It was the next day when Ars and Loki went to class.
　It was the first time they had left the lab together at a regular time. Arus watched the sturdy door close with such emotion.

　Regardless of the time of day when he was on his way to school, it was unlikely that they would run into each other unless a faculty member was staying overnight.
　He left the abandoned, quiet research building and joined the waves of students on their way to school.

　It's probably not my imagination that they are strangely spaced apart.
　Well, it's the usual.

　There was no point in attending them in particular, but the slander of inauthenticity was unbearable as long as they were enrolled in the school. Especially to Ars, who knows Loki's boiling point, he could imagine her quiet rage. I'd like to fulfill the amount of credits needed for advancement at least.

　Ars wasn't interested in discussing whether or not he was serious now, but he had other purposes for attending.
　Now that it has been revealed that he is a single wizard, he won't be able to stay on even if he is struck off for lack of credits. Considering the face of the academy, there was no way Sisti would make a fair decision.


I'm not sure if it's a good idea to go out like this to find out.
Yeah.

　Loki, who was ministering next to Ars, casually looked around.
　A mission to investigate the mineral deposits conducted by the academy students in each country. It's a confirmation of the extent to which this information has been made public.
　However, the gaze directed at Ars and Loki is full of confusion. I'm sure you'll be able to find a way to make the most out of your visit.

You've come all this way, but you can't get any results. Why don't they show their faces when I need them to?
I guess they don't know I'm back.

　As Loki said, he returned yesterday, so it's not surprising that Tesfia and Alice are not aware of it.
　However, for Ars, who was expecting to gather information, it was also true that he had more time to investigate himself in this way.

　There was nothing to be gained during the trip to school.

　Arus casually walked closer to Loki.

'The problem is the demon inside the deposit, its rate.
'Yes. What Al is concerned about is the movement of public opinion against wizards.

　Loki is also quick to sense this, and narrows his voice down. Loki is more skillful in his natural guise in these situations.
　No one seems to have noticed the serious, serious conversation that is taking place between the two men.

The same is true for the country and the military, if public opinion can be manipulated, well, it's like Sisernia-sama is in control of the real power. At the top of the list are the students of the Academy.
''It's true that you're the least defined entity in your position.

　Loki's agreement was a bit lonely.
　The students of the academy are only, not official military personnel. But that doesn't mean they are different from civilians either. Unlike many citizens who live in the interior, they are beings who can handle magic at a high level. They are in a delicate position right in the middle, so to speak.

　If you guide them well, the single wizard, who will naturally become a beacon, will be the one to bear the brunt of it.
　On the other hand, by being at the forefront of public opinion, they will also become a force of opposition to soldiers and mages.

　Ars felt a scorching smell in the current world situation.

''The high rate of demons that have appeared in the outside world this time is a disadvantageous material for the army.
'No!　This was a coincidence, and besides, the damage should have been minimal.
I don't care.

　Yes, the military is funded by the people's blood money. If a disaster-grade demon appeared once it had stretched its legs, it would be seen as a failure of the military. Since they left SS-rated demons right under their noses, such as Iberis, they would not be spared the pursuit.

'There will be voices pointing out the military's negligence. And here's the spark.

　When they enter the main building, they continue their conversation without paying much attention to others. On the contrary, if you're imposing, you won't think of barging in - except for about two people.
　That said, though, no one has even said hello to me on the road to this point.

''If any information is going to leak out, it's going to come from the academy.

　Even if it was leaked by the military, it's hard to see how the city is not leaking information. I've heard of similar mishaps in the past, and the military and heads of state are probably used to putting out fires in that area.

　At Ars's point, Loki turns his whole face and narrows his eyes. Even with the narrowing, it was obvious that there was a question in her eyes.

I'm sure you'll be able to find out more about this. In short, I'm a "nobleman."
"--?　So that's why you're Mr. Tesfia.
Well, as for the situation on the noble side, I don't expect that much from him. It's better than nothing....

　Even if he spoke lightly, he was a prominent family that was one of the three major noble families in Alpha. If possible, I would like to talk to Tesfia's mother, but she was not a good opponent for Ars, either. If I were to talk about a safe place, I'd like to talk to Selva, the butler. It wouldn't be possible, though.

　The military, for better or worse, has the watchful eye of public opinion. The aristocrats play a part from within, where monitoring is not possible. It's frustrating to have to add that it's only supposed to be.

　The outrageous research that the military has done in the past has also involved the nobility. Going back further in time, the 【Aristocracy War】 that occurred at the time of the founding of the seven nations was indeed taking place behind the scenes. In this land that humanity had escaped from, many former aristocrats and barons had also descended into this land. Among them, a new aristocracy was established by the head of state, but the last thing the old aristocracy, who had lost their family fortune, would cling to was an invisible title.

　In short, there were too many of them. Of course, these are all the noble ranks outside of the kingdoms ruled by the Ahrzeit royal family, and they are all self-appointed. Therefore, it was bound to happen.
　Thinning by violence.
　The crushing of houses by assassination and warfare. Civil war by the nobility.
　The end result of such bloodshed is the current aristocracy and the order of knighthood.

　Naturally, there are nobles who have taken in other families through other means than power. The 【Aristocrat Ruling (Tembram)】, the specialty of the Ummulina family, is a vestige of that.

''Aristocrats, does that mean it's treason?
It could be a coup.
Does Al think it will happen?
I don't think so. But it's the perfect time for it to happen. It's not just this deposit mission, but the rate of demons in the outside world will give the military something to distrust.
'There are many sons of noblemen at the Academy.
'There's no way Bellick and Lady Cicerunia will be quiet about it. You know it's too much to take in after all, don't you?
Is that so?

　Although it is a serious topic, Ars thinks that it will be calmed down in a small wave or so.

The first thing that comes to mind is the fact that the Fayvel family has the Socarent family as well. It won't be a big deal.''
I see.

　I'm not sure if I've ever met the heads of those two families, so I didn't really feel it. So that's why I just gave them a friendly nod.

Then why do you need to bother to find out?
'Hmm, well, that's something there. It's a good thing the worst of the students didn't die.

　But at the same time, however, there was certainly a key person who was the catalyst at this time.

You're overthinking it. There's no way Beric is going to miss out on something I've been thinking about, anyway. I told Ilyce not to have a problem with this, but I am sure there will be tensions in every country. And when there's tense, something bad usually happens.

　And now. Unfortunately, the ability to perceive the atmosphere in the academy is not in Ars.
　Although he is able to perceive the signs of hostility and other signs that are directly related to battle, Ars does not have the eyes to see through the aristocratic methods that are working behind the scenes.
　That's why I don't see anything new in the unchanging scenery of the school.

Anyway, it doesn't feel like the end of humanity is at stake.

　There was no sense of optimistic noumenalism. The two of them walked down the hallway, exposed to an air of avoidance. It wasn't the first time this had happened, and it was a sight that had been seen since the beginning of the school year, as far as Ars was concerned.