After Nai Hyuga finished speaking, she suddenly stiffened. Another possibility had occurred to her.
Sure enough, as though he had anticipated it, Orochimaru said, "The surroundings depicted on the map certainly aren't Daimyo Castle."
"But..." Orochimaru drew out the word and looked up at the distant mountain. "Could this map have been drawn before Daimyo Castle was built?"
"Look, there's a mountain... and a mist-covered lake. Wouldn't that be a hot spring? All these features indicate that Daimyo Castle is precisely the place depicted on the map."
"That's..." Yui and Nai Hyuga exchanged glances. It matched what they had been thinking.
Yui and Nai Hyuga looked at each other, then surveyed the distant surroundings and compared them carefully with the map. Sure enough, it really was a match.
Her breathing grew heavy. Yui collected herself and looked back at Orochimaru, asking in astonishment, "Then doesn't that mean this map is even older than Daimyo Castle?"
Orochimaru wasn't surprised. "Of course. Something like the Kusanagi Sword is a legendary divine weapon, after all. If that weren't the case, I'd actually be suspicious!"
Orochimaru's words made everything click for Yui. That was right. Only then would the map's authenticity make sense.
"I see. I was looking at it the wrong way before."
Seeing that neither of them had any more doubts, Orochimaru turned and headed down the street, saying as he walked, "In that case, let's go. I've more or less figured out where the ruins are. I'll take you there."
The two followed as instructed, with Yui holding the map as they walked behind Orochimaru.
Dawn had only just broken, and there were few people on the streets. Within Daimyo Castle stood a magnificent, lavish palace. Yui thought that must be the daimyo's residence.
The farther they ventured into Daimyo Castle,