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　The season of late autumn is upon us. The temperature set in a cozy setting is still the same after half a century.

　But as of this moment, the cage that protects people has been lifted, and the breath of life has become a gale of wind from far away, sweeping across the seven countries, as the entire population of the seven nations has been stripped of consciousness.

　The filters stretched across the world were unraveling like insects. But the azure skies that appeared from beneath them drew everyone's attention, and they turned their heads far above the horizon.
　Some even sobbed as they took in deeply the tasteless and odorless air that rushed past them.

　But they all stopped and looked up at the sky to feel the refreshing breeze all around them.
　The sun was shining brightly in an unseen light. There are even those who are dazzled and still try desperately to see it.

　To them, the sun is nothing more than a round mass that emits light. So, even though I knew about it from knowledge, I felt a great deal of wonder at the faintly gentle warmth pouring out of my body's core.
　Still, it's not an evasion, but rather an instinctive feeling of gratitude for it, which I suppose means that I'm back to where a person should be...where I should be.


　It wasn't until several minutes later that there was an uproar over the lifting of the protective barrier.
　Perhaps in anticipation of this situation, there was not so much outward commotion in the countries, and it soon died down. Unbeknownst to Ars, who had been diligently engaged in research in the outside world, countries had repeatedly informed their citizens of the shutdown of Babel in advance.

　Soon, he said, it would reach the end of its life.


　Of course, Ars had been thinking about what would happen after the protective wall was lifted, and since he had placed a protective wall in each country, each country was able to anticipate the situation in advance.
　From the beginning, the heads of state had no intention of refusing to lift the protective wall. But now that Babel is nearing the end of its life, and its effectiveness is diminishing at an alarming rate, they are growing impatient.
　So a replacement had to be devised. But if they couldn't unravel the structure of Babel itself, they had no choice but to focus their efforts on placing and training mages at best.

　So they had no choice but to rely on it, they had no choice but to expect it, which is probably the selfish argument of the heads of state.

　Of course, on the surface, all of these actions were done because Ars wanted to, and the reasoning behind them did not include the slightest bit of respect for the heads of state.


　Oddly enough, the lifting of the protective barrier caused many to fall ill from the changes in the environment and many to feel uneasy about the strange world.
　Still - no, so much so that people have forgotten the real world.

　That's why we have to abandon our lives in the false world. I am sure that something will not change visibly.
　But one thing is certain: it's time to remember. One thing is certain: we must remember, we must not forget.

　Where do we come from and where are we?
　If only we knew that, then surely........the world would expand.


　◇ ◇ ◇.


Ars she is.

　Cicernias, who asked him for a sliver of hope, couldn't say for sure and only told him the results as he saw them.

'She seems to be alive somehow. It's just that she has already spent more than half a century living in this chemical solution. It's hard to understand. I don't know the details, but she probably won't be able to keep it for long. Still, I'll do what I can to help.

　We'll have to treat the body first.
　I suppose I'll have to take them to the healing wizards I've put on standby. The plan is that they should be as far as the vicinity of Babel. In any case, it's difficult to cross paths with the rest of the people in this place that only the heads of state are allowed to enter.

　The secret of Babel is one that must not be passed down for generations to come. It must be handed down as a sublime wall.

　That's why it is necessary to continue to maintain that sublime, and the existence of a mage who has learned the secret is surely unnecessary.

　Turning back out of Babel and looking up at the changed sky, Ars closed his eyelids deeply for once. There were healing mages waiting at a distance, and among them was Lynne.

　Ars left Latifa in charge of Haorg.
　If he stepped out of Babel, he could enjoy the changed world, but Cisernia was hesitant to step out.
　When you take her hand forcefully and pull it back, your intentions are also easy, and your feet step into the new world.

''How do you like it?''
It's really chilly but it's kind of warm.

　Everyone here was experiencing this contradiction.

　He repeated a deep breath and a fresh air that he had never felt before filled his lungs. Cicernia's expression dissolved at the freshness of the air.

''It's not bad, is it?''
'Yeah, I kind of get it. What you said.

　The distinction between real and fake should not be made. Creating unnecessary divides makes us dissatisfied with the status quo. That's not desirable for greedy people.
　Nevertheless, in terms of the fundamental idea of what humanity is fighting for and what it is trying to achieve, it is exactly what we are experiencing now.

　The current structure, which is a part of the world and excludes only human beings, may still be closed to the future. Once again, Ars felt that way.

　And when he saw Cicernias and heads of state who were so sympathetic to him, he was convinced that he was not wrong. At the same time, it felt like something was fulfilled in Ars for a little while.
　You could describe it as happiness, or you could rephrase it as contentment, and I guess there's no word to apply to such a fuzzy feeling - just that I don't feel bad about it!


　Feeling bad for Cicernias, who felt stunned, Ars untied Cicernias' hands and straightened his posture heroically. The sound of her feet coming together as a soldier does to his superiors split the air.
　This was her duty.

　With one look at Ars, Cicernia tells her to hold back a somewhat bitter smile.

'It's really good. Even knowing that no one else wants it.

　Cisernia checked anxiously, and Ars answered immediately. But as she turned to face straight ahead, Ars's hands, which she wanted, were folded behind her back and could not be squeezed again.

'No one else, because I want it myself,'
'Well you have been from the beginning. Thank you so much, Ars.

　She forced herself to grip the edges of her clothes as if she regretted letting go of the warrior's hands, and her face was replaced with that of her former neck.
　A tightening air caressed the undergrowth, and the sound of a clear voice carried through the air.

'Ars Regin I didn't expect you to tell me this for the second time.

　He let out a loud breath once as he held it in place, perhaps to calm his trembling lips or to wrap his lower lip around it.
　As a witness, the heads of state also lined up their gags and listened closely.

''We finally won against you,''

　The bobbing and spitting of Ars's words were not picked up, and Cicernia said each word with determination - so that the mouth that spoke would not spin an extra word to hold him back.

'In the name of the 32nd Cicernian Il Ahrzeit, I give Ars Regin a special honorable discharge...'
..........!

　--a draw.

　It was barely possible to overflow that inwardly. It was something he hadn't expected to get here [Special Honorable Discharge].
　If the heads of countries don't object to it, Ars has no choice but to accept it. Since he thought that expulsion, expulsion, or some so-called [punishment] like that was appropriate, even Ars, as expected of him, had no choice but to raise his hands in surrender to this.

''Respectfully........''

　Even so, there was still a sense of apology on her face. Even though it had been applied for by Ars, she still didn't seem to be able to bear the sins of Cicernia - the sins of all humanity.
　Slowly bowing his head, Ars returned the license to Cicerunia.

　The license that proves the most powerful mage is returned to the head of state. She took it with both hands and touched her lips to Ars's cheek as she fell down, saying, "Come back anytime.


'There's no better medal than this, is there?'

　Cicernia hides her mouth with license, with a glamorous and seductive expression on her face. Tears reflecting sky-blue color float in and out of the edges of those smiling eyes, and the wind kidnaps them.

'I am honoured beyond measure, sir.

　Ars smiles back, too, and cuts back.
　I guess it's not bad. This is much lighter than the heavy medals you wear on your chest. The meaning behind it can also be perceived by the trembling that is transmitted.
　That's why Ars thinks. You can see that you are needed. This country that accepts you as an individual, not tied up as a fighting force, is Ars's home - a place that you can return to.