Vol 17 Chapter 1 (1/2)

Chapter 1 - Her Deterh she couldn't touch it, it was extremely important

She only had to think about it, and her brain would heat up along with her heart feeling tight

She wanted to treasure it, carefully preserving it

Wanting to bury it deep inside her heart

As if she were receiving an extraordinarily ihtly locked it in a chest

Very, very carefully

◇

If their hoether would increase? In reality this was not so

The cake shop that she had opened becaet inspiration for new products, she spentout other stores Still, her time at school naturally became time for the two of them to meet

”In other words, the situation is the same as it was your first year”

”Umm”

At Mifi's conclusion, Meishen could only eht noas lunch break It was only Mifi and Meishen eating lunch together, as Naruki had been called over to do City Police work

”Wait, has the tiether become less?”

Her childhood friend looked around the classroom With no way to refute it, Meishen also turned her head In front of her gaze was Layfon's seat, but no one was in the seat

Currently Layfon see Neverlunch break he was almost always outside and didn't stay in the classroom

”I don't know if it's his expression or look, but don't you think the feeling that Layton gives off isn't the saue, but Meishen also had this kind of feeling She was the sa

Layfon had found so to work hard at - perhaps it could be described like that, but Meishen also felt that it seemed like there was a difference somewhere

Should it be said that it wasn't interesting, or that he was too desperate?

”What's bothering hily nodded her head to Meishen's softbut he's not strong enough I feel like Layfon's nor like he doesn't have much leisure time When he was in his first year, he didn't have much free time because of his work, but now I feel like his look has becoe”

”Maybe so has happened?”

Layfon was a Military Artist, and was in one of the numerous Military Arts branches, part of one of the elite platoons, the seventeenth platoon

Even if he ith those people, he was still a person with outstanding co him desperate like this, one couldn't help but worry about whether so had happened

”That The attitude of the Student Council hasn't changed much, so I think it shouldn't be that”

Mifi worked as a reporter, so she was very clear about this infor it, I can vaguely feel whether things are like that by looking at the manner and expression of those important people Also, I haven't seen the Student Council taking any peculiar actions”

”Really?”

Mifi's words let Meishen loosen her breath She had felt that therelike last year, so she felt quite unsafe

But, compared to this, more importantly

”Is Layton okay?”

Just looking at the previous year, after Layfon had done so an extremely troubled expression, he seee wound

Did he have some trouble hidden in his heart that he couldn't tell others? If it wasn't related to the Student Council, then what kind of situation was it?

”I can't help hi it, but she didn't know if she could do anything for Layfon

”You think that the time you spend with him will increase?”

”I didn'tasked sarcastically by Mifi, Meishen showed a worried expression

If she said that she hadn't thought like that, Meishen would be lying However, Meishen truly had always been looking for a storefront to open a cake shop Though she had slightly adapted to interacting with strangers, she didn't think she could become a shop oho could interact with many customers, and this was really why she had opened a cake delivery shop

It was also the truth that she couldn't find a suitable storefront

The reason that she couldn't find a storefront was also because she had to find a place that was close to the residence of her childhood friends who lived together

If she illing to move, then she could have found a suitable storefront Since it wasn't based on attracting guests, the choice of a remote location wasn't i to a place inconvenient for Mifi and Naruki

She didn't want to leave the also hindered her search for a storefront

So during the party celebrating Layfon's h she had been influenced by that atmosphere to make her decision, Meishen still hadn't decided to live alone Even now, she still didn't think she could ht choices to solve the store's problems

As for the cake shop, with the help of the worker who had arrived and who lived in the saun quite sht that the opportunities for her and Layfon to h only one year has passed, ed”

Maybe she was too bothered to continue joking, as Mifi murmured with a serious face:

”The operational responsibilities assigned to me have increased, and Naruki should be the same”

”Nn”

Meishen also had her own store For exa in her ho money But, the system of the Acade what they wanted to do, so she was able to so quickly achieve her drea as you desired it - This was the idea of the Acadeoals quickly became very busy

Meishen was like this, and Mifi and Naruki as well

Layfon perhaps was also like this

”But-”

”Nn?”

Mifi's wordseeht?”

”Maybe”

Meishen agreed with those words That sentence also related with Layfon's expression that was different from normal, and

”If things are like that, isn't it good for Layfon?”

”Maybe”

Mifi nodded her head, and and the two ate lunch without a topic for a while

(But)

Meishen didn't knohat Layfon was doing

Because she felt that there was another, even greater worry This wasn't what Layfon was doing, but concerned the results that would be produced by what Layfon was doing

This could only be described as a small, uncomfortable premonition, as if needles were deeply stuck inside Meishen's heart, and she couldn't pull them out no matter how she tried

◇

As to what Layfon who Meishen worried about was doing, he was currently training

He was on the roof of the school

It was training to use Sakkei while co his Kei flow The so-called Kei conceal Kei leak outside of the body Co Kei in this situation would enerating this excess heat while producing Kei, the most efficent chained Kei attacks could be produced

If the speed at which Kei was produced increased, the speed of one's moves would increase as well

Additionally, the speed of Composite Blast would increase

Since he couldn't expect the capabilities of the Dite to increase, he could only review the way he used his Kei His current h burden on the Dite, but at the least noouldn't run into a situation where he would break the Dite before he could use a ht that he could not use the Dite altogether, and directly use Kei techniques

But, the material properties and internal structure of the Dite allowed it to transform Kei in an efficient manner If Kei techniques were used without this kind of ability, one sih it was a bit late to do it now, there were times when those techniques came in handy But, one couldn't only rely on such a weapon to fight

”I really aed in hishad to do with Military Arts, regardless of in what area, Layfon could use his genius to complement his weakness, but it could even be said the probleht that his own strength was that he had many ways to respond in a critical situation, but now the number of ways that he could respond had become less

For most Heaven's Blade successors, the nuent situation wasn't that th, and that was the reason they had the qualifications to become a Heaven's Blade successor

Layfon had taken to heart Gildred's words that he was 'A kid who could only play genius'

If someone wanted Layfon to select his most adept martial art, then as expected, he would still choose the sword However, till today, Layfon had never thought of changing his fighting style to exclude the steel threads, because Layfon felt that the way he used steel thread techniques had already become part of himself

However, if someone asked Layfon if he could rely on his steel thread techniques to confront Lintence, he would feel very worried

”After all I should first strengthen Coer”

Layfon decided on his next goal, but right now he sighed again Coh his body's Kei limits To do this, he needed to expand his Kei vein, which was essentially his Kei flow, but for the ardless towards this

”It's not easy to find a clue”

Layfon sighed again

So appeared in front of hi his previous mission and an old Military Artist narandfather It seerandfather or an ordinary great-grandfather

That person had tried to co hiht with unknown creatures that were possibly filthhad happened, Nina still hadn't said anything

However, Layfon began to think in a different way - perhaps she wasn't 'not speaking', rather 'she had no way to speak'?

”For you, this way of thinkinghis way of thinking to Felli after things had cal like this

”I' to your story, they not only can change their form at will, but every part of its mass possesses the ability to think independently Perhaps the particles take the forroup, and carry out their activities as a group organism”

”Ah”

Layfon alroup organism' let him think of a certain filth monster

”Behemoth”

Back when he was in Grendan, when Layfon was still a Heaven's Blade successor, he had once faced an aged phase together with Lintence and Savaris, and Delbone had seely explained that filth monster this way at the time

”So, since there's a precedent, then the creature that appeared before is ine that being has the form of small particles, and there's the possibility that they are hiding in Zuellni doing surveillance”

”How could”

”In our current situation we can't completely confirm this deduction”

Felli asserted this, and Layfon didn't possess any way to folloith this way of thinking either

”Since we ht be under surveillance, we can't take any reckless actions or coht”

”Then,about this topic”

”Okay”

”Right now is a time for us to watch the situation of the city and the Captain while accuth”

Felli's words

For how long should he do this kind of thing?

During this situation to which he didn't know the answer, the city had somehoent into the summer period

Layfon was so, Layfon saw the situation frole In reality, this kind of pressure was the same as the time in Grendan when he didn't knohen filth monsters would attack next, the same as the situation when he could only practice Military Arts every day

After thinking that, Layfon's heart suddenly cals with a runaway heart would only lead to continuous defeats, a lesson Layfon had already learned fros that happened last year

”The i that way”

Layfon co this His current task was to find out howthe Military Arts student in the school building fro Kei floas like blowing air into a balloon Sakkei was the balloon, and the Kei floas the air Within the acceptable range of the balloon, one could endlessly blow air Even though the balloon beca as the explosive noise of the balloon breaking didn't sound out, no one would perceive the balloon's existence

In other words, how ? How fast should air be blown into the balloon? Could he raise the strength of the balloon? Layfon thought of these things as he let the balloon inflate

This asKei flow

”How should I do this”

He once again murmured

Nina had been involved in some problenificant

However, the proble hisat the situation frole, he had unexpectedly been able to elied phases were various, and had great differences froth of his opponent after encountering the the actual situation of his opponent was normal

Nina was here Then, perhaps enemies would appear here in a day, or perhaps Nina would leave here in a day

”If that happens, I can only go with her”

He mumbled this

Afterwards, a small doubt appeared in his heart

That doubt hy did he go to this kind of degree?

Did he have a reason to do this kind of thing for Nina?

”What should I say?”

He didn't really understand

However, Layfon couldn't just give up on Nina Just thinking of that ood of a person?

”She's done a lot for me”

When he had just come to Zuellni, he had coh it wasn't intentional, Nina had strongly brought Layfon back to his role as a Military Artist, and s had happened In the end, ht new probleed, they were all Layfon's own problems, and Nina wasn't the reason

Because Nina was here, Layfon had maintained his position as a Military Artist

”I can't give up on her”

Layfon once againhas happened”

Though he said this, after he came back froed After that no obvious changes had occurred, no filth monsters had even attacked, and the time passed by very smoothly

Perhaps this way of life was only ordinary for an Acaderown up in Grendan and passed many restless days, this kind of peaceful time let him feel somewhat iht?”

Could he really be only the kind of person asn't used to those lines? This kind of uncertainty flitted through Layfon'sfor so event, but because of the environht now there was still so to be cautious of

It was Felli

Two days before, she had indicated that she wanted to challenge Delbone's legacy

After that, she had not left her ho of this, he felt tense

As a precaution, Felli had given the room key to Layfon to keep, so he went to quietly see Felli's situation

Felli slept on the bed

Even if he opened hiswas very quiet, and expression and body temperature were very noracy was her battle experience

Layfon had never heard of Psychokinesists being able to exchange experiences like physical data So, perhaps this was so only Delbone could do

Then, it was only because it was Felli that she could receive her experiences

Therefore, it was only Felli who could carry on her resolve and inherit her challenges

As to what consequences this action would bring, only Felli herself knew

Regardless of success or defeat

”In terht be over quickly But, if the ti differences produced between my mind's sense of time and the world's time So, it's possible that I will enter a sleep-like state for a long tiacy, Felli hadthis, Layfon only felt that the blood in his entire body had frozen, and he even tried to talk Felli out of it

However, Felli didn't stop

”Though I expect the inforacy to be the key to our current problem, since she said this was ereat expectations of this”

”In that case”

”But, even only being able to achieve her experience as a Psychokinesist is extre this, Layfon had no words to respond

It wasn't wrong to say this

Because, Layfon had never heard of a Psychokinesist above Delbone Fighting from before Layfon existed, she had always held the identity of a Heaven's Blade successor protecting Grendan, and went through countless battles

Felli said she could achieve this kind of experience If Layfon was a Psychokinesist, he would definitely want it

But, Felli

”Right, Felli, didn't you want to give up your identity as a Psychokinesist?”

”Is the current situation one where I can give up?”

”No”

”Since I can't give it up, I want to have the peak as et The key reason is close by, so even if there are so”

Layfon couldn't continue rebuking Felli's words

So, Layfon could only worry and be anxious He couldn't even focus well onthearound in his head

”But, I feel that it would be better to stop”

He triedthis to his memories The residual ination produced developments, and because of this sentence a Felli with her eyebrows creased appeared in front of Layfon's eyes

He felt that he couldn't even save the Felli who had appeared froination

”Maybe it's true”

If that were so, then it would have been better if he hadn't asked Felli for help in the first place If he hadn't said anything to Felli, then perhaps she would have already turned from Military Arts to another department

Now liberated fros, perhaps she would have done that

The one who obstructed her was Layfon

”Aah, it really is!”

It was because he had said those things, that Felli had helped hi this, the sinful feelings produced made Layfon feel quite unco this kind of easy training' e this level of training, achieving no progress or what couldn't be called progress, was that really good? He couldn't stop wanting to ask hi Felli who had challenged the legacy and was still in a sleep-like state, he felt evenelse he could do

”Did the Captain also have these kinds of feelings before?”

What Layfon meant was Nina that they had barely met Up to last year, because of the poor performance at the Military Arts Competition, the number of selenium mines Zuellni possessed had reduced, and the city's existence was facing a crisis In order to find ways to solve this predicament, Nina established the seventeenth platoon and endlessly struggled, and had desperately trained her Military Arts with a feeling unlike now

The destination was clearly there, but because her strength was too weak she couldn't arrive there The Nina at that ti fro that seeoal had always been there Now she wasn't focused on beco Military Artist like Layfon and was focused so Layfon feel impatient, and she hadn't told Layfon what he should do

Last year's Nina had a ing forward for it

Like last year's Nina, the current Layfon also felt as if he had to do so his power as a Military Artist, Layfon felt that he had to do so else

But, he didn't knohat he should do

Layfon had to beco, because he had already decided that he would help Nina who had been involved in so event

”Is it only that?”

So he had to beco

Layfon was clear that in the end he would return to this conclusion, but when he thought again, he noticed he was still pondering it

”Hahhh, I really ah while he trained There was an a in his heart that made him unable to quickly reach a conclusion What was theforward after all, and ould happen next?

Was this related to Grendan?

In other words, related to Leerin

”Hahhh”

His mood was so heavy that he lost his focus

”Lunch break will be over soon”

Only as he said this did Layfon notice that he had not eaten lunch Since had thought of thisclass, he hadn't been able to stop wanting to hurry up and try it, so he had trained till now on an empty stomach

”Ahh, what should I do?”

Moreover it seemed like he had left his bento in the classrooet it now?”

From here he could clearly see the clock tower in the

Layfon looked at the clock, and there wasn't et it now, the senior lecturer could just then walk into the classrooo to the canteen to buy souess I'll wait till after school to eat the bento? Ahh, butthe situation of the canteen near the second-year building, Layfon let out a pondering sound In this Academy City, not only were the customers students, but the shop owners were also students The stores that did business during classtime were few

Therefore, he should skip class altogether That choice tugged at Layfon's heart If he went don, he could find a store that was in business, because the deraphic there was upperclassh if the underclass classtime, it would be very easy for him to draw their attention

”Hahhh Can I only tolerate it?”

Though he could eat soht of hoould have to listen to class with a hungry stomach, Layfon felt dismayed

”Huh?”

Just then, Layfon noticed there was sohtened because of his training heard footsteps walking up the stairs

It was a sound he had heard before

”Meishen?”

Judging by the footsteps, she alking quickly

She couldn't have coht so, he still paid close attention to the sound of these footsteps, so he stopped athered towards the sky

Doing this would allow him to not be noticed by other Military Artists as he handled this Kei flow that could only be released outside his body

The sound of the footsteps reached the roof

”Ah, Layton, you really were here”

”Huh?”

Meishen showed a surprised expression But at her saying this, Layfon was also surprised

”Huh? You were looking for me?”

”Nn Because you left your bento in the classrooht away, but you didn't”

The bento in Meishen's hand ot to takeabout how to deal with lunch”

”Really, then that's great”

”Ah yes, how did you find me?”

Layfon asked this of Meishen who had relaxed her breath

Judging by Meishen's tone, she knew that Layfon was here

But until just now, Layfon had been carrying out his training while using Sakkei

There shouldn't be anyone able to feel his presence

”Vati told me”

”Vati, huh?”

Vati Len, a new student this year who lived in the sa, as well as a worker at Meishen's shop

”But, hoould she know?”

She was a first-year student, and at this time she should have no reason to appear in the second-year building

”Just as I was going out to find you, I ran into her So she told me about it”

”Oh”

Layfon nodded his head, but didn't understand

”Was I seen while I was there?”

Though Layfon cared about it, perhaps it wasn't so Even if his presence wouldn't be felt by others, it didn't mean that his body would be hidden Perhaps she had just seen him Moreover she could have had so, and seen Layfon walking up to the roof preparing to carry out his training

In the end, Layfon's current priority was his appetite He sat on the ground, preparing to eat the bento that Meishen had brought

”Layfon, did you make today's bento?”

”Since I made too much dinner, I redients”

Since his life se in the apartment, the opportunities for Layfon and Meishen to make dinner for the others had increased

When Layfon cooked, he had the bad habit of cooking too much, so the dinner table would often have leftovers But Layfon would always make the leftover dishes into bentos for the next day, so they had never throay the leftovers that they couldn't eat

”I haven't been preparing bentos for you much recently, I'm really sorry”

”How can that be, I was just too dependent on you last year”

If she had tiht noould still make bentos for Layfon, but the occurrences weren't as frequent as during their first year

”You're very busy right now, it's not your fault”

Everythe work at her cake shop, and it would be a mistake for him to expect her to prepare bentos for hi that you still ”

”It's only extra that Ibentos for ”

These were Layfon's true feelings Meishen seriously confronted the things she wanted to do, and didn't try to escape froood at Meishen had only hidden behind the backs of her childhood friends in her first year, but now lived on her own, and had her own store

”Meishen is very a, how could it be otherwise!”

”That's not”

Meishen went silent with her whole face red; that was her right fro her work at the cake store, Meishen's eyes gave off a different radiance As she did things with all of her heart, it produced a kind of feeling that could be enjoyed from the bottom of one's heart

It made Layfon feel very envious

From his first year, Layfon had envied Meishen who knehat she wanted to do Moreover she had also actually advanced towards her goal Layfon didn't only feel envy, but also felt happy for Meishen as if it were himself

”I also have to work hard”

”I think Layfon is trying very hard”

”Thanks”

Layfon felt very happy that Meishen could say this

But, though the training to becoaze above

”The i”

Meishen tilted her head showing a puzzled expression, and Layfon smiled at her

At that ti out, and the two hurriedly left the roof

◇

Layfon's praise made her quite happy

But, the sentence that he had casually said, 'I also have to work hard', seemed quite serious

”What is it?”

School was already over, and Meishen was in her shop The important business of this store was to send desserts to affiliated stores, and though this as co, it didn't mean the work in the store would end just like that The store was also connected to the district, and would also have customers enter

The fa in the Warehouse District, so though there weren't many, there were still customers who caht now, there were no customers at all in the store

Even the apartment residents and childhood friends ould come over whenever they had the chance hadn't co to do At that ti of her

”Eh? Ah, huh?”

”The cleaning outside is finished”

”Ah, s, sorry Thanks for your work”

”No, it's no probleer?” [1]

Though Vati was very pretty, her face had no emotions and her tone was very serious, so one could easily feel that she was unapproachable

”Uu, sorry”

Meishen was already used to her attitude, so she nor dazed during work ave off become even heavier, and this pressure almost crushed Meishen

”Please don't mind More i?”

”No, it see”

”Huh? Ah, ah, that thinking of new products”

Meishen tried finding an excuse, but her voice grew quieter as she spoke

However, this kind of reason wasn't good enough for a girl like Vati

”No, it felt somewhat different fro like that”

”No, it wasn'tof new products Whento her, Vati suddenly lost her normal cold expression She relaxed her face, her htly, and showed an absentaze slanted upwards

How to describe it, this expression looked a bit blank

The ht this, Vati had restored her normal expression

”If that kind of expression continues for ten minutes or more, the next day has a seventy percent chance of a new product appearing”

”Au!”

Neverherself actually h to want to die

”So whatproducts”

”Yes, you're right”

Meishen slightly raised her hands as if co you can't say?”

”Ye~s ”

”If it is, then I've been too careless Sorry”