Volume 24, Epilogue — Life is Goodbye

Volume 24, Epilogue: Life is Goodbye

The surrounding noise was very loud.

She would definitely have been scared after suddenly hearing the noise from the city outskirts if she hadn't prepared herself beforehand.

Leerin put a hand on her chest, looking at the figures of the people standing before her.

Right now, those figures were looking at the pieces of paper hung like advertisements on the outside of the city.

Truly leisurely.

But, thinking of him, she would only choose to give up.

"Hey!"

In order to not lose to the surrounding noise, Leerin raised her voice.

The figure looking at the flyers turned around.

Layfon was looking over at her.

On the other side of him was a roaming bus that was tied back. Along with the city's shaking, the roaming bus tied to the buffer bar also shook, making engine noises.

"What is it?"

"Are you really going?"

"I still haven't graduated yet."

"Even though you say that…"

"Moreover, I have no reason to continue staying here."

"Ah, um……"

Leerin went silent, moving her vision from his body. In front of him were the legs of the city that made heavy noises.

That leg that had only recently been able to move.

The repair work on Grendan that had been more than half-paralyzed had been extremely difficult, but now it had settled down a bit.

Right now it had recovered to the point where they could let the legs move like this, and the roaming buses had also returned.

"I have to go back now."

"……Yes."

Though Leerin's heart had accepted it long before, she was still a bit hesitant when he truly was about to go. She was still a bit strange, perhaps.

That kind of feeling was the same as that day.

Thinking carefully, starting from that day, Leerin's 'huge misunderstanding' had kept increasing.

"I was never able to tutor you because I was always very busy, but, can you graduate properly?"

"……I'll try my best."

"Alright, then do your best."

"Nn, because there's no longer any way for Leerin to come tutor me."

"Ah, I can't go to Zuellni for studies or anything again."

The two of them joked around.

In order to chase after him, she had departed from a roaming bus here. Leerin had never thought she would do something like that one day.

Savaris who had ridden the bus with her that day wasn't here either.

She had experienced many things.

She had also made many memories.

"There was even a time when I became a royal successor."

"Speaking of which, isn't that matter already resolved?"

"Nn, because I no longer have any strength. Though Uncle said that I could continue staying there, I felt that it was a bit bad, and I felt restless, so I moved back out."

Leerin's environment had also changed.

No, more like it had returned back to before.

Because she had lost her strength, she had been dismissed from being a successor. Alsheyra had said before that it was fine if things went on, and Minse who was her uncle had also allowed her to continue living in that room, but Leerin didn't have such plans.

Though she had also thought of returning to the student dorm, because that place had already been destroyed, she could only return to live at the orphanage first.

But after some time, because the student dorms could be reconstructed, Leerin would probably return there soon.

"When I went to get the luggage, I felt that I was being stared at with very hateful eyes."

"I think that they don't hate you from their hearts. But hating Layfon might be impossible to resolve."

"How troublesome."

Seeing Layfon's troubled face, Leerin smiled.

"But, isn't it good?"

"Nn?"

"Leerin has a home to return to."

"……Layfon."

Leerin was a bit uncomfortable at that kind of thought.

Leerin also knew that Layfon felt happy from the bottom of his heart.

But, it was because this that Leerin was uncomfortable.

"Our home……"

"I know that."

Layfon used his words to stop Leerin's anger.

"Our home is there. I'm very clear on how beautiful it is that I can say that, you don't have to tell me again."

"In that case……"

"But, I'm a bit worried that because of it, Leerin had to say a few unnecessary words."

"Eh……"

"Since you could find your blood relatives, if Leerin doesn't hate it, then it wouldn't be bad if you could find a comfortable place there."

"That's true……"

"I think that the face you make once in a while going to that home isn't too bad."

"I know that."

"Nn."

Truthfully, Leerin had also always wanted there to be someone who could say those words to her, and she still had many things that she wanted to ask Minse. Regarding her father, regarding her mother. Even if they were already passed away, Leerin wouldn't give up any clues that would let her learn things about them.

What kind of a person was her father?

How did he meet her mother?

There were so many things that she wanted to know.

"Thank you."

"It's nothing, it's nothing."

Seeing Layfon laughing, Leerin wanted to say to him, 'then, what about you?'

"Layfon?"

"Nn?"

"Truly, you're still going?"

She already knew the answer.

"Of course I'm going. Because I still haven't graduated."

He definitely would no longer return.

There were no longer reasons why he couldn't return. If he was stuck on those kinds of things, he definitely wouldn't help Grendan recover.

Layfon had been in Grendan up through today.

Even if he continued staying in Grendan, there obviously wouldn't be anyone to say anything about it.

"Is it truly only because of that?"

"Eh?"

"You don't have anyone you particularly want to see?"

"Nn."

"Nn?"

"Nn……"

"I think you're staying that kind of thing a bit unwillingly, so actually there is?"

Just by looking at Layfon's expression, Leerin could understand that.

"Uh……"

"Hmm?"

"What?"

"Nothing. Well, whatever."

It was different from that time.

This time it wasn't a trip that he had to go on even if he hated it.

Layfon only left because he had his own reasons, and people that he wanted to see.

"This way, I'm truly helpless."

"Nn."

While she was saying this, the time for departure arrived. The entrance to the roaming bus was opened, and the people waiting began moving.

"Then I'm going."

"Nn."

"Take care."

"Layfon too."

Leerin simply watched him take his suitcase and walk over.

His figure entered the roaming bus.

As the bus was slowly lifted up, Leerin saw Layfon through the glass.

Their gazes met, and they waved at each other.

As the bus descended to the lower part of the outskirts, Leerin caught the moment Layfon's vision turned forward.

As expected, his face wasn't regretful at all.

"Goodbye, Layfon."

Maybe this was the final goodbye.

It was only because she understood this that Leerin sent him off with a smile.

When he noticed the small gifts that she had deliberately hid, what kind of expression would he make?

Leerin felt very happy just thinking of it.

◇

The thing facing them after the battle was dealing with the aftermath.

Though the city had received almost no harm, there were still several people who had been hurt.

The most difficult part was probably the city relying on its own legs to move to its original area.

They had clearly used some kind of mysterious method when they had come here, but when they returned it was indeed a very ordinary method of the city walking on its own feet. Though they hadn't had any problems like friction with other cities, the difficulty created by the terrain and the attacks of filth monsters still affected the student life of Zuellni.

When the Student Council president in her departure speech said that the city had returned to its normal path, everyone had truly relaxed.

No big problems had happened after that, and Zuellni's days passed one by one.

Class days, testing days, days of platoon training and matches, and lively celebration all passed by.

That celebration brought enough excitement to disperse the shroud of depression that had been hanging over the city to that day, Felli felt.

"How boring."

So, Felli said this.

To someone who couldn't release the feelings inside their heart, that was indeed how every day felt.

"What are you talking about?"

"Nothing."

After Felli replied to Nina who had turned her head, she continued looking forward.

This was a narrow passageway, and around the exit before her, the sunlight that shone in met two people. Before them was a battlefield…… it was a competition.

"She's always like this. Nina, let it go."

"Nn."

"As long as the root of the problem doesn't return, this illness won't heal."

"Speaking of which, it's been a long time."

"A year passed like that. Ah, after all, recovery work should be quite time-consuming since they were damaged that much."

"It was originally in the region with more numerous filth monsters. If the city can't move, then defending it will become difficult."

"Are there still filth monsters living after the big commotion there?"

"Actually I heard that they were on a decreasing trend, what is it really?"

"The levels of pollutants are continuously decreasing, and it probably has to do with the lowered efficiency of Kei vein activity."

"The speed of the city movement has also slowed, and I heard that in the future there might not be inter-city competitions."

The three of them talked, but Felli just listened wordlessly.

"Speaking of which, how many times have we already talked about this problem."

Sharnid said this to end their conversation.

Passing through the entrance, his entire body was bathed in sunlight.

'They're here, the first platoon is taking the stage. This platoon match is the final battle! The first platoon versus the fourteenth platoon! Will the final one to achieve victory be the lossless first platoon, or will it be the fourteenth platoon headed by the dark princess Claribel-sama!?'

The commentator's voice really made one impatient.

'The first to take the stage is the attention-getting sniper, Sharnid Elipton. Even if he is the number one frontline, what kind of battle will he show today?

After that is the charging valkyrie, Dalshena Che Matelna! What a dazzling crimson coat she wears along with Sharnid! The truth behind the story as written in the Look'n exclusive two days ago was truly saddening…… Ah, apologies, please don't look at me like that.

Alright, the next to take the stage is! Psychokinesist, our idol, Felli Loss. How does the fourteenth platoon plan on combating her Psychokinesis that can see through everything?

And then, the final one to take the stage. The captain of the first platoon, Military Arts head, Nina Antalk. After becoming Military Arts head, her method of fighting completely changed! She acquired a new title, Queen of the Iron Wall! Everyone expects either her or the Queen of Darkness to be singled out here.'

Ignoring the irritating hurrahs, Nina stopped in front of the flag.

This time, the first platoon was the defender.

"What's the plan?"

Dalshena asked.

"The same as before."

"Though I expected you to say that long before, Clara-chan isn't that easy to stop. She's also a Heaven's Blade successor-sama, you know."

"It's alright. In any case, that person's thoughts are to challenge me alone. Even if it's not like that, as long as I don't leave this place, the flag will be fine. Everyone else, it's up to you. Felli, take note of the enemy Psychokinesist, that person can have bad habits."

"I know."

"Ah, it's not easy to move the Queen of the Iron Wall. Will there be a Dark Triple Star of freshmen being born?"

"There won't, this should no longer continue after the seniors graduate."

"The favorite Clara-chan is still here, it should still go on."

"Really…"

While he said those things, Sharnid and Dalshena came to the designated location.

Felli also left the area near the flag that would definitely become a battle zone.

'Well, the first platoon versus the fourteenth platoon! This semester's final platoon match! Begin!'

A sound rang through the sky of the battlefield.

The competition had started.

Nina restored her two iron whips.

……But, she quickly returned them to her weapon belt, drawing back her hands and beginning to meditate. Two differently-sized iron whips crossed on Nina's back, with no symmetry at all.

This was her method of battle after becoming Military Arts head. Regardless of whether they were attacker or defender, she would use this kind of stance to stick behind the flag.

Failure as an attacker was the defeat of the Captain, and failure as a defender was the destruction of the flag. Regardless of which side, as long as Nina was in this position, the opponent would have to enter the enemy territory in order to achieve victory.

No matter what, they would have to fight with Nina.

Dalshena carried out a complete offense, Sharnid sometimes sniped and sometimes attacked on the frontline depending on the opportunity, and Felli supervised information gathering and used Psychokinesis mines as a means of attack, making the entire platoon's offensive very diverse.

This was the current seventeenth platoon…… No, first platoon.

Nina's platoon.

(Sharnid, begin sniping five seconds after reaching A14, and then move to C8.)

"Understood."

(Dalshena, move your advance three degrees to the right. Two hundred meters ahead of G5 is a Psychokinesis ambush I'm currently dealing with. Please don't stop moving.)

"Got it."

(Claribel is currently attacking through the center. She's making very slow progress, please ignore her completely.)

"I can see her from here."

"Everyone can probably see her."

"Really……"

The three of them weren't using Felli's Psychokinesis, but rather could confirm directly with their own eyes.

Even from Felli's location back in the distance, she could directly confirm it with her eyes.

How should it be described?

A moving throne?

Unknown black mist-like substance had gathered to form a tower-like object, and the lower portion had split into two, moving like legs.

The very top was where Claribel was, and she wore her Dark Princess clothing, sitting on the throne with an incredible appearance. The appearance of her face, full of smiles, as she looked downwards looked completely like she was putting on a show.

That black mist substance was created by Karen Kei. There would probably be people who felt angry at that kind of wildly wasteful Military Arts technique, but most students and herself were all very happy about it.

Because from Gorneo's (who had already graduated) information, Claribel's teacher Troyatte had this kind of style, thinking about fixing her style was a waste of time. Reproaching her was completely meaningless.

(What do we do? Should we think of a way to stop her?)

Though she knew the answer, she still asked Nina.

"It's alright, just help the two of them properly."

(Understood.)

"In any case, there should be more than enough time before she's tired of playing around."

"No……"

Nina negated Sharnid's words.

"She's coming."

The moment she said that, the throne began crumbling from the bottom.

The smoky legs came up, rising with a speed that could be called disappearing.

No, they weren't disappearing, but rather returning to Claribel.

After the black mist that had composed the throne up to now gathered in Claribel's surroundings, it swept around like a cloak and then shot out towards Nina.

From only the Kei that had been ignited crimson by the Kochouenshiken in her hand, there was a red flow as she ran amidst the darkness.

Claribel charged straight at Nina from the throne's position.

What did Nina do?

She opened her eyes.

Her two hands grasped the iron whips.

The Kochouenshiken that was swung down was blocked by the iron whips.

The black shockwave smashed open the surrounding ground.

"Isn't it a rule violation to use the Heaven's Blade? Clara!"

"Then what's up with your Dites, Nina? Aren't you also a rulebreaker?"

"It's only because you took out that kind of thing."

"What's wrong with it, it's all because this is the last platoon match, just let us have a big fight."

"Really!"

In the center of the turbulent dust and smoke, the two of them talked while the fight began.

The shockwaves that their locked Dites produced pushed the two of them back.

"Come, the winner between us will definitely be decided today, Nina."

"Nn."

"This time, our defeat condition is only that I have been defeated. I definitely won't be defeated again by your tricks like before!"

"Then I have no choice!"

"Nn! Of course, though I'm definitely going to be the winner!"

"Is that so!"

The Kei pressure of the two rose, and while they showed off a battle filled with sparks, the Kei of the two also rose for the final clash.

And right now was the moment that the two Keis burst……

"Come……!"

"Nn!"

Beep!!

At that time, a sharp noise that made everything wasted forced the competition to halt.

'Aah! What's going on!? The judges have unexpectedly stopped the competition.'

The battle had stopped, and Nina and Claribel dropped to the ground.

The referees ran to them. They ignored Claribel's excited expression and her protests, beginning to inspect the pair's Dites that hadn't yet been put away.

They had probably gotten their results, so one of them ran towards the seats of the judges and waved his hand.

Afterwards, there was an announcement.

'Everyone, these are the judges. We stopped the competition just now, because we believed there were unfair actions taking place.

Nina Antalk. Claribel Ronsmier. After conducting and inspection of these two competitors' Dites, we have noticed that Claribel Ronsmier's Dite is not a registered Dite. Moreover, Claribel's Dite has not undergone safety modifications, so this time the unfair actions of the fourteenth platoon lead to their defeat, and therefore the first platoon wins.'

After the judges' announcement ended, loud boos came from the spectators. Claribel had a lifeless expression, and Nina let out a long sigh. The fourteenth platoon's members were a bit restless.

"W, why!?"

Claribel who finally came back to her senses let out a cry, but was drowned out by the sounds of the spectators.

"So stupid."

Felli truly couldn't even laugh at this battle.

◇

"…………"

She hated to get up on vacations because she couldn't find anything to do.

It was extremely tranquil outside her window, and though she could hear the metallic noises of things being moved in and out of the warehouse district, that kind of noise was almost negligible.

Today seemed to be the day the city stopped advancing, and from her opened window she could see the city's stopped leg on the other side.

After that battle, after Zuellni had returned to its original location, it would occasionally do this. In the beginning everyone had been surprised and scared, with several anxious days, but right now they were already used to it. In the beginning, they had truly yearned for a day when the Military Artists could constantly be prepared for an attack.

That kind of tension could make people forget bad times.

But, it was no longer that way.

Since the city had returned to its original position, Zuellni hadn't suffered a filth monster attack. Because traces of their movement had been noticed, there were still filth monsters around.

Harpe who had sent Layfon and Felli to Grendan that day hadn't appeared again afterwards. Perhaps he was fighting against unknown enemies in some place Felli didn't know about.

It was also possible that he had been affected by the continued drop in pollutants after that day, and was unable to continue living.

Though she didn't know the truth, she felt that the extremely reduced number of filth monsters had something to do with that being.

Of course, maybe Felli was just thinking too much, but even if that were true, it didn't matter.

"…………"

Felli silently changed her clothes.

Alone, she made tea using boiled water.

Silence tormented her heart.

Recently, because this was a city vacation, the normal racket had begun to become noticeable. In other words, everyone had learned true peace, and enjoyed that kind of feeling.

But, Felli didn't really like the silence of city vacations.

It was too peaceful.

As if all extra information was interdicted with the same peace, making her think about other things.

"……Hah."

Sighing, Felli ignored the just-boiled tea, standing up.

After opening the window, she could feel that it had become slightly colder today.

After opening the curtain, Felli left the room.

"Ah, Felli-san."

Walking down the stairs, someone called out to Felli as she prepared to exit.

It was Meishen who had rushed out of the shop on the first floor.

"What is it?"

"Well, please have this……"

As she said this, she handed over a small basket.

Inside the basket were sandwiches that had been made using croissant bread, along with sweets and canteens.

"Today is a bit cold, so I heated it up."

"……Thank you."

From the basket's appearance, it wasn't something she had made hurriedly at the last moment.

She had long since seen that Felli was going to go out today, so she prepared it.

Felli felt a bit bad about being seen through by others. However, seeing Meishen's expression, Felli didn't have any way to pretend to be angry or act dumb.

"See you."

"……Nn."

Meishen sent off Felli with a smile.

Felli walked alone, holding the basket.

Though she didn't purposefully listen to anything, information still flowed to her.

Her Dite hadn't been restored, but Felli had still hidden some Psychokinesis flakes in various places of the city. Because she didn't know when there would be important information flowing in, Felli constantly remained vigilant.

It was proof of Felli's ability that the information the Psychokinesis flakes sent could be gathered without having to come through the medium of a Dite.

Felli did something that would be extremely difficult for a normal Psychokinesist as she walked.

Information was continuously being sent to Felli, but it was just passed over.

Most of it was stuff without any true significance.

Peoples' conversations. Sounds of breathing. Discussion of battle tactics. There were arguments, and also conversations that would make the others blush. Because this information was all meaningless, Felli passed over it.

As for the topic that she had heard the most recently, as expected it was still regarding the changes brought to the world by the lowering level of pollutants.

Right now there was no longer any reason to be protected by the air filter. Not just during that battle back then, but right now as well.

Even if someone directly ran outside the city, their skin wouldn't be burned by pollutants.

Moreover this didn't only apply to Military Artists, but normal people as well.

Anyone could go outside the city without wearing protective gear.

On top of that, they hadn't encountered filth monsters for a long time.

With that, people began taking a strong interest in the wilderness outside of the city that they hadn't been able to go to because of the dangers.

Particularly the limitless possibilities that lay dormant there.

Because of those reasons, the current topics were all mixed with a few common words.

Those were the 'Loss Pioneering Group'.

"Really……"

Felli couldn't help but sigh.

As the inciter of that battle, Karian hadn't let up after it. No, after completely igniting the righteousness of young people, he truly wanted to once again take up the family business.

Putting his sights on outside-city development before anyone else, he began running around everywhere gathering manpower and financial resources.

The recruitment information of the Loss Pioneering Group had spread to all of the cities, becoming a hot topic, and of course, Zuellni wasn't excluded. 'I'm joining the Loss Pioneering Group after graduation', 'Who's waiting till graduation, if you want to go then go now', those kinds of conversations could be heard everywhere.

It was probably because of that reason that there was an abnormally large number of outsiders staying in the residential district where residences for outside roaming buses were located.

Today as well, there were many people around the residences.

Most of them were only using this place as a pit stop, but among them there would still be several who entered Zuellni, or perhaps who were leaving Zuellni.

Ignoring the actions of those people, Felli stopped walking in a place near the roaming bus residences.

Even if she came very close, there were no presences of people, which was unusual considering the residences here that were squeezed full of outsiders.

The original outskirts area was used as a buffer zone in battle, so it was a place where there weren't many people who would enter frequently, and it was very normal for there not to be anyone.

There was a bench in this place, and recently this was the place where Felli spent her days.

It was a bit much for there to be nothing at all, so for now she still put something there first.

The body of this bench gave off a feeling of thickness, so this bench looked extremely old. One had a hard time imagining that it had unexpectedly survived through a time of frequent fighting. It had definitely been moved from some park somewhere.

Felli inspected the bench for a second, sat on it, and then blankly looked at the scene outside the city that was visible from there.

Her Psychokinesis still gathered information as usual, but it was meaningless information.

The outside of the city that was visible had a yellow dust everywhere. The level of pollutants had become low, and though the visibility of the city had increased greatly, the wilderness of the earth was still as deep as before.

The forecasts for the outside-city development were extremely grim, and of course she could also hear this.

But even so, roaming buses were still packed full, and the outsiders had been buzzing around through this day.

It was probably because there were a lot of people who wanted to go out?

Perhaps they believed that in the wilderness, they could accomplish many things they were unable to do in their birth city?

Because they felt that there were various possibilities there?

"My possibilities, huh……"

She feared that being a Psychokinesist was all there was.

Because of walking around, her stomach felt a bit hungry, so Felli took out the food in the basket.

"It's good."

Today, Meishen's food was as delicious as usual.

Her cake and food had already become extremely famous in Zuellni, and the cakes that she made in the store today would soon be sent out to the contracted stores. There were quite a few customers who would come to the remote store, and Meishen's fear of people seemed to be becoming weaker day by day.

After eating the sandwich, Felli poured the stuff in the canteen into a cup. It was warm hot cocoa.

After briefly immersing herself in satiation, Felli turned her gaze outside the city again.

Today's dust was particularly strong, and the yellow sky seemed like it wanted to hide the malice in itself.

Her happy feeling disappeared after a moment, and her information gathering time flowed meaninglessly like watching grass grow.

"Senpai!"

This voice made Felli's consciousness return to her body.

Running over was Naruki.

Because she had long since predicted that she would come, Felli didn't hurriedly stand up.

"What is it?"

Naruki, wearing the uniform of the City Police, seemed a bit panicked.

"Sorry to bother you, but could I bother you a bit to help me with something?"

"Understood."

Felli knew the reason why she was this rushed. But she didn't act as if she knew. It was a breach of school rules for Military Arts students to use their abilities however they wanted during their private time.

Though, Naruki might have already known what Felli was doing here. But if Felli said it herself, it would be a wasted action.

So Felli silently accompanied Naruki.

The place they finally arrived at was the roaming bus residence.

Several roaming buses were hung up by a cable, their sides connected to the buffer bar beside them.

If it were any time slightly farther in the past, it would be impossible to see this many roaming buses at once.

"It's that."

Felli ignored the scene beside her, looking at the place Naruki indicated.

A cable hung down, but the cable didn't seem to be winding up, just pulled taut.

"Right now it's pulling a bus, but it seems like that bus has some problems."

"Really?"

"Though I tried listening to the sounds inside the bus, and it seems like there's controversy over whether to get pulled up or not. We haven't heard any screams, and actually, we noticed using heat detection that there aren't many passengers in this bus, so we fear that it's someone's special model."

"…………"

Felli listened to Naruki's explanation while looking at the taut cable.

"So right now we're having difficulty deciding what to do. Because the Psychokinesists of the City Police aren't clear, I thought that Felli-senpai would be able to do it."

"I understand."

After saying this, Felli took out her Dite, restoring it.

Felli had long since noticed the commotion near the residences, and moreover also knew that the source of the commotion was the contents of a bus.

But right now she didn't have any information that she particularly wanted, so it would be enough for her to just get the general information.

Because it was the job of the City Police to think of a way to resolve things.

Felli glanced at Naruki who was directing subordinates by her side as she manipulated a Psychokinesis flake to fly into the roaming bus.

The impact-resistant shutters on the other side of the bus windows had already been lowered, so she couldn't directly see the interior. All she could see on the other side was the area of the driver's seat. There was no driver present; he had probably been dragged into the commotion inside.

Felli let her Psychokinesis pass through the outside, probing the interior.

A kind of strange sensation filled the entire bus. What was going on? Felli analyzed while searching for passengers.

There were four figures with heat signals.

From the positioning it looked like it was three against one, in an extremely tense state. The two sides were arguing over whether to get pulled up or not. It was the lone individual who wanted to get pulled up, and the other three said not to. Judging from their voices, there was one woman and three men.

If the cable had already connected to the bus, then the crane should be operable even from the driver's seat. It seemed that this argument was around that driver. The driver who was one of the three seemed to have a very confused appearance because he didn't know what to do.

On the other side from the person who said that they should get pulled up, there was a person who had maintained silence.

The two who glared at each other, weapons drawn, were probably Military Artists.

The fluctuations of Kei gave Felli an unusual feeling.

"Nn?"

"What is it?"

There was something that Felli was a bit hung up on.

"Nothing…… Can the crane move?"

"Ah, it can."

"Then, pull them up."

"Is that okay?"

"Nn. I'll think of something, so please be prepared to act when the time comes."

"Understood."

After Felli said this, Naruki began issuing orders.

Seeing them moving together, Felli once again spread Psychokinesis flakes around the roaming bus.

The crane began moving, and the cable made noises from being pulled, beginning to wind upwards. The roaming bus gave off a long noise after banging several times against the buffer bar, and the roof of the bus could already be seen.

Now.

Felli didn't say it.

But, it happened anyways.

The Psychokinesis flakes positioned everywhere around the roaming bus suddenly gave off an intense light.

This light formed spears and sharp blades, piercing and cutting open the bus. This was a type of usage of Psychokinesis mines, morphing Psychokinesis power into light and firing it out.

"Wait!"

Naruki didn't know what to say at Felli's sudden destructive actions.

"What are you doing!?"

"Please be quiet and watch from the side. I'll reveal everything that you don't understand."

"How could……"

Felli just ignored Naruki who wanted to say something, and looked at the bus.

The bus in which a hole had been opened twisted because of its own weight, and the roof seemed as if it had opened up, essentially torn off. The cable competed with gravity, and the roof seemed like the rope in a tug of war, with the hole continuously spreading wider.

After this, something spilled out of from inside.

It was a black, foglike substance.

This was very similar to the thing that Claribel had used recently on the battlefield.

Passing through this black mist, something jumped out.

It was a person.

One of the three.

A younger person jumped out, carrying the other two. At the same time as the younger person landed, he quickly released the two people, taking up his weapon.

"Uwah, what, what, what the hell!"

One of the two people released, probably the driver, yelled out.

"Shut up!"

Afterwards, the other person got angry.

The problem wasn't the two of them.

Rather, it was with the young person.

"No way……"

Naruki forgot to continue giving orders.

The black mist that flowed from the roaming bus moved as if it had a life of its own, and then formed a cluster, descending in front of the young person.

In the black mist was a figure.

It was the remaining person.

"…………"

The young person didn't say a word, just flowing Kei into the weapon in his hand. Though it seemed like a knife that was a bit overdecorated, after his dense Kei was flowed into it, it became a strong and gorgeous Dite.

"Go, beat them!"

The girl shouted.

The City Police led by Naruki basically stood blankly watching the two people. The reason wasn't because of the extremely abnormal air given off by the man with the black mist.

But rather because of the young person holding the blade.

"Lay!"

The girl shouted at the young person.

The moment she heard that shout, a string inside Felli's heart snapped.

It broke with a crisp sound.

After that, though Naruki looked at her with a strange gaze, Felli pretended not to know what it meant.

◇

"…………"

Nina who hurried to a room of the City Police was taken aback after hearing Naruki's report.

"……And then?"

After organizing her thinking for a long time, Nina finally said this.

"What happened in the end?"

"Eh……"

Everyone stared while listening to the ambiguous response.

'Everyone' included Felli and Naruki, along with Nina, and also Sharnid, Dalshena, Harley, Claribel, Meishen, and Mifi.

Everyone was occupying an interrogation room of the city police, surrounding a young person.

"Well, after being separated from everyone for about half a year, I left Grendan."

The young person spoke a bit weakly, as if he were making excuses.

The young person who was talking…… was Layfon.

"We basically didn't run into filth monsters, and the orphanage was almost done being reconstructed, and manpower was very sufficient, so I came here since I didn't have anywhere to go."

"And then what, why were you so slow?"

Nina asked as the representative of those present.

"I heard that the number of filth monsters in the world had decreased, so the speed of the roaming buses increased quite a bit. If you went from Grendan to Zuellni, it wouldn't even need a month. It's already been two months since Zuellni came here last."

"I know!"

Layfon sighed deeply.

Why was it like this? It seemed like he was thinking about that question.

But, his attitude didn't show the slightest bit of answering.

Bang!

Hearing the sound of the cheap table being kicked, Layfon raised his head.

His vision focused on something

It was Felli.

"……Tell us all of it."

"Okay."

Layfon straightened his posture in a moment, beginning to speak.

"Well…… In the first city I arrived at after leaving Grendan, when I was preparing to pack my luggage and leave I noticed a case that didn't belong to me, and when I was caught by surprise the sound of commotion came from outside, and then I opened the door……"

What had charged in seemed to be a girl.

The girl's name was Letisha.

"She normally goes by Arute."

"That kind of thing is irrelevant."

"Yes, sorry!"

Being told off by Felli, Layfon felt smaller, and everyone persuaded Felli to calm down.

But, in that case Felli was unlikely to listen.

"That child…… she seemed to have somewhere she wanted to go, but, there was someone stopping her."

"The one just now?"

"Though, it wasn't only him…… It seems that there was something like a group that didn't want that girl to reach her destination, and they kept getting involved."

"So you helped her?"

"……Things naturally developed like that, and I couldn't just let it go."

Seeing Layfon raise his head and look over, the audience sighed deeply.

"I say, Layfon."

The first to open his mouth was Sharnid.

"Though I pretty much knew already, you really also suffer from Nina Disease."

"……I thought about it before, but what's up with that name?"

"You don't need to worry, everyone other than you agrees."

"Uuu……"

Because that was the case, she didn't know how to retort.

"A, anyways!"

In order to turn things around, Nina raised her voice.

"Anyways, right now we should celebrate because of his return."

"Ooh, not bad."

"Agreed, agreed."

"Then we'll have to go buy things soon."

"Great! A feast!"

"Hey Layfon, you've been outside for about a year, and you should have had quite a few interesting experiences, hurry and tell me."

Those kinds of voices surrounded Layfon.

Everyone seemed very happy.

They felt happy from the bottoms of their hearts to meet Layfon again.

Felli should feel that as well.

It should be………………………………the same.

After leaving the interrogation room, she encountered the girl just now.

"Do you want to come too?"

Because she had received Nina's invitation, the girl and the driver also came to participate in the festivities.

It was particularly lively today in a dilapidated heart far from the center of the city.

Because an old friend had returned, and a companion that everyone had been waiting for had returned.

Right now, those kinds of happy feelings were constantly overflowing from this apartment, almost bursting it.

But for some reason, Felli didn't have that kind of joyful appearance.

Though she had escaped from the first floor of Meishen's shop, she could still hear their voices.

"Really……"

Her sighs hadn't stopped, even now.

Though Felli normally didn't like that kind of thing, the happy sounds today were twice as hard to bear.

"Um."

After sitting by a table and looking out the window for a while, a voice sounded.

It was Layfon.

"Isn't it bad for tonight's guest of honor to be goofing off in this kind of place?"

"Hahaha…… I was kicked out by Sharnid-senpai."

Saying that, Layfon sat down opposite Felli.

"…………"

"Well……"

Because she couldn't face Layfon who was looking for words to say, Felli moved her gaze.

"Anyways, sorry."

"……For what?'

"I came late."

"Didn't you have your own reasons?"

It was for that girl.

"Well, uh……"

"Speaking of which, what's with that Dite?"

"Ah, it's a Heaven's Blade."

"Didn't you refuse it?"

During that battle, Layfon had refused the Heaven's Blade that Leerin brought. Felli also witnessed it, and had supported Layfon.

But, right now Layfon held it.

"Well, I already also talked with the city police. The thing inside that case was a Heaven's Blade."

There had also been two letters inside the case.

One was from Leerin, and another from Alsheyra.

"Leerin's letter said 'Her Majesty said to give it to you, and you don't have to be a Heaven's Blade successor, is that alright?'. Her Majesty's letter said 'It's not necessary anymore, so I'll give it to you, I'll just act as if it disappeared during battle.' ……"

"That's really doing whatever they want, both sides."

"That's right. And since I use it, I'm the same."

"You're no longer tightly adhering to certain things?"

"Though I was troubled at the start, I already carried out my will in that battle, so continuing to be that stubborn is a bit childish."

"…………"

"Moreover, it's much more convenient if I have a Heaven's Blade, that's the truth."

"True."

Layfon didn't have the Heaven's Blade in that battle because he had been excluded from the battle, so he had felt wronged.

The battle had already ended now, so it would be too shameful for him to continue to feel wronged.

"Truthfully, it has played a big role."

"Well…… sorry."

"Why are you apologizing?"

"No, well, you seem mad."

"You don't even know whether I'm mad, and you apologize first?"

"Uhhh……"

"Hmph."

Seeing the cowardly Layfon, Felli scoffed.

"……Actually, I’m the same."

"Eh?"

"Actually, I felt happy from the bottom of my heart, happy enough to cry."

"…………"

"But, I couldn't do it. Because, I knew, that your return here wouldn't continue on to anything afterwards."

"That……"

"You'll leave, right?"

"…………"

"You'll leave. In order to let that girl complete her travels, you'll embark on a journey again."

Layfon didn't have any way of negating Felli's words.

Maybe if he didn't look at Felli, he could think of some excuse.

But Layfon hadn't moved his gaze from Felli.

"I know that this isn't Nina Disease. It's because you're that kind of person, I understood long ago."

"Felli……"

"You can't give up on troubled people, and if your strength is enough to help others, you'll go try. There's no one who can stop your actions."

"Felli……"

"You don't need to continue staying in Zuellni anymore. You already found what you want to do. It's enough if you do that. There will be many people around who need you in the future."

"Felli……"

"The world will constantly change after this. Pollutants will disappear, developments outside the city will continuously take place, and the world will change…… During those changes, calls for your help will be heard everywhere. Though there will be things that you feel annoying, you'll definitely do something that you feel is correct."

Because that was Layfon.

"Felli……"

"Live your life like that, and do what you believe in."

"Felli!"

Layfon's hand reached to the trembling Felli.

Felli grabbed the hand that wanted to support Felli's shoulder.

The hands of the two tightly grabbed each other.

"……I knew you were going to turn out like this, but wasn't able to stop you. Because I feel happy that you became like this."

Felli put her face by his hand.

A rough hand suitable for a Military Artist.

Felli had already been held a countless number of times by this hand, flown through the battlefield.

But, those days would no longer happen.

"Because I can't stop you from doing what you want to do."

Because she didn't want him to see her flowing tears, Felli brushed off his hand and ran back to her room.

◇

He had long since known that she would be mad.

"Ah, I wouldn't have thought she would cry."

But, he hadn't thought she would have that kind of response.

Layfon sluggishly returned to his senses, seeing Arute and Hotep standing there. Hotep was the driver of the roaming bus.

A man who loved sunglasses and nicotine wherever and whenever, he had a cigarette in his mouth even now. The moment he took out a lighter, Arute deftly stole it.

"You can't smoke here."

"Tch."

Ignoring Hotep, Arute walked to Layfon.

Her movements seemed extremely uneasy.

"Um…… I'm sorry. For me…"

"It's alright, this is a decision I made myself."

He would protect Arute, and send her to the place she wanted to go to.

He had already promised her.

"But, Layfon, you actually want to return here, right? And, the person just now was always waiting for you……"

"…………"

"Then you really should stay here! Don't worry about my business! Didn't I always persist before even when I didn't have you!"

"How can that kind of thing be alright."

Arute's hard work in persuading Layfon was turned into a wasted effort by a sentence from Hotep.

"Those Ludfandem guys have already noticed you. You can't escape just relying on us. You know, right? I'm only a normal driver, you know? You know I can't do anything like fighting."

"But!"

"It's necessary to have a Military Artist companion with power like Lay. In the first place, the abilities of Military Artists are becoming lower and lower because of the decrease of Aurora particles. Don't think that a Military Artist like Lay is easy to come by."

"Uuu……"

"Listen, Arute. I'm a normal person who can't do anything other than drive a roaming bus. But I definitely will send you to the Gate of Aluhard. In order to reach that goal, I'll use whatever means I can. I won't regret even if I have to change the life of a youngster."

"H, Hotep."

The driver's determination could be seen through his sunglasses, making Arute feel nervous.

"It's alright, Arute."

"Lay……"

His chest hurt, and even now he hadn't been able to organize his thoughts.

But, this was definitely alright.

He had already seen Felli's face.

"Ah…… there's something else."

Probably seeing that Layfon had thought of something, or perhaps having thought of something to say since the beginning but lacking an opportunity to say it, Hotep interrupted with some difficulty.

"It seems like we're about to be misunderstood again."

"Eh?"

◇

Layfon only told everyone about the day of his departure two days later.

He was going to leave soon. The roaming bus that had been ruined by Felli had been quickly repaired by the driver using the warehouse of old bus parts underneath Zuellni.

His skills made the technology students in Zuellni call it 'the coming of a god'.

That kind of thing was meaningless.

Meishen was the one who told everyone the day of his departure. After she had ended practice that day and returned, Meishen told her in the shop.

She only made a response like 'I see', and then walked to her room. Meishen watched her, making a worried expression.

In any case, he would go, so it would have been better if he left without letting anyone know.

She climbed the stairs while thinking about that kind of thing.

She thought of various possibilities.

She posed various options.

But, in the end, she couldn't decide how to choose between two paths.

"Hahh……"

Like that, things had developed while she had done nothing, and she hadn't chosen anything.

Just thinking about that, she felt that her chest hurt.

But, everything Felli did was to no avail……

Thinking of that, Felli opened the door to her room.

This was indeed carelessness.

At that time, Felli completely wasn't paying attention to her surroundings.

When she opened the door, she heard a voice that hadn't come from her at all.

The sound of something being overturned came from the room.

Felli who noticed that sound stood still blankly, because that room was her own bedroom.

A thief?

Moreover, in her own bedroom.

Her wardrobe was there.

That meant, the thief's goal was……

"Hurry."

"Ah, I got it. How's this? It's pink."

"C, color doesn't mean anything, anything is fine, hurry."

"Uwah, there's even black. Truly impressive, truly impressive~ Okay, let's put this in too."

"I said that anything was fine, hurry up."

"Ah, but Hotep said, 'Pure white is the only choice a man needs to make'. I guess we really should choose white?"

"Anything is fine for that kind of thing!"

It seemed that they didn't have any intention of acting sneaky.

Restoring her Dite, she let her Psychokinesis flakes gather in front of the door. Of course there were some positioned outside, and if it were necessary, she could demolish the entire apartment.

"I will- kill these perverts- instantly."

With that kind of resolution, Felli opened the door to her bedroom.

She already knew who was inside by the voices.

At Felli opening the door and standing there, the movements of the thieving pair froze.

"Well…… do you have anything to say before you die."

The people there were Layfon and that girl named Arute.

"What's the meaning of this?"

"This……"

"What?"

"This is to prepare for our escape tonight."

"Huh?"

"For that, I need underwear!"

Arute raised her hand vibrantly.

"Lay, he said that it was a bit weird to mess with your underwear, but letting Hotep do it would be even more of a crime, so I had him come!"

"I see. Though I don't really understand what's going on, that was worthy of evaluation."

"Ehe!"

"And then, what is this about escaping in the night?"

Felli had already heard that Layfon and the others would leave.

So that shouldn't be the night escape they were talking about.

That was a normal departure.

Then, why would they need to flee at night?

"Felli."

Layfon called out to Felli.

He looked at Felli with an extremely serious expression.

"Felli, why don't you come too."

"Eh?"

"I considered, and actually it would be the best outcome if Felli went with me, but Felli never talked about that."

"…………"

"I had originally thought that Felli would probably be happier to stay in Zuellni, but……"

That was wrong.

Felli held it back and didn't say that.

That wasn't correct, and staying in Zuellni definitely wasn't happiness for Felli.

Felli's happiness was……

"Of course I want Felli to be able to feel happy. But…… but……"

Hurry, hurry up and say it……

Her heart was almost jumping into her throat, so she couldn't say anything.

The sentence that she had always wanted to hear.

That her heart had always longed for.

No matter what she saw or what she did, it was all boring.

She had spread her Psychokinesis flakes every day in order to wait for Layfon to return, collecting various rumors.

In order to chase after Layfon, she had kept spreading her Psychokinesis outside the city.

She had spent every day silently in a sea of meaningless information.

Those days couldn't make her feel happy.

My happiness is in front of me.

My happiness is right here.

So, please.

"I think that… my life should have Felli by my side."

Hurry, please say those words to me.

"Yes."

Her body moved unconsciously.

She had already organized her feelings.

"F, Felli……"

Rushing into his chest, Felli cried.

She had long since wanted to do this.

"……Layfon."

"Nn?"

"This kind of situation is usually called eloping."

"…………Ah."

"…………Ah."

Layfon and Arute looked at each other.

"Right, right. No wonder I always felt it was a bit strange. Really, you need to learn more, Lay."

"S, sorry."

"Ah, whatever, since it's already decided, then let's hurry up. Right, hurry up and get ready to elope. Sis, is this much underwear enough?"

"Wait a bit for me."

After stopping Arute who wanted to rummage through her wardrobe again, Felli brought the two of them into the living room.

"Look at this."

She indicated something that had been placed in front of the sofa.

"Ah."

"Ah."

The two of them once again made surprised noises.

There was a traveling case placed in front of the sofa.

"What, you're already ready, Sis."

"I always expected this kind of development."

She said this, and then looked at Layfon. His face was already red.

"Then, the underwear that you personally selected is inside?"

"Why do you pay attention to that?"

◇

The two of them seemed to have sneaked in from Felli's window.

But when they left, they left normally from the entrance.

Seeing Felli with a traveling case accompanying Layfon and Arute, Meishen's eyes widened. But she quickly showed a tender smile, waving her hand at Felli.

She walked next to Layfon. Arute advanced with skips and jumps slightly ahead of them.

They walked very naturally, hand in hand.

"Thank you, Felli."

"It's nothing."

Layfon took the traveling case, and their gazes met.

Layfon looked at Felli with a slightly surprised expression.

He also felt his face become a bit hot.

Ah, just now, I smiled.

As she thought this she felt that her heart also became a bit lighter.

THE END