There are only a few people in this castle.

　Electra-san is basically in her room.
　Sometimes I see her in the corridors, but she doesn't seem to be out of this castle very often.

　I don't see Lisa-san. There is hardly any sign of her in the castle either.
　It wasn't what Toa had told me, but I didn't even question it there anymore.
　Lisa-san is probably serving in the defense of this country.

　And Lucius-san, but he's the same. He stays in his study.
　He keeps telling Toa to go into town to visit him, but he keeps hiding in his castle.

　However, Toa has been checking on his sister Rosalia's return almost every day.
　Electra's response to that is the same as always. There's nothing in it.

　Nem is playing with Toa.
　Sufilia is holed up in the storeroom. I can tell because of the reaction of the ring.

　And as for me I'm the same way.
　Anyway, ever since I came here, something hasn't been clear in my head.
　Of course it's a good thing for Toa. I know this is good for Toa.
　But I'm wondering if I shouldn't have come somewhere else.

　As I'm wandering around the castle with that thought in mind--

"Masamune, would you like to take a little walk?

Yes?

The Garden.

No, I don't mind, but...

　-- Under a clear, cloudless sky, I was again caught by Lucius-san in an open room next to the garden.
　This man would erase his magic at times.
　There was the usual world mirror by my side.

　I did as I was told and somehow followed him to the garden....

''Are you used to life here?''

Well, yes.

　But it's only been a few days since I've been here.
　We walked through the gardens, passing between the flower beds.

'Sufilia-san is apparently in the archives these days, isn't she?

Sounds like it. He has something to look into.

The princess of Artemias is the maker of the famous Tri-Far. Of course, there is knowledge of magic tools here too. I'm sure she's looking for that. Perhaps that's what she's looking for.

You knew?

What's that?　That she's a princess?　Or being able to make a try-foul?

It's all there.

'I found out after you came here. I can do that, too.

　It's natural since you're the Demon King.

''I thought I should be the Demon King in front of you. So I've decided to go back to my old self.

　Mr. Lucius stopped there. The center of the garden.
　Then he looked around and took a light, deep breath.

''At that time, when we were face to face, I intuitively realized that you have 【Emotional Sensing】. You have an Emotional Sense.......Masamune-kun must have had the same feeling. That's why I was afraid........

Afraid, Lucius?

You'll see. I guess life is the same after all, whether you're a demon race or a demon king. Who wants to see a self-pitying demon king?

'Self-pity... no...'

Come on. Come on.

　I was slowly coming to understand. That this man was going to tell me something today.

　Then I saw a small iron door up the sleeve of the garden that was big enough for one person.
　I just followed Lucius.

　Then I heard Toa's voice from the garden.
　When I turned around, I could see Toa in the distance.
　It seems he's looking for me.

'Toa?　What's the matter with you....

It's useless.

What?

The Toa can't see us now.

I can't see it, but ... toa!　Over here!

　I shouted loudly from there, waving to Toa.
　But Toa didn't seem to notice me at all.
　He kept looking around.
　Even though it's in a corner of the garden, this is a relatively open space.
　I'm sure Toa can see it. There's no way he wouldn't notice.

''It's warded.

Warding?

'The Toa are the only ones in this house who don't notice this place.

....

Follow me. I have something to show you.

　Lucius-san's profile looked forlorn as he said that.
　I would see them from time to time.
　I didn't reply, but left the garden toa behind and followed Lucius.

　And after a short walk, I arrived at a gorgeous place that was different from the garden.
　--a flower garden.
　It was studded with brightly colored flowers, and there was nothing around, and a statue that looked like it was made of stone stood in the middle of the square, which was filled with flowers below.

'There it is. Follow me.

Yes, sir.

　Sius led me to follow him.
　Then I stopped in front of that stone.

''This is........''

This is what you wanted to know.

Is this the Toa? .....

I don't know. Yes, you do. At least the Toa in the middle should know and still remember it well.

What do you mean, the toa in the middle?

You know that already, don't you?　This is what the question you have about the Toa is all about. There is another personality in the Toa.

...other... personalities.

　I looked down at the grave, slowly remembering everything that had happened to Toa since the day I first met him.

'Rosalia, Mr?'

Well this is Rosalia's grave.

....

'But Toa kept waiting for Miss Rosalia to come home...'

I don't remember. I don't remember the Toa. If he didn't, Toa wouldn't have lived.

　Toa waits for her sister, Rosalia-san, to return every day.
　Both Electra-san and Lucius-san respond to that with a definite 'I'll be back tomorrow', as if Rosalia-san were still alive.

''What's that for?''　For what, lying to the Toa....

'I'm trying to keep the Toa from breaking. The memory of that day will destroy Toa's mind. There will be no more.

You remember that day?

　Lucius is silent as he ponders.

'Before I can explain that to you, we need to talk about the fences in this country first. It was a long time ago. The first Demon King Rosef-sama was born in the lake of origin.

　Lucius-san's words, which began to speak abruptly, I listened as I went with the flow.
　All the while, there was a weak feeling of self-deprecation within Lucius.

'I heard that one day, Master Rosev was united with a beastman. His name was Neitzart Oblivious Katharlia, a white cat tribe. The one who would later become the first king of the present Beast Nation.

'Wait, wait a minute!　A demon race is in love with a beastman?

Can't be a surprise, can it?　There's a history to everything.

　Do the people of this country know?

'And after a while, twins were born to those two. They are two demons of different genders, Ursz and Zora. That's why this country is called Urszola. Because the two of them later ruled it. And it has continued until now.

'Then the other demon kingdoms...'

''The demon race has a long life span. After Master Neitzert's death, the next person Master Rosev took as his wife was the serpent people. It was a white serpent man too.

"The snake man...

　Just like Xiaon.

''And between the two of them, a half white snake and half demon king was born. The demon tribe's name is Shah Stein. He was the first Demon King of the current Sha Stein. But soon after Shah Stain was born, and I don't know if this is true or not, but according to the book that Master Rosev left behind, his wife, the White Snake, was eaten by her children when she gave birth.

　It's a story I've heard somewhere....

'After that, Master Rosev took a certain man as his last companion in life as his wife.

Now it's human?

　

That's right. "Yes, he was born to a human named Rag-Pa-Ross, the first demon king of the current Rag Palos. He was the first of the current Laguparos demon king. Have you ever been to the city of Raghu?

'Raghu?　As I recall, it was a rough-and-tumble rest stop, wasn't it?

It is said that a great nation named Raghu once flourished in that land. It is written in the book that Master Rosef met the man in Raghu, and he took the name of that country. He took the name of that country and named it after him.

'Is that how this country began...'

　What a feeling I had, it was like completing a puzzle.

I'm sure you can call it a beginning. It's the beginning of a fence that continues to this day.

　Lucius-san's emotions are weak as he says this.
　Is it this sentiment that the words I showed earlier when I said and showed disdain for myself show?

'My eldest son, Urs and my eldest daughter, Zora, have the blood of the demon race and the white cat race in them. In other words, I also have Neitzart-sama's blood in me. So you and Nem-san are distant relatives.

　I looked at the eyebrow-less demon king in front of me and chuckled a little.
　He was nothing like Nem.

''The two of them were close, there was no separation between them, and it seems that they were both the Demon King of this country until the time of their deaths. How that blood was passed on after that, I don't know.

　It's a slightly chilling story. I decided not to ask any more about it.

'And the second daughter, Shah Stein, was a woman. That's why the present Chastain is a woman's state. That idea has been passed down to the present day. That's why the late Cassandra accepted only women as kings. And his second son, Raghu Pa'roth, took a spare piece of land and built the present Raghu Pa'roth there.

'Fundamentally, why do we have three countries?　We're supposed to be in the same family, even though we're half-brothers...

'Master Shah and Master Raghu did not approve of it. "The Shah and Master Raghu did not approve of it," he said, "though their territorial distribution is not well documented. But Master Raghu in particular refused to allow them to take over. Afterwards, Master Rosev, fearing a conflict, divided the territory into three parts and had each of them reign over it.

I see. That's kind of a....fence, isn't it?

　The country began with a split, and the reason for it was not an accident or a pleasant one.
　It was deeply rooted in the blood of the family.