Vol 9 Chapter 1 (2/2)
”I heard from Selina”
”Wu Ah Really!” Leu moaned It was rare for her to be in a fluster when she was usually cold and calh Nina knows Nothing Nothing at all!”
”Why are you angry?”
”No, I'ry,” she lowered her head
Nina didn't understand why her e aside, Selina had see when she mentioned that Leu had a boyfriend
(Because she's shy?)
Perhaps Perhaps so Nina could only guess, since she herself didn't have a boyfriend
”Uh?”
Nina cocked her head Leu was laughing in a bad way
”What is it?”
”You caht? How co”
”Isn't that answer a bit too forced?”
”Nah, Layfon fainted”
”Again?” Leu asked ”He can faint Is his body that weak?”
”Not really He seems to be burnt”
”Burnt?”
”Ah What happened? It isn't a heatstroke though”
”UhAh, perhaps”
”What? Thought of so?”
”Not reallyonlyNo, perhaps” She studied Nina ”UmIt's not bad Your ?”
Leu ignored her and touched her ar?”
”Your muscles aren't that bad Just a little bit hard Your stomach doesn't have any unnecessary ?”
”Nah I think it'd be interesting if he fainted because of your char?”
”Wrong You shouldn't be asking me with such a serious expression You should blush”
”No, as I was saying”
”Hey, do you know you're a girl?”
”Of course”
”I soht think of yourself as a man”
”Stupid”
”Then why do you not blush?”
Even so, that would be hard for her
Nina knehat Leu ht not be the only reason even if Layfon fainted because of a lady's charm At that time, Felli, Leerin, Meishen and Dalshena had been around him All of them were beauties Sharnid would probably cry with joy
She understood Layfon's fainting had nothing to do with her own charm
”Well, I don't know Besides, mens' interests aren't the same”
”But”
”Well, for example Don't you find it hard to accept? Don't you find it strange if a guy you find revolting actually has a pretty girlfriend? Hard to accept, right? Don't you think that girl has done soainst nature?”
”I don't think so”
”Right Then perhaps Layfon likes your type of a girl”
”Wu”
”That's right Since it's rare to get to relax, don't stand here Go do so fun,” Leu said ”Ah”
”What're you thinking? Itbad”
Leu went back to her boyfriend Her good point was her ability to tell Nina what to do while holding an indifferent attitude But now Would Layfon like Nina's type?
”Wu” She stayed rooted on the spot, troubled
They had barbecue for dinner, and it was dusk when they finished eating The number of people on the beach had increased So the beach Layfon and the others changed into their clothes and went to check out the stalls
”So h
”Yes,” Layfon said with a sigh too
”What, what? You don't see this much? It's just a normal summer festival,” Mifi said
”We don't have many summers in Grendan”
”Ah, just three tie festivals”
”Just at the beginning of the New Year It was grand, but all other smaller events were done within small areas”
”Wa, so old-fashi+oned”
”Are there many festivals in Joeldem?” Leerin asked
”Many The Electronic Fairy Festival is on every single season”
”Really”
”Joeldean to explain Joelde other festivals
”Though I thought of it when I came to Zuellni, Grendan really is very poor,” Layfon said
”What? You only found out now?” Leerin said ”It's always fighting It shouldn't have that much money”
”Ah, I see”
”Geez, you should use your brain It's the same whether it's money at home or money used to run a country”
”Ah, only Leerin would think of that though”
The two of theued
”Oi, it's al his watch ”Hurry”
”But all the good seats are taken now,” Dalshena protested
”Not really We can just use our brains ful,” he said
Light blossomed
”WaSo pretty”
Fireworks lit up the sky above the quiet lake Leerin sighed at the i above her
”They use real fireworks in formal situations The sound would be very loud As expected, we don't have the budget and the technology,” Nina said to Leerin, who looked unhappy
White and red light painted Leerin's face The fireworks were only ies projected in the sky
”Thata short while ago”
”Ah, those guys are cutting corners this year”
Harley and Kirik Though Kirik had pointed out the weakness of this year's fireworks, he cheered like everyone else under the grand decoration of the fake fireworks
”Use your brainThis is what you mean?” Dalshena looked around, not interested They were on the roof of a research building It usually banned nor, but the research students were here appreciating the fireworks
”Huh, still can't quite see it clearly,” Meishen smiled bitterly Naruki looked uncomfortable
”Sorry,” she said
”No worries We're in a festival You've been busy this year too You don't have much time to relax and rest Take this opportunity to enjoy your time,” Sharnid said
”Yes, yes,” Naruki said in a s it difficult for the first years, doing whatever you like,” Dalshena glared at hiirls can rely on The probleender thinks”
”What Are they in that kind of relationshi+p?” Dalshena understood now
”I'm happy to have you rely on ed
She glared at hiestion for the holidays”
”Isn't it? Youth is short Summer is even shorter It'd have been a waste if we didn't enjoy it”
”I don't mean that I mean Nina”
Nina often sank into conteh she hid that expression once she noticed so at her, she had failed to escape Dalshena's eyes Dalshena didn't knohat she was conte The busy schedule of the recent Military Arts Competition was a timely relief for the Captain However, that li ht happen, and that was exactly the tiestion
”Well, that person's too passionate”
”Passionate?”
”Her brain gets heated up She needs to cool down before she loses control,” he said and s ”Every day is so hot Other syether”
”Your joke isn't funny,” she said Her expression turned lonely ”That guy would probably look bitter if he heard this foolish talk”
”What? Thought of so?”
”You can't tell what it is?”
”Who knows,” he turned his face away
”At least, I don't have the right to sympathize with him”
”Sympathy He'd probably hate it”
”Perhaps”
They lifted their gazes to the fireworks, thinking of their still unconscious friend
Meishen and Mifi watched the two of them from behind ”And that is the injury between the two of them”
”Is, is that so?” Meishen said, confused
They couldn't hear the conversation froood But she felt like the lonely scene of the two of the
”This adult-like feeling is too much for Mei”
”Uu”
That must be it since it came from Mifi
”Then let's use a more direct method Contact Direct and enthusiastic body contact!”
”Wait, don't you find what you're saying strange?”
”There's no other way though”
Meishen's face must be very red She wanted to stop Mifi but she still looked at the direction she was pointing
At where Layfon and Leerin atching the fireworks together Perhaps they weren't used to watching fireworks The two of them looked at the sky like little kids
”You have to show so of yourself like the fireworks”
”Eh?”
”If you can't do that, then it'll never come to you Look over there”
She followed Mifi's direction again Felli and Nina were standing somewhere not too far from Layfon and Leerin A distance that wasn't too far or too close to the other two A distance that allowed them to speak to the other pair at anytoo You're also thinking of pushi+ng the your arm around his That kind of an initiative”
”No, I can't”
That was too much for her But
(Wu)
But she should be able to take up her courage again That hat Meishen thought She knew she eak, and that troubled her every tiht of it She could only be like this because she was born tie
”What, Mei Your face is red”
”No, nothing”
But she could only blush and think, i herself in that place as she looked at Layfon and Leerin And self-hatred rushed up in her, knowing she could only iht as she watched Leerin She felt like everything would end in the blink of an eye
Nina walked with exhaustion Students filled the tra for a tram to take them home Layfon and the others planned to walk a little before parting to head home Dalshena and Sharnid decided to just walk home Naruki and her friends stayed back at the traet back faster Harley and Kirik returned to the lab
That left Layfon with Nina, Felli and Leerin At first, Layfon and Leerin talked fro the fireworks of summer They were really happy, and Nina's expression softened as she watched them Felli wasn't as indifferent as before She didn't keep her distance but instead, she showed interest in joining the conversation But by then everyone had quieted down
(Too tired?)
Only Leerin wasn't a Military Artist She had a full day, and she had also swa her limit now
(Let's not force her We'll take the trah Felli was a Psychokinesist, her physical strength wasn't as strong as Nina and Layfon's However, she did do training, so she was in better shape than Leerin Even so, she felt uneasy with her current steps As she thought, the next station was her limit
The station appeared soon, and that was the parting point for them Nina and Leerin lived in the same dormitory, while Layfon and Felli lived in the sah when they were about to reach the station
”Right, let's take the traested
Layfon nodded
”Sorry, please wait,” Leerin said, stopping
”What is it?”
The streetlight didn't reach her face, so the others couldn't make out her expression Was she not well because of her tiredness? Should Felli have taken the bags? But Leerin had insisted on carrying it
”I have so on her shoulder
”Ah, then we'll” Nina said, feeling the unusual atmosphere
It had been three months since Leerin arrived at Zuellni But she had not once said why she was here Academy Cities had fewer encounters with filth monsters, so they were safer than other cities But in truth, Nina witnessed a ruined city on her way to Zuellni, and filthbus was unsafe, yet Leerin had traveled all the way here Why? Many people should have already asked her directly or indirectly, but she kept diverting the conversation This ti the tension It felt different fro she shouldn't be here She exchanged a glance with Felli The other girl was also hesitating
”No I want you to hear too I want you to hear because you understand Layfon, the Military Artist whom I don't quite understand”
”Uhum”
”ok”
Layfon waited with a tense expression too
”Layfon”
”Uh”
Leerin watched hi he really was him
”When I read the letter that you wanted to stay as a Military Artist, I was relieved”
”Eh?”
”You wrote that in the letter Though I was happy and troubled, I was happy that you told ht of you as a Military Artist It feels like if you're not a Military Artist, then you're not the Layfon that I know Then you'd have disappeared, and I would really hate that feeling”
”Leerin”
”But I thought about it If I reunited with Layfon, observed hi Military Artist, then he should stop Zuellni's circumstances are irrelevant I'm not a Military Artist, but I've heard father's stories, so I understand the cruelty of battles If that is really how Layfon feels, then there will definitely be nothing good that will co a Military Artist”
Her words nailed Nina's heart She didn't want Layfon to fight again, yet he did, all because of the lack of maturity in the Military Artists here All because she herself was too useless She had thought of this many times, but who helped her clier? Layfon
In Nina's eyes, she could do nothing to catch up to Layfon's strength The ter much to him Because no one could catch up to himThey could only rely on hi ”But it turns out Layfon isn't really unwilling I don't kno Layfon feel about this, but you've never worn the face of being unwilling And that is really great”
”It's not like I've given up leav-”
”Un, even so, that's okay Because at least I know, for Layfon, being a Military Artist is not an impossible choice”
”Leerin”
”So, to the present Layfon No, it's because you're you now, that I think this is essential to you”
She took out so box, wrapped in a piece of clean cloth adorned with gold and silver threads A crest was carved into the cover of the box Nina didn't knoas inside it She glanced at Layfon and saw him frozen with shock
”This is”
”Father has already forgiven you And he feels he owes you, so he hopes you can accept this”
FatherNina recalled the school of Psyharden Layfon sealed those techniques of his but Haia had always been using those Katana skills She didn't knoas inside the box Did Leerin want Layfon to pick up the Katana? Or was it because Layfon had greatly ier than before? In that case
But Layfon quietly shook his head
”I'm sorry I can't take this”
The events that happened after that night were like raging waves It was very hard to make sense of them