The "empty garden" suspended in the air is built against trees and is also surrounded by large trees. Even with his heart in his mind, Ed couldn't help but shudder as he followed Payne up the staircase, which didn't even have a handrail and spiraled like a plant's sudo. He could not see how this marvelous building could stand, with few trees supporting it, and the countless cloisters, large and small rooms, terraces and sculptures on it, were so intricate and breathtaking.

It's just that...... As Norway said, it was different from Miaz Weiss, the ancient elven city of the Far North, even if it was equally inclined to sophistication and lightness, the Light of the Far North could still see the vitality of the past after a thousand years, and the empty courtyard, along with the Grivar that Ed could see, although hidden in the greenery, each building tried to imitate the most natural appearance of plants and animals, but still revealed an indescribable emptiness and silence.

He looked down from the high corridor, the huge body of the ice dragon lying lazily surrounded by jacarandas, staring at the circle of sword dancers waiting beside him as nothing, and the little Tess was grasped in her hands like a toy—it was almost impossible to convince her to stay there obediently, and the claws of the ice dragon were probably the safest place for her and everyone else.

Naria was half-crouched by Is's paws, as if to comfort Tess as Rosa stood aside, and in the distance, a blonde elf stood alone in the darkness.

As if sensing his gaze, the elf looked up at Ed.

Ed looked away a little flustered.

He knew who she was—he could see who she was. Vioritta ...... Her eyebrows were almost identical to those of Norvi.

"I'm sorry I had to keep your friends there. After all, there are some things that the less people know about them, the better. Payne glanced back at him. Slowed down.

"Of course...... But there are no secrets between me and my friends. Ed blurted out.

He didn't know why he said that...... It was obviously a bit rude, even a little childish willfulness, but he was really fed up with all kinds of "secrets".

"Enviable. Payne replied lightly, "But with all due respect, the Sage...... Day after day, you'll find more and more things that you can't share with your friends. The weight you can only carry on your own will change your ...... Whether you want to or not. ”

Ed hung his head and was silent.

Deep down, he knew Payne was right...... But at the moment. He stubbornly refused to admit it.

Payne led him into a room without walls, where pillars carved into some kind of plant he couldn't distinguish propped up a crystal roof surrounded by vivid flowers, the cleverly cut crystals condensed the starlight, making the room bright enough without a lamp.

"Can you tell me how you met Novi first?"

The Elven King handed Ed a nearly colorless glass. But the wine is fragrant. Asked seemingly casually.

"Ah, that's ...... A few years ago, at Ston Butch, I went to the little shop he and Tess owned, and he recognized a silver coin around my neck. Ed's hand unconsciously touched his chest, as if the small silver coin, which was the source of almost all trouble, was still hanging there. "That's a silver coin from Ankeland that Isis gave me...... If I knew it would kill Norvi......"

If only I had known what was going to happen today. He wouldn't hesitate to throw that cursed silver coin into the River Vinz and never see the light of day.

"What cannot be changed is called 'fate'. Payne sighed softly.

“...... But this shouldn't be Norvi's fate!" Anger and self-reproach made Ed's voice unconsciously raised, "I said I told him to find Ankland, and everything he found should not be his crime......"

"And you're not good at lies, Sage. Payne interrupted him calmly, "Besides, I've already told you that his death has nothing to do with what he's discovered. ”

“...... What the hell is that for?!" Ed growled in frustration.

Everything he knew about Ankelan had been told to him by Eren and Iss in the recent past, and he couldn't see any significance in this thousand-year-old secret other than that "the elves didn't want their past failures and betrayals of the gods to be known." He genuinely thought that it would be as Alan had planned, and that as long as the elves understood that the secret was not a secret at all, they could not prevent it from being known by more people—and even more people would have to know about it, so that they could let Norway go...... Was he too naïve, or was it far more complicated than he had heard?

Payne was silent for a moment, but then spoke on a different topic: "I heard that you have passed Miaz Vis on your journey to find that ice dragon...... The ancient home of the Sunstrider Elves. ”

“...... Yes. Ed looked at him a little blankly, "What does this have to do with Ankland?"

"Be patient, Sage. The corner of the elf king's mouth, who had lived for hundreds of years, pulled out a helpless smile, "What do you think of that city?"

"It's beautiful. Ed replied without thinking. He will always remember the shock he felt when he first saw Miaz Weiss in the snow-covered mountains. Even if only the ruins remain, they are ...... by wild beasts, goblins, and humans Even with the undead occupied, that great city is still incredibly beautiful.

Payne nodded abruptly: "Light of the North...... I hope that one day I will be able to see its beauty too. Thousands of years ago it was the pride of the elves, the only elven city still entrenched in the north under the siege of the orcs, the hostility of the dwarves, and the harsh weather...... Do you know why the Sunstrider Elves left behind such a beautiful home and never returned?"

“...... Novi said it was because the number of elves in the city had dwindled dramatically, and they could no longer resist the orcs. Ed struggled to remember, inadvertently, when Norway seemed to be in a sudden hurry to leave......

"I guess he didn't tell you why the number of elves in the city has plummeted to the point where they have to abandon their homes?"

"I don't think he knows...... He had tried to find something in the Branti Library, but apparently to no avail. Ed replied earnestly, realizing that the real answer might not be in Ankelam at all.

"Yes. Payne smiled wryly, "If he knew...... Maybe you won't be so obsessed with looking for Ankland. For thousands of years, the city was erased from existence and its history obscured...... It may have been cursed, but that curse should have died with it. A truly terrible curse...... It seems to me that it was born out of cowardice and stupidity in trying to deny it. ”

Ed's eyes widened in surprise. In the starlight, the great Elven King sighed softly and whispered to him about the tragedy that had been a thousand years earlier.

Norway wasn't the first elf to find Ankland. The Sunstriders probably have an innate tenacity that keeps them stubbornly stuck to the cold northern lands even when they are isolated, and at the same time gives them curiosity and enthusiasm beyond that of other elves.

The elf, who didn't even have a name, seemed to be just a pure scholar who had never left the Light of the North. It is impossible to know where he discovered Ankland's existence, and has worked tirelessly to dig up its secrets in the scrolls of paper that have been in the dust for years, and no one remembers, or how much he has known, or whether he has tried to make it public. At that time, the elves of Miaz Vis had suffered several defeats in successive battles with the orcs, and some ominous omens in the city began to unsettle the elves, as if they had lost the favor of the sun god. I don't know who was the first to blame it all on the nameless elf's pursuit of Ankelan - it was the forbidden act that angered the gods.

It is likely that it is just nonsense, out of fear of being distorted, or a personal vendetta. But for some reason, the Elven King Kenan, who ruled Miaz Vis at the time, believed in this legend.

Ignoring the presbyterians' dissuasions, he imprisoned the nameless elf in what was known as the "Tower of Atonement", falsely claiming that the elf had volunteered to give his entire life and soul to pray for Miaz Vis in the tower. At first it did seem to have some effect, the elves reclaimed some of the lost ground, and everything seemed to be back to normal...... Until the elf's lover sneaks into the Tower of Atonement and discovers its secrets.

The elf is dead, but somehow records the true cause of his death.

I don't know how indescribable the anger and despair, or if the curse of Ankland is so far-reaching...... The female elf, who was supposed to be the singer of the sun god, fell into madness. She appeared in the temple of the Sun God during the annual festival of Kenan Sunseeker, and carved a true curse in a poignant voice. She cursed Kenan's death, his soul forever in darkness from which he could not be freed, she cursed that the light of the far north would fall, that only wild beasts would haunt its overgrown grass, and that the blood of the elves of the Sunstrider would be severed and that one day it would cease to exist......

She died by Kennan's sword, and blood flowed in front of the temple of the gods she served.

And her curses were fulfilled one by one.

Kennan fell from his horse in a battle shortly afterward, shattering his skull and unable to close his eyes. For decades, the Sunstrider Elves, led by their son Keglian, struggled until they found themselves seemingly losing their god-forgiven longevity, aging as quickly as humans were, while newborn babies died one after another......

After another great battle costing the elves almost half of their warriors, Kegaryen finally decided to abandon the Arctic Light, the cursed city, and join their southern kindred...... But he himself stayed.

The elves who had been forced to leave their homes looked back at their homeland for the last time, and what they saw was a dazzling light radiating from the temple of the sun god.

(To be continued......)