'For the time being. It means that Alice has a little bit of an anodyne system apart from the light system. I'm almost certain that's where the deficit comes from.

　So it's a blessing in disguise.
　It means that we have more than just the normal magic duration sacrificed. So it's an uncertainty that should be a concern at the same time.
　It's called a deficiency, but in this case it's an advantage, so Ars spoke casually without being divine.

''Al is lineless?''
That's what I said.

　Alice raises her cheeks in happiness to confirm what it is, and trembles slightly.

　If Ars is also expressed in a lineage, it is just that it is lineage free, but its derivation cause is different from Alice's.
　In the case of Ars, it is only outside the lineage due to the inherent nature of two different magical powers.

　Alice, on the other hand, is a coincidence. It's an acquired acquisition, so to describe it as having this in part only depends on the pros and cons of being able to use no lineage.

　I confirmed last night that Alice's deficiency is not consistent with my strainlessness.
　I called up my own magic data in the secret file and compared it to mine, so there's no way to be wrong.
　Or rather, there was no way to be wrong.

　Everything in Ars's magic data is filled in, so there is no original form and no shit.
　It's not that it's broken, it's just that the equipment expressed it that way.

　This time it can be confirmed by Alice's lineagelessness.
　The second sample. There are currently too many things we don't know about the lack of strains. The lack of examples is one of the reasons, but the problem is that we don't have anything to get from the magic information.

　If Alice is able to use unsystematic magic, it might not be appropriate to describe it as a deficit, but better to call it a transformation.
　That would allow the same thing to be said about Ars' magic. If it is not deficient, broken, but rather meaningful in itself, then it is nothing.

　There's still a lot we don't understand. The magic information is based on ancient symbols called lost spells. It's no wonder that there are still undiscovered symbols.
　It is only the result of the analysis at the point in time when it is currently known.

That's not to say that it doesn't matter. But if Alice accepts this, she can think of a magic that incorporates no lineage. If it's my lineage, it'll save me from having to think about it from scratch.

　You must be careful after all.

In the case of Alice, a very small part of her... that is to say, she reacts to the missing parts only in an unsystematic way, so she can't be able to use completely unsystematic magic like I can.

　Of course, that's why I'm confiding in you. If you see magic that is too unnatural, you might realize it. But if it's unsystematic and locally complementary, it could be done away with as a light system.
　In that aspect, it helped that the research of the light system was delayed.

''If they find out...''

　If the higher-ups find out, they could hold you as a research subject. It's also possible that you could be in unnecessary danger.

Don't be so pessimistic, but you know I can't do anything about it right away even if I were to find out.

　That too. If something happens to the first position in the rankings, we can't keep up with the unforeseen; if the worst of what is considered the SS rate comes back, there is no way for this country... or humanity to deal with it without Ars... or humanity.

　Ars didn't wait for the two of them to think for a moment, but came to a conclusion.

''We can move up in the pecking order. We just need to get them to admit that they are a valuable asset.''
That's not going to happen anytime soon...
I think you're ready for it.
Eh!

　Loki didn't look amused.
　Alice stiffened, as if she was amused by the unexpected assessment on Alice, but Ars's words were powerful enough to harden her resolve.
　The strength in his clenched fist was put into his fist.

'And if anything happens to it, me and the Governor can put in a good word for you, so you don't have to worry about it.
Really?

　She was the strongest tag team in the back. There is another person in this country to say the strongest, but I would exclude her on the grounds that she is fickle and not very likeable.
　He would have to meet with the Governor once to do so, but he wouldn't have to ask for his consent.
　Ars thought it was unlikely to be a situation of actual concern. Even if it was unsystematic, in Alice's case, it was really very slight. That alone is not enough to constitute a single magic. At best, it's only a supplement to the light system, although of course its benefit is immense.

''So what do we do now?''
Please.

　It was an immediate answer.
　So much so that no one would think that he had been talking about his dark past until now.
　Just knowing that it wasn't all bad must have made Alice feel saved. Because that was the flesh and blood of a magician in any form.

　However, Alice also thought that the power was bestowed on her for revenge.

''I guess we'll have to learn about unsystematic magic first.

　This was the most annoying part.
　The only thing that can be taught is Ars.

　Although it was called unsystematic magic, its use is also rather limited.
　It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for. It's also called interference magic in other systems, but to be precise, it's indirect interference.
　In the case of unsystematic magic, it can interfere with space itself.
　For example, if a magician with a fire system creates a fireball 20 meters away, he needs to specify the coordinates, of course.
　The place of expression is set through the magic formula. At that time, the magic itself is projected and expressed in the specified space.
　It is interfering with the space in the point that it acts on the specified space itself.

　When this is combined with spatial interference magic, which is unsystematic magic, the process of projection is eliminated because the series of processes are generated in space.
　More than that, the interference of space itself affects space, distorting the laws of the world.
　In other words, the corrective force generated by it to return to the space where it should be is an enormous amount of energy. It can be diverted to magic generated in the same coordinates.

　However, this would be useless if it didn't have an interference power as strong as Ars. Alice will only be able to use more simple objects.

　Loki also participated in this study session as a partner, Ars acknowledged, judging that it would be as a partner. Now that she knows that she can use no lineage, she should also learn it.

''Right, Alice, you'll stay here from today.
Yes?
Yes.
Okay?

　Of course, it's not for the purpose of a barbeque.

''If you're going to teach Loki, he'd better be with you. You'll be training, studying, and staying up late at night, and it would be a waste of time if you were going home all at once.
Tell me that's true.

　I've said from the beginning that it was for study, but I thought that I wouldn't be able to get my head around Alice and the good Tesfia.

That's just the beginning of what I'm going to teach you about no systems. After that, you won't be able to understand it, so I'm going to have to continue my research, so I'm going to have to get it into your head.
Okay, got it.

　I reply with a twitch.



　I tell him to stay the night, but only for three days. In that time, I'll teach him as much as I can.

　Of course, I can't take notes. You can't take notes because you don't know where they will leak.
　That's why I had to take them by the hand and make them understand me as much as possible. In other words, it's like writing directly into their brains.

　It was only at the beginning that the camp-like atmosphere was there. I don't know if it's good to be able to have fun with something, but at least Alice didn't cause trauma like she did before.

　Even though it's a lab, it's only a large room with equipment, so it's well-equipped for living.

　Every night Alice and Loki's bath time was something of a racket. I guess they were supposed to be in a single room, or that the thin walls were a blind spot. You can't help but wonder why you need to go in with them, but you had to endure it because you know it's a wild thing to do.

　Since it was the last day of the event, there was a lot of noise. It's just Alice's voice, though.


"Phew~that was a nice bath!

　After the hot water, Alice comes out with Loki, with a bath towel over her shoulder.

　Her skin, which was so steamy that it could be called egg skin, had a faint reddish hue.
　Loki is also ruffling his hair with the bath towel around his neck. The translucent silver hair seemed to glow pale with drops.

　It's really time to go home, but I don't understand because I'm going to take a bath all the way to the bathroom, which is what Ars really happened.

　It's a good idea to have a good dinner after this anyway.

The rest is our job, so starting tomorrow, Alice will return to her usual training.
Please.

　I shrug my shoulders at Alice, who bows deeply in front of the doorway.

'All right, get the hell out of here.'

　In fact, we have a good prospect. There were plenty of ways to get around the lack of progress in the study of optical systems. It's so much more than that that I thought it was too much.

　At the same time as the door was closed --

Now, tell us what you have to say, Mr. Ars.

　He whispered in a whisper behind me.

(Hadn't I forgotten?)

　The topic about hiding things from Loki - the excuse - had been vague since Alice decided to stay, but it seems that the wholesaler didn't wholesale that.

''You know - as I've told you a lot.......''
'I'm telling you that I was supposed to be giving away a secret,'

　Loki's face as he interrupted her was not angry, but sorrowful.

''You don't trust me that much...''

　Ars pokes his head with a knuckle and pokes his head at the air, which seems to even bring tears to his eyes, and walks to the table.

'It's not that I don't trust you,' he says, 'it's just that I can't do it openly. It's just that I can't do it openly. If I thought that would get you in trouble, I would have told you from the beginning.
'Yes, but I don't want to be kept in the dark...'

　I guess it's just that it's psychologically undesirable.
　I'm sure it's not a problem from Ars's point of view if it's not a disadvantage.

I'm sure that even Loki has a secret or two. I'll tell you about it...
No, sir.
...at all?
Absolutely. There is not a single thing I would hide from Master Ars.

　The unexpected assertion made Ars look for an escape route, wondering what to do about it.

'Even if that's the case. I'm not going to tell anyone else about it before my partner and I'm not going to tell anyone else about it.
Really?
I'm not afraid to say it.

　I tried to give it a higher priority than Tesfia and Alice, but the results would be better.
　It was only a short time before I was relieved.

　I'm sure Loki was just about to say that it was the first thing that came to mind.
　The eyes looking up from below seemed to glow.

''So that means you still have a secret to tell me.
That's sharp.

　I immediately thought of another kind of magic power. However, this is not something that can be talked about.
　It's a situation in which Ars himself has only control and has no way to research. To put it bluntly, it's about me, but I don't understand it well.

"Oh, I have, but I can't say.
You can't get away from me.

　He wandered around the room to distract himself somewhat forcefully, but he continued to question Loki throughout the night, who was clinging to him like a cat and wouldn't leave him.

　As it turned out, Ars didn't have to talk.

　Needless to say, Loki was later tormented with regret. When he got to the floor, Loki wrapped himself in the covers as if in agony.　

(I've done it. He was shaken by the thought of being Master Ars's partner. (I can't believe it didn't even cross my mind then, even though I knew it was a luxury any more.)

　My cheeks loosened just remembering the barren exchange. It's like a dream.
　It was only for a short time--.

''Huh~''


　Beyond the thin plate, the Lord is still diligent in his research. Even though I knew I couldn't see him, if I knew he was there, I couldn't help but turn my attention to him.

　He must be poking his cheekbones in front of the desk. He's been too quiet for a while now. I wonder if he's that focused.

　It's been nearly an hour since Loki got under the covers.

(Maybe I'll bring him some tea.)

　The moment I thought about such things, I remembered that I had just now reminded myself that I should weigh myself.

(Then I'd at least have to make some in the pot.)

　He shook his head on the pillow.

(That would make it thicker. There's got to be a way.)

　My thoughts faded out as if a haze had hung over me, unable to form a coherent thought.

　The only sound in the room was a small sleepy breath, like a child sleeping in a cradle.



(Finally asleep.)

　Alice, too, must have had a moderately hard three days. She should be exhausted.
　I can't even get enough sleep because I'm going to keep up with Ars with all the extra attention.

(Shall I go alone for the preliminary inspection?)

　Trying to get a good night's sleep, Ars jumped out of the window wearing the disguise robe and mask he had used in an extracurricular class sometime ago alone.

　He grabbed the edge of the roof and landed on the roof in one go.

'Let's get this over with, shall we?'

　We need to get back before Loki wakes up, or we don't know what he's going to say again.

　In front of us is the military defense line and base. And far behind us is the Tower of Babel in the distance.

　On the side closer to the outside world, there is the resident military base, then the industrial area, then the academy, in that order.
　The farther inward you go, the more civilians there are, and near the Tower of Babel, where it is safest, there are many noblemen's mansions.

　It's between the middle class and the wealthy, where the majority of citizens are from, that Ars is headed. Some say it's even an uncharted territory. Of course, there is no such thing as a demon inside the protective wall.
　It may simply be that they are preserving nature, but in the past, many outrageous research facilities of the kind the military cannot make public were built there.