"Can't I trust you?"
"Huh?"
"I want to trust Layton."
Looking at her lowered head, this time Layfon had nothing to say. Although her words were within his predictions, the feelings he got when hearing them was unexpected. He had wanted her to believe him, but whether it would go smoothly was uncertain. Anyone else wouldn't have cared. To believe, to trust or not to trust mattered not.
"Th, thanks."
"I've thought of what Layton said. You decided to do that after considering many things, right?"
"Yeah........."
"I wasn't there. About those people who didn't treat you well......I'm angry at them, and I'm also sad......But, I don't understand them. I don't think I can judge them, but......"
When he realized it, Meishen's shoulders were trembling. Her tears darkened her skirt. She was crying.
"Mei......"
"Layton......You've done well," she said as if she was moaning. "You did your best......but they didn't understand you......they're so mean."
"........."
Meishen meant the children at the orphanage. Words defending those kids flashed past Layfon's head. He swallowed them. It wasn't hatred. The feeling was like a defense but either way, they wouldn't forgive him.
If only he was hated.
He said that not long ago to Gorneo. He had the right to hate him. The closest person to Gorneo was Gahard. Gorneo had the right to hate Layfon as Layfon had paralyzed Gahard. He hadn't the right to stop that hatred, which was the same with the children at the orphanage.
So,
"Thank you," came his heartfelt reply to Meishen, who was crying for him.
Thump, thump......The sound of a pulse. Was this Zuellni's voice coming from the liquid flowing in the tubes? No. No. Zuellni denied that. The reason came from somewhere else. Speaking of which......The Electronic Fairy Zuellni did not exist in a human's consciousness. A human's nervous system was too sensitive to be able to manage such a huge city. A human would scream horribly at every single thing. It wouldn't be able to manage the city. So this feeling didn't come from the city itself. What was it.........? The answer came from within the question. What was used as a hearing mechanism was limited only to a certain place. Where could it be besides that place?
Here.
The center of the Mechanical Department. In here. The place that existed for the city's entirety. The Electronic Fairy in the form of a child......That was the city's consciousness. It pondered its feeling of looking at the city, and of managing its own body. Usually, it could clearly feel the boundaries, but now it couldn't remember that feeling and that puzzled Zuellni. But was that really the sense of hearing? It also felt like touch, as if a pulse was shaking it. What was it, that feeling......? Zuellni analyzed its feelings in order to seek the reason behind it, but no results surfaced. It was strange.
When Zuellni broke through its thoughts, it stared at that place. Its gaze pierced through the outer wall of the Mechanical Department, the outer wall of the city to somewhere far away. A place the city must go to.........Anxiety and impatience urged Zuellni on.
"Your stubbornness is really annoying," Kirik said coldly, sitting in a wheelchair.
"Sorry," Layfon said with his head lowered.
A "humph" came from Kirik, contrasting his unhappy attitude with his handsome face.
"I made it for you, but you said you're not gonna use it. This is too tragic."
Both of them looked at the Dites lying on the table. A big Dite in the shape of a stone, and a rod shaped Dite in a leather case. They were the Adamantium Dite and its material. The Alchemy student Kirik, had combined the qualities and shapes that were determined by the combination of materials to make the Adamantium Dite.
"This Dite can turn into sword, thread, gun, long sword, bow and staff, It can take several sword forms......And according to your wish, I had eliminated the variation of a Katana."
"Yes."
"Really........."
Wearing protective gear for outside city use, Layfon listened to Kirik's explanation. He had returned to the dormitory to change his clothes and make his preparations. He now stood at the entrance underneath Zuellni. It was his third time here. The first time was when he had to fight the aged phase filth monster. The second time was when he went to investigate the ruined city. The first time he was alone when he came here. The second time he was with the 5th and the 17th platoons. This third time......
"He, you're holding something interesting~" The new presence stood behind Layfon without hesitation. He frowned.
"This is confidential. Go away," Kirik glared at the newcomer.
"Yeah~" the owner of the presence...... Haia retreated. A number of bikes sat behind him, along with more than ten Military Artists. They were all his subordinates, Military Artists of the Salinvan Guidance Mercenary Gang.
Karian had come to the hospital room a day before the operation.
"Actually, the city's acting strange," he said after putting down the present and greeted Layfon politely.
"Strange?"
"Though the information came from the Mercenary Gang........."
Remembering Haia's face, Layfon's expression turned sour. Haia had been sent to the hospital after that match. He had already recovered but Layfon didn't hear anything of Haia leaving Zuellni.
"Aa, don't show that kind of a face. They're still useful."
"How......Useful?"
"Their strength is needed when it comes to fighting filth monsters. And we have to leave the Haikizoku to them. Of course, that's besides using what they planned in the match."
Layfon didn't know whether there was an easy way to remove the Haikizoku, but he knew Karian was serious about the filth monsters' attack. Layfon understood after having seen the Military Artists of Zuellni fighting the larvae. They had no previous experience in that area. Grendan's Military Artists would have at least seen fights with filth monsters, but not here. As he thought, cities other than Grendan were more peaceful.
"Then........."
"Ah. Their......Their psychokinesist discovered some filth monsters in the path of the city."
"The path of the city?" That puzzled Layfon. If it was at a distance that a psychokinesist could reach, then the city should have taken evasive action.
"It really is strange. At first I doubted it too. Of course, the psychokinesist who discovered it was also doubtful of it. He delayed his report to Haia to spend a few days to observe."
Karian breathed in. The pupils behind his glasses were sharp.
"But the city didn't change its path. It still heads in the same direction, right where the filth monsters are."
"Felli......Has your sister confirmed it?"
"Because it's quite a distance, it was quicker to send the drones out than the flakes. The result came back yesterday." He took out a bag and handed it to Layfon.
Layfon confirmed the content. He had done this before. As expected, the photos were like before, photos of the wild scenery outside the city. In those photos showed numerous things that he had encountered. The dormant filth monsters.
"Aa, right. Let me introduce them~" Haia said to Layfon, pointing at the bikes and people behind himself. This was after Kirik had finished explaining and Layfon had buckled up the weapon harness around his waist.
"He's the psychokinesist. He's my backup."
A tall man waited behind Haia. A hood covered his head and face, and a cape shrouded his body. A mask concealed his face. His hands were hidden in gloves. A piece of cloth wrapped around the head where the mask failed to cover, as if he was careful so not one inch of his skin was exposed.
(This person.........)
He was the psychokinesist who found the filth monsters, the one who discovered the filth monsters earlier than anyone else, and he found them in a distance that required a drone to cover.........If that was true, then his psychokinesis might even be more powerful than Felli's.
"This is Fermaus. His throat doesn't work so he
has to talk through an electronic voice."
"Please look after me." An electronic voice, devoid of its gender origin, sounded above Layfon's head. A flake floated above him.
"He's a genius in psychokinesis, but he also has other special abilities. Because of that, he's to dress like this."
"Special abilities?"
Layfon listened silently, suspicious of Haia's voluntary information. As of a kid who was so proud of something that he had to boast about it, but because it was a secret, Haia said in a low voice, "He can smell filth monsters."
"Smell?"
What? Smelling anything was out of the question once outside the air purification system. The pollutants were enough to blunt and conquer the senses of the entire body. The sense of smell was also paralyzed.
"You don't believe me. I can distinguish by smelling," Fermaus said. "Wolfstein.........You have killed countless filth monsters. I can tell by smelling the remnants of filth monsters left in your body. Other people won't get it, but I do. You've killed many more filth monsters than anyone here. It's my honor to be able to fight with you."
"Uh......That name's already........."
"I see. Excuse me, Layfon-dono," Fermaus lifted his head carefully.
Layfon didn't feel any hatred and rudeness from him. Instead, Fermaus was respectful.
"Hey, hey. I was the one in trouble before. You don't have to use polite terms here."
"That was leader's fault. Although to obtain a thing through any means is passed down from the first generation, this time Wolfstein's......Excuse me, Layfon-dono's provocative action was also unnecessary. If we had explained the danger of Haikizoku to Layfon-dono, he'd have lent a helping hand. But we turned him into an enemy. If Ryuhou was alive, he'd call you a fool."
"Don't bring in the previous generation," Haia said with an annoyed expression.
"No, I have to."
The rest of the Mercenary Gang laughed cheerfully.
Layfon watched them with complicated feelings.
"......Well, it's useless to talk about the past."
"No, please forgive me~" Haia sat down.
"Compared to that, let's talk about me," Fermaus turned to Layfon. "I can smell filth monsters. This is by smelling the stirring in the air when pollutants are breathed in and stored. The dry wind outside the city is caused by the filth monsters' activities and their use of pollutants."
"Ha, Ah........." Even though Layfon had just listened to something grand about filth monsters being able to change the air, all he could do was stand dumbfounded.
"My sense of smell can find the pollutants used by filth monsters."
"But......" Layfon still didn't find Fermaus' words convincing. Even the filth monsters changing the atmosphere didn't feel real to him. It was too hard to comprehend without a basis. The thing was, Fermaus' words just weren't credible enough. Besides, what Layfon thought was most suspicious was......
"I understand. To smell the filth monsters, you've to go outside the air purification system."
"...... Yes," Fermaus slowly lifted his right hand. "People cannot live long under exposure to the pollutants. The body will burn, rot and collapse. My body can't escape that pain. And medical treatment isn't advanced enough to treat injuries of that kind if I'm exposed repeatedly to pollutants." His right hand took the chin of the mask. "But I have a special physique inside me. It might have been born from tolerance. I have a special physique that allows me to live even though I'm exposed to pollutants. If my body's examined, maybe we'll see the day when humans can overcome pollutants in the air."
Fermaus took down the mask. Layfon heard Kirik's swallow. He himself opened his mouth, but no words came forth.
"But the price might be to become someone like me," he said.
Fermaus' skin was dark as charcoal and ribboned with red veins. His nose had collapsed. His eyelids were gone. The white eyeballs looked ready to fall out of their sockets. Dry lips cracked. Layfon could see his perfect white teeth that contrasted with his lips. This was a face of someone who could live through continuous exposure to pollutants, unable to receive any treatment because modern medicine wasn't advanced enough.
"Please believe in my sense of smell. Her Majesty also acknowledges it."
Fermaus put the mask back and bowed deeply to Layfon.
The whistle sounded in the war field. Besides the psychokinesist, only four people in the 17th platoon were left to fight. The 1st platoon had six. However, the fighting power wasn't that unequal taking into consideration that the 1st platoon was leaving one or two people to defend their flag. In actuality, Felli's report showed the 1st platoon did leave two people for defense.
Nina and her team took action when the siren sounded. Nina took the left rear, followed by Naruki. The 17th platoon was on the offensive. The team would lose if Nina, as captain, was defeated. Showing this weakness was to attract the attacks over to Nina's side, and it worked. Vance had sent a number of good fighters to track her.
"Bad strategy......" Vance said, his huge body suddenly blocking her forward momentum. The staff spun in his hand, creating a storm of Kei. His other teammates gathered round and sealed off Nina's path.
"Bad strategy or not...... Talk of it later!" she roared and blocked the staff with the iron whips. Her foot sank into the ground at the impact of the assault. She used external Kei to bounce back the staff, and dove for Vance's front. The staff was a longer ranged weapon, so a close quarters fight would reduce its effectiveness. As expected, Vance's teammates moved as if to make Nina back off.
Naruki's rope shot in and wrapped around the sword of the Military Artist on Vance's right, stopping his movement. Still, they were two against one............Still a disadvantage for Nina. Vance was a better fighter than her. He had had more experience as a senior student, having fought in the Military Arts Competition and numerous other inter-platoon matches. But Nina's fight with Vance was to draw the attention of the 1st platoon. The strategy to move forward for a decisive fight was to create an opening for Dalshena. She boldly swung her iron whips at Vance.
Vance fought her at close range, looking as if he was releasing his strength without holding back, and also looking as if he had become smaller for the fight. Chased away from Vance's front area, Nina attacked his teammates behind him. Body bent, she blocked a sword with her left iron whip and stood up. She heaved him over her shoulder in Vance's direction.
"Wa!"
Vance pulled close to Nina to avoid his teammate's body. He didn't look once at his team member. Using external Kei, Nina jumped backwards to retreat. Vance rushed in, his staff pointed forward to attack. Nina had the disadvantage as she was in midair.
In one moment, Vance's body seemed to shrink, retrieving the staff. And Nina then felt the speed of the staff that she failed to see. Her iron whips bounced off Vance's weapon, and a heavy impact landed on her chest. She was thrown into the air.
"Captain!"
The disappearance of Nina from her sight pulled Naruki's gaze over. In that one swift moment, the rope in her hand loosened. The enemy team member seized that chance. By the time Naruki's gaze returned to him, he was right beside her.
"What!"
"So naive, newcomer!"
"Ah!"
External Kei hit Naruki and sent her sliding out. She wanted to climb back up but her body was paralyzed. The commentator announced she was out of the match. Everyone thought the same conclusion would be made for Nina, but reality spoke differently.
"Huh!"
Dust clouded the place where Nina had landed. Soil particles fell onto the ground. A shadow flew out of the dust cloud.
Variation of internal Kei: Kongoukei.
Using all of her strength, Nina had used Layfon's skill to block Vance's attack. After blocking Vance, she had leapt over his head to defeat Naruki's enemy. She also defeated the other member of the 1st platoon.
The commentator couldn't make a conclusion to the fight, and more cheering and shouts roiled down from the audience stand.
".........It's not finished."
"You've become strong........." In response to Vance's fighting stance, Nina readied her own as she moved.
"Is it because of that guy's influence?"
"It's not my personality to rely on others," she declared.
"I see. So that guy's thinking. It's moving in a good direction."
Vance meant Karian, the person who knew of Layfon's past. He switched Layfon from General Studies into Military Arts, and put him into Nina's team. The 17th platoon's real beginning was when Nina's determination aligned with Karian's thinking.
"I'm grateful to the Student President...... But what went after that was my own path."
"Not a bad response," Vance said. "I can fight you more......though that's what I wanted to say." Regret filled his voice.
"It's the end."
A change occurred on the front line of the 1st platoon. Intense light burnt Nina's eyes, and the sound of explosions drowned the cheering of the crowd.
"This is!?" she said, forgetting Vance was in front of her.
"They've put in a flake mine in the ground......We got tricked," Felli's guilty voice came through her flake.
Dalshena was free to choose her own timing for when to attack. When did she move......? Seemed to be when the crowd cheered. If that was the case, then the target of the explosion was Dalshena.........
"......... They got through our opening when our vision was sealed."
Next was Felli, relaying how the 1st platoon defeated them.
Nina didn't think the flake mine would finish off Dalshena, but the number of flakes was large, and the light and the rumble of the explosion were unexpectedly overwhelming......... They couldn't do much under that situation.
"And I'm here to stop you while the others take out Sharnid and that guy's sister...... I was to play with you during that time."
Emotional Howl Page 8
