*****

「We have determined the destination of Lady Melissa and Nonnalie.」 Alas, the butler who entered the room, said, and continued, 「It is Zacardia.」

No one replied to that. An unpleasant silence settled in the room.

After a moment, Uncle Cloud said, 「Zacardia...」 in a small voice.

Father Rauldo also had a difficult expression. But the two of them said nothing more, and only silence flowed again.

So, I tilted my head and asked, 「What is Zacardia?」 The two of them looked at me simultaneously, but their faces were still difficult expressions.

「Zacardia is...」 Father Rauldo opened his heavy mouth and explained. 「The furthest land of the human world, the end of the human world, the entrance to the demonic realm... it has various names, but ultimately, it is a village on the border with the world of the demons.」

「D-demons!?」 There had been a series of surprises in this fantasy development, but now demons too! Father Rauldo sighed deeply at me, eyes wide. Uncle Cloud, who was holding his forehead and looking up at the ceiling, probably felt like sighing too.

「Why was Melissa Mama taken to such a place-shu?」

「Well, a village like that can't possibly be a safe zone, can it?」

I tilted my head at Father Rauldo's troubled expression. 「I think a border with demons is dangerous-shu, but what about the so-called border guards? Isn't that your kind of job, Papa?」

「Papa deals with people... neighboring countries, not demons, though. Well, our country focuses on defense, so nobles and knights dispatched by the country generally handle those things. But that's not the case in every country.」

「Huh? Is Zacardia a different country?」 I knew next to nothing about this world's geography. Incidentally, in my previous life, I didn't know the Japanese map at all either. I only knew the prefecture I lived in, Hokkaido, and Okinawa.

「It's not even a neighboring country. It's a very distant place, past several countries from ours. It is truly the furthest land.」

「They moved that far in such a short time-shu?」

「Well, Nonnalie has a Dark Magic user on her side, you see. They probably used some underhanded means.」

「Nyar-hode...」 Can that Dark Magic travel freely anywhere? If so, that's incredibly troublesome. It's like a 'Door to Anywhere.' But there must be various restrictions; if such convenient magic or tools were common, this world would have already fallen into chaos.

In any case, I understood that Nonnalie can use underhanded tricks, but we cannot do the same.

「Can Papa and the others shortcut the travel-shu?」

「Shor-tcut? Do you mean instantaneous movement? Hmm, unfortunately, there is no one who can use such high-level magic.」

I hear that travel magic itself has been passed down since ancient times, but no one in the modern era can master it. In other words, that Dark Magic user is an anomaly in the present day. What a troublesome opponent we have.

「Then, we have to leave quickly-shu, right?」

「That's right. Let's prepare to depart immediately.」

「Wait, Brother, you have work, don't you? I'll go.」

「Rauldo, you have more important work. Your leave should be over, you need to return to Mushurudi.」

「But!」

「I am fine. I have given instructions for all urgent work or finished it, and I've even completed a month's worth of non-urgent work in advance. You don't need to worry, I will go to rescue Melissa.」

Father Rauldo had a troubled look. But Uncle Cloud's resolve was firm. Considering the strength of his feelings for Melissa, no one could tell him not to go in the first place. And Father Rauldo himself well understood that his own job was also important.

In other words, only Uncle Cloud could head off to rescue Melissa. With a grim look, and sighing deeply again, Father Rauldo looked straight at Uncle Cloud.

「Understood. I entrust my sister-in-law to you.」

「You don't need to tell me.」

The two shook hands firmly. Hmm, brothers are great.

Feeling a little moved, I raised my hand. 「I'll go with you-shu!」

「「You are not going!」」

Don't harmonize so nicely, brothers!