“...... Can you explain?"

Kormit's eyes were uncertain, but he remained calm as he spoke.

"Nothing to explain. Kellian replied categorically.

"What else is there to explain?!" Duru cried out, unable to even understand how Kormit could ask such a question, "He deceived you...... He deceived us, he fooled us......!

"My 'tricks'. Kellian interrupted him impatiently, "I hear you. If that's more acceptable to you, be it. ”

Duru fell silent and stood there in a daze, his face blue. If you think about it a little bit, you can understand that pushing everything on Kellian doesn't explain all what happened to them...... But the pressure he has been under these days has clearly overwhelmed him.

He was a young man with a simple experience, who sincerely believed that he was fighting for a great faith, like the brave and loyal knights of legend...... But in these short ten days, he watched Enoch commit irrefutable crimes, and was attacked by his former companions, not only did he have no family to return to, but he also had to accept that the priest Copas, whom he has always respected very much, and even the saint who was like a god, may be hiding an ulterior secret.

-- What about the god he believed in? Did he really exist, or was he really as great as they imagined and hoped?

The threat to his life may not be a big deal to him, but his faith on the verge of collapse is too much for him to bear.

He probably shouldn't have been on this path with them in the first place.

Kellian didn't believe in God, of course, but he understood the desperation of watching everything he once believed in crumble before him...... That made him even feel a little sympathy for Duru. But Duru probably only hated and angered him.

The young man jerked his sword out of its sheath and pointed it at Kelion, but his arm was immediately grasped by Kormit.

"Don't be impulsive!" cried the priest helplessly. "Maybe it's not what it seems. He's ......"

Kellian's eyes narrowed—he had promised him that he would keep it a secret.

“...... He is our companion. Kormit glanced at him, trying to regain Duru's composure in another way, "You know very well that many things can't have anything to do with him. It's you who say you want to know the truth, if we can't even trust each other, how can we find the truth?!"

That didn't seem to convince Duroux.

In the dead silence, the young hunter's gaze slowly moved back and forth between him and Kelion, resentment and understanding gradually emerging on his slightly distorted face.

"He's not some 'companion!'" he struggled to break free from Kormit's grasp. Gritting his teeth, he spoke, "Those who fight with me are my companions, and those I know and know are worthy of my trust...... No. He is not my companion - and I am not your companion. ”

He held his sword to his chest and stepped back, into the shadows of the forest.

"Duru!"

Kormit let out an involuntary yelling as he turned and ran away, catching up a few steps. But it stopped. After a moment of silence, he let out a long sigh.

Kellian still stood motionless, listening to Duru's footsteps as he faded away, and heard Travis, who had been awakened from his sleep, cry out in a panic, "What?

"We've been deceived! Get out of here...... I'll protect you!"

"What?...... Wait! What about Kormit?...... Hey, my shoes ......"

The struggling booksmith was dragged away by the young hunter without saying a word, and the vague doubts and complaints gradually faded away.

“...... He also took Travis with him. "To the east, presumably going back to Valand." If you want to catch up, it's still too late. ”

Kormit smiled wryly. Slowly shaking his head.

"Are you sure?" Kellian asked him, "you understand what that means?"

"That means I have one more irrefutable charge. Kormit replied calmly. "But maybe it's better...... I shouldn't have involved them in the first place, giving them a good reason to get out, and I could let go of many of my concerns. ”

Kellian looked at him for a moment, dazed.

He was ready to go on alone, but he was surprisingly still able to have a companion, but he was a little overwhelmed.

Kurmit didn't even ask him anything before he stayed. That may not be out of trust, but out of some more practical consideration, and it remains...... It's not annoying.

There was an indescribable feeling in his heart, which made Kailian vaguely happy and a little uneasy.

“...... But they know your plans. He reminded Kormit, "So...... Do you have any new plans?"

"Our plan. "Kormit corrected," ...... If you're willing to continue to be my companion. ”

Companion - Kellian chewed on the all-too-common word, inexplicably dissatisfied.

But...... Yes.

"I made a promise, and I won't go back. ”

Kormit smiled slightly, "Well, no, there's no new plan - we're going to the temple anyway." ”

Kellian admired the determination in his eyes. But when he couldn't help but look in the direction of Duru's disappearance, Kormit's still looked a little lost.

"They...... You won't be attacked, will you?" he asked vaguely, after a moment's hesitation.

“...... If you mean Lydia, I can't think of any reason for her to attack them. Kellian replied.

That being said, they quietly followed the two men until they reached Valand safely. This undoubtedly slowed them down, but Kellian didn't complain about anything.

"So...... Is that really Lydia Bell?"

One day, when it was almost noon, Kormit finally couldn't help but ask.

"It's her. Kellian replied without raising his head, and turned intently the roasted little boar on the fire.

“...... What did she say?" asked Kurmit cautiously, but didn't beat around the bush.

"Would you believe me if I said she just found out who I was and came to talk to me on a whim?"

"Hmm......" Kormit nodded thoughtfully.

Without waiting for the expected questioning, Kellian finally glanced at him in surprise.

"I know you know her. Kormit smiled at him, "After all, she was once a companion on adventures with your brother and adoptive father...... Isn't it?"

Kellian lowered his head again, staring silently at the flames that had suddenly risen from the falling droplets of oil.

"It's not just about acquaintance. He suddenly spoke, "When I was a child...... I like her. ”

He didn't know why he was talking about it to someone he hadn't known for less than a month - he hadn't even told Ed and Naria. The memories that he had deliberately forgotten suddenly rushed out, as if they had happened yesterday.

He remembered the bright green eyes of her unbridled laughter, in which there was once no shadow, he remembered that her white fingers wrapped around her black curls, so simple colors, stark contrasts, that for some reason he couldn't take his eyes off them, he remembered that he had seriously tugged at the corners of her skirt and treated her like a princess who needed his protection, and he remembered that she had secretly dragged him into the snow-covered courtyard, and by spell made him as light as a snowflake, floating in the air with the wind......

"She was nice to me then......" he said, smiling wryly, "though it didn't make her hesitate to take advantage of me." ”

He always had mixed feelings when facing Lydia. He hated her—she had broken so many things he could never get back, but perhaps he should have thanked her too...... She lets him know who he really is.

And, at the end of the day, she never really hurt him. It made him always wonder if there was something warm and soft hidden in her already frozen heart, but he was worried that it would be naïve and dangerous to have such hopes.

He couldn't guess her, it made him feel ...... Afraid.

But he knew exactly what his deepest fears were.

“...... She told me to be careful with Scott. "He finally whispered," she said, "and he probably had to." ”.

(To be continued......)

PS: I'm sorry this chapter is relatively short.,I feel like I can't move my brain when I go home from overtime until more than 2 o'clock......