Vol 12 Epilogue (1/2)

Epilogue

He was blocked. He had planned to ambush him but it hadn't worked. The chain had wrapped around the s.h.i.+m Adamantium Dite, and at the end of the chain was a metal ball. As the huge body turned around, the chain had wrapped up the Katana like a snake.

”You're the same naive brat as before.”

Those spirited eyes were less than a meter away. The breath that leaked out of the gaps in his teeth carried with it heat of Kei that caressed Layfon's face.

”I thought you had already decided, but you hesitated at the critical moment. That's why you could make such a naive attack.”

Ruime pulled the chain, along with Layfon. He aimed at him with a foot. The kick sent Layfon flying to crash into a building. The impact created a large hole in the wall. Tiles fell from the rooftop. For a split second, Layfon had thought his abdomen was gone.

”You think you can do it with your body? Haha!?”

”.......... I can still move,” he dusted off the tiles on him and stood up among the debris. ”Kei still flows and I have a weapon. These are enough to kill you.”

”That's why I said you're a brat,” Ruimei sighed. His sigh caused the air to rumble. Cracks advanced across the ground.

Ruimei was a difficult to understand Heaven's Blade successor like Cauntia. Once he was in battle mode, his Kei would run to its heart's content. Allowing his Kei to run rampant was his true strength. As such, the Queen wouldn't let him fight in a city. He was a man who fought as he willed, destroying everything in his surroundings in a battle.

”What'd you do after killing me? Kill off Troyatte too? Lintence as well? Then Barmelin, Tigris, Kalvan, Reverse, Cauntia? What about after killing everyone? You'd kill the Queen too? And all the rubbish here? And after that? Destroy Grendan as well? And after? For this brat who hasn't taken the future into consideration, how long do you plan to stay naive for?”

”What else can I do!” Layfon shouted.

Before him was a face he was used to, a face he had known since he was little. Ruimei was standing here. Layfon had never liked him, since the time he first laid eyes on him. This dislike only intensified through time. If it was Ruimei, Layfon could kill him. But he had failed. Even with the Katana's movement sealed off by the chain, he'd have liked to leave traces of injury on Ruimei. Among the Heaven's Blades, Layfon could only forgive Lintence and Reverse. He would hesitate if he had to face those two. He doubted whether he could really surpa.s.s Lintence and kill him, and he thought himself terrible to want to kill Reverse.

The kick came again. Layfon blocked it with his arms crossed. The defense was meaningless. His body flew again, and this time, the impact destroyed an entire building.

”What is it that you have to do now? Be a coward brat? Kill me? Destroy the trash gathered here? Stop being lost and think of what you should be doing!”

”Wu.”

”Delbone!”

(Yes, yes.)

Delbone's bitter laughter sounded. The flake flew to Layfon's side and projected an image of Zuellni. They didn't need to tell Layfon the meaning of the red dots spread out on the map. The signs Delbone used on the map weren't just information. She had already memorized them all. They were all filth monsters.

”........... Felli.”

(I've already said so.) Came Felli's faint voice. He could hear the exhaustion in her voice.

(I've told you about the filth monsters' attack, the negotiation with Grendan, and I've followed your judgment.)

”But...........”

If she could tell him in more detail......

(Stop it, Layfon.)

Delbone cut him off.

(You acknowledge the girl's talent. In this situation, you can only rely on her to gather information. You've lost control of yourself, Layfon.)

(I.........) Felli wanted to say something, but Delbone then cut her off.

(Your thinking power's declined because of having filtered too much information. Though you have talent, you lack experience.)

Delbone's words. .h.i.t him like a rod.

(But weren't you the one who didn't notice it, Layfon? Before you became a Heaven's Blade successor, you had coordinated with different Psychokinesists. You've experienced long battles. You've seen Military Artists who fainted due to overworking their Kei veins. You've seen Psychokinesists whose thinking power were reduced and could do no more. You had the experience to discover the problem, but you did not notice it. No one in this city holds more experience than you. If you don't guide them, who will? But you did not do it.)

He was scolded. Delbone was scolding him and saying the responsibility of this battle was his. That was his first time experiencing this.

”I............”

(The most important thing is to have her rest now?)

(Ah.............)

Felli's voice suddenly disappeared. Her flake lost its power and fell onto the ground beside Layfon. Layfon could do nothing but stand here. He didn't know what he should do now.

Ruimei had left for the next battlefield.

Delbone seemed to have done something to Felli. There wasn't a place in this city that her power of Psychokinesis couldn't reach.

(What have you to say next, Layfon? If it's some unsightly farewell, do you think I, in my age, will listen?)

”I........ I didn't come here to be a Military Artist........”

(But you're standing here as a Military Artist. You should already know how cruel this world is. Or are you saying Grendan isn't enough to make you understand the cruelty of the world?)

Not at all.

(I've never antic.i.p.ated you to be a commander. The ideal Heaven's Blade successor is someone that doesn't need to think of anything else. But you should be able to comprehend your surroundings. You have experience that won't lose to anyone else's. If you use that experience well, the Military Artists in this city will become stronger.)

He had a lot he wanted to say. And it wasn't his desire for things to turn out like this. He didn't make himself like this. The Student President and the Head of Military Arts made the decision to have him fight. And wasn't it the captain's job to look after other Military Artists?

But he couldn't say these things. Delbone said he should help them with their lack of experience. He could have done that but he chose not to. That was why she scolded him. Since he couldn't learn anything in an Academy City as a Military Artist, he should teach others things. Wasn't this the mission of those who lived in an Academy City? What had he done? He knew already. He had taught Nina and the others the basics of Psyharden. What else? There were many who needed training, but he had pushed them aside.

(This is the consequence of your actions.)

Delbone's voice was strong and hard. But the feeling she conveyed was only that of a kind old woman giving a serious and angry expression. However, those words had a huge impact on Layfon.

(Stand up, Layfon Alseif. Because of your foolishness, there's still something you have to see.)

”What..........”

(It's something important to you. That's why you've come here? The outcome of this event would hurt you more than the tragedy that's occurred in this city. But you have to face it.)

”What are you saying? Delbone!?” he shouted, his words like a threat, but they failed to reach her.

(Go and witness it, then decide what to do. If you are still the same as the present you, then you're finished.)

The flake in the shape of a b.u.t.terfly flew away. Layfon stood up. His foot touched Felli's flake when he wanted to chase after it.

He picked it up, put it in his pocket and jumped. He had never realized that Felli was the one who supported him the most in Zuellni. He wouldn't be moving now if not for her. She had fainted too when Zuellni lost control. That time, she didn't use Psychokinesis as long as she had used it now, but she had to process far more information than now. It wasn't just quant.i.ty, but types of information. She was supporting Layfon and was probably aiding Nina and the others simultaneously. And if not, she must be doing something else – because Zuellni was in a desperate crisis.

Layfon had never thought about her. Indeed, this was his fault. He didn't need her aid to return to Zuellni. Savaris was right beside him back then. He only needed to follow him from a distance that was neither close nor far. He could have let her rest for that time........

”d.a.m.n...........”

Just thinking of this was enough to make him feel down. He continued to jump, the map that Delbone had shown already etched into his brain. The place where numerous lights gathered was his destination.

The entrance of A10.

Just what was this thing Delbone had mentioned? A bad premonition stuffed his chest. He ran faster.

◇

Troyatte was outside the crowd of giants and eliminating other giants. His speed was horrific to the average Military Artist. However, the number of giants was too great. The dots of light on Delbone's map had hardly decreased.

”What are these? So smelly and so many,” Barmelin complained.

She had appeared among a group of giants. The giants moved to surround her. To the eye of a filth monster, she had probably suddenly appeared there. The giants all raised their weapons, but they died when they did so.

”Smells so foul. Go die, you revolting creatures.”

She held a gun in each hand and opened a hole in the chest of the giants around her. None of the bullets. .h.i.t the ball that Nina said was the giant's weakness. Even so, these giants died. Barmelin's dismal eyes could see deeper than Sharnid's. She had discovered their deep life veins in an instant and had shot accurately. Her attacks cut off the giants' lifelines in one swift moment.

Other giants trampled over their fallen comrades to encircle Barmelin with their weapons raised.

”No one's life vein can escape my eyes,” she said to herself. She pulled the trigger with unbelievable speed.

The gun barrel contained only six bullets. She had used them all up. As she pulled the trigger, the gun barrel of her left gun popped out, pus.h.i.+ng out the empty bullet sh.e.l.ls. A part of the chains that weaved around her waist, chest, wrists and feet exploded. The separated part flew in the air and changed its shape. All the chains were Dites. Once Barmelin poured her Kei into the chains, they'd become bullets. The gun sparked and the bullets flew into the gun barrels as if sucked in by force. Barmelin made no redundant movements. Everything was done smoothly, flowing from one action to another as of a musical performance that suits any dancing stage.

She had opened large holes in the giants' chests in the process of her dance. Once she stopped dancing, a part of the chain vanished.

”So troublesome. So foul. So cold.”

Feeling a chill at her own action and word, she s.h.i.+vered atop the corpses. She tightly hugged herself with the guns in her hands. Her gun barrels were empty. The giants seized the chance to bury her alive. But she didn't move an inch for she knew what would happen next.

A flash ran past her. Only a Heaven's Blade successor could feel it, and only a Heaven's Blade successor could evade it. But that wasn't a flash that one could evade entirely. Even Barmelin herself did not want to attempt it.

Steel Threads. Not infinite, but the number of steel threads could only be called countless. Steel threads made of a Dite. The Steel Threads moved like a hungry and thirsty wild beast seeking its preys. Once it found them, it'd hunt them down and slaughter them. The Steel Threads attacked together, dissolving its prey and piling the corpses up. The action wasn't to satisfy the beast's appet.i.te. This could only alleviate some of its hunger. Besides, this wasn't just to satiate its hunger.

It also sought strong enemies.

The Steel Threads were here to judge whether these giants held the right qualifications. The giants stood trial with their own bodies to evaluate what qualifications they held. If they weren't suited to stand as strong enemies, then they must die. And even if they suited the criteria, they still had to die. No matter what the answer was, what awaited them was death.

One by the one, the giants lost their form and collapsed, cut into tiny pieces. No one could stop the threads.

The large black coat swayed. Green smoke floated above him. He walked in a relaxed manner, but no one could stop him. No one could get near. The zone of death expanded. No one could control this situation. Mercilessly, the Steel Threads cut down its enemies and anyone who planned to stop them into tiny pieces.

With his first step, ten giants fell. With his second step, fifty giants fell. With his third step, hundreds of giants collapsed.

The giants fell as he walked. Barmelin, Troyatte and even Ruimei could not match his speed.

When he reached Barmelin, a huge empty area had appeared.

”Is it here?” the man asked after tossing away the cigarette b.u.t.t. The cigarette fell on a lump of muscle and the fire died.

”What's this? Trying to look handsome? Don't be so revolting. Go die,” Barmelin scolded.

Lintence's eyebrow did not shake at the scolding. Besides, he wasn't even listening. He took a new cigarette from his coat and lit it up. Friction between steel threads caused sparks, and he used that heat to light up the cigarette.

”Have you labeled it?”

”I already made the mark.”

In truth, Barmelin had with her a not-too-powerful gun to mark the shelter's door. If she had used the Heaven's Blade, she'd have opened a hole in the city.

”Make a hole with your bare hand.”

”You do it. Don't make a girl do some rough task.”

”Are you still a girl?”

”What a maddening guy. Just roll up your beard too, foul man, and go die. You smell like foul smoke.”

”Which means you smell of foul perfume. The sewage water smells better than you,” he said, mentioning and nailing her complaint about her job several days ago. Her hands shook at his reminder, but she did not raise the weapons. After that job, she had been taking flower petal baths till now.

”You should clean up your job. If you keep being so willful, you'll find yourself working in the sewer again.”

”Go and die. Become a doll of your own Steel Threads and die.”

Lintence's lips s.h.i.+vered as he listened to her curses. The ground underneath him suddenly sank. He had cut it open with the Steel Threads. Beneath him was the entrance to the shelter. He landed and walked into the deeper part of the underground shelter.

”How revolting!”

Barmelin's body shook when she couldn't see Lintence anymore. She was laughing. That stiff man with a face of a dead fish actually laughed. Nothing was more revolting than that.

Lintence continued to head deeper into the shelter. He cut apart all the defensive doors and walls before him with the Steel Threads. He didn't feel anyone's presence. This area must have been abandoned. He could tell from the surrounding that the students had made a quick decision and then evacuated in an orderly manner. These people had brains enough to carry out such a task. His evaluation of the students rose a little bit as a result. Lintence's birth-city was too peaceful. So peaceful that they couldn't even evacuate in an organized manner. But for the students in this city, the ability to carry out such a ma.s.s evacuation was probably a tragedy.

After walking a while, he saw her.

”Lintence-san?” Layfon's childhood friend looked at him with shock.

No one else was here beside her. Why was she here? Lintence found that surprising, as if she had stayed behind, knowing he was coming to pick her up.

”You knew?”

”Why are you here?”

The two asked their question at the same time, then fell into silence.

”I'm here to pick you up.”

The change in her expression did not escape his eyes.

”What is it?” he said without thinking.

”Huh? Nothing,” she shook her head lightly. Her expression was complicated. Suspicion and a feeling of exhaustion.

”Is Grendan here?”

”Yes,” he nodded.

Her shoulders rose as she sighed. ”I feel like a fool. I rode the roaming bus here and had an uncomfortable experience.”

”That is what journeying is like. Most of them end without any meaning. No matter where it is, people keep on living. That truth won't change,” he said.

People searched for a safe place to live in. Cities searched for safe places to keep their people alive. That was why a city would move and drift. Only Grendan was different and unusual. Roaming buses came into existence due to moving cities. But sometimes, a roaming bus would take a long route even though two cities were close. Lintence had come across two cities at war on his journey, meeting once again a city he had traveled to before. This thing happened frequently. Even though he wanted to travel to another city, he'd end up arriving at a city in his previous itinerary, stopping him from moving ahead. Leerin looked at him. He guessed she didn't know what to say. He took a deep drag of the cigarette.

”If you have nothing to take with you, I can lead you out now. Got anything?”

Leerin thought for a moment and shook her head. Though she wanted to talk to Layfon again, she abandoned that thought.

Though Lintence felt a feeling of familiarity and regret, he did not care for that. It meant nothing to him. War would take place. All he needed was to follow the Queen to satisfy himself. That explained his acceptance of this job regardless of the little significance it held.

”Let's go.”

”Right,” she nodded.

Lintence turned around to retrace his steps, and stopped.

”As I thought, you can't!” someone shouted and Leerin found herself being hugged. The sound of wailing came behind her back.

”Wh, wh, what...........” she immediately knew who it was.

Lintence breathed out green smoke to replace his sigh and turned around once more.

”What did I come here for?”

”I've thought of it. I've been thinking since then, and then I understood. I understood a very important fact.”

Leerin fell under the embrace. A tall woman held her tightly with both of her arms. She had buried her head in Leerin's chest and was rubbing her head against her like a cute little animal. It was Alsheyra.

”What is it?”

”If this continued, you'd carry my Leerin like a princess. Do you think I'd forgive you for such a shocking thing!? Such a thing?”

”Even if I allow you to touch my Leerin's back and shoulder with your perverted hand, but.......... But if you touch her b.u.t.t, and caress her, and you took her home without letting me know. Once I thought of that, I, I, I!”

”Who knew of such things,” he said, not wanting to converse with such an unreasonable person.

”Wh, wh, what.............” Leerin opened and closed her mouth, looking at Synola and too shocked to say anything.

”Sy, Sy.... Synola-senpai? Why are you here?”

”I came to save you.”

To hear that seriousness from the person in front of her, even Barmelin would s.h.i.+ver.

”You must be frightened? But we don't have anyone else who suits this mission. But never mind. We can return to Grendan.”

”Ha, Ha.............”

Alsheyra.......... Leerin called her Synola. Synola was the Queen's fake ident.i.ty when she lived outside the palace. Though she was the Queen, her time spent working as a Queen was probably less than one tenth of the Queen's working hours. Lintence never thought it worthwhile to listen to her, so he had always filtered her words out. As such, he never remembered her fake name.

”But speaking of which, why........ No. How did you get here?” Leerin finally shook loose Alsheyra's hands and stood up.

Alsheyra's expression turned serious, whereas Leerin's face turned white. Lintence was familiar with Alsheyra's personality. Though that was in itself a tragic thing, he did not sympathize with Leerin's feeling. He meant the wasted effort she made to journey to Zuellni.

”Actually, I'm hiding something from you.”

”Oh, I see.”

”Actually, I'm the Queen!” she placed a hand on her own chest and looked apologetic.

”Really.............” But Leerin's answer was cold.

”You don't believe me?”

”No, I see. That's why Lintence-san......... followed me like a guard.”

”You noticed?”

”No, but I felt what you do is possible. That's the kind of feeling I have.”

Leerin had let her down mercilessly. Alsheyra had expected a bigger reaction from her. A more confused, then more shocked expression. A normal person would not have believed her words, but the person who had with her Heaven's Blade successors would not have lied. At least, that kind of person would not have appeared in Grendan. Leerin wasn't suspicious of her at all. Only that her reaction had betrayed Alsheyra's expectation.

”Humph. Humph........” Lintence's throat stirred. Though he wanted to control himself, his mouth opened on its own and he failed to suppress what came out.

”Don't laugh,” Alsheyra glared at him but failed to stop his laughter.

”Whatever, let's hurry up and leave. It's about time for the red faced monkey to arrive,” Lintence laughed as he said. Alsheyra looked down.

”A monkey's face is originally red, along with its b.u.t.t too.”

Leerin walked after Lintence with suspicion, not sure what they were implying. Though Alsheyra was determined to carry her, she had refused. They walked through the broken defensive walls and front door to arrive outside the shelter.

”That's too high for Leerin.”

Originally, part of the road would descend to form a slope. But Lintence had cut a hole with his Steel Threads, the gap between the ground they stood on and the ground of Zuellni was two times a person's height.

They didn't hear any more sound of fighting. They heard Barmelin, Troyatte and Ruimei talking above. They had almost finished killing off the giants. Otherwise, those three would be too impotent.

”You can shake Lintence loose now.” Alsheyra's voice was like a spoiled cat. Leerin planned to ignore her.

”You're a girl, Leerin, you must be careful! This guy is boring and super-sloppy. Look at his hair. If you give it a flick, fleas would jump out.”

”No way, you're joking,” Leerin said.

”And he doesn't wash his clothes daily.”

”Ah, that's possible.”

”Right? So let me do it.”

”But I'm afraid to let the Queen carry me.........”

”Don't be. I won't make you feel frightened.”

”But...........”

”That guy's a guard, a bodyguard! I can't restrict his arms from moving!”

”It matters not whether the person here has free hands or not,” Lintence said.

”Shut up!” Alsheyra glared at him with a reddened face. Since her expression was like this, it'd be useless for Leerin to say anything more.

”Uh, I can't win against you,” Leerin sighed and accepted her suggestion. Alsheyra clapped her hands happily without the air of a Queen.

............. But the ”air of a Queen” probably never existed in her in the first place. Leerin accepted this without much feeling. Though she thought she shouldn't be bothered about this, she still wanted to think more on it.

Before that happened, the monkey had arrived.

”Ah!” Leerin burst out.

Light covered one side of Lintence, but the impact was nonexistent. Lintence's Steel Threads had blocked the attack.

”Let Leerin go!” Layfon shouted. He stood in midair, looking down at them. His Katana looked to have stopped in the air. The Steel Threads had cancelled the Kei impact of the Katana.

Lintence lit up a new cigarette. His speed and power made Layfon swallow his words.

”So naive. Did they not tell you already?” he said faintly to the young man that he had taught the Steel Threads technique. Layfon gritted his teeth. He looked at the person who was carrying Leerin and his expression froze.

”Your Majesty.........”

”Hi, young man,” Alsheyra greeted him with a smile. Despair fell on him.

”I'm sorry, but I have to take Leerin with me.”

”What joke is this!”

”Leerin only came out to travel. Isn't it natural for her to return to Grendan?”

”Don't just make your own...”

”Which side is making its own a.s.sumption?” Alsheyra said.

Layfon looked at Leerin. ”Leerin, come here!”

”Layfon.......” She ignored his gaze.

”Leerin!”

”This is the Queen's order. I can't disobey her,” she said in a tiny voice.

”Leerin!”

”I!......... I want to return to Grendan. One day, I'd return, and that just happens to be today. That's how things are. Layfon, you can think like that.”

He landed, suddenly losing his momentum, but he still held the Katana ready.

Lintence noticed the weapon in Layfon's hand. It was a Katana.

”........... What did you do to her?” Layfon said.

”What manner you have. What do you think I'd do to her? Either way, she's my cute junior in Grendan.”

Layfon's expression didn't sway. He understood the Queen's personality. It wouldn't be strange that she might actually be Leerin's senior. And this was the truth. Why did he ask such a meaningless question? He should already have known.

”Leerin said she wants to go back. Layfon, can you move aside?”

He didn't reply, but he felt regret. His expression held both regret and stubbornness for Leerin. His gaze sought hers, but she kept moving her gaze away. She did not ask for his help.

A teacher-student relations.h.i.+p did not exist between Lintence and Layfon. The feeling was probably negative even if it existed.

Layfon could do nothing. He did not have a Heaven's Blade and he was wounded. Though his Kei flowed, he could not use his full strength. He had no chance of winning against Lintence and the Queen.

”Layfon, please,” Leerin pleaded.

He shrank. The tension vanished. Lintence could tell from his Kei.

”Then see you again. I think you can keep living a normal life.”

Alsheyra's words were expected, meaningless.

Had Layfon gone rusty? Lintence thought. He had thought so from the time of Layfon's exile. Lintence hated his own skill getting rusty. That was why he left his home city. Layfon, on the other hand, left his home city to become rusty. That was the difference between them. After today, Layfon would return to his original path. To Lintence, this was a shame. But he had no urge to pick him up. A guy who couldn't stand by his power was useless.

Keep moving. The field behind him was empty of people. Nothing obstructed the road to Grendan. Nothing. Not filth monsters. Not Military Artists.

The presence moved with tremendous speed. He stood up, his Kei flowing through his entire body. When Lintence felt it, the Steel Threads moved simultaneously. The blade flitted through the steel threads to close in on Alsheyra.

But Alsheyra did not turn around.

The Steel Threads had blocked that attack. The light of Kei exploded.

”I thought you'd given up.”

”Stop joking.”

On the other side of the Steel Threads was Layfon's serious face.

”Layfon!” Leerin called over the Queen's shoulder. ”Please.”

”No!”

Leerin's expression changed at that emotional and irrational reply. Lintence caught her expression and went to stand before Layfon.

”This is so unsightly. It makes it so hard to tolerate that I want to see you suffer some.”

”Unsightly? What's that? What did I do wrong? If this continues, I can do nothing. Isn't that what ”unsightly” is? No, never mind. No matter how unsightly I am, I..........” he sought Leerin's gaze and wanted to know what she thought. What expression did she hold now?

”No matter what it is, as long as it belongs to Grendan, it's got nothing to do with you anymore,” Lintence said. He knew his words meant nothing. Rationality could not contain one's emotions. If only rationality was enough, he himself wouldn't have worried about his skill becoming rusty. He'd have died protecting his home city.