They stood in an inconspicuous corner, laughing and laughing on one side, and the quiet moonlight outside the window and the chill of the night passing through the window on the other. Ed felt like he was being split in half, half just wanting to huddle in peace, thinking about nothing, doing nothing, and half wanting to join the crowd - Borena had invited many guests, including Beranti's battlemage and the surrounding lords, and he didn't intend to hide his cooperation with the dwarves, and even wanted to spread the word about this unprecedented cooperation so that more forces could join it...... Or make a move.

Ed's lazy nature and tired body, and the enthusiasm for communication necessary for his responsibilities, were distracted by Borenna's sudden laughter, and a not-so-fierce battle took place at the moment when he turned his head to look past.

It's all here, and of course he can't keep cowering in a corner.

"I would double-check that the 'garden' had any particular restrictions. He pondered and told Rye, "I'm really not sure if Sachses chose to forgive at the last minute...... Forgive a world that has not been kind to him, and I don't know why he chose you. However, what has happened cannot be changed, so why not be optimistic, believe that he left no longer resentful, and believe in his choice because he knows that only you can give the whisperer a better future in a way that even he can't. ”

"So, you're trying to make me make a fool of myself like you?" Ryan can't seem to comprehend such "optimism": "What's the use of that?"

"Can you make yourself happy?" Ed shrugged, "After all, sometimes...... A lot of times, if something you don't like, or isn't good at, but you have to do it – and you know it's the right thing to do, then a little innocuous 'self-deception' can make it a lot easier, and that's my personal experience. A friend once told me to hope for the best and prepare for the worst, so ...... 'trust more and be careful,' do you think it's possible that this phrase will be passed down as 'Ed Singer's wise saying', or even engraved on the base of my statue?"

“...... It's kind of stupid. ”

In front of his expectant, sparkling eyes, Ryan added a softer description to her truest assessment.

Ed grinned unobtrusively.

"Or, you can think of it the same way," he said, "he's gone anyway, the choice is in your hands, and 'what he wants you to do' is not more important than what you want to do." Ray ...... Carolyn, what do you want to do?"

He didn't wait for her to answer, just smiled and raised his glass to her, and turned to step into the brighter light.

He wasn't worried that Ryan would feel offended, or that he would be more suspicious and resistant. After all, she would only dislike to appear on such occasions more than he did...... But she still came.

She will find her place in this world she is unfamiliar with. She was much stronger than she thought she was, not the strength that the full moon had given her, but the tenacity that had always been present in her soul, allowing her to stand here proudly despite countless hardships, and the kindness of risking all kinds of dangers to save a boy she didn't know.

.

The protagonist of this feast, Mork, who first appeared in Anktan's social arena as the dwarven king, was completely surrounded by the crowd, and could not even be seen from the outside.

Halfway through, Ed turned on his toes and changed direction.

Mork wasn't the dwarf who spent his life hammering stones in a mine, he knew how to deal with humans, and he had Borena with him...... He didn't need his help.

In that moment's hesitation, someone was already walking towards him—Tur O'Gro, the leader of the group of battle mages in the Branti Library. The mage who I hadn't seen for a long time was still the same as he was dull and decrepit, but his words were a little polite. Ed had thought it was because his friendship with Nick Stobel, the new Lord of the Archmage Tower, had reached here, but after a few words, it dawned on him that Ogro cared more about Skyle Monds, the mage who was now cheeky enough to stay at his house.

Sensing his surprise, Ogro hesitated for a moment, but answered his question: "I was able to enter the Archmage's Tower because of Master Mondstadt's help. ”

Even after that, they didn't cross paths much, and even went on different paths, but his gratitude to Mondstadt remained the same.

Ed thought about it, and the little friendship he had with Mondstadt was only recent...... These battle mages who are far away in Balach are also quite well-informed.

Regardless, it's always good to have an opportunity to turn enemies into friends and get closer to this group of battle mages who are clearly outside the archmage's tower.

They naturally talked about the dark gold mine that now attracts everyone. Despite their overt and covert battles with the rulers and the Templars, the Battlemages were not left out by Borena - their strong tolerance had always been a merit of His Majesty. But after a few words from the side, Ed realized that Ogro was more interested in the circle.

They also did not deliberately hide this matter. As Borena put it, "Don't the summoned demons know that the summoner will try to trap it in a circle? There is no need to hide this matter, just set up a gambling game and invite the other party to gamble. ”

It's just that they are not arrogant enough to directly declare that they want to summon a certain god. Ed tried a few words, even if it was Ogro, he just thought they wanted to summon some high-level demon.

The mage brags to Ed without modesty, and the purpose of the battle mages is obvious, as they know and control the various magic circles.

"A circle is not a magic object," he said, "and once created, it is limited to a certain form. It can actually be alive, and it can be changed in various ways to deal with all kinds of accidents, for example, in the power and connection of runes, plus the most flexible 'human' factor. ”

"But 'people' are also the most difficult to control. Ed subconsciously retorted.

What they have to do in the end, any unstable factor is extremely dangerous.

But it did intrigue him. They argued, and Nigel, who arrived a little later, soon joined in.

Many years later, Ed could recall the glorious lights and the loud voices of that night—many of the reasons that ultimately led to their victory, and it was on this night that they took shape.