Chapter 92

The sacred beasts I found by the lake have become my followers.

I decided to call them the Carapace Clan. While they live on the island in the lake, they also help with the fishing in the sea of Ars Island.

Right now, we are in the middle of a feast to welcome them. The Carapace Clan is constantly amazed by everything they see and eat for the first time. They are eating fish and shellfish to their heart's content.

In the midst of this, I was listening to an old tale told by Melber in the square of Ars.

"...And ever since then, no humans came to that island and lake anymore."

After telling this, Melber took a drink from the fountain in the square, as if taking a short break. The water, purified by the sacred tree, has made him drink frequently since earlier.

To summarize Melber's story, it seems that the lake and the island were once objects of human worship. Up until about a thousand years ago, many villages dotted the surrounding area, and people visited on pilgrimages almost daily.

Then one day, smoke rose from all directions, and the next day, people suddenly disappeared...

The period when Selena was turned into a Living Armor and when Ars was attacked by the woman in black also dates back to about a thousand years ago.

Could the people around the lake have been attacked by the woman in black as well?

Selena, who seemed to have the same thought, asked Melber for more details.

"Was it a fire that caused the smoke? Did you see who did it? What were they wearing?"

"I'm sorry, but I don't know that much... However, many people were seen marching north in a line."

"North... Could everyone have fled north?"

Further north, there might be traces of their escape. According to Selena, there was also a city of the Empire in the northeast.

However, I had a question, not so much for the Carapace Clan, but for Selena.

"Selena, in your time, was there any worship of the lake and the island?"

"No... As far as I know, there was no such worship in the Empire."

"I see. Yeah, that makes sense."

The ancient Empire built cities in places that seemed special, such as the peninsula where the capital is located and Ars Island. While it's possible that the island in the lake was a special place, it's certain that the worship of the island was not common.

Elysia nodded and said,

"I have served in the temple for a long time, but I have never heard such stories even now."

"It might be the faith of people other than the Empire. Lahn, do you know anything?"

"When asked by Yurii, Lahn recalled,

"In the East where the Ancestor Dragon lived, there were such legends. A sacred island that should not be stepped upon, for example."

"If someone enters, the gods get angry, right?"

"Yes. Lightning and rocks fall from the sky."

This continent is home to not only the Empire but also many other countries. Some areas that are now part of the Empire were once part of other countries.

Perhaps people other than the Empire once lived in this area.

In the midst of this, Elysia asked Melber,

"By the way, why were you protecting that island? Who set the rule that you should not attack people?"

"That... I only know the legend, but the gods commanded us to prepare for the battle to come on that island. It's like a final stronghold, as you would say."

"A final stronghold, preparing for battle... Is a powerful enemy coming?"

Elysia said with a serious face, and Yurii replied in her usual light tone,

"It's probably just a sermon from the temple. Let's investigate the statue on the island instead. We might be able to make a powerful magical tool!"

"Wait a minute! You're not planning to break it, are you?"

I shook my head at the flustered Melber.

"No, we won't do that. It's important to you, isn't it? Besides, from what I can see, it's just a magical tool."

"Ah, thank you! If it were broken, we might suffer some kind of curse..."

Elysia, standing next to the relieved Melber, said,

"Yurii is really unfaithful."

"Given our hard lives, it's impossible to believe such things. We, the blue-haired clan, only believe in Lord Alex."

"I, I only believe in Lord Alex now too!"

Elysia corrected herself.

As for the gods, from what I can see, it's clear that it's a magical tool.

I had already gone to the location of the statue on the island and investigated it from the outside.

The result was that it is a mithril-made magical tool that collects magical power.

The magic it is imbued with is a holy magic barrier, something Elysia can reproduce.

"Melber mentioned earlier that monsters can't enter, but to be precise, some monsters can enter. However, demons couldn't."

Melber tilted his head.

"You mentioned it earlier, but what do you mean by demons?"

I was taken aback by the question.

Since everyone knows that demons are evil beings, I haven't been asked such a question before.

I tried to clarify it for myself.

"Perhaps I should say... humans who have been consumed by dark magic."

"Hmm, I don't quite understand what you mean by dark magic, but they are different from humans, right?"

"Indeed..."

I have seen humans who have been demonized. They were originally human.

I continued, tilting my head at Melber.

"No, I'm sorry. I might not fully understand it myself."

"Even Lord Alex and his companions don't know everything..."

"There are many things we don't know. Especially about this area. Do you know of any similar places or any companions from the outside world?"

Melber shook his head.

"Our world is just that small lake and island. As I called you a god earlier, Lord Alex, who has brought us out into this vast world, is truly a god to us."

Melber bowed gratefully to me.

Having lived in such a confined space... it reminded me of myself, who used to be confined to a palace. Reflecting on it, Elysia and the other followers were also in similar closed-off situations.

Humans, demons, monsters, sacred beasts... and rats.

It's strange how beings of different races gather in similar ways.

"Melber, stop calling me a god. It's too grand. Thank you for telling me all this."

"Not at all! We will serve Lord Alex with all our hearts! Please give us fish as a reward!"

"Still fish, huh..."

Yurii said with a grimace.

Even after hearing Melber's story, we couldn't grasp the full picture of what happened in Tiars.

However, we learned that the people headed north.

I turned to Selena and said,

"There might be traces of the people who lived in Tiars."

Selena nodded.

"Yes. There should have been another city of the Empire there, after Ars. There must be some clues left."

"Right... Tomorrow, let's return to that road and head northeast."

The next day, we returned to the exploration of Tiars.