The ice dragon descends with the morning in a valley protected by magic.

The sun shines on the four seasons of blooming flowers, and surrounded by streams, as if a blue-purple carpet spreads out, stretching all the way to the wooden house at the end of the valley surrounded by all kinds of flowers in full bloom.

Ed slipped off the ice dragon's neck and looked around, unable to move for a long time, unable to help but feel envious.

If he had such a valley of his own, he would probably never want to leave again.

Isis had told him about this "strange valley" and the "cunning old man" who lived here - a place where an old mage lived in seclusion could not have been strange, but he had not expected it to be so beautiful "strange"!

Surprised and amazed, he suddenly remembered Celebrian.

The retreat that the half-elf priest chose two hundred years ago bears a rare resemblance to this place.

He couldn't tell anyone about their encounter, but maybe he should at least go and see if the half-elves were still there...... Or will it also disturb the river of time?

While he was in a daze, someone had already slowly walked in front of him, and his slender body leaned forward slightly, as if to welcome the first-time visitor.

Ed looked up at the simple, melancholy face of the well-known Wood Golem, grinned unconsciously, and waved his hand high.

"Hello, Mud, take the liberty of interrupting ...... I'm Ed Singh. ”

The golem looked at him with those non-existent eyes for a moment, then waved his hand high in the same pose. But he still looked melancholy.

It's a little weird, but it doesn't make Ed nervous or frightened - the tranquil valley and the scent of flowers in the air seem to have a soothing magic.

"Is the old man there?" asked Is, unceremoniously and casually, as he burrowed into the garden. Halfway through, he suddenly stopped, turned back and asked vigilantly, "Is that woman not there?"

Ed's heart beat a little faster - and honestly, though Iss avoided it, he wanted to meet the crow, the mysterious and beautiful female mage. Even Naria, who had suffered a lot in her strange castle, had to admire the beauty, the innate magic power, and the sympathetic encounter. The arrogance and audacity of trying to open the gates of hell...... It is impossible to say that there is no curiosity about such people.

Mudder shook his head slowly, bowing gracefully and making an inviting gesture to Ed.

With a hint of regret. Ed stepped out onto the path made of white stones in the garden.

"Abner Rhine. The owner of Enshi Valley narrowed his eyes and repeated the name thoughtfully.

"Yes. Ed placed his clenched fists flat on his lap, trying not to tremble. Although Inglis was very affectionate to him and Is, especially to Is, he was not at all as "cunning" as Iss had described him. He still couldn't help but be a little nervous.

In front of him was Inglis Neff. In the past hundred years, the most famous and powerful mage association on the mainland, even the powerful mage association has no choice but to be the archmage who does not exist! Even if he is old and wrinkled, he is still worthy of respect and fear.

Ed's life until he was fifteen years old had nothing to do with magic, but he had heard the name since he was a child—and at that time he thought Inglis was a legendary figure who had long since died.

But now the legend is in front of his eyes...... He could probably see his little nervousness at a glance.

Thinking of this, Ed couldn't help but shrink his shoulders.

"Who the hell is this guy?" asked Iss, frowning. "I've never heard of it. ”

Inglis laughed.

"Abner was probably not born before your mother began to sleep. He said. "And after you were born, the person who raised you would never mention the name to you - you certainly haven't heard of it. ”

Iss was silent, slowly sitting up straight in his chair.

"Who the hell is this guy?" he asked the same question, but in a completely different tone, calm, cold, and like his suddenly constricted pupils, there was a hidden danger that made people unconsciously daunted.

But that obviously didn't do much to Inglis. The old mage calmly threw two more spoonfuls of sugar into his tea, his golden-green eyes narrowed into two thin lines and finally slipped over the "cunning" that Iss had repeatedly warned Ed about.

"Who told you to ask me this?" he asked Ed, instead of answering Is's question.

Ed's clenched fists shook slightly, and he looked at him stunned, his lips squirming unconsciously, but he couldn't answer a word—if he asked him "why do you ask this?" he had a reason he had spent the middle of the night concocting to resist, but he asked him "who......

"Inglis!" exclaimed an impatient Is, unexpectedly saving Ed from such a predicament.

The old mage shrugged his shoulders indifferently, and no longer pursued the question, and tapped his withered fingers on the rim of the cup again and again.

"Ah...... I can't even remember what he looked like. He said.

"Have you seen him?" asked Ed cautiously.

"Oh, it's not just 'seen'. Inglis gave him a sly look, "He's a very gifted kid...... He used to be a very talented child. There was a time when I was bent on finding a good apprentice so that I could pass on everything I had mastered, and Abner Rhine was one of the few children I had ever looked up to. His father, a merchant in the fabric business of Oneta, was helpless and even a little frightened of his magic-addicted son, and his mother cried hoarsely when I took him...... His father seemed to be greatly relieved. ”

The old mage raised it to his lips, and the tea moistened his lips, but he didn't drink it, as if he had suddenly fallen into a memory.

"I spent five years with him and finally sent him back to his father. He sighed, "He's very talented, smart and focused, but he's too impatient." I told him countless times that it takes a long time to learn and hone the secrets of magic, but he always wants to find an easy and quick way, like learning the mysteries of the whole universe overnight in a dream...... He didn't understand that what was too easy to get would always be easily lost. There are some things that there are no shortcuts. ”

Ed lowered his eyes and stared blankly at his hands.

Everything he lost...... Is it also because it was too easy to get?

“...... So what the hell does he have to do with me?" asked Iss, impatiently.

Abner returned to his parents, but he didn't stay long. Inglis continued unhurriedly, not disrupting his rhythm at all because of his impatience, "He ran south, passed the trials, became a member of the Mage Guild, was accepted as an apprentice by the gray-robed Candian of the East Tower, and stayed in Neo's Archmage Tower for a long time...... The Archmage Tower is a ridiculous place, most of the people waste their time and energy on intriguing with each other, and I don't know what Abner learned there, but he is best known for his work with all kinds of magical creatures...... Including the understanding of dragons. ”

Isis looked at him quietly, silently.

"His interest in magical creatures probably came from Candian, his teacher. The grey-robed Candian claims to have seen the last griffon on the continent as a child, and no one knows if it's true or not, but Candian has always wanted to have a magical creature as his pet...... Not those animals that have been modified by magic, but real, inherently magical creatures...... That's why he's disappeared, and honestly, I suspect he's missing in the belly of some 'real magical creature'. ”

He looked up at Iss and smiled.

“...... My mother didn't eat anything like that. Ishard replied.

Ed felt that he saw some kind of regret on Inglis's face.

In any case, Abner learned a lot about dragons from Candian. "So more than twenty years ago, Alan Kavo and his companions paid a special visit to Abner when they thought they might have to deal with a dragon, after all, there has not been a living dragon in this world for a hundred or two years, and a cautious guy like Eren would not deal with such a dangerous creature based on some legend alone...... They were able to kill Ankramarath in the end, but it was more than just luck. ”

Ed peeked at Is, a little worried. Is's face was very ugly, but he was calm, after all, he already knew how his mother had died...... And he has no way to take revenge on those who raised him.

But Ed was still slightly annoyed—the old mage didn't say it explicitly, but there was a hint of provocation in his seemingly objective narrative.

"Mulder. Iss suddenly turned his gaze to the Wood Golem, which had been standing quietly to the side.

"Where the hell is the old man?" he asked abruptly.

Mulder shook his body and slowly gestured.

-- Outside.

It says.

Ed was stunned, his eyes widening in surprise, and he stared blankly at the wrinkled old man in front of him.

Inglis was silent for a long time, then suddenly laughed.

It was an indescribable smile for Ed, and the sparse eyebrows and the wrinkled corners of his eyes drooped down made Ed feel creepy and coquettish for a moment, and his hair almost stood on end.

"Where am I exposed?" asked the old mage, his voice soft and tactful, his wrinkled skin becoming smooth, white and plump, long black hair hanging down his shoulders, and his eyes as deep as the night sky......

“...... White crow?" Ed cried out dumbfounded.

(To be continued......)