Many people know that the high platform under the temple of Anduch is empty in the middle, but few people know what is in it. Some say it houses all kinds of powerful magical objects and even artifacts, some say it is the resting place of priests and the most devout believers, and some speculate that it is home to many ancient and ferocious monsters, including a dragon......

As he descended the narrow staircase, Borena couldn't help but think of the rumors. But in fact, it's a place of retreat for pastors – no one seems to think that pastors need to learn and practice too.

Now, however, it is also being used as a prison for the time being.

A prison for one person alone.

Ethan would leave Eli in the custody of the priests of Andukh, and Borena was not surprised. What better place to hold a dangerous necromancer than a temple, and Fish Croefler had always had a good relationship with the High Priest of Andukh, able to keep them secret, and Eli could neither escape nor be harmed.

Although he is also the murderer of Joaquin...... For the sake of Fish and Ethan, Borena could only remain silent.

He asked Ethan if Fish already knew what was going on, but Ethan was silent. The once proud eldest son became a necromancer, which was definitely the heaviest blow to the pious and resolute old man, even if Ethan wanted to hide it to the end, Borena could understand.

It's just that I thought that the speculation I had been thinking all along was completely wrong, and I even killed my father because of it...... Borena felt that he would probably not be able to escape that sadness and self-blame for the rest of his life.

It's time to leave. He needs to get back to his wife. Return to the Kuz estuary...... That's where he really lives.

He didn't want to see Eli again. After all, he already knew what he should know, and what had happened could never be undone, but Ethan told him. Eli wanted to see him again.

Borena was tempted to refuse, but ended up here.

The room where Eli was held was large and bright, more like a hall. There was a strange stone pillar in the center of the room, and Eli sat lazily on the ground against it—there was even a hide of an animal.

The priest who brought Borena here was young but silent, pointing to the runes on the ground and telling him, "Don't go in." And he left on his own.

Borena stared at the writhing symbols beneath his feet, realizing that it was probably this that was really trapping Eli, not the heavy door behind him.

"Welcome!" Eli said with her arms open to him. "This is where the holy priests learn to summon otherworldly creatures, but the door is never open to outsiders. For a necromancer. It's really a cage of luxury. ”

"That's because your last name is Croeffler. Borena said dryly.

"And I'm here thanks to another Croeffler. Eli sneered, "I admit I underestimated Ethan...... I always thought he was just a skinny wretch, who knew he could be so watertight with his brother. ”

"I asked him for help. Borena subconsciously defended Ethan: "We didn't know that it would be you who wanted to kill me......"

Eli laughed. He laughed for a while before he said mockingly, "That's what he told you?"

Borena simply shut his mouth and said nothing.

"When in the cave...... Are you trying to say that you didn't tell my father about that in the first place?" Eli calmed down, but there was still a harsh sneer on his lips.

Borena remained silent.

"I've got plenty of time here, so I think about it seriously - I guess it's not you, you don't have the guts. ”

Borena felt that it was a complete mistake for him to come here.

"That's Ethan...... He told his father, and everyone thought you did it. Do you think he didn't have the guts to let me know or if he did it on purpose?"

Verbal malice can sometimes hurt even more than the sharpest of weapons...... Borena turned around with a blushing face.

"Run, Borena Dejuri, after all, that's what you do best. Eli's voice followed him like an arrow of pursuit, as if it could never be shaken off, "But watch out for the trap under your feet." ”

Borena didn't look back. His steps grew faster and faster, and he rushed out of the dreary, suffocating place as if fleeing for his life.

Ethan was whispering something to an elderly priest under the porch in front of the temple, and raised an eyebrow when he saw him come out, "So fast?" What does he want to tell you?"

Borena suddenly felt unable to look him directly in the face. Lowered his gaze and said casually: "It's nothing...... Nothing important. I'll leave Llewellyn tomorrow. ”

"Didn't even attend the coronation?" Ethan asked.

“...... I'm sure I won't be invited. Borena said, scurrying past Ethan.

He thought Ethan would stay and continue talking to the priest, but Ethan followed almost immediately.

"Wait, Borena!" his tone was stern and impatient, "you have to attend the coronation!"

Borena came to a screeching halt.

"Since when do I have to obey your orders?"

"From the time you came to me for help!"

Borena was speechless, as if he had indeed said that he would follow Ethan's arrangement.

"But that's the end of it, isn't it?" he scratched at his hair in frustration. "I just want to find the murderer!"

"So you don't care about dragging your wife and children to continue to be hunted down in the future?" Ethan asked coldly, "Do you think Kazia Longfu will let you go?"

She won't—Borena knows that. But if he escaped far enough to go to Lutgar or even the few free city-states in the southwest of the continent......

"She's the queen. Even if you just pay for mercenaries, it is enough to make your life uneasy, and it is useless to flee to the ends of the earth. ”

Ethan seemed to have a clear idea of what he was doing.

“...... So what do you want?" asked Borena helplessly.

"Stay for the coronation. You don't have to worry about the rest. Ethan's face was marked with the usual arbitrariness and impatience.

Borena looked at him, was silent for a long time, and shook his head firmly: "No. Tell me what you want to do...... Tell me what you've done. I'll decide whether or not I want to stay, or I'd rather be hunted to the ends of the earth and die in front of my wife!"

His heart sank at the thought of that sight, but he could no longer give in.

He never seemed to have much of a choice when it came to Ethan...... He couldn't even remember when it started like this. But this time, he could no longer allow himself to be pushed into a situation where there was no way back.

Ethan glared at him angrily, and it took a while before he spoke, "You won't like it." ”

"There are a lot of things I don't like, but that doesn't mean I won't do them. Borena spoke in a calm tone. But there was a faint majesty, "There are many things that I will never say...... But that doesn't mean I don't know. ”

Ethan was stunned for a moment. He seemed a little surprised, even panicked, but in an instant he laughed again.

He rarely laughs. Especially like this, easily. Calmly, with a hint of mockery, it made him look like Eli was enough.

Borena stood there silently, nervous as he faced another trial that would determine his life and death.

"Borena Dejuri. Ethan whispered, "You're a damn, lucky idiot. ”.

"Get out!Get out!!"

Meg Sterling could hear Kezia's roar through the long corridor, but she kept her slow and graceful steps, walking forward unhurriedly, smiling softly as the ladies who had been kicked out of the room saluted her.

Her Majesty's bedroom seemed to have just been ravaged by a storm, and even the curtains on the bed had been torn off, and all kinds of dresses were thrown all over the floor. The mirror, of course, was smashed again.

Meg kicked away a few pieces of some crystal-embellished wreckage on her toes, and calmly walked towards Kezia.

"Your Majesty, the coronation will be in a few days. You should have rested early, and there was really no need to be angry with those stupid women - go and see how His Majesty was? He must have been nervous too...... By the time you get back, I'll make sure it's cleaned up. ”

Kezia just slumped in her armchair, as if she hadn't heard her at all.

“...... Your Majesty?" Meg moved closer, tentatively touching Kazia's arm.

Kazia gave her a blank look, "Is there any news of him?"

Her face was withered, and her beautiful blue-green eyes were gray. There are clear wrinkles at the corners of his eyes, and he almost looks like he is ten years older.

Meg shook her head slightly.

The anger and despair in Kazia's eyes deepened.

She didn't know Eli had escaped. Dead, or caught...... Maybe it's better to be dead.

- No, let him escape.

She felt like she was hanging in the air, dazed and unleashed. Her son is about to be crowned, except for Borena, who she has heard more than once call him "the hero of the gods to Anktan...... Aside from the whimsical desire to let "his brother" attend the coronation, everything seemed so normal, but she became more and more uneasy every day, like a myriad of beasts in the darkness, closing in on her step by step.

She was too proud, but she was the daughter of the Longfu family after all. She could tell the difference in the way the nobles looked at her, and she could sense that fewer and fewer people were willing to show up to her......

This definitely does not bode well.

The sound of footsteps startled the two women in silence, and Kazia looked up, as Sercio walked towards her with splinters on the ground.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, her tone still irritated. Lately the child has been disobedient to her more and more......

Then she noticed that Celsio's face was terrifyingly pale, and Behring, who was following him, was actually looking directly at her boldly, with a faint anger in his eyes.

"Get out of here, Belling-Grean. Kazia lifted her chin haughtily and commanded, "I'm going to say a few words to my son." ”

But the young knight did not move.

Kazia stood up and said angrily, "Sercio, did you teach your guards to do this to your mother?!"

Sercio finally looked up at her, his thin lips trembling slightly, and asked in a low voice:

"Mother...... Did you kill your father?".

(To be continued)