As they got closer, the full extent of the structure, which had been hidden by the white fog, was revealed.

'It's a pyramid!'

　I was screaming.

　There it was, a huge 30-medium-high quadrangle built out of gray stone.

　The other four men were amazed.

'It looks like it's really old.'

　Solstice, who approached, touched one of the stones and muttered to herself.

　The size of one stone is about the same size as the girl's height.

　Weathered or not, the surface of the stone has left traces of what looks like runoff from rainwater on the surface, and the corners are rounded.

'There's an entrance, isn't there?'

　Illtimina said as she looked upwards.

　I followed her gaze.

　There was a staircase built up to about the middle of the pyramid, and at the end of it, there was a square hole that looked like it could be entered inside.

'Let's go!'

　Solstice appealed.

　While holding her sister's collar, which was about to start running, Ms. Illtimina looked back at the party leader for judgment.

　Kilt-san snorted, 'Hmm.

''It's not stingy to examine the inside, but well, wait.''

　As she said this, she took out a green-painted metal tube - a luminous signal bullet - from her luggage.

　Green is the signal for 'discovery'.

''In the meantime, let's ask for help from the nearby companions. Because if we enter the ruins and get trapped, no rescue will come from anywhere.

　I see.

Well, better safe than sorry.

　Mr. Quilt then pointed the tip of the tube to the sky.

''But it would be nice if they could find me in this fog.

　He said with some concern and pulled the trigger.

　Hurul Shpaan.

　A green light shines in the foggy white sky.

　

'Ah....'

　Normally it shines for about five minutes, but the light went out after about 30 seconds.

　To tell the truth, the magic light of the luminescent signal bullets is vulnerable to moisture.

　When it gets wet, it disappears quickly.

　That's why it can't be used in the rain.

(Same thing with fog.)

　Still, I made it glow, just in case.

　Would anyone come?

　..............
　.......
　...........

　I waited for about 30 minutes, but no one came.

It was still no use.
Mmm....

　Iltimina murmured calmly, and Kilt snorted.

　Solstice sat down on one of the pyramid stones, plodding her feet.

Why don't we just go in there by ourselves?

　I complained in a frustrated manner.

　Incidentally, next to her, Poe was also imitating the girl, sitting on a stone and shuffling his feet.

　I asked her, "Why don't you fire another signal round?

'Do you want to try shooting a signal round again?
No, no, good.

　Mr. Kilt let out a huge sigh.

　He looked up and

We'll be wasting ammunition in this fog. We'll have to go on our own.
Yes!

　Solstice snaps her fingers.

　Then he jumps off the stone with a pion.

'Then let's get going!'

　Solstice hurries up.

　Next to the girl, Poe imitates her and jumps down from the stone.

''Are you sure?''

　Ms. Illtimina confirmed.

　Kilt-san nodded.

''The scale of the ruins doesn't seem to be that big either. If we are trapped, we will destroy the ruins and get out.
Huh.

　Ms. Illtimina responds to the answer with dismay.

　Kirto smiles bitterly.

"Well, I can't choose not to check inside. It can't be helped, can it?

　Miss Illtimina thought for a moment.

Well, that's true,

　I finally nodded my head in agreement.

'Hey what are you doing, come on, come on~!

　Solstice, who had already started climbing the stairs, called us on the ground.

　By the way, Poe, too, is next to the girl.

(Is she escorting us?)

　The two adults chuckled at the curious, impatient girl and started walking to the ruins.

　I follow them.

　Now, let's see what we can find.


　◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇.


　He climbed the stairs about 15 maids and stood in front of the entrance.

　Solstice raises her great staff.

"Light our way. --Lightum Vadou!

　It produced a bird of light.

　Poe, crackling and clapping next to me.

'Alright, let's move forward in formation.

　We nodded at Kirt's instructions.

　Then the five of us entered the inside of the pyramid through the square entrance.

　Knock, knock, knock.

　The sound of footsteps echoed off the stone walls.

　The corridor of the ruins, illuminated by lights, had a ceiling of about five meds and a gentle descent.

(That's one path.)

　This way we wouldn't get lost.

　After about ten meddlesome steps, we came to a downstairs.

It's pretty steep.

　Nearly vertical.

'Slowly, let's go one at a time,'

　Then Mr. Kilt, Poe, and Solstice go down.

　I'm next.

Have a good day.
Yes.

　I smile back at Iltimina's call to arms, and I carefully make my way down the stairs, my hands also on the stairs.

(Phew.)

　Safe and sound, downstairs.

　Miss Illtimina is coming down.

It's a door.

　He turned at the sound of Solstice's voice.

　As he said, there was a door down there, illuminated by light.

　A door of stone.

''Hmm.''

　Mr. Kilt puts his hand on it.

　Goggles.

　The stone door opened with a heavy thud and a cloud of dust.

　It is now wide enough for one person to pass through.

　We, in turn, pass through the gap.

(Wha........)

　The one I passed was a small room.

　In the center of the room was a single coffin-like object.

(Was this ruin a tomb?)

　In front of the coffin were dead flowers, ornate plates and vases, and jeweled swords and spears.

　On the walls of the room was a painting.

　Murals.

　It looks like a landscape painting of mountains, meadows and forests.

"Heh~, heh~, heh~!

　Solstice's eyes twinkle as she stares at the objects in the room.

　A girl scurrying about.

　Poe follows dutifully behind her.

　Then.

Marle, is there any reaction to the probe disk?

　Illtimina approached me.

(Hmm?)

　I took out the Exploration Stone Disk from my waist pouch.

　But the magic stone in the center didn't respond.

No, it's not.

　I shook my head.

　Since I came to the Dark Continent, I've been checking out the Exploration Disk in many places, but it has never shone.

　It seems to be the same here.

(I wonder if the Spirit Stone is in the Ruined City beyond this place?

　With that in mind, I put the disc away.

　And.

What's this painting?

　Mr. Kilt muttered.

　It was the mural in front of the coffin.

　A pyramid in the city, with one feminine figure standing at the top of it, and many people underneath the pyramid.

(.........a painting of a queen?)

　The city was surrounded by a number of snakes, framed around the city.

'Poe, open this,'
Yes, sir.

　(with a) banging noise

　While we were looking at the mural, Solstice ordered Poe to open the lid of the coffin.

　........What are you doing!

I don't know if I'll be punished for it?

　I say with trepidation.

　Solstice snickers, "Hmph.

'You can't study antiquity because you're afraid of punishment.

　...something like that?

　The coffin contained a bland but white-boned body.

　Looking at the clothes and ornaments, he looks like someone who had a pretty good position.

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

　We closed our eyes and clasped our hands together.

　When it was over, Solstice looked again at the inside of the coffin.

'It's a stone slab.'

　The girl stuck her hand in and pulled out a stone slab that was near the body.

　She placed it on the floor and shone the light on it.

　The tablet was inscribed with words.

'Phew.'

　Solstice breathes and dusts off the dust.

　Kehot Kehot.

　I wish you wouldn't blow it at me.

Can you read?

　Miss Illtimina asked her sister.

'Hmm~'

　The girl stared at the stone tablet for a moment.

'There's a Thanatos script used, so it's a bit legible. But there are different letters used, so it's only in bits and pieces.

　Then he fished through his stuff, "Wait a minute," he said.

　Out of it came a dictionary of Thanatos characters, paper, brushes and ink.

　For the next half hour or so, in this small room, the girl worked on deciphering it.

　We watched and waited in silence.

　Eventually.

Phew, it's over.

　Putting down the brush, the girl exhaled heavily.

'Good work.'

　I worked on Solstice.

　Poe rubbed the girl's shoulders, too, and the girl spilled out a pleasant voice, "Oh, it works.

'Shh, what did it say?'

　Mr. Kilt asks.

'Well,'

　Solstice picked up a piece of paper with a brush running across it.

"The glorious Tolga civilization, the man-made God-man, the one born of the serpent king, the war against the great royal species, the great queen...

　I replied.

(...it's really fragmented.)

　Mr. Kilt frowns.

'What do you mean?'
I don't know.

　Solstice cowered a small shoulder.

''However, it seems that this continent had a 'Toluga Civilization' that was different from the ancient Thanatos Magical Dynasty. And it seems that they were fighting with the 'great royal species' like the ancient Thanatos magic dynasty.

　I gasp.

'....There really was a civilization that was different from Thanatos.
Yeah.

　Solstice laughs.

''Really, it's a great discovery. This alone is worth the trip to the Dark Continent.'

　You look happy.

　Haha.....

(Good for you, Solstice.)

　Ms. Illtimina places her white fingers on the words on the paper.

'Man-made God-man,' 'Born of the Serpent King' and 'Great Queen' - what are they?

　She held up her hands in front of her sister.

'I have no idea what's going on over there.'
..........
'There are a lot of non-Thanatos letters, a lot of Toluga letters. I couldn't decipher any of them except for these words. I just wish I had a few more of those other sources.

　I see.

　There doesn't seem to be any more information to be gleaned from these ruins.

　I put the stone slab back in the coffin and close the lid.

(Sorry, I'm sorry to interrupt you.)

　Once again, hand in hand, we stepped out of the pyramid.

　The light from outside was dazzling.

　Down the stairs, we looked back at the ruins of the old pyramid.

　A girl muttered to us.

The 'Toluga Civilization' uses the Thanatos script, so it must be a civilization derived from the ancient Thanatos magic dynasty. No, perhaps this is the source?
..........
If it wasn't for the search for the divine spirit stone, I would have looked into it more closely.

　He spilled out such a wistful voice, typical of a seeker of knowledge.

　An ancient pyramid.

　I narrowed my blue eyes as I thought about the truth hidden in those years.

　Pong.

　Ms. Kilt's hands were on my and Solstice's heads.

　She laughs.

　Then she turns forward, her expression tightening.

'Well, our investigation of these ruins is over!　Let's get ahead of ourselves, shall we?

　He said it strongly and loudly, as if to make me switch my attention.

'Yes,'
Yeah.

　We nodded.

　Poe also nodded behind Solstice.

　To us, Illtimina-san smiled gently while keeping her crimson eyes down.

　Then the five of us walked into the forest of white mist.

　There was no one from this place, leaving only the pyramids that have been there since ancient times.