Edrian crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair.

“Well, what would you like to know then?” He asked.

“Are you really who you say you are?” Alice asked.

Edrian scratched his head as he sighed irritatedly.

“This again…? Ok, look. Ask yourself this: Would I really lie to you? If I didn’t want to help you in the first place, I wouldn’t have told you any information. It would have been me just not doing anything at all.”

(Not doing anything?) Alice thought.

“What do you mean by that?” She questioned him.

“You should have known that I have been keeping any eye on you, correct?”

“I know that, but even if you were just observing me, then why stay hidden from us?”

“I told you, it’s my job to keep you out of danger.”

Alice slammed her hands on the table as she got up from her seat.

“But why?! You keep saying it’s for my benefit, but you’re avoiding the question!”

When Edrian didn’t respond to Alice, she slammed her hands on the table once more.

“Answer me!”

“Hey, Alice!” Kazuma blurted out.

Kazuma put his hand on Alice’s shoulder as he tried to calm her down. She then took a deep breath and slowly sat back down.

He grabbed Alice’s arm and pulled it so that she would stand up.

“Sorry. But will you give us just a moment here?”

“Hey what are you—”

Kazuma quickly put his hand over Alice’s mouth just before she could say another word.

“W-We’ll be right back.”

At the same time his hand was over her mouth, Kazuma dragged Alice over to his room upstairs and he shut the door behind him. Edrian looked around to see if he was alone, and pulled out the stack of small papers that were under his cloak. He tore a piece out and black ink was revealed as he put it over his ear.

“It’s me… Uh huh…Yes, it’s proceeding as planned… What? Right now?”

Edrian glanced at the room upstairs and took a deep breath.

“Understood. I’ll be right there.”

The door shut behind them and Kazuma had let go of Alice the moment that they were secluded inside.

“What are you doing?” Alice asked as she pointed her finger at him.

“I should be asking you the same thing!”

“I was trying to get answers from him!”

“Really? Because it looked like you were about to do something to him.”

Alice frowned upon realizing what Kazuma had said was true.

“Hasn’t he told us everything already? I’m no expert, but I think that it’s safe to say that Edrian isn’t our enemy.”

Alice crossed her arms and turned away from Kazuma.

“You may think that, but secretly he might become our enemy!”

“…And how would you know that?”

“Well I’d—”

Alice hesitated for a moment, and then she sighed the moment she realized that her claim couldn’t be backed up.

“…I don’t. But it’s suspicious! I feel as if something is off… like he’s not telling us something important…”

Kazuma sighed irritatedly as he scratched his head.

“Aren’t you just making up things now?”

Alice’s puffed her cheeks angrily.

“I’m not making it up! Something is telling me that Edrian is suspicious!”

Kazuma scratched his head.

“Well… ok fine. Let’s say he is hiding something vital from us. How would you be able to prove that? And what would be this vital information that he would be hiding?”

Alice crossed her arms as she rubbed her chin.

“…I want to say that something about what Edrian’s purpose is suspicious.”

“His purpose?” Kazuma asked.

She nodded.

“Remember when I first had told you about the Organization? About how they were supposed to be a group that helped others?”

“Right…”

“Galus came from the Organization. At first, I couldn’t comprehend how someone like him could be from there. Edrian then came along and was also from the Organization, but a different objective from him.”

“What about it then?”

“The two came from the same place, yet has two different tasks. Why is that?”

“Isn’t that because Galus wanted to take you back and Edrian was there to keep an eye on you?”

“But that’s exactly it. Remember when Edrian first revealed himself the day before? The way he talked to Galus when we first encountered him… it seemed like Edrian knew him. Didn’t that strike you as odd?”

Kazuma thought for a while.

(Now that you mention it…)

“That… does seem weird.”

“Exactly, the two just doesn’t add up. I understand they would want me to avoid conflict, and so maybe they would send me here. Who would want to send me here in the first place?”

“But isn’t that why Edrian was given the task to watch over you?”

“If that was the case, then Edrian should have interfered when you first came in contact with me. He must have known that a person with no contact with magic would be disastrous, so why didn’t he stop you? How was Galus any different? It doesn’t match up, and now that I think about it, our situation with the contract is suspicious as well. It all just seemed to well planned to be just a coincidence.”

Kazuma sighed.

“Look, I know you have your doubts and all, but why won’t we just ask him then? I’m sure Edrian won’t have any reason to lie to us.”

“But are you sure that he will tell the truth?” Alice said as she turned around looking at Kazuma with a firm stare.

“Well…” Kazuma hesitated. “You won’t know unless you try.”

Alice stared at him for a while.

“Again, aren’t you just overreacting? If it makes you feel any better, I’ll go ask him instead. And if it just so happens that he’s lying, then it’s just as you say it is.”

“Huh? A-Alright then. It’s worth a shot but… are you sure?”

“Up till now… I don’t really have much of a choice. So might as well.” Kazuma shrugged.

Kazuma then turned around, and his hand gripped on the doorknob. Just as he was turning the knob to open the door…

“H-hey, Kazuma?” Alice suddenly called out.

“Hm? What is it?” He turned his head looking towards Alice.

She shook her head.

“N-Never mind. It’s not that important.”

The two of them both went downstairs, but only to find that Edrian was nowhere to be seen.

“You got to be kidding me…” Kazuma’s eye twitched.

They looked around to see if there was any trace of where he went, but found nothing. After a while, they gave up their search and sat down on the couch.

“He left… again…” Kazuma sighed as he plopped on the couch.

At the corner of Alice’s eye, she spotted a folded piece of paper that was on the coffee table.

“Hm? That’s strange…” Alice said as she picked up the paper. “This wasn’t here before…”

Kazuma quickly sat up.

“What is it? A note that Edrian left behind?”

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“It could be…”

She unfolded the paper and read:

Sorry for the inconvenience, but I had to leave upon a single notice. I wish I could have stayed and chat, but unfortunately, my presence is needed elsewhere. Anyways, about the answers that Alice wanted… As you know, Galus was a magician sent by the Organization to retrieve her. And there’s no denying that I was affiliated with Galus, amongst the many others who wish to fulfill the same purpose he did in the Organization. The place was never the same since she left.

“Never the same? So there was something going on in the Organization…” Alice asked.

“Maybe it’s the conflict he mentioned?” Kazuma added.

“It could be…”

Alice continued reading the letter:

But now that it has gone this far… I suppose it’s about time that you learned what really happened. The place that you’ll need to go should already be within your knowledge (assuming that Alice has regained all her memories by now).

“Do you know what he’s talking about?” Kazuma asked as he turned to her.

Alice shook her head.

“So how can we know if you don’t remember?”

“Well, hold on a minute, the letter isn’t finished.”

She then read at the bottom of the paper:

If by any case, that she still doesn’t remember, there is a phrase on the back that will help.

“A phrase?” Kazuma asked.

“Looks like it…”

She flipped the back of the paper. But just before Alice was about to read the phrase out loud, Alice briefly felt a immense jolt of pain rush to her head. Kazuma caught her as soon she was about to fall over.

“You okay?” He asked.

“I’m… fine…”

Kazuma helped her move over to the couch.

“What was the phrase on the back, anyways?”

He took the paper out of Alice’s hands and speculated the paper.

“Huh? It’s not here.”

“What? But it was written right here—”

Alice pointed to where the phrase originally was, but there was not even a single marking.

“Strange… it was here, I swear…”

Kazuma flipped back the paper to the front and spotted one more sentence at the bottom of the paper.

Look for a man named Ellis. He will tell you what you wish to know.

“Eh?”

Suddenly, the two of them were startled the moment that the paper had bursted into a million pieces.

“Well, there goes our one clue of where we need to go.”

“…Maybe not.”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“I… think I’m starting to remember something…”

“You do? So does that mean the phrase on the back worked?”

Alice nodded as she got up from her seat.

“I’m starting to get a clear idea of where I need to go to. The place where we will find our answers.”

“And where is that place exactly?” Kazuma asked.

“It’s the Organization, of course.”

“Huh?”

Kazuma took a while to process that sentence.

“…Wait what?!”

“Hm? Something wrong?”

“Yes, very. First of all, isn’t that the one place where Galus wanted to take you back? Why are we going back there?”

“Well, it isn’t particularly bad to check the place out, is it?”

“That’s not what I’m saying…”

Kazuma sighed as he got up.

“Ugh, fine. Then I guess into the frying pan we go.”

Alice was surprised at the notion that Kazuma didn’t object.

“Huh? Y-You’re not against it?”

“Why would I be? Either way, I’m already dragged in this far, aren’t I?”

Kazuma scratched his head.

“So… I don’t really have any other choice but to see it through.”

Alice couldn’t help but smile.

“Kazuma…”

He walked over to the door.

“Come on, lead the way.”

Alice nodded. But she stopped before walking towards him.

“Actually… I don’t think we need to go outside.”

“Eh?”

She twirled around and with a wave of her hand, a magic circle gleamed beneath her feet and across the floor of Kazuma’s living room.

“I have my magic now, remember? Now, come on.”

“Right…”

Kazuma walked over to Alice and was in range of where the magic circle enveloped him. Moments later, he instinctively moved his hand in front of his face to avoid the bright light that had gleamed from the floor.

“Is this…?” Kazuma had asked.

“Yeah. The Organization.” Alice answered.

In front of them was a large castle-like structure with a gate and two black-armored figures that held their halberds.

“Kazuma, your clothing is different again.” Alice pointed out.

“Huh?”

Kazuma looked at himself and had noticed that he was wearing the same black-clad clothing from that time, along with the katana on his back.

“You’re right, it’s the same clothing… but why appear now?”

“We can figure that out later. First we get into the castle.”

“R-Right.”

Alice began walking towards the guards as Kazuma followed behind her. However, just before Alice reached the entrance, the two halberds had crossed into an X shape, preventing her from moving any closer to the gate.

“Halt.” One of the knights spoke. “Identify yourself.”

(“Um…Alice?”) Kazuma whispered.

(“Yes?”)

(“How are we going to get past the gate?”)

When both of their right hands began emitting a light, Kazuma and Alice had took notice of the glowing diamond shaped crest on their hands.

“Analysis complete. Magic users: Kazuma, Alice. Magician Number: 1451. You may proceed.” The knight spoke again.

The halberds that were blocking the entrance were raised, and the gates opened. Alice and Kazuma then walked through and the moment they passed through, the gate suddenly shut behind them. Alice instinctively put her back against the wall and pulled Kazuma with her.

“Hey, what was that for—”

Alice put her finger over her mouth.

(“Be quiet.”)

She quickly scanned their surroundings.

(No one here…)

(“They must be inside. Follow me.”) She whispered to Kazuma.

Kazuma followed Alice as she ran to a wooden door and opened it. They both then ended up in a dark hallway with stone walls and many doors that were dimly lit with torches.

“Strange… it’s as if the place is deserted…”

“Now what?” Kazuma asked.

Alice put her hand over her chin as she thought for a moment.

“We keep going.”

While looking around, a stairway caught her eye.

“Up the stairs.” She pointed.

They made their way up the stairs and encountered more hallways. Kazuma took a moment to catch his breath.

(How far does this place go? It’s bigger than I thought it would be…)

They continued on, but as they were moving forward, Alice suddenly stopped and looked at a wooden door. Kazuma stopped for a moment and turned to Alice.

“Alice? What’s wrong?”

“This door… I felt like I’ve been here before…”

Alice eyes widened as she felt a rush of memories flow in her mind.

(“It all makes sense now…”) She muttered to herself.

“Did you remember something?”

She nodded.

“I know who can help us.”

“Really?”

“Remember what Edrian wrote? ‘Look for a man named Ellis.’ I remember a person with that name: Master Ellis. He was a kind person who was also my teacher in magic.”

Suddenly, they could hear footsteps coming from the end of the hall.

(“…Someone’s coming.”) Alice panicked.

(“Go in!”) Kazuma said.

(“W-What?!”)

(“We don’t have a choice, do we? There isn’t enough time to get to the other end of the hall. We have to go in!”)

Alice quietly opened the door, and Kazuma quickly followed while swiftly shutting the door behind him without making a sound. They waited out until they couldn’t hear footsteps anymore, then they opened the door slightly to check. Once that they saw no one was there, they both sighed with relief.

“T-That… was too close.” Kazuma said.

“We’ll have to be more careful next time.” Alice advised.

“…Alice?” a voice called behind them. “Is… that really you?”

The two of them turned around and saw an old man who had white hair with a full beard sitting at his desk. He seemed to be around his 50’s to 60’s and wore the same robes and hooded cloak that a certain magician was wearing when Kazuma first encountered him. The old man then got out of his chair and confronted them.

“Are you… who I think you are? You’re… Master Ellis?” She asked.

“That… I am.” The old man nodded as he smiled warmly.

Alice then ran up to him and hugged him tightly.

“What a coincidence. I never thought you’d be the one to come back to me. H-How did you get here?”

“Well… it’s a bit of a long story, but…”

Alice glanced at Kazuma.

“I had some help.”

“Well, I’m glad to see that you are safe.”

Ellis then turned to Kazuma.

“I’m guessing that it’s safe to assume that you’re her partner, correct?”

“Huh? Partner?” Kazuma asked.

Kazuma shook his head and ignored the question.

“N-Never mind that. So you’re Ellis then?”

“Yes. That is correct.”

“We have some questions that we would like answered, Master.” Alice replied.

“Questions? I’m sure Edrian told you all the details, hasn’t he?”

“Um… about that…” Kazuma laughed awkwardly as he scratched his head.

“What he means Master, Edrian was a bit vague. He told us to come here to look for answers.”

“Has he not recovered your memories yet?”

“He did, but unfortunately, not all of it has been recovered yet. Most of it is slowly coming back though.”

“And he didn’t tell you anything about our current situation?”

Alice shook her head.

“All Edrian said was that we could find answers here.”

Ellis sighed as he turned his back on them for a moment.

(“That Edrian…”) He grumbled.

He then turned back around and cleared his throat.

“Well, alright. Even though he should have told you, I think you would have come here on your own one way or another. But before that…”

Ellis looked at Kazuma.

“…Young man.”

Kazuma’s entire body jerked.

“Y-Yes?”

“Can you tell me your name?”

“I-It’s Kazuma… sir.”

Ellis closed his eyes and thought for a moment.

“Kazuma, I assume you are not part of this realm that we live in. The magic society prefers to live in secrecy, and not many people seek help from just any outsider. For this, I’ll give you a fair warning: the situation that you have involved yourself with is very dire. It is beyond anything a normal human can handle. And so I ask you this: Are you certain that you want to face what lies ahead? It may cost you your life…”

“I…”

Kazuma glanced at Alice then back to Ellis.

“…I’ve already made up my mind, Master Ellis. I told Alice this before but…”

He gripped his hand into a tight fist.

“I know that there will be a chance of certain death, but I’ll help her in any way I can. I won’t abandon her now.”

Ellis looked at Alice.

“Is this true?” He asked to her.

Alice nodded.

“…Very well then. It is about time you know the truth about what goes on in the Organization.”