After both sides came to an agreement on Chaldea's next course of action, Shiomi and the others finished reporting back to the Dinosaur King, left the temple of Chichen Itza, and prepared to return to Chaldea.
Now that orders had been given to stop treating Chaldea and Proper Human History as enemies, the Deinos showed no hostility when they saw Shiomi and the others. They merely watched these outsiders with curious eyes.
Especially since Kukulkan was walking together with them.
At heart, the Deinos were simply not a species inclined toward conflict. Even when faced with beings who looked very much like the Ocelotl and who, like the hiders, also came from Proper Human History, their first reaction was still curiosity.
"They really are peaceful beings," Shiomi remarked after noticing the complete lack of hostility in their gazes.
Though after meeting Tepeu, he had already gotten some sense of that.
"That's just how the Deinos are. Considering how they live, you really don't need to worry too much. If you need anything, just ask them. This place can provide most of the supplies that would be useful to you."
As she said this, Kukulkan wandered down the street at an erratic pace, stopping from time to time to pick up something from a stall, inspect it, and then put it back down.
Thanks to that, Shiomi and the others ended up moving much more slowly on their way back to Storm Border outside the city.
"If we need anything, we'll do that... or rather, we already have."
Morgan spoke softly, then asked a question she had wanted to raise for some time.
"Kukulkan, there's something I've wanted to confirm since earlier. It just wasn't very convenient to ask before."
"What is it?" Kukulkan asked, seeming as though she had already guessed what Morgan wanted to say.
"Before we entered this Lostbelt, before we reached the underground world of Mictlan, we fought the 'Alien Messenger.' But in the middle of that battle, a giant of light surged up from underground and attacked us," Morgan said. "That giant put us on the back foot with a single blow, interrupted the battle, and never even revealed its true form..."
"Oh, that."
Kukulkan looked a little embarrassed.
"While I was in Mictlan, I sensed a crisis on the surface. Your battle was causing such a huge disturbance that I mistook you for foreign enemies who might threaten Mictlan's survival. That's why I went up to the surface and attacked you."
Embarrassed as she was, Kukulkan neither hid nor denied what she had done. She plainly admitted that she was the one who launched the attack, and her reason for doing so was perfectly justified.
"I see..."
Morgan could not help letting out a small sigh.
The reason for hostility was more than sufficient. If anything, it would have been stranger if she had not acted.
The surface of the South American Lostbelt was unfit for life, which was why the life here had moved underground.
And Kukulkan, who was effectively the true King of the Lostbelt, also served as Mictlan's protector.
She judged that the battle on the surface might spread to Mictlan and destroy the entire underground world, so she launched a counterattack in her own way.
There was nothing in that logic that could really be criticized.
If it had been the Morgan of old, and someone had fought in the seas near Britain in a way that could threaten the island itself, she too would have launched an attack to protect Britain.
The principle was exactly the same.
The same would have applied to Skadi as well.
"Huh? You're just accepting it like that?" Kukulkan asked, surprised.
To be honest, once she had confirmed that Chaldea held no hostility and could even be reasoned with and cooperated with, Kukulkan had felt a little awkward about the whole thing.
Especially since Shiomi had shown her unexpected goodwill.
"Chaldea has plenty of people now who used to be enemies," Artoria told Kukulkan kindly. "And there's more than one former Lostbelt King among them too. Morgan is one example."
"I see. So there are Kings from other Lostbelts too."
Kukulkan nodded in understanding.
Once everything had been laid out openly, Kukulkan became noticeably more talkative. She seemed full of childlike curiosity and kept asking about Chaldea and the other Lostbelts.
She was especially surprised to learn that the South American Lostbelt was the last remaining one.
But after hearing that the Lostbelt's foundation, the Fantasy Tree, had already fused with ORT, Kukulkan's expression turned thoughtful. Like a true king, she began considering Mictlan's future and its eventual end.
ORT's awakening was already unavoidable. It was something that would happen without fail.
So after that...
"You're planning to pass through the fifth layer and keep going deeper into Mictlan to search for ORT, right?" Kukulkan asked.
"Yes." Shiomi nodded. "Mexico City has already been destroyed. If Tezcatlipoca intends to rebuild it, then he won't have time to interfere with us. Or maybe he has some other plan and intends to abandon Mexico City altogether. Either way, he won't be able to get in our way."
At the same time, Mexico City would no longer pose a threat to Chichen Itza for the time being.
Now that Chichen Itza was an ally and safe for the moment, Shiomi and the others had one less thing outside themselves to worry about.
"So that means your next route is through the Third Netherworld?" Kukulkan asked.
"From that Camazotz we met earlier, we learned that a Fourth Netherworld also exists," Scáthach said. "He's already returned to the Fourth Netherworld, so that should be the last obstacle before reaching deeper into Mictlan, correct?"
"Camazotz?"
Kukulkan looked mildly surprised.
"You've already fought him?"
"We did, more or less," Shiomi said. "That man took one-third of my authority. I got the authority back, but I failed to land the final blow on him in time."
"Your authority still isn't complete?" Kukulkan said in astonishment. "Even I wouldn't dare say I could beat you easily..."
"That's a long story," Shiomi replied. "But the final third of my authority still hasn't been recovered. The 'Alien God' holding that last portion has moved deeper into Mictlan."
Kukulkan nodded.
"I see... If you really plan to go deeper, then there's something I need to warn you about. The Fourth Netherworld was originally empty. No one was stationed there. But not long ago, some strange Servants suddenly manifested there, as if they were waiting for something."
"Servants?" Scáthach raised a brow.
Kukulkan's words immediately caught everyone's attention.
"They should be Servants, I think," Kukulkan said. "Anyway, there's more than one of them. After appearing there, they haven't done anything at all. They've just stayed in the Third Netherworld and haven't interfered with anyone passing through. But I can tell they're waiting for someone to arrive."
As she said that, Kukulkan's gaze settled on Shiomi.
"After meeting you, I'm sure of it now. The person they're waiting for is you... though I don't know the exact reason why~"
Once she had said that, Kukulkan broke into a bright, carefree laugh, as though she had only mentioned some trivial little matter.
"Waiting for me...?"
Shiomi pressed his lips together, a faint premonition already beginning to form.