'That was a few days ago,' Ilyce didn't bat an eye as he prefaced it.
　Despite some concerns, they would know eventually - they would find out eventually, he thought.

　Even with that, there is no reason for them to be angry. The point is that the resolution of the question is what Fanon and Garginis want.
　They are merely asserting their right to know, which means that they have forced a joint front.

　If the form of request was only the fulfillment of a contract, the two of them went even deeper, putting their trust as mages on the tabletop and turning it into sincerity.

(Are you thinking that far, but...)

　In every negotiation, Ilyce has a habit of reading too much into his experience in Kurama. It's not so much that he's not clear about it, but he even thinks that negotiations work by not being clear about it. With a glimmer of the risk of death if it is breached, but in any case, their position is too high to reverse the words once they have been spoken.

　But this is Ilyce's playing field - and this is the field of Ilyce.

　The advantage of one-sided negotiations is not in Ilyce's nature, and she raises her gaze accordingly, probably because she's also present to prevent that from happening.
　Exeles, the appearance of a woman who could do it, how she could do it, was as if she was checking our way out.

(Though that wouldn't actually happen.)

　There were no ingredients on the table to negotiate from the beginning. If that is the case, then there is no push-pull or betting.
　But it wasn't fun for us to be the only ones to open our chest collars, so at best we'll use the sincerity they put on the table, and Ilyce opened his mouth.

'How much do you guys know about Babel?

　A quizzical gaze is drawn to the digression topic, but Ilyce's manly tone prevailed over the spear.
　This is a top-secret project that is currently being clarified and analyzed at a rapid pace. Although there is no exaggerated name to speak of, the [Tower of Babel] that has been protecting humanity as a black box up to now, all of our efforts are being focused on its clarification.

　Garginis is silent.
　Fanon turned the water to Exeles with disinterest. This kind of internal situation is essentially secondary to the mages of the outside world.
　Since they can't even be mentioned in the news, they probably don't have the inclination to take the initiative in knowing about it.

　Of course, in order for them to find out, even if they are single wizards, they have to go through seven troublesome steps.
　It's only because it's Ars, who is directly related to them, that they were able to get to know this information.

　Naturally, Loki also shook his head.

''No wonder........''

　Interrupting Ilyce's words as she tried to continue, Fanon threw a pinpoint question to encourage her to go on.
　Wounded or not, her pompous attitude remained the same, and she returned her palm with a sigh and held up a finger.

'The matter is quite simple. The demon of the mineral deposit is completely different from the individuals we've slaughtered so far. It's strange to have a [Hungry Monkey Demon, Shava].
President Ilyce, are you familiar with the Tetprif?

　Ilyce nodded in two words, as Exeles' supplementary information gave him a point.

''It's a record book. Well, it's not very authentic, but I know it exists.''

　Records before the current database was established. Because it was composed of vague human memories, there were many exaggerations, and it was a line that was difficult to reference.

''The one recorded there is [Starving Ape Demon [Shava]. At the very least, it's an S-rate class.

　Ilyce gave a nonchalant counterpart to Exeles, who intensified his words.
　It's not surprising now. There was such an atmosphere coming from the young girl in the larger red robe.

　The abnormality of the deposit was already evident. The common sense has already been overturned because there are monsters that take in magicians without killing them. And to have so many high rates living together in one place is a nightmare that makes me want to laugh at it through my nose.

''The same goes for me. A scorpion-shaped demon--[Celket], but...''

　Garginis adds, but everyone here is aware of that.

'It's not just about strength. There are many individuals with hard outer shells. More importantly, I've never heard of a monster not eating a human and saving them. And we lost Lord Ordwise. I have to explain this report to my country. You will tell us what you know.

　The sight of Ordwise and the other troops being stabbed through like a so-called premature sacrifice must be said to be foreign to the nature of demons.

　Those questions are currently being posed to Ilyce.
　She lets out one large breath in disgust.

'Well, predation is for the purpose of evolving as a species. Then it's one thing to think it's no longer necessary.... If that's not the case........hmmm, that's the problem.

　The unworthy phrasing sounded like it had been spat out in a b*tc*y manner.
　Ilyce turned only to look at Loki next to her once to rest her thoughts.
　After all, he couldn't deny the feeling that he had been made to play an unpleasant role. It was unavoidable that he turned a petty look on Loki's back, as if he was hallucinating about Ars, who was behind him. I would like to spit out one of my swears, but it can't be helped if I'm not there.

　As if he noticed Ilyce's gaze, Loki wrinkled his brow and looked back at her.

''Wha, what is it?''
Don't worry about it. I'm just taking it out on you.
For the record, Master Ars is busy right now.
I know!

　Ilyce, who was able to see through his chest, couldn't help but reflexively return it.
　It's a good idea to get all the injured people together and try to put words of benefit in your chest.

I'm sure you'll be able to find out more about this in the future.

　Monologuing, Ilyce frowned bitingly at what he was about to say.
　A too strong negative impression of the Tower of Babel being sinful at all times was coming over her.
　Still, if you think of the girl who flew through the time she was trapped in Babel - Latifa, you feel somewhat saved.

I've been told that the Tower of Babel has discovered a huge underground passage from its basement to the outside world. It's information from Ars, I didn't have time to confirm it. A word to the wise, in essence, a second hand account. But he's...

　Then Ilyce suddenly cuts off his words. Does the highest-ranking mage of humanity in front of him really know about the research that Crockel is said to have taken over from here, in particular? Strictly speaking, does he know about the research he did before he took over?
　Do they know about the external methods of monster generation using Kronos?

　Frankly, if they don't know, they can't afford to let it slip.
　This is because these secrets involve heads of state and others higher up than the military's top secret.

　Even such considerations, laying down a line that should be stepped on at will, are a mental effort.
　Because of the unreadable expressions on both Fanon and Galginis' faces, Ilyce was having a hard time deciding how much to say.

　If they were surprised in an understandable way, I could draw them into our flow.

(Though it's a good idea to be so thorough and expressionless.

　Loki doesn't move slightly, as if he doesn't exist there. He's not trying to understand the meaning of the words. If anything, he's trying to hide his reaction.
　It's rare, though, that the effort to not be read is so pronounced.

　While Ilyce is pondering, a voice arrives from face to face, as if to counteract the rest of his earlier words.

'So what? From the way you talk, it sounds like there's an underground passageway extending from underneath the Tower of Babel that leads to the ore deposits.

　Galginis clarifies.
　'By that.

'Yes. If anything, it's humanity that has the problem with that. Because demons can walk through the interior without a pass.

　Exeles' gaze, standing behind him as if watching over him from earlier, faintly fell to Fanon, the captain.
　The meaning of that gesture.

(Did you fall for it on your own?)

　A grin lifts the corners of Ilyce's mind's mouth.
　The point is, they don't know. I've revealed what I don't know. They didn't know about the research that was being done at Babel, what it was like in the past, and what kind of results it had produced.

　To be honest, the research on the Tower of Babel has only just begun, so I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't know.
　Ilyce had never thought about it until Ars told her the intricacies of the story.

　So Ilyce reconsiders his gloating nature. Yes, I am not Krama now, he said.
　On the contrary, he is now the protector of humanity.
　It's almost as if he's going to wear it wrong, but if he thinks about the position of the association and Ars, who prepared it for him, the answer will naturally play out in Ilyce's mind.

'I had forgotten. Now I was in a position to protect the ignorant children and others.

　A small muttered monologue made them all pause for an instant and wait for her next words.
　After a beat, a sufficient pause, Ilyce revealed the answer they wanted.