The 713th year of the Ash Era.
People say the world was never like this.
Long, long ago—so long that even the most learned scribes could not tell how many years ago—the gods came to this land. He left grace and relics. The church says that those relics are a contract between God and man, and that as long as mankind guards them reverently, God will continue to bless this land.
So the church became the master of this land.
The Holy See City stands at the southern foot of the Sacred Ridge Mountains and is the only giant city in the world allowed to exist by God. The city has the most magnificent temple, the most solemn bells, and stone tablets engraved with commandments. The world outside the city is very different - wilderness, villages, scattered towns, where people live a quiet and ancient life. Literacy is a luxury, and knowing too much is a sin.
No one knows exactly what those "relics" looked like. They are hidden deep in the mountains, underground, and under the sea, and are guarded day and night by the most loyal caregivers. Ordinary people will never see them in their lifetime. They only hear about them when praying: they are God's grace and God's test.
This is the 713th year of the Ash Era.
An orphan named Arthur has just received a letter of appointment leading to the Seventh Peak.
