I Broke Off My Engagement and Got a Job at the Academy

79. The City of Names

The first impression I had when I set foot on Architelos was that it was neither splendid nor beautiful, but rather dry.

There were very few traces of life. As if it wasn’t for nothing that it was called the Demon Realm and a cursed land, the appearance of Architelos was extremely desolate, like a desert.

However, that is only an impression at first glance.

When I looked closely at Architelos, I couldn’t help but be amazed.

“…No, what the heck is that.”

The entire city was covered in a double barrier of magic and black magic. It was to the point where I couldn’t even understand what the driving force was that made it possible.

Luna, who saw that scene with me, was also looking at the barrier with a blank expression.

I was blankly staring at the faces surrounding the city, then I came to my senses and looked at Luna and said.

“…Let’s go into the city first.”

Luna nodded to my words.

The port seemed to be meant to function only as a port, with no other buildings or anything but cliffs. The city could only be seen when passing through the gate between the cliffs.

Luna and I arrived at the gate and couldn’t help but groan. The magical barrier was extremely strong and high-level, and although I wasn’t sure, the black magic barrier was not far behind.

Combined with the terrain, it was a sight that could truly be called a natural fortress. At the same time, the closed nature of Architelos, obsessed with safety, stood out.

During the process of its founding, Architelos had many troubles with neighboring countries. Although it is now a country of the Mines, in the past it was not a country of the Mines but of the Demons, and its political system was also separate from them.

Given that background, it seemed only natural that it had become so closed off.

That sentiment was short-lived, and Luna and I stepped inside the gate. Mine, with her black hair and red eyes, looked at me and spoke with cold eyes.

“What brings you here?”

I looked at the mine and said.

“I was invited to this event. The person next to me is part of my party.”

Then Mine’s eyes changed and he looked at me and said.

“…Can you show me the invitation?”

I nodded and took the invitation out of my pocket.

Then Mine’s eyes widened and he looked at me and said.

“Okay, please wait a moment! I will call the guide shortly.”

After hearing that, we waited for a few minutes and the guide really did come to the gate and look at us.

“Are you Eden Cainus?”

I nodded. Then the guide looked at Luna and said.

“Who is this person?”

“Oh, this is my group.”

After saying that, I looked at the guide with a nervous heart. It was understandable, because if I made a mistake here and it was revealed that Luna was the next saint of the sect, there was no way to know what would happen.

In a country that was already so closed off, the priests were the ones who could be said to have the most antagonistic relationship with the minions.

But the guide listened to me and nodded obediently.

“Yes, I see. Then, may I understand that you will be accompanying me, Eden?”

“Oh, yes. Due to circumstances, we have to share a room.”

Luna-san interjected into the conversation and said, What the hell. I was just going to pretend not to know and go to another room.

Then the guide smiled as if he understood.

“Oh, yes. Okay. I’ll make sure we get a room together.”

Luna looked at me confidently, but for some reason I thought I knew what the guide’s knowing expression meant, so I couldn’t help but smile bitterly.

Anyway, Luna and I passed through the gate and entered the city of Architelos.

“ah….”

It was a sight that made me sigh involuntarily. Absurdly tall skyscrapers. Well-maintained roads. No matter where you looked, it was neat and tidy.

A city that could rival the capital of the empire. Luna and I toured the city.

“My name is Einbert.”

“yes?”

“The name of this city. The capital of Aquitelo. Its name is Einberts. It is a word from the language of the old demon tribe, meaning ‘Ein’s grace.’”

I listened to the guide and asked.

“Ain’s grace?”

“Yes. The last warrior of this land. It is named after him.”

Warriors. Those who fought against the Demon King with the holy sword, a sword given by God. It was a word that had not been heard for over a thousand years.

I tilted my head when I heard that, but it seemed like Luna was more interested in that name than I was.

“Why do the Mines honor the name of the warrior? The Mines… are descendants of the Demons, aren’t they?”

After hearing those words, the demon looked at Luna silently.

At that sight, I let out a “Oh no!” inwardly. Luna’s words could have almost revealed her true identity.

But fortunately, the guide smiled at Luna and said,

“It seems like you have heard the rumors too.”

When Luna heard that, she said, “Eh.”

“Is it a rumor?”

“There are rumors that we, the Mines, are still desperately hoping for the advent of the Demon King because we inherited the blood of the Demon Tribe. Things like that.”

Luna looked at the guide and asked cautiously.

“…No, are you going?”

The guide sighed and said.

“…Haa. I admit that there are some crazy people among the Mines. You know. People who just terrorize the Celestial Church. However, the mainstream of Architelos is not like that at all.”

The guide who said that took a breath and continued speaking.

“The reason why our Aquiteloans named our capital after the last warrior is because the last warrior had a great influence on the founding of our Aquiteloans. To be exact, he is the father of the founding father.”

When Luna heard that, she made a dumbfounded sound with a blank expression.

“…under?”

“The history of the last warrior is quite unique. He has a history of defeating two demon lords. In other countries, this is a forgotten record, but Architelos has a more detailed story. For example… the second demon lord that the last warrior fought was an alien being.”

“Alien?”

“Yes. The Demon Realm. It’s hard to believe, but the Demons were originally spirits living in the spirit realm, like the spirits of the Demon Realm. However, some of them settled in the Middle World, that is, in this world, and we are the descendants of those Demons.”

Luna’s eyes had taken on an expression that seemed to indicate that she was listening to an exciting story. The guide seemed to sense a good response and continued talking with a slightly excited look.

“But when the Demon King of the Middle-Earth was defeated by the last warrior, it is said that the Demon God sent the Demon King of the Demon World down himself. And the result, as you know, was the defeat of the second Demon King.”

The guide continued to open his mouth.

“But, it is said that the second Demon King originally intended to kill all the Demons of the Middle-earth. In short, our ancestors were abandoned by the Demon God.”

“Abandoned by the demon, a demon…”

Luna repeated those words quietly.

“Because of that, contrary to popular belief, we do not worship the devil. However, the Celestial Sect also unconditionally rejects us… Haha, should we say that we have no god to rely on?”

The guide shrugged his shoulders. Luna asked the guide.

“…But if you don’t worship the devil, then what’s the point of using black magic?”

At those words, the guide touched his chin and forehead.

“This is also a rumor. Many people think that black magic is nothing but curses or necromancy and other horrible things. In our Architelos, black magic is just a discipline like magic.”

Luna said with a blank expression.

“That can’t be….”

“You’ve seen a lot of black magicians working ‘outside’, right? The black magic they use is usually the same. Corrupting sane people, cursing them… things like that. But it’s different inside Architelos. Black magic is so old-fashioned to begin with, that not many people learn it.”

When I heard that, I felt curious and asked.

“You think it looks old-fashioned?”

“Yes. In the first place, black magic is something that only older people of the Mine Tribe, whose parents are pure-blooded demons, are obsessed with. To the younger generation, it’s considered an outdated tradition. That’s why there are more people who want to learn magic.”

“oh….”

“In fact, that’s why I invited you to Architelos. The magic you created also fits the tastes of the government, which is obsessed with victim mentality.”

That meant that the value of seeing me in Architelos was higher than I thought. Hearing that, I smiled faintly.

“That’s a happy thing.”

It seems like my price tag is still valid here.