Ten years later, Payne still remembers every word. As he spit out softly, for a moment he could no longer speak—intense guilt and deep sadness choking his throat.

Ed was silent for a moment, to make sure that the judgment he made in a split second wasn't just because of a good opinion of the elf.

"The message between you and the warrior...... Can it be intercepted?" he asked cautiously.

“...... No. Payne replied, "Only I can receive the message from Fiona. ”

How dare he do such a thing if he couldn't ensure that.

"So, if even you don't know it's sinking, how do the followers of Nessus know?" Ed carefully cleared his thoughts, "they even know where it is...... I think, more likely, that boat...... There are also their people...... Genie. ”

In this way, the reason for the sinking of the ship becomes quite suspicious.

Payne looked at him in a daze, his eyes gradually brightening. Reason finally overcame the shadow that had been entrenched in his heart for so long, allowing him to rethink.

"And," said Ed, "if the ship really sank because it was 'punished,' I don't know what the point of the followers of Nesses spending so much effort to even hire pirates to find it...... In my opinion, they will, more likely...... That boat had what they wanted. ”

Profit is usually always the biggest motivator.

“...... You're right. Payne sighed softly, "And I'...... And none of the elves who knew about it, including Corell, thought of this. ”

"This is not surprising. Ed scratched his head wryly, "I just learned a profound lesson today...... Different people will look at the same thing from very different angles...... I can think of things you can't think of, and the reason is simple - I'm not an elf. ”

He didn't have that innate, instinctive fear of the gods, no fear of the journey to the Holy Island, and no overly intense fear and insecurity that came from the conviction that he had done something he shouldn't have done.

The Elf King exhaled silently, his tense body relaxing slightly.

"The Ship of the West...... There's nothing particularly precious about it. He said, "For the elves, nothing is more precious on their final journey than their own soul, and everything else is nothing but something outside of their body." ”

"Since the boat hasn't been salvaged yet," said Ed, "we still have a chance...... Of course, if you allow it. ”

Payne hesitated slightly—he understood what Ed hadn't spoken. But in a very short time, he made a decision. Anyway...... How could things get worse?

“...... We don't have a suitable ship. "There are no suitable people either." ”

This is already allowed.

"I ...... I have a boat at home!" Ed raised his face, smiling brightly at the trust he had gained sooner than expected, "My friends will be willing to help, too!

Payne's mood was not easy, but he still curled the corners of his lips because of the smile on his face.

"Correll will stay with Neo. He said, "I will tell him that your request is equivalent to my command." ”

Ed quickly waved his hand: "We're already very acquainted!

"Request" and "order" or something, it sounds a little too serious. Although Corell probably won't be deferential to him because of this......

Grivar barely managed to maintain a semblance of calm, but the dark tide was still raging, and Payne had to return immediately. Before he left, Ed suddenly thought of another question, hesitated, and still asked:

"The ship heading west...... Never returned?"

Payne was stunned and never seemed to have thought about this question: "Of course. You mean......"

He had sent Fiona out with such confusion, but he had never really thought about it—he didn't dare to think too clearly. He took it for granted that the Grey Feather had sunk before it reached the Holy Island...... But what if not?

After a brief silence, his face lost its color again. If something happens to the Holy Island, if they really don't have a home again......

“...... You still have Grivar. Ed spoke hastily to the Elven King, who suddenly turned pale like a ghost, "You still have ...... this world. ”

After a moment, Payne straightened his shoulders.

"Yes. He repeated softly, "We still have this world." ”

Even if there is no place to go back...... They also have the option to go down to earth. Maybe it's going to be tough, maybe it's going to lose a lot, maybe the talent they're proud of will fade away, and one day they'll be little different from humans...... But since you are alive, you have to live.

Live well.

"Anything you need," he began, "please let me know at once." ”

He knew what he had promised. But the elves can no longer stay out of it...... You can't just see yourself.

.

In the corner of the garden, Isis finds the traces left by the missing Shadow Dancer.

There was a bougainvillea that was almost forever blooming on the wall, a few crimson buds sliced by the blades, and the cuts hadn't even changed color - only the Shadow Dancer's dagger could go that far.

But it wasn't this that brought him to this corner.

He stood in front of the flower stand for a long time, a few buds were crushed between his fingers, and until he couldn't bear it anymore, he tore open the dense flower vines, gritted his teeth and roared: "...... Do you expect me to be invisible or not to smell?!"

In the shadow of the trellis, a small figure moved.

Nia crouched there, raising a face as white as a dead man, but the smile was still the same as usual, a little cunning, and a little careless.

"Oh," he said, "that's not how hide and seek is played, have you forgotten?"

Is's heart ached suddenly.

When he was a child, the only one who would play hide and seek with him was Nia ...... Only he could hide it, and even he couldn't find it.

But the ...... who was squatting in front of him at the moment Or is it not Nia after all?

The thief looked up at him, grinning when he had a cold face, but stiffened into stone when his eyes turned red.

"I ...... Didn't kill the elf. He raised his hand and swore, "Really!"

“...... Did I ask this?!" Iss almost wanted to take him out, but he didn't dare to reach out.

Nia rubbed her face in a sneer, the wound on the back of her hand was deep into the bones, but no blood was coming out—in fact, he was covered in wounds, and even had a long trail of blood on his forehead.

The smell of blood that permeated the surroundings melted into the overly rich sweet fragrance of osmanthus flowers, so weak that it was almost impossible to smell - but mixed with it, there was a faint smell that Iss could not mistakenly recognize.

“...... Have you ever been back?" he asked.