn't understand why he was angry. Savaris wanted to fight something powerful, and it did not matter whether it was a human or a filth monster. He remained the same as when he was in Grendan. Other Military Artists would think this was a Heaven's Blade Successor's wish to improve and become stronger, and that was why he was special in their eyes. But it was hard for Gorneo to live with him as part of the family. Though he knew a Military Artist should become strong, this level of a wish was too much. So he feared his brother.

  Savaris's gaze fell. He must have tidied his emotions now. "So for that purpose, you must at least learn the 72 techniques. We'll leave the others for later.
As for the secret of it... well, try your hardest to feel it with your body."

  Gorneo readied his fighting stance after regulating his breathing.

  "You'll take that girl with you when you return to Grendan, right?"

  "Eh?"

  Shante's shadow surfaced as he was releasing his Kei.

  "An opening!"

  Savaris' fist landed on his brother's nose.

  The helmet fell and shattered as it touched the ground. Shocked by the sound of fury in the air, the medical team of Grendan stood numb, their mission forgotten.

  Strong gust of Kei whipped her long hair around her. Unbelievable cracks spidered across the concrete floor beneath her feet, proof of the Kei released from Cauntia. Blood flowed from her mouth.

  Wearing the heavy armor, Reverse heard her tooth break. She must have gritted her teeth too hard.

  "I actually........" she moaned, and spit out the broken tooth.

  Her coat was heavily damaged. The first high speed attack had split its seams. The second and the third attacks tore the coat further apart. The thin protective coat made to protect against pollutants while allowing maximum movement had its strength drastically reduced. This was of course, as expected. On the contrary, a normal coat would restrict the freedom of movements.

  Cauntia's Kei wasn't used to defend.

  Her fight had a limit of ten attacks. Her coat would be completely destroyed once she went over that limit. Right now, parts of her body were exposed. Pollutants burnt her skin. The medical team was here to treat her, but they couldn't approach due to the Kei surrounding her.

  "Cauntia.......... Cauntia, it's enough. It's already finished."

  Reverse strode straight up to her despite her Kei crashing against his hard armour.

  "Finished?" she looked at him with widened eyes. Fury filled her blood-shot eyes. "What's finished? The battle? Or the meaning of my existence?"

  "Cauntia."

  "Or is that I, for failing the battle, no longer have the right to be a Heaven's Blade Successor?"

  "Cauntia!" he held her hand.

  "We already won."

  "We didn't. We didn't hunt it down!"

  Her hand shook. Was it from anger or reproach? Her tendency to attack affected not only others, but herself too.

  "We didn't take it down but it won't come near Grendan anymore. That means we're done, because we've guarded Grendan."

  "This.....!!" she swallowed her anger. His genuine eyes had taken away her fury.

  "Wu, wu, wu.....!!" she moaned. Kei stopped flooding out. The medical team rushed to her and began treatment.

  "Thanks," someone said to Reverse as he watched the medical team take Cauntia to the hospital.

  This someone was as tall as Cauntia.

  Reverse lifted his head. "Troyatte, is something the matter?"

  "The old woman said that guy's already escaped. It wouldn't be good for that to become a lie."

  Reverse sighed in relief. He made up what he said to Cauntia back then. There weren't any evidences to back up his statement.

  "I was to come here as insurance, but it doesn't look like I can catch up to it. Barmelin should probably have a way to do that. She was making quite a fuss before this too."

  The elimination of the intruders in the Inner Count had left her some bad memories, and she had shut herself in her home since then.

  "Lintence holds no interest in an enemy that has fled. But he's given that guy a name."

  Given a name to the filth monster that had fled Grendan.

  "Yes, the enemy is strong," Reverse nodded, remembering how the humongous monster had sustained zero injuries. He had taken the filth monster's attack with its sharp teeth to protect Cauntia.

  "That doesn't sound convincing, coming from you."

  "That... That can't be."

  "Well, you're Grendan's most prided knight."

  A commotion in the direction where Cauntia had disappeared to.

  "Look, the princess is calling for her knight."

  "Ah, yes, well then..........." he made a bow to Troyatte and stumbled away in a run.

  The handsome man squinted at Reverse. "Ah~~ I also want a lover. I'm already tired of what's limited to a bed."

  He cocked his head. "No, that can't be my fault, right?"

  He left the scene, thinking his conclusion was quite foolish.

  Chapter 3

  Wish

  His mood had gone to the bottom of what was called the "worst" in the past few months. Nothing much had happened since the Military Arts Competition with Myath, but now... Even Layfon was at a loss.

  (Aa, what should I do? I just ran off.)

  The anger in him when he argued with Nina had now faded. Right now, he felt guilty for leaving work and throwing a tantrum at Nina. He walked on the empty road in low spirits.

  Though he wanted to go back, he felt the Captain would chase him all the way to the dormitory. No, perhaps she wouldn't come......

  He strode around his dormitory, saw something shining and went over like a moth attracted to light. It was an area designed for vending machines. It had everything, from drinks and snacks to fast food and cleaning liquid. No wind blew here, as a roof had been constructed over the area. People who stayed late would sometimes sleep here for a night. Tonight, no one was about. Layfon sat down on a long bench.

  "Ha........" he sighed. He wished he could release all the feelings stuffed inside him.

  To hold the Katana again meant he had to inherit Psyharden. His adopted father had forgiven him, and that should make him happier than anything else.

  He shouldn't be unhappy at this.

  He recalled snatches of memories from when he was small. His adopted father was dancing with a weapon in the dojo. In silence, he swung the wooden Katana, his upper body naked. Metal was embedded in the wooden Katana to give it a heavier feel similar to a real Dite. The air vibrated every time he swung the Katana. At the time, the Katana had accidentally hit little Layfon, and he sat down, seemingly paralyzed, but he didn't cry out.

  Layfon watched the air flow enveloping his adopted father's muscles as he swung the Katana. He was also watching the other thing rushing out of Derek.

  Back then, he didn't know that was Kei.

  Having finished practicing, his adopted father smiled at him. No one else was in the dojo. At that time, the dojo was extremely empty. It was simple to count the number of people who came in to train. Most people had joined the other dojos. Derek had already retired.

  "Do you want to hold it?"

  He had said that to Layfon.

  "You're the only Military Artist left in the orphanage. You'll one day hold a Dite and fight for the people of Grendan."

  Layfon took the Katana with both hands. The handle, glistening with sweat, was heavy. Unable to take that weight, he again sat down on the floor. All he could do was fall. Tears fought to fall from his eyes.

  His adopted father smiled and held him up in his arm. "No need to rush. I'll protect you all till you've grown. And after that, it's your turn."

  He had decided from that moment on to hold the Katana. He wanted to become a hero like his adopted father.

  He should be happy. His adopted father willed for him to hold the Katana that he thought he could never touch again. This, however, didn't mean what happened in the past was cancelled. He had tainted the name of a Heaven's Blade. He had betrayed the people of Grendan....... Those things meant nothing for Layfon except for the fact that he had tainted the name of Psyharden. He had insulted the father who had sworn to protect them.

  When he took up the sword, he wanted to let those who wished to study under Psyharden's name to know that he had cut his ties with Psyharden. His actions had gained Derek many students, but later on, the dojo went back to its desolate state. That didn't concern Layfon much as he was plagued by guilt.

  Most of the students came to learn the Psyharden techniques because Layfon was a Heaven's Blade successor. However, that thinking alone was not enough to grasp
hold of the essence of Psyharden. Back then, Layfon knew a Military Artist in the Salinvan Guidance Mercenary Gang also used Psyharden, and that the Gang's reputation had far exceeded that of Grendan's. What he didn't know was that the leader of the Gang was the apprentice of Derek's brother from the same Military Arts school.

  Many people came to learn the Psyharden techniques, but many of them had stopped coming.

  "They're just techniques taught to mercenaries," one of the students said and left the dojo.

  That didn't sit well with Layfon.

  What happened to that person afterwards?

  He remembered seeing him once in a public battle. That was it. If that person was still alive, he must still be fighting in Grendan. If that was the case, he might now realize that he had misunderstood the essence of Psyharden.

  Some people speculated that Layfon had abandoned Psyharden techniques because he was dissatisfied with them. He was angry, but he chose to ignore the speculation. War. War meant survival. It did not have room for contempt and nostalgia. One couldn't fight if one died. And if one died, one could protect nothing. The dead could only return to the earth. What was wrong with that saying? Everyone thought the same way in war.

  "I know what you want to say........" Layfon burst out.

  Yet he wanted to deny it. If he could accept a rational truth, he should have kept calm at the start. But he acted foolishly under the urgency of the situation. As such, he tried his best to keep calm during his fights. That was so he could keep on living. He couldn't lose that feeling.

  He sometimes thought of the teachings of Psyharden even though he didn't hold the Katana.

  Hearing footsteps, Layfon lifted his head, took out his cash card in a fluster and hurried to stand before a vending machine. He didn't want anyone to see him feeling down in the middle of the night, sitting with his head down on a bench.

  While he was deciding on which juice to pick...

  "....... What're you doing?"

  "Eh?"

  Though it was deep into the night, Felli was still in uniform.