"You killed ...... Is's mother?"

Naria whispered in disbelief, suddenly not daring to look directly into Is's face anymore.

"Yes, it's us. Alan smiled wryly, "And I can't deny that when Bing Mang finally falls, each and every one of us ...... Except for Keller Brian, perhaps, they are all extremely proud. At that time, we were no different from the adventurers who hunted down Isis today, the 'Dragon Slayer' - this is a glory that no one can refuse. ”

“...... But you don't give yourselves that title. Ed can be unusually sharp at times, "You kept this secret and didn't tell anyone...... Is it because of Is?"

Eren looked at Is, and the silent young man just hung his head and said nothing.

That's one of the reasons. The old warrior sighed, "We found a dragon egg that has not yet hatched by Bingmang's side, and it is supposed that it will never hatch again. It was rare material for a mage, so I gave it to Scott so that Laugen and Nia wouldn't break it out of a moment of curiosity. But it cracked in Scott's arms, and inside the shattered eggshell was a human baby...... You can't imagine how surprised we were at that time. ”

Ed immediately remembered the night he camped in the grove on the ice field with Scott and the half-elves, with Is, who had turned into a little boy.

"Incubated by humans......" he muttered as he repeated what the half-elves had said, in exchange for an exasperated glance from Is.

"Sort of......" Alan had to admit, it was a joke they never tired of. "But that nearly killed Scott, and we'll have to teleport him and the baby back to Kriesburg as soon as possible, and you-" He glanced at Ed. "Born on that day. ”

"Fate's arrangement!" Ed smirked.

"Maybe so. Alan couldn't help but smile, this unpleasant story seemed to be made less heavy by Ed's presence, "and after Scott named Bingmang's son Iscontia Alan Christos and decided to raise him as his own brother...... No one ever spoke of announcing to the world that we had killed a dragon. In fact, it wasn't just about protecting Is. It's also to protect ourselves - no one wants one day when Iss learns who he is, only to find out that we are the enemies of his mother's murderer...... We didn't know it then. Dragons' memories can be passed on to the next generation. ”

"So...... You always knew that?" Ed asked cautiously. He couldn't imagine what it was like to be - remembering every scene of his mother being killed...... That's just crazy enough.

Isis nodded silently, his expression complicated.

"And ......" Alan hesitated for a moment before giving another reason: "We never found the treasure of Ankramaras?" And once people know that we have killed Bingmang, there will be countless greedy eyes watching our every move. They would never believe that we had found nothing. It's just that we deliberately hide it - it will cause unimaginable trouble. Including discovering Is's identity...... Any so-called 'glory' loses its appeal by comparison. ”

"And this—" Naria pointed to the dragon's tooth on the table, her tone tinged with disgust, "some kind of 'commemoration'?"

"We didn't take anything from Bing Mang at the time - no one was in that mood when Scott almost died. "Being questioned and belittled by his own daughter obviously hurt Allen a little," and after Is's birth...... The only time I've been back there has been with a half-elf. Stay in Esterro in order to destroy the cave and avoid Isis from discovering it. Besieged by the knights of the god of water. I'm sure Laugen and Nia won't do that either, and the only one that's possible is Lydia Bell. ”

The name of the female mage itself seems to have become a shadow that cannot be dispelled. Ed's heart moved, and he suddenly asked, "Lydia...... What does she look like?"

"Black curly hair, green eyes...... She was a beautiful woman, beautiful and powerful, and inevitably too proud because of it. Alan sighed. That pride ruined everything—and Lydia would never admit it.

Ed's heart sank, as if suddenly enveloped by a cold mist.

"I miss me...... I've probably seen her......" he stammered in his admitted, an indescribable guilt welling up in his heart, "I think I let her know where Iss is......"

The mysterious black-haired, green-eyed woman in Tess's shop, the slender pale fingertips on the silver coin on his chest, the warning that Norway had spoken as he left Staple Butch, the inexplicable fire in the forest, the lightning that struck them, and Is's transformation without warning...... The not-so-distant images, suddenly linked together, are a conclusive proof of Ed's wrongdoing—that he was responsible for everything that happened afterward, all the harm done to Is, even unintentionally......

"I'm sorry...... I'm sorry......" He kept apologizing, almost trying to bury his face in the table.

“...... I guess it was fate. To his surprise, Iss only smiled slightly and spoke softly, "I should thank you for letting me know who I really am...... That doesn't turn out to be a bad thing either. ”

"Of course not!" Narya emphasized.

"That's why I'm telling you everything...... Of course, I'm going to need Isis to make sure it's Bingmang's fangs, so there's no way to hide it from him. And beyond that......" Alan bitterly admitted, "I have hidden too many secrets, and I thought that would protect you, but secrets lead to misunderstandings, and misunderstandings can hurt." ”

Ed winced slightly—he was a secret-a-man now. It was a secret that the half-elf would rather take his memories than keep them, a secret about time...... Maybe now is not the time to be open and honest.

He could only listen to Alan continue with guilt.

"You've grown up...... The future will be your time. I don't think I need to tell you, you know how rare it is that humans and dragons can be trusted friends. Even if I don't prophesy, I'm sure of it...... Walk side by side, and you will fulfill the greatest legend in the world. ”.

At night, even if the cold weather has not subsided, you can already feel the breath of spring. There was something stirring in the air, exciting and energetic - but that was by no means the reason why Vala Singal couldn't sleep.

She wandered in front of the fireplace, her knots turned pale, and the joy of the new life of the spring night could not reach her heart. Even as her son slept under the sturdy protection of Kriesburg, she was still uneasy.

He'll be gone—she realized in despair.

Leave again.

She couldn't help but hold a grudge against Alan Carvo. The gray-haired warrior had once again aroused the young people's desire for adventure—she could see it in their glittering eyes.

He told them to face the threats and challenges, not hide and avoid them......

She didn't know why Eren did this, didn't he experience the pain of worrying about his children and staying up all night?

She shouldn't have let Ed out, she shouldn't have ...... in the first place Now it was impossible for him to be a spice merchant, or a petty nobleman who had nothing to do all day. Walking with an ice dragon, his journey will be far away and dangerous beyond her imagination.

But she didn't want him to make any great legends...... She just wanted him to live a safe and carefree life.

She barely noticed Alan's arrival, the thick carpet absorbing the distinctive sound of his footsteps. She was almost startled when she turned to see Alan standing by the fireplace.

And, she thought, she hadn't been able to hide the resentment and accusations on her face in time.

Alan smiled calmly and helplessly, and said, "I know what you're worried about, and that's what I'm worried about. ”

"But you're still encouraging them to fight. Vala no longer tried to hide her emotions, "You know better than I know what danger they will encounter!"

"That's right...... But just a few months ago, right here, it was you who told me that sometimes you have to let go. Alan tapped the ground with his cane.

"Yes, but what I want is an end, not a beginning!" Vala waved angrily, "I know I can't stop Ed, and he won't give up if he doesn't try." The best way to do this is to keep everything under our plan......"

"But obviously, we can't control everything. Alan looked at her calmly, "It's like we can't control the seasons, and the kids grow up day by day...... Then leave. ”

Vala was silent for a moment, then helplessly covered her face with her hands and collapsed into the chair behind her.

And their destinies are intertwined...... There is no one to separate them. Alan continued softly, "You think I didn't think I'd leave far away, and even though that would be sorry for Scott, I also have a daughter to protect...... But too many people now know about their relationship. Acting together, they can at least support each other, once separated...... Isis may still be able to protect himself, but he can't avoid being threatened with Ed and Naria, and how long can we protect them as we get older?......"

Along the way, he has been weighing and thinking. He had feared that Iss would endanger others, that they would become a weakness and a burden to Is, but in the end he had to admit that they were the strongest only when they were together, just like he and his former companions......

There seemed to be a white shadow flashing outside the window, and with doubts and uneasiness, Alan walked quickly to the window, but only saw the back of the ice dragon in the moonlight...... and the two tiny figures around its neck.

“...... Tell me that you really believe you made the right choice. Vala, who followed him to the window, smiled bitterly.

"No...... But we can probably only learn to trust them. Alan replied with a sigh.

(To be continued......)