I thought about it for a while, making sure there were no pitfalls in the three conditions listed and the question and answer session, and then gave my answer to move forward.

'I accept the conditions, sir. We can discuss this in more detail in town.
Yes, sir. Now, please move to the lakeside. We'll fix you up with the road to Athropolis.

　We parted from the alter of the administrator, Fraxinus, and descended the hill, stopping at a designated spot by the lake.

　Immediately after all nine of us had descended the hill, something strange happened to the calm surface of the lake.

　The surface of the lake rises in waves.
　I'm sure you'll be able to find a lot more information on this topic.

''This is ...... the magic of the tree people (dryads). It's massive to exercise alone, but is it still activated by more than one person?''

　Hild leans back against the improvised bridge, looking impressed.

　There was no shortage of interest in that area either, but if he could establish a good relationship with Athropolis, he could ask as much as he wanted later.

　Then Lionel of the Golden Fang also gave his impressions from the perspective of someone who was involved in the military.

''You might want to get a ship next time. Even if you say you can come and go as you please, this is no ...... no, if you think of it as the equivalent of a drawbridge in a fortified city, there's no mystery to it.

　Lionel's opinion felt like a good argument in both the first half and the second half.

　If you wanted to get out of the town, you'd be trapped if you couldn't get a bridge out of the town, but that's no different than a town on the ground in the form of a 'walled-in and the only way in and out is a drawbridge', which doesn't make the Asropolis particularly suspicious.

　Anyway, just as I was about to take the first step by crossing the wooden bridge and thinking ...... into the town first, Eddie, the valiant Ezell's squire and brother, opened his mouth as if he had made up his mind.

''Wait. Are you sure you want to go now?　I know it's too late, and I know it's too much to ask, but I don't think we can dismiss the possibility of a trap.
Eddie!　What are you saying all of a sudden: ......
'I suppose you're right,'

　Controlling Ezell's attempt to interrupt his brother's abrupt statement, he stopped in front of the bridge to face Eddie's concerns.

"I was ordered by the A(⋅)omen to watch over my sister ...... brave Ezell. Therefore, I can't overlook stepping into a blatant trap.
"It's an obvious possibility to consider in your position. But if you were going to lure us into a trap, there was no point in having an exchange like we had just had, was there?

　The earlier exchange was, of course, a conversation with the administrator, Fraxinus, that we had on the hill.

'I told him through the adventurer that I wanted to 'talk to him directly' and we came here with that intention. If you want to trap us, all you have to do is leave this bridge out when you notice us approaching. The rest of the time, they'll come across on their own if we leave them alone.
It's ...... that may or may not be ......
'Of course you can think of it as backstabbing, but there's no point in backstabbing like that when you're not reluctant to cross the bridge. Here's what I'm thinking, and I'm not sure you'll be convinced.

　If they're trying to set us up in some kind of trap, they've already done enough to scare us into coming here.

　There's no point in creating a room to make you think "I'll reconsider after all" by imposing three conditions.

　It was also unnatural to use ...... as a way to lure people to trust him and let their guard down.

　It's not a good idea to use such a method when the target is not likely to move as expected, because it is meaningless to use it against the person who was planning to cross the bridge from the beginning.

　Also, the line that there is a magical trap in the exchange I just described is close to zero.

　If they were to interfere like that, Noir and Hild would have noticed it on the spot, and if they were so powerful that even they couldn't see through it, it's almost as if they were already deadlocked when they came here.

　Eddie pushed and pondered for a while, then withdrew his suggestion to cancel the raid on the Asropolis.

''That's right ...... I guess I was overreacting myself. Considering the official duties of the White Wolf Knights in the first place, there was no choice but to not make contact with Administrator Fraxinus, was there?
I'm glad to hear that you're okay with it, but you don't have to think of it as being impertinent, do you? But you don't have to think of it as 'impertinent', do you?

　When I told him how I felt, he rolled his eyes in surprise.

I'm not going to be able to say anything about it. I'm a novice in my own right as the leader of a group, so I welcome your frank opinion. I'm sure you'll be able to find it sooner rather than later.
...... Yes, thank you.

　Eddie's expression was one that seemed to release some of the tension in his voice.










　It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're going to do with it.

　--I'm not sure if we can really call it architecture.

　I'm not sure if I can really call it architecture or not. ...... or even overgrown, with intricate streets spreading out between trees and wooden buildings that look like they're fused together.

　If I had to describe its shape in words, I would say that the bungalow-like huts are nestled high up in the trunks of the large trees and are so tightly integrated that it is impossible to see the connection between them.

　The height of the hut is equivalent to the second or third floor of an ordinary house, and the structure seems to be constructed with a wavy staircase that goes up and down along the trunk.

　There are no dwellings on the ground level, and instead there is a row of what looks like shops.

　The residential trees - let's call them that - are spreading their green branches and leaves just like regular trees, but there is something like a rope stretched between them, and the countless magical lights suspended from them make the town look like a It was illuminated.

　Apparently, the brilliance of the Asropolis seen from outside was due to these suspended streetlights.

It's awesome ...... seriously, they're all demons ......

　Garnett let out a small voice as he looked over the town from the bridge's embankment.

　Sakura and Lionel, who had been wary of the unexpected attack, couldn't hide their surprise at the sight of the demon race in various forms leading a very normal life.

''...... It's as if we feel like we're foreign to them. ......
I agree. As someone who until recently was killing each other with the dark elves, my sense of common sense is going to be shaken.

　On the other hand, the brave Ezell and Eddie aren't as surprised as they are, and they react like strangers in a big city.

''There really are so many different species. It seems to remind me of all kinds of dungeons, and I might even miss it a bit.
''But I've never seen so many races together in one place before. Do you feel the same way, Lord Commander?
'I've met a few peaceful demon clans, but it was usually one race in one settlement. I've never seen anything like this before either.

　We've been in many dungeons as adventurers and brave men and women.

　I've spent most of my life on earth, and compared to Garnett and the others who dove into dungeons for the first time in Green Hollow, I don't find the idea of the demon race so strange.

　But even so, I couldn't help but be tickled by the inquisitiveness of this multitude of races.

''First we have to finish our mission. We'll have to look around the town afterwards. Noir, Hild, and any sign of the administrator's magic can be felt ...... that?
They're over there.

　I was confused when I couldn't find the two of them, and Dustin indicated the inside of the town in a calm manner.

　If you look, you'll see Noir and Hild both scurrying around a little further than the embankment of the bridge we're on, Noir and Hild both scurrying around together.
　With eyes sparkling with curiosity like a child.

'...... Oi!　I know how you feel, but you'll have to wait!　Please!　Na!