Vol 20 Chapter 6 (2/2)
Naruki sensed that she had held back froet There had been ten roup, and half of the bus while using her voice to confir in the underground district reached her ears Had the Military Artists all been assigned nearby to keep watch?
(From the left, three people!)
Naruki reacted to the Psychokinesist's sharp voice Three Military Artists ju bus
Naruki raised her baton and rope to engage the three of them
Only a few minutes had passed from the start of the raid until the end, but the heat of theafterround area
”Haa”
While watching the capturedtaken out one by one, Naruki slowly exhaled
”You've worked hard”
Her shoulder was patted Looking backwards, she could only see For a very happy expression The City Police had no obligation to coroup had stolen fro if they wanted to co probles that absolutely had to be returned, the normal method would be to visit the other party directly to sell theht or stolen fro would become the property of the Acade lined, but Formed felt happy because of this
When she had just started, Naruki had not only felt doubtful about that sort of reaction, but even felt that it was very strange
”But, this place has been made into a mess”
As if to banish the emotions that had appeared fro bus that had been half-repaired was overturned on the ground, and pieces of the bus's outer layer were fallen everywhere on the ground The leaking oil was for a black puddle on the floor that had been dirtied by soot
The Military Artists who had attacked Naruki had been very strong, perhaps even stronger than Naruki But, Naruki had trained with an extraordinarily strong Military Artist like Layfon every day, along with the platoon er than she was - Nina, Sharnid, and Dalshena, so she understood how to fight with eneer than she was
Naruki stalled for the whole time, and after the other police Military Artists finished their suppression and came to back her up, those enemy Military Artists were safely and easily captured
But, because Naruki had spent so s had become this bad
”Don't be concerned In any case, every roa to be diset hed reverberated around the surroundings, but right then, Naruki with a e sound
The sound had come from above Naruki and Formed
Other than several air ducts, there was a ce with metal frames that separated them
Most people would be unable to clearly see the co lights However, relying on a Military Artist's vision, it was possible to find the source of that strange sound
Moreover, the , the result that the strange sound brought about was being realized before her eyes
The ceiling was collapsing
”Watch out!”
Naruki ave the other Military Artists adequate time to react As the Military Artists carried the nearby ordinary people and retreated, Naruki also carried Formed at the same time
But, the scope of the collapse was quite broad, and Naruki and Formed were almost in the center At a speed that would ensure the safety of Fore in ti bus without looking back
She lost consciousness for a moment
”Where is this?”
Formed's voice made her return to her senses No, she hadn't lost consciousness, she had just been tes
Steel beaulfed theh to s had become dark, and even her eyes couldn't see very clearly
”We're inside a bus”
”Ahh, thatcollapsed?”
”Yes”
Naruki replied while feeling incouilty If Naruki had been able to suppress the bandit group faster, things wouldn't have become like this
”How is it? Can we escape?”
For environment
”Nn”
”Oh, sorry it's very cramped here”
”Yes”
After the assault of the collapsing ceiling, the bus hadn't survived completely Even the shell that had been taken off the front portion for repairs had been flattened, and the seating region behind Naruki's back had also been crushed flat
In that kind of situation, it could even be said that it was strange the two of them were safe and sound But, at the saht space where they couldn't do anything at all
”What should we do now, then?”
”Sorry, things were too sudden”
”No, if it were justinto this situation, Ah, if we just wait here quietly, rescue workers will come to save us”
”Yes”
”So for noe just need to wait here leisurely”
The rehtly alleviated by Forht alleviation of the tension alsoelse
(I'm so close to Chief)
The two of them were in sprawled out in a state where they were firether A seat had broken off and tilted to block the space above them, but it was because of this that they had been able to avoid being run through by the metal parts inside the bus
Moreover, in the moment when she had protected Formed just now, Naruki had also covered hi on top of him
(What kind of position is this!)
After thinking calmly, Naruki noticed that she was currently in a state where her face was red enough to catch flame In order to think of some way to break out from this diles
Creaaak
”Uh”
”Naruki, it would be best not to ht now”
”SSorry”
”No, I should be the one to apologize You must be unable to keep your balance because my stomach's too round”
”It, it's not like that”
She knew clearly that it was a joke, but Naruki couldn't laugh
One could even say that right noasn't tih
Not only was she sweaty all over because of the battle just now, her clothes stuck tightly to her to expose her body's curves, and even her hair was all messed up More importantly, there was a lot of dust on her body, so her face was definitely very dirty And to think she was so close to Formed in this condition Aah, at the least she wanted to take a shower No no no, as she thinking about!
Hurry up and calht noas a tense situation, not a tis
Ahh, but this opportunitywith schoolwork or City Police duties, For Maybe there wouldn't be another opportunity to be alone with hie of the present-)
”What is it? Worried?”
Perhaps because Naruki's impatient reaction seemed like anxiety, Formed asked this
”No, that's not it”
”Ah We won't have anything to do before the rescue team shows up, so it wouldn't be bad if you had any topic to talk about It's unfortunate that I can't think of any good topics”
”That's not true”
”In that case, can I ask again?”
”Ask what?”
”Your reasons for leaving the platoon”
”That”
”I won't sugarcoat h I said it's fine if you don't want to talk about it, I still care a lot”
”Why is that?”
”Nn?”
”Why does Chief care that much?”
”That Ah, because you only joined the platoon because it was related to that event I believed you would iht that you would continue on with it afterwards But right when I was thinking that, you said you were leaving the platoon I don't believe you would do that with a half-hearted attitude, but I care a lot about the reason you changed your s were Naruki thought warmly about the events fro Kei-enhancing drugs, and Naruki had requested the help of the seventeenth platoon to investigate, and joined the platoon because of this
In the end, Nina had single-handedly destroyed the investigation At the tiry But, she had felt that Nina's sense of justice and willpower had been truly respectable
After the judgment of the Student Council, the tenth platoon had ended up being dissolved, and because of this a part of dirty politics had been shown However, Naruki had no way of believing that everything was caused by Nina's dogmatic actions, and couldn't hate her because of this After all, even if the City Police investigated smoothly, Karian - the Student Council President at the ti, and it wasn't only because of Nina's independent action, but also because Naruki's strength as a Military Artist and ability as a police officer were insufficient
Thinking of this, she decided to try joining the seventeenth platoon and try training herself again
”But, how strong do I have to become?”
”Uh?”
Naruki's question made Formed tilt his head and show a confused expression
Staying in the seventeenth platoon th had no limits It wasn't just because she had experienced Layfon's power first-hand She hadfilth monsters, like when they had come in contact with Grendan, and the abnorsMilitary Artists became, there was still room for improves
However, in that case, how strong would she have to get after all in order to use her full strength as a police officer?
She didn't know the answer
”I'm not afraid of battle Honestly, even in the battle just now, if I had beco from my position, if you could have spent about three years in the platoons, and then focused on returning to your job in the police I thought about that before”
”Really?”
Forht about her - that fact made Naruki very happy
But, with that
”What is it?”
There wasn't anything around to provide lighting, so the two of them shouldn't be able to see each other's expressions But, Formed seemed to have noticed some sort of melancholy froht now it's already boring enough to die here, so just say it if you're thinking about so”
”Can I?”
”Uh?”
”Can I really?”
”Nn, you can”
How much awareness had Formed said those words with? However, Naruki believed that she could only truly bare her heart here The place right here and right noas the only place that she could speak of the feelings in her heart, she thought
”If I stayed three years in the platoon, wouldn't you have left here when that time came?”
”What did you say?”
”Maybe you'll say that's a half-hearted attitude, but this year is the last year you'll be here And you'll also be transferred, so you won't always be on the frontline I don't have much time left with you anymore”
”You”
”I want to stay by the Chief's side I”
For, which made Naruki feel incoht
As a policeman, For time, and on the other hand he had quite a few achievericulture student His actions were never half-hearted, and he always constantly advanced in the direction he believed was correct In contrast, Naruki had resigned froht before a full year, and her reason was even love
If it were For 'really pathetic' After the surge of momentum that came with her love confession, Naruki closed her eyes and prepared her heart
”Uh”
Formed made a short hum, and Naruki's body shrank from the tension
”Ah, you don't need to become that tense”
Unexpected words made Naruki open her eyes
”Chief, you're not mad?”
”Why do you think I'm mad?”
”That”
”Ha, maybe it's because I look old”
”That's not”
Naruki couldn't finish speaking The sixth-year Formed would be twenty-one this year But unfortunately, it would be natural to see him as thirty-some years old
But, Naruki hadn't chosen Formed because of appearance
”I was always called selfish by others”
”But, you've never taken bribes”
”That's true But, if I can ricultural budget will increase So I still have my own motives”
”That”
”I don't want to stand tall and say that what I' is wrong Have I talked about it? In the beginning, my wish to enlist in the City Police was just because soricultural lake that I liked There are criminals who try to steal information in this world, but there are also bastards who purely want to dirty an agricultural lake I only became a policeman in order to threaten those people more easily I'm that kind of man”
”Then”
”In other words, I'”
”That's not true”
”Ah, you're free to think what you want In other words, I won't get ardless of how you see me That's what I wanted to say”
Why had the topic moved to this? No Because she had tensed herself to prepare her heart for a scolding, the topic had shi+fted Naruki understood that
But, thisevasive
”Then”
”Nn?”
”So uh, well”
”Ah, I' about myself Sorry”
”No, not that That's not true”
”But I also said just now, I'm not as serious as you think, nor ary because of other people So I wanted to say that you don't have to worry about those things”
”Well, I already understand that That's not what I wanted to ask, but rather, uh”
For this on purpose - Naruki suddenly had that thought If he rejected Naruki’s confession in this kind of situation, then it would definitely becos over here and there After that thought eed in her mind, Naruki's face went pale
”I didn't say anything that made trouble for Chief, did I?”
”Nn?”
”That's right, it just bring trouble to be confessed to by soet about this”
”No, please wait”
”Chief, you don't need to be concerned about me Before the rescue tea anything”
”Wait wait, on the contrary, I'll be concerned if you talk like that!”
Formed's shout reverberated in the cramped space
”But Chief, you”
”Ahh, really! I'ue, so you don't need to feel aard, alright?”
”But”
”I just saw that you were mistaken about me, so I wanted to resolve that id ideal onto me, I'll feel very troubled”
”SSorry Then as expected, Chief”
”Listen till the end!”
In the darkness, Fors
”I already understand your feelings I also feel very happy”
”Then”
”But, I only have a year left in this place Your student life is still going to continue on, and I don't want tohere Also, I don't want to hold you back when you have to return to your hometown”
That speech simply sounded like a declaration that lacked sincerity
However, even Naruki understood that reality Because other than her lack of courage, the age gap and grade gap had been reasons she had always been troubled about regarding whether or not to confess
Regardless of how she struggled, For up on her ho to chase after hih that were true
”Even so, I don't care As long as I can have some memories with Chief-”
For a year left, but Naruki viewed that as honesty Naruki liked him because Forid body, naturally leaning her body onto For that is really reckless”
Though he said this, Formed still accepted Naruki, and tenderly stroked her head
Not long afterwards, the rescue teareeted them with the fact that their conversation had been heard completely by the people outside, and they were showered with blessings and teasing whistles But, she didn't hate that kind of feeling
◇
Vati Len observed everything
Looking from the perspective of male-female relationshi+ps - The Academy City's structural defect - Vati searched for a ether, but what had been returned was Naruki and For them into a situation where they were alone, and even the kind of situation that was somewhat of a crisis - the kind of situation where if she could, she would want to say everything inside her heart
Although the event itself had been an incidental happening, it was Vati's strength that had trapped the two of them in such a situation
”In other words, love isn't a perpetual thing?”
However, the answer she obtained in this experiment raised new questions
”The so-called love, shouldn't it be an eternal thing?”
In terenetic factors and cohly risky to put all of the possibilities for leaving descendants on a single action
On the other hand, looking at it from the point of view of an entire race, it was sufficient for the entire gene pool to produce an excellent offspring, so it could be believed that there was no reason to encourage the proliferation of a single individual's gene factors
”In the end, what is the answer?”
New questions had arisen In order to understand the answer to the question, Vati took more actions
Afterwards, the Acadeetting together or breaking up, but that phenomenon was just seen as a fad
Translator's Notes and References