Now that Lord Durandal had left the Imperial Capital, Rita needed to go out as well. She had to make arrangements for things at home and for Sil first. As for the Security Department, she only needed to inform them.
By the time Rita finished her work, it was already afternoon.
The Jifunola Sea of Trees lay along the Empire's southwestern border and covered nearly a million square kilometers. Viewed from the mountains, it was nothing but an endless ocean of green as far as the eye could see, hence its name.
This was where the Empire's special Assassination Unit selected its new generation of recruits.
As the Empire's largest sea of trees, the Jifunola Sea of Trees, located amid mountainous highlands, had always been one of the Empire's richest regions in natural resources. It contained not only all kinds of incredibly precious timber, but also a vast number of exceptionally valuable special Dangerous Species. There were even legends that several Dangerous Species capable of being used to create Imperial Arms lived within this sea of trees. Rumor also had it that countless precious mineral deposits were buried beneath its mountains...
Where there were opportunities, there were dangers. Far fewer people had obtained treasures from this place than had died there, and many regarded it as forbidden ground.
The Jifunola Sea of Trees was entirely a forest growing amid mountainous highlands. It was surrounded either by snow-covered, layered peaks too perilous even for birds to cross, or by vast river-filled rifts surging with massive waves.
Crossing this sea of trees on foot was therefore extremely difficult, with treacherous terrain and the threat of Dangerous Species.
Yet anyone wishing to become a member of the Empire's Assassination Department had to cross this sea of trees. This was the first stage