de Grendan, there must exist the Luckens people. Though one person did not have to belong to one single school, many Military Artists came to this city to study the Luckens hand to hand combat skills in addition to their skills in weaponry.

Besides, Gorneo didn't think Shante had returned to Zuellni. In that case, it was more efficient to search for her in Grendan.

"......"

As such, he had returned to a home that he had left for five years and now he was standing here. The tomb in Grendan.

The family tomb where each family member was buried. Before the tomb stood the wooden plaque carved with names. The most recent dead were carved on the wood and the plaque was to be buried many years after. It was impossible to make a tomb just for one person on limited soil. Tombs of families that did not produce any progeny were immediately disposed of.

The wooden plaque before Gorneo had the name Gahard Baren carved on it. Gorneo had heard of Gahard Baren's death from Savaris. And he had heard of the truth behind Gahard and Layfon after returning to Grendan.

He finally knew of the truth.

He could not hate Layfon anymore after knowing the truth.

"You chased after my brother too much......"

Savaris, a representative of one chasing after desire and fight was the condensed product of the spirit of Grendan's Military Artists. Gahard Baren wanted to be like him. Originally, for a large school like Luckens, problematic children like Savaris shouldn't have been allowed to be born. Even Gorneo, as his brother, thought so. Other disciples in the school were influenced by Savaris, thinking they may become like him as long as they kept honing their skills. Gahard was second to Savaris.

Perhaps Gorneo, who escaped from Grendan to Zuellni, did not hold a common feeling with other Military Artists. He probably became like this because he found his brother scary and that he would never match his brother. And perhaps his thinking to chase after powerful strength had been taken by his older brother. Perhaps Savaris had taken away this gene passed from their father.

And because of that, he had never thought of surpassing Savaris. Or he could say that this imagination held no meaning. Perhaps the thought of never surpassing Savaris had entered his subconscious as he had always been around Savaris, feeling the strong pressure from him. This was probably an easily explainable problem from a doctor or scientist's viewpoint.

But Gorneo didn't care for the reason anymore. The attraction to Savaris that stimulated a desire for strength had caused Gahard to take the wrong path. Or one could say he had used the wrong method to reach his goal. Gorneo felt the wind while standing before the tomb of the brother he respected.

This wasn't the wind blowing past him.

This was the wind howling in his heart.

He had been clashing with something inside his heart in the ruined city. This feeling had been clinging to him till he realized his fury had calmed. To put it simply, his fury had gradually died. The hatred he held for Layfon disappeared bit by bit and what was left was confusion and a little bit of anger.

(This isn't the time for this.)

He stood a while before the tomb and left. This wasn't the time to look into the emptiness inside his heart.

He had to find Shante. That was why he returned to Grendan.

"Really. Just how much more do I have to do."

He complained as he thought of the reason behind the missing Shante.

Why did she suddenly head for Grendan?

She was originally a perplexing girl. She was raised by wild beasts in the Forest City Erupa for some reason so sometimes her actions were like that of a beast. Her actions weren't suitable to a human society.

Remembering this, Gorneo recalled how he got into trouble for tidying up the commotions she caused. But her action this time. How should he put it? It felt different from usual. Her actions till now were difficult to fathom from a human's viewpoint but it made more sense looking from a beast's viewpoint such as shouting at the moon because one couldn't sleep at night or chasing after the mutated mice that had escaped the Farming course. This was the same for incredible events that involved the City Police as this was the habits of the wild beasts that raised Shante in Erupa.

In that case, something unbelievable must have happened during that time.

Gorneo's physique wasn't huge compared to normal people despite his being blocky and large. But Shante usually sat on his shoulders. That was how delicate and small she was. But at that time, Shante's small body had undergone unbelievable growth after touching the Heartseer fruit that was native to Erupa. Though that body might match that of her age, it might even have surpassed a body of her original age. What had Layfon said back then?

He seemed to have said she was being restricted. Her Kei vein was restricted and that restriction was released after she touched Heartseer. Shante regaining her original body size proved Layfon's speculation might be correct. Just what created that problem though? No. Layfon's speculation was not enough to explain the scene back then.

Layfon and Gorneo who had lived in Grendan could accept the explanation of the flesh being restricted. Internal Kei could control the growth of the body to some degree and kept the body in its best condition. And what if a greater power was used? Such as a Heaven's Blade or the Queen's strength that surpassed a Heaven's Blade? He heard the Queen retained her girl form though she had lived many years. But he had never heard of the Queen suddenly turning from a woman into a girl. It was possible to suppress growth but it shouldn't possible in Shante's case that involved speedy growth and shrinking. Bones, muscles and internal organs shouldn't be able to change so suddenly. Kei wasn't magic. It couldn't not leave any traces and it couldn't make anything appear from nothing.

The changes on Shante at that time was like magic — a phenomenon that wasn't possible. Was this related to those strange guys that appeared beside Shante? Those guys hadn't appeared since then but would they appear now? Did Shante come to Grendan because of them?

"Damn."

Not that he only thought of this now. He had thought of it many times since arriving in Grendan. It was difficult to fathom her actions. Though she would attack without orders, she had never left Gorneo in a battle without saying a word. Her action at that time was different.

The current abnormal event and the past abnormal situations overlapped and gave an answer. This answer might not be right but it wouldn't be strange to arrive at it.

"Just where did she run off to?"

Not simply talking to himself, one could clearly feel the anxiety and impatience in his words.

The sun had traded position with the night sky. There seemed to be a commotion somewhere but it had died down. Gorneo's numerous journeys of running under Grendan's night sky began in order to find Shante.

◇

Everyone quieted down after dinner.

"I think you guys have a lot to say so I'll return to the workroom."

Lucia carried the child and entered the workroom.

"Speaking of which, what does that nee-san do?" Sharnid said.

"She's a Dite Technician," Layfon answered. Perhaps she was influenced by their foster father, Lucia was very interested in Dites. She became an apprentice early in age. She also looked after Layfon and the siblings in the orphanage everyday as she was female. But now she had her own workroom.

"That's incredible."

She had used practice as excuse to adjust Layfon's Dite before he became a Heaven's Blade successor.

"Then let's end the conversation of that topic here," Sharnid tossed his gaze at Nina.

Layfon and Felli also looked at her.

"Though it's not bad to find you so easily, we still want to know what happened if possible."

"......"

Nina lowered her head, thinking something.

"And if possible please don't say it's a secret? I don't dislike you but I can't give my life for secrets. Either way, you're our Captain."

Nina had gone missing after the match with the 1st platoon and she had then suddenly appeared. Sharnid was obviously talking about that event. At that time, Nina hadn't mentioned anything about her whereabouts.

"I'm sorry......"

She still didn't say anything more.

"Captain, I'm tired of these things happening all of a sudden. Isn't it about time you tell us the truth and let us judge it?"

"That truth...... I think I might know of it...."

"What did you say......?"

"I didn't mean to hide it. I didn't even understand all those things that happened after the match with the 1st platoon. I just thought you guys would get caught in something troublesome if I told you so I didn't say anything."

"Get caught in something troublesome?"

"Even I myself am not clear on why I said that. I didn't say the reason back then but now I understand it so I can tell you everything."

"Heh~ Isn't that great?"

"But I don't have the evidence to prove it...... If I got it wrong you guys might get caught in it, get involved in this eternal war, even so...."

"Don't be so cold. We...."

"This is very important."

Her intense attitude made Sharnid swallow his words.

"This war might be related to Zuellni, no, it must be related to something bigger after this. I can't win against a Heaven's Blade successor even after obtaining the Haikizoku's power. But the senpai in this war has got me involved in it. I don't think I can win against that person. In fact, I lost to him."

"Just what're you saying?"

"This is a battlefield associated with someone that strong. If you guys got caught in it, even you might die. Please give it careful thought and consider whether you are up to it. If not, please return to Zuellni. The deadline is tomorrow morning."

"Hey, wait up. Are you saying you're not returning to Zuellni?"

Sharnid felt it from Nina's words. Layfon thought so too.

"No, I'll return. But that's after I've witnessed what'll happen in Grendan."

"Hey, hey, do you understand what you just said?"

Sharnid's expression was helpless. Felli too, the tiny changes of her eyebrows after hearing her words showed her disapproval. Nina's thought was different to Sharnid and the team's. This was now clear.

"And what is that for?"

"The things that are to happen in Grendan will be like the ending of the series of strange events in Zuellni. From the Haikizoku to Zuellni going on a rampage to the recent fights and all that will happen. The end of all that will happen in Grendan. I can't not witness it."

"Is this intelligence real?"

"Whether it's true or not can only be told after it's happened. So it's also possible that only I've been deceived."

"What if Zuellni takes action while you're waiting?" Felli raised a new question.

Zuellni's machines were repairing the city while they were here. Layfon and they didn't know whether the city would move before they left it. This involved Zuellni's self-repair ability. It might move ahead of schedule.

"Would you return on a roaming bus? I shouldn't be saying this but the Military Arts Competition hasn't entirely ended. Everyone has also taken a beating in the previous fight. No one can tell under this circumstance that the 17th platoon has left the formation. Or is this what you're expecting?"

Felli added a few more questions in her explanation that she said in a faint voice.

"To hear of the Military Arts Competition from you...."

"I'm not interested. But I deliberately reminded you as you didn't seem to have thought of it."

Nina could only smile bitterly. The wrinkles between Felli's eyebrows showed her disapproval.

"Disregarding everything except for what lies before my eyes.... Perhaps I'm really like that," she said. She wasn't angry. She just smiled bitterly. "But I think I'll regret it if I don't witness everything here."

"Just regret? That's only your personal feeling. My brother would have laughed it off if he heard of this."

"Really. We came because we lack someone of a rational mind. But the result is unexpected."

"I'm not happy."

Sharnid shrugged. Felli continued to stare at Nina with wrinkles in between her eyebrows.

"Leave the troublesome things to Grendan.... Didn't their Psychokinesist say so when she contacted the Student President? Hence we do not have the need to confirm things here. Besides, it appears the other side wants Captain to.... To put it accurately, the Haikizoku. You shouldn't have stayed after knowing of this fact. Don't you think the only option is to escape?"

"Uh? Ah, yes."

Layfon could only reply in a fluster at the sudden question.

"What. Your heart isn't here."

"I'm sorry.... but I think it's better for the Captain to go back."

"Why?"

"The Captain's original goal was to help Zuellni. Please don't forget."

Nina lost some of her confidence after listening to him.

"Even so...."

"Exactly. That's why you shouldn't forget your original goal. Things to do with Zuellni should be taken care of first compared to other cities'."

"Uh, as Layfon and Felli-chan said. You're not a ball whose direction will change after the ball hits the wall. No one would know where you end up in."

"But...."

Nina didn't give up her resistance even though her confidence was becoming weaker and weaker. She still persisted in her decision even though the protests were heaped one after another on her. Seriousness suffused the air. The situation would worsen at any moment and that was keeping everyone quiet as time passed silently. Who would know how the situation would have turned out if Lucia hadn't come over to check on them.

Layfon hadn't said a word in this period.

"You don't need to see Leerin anymore."

Layfon remembered what Lucia had said in the kitchen. He slept in the living room with the blanket that Lucia had brought for him on his shoulder. Sharnid was sleeping in the living room too. Nina and Felli were asleep in Lucia's room. Lucia was still working in the workshop.

Lucia-nee said there wasn't a need to see Leerin. Why?

"I said so already. You still have such an expression here. Do you want to learn what she's really thinking? But you still hold such a weak expression. But then this is a sign of your personality. But do you think that stubborn girl would change her thinking if you were to show her this expression?"

Lucia hadn't stopped working as she spoke. She had already finished cutting up the pealed vegetables. The meat was cooking in a flat pan and she was reaching her hand up to the cabinet above her head for the seasoning.

"Nothing would change because that child has decided. Then she'd keep on walking on the road she has decided as she's mentally prepared for it. It's the same as that time when she left the orphanage in order to defend you."

Feeling her reproachful gaze, Layfon lowered his head.

"Not that I'd scold you for what you did back then.... since you did it for the sake of the orphanage. It's just that your method was wrong. Still, you've considered and that part of you was worth the sympathy. Besides, I can tell from your attitude back then that you were also mentally prepared to be scolded by your father. Same as the time when you chose the sword."

"Um...."

"Don't answer me with such a vague attitude," she said and clouted him with the seasoning bottle.

"Your face is the same as back then but your heart is no longer the same. Still, you're stubborn.... perhaps that's right."

She watched him. He lowered his head more under that gaze. Still, their hands did not stop as they cooked. Noise came from the flat pan and Layfon put the cut up vegetables into it, turning up the fire.

"Once something's decided, you wouldn't talk over it with other people and you'd carry it through. You're like that and Leerin's like that too. Perhaps me too. Other brothers and sisters are probably the same. A group of stubborn children influenced by our foster father. We wouldn't change once we've made our decision. All we can do is hammer at each other and use a rope to stop the other, or to comfort the one who has experienced failure. We only have two choices. There's no middle road."

"Aye."

He replied instinctively and then.... he was hit by the fork she used to turn the meat around.

"Since you understand this too then what are you going to do? You still haven't decided right? So I say, hurry and go back."

"But...."

"There's no but. I don't want to say this, but you're no longer a citizen of Grendan. Father has forgiven you and I'm not angry with you. This isn't the time to talk about family relationships. We can only pray for your safety as you fight in Zuellni with your life on the line. At the same time, this is Leerin's wish to return to Grendan. It's just that her plan was carried out earlier than expected. I don't know what happened in between. Perhaps something big has changed in her life. I don't know what she's planning to do either but she must have had prepared her resolve for something. We can listen to her troubles as we're in Grendan but you can't. All you can do is pray for her safety, just like what we can do for you."

"......"

He couldn't say anything. The cooking process was smooth. The meat was done. They just needed to work on it a bit more. The soup had been poured into the bowl of vegetables. The food had been seasoned. The aroma that made the stomach acid react wafted out.

But Layfon had no appetite.

"Speaking of which, what are you planning to do once you've confirmed Leerin's thoughts?"

As Lucia had said.

(Just what do I want?)

Layfon's mind turned and turned as he lay like that without any inclination to sleep. The lamp in the living room emitted dim orange light. He stared at it, spacing out.

(After meeting Leerin......)

Just what does he want to do? Not that he hasn't thought of it, just that he felt he had to save her when he saw the Queen carrying her. But why did the Queen come to take her away? He didn't know. Only his feeling told him he had to see her once more.

(Could it be....)

What if Leerin came back to Grendan because she was facing something difficult? Would she tell him? Would he have said it if he were her? Absolutely not. He knew because of his experience of entering the underground match.

(Even so....)

Even so, he still wanted to see her one more time. He didn't know why. No. Perhaps he knew all too well.

Because of what happened that night.

He caressed the Dite that Kirik gave him and recalled that night when Leerin collapsed due to over-exhaustion. It must be because of that night.

The impulse that rushed up in the form of that kiss.

Because he wanted to confirm the true meaning behind that kiss.

That must be it.

"Yo, still awake?"

He was shocked that someone suddenly talked to him.

"Sharnid-senpai, you're still awake?"

"Yeah, though I'm a bit tired. Uh, I'm also of a personality that wants to be able to sleep quickly in this situation."

He also had his sensitive side even though he acted flippantly. Layfon could tell from his involvement in the match against the 10th platoon but he thought Sharnid was already asleep. No, he had wanted Sharnid to be asleep.

"I spoke cause I thought you were still awake."

"Ah......"

"You'll still stay even if we are to return to Zuellni tomorrow, right?"

"......"

"We all know. We just don't say it. That's why only I can be the bad messenger."

Layfon chose to remain silent at his self-mocking words. To put it correctly, he didn't answer him. Sharnid shrugged at his reaction.

"But we knew that in the beginning. You must have come for Leerin. I knew it would turn out like this."

Sharnid's figure moved in the orange light. Originally he was lying face down. Now he turned around to face the ceiling. He wasn't looking at Layfon. Did he have to use internal Kei just to look at the ceiling?

"You wouldn't tell anyone? I don't know what Nina thinks but me and Felli hold the same opinion. We just haven't confirmed it with each other yet."

"What opinion?"

"We are against your saving that child."

"...."

"Aren't you going to ask me why?"

"......"

"I heard it though Felli-chan collapsed at that time. You could say it's normal for Leerin to act that way so to protect you in that situation, but I still think it's different. I'm not that familiar with her but Leerin's smart. If she were to protect you, she'd have said something even more serious."

Perhaps that really was the case.

Layfon couldn't think of anything except "perhaps that really was the case". Why didn't Leerin say "save me" at that time? Was it because of the Queen and Lintence? Besides, Leerin wasn't one to say something like "save me".

But he had wanted her to say "save me".

Except she told him to "return".

"You're still going right?"

"What is it? Because...."

"Don't you feel uncomfortable?"

"Uh? What?"

"This vague attitude."

"......"

"Either point is persuasive. I can feel that she's protecting you. I also feel what she said was genuine. If it's me, I'd bet on her being genuine. But her attitude back then wasn't clear enough so there isn't much I can do. I couldn't have reached the side of that elegant monster like nee-chan so I couldn't ask you to do it instead."

Sharnid must be talking about Barmelin? True. His fighting strength couldn't match hers. With the amount of experience and training she had, she didn't even need to ambush him to defeat Sharnid.

"But.... Leerin herself said she wanted to come back. That's why it's meaningless even if I were to meet her."

Layfon deliberately said an opposite opinion. No, he just repeated the opinion he heard from Lucia. He only said this in order to confirm whether it was the truth. But that feeling of pressure in his heart became heavier after he said those words.

"Perhaps that might be the case, but you're still going?" Sharnid said clearly.

"......Uh?"

"Hasn't this become your instinctive reaction?"

"Uh Uh?"

"Anyway, you can't ignore what has happened before you. This point is similar to Nina. If it was Nina, we don't feel easy leaving her on her own so we'd stay by her side. But you're different. We can't catch up to you so we can only let you go alone. But you may think it's better if we weren't here?"

"Not at all."

Layfon felt so from the bottom of his heart. He was injured in an accident before fighting the platoon match with the 1st platoon. He then deliberately let Sharnid and the others view the collaborative fight of the Salinvan Mercenary Gang, hoping they could one day fight with him. He also voiced his intention at that time. That wasn't a lie.

"If possible, I want you all to come with me."

Sharnid's figure moved in the dark without any noise. Layfon didn't think he had accepted his word.

"Do you mean it? Not so. I don't think you're lying and I'm not doubting you. It's just that you never counted us in as part of your fighting strength. You also never used your full force in the platoon matches. I feel that you did forcefully fight with us in the Military Arts Competition but you also did hold back, didn't you?"

"That...."

"Well, I'm not scolding you. Don't misunderstand. The problem is the gap between us is just too huge. So it can't be helped that this problem appears. You wouldn't leave your back to people who can't catch up with you in a crisis. You'd ask Felli to support you with Psychokinesis. And isn't it because Felli is the only one who fulfills yours requirement?

"So.... So you did that?"

"Uh?"

"In that fight in the afternoon. I didn't quite know what you did back there but I think I understand a little bit. That was dangerous. You were forcing yourself. How is that different from taking illegal drugs?"

"You understood already? Incredible."

Sharnid seemed to be mocking himself as the air stirred lightly. Layfon could feel a sense of mock-laughter and a sense of loneliness.

"Because I've denied his method, so I can only use this way."

Sharnid meant the platoon match with the 10th platoon, with Dinn Dee. Dinn, as a former comrade of Sharnid's, had taken illegal drug to increase his Kei output. He had exchanged his body to increase his Kei. One city after another had banned the use of such drug because it was very dangerous. Still, Dinn wanted to protect this Academy City event though he had to use such a method to increase his Kei. But his goal was prevented by Sharnid's 17th platoon.

"Just exactly....?"

"My father taught me that for emergencies. Originally he said to use it to escape but I could only use it then. It isn't a move that can gain much time for long term escape."

Layfon weaved a net in the afternoon fight to buy Sharnid some time, but what Sharnid did back then was not possible judging by his amount of kei. But he managed to successfully stall the 30 or so Grendan Military Artists. Layfon found that his move very dangerous. He was concentrating on weaving the song so he couldn't fully understand the secret of Sharnid's move. But he still made a decision judging by the tiny feeling he got.

Increasing the speed and output of Kei. This sounded good, but Kei pathways, Kei vein and the Military Artist's flesh could not sustain this sudden increase of Kei for a long period as they were used to the usual amount of Kei. Forcing a Kei vein to increase its flow was like using a pump to make a heart beat faster.

The body couldn't sustain it.

"It wouldn't have given me any side-effects like the illegal drug as long as I was aware of the time limit. That had helped me heaps."

"It's still better not to use that move."

Sharnid understood. Even he himself wouldn't want to use that dangerous a move for multiple times. But this was Grendan. A city with the most intense fights and most frequent fights with filth monsters. The strength of Grendan's Military Artists was stronger than that of any other cities. What was more was that Sharnid had seen for himself the strength of a Heaven's Blade successor. It was certain that he couldn't have won against those Military Artists if he didn't use that move.

But....

"Why were you so reckless?"

"Hey, hey. I don't want you, the symbol of recklessness, to say that to me."

True. Layfon had acted recklessly many times since coming to Zuellni. He didn't know how to retort as Sharnid complained with a bitter smile.

"But I was very clear that I was being reckless. I also thought I'd try not to use it as much as possible. Concentrate on increasing my real strength. But this move would lose its meaning if my strength catches up to it. Isn't that so? I'm not someone who likes to sacrifice a move."

>

next page