Four days later, we arrived at a nearby village, left our horses there and walked to our destination.

This is the Rishnal Lake where the demon came from. Right now the tide is low and the water level is low.

　Guided by Mr. Goulet and his friends, we came to a lake located some distance from the beach.
　Trees whose roots were visible here and there from the water's surface made visibility difficult, and the muddy ground was peeking out like a road.

　Does the ebb tide mean that this lake is connected to the ocean?
　There wouldn't be any way to walk in normal conditions.
　I didn't know they were going to come for the time of the ebb tide, but they thought that far ahead and scheduled our departure time.
　As expected of a B-ranked adventurer, it's dependable.

It seems like there's something going on here. I don't want to move through this.

'There are still more places to walk at the moment. We've been here to explore many times, so feel free to follow me.

There's no point in being an adventurer if you can't handle it, little girl.

Mmm, you don't have to tell me every time.

　Esther puffs out her cheeks and looks dissatisfied when Mars-san says it with a laugh.
　I've never been to a place like the swamp much before.
　She looked a little uncomfortable when she went to defeat the Frogman, and she doesn't seem to be good at these places.

''Even so, it's a large forest.......a lake. It's going to be a pain in the ass if we have to explore this place.''

Isn't there anything that stands out?　For example, a shrine to a guardian deity.

No, it's not.

　Whoa, Mr. Kruse, who didn't talk much while accompanying me, answered me!
　Could this be the guy from Sevalia?
　I'm not affiliated with the temple, so it doesn't seem detailed, but from what I've explored, it sounds like there's no shrine here.
　If that's the case, I'm wondering why the Diabolus was around here... again, it's not a trap, is it?
　Despite these doubts, I quickly followed Gret and the others to start exploring this place.

'Me and Azelly will take the lead, so you guys follow behind. Mages and priests, don't get too close to the waterfront.

"This is a crocodile habitat. Be careful when you get too close to them, they can be very dangerous.

''I understand. To some extent, I can locate the demons too, so I'll let you know when they get closer.

What, you even know the location of the monsters in the water? It's amazing what you can do.

　Mr. Maas complimented me!　...I wonder if it's a compliment?
　I had told them about the demons coming in advance on the map map map before we came here, and maybe that's what made me appreciate it a bit more.

　At first, we just followed Gretto and his friends to see their movements, but before that, Esther began to consult with Mr. Weil.

''Who should do more supportive magic, Uncle or me?''

'Then I'll ask the little girl to do it for me. I'd like to see what you can do, too.

I'll take care of it.

'And while you're at it, I'll cast a support spell for you, too.

　Estelle and Sisha cast support magic on all of us one after another.
　After they finish casting their support spells, Marth and Azalea lead us down the muddy road.
　It's a very good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for.
　I'm sure Grette's movements are as smooth as they are accustomed to being in a search.
　We are always ready for Weil and Kruse to come in for backup, and we are always ready to respond immediately if something happens.

　Then we were going on uneventfully for a while, when a red symbol appeared on the map app I was looking at and headed towards Mr. Maas with great vigor.
　I hurriedly shouted to tell him, but Mr. Mars had already jumped away from the water's edge.

'Get away!　It's coming!

　Mr. Marth's shout made all of Mr. Goulet and the others ready for battle.
　As I was getting ready to see what we would find, a huge green crocodile appeared from the water.
　I was getting used to it, but as usual, it was at least 4 or 5 meters long.

"Ooh, I didn't know you could figure it out before I told you. Mr. Mars, that's awesome.

'It's not surprising. If the demons only come from the water's edge, then that's where I'll just be careful. Well, I'm sure you have good instincts that are appropriate for a B-rank.

　As he says, Mars is a man of ability.
　So that's why he's entrusted with the lead.

　Mr. Maas headed toward the giant crocodile without fear and slid aside at unseen speed to unleash a kick to the side.
　The crocodile bent its body into a sideways crouch and blasted off, rolling in a rumble on the muddy ground.
　When it stopped, Azery slashed at it with his dagger, and Kruse launched more arrows at it.
　The crocodile tries to get poised and move, but its movements are slow, and before it can move, Mr. Maas approaches and slams his fist into it with more.
　Mars-san's attacks are particularly intense, so intense that with each one, the crocodile's huge body is lifted into the air.
　

------.
Species: Crocodilus
　Level: 50
　HP: 6500
　MP:0
　Attack Power:1600
　Defensive Power:900
　Agility:85
　Magic Resistance:20
　Inherent Ability None
　Skills Death Roll
------

　When the crocodile went limp and stopped moving after being battered by Mars-san and the others, Weil-san unleashed a fire spell as if to stop it.
　It was about as big as a teacher at the Listeria Academy used, but when it landed, the crocodile turned into a particle of light and disappeared.
　There wasn't even time for us to get our hands on it after all. It's not safe to help out and disrupt the coordination, so we should just wait and see until we get used to it, right?

I'm sorry to leave it to you.

'No, it's fine, but...'

What's going on?

　Mr. Goulet put his hand to his chin and tilted his head.
　Marth, Azery and the others have returned, but they all look puzzled.
　Was there something funny about the current battle?

'Even with the supportive magic we've been given, aren't we getting too powerful?　And Mars's kick was crazy, too.

'Oh, yeah, I didn't think you'd blow it up like that, no matter how much it cost. I thought you were a little girl, but you're awesome.

It's nothing to worry about. Besides, supportive magic is just a bonus.

As an added bonus...

'I've underestimated you and your daughter, but it seems you're not just a mage...'

　Oh, is that what you mean?
　The enhanced Esther's support magic is great, but me and Nol's buffs are on all of us. The 65% increase in attack and defense power isn't impressive.
　You were pretty surprised when you fought with Dius and the others, too.

　Despite the commotion, I continued to explore the lake for a while, but I didn't find anything in particular.

I'm not seeing anything unusual at the moment. Is it just a coincidence that we passed through here after all?

'I don't know ... this place looks pretty big too, so it's going to be hard to find anything, if anything.

　I've gotten around some and the map app has filled up reasonably well, but this lake is pretty big.
　It is hard to see what's ahead in the growing trees, and moving around is a challenge because there are only a few places to advance.
　It seems the only time we can explore is when the tide is low, so we can't go too far back.
　Originally I was going to spend a few days investigating, but I don't think I could find anything even if I used all the days.
　When I was pondering whether I should continue to search in the dark, Esther made a suggestion.

I've been thinking about the center of the lake if you want to check it out.　They're flying demons, so they could have planted something where they normally shouldn't.

'That demon is pretty nasty, you know. Even in Queles, it was deep in the forest, so is it possible that it's doing something here where you can't walk to it?

　Surely it's always a good idea to check the center first in a place like this?
　And considering the way Diabolus has been doing things up to now, there's a good chance he's doing something in such a difficult place to get to.
　Gret, who was listening to our conversation, joined the conversation.

Even so, it's not safe to go to the center of Rishnal Lake. We might be able to find a way to get there if we look for it at low tide, but even if we can get there, I don't know if we can get back while the water is receding.

We're going by boat, but there's crocodiles all over the place. A boat ride is good bait.

　Time is still the bottleneck, isn't it? If the tide comes in while you're exploring, there's nothing you can do about it.
　Crocodilus isn't a threat on the ground, but if you take on them in the water, you won't be able to fight back.
　I'm afraid of taking a boat, or moving through the water with those huge crocodiles.
　I can handle Crocodilus, but if Diabolus tries anything in there, it's too dangerous.
　It would be foolish to willingly cross a dangerous bridge.
　I was wondering if I could somehow get there safely, but........Esther called out to me again.

''Then we can just walk normally, right? Brother, which direction is the center of the lake?

Well, I think it's over there.

　I've figured out the terrain to some extent with the map app, so I have a general idea of the direction of the center.
　When I pointed in that direction, Estelle held up her staff with a yellow grimoire in her hand.
　What, wait, what are you planning to do, Esther-san!

Yes!

　When I boldly hit the ground with my stick, the area around me began to vibrate with a gurgling sound.
　Gretchen and the others are also in a hurry to find out what's going on, but the ground is rising up out of the lake without regard to them.
　In the blink of an eye, a path more than twice as tall as I am was created, stretching out toward the center of the lake.

We can now walk to the center of the lake without going underwater. I've even packed up some mud to make it easier to walk on.

He's started to do something terrible again...

'I knew it the last time I saw it, but the magic is going to be awesome we have to be careful not to get spanked.

　That's right, you should have asked Esther to help you in the beginning!
　Not only is it tall, but it looks like it's almost 10 meters wide. And it extends all the way to the back.
　After using magic up to this point, the person himself is laughing as if he doesn't feel the burden at all.
　It's a good idea to have a good time with them.

　Even those of us who were used to seeing it were surprised by the scene, but even more than that, Grette and the others who saw it for the first time were stunned.

''Oh, come on, no matter how much this is...''

'So this is what a party that does extraordinary things was like...'

Who the hell are you?　I can't believe you're exercising this much magic without chanting!

That's normal. Don't look so surprised.

　Weil-san, who is also a mage, is surprised, but he's more excited than that.
　Even from this person's point of view, Esther's magic seems to be awesome.
　I mean, more than that, hasn't Gulet-san said something that bothers me.......do they think we're a party that does extraordinary things!

　Once we were settled, we decided to follow the path that Esther had made to the center of the lake.
　The crocodilus was wandering around in the middle of the path, but it seems to be impossible to climb it due to the fact that it was made at a right angle to the water. Do not proceed in peace with this.
　The path was cut off after a certain amount of progress, but when Esther poked the ground with her staff again in the same way, the surface of the water was raised and a path was formed.

''You're raising the ground one after another, is your magic power okay?''

''Yes, thanks to the enhancements, it's more efficient and consumes less. And I've stored magic power in these as well.

　Saying that, Esther showed me the silver bracelet on her arm.
　Is it a moon drop? It's an item I got a long time ago, but I guess I've been using it without knowing it.
　Is it because of this that Estelle doesn't run out of magic power?

'It's been a long time since you got that item, how much magic power do you have stored up?

Well, it's over three million.

Three million?　When did you save up so much!

'Often when I'm off and when I get home. I've saved some of it to be wasted on natural recovery. Oh, I'm not doing anything reckless, so don't worry.

Well, thank you for everything.

Yeah, you're welcome.

　I didn't think you had that much saved up.
　Considering that Estelle's MP right now is 6700, it's a tremendous amount.
　I'm really grateful to Estelle for saving up for a situation like this until the day off.
　While thanking Estelle for her usual efforts, we headed for the center of the lake.