I will tell you this now. The pilgrimage stories from chapter will be very important even for the later arcs.

TL: clover

ED: (will be edited by xtostos)

When the night got much later, we arrived at Knot Reed.

As we ran through the city at night with a horse-drawn carriage, the song of the night watch had switched.

The night watch that were traveling around the city would sing a song that had been decided for every hour, so if one listened to it, one would know the approximate time.

The streets of the night were carved by their songs.

The water surface of the ca.n.a.l was s.h.i.+ning with the orange light from the small street lights.

Warm light and jovial voices echoed from the taverns scattered here and there.

People who had finished their work were talking and drinking tonight as well.

『The fate of the downfall seems to not become a problem anymore.』

"That's true, things ought to change for the better after this."

The fraud case involving Earl Nibelheim led to the launching of an unexpected project.

In addition to avoiding Harold's ruin flag, we were able to realize Gilbert's dream, and the ending was near.

I took a breath and glanced at Tirnanog next to me.

Even though his emotions were supposed to be difficult to read while being hidden behind his face armor, he also seemed to be feeling pleased.

Oh, perhaps.

"Somehow you look like you're in good mood tonight, Tir."

『Kukuku, that's true, I do not feel bad.

I did not think that I would feel like this.

I guess I can understand the reason of your good-naturedness.』

Tirnanog said so and stroked my head without reservation.

To tell the truth, I was only moving for my own goal, and that helped them in the end.

Somehow I was able to help them……huh? What happened?

But, I didn't need to deny this gentle beast's words.

All was right with the world.

Thanks to that, the city lights of Knot Reed felt particularly warm and the night watch's song also felt like a gentle resonance to my ears tonight.

When we returned to Water Palace, I ordered the wagon to bring meals to my room.

It was for today's supper.

Tonight's menu was pork, pistachio pâté​, and pickled vegetables such as onions and carrots.

I would surely be stamped as a big eater by the servant, but I didn't mind.

"Both of you, let's cheers for today's good work."

Confirming that the servant had left, I called Palug and Tirnanog.

Palug with her cat form and Tirnanog with his stuffed toy-size body, all appeared from the next room.

『I have told the cat about the approximate end of what happened around the Nibelheim family today.』

"Thank you, Tir."

I arrived at the table where the meal was lined up.

Then, Palug climbed on to my lap in appreciation.

Since it was the point, I enjoyed her soft fur.

『Does this mean that the ruin of the Earl will not take place?』

"Yes, I'm really glad that the white porcelain alchemist didn't get killed in Ignitia."

『All things considered, it's all thanks to the blonde haired prince, huh.』

『Ufufu~, as expected of Auguste!』

"Y-yeah……right, that's true……"

After informing that the chaos caused by Auguste on Island of Messenger opened up the destiny of Harold and Gilbert, Palug was in a good mood.

If Auguste himself knew of this matter, he would be troubled instead.

While talking with Palug who had such behaviour, Tirnanog was opening the dish cover.

He moved his short stuffed toy-sized arm deftly and divided the cuisine.

When I received the pâté`and the dish with pickled vegetables served by Tirnanog, Palug moved to the next chair quickly.

『Even so, there were various things happening today.』

"Yes, we verified the contract and the transfer magic circle at the mine, listened to the discussion at the guild hall, attended the launching ceremony, made a blue gla.s.s……and finally went up the river and saw the porcelain workshop."

『Uwah, you went to many places, huh~.』

Good grief.

I remembered today's events and felt exhausted.

But it wasn't a fruitless effort, and since things were changing for the better, it was all good.

However, Tirnanog shook his head to my words.

『No, Erica. There was one more thing, right?』

"One more?"

『Didn't the student who had fallen magnificently this morning said something disturbing?』

『Eh~, what is it, what is it, what disturbing thing?』

Umm, what happened at that time?

A gray young man wearing crooked gla.s.ses flickered in my mind.

Elric Actorius-sensei, who smiled faintly while falling over.

The reason a student came all the way to the Trade City Knot Reed.

"Ah……the mysterious dangerous ruins!"

Tirnanog nodded.

I wondered why I forgot such an important thing.

Even if I had avoided the ruin flag, there was still the possibility that the death flag would attack by itself.

『Just hearing about it already feels suspicious. Something evil is definitely sealed, for example, something like this guy.』

『Umu, surely a savage fellow like this cat is wandering around.』

『How ominous……』

『How dangerous……』

The two phantom beasts showed disgust while pointing at each other.

Right.

Even so, hearing about this conversation reminded me of something else.

"But since it seems to be a military facility, I think there is a low possibility that there is such a phantom beast that is related to the destiny of my death."

『What if weak beasts or spirits were being used as a ma.s.s murder weapon?』

『It can also be like the dragon knight who is still in the South, even if the phantom beast is not involved.』

"Indeed, if you say that……should I investigate about it after all?"

It took one to know one, so maybe only the same nonhuman could understand other nonhuman.

I should incorporate the opinions of these two elder people here.

"I understand……if both Tir and Palug have the same opinion, let's investigate it."

『Then, I shall change my schedule tonight from investigating the altar to this ruin investigation!』

"Yes, please, Palug."

When she heard my decision, Palug got down from the chair gracefully.

Apparently she seemed to start the investigation soon.

She made a turn, and she turned into a figure with silver shoulder-length hair and tanned skin.

"Are you going as the Founder King Guillaume this time?"

"If I borrow some student's clothes, I will look like an apprentice, right?

Although I also like the appearance of Jean."

Saying so, Palug winked.

Indeed, rather than the muscular Severe King, it might be easier to mix with the students using the slender Founder King's appearance.

"Be careful, Palug."

『Please call out to me when there's an emergency. I feel generous tonight, so I will come to your aid.』

"No way~, you're being kind to me feels disgusting~.

Okay, that's it. You should relax slowly with meals and a bath.

It's improbable that there will be something like a fight right away tonight."

After saying that, Palug jumped out of the window as usual.

She jumped over the ca.n.a.l that was glittering with the street lights, and disappeared into the streets of midnight.

Trade City Knot Reed, morning of the fourth day.

I regained consciousness with the feeling like someone was carrying me.

When I opened my eyes, my eyes met with Palug who was in her beautiful woman form.

"……Oh my, have you woke up?"

"Palug, welcome home……?"

Apparently, I seemed to have slept in the chaise lounge while reading a book last night.

I thought to find out about the ruins in the collected materials.

Palug brought me to the lavish bed with a canopy.

After laying me on the sheets, she creeped up to Tirnanog who was asleep.

"You better get up."

Guohh!?"

Palug grabbed Tirnanog's tail and lifted him up, swung him around and threw him away.

Tirnanog who was rolling like a ball, hit the foot of the bed, and fell down on the floor.

It was a rough treatment as usual.

Tirnanog stood back up while still half asleep, climbed the bed and came to my side.

Palug also sat on the corner of the bed.

"How was your investigation? Palug."

Did you find the location of the ruins?

"The location is around the upstream of Varnalis River. It's a historic ruin at the border of County of Nibelheim."

"You were able to identify it properly overnight, huh……"

"It wasn't difficult because it's on the clear ley lines flow.

But I couldn't enter the ruins inside.

There are layers of strong barrier being put up, and it seems they will break if existences like me and the serpent go in from the front."

Palug said so but didn't seem to be sorry.

Although she was regaining her power, it was difficult for her to break barriers that were being put up by skilled mages.

『Then, how about your nose? Did you smell anything?』

"I could feel the power of a dense flame, but it wasn't the smell of a beast.

It wasn't very biological either, it had the feeling of pure magical power."

"So there was no phantom beast?"

"At least in the range that I could sense.

There is a possibility that it was a spirit, but the area is surrounded by the thick barriers.

And there were lots of students and construction workers wandering around, so I couldn't come closer."

Students and construction workers were loitering in the dead of the night?

Considering Actorius-sensei's information, it might be that some emergency response had begun.

"Did you see Actorius-sensei inside?"

"The gla.s.ses-wearing mage with gray hair, was it?

Well, I couldn't find him in the range where I could enter."

Palug tilted her head while remembering hard.

She had never seen Actorius-sensei, so there was a possibility that he might not have left any impression.

I'd like to meet Actorius-sensei directly and listen to the situation.

"I wonder if my investigation helps."

"Well, I think that it's enough for now."

『That's right. Cat, that's a good hint. Did you say spirit and flame?』

Tirnanog who was thinking while listening to Palug's story, nodded rea.s.suringly.

He got out of the bed, and came back with a book that I had in the chaise lounge.

It was a collection of stories of the seven pilgrims which I purchased from the bookstore at Poisoner Street.

『After you slept, I was reading the rest of this book instead.

There is a story in which both fire and spirit appeared.』

Tirnanog turned over the page and showed it to me and Palug.

It was a picture of a huge red sword floating in the indigo sky.

『This is an ill.u.s.tration of the story 'A story of an alchemist who made the Cursed Sword of Fire and fought against the Prince of Sword.'』

That story had a synopsis like this.

Once upon a time, the royal brother of the West and the prince of the North were fighting for the rights of Knot Reed.

At one time, an eastern mage who hates the northern people appeared.

That mage instigated the royal brother and thought of breaking the power relations.h.i.+p between the two.

The royal brother of the West used the spirit brought from the East and forged the Cursed Sword of Fire to reject the prince of the North.

Several huge cursed swords covered the sky of Knot Reed.

'If you do not obey me, I will raise the Cursed Sword of Fire from Heaven and burn this area.

The calamity will destroy all of this land.

Only our alchemists of the West who know the means to prevent the calamity of the Cursed Sword.'

Said so, as the royal brother threatened the prince.

However, the northern prince never lost his composure when he received the intimidation, even for a moment.

As soon as he stepped into the eyes of the alchemists, the prince seemed to cut off his neck quite surprisingly.

As a result, the cursed swords which had lost their means to stop, poured down on the entire Knot Reed at once.

Like the words of the western royal brother, the calamity of the Cursed Sword burned all the land in Northwest.

The northern people were not afraid to die for their pride.

The proud and cruel warriors couldn't be tamed by intimidation.

If one scorned them, the wolves will reveal their true nature to eat and shred the flesh and marrows, the story concluded with the words of the pilgrim's lesson.

"Flame, spirit……what an ominous coincidence."

『If so, it also corresponds to the hypothesis of military facilities derived from spirits, what do you think?』

"You're really sharp, Tir. This cursed sword is definitely the ident.i.ty of the weapons.

If the matter of the Nibelheim family settles down, Tir and I will join the night time investigation."

『Umu, I am fine with that.』

I rummaged through the inside of my bag and took out the tool that would be a breakthrough solution for this plan.

I had brought the wand in the a.s.sumption that the altar we were looking for was buried.

"Found it. The Wand of Digging.

If you don't mind being dirty, let's make Harold charges this wand in large quant.i.ty immediately in wand alteration."

"Oh my, that's quite extreme."

『If the charges cannot be done in time, it's fine to use me and the cat's nails.』

"Eh~! My nails are not a scoop though……"

While I was consulting about the method to invade the ruins, I heard the sound of the servant knocking.

It seemed that before I knew it, it was already time to change clothes.

Today I also changed places with Palug which had transformed into me, and went out of town with Tirnanog.

As to turn the matter of the historic ruins at night, I should head to Gilbert's workshop first.