"It has nothing to do with my father!"

In a buzzing whisper, Ed finally cried out in a near breakdown.

"Then I have to ask, what about the evidence?" Ante's face was haggard and cold, but full of anger, "as your paladin asked me - I can give you more evidence, Ed Singar, what can you give me......? Your power didn't come from the gift of a goddess at all, but the crystal ball you got in the vault of Kriesburg, right?"

- He knows everything.

Ed struggled to breathe, but now, it seemed that even his lungs were filled with mud. He believes that Ante can come up with more "evidence...... God knows how much he prepared, and Ed didn't even think he would be attacked like this.

"It has nothing to do with my father......" he repeated desperately, but he bit his tongue hard, and the sharp pain came, as if to remind him that this was not a dream...... Isn't this a dream? It's just a dream, is it? How can he wake up?......

He staggered back in a trance, but someone reached out to help him.

"Be careful, sir. ”

Bloomer's clear, nice voice was tinged with harsh mockery.

Ante's voice sounded again: "So who else can it have to do with it? Your mother?...... Speaking of which, she's from the Chrysers family......"

Ed heard something in his head clearly, and it completely shattered in that moment.

Fury erupted, breaking through all the embankments. Wrath. Grievances, disappointments, unwillingness. Remorse, helplessness, fear...... All the emotions poured out, and the rush turned into a desperate roar:

"Something to do with me!!"

There was a dead silence in the tent.

“...... Is this a confession?" Ant, grabbing the handrail and leaning over him, a glint of excitement in his eyes, "Ed Singall...... Do you admit that you did it all?"

Ed stared at him. There was no answer.

“...... Ed!" Filly yelled at him, "this is what they want...... Don't be stupid!"

That's right, that's what they want......

The fists that had been clenched spasmodically slowly let go. Ed straightened his back, and all the noise in his mind receded like a tide, leaving a dead silence.

"It's me. He heard his lifeless, calm voice like stagnant water. "I hired those people. Create the illusion that a necromancer is attacking the temple...... My parents didn't know about it, my friends didn't know about it, and no one in the Collins Temple knew about it, including Sean...... What else do you want to know, Your Majesty? ”

Filly roared, ripped off his helmet, and slammed it to the ground.

The guards on both sides moved forward restlessly. Frozen in place again under the paladin's fierce gaze.

"I'm sorry, Filly......" Ed said softly. His eyes were red, "I've let you down." ”

But I don't have the strength to hold on any longer.

Fili glared at him, anger turning into helplessness, and finally sat down weakly with his head shaken.

Ante looked at Ed for a long time, his eyes flashed with confusion and unease, and he involuntarily licked his dry lips before asking, "Where is that crystal ball?...... It was the Tears of Nyo, the legendary artifact, something that Christesburg had always guarded...... Isn't it?"

...... He wanted that.

Ed wanted to laugh again. It probably wasn't Nyo's Tears, otherwise Iss would have recognized it, but...... Whatever.

"Yes, that's Nyor's Tears. He replied, "But it's gone." ”

“...... Gone?" Ante frowned gloomily.

"Crumbled, turned into powder, scattered among the mountains of Karnak...... There are probably some scattered in my body that allow me to manipulate the Staff of Eternity. Ed looked at him calmly, "I think Master Mabel can tell you - I didn't lie. ”

Mabel was stunned for a moment before nodding awkwardly.

“...... That's an artifact!" Ante roared angrily, "How could it shatter?!"

"I used it to save Borena Dejuri. Ed struggled to suppress a sneer on his lips, "That brings him back from the dead...... There are countless people who witnessed that scene with their own eyes, and it can't be fake. As you said, I am not a Sage, and how could I have done it if it weren't for its power?"

“...... Did you get Borena into the Triple Tower?" asked Ante coldly.

Ed pretended to be surprised and raised his eyebrows, "Hasn't Borena been in Anktann all along?"

Since Ante himself never admitted that Borena had ever appeared in front of him...... He simply denied it.

The muscles on the king's face twitched in anger, and he changed to another question: "What do you want to do with the army he sent?"

Ed was stunned - did this even have to be counted on his head?

"That's not Anktan's army, I hired it, at least what...... I don't know, I didn't think about it. He was talking nonsense to himself.

“...... Where's Sean Fletcher?"

"I don't know. Without hesitation, Ed replied, "I lied to him, and I have no idea what he's doing." We're obviously not good friends who trust each other, so why would he tell me where he is? I'm tempted to say that I locked him up...... But you probably won't believe that I have the ability. ”

After giving up his insistence, his mind became as clear as water - as long as he stopped involving others, he could confess any crime.

"You have a dragon. Ante looked at him coldly, "Although I don't know how you made an agreement with it to make it obey your orders...... No one will underestimate your 'abilities'. ”

Ed gritted his teeth and suppressed the heartfelt roar - he should have known they wouldn't let Iss go.

"A dragon will not obey anyone's orders. He tried to control himself, squeezing out word by word, "Don't pull it in." Your Majesty...... You don't want to live with the consequences. ”

“...... Are you threatening me?" asked Ante grimly.

This is advice. Ed looked at him without flinching, "Why not be satisfied with what you've got." Your Majesty?"

His heart was beating fast and heavy, and the sound of his blood rushing was like the water of the Vinez River. He even vaguely felt some kind of force expanding rapidly in the air...... But he didn't know where it came from - he didn't have the Staff of Eternity in his hands.

The king shrank back slightly, surprise and unease in his eyes. It wasn't just him, even Tellina lowered her legs and sat up straight with some nervousness.

"Your Majesty. Aaron's always laughing voice rang out, "I think you're all tired, so why don't you end this as soon as possible...... It's a long day, isn't it?"

Oh, yes...... Why not end it as soon as possible?

“...... Guard!" Ante exclaimed, pointing casually at Ed. "Take this guy. ”

Even if prepared...... Ed still shuddered.

He stared down at the ground, and the sound of a sword clanging out of its sheath sounded in his ears...... Then someone strode up to him.

"No one should touch him. ”

Ed looked up in surprise at Filly's back in front of him and his black hair glued into strands. He had never heard Fei speak in such a tone—cold as if it were shining on his armor. But it is as calm and firm as a rock, unshakable.

"Do you want to defy the king's orders and defend a guilty man, paladin Philip Zeri?" Ante's voice trembled in anger.

"your king. Filly sneered. "I'm not your knight. As for 'guilty'...... All of you here are smarter than I am. You don't know what the hell this is...... Of course, you can choose to close your eyes and ignore your conscience and honor and play this farce in a serious way—and I can at least choose my own part. ”

“...... Brooke Xiu'an...... And do you allow such behavior?" asked Ante through gritted teeth.

Brooke didn't answer.

Crossing Filly's shoulder, Ed saw the old man's pale and tired but unusually calm face. He glanced at Ed, seemed to exchange another look with Fili, and lowered his eyes.

"Mistress Mancini is right, I see everyone is tired, so why not make things easier?" Filili unsheathed his sword. Thrown on the ground.

"I quit the temple. He said calmly.

The sound of the sword falling to the ground made Ed almost jump. He grabbed Filly's arm in a panic, but choked up. Nothing can be said.

Fili turned back to him and grinned, "Don't worry, kid...... You called my brother ......"

He seemed to glance at Eric, who had already gotten up and stood with his head bowed to the side, and said no more.

“...... You're going to do it for Ed...... A man who has confessed his sins has betrayed your goddess?" Ante narrowed his eyes.

"Oh, Your Majesty, those are two different things. Fili's tone was tinged with his usual nonchalance, "Do you need me to explain to you? The paladins who are loyal to the goddess but not under the control of the temple are called 'loners', and what I do is responsible only to the goddess and to myself. Whether I betrayed Nyo, you said it or not, only the goddess can decide, and now ......"

A glimmer of light bloomed from the palm of his hand, and the voice of Fili the "Lone Wanderer" could almost be described as "triumphant": "She doesn't seem to have given up on me yet...... By the way, I've got to make it clear, there's nothing coveted about me - it's not something you can pick up on the streets, right?"

“...... Then I probably don't need to worry about the temple anymore. Ante sat up coldly, "You are in my kingdom, and I cannot condemn her knights on behalf of the Goddess...... But at least I have the right to condemn those who are under my rule. ”

He waved forward. With a whistle, the guards in the tent quickly lined up in front of the king, spears pointed at Filly and Ed, and neat footsteps sounded behind them, and more knights poured into the tent and surrounded them.

Ed gripped Filly's arm so hard that his heart pounded. Maybe he should step up and ask Ante to let Filly go?...... But he couldn't let go.

It's too late to be scared now...... But he really didn't want to imagine what would happen if he fell into Ante's hands - would he cut him open in search of the fragments of "Nio's Tears", or would he use him to blackmail his family and friends?

He was afraid of pain and didn't want to die, let alone be used as bait...... But right now, he doesn't see any chance of them escaping.

(To be continued......)