Aozaki Aoko Case File

The Aozaki sisters couldn't possibly rely solely on their feet to explore this suspected borderland, but since they currently knew nothing about the area, their priority was to carefully investigate the environment and gather as much information as possible.

On their journey, they dealt with some minor enemies (charred black figures, uncertain whether they were alive or dead), eventually arriving at a stone monument near the ruins of an old structure.

The monument bore numerous inscriptions in an unknown language, along with a surprisingly detailed map for what seemed to be a medieval fantasy setting.

"Can you read it?" Touko asked Aoko. "This thing looks like a landmark or a boundary marker."

Aoko didn't respond immediately. Instead, she began casting a spell, enveloping herself in a layer of Comprehend Languages and then started carefully reading the contents of the monument.

"This is a map of the surrounding area, along with some descriptions of the local situation," Aoko said, frowning. "But the map seems a bit outdated—it doesn't look like recent information."

"That's obvious," Touko said with a smirk. "Combining what we gleaned earlier through mind-reading, it's clear this horned people's nation was attacked by another force."

"This region is called the Graveyard Plains," Aoko continued reading. "Hmm… the ruins ahead were once an outer checkpoint of a fortress called 'Barricade Town Beret.' It seems to have been destroyed by another army. There's a village on the highlands to the west, though I'm not sure if it still exists. South of that village, there's also a church."

"This monument doesn't seem as old as I expected," Aoko said, rubbing her chin thoughtfully. "Some of the landmarks on the map were built in different eras. The invasion of these horned people must have happened before this monument was erected."

"And Touko, don't you think the writing on this monument looks a bit like runes?"

"It's superficial at best," Touko replied, examining the monument. "The grammar and structure are entirely different. The characters just bear a visual resemblance to runes. If this monument were my only source, it would take me about a month to fully learn this language's writing system."

"I don't think that'll be necessary," Aoko said, pointing to a location northeast of the checkpoint ruins on the map. "There's a place called Ensys City beyond that large bridge. It appears to be a gathering spot for mages. If we're lucky, we might be able to contact the local spellcasters to acquire some knowledge about this world. After all, scholars are usually more approachable."

"That's not very realistic," Touko said, shaking her head. "The horned person we encountered earlier was already quite hostile toward us. Why would their mages be any more welcoming?"

"Well, that's not certain," Aoko replied, pointing to a specific inscription. "This says that Ensys City was established after the invasion of Barricade Town."

"Oh?" Touko's interest was piqued. "So the people there might be the invaders—or at least part of them?"

"Exactly," Aoko nodded. "Although the map only covers a limited area, it gives us a basic understanding of this region, which is valuable."

Having said that, Aoko pulled out a notebook and used a transcription spell. Her pen began automatically copying the contents of the monument into her notebook.

"Let's go. We should check out the ruins first to see if there's anything worth investigating," Aoko said, closing the notebook after the transcription was complete.

After a thorough investigation of the ruins, they had mostly confirmed the situation.

There was no doubt that these dilapidated structures had once functioned as a checkpoint and watchtower. However, the main buildings were heavily damaged and severely burned, rendering their original purpose entirely obsolete.

Inside the ruins, they encountered some charred undead wandering around (including scorched undead dogs). After clearing them out, they found little value.

In one relatively intact room on the eastern side of the ruins, Aoko discovered a short dagger enshrined on an altar. However, it was no longer usable; dark red stains on the blade—likely blood—had seeped into the metal along with rust, making it impossible to clean.

After examining it, Aoko concluded that the dagger had been used in some sort of sacrificial ritual. Whether it was meant for slaughtering livestock or humans was unclear.

Using rune magic, Touko detected a significant amount of lingering resentment and traces of the souls of victims clinging to the dagger. These properties seemed to imbue the weapon with some sort of special effect. After a brief discussion, the sisters decided to seal the dagger with magic and keep it for now.

Aside from the dagger, the ruins yielded nothing of interest. The sisters stood in the upper corridor of the ruins, gazing at the landscape as they discussed their next move.

"Should we head to the village first or go straight to Ensys City?" Touko asked. "Dealing with spellcasters might carry a higher level of risk."

"You're right," Aoko agreed. "But there's no need to rush our decision. Since we've just arrived in this unfamiliar world, it's better to be cautious—especially since the first local we met wasn't exactly friendly."

With that, Aoko opened her familiar pouch and released Stark. During their last trip to Lina's world, Aoko hadn't expected to travel to another dimension, so she'd left Stark at home. This time, however, she had come prepared.

"Squawk! I'm dying in here!" Stark complained noisily as he flew in circles before landing on Aoko's arm. "So this is another world? It sure looks strange, squawk!"

"Time to get to work, Stark," Aoko said, stroking the familiar's sleek feathers. "There's a village on the highlands to the west and a church to the south of the village. I need you to scout out those two locations for me."

"Squawk, no problem!" Stark seemed eager, thrilled to have a task that let it stretch its wings.

"Don't get too excited," Aoko warned. "We still know very little about this world, and I have many things that need confirmation. Make sure you're careful and avoid being noticed by the locals."

With that, Aoko took out a small ring-sized anklet and attached it to Stark's leg, replacing the one it had been wearing.

"This anklet is enchanted with Invisibility," Aoko explained. "If you're discovered, activate the spell and retreat immediately. If things go wrong, notify me, and I'll come to the rescue."

"Squawk, got it!"

Stark affectionately nuzzled Aoko's hand before flapping its wings and soaring into the sky, heading toward the highlands in the west.