I didn't expect that they would be in such a big mess, that's what Ars honestly felt. If that's the case, it must have been a good decision to send Loki home early.

　It's a good thing that you're able to get a good night's sleep, because at least Ars, Loki and Ilyce are planning to leave here early in the morning.


　Loki said that it would be hard for him to have nothing, so he made a knob and prepared a cup of tea for Ars. However, the pot, which contained a considerable amount of tea, was nearly empty.
　Sipping on the thicker tea, Ars with a mixture of dismay and dismay turned his gaze to the window after giving it enough consideration to not be noticed.

　Before he knew it, it had been drunk in the night to the point where he could hear the faint footsteps of sentinels and watchmen shivering in the cold outside.
　Maybe that's why he huffed out a boozy breath, as if to renew it.

　Haorg looked at Ilyce, who was occupying Ars's bed with a bottle of liquor in his arms, and lowered his cheeks, which had been lifting happily all along.

'Looks like it was you who got crushed first. I'm ashamed of myself for not being able to do anything at all without the help of alcohol, and it's painful to give up on that power as well.
No, we don't have time to deal with drunks properly either, so I think it's best to get them another day...

　Even so, the eyes of the former head of the company are far from drunk, and his open eyelids remain open as if he refuses to be seen.

I can't get drunk. You know that. I'm a former military head of state. That's why I know what I'm doing. But all the pride I've cultivated over the years has become a mere shadow of its former self. I left tens of thousands of soldiers out in the field when I lost so many men, when nations were suspicious of each other, when I was too busy defending my country.
Strange to say you're a warrior, isn't it?
They are true warriors. That's why I couldn't get drunk after that, no matter how much I tried to get them drunk. Some of them drank with me just to get me out of the country, and some of them even introduced me to their girlfriends, but I didn't go to the front line to make them do that. Those who stand at the top are prepared to risk their lives in the field and put hundreds or thousands of lives on a single word. It was supposed to be that way, but........

　The heart that is spewed out in a lopsided manner makes you think that it is because he is actually drunk.
　However--.

　Immediately afterwards, Haorg thrust his hands on the table and lowered them with the force of smashing his forehead.
　It was only unofficial, and more importantly, it was only because his father, who was drunk, lost his blood. No, he wanted to, right from the start.

　He had been doing so for a long time without uttering a word.

　--I see, this is the head of Iberis?

　I've heard, or rather, he's a warrior as his reputation says. I'm sure you'll be able to find a way to make it work.
　Then the words that follow are--.

But I assure you that I would make the same decision again and again, and I believe it must be so with the seven nations.

　-- after all, this person is a genuine monarch.

　It's not just a matter of time before you'll be able to get a good idea of what to expect. It is true that those who stand at the top, such as heads of state and governors, must be both personal and ruthless at the same time. But that is not a ruthless person; it is someone who can be ruthless when pressed.
　It is true that internal and external politics should be clearly divided between the head of state, who is the chief executive, and the governor, who is the head of the military, such as the defense of the country. However, if the instructions are painful to the mages who put their lives on the line, the mages can trust them.

　In that sense, having Haorg in the position of head of state is not out of the way for Iberis, at least not out of the way for people. He has the centripetal force that holds the country together as a strong monolith. It is a quality that Cicernia and Lithia do not have.

　At the same time, he is a necessary part of the current human race, which is taking the form of seven countries.

If I have lost the right way, the other six countries will take it. If I have lost the right path, the other six countries will take it. For this reason, I have chosen to represent Iberis.
Yes, I think that's a good idea. I don't have any intention of asking anyone to be responsible for it in the first place. However...

　Yes, Ars does not dispute that they, the head of state, made the decision. But they did admit to a mistake as a result. There can't be no penalty for that.
　If this is a mere wizard, it could be rounded off, but in this case, it's the highest-ranked number one, Ars, so it can't be enough.

　I'm sure you'll be able to find out more about this.

I know. ─ I know," he said, "but the outcome will determine what is right and what is wrong. I'm not sure if I'm a good judge or not, but if I'm wronged as a result, there must be punishment for that. Then I will atone for this incident with my resignation.
--!

　--So there you are.

　A word that makes you think he's actually drunk. It's a big deal if someone hears it. I'm sure you'll find a lot of people who've been in the same boat for a while now.
　It can be said that this man is a serious person. It's not appropriate to have a mental arithmetic, a calculation, or even a soul. That must be because he has only one core.
　There is a tendency for him to be too clumsy to run the country.

　It is precisely because of this that Ars was able to open up his mouth to speak.

I'm sure you'll be able to find out more about this. The fact that I will have to make various concessions to Alpha in the future, even in trade related matters, is not limited to Iberis in any way. But that doesn't matter to me.

　Of course, since the current situation lacks a head of state and the reconstruction of Rusalka is out of the question, as expected of Sisernia, she should not be pursuing her own interests alone.
　I don't think she'll just get away with it, though, given her personality.

I don't want to say that everything is good as long as the result is good. But you must understand that this one case, and others like it, must be understood by you.
..........

　The unspoken meaning was not only a warning to Haorg, but to the heads of state representing the seven nations.
　Even the arrogant insinuation that he should understand did not offend Haorg, but rather he waited for the words to follow.

'Since when have you people created an inside and an outside in the world?
What do you mean?

　Haorg, who was trying to get everyone to say it, had gotten exactly what Ars had in mind. But that is something that can be understood without being told. The head of state and the governor have in mind the regaining of their former lands.

　But he leaned forward with his thick, muscular arms on the table, as if drawn to what Ars, the pinnacle of magicians, was uttering.

'The children of today- no, even their parents- many of them don't know the outside world. They've become complacent in their false birdcages.
It's a battle we've won with the price of a lot of blood!
'Yes, of course. But it's not good for people to turn away from the threat. It's not enough, you're not ready yet. But if you live in the wrong place, your neck will slowly tighten. No matter how much technology advances, no matter how much magic progresses, the longing that should be a prerequisite for it will only become less and less...

　Ars swallowed the words that followed. It was because the relative Haorg knew best. The answer is guided by his war history of leading mages as a soldier and running through the outside world.
　Before the man with a steeply wrinkled brow opens his mouth, Ars adds with a blur.

''You are too ignorant of the fact that nothing is all that threatening in the outside world.
..........
Tomorrow I'm heading to Babel, taking Loki and Ilyce with me.
I'm listening. I don't know what you're up to.

　Sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

'No one should be able to get in there. Because if that was possible, the pseudo-protective wall here would have been a little more decent.
A situation has arisen that would justify not getting in.
Babel's power...

　This time, Ars sends a pitying glance into the void. It's not limited to Haorg, but if there is a sin, it's a mortal sin common to all of humanity.
　In order to confirm this, we must go to Babel.

We have to see what it is that gives rise to that power. We have to see it in action, and if the purpose of the Crokel is built on the facts....
You knew.

　Ars was immediately asked about Crokel's purpose, but he shook his head at all the questions. It's a good idea to have a good time with your friends and family, but if it's true, then the head of the company cannot overlook what Ars is about to do.

It's a good thing that you've got a good idea of what you're talking about. "In any case, Babel could end its life at any time. I won't let you get involved in what I have to do, even if the heads of state have stepped down!

　Standing up with a dunk, Haorg didn't get angry, nor did he do himself justice, but turned his eyes pure.

''You think that's the right thing to do?
'Of course. It has to be. You don't want to step out of line any further, do you?

　Ars picked up the cup that was swinging on the table, but it didn't contain the contents of the cup, as if it had been drunk at any time.

'Head of Haorg, I need your hand. No, you can just acquiesce. That's all I ask.
You know what I mean. That's treason.
'It's nasty. I think it's wise to destroy Babel at its worst.
"--!　Wait, if the protective barrier goes down now...

　As expected, Ars has no credibility in this area, which is probably why he doesn't trust him. After all, this is only the few times that Ars has even met the head of another country's head of state.

''As expected, I'm not trying to reduce the number of humans. It's not something that's going to happen any time soon. The reason I'm heading to Babel tomorrow is for confirmation and to create the [Third Babel].

　Haorg turned a wry smile on his face, and a bitter smile was taut on his mouth. He couldn't move it well as his cheeks twitched slightly, and he slumped back in his chair with a crumbling thump.

'I'm certainly going to do what I want to do, but I'm not that crazy, you know. So you should be able to understand. If you don't make a move here, I won't be helping you in the future. Maybe, but you're going to need me for the [Third Babel] production.

　Words that could be taken as threats - in fact, Ars was threatening. No, the thing is simple and clear. If you can account for profit and loss, that's all you need to know.

''Gahahahahahahahahaha...!

　Laughter roared through the room, fighting headlong into the silence of the night. Laughter that sounded as if he had lost his mind. But it seems to be a laugh that somehow convinces me.
　A bold and deliberate laugh.

　Laughing once, Haorg grabbed a jug of water from the cozy kitchen and gulped it down as it was.

'This occasion is only informal.
That's just some terrible drunks, too.
"Ha-ha-ha it's more than a story, Ars Regin. If you weren't old enough to drink, I would have given you a drink. Kuhn ... well ... good. You can't drink spit when you spit in your mouth.
That's your line. I took the ploy.
Remember, fact-checking. This is a priority. You're gonna find out what you're gonna do, and then you're gonna tell me what you're gonna do.
I understand.

　We hadn't expected things to go so smoothly. However, for that reason, this is a huge step forward.
　To round things off, Haorg slapped his knee once with a pleasant face and stood up.

''Well, then, I guess I'll go home too. It may be busy from now on.
I'll take you home.
Yeah, all right. It wouldn't look cool if you overslept. You don't want to be blamed on me.

　At least ninety percent of the time, it's the man's fault.

'You think I'm going to oversleep in the outside world?
'As well as that, but...'

　Haorg's eyes, glowing and radiant, are filled with the embarrassment of being seen off. Does he think he's a good old man or something?
　But--.

''It's awkward to let a drunkard leave alone.
Hmm I'm starting to see a little bit of who you are.

　Ars kept his eyes lightly downcast at the man who gave him a sarcastic smile.
　It was indeed unofficial, and it was Haorg himself who took on the appearance of a drunkard. He couldn't find the words to reply and was forced to reluctantly agree.
　As the two of them leave the room together, Ars turns around once.

''Clean up the mess.

　The girl holding the bottle of liquor on the bed opened one eye thinly, lifted one hand weakly and fluttered off.