With the beast's low roar, a huge black shadow swooped down and crushed the little thief under him.

Sneak Attack - This is a game that Xiaobai is becoming more and more fond of. Its body grew stronger, but its steps remained light and silent, and its movements were more rapid, and few people could avoid its sudden attack. Fili Zeri had already given up the struggle, and each time he simply spread his limbs and put on a calm and righteous look, and let it ravage...... But this is the first time that the agile thief has been pounced like this.

Scott stood to the side, smiling as he struggled, but couldn't get out of under the panther's heavy body. The capture of a rare prey made Xiaobai extremely excited, he purred and let out a low roar of satisfaction, sniffed around Nia with his nose arched at his neck, and ignored his loud protests, stretched out his big rough tongue and began to lick his face violently.

The thieves laughed uncontrollably in their protests. Scott shook his head and walked back into the room to pull out his wine and glasses. By the time he paced back slowly, he had let go of his prey, and was contented to lie on his side licking his big soles, his black and white tail flicking around like a snake, while Nia sat there, muttering and cursing, grabbing his hair, which had been licked against his scalp, and rubbing his red face with his sleeve.

“...... What the hell did you teach it!" he grumbled to Scott, "It's a leopard, not a dog!

Scott shrugged unconcernedly, "I didn't teach it that way anyway." ”

He didn't even bother with the leopard that had been following him since the Antler Forest, and let it come and go as it pleased. It's not his pet...... It's hard to say it's his friend.

He didn't know who its light blue eyes belonged to. It's just that I instinctively feel that it is not malicious. It quietly watches everything, neither evaluating nor interfering. When friends and loved ones are leaving one after another. He had to admit that its companionship was also a strange consolation.

He handed Nia a glass of wine and sat down beside him. For a while, they just sat side by side, silently drinking the forbidden and crisp wine—Lockburg was hiding a lot of Nacy wine from smugglers, which Scott had known for a long time...... But he didn't want to recall the first person who stole wine and came out to drink with him.

"It's a shame Alan isn't here. ”

After most of the wine was gone, Scott let out a long sigh, "He'll be glad you're free—though you don't seem very happy yourself...... Did I really do something wrong? Maybe you don't want to leave that hot beauty? If that's the case. You should have told me sooner. ”

Nia gave him a roll of the eyes, "Alan may already know by now, but I guess he'll be half angry at you for another reckless mess." ”

Scott closed his mouth in embarrassment. Of course, he knew that Alan had left Stonebug though. But there are countless pairs of eyes watching his every move on his behalf.

"And," Nia said, taking a sip of her wine and grimacing, "you don't want to know how hot she really looks." ”

“...... So that's not what she really looks like?" asked Scott, a little curious.

"Of course not, she's a demon. How could he look exactly like a human!" Nia glared at him with disdain. "She's the most powerful of the Nightmares, and she can be whatever you want her to become...... Half of the one you see is like Ruby, the dream girl of everyone in the troupe when I was a kid, and the other half is like ......."

He stopped abruptly, looking a little odd, but Scott realized what he was trying to say - "Like Lydia." ”

Black hair. nose and lips, and even slightly raised corners of the eyes. Because the temperament is completely different. Those similarities are easy to overlook...... But it is undeniable.

"You don't know how scared I was when I first saw her like that. Nia stared blankly at a point in the void, "I've almost forgotten Ruby...... I've been trying to forget about Lydia, I haven't mentioned them to any of the demons, but she's able to dig them out of the deepest part of my head...... If she becomes your enemy, Scott, it will be a terrible enemy. ”

"Why did she become my enemy?" Scott casually poured himself another glass, "I've given her what she wants." ”

Nia gave him a wider roll of the eye, "Do you think I'm really going to believe that you'd just give her such a dangerous thing, even if it's for me? What did you do with it? Maybe you dragged Brooke into the water? When she finds out, you'll regret not listening to me." ”

Caught off guard, the spicy liquor choked on his trachea, and Scott almost coughed up his lungs.

"Even if she's trapped in the magic of that stone hall and can't snoop into your memories, she won't be able to guess what I can guess. Nia frowned slightly, "But she accepted the ...... without saying anything." It has indeed broken the contract between us......"

Scott's heart skipped a beat—of course she guessed, she didn't even have to, he tried so hard to "think" so clearly that she wouldn't be able to snoop in...... And she was very cooperative.

But Nia can't know this, no one can know.

"That's exactly what I'm trying to say. "I did do something, but the crystal still had great power, and she took it...... That proves she can accept such a deal, doesn't it?"

"Even now, when she thinks it's not satisfying for her, she won't think it's her fault, she'll just put the blame on you!" He snatched the flask, poured the rest into his glass, and indignantly accused: "You are playing with fire!"

- He was indeed playing with fire, but he could only pretend to be calm and forcefully arranged: "...... I'm pretty good at this right now, playing with fire or something. ”

"And I could have made a better deal with it!" Nia, yelling at him, looking like she wanted to slam the jug on his head, "if you could trust me a little more!"

“...... I believe you. "But you obviously don't believe in yourself that much, and if you were so confident in your plan, you would have stolen it from me long ago." ”

Nia's face froze.

"So, voila. Scott sighed, "Can we stop doubting and blaming each other for facts that we can't change? Even if one day we may be torn to pieces by an angry demon, it's more likely that we'll be dead before then." ”

“...... What does that sound like something to be happy about?" Nia glared at him.

"At least for now, you're free, and I've finally thrown out the thing that scared me and didn't know where to hide it - I really think it's worth celebrating. And, although the bottle is empty, I still have a bottle hidden in my room...... Filly had just stolen it the other day to compensate for the half he had stolen. Do you think we should join him in the celebration?" replied Scott very seriously.

“...... Scott, are you drunk. ”

"It seems like there's a little bit. "They say there's a drug in it," Scott admitted...... Maybe it's true. ”

Nia glared at him sullenly for a long time, before finally shaking her head and laughing.

"You're even crazier than ever. He said.

“...... Thanks for the compliment. Scott was slightly dissatisfied, "But I think, at least I was quite normal before." ”

"Normal?" Nya scoffed, "you've dragged us from the ground to the top of the mountain for months to find a dragon that I don't know exists...... And then after killing the dragon, he adopted his child and raised it as his own brother, and as a paladin, he didn't even care about being pointed at and said it was your illegitimate child...... Do you really think that's normal?"

“...... You're more spoiled than I am!"

"Did I say I'm normal?" retorted Nia smugly.

Scott was speechless, smiling low and lying back, slumped to the ground without any image.

"You should keep him with you. ”

After a few moments, Nia suddenly spoke softly.

“...... Wouldn't it be better to set him free like a real dragon?" replied Scott.

"But he has enough power to stop you...... Do what you're going to regret. ”

Scott sat up abruptly, his voice so clear that he hadn't touched a drop of wine, "What do you know?"

“...... The demons know a lot. Nia said calmly, "Maybe more than you know." What you're doing gives them something to look forward to...... If you really know what you're doing. ”

“...... Of course I do. Scott replied stiffly. He didn't want to talk about it...... He can't talk about it.

He tried to keep himself calm—the gods in the void didn't always know what he was doing or thinking...... But his soul and strength are connected to him, and strong mood swings are bound to be detected.

Nia turned her head to look at him quietly for a moment, then nodded.

"That's good. He said in a relaxed tone, "I believe in you." ”

Scott looked at him in disbelief, a little dazed.

"You said you still have this?" Nia casually pointed out the empty flask to him, "Can you let Philidor steal some......?"

“...... I'll ask him to get a few more bottles. ”.

(To be continued......)