Archaeological sites adjacent to the lake.

Shea may be in that place that could be described as an abandoned city.

As we headed towards the place, which Rune led us to, we hurried ahead, even more cautious.

 

"This is a city, no matter how you look at it."

"Oh."

 

He nodded at Koga's words as he saw the sight of the ruins in front of him.

A decaying city adjacent to the lake.

We stepped in with increased vigilance, looking at the ruins, which seemed to have suffered some kind of disaster, and where we could see some traces of destruction.

 

"Mr./Ms. Veena, I will focus on sensing the magic around you, so you should step forward and be able to sense widely ahead."

"I understand-"

"And do you see any signs of the devil?"

"No, not at all...... I don't care if you swear at me for being useless, do you?"

 

Ignoring Mr./Ms. Veena who says this with a stain on her cheeks, I try to expand the range of my magic sensing in a circle only around the squad so that I can respond to the attack.

 

"Rune, do you know anything?"

 

Amako, who was concentrating on her clairvoyant magic while riding on Bulllin's back, talks to Rune, who is sitting behind her with her.

Rune tilts his head somewhat confusedly and looks around.

 

"......, I don't know. But I don't feel any sign of a monster at all."

"You said there were demons here too, didn't you?"

"Yes, but I don't. That's funny."

 

…… So, does that mean that something unusual is happening?

 

"Usato"

"Did Mr./Ms. Nagi sense anything?"

"Unfortunately, nothing...... But I don't like it."

"It's a strange situation, me too."

 

There is no certainty.

It's an archaeological site lined with nondescript ruins, but it gives me vague chills.

 

「……」

"......, Nagi, what do you mean by making Mr./Ms. face even harder when you hear that I have a bad premonition?"

"What!? Well, your hunch is right! I mean, I don't think you're going to get involved in a case or anything like that!?"

 

No, it's too much to talk about.

Although I am aware of it.

…… Hmm? Come to think of it, isn't there a nair on your shoulder a while ago?

 

"Wow, the ruins of a settlement of a nation living in the Demon Realm! Elven and demon architecture is used here as well!"

"Look at it, Hannah, there's a big depression in the ground."

"Does this feel like there used to be a waterway running through here? It's interesting."

 

If you look in the direction of the voice, you can see two evil women who are excited while observing the ruins.

 

「…… Ah, Usato."

"Yes, I'll be careful not to squirm."

 

Hannah Mr./Ms. and Nea get excited in front of the historically valuable ruins.

I understand that intellectual curiosity is stimulated, but I want you to have a little more tension.

 

"For now, let's be vigilant and examine the ruins."

"Then we will split into three parts."

"Ah, I'm going to break up with Koga and Nagi Mr./Ms. because I can handle ...... fight."

 

Me (Keira), Amako (Bulllin), Rune, Nea

Koga, Veena Mr./Ms., Wol Mr./Ms., Thane Mr./Ms.

Mr./Ms. Nagi, Mr./Ms. Hannah, Mr./Ms. Nono, Mr./Ms. Elle, Mr./Ms. Kevin

 

Let's say we split into these three teams.

Have them balance their ability to sense and fight, and be aware of the distance they can quickly reach if there is a commotion.

As for my team...... Amako and Keira, who are close in age to Rune, are with me.

 

"Then you guys go."

"Don't get me wrong, I'm not just anyone who swears!"

"Hey Usato, I don't need this, can I do it there?"

"I don't think I need either."

"Wow! You know so much ...... you want!"

 

When he smiles and tells Veena Mr./Ms. who makes troublesome moves, he smiles and begins to convulse.

I don't need it, it's just that I'm the one who senses it, so I just want her to support Koga, who doesn't have the ability to search.

——— is likely to say troublesome things again, so I'll satisfy her by saying things that will make her happy.

 

"Thank you, big Amako Mr./Ms.."

"Guhaha......"

 

…… Somehow, I could see Nagi Mr./Ms. being slapped with a verbal body blow by Hannah Mr./Ms....... yes, I guess it's okay somehow.

Hannah Mr./Ms. is powerful in illusion magic, and Mr./Ms. Nagi is strong.

Even if something happens, you can deal with it stably.

 

●

 

As I explored, I found that this ruin is relatively new...... It's strange, but it seems to be a place that perished about a hundred years ago.

Those who were displaced from their homes were scattered and forced to live their own lives.

The descendants of those scattered people become Rune...... That's Nea's view.

 

"This is my hometown...... Apparently it was."

"Don't you feel it?"

「…… Honesty. My home is in the woods."

 

Rune was looking at the ruins.

Even if you don't feel it, you seem to have a feeling for it, but maybe you don't really understand the feeling.

 

"What would you do if you could meet Shea?"

「…… I don't know. If they're suffering, I want to do something about it."

 

Regardless of dark magic, Rune seems to have a crush on Shea.

I don't know if it's because I'm someone other than my biological parents who I've never met before, but I think it's a different emotion than obsession.

 

"I guess you and Shea are friends."

"Friends? My mother taught me the language."

"How did you learn me?"

 

In response to Amako's question, Rune looks forward as if in thought.

 

"It's fun to be with and I feel safe ...... you're with."

"You were a kind mother Mr./Ms. weren't you......

 

At Keira's muttering, I turn my attention to the cloak she is in.

Keira's parents tried to trick her into falling prey to the demons.

Knowing this, I try to casually care for her, but Keira replies in her cloak, "I'm fine."

 

"I have Gref...... There's Mr./Ms. Usato.'

 

That's why I want to ask you, is that it?

Am I seen as an older brother or a reliable uncle Mr./Ms.?

 

"Shea is just like me, I'm alone."

"Then you have to stay with me."

「…… yes."

 

Rune nodded.

He's an honest child. Maybe that's why Shea was able to be with me with peace of mind.

Well.......

 

"Nea, did you notice anything?"

"There were several."

 

Nea, who had been observing the city from the sky earlier, descends on my shoulder.

 

"The first thing to think about is what kind of disaster has befallen you."

"A monster attack? It's not impossible here, is it?"

"No, it's unlikely to be a monster."

 

Eh, is it low?

I tilt my head and Amako and Nea points towards the edge of this ruined city.

 

"There's a lot of decay over there, but there's a remnant of a stone pillar and a wall, right?"

"Hmm? Oh, that's for sure."

"It's not inside the city, it's on the outside, not just part of it, but most of it."

 

…… Oh I see.

 

"If it was attacked and destroyed by a demon, the wall should have fallen inward or been destroyed."

"Yes, and...... Usato, rise to the sky."

 

Does that mean you can fly?

 

"Okay, Bullin, I'll ask for a little Amako and Rune."

"Gua!!"

 

Leave the ground to Bulllin and fly through the air with the abilities of the cloak.

When it reaches a certain height, Nea puts a stop on it.

Below, the city is lined with decaying ruins.

 

"Okay, Usato, Kira, look at the destruction of the ruins and the remnants of the outer walls and stone pillars I just described."

"Hmmm...... Is there something wrong with that?'

 

He does as Nea tells him to do, looking down at the ruined city from the sky.

A city with no trees and white decaying ruins.

Most of the outer walls, which would have been built high to prevent monsters, were destroyed...... Hmm?

 

"Is the destruction coming from one direction?"

"Oh, sure, all the fallen buildings and the rubble of the broken ones are falling in the same direction!"

"That's what I mean."

 

If you look in the opposite direction, you will see a large lake.

Does that mean that the lake flooded and swallowed up the city for a while?

That's an explanation, but .......

No, wait.

If you look closely, the shape of this city is unnatural, isn't it?

It's more like a ...... than adjacent to a lake.

 

"Half sunk?"

"Did you notice?"

「…… Let's check it out below."

 

Once he understands, he descends to the ground and joins Amako and the others to the lake side of the city.

 

"This is the borderline."

"It's deteriorated over time, but it looks like half of the city has been submerged in a lake."

 

Amako nods when she sees the decaying ruins that seem to crumble in half between the lake and the city.

…… The water looks clean, but it's quite deep.

 

"It's like a city submerged in a lake, and it's becoming an occult story like a phantom city ......."

 

I would have been excited if the power of demons and demon lords hadn't been involved, but that's not the case.

Rather, I would like to show this situation full of mystery and romance to my seniors.

 

"The problem is that there is nothing in the ruins at the moment."

"I'm sure there's something to it...... Usato, don't you feel anything?"

 

Well let's see.......

Groaning at Nea's words, she speaks her honest feelings.

 

"I have a bad feeling."

"There's something, this."

"There's definitely something there."

"I have to brace myself......

"Gua!!"

 

So don't be scared as soon as you feel a bad feeling about me.

Rune is obediently drawn to Amako's reaction.

 

"Anyway, let's meet up with everyone and share information first."

"Yes, I do."

 

Koga and Mr./Ms. Nagi may have found something, too.

For now, let's share the information and then prepare for camp.

 

●

 

We tried to share information, but there were no significant results other than the information about the city that we found.

As a result, the city itself was nothing more than a decaying ruin.

It would have been a place of tremendous historical value for archaeologists, but it had nothing to do with the power of the Demon King or where Sia was going.

 

"So, why don't you dive in for the time being?"

"Okay, let's go with that."

"I don't think so."

 

Mr./Ms. Nagi stops me as I raise my index finger to agree with Koga's proposal.

Koga and I protest against this very honestly.

 

"No, no, Mr./Ms. Kannagi, we have to start investigating this suspicious lake for the time being."

"Koga is right, don't worry, I'm good at holding my breath as part of my training."

"That's not the problem, is it?! …… I don't know what's in the lake. What if there is a large demon or demon trap?"

 

Certainly, there is a point in what Mr./Ms. Nagi says.

But what to do?

Even if you continue to look at the lake, the situation will not change.

Well, as I was thinking about it, Nea raised her wings.

 

"Then why don't we wrap Usato around him with a rope or something and throw him into the lake? If it looks dangerous, you can just pull it up with a kannagi and a koga."

"It's not good, is it?!"

「…… I see."

"Usato isn't convinced!!"

 

The rope can be made by combining Koga's dark magic, and the oxygen problem may be solved by Kira's dark magic.

I was worried about the unexpected proposal, but Mr./Ms. Nagi stopped me half-crying, so I rejected it.

 

"If that's the case, I ...... a way to dive Koga's alter ego and use it as a pseudo-bait."

"It's going to be my alter ego, it's going to be a weapon, so if you want to do it, you can take the form of a fish, right?"

 

"Koga-kun, you've completely cut this off, haven't you?"

"I guess dark magic is going to change in places like this."

 

Nea and Mr./Ms. are saying something, but for now, let's have Koga's alter ego scout.

If something bites, there will be a harvest, and if not, you can dive with safety confirmed.

With that in mind, we immediately set out to prepare to investigate the lake———、

 

"Whew!!"

"Amako?"

 

Without warning, Amako, who was nearby, jumped on my back as if jumping off the bulllin.

Rather than being confused by her vigorously clinging to her neck, she senses that something abnormal has happened.

 

"Nea, the magic of resistance to demonic magic!"

 

Amako's voice clinging to me.

Immediately after that, I sensed some kind of magical interference in my magic sense.

 

"Mr./Ms. Usato! It's the magic of the devil!!"

 

At the same time as Mr./Ms.'s voice, which was a little late, the magic of dense stagnant colors overflowed around her.

The men who were not immune to the thick demonic magic scowled and knelt on the ground.

The demonic magic that deceives and paralyzes people's minds.

It gushed out from somewhere in the city and surrounded us with a mist like morning mist on the lake.

__________________________________________________________________

It was a koga (alter ego) that was about to be used as a pseudo-bait.