'Don't think so, I said I'll make sure you can fight the demons. I'll take care of you, magic and all.

　I couldn't help but put my hand on Alice's head because of the habit I had been doing to Loki.
　It was only when Alice's eyes moistened that I realized this.

'Wow, my bad. I didn't mean to.

　He quickly threw his hands away. Ars, who has no experience with this kind of reaction, can only flinch. For some reason, the girl's tears are the ones that make her feel guilty.

'No, it's not...'

　I wiped the drops with my fingers, but they didn't stop as they slowly became clearer and clearer. Her expression is the same as usual, so it really does seem different.

''Funny, I wonder why.''

　Alice realized why. It was because a memory of her childhood flashed back to her for a moment.
　But even that didn't make it go away, there was a mystery that didn't go away. I thought I'd gotten over it by now....

'Whaaaaat?　What did you do to Alice?

　Tesfia, who was rushing by, intervened to push Ars away. I guess it's third parties like this that make me feel guilty.

'I didn't do anything!'
Yeah. It wasn't Al's fault, you know. I don't really understand it either I'm going to take a break.
Yeah, you need to relax a little.

　Ars thought that he had been thinking about it so much.
　As it turned out, he was mistaken, but that was something only Alice could understand.

'I wonder what's wrong?'

　The explanation from Alice's mouth cured Tesfia of her hostility, but she tilted her head as if she had no idea what caused it, as she was uneasy about it.

'It's Alice's problem, but I suspect it will get a little better once the research is done.
It's rare that you care about anything. I would have thought you'd be indifferent.
Well I don't care what you think of me, but that's not going to happen as long as I take the job.

　Tesfia's eyes widened with deliberate exaggeration.
　Then the edge of his mouth rose slightly.

''Well then, instruct me to use Foggy Immersion (Mystrotain)..........''

　Your tongue hangs out in the air.

"I told you it was too soon for you.

　There isn't much difference in terms of difficulty from 【Nibbleheim】, which is a complete system of 【Freeze】.
　I'm not talking about recklessness when I'm told to use it out of the blue.

If you don't follow the proper order, you'll never be able to do it.
Oh, no.

　Behind him, Loki nodded unhappily and Ars added an explanation with a sigh.

''Try using [Freeze].

　Tesfia did as she was told, taking a little distance and thrusting her sword into the ground.
　I could do this much with no chanting at this level.

Terrible..........

　When Ars saw that, his first words were not a conscious one.

''Wait!　I've improved so much with this one.

　While complaining about the evaluation, he pulled his sword out of the frozen ground and returned it to magic.

'How did you think you could use it with that, I have to admit, it's laughable.
Huh...

　Of course, if you include the fact that he is a student, he would have done well, but he was naive enough to think that he could use Mystrotein at this level.

''I'll tell you what, that was on a whole new level!

　Instead of refuting it, his shoulders descend in disheartening fashion. If you don't tell the facts as facts, you won't know.
　I'm not going to talk delusionally about how it can be done someday. It is possible if you follow the proper procedure. Depending on Tesfia's sense of style, the only training we've had so far has really been magic manipulation, so when it comes to magic, this is the first time we've taken the time to do it properly.

'If you still want to learn it, you must first master [Freeze].
...!

　Tesfia's eyes, which had found a way to live, seemed to have changed and the light seemed to dwell in them, prompting them to continue.

It's also easier to think of this in stages. I'm sure you'll be able to find a way to get a lot more than one of them to freeze at the same time, because of course the range of the surrounding area, and when you can do that, that's the starting point.
I see.

　It was fine to be diligent, but Ars was getting tired of himself taking care of everything.

''Whatever it is, I'm doing this to make you guys into wizards who can fight demons. In the meantime, I'll see how well you've trained, so be present.
"....!　Um.

　Her gaze wandered as she glanced around.
　She was the same mouth that had seen the two of them fight and get beaten to a complete pulp. That's the confusion.

''Don't worry. I'll take it easy on you.

　Ars, who had advanced to the center, turned around and drew an arc with his mouth in a grin.

'And rightly so!

　Tesfia, who followed, was indignant with an air of trepidation. This was distantly related to the fact that he had witnessed the battle in the outside world.



　The training continued until just before closing time. In the middle of the training, Alice also revived and conducted mock battles in various situations, two against one and three against one.
　When you get out of the partition, there are only four people left in the training area, including Ars and his friends.


　It's a very good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for. It's a good idea to have a good time to get a good idea of what's going on.


''Is Tesfia going home for the summer holidays?''
Well take your report card with you.

　With a bitter smile on their faces, they are walking in front of Ars and Loki.
　Yes, summer vacation is coming up after the end of the semester exams.
　Since the students live in the dorms, they are taking this opportunity to return home. Normally speaking, the holiday would be a cheerful one, but the students of the academy will spend their holiday as usual. That means you'll see students in the academy every day.　

　It's not surprising that the one who is looking forward to this holiday the most among all the students of the school is Ars himself.
　Even more so when I heard that Tesfia would be returning home.

'Oh, I see, so the days of being immersed in research are finally coming to an end.
Um, Al?　I'm here.

　Apologetically, Alice turned around and scratched her cheek.

'It's okay. It's not a problem, because we can make progress if there are no no noisy people around. Besides, we don't want the specimen to go away.
Uh.....

　The redhead walks next to me, her hair tied into one piece and pulls and shakes.

'What do you mean? I'm telling you, if you do anything to Alice while I'm gone, I will not let you get away with it.
It's for Alice's sake, more or less.
".........!

　Of course, I want to do some research and take some blood samples.
　However, the silence is like a pool of resentment as to how he interpreted the lack of words.

"I-I don't have the nerve.

　With a crunching, mechanical motion, Tesfia's hand went to her sword.

''You perverted mage!''

　With a chuckle, silver light reflected the moonlight from the scabbard, but it was not pulled out any further.

''Arus-sama, if there's anything that's not clear to you, you can tell me... well...''
What?

　The red on Loki's cheeks was so obvious even under the darkening sky. Ars didn't know what that meant.

'No, I'm sure you're doing well enough,'
Oh, really?

　He grew depressingly weak towards the end of the word.

'Al, could it be that Loki...'
You're going to put your hand in Loki's...

　With a criminal look in their eyes, they quickly open the distance between them.

　I wondered what up to, but apparently a misunderstanding has led to a misunderstanding.
　Feeling the hassle of making excuses, I return to the main point.

I'm just taking a blood sample for testing. Loki is just happy to help you on a daily basis.

　Whether that's your role as a partner is for once.

'It must be true,'

　I walked to the girls' dormitory, thinking that this questioning gaze would never go away.

''It's okay. Just a little bit........

　Needless to say, Alice's words of encouragement tailed off afterwards.



　♢ ♢ ♢


　There are three days off for exams and the fourth day is a school day. Of course, there are no classes, only the announcement of scores.

　The top scorers of each subject are shown on the screen here and there.
　The teachers do not hand out the scores of all the subjects and the semester's results to the students. You can print out two sheets of paper by holding your license over a large amount of equipment set up for each grade level.

　I wait my turn in line in the cluttered hall. The machines are located in three classrooms, and you enter through the entrance like a stream of work, and when you receive your grades, you are on your way to the exit.

　In the corridor, students who received their grades were shouting with joy, while the number of students who shrugged their shoulders in shock was not small.

　However, the number of students did not decrease at all.
　The reason for this was immediately apparent.

　Arus just checked his own grades as if there was nothing to worry about.
　It's a fine line, Ars himself thought it was a fine line, and he breathed out no small amount of relief that he was able to get credit for all subjects even if it was just barely.

　If you do too much on the written exam, you'll attract attention, so you had to adjust your score. And in the unexpected practical test, he had made a mistake, but he had managed to pass it.

　And when I went out into the corridor, I was greeted by Loki, who was buzzing with excitement as I watched.

''How did you do, Al?''
That's something.

　Where's Loki?　I don't give a fixed return of "I'm not going to be able to do this". Because he couldn't imagine that he would get the credit and Loki would drop it.

　Still, he knew that Loki wanted him to listen. He was ready to show her the two pieces of paper he held in his chest at once.

　He wondered at such a situation--

　At the same time, the screens in the corridor and classrooms, and the LCD screen, etc., that displayed the top students in each subject area were all linked together, and a thunderous music like a fanfare sounded.

　The screens that caught the attention of the students are switching screens to scroll one after another.

　There - the contents announcing the announcement of the top 10 students with excellent grades for the semester were displayed.

　And they are displayed in order from the 10th place.
　Ars began to walk away with Loki, saying it was of no interest to him.

　It wasn't of interest, but if it was set up all over the place, it would be noticeable.

　Alice Tirake's name was mentioned in third place, and Tesfia Favell in second place.
　Ars considered this difference to be the difference in magic. Alice is better in academics. That's understandable because it's Ars who taught them both to study.
　I said the difference in magic, but I guessed with something resembling conviction that it was simply due to the fact that Alice's magic was less. I can honestly say that the difference between the two of them is almost non-existent in their abilities.
　It was good to see the second and third most disgusting names mentioned, but it also begs the question of whether they weren't the first.

(Was there anyone better than the two of them?)

　Then the screen changed, and after a large '1st place, best performer' was displayed, Loki Rabehel was named.


''........!

　Ars was surprised enough to stop in his tracks just because he had decided that Loki didn't seem to care much about the test.

(Chutzpah.)

　I had a hunch that this was the reason for my wondering earlier. Loki, who had already received his report card, should have his grade ranking on it. That's why you've got a face that looks unsatisfactory.

''That's as good as it gets.

　He turns around belatedly and places a hand on Loki's head.

'Thank you,'

　The languid fading of Loki's expression is gone, and the smile on his face confirms it.

(Hard to admire that.)

　But I didn't find it bothersome.


　Needless to say, it was an act that attracted the attention of those around me. The best student named is being patted on the head by a man who can't even be named, so some students are still looking at him with uncompromising gazes and indignant faces.

　Naturally, the one waiting for them to ignore him and start walking is still........

''How about it!

　It was early in the walk.

　Concerns, fears, and premonitions of that kind are always on point, and Ars felt like swearing at the unreasonable like world law.

　A report card was held up in front of Ars as he stood in human form. The Tesfia was shorter and therefore more or less facing upwards.
　The two men's faces looked more proud than regretful, as if they had practically resigned themselves to the fact that Loki was in first place.
　Even Ars, who was not very emotional, was annoyed for once.

'What do you want me to say?'

　So, as a classmate and a teacher, I knew she wouldn't be able to hold it against me if I praised her honestly, and that's why I turned it around.

Praise me for my hard work, but it's okay.

　She said it off.
　Normally she doesn't say it clearly due to her pride as a stopper, but her hoops are completely off.
　It was also a concern unique to the aristocracy that they were so obsessed with their grades before the exam, but they couldn't hold back their excitement because their biggest concern was being greeted in the highest form.

　Ars tried to cool his head--

Great, you can do it.

　I put my hand on his head and stroked him like I did Loki with a fake smile on my face.


　Her cheeks loosened slightly.
　Tesfia said, "Ha!" as the people around her started buzzing. I came back to myself.

　I flushed in an instant and quickly retreated without shaking off Ars's arm.

　It seems that he is aware of what he has said, as long as no curses are flying.

(This guy isn't ready to be praised...)

　It was Ars, who loosened his cheeks in dismay.