Yodiara, capital of Gormilia, was a huge city where the queen herself lived. This is where Ed hoped to find any clues about the divine game. The golden-haired one and the red-haired one finally arrived. Kasei hadn't been here for a long time, so every sight amazed her: beautiful buildings, beautifully dressed people, beautiful trees and plants, and sculptures and ornaments that were set up in the streets as well. Eventually they found and entered a tall apartment building. They went up the stairs, until they finally found themselves on the seventh floor. Ed was looking for a red door, and when he found it, he knocked on it.

  “WHO THE HELL IS IT AGAIN?!” They heard a voice screaming out from behind the door. “I DON'T WANT TO BUY ANYTHING, I DON'T WANT TO GIVE ANY MONEY, LEAVE ME ALONE!”

  “Em... Arthur? It's me, Edward from Rebellar.”

  There was no answer. Instead, they could hear sounds of having trouble moving something. After a bit, the door was opened by a sweaty and panting boy about Edward's age, with orange hair, apricot-colored eyes and tanned complexion. He wore a white shirt, short brown trousers and sandals.

   “Oh, man!” he shouted happily, then dried the sweat off his forehead with his own hand. “Dude, it's been a long time since I've seen you! What’s up, Eddy!”

  “Hi” Ed said. “What were you doing? You're barring the door with something?”

  “Oh... Yeah, just the closet. Those people piss me off! They come here all the time and try to sell me useless thing! I’ve had enough when they just walked into my house! I've been barricading the door ever since! But please, come in, what brings you here?”

  Ed walked into his apartment with Kasei, and took off the shoes. The apartment was pretty big, even if there lived only one person in it. It had three rooms, each separated by a door, a kitchenette and a bathroom. Arthur took them to the living room and made them some tea.

  “What brings me here, you asked” Ed said when Arthur sat by him and Kasei. “Business.”

  “Huh?”

  “You still have access to the ancient books, right? I need something about religions.”

  “Wow, religions?” Arthur was surprised. “What do you need it for? Did you convert?”

  “Me? Edward laughed.” You could say that. I just want to learn about it.

   “But why the ancient ones?”

  “I think there might be a lot of interesting information there. And besides, I have a wonderful friend who can get me books like these, right?”

  “Heh heh heh!” Arthur laughed. “I'll get it for you, alright. Do you want to stay here for a few days, or did you just want to see my face?”

  “If it's not a problem, I’ll stay for a bit. I'll pay you.”

  “Oh, you! Don't give me that! My parents left me a giant house. You'd help me chase those idiots out of my house too, who are trying to sell me this trash.”

  “Haha, I'll do it if I have to.” Ed grabbed a cup and started drinking tea.

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  “But alright, now that you're here, I need to tell you something.”

  “Yes?” The golden-haired looked at him, Kasei did the same.

  “There're some really weird things going on around lately.” Arthur put his cup away, and Ed became serious.

  “What kind of things?” asked Kasei.

  “Well... cannibalism.” “Cannibalism?” she questioned. “What's that?”

   “...When a man eats a man” Ed said.

  “Disgusting...” she commented. “The queen is worried” Arthur continued. “It's still unclear who's doing it. In the beginning, bodies were found that lacked arms, legs or even organs. But soon afterwards it was discovered that there was some cannibal behind it.”

  Ed looked at Kasei. For them, it sounded too suspicious to not have been related to the game. They drank their tea, then put the cups away.

  “Good thing you said that” Ed smiled. “Me and Kasei still wanted to walk around town, it’s been a long time since we’ve been here. It's good that you warned us.”

  “Ha, you’re welcome! If you want to go, go now while it's still light out there. Curfew starts in the evening. You mustn't be out and about then.”

  “We understand. Come, Kasei.” “Ok!” They got up and left the house.

  They were walking through the city that had its’ own rhythm, the sun was slowly approaching the horizon. Ed and Kasei were looking for anything that could lead them to the other players.

  “Cannibalism...” Ed thought out loud. “Am I the only one thinking that it’s related to the game somehow?”

  “Not just you” Kasei said. “Who knows what kind of weirdoes this deity chooses...”

  “Right. We have time until evening to look around. “

  They've been walking around all this time, trying to make sure no one pays too much attention to them. Ed was focusing his magic, looking for the mana traces. It was getting darker and darker. They walked through different places, buildings, parks, markets and bars. But they couldn't find anything. The sun had almost set, they decided to search one more place. It was a factory with big windows, where they found cartons and machines. He felt the mana trace there. Kasei slipped inside, the golden-haired man still focusing the magic around his hands, concentrated... He felt something, weak, but something that resembled the aura of the deity. He stopped.

  “I think we have company.”

  Kasei turned into a spear, and Ed grabbed her in his hands. He waited, when a girl with long, red hair appeared in his sight. And right behind her stood three more people, two with fox ears, one with rabbit’s. The one with violet hair was focusing her magic, but then she stopped.

  “Master, this is...” said the tallest one, with pale hair. “One of the players.”

  Ed got a little nervous because of the current situation. The red-haired girl smiled slightly.

End of Chapter 3