Turkia, who was participating in the party, was dressed in her national costume.

　The usual vivacious atmosphere disappears, and combined with the beautiful night scene that spreads out, it looks very mysterious.

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

　I stared at the figure.

　Torchia laughed, a little embarrassed.

　Then he takes his gaze away from me.

I, His Majesty Ameldaus, 'Can't I stay in the Imperial City? I'm going to invite you in.

　He told me that as he looked at the night view.

　I was amazed.

'Really?'

　Because it's really amazing to be invited in person by the one who rules one country.

　She nodded, "Un.

　The reason why Turkia was invited is because she can speak the common language of Albac.

　In the future, once diplomatic relations with the Shumuria Kingdom begin, there will be a need for many people like her who can speak the language of the two countries.

　They want Turkia to be a teacher to nurture those people.

''That's great,''

　I was frankly impressed.

　Torchia looked a little embarrassed.

Arigato.

　He smiled.

　Then she stared again at the night view of the Imperial City of Leda.

It's me," she said. When I left the village, I thought it was going to be a great thing," she said.
..........

　Muttering, Turkia exhaled.

　And.

It's a big world out there.

　He smiled as he looked ahead.

'Yes.'

　I laughed too.

(Oh, yeah.)

　With one thought in mind, I took off the jacket I was wearing.

　It was a red jacket embroidered with the goddess Shrean, an outfit provided by the Kingdom of Shumuria.

　I offered it to Turkia.

'Here, take it.'
What?

　Turkia is surprised.

　Then she seems to realize what it means.

　Thirty years ago, Jess, one of the members of the "Third Settlers", was saved by Turkia's grandfather, Mr. Mohaini, and I thought I would imitate him and send Turkia the red clothes he sent her as a parting gift - a token of our friendship.

　Her hand receives the jacket.

"...Arigato, Marl!

　She laughed.

　It was a smile that looked somewhat like she was about to cry.

　But it looked so radiant against the backdrop of the beautiful imperial capital, Leda, at night.

'Yes.'

　I laughed too.

　The friendship between Jess and Mohaini thirty years ago gave birth to our current relationship.

　Without them, we wouldn't have been able to communicate with the people of Toluga, we wouldn't have been able to defeat the Devil's Piece, and we wouldn't have been able to obtain the Divine Spirit Stone.

　It all started with those two people.

　It continued into the current era and tied our friendship together.

　And it will continue to connect us to the times to come.

　Thinking of the future where the people of the Tolga Empire and the Kingdom of Shumuria will be able to interact with each other on good terms, Turkia and I have been talking forever from our balcony with a beautiful night view.


　◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇


　The next day, we, the Fifth Settlers, left the imperial capital of Leda, escorted by the Tolga Army led by the Heroic Pardewan.

　A fleet of 100 wooden boats passed through the city gates.

　The people of the imperial capital also cheered as they saw us off.

''Mataaneeee!''

　From the top of the ramparts came the voice of Torchia.

　I looked up, and there, along with His Majesty Ameldas and the warriors of his guards, was Turkia, standing to see him off.

　We on the ship waved back, too.

'See you later, Torchia!

　Sending out the best he could.

　As it was, the wooden ship continued on, and soon, the big city, the center of the Toluga Empire, was getting further and further away.

　After ten days from there, they reached the forest in the northern part of the continent.

　On the way there, they were attacked by the Black Monkeys, but they were quickly defeated by the Toluga Warriors, including Mr. Pardewan.

'It was an easy way home.

　Mr. Kirto laughed at that.

　Oh yes, I heard that a letter written by Her Majesty the Empress herself was sent to Mr. Mohaini.

　In it, she also wrote about the future of Turkia.

　She must have been surprised by the suddenness of the letter, but it doesn't mean that they will be separated forever.

(Turkia also talks about wanting to invite Mohaini to the imperial capital in the future.

　We also wanted to go and say hello in person, but it would be quite a long way, so we had to give up.

　It's already been nearly four months since we arrived in the Dark Continent.

I'm also worried about the movements of the 'Children of Darkness', and now that I've reached my goal, I can't relax too much, I can't take it easy.

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

　Still, I looked at the sky in the direction of the Gravedigger's Village and bowed my head deeply.

　And then I proceeded through the forest for another five days.

(Ah.........)

　We finally made it back to the beach where we landed on the Dark Continent.


　◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇.


　We, the 152 surviving pioneer group members, boarded four 'pioneer ships'.

Again.
"Wegaster.

　The two 'heroes', Mr. Kirt and Mr. Pardoin, shake hands with each other.

　They speak different languages, but their hearts are in sync with each other.

　Eventually we all boarded the ship and the four huge 'pioneer ships' slowly rowed out into the open sea, bouncing off the waves on the beach in white.

　On the sandy shore, the Toluuga Warriors are standing on the beach to see them off.

"Aulalaaaa!

　They howled.

　It was a yell to send off our precious 'friends'.

　We, too, were waving our hands wide and shouting back.

　Royal knights, dragon knights, temple knights, and adventurers all responded to the Toluga warriors they fought with.

　I was glad to see that scene.

　It gave me a sense of the future of both countries.

　Their image, and that of the continent, is slowly fading away.

　It has been 40 years since it was discovered.

　A great empire had been built in the unknown land previously known as the Dark Continent.

　We are going to tell the people of the Kingdom of Shumuria about it.

...

　I can picture the faces of the people I've met here.

　Mr. Kilt, Solstice, and Poe, too, are staring at the distant continent.

'Merle.'

　Ms. Illtimina called me gently.

　Cue.

　She squeezes my hand.

　I squeezed her fingers back hard, too.　

"We'll be back, won't we?

　I ask.

　She nodded emphatically.

'Yes, I'll be sure to make peace.'

　I laughed at the answer.

　Iltimina-san also receives my thoughts with a gentle smile.

　Huw.

　The sea breeze blew through and swept our hair as we cuddled together.

　It flew across the sea, across the shimmering sunlit sky, and far into the land of Toluga.