Published: September 6, 2025
After dropping Gutenberg and the others off in downtown, we visited Gibe’s Summer Hall. Meanwhile, Benno and the Plantin Trading Company began discussions with Kilnberga’s administrative officials about establishing the association. I handed over the Lesser Holy Grail to Gibe Kilnberger and completed the prayer ceremony. Since this had become a customary spring event, I was quite accustomed to it.
"Now, shall I guide you to the national border gate?"
I mounted my mount and followed Gibe Kilnberger. The wooden structures atop white buildings resembled those in Ehrenfest’s downtown, but Kilnberga’s town was arranged differently. Gibe’s Summer Hall and the Noble District were closest to Ehrenfest, but the deeper you went, the more it resembled a downtown. This was completely opposite to Ehrenfest, which had downtown, Noble District, and the Aub’s castle at the very core.
“I’ve heard that long ago, many foreigners entered through the national border gate, so Gibe’s mansion was built further inward from that gate. Ah, look, it’s coming into view now. Beyond the white boundary gate and wall made by the Aub, do you see the slightly unusual colored wall and gate? That’s the national border gate.”
Judith, sitting in the passenger seat, pointed ahead to show me. I had never noticed before, only going as far as Gibe’s mansion during the prayer ceremony, but as we approached, I saw two gates of similar height standing side by side.
“Wow... I always thought the white gates made by the Aub were beautiful, but the gates and walls made by Zent are truly exquisite.”
Though the boundary gate and Kilnberga’s outer walls were the same pure white as in Ehrenfest, the wall and gate beyond shimmered with a faint iridescence like mother-of-pearl used in lacquer inlay. The softly glowing border walls stretched long and far beyond Kilnberga. It somehow reminded me of the Great Wall of China — except these walls were not winding to fit the terrain but stretched straight as if drawn by a ruler.
...Of course, that line was drawn by the first Zent.
I had learned from geography that the area surrounded by Zent’s barrier was Jurgenschmidt, a circular territory cut from the continent. But this was my first time seeing an actual national boundary. Like the Aub’s boundary lines, I had assumed the national border was invisible to the naked eye, but here was a faintly glowing rainbow-hued wall, just like the gate.
“The national border gate is very beautiful, but the town’s buildings, like Ehrenfest’s downtown, are wooden structures atop white buildings, so you have to get close to see it properly,” Judith explained.
As she said, the gate was around three or four stories tall, so it was hard to see from Gibe’s mansion. I had visited Kilnberga before during the prayer ceremony, but it never came into view. At that time, it was Ferdinand’s role to greet Gibe, and I was either resting in the carriage taking healing potions or told to hide quietly, so that might explain it.
As we neared, I saw the white doors of the boundary gate wide open inward, with knights on alert standing guard. Beyond them was the tightly closed national border gate. The faintly glowing rainbow-colored gate doors were intricately decorated with patterns, likely concealing magic circles, just like the designs on Schwarz’s group’s garments.
“Is the Kilnberga boundary gate always open?”
“No, today is special. Lady Rosemine wanted to see the national border gate, so Gibe Kilnberger requested permission from the Aub, and Theo told me they granted it. I never thought I’d get to see the national border gate head-on like this, so I’m thrilled.”
According to Judith, normally the boundary gate was firmly closed, making it impossible to see the national border gate directly.
“Even as a child in Kilnberga, I could only see the closed boundary gate and outer wall. Since the boundary and national gates are about the same height and aligned, you can only just glimpse the top of the national gate from certain angles…”