They are building a link to the main plot? Odyssey Knights, immortal beings from People of Lands. Yeah, Crusty gone missing like for weeks as if being kidnapped by UFO... True it is running off track from it's main story and now focusing on these kids story.

LH pretty much gave hints of what the main plot is along the way and shiroe only provides confirmation and add more information from his side or what he got.I think the pacing is slower because they are almost out of LN source, I dont like it if they suddenly insert non canon things in anime.