Intentionally or not, the women's footsteps were as silent as ghosts. As they drifted away in silence, the bright light dimmed at a slow, imperceptible rate, as if some awakened force had flipped over and fallen into a deep sleep again, leaving the first glimmer of light cold over the paladin's scarred armor.

A small gray mouse crept cautiously along the edge of the stone wall, stopping every now and then, the tip of its pink nose twitching slightly, cautiously leaning over as it crawled past the paladin, sniffing the short knife that had fallen to the ground, with a faint trail of blood on the blade.

When a dark shadow loomed silently, the little mouse suddenly realized that another behemoth was approaching. It let out a short, high-pitched cry and flew out, disappearing into the next intersection like a gray bolt of lightning.

Another uninvited guest in this mysterious place crouched down and looked down at the "corpse" on the ground. The paladin looked like he was dead, he was cold, stiff, his face was white, his chest did not rise and fall at all, but his expression was calm, only a wry smile with chagrin and helplessness froze on his lips.

“...... May your God be with you. The uninvited guest prayed, his voice lighter than breathing, "May you know why you died." ”

There is suppressed anger and sadness in the second sentence.

A faint flash of light caught his attention. The paladin wore a ring on his left hand—a valuable gold ring with a chrysoberyl on the face and a cat's eye.

He hesitated for a moment, then reached for the ring.

His movements are light. As if he was afraid of waking up the dead, but his fingertips touched the paladin's fingers, and after a moment's pause. He quickly withdrew his hand and stepped back with agility.

He hadn't touched a dead man—the dead man's skin was as cold as ice, of course, but it wouldn't be like a sucker on an octopus's tentacles, trying to suck his fingers!

With just a light touch, the chill came in from his fingertips like a snake, dragging a cold thin line straight to the bottom of his heart, making him shiver unconsciously. I felt as if a part of the warmth in my body flowed out along that thin line, and suddenly I was much weaker.

He shrank back, rubbing his fingertips in disbelief. Annoyed by the sluggish reaction that has gone by. If he was still young...... You will never fall into such a trap easily.

But...... Is this really some kind of trap?

He looked at the paladin's pale face again, and suddenly realized that although it was bloodless, it was not a death defeat.

...... Still alive?

He put his finger close to the paladin's nose, careful not to touch a bit of skin.

A moment later. He felt the faint breath on his skin like a feather brushing.

Lucky guy.

Fili Zeri sat up sharply. Subconsciously reach out and touch the back of your neck.

There's still a chill there...... It was as if a piece of flesh or bone had been replaced by ice that would never melt, absorbing all the warmth in his body, making him clench his teeth and shiver with cold.

He remembered that something had touched there, and then a cold hand crushed his heart and killed him.

...... Is he dead?

He remembered a moment when his body and soul froze in the darkness...... Then a hint of warmth, a glimmer of light, dragged him back again...... Is that death?

“...... Are you dead?"

An old voice asked.

Fili looked up blankly. Not far to his left. A vague figure crouched against a wall, the most striking part of his body being a head of sparse white hair.

It was a thin old man. Can't see the face clearly. But there was an invisible tension in the shadow he crouched there, and it was obviously not an ordinary person...... But it's not a ghost.

"I don't know. Fili struggled to move his tongue, which was as stiff as every muscle in his body, and muttered. The inextricably heavy, heavy body made him shake his head, and he felt an inexplicable sense of detachment.

“...... It doesn't seem to be. He said, looking around helplessly.

"It doesn't sound like you're very happy. ”

"No, I'm happy, it's just ...... A little tired. ”

He has faced death more than once. But after fighting with all his might, relying on his own strength and the help of his companions to escape death is not the same thing at all as almost dying and inexplicably coming back to life...... In just two days, he encountered such "luck" one after another, which made him depressed and tired, and even began to doubt his ability.

Agnes didn't know where she had gone...... The shadow he saw in her eyes was vaguely like ...... Lydia.

He had met the woman a few times, before she became a necromancer. He also knew that Scott had liked the woman...... She was indeed beautiful, glamorous, aggressively glamorous—not of his preferred type, but undeniably impressive.

If she's here too......

He tried to stand up. That little bit of strength just now seemed to have completely disappeared, and his body was empty, as if there was nothing under the armor at all, not only could he not stand up, but even his upper body staggered to the ground, falling uncontrollably.

The armor clattered against the floor, and if the enemy were still here, they would most likely follow the sound, strike him a fatal blow, and make sure he was dead...... But the old man who was squatting on the side always looked at him motionlessly, neither stopping nor trying to help him.

His strange eyes made Filly's heart a little hairy.

After some struggle, he sat on the ground dejectedly, exhausted and sweating.

“...... You saved me?" he asked the strange old man, with a hint of hope in his voice—would it be okay to help others?

“...... Hard. The old man stared at him with slightly glowing eyes.

Filly was a little confused. If you save it, you will be saved, and if you don't save it, you won't be saved, what is the answer to "hard to say"?

“...... Why are you here?" he asked, his voice sinking as he suddenly realized that he lacked due vigilance against the mysterious old man.

He didn't have any ill will towards him, he could feel it, but most of the people who would appear here weren't normal people......

"I'm a thief. ”

The old man replied very frankly...... It's straightforward.

Fili touched his neck and sighed, eager to ask this bold "thief", what kind of place is this...... He didn't know anyway.

"Is there anything to steal here?" he asked, rounding the corner.

"The truth. The old man replied unexpectedly, "If you are willing to help me, perhaps I can give you something you want...... Knight of the Water God, King's Guard, Friend of the Sage, Fili Zeri. ”.

Philip propped himself up and leaned against the cold stone wall, feeling a deep sadness in the calm narration of the old man.

He had heard of the thief who had been caught by Gard and quickly beheaded...... It was also clear that it was not the murderer who killed Leohard.

When he heard the news, he just shook his head slightly, feeling a hint of sympathy for the hapless young man...... But that's all. Most of what killed him was his own stupidity - slipping into the secret passages of Lockburg at that time would be tantamount to killing himself.

“...... Do you want to avenge your son?" he asked.

Charrell Kuntz looked at him deeply.

"Is there anything wrong with that?" he asked rhetorically.

Fili was silent for a moment.

He could understand the grief and anger of the old man who had lost his son, and he knew that at such times...... It would not be wise to anger the old but obviously unscrupulous "thief" who was barely able to act at a time when he was barely able to act, but he was still blunt: "Your son, Ayton, is in the wrong place at the wrong time. Gard Carlos was at fault, but trespassing on the palace was a capital offense...... All I can tell you is that I will do my best to find the real murderer and clear the name of the crime that did not belong to him - but if you want me to help you get revenge, I'm afraid I'll have to refuse. ”

The old man looked at him for a long time, and then suddenly laughed.

The smile didn't have much warmth, but it wasn't hostile.

"You think I'm trying to kill Gard Carlos. ”

“...... Isn't it?"

"Life for life, blood for blood, that is indeed revenge. The old man replied in a low voice, "If that Lord Carlos had grabbed Ayton and beheaded him for no reason in order to dispel the rumors in Rockburg, I would have killed him by all means, whether or not anyone would help me, or how many people would stop me." But if he just caught a sneaky guy in the secret passage where he was in charge of guarding...... As you said, trespassing on the palace was originally a capital offense. Even I don't necessarily ask every thief who enters my house for reasons before deciding whether to kill him...... All Carlos did was take advantage of Ayton's death - it was still unforgivable, but not dead. No, I don't want to kill Gard Carlos, as a nobleman...... As the younger brother of the Queen Mother and the uncle of the King, he is not too bad. ”

Filly's eyes widened in surprise. He didn't expect to be able to get from a thief...... A thief who has just lost his beloved young son hears such a sensible assessment.

"Ayton isn't stupid. Charrell looked him in the eye, anger finally burning in his eyes, "Someone tricked him into the secret passages of Lockburg for some reason...... If I want revenge, that person is the real murderer. ”.

(To be continued.) )

PS: Sorry for not changing on Friday...... Thursday night was too sleepy to make it through 55