Published: July 3, 2025
"......The journey of the delegation to the Western Nations was fraught with difficulties. The land split apart, swallowing people, flames fell from the sky, burning everything around, and they were scattered by the approaching horde of dragons... One by one, the members of the delegation fell away. By the time they reached the last nation of the Corridor Nations, the 'Sfor Kingdom,' their numbers had dwindled to just ten..."
"No way, what kind of story is that...?"
"I feel like even one dragon would be too much to survive against, let alone a horde..."
"I want to become strong enough to remain among the last ten."
Ryo spoke, Nils interjected, Eto recounted the terror of dragons, and Amon aimed higher.
Meanwhile, the three members of 'Room 11' listened from behind, exchanging indescribable looks.
That was roughly the feeling of the last guard of the kingdom delegation.
Ryo had made it sound like a fiction, yet the truth was that following the destruction of Bordren, they had indeed traversed the perilous areas of the Ranshi Gorge and Funsun Mountain Range.
Moreover, it was also true that many difficulties had been alleviated thanks to Ryo's water attribute magic...
"The Sfor Kingdom is said to be five days on foot over the Funsun Mountain Range, so we should be able to see it today after crossing this hill."
Priest Eto said while looking at the travel pamphlet.
Upon seeing it, Ryo made a certain realization.
"Eto, that 'travel pamphlet' mentions the destroyed Bordren Kingdom, doesn’t it?"
"Yeah, it does. It says something like, 'Although it is the smallest in scale among the Corridor Nations, the city is well maintained…'"
"So, that means Bordren suffered its fate quite recently..."
Ryo said, nodding several times at Eto's response.
"That’s right. I don’t think there were any corpses except for those from the small nation delegation... It’s all quite mysterious."
Eto replied, recalling what he had seen in Bordren.
At that moment, Harold from 'Room 11' pointed ahead.
Ryo followed suit and looked in that direction...
"Oh, we can finally see it!"
In the direction Harold was pointing, the castle walls of the last nation of the Corridor Nations, the 'Sfor Kingdom,' were visible.
As they approached the Sfor Kingdom, an unprecedented scene unfolded before them.
"There are so many people in front of the castle gate..."
"It's the imperial delegation and the alliance delegation. The Grand Master said that the three nations would enter the city simultaneously. Ryo, you really weren't paying attention, were you?"
Nils said incredulously at Ryo's mumble.
"What do you mean by 'you really weren't'? How rude! I was busy deciphering the principles of the world! That's why it couldn't be helped!"
"What on earth is the principle of the world...? You were just preoccupied with eating that small rindo we had on the way."
"Ugh..."
Ryo couldn't come up with a counterargument to Nils' sharp remark.
Desperate for help, he turned to Eto...
"Ryo... I think you've lost this one."
Eto said with a wry smile, declaring Ryo's defeat, and he gave up on arguing.
"Ugh..."
In this world, sometimes it's best to just give up...
The group passed through the gates in the order of the Empire, the Alliance, and the Kingdom, proceeding down the main street.
Flags representing the Sfor Kingdom lined both sides of the street, and many citizens were out, waving at the procession.
It was an astonishing welcome.
"It seems like the whole country is welcoming us."
"Well, compared to the other three nations we've been through, this is a huge difference..."
Ryo remarked, and even Nils nodded in agreement, unable to deny it.
In the first nation, 'Aiteke Bo,' they were commanded by an arrogant king to conduct a survey of the forest in exchange for something.
In the second nation, 'Schultz,' they encountered an attack by the horseback people.
And in the third nation, 'Bordren,' the nation itself had disappeared...
Compared to those experiences, this was certainly a remarkable difference.
"All that's left is to pray that his majesty the king is not a strange person."