Volume 18, Chapter 2: The Abandoned City and the Lost Child's Labyrinth

When they arrived at their destination, it was noon on the second day.

Towering in front of them was the city that had stopped moving, and the atmosphere permeating the empty city air made it like looking at ruins, making one's chest fill with a hard-to-describe loneliness.

"....Was it like this before?"

The last time he had come to this deserted city was already something from a year ago.

After comparing his memories from that time, Layfon showed a puzzled expression.

"The place we arrived at this time is different from before, so it's not unusual if the appearance seems different...."

Felli's voice trailed off as she spoke, because she was currently confirming Layfon's perceptions with her Psychokinesis flakes.

"Though there are some differences from the appearance before, other than natural degradation like weathering, I haven't noticed any abnormalities."

"Is.... that so."

"....Until now the air filter has still had some use, but the electricity supply seems somewhat unstable, so we can't completely relax."

"I understand."

Overall, they only had to enter the city to be able to remove their protective suits. Layfon had already gotten used to the air inside the helmet, but he still relaxed once he thought of soon being able to leave the suffocating air.

"Hah."

Felli removed the helmet and sighed, making Layfon very surprised. She was the one who said they couldn't completely relax in this place.

"Felli.... Leave confirming the safety of this place to me."

The air filter couldn't function completely, so the air in this place could have already been tainted by pollutants.

"I already judged that this place is safe! You don't trust me?"

"It's not like that...."

After being glared at, Layfon couldn't say anything.

This was definitely because Felli also wanted to remove her helmet as quickly as possible, and Layfon also removed his helmet. The city was full of new air, making him feel grateful.

After inhaling a breath, Felli once again began gathering information, and Layfon also moved the motorcycle to a place that seemed a bit safer.

"I haven't noticed any place different from before, and there are no filth monsters hiding, and I firmly believe that the city before us is safe."

"....Then, the problem is, where exactly were those battle records placed?"

"Nn.... but, I can probably guess they're over there."

"Huh?"

"There are traces in the central part of the city that there might have once been an extremely huge building standing there. Judging from the position, it's not hard to speculate that it was a building quite similar to Zuellni's large Student Council building."

"....If there are important records, they'll definitely be there?"

"Yes."

"Then...."

"Nn, let's go."

After nodding to each other, the two of them advanced to the center.

Advancing through the city without people.

"But actually, this place is quite tranquil."

"Isn't that obvious? Because there isn't anyone here except for us."

"Eh, it's not only that...."

Layfon didn't know what to say, raising his head to look at the sky. The sky was clear, blue to a degree that didn't match this kind of situation. Perhaps it was because the concentration of pollutants was very low, Layfon thought, feeling that it also had to do with the air filter being very thin.

Even if there were no filth monsters here, the air filter could suddenly break down, so they definitely couldn't let their guard down in the current situation.

"....It probably has to do with there being no footsteps of the city."

"Is that so."

Felli also looked over there. The legs that would no longer move and had lost their control were covered with vegetation, so they didn't look like metal, but rather seemed like rotting trees standing tall, surrounding Layfon and Felli from all directions.

"....Delbone was born in this city?"

Layfon had already known that she had been born in a different city. But long before Layfon had been born, Delbone had already been a Heaven's Blade successor. The current Layfon stood in her hometown. Thinking of this, Layfon couldn't help but feel a strange feeling inside him.

But, this was really just a feeling. She had her own history, and her history could perhaps help Layfon draw closer to the truth.

"I didn't learn of any details of her background from the information she gave to me."

Felli walked next to Layfon while saying this:

"But considering her abilities and the related portion of the central district, I can surmise that she also enjoyed a high position in this city."

"....Did this place perish while Delbone still stayed in this city?"

"We should carry out an investigation to know the answer."

The crumbling streets extended endlessly in front of them. Buildings that had been crushed from above appeared one after another, and these buildings made Layfon have doubts. These buildings were mixed with the other collapsed buildings, and picking them out wasn't easy, but Layfon noticed that the buildings that had collapsed in this strange manner seemed as if they drew a straight line one after another towards the central district that Layfon and Felli were advancing towards.

"Do you know what's going on with this?"

"I guess these have been crushed flat by some giant, or were crushed by some object, I'm uncertain. If they were crushed by filth monsters, then their condition wouldn't be so neat. If they were the work of a giant, it hasn't left any traces, which makes me very curious."

"I can't understand the situation at all."

"So true."

Felli showed a displeased expression, and Layfon didn't relax his alertness towards the surroundings.

Though he had had this feeling before, something about this place really wasn't right.

Layfon's feelings back then were very fuzzy, and the friction with Gorneo and Shante's self-asserted provocations made that kind of feeling even harder to grasp.

But perhaps, when the truth of the obscure feeling revealed itself for the first time, the two of them would make a clear judgment.

Right now, Layfon matched Felli's speed and slowly advanced. If Layfon carried her and leaped, they could reach their destination in the blink of an eye, but....

"........"

"....What's wrong?"

Layfon moved his hands to his chest and stopped, and this action made Felli ask him in a surprised tone.

"Ah, nothing...."

"........Anyway, the central district is still a bit away."

"Right."

"After all, there seems to be no dangers in this place, and asking Fon Fon to carry me there seems a bit faster."

"....R....right, that's true."

The words from Felli's mouth were exactly the same as the proposal that Layfon was about to say to her.

Though it was exactly the same....

"What's wrong?"

His body refused to continue moving.

"Huh.... Eh.... Eh...."

Layfon moved his arms in front of him, bending them a few times, and extended his fingers. His hand moved, no problems. Nowhere in his body did that sudden occurrence happen again.

"What are you doing with those weird movements? Whatever, we'll advance after a careful investigation from a distance."

"S.... sorry."

Layfon followed behind Felli, his entire body feeling small.

(....Huh?)

Layfon looked at his hands, tilting his head and showing a confused expression. His hands moved without problems. There was nothing wrong. Layfon moved his fingers, confirmed his elbow joints, turned his wrists.... there weren't any problems anywhere.

In that case, why had his body suddenly stopped moving?

"That's strange?"

"What?"

"Ah, no.... nothing."

"....Can you stop muttering?"

"Um, sorry."

Knowing that Felli's mood had become bad, Layfon felt even smaller.

But, the event just now might be a very big problem.

His body had become strange when Layfon planned on touching Felli. Though he didn't know the reason, there was an obvious effect, and it was only after Layfon planned to do so that his body had become how it did.

Was it touching Felli that had made Layfon unconsciously hesitate?

(Why?)

He didn't know.

(Um..?)

What had happened until today? Layfon tried recalling.

Since Felli had succeeded in the autumn in analyzing Delbone's heritage, Layfon had passed his days and nights training.

He had not been surreptitious, and had been openly carrying out his training throughout. Layfon didn't know when he would come to this city, so he had set completing the Composite Blast move as his target, continuing to accumulate training and experience.

Because Layfon had lived that kind of life, he almost hadn't spoken with Nina or Claribel, even Felli. Layfon's most common conversation partner might have been Harley. In order to improve the Dites' capabilities, he had given his assistance to the best of his abilities.

The achievements were now stored in Layfon's weapon belt.

"It's almost time."

Even now, Layfon could recall Kirik's both resigned and terrified face as he said that.

(Nn..?)

Layfon had passed every day with that kind of feeling, and he didn't know the reason why he had suddenly hesitated when he was about to touch Felli.

(Aah, really. Why is it?)

The difficult feeling made Layfon feel a bit impatient. Even looking at her petite figure made him feel discomfort.

Perhaps as an effect of his mood, Layfon's response was a bit slow, even though it was a very slight difference.

A strange sound came from above.

"! Felli!"

As if overlapping with the sound, a shadow covered his feet. Layfon dashed forward as if he were charging out of the shadow to grab Felli in his arms.

"Fon!"

Felli's voice passed by his ears, and then gradually disappeared. Layfon ran without looking, and behind him an explosion rang out.

Layfon leaped as if he were being propelled by the pressure of the explosion, and then touched down on the ground.

"Are you okay?"

After asking this, Layfon looked at Felli in his arms, whose face had lost its color.

"I'm.... okay."

Though she said so, the expression on her face was quite abnormal.

A tear had appeared in the right shoulder of the protective suit. The debris flying around there had definitely grazed that area.

"Ugh...."

Seeing her shoulder that had started bleeding, Layfon clenched his teeth.

"Filth monsters....? How could that be, until just now there were no responses at all...."

Felli uttered a confused voice from his arms, and her voice exuded the atmosphere of her bearing the pain.

Before them was a filth monster like a giant.

"This thing...."

Layfon had seen it.

"I saw this in Zuellni...."

Felli made a hoarse sound. Was it because of surprise, or pain?

This filth monster possessed four limbs just like a human, but only a head portion that was squashed flat like a small hill of flesh, and on that head there was only a single mouth. A ball inside its chest endlessly rotated, and one couldn't help but think that it was an organ for sensory perceptions.

It seemed exactly the same as the giants that had attacked Zuellni before.

"I didn't expect these things to be here.... as expected, something is hidden here."

"....Please wait a bit."

"Fon Fon?"

There was only a single giant. After confirming that there were no signs of additional enemies, Layfon gently put Felli down.

"I'll settle things quickly, then treat your wounds."

"O....Okay...."

Layfon stationed himself in front of Felli, and drew out the Sapphire Dite from his weapon belt, grasping it firmly in his hand.

Layfon didn't restore the Dite, just charging at the giant.

The giant roared.

It grasped the haft of a roughly sharpened weapon that could only be described as a pillar in its hands, and then swung it down aimed at Layfon.

Layfon avoided the blow with the smallest movement.

A strong wind blew past his cheek, and sparks burst out along the defensive Kei along his body. Layfon swept the Dite still in its unrestored state out horizontally.

"....Restoration."

The light of restoration shone in all directions. The light gathered, and along with the Kei that Layfon sent out solidified into a blade.

The razor-sharp blade took form in front of the giant's abdomen, tearing its flesh.

Psyharden Technique - Impromptu Scorpion Strike.

This was a move to cut apart the enemy's weapon by pouring a consistent flow of Kei into the unrestored Dite and having it maintain the form of a razor-thin blade. Though it was only momentary, for a split-second the blade would take a transcendent form, and the cut paths would become complex and chaotic because of this.

Moreover though this was only a single strike, it could result in the giant being drawn and quartered.

When the Kei that allowed the Dite to take shape was liberated, it would produce an extreme heat. The pieces of the giant that the strike left would be burned to a crisp because of this extreme heat.

In a moment, the giant disappeared into nothing. Layfon acted as if he hadn't even seen it, returning the Dite to its original form and walking back to Felli's side.

"Let's look for somewhere safe to treat you."

"O....Okay. Then...."

Layfon carried the somewhat confused Felli, running quickly towards the place she indicated.

Under Felli's guidance, Layfon entered a relatively intact building.

"We have to treat the wound quickly...."

After taking the medical kit from his supplies, Layfon put his hands on Felli's clothes.

"Hey! What are you doing?"

"What do you mean, what am I doing, let me see your wound quickly."

"I know that, but I can do this kind of thing myself!"

"Huh? Ah.... Aah!"

Felli's cheeks were red to an obvious degree, and seeing her response, Layfon realized what he was doing.

He hurriedly removed the hand on Felli's shoulder.

This movement seemed as if he were trying to tear Felli's clothes off.

(No, that's actually it. But, I did it for treating the wound, I wasn't thinking anything like that....)

Layfon voiced his reasons inside his heart, but his mouth could only tremble, unable to form those reasons into words.

"Never mind it, please face that way!"

Suffering Felli's loud anger, Layfon quickly turned his back to her, and jumped through the large hole in that wall, moving to the room next door.

In here, even if a situation happened, he could quickly take action.

"Really...."

Felli mumbled this, and this word made Layfon shrink his body and hold his head in his hands.

(Aah, really! What am I doing?)

A sad mood entered his body, making Layfon painfully think of rolling around on the ground. Worrying about Felli's response was unavoidable, but just like what had happened just now, Layfon hadn't been able to take calm and correct actions.

(I should say I can't really understand what I'm doing.)

One moment thinking that he couldn't touch Felli, and suddenly taking her clothes off in the next....

(No, I only wanted to help her, but.... But!)

As expected, Layfon hadn't kept his calm. If they were outside the city, her wound would need instant treatment, and the clothing would have to be repaired, or she might die from it. But in the end this place was inside the city, so there was no reason to be that frantic.

Not only this, the battle with the giant just now was the same. Though Felli had received a wound, Layfon had let anger affect him too easily.

Yes, he had gotten angry.

He didn't think getting angry was very strange. Though he said so, hadn't he been too angry?

(It's really strange.)

Layfon couldn't understand himself.

Why would things be like this.... Suddenly making that baffling sort of overreaction?

"....What are you doing?"

Felli asked from the other side of the wall, and Layfon almost jumped from surprise.

"Wh....What do you mean?"

"Your weird movements are way too obvious, can you please not do things half-heartedly?"

"Um...."

The almost emotionless tone like usual made Layfon unable to say anything.

"Your actions these past few months are strange in a few ways."

"S....Since that long ago?"

Felli traced back even farther than Layfon had thought about just now.

"It only started after I finished analyzing Delbone's heritage. Though you were very concentrated on training, it reduced your time with everyone in the apartment."

"T....True."

"Your reason for concentrating on training isn't strange. But your manner towards someone else while you were training was very strange."

"........"

"....If you don't want to talk about it, I won't ask."

If this much had already been said, Layfon couldn't take a half-hearted tone and say something like 'I don't know what you're talking about'.

'Someone else' obviously meant Meishen. Regarding this, Layfon truly couldn't say anything, not even a blatant lie like 'nothing's wrong'.

Truthfully, if he only met Meishen by accident, an awkward atmosphere would arise between the two of them. In order to avoid that kind of situation, both sides deliberately pretended that everything was normal, but even they both knew that their action wasn't so good.

Though they hadn't talked, both of them felt that they could only let time settle their hearts, so the outcome was that they tried to avoid seeing each other.

They didn't know how Felli or Nina who lived in the same apartment building would see this.

(Umm....)

When he thought of how he had been totally seen through, Layfon felt shamed to death.

(No....)

Layfon held his head, thinking.

Hadn't Layfon experienced being shamed to death many times before for various reasons, and been corrected by Felli every time?

(I've really been seen through.)

It wasn't like Felli was using Psychokinesis to monitor Layfon twenty-four hours a day. In other words, Layfon was completely exposed in front of Felli's sharp observation, and Layfon was undoubtedly someone seen through easily.

"....I can't hide any secrets in front of Felli."

"How rude, are you trying to say that I'm monitoring you?"

"It....It's not like that. But, that kind of thing has truly happened several times...."

"That's because...."

"Because....?"

Felli was speaking vaguely.

"Because of what?"

"Because you showed such an obviously idiotic expression, anyone would see it."

"Ugh...."

Receiving Felli's counter, Layfon couldn't raise his head.

"Really...."

In the end, how many times had she said that by now? Felli spoke what she had spoken many times before as she stared at the other side of the wall.

(Why doesn't he know?)

Felli's feelings had been extremely tense when she noticed the situation between him and her. Would there be a day when he would understand those feelings?

(I think that day probably won't come.)

Felli had also thought about the other possibility.

Perhaps Layfon had received Meishen's confession, and had only shown that kind of attitude in front of everyone because he was shy.

Perhaps the awe-inspiring determination that he had let Felli see in the hospital was a determination that he had made for Meishen.

After calmly observing the situation, Felli made the conclusion that these situations were impossible. However, discomfort still remained in Felli's heart for a long time, refusing to dissipate.

Felli really wanted to grab his collar and yell: 'Do you understand these feelings?'

"........"

But, she hadn't done that, and couldn't do it.

Felli hated Meishen from the bottom of her heart, and was jealous and envious of her.

Because Felli still didn't have that kind of courage.

◇

After treating Felli's wound and repairing her clothing, Layfon once again set out with Felli.

"Then, shall we move over there in a leap?"

"No, it's alright."

Layfon could leap to the central district in a breath if he carried Felli. Layfon once again made this proposal, but Felli gave a negative answer.

"Huh? Then...."

"There are those creatures here, and I don't think the enemy's attacks will end like that."

"Nn, so I feel that quickly getting to the central district and finishing our investigation as soon as possible is a bit...."

"No, the enemies can penetrate my Psychokinesis, and I care about this a lot. If the opponent already knows what we're trying, there's a possibility that they are hiding in wait for us to fall into their trap. Right now, we should carefully advance."

"....I see."

Felli's views were correct. But for some unknown reason, Layfon wanted to disagree with her words, and his chest began to hurt.

But, she was right.

This was enemy territory. Taking action based on this knowledge was obviously better. Even Layfon had not determined the moment when that giant had appeared. If they were the same kind of giant as the ones that had fought with Nina in the empty city and could separate into fine particles, then there were no safe places here.

(Now isn't the time to be distracted by strange things.)

Layfon directed his consciousness into battle mode. Doing this should remove his superfluous thoughts, reaching his goal of a focused mind.

But still, why had that giant been here?

That giant was the same as the creatures that had attacked Zuellni. From its level of strength, it was probably weaker than a stage one mature phase. If they attacked in the same numbers as they had in Zuellni, it would be very difficult to cope with. But, if they came one or two at a time, and more importantly fought inside the city where they weren't limited by protective clothing, they wouldn't fall into an unfavorable situation if they weren't careless.

Layfon wasn't concerned about this, but rather the fact that they possessed the same shape.

Regardless of whether it was a male phase or female phase, or if it were a larvae, the form of such a strange creature wouldn't appear.

The forms of mature phases were manifold, and Layfon had never seen mature phases whose forms were completely the same.

Though the creatures that had attacked Zuellni and the creatures they had fought in the empty city were giants of different forms, if they attacked with a group of the same creatures, it could be interpreted that they were a group that had gone through the same growth process.

But, it couldn't be like that. Entering battle at different times but meeting the exact same form of enemy, wasn't that very strange?

In conclusion, perhaps the judgment that these creatures were filth monsters was wrong.

The giants weren't filth monsters?

Layfon had once pondered this, and perhaps that was the answer.

He couldn't obtain any definitive evidence.

If someone knew, he hoped that the other party would tell him the answer.

"After all, what kind of things are we fighting against?"

"....Huh?"

"I mean the enemies; even now I can't really make sense of it."

"We came here to investigate that."

"That's true."

Felli's answer was very indifferent, so Layfon could only make an ambiguous response. He felt that he seemed to have spoken about this with Felli before, so perhaps she didn't want to hear this conversation over and over.

However, Layfon still involuntarily thought about it.

He pondered endlessly.

The enemy had come before him before. Though the enemy just now had shown the form of a giant, it wasn't the true enemy.

Layfon truly couldn't understand this feeling.

In all of the battles since Layfon had come from Grendan to Zuellni, no, even before that, in all of his Military Artist battles, he had fought with filth monsters and other opponents that were menaces that existed in front of his eyes.

Filth monsters didn't hide anything, they were simply enemies that existed on the surface. There were no schemes hidden among them.

Though the battles between cities were against the same type of city and were regulated by laws and positions, they were also almost all carried out in the form of skirmishes, so they weren't much different from fights against filth monsters.

'Enemies in front of their eyes'.

Layfon and the Military Artists only knew these kinds of battles.

On the road in front of the battle was still the reason that had brought the battle about, and behind the menace in front of them was still the being that had sent that menace. Layfon wasn't used to this way of thinking, so couldn't think of this as realistic at all.

(Who's the enemy, what's the enemy, if only I knew this answer....)

Perhaps it was a bit different.

Nina was also a Military Artist, and her way of looking at things should be similar to Layfon's.

Even so, she was not at a loss.

Was this because she could see the enemies? If it were like this, the confusion in Layfon's heart should also disappear, right?

(That would be good.)

To Layfon, these feelings amounted to his desires.

"....Things aren't going too smoothly."

After walking for a bit, Felli murmured this.

"What is it?"

"I'm searching for enemies. From what happened before, I surmise that the opponent should be a collective being of tiny particles, and I'm searching with that theory as my foundation, but it's not going too smoothly."

"Meaning that Psychokinesis can't find this enemy either?"

"If our enemy can make Psychokinesis fail, I should have a peculiar feeling that I normally don't experience, but I don't have such a feeling. Still, if the enemies are giving me fake information instead of the truth, I should also have an unnatural feeling, but I don't have such a feeli-->>

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