Everyone...your attention please. We have a bit of a problem...

B-Bertz! What's with you, all of a sudden?!

You jerk, you've got some guts showing your face again...

You misunderstand me. I would actually love to join you on your travels.

I always envied my good friend Lugina, you see.

That's not what I meant. You're just playing dumb.

Hahaha, you get right to the point. Impressive as always, Seria.

Now, allow me to do the same.

I just had another long talk, so I'm a bit tired.

Yet another tangent...

My apologies!

It seems I get talkative around beautiful women!

Anyway, back to the point.

I can't seem to find my good friend Lugina.

Do you guys know of anywhere he might've gone to?

Of course not.

And even if we did, we wouldn't tell you.

Such harsh words!

Well, this is troublesome.

I thought for sure you guys would know something...

And it seems Seria is still mad about earlier...

...... Oh, that's it!

How thoughtless of me.

I forgot to share valuable information to placate Seria!

The truth is, I know a huge secret about the Akras Summoners' Hall.

I've told Karl and Mirfah, but...

...I'd very much like to tell you as well.

Is this the story about the founding of the Summoners' Hall that you started on before?

Very good, Seria! That's exactly right!

Not only that, it's about the Summoners of Old's aims since its founding...more or less.

Their aims?

Is this the part about "destroying an immense power?"

But didn't you just tell Karl that we should talk to the Summoners of Old directly?

Ahahaha, very good, Seria! You noticed.

But you're curious, aren't you?

Well, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't, but...

...fine.

Hearing it now won't change our objective, anyway.

Our objective of saving Tilith, that is.

Um...c-could you just listen without saying that?

Ho ho ho, that's Seria for you.

Lord Grahdens!

Seems even you have trouble getting Seria to move at your pace, Klauser.

...what do you mean by that?

Exactly what it sounds like.

Bertz, it seems you want to tell the story of the founding of the Summoners' Hall yourself.

Could that be in order to deceive us and give us a bad impression of it?

We wouldn't view him as a danger if he were the type to tell obvious lies.

Bertz is good at changing people's views...

...with words that target emotional vulnerabilities, even as he speaks the truth.

You overestimate me.

If I could do that, I would hold a much higher rank in the Federation.

I think you would have a higher rank if that were what you wanted.

......

I don't know if what Lord Grahdens is saying is true or not...

...but even I can see that you're not being fully honest.

That's why I won't believe a thing you say.

Seria...you're more interesting than I could have imagined.

I can see why Lugina likes you.

But it would be a waste to let him have you.

May I place myself in the running to be your partner for life someday?

H-Have you lost your mind?!

Oh, no chance then?

Could it be that your heart is already set on someone else?

I can't imagine it's Lugina...is it Karl?

Making everything about love... Are you an idiot?!

This isn't the time for that kind of thing!

What a waste.

Don't you agree? Paris, Hans?

Don't bring me into it...

Ahaha, my apologies.

It appears that I have worn out my welcome.

And so, I'll be leaving you.

Seria, let's continue this conversation sometime in the future.

Get out of here...you idiot!

Ahahaha, well, everyone...until we meet again.

Good grief is he ever annoying...

Hans!

You can't just zone out like that! You need to speak up!

You dummy, acting like you don't care...

He does keep slowing down our pace.

...in a way, he's a tougher opponent than a demon.

By the way, Lord Grahdens, where are you headed to?

Ho?!

Uh, actually...

...Bertz is gone, so I think my work here is done.

Do you expect us to buy that excuse?

Ho ho ho, I was joking.

He did a lot of talking before he left.

You won't be satisfied unless I explain properly, right?

Besides, there's no telling when he'll come back to give you more distorted explanations.

So I'll explain.

I will tell you the truth about the founding of the Akras Summoners' Hall.

Are you all ready to hear this?

Actually, we've all been waiting for you to tell us from the start.

I think, in a way, we've been ready since we arrived here.

Ho ho ho, I see. And, Hans, are you ready?

......

Yes, it seems you're all ready to hear it.

But first, let me tell you about the "immense power"...

...that we Summoners of Old seek to destroy.

After you've heard that, then you can decide whether or not to hear me out.

You mean to tell us it's a dangerous topic...?

......

...listen, Summoners. I have much to tell.

The "immense power" we Summoners of Old work to destroy...

...is a god sealed in this land, called the Holy Emperor Karna Masta.

To destroy Karna Masta...

......

Precisely.

A god that once attempted to destroy humanity, that was sealed away by Lucius.

A god that stood above all others.

We are working to destroy this god.

Seria, Paris, and Hans.

Do you have the resolve?

The resolve to face Karna Masta?

......

We may not have the resolve. But I want to save Tilith.

I thought that if we eliminated the threat of the demons in this land, we could save Tilith.

Won't that be enough?

Can't we save Tilith without defeating Karna Masta?

If we can't, then I'll face even Karna Masta.

......

If I said I felt ready, I would be lying. But I want to know the truth.

The truth about the Akras Summoners' Hall. It's where I ended up after abandoning the Empire.

Was I deceived by the people I trusted there as well?

I want to believe that I wasn't.

I want to believe the Summoners of Old have a good reason to fight Karna Masta.

......

Hans, how about you?

......

Ah, it was rude of me to even ask.

You have always fought tirelessly for your beliefs.

......

Of course, I understand.

I understand that this is not an easy decision, and that you are all considering it carefully.

If you had all readily decided to fight, here, that would worry me more.

Ho ho ho.

Lord Grahdens, were you testing us?

Naturally.

I've always been testing all of you.

In order to determine whether or not you are warriors worthy of knowing the truth, along with the Summoners of Old.

......

Seria. Don't make that face, it's frightening.

I'm not making faces. This is the face I was born with.

Anyway, please hurry up and tell us the rest.

The reason to defeat Karna Masta, and the secret of the founding of the Akras Summoners' Hall.

Ho ho ho, I'm very sorry, but...

...please hold on a bit longer for that tale.

It's dangerous to linger here any longer.

Out in the open like this...

...another demon might notice and attack us at any time.

There is a run-down castle just past this ravine.

I will speak with you at length there.

You mean that?

I do.

And more importantly, if we don't move soon...

...Owen might accomplish his goal in pursuing Mirfah, and join up with us.

We won't be able to talk for long if that happens.

It does seem prudent to move quickly...

Hans, let's hurry!

But don't let your guard down.

Don't forget that we are in a land ruled by a demon.

So the Summoners are heading for Kayohn.

It would appear exciting things are happening around them, but have they forgotten about me?

Well, no matter.

Time only flows in one direction, after all.

More to the point, this looks promising.

By the time they get to me, they'll probably have matured even further!

I shall just keep on waiting patiently...

...waiting for the humans with the potential to end my existence to finally arrive.