The sky was already darkening, but there was still one matter of concern for the Bafrodskis. It was the matter of Donaisia.

"......I hate to tell you this, but four members of our clan are missing. Do you know anything about this?"

Bafrosk to Reiko in a much softer manner.

"There seems to be a small base about ten kilometers south of here. Isn't it there?"

Donasia and the three men who had followed her were still missing.

Ten kilometers is a distance that can be covered in no time by those who can strengthen their bodies.

The militants arrived at the site in about 15 minutes.

"There's nothing here. ......"

Under an ever-darkening sky, nothing is to be seen in the gray-brown wilderness.

And then...

"What's this?"

Reiko, who had no choice but to follow Jin's orders, found something on the ground and picked it up.

It was a piece of Magi Crystal. It is something that should not be in a wilderness like this.

"It's a fragment of a transition marker, isn't it?"

"What does ...... mean?"

Bahrovsk thought about it, but did not seem to understand what it meant.

"It means that the four missing persons could have been taken by the metastasis."

"How can that be?"

Bafrosk asked Reiko, not being good at such speculations. Reiko gave a small shrug and explained.

"...... Someone has targeted this transfer marker, and abducted the four of them. The marker is destroyed and the four are taken away. In doing so, he destroyed the marker. Can you understand me if I say ......?"

This time he understood. Bafrosk nodded.

"I see, I see. So where are we going to go?

"As far as we know, there are three possible destinations.

There were only two unaccounted for transfer markers left in the demon territory.

One is in an unidentified location 300 kilometers to the north and the other is in the mountains 50 kilometers to the northwest. (The remaining one is the location where the recovered markers were collected.)

"The most likely location is 300 km north. That was the base of ."

"300 kilometers or ......"

< clans, and is a small point across a mountain range. It's a distance that would make even the most radical of them hesitate.

"It won't happen today. We'll take care of it, won't we?"

It was Anne who said that.

"The master will be here soon."

True to her word, Capricorn 1 was in the distance.

Baphlosk and the other demons greeted Capricorn 1 and Jin with some awe.

"I see, the four missing people are ......."

Jin (<>), who had just arrived and got out of Capricorn 1, checked the situation and made a thoughtful gesture.

"<> Belialus is also concerned about his missing sister. And then there's ...... Lardus?"

So far, there are six missing demons.

"First of all, we have to go 300 kilometers to the north.

<, <> clan leader Bafrosk questions.

"Mister Jin, I have a question."

What is it?

"I heard that you said that there should be no more deaths.

Bafrozek still did not understand Jin's idea.

"Yes, but so what?"

"......It's a way of thinking that we don't understand."

"...... I see."

Again, Jin () showed a little thoughtful gesture.

"......I'm not good at explaining things like that, so it may be hard to understand, but in the end I only did it because I thought it would be good for me."

"......?"

Bafrosque is amused by this sudden metaphysical discussion.

"My idea of peace ...... is that I only did it because I thought it was a shortcut to a peaceful life."

"......"

Still, Bafrosk didn't seem to get it.

"My personal feeling is that I hate murderers. Even if we destroy the demon tribe and find peace, I think I'll still feel depressed."

He may not be depressed at all, but he is the one who chose the right words to express his feelings.

"Besides, there is the advantage of getting along with them and acquiring various materials through trade."

"I can understand that.

"It seems that you are also studying human beings, but human beings are individuals with large differences. The greater the number, the greater the differences. You should know that it is not enough to study ten or twenty people to get a grasp of the situation.

Bafrosque shook his head, as if he understood what was being said.

"I see. I'll keep that in mind."

"I'll keep that in mind," he said, "and after all that, in the end I just thought it was the best thing to do. I can't explain it any better than that.

"Well, ......, I'm convinced."

With that, Bafrosque withdrew from the conversation.

The stars were already twinkling in the sky. Jin declared again.

"I'm going north on Capricorn 1. I want you all to go back to your places of residence and wait for me."

"...... reluctantly, but okay. I'll wait for you."

Reluctantly, Bafrosque nodded.

"I will follow you."

That line was Belialus. I'm following you here on Capricorn 1 to see if I can find any clues about my sister," he said.

"And I know Donatia's face. I think I can be of some help.

Since they had been working together, it was hard for Jin to refuse,

"Yes, Jin-dono, please do that.

Bafrosk also asked him to do so.

"Okay. Let's go."

So Capricorn 1 with Jin, Reiko, Anne, Belial, and Land 1 set off for the north in the dark.

* * * * *

Lao Tzu, on the other hand, was heading northwest alone. He decided to start from the nearest place.

He drove at the speed of about 100 km/h for 30 minutes. He came to the foot of the mountain that rises before the mountain range.

We searched around the area and found three holes that were probably for air-conditioning.

<

Lao Tzu muttered to no one and looked into the holes.

Lao Tzu switches to infrared and observes.

After an hour of probing, he finds nothing wrong, and decides to go in.

Using the gravity-controlled magic device, I reduce my weight by a factor of 10 and jump into the hole. Since the hole is not vertical but at an angle of about 80 degrees, I was able to kill the speed of my fall by rubbing my hands on the wall.

The hole made an upward bend in the shape of a V, perhaps to prevent the inflow of rain, and then headed downward again.

After about 20 meters, the hole ended and Lao Tzu was standing on the hard floor.

She turned off her gravity-controlled magic device, returned to her original weight, and observed her surroundings while deploying her barrier and invisibility.

.

The large hall-like room was empty and deserted. If you look closely, you can see only fragments of magecrystals and metal shavings lying around.

In the center of the floor, a shallowly buried transition marker is found.

Lao Tzu retrieves it as well.

.

Lao Tzu uses the gravity control device again, lightens his weight, kicks the floor, and runs back the way he came.