Hindsight is of the essence. After all is said and done it's too late to regret it after it's gone.
　But in this case, it was inevitable. In other words, the regret was probably prepared in advance.

　That's the kind of regret I have.
　If you look behind the scenes, it was impossible to avoid the risk. It's impossible for anyone to predict the future, so it's just a matter of perspective after the show.

　Then it would be meaningless to think about everything. There is always an exoneration somewhere, so this regret is not a summation, but a personal feeling.

　Then, should we wedge our regret into a wedge of shame as regret, or should we feed on it and move forward? It is not a question of right and wrong.
　So, let's think about the process of mindfulness and acceptance of the way of being ... a part of what makes us individuals.

　Let's look back to the past. Part of the many memories that are left behind in the present. The days and cracks that pass away........





　The Special Demon Attack Unit, commonly known as 【Special Squad 0】, was a newly established unit.
　The new establishment of the unit is mainly limited to the magicians who are recognized as worthy to lead the unit. The criteria are not only based on simple rankings, but also on achievements, merit, and years of military service. This is a case of setting up an individual.
　Most of the time, a notification of the new establishment is sent down from the upper echelons of the military, and the names of the captain and several members of the unit are specified in the directive. To put it simply, this is a prompting and an order.
　It is an annihilation team, support team, investigation team, etc. in the outside world. When an individual establishes a new unit, they are supposed to apply for it after specifying the purpose of the unit, but in the usual case, the directive already specifies the unit's policy, so they do not have the authority to make decisions.

　Then, this special magic attack unit｜【Special Squad 0】is established by an individual, but behind the scenes it is ordered by Bellick.
　This is because this is also evident by the fact that the captain was set up by Vizayst Sokalent. A boy named Ars completed a training program that would take several years to complete in just six months.
　Beric needed to make sure that Ars was proven to be a wizard and that he was recognized by the Alpha - the high officials around him - as a wizard. That was synonymous with achievement, and it was urgent.
　The training program has many critics. Even more so, further opposition was expected to use Ars, whose origins were uncertain, in actual combat.

　So a new temporary unit was established.
　With Bellick as governor and the inability to take control within the army, if something were to happen, there would be calls for resignation, so in the paperwork the newcomer was named Vizayst.
　The reason why Bellick requested Viziest to be the captain of this unit is not only because they are old friends, but also in order to make a bite in the upper echelon.
　He could also be expected to have the ability to successfully recruit Ars, but Bellic had no subordinates he could call his right-hand man since he assumed the position of Governor.
　The first thing you need to do is to make sure that you have the right information.

　The eccentric-looking unit became the center of attention.

　It was a good start. Most of the orders to the newly established unit came mainly from the Governor, but it took a few months to accumulate achievements in the outside world.
　The various orders had turned the unit into a busy day.

''Ha~ I'm screwed... my back hurts too much.''

　The man, still in his twenties, staggered into the troop's waiting room and lay down on about four chairs in a row to collapse. He said to fall over, but not in a way that would cause him to run out of strength. When he kneels down properly and painlessly, you can tell that this man is not a dynamic personality, and that he has not yet run out of s*x and roots.
　The prostrate man, Lindelph Meagher, turns his face to the side - the head under the table looks as if it could fall asleep at any moment without strength - and his eyes widen a moment later.

'I'm more white than black, but kudos to you for your thoughtfulness in cheering up the laborers, Elina!

　Elina, the female squad member who was sitting so face to face, flushed as she quickly closed her legs under the table. It's probably not from shame, but from anger.
　She has blonde hair tied back in a backhanded bun, her bangs are long enough to hide one eye, and the other side hangs over her ears. Elina was 26 years old, while Lindelf was 28. She has a higher rank, but in terms of rank, Lindelph is higher. Therefore, they were senior and junior in rank.

''Mr. Lindelph, this is the fifth time this week. It's time for me to die.''

　When Elina, with a blue streak, threw the material she was looking through on the table with a bang on the chair next to her - she threw it on the chair next to her.
　The vertical table lifted up and split in half as it was pushed up from underneath. Erina swung one leg up.

''--!　Wait, wait, I'm weak................................whoa!

　Lindelph's eyes were drawn to the raised base of his leg as he was sucked in. The sight of the forbidden flower garden being pulled down by his thighs gave the man a profound sense of emotion.

'So there's black too!
Well, again!

　Elina dexterously held her short skirt in the air to hide her secret parts. This time it was a flush of shame.
　However, the one leg that was swung up has no pretense of retraction as it is only caged in with strength.

''Don't worry, Lindelph-san will be buried as a martyr.
No, no!　Well, wait, yeah, really!!!

　The face that looked up at him in the chair was horrified. Or perhaps it was more from a state of resignation, but on the contrary, it was deliberate.

　And the leg that was swung down like a sword to face down on a single sword, drew a half circle and snatched the tip of Lindelph's nose.

''--!　Phew!

　Lindelph would have been on the chair, but he tasted a slight fall and hit his head on the ground.

'Mr. Ars, you don't deserve to help this guy.
'No, Elina, you can't fool me here. If you're going to do this, please do it in the outside world.

　Just before the heel drop was swung down, Ars successfully kicked and blew away only the chair that Lindelf was on.
　The leg that was brought down on her face only snatched the tip of her nose due to Lindelph's fall, but because of her, she must have calculated that Ars would be behind her.
　On the other hand, if she hadn't deliberately pulled the chair back, it could have been a disaster.
　It's not possible for such a thing to happen, but this exchange has been going on permanently since the time of the new establishment. It was a promise, and if nothing happened, it was nevertheless familiar enough to make you feel uneasy.
　It's a good thing that you're able to get a good idea of what's going on.

''Lindelph-san has to come to terms with it, or I won't be able to keep up with it either.
Don't be so sure, Ars. It is inevitable when you are born a man. You'll figure it out in a few years. No, you will find out. It's the irresistible urge.
'Please don't spout strange things at Mr. Ars!　　Lynn........Delph.......Mr.!
"Haha!

　Lindelph's head twists as he lies on the floor talking to her.
　Elina is stomping on him, looking down on him as if he were trash.

This, too, is not good for education, I think. --Hufflepuff!
Shut up, a**h*le.

　It's not just a matter of time before you'll be able to get a good idea of what you're looking for, but also what you're looking for. If you only have the upper half of your body in your field of vision, you'll have no idea what you're doing.

You mustn't take it seriously, Ars-kun. There are more respectable adults in this squad as well........

　I looked away to think about it.
'The army is full of them,' he reiterated with a big smile.

'Does that include me, Ensign Elina?
"--!　Captain Vizest.... no... no... well... well... if it weren't for the grin on his face when he was proud of his daughter, it would be impeccable.
'Ugh!　I mean, it's inevitable as a father.
'Elina, it's time to get off your feet the captain says it's inevitable. It is, in other words, a man's nature.

　Viziest looks down at Lindelph, who is being kicked in the leg.

'Don't get with me. Yours is an ulterior motive.
'What?　Hey, captain.
Just get it over with, Lindelph.

　Gulping with resignation, Lindelph gave a small "yes" to the agreement.

　The team members who have been coming in one after another are now returning from their missions. Of course, Lindelph and Ars are also on their way back.
　I'm sure you'll be able to find it in the next few days.
　It's not a bad idea to have a good time with the team.
　It was a scene that reminded them of everyday life, even though they were busy with their duties. You can see more than just tiredness in the faces of the team members, you can also see a sense of relief.

　The Special Demon Attack Unit is made up of 15 members. It's not unusual to divide up the squad, but when it comes to missions in the outside world, the squad is usually made up of six or seven people.
　Lindelph is an excellent commander, but because he himself is this kind of personality, many of the people around him were critical of him until he came to [Special Squad 0]. I can say that's the problem.
　He had more posts to take up, but he was always treated as a nuisance in the outside world. That's probably why Bellick included him in this squad.

　For better or worse, many of the members of this squad were mages with strong habits.
　The reason why they treat Ars as a mage and not a child is because they recognize him as a companion to whom they can leave their backs to and acknowledge him. Of course, Ars himself is the cause of this. His expressionless, emotionless words, which seemed to be emotionless, were completely devoid of humanity, as if they were the vocalization of a machine. In other words, it's not childish.
　There were even people who asked me if I was really a child when we met at the new facility.

　That's probably why this is a piece of advice.
　I'm sure you'll be able to find a way to make it work.

'Ars, look at the bigger picture a bit more. There's no point in forming a squad if we don't know everyone's roles and actions.'
'Hey, your being the first to crush a high-rate demon isn't a bad choice, but it can be a bad move, depending on the circumstances.

　The man leaning against the wall in the corner also crossed his arms and opened his mouth.

That's exactly what happened this time. We'll be limited in our movements by your actions. It's nice to have your back to me, but don't lean on me.
Yes, sir. I'll be more careful in future.

　It's not that he didn't turn his head, but rather that he was unconcerned about his approval, and Ars seems to want to say he's not interested.

　But that doesn't make anyone feel bad. I'm sure you'll be able to see the changes, the progress, after the next time. The battlefield is something you learn by experience.
　I'm not sure where they learned it from, but the team is growing every day, and that's why I'm giving them advice, even if it's harsh.

It's just a matter of time before you get to the point where you'll be able to see the difference. Ars is still a child.

　Erina jokingly put her hand on Ars's head. She didn't stroke it, just put it down. There was a visible warmth there, and the squad understood that she was holding an invisible demon womb.
　It must be because Ars is still a child that he can't perceive it, can't realize it, doesn't know it.

　Lindelph, who was clearing out a chair that was damaged beyond use and a table that had been cut in half, turned his head and said the obvious.

'But he's stronger than anyone here.
..........

　Everyone knows that kind of thing. No one just didn't want to talk about it.
　Lindelph has never meddled with Ars about cooperation in the outside world. It must mean that he too has his own struggles. He doesn't know if he should let his too strong individual strength stay in the cage of cooperation.
　No, cooperation and acting as a squad means constant victory. If that's the case, then maybe the problem is that he's still a child.

　It's not often mentioned here, but the fact that Ars is a second-term student of the Mage Training Program, which is the center of criticism within the army, implicitly dilutes the word. It was also due to the fact that the first term students were wiped out early on in the outside world.

'Yes, coordination is a lifeline. It's not much of a duty for me to say, but it's too late to understand the need for it after you've been hurt. 'You can decide, Ars, you can decide. You have a talent unlike any other in history that may not even fit within the bounds of normal people. So the first thing you need to do is learn, and think for yourself.

　Rolling up the bundle of paper, Vizayst pats Ars on the head.

'I understand,'

　Vizayst let out a sigh through his nose at the sound of his inchoate voice.
　Then he walked to the doorway he had just entered and turned around to look over at the troopers.

'Sorry to see you tired, but I have something I need to show you ASAP.

　The usual reluctant faces that smelled of trouble were always there, but this was the first time they were showing something.
　This squad is currently the center of attention within the military, for better or worse. It has completed a number of missions. Its breakthroughs have not stumbled and it is steadily increasing its fame and achievements in the military.
　The orders and requests for missions never cease to come in. It's a challenge just to sort them out. Naturally, many of them are intended to tarnish it.
　It's no secret that Vizerist is an old friend of the new Governor, Beric. It was not uncommon for a high ranking official like an aristocrat to impose reckless duties on him because he didn't feel good about the new system or because his convenience was difficult to pass on. In short, it's probably a matter of power.
　The situation, which is still far from monolithic, worries Beric greatly.


　The Special Magic Attack Unit had visited the research facility on the grounds of the headquarters.
　This is the place where AWR is manufactured and magic is developed, as well as other small items that are useful in the outside world. Even military uniforms are manufactured in this area.
　This is just the basement of such a research facility. This is a place that is mainly used for storage as well. When he arrived at one of the rooms, Viziest held his license over the panel.
　Then the door slides open and a high-ceilinged room is lit up. It must be an empty warehouse. There was nothing there except for one thing.

'Captain, what's this?'

　Lindelph asks with an open mouth. The other members of the squad have similar faces, or a bad feeling, or a voyeuristic one, plastered on their faces.

　A huge cage is placed on the ground. The iron bars, which are as big as a human arm, are not only sturdy and welded together, but are so tight that they run in a crisscross pattern.

''Well, demons!

　It would have been no wonder if someone had muttered.
　A ferocious snarl sounded heavy and low as a ferocious roar rumbled behind several regularly enclosed grates.
　The shadows that fell from the ceiling of the cage faded away, and if one were to visually inspect the figure, one could tell that it was not a demon. This is because it didn't have the distorted, evil, and venomous body color characteristic of demons. On the contrary, it has a heroic appearance.

　It resembled a wolf that was said to have been exterminated in a hurry. No, if you didn't know that wolves existed, you could say that it was a somewhat un-twisted example of a dog.
　A long tail, covered in silvery white body fur and bent like a whip. Fierce eyes that seem to look at their prey, sharp teeth that bare their gums. Its blade-like claws clicked in a semicircle on the floor.
　Yes, even though it was compared to an animal, the obvious difference would be its size. Even with a quick glance, it was more than three meters long.

　That ferocity was probably why they described it as a demon.

''It seems this is an experimental detection demon dog that was created for detection purposes.
Are you sure this is a dog?
Well, that's something. They say it's some kind of genetic engineering. The only thing is that this thing can create magic, which means it can detect demons in the outside world. It was created because, as you know, there aren't many magicians who can detect them.

　Viziest supplemented his explanation by rolling up a stack of documents he had with him.

It's a very good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for. You are going to take this thing and go out into the outside world with it. I hear they'll be taking experimental data there.
Captain, is this it?　It's so hostile.

　Lindelph makes a good point. The fact that they are caged is good evidence.

'Surely this is too much to ask...'

　Vizaisto's face twitched at Elina's question.
　'That's the only problem, the biggest problem.

''Well, it would be. The organs and genes that produce magic power and the genetic recombination have been modified to make his personality violent. That's probably before we get any experimental data. That's why I had them take a look at it first. It's a bit tricky to get a request from a slightly awkward place, and it would be a bit of a problem if you refused.
You mean the plan from above? No matter how much...
Well, wait a minute Captain, you might be able to manage it if you touch it more than you think. They're just animals, they must be scared.

　Saying that, the skinheaded trooper walked up to him with enthusiasm, as if he was not afraid.

"..........

　I'm just waiting to see what happens.

"I don't know what it is, but it's genetically engineered.

　I tried to hold out my hand through the gap, but I couldn't reach the height because of the bottom of the cage.
　The next moment - the dog leaps at my arm with such force that the cage shakes.
　The dog leaps at my arm with such force that the cage shakes.

''Waaaaaah!''

　Vicious teeth bite the sky as the man retracts his arm in the nick of time.
　The man resists the urge to fall on his ass, and then comes back as if nothing had happened.

"Well, they're animals, you know.
..........

　Elina put a hand to her forehead as she overflowed with the dumbfounded troopers, "All a**h*les.

'You were quick for your confidence.
'No, I guess that means our common sense is lost. The research team has created something extraordinary.

　The squad member who let out a huff of air cowered his shoulders in relief, but...

''In the first place, it's the cat that enjoys petting you under the chin. You should do something about your eyes first.

　Unlike Elina, Lindelph kept his mouth shut to keep the white feathers from falling on him.
　The push came from Ars. He pointed his finger at the cage and indicated it.

'I mean, that drool, wasn't he trying to prey on it completely?
What kind of an animal is that? They know they're food.

　Visaisto pondered after hearing Elina's words.

'Then let's try Ars?　You don't want them to recognize it as bait, do you?