Vol 5 Chapter 2 (1/2)
Chapter 2: The event of that day
It didn't take long to decide the schedule of the camp Nina had applied for the camp as a study camp The camp would be treated as part of school, so they didn't have to apply for a holiday
”Wait a hts Does it include the weekend? So boring”
”Don't plan to go?”
”Since we get to be truant openly, we should apply for normal weekdays Besides, it's bad for the body to not rest”
Nina's cold gaze rejected Sharnid's suggestion Though like he said she could have told theht with Layfon at the Mechanical Departed to squeeze out the ti around to various places until training started The current Nina had regained sootten about the event surrounding the 10th platoon because of the camp
Nina had told her tea rooin three days frohts over the weekend The location was the production area of a certain dormitory
”Excuse me” Naruki raised her hand ”That place doesn't have any shops What do we do about food?”
”We'll bring the ingredients over Layfon kno to cook, so he'll do the cooking”
”He can?”
”Yeah, well” Layfon smiled, troubled Meishen was the one who cooked his lunches ”Yeah, but I won't be able to puta nutritiousas it's delicious,” Sharnid patted his back
Naruki thought for a ain
”What?”
”Layfon has to train too Isn't it better to find soinal plan, but the person I had in mind is already booked that day” A shadow shrouded Nina's face
”If it's OK, can I ask for a friend to help?”
”Is it all right?”
”I think so Layfon kno the cooking tastes too”
”Is it Mei?” he asked
”Of course I don't know anyone else Not satisfied?”
”No, not at all Is it really all right?”
Meishen was really shy She was used to being with him, but not with others And at the camp, it wasn't possible for Naruki and Layfon to stay with her all the time
”I'll think of a way about that Is it ok, Captain?”
”Yeah I' on you”
Nina explained a few more details about the
◇
After listening to Naruki's suggestion, Meishen leaned on the chair with a faraway look The girls were in the kitchen inside the dormitory The kitchen was shared, but not everyone had to share a bathroo quarters spread out across the dorain with Naruki She was preparing for dinner
”Justwhat did you say?”
”Oh, I mentioned it yesterday Platoon ca for us You've decided, haven't you?”
”Wait, wait a etables with aher apron, Meishen watched Naruki
”Me?”
”Who else? I can't ask Mi”
Mifi wasn't in the kitchen She was busy writing up drafts in her room
”But”
”The Captain's already told the teacher, so you won't be marked absent”
”Au” Meishen's reason to reject the offer was blocked
”Why not? It's not easy to get such an opportunity,” Naruki cocked her head
”Butso sudden”
”SuddenIt's not just you and Layton”
”Of, of course”
Just the two of the up
”Well, it is possible for just the two of you to be alone Layton seems to kno to cook too And with his personality, he'll probably offer to help Everyone else can't do it” Naruki said and popped a piece of lettuce in her mouth She chewed
”UhWu”
”You don't have to be so excited Didn't you two go somewhere before?”
”That ell, we didn't spend the entire day together”
”You won't be together that long There is training after all”
Meishen calmed down at that ”But, is it OK? Won't I be in the way?”
”You won't We won't have to worry about cooking if you take care of it”
”I see” she began to knohere she stood Cooking Just as usual It'd be good if she could help out with that Just that Nothing else special would happen Even if it happened, she wouldn't be prepared for it
”I just need to cook, right?”
”Didn't I say that fro?” Naruki nodded
”Sonaive!” A voice suddenly intervened
”MiYou'll co this treatht, here Be more honest”
”Am I a kid!? I won't have itNot like that,” Mifi called, putting a vegetable in her ood chance?”
”ChanceWhat?”
”About the Heaven's Blade”
The feeling was like a knot in Meishen's heart The letter she received earlier had left a puzzle The letter was for Layfon, sent by a female named Leerin The term ”Heaven's Blade” was in the letter It seemed Layfon was called the Heaven's Blade successor back at Grendan Every city gave its elite Military Artists titles Back in Meishen's hoanization was proof of being acknowledged as an excellent Military Artist Everyone aianization Heaven's Blade successor probably held the sa She wasn't surprised to find out that Layfon had such a title because she believed he was very strong But then why did he leave Grendan? She had asked him once but she failed She was afraid that question would break the relationshi+p between theain, she wouldn't put that question to hiet it”
Naruki frowned
”Everyone has soht? Layton would have said it if it's so that doesn't really matter”
”Thatout with him if you know his secret?”
”Um” Naruki responded to Mifi's words
”I knew it You were thinking of soot so to do with Layfon?”
”No Wouldn't I have lost the trust between us if I kept souys?”
”You'll say it if you can?”
”Look, what does this have to do with Layton?”
”Isn't that natural? The basis of the relationshi+p between me and you and the relationshi+p between me and Layton is different”
”What would be different?”
”I know you'd cry fro your bed”
”What!” Naruki blushed ”I, I didn't cry! And that just happened once”
”You did, though you were trying not to The tears just fell from your eyes Aaah, I can still recall it now The Nakki of that ti her neck in the crook of her ar
Mifi beat the floor with her arm ”No! That wasn't what I wanted to say I mean, we knew each other since ere little We can trust each other even if we hide a thing or two, but it's different with Layton We don't understand hi about him before he came to Zuellni, that's ant to know And e are concerned”
”Um” Naruki loosened her hold Mifi took the chance to escape
”Anyhat I wanted to say was if ant to understand Layton, we also need to understand the Layton of Grendan That's all! I'ry!” she quickly left the kitchen
”Geez, she just says whatever suits her,” Naruki glared in the direction where Mifi had gone, off to her own room Naruki's face was still red
”Mei, don't worry about it”
”Yeah”
But Mifi was right Layton had only been in Zuellni for half a year He had in hirew up in Grendan That hy Meishen was bothered She was jealous of Leerin because Leerin knew of the Layfon in Grendan
(Butam I too spoiled?)
This uneasiness had always been circling inside her, unable to leave It o well Naruki and Mifi noticed that the taste wasn't as good as usual, but they didn't comment
(Is this trust? Or pity?)
For some reason, Meishen was more confused
◇
Soht her back to reality
”What're you doing?” Synola lay flat on her stomach on top of the table
”A reportis what”
They were in the library The computer terminal on the table showed a nu them for her report
”Really?”
”What?”
”NoYou were staring pretty blankly Do you knohen I got here?”
”Huh?”
The students weren't allowed to take books outside the library, so the library provided e tables sat side by side in the area Leerin was in Many students came here to study after class In fact, there were e table Synola had her chin in her palm She had pushed aside the terminals and stationary of other students
The students around the?” Leerin quickly lowered her voice
”Me? AahI waited a long tih I was about to lose to shaet off!”
Unable to stand the atmosphere of you're-an-interference, Leerin escaped from the library to return the computer
”Ah, you're so mean Wait up,” Synola called and chased after her
”I' out”
”Then worry in a way that is appropriate!” she protested with a red face
”Aah, don't praise me”
”TellI'll treat you to a meal,” Synola insisted as she followed her
”I refuse Senpai, you always take er” She was used to a life of thriftiness She couldn't understand Synola's perspective in the use of money
”Ah, then it's ok if it's soo”
”Uh? Wait”
Ignoring what Leerin had to say, Synola took her hand and dragged her away
Synola took Leerin to a park close to the bus station
”This?”
She could feel the heat through the paper bag Many s frorocery stores A student who lived alone would be very grateful for this shopping street
In one of the shops hereThe two of theht from one of the shops
”Yes I wanted to try this,” Synola took out the food froar stuck to the surface of the fried bread
”How should I put this Senpai is really rich”
She hasn't had fried breadShocked at that fact, Leerin also started eating The softness and sweetness of the bread dispersed in her mouth It didn't taste like the bread was fried in oil used for a long time, and the bread hadn't been over-fried either
”Mreat”
Synola finished one swiftly and took out another piece of bread Finding herself getting hungry after having one, Leerin also took out another bread to eat Synola kept repeating ”yu the bread
”Mar on her hands
”No We ate too much”
Synola had ordered twice the amount as Leerin She finished all that in the ti of bread Leerin sighed, looking at Synola's body
”How can you keep so fit?”
”With an adequate aroaned and caressed her stomach
”Isn't it about time to tell me of your worries?” Synola sipped froht and looked at her
”Huh?”
”Your worry is still there, right? How is it?”
”I didn't”
”Or was there progress? Did it give you neorries?”
”No I” she denied desperately, but Synola continued
”Well, you were like so up from a dark chasm before, and now you have this confused, reddened face that suddenly sinks in shadows Like a flea”
”Ah” she didn't realize that hat Synola felt about herThinking of how she appeared in others' eyesabout? Let h she denied it, Leerin changed the topic ”There's someone I want to see”
◇
The day of the cah a field of fruit trees A light breeze carried the aroma of the field to them The horizon widened when they reached the end of the field
”Wow” Layfon called out at the vast plain before the stuffed with his clothes and sos with his two hands The bags contained the food that he and Meishen and the others bought at the shops Naruki was loaded down too
”So huge”
Meishen was speechless
Opposite the field of fruit trees that they just went past was the lake they sahen Layfon and the three girls went for lunch They were in an agricultural area Sunlight reflected off a huge greenhouse Nina had explained that this was a period of no-planting, so there wasn't any produce here It was all right even if the tea
A lone house stood in the middle of the plain That was their dorer as the teae the dorot close
”We're here”
Nina aiting for theredients fro to cook, and Meishen replied in a very s behind Meishen, Layfon lifted his head to study the building
”So big”
Nina also lifted her gaze ”Aah The students doing agriculture use this building when they work outside, so it can fit around 20 people”
”A”
”This area provides food for Zuellni, so it's pretty huge You can find this facility in other production areas tooHere” Nina led thee She told them their rooe
”We've spent today getting here and putting everything in place Be prepared for training tomorrow,” Nina said and took Naruki and Meishen to their rooms
Left alone, Layfon went to his rooe He pulled aside thescreen and saw that it was ale of the city”
Standing on the second level, he could see the city's outskirts The dormitory he was in now and the dormitory of the first years The different scenery he looked at now gave hi in another city
In another cityThat kind of la at an Academy City was nonexistent to him when he was still a Heaven's Blade successor in Grendan
There was a reason behind his naive desire No, the Layfon in Grendan thought his way of doing things was correct What Nina said was reasonable Wasn't there another way? Probably If he had picked another way, Leerin wouldn't be in so ued hiy?
His roo of loneliness A rooh to fit three beds The dorricultural course who needed to work very late and had to stay outside And now only Layfon was using this rooe, he had always dreae rooe, but he slept there with everyone else The current room back at Layfon's usual dormitory was for two people He did not have a roo alone in here shouldn't be different It only felt different because the size of this rooe
”Aaaah”
He shook his head and sed the nostalgia He kneell the lonely feeling of being unable to return to that place so long ago What would happen if a Heaven's Blade went on a raeHe was the one who answered that question for the public How could he return to Grendan with that past?
Sharnid and Felli arrived while Layfon ht He was also called over
The training on that day was si outside,ended when darkness ca acted as the only source of light after the sun had set The tea rooaned to nurture a mind in terms of tactics Meishen and Naruki chatted in a corner, Felli read a book she had brought with her Layfon sat beside Nina and Sharnid, and watched theame was played on two boards with pieces lined up on either side of the boards Each player was to move his own pieces in accordance to the movement of his opponent The boards were positioned in a way so the opponent couldn't see the pieces It was a gaot flakes around B6”
”A sha there”
”What? damnFinished”
”My turn Flakes around E3”
”There's a guard at E2”
”Ah, I' himso”
Nina and Sharnid tossed the dice that had 6 faces, and spoke the result
”Good Let's swap”
”So naive One ”
”Whdaain, and removed her own piece with a painful expression
”UhFinished”
”It's my turn now Then”
The twoPsychokinetic flakes to find the position of other pieces and attack theame, all the way to victory
”Geez”
”That's why I said platoons with a normal structure aren't the only ones that can make the bestsniper canon her next move, Nina fiddled with the dice as Sharnid talked
”You're so noisy Be quiet”
”Decide on a better structure next ti the same structure”
”Then you can only rely on the luck of the dice”
Knowing Nina wouldn't take his suggestion, he sighed and placed his pieces with the saames either
”Just a bit more”
”Let's stop here,” Sharnid put down his piece and put up his ar ready for the bath?”
”Ah, there is a bath?” Naruki asked
”Ah, a very big bathOh no, forgot to let the hot water run,” Nina looked at the clock
”Sorry, let's just take a shower I'll put in the hot water toirls went on ahead on Nina's direction, as Layfon and Sharnid watched the bath, really?” Sharnid said to himself Layfon pretended he didn't hear him
◇
Layfon opened his eyes at the tiny noise reaching his ears He had slept enough He slipped off the bed to pull open the blinds on theTheair was a bit cold He stretched his arms, went to wash his face and autoure was in the kitchen where a wonderful breakfast had already been prepared