"This is called the City of the Spiral, Mr. Reinhardt, and I have heard its filthy and profaned name, but with all due respect to my obtuseness, I cannot name it. Let's call it the City of Spirals. The old mayor said.

"Huh. Reinhardt had only a contemptuous look at the old mayor's remarks, and he had done nothing more than that.

The old mayor could only smile bitterly, "Whether you believe it or not, I'll tell you about it - after all, it's always good to know a little more." ”

"Say it. Reinhardt remained on guard, but didn't look hostile. Seeing this, the old mayor sighed, but also let go of his worries - if Reinhardt really didn't care about slashing with an axe, things would be in trouble.

"Hmm, where did I just go? Oh...... The city. The old mayor continued to speak: "As you can see, the city was not made to be inhabited. ”

"Human?" Reinhardt keenly noticed the old mayor putting the accent on the word "human," "a bug?"

Reinhardt's eyes were on the connected paths. It takes on a delicate arc, just enough to accommodate the wriggling of a huge strip as wide as a horse-drawn cart.

"Your observation is astute, Mr. Reinhardt. It used to be inhabited by a giant insect intelligence that built the city - but probably not as many as human cities...... Thousands of bugs, perhaps?" the old mayor pinched his fingers, and estimated solemnly.

"Go on. Reinhardt's patience is actually good, but wasting time on such a pointless thing is not within his tolerance. So, he opened his mouth and urged it once.

"Oh, oh......" The old mayor was treated like this, but he didn't get angry, but just casually agreed, "It's nothing, I haven't seen too many aliens, but there is a kind of bug with intelligence, and there seems to be nothing wrong with it." ”

Reinhardt didn't know much about the old mayor, but he at least knew that the other party had communicated with the Toad Village. Toad people weren't the kind of race that looked like people, so Reinhardt had no objection to the old mayor's receptivity.

"You know, these aliens have some inexplicable customs. The old mayor explained, "It's like a toad man, who worships a big tree or something." ”

"These insect sapient creatures also worship something, but ...... But......" The old mayor's expression became frightened, and he swallowed a mouthful of saliva, and finally spoke, "but this thing is not like a tree...... Uh, docile?"

"That's a huge worm!" the old mayor was a little agitated, and he waved his hands as if to measure the huge worm.

"I saw it in my hallucinations...... I saw Him...... His cysts were as big as a mountain...... I don't know what I saw, it was pus, it was elixir...... It's ......" The old mayor suddenly stopped talking like a hysteria, and he slowly crouched down to the spot with his head in his hands, and let out a hoarse, low wail.

Reinhardt didn't move—he didn't do anything other than clench the axe in his hand harder.

After a while, the old chief's wailing gradually subsided. He froze weakly on the ground, and if it weren't for the slight trembling body, Reinhardt would probably suspect that he was dead.

"Are you feeling better?" Mr. Mayor. Reinhardt rarely uttered a few complete sentences.

"Ahem...... OK. Mayor Mare coughed, he sounded fine, with no symptoms other than hoarseness and lack of breath from a long howl.

He struggled twice before he got up from the ground, and it seemed that the sudden hysterical exertion of his strength was very great—at least, more than Reinhardt had expected.

We continued. An unusual flush flew up the old mayor's pale cheeks, "I was in a much worse state than I am when I received this inexplicable information, but I quickly returned to normal - even better than I had before I got sick. It almost reminds me of my younger years. ”

"So, Mr. Reinhardt, you don't have to worry. The old mayor moved his arms and legs, and his face had completely turned a healthy and ruddy color, "You see, I'm completely fine now. ”

Reinhardt took a step back, "Mr. Mayor, you're not behaving like the Mr. Mayor I know. Reinhardt said a lot, and he looked very solemn – which generally means that the situation is really serious.

"Whatever you want. The old mayor smiled helplessly and spread his hands, "There's nothing I can do." ”

"All I can do now is continue to tell what happened to me. The old mayor smiled and stared into Reinhardt's eyes, "What I'm going to say next may be related to the source of the curse of the Demon City. ”

"What if...... If something happens to me......" Mayor Marula's voice became hesitant, but in an instant it became firm again.

"If I die on the rest of my journey, you will pass on these truths to others. The old chief straightened his back, "Your combat strength is much stronger than mine, and you have a better chance of survival, but I suggest you share the information as soon as you meet your companions." ”

"After all...... In this desecrated land, even the strongest people will appear weak. The old mayor tilted his head slightly and closed his eyes.

After a few seconds, he blinked vigorously and smiled apologetically at Reinhardt, "...... I felt the ...... The majesty of 'Him'. ”

"It's nothing, I've heard that in the capital of the Empire, the nobles also worship His Majesty the Emperor of the Empire, and that 'he' may be similar to the Emperor of the worms. ”

"But...... But He also found me. The old mayor smiled wryly, "Yes, he's in my hallucinations, it's just a piece of information I've gotten, but he did see me—and, noticed. ”

"It was a terrible feeling. Mayor Marula tried to portray the feeling of powerlessness, "as if exposed to a cold wind...... Or is it like watching the earth fall from the sky? Sorry, I can't describe it, but what it feels like...... Shocks you and makes you powerless. ”

"It's like...... It was as if I saw turmoil. The old mayor used a strange word, and he seemed to sense that something was wrong, and began to explain: "It is as if the earth is shaking, and the people are terrified, and everything is so ...... So unstable. ”

"Then my dream shattered, but ......," the old chief pulled the garment from his neck, "but this thing appeared on me. ”