Rosa's eyes flashed slightly, and she looked from Tess, who had suddenly fallen silent, to the little mongoose crouching not far away.

Instead of rushing over with its owners as before, bouncing enthusiastically back and forth on their shoulders and greeting her in its characteristic way, it stood upright in front of the fire and looked at her quietly, its short limbs and hairy body as lovely as ever, but inexplicably showing a bit of her familiar uprightness and grace...... It shouldn't belong to its uprightness and elegance.

And those round eyes, the faint light in them, no matter how you look at it, reveal a wisdom that a mongoose can't have—the moment they make eye contact, the mercenary who dared to draw his sword and cut people in his teens can't help but feel a little chill down his spine.

She quietly withdrew her gaze, and before she could figure out how to speak, the little mongoose had already run to Tess's feet and poked her calf gently.

Tess looked down and watched the mongoose wave her two little paws quickly, and then pouted helplessly at Rosa: "He said that he can't deceive his friends. ”

"He" ......

Rosa reached out and stroked her forehead, the corners of her mouth twitched: "This is ...... Norvi?"

Tess looked up at the sky and shrugged her shoulders in acquiescence.

Rosa looked at the mongoose again, closed her lips, and forced a smile - it was ridiculous, but it was obviously too serious to laugh at.

“...... Laugh if you want. Tess rolled her eyes in resignation.

Rosa lowered her head, her shoulders trembling suspiciously for a moment, and when she looked up, she had regained a calm and calm face. In contrast, Sesyana looked dumbfounded like he had never seen before, and even involuntarily took two steps closer with his twin swords in his hands, glaring straight at the little mongoose, making Tess wonder if he wanted to split it in half with a single sword to see if he could make a novi.

"What do you want to do?"

She hurriedly picked up the mongoose, pushed it into her arms despite its objections, and glared back vigorously: "Haven't you heard stories when you were a child?

Rosa sighed silently and walked over to block their pointless confrontation.

"What the hell is going on?" she asked, trying not to look at the ...... who was still struggling in Tess's arms That who.

"This, it's a good ~ long story. Tess quickly regained her vitality and dragged her to the fire: "Would you like to eat something first?...... Nothing good to eat though. ”

She pulled out the unheated dry food and looked at Rosa—although she was not as good as her sweetheart, Rosa's craftsmanship was no better than hers.

“...... Whoever does," Rosa gave her a meaningful look, "whoever drags us here a little later, I'll have two supposedly the best rotisserie in the Castle Forest." ”

The ghost market in Kasdan Forest doesn't happen every day, and she even gives the money...... It really hurts to think about it.

"You think Scott did it?" Tess said without saying a word, shoving all the tooth-hard jerky bread into Rosa's arms, "If it were him...... At least you can scold his brother!"

“...... "Norwe, who had finally been freed, subconsciously spoke out against it.

Rosa felt that she could hear the helpless "Tess!" from this voice.

"Unfortunately not. Tess pouted, "Unless you've ever told anyone about our plans to dig up the gold of the Hill Giants together, ......"

Otherwise, there was only one one she could think of. She could even guess why he did it...... and they will not be allowed to refuse.

In fact, when he sent unexpected companions to them in this way, Rosa and the elves would never leave even if they wanted to refuse.

And they do need help.

.

White grit piled up in a shallow wooden box, taking up most of the tabletop. When the elf raised his hand, the flat gravel surface vibrated slightly, slowly undulating into a series of mountains, meandering waters, dense forests, and barren deserts...... Human cities are scattered among them, like flowers with different postures...... It's like ugly scars one after another.

Some of the gravel rises higher. They leave the earth and rise to the sky, staying in different positions, twinkling slightly—like stars.

Lydia looked at the little world almost in fascination...... Look at the world in miniature.

She has traveled many places, she has many secrets, but she has never been able to see this world from such a perspective that she loves and hates...... This is, like a god, as if he can control everything.

Then the stars fell, and with them the earth shattered, the water cut off, and the city overturned...... In the blink of an eye, everything was back to square one—the original box of shapeless sand and gravel, pure white.

Lydia didn't see what she really wanted to see. In that brief period of time, she didn't even know what to watch...... She still didn't have enough.

But at this moment, it is already a victory for her to be here – she always has enough patience when she needs to.

She was silent before Anclan spoke. She had already said what she had to say, and since those language games were useless to the elf, she didn't bother to bother further.

Except for the first time, every time we met after that, it was good that he could say two words to her. She waited for him to turn away without a sound, when she didn't exist—or just here, when she didn't exist...... Until she left on her own, bored.

She had secretly resented such contempt, but now she seemed to be used to it. What's more, he does have the right to despise her.

However, the elf suddenly turned around, and his gaze swept over her always smiling face, and slowly fell to her abdomen.

His gaze was not warm, let alone emotion, but Lydia felt like a dagger had pierced into her lower abdomen, cutting at her flesh...... It's like the moment when Nia suddenly stabbed her in the secret room underground in Ankeland more than ten years ago.

She frowned unconsciously, and the wound that had long since disappeared had faintly begun to ache again, as if to remind of something.

The heartbeat was a few beats out of order, but it quickly returned to normal. She knew she couldn't hide many secrets in front of him, but there was always some...... It cannot be debunked.

“...... You don't think I'm telling you Nia to get revenge on him, are you?" she raised an eyebrow, "though he did stab hard enough...... But I owe him a debt of gratitude. ”

The elf gave her a faint look and withdrew his gaze.

"By him. He said.

That was probably the only word she could get today, and she couldn't raise any objections.

She knew very well that she was probably nothing more than a pawn on his chessboard against the gods...... But she will be, and will be, the one standing to the end.

.