All the while, Beric's soliloquy proceeds.

'Of course, there is no doubt that he must have gone to dump them in the outside world. It is a miracle that Ars is still alive.
I'm sure I'll have to regret that now, too.

　Beric consciously passed over Clov's words with sympathy.

'Of course, it's likely to be an alpha mage, given the fact that it's the outside world, but we couldn't identify the parents who are believed to have gone to abandon it. Since the place was just a place, no troops were supposed to have stepped in that far at the time.

　It's easy to do. They didn't seem to have been caught off guard, though they were forced to leave out some details. The heads of state also found it odd, but as soon as they decided that the information they could glean from it was useless, they moved on to the next topic of discussion.


　Yes, I don't need to reiterate that this is a critical time for Cicerunia and Bellick. Nevertheless, what Cicernia was thinking about was the new revelation that Beric had just told her about - Ars.
　It would only be incomprehensible to the extent that it is incomprehensible to anyone but herself, but not to her. More to the point, only the Ahrzeit family was different.

　--How could she come here........how could she do this.......no, what she should do now.... There's more. Fortunately, he didn't seem to notice me.

　I didn't have time left to shake it off to Cicernia while it filled up most of my brain's capacity. That's how much of a shock it was. If this is exposed........
　A moment later, a troubling pathway passes through Cicernia's brain.

　--then let's just say.........

It's a good thing that you're not the only one. It's no wonder he's not hiding out in the vicinity. I don't think he's that incompetent. And the last person to have disappeared was not Rusalka, but Alpha, right, Cicerunia?

　Despite such thoughts, a voice laced with hostility echoed from the next Rusalka side. I'm sure you'll be able to find out who the hostility in that voice is directed at other than Jean. I'm sure Cicernia would have been able to figure out if it was the right thing to do, but the person in question didn't seem to be able to do anything about it.

　It is a good idea to have a good idea of what is going on in the world.

"This is something we hadn't anticipated, and we immediately sent a battalion led by Teresa to capture them, but they were too late.

　So far, defending the body as an argument has worked. It would be good if Beric could just state the answer he had prepared, but--''

''I didn't think you'd let me get away with it here...''

　The unspoken pursuit was roughly done earlier with the discussion of the threat level of Arus earlier. He should have understood that there was no way a single country could compete with them now.
　However, it was quite natural to keep the adjustment by making the Alpha seem cooperative here. Beric cut his hand early.

''We have supplemented our external hiding place in the outside world as a result of our tracking on that matter here.
"'Oh!'
That's what I'm talking about.

　Kroff's unleashed praise in admiration. Now there would be no doubt on the surface that Alpha would be cooperative with Ars. This hand was also a card that had to be cut due to Ars's word of mouth that Linne brought back.

　Based on this far, Haorg took the initiative to open his mouth. Do you want to get the overall command, or is this advice coming from experience?

''No, I judge that the target, Ars Regin, is highly intelligent. We are not going to be able to stay a few steps ahead of him. We need to destroy any chance of success, so we need to make sure that we are able to supplement our efforts right up to the last minute to get the single one moving. Throw in a single mage as a countermeasure only after those are found out. No one would want the country to be raided while we're away.
'Of course. 'Of course, it would be quicker to ask the single-digit people here than us, after all. What do you think, Mister Vaget?

　Haorg must have been aware of the reaffirmation of the word "supplementary".
　Clawf brilliantly deflected the conversation away from the waist. He threw the question to the man who would be able to guess the situation most calmly of all of them. Even in the earlier exchange, he was more conscious than anyone else about the existence of the country, and he didn't give the slightest hint of conceit about his second place ranking.
　More to the point, the other single magicians seemed a bit habitual, so it was a process of elimination, but it would be necessary to check again with them (...). Only six countries, except for Alpha, realized that this was in a sense a hidden admonition behind the words.


　A skinny, skinny man. An imposing stance, with prey at his waist reminiscent of a martial artist. His neatly parted, deep, dark-blue hair grows straight down to his chin, with no trace of habit. The hair, which shines back at the lighting, is even shiny. It shakes once, and Vaget opens his eyelids slowly, as if he were meditating.

　Haorg pulls back in his chair a bit, too, and focuses on the findings of how the singles in his country view him. Originally, Vaget was the rightful heir to a dojo that was renowned for its swordsmanship. A sword technique for the defunct anti-personnel. A skill for killing people, hence the skilled swordsman's unique skill of reading thoughts. The insight that comes from experience, the intuition that comes from being able to take your opponent down, is worth hearing.

　It was so good that it made Haag roar on many occasions. Whether the opponent is a demon or not, his premonition, which is not even a prophecy, is more likely to come true in bad times.
　That's why Haorgu knows that this premonition is useless, but he still listens to it.

'If we are going to do everything possible, the solution will already have been found. That is until we thoroughly defend our own country, that is, without even allowing insects to invade. In the meantime, we will find a countermeasure. If we are concerned about the danger, we have no choice but to strike out as soon as possible. If we give him time, we don't know what he might do. I'm sure he knows what we'll do, and I'm prepared to give him a desperate wish.

　Hearing the words up close, which smelled somewhat of an advisory mood, Haorg's expression changed to one of understanding for once.

'There's nothing you can do in the outside world. The most frightening thing is to be struck out.'

　Based on Haorg's concerns, his gaze focused on Clov again.

　No need to explain in detail. At least the majority of the single mages must be put in, and yet we can't leave at ease for the defense of our own country. If Ars is focused on a single country, it will be on the back foot.

　You don't need to look at the heads of state to see that it's obvious.
　The only reason I asked Vaget about it now is because Iberis was the only one who refused to do so until the very end.

　However, only Alpha was the only one to show a final resistance.
　Beric stood up, and none other than Cicernia showed no resistance. Unusually for her, she has been caught in the mire of her thoughts. It was obvious that if she missed the opportunity, it would be too late.

　There was no reason why she wouldn't show some difficulty in throwing in a single. Despite the fact that they have been talking about the necessity of a single player, the heads of state have been unable to take a positive approach. Of course, considering the risks involved, they would not be able to shake their heads easily. If the governors were present, the result might have been a little different.

　No, that, too, would not have led to a reversal of the conclusion. If it had been a fire in another country, Beric would have been more cautious.


　Beric's sleeve was unexpectedly pulled as he stood up, searching for some countermeasure. He turned around and saw Cicernian's slightly exhausted face, but a strong-willed look in his eyes.
　Beric settled his heavy hips with relief and apprehension. However - he would soon understand that it was only a bad step after all.

''Then this place will be Alpha's with all of its strength...''
Oh, no. There's a time limit. It's already taken care of.
What?

　At Rafcenal's interrupting voice, Beric can't even hear back, "What........ The gaze staring at them is as if to say that they are not listening. An odd sense of alienation, as if they were repeating a barren exchange.

　Snapping his fingers nimbly, Rafcenar simply said, "Hey, come in.
　Then the door, which would have been heavily closed, slowly, quietly and surely opened, letting a figure peek through.

　There was a young man there who looked nothing like he had ever seen before.
　He was dressed in an air of beauty, and he walked with a flowing gait that didn't even make a sound of footsteps. His clear white hair, trimmed above his eyes, was tied up in the middle behind him.
　Formal clothing that could be mistaken for mourning clothes in contrast.
　His appearance was like a picture of a brilliant eyebrow. However, although the gaze cast on him is clearly hostile, there is a mixture of conflicting emotions to restrain it.

　It's not so much that he doesn't care about such a thing as that, but the man bent over glamorously with a smile that doesn't match the atmosphere. It is a very good idea to be able to have a good idea of what to expect.


I'm sure you'll be able to find it in the next few days. Good luck from now on.