The torrential rain stops before dawn, the sun rises as usual, and the humid air creates the heat of a new day. Pen | fun | pavilion www. ｂｉｑｕｇｅ。 Ed's thin shirt was quickly soaked with sweat and sticky to his back, but Sean Fletcher seemed to be unaware that he was still wearing a suit of armor that was breathless at the first glance.

As Ed withdrew his gaze, he could feel several lines of sight rapidly moving away from him. Even if he deliberately chose an inconspicuous corner, he, Fili, and Sean seemed to be more eye-catching than Queen Moira in this simple but grand funeral.

Filly stood far away in the other corner, haggard and gloomy on his hastily repaired face. He hadn't said a word to anyone since he stepped into the temple...... Even if he passed by Sean, he didn't look at him more.

Ed knew he was already struggling to control his anger that he had nowhere to vent, but he could also see how uneasy this unusual behavior had caused in the minds of the other clergy in the temple...... Not only him, but most people can easily tell from those young faces who are not good at concealment.

The easy-going and loose Paladin has a powerful influence that he may not even be aware of. In Sean's absence, it was the knight who claimed to have "broken away from the temple" and Brooke Xiu'an, not Ed, the titular "sage" who couldn't even believe in himself, that propped up the crumbling faith of the water god temple and the young clergy that had nearly collapsed under one blow after another. And when Sean returns, Brooke is gone forever, but Filly is in full view, turning a blind eye to the Paladin Leader, whom he once admired immensely.

Ed could almost imagine how many rumors would have spread from the people standing here in all directions, gloating or apprehensive after this funeral...... It would be another heavy blow, and he was worried about it, but there was nothing he could do about it.

Not to mention the ...... He really didn't care about any of that.

But no matter what "after" it may be, when the ancient prayer is sung from the mouth of the youngest priest in the temple, the trilling tune reverberates in the crystal-clear air washed by light and water, and everyone bows their heads in silence to pay their last respects to the gentle and loving elder.

The cemetery is modeled after the island of the Holy Sepulchre of the Temple of Collins, surrounded by flowing water, but the sarcophagi are not hidden deep underground, but are housed in a burial chamber built above ground. Honorable as Moira, he can only stop outside the tomb, and the only people who can accompany the old priest to the end are the clergy who believe in the same god.

After a moment's hesitation, Ed stepped into the tomb.

It seems that the weight of the whole world is weighed heavily on the heart, and it seems to be empty and empty. He watched blankly as Brooke's serene face disappeared under the austere lid of the coffin, unable to shed a single tear.

He was covered in sweat, even his hair was sticking to his neck, and there was a corner of his heart that was cold and painful, and countless cracks and blood were spreading from that point, as if at the slightest touch, his whole body would begin to crumble and shatter.

He didn't dare to think about it...... If he hadn't convinced the old man to accept their overly bold plan, would Brooke still be alive and well?

At this point, he was even glad that he still had a myriad of problems to face—if not, the growing guilt would have been enough to break him.

The moment he walked out the door, his eyes turned black and he staggered a few steps. A hand reached out from behind him and grasped his shoulder steadily, so that he would not fall to the ground in an ugly manner.

Ed turned back to Fili and tugged at the corners of his mouth, smiling ugly.

The paladin patted Ed on the shoulder and didn't say much. He walked straight up to Moira and bowed his head to her. Moira looked a little puzzled, but nodded anyway.

When it was all over, Fili followed Moira out of the temple, unoblivious to what seemed to be the secret taunt of some people, "the knight who had become another 'goddess'".

Ed watched him leave from the shadow of a pomegranate tree, struggling to suck the air into his body before turning and chasing Sean as he disappeared at the end of the corridor.

The white shadow flickered in front of him, and someone stopped in front of him. A burst of anxiety made Ed almost reach out and push over, but he recognized in time that the person who stopped him, although he was also dressed in a white robe, was not a priest of the water god.

It was the priest of Jora, the goddess of dawn, with curly sandy hair, and a round face that didn't match her tall figure, looking very familiar.

"Remember me?" the young man smiled at him, "we met at the May Festival. ”

Ed nodded, remembering.

"Tracy. He said, "Long time no see." ”

York Tracy, the young priest who helped them when the "Grey Mist" attacked the Collins Temple from all sides, was introduced to him by Browder...... Although he is curious and seems a little arrogant, he is not annoying.

"There's something I want to talk to you about......" York looked at the unconcealed anxiety on Ed's face, then turned his head to look at Sean's back and shrugged, "but now doesn't seem to be the right time...... I'll come back to you again. ”

He gestured to Ed, and before he could respond, he walked away as abruptly as he had appeared.

More eyes fell on Ed because of this scene, which made him feel itchy all over. He lowered his head, quickened his pace, and ran after Sean before more people wanted to "talk to him."

The old man's figure was gone, but Ed instinctively knew where he was going. His steps are getting slower and slower, but his heart is beating faster and faster,

This time he was no longer hiding. He walked step by step into the back of the temple hall under the unfamiliar gazes of the occasional clergyman, and followed the winding passage to the deepest depths, almost using all his strength to push open the two black wooden doors again.

Sean stood with his back to him by the circular pool in the center of the room, the faint blue light flowing on his shiny armor and short snow-white hair, making him look as if he was just a phantom in the water.

Ed silently walked over to him and looked down at the water. He still remembers the shock and horror he had felt when he stood here last time...... Those overly strong emotions had frozen him here, and if Brooke hadn't taken him, he might have preferred to stand here as a sad and desperate statue.

But now, the pool was empty, and the clear pool was as smooth as a mirror, reflecting his pale face.

“...... Where is she?"

Sean asked.

. (To be continued.) )