"What about you, Yuu-chan? The three of us have already agreed that the matter regarding the magic circle should be reported to the guild," I said.
I woke up quite early today… Luke was the one who did it. Sometimes, he can wake up very early, and other times he oversleeps.
Of course, I can't predict when he will wake up from his sleep every day.
Right now, we were enjoying breakfast as usual, but Sikiyomi-san was out taking care of something.
So there were only the four of us sitting at the dining table. Even though she had something to do, Sikiyomi-san still took the time to make breakfast for us.
I didn't know what else to say about her overly kind nature.
"Hime, you've already heard about this from him, right?" I asked.
"He told me about it last night, and I also agree with Luke and Yukito-san," Hime replied.
Yuu-chan let out a small sigh and finally resigned herself to informing the guild about it.
"Besides, if you found something that important, why not just tell them? It's better than keeping it a secret," Luke said to Yuu-chan.
"At first, I thought that if there really were monsters appearing there, we could just deal with it ourselves," Yuu-chan said.
Ah, I understand now why Yuu-chan kept it a secret.
Maybe if she really did that, our party could become known more quickly by many people. But I didn't expect it—usually, Yuu-chan would come up with a better idea than that.
Well, maybe she was lacking sleep or something, so she couldn't think clearly.
——
The others and I left the inn, and Hime made sure to lock the door.
Sikiyomi-san handed the spare key of the inn to Hime, because she trusted that Hime wouldn't lose it.
That's true—among the four of us, the most cautious and least careless person is Hime.
Oh right, I forgot that she can store the spare key inside her Alter box. No wonder.
We headed to the guild to report what Yuu-chan had seen yesterday. At the same time, we planned to get closer to Lancer-san.
That way, if he trusted our party, he might inform Marcen-san as well.
If even the leader trusted us, things would become easier for us, since we'd receive support in defeating Abbys.
I once thought about this one night—
Luke told me that not all leaders of each continent in this world share the same desire to oppose the cruel actions of Abbys.
Abbys did attack all continents several years ago, but there are some leaders who believe that Abbys' actions are right and not wrong.
Well, I don't really know what kind of perspective they have.
But if that's the case, once every wave of Abbys' attacks across each continent—which is our mission—comes to an end, I would definitely head straight to Virosia.
That would be the final place for Abbys.
However, Luke said that a war might still break out in the future.
It could be about our party being labeled as fake and liars, since a Hero has already been summoned before.
Or perhaps because the Abbys forces are too numerous and powerful, making it necessary to receive help from an alliance consisting of combined forces from all over the world.
Not only support for us, but also from forces that choose to fight alongside Abbys.
I also thought that there was a strong chance that such a war would eventually happen.
"A great war will occur, and at that time, there may no longer be any safe place left in this world," I muttered that night.
Everyone would live in fear and uncertainty, and they would surely struggle to survive.
I still don't know which regional leaders agree with Abbys' desire to dominate the world, and which do not.
Luke told me that he once heard about a group that operates underground.
In other words, this group is known only to a very small number of people.
He also said that this group was created to defeat Abbys in the future.
Apparently, it serves as a backup in case the summoned Hero fails to complete the great mission given to them.
In short, when that war happens, I will do everything I can to protect my party.
Maybe… I would be willing to sacrifice anything, if it means this world could become peaceful without Abbys.
A world where everyone can laugh, enjoy the beauty of the world, and spend time with their families and loved ones.
That is the kind of world I hope will exist once Abbys disappears.
——
"Oh right, Yukito, this might just be a rumor. But I want you to know about it," Luke said.
We hadn't reached the guild yet, but it would be strange if there were no conversations during the walk, right?
"It's related to Abbys, isn't it?" I asked.
"The Abbys forces are said to have begun invading a group of islands on the eastern side of Velmoria," Luke said.
From what I remember of the world map, there are indeed both small and large islands located south of Virosia.
They're not only close to Velmoria, but also near the continent in the center. If I recall correctly, that continent is known for its intense heat due to the vast deserts there.
"And then?" I asked again.
"Besides that, Abbys has also reportedly been spotted in several other locations, but I'm not completely sure about that," he said.
"If that's really true, then it means they're practically making a declaration of war," he continued.
My eyes widened, unable to believe what he had just said.
"Are those islands really that valuable to the world?" I asked.
"I've told you this before, but I'll say it again. In truth, there's a force made up of various continents that have united to retake Virosia from Abbys," he replied.
This… is going to be a very complicated discussion… in that case—
"Hime, Yuu-chan, you two go on ahead. I have something to discuss with Luke for a bit," I said.
"…Alright, but don't be late, okay?" Hime replied.
——
Luke and I went to a shop that sells various kinds of drinks.
He said that this was the only kind of place he knew that was suitable for sharing information like this.
"Luke, can you tell me everything you know about that force and the rumor about Abbys' declaration of war? I think this is something extremely important for our party to know," I asked.
——
(Luke said, while answering Yukito's question)
This force was formed five years ago, right after the previous Hero's party was defeated in Virosia, allowing Abbys to completely take control of the island.
On this landmass, there are several continents considered to hold major influence over the world.
Velmoria, Centram, Londerg, Riruyo, Nakuso, and Samatoki.
Those six continents exist on a single landmass, separate from the central landmass, which is sandwiched between those six continents and Virosia to the far south.
The central landmass isn't very large, perhaps only about the size of four combined continents of Velmoria.
You might not fully understand yet, but you've seen the map before, right?
The leaders of Velmoria, Centram, and Londerg reached an agreement regarding the force you're asking about. That force is called Arche.
The leaders in question are the rulers of the largest or most prominent cities within each continent, who were then chosen as the leaders or representatives of their respective continents.
Meanwhile, the other three—Samatoki, Riruyo, and Nakuso—were offered a chance to join the force, but all of them declined.
First, the continent of Riruyo is located at the top, or the northernmost region of Velmoria.
According to the map, it lies at the upper-right section of this landmass.
Riruyo is also directly connected to Velmoria, Centram, and Nakuso, since it shares borders with them.
This continent is the homeland of the elf race, who have lived there for more than five thousand years—quite a long time, isn't it?
There are ancient elven ruins that are very famous and considered the most historically significant sites in the world.
These places are managed by the elves who live there, which is why not just anyone is allowed to enter.
The elves living there also build their homes deep within the forests, making it difficult for ordinary humans like us to find them.
Well, they are known to be somewhat closed off from other continents, as they prefer not to get involved and wish to preserve peace within their region.
Elves, you see, care deeply about purity and cleanliness, so they will continue to live within the forests indefinitely to protect the legacy and traditions of their elders.
That's why they chose not to join Arche—they only wish to protect their own homeland.
I don't know why, but it seems that the elven leaders aren't very fond of humans—one could even say they somewhat dislike us.