Quirin Ayer remained calm as he watched the man who had suddenly appeared in his room.

"Welcome, young man. He spoke calmly, "But I'm guessing you're not a mage who got the wrong bearings and strayed here?"

The black-haired young man smiled as if he had found it amused, took a few steps closer to him, and bowed, "What a surprise you know about magic...... But, yes, I didn't stumble here, but don't worry, I'm not an outlaw...... It's just a messenger. ”

The young man was richly dressed, with a pale face and a sharp chin, handsome against the shoulder-high black hair, but as if he had not seen the sun for a long time, and looked as if he had been born noble, but he behaved frivolously and devoid of proper etiquette - he looked from place to place, as if he was very curious about everything in the room, and even reached out and touched the colorless gem set on the chest of a pair of armor beside him, and his eyes showed envy.

“...... May I have the privilege of knowing whose envoy you are?" asked Quillin, ignoring his rudeness, politely.

"I have come on behalf of the king - your king, Ante Bofford. The young man replied with a smile.

Quilyn didn't put his doubts on his face, but he was very skeptical that it was really the king's envoy - not only did he not report his own name, but he called the king by name, even if he was a secret envoy, he could not have been so bold.

"Allow me to welcome you once again, Your Majesty. He nodded slightly to the young man, "But with all due respect, this is Visa—this is my bedroom, and even the king himself should not be uninvited." Unless I have committed some unconclusive, unforgivable crime...... Do I have one?"

"That's what I have to ask you, my lord. The young man shrugged. It seems that you don't hear the displeasure at all - or don't care at all, "It's all up to you, after all." But I have to say that you don't seem to trust our King very much...... You've just returned from the Temple of Collins, haven't you, or would you rather believe in the 'Sage'?"

Quillin stared at him in silence for a few moments before he spoke: "Even if it is an accusation from a king, the accused is allowed to defend itself, and I believe that His Majesty the king will agree with this." ”

"Of course, of course. The young man nodded casually. "But I think Your Majesty would prefer to know what Ed Singal has said...... And whether you've already made your decision. ”

"That's not the right place to talk here, between you and me, my lord. Quillin's tone finally cooled. "Tell your Majesty that I will go to Lockburg as soon as possible, and speak with him about the matter in detail—and by the way, trouble you to bring me another piece of news. Recently, there may have been ships carrying people infected with the disease to Stunbuch. Please be careful. A messenger with powers like you can be much faster and more reliable than the carrier pigeons in Visa. ”

The young man stood at the table, not responding, but looking at him with a strange, eerie and irritated gaze, as if there was something in these words that offended him.

"Do you need me to send you, sir?" asked Quillin as he pulled out his pen and calmly spread out another piece of paper.

A shadow falls on the paper. The young man leaned towards him menacingly. A shrill voice pierced his ear: "I would be happy to bring you any news, but I'm afraid Your Majesty needs a firm answer - you will be on his side." Or are you determined to shelter the false Sage?"

Quelin wasn't annoyed by the almost threatening aggressiveness, but stepped back a little and leaned back in his chair.

"The Ayir family has always been loyal to the king and to Ruttger. He put his arms on the armrests and said lightly.

"This is not the answer!" said the young man's tone, growing impatient, gradually losing much of his sense of proportion, "I only need a simple answer—will you work with the king to expose the lies of the Temple of Water......?" Or not, it's as simple as that!"

Quilin's body stiffened slightly, and there was a flash of anger in his eyes, but he still didn't attack.

"When I was in Ston Butch, I knew a friend. He lowered his eyes and suddenly brought up another topic. "Lowell Turner...... Maybe you've heard his name too. He was a mage and then a paladin of the god of water. I asked him if the priesthood could really use magic to find out if a person was lying, and he replied that mages and priests had similar spells, but in fact they were not entirely reliable, and that humans were cunning, sometimes even cunning enough to fool themselves...... A plausible answer, the spell simply can't tell if it's true or not. In most cases, it is still up to experience and intuition to tell whether a person is telling a lie or not. If there is a caster who thinks they can make a judgment based on a spell alone...... He's either too confident or too stupid. ”

The young man's face finally darkened.

"I've heard of Lowell Turner, and I know he's dead. His wealth of knowledge and his tongue did not seem to have saved his life, and, my lordship...... It's useless to stall, I know you have mechanisms in your chair to summon guards, but I'm afraid they won't be able to respond right now - you know, people like us are always extra cautious. ”

“...... What did you do to them?" asked Quillin coldly.

"Why don't you answer this question honestly, settle the matter as soon as possible, and then go and see them yourself?" replied the young man impatiently.

Quillin frowned slightly. He didn't know why the young man was so stubborn about insisting that he give an answer, even knowing that it might not be entirely true. Or was he really so confident in his spells?—because it was clear that he lacked sharp judgment.

"If you insist so much. His tone softened, but he quickly drew his dagger from under the table as the young man drew closer to him with some eagerness, and stabbed him in the shoulder without warning.

That blow was blocked. The young man's body seemed to be wrapped in an invisible, flexible shell, which completely absorbed the power of the dagger and made it freeze in mid-air with difficulty.

Quillin wasn't surprised. He knew that a mage wasn't that easy to deal with, and that was why he had put it off until now, and even if it was a messenger sent by the king, he had good reason to do so—and it wasn't too much to think of a guy who suddenly appeared in his bedroom as an assassin.

The young man, who was not injured, stepped back in horror, his face became paler, but he sneered and forced himself to support: "I told you that people like us are always extra cautious...... Do you really think a nobleman like you can kill me?"

"I'm a knight. Quillin said coldly, "I thought you knew, messenger...... You just touched my armor. ”

He let go of the short sword, drew another long sword from the table with his backhand, and watched as the young man stretched out his hand, as if he wanted to cast a spell, but he screamed in a bright blue-white arc and fell to his knees.

The unmanned short sword did not fall to the ground, but remained in mid-air, continuing to reflect electric light until the young man began to twitch before losing his strength and falling to the ground.

"And I've reminded you that Lowell Turner is my friend...... And he used to be a very good mage. Quillin calmly got up and walked over to the young man, and the long sword was pressed against the young man's throat: "Maybe no one taught you...... But you should have more respect for the deceased. ”

The magic dagger had removed the young man's defenses - it was a gift from Lowell, and although it could only be used once, it was enough for the mage, and the residual paralysis would have kept him unable to move his fingers for a while.

"Dead is dead!" The young man who fell to the ground expressed his anger vaguely with his tongue open, and although there was fear on his stiff face, he did not plead, "The corpse of a paladin can't even be used, it will only become food for insect repellent, what is there to respect?!"

The wrinkles between Quillin's brows deepened in confusion. Few people use the word "Dead Body" to describe it......

“...... Are you a necromancer?" he snapped into his senses, his voice rising unconsciously.

The young man closed his mouth, and there was real fear in his eyes.

A sigh from behind him made Quillin's hair stand on end, and he quickly turned and pushed a step away, his sword instinctively blocking his chest.

In front of him, a woman with black hair, green eyes, and gorgeous red lips looked helplessly at the young man on the ground: "I knew it would be like this." ”

She turned her gaze to Quirin and sighed and spread her hands, "But when such a lovely young man begs you for a chance, how can you bear not to give it to him?"

It sounded like a helpless mother talking about her unsuccessful children, but Quilyn clearly sensed danger.

This beautiful woman was equally rude. But there was no bluff in her pretense—she was just pretty sure that everything was under her control.

Quillin lowered his sword. He didn't think the sword, even the magic dagger that Lowell had given him, would be of any use to the woman in front of him.

"I'm Lydia. The woman smiled and curtsied at him, "Lydia Bell, my lord, I apologize to you for his rudeness, he was just too eager to prove himself. ”

The muscles in the corners of Quillin's eyes jumped. He'd heard the name and knew what it meant.

"I know you have a lot of questions, my lord. Lydia smiled, not looking hostile, "but there's one thing he didn't lie to you...... Indeed, he was the messenger of His Majesty the King. ”

Quillin's face sank - what was she hinting at?

He knew that Ante was suspicious, and he had always wanted to weaken the power of the Water Temple...... But joining forces with a necromancer? Is he crazy?!

"It's a little secret, and it really shouldn't have been known so early. Lydia's gaze swept to the pale young man on the ground, who still seemed to be holding a sword to his neck, "So lo and behold, I have to ask you the same question again - which side are you going to be on?".

(To be continued......)