Frederick crept forward along the wall.

It was quiet here. From the day it was built, the new temple of Nesses welcomed countless devotees every day, just like the temple of the god of water...... But this corner where the Sage lives has always been quiet.

From time to time, however, he looked back nervously, always feeling as if someone was staring at him behind him.

Mother is praying in the chapel...... Or in a daze, he will not come to him for a while, and his "knights" are not by his side.

Friedrich was furious and saddened to feel betrayed - he liked Filly, even though he had refused to agree to be his knight. He rescued him from the madman's hands, followed him to protect him, never asked for anything in return, never tried to please him, always said whatever he wanted, unlike anyone around him...... But now, he began to suspect that Filly had another purpose for staying by his side...... Or they are used as some kind of tool without knowing anything.

Feeley begins by frankly admitting that it was Scott Christus, the Sage of Nesses, his friend, who told him that Frederick might be in danger and asked him to protect him, but Frederick had nothing but gratitude to Scott at the time...... And a little bit of fear.

The man, known as the "Sage", had terrible eyes, sometimes like light blue, sometimes like gold, so bright and transparent that it was impossible to tell whether they were too hot or too cold to look at.

He believed he had actually died once, but he didn't believe that it was his father who had murdered him—his best friend. He didn't know why even his mother believed this, but he didn't. Even if it was claimed that it was the king who confessed his crimes...... That can't be true either.

His father was a brave knight. The Great King...... He wouldn't do such a thing. He was just framed and slandered......

"No, you can't go back. ”

When Scott's voice reached his ears, Frederick bent his waist. Cautiously rubbed under the open window and crouched down.

Although he was sure that the people inside were discussing some kind of conspiracy...... But he couldn't understand what they were saying.

"You don't understand, Scott. They don't have full control of that door right now - and when they can, neither you nor Manitha can stop things from getting worse......"

"I understand. Scott's tone was categorical and completely irrefutable. "But you can't go back. ”

“...... Hey, Scott!" the voice that Friedric had never heard before cried out in discontent, "You've never been so unreasonable!"

Frederick frowned in confusion - what was the "door"?the door of the three-storied tower?and who was Manissa?......

A low snoring above his head interrupted his thoughts.

He hugged his knees tightly. My heart was pounding, and I instinctively felt the danger.

Bursts of hot air sprayed above his head, and a faint white gas drifted out from his eyes, and he slowly raised his head stiffly. A pair of pale blue eyes - eyes that are not human.

The white leopard next to Scott was lying on the windowsill and looked down at him. The calm eyes barely looked like a beast.

It didn't seem to want to eat him...... But Frederick did not dare to move, or even look away, until Filly came out and looked, seized him with an unhappy face, and dragged him in through the window.

"Can't you just stop for a moment?!" he yelled at him unceremoniously, "Who taught you to hide under someone's window and eavesdrop, are you a fucking prince?!"

“...... I'm glad you remember that I was a prince!" Frederick straightened his shirt in exasperation, "Fili, Zeri—how dare you speak to me like that!"

Filly grinned, "You could have kicked me out of Lockburg to punish me for my rudeness, Your Royal Highness." ”

"Filly......" Scott sighed. "Don't quarrel with children. ”

"I'm not a child!" cried Frederick angrily. He knew that none of the people in the room were taking him seriously—Scott, his brother...... The dragon. Alan Carvo and his daughter, a small man he didn't know, and Filly......

But Scott's contempt made him angrier than Filly's rudeness.

"When you learn to ask me face to face when you have any questions, instead of hiding under my window and eavesdropping, come and tell me 'I'm not a child'. Scott looked at him calmly.

Frederick opened his mouth, unable to refute it—it made him even more annoyed.

"If I asked you, would you tell the truth?" he asked aloud, "wouldn't you lie to me like my mother?!"

“...... I don't know what you heard, but I didn't lie to your mother. Scott looked a little helpless, "I don't need to lie to you. ”

Anger welled up in Frederick's chest. He didn't believe Scott, he had a thousand reasons not to believe him, and now he couldn't say a single one, because he knew for himself that every reason could be easily refuted.

His "disbelief" was mostly due to disgust, and he couldn't tell everyone why he hated, even hated, the strong, handsome, awe-inspiring Sage in front of him, who was almost omnipotent.

"A king has to learn to hide his true emotions. So his father had told him.

He tried...... But all he could do was keep his mouth shut and glared at Scott so that he wouldn't be driven by anger to say anything more stupid.

The eyes of everyone in the room fell on him, and he gradually realized that he was vulnerable and isolated. He began to cringe, but proudly refused to budge.

“...... Come on, Your Highness the Prince. Fili sighed resignedly, "I'll send you back to your mother." If she can't find you, she'll be worried. ”

Frederick breathed a sigh of relief, puffed up his chest, and left with Fili without a sound.

“...... He doesn't like you. ”

After the little king who was about to be crowned by Ruttgar left the room, Nia grinned and smiled a little gloating, "Scott...... You've always been the most likable of us!"

"That's you. Scott smiled disappreciatively, "You've always been the most likable among us. ”

Nia scratched her head a little embarrassedly, but the corners of her mouth unconsciously grinned.

"We can't afford to lose you again, Nia...... Scott whispered, "and now that you're back, I'm not going to let you go back to that place - you don't belong there." ”

Nia hung her head and was silent for a few moments before she spoke: "That's probably not for you to decide, Scott...... Even if it's you now. ”

"We'll know. "Besides, what can you do if you go back now?" I don't believe Manitsa doesn't know what's going on here, and if she were to change her orders, there's always a way for you to know, and until then, we'll have a chance to solve this matter in our own way, won't we?—we can always do it." ”

There was such a deep nostalgia in the last sentence that Nia couldn't help but be stunned

"We" - that is such a beautiful word, representing that short and joyful day...... But they've lost Logan, they've lost Celebryan and Lydia...... and one of Allen's legs.

They will lose even more ...... Until that once legend turned into a complete tragedy.

Nia looked up and smiled brightly at Scott.

"Of course. "We can always do it...... Can you come with us?"

"Soon. "Soon." ”

“...... So do you know where Ante's body is?" asked Narya, curious.

Scott glanced at her and replied indifferently, "I always knew it." ”.

Lydia tilted her head to look at the corpse in front of her, not saying a word.

“...... The corpse was well preserved. The young necromancer spoke apprehensively, not knowing what was displeased with the moody leader in front of him, "We've been very careful too. The things he was wearing had been completely destroyed, and most of the people in charge of transporting them had no idea what they were transporting, and ...... on the way."

"Oh, I know. Lydia waved her hand casually, "You guys did a great job...... Now, let me be alone for a moment. ”

After driving away the always terrified ones, she looked down at the dead gray face of Ante Bofford, who had never been able to fully close his eyes, and frowned slightly.

She knew very well that everything was going according to her plan, and that no one would be able to track down Ante's corpse to find it...... But she always had a subtle uneasiness.

Because of Abner Rhine's disappearance, she had given up a hiding place that had been in business for a long time, and she really didn't want to give up the current one—and the "Your Majesty", who had "lived" for thousands of years and was still impatient, would have been sarcastic about her for months, and she really couldn't stand it.

Maybe she's thinking too much...... She was confident enough to play Scott in the palm of her hand, that guy was never very smart. But his power was already greater than she could have imagined...... She always feels uneasy about things she can't control.

“...... Why do you always waste your time on these meaningless things?"

Behind him came the voice that was always arrogant: "What kind of lame play are you going to put on with this useless corpse?"

"Oh, he's a king. Lydia chuckled softly, "A king is always useful. ”

"The kings of the humans have more slag thrown away by the dwarves. The man behind him made no secret of his contempt.

"And you can make the most brilliant gems out of the slag...... Isn't it?"

Lydia turned back to reveal her sweetest and most charming smile.

It's not for nothing...... She never does anything that doesn't make sense.

(To be continued......)