After breakfast, Ed walked around the temple at a leisurely pace. Since Risek had said that there was not a single door here that could not be opened for him, how could he waste such kindness?

But he also knew very well that he was being watched, if not as closely as he was with Rosa. So he didn't really push open every door he saw, just stopped every now and then to say hello to people he knew and have a few casual conversations.

He was sure that there were many people who were still building temples simply and with passion, and who did not know what was hidden in the shadows—and now he could tell that those who had no secrets in their hearts had different eyes.

Sometimes he even envied it. Once upon a time, he had the same simplicity...... Even if it's mostly out of ignorance, at least my heart is calm, and I can sleep peacefully every night.

There were indeed several heavily guarded places in the temple, but each one did not look like a place where the prisoners were kept—the sacristy, the altar, the storeroom......

In the deeper and deeper agitation, Ed involuntarily reached the back of his head and grabbed a few handfuls fiercely, and by the time he reacted, his hands were already covered with blood.

"Ed!" Yachem greeted him affectionately, and he didn't have time to wipe the blood off his hands.

His heart skipped a beat, and in a panic, he could only put his hand in his arms and squeeze out a smile at Yahim.

"They dug a well and dug up a stone with a pattern, would you like to go and see it together?" Yachem warmly invited, reaching out and putting his hand on his shoulder. "I guess it's the stuff you like with pointy ears. ”

Those who met Norway remembered the pointy-eared elf vividly, and Ed's fascination with the elf didn't seem to be a secret. Like most Anktans, Yachem is inexplicably suspicious and fearful of the Elven race. But he has a similar fascination with Ed's fascination with the elegant and smooth lines and delicate patterns of the buildings left by the elves.

Such a hobby was obviously a bit unusual among the rugged and martial Anktan, and it made Yachem quickly become intimate with his rare kind, Ed.

"Do you often dig up elven stuff here?" Ed asked casually as he walked side-by-side to the backyard.

"Occasionally. Yachem replied, "I don't know. When I arrived, the foundation had been completed, and it is said that the larger stones that had been dug up had been chiseled into various materials. ”

He turned his head to look around, and said with some emotion, "It's like those pointy ears...... It's like the elves built this temple with us thousands of years ago. Isn't it?"

Ed grinned, not knowing how to answer—he suspected that the elves didn't like to be involved in this way.

According to Norwe, the wilderness beyond Miaz-Vis has always been a battlefield for elves and orcs. For example, the elves once built a lookout and other buildings here. And there's nothing surprising about it...... But if it's just a lookout. Is it necessary to connect to the main city through tunnels?

In confusion, he subconsciously stretched out his hand to the itchy place behind his head again, and suddenly realized something.

When his hand froze stiffly in mid-air, and his gaze swept over his fingertips in a panic, Yachem had already cried out in surprise: "Ed...... Are you hurt?"

His voice, raised a few degrees, quickly attracted several glances, and Ed gritted his teeth, simply smiled awkwardly, and no longer hid it.

"I scratched myself. He untied his scarf so Yachem could look at the wound on the back of his head, "I don't know why." It's itching here. ”

“...... You've probably been bitten by some kind of bug. Yachem made a serious judgment, "You'll have to go to Rey." Let her get you some medicine. I've heard that there is a worm that comes out of the corpses of dead people, and it burrows into people's brains......"

Ed's face turned white.

He had been with a necromancer for a while...... That makes this ridiculous country legend sound ridiculous at all.

“...... Rest assured, Ryan will have a way. Yachem hurried to comfort him and dragged him out of the temple.

"Rey," as Yachem calls it, does not live in the temple, but in a rudimentary shed made of planks and hides in the temple square, presumably because the only physician here needs enough space to dry her herbs...... Maybe it's because she's just a woman.

The dimly lit shack was filled with smoke and smells, and Rye sat on a hide in a corner of the shack, grinding some kind of lime-like powder, and asked without looking up as Ed entered, "What's wrong?"

The old physician had snow-white hair and a thin body, but his back was straight.

“...... Itchy head. Ed replied honestly.

"Are you sure it's because you haven't washed your hair in too long?"

Perhaps unaware of Ed's identity, Ryan was unceremonious with a mocking question - but judging by Yahem's disapproving look, she probably did that to everyone.

"Probably. Ed replied vaguely.

He suspected that the tickle that penetrated deep into the bone marrow was due to Oylan's spell...... That's not what a female physician who only uses herbs can handle.

Ryan finally turned to look at him.

"Come here, sit down. She said, getting up and picking at a piece of animal skin above her head with a twig, letting the meager sunlight leak in with a few scattered snowflakes.

The light fell on her eyes—the old man had eyes that were surprisingly blue. Even in the swirling smoke and not very bright light, even if it has begun to become cloudy...... It was still as deep and charming as a slightly dusty gem, making it possible to completely ignore the deep wrinkles on her face for a moment.

Ed quickly withdrew his stunned gaze, blushing slightly from the unexpected faux pas.

He sat cross-legged on a hide, like an old man, and felt like he was in a barbarian's tent......

Rye knocked his head down, interrupting his thoughts.

"Are you trying to make yourself bald?" the old man's thin, slightly cool fingers flicked at the back of his head.

“...... Don't want to. Ed replied with a sad face. His forehead was bald enough, but he didn't want the back of his head to be bald.

"When did it start itching?"

"Yesterday".

"Have you ever itched like this before?"

"Nope. ”

......

After a few simple questions, Ryan let go of his head, blue eyes looking at him thoughtfully.

"I guess I was bitten by a bug. "I didn't know what the hell the hell bugs could be so alive in such cold weather." ”

Ed grinned and didn't say anything.

He watched as Ryan landed as he picked out some medicinal herbs from the various bamboo baskets, baskets, cloth bags, and clay pots around him, pounded them into a black and sticky mass, and pressed his head again, slapping them on his wounds.

A tingling pain caused Ed to scream involuntarily.

"Are you a three-year-old girl?" the old man scoffed, and wrapped a strip of cloth around his wound to hold the ball in place...... Then a knot was tied on his forehead.

Ed rubbed his forehead with a bitter face, not wanting to think about what the hell he was now.

"Does this really stop the itch?" he asked, listlessly, with a faint glimmer of hope.

"No, you can't. Ryan replied ruthlessly, "But it will keep you from going bald." ”

- It's useful.

Ed tried to comfort himself, and his eyes swept over the old man who was packing up the herbs, but he unexpectedly saw a burn mark on the inside of the old man's wrist.

My heart skipped a beat. Ed couldn't help but look at the thin but agile female doctor again, and something was about to come out of his head.

"I'll change the medicine in two days. The old man casually instructed, "Don't scratch the wound when it starts to itch, unless you really want to be bald." ”

"Itchy?" Ed repeated in a daze.

"The itch when the wound is almost healed...... Have you never been hurt?" the old man glared at him impatiently.

Ed's heart moved, and he reached out and touched the back of his head.

A chill began to sink into the wound, and the pain and itching seemed to lessen, and Edra put her scarf around her head and bowed respectfully to the old man.

That seemed to surprise Ryan a little, and she finally looked at him squarely.

For a moment, Ed almost couldn't help but blurt out another name, and swallowed it back.

Right now...... It's really not the right time.

As they emerged from the shack, Ed saw Risek hurrying towards them.

"I heard you're hurt?" the man frowned slightly.

"Oh, it was just a bug bite, it itched so badly, and then he scratched himself. Yachem hastened to reply, looking worried, as if he feared that Risek would reproach him for his poor care.

Ed tugged at the corners of his mouth in embarrassment and frustration: "I'm sorry...... Not only can't I help you at all, but I only cause you trouble. ”

"Please don't say that. Risek smiled, "I'm sure your strength will be restored." ”

Ed seemed to see a hint of relief in his smile, but he wasn't sure what it was.

"Hey, do you want to see that rock?" Yachem looked at him expectantly.

"What stone?" asked Risek, confused.

"It's the patterned stone they dug out of the well. Yachem's eyes widened.

“...... That one has been smashed open and used to build a well. Risek looked at him a little helplessly, "When will you stop being interested in these useless things?"

Yachem lowered his head, not daring to refute, but muttered in a low voice after Risek walked away: "That's not useless!"

He turned his head to look at Ed, seeking approval, but Ed could only give him a hurried, absent-hearted smile.

(To be continued......)