The two Victors were adventurers in the traditional sense, traveling countless places together throughout their lives. As for why they had come here in their old age, they could not remember that either.
"If we cannot remember what we came here for, then let us die here. That purpose must have been important, yes, very important. Rather than return with regrets, we would rather stay here forever."
That was what the two old women said. Having already reached the end of their lives, they had clearly made their peace with it.
"Then aside from us, Lady Thorn, have you seen anyone else here?"
After speaking with the others, Shade asked the witch with the eye condition. She nodded.
"Yes. Some people stayed here for a time before voluntarily asking the god to let them leave. The god then guided them onto a path out, at the cost of never being able to appear here again. Others came here and insisted on staying. Later, for various reasons, they vanished into the White Fog outside and never returned."
"Has no one ever been healed?"
"No, some people really did have their wishes fulfilled. There was a mother and daughter. The mother was a witch, and the daughter was a child she had adopted. Although they had also forgotten their purpose, the young girl's congenital heart disease was easy enough to notice.
So the mother took her daughter to meet the god. The latter's illness was treated, and after bathing in the god's radiance, she awakened as a witch."
Lady Thorn showed a nostalgic expression.
"Before they left, we cooked a great many mushrooms together to celebrate the girl's healing. When they said goodbye, they left me all their luggage except for the clothes they wore, and wished that I would soon remember