While Clarice and I were waiting at the front gate, a carriage came along.
　The familiar carriage stopped in front of us.
　The door of the carriage opened.

"Here you are, sir.

　Makina-san, who had made a face, said as she held back her hair, which was about to be scattered by the wind.

'Come on, get in,'

　We get into the carriage and I sit down alongside Clarice.
　On the opposite side of the table is Makina-san.

　The carriage starts to move.

I'm looking forward to it. What in the world is waiting for us?

　Clarice-san is in a state of wooziness like a child going on a field trip.
　With a wry smile on my face, I called out to Makina-san, saying that she was really looking forward to it.

I'm sorry, Makina-san.
Hmm?
Thank you for what you've done with Mr. Currier.
Don't mind me. I have something to gain. I wouldn't have done it if I had her help.
But it's causing you to work a lot more, and it's making you physically and mentally tired...?

　A jittery stare flew across the room.

'Mia, right?'
Oh, no...
You don't have to hide it. She's very sensitive about those things.

　Makina-san drops her breath.

'I don't like to be bothered, but I have to do what I have to do because of my position. The world would be a much easier place if we could get through everything with the hassle.

　Hmph, Makina sniffed sarcastically.

''If there's anything I can help you with, please let me know, okay?
Well, maybe next time I'll let you relax my body?

　Relaxing the body?
　Is that a massage?

Yeah, well I don't know if I'll ever get it right.
Good.

　Hmm.
　Is your shoulder tight, too?

And....

　Makina-san looks up at me, as if she has difficulty in starting the conversation.

''About the other morning,''
You mean the other morning?

　Ah.
　Could it be ... the Forbidden King's dream(?)? I guess that was the day I saw the

'I wasn't really verbal at the time, and besides, I walked right into the house and I'm kind of sorry...'
That's not a problem.

　Hmm?
　I'm kind of crisp.

'No, it's still nothing.......we can talk about this some other time.

　So Ms. Makina broke off the conversation.
　She indicated by her attitude that the matter was over now.
　It couldn't be helped, so I didn't touch the subject any further either.

　After a while, the conversation in the carriage ceased.
　The air was not uncomfortable, though.
　It's an air of rest.
　Clarice-san was looking out the window with a heart-pounding expression while playing with the ends of her pigtails.

　Furthermore, after a while, Makina-san let out a single, cute lack of expression with a wow.
　Then she leaned over to the window and began to gaze vaguely at the scenery outside.
　And when the carriage came to the end of the slope, Makina-san began to breathe heavily in her sleep.

　She must be tired after all.
　I put my hand over my mouth and whispered to Clarice, "I feel sorry for you.

It's too bad we can't wake her up. Let's be quiet until we arrive.
I understand.

　So we waited in silence for our arrival at the Grand Clock Tower, feeling the vibrations through our seats.

　　　　　　　　　　*

The cryptic altar?

　A middle-aged man with glasses scratched his head and said.

'Yes. 'I just wanted to check something for you.'

　The Great Clock Tower rises near the center of King's Landing.
　We're in it now.

　As soon as she arrived, Makina woke up with a flash, got off the carriage, and led the way into the tower.
　Clarice and I followed her through the entrance and went inside.
　The clock tower was made of stone, and as soon as we stepped inside, we could smell the distinctly old-fashioned smell of it.
　On the first floor, there was a space that looked like an office, and a middle-aged man came out from there and greeted Makina-san.

　The middle-aged man looked at me and Mr. Clarice in turn.
　And then his gaze stopped at Clarice-san.

''Ah, I see. You like to look up that example........''

　Makina folded her arms and nodded.

'That's what I mean,'

　The man seemed to know Miss Clarice.
　Furthermore, he seems to have been very impressed with her.
　So much so that he could immediately guess the requirements by looking at her face.

''I need permission from someone from the Holy Royal Family to enter that altar, though.
'I'll try not to bother you guys. If you insist, I'll wait until later.
Well it's not a problem for you. But I'll need you to fill out some paperwork, though, okay?
Okay.

　Makina turns around.

So can you two wait there for a moment?

　After being told, me and Mr. Clarice stayed where we were.
　Makina-san walks into the office with the man.
　I'm still amazed at her recognition, or rather the strength of her position.

　A staircase at the side of the office suddenly caught her eye.
　The stairs surround the interior of this clock tower and extend upward.
　It seems that the only way to get to the top is via the stairs.
　It's hard work for the clock maintenance people.

　I shook my head and looked up.
　The inside of the clock tower was a vaulted ceiling, and the sound of heavy metal clanking could be heard from above.
　It was strangely powerful.
　I couldn't help but admire the words that escaped my mouth.

''Amazing....''
Are you interested?

　When I looked, Clarice's mouth had a smile and an arc.
　Ah.
　Sheesh.

"Hmmm, this grand clock tower is quite a historical building, isn't it?
You see, Makina-san will be back soon!
The headmaster seems to be having a chat with you.
Machina!

　But the cries for help didn't reach me, and all I could see was Makina-san's figure through the glass, surrounded by the men in the office and conversing with them.
　I'm being offered some kind of drink or snack one after another.
　I mean, what is it, how popular is that!

'Come on!　I will tell you the history of the Great Clock Tower as long as time permits.　To begin with, the Great Clock Tower, the former Holy King--

　In the end, I was lectured by Clarice about the history and structure of the Great Clock Tower until Makina-san came back....

　　　　　　　　　　*.

So this is the crypt.

　I looked around the room, stroking my chin, even though I didn't have a beard, as I turned into the Great Clock Tower Dr. after Miss Clarice's explanation.

　Led by Makina-san, who had returned from her office, we descended the stairs in the corner of the first floor of the Great Clock Tower and went straight down the passageway from there.
　The altar was at the end of that passage, at the end of an open stone door.

　Now we are in the altar room.
　The stone walls surrounding the room are dimly lit.
　The atmosphere would be similar to the inside of the Holy Ruins.
　I'm not sure if this is the case, but considering the fact that the Holy Ruins are spread out underneath this royal capital, can this be considered a room within the Holy Ruins?

''There.
Yeah.

　The place where Makina-san and Clarice-san turned their gaze.
　The altar set up in the back, behind it.
　As Clarice said, there is indeed an old-fashioned door with a shield-like emblem drawn on it.

　To begin with, it seems that it's still unclear what this altar was made for.
　Clarice said that it was found during the construction of the Great Clock Tower, but...''

''Isn't it supposed to be an altar to the holy god Renoussouread?

　I'll throw what Clarice-san taught me earlier to Makina-san as well.

''Yes. That's why we can't take it lightly and it's managed by the Holy Royal Family, but it's just a formality. There's also a physical appearance to the Holy Tree Order. I don't think there's probably a single member of the Holy Royal Family that's interested in the secrets of this altar.

　While saying this, Makina-san walks to the back door with the holy magic sword in her hand that I had given her.
　Clarice-san flippantly follows her while shaking her pigtails.
　I followed her.

　Makina-san stared at the keyhole of the door and put her hand over her mouth.

'Looks like it's the right size...'

　Machina-san presents me with the holy magic sword clutched in her hand.

''I'm pretty sure you got this at the fifth level of the Holy Ruins, right?''
Yeah.

　It was a somewhat unique situation, though.
　Makina-san turns to the keyhole again.

'Well let's try it anyway, shall we?

　And the crystals and jutsu embedded in the holy magic sword begin to emit a light green light.
　Makina-san is pouring the holy element into it.
　Then the holy magic sword was inserted into the keyhole and turned gingerly.

　Then.

　A magic formula emerged on the door.

　The magic formula glowed.
　I held up my hand in the glare.

''Oh, the door...''

　Slowly the door opened.
　And when the door was fully open, the luminescence of the magic formula subsided.

''Ho, it really did open........the door that never opened.......''

　Mr. Clarice was stunned.

'I'm surprised. I didn't know it was really the key to this place--what?

　The tip of Makina-san's gaze.
　When I looked, I saw that the holy magic sword in her hand had turned gray.
　Furthermore - ragged, and.
　The holy magic sword crumbled down like a lump of earth.
　As if it was as if its role was over.
　Makina-san looking down at what was the holy magic sword at her feet.

''Yes, so it's a one-time thing.
Forget about that, look at that!

　Mr. Clarice pointed to the door.
　There was another altar there.
　In addition, the interior of the room was a complete change from this side of the room and had a red-black and disastrous hue.

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

　Oh.
　That's right.
　I thought I'd seen this before and it looks like the room where those blue goblins were huddled together.

'I'll go first, as there might be some danger.

　Machina-san steps out first.
　I stepped into the room, tensing up so that I could invoke the forbidden spell as soon as the need arose.

　The size of the room itself was small.
　It's probably only about six tatami mats.
　The ceiling is not high either.
　I'm sure you'll be able to find some carved pillars and a stone statue of a goddess in this room, but there's only one battered altar.

　We lined up side by side in front of the altar.
　And Clarice, who was the first to take the center position, began to observe the altar.

'Hohoho, this one looks good,'

　A closer look revealed that the altar was carved with carvings reminiscent of a demonic creature.
　Also sitting on top of the altar was a horizontal box, which also appeared to be made of stone.

''Although the coffin ... for a coffin ... it's small,''

　Makina-san, who had been paying attention to her surroundings, finally opened her mouth, probably deciding that there didn't seem to be any danger.
　I also observe the horizontal box again.
　If you come to think of it, it looks like a coffin.

　Hmm.
　I can't find anything that looks like a keyhole.
　If I want to open it, can I open it as it is?

Can I open this?　Isn't that nice?　Right?

　Mr. Clarice asked for permission.
　'Let me open it,' his face insisted, 'and let me open it.

'There may be some kind of trap in the works. 'For once here--'
'Too!　If you die, you will die!

　Despite the fact that Makina-san was in the middle of talking, to my surprise, Clarice-san vigorously lifted the lid of the coffin.

''Hey--''

　Makina-san takes a step back, dumbfounded.
　Meanwhile, Clarice-san's gaze is sewn into the coffin.

''W-what's wrong?　Inside ... what happened?

　Makina was curious about her, too, and when she stepped forward, she stretched her neck to peer at him.
　And.

Hey, there's nothing in it...

　Clarice-san said in a shaky voice.



　It seemed to be very shocking, and Clarice-san's eyes were white.
　She looked so pretty on the outside.......it was a very unfortunate scene.
　I also look into the coffin, slumping my shoulders in a different way than Clarice-san, while looking into the coffin.

''Huh?''

　Then I noticed something.
　Due to being buried in the powder that seems to have come off the back cover, it looks empty at first glance, but there's something underneath -

Wait.

　Apparently, Makina has noticed too.
　She gently puts her hand inside the coffin.
　Then she picks something up.
　The powder, which was covered with a smooth surface, falls down.
　That's when Makina-san blurted out, oh.
　After pondering for a while, she held out the thing she picked up to me.
　Eh?　I point to myself.
　Kokoro, Makina nods.
　I stiffly take it in my hand and check it.
　Eh, uh ... what?

"'I AM GOING TO MAKE A BLESSING...

　......................
　Eh?
　This is--