When it rained for a few days, a vague uneasiness crept into people's hearts like the rain and fog that enveloped the city of Stunbuch and the entire southern plains. Pen, fun, pavilion www. biquge。 info

Rumors began out of nowhere. People whispered to each other in the unusually rainy rain about the goddess who had been blasphemed and insulted by the previous king, and her unheeded anger had struck from the fog of the far north, and disease and calamity would seep into every inch of Ston Buch's land with the rain...... Once again, disaster will befall this godless city of rocks.

The number of believers in each temple was several times more than usual, and the temple of the god of water, which had been almost forgotten, was even more overcrowded, and even on the steps in front of the door and in the fountain square were many believers kneeling, looking up at the sky in the cold rain, muttering or praying loudly.

"Dumb Butch can't be so religious. "Believe me, they're probably just scared of death—ah, my beloved Stonebuch!"

Ed felt that the clergy living in Stonebugch probably understood this, but they couldn't tell the difference...... It is even less likely to turn anyone away.

The only closed door was the temple of Nesses—not only had Scott been missing for a long time, but the three young priests in the temple were nowhere to be found, leaving only a confused and restless practitioner, Rumorin, and a few guards recruited from Stunbuch to guard the empty temple.

So another rumor snaked through the drizzle, and every bit of ambiguity was carefully described and filled by countless people in countless ways, becoming more and more colorful, more and more self-justifying...... As if that was really the truth.

"The Goddess wants to take back her favorite knight from Nethers—" Naria couldn't help but pout as she looked at the note in her hand, "This rain is her war drum, and Stonebuch is about to turn into a battlefield." ”

“...... What a gentle war drum. Tess said, trying hard to control herself so she didn't laugh out loud.

Naria glared at her helplessly. She was glad that Tess had finally regained her senses...... Maybe too spiritual, she was a little worried that her unscrupulous brawl would anger Is.

She coughed lightly, changed the note, and continued: "Scott betrayed his original faith, and the wrath of the goddess befell him in the same way. In fact—"

Naria paused, blinking.

“...... That's pretty much it. She said.

But before she could pretend to be casual and put away the pile of papers in her hand, she was snatched away by Is.

Scribbled handwriting fell into the eye - "In fact, he is dead." ”

Naria couldn't help but feel a little apprehensive...... She shouldn't have read these things out in public at the instigation of Tess!

Iss stared at the line for a long time, his face as gloomy as the sky outside the window, but he didn't jump up or fly out to turn the drizzle into snow or hail.

He pulled out another piece of paper.

A different handwriting is a different and more detailed "fact": the plague a year ago was Scott's handiwork, the one who took revenge on his killers, punished the city for turning a blind eye to his tragic death, and earned him awe, and the power and wealth that came with it...... However, the god he believed in, the king who had already been identified as a false god in Anktan, and who dared to order the capture of the followers of the false god, Joaquin De Jury, "coincidentally" died at the hands of a necromancer, and some insiders claimed that Scott was in Llewellyn at the time and had infiltrated Black Castle...... And there are many strange things about Ante's death......

A little bit of carefully selected facts, a little bit of "reasonable" speculation, a little bit of ill-intentioned guidance...... Make the lie so real and believable.

Is's face finally darkened completely.

He tore all the notes into pieces and threw them out the window in two or three clicks. Confetti fluttered, mostly stuck to the wet windowsill. Ed glanced at it, saw his name in the handwriting that was quickly blurred by the water, and silently withdrew his gaze.

He didn't wonder at all what his role in such rumors he had.

There is nowhere to vent your anger. Isis stood stiff and straight, his lips closed, his chest heaving rapidly, only to let go of his clenched hands at last.

"Someone is manipulating behind the scenes. He reluctantly spoke, "This kind of thing...... It's not going to just pop up all of a sudden. ”

Tess nodded in agreement, "While most of the Stonebugs probably haven't liked your brother much all the time - don't mind, the Stonebugs don't like anyone who is strong enough to control everything, whether it's a king or a sage...... Probably Felicity, who is too much like a lovely old grandmother and is pitifully controlled by Sean...... But - you're right, there's definitely someone behind it. ”

She forcibly pulled back the increasingly biased topic under Naria's glare: "A person who knows Stonebutch very well, is well-informed, and is good at acting on opportunities and controlling people's hearts...... And the man who wants to make Scott and his god ruined. ”

“...... Mansini. Ed whispered.

Tess narrowed her eyes and snapped her fingers in satisfaction, "I thought I had to say my name." ”

"But what's in it for him to do that?" said Naria, puzzled, "though I don't like it...... But if I'm not mistaken, we're barely allies with Ankeland these days...... Or at least he didn't plan to kill you and me before defeating another enemy, and Mancini was his lackey...... Isn't he worried that such rumors will anger us?"

"Who knows. Tess shrugged, "Still, I don't think that Master Mancini would be willing to be anyone's loyal dog...... He will always have only himself in his heart. ”

"So he's risking provoking us and Ankelan at the same time?" Narya shook her head, "Hasn't Mancini always been cautious?"

Unless he was sure he could profit from it, and the temptation to do so was too strong for him to refuse. "He's slippery...... But he's done it more than once. ”

The problem is back to square one.

"So......" Naria frowned, "what does he want most? if he can figure this ......"

"Well...... I might be able to dig it up. Tess rubbed her hands triumphantly, "It's time for me to make a move!"

Naria opened her mouth, but didn't say anything.

She was a little worried, but when Tess was holding her little mongoose...... She didn't stop her elves from scurrying into the rain.

She remembered how they had carefully guarded Ed when Vala died. As it turns out, that's not the right way. Tess looked as energetic as ever, and "trust her" might be a better option.

The guy huddled by the window in a daze...... Probably that's what she needs to worry about more.

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