"It's truly surprising."
Passing through dense forests and hills, wearing garments made from lion skins.
As dusk approached, Heracles finally found the place the old man had mentioned.
Before arriving, the young hero had many guesses about this place.
Primitive fences, a life of blood and raw meat.
Ancient and bloody priest dances, or warriors covered in strange symbols.
This wasn't a figment of his imagination, but indeed the rumors among the human Kingdoms were just .
These people, dwelling in the northern part of the continent, seemed to have superior physical abilities, yet their barbaric worship of evil gods lacked the light of civilization.
However, now seeing it with his own eyes, everything before him greatly surprised Heracles.
A city built among mountains and forests, with such scale, was rare even when compared to the outside world.
Especially the vaguely visible temples in the city... how was this any different from the city-states of the outside world?
"Why, is our brave hero a little surprised?"
The welcoming team sang a melodious tune, and children watched from afar with eyes full of curiosity and longing.
Kolon, leading the young hero into the city, noticed his confusion just in time.
"Yes, everything here is indeed quite different from the rumors outside."
"Especially... these temples and their structures seem somewhat different too."
Entering the city gates, they happened to pass by a tall building.
Heracles was somewhat surprised to discover this was indeed the hall belonging to the God of West Wind, Zephyrus.
But what surprised him more was that this temple's specifications were clearly different from what he had seen in the outside world, lacking in many areas.
"Haha, that's not surprising, because including this one you've seen, they were all established in ancient times."
"At that time, the Divine King hadn't appointed the twelve Principal Gods yet, and the God of the West Wind was merely a close minister of the Divine King. His temple naturally faced restrictions in certain aspects."
With a calm voice, Kolon introduced, as if reciting a precious collection: "As for why there are so many temples here, it's also due to historical legacies."
"From the very beginning, they were this way and have been passed down to today."
"They were from the beginning...?"
With a slight shift in expression, Heracles was a bit surprised.
In his mind, the era when the Divine King appointed the Principal Gods seemed like a long time ago.
He didn't even know if the fourth generation of humans was born at that time, or maybe they were but there were no written records from that period.
So this was actually a millennia-old city, built long ago, even more advanced than human Kingdoms of the outside world at the time.
"Hehe, these are all matters of ancient history, not worth mentioning."
"Dear hero from afar, I can narrate the history of this city to you later, but before that, please allow me to welcome you on behalf of the city's residents."
"You slew the Giant Lion that endangered the region, and everyone in the city is eager to hear your story."
"We have prepared a feast for you at the city's center, and we kindly ask you not to decline."
Although he still had many doubts, Heracles nodded in agreement.
But before that, he asked a question that had been on his mind for a long time.
"Before coming to this forest, I heard many legends about the Nomas Lion."
"It is said to be not only savage but also controlled by an Evil God."
"As locals, have you heard of any 'Evil God' existing nearby?"
"Evil God? There's none."
Shaking his head slightly, the old man seemed quite surprised.
"Perhaps it's just a rumor, we have lived quietly here for so many years."
"Hero from afar, do you think this place looks like it harbors an Evil God?"
"...Indeed it doesn't."
People lived in peace and prosperity, with variously dressed people walking in the city.
Looking at the city's happy and content residents, although there was an odd feeling in his heart, Heracles still said this.
After all, such a city indeed didn't seem to house an Evil God.
Maybe it really was just a rumor... rumors end at the wise. After leaving, he would certainly tell the people of all countries outside about the true state of this place.
At the center of Oroa, flames rose.
Walking the path, reaching the core of this city.
On a high stone platform, Heracles saw a depression seemingly filled with animal fats.
Flames burned above it, and beside the stone platform was engraved the symbol of the Goddess of Hearthfire.
It looked a bit like a Sacred Fire Altar, yet so similar to the altars of today... witnessing this scene, Heracles confirmed that this city indeed had some years behind it.
Bonfires were set up, with meats gleaming with oil.
A large amount of food was brought over, filling the temporarily constructed venue.
Barrels of nectar were poured into cups, with a wide variety of fruits.
The young hero was again surprised, not only because of the abundance of produce but also because the people here clearly didn't crave such a grand feast that much.
Just as the old man said, they were merely eager to hear the young hero recount his battles with demons.
This also made Heracles feel a sense of being valued, something he had never experienced before.
"Truly a prosperous city."
With a sigh, the young hero asked,
"How many such settlements are there?"