The tranquility and tranquility, like a dreamlike beauty, lasted only for a very short time.

The starry summer night sky quickly receded. Ed blinked, and suddenly realized, that Scott had let him go...... He actually let him go in mid-air!

Before he could utter a cry of exclamation, he fell solidly to the grass—they were not very high above the ground, but he was speechless for a long time.

When he was pulled up by Filly, he realized that his surroundings were not really so "quiet and peaceful". Exclamations and cries and shouts of anger resounded in the roar of the earth, which had not yet completely ceased. Not far from them, most of the mansion that had belonged to Aaron Mancini had collapsed, along with the garden of the Renfrew family, which was adjacent to the south. A huge hole caved into the ground, and there were even a few cracks across the pavement that stretched to the grove on the other side.

Ed looked up, but Scott was nowhere to be seen—he certainly didn't fall with him...... So, did he fly away? Like Is?......

He thought to himself, his mind still chaotic.

“...... Damn!" Fili cursed under his breath, "he actually ran away...... Is he going to throw this mess at me to clean up?!"

The sound of neat footsteps was heard, and the guards of Ton Butch had arrived. Filly cursed again in annoyance, and resigned himself to his fate.

Ed stared blankly at the large hole in the ground for a few moments before turning his gaze around.

The shaking had stopped, but there were more and more people around. He didn't see Shaun - the old man, who had been reluctant to show his face in public, had probably gone back to the Temple of Nesses.

Nia is also gone. Ed remembers hearing him when he fell......

"Ed!"

The dark-haired girl squeezed out of the crowd shouting his name, and swiftly dodged past the guards trying to stop her, charging straight at him.

Received a short but powerful hug from Naria...... After a light and heavy slap on the back of his head, Ed let out a long breath that felt like he was back in the real world.

"What the hell is going on?" Narya looked at the big hole in the ground in surprise, "Is this what you did?...... Or did Iss do it?"

It wasn't surprising that Ed would have thought of Is, a scene like this was something that a dragon could make.

"It's not him. He said that he suddenly wished that Iss was there for them at this moment - he had so many things to tell him, so many questions that he couldn't talk to...... Even for Naria, there are some things that can only be kept silent.

"Anyway...... It's a long story. He scratched his head with a wry smile, "We'd better get out of here first." ”

He could no longer ignore the strange eyes and whispers around him.

“...... Of course. Naria took his hand, "Actually...... We have a guest and maybe you'll want to meet him. ”.

Under the flickering candlelight, Ed stared at the "guest" in front of him with mixed feelings.

At first, he was pleasantly surprised to think that Nalya was talking about Novi...... But neither the elves nor Tess have returned. Sometimes he couldn't help but wonder if they probably didn't plan to come back at all—Norway had been reluctant to get them into "elven trouble."

His silent, gloomy guest had blonde hair as bright as an elf...... Although it is lighter in color, there are blood stains on it.

Bloomer Christos tugged at the corners of his mouth, giving him a smile distorted by anger, frustration, and mockery, and raised his arm and twisted his shoulder.

"Thanks for the treatment. He said.

“...... Can't you do it yourself?" Ed asked in a low voice.

Bloomer chuckled dryly.

"Can't do it. "I'm neither a priest nor a paladin," he said...... Of course, it's not a saint. Someone taught me how to use the Staff of Eternity - or rather, how to make the Staff of Eternity respond to the power I inherited from ancient times and I don't know which ancestor...... But that's about it. ”

“...... Who?"

"Do you still need to ask?" Bloomer sneered, "don't tell me you're that stupid. ”

Ed fell silent. He really shouldn't have asked...... He knew the answer, even if he still didn't want to accept it.

"Maybe you're really the one who gets chosen. Bloomer murmured, leaning back in his chair in a fit of exhaustion and frustration, "You survived...... You always survive. I was told that the gods no longer existed...... But all of this you get can't be because of good luck. ”

“...... I also lost a lot. Ed unconsciously became angry, "Do you think that's all 'good luck'?"

Bloomer narrowed his eyes at him, his expression equally angry...... And disdainful.

"You know your mother is dead. He said, "So what?" - I have never had a mother...... She gave birth to me and died. And my father didn't recognize me as his son at all, even though I had almost the exact same blond hair and blue eyes as he did—he somehow decided I was his brother's son. ”

He patted the armrest of the wooden chair and laughed, but his eyes were full of resentment.

"He didn't teach me anything...... He didn't even want to find someone to teach me how to read. I had to secretly learn everything I could and hope that one day I would be able to compete someday...... Or make a name for yourself in a war, become a knight, be able to leave him and have your own domain......"

He stopped abruptly and stared blankly at the candlelight, his blank eyes filled with nostalgia.

“...... Then he found me. "For the first two years, he was almost like a god to me...... Or the father I should have had. Sean Freiche ...... The great paladin, who was feared by everyone, even the king had to bow his head before him...... I used to tell myself that I was willing to die for this man, no matter what he wanted me to do -- and it turned out that he didn't really need me, and once he found out, he didn't hesitate to abandon me, as if the two years we had been together didn't exist. ”

Ed remained silent. The person in front of him needs a catharsis, and he probably just needs to listen.

But Bloomer suddenly leaned forward and stared at him.

"He's desperate to save you...... You'll probably be grateful for it. He said coldly, "Don't be so naïve, Ed, he'll do it just because you're still useful to him." ”

“...... He didn't kill you. Ed replied calmly, "I think he can actually do it...... What's in it for him?"

"Killing me won't do him much either. The corners of Bloomer's mouth twitched, "Why do you think it's not because he doesn't want to waste his energy?"

Ed stopped talking. It dawned on him that what Bloomer really couldn't believe was himself...... He couldn't believe that he wasn't just a tool to be discarded to Sean.

“...... Make a deal, Ed Singh, you're good at this. ”

After a moment of silence, Bloomer spoke again.

"I'll tell you everything I know, and I can even tell you the whereabouts of the Staff of Eternity...... As long as you do one thing for me. ”.

(To be continued.) )