Lu: I told you about when I defeated the previous lord and ended a long standing tyranny.
Lu: Though I didn't mention earlier... The last lord Bifron had a child.
Diana: Gasp! You mean...
Diana: The child of the previous ruler with a grudge... causing a rebellion...
Lu: No.
Iccus: Then, in order claim the throne, the child of the previous ruler is...
Lu: Stop that line of thought! What do you see me as?
Lu: Sigh, the little one did no wrong. It's not like a child can choose their sire.
Lu: I still remember the day I open the dungeon door and met the child for the first time.
Lu: He was a kind, intelligent child unlike his father. He was crying because he failed to stop his father's tyranny.
Ara: He must have been very young. It must have been terrifying...
Noah: Wait, you're telling us that the tyrant also locked his own child in the dungeon?
Lu: Yes. It seems the child's words have rubbed Bifron the wrong way.
Lu: Though, I believe the child already knew how his father would eventually meet his demise.
Ara: He must have made a lot of enemies, if even his child accepted defeat gracefully.
Vasili: Bifron... I'm not familiar with the name, but I remember hearing about a tyrant that existed long ago.
Lu: Anyway... The child was very devoted. Much like my loyal subordinate...
Lu: Hmph! Much like my 'once' loyal subordinate, Barkat. The land governed by the Steel Queen, the Land of Steel opened a new era with them.
Lu: Sigh... Would you think it cliché if I say, I thought everything would end happily ever after?
Lu: Actually, my expectation wasn't even that high. I only thought I could be better than the legacy left by a tyrant.
Lu: But that didn't last long.
Eve: .......
Lu: ... First, we noticed the plants were getting sick.
Lu: The grass turned yellow, the trees began to dry out, and the leaves would burn. My land was slowly drying out.
Lu: While the Land of Steel was never prosperous, we never lacked food. However, it didn't take long for the Land of Steel to become barren...
Ain: Did you find the cause?
Lu: We did not... But we found where it started. We closed down several villages and ordered mass evacuation as an immediate solution.
Lu: But an immediate solution was not a permanent one, and the Land of Steel was shrouded in grief and uncertainty.
Lu: Many believed and feared that the plague was a curse from the previous lord.
Add: If it affected plants first, it must be fatal for the Queen of Gold who transformed her body into a plant.
Elesis: Though I can't forgive her for attacking us, I think... I can understand the desperation.
Rena: That disease. Was it safe for people?
Lu: It wasn't. That's why my loyal... ... ....
Eris: Uh huh...?
Iccus: ......Your loyal...?
Lu: ... When did I get so many listeners?
Diana: Ooook! Everyone! Time to get back to work! Go on!
Eris: Tsk, fiiiine.
Diana: What can you do. They flock whenever they hear something interesting. Just full of curiosity, all of them.
Zero: Aren't you the same?
Rena: Oh! I have an idea. You have a lot of books, right? We're looking for legends or rumors about gems, can you help us?
Vasili: What gem?
Rena: All the gems! Gems, treasures, anything you can find!
Ain: Ah, to find a lead about the Dark El?
Rena: Yeah. Since we found out in the Abyss that there's a limit to searching with the compass.
Diana: I see. Leave it to us! We'll take a look.
Add: I don't know how much help collecting wild rumors would be. It would be better to create a device that amplifies the signal from the El.
Eve: I'll help too. The data I collected from the Abyss should be of assistance.
Zero: Hm, hm! That's right. The Dark El might be hidden deep inside somewhere like the Abyss where the frequencies are hard to read.
Clamor: Oh, hey, Noah!
Noah: What is it, Clamor? Do you have a suggestion as well?
Clamor: C, can you ask if I can watch?
Noah: .......
Ara: We also need to find a way around the Abyss to go to the Land of Steel. Ideally without encountering Tortas.
Iccus: I'll check the maps. Leave it to me.
Eris: Do you need eyes? Betty! Hello, Betty! Where are all the Betties!
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