"If you don't want it, you can give it back to me. Verona replied.

The fingertips pressed against the black leather surface are white. Ed would love to smash the book in the other person's face, but he couldn't. The old mage was at least right in one thing - he wouldn't be comfortable sending his father here, and he couldn't expect Nine Toes or Jay Oylan to be kind enough to send River back in its entirety...... The only thing you can trust is the power in your own hands.

He spoke coldly, no longer trying to hide his sarcasm, "I'm not going to be taken a thief, killed, or hunted down for a necromancer just because I have this book, right?"

"You're a priest. Verona noted, "You don't belong to the Archmage Tower...... I can tell everyone if you need it, I gave it to you. But beyond that, I can't guarantee anything more – what you'll become in people's eyes is up to you, not me. ”

Ed closed his lips.

“...... But if you're really so scared of facing the darkness, maybe it's not for you," the old mage lowered his eyes, "you're befriending a dragon...... I thought you were a little different - what are you afraid of? Is it the weapon you have that determines yours, or what you do?"

Ed was slightly stunned. He instinctively watched the old man's true intentions, and the reasonableness he suddenly showed after his incomprehensible perversity, but was inevitably stung by the vague disappointment on his face.

He did not forget that he had said something similar to Stobel - "Magic is like a warrior's sword, there is no good or evil in itself, only how and why it is used." ”

He still doesn't think he's wrong...... So why did he accuse Verona?

He was silent for a long time before he clutched the book and bowed slightly.

"Thank you. He said.

It's a bit blunt, but it's sincere. Whatever the old mage's purpose was, at least for now, he had given him what he needed.

"Not necessarily. Verona chuckled lowly, and his laughter always made Ed feel like he would lose his breath for a moment.

"I admit I just wanted to see where you could go ......with your 'gift,' he said, "and you might be able to see but I couldn't see the scenery...... It's so jealous. ”

He glanced at Ed. There was no jealousy in those incomprehensible deep black eyes, only a scrutiny that made Ed's scalp tingle, as if it had been cut a little bit from the top of his head to the soles of his feet, and there was nowhere to hide even the deepest secrets of his soul.

"Of course, it's also possible for you to fall before you reach the real top, leaving your bones and your soul scattered. He said.

“...... I'll do my best. Ed replied dryly.

"I hope you didn't plan to just walk out with it. Verona shrank himself up in satisfaction, "Tumus won't say anything, he's not greedy enough but at least he's going to judge the situation, he doesn't dare to do anything to you now...... But your friend, Stobel, is simply his teacher pinched out of stone, stubborn and deadly—did he ever talk to you about his 'balance'?"

Ed nodded silently.

"Santo died too early, and he could only take those words as an irreversible holy text. The old mage sneered, "He knows what balance is? Balance is not immutable, the balance that never moves, can only be carefully cared for, and cannot be touched at all." The balance is that the clouds are born from the sea, and the rain falls into streams, and flows through the earth and returns to the sea...... Balance is the summer flood that destroys villages, the silt hides rotting corpses, and the abundant vegetation rises from the ground to nourish more creatures - balance is an inherent rule of the world, and he doesn't need to worry about it at all. ”

“...... Rules will also be broken. Ed whispered a word of defense for Stobel, "He's just worried that we can't afford it." ”

"What if this world is destroyed? Verona closed her eyes, "Of course, if you have to struggle......"

Ed waited for a long time, but the old man didn't say a word - when he realized that he seemed to have fallen asleep, Ed could only relax his steps and quietly leave with mixed feelings.

He still couldn't trust this old mage who acted as he pleased, but he had to admit that he didn't have such a strong dislike for him anymore.

.

Of course, he would not blatantly walk out of the Archmage Tower with the Book of the Dead, but he did not hide it from Stobel.

The wrinkles between Stobel's brows deepened, and he wanted to talk several times, but when they parted, it seemed that they wanted to open something.

"As far as I know, the Book of the Dead was obtained by Harold the Silver Scepter from some necromancer. He told Ed, "My teacher was against the study of necromancy, but that didn't stop Harold from keeping the Book of the Dead in his collection instead of destroying it entirely......"

Santo the Stone Shaper, Harold the Silver Staff, Tuchman the Walker. The three mages who founded the Archmage Tower have very different personalities, each with their own persistence in handling things, and often arguing...... But they have always understood and trusted each other.

"They are true legends. ”

Admiration and nostalgia made Stobel's heavy face a little more soft and calm, "Maybe it's also a legend that won't exist in this world...... I wasn't as strong or wise as they were, but I could at least do one thing – hope and do my best. ”

Ed didn't seem to understand, and didn't even have the heart to think about it, but he clearly felt that the weight on his shoulders was much heavier.

Probably, it's just to put the thick book of the dead on your shoulders so much.

.

When I returned to Cloud Castle, there were already guests who had been waiting for a long time.

"It's not easy to see you. ”

It wasn't the first time Clay Gavin had come to Ed, and he was a little impatient, but he paused when he saw the gray that Ed couldn't hide right now, and swallowed back the harsh words.

He brought news of Héctor Kahlo. The mage that Ehrento had inquired about had disappeared ten days earlier.

"I've done the math, Nine-Toed Walker probably sailed to the southeast sea on the Dragonbone ten days ago. He told Ed.

A beautifully illustrated nautical chart hung on the wall in his study, and Gavin soon found a small island.

"The people of Qilin Island have seen the Dragonbone in this vicinity. He said, almost habitually sticking a dagger to the map, "the Keel, and two smaller brigs." ”

“...... You're saying that it's possible that Hector Kahlo was on the Dragonbone?" Ed guessed.

He asked Stobel about Héctor Kahlo. The mage was unobtrusive at the Archmage's Tower, seemed to be more interested in mundane matters than studying spells, and was often sent out to deal with the merchants and officials of Neo City.

"It's not 'possible'. Gavin handed him a long note, "This is what Hector Kahlo collected before he disappeared...... They may have found the tomb of Voriti. ”