The next morning arrived with cold.
Not cool.
Not chilly.
Cold.
Haruto woke up shivering beneath Arthur's cloak.
For a moment, he forgot he was in a desert.
Then a mouthful of sand reminded him.
"...I hate this place."
"GOOD MORNING TO YOU TOO."
Belial was already awake.
The goat sat on a rock that definitely hadn't been there the night before.
Haruto chose not to question it.
He was learning.
Some questions only created more questions.
The pair continued south as the sun climbed higher.
Hours passed.
The Sea of Glass gradually changed.
Not dramatically.
Subtly.
The dunes became smaller.
Patches of stone appeared more frequently.
Occasionally Haruto spotted dried shrubs clinging stubbornly to life.
Signs.
Tiny signs.
But signs nonetheless.
The world was changing.
Civilization was getting closer.
By midday, Belial suddenly stopped.
Haruto nearly walked into him.
"What's wrong?"
The goat didn't answer.
Instead, it pointed ahead.
Haruto followed its gaze.
Then froze.
For a moment, he thought he was seeing a mirage.
After weeks of sand and ruins, his eyes might finally be giving up.
A dark line stretched across the horizon.
Thin.
Distant.
Impossible.
He blinked.
The line remained.
As the hours passed, it grew larger.
Clearer.
Real.
Walls.
Massive walls.
Stone rising from the edge of the desert.
Towers stood above them like watchful giants.
Flags fluttered in the wind.
Roads stretched outward from enormous gates.
And surrounding everything—
people.
Actual people.
Travelers.
Merchants.
Caravans.
Movement.
Life.
Haruto stood silently.
Not because he was impressed.
Because it felt unreal.
Ever since arriving in this world, every step had led him further from people.
Now suddenly—
there were thousands.
Belial glanced at him.
"...you okay?"
Haruto nodded slowly.
"...yeah."
A pause.
"...I think."
The goat stared.
"THAT'S NEVER REASSURING."
"Don't insult introverts."
"THEY ARE JUST COWARDS THAT ARE TOO SCARED TO TALK TO A WOMAN."
"But I got married though"
"ARE YOU MARRIED RIGHT NOW?"
Haruto realised that he fell into a trap.
So,he decided to be quiet in respons.
Belial proudly walk in front of him.
Not that he minded.
They continued forward.
The city grew larger with every step.
Soon Haruto could make out individual details.
The walls weren't smooth.
They were layered.
Built upon older foundations.
Sections had clearly been repaired over centuries.
The city wasn't young.
It had survived.
That alone was impressive.
The road became crowded.
For the first time in weeks, Haruto found himself surrounded by strangers.
Merchants pulling carts.
Travelers carrying packs.
Workers guiding enormous pack beasts.
Voices filled the air.
Conversations.
Arguments.
Laughter.
Noise.
So much noise.
The sound hit harder than expected.
Haruto had spent so long in silence that civilization felt overwhelming.
A child ran past him.
Nearly colliding with Belial.
The goat jumped.
"HEY."
The child immediately pointed.
"A goat!"
Belial looked offended.
"I AM MUCH MORE THAN A GOAT."
The child gasped.
Then ran away screaming.
Several nearby adults turned.
One woman dropped a basket.
Another crossed herself.
A guard nearly choked.
Belial sighed.
"...this keeps happening."
Haruto laughed.
Actually laughed.
The sound surprised him.
It had been a while.
Belial looked pleased with itself.
Which immediately ruined the moment.
As they approached the gates, a familiar voice called out.
"Well."
Haruto turned.
Lyra sat atop one of the massive pack beasts from the caravan.
Arms crossed.
Expression smug.
The worst combination.
"You survived."
Haruto stared.
"You sound disappointed."
"A little."
"Rude."
Lyra shrugged.
"I had a wager."
Haruto blinked.
"A wager?"
"Half the caravan thought you'd die."
Belial immediately pointed.
"SEE? I WAS THE OPTIMIST."
Haruto rubbed his forehead.
Lyra jumped down from the beast.
Then circled him once.
Examining him.
Checking for injuries.
Finding none.
Interesting.
The woman nodded.
"Huh."
"What?"
"You really crossed most of the Sea of Glass."
Haruto frowned.
"Why is everyone surprised by that?"
Lyra looked genuinely confused.
"Because people don't do that."
"...oh."
"Most die."
"...oh."
Belial looked upward dramatically.
"HE'S STARTING TO UNDERSTAND."
The city gates loomed ahead.
Massive wooden doors reinforced with iron.
Guards monitored every traveler entering.
Checking documents.
Questioning merchants.
Collecting taxes.
The usual.
Haruto's stomach suddenly sank.
"...Belial."
"What?"
"I don't have money."
The goat stared.
Then laughed.
And laughed.
And kept laughing.
Haruto immediately regretted speaking.
Lyra looked between them.
Then sighed.
"You seriously don't?"
"...no."
"Identification?"
"No."
"Travel papers?"
"No."
"Guild registration?"
"No."
"Residence permit?"
"No."
The woman's expression became increasingly blank.
Eventually—
she pinched the bridge of her nose.
"Haruto."
"Yes?"
"What exactly were you planning to do when you reached the city?"
Silence.
A very long silence.
Haruto thought carefully.
Then answered honestly.
"...I hadn't gotten that far."
Lyra closed her eyes.
Belial fell over laughing.
And somewhere in the distance—
the city of Ardent waited.
Entirely unprepared for the disaster currently approaching its gates.