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　It must be called total darkness.
　The darkness was not as deep as the bottom of a hole, but a pale, shadowy darkness invaded every colored object.
　I looked up at the river and saw that the occasional moonlight was shining in a different direction and did not seem to be illuminating the stream. This was because the roof-like branches and leaves hid it well.

　Right now, Loki and Alice were still inside their resting place, waiting for their return.

　Time was ticking away without any witty conversation, strangely enough.

　Loki didn't know how much time had passed, exactly. But there was no conversation between the two of them that could pass the time. And yet, he was not aware of that moment when the outside world went dark.

　Loki felt as if the world had been swallowed by darkness in the moment when his eyelids were closed.
　Perhaps that was not unreasonable. Darkness is a thing that slips between perceptions and swallows you up. The reason there is no doubt in my mind is because I have experienced it many times.
　This is what the night is all about.

　But this darkness of the outside world is an unsettling sort of thing for those who only know their survival zone.
　Especially on a night like this when the moon was hidden.
　A few meters away, you might not even be able to detect someone beckoning you, let alone a sign of them if you were to look.

　The darkness of the outside world is that kind of darkness. It is nothing more than an indefinite poison that can embody any kind of anxiety or fear - a poison that undermines the nerves.

I wonder if it's safe to make a bonfire.

　Suddenly, Alice opened her mouth as she wrapped herself in her robe and looked vaguely at the fire.

''Normally it would be better not to build a fire, but it's going to get even colder from now on, and I'm choosing a resting place with that in mind.
Yeah, right.

　Even though she asked this question herself, Alice's counterpart wilted somewhat powerlessly.
　It was clear that this was a conversation to bridge the gap. But at the same time, it's also true that he can't get into the important topics.

　Perhaps sensing Alice's anxiety, Loki drops his gaze and turns his eyes once to the darkness that is just around the corner.

''Alice-san, I don't want you to think too much about it, but...''
Yes.
'Al has very little experience in the unit. Of course, he has more knowledge than anyone else, but to pass it on to others Al probably doesn't fully believe it's the best way.

　Because Loki's conversations, which were not to the point, were spun in the past - as if he were digging into Ars's past.

'Al was a member of the unit once, once upon a time,'
"--!　Right, right.

　Even though she knew that was supposed to be the norm, Alice had an assumption that he had been fighting alone all along. The Ars she knew had been first in line from the beginning.

'But that unit also suffered devastating deaths during the great invasion. That was the only time Al had ever been in a unit before or since. So maybe Al was unsure of what to do this time around, or maybe the bar was raised unintentionally. But from what I've seen, I think he's doing well for a first team.

　At least accomplishing the defeat of B-Rate was enough of an achievement to get out into the outside world.

''I've passed out, if I do say so myself, but thank you.
It's just that it's a first for me.

　With his face bathed in the orange glow of the campfire, Loki turns his gaze away from Alice.
　Depending on the situation, the squad members need an accurate analysis of the orders they are given. It is of course the same with regard to winning and losing. It's not necessary to consider his orders and instructions as absolute, even though Ars is in the position of captain this time.

　If you can't do it, you have to advise him so. If you can't play your role because you don't say so, it affects the entire squad. The enthusiasm of "do your best" and "at all costs" will not help.
　Each man must ensure that his orders are carried out. If the likelihood of this is less than halfway down, he can ask the captain for fresh orders and demand that the strategy be reworked.

　Surely this is the functioning of a healthy squad. At least that's what Ars must think.

　Loki can't tell Alice about it. That's because it's Ars's role and responsibility.

　However - and Loki brought his consciousness back to reality and divided his thoughts into the worrisome current situation.

''Even so, it's too late indeed.
Well, is it possible that Fia has moved away for a long time?
'I don't think so. I was far enough away to see it with my detection, and Al seemed to be aware of it...

　So Loki put his hand over his mouth with a difficult look on his face and began to think.
　Some margin of error, or rather, if he felt a little slow in the outside world, there was often something bad happening that he didn't expect.

'Loki?　Maybe he's arguing with Fia, or maybe he's lost?
''It would be nice if it was such a trivial thing, but we always have to assume the worst here. In the first place, if it was related to Fia-san, she would bring him back even if she had to carry him. To say that you were lost only in Al........

　Loki almost opened his mouth to say, "It's impossible," and Loki was cagey for a moment.
　Normally, such a thing would never be possible. However, just before he went to pick her up, Ars was clearly unwell. A feverish body in addition to sweating.
　Just by moving to that degree, Ars shouldn't be sweating first.

''【Violent Predator (Gla Eater)] Maybe that's the reason why Al was acting strangely.......''

　As he monologues, Loki couldn't help but open his eyes and dispel the bad feeling. As for Ars's different abilities, Loki has also drummed it firmly into his head.
　It should have been right after the use of [Violent Predator (Gura Eater)] that Ars's physical condition began to collapse.

''Alice-san, things have changed a bit!
What's going on?

　Loki's change in that leopardopardopard was too abrupt a switch. While maintaining a difficult expression, she turned her entire face and gaze outward as her brows wrinkled even more grimly.

　As if caught by that, Alice also followed Loki's lead and peeked out her face to look in.

''What's that? Is there another magician coming nearby?''
..........

　Loki knows that the chances of that happening are close to zero. It's impossible for them to be wandering around the outside world, and that's not even possible for them to be wandering around with lights on at this late hour of the night. Moreover, if so many of them are out, it's normal to report them in advance.

　Then--.

【Night Walker】!
Are you a demon?

　Seeing Loki nodding with a cocoon right next to her, as expected of Alice, her expression grew stronger.

''In terms of location, it's hard to imagine you coming towards us, Alice-san.
Yes!
'From here on out, try to stifle the magic as much as possible. You must suppress the release of magic power as much as possible. That is a demon that reads and tracks magic power information. Perhaps it's because Al is aware of the existence of the [Dark Night Prowler (Night Walker)] that he can't return.
He's a very dangerous man.
'Yes, I've never seen one before either. To be honest, it's not a demon I encounter that often, but this place seems to be different.

　It's a place you know that you can anticipate from the terrain to the type of demons within the range of Alpha's defeat.
　But when it comes to the Hydrangee, a place called the outside world, even its nature changes completely.

''Distance is also distance, and as long as you don't release too much magic power, it won't be a problem. It only senses magic power, and things like bonfires are fine as they are. However, that would be a bit troubling.

　After thinking for a moment, Loki took out the magic crystals from his pouch and scattered the spontaneous leaked magic power around this area just in case.

　Originally, it was about time that they should have been on their way back home long ago. Of course, we also assumed the worst and decided on a meeting point in case we fell apart.

''With Al's current condition, it should be difficult to take Fia-san on the mission with her...''

　Right beside Alice, Loki was pondering the course of action that would follow. The next command in the absence of a unit leader was now Loki's.
　Alice was quick to interrupt what Loki was saying.

''Well, wait!　I don't know what you're thinking, but what about finding Al and the others with Loki's detection first?
'I would have had the means if I could have done that. The response has been lost as soon as Al left, and flying the detection sonar in the presence of that thing is like telling them where we are.

　The slender chin indicated a swarm of lights in the darkness.
　Now they formed a procession, and it seemed as if they were trying to reach a point. They were not wanderers by mistake.


　Afterwards, Loki said alone, "While [Dark Night Prowler (Night Walker)] is on the prowl, the other demons should hide their appearance... as long as we are careful about leaking magic power........

Hey, wait a minute!　What are you trying to do?
'You'll be fine here. You're definitely safe here, at least until morning.

　Unlike usual, it was a smile made to reassure Alice, who had changed her blood color, that was directed at her.

'No.'
It's only for a little while, Alice, and I won't let you be alone for hours.

　Loki was already speaking words of persuasion, as if there was no room for argument.
　However, Alice shook her face from side to side, not caring about her head injury.

''Loki-chan, I can't let you go alone!
''But Alice-san has wounds and inadequate magic manipulation, so I can't take her with me.
'Yeah, I know that. Still, I can't let Loki go alone.
But I've done this a few times before, on my own missions.
No, no. Probably not. It's not like that. I don't know if I can put it into words, but I have a feeling Al would never let me go.

　Ars's name gives Loki pause for thought.

'What makes you think that?'

　However, I couldn't get an answer from Alice right away.
　So much convincing as an actual bad feeling existed at the moment. The state of being blocked from detection, which Loki is good at, and this encounter with this unnatural demon, none of them could be felt as if they were signs of bad luck.

　And moreover, this time it's because it's an investigation about an unimaginable phenomenon called 【Night Meeting】.