When he returned to the room, the wild cherry leaf he held in the palm of his hand had long been broken, exuding a strong smell of grass and trees. Pen & Fun & Pavilion www.biquge.info

Ed stood at the table, looking down at the three thick old books, his thoughts becoming clearer.

Brooke Xiuan doesn't have much of a remorse. In such a short period of time, it is unlikely that he will be able to find exactly the right words in these books, or even set up any puzzles. If he really wants to tell him something, it will be very simple and straightforward, but not easy to spot.

Wild cherry leaves.

The last bit of shards that had been crushed to the fingertips had been soaked with sweat and turned into black powder. Brooke bookmarked many different plant specimens, and he knew the names, meanings, and uses of each plant...... Before becoming a priest, young Brooke was a physician.

But Ed wasn't familiar with those, and Brooke wouldn't be unaware. What he was familiar with was......

He was familiar with the Elven names of the plants—and even if he didn't know, Violita would.

His gaze swept over the petiole exposed outside the page, and a smile began to spread from the corner of his eye. Ed remembered the location of each "bookmark" clearly, and although there were two plants in it that he didn't recognize at all, someone could definitely recognize them, and in the elven syllables...... He thought he had solved the puzzle.

The excitement welling up from the bottom of his heart made him throw his fist, let out a low cheer, and turned and rushed downstairs to find Naria.

The rare excitement was so strong that he was completely unaware of a faint call coming from the far north.

The ice dragon flicked its tail in mid-air.

A strange uneasiness suddenly rose in my heart, as if I had forgotten something...... Once again, it was certain that there was no way the woman could leave the wooden house, and that the newborn Mulder was capable enough to protect the Enshi Valley...... If there really was something wrong, it would feel much stronger than it does now.

No, not because of this.

The Karnak mountains wind their way across the land like a huge, dark green snake, and the waters of the Vinz River reflect the dazzling sunlight. The ice dragon's silver-white scales were scorched hot by the summer sun, but there was always a chill in his blood that could not be dispelled.

When Chrysersburg came into view, the ice dragon hesitated for a moment, changed direction, lowered its body and slid towards the castle on the cliff.

Fearing for Ed and Naria's safety, it had planned to fly straight to Staple Butch as fast as it could...... But he still unconsciously approached Kriesburg.

When the shadow of a dragon with wings spread clearly landed in the castle, a small exclamation, and the ensuing, long-lost cheers, resounded in the lonely castle.

The ice dragon didn't notice that. It stared suspiciously at the towering towers that were getting closer and closer in front of it...... This place doesn't look like Christesburg at all.

It's not because of the looks. Despite the fact that there are still some cracks in the gray walls, the castle has been mostly restored and, like the previous ones, faithfully unaltered. But whether it is the ruined castle in disrepair in childhood memories or the magnificent fortress restored in Vala, there is something that cannot be misunderstood...... Something that might be called a soul.

Proud, tenacious, and silent with a faint exhaustion and sadness, like an old knight, still holding his broken sword, standing straight on the earth.

But at the moment...... The great Chrysersburg is just a pile of inanimate rocks.

The ice dragon slammed to the ground, uncontrollably recalling the first time he landed in the same position as a dragon, the woman who embraced him tenderly with fear.

Even if Ed and Naria weren't here...... It should at least come back and offer a bouquet of flowers to Vala.

The spontaneous guilt made it silently endure the big man who rumbled over and hugged its front leg - or, perhaps, it would be more appropriate to call him the big fat man now.

Akam was a lot thicker than the last time it had seen it...... And that soft touch is definitely not muscle!

After not being able to endure it for long, the ice dragon stretched out its claws and tore away its overly enthusiastic friend, trying to stop him from pounced again with a vicious gaze as it turned back into a human...... However, it did not work out.

Annoyed, he pushed Akan away, still powerful, and Iss nodded awkwardly to the woman behind him.

"Welcome back. ”

Patty Monson, the housekeeper, who had obviously lost a lot of weight, spoke softly, "Master Ed and his friends have gone to Stunbuch, and Master Carvo should be on his way back...... Are you going to wait for him here?"

Iss keenly sensed something strange in her calm narrative.

“...... What happened?" he asked.

He knew that Kavo was mostly in Visa now. The fog-blocked road turned Criesburg into a less well-informed place, which was inconvenient for Allen - and a hard journey back if nothing happened.

"There was an earthquake two days ago. "A small earthquake didn't do much harm," he replied frankly...... But everyone was a little frightened, and as Master Cavo had previously instructed, I sent him a letter, and he should be back soon. ”

Isis looked up at the unrepaired cracks in the walls, fully understanding their fears.

He knew where the tremor that had destroyed the castle had come from. Although it seems to have stabilized, the real hidden dangers have not disappeared at all. The labyrinth buried beneath the rocks has been destroyed, and no one knows for sure when it will collapse completely.

This place should not be inhabited at all—he thought, but there was always someone who wouldn't give up on him.

“...... I'll wait for Alan to come back. He said.

Monson smiled and bowed to him slightly, obviously very pleased, and the two little maids behind her also whispered to each other with joy, and then were soon rushed by the housekeeper to "prepare lunch for Master Is".

The corners of Young Master Yisi's mouth twitched slightly. Nowhere on this continent would he have been welcomed and cared for like this...... Yes, he couldn't give up this place, his former home.

Akan followed closely behind Iss. Although he gained a lot of weight because of his comfortable life, he must have been a little lonely...... There weren't many people left in Kriesburg, and with his protection, at least not to worry about thieves—Ed had persuaded him to stay with such a reason, which was true, but no one could deny that they had left him behind, even for the sake of Acan.

Iss stopped in front of the hidden entrance to the labyrinth, glanced back at the big man, and did not chase him away.

. (To be continued.) )