Leaving the banquet, Mr. Kirto and General Roberto went to the house of the village chief, Mr. Mohaini.

　........Why, I'm with them.

(Um ... why?)

　I look up at Mr. Kilt, who is pulling at my hand.

'What, you're a bit of a gambler, aren't you?'

　The silver-haired beauty laughed.

'If it were not for you, we would not have been able to help Turkia. If that had happened, the warriors would have had no connection to the village, and as a result, Turkia would have died and the village would have continued to suffer from food shortages.
..........
But because of you, the warriors are in good company.

　Mr. Mohaini walked in front of me, and General Roberto nodded.

　I nodded my head.

'Yeah?'
You don't know that. Well, good.

　Mr. Kilts chuckles.

"So, to the warriors, you are like a good luck charm. Therefore, we want you to listen to what we have to say.

　crumpled

　Then, he stroked my hair.

(.........hmmmm?)

　Well, just listen to the story.

　I don't know if it's a good luck charm, but I'm curious about the 'Toluga Empire' too.

　And so we went into the village chief's house.


　◇ ◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇


　From outside the village, we could hear the sounds of a lively feast.

　The candles on the table were lit, and me, Mr. Kirto and General Roberto sat down to face Mr. Mohaini.

　Wooden cups filled with tea are lined up in front of us.

'May I ask you a question?'

　General Roberto spoke up.

　Mr. Mohaini nodded.

'Hi. Hi. I'm Tachi no kurasu 'toluga empire' ni tsuite.

　We listen carefully.

　The Truga village chief slowly begins to speak.

The history of the Toluuga Empire is over a thousand years old. No one knows where it all began.

　A thousand years!　

　I was taken aback.

"Does that mean it's from the same time period as the ancient Thanatos magic dynasty?

　I couldn't help but look at the faces of the two adult Shumurians.

　Their expressions also seemed to be surprised at the length of their history, after all.

　Mohaini-san looks at me.

The name of this country is 'Thanatos'....how many times have you attacked our empire?

　Huh!

The Troops of Thanatos were defeated many times in the northern land. Everyone is buried in the tomb of the heroes of the time.

　Mohaini says, somewhat proudly.

　The three of us, on the other hand, are stunned.

　The ancient Thanatos magic dynasty, a super magic power that can even raise the dead, lost the war....

(.........I can't believe it.)

　How strong is the Tolga Empire, how strong is it?　

　The Shumurian General Roberto, who was also a descendant of Thanatos, held his mouth as he pondered.

''It's true that we're fighting in enemy territory at the end of a long expedition. I think we are at a great disadvantage, but........ Even so, the military power to defeat Thanatos' magical power?

　Mr. Kilt also groaned, "Mmmm.

　The two adults didn't ask any questions, so I opened my mouth instead.

'Um, are there any other countries on this continent?'
"Arimasen.

　Mr. Mohaini shook his head.

'Kono continent exists in the great Nar Nar Nar 'Toluga Empire' no Mideast.

　My God, a nation that controls the entire continent?

(That's a superpower...)

　General Roberto took a deep breath and then

Excuse me, but do you have a map of this continent or something?

　I said to Mr. Mohaini.

　Mr. Mohaini smiled gently and brought out a map made of animal skin paper.

　It's a continent in the shape of a triangle.

''This is the Dark Continent?''

　We saw for the first time the shape of the mysterious continent of Albac, a continent that no one had ever heard of.

Where is this village located?

　I asked.

　Mr. Mohaini's old fingers were placed near the northern apex of the triangle.

(Is it that high?)

　Then, this is a very large continent.

　It's on par with the Arubak continent.

　

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

　Mr. Kilt looks at the map, and General Roberto's expression is serious, too.

　I said, "It's a great country, isn't it, the Toluga Empire?

'It's an amazing country, the Tolga Empire.

　Mohaini smiled happily at the honest praise, "Arigato gozaimasu.

　And.

When Thanatos was built to fight back against Thanatos, the power of the nation was no longer in the Toruga Empire.

　I continued.

(Huh?)

　The three of us stare at Mr. Mohaini.

　He gets a faraway look in his eyes.

"Four hundred years ago, the Black Death was a catastrophe in the land of the dead.

　I told him.

(The Black Dead Earth...?)

　And 400 years ago, no way........

　Mr. Mohaini said with a pained look on his face.

''It's time to start the Black Giant.
!

　The Black Giant!

　Those words made me think of a 'certain being'.

　According to Mohaini's story, the Black Giant fell from the heavens to the land of Toluga and destroyed the empire with tremendous power.

　The nation's power has declined and its population has been reduced to less than a tenth of its former size.

　............................

　My hand trembled.

(.....................There's no doubt about it, it's a 'devil'!

　The Divine Demon War that occurred 400 years ago, one of those demons had also flown to this place called the Dark Continent.

　My God...!

　Mr. Kilt and General Roberto look at each other.

　It was immediately apparent that they were both imagining the same thing.

　General Roberto asked.

'What happened to that 'black giant'?'

　Mr. Mohaini replied.

'Downed,'

　....What?

(knocked down!)

　I couldn't help but get up from my chair.

'Duh, by whom?'
The White Giant Nides.

　The White Giant!

　Again, we were surprised to learn more about this, and Mohaini told us more.

He told us that when the empire was on the verge of destruction due to the threat of the Black Giant, the White Giant came from the heavens and fought the Black Giant.

　Then the White Giant crushed its body and turned into the White Sword to defeat the Black Giant.

　When I heard that, I thought.

(.........God.)

　There was a God who chased the devil to this place.

　And he risked his life to defeat the demon.

　Ahhh my heart, the soul of the Godgu Arkyn, trembles at the knowledge of that.

　Mohaini-san looked out the window.

　There was a large mountain range that was visible to the south of the 'Pioneer Village and Base'.

　Mr. Mohaini said.

The Black Giants in the Demertas Mountains are dead. In the Toruga Empire, they call it the Black Land of the Dead.

　That's what he told me.

(...was it?)

　My heart was somewhat unsettled by the shocking revelation.

　I drink my tea.　

　Gulp.

　A savory smell and astringency spread in my mouth.

　Mohaini told me that many of the heroes who fought in the battle against Thanatos died in that catastrophe, that the tomb of the heroes is dedicated to one of them, and that the family who served the heroes became the grave keepers and that their descendants are the residents of the Grave Keepers' Village.

　It was a great history story.

(.........Solstice would have liked to hear it too.)

　Yeah, I'll tell you all about it later.

　Mr. Quilt takes a sip of his tea.

'So, what kind of country is the 'Toluga Empire' today?

　I asked.

　Mr. Mohaini nodded.

"Your Majesty the Empress rules the land.

　I replied.

　Then his finger pointed to a point on the map, southward through the Demertas Mountains.

'Kokoni 'Imperial City Reda' gagozaimas.

　Reda, the Imperial City....

"Cocodeha, the great Goddess of Toluga, we are going to live in the city.
"God's people?

　I asked back.

Yes. The Black Land of the Dead arises, and many of the gods possess a great deal of power. This power is very strong compared to the power of my own body, and it can break large rocks and kill demons with its bare hands. Masas are the people of God.

　There was a deep respect in Mohaini's voice.

(.... but...)

　Could it be that you're not talking about the 'Demon Blood People'?

　Descendants of the Devil.

　People who possessed great demonic powers.

　It occurred to me that the same kind of misfortune might have occurred four hundred years ago when the Black Land of the Dead existed.

　Kirto-san and General Robert seemed to have realized that possibility as well.

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

　They both looked complicated.

　''It's not surprising.

　On the Albac continent, the 'Demon Blood People' are subject to discrimination.

　But on this continent, they are called the 'God People', and it seems that they are respected.

　Mohaini nodded his head slightly at our appearance.

　We pulled ourselves together and asked him to continue his story.

"'Tolga Empire' de 'strong' de 'righteousness' deserves.

　Mohaini said.

　Of course there are laws in the Tolga Empire, but they are basically for the 'strong'.

　Even if you have a reason, if you don't have the strength, they won't listen to you.

(Heh~?)

　The Kingdom of Shumuria is also a warrior kingdom.

　It's partly because the goddess Shurian, whom many of the people believe in, is the goddess of war, but I thought it was a bit similar there.

　However, the Toluga Empire seems to be a country with more extreme ideas.

"You are all strong and strong, so don't worry.

　Mohaini laughed.

　Well, it's a group of 1,200 'Black Great Apes' to defeat.

　General Robert also smiled.

　The general is one of the warriors who respects 'strength' like a Shumurian, so I guess there is a part of him that is happy about it.

　Tsk.

　I'm looking at you, Kirt.

　The most powerful person I know, Kirto Amandes.

(I'm sure he wouldn't go unnoticed in the Tolga Empire.)

　Mr. Kilt noticed the look in her eyes.

"?　What's going on?
Nope.

　I laughed and shook my head.

　Then Mr. Mohaini wrote me a note asking if I was going to the Imperial City.

It was a plea for him to listen to me as the head of the "Grave Keeper's Village" and that we, the "Fifth Settlers," had helped him and his group.

I can't be bothered.

　General Roberto said, and the three of us bowed our heads.

　The gentle Chief Mohaini smiled serenely and said, "Yay.

　We were then told the distance, the number of days, and the route to the imperial capital, Leda.

　That ended the discussion, and the three of us left the village chief's house.


　◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇.


　Outside, the wind was a little chilly.

　The red and white moon was shining in the night sky.

　The party seemed to be still going on, and I could hear the buzzing voices coming from the square at the back.

　I look at Kilt-san.

''Are we going to the Imperial City after all?''

　That's how it went, in terms of the discussion.

　Mr. Kilt nodded.

''Mm. This continent is much larger than I expected. If we're going to look for the 'divine Spirit Stone', it would be better to get help from the landowners.

　I see.

And, more importantly, we can't just walk through other countries' territory as we please, can we?
Yes.

　That's right.

(If it's bad, it's a war thing.)

　If we don't get permission first, everyone in the 'Fifth Pioneer Group' is in danger.

　General Roberto let out a breath.

''But it's more than I thought it would be.
Well.

　Mr. Kilt nodded.

　The two adults stared at the night sky.

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

　Indeed, that might be true.

　The Toluga Empire, which was so close to defeating the ancient Thanatos magic dynasty.

　A disaster caused by a demon 400 years ago.　

　Even though their national power has waned, they are still a superpower that rules the continent.

　And the existence of the 'God People' who are thought to be the 'Demon Blood People'.

(.........too much information.)

　Mr. Kilt holds his silver hair in one hand as it flutters in the wind.

　She exhales.

Well, it doesn't matter what you think. The party is still going on. Let us enjoy a little sake for now.

　I laughed.

　General Roberto looked dumbfounded.

'Kirto Amandes, you, this guy...'
What, you don't like it?

　The General let out a sigh and then

Well no. I'm going to have a drink tonight.

　He smiles so bitterly.

　Mr. Kilto patted General Roberto's back and they walked to the back square.

　As I was watching them, Mr. Kilto turned around.

'What's up, Marl?　Let's go.

　He smiled at me.

　I nodded yes and followed the two of them.

　After a night of knowing so much, we decided to indulge in a little more of the party.