Riezel's purpose in coming to this Black Land had, at last, been initially accomplished.
As for whether the thing inside the Box of Identification was what he needed, he would only know after returning to the Akasha Continent.
Next, Riezel and the other three swiftly left the rear courtyard, passed through the rear hall, central hall, and the vast plaza that had once left the girls traumatized, then returned to the front hall and continued toward the entrance of the Grand Saint Palace.
Once they left the Grand Saint Palace, they would head straight for the Abyss Gate and seal it.
"Hmm?"
Just as the group of four was about to leave the front hall and return outside through the entrance of the Grand Saint Palace, Riezel suddenly stopped.
"My lord?"
"What is it?"
"Did we forget to do something?"
Merlot, Naisha, and Belti stopped as well. Looking at the motionless Riezel, they spoke in confusion.
"..."
Riezel did not answer their questions. Instead, he raised his head and looked upward.
There, the black curtain, like a drawn canopy, remained quietly spread out, shielding Riezel and the others from the endless Abyss Creatures outside.
But perhaps the curtain's purpose had come to an end.
"So it came after all?"
As if he had sensed something, Riezel sneered and muttered to himself.
"What?"
The girls froze slightly, seemingly unable to understand.
But soon, what happened before their eyes made them all widen them.
"Crack..."
The curtain, which had been keeping the army of Abyss Creatures outside at bay, suddenly let out a cracking sound.
That was right.
The curtain... had cracked.
"Crack, crack, crack—"
Then, as though it had triggered some chain reaction, one crack after another began to spread across the black curtain. Like a shattered mirror, it was filled