Tess sat quietly behind a stone pillar and listened.

It was never easy to get past the elve's ears and ears to hear what he didn't want her to hear, but it was a game she never tired of. When she saw Norway and Scott together, she glanced at them and walked away as if she didn't care, then circled the boss, tiptoeing in from the side where the buildings and plants obscured her view, and finally hid herself perfectly.

She heard half of it—probably the most important half. Kill a king, overthrow a dynasty or something...... She usually has little interest in the kind of games that men are passionate about, but being openly excluded from it makes her very unhappy. Moreover, the king had provoked more than one of her friends, and undoubtedly her enemy, and she was an adult with a reputation in her field, not a naïve child like Ed and Is!

She should make them realize how important she is - she has a thousand ways to make them realize how important she is, and regret not having invited her to join the program in the first place......

For a moment she was immersed in her own reverie, squinting triumphantly, until Ed staggered over to her.

They looked at each other, but at first it was as if they didn't see anyone. Then Tess came to her senses and subconsciously grinned at Ed, but for a moment Ed seemed to want to walk away as if he didn't see anything.

It's not surprising that he always tries to avoid everyone these two days. It's as if you want to lick your wounds alone.

That was understandable, but it still made Tess a little sad - but when Ed hesitated to stop. When she reluctantly smiled back, she was not happy at all.

She had barely put her finger to her lips when Ed, who had already scratched his head, probably just out of politeness and thoughtfulness that didn't want his friend to worry about him, "Tes...... What are you doing here?"

The sound of conversation behind him, or rather the sound of argument, quickly stopped. Tess lamented in her heart as she pulled out a big smile of "nothing!" to Ed.

"It's just...... Soak up the sun!" she said, trying to keep a smile on her face.

Ed nodded absentmindedly.

Sunshine is indeed good, but apparently it has nothing to do with him.

"Hey. Norway. He whispered in the direction behind Tess and looked a little confused, "And Scott...... Father...... Did something happen again?"

The word "again" revealed a deep uneasiness...... Even fear.

"Oh. Nothing. Tess waved her hand indiscriminately and blurted out, "It's just a discussion about whether to kill a king or something......

She snapped her mouth shut and squinted at Norvi, who had walked up to her, and the elf was shaking his head at her helplessly.

Ed, who had walked quickly because of his worry, was stunned.

“...... Kill a king?" he asked, looking strange. The voice floated low and softly in the air. Sounds bad.

Tess's eyes rolled around and her heart drifted to the side—she shouldn't have been in front of Ed.

"That's none of your business, Ed. River's voice came, "You just need to ......"

"It's none of my business?" Ed interrupted him angrily, his tone sharp, "if you're referring to 'the one' king—the man who sent men into Chriesburg and killed my mother...... How can this have nothing to do with me!When are you willing to ask me before making such a decision?!"

Tess frowned and pursed her lips.

Given everything that happened last night. She had more sympathy for Ed, but she still hated Ed talking like that—he barely sounded like the Ed she knew. She felt that Ed needed to be beaten with a fist just like the one who had been proudly and stubbornly insisting "I'm a dragon, I don't have a home, I don't want to go back with you!", like Ed who had been proudly and stubbornly insisting for months...... But everyone just carefully held him in the palm of their hand.

He's not a sweet, cute, weak little girl!

- But now. She'd better not say anything.

Scott walked out of the gorse bush and shook his head at River, but stopped talking.

No one can prove that Holm was sent by Ante. When Vala was taken hostage, he asked him if the king had given him some kind of promise, but Holm did not answer...... I can't answer it now.

In any case, it was clear that killing Vala was not in his plan, and he probably didn't even know that after the rebuilding of Kriesburg, some of the secret passages extended to places that were not connected in the first place, such as the kitchen pantry...... And that was Ed's idea.

No one will mention this. The last thing they want now is to increase Ed's self-blame, and it seems better to have him an object to blame and hate...... However, it seems to have led to other problems, such as the flame that is burning in Ed's eyes at the moment - it is the desire for revenge.

That kind of flame can burn the enemy, but it can also burn himself.

"Sooner or later, Ante Bofford will pay for everything he has done. Then Allen, who came over, said a little tiredly, "But killing him may not be the best way." ”

“...... You always say that. Ed's gaze fell, "But so far, the only one who has paid the price is Valla...... and those who died in the temple of Collins......"

He jerked his head up, as if remembering something: "Corpse...... I can't let them lie there all the time!"

He took a step back, his mouth open as if to utter the incantation, and Scott rushed up a few steps and grabbed his arm to stop him from another impulsive teleportation.

"There's no need. "They all ...... Already buried on the island of the Holy Sepulchre. ”

“...... When?" Ed looked directly at him, surprise turning into anger, "you guys...... Can't you even let me know about this?!Even if it's just to give me a chance to say goodbye to them?!"

Scott could only smile wryly.

Any well-intentioned concealment leaves little room for discourse in the midst of angry misinterpretations, and it only gets worse if Ed knows that even his words are likely to be just speculations with the best hopes.

Ed wrenched his hand away and left without a sound.

“...... Somebody has to watch him. Filly whispered.

"Isn't there always someone watching him......" Tess muttered quietly, and then suddenly remembered in Norvi's reproachful gaze - that mission was supposed to be her turn today.

"But that's not the way to go. She immediately changed her words, "I didn't say it, you have to give him a chance to vent...... Let him do something useful, or what he wants to do, instead of looking at him, accompanying him, hoping that he will cry a few times and forget everything and become the heartless Ed Singhal of the past...... Besides, if he really wants to run, I can't stand him!"

“...... You are right. Scott admitted.

“...... Which one?" Tess couldn't help but ask, a little smugly.

Scott looked at her and didn't answer.

Ante woke up from his dream again.

He didn't know if he had really fallen asleep, and he couldn't even tell the difference between reality and dreams. The anxiety, fear, and anger that churned in his heart tormented what little sanity he had left, making him suspicious and angry, knowing that it was useless, but unable to control it.

Control...... It was what he wanted most - and it still is what he wanted. There is no need to fear the gods of another world or any power in this world, to control everything in your hands, to truly do what you want, and no longer need to use a gentle and humble smile as a mask to play the role of a devout believer, a tolerant king...... No, he is not forgiving. He has always been eager to repay and to be punished, but he has always had enough patience to use a long accumulation and careful calculation to win the final victory little by little.

He succeeded once, and he deserved to succeed a second time...... Even if Borena's sudden appearance under the three-storied tower disrupted his steps, didn't he already have enough chips to bet on this must-win game?

"The gods are dead...... The gods are dead......"

He often couldn't help but mumble to himself, but it was like a spell...... Or more like some kind of bizarre prayer sentence that doesn't ward off the panic that swells in the heart.

He shouldn't have taken such a risk...... How could he be so risky?—but in retrospect, he had no other choice.

It's not his fault.

He cursed everyone who had forced him into this situation, Borena, Rosa, Sean, Lydia, Taber, Quirin, Tylin, Phili, Ed, the dragon, and even Felicity...... He would also unconsciously yell, curse, or plead at the dark shadows in the corners of the room, but those faltering shadows were usually just the shadows of statues stretched by candlelight, or the shadows of trees falling on the curtains, neither Lydia nor ...... The knight from hell with golden eyes.

He dreamed of flames countless times. The boundless flames trapped him in it, his skin and flesh scorched black and cracked, falling off until only his bones were white. Even in his dreams, he could clearly hear his real screams...... Aaron Mancini's graciously offering spices, which were said to come from the far southwestern desert and could help people sleep, was somewhat useful, but it also made him a little groggy for the time he should have been awake - but it was better than endless nightmares.

There were several loud knocks on the door that caused the king to almost jump out of bed, and before he could start to growl, a familiar voice came through the crack in the door.

"Your Majesty...... Are you awake?"

Ante was stunned, and in a trance thought he was still in a dream—some not-so-bad dream.

It was Moira's voice.

(To be continued......)