All of us stopped walking there, as if we had given up on walking and on going.

　Even with the slightest possibility, their expectations must have been overblown. In this unit that was already no longer functioning as a squad, joining up with other schools would dramatically increase the survival rate. Anything, anything, if there was something there that could help, would it have saved us a little bit?

　But the empty space was the only thing that popped a hole in my chest. The sense of loss robbed me of the ability to think, and I just stuck my feet to the ground.

　In the midst of all this, the only thing Ferrinella could think about instantly. If the head of the squad, who holds the squad together, stops thinking, that's exactly how the squad will be able to avoid being wiped out. I can't let them become food for demons.

　Taking a deep breath once, Felinella exhales with a huff and a mixture of voices.
　It's still within the realm of possibility. An assumption that left room for possibility. Just one of the possible possibilities. Not the best, but still not the worst.
　The best thing was to successfully join the Fourth Magical Academy, but of course, the possibility of that not happening was also in view.

　From the fact that there were no signs that the Fourth Wizarding Academy had passed through, perhaps they hadn't arrived yet. There was no way that anything could be proceeding according to the schedule.

　Felinella looked around at the faces of everyone.
　Anxiety, which seems to follow the emaciated faces, the slightest bit of expectation was cut off and covered everyone's faces. It's not a small amount of battle up to this point, and fatigue had accumulated.
　Illumina and even Felinella were no exception. Their bodies were heavy, and the wounds they had treated remained throbbing and emitting pain.

　After a few moments of stunned stupor, as if forced to take a break, the gaze was focused on Felinella, as if clinging to a faint hope.

''It's okay. We'll just keep heading for the exit. I know it won't be an easy road, but we'll get home. If we take the shortest route to the exit there's a chance that we'll be able to meet up with the troops of the fourth wizarding academy along the way.......

　I couldn't spin the words well until the end. That's when Felinella put all the plans together in her brain and finally checked the time. It was as if her brain had gone numb, and she was confused. For a moment, I couldn't understand what had happened.

　Eh, since when........With such a mental cry, Felinella's gaze turned to the clock that pointed to the unnatural time.
　So did the clock in the virtual LCD of the license that was immediately launched, pointing to an unnatural time. It wasn't within the margin of error, it wasn't a few minutes or even a few tens of minutes.

'Five ... more than five hours ... off.

　Felinella mouthed a dumbfounded, mechanical calculation.
　The time he had checked just a few minutes ago was probably accurate.
　At least it hadn't raised any suspicions. The speed of progress inside the deposit was good.

　However, if it was sensibly accurate, even the internal clock could not be relied upon inside this deposit of dense mithril.
　Even if he had been going a little crazy, he would not have been able to detect it. If it hadn't been for an apparent change like this now, I wouldn't have noticed it.

Feri, it's no good here either. Everyone's clocks are out of whack.

　Illumina, who had begun to act in a few words, checked the watches in everyone's possession. And the prediction was firmly confirmed as fact.
　The only thing they all have in common is a gap of more than five hours.
　The only thing they have in common is a difference of more than five hours.

　Perhaps it is only a fuzzy imagination of a gap of five hours or more.
　This suspicion led me to ask myself if this discrepancy itself might actually be the exact time.

'Lie, could it be that we've been in the deposit for... much longer than we thought!

　There is no rational denying Seniat's confusing words.
　But--'

'No, it can't be. There's definitely something wrong with the clock.

　Illumina also nodded in agreement. Based on their hunger, it couldn't have been more than five hours later than they were aware of.
　It didn't take long for a sense of despair to spread through their companions, as if the azimuthal magnet had gone crazy in the treeline. That, and the fact that the time was out of whack meant that on the road to this point...no, it was nothing more than the fact that their senses had been screwed up long before.

　It immediately transforms the place where we are standing into something unstable. The confusion of self-consciousness quickly begins to shake our self-confidence and makes us unable to maintain our sense of self.
　This is the initial symptom of panic.

　The situation you're in now is as bad as you can imagine.
　The fact that the Fourth Wizarding Academy isn't here means that perhaps they may have passed by long ago. I can also imagine several reasons for the lack of markings.
　Maybe they've even completed their mission and are on their way home.

　Ferrinella's brain was spinning so fast now that it was even causing her a headache - the most reasonable guess.
　This was because it would have a huge impact on future choices, and most importantly, the brink of being able to keep the troops in place.

　An important choice to return home safely, safely and in the shortest possible time.
　This has to be our top priority.

'SOCALENT!　You're sweating like hell.

　She thought she heard such a voice in the distance. Felinella's consciousness was far deeper, almost sinking into a sea of thoughts. The voice, ringing from outside across the water, rippled on the surface of the water in ripples the size of ripples. It was giving her a terrible headache now.

　All of them were making some kind of voice to us, mouth to mouth. It was as if they were directly hitting my brain, not through my eardrums.

'Mr. Felinella, he can't hold on any longer!　Now.....
Quiet!

　It was the first time in her life that she had ever screamed so loudly that she could call it the first time in her life. All the elements that disturbed her thoughts were just a hindrance to Felinella right now.

　Panic is a deadly thing in the outside world.
　The magic a mage deals with depends heavily on his mental state. And even constructing magic correctly can be difficult and can even lead to a runaway. Of course, if you get to that point, the endgame is also the endgame.
　Stress disorders and other mental overloads make behavior more simply defined. They often perceive everyone they see as an enemy or harm themselves.

　The magic power responds obediently to such monotonous mental movements.

　If it continues like this, no one will be saved. Deciding that, Felinella considers a rational explanation. While everyone can still understand........

　If they are attacked by a demon now, Felinella and Illumina alone will have to cover everyone. Of course, if that's all they can do, it's still good. Bringing back a panicked comrade would pose a considerable risk even to a normal person.

　So--

'As we head for the exit, let's go over them one by one.

　Checking the map, Felinella indicated a path to the left from the way she had come in. Talking at length seemed to be a relaxing thing to do, and it was necessary now.

'The time was screwed up on the road to get here. I'm sure there's at least one reason for the definite five-hour or more discrepancy.

　Felinella attempted to make the speculation as close to factual as possible to be understood in a matter-of-fact manner.
　Perhaps sensing her intentions, Illumina joined in from behind.

'I agree with Felli. Five hours is unusual, even in physical terms. That means that the fourth wizarding academy has not yet reached the room "pocket" just now.
''It's just as likely as not. Mr. Seniat, if we were to prioritize the rendezvous, we could have waited over there for the troops of the Fourth Magic Academy to arrive. It's not practical, but we also had the option of heading to the confluence point ahead of where we had originally planned to go. But that wouldn't have been enough to get us through now.

　It's also possible that the Fourth Academy of Magic has abstained from the mission as well as they have. There was no certainty that they would only be able to take the long way around. If that happened, Felinella and the others would just drag the wounded around for a long time.
　If they headed to a point that would be more solidly passed than that, and if they were lucky enough to be able to join up, it would be a good thing. Even if you can't meet up with them, this is a choice that was made after considering the time risk and encountering the demons.

　More ideally, I would have liked to join up with Karia's troops who were sounding the alarm about the inside of the deposit, but they are investigating in the opposite direction from Felinella and the others, so it's difficult.

　So when I was thinking about such a dreamy hope - it happened suddenly.


''Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!


　It was an uninterrupted scream. The throat-crushing scream reverberated through the air, sending a fearful feeling as if an electric current had been sent through the backs of Felinella and the others. It's even the biggest scream a human being could possibly emit.
　They all turned reflexively towards the sound of the voice.

'Hee, human voices........right?'

　Seniat muttered to himself without questioning anyone. It was certainly a human voice, or at least it was hard to discern in the present moment. It was such a crushed and muddled voice.

'No doubt. A human voice, that too...''

　Felinella dares to swallow the words that follow. Speaking of people here, yes, there are only students.
　Moreover, when it comes to the back, it's most likely the troops of the Fourth Academy of Magic.

　But now........it's difficult for Felinella and the others to go to the rescue. It's only reckless for the party seeking a rescue to stand on the side of the rescue.

''Ferri........''

　Everyone's intense gaze awaits the captain's, Felinella's, instructions.
　The hope is to help each other and carry out the mission safely. This mission has great significance not only for the students, but also for humanity in the future.

　Just.....

　--But for now, it's my job to get everyone home safe. I'm not going to let anyone get chipped. So the rest of the troops.........

　There is no way out of the cornered thinking, and there is no way to overturn it.
　The selfish idea that as long as your unit is safe, that's the best hope a student can have for his or her size. Hoping for more than that is the same as letting your troops go astray.

　An injured male student must be shown to a healing mage immediately or his life is in danger. And we definitely need Felinella and Illumina to be able to fight to get them there safely.

''I'm sorry.''

　Felinella didn't say much, only uttered a single word and bowed to her companion.
　An answer that could be taken either way.
　The faces of all of them nodded, without properly understanding the meaning. An indication that they would not disagree with her decision.

　Then, in the next moment, a thunk, the sound of footsteps echoed nearby.
　It was Illumina who reacted quickly.
　She had her hand on the hilt of the AWR, ready to pull out at any moment. No, she was already floating the thin blade a bit.

　But it wasn't the threats they were concerned about that showed up....

''Why are you guys here--!