Third. Cannot participate in a Game situated outside Little Garden.
Well there are more, but the main reasons why I couldn't challenge Serpent God-sama to a Game is those three. Besides Kuro Usagi's referee work was the Community's only income, inevitably there were not many opportunities to participate in the Community's Games."
"I see. Even with considerable abilities, if you can't participate, then there is nothing you can do."
He shrugged his shoulders and started walking down the riverbank.
He was heading for the Great Waterfall of Tritonis at the Edge of the World. Kuro Usagi, who was carrying the sapling of a water tree which was around as tall as her, caught up to him with a short jog.
"Kuro Usagi also has a question for you, Izayoi-san."
"Denied. Just kidding. Let's hear it."
"Eh? Ah, ok. Why did Izayoi-san decide to cooperate with us?"
"Hm... . I could give you a straight answer, but that would be no fun. I will change the question slightly. Why do you think I want to see the [Edge of the World]?"
Kuro Usagi pretended to ponder the question while taking long steps.
"Is it .... Because it's fun, as expected? Izayoi-san is a self-proclaimed hedonist after all."
"Half right. Then why is it that I've found it fun?"
Mumu~. This time Kuro Usagi was seriously thinking about the answer.
"It’s time-out."
"There was a time limit!? Y-You can't do that! Adding a time limit for a Game is against the rules, unless it's done beforehand!"
"Are you serious? Then Kuro Usagi will self-destruct now?"
"Why would I self-destruct now!?"
Izayoi kept moving onward, teasing Kuro Usagi in the process.
Four hours have passed since the three of them - Izayoi, Asuka and Yō - were summoned to Little Garden. The sun was setting steadily and it was almost evening.
"So, at the end what is the right answer for your question?"
"Let's see... To put it simply, it's because there is a sense of adventure to it. In my world our predecessors took part in every possible kind of adventures, almost none were left that was suited for me. So I thought, if it's a different world, then there may still be some amazing ones left that are worthy of me. In other words, going to see the [Edge of the World] is for stocking up on the necessary thrill for me to survive, or something like that."
"I-I see. Izayoi-san wants to feel the thrill of adventure, am I right?"
"Yeah. Living for the thrills is the basis of being a hedonist, isn't it?"
"I see.... Nn? Then the reason you are lending your strength to Kuro Usagi is-?"
"It's become quite dark already. If the sun goes all the way down, we might not see the rainbows. Let's hurry."
She hurriedly went after Izayoi who changed his walking pace.
Even after sundown a great view is a great view, but Izayoi probably wants to witness it both before and after the sunset.
Watching the sun set, Izayoi murmured.
"It seems the sun revolves around the world, like in the Ptolemaic theory..."
"You realized it? That sun is genuine god-made sun that revolves around Little Garden. They say in the Upper Echelons of Little Garden there is a Game for the command right of the sun."
"That is quite something. I would really want to participate in that someday."
To Kuro Usagi the laughing Izayoi looked genuinely delighted for the first time.
After that they walked for another half-an-hour before reaching the Great Waterfall of Tritonis at last.
"Oohhh----!"
The waterfall of Tritonis was dyed crimson basking in the light of the sunset, the violent spraying of water created a myriad of rainbows.
The elliptic looking mouth of the river continued on to the distance far away, the flowing water ran over the [Edge of the World] and fell down to the endless sky beneath.
Kuro Usagi explained while enduring the wind and the water spray falling from the cliffside.
"So, how is it? This is the Great Waterfall of Tritonis, its width is around 2800m. There probably wasn't a waterfall like this one in Izayoi-san's world, right?"
"--Aah. It's honestly amazing. So it's around two times the width of Niagara. What is it like below this [Edge of the World]? Is it carried by a huge turtle after all?"
According to one of the first theories, the world is not spherical, instead it floats on water, on the back of a huge turtle. Izayoi was probably thinking about that.
Izayoi stuck his head out happily over the cliff expecting to find a huge turtle.
He imagined something like a dark abyss below, but only saw the same sunset sky below the cliff and everywhere else.
"Sadly that is not the case. Supporting this world are pillars known as [World Axes]. Nobody knows exactly how many of them there are, but one of them pierces Little Garden, it's that huge column over there. There is a legend that says the reason behind Little Garden existing in this incomplete form is because somewhere someone pulled one of the [World Axes] out and took it home, but..."
"Hahaa, that's amazing. Then we should be thankful to that big idiot."
Watching the Great Waterfall of Tritonis dyed darker crimson as the sun was slowly going down, Izayoi suddenly asked Kuro Usagi a question, as if he just remembered it.
"The Great Waterfall of Tritonis, was it? Is Atlantis at the upstream of this river of something?"
"Hm, I wonder. Besides the vastness of the World of Little Garden that has a surface area of a sun, Kuro Usagi is not that familiar with the state of the outside of Little Garden. Nonetheless-- , if we move our headquarters to the Upper Echelons of Little Garden, there may be available documents there with information about that."
"Haah, 'If you want to find out, keep helping us until then.' is it?"
"No, no. If you seek adventures, then this is Kuro Usagi's recommendation."
"Well thanks, that is very kind of you."
Izayoi started searching for a spot to enjoy the great view from, then he started speaking suddenly.
"Well, you called me out to this nonsensical and fun looking world. I will do my part for that. But I won't help you persuade the other two. I don't mind if you trick or deceive them, but I'd prefer if it didn't cause trouble in the future. If we want get by as part of the same team, then even more so."
"....I understand."
Kuro Usagi had a deep regret in her heart.
Yes, they are allies who will be fighting alongside each other in the same Community. By trying to take advantage of them just because they are problem children, they would just lose all the trust they would otherwise be able to gain.
The importance of the Community made Kuro Usagi forget about this fact. That was extremely rude towards those new comrades.
(Should have explained it all at the beginning... I wonder if Jin-bocchan is all right?)