--On this day, Noah Ingveen was following Arx Raytheft to the Arbent territory near the royal capital.


　The reason for leaving the capital and visiting such a place was for Arx to use the training grounds in the Arbent territory.
　The purpose of his visit was, of course, to create magic and train for it.


　Until now, Arx had used the garden of Raytheft's family or the garden of Arbent's mansion for his magic training, but the other day he destroyed the garden of Arbent's mansion because he was overzealous and Crave ordered him not to use it.
　In the past, he had planted plants to make "soma liquor," which resulted in the unnecessary growth of large trees that spoiled the garden's appearance.
　This time, Crabbe must have been annoyed.


　Anyway, the training ground in the Arbent territory was the place where Arx was allowed to use magic as much as he wanted.
　The training ground is simply a place in the wilderness or mountains where no one goes in or out.


　The mountainous terrain, lush with trees, is extremely quiet and full of a tranquil atmosphere that makes you forget the passage of time. If you listen carefully, you can hear the voices of wild birds and the rustle of the wind. The sun shining through the leaves and branches illuminated the ground, making it clear where to step on the rough, gravelly path.


　The young Lord was currently training in magic here.
　They had left Arx, prepared snacks and drinks, and were now walking back to him.


　Walking next to him was one of his followers, Kazi Guari.
　Together, they were having a casual conversation as they made their way to the young master.


"I think you need to work on your language, Kazi.

"Really?　I think I've been doing pretty well lately. I think you've been doing pretty well lately.


　When I pointed out what I had noticed, Kazi laughed in an absurd manner. I've gotten used to that strange, somewhat cunning laugh.
　But...


No. I'm still neglecting it quite a bit.

"Well, how can you be so sure?


　"Well, how can you be so sure?" Kazui asked challengingly, and I countered by taking out my notebook.


The day before, four times. Today, twice. ...... You are using language that could be perceived as irreverent by your superiors, aren't you?

"Ugh!　I'm not sure what to make of this.　I'm sure you're not the only one.

I'm not sure what to make of this.


　I'm not sure what to do.
　It may be difficult because of Kazui's nature, but language is important for a squire.
　If people who know Kazui's temperament, such as Arx and Crabbe, listen to his speech, they may question not only him but also the quality of his master, Arx.
　As he said, he has become much better than before, but his typical language still peeks out from time to time.
　At the very least, he should be able to address people from other families in a proper respectful manner.


You have to be a little more careful in that area. You will be supporting Master Arx from now on.

What? Am I one of them?

Of course you are. Or do you have something to complain about Mr. Arx?　There aren't many people as interesting as him, are there?

I'll admit it. There's something wrong with him. Khihihi.


　Then Kazui starts laughing again. He is a man who complains a lot, but he seems to like Arx a lot.
　Perhaps it is because Arx has a somewhat folksy temperament. Even though he was raised in a noble family, he has a mischievous nature and a way of speaking in a rough downtown tone.
　It is highly doubtful that he has such a temperament, but the list of doubts I have about the master is endless.
　I think it's time for both Arx and Kazu to improve their interaction with each other, as they're still friends.


Hey, shut up.

"......, what's up?


　I whispered to Kazi, who had suddenly asked for quiet. He rolls his shoulders and bends over to look up slightly. He then rolled his shoulders and bent down to look up slightly, as if he was paying attention to his surroundings.
　It is said that he used to be a farmer and also used to hunt with magic in the mountains. He must have been an expert at walking in the mountains and sensing the changes in the mountains.
　Suddenly, from somewhere in the distance, there was an intermittent sound like a violent beating of drums. Accompanying it are the sounds of birds taking flight and heavy objects falling.
　It's a noise and a racket that you would never hear in the mountains.


This is ......

It's very intense, but ...... there's only one answer, isn't there?

Yeah, I'm pretty sure it's him.


　The cause of the sound is obvious, not to mention specific.
　If it is an aberration that is occurring, then the cause of the aberration or disturbance can only be that boy walking around in clothes.
　Then Kazui let out another "kihihi" laugh.


"Does it bother you?

Do you see?

"Yeah, if you look like that.


　Apparently, it was on his face.
　But.


I'm more interested in the magic that Mr. Arx has done so much damage to Mr. Cleve's garden.

Is that how we came to be here?　I mean, what are we supposed to remember about that?

Of course, we were going to make a mess of the Clave's garden under the guise of an accident.

...... You sometimes say things that are unbecoming of a squire, don't you?


　As we walked along, chatting, we eventually arrived at our destination.
　In a somewhat open area, the master, Arx Raytheft, was training in magic.
　He noticed us first and walked up to us.




Noah, Kazui, welcome back.

I brought you some snacks and water.

Oh. Thanks.


　When Arx thanked him and offered him a water bottle, he thanked him again.
　He is an odd master who never misses a chance to thank me for anything. If he were a nobleman, he would not have thanked his servants for their work, but he said, "When someone does something for you, you thank them, right? He refused to give up.
　After such an exchange, I was suddenly attracted by the smell of burning, and looked deep into the woods.


"----.


　......The fact that he did not change his color even though he was speechless at the sight of the devastation in front of him was probably due to the fact that he saw him on a regular basis.
　Kazui, who had been following him for two years later than himself, looked a little deflated at the sight.
　Yes, where Arx had been facing earlier, the trees had fallen in a messy manner.
　They were fanning out over a large area.


　If that was all, he wouldn't be speechless yet.
　But it would have been surprising to see fist-sized holes all over them.
　Or gouged out of their trunks.
　Or shattered and broken by the destruction.
　There are no trees that have been properly cut down.


　The fact that the residue of [Arts Glyphs] still lingered in the air around them suggested that they had been affected by the use of magic, but what kind of magic had they really used today?
　I'm not sure, but I think it's a good idea.


"Hmm?　Oh, that. I was just testing out a new spell.

"So that's what that noise was. Could it be some kind of fancy magic?

Yeah. We're going to be needing a lot of this kind of magic in the future.

What do you mean "future"? How bad a future are you thinking about? ......


　It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for.
　However, he himself spoke as if he was confident of that future.


The world is basically unstable, right?

"Well, ...... that's true.


　Yes, that's true.
　Although the kingdom is not currently involved in any major wars, the Han people are constantly launching sporadic raids in the east, and the maritime nation of Grandshell is blocking the kingdom's maritime expansion in the south. In the west, the Gillis Empire is always looking for opportunities to invade. Only in the north can diplomacy continue peacefully.
　As Arx sees it, a major war could break out at any moment.


　But what's puzzling is the wording.
　Instead of using "now" to refer to the time, he used "this world" to refer to the place.
　If you listen to him, he seems to be talking as if he knows about another world.


"So, Master Arx. Was the magic you used this time a success?


　The reason why I asked such a question was because there was something cloudy in Arx's expression. If the creation of the spell had been a success, he would have been more than happy, and the boy was so excited that he couldn't even see his surroundings.
　Nonetheless, the fact that he immediately noticed their arrival and was barely excited probably meant that it was not a success.
　However, it seems that my prediction was correct.


No, it's more like 50/50. No matter how I combined them, the result and the image did not match. That's how the bullets get so big. I don't know why this kind of magic doesn't work.


　And so on.
　Anyway, the fact that he says "bullets" suggests that this is a kind of magic that shoots out metal bullets, just like the black magic he invented before.
　If it's powerful enough to create this devastation in front of us, it's not surprising that it's a success, or even a great success, according to the common sense of mages.


"Master Arx, isn't it a good thing that the bullets are large?

"Yes, but the load on my ■■ is so great that I can't sustain it for ten seconds. I think the word is perfect, but I can't stabilize it. ......

Mr. Arx, I'm sorry, can I ask you one more time?

Again?　...... Oh!　Sorry.


　Arx realized that he hadn't explained himself well, so he rephrased.


"That's it. When you use the black ■■, you make the shape of a ■■ with your hand, right?　In the same way, this also makes the arm look like a ■■, but because of this, it seems that the ■■ is reproduced to the point of becoming hot.

Um...

Ah.


　I'm not sure what to do, but I'm going to do it.
　In the event that you've got a lot of time and energy, you'll be able to make the most of it.


It is difficult to say that there is no corresponding word for ....... Hmmm, how should I explain it?


　I wonder how I should explain it." He was pondering over the words. In the meantime, he is mumbling unfamiliar words.
　This kind of talking to oneself is also common among mages. This is how he clears his head, by thinking and talking to himself and letting himself hear again.


　But the problem is the unfamiliar words he utters.
　I don't know where he learned it, but he often utters words that have a strange sound that is not understood by either the common language or the [ancient arts language]. Moreover, they are not just delusional words, but they have a solid theory and goods, which only deepens my confusion.
　When I turned to Kazi to ask him if he understood, he shrugged and shook his head as usual.
　In this situation, both Kazi and I are at a loss.
　If I don't get a detailed explanation from the theory, like the "fly approach" that was explained to me at the sealing tower in the sky, I won't be able to understand it at all.


　Then, Kazui suddenly said




That's all well and good, but... Are you complaining that it's so powerful?

"As I said before, it puts a lot of strain on the arm. The strength of this magic is not its power, but its ability to keep firing. You can still use it, so have a look.

　With that, Arx cast a spell.


"- Constantly spitting demons. A pattern that pierces. A black, twinkling Mukuroji. After a shower, all that remains is a red sea. To turn is the law of heaven, to run is also the law of heaven. The lingering heat has not cooled. I still don't know the star I'm aiming for. The race, the race, the race, the race, the race, the race. The race, the race, the custom, the race.


　--The race, the race, the custom, the custom.


　The customary custom.
　The customary customary customary customary customary customary customary customary customary customary customary customary customary customary customary When Arx inserted his right arm into the magic circle that was floating in the air, they contracted to just the thickness of his arm and took root. As he held his arm out in front of him, the magic circle began to rotate at high speed.


"Simultaneous fire.


　Arx uttered the key words.
　Immediately, with a rumbling sound, a mass of black power shot out at a terrifying speed.
　A great many of them, intermittently. The word "scatter" is completely inappropriate.
　The speed of the bullets is slower than the black ones because you can see them, but it will still be extremely difficult to dodge them.
　In front of you, there is a spray of magic power shooting out like a curtain.
　Trees with fist-sized holes in them have fallen or blown away, and the thicker trees are as good as eaten by insects.
　If you stand in front of them, there is no escape.


　...... This, presumably, is a spell that can be used against many people. Starting from where you are now, just radiate out, and the wall of people will be as devastated as the trees in front of you.
　When I realized this, I felt a shiver run down my spine.
　The power of the spell was one thing, but it was the alien nature of this spell that suddenly frightened me.
　This is the same thing as [black]. It is clearly a different kind of magic from the one currently in use.


　Suddenly, Arx's arm jumps up, like when he reflexively removes his hand from something hot.


The bullets have to be smaller than that. That's why I can't maintain it like this for long. I think magic and ■■ are incompatible,.......


　He is waving his arms around as if to dissipate the heat.
　He's probably right, the load is on his arm.
　I don't know why I'm assuming that he's shooting out of his arm, though.


　Cazi mutters to himself.


"This is some scary magic too. ...... I don't know how you come up with this stuff. ......

I don't know. What is the basis of your imagination, Master Arx?


　The first thing that comes to mind when you think of things that can be used as the basis for ejection magic is flying tools.
　Inevitably, it would be a bow and arrow, a sling, a stone thrower, or a spear, but these would never be able to fire in such a relentless barrage.
　To create ...... magic, you need something to base it on. It is only by imagining something underlying the creation that the magic can take a solid form.
　However, the magic that Arx just showed me did not have a basis in mind at all.


It's based on ■■■■■■■.


　He says something else that I don't understand.
　It was as if he was referring to something that did not exist.
　But that can't be true.


　He says, "Everything in this world was created by words," a famous phrase found at the beginning of the First Book of the Bible.
　Everything that exists in this world was created with words.
　It is said that everything that exists in this world, mountains, oceans, sky, and earth, without exception, was formed by the words ...... [Arts Glyphs] that came out of the primordial crucible called the [Crucible of Truth].
　If everything is based on words, that is to say, if everything is based on words, that is to say.
　No matter what exists in this world, there is always a corresponding word, and it can be explained by words.


　If this is not possible, it means that--
　Just as such a thought crossed my mind, Arx spoke up as if to say that his prediction was correct.


I'm sorry, but I can't explain what I'm basing this on.

...... Why is that?

Because it's...


　--Because it's not in this world.


　His words came out of his mouth like a murmur.