Ten boats from each of the four "pioneer ships" were heading out to sea for the landing.

　The five of us were in one of the boats.

　Chap-chap.

　The rowboat moves through the churning waves.

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

　The morning sun is reflecting on the surface of the sea.

　The water is clearer than I expected.

　We could see the rocky seabed a few yards below us, and we could even see small fish swimming in it.

It's kind of beautiful, isn't it?
Yes.

　I nodded at Solstice's muttering.

　The distant seas are dangerous because of the large sea monsters, but the ocean on the beach is kind of peaceful.

　Zazaa.

　Eventually, the bottom of the ship hit the sand.

'Let's go,'

　We nodded at Kilt's voice.

　From the top of the boat, we lowered our feet twenty inches into the water.

　My trousers were wet and the soles of my shoes stepped on the sand.

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

　At last we have landed in the land of the Dark Continent.


　◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇.


　From the boat, the people of the 'Fifth Pioneer Group' landed on the beach one by one.

　The sailors were carrying large loads of food and exploration equipment.

　The sailors were carrying large loads of food and exploration equipment.

'They're here at last,'

　I muttered.

　Illtimina nodded yes.

　Around the sandy beach was a rocky area and forest.

　Underfoot, the sandy beach led to a land of sandy soil and sparse grass. Beyond that was the forest.

　Four hundred settlers gathered one by one on the sandy beach.

'Quilt Amandes.'

　A voice called out from behind me.

　I turned around and saw Roberto Wogan, the general of the Kingdom of Shumuria.

　He said

''From now on, we will build our base at this point. From today onwards, for a while, we will be conducting our search around this point.
Hmm, okay.

　Mr. Kilt nodded.

'Can you ask the group of adventurers to help set up as well?
Very well.

　Mr. Kilt agrees to the General's request.

Please.

　After leaving those words, General Roberto walked towards the gathering of the Kingdom Knights.

　After watching them, Kilt-san fluttered his silver hair.

　He took a deep breath and

Attention, group of adventurers!

　The chattering was so loud that it numbed me to the pit of my stomach.

　I can't help but hold my ears.

　The adventurers around me turn around to see what's going on.

''We will now set up our base here. Receive the equipment from the Royal Knights. But this is already the dark continent, the unknown land!　Don't let your guard down when setting up!　You have to be aware of your surroundings at all times!

　A voice like iron, echoing on the sandy beach.

(...yeah.)

　Don't be happy that you've landed.

(Rather, this is where we come in.)

　At Kirt-san's words, the faces of the adventurer group that had been loosening up tightened up strongly.

''Alright, everyone, let's start setting up!

　With that voice, everyone started to move.

　Ms. Illtimina looks at us.

'Then let us go too.
Yes.
Yeah.
.......................

　We nodded and started to act to set up the base.


　◇ ◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇


　We received a simple tent from the Royal Knights and we assembled it in the meadow.

　Cancan.

　With a hammer, hit a peg on the ground.

(Is this what it looks like?)

　I wipe the sweat from my forehead.

'Well?　Are you done with that one?

　Solstice, who was on the other side, calls out to me.

　Grrrr.

　I lightly tug on the strap that holds the tent in place.

(It looks okay.)

　Make sure of it.

Yeah, I'm done.

　I replied.　

"Yeah. What about Poe?

　After being told, I look at Poe, who was doing the same work next to me.

　Congratulations!

　Poe didn't use a hammer, but hit the pegs with his fists.

(Yea, doesn't it hurt?)

　I noticed a look.

..........

　quickly

　He gives us a thumbs up.

'I think Poe's done with it.

　I answered instead.

"Okay. So you can finish setting up your tent.

　Solstice exhaled heavily.

　Then the three of us looked up again at the simple tent.

　It's a pretty big tent for five people.

　It's a pretty big tent, with metal poles, and it looks like a house made of waterproof fabric.

　There are countless similar simple tents lined up around it.

(If I were to imagine it, it would be like the camping outpost in the "Great Labyrinth" of the Arun God's Empire, right?

　And.

All three of you, I brought you a bed.

　Mr. Illtimina walked in from the back with four assembled beds.

　I took one right away.

'Good job. It was heavy, wasn't it?
I'm fine.

　The sweet sister laughed.

　We go inside the tent.

　The floor is still a grassy area.

　There we assemble and arrange the beds.

'....oh my?　One leg, we're short.　

　Solstice noticed.

　Her sister said.

'Merle will sleep in my bed, so he won't need it, will he?
..........
..........
..........

　We were unable to say anything because it was so obvious.

(Uh, well...)

　Oh, yes.

Speaking of which, where's Mr. Quilt?

　Suddenly remembering, I asked, "Didn't you build a fence around the base?

"Quilts built a fence around the base, didn't they?
Fence?
The barricades.

　Ms. Illtimina said.

'We were working with the Kingdom Knights to put up a piece of assembled iron fence for the possibility of foreign enemies coming in.

　Foreign enemy.....

(I see.)

　There may be demons in the Dark Continent as well.

　Until now, all the 'pioneer groups' have been wiped out.

　That's why it's best to be prepared for anything.

..........
..........

　He noticed the hard look on my face.

　poof

　Iltimina-san smiled gently and put her hand on my head and slowly stroked it.


　◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇


　By the time the base was completed, it was already dusk outside.

　Four ships were floating on the reddish surface of the sea.

Four large dragons were also perched on the mast of the "Pioneer Ship".

　Also on the deck, the sailors remaining on the ship could be seen.

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

　We watched it from the tent at the beach base.

　And then the entrance to the tent swung open, and Iltimina and Kilt-san came in.

'Hey guys, sorry to keep you waiting,'
Here's your dinner.

　In their hands are five rationed dinner trays for five people.

'Yoo-hoo!'

　Solstice cheered.

　The two of them went to pick up the rations tonight, concerned for us younger members of the group who were tired from setting up the base.

'Thank you, Iltimina.'
No.
Here. That's for Poe.
"Poe tells me he is grateful.

　We sat down with that conversation, using the bed as a chair.

'Well then, I'll take it!'

　We put our hands together and then we began to eat.

(Yes, it was delicious!)

　The dinner for the rationing is a cookout for the kingdom knights.

　Bread, soup with lots of meat and vegetables, and cheese.

　The bread was soft and the soup was freshly made and delicious.

　Munching and crunching.

　As we eat happily, Kilt and Illtimina narrow their eyes at us, too.

　And.

Do you have enough food on hand?

　'What's the problem?' asked Illtimina.

'No problem. ─ No problem, I have enough for another month. In addition, I've brought some provisions that I can keep on hand for later.

　Kirt said, sipping his soup.

After that, we just need to find more plants and animals in the area.
Yes.
Well, as it stands, the only complaint I have is the lack of alcohol.
Oh, my God.

　It's Illtimina who is stunned and chuckles at Kilt's words.

(That's just like Kilt-san.)

　We couldn't help but laugh, too.


　◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇.


　Eventually, we went to bed early, knowing that the real exploration would begin tomorrow.

　Zazaan.

　I can hear the sound of the waves because I'm so close to the ocean.

　It's night.

　The temple knights will be standing guard over the base tonight.

That's very reassuring.

　One of the strongest knights in the kingdom.

　.............

　But I think there must have been some very strong knights among the past 'pioneer groups'.

There was even the Golden Mark Adventurer.

　And yet...

Annihilation...

　My heart was kind of heavy with that fact.

'Merle?'

　Illtimina asked me if she felt my change from the arms she was holding in the bed.

　I muttered.

'How come all the pioneers so far have been wiped out?'
..........
..........
..........
..........

　My voice sounded louder than I expected in the tent.

　Crackle.

　Mr. Kilt turned over and looked up at the ceiling.

'Hmm. The possible cause is still a demon.

　I said.

(Demon.........)

This is an unknown continent. Perhaps it is inhabited by a demon so powerful it could wipe out the entire frontier.

　............

　Just thinking about it makes my body tense up.

　Iltimina-san said softly.

''Perhaps it was a sea disaster.
...a marine disaster?
'Yes, an accident at sea. There are demons in the sea, and the weather can be rough. So it's possible that's why it sank.

　He strokes my hair as he says it.

(I see.)

　I think that's compelling too.

　Goron.

　Solstice turned to me.

　Her soft, purple hair spread out over the pillows.

'I've considered the possibility that I'm sick.

　Sick...?

It's an unknown continent. It could have a germ, an unknown pathogen. It could be an epidemic that's been transmitted and wiped out.

　Is that a possibility?

(That's an unseen enemy.)

　It's kind of scary.

''Well, I think we'll be fine, since this 'Fifth Frontier' has a lot of apothecaries and doctors and a lot of medicinal materials on board.

　Solstice says matter-of-factly.

　I chuckle.

　Mr. Kilt brushed back his rich silver bangs.

'And then there's the possibility of locals, I suppose.　

　The local...?

The possibility of an indigenous people on this continent. To them, the warriors could be seen as invaders.
Oh.
It's possible that they got into a fight with the local people and were wiped out.

　I see.

(I hadn't even considered the possibility of people living on this dark continent from the start.)

　Are you there?

　If they're there, I'd like to resolve this through dialogue if possible.

　........But since we couldn't do that, maybe the 'pioneer group' so far has been wiped out.

(Hmmm.)

　And.

Poe asks.
?
What does Merle himself think?

　It's an unexpected question for Poe.

　Everyone's looking at me.

　I think about it for a minute.

"I'm wondering if I'm worried about that 'guy' the 'dark boy' was talking about,

　I replied.

　He said.

'He has no intellect, only instinct.

　He said.

I was warned by the Children of Darkness that he would not find me. So I wondered if maybe the previous 'pioneer groups' had been found by 'him' and then wiped out.

　I'm going to spit out these insecurities.

　I don't know what it is.

　But that's why it remains as an anxiety in the back of my chest.

''Marle........''

　Ms. Illtimina strokes my hair as if she's working on it.

　Ms. Kilt, too.

...that's him.

　I muttered.

　Solstice and Poe are also silent.

　Somehow, I felt the air in the tent got heavier.

　Eventually, Kilt-san let out a breath.

'It's hard to say under the current circumstances.

　I said.

'Any of the possibilities are now a matter of speculation.
Yes.

　I nodded.

　As I made such a difficult face, Illtimina-san smiled gently.

All we can do now is to do our best for each and every moment.

　I'll do my best....

(Yeah.)

　Yeah.

I'll do my best, too.
Yes, sir.

　Ms. Illtimina nodded happily.

　Kilt-san also laughed.

　Solstice cowered her small shoulders and Poe nodded as well.

　And so the night passed.

　It was their first night in the Dark Continent.

　It passed through without incident, and then the sunrise of the second day rose.

　--It was on that day that the full-scale exploration of the Dark Continent began.