Ed leaned over and picked up the small gray-white stone, staring at it suspiciously for a long time, unable to see anything.

It was nothing more than a small piece of rubble that could be found here and there in Miaz-Weiss, gray with a chill of melting snow, one side was flat, obviously polished, but there was no pattern or writing on it, and the beautiful creature in front of him didn't seem to really be able to tell him anything.

It stood on the bed frame, tilting its head and looking at him with unblinking round eyes, as if there was a hint of anticipation in its eyes.

“...... Where are you trying to take me?" Ed asked in Elven with faint hope.

He didn't know if the big white bird understood. It suddenly spread its wings and flew straight out of the window with a hula as if it had completed its mission.

Ed chased to the window, and watched in amazement as the white shadow flew farther and farther without looking back.

There was a soft creak behind him, and someone pushed the door in.

“...... I'm sorry, I'm sorry, my lord, I thought you were still asleep. ”

A freckled young man by the door apologized profusely, scrambling to protect the kettle and bread that had almost fallen to the floor in the crooked tray.

"Risek asked me to bring you something to eat, lest you wake up hungry. ”

He explained to Ed, placing the simple food on the box at the foot of the bed, wiping his hands on his body, and looking at Ed a little bewildered, as if he didn't know how to continue the conversation.

"Just call me Ed. ”

Ed smiled at him, hiding the small piece of rubble in his palm.

"Yachem. The young man pointed to himself. "Yachem Brin, Risek asked me to take care of you...... He's my brother. ”

His addition was not without pride, and Ed looked at him curiously again - the blonde hair and blue face of Risek vaguely resembled it, and the tall figure was not very strong because it was too thin. With long hands and long feet, his back is slightly rickety, he looks a little clumsy, his expression is slightly nervous, but his eyes are very clear.

"You're still ...... Do you need anything?" Yachem asked, somewhat uncomfortably, "or do you need me to call Risek?"

"No!" Ed blurted out, "he must be busy...... Can you take me to him? It would be nice if you could show me around the temple. I don't know if Risek told you. I was one of the first people to build a temple here. ”

He wasn't sure what Risek's purpose was in letting his brother take care of him, but Yahem seemed to be a simple guy...... Maybe he can come up with some useful information.

After a few moments, Yachem visibly relaxed. A young man who is somewhere between a teenager and a young adult is the third child in the family. While his older sister Gillian was at home caring for his younger siblings, he came to the temple with his brother to work as one of the few ascetics to become a priest of Nesses.

"Because I'm literate. He told Ed with some smugness. "Pastors must be literate. Isn't it?"

Ed smiled and didn't answer.

Usually only those who are inspired are allowed to enter the temple and become priests or paladins of the gods after passing the trials...... It doesn't have much to do with being literate. But he already knew that the way Nethers chose his own priesthood was quite different.

He was suspicious of this until he learned that Scott was the priest of Nesses...... No, it's time to call him a "Sage".

Trust in Scott diluted his doubts and uneasiness. But now, all the doubts have returned

- "Why else do you think your 'friends' would build a huge temple in such a deserted place? And 'think there's enough material to borrow'?"

Oylan's mocking voice seemed to be in his ears, and Ed looked up at the high dome. There was chaos in my heart.

It took him a moment to realize that there were not only stones on top of the dome - for it was already dark, and torches were lit all over the temple, and in the light of the fire, the dome shimmered with little light, and it felt as if he was looking up at the brilliant starry sky.

“...... Is it gem-encrusted?" he asked, surprised.

"No, just glass. "Does it look like a star?" the craftsmen of Inid can burn glass more beautifully than the most precious stones, and it took them three months to burn them, and they didn't charge us a single copper coin—a gift to the gods. ”

Ed nodded with an expression of amazement, but his heart sank.

He hoped it was because he was too far away to see clearly, or that the craftsmanship of the Innieds was really ingenious...... But in the family of a wealthy merchant, he knew very well that glass could not imitate the luster of all gemstones, and the "glass" on the top of his head ...... Some of them don't look like glass.

He looked up again and noticed that the "stars" were not randomly inlaid with them, but corresponded exactly to the real starry sky.

It's beautiful, but it's a bit arrogant...... Legend has it that the eternal stars are the jewels that the gods have scattered in the sky, each a world in which only the greatest souls can inhabit and have their own place in the arms of the gods. Elven, human, and dwarven buildings can occasionally be seen with entire star charts engraved overhead as a sign of reverence and aspiration, but it can be difficult for a temple of faith to figure out which star belongs to which god, and it is best not to use such decorations to avoid trouble.

This temple, which is located in the middle of nowhere and is probably not visited by anyone other than the faithful, may not have such concerns......

His body shook a little, and Ed felt a slight dizziness, and quickly lowered his head and touched his sore neck.

He didn't know if it was because he had a fever...... I didn't feel much when I walked around, but when I stopped now, I always felt like the ground was shaking.

"Uh...... Do you feel the ground moving?" he asked, confused.

Yachem shook his head.

"Maybe it's because they're digging wells," he said, "and you don't know how hard the ground can be in the winter here." ”

Ed didn't think it was like a sinking of a well...... But who knows, maybe he's too sensitive.

The temple was large and empty, and the footsteps of the two men were so loud that they smashed into the back of Ed's head like a hammer, making him so uncomfortable that he just wanted to collapse on the spot. But he still noticed that the shadows under the fire hid vigilant eyes, and that every door was guarded, and that this seemingly unguarded temple was in fact heavily guarded.

He didn't pretend to be curious to peek and inquire about what was hidden behind every door, but quietly wrote down everything he could see.

The structure of the temple is very common, with deep corridors running from the back of the main hall to the back of the main hall, and a rectangular courtyard in the middle, with slightly thick columns on one side of the courtyard and small rooms on the inside where the worshippers live. More workers lived in humble huts in the plaza outside the temple, and the huge bonfire in the middle of the square seemed to have been lit only tonight—at least during the day when Ed ran over and didn't see the pyre.

He watched from the steps of the temple as Risek hurried by, his expression slightly tired, but his smile still kind.

"I've got extra people nearby. He told Ed, "Someone has been sent for help...... We were careless a year ago, and this time it will never happen again. ”

Ed, too, could not forget the corpses that had been carried out after the crushing victory a year earlier...... But now, he's more concerned about whether Risek does what he promised.

"Did you inform Scott?" he asked.

Risek nodded: "I released a few carrier pigeons to inform the priests who may be nearby, and they have a way to inform the Sage Lord of the news as quickly as possible." ”

Homing pigeon...... Ed's heart moved.

He didn't know if the snowy owl would be willing to deliver a message for him, and right now, the creature that had helped him was the one he trusted the most. The stones it left behind were hidden around his waist...... He left the room with the window open, but will it ever come back?

Only time will tell if what Risek says is a lie, and Ed can't be sure how much time he will have.

“...... Your face still doesn't look good. Risek frowned slightly, "The priest isn't here, but we have a physician who might have him come and see you and boil you some herbs?"

Ed quickly shook his head - he had had enough of Oylan's herbs.

"I'm fine. His swollen eyes widened, trying to make himself look refreshed, "I also want Yachem to continue to take me around the temple...... When the temple was built here a year ago, I didn't expect it to be so grand. ”

"In fact, the original one was destroyed by the troops sent from Llewellyn. Risek's smile was filled with pride, "After no longer being hunted down by the believers who thought of false gods, more people came here, and we simply built it bigger - Yachem, did you take Ed to see our altar? It's not done yet, but it's the heart of this temple." ”

"Oh, no. Yachem blushed slightly, "I saw the door closed as I walked through there, and you said ......"

"Even with the belief in different gods, there is not a single door here that cannot be opened for Ed Singar. Risek smiled and patted Ed's shoulder, "He's not just the Sage's nephew...... He was also a friend who fought with us. ”

Ed smiled back, mixed feelings.

"Friends" ...... The word was almost another faith for him, if even it began to waver...... He didn't know how much longer he could hold out.

(To be continued......)

PS: It's too capricious to write in the front.,The places that didn't think about it were all left as foreshadowing.,Now it's so difficult to pick up and reunite from scratch one by one.OTZ...... However, the hole you dug yourself will be filled up while crying!