Filly ...... Fili!"

Fili Zeri turned his face to Frederick in a daze, but his soul was clearly still wandering in another world.

Ever since he appeared here last night, he's been looking like he's not giving up. The little king glared at him angrily for a long time, then suddenly he was deflated again, shook his head in frustration, and said angrily, "You can go back and rest...... I don't want my knight to be captured as a ghost by my uncle. ”

Filly nodded absentmindedly in a trance, and didn't even subconsciously blurt out "I'm not your knight" as usual.

Frederick almost began to worry, he bit his lip and kept looking at Fili, and several times he wanted to stop talking, and when he was about to go to the pomegranate hall, he finally couldn't help but reach out and poke the knight's waist, and asked in his ear in a small voice, "Have you found anything?"

Fili came back to his senses, looked at the fear, uneasiness, and anticipation in his eyes, and couldn't help but feel a little guilty - he was the paladin in charge of protecting the young king, and he shouldn't be worried about his own problems.

"Don't worry. He said, "I will protect you." ”

That's not the answer at all...... But very seriously. Frederick frowned at him, but the corners of his mouth couldn't help but curl.

"So you're my knight?" his tone was unusually cheerful.

Fili grinned, "...... Think beautifully. ”.

After escorting Frederick and Moira to the Pomegranate Hall, Fili had most of the day's rest before evening. Moira arranged a room for him, but usually he would sneak to the Temple of Nesses, the closest to Fort Lock, or back to the Temple of Water...... Today, though. He didn't want to go anywhere.

Scott's words still ringing in his head - "Felicity is not really a saint. ”

At that moment, Filly almost jumped up like a neurotic fanatic and shouted, "This is blasphemy!" ......

This is indeed blasphemy. It is not only a blasphemy against the gods, but also a blasphemy against the saints...... It also desecrated his faith and memory.

Although inexplicably an old priest who has been dead for many years insisted that his occasional dream was a revelation from the god of water, he became a paladin in a daze...... Philip Zeri had always felt that it wasn't his belief in God that kept him in the Collins Temple. It was Sean who he believed...... and Felicity.

He even remembered the first thing he said to Felicity so vividly - "Hey. Grandma, are you lost?"

The white-haired, blue-eyed old man looked back at him, laughed heartily, and reached out to straighten his helmet, which was slightly tilted to the side because it was too big.

At that time, he didn't expect that the old man in front of him, who was slightly chubby but light-footed, was the legendary sage...... She really looked like a kind and energetic old woman.

They don't have too many opportunities to meet. His reverence for her was partly instinctive and partly charismatic...... Perhaps subconsciously thought of her as a mother he had never had—his mother had died in childbirth when she gave birth to him, and he didn't even know what she looked like.

He couldn't say anything about Felicity's deafening teachings about him...... In retrospect. She didn't even ask for any firm belief in the gods. But those vague memories, indescribable details, a little bit imperceptible. What made him the Fili Zeri he is today - he knew he wasn't perfect, but overall, he was quite happy with himself.

He knew Scott wasn't perfect either...... But his respect for Felicity was no different from his, and he wasn't the one to say that kind of thing without any basis.

Maybe he should have asked "why" then...... Instead of leaving in a rage.

He also threw down a rather nasty sentence. That made him feel uneasy. Even if he wanted to ask now, he wouldn't necessarily see Scott again.

Several exclamations interrupted his thoughts. The paladin was stunned for a moment, and quickened his pace to rush around the corner of the hallway.

A panicked girl crashed headlong into his arms, retreated in a panic, and hurriedly saluted with her head bowed with her face flushed.

Filly recognized the long chestnut-colored hair—it was Enid, the eldest daughter of the Angus family, who was one of the most likely candidates to become Frederick's queen...... Although she was three or four years older than Frederick.

“...... Is something wrong?" asked Fili, slightly embarrassed.

“...... Yes...... The mouse ......" the girl's voice was so low that it was almost inaudible.

The corners of Filly's mouth twitched, but he could only nod helplessly: "Don't worry...... I'll tell it well that it's not right to scare a lady like that. ”

Enid kept her head down. He couldn't see her expression, but the maid behind her, who was struggling to follow her with a pat on her chest, giggled.

"Then there's Lord Law. ”

The young maid, much more lively than her master, looked at him boldly, "I think it's hiding under the roses over there." ”

Filly looked at it. The two guards were standing in a daze with pots of pink roses, apparently not very interested in such a task as "catching mice".

The paladin shrugged, walked over and kicked on a flowerpot, the delicate black pottery flowerpot cracked in response, and a small gray shadow sprang out, fleeing to the other side of the hallway, quickly disappearing around another corner.

Fili picked up a piece of pottery, flipped it, and walked unhurriedly—there was a dead end around the corner, and there was only a bench for rest, and even a mouse small enough to be described as "cute" would have no way to escape.

He watched the little gray shadow scurry around with astonishing speed, almost sympathetic. Then, as he was about to throw the pottery shard in his hand, the panicked critter slammed headlong into the wall...... Gone.

The paladin's eyes widened in disbelief.

He stood for a few moments before walking towards the wall. There was an old tapestry hanging on the wall, and the stone bricks under the tapestry were so tightly knit that nothing unusual could be heard when knocked on......

"Your Excellency?"

A curious voice came from behind him, with a faint smile: "Did you tell ...... 'it'?"

Filly replied casually, once again scrutinizing the tapestry that had begun to dim even its colors. It covers almost the entire wall, and the patterns on it are not legends, just intricate botanical patterns......

- Although the pattern is different, it looks a lot like the one in Frederick's room.

He reached out and pressed it against the tapestry...... But it didn't go through the wall.

The paladin pondered for a moment, then turned around and walked away—he had some guesses...... But now is not the time to prove it.

Later in the day, Filly avoided everyone and stood in front of the tapestry once more, thinking for a moment about the possible consequences of a failed attempt—it was only one of the jokes that might become the palace jokes, and what was the big deal? Soon a new joke would take his place.

He raised an eyebrow at himself, took a few steps back, and slammed his head down at the wall with enough speed to stun him.

He subconsciously closed his eyes when the patterns on the dark red tapestry came to him, but he didn't feel the pain he expected...... He didn't hit the wall.

But he didn't have time to shout triumphant—on the other side of the wall was a downward staircase, and he rushed so fast that he couldn't hold his momentum, and his feet were empty, and he fell forward, and rolled down the steps with a clatter.

He was still wearing armor, and the loud sound spread far through the dark space, and it took a while to fade away.

The paladin cursed under his breath and got up, trying to shake off the feeling of dizziness in his head.

He didn't expect to be thankful for the day in his life when Icabard, the unpleasant priest had told them with a cold face after one of their failed actions, "Magic has subtleties that you can't comprehend, and different powers, different speeds, and even different tones of voice have the potential to have completely different effects......

He thought hard about how he was different from the vanished rat - his size and speed. And the secret passages in this castle, whether it is magic or not, are never for rats.

Then all that's left is speed...... But to be honest, he didn't expect to really succeed.

This would explain where the dark shadow in Frederick's room came from. The castle, which hid countless secrets, was built with the help of magic, even though it could prevent magic from being cast, and he should have thought that there would be such a cat.

He waved his hand in front of his eyes, realizing that it was not completely dark, and that the faint light that came out of nowhere was very evenly dispersed in the dull air, faint as a winter star, and could only dimly see the straight passage in front of him.

He wasn't sure if he was still within Lockburg's range, but he didn't dare to risk any spells, so he could only grasp the hilt of his sword at his waist and cautiously walk forward.

- If there really was some dangerous enemy hiding here, the loud noise he had just rolled down the steps was enough to attract their attention, and one seemed to be a bit of a risk......

But he's already rushed in, and there's no reason to quit there.

(To be continued......)