Vol 2 Chapter 2 (2/2)
”Yeah, back in Grendan, I was always checking for sales”
”I think we're talking about different things”
”That was i attention,the speechless atmosphere around them, Layfon recalled what Garen had told hiroup of business travelers had been living in for teeks
The travelers identified theraif They worked for a logistics division under the international company Vinesleif
In the business district of Zuellni, Vinesleif sold news, novels and comic books from other cities, and also current information on fashi+on and entertainment On the other hand, Zuellni also sold news and entertainment information made in Zuellni, as well as any (already unveiled) seeds of new species developed in the agriculture course
This group of business travelers had been staying for teeks
”This isn't strange because the next roa buses didn't follow a schedule Every bus traveled freely between cities It wasn't possible to make a tiet on a bus that would take them to their destination
”But their purpose isn't to buy and sell ordinary inforricultural o An infor infor list of yet-to-be-unveiled new products This goes against the treaties of the Alliance To think they actually took the information before it was published”
”But where's the evidence against them?”
A data chip was tiny The tiniest was just the size of a fingernail As such, a chip could be hidden anywhere, and besides, ht in by the business travelers were also data chips The best way to hide a tree was to put it in a forest – even if they had the data chip from the lab, it would still be hard for the City Police to find it
”We have proof Although they disabled the security cameras, they can't deceive our eyes”
Yes, the City Police had an eyewitness
”To take back the chip and prevent theht, sos related to the information system”
Every city had its os There were laws set down by the Acadeeneral areas, but in reality, only the police force in the city itself could enforce the laws
Inside Zuellni, there were no jails to keep people in for a long period Students who committed a crime were either suspended or forced to withdraw from a course As for people outside Zuellni, they were forced to leave the city When the crianization, all Zuellni could do was report it to that organization and the governanization was based in Zuellni had no way of interfering hether the criminals would receive punishment back in their ho buses, cities would become isolated Besides, if the criminals were outsiders, they had nowhere to hide in the city Usually, they wouldn't resist lessly and would follow the City Police's instructions If they resisted, they'd either die or be forced to leaveWhich wasas they didn't come close to the city anymore, their crimes would also disappear
But
Garen's expression twisted ”We could've done this s bus is here”
”And the departure ti takes three days The workers are delaying the paperwork to give us ti”
If they knew there was a way out, the criht escape on their own
They'd probably do that
”Tonight's the key”
”AhWe'd have had more time if we had found the eyewitness earlier Anyway, it's no use regretting it The problem is we don't knoerful 'they' are We don't kno many Military Artists they have with them, but there can't be none We don't have many people in the City Police and Military Arts course who have had real fighting experience Like before, we've accu monstersBut, it really is better to have a platoonpeople”
”But in that case, you could've picked someone else”
”No It has to be you!” Garen s sh expectations for you, newcomer!”
Layfon touched his shoulder In it wasn't pain, but Garen's expectation – which wasn't a bad feeling at all, but the 'hi somewhere inside himself wasn't sure whether that expectation was a co
(Will I feel troubled by someone else's expectation of me?)
No answer surfaced
”I'm sorry!” Naruki said suddenly
City policemen had been deployed around the dor for the dormitory, about to confiscate the data chips
”What?”
”Sorry for asking you to do this”
”It's nothing”
”No, becauseThis is too despicable He used our connection to”
”What does itI' Meishen's bento was delicious I feel bad for always accepting her goodwill, so I'lad I have a chance to return the favor”
”No, you don't get it, Layton Platoon members don't have to work for the City Police This isn't your job”
Now he understood why Garen said ”It has to be you” So that hy Did Garen think that it was easier to call on Layfon because of his ignorance?
The feeling of Garen's hand on his shoulder disappeared
Even so, no resente Power should be used where it's needed So if there's a need here for a platoon member, then a platoon member should help out”
In truth, a Heaven's Blade successor's ht filth monsters, but sometimes they also worked with the police to maintain security A few Heaven's Blade successors were so strong that they could only fight filth monsters, but the rest of the successors helped out the police as best as they could
Layfon felt uneasy that, being a platoon ood and ill
”Layton”
”And they said they're paying me for this, so you don't have to mind me”
”Really? I suppose Well”
A devious light shone in her eyes as her face relaxed
”Do this like you're returning a favor to Mei You can take her out on weekends and listen to her talk She seems rather troubled lately”
”Oh”
”You don't want to?”
”That's fine, but where should I take her?”
”There are many restaurants she hasn't tried I'll ask Mifi to pick a bright restaurant with a good atmosphere You take care of the rest”
”Isn't that the hardest part?”
Anyway, his experience in dating a girl was liht of Leerin as a girl They hadn't reached the age of roht of what places a girl would be happy to visit
”Good luck!” Naruki s Layfon
Thunderous noise shot out from the dormitory
Naruki and Layfon turned their faces to that direction
The door to the dormitory was busted open The two officers rolled out from the roo aside the shattered door The document said there were five peopleSo all five were here One of the men carried an old suitcase The data chip must've been inside
Layfon studied the culprits
”All five of them”
”All?”
”Yes, and they're all skilled”
Layfon saw the light of Kei flowing in them Wild Internal-type Kei roared in their bodies
Naruki also narrowed her eyes, but couldn't see anything
She didn't doubt Layfon's words ”This is bad”
”We also have five Military Artists in the surrounding forces, but”
”It's best if we move over to the scene,” Layfon said
As they were analyzing the situation, police their batons
”Don't resist!” a student who seemed to be the captain shouted
The business travelers took that in a relaxed manner
Layfon saw they had Dites in their hands
”I' on ya,” Naruki said
The five business travelers made their move as Layfon leaped out the
They restored their Dites – sword, gun, scimitar All were close-quarters weapons
The normal students in the troop called out
The five moved
Their movements weren't particularly fast to a Military Artist, but their weapons were hard enough to cut through flesh and bone Compared to them, the policemen only held batons A baton was the same as a Dite and could be quite powerful if used in different ways
Unfortunately, all of the Dites in Zuellni had safety locks on A pointy blade would have its point rehts that would never see anyone die
And that point was now decisive in this fight
Thewith dangerous weapons and the movements of mercenary Military Artists who had earned their fair share in life and death battles were really different
”Waaaa!” The thought of not letting the enemy's blade come close made their movements stiff
The baton pulled close to defend, but the opponent's blade pierced through an opening Blood spurted from the student's shoulder
”Ahhhh!”
He wasn't the only student calling in pain and falling onto the ground
The other four students had different wounds on different parts of their bodies
And then, Layfon landed
The five culprits were about to rush into the roa Layfon, they all stared at hi
Layfon restored his Dite Kei flowed into the blade, and a blue light traced the night sky He swung His Kei shot out of the sword towards the five people
The nearest two culprits ju theht noise came from beside his feet
The suitcase had rolled to hi the suitcase yelled in pain
Layfon kicked back the suitcase It slid to one of the members of the troop
”You!”
The five stopped running Layfon raised his sword, as if to prevent theht The data chip ood to steal,” he said
The five rushed towards Layfon
Layfon slowly moved the blade before hi Internal-type Kei
Layfon shot out – External Burst-type Kei The three people in front of him jumped aside to avoid the Kei
But where were the other two?
Without giving hi the five landed and slashed upwards Layfon jumped back, and at the same time, two people appeared from behind the man, as if his back had just split in two They attacked Layfon's sides
Layfon crouched, evading a huge knife and used his sword to block the stabbing motion of a spear
The three encircled Layfon
The other two people
”Hey! What happened!?” the man who previously carried the suitcase shouted
He looked back and saw his two coround ”How did this”
”I kneasn't possible for five of you to reach me,” Layfon said
”It was you”
”I saw through your moves Your tricks were useless”
He deliberately let the two evade his Kei the first time he shot it out, but he hid a second wave of Kei within it, one that dispersed into the evading paths
Needle Kei
The condensed form of Kei hit the two in their chests, and they fainted
”And”
Layfon looked behind hiaze They widened their eyes in surprise
The suitcase was gone
Had the police taken it?No
Layfon's gaze flicked to the upper left – the rooftop of the dorht hand was the end of a rope, and the left was a suitcase, wrapped tightly in the rope
Naruki's lassoing skill
”I' this to you!” she shouted
”damn you!!”
The three rushed towards Layfon, as pouring Kei into his sword, not at all impatient
His Kei had turned the sword into a part of his body, and through it, he felt the murderous intent of the three in the disturbance of the air The point of the sword caressed the air as if to quiet it – then Layfon slashed the air apart
External Burst-type Kei – Whirl Kei
The wind before Layfon ceased its movement for a split second, and it started to spin at an increasing velocity
It pulled the three culprits in, floating and tossing their bodies in midair Nutheazed at this scene, breathless, Layfon raised his sword and swung down
The air stopped spinning
All noise ceased, leaving behind the silence of the three unconscious criminals
”Brilliantly done!” Garen praised He had already checked the contents of the suitcase
The police collected themselves and went to deal with the five et the food and water though Don't e them into prison clothes with the cri bus,” Garen instructed
Meh the culprits' clothes They were being careful, considering how the data chip could be hidden inside a seam
Layfon watched the men work as he checked the contents of the suitcase
”Is it in here?”
The inside of the suitcase was crammed full of data chips
”Not sure, but we can't tell till we've looked through every single chip Um, it's probably in there”
Garen's set for this many chips?”
Layfon widened his eyes
”What's with the look? We don't knohether they got these chips through legal or illegalthe chips to their rightful owners In that case, isn't it right to sell them so Zuellni can profit?”
That was true, but the way that Garen told hi
”There's never too much money to feed all the students in Zuellni”
”Yeah”
”Ah, Alseif-kun's done great today I'll increase your pay for tonight,” Garen said and left to join the h the clothes of the culprits
”I'm sorry He's that type of a person,” Naruki said and patted Layfon's shoulder
”NoI don't find him a bad person”
Naruki frowned at Garen ”PerhapsI can't really tell whether his attitude on ood or bad”
”I'm not sure either,” Layfon sht think Garen was thick-skinned, but Garen himself didn't find his action despicableNo, he wouldn't have cared even if people thought him base
That was the truth
Garen was si all he could to earn e Only that Layfon had hidden his attitude till the last uilty about it
(Would I have turned out differently if I was honest like him?)
He couldn't help but think of this possibility, huh, but that was pointless It was useless to think up hypotheses The present him existed because he was unable to become like Garen
(Besides, I don't hate the me I am now)
The meHis circumstances
He had friends to talk to He wasn't as tense and anxious as before
He had hoped for such a good environment
(NoThere's still pressure here)
Still a tiny bit of trouble
(Hht?
What was she worrying about?
No answers ca at Above hiht of countless stars