The commotion that had gone on for quite a while had died down. Minse didn't think Layfon was defeated as he hadn't felt a Kei stronger than a Heaven's Blade successor. This meant Layfon and his comrades had hidden themselves. Though he wasn't that happy with Layfon, the commotion had not spread. That was good news in this situation. Anything happening right now was not normal. Something huge would certainly take place later. The action of the Wolf Faces had pointed to it. Instead of finding the path to the Inner Court as usual, the Wolf Faces had directly taken a mission to assassinate the Heaven's Blades.... The more correct reason was that they wanted to eliminate the power of the Heaven's Blade successors. Their purpose must be preventing the Heaven's Blades from exercising their full strength in the coming battle.

What he was sure of was that something huge was about to occur.

A huge ruckus at this time wasn't welcome. Minse and the others didn't have the strength to stop Layfon so it was better to honestly let him in.

"Anyway, you ought to stay here and receive treatment."

"I know. If my wrist isn't put back the right way, I can't do anything I want. Aa, but I still want to fight one more time. I heard it can be treated by dusk. One more time...."

Minse shook his head and left the room. As he left, he thought he wanted to return earlier but it had to be at this time that he met the person who halted his steps.

"What an unexpected meeting."

Minse failed to utter a word as this was a very special person. The peaceful atmosphere exuding from this person didn't crack apart as the person watched Minse from the wheelchair. It was impossible for this old lady not to know Minse was here.

He tried to speak with the old woman.

"It's unusual to see you, Delbone-dono."

This was the hospital Delbone slept in. Not only that. Savaris, who had sustained injuries in Zuellni, was treated here too. Though it wasn't impossible to meet with her in this hospital, the old lady before Minse had always been sleeping, acting through her power of Psychokinesis alone. Hence Minse never thought he'd meet the real person.

"Hoho. One of my grandchildren has been admitted into the hospital so I'm preparing to meet her. It's a grandchild who hasn't been back a long while. It lacks warmth to speak with her only through the flake."

"She's a fortunate grandchild."

"Did you come to visit too, Minse?"

"I'm here to visit Claribel. You should already know?"

"Sometimes I too want to pretend I don't know anything."

"Though I don't know which grandchild of yours is injured, but is it someone that I know?"

No one knew Delbone's real age but most of her numerous grandchild were Psychokinesists. Even her great-grandchildren worked as Psychokinesists. Most of the mainstream Psychokinesists in Grendan were her direct descendants. Delbone, who held all information of Grendan, was not just simply a Heaven's Blade successor.

"No. I don't think Minse knows her. She left Grendan when she was very small. She only returned recently."

"There is such a person? But speaking of which, can she be in Zuellni?"

"Yes. She met the commotion while passing through Zuellni but she was injured before that, and it wasn't life-threatening."

"Really? Then that's good."

"Yes. Either way, she's the grandchild I care for the most. I'm really happy."

Minse could only think of her as a kind and approachable old lady as he looked at her expression.

"I hope your grandchild can be safely discharged."

"Thank you. Ah, and also, Her Majesty hasn't noticed this commotion yet. His infiltration and Claribel's personality are all within predictions. Please rest at ease."

"......Seems I can sleep better. Thank you."

"There's no need. I've got to go now."

"Yes, goodbye."

He watched Delbone wheel the wheelchair past him then he headed for the exit of the hospital.

He smacked his lips as he felt the sweat left on his head. He already knew. This shouldn't be surprising. Delbone's Psychokinesis had always been covering this city. It was impossible for her not to know of anything that happened in this city. What was terrifying was the existence of a Psychokinesist like Delbone. Nothing would happen to this city so long as she lived. She knew before anyone else the nearing of filth monsters. Perhaps her sensing speed of filth monsters was even faster than Electronic Fairies. Minse was grateful for that. Also, Grendan's political climate had always been stable. The even better thing was that in Grendan existed the Heaven's Blade successors led by the Queen. As such, no one had truly experienced the Queen's terror.

She possessed an overwhelming power. And she also had the best information gatherer with her, Delbone. It was reality that these two were cooperating. One wrong step might turn into a terrifying dictatorship that no one could resist. It was good now because the Queen and Delbone had the same aim. The city's economy was stable. There wasn't much commotion in the lives of normal citizens. But if one out of these three points was to break down, then symptoms of the other two points collapsing might appear.

Minse had this premonition.

Minse's family had fallen because of his connection with Layfon. He wasn't all that good as a Military Artist and that had changed his past naivety. He could see the cruel reality much more clearly. That might explain why he was more tired. He could only be chased by all sorts of realities as he didn't have the clear goal of being a Military Artist.

So he thought this city was dangerous.

The Queen. Delbone. The normal citizens living their stable lives.

These three points. One of them would collapse. He thought of it a bit and felt that reality wasn't that far off.

"Uh, I'm thinking of useless things again."

He pressed down the hair blown messy by the wind as he complained, then he jumped for his own home.

Delbone rounded the corner and entered a patient's room after parting with Minse. The scenery inside the room was no different from others. The walls and floor were white. One bed was in the room along with an essential cabinet and a refrigerator storing food and drinks...... What was left was the machine observing the patient's condition.

The patient on the bed was connected to a drip. But bandages wrapped up this patient's entire body.

(Grandmother......)

The patient was holding a heavy Diamond Dite. Three flakes hovered above the bed. It was difficult to discern the gender of the electric voice that echoed in the room.

"It's been a long while, Elsmau."

Delbone smiled, watching the person on the bed. But she couldn't tell his expression as he was wrapped in bandages. Only in this room had Delbone decided not to use Psychokinesis.

(How have you been?)

"I'm very happy we can meet even now."

(I thought it wouldn't be possible.)

"Because you think I'd die first?"

(I've never wanted grandmother to die...... I just thought I'd die in battle before we meet.)

"Ryuhou Gadge must be a Military Artist more incredible than I imagined. I can feel you've been in many battles through your Psychokinesis. You've accumulated much experience."

(Thank you.)

Silence suddenly came but it didn't bring any dissatisfaction to Delbone. She was only giving her grandchild enough time to remember his past.

The medical bandages were blue and they were wrapped around Elsmau's entire body, even his eyes. This was the grandchild Delbone was watching. He said this price had allowed him to resist pollutants. Though, his appearance was the exchange.

(Grandmother....)

"I'm happy you've agreed to the operation. Though I'm interested in your special ability, a girl should still take care of her own appearance. Else you'd lose what you've obtained with so much effort."

(I'm not thinking of that anymore....)

"Elsmau."

(I've already given up that name.)

"Then pick it back up. Elsmau. You, who haven't given up the family name of Fermaus has the right to pick it up."

(But he......)

"Then take it that he also wishes for it."

Silence came again but Delbone didn't let it stay for long this time.

"What to do with the Mercenary Gang has already been decided. The suitable reward has also been prepared. They will accept the reward. It's up to them individually for staying in Grendan as a Military Artist or become a traveler once more."

(I see....)

"But you will not return to the Mercenary Gang?"

Silence.

"Ryuhou Gadge's adopted son is the one to inherit his will. But he's not here."

(........)

"I've already heard of him. What an unexpected meeting. But no inheritor appeared after losing the leader. The organization has already died at that time."

(That's true. I understand.)

"But even though the organization is dead, even though the Psychokinesist named Fermaus is also dead, you've something you can do, something that Elsmau can do."

(What do you anticipate of me?)

Delbone paused and breathed in deeply. A very deep breath. It felt like she had waited a long time to say this. She had scolded Tigris for that. It was like a child who should have already died but did not. Not because she was a woman, but because of her experience as a mother and a grandmother. She herself had not hardened her heart and made a calm decision at that time; that was why she had persisted with the naivety of leaving it to fate.

Everything was for the sake of waiting for the right timing so she could say what she was about to say.

"I want you to inherit my everything."

Soundless impact hammered her granddaughter's entire body. Delbone quietly watched her reaction.

(Why let me......)

"Though I don't know your personality, I'm also a person. I can stretch the limit of my flesh but it's not possible to do so for my brain and Kei vein."

(But......)

Elsmau wanted to move but she couldn't. The drip contained different nutrients and also numbing medicine. The content was necessary for the upcoming operation.

So she couldn't move on the bed.

Even though she would not die by directly contacting the pollutants and she could sense the coming of filth monsters through her sense of smell, the Psychokinesist of the Salivan Guidance Mercenary Gang, Fermaus, was a female. As a female, she had chosen this kind of road. This was all done to meet the man named Ryuhou Gadge. She left Grendan when she was still a girl, entering her days of battle. It was the same to stay in Grendan if all she sought were battles. But it was different with the Mercenary Gang. They had the quality that differed from Military Artists who fought in the city.

The end result was the birth of the Psychokinesist named Fermaus.

(Why is it me? If you're to choose from the family, besides me......)

"Not that I have to choose from my family. But I can't find anyone suitable. Besides, the other people know me too well. You who have always been outside are different."

(Even so, my power of Psychokinesis is not of grandmother's level.... If that's the case, I think that girl is more suitable.)

"Girl?"

(The girl I met in Zuellni.)

"That girl. Ah, true, that girl has excellent talent. Even now she's trying to interfere with my flake. She's very cute. I'm letting her deceive herself now."

Delbone couldn't help but smile, thinking of the first time she met that girl. The troubled expression she held because of her immense power. Delbone had also gone through such a stage. Why could something so simple change her fate? This doubt only vanished till her father's death, when she decided to follow in her father's footsteps. She couldn't remember why she changed her mind. It was something very important but she failed to remember it. Delbone had consciously sealed off some of her memories or sealed them off. She had also buried her memories of how she came to live in Grendan.

For having lived over hundreds of years, she had numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She found it more interesting to look at her future rather than relying on her memories to support her. This was the truth. What happened in the past was no longer important for her.

But the little memory she recalled had strangely overlapped with that girl. It was a reality that Delbone held goodwill towards that girl.

"It would have been good if she could stay beside me and I could nurture her for a year."

(Then....)

"But I don't think that's what she wishes. Besides, the time I have left is less than one year."

(No way....)

"A human life is unexpectedly fragile."

Looking at Elsmau who held a not-knowing-what-to-do expression, Delbone decided to leave it at that. Besides, Elsmau had just returned to Grendan and she also needed to undergo the operation. Her feeling must be unstable. It wouldn't be good to be too impatient.

"But it's true that I don't have much time left so I hope you don't take too long considering it. Please don't see me go before the result is out."

(......I understand.)

Delbone had conveyed her intention. That was enough.

She blessed her granddaughter and left the room.

◇

It was coming.

Layfon stood on the spot, spaced out. The girl appearing from behind the door and carrying a shopping basket, Lucia, had walked straight to him. Layfon didn't move as he was shocked but Lucia only stayed surprised for a very short moment. She had then walked straight to him.

historical

Ah, she's coming. That was what Layfon thought.

If he was to evade, no, if it was Layfon, he could avoid it subconsciously. But the fist in front of her long and delicate hand had landed on his head.

"Uu......"

Lucia was a normal female. Even so, it still hurt enough for him to voice it.

"You, geez, just what did you do?"

Layfon touched the place he got hit and couldn't say anything.

"I decided to buy something, thinking the commotion has stopped. Who knew you'd be here. Did you cause that commotion?"

"Even if it's me, I didn't do it because I like it...."

"As I thought, it's you."

Layfon got hit once more and he just sat down on the ground.

"Listen to me, Lucia-neesan."

Tears leaked from the corner of his eyes. Was this a habit? Or was it formed subconsciously due to a childhood habit? Layfon looked at Lucia with an expression as if he was wronged.

But his sister was heartless.

"I don't have the time. I'm very busy now. Anyway, just go inside. There won't be enough things at home if I don't go shopping. No. Wait a minute. You guys smell. Go and take a shower first."

Shopping took the priority over her little brother. Lucia pointed at the house she emerged from and left them.

"What an incredible sister...."

This was Sharnid's conclusion. Everyone in here probably held the same conclusion.

And that wasn't the only surprising event for the three.

After entering Lucia's house honestly, they heard loud crying.

"It's a baby's crying voice."

"A baby's here."

"Seems so."

Felli and Sharnid confirmed the situation from the word exchange with each other. On the other hand, Layfon seemed surprised about hearing a baby's cry. Of course, this wasn't the only surprising thing. Suddenly, someone headed for them from the direction of the cry. The closer the person was, the louder the crying.

And....

"Ah, Lucia. Did you forget something? It's good that you're here. This child just keeps crying. I wonder whether he might be feeling uncomfortable......"

The person holding the child suddenly stopped all movement.

She looked at Layfon and the other two.

And Layfon, Felli and Sharnid all looked at the girl.

Then all four spoke out.

"Why are you here!?"

The child in Nina's arms was still crying.

The child was passed around and it stopped crying the moment it was in Layfon's arms.

The three of them took turns taking a shower. The clothes that Layfon and Sharnid wore underneath their fighting clothes seemed to smell clean, so they kept wearing it. Felli had taken Lucia's clothes without permission and now wore it.

"Why......?"

Nina glared at Layfon with dissatisfaction.

"That child must have felt your tension."

Layfon knew of the real reason, even though Nina put it that way. Even a baby had people that he liked and disliked. This was normal for Layfon who had experience looking after his siblings at the orphanage. Even so, the way Nina held the baby was very dangerous.

Layfon and the others were in the living room. The baby's cradle was also here. All the tools were available. Lucia must be looking after the child here.

"No. Let's just put aside that problem for now......" Sharnid said with an exhausted expression though he understood her bitterness.

They came here to rescue Nina but they never thought they'd see her so easily, and she was looking after a baby. Looking at the reality of her being kidnapped, Sharnid could never imagine her looking after a child as one of the possibilities. He would really want to meet with the person who let her do this. Just how did Nina come to be in these circumstances? He didn't get it.

Layfon wasn't the only one perplexed. Sharnid was the same so he couldn't blame him.

"Layfon, let me hold the child too."

"Don't ignore me!"

"It's noisy here."

Not only was Felli ignored but he was scolded by Nina. Sharnid wanted to cry but no tears fell. Layfon didn't know what to do. Anyway, best first give the child to Felli.

"So light...."

"He's still just a child. About three months old."

"Don't cry."

The baby let Felli hold him with his head on Felli's face. His hand moved on her shoulder, caressing her silvery hair.

"His neck has enough muscles. It's easy to hold him."

"Then why was he crying when I held him?" Nina glared at Layfon.

"Because you were trembling, right?"

"What did you say?"

"You were tense? He didn't want to be held by someone tense."

"Uh......"

"For someone who came to Grendan and had to look after a baby, it's inevitable that she'd be tense."

Felli held nothing back in her words that were sharp like a blade. Even Layfon could feel the thorns in her words. Suddenly speechless, Nina didn't know what to do.

"Then what are you doing here?"

"How should I put it...."

"We want to know the reason behind it. Why is someone who had been kidnapped looking after a baby in an unfamiliar house. And it's someone who can't even cook."

"Cooking. Out of all the areas, I don't want you to criticize me on my cooking!"

Felli and Nina talked to each other as she held the baby. Layfon and Sharnid exchanged a glance.

"What should we do?"

"Anyway, it's useless till the two of them have calmed them."

"Then......"

"Escape. Escape. There's no other choice but to run away from a woman's fight."

"Ah......"

Layfon found his observation very correct. He was concerned about the baby but he'd get their attention if he took the baby from Felli. Besides, the baby didn't seem dissatisfied to be held by her.

"Then let's escape!"

"Yes."

The two of them sneaked their conversation behind the other two and slowly prepared to leave the living room.

The sound of a door being opened came to them. Footsteps headed straight for the living room.

"I've come back. Ah, it's good that I made it back in time. Really, I missed the sale for diapers because of a certain idiot."

Lucia was back. One hand held a bag of diapers, the other held a shopping basket full of food.

"....What are you doing?"

"Uh...."

"Preparing to escape a war between women."

"Don't do something that foolish. Layfon, come and help with the cooking."

"Ah, yes."

"You two. If you got time then come and help."

"Uu...."

"........"

"Huh? What is it?"

"They don't know how to cook," Sharnid said as Lucia was perplexed with their attitude.

"Sharnid......"

"I don't want to be told of that by you."

"Huh? Me? I can make small dishes."

"What!?"

"Impossible........"

Sharnid responded to the question with a matter of fact expression. His attitude shook the certitude in Nina and Felli.

"But in the camp before......"

"I didn't think I needed to help having looked at Layfon and Meishen's cooking."

"Uu...."

"What the. The ones who can't cook are the girls? I can't look at this anymore," Lucia criticized the embarrassed girls without softening.

"Never mind. Layfon and I will take care of the cooking. You guys just help me look after little Maru. Ah, that's right. First change his diaper."

Not only the girls, but Sharnid also wasn't familiar with this term diaper. But Lucia smiled at their anxiety.

"It's something you have to do anyway. Why not learn it now?"

Lucia's kitchen gave Layfon a familiar feeling even though the place had changed. This was a feeling he had once he stood here. He knew what she wanted to make just by looking at the ingredients in her shopping basket. He took out the vegetables from the basket and made the appropriate preparations for cooking. Lucia didn't say anything after looking at him. His must have made the right guess.

The baby.... Layfon heard from Lucia that the baby's name was Marukuto.... From behind came the confused voices of Sharnid, Felli and Nina and the baby's dissatisfied crying.

"You look to be in good spirits......" Lucia said as she chopped the vegetables. "It seems you also have your own friends. This is better than anything because your social abilities are just too horrible."

"Are you still mad, Nee-san?"

Layfon looked at her as he peeled off the skin of the vegetables. Her arms and legs were delicate. Her face was proper. She would be a beauty if she was to put some make-up on. But she didn't seem interested. She exuded a manly feel rather than a woman's. Her personality was quite casual and even her clothes leaned towards a male's. Lucia was raised in the same orphanage as him. She had left for work when Layfon was still in Grendan.

Lucia was the one who used to cook for Layfon and the others and change their diapers. Layfon grew up looking at her back and he had learned how to cook from her. Though the place had changed now, the person who used it hadn't. The knives and bowls were placed in the same positions. Same for the herbs. It was the same as the past. Layfon once again remembered the nostalgic past in here.

"Rather than being mad, I had given up. You aren't good at socializing. And now you suddenly went on a rampage after a conversation. What can I do except give up on you?"

"Uu......"

"Besides, for those brats who were affected by you, it's inevitable that they hate you after being betrayed."

"Seems so......"

"But you shouldn't keep worrying about it. The magazine wrote an unexpectedly detailed report on the underground matches. The public's condemnation on you has quickly disappeared because of it. The condemnation is pushed onto society. I think there was some manipulation of information. Anyway, those brats know of this, and thanks to it, our foster father could reopen the dojo. Do you know about him opening the dojo?"

"Yeah, I already heard of it."

"From Leerin?"

"Yeah...."

"Geez, I don't know whether to say that child is spirited or stubborn...... Anyway, have you two met?"

"You haven't heard?"

"What?"

Layfon looked behind him. The three of them still hadn't managed to change the diaper. Lucia said angrily. "That child will catch a cold!" and made the three more confused and tense.

"So what's happened? I haven't heard anything from Rui."

"She was in Zuellni till now......"

For her to use the name Rui so casually. As he thought, that girl was.... and if that's the case, Nee-san had.... Layfon continued his explanation as he pondered.

About Leerin coming to Zuellni and Derek leaving him the Psyharden Katana. About the commotion a few days back and about the Queen bringing Leerin back to Grendan.

"She was brought back by Her Majesty? Why would she do that?"

"I don't know either. Her Majesty didn't tell me anything and Leerin also told me not to get involved......"

And he had denied her request but he couldn't do anything. All he saw was the distance of strength between him and Lintence.

"So that's why you came? Really. The most famous and the most flustered person in the orphanage is you. Are you still rolling down the slope of life?"

He couldn't retort to her words as he felt the same.

Looking at him, she sighed helplessly.

"You're here now but you still have such an expression. Ah, I think I might understand why Leerin said what she said."

"Eh?" He was surprised.

"And......?"

If she knew and understood, he also wanted to know and understand.

He still couldn't believe himself of that time. Why did Leerin refuse his help? He knew she wasn't someone who would casually ask for help as it would bring trouble to others. He was very clear about her personality. But the Leerin of that time was different. He felt she was wholeheartedly denying him.

Why was she denying him? Did Nee-san understand?

Then......

Lucia looked behind her and saw the three had safely changed the baby's diaper. She sighed in relief.

"You.... Did you plan to rescue the girl called Nina too?"

"Eh? Ah, yes......"

"Then you've already reached your goal. Return to Zuellni."

"Eh?"

"Perhaps you don't have to see Leerin anymore."

Something seemed to be blowing about madly in his heart as he heard those words though he himself wasn't sure what it was.

◇

Gorneo was feeling the wind.

After that event.... Gorneo had been chasing after Shante after the fight with the numerous giants in front of the secret research laboratory of Zuellni. He had kept chasing her and finally arrived at Grendan. He missed the opportunity to enter Grendan due to ill luck. While feeling frustrated and wondering how to get in, he saw several Military Artists of the Luckens School in the crowd and had successfully entered Grendan thanks to them.

Shante might have escaped successfully but the only place to escape was Zuellni.

As long as this was insi-->>

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