Ars didn't know what kind of face he was making when he heard that familiar, well known name.

　He found himself settling down uncomfortably.
　Maybe it was his military upbringing that made him so, but he was surprisingly unconcerned with himself.
　It's as if it's just one of those common stories that you hear every day - as if it's just one of those stories.

　It's the worst possible conclusion to consider when you're out in the world, and I understand that non-zero possibilities can often arise.
　Even if no one tells you otherwise, the number of deaths in a decade of military service is too numerous to count. The obituaries that came in were now just background music that flowed from right to left.

　It may have been an occupational hazard, but it was no longer possible to maintain one's mental capacity to grieve.
　One or two acquaintances in such a situation did not help. At the very least, Ars has only had a divisive relationship with them.

　It's a common story.
　Even a child can understand that there are no absolutes.

　That's probably why I was very clearly aware of the sensation that my mind was cooling down in an attempt to regain its equilibrium.

　But in reality, it was different.

　The woman who came to report to me let out a small scream from her throat right after she glanced up at Ars.
　Her mouth crinkled and her face craved for air, and her blood drained away in the blink of an eye, like a receding tide.

　What are you doing, report the rest of the story soon. The woman began to shake in small increments, as if she had lost her voice against the voice of her mind. It was as if Ars didn't know what it meant.
　Why would she just shake and abandon an important report? It's a time-sensitive situation right now, and the association should have to move immediately to fix it.



　What kind of face did I have....................

'What a face you have, you.

　Ilyce grabbed Ars's shoulder with a hint of anxiety in her innocent face, which was a little over ten.
　Then, for the first time, Ars realized that it was he who had scared the reporting woman.

　He unconsciously shook his face in some haze of consciousness and looked at Loki as if to confirm the truth of Ilyce's words.
　Her face was not flattering, and was still coated in anxiety and a bit of fear. No, surprise was probably part of it as well.
　Loki was reaching out to me, but he couldn't get close enough to reach her.

　Her thin voice, "Al," sounds like a question to something that is not Ars.


　Unaware of the reason, Ars unconsciously turned his hand to his face.
　I was afraid to touch it to see what kind of face I had now.
　Then the skin felt sticky.
　The mouth was closed tightly like a doll, and there was nothing there to make it seem as if there were no facial muscles at all. It's a good idea to be able to find something that can be called an expression.

　It's a very good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for.
　His fingertips traced around the eyes, seeking the source of the anxiety the girls were pointing out. Her eyelids lifted, and then, just as her fingertips were about to touch her eyes, her arms were grabbed to hold them back.

'What are you doing?!'

　That's where Loki, who had finally been freed from the spell, grabbed both of Ars's arms.
　Even from the side, the act that Ars was about to perform was insane. It is natural that he was going to insert his finger into his own eyeball.

　Ars, who was slowly sweating, was saying sluggishly, "No........what? He couldn't explain well what he was doing.
　The act was inviting, because it was an act of recognition of who he was, as he was invited to do.

　It's not the same as before.
　What I am thinking and feeling in my heart right now, and ... what I looked like right now. It was as if a person named Ars had suddenly experienced amnesia.
　The action he took was a confirmation of his own identity as the "Ars" he recognized.

　It was as if his own existence had been shaken from under him.

"I've never felt anything like this before.
You're sweating profusely.

　As if he had somehow guessed, Loki gently admonished him and made Ars sit down on the sofa once.
　I'm sorry," he said, taking out a handkerchief from his pocket and lightly tapping it to wipe off the sweat.

'I'm sorry. I'm sorry, you look a little distraught. It's all right now. Tell me the rest of the report.

　From Loki's point of view, Ars's condition was nothing short of extraordinary.
　The degree of distraught was never more than a little. And Loki was ashamed of himself for a moment.
　That he had hesitated, even if only for a few seconds.

　Loki had to be beside him before his fingers turned to his own eyes.
　Fortunately, Latifa's eyes were blind, but Loki and Ilyce noticed it immediately. Ars's anomaly, most of which was in his eyes.

　Speaking of emptiness would still be human, but in reality, it was not.
　The black sunken eyes seemed to symbolize emptiness, which was the furthest thing from the human touch of emotion. If I dare to give it meaning, it is "rejection".

　Loki didn't say much, but opened his mouth as he felt it.

'You were an important person, weren't you?

　She took Ars's hand forcefully and held it as if to wrap it around her.
　At the same time, a sense of inadequacy arose within her.

'But it's not dead yet. It's that Felinella-san. I'm sure he's waiting for a successful rescue.

　After spitting that out of his mouth, Loki regretted it. Even though he knew he would rightly regret it, he couldn't help but say it.

　Because surely he would say he was going to the rescue.
　Otherwise he wouldn't be Ars, and it was a good part of him that had changed since he'd arrived at the Academy.
　He wouldn't say he would help everything. Still, he would definitely only help the important ones. It's probably the same good thing about him that hasn't changed now and in the past - just like I was.

'So I'll go I can't let Al go now.
I agree with you. Don't worry, I'll be there in person to protect this guy as well. Well, that's what I was going to do.

　Even Ilyce, following Loki, agreed not to take Ars with him.
　Maybe he couldn't look at Ars now that he was fragile, including mentally, but in any case, Loki's eyes seemed to have decided not to take Ars with him.

　Who would want to take an ailing one to the outside world.......to which Ars agreed, though.

'Not so fast. I'm going with you I've calmed down a bit and I'm really all right now. My hunch, Ilyce, is that this mission is not going to be quite so good. Maybe we've misjudged our forces.
You're just saying that.

　Ars covered his face with his hands in exhaustion and nodded with his head down.

　But Ilyce crossed his arms hidden by his sleeve and raised one corner of his mouth fearlessly.

Aldoise is already on his way to rescue us, and I'm sure he'll do a good enough job of it. Of course, we have enough reinforcements on hand to clean out the interior of the deposit.

　Ilyce gave the sitting woman a visual check as she sat down.
　Then the reporting woman resumed her report as she sat down, until she couldn't get up successfully.

　She was shaky and hard to hear, but it was inevitable.

'As we discussed beforehand, the call for reinforcements has been made by Lord Ordwise and I believe they should be arriving shortly.
Well, I guess we'll have to make our way to the deposit.
"--!　The chairman himself?
'Of course. If you're not good, you won't even be the chairman of the board. Besides, I have a request.

　He worked the woman who had come to report to him and urged her to leave the room to return to her duties. Watching the woman leave the room as she somewhat escaped, Ilyce caught Ars out of the corner of her eye as she glanced at him.
　Turning the brunt of the word "request" on Ars, Ilyce said, "You're going to be there anyway, aren't you? I said in dismay.

'Of course,' said Ars, exhaling heavily on the couch before standing up to gain momentum. It was likely that Felinella's father and Ars's former boss, Vizayst, would contact him soon.
　No, is it possible that he won't come, nevertheless?

　Viziest should have been prepared that this might happen at some point. If that's the case, he may not receive a direct message to "help him out". Even if they did, though, I'm not going to refuse them.

　But if we think realistically........yes, as Loki hesitated for a moment, it's likely that it's already too late when we receive this report. It's nine-tenths too late. At the stage of hearing the word that they were taken away, the option of helping them may have been destroyed.

　Still.........it's better than nothing. If it's not even slightly confirmed, it's more than enough to go out in person.
　It's barbaric and a child's ideal to be driven by this kind of feeling. I've seen many friends die in the outside world clinging to such a beautiful dream.

　However, it is also true that Ars harbored a kind of longing there. It is also true that he was fascinated by the brilliance that dwells in that seemingly meaningless death.

　The experience and lessons he had developed in the military were easily overturned and made Ars rise to his feet. There are not many things that can be so embarrassing. She had been involved with someone for a little over a year, and she was willing to go and help her of her own accord.

　If it was a mission, he would say it was too late.
　If this was a stranger wizard, he would have prodded her to go and said it was useless.
　He would have said it was a waste of time to risk it for one person.

　At the same time, this thrusting thing was not to be blamed on anyone. I want to help and I have the power to help. That's why I'm just going to help.
　If your mind is this disturbed, if you're going to be hurt, you'll be saved if you devote all your attention to rescuing them.

　But--.
　Loki was standing resolutely in front of Ars, like a passerby.

''..........''

　Without uttering a word, Loki turned his powerful gaze to Ars.

　Behind him, Ilyce was pushing Latifa's wheelchair towards the rooftop garden. Understanding the implications of Loki's actions, Ilyce took neither side and simply uttered a single word.

'I'll send Latifa on her way. You have until then to decide.