“...... I'm here for help. After a moment's hesitation, Ed replied softly.

"I've heard of one. Ryan retreated back into the door, staring directly at him, "You escaped from the necromancer's grasp. I'm sure you're not lying, but that's not all. I'm old, but I'm not blind, and if your worst concern is danger from outside the temple, your eyes won't always be fixed on every corner of the temple. ”

Ed was speechless, scratching his chin in a panic. He didn't know that his performance was so obvious...... In the temple, how many other people besides Rye noticed that he was strange?

"I don't think an average physician would pay attention to these ......" Rosa asked with a smile as she carefully closed the door, leaned back against it, folded her arms, and smiled, "I'm sorry, I wanted to ask you the same question again...... Why did you come here?"

"That's the question I asked first, and I'm much older than you - shouldn't you be the first to answer?" Ryan glared at her unceremoniously, "Or do young people nowadays don't know what 'politeness' is?"

Rosa bit her lip, not annoyed at all, but as if she couldn't help but want to laugh.

Ed reluctantly exchanged glances with her, and finally confessed honestly: "We are looking for a boy...... Blonde hair, blue eyes, about twelve years old......"

“...... You're looking for the little prince of the Dejuri family. Rey said.

Ed opened his mouth slightly, looking at her in surprise.

"I've seen him. Rye said, adding as Ed's eyes widened in surprise. “...... But not here. ”.

A few months ago, before reaching the temple in the wilderness, Rye was woken up one night by the villagers. Go and heal a little boy.

The unconscious boy had brown hair and was poorly dressed, but his bare skin was smooth and delicate, and he was clearly not a child of an ordinary hunter's family. A hideous wound dragged from his shoulder to his back, and the slightly deeper part of his shoulder had begun to fester.

Ryan never asked much, just silently cleaned the wound. Later, it was learned from people's small talk that it was a boy that hunters had picked up in the forest near the town of Kawaguchi, and that it was likely that some small nobleman had fled the city due to the war. He was robbed again on the road.

Rye was silent about it, but there was an indelible doubt in her mind - she was a physician and knew very well how people's bodies reacted. The boy had a fever from his injuries, but he remained motionless. There was also no "coma" that made the slightest sound. Definitely not just because of fever. The boy's brown hair was dyed quite casually, and the golden color could be clearly seen near the neck. If you are fleeing with your family, there is really no need to hide your identity like this, after all, in Anktan, blonde boys are everywhere.

The wound needed to be dressed, she said it very clearly, but no one came to her again. Soon she heard that the boy had been sent away - to his relatives' house.

People lamented the cruelty of war because of this. The boy was unfortunate and lucky, but no one could tell what his last name was. And where do his relatives live......

More and more people in the villages of the Ashdam Forest became followers of Nesshers, and the originally rude hunters gradually learned some rules, and from time to time there would be such a benevolent act. But Rye was always a little puzzled about it, especially after she heard that Anktan's little prince, a blonde, blue-eyed boy, had been kidnapped from Greystone Castle and disappeared.

A few days later...... Standing in the shadows of the trees, she witnessed several hunters stuff the still-unconscious boy into the wagon carrying food to the temple.

That left an indelible shadow in her heart. Soon, she came with some of the women of the village to take care of the men who built the temple. Since then, she has been keeping an eye out for news of the boy.

"There is a secret passage in the temple that leads to the abandoned elven city...... He should have been locked up there at one time. Ryan told Ed.

"He was there. "But it's no longer there...... Do you know of any other secret passages in the temple, or places where people can be hidden?"

Ryan shook her head.

"It's true that there are some places where people don't allow people to enter and leave without permission, but they are not places where people can be locked up. If they wanted the boy to live, they had to provide him with food and water. I've noticed that after you show up, there's no extra food to give out......"

She looked at Ed's blank eyes and explained with some impatience, "Most of the people in the temple will come to the kitchen to eat together, and with a little attention, it's easy to figure out which people's food needs to be given out separately, and these men are not cautious enough to give the boy some of their own food - they will always ask for an extra one separately." ”

Even Rosa's eyes involuntarily showed a hint of respect. She had apparently never thought of that...... And, noticing this in a chaotic kitchen is really not enough to be "a little careful".

"So, he's either been sent somewhere else, or he's ......" Ryan stopped.

-- Either they're dead.

Ed looked at Rosa and saw the same shadow in her eyes. No one wants to admit it, but it's possible.

Once again, the nightmare of being freed haunted the soul. Ed involuntarily recalled the little pale face in his dream that was raised towards him...... He may have killed Sersio.

Thinking of what might have happened to the ill-fated boy, no one could say anything more. In the silence, Rosa suddenly stood up straight, her hand involuntarily reaching for the hilt of her sword, and her eyes widened in surprise.

Ed followed her gaze and looked back, equally dumbfounded by the scene before him.

The huge altar swirled slowly, but without making a sound, and the runes on the altar shimmered like the stars at the beginning of night. The two layers of discs rotate in different directions, except for the oldest part of the bottom layer.

“...... It is...... Will it turn?" Ed asked dumbfounded.

"Never heard of it. Rey replied. Of the three, she seemed to be the only one who remained calm, and even boldly walked forward.

Ed quickly reached out and grabbed her, feeling her thin wrist tremble in his palm - she wasn't without fear.

In the eyes of all, a figure slowly stretched out from the round hole in the center of the altar, and after a moment of surprise, spread its hands gracefully towards them.

"That's a ...... Unexpected welcome. Lydia Bell smiled and tilted her head at Ed, "Long time no see, Ed. ”

Ed stared dumbfounded at the woman he knew and didn't know—they had only met once, nearly a decade ago at Tess's shop in Stonebuch...... But her name was mentioned in his ears again and again by different people, making him feel like they had known each other for years.

She didn't look the same—maybe even paler, but maybe it was because she was wearing a black dress. Her red lips were still as bright as the most delicate roses he had ever seen, and her green eyes were as deep as jewels......

"Who are you?" Ryan asked bluntly.

Lydia dragged her dress to the altar and sat down, smiling at them.

"I'm a mage. She said, "I've been friends with your Sage for many years. ”

“...... You're that necromancer. Rhy's voice lowered.

Before she could finish speaking, a dagger whizzed over her head and stabbed straight at Lydia.

Lydia lazily raised her hand, the dagger stopped in front of her, and with a soft thud, it fell feebly to the ground.

Ed stared at the dagger that had fallen to the ground, his face pale.

"You ......," he said one word, but could not continue.

"I should have been weak, wounded, and unable to use any spells. Lydia patted her chest and smiled sweetly, "Is that so?"

Ed glared at her silently.

That's exactly what Oylan told him. This temple is similar to but different from Lockburg, where spells are prevented from being cast, but here, the first spell cast may be useful, and all the caster's power will be drained away, becoming a source of brilliance for the gems in the dome of the main temple - Ed's luck is that his power is sealed by the spell carved by Oylan, and although the power of the spell is fading, it still prevents him from casting the spell with ease, nor does it drain him.

Oylan gave him the valuable gem that allowed him to cast the necessary spells, but until now, Ed could still feel his body...... and the emptiness and powerlessness of the soul.

- Why was Lydia completely unaffected, and what was there in Oylan that he hadn't told him?

"You should have known that Jay Oylan was a cunning fellow, but you took his advice to help him do this—your uncle would be sad, Ed. Lydia shook her head with a look of regret, "Even I'm going to be sad for him." ”

Ryan glanced over at Ed.

Her cold gaze almost seemed to burn Ed's face. Ed gritted his teeth and suppressed the guilt and panic in his heart - he hadn't thought of such consequences, but now there was no room for retreat.

"What do you want?" he said slowly, "you know, if you hurt the people here...... Scott won't let you go. ”

Lydia burst out laughing.

"With all due respect, aren't you the one who 'hurts the people here?'" she looked at Ed mockingly, "besides, he didn't intend to let me go anyway - Ed Singall, and honestly, I'd rather spare your life. Your secrets will be buried with this place, and you may be able to become your Sage again...... Or do you want to be a depravity? - your mother will cry over this. ”.

(To be continued......)