After various things happened.

Glenn and co. chased after the fleeing Re=L through the main office, side offices, library, courtyard, a.s.sembly hall, and the magic training grounds…..Despite searching through almost all of the facilities within the academy….

“s.h.i.+t… I can't find her….”

Coming up on the end of his search, he found himself in a building for holy wors.h.i.+p. The chapel dedicated to the Church of St. Elisares, the official state religion, was surrounded by a majestic atmosphere, and lined up along the benches were faithful students deep in prayer.

Glenn was resting in the last row of benches in the chapel in complete exhaustion.

“I wonder….. if Re=L has already left the academy grounds yet….?”

Sitting next to Glenn, Rumia murmured that with a voice full of anxiety.

"….If that's what happened, then we'll have to give up. The city of Fejite is huge.”

Glenn glanced around like he'd already given up.

“The Lord said: Love thy neighbor as thyself. Forgive them … “

At the front of the church, a priest was reading scripture to the students before him out of an open bible.

“B-But Sensei! You know that Re=L currently lives with us right?”

In accordance with what Sistine had said, Re=L had started to live permanently in the Fibel household recently.

“Once it gets dark out I'm sure she'll come back!”

“I wonder about that…. It's weird how much she was against studying abroad….I wonder if she'll behave and come back quietly…..”

Glen shook his head while sighing.

Re=L is operative 7, [The Chariot] of the Imperial Court Mage Corps Special Missions Annex.

Although she had the outward appearance of a young girl, in truth she had tremendous physical prowess and combat ability, along with some of the most top-notch survival skills in the kingdom.

If she so desired, Re=L could survive in the wild indefinitely without any replenishment.

In this situation it was completely possible to permanently lose track of her.

“Seriously, what am I going to do….If things go on like this, she'll seriously be dropped from school.”

Covering his face with his palms, Glenn looked upwards towards some stained gla.s.s…But at that time.

It seemed the priest's sermon had come to an end.

All the previously wors.h.i.+ping students started to shuffle out of the chapel.

Katsun

Glenn could heard the footsteps of the priest slowly draw nearer to him.

Glenn irritatingly glared at the priest standing next to him.

“What do you want? Don't bother trying to preach to me or invite me to join your group. I'm an advocate for atheism….”

At the time, Glenn finally realized.

Underneath the cowl, pulled just above his eye-line, shooting a piercing gaze like a hawk ──

“-te, what are you doing here!? Albert!?”

“”Ehh!?””

In response to Glenn's outburst, Rumia and Sistine started to stare down the priest.

“Hm.”

And then, the priest placed his hand on his cowl…..and in the blink of an eye threw it off…. what appeared was his usual imperial court mage garb. It was like an actual magic trick.

“How did you do that?”

“I would like to say it's been awhile…..but it really hasn't. We just saw each other at the ball. Now then…”

With his true form now revealed, Albert glared daggers at Glenn as if he were rebuking him for a mistake made.

“About this situation concerning Re=L…What are you doing?”

“Y-You knew….s.h.i.+t…”

“I have a story for you guys….Wait a moment.”

Saying that Albert did an about-face and headed back towards the center of the chapel.

Until he was in-front of the altar where he was just preaching to the students.

While Glenn's group watched on in confusion, Albert walked onto the lecturer's platform and shot his hand underneath the altar abruptly….And started to drag something out…

“”Ehhhhh~!?””

At that time Rumia and Sistine gasped in amazement.

“N──! Nnn~! “

And the ident.i.ty of that something was…of all things it was Re=L.

Re=L's head, torso, and legs were magically restrained by three ring-shaped rays of light and was suspended in air due to Albert holding her collar.

It seems that she was trapped by Albert's [Restriction] magic.

Right now Re=L was in a state where she couldn't move a single finger or toe despite her will.

“That skill is pretty effective in trapping Re=L….is what I want to say…..But isn't there a more appropiate place to hide her? Mr. Former・Priest. Doesn't it seem a bit too blasphemous?”

“Hmm, I cast aside my faith a long time ago.”

Albert calmly responded as if to brush aside the problem and snapped his fingers.

With that the ring of lights binding Re=L's body vanished.

“Now then. Has your head cooled down yet? Re=L.”

Albert coldly lowered Re=L to the ground while asking his question.

“Muu…..”

Finally resigning herself, Re=L sat on the ground holding her knees and puffing out her cheeks in dissatisfaction.

“Now then, let's all have a talk. About what's going to happen to Re=L of course.”

Following Albert's lead, the group finally began their conversation.

“Naa, isn't it possible to appeal to the higher ups in the army about her dropping out? So that they can negotiate with the hostile factions or something? On the basis of being the princess's bodyguard?

Glenn immediately suggested his idea….

“That's impossible. In the first place, the princess was already erased from the royal family registry and simply now is a [commoner]. There's no reason for a [commoner] to have a [princess] escort. They wouldn't allow it.”

As if it didn't even concern him, Albert quickly cut down Glenn's idea.

“Furthermore, the anti-military factions plan on replacing Re=L with their own guards to further gain influence within the academy. It's obvious they're trying to curry favor with Her Majesty the Queen….Therefore, they won't even consider negotiating her dropping out.”

“Aa~mou! s.h.i.+t just what you would expect of politicians! They can go to h.e.l.l!”

All the meanwhile Glenn was clutching his head with both hands and groaning in frustration.

“With that being said…the only thing we can do is….?”

“Re=L can only avoid dropping out by completing the short-term study-abroad program at St. Lily Magic Girls' Academy…..In this situation we have no choice but to simply do it.”

Understanding what had to be done before he even asked, Glenn once more let out a deep sigh.

“Oi are you listening to us? Re=L. You have to prepare yourself.”

But Re=L was obviously trying to avoid the conversation by hiding behind Sistine and Rumia. She looked like she was about to burst into tears any moment now.

“….Nn I don't wanna go….After all…..”

“How many times do I have to say it….before you understand? If you keep this up … “

The exasperated Glenn tried to persuade Re=L while rubbing his temples.

“I sympathize with her a bit though, Glenn.”

Surprisingly, the one who came to Re=L's aid was Albert.

“Haa? What are you talking about?”

“It certainly is cruel for us to tell her to study abroad so suddenly.”

“Why? It's just a simple mission? Anyways this is just her being selfish….."

Glenn knit his eyebrows and tried to refute Albert.

“Did you already forget? That Re=L….. is still merely a [child]?”

“!?”

Glenn couldn't help but keep quiet after hearing that.

“Re=L. Properly explain why you don't want to do the study abroad program….So that everyone can understand.”

Albert prompted Re=L matter-of-factly….

“I-I…..I don't want to leave Glenn or Sistine or Rumia…..Being by myself….is scary….T-That's why … “