The day after we finished our 'meeting' with Minerva, we spent the night in the dungeon last night, and we were in a square in a section of the Dames Aldan 'city center'. I was looking at the bulletin board installed in a corner of it.

''Nito-sama, of course, there is no carriage to the Demon Kingdom. So I think we'll have to head through some town or country anyway.

　Sufilia, who knows a lot about geography, would say that, so there is no doubt about it.
　I was looking for the shortest route to get to the Demon Country from here, but apparently the Demon Country was even further away now that I've come to Dames Aldan.
　As for the route, they would pass from the Fischanatica School of Witchcraft and Wizardry through the town of Mira near Grayberg, which had become the Holy Land, and from there they would pass through the Great Forest. This seems to be the most efficient way to get there.

''Even so, I didn't think the nearest country was only Greberg.

　The Demon Kingdom is the territory ruled by the Demon King called the Demon Kingdom Territory. The Demon Kingdom means the area that was developed based on the Demon King's castle that is scattered throughout the area. All of the demon kingdoms, including the large forest, are also demon kingdoms, and the territories governed by the three demon kings are different, and the only way to find out more about them is to ask the demon king himself. Now that Cassandra is dead, there are two people ruling the current demon kingdom.

　It seems that Toa, who has rarely ventured outside the castle since he was a child, doesn't seem to be very familiar with the situation in that area, and we are currently lacking in information.
　We don't know where the entrance to the Devil's Land is. There was only Grayberg in the vicinity, and one conclusion had been reached that we still had no choice but to go to that country.

''Even if I say closest, the Demon Country territory is vast, and it's quite far away from Grayberg, especially since there's no necessity to go through the town of Mira, so we'll have to start from a little bit farther away, but how about the Detourite Republic?　It's a big country, and industry is thriving enough to provide most of what is needed for the situation, and merchants come and go frequently. And while it's not as big as Dames Aldan, it's a relatively peaceful country, so I thought it would be safer to head to the demon country than through Mira.

Detritus....

　Come to think of it, I met one of them at the main gate of the school. As I recall, this country was also part of the 'Eightfold King'.

'Detritus, but if it's a 'Republic', does it have no king?

The Detritus Republic is made up of 13 districts, each with its own head of state and 13 representatives to govern them. But the head of the Detritus District, known as the Queen, is Sylvia Detritus.

Alias?　So she's not really a queen then?

　All three of us met this person, including me, once, and I'm sure Toa would remember about Sylvia, too.

''Is this the woman you saw in front of the school?''

　Apparently, Nem remembers it too.

'Yes, she's the 'Queen'. But as I explained, it's an alias, and she's really just one of the heads of state, which means that the thirteen representatives are all equal in rank. But there is a faction in this country called the Purebloods, and the majority of the people believe that the Detritus is the true king.

"So you're saying that Sylvia is being made into that 'queen' by the will of the people?

The will of the people is a little different, but it means that the idea of worshipping the Detritus is ingrained in them.

　This was in Heilkwaite. Once, during a break between school matches, I wasn't particularly curious about it, but I looked through the list of investors. What I found there were the names of the 'Eightfold King', excluding Artemias. And the Detrulite Republic, but it was written there as a matter of course, 'Queen Sylvia-Detrulite'. I lightly tucked it away in my knowledge that a woman was naturally the king.
　But if we are a republic in the first place, then a queen is strange. Such arrogance may be possible on top of an autocratic government, but would a stone openly profess to be 'queen'?　The answer is that it's an alias. Sufilia's explanation made it clear.

'But then again, thirteen plots and thirteen heads, right?　And the representative of the purebloods, Queen Sylvia. All this makes me think that this is one of the most troublesome countries in the eighteenth century, don't you think?　What is detritus anyway?　Is it that revered?

What are you talking about, Nito?

　Then a question mark appeared on Toa's face, and he answered my question.

'Isn't the name of the great merchant from the Age of Creation, the Detritus?　Didn't you learn that in class?

　Big merchants?

A Detrulite is a great merchant who found Adams, the founding mage. Later, the Kingdom of the Detrulites was born, a kingdom that was once an exile, but later adopted a republic and was rebuilt as the 'Detrulite Republic'.

　Sufilia's answer is really straightforward, and I agree with it at once. But when I try to remember, I can't. Was there ever such a lesson?　It's my habit of not hearing anything that doesn't interest me at all.

'So, you mean, they're worshipped because they're descendants associated with Adams?

That's how deep the history is.

Okay, well, that's okay. So you're saying it's best to go through that messy country?

'Whether it is best or not is a delicate question, but I think this is better than going to Grayberg. Detlelight would have carriages out, and we can take a carriage to the front of the great forest.

　It seems that in Mira, everything is on foot. The reason for this is that the people in that vicinity basically don't even want to get close to the forest of Mira in the first place. Even the adventurers don't step into the innermost part of the forest. That's how much the demon race is feared.
　The former king, Johannes Greiberg, who started a war with such a thing, can be called a foolish king.

Toyohou's Castle is located on top of a hill that offers a panoramic view of the country, and the main gate can be seen from this square as well.
　Today is also quiet in front of the main gate. Schneizel, who left the country yesterday, has not returned yet. Naturally or not, we don't know how long it will take to get to Pasquantin. Probably he won't get there in a day or two.
　Is my eyes, which can tell even at this distance, crazy?　No, this country is that quiet. Peace, I suppose. But I still prefer Radshausen before the attack by the Empire. There was a comfort of 'normal' in that country other than peace. The fact that only a small number of people, even the guards, knew of the White King's Knights, a unit directly under the king, was rare, but that was more proof of peace than anything else. That was in the past, but I'd like to build a country like that, too.

　Then I heard a noisy voice that ruined such tranquility. It's the border of the hall and the alleyway. There I saw a crowd of people there. Apparently there was something going on.

''What is it?''

I don't know.

　I answered "I don't know" to Nem's question, but I'm beginning to know what it is, if anything. A crowd is surrounding the 《something》. And right in the middle of it, I can feel the magic power. But it's a terribly vague and weak magic power.

''Isn't there a person falling down?''

　Then Nem said, "Nah," and by the time I replied that, he knew something about the same thing.
　Sufilia looked at the crowd for a moment, but her gaze had already turned to the bulletin board where the time of the carriage was marked.
　At that time, the Toa who was next to her, for some reason with a peeping step, slowly moved towards that crowd step by step.

'Toa?'

　I don't know if he can hear me or not, but Toa just slowly approaches, seemingly transfixed by the sight.

'What's going on, Toa?'

Wait a minute, this magical power...

　Toa finally responded at the sound of Nem's voice, but magic?　What are you talking about?　Did he sense the magic of someone who knew?　The Toa walked straight into the crowd.

'Master Nito, in a little while there will be a carriage for the Detourites, would you like to make a reservation?'

Sufilia, hold on a second.

Yes.

　I head into the crowd as well, answering the Sufilia who is checking the time. The crowd of people that had been frozen together began to move slowly, because the spacing created a full view. The Toa crouches down in some sort of crouch, shaking the shoulder of someone lying on the ground and calling out to them.

'Toa?'

　I lightly walked through the crowd to the front of the Toa, and there, lying on the ground, was a woman with brown cat ears. Her long, straight hair is also brown, and she's wearing a robe of mediocre earthy color.
　There's a bit of a commotion going on, but as it stands, it's Toa who's at the center of it all. For some reason, I tried to gently tap Toa on the shoulder, hiding from the public eye.

"Lisa...

　Then the muttering Toa. My hand stopped reflexively.

'Lisa?　What do you mean?　Do you know Toa?

　A brown cat tribe that has lost consciousness. She seems to be an acquaintance of Toa.
　But to the Toa who was holed up in the castle, this is, let's say, the outside world. Do they have an acquaintance in the Toa?　The castle, if there is one... hmm?　So that means.........

'Lisa!　Snap out of it!　Me?　It's Tor?!

　The impatience on Toa's face. And I detected emotions like happiness and sadness and nostalgia. By the way, was it good to shake the body when caring for someone who was unconscious?　I don't know, I don't have the experience, but Toa grabbed my shoulder and shook it lightly.

'Lisa!'

　At the sound of Toa's voice, people have gathered again. Sufilia and Nem are also peeking at us from outside the crowd.
　It's time for us to leave this place. I apply healing magic to the unconscious beastmen in an attempt to calm the Toa as much as possible.

''Nito........''

He'll be fine. He's breathing, right?

Yes.

So he should be awake soon. Why don't we get out of here for now?　I'll carry that person on my back.

Please. You're my friend.

　Friends?

Yeah, I'm on it.

　What do you mean?　You had a friend?　Toa?　But Toa himself seemed confused, not knowing why the "friend" was here.
　But now is not the time to be worried.
　The only person who hears about this little ruckus is this country's guards, but I just killed the king's son, and the time to be blamed for a problem of this magnitude passed long ago.
　However, there are probably still many who don't know about Kristoff's murder. Leonardo should be handling it. Let's get out of here before the word gets out about it, and before the guards arrive, wherever they are.

　I carry the beastman up and through the humans, exaggerating my voice with an exaggerated "Excuse me". I guess I could see them, and by the time I was outside the circle, I was joined by Sufilia and then Nem.

''Nito-sama?''

We'll talk later. For now, let's get out of here.

　I told Sufilia and Nem and we left the square.