The reason Moon City had managed to survive for thousands of years under such harsh conditions was simple: perseverance—and absolute adherence to the rules.
Since only one hunting party had been dispatched today, there was no way a second would appear.
So whoever was approaching…could only be outsiders!
The twin orbs of flickering yellow light drew nearer and nearer.
After what felt like a painfully long few minutes, two blurry silhouettes finally emerged in the distance. Everyone held their breath at once.
It was a man and a woman.
The two were dressed in clothes entirely foreign to Moon City, and more crucially, showed no signs of mutation whatsoever.
There was even a strange black-furred creature lounging lazily on the man's shoulder—it looked like some small beast, and disturbingly, appeared untainted by any corruption…and frankly, quite edible.
Lilith shrank back instantly. She was all too familiar with that kind of look.
That was the same expression she made whenever she saw a mouse!
Tap.
Edward and Bernadette stopped a few meters from the edge of the camp. Both sides sized each other up, yet no one spoke first.
At last, the noseless man—clearly the captain—couldn't help but speak.
"Where are you from?"
He was speaking in Jotun.
Fortunately, Edward had picked up some Jotun while learning Hermes. While he wasn't fluent, he could manage basic conversation.
Bernadette answered in kind, "From outside."
"Outside…where exactly? How far from Moon City?"
Edward blinked. Moon City?
That was supposed to be on the far eastern edge of the Forsaken Land of the Gods, wasn't it?
How did I end up here?
The captain asked again, his expression a mix of suspicion and disbelief, "You're not cursed? You don't eat the corrupted beasts? How many of you are there?"
He rattled off question after question.
Bernadette turned to Edward, giving him a look. He understood immediately: this was a chance to spread knowledge—to fulfil the role of the Wandering Mentor by bringing information to the people.
He thought for a moment and then said, "We come from beyond the cursed lands…a place without corruption, with light and dark, where no one lives in constant fear of monsters or the darkness. Where food is clean and plentiful, and the Red Moon rises each night…"
These were words Klein was supposed to say in the future.
But the mindset was different.
When Klein delivered that speech in the original story, he was preparing to lead both City of Silver and Moon City out of the Forsaken Land, and back to the real world. He even had Life's Cane to cure their mutations.
But Edward…had nothing.
Silence fell over the camp.
The people stared at him, lost in confusion and awe.
So we're the only ones trapped in this cursed land?
Are we truly the only ones forsaken?
Is the outside world really as beautiful as he says?
Can we go there too…?
Edward's chest tightened. He looked at their stunned faces, and for the first time, truly felt the weight of their lives.
Before coming to the Forsaken Land, his knowledge of Moon City and the City of Silver was limited to a few lines from the original text. He sympathised with their fate…but it had all felt so distant.
But now, seeing them in the flesh—people who had struggled for generations just to survive—he realized they weren't just narrative devices in Klein's ascension. They were real. And while Klein prepared for Sequence 3, they still had to hunt for food, battle monstrosities, and die in the darkness.
"Can you take us there—to where you came from?"
It was the young man, Karl, who voiced the hope in everyone's heart.
Even the captain, though still sceptical, couldn't hide the flicker of yearning in his eyes.
Edward shook his head. "I'm sorry…the truth is, we can't even get back ourselves right now."
The hope in their eyes dimmed instantly.
"Then…could you tell us more about the outside world?"
Karl again.
The captain didn't stop him—he'd been counting on Karl to ask the questions he couldn't.
Edward smiled faintly. "Of course. But shouldn't you invite us to sit first?"
Everyone turned to look at the captain.
He hesitated for a moment, then waved his hand.
The people of Moon City moved in sync, forming two neat lines flanking the bonfire, standing or crouching—still vigilant. The captain gestured for Edward and Bernadette to sit across from him.
The two stepped into the makeshift camp. It wasn't much—just a bonfire surrounded by scattered torches, with a few roughly piled stones arranged as seats.
They had barely sat down when Karl leaned forward and pointed at Lilith.
"Mister, what's that creature on your shoulder? Emergency rations?"
Lilith blinked—and then exploded.
"Miss Lilith is not emergency rations!"
"Whoa—!"
The people of Moon City were stunned.
They had seen countless beasts and monsters in their lives…but never one that talked.
Edward chuckled and patted her head. "She's my companion—an extraordinary being who has consumed a potion."
"What?! Those creatures are already insane and dangerous enough—and you actually gave one a potion?" Karl exclaimed. Then, as if remembering something, he added, "Oh right…you said there are no monsters outside…"
He subconsciously touched the tumours scattered across his face, his eyes filled with envy. So people from the outside world…all look so normal. So clean. So…human.
Unlike Moon City.
Nowadays, the number of newborns born with deformities was only increasing.
"We live beyond this land," Edward began explaining. "That world…it's relatively normal. There are vast continents and oceans, scattered islands, and many different countries. Each country has its own unique culture, customs, and history…I'm from a place called Loen…"
Like a bard reciting a tale, Edward began to paint a picture of the outside world for them.
He himself felt the descriptions were dry and mundane, but the people of Moon City were captivated. Every word he spoke sent ripples of wonder and longing through the crowd.
Even though Edward emphasised that not everyone outside lived an easy life, even the most impoverished dockworker—who laboured all day just for a few loaves of black bread and a shared bed—was living a life far beyond anything they could dare to dream of.
After describing the various countries, Edward went on to talk about the gods and faiths of the outside world.
This left the Moon City residents even more bewildered.
So…we're the only ones who still worship the Great Sun God?
So the outside world has new gods now? Gods who respond to the prayers of their followers?
Then all these years of our devotion…what have they been for?
Why has our god never answered us?
If the outside world calls this place "the Forsaken Land," does that mean…we're the forsaken ones?
Bernadette said nothing, her sapphire-blue eyes watching the flickering bonfire quietly.
The captain's expression turned heavy. For thousands of years, the people of Moon City had believed they were the last remnants of humanity. That only they were left clinging to life in this cursed land.
And now, within a short conversation, he'd learned not only were there people living normally outside—but even within this land, Moon City wasn't alone.
"How many others live in this land, aside from us?"
It was a long moment before the captain finally spoke again.
Edward answered truthfully, "From what I know, there's another city much like yours—City of Silver. They also worship the Great Sun God, and their population numbers in the thousands. Beyond that, there may be a handful of Saints or Angels lingering in the Giant King's Court. But that's all I know."
"City of Silver…Giant King's Court…"
Compared to the City of Silver, which had spent millennia relentlessly exploring in search of salvation, Moon City had long since chosen to isolate itself. After all, they had once been commanded—back when the Ancient Sun God was still alive—to guard a strange grey mist or barrier…suspected to be the entrance to the Western Continent.
Seeing his people's spirits sink lower and lower, the captain knew he couldn't stay silent any longer.
"Then…why have you come here?"
Just then, the sky was torn open by a few jagged streaks of lightning, bringing a brief, blinding light to this land of eternal darkness.
The captain knew—it was time to return to Moon City.
But he hesitated.
He didn't know what to do with these two outsiders. Should he bring them back to meet the High Priest? Or ask them to wait here while he returned to report?
But would they really be willing to wait here?
So he repeated, "Why have you come here?"
Edward answered frankly, "It was a coincidence, really."
After a pause, he continued, "But since I'm here…I hope to bring something meaningful to the people who live in this place."
The captain's eyes flickered. "Why?"
Why indeed?
Edward thought for a few seconds, then offered an answer similar to what Klein had once said in the original story:
"I came here to spread the light of my Lord. To bring warmth and illumination…and to leave my mark. To offer knowledge and hope to the people of this land."
Of course, that first part was mostly a fabrication. But invoking the name of a god was necessary to gain the trust of Moon City's people—and to begin his role-playing.
After all, in a world where gods were real, the difference between a mere traveler and a divine messenger was monumental.
Especially in a place like Moon City—cut off from the Ancient Sun God for thousands of years.
"I know that a few words can't erase your wariness or doubts," Edward continued. "You can return and report this to your leader. Let him decide whether my words are to be trusted. Let him decide if Moon City will accept my teachings. Let him decide if Moon City will accept the goodwill of me—and my Lord."
He added, "In the meantime, we'll wander the area a little, and then head to Moon City ourselves."
The captain immediately understood the deeper meaning: If they truly meant harm, they would find Moon City eventually regardless. Telling them to wait here was only to ease their suspicions.
The captain responded without hesitation, "Understood. We'll report to the High Priest at once."
With that, he gestured, and the group swiftly turned and marched away, not wasting a single second.
Once they were gone, Lilith whispered, "Edward…where are we really going? Miss Lilith doesn't think anywhere is safe…"
"He never planned to wander aimlessly," Bernadette said flatly.
In front of her, a ball of yarn appeared—Ariadne's Thread, recreated through mystical re-enactment. The enchanted thread would serve as their guide.
"Let's go."
———
[Note]: Don't forget to VOTE. It keeps me motivated.