In the city center, the city was as vibrant as any other in the country.
　Morning fairs would open and various shops would begin to line the streets. There is a wealth of shops selling everything from food to clothing to precious metals, and it's not something you'll see in Alpha that they are all concentrated in one big city like this.
　That's where you'll find yourself. The buildings are tightly packed and the paved roads are narrow.
　That's right, one of the seven countries [Barmes] has a much smaller territory than the other countries. On top of that, since the population remains the same, the high concentration rate is probably a characteristic of Barmes.
　There was a place where an atmosphere of gloom, which was a far cry from the bustling activity, was stored.
　It is exactly at a distance of a single wall that separates it from the outside world. It is the headquarters of the Balmes Army. Every country has built its headquarters in the recent past, as well. It goes without saying that this is an arrangement that puts the people first.
　Especially in the case of Barmes, a thick iron wall has been constructed between the headquarters and the protective wall.

　It's a good idea to be able to hear the voice of the military service personnel talking.
　There should be none, but the inside of the military headquarters is sparse and somewhat deserted. The faces of all the magicians who passed by looked down, and the shadows had fallen as if they were tinted with despair.
　They knew the reason for this. No, they didn't know exactly what it was, but they could expect it.
　That prediction was in line with all those packed into the headquarters. And, unfortunately, they were almost always right.

　Midday in the morning.
　Seven days have passed since the meeting took place.
　The military headquarters, two men exchanging information in one of its rooms.
　One room, a large square room with leather upholstery in everything, had a space in the center. I suppose it was because of the shelves and other small items that had been placed against the wall.
　There was a sofa for three, but there was also a round table in the space behind the sofa, with two chairs at which the two men sat facing each other.
　On the table was an open map of the world outside of Barmes, or the outside world. It was detailed, but dotted in a different color from a certain area. It wasn't enlarged or anything. It's simply uncivilized. The map of the world, not just Barmes, hasn't been updated in over a hundred years.

　One of the two grim-faced men is the head of Balmes, Hortal Qui Balmes. He has a well-built physique and his thinning hair is cropped short. He is truly a man of middle age. He has a mild-mannered look, but his eyes are ready to do anything for his homeland, Barmes.

'Gagarid, as you said, I've come to the meeting to get your consent to recruit.
'Thank you. Dear Mr. Hotaru.

　He breaks his hip in condescension. The man called Gagarid looks older than Holtal.
　However, his body is muscular, and he even looks like he's wearing a tight military uniform.
　He has short, horn-cropped hair and a glaring look in his eyes, a martial-arts physique to behold.
　Gagarid is the supreme military commander and governor of Balmes.
　Originally, Gagarid had to go to Holtal immediately after the meeting, but he couldn't leave the military headquarters under the current circumstances. It's a very good idea to be able to have a good time with them.

''More importantly, what happened to the survey team, was it still no good?

　Holtal asks with a bitter face. It's so important that he can't help but ask.
　The two men surrounded the round table face to face, and Gagarid shook his head with his eyes down.

'I don't know,'
What do you mean?

　Hortal tapped the table with a bang and gritted his teeth.

''Well we lost contact with the survey team and none of them returned.
Wha--!

　The stare narrowed to its limits, and after a beat, Holtal reclined against the back of the chair as if he had let go.

　The thing was two months ago. In the outside world, a report had come in from the troops returning home that there was a certain mineral deposit about twenty kilometers northeast of Barmes.
　It didn't take long for them to discover that the materials, topography and lumps of metal they had brought back were mithril. How much of the reserves were unknown, but it wasn't hard to imagine that it could be of terrible benefit to Balmes.
　Hortal and Gagarid quickly formed a squad and brought in more high-ranking mages than ever before. Among them was the only single mage, Duncal, and they also incorporated former single and currently 20th-ranked Gilida, who was the only former single.
　Nearly 300 mages were introduced in order to sweep the demons up to the mineral deposit and secure the entire area of the deposit.
　There was a possibility of high rate demons hiding in the area based on prior exploration, but with this many mages mobilized, it should have been insignificant.

''The last time we heard from a strike team was.
Fourteen days ago.
The survival rate,
...a few percent, I think.

　Gagarid couldn't say zero, even though he thought that was the only thing he could do.
　Annihilation, that's the only thing I can't put into words.

''The mages we mobilized this time are equivalent to 70% of Balmes' strength.
..........

　The Hotaru looked down at the table and plucked hard at the head of his eyes.

'We should still ask for help from other countries.
'Master Holtal, then Barmes owes all nations a debt of gratitude then a puppet of another nation.
''But if we don't, Balmes will be in danger, and 300 mages... well, if not all of them, it should be devastating, if not all of them, if the demons who caused such a scourge...'' ...It won't be more than just a threat to Balmes.
I'm not worried about that at the moment. The battle is believed to have taken place near the deposit, and the survey team has lost communication with the area. That means the demon is not moving.
That said, it's all the same if you can't deal with when you move and when you can't deal with it.
Of course I agree. But if we had the time, we could gather the wizards, and we would have to restore our strength first.
You don't have time for all those years of indolence.
''The highest rate confirmed at that spot should be six A's, I'm not optimistic, but considering that Duncal is also there, the win rate is 100%...''

　Hortal opened his mouth wildly, spitting out droplets without even trying to hide his irritation.

'Then why hasn't anyone come back!　Why no report!
I can't move, or...

　Gagarid flickers the worst of it. We have to assume it's more likely than not.

'What on earth has happened? Either way, the worst thing we can do is ask Kramer to do it.'
Gagarid!

　At the forbidden word, Holtal sounded almost like a reprimand.

'This is not the time to worry about their physical appearance. They exist, and they're only as good as the money they work for. If other countries find out about this abomination and take shelter, seven countries may even become six.
We can't do that!

　There is an organization called Krama. Its members vary from large scale magical criminals to former single number strippers.
　Although they are blacklisted as a magical criminal organization, the five wizards in the executive ranks are said to be comparable to singles, so they cannot be touched. Most importantly, they don't even know where Krama is based.
　Then why hasn't it been destroyed yet? That's because of the state of the organization called Krama. While Krama accepts criminals, it does not commit crimes, but instead undertakes the backroom work of countries for fair compensation. It is believed that he has connections to some of the heavyweights, especially the weaker nations of Balmes and Hydrangee. Of course, it doesn't mean that the heads of state are involved.

　However, in this case, Holtal thought it would be much uglier to rely on such a criminal group. If it was only a smear of mud on the face of Holtal, the former head of state, it would definitely be a disgrace to Balmes.
　And moreover, the other party is a criminal who doesn't know what he's going to do. It's no wonder that not only the exorbitant reward, but the country would be eaten up from within. Even if it is a fair reward, how much can we trust him against a criminal.......well, we can't trust him from the start.

Gagareed, you!
'There's no point in mending it. Some of the nobles of Balmes have relationships. Of course they are thinking of Barmes, too. Certainly in the past, I have asked for their help, though I have no proof that it was Krama.

　The Viceroy lays it out fluently and without offense, and at some point Holtal rose in his brain as one of the last resort in his anger. The reasoning of stillness would not let him cross the line.
　The fact that Gagarid was more familiar with magic than Holtal made him judge the current situation as more serious.
　Normally, Holtal is sweating and needs a handkerchief, but this time the coldness runs down his back rather than such heat.

I'll pretend I didn't hear that one. You have to prioritize checking the current situation right now.'
I understand. But I won't change my mind, Master Holtal. I'm not the only one who can't stand the idea of Barmes becoming a vassal state.
'I don't want to. So now we have to find out what's going on. We can't leave out the possibility that there are survivors.
Yeah, I'm not sure I'm ready to give up.

　They tried to put words together to encourage each other, but their faces were clutching at straws.
　When the conversation was cut short, an alarm sounded on the communicator located in the corner of the desk, announcing the reception.
　Gagaryde thought depressingly, but asked Holtal's permission to take the card-shaped communicator.

'I told you I was in a meeting right now,'
Excuse me. I need to inform you that one of the survivors of our strike force has returned. He's being treated in the emergency room.
What!　I'll be right there.

　I let go of the receiver as if to throw it and told him only briefly that some of us had returned to Holtal.

'May I accompany you?'
Of course. We'll head out now.

　Holtal stood up as the chair was popped with a clatter, and Gagarid opened the door with great force as it was.

''Kyah!''

　A woman who was just in front of the door bumped into Gagarid, who jumped out and fell on her ass.
　She must be a waiter, an oddly aged woman dressed in a familiar uniform. There was not a bit of liquid left in the glass that was lying face down on the tray in her hand, whether she had just lowered it or was on her way to it.

''Get out of the way!''
I'm sorry!

　The woman quickly straightened her posture and bowed her head repeatedly.
　Gagarid took one look at her and flipped her body and rushed away from her with a single glance that she was not in the mood for that. Holtal followed silently after him.
　But Gagarid, who was leading the way, felt a little bit of a backlash. Because it was a thing of only a minor discomfort, he moved his legs without even bothering to turn around. If it weren't for this kind of emergency, he would have noticed it right away.......the serving woman didn't drop her glass on the floor despite the fact that there was enough of a shock to knock it over, and the only sound was the faint scraping sound of a clink on the tray.

　Those who saw their faces marching furiously down the corridor quickly shifted aside and saluted. Or as it should be, they walked quickly through the streets. It's obvious that this is not a simple matter by looking at Gagarid, who is very strict in his discipline.

　I'm sure you'll be able to find a lot of good reasons to be excited about it. Even though it is a healing spell, it only activates cells and promotes self-healing abilities, but it cannot cover wounds that are fatal.
　I'm sure you'll be able to find a lot more information on the subject, but it's important to know that you're not going to be the only one. And where his left arm should have been, the bandage was wrapped around it, and the arm that should have been there from his shoulder onward was missing.

　Gagarid turns to one of the people who is applying healing magic. Then the wizard, with sweat appearing on his forehead, shook his head once from side to side.

'Lean back.'

　Then he walks up to the man and asks, "What happened?

"What happened to you? What happened to the others?
...and...
What?

　He murmured in a scratchy voice.
　Gagarid placed his hand on the bed and brought his ear close to the man's mouth as he rode out.
　Then the man looked into one of his remaining eyes as if he was trying to muster the last of his strength and grabbed Gagarid's clothes with his right hand very much.


Well, thank you.

　But the man did not relax with it. His eyes were moistened with tears of grief, but he looked at Gagarid forcefully.



　Gagaryde brought his ears even closer. He gasped to make sure he didn't miss a word.

"A new species ... akujiqui.
...

　Only Gagarid heard the man's last words.

　♢ ♢ ♢


　The woman who had bumped into Gagarid gave the two men a quick glance at their backs as they rushed past, brushing off the hem of her serving uniform and walking to the other side.
　She shook her hair, which was tucked in behind her back, slightly. His face shows no sign of the turmoil he had experienced earlier.
　Holding the tray in one hand, he turned his attention to his right ear, which was hidden by his hair when he realized that no one was there.

'As expected of Lord Viziest, it was worth the hurry.
"With the help of Lord Linnea.

　The voice on the other end of the communicator in my ear also told me that the harvest was coming.

'The power of science is also useful.'
Yeah, that's something to be proud of.

　Lynne kept a listening device in her clothes when she bumped into Gagarid.
　Of course we have taken measures to avoid being noticed.

''As expected, Gagarid's room had been taken care of with measures such as magic eavesdropping, so...''

　Lynne's eyes would be able to peer in, but not to listen in. That's why they used a simple machine to listen in on the conversations inside. If the person here was a Viziest, that would be possible, but to infiltrate, the face of a veteran warrior would be a badge of honor. In terms of ease of infiltration, the waiter is safe, and Lynne, being a woman, can get through well, so she's the right person for the job.

'Let's meet up once.
Then we'll meet at the inn.

　The communication is abruptly cut off.
　Lynne plays the role of a waiter and walks gracefully down the corridor as if it were a matter of course.



　That night, in an old inn on the outskirts of the city, a group of intelligence officers had gathered in a room.
　There are seven of them, including the squad's captain, Viziest, and five of his elite men, plus Linne, for a total of seven.

''It's a nasty situation, isn't it?

　Viziest had seen from the eavesdropping that his general guess was correct. Unfortunately, science is not a panacea, and the last conversation was inaudible due to the small voice of the man who said he had returned.
　He rubbed his chin and made a reluctant face as he rubbed his chin and turned his attention to the room, saying he should hear the report first.

It seems that there is no doubt that a strike force has been formed here as well. It's just that there's a lot of speculation and confusion.
We've searched the city centre over here, but there's very little - no, not all of it - in the city centre.
You're blocking the information.

　Viziest organizes and ponders.

'I still can't get to the exact point with this one. It's black in ten ways, though.'
What do you think, Lord Viziest? Would you like to go out into the world and check it out?

　Lynne tries to make a suggestion. It feels reckless, but it's also the easiest way to go about it. I'm not overconfident in my own eyes, but I had a manageable estimate.

''No, let's not do that. I'm not doubting Linne-dono's ability, but with a small number of people and no equipment, the risk is too high.
I understand.
"Master Linne, I hear the date is not until the Seven Nations Magical Friendship Tournament, is that correct?
'Yes, I hope I can bring back some of the information by then.
That's going to be difficult.

　Viziest's eyes turned to one of his men.

'Yes, sir. 'Just as the captain expected. There is an increase in security near the border. They don't appear to be mages, though.'
'That's what I mean. I suppose they're trying to keep it from leaking out of the country. We should all get out at once, if possible.

　On the way there, he was able to enter illegally using a nobleman who knew Vizayst, but that was only supposed to help him get into the country. This included the illegal borrowing of a license from Barmes. It was also the reason why Lynne was able to infiltrate the military headquarters.

Then obtain as much detailed information as possible before the deadline. As a matter of urgency, I need to know how many monsters there are, especially how many A-rated ones are left. It's highly likely that Gilida died in the assault. And don't forget about the information on the ninth-rated Dunkal. Linne-dono will remain hidden in the headquarters.
I understand.

　Vizayst tells him that he needs to pay attention to another concern.

'Lord Linne, call me ASAP when the Krama request is in full swing in the military and we will withdraw at that point.
I don't know what it's called, but is it really?
'They're crazy. They can't have criminals in their midst and not have crime. They're at the top of the Alpha's blacklist. I can't be sure, but it's the organization most likely to be pulling the strings behind magical crime. They're a troublesome bunch of first class criminals, and with the help of people like that, the bill may not be paid by Balmes alone.
I'll keep that in mind.
Please.

　So much so that when a terrorist attack or major magical crime occurred, the first thing they always suspected was Krama's involvement.
　Viziest ordered one of his men to secure an escape route.

(Pray that the head of Barmes doesn't do anything foolish?)

Do you want to get more information about the deposit?
Captain, would that be positional information?
'No, I know that you can get mithril, thanks to Lord Lynne, but I'd like to see the scale and so on. There may be demons in the deposit as well.

　Lynne senses Vizayst's anticipation.

'That means it may be undetectable inside the deposit.
It happens.

　Viziest opened his mouth as he thought back.

'As for the deposit, partly because it's a problematic location. But it's a bit of a tricky one.
What do you mean?

　Everyone in this place was looking at Viziest even if Linne didn't ask.

''It's rare that there are six A-rated bodies in the same place. And moreover, twenty kilometers is not far away.''

　A-rated demons don't swarm, I wouldn't say at all, but at six of them....
　On the contrary, they are powerful demons that have their own territory. Not that it hasn't happened in the past, but at that time, an even higher S-rate would have dominated the entire area.
　Viziest's brain was looking at the possibility of having an S-Rate in the area.
　In fact, it was only a few days later that he received information that it was a new kind of A-rate. If the accurate rate discrimination was done by a high-ranking mage, there would be no mistake, but I'm not comfortable enough to believe that it was destroyed by a mere A-rate.