“...... Ferry ...... Felicity. Unable to tell what kind of impulse it was, Ed suddenly called softly.

His voice hit the silent walls and jumped to the ground like droplets, echoing in the small room.

Felicity ...... Felicity...... Felicity ......"

"You do know she's really gone, don't you?"

A familiar voice sounded behind him. Ed turned his head and was surprised to see the little girl with white hair and blue eyes sitting at the top of the stone steps, smiling at him. A faint glow enveloped her, but she still looked so alive, as if she really had life.

"And who are you?" Ed asked unconsciously rhetorically, "if you weren't Felicity......

"I am her, nor is she her. I exist when you need it, and I show up when you call. ”

“...... I don't understand. Ed honestly admitted, "Can't you just be simple?"

The girl laughed silently, her smile like a child's child's and her mother's, Felicity's and Vala'...... and Naria.

"Okay......" Ed muttered to himself, "I don't have to figure everything out anyway......"

He held out his hand to the girl and pleaded earnestly, "But you can help me, can't ......you?" You can help me get her back. ”

The girl looked at him silently for a long time before she spoke, "If you really want to...... That's not impossible. But you should know that this world has its rules, and the balance cannot be broken. Wanted Felicity to return to the world. What can you trade it for?"

"Me. Ed replied without hesitation, then scratching his chin in some embarrassment, "I mean. If 'I' is enough to get her back......"

"Oh, of course that's enough, because it's not just you, Ed, your life, your soul......" The girl's smile was still gentle, but Ed suddenly felt a chill.

"And the grief of your friends. The tears of your parents, their endless thoughts...... And maybe the price to pay to get you back again. ”

Ed's face turned pale with her voice.

"Can you afford those? Ed Singh?"

Even the air seemed to freeze into ice...... Ed felt like he couldn't breathe at all, and couldn't move, but eventually shook his head with difficulty.

He can't...... He wasn't Felicity after all, just a selfish and cowardly ordinary person.

"But she saved me...... Saved Borena. Just because I want Borena to live......" Ed bowed his head. Tears welled up in her eyes, "I don't have anything to repay her......"

"That's her own choice, like the one you just made – there's nothing to be ashamed of. She believed that her choice would lead to a better outcome, because her life was about to end, and the world still needed a Sage. And even if she is gone, she can still exist in another world...... Someday, you'll be able to see her again. ”

Ed stared at her blankly, he couldn't understand it...... Or don't want to understand.

“...... You want to say that Borena will become another Sage?" he asked cautiously.

“...... You know it's not. The girl's smile had the familiar helplessness in it. Many times, in dreams. She disappeared with such a helpless smile.

- Because Ed Singal is such a stubborn guy who will not open his mind to death. Why wouldn't she give up?

"Why me?" asked Ed, grimacingly, "I'm not smart, I'm not strong, I'm not very religious, I'm not generous enough......"

The more he talked, the more he felt worthless, and finally his frustration boiled down to one sentence: "I don't even believe in myself." ”

"But your friends believe in you, so maybe you should trust them too?" the girl squinted slyly.

Ed unconsciously scratched his chin again.

“...... So...... What the hell am I supposed to do?" he finally asked, "Go out and tell Shaun Fletcher, 'Hey, I'm going to be a Sage!'?"

He suspects that Sean will throw him directly into Lake Starnestle.

The girl laughed heartily, almost the same as Felicity.

"No, he's a knight of the god of water, he'll know...... And you. You just need to remember to listen with your heart when He whispers, don't say no when He calls, and accept with all your heart when He comes. ”

“...... Sounds easy. Ed breathed a sigh of relief, "Okay, I promise." ”

The girl didn't move: "Are you sure? if you have any hesitation...... The contract could not be established. ”

Ed didn't think about it, and nodded solemnly. If that's Felicite's wish...... He owes her at least that.

The girl smiled and got up, floating in mid-air, and kissed him lightly on the forehead.

It felt like a feather had landed on the soul, warm, soft, and slightly itchy.

"That's it?" Ed asked, rubbing his forehead in confusion.

"Nope. The girl replied with a serious face, "You need to learn." Learn a lot, a lot, a lot. ”.

Nalya lunged forward, the tip of her sword rising upwards and pointing at Allen's waist, a hint of joy in her heart - she was going to win!

But the wooden sword struck her left shoulder again, and she screamed in frustration, almost throwing the sword out.

"I told you, don't be in a hurry. Alan leisurely slashed his sword in a circle, "You are always so eager to send yourself to the enemy's sword, you will be unlucky one day." ”

Naria snorted and thrust her sword into the ground, tucking the messy black hair back into her bun.

Once she stopped, her sweaty body always felt the unabated chill of spring more clearly, and Naria shivered, and her gaze inadvertently fell on Isis on the edge of the field.

The young man stood against the wall with his arms crossed, as if watching her practice the sword, but he was obviously absent-minded, and his wandering eyes did not know where to look.

"Is!" Alan shouted, throwing his sword at him.

Even when distracted. The young man, who was quick to react, still caught the sword accurately, and looked at them with some blankness.

"I'm tired, you come to practice with her. Alan pretended to thump his waist. Staggered to the side.

Iss looked at him a little speechless—he wasn't even sweating!

Eventually, he just shook his head and walked towards Naria with his sword in hand.

He had thought it would be easy—he would be able to hold Naria's sword even if he wasn't careful, but it wasn't long before Naria's sword slammed firmly into his arm.

The blunt-headed sword didn't do any harm at all, but it did make him stunned for a moment, and finally got serious.

His strength and speed are beyond ordinary people, and it stands to reason that he will never be able to defeat a girl who has only been learning swordsmanship intermittently for two or three years...... He almost began to rage when the sword stabbed him in the right leg again. Naria's hearty laughter quickly dispelled the anger, but there was still a hint of annoyance in his eyes.

Of course, he couldn't really use all his strength against Naria, and it only took one blow to make the girl's sword fly out......

"Don't just look at her sword. Is, it is the man who wields the sword. ”

Allen's voice came from behind him.

Iss suddenly realized that he had never really learned how to fight...... Especially in human form, what Scott taught him as a child was not so much teaching him to learn swords. It's more of a pastime when you're idle. Once you lose your innate strength...... He can't even beat an ordinary person.

The humiliating scene on the streets of Balach came back to mind again. Naria had seen him at his worst...... Thinking of this, he suddenly became even more scrambled, and after a while he simply dropped his sword to the ground.

Iss lowered his head, blush stretching from his cheeks to his ears.

"Hmm...... Much better than Ed!" Narya seemed to be trying to comfort him, but it wasn't really much comfort.

"Starting tomorrow, you and Narya will practice together. Alan walked over and patted him on the shoulder.

“...... I'm a dragon, I don't want to learn human swordsmanship!" Ise refused, a little annoyed.

Besides, he wasn't sure when he would leave...... He stayed almost unconsciously, even though he had a lot to do. But I don't know how to start. Alan said to make him wait a little longer until he got more news. in order to make a correct judgment - this is already almost half a month.

"No, you do. Even if you don't encounter that situation where you can't turn back into an ice dragon...... Learning how humans fight can help you better control your power, as well as ...... Just know what the enemy is capable of?" Alan said.

Iss couldn't argue with that.

"Do you want to come again?" Narya raised her sword in cheerful joy - she had always been surrounded by a powerful character like Norway or an unworthy guy like Ed, and she had never had such fun fighting in practice! Is's speed was no worse than that of an elf, he just wouldn't take advantage of it.

Iss looked at the smile on her face and nodded involuntarily.

Their practice was quickly interrupted. Vala's maid hurried over and shouted, "Lord Kavo!"

There was something strange on her face—nervous, but indescribably excited.

"Elves!" her voice involuntarily rose much higher than usual, "A few elves have come to the castle to ask to see Master Ed, but he is not there, Madame asked me to ......"

"Elf?" Narya repeated in surprise, "Is it Norway and Tess who are back?"

She tossed her sword to Is, untying her long hair tied to the top of her head as she rushed down the hall.

Iss frowned slightly—the maid's words didn't sound right, and Allen's expression was even more wrong.

There was no joy on the old man's face, but was quickly enveloped in shadows.

"That's not Norway and Sesyana, isn't it?" he asked.

Alan nodded heavily: "I just received the news last night that several elves have sailed to Visa from the south...... I didn't expect them to come so soon. ”

"They...... You're not looking for me, are you?" asked Iss, uneasy.

"The elves didn't have the leisure to travel thousands of miles to find an ice dragon that didn't have the slightest conflict with them. Alan replied, "It probably has something to do with our elven friends. ”

"Is it because of Sesyana?" Iss guessed as he followed Eren down the hall, "I heard that he was banished from Grivar by the elves. ”

"Probably. Alan replied casually—he was more worried that maybe it wasn't that simple.

(To be continued......)