Vol 23 Chapter 3 (1/2)
Fire Up Spirits (The Conclusion Arc, or the Insatiable Futile Challenge)
His nose itched
”Achoo!”
Layfon was holding things in both his hands, so he chose a place that would be affected as little as possible and then sneezed loudly
Felli, who stood next to hirily
”That's dirty”
”Sorry”
This was the kitchen of Layfon's roo a vegetable peeler challenging her peeling technique
”Uh, it's best not to use too much force”
Layfon proposed this in a weak tone to Felli, who glared at hi The peeler was such an easy-to-use tool, but Felli glared at the vegetables with an extre me to relax?”
”You can definitely relax”
Felli's hand that held the vegetables trembled, her face a bit troubled Next to her, Layfon continuedere going to be used for salad, so they couldhis work
But, as Felli planning, suddenly saying that she wanted to learn to cook?
Maybe this the challenge Felli had spoken about, possibilities other than being a Psychokinesist After thinking that, Layfon felt that he ought to do soht of what to actually do
◇
”Then”
On the other side of things, this was Claribel's rooht, but it felt like the temperature indoors was abnorazes of extre out
”Uuu”
shi+n, as kneeling on the ground without even being forced to, groaned beneath the gazes of the two of them Tony and Cody behind him had no clue what to do
”Well, it's fine to be a fan”
Claribelit After all, that's a question of your individual preferences”
Teresa also nodded reluctantly
”Maybe it's just an interest of yours”
”Yeah, even though it feels wrong!”
Teresa especially stressed that point
”As long as you don't do anything illegal, no one can say anything about your interests After all, there's no evidence you couys hold it in for too long', so you , though!”
Teresa kept stressing that point, her expression seereat deal of resentht tiht partner too!”
Teresa was practically enraged
Of course, this was because of shi+n's shameful display from before
At Nina's request, Felli had once helped the fourteenth platoon change their ie shi+n had openly used the nicknaht he would actually use theel' for Felli on his own She had been quite angry about that, so she had interrogated shi+n
At the time, shi+n had worn a raptured, intoxicated expression The two of the hiested she still wanted to say things, but after opening her hed deeply
”Well, whatever Even if the captain is a pervert, it doesn't change his power”
”It has to do with his humanity”
Teresa, who hadn't yet cooled off, continued scolding him With every word, shi+n's body seemed to shrink a bit
”We We'll follow you, Captain!”
”You You guys”
Tony and Cody quietly comforted shi+n
The three of thelared at the expression, so the three of theether and trembled
”Let's return to the hed and drew in everyone's attention
”But, Clara-chan!”
”Give it up This platoon's captain and the person you love is a pervert”
”Uuu”
Claribel consoled Teresa, who had fallen to the ground, as she looked at the males
shi+n couldn't even retort Did he not have the energy, or had he already given up?
Maybe there wouldn't be any results from today
Actually, she was a bit tired
”Why don't we just go back”
After Claribel murmured this, shi+n first showed an expression of surprise, then a relieved expression ih this reaction made Claribel feel irritated, she didn't feel that they could think of any good ideas if they continued
”Let's go back”
Claribel declared that again, and then ended the e a table in Layfon's roo around it were three people - Layfon, Felli, and Claribel
”Why did they go back?”
”Sorry”
Layfon's troubled se Layfon hadto eat dinner with them Moreover, because Layfon had made extra food, the amount of food was so much that it even left the two Military Artists known for their appetites speechless
”We'll have to finish off this food for breakfast tomorrow, and make it into bentos”
”Then pleaseto”
Layfon nodded readily Rather than feeling sheepish[1], Claribel actually felt so silence
”Felli, you want a bento too?”
”Is there none for h they were classified as Military Artists, Psychokinesists didn't eat that ht eater Because of that, even Claribel could understand that answer, but Felli's unhappy tone flustered Layfon
”Then please ain Layfon put on a relieved expression, but Claribel didn't really pay attention to his reaction
Had the two of the too much? Claribel had only learned about Felli's existence after co to Zuellni, and she didn't know about Felli's and Layfon's relationshi+p Nin and Meishen ht be interested in Layfon, and Claribel had imet a feel for Felli
The only thing Claribel was sure of was that Felli held feelings for Layfon When she heard that shi+n had introduced his senpai to Layfon, Claribel had been worried that some physical relationshi+p or other had happened, but Layfon was incredibly dense, so she shouldn't have to worry about such a thing happening between him and Felli
(I can't be careless)
She felt like Felli ht be the one to end up with Layfon Nina sees, and Meishen lost out due to her own personality, so she couldn't shorten the distance between thes right now)
Claribel ain Though that matter was very important, it was another s She had to becooals There was no tiht end up not even being able to speak of love
After thinking that way, her h it was another matter, the fact that Layfon was unaware that he all she wanted to surpass ry
She wanted to say it
Though she wanted to, she didn't Because she had decided this was the problem she should overcome Also, if she told Layfon about it so readily, and it led to hiht her, then he would hold back even ht her
If she told hiht with him for real
”H a bit more than usual to deal with the four extra portions of Layfon's food, but then she noticed that the salad tasted a bit different froht she had been blinded by the amount of food, so she hadn't paid that enerally very good If she tried paying attention to it, she could clearly notice the difference between the salad and the other food
What was the difference? Though the dressing was the same as always, Claribel felt like it tasted different
”Um This salad--”
”Ah, you noticed? Felli-senpai made that”
”Huh?”
Did you oing to say, then looked at Felli
Claribel reh she had never heard Felli say that, Felli gave off that kind of feeling
Also, her name never appeared in the list of people ere to cook
To be fair, Claribel herself wasn't good enough toFelli for that People froes like Claribel and Felli often had very wealthy family environments, so there were probably many who had never cooked before Felli didn't seeave off a wealthy, upper-class feeling, so it wasn't strange that she couldn't cook
”Sorry, I didn't ized flatly, yet somewhat unhappily Maybe she could also taste the difference, or perhaps it displeased her
”No, it's fine”
Though she kneas useless, Claribel could only reply that way This wasn't her ho of others
It would be another matter if it were inedible, but at least she could eat this salad
”But Senpai, you've improved”
”>Really?”
”Because it's edible”
”It looks like you don't want to live anymore”
”Guah!”
Layfon fell from his chair with a crash It seemed like his shi+n had been kicked Layfon writhed in pain on the floor It seemed to hurt very much
”Uhm”
Claribel mused to herself as she watched that scene
This time, Claribel was the one totea, she was capable
After placing the finished tea on a tray, Layfon said ”Right” as he took out snacks
In that instant
”Hiyah!”
As Layfon was about to walk past, Claribel changed the hand she held the tray with and struck out at hi at Claribel's karate chop as it passed by in front of hireatly
”Why did you dodge?”
”I would have died if I didn't dodge”
”But you took Felli-senpai's kick”
”Because that was a surprise attack”
”I did a surprise attack too, so please get hit”
”There would be a hold through , Layfon looked up at his own bangs Some of his hair had been cut off, and cut strands fluttered inthe on the snacks
”H She had just put a bit of strength into that cute move, but Layfon had responded to it so e in treat rooht up this request
”What does that e expression, while Felli raised an eyebrow
”In other words, I want to say you treat me too rudely”
”I don't think that's true”
”No, you do!”
Claribel flatly rejected Layfon's statement
”I feel like you're much ruder with me than you are with Felli-senpai or Meishen-san”
”Captain isn't included in there?”
”She's very sturdy, so it's fine”
She also flatly rejected Felli's question
”Oh? Who are you calling sturdy?”
A voice co fro behind her was Nina with a somewhat stiff expression, in a place she hadn't been previously
”NNina-senpai? When did you come back?'
”Just now”
”I opened the door for her, didn't you see?”
In that case, Layfon had opened the door when he went to get the snacks just now? Claribel hadn't noticed her at all
”I co Sakkei It looks like I surprised you, Clara”
”AAhahaha!”
Claribel tried sh
”Incidentally, Layfon noticed”
”Uu!”
Claribel hadn't noticed because Layfon's movements had been extremely natural when he went to open the door for Nina But Layfon had been able to notice that in an ordinary state, but Claribel hadn't noticed in an ordinary state That ap between the two of them, as expected
(No no no, it's because I was focused on surprise-attacking Layfon, so I didn't notice)
She tried convincing herself with that reason, but immediately noticed that it couldn't overturn the facts
In other words, she had shown an opening
”Well, that really shows you're rude toafter Layfon in order to pull theer
”It's because Nina used Sakkei when she came back but you still noticed her presence And you avoided my surprise attack so easily, but didn't avoid Felli-senpai's kick Why's that? As I thought, Layfon's really rude towards etting involved?”
Nina leaned back in surprise at this unexpected developht? You endured Felli-senpai's kick Why was that?”
”Uh, Felli's a Psychokinesist, so her ht?”
”Nina said But her voice became smaller and smaller, perhaps because she wasn't confident
”Huh? What's wrong?”
Layfon also faltered under Nina's stare
”Is that true?”
”Huh Uh, probably, yeah”
”What do you mean, 'probably'!?”
”Uwah!”
Nina's shout htened himself
”Felli's muscles are the saht? Layfon!”
”Uh I'm not sure”
”What do you e Fellisenpai's kick, but being able to detect Captain's presence, and dodging Clara's surprise attack were both, uh reflex, I didn't do them on purpose”
”Reflex, you say”
”Uuu, sorry”
Layfon cringed as Nina glared fiercely at hi - Claribel mentally made a fist Even if Layfon wasn't aware of it, Claribel couldn't treat Layfon like Nina did because of the relationshi+p she had cultivated when they had been in Grendan
Even if Layfon was stronger than Nina, the captain-subordinate relationshi+p could make Layfon yield mentally to Nina
Good, I'll use Nina to rout Layfon like this, and then I'll use everything I can to ready the battlefield
”Then good!”
”Huuh?”
Those thoughts collapsed with a surprised sound after Nina's words
”WhWhy?”
”He said it was reflex, right? There's no use in bla him for that”
”But that's why it's serious!”
”But there's no use in fixing that problem”
”In that case, you think it doesn't matter, Nina-senpai?”
”Hhtful posture
Claribel waited
Nina was deep in thought She put her hand on her chin and closed her eyes,the tables
The silence continued
”Um, Nina-senpai?”
”Captain, have you not eaten dinner?”
”Huh?”
”Oh ot to eat”
After Layfon asked this, Nina shook her head sheepishly
(So she was just pretending to think just now? She was actually so hungry she couldn't think at all?)
Stunned, Claribel stared at Nina, ore an eo warm it up for you”
”Sorry”
”Huh, wait Um, Nina-senpai?”
”What?”
”What about theabout?”
”Hmm? Uhh”
Claribel's question caused Nina to look up at the ceiling for a long while
”Yeah, there's no helping it”
”Huh?”
”And it would be a pain forloose”
”Hmm, uh Yeah, s so naturally”
”Uh, uuu That's true”
Not good, she was coh Claribel wasn't qualified to dismiss others for that, she still felt despaired
”But as I thought, it's still”
When she got that far, the smell of the reheated food wafted over to the”
”Ohh, thanks”
Nina walked to the dining table with a spring in her step, not a single piece of her de her talk with Claribel visible from behind her
(How should I say it)
Claribel thought as she looked at Nina, who sat on the sofa quietly eating food, and Layfon, as responsible for providing the food
(Everyone's being ta food, especially Nina The dor food when she had lived in a dor definitely hadn't been bad, but unfortunately the portions had only been suited for ordinary people, so it had been a bit lacking for a Military Artist
Layfon said that he would had been scolded when he made too much food before, but that was only because he cooked for ordinary people If he cooked based on his own portions, it would be too ood as Meishen's, at least fros like taste, texture, or depth
However, big eaters would prefer the food Layfon h his portions were large
Nina had been corossed in training recently, so it wouldn't be a lie to say she was always hungry Layfon's food was shockingly effective there
(Not good, I need to realize that I'm isolated)
Nina, who self-trained excessively, had become a demon of appetite As expected, would it be impossible to make her into an ally?
(Ah, but, I she can't be careless either)
That referred to her strength as a Military Artist Claribel had continuously helped Nina with her individual training since she cath was completely different froth, which was enough to control the Haikizoku To efficiently use the strength the Haikizoku carried, she had to i with her body's fundamental abilities Nina's Kei flow and Kei pathways, which were generally recognized as being very difficult to develop, had grown quite a bit, and her body's abilities had improved by leaps and bounds Maybe that day's intense battle had seeded so her ti purely on Layfon like this?
(No way I' rown in Claribel's mind, and she had also affir out individual training, but she felt like she was progressing very slowly
But that wasn't only since she had come to Zuellni; it had been that way in Grendan too
Sloith lihed heavily on Claribel's ainst Layfon, who she had always viewed as her goal, in order to destroy that wall
(Not good I feel so i her whole body agonized Claribel
She wanted to loudly yell 'I can't go on like this' But she couldn't do that Claribel was conscious of a silent pressure assaulting her back The person that pressure originated fro if she could hear all the conversations here Claribel realized that she was that kind of entity
She looked completely harmless, but actually she could easily eliminate Claribel and the others She could easily crush the leisurely scene playing in front of her eyes
Claribel and the others hadn't informed Layfon about her, so she probably had no reason towas also to oppose her
However
Layfon had ry Nina with a laid-back expression Seeing that scene, Claribel had naturally felt helpless She couldn't help but think - what if she were just over-thinking things
What if the situation wasn't actually that urgent Maybe everything had been perfectly resolved back then in Grendan, and the world would continue on like it had always done
What if she was actually har was just her own ht be that way
(That's too optihts that flitted through her s could be that way, but reality wasn't that beautiful Nothing could be resolved if she didn't do anything Even if so, it definitely wouldn't be for her benefit Since it wouldn't be for her benefit, she couldn't expect what she wished for
Only if she obtained victory with her own hands would what she obtained fro