In this world, the cultures of sorcery and black magic have been rooted since ancient times. By modern standards, techniques that dip a toe into the realm of fantasy are integrated into daily life, and grimoires sit on the shelves of corner antique shops as a matter of course.

However, contrary to this advanced technology, the country remains strangely stubborn on one point.

—"Corpses must be cremated."

This isn't just a law; it's a deep-seated commandment. Neither open-air burial, where the body is left to decay, nor water burial, where it is set adrift, is permitted. Earth burial is a taboo among taboos, the mere mention of which causes people to frown. Not even the ashes are returned to the family; they are completely disposed of after burning. This thoroughness, leaving not a single grain of ash, has been hammered into the people of this land as common sense for generations.

To those who ask why, the answer is always the same: "Because that's how it's always been." But those who know the true reason are but a handful in this vast country.