CH 11

The Hand That Grips the Sword

“City…?”

Hugh’s face, repeating the word, was mixed with astonishment and confusion. Gold also let out a small whistle in admiration.

“That’s certainly a bit strange,” I said, resting my elbows on the table and clasping my hands in front of my mouth, waiting for the novelist to continue.

“It’s strange, isn’t it? Why would there be a city on the side of such a deserted mountain that isn’t even on a map? No matter how much historical research I do, no matter what literature I read, there’s no record of people living there. In other words, it’s a mystery city that hasn’t yet come to the forefront of history.”

The novelist’s tone was heated. Even as she spoke, she couldn’t hide her excitement about the content. “Furthermore, according to the man’s story, the buildings in that city were made with highly advanced technology. Do you know about water-resistant calcium concrete?”

Only Hugh nodded at the question. “I believe it’s the material technology that’s also used in the central terminal of Ixlaha. It was proposed as a technical system in 1756, but it only began to be put into practical use globally in the last few years…”

The novelist snapped his fingers, indicating that he was correct.

“Surprisingly, all of the buildings were made using that technology. And based on the degree of deterioration of the buildings and the growth of the plants that sprouted from the gaps, it seems that the city had been extinct for nearly ten years. In other words, this civilization was using water-resistant calcium even a decade ago, at the very least.”