Alan didn't mean to go into the middle of nowhere, but he wasn't too surprised when Scott suddenly appeared behind him again.

It wasn't far from where they lived now, and he suspected that Scott was often wandering around, but he just didn't dare to get closer.

"So...... Are we going to pick up where we left off?" he asked calmly, with a sigh in his mind, determined to be a little more patient this time.

Scott shook his head and handed him a ring, "You went with me to the labyrinth under Krissus to find Nia and Is...... I've seen the coat of arms on that wall, is there this in it?"

Alan took the ring in surprise, squinting his eyes to carefully identify the pattern on the ring as the sun began to slant westward.

The labyrinth beneath Chrysis Castle had been a secret that the Chrissian family had guarded for generations, and he had only entered it once, and it had been more than ten years ago, and now that he looked back, the wonder and awe of that time were still vivid, but many details had gradually blurred.

But he did remember the motif on the ring—nearly twenty coats of arms carved side by side on that wall, some of which belonged to extremely old, even extinct families, some of which he had never heard of. The coat of arms on the ring is one of them.

"Yes...... But I can't remember the title engraved under the coat of arms. He returned the ring to Scott and didn't ask anything.

"Bello Cavill, Earl of Xi'an. Scott's voice seemed to be muttering to himself.

"I've never heard of it. Allen said. Obviously, Scott remembers it much better than he does. He didn't really have to ask him anything.

It's just an excuse - but Alan wasn't going to break it. He wanted to see how long Scott could use that excuse.

"Is...... Is he okay?"

Soon, Scott, who had little patience, broke the silence with a sigh of relief.

"It's okay now, but it's hard to say later. Alan replied bluntly. "You've heard that Joaquin was killed by his own son, Borena Dejury? I'm worried about Naria and Ed...... And Isis will run to save him. ”

Scott was stunned: "Borena is indeed innocent...... But what does it matter to them? Ed, haven't they only seen Borena once?"

"It's hard to put into words. Alan could only answer like this, and suddenly remembered another question: "Scott...... Tell me you didn't do Joaquin's death!"

“...... No. Scott's expression was indescribably annoyed or frustrated, "Do you think I've become the kind of person who will kill people casually?"

Alan almost wanted to ask Nigel Lowe if the disappearance of the Anduch priest had something to do with him, but he endured the look on Scott's face - he was afraid that he would flee immediately. That's no good.

"You've got to stop them, Alan. Scott frowned. "It's not something they can meddle with. ”

"I'll do my best. Alan didn't mind letting Scott hear his old age and exhaustion, "But they're not children anymore." He was only ten years old when you left Is, and he would listen to you for everything, and now I'm dealing with three self-righteous half-grown kids! Ed somehow learned to heal. Isis had regained his strength, and they probably felt they could do anything now...... You're telling me how to 'stop' them?"

He wasn't trying to complain...... But the words that came out of the mouth seemed to involuntarily turn into the old man's whining.

Scott's gaze drifted to the side in shame. Isis is his younger brother, and Ed is also his nephew...... But he threw all the responsibilities of being an elder to Allen.

“...... I'll go to Is. ”

After a long silence, Alan finally waited for the answer he wanted.

"At the right time. ”

Allen's face sank involuntarily - when is the "right time"?!

"Or, at least, when I figure out how to deal with him. Scott understood Alan's expression and added with a wry smile, "I promise it will be as soon as possible." ”

For Allen, that was still not enough...... But he knows how to take it when he sees it.

"And ...... If Iss really did something wrong. Don't scold him. Scott awkwardly imparted his few lessons to Allen: "You just have to stare at him and be silent...... He is more afraid of this than scolding him, and he will think about what he has done wrong. And then confess my mistake to you......"

Alan looked at him helplessly for a while, and decided that there was still a relationship: "I really haven't heard of 'Bello Cavill, Earl of Xi'an', but I heard that not long ago Llewellyn came to a well-known painter named 'Belo Xi'an', and even Queen Kezia invited him to go to Black Castle to paint portraits of the king's family. ”

Scott's eyes lit up, and then he asked with some suspicion, "Didn't you plan to tell me this before?"

"Nope. Alan lied without changing his face. "I just remembered. ”

But he really wasn't going to tell Scott that Belo Theon had already left Llewellyn.

Scott wasn't unaware that Alan was lying—he was sure Alan knew he did.

This is probably some kind of small revenge. When they were adventuring together, Scott was already accustomed to the seemingly mature and reliable Allen, who would pop up from time to time...... Immature?

He didn't dare say that in front of Allen.

It took him a moment to find out where Belo Xi'an had landed—where he had been. The venerable old painter had left Llewellyn almost a month ago.

"That's really an old man of extraordinary grace. ”

That's what almost everyone told him.

Belo Theon was full of gray hair. Thin and silent, always bent slightly, he would smile gently but detachedly when he met someone, whether it was a street vendor or a knightly nobleman in and out of the Black Castle. Scott had never heard of the name, but everyone who had seen him seemed to be sure that he had been famous for many years in Anktann and even Ruttger, but he always liked to wander the countryside and rarely found himself in the city.

"Today's young people don't know about a really good painter like him. An old man even sighed at him.

Scott, however, felt that there might be more to it than that—because everyone could tell him how Belo Theon was so noble and talented, but no one could accurately describe the old man's appearance.

Belo Xi'an was not staying in a hotel, but in the attic of a quiet and remote tailor's house. According to Wilber, the owner of the tailor's shop, it was his father who recognized the old painter who had painted his portrait on the street, and enthusiastically invited Bello home.

Bello lived in the attic of the tailor's house for more than a month. The increasing number of people who came to ask for paintings, and the fact that the tailor's business flourished, made Wilber even more respectful of the old man, and even after the old man was gone, he kept the attic as it was, as if it had become some kind of holy place.

So he warmly greeted Scott, who came to "visit" the holy place.

The attic was clean and empty, dust fluttering in the light that came through the window, and a blank easel stood against the wall by the window. Scott was a little suspicious that the tailor shop owner had put it there himself—to make the place look more like a famous painter had lived.

"He even painted a huge full-length portrait of His Majesty, which hangs in the Hall of Kings!"

It was the fifth or sixth time that Wilber, who had diligently followed him, repeating the same subject, probably unaware that the Hall of Kings had no decoration other than the black royal banners and the statues of the dead kings.

"So did he ever live in Black Castle too?" asked Scott nonchalantly. It takes a considerable amount of time to paint a full-length portrait, and it is common to arrange a residence for the painter in the palace.

"Oh no, he comes back every day. Wilber said proudly, "His Majesty did invite him to stay in Blackcastle, and even made him a court painter, but he still preferred freedom and the quietness here." ”

Even so, Bello had plenty of time to spend alone with Joaquin Dejury.

Scott's pupils contracted slightly, and he once again felt the irrepressible anger in his heart. If the time is counted and Joaquin gives the order to hunt down the followers and priests of Nesses, Bello has already left, and no one will suspect that the old painter who is quiet has something to do with it...... And he now has no evidence that Bello is a necromancer who can manipulate people's hearts, except for this name with subtle connections, and he doesn't know why he did it.

When the old man left, he cleaned up the attic very cleanly, leaving not a single word or piece of paper...... He didn't leave any mark that belonged to him.

- But he's a painter.

"Didn't he leave you any gifts, or a draft that he forgot to take with him, a little thing he drew with him...... I'm willing to pay for it. Scott asked.

Wilber rubbed his hands in embarrassment: "Indeed...... He drew a little portrait of my son, and I can't sell it to you, I think you'll understand. ”

"Can I take a look?" Scott didn't insist.

It was indeed a "small portrait", not much bigger than Scott's palm, and it showed a blonde teenager holding his chin in a daze, and the brushstrokes were not delicate, but they were very vivid - at least, Bello was a pretty good artist.

“...... Is this your son?" asked Scott, who didn't look much like Wilbur.

"Of course!" replied Wilbur, smugly, "Theodore!"

A young man came in response and asked impatiently, "What are you doing?"

Scott glanced at him, and then looked at the portrait, and there was indeed some similarity, especially the lazy and confused look......

But between the eyebrows and eyes of the young man in the portrait, Scott clearly saw another face.

"It's a shame...... But you're right, I can't ask you to sell me such a precious gift. He smiled and gave Wilbur a few perfunctory words, and hurried away.

The pale, thin face came to mind, with innocent colors and dark shadows in the expressionless eyes.

He'd only met him twice, but he believed he wasn't wrong.

- That's Joan Shaw.

(To be continued)