It will be nearly a year before Ars and Loki step into the survival zone like this again........
　

　Now that his suspicions are cleared, he can strut around with impunity. No, it's also the fact that Loki doesn't allow disguises. It's a trivial matter to lower the pent-up pool she's amassed.
　Still, the situation inside is heard of, so it is a minimal disguise to avoid being disturbed.


　We take a slight detour and enter from the Alpha side. The sentry let us through easily, but when we went through the protective wall, we found an overwhelming sight.
　I'm sure I didn't tell anyone I was coming, but as soon as I saw Ars and Loki, I was greeted with a salute or an AWR.
　It was like a tidal wave.

　It's a very good idea to have a good time with your friends. However, the figure of Loki, who walked triumphantly one step behind him, was light as a feather and filled with a proud, gentle smile.
　Are his lightly downcast eyes listening closely, or is he taking the sound of Ars's footsteps to heart as he bites down on them?

　Either way, Loki simply follows the trail he leaves behind in silence, no matter the strange, oppressive gaze.

　Thus, the triumph of the man and his partner overturning the absurdity of the situation lasted only a few minutes or less. But it goes without saying that within those minutes, the greatest reverence was poured out as the highest rank in the country.


　The old man, who was clearly the messenger waiting for us at the end of the several transition gates, was acting with a strange breathing difficulty.

'I believe it was Mr. Huriba, right?


　He clapped his hands as if he were taking a sound door. Although Hooliva was a little theatrical, even Ars somehow felt the need to match his mouthpiece.

　There's no reason why an alpha heavyweight should be hitting a small play here in the first place.

''Would you please join me in finding........''

　Huriba beckoned lightly, putting his hand along his mouth by Ars's ear and hiding his voice.

'That is why Lady Cisernia is missing. I beg you not to speak otherwise.

　--What a roundabout way to go.

　It's a good idea to be able to have a good time. It's not just a matter of time before you get to the point where you can get the best results.
　It's a good idea to be able to have a good idea of what you're looking for, because there's clearly a hint of an accomplished mage everywhere. It's not so much hostility as it is an absent-minded indication that he or she is being kept at a distance as a mere bodyguard.

''Al........''
All right. Okay, so meet me at the arranged place and time.
I understand. I'll just kill some time.
..........

　Speaking of exorcism, it could be taken as vicious, but Ars firmly told Loki that he had a feeling that this would happen beforehand. Of course, perhaps because this is the situation Huriba wants, he doesn't interrupt, and the old man looks down at Loki apologetically.

　In fact, if the head of a country's head of state was going to go missing, he wouldn't spare any manpower in the search. And with the alpha eye of Linne, there is no way he would fall into a situation where he is missing.

　That's why Ars doesn't understand the intentions of this travesty, for now.

　Of course, since Ars also has business with her, a discussion should have been set up without this roundabout way.

''So, where is the all-important princess?

　Considering the difficulty, the language was slightly sloppy, but Hooliva didn't move a single eyebrow and looked troubled.

'All I know is that it's in the Fallen...'
''Wait a minute. Lynne is there, right?
'She has been sent to attend to her duties at the palace on another matter. The Princess said she can't get anything done today.

　Ars put his hand to his forehead and shook his head from side to side, letting out a sigh.

'You mean you don't know where he is?'
'Well, for lack of a better word, I'm naive, so I suppose I've stirred up a lot of interest. I'm sure he's on Main Street.
If we get sidetracked, we'll lose him in one shot.
I'm afraid that's not possible, Your Highness.
''Well let's just leave it at that. We don't want to take too much time either, so I'm heading over now.
Lord Arus.
What is it?
Thank you for your support.

　Stifled, Ars can't get past the divine look he gives us. Huriba has seen Cicernias grow up the closest to her since she was born until today.
　That's why she thinks she's taken the seat of head of state too soon and knows better than anyone else that she's given everything she's got by it.
　Even when she's acted stoutly, she can be awfully fragile in fact.

　Even part of the anguish she alone can come up with a solution. That's the responsibility of a head of state, she thinks. It was too early for her to take on the burden of being a national symbol. Even though she has the knowledge and experience to run the country, there are far more things she doesn't know as well as Ars.
　That surely doesn't mean that she doesn't need to know.

　Ars turns to the eyes that peek into such depths and says, "I know, I know. No, I guess I should say I understand now," a natural chuckle escaped him.
　Hooliva bends deeply to Ars, who turns away.

　--The princess is not a good person, either. No, maybe the eagles who get carried away by it are mostly fools too.

　She doesn't go anywhere beforehand, but waits patiently in a place where it's easy to find her. I've been informed of this by the guards one after another.
　But when Cicernias put on a bad face - no, a natural smile befitting their age - and said, "This is just the kind of treatment that's right for Ars," it didn't seem to matter what they had to say back to Huriba, or even what logic they had to convince him of. Shall we?

　Because such a natural smile, Huriba has only seen such a natural smile on the young Cicerunia.
　However, she is still different from those days. She has grown up and become an adult. That's why Huriba is not so dumbfounded that she can't guess the melancholy resolve that dwells there.
　Cicernian Il Ahrzeit, she has refused everything that has nothing to do with national politics since she made the decision to live as a head of state. No, it would be better to say that she has kept it away.

　I'm really glad I kept it away. The day has come when he can remember those days again.


　The old man whipped his hardened body, as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders, and gave the order to withdraw. Normally, without an escort, Hooliva's fragile heart would not be able to withstand it, but for today, it made him think that it was an unnecessary meddling.

　Only today.........