The four of us walked through the deep forest.

　Eventually, after an hour or so, the trees broke off and a small hill appeared.

(Ah....)

　At the top of the hill, there was a tower.

　It was an old stone tower with a conical roof that looked like a triangle when viewed from the side.

'There it is,'

　Mr. Kilt speaks up.

　I nodded yes.

　And my legs naturally turned into a small run and went up the hill.

　.................

　Eventually I reached the front of the tower.

　Three of them come in late.

(It's been a long time........

　The outer walls of the tower, exposed to the wind and rain, were tangled with green ivy.

　There was a metal door at the front of the tower that served as a Kannon opening, and the ivy was tangled there as well.

　Solstice approached and tried to open the door.

　Grrrr.

　But the door didn't budge.

'What's this?　This isn't going to open.

　Solstice glares at the ivy hatefully and swears at it.

　She grabs it with her hand and tries to shred the ivy, but the plants are surprisingly strong, and even the girl's arm strength doesn't make it easy to cut them.

(Haha.)

　He's doing the same thing I did a year ago.

"Hmm, what's going on?

　Mr. Kilt also put his hand on his chin and twisted his neck.

　Knowing the other entrance, me and Illtimina-san couldn't help but look at each other and laugh.

　Then.

Come on.

　He called out to the two men and started walking to the back of the tower.

　Eventually they reached the back of the tower, where the second floor had collapsed and cracked.

　The accumulated debris led up to it.

'I see,'

　At that, Mr. Kilt nodded.

''It was a natural keystone that couldn't be entered from the first floor, wasn't it? With this, the demons can't easily get in.''

　He looks strangely impressed.

　And Solstice is.

If you knew that, you would have told me first!

　ghetto

(Itah)

　He puffs out his cheeks and kicks my leg lightly.
　

　Just like that, we climbed up the rubble.

　Soon we reach the second floor.

(...It's been a while since I've been inside.)

　With that in mind, I took the lead and slipped my little body into the cracks in the tower.


　◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇


　At the end of the crack was a spiral staircase.

　It's built along the inside of the tower, and if you head up, you get to the watchtower, and if you head down, you get to the first floor.

(First floor first?)

　We headed down the stairs.

　Knock, knock.

　The sound of footsteps echoed down to a small chapel.

　At the front is a statue of a goddess.

　Glowing water spills out of her hands and collects on a seashell pedestal at her feet.

　There was a drainage ditch on the base, and the glowing water seemed to be flowing underground from there.

　I stopped in front of that goddess statue.

(............)

　I look up at that stone face.

　And.

I'm home.

　I muttered quietly.

　Iltimina is staring at me like that with her crimson eyes narrowed.

　Solstice is.

Heh.

　He approached the statue of the goddess with a curious look on his face.

'It's just like that painting Marle showed me before. Is there really 'healing spiritual water' flowing out of it?

　As she said this, she looked at the shell base.

　The glowing surface of the water reflected Solstice's young beauty, staring back at her.

　And.

What's that door?

　I heard Miss Kilt's voice from behind me.

　When I turned around, her gaze went to the two doors at the back of the chapel.

　I nodded and said, "Oh.

That's the living quarters and the kitchen.

　I replied.

'Do you want to go?'
Hmm.

　Mr. Kilts nodded.

Since it's where Merle lived, I'd love to see it.

　He grinned.

　Soooo, I'm kind of embarrassed to hear you say that.

(I feel like I'm showing my friend the inside of my house.)

　Chuckling, I approached one of the doors.

　Gee.

　I open the door.

　Beyond that was a small space with only a desk, a bookcase, and a broken bed - the living space of this tower.

　Three people come in.

''........What is this?''
"Oh, the cursed room!

　The stunned voices of Kilt-san and Solstice chanted.

　........Ah.

　Thirty-three different Thanatos magic letters were carved all over the walls and floor of this room.

　A year ago, Illtimina-san saw the same thing and was surprised.

　That Illtimina-san had remembered it properly, and she laughed at the reactions of her two companions.

　I confess.　

I did it.

　They looked back at me.

'Huh?'
Merle?
'Uh-huh. See, life here is boring so I've been passing the time by chopping up some words from the book.
..........
..........

　Mr. Kilt and Solstice look at each other.

'....yes.
Hmm, okay.

　The two of them nodded with a somewhat mysterious voice.

(.........Huh?)

　I was expecting to be ridiculed or dumbfounded, so I was a bit surprised.

　The Solstice.

So it's like a record of Merle's loneliness, huh?

　What a mutter.

　...........

　I don't know how to answer.

　Ms. Illtimina laughed and said.

You won't be missed now that you have me and Solstice.

　And then he gently tapped his sister on the shoulder.

(Uh-huh.)

　Feeling somewhat embarrassed, I let my gaze wander into the room.

　And.

Hmm?

　I noticed something different about the bookcase than I did a year ago.

　When I did.

What's up, Merle?

　Mr. Kilt asks.

'Oh, yes,'

　I nodded.

I just found all the books on the bookshelf and... what?

　I still remember taking some of the books that were there a year ago when I left, with Mr. Illtimina, when I was leaving.

(But it wasn't all of them, was it?)

　But it's empty now.

　I was just craning my neck, and then I saw Mr. Quilt.

'It was brought up by the guild's investigative team, wasn't it?

　I said.

(What...?)

Did you forget?　A year ago, I would have asked Mumpa to survey this tower and the surrounding area.

　Ah......

I see. And that's how I found out I'm a "godd*mn dog.

　We're not the only ones here.

　I had forgotten all about it.

　As I remembered, Kirt-san is laughing at me, this time with a dumbfounded look on his face.

'You really are such an idiot Marl, aren't you?'

　Solstice sighs too.

　Ugh......

''Well, well, that's just the way it goes.

　Only Ms. Illtimina is kind enough to follow me.

　You know, I can't stay there for some reason.

''Well, let's go to the kitchen this time, shall we?

　(e.g. of a train, bus, etc.)

　The three of us laughed together at the sight of the reddened me, as if to fool me, as I walked briskly - the three of us laughed together.


　◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇.


　I came to the kitchen.

　There were no foodstuffs or anything else in the kitchen.

　There was nothing here but a large table, a cupboard, a stone oven, and a large, empty jar.

　The cupboard is filled with wooden bowls, spoons and forks.

(But we don't have any metal dishes.)

　Kilt-san and Solstice, who followed me, looked around curiously.

'Hmm, there's nothing to see here,'
No.

　We both nodded.

　I laughed, "Yeah," and took one of the wooden bowls out of the cupboard.

'Here, you know, drink the glowing water. That's my meal.
..........
..........
'And then, you know, I used to fill these with glowing water at night and line them up and use them as lights. Isn't that convenient?

　I laughed with pride.

　But their reaction was subtle.

　They kind of looked at each other and then asked me.

'Didn't you have any other meals?'
Yes.

　I nodded.

'We didn't know what berries we could eat, and we didn't have blades, so we couldn't get our prey.
..........
..........
So I didn't have anything to eat except for the glowing water.

　At my answer, they were silent.

(????)

　With a nod of the head in my mind.

The first time I ever had anything other than that was at Mr. Illtimina's, wasn't it?

　I continued.

　Iltimina nodded nostalgically, "That's right.

　I touched the stone kamikaze.

You made a soup with preserved meat, nuts and wildflowers from the surrounding area.
Yeah!

　I nodded widely.

　I still remember that taste.

　We ate it together, savoring its taste and the importance of taking life.

(............That's a cherished memory, too.

　I thought sullenly.

　Then me and Illtimina-san looked at each other's faces and laughed at each other.

''.........''
..........

　But Mr. Kilt and Solstice remain subtle.

　The girl puckered her lips.

''Well how could that Merle guy live in this kind of environment?
Yes, you do.

　Mr. Kilt nodded.

'You have to know the rest of the world, or else...'

　He blurted this out and ruffled his own rich silver hair with a wishy-washy brush.

(Hmm?)

　The two of them look at me somewhat pityingly.

　Why is that?

　I'm so happy now.


　◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇.


　The western sun shining through the chapel windows illuminates us in red.

　It's almost night.

We'll have to stay here tonight.

　Kilt said.

　Solstice nodded.

'Right. I don't really want to be out in the field or anything.'

　............

　Hearing those words, I blinked my eyes. I couldn't help but stare at their faces.

　And then.

No, you can't go out there.

　I said tightly.

　The two of them look at me with a scowl.

　Illtimina and I look at each other and nod at each other, then my blue eyes stare back at them.

　I take a deep breath.

It's their world at night.

　I continued to be so serious.


　◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇.


　The two of them were confused, so when it was completely dark, we all went up to the watchtower.

　From there we looked out into the woods.

Huh?

　Solstice let out a drawn out scream.

　Even Kilt-san's expression was strained, "This.......

　Me and Illtimina-san were just quietly staring at the forest world below us.

　A large forest like a black sea.

　There was a lot, a lot of purple light shining there.

　That light didn't stay in place, but moved slowly, slowly through the vast black forest world.

''It's the Skeleton King.''

　I said.

　They looked at me in surprise.

"The Skeleton King?
All of them?
Yes.

　I nodded.

Or someone who wears an aura of darkness.

　He added.

　Solstice's mouth remained open.

''Well you're lying.''

　Of course I'm not lying.

'We've talked about this before, haven't we?　I heard the Skeleton King killed me once.
Oh, I remember, but...

　Solstice says, and looks at the forest.

'But I didn't expect such a large number.

　His lips twitched.

(Well, yeah.)

　Even I shuddered when I realized that fact.

　Kilt-san is also staring at the purple lights in the forest with a difficult face.

　To her, Illtimina-san said.

''I was surprised when I first saw them, too.
..........
However, it's easy to forget that this is the Great Aldrian Forest and the Deep Forest, although it's so peaceful in the daytime that it's easy to forget that this is one of those magical places with a 10% chance of survival. It's one of those magical places that still has a 10% survival rate.
Yes, you do.

　Mr. Kilt nodded gravely.

'Apparently, the strawberries were in peace, too. But I'm awake.

　Then she flips her silver hair and looks back at us.

'Merle,'
Hmm?
They've never been to the tower?
Yes.

　I nodded.

'I've never been here. At least this is how I live.
Okay.

　Mr. Quilt thought for a moment.

All right. No one is to leave this place at night.

　I told him.

'From tomorrow, I will use this tower as a base to explore the area to understand the meaning of the oracle of the Goddess Yacour. But it is only during the day. I shall be back here before nightfall.
Yes.
Yes, sir.
Okay.

　We agree with those words.

　Watching that, Kilt-san nodded with satisfaction.

　Then her golden eyes turned to the dark forest below us again.

''..........''

　A brief silence.

　Eventually, like a soliloquy.

"There are no watering holes in the vicinity, and at night, a forest where thousands of skeletal kings writhe.... This one won't survive much longer.

　I spilled.

　Then he looked back at me.

　His eyes, lit by the moonlight, had a very gentle glow to them.

'You have survived well, Merle.

　His white hand touches my cheek.

(...warm.)

　I looked up at Kilt's face.

　She smiled.

'To have survived this way alone in such a horrible place of death, Kirt Amandes, I honestly admire you.
..........
You're lucky to be alive.

　A strong, gentle voice.

But you will not be alone from now on. No, you will not be alone again.

　sizzling sound

　He holds me to his chest with one hand.

(............)

　I feel like I'm going to cry.

　Iltimina-san is nodding widely, and Solstice is Buddha-like, but she didn't argue.

''Yes.''

　I nodded in Kirt-san's chest.

　Maybe meeting these three people was my reward for surviving in the Great Aldoria Forest and the deepest part of Aldoria - I suddenly felt that way.

　In the forest below me, violet light was stirring.

　Even so, the me who is now here with everyone, I felt very relieved.

　............

　The search begins tomorrow.

　In order to prepare for that tomorrow, the four of us went back to the chapel together.