A vast wasteland stretched out before my eyes.
This was Sazantgurna, a country situated right next to the Kingdom of Lievril. If you traveled east across the Segara Plains, which occupied the eastern reaches of Lievril, you would eventually hit the Sazantgurna border. I say "eventually" because there wasn't really a clearly defined border between the two nations. For the most part, people just recognized the plains as Lievril and the land further east as Sazantgurna.
"I’d heard the stories, but I didn't expect the environment to change so abruptly..."
"You’re right," I said, agreeing with Lowell’s observation.
Normally, I would have expected the transition from plains to wasteland to be gradual, but here, the environment shifted so drastically that you could practically draw a line in the dirt where one ended and the other began. While the area we currently stood in had a few sparse trees and patches of grass, they said that if we continued further east, it would become a completely barren desert. The land was useless for farming, and it didn't seem to hold any promising mineral deposits. Because it was so desolate, the Kingdom of Lievril had no territorial ambitions for it, and the Sazantgurna side didn't seem to care about policing a precise border.
As a result, Sazantgurna wasn’t exactly an ideal place for people to live. It was rumored that the country had originally formed as a sanctuary for various groups of people who had been driven from their own homelands for one reason or another. It was an ancient nation—so old that its true history was lost to time. It was quite a feat for its origins to be a mystery even with the presence of the long-lived Forestfolk.
In this world, it wasn't uncommon for nations to be several hundred years old. I often felt that civilization hadn't advanced much for how old it was, but the primary cause was the monster threat. Huge outbreaks of monsters occurred every few centuries, and each time, civilization was pushed to the brink of collapse.
There was something resembling a road ahead of us. It wasn't exactly a paved highway, but rather a set of worn tracks left behind by wagons and travelers. It wasn't the easiest path to walk, but I was grateful just to have a direction to follow.
After walking for a while, the landscape shifted again. We were now in a truly desolate land where not even a blade of grass grew. Dust clouds kicked up with every step, making visibility poor.
“Muu. Is there really a city in a place like this?” Shiroru asked through Thought Transmission.
"It certainly makes you wonder. We should be getting close, though..."
It was an environment of nothing but dirt and stones as far as the eye could see. Normally, it would be impossible to miss a human settlement in such an open area. That said, our destination, Aingurna, wasn't exactly a normal city.
"What kind of place is it? There's a Dungeon there, right?" Halfa asked, tilting her head.
Lowell and I had discussed our destination and made the decision together, so Halfa didn’t know much about the specifics.
"Well, saying there's a Dungeon isn’t wrong, but it’s not entirely accurate either."
"Huh? What does that mean?"
"Since we're almost there, I think I'll keep it a secret for just a little longer."
"Ehh? Oh, come on! Now you’ve got me all curious!"
Halfa made a show of being annoyed, but she immediately broke into a giggle.
"Fine, if you're going to be like that, I'll look forward to the surprise!"
"I promise, you'll be shocked."
I certainly had been when I first learned of the city's existence.
As we continued, a rocky area came into view. Enormous, jagged boulders were scattered across the landscape, but what really drew the eye were two massive stone pillars. Because of the distance, it was hard to judge their scale, but they were clearly gargantuan. The road led straight between them.
"Wait, what is that?"
"It’s strange... almost magical," Spira murmured.
As we drew closer, Halfa and Spira both voiced their confusion. Despite the cloudless, sunny sky, a thick, swirling haze hung between the two stone pillars, obscuring the path ahead. It was clearly not a natural phenomenon.
I figured it was about time to reveal the truth, but Shiroru beat me to the punch.
“Aren't we supposed to be going to a city? There is a Dungeon ahead.”
"Yeah, you're right. Our destination is actually inside the Dungeon."
That was the secret: the city of Aingurna was located entirely within a Dungeon. Incredible, right?
There was a small hut near the base of the stone pillars. Or rather, it only looked small because it was sitting next to those pillars; in reality, it was a perfectly normal-sized building. That was just how massive the pillars were. Two men dressed as adventurers were standing out front, and as we approached, one of them called out to us.
"Hey there. Travelers? This is the Aingurna Gate. I assume you know the way?"
"Yes. Um, do we need to go through some kind of inspection?" I asked.
"Ah, no, no. Nothing like that. I'm just a guide. Since you're trekking through this empty wasteland, it's a safe bet that you're here for Aingurna. Most people know this is the gate, but well... it looks like this, you know?"
The guide gestured behind him without turning around.
Beyond him was the strange space between the two pillars, filled with that mysterious mist that blocked all sight of what lay beyond.
"Even if people know the city is through there, they usually hesitate the first time they have to step into that void. Once you’re used to it, it’s nothing, though."
The man gave a small, wry smile.
I could see his point. Even if you had all the information in the world about Aingurna, stepping into a magical haze was daunting. It would have been a lot easier if we could at least see the city on the other side.
"So, I’m here to lead the way. You won't get lost, so just follow me. If you’re ready, I’ll take you through... sound good?"
We looked at each other. There was a bit of hesitation, but no one wanted to turn back. If anything, the girls looked excited about the unknown experience. Honestly, so was I. A Dungeon accessed through a gate like this was a rare find.
"Yes, we're ready."
"Great. Follow me, then."
The man gave a gentle smile and started walking. We hurried to keep up. Perhaps unsurprisingly, there was no strange sensation when we crossed through the gate. The haze remained for a few moments, but it wasn't so thick that I lost sight of the guide's back.
Then, after a few more steps, the mist suddenly evaporated. We had reached the other side.
The surroundings had changed so completely that it was impossible to believe we had been in the middle of a barren wasteland seconds ago. Spreading out before us was an unmistakable city. A wide main street ran through the center, lined with sturdy buildings on both sides. The people walking the streets were full of life, showing none of the fear one might expect from living in a den of monsters. While it couldn't quite compete with Garond, the Royal Capital of Lievril, it was certainly a major city.
This was Aingurna!
It was a sight so vibrant, it was hard to believe we were actually inside a Dungeon.