"Asfaria."
I muttered as I stared at those white buildings, drawing closer with every step we took forward.
But why did it feel like Arthania’s name, and the name of this city carried the same tone?
Well, it wasn’t really important.
And I wasn’t the only one stunned by this sight. Even Izel was muttering to herself, "It really is a city... and there are other humans."
It wasn’t clear since we were still far away, but from here I could make out a few silhouettes of people moving through the streets lit by lamps hanging along the edges.
I glanced at Arthania, who was walking ahead of us. It seemed she hadn’t been lying or making things up.
Then I turned my head toward Ellen, our eyes meeting.
Without a single word, she understood what I wanted.
Slowly, our pace decreased as we let Arthania move ahead, putting more distance between us.
Everyone drew closer to me as I spoke. "This city doesn’t seem as normal as it looks, but we also need any clue that could lead us back... and it might be here."
I looked at each of them in turn. "So, when we arrive, be careful with every action and every word you say... I don’t think I need to remind you what happens when you act carelessly in an unknown place filled with mystery."
I made sure my voice carried seriousness, speaking low but loud enough for everyone to hear. It wasn’t like Arthania couldn’t hear us—after all, she was Rank 5.
But even if she did, she wouldn’t understand what we were saying.
She knew we were wary of her, yet she didn’t show any discomfort.
Elliot nodded at my words and added, "And we shouldn’t split up under any circumstances. At the very least, stay in pairs at all times... especially Kyle and Izel, since they don’t know this language."
Kyle and Izel nodded in understanding as I let out a sigh. "So... what could a city where people have lived for centuries, in a world that was thought to have disappeared or something like that, possibly contain?"
"Please don’t say it like that." It seemed my words didn’t sit well with Leona.
Honestly, the idea of abandoning this place and pretending we hadn’t met or seen anyone kept running through my mind.
But unfortunately, we couldn’t always do what we wanted.
"Fine then... just adapt to the situation."
With those final words, I moved forward and caught up with Arthania. We were already very close to the city.
As soon as I reached her side, she turned to me with that calm smile on her lips. "Finished discussing your doubts?"
I opened my mouth to respond, but she spoke first. "I know it’s frightening to hear that everyone here is hundreds of years old, but it’s strange to me too."
Strange to her too?
"Everyone here is kind, and no one will treat you badly as long as you don’t do so either. And you don’t seem like bad people to me, Caius."
"Trust me, you’ll get used to it after some time."
I looked at Arthania, and for a brief moment, I saw a strange emotion in her eyes... like someone who had been lost for a long time.
She turned her gaze forward again. "I know this may not be the place you want to be, but it’s better than staying lost out there, trapped by death all the time."
"At least you can rest here for a few days, and I promise I’ll help you as much as I can so you can return to your home."
I let out a tired sigh. I didn’t know why, but this woman stirred emotions in me that I had long forgotten.
"Thank you."
With that, we finally reached the end of the road. The tall stone walls around us disappeared, replaced by white houses rising ahead, separated by narrow streets no wider than two meters—or even less.
Each house had a simple geometric design, with sharp angles and glass windows letting light spill into the clean streets.
And it seemed none of the houses exceeded three floors.
We walked forward, stepping out of the maze for the first time.
The end of the city wasn’t visible. All I could see on the horizon was the same maze wall rising and surrounding the city from all sides, making it look like a fortress from the inside.
I looked around. I had expected to see a few people, but there was no one.
"Don’t you place guards in places like this?"
Arthania answered as she walked toward the streets, still some distance away. "No... monsters don’t come here."
"You said the city has tens of thousands of people, but it feels very empty." I said that because we hadn’t seen anyone nearby, except for a few distant figures who were all heading straight into their homes.
But Arthania’s answer explained it. "It’s the time when everyone is sleeping, so the streets are empty."
Well, that made sense. Maybe they had adapted to a different day and night cycle.
"Now let’s go to my house. I’ll take you around the city when everyone wakes up." She said as she turned right, changing direction while we were still hundreds of meters away from the nearest street.
I looked in the direction she was heading and saw another house there. Unlike the others, it was separated by hundreds of meters and stood near the maze wall.
"Is that your house?" Leona asked.
Arthania nodded, glancing at her. "You’ve been quiet the whole time. I thought you were shy."
I stared at the house. It looked like the others, except it was slightly bigger... and far from all of them.
"Why do you live away from the others?" Ellen asked.
Arthania shrugged. "It’s been my house since I was born."
...
As soon as we entered Arthania’s house, the first thing we saw was an open area with some chairs and furnishings on the floor, along with a staircase leading upward on the side.
"Make yourselves at home. There are some rooms on the second floor for you, with a small bathroom there."
Then she pointed to another door on the side. "And there’s another one here."
She looked us up and down. "I suggest you go wash up and change your clothes... I almost forgot, do you have any clothes to change into?" Arthania spoke like a caretaker tending to a group of stray children.
...
"Let me show you to your rooms on the second floor first." With those words, Arthania went up the stairs, and we followed behind her.
I stared at the white walls of the house... it was simple, without any decorations or extra furniture.
We reached the top and found ourselves in a small hallway with a few doors on either side.
Arthania pointed to one at the end. "That’s the bathroom."
"Hmm... it seems you’re six people. I almost forgot since the others stayed silent... anyway, there are only three empty rooms, so you’ll have to share."
...
In the end, I ended up sharing a room with Elliot and Kyle.
The room wasn’t anything special—just a wooden table in the corner, a single bed, and a window overlooking the empty streets of the city.
Since there was only one bed, Kyle and Elliot ended up sleeping on the floor with some bedding... and of course, I took the bed for myself.
Now, I stood by the window overlooking the distant street. Occasionally, I could see faint traces of human presence through the windows of the houses.
Then I lifted my head and looked at the shattered moon in the sky.
"I don’t know why, but I feel like I’m overlooking something." I muttered, then turned and walked to the door, opening it and stepping out.
All this time, my senses had been scanning the surroundings, yet I hadn’t felt anything suspicious.
I reached the stairs and started going down. After a few steps, a delicious smell reached my nose, growing stronger with each step until I reached the bottom.
There, everyone was sitting around a wooden table while Arthania moved about, placing dishes on it.
I walked up to them as the owner of the house looked at me.
"Sit before the food gets cold."
I looked at the dishes filled with roasted meat and bread before asking, "Is this the meat of that monster you hunted?"
She nodded.
I pulled a chair and sat down, looking at the plate of roasted meat in front of me as its rich aroma filled my nose. Without hesitation, I picked up a piece and put it into my mouth.
The salty taste spread across my tongue along with the meat’s juices, releasing a rich flavor mixed with herbs.
Without meaning to, a word slipped out of my mouth. "Amazing."
Arthania smiled proudly, placing her hands on her waist.
"I’m glad you liked it."