Atop a tall tower in Lockburg, the "seriously ill" king of Rutgar is closely guarded. Not many people know that a few months ago, Borena Dejuri, another king, was imprisoned here.

Even Ante himself had almost forgotten about it. Most of the time he just lay in bed, but no one knows when he will start roaring angrily, screaming in a terrible way, or cowering in a corner and crying......

The king of Lutgar went mad - almost everyone in Lockburg knew it, and gradually there was not even much interest in talking about it, after all, what was going on out there was much more interesting, and Ante was not the first king of the Bofford dynasty to go mad.

But Ante knew very well that he wasn't crazy.

He was able to think, and he remembered most things, including that Scott was still alive...... He simply lost the ability to control any of his emotions.

It was like something was broken in my head. When fear strikes, he curls up and screams so much that he can't make a sound, when sadness strikes, he hugs himself and weeps like a baby, and he probably doesn't hesitate to laugh if he's happy...... But he couldn't think of anything to be happy about.

Sometimes he would calmly think about how he had ended up in such a situation, how he would get out of here, and how he would win back everything he had been taken from him after leaving...... But there was always some kind of emotion that hit and then everything turned chaotic and he had to start all over again.

But he's not crazy, he's well aware.

He was deceived, betrayed. Abandon...... Or being tricked by the gods. But none of this was his fault, and he wasn't crazy.

Someday he will get his revenge. To Sean, to Ed. To Quillin Ayer, to Scott, to ...... Moira.

Did the maids bring a sumptuous dinner in the evening - they at least did not intend to starve him to death. But since he had grabbed his fork and plunged it into the arm of a maid without warning, they had not given him any cutlery.

But it wasn't his fault, he was just suddenly upset, and the maid had been so heavily coated with perfume that he almost vomited.

He roared in anger for three days before he fell silent. Accept the fact that he can only grasp food with his hands like a wild man.

Someday he will take revenge...... To all.

He sat majestically behind the table and glared at the trembling maid......

No, this one didn't tremble. She slowly placed the plate in front of him. The movements are calm and elegant...... And behind her, there was no soldier with the hilt of his sword in his hand, vigilantly watching for any sudden movement from him.

The black-haired maid looked up and smiled at him. Green eyes sparkle in candlelight.

Wrath...... or fear. Jean jumped almost immediately, his mouth open, but he couldn't make any sound.

Lydia smiled and held up a finger in front of her red lips. It was as if the finger was holding him by the throat, preventing him from screaming or even breathing...... Then it wrapped around his limbs, immobilizing him.

The dilated pupils made Ante's eyes look almost completely black. The muscles on his face twisted and trembled, and his eyes showed a hint of doubt in fear.

He didn't go crazy, he certainly remembered that you couldn't cast spells in Lockburg...... Who gave her such power?

Lydia spread her thin, pale fingers like him. A blood-red gemstone ring on the middle finger shines.

"I got a gift. She smiled, as sweet as Ante remembered...... and unfathomable. "Then I can come and help you, Your Majesty, if you still need my help. ”

Help?

Ante never believed that Lydia would actually "help" him. She always had her own purpose, but he never knew what it was. He even suspected that she had messed with his brain......

No, he's not crazy, he knows everything, he hasn't done anything wrong.

He stared straight at Lydia, the corners of his eyes twitching uncontrollably, he couldn't move, he couldn't speak, but, yes, he needed help, he needed.

"I'll take you out of here. Lydia smiled and pressed her cold fingertips to his chapped lips, "But, Your Majesty...... You have to give up something. You see, I've never lied to you, I'll always let you know, what you can do and what it will cost, I'll always let you choose...... So, Your Majesty, tell me,"

She leaned into his ear and asked softly, "You want to leave...... Or do you want to live like this?"

That's not a difficult choice.

Before the curtain was opened, Scott hesitated.

It was his bedroom, and there was no one else, but he couldn't help but look left and right before slowly pulling back his sleeves.

The skin on the wrists returned to normal, and the blackened marks looked like they had never appeared...... But he still seemed to feel the burning pain.

It seems that his gods have been quite happy with him lately, despite the fact that he has done nothing but hide deep in the depths of the temple as an awesome "being". At one point, Copas hoped that he would use his power to help the queen and her family quickly put down the war, win victory and stability, and that would bring more followers to Nesses. But after he explicitly refused, the priest did not come back to force it - Copas never forced him to do anything.

Disturbed by the fact that his refusal would bring more severe punishment, the scorch marks on his wrists faded away. He couldn't figure out what the inscrutable god wanted, but he had to admit that the deep fear he felt when he realized how he was going to die again was something he had never felt before...... Even if he had already died once, he knew what the end would be.

He gave himself a self-deprecating wry smile and tore open the curtains.

The glass windows were never closed. He liked the air, hot and cold, that dispelled the smell of burnt flesh that lingered on the tip of his nose all the time.

A huge white shadow swept past him. The ice dragon spun low in front of his window for half a circle, then suddenly lunged upward, quickly disappearing above the gray-white clouds, the wind of its wings causing the window to snap shut with a clatter, almost smashing him in the face.

Scott smiled wryly again. Iss didn't like his mission, but he obediently searched for the gates of hell that had scurried there...... It's just that every time before leaving, he will use various ways to express his dissatisfaction with him.

He shook his head and opened the door, and another white shadow scurried in like lightning, jumping onto his bed.

“...... Get down. Scott's rebuke was not very serious, so the little leopard, who had grown up a lot, just opened his mouth and yawned widely, lay down without paying attention, rolled over, rolled out of his belly, and began to lick his fur as if no one else was around.

Scott looked silently at the seemingly innocent and harmless little thing. He didn't know what it was...... No, perhaps yes, Iss carried it by the back of his neck and held it in front of him, and warned him very solemnly...... But there's nothing wrong with that.

He really needs to have a pair of eyes to look at him. There will be no accusations, no worries, no contempt, just ...... Look.

When he pushed the door out, Xiaobai jumped out of bed and followed him close to his calf. Whatever its purpose was, now, it is in the eyes of others as some kind of symbol, a testament to his sacredness...... or evil.

People are always reluctant to believe the "person" standing in front of them, but prefer to believe some bizarre signs, something beyond common sense...... For example, a rare white leopard, more agile and strong than its kind, does not allow anyone to touch it at will, but behaves like a cat at his feet.

Tess had glared at him with envy and jealousy for many days, and he couldn't help but feel a kind of childish pride. But now the people here look at them with awe, but it only annoys him.

Usually at this time, he would take Xiaobai to teleport to the forest in the southwest mountains for a walk, and forget about what was in front of him for a while...... and everything to come, but this time, a strange premonition made him stand by the fountain in the courtyard. Not long after, hurried footsteps sounded, and there was a knock on the door of the courtyard that belonged to him.

Moira, whom he hadn't seen in a long time, appeared in front of him. Her cheeks inevitably thinned, her round blue eyes widened, and her slightly trembling lips were not bloody.

Her hands were clenched together, her nails pinching moon-white marks on her skin, and she looked at him in a daze, not saying a word for a long time.

“...... What's going on?" Scott had to ask softly. From the first time they met, he felt that Moira was a woman who needed to be cared for...... Although it turned out that she was much stronger than he thought.

"He's dead. Moira told him in a thin voice.

Scott frowned in confusion, and before he could realize who "he" was, Moira had already covered her mouth and cried loudly.

"Ante is dead...... My husband died...... You said you wouldn't kill him!"

This baseless accusation sent a wave of anger through Scott's heart. But he didn't speak, just stood there calmly, listening to Moira's sobs fade into silence.

"I didn't kill him. He said, "There's no need for that." ”

He didn't think his voice was warm, and as Tess said - "it was still a little scary".

"I ...... I know. Sorry, I just ......" Moira stammered apologetic, wiping tears in a panic, but they kept pouring out, as if they would never stop.

“...... Where is he?" asked Scott, fearing that if he didn't do something, he would drown in Moira's tears.

"Can you ...... Will he come back to life?" Moira asked, wide-eyed and hopeful, cautiously.

Scott looked at her, not knowing for a moment how to answer this naïve question.

(To be continued......)