'Bad things are going on, and we may not be able to deal with it if something goes wrong. Then I'm sure Loki won't come back here.
I suppose so. But I thought you should have as much information as possible now that you've accepted the offer.
'You're too particular. That's where I thought Al wouldn't let you go... maybe it's because I and Fia are with you this time, but I think Al thought the worst that could happen was that the mission wouldn't be successful.

　It was a logic that didn't add up from Loki's point of view in a trivial way. No, this idea was probably based on the old Ars. Or it may be a selfish assumption based on Ars's mission completion rate. The place called the outside world had probably switched Loki's thoughts to something other than the usual.

　--Does that mean that Al put us ahead of the mission?

　Inwardly, Loki felt his heart sinking as he kept his mouth shut like that.
　In the beginning, he would have put the mission ahead of the mission. Of course, that was only a goal that was required based on the consideration that no harm would come to the girls.

　When considering the possibility of harm, Arth chooses to abandon the mission, Alice says.
　The possibility that no harm will come to him should also include the presence of Loki on the spot.

　Thinking of that........Loki thought of Ars now.

''I'm convinced,''
'Really?　Good.

　Loki couldn't help but chuckle at Alice's heartfelt relief.
　Whatever the truth was, the girls were probably glad that Ars had seen it that way.

'If you ask me, it might have been a one or two-way bet. I'm sure it's a bit strange here after all. The unobtainable anxiety that Alice-san has is probably not just referring to the current state of affairs without Al or Fia-san.
Does that mean a demon?
''There's that too. There are a lot of demons that you don't see in Alpha, but I'm also concerned about the extremely high rates. And then there's the problem of the terrain. To be honest, most of the rugged terrain is limited in Alpha, and as you can see on the map, there's a series of mountains a bit further down the road that are blocking our advance.

　That, plus the fact that the river runs through it, is part of the reason. The stream in front of us is a tributary, and the main stream must be further downstream.

'Mr. Alice, let's talk about tomorrow first. In the meantime, we'll set out at sunrise and aim for the confluence point. There should be no [Night Walkers] in the dark by that time, so let's look for them while detecting them.
Yes, sir!

　If it were true, it was tempting to seek out Ars as another way to find him, but Loki told himself that if he thought about it as a squad, it was probably the right decision.

　At least it helped that they were able to find this resting place in the outside world. It's a rare thing to be able to stay here for this long and without worrying about the eyes of demons.

''So Alice-san, I'll keep an eye on this place, so please take a break.
'What!　Okay, Loki, you take a break first.
'No, I'm trained enough to move with a few days of sleeplessness, and Alice is injured... and when you can rest, it's important to rest well.
Yeah, yeah. So, let's switch.
Okay. Okay, I'll wake you up in about two hours.

　With that, Loki sat down by the wall where he could see outside.
　Lying down, Alice used the porch as a pillow, wrapped herself in her robe and threw a voice across from the fire, "I'm going to bed first, good night Loki.

'Yes, goodnight.'

　The gentle sound of his voice returned at the end of the fire, which Loki also flickered. Alice couldn't get an accurate view of Loki's face, but it was a warm voice that assured her of a good night's sleep.

　Alice's eyelids slowly descend as the taut threads loosen. Strangely, her body felt like it was going to be drained of strength as she tried to save her strength for tomorrow.

　It was certain that this place was a place for demons to avoid. Unless it is in a special state, that is, a state of excitement or some kind of critical situation, the demons will not even come near it. Of course, that's unless it's a release of magic power that tells them where we are, or if there's a noise.

　Furthermore, it has been known to hide from the surrounding demons as if they were hiding from the surrounding demons while the demons called 【Night Walkers】 strut around. No one knows why this is so, however, this phenomenon is so certain that it is beyond doubt.

　Now, I can say that this place is as safe as a survival zone.


　I noticed that the inside of the cave was so silent that I couldn't even hear Alice's sleep. No, the sounds have disappeared as if this outside world itself has fallen asleep.
　At times like this, on the contrary, my nerves tense up.

　Loki sits up and hugs his knees as he wraps his arms around them, and the hands crossed on either side of him grip his arms tightly.
　It's been like this all along. Ever since Ars left.........
　A sensation that boggles my mind. There are various factors for this. The fact that Ars hasn't come back, the encounter with the too inexplicable demons. If you think about it that way, the mission in the first place can only be inexplicable.

　Even Loki, as is to be expected, has at least heard of the word 【Night Party】. However, that too is only a rumor, a delusional urban legend. There is no way to get detailed information in Alpha first, and there are few eccentric people who try to investigate something that can't happen within the scope of their country's jurisdictional mission.

　It's a given that this kind of gossip has a reputation to follow. It's also true that the truth is that they are often dismissed as common stories.

　However, just as Alice had sensed the fragments of what Loki was feeling right now, the current Loki was somewhat unsettled. Spending a night in the outside world sometimes made this kind of mind vulnerable. You can sense a bad premonition with your whole body.
　At such times, it's usually--.

"A sign of bad things to come...

　Ars would surely put themselves first, Alice said. Loki himself felt that way, and that would be preferable.
　But at the same time, Loki could also read Ars's thoughts, a part of them.

　--Al probably judged this mission to be more difficult to ignore than he had imagined.......

　The outcome would be the same. In the final decision where Ars had to make two choices, it would be just as Alice expected.
　In other words, if he is not forced to make that choice, Ars will certainly fulfill his mission. It's closer to intuition than because it's a job, and it's a feeling that mages who go out into the outside world develop with experience.
　When you're as good as Ars, it's worth more than intuition. It is intuition and hunches that Ars, who is good at multifaceted analysis, finally entrusts to as a general judgment.

　It's something anyone can understand if they go through the deadlines. That failure is only beyond ignoring some signs. The avoidable possibilities are only realized afterwards.
　However, those who have dived through the death line many times will develop a sense of discerning that kind of divergence.

　Ars would have had a 'premonition' at the stage when he received the information about the mission. And it would have definitely gone beyond a hunch and turned into a conviction after the encounter with the demon.

''Moreover, the [Dark Night Prowler (Night Walker)]

　No matter how much the outside world is a place that invites only unforeseen circumstances, once it's all here.......
　Loki, who was absentmindedly looking at the light of the campfire and thinking, turned his attention to the outside as if to give information to his thoughts from time to time.

　As Loki turned his attention, the flame lights held up by the [Prowler of the Dark Night (Night Walker)] were still eerily illuminating the sea of trees in countless numbers. I could see that the procession was heading towards a certain place as if it was some kind of ritual or perhaps a solemn festival. It wasn't clear from here, but the highest peak in the area must be just ahead. The slope was so steep from where I was now that I couldn't see the top of it.
　However, as if to push away the darkness, the sky in the distance was thin and bright with a reddish afterglow.