In the afternoon, Ed, who had been a little distracted these days, was once again blocked in a corridor by Falbo.

The tall boy gave a silent denunciation with his reddened eyes and rapidly thinning cheeks. Ed clenched his staff—but even the great Staff of Eternity could not give him the strength to face this.

"You promised me!" said Falbo's voice was thick and nasal, sounding aggrieved.

Ed shrank unconsciously, squeezing out a little ugly smile: "Yes...... Of course...... You see, we're all trying to figure it out......"

Allen, Is, Naria, Norvi and Tess ...... His friends were all running around for him, and only he wasn't even allowed to leave the temple...... Although it seems that he brought it on himself.

"It's been almost ten days!" Falbo raised his voice to himself, probably not hearing what Ed was saying, "Your Majesty is probably dead......

He stopped suddenly, his face pale, clearly startled by his thoughts.

“...... Is he dead?" He glared at Ed with his head down, "He's actually dead, and you're all hiding it from me?!"

"Of course not! Of course not!" Ed jumped to his feet, "He won't die so easily!

This seemed to comfort the innocent teenager somewhat. Falbo nodded suspiciously, but still refused to let Ed go.

"I'm going with you!" he announced, "I'll go wherever you go! I'll sleep on the floor next to your bed!

Eric, who had been following Ed without leaving an inch, cleared his throat a little embarrassed: "Falbo...... You can't speak like that to the Holy One. ”

Ed smiled wryly. He didn't think Falbo was offended at all—if he did, Fili had already pointed at his nose and cursed him. He could only listen obediently and bow his head to admit his mistake.

Although in front of others, Filly will save a little face for him. But Ed knows it all too well. He was still a long way from the saint he wanted to be, like Felicity, who was "respected from the heart".

"Sage!" a paladin ran from the other end of the hallway, "Lord Browder told you to go to Lord Freyche's reception room!"

After saying a word, he remembered to bow to Ed, because the action was too hasty and looked very awkward.

"Any news?" Ed asked eagerly, "any news?"

The paladin hesitated for a moment before replying, "Lord Xiu'an will tell you." ”

“...... Lord Xiu'an?" Ed asked quizzically. "Did he come to Collins?"

- Tell Browder what stupid things he did to Ston Butch, and didn't Lowell keep it a secret for him?......

He guessed apprehensively, and hurried to Sean's reception room, followed by the two paladins and the unshaken Falb.

He stayed there when the door opened, his wide-eyed eyes looking at him without blinking. I couldn't believe my eyes at all.

The not-so-small room looked almost cramped, and the presence of more than half of them was definitely unexpected—Cesyana, who was the first to look at him and salute respectfully, and Rosa, who smiled and waved at him casually. Dressed in flashy but bloodstained armor. Scott, who nodded at him with a strange look......

“...... Your Majesty!!" Falbo squeezed him away and threw himself at a ragged man with a shout of joy.

The unprepared Borena was knocked back several steps, and the happy smile on his face couldn't help but have a hint of embarrassment.

The corners of Ed's mouth cracked to his ears unconsciously. He certainly couldn't pounce like an overexcited dog like Falbo—but if he had a tail, he might have woken so merrily that only afterimages could be seen.

Almost everyone was smiling at the sight. But Ed soon realizes that there is more to the atmosphere in the room than joy.

Brooke Xiuan's always calm and gentle face showed exhaustion and worry, and the blood stains on Scott's armor ...... It's not just about decoration.

"Uh...... Is something wrong?" he asked uneasily.

No one answered.

“...... Falbo. Borena patted the boy on the shoulder, "Go out and wait for me." ”

“...... Do you have to go out?" Falbo frowned reluctantly. "I'm out of the way!"

"I'm not going to disappear again. Borena rubbed his hair comfortingly and nodded to Eric. The paladin walked over and pulled Falbo out. Close the door.

The atmosphere in the room, which suddenly fell quiet, was even more gloomy. Ed looked at this, and then at that, and the uneasiness in his heart intensified.

"Okay...... "Well," Borena folded her arms and broke the silence with a wry smile, "It's a long story...... Where do we start?".

The ice dragon swept across the blue lake and swooped down on the back of the Temple of Collins. Now that it has mastered the art of accurately transforming on the ground without breaking anything, it doesn't need to land in a crowded square in full view of the crowd – though many who come there will probably be disappointed.

The priests and paladins in the temple had also become accustomed to its presence, and no longer stared at it with nervous and curious expressions every time...... At least not everyone.

As he jumped from the roof, a paladin glared at him with a blank expression, his right hand clenched tightly on the hilt of his sword, as if he had never seen him before.

Iss glared back in exasperation - but he didn't seem to have seen this guy before.

"Deacon!" another paladin ran over and nodded at Is, pulling his companions away, their low voices still drifting into Is's ears in the wind

"That's it...... The dragon?"

"That's right. ”

"Did you see it? It just became a man! That's ...... Incredible......"

"yes...... I watched it a few times and got used to it......"

Iss raised an eyebrow and jumped over the clumps of golden buttercups and a few low walls. Take a shortcut and run to find Ed.

He brought back not-so-good news...... Let's hope that guy can hold on.

As he ran near the sacristy, a figure hovering at the intersection of three corridors stopped him.

It was a knight. He has short blond hair and a heavy dark red cloak behind a slightly exaggerated armor. He was looking hesitantly in both directions, as if he couldn't decide which direction to take.

“...... Scott!"

Isis exclaimed in surprise.

He never expected to see Scott here...... Did you dare to come back because Sean wasn't there?

Scott looked back at him running over, a smile unconsciously on his lips, but there seemed to be a dark cloud in his eyes.

"Ed said you won't be back until late in the evening. As he spoke, he gently gave Isis a hug with one hand.

"Where did you get such ugly armor?" Iss stepped back a little, looking at the blood on the armor, browning disdainfully to hide the apprehension.

Scott looked down at himself. With a wry smile, he said, "I was trying to find a place to take it off." ”

“...... Your room is still empty. Isse blurted out, "Sean never arranged for anyone else to live in. ”

The look on Scott's face made him immediately regret it, but he couldn't take it back anymore.

"I won't stay long. Scott hastily changed the subject. "Maybe you should come with me. ”

“...... It was you who told me to help Ed. Iss looked at him quizzically, "He's in a lot of trouble right now, and I can't just leave him behind...... Is something wrong?"

"Things are getting a little ...... Complex. Scott shook his head, "But you're right. I shouldn't let you go because it might be dangerous...... That's not what a friend should do. And people here seem to be able to accept you...... I never expected to see this day. ”

He fell silent in emotion. The center of his brow is still furrowed.

"Can't you stay too?—now that you're back. Iss couldn't help but convince him, "Vala would love to see you." ”

Scott looked at him for a long time before replying softly, "I don't belong here anymore...... I can do more out of here. ”

“...... Then why did you come back?" asked him.

"I think I owe a lot of people an explanation. Scott smiled wryly, "Lord Xiu'an won't let me go...... I would love to come back too...... Although I'm afraid I can only disappoint him. ”

"I don't need you to explain everything. A gentle voice came from not far away, and a gray-haired old priest walked up to them, "I just want you to know that hiding all the time won't solve any problems." ”

The emaciated old man walked with little to no sound, but it didn't feel light or mysterious. He was calm and composed, as if the time itself had passed over him.

"You're the dragon. He smiled at Is. "Friend of the Sage, Scott's ...... Brother. ”

Scott smiled awkwardly. I probably remembered all kinds of rumors from ten or twenty years ago.

Iss looked at the straightforward old man with some curiosity. He wasn't sure how many people in the temple knew that he was the legendary "Scott's brother" who was considered an illegitimate child, but at least no one ever mentioned him about it. For the temple, it seems to be from any point of view...... Whether he is a dragon or not, this is a scandal that cannot be made public. And if he's just "Alan Cavo's adopted son...... It's much simpler.

"I suppose you didn't just learn that your brother was a dragon?" Brooke turned to Scott. His question clearly did not need to be answered, and there was no malice.

“...... I hatched him. Scott blinked, bursting out with some self-defeat, and then shook his head incredulously, "I didn't expect that one day I would say this myself...... Still in the temple. ”

He looked up at the immaculate white dome, and the expression on his face changed, with sadness and nostalgia, and a smile that came out of nowhere.

“...... You know she can see. Brooke whispered, "We may never know...... But everything we go through, suffering or joy, will not be without reason - do you still believe so?".

(To be continued......)