Countless people, the rumbling of carriage wheels. The neighs of horses and the cries of Mooloomooks. A procession headed toward the entrance of the Latulle cave.
Seen up close, the entrance to the Latulle cave was immense. Nia gaped, mouth open, staring up at the ceiling of the cave entrance.
And in the clearing before the cave, several carriages and horses were already parked.
From the cluster of wagons pulled by massive Mooloomooks came the low sounds of the beasts catching their breath, and among them, Gravel, Iris, and Nia waited on horseback.
Another wagon, drawn by two Mooloomooks, approached the spot where Gravel's party was.
The wagon stopped, and the one who released the reins and dismounted was Mau. With the sturdy build typical of the Dawi, Mau strode forward confidently, lightly waving a thick, heavy hand in greeting. Following behind, Dallen fluttered down from the wagon and perched on Mau's shoulder.
Dallen blinked large eyes while looking at Gravel and Nia, then smiled lightly and asked,
"Have you been waiting long?"
"You arrived right on time."
Gravel replied. Nia still had chin lifted, trying to peer into the cave's depths.
"Good. Shall we head into the Latulle cave path, then?" Dallen said.
"Dallen. We need to reserve lodgings for these folks in advance. It would be troublesome if there are no rooms by evening."
Mau turned to speak to Dallen perched on the shoulder.
"Ah, right. I forgot about that."
Dallen glanced around. Near the cave entrance, a few weathered buildings huddled together. Among them, one stood a bit taller than the others, its outer wall inscribed with Dwarven script reading 'Courier Bat(傳書蝙蝠).'
Dallen nodded upon seeing the bat illustration on the exterior of one building and began walking toward it.
"I said we'd use a courier bat to make the reservation, and then I went and forgot."
The building with the bat drawing that Dallen approached was a facility often used by Dwarves. There, courier bats—small bats—handled the delivery of messages in tubes to various points along the Latulle cave path. Among the many users, Dwarves preferred exchanging letters or notifications via these courier bats, as it was an ancient traditional method for them, and they believed handwritten and delivered missives were more reliable than those sent through mana stone devices.
As Dallen entered the building, Mau, Gravel, Nia, and Iris followed. Inside, busy Dwarves moved diligently behind the counter.
A Dwarf of short stature and robust build, with a beard fluttering from the haste, sorted documents energetically, while a few others tended to the bats in front of small cages, preparing for their flights.
Dallen approached the counter and met the eyes of the Dwarf seated there. The Dwarf dipped the head slightly in greeting and spoke in the characteristic deep tone of Dwarves.
"Where to send it?"
Dallen smiled and, with a magical hand shaped by illusion, wrote on a small paper placed before the counter, then extended it toward the counter.
The paper detailed the names of two lodgings where the party would stay until reaching the western end on the opposite side of the cave, along with arrival times and the number of people.
"We're reserving lodgings for these folks at two places."
The Dwarf took the paper and scrutinized its contents carefully.
"Ah, this one's got good food. If it's for tonight's lodging, it's urgent business. Wait just a moment. I'll send a swift one."
He rolled the received paper tightly and inserted it into a small tube. A diminutive cylindrical message container with a strap. It was a special tube used when courier bats delivered.
Designed to emit different scents depending on the destination, once hung around the bat's neck, the small bats would flap their wings swiftly and fly toward the target.
The Dwarf approached the cages and, with practiced motions, selected one bat from among them.
The courier bats were either eating water and feed in their small enclosures or hanging upside down from perches, resting.
Most of the bats occasionally spread their glossy black wings, guarding their spots from one another, their tiny black eyes glancing at Dallen and the party standing behind.
"I'll send this one. Laulau, good boy~"
The courier bat the Dwarf selected and showed to the party was among the smaller and more agile ones. The bat quietly extended its head, as if accustomed to the Dwarf's touch, and the Dwarf used the other hand to hang the small tube around its neck.
Finally, after securely fastening the tube's lid, the Dwarf placed the bat on the palm and said,
"This Laulau will depart shortly. Courier bats never lose their way, so rest assured."
The small bat reacted to the Dwarf's words by flashing sharp eyes and spreading its wings powerfully. And in that instant, with a keen whoosh of wind, it flew up swiftly and vanished outside the building.
Dallen watched the bat depart through the large window for a moment, wearing a satisfied expression.
"Now the lodging issue is sorted. Let's set off!"
Emerging from the courier bat station, the party mounted their horses again and slowly moved the Mooloomook-drawn wagons.
*****
The interior of the Latulle cave unfolded before the party's eyes in an astonishing scale. The ceiling grew so high it seemed as distant as the sky, and below it lay a broad road teeming with countless carriages and people coming and going.
Alongside the path where carriages moved slowly, shops lined the cave walls, and even at higher elevations, stores connected by steep paths were visible.
Narrow alleys and stairs weaving between the shops, wooden elevators operated by pulleys scattered throughout the cave, and beyond them, guild buildings emitting light from lanterns, along with warehouses stacked with goods—all came into view.
The fact that the Latulle cave's interior was not merely a path but a vast city struck Gravel's eyes vividly.
"It's truly enormous. Hard to believe this is all inside a cave... There seem to be more people than in Tollu."
Gravel, riding along, gazed at various parts of the cave's scenery and exclaimed in admiration. To Gravel's voice, Dallen, seated in the Mooloomook-drawn wagon, turned and responded.
"Latulle isn't just a path connecting the moon side (west) and sun side (east) of the Norwan Mountains; it's a city in its own right. See? Over there, shops are packed densely, and on each level, various goods are crafted and sold. And deeper into the cave, beyond the shops, narrow alleys and downhill paths branch out into even more intricate structures."
"When did this place become such a large city?" Gravel asked with curious eyes.
"It was always large in scale, but it hasn't been developed like this for very long." Dallen continued slowly.
"This cave path has existed since ancient times. Among the residents here, some have likely spent their entire lives in this place. However, there weren't roads wide enough for carriages back then, and the cave was much dimmer than now. Sarun-Ke... that is, the humans from the sun's direction, and the Dawi, Muwa, and Elves from the moon's direction, widened the narrow cave paths to create space sufficient for multiple carriages to pass. It was from then that merchants' wagons began traveling, and various races started gathering. Consequently, shops, taverns, and workshops have sprung up across multiple levels on both sides of the paths. And further inward, residential districts exist. With so many races living together, Latulle has become one grand city."
Gravel surveyed the surrounding landscape once more. The shops built into the massive cave walls and the vibrant movements of countless races felt wondrous.
"Truly a colossal city, this Latulle... with so many races."
"Indeed," Dallen said with a smile.
"In the Latulle cave, not only Dawi, Muwa, Elves, and humans, but also Deusi, Dwarves, Reru, Torte, Loathan, Grong, and Larka reside together. Nearly all races of the continent live here. A place with such diversity is probably unmatched except for Ixtarn."
Gravel nodded. "It really feels like the entire continent is gathered within."
The party proceeded slowly, driving horses and wagons along the cave's central broad road. As time passed, the light from the cave's ceiling began to dim gradually. Like evening approaching, the soft glow from the ceiling faded bit by bit.
Dallen looked up, pointing to the ceiling's light, and explained.
"That light draws in sunlight during the day and moonlight at night into the cave. Now, with evening, the light is waning. On cloudy days or when natural light is scarce, devices use mana stones or Azureflow Jades to produce artificial illumination."
As the ceiling's light diminished, much like streets in any city, brighter lights from multiple levels on both cave walls grew stronger, illuminating every nook and cranny of the large and small streets.
Especially defiant against the encroaching darkness, the flames from artisans hammering anvils lit up the dimming cave streets, revealing blacksmiths intently focused on their work.
"That's the artisans' street," Dallen explained.
"From Aquiln to here, weapon and equipment repair and enhancement are done by skilled armament shops and forges. Gear that passes through these artisans' hands is renowned for its exceptional quality."
Gravel listened to Dallen's explanation while surveying the surroundings with intrigued eyes.
"I see. It's my first time seeing so many armament shops and workshops clustered together."
But then Mau smiled, momentarily coiling the wagon's reins in one hand, and said,
"However, what you're seeing now isn't all of Latulle."
Dallen, seated beside, looked at Mau with a puzzled expression.
"What story are you about to spin now?"
Mau continued, gazing at Gravel.
"In the depths of Latulle, there are shadowy alleys. Paths far below where we are now. Rumors say hidden entrances lead to the labyrinth beneath Aquiln. Not the official entrances, but secretly made or discovered passages."
"Aren't such passages dangerous? They could be unchecked dungeon entrances..."
Mau nodded with a serious expression.
"They are dangerous. Latulle harbors many unknown perils. It's like not knowing what awaits in the darkness. Indeed, tales abound of adventurers who entered those labyrinth-connected passages and vanished. Rumors even speak of ancient monsters slumbering for ages in the depths those paths link to. The deep underground streets of Latulle, riddled with such places, are called the Street of Silence by the residents."
Gravel nodded, mulling over Mau's words.
"So, besides the official entrances, there are many other dungeon accesses."
Mau smiled and continued sharing knowledge of Latulle's darker side.
"Exactly. And the Street of Silence could also be called the criminals' street, a place without rules or order. I've never seen it myself, but they say a vast black market hides there. From smuggled goods to rare relics unearthed in Aquiln, anything can be obtained. But the risks match. Even if something bad happens, no one speaks up or takes responsibility—truly a street of silence."
Dallen, hearing the tale, shook the head.
"Mau's right. Stepping into the Street of Silence requires caution. Even if what you seek is there. Ah, over there. That's the lodging where we'll stay tonight."
As Dallen turned and pointed, the party arrived in front of the lodging.
From the outside, the lodging's entrance wasn't large, and the space to tether carriages and horses wasn't very wide either. Approaching the entrance, the sign reading 'Lemon King' caught the eye.
"Hm. The sign is impressive." Gravel said with a smile.
"The interior is tidy, and the food is decent. Let's rest comfortably here for the evening," Dallen said while opening the door.