"We were curious about the rift and when we finally found it, we created a route to explore all the kingdoms. We thought it would be best to start with the first kingdom and visit them all. Since we discovered the rift in the first kingdom and saw the second one, we decided to check if there was another rift leading to a different place. As you can see, our plans kind of coincided and we met here.”

He smiled and added, "You might not believe us, but that's what we've been through."

Caitrin replied excitedly and nervously, "No! Not at all. I truly believe you and Tatsumi."

Looking at her hands with a sad expression, she said, "I believe you because when we were back in Aetas, Tatsumi didn't abandon me and helped me get here. He saved my life and restored my faith. That's why I believe you, because I want to believe in him as he did in me!"

Yuma smiled and said, "Thank you, Caitrin. Since you believe in us so much, your respect is all we need."

He then added, "Okay then, let's get back to explaining the questions."

Caitrin looked at Yuma and Orano again. Yuma's affectionate and talkative nature contrasted sharply with Orano's quiet and dutiful demeanor. However, since they had been friends for years, she thought it was normal.

She asked confusedly, "But I still don't understand. Tatsumi mentioned many things like the 'Royal Society' or a 'Very dangerous water serpent.' What are those?"

Yuma replied, "Actually, they're not that difficult to explain and understand."

He continued, "The Royal Society is a global organization that assists all the kingdoms worldwide and is obligated to serve them. A prime example is the knights found in all kingdoms. Each kingdom has its own knights for public services, completing duties assigned by the king, and ultimately, Creature Hunting."

Caitrin was surprised. "Creature Hunting? Can a knight become a creature hunter?"

"Yes, they can," Yuma replied. "Since there's no law prohibiting it, they can be both a knight and a creature hunter. But they must follow the rules."

"It must be difficult for them," Caitrin said.

"It is, but there are advantages to being in each society," Yuma replied.

"Wait, there are other societies?" Caitrin asked, surprised.

"Absolutely," Yuma said. "There are three societies in general. The first is the 'Royal Society,' the global organization that regulates the rights of Creature Hunters and Sorcerers. They typically have the right to intervene first in all murders and similar events."

"The second is the 'Creature Hunter Society,'" he continued. "They are the people who eliminate creatures around kingdoms and get paid for it. This way, knights usually leave the job to them to avoid interrupting their own duties. They also have the right to interfere in criminal events."

“Isn't this the work of a knight?” Caitrin asked in confusion.

"It is," Yuma agreed. "But since some of them are very skilled at Creature tracking, they sometimes let them handle it."

Orano added, "And they have the right to board ships with a person they bring. You might remember that from Aetas."

Caitrin replied sarcastically, "You didn't have to remind me of that."

Yuma continued, "And the final one is the 'Witches and Sorcerers Society.' Since I'm a part of it, I have more information about them."

He explained, "They are the society that usually assists both the Creature Hunter Society and the Royal Society. However, due to past issues with the witch part of the society and the strictness of their leader, they don't often interact with people. As long as the societies don't unite to make important decisions about the world, they typically remain hidden."

"They also have rules, such as 'You can't perform spells in public areas' or 'When you discover a new spell, you must report it to the society,'" he added.

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Caitrin was confused again. "But Tatsumi showed me a compass that he 'invented.' Did he discuss that with the society?"

Yuma sighed and said, "Actually, I didn't. It's not ready yet. Not at all."

"What do you mean?" Caitrin asked.

"I'm still adding new features to it, like increasing its range or making it work faster," Yuma replied. "I want to give people something that truly works."

Caitrin placed her hand on her cheek and looked at him thoughtfully. Since she had never left her village, this amount of information was overwhelming for her.

She then remembered and said, "Oh, right! Tatsumi also talked about a witch. What's so important about her? Why do people hate witches so much, and what is their right to live freely?"

Yuma took out a map from his pocket and said, "It has a complex history, but I can explain it."

On the map, eight different kingdoms were drawn with their names written on them and Roman numerals beside them.

Ravaryn, the First Kingdom, was situated at the far left, with the vast desert of Torox, the largest desert, stretching above it.

Directly below the First Kingdom was the fifth Kingdom, Faye, which was twice its size.

To the right of the fifth Kingdom lay Idrisud, the Fourth Kingdom. Above the Fourth Kingdom was Besia, the Third Kingdom.

The Fourth Kingdom was slightly larger than the First Kingdom, and in the upper right corner was Rawara, the largest lake among all the kingdoms.

The Third Kingdom was the same width as the Fourth Kingdom but extended to the sea, forming a triangular shape.

Above the Third Kingdom was the sixth Kingdom, Emperal, a rectangular kingdom bordering the Torox desert.

Yuma pointed to the kingdom labeled with the Roman numeral VIII and said, "The story of the Eighth Kingdom dates back to the time of the Luroun War. It's said that during a time when witches lived freely among the kingdoms and helped people, there were two witches who were exceptionally powerful. One was strict but kind, assisting those in need while adhering to rules and principles. The other witch, however, was more independent and didn't always follow the rules."

"One day, one of the witches began to use Dark Magic to fight her enemies and creatures. Despite the ongoing war, they were unable to stop her. After the war ended, the leader of the other witches, Rosa Marblemaw, expelled her from the witch society, declaring she never wanted to see her Dark Magic again. It's said that after this, the witch went to live in the Eighth Kingdom alone."

"Following this incident, the Royal Society and other societies formed a legal agreement, granting the witches and sorcerers the right to live freely in the Fourth Kingdom. This fostered better communication and facilitated research on spells. Since the Eighth Kingdom was destroyed during the Luroun War, it is now protected by a powerful spell that prevents anyone from entering. Legends claim that the witch still resides there, but no one knows for certain."

Caitrin sighed sadly, "That's very harsh. I guess that's why witches are despised by other people."

She then asked, "But you said one of them is 'Rosa Marblemaw.' What is the name of the second witch?"

"It's never been revealed. That's why her existence is such a mystery," Yuma replied.

As they were talking, a crowd began to gather around the Ezekiel bridge, watching something.

Caitrin asked curiously, "Why are people gathering there?"

"I don't know, but it looks important," Yuma replied.

Orano stood up and walked towards the crowd.

Yuma smiled and said, "I guess we should follow him."

They got up and joined the crowd, pushing their way to the front. Except for the area directly in front of the castle, where Orano, Caitrin, and Yuma were completely surrounded by people. A red carpet stretched out in front of the castle, and five people stood there, waiting calmly.

Caitrin asked, "The one in front looks like an authorized person, but who are those four people waiting there?"

Yuma replied, "I haven't met them or seen them, but I think I remember their names from a list I saw."

He looked at them and said, "From left to right, it must be Hiro Segyuu, Yonabi Tsukiko, Chou Yu, and Lamram."

Caitrin asked, "Are they famous or something?"

Yuma smiled and said, "Kind of."

The person at the very front was a middle-aged man dressed in a stylish suit. He seemed to be the one in charge of the area.

The first person on the left was a young man, nearly six feet tall. He had dark brown hair and dark red eyes. He wore a red jacket, a black shirt and pants, and had red armor on his arms and a long black sword at his waist. He stood silently, waiting patiently, exuding a mysterious aura.

The woman standing beside him was a young girl, approximately five and a half feet tall. She had short, gray hair and piercing silver eyes. She wore brown pants that covered her body up to her chest, a light brown shirt that reached her wrists, brown gloves and boots with protectors, a leather quiver on her back with a dagger, and a small backpack at her waist.

Compared to the other members, she seemed more nervous but not completely scared. Something seemed to be making her anxious, as she looked around suspiciously, searching for answers.

The next member, standing to her right, was also five and a half feet tall. She had short blonde hair that reached her shoulders and bright green eyes. She wore a red sweater that covered her chest and neck, blue baggy jeans, and white shoes.

She exuded a confident aura. Unlike the others, she neither looked nervous nor smiled, simply waiting calmly.

The final member, standing on the far right, was a man. He was six feet tall, had long blue hair, and yellow eyes. He wore a long coat with blue shoulder pads, a black body, and white cuffs. He also wore a white shirt, a black vest, white pants, and white shoes.

He seemed like a kind and cheerful person, but he also appeared to sense that something was amiss.

No one could understand why everyone was so nervous until another person arrived.