The slate...... The slate that even Inglis said was "useless". Pen & Fun & Pavilion www.biquge.info When Ed finally remembered to mention it, he immediately remembered.

No one knew exactly what it was for, though not even Frisiti could confirm it. She and her twin sister have only one unconfirmed guess, but if that guess is correct......

It definitely works.

“...... Did you take it?!"

Iss jumped up from the bed and glared at the crow in exasperation.

"What did you take?" Raven said with an innocent expression, "old man...... In your absence, that piece of wood won't allow me into this room at all, what do you think I can take away? And where can I take it?"

Iss wouldn't believe her nonsense - Mudd was powerful, but not strong enough to stop her. This nasty woman just couldn't leave the cabin, and there was no place in the house that she couldn't go...... And, if she could create something like the Black Gate, she probably knew something about the slate and the symbols on it.

But there was no way he could force her to say it...... He couldn't force her to say it. Even Scott probably couldn't do it, and the only person in the world who could get some truth out of her mouth was probably the old mage who was dead.

Realizing this, the ice dragon looked away in frustration and glared angrily at the bookshelf where the slate had been lost—at least it wouldn't sneer at him.

"Of course, if you need any help......" Raven's smiling voice still wouldn't let him go, "you know, I've always been here." ”

...... Tell me as if you'd love to stay here.

Iss couldn't help but sneer, but he had learned to swallow back this innocuous sarcasm for the crow, lest he get entangled in some stupid and useless words with her—this woman was bored to the point of madness, and that was in her arms.

He couldn't kill her anyway...... Can't he really kill her?

He was silent for a long time, his eyebrows twisted into a ball in all kinds of confusion and powerlessness. There is no one here waiting for him to owe another favor...... And they need all the help they can.

The female mage, who had lost interest in the wait, shrugged her shoulders and lazily turned to leave.

“...... Wait!" Is's called out to her, and it would take more courage to say the next sentence - or, just a little less pride:

"I do...... Need your help. ”

The crow looked back in surprise.

“...... We're here to help. She said, her black eyes instantly smiling. The overly pure enthusiasm caught Isis off guard, and he even lowered his eyes a little embarrassed.

He was ready to doubt her every word...... He was ready to look for a glimmer of possible truth from all kinds of lies with ulterior motives. But at the end of the day...... What did she deceive him?

While having to wait for his friend to return, Ed went to Lockburg again and asked Moira for permission to enter the Black Tower.

Moira hesitated slightly before nodding.

"You're not the only one who has asked to enter the Black Tower lately. She told Ed, "The scholar my father brought back, Rob Beinru, has been there for a long time these days, accompanied by guards. Although Scott had warned me that it was best not to let anyone in again, my father was a bit unimpressed...... And the old man seemed to be simply interested in anything that was written down. If you feel ...... If I need to be alone, I can send someone to see it first. ”

It sounds like she thinks Ed entered the Black Tower to find a way to help her "wrong" loved ones...... That's true, but if it weren't for the fact that Rob Beinru was staying in the Black Tower all day, Ed wouldn't have come out of nowhere to make the same request.

He shook his head repeatedly, indicating that he would not disturb the venerable old scholar—and certainly not be disturbed.

He shuddered uncontrollably as he stepped into the Black Tower. Both Isis and Narya described to him the wonders of this place...... But at that moment, all he felt was an indescribable coldness, like a snake burrowing into the blood.

In fact, despite all the horrific rumors, the light in the Black Tower, at least the light that one could safely see, was as bright and soft as the sun, like the Branti Library, with a faint magical smell of books peculiarly dry and decaying. Stretching upwards from the floor, the bookshelves, as if out of sight, silently look down on those who dare to enter the tower. Ed glanced up, only to think that the books might hit him on the head at any moment, and unconsciously shrank his neck.

He froze and looked around. Unsurprisingly, after a few rows of bookshelves, the knight who "accompanied" the scholar slept soundly in the corner, while the gray-haired scholar was nowhere to be seen.

Ed stared down at the ground. He thought that only Nia knew how to get to the bottom...... But that's Jay Oylan......

"I'm not interested in the power hidden beneath this tower - if that's what you're worried about. ”

The old man's voice floated down from above his head, "Or rather...... My interest was not great enough to be willing to take the risk of controlling it. ”

Ed looked up in embarrassment. Between the bookshelves are hidden stairs that spiral upwards, but there are no handrails. Oylan's steps were as steady as he remembered...... The irony hidden in the flat tone is exactly the same as before.

"If you really can't rest assured, why don't you reveal my identity to Her Majesty the beautiful Queen Mother?" the old man glanced at him, "I heard that she trusts you very much. ”

Ed was silent for a moment, calming himself down. He knew very well that he could not take advantage of Oylan verbally...... He doesn't take advantage of anything in any way.

"It's not like that. He simply said frankly, "I have come to ask for your help." ”

Oylan looked at him with interest, but did not say anything.

"You've probably heard about the 'accident' after that dinner. Ed gestured to his forehead, which had been smoothed out, "Little King...... And his grandfather and uncle seem to be a little 'wrong'...... just want to ask if you know something. ”

"And you don't suspect that I did it?" the old man raised an eyebrow, "surprising...... After all, I'm famous for it. ”

"I don't see any need for you to do such a thing. Ed replied, "And, though it's a lot like your style, it's ...... Very skillful, but not strong enough. ”

He studied Oylan. In addition to being overly brutal in his manipulation of Joakim Dejury, this well-known necromancer, who made Lydia even a little jealous, had a masterful approach to mind control that would not be easily seen by a guy like him who knew nothing about it......

Something flashed through my head.

"Hoan...... Egbert," he blurted out with a chill down his spine, "where is he?"

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