Vol 1 Chapter 3 (1/2)
Chapter 3
{1}
—The winds blowing into the streets was da dew
The sun was still half-covered by the horizon Red light was slowly seeping into the dark sky
””
At the outdoor cafe, 'The Tans
At the courtyard next to the back door, a teenage boy was standing in the cold winds of the
It was at a green garden encircled by three walls The boy was focusing at the tree in theon a branch of the tree, was a white piece of paper hanging by a piece of thin string
”Oi— Sheltis You have not talked since just now Are you ready to start—?”
”Eyri-nee, Yuto is hungry”
””
”Ahh, ht some chocolates You want some?”
”Yay— I want it!”
””
”Alright Sheltis, stop staring at that piece of paper already, come and have a chocolate——”
”Ahhhhhhh! I aain! Didn't I ask you not to talk to me?”
Sheltis yelled, and turned to look at the two girls behind him
”What are you co about? It's the person who is distracted that is wrong Isn't that right, Yuto?”
”Wrong——”
”You two are the ones anted to see this”
Suppressing his urge to sigh, he took a firrip at the silver-colored al for use under the continental laws
He reverse-gripped the two batons, with his two ar doards in a natural position
The next instant
With the winds and sounds purged off at the area he was standing on, Sheltis made his move
With the girls watching, the young man's body became blurry at the instant
And that happened just in an instant The youngon, and the batons were still hanging from his hands However, beneath his feet, a sht foot carass rustled into a swirl
It was as though soh speed
” Huh?”
”There, saw it clearly?”
He turned back to see Eyriey, as at a loss for words
The rectangular white paper that was hanging by the string, had been cut into two pieces neatly A gentle gust of wind blew the bottom half of it to the roots of the tree
”Ohhh How should I put it?”
Eryiey was still focusing on the ends of the string, and the re from
Despite being cut off at the dead center, the re upper portion of the paper did not htest vibration to be seen on the thin string
—There wasn't even a trace of any wind His single move had achieved absolute silence
”This is that even possible, physically?”
”Eyriey, not there Look here, here's the place where you should focus on”
He waved at the girl that was standing quite far away from him
”Mmm?”
”Not the paper Take a close look at the st
ring”
He lightly flicked at the string that was supporting the paper beneath it
Zaa
The string, with a thickness of only the size of a pencil tip, was split into two vertically doards the split gradually extended doards, and finally, even the re half of the paper was sliced into two as well
”Eh How How is that possible? Is it ic?”
”Urm- I just slice at it like I normally do”
The baton at his left hand was drawn out like he was pulling out a blade from its sheath, and made the initial slice horizontally at the center
At the sa the second baton Swinging it upwards, he sliced the top half of the paper, together with the thin string Then again, as his actions ay too fast, Eyriey could not make sense of what exactly had happened
”Met it The baton has a round end, so how did youthat beautifully? Sheltis, let me take a look at that”
Holding onto the two batons, Eyriey carefully inspected their ends
Due to it being a weapon for self-defense, the baton was designed with an arced tip The baton itself was ht by itself One will probably end upthe paper if they use it to slice paper
”I did it by scrapping past it The tip of the baton was used to brush past the surface of the paper”
” Ugh, if I had known earlier, I would have recorded it down”
Eyriey puffed up her cheeks and crossed her arain looked at the string that was tied to the tree branch
”But Eyriey, to a guard fro deal”
Only after one has survived through the hellish training and acquired extraordinary skills, can he consider hi line If not, he will not be able to fight against Yuugenshu
”You are joking, right? Tominor?”
”That's right Especially for the guards that are chosen to be Sennenshi+, their skills are evenIf it was Leon, he could have sliced it with his great sword, and not le time, even with his eyes closed”
Perhaps, that hat one calls a ' period'
Even after he has otten about his own personal training However, at the instance where he inging the batons, he could clearly feel that his body has beca through air It is natural for his body not to be in its best condition since he was far away from the battles, but he still felt worried-
”Eh?”
Sheltis blinked, and looked at the baton in Eyriey's hands
—Then again, why do I have such a sense of crisis?
The current hi sector He has no need to enter the battlefield, nor does he need to train on his swords play So even if his techniques were to deteriorate, there should be no need for hi sector, he has been using the batons as swords to train, before he had even realized it He was alorried about his skills deteriorating
”Oh right, Sheltis”
”Mmm?”
He turned backEyriey's voice
”Speaking of which, Sheltis used to wield swords back at Tenketsu Palace <sophia>, right?”
”Yeah, but why?”
She immediately revealed an expression of incomprehension when she heard that
”That's because Sheltis looks rather skinny, and you don't seeine you holding onto a great sword and swinging it about”
” You have hit the place where it hurts”
”So then? What is it in reality?”
”A great sword is way too heavy, so I can only use dual swords instead Si, except that it is thinner and lighter Generally, I hold one sword norrip It depends on my mood”
Suddenly, there was a tug at the edge of his short jacket He turned back to take a glance, and saw Yuto looking at him in anticipation
” Do you want a ride, or do you want y-back you?”
”A ride!”
”Alright Well then, does Eyriey finally believe in me now?”
After placing Yuto on his shoulders, he directed the question to Eyriey
”After seeing those things just now I'll believe you for now that you know a Priestess from Tenketsu Palace <sophia> However, to be honest, there are still sos which I am still half in doubt”
”Things about me?”
Eyriey shook her head quickly
”Not about Sheltis, but the mateki that exist within you That is the only possible explanation for you being able to fight head on against Yuugenshu with your bare fists, and co out unscathed But”
”Initially, Tenketsu Palace <sophia> was duht that it is so that is not possible”
It has been three years since he had fallen into Garden of Corrupted Song den>, while it o years since he had returned to the floating continent He has nearly no memories of the period of time where he was in that cursed world - obviously, one whole year had passed before he ed to return back
How exactly didthat time? Until now, there has been no answer to that question
”About the mateki, will you be conscious of its existence in normal times?”
”Totally not”
This time, it was Sheltis who shook his head The body which is infected with mateki, is no different froor checks by Tenketsu Palace <sophia> as well
”I guess - since it is unlike those of Yuugenshu, which gives off purple h you are the carrier of mateki, but under normal circumstances, it will be hidden in your body”
”Ah, that is not quite right It is kind of like static electricity”
”What do you mean?”
”Though it is not in the form of mist that can be seen by the naked eyes, the mateki in my body will still radiate outwards Due to that, once I co off shi+nryoku, there will be a repulsive reaction”
”WaiWait! Which means to say, that ill be infected by mateki once we come into contact with you?”
”That can't be considered as co into direct contact with mateki, I think?”
”Oh, sorry, but I have an urgent matter all of the sudden - Yuto, run away quickly! We ordinary mortals will die once we come into contact with mateki!”
” If that is really the case, I would not have been able to live in the living sector”
He walked to the trunk of the tree, while carrying Yuto on his shoulders
He caught a leaf that was slowly falling down ininto contact with Yuugenshu's reen color still remained
”Ohh! Then again, why is Sheltis' mateki safe?”
”I have no idea Why is that so?”
Once again, he looked at the leaf in his hand There was still no change to it
”Were there any experiments conducted on your mateki, back when you were still in Tenketsu Palace <sophia>?”
”Yes Like shutting e doses of shi+nryoku, and lockinght I was no different from a lab rat”
However, even with the countless tests, they still could not unlock the secrets to the mateki in his body
”In the end, they could only come up with two conclusions One is that ative effect even if I come into normal people like Eyriey The other, is when the person in question possesses overwhel amount of shi+nryoku, like the Priestesses or the Queen, a repulsion will occur”
”Mmm, so that is why you can't stay at Tenketsu Palace <sophia>, but you can live in the living sector I guess it is not all rain and no shi+ne”
”However, I think I may be still under surveillance I've mentioned it yesterday as well, when I was exiled fromTenketsu Palace <sophia>, I've briefly heard the ter mentioned”
”Whoa can it be that our conversation is being tapped as well?”
”Hard to say At the very least, it does not feel like we are currently under surveillance Moreover, this may be a farce by them, in order to keep me in check”
He had told Eyriey briefly about his situation the previous night As she had personally witnessed hi into direct contact with uesses, he had decided it is easier if he was to take the initiative and come clean with her
”A question You have never once seen the Priestess-sama after that?”
”You are referring to Ymy?”
”Mo after you were exiled from Tenketsu Palace <sophia>, you two has not evenletters?”
”Just like I had said yesterday, they has released an order later, that no one from Tenketsu Palace <sophia> is to co, for Eyriey to be using a term that is full of respect, like 'Priestess-sama'”
In the two years where he has worked with Eyriey together at 'The Tans
”Eh - that is because they have protected the floating continent It is due to their hard work, that I a that I can't be forgetting”
”You better not say these things while you are talking to her Or else she will probably find a hole to bury into or so”
If the actual person was around, her face would probably be flushed red But while she was feeling embarrassed, she would probably feel really happy from the bottom of her heart as well
”Oh right The Priestess-saht? What sort of person is she?”
Eyriey asked excitedly Sheltis stared at the sky for quite a while after being asked that
”What sort of person she's just a really ordinary girl Though she ”
”Eh— I am really curious about this Is Sheltis really just in a childhood-friends relationshi+p with that Priestess-sama? Or do you two actually share a much closer relationshi+p than that?”
”Ah, it's time for work”
”Wait! Stop trying to end the topic!”
With his shi+rt being tugged by Eyriey, Sheltis turned around rather unwillingly
”Nothing that you are expecting We are just your normal childhood friends Moreover, I ae coardless of the place we live in or our standing, we are worlds apart from each other”
I must convince myself with that
Two years ago, Ymy was still one of the many apprentice-Priestesses, but now she is one of the Priestess that maintains Hyouketsu Kyoukai She has turned into one of the people who is absolutely essential to the floating continent On the other hand, he hi sector, ill not be granted the permission to see her even if he wanted to
”Foras Ymy stays safe and sound, I am happy”
”But- that Priestess-san her own Sennenshi+ yet, right? Doesn't thatfor someone?”
Eyriey pressed on Her intentions were good, but Sheltis had no option other than to smile bitterly
”No I force s like this I'll waste a day if I think too s”
Perhaps it was purely due to the fact that there is no suitable candidates around Either way, as sos like these are just way out of my reach
” Whatever Since this is what Sheltis has decided, then I'll not talk too much about it”
She shrugged her shoulders and sighed, then raised both of her arh suddenly in the next instant
”Alright! Well, in order to cheer Sheltis up, let us make use of the Stars Festival to enjoy ourselves as much as we can! We'll eat and play a lot!”
” Eh?”
”Ah! But it seems like the person in question is not too thrilled about it”
”My pay for thethat top quality meat”
In actual fact, he had planned to survive on water alone, until the day his next paycheck arrives
”Don't worry, I've checked One can get free coupons just by helping out in decorating the streets With that, we can eat and play as much as we like on the very day!”
”Oh- So there is such a thing Wait, ill be in charge of getting those coupons?”
”Do you even need to ask?”
Eyriey smiled
”I'll think of ways to getyours and Yuto's, alright?”
The streets next to the plaza were filled with flags, that had pictures of moons and stars drawn onto them
One could see countless colorful balloons floating in the sky The adults were setting up the stalls, while the children were picking up trash on the streets
”It seems like everyone is busy with the preparations for the Stars Festival”
On the roof of the outdoor cafe, 'The Tans
Sheltis looked doards at the street, while grabbing onto a bundle of ropes and flags used for decorative purposes
The streets are already bustling during the nore has already been set up in the plaza for the festival's use, while arching gates has been constructed along the streets
”Hadn't I said so already? This is a once in a year festival”
Eyriey was at the roof of 'The Tans
”I happened to be working last year, so thisthe Stars Festival”
”Eh? What about the times when you were at Tenketsu Palace <sophia>?”
”I had been busy, since I was tasked to guard the place Since-”
Sheltis stopped his work momentarily, and pointed to the direction of the white tower
”There is not much chance for the Queen to leave the tower”
Stars Festival - the festival with the longest history on the floating continent It is to be held the day after tomorrohich coincides with the time when the Queen hands over control of Hyouketsu Kyoukai to the Priestesses
”Oh right, has Sheltis ever seen Queen-sama before?”
”I've just talked to her once During the tiuard”
”How is she?”
”Hard to describe She is covered in a shawl from head to toe, even her face However, she is a really a person One of the reason that Ymy wants to be a Priestess, is because she aspires to be someone like her”
Queen Salah holds the highest position in Tenketsu Palace <sophia>, and is deeest shi+nryoku in the whole of the floating continent The Priestesses that aids her do hold high positions as well, but the Queen is at a level above them all
For the Priestesses, the task ofthe absolute barrier - Hyouketsu Kyoukai, is just so over a three days period However, the Queen maintains it for a cubic amount of days, which is twenty-seven days
”If I reht? There are rumors that she is the most impressive person ever in history”
”Mmm”
The Queen holds Hyouketsu Kyoukai for twenty-seven days, while the Priestesses take over for three days In Orbie Clar, thirty days equate to a month, while twelve months makes a year
In the twenty-seven days, the Queen will have to pray continuously, without sleep or rest The only ti the three days where the Priestesses take over In order to show their gratitude and respect for the Queen, the Stars Festival, which is held once per year, will take place during the three days resting period
”Co, since soo?”
Sheltis' job was to decorate the houses in the area He had been leaping between the roofs of the various buildings to put on the decorations, which was rather tiring
”My job is already done Here, look, there are no more balloons in the box”
Really
One can get free coupons for helping out with the festival Sheltis was originally thinking of how to obtain coupons for both Yuto and himself, and in the end he had no choice but to do the job load for two person
”Well, with that, I aht, I've successfully cleared the job for today”
”It's been hard on you Let us head back down then The view here is nice, but the winds are slightly too strong”
Eyriey alking towards the ladder with the pump in her hand, when Sheltis called out
”Ah, hold on a second I reht?”
”Mmm, and?”
”There is so that I hope you can help out with”
Upon hearing that, she gave a sinister smile
”Oh-? Are you thinking of soood?”
”How do you know?”
”Simple Because Sheltis will normally not beat around the bush”
”Mht- Ah Wait”
Just when he was about to nod his head, Sheltis stoppedsubconsciously
”What's wrong?”
”No, I aet it”
”What the- I as like that Stop thinking too much and just shoot I will be the one to decide if I can do it or not”
Eyriey said angrily
”Mo”
Despite having no one else on the roof, Sheltis still lowered his voice
”—Are you able to hack into the central computers of Tenketsu Palace <sophia>?”
At that instance, the expressions on Eyriey's face had disappeared
She crossed her ar to herself What she was h-leveled equations and proofs
That is a habit of the girl Whenever she is thinking of so, she will flood her brain with mathematical equations, in order to pressure her mind
”I'll say this first This is an illegal act, no matter how you see it”
Having finished reciting the mathematical formulas, Eyriey reverted back to her normal expression
”Because I need some data”
”Coain?”
”I need the records of the appearances of Yuugenshu that Tenketsu Palace <sophia> is holding The list that details when and where Yuugenshu are sighted at If possible, please compile the monthly reports into a year, and I need the records for at least ten years”
”Huh, that simple?”
” Eh?”
Upon hearing how simple Eyriey made it sound to be, Sheltis could not help but to doubt his own ears
”M with you?”
”No is it really okay? I'll make it clear, those data are of second-class security”
”Mmm, in any case, I'll try to help you find it”
Does she really understand what I a for?
To hack into the main computers of Tenketsu Palace <sophia> Even as someone who is not well versed in the areas of inforine how difficult the task will be
”Uhhhh For you to agree that easily, it just irl? Can it be that you are actually soency?”
”Nope Even though I have not tried it before, I don't think there will be much of a proble”
What is interesting?
Before he ed her shoulders and gave a wry smile
”Sheltis has actually wanted to obtain inforenshu from the main computers of Tenketsu Palace <sophia> That's no different frouards from Tenketsu Palace <sophia>”
” Eh? Is that so?”
”You are not even aware of it yourself?”
Eyriey's expressions became complex
”Sheltis, you had said it to s related to Tenketsu Palace <sophia>, I'll be causing trouble for Ymy, who is a Priestess As such, I will have to live on in the living sector as an ordinary person' Right?”
”Mmm To think I had already experienced it o”
For someone who is a carrier of mateki, his existence is on the opposite ends with Y he could do now is to care about Ymy from a place far away
”However, aren't you getting involved with Tenketsu Palace <sophia>'s ally hack into theirthat The reason for your hesitation is due to that, right?”
” Don't go about guessing randoenshu, due to us having encountered them recently”
”Well, I a casually You don't have to answer if you don't want to”
A secure yet lonely expression The two conflicting e between Eyriey's eyes
”It's enjoyable to be with Sheltis - that is good enough for me I think Yuto thinks the same as well However, you really do not wish to return back to Tenketsu Palace <sophia>? In actual fact, you ht?”
” That's quite a difficult question to answer”
He did not know if he was s at the same time, when he said that
When being asked if he is worried about Ymy, the answer is a definite yes That was because, he had yearned to become her Sennenshi+ o, he had experienced it personally, and realized that it is a wish that can no longer come true
”Even without me around Ymy will still be a competent Priestess”
”Forget it Since you have put it that way, I will feel sorry if I am to retort any further”
”In In any case, I'll leave the matter about the data in your hands”
”Alright However, don't you think you will need to prepare some sort of reward?”
Eyriey's sight went doards - to the signboard of 'The Tans
”I aredients needed for toh for ”
{2}
Outdoor cafe 'The Tans
As the front door was not opened, Sheltis entered into the kitchen via the back door
”I'”
”Welco”
Chef turned away from the pot to look at Sheltis
”I have helped Eyriey to purchase the ingredients Not sure if I get everything right”
He placed the towering ingredients that he was hugging in his chest down onto the table
”Let ara-fish, petrified-'s there”
After arranging the strange ingredients in a straight line, Chef clasped her hands in satisfaction
”A new coain?”
”You ara-fish, and Stubborn Salad with Peransa-grass and petrified-mushrooms”
Despite the unappetizing names, Sheltis could not understand why they are always popular with the customers
”Chef, such things are usually not used as ingredients right nearly all of them are poisonous”
”Ara, Sheltis does have quite a bit of knowledge However, as long as they are cooked properly, they will be very delicious and they are cheap too”
”That last line is probably what matters to you the most!”
”Fufu, that's a secret”
”I understand I heard nothing I shall go back to sleep”
He left the kitchen and walked towards the staff's corridor Since the market opens in the wee hours, plus the fact that he had been working on the night shi+ft, he had barely gotten any sleep
”Ah, Sheltis, Eyriey's been looking for you She asked you to stop by her room for a while when you return”
Chef's voice suddenly came from the kitchen at his back
”Eyriey's looking for me?”
The first thing that ca he talked about yesterday
”So in the end, it is still difficult huh”
Not only is it difficult to hack into the er of being arrested if they discover any traces left behind Though Eyriey agreed readily, it would not be strange for her to change her ht
”Eyriey, can I enter?”
”Go ahead-”
From the other side of the door, came the relaxed voice of Eyriey
”Well then, I'll be entering Whoa! What What's this?”
At the instant he opened the door, stacks of papers caed to maintain the balance of the stacks of papers that were about to fall on his head, by pressing them doith his hands
Before his eyes was a stunning scene
There were probably hundreds no, thousands of printed papers They were stacked together pieces by pieces, and the tower of papers had even exceeded the heights of adults Multiple toere clustered together in several groups The originally huge coe portion of the rooer any room for one to stand on
”Be careful I've printed these out in sequence”
Behind the forest of the paper towers, was Eyriey sitting on a chair with her back facing hi on the keyboard with a speed
” What's with this?”
”I am already done with the stuff that Sheltis had requested me to do yesterday Didn't you want the data fromTenketsu Palace <sophia>?”
She continued on typing without turning her head backwards
””
”What?”
”No, nothing”
—Seems like I have worried too much
Sheltis gave a wry s on the screen
”Well, are you really ready with hacking into their systereat I do hope it will be done as soon as possible too”
”Mmm, no no”
”No?”
”What IThese printed papers are the data They are printed on both sides, and there are a total of thirty-nine thousand six hundred and three pieces”
”Ugh, which means to say”
After being stunned for a full ten seconds, Sheltis finally shouted,
”It can't be?”
”What can't be?”