In the flickering candlelight, Is's pupils shrank slightly, and the shimmering pieces of broken gold in his light blue eyes were extremely clear.

"I told you. He said, his voice soft and cold, like snowflakes falling on a winter night, "That's none of your business." ”

"You told me another thing," Ed ignored his refusal, "you said you signed a contract, before you were born. It is engraved in the depths of your soul and you can never disobey it. ”

He had thought it all out.

When he realized of its existence, he and Naria had returned to the frozen lake at the summit of Esteros with Iss to find answers, and Iss said he didn't even know what the pact was.

"But now you know," Ed asked him, "yes? by tonight...... I already know. ”

After tonight, it may be clearer.

A hint of embarrassment crossed Is's pale face.

"No......" he subconsciously denied, but when Ed reached out to him, he instinctively stepped back.

“...... Let me take another look. Ed insisted, "Or be honest with me." ”

He grabbed Is's gaze, no matter how much he dodged.

A dangerous gold glowed from under the pale blue ice, and slowly sank again. The persecuted ice dragon was unable to give vent to his anger in the panic of being exposed—it was his own fault, the cowardly and unbearable choice he made in fear and despair against the dragon's proud nature.

He had thought that his understatement would make Ed less concerned about the symbol he saw in his soul, after all, he probably didn't see it clearly...... But if he really wanted to hide it, he shouldn't have told Ed that it was a contract.

He didn't know if it was he who had awakened Ed's memories or if the symbols Shaun had drawn tonight aroused his suspicions, but he might ...... In fact, I want to be discovered.

“...... All right. He dragged his chair away and sat down, turning his head away from his friend, "That's what you think." ”

He hadn't heard a sound for a while, and he didn't want to see if the look on Ed's face was shocked or disgusted.

"Ridiculous, isn't it?"

He couldn't bear the silence, so he could only maintain that awkward posture and speak sullenly, "When you become some hellish sage, I scolded you for your stupidity, because it was just a puppet...... But I knew everything, but I gave up my dignity and freedom, and accepted a contract that was even more humble than that......"

His voice grew lower and lower in the silence.

"Are you trying to hide it from me because of this?" Ed asked incredulously, "I thought there was something more serious......"

"Isn't ...... 'this' serious enough?" Eth finally roared in exasperation—a low growl.

"Seriously, seriously. Ed nodded kindly, gaining a deeper understanding of the pride of a dragon, but still felt that it was unnecessary, "But you were just an egg!"

“...... Shut up!" Iss growled, but apparently lacking momentum.

His boredom, panic, and self-loathing that night were a little ridiculous in the face of such a reaction.

He covered his face and leaned back, slumped in his chair and listened to Ed cautiously ask, "So...... Is it the same as that?"

“...... Well. He replied weakly, "Not exactly the same, but the essence is the same, so the mark left is the same." ”

When Sean drew that symbol, it was a slap in the face to him - dragons have never looked down on demons, even if high-level demons are almost as powerful as dragons, how can that dark and twisted creature compare to dragons?

But the symbol engraved on the demon was also engraved in his soul.

What was he to be proud of? he could never become a real human, but he was no longer worthy of being called a dragon before he was born.

However, Ed did not seem to notice his frustration in the slightest, and clapped his hands very loudly.

"So, that's a good thing!" he said gleefully.

“...... What's so good?!" Iss gritted his teeth.

"Needless to say, such a contract must be difficult to break. "But now, we have such a good test subject!"

"I said," Iss waved his hand irritably, "it's different!"

"Even the same spell cast by different casters is different. Ed quickly continued, "I know, but as you said, the essence is the same, and we can always find a way......

"That's not right!" Ise interrupted him with a hard press on his eyebrows, "The problem is, I don't know who the other side of the contract is...... Perhaps only when it is fulfilled will be known. But as far as I know, this spell wasn't supposed to be like this. ”

Ed frowned suspiciously: "...... Not Blazing Wings?"

"It can only be thought of, isn't it?" said Iss, "but if it is, why is there any need to deliberately hide it with another spell?"

“...... To keep Scott from knowing?"

"In such a way of trying to cover up?" scoffed, "at a time when it was almost the only object of suspicion?"

Ed scratched his head: "...... Doesn't sound right?"

"Of course!"

"But there's no way to solve it...... Unless there's anything else you haven't told me. ”

The sudden blow made Is's body stiffen, and he didn't even have time to hide it.

"You know, I've read the Book of the Dead. Ed stared at him, speaking slowly and clearly, word by word, "Although there is not much written about this 'discarded' spell, there should be no doubt about one thing - it is certainly dangerous to the caster, and it is not half beneficial to the recipient, so it needs to be 'accepted wholeheartedly', but I don't believe you would be stupid enough to destroy your own soul...... A dragon's soul, even if you were an egg at the time, no matter how much you wanted to live. So...... What exactly is the price you have to pay?"

Iss glared at him in exasperation - this guy had an amazing instinct where he shouldn't be smart.

"What else could it be?" he could only reply softly, "yes...... Oh my soul. ”

He will be able to preserve the memories of his ancestors, which are not something that can be easily destroyed by a contract. As long as he can live, he can always create another soul...... Of course, he may also be swallowed up by those ancient and vast memories, and he will no longer have a will of his own.

"Compared to not being born at all, at least at that time, I only had 'instinct', and I felt that this price was not unacceptable. He smiled self-deprecatingly, "After all, a dragon, even if it is instinct alone, is not impossible to survive...... It is even possible to live better. ”

Wonderful Book House