GalaxyTL
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The demon realm Kaise Forest that Emi currently wanders through can be divided into three areas: the outer perimeter, the middle layer, and the deepest section.
This classification was supposedly created around a thousand years ago by a renowned explorer named Dorantos when he explored the Kaise Forest, based on the distribution of the resident monsters.
Incidentally, this Dorantos received divine revelations…or rather, commissions from multiple gods, and established the first Adventurer’s Guild organization in this world as its inaugural commander.
Furthermore, it is said that he is now deified and active in the heavenly realm as the “Adventure God.”
<I’ve seen him in isekai broadcasts>, the voice in Emi’s mind informed her with that standard line.
Now then, the outer perimeter is where adventurers normally venture to gather materials and such.
It is rare for adventurers to encroach as far as the middle layer where Emi currently stands.
Even if they could hunt the middle layer’s monsters, transporting those materials back to town would entail tremendous difficulty.
Exploring the demon realm while leading a large party of skilled porters…the risk and cost would not yield sufficient returns.
As for the deepest section, that is quite literally an uncharted territory untrodden by any before.
After all, even the current Adventure God Dorantos, who established this classification system, only explored up to the edges of the middle layer.
He wrote in his book about being unable to venture deeper due to the monsters there being too dangerous, concisely describing the deepest section as “A crazy dangerous place” (literally quoting the original phrasing).
In records, there are no humans who have managed to reach the deepest section.
While the “deepest section” may sound like a relatively narrow area compared to the outer perimeter and middle layer, the truth is that even the approximate scale of this region remains unknown.
Now, as for Emi herself.
Her reason for entering the demon realm was “to distance herself from humans” – a rather sentimental reason unbecoming of a young girl, though fitting for her. She had no intention of “conquering the uncharted demon realm” or anything like that.
The demon realm is filled with dangers.
Just yesterday, according to the voice in her mind, she had narrowly avoided being killed by some deer monster called a “Sword-Fighting Deer” (though she took the opportunity to devour its meat).
Honestly, it wouldn’t be strange if Emi contemplated escaping from the demon realm at this point.
The daily life-or-death battles have allowed her to grow considerably.
Hasn’t she had enough already?
Her aversion toward humans has mostly subsided.
Now, she longs for human company more than anything.
She wants to leave the demon realm and rest.
Emi glanced down at her current attire and appearance.
The clothes Baron Martz had given her were tattered beyond rags, so she had used them as kindling.
All that remained was a black elbow-length undershirt woven with magic, or so she was told.
……Could she really be accepted back into human society dressed like this?
A pang of unease surfaced, but she decided not to dwell on such minor details.
In any case, Emi had resolved to depart from the forest.
Conveniently situated before her was the Serengi Great Ravine.
According to the voice in her mind, the Jacoby River flowing along the ravine’s bottom was one of the headwater sources for the great river traversing the southwestern region of this continent…the Hamejika Continent. Following along this ravine would inevitably lead her to human civilization eventually.
“……Let’s go back.”
Turning her back on the forest’s deepest section, she began walking along the ravine.
Toward the human world.
<<<How boring, isn’t it?>>>
The next instant, that voice resounded in Emi’s mind.
Not the familiar female voice she always heard.
A low, stern male voice.
Simultaneously, her surroundings abruptly darkened.
Something massive had blocked out the sunlight, casting a shadow over her.
Instinctively, she glanced upward.
What she saw there.
What hovered there could be simply described as a winged, lizard-like creature.
However, its size was abnormal.
Its body was so immense, it seemed to blot out the very sky itself.
And that body was painted entirely in a jet-black hue reminiscent of night.
……The Black Dragon.
The stunned voice in Emi’s mind murmured that name.
Its golden eyes shining like stars in the night sky gazed directly at Emi.